The Court of the Silver Censer
Fortifications of Yin
The Shadowlands of Little Asia were once barren, unguarded, and highly vulnerable to all sorts of attacks -- especially spectral invasions and Maelstroms. Many advancements have taken place since the arrival of the Fist of Nippon and the rise of the Court of the Silver Censer. Here are a few of the major fortifications placed in the Little Asia Mirror Lands of Yin.
Five Winds Wall
Though this structure is new, the attention given its conceptual importance has given it rise in the Mirror Lands. And in the Yin World, it is very much both a boundary and a barrier between Little Asia and the rest of the necropolis.
The Five Winds Wall cannot truly stop an intruder who wants to get over it. It can be climbed, jumped, or flown over. Plus the two gates in the Skinlands exist in the Yin World, too. And the Wall is hardly patrolled that strictly. The Five Winds Wall’s main purpose in the Shadowlands is to provide a sturdy breaker against Maelstroms.
And that’s exactly what it can do. Any Maelstrom that sweeps into Little Asia has much of its fury sapped when it hits the Five Winds Wall, which seems so far impervious to the chaotic, roiling energies. Naturally, it is believed a Great Maelstrom -- the Maelstrom that preludes the dawning of the Sixth Age -- would knock the Wall down. But such phenomena are extremely (and thankfully) rare.
System-wise, any Maelstrom that blows into Little Asia is knocked down two levels on the scale of its fury and strength (to a minimum of the weakest first level). Spectres “riding the storm” may be knocked away and forced to find another way into Little Asia.
Signposts for the Dead
Throughout the district, on every major street, a special device was empowered and constructed. These devices, created in the imaged of eerie Asian cemetery grave-posts or pale, balefire-like green street lamp-posts, help protect the populace against all-out invasions of wicked spirits.
Whenever Spectres or a Maelstrom is upon the district of Little Asia, its populace may seek shelter around these posts. The lamp-posts provide the best protection, extending as far as ten feet in diameter and protecting up to twenty ghosts. The sign-posts only extend half that range and protect half that number. The lamp-posts are found on the most important streets while the sign-posts guard the side streets, and in both cases they’re typically found half-way down the block on one side of the road or the other.
System-wise, these devices’ power resembles the Basic Ability of the Castigate Arcanos, Bulwark. It duplicates this magic completely except with the “capacity” listed above per post. No Pathos needs to be spent to activate these posts but they must be refreshed monthly (the Court of the Silver Censer) gladly does this with one point of Pathos each. There are sixty of these posts scattered throughout the district.
The Secret Magazine
Stashed somewhere in Little Asia is a veritable arsenal of wraithly weapons. Only the Officials of the Court of the Silver Censer knows its location and it is closely guarded. The arsenal is known to exist within the Court, and as a floating rumor to freewraiths in Little Asia. It holds several dozen relic firearms, mostly archaic musket rifles and some revolvers. It is also thought to boast a number of white jade melee weapons, mostly forged as katana swords and yari spears.
