4. Order
T'en is ruled by Xi, the Rat Totem, a sharp-eyed and sharp-tongued deity over 8 metres tall. Draped in delicately embroidered crimson silk and long blonde hair, Xi spends his days laid upon his throne or gazing at the stars. All matters throughout the regions of T'en are under his complete control, from trade to education to war.
Order is maintained under three forces; the Golden Knights, The Hounds, and The Panthera.
Whilst Beasts, creatures with black flesh and protruding skeletons, can be tame and live in harmony with the Chimera, some are ferocious and crave Chimera Cores. To control the Beast populations, the Golden Knights are heroes that protect civilians from feral Beasts using specialised weapons hard enough to break the stiffer Beast Cores.
The Hounds are soldiers of justice, who monitor the Chimera and absolve crime. Mainly seen patrolling the streets of each region, the Hounds often work closely with the Panthera for matters on trade of Amberite and protection of the Totems.
Each region must provide the Holy City Vivaria with a quota of Amberite, harvested from their Totem. The Panthera are warriors that travel from one region to another, with the sole purpose of maintaining this trade of Amberite. The nature of their operations are heavily guarded from the public, but are feared by civilians for their cruelty.
Directly supporting Xi's are four disciples, the Cardinals; the White Tiger, the Black Tortoise, the Azure Dragon, and the Vermillion Bird. Only the most intelligent and devoted chimeras have a chance at being crowned a Cardinal, and are Xi's most trusted companions.
In the current year, 1200, the White Tiger is a Snow Leopard named Zora that leads the Panthera. A sneering, tall, white figure clad in the fur of his victims, Zora is a warrior that hails from a small alpine town that once stood on the fringes of the Gallus Alps. In a fit of anger, a young Zora had buried his village in an avalanche, and is feared for his tradition of burying enemies of T'en alive, under masses of snow.
The Black Tortoise is a dark, quiet Killer Whale named Awa, clad in leather and steel. Always in military dress, he oversees the Hounds and works closely with Xi as an engineer. Famed for leading the design of T'en's rail system, Awa's sharp military sense and loyalty won him a place within the Cardinals and Xi's trust.
The Azure Dragon is a sly King Cobra named Rohan, a judge and fighter who leads the Golden Knights. Adored by Knights and civilians alike, Rohan is a charismatic hero clad in glamorous turquoise silk and gold armour, highly competent in battle. As Xi's most prized disciple and scholar in law and justice, Rohan is the supreme judge that upholds the Heavenly Mandate, the law that maintains the hierarchy of T'en.
The Vermillion Bird is currently an aristocrat Swan named Lance, the heir to the Cygnet Family. The Cygnet Family is an organisation that receives Amberite from Vivaria to offer reproductive and bioengineering services, working closely with the Cardinals and Xi. A witty youth, Lance is the youngest of the Cardinals at age 24, who proudly wears the winged crest of his family on luxurious, glimmering robes.