Then and Now
Laothan was once a lush, monsoon-fed realm of terraced rice
fields, jungle hills, and bamboo villages. Its people, the Seng, were known for
their artistry, silverwork, festivals, and devotion to the Path of
Enlightenment—especially the Ku Nien school of monks who taught balance and
discipline. Power was divided among Seng princes of the Thok dynasty, each tied
to local traditions and monasteries.
Now, the kingdom is a stage for the Psycho Army, ruled by
Madam Bao (M. Bao) and her criminal empire. The capital of Cheinang blazes with
neon light and martial pageantry; temples ring with distorted chants; villagers
toil to feed Bao’s armies while her clones stalk the land. Yet beneath the
surface, the Seng resist. Priests, farmers, and wandering kenku scholars form a
patchwork underground rebellion, seeking outside aid.
The Present Kingdom - Bao’s Rule
Government
Bao dismantled the Thok dynasty, replacing nobles with her
psycho generals and clone-doubles. Local governors are puppets—sometimes
literally mind-controlled.
Military
Orc “Zhu Bajie” battalions form the rank-and-file, Minotaur
enclaves act as overseers and enforcers, and kenku raids are deployed as
precision strikes or terror campaigns.
Spectacle
Massive concerts and tournaments keep the populace cowed and
distracted, serving as both propaganda and psychic indoctrination.
Madam Bao, Psycho Idol and Tyrant of Laothan
Titles
• The
Eternal General
• The Idol
of Pain and Grace
• The
Crimson Queen of Laothan
Role in the World
M. Bao is the supreme commander of the Psycho Army, ruler of
Laothan, and global crime figure. Her presence dominates every concert, every
battle, and every whispered tale of corruption. To her followers, she is the
future empress of all Kara-Tur. To her enemies, she is a nightmare that refuses
to die.
Yet even her identity is a puzzle. Some say she is a single
woman who has extended her life with forbidden rituals. Others insist she is
just the strongest of her own clones, and the “original” Bao is long dead.
Three Contradictory Origins
1. The Fallen Seng Princess
Bao was born as Bao Lian, youngest daughter of the Thok
dynasty of Laothan. A prodigy in music and martial arts, she was said to be
“chosen by the spirits.” But when her family sought to marry her into Shou Lung
politics, she fled. Bitter at being treated as a pawn, she embraced dark
teachers who promised her the strength to rule by her own will.
•
Evidence: Rebels whisper that old records
show a Princess Bao Lian vanished around the time the Psycho Army rose. Bao’s
intimate knowledge of Seng culture supports this.
•
Contradiction: Surviving Thok family
members insist Bao is not their kin — and her ruthless personality bears no
resemblance to the compassionate girl remembered in songs.
2. The Clone Who Survived
Bao is said to be one of her own magical clones — a
prototype created in secret decades ago. Where other clones serve as disposable
pawns, this Bao learned to kill her “sisters” and ascend. She believes herself
the truest Bao, the perfected one, destined to command all others.
•
Evidence: Some rebels claim they’ve seen
her “die” only to return stronger within days. Scholars note her tattoos match
those of her clone assassins.
•
Contradiction: If she is a clone, who
created the original? And why does this Bao seem to possess memories stretching
back before the clone program even began?
3. The Imaskari Shade
Arcane historians whisper that Bao is not a woman at all,
but a possession spirit awakened when she unearthed the Imaskari gate beneath
Cheinang. This Bao may be the echo of a long-dead Imaskari psychic, who fused
with a host body to walk again. The Psycho Army’s obsession with gates, clones,
and psychic domination may all be shadows of ancient Imaskari sorcery.
•
Evidence: Bao demonstrates knowledge of
ancient glyphs and rituals no living Shou or Seng sage has mastered.
•
Contradiction: Her distinctly modern
charisma and obsession with concerts and performance are far removed from
Imaskari traditions. Unless… the spirit is adapting to the modern world.
Appearance & Persona
•
Always appears in brilliant crimson and gold,
adorned with psychic tattoos.
•
Switches seamlessly between idol-like charisma
(singing, speeches, promises of unity) and tyrannical fury (telekinetic
strikes, clone assassins, public executions).
•
Every concert or tournament is half-propaganda,
half-ritual. Bao believes performance is power.
