Martial Boon: 1 Int, 1 Sta
Age. Zhuyang are exceptionally long-lived for mortals, reaching maturity at 40 and living for 400 to 500 years. Some elders claim their ancestors lived even longer when Hēiyào walked Therba.
Alignment. They lean toward Lawful alignments. Whether following the rigid codes of their fallen empire or the disciplined paths of self-mastery, they value order and hierarchy.
Size. Imposing and powerful, Zhuyang stand between 5 and 7.5 feet tall. They are broader and heavier than humans due to their dense muscles and reinforced scales.
In the records of Albus Huxley, the Zhuyang are described as the "Heirs of a Broken Flame." Born from the lineage of Gǔxuán and the god Hēiyào, they were once the masters of Naplica. Today, they are a people living in the long shadow of their own history, caught between the desire for redemption and the hunger for their lost throne.
I. Born of Hēiyào
The Scaled Masters. The Zhuyang are part dragon and part mortal, a physical manifestation of divine dominion.
The Draconic Visage: Their bodies are covered in gleaming scales of gold, bronze, jade, or obsidian black. Their eyes are vertical slits of burning amber or crimson, reflecting the remnants of Hēiyào’s fire.
Marks of Purity: While the empire has faded, some individuals still bear vestigial horns, elongated snouts, or—in very rare cases—flightless, vestigial wings as markers of their high-born blood.
II. Heirs of a Broken Flame
The Tyrants of Old. For centuries, the Zhuyang ruled Naplica with an iron claw, enslaving the Asaharu (Zhāohǎo) and defying the other gods.
The Great Fall: When the gods of Naplica united against Hēiyào, the dragon-empire was shattered. Their patron was sealed in the black beneath the world, and their obsidian cities were turned to ash.
A Divided Soul: Modern Zhuyang are a haunted people. Many carry a deep, ancestral guilt, seeking to atone through artistry, alchemy, and metallurgy. Others remain haughty, viewing the other races as "upstarts" who inhabit a world that belongs to the dragons.
III. Faith and Fire
The Hēiyàoti. While most Zhuyang have turned to self-mastery or ancestor worship, a radical core remains.
The Shadow Cults: Mostly found in the nation of Hēishénjiào. The Hēiyàoti are fanatical devotees who offer secret sacrifices in the ruins of obsidian towers, praying for the day Hēiyào shatters his chains.
The Philosophy of Mastery: A growing movement among the youth suggests that the fall was a result of weakness. They believe that only by mastering their internal "dragon-fire" can the race ever truly be worthy of their heritage again.
IV. Legacy of the First Empire
The Obsidian Scholars The Zhuyang remain the world’s foremost experts in the "Hard Arts"—metallurgy, alchemy, and the crafting of glass-like artefacts.
The Unfallen Towers: Their ruined citadels still crown the lands of Naplica. These sites are often sought by adventurers for their treasures, but the remaining Zhuyang enclaves guard them fiercely as sacred ground.