A Dark Feudal Fantasy Game, set in a fictional, Asian Inspired continent. That which has died, may rise again. And the dead do not know honor, mercy or the finer points of battle. It knows only hunger, destruction and blood. They are the specters of our wars, risen once again to make us pay for our folly.
Bilao Khan, ruler of the Bau Xau ConfederacyOnce the home of a mighty empire, the lands of Watai now lay still, reeking of death. Any remaining bastions of Humanity, like Sa living cities are walled up, their sentinels forever vigilant. The Nang Dynstasy, the former rulers of these vast land, is no more. Its empress dead, and its nobles savage vampiric undead who fight as much among themselves as they do the living. TO the south, rumors speak of the Twin Empresses alliance is falling apart now that only one empress remains, and of their very own dark horrors starting to emerge.
In the north, the proud and fierce Steppe nomads that were once the terror of the Nortern border, are forced to retreat across the desert to escape the undead Nang dynasties violent death throes. They speak of a savior. A great Khan who carried divine favor. One who will help them rid the world of the monsters that now roam their old steppes.
Of its coast and across the Crimson Sea. Lies the country of Najin, a country once divided by petty rivalries and the pursuit of power and glory. Now united in desperation to push back he dead. Before the sanguine fever overtook it like it had most of the mainland, interactions with the Nang Dynasty had been purely antagonistic, many of its ships flying black flags and profiteering of piracy along the Watai shores. However, Naji was not spared the sanguine hunger, as one of these ships drifted into the harbor of Yukiona, carrying with it a crew of undead.
From there, the undead spread like a plague across a divided country. Only the luck of the divine, and the efforts of a single scholar and monk: Naito, would save the island nation from befalling the same fate the the mainlands as a monk by the name of Naito Tahoma found a way to halt the undeads tear trough the country. Contained within a old scripture that his monestary had been entrusted with a long time ago, he found means to combat this evil. He rallied to him the last remaining retainers of the various living clans and together, the last of the samurai road to meet the undead hordes that were once their comrades.
It was a hard fought victory. But now, Najin stands as a bastion of hope in a sea of blood. Gathering for the first time ever, is the everyone of the living leaders, ancient enemies and rivals, all united in one purpose. To make sure that the sun will once again rise upon the living.
Fall of the Nang Dynasty, the sanguine curse is unleashed. It all supposedly began with Emperor Lau Nang, a once beloved figure in Witao, know for being a patron of the magical arts and the sciences of man. He who had united many of the minor lords against the raiders in the north. Ho had kept the pirates of Naji from Witao shores. He was a akin to a god in the eyes of many, beloved by all. That is, until his wife and only child both died to a mysterious disease. Bereft by the light of his life, the Emperor grew more distant towards his people, and his patronage to the magical art became more demanding, asking the impossible to be done. Asking for his family to be brought back to life.
They found their way to immortality eventually, but at a cost nobody foresaw. The Emperors scholars dug up the grave of a magician who’s writings and theories had been banned from the court nearly seven decades earlier, long before most of central Witao was unified under one leader. His writings spoke of the sanguine fever, a disease of magical and unnatural origin that if you survived it, made your body self regenerating and immune to disease and aging. Under strict order of secrecy, the court magician worked on recreating this disease, although he did not and could not understand just how terrible a secret it was. For when the news somehow leaked that someone was recreating the banned magic of Senguine Fever, the magicians and scholars were in a uproar, going so far to lead a revolt against the Emperor in a bid to stop him before it was to late.
They were to late. By the time they had made it the capital, the Emperor was already bedridden with the fever, as was a number of his generals, most trusted nobles and advisors. As the golden gates of the royal palance was breached, what the mages peasant army was by was death. Death that walking, talking and hungry for the living. Thus, Nang fell under a eternal darkness, starting with the royal capital. The newly turned mages began working on variations of the disease as well as foul weather magic to wreathe the continent in permanent, dark clouds as to block the sun out. Of course, the promise of eternal life drew the worst of the worst out to join the emperors rank, already petty and powerful nobles all sought to capitulate rather then fight for the living.
What the emperor had not considered however, was that his own nobles would turn against him, despite their new gift. As the last of the old Nang Empire had been turned our enslaved, the Emperors decision to halt their expansion, as he wished to consolidate his power and focus on the reason to his undeath, that of bringing his family back, was met with a violent backlash. And the so called “Immortal Emperor” was torn asunder by his three greatest allies in Xing Bao, Lu Cui and Zi Weng .
Instead, Xing Bao, a admiral and noble saw an opportunity to get back at old enemies both across the Crimson sea to the east while Lu Cui, a female noble in the Southern Provinces sought to expand the borders southward and hoard more of the living for cattle and Zi Weng, who long had harbored a grudge towards the northerners and the Bau-Nauh steppe nomads.
