Welcome to Shen Zhou!
Shen Zhou, or 'Land of the Gods', is an epic and fantastic vision of fourth-century China, and serves as the setting of Weapons of the Gods. You play young, up-and-coming heroes of the Wulin: the Martial Arts world. Whether Warriors, Courtiers or Scholars, your characters are already well-known for their heroic deeds, and are able to focus their chi in spectacular displays of martial-arts power. Seeking challenge, fame and power, you struggle against other martial artists, armies and even monsters in an attempt to have your name known throughout the land!
Today, you are playing one of four bold young heroes who have travelled to the far edges of Shen Zhou, seeking the infamous Only Six Devils to seize some of the most famed splendours in all the land. Only Six Devils is a mighty city set between harsh mountains, the great Yellow River, and the fierce Northern Desert. The personal domain of the mysterious and terrifying Iron Shadow Warlord, it has no law other than his word, and the eccentric whims of his six District Governors -- powerful men and women whom locals claim to be the titular Six Devils. The city is famed for two things: the ruthless professionalism of its mercenaries, and the splendour of its markets. It is said that you can buy anything within the walls of Only Six Devils.
However, you have no intention of buying anything. Your motives may be as noble as righting an injustice to your homeland or as selfish as increasing your fame with the boldest of thievery, but you are here to take one of Shen Zhou's greatest treasures! You have banded with other brave members of the Wulin who also seek a treasure only Six Devil City can provide, having fallen together and forged a fast bond of friendship fighting the Devil Cloud gang on your journey! However, even for such a mighty band, the markets do not give up their splendours easily. You begin in the chaotic madness of Unruly Devil District, the most densely populated place in all of Shen Zhou. The treasures that you seek lie in the exclusive serenity of Prosperous Devil District, on sale in the legendary Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion!
Sapphire Miang, Governor of Prosperous Devil, forbids any to enter her district unless invited by one of the wealthy magnates who dwell there. Luckily, those magnates often have need of brave (or foolhardy) fighters to aid them in their feuds. On this very day, three such nobles are holding a tourney to gain their favour. How lucky for you: you can run on water, split stones with your fists, and count the drops of rain as they fall... how can you fail?
Which of these four bold heroes will you be today?
Xiao-Li Pai: A loyal daughter and fierce Warrior, her virtue and ambition soar to the skies, and her sword skill is higher than the clouds!
Feng Guo: A young Warrior who may not be wise, but is stronger than an ox with honour that knows no bounds, and fists like iron!
Liang Shui: A Courtier of unparalleled dedication, he breaks hearts with his smile and poetry, and breaks bones with his sound-based kung-fu!
Patience Meng: A brilliant Scholar, tragically too young to retire to a mountain and contemplate the Dao. His wise advice seems almost magical, his Daoist spells confound the strongest foe, and he can still crack heads with his staff!
Never played Weapons of the Gods before?
Not a problem -- the adventure you're about to embark on serves first and foremost as an introduction to the game. In particular, the first scene serves explicitly as a tutorial, making sure you understand the basic rules concepts before you launch into the full frenzy of kung-fu battle!
This text is copied from the pdf of Jye Nicolson's Auspicious Beginnings without permission, but it's a free adventure so I expect it's basically ok (if you're going to play this you probably don't want to read the adventure in advance).