4.2 KiB
Here is the Lao-Shan Culture Tree, rooted in the realm’s ideals of inner balance, disciplined enlightenment, and quiet control: Lao-Shan Culture Tree Introduction Lao-Shan is a philosopher-kingdom steeped in the teachings of the Balanced Scale, where harmony is revered and deviation is quietly corrected. To live within its jade pagodas and terraced valleys is to be molded by discipline, ritual, and the pursuit of balance in all things. This tree reflects the spiritual refinement, coded etiquette, and subtle authority you gain from life in Lao-Shan’s structured society. Leading Skills You advance this tree using marks from any of the following skills: • Etiquette – for navigating Lao-Shan’s formal hierarchies and coded behaviors. • Spirit (Attune/Rituals) – for aligning with the Balanced Scale’s spiritual principles. • Performance – for expressing philosophy through parable, ceremony, and quiet influence. Tier Requirements: • Tier 1: Free if Lao-Shan-born or after 1+ year of residence. • Tier 2: One of the leading skills at Rank 2. • Tier 3: One of the leading skills at Rank 3. • Tier 4: One of the leading skills at Rank 4. Tier 1 (Lao-Shan 1+) Choose one: • Voice of Balance – Gain +1 die to Persuasion or Empathy when appealing to calm or harmony in others. • Tea Ceremony Discipline – Once per session, remove 1 Fatigue or 1 Slight from yourself or an ally through a quiet ritual (tea, calligraphy, or meditation). • Ritual Politeness – Gain +1 die to Etiquette when dealing with officials, philosopher-monks, or foreign envoys. • Spirit Listener – You may sense emotional disturbances or void-taint in a place or person; +1 die to Spirit rolls in sacred spaces. Tier 2 (Lao-Shan 2+) • Keeper of Stillness – Once per scene, you may prevent escalation: enemies must succeed a Spirit roll vs difficulty 2 or halt their action. • Philosopher’s Insight – Gain +1 die to detect deception, hidden motives, or inner imbalance in others. • Jade Ascendant – Once per session, declare that your training or academy rank earns respect; you gain +1 die on Social rolls with Lao-Shan officials or scholars. • Scroll of Harmonious Living – You may leverage Lao-Shan’s legal doctrine; gain +1 die when invoking laws, regulations, or civic duty. Tier 3 (Lao-Shan 3+) • Measured Authority – Allies within 5m gain +1 die to Spirit rolls while you remain calm and composed. • Rite of Containment – Once per session, bind a hostile spirit or void influence for 1 scene using a ritual; failure adds 1 Corruption die. • Academy Prestige – You may declare one high-ranking contact in the philosopher-kingdom’s academies or monasteries; they will offer significant aid (knowledge, safe refuge, or minor political support). • Shadow of the Scales – Once per session, subtly mark a target as “Disharmonic”; Lao-Shan authorities and citizens treat them with suspicion or avoidance. Tier 4 (Lao-Shan 4+) • Embodiment of the Scale – Once per session, declare a decree or command in a public or civic setting; enemies must roll Spirit vs difficulty 3 to openly defy it. • Silent Exile’s Gaze – Your presence carries the weight of Lao-Shan’s quiet enforcers; enemies in 5m take –2 dice on actions of aggression for 1 scene. • Celestial Alignment – Once per session, perform a full meditation or ritual at a sacred site; ask the GM one question about a threat, imbalance, or opportunity—answer is cryptic but precise. • Lotus Accord – You may call upon the Lotus Accord or Silent Scribes once per session; they will intervene (politically, spiritually, or covertly) in exchange for a significant price. Why It Works • Tier 1–2: Instills Lao-Shan’s outward harmony: etiquette, restorative rituals, quiet authority. • Tier 3: Introduces institutional leverage, spiritual warding, and subtle social manipulation. • Tier 4: Elevates the character to an embodiment of Lao-Shan’s doctrine, capable of swaying crowds, suppressing aggression, and calling on the kingdom’s elite orders. 🔥 Next step: Do you want me to tackle the Temerian Empire Culture Tree next (militarism + imperial void cult)? Or jump into The Reaches, which will be a larger project with three distinct sub-cultures (City-States, Frontier Folk, Mountain Tribes)?