THE WORLD OF FENG SHUI
[this post will continually change as we flesh out our world]
The World of Feng Shui is a lot like our own. In fact, it is the real world only it's the real world as seen by those who are wise enough to know the truth behind it.
Unbeknownst to the average citizen, there is a fantastic conflict taking place behind the curtain of everyday reality. Elderly kung fu masters, inhuman monstrosities, mad scientists, eunuch socerers from ancient China, and everyday American journalists are locked in an ancient, unending, reality-shattering struggle known as the Secret War or the Time War.
Whoever wins the war will determine not only Earth's future, but its present and history as well.
Unbeknownst to the average citizen, there is a fantastic conflict taking place behind the curtain of everyday reality. Elderly kung fu masters, inhuman monstrosities, mad scientists, eunuch socerers from ancient China, and everyday American journalists are locked in an ancient, unending, reality-shattering struggle known as the Secret War or the Time War.
Whoever wins the war will determine not only Earth's future, but its present and history as well.
Characters in Feng Shui
Characters in this world begin like the rest of us, compeltely unaware of the supernatural occurances around them. Story by story they will be drawn deeper into the secret world of adventure, espionage, time-travel, and martial arts.
Level 0 - Characters are average Joes with no inclination to believe that there is anything sinister going on in their lives. Although perhaps paranoid, nothing has happened to make them think that there is really a giant conspiracy led by secret factions locked in an eternal war for the fate of the world.
Level 1 - After some important incident, the character now believes it is quite possible that the supernatural (ghosts, sorcery, time-travel, global conspiracy) is real.
Level 2 - The character has had a direct encounter with secret warriors of some faction and are now aware that there is some sort of interdimensional war going on.
Level 3 - The character has actually stepped into the Netherworld making him or her an innerwalker, immune to Time Shifts. If her world has ceased to exist as she knows it, she is considered an Exile.
Level 0 - Characters are average Joes with no inclination to believe that there is anything sinister going on in their lives. Although perhaps paranoid, nothing has happened to make them think that there is really a giant conspiracy led by secret factions locked in an eternal war for the fate of the world.
Level 1 - After some important incident, the character now believes it is quite possible that the supernatural (ghosts, sorcery, time-travel, global conspiracy) is real.
Level 2 - The character has had a direct encounter with secret warriors of some faction and are now aware that there is some sort of interdimensional war going on.
Level 3 - The character has actually stepped into the Netherworld making him or her an innerwalker, immune to Time Shifts. If her world has ceased to exist as she knows it, she is considered an Exile.
Level 4 - The hero is now an accomplished agent in the Time War, having attuned to a significant number of feng shui sites and gained considerable Qi powers.
The Netherworld or Inner Kingdom
The Netherworld is a damp, warm, and twisting labyrinth of dark shapeable mists and home to the Four Monarchs, Jammers, and hideous abonimations -- all of whom are Exiles of the Time War, those who lived on alternative Earths before some faction or other completely erased their world.
The Netherworld also serves as the hallway between time junctions. In order to slip between different points in time, adventurers must brave the Netherworld in order to find the right portal. This can prove to be very dangerous for new travelers.
Another interesting feature of the Netherworld is its pliable nature. A traveler with strong Qi power can actually mold the Netherworld to her making. It is for this reason that the Four Monarchs, perhaps the strongest sorcerers in the world, have been able to create their own mock kingdoms in the Netherworld.
The Netherworld also serves as the hallway between time junctions. In order to slip between different points in time, adventurers must brave the Netherworld in order to find the right portal. This can prove to be very dangerous for new travelers.
Another interesting feature of the Netherworld is its pliable nature. A traveler with strong Qi power can actually mold the Netherworld to her making. It is for this reason that the Four Monarchs, perhaps the strongest sorcerers in the world, have been able to create their own mock kingdoms in the Netherworld.
The Secret War
On the planet Earth life, luck, and fate are powered by the lifeforce known as Qi (alternatively spelled Chi). It flows from the Earth as if from hot springs and flows around in intricate, drastically important patterns. If the flow of Qi is changed even slightly, it may have drastic results. This is known as Feng Shui ("Wind, Water").
