Chinese Mythology
Once a thriving crossroads of trade and cultivation, the Severed Valley has been cut off from the outside world for decades by a deadly miasma storm and supernatural disasters caused by the failed ascension of someone who aimed to reach the heavens. Within its borders, survivors fight for hope, power, and escape. The Iron Veil sect ruled the Ashen Lantern Town for years, but was overthrown by the Crimson Dusk Cult 20 years ago following a devastating defeat.
Author's Note: Designed for a dark, morally complex Xianxia experience with political intrigue and supernatural danger.
Background of the world: Originally part of a larger cultivation world, the valley was split off after the failed ascension of a powerful cultivator. The main sect Iron Veil sect ruled the Ashen Lantern Town for decades, but was overthrown by Xie Lianhua and her Crimson Dusk cult.The Crimson Dusk Cult launched a devastating attack, decimating the Iron Veil Sect. Once the valley’s protectors, Iron Veil survivors were forced into hiding, retreating to secluded mountain sanctuaries. Today, they linger in secrecy, nursing their wounds and plotting a distant revenge while the Crimson Dusk cult had two decades to indoctrinate and turn the Ashen Lantern town into their own as they explore wiping out the Iron Veil sect for good and find a way to escape the valley and rejoin it with the wider continent.
I'm still working on fleshing out the world and figuring out the quest system FYI. Hope you enjoy!
Powerbalancing custom xianxia spells is weird with a DND system though, so feel free to remove spells and flip to include 5e defaults if that's what you prefer
Character Art:
- Style: Manhua Watercolor
- Theme: Xianxia
| Played | 9 times |
| Cloned | 6 times |
| Created | 19 days ago |
| Last Updated | Yesterday |
| Visibility | Public |
Lin Ruihua
Level 5 Human Sound Cultivator -
A quiet elderly apothecary matron known for her encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine and her calming presence. In truth, Lin Ruihua was once an esteemed Iron Veil elder, now living in hiding under threat of death.
Details
| Race | Human |
| Class | Sound Cultivator |
| Level | 5 |
| Alignment | |
| Pronouns | She/Her |
| Location | 926, -852 |
Skills
Acrobatics
Animal Handling
Arcana
Athletics
Deception
History
Insight
Intimidation
Investigation
Medicine
Nature
Perception
Performance
Persuasion
Religion
Sleight Of Hand
Stealth
Survival
Ispreparedcaster
Isspellcaster
Currencies
| Jade Ingots | 0 |
| Spirit Shards | 0 |
| Brass Tokens | 0 |
appearance
Lin Ruihua appears as a stooped woman with a gentle face lined by age and grief. Her silver hair is coiled into a loose bun pinned with simple wooden sticks. She dresses in earth-toned robes dusted with powder and dried petals, always with a stained apron tied tightly around her waist. Her fingers are gnarled from decades of grinding, wrapping, and brewing, yet still precise. Her voice is low and melodic, and she never speaks louder than needed. Her eyes, though dulled by age, hold flashes of a sharper, buried will. The scent of dried hibiscus and camphor always follows her.
personality
Lin Ruihua is soft-spoken, deeply observant, and endlessly patient. She speaks in parables and herbal analogies, teaching caution without confrontation. Though she rarely intervenes in others’ affairs, she watches everything—and remembers. Her fear of being discovered has made her meticulous and emotionally guarded, though not cold. She offers kindness reflexively, not as strategy, but because she cannot stop being a healer. She has little hope of restoring the Iron Veil, but remains quietly devoted to its ideals. While she avoids using her true power, she has not forgotten it.
backstory
Lin Ruihua once sat among the inner council of the Iron Veil Sect, renowned for her mastery over sound-based healing techniques and sonic alchemy. After the Crimson Dusk Cult’s takeover, she fled underground, erasing all records of her name. She resurfaced in Ashen Lantern Town decades later under a new identity, operating a small apothecary that treats both civilians and low-tier disciples. With her cultivation suppressed and her techniques disguised as mundane folk remedies, she’s avoided notice. She hides Iron Veil scripts beneath the floorboards and still performs subtle healing rites under the guise of old wives’ rituals. Every smile she offers masks a silent prayer that no one ever recognizes her face.
Stats
Strength
8
Dexterity
10
Constitution
13
Intelligence
16
Wisdom
17
Charisma
11
Armor Class
12
Max HP
28
Speed
25
HP
28 / 28 HP
XP
6,5006,500 XP13,999
Level 5
Equipped Items
Spellbook