Altered Lore

Bai Shan-shu

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Bai Shan-shu

Overview

Bai Shan-shu was an Ordis officer and one of the first Exalt pairs, bonded with Zephyr the swan Chimera in 364 AC. A decorated Tagmata veteran who received the Purple Star for rescuing crew members during the Mesektet crash, Shan-shu made a deathbed confession to his daughter Zhen, claiming responsibility for the tragedy that killed his wife Madelyn Moss.

Military Career

Shan-shu began his military career at The Cebir in 327 AC, where he met Madelyn Moss, a scientist studying Chimeras. After the outpost was abandoned in 329 AC, the couple settled in Hadera, Caer Esvander, where their daughter Zhen was born in 330 AC.

Shan-shu rose through the ranks to serve in the Tagmata, the special forces of the Asgarthan navy. His daring rescue during the Mesektet incident earned him the Purple Star, one of the highest Asgarthan military distinctions, and opened doors to naval high command.

The Mesektet Incident

When Madelyn Moss was ordered aboard Mesektet to test her invention, Shan-shu’s Tagmata squadron escorted the mothership. During an attack by Cingula, the Mesektet went down. Using Zephyr’s abilities, Shan-shu saved many crew members, but Madelyn died in an explosion on the ship’s scientific bridge.

During the memorial service, Shan-shu accepted the Purple Star and shook the hands of survivors who expressed gratitude. That evening, he drank heavily. Despite public praise, Shan-shu remained distant from his daughter in the years that followed.

Becoming an Exalt

In 364 AC, Basileus Avkan requested that Shan-shu undergo The Musubi with Zephyr. His past heroism and closeness to the Chimera made him an ideal candidate to prove the ceremony was reproducible. Despite his advanced age, Shan-shu became one of the first Exalts. However, his health suddenly declined afterward, making him unfit for the Rediscovery Endeavor.

Decline and Confession

In his final years, Shan-shu lived in the family manor. Both father and daughter had white hair and skin lined with wrinkles by the time of his death. During Zhen’s final visit, she found him bedridden, having forbidden the household staff from alerting her.

On his deathbed, Shan-shu confessed to causing the tragic fall of the Mesektet, claiming responsibility for all the deaths. He stated that saving some from the wreck did not atone for the evil he had done, that his whole life had been lived in imposture and lies, and that he deserved none of the honors he had received. When Zhen demanded to know why, he mentioned her mother’s name but refused to elaborate. His last words expressed pride in Zhen, though he acknowledged never knowing how to show it.

After his death, Zephyr began dying from the broken Musubi bond until Zhen performed a second Musubi to save the Chimera.

Legacy

Shan-shu’s wartime exploits became part of Asgarthan public memory, known even to the younger generation who grew up hearing of his feats. Despite the severing of his Musubi bond when Zephyr re-bonded with Zhen, Shan-shu survived the split — a rare occurrence given the typically fatal consequences of a broken Musubi.

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