The Secret War is the battle between those who know the secrets of Feng Shui, how to harness the power of the Earth in order to determine and control the destiny of the world. This can be accomplished by conquering and controlling Feng Shui Sites, sacred places of immense power from which Qi flows out and through the world.
This Time War has been raging since man first discovered the secrets of Qi. No one side ever holds dominion for long. Every time one side scores a major victory a Time Shift may occur. A Time Shift is what happens when reality (past, present, and future) changes. Those who have not stepped into the Netherworld lose their previous life and become whoever they are in the new version of Earth - if they even exist, that is. On the other hand, if someone has become involved in the Time War by stepping through a portal, she becomes seperate and immune to Time Shifts. Instead, her identity ceases to exist in the real world - she becomes an Exile with no real Earth to call her own until she can restore her world to what it was.
A recent major Time Shift has left the Ascended and Architects as the most powerful factions, controlling Earth's present and future.
Time Travel
This ongoing struggle to control Feng Shui has been occuring throughout human history. Those who have achieved powerful levels of Qi are able to travel along the timestream between time periods in order to wage their war across history. But time travel isn't as easy as it sounds...
Presently there are only three time periods, called junctions, which are open to travelers: 69AD, 2006AD, and 2056AD. Time, however, is always moving and therefore you can never return to exactly when you left.
For example, if an adventurer finds a portal to the Netherworld and were to leave his home junction, arrive in Ancient China 69AD, and stay for one week before returning, he would come home one week later than when he left.
Presently there are only three time periods, called junctions, which are open to travelers: 69AD, 2006AD, and 2056AD. Time, however, is always moving and therefore you can never return to exactly when you left.
For example, if an adventurer finds a portal to the Netherworld and were to leave his home junction, arrive in Ancient China 69AD, and stay for one week before returning, he would come home one week later than when he left.
Fu Powers - the way of the warrior
The power of Qi is utilized in many ways. One popular way is to use the inner strength which flows from Qi to perform spectacular martial arts. The martial artist who is also a secret warrior in the Time War can perform impossible feats of strength and speed. Throughout time several schools of martial arts have been created to develop these supernatural abilities. These are known as schools or Fu Paths.
Magic - the way of the sorcerer
Qi can be also used by those who are strong of mind to bend reality to their will. Whether that means throwing fireballs, flying, or cursing someone, this is known as Sorcery. There are many types of sorcerers through the Feng Shui world. The most feared are the ancient Chinsee eunuchs of the 69 AD junction who call themselves the Lotus Eaters.
The Factions
There are many different factions which are competing in the Time War. No two groups have more than an uneasy truce with one another and some have an outright hatred for each other. The following is a description of the biggest players, their "allies", enemies and known objectives.
The Architects of the Flesh
Time Juncture: Currently control 2056 AD
Advantage: Technology - the ability to create abominations and open portals to the Netherworld
Disadvantage: Their iron grip can often make enemies
Enemies: The Jammers
The Architects are mad scientists whose perverse creations - spawned by an unholy combination of biotechnology and magic - support a worldwide police state in the year 2056 AD. Not content with international domination of their own juncture, they have decided to use time-twisting technology to conquer all of human history, working backwards from their own period.
The group began in 2014 AD as the CDCA, Cross-Disciplinary Convergence Association. This scientific research organization was founded to pursue possible connections between recombinant DNA research, quantum physics, and parapsychology. They eventually discovered an energy called arcanowave (a scientific perception of Qi). While the stronger waves, used in ancient times as magic, could never be fully harnessed in the lab, there were wave frequencies which existed in all living things and affected by geological and architectural patterns.
In order to secure more funding, the CDCA helped the United Nations develop sophisticated weapontry and helped found the Bureau of Tactical Management which later became simply known as the Buro. Slowly but surely, the UN began to occupy the nations of the Third World.
The Buro then began its two primary objectives: (1) to discover and secure locations of strong arcanowave energy (feng shui sites); (2) create a new breed of soldier. Animals and dead corpses were too difficult to use. In 2037, however, the CDCA discovered a way to artificially open gates to the Netherworld where they were able to capture monsters and supernatural creatures. The results of their experiments have come to be known as abominations.
