[OOC] Snow - Steel

[Vox]

Snow - Steel

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The Warring Lands are no more. Yu, Xiang, Zhuwei, Dongnu, and countless other little empires are no more. Forged from the crucibles of war, the great country of Beinan stands above all others. United under one banner, unified under one vision, and led by their Heavenly Emperor blessed by the Celestial Heavens themselves, a Black Peace now descends upon the lands. It is a time of reconstruction, renewal, the birth of something new from the ashes of the old.

If only it was to last.

It has been ten years since the Great Unification, and the pains of grudges of yesteryears are not so easily forgotten. Centuries of warfare had led to centuries of grievances between the states of Beinan, and they were penances that could no longer be paid in blood. And the midst of it all, the savage Elves of the North have once again started raiding and reaving their way south into Beinan, killing with wanton slaughter as they harvest souls for their dark needs. The Heavenly Emperor, in their divine wisdom, has turned Beinan's focus towards the Elves, bringing to bear the might of armies which had unified the Warring Lands under one banner, equipped with the finest arms and armor developed with unprecedented collaboration between the finest minds the world has ever seen.

And yet one still has to wonder whether it will be enough to save the nascent nation from buckling under its own weight.

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Initial Hook

In the Heavenly Emperor's infinite wisdom, they have commissioned swathes of merchants in sending relief supplies the beleaguered towns among the northern provinces. You are traveling in one such merchant caravan, headed to one such town by the name of Ssanjuu. A border town that is no stranger to the ravages of the Northern Elves, it is otherwise notable for being one of the many blacksmithing towns situated along the Arcane River which makes use of the water's unique properties in crafting fine arms and goods. Your reasons for joining the caravan are your own, and Ssanjuu is in no position to deny aid from any and all who are willing to give it.

Lore

Races

• Humans - The most common race and the one which receives the most attention from the gods, for better or worse
• Aspected - Humans which have been blessed, or cursed, by one of the many gods which live in the lands of Beinan. These folk often exhibit some sort of physical characteristic from their patron, whether it be something as innocuous as sharper teeth or tinged skin, or something as radical as a full transformation into something new and terrible which align with the visions of their patron
• Elves - Mysterious, carnivorous, and terrifying, elves are a different species entirely from humans and the Aspected, even if there are some visual similarities. Born from the pods of Great Trees which are connected the heartbeat of the world, they are genderless with no distinct sexual characteristics. While there are a few Great Trees littered throughout Beinan, co-existence has not always been busy with their human neighbors, and even less so with their Northern cousins always conducting vicious raids which scar many who have experienced those horrors.

Magic in Beinan

Powerful warriors, reclusive scholars, wielders of awesome and terrifying power, magicians have always influenced the history of the world. However, during the Heavenly Emperor's rise, back when they were only known as Fei Long Mai, a brutal system has been implemented to limit the wrath and destruction of these powerful individuals and which has now spread to all of Beinan.

All magical citizenry in Beinan must submit to receiving an Imperial Mark which tracks them at all times. An Imperial Mark can only be given after passing an Imperial Magical Exam conducted all throughout the land. Most are forced to attend and study in one of several Imperial Circles of Magi set up and maintained by the new Beinan government, though there have been tales of hermits and enlightened cultivators passing through their own study. However, there is an inherent risk in doing so as the citizenry in recent years have become frightened and fearful of these rogue individuals, and apostates are hunted down with impunity if they do not comply with these new Imperial mandates.

Technology

The Warring Lands had seen both eras of Bronze and Iron, but under the Heavenly Emperor's divine direction, the Great Unification had signaled a new age of warfare of Gunpowder and Steel. At first arming only their most trusted cohorts, the secrets of steel-making has slowly started to disseminate throughout the population, and the deadly effectiveness displayed by the simple muskets the Heavenly Emperor's legions had made use of ensured its rapid research and adoption. Beyond that, the rice-cement has still proven to be the most steadfast ally of the growing nation, as it had been for its many forbearers, but the new proliferation of trade and ideas has seen a renaissance of melding the many disparate styles spread across Beinan into something unique and new.

Foreign Culture in Beinan

While there has always been an interest in far-off lands, the instability of the Warring Lands had made it difficult for any sort of reliable trade or exchange of ideas to flourish. Now however, under Beinan and the Heavenly Emperor's infinite wisdom, concerted effort has been made to court dignitaries and trade from all across the world to come and be awed by the beauty of a unified Beinan.