Powers & Abilities
•
Psychic Idolry: Her voice carries
enchantments — enthralling crowds, amplifying morale, or breaking wills.
•
Clone Dominion: Can command her clones
telepathically across distances.
•
Martial Arts Mastery: Combines flowing,
dance-like combat with bursts of psycho energy (light, sound, telekinetic
force).
•
Concert Finale: When pressed in battle,
Bao unleashes a destructive psychic crescendo that devastates allies and
enemies alike.
How to Use Bao in a Campaign
•
Recurring Villain: Thanks to clones and
contradictory origins, Bao always returns. Players may never know if they’ve
killed the Bao or just a Bao.
•
Faction Anchor: She embodies the Psycho
Army — flashy, ruthless, manipulative. Any Psycho Army arc circles back to her.
•
Mystery Arc: PCs can chase her origins:
Was she the fallen princess? The surviving clone? The Imaskari echo? Or
something else entirely? Each truth leads to different endgame revelations.
DM Tip:
When players ask, “Is this the real Bao?” — smile, shrug,
and let them argue. Bao thrives in contradiction. Defeating her body may be
possible, but defeating her myth is another matter.
The Four Generals of the Psycho Army
1. General Zhu Tán, the Glutton of Xiang Vale
•
Vice: Gluttony (consumption, indulgence,
waste)
•
Location: Xiang Vale (the terraced rice
fields of Laothan)
•
Species: Orc Warlord (Zhu Bajie
archetype)
•
Role: Overseer of Laothan’s farmlands,
and quartermaster of the Psycho Army.
•
Personality: Boisterous, crude, but
shrewd. He feasts in excess while peasants starve, demanding tribute in both
food and flesh. His orcs eat like kings while the Seng farmers scrape by.
Abilities:
·
Devouring Strike: On a critical hit,
regains HP equal to damage dealt.
·
Belly Bellow (Recharge 5–6): Thunderous
roar that knocks foes prone in 30 ft.
·
Feast of Strength: Can consume food/drink
mid-battle to gain rage-like benefits.
Adventure Hook: Peasants whisper of hidden granaries
stocked for Bao’s armies. PCs must infiltrate Zhu Tán’s fortress, where he
throws a feast in his own honor — one where captives may be on the menu.
2. Mistress Koryu, the Jade Serpent of Wa
•
Vice: Greed (avarice, hoarding,
manipulation)
•
Location: Wa Isles (she controls a Psycho
Army smuggling network through Wa’s ports)
•
Species: Kenku Mystic & Smuggler
Queen
•
Role: Overseer of the Psycho Army’s
smuggling and artifact theft operations.
•
Personality: Elegant, sly, obsessed with
rare magical items. She surrounds herself with jade idols and enchanted
trinkets, caring little for loyalty but everything for acquisition.
Abilities:
·
Mimic’s Curse: Forces targets to repeat
an action (PC wastes their next turn copying what they just did).
·
Treasure Binding: Once per rest, can bind
a weapon or item with jade chains, disabling it.
·
Murder’s Flight: Summons a swarm of kenku
raiders to harry enemies.
Adventure Hook: PCs are hired to retrieve a sacred
relic stolen by Koryu. To do so, they must infiltrate her jade-cargo flotilla,
where she hosts gladiatorial fights inside opulent smuggler ships.
3. Commander Baruun, the Iron Ox of T’u Lung
•
Vice: Wrath (violence, domination, brute
force)
•
Location: T’u Lung frontier city of
Baruunhold (his personal stronghold)
•
Species: Minotaur General
•
Role: Military enforcer, Bao’s
sledgehammer. Keeps her operations in T’u Lung “in line” through fear.
•
Personality: Stubborn, proud,
family-driven. He despises weakness and believes Bao saved his clan from
extinction. Unlike other generals, he is respected by his troops — his wrath is
reserved for outsiders.
Abilities:
·
Stampeding Charge: Tramples enemies in a
20 ft. line.
·
Wrath Aura: While bloodied, allies within
30 ft. gain advantage on attack rolls.
·
Iron Ox Guard: Can negate one attack per
round by sheer force of will.