The Buro's control of the world's more crucial feng shui sites warped the flow of Qi to their favor. This forunate boon helped them eventually sway 98% of the population into unquestionable obedience which led to the dissolving of the UN and the rise of the Buro was THE world power, with the Buropresident in charge.
But this was not enough. The Buro continues its unholy crusade to bring all of human history into its dominion.
The group began in 2014 AD as the CDCA, Cross-Disciplinary Convergence Association. This scientific research organization was founded to pursue possible connections between recombinant DNA research, quantum physics, and parapsychology. They eventually discovered an energy called arcanowave (a scientific perception of Qi). While the stronger waves, used in ancient times as magic, could never be fully harnessed in the lab, there were wave frequencies which existed in all living things and affected by geological and architectural patterns.
In order to secure more funding, the CDCA helped the United Nations develop sophisticated weapontry and helped found the Bureau of Tactical Management which later became simply known as the Buro. Slowly but surely, the UN began to occupy the nations of the Third World.
The Buro then began its two primary objectives: (1) to discover and secure locations of strong arcanowave energy (feng shui sites); (2) create a new breed of soldier. Animals and dead corpses were too difficult to use. In 2037, however, the CDCA discovered a way to artificially open gates to the Netherworld where they were able to capture monsters and supernatural creatures. The results of their experiments have come to be known as abominations.
The Buro's control of the world's more crucial feng shui sites warped the flow of Qi to their favor. This forunate boon helped them eventually sway 98% of the population into unquestionable obedience which led to the dissolving of the UN and the rise of the Buro was THE world power, with the Buropresident in charge.
But this was not enough. The Buro continues its unholy crusade to bring all of human history into its dominion.
The Ascended
Time Juncture: Currently controlling the 2006 AD from the shadows
Advantage: Supernatural bloodine, adept at Qi and kung fu powers
Disadvantage: They cannot use magic. If magic ever becomes as common as it once was, they will revert to their true nature
Enemies: The Lotus Eaters, Four Monarchs, any magic-user
A highly elusive secret society known as the Ascended has been unobtrusively directing world affairs for hundreds of years. It now commands a staggering amount of power and influence. From the government to big business to the media or even pop stars - many are members or willing servants of this arcane order. But even they who serve them are unaware of the true nature of the Inner Circle.
Millennia ago, when magic was still commonplace, some of the Great Animals could magically transfer themselves into human form. In ancient times sorcerers and Taoist priests hunted these creatures down, believing them to be an affront to nature. To avoid extinction, they assimilated into human society, eventually breeding with mankind and spawning magic lineages.
Their offspring spread across the world, becoming the myths we know of today: werewolves of Europe and the bearwalker of North America are just a few examples.
Their descendants are now known as the Ascended. The blood of tigers, tortoises, cranes, snakes, dogs, bulls, cats, spiders, and even dragons still pulses in their viens. This ascended heritage gives them many powers, but at a price: if the flow of Qi ever brings the world into another magic age, the Ascended will lose their humanity, becoming fully animal like their distant ancestors.
For this reason their worst enemies are the magic-using groups like the Eaters of the Lotus and the Four Monarchs. To secure that the world never falls into such a time, they guard the most feng shui sites in the modern world. To protect these resources they have achieved an extraordinary level of political and financial power.
The Ascended can be divided into three levels. At the bottom are the Pledged, humans ignorantly who serve for power and influence; the Order of the Wheel, a fraternal organization of businessmen and politicians in service to the Ascended in Europe and America; and the Jade Wheel Society, the Asian counterpart to the Wheel. The Wheel gained power in Europe by promoting the Crusades. The Jade Wheel was behind the Song Dynasty of China and their enemies the Mongols.
Humans join the Pledged because if they do fortune suddenly goes their way (thanks to the Ascended's control of Qi). But once they join they can never back out, and no matter what they are promised, they will never gain rank within the organization.
