The back story of Jon Blaze Kidd.

During the Opium Wars, the leaders of China have a shaman place a curse on an ornamental wooden shield to be given to the leaders of Great Britain. The shield is meant to be disguised as a goodwill gift but since it has been cursed it is more like the Hope Diamond. Whoever has the shield receives great power and skill, but is surrounded by chaos that eventually destroys them. Before the shield can reach the leaders of Britain, however, the young soldier it has been entrusted to to deliver is killed by thieves. The shield is not heard of again until years later...