Sai Yuan Wall

The Sai Yuan Wall lies between the Baolei and the Desolation. It is 50 miles (80km) in length and 65 feet tall, the wall is about 30 feet thick. Dozens of watchtowers are spread across its vastness, gazing upon the Desolation like ever vigilent hawks. There are no gates as they were seen as a weak point. A system of lifts on the northern side and stairs on the south one is used instead by the defenders to get across.

### **History**

Shortly after Tianhuang pushed away the Northern tribes inside the Desolation, Sai yuan wall was built along what became the northern border of the empire.

For a thousand years it has stopped any assault or invasion from the barbaric tribes. Beasts and marauders of the Desolation come crashing down like waves against its sturdiness with little effect. These assaults happen on a regular basis, the tribes animated by a desire of vengeance against Baolei and their cursed emperor.

As the Age of Scarcity began and magic started fading, so too did the size and frequency of attacks against the wall. Eventually as forces were needed elsewhere the once sizable army defending the Wall was reduced and many of its siege engines fell into disrepair during the 300 years period.

But now the magic is back and so too are the Northern barbarians. They have begun gathering again with renewed vigor, and launch devastating assault with magic fueled shamans and witches at their heads. Sai Yuan would have been overwhelmed if not for the great skills and discipline of the defenders. But as time goes on, the scale of their attacks only grows and it is but a matter of time before the Northern tribes manage a breach within the wall.

### **Defenders**

Sai yuan wall is manned by a portion of the Imperial army. At its peak this battalion had well over twenty thousand troops spread across the wall. While the garrisons have dwindled over time during the Age of Scarcity there are still a good number of soldiers stationed there.

Within the military of Baolei, being sent to defend Sai Yuan is often seen as a punishment. Soldiers who have faulted, were disliked by their superior or simply disrespected the Emperor are usually transferred to this cold and unpleasant place for years. Despite that, guarding the wall is a great honor, and nobody incarnates this duty better than the noble clans of defenders.

These clan's members are entirely dedicated to the defense of the wall. They have all distinguished themselves and each clan has a specific set of skills they use to repel the invaders. Some of these unique techniques are kept secret by the clan, and they sometime go so far as to marry between themselves or adopt outsiders into the clan to not divulge them.

### **Feng Clan**

The Feng clan's members are master tacticians and strategists. They are dispatched across the entire wall to supervise the defense and orchestrate any operation be it in battle or in supply and management. They usually don't have particularly unique fighting techniques, but a unit under the command of someone from the Feng clan operates just as well as an extension of their mind.

### **Hida Clan**

The Hida Clan were the original defenders of the wall since its creation. They consider their duty to protect it as sacred and have total devotion to the emperor. They use formation tactics and are usually heavily armored. They incarnate the incredible sturdiness and immovability of Sai Yuan. They are the first line of defense against anything that would dare step onto the wall, slowing and pinning them in vulnerable positions to be promptly disposed off by their comrades.

### **Hisho Clan**

Fast and Mobile, members of the Hisho clan are taught to be swift like the wind and can cross large sections of the wall in a matter of minutes. They are the only defenders that will willingly leave the wall's security to venture into the Desolation to target specific threats that would be hard to reach with arrows or war engines. They usually use lifts and ropes but some tales say some Hisho members could leap off the wall, strike their target and bounce back to safety in the blink of an eye. Younger clan members who are not fully trained yet are tasked with carrying messages.

### **The Spider Unit**

The Spider Unit was created by General Hong Tao 600 years ago. They are in charge of maintaining traps, siege engines and all kinds of equipment to help in the defense. During an assault, they fight using alchemical weapons and gadgets, throwing fire bombs and caltrops off the wall to cause chaos and devastation within enemy ranks.

### **The Owl Patrol**

After the end of the Age of Scarcity, all individuals skilled in magic were grouped under the Owl Unit. Many wall defenders believe this is a way to keep mages out of the military structure. While effective, they are in small number and usually not trusted. Most spellcasters defending the wall tend to focus less on destructive magic and more on strengthening the defenders or to counter the Northern Shamans.