ВСЕМ СПАСИБО!

Раздел:  --== Все разделы ==-- ------------------------------------------------------------- Игровое общение Организационные вопросы Дозор-2005 / Организационные вопросы / ВСЕМ СПАСИБО!

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Yarven гроссмейстер Группа: Администраторы Сообщений: 155	Добавлено: 06-10-2005 22:11
	НАРОД!!!! Это было рульно. Парк Калинина - это здорово. Спасибо всем!!! Игра удалась - это я понял именно там. Слов нет... Отдельные спасибы раздам позднее. Вы рулите! Цитировать
Dizi частый гость Группа: Зарегистрированные игроки Сообщений: 12	Добавлено: 07-10-2005 19:30
	черт!!! я опять все пропустила? Ахтунг!!! Так жить нельзя!!! p.s. убиваюсебяобстенусразбегунасмерть Цитировать
Tiger1.5GE гроссмейстер Группа: Зарегистрированные игроки Сообщений: 172	Добавлено: 09-10-2005 18:56
	Осталось самое сложное... развоплотиться и отвыкнуть. Цитировать
Tiger1.5GE гроссмейстер Группа: Зарегистрированные игроки Сообщений: 172	Добавлено: 09-10-2005 19:12
	ЗАВТРА РАЗБОР ПОЛЁТОВ И РАЗДАЧА СЛОНОФ. В УХМЫЛКЕ (УЛЫБКЕ) В 5:30 РМ. (ПОЛШЕСТОГО). Давайте жить дружно. Цитировать
Yarven гроссмейстер Группа: Администраторы Сообщений: 155	Добавлено: 15-10-2005 19:28
	Люди! Никто никаких вещей не терял? А то осталось два пакета с обоих офисов, вдруг там чего нужное? Цитировать
Тэлька Группа: Участники Сообщений: 8	Добавлено: 18-10-2005 14:08
	Отпуск! *есс* )) Цитировать
grizli Группа: Участники Сообщений: 2	Добавлено: 19-10-2005 16:20
	Вот и все... Дозоры опустели и духи сумрака, забывшись сладким сном, дожидаются продолжения своего кошмара. P.S. Приятно всеже мелькнуть в обществе умных людей Цитировать
rtg Гость	Добавлено: 27-10-2005 07:50
	That war erupted with the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry and a United States delegation in 1853. As the Tokugawa shogun fell increasingly under the spell of the gaijin, Bishamon worked frantically to preserve the ancient ways and stave off the inevitable "opening" of Japan. They started by cracking down on all "independent" sects - and targeted the Sotogawa No uji specifically. For the next several years, Bishamon and their Koga associates actively suppressed these "heretics," laying waste to key dragon nests and going after Sotogawa No's hengeyokai allies. Although the Bishamon knew they were doing irreparable damage to Chi reservoirs in the long run, they justified their actions as part of the necessary struggle to keep Japan free of detrimental heterodoxy. The resurgence of a new House Genji temporarily stalled hostilities, but pro-modernist Genji resumed attacks on the Sotogawa No soon after, claiming that such Shinto-inspired teachings were outdated in the "new" Japan. The Burnings pounded the final nail into Sotogawa No's coffin. Already weakened by decades of persecution and plundered dragon lines, the destruction of the Chi deposits beneath Hiroshima and Nagasaki severed whatever connections to the land remained for these Kuei-jin. The psychic toxins quickly infected those few remaining pure sites shared by hengeyokai and Sotogawa No. The handful of surviving Sotogawa No either fled to the outermost reaches of the island chain, or left Japan altogether for more welcoming havens in the Pacific Rim. Recently, however, Kuei-jin from the Sotogawa No have begun to make their way back to Middle Kingdom Japan. The mortal populations, fast in the grip of a growing spiritual malaise, look more frequently toward age-old faiths like Shinto for some sort of center. Cults spring up almost daily in the Fifth Age, feeding off this spiritual vacuum. Patchwork "faiths" mixing doctrine from Eastern and Western sources try to provide all answers for all people. This polyglot of religions encourages Sotogawa No expatriates to return to Japan and reach out to old allies, in hopes of regaining their former havens. Caution remains the watchword for Sotogawa No vampires. Old allies disappear or switch allegiances for selfpreservation's sake; trusted retreats and hideaways vanish or are occupied by enemies. Sotogawa No Kuei-jin often find themselves alone on the island, a perilous position by any standard. Any measure of safety is hard to come by, and Sotogawa No go to extreme lengths to keep foes at bay. Some of these Kuei-jin actively become heimin, using the freedom of movement to search for old associates and new allies. Others set themselves up among the mortal populations as "cult leaders" in remote locations, and hope that the out-of-the-way locale and relative innocuousness of their "religions" is enough to keep Strike Force Zero disinterested. The Green Courts: Death and Jade Trapped between the powers of the Quincunx on one side and the gaki on the other, the vampires of the Green Courts have learned to distance themselves from both sides and attend to their own dark affairs to protect their precious neutrality. Centuries of laying low and blending in - as well as their obsessive focus on the Yin world - has stolen from the Korean Kuei-jin much of the character that once made them the focus of much admiration and fear as part of the Azure Dragon Court. The ancestors here have very little time to spare on the ostentation and empty formality of the Quincunx and less still for internecine power struggles like those between the Bishamon and the Genji. There is little pageantry in the Green Courts - no great halls, no grand Spectacles, no ornate dress. Simplicity and parsimony are more conducive to business; art and spectacle are seen as distractions, resources poorly spent. Beauty merely highlights how hideous many among the Green Courts have become: No other Court has so many ch'ing shih. The sight of the assembled Green Courts is a hideous sight most Kuei-jin would rather avoid. In addition to being the preeminent necromancers of the Middle Kingdom, the vampires of the Green Courts are also salesmen, diplomats, and cunning agents provocateurs playing their enemies against each other to fortify their own positions; they deal primarily in safety (in the form of a complex array of shelters and safe-houses referred to discretely as the Parallel Path) and jade (usually in the form of trinkets, though talismans of spectacular potency regularly come from the Green Courts). Safety is a rare commodity in the Middle Kingdom, and those Kuei-jin who can provide it are amply rewarded. Vampires of the Green Courts have established a very carefully protected network of safe houses accessible to anyone with enough jade, cash, or valuable information. Kuei-jin and Kindred alike are welcome provided they can pay for the hospitality (and Westerners are inevitably ripped off)- Many Kindred who have needed to thoroughly disappear from the West have found their way to the palaces, hovels and caves along the Parallel Path. Some in the Green Courts claim that the open-door policy of the Parallel Path makes Korea a haven for akuma fleeing the other courts. While minor witch hunts for the devil-ridden break out every now and again, the ancestors of the Green Courts seem uninterested in taking any decisive action so long as the jade keeps flowing in. The most paranoid among the Cathayans claim that this is because the ancestors themselves are corrupted. Travelers along the Parallel Path are directed to each link in the chain of safe houses by wu comprising Kuei-jin early on their Dharmic journey (who expect a "tip" in exchange for their silence on the vampire's whereabouts). The Green Courts enforce a strict non-intervention policy toward those traveling the Parallel Path, so aside from draining as much jade and cash as possible from their charges, the Kuei-jin performing these duties are strictly businesslike and will not directly hinder, help or involve themselves in any way in the affairs of those they guide. The Green Courts' other commodity is the one after which it was named. Jade, with its unique ability to hold Chi, is the standard by which all things of value are measured in the Green Courts. The jade market, based out of the It'aewon market in Seoul, is what funds the Green Courts' political machinations. By selling low quality jade to the west and high quality jade talismans to powerful Kuei-jin from other courts (in exchange for "favors to be named at a later date, if ever"), the Green Courts have amassed a great deal of wealth and influence with which to buffer itself from the constant strife between the gaki and the Quincunx. Korea is home to the largest population of jade-working Kueijin artisans in the Middle Kingdom. There are entire wu whose sole reason for existence is the creation of more and more potent talismans, and the abilities they can awaken in the jade are most formidable. While jade is the Green Courts' trump card, the Kuei-jin of the Korean Court may have played out their hand. In amassing the jade necessary to insulate themselves from incursions of the Kuei-jin of the other courts, the vampires of the Green Courts endanger their relationship with the shen of their own nation. The land that was once among the most peaceful places for Kuei-jin and hengeyokai to interact is rapidly becoming a site of great discord due to the Kuei-jin's rapacious jade gathering missions to the local Dragons Nests. The days of plentiful jade are gone, and the vampires of Korea now work diligently to maintain the appearance of controlling plentiful stores of the stone. The truth is decidedly inauspicious: The jade they once found everywhere and took for granted is nearly impossible to obtain as dragon nest after dragon nest is desecrated and dries up. Some wu have even resorted to stealing homeless from the cities, especially Seoul, and forcing them to mine for jade. The Green Courts must now take extreme action to find even humble quantities of the fine green stone, and this they do by sending vaguely diplomatic ransacking missions to the peninsula's remaining dragon nests. Bodhisattvas claim that these sacred sites, not the jade itself, are the Green Courts' true treasure, but no one is listening. These dragon nests, however, are the sacred places of the shape-shifting hengeyokai who will be, perhaps, more difficult to ignore. Korea, until very recently, has primarily been home to the chatty (and relatively less aggressive) raven-folk, making the hengeyokai a less daunting enemy than they are elsewhere. For many decades, the Green Courts' vampires have been manipulating and brow-beating the tengu into giving them nearly unlimited access to their "caerns," but the tengu grew tired of the Kuei-jin's depredations and have lately been spreading tales to the other hengeyokai. While the Kuei-jin have been distracted by events in the Yin Realm, an influx of more aggressive protectors, particularly the Khan, Hakken and Stargazers, promises to make plundering jade from dragon nests decidedly more dangerous, as they are notably disinclined to grant visiting privileges to thieves and desecrators. The honey-tongued Kuei-jin, in the meantime, will no longer be able to go to the sacred sites of the hengeyokai again and again to steal the jade they need. It remains to be seen how the Kuei-jin of the Green Courts will respond to this new development. Overall, Korean Kuei-jin remain at least amicable with the other shen, especially wraiths, and they may enter into bargains with them when circumstances warrant doing so. The Kuei-jin would like to deal with the hsien much more than they do, primarily because the hsien are veritable banquets of Chi. Most clever hsien take pains to stay clear of the predatory Kuei-jin, but there are some Tanuki who harbor an unyielding hatred of the Kuei-jin and take every opportunity to lead the vampires into vicious (and frequently lethal) traps. Green Court Kuei-jin themselves, however, avoid the Chi'n Та. In the Fourth Age, it is said, the Wan Xian were broken by Heaven, and the Lightning People were Heaven's tool. For the better part of that age, the arrogant wizards carried out the sentence of Heaven and punished the wayward Wan Xian. Those few remaining ancestors who remember the damage wrought by the Lightning People to the Azure Dragon Court still counsel a course of subtlety and avoidance where the magi are concerned. The technology-obsessed Subtle Thunders in particular seem to have a vendetta against the Kuei-jin that is remarkable in its (Western flavored) zealotry. Undoubtedly, the shen with whom the Green Courts deal the most are the spirits of the dead. Those Disciplines deemed most useful are the ones that attune the Kuei-jin to the Yin world. Next to Bone Shintai and the Chi Arts (which are necessary to work jade), Yin Prana is the most studied Discipline in the Green Courts, and those who master its postures act as emissaries between the land of the living and the lands of the dead. The Song of the Shadow is by far the most followed Dharmic path in all of the Green Courts precisely because it leads so clearly into the Yin Realm. In many ways, Yin spirits are the Green Courts' greatest (some would say only) ally. Nowhere else in the Middle Kingdom do Kuei-jin and spirits of departed ancestors interact so closely. This is to the advantage of the dead on both sides of the Wall. Throughout the Middle Kingdom, the spirits of the dead go to the Yellow Springs. Yu Huang, the Emperor of the Yellow Springs, was Chinese when he lived and treats wraiths from outside China like barbarians and slaves. Having an agent in the living world who can protect or destroy those cherished objects that tie a spirit to the world gives a wraith an incalculable advantage over those who might be captors. Likewise, wraithly companions have proven to be valuable assets to the deal-making Kuei-jin of the Green Courts on numerous occasions by performing acts of espionage that have been of great benefit to the Court. The Green Courts' power in the Yellow Springs recently blossomed like an unexpected lotus; good fortune smiled on the Green Courts when a tiny sect of Cainite death-sages with tremendous abilities to interact with the dead - and decidedly unsettling feeding practices - arrived from India asking the Green Courts' emperor for asylum. When, after three nights of deliberation, he granted it, the outlanders presented him with a disconcerting report of the activities of the necromancers of the West. This news was deemed most inauspicious, but the information was suitably valuable that the gweilo were granted sanctuary. The ancestors of the court have been most active in the Yin Realm since receiving this troubling report, but none has surmised what they are doing. Since it has distracted them from gathering jade (and monitoring the growing hengeyokai population), one might suspect that it is an enormous endeavor. It has been suggested that a strike against the necromancer family of the west is imminent, but only the bodhisattvas of the Green Courts truly know. The Golden Courts: Queens of the Bloody Jungle Mandarins of the Quincunx almost need a second vocabulary to contain the wealth of derogatory terms that they use solely to describe the savage Golden Courts of Southeast Asia. "Barbarians," "heathens," and "degenerates" are their most common descriptors for the proud matriarchal remnants of the Scarlet Phoenix Court, but under their breath they whisper words like "dangerous," "terrifying," and "unnatural." Whatever the legends may say of the Golden Courts, the truth is that these Kuei-jin have carved a niche for themselves in the hengeyokai-infested jungles and survived wars, Kin-jin incursions, and the machinations of the Yama Kings. That they did so by becoming more vicious and cunning than their enemies is only cause for pride among these vampires. Secrets of the Penangallan Once a female Kuei-jin in the Golden Courts has mastered herself sufficiently (indicated in game terms by at least three levels of Flesh Shintai and three levels in one other Discipline, generally either Jade Shintai, Storm Shintai or Yang Prana), she can officially petition her ancestors to take her place among the Penangallan. She formally petitions the nearest Penangallan ancestor and demonstrates her abilities (Disciplines) for the ancient. In return, the ancestor queries the petitioner about the insights she has gained by following her chosen Dharma (and the vast majority of Penangallan follow either the Howl of the Devil Tiger or Dance of the Thrashing Dragon); she is then strongly encouraged (i.e., forced) to undergo a "rite" designed to reveal vassalage to the Yama Kings (while there is no rite that can actually reveal an akuma, there are plenty of ways to determine if the petitioner is lying; the famous "akuma-revealing rite" consists of a series of over a hundred different ways of asking if the petitioner if she is, thinks about, wants to, or is otherwise tempted to work for the Yama Kings). If she is akuma, she is executed within the hour, keeping the true nature of the "rite" a secret; otherwise, a mad festival is planned for the next week. At the celebration, enormous quantities of blood are provided for the new Penangallan and her wu, who are congratulated for helping her achieve her new status. Drumming, ecstatic dancing, and unspeakable perversions entertain the assembled Kuei-jin until just before dawn. The new Penangallan is entitled to begin dressing in suitably outrageous garb the next night. The Golden Courts extend from the jungles of eastern India, throughout Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam, Indonesia and Malaysia. The borders of the Golden Courts are constantly in flux, but at various points in its history, the influence of the Golden Courts has extended as far as Micronesia, Polynesia (including Hawai'i), Samoa, Fiji, the Marshall and Solomon Islands, and the jungles of northern Australia. No other Kuei-jin Court can approach the Golden Courts' range of cultures, and it's questionable whether the Chinese Courts would even want to. At least some of the allegations of barbarism made against the Golden Courts stem from the xenophobia of the Quincunx. By far the most shocking element of the Golden Courts, as far as the Chinese Courts are concerned, is its matriarchal tribal structure. Yang-aspected Kuei-jin women who have mastered Flesh Shintai are called Penangallan as a title of respect. While a male may have the same degree of proficiency with Flesh Shintai, he may never be called Penangallan. Throughout the Golden Courts, with the exception of authoritarian Singapore, the Penangallan dress in as garish and lurid a fashion as possible to distinguish themselves from everyone else. They ornament themselves with anything that strikes them as loud or outrageous, from finger bones and peacock feathers in the jungles of Laos to rubber dresses and chrome cockrings in the teeming streets of Bangkok. The warped carnival atmosphere that follows around a Penangallan is both her protection and her badge of office. Males are free to take part in the culture of the Golden Courts, but they may not call into question the queen or any female ancestor. One violation results in a stern warning, two violations will result in an unsubtle suggestion that the violator leave the court (or at least flee to Singapore), and a third violation ends in the highly ritualized execution of the insolent party. These executions are typically occasions for much revelry among the Penangallan and their attendant wu. When the Kin-j in began arriving en masse, the Penangallan were at the peak of their power. Kindred who ran afoul of these potent Cathayans in the jungles and villages of the Golden Courts disappeared or fled shortly after the encounter. Until recently, when the akuma once more became an urgent threat, the Kin-jin were dealt with by the queens of the Golden Courts within a week of their arrival. Robert Pedder himself lost several childer to the jungles and those who lurked in them. Now that the courts are reeling under the assaults of the akuma, the few Kin-jin who arrive have a moderately longer unlife expectancy. Perhaps the Golden Courts' greatest strength is its remarkable diversity. The Kuei-jin of the Golden Courts have at their disposal the wisdom of several cultures: Indian, Chinese, Polynesian, Aborigine, and myriad others all contribute to the Court's hybrid vigor. The Golden Courts have absorbed numerous cultural elements from the islands that have, at times, been under their sway. The Devil Tigers, in particular, have been known to use the islanders' bone fish-hooks to particularly gruesome effect, challenging the hooks' reputation of bringing good luck. Nothing has contributed to the Golden Courts' spread like the Penangallans' frequent mastery of the Jade Shintai Discipline. A wu of Penangallan can easily run across the ocean to a neighboring island to feed. If the voyage is too long for one night's journey, the Kuei-jin can sink to the ocean floor and spend the day beneath the mud and rise again once the sun is down. In this way, the wild queens of the Kuei-jin have amassed a territory larger even than that of the Blood Court. Island travelling, even on top of the water, is particularly risky for the Kuei-jin of the Golden Courts because they, of all the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom, have earned the unending enmity of the Same-bito. While the actual origins of the hatred between the two shen are lost, it is most commonly speculated that Devil Tigers from the Golden developed a taste for the Chi (and attendant flesh) of Samebito kinfolk. Throughout the oceans off the coast of Southeast Asia, the Same-bito infest the waters and watch for any Kueijin running along the surface. The wrath of the sharkchangers is unrelenting. The greatest shame of the Golden Courts is that they are constantly on the brink of falling to the akuma. No other court has been so plagued by the devil-ridden. The Yama Kings, most notably Rangda, Mistress of Pestilence, appear to have an absolute compulsion to control the Golden Courts and have made the region a base of sorts, from which to work their will. The string of wars and atrocities that has plagued Southeast Asia for most of the last two-hundred years has left a tangible sense of desecration in its wake. Even in the Fourth Age, however, the Yama Kings were obsessed with toppling the Scarlet Phoenix Court and using the Kuei-jin of the area, once they all became akuma, as their weapons against the other courts. While the Scarlet Phoenix Court did fall, the pawns of the Yama Kings were decimated by the most august bodhisattva Piyau Payung and her Devil Tiger Penangallan associates. The first use of the Flesh Shintai Discipline was during that tremendously violent battle. For 11 nights the jungle was the scene of some of the grisliest atrocities ever seen by Kuei-jin. On the 12th night, Piyau Payung and five of her Penangallan ripped apart the last of the akuma. That most formidable ancient returned to her contemplations in the jungle leaving only the first Penangallan to rebuild the Court. The Blood Court eagerly stepped in to "help" bring a respectable court system to the jungles, but after losing nearly a score of ancestors to the headstrong Penangallan, they stepped back and allowed the Golden Courts to take shape according to its own directive. For many years, the Yama Kings almost gave up on Southeast Asia, but the past two-hundred years have provided the devils with no shortage of unwise Kuei-jin willing to do their bidding in exchange for power. It doesn't help matters that organization of the Golden Courts is exceedingly loose and informal. The only Kuei-jin who are ever tested for devil-taint are the Penangallan. Outside of their ranks, akuma are becoming more prevalent. Provided that nothing is obviously amiss, those pawns of the Yama Kings can pass undetected for centuries, rising through the social strata, working the will of their masters and undermining the courts like termites eating away the foundations of a temple. Now, after nearly a millennium of absence, the akuma are numerous enough to shake the foundations of the Golden Courts. Their attacks on, and seductions of, the ancestors are taxing the abilities of even the Penangallan queens. Key figures in the Golden Courts have repeatedly fallen to the Yama Kings; this has become frequent enough that it is almost a dark joke among the Quincunx. While the fallen are inevitably caught - either by showing inappropriate abilities, like the Discipline of Hellweaving, or by the keen insight of the bodhisattvas - the damage they do to the court and to the souls of those around them befote their masquerade is revealed is incalculable. The Golden Courts have responded to the attacks of the Yama Kings in much the same way that they respond to most opponents: They have become more savage than their enemy. Nowhere in the Middle Kingdom is the Howl of the Devil Tiger Dharma so prevalent as in the Golden Courts. By adopting, adapting, and improving upon the Yama Kings' own strategies, the Golden Courts hope to become greater devils than the devils who threaten them. Regrettably, they may succeed. Strange Joss: The Smaller Courts The grand and well-known courts of the Middle Kingdom are by no means the only ones carrying out the night-to-night schemes of the Kuei-jin. Smaller courts regularly flicker into existence, mature, stagnate, change hands and fade away as the tides of the mortal world ebb and flow. Included under this ragtag rubric are the courts of Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Infinite Thunders Court of Sri Lanka and India. Events in Hong Kong Hong Kong is a city in transition. Where once the Kin-jin held sway here, under the leadership of the charismatic Robert Pedder, it is no longer so. Since Hong Kong reverted back to Chinese control, Flame Court shocktroops have surged in like waves before a typhoon. Most recently, mandarins have been interrogating random Kuei-jin in an obsessive hunt for Asian Kin-jin, that is, childer of the Cainites who were drawn from the native Chinese population. The Flame Court has declared them akuma en masse (as though they somehow chose to be Embraced). Most of these so-called "lotus cankers" are clever enough to avoid using obviously Cainite Disciplines in front of others, and some Western Disciplines can, if the witnesses are squinting, be made to look like certain Eastern Arts - though actually using a Cainite power near a Kuei-jin risks the problem of disharmonious Chi flow. Most fortunate (and rare!) are those who have some knowledge of Obeah, for they (both of them) can easily pass as practitioners of Chi'iu Muh. For the specifics of who's vying for power with whom in the city of Hong Kong, check out World of Darkness: Hong Kong. Singapore: The Sub-Court The dim-witted frequently compare Hong Kong and Singapore, but these two great cities of the Middle Kingdom could hardly be more different. While Hong Kong is rapidly falling under the control of the Chinese Courts, Singapore remains the central jewel of the Golden Courts, although a freakish one. Often called the Golden Lion Court to distinguish it from the Golden Courts proper, Singapore is the one place where the Penangallan ever show any interest in the affairs of the modern, urban world. When the British took over Singapore in 1824, the war between the native Golden Courts Kuei-jin and the invading Kin-jin was especially fierce. The (mostly) Ventrue and Tremere Camarilla colonists were horrified by what they perceived to be the sheer bestiality of the native vampires. In standard imperialistic fashion, they did everything in their power to rid themselves of the native savages, including importing mercenaries (in the form of Assamite assassins) to secure the new colony. The cost in blood was staggering. The Camarilla conquest of Singapore was to be an enormous feather in Robert Tedder's hat, for which the Camarilla rewarded him years later with the princedom of Hong Kong. Because of the extremely high price paid for control of the region, the British Kindred were loathe to give it up when England pulled out in 1965, but without their precious influence and connections, the Ventrue could do little but beat a hasty retreat. Some xenophile Kindred remained and exist there still, sharing the warm nights with the native Kueijin they once branded as "barbarians," and of all the denizens of nocturnal Singapore, they alone have a modicum of freedom. More recently, Singapore has been described as "Disneyland with the death penalty," and the whole city is a tribute to just how much the human spirit can be maimed and still function in a friendly, orderly manner. Those with only a shallow understanding of the workings of the Golden Courts are at a loss to explain how the savage queens of the jungle night can revel as fully in Singapore's lockstep civic-mindedness. The answer is simple: They don't. The male Kuei-jin of the Gold Courts rule Singapore. Most Singaporean Kuei-jin are there because they were "banished" to the city once they grew powerful enough to challenge the rule of a local Penangallan. Their hatred and resentment of the chaotic jungles and the Penangallan who rule them has turned into an obsession with order and control. No wonder, then, that the Way of the Resplendent Crane is the most practiced Dharma in the city. Many of the more recent Kuei-jin, or those not in positions of authority, also follow the Path of a Thousand Whispers. The ancestors of Singapore, who refer to themselves as the Lion Court Emperors, have been contemplating secession from the Golden Courts for decades, but given that Singapore is almost at the center of the Golden Courts, their position is not strong. Were they to claim imperium over Singapore, they believe, the Penangallan would sweep over their city like an unending storm surge. They're right. The Penangallan want the males to manage the night-to-night administration of the city because doing so would bore them, but Singapore is too important a city to lose, and they are determined to retain it at any cost. Ironically, the ruling Kuei-jin of Singapore have adopted the Kin-jin's habit of ruling through business influence. The Soul Art of Obligation, therefore, is by far the most common Discipline practiced in Singapore. The Chi Arts are also seen as most worthwhile. Because of the emphasis on order and control, the wu of Singapore are engineered in such a way that obedience to the wu leader precedes all other concerns. Because these policies are enforced so aggressively, paranoia is a common state for the Kuei-jin of Singapore. While the Golden Lion Court likes to think that it is inching toward freedom from the jungles that surround it, it is really strangling itself with vines of intrigue and authoritarianism. Something is going to give soon, and it is unlikely to be the Penangallan. The Infinite Thunders Court The Bijali, "Infinite Thunders," Court is based on Sri Lanka, but its power extends along the eastern coast of India and into Bangladesh. These Kuei-jin are among the least demonprone in all of the Middle Kingdom. How ironic, then, that they too should be considered barbarians by the Courts of the Quincunx. By far the most prevalent Dharmic paths followed in this court are the Way of the Resplendent Crane and Flame of the Rising Phoenix. As much as there is such a thing, the Infinite Thunders Court is the center of the Rising Phoenix Dharma. The few extant sacred writings of this Dharma, most of which are written in Sanskrit, are kept here. When a new Disciple is welcomed into the Brahmin priesthood, the texts are laboriously copied by hand in carefully formulated blood inks and passed on. The attitudes of the Quincunx toward the popularity of this heretical Dharma are unflinchingly dogmatic, as one would expect. The widespread practice of Flame of the Rising Phoenix Dharma is but one of many elements that will prevent the Infinite Thunders Court from attaining any but the most cursory acknowledgement from the primary Chinese courts. Regrettably, the serious Kuei-jin of the Infinite Thunders Court cannot tolerate the akuma of the Golden Courts (or the Penangallan, for that matter), the only court with which it shares a border. Thusly isolated, it is no wonder that these Kuei-jin nurture and cherish their differences from the other courts of the Middle Kingdom. In its philosophies, attitudes toward the west, and even its prevalent Disciplines, the Infinite Thunders Court makes its own way. Religious beliefs in Sri Lanka and along the Indian coast differ markedly from those of China and Japan. Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu spirituality mingle and thrive along the densely populated east coast of India, resulting in a fundamentally different approach to both life and unlife. Petty intrigues are rare here, unlike most other courts. Philosophical disagreements are the primary source of conflict in the Bijali Court, and these are adjudicated by the Brahmins, or warrior-priests. Isolated as they are from the other Kuei-jin courts, and being situated at the far western edge of the Middle Kingdom, the Infinite Thunders Court has little choice but to traffic with the Kin-jin. Kindred of the Ravnos, Assamite, and Setite clans have had a major presence in the region for centuries, and for the duration of the English occupation of India, the Ventrue were fairly common as well. While they were not friendly, the Thunders did not go out of their way to antagonize the Western vampires either, and a silent and mutually comfortable reciprocal ignorance has been allowed to linger, mostly peacefully, for millennia. The key strength of the Infinite Thunders Court is its philosophical nature and its stability. Newly risen Kuei-jin are instructed along the Dharmic paths much more assiduously than elsewhere, and while the Infinite Thunders Court is one of the less populous courts, it has a surprisingly high proportion of ancestors who are quite willing to intervene should their much-cherished stability be threatened. The curse of this court is the sadness that lingers like the Calcutta smog. The Rising Phoenix Dharma centers around the desire for mortality, and most adherents attempt to return to their lives as though their deaths had never happened; they are then forced to watch as their families age and die while they linger night after night, fighting an unending battle against their P'o. Violence and intrigue are not the vices of this court; despair is. The Kuei-jin of the Golden Courts call the Bijali Court the Court of Infinite Tears. The Disciplines favored by the Kuei-jin of Eastern India include Kiai, Yang Prana, Chi'iu Muh, and Mibasham, which certain bodhisattvas claim originated in the Infinite Thunders Court. The Warrior-Priests of the Bijali Court No other court in the Middle Kingdom is so aggressively elitist as the Infinite Thunders Court. Advancement is based strictly on merit and the mastery of a series of traditional - and exceedingly difficult - tasks. Those who excel are given access to wiser ancestors and more esoteric writings; those who do not excel must make their own way. Kuei-jin who master themselves, learn their Dharma quickly, and excel at tasks given to them by the warrior-priests are allowed to enter into didactic dialogues with a series of progressively more learned ancestors. Those who pass a series of four tests or "gates" are assumed to have been sent to the court for the ineffable purposes of Heaven and are accepted into the court as a Brahmins, with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. The first task is the mastery of social customs. Diplomacy, tact, and social graces are necessary to the Brahmin who must interact with a variety of Kuei-jin, mortals, Kin-j in, and odder things. Upon completion of this task, the Kuei-jin is granted the title of Child of Clay. The second of the four gates is mastery of the rituals used in Kuei-jin culture as well as the determination and unshakable will required to use them. The third task is the development the formidable physical prowess necessary to fight for one's beliefs, should that necessity come to pass. Passing through this gate earns the Disciple the title of Warrior of Jade. After attaining all of these, the fourth and final challenge to those who would be the nobility of the Bijali Court is the cultivation of the compassionate soul. Upon fulfilling this final requirement, the Disciple memorizes one of the great texts of his Dharma, and he is granted the title of Priest of Diamond and takes his place among the great warrior-priests of the Infinite Thunders Court. The Steps of the Brahmin 5 in Etiquette Child of Clay 5 in rituals and 7+ WP Scholar of Stone 5 Stamina OR Dexterity Warrior of Jade 4+ Dharma Priest of Diamond Hundred Corpse Families The basic social structure of the Kuei-jin is the wu. While the individual is considered to be impermanent and unreliable, the wu is seen as having a stability that is desirable and necessary for the continued success of the immortal courts. Because the wu is the traditional family structure of the Kueijin, the courts, especially those of the Quincunx, push Kueijin together into these groups in the name of "tradition" and "stability." Those few Kuei-jin unwise enough to question the ineffable will of Heaven suffer sanctions of varying degrees of subtlety until they submit to the mandarins and enter into guanxi with suitable others determined by the ancestors. Kuei-jin who absolutely refuse to become part of a wu are heckled, persecuted, labeled "immature," "selfish," and "proud," and ultimately relegated to the status of third-class citizens. Mandarins will only allow a Kuei-jin to become one of the heimin as a last resort, a way of avoiding further conflict and allowing a foolish Kuei-jin to save some moderate amount of face by continuing to serve the court in her own small way until she matures enough to be placed into a wu. The Middle Kingdom is a chain forged of many links, and getting Kuei-jin to work together in a wu can sometimes be extraordinarily difficult. Vampires of the Quincunx, for example, would be unspeakably insulted to be asked to work with the backwater Kuei-jin of the Golden Courts; likewise, Green Court Kuei-jin would be hard-pressed to find any areas of commonality with Kuei-jin from the Bijali Court. Most ancestors are quick to point out that the strengths of the different courts are a great help to a wu, not a hindrance. Without guanxi, however, many hin would never see beyond mere "liking" and "disliking." Just as individuals differ greatly throughout the Middle Kingdom, so too do wu. Ancestors construct wu according to ancient formulae. Properly constructing a wu is an art and a science the nuances of which can be studied for centuries. Some ancestors call it "Feng Shui of souls." The ideal wu, according to the Quincunx, is one that allows each member to do that which Heaven wants her to do, and for which it has best prepared her. Each direction should be attended to, and ideally, by a Kuei-jin following the Dharma associated with that direction. Five is, therefore, the ideal number of Kuei-jin in a wu; any other number is most inauspicious. Numerology plays an important part, as do astrology and, frequently, readings of the I Ching. The only thing more difficult than putting a wu together, some ancestors say, is taking one apart. A functioning wu that falls apart or loses one or more members is a walking wound. The idea behind a wu is that it is one body with five limbs, and if a member of the wu leaves or is killed, then the body has had one of its extremities sawed off. This is an occasion for great sorrow. When this happens, a gau-hoi, or assisted grieving, is called. The remains of the wu are split up and are sent away to spend time completely alone. This can take the form of a mission to a foreign city or simply one night of consuming no Chi as a way of understanding the emptiness. After a period of gauhoi, a suitable new Kuei-jin is found to act as the missing limb, the Reciprocity is performed, guanxi is established, and the body is made whole again. Speaking of the lost limb, thereafter, is considered to be most inauspicious. Breaking Guanxi Certain inauspicious circumstances require a Kuei-jin to break free of the guanxi that binds her to her wu. Most of these circumstances are, to say the least, highly suspect. The most common reason guanxi is broken is that one or more members of the wu has fallen prey to the temptations of the Yama Kings. When that is the case, the ancestors bring all members of a wit together (if the akuma have not yet been executed), and a highly disturbing ritual is performed incorporating the torture and execution of the akuma in front of his wu as an object lesson in the dangers of infernal temptation. If it is discovered that a Kuei-jin has secretly broken the guanxi, he will be assumed to be akuma, and dealt with accordingly. The disappearance of a wu's nushi is deemed most inauspicious because it could be the first step in the dissolution of the wu. Such an occurrence often sparks an investigation of the wu in question. (In game terms, breaking guanxi is simple. The player spends one permanent willpower point and performs a willpower roll against the difficulty of her character's guanxi rating for each member of the wu, with two successes required. The player adds one to the difficulty for every full 50 years that the character's been in the wu. The existence of a nushi spirit adds one to the difficulty for each point that the character has in the nushi Background. Clearly, it's easier for a new wu to be broken up than an older one. Guanxi in an older wu can only be broken by powerful ancestors or by an act of a Yama King. If the breaking of guanxi is done by an ancestor (or a Yama King) the willpower expenditure is not required, and the difficulty goes down by five. Ancestors will dissolve guanxi only in rare and urgent circumstances. Yama Kings, on the other hand, will do it for any reason at All to exchange for "favors" from the character, but that way lies trouble....) Mandarins see the guanxi as the connective tissue holding the courts together. Comprising a bonding ritual, a spiritual linking and a bit of self-hypnosis, guanxi is likely to be one of the more powerful emotional experiences of a Kuei-jin's unlife. Traditionally, the Kuei-jin are taken through an extended ritual cleansing, sprinkled with powdered jade and then tied together with silk bonds while the ancestor speaks the binding ritual. The nushi, if there is to be one, is summoned at this time and bound to the members of the nascent wu. Finally, vows of mutual support are sworn and the whole occasion (theoretically) acts as a focus to bring the wu together with one cause. While guanxi is comparable to the Sabbat's bond of Vinculum, the feelings are rarely as intense. Guanxi, after all, is a tool to help stabilize the courts, not to threaten them with inappropriately strong feelings. Breaking guanxi, should it prove necessary, is also a simpler proposition than breaking the Vinculum. Many akuma are able to break their guanxi even without the help of their infernal masters. A large part of what gives guanxi its power is the desire to like the members of one's wu; there's a definite element of self-hypnosis involved, though no Kuei-jin would ever admit as much. The nushi is the best gauge of the state of a wu. To break the guanxi, the nushi must be killed, its form drained entirely of Chi. If the departing Kuei-jin does not destroy the nushi, it will always be a link between the Kindred and her former wu. The nat (or nushi) is a vital element in any wu. More than just a resource for a wu to fall back on, the nushi is literally the spirit of the wu. A Japanese war wu could well have Raiden, Duke of Thunder, as its nushi, whereas a wu from the Green Courts is much more likely to make use of the spirits of the dead, perhaps an ancestor. In any event, the nushi will be appropriate to the function and Dharmic paths of the wu. There are wu in existence that have never undergone the Reciprocity: Independent wu have existed for centuries, albeit at the edges of Kuei-jin culture. With no jina or ancestor to support them and conduct the Reciprocity, independent wu do not have the blessings or the nushi that formal wu have; these odd collections of hungry ghosts are held together by nothing but their own choice. The Quincunx pities them because they are the mad who do not know that they are mad. After all, what kind of pathetic wu provides no spirit, no sense of obligation and no reassurance that one is mystically connected to one's comrades? Kuei-jin who are involved in an independent wu sometimes find consolation by telling themselves that a wu of free souls is better than an official wu that is created by artifice and sorcery. What kind of bond can it be, they ask, that needs spirit magic to hold it together? Independent wu are often a way for heimin to band together for protection and political power, although the courts see them as unwashed rabble trying to take privilege they've not earned through service to the courts. The farther from the Quincunx one goes, the less the independent wu are persecuted. In the outer courts, wu may be considered a good idea, but they're not the basis for social acceptance. Over the centuries of Kuei-jin history, many wu have conducted themselves in such an extraordinary fashion that the eye of fame (or infamy) has fallen upon them. The education of hin is such that the names of certain Kuei-jin can be a shorthand way for a jina or an ancestor to refer to a well-known lesson, "Were you to be in the wu with Chou Deng it would be like the Flashing Carp, and much more auspicious." or "What are you saying? Do you want your wu to wind up like the Gnashing Dragon?" The wu listed here are but a handful of the better known wu from Kuei-jin legendry. The first wu nearly any Kuei-jin will hear of is the Flashing Carp wu. The Quincunx puts forth the great Flashing Carp as its ideal and suggests quite strongly that there is no higher goal a wu can aspire to than emulating that most worthy body. Comprised of one follower of each respectable Dharma, the Flashing Carp wu began humbly enough and attained a place in Kuei-jin history by developing such an intense sense of camaraderie and protectiveness of its other members that it was able to master any task it was assigned. The differences between the members of the wu were constructive - each understood that the others in the wu had different beliefs and different strengths; by developing a keen understanding of what those strengths and weaknesses were, they were able to function together as no random band of Kuei-jin could. It was clearly an auspicious sign that each member of the wu was, for his or her young age, a paragon of his or her Dharma even before the wu formed. Indeed, separately, each would have been known throughout the Middle Kingdom, but together they were able to function as five limbs of one body, and in so doing they assured their fame. Most Kuei-jin, at least those from the Quincunx, can rattle off by rote the reasons the Flashing Carp мои was the ideal unit. The Flashing Carp wu was carefully chosen, assembled and blessed by the venerable ancestors of the Flesh Court, its first important step in attaining fame. Secondly, the members quickly grew to respect each other, despite not taking an instant liking to one another. Thirdly, each member had an unusually strong guanxi to each other member. Fourth, the wu's nushi was of legendary power and granted many blessings to the Flashing Carp wu. Many modern Kuei-jin are so tired of hearing about the damned Flashing Carp and what made them so damned special that the memory of this august wu is frequently shown great disrespect. This is alarming to the jina, as it is likely to inflict bad joss upon the unwise Kuei-jin making the remarks. The Flashing Carp wu, it is said, still acts as an agent of the Flesh Court (another good sign), although the members are all sufficiently advanced upon their Dharmic paths that they are all most revered ancestors and only gather infrequently when some great need pulls them from their meditations. Some disrespectful rumors claim that the Flashing Carp wu were ultimately seduced by the Yama Kings, defiled by their own arrogance, but of course only the young would ever be so disrespectful to suggest such a thing. The terrible Flayed Monkey wu, on the other hand, is never spoken of by the jina of the Quincunx because no greater aberration exists in their eyes. When the Golden Courts were about to fall to the akuma nearly a millennium ago, Piyau Payung, a bodhisattva of the Thrashing Dragon path, came out of the jungle with five Penangallan and annihilated scores of akuma. According to the Quincunx policy on wu, nothing could be worse. A bodhisattva lowering herself to work in a wu with the much less enlightened? Who can believe such a thing? Worse, the number was off; every Kuei-jin knows that a wu contains five members; anything else is inauspicious; a six-member wu is nothing but a vehicle for disgrace. The wu was terribly out of balance as well; four Thrashing Dragons is bad enough, but tempering them with two Devil Tigers? It's a clear violation of the will of Heaven and an invitation to foul joss. But the fact remains that the Flayed Monkey wu acted as a spectacular example of a war wu and, working in concert, destroyed akuma after akuma. Four of the Penangallan of the wu still reign over their courts, and they come to each other's aid when the akuma problem reaches crisis level (which has been most of the time, of late). As an example of a wu gone awry, the Quincunx typically tosses out the example of the Gnashing Dragon wu. The most reviled wu in Kuei-jin history, the Gnashing Dragon wu did everything wrong and suffered the grave consequences. The ancestors of Beijing were lax, and allowed this wu to form of its own accord, free of their wisdom or assistance. "How could it not have gone bad?" ask the mandarins. The seven Kuei-jin who formed the wu knew there were too many for a practical wu, but joined together anyway because "they liked each other." Slipping through cracks in the system, the seven ran away and performed their own guanxi and thereby doomed themselves. Almost immediately, the two Thousand Whispers began holding themselves aloof from the wu, claiming to be the leaders because only they could balance all the elements of leadership. This created resentment. When Far Lau, the Resplendent Crane, tried to meet with them to explain their folly to them, they bound him in chains and buried him, still struggling, in the earth. As the ancestors of Beijing began uncovering the pieces of this tragedy, the two traitors knew their deed would be discovered and so they bargained with the Yama Kings for protection. The price the Yama Kings charged for this rescue was, of course, servitude. The two agreed to hand over each member of their wu, one by one, until the Yama Kings had fed on the souls of four of the wu. By then, the ancestors realized what had happened, and the Yama Kings watched, laughing, as the two akuma were executed. Only months later did they find the body of Far Lau, devoid of Chi, his soul long since gone screaming into the lacerating winds of Yomi. The Shiva Lingam, a wu from the Infinite Thunders Court, bears little in common with what the Quincunx would call a wu and yet embodies the ideal perfectly. Three male Kuei-jin following the Rising Phoenix path joined themselves together in guanxi and together swore allegiance to a nat (or nushi) of the hearth. The three of them were scholars of the night, teaching wisdom to those who would stay up to hear them; they existed largely as they did when they were alive, simply avoiding the sun and begging at night for blood-alms from those they taught. They challenged each other to strengthen their H'un and fight their P'o, and become Brahmins, which, one by one, they did. It was shortly thereafter that the three disappeared. Rising Phoenix scholars insist that this is proof of their Dharmic path, but none can say for sure. Chapter Two: The Demon People I do not think about hunger. I hear my grandmother, old and shrill, telling me one more time the story of the greedy old woman. "And do you know what then? She watched her husband lie upon his mat and die, all because she would not share one rice cake. You may think about this story now." And she would leave me to kneel on the woven tatami for hours while she prepared the tea and the food for my father. I became used to hunger then, and waiting. It is a good thing that I am patient. The gaijin will die in the proper way, at the proper time. I will wait. The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them. - Kung-fu Tzu (Confucius) Although the Kuei-jin claim recognition as the sole vampires of Asia, they are not the only inheritors of the powers of unlife. Their curse, found throughout all the lands of the Middle Kingdom, is a legacy that conceals the other shen that roam the nights. While most Kuei-jin cling to their courts and their heritage, the outsiders of vampire society wait on the fringes, engaged in their own games and plots. These pretenders are widely dismissed, even considered nothing more than fanciful rumor. Such an image, of course, allows the other shen to bide their time, working in the hidden corners where even the "civilized" Kuei-jin fear to tread. Kuei-jin Much has already been said of the Kuei-jin in Kindred of the East. They are the most pre-eminent among the unliving in the East, though they are not the only vampires among the shen. Some of their capabilities bear clarification. Demon Arts and Shadow Soul Kindred of the East p. 107 calls for a shadow nature roll whenever a Demon Art is invoked; Black Wind, on p. 108, requires a roll to resist falling to fire soul. Both of these are correct: The Kuei-jin must resist the temptation of the Demon, and then, upon using the Black Wind, must fight against berserk rage. For that matter, despite the flavor text, Black Wind costs Demon Chi. The expended Chi does not automatically return. Incidentally, reactive uses of Demon Arts (such as Iron Mountain) do not require a roll for shadow nature. Demon Chi Demon Chi is not true "animating" Chi energy; it is the demonic energy of Yomi itself. As such, it cannot be used for many of the functions of typical Chi: It does not count when determining whether a Kuei-jin survives Final Death, and it cannot be used to rise for an evening. Conversely, it is not subject to the Chi expenditure limits of Dharma; it is limited only by the user's Stamina Attribute. Bushi, Gaki And Kindred of the East Previous Vampire supplements - the first edition of A World of Darkness and Dark Alliance: Vancouver - showcased some early interpretations on the vampires of Asia from a Western context. Think of these descriptions as how a Kindred of the Camarilla might describe a Cathayan, and how that reflects the Kindreds' perception of themselves; in their arrogance, most of the Kindred presume that the Cathayans are simply another bloodline. They are, of course, quite wrong. Converting characters of this sort is simple - Attributes, Abilities and Backgrounds remain largely unchanged. The Rift Discipline can be exchanged for the Discipline of Tapestry or Cultivation; the Kai Discipline can be replaced with Kiai (in this book) or Obligation (in Kindred of the East). Humanity becomes Hun; Self-Control/Instinct becomes Yin Chi; Courage becomes Yang Chi; P'o equals 8 minus Conscience/Conviction. Dhampyrs Like the sun on the horizon, bloated and waning, dhampyrs exist in the boundaries between life and death. Born with dead blood in their veins, they must walk a delicate road, unable to fit in mortal society due to their unnatural hungers and capabilities, but also unaccepted among the Kuei-jin because of their status as half-people. This lonely path leads to great yearning and frustration, to a life spanning generations, combining the frailties of humans with the despair of immortals. The Kuei-jin, as dead creatures of stolen Chi, are capable of simulating life with Yang energies. This is little more than a simulacrum, though; even their children are tainted by death. Whether born of a human parent and a vampiric parent, or by the union of two vampires, dhampyrs are sustained as much by the mortuary forces of undeath as by any half-living tissue. As a result, dhampyrs can survive like humans, but they share the passions of their parents and the risk of falling to karmic corruption. Gifted with superhuman resilience, dhampyrs can expect to live hundreds of years. Some survive as many as three centuries, and a few are rumored to exceed even that lifetime. Given this slow maturation, it's no surprise that they often share the outlooks of their vampire parents. Of course, for people surrounded by life and forced to watch it all die (able to interact without the curses of shadow or sundeath, but still far beyond other humans) this span can be an agonizing period of grief and dehumanization. It is little wonder, then, that the eldest dhampyrs are remorseless creatures of no compassion, and that even young ones relate to humankind with difficulty. The powers of vampiric heritage are no mean matter, though. A dhampyr draws upon Chi energy much like his parents, able to shape and use his body's forces in ways that most humans master only with rigorous training and self-discipline (if at all). Although these talents pale in comparison to the greater Disciplines of the Kuei-jin, they are nonetheless a potent edge in the centuries of conflict and alienation. Additionally, dhampyrs can steal the Chi of other creatures, just like their parents, though such "feeding" carries moral repercussions. Dhampyrs in Kuei-jin Society Much like their Western counterparts, the revenants and ghouls, dhampyrs are outsiders, servitors and occasional foes to the Kuei-jin. Unlike the sad and frangible servants of the West, though, dhampyrs do not require the grace or sustenance of their Kuei-jin progenitors. Once he comes of age, a dhampyr is as free as any mortal - shackled only by the obligations that he chooses to accept and by the threats that his contemporaries may level. As a result of their relative freedom to walk in both the shadow world and the mortal one, dhampyrs are valued as ambassadors and go-betweens. Often, a court will grant a dhampyr the status of heimin, considering the nominal outsider a half-person, figuratively as well as literally. In this fashion, the court can properly call upon the dhampyr for services, while recognizing his contribution to Kuei-jin society. Of course, not all dhampyrs choose this route, and the rogues and vagabonds of this nature rarely have any positive interactions with the courts. Indeed, some particularly recalcitrant dhampyrs have had the misfortune to find themselves akuma, shunned and hunted by the Kuei-jin. Raising a dhampyr is a difficult undertaking at best for a Kuei-jin. After all, the dhampyr lacks many of the definitive weaknesses of the Kuei-jin. The prospect of carrying a halfdead child to term is also a rather disturbing one for most Sunset People. The potential rewards do lead some Kuei-jin to this course in any case. The prospect of a nigh-immortal child, well trained and positioned to fulfill obligations in both human and vampire society, has a definite appeal. Raising the child is a daunting prospect, especially given the Kuei-jin problems of fire soul, and strictest secrecy is required; it would not do to have one's offspring taken by the government or influenced by other members of the court, after all. Kuei-jin rarely, if ever, sire dhampyrs without some sort of agenda - and this agenda always shapes the dhampyr's formative years. A dhampyr may be a pawn in a political game, a half-human filling a needed role in crossing societies, even an object for affection that was never received in life, but dhampyrs are rarely accidents. Whatever their functions, dhampyrs are tools first, not children. As a result, maturation for dhampyrs is... intriguing... to say the least. Growing up is difficult for dhampyrs. Their passions set them apart from their human relatives and friends. Their Kuei-jin parents use them as objects without consideration to their dreams and ambitions. A dhampyr must either accept a perpetual role as a servant and functionary, or else break with his parents to determine his own role; he must build his own direction and life out of individual choice. Conceived as a tool, hi' must become a person. Once the dhampyr leaves his parents' mold to build his own life, he occupies an uncertain place in Kuei-jin society. He is not returned from the grave to fulfill karma, and so he is abjured from participation in the courts. At the same time, his slowly aging body, unusual powers and subhuman thirsts often drive him out of mortal contact. He may choose to travel between courts, or to hide amongst the fringes of mortal society - but he will not be accepted in either world. No wonder, then, that many dhampyrs are loners and wanderers by choice and by nature. Selling their services to the highest bidders, the Shade Walkers are free to forge я destiny unfettered by Dharma or mortality. Dhampyr Characters Creating a dhampyr character proceeds much like a mortal. Of course, with their half-natures, dhampyrs are more complex than most mere humans. Although fantastic, they are still mortal, and dhampyrs are rarely a match for experienced Kuei-jin - though there have been notable exceptions. Kuk's Story In my passion, I had failed. I took a lover, it is true, from the mortals around me. I had been around them too long I felt my balance shift toward the exuberance of life and away from the staid, cold yoke of undeath. It was weak; I was weak. What I had thought was lust was something less. Something foreign to one such as I. I told you before, how I kissed him good-bye afterward How we made love among the bones How he fucked a corpse m a graveyard I thought myself so much superior - I took pride m letting him live, tweaking the Strings of this mortal puppet's life. He gave me more than I had bargained for. He gave me a child. From the first night I awoke with the extra hunger, I knew my transgression. As my belly swelled with the dead fetus growing in my cold womb, I felt the pain of failure. I could not bring this to be. On the sixtieth night, under the watchful eye of Black Dragon's Moon, I returned to that graveyard. With a knife, I cut myself open, pulling out the cursed child that lived and died within me. My blood, its blood - our bloodwashed over me and I laughed and cried together. Neither of us deserved the fate this monster-child would have brought us. Out of mercy and hate, I snapped its frail neck I buried it beneath the bones where it had been conceived. And I have not taken another lover since. Concept Dhampyr's lives (such as they are) are defined by their parents. The unusual circumstances that lead to the birth of a dhampyr are rare enough to merit exploration. After all, the Kuei-jin parent must be Yang-imbalanced to sire a dhampyr. If female, she must make an effort to keep the child viable. He is likely to have an insightful view into vampiric society and a disdain for most mortals unless the dhampyr was somehow raised solely by a mortal parent and remained unaware of his true nature, As a result, few dhampyrs "fit in" to human society. Most are drifters, eccentrics or vagabonds who seek employment where they may, and rely upon their special skills and the patronage of Kuei-jin to survive. Nature, Demeanor and P'o Nature Torn by two sides of a paranormal world, dhampyrs are far from cardboard caricatures. They are just as prone to extremes Цитировать
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	They are just as prone to extremes of personality and belief as any other mortal with a passionate connection to the supernatural - perhaps more so, due to the fiery extremes of their dual souls. Dhampyrs rarely have Natures that fit into society and tradition; as perennial outsiders, they are more likely to be Visionaries, Rebels, Deviants, Loners and the like. Of course, the face that a dhampyr puts on when dealing with the mortal world is subject only to the whims of the dhampyr. Dhampyrs can select from the full range of Natures and Demeanors, though some (Traditionalist, Conformist, Follower, Conniver, Bon Vivant) are rarer than others. Because dhampyrs have Demons just like Kuei-jin (albeit much weaker), they must also choose P'o Natures. The P'o Nature, however, does not determine when the P'o can test for shadow nature. Indeed, the Demon is incapable of such dominion over a dhampyr in any case, one of the benefits of the weakened immortal blood. Attributes Dhampyrs are mortal, and subject to many of the same limitations as other humans. However, the circumstances of a dhampyr's creation almost guarantee that the parent or parents take an active hand in forming the dhampyr's life. As a result, most dhampyrs are exceptional specimens in terms of their capabilities - dhampyrs gain 7/5/3 Attribute points to spread among their primary, secondary and tertiary Attribute groups, much like their inhuman parents. The limits to dhampyr abilities reflect their mortal heritage; a dhampyr is limited to five dots in any Attribute. Abilities With long life spans and access to unusual training from Kuei-jin, dhampyrs have exceptional capabilities. Though not necessarily as well trained as a jina or even a mortal shih, the dhampyrs are forced to develop their abilities just to survive the constant shadowy struggles of the shen, even if they choose to avoid such battles. Dhampyrs have 13/9/5 Attribute points to split among their Talents, Skills and Knowledge, and are subject to the usual limitations: no more than five dots in any Ability, and no more than three dots in any Ability during the Ability assignment step of character creation. Disciplines Mastery of Kuei-jin Disciplines comes only with long and difficult training for dhampyrs. A dhampyr character has one, and only one, Discipline at the beginning of play - a single trick mastered through excoriating practice. Dhampyrs may learn only Shintai Disciplines and Demon Arts; the Soul Disciplines and Chi Arts are beyond their ken (except for Feng Shui and Tzu Wci, which may be learned by dhampyrs just as they may be learned by any mortal). Learning a new Discipline is a taxing undertaking for a dhampyr. Like ghouls, dhampyrs are not completely skilled in the development of vampiric Disciplines. The first dot of a new Discipline costs 20 experience points to develop; additional dots (if the dhampyr is so fortunate and skilled) cost 15x the current rating in the Discipline. Dhampyrs reach their peak in Disciplines with age. A dhampyr's maximum Discipline rating is equal to his age in centuries (rounded up), so a 276-year-old dhampyr can have up to three levels in all of his Disciplines (and is likely quite decrepit and ready to fall over and die). Since all dhampyr characters entering play are assumed to fall into the range of 25 to 50 years of age, they are effectively limited to the first dot in Disciplines, although the Storyteller's dhampyr characters may be old enough to show exceptional prowess. Backgrounds Although dhampyrs rarely partake deeply of mortal society, they do not shun utility. Mortal ties are not paramount in the half-lives of the Shade Walkers, but neither are the dhampyrs bereft of such connections. A dhampyr may use any of the Backgrounds that a Kuei-jin may use, and has 5 points to distribute among those Backgrounds. Similarly, Backgrounds that are barred to Kuei-jin are not allowed to dhampyrs. The Salutary Question: Dhampyrs and Kin-jin Dhampyrs, because of their unique half-state as living vampires, do not interact well with the Children of Caine. A dhampyr cannot be ghouled; drinking the blood of a Kin-jin (which a dhampyr would probably never do willingly) simply restores Chi energy to the dhampyr (one Chi per blood point). Similarly, dhampyrs cannot be Embraced. If drained of all blood or killed and then fed vitae, they remain dead. Dhampyrs can be born to any human and Yang-imbalanced Kuei-jin parent, or even as the offspring of two Yangunbalanced Cathayans. Dhampyrs cannot result from a crossbreed between a Kuei-jin and a shapeshifter (as if that would ever happen!), since the spiritual nature of the shifter and the dead energies of the Kuei-jin combat one another. In a similar vein, dhampyrs cannot be Kinfolk or shifters; the half-dead blood kills whatever spiritual component may have been passed on by the dhampyr's parents. As already Awakened entities, dhampyr cannot use True Magick, although a dhampyr could use sorcery (just like a ghoul or revenant). Dhampyrs also can't be Kinain to changelings; the banality of their half-dead blood prevents this. Humanity Because they are still somewhat mortal, dhampyrs have a tenuous tie to humanity. However fragile, this slender thread is still a representation of the dhampyr's sanity and connection to his living side. Calling upon this human heritage gives the dhampyr some ability to combat the darker urges of his vampiric half, but the man within the Shade Walker is also vulnerable to the pain, loss and suffering of human compassion. Like other mortals, the dhampyr cannot lose his last vestiges of Humanity, no matter how far he descends - only madness lies in that direction; actions that would lead to the loss of the last point of Humanity instead give the dhampyr a Derangement. Dhampyrs have P'o ratings just like their Kueijin parents, though, and must be careful to avoid awakening the fitfully sleeping Demon. Dhampyr characters do not use Dharmas - the salvation for the reborn is not the path for those once born in shadows. Of course, some dhampyrs still espouse the particular virtues of a given Dharma, but they must abide by their Humanity as well, just as dictated by Heaven. It is unheard of (but not impossible...) for dhampyrs to follow Paths of Enlightenment - no dhampyr would ever admit to stooping to such conduct. Then again, coming in contact with a Path of Enlightenment enough to learn it should be ludicrously rare for a dhampyr. Unlike vampires, dhampyrs do not suffer from drowsiness' during the day, though most are, in fact, nocturnal by choice. Sunlight is uncomfortable to dhampyrs. As a result, dhampyrs only suffer Humanity limits to dice pools while in direct sunlight; if under shelter or, otherwise, in shade or darkness, a dhampyr functions with full efficiency even during the day. However, dhampyrs still suffer the social consequences of low Humanity (see Vampire: The Masquerade, pp. 134-136), and a given dhampyr's appearance becomes noticeably more monstrous and bestial as his Humanity ebbs. A dhampyr's beginning Humanity rating is equal to his Conscience and Self-Control virtues added together. Additional Humanity costs one freebie point per dot. Improving Humanity costs twice the current rating in experience points; additionally, the dhampyr must show some true connection to his human nature in game play, a task generally requiring exceptional and long-running roleplaying. P'o Though the Demon rests just below the surface of the dhampyr's consciousness, it is a lethargic counterpart. Not quite as fierce as the Demon riding a Kuei-jin, a