Tales of Jiangshi
Jiangshi is an extremely small plane of existence. It is very similar to the Material Plane except for a few key differences. Jiangshi consists of a circular world formed of tall, imposing mountain ranges, plains, hills and bamboo forests, shorelines and coastal cliffs, beaches and small islands. The only truly large body of water lies off the coast and is known as the Thunder Dragon Sea. Jiangshi is a flat world and sailing too far into the Thunder Dragon Sea can have you falling off the edges of the world. Likewise, travelers who venture too far into the mist shrouded mountain summits can get lost within.
There are not many settlements in Jiangshi, but the ones that exist are beautiful to behold. The capital of Xin is the only major urban center on Jiangshi and it lies at the heart of the world, built over both banks of the Jiaoguan River, with the Bridge of the First Emperor spanning both sides of the city. Most administrators, advisors, nobility, military and artisans live in Xin. Craftsmen and laborers as well, but they live throughout the region. Xin is supplied in raw goods from the neighbouring villages, offering protection and finished goods in turn. Around Xin’s outer wall lies region known as the Heartland. Here farmers make their homes, growing fields of grain and vegetables.
To the south of Xin lies Shuishang. Known for its fishermen, sailors and divers, Shuishang is the first of the villages under Xin’s protection and is associated with the element of water. The Imperial Harbour in Xin connects to Shuishang by way of the river before branching off to sea. Seafood, aquatic plants, salt, pearls and sharkskin all makes its way north from here.
To the north of Xin, up high in the mountains lies Piaofeng. Surrounded by cold and freezing winds, Piaofeng is nevertheless a crucial part of the realm as its explorers, mountaineers and guides patrol and protect the rich caravans which make their way between Xin and Shuishang and Qiao. Piaofeng’s peaks house many small monasteries and monks train for decades in the northern skies above Jiangshi.
Past Piaofeng, beyond the mountains lies Qiao. The furthest settlement from Xin, Qiao is nevertheless self sufficient. It lies nestled deep within an enormous bamboo rainforest beyond the mountains. As well, far from the temperate or frozen climates, lies the Rice Terraces of Qiao. Qiao produces almost the entirety of the world’s rice supplies and Piaofeng caravans carry them to the rest of the nation. Loggers and hunters are fairly common but the seclusion of Qiao makes for a fantastic place to learn and study peacefully. Scholars and academics alike live in humble abodes amid the bamboo groves of Qiao. Here, peaceful villages of Jinhou (a vanara offshoot) lie nestled among the bamboo groves.
Though the empire is largely at peace, not everything is idyllic. The Imperial Throne has laid empty for a century now though the Council of Xin does a remarkable job at maintaining order. From time to time, Gui raiders (a merfolk like race) attempt to seize fishing ships and attack divers. Gui live in semi-submerged villages far off the coast of Shuishang.
The history of Jiangshi dates back millennia when the first humans were brought to this world by Zangshen, the world’s patron deity. The humans of Jiangshi were saved from a cataclysm or disaster of some kind by the god and brought to this small realm to find peace. All humans are descended from these original pilgrims. Likewise, the Gui of the seas and the Jinhou of the woods are also from other realms but were brought to Jiangshi long ago, even before the humans.
The original human settlers founded Xin at the very place where Zangshen first brought them and ever since they have spread out across the land, founding the three other settlements. Though small farmsteads of a dozen or so farmers cover the Heartland, no other village has ever been founded for fear of disrupting the balance of Jiangshi. In fact, each settlement is protected by one of the four spirit deities: Xin by Zangshen, Shuishang by Haishen, Piaofeng by Shanshen and Qiao by Senlinshen. These four settlements exist under the gods’ protection and no new settlements have ever been built since.
