Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[micelus]

It is the year 22 of tenno Fuyoko's reign, divine empress of Yamato. It was during her father's reign that the warring clans, temples and cities of the empire were bent and broken by the astute warlord Kamon Masaru; the first shogun of the Kamon tent-government.

Under the rule of the Kamon, the warrior-class, the samurai, were once more established as the ruling class of the empire, the nobles long having been confined to the arts and sciences. The divine figureheads of the imperial clan, as always, recognised the legitimacy of the military dictatorship and continued to seclude themselves in the ancient capital of Nankyo. After centuries of warfare, it seemed that a period of peace was finally at hand. And yet, a people bred for war are rarely suited for peace. Rebellions rose and fell, spurred on by samurai unhappy with national unification or its consequences. Plunged once more into war, the Shogun rallied his forces and fought once more, hoping to deal with the last vestiges of independent spirit amongst the warrior clans.

Before further blood could be spilled however, tenno Aruto committed an unheard of deed; leaving the imperial palace without palanquin. Upon his own feet, he spoke to the people of the city - perhaps wishing to ensure that the envoys of the many lords knew of his message. He spoke in the imperial voice, an archaic tongue known to only few. It was the very first time many commoners had heard their sovereign's voice, let alone see the mortal god's body. With light radiating from his eyes and orifices, Aruto spoke of the Necessity to aid their ancient ally beyond the northern sea, Yabajkae. Surrounded by foes, Yabajkae defended against the Celestial navy to their west, and Injans to the east. It was by ancient pact and divine memory that the houses of the imperial clan and the clan of the foreign realm of Yabakjae were allied. Indeed, the Yabakjae were of the same blood of the Yamato people, perhaps even their predecessors.

In more than 760 years of seclusion, the Yamato emperors had never given a public edict, let alone one spoken by the emperor himself. Even for the samurai lords, it was not simple to ignore. Though the ancient Jaiyuri Shoguns had first forced the emperor into seclusion, few had the willpower- or ability- to disregard a divine order. As such, the various rebellious samurai, and the Kamon Shogunate, made peace. In the following weeks, plans were hatched and enacted; the Yamato warriors sailed north for war.

The ensuing war lasted a decade, with Yabakjae lost and the Yamato armies dismembered. Though great gains were initially made, the brilliance of the Injan armies, and the innumerable vesselsof the Celestial Realm, saw the warrior-caste broken and in disarray. Peace was signed with the Celestials and the Injans, with many Yabakjae allowed to take refuge in Yamato. Their kings reside in the court of the the tenno to this day.

Tenno Aruto died soon after. Leaving no male heir, his daughter was coronated and named Fuyoko. Under her reign it was hoped that peace could finally come to Yamato, especially with the warriors robbed of their spirit and numbers on the battlefields of the mainland. And yet, whispers soon came from the west, of a new development. The Great Liao Khanate had fallen, not to a foreign foe, but to its own people. Its artisans, peasants and merchants had overthrown the warrior-khans and their retinues, declaring themselves free of monarchs and indeed, traditional law. They declared for a world where all had liberty, where no one was subject to another, where all power resided not in those people with the most force, but in the community itself. They declared the Great Kurultai and declared that in time, all would be freed of their chains. Unifying the khanate under the Great Union of Kurultai Republics (GUKR), they entered into a time of vast industrialisation, propaganda, and war.

Soon, the apostles of the new ideology reached the shores of Yamato, speaking of their views with feverish belief, converting many to the Red-Wrung Ideal. In fear, the Shogunate banned the ideology, its spread and its believers. After much deliberation, an isolationist policy came to be, with all foreign influence in the nation prohibited save for a few zones. Rebellions of the people rose as a result, and were ultimately crushed by the gun-toting armies of the Shogun. Brutal repressions resulted, with many martyrs made.

And yet, it is not the lower classes who fear. The despot-shogun and his corrupt daimyos sleep uneasy as the Red-Wrung tide creeps throughout the Yamato Archipelago. It is whispered in the hovels and piss-scented tanneries. It's siren call is heard in underground poems and songs, printed by hidden presses and flyers found on grimy workfloors. it is what is scribbled on walls by ronin and bandits, disappearing into the night.

