In Europe, the bubonic plague never ended.

Arabia was swept and blasted by drought.

The industrial revolution came instead to Asia.

China holds together its empire with railroads, landfortresses, and cannons.

Korea’s navy has established colonies in a mysterious continent to the east.

The cities of Japan are ringed with flying machines and patrolled by steam-driven automata.

The last sorcerers, demons, and wizards struggle to survive, their power crushed by the new machines.

In a world of tradition, ritual, and honor, a new age has come.

The setting is one in which, rather than Europe entering an industrial revolution, Asia did. The bubonic plague of the 14^th century never ends in Europe, and decimated the population, thus preventing Europe from ever entering the Renaissance. The expansion of Islam is cut short by terrible droughts and plagues, and the Arabic world lurches into a similar dark age. However, with the fall of Arabia, many Muslim scholars flee east, eventually reaching China, which is then ruled by the Ming dynasty.

Arabic translations of Greek philosophy are made available to the Chinese. These new philosophies quickly spread throughout the Dynasty. This, coupled with the effects of Islam in China, produced a revolution in philosophy, art, and science. The Ming dynasty considered closing off trade to prevent further contamination, but this attitude was violently opposed by the new philosophers, engineers, and explorers. These changes spread quickly, migrating to Korea, southeast Asia, and Japan.

The Chinese are the first to put gunpowder to direct use in warfare. By 1450, they have constructed the first bronze cannons, capable of firing cannonballs powerful enough to smash most castles. With these, the Ming dynasty begins to expand, conquering much of southern Asia, and expanding into Korea. The Japanese stave off Chinese invasion, protected by the sea. Korea eventually revolts, driving the Chinese out.

Further technological developments are made. The Koreans construct the first hot air balloons and primitive flying machines. The Japanese build railroads to speed up transport. The first muskets and pistolas appear in Chinese arsenals.

Chinese, Japanese, and Korean ships sailing the high seas eventually reach the Americas, the Pacific Islands, and Australia, where they establish competing colonies that return with gold, spices, and slaves.

The current year, in traditional reckoning, is 1810. China’s Ming Dynasty has fallen not to the Manchurians, but to scientific revolutionaries, and has become a mighty Empire stretching as far west as the plague lands and throughout much of southern Asia. Korea has grown into a powerful mercantile nation with many colonies in the east and throughout the Pacific. Japan presents a united front against continued Chinese aggression, armed with muskets and steam-powered mechanical soldiers. Muslims have established several colonies in the western parts of Asia. Annam (northern Vietnam) prepares to throw off the shackles of Chinese oppression with a bloody revolution.

Many amazing technological devices have been invented, in many different fields. Technology runs on steam, and much is still handcrafted, rugged, and dangerous.

Much of Asia is rugged and mountainous, and so transportation is difficult. The most common form of transportation is still walking, with rickshaws, carriages, and mounts expensive but available. Japan is busy developing a network of rail lines to transport both horse-drawn and steam-driven carriages. All nations make heavy use of ships, which are still made of wood and use sails, although there has been some development in steam-powered watercraft. While still not terribly efficient, everyone is enamoured with airships, and airdocks have begun to spring up in many major cities—tall buildings where the elegant vehicles can be moored.

Battles still rely on soldiers trained in the sword and spear, although in recent years, musketeers have replaced experienced archers for ranged combat—this has caused something of a decline in the utility of armor, making it less common than it once was. In massed combats, cannons are used to devastate enemy formations and to destroy castle walls, while airships are frequently enlisted to bombard enemies and castles from above. On the high seas, ships blast one-another with cannons, and engage in boarding operations using short swords, muskets, and pistolas. Japan is unique in that it employs sentinels—giant mechanical statues armed with enormous blades and cannons.

Japan:

When, in the late 15^th century, the daimyo Yoshimasa loses his son of twenty-five years to a mysterious illness, he invites a scientist named Ieshige, who is trained in the arts of wondrous medicine (an amalgam of Greek and traditional healing), to investigate the death. The man determines that poison was the cause of death, not disease. Yoshimasa expects his brother’s son Yoshitane as the murderer, but nonetheless makes Yoshitane his heir. However, when trace amounts of the same poison show up in Yoshimasa’s food, he orders his new cabal of scientists to investigate—they discover that Yoshitane has been stocking poison, and Yoshimasa has him executed.

Ieshige becomes Yoshimasa’s closest advisor, and creates a cabal of fellow scientists. Scientists become a fixture of Japanese life, and experts in medicine, astronomy, metallurgy, and politics can be seen nearly everywhere.

