[✗] [Lore] The Hou-Zi

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

The Hou-Zi

Aboriginals of Axios

 

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The Hou-Zi are a primate people native to the archipelago of Axios. Their native territory comprises the isles of Malin, Tahn and Asul. The Hou-Zi once had an empire that spanned the entire continent during neolithic times, but have crumbled and become a sparse people. Nowadays, they make their reclusive dwellings within the jungles of the isle of Asul, the ancient heartland of their people. They live by the creed of their Immortal Monkey King, Hou-Shen.

 

Origins

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuwJfDr36Kc

 

 

 

The Hou-Zi were an uplifted race. Once a species of monkeys like any other, they were a primitive animal incapable of fire, tools, architecture, or anything of the sort. Just like any regular primate.

 

A Hou-Zi, pre-uplifting

Fate smiled down upon this primate species however, as Dragur was looking for worthy candidates. This was a time before Dragur had dabbled with the race of Dragons or anything of that nature, still a relatively young deity at the time, experimenting with his power. He had observed his colleague Metzli and her creation of her own favoured race- the Kharajyr. Upon witnessing this, he too sought a race of mortals to do his own bidding.

 

However, the age was still young. The elves, orcs, dwarves and men still walked with their forefathers, and would not turn to do his bidding. He implored Metzli to share with him the secret of creating a race of his own, but the Kharajyr-mother would not, wishing to be alone with this power of hers.

 

Facing a lack of other options, Dragur turned to the already existing fauna of the land. The four descendent sentient races would not bend to him. Metzli would not show him how to create life of his own. He had to uplift a species that was already there.

 

He spent seven years and seven days scouring the world, the various continents, until he came upon what would become Axios in the present day. The jungles in the isle of Asul were filled with thousands of creatures, many intelligent, many fierce, but none suited the Dragur’s needs.

 

None until he came upon the primates. The primal ancestors of the Hou-zi. These monkeys pleased him. They were clever, they were quick, they knew how to hunt in a group, and above all else, they resembled the descendent races and the Kha, with two legs, two arms and two eyes full of life. He could work with this.

 

So Dragur got to work. He approached a primate. This monkey was the alpha, the leader of the pack. He had twelve monkey wives, and no other monkey dared eat before him when it was time to feast. Dragur unlocked this monkey’s mind, opening it to sentience. To the idea of the future, the past, of fire, of the stars. The monkey would become Hou-Shen, the Monkey King.

 

Dragur would perform all manner of lost arts and powerful magics on Hou-Shen in the coming days. Transforming his soul, his mind and his body.  The Monkey King would soon live up to his title, growing strong, lean arms and legs much like the races of men and elves.

 

Dragur gave Hou-Shen a crown of jade, and instructed him to go and be the prophet of his people. However, Dragur warned, Hou-Shen was to be the vessel of his will. For as long as his newly created people- the Hou-Zi- obeyed his will, he would shower them with prosperity.

 

Hou-Shen did as Dragur commanded, unlocking the gift of sentience on all the monkeys in the jungle of Asul with power granted to him by the Daemon themselves. Soon, the Hou-Zi race was fully born, and their history began.

 

History

Jing-Taiyun, jewel of the Hou-Zi empire, in its prime

 

The Hou-zi expanded and evolved their culture at an astonishing rate. Within two years they were forging their own steel. Within thirty, they had built their first palaces out of stone and jade. Guiding the Hou-zi through this entire process was Hou-Shen, teaching his subjects the wisdom imparted on him by Dragur himself.

Expansion and Golden Age

 

By the 50th year, Jing-Taiyun, the capital and center of Hou-zi civilization had been built.

 

With their newfound sentience, the Hou-Zi developed a complex society. Hou-Shen and his sons- Hou-Wang, Hou-Da, and Hou-Xiao formed the top tier of society, ruling from the Jade-Monkey throne in Jing-Taiyun. Underneath them served the Ruling Council of Chi. The Ruling Council was made up of twelve Hou-Zi lords who governed over a respective territory of Hou-Zi land, which had expanded to encompass the entire ancient jungle of Asul.

 

Hou-Zi society lived stably for awhile, but this was not to last. The Hou-Zi people were growing used to their luxuries and wished for more. So, Hou-Shen meditated upon the Jade-Monkey throne and sought the advice of the creator- Dragur. Dragur said: Expand your lands, lay low to those who oppose you. Turn this continent into the continent of the Hou-Zi.

