Re:Kara-Tur - Reimagining Dungeon and Dragon's Korea (Koryo)

It's been almost 20 years since the release of the last D&D Oriental Adventures supplement and it doesn't seem like they will be releasing an update anytime soon. So in this new series, I am going to explore ways how we can reimagine Kara-Tur if I was put in charge of the supplement.
In this Reimagining Karatur episode, I'm covering Koryo, D&D's Korea. This time, I will be drawing inspiration from their Hwarang and shamanistic tradition.
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[@DontStopThinking]

What aspect of Korean culture do you think I've missed?

[@Dijeouni]

Korea was super peaceful throughout its long dynasties and focused a lot on building up their literati. Civil officials who managed the government usually held more power than a military official, and children were forced to spend hours studying - sometimes in monasteries - to pass a national civil service exam to earn good positions for their families. This mostly hasn't changed today ironically but with that many people studying I think it'd be very likely that Koryo would be a highly magical society with lots of wizards. I also would recommend looking into the Gisaeng, who were Korea's entertainers that were the Korean sibling to Japan's Geisha, as well as looking into the secret police of late Joseon - these guys worked incognito for the king to verify that Magistrates (satto or saddo 사또) were not abusing their powers (think of the Dai Li from the Avatar tv show, only not evil lol). Benevolent Satto were often involved in legends of dragons and dispelling troublesome spirits. Spirits are the big final aspect - there were all kinds; gods, tutelary (guardian) deities, ghosts, and of course the San-sin mountain gods. My Korean history/language professor always loved comparing Korea's spirits mythology to Inuyasha, so anyone remotely familiar with Chinese and Japanese period-based mythologies will already have a fairly good understanding of what kind of spirits exist: fox demons (Korea's are particularly nastier than their Chinese and Japanese counterparts), King Yeonma of (one) the Buddhist underworld(s), ghosts a la The Grudge, etc.

[@nickh3205]

I have a question on how the common fantasy races(elves, dwarves, gnomes as examples) fit in the setting and how are viewed by those in Kara-tur?

[@majorday3856]

What about mythology of Korea like heroes, monsters and ghost and gods. That you didn't talk about.

[@Nogu3]

@@Dijeouni hilariously two of those are in my d&d character, he's a young secret investigator that is part of a small resistance movement against a cabal of corrupt officials and turncoats, with their powers mostly coming from korean gemomancy and the four cardinal guardians.

[@Dijeouni]

@@Nogu3 whoah. You aren't gonna believe this but I've got a double whammy here: -I played a neoguri artificer who was also a secret police woman that wheeled around a hwacha as her eldritch cannon -I've been tinkering with a homebrew caster class called the Transcendant whose power comes from attunement to cosmic energy flow with geomancer, dimensionalist, and the "cardinal envoy" (4 guardians) as its subclasses!

[@andersschmich8600]

Honestly a D&D setting based on the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 1590s could be fascinating, you already the righteous armies of monks and peasants, complex politics, and a larger than life hero in the form of admiral Yi.

[@powerist209]

I think Kingdom actually did this. While it is seen as "Korean Medieval Zombies", it did try to connect the post-invasion Korea historical context (famine, desolate landscape due to pillaging and warfare, and courtly intrigue) with zombie outbreak.

[@Dijeouni]

