This concept is partly based on the academic article...
- Ruitenbeek, K. (1999). Mazu, the Patroness of Sailors, in Chinese Pictorial Art. Artibus Asiae 58 (3/4).
- Boltz, J.M. (1986). In Homage to T'ien-fei. Journal of the American Oriental Society 106 (1).
PANTHEON: Chinese
Mazu
Protectress of Seafarers
媽祖
TYPE: Ranged, magical
ROLE: Guardian
PROS: High defense, high crowd control
LORE: The goddess Mazu was known as Lin Moniang in her mortal life. Born to an ordinary fisherman's family on Meizhou island, she was a kind-hearted young lady who had dedicated her short life to helping her fellow people.
Once while dreaming, completely entranced, she found herself projected in the midst of a hurricane far at sea. Seeing that her brothers and father were in peril, she desperately tried to save them, but one brother drowned and descended to a watery grave. During her life, she would bring rain to end droughts, heal the sick with medicine, pacify two violent demons who became her loyal generals, rescue the helpless from shipwrecks, and many other great deeds. However, her own life would ultimately end no differently as she tragically drowned at a young age, lost to the unfathomable depths of the seas. Since then, the mariners of old had captivated many with tales about a sea so dark and most unmerciful, about hope lost and sorrow found, about a beautiful maiden in red and the miraculous light of her lantern guiding those in this despair back to their loved ones.
Coming down to the time of days past, the goddess Mazu was said to appear to those who were in peril and distress, to those who had ventured too far from home. Having beheld her divine omens among huge waves like mountains rising sky-high, all felt reassured and that there was no real cause for fear.
APPEARANCE
- Mazu is depicted as a young lady in her mid-twenties. Before her rise as divinity, her birth was in 960 and her death was in 987.
- She's often depicted with a red hanfu (漢服, see images below) dress with very large sleeves.
- Her dress could be designed in accordance to a flowy and distressed drowned look, since she died by drowning and is fated to perpetually roam over the seas.
- She carries a divine lantern to guide ships home, which symbolizes the natural phenomena known as Saint Elmo's Fire. This divine lantern is mentioned in the 15th-century Changle inscription for example.
- She wears a regal headgear with pendants and beads (see 1st image below) hanging from it, as shown in most of her statues. The headgear is a bit styled like an emperor's mianguan (冕冠) but more feminine and ornamental.
- To a side, her hair could perhaps decorated by a buyao (步摇, see 1st and 2nd image below), which is a flowery hairpin with dangling pendants.
- She has black hair, long and framing her face.
- She has a hovering movement in her animation, because she is a divine maiden who roams over the seas in lore.
- Her recolor or tier 2 skin could be named Heavenly Princess (天妃, Tianfei), which was one of the regal titles that was bestowed upon her.
Reference images for design details:
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Mazu is a known as compassionate and selfless goddess. The text Daozang describes her as:
PERSONALITY
Mazu is often evoked as a protectress of seafarers and those in distress. For example, the 15th-century Changle inscription narrates the following:To rescue those in danger, she subdues the waves and calms the breakers. And she lends her support to those imperiled by bringing the dead back to life. Through her great compassion and mercy, she relieves others of their distress and hardship.
[...]
She offers instant relief to those in distress and comes to the immediate rescue of those imperiled. Whether she is to be found traversing the celestial or mortal realms, riding the waves and breakers, or likewise within terrestrial bounds, all manner of demonic and spectral forces will bow in submission.
The power of the goddess, having indeed been manifested in previous times, has been abundantly revealed in the present generation. In the midst of the rushing waters it happened that, when there was a hurricane, suddenly a divine lantern was seen shining at the masthead, and as soon as that miraculous light appeared the danger was appeased, so that even in the peril of capsizing one felt reassured and that there was no cause for fear.Mazu brings solace to the turbulent and seas. This results in the closest allied god having no movement speed penalty and immunity to slows within her vicinity.
