DES201-2018, Class Storyworld01a: Faction and Creature Design (Tibet) by 1701635, Charlie

## Supporting NPCs

### **Villagers**

Simple townsfolk of Tibetan villages. Situated in the mountainous areas of Tibet, these people haven't been majorly affected by the societal changes of other countries after the Re-Echantement, but have been severely affected by the loss of the internet and food sources, as they now rely solely on the revived silk road trade for supplies.

Villagers will try to help players on their quest in exchange for money or help. Villagers include arms dealers, blacksmiths, disenchanters, and magicksmiths. Following the events of the Re-Enchantement, villagers have been salvaging as much remaining functional technology as they can find.

While villagers are simply happy to get compensation for working with the players, they're usually allied with the Monastic Order of the Shambhala and will often run away from Reshukhanapan forces.

### **Tibetan Monks**

Regular buddhist monks who had to put up with the changes to their area. After the Re-Enchantment, they have been forced to hold their ground against the armies of the Resukhanapan Order, dark forces angry at the current state of the mountains seeking refuge in Shambhala.

Though not used to fighting, even in this post-apocalyptic world, the monks are equipped with both mystical staffs and modified high-tec plasma staffs. While only a very select few monks ended up Gifted and able to use magical abilities, if the player allies themselves with the Monastic Order of the Shambhala, the monks will aid them by upgrading their weapons, like blasters and crossbows, with magic properties that will help them against the Resukhanapan Order.
Being heavily spiritualistic people, the Tibetan monks abhor Disenchanter drugs and refuse to use them to enhance their abilities.

The monks are part of the Monastic Order of the Shambhala and will only help players who have allied themselves to the Shambhala. Their primary objective is to keep the Resukhanapan forces at bay by defending their Monasteries, and will seek the player’s help to help their resistance against the opposition and will send them out to reach the gates of Shambhala before the enemy does.

### **Resukhanapan Followers**

Loyal minions to their dark lord, these alien-looking beings have emerged from the Tibetan mountains following the Re-Enchantment, and, like other awoken supernatural beings, were disgusted by the current state of the Earth and now seek to restore it to previous conditions as they last remembered it. As such their forces have been advancing towards the holy kingdom Shambhala, hoping to achieve their goals with the help of magical items within.

Followers utilize a wide variety of demonic magic during battle, usually based on one of many elements of nature. Most followers have a strong resistance to physical weaponry, but are themselves vulnerable to magic attacks.

Resukhanapan Followers will initially ask players if they are willing to help them get to the holy land and open their gates in order to restore Tibet to how it previously was. If players choose to align with them, they will help their forces break through the monks’ defense and chinese soldier opposition.

### **Ancient Rainbow Monks**

For centuries, ancient hermit monks have been lying dormant in the hidden monasteries of the Tibet Mountains. These monks have attained “Rainbow Body” without dying in the process, a form where they have reached peak enlightenment where the physical body ascends to a spiritual level, leaving a mummified husk behind.

Ancient Rainbow Monks can be reawakened by the player and will grant bonuses to them before immediately resuming Rainbow Body status. A select few of these monks hold the pieces of the key to the gateways to Shambhala and have to be confronted regardless of the player’s alignment. They are fought as bosses to obtain the keys, defending themselves if the player has joined the Resukhanapan Order, and testing the player’s worthiness if the player has allied with the Shambhala.

### **Chinese Soldiers**

Soldiers sent out by China originally sent out to find the gateway to Shambhala, conceal it and cease any news about it. However, their progress has been halted by the supernatural forces now present in Tibet, and as such have begun prioritizing taking out these dark forces.

Chinese Soldiers are equipped with high-tec weaponry and heavy armor. Gifted Soldiers are no strangers to using Disenchanters during battle.

The exact alignment of these soldiers vary from group to group. While they all oppose the supernatural, some will join forces with Tibetan Monks to defend areas from the Resukhanapan Order, while others might stick to their mission and will try to cease Tibetan resistance to any advances towards the gates of Shambhala.

### **Yeti**

The Yeti are actually an entire species of beastly humanoids, incredibly distant human relatives, that have remained hidden from civilisation for as long as they have existed. Unfortunately due to the effects of climate change on Tibet, they’ve been having a lot more difficulty trying to hide from both humans and the newly awoken dark forces.

Unbeknownst to humans, the yeti have been amassing a lot of information and artefacts over the years; most of it is woefully outdated information, and as such their most valuable information is from ancient times, regarding the uncovered Monasteries, Shambhala, and the dark forces. For some reason they refer to the (late) internet as "minitel".