It is the chant of equality, the banner of the People, the Red-Wrung call of Socialism. Down with the Shogun, Power to the Kurultai; Break the Chains of Tyranny.


This game will be a hopefully cooperative multiplayer game with 4 or so players (there may be other slots opening later on), each representing a member of the ruling government of a rebellious anti-shogunate region. It is a turn-based gamed with each turn having several issues and happenings that the players will have to deal with, as well as allocating resources to problems. However, the player government is not the only region rebelling against the military government and indeed, cooperation between them is vital for final victory.

Players will be chosen based on which I like the most. Fairly arbitrary, I know!

Pre-Game Selections

Before the game starts, I'll need four players and a starting region.

The Genros (Players)

The genro are four supreme heads of the local revolutionary forces that for whatever reason, have come to cooperate with each other in order to defeat the shogun. It is the forces of the individual genro that make-up much of the revolutionary government's forces and it is to them (perhaps individually), that they are loyal to. Each genro has a vote to determine the policies of the government for the turn, as well as several personal actions to carry out their own ambitions. Due to their influence, the backgrounds of the genro are hugely important in determining starting resources and ideology of the rebellion government. Having a merchant (and one who continues to support merchants) on board will for example, shift the ideology of the empire to one more supportive of the bourgeoisie.

Genros can come from 5 broad backgrounds: Noble, Samurai, Priest, Peasant-Artisan and Merchant. Other backgrounds are also available, although these are much rarer than the main five. This includes professions like ninja or bandit.

In traditional Yamato belief, Nobles and Samurai sit on top, with peasants and artisans compromising the majority. Merchants are considered socially inferior to the peasants, although are often wealthier, some even rivalling daimyos in their wealth. Priests are outside the system and can come from any of the social classes. Due to the revolution, samurai are seen as tyrants and most samurai involved in the revolution have forsaken their official status. Whilst samurais are the warrior class, much of the fighting in previous wars involved peasant-artisan troops called ashigaru who served the samurai. Many temples and monasteries too, have fielded armies of monks in previous decades.

Along with backgrounds, Genros can come from several ethnicities, which due to the culture of the Yamato empire, confers different advantages and disadvantages. In order of how common they are in the empire they are: Yamato, Yabakjae, Aihoni, Celestial and Detche. Whilst the Yamato people make up most of the population, the immigrants from Yabakjae comprise a significant minority. The people of Yabakjae are known for their crafts, such as celadon porcelain, as well as their skills of alchemy and magic. The native Aihoni, often considered inferior in Yamato society, live in a manner similar to before the arrival of Yamato culture on the archipelago. They mainly live in the northern lands of the empire and are known for their primitive lifestyle and close connection to the natural world. The Celestials are the subjects of the Son (or Daughter) of Heaven, who rules absolutely in the Celestial Realm. Known for being the supposed progenitors of civilisation, the Celestials are advanced in the many ways, most notably in the manners of the arts and engineering. Detche is a catch-all term for foreigners from the Very Distant Continent which is famed for its technological advances, sweets and military innovations. Detche people are nearly always few in number, mainly men, and reside in small factories throughout the tradeports of the empire. Smaller ethnicities, much rarer, also exist in Yamato.

For most regions of the empire, Yamato are considered the default culture, with the Yabakjae seen as a respected but exotic (and related) culture. Celestials and Detche are intrinsically foreign and are sometimes at the mercy of xenophobic locals. The majority of Celestials and Detche in the empire are traders, although there are exceptions. The renowned samurai Yahuto-no-Amje for example, was a dark-skinned Detche from the land of Parzan. Many other Celestials and Detche are missionaries, with the former often espousing the Meditationist beliefs (read: Fantasy Buddhism) and the latter spreading the word of the Singular Being (read: Fantasy Semi-Deistic Christianity). Meditationist beliefs have long been accepted in Yamato and are intrinsically intertwined with the local worship of the gods, whilst Singularist belief is viewed with some xenophobia and suspicion.

