Hai Chi

Hai Chi was a noble somewhere in Kara-Tur in the mid–14 century DR.

History
At one time, Hai Chi was the favorite nephew of Emperor Po, and was even considered a candidate to succeed him when he died. Thus, the social-climbing parents of Shichi No Ken introduced her to Hai Chi and, as planned, the two fell in love. His parents made a public announcement of their betrothal, and seven months and seven days afterward they were wed in a ritual held in the palace.

Afterward, the newlyweds moved to a large villa owned by Shichi's parents. They were granted a stipend of 30% of the taxes of the small village or town around it, but it remained her parents' property. There, following two years of marriage, Shichi gave birth to a daughter. But when the midwife informed him, Hai Chi was shocked that his firstborn child was not a son to bear his birthright and blamed Shichi for this. He bashed her and murdered the newborn.

While the townspeople would always insist they knew nothing of this, rumors and stories spread swiftly. When Shichi's father learned of it, he arrived a few days later and found her still holding the long-deceased baby. He rescued her from Hai Chi's clutches and took her into hiding.

But Hai Chi was not done with Shichi. He had his spies hunt for her, and after nearly a decade, they located her at the Seven Roses Monastery in Pe Nok. So, Hai Chi led thirty of his liegemen in an assault on the monastery, seeking to murder Shichi and the monks who'd given her sanctuary. But while the junior monks were swiftly defeated by his warriors, the masters handily overcame them, though they left Hai Chi himself untouched, granting Shichi the right to face her abuser. Hai Chi's reaction was sheer rage, Shichi was nearly overwhelmed by fear, and he inflicted several cruel blows against her. But then she found her strength and defended herself, and with all her martial training battled and at last slew him.

In short order, Emperor Po's soldiers arrived to investigate, for word of Hai Chi's crimes and tyranny had come to the attention of his father and his uncle the emperor, and they were compelled to bring him to justice. Instead they found him dead. Emperor Po and Hai Chi's father were even grateful: Shichi had saved them the need for a shameful trial and public execution. However, over twenty of Hai Chi's former followers still lived and hunted for her.

Background
Being invented for Encyclopedia Magica Volume IV with mostly unconnected lore, it is unknown where in Kara-Tur and when in Kara-Turan history that Hai Chi. Pe Nok (where Emperor Po apparently has power) is in T'u Lung, supporting that empire. However, none of T'u Lung's known emperors are named "Po". While it's possible Po reigned centuries earlier, perhaps while Pe Nok and T'u Lung were still part of Shou Lung, the use of present tense and provided stats for Shichi imply she is contemporary with other Realmslore, and alive in the 1360s DR. It is possible that Hai Chi lived in one of the other smaller, undetailed nations of Kara-Tur, such as the Warring States, or that Po reigned in T'u Lung, succeeding Wai Gada Sinzu (eighth emperor as of 1357 DR) and preceding Wai Yong (tenth emperor by 1375 DR).