Dòngxué

Humans who dwell underground and have adapted to life beneath by drawing into themselves the shebvic energy of menab’e.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: Metahumans

• Alignment: Shebvic

• Energy: Menab’e

• Lifespan: 120 years

• Diet: Subterranean fare - water, fungi, and subterranean plants and animals

• Habitat: Underground

Origins

During one of the many, many apocalyptic wars on Shem, many humans chose to flee underground. In their subterranean wanderings, they found their way to a region called the Hollow, a massive cavern midway through the layers of the world. Unbelievably, it was a realm of waterfalls, rivers, lakes, and strange underground plants. Foraging for their survival, they soon found they could eat many of these plants and some of the animals present. At first, they wore masks to protect them from the dust in the air and carried lights to see, but after many generations, they evolved so they could handle it. The ambient energies in the area also transformed them, giving them their skin, eyes, and other powers.

Description

Dòngxué are human-like beings with skin like smooth, flexible stone, in all the colors of stone possible. Their eyes are deep brown orbs with no iris or pupils. They are hairless.

Procreation

Dòngxué reproduce as humans do, with each other or with other human species. Outside their own species, the offspring follow the mother biologically. Outside of humans and metahumans, reproduction is only possible with supernatural intervention.

Powers

Dòngxué are stronger than they appear. They are also able to endure for longer than average doing hard labor. They are resistant to extreme cold or heat.

Senses

Every dòngxué who reaches maturity has the ability to smell menab'e and metal ore. Dòngxué have the ability to know their location in caves and tunnels through heightened awareness. They can see in the lowest light, and they have excellent hearing.

Skin

The skin of a dòngxué is as tough as the stone it resembles, but it remains flexible.

Breath Power

Dòngxué can breathe in stone dust. They have special sections in their lungs to hold it, and as they rest, they breathe it out in a fine mist. If they choose, while awake, they can breathe it out and cause organic matter to petrify.

Weaknesses

Dòngxué will stiffen and die without menab’e in their systems.

Nations

There are two main nations of dòngxué:

1. Hǎorén, the metal nation, survivors and miners who mine and wield menab’e

2. Lǎobǎnrén, the diamond nation, powerful wielders of drenante

Culture

They often wear very little clothing and engage in many body piercings.

The original dòngxué escaped war and strife by fleeing underground to the Hollow, and there they formed ad hoc societies that developed over generations into two major nations of subterranean humans. These first explorers of the wilderness of the Hollow lived in desperate groups just trying to survive, but after they settled, they developed into tribes. Slowly but surely they built a complex society of circular stone temples with great spires in the middle, cities built along rivers and lakes, and beautiful tunnel-complexes.

Having fled the disastrous merchant-states and tyrannies of the upper world, their tribes developed a system they felt was more fair below. Every member of the community had a vote after they turned twelve, and all issues that affected the whole community were subject to a vote. There were multiple councils which guided the community, including those based on craft or work, those based on gender (of which there were twelve), those based on age (children's council, young adults, adults, and elders), and those based on certain political interests. These councils were called the lǐshì huì. The councils elected their own officers, but these officers have no more power than any other member - just more responsibilities.

The only kind of work not allowed to have a council was the military. The military answered to the councils. Everyone had to serve at least two years after they came of age at sixteen and before they turned thirty. Those who chose to remain in the military had to be tested by the councils to ensure their loyalty, political acumen, and skills. They were split into several different branches: soldiers, tunnelers, sailors, spies, pathfinders, hunters, assassins, war-mystics, and demolitionists. They elected among them their own leadership, but these had to also be approved by the councils.

Children were raised by their extended families, taught in community schools, and encouraged to pursue their own paths. Once a child came of age at 16, they were welcomed to adulthood with a special piercing ceremony and a week-long party.

This society lasted for a long time, but some of their nation split off and formed their own society, and over time, the nation known as the Lǎobǎnrén developed. This society lured many of the original dòngxué over to them and eventually returned with an army that dominated and enslaved the original nation, known as the Hǎorén. Some Hǎorén escaped and retained much of their old culture, but most have been absorbed into Lǎobǎnrén culture as a slave nation. As slaves, they either mimic the culture of their masters or they live in desperation and try to preserve what they once knew.

What remains of Hǎorén culture is precious to them.

Hǎorén wear little clothing, preferring loincloths and little else. They engage in body-piercing, especially the ears, nose, lips, arms, legs, sides, backs, and even necks. Most piercings are ornamental, but a handful have special meaning: a neck-piercing along the left side is received when one comes of age, a piercing of the lower back is given as a reward for excellence and bravery in combat, a piercing of the septum is done when one has their first child, a piercing of the upper part of the right ear is done as a wedding gift. Different metals and jewels are used. None of these represent status, but rather, personal style. Some choose to ornament themselves only with one kind of jewel or metal, or with specific designs, or with special combinations of color and size, and so on. Often they have personal meaning.

Music is very popular among the Hǎorén, and they prefer to play in the tunnels to incorporate echoes into their songs. Every year, communities near to each other gather for special performances to mark the turning of the year and remembrance of their times above. (They mark time based on the surface-calendars using a counting system.) They also engage in numerous sports, mostly revolving around endurance, strength, and precision.

The Lǎobǎnrén were more war-like at first, but quickly, they discovered the infernal energy of drenante, which converted the menab’e within them into something that gave them power more quickly. They began to enslave and exploit weaker or less resourceful dòngxué and mortals of other species, including the living metal beings from the Low Mines and more. They began using others to work their mines, gather their food, fight in their armies, all while they reaped the benefits. Their nation, though small, gained enormous esoteric power and wealth, which they used to entice others to serve them.