Regions

Yamato is composed of many regions, some of which are more hospitable to the revolution than others. There are six available options.

Nankyo, The Imperial Domain
Description: The land of Nankyo is renowned for its ancient traditions and many temples to the gods, both native to Yamato and from beyond its shores. In Nankyo, the living goddess-queen of the empire lives in seclusion and it is where most of the holiest temples are found. Amongst the many manses of the imperial capital are also found the households of the prestigious noble clans that in former times ruled the empire. Now, they specialise in various professions, offering their teachings to those who can afford their time. Beyond the city, much of the land is hilly and crisscrossed by rivers, most of which end in the holy lake of Barwa. Much of the land is dedicated to the production of grains, fruits vegetables, with some even producing the luxurious coconuts, dragon fruit and macadamia. Whilst rich, a revolution in Nankyo would greatly trouble the shogun, who would be quick to send his armies to crush the rebels and ensure the 'safety' of the imperial line. Still, if the revolution were to obtain legitimacy from the Empress, then it is near-guaranteed that many in the archipelago would flock to our banner. Assuming of course, the Empress does not instead denounce our existence.
Pros: Near the Empress, Holy Land, Breadbasket, Perfect Climate, Noble Influence, Strategic Commodity: Islander Crops
Cons: Near the Empress, Noble Influence, Will Quickly Attract Shogunate Reprisal
Tutelary Deity: Amar-no-kami, Goddess of the Sun and Mother of Yamato. Whilst Amar-no-Isu's head shrine is found in Isu province, Nankyo is the home of her descendants- the imperial clan. As such, she protects Nankyo and its divine family, ensuring that harm does not befall them. Should Nankyo be administered in a manner according to her will, Nankyo will continue to be pleasant to inhabit. Amar-no-Isu has not provided any support to the shogunate or any revolutionary force and is indeed, seemingly concerned only with her divine lineage.
Tutelary Deity: The Great Fox, God of Fertility, Rice and Commerce. Unlike Amar-no-kami, the Great Fox (who's name is considered too sacred to say) itself resides in Nankyo, atop the aptly named Fox Mountain. The Great Fox is beloved by all people and is content with nominal worship as much as true worship- as long as the same sacrifices are offered. The Great Fox is most beloved by the peasants and the merchants, although all classes worship him. Whilst oft called him, the Great Fox is in truth, completely lacking in sex and chooses to express himself as male, female and androgynous in a myriad of forms depending on its whims. As long as the Great Fox is kept happy, the lands will be eternally fertile and business will flow smoothly.

Iziyaki, Land of Hidden Warriors
Description: Iziyaki is a land of mountains and forests with poor soil that is near-worthless for agriculture. Indeed, many of the inhabitants are herders or otherwise engaged in the forest economy. However, Iziyaki is notorious for its finest export: the ninja. It is from the sixteen hidden villages that the art of ninjutsu emerged and made samurai and peasant alike fear for their lives. Whilst providing immense service to the various factions of the warring period, Shogun Kamon Masaru saw them as a liability. Having extracted the permanent service of the Ryuojin and Wan ninja clans, the shogun sent his armies to raze Iziyaki's villages and execute all ninja who would not bow. Even their families were not spared, with the hidden records absorbed into the shogunate archives or otherwise destroyed. In the years since, Iziyaki has become a backwater, though one still lingering with animosity against the shogunate. Whispers speak of two surviving ninja villages. If true, their services could be vital in dealing with the shogunate, although others would perhaps find it disreputable to consort with criminal clans. Even should such ninja not exist, the lands of Iziyaki are guarded by mountains, narrow passes and great forests. Better yet, whilst remote, Iziyaki is geographically near the centre of the archipelago, allowing for the Revolution to easily spread from it. It would be difficult for any enemy to take Iziyaki. Whilst technically a fiefdom of the daimyos of clan Yan, Iziyaki is too remote for them to exert much control here.
Pros: Possible Ninja Influence, Easily Defended, Strategic Commodity: Prime Lumber, Shogun Antipathy, Central Position, Remote
Cons: Possible Ninja Influence, Poor Soil, Backwater.
Tutelary Deity: None. Whilst some say that Iziyaki's patron deity isthe Meditationist goddess Satchura-Celestial (a deity of sin and mortal evil), in truth, the modern inhabitants put no significant trust in any one deity. When the ninja ruled these lands, the moon god Toyou-no-kami and the Lucky Triad were considered the land's protectors. With the scattering and extinction of the ninja, no god is said to protect Iziyaki.