 

Hou-Shen complied, and the Hou-Zi conquest of ancient Axios began.

 

A Hou-Zi warrior of the Fei-Zhu tribe, scouting out new lands for conquest.

 

The Hou-Zi army was an unstoppable force. Hou-Shen the Monkey King was a terror to face in battle himself, those who faced him claimed he was immortal, unkillable. It could be said, however, that his enemies were hardly an even match.

 

The lands that would become Axios had no other race which were the Hou-Zi’s equal. The elves who lived there were barely awakened, still primitive. The highly advanced Hou-Zi ransacked their villages with their bronze armour and weapons of jade.

 

Captured villages and settlements were turned into tribute-nations. Those subjugated by the Hou-Zi were made to mine and forage for their new masters, forced to turn in a quota of bread and fruits, silver, gold, and most of all- Jade.

 

The Hou-Zi population exploded as the race conquered more and more land, with more and more space to live in. Great Hou-Zi cities were erected. Dansui, whose golden streets were ruled by the first son of Hou-Shen, Hou-Wang. Khandarajin, whose towering spires were presided over by his secondborn, Hou-Da. Finally, Gaoshan, whose crystal palaces competed with the mountains in which they were built, ruled by Hou-Xiao.

 

However, remaining the greatest of all the Hou-Zi cities was Jing-Taiyun, remaining in the jungle heartland of the Hou-Zi people. From there, Hou-Shen offered up much of the massive tribute his empire collected to Dragur, his creation god. Dragur was pleased by this, as it gave him more credibility and pride as a daemon to have such a powerful and obedient people in the mortal realm, conquering land and collecting wealth in his name.

 

The Hou-Zi empire at its zenith, with all its major urban centres shown.

 

Downfall

 

It had been centuries since the Hou-Zi had been uplifted by Dragur. Their glorious jade empire was nearly as old. The Empire, however, had begun to stagnate. Dragur grew impatient as the flow of tribute and wealth to him through sacrifice had become equally stale. The Hou-Zi had been stopped in their northward expansion through the isle of Tahn. Elven tribes in the area had developed more advanced weaponry and were able to make the cost of invading their land outweigh the benefit of ruling it.

 

Hou-Shen, the monkey king, had begun to show his age as well. His sons had all passed, Hou-Xiao the last, being tragically shot while leading a raid in the north, by elven rangers seeking to protect an elven child he had cornered. His sons had not been immortal, but Hou-Shen was. Towards the end, the ruling council of Chi reported Hou-Shen becoming more vacant, distant, he would take long walks in the moonlight, along the glorious jade palisades of his Jing-Taiyun palace. His people began demanding more conquest, more wealth, public opinion of the immortal monkey king began to turn.

 

But, at the turning point of the Hou-Zi people… Hou-Shen, their eternal sovereign, disappeared into the night, never to return.

 

The Partition of the Hou-Zi empire into four kingdoms after Hou-Shen’s dissapearance.

 

With their immortal king gone, the Hou-Zi empire fell apart overnight. The Council of Chi factionalized and retreated to the various great cities across Axios to consolidate their power. The Kingdoms of Jing-Taiyun, Khandarajin, Dansui and Gaoshan were formed, all named after their capital cities, but all claiming to be the rightful successors to Hou-Shen and all Hou-Zi lands.

 

Dragur was furious at this turn of events. His chosen champion had dissapeared, and what was left were a bickering race, too busy warring on one another to deliver him any tribute or act on his will. He descended upon each of the four kings of the partitioned empire and demanded a cease to all hostilies. A re-unification and the resumpton of the conquest of all of Axios.

 

However, it was too late. Gaoshan, Dansui, Khadarajin and Jing-Taiyun were too entrenched in their rivalries and wars to listen to this daemon. What’s more, they felt no loyalty to Dragur. It had been Hou-Shen they followed, in his name they conquered barbarian lands, and his throne their tribute had gone to, not Dragur, who they had named the Awakener. Dragur was a god attributed to their creation, but little else. In their arrogance, the Hou-Zi ignored the Daemon in favour of continuing to war among themselves.

 

Dragur knew he had failed. This race he had created had spun out of control, he could no longer use them as a vessel of his will. With that in mind, he began the eradication.

 

The warring states of the Hou-Zi could do nothing to stop the onslaught of demons and fire which consumed their lands. In his endeavor, other daemons such as Metzli were glad to help, as she relished in Dragur’s failure and did not like the idea of other races existing to contest hers. Soon, what had once been a proud race and a mighty empire had been wiped off the face off the continent. A true apocalypse. Barely any ruins remained of once glorious cities.