dhampyr's Demon is less of a subtle tempter and more of a barely felt urge toward monstrosity. All dhampyrs begin with one point of P'o - this is the heritage of the Demon. Dhampyrs risk increasing P'o energies if they stray from their human ways too often and too heinously. Any time that a dhampyr botches a roll of Conscience (see Virtues, below), he gains a point of P'o. Each permanent P'o point reduces the character's maximum Humanity by one, so no dhampyr can have a humanity rating above nine (due to starting with a P'o of one). Unlike Kuei-jin, dhampyrs are not susceptible to shadow soul. Still, the Demon makes whispered threats and promises, and all dhampyrs must learn to contend with it. Any time the dhampyr makes a Virtue roll of any sort, the Storyteller rolls the dhampyr's P'o rating (difficulty 6); each success removes one success from the Virtue roll. Dhampyrs do gain Demon Chi from their P'o, just like Kueijin, and can use it for all of the same purposes: increasing speed or strength, growing fangs, powering Disciplines, etc. As always, a dhampyr may not spend more Demon Chi in a turn than his Stamina rating. Also, since the Demon is not as strong in dhampyrs as it is in Kuei-jin, dhampyrs only roll one die to regain Demon Chi at the beginning of a new evening, regardless of P'o-the dhampyr's demonic energies return slowly and erratically. This roll is always made at sunset. Dhampyrs who die with P'o ratings of three or more come back as full Kuei-jin. This is rarely a blessing of any sort. Virtues and Chi In conjunction with their humanity, dhampyrs have the virtues of Conscience, Self-Control and Courage. Any given dhampyr's Conscience resists the seductive whispers of the Demon and keeps the dhampyr true to his human nature; his Self-Control allows him to resist fire soul; and his Courage allows him to resist wave soul. These actions are taken as if the dhampyr was a Kin-jin. (See Vampire: The Masquerade, pp. 133-134.) However, a dhampyr is more than just a mortal- the dhampyr is a creature of burning, writhing Chi energy. Like the demonhunting shih, dhampyrs can use their Chi energy to perform incredible feats. The amount of Chi a dhampyr has access to is determined by his Self-Control and Courage; Yin Chi equals Self-Control, while Yang Chi equals Courage. Of course, the dhampyr normally has 10 points of Chi in his body; being only half-unliving, though, he cannot channel it as effectively as a true Kuei-jin. Thus, a dhampyr with Self- Control 3 and Courage 4 finds himself able to use only seven of his Chi points, despite his body's pool of 10 Chi. Using Chi energy taxes a dhampyr, just as it does a mortal. For every two points of Chi energy used, the dhampyr suffers one health level of bashing damage. The dhampyr may not use Chi in excess of his appropriate Virtue ratings unless a successful Stamina roll, difficulty 9, is made - each success allows the dhampyr to access one additional point of Chi, but also costs a health level (of non-soakable lethal damage) and forces a Conscience roll (difficulty 8) for loss of Humanity as the dhampyr burns out her very spirit. Dhampyrs may only call upon one point of Chi energy in any given turn; the Kueijin capacity to direct large quantities of Chi is beyond the capacities of dhampyrs' mortal husks. Dhampyrs are not limited to restoring their Chi energy with rest, though. A dhampyr may also feed on the Chi of others, gaining stolen sustenance just like a vampire. To do so, the dhampyr must eat flesh. Dhampyrs cannot absorb Chi from blood, breath or dragon nests, as they lack the Dharmic enlightenment to do so. Each health level "eaten" from a victim returns one point of Chi to the dhampyr's Chi pool, and restores the requisite health. However, such an act almost certainly mandates a test of Conscience. The normal uses of Chi energy besides Disciplines - animation, Ghostsight and the like - are not available to dhampyrs. Since a dhampyr is not a damned soul housed in a dead body, the ghostly powers of Lifesight and Ghostsight are not accessible. Dhampyrs require food, water and sleep, just like normal humans; Chi energy is not required to animate them, although a dhampyr may elect to spend a point of Chi energy (either type) to stave off hunger, thirst and fatigue for one day. Dhampyr Character Creation Trait Starting Values Freebie Cost Experience Cost Attribute 7/5/3 dots 5 per dot Rating x4 Abilities 13/9/5 dots 2 per dot Rating x2 (3 for new) Disciplines 1 dot 10 per dot Rating x15 (20 for new) Virtues 7 dots 2 per dot Rating x2 Humanity Conscience + Self-Control 1 per dot Rating x2 Willpower Courage 1 per dot Rating x2 Starting freebie points: 15 Dhampyrs do not suffer from Chi imbalance in the fashion of Kuei-jin, though they are certainly just as vulnerable to artificial Chi imbalance (through Disciplines or other effects) as anyone else. Willpower A dhampyr character's starting Willpower rating equals his Courage Virtue rating. Willpower can be improved with freebie points or experience points at the usual costs: one freebie per dot or twice the current rating in experience points. Willpower can be used for all of the functions - Disciplines, resisting mental intrusion, improving physical performance - that Kuei-jin can use. The mental fortitude of a supernatural creature is part and parcel of the dhampyr, and as such, dhampyrs can resist various supernatural powers on par with vampires, witches, ghosts and their ilk. Any power that finds supernatural targets more difficult to affect, or that can be resisted by supernatural subjects, is limited similarly when used against a dhampyr. Merits and Flaws Obviously, many of the problems and benefits specific to Kuei-jin are not relevant to a still (mostly) living dhampyr. In particular, dhampyrs cannot have the Kuei-jin Flaws: Defiled, Different Body or Vengeful Ancestors, nor should they take Merits or Flaws from the lists of those barred to Kuei-jin. The Flaw: Akuma may be taken. In this case, the dhampyr has been branded a traitor and outcast, although few dhampyrs survive long after such a sentence. Health Dhampyrs have the same number of health levels as a regular human or Kuei-jin. However, the hardiness of their perpetually dying bodies fortifies them with resilience beyond a human's. In game terms, dhampyrs gain a full soak roll against lethal damage as well as the usual soak-versusbashing damage. Unlike true vampires, dhampyrs do not take half damage from bashing attacks. Also, dhampyrs have difficulty with fire and mystical attacks, just like Kuei-jin; such attacks are aggravated and cannot be soaked without special powers. Sunlight does not inflict damage on dhampyrs, though many find it uncomfortable and are, thus, nocturnal by choice. The half-living flesh of dhampyrs does heal with time. A dhampyr can heal just like a mortal (see Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 219), although this process is rather lengthy. Using Chi to heal is more efficient. A dhampyr may use Chi to heal wounds like a Kuei-jin: One point of Chi heals one level of damage, while five points of Chi can repair one level of aggravated damage. Of course, the dhampyr may still suffer the usual health-level injury from using this Chi, but such fatigue is easily overcome with rest. Thus, the dhampyr's wounds close and knit, and he finds himself exhausted for a short time but miraculously recovered. Once a dhampyr drops below Incapacitated, the character fades quickly. As with any mortal, the dhampyr can and will die from blood loss, shock and major organ damage. However, the dhampyr may survive trauma that would immediately kill most mortals. If the dhampyr is reduced below the Incapacitated health level with lethal damage, make a Stamina roll (difficulty 9) success indicates that the dhampyr amazingly hangs on to half-life at the Incapacitated level. Aggravated damage beyond this point kills the dhampyr automatically, of course, and a foe who suspects the dhampyr's resilience can take measures to insure the death of the Shade Walker. Still, if a dhampyr is filled with bullets and left for dead, he may well survive to wreak vengeance on his unsuspecting tormentors. Dhampyrs do not suffer from the rigors of old age as readily as mortals. Once mature, dhampyrs nearly stop aging; barely a year of subjective age affects a dhampyr each decade afterwards. It is not unusual for a dhampyr to have a productive life for one to two centuries, barring accident, injury or the lassitude of eons; indeed, some dhampyrs are rumored to be more than 300 years old. However, for game purposes, dhampyr characters are considered to be between 25 and 50 years of actual age (an apparent age between 18 and 23, in most cases). The Little Details and Mechanica Although the new character types are included for the purposes of making the Middle Kingdom a more cosmopolitan and diverse place, not everyone will take them in the spirit with which we offer them. You know these people - they're the scapegraces who want to play Embraced werewolf mage faeries with True Faith. To that end, and for the purpose; of keeping the Middle Kingdom mystical instead of downright weird, please be aware of the following guidelines. Hengeyokai and other shen may not become Kuei-jin. Hengeyokai, though they may (rarely) go to Yomi when they die, are not reanimated in their former bodies. They are already creatures of as much spirit as flesh, and are far more likely to rejoin the cycle as a new (and therefore "normal") Hengeyokai than they are to spend much time in the world of the Yama Kings. As always, returning from the dead shatters a mage's avatar: While it is possible to have a Kuei-jin who was once a mage, he's not going to be wielding any spheres. Obviously, wraiths are already dead, and if they somehow get stuck in я mortal body as a Kuei-jin, they fit the definition of Kuei-jin, and lose Arcanoi for Disciplines. Hsien, like hengeyokai, are already creatures of spirit, and are likewise destined for other purposes than eating flesh under the blood moon of Tokyo. While a dhampyr may become a "vampire hunter," we find it difficult to imagine that any Shih would be too enthusiastic Ю instruct the child of a monster in the esoteric ways of her righting arts. Unless your Storyteller is completely deranged, dhampyr may not learn Qiao or begin play with an 8/6/3 Attribute spread. It's not physically impossible, but the sort of training required (not to mention the willingness of the teacher to do it) has made certain that no dhampyr Shih has walked the Earth in the course of history. (Storytellers, we're willing to lay 10-to-l odds that at least one of your players asks for your permission to be "the only one," since it's not technically impossible. Just say no, unless you're playing a very, very cinematic game.) Yulan-jin Not all souls that escape Yomi have the resilience to return to their own bodies. Shredded by the winds of Hell, some souls find that they cannot hold fast to the physical world. These wandering ghosts must return to bodies not theirs in order to fulfill their roles among mortals. The Yulan-jin are body-hopping Kuei-jin. Due to a lack of spiritual fortitude or to the demands of Hell, the Yulan-jin find themselves in a constant cycle of death and rebirth. When a Yulan-jin "dies" (or "passes on"), his soul moves out to find a new host. The former body, tainted with the residue of the Yulan-jin's leaving soul, is unsuitable for further use. The Yulan-jin has no real control over the choice of the new body; indeed, some tales attribute the Yulan-jin with a disturbing possibility of finding themselves in the bodies of gaijin. The P'o, enraged and seeking a home, simply picks a likely corpse, and the Yulan-jin slides into animation once more. Personality, memory and identity pass into the form with the soul, but the Soul Jumper often finds his memories clouded and fragmented. Old friends and allies may be many hundred miles away, and the trappings of the material world are nor taken with the spirit when it claims a new body. Thus, each new life requires that the Yulan-jin begin anew. Few Yulan-jin rise above the perils of their condition to fulfill their Dharmic paths. Indeed, as they pass through multiple unlives, their memories blur and their personalities become lost in the wash of time. Only through the most extraordinary effort can a Yulan-jin maintain a hold on who he is and what he is doing; for the majority, though, unlife is an eternity of moving from role to role without understanding, or hope of salvation. Yulan-jin Society At first glance, it is impossible to tell a Yulan-jin apart from a Kuei-jin. Outwardly, both are animated dead, both are souls returned from Hell to pay for a karmic debt. Indeed, a newly returned Yulan-j in is essentially identical to a Kuei-jin in all respects, and may even be inducted into a court or wu. Once a Yulan-jin "dies," though, her true nature becomes apparent. Instead of hovering near the body to return from the Little Death, the Yulan-jin's spirit wanders until it finds a new and suitable host. Obviously, at this point, the Yulan-jin's nature becomes apparent. Although many young Running Monkeys and disciples have never heard of Yulan-jin, some elder will doubtless take die opportunity to bring up the lesson, and the Yulan-jin will find himself removed from his position in court and wu - one cannot have respectable and responsible duties if one does not have a stable body, after all. Since they cannot reside among die courts, Yulan-jin form their own sorts of societies. Generally, a Yulan-jin takes a particular use name - a name that remains constant from life to life - while otherwise adopting the trappings of the new body. So that one Yulan-jin can recognize another, they refer by their use-names when among other undead (often prefaced with "Yulan" so that a Soul Jumper can be distinguished from a Kuei-jin - "Yulan-Ho or Yulan-Shin" ) . Armed with an identity that passes from body to body, the Soul Jumpers keep some sort of contact. Unfortunately, when a Yulan-jin passes on, there is no way to determine what body will rise or how far away it will be. As a result, a Yulan-jin could easily find himself in a new form several miles from his old compatriots. Given this problem, it's no surprise that Soul Jumpers don't form close ties or settled societies, but rather have nomadic unlives where reputation counts for more than personal interaction. Stories told about a given Yulan-jin are passed through other Soul Jumpers as they move and interact; those who accomplish great deeds or hold on to their forms for extended periods of time are accorded respect. Yulan-jin Character Since Yulan-jin are effectively Kuei-jin who simply change bodies from time to time, character creation is straightforward. It's the changing of bodies that leads to the complexities of character. A Yulan-jin character in built just like a regular Kuei-jin, with only minor exceptions. Unless stated otherwise below, assume that character creation and abilities function for a Yulan-jin just as they do for Kuei-jin. Detecting Yulan-jin Outwardly, a Yulan-j in seems like any other Cathayan - there is no visible difference from other Kuei-jin unless one actually watches a change of bodies. However, the soul of a Yulan-jin is marked and starred by its passage through Hell and its subsequent traumatic trips through varying bodies. Indeed, each time the Yulan-jin changes bodies, a piece of the soul is left behind. As a result, the various Soul Arts can sometimes tell a Yulan-j in from a normal Kuei-jin. The Cultivation power Scrutinize, the Obligation power Soul Bridge, and the Chi'iu Muh power Purification can all determine the true nature of a Soul Jumper, as long as three or more Successes are scored on sensory rolls with the appropriate Disciplines. Whether or not the Soul Jumper is recognized as something different depends upon the occult knowledge of the scrutinizing Kueijin in question. Concept A Yulan-jin's concept does not necessarily differ markedly from a Kuei-jin's. The separation lies in the additional thought required to flesh out the character's background. Did the Yulan-jin have other lives before this one, or is this the character's first Second Breath? What settled the Yulan-jin upon his particular Dharma? Does the Yulan-jin have a place in Kuei-jin society at present, or has his nature been uncovered? Did the Soul Jumper leave friends and family behind, or has he decided to sever all such attachments? Ultimately, the unavoidable exigency of passing on forces all Yulan-jin to think about these questions. Willpower Lacerated by the winds of Hell while escaping Yomi, a Yulanjin's soul rarely has the spiritual fortitude common to Kuei-jin. As a result, starting Soul Jumpers must have a Willpower rating between three and five. Dharma Soul Jumpers can choose any of the Dharmas available to Kuei-jin, although the constant shifting of bodies precludes much development. As a special note, even the Thousand Whispers Dharma is difficult for Yulan-jin. Despite physically changing bodies, the Soul Jumper does not fill that Dharma's tenets well: The Thousand Whispers Dharma requires that the individual learn everything possible from a given life before discarding it. The Yulan-jin are often forced to discard incomplete lives. Body Swapping Regardless of skill or desire, all Yulan-jin find themselves changing bodies eventually. There are several circumstances under which a Yulan-jin may find his soul ousted from his current body. Although different events can trigger passing on, die result is always the same. A Soul Jumper passes on when: • His temporary Willpower rating reaches zero; • His temporary Chi of either type is completely exhausted; or • He suffers the Little Death. A Yulan-jin suffering the Final Death does not return to claim a new body - the spirit is claimed by Yomi. As soon as the Yulan-jin passes on, his body drops to the ground, truly and completely dead. The body suffers whatever sort of decomposition is expected for a corpse of its age. The soul then flees to the8 Mirror Lands, wandering the Underworld for days or weeks until it finds another suitable corpse. During this time, the soul undergoes the excruciating journey through Yomi until Fate finds another body for it. (Storytellers are encouraged to lead the player's character through the Thousand Hells if they don't mind taking a short break from the troupe's actions or for a little one-on-one roleplaying). Additionally, all of a Yulan-jin's guanxi break when she shifts bodies. Because a Yulan-jin's soul has had a true body for some of its existence, it seeks out bodies of that sort. Thus, it is rare for a Yulan-j in to take up residence in a body of a different gender, or with wildly different physical characteristics. Thus, Yulan-jin characters do not change their Attributes or Physical Merits and Flaws when changing bodies, unless specified by the Storyteller. The process of wandering the spirit realm and taking a new hose does impact a Yulan-jin's memories and personality, though. Often, upon taking a new body, the Soul Jumper experiences disorientation and loss of some memory; this may last for a day, or it may be permanent. When a Yulan-jin takes a new body, make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7). If less than five successes result, the Yulan-j in suffers some loss of memory; any Ability (but not Virtue or Discipline) rated higher than the Yulan-jin's Willpower loses one point. If less than three successes are scored, the Soul Jumper loses a permanent point of Willpower - the downward slide into oblivion accelerates as the soul remains unable to keep a hold on the material world. If a botch is scored, the Yulan-j in not only loses some Abilities, but also returns to die living lands completely amnesiac for at least a night-perhaps longer, if story circumstances so mandate. Changing bodies has an undeniable impact on Dharmic development as well as memory. Whenever a Yulan-jin passes on, he automatically loses one point from his current Dharma. (If his Dharma rating is already zero, his soul is blasted from the Earth and destroyed.) A Yulan-jin does not necessarily return in his new shell under the thrall of shadow soul; die player gets a normal roll for shadow nature to determine whether the P'o or the Hun is dominant when the Yulan-jin returns. Comming Home According to the annals of the Sunset People, it is possible, albeit difficult, for a Yulan-jin to find a final home. Indeed, Park Yulan Mi-jo, formerly of the Green Courts, supposedly managed to revitalize her soul through a regimen of Soul Arts and an "ascetic lifestyle, after bathing in a sacred spring. No longer a Soul Jumper, she took up residence in Singapore up until her untimely Final Death at the hands of a jealous rival. Storytellers can, of course, use such stories as motivation for Yulan-jin characters in a variety of chronicles. Although body swapping has advantages (such as leaving behind old debt and enemies), the constant dulling of memory and the price of losing friends should grate on Soul Jumpers after a while. The lure of healing the spirit and finally becoming a true Kueijin can be a draw as big for Yulan-jin as the promise of Golconda is for the Kindred. Akuma Shunned and reviled by all proper Kuei-jin, the akuma are the true demons of society-those so corrupt and depraved that salvation is denied them, that they have forsaken any role they may have had under Heaven, At least, this is the popular view promulgated by the ancestors of the courts. The label of akuma is, in many cases, simply a convenient designation by which to brand any foreigner or Kuei-jin who does not suit the whims of the court. However, the true meaning - that of a Kuei-jin who has chosen damnation over enlightenment, and forsaken Dharma for the whispered promises of the Yama Kings-is still sometimes true. Those akuma who are political unfortunates are the unhappy few that arrive in courts far from their homelands, or who otherwise anger the traditionalistic elders. Often, no real blame can be laid upon the akuma in question, though the individual may be marked for his rebelliousness, injudicious behavior or simply for having defiled Chi. As a result, the ancestors call upon the traditions and laws of the court, citing varied precedents and ancient beliefs, in order to justify the declaration of akuma against the victim in question. Never mind that the vampire may be guilty of nothing more than angering the elder or offending his sensibilities - the newly declared akuma finds himself the target of hostility and violence, and will likely die at the fangs of another Kuei-jin if he does not leave die court posthaste. The servants of the Yama Kings, though, are the true akuma. Where the Kuei-jin once served the will of Heaven, they are now demons trapped in dead forms and forced to survive on stolen Chi. Since Heaven has turned its face from the Kueijin, the damned reason, it is only right that the Kuei-jin similarly turn from Heaven. Other akuma are those who take up servitude in exchange for power, prestige or other things that they could not achieve for themselves - even immortals in search of enlightenment can fall prey to greed and pettiness. By bartering their services and souls, the akuma gain the favor of Yomi's lords, and those ancient spirits are mighty patrons indeed. Though powerful, a demon-tainted akuma is not without flaw. Ultimately, service to the Yama Kings gives up the akuma's freedom. An akuma may have great powers; he may have no fears of enlightenment or damnation; he may have dominion over men and vampires, but ultimately, his will is not his own. An akuma must serve the needs and desires of his Yama King; the one who fails simply becomes the next example, the better to motivate the others. Pacts and Servitude Entering service to a Yama King is no mean feat. Although the Yama Kings are always eager to corrupt the Kuei-jin (the irony of turning the Sunset People against their original office never pales), not all vampires have something to offer the Lords of the Hells. Powers? The Yama Kings and their minions are already more powerful than any Disciple could ever comprehend. Souls? The Kuei-jin's soul was a prisoner of Yomi once already; the Yama Kings consider such souls theirs by right. Service-the Kuei-jin must be in a position to offer to the Yama King that which the Lord and its servants cannot easily accomplish. So are pacts made: The Kuei-jin beseeches the Yama King or its intercessionary for aid, and in return promises to complete tasks for the demonic master. In many cases, both sides bring an initial gift to the bargaining table - the Yama King bestows some minor boon or favor upon the supplicant, who conversely offers up some deed or treasure already completed or acquired. An agreement is made, a bargain is signed, and the Kuei-jin becomes akuma in truth. In order to insure loyalty, the Yama Kings must be harsh and unequivocal. Thus, they never fail to fulfill their parts of hellish bargains. This promise of wish fulfillment continually brings disillusioned and greedy Kuei-jin to the ranks of the Hells. Conversely, the Yama Kings are unstinting in their punishments for failure; no miserable akuma can be allowed to think that he might escape servitude while retaining the gifts of Hell. Whatever a Yama King promises, it delivers - though what it appears to promise may be another matter entirely. Since many akuma are simply called upon to provide a particular service, the Yama Kings carefully fashion their blandishments to entice the vampires back for more. Most pacts include some time factor - granting a particular boon only for the duration of a mission is common, as are one-use investments and pacts for a year and a day, or even for 99 years, (Kuei-jin scholars aware of these trends tend to look askance at the treaty of Hong Kong.) Because of these "limited use" clauses, Kuei-jin who rely upon the assistance of Hell become dependent upon these powers and gifts, and must return the favors with new contracts and services. In theory, an akuma could back out after "freelancing for Hell," but the circumstances that drive one to make a pact in the first place - the desire for something otherwise unattainable - make this unlikely at best. Once addicted to the rush of Hellish power, there is no turning back. A typical pact involves the would-be akuma seeking out а means of contacting the Yama Kings - in this foolhardy endeavor many Kuei-jin die at the hands of unthinking spiritminions. From there, the Kuei-jin must demonstrate his worth and usefulness to the Lords of the Hells; this "interview" might simply be a look at the impressive achievements of an already-infamous Kuei-jin, or (more likely) a careful process of evaluating the potential usefulness of the recruit. If the Kuei-jin is deemed to possess the proper skills at an efficacious time and place, then a contract may be offered; otherwise, the vampire's Chi feeds the hungry slaves of the Yama King and his soul returns to the Thousand Hells. Should the vampire supplicant survive this stage, there is no return - he becomes one of the akuma. Spreading the Taint Frighteningly, there is no reliable-way to determine whether a given individual is a true akuma. The pacts and services of the Hells do not damn a vampire's soul; rather, it is the actions freely taken that do so - and many of the older vampires are as foul in their habits and practices as any young servant of Yomi. As a result, it is a simple matter for an akuma to infiltrate a court and a wu for a time, and this is exactly the first mission that most akuma are instructed to undertake. By entering a wu and a court as a respected disciple, the akuma positions himself subtly to gather information and influence for the benefits of the Yama Kings. Instructors who carefully guard themselves against hostile spirits can be spide upon through earnest young Kuei-jin students. Courts that declare open warfare against the demons of Yomi can be brought low by the single traitor within. In this fashion, the Yama Kings gather information about their enemies, and place pawns to hinder the Kuei-jin who would fight for enlightenment. After all, the enlightened Kuei-jin serve the mandate of Heaven, and part of that mandate is (or was) to combat the Yama Kings; why should the Lords of the Hells not take the first strike against such potential threats? Outside the courts, though, are the wandering akuma, those who deliver knowledge or services beyond the screens of Kuei-jin society. Such akuma are rare indeed: There are only so many hidden temples, lost artifacts and buried secrets to discover. Thus, these "wandering demons" often strike a bargain of mutual assurance, gathering arcane lore and sharing the knowledge with a Hellish patron in exchange for the powers necessary to complete the task of acquisition. After all, hidden knowledge of secrets and weaknesses may be as easily exploited by the finder whether hoarded or shared; garnering additional favors and powers out of the bargain is "blood on the baby." As these akuma rarely spend much time in own place, they avoid staying in any court long enough to rouse suspicion (except inasmuch as any wandering Kuei-jin is treated with suspicion). Of course, the ancestors and mandarins are all too clever no akuma can remain hidden forever. This, too, works to the advantage of the Yama Kings: An akuma fleeing the courts must turn to whatever assistance he may find. As such, these running demons are easily enticed into new bargains and services. Should an akuma fail to have any further use, then of course, there is no cost in letting the worthless servant fall- and so are the courts' fears assuaged, even as the Yama Kings set about the recruitment of additional tools. Akuma Characters As with other servants of the Infernal, akuma are not good roles for players - the challenges of seeking enlightenment and of overcoming the demonic curse of Yomi are lost for such souls. A character may be tempted by the minions of the Thousand Hells, but a Kuei-jin who makes the final pact casts aside any hope at redemption. The obligatory warning aside, akuma call upon a wide range of powers. Typically, an akuma barters with one specific Yama King; familiarity, after all, allows the akuma to draw upon experience and to work toward consistent goals. In return, each Yama King offers a host of different powers; the individual powers may vary, though in general, they fit the moods of the particular demon lord: Mikaboshi, King of the Wicked City, may offer technology-oriented abilities, while TouMu, Queen of the Hell of Being Skinned Alive, often gifts servants with powers of pain and torture. Individual powers are left to the Storyteller's discretion; there is no single template for "generic akuma" - every such demon is a unique and dangerous opponent. Almost all akuma, though, unearth the ways of the Hellweaving Discipline. With the proper obeisance, a Kuei-jin can propitiate the Lords of the Hells, calling for their aid or succor in times of desperation. These simple rituals form the core of a Demon Art reviled by all proper Kuei-jin. Still, instruction in Hellweaving is almost always part of any firsttime pact, and unlike invested powers, the knowledge of this Discipline comes without any time constraints. Indeed, once learned, this Discipline can be studied and improved normally; akuma sometimes teach the rudiments of this Discipline to others, as the powers require the proper service to the Yama Kings regardless of the practitioner. Storytellers are advised to use akuma characters sparingly and carefully. The relative scarcity of Kuei-jin means that, with only a small portion of them tempted into akuma status, the demon-touched are a distinct minority. An akuma is not a villain to be bested before proceeding to the next enemy; rather, akuma are a hidden menace, the festering, cancerous abscess that goes unrecognized until it's too late. An entire story can easily be built around the process of uncovering and foiling a single akuma. Heretical Dharmas Although one Dharma traditionally corresponds to each direction in the annals of the Kuei-jin, not all vampires follow the forms and traditions of Xue. Indeed, far from the centers of Kuei-jin civilization in China and Japan (and even in some places within those August Courts, though the mandarins would deny it), vampires practice beliefs handed down from other cultures. Guided by philosophies codified in ages past, these vampires practice esoteric rituals and cultivate unusual powers. To the settled Kuei-jin, they are a dangerous menace, espousing heretical beliefs. When discovered, they find themselves hunted, reviled and branded akuma. Even so, many parts of the world harbor these students of arcane eccentricities far from the reach of Kuei-jin courts and mortal eyes. Learning the heresies is no simple matter; a Kuei-jin must have the proper predilections and instructors. The relative scarcity of the heresies means that happenstance is the most common tutor for Running Monkeys. A recently arisen disciple may find himself instructed in the alternate Dharmas by a nearby heretic if no other representative of Kuei-jin society presents herself. Trained in thinking and customs outside of the courts, heretical disciples often find themselves in for rude shocks when meeting Kuei-jin society. Systems for Heretical Dharmas Many of the heresies are founded upon compound virtues, such as a balance between Hun and P'o. In such cases, all Dharmic path rolls are made with the average between the two scores; round halves upward. Heretical Dharmas do not have lucky numbers; as such, Kuei-jin following these paths gain only their direction numbers for their Horoscopes. Such is the price of following a path outside the confluences of the courts' astrology. Advancement along the heresies proceeds much as with any other Dharma: The Kuei-jin is subject to the vagaries of den. However, the lack of large followings among these Dharmas means that there are few ancestors along these paths. As a result, heretics cannot often rely upon training, but instead must forge ahead from the pieces of enlightenment that they can scavenge from history. The Flame of the Rising Phoenix Virtues: Hun and Yang I walked through the door of death And came across as a monster; I walked through the threshold of life And returned across as a man. - Ki Yuen, Rising Phoenix poet Kuei-jin were once humans; acutely so: unfinished tasks, unpaid debts, unfulfilled karma draw them back to their bodies. In their own corpses, they find new places under the Cosmic Wheel. They leave behind their old lives, to pursue an eternal existence of philosophy and enlightenment. But what guarantee is there that the Cycle has placed these Kuei-jin back in the mortal realms to fulfill a new purpose? Indeed, argues the Rising Phoenix, the true purpose of a Kuei-jin is to finish the tasks left undone in life, to pay the karmic imbalance by retaking one's former role and balancing the acts that brought damnation. By repaying the debt, the Kuei-jin completes his interrupted life cycle and pays his karmic debt, and is, thus, freed from the karmic cycle. Obviously, this Dharma is reviled as heretical by the Quincunx and the scholars of the Ki Chuang; the undead, they say, have been returned by Heaven with a new purpose and a new mandate. Yet the Rising Phoenixes argue that they have simply been sent back with new powers and a second chance to finish their unresolved lives; the abilities of the Kuei-jin, they assert, are tools to assist in fulfilling one's karmic destiny, while the Demon is nothing more than punishment for failing during one's lifetime. Overcome the urges of the Demon, master the powers of the reborn body, and complete the task of one's mortal life, urge the Phoenixes - and be freed of the cursed Cycle. Strangely, few Kuei-jin ever achieve great age or status while following this Dharmic path. Many scoff that this is simply due to the fact that the Kuei-jin of this path are incapable of spiritual development because their philosophy is flawed. Yet others note that the most vibrant and most enlightened of the Phoenixes will suddenly disappear from Kuei-jin society, never again seen; even, powerful divinations cannot confirm their deaths. The fate of these elders is a mystery - but in the meantime, the Phoenixes suffer persecution due to their lack of political authority just as much as from philosophical divergence. The typical Rising Phoenix is, for a time, a bastion of hope and. compassion; driven to regain mortality, they revel in the feelings a senses of their once-living days. Each one struggles to find his true place in the scheme of Heaven, and to fill that place; inevitably, they return to their homes and families, to take a role on the periphery of their old lives in an attempt to fulfill their desires for completion. Indeed, many form small followings among their immediate family, drawing sustenance and support from their relatives while seeking the means of transcending the curse and returning to mortality. Unfortunately, the driving hunger and false life of the vampiric condition inevitably lead to conflict and tragedy. Training: Rising Phoenixes don't have a typical training regimen, probably due to the lack of true bodhisattvas on this path. Most develop their insight and mysticism, in order to get in touch with their needs and drives and find out where they went wrong in life. Ancestor veneration is common as well, as the Rising Phoenixes seek wisdom from old relatives. Each Rising Phoenix must find his own inner nature and satisfy it in order to reclaim his place in mortal life. However, some platitudes remain useful to all Phoenixes. Students of the Rising Phoenix are counseled to seek out their mortal relatives and friends, to remain tied to their humanity. The Phoenixes also develop their self-discipline to avoid the temptations of the Demon, while honing their Yang energies to bring themselves closer to the semblance of life. Weakness: Rising Phoenixes, obviously, lead tragic unlives; the Demon, the imbalance of the soul, and the undying hunger all lead eventually to destruction of one's friends, family, and allies. Attempts to retake a true place in mortal society are doomed by the limitations of the Kuei-jin form. Many give up hope and change their beliefs later in their existence, after destroying their own families. Worse still, the fact that there are very few bodhisattvas on this path means that Phoenixes are easy targets for persecution; courts are quick to proclaim them outcast, and point to this lack as "proof that the path is fundamentally flawed. Affiliations: Mankind, the color gold and the east direction. Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Birds of paradise, clear skies, celebrations of birth, spinning tops, kites. Concepts: Shopkeeper, public servant, professor, student, poet, artist. Quote: Even in death I'm very good at that I do. Very good. Tenets 1. Return to the world from which you came. 2. Repay the debts of your human life. 3. Help others to find the unique value of humanity. 4. Fight the Demon and deny monstrosity. 5. Live not with extremes or balance, but simply well. 6. Wake the sleeper who shuns experience. Life is the arising of experience. 7. Never deny the joys and sorrow of life. 8. Return to your mortal ways; seek your human state. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: They would be monsters. In so doing, they deny their human souls. Resplendent Crane: Mistakes are tools for learning, not reasons for punishment. Song of the Shadow: The dead hold no secrets that do not spring from the living. Thousand Whispers: To be a thousand shallow lives is nothing, when they cannot be one life of meaning. Thrashing Dragon: Feigning humanity is not human. Kindred: No remorse, no return. They must die that they may live again. The Tempest of Inward Focus Virtue: Balance Is the eye of the storm any less for its peace? Is the emptiness not defined by its surroundings? In the wind, be still. In the calm, be free. - So-i Wenli, Tempest chronicler Pull and twist, push and tear: The fire of Yang and the void of Yin thrash at the Kuei-jin, even as the drive for redemption fights the Hell-winds of Yomi. The Tempests understand all too well the forces that spin through every vampire; pitting these forces against each other, the Tempests seek the calm in the midst of the chaos. Driven by the warp and woof of soul and Chi, the first bodhisattva of this Dharma supposedly crystallized enlightenment through the principles of negation. Unable to find solace in any of the manifold teachings of Xue, she sought exotic learning from distant lands. Gathering knowledge revealed by both spirits and demons, she fought for an understanding that always eluded her grasp. At last, she abandoned all Dharmas, existing only as her needs dictated, reacting to the world around her. Confronted by demons who taunted her with the emptiness of her soul, she recognized the void at the center of all of her learning and experience, and she awakened. Surrounded by swirling chaos, the Tempests bask in the calm within. Every carefully placed element becomes part of a circle; the circle holds all of creation. No one truth leads to enlightenment; illumination throws shadows that bring understanding. By watching the synergy of opposing forces, the Tempests learn what lies outside of those forces. Yin flows into Yang and twin souls war, but in the spaces between them, the Tempests find solace. A Tempest exerts moderation and learning. All things are worth study, but only in forbearance. To follow the straightened path completely is to fail in the pursuit of diversity. As a result, Tempests dabble in many things, seeking to find the contradictions and paradoxes of existence. Through such conundrums, they develop a detached point of view, seeing the truths in disparate parts. This is not to say that Tempests are dilettantes without dedication. Finding the center point from which all of creation is visible certainly taxes endurance. Indeed, Tempests strive to master many arts at once, since only the highest excellence brings full knowledge. However, a practitioner of the Inward Focus always moves deliberately, seeking to internalize every component of study completely (along with its complements and opposites) before moving on. Thus, the Tempests manifest skill and knowledge in many fields and endeavors, but only the truly ancient ever become adept. Broad study requires suitable instruction. Tempests move from teacher to teacher, always seeking new mentors. Anyone who brings a new perspective or an opposing philosophy, whether human spirit or vampire, may be an instructor. Once a new skill or art is learned, it is never discarded. Instead, the Tempest seeks out more differences and opposites, adding to the tumultuous whirlwind of conflicting ideologies that lend a viewpoint above them all. Mundane abilities, occult knowledge, and varied Disciplines are all keys to passing through the illusion of conflicting truths. Spirits and men are opposite sides of the same world. Shadow and wind compete for dominance, but both teach important lessons. Instead of focusing on any of the elemental powers of the Kuei-jin, Tempests turn their attentions to arts that move mind and soul. Ultimately, the storm tossed seek to become more than man or vampire, spirit or flesh. What lies beyond the gateway of enlightenment, they say, is nothing short of the universe itself - and so they seek to become the universe. Training: Tempests seek to tame their fiery demon natures with meditation, physical exertion and discipline. Flagellation and self-mortification are common on this path, though excesses are discouraged. Conversely, the Tempests try to understand their demon natures even while cultivating the Hun; they recognize the need to unify all parts of their unliving souls. Yin and Yang energy in equal measure seethe through the flesh and bones of the Tempests, who seek to balance the clashing opposites, bringing each to greater heights of counterstriking energy. Moderation is the watchword of the Tempests: Tightly bound and controlled, they indulge in all experiences, but drink deeply of none. Some outsiders consider such dalliances shallow, but the Tempests know that any excess leads eventually to weakness and, thence, to corruption, as exemplified by the fall of the Wan Xian due to their lust for Chi. Additionally, Many Tempests learn the Discipline of Chi'iu Muh, using the Dragon Tears to douse the flames of the Demon. Weakness: Pulled in many directions at once, the Tempests pull inward and refuse to commit to any. While this moderation serves its purpose, the Tempests often find themselves indecisive or wanting in conviction. Instead of embracing change and extremes, the Tempests fight for stability and tranquillity - but at the cost of true inspiration. In truth, the Tempests lack dynamism. Unable to fully embrace anything new, different or visionary, they remain a step behind the rest of the world; their ascetic practices and primitive lifestyles are simply outward manifestations of this problem. Playing off opposing energies prevents mastery of any one force. Without focus and drive, the Tempests cannot evolve. Railing against the extremes espoused by the radically different Path of a Thousand Whispers, the Tempests seek an alternate form of balance. Unfortunately for them, this form is handicapped by the fact that true, world-shaking vision is disdained by the demands of Inward Focus. The Centipedes express themselves eloquently and with force; the Temper can only assert themselves with minimalism and negation. Affiliations: The material world, the color gray and the center point direction Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Cyclones, mandalay spiral helixes, exploding fireworks, ripples in water Concepts: Ascetic, monk, teacher, servant, philosopher laborer, poet, lunatic Quote: I am the calm of the moonsoon and its greatest gale. Tenets 1. Pull all things near and make them part of yourself. 2. Balance the needs and desires on all poles, that they strive against each other. 3. Never stray from the core of your nature. 4. Realize the potential to learn from all people. 5. Remember the lessons of the past; apply them to the future. 6. Be consistent in your rewards and punishments. 7. Teach others the virtues of peace and moderation. 8. Bring harmony to the spirit worlds through balancing the living realm. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: Their indulgence in damnation is eternal. Resplendent Crane: A path so narrow cannot include the beauty of the wilderness. Song of the Shadow: Once dead, twice fooled. Thousand Whispers: Extremes of change bring only chaos. A life without a past contains no lessons. Thrashing Dragon: The fire embraced is the fire that bums. Kindred: Their very blood cries out with imbalance; spill it forth to return it to the cycle. Then bring them to awareness. The Face of Gods Virtue: Hun and P'o Even gods have their beginnings and their ends: To what end would you be put, godly one? - O, The Celestial Nail Certain theologians speak of the Wheel of Reincarnation, of moving from one existence to the next in response to karma. For the impious, this migration leads downward, until the soul is nothing more than a beast. For the pure and focused though, the reward is godhood. Even gods are subject to karma, though, and may fall again, returning once more as men - or monsters. Divine revelations of the mad poet О tell of the gods of the Thousand Hells, and of the great entities of the celestial realms. In his Red Bonk of the Iron Bridge, O draws upon an intimate knowledge of Yomi; in The Celestial Nail, he claims memory of divinity itself. Sparked by such works as this, some Kuei-jin see their state not as accursed, but as blessed: Halfway between man and god, the Godlings strive to return to their rightful place in the Heavens. Twin souls are more than cleaved demons, according to the Godlings. Instead, the Hun and the P'o are remembrances of a divine state once achieved Cast back into human form for a lifetime, the Codlings return from death as blessed immortals, gifted with superlative powers but also with infinite desire. To return to the godhead, one must find the seat of divine power-and this means mediating between the lusts of divine passion and the awareness of incipient omnipotence. Calling upon the universal energies of Yin and Yang, the Codlings shape the universe around themselves, seeking to hone their forms back into the sublime. Not surprisingly, mortal cults often spring up around Divine Faces. The Godlings encourage such activities, going so far as to raise dhampyr offspring and to exert their supernatural abilities on behalf of their servitors. After all, such followers are rich sources of Chi; some Codlings even find that the followers' faith itself refines to a more ethereal and sustaining Chi than their lifeblood. Ultimately, though, these cults are a means to an end - the end of harnessing enough Chi and cultivating enough of a following to ascend once more to a heavenly throne. While walking among mortals, the Divine Faces surround themselves in mystery and grace. Gods among men, indeed - the Codlings have no time to pretend at hiding their natures. Instead, they command, they rage, they succor; humans are sustenance, lovers, servants and aides. In return for obedience and obeisance, the Codling provides stability, prestige and power to his cultists. What god can be more compelling than the one that walks directly among his worshippers, bestowing favor and grace? Training: Indoctrination of a new Divine Face comes when an existing Godling takes it upon himself to reveal the truth of divinity to another. The Divine Faces favor philosophical and occult knowledge, mastering the energies of their transient bodies. Courtly graces and etiquette are also taught, as the Codlings must properly attend to their mortal followers. Weakness: Arrogance and whimsy mark the Codlings. Convinced of their superlative destiny, they find the notion of living as cursed beings repugnant. Followers of other Dharmas are seen as deluded mystics who miss the opportunity for true greatness, so no small amount of friction results. When a Divine Face feels generous, bounty flows from his hands; when enraged, though, his godly wrath tumbles down ally and enemy alike. For this reason, few trust or willingly associate with the followers of this Dharma. Other Kuei-jin even secretly fear that the Codlings may be right.... Affiliations: The heavenly realms, the color violet and the south direction Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Temple ceremonies, stands of burning incense and candles, shooting stars Concepts: Priest, cultist, criminal, magician, psychologist, traditionalist, venerated ancestor Quote: Have you come to bask in my glory or test my wrath? Tenets 1. Develop your divine nature. 2. Expand both godly and demonic consciousness. 3. Accept the veneration of mortals, but answer their payers in return. 4. Harness Chi to bring divinity back to your dead form. 5. Act according to the tenets of your Godly Voice, and your Godly Desire shall be fulfilled. 6. Visit the Heavens to remember what you have lost. 7. Practice ritual and tradition to empower your own essence. 8. Commune with the spirits; learn of their messages from Heaven. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: The shackles of terror enslave the monsters as readily as the victim. Resplendent Crane: Why be an agent of Heaven when one can be a god? Song of the Shadow: The province of the undying lies not in death. Thousand Whispers: There may be thousands of gods, each is an individual. Thrashing Dragon: Indulgence comes only with responsibility. Kindred: Cursed by gods, they a damned, not exalted. The Spirit of the Living Earth Virtue: Yin and Yang Spirits clothed in flesh, spirits in the floating world; How can we surpass ourselves if we are chained? Passing fire, breathing nothing, Spirit eternal. - Mantra of the Living Earth Returned from the wall beyond death, given sight and sensation to the will of ephemera, the Kuei-jin are intimately tied to spirits. To the proper sight, all creatures and things have spirits: trees, rocks, houses; birds, foxes, lizards; rivers, groves, mountains. The Earth itself is a spiritual entity, a being of surpassing radiance that gives life to an otherwise humble ball of dust. Only by propitiating these spirits can one expect their aid and compliance. Drawing heavily upon animistic religions and Shinto teachings, the Spirit of the Living Earth asserts that Kuei-jin must awaken to the spirits around them. The world is a vaporous illusion, one that parts to reveal the true power of spirit beyond. By listening to the spirits and performing the proper rituals, a Kuei-jin can escape the trap of dual souls in dead flesh. Honor the spirits and pay them homage; later, learn from them the ways to overcome the material in favor of the eternal. Insightful, precise and introspective, the Cerulean Veils are careful in all of their dealings. The spirits insist that each action has a proper form and that every rule has a reason. As a result, the Veils dress, speak, move and behave according to the words of their spirit mentors. For most, this involves special prayers, rituals and supplications at every stage of life: Before ingesting Chi, after killing a foe, when rising in the evening, even when facing the sun. Once properly appeased, the spirits are more likely to assist a Kuei-jin, or even to show her tiny pieces of the secrets that lead to escape from death. Because the soul is nothing more than Chi tied to the body, the Veils cultivate life-force and an understanding of the flows of Chi throughout the Middle Kingdom. Once strong enough, say the elders of the Living Earth, the soul can be free of its dead chains. Yin and Yang drawn together from the basis of all energy and all life, and so the Veils use these energies freely to develop their spirituality in hopes of moving beyond the pathetic thiefly existence of the Kuei-jin. Among mortals, the Cerulean Veils are careful and dignified. They do not indulge in food, drink or sex; indeed, as most mortals lack the capacity to deal with spirits at all, most Veils consider them transitory and of limited importance. Only when the spirits direct do the Veils break from their ordered routine to interact with the evanescent world. The taboos and rituals of spirituality vary from Veil to Veil; each Kuei-jin seeks out spirits to tell him of the proper form for her works. Since each Цитировать
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	They are just as prone to extremes of personality and belief as any other mortal with a passionate connection to the supernatural - perhaps more so, due to the fiery extremes of their dual souls. Dhampyrs rarely have Natures that fit into society and tradition; as perennial outsiders, they are more likely to be Visionaries, Rebels, Deviants, Loners and the like. Of course, the face that a dhampyr puts on when dealing with the mortal world is subject only to the whims of the dhampyr. Dhampyrs can select from the full range of Natures and Demeanors, though some (Traditionalist, Conformist, Follower, Conniver, Bon Vivant) are rarer than others. Because dhampyrs have Demons just like Kuei-jin (albeit much weaker), they must also choose P'o Natures. The P'o Nature, however, does not determine when the P'o can test for shadow nature. Indeed, the Demon is incapable of such dominion over a dhampyr in any case, one of the benefits of the weakened immortal blood. Attributes Dhampyrs are mortal, and subject to many of the same limitations as other humans. However, the circumstances of a dhampyr's creation almost guarantee that the parent or parents take an active hand in forming the dhampyr's life. As a result, most dhampyrs are exceptional specimens in terms of their capabilities - dhampyrs gain 7/5/3 Attribute points to spread among their primary, secondary and tertiary Attribute groups, much like their inhuman parents. The limits to dhampyr abilities reflect their mortal heritage; a dhampyr is limited to five dots in any Attribute. Abilities With long life spans and access to unusual training from Kuei-jin, dhampyrs have exceptional capabilities. Though not necessarily as well trained as a jina or even a mortal shih, the dhampyrs are forced to develop their abilities just to survive the constant shadowy struggles of the shen, even if they choose to avoid such battles. Dhampyrs have 13/9/5 Attribute points to split among their Talents, Skills and Knowledge, and are subject to the usual limitations: no more than five dots in any Ability, and no more than three dots in any Ability during the Ability assignment step of character creation. Disciplines Mastery of Kuei-jin Disciplines comes only with long and difficult training for dhampyrs. A dhampyr character has one, and only one, Discipline at the beginning of play - a single trick mastered through excoriating practice. Dhampyrs may learn only Shintai Disciplines and Demon Arts; the Soul Disciplines and Chi Arts are beyond their ken (except for Feng Shui and Tzu Wci, which may be learned by dhampyrs just as they may be learned by any mortal). Learning a new Discipline is a taxing undertaking for a dhampyr. Like ghouls, dhampyrs are not completely skilled in the development of vampiric Disciplines. The first dot of a new Discipline costs 20 experience points to develop; additional dots (if the dhampyr is so fortunate and skilled) cost 15x the current rating in the Discipline. Dhampyrs reach their peak in Disciplines with age. A dhampyr's maximum Discipline rating is equal to his age in centuries (rounded up), so a 276-year-old dhampyr can have up to three levels in all of his Disciplines (and is likely quite decrepit and ready to fall over and die). Since all dhampyr characters entering play are assumed to fall into the range of 25 to 50 years of age, they are effectively limited to the first dot in Disciplines, although the Storyteller's dhampyr characters may be old enough to show exceptional prowess. Backgrounds Although dhampyrs rarely partake deeply of mortal society, they do not shun utility. Mortal ties are not paramount in the half-lives of the Shade Walkers, but neither are the dhampyrs bereft of such connections. A dhampyr may use any of the Backgrounds that a Kuei-jin may use, and has 5 points to distribute among those Backgrounds. Similarly, Backgrounds that are barred to Kuei-jin are not allowed to dhampyrs. The Salutary Question: Dhampyrs and Kin-jin Dhampyrs, because of their unique half-state as living vampires, do not interact well with the Children of Caine. A dhampyr cannot be ghouled; drinking the blood of a Kin-jin (which a dhampyr would probably never do willingly) simply restores Chi energy to the dhampyr (one Chi per blood point). Similarly, dhampyrs cannot be Embraced. If drained of all blood or killed and then fed vitae, they remain dead. Dhampyrs can be born to any human and Yang-imbalanced Kuei-jin parent, or even as the offspring of two Yangunbalanced Cathayans. Dhampyrs cannot result from a crossbreed between a Kuei-jin and a shapeshifter (as if that would ever happen!), since the spiritual nature of the shifter and the dead energies of the Kuei-jin combat one another. In a similar vein, dhampyrs cannot be Kinfolk or shifters; the half-dead blood kills whatever spiritual component may have been passed on by the dhampyr's parents. As already Awakened entities, dhampyr cannot use True Magick, although a dhampyr could use sorcery (just like a ghoul or revenant). Dhampyrs also can't be Kinain to changelings; the banality of their half-dead blood prevents this. Humanity Because they are still somewhat mortal, dhampyrs have a tenuous tie to humanity. However fragile, this slender thread is still a representation of the dhampyr's sanity and connection to his living side. Calling upon this human heritage gives the dhampyr some ability to combat the darker urges of his vampiric half, but the man within the Shade Walker is also vulnerable to the pain, loss and suffering of human compassion. Like other mortals, the dhampyr cannot lose his last vestiges of Humanity, no matter how far he descends - only madness lies in that direction; actions that would lead to the loss of the last point of Humanity instead give the dhampyr a Derangement. Dhampyrs have P'o ratings just like their Kueijin parents, though, and must be careful to avoid awakening the fitfully sleeping Demon. Dhampyr characters do not use Dharmas - the salvation for the reborn is not the path for those once born in shadows. Of course, some dhampyrs still espouse the particular virtues of a given Dharma, but they must abide by their Humanity as well, just as dictated by Heaven. It is unheard of (but not impossible...) for dhampyrs to follow Paths of Enlightenment - no dhampyr would ever admit to stooping to such conduct. Then again, coming in contact with a Path of Enlightenment enough to learn it should be ludicrously rare for a dhampyr. Unlike vampires, dhampyrs do not suffer from drowsiness' during the day, though most are, in fact, nocturnal by choice. Sunlight is uncomfortable to dhampyrs. As a result, dhampyrs only suffer Humanity limits to dice pools while in direct sunlight; if under shelter or, otherwise, in shade or darkness, a dhampyr functions with full efficiency even during the day. However, dhampyrs still suffer the social consequences of low Humanity (see Vampire: The Masquerade, pp. 134-136), and a given dhampyr's appearance becomes noticeably more monstrous and bestial as his Humanity ebbs. A dhampyr's beginning Humanity rating is equal to his Conscience and Self-Control virtues added together. Additional Humanity costs one freebie point per dot. Improving Humanity costs twice the current rating in experience points; additionally, the dhampyr must show some true connection to his human nature in game play, a task generally requiring exceptional and long-running roleplaying. P'o Though the Demon rests just below the surface of the dhampyr's consciousness, it is a lethargic counterpart. Not quite as fierce as the Demon riding a Kuei-jin, a dhampyr's Demon is less of a subtle tempter and more of a barely felt urge toward monstrosity. All dhampyrs begin with one point of P'o - this is the heritage of the Demon. Dhampyrs risk increasing P'o energies if they stray from their human ways too often and too heinously. Any time that a dhampyr botches a roll of Conscience (see Virtues, below), he gains a point of P'o. Each permanent P'o point reduces the character's maximum Humanity by one, so no dhampyr can have a humanity rating above nine (due to starting with a P'o of one). Unlike Kuei-jin, dhampyrs are not susceptible to shadow soul. Still, the Demon makes whispered threats and promises, and all dhampyrs must learn to contend with it. Any time the dhampyr makes a Virtue roll of any sort, the Storyteller rolls the dhampyr's P'o rating (difficulty 6); each success removes one success from the Virtue roll. Dhampyrs do gain Demon Chi from their P'o, just like Kueijin, and can use it for all of the same purposes: increasing speed or strength, growing fangs, powering Disciplines, etc. As always, a dhampyr may not spend more Demon Chi in a turn than his Stamina rating. Also, since the Demon is not as strong in dhampyrs as it is in Kuei-jin, dhampyrs only roll one die to regain Demon Chi at the beginning of a new evening, regardless of P'o-the dhampyr's demonic energies return slowly and erratically. This roll is always made at sunset. Dhampyrs who die with P'o ratings of three or more come back as full Kuei-jin. This is rarely a blessing of any sort. Virtues and Chi In conjunction with their humanity, dhampyrs have the virtues of Conscience, Self-Control and Courage. Any given dhampyr's Conscience resists the seductive whispers of the Demon and keeps the dhampyr true to his human nature; his Self-Control allows him to resist fire soul; and his Courage allows him to resist wave soul. These actions are taken as if the dhampyr was a Kin-jin. (See Vampire: The Masquerade, pp. 133-134.) However, a dhampyr is more than just a mortal- the dhampyr is a creature of burning, writhing Chi energy. Like the demonhunting shih, dhampyrs can use their Chi energy to perform incredible feats. The amount of Chi a dhampyr has access to is determined by his Self-Control and Courage; Yin Chi equals Self-Control, while Yang Chi equals Courage. Of course, the dhampyr normally has 10 points of Chi in his body; being only half-unliving, though, he cannot channel it as effectively as a true Kuei-jin. Thus, a dhampyr with Self- Control 3 and Courage 4 finds himself able to use only seven of his Chi points, despite his body's pool of 10 Chi. Using Chi energy taxes a dhampyr, just as it does a mortal. For every two points of Chi energy used, the dhampyr suffers one health level of bashing damage. The dhampyr may not use Chi in excess of his appropriate Virtue ratings unless a successful Stamina roll, difficulty 9, is made - each success allows the dhampyr to access one additional point of Chi, but also costs a health level (of non-soakable lethal damage) and forces a Conscience roll (difficulty 8) for loss of Humanity as the dhampyr burns out her very spirit. Dhampyrs may only call upon one point of Chi energy in any given turn; the Kueijin capacity to direct large quantities of Chi is beyond the capacities of dhampyrs' mortal husks. Dhampyrs are not limited to restoring their Chi energy with rest, though. A dhampyr may also feed on the Chi of others, gaining stolen sustenance just like a vampire. To do so, the dhampyr must eat flesh. Dhampyrs cannot absorb Chi from blood, breath or dragon nests, as they lack the Dharmic enlightenment to do so. Each health level "eaten" from a victim returns one point of Chi to the dhampyr's Chi pool, and restores the requisite health. However, such an act almost certainly mandates a test of Conscience. The normal uses of Chi energy besides Disciplines - animation, Ghostsight and the like - are not available to dhampyrs. Since a dhampyr is not a damned soul housed in a dead body, the ghostly powers of Lifesight and Ghostsight are not accessible. Dhampyrs require food, water and sleep, just like normal humans; Chi energy is not required to animate them, although a dhampyr may elect to spend a point of Chi energy (either type) to stave off hunger, thirst and fatigue for one day. Dhampyr Character Creation Trait Starting Values Freebie Cost Experience Cost Attribute 7/5/3 dots 5 per dot Rating x4 Abilities 13/9/5 dots 2 per dot Rating x2 (3 for new) Disciplines 1 dot 10 per dot Rating x15 (20 for new) Virtues 7 dots 2 per dot Rating x2 Humanity Conscience + Self-Control 1 per dot Rating x2 Willpower Courage 1 per dot Rating x2 Starting freebie points: 15 Dhampyrs do not suffer from Chi imbalance in the fashion of Kuei-jin, though they are certainly just as vulnerable to artificial Chi imbalance (through Disciplines or other effects) as anyone else. Willpower A dhampyr character's starting Willpower rating equals his Courage Virtue rating. Willpower can be improved with freebie points or experience points at the usual costs: one freebie per dot or twice the current rating in experience points. Willpower can be used for all of the functions - Disciplines, resisting mental intrusion, improving physical performance - that Kuei-jin can use. The mental fortitude of a supernatural creature is part and parcel of the dhampyr, and as such, dhampyrs can resist various supernatural powers on par with vampires, witches, ghosts and their ilk. Any power that finds supernatural targets more difficult to affect, or that can be resisted by supernatural subjects, is limited similarly when used against a dhampyr. Merits and Flaws Obviously, many of the problems and benefits specific to Kuei-jin are not relevant to a still (mostly) living dhampyr. In particular, dhampyrs cannot have the Kuei-jin Flaws: Defiled, Different Body or Vengeful Ancestors, nor should they take Merits or Flaws from the lists of those barred to Kuei-jin. The Flaw: Akuma may be taken. In this case, the dhampyr has been branded a traitor and outcast, although few dhampyrs survive long after such a sentence. Health Dhampyrs have the same number of health levels as a regular human or Kuei-jin. However, the hardiness of their perpetually dying bodies fortifies them with resilience beyond a human's. In game terms, dhampyrs gain a full soak roll against lethal damage as well as the usual soak-versusbashing damage. Unlike true vampires, dhampyrs do not take half damage from bashing attacks. Also, dhampyrs have difficulty with fire and mystical attacks, just like Kuei-jin; such attacks are aggravated and cannot be soaked without special powers. Sunlight does not inflict damage on dhampyrs, though many find it uncomfortable and are, thus, nocturnal by choice. The half-living flesh of dhampyrs does heal with time. A dhampyr can heal just like a mortal (see Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 219), although this process is rather lengthy. Using Chi to heal is more efficient. A dhampyr may use Chi to heal wounds like a Kuei-jin: One point of Chi heals one level of damage, while five points of Chi can repair one level of aggravated damage. Of course, the dhampyr may still suffer the usual health-level injury from using this Chi, but such fatigue is easily overcome with rest. Thus, the dhampyr's wounds close and knit, and he finds himself exhausted for a short time but miraculously recovered. Once a dhampyr drops below Incapacitated, the character fades quickly. As with any mortal, the dhampyr can and will die from blood loss, shock and major organ damage. However, the dhampyr may survive trauma that would immediately kill most mortals. If the dhampyr is reduced below the Incapacitated health level with lethal damage, make a Stamina roll (difficulty 9) success indicates that the dhampyr amazingly hangs on to half-life at the Incapacitated level. Aggravated damage beyond this point kills the dhampyr automatically, of course, and a foe who suspects the dhampyr's resilience can take measures to insure the death of the Shade Walker. Still, if a dhampyr is filled with bullets and left for dead, he may well survive to wreak vengeance on his unsuspecting tormentors. Dhampyrs do not suffer from the rigors of old age as readily as mortals. Once mature, dhampyrs nearly stop aging; barely a year of subjective age affects a dhampyr each decade afterwards. It is not unusual for a dhampyr to have a productive life for one to two centuries, barring accident, injury or the lassitude of eons; indeed, some dhampyrs are rumored to be more than 300 years old. However, for game purposes, dhampyr characters are considered to be between 25 and 50 years of actual age (an apparent age between 18 and 23, in most cases). The Little Details and Mechanica Although the new character types are included for the purposes of making the Middle Kingdom a more cosmopolitan and diverse place, not everyone will take them in the