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Once, twenty years or so ago, there lived a great student of Redcap's, by the name of Kao Bu Tien. He immersed himself in the languages of Han and Ilbon as well as the tongue of these Kingdoms, and was considered a prominent authority in regards to literature. Trusted by M'hul and Lasahn alike, he was used as a messenger with the Sonhi, bearing gifts of pumpkins from the Kingdoms during more diplomatically sound times and speaking of foreign concepts, such as the Ilbonese tongue. That is, in fact, how he recieved his nickname, "Kabocha," meaning "Pumpkin" in the Ilbonese tongue. Although he was from the kingdom of Kugnae, he came to be trusted by the Three Great Rulers of the time, and was consulted as a messenger by Lasahn, Mhul, and KaMing regularly. As Buya and Koguryo both grew and prospered, they became wary of each other. Radicals, eager to go to war led revolts and protests against Princess Lasahn. The royals themselves seemed ready for conflict, each eyeing the other with increased suspicion. They found a reason for war when Prince Mhul came by Princess Lasahn's palace one night following the Tribunal, insulting her and the Kingdom of Buya in loud, apparently drunken slurs. Of course, we now know that it was not Mhul, but a Zibong in Mhul's form under KaMing's control, that accosted Princess Lasahn that night. However, no one was aware of KaMing's plans at the time... or so has been thought, until now. As a messenger to both kingdoms as well as the Sonhi, Kabocha was neutral in nature in regards to military action. However, his conscience got the best of him when he delivered a message to General Chinao of the Sonhi, informing the General of KaMing's intentions and involvement in the Koguryo-Buya conflict. Invited uneasily by General Chinao (who grew wary of KaMing himself) to spend the night in the Sonhi encampment, Kabocha declined. It is not known whether Kabocha explained to Chinao his intent to warn the Prince and Princess of the coming threat, but it has been suggested that perhaps Chinao provided a safe escort to the Northern Pass for Kabocha. From the Northern Pass, Kabocha sought to ride first to the kingdom of Koguryo, to inform the Prince of the Zibong involvement and Sonhi conspiracy. From Koguryo he intended to ride south to Buya, warning the Princess of the illusion that insulted her and the looming threat of KaMing. However, he never completed his ride. In the Northern Pass, Kabocha encountered several Zibong, who probably slew his peace-driven Sonhi escorts. He was pursued by them into the Wild, and headed for Koguryo, fearing for his life. That night, he did not notice the full moon, and was probably not aware of the interesting position of the stars. In his haste, he did not even notice a clearing of trees with a small pumpkin patch, where the Shamans were holding a ritual, imbibing several enchanted pumpkins with spiritual energy. He rode through it, shouting of the looming threat, his horse smashing several magical pumpkins underfoot. The Shamaness Elder, Jayde Phoenix, was furious. She cut down Kao Bu Tien, using her fragment of the legendary DarkStaff to remove his head with a single foul swipe, directly at the stroke of midnight. Their ritual ruined, the Shamans angrily cursed Kabocha, perhaps unintentionally associating his spirit with that grove, that astrological alignment and that time. When the stars are positioned as they were that night (roughly every twenty years), the headless visage of Kabocha can sometimes be seen, appearing at the stroke of midnight and riding through the wilderness. In these midnight appearances, he shouts warnings of conflicts passed, sending shivers of memory through the hearts of those who recall the results of his failed message. | |