The Best Thing

Among the thirty-six thousand things in the universe, longevity is the best. From the introduction: Scholars and healers speak of techniques that can dramatically extend the human lifespan. The annals name dozens of famous immortals who mastered the principles of eternal life and now dwell without worries in their abodes in the Eastern Isles or atop isolate mountain crags. Surely in his vast Empire there is some naturalist or holy man or alchemist who can unlock the secrets of the immortals and defeat death. Players take the role of such healers and scholars, perhaps charlatans, perhaps learned and wise, perhaps both, seeking the secrets of material immortality. Racing against the progression of the Emperor’s ailments, characters travel to the half-legendary Lands Beyond to expand their knowledge of life-extension techniques. They return to the Imperial Capital to gain influence, earn an audience, and save – or slay – his Majesty.