Tsuchima, The Shogun's Market
Description: The island domain of the Soi Clan is one of the few places in Yamato where trade with foreign realms is allowed. Indeed, it is perhaps the greatest of the nation's tradeports. Here, Celestials and Detche alike walk freely in the city, with even more exotic peoples (many of which are not human) inhabiting the domain. Tsuchima itself is ruled by a foreign-descended daimyo, with the current Soi clan head being the Detche-blooded Soi Sakura-no-Yngland. Even odder, the Soi Clan has the practise of changing its daimyo every few years, electing from its numbers a new ruler. This almost democratic custom has caused the shogun to eye the Soi with some suspicion, though the Soi have so far proven to be loyal vassals. As Tsuchima is where most foreign goods enter the empire, and where most exports leave the empire, Tsuchima is vastly wealthy. Its merchants oft rival daimyos in wealth, earning them written reprimand from the shogun. Not only rich in wealth, Tsuchima is also rich in knowledge, with most foreign expertise and teachings first promulgating here before spreading elsewhere. Indeed, many academies on 'Foreign Studies' are found here. Still, for all its prosperity, Tsuchima is still an island, and not one rich in space. It relies on trade for its food, clothing and shelter. Without ships, it will be impossible to spread the Revolution elsewhere- especially as Tsuchima is lacking in much old-growth forest.
Pros: Major Tradeport, Island,Merchant Influence, Centre of Knowledge: Foreign Studies, Cosmopolitan, Socialist Taint
Cons: Merchant Influence, Island, Strong Shogunate Navy Presence, Resource Poor, Shogun Loyalty
Tutelary Deity: Maro-no-kami, Goddess of Navigation, Commerce and Innovation. A foreign-descended goddess of Celestial origin, Maro-no-kami has for centuries resided in the Palace of Waters, a semi-aquatic temple adjacent to Tsuchichima City's harbour district. For generations, the Cheung family has acted as her priests, having brought her tutelary statue from her birth place of Arjian in the Celestial Realm. Locals and foreigners alike pray to Maro-no-kami, asking for safe journeys, good luck and good ideas. It also has other functions, with the temple's workers operating hospitals and allowing groups to rent halls- usually for negotiation or craft demonstrations. Like many deities, Maro-no-kami has not made any official announcement of support for the shogunate or the Revolution. As long as she is worshipped well, Maro-no-kami will likely continue to protect Tsuchima's luck and prosperity.

Agame, God-Cursed Ruins
Description: Agame is known for one thing: its curse. Generations ago, the god Baizhoten-no-kenshi died here in defense of its descendants, the Zu Shikkens. In its dying moments, it cursed the lands of Agame with its blood forevermore. Being the patron god of warriors, its blood manifested in the form of weapons. Since its death, the land has experienced no rain of water, but only of swords, spear and gunpowder. Those few people who live here are mostly descendants of the Zu or are otherwise too poor or stupid to leave. Some have been exiled here for one crime or another, or are otherwise engaged in the domain's godsblood trade. Whilst much of the godsblood weaponry of the region are useless for war, a large enough minority is useful enough to be exported. Some of these weapons are of exquisite status, and never dull or corrode. Some seemingly inherit more of Baizhoten-no-kenshi's being and have magical effects, with some said to exhibit fragments of the warrior god's conscious soul. Due to the characteristics of the godsblood, no smith or sorcerer has yet discovered how to smelt the material. Whilst weapons are perhaps the most exotic characteristics of Agame, the Zu people are not to be overlooked. In centuries past, the Zu ruled the lands as shikkens; chief ministers of the Ai Shoguns, who had been made puppets just as the shoguns had made the emperors their puppets. Ousted from power, their descendants each have a piece of their warrior-god ancestor, as well as the Zu's proclivity for scheming and intrigue. Whilst banned by consecutive governments from leaving Agame, the Zu could be used to great effect in the coming battles against the Kamon Shogunate. Still, the lands are poor in all resources beyond its godsblood weaponry. Some whisper that the old ruins of the land harbour secrets that have yet to be discovered.
Pros: Strategic Commodity: Godsblood Weaponry, Zu Influence, Remote, Shogun Antipathy, Ancient Ruins
Cons: Curse of Swords, Resource Poor, Barren, Zu Influence
Tutelary Deity: None. Though Agame is associated with Baizhoten-no-kenshi, former god of warriors, Agame has never known a tutelary deity, even before the curse of swords.


