“ | "Cheat" is such a pedestrian term. I prefer to think of myself as a creative engineer. Like the fountains that channel water throughout the land, I spread entertainment to the people. | „ |
~ Kai Lan objecting to the last Spirit Monk's accusation of him cheating and throwing fights. |
Kai Lan, commonly known as Kai Lan the Serpent, is the main antagonist of the Imperial Arena sidequest in the video game Jade Empire. He’s a sorcerous member of the criminal organization Guild and the Imperial Arena's former champion who manages the Arena in an illicit way. He’s also the most hated enemy of the Black Whirlwind, one of the player character's followers.
He was voiced by Simon Templeman.
Biography[]
Background[]
Kai Lan the Serpent earned the championship of the Imperial Arena with his phenomenal control over magic and intense focus. When he retired from fighting, he overtook the Arena’s management through his connections with the Guild, the criminal organization that controlled the betting over the Arena fighters. The Guild was also involved with illicit activities in the Arena, and Kai Lan controlled the Arena as he saw fit. The higher authorities turned a blind eye to the Arena's corruption partly because the Lotus Assassins, who often did business with the Guild, often searched for recruits amidst the Arena fighters.
At one point, Kai Lan tried to recruit one of the strongest Arena fighters, the Black Whirlwind, as a Guild thug. Turned down, the Serpent approached Whirlwind’s younger brother, Raging Ox instead. With Kai Lan’s support, Ox fought his way to championship and secretly became the Serpent’s enforcer. This alienated the Black Whirlwind and Raging Ox from each other.
One night, the intoxicated Black Whirlwind followed Raging Ox to Kai Lan, intending to convince his younger brother to leave the Guild. Kai Lan attempted to interfere, and Whirlwind attacked him in fury. Ox tried to stop his brother and was fatally wounded. Kai Lan smiled as Whirlwind stood over his brother’s body in shock. Whirlwind run away and left the Arena, believing his brother to have died.
Considering Raging Ox to be too valuable, Kai Lan used his sorcery to reanimate his corpse, turning him into an unquestioning minion in the process. Renaming him as the Ravager, the Serpent made his attack dog to wear a mask in order to keep his identity a secret. Explaining Raging Ox’s disappearance as retirement, Kai Lan bid the Ravager to brutally fight his way back to championship. With no one being able to challenge the inhumanly powerful champion, Kai Lan’s hold over the Arena remained unquestioned.
Dealings with the last Spirit Monk[]
If the last Spirit Monk chooses to join the Imperial Arena, Kai Lan exhibits interest in their progress. When the Qualifying Division is completed, Kai Lan’s trusted thug Lucky Cho informs the new fighter that the Serpent will be watching their future matches closely. During the Bronze Division, Kai Lan inserts a Toad Demon against the Spirit Monk, a first instance when demons have been used in the ring. Qui the Promoter tells the Spirit Monk that the death of the Guild’s leader, Gao the Greater (who was killed by the Spirit Monk), has created a power vacancy which the Serpent wants to exploit.
When it’s time to face the Bronze Division champion, Crimson Khana, Kai Lan decides to make a proposition in order to get rid of Khana who openly criticizes the Serpent’s dishonorable management of the Arena. He has Lucky Cho to offer the Spirit Monk an easy victory over Khana with a slow-acting and deadly poison. The Spirit Monk can either accept the offer, resulting in Khana’s death, or they can refuse and fight Khana fairly, after which Khana teaches her fighting technique to the winner and leaves the Arena.
After the Spirit Monk begins the Silver Division by defeating an Elephant Demon brought in by the Serpent, Kai Lan requests a private meeting with them. Telling them about his intention to claim Gao the Greater’s place in the Guild, he attempts to strike with the Spirit Monk the same kind of partnership he had with Raging Ox. The meeting is interrupted by the furious Black Whirlwind who takes the Spirit Monk to the creature pens and tells them what happened with his brother and the Serpent. They are attacked by Lucky Cho who is killed. When Kai Lan is informed of Cho’s death, he feeds his dead enforcer to the captive cannibals. He then replaces the four fighters slated for the Spirit Monk’s next match with Guild assassins armed with poison-coated blades. This act is not approved by some of the Guild’s other members. Following the match, one of the Guild’s men sends apologies to the Spirit Monk. Qui also tells them that Kai Lan is on bad terms with the more discreet sections of the Guild due to his power play.