All of these orders serve the Lodge, the council of Ascended who run the global conspiracy. It is only those of animal hertiage who are allowed into the Lodge, and only they who call themselves the Ascended. The Lodge needs only to answer to one: the Unspoken Name, the head of the Ascended's council.
The Ascended live quietly, always out of the public eye. But even one-on-one they are very dangerous. Their supernatural bloodline gives them certain powers. They are adept at channeling Qi and easily learn difficult kung fu powers. If a mission is to dangerous to leave to a mere human, the Lodge call upon an active group of younger Ascended known as Enforcers.
The Ascended seek now to maintain control of the status-quo. They are especially vigil against the Lotus, although they are presently unaware of the Architects. If any sorcerer becomes public, the Lodge will immedietly send their mooks to persuade him to give up magic or will send their Enforcers to silence him. For example, the witch-burnings of the Renaissance are just some of their handiwork.
Millennia ago, when magic was still commonplace, some of the Great Animals could magically transfer themselves into human form. In ancient times sorcerers and Taoist priests hunted these creatures down, believing them to be an affront to nature. To avoid extinction, they assimilated into human society, eventually breeding with mankind and spawning magic lineages.
Their offspring spread across the world, becoming the myths we know of today: werewolves of Europe and the bearwalker of North America are just a few examples.
Their descendants are now known as the Ascended. The blood of tigers, tortoises, cranes, snakes, dogs, bulls, cats, spiders, and even dragons still pulses in their viens. This ascended heritage gives them many powers, but at a price: if the flow of Qi ever brings the world into another magic age, the Ascended will lose their humanity, becoming fully animal like their distant ancestors.
For this reason their worst enemies are the magic-using groups like the Eaters of the Lotus and the Four Monarchs. To secure that the world never falls into such a time, they guard the most feng shui sites in the modern world. To protect these resources they have achieved an extraordinary level of political and financial power.
The Ascended can be divided into three levels. At the bottom are the Pledged, humans ignorantly who serve for power and influence; the Order of the Wheel, a fraternal organization of businessmen and politicians in service to the Ascended in Europe and America; and the Jade Wheel Society, the Asian counterpart to the Wheel. The Wheel gained power in Europe by promoting the Crusades. The Jade Wheel was behind the Song Dynasty of China and their enemies the Mongols.
Humans join the Pledged because if they do fortune suddenly goes their way (thanks to the Ascended's control of Qi). But once they join they can never back out, and no matter what they are promised, they will never gain rank within the organization.
All of these orders serve the Lodge, the council of Ascended who run the global conspiracy. It is only those of animal hertiage who are allowed into the Lodge, and only they who call themselves the Ascended. The Lodge needs only to answer to one: the Unspoken Name, the head of the Ascended's council.
The Ascended live quietly, always out of the public eye. But even one-on-one they are very dangerous. Their supernatural bloodline gives them certain powers. They are adept at channeling Qi and easily learn difficult kung fu powers. If a mission is to dangerous to leave to a mere human, the Lodge call upon an active group of younger Ascended known as Enforcers.
The Ascended seek now to maintain control of the status-quo. They are especially vigil against the Lotus, although they are presently unaware of the Architects. If any sorcerer becomes public, the Lodge will immedietly send their mooks to persuade him to give up magic or will send their Enforcers to silence him. For example, the witch-burnings of the Renaissance are just some of their handiwork.
The Dragons
Time Juncture: Scattered all over time and exiled in the Netherworld
Advantages: This faction has the most diversity and resilience to fight the good fight
Disadvantages: They have many enemies and few resources
Enemies: Just about everyone, except maybe the Jammers
In Chinese legend, the Silver Dragons were a group of immortals who challenged demons and despotic kings. Although many times they saved the people from slavery and oppression, they themselves met grim fates. No matter how many times the heroic group was hunted down and destroyed, there was always another band of heroes to rise from among the humble and outcasts of the world to fight for freedom, justice, and the right to look cool.
The Dragons were formed by Kar Fai, a monk from 1850 AD and former member of the Guiding Hand, and the Prof a techie from 2056 who left the Architects in a vain attempt to prevent arcanowave tech from ever being invented. They met in the Inner Kingdom and began to recruit allies from among the Exiles. Kar Fai traveled to the present time juncture to find maverick cops, freelance martial artists, and even aspiring sorcerers.
