Jingzu

Jingzu (pronounced JING-zoo) is the native, animistic religion that prevailed in the early days of the empire. It waned in significance upon the arrival and adoption of the systematized schools of thought: Fojiao, Wanmei, and Fangshi. Its existence continued to be found in certain rites and rituals up through to more modern times, when politically-motivated nativist scholars attempted to reform and restructure the traditional practices into a contemporary framework in order to compete with “foreign” philosophies. Many people follow their traditional beliefs, sometimes guided by the updated rites and rituals, sometimes not. In reality, however, very few people will identify themselves as a “follower” of Jingzu, instead holding simultaneously some of their traditional beliefs as well as a syncretized form of the predominant religion or philosophy in their community, sometimes even more than one.

For those from particularly superlative heritages, however, this path extends even further. The first born progeny - irrespective of gender - of exceptional people are said to be heir to a bloodline that passes down to the present day, and these first-born offspring are often placed under severe scrutiny as to how well they are following in their ancestor’s footsteps. Should they be considered a worthy successor they will be accorded a great deal of honor and respect, and the opposite should they reject and go against their heritage. Under certain circumstances such as religious training, the powers of these ancient ancestors have a tendency to manifest as supernatural magic and skills, the strength of which may wax and wane according to the actions of the holder of the bloodline.

Not every bloodline is famous for a respectable ancestor, however. Some are notorious for being descendents of scoundrels and blackguards. While those with venerable ancestors are often assumed to be of excellent moral standing and accorded the utmost respect from the very start, the opposite is true of those with notorious ancestors. These are not permanent attitudes, however. Those with venerable ancestors must work tirelessly to uphold this perception, and often simply to maintain the already massive expectations placed on them. On the other hand, those with notorious ancestors can improve their standing and reputation by going against the ways of their ancestors, and hence redeem themselves in the eyes of society. Those with distinguished ancestors who were not necessarily associated with either moral extreme find themselves in a similar situation to those with venerable ancestors, but localized only to the community, role, or profession with whom their ancestor was associated.

Venerable Monk Ancestor
Alignment:Lawful Good

Domain:Divine

A venerable monk ancestor is one who is known as having achieved deep levels of devotion or asceticism, and to have seen realms incomprehensible to those who lack the gift of mysticism. Their descendents are amongst the most rare of offspring owing to the frequent marrying of celibacy to monasticism. As such, the holder of this bloodline is often forced to juggle the contradictory expectations of temperance and chastity, with a continuation of the bloodline. Moreover, they are also expected to have some strain of mysticism about them. People will often come to them to discuss matters of spirituality and mysticism, and will expect to leave with deep insights.

Venerable Doctor Ancestor
Alignment: Neutral Good

Domain: Life

A venerable doctor ancestor is one who is known not only for their gift of a healing touch and deep knowledge of herblore, but also for their advancements to the profession itself. Their descendents are expected to enter into some form of the healing arts, be it a physician, pharmacist, therapist, etc… Regardless of their actual knowledge of medicine, people who know of their ancestry will nonetheless come for diagnosis and cure. If their medical advice proves less than useful or should they refuse to give it, people will often assume it is out of some sort of failure of character.

Venerable Fortune-Maker Ancestor
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Domain: Luck

A venerable fortune-maker ancestor is one who set off from home as a prodigal son or daughter, followed an atypical path, and returned home with gold, fame, or a handsome lover. While the expectations are not as explicit as with the heir of other bloodlines, instead the bar is set higher. The holder of a fortune-maker bloodline is expected to have things go their way at all times, and in excess as well. Temperance, level-headedness, and an aversion to risk - though often considered virtues - are instead regarded by many as a perversion of the bloodline. In an everyday, folk context, this bloodline is itself justification for a little rules-bending. Moreover, not only is such a holder expected to become famous and successful, the expectation is that they will eventually return and share their success and fortune with their family. A lot of burden is thus placed on them to succeed, both inside and outside the family unit.

Venerable Shaman Ancestor
Alignment: Neutral Good

Domain: Light

The bloodline of a venerable shaman ancestor is a long one, and one only forged in the deep annals of history. With their proclivity for recording in writing everything that they can, the Zhongren can still trace such bloodlines, back to a time when shamanism was the height of religious expression and instrumental to the success of the state. Holders of this bloodline are rare indeed. They are expected to still have some knowledge and sway - even if it is small - over matters of fate, fortune, and sacrifices, and to have some kind of direct or indirect connection to the realm of the gods and the ancestors. Even in the modern age, they are sometimes still approached to be sacrificers and diviners.