Lǎobǎnrén have few customs they have not appropriated from those they exploit. They live in lavish buildings with gilded splendor, engage only in sports and games that bring them prestige among their peers (this changes with the fashions of the times), and eat vast feasts on a regular basis. Their food is always the rarest and most expensive; it is always about what they must spend on it, not the actual taste or nutritional value.

Lǎobǎnrén rule an empire called Wuordon. They are the elite ruling nation, but other species and beings live there as subjects, including the living iron peoples. Wuordon spans between the Hollow and the Low Mines. It is a massive feudal empire with a powerful landlord class, massive armies, and violent patriarchal customs.

Esoterica

As beings of menab’e, dòngxué are able to sense it, mine it, and wield it. They are capable of wielding any other energy, but the most common are drenante (which converts the menab’e within them and lets them drain it from others), bailaohu jinghua, kazaddarean, kakraohy, gebvel, and mijjit.

Religion

The Hǎorén worship Wěidà De Shōucáng Jiā, the Great Collector, a Divine being said to have led them to the menab’e mines in the Hollow. Their religion is usually a secret they keep and has no structure. In their own communities, religion is woven into the fabric of their culture. They honor Wěidà De Shōucáng Jiā in prayer and gratitude, but they do not have organized faith. Among the Lǎobǎnrén, Wěidà De Shōucáng Jiā is still worshiped, but they gate-keep the religion and distort the faith to be a prosperity gospel reinforced by a powerful polytheistic faith that involves greater and lesser Divines, of whom Wěidà De Shōucáng Jiā is the utmost, a judge of who deserves resource and power.

Gender

Gender was a complex system of twelve genders that is less a spectrum and more a puzzle of different correlations for the Hǎorén. Among the Lǎobǎnrén, it is a patriarchal binary.

Economy

The Lǎobǎnrén have a feudal economy. The Hǎorén are matriarchal.

Military

The Hǎorén have warriors among them who defend against the Lǎobǎnrén or other dangers. These warriors get an extra ration of menab’e that allows them to improve their fighting abilities. They wield metal spears, stone axes, and crystal daggers, but their primary weapon is their own bodies. They are called shēntǐ dǎjí.

Among the Lǎobǎnrén, there is a massive military of conscripts, slaves, and recruits. Elite warriors are bù qǔ who wear heavy metal armor, usually acquired from living iron deposits, and empowered by heavy quantities of menab’e. Common soldiers get a small ration of menab’e that is more than commoners. They are called shìbīng, and they wield rifles and spears. Among the armies are elite archers called hou yi who have as much menab’e rations as the bù qǔ, but who put that into archery skills. They wield powerful bows that can put an arrow through solid stone.

Language

All dòngxué language is based on Chinese.

Trade

The Lǎobǎnrén control mines and quarries and trade stone, metals, and menab’e itself with the outside world.

Occupations

Some common roles and occupations among the dòngxué are as follows:

• Bù qǔ: warriors who wear heavy metal armor empowered by menab’e

• Dǔ tú: gamblers who bet menab’e

• Fāxiàn Zhě: the gatherers of menab’e who form the bulk of all dòngxué labor

• Guì: nobles of Wuordon

• Hou yi: elite archers empowered by menab’e

• Huángdì: the emperor of Wuordon

• Hùlǐ rényuán: paramedics who use menab’e to temporarily tend wounds

• Kǒuji: musicians who use vocal mimicry

• Lǎoshī: teachers employed by the nobility

• Lǐshì huì: councils among the Hǎorén

• Mèi mó: witches of the Hǎorén

• Pàojī: turtle-keepers who put menab’e in the turtle shells

• Píjiàng: tanners who use menab’e in place of toxic chemicals to tan hides

• Sàipǎo zhě: athletes given a better ration of menab’e by the Wuordonese lords

• Sēnglǚ: wandering monks of Wěidà De Shōucáng Jiā who are outside the organized faith

• Sha kuàng: makers of games out of menab’e

• Shāngrén: traders of menab’e

• Shēntǐ dǎjí: martial artists who wield menab’e to make their bodies into weapons

• Shìbīng: common soldiers empowered by menab’e

• Shīrén: keepers of ancestral roles who validate the lords of the Lǎobǎnrén

• Xiǎochǒu: fools in the courts of the Lǎobǎnrén

• Xíjí zhě: tunnel raiders and pirates who steal menab’e from the trains

• Wú: priests in Wuordon

• Yuándīng: gatherers of seeds who tend the subterranean gardens

• Zhēntàn: detectives who are guided by senses enhanced by menab’e

• Zhíyuán: administrators, clerks, functionaries of the Wuordonese government who are notoriously corrupt

Outside View

The dòngxué experience discrimination outside of Wuordon, with stereotypes akin to the old “yellow peril” racism Chinese people experienced in the 1800s in the U.S., but it is termed “grey peril”.

Notables

• Lán Jiǎo, Blue Foot, hero of the Hǎorén who led them away from the Wuordonese conquest, deceased

• Tā De Xīn Shì Zuànshí, Her Heart Is Diamond, Dòngxué Manifest, Aeonian

• Wángguàn, first emperor of Wuordon, legendary conqueror, deceased

Estimated Populations

• Hǎorén: 20 million

• Lǎobǎnrén: 100 million

• Other: 10 million

Sample Stats

PRO 8
ATH 8
STR 10 Toughness 12
AWA 8 Underground senses 9
WIL 8
PRS 8
STH 8