Unfortunately, the Dragons were recently wiped out in an epic battle against the Lotus sorcerers and demons. It is believed by some of the few survivors that it was all engineered by the Lodge.
Torn by grief, Kar Fai and the Prof have vowed to reforge their team of heroes and take vengence on those who killed their friends.
The Dragons were formed by Kar Fai, a monk from 1850 AD and former member of the Guiding Hand, and the Prof a techie from 2056 who left the Architects in a vain attempt to prevent arcanowave tech from ever being invented. They met in the Inner Kingdom and began to recruit allies from among the Exiles. Kar Fai traveled to the present time juncture to find maverick cops, freelance martial artists, and even aspiring sorcerers.
Unfortunately, the Dragons were recently wiped out in an epic battle against the Lotus sorcerers and demons. It is believed by some of the few survivors that it was all engineered by the Lodge.
Torn by grief, Kar Fai and the Prof have vowed to reforge their team of heroes and take vengence on those who killed their friends.
The Lotus Eaters
Time Juncture: In control of the Chinese Empire in 69 AD
Advantages: Masters of black magic and demon summoning
Disadvantages: Most other factions want to stop them from ruining the time stream
Enemies: Just about everyone else
In Imperial China, enemies of the Emperor are often castrated and made to serve in the palace. One overzealous beaucrat, Gao Zhang, decided to have his revenge by becoming the Emperor's most trusted advisor and founding a secret order called Eaters of the Lotus to extend his influence over all the empire.
After discovering black magic from some peasants, Gao found that he was extremely talented at demonology. He taught his arcane secrets to his most trusted circle of Lotus Eaters. At the same time he used demons to drive the Emperor to near madness, and the poor monarch soon depended on Gao's potions to sleep at night.
The Lotus Eaters joined the Time War when they discovered strangely clad warriors armed with potent weapons capturing their demonic servants. It was the elite soldiers of the Architects! Gao quickly learned of the Netherworld and from sending his martial sorcerers to the present time he learned what would eventually befall his beloved empire.
The Lotus began to sieze the feng shui sites owned by families who would eventually turn on the palace advisors. The other functions were alarmed at the Lotus' entry into the Time War, as they were all afraid of what might happen if events in the past began to change!
The Ascended sent Pledged (they couldn't go themselves to an era of magic) and the Architects sent their Buro soldiers to stop Gao's plans. Other junctions, such as the Guiding Hand also began to send agents to 69 AD to ensure that the corrupt imperial government would be replaced with one resembling their own order. Now almost all Factions are involved in the past junctures as well as the present and future ones!
Meanwhile the eunuch sorcerers of the Lotus have also began to explore other time junctures.
After discovering black magic from some peasants, Gao found that he was extremely talented at demonology. He taught his arcane secrets to his most trusted circle of Lotus Eaters. At the same time he used demons to drive the Emperor to near madness, and the poor monarch soon depended on Gao's potions to sleep at night.
The Lotus Eaters joined the Time War when they discovered strangely clad warriors armed with potent weapons capturing their demonic servants. It was the elite soldiers of the Architects! Gao quickly learned of the Netherworld and from sending his martial sorcerers to the present time he learned what would eventually befall his beloved empire.
The Lotus began to sieze the feng shui sites owned by families who would eventually turn on the palace advisors. The other functions were alarmed at the Lotus' entry into the Time War, as they were all afraid of what might happen if events in the past began to change!
The Ascended sent Pledged (they couldn't go themselves to an era of magic) and the Architects sent their Buro soldiers to stop Gao's plans. Other junctions, such as the Guiding Hand also began to send agents to 69 AD to ensure that the corrupt imperial government would be replaced with one resembling their own order. Now almost all Factions are involved in the past junctures as well as the present and future ones!
Meanwhile the eunuch sorcerers of the Lotus have also began to explore other time junctures.