spirit with which we offer them. You know these people - they're the scapegraces who want to play Embraced werewolf mage faeries with True Faith. To that end, and for the purpose; of keeping the Middle Kingdom mystical instead of downright weird, please be aware of the following guidelines. Hengeyokai and other shen may not become Kuei-jin. Hengeyokai, though they may (rarely) go to Yomi when they die, are not reanimated in their former bodies. They are already creatures of as much spirit as flesh, and are far more likely to rejoin the cycle as a new (and therefore "normal") Hengeyokai than they are to spend much time in the world of the Yama Kings. As always, returning from the dead shatters a mage's avatar: While it is possible to have a Kuei-jin who was once a mage, he's not going to be wielding any spheres. Obviously, wraiths are already dead, and if they somehow get stuck in я mortal body as a Kuei-jin, they fit the definition of Kuei-jin, and lose Arcanoi for Disciplines. Hsien, like hengeyokai, are already creatures of spirit, and are likewise destined for other purposes than eating flesh under the blood moon of Tokyo. While a dhampyr may become a "vampire hunter," we find it difficult to imagine that any Shih would be too enthusiastic Ю instruct the child of a monster in the esoteric ways of her righting arts. Unless your Storyteller is completely deranged, dhampyr may not learn Qiao or begin play with an 8/6/3 Attribute spread. It's not physically impossible, but the sort of training required (not to mention the willingness of the teacher to do it) has made certain that no dhampyr Shih has walked the Earth in the course of history. (Storytellers, we're willing to lay 10-to-l odds that at least one of your players asks for your permission to be "the only one," since it's not technically impossible. Just say no, unless you're playing a very, very cinematic game.) Yulan-jin Not all souls that escape Yomi have the resilience to return to their own bodies. Shredded by the winds of Hell, some souls find that they cannot hold fast to the physical world. These wandering ghosts must return to bodies not theirs in order to fulfill their roles among mortals. The Yulan-jin are body-hopping Kuei-jin. Due to a lack of spiritual fortitude or to the demands of Hell, the Yulan-jin find themselves in a constant cycle of death and rebirth. When a Yulan-jin "dies" (or "passes on"), his soul moves out to find a new host. The former body, tainted with the residue of the Yulan-jin's leaving soul, is unsuitable for further use. The Yulan-jin has no real control over the choice of the new body; indeed, some tales attribute the Yulan-jin with a disturbing possibility of finding themselves in the bodies of gaijin. The P'o, enraged and seeking a home, simply picks a likely corpse, and the Yulan-jin slides into animation once more. Personality, memory and identity pass into the form with the soul, but the Soul Jumper often finds his memories clouded and fragmented. Old friends and allies may be many hundred miles away, and the trappings of the material world are nor taken with the spirit when it claims a new body. Thus, each new life requires that the Yulan-jin begin anew. Few Yulan-jin rise above the perils of their condition to fulfill their Dharmic paths. Indeed, as they pass through multiple unlives, their memories blur and their personalities become lost in the wash of time. Only through the most extraordinary effort can a Yulan-jin maintain a hold on who he is and what he is doing; for the majority, though, unlife is an eternity of moving from role to role without understanding, or hope of salvation. Yulan-jin Society At first glance, it is impossible to tell a Yulan-jin apart from a Kuei-jin. Outwardly, both are animated dead, both are souls returned from Hell to pay for a karmic debt. Indeed, a newly returned Yulan-j in is essentially identical to a Kuei-jin in all respects, and may even be inducted into a court or wu. Once a Yulan-jin "dies," though, her true nature becomes apparent. Instead of hovering near the body to return from the Little Death, the Yulan-jin's spirit wanders until it finds a new and suitable host. Obviously, at this point, the Yulan-jin's nature becomes apparent. Although many young Running Monkeys and disciples have never heard of Yulan-jin, some elder will doubtless take die opportunity to bring up the lesson, and the Yulan-jin will find himself removed from his position in court and wu - one cannot have respectable and responsible duties if one does not have a stable body, after all. Since they cannot reside among die courts, Yulan-jin form their own sorts of societies. Generally, a Yulan-jin takes a particular use name - a name that remains constant from life to life - while otherwise adopting the trappings of the new body. So that one Yulan-jin can recognize another, they refer by their use-names when among other undead (often prefaced with "Yulan" so that a Soul Jumper can be distinguished from a Kuei-jin - "Yulan-Ho or Yulan-Shin" ) . Armed with an identity that passes from body to body, the Soul Jumpers keep some sort of contact. Unfortunately, when a Yulan-jin passes on, there is no way to determine what body will rise or how far away it will be. As a result, a Yulan-jin could easily find himself in a new form several miles from his old compatriots. Given this problem, it's no surprise that Soul Jumpers don't form close ties or settled societies, but rather have nomadic unlives where reputation counts for more than personal interaction. Stories told about a given Yulan-jin are passed through other Soul Jumpers as they move and interact; those who accomplish great deeds or hold on to their forms for extended periods of time are accorded respect. Yulan-jin Character Since Yulan-jin are effectively Kuei-jin who simply change bodies from time to time, character creation is straightforward. It's the changing of bodies that leads to the complexities of character. A Yulan-jin character in built just like a regular Kuei-jin, with only minor exceptions. Unless stated otherwise below, assume that character creation and abilities function for a Yulan-jin just as they do for Kuei-jin. Detecting Yulan-jin Outwardly, a Yulan-j in seems like any other Cathayan - there is no visible difference from other Kuei-jin unless one actually watches a change of bodies. However, the soul of a Yulan-jin is marked and starred by its passage through Hell and its subsequent traumatic trips through varying bodies. Indeed, each time the Yulan-jin changes bodies, a piece of the soul is left behind. As a result, the various Soul Arts can sometimes tell a Yulan-j in from a normal Kuei-jin. The Cultivation power Scrutinize, the Obligation power Soul Bridge, and the Chi'iu Muh power Purification can all determine the true nature of a Soul Jumper, as long as three or more Successes are scored on sensory rolls with the appropriate Disciplines. Whether or not the Soul Jumper is recognized as something different depends upon the occult knowledge of the scrutinizing Kueijin in question. Concept A Yulan-jin's concept does not necessarily differ markedly from a Kuei-jin's. The separation lies in the additional thought required to flesh out the character's background. Did the Yulan-jin have other lives before this one, or is this the character's first Second Breath? What settled the Yulan-jin upon his particular Dharma? Does the Yulan-jin have a place in Kuei-jin society at present, or has his nature been uncovered? Did the Soul Jumper leave friends and family behind, or has he decided to sever all such attachments? Ultimately, the unavoidable exigency of passing on forces all Yulan-jin to think about these questions. Willpower Lacerated by the winds of Hell while escaping Yomi, a Yulanjin's soul rarely has the spiritual fortitude common to Kuei-jin. As a result, starting Soul Jumpers must have a Willpower rating between three and five. Dharma Soul Jumpers can choose any of the Dharmas available to Kuei-jin, although the constant shifting of bodies precludes much development. As a special note, even the Thousand Whispers Dharma is difficult for Yulan-jin. Despite physically changing bodies, the Soul Jumper does not fill that Dharma's tenets well: The Thousand Whispers Dharma requires that the individual learn everything possible from a given life before discarding it. The Yulan-jin are often forced to discard incomplete lives. Body Swapping Regardless of skill or desire, all Yulan-jin find themselves changing bodies eventually. There are several circumstances under which a Yulan-jin may find his soul ousted from his current body. Although different events can trigger passing on, die result is always the same. A Soul Jumper passes on when: • His temporary Willpower rating reaches zero; • His temporary Chi of either type is completely exhausted; or • He suffers the Little Death. A Yulan-jin suffering the Final Death does not return to claim a new body - the spirit is claimed by Yomi. As soon as the Yulan-jin passes on, his body drops to the ground, truly and completely dead. The body suffers whatever sort of decomposition is expected for a corpse of its age. The soul then flees to the8 Mirror Lands, wandering the Underworld for days or weeks until it finds another suitable corpse. During this time, the soul undergoes the excruciating journey through Yomi until Fate finds another body for it. (Storytellers are encouraged to lead the player's character through the Thousand Hells if they don't mind taking a short break from the troupe's actions or for a little one-on-one roleplaying). Additionally, all of a Yulan-jin's guanxi break when she shifts bodies. Because a Yulan-jin's soul has had a true body for some of its existence, it seeks out bodies of that sort. Thus, it is rare for a Yulan-j in to take up residence in a body of a different gender, or with wildly different physical characteristics. Thus, Yulan-jin characters do not change their Attributes or Physical Merits and Flaws when changing bodies, unless specified by the Storyteller. The process of wandering the spirit realm and taking a new hose does impact a Yulan-jin's memories and personality, though. Often, upon taking a new body, the Soul Jumper experiences disorientation and loss of some memory; this may last for a day, or it may be permanent. When a Yulan-jin takes a new body, make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7). If less than five successes result, the Yulan-j in suffers some loss of memory; any Ability (but not Virtue or Discipline) rated higher than the Yulan-jin's Willpower loses one point. If less than three successes are scored, the Soul Jumper loses a permanent point of Willpower - the downward slide into oblivion accelerates as the soul remains unable to keep a hold on the material world. If a botch is scored, the Yulan-j in not only loses some Abilities, but also returns to die living lands completely amnesiac for at least a night-perhaps longer, if story circumstances so mandate. Changing bodies has an undeniable impact on Dharmic development as well as memory. Whenever a Yulan-jin passes on, he automatically loses one point from his current Dharma. (If his Dharma rating is already zero, his soul is blasted from the Earth and destroyed.) A Yulan-jin does not necessarily return in his new shell under the thrall of shadow soul; die player gets a normal roll for shadow nature to determine whether the P'o or the Hun is dominant when the Yulan-jin returns. Comming Home According to the annals of the Sunset People, it is possible, albeit difficult, for a Yulan-jin to find a final home. Indeed, Park Yulan Mi-jo, formerly of the Green Courts, supposedly managed to revitalize her soul through a regimen of Soul Arts and an "ascetic lifestyle, after bathing in a sacred spring. No longer a Soul Jumper, she took up residence in Singapore up until her untimely Final Death at the hands of a jealous rival. Storytellers can, of course, use such stories as motivation for Yulan-jin characters in a variety of chronicles. Although body swapping has advantages (such as leaving behind old debt and enemies), the constant dulling of memory and the price of losing friends should grate on Soul Jumpers after a while. The lure of healing the spirit and finally becoming a true Kueijin can be a draw as big for Yulan-jin as the promise of Golconda is for the Kindred. Akuma Shunned and reviled by all proper Kuei-jin, the akuma are the true demons of society-those so corrupt and depraved that salvation is denied them, that they have forsaken any role they may have had under Heaven, At least, this is the popular view promulgated by the ancestors of the courts. The label of akuma is, in many cases, simply a convenient designation by which to brand any foreigner or Kuei-jin who does not suit the whims of the court. However, the true meaning - that of a Kuei-jin who has chosen damnation over enlightenment, and forsaken Dharma for the whispered promises of the Yama Kings-is still sometimes true. Those akuma who are political unfortunates are the unhappy few that arrive in courts far from their homelands, or who otherwise anger the traditionalistic elders. Often, no real blame can be laid upon the akuma in question, though the individual may be marked for his rebelliousness, injudicious behavior or simply for having defiled Chi. As a result, the ancestors call upon the traditions and laws of the court, citing varied precedents and ancient beliefs, in order to justify the declaration of akuma against the victim in question. Never mind that the vampire may be guilty of nothing more than angering the elder or offending his sensibilities - the newly declared akuma finds himself the target of hostility and violence, and will likely die at the fangs of another Kuei-jin if he does not leave die court posthaste. The servants of the Yama Kings, though, are the true akuma. Where the Kuei-jin once served the will of Heaven, they are now demons trapped in dead forms and forced to survive on stolen Chi. Since Heaven has turned its face from the Kueijin, the damned reason, it is only right that the Kuei-jin similarly turn from Heaven. Other akuma are those who take up servitude in exchange for power, prestige or other things that they could not achieve for themselves - even immortals in search of enlightenment can fall prey to greed and pettiness. By bartering their services and souls, the akuma gain the favor of Yomi's lords, and those ancient spirits are mighty patrons indeed. Though powerful, a demon-tainted akuma is not without flaw. Ultimately, service to the Yama Kings gives up the akuma's freedom. An akuma may have great powers; he may have no fears of enlightenment or damnation; he may have dominion over men and vampires, but ultimately, his will is not his own. An akuma must serve the needs and desires of his Yama King; the one who fails simply becomes the next example, the better to motivate the others. Pacts and Servitude Entering service to a Yama King is no mean feat. Although the Yama Kings are always eager to corrupt the Kuei-jin (the irony of turning the Sunset People against their original office never pales), not all vampires have something to offer the Lords of the Hells. Powers? The Yama Kings and their minions are already more powerful than any Disciple could ever comprehend. Souls? The Kuei-jin's soul was a prisoner of Yomi once already; the Yama Kings consider such souls theirs by right. Service-the Kuei-jin must be in a position to offer to the Yama King that which the Lord and its servants cannot easily accomplish. So are pacts made: The Kuei-jin beseeches the Yama King or its intercessionary for aid, and in return promises to complete tasks for the demonic master. In many cases, both sides bring an initial gift to the bargaining table - the Yama King bestows some minor boon or favor upon the supplicant, who conversely offers up some deed or treasure already completed or acquired. An agreement is made, a bargain is signed, and the Kuei-jin becomes akuma in truth. In order to insure loyalty, the Yama Kings must be harsh and unequivocal. Thus, they never fail to fulfill their parts of hellish bargains. This promise of wish fulfillment continually brings disillusioned and greedy Kuei-jin to the ranks of the Hells. Conversely, the Yama Kings are unstinting in their punishments for failure; no miserable akuma can be allowed to think that he might escape servitude while retaining the gifts of Hell. Whatever a Yama King promises, it delivers - though what it appears to promise may be another matter entirely. Since many akuma are simply called upon to provide a particular service, the Yama Kings carefully fashion their blandishments to entice the vampires back for more. Most pacts include some time factor - granting a particular boon only for the duration of a mission is common, as are one-use investments and pacts for a year and a day, or even for 99 years, (Kuei-jin scholars aware of these trends tend to look askance at the treaty of Hong Kong.) Because of these "limited use" clauses, Kuei-jin who rely upon the assistance of Hell become dependent upon these powers and gifts, and must return the favors with new contracts and services. In theory, an akuma could back out after "freelancing for Hell," but the circumstances that drive one to make a pact in the first place - the desire for something otherwise unattainable - make this unlikely at best. Once addicted to the rush of Hellish power, there is no turning back. A typical pact involves the would-be akuma seeking out а means of contacting the Yama Kings - in this foolhardy endeavor many Kuei-jin die at the hands of unthinking spiritminions. From there, the Kuei-jin must demonstrate his worth and usefulness to the Lords of the Hells; this "interview" might simply be a look at the impressive achievements of an already-infamous Kuei-jin, or (more likely) a careful process of evaluating the potential usefulness of the recruit. If the Kuei-jin is deemed to possess the proper skills at an efficacious time and place, then a contract may be offered; otherwise, the vampire's Chi feeds the hungry slaves of the Yama King and his soul returns to the Thousand Hells. Should the vampire supplicant survive this stage, there is no return - he becomes one of the akuma. Spreading the Taint Frighteningly, there is no reliable-way to determine whether a given individual is a true akuma. The pacts and services of the Hells do not damn a vampire's soul; rather, it is the actions freely taken that do so - and many of the older vampires are as foul in their habits and practices as any young servant of Yomi. As a result, it is a simple matter for an akuma to infiltrate a court and a wu for a time, and this is exactly the first mission that most akuma are instructed to undertake. By entering a wu and a court as a respected disciple, the akuma positions himself subtly to gather information and influence for the benefits of the Yama Kings. Instructors who carefully guard themselves against hostile spirits can be spide upon through earnest young Kuei-jin students. Courts that declare open warfare against the demons of Yomi can be brought low by the single traitor within. In this fashion, the Yama Kings gather information about their enemies, and place pawns to hinder the Kuei-jin who would fight for enlightenment. After all, the enlightened Kuei-jin serve the mandate of Heaven, and part of that mandate is (or was) to combat the Yama Kings; why should the Lords of the Hells not take the first strike against such potential threats? Outside the courts, though, are the wandering akuma, those who deliver knowledge or services beyond the screens of Kuei-jin society. Such akuma are rare indeed: There are only so many hidden temples, lost artifacts and buried secrets to discover. Thus, these "wandering demons" often strike a bargain of mutual assurance, gathering arcane lore and sharing the knowledge with a Hellish patron in exchange for the powers necessary to complete the task of acquisition. After all, hidden knowledge of secrets and weaknesses may be as easily exploited by the finder whether hoarded or shared; garnering additional favors and powers out of the bargain is "blood on the baby." As these akuma rarely spend much time in own place, they avoid staying in any court long enough to rouse suspicion (except inasmuch as any wandering Kuei-jin is treated with suspicion). Of course, the ancestors and mandarins are all too clever no akuma can remain hidden forever. This, too, works to the advantage of the Yama Kings: An akuma fleeing the courts must turn to whatever assistance he may find. As such, these running demons are easily enticed into new bargains and services. Should an akuma fail to have any further use, then of course, there is no cost in letting the worthless servant fall- and so are the courts' fears assuaged, even as the Yama Kings set about the recruitment of additional tools. Akuma Characters As with other servants of the Infernal, akuma are not good roles for players - the challenges of seeking enlightenment and of overcoming the demonic curse of Yomi are lost for such souls. A character may be tempted by the minions of the Thousand Hells, but a Kuei-jin who makes the final pact casts aside any hope at redemption. The obligatory warning aside, akuma call upon a wide range of powers. Typically, an akuma barters with one specific Yama King; familiarity, after all, allows the akuma to draw upon experience and to work toward consistent goals. In return, each Yama King offers a host of different powers; the individual powers may vary, though in general, they fit the moods of the particular demon lord: Mikaboshi, King of the Wicked City, may offer technology-oriented abilities, while TouMu, Queen of the Hell of Being Skinned Alive, often gifts servants with powers of pain and torture. Individual powers are left to the Storyteller's discretion; there is no single template for "generic akuma" - every such demon is a unique and dangerous opponent. Almost all akuma, though, unearth the ways of the Hellweaving Discipline. With the proper obeisance, a Kuei-jin can propitiate the Lords of the Hells, calling for their aid or succor in times of desperation. These simple rituals form the core of a Demon Art reviled by all proper Kuei-jin. Still, instruction in Hellweaving is almost always part of any firsttime pact, and unlike invested powers, the knowledge of this Discipline comes without any time constraints. Indeed, once learned, this Discipline can be studied and improved normally; akuma sometimes teach the rudiments of this Discipline to others, as the powers require the proper service to the Yama Kings regardless of the practitioner. Storytellers are advised to use akuma characters sparingly and carefully. The relative scarcity of Kuei-jin means that, with only a small portion of them tempted into akuma status, the demon-touched are a distinct minority. An akuma is not a villain to be bested before proceeding to the next enemy; rather, akuma are a hidden menace, the festering, cancerous abscess that goes unrecognized until it's too late. An entire story can easily be built around the process of uncovering and foiling a single akuma. Heretical Dharmas Although one Dharma traditionally corresponds to each direction in the annals of the Kuei-jin, not all vampires follow the forms and traditions of Xue. Indeed, far from the centers of Kuei-jin civilization in China and Japan (and even in some places within those August Courts, though the mandarins would deny it), vampires practice beliefs handed down from other cultures. Guided by philosophies codified in ages past, these vampires practice esoteric rituals and cultivate unusual powers. To the settled Kuei-jin, they are a dangerous menace, espousing heretical beliefs. When discovered, they find themselves hunted, reviled and branded akuma. Even so, many parts of the world harbor these students of arcane eccentricities far from the reach of Kuei-jin courts and mortal eyes. Learning the heresies is no simple matter; a Kuei-jin must have the proper predilections and instructors. The relative scarcity of the heresies means that happenstance is the most common tutor for Running Monkeys. A recently arisen disciple may find himself instructed in the alternate Dharmas by a nearby heretic if no other representative of Kuei-jin society presents herself. Trained in thinking and customs outside of the courts, heretical disciples often find themselves in for rude shocks when meeting Kuei-jin society. Systems for Heretical Dharmas Many of the heresies are founded upon compound virtues, such as a balance between Hun and P'o. In such cases, all Dharmic path rolls are made with the average between the two scores; round halves upward. Heretical Dharmas do not have lucky numbers; as such, Kuei-jin following these paths gain only their direction numbers for their Horoscopes. Such is the price of following a path outside the confluences of the courts' astrology. Advancement along the heresies proceeds much as with any other Dharma: The Kuei-jin is subject to the vagaries of den. However, the lack of large followings among these Dharmas means that there are few ancestors along these paths. As a result, heretics cannot often rely upon training, but instead must forge ahead from the pieces of enlightenment that they can scavenge from history. The Flame of the Rising Phoenix Virtues: Hun and Yang I walked through the door of death And came across as a monster; I walked through the threshold of life And returned across as a man. - Ki Yuen, Rising Phoenix poet Kuei-jin were once humans; acutely so: unfinished tasks, unpaid debts, unfulfilled karma draw them back to their bodies. In their own corpses, they find new places under the Cosmic Wheel. They leave behind their old lives, to pursue an eternal existence of philosophy and enlightenment. But what guarantee is there that the Cycle has placed these Kuei-jin back in the mortal realms to fulfill a new purpose? Indeed, argues the Rising Phoenix, the true purpose of a Kuei-jin is to finish the tasks left undone in life, to pay the karmic imbalance by retaking one's former role and balancing the acts that brought damnation. By repaying the debt, the Kuei-jin completes his interrupted life cycle and pays his karmic debt, and is, thus, freed from the karmic cycle. Obviously, this Dharma is reviled as heretical by the Quincunx and the scholars of the Ki Chuang; the undead, they say, have been returned by Heaven with a new purpose and a new mandate. Yet the Rising Phoenixes argue that they have simply been sent back with new powers and a second chance to finish their unresolved lives; the abilities of the Kuei-jin, they assert, are tools to assist in fulfilling one's karmic destiny, while the Demon is nothing more than punishment for failing during one's lifetime. Overcome the urges of the Demon, master the powers of the reborn body, and complete the task of one's mortal life, urge the Phoenixes - and be freed of the cursed Cycle. Strangely, few Kuei-jin ever achieve great age or status while following this Dharmic path. Many scoff that this is simply due to the fact that the Kuei-jin of this path are incapable of spiritual development because their philosophy is flawed. Yet others note that the most vibrant and most enlightened of the Phoenixes will suddenly disappear from Kuei-jin society, never again seen; even, powerful divinations cannot confirm their deaths. The fate of these elders is a mystery - but in the meantime, the Phoenixes suffer persecution due to their lack of political authority just as much as from philosophical divergence. The typical Rising Phoenix is, for a time, a bastion of hope and. compassion; driven to regain mortality, they revel in the feelings a senses of their once-living days. Each one struggles to find his true place in the scheme of Heaven, and to fill that place; inevitably, they return to their homes and families, to take a role on the periphery of their old lives in an attempt to fulfill their desires for completion. Indeed, many form small followings among their immediate family, drawing sustenance and support from their relatives while seeking the means of transcending the curse and returning to mortality. Unfortunately, the driving hunger and false life of the vampiric condition inevitably lead to conflict and tragedy. Training: Rising Phoenixes don't have a typical training regimen, probably due to the lack of true bodhisattvas on this path. Most develop their insight and mysticism, in order to get in touch with their needs and drives and find out where they went wrong in life. Ancestor veneration is common as well, as the Rising Phoenixes seek wisdom from old relatives. Each Rising Phoenix must find his own inner nature and satisfy it in order to reclaim his place in mortal life. However, some platitudes remain useful to all Phoenixes. Students of the Rising Phoenix are counseled to seek out their mortal relatives and friends, to remain tied to their humanity. The Phoenixes also develop their self-discipline to avoid the temptations of the Demon, while honing their Yang energies to bring themselves closer to the semblance of life. Weakness: Rising Phoenixes, obviously, lead tragic unlives; the Demon, the imbalance of the soul, and the undying hunger all lead eventually to destruction of one's friends, family, and allies. Attempts to retake a true place in mortal society are doomed by the limitations of the Kuei-jin form. Many give up hope and change their beliefs later in their existence, after destroying their own families. Worse still, the fact that there are very few bodhisattvas on this path means that Phoenixes are easy targets for persecution; courts are quick to proclaim them outcast, and point to this lack as "proof that the path is fundamentally flawed. Affiliations: Mankind, the color gold and the east direction. Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Birds of paradise, clear skies, celebrations of birth, spinning tops, kites. Concepts: Shopkeeper, public servant, professor, student, poet, artist. Quote: Even in death I'm very good at that I do. Very good. Tenets 1. Return to the world from which you came. 2. Repay the debts of your human life. 3. Help others to find the unique value of humanity. 4. Fight the Demon and deny monstrosity. 5. Live not with extremes or balance, but simply well. 6. Wake the sleeper who shuns experience. Life is the arising of experience. 7. Never deny the joys and sorrow of life. 8. Return to your mortal ways; seek your human state. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: They would be monsters. In so doing, they deny their human souls. Resplendent Crane: Mistakes are tools for learning, not reasons for punishment. Song of the Shadow: The dead hold no secrets that do not spring from the living. Thousand Whispers: To be a thousand shallow lives is nothing, when they cannot be one life of meaning. Thrashing Dragon: Feigning humanity is not human. Kindred: No remorse, no return. They must die that they may live again. The Tempest of Inward Focus Virtue: Balance Is the eye of the storm any less for its peace? Is the emptiness not defined by its surroundings? In the wind, be still. In the calm, be free. - So-i Wenli, Tempest chronicler Pull and twist, push and tear: The fire of Yang and the void of Yin thrash at the Kuei-jin, even as the drive for redemption fights the Hell-winds of Yomi. The Tempests understand all too well the forces that spin through every vampire; pitting these forces against each other, the Tempests seek the calm in the midst of the chaos. Driven by the warp and woof of soul and Chi, the first bodhisattva of this Dharma supposedly crystallized enlightenment through the principles of negation. Unable to find solace in any of the manifold teachings of Xue, she sought exotic learning from distant lands. Gathering knowledge revealed by both spirits and demons, she fought for an understanding that always eluded her grasp. At last, she abandoned all Dharmas, existing only as her needs dictated, reacting to the world around her. Confronted by demons who taunted her with the emptiness of her soul, she recognized the void at the center of all of her learning and experience, and she awakened. Surrounded by swirling chaos, the Tempests bask in the calm within. Every carefully placed element becomes part of a circle; the circle holds all of creation. No one truth leads to enlightenment; illumination throws shadows that bring understanding. By watching the synergy of opposing forces, the Tempests learn what lies outside of those forces. Yin flows into Yang and twin souls war, but in the spaces between them, the Tempests find solace. A Tempest exerts moderation and learning. All things are worth study, but only in forbearance. To follow the straightened path completely is to fail in the pursuit of diversity. As a result, Tempests dabble in many things, seeking to find the contradictions and paradoxes of existence. Through such conundrums, they develop a detached point of view, seeing the truths in disparate parts. This is not to say that Tempests are dilettantes without dedication. Finding the center point from which all of creation is visible certainly taxes endurance. Indeed, Tempests strive to master many arts at once, since only the highest excellence brings full knowledge. However, a practitioner of the Inward Focus always moves deliberately, seeking to internalize every component of study completely (along with its complements and opposites) before moving on. Thus, the Tempests manifest skill and knowledge in many fields and endeavors, but only the truly ancient ever become adept. Broad study requires suitable instruction. Tempests move from teacher to teacher, always seeking new mentors. Anyone who brings a new perspective or an opposing philosophy, whether human spirit or vampire, may be an instructor. Once a new skill or art is learned, it is never discarded. Instead, the Tempest seeks out more differences and opposites, adding to the tumultuous whirlwind of conflicting ideologies that lend a viewpoint above them all. Mundane abilities, occult knowledge, and varied Disciplines are all keys to passing through the illusion of conflicting truths. Spirits and men are opposite sides of the same world. Shadow and wind compete for dominance, but both teach important lessons. Instead of focusing on any of the elemental powers of the Kuei-jin, Tempests turn their attentions to arts that move mind and soul. Ultimately, the storm tossed seek to become more than man or vampire, spirit or flesh. What lies beyond the gateway of enlightenment, they say, is nothing short of the universe itself - and so they seek to become the universe. Training: Tempests seek to tame their fiery demon natures with meditation, physical exertion and discipline. Flagellation and self-mortification are common on this path, though excesses are discouraged. Conversely, the Tempests try to understand their demon natures even while cultivating the Hun; they recognize the need to unify all parts of their unliving souls. Yin and Yang energy in equal measure seethe through the flesh and bones of the Tempests, who seek to balance the clashing opposites, bringing each to greater heights of counterstriking energy. Moderation is the watchword of the Tempests: Tightly bound and controlled, they indulge in all experiences, but drink deeply of none. Some outsiders consider such dalliances shallow, but the Tempests know that any excess leads eventually to weakness and, thence, to corruption, as exemplified by the fall of the Wan Xian due to their lust for Chi. Additionally, Many Tempests learn the Discipline of Chi'iu Muh, using the Dragon Tears to douse the flames of the Demon. Weakness: Pulled in many directions at once, the Tempests pull inward and refuse to commit to any. While this moderation serves its purpose, the Tempests often find themselves indecisive or wanting in conviction. Instead of embracing change and extremes, the Tempests fight for stability and tranquillity - but at the cost of true inspiration. In truth, the Tempests lack dynamism. Unable to fully embrace anything new, different or visionary, they remain a step behind the rest of the world; their ascetic practices and primitive lifestyles are simply outward manifestations of this problem. Playing off opposing energies prevents mastery of any one force. Without focus and drive, the Tempests cannot evolve. Railing against the extremes espoused by the radically different Path of a Thousand Whispers, the Tempests seek an alternate form of balance. Unfortunately for them, this form is handicapped by the fact that true, world-shaking vision is disdained by the demands of Inward Focus. The Centipedes express themselves eloquently and with force; the Temper can only assert themselves with minimalism and negation. Affiliations: The material world, the color gray and the center point direction Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Cyclones, mandalay spiral helixes, exploding fireworks, ripples in water Concepts: Ascetic, monk, teacher, servant, philosopher laborer, poet, lunatic Quote: I am the calm of the moonsoon and its greatest gale. Tenets 1. Pull all things near and make them part of yourself. 