Emshin, Primeval Domains of the Aihoni
Description: The northern lands of Emshin are a collection of domains in the far north of Yamato that has only relatively recently been settled by those of Yamato culture. Indeed, many of the inhabitants are Aihoni, with some daimyos here being of that ethnicity as well. The majority of people here still dwell in small villages of pit-huts and engage in esoteric rituals and customs, such as the worship of the bear, the feminine tattooing of lips, and the unruly growing of beards. Indeed, the Aihoni natives are known for being unusually hairy by Yamato standards. Still, none can deny that the Emshin peoples are excellent horsemen and breed the finest war steeds in the whole archipelago. Some renowned breeders even produce bear cavalry or war snakes. Besides this, Emshin is also valued for its vast natural resources. This includes lumber, amber, furs, shark skin, deer antler and high-quality roe. Even so, the Yamato administrators often have trouble collecting these bounties due to the local animosity for the Yamato; a fair opinion since the Yamato invaded these lands. Indeed, the title of shogun originally referred to the military general in charge of invading Aihoni lands. Whilst the Aihoni make up much of the population, and the colonial Yamato a minority, older and darker beings also reside here. Dark and savage kami are said to reside in these ancient lands, remnants of the primitive times before Yamato culture spread throughout the lands. Their creations and allies stalk the primeval forests of Emshin and without sufficient tribute, are known to cause harm and chaos.
Pros: Rich in Resources, Strategic Commodity: War Beasts, Strategic Commodity: Prime Lumber Shogun Antipathy, Decentralised Population, Aihoni Influence, Yamato Antipathy, Weak Daimyos, Remote
Cons: Aihoni Influence, Yamato Antipathy, Decentralised Population, Backwater, Hostile Kami
Tutelary Deity: None recognised by the Yamato. The native Aihoni do not recognise any such concept as a tutelary deity over a whole region, but do venerate They-Whispered-Quickly as a pseudo-guardian. Suffice to say, They-Whispered-Quickly is known for its hate of the Yamato and its terrorising of the colonists. It is said that They-Whispered-Quickly demands human sacrifice and self-flagellation. Whilst a frightening deity, defenders of the Aihoni practises say that they have only consorted with such foul powers because of Yamato repression and invasion.