Venerable Lawspeaker Ancestor
Alignment: Lawful Good

Domain: Order

A venerable lawspeaker ancestor is one known for being a great lawspeaker or statesmen, and specifically one with deep knowledge and respect for rule of law, which they spent their life instilling in others. They often were placed in positions of chief responsibility in projects to codify or reform bodies of law. Holders of this bloodline might be sought out for advice on laws by both rulers and subjects, and even sometimes implored to act as a legal defense. An individual with such an ancestor who is unable to live up to this legacy is likely to be thought of not only as negligent, but possibly even stupid.

Venerable Defender Ancestor
Alignment: Any Good

Domain: Protection

A venerable defender ancestor is one who acted as a selfless guardian or defender of the weak and helpless. They might be a robin hood-type who stole from the rich and gave to the poor or a wandering warrior who saved a town from bandits. Regardless of what they did, the defender ancestor is characterized by their selfless actions to defend others - mentally or physically - from harm or suffering. Those related to them are expected to act similarly selflessly, and are assumed to always be ready to protect and defend the weak. When they fail to do so others will think them selfish and greedy.

Venerable Sage Ancestor
Alignment: Lawful Good

Domain: Virtue

A venerable sage ancestor is one who accessed deep wisdom about the ways of the world and acted as a beacon of the perfection of virtue. Among the various bloodlines, the descendant of a venerable sage is viewed with the most scrutiny of all, because their ancestors were defined as the pinnacle of virtuous attainment. Like it or not, others will come to them hoping for practical wisdom or spiritual guidance in their day-to-day struggles. However, their reputation is contingent upon an unwavering adherence to virtues that may differ from person to person or even be in conflict with each other. Accordingly, their reputation also has the longest way to fall should they fail - voluntarily or not - at following these ludicrously high standards or fail to dispense the wisdom expected of them.

Distinguished Arcanist Ancestor
Alignment: True Neutral

Domain: Arcana

A distinguished arcanist ancestor is one known for their extensive knowledge and expertise in the study of the arcane as well as for some kind of breakthrough or furthering of the field. While most people will carry little about this bloodline - outside of perhaps assuming familiarity with magic - arcanists, wizards, and anyone else with even a passing interest in magic and its study will assume that the descendants of this ancestor has both a greater-than-normal knowledge of magic, but also some kind of latent magical ability. Occasionally the reputation that comes along with this bloodline will afford its possessor access to people and places they might not otherwise have, but the descendant will have to take care that they do indeed live up to their reputation for magical affinity.

Distinguished Merchant Ancestor
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Domain: City

A distinguished merchant ancestor is one whose history is characterized by wildly lucrative trade and superb business acumen. Moreover, this bloodline is associated with a lot of the trappings of wealth, including a willingness to spend freely, an epicurean taste in food and art, and an eye for quality. Business sense alone is not enough to live up to the demands of this bloodline, but the easy attitude towards money that can only come from intimate familiarity with it. Following this path faithfully will give the holder of this bloodline access to business connections or possibly even large loans. Should they avail themselves of these connections and prove less than they were promised to be, however, they may find many doors suddenly closed to them.

Distinguished Craftsmen Ancestor
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Domain: Forge

A distinguished craftsman ancestor is one who is known as being a master artisan, and for furthering the development of their particular art. Whether it be a legendary painter, swordsmith, or instrument-maker, they have done something so noteworthy that any descendants who don’t show even the slightest bit of skill or inclination towards the craft are thought to be selfishly wasting a gift to the world. At least to those with an interest in the field. On the other hand, should they show promise, they are likely to find many parties interested in patronizing and subsidizing their work.

Distinguished Scholar Ancestor
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Domain: Knowledge

A distinguished scholar ancestor, much like the arcanist and craftsmen, is noted for their contributions to a particular field of study, be it history, science, mathematics, literature, or so forth. Their descendants are welcomed with open arms to most any academic institution they apply to - assuming it is a program in the same field as their ancestor - based on the reputation alone. The level of their treatment and the pressure to live up to their ancestor’s reputation is proportional to the fame of that particular ancestor, with the descendants of influential entomologists being under much less pressure than that of a culturally-significant author, for instance.