The Four Monarchs
Time Junction: None. The Four are the self-titled rulers of the Inner Kingdom
Advantages: The Four are the greatest sorcerers there has ever been. Each were attuned to a quarter of all the world's feng shui sites. This means nothing in the real world, but this power is still available to them in the Netherworld
Disadvantages: The Four's power is presently useless in the real world and only the timelessness of the Netherworld prevents these 300 year old sorcerers from dying
Enemies: The Four occassionally involve themselves indirectly in the Time War, but are often too busy waging war against one another
In an alternate reality of the 16th century, a powerful sorcerer had four children - two boys: Huan Ken & Li Ting; and two girls: Ming I & Pi Tui. At the birth of his youngest child, the sorcerer had a prophetic vision: with his help, the four would eventually rise to rule the world but great danger would befall him.
The Emperor of China had grown weak and the sorcerer set to making the prophecy come true. He taught each of his children everything he knew about magic and taught them the secrets of feng shui. Each child mastered a single force:
Li Ting learned the ways of fire.
Ming I, the secrets of darkness.
Huan Ken become one with thunder.
And Pi Tui conquered the ways of ice.
When they came of age it was no difficulty at all to usurp the local lords and their imperial forces. They were together, combining their occult powers to make them revered and feared throughout the land. Entire armies surrendered at their mere appearance on the battle field.
As the Four conqured, their father showed each of them the most powerful feng shui sites. The father was careful to make sure each child had approximately the same amount of Qi flowing for their fortune. He did this so that one never had the advantage over the other.
In a matter of years, the Four had conquered the world, each taking a different corner. Pi Tui expanded northerwards taking what we might think of as Russia and North America. Li Ting went south, declaring himself lord of India, the Middle East, and Africa. Huan Ken took Europe. Ming I kept south Asia and added South America to her holdings. When all the world was in their sway, and all of the feng shui sites firmly in their control, the Four were ready to name themselves Rulers of the World.
But while they had nothing to fear from one another, their father knew each of their weaknesses. The location of their feng shui sites had been kept secret from one another, but their father knew each of their locations. He was also the only one who had mastered magic on the same level.
The Four then plotted together and eventually took their father's life. Li Ting burned his flesh, Ming I stole the light from his heart and mind, Huan Ken turned his bones to powder, and Pi Tui scourged him with darts of ice. Before he died, he told his children about the portals to the Netherworld and that they must master them if they were to keep their power.
Ming I demolished the Forbidden City and built her own tower of darkness, becoming Queen of the Darkness Pagoda.
Huan Ken razed the Vatican and replaced it with a castle built of storm clouds, naming himself King of the Thunder Pagoda (and Pope).
In the middle of the Bering Strait, Pi Tui erected a razor-edged city of frozen water, declaring herself Queen of the Ice Pagoda.
Li Ting replaced Jerusalem with a palace of fire, calling himself King of the Fire Pagoda.
Their mistake, however, was in not purusing victories in other Time Junctures. The Ascended began social changes while conquering feng shui sites in the past.
One day the Four awoke on March 10th, 1988 to find themselves in a world where they didn't exist. A world of automobiles, telephones, and fast-food resturants. The magic that had kept them young for the last 300 years faded away and their powers were crippled. Before they perished, they escaped the Netherworld. With all the Qi they had previously controlled, they were able to reconstruct their kingdoms within the Netherworld. Now they sit in their pagodas, sulking in their memories and waging useless political conflicts against one another - like four spoiled siblings.
The Emperor of China had grown weak and the sorcerer set to making the prophecy come true. He taught each of his children everything he knew about magic and taught them the secrets of feng shui. Each child mastered a single force:
Li Ting learned the ways of fire.
Ming I, the secrets of darkness.
Huan Ken become one with thunder.
And Pi Tui conquered the ways of ice.
When they came of age it was no difficulty at all to usurp the local lords and their imperial forces. They were together, combining their occult powers to make them revered and feared throughout the land. Entire armies surrendered at their mere appearance on the battle field.
As the Four conqured, their father showed each of them the most powerful feng shui sites. The father was careful to make sure each child had approximately the same amount of Qi flowing for their fortune. He did this so that one never had the advantage over the other.
