Jade Mountains

The Xian Path (The Immortal Path)

Pronunciation: jayd mown-tayns

Term for People: Jades, Rénmen, Cultivators, Disciples

Names for Groups: Temples, Sects, Clans, Brotherhoods, Schools

Masks: Miansha, Mili, Jing masks

Most Popular Event: Returning Moon, Xian Parade

The highest towers begin from the ground, and Sects in the Mountains are built with immortality in mind – temples dedicated to elements, settling the undead, martial prowess, education and the Great Spirits may be found tucked away in corners where Monsters may not discover the scroll libraries or meditation spots. Jades believe in karmic balance, where good deeds inch the bestower supposedly closer to the Celestial realm of immortals, ruled by the Supreme, and dishonest deeds have a reward skulking in the Netherworld. The Great Beasts here are intelligent and referred to as Spirits, Kami or Shen: with some demanding appeasement, waging war, balancing the natural order, and some even granting gifts that rival those of the immortals or Gods. Some that live in temples often reject the truths of these Spirits, for their power invalidates that of the Celestial Realm. To the lowborn, these spirits represent a glimpse of Heaven and a tie to the worldly elements – many are adopted as ancestor spirits or sect protectors – a cornerstone of respect to your Clan name and your Temple’s inherited element (even if you cannot use the magic associated with that element). Ancestor worship allows for Jades to request help from their departed Elders in their journey towards immortality. Each element has a hierarchy in the Mortal Realm – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water are all believed to create, destroy and interact with each other in specific ways, often leading to alliances being called off between unsuitable elementally misaligned peoples. Mages who are aligned to the Void are unsettling to those of the “pure elements” – their energies have no clear tie to the tangible world, as if they are Spirits themselves.