Adventure Hook: A rebel uprising in T’u Lung begs for
help. To topple Baruun, PCs must navigate both his iron-walled fortress and his
devoted minotaur clan, who would die for him.
4. Madam Crimson, the Songstress of Shou Lung
•
Vice: Lust (charisma, temptation, psychic
enthrallment)
•
Location: Shou Lung metropole of Dao Ting
(where she runs Bao’s propaganda empire)
•
Species: Human Warlock/Bard (patron: Bao
herself)
•
Role: Overseer of propaganda,
indoctrination, and “Psycho Concerts.”
•
Personality: Sultry, commanding, a siren
cloaked in red silks. Where Bao is idolized as divine, Crimson is her herald,
spreading her cult across Shou Lung with forbidden concerts.
Abilities:
·
Crimson Performance (Recharge 5–6):
Enthralls up to 3 enemies; DC 16 WIS save or they lose their next turn
dancing/weeping in adoration.
·
Echoed Harmony: Can double-cast
enchantment spells if an ally sings with her.
·
Song of Despair: Once per long rest, all
enemies within 60 ft. must save or suffer disadvantage on all attack rolls for
1 minute.
Adventure Hook: PCs are sent to stop Crimson’s
concert tour, but her enthralled audiences protect her fanatically. Killing her
could make the PCs enemies of an entire Shou Lung district.
The Four Vices and their Spread
•
Gluttony (Zhu Tán): Laothan’s food &
supply lines.
•
Greed (Koryu): Wa’s trade networks.
•
Wrath (Baruun): T’u Lung’s military
frontier.
•
Lust (Crimson): Shou Lung’s propaganda
machine.
Together, they project Bao’s reach outside Laothan and make
her empire feel continent-spanning, like Street Fighter’s international bosses.
The Psycho Gate of Laothan
Origin
During their rise, Bao’s Psycho Army unearthed a forgotten
Imaskari gate in a ruined jungle temple near Cheinang. Instead of turning it
over to sages, Bao’s mystics appropriated and retrofitted it, dragging the
entire structure back to Laothan’s capital and embedding it into her palace
complex beneath the Grand Auditorium of Echoes.
Bao’s clones now guard it as zealously as her own life. She
calls it the Psycho Gate, but the Seng rebellion whispers that it is the
Screaming Door — for those who vanish through it sometimes return changed,
tattooed with runes of control.
Function
•
Primary Use: Instantaneous troop
redeployment and smuggling of contraband.
•
Secondary Use: “Escape hatch” for Bao
clones and generals if a cell is compromised.
•
Special Feature: Bao’s mystics have
modified the gate so that it resonates with psychic frequencies. A Bao clone
can attune in minutes, allowing her to “broadcast” her presence into a distant
cell — even across continents.
•
Drawback: The gate is unstable. Each jump
leaves a psychic “echo” in the area — nightmares, whispered voices, faint
illusions — which can be detected by those sensitive to magic.
Strategic Impact
The Psycho Army can now:
1.
Strike Anywhere. A cell can appear
overnight in Wa, Kozakura, or even Calimshan, as if conjured from nothing.
2.
Rapid Reinforcement. Bao can flood a
local front with orc battalions before rivals can respond.
3.
Artifact Smuggling. Exotic magical
materials (dragon bones, jade, Netherese relics) vanish into Laothan’s vaults
in days.
4.
Clone Deployment. If a Bao is killed in
Baldur’s Gate, another steps through the gate in days, claiming continuity of
presence.
Adventure Hooks
1.
Gate Residue. PCs encounter a village
plagued by nightmares. Investigation reveals it sits on the site of a Psycho
Gate “drop,” and the villagers are unknowingly enthralled.
2.
The Broken Link. Rebels sabotage a gate
anchor, forcing a trapped Psycho Army general to bargain with the PCs for
survival.
3.
Hijack the Gate. The PCs can seize a
Psycho Army front — only to find the gate activating, spewing reinforcements in
waves.
4.
Gate War. Other factions (Zhentarim, Red
Wizards, even Shou Lung) have learned Bao possesses an Imaskari gate. Everyone
wants it destroyed, stolen, or seized.
5.
The Clone Shortcut. PCs realize Bao’s
clones don’t just “grow” in Laothan — they’re being beamed in through the gate.
