A Thousand Legends ~ Sundered Veil (At Capacity)

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”Should the great curtain that separates the realms of mortal and immortal be torn certain doom shall fall upon us.”

There was a time when the gods walked the mortal world as divine kings and everlasting guardians, guiding and protecting their earthly subjects. The gods gave mortals many gifts and taught them to live in balance with the land as well as with each other. Hardship and strife were little, those who lived by the word of the gods had full happy lives. The mortals in turn venerated their gods and built great palaces and temples in their honor and made regular offerings in thanks. It was an era of serenity, enlightenment, and pure bliss. 

But this would all end with the coming of the yaoguai.

Twisted things of madness, rage, and hunger - it is not known from where the yaoguai came. The tales say that they tricked the gods into believing that Aniyat, the heavens, were being attacked and the gods departed the mortal realm to defend them. The yaoguai then sealed the ancient portals between worlds and reaped chaos across the lands; toppling mountains, burning forests, and destroying the great cities of the people. The yaoguai showed no mercy and slew all in their path, devouring them - body and soul.

As the scourge of evil spread there was one who sought a way to defeat the yaoguai horde before all was lost. His name was Hui, a commoner from a small village who was a famed beast slayer and hunter. Hui journeyed to the great temple of Qunyi, the creator god of folk, and sought the help of the monks there. The monks knew not what they could offer until Hui suggested they somehow create a tear in the barrier between worlds allowing him to seek aid from the gods or find some other means to defeat the yaoguai. Though hesitant at first the monks agreed and succeeded in using their magics to open a way into the heavens, Hui departing and promising to return with salvation. 

The monks waited for an entire season and as they neared losing hope Hui did indeed return from Aniyat, with him were five great dragons pledged to help in the coming confrontation. The yaoguai drew near and Hui gathered all who would fight with him to meet the dark ones in a fated battle. 
In the end the yaoguai were defeated and scattered to the winds, many breaking the seals and escaping into the ancient portals while others fled to the farthest reaches of the land. The darkness had passed and the mortal peoples still endured. 

With silence from the heavens and no sign of the gods’ return the people in desperation looked to Hui, their savior, to lead them to the uncertain future. The time had come to rebuild and prepare for whatever was to come. Hui commanded the ancient portals be sealed once more, despite much outcry, saying that now mortals would rule their own fates. Hui took the name Xiao and declared himself the first Emperor of Yongcun presiding over the newly risen “Eternal Empire” until his eventual death.

Four hundred years later the Xiao dynasty remains. The wounds of the war with the dark ones have long healed and the Empire has grown beyond belief facing new trials over the generations. Times of plenty and famine alike come and go, wars have been waged, and both the virtuous and the unjust have sat upon the throne. Through it all the legacy of Xiao persists and the people look to the emperors as they once did to the gods.

But something is stirring that no mortal could imagine. There are unseen forces at work with the intent to end the Xiao dynasty and see the Empire crumbled - all by the will of an ancient and vengeful being from an era long forgotten.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to A Thousand Legends: Sundered Veil !
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This high fantasy RP is set in the mystical realm of Yongcun, or the “Eternal Empire”. Our story begins in Bianwei, the Imperial capital, amid the festival of Wan Yue - a yearly celebration dedicated to the coming of the harvest season. Players will role as recent arrivals in the city who have come for reasons their own be it to simply enjoy the festivities or for some other purpose(s).

It is at the height of the celebration that chaos strikes. Bianwei comes under attack as armed assailants take to the streets and begin brutally killing both Imperial Guards and citizens alike. The Guard are spread thin which allows the attackers to run amok and forces player characters to either flee or stand and fight. As blood flows over the streets and smoke rises above the city it is revealed that this is no random assault but rather a diversion for a greater ploy at hand - the assassination of the Emperor. 

The attack on the capital will just be the beginning and will set the stage for the moving plot. This will be an open world experience, that said there will of course be a narrative to be followed.  Player decisions and involvement will affect the story, some choices having greater impact - and possible consequences - than others. Explore the lands, make allies and enemies, and choose your allegiance in the coming struggle for the fate of Yongcun. Will you fight to preserve the Eternal Empire or join those who would see it toppled? 

GUIDELINES AND RULES

Expectations and an outline on gameplay and functions.
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• Adhere to the guild rules of course.

• This will be 18+ but in cohesion with guild rules avoid sexually explicit themes and other fringe material that other players may be uncomfortable with.