2. Balance the needs and desires on all poles, that they strive against each other. 3. Never stray from the core of your nature. 4. Realize the potential to learn from all people. 5. Remember the lessons of the past; apply them to the future. 6. Be consistent in your rewards and punishments. 7. Teach others the virtues of peace and moderation. 8. Bring harmony to the spirit worlds through balancing the living realm. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: Their indulgence in damnation is eternal. Resplendent Crane: A path so narrow cannot include the beauty of the wilderness. Song of the Shadow: Once dead, twice fooled. Thousand Whispers: Extremes of change bring only chaos. A life without a past contains no lessons. Thrashing Dragon: The fire embraced is the fire that bums. Kindred: Their very blood cries out with imbalance; spill it forth to return it to the cycle. Then bring them to awareness. The Face of Gods Virtue: Hun and P'o Even gods have their beginnings and their ends: To what end would you be put, godly one? - O, The Celestial Nail Certain theologians speak of the Wheel of Reincarnation, of moving from one existence to the next in response to karma. For the impious, this migration leads downward, until the soul is nothing more than a beast. For the pure and focused though, the reward is godhood. Even gods are subject to karma, though, and may fall again, returning once more as men - or monsters. Divine revelations of the mad poet О tell of the gods of the Thousand Hells, and of the great entities of the celestial realms. In his Red Bonk of the Iron Bridge, O draws upon an intimate knowledge of Yomi; in The Celestial Nail, he claims memory of divinity itself. Sparked by such works as this, some Kuei-jin see their state not as accursed, but as blessed: Halfway between man and god, the Godlings strive to return to their rightful place in the Heavens. Twin souls are more than cleaved demons, according to the Godlings. Instead, the Hun and the P'o are remembrances of a divine state once achieved Cast back into human form for a lifetime, the Codlings return from death as blessed immortals, gifted with superlative powers but also with infinite desire. To return to the godhead, one must find the seat of divine power-and this means mediating between the lusts of divine passion and the awareness of incipient omnipotence. Calling upon the universal energies of Yin and Yang, the Codlings shape the universe around themselves, seeking to hone their forms back into the sublime. Not surprisingly, mortal cults often spring up around Divine Faces. The Godlings encourage such activities, going so far as to raise dhampyr offspring and to exert their supernatural abilities on behalf of their servitors. After all, such followers are rich sources of Chi; some Codlings even find that the followers' faith itself refines to a more ethereal and sustaining Chi than their lifeblood. Ultimately, though, these cults are a means to an end - the end of harnessing enough Chi and cultivating enough of a following to ascend once more to a heavenly throne. While walking among mortals, the Divine Faces surround themselves in mystery and grace. Gods among men, indeed - the Codlings have no time to pretend at hiding their natures. Instead, they command, they rage, they succor; humans are sustenance, lovers, servants and aides. In return for obedience and obeisance, the Codling provides stability, prestige and power to his cultists. What god can be more compelling than the one that walks directly among his worshippers, bestowing favor and grace? Training: Indoctrination of a new Divine Face comes when an existing Godling takes it upon himself to reveal the truth of divinity to another. The Divine Faces favor philosophical and occult knowledge, mastering the energies of their transient bodies. Courtly graces and etiquette are also taught, as the Codlings must properly attend to their mortal followers. Weakness: Arrogance and whimsy mark the Codlings. Convinced of their superlative destiny, they find the notion of living as cursed beings repugnant. Followers of other Dharmas are seen as deluded mystics who miss the opportunity for true greatness, so no small amount of friction results. When a Divine Face feels generous, bounty flows from his hands; when enraged, though, his godly wrath tumbles down ally and enemy alike. For this reason, few trust or willingly associate with the followers of this Dharma. Other Kuei-jin even secretly fear that the Codlings may be right.... Affiliations: The heavenly realms, the color violet and the south direction Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Temple ceremonies, stands of burning incense and candles, shooting stars Concepts: Priest, cultist, criminal, magician, psychologist, traditionalist, venerated ancestor Quote: Have you come to bask in my glory or test my wrath? Tenets 1. Develop your divine nature. 2. Expand both godly and demonic consciousness. 3. Accept the veneration of mortals, but answer their payers in return. 4. Harness Chi to bring divinity back to your dead form. 5. Act according to the tenets of your Godly Voice, and your Godly Desire shall be fulfilled. 6. Visit the Heavens to remember what you have lost. 7. Practice ritual and tradition to empower your own essence. 8. Commune with the spirits; learn of their messages from Heaven. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: The shackles of terror enslave the monsters as readily as the victim. Resplendent Crane: Why be an agent of Heaven when one can be a god? Song of the Shadow: The province of the undying lies not in death. Thousand Whispers: There may be thousands of gods, each is an individual. Thrashing Dragon: Indulgence comes only with responsibility. Kindred: Cursed by gods, they a damned, not exalted. The Spirit of the Living Earth Virtue: Yin and Yang Spirits clothed in flesh, spirits in the floating world; How can we surpass ourselves if we are chained? Passing fire, breathing nothing, Spirit eternal. - Mantra of the Living Earth Returned from the wall beyond death, given sight and sensation to the will of ephemera, the Kuei-jin are intimately tied to spirits. To the proper sight, all creatures and things have spirits: trees, rocks, houses; birds, foxes, lizards; rivers, groves, mountains. The Earth itself is a spiritual entity, a being of surpassing radiance that gives life to an otherwise humble ball of dust. Only by propitiating these spirits can one expect their aid and compliance. Drawing heavily upon animistic religions and Shinto teachings, the Spirit of the Living Earth asserts that Kuei-jin must awaken to the spirits around them. The world is a vaporous illusion, one that parts to reveal the true power of spirit beyond. By listening to the spirits and performing the proper rituals, a Kuei-jin can escape the trap of dual souls in dead flesh. Honor the spirits and pay them homage; later, learn from them the ways to overcome the material in favor of the eternal. Insightful, precise and introspective, the Cerulean Veils are careful in all of their dealings. The spirits insist that each action has a proper form and that every rule has a reason. As a result, the Veils dress, speak, move and behave according to the words of their spirit mentors. For most, this involves special prayers, rituals and supplications at every stage of life: Before ingesting Chi, after killing a foe, when rising in the evening, even when facing the sun. Once properly appeased, the spirits are more likely to assist a Kuei-jin, or even to show her tiny pieces of the secrets that lead to escape from death. Because the soul is nothing more than Chi tied to the body, the Veils cultivate life-force and an understanding of the flows of Chi throughout the Middle Kingdom. Once strong enough, say the elders of the Living Earth, the soul can be free of its dead chains. Yin and Yang drawn together from the basis of all energy and all life, and so the Veils use these energies freely to develop their spirituality in hopes of moving beyond the pathetic thiefly existence of the Kuei-jin. Among mortals, the Cerulean Veils are careful and dignified. They do not indulge in food, drink or sex; indeed, as most mortals lack the capacity to deal with spirits at all, most Veils consider them transitory and of limited importance. Only when the spirits direct do the Veils break from their ordered routine to interact with the evanescent world. The taboos and rituals of spirituality vary from Veil to Veil; each Kuei-jin seeks out spirits to tell him of the proper form for her works. Since each Цитировать
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	They are just as prone to extremes of personality and belief as any other mortal with a passionate connection to the supernatural - perhaps more so, due to the fiery extremes of their dual souls. Dhampyrs rarely have Natures that fit into society and tradition; as perennial outsiders, they are more likely to be Visionaries, Rebels, Deviants, Loners and the like. Of course, the face that a dhampyr puts on when dealing with the mortal world is subject only to the whims of the dhampyr. Dhampyrs can select from the full range of Natures and Demeanors, though some (Traditionalist, Conformist, Follower, Conniver, Bon Vivant) are rarer than others. Because dhampyrs have Demons just like Kuei-jin (albeit much weaker), they must also choose P'o Natures. The P'o Nature, however, does not determine when the P'o can test for shadow nature. Indeed, the Demon is incapable of such dominion over a dhampyr in any case, one of the benefits of the weakened immortal blood. Attributes Dhampyrs are mortal, and subject to many of the same limitations as other humans. However, the circumstances of a dhampyr's creation almost guarantee that the parent or parents take an active hand in forming the dhampyr's life. As a result, most dhampyrs are exceptional specimens in terms of their capabilities - dhampyrs gain 7/5/3 Attribute points to spread among their primary, secondary and tertiary Attribute groups, much like their inhuman parents. The limits to dhampyr abilities reflect their mortal heritage; a dhampyr is limited to five dots in any Attribute. Abilities With long life spans and access to unusual training from Kuei-jin, dhampyrs have exceptional capabilities. Though not necessarily as well trained as a jina or even a mortal shih, the dhampyrs are forced to develop their abilities just to survive the constant shadowy struggles of the shen, even if they choose to avoid such battles. Dhampyrs have 13/9/5 Attribute points to split among their Talents, Skills and Knowledge, and are subject to the usual limitations: no more than five dots in any Ability, and no more than three dots in any Ability during the Ability assignment step of character creation. Disciplines Mastery of Kuei-jin Disciplines comes only with long and difficult training for dhampyrs. A dhampyr character has one, and only one, Discipline at the beginning of play - a single trick mastered through excoriating practice. Dhampyrs may learn only Shintai Disciplines and Demon Arts; the Soul Disciplines and Chi Arts are beyond their ken (except for Feng Shui and Tzu Wci, which may be learned by dhampyrs just as they may be learned by any mortal). Learning a new Discipline is a taxing undertaking for a dhampyr. Like ghouls, dhampyrs are not completely skilled in the development of vampiric Disciplines. The first dot of a new Discipline costs 20 experience points to develop; additional dots (if the dhampyr is so fortunate and skilled) cost 15x the current rating in the Discipline. Dhampyrs reach their peak in Disciplines with age. A dhampyr's maximum Discipline rating is equal to his age in centuries (rounded up), so a 276-year-old dhampyr can have up to three levels in all of his Disciplines (and is likely quite decrepit and ready to fall over and die). Since all dhampyr characters entering play are assumed to fall into the range of 25 to 50 years of age, they are effectively limited to the first dot in Disciplines, although the Storyteller's dhampyr characters may be old enough to show exceptional prowess. Backgrounds Although dhampyrs rarely partake deeply of mortal society, they do not shun utility. Mortal ties are not paramount in the half-lives of the Shade Walkers, but neither are the dhampyrs bereft of such connections. A dhampyr may use any of the Backgrounds that a Kuei-jin may use, and has 5 points to distribute among those Backgrounds. Similarly, Backgrounds that are barred to Kuei-jin are not allowed to dhampyrs. The Salutary Question: Dhampyrs and Kin-jin Dhampyrs, because of their unique half-state as living vampires, do not interact well with the Children of Caine. A dhampyr cannot be ghouled; drinking the blood of a Kin-jin (which a dhampyr would probably never do willingly) simply restores Chi energy to the dhampyr (one Chi per blood point). Similarly, dhampyrs cannot be Embraced. If drained of all blood or killed and then fed vitae, they remain dead. Dhampyrs can be born to any human and Yang-imbalanced Kuei-jin parent, or even as the offspring of two Yangunbalanced Cathayans. Dhampyrs cannot result from a crossbreed between a Kuei-jin and a shapeshifter (as if that would ever happen!), since the spiritual nature of the shifter and the dead energies of the Kuei-jin combat one another. In a similar vein, dhampyrs cannot be Kinfolk or shifters; the half-dead blood kills whatever spiritual component may have been passed on by the dhampyr's parents. As already Awakened entities, dhampyr cannot use True Magick, although a dhampyr could use sorcery (just like a ghoul or revenant). Dhampyrs also can't be Kinain to changelings; the banality of their half-dead blood prevents this. Humanity Because they are still somewhat mortal, dhampyrs have a tenuous tie to humanity. However fragile, this slender thread is still a representation of the dhampyr's sanity and connection to his living side. Calling upon this human heritage gives the dhampyr some ability to combat the darker urges of his vampiric half, but the man within the Shade Walker is also vulnerable to the pain, loss and suffering of human compassion. Like other mortals, the dhampyr cannot lose his last vestiges of Humanity, no matter how far he descends - only madness lies in that direction; actions that would lead to the loss of the last point of Humanity instead give the dhampyr a Derangement. Dhampyrs have P'o ratings just like their Kueijin parents, though, and must be careful to avoid awakening the fitfully sleeping Demon. Dhampyr characters do not use Dharmas - the salvation for the reborn is not the path for those once born in shadows. Of course, some dhampyrs still espouse the particular virtues of a given Dharma, but they must abide by their Humanity as well, just as dictated by Heaven. It is unheard of (but not impossible...) for dhampyrs to follow Paths of Enlightenment - no dhampyr would ever admit to stooping to such conduct. Then again, coming in contact with a Path of Enlightenment enough to learn it should be ludicrously rare for a dhampyr. Unlike vampires, dhampyrs do not suffer from drowsiness' during the day, though most are, in fact, nocturnal by choice. Sunlight is uncomfortable to dhampyrs. As a result, dhampyrs only suffer Humanity limits to dice pools while in direct sunlight; if under shelter or, otherwise, in shade or darkness, a dhampyr functions with full efficiency even during the day. However, dhampyrs still suffer the social consequences of low Humanity (see Vampire: The Masquerade, pp. 134-136), and a given dhampyr's appearance becomes noticeably more monstrous and bestial as his Humanity ebbs. A dhampyr's beginning Humanity rating is equal to his Conscience and Self-Control virtues added together. Additional Humanity costs one freebie point per dot. Improving Humanity costs twice the current rating in experience points; additionally, the dhampyr must show some true connection to his human nature in game play, a task generally requiring exceptional and long-running roleplaying. P'o Though the Demon rests just below the surface of the dhampyr's consciousness, it is a lethargic counterpart. Not quite as fierce as the Demon riding a Kuei-jin, a dhampyr's Demon is less of a subtle tempter and more of a barely felt urge toward monstrosity. All dhampyrs begin with one point of P'o - this is the heritage of the Demon. Dhampyrs risk increasing P'o energies if they stray from their human ways too often and too heinously. Any time that a dhampyr botches a roll of Conscience (see Virtues, below), he gains a point of P'o. Each permanent P'o point reduces the character's maximum Humanity by one, so no dhampyr can have a humanity rating above nine (due to starting with a P'o of one). Unlike Kuei-jin, dhampyrs are not susceptible to shadow soul. Still, the Demon makes whispered threats and promises, and all dhampyrs must learn to contend with it. Any time the dhampyr makes a Virtue roll of any sort, the Storyteller rolls the dhampyr's P'o rating (difficulty 6); each success removes one success from the Virtue roll. Dhampyrs do gain Demon Chi from their P'o, just like Kueijin, and can use it for all of the same purposes: increasing speed or strength, growing fangs, powering Disciplines, etc. As always, a dhampyr may not spend more Demon Chi in a turn than his Stamina rating. Also, since the Demon is not as strong in dhampyrs as it is in Kuei-jin, dhampyrs only roll one die to regain Demon Chi at the beginning of a new evening, regardless of P'o-the dhampyr's demonic energies return slowly and erratically. This roll is always made at sunset. Dhampyrs who die with P'o ratings of three or more come back as full Kuei-jin. This is rarely a blessing of any sort. Virtues and Chi In conjunction with their humanity, dhampyrs have the virtues of Conscience, Self-Control and Courage. Any given dhampyr's Conscience resists the seductive whispers of the Demon and keeps the dhampyr true to his human nature; his Self-Control allows him to resist fire soul; and his Courage allows him to resist wave soul. These actions are taken as if the dhampyr was a Kin-jin. (See Vampire: The Masquerade, pp. 133-134.) However, a dhampyr is more than just a mortal- the dhampyr is a creature of burning, writhing Chi energy. Like the demonhunting shih, dhampyrs can use their Chi energy to perform incredible feats. The amount of Chi a dhampyr has access to is determined by his Self-Control and Courage; Yin Chi equals Self-Control, while Yang Chi equals Courage. Of course, the dhampyr normally has 10 points of Chi in his body; being only half-unliving, though, he cannot channel it as effectively as a true Kuei-jin. Thus, a dhampyr with Self- Control 3 and Courage 4 finds himself able to use only seven of his Chi points, despite his body's pool of 10 Chi. Using Chi energy taxes a dhampyr, just as it does a mortal. For every two points of Chi energy used, the dhampyr suffers one health level of bashing damage. The dhampyr may not use Chi in excess of his appropriate Virtue ratings unless a successful Stamina roll, difficulty 9, is made - each success allows the dhampyr to access one additional point of Chi, but also costs a health level (of non-soakable lethal damage) and forces a Conscience roll (difficulty 8) for loss of Humanity as the dhampyr burns out her very spirit. Dhampyrs may only call upon one point of Chi energy in any given turn; the Kueijin capacity to direct large quantities of Chi is beyond the capacities of dhampyrs' mortal husks. Dhampyrs are not limited to restoring their Chi energy with rest, though. A dhampyr may also feed on the Chi of others, gaining stolen sustenance just like a vampire. To do so, the dhampyr must eat flesh. Dhampyrs cannot absorb Chi from blood, breath or dragon nests, as they lack the Dharmic enlightenment to do so. Each health level "eaten" from a victim returns one point of Chi to the dhampyr's Chi pool, and restores the requisite health. However, such an act almost certainly mandates a test of Conscience. The normal uses of Chi energy besides Disciplines - animation, Ghostsight and the like - are not available to dhampyrs. Since a dhampyr is not a damned soul housed in a dead body, the ghostly powers of Lifesight and Ghostsight are not accessible. Dhampyrs require food, water and sleep, just like normal humans; Chi energy is not required to animate them, although a dhampyr may elect to spend a point of Chi energy (either type) to stave off hunger, thirst and fatigue for one day. Dhampyr Character Creation Trait Starting Values Freebie Cost Experience Cost Attribute 7/5/3 dots 5 per dot Rating x4 Abilities 13/9/5 dots 2 per dot Rating x2 (3 for new) Disciplines 1 dot 10 per dot Rating x15 (20 for new) Virtues 7 dots 2 per dot Rating x2 Humanity Conscience + Self-Control 1 per dot Rating x2 Willpower Courage 1 per dot Rating x2 Starting freebie points: 15 Dhampyrs do not suffer from Chi imbalance in the fashion of Kuei-jin, though they are certainly just as vulnerable to artificial Chi imbalance (through Disciplines or other effects) as anyone else. Willpower A dhampyr character's starting Willpower rating equals his Courage Virtue rating. Willpower can be improved with freebie points or experience points at the usual costs: one freebie per dot or twice the current rating in experience points. Willpower can be used for all of the functions - Disciplines, resisting mental intrusion, improving physical performance - that Kuei-jin can use. The mental fortitude of a supernatural creature is part and parcel of the dhampyr, and as such, dhampyrs can resist various supernatural powers on par with vampires, witches, ghosts and their ilk. Any power that finds supernatural targets more difficult to affect, or that can be resisted by supernatural subjects, is limited similarly when used against a dhampyr. Merits and Flaws Obviously, many of the problems and benefits specific to Kuei-jin are not relevant to a still (mostly) living dhampyr. In particular, dhampyrs cannot have the Kuei-jin Flaws: Defiled, Different Body or Vengeful Ancestors, nor should they take Merits or Flaws from the lists of those barred to Kuei-jin. The Flaw: Akuma may be taken. In this case, the dhampyr has been branded a traitor and outcast, although few dhampyrs survive long after such a sentence. Health Dhampyrs have the same number of health levels as a regular human or Kuei-jin. However, the hardiness of their perpetually dying bodies fortifies them with resilience beyond a human's. In game terms, dhampyrs gain a full soak roll against lethal damage as well as the usual soak-versusbashing damage. Unlike true vampires, dhampyrs do not take half damage from bashing attacks. Also, dhampyrs have difficulty with fire and mystical attacks, just like Kuei-jin; such attacks are aggravated and cannot be soaked without special powers. Sunlight does not inflict damage on dhampyrs, though many find it uncomfortable and are, thus, nocturnal by choice. The half-living flesh of dhampyrs does heal with time. A dhampyr can heal just like a mortal (see Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 219), although this process is rather lengthy. Using Chi to heal is more efficient. A dhampyr may use Chi to heal wounds like a Kuei-jin: One point of Chi heals one level of damage, while five points of Chi can repair one level of aggravated damage. Of course, the dhampyr may still suffer the usual health-level injury from using this Chi, but such fatigue is easily overcome with rest. Thus, the dhampyr's wounds close and knit, and he finds himself exhausted for a short time but miraculously recovered. Once a dhampyr drops below Incapacitated, the character fades quickly. As with any mortal, the dhampyr can and will die from blood loss, shock and major organ damage. However, the dhampyr may survive trauma that would immediately kill most mortals. If the dhampyr is reduced below the Incapacitated health level with lethal damage, make a Stamina roll (difficulty 9) success indicates that the dhampyr amazingly hangs on to half-life at the Incapacitated level. Aggravated damage beyond this point kills the dhampyr automatically, of course, and a foe who suspects the dhampyr's resilience can take measures to insure the death of the Shade Walker. Still, if a dhampyr is filled with bullets and left for dead, he may well survive to wreak vengeance on his unsuspecting tormentors. Dhampyrs do not suffer from the rigors of old age as readily as mortals. Once mature, dhampyrs nearly stop aging; barely a year of subjective age affects a dhampyr each decade afterwards. It is not unusual for a dhampyr to have a productive life for one to two centuries, barring accident, injury or the lassitude of eons; indeed, some dhampyrs are rumored to be more than 300 years old. However, for game purposes, dhampyr characters are considered to be between 25 and 50 years of actual age (an apparent age between 18 and 23, in most cases). The Little Details and Mechanica Although the new character types are included for the purposes of making the Middle Kingdom a more cosmopolitan and diverse place, not everyone will take them in the spirit with which we offer them. You know these people - they're the scapegraces who want to play Embraced werewolf mage faeries with True Faith. To that end, and for the purpose; of keeping the Middle Kingdom mystical instead of downright weird, please be aware of the following guidelines. Hengeyokai and other shen may not become Kuei-jin. Hengeyokai, though they may (rarely) go to Yomi when they die, are not reanimated in their former bodies. They are already creatures of as much spirit as flesh, and are far more likely to rejoin the cycle as a new (and therefore "normal") Hengeyokai than they are to spend much time in the world of the Yama Kings. As always, returning from the dead shatters a mage's avatar: While it is possible to have a Kuei-jin who was once a mage, he's not going to be wielding any spheres. Obviously, wraiths are already dead, and if they somehow get stuck in я mortal body as a Kuei-jin, they fit the definition of Kuei-jin, and lose Arcanoi for Disciplines. Hsien, like hengeyokai, are already creatures of spirit, and are likewise destined for other purposes than eating flesh under the blood moon of Tokyo. While a dhampyr may become a "vampire hunter," we find it difficult to imagine that any Shih would be too enthusiastic Ю instruct the child of a monster in the esoteric ways of her righting arts. Unless your Storyteller is completely deranged, dhampyr may not learn Qiao or begin play with an 8/6/3 Attribute spread. It's not physically impossible, but the sort of training required (not to mention the willingness of the teacher to do it) has made certain that no dhampyr Shih has walked the Earth in the course of history. (Storytellers, we're willing to lay 10-to-l odds that at least one of your players asks for your permission to be "the only one," since it's not technically impossible. Just say no, unless you're playing a very, very cinematic game.) Yulan-jin Not all souls that escape Yomi have the resilience to return to their own bodies. Shredded by the winds of Hell, some souls find that they cannot hold fast to the physical world. These wandering ghosts must return to bodies not theirs in order to fulfill their roles among mortals. The Yulan-jin are body-hopping Kuei-jin. Due to a lack of spiritual fortitude or to the demands of Hell, the Yulan-jin find themselves in a constant cycle of death and rebirth. When a Yulan-jin "dies" (or "passes on"), his soul moves out to find a new host. The former body, tainted with the residue of the Yulan-jin's leaving soul, is unsuitable for further use. The Yulan-jin has no real control over the choice of the new body; indeed, some tales attribute the Yulan-jin with a disturbing possibility of finding themselves in the bodies of gaijin. The P'o, enraged and seeking a home, simply picks a likely corpse, and the Yulan-jin slides into animation once more. Personality, memory and identity pass into the form with the soul, but the Soul Jumper often finds his memories clouded and fragmented. Old friends and allies may be many hundred miles away, and the trappings of the material world are nor taken with the spirit when it claims a new body. Thus, each new life requires that the Yulan-jin begin anew. Few Yulan-jin rise above the perils of their condition to fulfill their Dharmic paths. Indeed, as they pass through multiple unlives, their memories blur and their personalities become lost in the wash of time. Only through the most extraordinary effort can a Yulan-jin maintain a hold on who he is and what he is doing; for the majority, though, unlife is an eternity of moving from role to role without understanding, or hope of salvation. Yulan-jin Society At first glance, it is impossible to tell a Yulan-jin apart from a Kuei-jin. Outwardly, both are animated dead, both are souls returned from Hell to pay for a karmic debt. Indeed, a newly returned Yulan-j in is essentially identical to a Kuei-jin in all respects, and may even be inducted into a court or wu. Once a Yulan-jin "dies," though, her true nature becomes apparent. Instead of hovering near the body to return from the Little Death, the Yulan-jin's spirit wanders until it finds a new and suitable host. Obviously, at this point, the Yulan-jin's nature becomes apparent. Although many young Running Monkeys and disciples have never heard of Yulan-jin, some elder will doubtless take die opportunity to bring up the lesson, and the Yulan-jin will find himself removed from his position in court and wu - one cannot have respectable and responsible duties if one does not have a stable body, after all. Since they cannot reside among die courts, Yulan-jin form their own sorts of societies. Generally, a Yulan-jin takes a particular use name - a name that remains constant from life to life - while otherwise adopting the trappings of the new body. So that one Yulan-jin can recognize another, they refer by their use-names when among other undead (often prefaced with "Yulan" so that a Soul Jumper can be distinguished from a Kuei-jin - "Yulan-Ho or Yulan-Shin" ) . Armed with an identity that passes from body to body, the Soul Jumpers keep some sort of contact. Unfortunately, when a Yulan-jin passes on, there is no way to determine what body will rise or how far away it will be. As a result, a Yulan-jin could easily find himself in a new form several miles from his old compatriots. Given this problem, it's no surprise that Soul Jumpers don't form close ties or settled societies, but rather have nomadic unlives where reputation counts for more than personal interaction. Stories told about a given Yulan-jin are passed through other Soul Jumpers as they move and interact; those who accomplish great deeds or hold on to their forms for extended periods of time are accorded respect. Yulan-jin Character Since Yulan-jin are effectively Kuei-jin who simply change bodies from time to time, character creation is straightforward. It's the changing of bodies that leads to the complexities of character. A Yulan-jin character in built just like a regular Kuei-jin, with only minor exceptions. Unless stated otherwise below, assume that character creation and abilities function for a Yulan-jin just as they do for Kuei-jin. Detecting Yulan-jin Outwardly, a Yulan-j in seems like any other Cathayan - there is no visible difference from other Kuei-jin unless one actually watches a change of bodies. However, the soul of a Yulan-jin is marked and starred by its passage through Hell and its subsequent traumatic trips through varying bodies. Indeed, each time the Yulan-jin changes bodies, a piece of the soul is left behind. As a result, the various Soul Arts can sometimes tell a Yulan-j in from a normal Kuei-jin. The Cultivation power Scrutinize, the Obligation power Soul Bridge, and the Chi'iu Muh power Purification can all determine the true nature of a Soul Jumper, as long as three or more Successes are scored on sensory rolls with the appropriate Disciplines. Whether or not the Soul Jumper is recognized as something different depends upon the occult knowledge of the scrutinizing Kueijin in question. Concept A Yulan-jin's concept does not necessarily differ markedly from a Kuei-jin's. The separation lies in the additional thought required to flesh out the character's background. Did the Yulan-jin have other lives before this one, or is this the character's first Second Breath? What settled the Yulan-jin upon his particular Dharma? Does the Yulan-jin have a place in Kuei-jin society at present, or has his nature been uncovered? Did the Soul Jumper leave friends and family behind, or has he decided to sever all such attachments? Ultimately, the unavoidable exigency of passing on forces all Yulan-jin to think about these questions. Willpower Lacerated by the winds of Hell while escaping Yomi, a Yulanjin's soul rarely has the spiritual fortitude common to Kuei-jin. As a result, starting Soul Jumpers must have a Willpower rating between three and five. Dharma Soul Jumpers can choose any of the Dharmas available to Kuei-jin, although the constant shifting of bodies precludes much development. As a special note, even the Thousand Whispers Dharma is difficult for Yulan-jin. Despite physically changing bodies, the Soul Jumper does not fill that Dharma's tenets well: The Thousand Whispers Dharma requires that the individual learn everything possible from a given life before discarding it. The Yulan-jin are often forced to discard incomplete lives. Body Swapping Regardless of skill or desire, all Yulan-jin find themselves changing bodies eventually. There are several circumstances under which a Yulan-jin may find his soul ousted from his current body. Although different events can trigger passing on, die result is always the same. A Soul Jumper passes on when: • His temporary Willpower rating reaches zero; • His temporary Chi of either type is completely exhausted; or • He suffers the Little Death. A Yulan-jin suffering the Final Death does not return to