Cūn Xuányá

Xuánwǔ — The Black Tortoise of the North
The Memory of Stone

The oldest of the four, Xuánwǔ appears as a mountain-sized tortoise with a shell of black jade, upon which grows a forest of ancient trees. A serpent—some say his tail, others say a separate being entirely—coils around his body. He is time made manifest, moving so slowly that a single heartbeat takes a year.

Relationship to Xuányá:
The village is built upon his back—or rather, upon the cliff that is his shell. The founders did not know this when they settled; they discovered it only when the Chén Archive found carvings in the deepest caves showing the "mountain" opening one eye in ages past. Xuánwǔ is aware of the village but does not acknowledge it. His dreams, however, shape reality—when he stirs, the caves shift; when he remembers, the past bleeds into the present.

Current Status: The Chén clan has detected increased seismic activity in the deep caves. Xuánwǔ may be waking. If he moves, Cūn Xuányá will cease to exist.

Zhūquè — The Vermillion Bird of the South
The Flame of Rebirth (Mythical)

Not truly a bird but a phoenix-like entity of perpetual regeneration, Zhūquè appears as a peacock-sized firebird with plumage in impossible shades of red, orange, and gold that burns without consuming. She nests in volcanic vents deep in the southern mountains and represents the cycle of destruction and renewal.

Relationship to Xuányá:
The Chén clan maintains the Ash Garden, a greenhouse heated by thermal vents where they cultivate the Resurrection Lily—a flower that only grows where Zhūquè has wept. The tears of the Vermillion Bird are the primary ingredient in the village's most potent healing elixirs and resurrection powders.

Current Status: Zhūquè has not been seen in twenty years, which is concerning—her absence suggests she may be preparing for a Great Immolation, a rebirth event that would level everything within fifty li in cleansing fire.

Báihǔ — The White Tiger of the West
The Hunter of Unbalanced Souls (Mythical)

A beast the size of a house, with fur like fresh snow striped in black ink, Báihǔ prowls the forests west of the precipice. He is the executioner of the spirit world, hunting ghosts that have escaped judgment, rogue demons that break natural law, and occasionally—humans whose spiritual corruption grows too great.

Relationship to Xuányá:
The village maintains a White Pact. Once per season, the Yèxíng (Night Walkers) lead a criminal or terminally ill volunteer into the western woods as an offering. Báihǔ judges the soul: if worthy, he devours only the body and releases a purified spirit; if corrupt, he devours both and leaves the skull as warning. In exchange, he does not hunt within village boundaries.

Current Status: The skull grove west of Xuányá has grown to thirty-seven skulls. Báihǔ has been hunting closer than usual, suggesting something corrupt is growing in the region.

Qīnglóng — The Azure Dragon of the East
The Storm That Remembers (Mythical)

Unlike the western concept of dragons as hoarding beasts, Qīnglóng is a weather phenomenon that achieved consciousness. He appears as a serpentine dragon hundreds of li long, scales the color of deep ocean water, with antlers of living coral and whiskers that trail storm clouds. He dwells in the thunderheads above the mountain range, sleeping for decades at a time.

Relationship to Xuányá:
The village exists only because Qīnglóng permits it. Eight centuries ago, the founder Zhāo Yúlín climbed to the highest peak during a typhoon and offered his right eye to the storm. Qīnglóng, amused by this audacity, accepted the sacrifice and declared the precipice "under his notice." This means he will not deliberately destroy the village, though his dreams cause storms and his movements create landslides.

Current Status: Qīnglóng has been dormant for forty years. The Zhāo clan keeps a Storm Reader—a specialized diviner who interprets cloud formations to predict when the dragon might stir.

Morning begins with the Smoke Cat patrols returning from their night rounds, their mist-like forms coalescing on rooftops to report to the Xuánwèi. Children carry Lantern Wisps in paper cages to school, where they learn both arithmetic and the recognition of spirit signs.

The Ghost Market opens on nights of the new moon, when the Masked Merchants set up their stalls of impossible goods—wine that tastes of memories, ink that writes truth, combs that straighten tangled fates. Only adults with Wū clan certification may barter, as the merchants accept payment in years, dreams, or secrets.

Funerals in Xuányá are celebrations. The deceased are given to the River Mother, who carries their spirits gently into the next realm rather than letting them linger as Hungry Ghosts.

The Three Bindings
The village relies on three layers of supernatural protection:

The Jade Seal — Maintained by the Zhāo clan, this prevents large-scale breaches from the spirit realm and keeps the Bound Lords from breaking their oaths.

The Silver River — The Yúnjiān flows with trace amounts of silver dissolved from upstream mines, creating a natural barrier that most water spirits cannot cross without permission.

The Woven Wards — Thousands of Bridge Weavers have coated the village's ropes and wooden structures with silk that has been ritually treated by the Chén clan. This creates an invisible web that alerts the village when hostile spirits pass through.

The Emergency Protocols
Should the village face existential threat, three measures exist:

The Calling — The Zhāo Seal-Bearer can awaken Báitóng, though this costs years of their life
The Severing — The rope bridges can be cut, isolating sections of the village as sacrifices to save the whole
The Descent — A hidden path leads deep into the caves below, where ancient boats wait to carry survivors through underground rivers

Tier Four — Hostile Threats (Díduì Zhī Yāo)
Dangerous entities that threaten the village

Minor: Hungry Ghosts, Stray Wisps. Lost spirits that attack the living out of desperation; handled by junior guards

Moderate: Hollow Men, False Faces. Predatory spirits that wear stolen identities; require coordinated response.

