Totem

A Totem (图腾) or Guardian Beast are powerful creatures that are benevolent towards mankind. They are based on the Classic of Mountains and Seas (山海经). A totem is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe. They are worshipped as deities in Ancient China before the Magic Era. With the rise of Human Civilization in China, some totems survived as soul stored vessels, died out or degraded into monsters.

In China, there are four (Great) Sacred Totem Beasts: Azure Dragon (Qinglong), Vermilion Bird (Zhuque), White Tiger (Baihu), and Black Tortoise (Xuanwu). There are other Totems, which are descended from or subordinate to one of these four. Notably, the Sacred Totem Beasts can reincarnate by using new containers of their soul or regenerate a new biological body. The Azure Dragon, is the Leader of all the Totems.

Each totem has a respective Totem Mark that associates it with the respective Sacred Totem Lineage and are a piece of the Sacred Totem's personal Totem Mark, with all forming Azure Dragon's complete Mark. The Totem Marks can also indicate shared Lineages between Sacred Totems. Azure Dragon's presence can provide runic sacred blessings and awaken the hidden bloodline of any totem around it.

Totem Abilities

 * 1) Azure Dragon (Interdimensional Travel, Soul Transmigration, Soul Condensation, Soul Reincarnation, Soul Nourishment, Soul Protection, Control over Heavenly Phenomena)
 * 2) Vermilion Bird (Control over Myriad Flames, Adaptive Reincarnation by Fire, Soul Flame Essence Division, Flame Regeneration, Soul Fire Incarnation)
 * 3) Xuan Snake (Poison, Scales, Mass, Flexibility)