Yetis are strong and resilient, and are difficult to fight. They are for the most part an isolationist group, and would rather not be involved in any of the conflict arising from the Re-Enchantment. However, Yetis are more than willing to help the player and tolerate their presence if they complete certain missions for them, regardless of alignment.

Due to the recent chaos, the Yeti and their society have been threatened by angered supernatural creatures.

## Mythical Creatures

Following the Re-Enchantment, several mythical creatures and monsters have started reappearing in Tibet in full force. Following the effects of climate change on the mountains, some of the dangerous creatures have been released from their icy prisons in worrying numbers, while others have been threatened by the change to their natural habitat.

### **Snow Lions**

Mythical mountain beasts that embody joy and well-being. Representing the earth element, they roam around the top of the mountains and are generally fearless and powerful. Unfortunately, due to climate change and reawoken dark forces, they’ve been forced off their habitat and have scattered across the mountains.

Snow Lions are always opposed to the Resukhanapan Order and will not hesitate to attack the player if they are allied with them. Reversely, Snow Lions will aid players allied with the Shambhala whenever available if conditions are met.

### **Vengeful Wraiths**

Tormented ghosts of slaughtered monks that have returned with bloodlust, and can be found within some of the abandoned networks of monasteries. Blinded by rage, wraiths will attack anyone they see.

Wraiths can’t be damaged by any physical weaponry. These enemies are impossible to defeat until players are equipped with the correct magic weapons, such as the ones provided by monks. Only when damaged enough do they become vulnerable to both magical and physical weapons.

### **Hungry Ghosts**

Ghosts of people that have been motivated only by greed in life. Constantly looking to feed themselves but yet can never be satisfied. These pitiful souls tend to haunt overworld graveyards.

Just like wraiths, they can’t normally be damaged by physical weaponry.

### **Terracotta Soldiers**

Animated statues of fallen soldiers that populate the tombs within the mountains. While initially immobile, the Terracotta Soldiers can spring to life and attack at any moment to take players by surprise.

If part of the Resukhanapan Order, completing certain sidequests will allow players to summon them into battle.

### **Ro-Lang**

Mute tibetan zombies that cannot bend any of their joints, causing a stiff lurching movement. Considered a myth for the longest of times, Ro-Langs have been reappearing in full force since the Re-Enchantment, and the player will be given several missions to dispose of the Ro-Lang threat.

If part of the Resukhanapan Order, completing certain sidequests will allow players to generate Ro-Langs from defeated enemies.

### **Lair Wyvern**

Fearsome reptilian creatures that roam in Tibet’s caves. Despite the uncovering of Tibet’s hidden temples, the Wyverns have made no attempt to escape their caverns and remain within the underground network, making them dangerous places to explore. Wyverns are extremely aggressive and will attack anyone in sight, using their powerful claws and bite along with their fast mobility. In addition, Wyverns possess a strong resistance to magic effects.

Using highly powerful magic, certain monks will be able to tame captured Wyverns, and if allied to the Shambhala, players can use them as mounts within Tibet.

## Boss Characters

### **Chi Holders**

Hoping to keep Shambhala safe, a select few monks have dedicated their lives to keeping pieces of the key to the gates of the holy kingdom. Found as Ancient Rainbow Monks, the Chi Holders will reawaken to challenge any player hoping to obtain their key pieces.

These Monks possess a wide variety of sacred weapons, and are extremely adept with magic abilities and attacks. When defeated, they will either offer or drop magic upgrades, powers, or sacred weapons/armor, along with the key piece they hold.

### **The Abominable Snowbot**

In an attempt to combat the oncoming supernatural forces, one of the yeti’s greatest minds heroically stole experimental Chinese Military technology and built herself a dangerous weaponized yeti mecha suit. Unfortunately, on her first expedition using the suit, she seems to have gone haywire and has started a rampage throughout Tibet’s mountains instead.

The Abominable Snowbot uses highly advanced weaponry such as plasma beams and heat seeking missiles. Additionally, for nostalgic purposes, it utilizes ice and snow powers, attacking with freeze rays and artificial blizzards.

### **Druk**

Druk is a mighty thunder dragon spirit residing within a whirpool next to the Narmungka village. Recently angered by the loss of his precious jewels, Druk has been making increasingly distressing cries, and has already started causing destructive chaos around the mountains. Due to the current state of Tibet, Narmungka villagers have been unable to provide suitable or plentiful offerings to the thunder dragon, only worsening his cataclysmic tantrum.