PASSIVE - RAIN OF BLOSSOMS
- Radius: 30ft
Note 1: In Chinese culture, the plum blossom (梅花) is celebrated as a symbol of perseverance and hope (since it blooms in the harsh conditions of the late winter) as well as beauty and purity. I found it fitting, as Mazu is a maiden who protects those in distress and calms the storms at sea.
Note 2: It is reminiscent to the Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers (天女散花), specifically the visual art motif, which has heavy influence from Daoist fairies. Even though the motif is unrelated to Mazu, I found the symbolism very fitting as Mazu is a heavenly maiden (as reflected in her titles).
Animation: The affected allied God would have a soothing watery trail and be surrounded by falling pink plum blossoms.In rough seas and heavy clouds, Mazu causes a hurricane that damages, lowers protection, and slows. The storm also grabs and pushes enemies 180 degrees counterclockwise along its tract.
ABILITY 1 - SEA OF CLOUDS
- Type: Area
- Radius: 25ft
- Damage: ???
- Protection decrease: ??? for 3s
- Slow: 20/25/30/35/40% for 3s
- Push duration: 1s
Mazu dashes forward, while commanding her two demons to attack the first enemy god hit by her dash. They will also cripple the god.
ABILITY 2 - DEMONIC GENERALS
- Type: Line
- Damage: ???
- Cripple: 2s
- Range: 50ft
Mechanic: The ability is a dash by Mazu, going through all enemies (but doing no damage or anything). The two demon generals dashes with her, but they stop at the first enemy god hit by Mazu's dash (to burst damage and cripple the enemy god).
Lore: Mazu is often depicted amongst clouds, hovering over the seas, which is how the dash would look. Mazu was said to have pacified two demons, Qianliyan (Eyes that see a thousand miles) and Shunfeng'er (Ears that hear with the wind), who became her guardian generals and are often depicted with her. They kept watch over the seas. One is depicted as making a gesture of peering to the distance and the other is depicted as holding his hand to an ear.Mazu's lantern shines in the midst of danger (nearby enemies). This increases stacks by one per 6/5/4/3.5/3s up to 5 stacks. All stacks are lost upon activation of the ability or death.
ABILITY 3 - DIVINE LANTERN
- Type: Area
- Radius: 30ft
Passive: MP5 is increased for herself and nearby allies if the lantern is lit.
- MP5 increase: ???
Active: Surrounded by the darkness of the storm, her lantern shines bright among the waves. All nearby allies heal and gain protection. The longer the lantern was lit (stacks), the higher the ability can heal and increase protection for the ally with the lowest health.
- Heal: ??? (all allies) + ??? per stack (bonus for lowest health ally)
- Protection increase: ??? (all allies) + ??? per stack for 3s (bonus for lowest health ally)
Mechanic: It's an ok ability for the entirety of the team, but a high burst heal and protection gain for a single target with the lowest health (when the ability is stacked).
Lore: Some nautical phenomena were taken as her divine omens. In this case, the lantern refers to Saint Elmo's fire appearing in a storm, which was taken as her divine omen by mariners of days past.
In regard to the healing, she was held in high esteem by villagers for her knowledge in healing during her life.In a storm, Mazu raises a large wrecked ship from the ocean's depths. The ship moves slowly forward for a very short distance, while damaging and stunning enemies in a volley of cannon fire. All enemies are also slowed while in its firing range.
ULTIMATE - TREASURE SHIP
- Type: Ground target
- Damage per tick: ??? every 0.4s
- Stun: 2s upon the first hit
- Slow: 20/25/30/35/40%
- Area of effect: 55x55ft
- Lifetime: 5s
Mechanic: The area of effect moves slowly forward with the ship.
Appearance: Ingame, I imagine a large treasure ship (寶船)--like those famous flagships in Zheng He's fleet--in the skies. Nine masted, a broken and decaying hull with water pouring from it, sails in tatters, creaking as it moves... how one would imagine a once-sunken vessel to appear. The atmosphere would be stormy.
Lore: Mazu is sometimes depicted as hovering on clouds, above the ship's mast, in paintings. Thus, it could also be made into a semi-global.
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