Urairlax

The Court of Laoshi, otherwise known as the Cult of Lao, is an ancient myth within the Sea of Fallen Stars. A mysterious organization that is said to be pulling the strings of every event that happens with the Sea, the Court of Laoshi is a myth with it's origins in fact. The Court of Laoshi is very much a real thing. While the few Imperials who know of the myth of the Court may doubt, and even outright laugh at the idea, of a secret society existing within the Holy Imperium of Man others believe in the Court of Laoshi. The Court of Laoshi is a violent, and very secretive, cabal of highly influential individuals within the Imperium that have used their status and power to gain a powerbase within the Sea of Fallen Stars.

To some the mystery of the Court of Laoshi is a fun little tale to tell around a campfire, to others it is something to unravel. And while some might find nothing but deadends and pointless riddles, some find themselves being hunted by the very organization they seek to uncover. Many individuals who find themselves hunted by the Talons of Lao will simply end up dead somewhere in a gutter, or cold and lifeless in their beds. But for those special and rare individuals who come close to unraveling the truth behind the mystery, they are taken deep into the Burrow of the Court to be tortured for years and years in the most cruel ways the Court has devised.

The Myth of the Court has been around since the Sea of Fallen Stars was discovered in M30 by the Rogue Trader Skaro. Spoken in hushed tones and nursery rhymes by the servants of Dynasty Skaro to the heirs of the Warrant of Trader, the Myth of the Court has spread throughout the Sea. The most information one can find about the Court can be located in the Markets of the Ox'arcvor, who although no next to nothing about the truth of the Court have studied the legend of the Court for hundreds of years.

History
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Organization
Born from Laoshi's Bloodline, the organization and structure of the Court of Laoshi is based off the Lao Dynasty's own hierarchy system. As a whole the Court of Laoshi is controlled by Laoshi Baifao, an ancient Weizhau who survived the fall of the Weizhau Empire along with specific members of his Bloodline. The Weizhau Empire was a glorious xeno dynasty that controlled the majority of the Sea of Fallen Stars before the Birth of Slaanesh. Their Empire was controlled by several inner groups, one of which was known as the Cult of Lao. The Cult of Lao was a hyper-religious organization that sought to eradicate or conquer every species within the Sea of Fallen Stars. When the Birth of Slaanesh occurred, it was the Cult of Lao that survived. The Cult of Lao consists of several Weizhau, including Laoshi Baifao, and thirteen loyal human members. The royal thirteen are the few human members who are allowed to know of the existance and history of the Weizhau. Hierarchy wise, below the Cult of Lao consists of the aristocratic members of the Court of Laoshi. These members consist of Rogue Traders, Imperial Generals, high-ranking Techpriests, and include even an Inquisitor. Under the service of the Court of Laoshi are the common members of the Court which consist of merchants, mercenaries, and administrators of the Imperium.

Shadowmarks are the fences and snitches of the Court. They can be nearly anyone, but are generally unware of who they serve. Shadowmarks are dragged into the game of the Court unknowingly, and are rarely if ever truly knowledgeable about the game. Shadowmarks sell information both to and for the Court. They are commonly installed in areas of high influence such as Adeptus Administratium buildings, and ETC. Shadowmarks can be found on nearly every world within the Sea of Fallen Stars, and are especially common in the Markets of the Ox'arcvor. Some rare Shadowmarks can even be found in the Dark City of the Dark Eldar. Should a Shadowmark become too curious to who they are hired by, than they forfit their life to the Talons of Lao. In rare cases however, a truly gifted or valuable Shadowmark might be drawn directly into the Court of Laoshi as a reward for their valuable service. Shadowmarks are also in charge of racketerring jobs such as drug dealing, slave markets, and piracy.

Recruitment into the Court of Laoshi occurs by connection alone. Shadowmarks recruit Shadowmarks, members of the Court recruit their trusted friends and family, and individuals alone are born into the Cult of Lao. Very rare is it that an individual finds the Court of Laoshi inviting into their burrow without any former connection, though it has happened once or twice. For individuals being recruited directly into the Court, some things must occur. Their loyalty and worth must be made certain. Having just one without the other does not make it likely for one to join the Court of Laoshi. Thrusted into dangerous situations to see if they would rat out the Court of Laoshi, and stripped off worth for just a moment to see if they crack. Should one prove to be able to withstand these hardships, they are dragged into the game of the Court.