In a matter of years, the Four had conquered the world, each taking a different corner. Pi Tui expanded northerwards taking what we might think of as Russia and North America. Li Ting went south, declaring himself lord of India, the Middle East, and Africa. Huan Ken took Europe. Ming I kept south Asia and added South America to her holdings. When all the world was in their sway, and all of the feng shui sites firmly in their control, the Four were ready to name themselves Rulers of the World.
But while they had nothing to fear from one another, their father knew each of their weaknesses. The location of their feng shui sites had been kept secret from one another, but their father knew each of their locations. He was also the only one who had mastered magic on the same level.
The Four then plotted together and eventually took their father's life. Li Ting burned his flesh, Ming I stole the light from his heart and mind, Huan Ken turned his bones to powder, and Pi Tui scourged him with darts of ice. Before he died, he told his children about the portals to the Netherworld and that they must master them if they were to keep their power.
Ming I demolished the Forbidden City and built her own tower of darkness, becoming Queen of the Darkness Pagoda.
Huan Ken razed the Vatican and replaced it with a castle built of storm clouds, naming himself King of the Thunder Pagoda (and Pope).
In the middle of the Bering Strait, Pi Tui erected a razor-edged city of frozen water, declaring herself Queen of the Ice Pagoda.
Li Ting replaced Jerusalem with a palace of fire, calling himself King of the Fire Pagoda.
Their mistake, however, was in not purusing victories in other Time Junctures. The Ascended began social changes while conquering feng shui sites in the past.
One day the Four awoke on March 10th, 1988 to find themselves in a world where they didn't exist. A world of automobiles, telephones, and fast-food resturants. The magic that had kept them young for the last 300 years faded away and their powers were crippled. Before they perished, they escaped the Netherworld. With all the Qi they had previously controlled, they were able to reconstruct their kingdoms within the Netherworld. Now they sit in their pagodas, sulking in their memories and waging useless political conflicts against one another - like four spoiled siblings.
The Guiding Hand
Time Juncture: The Hand fights the Jade Wheel for control of 1850 AD China, but has operatives in other junctures
Advantages: The Hand is comprised of strong-willed monks who are accomplished martial artists
Disadvantages: Their prejudice against foreigners and their narrow view of the world make it difficult for them to make allies
Enemies: In particular, the Ascended, especially the Jade Wheel. They've also recently begun operations in 69 AD against the Lotus
In 1850 many were saddened by the quick decline of the once glorious Chinese Empire. This was due in part to a corrupt government which was helpless against aggressive European powers. The Guiding Hand was founded by Shaolin monks who had political opinions and wanted to stop the spread of foreign corruption and restore their homeland to its former glory.
It was under he leadership of Quan Lo that the Hand learned that the Europeans were gaining so much control because they already controlled many powerful feng shui sites on the coast of China. They also discovered that the foreigners had allied themselves with a group known as the Jade Wheel Society.
Quan Lo sent his operatives to investigate and eventually learned the true nature of the Jade Wheel, that they were servants of the Ascended, trying to quickly industrialize the world as soon as possible to prevent magic from ever coming back. While the Hand distrusted magic, believing it to be intrinsically evil, they knew they had to stop the Jade Wheel at any cost.
Their battle has been a difficult one since the Ascended had already gained so much power. Once the Hand learned about the Netherworld and could travel along the timestream they had the intelligence they needed to begin their patient victory.
The Guiding Hand now has operatives in many different junctures, having made allies with influencial and important famillies since 1850. Recently, they've begun to send agents to 69 AD in order to stop the Lotus and to begin social reforms through Confucian teaching.
While their goal sounds generally admirable, members of the Hand are untrusting of foreigners and find the future junctures distasteful. They no doubt hope to change the past, present, and future into their Confucian ideal - a land of strict morality and discipline.
The Jammers
Time Juncture: Home juncture is 2056, but many are now exiled to the Netherworld
Advantage: Jammers are geniuses when it comes to useful gadgets and technology
Disadvantage:Jammers cannot wield magic or Qi powered techniques, instead they must rely completely on non-arcanowave technology.