claim a new body - the spirit is claimed by Yomi. As soon as the Yulan-jin passes on, his body drops to the ground, truly and completely dead. The body suffers whatever sort of decomposition is expected for a corpse of its age. The soul then flees to the8 Mirror Lands, wandering the Underworld for days or weeks until it finds another suitable corpse. During this time, the soul undergoes the excruciating journey through Yomi until Fate finds another body for it. (Storytellers are encouraged to lead the player's character through the Thousand Hells if they don't mind taking a short break from the troupe's actions or for a little one-on-one roleplaying). Additionally, all of a Yulan-jin's guanxi break when she shifts bodies. Because a Yulan-jin's soul has had a true body for some of its existence, it seeks out bodies of that sort. Thus, it is rare for a Yulan-j in to take up residence in a body of a different gender, or with wildly different physical characteristics. Thus, Yulan-jin characters do not change their Attributes or Physical Merits and Flaws when changing bodies, unless specified by the Storyteller. The process of wandering the spirit realm and taking a new hose does impact a Yulan-jin's memories and personality, though. Often, upon taking a new body, the Soul Jumper experiences disorientation and loss of some memory; this may last for a day, or it may be permanent. When a Yulan-jin takes a new body, make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7). If less than five successes result, the Yulan-j in suffers some loss of memory; any Ability (but not Virtue or Discipline) rated higher than the Yulan-jin's Willpower loses one point. If less than three successes are scored, the Soul Jumper loses a permanent point of Willpower - the downward slide into oblivion accelerates as the soul remains unable to keep a hold on the material world. If a botch is scored, the Yulan-j in not only loses some Abilities, but also returns to die living lands completely amnesiac for at least a night-perhaps longer, if story circumstances so mandate. Changing bodies has an undeniable impact on Dharmic development as well as memory. Whenever a Yulan-jin passes on, he automatically loses one point from his current Dharma. (If his Dharma rating is already zero, his soul is blasted from the Earth and destroyed.) A Yulan-jin does not necessarily return in his new shell under the thrall of shadow soul; die player gets a normal roll for shadow nature to determine whether the P'o or the Hun is dominant when the Yulan-jin returns. Comming Home According to the annals of the Sunset People, it is possible, albeit difficult, for a Yulan-jin to find a final home. Indeed, Park Yulan Mi-jo, formerly of the Green Courts, supposedly managed to revitalize her soul through a regimen of Soul Arts and an "ascetic lifestyle, after bathing in a sacred spring. No longer a Soul Jumper, she took up residence in Singapore up until her untimely Final Death at the hands of a jealous rival. Storytellers can, of course, use such stories as motivation for Yulan-jin characters in a variety of chronicles. Although body swapping has advantages (such as leaving behind old debt and enemies), the constant dulling of memory and the price of losing friends should grate on Soul Jumpers after a while. The lure of healing the spirit and finally becoming a true Kueijin can be a draw as big for Yulan-jin as the promise of Golconda is for the Kindred. Akuma Shunned and reviled by all proper Kuei-jin, the akuma are the true demons of society-those so corrupt and depraved that salvation is denied them, that they have forsaken any role they may have had under Heaven, At least, this is the popular view promulgated by the ancestors of the courts. The label of akuma is, in many cases, simply a convenient designation by which to brand any foreigner or Kuei-jin who does not suit the whims of the court. However, the true meaning - that of a Kuei-jin who has chosen damnation over enlightenment, and forsaken Dharma for the whispered promises of the Yama Kings-is still sometimes true. Those akuma who are political unfortunates are the unhappy few that arrive in courts far from their homelands, or who otherwise anger the traditionalistic elders. Often, no real blame can be laid upon the akuma in question, though the individual may be marked for his rebelliousness, injudicious behavior or simply for having defiled Chi. As a result, the ancestors call upon the traditions and laws of the court, citing varied precedents and ancient beliefs, in order to justify the declaration of akuma against the victim in question. Never mind that the vampire may be guilty of nothing more than angering the elder or offending his sensibilities - the newly declared akuma finds himself the target of hostility and violence, and will likely die at the fangs of another Kuei-jin if he does not leave die court posthaste. The servants of the Yama Kings, though, are the true akuma. Where the Kuei-jin once served the will of Heaven, they are now demons trapped in dead forms and forced to survive on stolen Chi. Since Heaven has turned its face from the Kueijin, the damned reason, it is only right that the Kuei-jin similarly turn from Heaven. Other akuma are those who take up servitude in exchange for power, prestige or other things that they could not achieve for themselves - even immortals in search of enlightenment can fall prey to greed and pettiness. By bartering their services and souls, the akuma gain the favor of Yomi's lords, and those ancient spirits are mighty patrons indeed. Though powerful, a demon-tainted akuma is not without flaw. Ultimately, service to the Yama Kings gives up the akuma's freedom. An akuma may have great powers; he may have no fears of enlightenment or damnation; he may have dominion over men and vampires, but ultimately, his will is not his own. An akuma must serve the needs and desires of his Yama King; the one who fails simply becomes the next example, the better to motivate the others. Pacts and Servitude Entering service to a Yama King is no mean feat. Although the Yama Kings are always eager to corrupt the Kuei-jin (the irony of turning the Sunset People against their original office never pales), not all vampires have something to offer the Lords of the Hells. Powers? The Yama Kings and their minions are already more powerful than any Disciple could ever comprehend. Souls? The Kuei-jin's soul was a prisoner of Yomi once already; the Yama Kings consider such souls theirs by right. Service-the Kuei-jin must be in a position to offer to the Yama King that which the Lord and its servants cannot easily accomplish. So are pacts made: The Kuei-jin beseeches the Yama King or its intercessionary for aid, and in return promises to complete tasks for the demonic master. In many cases, both sides bring an initial gift to the bargaining table - the Yama King bestows some minor boon or favor upon the supplicant, who conversely offers up some deed or treasure already completed or acquired. An agreement is made, a bargain is signed, and the Kuei-jin becomes akuma in truth. In order to insure loyalty, the Yama Kings must be harsh and unequivocal. Thus, they never fail to fulfill their parts of hellish bargains. This promise of wish fulfillment continually brings disillusioned and greedy Kuei-jin to the ranks of the Hells. Conversely, the Yama Kings are unstinting in their punishments for failure; no miserable akuma can be allowed to think that he might escape servitude while retaining the gifts of Hell. Whatever a Yama King promises, it delivers - though what it appears to promise may be another matter entirely. Since many akuma are simply called upon to provide a particular service, the Yama Kings carefully fashion their blandishments to entice the vampires back for more. Most pacts include some time factor - granting a particular boon only for the duration of a mission is common, as are one-use investments and pacts for a year and a day, or even for 99 years, (Kuei-jin scholars aware of these trends tend to look askance at the treaty of Hong Kong.) Because of these "limited use" clauses, Kuei-jin who rely upon the assistance of Hell become dependent upon these powers and gifts, and must return the favors with new contracts and services. In theory, an akuma could back out after "freelancing for Hell," but the circumstances that drive one to make a pact in the first place - the desire for something otherwise unattainable - make this unlikely at best. Once addicted to the rush of Hellish power, there is no turning back. A typical pact involves the would-be akuma seeking out а means of contacting the Yama Kings - in this foolhardy endeavor many Kuei-jin die at the hands of unthinking spiritminions. From there, the Kuei-jin must demonstrate his worth and usefulness to the Lords of the Hells; this "interview" might simply be a look at the impressive achievements of an already-infamous Kuei-jin, or (more likely) a careful process of evaluating the potential usefulness of the recruit. If the Kuei-jin is deemed to possess the proper skills at an efficacious time and place, then a contract may be offered; otherwise, the vampire's Chi feeds the hungry slaves of the Yama King and his soul returns to the Thousand Hells. Should the vampire supplicant survive this stage, there is no return - he becomes one of the akuma. Spreading the Taint Frighteningly, there is no reliable-way to determine whether a given individual is a true akuma. The pacts and services of the Hells do not damn a vampire's soul; rather, it is the actions freely taken that do so - and many of the older vampires are as foul in their habits and practices as any young servant of Yomi. As a result, it is a simple matter for an akuma to infiltrate a court and a wu for a time, and this is exactly the first mission that most akuma are instructed to undertake. By entering a wu and a court as a respected disciple, the akuma positions himself subtly to gather information and influence for the benefits of the Yama Kings. Instructors who carefully guard themselves against hostile spirits can be spide upon through earnest young Kuei-jin students. Courts that declare open warfare against the demons of Yomi can be brought low by the single traitor within. In this fashion, the Yama Kings gather information about their enemies, and place pawns to hinder the Kuei-jin who would fight for enlightenment. After all, the enlightened Kuei-jin serve the mandate of Heaven, and part of that mandate is (or was) to combat the Yama Kings; why should the Lords of the Hells not take the first strike against such potential threats? Outside the courts, though, are the wandering akuma, those who deliver knowledge or services beyond the screens of Kuei-jin society. Such akuma are rare indeed: There are only so many hidden temples, lost artifacts and buried secrets to discover. Thus, these "wandering demons" often strike a bargain of mutual assurance, gathering arcane lore and sharing the knowledge with a Hellish patron in exchange for the powers necessary to complete the task of acquisition. After all, hidden knowledge of secrets and weaknesses may be as easily exploited by the finder whether hoarded or shared; garnering additional favors and powers out of the bargain is "blood on the baby." As these akuma rarely spend much time in own place, they avoid staying in any court long enough to rouse suspicion (except inasmuch as any wandering Kuei-jin is treated with suspicion). Of course, the ancestors and mandarins are all too clever no akuma can remain hidden forever. This, too, works to the advantage of the Yama Kings: An akuma fleeing the courts must turn to whatever assistance he may find. As such, these running demons are easily enticed into new bargains and services. Should an akuma fail to have any further use, then of course, there is no cost in letting the worthless servant fall- and so are the courts' fears assuaged, even as the Yama Kings set about the recruitment of additional tools. Akuma Characters As with other servants of the Infernal, akuma are not good roles for players - the challenges of seeking enlightenment and of overcoming the demonic curse of Yomi are lost for such souls. A character may be tempted by the minions of the Thousand Hells, but a Kuei-jin who makes the final pact casts aside any hope at redemption. The obligatory warning aside, akuma call upon a wide range of powers. Typically, an akuma barters with one specific Yama King; familiarity, after all, allows the akuma to draw upon experience and to work toward consistent goals. In return, each Yama King offers a host of different powers; the individual powers may vary, though in general, they fit the moods of the particular demon lord: Mikaboshi, King of the Wicked City, may offer technology-oriented abilities, while TouMu, Queen of the Hell of Being Skinned Alive, often gifts servants with powers of pain and torture. Individual powers are left to the Storyteller's discretion; there is no single template for "generic akuma" - every such demon is a unique and dangerous opponent. Almost all akuma, though, unearth the ways of the Hellweaving Discipline. With the proper obeisance, a Kuei-jin can propitiate the Lords of the Hells, calling for their aid or succor in times of desperation. These simple rituals form the core of a Demon Art reviled by all proper Kuei-jin. Still, instruction in Hellweaving is almost always part of any firsttime pact, and unlike invested powers, the knowledge of this Discipline comes without any time constraints. Indeed, once learned, this Discipline can be studied and improved normally; akuma sometimes teach the rudiments of this Discipline to others, as the powers require the proper service to the Yama Kings regardless of the practitioner. Storytellers are advised to use akuma characters sparingly and carefully. The relative scarcity of Kuei-jin means that, with only a small portion of them tempted into akuma status, the demon-touched are a distinct minority. An akuma is not a villain to be bested before proceeding to the next enemy; rather, akuma are a hidden menace, the festering, cancerous abscess that goes unrecognized until it's too late. An entire story can easily be built around the process of uncovering and foiling a single akuma. Heretical Dharmas Although one Dharma traditionally corresponds to each direction in the annals of the Kuei-jin, not all vampires follow the forms and traditions of Xue. Indeed, far from the centers of Kuei-jin civilization in China and Japan (and even in some places within those August Courts, though the mandarins would deny it), vampires practice beliefs handed down from other cultures. Guided by philosophies codified in ages past, these vampires practice esoteric rituals and cultivate unusual powers. To the settled Kuei-jin, they are a dangerous menace, espousing heretical beliefs. When discovered, they find themselves hunted, reviled and branded akuma. Even so, many parts of the world harbor these students of arcane eccentricities far from the reach of Kuei-jin courts and mortal eyes. Learning the heresies is no simple matter; a Kuei-jin must have the proper predilections and instructors. The relative scarcity of the heresies means that happenstance is the most common tutor for Running Monkeys. A recently arisen disciple may find himself instructed in the alternate Dharmas by a nearby heretic if no other representative of Kuei-jin society presents herself. Trained in thinking and customs outside of the courts, heretical disciples often find themselves in for rude shocks when meeting Kuei-jin society. Systems for Heretical Dharmas Many of the heresies are founded upon compound virtues, such as a balance between Hun and P'o. In such cases, all Dharmic path rolls are made with the average between the two scores; round halves upward. Heretical Dharmas do not have lucky numbers; as such, Kuei-jin following these paths gain only their direction numbers for their Horoscopes. Such is the price of following a path outside the confluences of the courts' astrology. Advancement along the heresies proceeds much as with any other Dharma: The Kuei-jin is subject to the vagaries of den. However, the lack of large followings among these Dharmas means that there are few ancestors along these paths. As a result, heretics cannot often rely upon training, but instead must forge ahead from the pieces of enlightenment that they can scavenge from history. The Flame of the Rising Phoenix Virtues: Hun and Yang I walked through the door of death And came across as a monster; I walked through the threshold of life And returned across as a man. - Ki Yuen, Rising Phoenix poet Kuei-jin were once humans; acutely so: unfinished tasks, unpaid debts, unfulfilled karma draw them back to their bodies. In their own corpses, they find new places under the Cosmic Wheel. They leave behind their old lives, to pursue an eternal existence of philosophy and enlightenment. But what guarantee is there that the Cycle has placed these Kuei-jin back in the mortal realms to fulfill a new purpose? Indeed, argues the Rising Phoenix, the true purpose of a Kuei-jin is to finish the tasks left undone in life, to pay the karmic imbalance by retaking one's former role and balancing the acts that brought damnation. By repaying the debt, the Kuei-jin completes his interrupted life cycle and pays his karmic debt, and is, thus, freed from the karmic cycle. Obviously, this Dharma is reviled as heretical by the Quincunx and the scholars of the Ki Chuang; the undead, they say, have been returned by Heaven with a new purpose and a new mandate. Yet the Rising Phoenixes argue that they have simply been sent back with new powers and a second chance to finish their unresolved lives; the abilities of the Kuei-jin, they assert, are tools to assist in fulfilling one's karmic destiny, while the Demon is nothing more than punishment for failing during one's lifetime. Overcome the urges of the Demon, master the powers of the reborn body, and complete the task of one's mortal life, urge the Phoenixes - and be freed of the cursed Cycle. Strangely, few Kuei-jin ever achieve great age or status while following this Dharmic path. Many scoff that this is simply due to the fact that the Kuei-jin of this path are incapable of spiritual development because their philosophy is flawed. Yet others note that the most vibrant and most enlightened of the Phoenixes will suddenly disappear from Kuei-jin society, never again seen; even, powerful divinations cannot confirm their deaths. The fate of these elders is a mystery - but in the meantime, the Phoenixes suffer persecution due to their lack of political authority just as much as from philosophical divergence. The typical Rising Phoenix is, for a time, a bastion of hope and. compassion; driven to regain mortality, they revel in the feelings a senses of their once-living days. Each one struggles to find his true place in the scheme of Heaven, and to fill that place; inevitably, they return to their homes and families, to take a role on the periphery of their old lives in an attempt to fulfill their desires for completion. Indeed, many form small followings among their immediate family, drawing sustenance and support from their relatives while seeking the means of transcending the curse and returning to mortality. Unfortunately, the driving hunger and false life of the vampiric condition inevitably lead to conflict and tragedy. Training: Rising Phoenixes don't have a typical training regimen, probably due to the lack of true bodhisattvas on this path. Most develop their insight and mysticism, in order to get in touch with their needs and drives and find out where they went wrong in life. Ancestor veneration is common as well, as the Rising Phoenixes seek wisdom from old relatives. Each Rising Phoenix must find his own inner nature and satisfy it in order to reclaim his place in mortal life. However, some platitudes remain useful to all Phoenixes. Students of the Rising Phoenix are counseled to seek out their mortal relatives and friends, to remain tied to their humanity. The Phoenixes also develop their self-discipline to avoid the temptations of the Demon, while honing their Yang energies to bring themselves closer to the semblance of life. Weakness: Rising Phoenixes, obviously, lead tragic unlives; the Demon, the imbalance of the soul, and the undying hunger all lead eventually to destruction of one's friends, family, and allies. Attempts to retake a true place in mortal society are doomed by the limitations of the Kuei-jin form. Many give up hope and change their beliefs later in their existence, after destroying their own families. Worse still, the fact that there are very few bodhisattvas on this path means that Phoenixes are easy targets for persecution; courts are quick to proclaim them outcast, and point to this lack as "proof that the path is fundamentally flawed. Affiliations: Mankind, the color gold and the east direction. Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Birds of paradise, clear skies, celebrations of birth, spinning tops, kites. Concepts: Shopkeeper, public servant, professor, student, poet, artist. Quote: Even in death I'm very good at that I do. Very good. Tenets 1. Return to the world from which you came. 2. Repay the debts of your human life. 3. Help others to find the unique value of humanity. 4. Fight the Demon and deny monstrosity. 5. Live not with extremes or balance, but simply well. 6. Wake the sleeper who shuns experience. Life is the arising of experience. 7. Never deny the joys and sorrow of life. 8. Return to your mortal ways; seek your human state. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: They would be monsters. In so doing, they deny their human souls. Resplendent Crane: Mistakes are tools for learning, not reasons for punishment. Song of the Shadow: The dead hold no secrets that do not spring from the living. Thousand Whispers: To be a thousand shallow lives is nothing, when they cannot be one life of meaning. Thrashing Dragon: Feigning humanity is not human. Kindred: No remorse, no return. They must die that they may live again. The Tempest of Inward Focus Virtue: Balance Is the eye of the storm any less for its peace? Is the emptiness not defined by its surroundings? In the wind, be still. In the calm, be free. - So-i Wenli, Tempest chronicler Pull and twist, push and tear: The fire of Yang and the void of Yin thrash at the Kuei-jin, even as the drive for redemption fights the Hell-winds of Yomi. The Tempests understand all too well the forces that spin through every vampire; pitting these forces against each other, the Tempests seek the calm in the midst of the chaos. Driven by the warp and woof of soul and Chi, the first bodhisattva of this Dharma supposedly crystallized enlightenment through the principles of negation. Unable to find solace in any of the manifold teachings of Xue, she sought exotic learning from distant lands. Gathering knowledge revealed by both spirits and demons, she fought for an understanding that always eluded her grasp. At last, she abandoned all Dharmas, existing only as her needs dictated, reacting to the world around her. Confronted by demons who taunted her with the emptiness of her soul, she recognized the void at the center of all of her learning and experience, and she awakened. Surrounded by swirling chaos, the Tempests bask in the calm within. Every carefully placed element becomes part of a circle; the circle holds all of creation. No one truth leads to enlightenment; illumination throws shadows that bring understanding. By watching the synergy of opposing forces, the Tempests learn what lies outside of those forces. Yin flows into Yang and twin souls war, but in the spaces between them, the Tempests find solace. A Tempest exerts moderation and learning. All things are worth study, but only in forbearance. To follow the straightened path completely is to fail in the pursuit of diversity. As a result, Tempests dabble in many things, seeking to find the contradictions and paradoxes of existence. Through such conundrums, they develop a detached point of view, seeing the truths in disparate parts. This is not to say that Tempests are dilettantes without dedication. Finding the center point from which all of creation is visible certainly taxes endurance. Indeed, Tempests strive to master many arts at once, since only the highest excellence brings full knowledge. However, a practitioner of the Inward Focus always moves deliberately, seeking to internalize every component of study completely (along with its complements and opposites) before moving on. Thus, the Tempests manifest skill and knowledge in many fields and endeavors, but only the truly ancient ever become adept. Broad study requires suitable instruction. Tempests move from teacher to teacher, always seeking new mentors. Anyone who brings a new perspective or an opposing philosophy, whether human spirit or vampire, may be an instructor. Once a new skill or art is learned, it is never discarded. Instead, the Tempest seeks out more differences and opposites, adding to the tumultuous whirlwind of conflicting ideologies that lend a viewpoint above them all. Mundane abilities, occult knowledge, and varied Disciplines are all keys to passing through the illusion of conflicting truths. Spirits and men are opposite sides of the same world. Shadow and wind compete for dominance, but both teach important lessons. Instead of focusing on any of the elemental powers of the Kuei-jin, Tempests turn their attentions to arts that move mind and soul. Ultimately, the storm tossed seek to become more than man or vampire, spirit or flesh. What lies beyond the gateway of enlightenment, they say, is nothing short of the universe itself - and so they seek to become the universe. Training: Tempests seek to tame their fiery demon natures with meditation, physical exertion and discipline. Flagellation and self-mortification are common on this path, though excesses are discouraged. Conversely, the Tempests try to understand their demon natures even while cultivating the Hun; they recognize the need to unify all parts of their unliving souls. Yin and Yang energy in equal measure seethe through the flesh and bones of the Tempests, who seek to balance the clashing opposites, bringing each to greater heights of counterstriking energy. Moderation is the watchword of the Tempests: Tightly bound and controlled, they indulge in all experiences, but drink deeply of none. Some outsiders consider such dalliances shallow, but the Tempests know that any excess leads eventually to weakness and, thence, to corruption, as exemplified by the fall of the Wan Xian due to their lust for Chi. Additionally, Many Tempests learn the Discipline of Chi'iu Muh, using the Dragon Tears to douse the flames of the Demon. Weakness: Pulled in many directions at once, the Tempests pull inward and refuse to commit to any. While this moderation serves its purpose, the Tempests often find themselves indecisive or wanting in conviction. Instead of embracing change and extremes, the Tempests fight for stability and tranquillity - but at the cost of true inspiration. In truth, the Tempests lack dynamism. Unable to fully embrace anything new, different or visionary, they remain a step behind the rest of the world; their ascetic practices and primitive lifestyles are simply outward manifestations of this problem. Playing off opposing energies prevents mastery of any one force. Without focus and drive, the Tempests cannot evolve. Railing against the extremes espoused by the radically different Path of a Thousand Whispers, the Tempests seek an alternate form of balance. Unfortunately for them, this form is handicapped by the fact that true, world-shaking vision is disdained by the demands of Inward Focus. The Centipedes express themselves eloquently and with force; the Temper can only assert themselves with minimalism and negation. Affiliations: The material world, the color gray and the center point direction Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Cyclones, mandalay spiral helixes, exploding fireworks, ripples in water Concepts: Ascetic, monk, teacher, servant, philosopher laborer, poet, lunatic Quote: I am the calm of the moonsoon and its greatest gale. Tenets 1. Pull all things near and make them part of yourself. 2. Balance the needs and desires on all poles, that they strive against each other. 3. Never stray from the core of your nature. 4. Realize the potential to learn from all people. 5. Remember the lessons of the past; apply them to the future. 6. Be consistent in your rewards and punishments. 7. Teach others the virtues of peace and moderation. 8. Bring harmony to the spirit worlds through balancing the living realm. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: Their indulgence in damnation is eternal. Resplendent Crane: A path so narrow cannot include the beauty of the wilderness. Song of the Shadow: Once dead, twice fooled. Thousand Whispers: Extremes of change bring only chaos. A life without a past contains no lessons. Thrashing Dragon: The fire embraced is the fire that bums. Kindred: Their very blood cries out with imbalance; spill it forth to return it to the cycle. Then bring them to awareness. The Face of Gods Virtue: Hun and P'o Even gods have their beginnings and their ends: To what end would you be put, godly one? - O, The Celestial Nail Certain theologians speak of the Wheel of Reincarnation, of moving from one existence to the next in response to karma. For the impious, this migration leads downward, until the soul is nothing more than a beast. For the pure and focused though, the reward is godhood. Even gods are subject to karma, though, and may fall again, returning once more as men - or monsters. Divine revelations of the mad poet О tell of the gods of the Thousand Hells, and of the great entities of the celestial realms. In his Red Bonk of the Iron Bridge, O draws upon an intimate knowledge of Yomi; in The Celestial Nail, he claims memory of divinity itself. Sparked by such works as this, some Kuei-jin see their state not as accursed, but as blessed: Halfway between man and god, the Godlings strive to return to their rightful place in the Heavens. Twin souls are more than cleaved demons, according to the Godlings. Instead, the Hun and the P'o are remembrances of a divine state once achieved Cast back into human form for a lifetime, the Codlings return from death as blessed immortals, gifted with superlative powers but also with infinite desire. To return to the godhead, one must find the seat of divine power-and this means mediating between the lusts of divine passion and the awareness of incipient omnipotence. Calling upon the universal energies of Yin and Yang, the Codlings shape the universe around themselves, seeking to hone their forms back into the sublime. Not surprisingly, mortal cults often spring up around Divine Faces. The Godlings encourage such activities, going so far as to raise dhampyr offspring and to exert their supernatural abilities on behalf of their servitors. After all, such followers are rich sources of Chi; some Codlings even find that the followers' faith itself refines to a more ethereal and sustaining Chi than their lifeblood. Ultimately, though, these cults are a means to an end - the end of harnessing enough Chi and cultivating enough of a following to ascend once more to a heavenly throne. While walking among mortals, the Divine Faces surround themselves in mystery and grace. Gods among men, indeed - the Codlings have no time to pretend at hiding their natures. Instead, they command, they rage, they succor; humans are sustenance, lovers, servants and aides. In return for obedience and obeisance, the Codling provides stability, prestige and power to his cultists. What god can be more compelling than the one that walks directly among his worshippers, bestowing favor and grace? Training: Indoctrination of a new Divine Face comes when an existing Godling takes it upon himself to reveal the truth of divinity to another. The Divine Faces favor philosophical and occult knowledge, mastering the energies of their transient bodies. Courtly graces and etiquette are also taught, as the Codlings must properly attend to their mortal followers. Weakness: Arrogance and whimsy mark the Codlings. Convinced of their superlative destiny, they find the notion of living as cursed beings repugnant. Followers of other Dharmas are seen as deluded mystics who miss the opportunity for true greatness, so no small amount of friction results. When a Divine Face feels generous, bounty flows from his hands; when enraged, though, his godly wrath tumbles down ally and enemy alike. For this reason, few trust or willingly associate with the followers of this Dharma. Other Kuei-jin even secretly fear that the Codlings may be right.... Affiliations: The heavenly realms, the color violet and the south direction Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Temple ceremonies, stands of burning incense and candles, shooting stars Concepts: Priest, cultist, criminal, magician, psychologist, traditionalist, venerated ancestor Quote: Have you come to bask in my glory or test my wrath? Tenets 1. Develop your divine nature. 2. Expand both godly and demonic consciousness. 3. Accept the veneration of mortals, but answer their payers in return. 4. Harness Chi to bring divinity back to your dead form. 5. Act according to the tenets of your Godly Voice, and your Godly Desire shall be fulfilled. 6. Visit the Heavens to remember what you have lost. 7. Practice ritual and tradition to empower your own essence. 8. Commune with the spirits; learn of their messages from Heaven. Rival Path Devil-Tiger: The shackles of terror enslave the monsters as readily as the victim. Resplendent Crane: Why be an agent of Heaven when one can be a god? Song of the Shadow: The province of the undying lies not in death. Thousand Whispers: There may be thousands of gods, each is an individual. Thrashing Dragon: Indulgence comes only with responsibility. Kindred: Cursed by gods, they a damned, not exalted. The Spirit of the Living Earth Virtue: Yin and Yang Spirits clothed in flesh, spirits in the floating world; How can we surpass ourselves if we are chained? Passing fire, breathing nothing, Spirit eternal. Цитировать