Talons of Lao
The fabled Talons of Lao. If there is one thing that is always a constant in the myths of the Court of Laoshi, it's the Talons of Lao. Fabled assassins that have been indoctrinated to serve the Court of Laoshi loyally and eternally. Taken when they are first born, the Talons of Lao go through their entire childhood being trained to be as deadly as possible. Each Talon is kept completely seperate from each other other, only allowed to see their Weizhau masters. For years Talon recruits are put under the knife to better improve them. Their minds are alterted and broken to make them impossibly loyal. Recruit training consists of survival lessons, combat duels with their true Talons, and the sancturium. The sancturium is a death trap that has countless beasts stalking it's halls, all food and water is heavily drugged, and the recruits are given no supplies or weapons. Should the recruit survive the Sancturium they are ready to become full fledged Talons. Given their weapons and armor, designed after the Weizhau's own ancient warriors, they are pitted against the other recruits. The few to survive this death battle are than sent on to fight against their trainers, and should they succeed they are promoted to a fully fledged Talon of Lao. Once promoted, the Talons are put under the knife one more time. Their limbs and eyes are removed and replaced with cloned Weizhau appendages and eyes. Their new eyes allow them the ability to see in pitch-black settings without technological aid and their new limbs are clawed allowing them natural weapons, and in the case of their clawed feet they are capable of hanging from ceilings. The Talons of Lao are garbed in armor similar to that of the ancient warriors of the Weizhau. They wear owl-like masks on their heads, drap themselves in bladed feathered cloaks, and very elegant black and gold armor. For weaponry the Talons of Lao wield countless blades in the forms of swords, throwing daggers, and knives.

Baifao Purifier
Baifao Purifiers are the enforcers and soldiers of the Court of Laoshi. Unlike their more mysterious kin, the Talons of Lao, they are completely unaware to what they are truly serving. Put under the knife to better themselves, these cybernetic warriors are loyal above all else to the Court for a number of reasons. The prime reason for their loyalty is a device located in the back of their skull that should they step out of line, will explode and end their lives. Baifao Purifers are similar in appearance to their kin, the Talons, in the way that their armor and equipment is designed after the Weizhau Masters. The Weizhau were an ancient empire filled with Avian xenos similar in appearance to the Terran Owl. This is reflected in the owl-like masks they wear, the talons on their boots and gloves, and the cloaked feathers the Purifier commanders drap themselves in. For weaponry the Purifers wield mono-knives and autolysis-inducing energy rifles.

Lao Defiler
Lao Defilers are the rare Shadowmarks that have proven themselves useful enough to be included in the Court of Laoshi. These individuals are in charge of recruiting individuals into the Shadowmarks and for finding potential recruits for the Talons of Lao. Lao Defilers are rare individuals however, as rarely do Shadowmarks become valuable enough to warrant an introduction into the Court of Laoshi. Lao Defilers are rarely xenos, as the majority of the Court of Laoshi doesn't realize they are in reality a xeno-worshiping organization. Lao Defilers run networks of their fellow Shadowmarks and are the ones who directly relay information to the Court of Laoshi. When a Lao Defiler turns traitor or gets captured, rare is it for them to survive long. The amount of information they hold is very valuable, and as such they are often hunted down by Talons the minute the Court learns of their betrayal.

Laoshi Baifao
Founder of both the Cult of Lao and the Court of Laoshi, this Weizhau has lived for thousands of years and has hidden himself away for a majority of them. Having replaced the majority of his body and organs with cybernetics so that he might live to see the rebirth of the Weizhau Empire. His feathers have been replaced with cold bladed steel, his talons replaced by the sharpest of daggers, and his eyes modified to be superior to what they were. A member of the owlish Weizhau, a species of anthropomorphic owl-like beings, Laoshi is an old thing of a time forgotten by most. Their empire was long-standing and prosperous but their legacy was to be tarnished by the birthing screams of Slaanesh. To escape the destruction of the empire, Laoshi and his Cult of Lao left the main body of the Empire and fled out of the Sea of Fallen Stars. Laoshi and his Cult of Lao would eventually return to the Sea of Fallen Stars with their servants the Court of Laoshi to reclaim their empire.

Skaro Del'vampe
"May my ancestors... be rewarded as I for their service..."

- Skaro Del'vampe's last words.

Skaro Del'vampe was a founding member of the Court of Laoshi, and one of the few individuals to ever learn of the true masters of the Sea of Fallen Stars. Skaro was a Rogue Trader whose dynasty lives to this day and still secretly serves the Court of Laoshi. When Skaro was close to an imminent death he was spared by the still blood and feather Laoshi. When Laoshi and his Cult of Lao saved Skaro they promised him more than survival. They promised him a golden legacy, the wealth of a thousand merchant lords, and the status of the Emperor himself. And ever since the Skaro Dynasty has served the Court loyally and secretly. Of course Skaro Del'vampe would later on in his life be killed by a Talon of Lao after his usefulness ran dry.

Laetras Scifer
"Inquisitor Laetras Scifer of the Ordo Xenos. You must be, Laoshi himself. Superior cybernetic body, very impressive. It will be a pleasure to serve you Master Baifao."

- Laetras Scifer upon meeting Laoshi Baifao

Laetras Scifer is an Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos and is a more recent member of the Cult of Lao. Having served the Imperium for some time Inquisitor Scifer has grown to hate the human species and it's weakness. Unable to properly work and fight together has lead to a weakness to the entire structure of the Imperium, and Laetras Scifer sees Laoshi and his Cult of Lao has a method of improvement for the Imperium. Having grown up on the world of Riveria, Laetras has seen the worst of people and believes them to be stupid things that must improve themselves with cybernetics, and with the technology the Cult of Lao has Scifer has been able to modify his body in a way that would be impossible with the technology of the Imperium.

Olybrius Kletschus
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Gideon \Jriah
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Gambell Mendral
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The Weizhau
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Creed and Ideology
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Stratagem, Connections, and Goals
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Technology
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Quotes
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