The final showdown[]
When the Spirit Monk has gained enough support in the Gold Division, they’re given a shot against the Ravager. Afraid of losing his control over the Arena, the Serpent tries to prevent the match by saying that the just newly arrived fighter is not worthy to face the Arena Champion yet. Regardless, the crowd strongly supports the Spirit Monk, forcing Kai Lan to relent. When the Ravager is beaten, his mask falls off, revealing his true identity to everyone. The Black Whirlwind jumps into the ring and kills his possessed brother to put him out of his misery.
Refusing to lose his grip over the Arena, Kai Lan invokes the right of an ex-champion to challenge the fresh champion, a tradition not used for centuries. Either the Spirit Monk fights him or the Black Whirlwind will do so on their behalf. If the latter, Kai Lan tries to object to facing substitutions, but he's forced to relent when Qui reminds him of his earlier act of substituting one of his men with the Toad Demon. Despite using his sorcery to summon two Horse Demons and replenish his health, Kai Lan loses both the match and his life. Following his death, the Guild transfers its operations away from the Arena, bearing no grudge over Kai Lan’s death. Considering the open policy practiced by the Serpent and Gao the Greater as well their affairs with the Lotus Assassins too troublesome, the Guild decides to return to their more discreet ways.
Personality[]
Kai Lan the Serpent is a cold, imperious and manipulative opportunist who has cultivated a love/hate relationship with the crowd of the Imperial Arena. He has corrupted the Arena for his own profit, abusing and using the rules to his own advantage. Though he speaks in a refined manner, he truly has little to no honor. Upon learning that the last Spirit Monk killed his rival Gao the Greater, the Serpent offers his reluctance to turn them in to the Lotus Assassins as full repayment. He considers the word "cheat" to be a pedestrian term and prefers to consider himself as a creative engineer who spreads entertainment to the people. When the Ravager’s true identity is discovered, the Serpent tells the Black Whirlwind that he should be thanking him for saving him from the charges of fratricide. He isn’t much liked in the Guild either due to his less discreet policy.
Kai Lan speaks to everyone with an air of superiority and has little regard for his henchmen. When Raging Ox died while protecting Kai Lan from the Black Whirlwind, the Serpent smiled at Whirlwind’s horror over his brother’s death. Regarding Raging Ox too valuable to be allowed to die, Kai Lan resurrected him as the unquestioning brute known as the Ravager. When Lucky Cho, another reliable enforcer of Kai Lan, is killed, the Serpent feeds his body to captured cannibals on the principal of using the available resources and sends Guild assassins to combat Cho’s killer.
Powers and abilities[]
Kai Lan the Serpent is a powerful sorcerer who’s rumored to have learned his dark arts from the Lotus Assassins. After Raging Ox was killed, the Serpent revived him as the Ravager, the unquestioning and relentless fighter growing in power with every victory. He has invented a technique called "Scales of the Serpent" which increases health by seven points and intimidation by one point.
Kai Lan fights with a sword, the Viper martial style and the Ice Shard magic style. When he first loses more than half of his health, he uses pyrokinetic magic similar the Dire Flame style to summon two Horse Demons to fight for him. Until they’re killed, he’s protected by a flaming cover from which he emerges in full health.
Quotes[]
“ | Many of you are asking yourselves why the Serpent would return to the ring. Am I not retired? Yes! But does that mean I do not care about your entertainment? No! We've all seen the flawless technique of the soaring star that is (the player's Arena alias). Now, it is time to put these aptly demonstrated skills to the test! And so, the Serpent gives you a real spectacle! Have your silver handy to place your wagers! I give you evil and terror incarnate! | „ |
~ Kai Lan pitting a Toad Demon against the last Spirit Monk. |
“ | You handled yourself well against the demonic servitor. It was a rewarding experience for us both, I'm sure. Take this as my thanks. | „ |
~ Kai Lan "congratulating" the last Spirit Monk for defeating the former's Elephant Demon. |
“ | The Guild, you see, has recently developed a vacancy in its upper echelons. A man by the name of Gao the Greater has been killed and with his death a new leader must be chosen. I intend to replace him in that role, and I need good people to back me. | „ |
~ Kai Lan revealing his intention of taking the late Gao the Greater's position in the Guild. |
