Chronicles of Spring & Autumn (Progress Report) (Patreon)

It's time for an update! My creative output has been pretty slow lately due to a freelance job that's been taking up a lot of my time. I'm currently under NDA for it, but am VERY excited about the project. 

Dare I say, more excited than I was for Candlekeep Mysteries.

Today I sat down to organize all of my content and ideas of Chronicles of Spring & Autumn using MilaNote, an app I started to use for my Bureau of Paranatural Survey project. I'll be diving into my boards for this month's episode of Anything But D&D!

If you're new to my Patreon, Chronicles of Spring & Autumn (or Yue the Lunar Kingdom) is a setting for fantasy role-playing games that I am currently working on. The land of Yue is analogous to a fictional, late Bronze Age society with historical inspiration primarily drawn from the political landscape and folklore of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods of China’s Zhou dynasty. Presented in this document are histories, locations, non-player characters, artifacts, and strange creatures that you can use in any storytelling game. You will notice that the details of this world are not presented in exhaustive detail – this is by design. My goal with this setting is to present players and game masters with enough information that they can put to immediate use. Put simply, no two stories that use Yue as a backdrop will be the same.

Chronicles of Spring & Autumn is divided into six sections:

1. The Lunar Kingdom – a brief history of the Kingdom of Yue, their conflict with the rival Kingdom of Wu, and the rise of King Zhao.

2. Landmarks of the Lunar Kingdom – locations of interest within in the Yue borders.

3. The People of Yue – a collection of NPCs ranging from common folk to legends of the Lunar Kingdom.

4. Denizens of Mountains & Seas – a collection of fantastical creatures found in the Yue lands.

5. Relics of the Lunar Kingdom – a collection of magical artifacts and items created by Yue craftspeople.

6. Stories in the Lunar Kingdom ­– a series of tables for generating plot hooks related to Yue.

While I'm at it, here are short excerpts from parts 1 and 3!

THE LUNAR KINGDOM

“The Kingdoms of Yue and Wu are like a sword and shield – both in opposition and unity. Attack and defense. If only they would act in unity – for they would be an unstoppable force.”

A Brief History

Traditional histories trace the development of the Lunar Kingdom to the legendary sage-king, Yu the Great and his noble lineage of Kings and Queens. Yue’s founding served to create order in the Jade Hills during a period of great strife surrounding the collapse of the neighbouring Kingdom of Yin. King Wuyu established the first recorded Yue capital known as Old Dragon’s Nest – a mighty fortress atop Paradise Mountain. Shortly after the establishment of the capital, Wuyu’s people encountered an outcast from the north named Taibo who, along with his followers, settled in a neighbouring region and established the Kingdom of Wu. Six generations of Yue Kings and Queens would rule Paradise Mountain and the surrounding Jade Hills in a peaceful co-existence with their neighbours.

According to Yue scholars the peace was broken when, under the guise of a diplomatic summit, King Yuchang and Queen Li of Yue were treacherously slain by King Guang of Wu’s forces and their young son Zhao was taken captive. Seeking to annex the Jade Hills, Guang’s forces initially crushed the local population, but did not destroy the infrastructure of the nation.

The people of the fallen Lunar Kingdom did not take this great humiliation lightly and rose to oust their occupiers. After three long years of brutal conflict led by Weng of Yue, a general loyal to the late King Yuchang, the resurging Yue people expelled the Wu invaders, driving them back to their lands broken and defeated. As a sign of good faith, Prince Zhao was returned home unharmed. With the armies of Wu withdrawn from Yue’s borders, Prince Zhao was coronated as King of Yue. Under his reign, the people of Yue began to thrive, and their kingdom slowly recovered from the Wu occupation. Matured by the hardship of captivity and the loss of his parents, King Zhao would not wage war against Wu or attempt to avenge his parents – seeking to end the violence that they started.

KING ZHAO

King Zhao is the current monarch of Yue. To help Yue recover from a period of despair and war, King Zhao has enacted generous policies for his people and became famous for his righteousness and sound sense of justice. Under his leadership, the people of Yue have prospered thanks to the introduction of advanced bureaucratic principles, new agricultural techniques, and the cultivation of the arts. Zhao promotes harmony and the gathering of all within the Jade Hills – encouraging trade, friendship between local lords, and the cultivation of taste.

Appearance: Although he is the most powerful individual in Yue, King Zhao abstains from wearing excessive signs of wealth in and out of his court. He has long, luxurious black hair tied into a topknot. Smells of tea and flowers. Average physique.

Voice: If the PCs have never been in King Zhao’s presence, they have heard that he speaks with a breathy voice, one that compliments his noble appearance. In reality, he speaks with a silvery tone.

Talents & Knowledge:

· Knowledge of the Wu court from his time as a prisoner of war.

· Well-read on scholarship related to the wilderness surrounding the settled lands of Yue.

Morality & Mannerisms:

- King Zhao is known for ploughing the soils and working the paddies with the common folk of Yue. He is beloved by the people of Yue for his generosity and compassion.

- Particularly fond of nature.

- Seeks to create a long-lasting peace between Yue and Wu.

Flaws & Secrets:

- Paranoid – he fears capture and will always have guards within sight.

- Emotionally guarded on matters related to his well-being.

Stats: As a Noble with a sword (jian).