he men and woman of the Empire have always been curious by nature. They have been pioneers in many areas, and were the first to discover the properties of the Alchemical stones and develop alchemy as it is practiced today.

This discipline quickly became the core of research and study within the Empire. Many schools were created within one of the three orders - the Order of the Breath of Dao - specifically to explore the vast array of possibilities offered by the practice of alchemy.

One of the most renowned of these schools is the School of the Long Sigh. It is located in the province of Dong, not very far away from Dong Yì, the capital. This school trains feared alchemists that prefer to practice the most devastating aspects of alchemy.

Where other alchemists are more subtle in their application of this discipline, the masters of the School of the Long Sigh teach a practical military use of alchemy. To them only the results count.

The philosophy of alchemical practice in this school was very clearly described by Wu Tu Dan, one of the masters of this school: « What good is it to blow on a reed if each time it simply returns to its position? You must blow long and hard to uproot it from its soil! »

 

Today the students of the School of the Long Sigh are extremely well represented in the Triadic army.

Most of the Dragon Guard; the personal guard of the Celestial One of the Order of the Breath of Dao, are also recruited from this school.