Such a great video! Thank you for including not only historically based info but also bringing up contemporary themes! On the subject of the Gaya confederacy - it was a loose group of smaller lands that didn't have an organized ruler, and they were eventually absorbed by Silla. This absorption was helped by an organization dubbed the 'Original Flowers' Wonhwa (원화), created by the king and led by two women. After forming factions between the two, one killed the other out of jealousy and the group was disbanded but later reformed under the Hwarang (화랑) name. The Hwarang were headed by a 국선 (literally national sylph/fairy/fae) and its primary objective was to train young nobles (good lookin boys) in education, arts, some martial activities that all noblemen participated in, and they participated in a lot of Buddhist and shamanic activities, traveling around and performing in the mountains. They were not at any point an elite military warrior group, though they are often portrayed this way in media in part due to a historical fiction document called the Hwarang Segi that got paraded around as the factual manuscripts of the Hwarang. In essence, the Hwarang did have bands of followers under them and essentially they were Silla's Boy Scouts program for combining their youth with the rich boys of Gaya to strengthen the newly unified state. As time progressed the title of Hwarang was actually used for a lot of different persons like young male prostitutes (kinda like a derogatory 'pretty-boy' slang) and the husbands of female shamans - who often played musical accompaniment during Gut (굿) rituals. Now of course - this is D&D we're talking about and we absolutely want our Hwarang to be pretty warrior-types, and with the Original Flowers, the background/class/faction wouldn't have to be gender-locked like so many of Korea's MMORPG classes 🤣. For more fun-facts, there were three major types of Shamans in Korean history: The Charismatic Shaman (who was more commonly found in what is now North Korea) who perform rituals to be possessed by several different spirits including their own personal 'Body-Lord/Master of the Flesh' Momju (몸주), the Hereditary Shaman that is inherits the skills and knowledge of performing rituals from her family but does not become possessed, and the Diviners who cast lots of rice, coins, and other means to foretell the future. Anyone interested in creating a Korean-themed campaign setting that is more fleshed out than the copy-pasted original content donut steel Kara-Tur that was so eloquently called out in the video here (nicely done again, love the vid, CJ) can benefit from looking into tropes of Buddhism and Daoism, the legendary foundations of Korea's several kingdoms, and a quick overview of Neo-Confucian values and funeral rites.

[@adolchrystin]

Gaya was ignored in the 3 kingdom period cuz it was quickly conquered by Shilla. Gaya had a great iron smithing skills where "POSCO(POhang Iron & Steel COmpany)" is now. If you are going to talk about Koryo, there where great connection to Buddhism and you can't miss the (sorry about the lack of "what should I say this in english) "conflict between the political class and the martial class.. or the uprising of the martial class(?) (if you can, try 무신정변)"

[@Dawning_Light]

Considering Matt Mercer created his own published setting. I see you doing it. All this could be done, Japan, China, and Korea all reimagined and published through Wizards. It took a few years of them streaming campaigns and had their voice acting careers as clout. Be nice if you could be the man behind the publisher’s reimagined Asian setting. I learned most of my 5e knowledge from your videos. So you’re highly respected to me as a D&D expert.

[@raccoon0413]

As a korean, I freaking LOVE the theme.

[@RVR121]

Shhh....you had me at Roleplaying boy band girly men.

[@sacta]

I love your setting, CJ, it's a great idea! Reminds me a little of Macross. And I can't wait until you address the history of Korea! I hadn't realized until you mentioned it just how lacking my knowledge is in that area.

[@Isomnophilia]

Your method of showcasing Kara-Tur is amazing, wish you would have carried this on :( On another note, does China, Korea or Japan have their own table top rpg based on these regions. Since 3 kingdoms is so big.

[@treboreroom124]

Wow amazing really like what you re coming up with.

[@phoenixknight8837]

Cool setting. It has the ingredients of being a kdrama hit.

[@bahamutkaiser]

This one is a lot more interesting than some of the others.

[@bjap1563]

Nobody remembers Balhae:"Am I a joke to you!?"

[@HoosierJedi]

Sounds pretty good.

[@atomicwoodpecker0123]

oh my god. he has a beard!

[@alliedn5266]

Your plot hooks are so good, have you ever considered publishing an adventure- if you haven't already?

[@majorday3856]

Fog mist with scary spirits group with tigers and mystery cool 😎

[@peterwindhorst5775]

Flower Boys = ascended Bard class with ranger skills?

[@MrFleem]

Let's name the band "Fire Bomber"

[@DontStopThinking]

Deculture.