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The Empire of Yanjing (pronounced yann-JIHNG, soft "j") was a country in the eastern part of the Emelanese Universe. It was based on China and the years were named after animals, e.g. Year of the Crow, Year of the Cat and Year of the Turtle.[1] The latter was in 1039 KF. Yanjing was famous for its shakkan trees, which were developed by Yanjingyi gardeners over a period of a thousand years. The emperor of Yanjing had the largest known collection of miniature trees. Snow leopards were known to live in the southern mountains of Yanjing.[2] A strong blend of black tea came from Yanjing, which, combined with stimulants like foxglove, allowed Yarrun Firetamer to retain his concentration and stay awake during the fires in Gold Ridge in 1035 KF.[3]

Evumeimei Dingzai's family came from the province of Zhangzhou[4] in Yanjing and she once traveled there with Briar Moss and Dedicate Rosethorn. Lark was also known to once have traveled to Yanjing, although this was before she became a dedicate of the Living Circle religion, when she was still a tumbler. It was also possible that Qinling, who later lived in Princes' Heights, the older parts of Chammur, was originally from Yanjing, as she sometimes spoke Evvy's native language with the girl.

Even in a place as far away as Yanjing, people knew of Winding Circle's accomplished mage-teachers.[5]

Yanjinyi mages wore black robes with gold sashes. Regular foot soldiers in the armies wore a tan tunic and breeches.

Magic[]

Yanjingyi have only academic magic, and have no concept of ambient magic. Where Western academic mages wrote their magic symbols on paper or in books to use it, Yanjingyi mages engraved the magic ideographs on the surface of beads. Beads could be either spherical or cylindrical depending on the number of ideographs engraved on it. The beads were typically strung on cotton cord in loops around the neck or wrists as bracelets and necklaces. The greater the mage, the more spells inscribed on their beads, and the more beads a mage could control. The beads could be made of bone, porcelain, glass, wood (such as willow, oak, and gingko), or stone (such as marble and carnelian). Some mages even tattooed ideographs on their hands and fingers.

Yanjingyi mages were taught of qi, the power that binds all things. They could not draw power from their surroundings and thought that items such as cotton, wood, and stone were empty vessels until they were filled with magic. Items had no magic of their own, which was why they did not believe ambient magic existed or that mages could actually "talk" to inanimate objects. They had no concept of ambient magic and could not feel when it was in use or defend against it.

The spells they placed in their beads matched native superstition, rather then what the object wanted since they could not speak to wood or stone. For example, Yanjingyi claimed that even "the most ignorant village fortune teller " knew Carnelian was a stone of power and strength and lucky for its reddish-brown color, which was supposed to be the color of dragon blood. They thus infused carnelian beads with fear and strength spells. Stone ambient mages know the stone was meant for protection and clear thinking from their connection with the rocks.

Trainee Yanjingyi mages spent much of their time going over mage strings to find which beads had gone stale, or had been corrupted. They would wear down from extensive use, especially if used in repeated battles. The mismatch between what the stones and wood wanted and what spells they were given made them prone to tampering by plant and stone ambient mages, who could convince the beads to rebel against the spells forced on them and turn on the mage. Willow, which was meant for healing, was given spells for killing and destruction when made into beads, spells they wore uneasily. Briar Moss was able to remind the beads of their life as trees and they took up his green magic and grew into new trees. They grew into new willows so quickly they enveloped the mages wearing the beads, killing them.

History[]

1034KF: Five years prior to Battle Magic, Yanjing invaded the three countries to its northern border at the orders of Emperor Weishu, Inxia, Qayan, and Yithung. Inxia shared a border with Gyongxe, who regularly sent it mages and soldiers to bolster their defense since if Inxia fell, Gyongxe was next.

1039KF: Yanjing conquers the three countires to the north, Yithung the last of the three, and turns its attention to Gyongxe, interested in its expensive temple treasures. Briar, Evvy, and Rosethorn are visiting Yanjing but flee to Gyongxe shortly before Yanjing begins its invasion to help Gyongxe. The events of Battle Magic occur.

Notes and references[]

  1. Street Magic, Ch. 6 (pg. 109; Scholastic paperback)
  2. Daja's Book, Ch. 7 (pg. 125; Scholastic paperback)
  3. Daja's Book, Ch. 9 (pg. 157; Scholastic paperback)
  4. http://tammypierce.livejournal.com/27823.html
  5. Briar's Book, Ch. 8 (pg. 128; Scholastic paperback)
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