Kanogawa, Domain of Iron
Description: Kanogawa is a land of mountains and is known as the only place in all of Yamato with reliable iron mines; nearly all of the nation's iron is sourced from foreign lands. It is only in Kanogawa that iron can be found in relative plenty, with much of the nation's pre-eminent iron smiths working within in the domain. Construction materials, weapons, armour, art, farming tools and horse shoes; all are mass produced in Kanogawa at the behest of the Charuke clan. The current daimyo of Kanogawa is feared and respected as the best swordswoman (and swordsman) in all of Yamato, earning herself the title of kensei. Whilst nominally retired, daimyo Charuke Sakura is still a match for most and due to her skill and personality, has garnered the loyalty of many samurai- even those of the oni clans. She has entrusted much of the duties of her titles to her heir, Charuke Ajin, and resides in her secluded home on the slopes of Mount Yashin, where she continues to teach her sword style. Even so, the Charuke rarely have to dabble with the domain's innerworkings, as the artisans guilds (called za) of the land handle most matters. the  Whilst plotting the Revolution here would provide us with significant amounts of iron- and the use of the region's artisans- facing Lady Charuke and her skilled students is a daunting task. Perhaps however, she could be made to join the Revolution. Whilst she has not yet heard the Red-Wrung Ideal in her heart, she has no love for the Shogun, only sheathing her blade due to the shogun's practise of keeping hostages. Such hostages include Charuke Sakura's children and grandchildren.
Pros: Strategic Commodity: Iron, Artisan Influence, Oni Presence
Cons: Artisan Influence, Oni Presence, Strong Daimyos, Kensei Presence
Tutelary Deity: Kagan-no-hichi, God of Industry, the Forge and Fire. A kami of native descent, Kagan-no-hichi is one of the major deities of Yamato and resides amongst his beloved artisans. His spirit is said to aid in the forging of weapons, and is present in the looms of the weavers. He is said to be an earthy god, who jokes and swears and drinks and mourns. His chief temple is a modest affair, being only the size of a normal city block and is as much a temple as it is a craft hall. Indeed, many guilds have their headquarters on the temple grounds or nearby. As long as the fire god is respected, the industry of the realm should remain efficient. Like other gods, Kagan-no-hichi has not declared for the shogunate or the Revolution.

How to Apply:

Fluff up a sheet using the format below AND choose a starting region. All players will start in the same region, with the region with the most votes being chosen. If there is no consensus amongst the picked players, all votes for a region will be considered instead.

Code: [Select]

Name: Either in Family Name/First Name format or just your first name if you want to play a person who for whatever reason, does not have a family name. This is quite common amongst the lower classes.
Background: Noble/Samurai/Priest/Peasant-Artisan/Merchant. Note that you can choose to come from a background besides these options.
Ethnicity: Choose from the following, in order of how common they are in the empire; Yamato, Yabakjae, Aihoni, Celestial, Detche, Other. Whilst the Yamato people make up most of the population, the immigrants from Yabakjae comprise a significant minority. The native Aihoni, often considered inferior in Yamato society, live in a manner similar to before the arrival of Yamato culture on the archipelago. The Celestials are a cultured people known primarily for their art and engineering. Detche is a catch-all term for foreigners from the Very Distant Continent which is famed for its technological advances, sweets and funny accents.
Appearance: Exactly what you think
Backstory: Go nuts.
IC here: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175649.0
Discord here: https://discord.gg/cBzKXqx [peoples-republic-of-japan]

[micelus]

Important Fluff

Important Gods
The gods of Yamato are innumerable. Every object and being has a god with even people having a god inside them. Whilst all god ought be venerated to some degree, some are considered of higher rank than others. Note however that rank is a matter of ceremonial and spiritual importance, not of popularity.

Amar-no-Okami. Goddess of the Sun, Fertility, the Yamato, the Imperial Clan: Birthed from the sweat of the creator god Izan, Amar-no-Okami is one of the Ancestral Triad; the gods from whom most Yamato treat as ancestors. She is married to her brother Toyou-no-kami, although they are estranged. She is always depicted as both beautiful and motherly. Most beloved of her father Izan, she was granted the office of creator and given the duty of populating the world with people. As a result, she came into conflict with her exiled brother Tsusan, who had proclaimed himself king of earthly kami. Amar-no-Okami argued that the kami should share the land with mortals, a proposition Tsusan saw as the arrogance of the heavens and without thought given to those who already inhabited the world. In time, Amar-no-Okami bested her brother and was successful in planting the divine seeds of humanity. Most of these had been destroyed by the servants of Tsusan. These grew into plum trees, from which Amar-no-Okami extracted the first of the imperial clan; a man and a woman. Though most beautiful and graceful, they were but few. Making deals with her siblings Tsusan and Toyou-no-kami, she turned the next generation of earthly kami into humans. These would be the Yamato. She taught them, as well as divine children, the secrets of survival and of worship. Since then, Amar-no-Okami has retreated from most earthly affairs, content to see her children thrive. Her father then gave her the task of nourishing the world, making her into a sun. She is still the prime deity of the Yamato and is greatly revered as a result. Her chief shrine is in Isu province.