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	They are just as prone to extremes of personality and belief as any other mortal with a passionate connection to the supernatural - perhaps more so, due to the fiery extremes of their dual souls. Dhampyrs rarely have Natures that fit into society and tradition; as perennial outsiders, they are more likely to be Visionaries, Rebels, Deviants, Loners and the like. Of course, the face that a dhampyr puts on when dealing with the mortal world is subject only to the whims of the dhampyr. Dhampyrs can select from the full range of Natures and Demeanors, though some (Traditionalist, Conformist, Follower, Conniver, Bon Vivant) are rarer than others. Because dhampyrs have Demons just like Kuei-jin (albeit much weaker), they must also choose P'o Natures. The P'o Nature, however, does not determine when the P'o can test for shadow nature. Indeed, the Demon is incapable of such dominion over a dhampyr in any case, one of the benefits of the weakened immortal blood. Attributes Dhampyrs are mortal, and subject to many of the same limitations as other humans. However, the circumstances of a dhampyr's creation almost guarantee that the parent or parents take an active hand in forming the dhampyr's life. As a result, most dhampyrs are exceptional specimens in terms of their capabilities - dhampyrs gain 7/5/3 Attribute points to spread among their primary, secondary and tertiary Attribute groups, much like their inhuman parents. The limits to dhampyr abilities reflect their mortal heritage; a dhampyr is limited to five dots in any Attribute. Abilities With long life spans and access to unusual training from Kuei-jin, dhampyrs have exceptional capabilities. Though not necessarily as well trained as a jina or even a mortal shih, the dhampyrs are forced to develop their abilities just to survive the constant shadowy struggles of the shen, even if they choose to avoid such battles. Dhampyrs have 13/9/5 Attribute points to split among their Talents, Skills and Knowledge, and are subject to the usual limitations: no more than five dots in any Ability, and no more than three dots in any Ability during the Ability assignment step of character creation. Disciplines Mastery of Kuei-jin Disciplines comes only with long and difficult training for dhampyrs. A dhampyr character has one, and only one, Discipline at the beginning of play - a single trick mastered through excoriating practice. Dhampyrs may learn only Shintai Disciplines and Demon Arts; the Soul Disciplines and Chi Arts are beyond their ken (except for Feng Shui and Tzu Wci, which may be learned by dhampyrs just as they may be learned by any mortal). Learning a new Discipline is a taxing undertaking for a dhampyr. Like ghouls, dhampyrs are not completely skilled in the development of vampiric Disciplines. The first dot of a new Discipline costs 20 experience points to develop; additional dots (if the dhampyr is so fortunate and skilled) cost 15x the current rating in the Discipline. Dhampyrs reach their peak in Disciplines with age. A dhampyr's maximum Discipline rating is equal to his age in centuries (rounded up), so a 276-year-old dhampyr can have up to three levels in all of his Disciplines (and is likely quite decrepit and ready to fall over and die). Since all dhampyr characters entering play are assumed to fall into the range of 25 to 50 years of age, they are effectively limited to the first dot in Disciplines, although the Storyteller's dhampyr characters may be old enough to show exceptional prowess. Backgrounds Although dhampyrs rarely partake deeply of mortal society, they do not shun utility. Mortal ties are not paramount in the half-lives of the Shade Walkers, but neither are the dhampyrs bereft of such connections. A dhampyr may use any of the Backgrounds that a Kuei-jin may use, and has 5 points to distribute among those Backgrounds. Similarly, Backgrounds that are barred to Kuei-jin are not allowed to dhampyrs. The Salutary Question: Dhampyrs and Kin-jin Dhampyrs, because of their unique half-state as living vampires, do not interact well with the Children of Caine. A dhampyr cannot be ghouled; drinking the blood of a Kin-jin (which a dhampyr would probably never do willingly) simply restores Chi energy to the dhampyr (one Chi per blood point). Similarly, dhampyrs cannot be Embraced. If drained of all blood or killed and then fed vitae, they remain dead. Dhampyrs can be born to any human and Yang-imbalanced Kuei-jin parent, or even as the offspring of two Yangunbalanced Cathayans. Dhampyrs cannot result from a crossbreed between a Kuei-jin and a shapeshifter (as if that would ever happen!), since the spiritual nature of the shifter and the dead energies of the Kuei-jin combat one another. In a similar vein, dhampyrs cannot be Kinfolk or shifters; the half-dead blood kills whatever spiritual component may have been passed on by the dhampyr's parents. As already Awakened entities, dhampyr cannot use True Magick, although a dhampyr could use sorcery (just like a ghoul or revenant). Dhampyrs also can't be Kinain to changelings; the banality of their half-dead blood prevents this. Humanity Because they are still somewhat mortal, dhampyrs have a tenuous tie to humanity. However fragile, this slender thread is still a representation of the dhampyr's sanity and connection to his living side. Calling upon this human heritage gives the dhampyr some ability to combat the darker urges of his vampiric half, but the man within the Shade Walker is also vulnerable to the pain, loss and suffering of human compassion. Like other mortals, the dhampyr cannot lose his last vestiges of Humanity, no matter how far he descends - only madness lies in that direction; actions that would lead to the loss of the last point of Humanity instead give the dhampyr a Derangement. Dhampyrs have P'o ratings just like their Kueijin parents, though, and must be careful to avoid awakening the fitfully sleeping Demon. Dhampyr characters do not use Dharmas - the salvation for the reborn is not the path for those once born in shadows. Of course, some dhampyrs still espouse the particular virtues of a given Dharma, but they must abide by their Humanity as well, just as dictated by Heaven. It is unheard of (but not impossible...) for dhampyrs to follow Paths of Enlightenment - no dhampyr would ever admit to stooping to such conduct. Then again, coming in contact with a Path of Enlightenment enough to learn it should be ludicrously rare for a dhampyr. Unlike vampires, dhampyrs do not suffer from drowsiness' during the day, though most are, in fact, nocturnal by choice. Sunlight is uncomfortable to dhampyrs. As a result, dhampyrs only suffer Humanity limits to dice pools while in direct sunlight; if under shelter or, otherwise, in shade or darkness, a dhampyr functions with full efficiency even during the day. However, dhampyrs still suffer the social consequences of low Humanity (see Vampire: The Masquerade, pp. 134-136), and a given dhampyr's appearance becomes noticeably more monstrous and bestial as his Humanity ebbs. A dhampyr's beginning Humanity rating is equal to his Conscience and Self-Control virtues added together. Additional Humanity costs one freebie point per dot. Improving Humanity costs twice the current rating in experience points; additionally, the dhampyr must show some true connection to his human nature in game play, a task generally requiring exceptional and long-running roleplaying. P'o Though the Demon rests just below the surface of the dhampyr's consciousness, it is a lethargic counterpart. Not quite as fierce as the Demon riding a Kuei-jin, a dhampyr's Demon is less of a subtle tempter and more of a barely felt urge toward monstrosity. All dhampyrs begin with one point of P'o - this is the heritage of the Demon. Dhampyrs risk increasing P'o energies if they stray from their human ways too often and too heinously. Any time that a dhampyr botches a roll of Conscience (see Virtues, below), he gains a point of P'o. Each permanent P'o point reduces the character's maximum Humanity by one, so no dhampyr can have a humanity rating above nine (due to starting with a P'o of one). Unlike Kuei-jin, dhampyrs are not susceptible to shadow soul. Still, the Demon makes whispered threats and promises, and all dhampyrs must learn to contend with it. Any time the dhampyr makes a Virtue roll of any sort, the Storyteller rolls the dhampyr's P'o rating (difficulty 6); each success removes one success from the Virtue roll. Dhampyrs do gain Demon Chi from their P'o, just like Kueijin, and can use it for all of the same purposes: increasing speed or strength, growing fangs, powering Disciplines, etc. As always, a dhampyr may not spend more Demon Chi in a turn than his Stamina rating. Also, since the Demon is not as strong in dhampyrs as it is in Kuei-jin, dhampyrs only roll one die to regain Demon Chi at the beginning of a new evening, regardless of P'o-the dhampyr's demonic energies return slowly and erratically. This roll is always made at sunset. Dhampyrs who die with P'o ratings of three or more come back as full Kuei-jin. This is rarely a blessing of any sort. Virtues and Chi In conjunction with their humanity, dhampyrs have the virtues of Conscience, Self-Control and Courage. Any given dhampyr's Conscience resists the seductive whispers of the Demon and keeps the dhampyr true to his human nature; his Self-Control allows him to resist fire soul; and his Courage allows him to resist wave soul. These actions are taken as if the dhampyr was a Kin-jin. (See Vampire: The Masquerade, pp. 133-134.) However, a dhampyr is more than just a mortal- the dhampyr is a creature of burning, writhing Chi energy. Like the demonhunting shih, dhampyrs can use their Chi energy to perform incredible feats. The amount of Chi a dhampyr has access to is determined by his Self-Control and Courage; Yin Chi equals Self-Control, while Yang Chi equals Courage. Of course, the dhampyr normally has 10 points of Chi in his body; being only half-unliving, though, he cannot channel it as effectively as a true Kuei-jin. Thus, a dhampyr with Self- Control 3 and Courage 4 finds himself able to use only seven of his Chi points, despite his body's pool of 10 Chi. Using Chi energy taxes a dhampyr, just as it does a mortal. For every two points of Chi energy used, the dhampyr suffers one health level of bashing damage. The dhampyr may not use Chi in excess of his appropriate Virtue ratings unless a successful Stamina roll, difficulty 9, is made - each success allows the dhampyr to access one additional point of Chi, but also costs a health level (of non-soakable lethal damage) and forces a Conscience roll (difficulty 8) for loss of Humanity as the dhampyr burns out her very spirit. Dhampyrs may only call upon one point of Chi energy in any given turn; the Kueijin capacity to direct large quantities of Chi is beyond the capacities of dhampyrs' mortal husks. Dhampyrs are not limited to restoring their Chi energy with rest, though. A dhampyr may also feed on the Chi of others, gaining stolen sustenance just like a vampire. To do so, the dhampyr must eat flesh. Dhampyrs cannot absorb Chi from blood, breath or dragon nests, as they lack the Dharmic enlightenment to do so. Each health level "eaten" from a victim returns one point of Chi to the dhampyr's Chi pool, and restores the requisite health. However, such an act almost certainly mandates a test of Conscience. The normal uses of Chi energy besides Disciplines - animation, Ghostsight and the like - are not available to dhampyrs. Since a dhampyr is not a damned soul housed in a dead body, the ghostly powers of Lifesight and Ghostsight are not accessible. Dhampyrs require food, water and sleep, just like normal humans; Chi energy is not required to animate them, although a dhampyr may elect to spend a point of Chi energy (either type) to stave off hunger, thirst and fatigue for one day. Dhampyr Character Creation Trait Starting Values Freebie Cost Experience Cost Attribute 7/5/3 dots 5 per dot Rating x4 Abilities 13/9/5 dots 2 per dot Rating x2 (3 for new) Disciplines 1 dot 10 per dot Rating x15 (20 for new) Virtues 7 dots 2 per dot Rating x2 Humanity Conscience + Self-Control 1 per dot Rating x2 Willpower Courage 1 per dot Rating x2 Starting freebie points: 15 Dhampyrs do not suffer from Chi imbalance in the fashion of Kuei-jin, though they are certainly just as vulnerable to artificial Chi imbalance (through Disciplines or other effects) as anyone else. Willpower A dhampyr character's starting Willpower rating equals his Courage Virtue rating. Willpower can be improved with freebie points or experience points at the usual costs: one freebie per dot or twice the current rating in experience points. Willpower can be used for all of the functions - Disciplines, resisting mental intrusion, improving physical performance - that Kuei-jin can use. The mental fortitude of a supernatural creature is part and parcel of the dhampyr, and as such, dhampyrs can resist various supernatural powers on par with vampires, witches, ghosts and their ilk. Any power that finds supernatural targets more difficult to affect, or that can be resisted by supernatural subjects, is limited similarly when used against a dhampyr. Merits and Flaws Obviously, many of the problems and benefits specific to Kuei-jin are not relevant to a still (mostly) living dhampyr. In particular, dhampyrs cannot have the Kuei-jin Flaws: Defiled, Different Body or Vengeful Ancestors, nor should they take Merits or Flaws from the lists of those barred to Kuei-jin. The Flaw: Akuma may be taken. In this case, the dhampyr has been branded a traitor and outcast, although few dhampyrs survive long after such a sentence. Health Dhampyrs have the same number of health levels as a regular human or Kuei-jin. However, the hardiness of their perpetually dying bodies fortifies them with resilience beyond a human's. In game terms, dhampyrs gain a full soak roll against lethal damage as well as the usual soak-versusbashing damage. Unlike true vampires, dhampyrs do not take half damage from bashing attacks. Also, dhampyrs have difficulty with fire and mystical attacks, just like Kuei-jin; such attacks are aggravated and cannot be soaked without special powers. Sunlight does not inflict damage on dhampyrs, though many find it uncomfortable and are, thus, nocturnal by choice. The half-living flesh of dhampyrs does heal with time. A dhampyr can heal just like a mortal (see Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 219), although this process is rather lengthy. Using Chi to heal is more efficient. A dhampyr may use Chi to heal wounds like a Kuei-jin: One point of Chi heals one level of damage, while five points of Chi can repair one level of aggravated damage. Of course, the dhampyr may still suffer the usual health-level injury from using this Chi, but such fatigue is easily overcome with rest. Thus, the dhampyr's wounds close and knit, and he finds himself exhausted for a short time but miraculously recovered. Once a dhampyr drops below Incapacitated, the character fades quickly. As with any mortal, the dhampyr can and will die from blood loss, shock and major organ damage. However, the dhampyr may survive trauma that would immediately kill most mortals. If the dhampyr is reduced below the Incapacitated health level with lethal damage, make a Stamina roll (difficulty 9) success indicates that the dhampyr amazingly hangs on to half-life at the Incapacitated level. Aggravated damage beyond this point kills the dhampyr automatically, of course, and a foe who suspects the dhampyr's resilience can take measures to insure the death of the Shade Walker. Still, if a dhampyr is filled with bullets and left for dead, he may well survive to wreak vengeance on his unsuspecting tormentors. Dhampyrs do not suffer from the rigors of old age as readily as mortals. Once mature, dhampyrs nearly stop aging; barely a year of subjective age affects a dhampyr each decade afterwards. It is not unusual for a dhampyr to have a productive life for one to two centuries, barring accident, injury or the lassitude of eons; indeed, some dhampyrs are rumored to be more than 300 years old. However, for game purposes, dhampyr characters are considered to be between 25 and 50 years of actual age (an apparent age between 18 and 23, in most cases). The Little Details and Mechanica Although the new character types are included for the purposes of making the Middle Kingdom a more cosmopolitan and diverse place, not everyone will take them in the spirit with which we offer them. You know these people - they're the scapegraces who want to play Embraced werewolf mage faeries with True Faith. To that end, and for the purpose; of keeping the Middle Kingdom mystical instead of downright weird, please be aware of the following guidelines. Hengeyokai and other shen may not become Kuei-jin. Hengeyokai, though they may (rarely) go to Yomi when they die, are not reanimated in their former bodies. They are already creatures of as much spirit as flesh, and are far more likely to rejoin the cycle as a new (and therefore "normal") Hengeyokai than they are to spend much time in the world of the Yama Kings. As always, returning from the dead shatters a mage's avatar: While it is possible to have a Kuei-jin who was once a mage, he's not going to be wielding any spheres. Obviously, wraiths are already dead, and if they somehow get stuck in я mortal body as a Kuei-jin, they fit the definition of Kuei-jin, and lose Arcanoi for Disciplines. Hsien, like hengeyokai, are already creatures of spirit, and are likewise destined for other purposes than eating flesh under the blood moon of Tokyo. While a dhampyr may become a "vampire hunter," we find it difficult to imagine that any Shih would be too enthusiastic Ю instruct the child of a monster in the esoteric ways of her righting arts. Unless your Storyteller is completely deranged, dhampyr may not learn Qiao or begin play with an 8/6/3 Attribute spread. It's not physically impossible, but the sort of training required (not to mention the willingness of the teacher to do it) has made certain that no dhampyr Shih has walked the Earth in the course of history. (Storytellers, we're willing to lay 10-to-l odds that at least one of your players asks for your permission to be "the only one," since it's not technically impossible. Just say no, unless you're playing a very, very cinematic game.) Yulan-jin Not all souls that escape Yomi have the resilience to return to their own bodies. Shredded by the winds of Hell, some souls find that they cannot hold fast to the physical world. These wandering ghosts must return to bodies not theirs in order to fulfill their roles among mortals. The Yulan-jin are body-hopping Kuei-jin. Due to a lack of spiritual fortitude or to the demands of Hell, the Yulan-jin find themselves in a constant cycle of death and rebirth. When a Yulan-jin "dies" (or "passes on"), his soul moves out to find a new host. The former body, tainted with the residue of the Yulan-jin's leaving soul, is unsuitable for further use. The Yulan-jin has no real control over the choice of the new body; indeed, some tales attribute the Yulan-jin with a disturbing possibility of finding themselves in the bodies of gaijin. The P'o, enraged and seeking a home, simply picks a likely corpse, and the Yulan-jin slides into animation once more. Personality, memory and identity pass into the form with the soul, but the Soul Jumper often finds his memories clouded and fragmented. Old friends and allies may be many hundred miles away, and the trappings of the material world are nor taken with the spirit when it claims a new body. Thus, each new life requires that the Yulan-jin begin anew. Few Yulan-jin rise above the perils of their condition to fulfill their Dharmic paths. Indeed, as they pass through multiple unlives, their memories blur and their personalities become lost in the wash of time. Only through the most extraordinary effort can a Yulan-jin maintain a hold on who he is and what he is doing; for the majority, though, unlife is an eternity of moving from role to role without understanding, or hope of salvation. Yulan-jin Society At first glance, it is impossible to tell a Yulan-jin apart from a Kuei-jin. Outwardly, both are animated dead, both are souls returned from Hell to pay for a karmic debt. Indeed, a newly returned Yulan-j in is essentially identical to a Kuei-jin in all respects, and may even be inducted into a court or wu. Once a Yulan-jin "dies," though, her true nature becomes apparent. Instead of hovering near the body to return from the Little Death, the Yulan-jin's spirit wanders until it finds a new and suitable host. Obviously, at this point, the Yulan-jin's nature becomes apparent. Although many young Running Monkeys and disciples have never heard of Yulan-jin, some elder will doubtless take die opportunity to bring up the lesson, and the Yulan-jin will find himself removed from his position in court and wu - one cannot have respectable and responsible duties if one does not have a stable body, after all. Since they cannot reside among die courts, Yulan-jin form their own sorts of societies. Generally, a Yulan-jin takes a particular use name - a name that remains constant from life to life - while otherwise adopting the trappings of the new body. So that one Yulan-jin can recognize another, they refer by their use-names when among other undead (often prefaced with "Yulan" so that a Soul Jumper can be distinguished from a Kuei-jin - "Yulan-Ho or Yulan-Shin" ) . Armed with an identity that passes from body to body, the Soul Jumpers keep some sort of contact. Unfortunately, when a Yulan-jin passes on, there is no way to determine what body will rise or how far away it will be. As a result, a Yulan-jin could easily find himself in a new form several miles from his old compatriots. Given this problem, it's no surprise that Soul Jumpers don't form close ties or settled societies, but rather have nomadic unlives where reputation counts for more than personal interaction. Stories told about a given Yulan-jin are passed through other Soul Jumpers as they move and interact; those who accomplish great deeds or hold on to their forms for extended periods of time are accorded respect. Yulan-jin Character Since Yulan-jin are effectively Kuei-jin who simply change bodies from time to time, character creation is straightforward. It's the changing of bodies that leads to the complexities of character. A Yulan-jin character in built just like a regular Kuei-jin, with only minor exceptions. Unless stated otherwise below, assume that character creation and abilities function for a Yulan-jin just as they do for Kuei-jin. Detecting Yulan-jin Outwardly, a Yulan-j in seems like any other Cathayan - there is no visible difference from other Kuei-jin unless one actually watches a change of bodies. However, the soul of a Yulan-jin is marked and starred by its passage through Hell and its subsequent traumatic trips through varying bodies. Indeed, each time the Yulan-jin changes bodies, a piece of the soul is left behind. As a result, the various Soul Arts can sometimes tell a Yulan-j in from a normal Kuei-jin. The Cultivation power Scrutinize, the Obligation power Soul Bridge, and the Chi'iu Muh power Purification can all determine the true nature of a Soul Jumper, as long as three or more Successes are scored on sensory rolls with the appropriate Disciplines. Whether or not the Soul Jumper is recognized as something different depends upon the occult knowledge of the scrutinizing Kueijin in question. Concept A Yulan-jin's concept does not necessarily differ markedly from a Kuei-jin's. The separation lies in the additional thought required to flesh out the character's background. Did the Yulan-jin have other lives before this one, or is this the character's first Second Breath? What settled the Yulan-jin upon his particular Dharma? Does the Yulan-jin have a place in Kuei-jin society at present, or has his nature been uncovered? Did the Soul Jumper leave friends and family behind, or has he decided to sever all such attachments? Ultimately, the unavoidable exigency of passing on forces all Yulan-jin to think about these questions. Willpower Lacerated by the winds of Hell while escaping Yomi, a Yulanjin's soul rarely has the spiritual fortitude common to Kuei-jin. As a result, starting Soul Jumpers must have a Willpower rating between three and five. Dharma Soul Jumpers can choose any of the Dharmas available to Kuei-jin, although the constant shifting of bodies precludes much development. As a special note, even the Thousand Whispers Dharma is difficult for Yulan-jin. Despite physically changing bodies, the Soul Jumper does not fill that Dharma's tenets well: The Thousand Whispers Dharma requires that the individual learn everything possible from a given life before discarding it. The Yulan-jin are often forced to discard incomplete lives. Body Swapping Regardless of skill or desire, all Yulan-jin find themselves changing bodies eventually. There are several circumstances under which a Yulan-jin may find his soul ousted from his current body. Although different events can trigger passing on, die result is always the same. A Soul Jumper passes on when: • His temporary Willpower rating reaches zero; • His temporary Chi of either type is completely exhausted; or • He suffers the Little Death. A Yulan-jin suffering the Final Death does not return to claim a new body - the spirit is claimed by Yomi. As soon as the Yulan-jin passes on, his body drops to the ground, truly and completely dead. The body suffers whatever sort of decomposition is expected for a corpse of its age. The soul then flees to the8 Mirror Lands, wandering the Underworld for days or weeks until it finds another suitable corpse. During this time, the soul undergoes the excruciating journey through Yomi until Fate finds another body for it. (Storytellers are encouraged to lead the player's character through the Thousand Hells if they don't mind taking a short break from the troupe's actions or for a little one-on-one roleplaying). Additionally, all of a Yulan-jin's guanxi break when she shifts bodies. Because a Yulan-jin's soul has had a true body for some of its existence, it seeks out bodies of that sort. Thus, it is rare for a Yulan-j in to take up residence in a body of a different gender, or with wildly different physical characteristics. Thus, Yulan-jin characters do not change their Attributes or Physical Merits and Flaws when changing bodies, unless specified by the Storyteller. The process of wandering the spirit realm and taking a new hose does impact a Yulan-jin's memories and personality, though. Often, upon taking a new body, the Soul Jumper experiences disorientation and loss of some memory; this may last for a day, or it may be permanent. When a Yulan-jin takes a new body, make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7). If less than five successes result, the Yulan-j in suffers some loss of memory; any Ability (but not Virtue or Discipline) rated higher than the Yulan-jin's Willpower loses one point. If less than three successes are scored, the Soul Jumper loses a permanent point of Willpower - the downward slide into oblivion accelerates as the soul remains unable to keep a hold on the material world. If a botch is scored, the Yulan-j in not only loses some Abilities, but also returns to die living lands completely amnesiac for at least a night-perhaps longer, if story circumstances so mandate. Changing bodies has an undeniable impact on Dharmic development as well as memory. Whenever a Yulan-jin passes on, he automatically loses one point from his current Dharma. (If his Dharma rating is already zero, his soul is blasted from the Earth and destroyed.) A Yulan-jin does not necessarily return in his new shell under the thrall of shadow soul; die player gets a normal roll for shadow nature to determine whether the P'o or the Hun is dominant when the Yulan-jin returns. Comming Home According to the annals of the Sunset People, it is possible, albeit difficult, for a Yulan-jin to find a final home. Indeed, Park Yulan Mi-jo, formerly of the Green Courts, supposedly managed to revitalize her soul through a regimen of Soul Arts and an "ascetic lifestyle, after bathing in a sacred spring. No longer a Soul Jumper, she took up residence in Singapore up until her untimely Final Death at the hands of a jealous rival. Storytellers can, of course, use such stories as motivation for Yulan-jin characters in a variety of chronicles. Although body swapping has advantages (such as leaving behind old debt and enemies), the constant dulling of memory and the price of losing friends should grate on Soul Jumpers after a while. The lure of healing the spirit and finally becoming a true Kueijin can be a draw as big for Yulan-jin as the promise of Golconda is for the Kindred. Akuma Shunned and reviled by all proper Kuei-jin, the akuma are the true demons of society-those so corrupt and depraved that salvation is denied them, that they have forsaken any role they may have had under Heaven, At least, this is the popular view promulgated by the ancestors of the courts. The label of akuma is, in many cases, simply a convenient designation by which to brand any foreigner or Kuei-jin who does not suit the whims of the court. However, the true meaning - that of a Kuei-jin who has chosen damnation over enlightenment, and forsaken Dharma for the whispered promises of the Yama Kings-is still sometimes true. Those akuma who are political unfortunates are the unhappy few that arrive in courts far from their homelands, or who otherwise anger the traditionalistic elders. Often, no real blame can be laid upon the akuma in question, though the individual may be marked for his rebelliousness, injudicious behavior or simply for having defiled Chi. As a result, the ancestors call upon the traditions and laws of the court, citing varied precedents and ancient beliefs, in order to justify the declaration of akuma against the victim in question. Never mind that the vampire may be guilty of nothing more than angering the elder or offending his sensibilities - the newly declared akuma finds himself the target of hostility and violence, and will likely die at the fangs of another Kuei-jin if he does not leave die court posthaste. The servants of the Yama Kings, though, are the true akuma. Where the Kuei-jin once served the will of Heaven, they are now demons trapped in dead forms and forced to survive on stolen Chi. Since Heaven has turned its face from the Kueijin, the damned reason, it is only right that the Kuei-jin similarly turn from Heaven. Other akuma are those who take up servitude in exchange for power, prestige or other things that they could not achieve for themselves - even immortals in search of enlightenment can fall prey to greed and pettiness. By bartering their services and souls, the akuma gain the favor of Yomi's lords, and those ancient spirits are mighty patrons indeed. Though powerful, a demon-tainted akuma is not without flaw. Ultimately, service to the Yama Kings gives up the akuma's freedom. An akuma may have great powers; he may have no fears of enlightenment or damnation; he may have dominion over men and vampires, but ultimately, his will is not his own. An akuma must serve the needs and desires of his Yama King; the one who fails simply becomes the next example, the better to motivate the others. Pacts and Servitude Entering service to a Yama King is no mean feat. Although the Yama Kings are always eager to corrupt the Kuei-jin (the irony of turning the Sunset People against their original office never pales), not all vampires have something to offer the Lords of the Hells. Powers? The Yama Kings and their minions are already more powerful than any Disciple could ever comprehend. Souls? The Kuei-jin's soul was a prisoner of Yomi once already; the Yama Kings consider such souls theirs by right. Service-the Kuei-jin must be in a position to offer to the Yama King that which the Lord and its servants cannot easily accomplish. So are pacts made: The Kuei-jin beseeches the Yama King or its intercessionary for aid, and in return promises to complete tasks for the demonic master. In many cases, both sides bring an initial gift to the bargaining table - the Yama King bestows some minor boon or favor upon the supplicant, who conversely offers up some deed or treasure already completed or acquired. An agreement is made, a bargain is signed, and the Kuei-jin becomes akuma in truth. In order to insure loyalty, the Yama Kings must be harsh and unequivocal. Thus, they never fail to fulfill their parts of hellish bargains. This promise of wish fulfillment continually brings disillusioned and greedy Kuei-jin to the ranks of the Hells. Conversely, the Yama Kings are unstinting in their punishments for failure; no miserable akuma can be allowed to think that he might escape servitude while retaining the gifts of Hell. Whatever a Yama King promises, it delivers - though what it appears to promise may be another matter entirely. Since many akuma are simply called upon to provide a particular service, the Yama Kings carefully fashion their blandishments to entice the vampires back for more. Most pacts include some time factor - granting a particular boon only for the duration of a mission is common, as are one-use investments and pacts for a year and a day, or even for 99 years, (Kuei-jin scholars aware of these trends tend to look askance at the treaty of Hong Kong.) Because of these "limited use" clauses, Kuei-jin who rely upon the assistance of Hell become dependent upon these powers and gifts, and must return the favors with new contracts and services. In theory, an akuma could back out after "freelancing for Hell," but the circumstances that drive one to make a pact in the first place - the desire for something otherwise unattainable - make this unlikely at best. Once addicted to the rush of Hellish power, there is no turning back. A typical pact involves the would-be akuma seeking out а means of contacting the Yama Kings - in this foolhardy endeavor many Kuei-jin die at the hands of unthinking spiritminions. From there, the Kuei-jin must demonstrate his worth and usefulness to the Lords of the Hells; this "interview" might simply be a look at the impressive achievements of an already-infamous Kuei-jin, or (more likely) a careful process of evaluating the potential usefulness of the recruit. If the Kuei-jin is deemed to possess the proper skills at an efficacious time and place, then a contract may be offered; otherwise, the vampire's Chi feeds the hungry slaves of the Yama King and his soul returns to the Thousand Hells. Should the vampire supplicant survive this stage, there is no return - he becomes one of the akuma. Spreading the Taint Frighteningly, there is no reliable-way to determine whether a given individual is a true akuma. The pacts and services of the Hells do not damn a vampire's soul; rather, it is the actions freely taken that do so - and many of the older vampires are as foul in their habits and practices as any young servant of Yomi. As a result, it is a simple matter for an akuma to infiltrate a court and a wu for a time, and this is exactly the first mission that most akuma are instructed to undertake. By entering a wu and a court as a respected disciple, the akuma positions himself subtly to gather information and influence for the benefits of the Yama Kings. Instructors who carefully guard themselves against hostile spirits can be spide upon through earnest young Kuei-jin students. Courts that declare open warfare against the demons of Yomi can be brought low by the single traitor within. In this fashion, the Yama Kings gather information about their enemies, and place pawns to hinder the Kuei-jin who would fight for enlightenment. After all, the enlightened Kuei-jin serve the mandate of Heaven, and part of that mandate is (or was) to combat the Yama Kings; why should the Lords of the Hells not take the first strike against such potential threats? Outside the courts, though, are the wandering akuma, those who deliver knowledge or services beyond the screens of Kuei-jin society. Such akuma are rare indeed: There are only so many hidden temples, lost artifacts and buried secrets to discover. Thus, these "wandering demons" often strike a bargain of mutual assurance, gathering arcane lore and sharing the knowledge with a Hellish patron in exchange for the powers necessary to complete the task of acquisition. After all, hidden knowledge of secrets and weaknesses may be as easily exploited by the finder whether hoarded or shared; garnering additional favors and powers out of the bargain is "blood on the baby." As these akuma rarely spend much time in own place, they avoid staying in any court long enough to rouse suspicion (except inasmuch as any wandering Kuei-jin is treated with suspicion). Цитировать
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