Severe: Ravener, The Unnamed. Category for entities that have broken ancient treaties or emerged from deep realm breaches; require summoning the Bound Lords or evacuation

Tier Three — Wild Neighbors (Yěshēng Zhī Yǒu)

Intelligent entities that coexist but remain independent

The Masked Merchants: Spirits that wear carved wooden faces. Trade goods from the spirit realm at the monthly Ghost Market; neutral but dangerous if cheated.

Stone Hermits: Ancient beings that look like boulders. Live in the cliffs above; occasionally dispense prophecy; mostly ignore humans.

River Children: Playful water spirits. Steal small items but help drowning mortals; offerings of rice wine keep them friendly.

These are not domesticated but have established patterns of coexistence. Villagers know not to harm them and follow specific protocols when encountering them.

Tier Two — Domesticated Servants (Jiāyǎng Zhī Líng)

Creatures bred or bound for specific functions

Shadow Hounds (Yǐngquǎn): Canine spirits Guarding, tracking, messaging Loyal, pack-oriented

Stone Toads (Shítún): Earth elementals Pest control (eat malicious spirits), foundation reinforcement Docile, gluttonous

Lantern Wisps (Dēnghuǒ): Will-o-wisps Lighting, alarm systems (react to hostile spirits) Playful, easily distracted

Paper Servants (Zhǐrén): Animated constructs Menial labor, message delivery Mindless, obedient

Dream Eaters (Shímèng): Moth-like spirits Treating insomnia, extracting nightmares Gentle, empathic

Bridge Weavers (Zhīqiáo): Spider spirits Maintaining rope bridges, producing silk Solitary, territorial

Smoke Cats (Yānmāo): Feline air elementals Scouting, detecting poison gas Independent, affectionate

These creatures are considered domestic—they live within the village, are bred in the Wū clan kennels, and can be owned by families or individuals. They require licenses to keep, and each has specific care requirements and potential dangers if neglected.

Tier One — The Bound Lords (Yuānbó Zhī Wáng)

Ancient, powerful entities contracted to the village itself

Báitóng: White-furred mountain spirit, fox-like but with six tails and antlers. Protector of the precipice; sleeps beneath the village and wakes only during existential threats

The River Mother: Water serpent composed of liquid mercury and memory. Guards the river approach; demands annual tribute of silver.

The Hollow Sage: Faceless scholar-spirit bound to the Archive. Advises the Chén clan; reads texts invisible to mortal eyes.

These beings are too powerful to domesticate but have sworn binding oaths to the village. They are treated with respect bordering on worship, given private shrines, and consulted during major decisions.

The Xuánwèi (Cliff Sentinels)
Elite warriors drawn from all families who patrol the outer walkways and bridges. They carry Yángchǐ Swords—blades forged with meteoric iron that can wound incorporeal entities. Each sentinel is bonded to a Shadow Hound (see Domestic Creatures below) that serves as both companion and scout.

The Míngmén (Gatekeepers)
Stationed at the three entrances to the village—Upper Gate (mountain path), Lower Gate (river access), and the Hidden Gate (cave systems). These guards specialize in identifying impostor spirits and testing visitors with riddles or challenges that supernatural beings cannot easily solve.

The Yèxíng (Night Walkers)
A secretive order that operates from dusk until dawn, dealing with breaches, rogue spirits, and threats that emerge from the thinning veil. They wear masks carved from domesticated Dream Eater bone, which allows them to see in complete darkness and perceive spirits in their true forms.

The Zhāo Clan — Keepers of the Seal

Status: Hereditary leaders of the village
The Zhāo family claims descent from the original exorcist who first bound the great demon Báitóng to service. They maintain the Stone of Binding, a massive jade monolith at the village's heart that regulates the flow of supernatural energy through the precipice. Each generation produces a Seal-Bearer—the village leader who alone can modify the ancient contracts.
Their manor sits highest on the cliff, accessible only by a single rope bridge guarded by their personal retinue.

The Wū Clan — Beastmasters and Breeders

Status: Martial specialists and creature handlers
The Wū family developed the techniques for domesticating lesser spirits and breeding them into useful forms. They operate the Kennels of Xuányá, where domesticated creatures are raised, trained, and sold. Wū children learn to speak the Tongue of Beasts before they learn to read.
They control the village's eastern terraces, where their training grounds and breeding pens occupy the widest cave systems.

The Chén Clan — Lorekeepers and Apothecaries

Status: Scholars, healers, and contract drafters
The Chén family maintains the Archive of Shadows, a library carved into the cliff containing thousands of spirit contracts, exorcism techniques, and the accumulated knowledge of eight centuries of supernatural coexistence. They produce the binding inks, ritual powders, and medicinal compounds necessary for both controlling creatures and treating injuries caused by them.
Their quarter lies mid-level on the cliff, where their greenhouses grow the rare fungi and mosses needed for spirit-binding compounds.

Perched upon a jagged limestone cliff where the mist-shrouded mountains meet the treacherous Yúnjiān River, Cūn Xuányá has stood for over eight centuries. The village clings to the cliff face like barnacles to stone, its wooden walkways and rope bridges connecting cave dwellings, tiered gardens, and ancient stone structures carved directly into the living rock.

The village exists in a delicate covenant with the supernatural world. Long ago, the founders discovered that the precipice sits atop a "soft spot" between realms—a place where the veil between the mortal world and the spirit realm grows thin. Rather than fight this phenomenon, the ancestors of Xuányá established treaties, bindings, and domestication practices that turned potential enemies into allies, guardians, and tools.