 

But, the daemons did not successfully finish their genocide of the species.

 

A small group of Hou-Zi lived on, hiding away from the fiery death of their empire. They were few in number and leaderless, their homes gone. They were a clan that resided deep in the jungles of Asul, where their species had been born. There they remained, doing what they could to survive.

 

The largest population of Hou-Zi today reside deep in that Asul jungle, avoiding contact with all other races whenever possible. They are few enough in number that descendent races may not have even learned of their existence.

 

Yet, they hold onto the past, hoping to one day rebuild their empire, hoping that Hou-Shen, their immortal king, will return from his self-imposed exile and lead their people to glory once more.

 

Perhaps someday, the empire of jade will be reborn.

Physical Appearance

The Hou-Zi are a monkey people. So, they resemble humanoid, sentient primates. Much like the Kharajyr, they too come in several sub-species.

 

Some typical Hou-Zi, a Fei-Zi (Left) and Laobai-Zi (Right)

((Credit to Triplewing))

 

Laobai-Zhu

The Laobai-Zi (literally: common folk) are the most common of Hou-Zi subraces. They were found all over the empire. They had fur usually in shades of brown and came in all shapes and sizes. Laobai-Zi are the more versatile and adaptable of the Hou-zi. the Laobai-Zu are said to be the line of Hou-Zi directly descended from the god-king's firstborn- Hou-Wang.

 

Laobai-Zhu are the shortest lived of the Hou-Zi, reaching a lifespan of 80 to 100 years.

 

Fei-Zhu

The Fei-Zi resemble baboons, being by far the most colourful of the Hou-Zi species and said to descend from Hou-Shen's second son, Hou-Da. Fei-Zi are known for their multicoloured fur which can be blue, red, hues of yellow, or gold. Their faces are usually a contrast to their fur, a red-furred Fei-Zi would have a yellow face, for example. Fei-Zi are the smallest but most nimble of the Hou-Zi, being lithe in body, and around 5’ to 6’ feet in height.

 

Fei-Zhu enjoy slight longevity, living a lifespan of 150 to 250 years.

 

Hei-Zhu

The Hei-Zi (black ones) most closely remember silverback gorillas, and are considered to have originated through the seed of Hou-Xiao, third son of Hou-Shen. Members of the Hei-Zi are most always black of fur and the burliest, strongest of the Hou-Zi subraces. They range from 6’5 to 7’ feet tall.

 

Hei-Zhu are the longest lived of the Hou-Zi, experiencing a lifespan of 250 to 300 years.

 

Culture

The Hou-Zi developed a rich culture during their centuries as the dominant race of prehistoric Axios.

 

Ancient Times

The Hou-Zi were a culture that valued wealth above all else. Known for great materialism and hedonism, the Hou-Zi lavished in great displays of richness. The nobles and lordlings of the empire often made huge displays and ceremonies to show off their fortunes. Of all the symbols of wealth in the Empire, jade was the most important of them all.

 

A jade cabbage.

 

Naturally, all this wealth was possible due to the steady flow of tribute coming in from the conquered provinces of the Hou-Zi empire. This wealth also allowed Hou-Zi princelings to continuously out-do one another in architecture. Magnificent spires and palaces were erected in the various Hou-Zi cities.

 

Typical Hou-Zi architecture during the golden age.

 

Ancient Hou-Zi culture was lavish and rich beyond belief. At its heart was competition. The poor Hou-Zi would aspire to be rich and do whatever it took to get there, the rich Hou-zi would stop at nothing to display their wealth. Hou-Zi society was a constant chaotic hodgepodge of poor monkeys seeking to rise up, and rich monkeys constantly one-upping one another in a fierce competition to be the most famous, hedonist Hou-Zi in the empire.

 

Modern Era

Naturally, with their empire and great cities destroyed and most of their race killed off, Hou-Zi culture now is drastically different, devolved, even.

A Hou-Zi village in the common era, built to be secluded.

 

Hou-Zi now live a meager life of survival. They are mainly subsistence hunters and fishermen, living in thatched-roof huts and mud housing. The Hou-Zi seclude themselves for practical purposes, and pockets of Hou-Zi rarely see one another. When they do, they often trade simple goods.

