[quote=@secondling]Legends of the Wulin [i]is[/i] one of my inspirations, though the Beggars' Fraternity does come from Jin Yong's works, at least as far as I am aware.[/quote]

There's also a Beggar Fraternity in Legends of the Wulin, if I remember correctly. I might give the setting another read, to get in the mood if nothing else.

[quote=@secondling]Indeed, I debated making it a Legends of the Wulin [i]game[/i], initially, but the mechanics make me cry a little inside whenever I read them.[/quote]

That seems to be the general consensus, yeah. Alas, the dream of putting that pdf to use is dashed, once again.

[quote=@secondling]As for the sword-snatcher, you could theoretically play him, though I did have some mild plans for him. Initially, he was going to be the one who found the medallion and map, but I can disassociate the acts. Mind, stealing from your master is immediately grounds for banishment, if not outright execution. You'd have to sell me on why he stole it in order to convince me he's not just a villain who's out to better himself at the cost of others.[/quote]

Well, considering the idea in mind was that he was, in fact, an asshole who snatched the sword for petty reasons.... :hmm

[hider=Extremely Rough Brainstorming]
Well, just off the top of my head, the idea was essentially:
- Orphan kid is taken off the streets by your stereotypical wise old master
- Shows promise, but is ridiculed by other students for his humble origin
- Eventually, through one way or another, this gets to him, commence operation: Steal the Sword and Prove Everyone Wrong
- Manage to actually pull it off
- Well, there's no going back now, Scoob
- One bit of characterization being that, while many would think it's the logical place for him to end up, he chooses not to join the Nameless Sons, for reasons, mostly related to thinking they're pricks with no honor or something. (May or may not believe that he can beat up the Bastard of Blades to prove to everyone that he deserves having the sword he just stole.)
- Two years of wandering around acting like a big shot because, hey, he's got a cool sword and the skills to back up bravado (I hope)
- End up in Zhenzhu because hey, when you've got a nifty artifact you want even more nifty artifacts. Bonus: It's easier to disappear in a city, right?

Basically, think your typical hot blooded protagonist, with the added twist of betraying his school on a whim but refusing to apologize for it. 

It's a bit out there I admit, so I'm willing to scrap it for a more traditional sort of hero. Esp. if the guy is pre-planned to have already nicked the medallion and map. Maybe I could just switch things around and be sent after the guy who stole it rather than the one who actually did. Who knows. Either way, I'll try and think up some gimmicks for other faction characters.
[/hider]

[quote=@secondling]The other groups are all open, definitely. xD[/quote]

Well, I do like haughty dragon people aesthetics...