“ | Did you? Interesting claim, and one I'm not sure I believe. You don't match the descriptions we have of the killer, but then the descriptions are fairly… tenuous. If you are the one who killed Gao, then I owe you a favor. Consider my reluctance to turn you in to the Lotus Assassins a repayment of that debt in full. | „ |
~ Kai Lan's reacting to the last Spirit Monk's confession of being Gao the Greater's killer. |
“ | You place yourself in a precarious position, my young friend. I would hate to see your career stagnate. | „ |
~ Kai Lan threatening the last Spirit Monk for refusing to work with him. |
“ | A wise position to take in any negotiation. I can respect that. | „ |
~ Kai Lan accepting the last Spirit Monk's decision to listen to his offer before deciding anything. |
“ | The Black Whirlwind: Damn you, Serpent! I'll kill you where you stand! Kai Lan: No you won't, Whirlwind. Just like last time, you will leave. I can see that this polite discussion has concluded, as so many do in your odorous presence. |
„ |
~ Kai Lan taunting the Black Whirlwind who has interrupted his conversation with the last Spirit Monk. |
“ | Kai Lan: What about Cho? Do we know who's responsible? Arena Guard: Last I saw of him, he was following (the player's Arena alias). Kai Lan: He fights next, doesn't he?/She fights next, does she not? Replace the men slated for that match with our own, and ensure that their blades are coated with extract from the ebon orchid. Even the ancient magic of this place could not neutralize that poison. Arena Guard: It will be done. What about Lucky Cho? There are hundreds of people here to see the new fighter. We can't carry the body out of here! Kai Lan: Then we don't. You must always use the resources available to you. |
„ |
~ Kai Lan ordering the last Spirit Monk to be assassinated for killing Lucky Cho before feeding Cho's body to cannibals. |
“ | Hold! This fight will not happen! This fighter is not worthy of facing a true Imperial Champion! The Ravager will not waste time with one so new to the ring! One must face the test of time to even *challenge* the Imperial Champion! (*the crowd cheers for the last Spirit Monk*) Good people, I do this for you! Would you have an unproven whelp as your champion? As the Empire's champion? (*the crowd continues cheering*) SILENCE! You have spoken, and I have heard. Your will be done! I give you… THE RAVAGER! | „ |
~ Kai Lan trying in vain to prevent the match between the Ravager and the last Spirit Monk. |
“ | Kai Lan: If you have even the tiniest bit of sense, Whirlwind, you'll realize that you should thank me. The Black Whirlwind: What… have you done to my brother? Kai Lan: Your brother was a useful tool. After you cut him down while he defended me, I decided it would be too much bother to let him go. In the process, I saved you from charges of fratricide. And so the Ravager was born. The perfect, unquestioning enforcer of my will, and I owe it all to you, Whirlwind. |
„ |
~ Kai Lan gloating to the Black Whirlwind after the Ravager is revealed to be the latter's brother, Raging Ox. |
“ | Kai Lan: You have done nothing… I still took your brother. The Black Whirlwind: And I took him back and repaid the favor. |
„ |
~ Kai Lan being defiant to the Black Whirlwind when the latter kills his reanimated brother. |
“ | You will not be champion! This is *my* arena! I invoke the right of challenge! As an ex-champion, I will return and stake my claim upon this place. Tradition supports my right to this! | „ |
~ Kai Lan challenging the last Spirit Monk to a duel. |
“ | Very well. You need not accept the precedents and traditions that make this Empire great, Qui. Instead, accept that my men will kill you if you dare contradict me again. | „ |
~ Kai Lan threatening Qui the Promoter for protesting that the right of challenge was last used centuries ago. |
“ | So, stripling, what do you say? Are you prepared to suffer at my hands, or will you walk away and die the tenfold deaths of the coward? | „ |
~ Kai Lan taunting the last Spirit Monk. |
“ | Kai Lan: Never! I will not allow a substitution of this sort! The last Spirit Monk: There have been other substitutions here, Kai Lan. Mine won't be the first. Qui the Promoter: They do have the right, Serpent. You substituted the demon in place of one of your Guild men. You set the precedent yourself. Kai Lan: Damn you all. Fine, I will fight the shaved bear. It will be a pleasure. Speak with Qui when you are ready. Until then, I will prepare. |
„ |
~ Kai Lan forced to accept the Black Whirlwind as his opponent in place of the last Spirit Monk. |
“ | I look forward to squeezing the last breath from your throat. Speak with Qui when you are ready; I will be prepared. Unless you're smart enough to know when you are beaten. If so, take the wise man's path and simply walk away. | „ |
~ Kai Lan threatening the last Spirit Monk if the latter agrees to face him themselves. |
Trivia[]
- Since finishing the entire Imperial Arena sidequest is optional, the player may never fight against Kai Lan.