 

Some Hou-Zi still carry around pieces of the old empire with them. Trinkets of jewellery, or old weapons. These are highly sought after, and often traded from Hou-Zi tribe to tribe, especially any jade remaining among their people.

 

 

Religion

 

The Daemon Dragur was naturally the highest deity of the Hou-Zi. However, he was not their main diety. Dragur was known as the Awakener in the Hou-zi’s own tongue, for his role in bestowing sentience to the people. The Awakener was not actively worshipped, however, except when paying tribute to him through the spoils of the great empire. The Awakener played a background, omnipresent role in the Hou-Zi faith.

 

However, it is Hou-Shen who captured the hearts, minds and faith of the Hou-Zi people. Hou-Shen was their immortal god, who lived generation upon generation as other Hou-Zi were born, lived and died. He seemed unkillable in battle and incorruptible as a ruler. He was worshipped as a living god among his people.

 

A shrine to Hou-Shen, with his first son Hou-Wang presiding in front of him. Most of what little luxuries remain in Hou-Zi society go to decorating these shrines.

 

Upon Hou-Shen’s disappearance, he went from being an actively worshipped living god to a mythical figure of legend. In the dying days of the empire, he had become a god like any other, frequently prayed to, but never truly there. Prayers in the last days of high Hou-Zi civilization often called for the return of Hou-Shen, the Monkey King, the god of their kin.

 

In modern post-downfall Hou-Zi society, the remaining members of the species still cling to the memory of Hou-Shen. They believe he is prophesied to return some day, and bring his people back to glory. Shrines of his likeness are erected in every Hou-Zi mud village in the jungles of Asul.

 

Modern depiction of Dragur in Hou-Zi society, shown as a wrathful dragon.

 

Modern Hou-Shen revile Dragur, his title changed from the Awakener to the Doombringer. Any memory of Dragur creating the Hou-Zi has been wiped from the memories of the remaining members, and only resentment and anger of their civilization’s destruction remains. Dragur is a satanic figure in modern Hou-Zi faith.

 

 

Language

(Obviously, it’s mandarin chinese, albeit phonetically made to be a bit more english-speaker friendly and not a direct translation)

 

The Hou-Zi language is lost to time. Any examples of it in written form were washed away by the wrath of Dragur during the purging of Hou-Zi civilization. Furthermore, the old Hou-Zi character system has been abandoned for a simplified phonetic system with letters adopted from the common tongue, which was picked up through sparse interaction with the descendant races. What is known of the Hou-Zi language to outsiders is only a smattering of words and phrases, listed below:

 

Miscellaneous

Nǐ hǎo  - Hello.

 

Nǐ hǎo ma - Are you well?

 

Hóu - Monkey, cultural connotation: The Chosen Race

 

Rén - People, person

 

Huángdì - King

 

Nǚwáng - Queen

 

Shén - God

 

Yù - Jade

 

Zhǔ - Tribe, people group

 

Cáifù - Wealth (Tā hěn cáifù: He’s wealthy, high in society)

 

Xiōngdì - Comrade

 

Zhànzhēng - War

 

Shènglì - Victory

 

Bùzhǎng - Minister (Title given to those on the Council of Chi)

 

Place Names

Jīng-Tàiyáng - Golden Sun

 

Gāoshān - High-Mountain

 

Dànsuǐ - Clear-water

 

Khadharajin - High Spires ((This one isn’t chinese. It’s jibberish I made up.))

 

 

Phrases

xiǎo dòng bù bǔ, dà dòng chī kǔ - A small flame is soon quenched (Destroy your enemy while he is small)

 

Kōngxuéláifēng, wèibì wú yīn - Every why has it’s wherefore (Nothing is to be feared, only understood)

 

Shuǐ néng zài zhōu, yì néng fù zhōu. - Water will just as surely sink a ship as it will keep it afloat. (What can help can also harm)

 

Kě hóuzi dìguó rěnshòu wànnián! - May the Hou-Zi empire endure 10,000 years!

 

Huángdì hóu-Shén wànsuì! - Long live God-king Hou-Shen!

 

Yù shì hóu de xǐyuè - Jade is the joy of the Hou-Zi.

Yīnjīng wèile shèng wángzǐ Ha'rambe chūlái - May we display our genitalia in memory of holy prince Ha’rambe. (Third son Hou-Xiao was known as Ha'rambe in some Fei-Zhu dialects of the Hou-Zi tongue)

 

 

Modern Habitat

The Hou-Zi live in areas they can survive without being noticed. This includes harsh mountain ranges, where they survive as hunters and herders, or dense forests. Currently, the only major pocket of remaining Hou-Zi is in the jungles of Asul, where the orcish race resides. However, small populations may still exist in the Giant’s Spine mountain range, or the forests of the wood elves.