The beginnings of the 16^th century see a massive Chinese invasion of Japan by the decaying but ruthless Ming dynasty. Advanced warships easily cross the sea separating the two nations, and cannons and musketeers are unleashed on Japanese castles. Fortunately, the emperor who sits on the throne, Kagetora, is very powerful, having unified many of the local daimyo through his own cannons. When the Chinese invasion force arrives, Kagetora orders his scientists to perfect defenses. In response, scientists begin building cannon-proof fortifications. They also encourage the Japanese army to employ guerilla tactics and sniping, which decimates the Chinese ranks. Constant harassment by musketeers, mounted samurai, and deadly shinobi wear down the Chinese army, devastating their forces before they are allowed to spread further. Internal problems with rebellion in China forced the withdrawal of the tattered remains of the Chinese army, leaving Japan victorious.

During the war, merchants are critical in transporting goods and equipment. Further, recent political philosophers have discussed mercantilism, and the value of merchants. With this, merchants begin petitioning for greater power. Over the next century, increasing demands result in the slow erosion of the absolute power of the bushi (warrior) class. A parliament is established, and Japan writes a basic constitution that extends human rights to everyone on the island. The nation still technically retains its feudal structure, since the parliament and the common people still have no true power, but the threat of open rebellion if the bushi act unacceptably keeps the ruling class in line.

China:

Great changes occurred in China just as the Ming dynasty came to power. Arabian scholars and philosophers, fleeing the terrible droughts that had devastated the Middle East, fled to China. They came with many translations of the Greek classics. These were quickly translated into Chinese and disseminated by a shaky young dynasty that was looking for a place and a purpose. Seeing great wisdom in the words of the ancient Greeks, many of their concepts were incorporated into the new dynasty. Confucianism was reinterpreted to harmonize with the Greek notions of individuality and freedom, and the rigid traditions of centuries past were replaced by notions of personal improvement for the good of the state.

During this time, China also began to expand. The new exploratory paradigm resulted in gunpowder being used as a weapon for the first time, and primitive cannons were constructed. With these developments, China quickly swept through much of southern Asia, expanding their territory out to Tibet and the Himalayan mountains. Superior technology allowed China finally to bury the barbarian threat from the north.

Great philosophical revolutions were also occurring in China. Astronomy flourished, and the nature of the solar system was explored. The Arabian expatriates also brought Islam, which was tolerated and grew popular in some areas of China. It gained powerful footholds in the deserts of northwest China, where several provinces were formally made Muslim territories.

The Ming dynasty faltered only when it attempted an invasion of Japan, a nation that had also begun to exploit the new way of thinking. Guerilla tactics devastated even the most powerful Chinese forces, and new castle designs prevented the Chinese from using their cannons to maximum effect. Their morale devastated and cut off from their homeland, the Chinese are defeated. The remainders of the expedition return to China to nurse their wounds.

By the late 17^th century, the Ming dynasty has begun to crumble. Japan has launched several invasions and seized sections of southeast Asia. Muslim rebels launch several attacks in order to achieve an independent Islamic state. Korea asserts its independence, its literati encouraging complete separation from China. To prevent the complete collapse of China, a man by the name of Xiang Lu, a civil servant from a small and distant province, begins to move up through the ranks. He becomes a demagogue, speaking to Chinese philosophers and intellectuals about the need for a new Dynasty that will do away with the corruption of the old. Eventually, he is jailed by conservative Ming officials, but he is set free in a massive riot that eventually spreads into a wholesale rebellion. The old Dynasty is overthrown and forced into exile, although they still maintain power in south Asia. The new Dynasty, the Wu Dynasty, becomes a driving force in the restoration of China. Where Ming closed its ports, Wu reopens them. The Wu Dynasty, while progressive in many ways, also begins ruthlessly to stamp out opposition, organizing its scientists and prevented dissidents from gaining power.

Korea:

Korea has spent much of its history as a satellite state to China. However, signs of rebellion begin in the 16^th century. The Koreans are very impressed by the philosophy of the ravaged west. Attempts at purges of the literati in order to maintain Confucian ideals lead to a terrible backfire. Confucianism is seen as an external philosophy controlling Korea. The literati of the Hall of Worthies, an institute dedicated to science and philosophy, are assaulted by conservative forces supporting Confucianism—scientists act quickly, and demagogues sweep the country, whipping up popular hatred for the Chinese and Confucianism. A revolt sweeps through the nation, overthrowing the traditional order.

Moving quickly, scientists establish themselves in positions of power. A new puppet emperor is installed to serve the will of the Hall of Worthies, which now serves as a parliament. The first attempts at democracy are made in Korea, with villagers and city-dwellers voting on which scientist they want to lead them. The Ming dynasty, now in its final years, attempts to retake Korea, but superior technology results in a quick and decisive victory for the Koreans—the scientists win enormous popular support.

An age of invention begins in Korea. The Koreans build primitive flying machines for spying and exploration. The railroad, the clipper ship, the pistola, the telescope, the clock, and the heat engine are all either invented or improved on by Korea. The Koreans build a fleet of ships with which to explore the known world, and establish colonies throughout the South Pacific and Australia.