Distinguished Explorer Ancestor
Alignment: Any Chaotic

Domain: Nature

A distinguished explorer ancestor is one who explored, charted, discovered, or graphed swathes of the world unknown. These ancestors might have been pirates and brigands as often as they were frontiersmen or cartographers, but in light of the benefit they conferred the Empire through their service, their behavior - good or bad - is often smoothed over by national pride. Although very little is expected of their descendants, some may still come to them with offers of treasures and adventure, on the assumption that accepting such an adventure is in their blood.

Distinguished Warrior Ancestor
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Domain: War

A distinguished warrior ancestor is one known for their valiance in battle, their brilliant strategic mind, or even possibly their sheer fighting strength. Whatever is the case, whether they were known as a great general or as a force of nature on the battlefield, their reputation for being a master of war casts a shadow over their descendants. Though no one will be disappointed necessarily if they fail to live up to their ancestor, not everyone views great warriors so favorably. And of course, one beloved warrior is another’s hated foe. Many descendants tend to keep their association with the bloodline hidden, as those that have not often find their bloodlines ended quickly.

Infamous Murderer Ancestor
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Domain: Death

An infamous murderer ancestor is typically either a serial killer known for their grisly murders, or one responsible for a famous or high-profile assassination such as the killing of a king or emperor. Whether they were caught alive or otherwise, their name somehow became associated with a particular family line, and their descendants have inherited their notoriety. Though any who know their identity will likely assume them violent and dangerous, descendants can eventually, through good deeds and acts of kindness, prove to others that they are more than their name.

Infamous Necromancer Ancestor
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Domain: Grave

An infamous necromancer ancestor is, much like the arcanist ancestor, one associated with magic. More specifically, necromancy. While their descendants don’t draw as much fear and disdain as others with infamous ancestors, they face constant disease at their presence, and lingering suspicion by others whether well-founded or not. While initially starting off interpersonal encounters at a disadvantage, many will come to warm to them, and even regard them as guides to the realm of death should they prove themselves a comforting rather than disturbing presence.

Infamous Spymaster Ancestor
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Domain: Night

An infamous spymaster ancestor is one known for guiding the reins of the state from the shadows through the tools of subterfuge, blackmail, and assassination. Given the Imperial emphasis on strong rule by a virtuous sovereign, the spymaster is a role often played by a historical villain, and the notion of a “necessary evil” is one of the kindest perceptions they can hope for. Unfortunately, the descendants of such an ill-famed figure tend to inherit the suspicion and enmity aimed towards these figures. Nonetheless, a holder of this bloodline that can prove their honesty and forthrightness to others may find deep friendships, even amidst prejudice.

Infamous Pirate Ancestor
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Domain: Tempest

An infamous pirate ancestor is one made so by the havoc they wreaked on the seas, both to foreigners and to their own country’s vessels. Some argue the only difference between a pirate and an “explorer” is how they are regarded in the history books. Regardless, while most people won’t necessarily revile the average person for being related to a notorious pirate, if they are an adventuring sort, people are more likely to assume that they will act according to their bloodline. Some places - especially near the coast - may refuse them entry to taverns or inns purely on this basis, “just to be careful.” On the other hand, if they become known as an adventurer on the side of good, the descendant may find their fame skyrocketing and becoming a quick celebrity off their sheer interesting history.

Infamous Trickster Ancestor
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Domain: Trickery

The trickster bloodlines are peculiar, as all of them emerged from antiquity when the Zhongren were a small, independent tribe, and the historical basis for some of the semi-mythological figures that spawned these bloodlines is dubious at best. Because of this, there is usually a discrete legend behind these ancestors, typically posed opposite a famous sage or shaman in a cautionary moral tale where the trickster is, almost without fail, the bad example. Despite the age of these stories, the folk-tale canon ensures that these bloodlines are still well known even today, and for those who bear the name, they entail a great deal of teasing and bullying, sometimes into adulthood. However, those who can turn their reputation for cunning and wit on its head, and to help others against tricksters and manipulators - especially those protected by the law - will earn a great deal of respect and admiration.