The Fever Spreads: Affected countries outside of the Nang.Batuhuan To its north, the Batuhuan, a once prideful and powerful nomad people fight a losing war on the encroaching undead imperials. Their steppe horses fast but unable to compare to creatures that know no fatigue or fear. Their leader, Bilao Khan, has pulled what is left of his people back and past the unforgiving deserts, where the undead cannot find any shade. But even then, the Nobles of the Nang Empire were working on ways to extend their dark clouds of eternal night. The exodus of their homelands remains a dark and shameful blot on the Bau-Nauhs proud history of military conquest and martial prowess. One they are keen to repay.
And according to their prophecieis, that revenge is coming. A youngling has risen among their people, fighting his way up the social ladder. They call him Ganbaatar, the iron hero. He posses power that of which no Batuhuan has ever seen, and a hatred for the dead that share no equal.
The Twin Empresses of the South.
Consisting of a myriad of Kingdoms, some such as the Taunak Empire, the south has a long history of warring between themselves and grudges simmering underneath the surface. Yet in the face of invasion from the north, the countries often set aside their differences.
The twin empresses of Taunak called for all the living and free people of the south to set aside their decades of war and territorial claims in order to keep the undead out after their neighbouring kingdom of Hangai was conqured by the dead. This alliance was a proposition that seems as difficult to achieve as fighting back the undead hordes of the Nang. Yet, the initial ruse was successful, and the kingdoms bordering Nang created a massive fortified border, with numerous castles and forts designed to halt armies to a grind, even those with myriads of undead. It was only due to this that the kingdoms south of Nang was able to avoid complete extinction.
Yet, they have problems from within. Trough yet unknown means, the undead have managed to reach the ancient, dead race of the Naga. And now, a undead, evil Nagaraja ravages the region from within, the snake people now a undead scourge in their own right.
Hang-Jun; The Fortress.
Even before the sanguine fever swept Nang, there was a region which had refused to be quelled by Nangs rulers. That is Hang-Jun, a city referred to simply as “The Fortress” by many. It stands on the narrow straight of the jinju peninsula, one of the most densely populated places on the entire content. home of no less than three larger cities all connected through a massive river delta. The city of Hang-Jun has stood as a bulwark against lad invasions, as there is no way into Jinju other then through sea or trough Hang-Jun. And the other three cities boost a combined armada that has yet to be truly challenged. Meanwhile, Hang-Jun is home to a artisans nad siege engineers skilled in creating counter siege equipment and weapons no other nation possess.
Tau; The Survivors.
Even thou Nang was ripped appart by the Sanguine Fever and the undead nobles it created, some were spared the undead plague. Most of these have congregated in the western region of Tau, which consists of a large valley nestled into the so called Alabaster Mountains. It is a place easy to defend and home to one of the oldest institutes for mysticism and magic. Here, the hero known as the Scholar King is supposed to have taken his final rest.
Heavy, holy magic seems been carved into the very mountains, creating a safe haven for Nangs surviving populace. Their leader is a mysterious woman who has proven herself as one of the only tacticians to understand and truly know how to exploit the various vampiric Neng nobles own rivalries and weaknesses.
Najin; The Sacred Isles across the sea. Najin has a long history of duality and discord. On one hand, it has almost always been divided by petty nobles and their rivalries and pursuit of power and glory. On the other hand, it is the home of several different sects of devoted and pious monks and mystics, who have no such ambitions.
Before, its interactions with the Nang Dynasty had been purely antagonistic, many of its ships flying black flags and profiteering of piracy along the Witao shores. However, Naji was not spared the sanguine hunger, as one of these ships drifted into the harbor of Yukiona.
From there, the undead spread like a plague across a divided country. But it would not befall the same fate the the mainlands, a monk by the name of Naito Tahoma found a way to halt the undeads tear trough the country within a old scripture. He rallied to him the last remaining retainers of the various living clans and bestowed upon the knowledge to make holy weapons, blades infused with life force of someone dear to them. People who had to give up their life, willingly.
These blades were capable of slaying even the Sanguine Nobles, who previously were capable of laying waste to armies simply due to how hard they were to kill. With this, the tide of war would finally turn.
Where the Fever has yet to touch: The Unspoiled lands. Far to the south, beyond what collectively known as the Southern Kingdoms, lie The domain of the Golden Rajah. A large, advanced and populous region, they sanguine fever has yet to reach them, much thanks to their court magicians being able to discern the danger of letting Nang merchant vessels into port. The Rajah has chosen to take a wait and see approach, although, he has allowed any of his soldier and warriors to leave, should they wish to join the ranks of the five faction concord and fight the undead. Far off the southern tip of the continent out on the Rahjan sea, lies Majali. A merchants kingdom, that has grown rich and powerfull from spice trade and who have aided the southern kingdom with food and connected Najin and the Hansa trough trade routes dependent on their ports.
Merchants from Lands beyond; The Galadin, The Hansa and The Nave d'oro Visitors from the Lands beyond the Steppes or the seas are precious few. They arrive in boats, usually exhaused and with little hope to return home. The Nang and the southern kingdom both did some limited trade with the the Galadin. A Empire to south on another continent, whos merchant claims they span from coast to coast.
The Hansa commit to trade mostly with Rajah, but some were making inroads into being accepted in Naijin docks at the time the Sanguine Fever spread to the island. Many of the hansas ships were burned in the ensuing chaos and what members survived live under constant scrutiny, as some blame opening the ports to foreigners to have led to the fever being let onto the island.