 

Possible places where Hou-Zi still exist. Asul is the only confirmed area.

 

((OOC))

 

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THIS IS NOT A MEME. MY **** IS OUT FOR HARAMBE BUT THIS IS 100% SERIOUS LORE

 

Okay so why did I make this lore? On a literal whim lmfao I just felt like it.

 

But then I thought, hey, this could serve a purpose.

 

Most people don’t seem to want another world-wide antag, especially not another demon-god who wants to (of course!) destroy the world. Personally, I’d like to see a more smaller-scale, group oriented antagonist, and I feel like this could be it.

 

I would like to see the Hou-Zi interact with the descendent races, trying to reclaim their lost empire. Perhaps a story arc where Hou-Shen, their immortal king returns to them and they reclaim much of their lost technology and wealth.

 

Maybe Azdromoth (the current main antag) descends down and makes an unholy deal with them, they serve his will, and in return Azdromoth returns the wealth and power of the Hou-Zi to them. The Hou-Zi are now tragically bound to the dark lord and made to serve his will, acting as emissaries and warriors of Azdromoth with the newly returned Hou-Shen as the main puppet and champion of the Arch-Dragaar.

 

I’d like this to be at least considered and an LT takes the time to sit down and talk to me about it before a final verdict is made on this lore.

 

• Yes I threw in some memes and they aren't meant to be taken seriously, I just wanted to be fun. The rest of this lore is 100% serious, though. The meme references are just names I can replace in seconds, have a laugh, take the rest of the lore seriously though.

 

• Dragur doesn't have to be the one who created the Hou-Zi. I just don't know jack about Daemon lore. Any god-like or appropriately powerful being can have created them, and if needed, I can change it very easily.

 

• Chronologically, the Hou-Zi and their empire would have been long before the currently existing ancient history lore of the descendent races on Axios. Their empire is meant to be so old its almost prehistoric, predating the history of all other races. Hopefully this makes it easier to fit them in, lore-wise.

 

• I know this continent is meant for elven lore, and this piece shouldn't interfere with that. If you read my lore you'll see that I acknowledge the elves were 'here first'. In that the Hou-Zi actually conquer and subjugate some very early, prehistoric and primitive elven communities. These would be elven communities that would live on after the Hou-Zi empire was destroyed and develop into whatever current elven lore is.

 

• Anything and Everything in this lore is open to change in order to fit current Axios history Canon

 

• I’m aiming for this to be an ET/Event based race, with no real plans to turn it into a common player-played race.

 

• I would like the Hou-Zi to become a more unique and relatable antagonist to the playerbase, as there’s more room to interact with an alien but tragic people seeking to reclaim their glory, as opposed to a big evil dragon.

 

• Comparing these monkeys to easterner farfolk culture is like comparing 12th century Scandinavia to Renaissance Italy because they're both "western white people stuff", be culturally sensitive!

 

 

 

 

 

[Matheus 525]

In honor of harambe; I support this lore. +1

[Thatpyrodude 2008]

Only if their leader is Lord Harambe +1

[Taketheshot 3834]

This is why he needs to be a Gm +1

[Argontum 153]

Dicks out for harambe +1

[JEEGK 1256]

The nitpicking will start soo, but for now, +1

[Vaynth 2965]

(The picture you used for physical appearance looks like Bumi from The Legend of Korra)

Good job on this, I fully support you on this monkey people thing. Although house hippos would be much better. +1

[bungo 3963]

why would you encourage @Cracker to continue roleplaying as winston?

[CelestialBoba 270]

As long as it isn't like Congo. +1

[H 746]

Now, I dunno what I was expecting when I opened this thread, but it wasn't that.

 

Well done. +1

 

You better name one Sun Wukong.

[flameslinger2002 49]

When can i become one +1.

[InfamousGerman 1549]

can i be a kung fu panda 

[TavernLich 324]

I thought for a moment you were serious.

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 11573]

Could become good cuisine if hunted I love monkey brains and wouldn't mind a smaller scale antag of a different variant.

 

When I become Admin I'll accept this good job Leo!

[Savoyard 263]

Let's not... I mean, monkey people? Wtf