Druk is fought in his whirpool. The thunder dragon is a formidable foe who uses devasting water and electricity elemental attacks. If the player finds all 4 of Druk's jewels, he can be appeased and calmed down.

### **Zipak**

A mysterious guardian entity that blocks the entrances to important monasteries. This bizzarre being is said to have eaten its own body in a desperate attempt to feed itself, and consists only of an enormous head and hands, pointing towards its missing body.

Due to his condition, Zipak floats around his area, using his clawed hands to swipe or grab players. It's most powerful strength lies in his mighty bone-crushing jaw, as it deals significant damage to any players it chomps on.

### **Shakyarahu**

Shakyarahu is an enormous guardian dragon, encased within the mountain under the gates to Shambhala. Currently slumbering underneath a thich sheet of snow, Shakyarahu has been magically placed between the gateway to Shambhala and the kingdom itself in order to keep it completely and utterly safe. Unfortunately, this would prove to be an incredibly difficult defense measure to hold, as the dragon required constant offerings and worshipping by the higher up monks. One day, in a stroke a luck, as Shakyarahu took a dragon-equivalent of a nap, Tibet was hit with an absurdly powerful snowstorm and Shakyarahu was completely covered in an icy prison. Using this to their advantage, the higher up monks sealed the gateway to Shambhala to keep Shakyarahu locked in this position, keeping him the guardian of Shambhala while also removing the need to constantly tend to him. Without any further incidents, all memory of Shakyarahu was lost over the centuries, with the only hints pointing to his very existence being a cryptic incomplete warning and scraps of trivia salvaged by the yeti.

However, after the Re-Enchantement and the rediscovery of the ancient monasteries, the dark forces of the Resukahanapan Order have made it their goal to make it to Shambhala, inadvertently threatening to release the wrath of the mountain-sized guardian dragon in the way, trapped for centuries without any form of appeasement, as the current climate of Tibet would potentially melt away all barriers between Shakyarahu and the rest of the world.

Regardless of the player's alignement, opening the gates to Shambhala and melting Shakyarahu's snow prison will result in Shakyarahu unleashing his fury at the player, hoping to unleash it to the rest of the world once it's done with you. Shakyarahu is a powerful aether-breathing dragon who will use his size alone to land devasting and hard to dodge attacks by any means possible. Shakyarahu's dragon breath has various magic properties, and after spending so much time sleeping under the snow, he has also gained powerful frost attacks.

Defeating Shakyarahu allows the player to enter the holy kingdom of Shambhala. However, the dark lord Resukhanapan will make his grand reappearance shortly afterwards, now that the guardian dragon no longer poses a threat to him.

### **Resukahanapan Embodied**

Resukahanapan is a supernatural being who became a dark lord hellbent on laying waste to human civilisation just to prove how inconsequential he believed humanity to be. However, before he could finish assembling his massive demonic army, he was unceremoniously killed by the claws of Shakyarahu when he arrogantly believed he could just walk into Shambhala to seize anything valuable from it, and as such his only remaining legacy would be his dark army, which in turn were frozen by the God of Boredom.

After the Re-Enchantement and the release of Resukahapan's minions, his dark forces would follow in Resukahapan's footsteps and continue their advances towards Shambhala, hoping to use it as a refuge from this strange new world while believing Resukahapan's spirit guides them on.

Resukahanapan can be found in person by the player for the first time in the temple of Khanapan, where his mangled corpse was held and sealed by a shard of banishing, a magic crystal used to prevent his ressurection. With the reawakening of his memory following the release of his dark army, followers of Resukahanapan have begun popping up around Tibet and have made attempts to free him from the shard. While these attempts have allowed him to rematerialize into a physical form, his body remains incomplete and abstract. He can be fought as a boss if the player is allied to the Shambhala, and will give important quests to his followers.

Upon Shakyaharu's defeat by the player and the arrival of some of Resukahanapan Followers to the gates of Shambhala, the dark lord is finally able to begin fully restoring his spirit into the physical world, hoping to continue his original plans but now interested in the potential of Shakyarahu's power.

In his final boss fight, Resukahanapan is still in the process of reforming, but will use his dark powers to channel some of Shakyarahu's power into his attacks, combining it with his already impressive dark magic attacks. In some attack sequences, Resukahahapn will also use his link to the dragon to momentarily possess him for a moment.