Kao Chou Tang

Prince Kao Chou Tang was a prince of the Shou Lung empire who lived on the Dragon Coast of Faerûn during the mid–14 century DR.

Personality
Tang was extremely demanding and harsh to those in his life, from his wife and trusted servants, to the palace guards and soldiers under his command. He had something of an inferiority complex, often believing he had to prove his competence to his mother, his wife, and even his own generals.

The prince seemed to resent being sent to a locale so far away from Shou Lung, wishing he could be back in his homeland.

Abilities
He was quite knowledgeable about certain botanical specimens and their usage in the formation of potions and poisons.

Activities
Tang had a fascination and interest in reptiles, especially monitor lizards and spent much of his time tending to them at the Garden of Flickering Tongues at the Ginger Palace.

For a time, Prince Tang engaged in the black market trade of various poisonous plants, using the spice trade of the Ginger Palace, He was coerced into the business by the leader of the Dragon Cult and not allowed to cease production or shipment of the goods.

Relationships
Tang was the son of Lady Feng, who was the third wife of Kao Tsao Shou Tang, emperor of Shou Lung. He married Wei Dao, a Shou Princess who was quite critical and demanding of the prince, but also forced to demonstrate subservience due to his noble birth.

The prince's stay at the Ginger Palace was sponsored by Mandarin Hsieh Han Liu, the Shou Minister of Spices.

Due to his involved knowledge of plants and poisons, Tang became entangled with the schemes of the Cult of the Dragon and unwittingly came under the influence of the black dracolich Hethcypressarvil known as Cypress the Black. The prince was the only individual in the region knew how to properly press ylang blossoms in order to create a love potion that the undead dragon desired.

From the time of their first meeting, Tang harbored a misguided infatuation for Ruha, the Bedine spellcaster that arrived at the Ginger Palace seeking his audience. He sought her as a concubine, believing her powers to be of great value to serve him and his court at the palace.

History
When Tang arrived in the Eastern Heartlands, he joined the Cult of the Dragon believing dragons of Faerûn to be like the benevolent Lung dragons of his home. He was pressed into producing poisons for the cult by the dracolich Cypress, sinking all of the Ginger Palace's ships until he agreed to terms.

In the, Cypress abducted Lady Feng and coerced Tang into processing ylang flowers for her release. While the prince wished for a wu jen spellcaster, he was offered salvation by the appearance of Ruha, a spellcaster from the Harpers, who also sought to free someone from the dragon's clutches, Lady Yanseldara, ruler of Elversult. Ruha's presence at the Ginger Palace brought strife between Prince Tang and Princess Wei Dao, leading to a rift between the two, The three got into a contentious argument where Ruha pointed out the prince's immaturity, causing him to storm off in order to prove himself to both women, as well as give Wei Dao the opportunity to confine Ruha as a potential threat to the prince.

Setting out to rescue his mother on his own and prove his bravery, Prince Tang assembled the soldiers under the command of General Fui D'hang and embarked with them on a direct assault on Cypress' lair. When the general became insubordinate in Tang's eyes, he ordered his immediate death and took leadership of the assault. Under the prince's lead the mission became a disaster. Nearly of Tang's soldiers were slain by the serpents, alligators, and a pair of wyverns that laired in Cypress' domain, while the last of the ranks were lazily rebuffed by the dracolich himself. In an act of cowardice and self-preservation, Tang slunk away from the slaughter to live another day.

Haunted by the voices of his dead soldiers, Tang mustered his courage and took revenge on Cypress' pet wyverns by offering them corpses that were trapped with bladders of snake venom. He then swam through a flooded passageway into the dragon's lair in the nameless swamp and discovered the whereabouts of his mother, Lady Feng. After a brief reunion, mother and son bested Cypress in a match of wits, managing to feign Tang's death and convince the beast to leave his lair for the time being. Together they recovered the staff of Lady Lord Yanseldara and used it's spirit gem to contact the spirit of General Fui. In a final act of redemption Tang shattered the gem with a stone, releasing Yanseldara's spirit and preventing Cypress from once again taking physical form following the destruction of his undead body.

After the ordeal Prince Tang and Lady Feng were reunited with Minister Hsieh and their new allies at the Ginger Palace, throwing a grand banquet for everyone. New bonds were formed between Elversult and the Shou embassy. Tang found peace with the idea of not returning to Shou Lung, hoping instead to take Ruha as his new princess.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * The Veiled Dragon