Aisha's supernatural quest in Pompeii and Herculaneum in episode "Romaren dei Zuosui Fengzhou" is based on some alleged actual events of poltergeist activity going on in those cities destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79.
The design for Philostedes and his reptilian clan are based of the Skeksis character design from "The Dark Crystal". Amemiya and Hark were impressed with Henson and Froud's work, that it inspired Philostedes and his reptilian clan.