Historical Context of "Blood Message"《归唐》

Official IGN Release Video Here

Following Information are sourced from publisher.

Blood Message (归唐) is a narrative-driven, linear action-adventure single-player game developed by NetEase ThunderFire's 24 Entertainment 临安（Lin'an）Studio, coming to PC and console platforms. The game is based on the true historical event of "Dunhuang's Uprising".

Set in the late Tang Dynasty in 848 AD, players take on the role of a nameless messager who embarks on a perilous eastward journey to deliver a message that holds the fate of his homeland. 

Alongside his son, they must survive relentless enemy sieges and a treacherous three-thousand-li odyssey, fighting against impossible odds to return to the heart of the Tang: Chang'an. Amidst the desert sands, they etch the final tale of loyalty in the Great Tang.

The world has heard too many stories of emperors and generals—Blood Message is an ode to the unsung heroes. The game will be powered by Unreal Engine 5.

Blood Message is also NetEase's first fully self-developed, true single-player game. The developers have emphasized that it will be a buy-to-play title—not a mobile game, not an online game, and it will not use a free-to-play model with in-game purchases.

Reportedly, many core team members come from major international AAA studios, with extensive experience in developing large-scale single-player games. Blood Message is planned for global release on PC and major consoles. The release date has not yet been announced.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Though detailed character information had not been released yet, I am fairly certain this general shown here is the famous general Zhang Yichao 张议潮 who led a popular Tang loyalist revolt that retook several cities in the region back under Tang banners- and then after contact was rekindled with the Tang imperial court- was made the military governor of this region.  

Tang dynasty general. Model: William C 飞廉超. 

An interesting note is that the game is set around the formation of the Guiyi Army (or literally translated as "Return to Righteousness" Army in the Hexi Corridor. Historically the area was extremely arid and was also a very narrow and strategically vital corridor between China proper and the western regions (Tarim Basin and Ferghana during early Tang.) 

Tang dynasty in 740 under Emperor Xuanzong (Li Longji)- During his long reign the empire was deemed as "High Tang." During this era the Tang restabilized and reached new economical and developmental heights. 

Haloed Tibetan warrior in heavy lamellar armor- Jokhang Temple. He wears an elaborate belt bedecked with multi- colored inlays and at his side straps a highly ornate jewel- encrusted straight cutting sword.

The Tang and the Tibetan empire aggressively fought over the region for centuries but after the calamitous An Lushan rebellion the Tang lost most of its former western regions to the Tibetan empire. The situation would remain for nearly 60 years until in 842 the Tibetan empire suddenly imploded due to the assassination of its last unpopular emperor by a stealthy monk and its imperial heartland descent into high warlordom. As such distant outlying regions such as the Hexi Corridor became isolated. It was during this time that several cities under Tang loyalists revolted and~ although the region had lost contact with its former home for some 60 years, the Guiyi Army "Return to Righteousness" Army again raised the banner of Tang.

Mid & Late Tang. Tang lost much of its west, though after the Tibetan Empire's implosion a Tang loyalist state (Guiyi Circuit) rose up and reintegrated itself back into the empire. In the northeast a number of extremely disloyal Jiedushi retained their territories as feudal fiefs and were more nightmarish vassals than subjects. Morever in obstinacy they married and aligned with each other to resist Tang efforts to reincorporate them. To make situation worse, Tang court was seized by eunuchs.

Interestingly enough even though the Tang court was touched by this unexpected resurrection in the west, the Guiyi Army- was largely permitted to be governed much like an independent and highly autonomous kingdom (Guiyi Circuit.) And it even survived well after Tang dynasty fell, surviving for centuries more until it was conquered by the Tangut kingdom of Western Xia. The fact that the game look like Ghost of Tsushima mixed with a bit of high adventure it looks like it would cover the leadup to the consecration of this loyalist kingdom.

REFERENCE- VICTORY MURAL CELEBRATING GENERAL ZHANG YICHAO'S VICTORIES

Section of a wall mural commemorating the victory of Zhang Yichao- the founder of the Guiyi Circuit over the Tibetan Empire, Mogao Cave 156, Late Tang Dynasty (9th century).

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