zontar
The Thing From Space
It is said that long ago, immortals walked the land. They wielded incredible power, waging wars that sundered the heavens and shook the earth. For pride, for revenge, for their own selfish ends, it mattered not. Cultivators were either the greatest of heroes, or the vilest of villains. They would hunt impossible Spirit Beasts through the wilderness and search for mystical plants fortified with qi, seeking to absorb their essence to enhance their own abilities. Like a wildfire, they rushed to the furthest reaches of earth, consuming everything to fuel their growth. And like a wildfire, their fuel eventually ran out, and Cultivators were snuffed out.
Or, at least the insufferable ones.
There is much to be said for moderation. Those Cultivators who took a slower, less intrusive approach to growth found themselves overlooked as peasants and armies sought justice from the sort of man who lived on "Bleach Skull Island" in the "Tower of Flayed Orphans," while largely ignoring Cultivators who learned the most powerful art of all: "Minding their own damned business." It was these less... bombastic sects of cultivators that make up the bulk of the Enlightened that survived the various imperial purges. Those who survive today do so in secret.
However, while the Cultivators of China are the most well-documented, the fact remains that creatures and plants of power were found all over the world. And, more to our point, superhuman feats existed the world over. The Jianghu, the Rivers And Lakes, the Martial World, The Lumberwoods, The Wild West, Underhill- all of these and more refer to the same concept. A parallel, somewhat secret society, with rules and values than the one that surrounds mundane life. Is a Spirit Beast really that different from a Fearsome Critter? Is a sect of Cultivators really that different from the Knights of the Round Table? Does it matter if a skilled martial artist uses Crane Style with a jiandao or a macahuitl? Is taking the power of a beast any different if you consume the Salmon of Knowledge or a Bird of Paradise?
While the average joe on the street will never realize it, the powers that be are all too aware: Just as Cultivators still exist, spirit beasts and items of power are still found in the world's wild places. The various Celestial Realms, from the Celestial Bureaucracy and Underhill to Olympus and Mictlan, are quite real. And, like it or not, it's hard to justify the expense of using an army to kill one freak in a tower or one particularly ornery wild animal. Cultivators, for better or worse, are a necessary evil.
Such is the case for our story- the tomb-complex of an ancient cultivator who mastered the use of Ominous Chi was found beneath a Hong Kong construction site. While the archaeological value is significant, the more immediate concern for the locals is the rash of monsters found with in. Ogres, demons, spirit beasts, and many more horrors of old have been brought into the world once more. And so, the local Masters of the Martial World have sounded the call- heroes and villains, warriors and wizards, from all around the planet, the cultivators have flocked to Hong Kong. Some seek additional mystical secrets from the tomb. Some seek the challenge of battle, be the foes human or beast. Most, however, are just here to keep things from getting too out of hand. The secrets of the Martial World must be maintained, lest those who still live be purged as their predecessors were long ago.
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Hey yall. Are you tired of wuxia and xianxia RP that people want you to treat as a second job? Do you long to touch grass without it destroying your cultivation? Then boy do I have a treat for you! Hidden Masters of the Martial World is a blend of wuxia and urban fantasy, looking at myths and folk tales the world over through the lens of crazed hermits fistfighting and making magic pills. Dress in flowing robes and take up the jiandao as is the tradition, or be a gunslinging cowboy that'd make Pecos Bill hoop and holler with pride.
