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The Beastlords consist of twelve animal-like humanoids that were endowed by the Jade Emperor to represent the Chinese Zodiac. At first, they were simply the most intelligent, alpha specimens of the animal kingdom who the Jade Emperor felt would be beloved icons in his campaign to bring harmony between humans and animals.

As the Legend goes, RAT freed a spellbound demon from his well of imprisonment. The demon then possessed RAT, turning him into the hideous incarnation known as the Ratlord. After hearing the petition of the other animals, the elder gods empowered the remaining eleven animals to be the overseers of balance among the beasts. The elder gods work in harmony, some being yin (evil) forces, some being yang (good) forces and some being in-between. Thus, the Beastlords were also aligned to such forces, dependent on their natural animal tendencies. From this, the Darklords, the Greylords, and the Lightlords were born. Over time, an unspoken pact has formed in which the Darklords ally with each other to dominate the realm, the Lightlords join forces to prevent them from doing so, and the Greylords independently maintain a balance between all opposing forces, including humans.

Although they don't age, the Beastlords are not immortal. However, none have been slain so far. They were given the potential for special powers by the elder gods. Some of the Beastlords have developed their physical prowess and others have developed their mystical powers, and in some cases both. They have a limited command over the animals of their species. And any offspring they engender grow to become a cross between animal and human. There are many such crossbreeds roaming the land of Jalí. Many of these crossbreeds become minions of the their respective Beastlord.

Like the Jadecats, the Beastlords have learned the human language. In most cases, they've also learned various martial arts. It remains a mystery, however, who taught who first. Humans very well could have learned Kung Fu from the Beastlords over the generations, especially the animal styles.

Ratlord

Ratlord is a menacing rat-like humanoid with glowing red eyes and protruding, sharp fangs. He wears a spiked cuirass (upper body armor), a large cloak and wields two jagged butterfly knives. He is one of the few Beastlords to study black magic, which he typically uses to hurl lightning balls and conceal himself in the shadows. He also commands a horde of "Rathugs"—his mutant rat mercenaries. He's the archetypal sinister villain, using every means necessary to defeat the Jadecats and conquer the land. He is one of the Darklords and his primary impetus is total domination. He's also the only one of the Beastlords transformed by a demon instead of the elder gods.

Oxlord

Oxlord is an immense Ox-like humanoid with bulging muscles and bristly hair. He wears random patches of armor and carries a Kwan Dao (Chinese polearm). His special abilities include great bursts of strength and an incredible sense of direction, despite his eye-patch. He doesn't know Kung Fu, but occasionally uses an ancient form of wrestling. He's very pirate-like in character (based on the Wokou) and commands an armada of "Oxmen"—a pack of repugnant bovine buccaneers. He is the archetypal "brawn" of the Ratlord/Oxlord duo, although he has his moments of subordinate regret. He is one of the Darklords and his primary impetus is assisting in total domination.

Snakelord

Snakelord is a nefarious reptilian humanoid. He has human arms and legs and a cobra-like head. He doesn't wear any armor which allows for quick mobility. He prefers his Snake-style Kung Fu over weapons. He can also spit an acidic venom. He's very dangerous because he is a master of the mind. While his mental powers don't work on Beastlords, he can do a number of mind tricks on mortals, including the Jadecats. Typical uses of his power include reading minds, mesmerizing foes, and creating hallucinations. He also leads an army of "Serpentinians" who also employ martial arts and use chain-whips as weapons. He is the stealthiest of villains, plotting more subtle schemes of domination. He is not as obsessed with the Jadecats as the Ratlord, but often teams with him against the Jadecats. He is one of the Darklords and his primary impetus remains a mystery.

Monkeylord

Monkeylord is a knavish simian humanoid. He wears light armor and carries a variety of weapons, mostly non-bladed. He is the most skilled in the martial arts of all the Darklords, which gives him an inflated ego. His special Monkey-style Kung Fu remains undefeated. He has incredible climbing and leaping skills. He is a prankster, like Tai Ni, employing a variety of crafty gadgets and tricks to his advantage. He's also leader of the "Guerilla Gorillas"—a band of ninja-monkeys, hired out for assassination. Monkeylord is both a rogue villain and a trained mercenary. Although he's one of the Darklords, his primary impetus is wreaking havoc and chaos in the land and maintaining the notion that he's the best martial artist around—often challenging anyone is his path.

Goatlord

Goatlord is an exuberant goat-like humanoid. He wears no armor and carries a long staff. He is the archetypal creative, temperamental, elderly artisan. He has a long goatee and resplendent attire. He is not skilled in the fighting arts but is a magician both in the entertainment sense and in the arcane sense. He magic is flamboyant and artistic, always employing his powers through art, such as hypnotic songs, mystical poems, or painting portals. His incantations are practically theatrical performances. He has a following of "Traveling Troubadours"—a community of gypsy goat minstrels upon whom he can call for help or simply entertainment. Goatlord is one of the Greylords and his primary impetus is to promote the creative development of the land, unfettered with concerns for good or evil.