The Nave D’Oro are a powerful mercenary fleet that at the time of the fever, was helping Nang secure their seas by hunting Naijin privateers and local pirate fleets down. Little has been heard from them since the empire fell to the undead, but a single ship was found drifting outside one of the southern kingdoms, and its crew spoke of their leader, Augustus Vi Denia, having willingly become a Sanguine Noble.
The Five Faction Concord.Upon the dawn of a new weapon against the undead, the news spread. In the south, the hard beset twin empresses and their allies set out a official request for Naito and Najin to aid them, upon which Naito sent two of his most trusted smiths and warriors to instruct the Empressess what was needed to be done. It was to the shock of all that one of the Empressess, Ngô Đức Bich, gave her life to form the first blade outside of Najin.
The remaining Empress, Ngô Đức Khiêm, rode personally out into battle as the south won their first proper victory at the river of Nechengh. Having seen the power of the new weapon, and having slayed one of Lady Lu’s sons, Meng Lai. In light os such a victory, Naiot and Khiem set to gather up more allies to equip and arm. Their call was heard.
From the Northen Steppes, a aging and sick Bilao Khan rode along with the hero Ganbataar. Bilao who was like a father for Ganbataar, sacrificed his life to infuse the bow of the young nomadic warrior. Ganbataar, who has been proclaimed great kahn, has vowed to rally all of his people for the upcoming war.
From the Hang-Jun, they sent Kae Sun-Yung who the Jinju people consider a national hero. While she refrained from a holy weapon herself, she brought with her several of her finast warriors. Half of them there simply to give up their life for the ritual.
The Tau are to isolated to send anyone directly, but trough means of magic, they have conveyed their pledge to the plan to unite. Now, warriors from all five of the factions, as well as those from outside drawn to their cause, ready themselves to end this undead plague.
---
The Types of Undead and how to kill themThe UnrestingThe bulk of the Undead are called the Unresting: Shambling corpses, they are none the less capable of wielding their weapons still and are both persistent and terrifying to fight, feeling no pain and caring not for any injuries sustained.
Nagri: The Nagri are much like the Unresting, but faster and smarter and fight much like any other man, only with all the trappings of being undead monsters, including a desire for flesh. The Nagri prefer to screech and hollar and cause confusion in the mortal ranks while fighting. Their screeches enough to burst eardrums at time.
Jiang Ji The Jiang Ji were created as a testrrun for the Nobles, they are immensely powerfull, albeit lacking the Sanguines intellect and cunning. However, like Sanguine Nobles, they can only be killed by a Living Blade.
Sanguine NoblesThe Sanguine Nobles are the court of the Undead emperor and those they have deemed worthy to join their ranks. A Sanguine Noble on his own is a force of seemingly unstoppable evil, capable of inhuman strength, speed and with the power to instill emotions such as fear and lust in humans with a glance. Even with a magical weapon, it is wise to engage them in superior numbers.
---
The Living Blade - Inochi no ken
The Inochi no Ken is the term the Najin soul smiths use for the holy weapons that they forge to fight the undead. The act of making a single one of this blade is no small feat. It can only be made by the sacrifice of a willing individuals life and soul. And it may only be wielded by the person closest to that individual. For both parties, the sacrifice is monumental, one has to give their life, and the other will live with a constant reminder of their loved ones fate. Most famous of these blade is the Lone Empress blade; Bich, which carries the soul of her twin sister.
The blades can take many shapes, the aforementioned Bich is a longsword done in the classical southern kingdoms style, while Naito Tahomas weapon is a Trident styled spear. What's important that these blades can cause irreparable destruction and wounds on the otherwise immortal Sanguine Nobles.
-----
Charachter CreationThings to remember:Your weapon can be anything provided its not a gun. A bow and similair, primitive ranged weapons are fine. Try to make it something that is in tune with your charachter, consider who gave their life for it and how it ties in to your charachter. This is a defining aspect of your charachter after all.Where you are from matters, there is still animosity and old bad blood between many of the factions and the people within said factions as well. Please, not to many "stranded european looking fellas". I will likely just allow one or two. Name: Self Explanatory
Age:Origin: Are you from one of the five factions, if so which. Are you from one of those outside of it? Where from
Appearance: Always accompany a picture with a brief description.
Personality: Very quick idea of how your character acts or view the world.
Sacred Weapon: Your Inochi no Ken.
Mundane weapons: Any regular weapon, created out everyday materials.
Equipment:Background Story:Character Sheet code:
[b]Name:[/b] Self Explanatory
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Origin:[/b] Are you from one of the five factions, if so which. Are you from one of those outside of it? Where from
[b]Appearance:[/b] Always accompany a picture with a brief description.
[b]Personality:[/b] Very quick idea of how your character acts or view the world.
[b]Sacred Weapon:[/b] Your Inochi no Ken.
[b]Mundane weapons:[/b] Any regular weapon, created out everyday materials.
[b]Equipment:[/b]
[b]Background Story:[/b]