• Please do not detach yourself from the storyline. As already clarified this RP is open world, the context being that players are allowed to pursue personal goals and explore the land of their own volition. That said everyone is expected to have a presence in the main plot as it unfolds so generally speaking keep your character in the loop.

• Stay in sync with the main theme, specifically in regards to character creation. This RP is inspired from the mythology and general history and culture of East Asia, particularly that of China, the Mongols, Japan, and Korea. Players are expected to stay true to this base foundation throughout their participation. Ask me for further clarity and any other assistance if needed.

• Players are allowed only one character at a time. If your character dies you are allowed to create a new one.

• This will be a lite tabletop campaign. What I mean by this is that while we will be using tabletop devices - i.e dice, ability scores, etcetera - this is very much still a narrative driven RP. Putting a ratio to it this will be 3/4 narrative and 1/4 dice rolls and scoring. 

• Post content should range within three to ten paragraphs to put it roughly. In some instances less than three paragraphs is fine, but even then bare minimum should be no less than around eight to ten sentences. I am less strict on longer than average posts but even then let us try and keep things within the “casual to low advanced” scale.

• Discord will be used for a notable amount of communication/discussion while IC content will remain onsite. 

• Please notify the GM of any extended absence you may need/have. I am willing to work with you if you just let me know. If you have simply lost interest I would still appreciate a heads up with my guarantee of no hard feelings. 

MAPS

TBA/WORK IN PROGRESS

CHARACTER AND RACES

Character creation and a listing of playable races.
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Players will have four different races to choose from for their character(s). Each race have their own unique bonuses that will count towards stats and modifiers, keep this in mind. There are technically five races at current but only four are playable, those being Folk, Honfokun, Mokeu, and Zauri, with the Kulnar currently being non-playable. Below are basic descriptions on the races (mostly short history and traits), expect a more detailed layout in the upcoming lore thread, modifiers included.

Folk were first created by the god Qunyi when the Ten Divines took lordship of the mortal realm. For an untold amount of time Folk were ruled over by their creator god, as were all mortal races of the world, until the coming of the yaoguai. After the defeat of the yaoguai and the end of the Divine Era Folk have taken up the mantle for themselves, their largest known civilization the current Eternal Empire of Yongcun. Outside of the Empire there are the tribes of the northern plains and then small enclaves of Folk in Karitu and farther south in the islands. 

Folk by comparison are the plainest looking of the races of the known world, their skin tones consisting of olive, pallid white, and very light brown and their hair usually being black or a deep chestnut color. Darker skinned Folk have appeared in Yongcun and the surrounding areas over the generations but are usually merchants and emissaries from the faraway lands of Uvarahm.

Folk are typically known for their ambitious nature, versatility, innovative ability, and their desire for more. No Emperor ever seems content with his accomplishments nor any merchant or nobleman satisfied with the size of his treasury. The most acclaimed warriors never seem to tire of combat in their life and will journey about seeking new challengers. This drive has carried the Folk to great successes and established them as the dominant people. Of course this has also lead to a share of conflicts over the past few centuries namely with the northern tribes and the Mokeu in the east. 

However not all Folk are relentless in their pursuit of endless satisfactions, as does pride resonate among Folk so can humility. The simple farmer and solemn herdsmen usually want for little other than to provide for their families and the chaste monk lives by his oaths of temperance. A scholar once said that Folk are one of two kind, “those that live and those that seek”. 

The other races for the most part hold amicable relations with the Folk although these relations have altered somewhat over the centuries, particularly those between them and the Mokeu. Only the dreaded Kulnar far to the north hold lasting animosity with the Folk.

Much has been lost of the origins of the Honfokun (also “Honfo”). They first arrived on the shores of Yongcun in the year 5 IA after their homeland was destroyed during the arrival of the yaoguai - confirming that the disaster had affected faraway lands as well. After the destruction of their entire civilization the horned people took to the ocean to find a new home spending many moons in a directionless search. Starvation, sickness, and storms accosted them the entire voyage and by the time they arrived in the lands of Folk they numbered less than two thousand - their entire race nearly annihilated. 

The Folk were suspicious at first believing the Honfo to be some form of yaoguai. The Honfo made continuous pleading appeals until Emperor Xiao Hui agreed to grant them a small piece of territory of their own under the condition they surrender all of their weapons and half of their remaining ships. Wary but desperate the Honfo complied. They named their new land Karitu and built the great city of Cimanu. 

Over the generations the Honfo would increase in number and in time the Folk grew warm to their presence, admiring them for their craftsmanship and embracing much of their culture as well. In later years Karitu became a willing vassal of the Eternal Empire and maintains strong ties with the Empire.