To end her cycle, they must destroy or seal it.
Visuals
The gate sits like a colossal circular frame of green-black
stone, studded with sigils that pulse with neon-pink psychic light. Surrounding
the gate are rows of chanting kenku mystics and drums beating in sync with
Bao’s performances, powering each jump with psychic resonance. Every activation
feels less like teleportation and more like a concert crescendo, blinding
lights and thunderous bass rattling the earth.
DM Tip:
This turns the Psycho Army from “local villains” into a
global faction. They can plausibly show up in any adventure because the gate
lets them. But it also gives PCs a tangible win condition: cutting them off
from the Imaskari gate disrupts their ability to project power, forcing Bao to
overextend.
Psycho Army Master Table (d20)
1. A
traveling martial tournament arrives in town, secretly led by a Bao clone who
is recruiting fighters for cloning experiments. When a PC’s ally is kidnapped,
the PCs must intervene—only to find the real Bao clone wasn’t even present.
2. A concert
hall performance enthralls a whole city. The show is run by a kenku mystic, and
its purpose is to expand Bao’s propaganda network. The local clergy beg the PCs
for aid, but the event is broadcast magically across the region, making failure
public.
3. A temple
masquerading as Ku Nien monastery is controlled by a fallen monk, working to
corrupt local nobles into Bao’s doctrine. When a caravan tied to the PCs is
seized, they must decide if they fight openly—or respect rebel wishes to strike
quietly.
4. An
underground fight club is run by a minotaur enforcer testing a new cloning
technique. A rival syndicate hires the PCs to interfere, but every fighter is
being grown into a duplicate of Bao’s enforcers.
5. A gambling
den / teahouse acts as a front for an orc warlord Zhu, extorting townsfolk
while smuggling a powerful artifact back to Laothan. When the Psycho Army
extorts the PCs’ resting town, they discover locals welcome Bao as
“protection.”
6. A
black-market shrine appears, offering magical tattoos run by a kenku mystic,
but in truth it’s a method to assassinate rival leaders by marking them. A PC’s
patron becomes a target, and the PCs must fight through Bao’s assassins in
public view.
7. A foreign
guild house is quietly overtaken by a Bao clone to establish a permanent
training facility. The PCs stumble on it when a caravan they rely on is
sabotaged—but if they strike too hard, the Bao clone simply reappears days
later.
8. A circus
troupe arrives, run by a fallen monk, hiding a smuggling network of enchanted
reagents. When a friend of the PCs vanishes, they find him as part of the
circus show—and the rebels warn them to stay hidden until the right signal.
9. An academy
/ dojo is secretly taken over by a minotaur overseer, who is teaching Bao’s
Psycho Arts to local youths. When the PCs’ strongest member is challenged
publicly, it sparks a region-wide spectacle of honor and shame.
10. A neon arena
in a border city is operated by a Bao clone, staging fights to recruit
mercenaries. The PCs get involved when a local gang interferes with their
mission—but discover the gang is already half-cloned.
11. A hidden
monastery becomes the site of a Psycho Army lab, run by a kenku mystic, seeking
to harness dragon bone as a resource. A PC’s ally is kidnapped here, but the
dragon spirit itself is awakening in rage.
12. A
concert-festival rolls into a rural province under an orc warlord Zhu, who uses
it to test new enthrallment magics. When the local clergy plead for aid, the
PCs find that half the villagers want the festival to continue.
13. A smuggling
caravan is co-opted by a fallen monk, trafficking spirit-water to clone vaults.
When the PCs’ allies vanish mid-journey, they must raid the caravan—only to
discover each barrel contains an embryonic clone.
14. A shrine in
a fishing town is controlled by a kenku mystic, who uses it to replace town
leaders with clones. When a PC’s mentor is replaced, they must uncover the
conspiracy—only to find the rebels want to keep the fake leader alive.
15. A foreign
arena tournament is staged by a Bao clone, its true aim to assassinate a rival
syndicate leader. The PCs stumble in when they’re mistaken as Bao’s
challengers—and discover they’re now on every wanted poster in the region.
16. A neon
teahouse casino springs up in a frontier city, run by a minotaur enforcer,
aiming to corrupt officials. When the PCs’ caravan contact is killed, they must
investigate—but the town guard is already in Bao’s pocket.