The South Pacific:

Rich in untapped resources, the South Pacific is the site of choice for many explorers and adventurers. China, Japan, and Korea have all established colonies throughout the Philippines, on New Guinea and Australia. There, they use the local populations as slave labor for mining and farming. This region is plagued by piracy, as wako and other buccaneers attempt to capture ships sailing back loaded with valuables. Entire pirate cities have sprung up on some islands.

The Americas:

The Ming dynasty made the first trip to the Americas, landing in Baja. They found the region desolate and uninteresting, but return trips resulted in the discovery of the lush rainforests of central America, the mountains of Peru, and the impossibly abundant forests of western north America. Colonies were established, with Korea claiming the north and Japan the south, with China left to squabble over the scraps.

The Koreans have begun to establish colonies in the northern woods, pushing aside the natives, who have grown increasingly hostile as they have seen their territory taken away by invading foreigners. Japanese colonies still rely on the homeland for technological support, although they have become increasingly independent in the century and a half since the first villages were founded. The first railroads have been built, and explorers have penetrated all the way to the Great Lakes, crossing over the rocky mountains.

The Japanese, in the mean time, have managed to reach Central and South America. These areas are more heavily developed, and the Japanese have opened up limited trade with the Aztecs and Incas, taking advantage of their vast supplies of gold. In the less inhabited areas, the Japanese have started to build colonies, taking advantage of some of the rich but undeveloped areas.

India and Africa:

Little is known of India and Africa, since both are fairly insular. It is known that India suffered somewhat from the plague, and the Chinese are reluctant to cross the Himalayas to explore it.

The Plague Lands:

All of Europe and Arabia are considered the plague lands. In the 14^th century, they were consumed by the bubonic plague, which never ended. Most of the population was exterminated, and civilization there ground to a halt. China considers anyone coming west into their territory to be a plague victim, and kills the person on sight rather than take chances.

In the darkest corners of Asia, the supernatural still lurks. While supernatural creatures were once mighty and numerous, the are now rare, only shadows of their former glory. And while once monks, wizards, and sorcerers could perform the mightiest of miracles, they are now limited to subtle plays of fate and divinations.

While weakened, supernatural forces can nonetheless be very powerful. While no one will be launching lightning bolts, a simple curse can result in death with equal efficacy. Even an emperor lives in fear of devils, witches, and the hungry dead, and all keep court seers and sorcerous advisors.

The supernatural is intimately tied in with the main religions of Asia: ancestor worship, Buddhism, Taoism, and Shintoism.

The ancestors must be venerated. Failure to do so makes them very angry, and can results in curses, hauntings, and even one of the hungry dead. Most ghosts exist because they have been improperly buried and not shown respect, so when given proper ritual they usually rest in peace. Ghosts often possess powers of telekinesis and cursing, and a rare few are capable of possession. If a ghost possesses even greater power, he may return as one of the hungry dead, a shambling corpse that feeds off the flesh of the living and whose only desire is for terror and revenge.

A Buddhist monk can possess great power. Buddhist chanting can keep evil spirits at bay. Many Buddhists are capable of miraculous healing, benedicts, blessings, protection, and curse removal. These make Buddhist monks very effective in protection against evil, although their strict codes of conduct make their lives rigorous and difficult. In some places, Buddhism has moved into an extremely mystical philosophy, revolving around battle and warfare. Chan and Zen Buddhists are capable of harmonizing their Chi in order to produce amazing physical feats, from superleaps to inhuman archery to ignoring bullet wounds.

Taoism is a Chinese mystical philosophy revolving around the idea of the Way. Many plain but highly enlightened practitioners of Taoism are remarkable only for their remarkably good luck. Things just seem to go their way, an advantage earned by living in harmony with the Way. More esoteric Taoists, however, are powerful alchemists. They specialize in various magical pills capable of performing a number of functions. Curing diseases, producing incredible strength, and even immortality are said to be within their power.

The powers of Shinto priests are in purification and protection, although they are incapable of miraculous healing. Nonetheless, they are capable of staving off and striking down evil, and are also capable of speaking with the kami (nature spirits) for advice.

Fortunetellers and diviners are common sights throughout Asia. Most use divination sticks or the I Ching (the book of changes) to tell the future, although some simply receive flashes of enlightenment. Fortunetellers can determine what days are auspicious or inauspicious, and what is likely in a person’s near future.

Shapeshifters and nature spirits still live in the deepest woods. Fox spirits and other creatures are capable of assuming many forms, and delight in playing tricks on humanity. In some places, goblins and ogres still exist. Tiger people and similar creatures live in wild places, occasionally preying on humans. Most of these creatures, however, have been exterminated by adventurers over the years, and they are a dying race.