Tigerlord

Tigerlord is a brawny, tiger-like humanoid. He wears no armor and carries a Chinese pitchfork, also known as a tiger trident. He goes shirtless, with baggy, black, kung fu pants. He is the archetypal lone kung fu hero. He is the most skilled in the martial arts of all the Beastlords. He is both an expert at Tiger and Panther style Kung Fu. He has great leaping abilities and a deafening roar that can stun any non-Beastlord opponent. He doesn't have a following of tiger-men because he does not want to risk his endangered brethren in battle. Instead, he is the champion of endangered animals and preserver of the environment. He wanders the forests in search of adventure. His arch-rival is the Monkeylord and they've gone head-to-head many times. Tigerlord is one of the Greylords, and his primary impetus is to protect the equilibrium between man and nature.

Rabbitlord

Rabbitlord is a female, rabbit-like humanoid. She is "ronin" or renegade female samurai. She wears pieces of traditional samurai armor, but not full gear and she carries a naginata (a short polearm) and a katana (samurai sword). She ties her ears back the way a samurai would tie his hair back, occasionally letting her ears down like cascading hair. She is a ferocious warrior despite her feminine figure. As a champion of freedom, she follows no one and no one follows her. She is an expert tracker with lightning speed and agility. She's a free spirit with feminist tendencies. She's one of the Greylords and her primary impetus is liberation from the constraints of tradition, society, and gender typing.

Horselord

Horselord is a stately, robust equine humanoid. He wears full armor and a cape. He carries a Dadao (a huge double-handed saber). He is the paragon of communication skills, a true diplomat. He represents the politician of the Beastlords. He is a skilled swordsman with no empty-handed combat skills. He has tremendous strength and stamina. He also has a herd of "Stallioneers"—his regal equestrian guard. He is one of the Greylords and his primary impetus is the political and stately mediation of man, Beastlord, and animal alike.

Doglord

Doglord is a renegade, canine humanoid. He wears light armor and carries a crossbow. He is the archetypal Lone Ranger/Robin Hood type—a vigilante of justice. He is a master at ranged weapons and has some wrestling skills. His sense of smell is so acute that he can even smell when someone's lying. He has a pack of "Foxmen" that he occasionally travels with who are analogous to Robin Hood's "Merry Men." He is one of the Lightlords, and his primary impetus is to avenge the underdog.

Piglord

Piglord is a mirthful, pig-like humanoid. He wears armor covering the joints and carries a Yari (a large spear), which also sports a flag. He dresses like an Ashigaru. He is the sage-knight of the Beastlords, balancing his warrior side with his scholarly side. He's highly intelligent, able to decipher codes, speak many languages, and invent amazing contraptions. He is a lover of knowledge and education. He's also a skilled spearman and master of Chi Kung, an internal Kung Fu style. He is one of the Lightlords, and his primary impetus is education, law and the pursuit of knowledge.

Roosterlord

Roosterlord is a stern, rooster-like humanoid. He wears light armor and carries a Dan Pian Fu (a large poleax). He is the military strategist, drill sergeant type. He knows Eagle and Crane style Kung Fu, but his true skills come into play with his military planning expertise. He embodies Sun Tzu. He is the master of the avian realm and commands "The Chanticleer"—a squadron of flying birdmen archers. He is one of the Lightlords, and his primary impetus is law and order through military force.

Dragonlord

Dragonlord is the only other female Beastlord (besides Rabbitlord). She's a beautiful, dragon-like humanoid. She has wings, scintillating green scales, and glowing white eyes. She's one of the wisest, most powerful Beastlords, with extensive abilities of sorcery and mysticism. She neither wears armor nor carries weapons, but is an expert martial artist and master of Dragon-style Kung Fu. She uses her magic and martial arts together in a fight, creating a dazzling but deadly display of combat prowess. She's one of the only Beastlords that can transform into both a full human or full animal form (a dragon). She's one of the Lightlords and the most mysterious of all the Beastlords. No one knows her true ambitions. The only known thing about her is that she fights against

DARKLORDS

The Darklords represent the Yin of the Yin-Yang. They tend toward the ways of evil, malice or anarchy, typically in the desire for world domination.

GREYLORDS

The Greylords represent the dots, division, and balance of the Yin-Yang. They tend to be unconcerned with good or evil, devoted instead to causes such as protecting the environment or the pursuit of knowledge.

LIGHTLORDS

The Lightlords represent the Yang of the Yin-Yang. They tend toward the ways of good, protecting humans and animals alike.