The Plum Blossom (Organisation)

The Plum Blossom is a major faction operating within the continent of Ahlus.

## Description

Gaining their name from the tea shop opened by the otterfolk monk Ume, the Plum Blossom has since come to be used to describe both the chain of likewise businesses and the nomadic monks trained within the temples of Heizentaru Monastery. From Trophy Hook on the western edge of the Tviatini Jungle, these monks travel the continent accompanied by a bountiful selection of teas cultivated at the Monastery itself, and a Tea Weird with which to brew them as to share with those they encounter on their path.

The Plum Blossom tea shops themselves, while not near as frequent as the similarly franchised Fonteyne's Fountain taverns, are a common sight in the major settlements of Ahlus, each usually maintaining a tranquil zen garden engulfed in a permanent aura of the *Silence* spell to facilitate effective meditation in even the busiest of locales.

## Goals

The efforts of the Plum Blossom tearooms and the travelling monks distinguished by their robes decorated with stitched patches of purple, pink and green fabric are largely aligned, further blurring the line between the two organisations. Promoting peace and tranquillity through discipline, whether by training in temple grounds or patiently waiting for correct brewing times for the perfect pot of tea, the group seeks to feed the hungry, offer counsel to those lost in self-destructive habits or other conditions of the psyche, as well as aiding to fight against any that promote imbalance in all its facets.

## Tenets of the Plum Blossom

* Offer aid freely, so that come the harvest the fruits of your labour might feed countless more still.
* A life enjoyed is a life well spent. Spread joy where others might scatter dissent, showing all the while that the former will always triumph over the latter.
* With each new experience, your journey towards transcendence grows more complete. Only when all the pieces are in place can the image be fully appreciated.

## Relationships

The Plum Blossom maintains strong links with the Matron House, an organisation dedicated primarily to Aita that shares in many of the Plum Blossom's ideals. Monks associated with the group often aid the priests and healers of the Matron House in their expeditions, bringing with them both spiritual serenity and martial prowess to aid in their ongoing efforts to help those in need.

Heizentaru Monastery exports large quantities of tea and fish via the trading guilds of Viridell to allow for the continued negation of costs for those wishing to be trained in the monastic traditions of the region. Instead of seeking compensation from these aspirants, the monastery asks simply for their dedication to their ideals and training.

## Characters

Though guided primarily by the teachings of Buwello the Sweet-Kiss Prince, it is belief in the ideals of the Plum Blossom that is the only requirement for those wishing to join the ranks of the organisation. Whether they seek training as a monk, desire a simple life fishing in the warm waters of Tvia Bay or simply consider themselves a true tea aficionado, the Plum Blossom offers a chance for serenity for all.

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6