Planet Core
All planets in Kui-Shen have a "crystal core" that's the source of
energy for all animate and inanimate things. The native people of Kui-Shen
are born with the ability to draw upon the power from their world's core
and this is what gives them their special powers but having a piece of
crystal from the core enhances their power by allowing them to directly
access the core. If KS people stay off-world too long without something
to relay the planet's energy, all of their powers will disappear.
Life
Span
All Kui-Shen have extremely long life-spans in
comparison to humans. This is due to a combination of factors that include
the length of the planets' orbits around their sun, environmental
differences, genetic mutations, and evolutionary changes because of
exposure to the energy radiated by the planets' cores. Their life spans
are genetic and not caused by magic, so it is not effected by loss of
planet core energy.
Technology
Kui-Shen lags far behind other
worlds when it comes to post-Industrial Revolution technology and are
disinterested in pursuing that path. Most of their resources went into
developing magic-based ways to fight and travel to the other Kui-Shen
worlds.
In the ancient
past, the worlds of Kui-Shen had worked together to develop methods of
long distance travel that only worked when all three worlds pooled their
power. Internal strife now prevents use of this tech so it is rare for
people to travel farther than they can walk. People can still travel
between the worlds and it is possible to use the devices to leave
the Kui-Shen System... but it'll be a long wait before a single world has
the power to bring someone back. It's pretty much a one-way trip into
exile if you're sent "outside".
Politics
For the most part, the three worlds have little to no interest
in getting involved with neighbouring systems. This includes the Moon
Kingdom and the Stone Dimension, both of which Kui-Shen only kept tabs on
due to their proximity. The primary reason for this isolationism is the
interplanetary civil war that has lasted from long before the fall of the
Moon Kingdom to present day.
Weaknesses
All people from Kui-Shen have an affinity to the water element
and thus have the same weaknesses when it comes to magical and
environmental conditions. All Kui-Shen are especially weakened if they
endure a quick transition between extremes such as temperature,
brightness, sound, etc... but each world also has their own specific
elemental weaknesses.
Ryuza -
Watchers of the Forests
[Core: Epsilon] A society
with a land-based aristocracy and a royal family without any real
authority. Most of the world is either grasslands or thick forests with
semi-nomadic people in the woods and the great (permanent) cities on the
plains.
Realm of influence is Knowledge, which commonly
manifests as telepathy or clairvoyance, and special weakness
is to sound.
Rusalki -
Tricksters of the Waters
[Core: Theta] Nomadic people who wander a planet that is almost
entirely covered by oceans with the occasional string of small islands.
The few permanent urban centres that still exist on land are hidden on the
islands but most live on the oceans, only venturing to land for the annual
Gathering.
Realm of influence is Change, which commonly
manifests as underwater breathing or hydro-kinesis, and
special weakness is to electricity.
Shen-hu - Hunters of
the Mountains
[Core: Vega] A semi-nomadic people led by the clan with the most
prestige. Prestige is gained through combat, accumulation of resources or
(most popularly) connection to the old nobility. Most people move en masse
to their clan's next compound to keep from exhausting the meagre
resources.
Realm of influence is Vitality which commonly
manifests as boosted physical senses or healing, and special
weakness is to light.
