Story

Light Heart is a martial arts epic in the style of films like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers. In this world based on Chinese mythology wushu (martial arts techniques) can literally bend the laws of physics, but only one people have ever bent the law of gravity, gliding, even flying. They are called the Shien or Cloud-People, an isolated and enlightened folk who live upon the summit of a high mountain called Shenlon.

For centuries the Shien have lived apart from the warring states which surround them protected both by the natural fortifications of their mountain home and the reputation of their legendary kung fu. However, in the recent decades the Emperor Ty Lin has succeeded in bringing all the states under his iron grip. The emperor is an avid student of kung fu and has mastered the techniques of all his subjugated people. The Light Step remains the final and brightest jewel in his crown and now with the power of all the states unified, he has the strength to grasp it.

Elements

Jade Empire

Also called the Empire of Heaven, this refers to the civilized realm. Beyond its borders live only barbarians who are ruled by brute strength and characterized by savagery. For seven centuries the Empire has been split among a number of warring states, each ruled by their own Lord. Kung Fu split along with the empire and each state developed its own distinctive style. Only upon the isolated Mountain of Shenlon was kung fu preserved in anything resembling it's pure and primordial form. This, according to some monks, is why the Shien retain the power of flight, a wushu forgotten by the fractured lowland schools.

Chi

Chi or Qi refers to spiritual energy, a power that flows from one's center and soul. Wushu uses chi to manipulate physical forces and help the body and mind achieve the impossible. Chi is gathered by a variety of methods, the most basic of which is breathing. Meditation, shouting, taolu (forms), poetry, and even alcohol are used to build Qi.

Gunpowder

Ty Lin did not claim the title of Jade Emperor by martial skill alone, he possessed a distinct advantage, gunpowder (often called dragon dust). Ty-lin's alchemists in his home state perfected the mixtures and his armies use a diverse array of primitive gunpowder weapons. Among these are batteries of firework-like missiles, simple arquebi (muskets), flame throwers, and bombs.

Huangfeng

Although the people of the empire possess horses and oxen, these are considered crude beasts, better suited for the lower class and barbarians. Upper class citizens and the Imperial Entourage instead employ large flightless birds called Huangfeng. These animals, similar to Earth's extinct Asian ostrich, have been bred by the highborn families of the Empire for millenia. Esteemed not only for their beauty but their grace and character, they have become one of the symbols of Jade nobility. Resplendent in iridescent plumage, they strut at the head of all high-born processions carrying guards or pulling their glittering carraiges and chariots.

In the army, Huangfeng bred for war carry mounted archers who use the speed and agility of the birds to move swiftly in and out of firing range. Calvary charges, however, still rely on horses since the birds are far to frail to survive the impact of so brutal an offensive.

The Shien

The isolated Shien people live an idyllic life free of strife and conflict. They are fond of agriculture and invention and have many miraculous yet simply machines which grant them abundant leisure time. They spend this time in an almost constant state of joy and laughter. Unlike the lands below the Shien learn Kung Fu from birth. There are no schools or dojos on the mountain. The Shien would find the concept of a place for the study of Kung Fu as silly as we would find a University of Walking. They develop their powers of flight around their sixth year and do not call the technique Light Step but rather Light Heart. This is a reference to the Shien philosophy, not just of Kung Fu but of Life (not that a Shien would make a distinction between the two).

By practicing the Light Heart, a wushu artist actually reduces their mass to the point that they can glide or fly and this is not just an advantage for transportation. All weapons rely on the resistance of their target to motion, its mass. This resistance is how a fist bruises and a sword cuts. However, a weapon swung at a nearly massless Shien can do nothing more than propel them backward for they offer no resistance to its motion. Even the Cloud People have their limits however. Flying drains their qi same as any wushu and to power their flight without leaping or relying on the wind drains far more energy. Eventually regardless of talent, skill or stamina, they tire and must return to the earth to replenish their energy.

Religion

The religion of the Empire is ancient, predating civilization and has neither formal name nor official text. It teaches that the world is ruled by fundamental forces. Most central of these are Yin and Yang, sometimes characterized as passive and active or emptiness and form. Below these are the five elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Metal and Wood. Below these are Dragons and other Gods, spirit lords and children of the elements. Finally, serving them are a great diversity of lesser spirits often in animal form. Of course, few ever see such spirits and many modern scholars go so far as to question their existence.

The Way, as the old belief is sometimes called, is practiced most fervently in pastoral regions where a farmer's livelihood hinges on nature's whims. Often large shrines dedicated to local Gods are maintained to assure their good graces.

Gender Roles

On Shenlon both boys and girls learn kung fu, but throughout the rest of the Jade Empire girls have been barred from kwoons (chinese dojo, pronounced gooan). To learn any wushu a girl must either seek private training or cross dress. The new Jade Empire has fortified this prejudice by giving it legal form and instating harsh penalties for women who openly display martial ability.

Players

Characters

Players are free to create any character, though they should keep in mind a few things.

1) The description of a character's style should be detailed and creative. "I know kungfu," is not enough.

2) The character's personality, description, and history should be thoroughly covered. Do not be afraid to add elements to the world, creating your own provinces, subcultures, geography, etc. (that's why I left it so open).

3) If you want to post in the initial scenes work out a reason you are at or near the siege of Shenlon. You may be in the Emperor's army, one of the Shien, a trader accompanying the army, or a simple peasant living nearby and caught up in the action.

4) Mastery of more than one kung fu style is extraordinarily rare as each kwoon jealously guards its secrets. Only the emperor and other high ranking officials have the clout to force kwoon masters to divulge their teachings.

5) Shien characters ARE enlightened regardless of age. If you can not effectively RP an enlightened being, do not play a Shien. This does not mean you need to be bland and colorless. That is a false Western stereotype of enlightenment.

6) If you want your Shien character to survive and escape the siege, you best play a young character. In all liklihood the elders will stay to defend the village giving others time to escape. That means they will probably either die or be captured.

7) Chinese names are backwards from Western. The surname comes first. For example in Hi Xan, Hi is the family name, Xan is the personal name.

Plot

The Story will begin with the siege of Mount Shenlon by the Jade Army. Where the story goes from there is up to the players.

PreOrdained Characters

There are a few characters who would generally be NPCs, however, if you impress me with a write up for them I will allow you to play them

-Jade Emperor (Ty Lin) - A young and talented man ravenous for power. He has mastered the wushu of every conquered province and now wishes to do the same to the legendary Cloud People. Little does he know, his heavy heart tainted by greed will always prevent him from mastering the Light Step.

-Shou Fen - The oldest of the Shien rumored to have lived for several centuries. He is the iconic kung fu master, complete with long waving white whiskers and unexpected jocularity.

-General Yan Dao - The Jade Emperor's chief military adviser, he believes in alchemy and strategy and scoffs at the mystical powers of the wushu masters. A peasant by birth his soul is driven by the desire to make his family name second only to that of the Jade Emperor.