Enemies: the Arcihtects of the Flesh
The Jammers are a loosely-organized group of rebels from the year 2056, dedicated to the downfall of the totalitarian world government led by the Architects, who they call Bobos. Almost no one in 2056, even those in government, realize they hold so much power over the people because they control most of the world's feng shui sites. The Jammers, however, are aware of this and fight to liberate such sites from their enemies.
The Jammers are rationalists, they hate to think that human free will can be undermined by some supernatural power called Qi. Therefore, unlike the other factions in the world, they don't try to possess feng shui sites. They know that there is no way they could ever hold the sites long against the millitary and political might of the Buro.
So they have a different strategy: feng shui terrorism & sabotage.
Jammers travel to different time junctures to capture and destory feng shui sites so that the Buro can never gain control of them. The Jammers are highly resistant to the effects of magic and Qi, which allows them to think freely against the Buro, but means they cannot use Qi-powered abilities like Fu Powers or sorcery. This is fine with them, though, as they prefer good old fashioned firearms or cybernetics. The only arcanowave tech they do use is the Gatemaker, a device which creates a temporary and artificial portal to the Netherworld.
Jammers train in guerrilla tactics, making lightning strikes against feng shui sites throughout the timestream, blowing them up with high powered explosives.
Jammers are made up of human and cyborg soldiers, techies, doctors (who are coming up with alternatives to Qi-related medicine), and are led by a strange character known as Battlechimp Potemkin, a cyboric primate with superhuman intelligence who was created by the CDCA.
Potemkin is a zealot, believing that anything is worth eliminating the Buro from the timestream. He has used some Buro tech towards this goal by developing the Flying Monkey Squad, a fearsome team of elevated-cyborg chimps.
Potemkin's underground resistance is also led by his second-in-command Furious George, a cyborg gorilla, and a human: the brilliant Dr. Laura Villaverde, alias Green Rain.
The Jammers have to keep a low profile in the Netherworld because their radical anti-Qi quest has made them the enemy of just about every other faction. They don't care though. "One day," says Battlechimp, "all feng shui sites will be destroyed, and all people will be equal! History will finally be in the hands of individuals, for good or for ill."
The Jammer's motto is simple and catchy: "Blow things up! Blow things up! BLOW THINGS UP!!!"
The Jammers are rationalists, they hate to think that human free will can be undermined by some supernatural power called Qi. Therefore, unlike the other factions in the world, they don't try to possess feng shui sites. They know that there is no way they could ever hold the sites long against the millitary and political might of the Buro.
So they have a different strategy: feng shui terrorism & sabotage.
Jammers travel to different time junctures to capture and destory feng shui sites so that the Buro can never gain control of them. The Jammers are highly resistant to the effects of magic and Qi, which allows them to think freely against the Buro, but means they cannot use Qi-powered abilities like Fu Powers or sorcery. This is fine with them, though, as they prefer good old fashioned firearms or cybernetics. The only arcanowave tech they do use is the Gatemaker, a device which creates a temporary and artificial portal to the Netherworld.
Jammers train in guerrilla tactics, making lightning strikes against feng shui sites throughout the timestream, blowing them up with high powered explosives.
Jammers are made up of human and cyborg soldiers, techies, doctors (who are coming up with alternatives to Qi-related medicine), and are led by a strange character known as Battlechimp Potemkin, a cyboric primate with superhuman intelligence who was created by the CDCA.
Potemkin is a zealot, believing that anything is worth eliminating the Buro from the timestream. He has used some Buro tech towards this goal by developing the Flying Monkey Squad, a fearsome team of elevated-cyborg chimps.
Potemkin's underground resistance is also led by his second-in-command Furious George, a cyborg gorilla, and a human: the brilliant Dr. Laura Villaverde, alias Green Rain.
The Jammers have to keep a low profile in the Netherworld because their radical anti-Qi quest has made them the enemy of just about every other faction. They don't care though. "One day," says Battlechimp, "all feng shui sites will be destroyed, and all people will be equal! History will finally be in the hands of individuals, for good or for ill."
The Jammer's motto is simple and catchy: "Blow things up! Blow things up! BLOW THINGS UP!!!"
