The Xian and Eastern Beliefs

[DeepDarkSamurai 25]

(Let it be known, I am not trying to get any lore really accepted, but mostly out there. This has been discussed between a number of easterner roleplayers, and this provides a way to roleplay someone who looks and acts much more chinese, than the japanese styled Chiyaki, and the much further travelled Xionist Yulthar, while possibly adding a reason as to why our mongol and turkish cultures already rped in-game have an unmistakably asian flare to them.

 

Its all mostly compiled lore from when easterners were a much bigger thing, and now that people are being them again I was approached by two roleplayers that wanted to be more chinese than japanese, so we came up with this.

 

A reminder however, the Xian is not a word for all easterners, just those that are particularly chinese styled, much like the Chiyaki are much more japanese even if they are from similar places.)

 

 

 

 

The Xian

 

 

 

An Introduction:

 

The Xian are a numerous group of people from a distant land mass far to the east of those lands familiar to the inhabitants of Vailor and the previous lands known plainly as Xia. Or "Life" in their native tongue. The Xians are a truly ancient people, and their culture reflects that. Having been taken from many other lands they had visited or conquered, along with their status on retaining ancient traditions has kept these people from changing much over the course over their long and storied history. The Xian in their native lands are fiercely loyal to their lords, and in turn to the grand Jade Dragon Emperor. A title granted and passed down through different family lines or histories known as the dynasties. The Xian are extremely intelligent people as a whole, having their own writing and book-keeping systems since near the rise of their empire. They are skilled in navigation, astronomy, alchemy, and strange esoteric practices, along with the many exotic trades that exist in this faraway land.

 

 

History and Faith:

 

In their earliest myths and stories, it is said the greatest of gods sacrificed most of her divinity to take physical form and created the mountains, seas, valleys, and forests, but left the underground untouched. Populating it with a great array of animals and creatures, but wished for someone to talk to. So the great god then pulled from the verdant soil of the great Tienshan river the first of these people. Shu was his name as told to him by the great serpentine dragon goddess. He rode upon her back as she filled his mind with fantastic stories and tales. Excerpts of which are praised by modern people as wise life lessons, and basis for much worship. However, Shu grew tired of his long life and of his lonesomeness, so the great dragon granted him children. These would be from which all Xian and people of eastern origin descend. 

 

With the last of her divinity, the great dragon goddess bequeathed to Shu and three of his children their rights to rule. Then she fled, flying over the hills and valleys, crying over the sadness that she was not enough for this man. Her tears turning to what is known now as jade as they fell, and she retreated into an ancient cave where she continued to weep until she herself was turned to living jade. Forever asleep. 

 

The great emperor Shu ruled for over 100 years. His empire growing swiftly, owing to the hidden truths of reality granted to him by his first love. Then, as he aged, he passed his title down to his son. The two daughters of Shu and the great jade dragon had decided to go their own paths, owing to the truths given to them by their mother. The eldest, Shenshin went further east, past the sea until she came to land upon a pair of great islands, where she and her followers became the first natives and nobles. Then the youngest, Shinshen traveled north and west. Never settling in one place. Her people becoming nomads or farmers of the great mountains of the land. 

 

 

 

Rough Timeline

 

The eldest brother Youlin had taken his father's last name as Shu, and continued the Shu dynasty.

 

As time went on, people from other lands, a change in thinking, or other different situations gave rise to different dynasties. here are some, written in chronological order.

 

Shu Dynasty: Agriculture, expansion, peace, and advancement. Ruled by the dragon goddess, then Shu the first emperor. 

 

Lyn Dynasty: Discovery of iron and expansion upon ancient martial arts practices as found in hidden jade dragon scrolls. Rose from the once final Shu emperor married a woman named Lyn, and his love was so great he changed his own name. 

 

Jhuxho Dynasty: Period of heavy military expansion outwards. The Jhuxho emperors decided that the wisdom granted by the jade dragon was their's alone.

 

Chizhu Dynasty: The people of the land eventually revolted against the Jhuxho empreror Xha hou. Bringing about a period of reconstruction and restoration of culture.

 

Ghuan Ghuan Dynasty: Seeing their chance as the empire of Xia was returning to power after hundreds of years of rebuilding, invaders descended from the Shinshen rode to conquer all of Xia. Dethroning the previous emperor and placing their own ruler atop the jade throne. 

 

Zhen Ku Dynasty(current): with allies from the eastern isles populated by Shinshen's descendants, the people of Xia were able to reinstate a new, proper emperor. This period of trade between the two people led to inventions and advancements and exchange of alchemy, marine agriculture, magics, and many other things.

 

 

 

Religion of The East:

 

The people of Xia and the rest of the east believe in a strange mixture of animism, ancestor worship, and spirit worship. Stemming from the earliest days when a god had given up her divinity to form these people, and the belief that those from these lands are related to the spirits of nature through a certain distant, yet still recognizable family tie. 

 

Descendants of Youlin

The people of the land of Xia hold many beliefs in this day and age. Their core religion however is a belief in a rational order of nature. They worship a large number of divine spirits called the Shen, which can be nature deities, city deities, national deities, cultural heroes and demigods, ancestors and progenitors, and deities of the kinship, but none mightier than the celestial dragons. Complex rituals of worship are performed by priests within mighty cities, or by ascetic monks which follow the teachings of the great jade dragon. The oldest of these schools even house some of the original scrolls. This alternate belief is known as Xhen and has become the state religion in several parts of the large lands of Xia.

 

Descendants of Shenshin

The descendants of Shenshin are similar to their cousins in Xia due to the fact they worship many beings, however they differ in the fact that almost every one of these beings, known as the Kami, reside within parts of nature or minor works of humanity and differ in power based on the size of the object. For example, a shrine to the great goddess of the land and sun Amaterasu might be tended by a small nameless tending Kami. The descendants of Shenshin also have many different forms of worship, from radical honor, ancestor, and deed based customs, to ferver and ascetic based, and anywhere in between. A decent number of these people however have also come to follow the teachings of Xhen and follow the doctrines written in the jade dragon scrolls, though it is by no means the state religion.

 

Descendants of Shinshen

The nomads and mountain folk descended from the dragon-blooded Shinshen are very prideful and their worship defines that. They tend to trust in their elder's or tribal shamans and look to them for guidance. They mainly venerate their ancestors and great animal spirits. However, as they move around so often, their beliefs evolved to match those of the people they came into contact with, or were shaped by the passing of years.

 

[HurferDurfer1 2584]

A Xionist would frown.

[Jistuma 1995]

If you're writing culture lore, you should probably fit it with LOTC. There is no years, no mention of any of the realms besides saying they are from lands far away from Vailor, and mentions of magic and alchemy.

[DeepDarkSamurai 25]

Its mostly not finished as of yet as I am meeting with the others who are writing and refining the recently posted easterner lores.

[Man of Respect 5430]

I like the idea!

[chaotikal 2236]

Why are they this way? What has lead them to become like this? Your history Is but a vague overview that by putting words together still manages to say nothing. 

[Wretched 2038]

Cultures can be played at any time and do not require lore.