The Honfokun are well recognized for the massive horns that grow from atop their heads and their many different skin colors which include white, red, purple, blue, ebony, and even green. They are the same height and size as Folk and share most of the same traits including lifespan - anywhere from sixty to a hundred years. 

Honfokun are a people of tradition, honor, and integrity. They are famed as craftsmen, Honfu construction and design being sturdy beyond anything the other races can hope to build. Their steel is like none other and Honfu longswords are highly coveted by many including the Imperial army. “Senshodo”, their warriors’ dogma of old, is studied by Imperial generals and footmen alike. While diligent like Folk the Hanfokun do not (usually) have the same burning desire to expand and conquer, generally preferring comfortable and fair lives over that of great extravagance. 

The Honfokun are strongly intwined with the Folk of Yongcun. In the southwestern part of the Empire the two races live side by side. Most towns and cities on the border of Yongcun and Karitu are balanced between Honfo and Folk residents and numerous prominent Folk citizens live within Cimanu. Many great warriors, scholars, inventors, and statesmen of the Empire have been of the Honfokun.

The Mokeu were created by Duazhi god-king of the mountains. Duazhi made the Mokeu in his image; tall, limber, and ridden in hair. The Mokeu made the mountains their home and built great strongholds and sky bridges that reached across the chasms. Under the guidance of their creator they were an accomplished and unified people. When Duazhi departed and the yaoguai came the Mokeu were driven down from the mountains as the dark ones destroyed their holdings and cracked apart the mountains. The Mokeu fled into hiding in the forests and marshes where they would remain even after the yaoguai horde was defeated. 

The Mokeu are resemblant to monkeys that can be found in the jungles. They are usually taller than Folk and Honfokun and are also stronger and faster. They have a natural immunity to most illnesses and plagues much like the Zauri far to the south. However Mokeu are short-lived, their lifespan between thirty and forty years.

Far fallen from their past splendor the Mokeu live in the two petty kingdoms of Banhet and Ko’Ang, each home to separate clans and confederations. The two kingdoms when not warring with each other have fought many times in the past centuries with both Yongcun and the Kulnar to the north. The Mokeu know little other than war - only to forage, survive, and tend to their clans. Few Mokeu depart their lands and those who do are more often than not exiles that take up new lives as swords-for-hire or bodyguards.

Mokeu are a tribal people and trust few outside of their own banner, sometimes not even their own kings. While not cruel by nature every clan is in a constant struggle for power and land which has created a paranoid and ruthless society, should one even call it that.

The Zauri come from the Iqati islands far to the south. Unlike the other peoples the Zauri were uplifted from their bestial forms by their patron god, the great immortal dragon Runiq. It is said that the dragon stopped to rest on the islands when he noticed a large number of bearded and feathered lizards all around. They were fast, hardy, and clever for such simple little creatures. Weary of the entropy of the immortal heavens Runiq decided he would remain on the islands and shaped the creatures anew, creating the Zauri.

When the yaoguai invaded the mortal realm the Iqati islands were spared their rampage as, unlike the other immortals and gods, Runiq remained and defended his creations. The Zauri claim that the great dragon still to this day resides in the islands watching over them. Despite much skepticism, as none outside of the islands have ever laid eyes on Runiq, all those who visit attest that there is a powerful force that fills the air and resonates in the very soul.

The Zauri are the second tallest people after the Kulnar standing above the Mokeu who themselves are larger than Folk and Honfokun. They have sturdy frames and their tough leathery hide can act as a natural defense against weak attacks and blunt strikes. Like the Mokeu they have an immunity to most illnesses and diseases. Zauri are among the most long-lived of the known races with lifespans ranging from one hundred and fifty to two hundred years old.

Much like the Honfokun the Zauri are a people of tradition and honor. Males and females have strict codes of life - or “jaracal” - to live by. Likewise each way of life has its’ own jaracal to be fulfilled be one a warrior, shaman, hunter, or fisher. Zauri are deeply religious, their devotion to the God Dragon and the honored spirits of their ancestors guiding them through life. 

The Eternal Empire would meet the Zauri in 120 IA when explorers found their islands. The Emperor himself would later that year journey to Iqati to meet the High King of the Zauri further cementing relations between the two civilizations. Most Zauri who travel to the mainland are traders and envoys, though many warriors and wanderers go in search of adventure or new lives.
A Thousand Legends ~ Sundered Veil (At Capacity)

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