17. A puppet
monastery broadcasts sermons under a fallen monk, preaching Psycho Arts as
enlightenment. Its true goal is to turn recruits into sleeper assassins. The
PCs are drawn in when one of their allies receives such training—and begins
turning on them.
18. A kenku-run
circus tears through the countryside, teaching mimicry while smuggling jade
artifacts to Bao’s clone vaults. A festival in town is corrupted, and the PCs
are hired to help—but the kenku performers also offer forbidden techniques.
19. A Psycho
Army dojo is uncovered in a port city, run by an orc warlord Zhu, aiming to
train orcs into disciplined battalions. The PCs intervene when locals beg for
aid—but find the “rebels” are actually Psycho double-agents.
20. A “Bao”
clone establishes a festival of lanterns in a rural valley, promising
prosperity. In truth, she is collecting souls through enchanted lanterns. When
the rebels ask the PCs to help covertly, Bao makes it a grand spectacle
broadcast across Kara-Tur.
The People’s Resistance
Hidden Temples: Ku Nien monks shelter fugitives,
disguising their chants as harmless prayers while secretly spreading
counter-charms to Bao’s music.
Festival Subversion: Seng festivals survive
underground, their fireworks and lanterns used as signals for rebels.
Insurgent Networks: Farmers and artisans smuggle
weapons in rice sacks, silver jewelry carries coded symbols, and even wandering
entertainers pass secret messages.
The rebellion lacks unity. Some want the Thok dynasty
restored, others envision a free republic, while some radicals whisper of
expelling all outsiders. What they agree on: they cannot face Bao alone.
Key Locations
Cheinang, Capital of Masks
A clash of styles: bamboo houses and stilted temples stand
in the shadow of neon auditoriums and clone barracks.
The Grand Auditorium of Echoes dominates the skyline.
Beneath it lies the Clone Vaults, where assassins are grown.
Plot Hook: PCs are sent to find a missing monk leader
rumored to be imprisoned as part of Bao’s next “performance.”
The Terraced Fields of Xiang Vale
Rice paddies climb the hills in breathtaking steps, but
Psycho Army orcs now oversee them. Rebellious farmers poison irrigation canals
or vanish into jungle shrines.
Plot Hook: The PCs must smuggle out a coded harvest
tally that reveals where Bao is funneling resources.
The Ox-Head Enclave of Daluang
A Minotaur-run fortress town on Laothan’s border. Many
minotaur families support Bao out of loyalty—but others secretly despise her.
Plot Hook: PCs must broker an alliance with a
minotaur clan chief torn between protecting his people and overthrowing Bao’s
grip.
The Hidden Shrine of Ku Nien
A ruined monastery repurposed as a rebel stronghold. By day,
it looks like an abandoned ruin; by night, the hidden courtyards fill with
insurgents.
Plot Hook: PCs must defend the shrine during a kenku
raid—uncovering that some kenku secretly fight for the rebellion too.
The Shadow Market of Chei Lao
Once a simple village market, now a criminal hub controlled
by Bao’s lieutenants. Every transaction is watched, but the rebellion has
infiltrated its stalls.
Plot Hook: PCs can buy rare information or weapons
here—but must survive the attention of Bao’s agents.
Adventure Hooks in Occupied Laothan
The Double King
Rebels claim the true heir of the Thok dynasty lives, but
Bao has replaced him with a clone. PCs must determine which is real.
The Song War
Bao’s psychic concerts enthrall entire towns. The Ku Nien
monks have devised counter-hymns—but need daring adventurers to carry them into
enemy territory.
The Orc Uprising
Some Zhu Bajie orc battalions plan to defect. Bao has sent
clones to purge them. PCs must protect or recruit them before they’re crushed.
Kenku Paradox
A flock of kenku offers mystical training in exchange for
sabotaging Bao’s propaganda networks. But some rebels don’t trust kenku
duplicity.
Festival of Lanterns
The Seng light lanterns each year for the spirits of their
ancestors. This year, the rebellion will use the festival to launch an
uprising—if Bao doesn’t extinguish it first.
#dungeonsanddragons #dnd5e #kara-tur #kof #streetfighter
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