Great Fox (, The), God of Commerce, Agriculture, Fertility and Rice: The Great Fox was once a normal fox in a time before time. It was only when the god Tsusan tricked a lordly demon into drinking sake, that the Great Fox became divine. After Tsusan slew the demon, the Great Fox's animal mind decided to try the sake, as well as the flesh of the slain demon. From the mixing of the two, the Great Fox gained divine ability and intelligence. Whilst it was Tsusan who had first devised sake, sake is more associated with the Great Fox. His chief shrine is in Nankyo province.

Hachiman, God of Warriors, Honour, Male Homosexuality: It was Hachiman who aided in the slaying of Baizhoten-no-kenshi and thus earned his title and being as a result. Formerly a Meditationist god of honour, Hachiman has gone native and internalised the warrior pathos of the samurai. With his aid, the shoguns of the Kamon clan have won victory against all competitors and how rule Yamato. He is of course an adamant supporter of the military dictatorship and indeed, patron of the government. Ever since the failed war on the mainland, Hahchiman has been weakened, reflecting the weakness of his samurai charges. His chief shrine is in Edakura province.

Izai, Goddess of Death and Afterlife: One of the creator gods, Izai rules the underworld. Once a goddess of the living, she died giving birth to Kagan-no-hichi and has resided in the world of death ever since. Rejected by her husband, Izai is known as a lonesome figure, worshipped somewhat out of pity as well as fear. Most people offer sacrifices in order to keep away death. Due to her status and being, she is considered ritually impure, even though as a goddess, she is paradoxically immaculately pure. Her priests and temples unlike other places or people dedicated to the gods, exude ritual corruption and constantly have a faint scent of death.  For reasons unknown, she has publicly supported the Revolution and indeed, her temples and priests have found it difficult to operate in the Shogunate. Her chief shrine is found in the hinterlands of Buruzu province.

Izan, God of Creation and the Heavens: One of the creator gods, Izan rules over the heavens and orchestrated the creation of the Yamato Archipelago, and perhaps the world. With his sister-wife Izai, the pair birthed the first few generations of heavenly gods, assigning them each a duty. When Izai died giving birth to Kagan-no-hichi, Izan entered an anguished state, during which he turned back from the world. It was in this period of time that demons and foreign kami came to be, Izan being unwilling to leave his sanctum. Eventually, Izan decided to venture into the afterlife to see his wife. Entering through the entrance to the underworld in Buruzu, he searched for his wife- finding a woman dressed in her clothing and of the same build. He was overjoyed and pointed his divine radiance at her in order to get a better look at the woman he had loved for eons. As the light shone, he was mortified. The woman was a ragged corpse with maggots and centipedes inhabiting her flesh. But yet, it was Izai. Izai, in shame and anger, demanded to know why he had done that. In reply, Izan ran back up, chased by his dead wife who cried "why are you leaving me again?". Reaching the entrance to the underworld, Izan sealed the entrance behind him with heavy rocks and made a promise to never once more think of his beloved. To purify himself of the underworld's essence, Izan blew his nose; this birthed. Tsusan. He then spat into a nearby pond; this birthed Toyou-no-kami. He then built himself a sweat lodge and entered; from the sweat came Amar-no-Okami. Izan does not have a head shrine and is rarely worshipped on his own, being long surpassed by his children. Izan's name is mentioned during rituals and holy days, such as the New Year.

Kammon, Goddess of Mercy: A Meditationist deity, Kammon is said to have been revealed in a dream to a peasant. After receiving a vision, he found the golden statue of Kammon in the river and immediately began a life of service to the goddess. As with many Meditationist deities, she is an arihat, one who has achieved enlightenment. Not only an arihat, she is also a Naukar deity, which means that she has postponed the Sublime State until all others have reached it. As such, she is well loved by the people. Kammon is supposedly the divine parent of the Kamon Clan of Shoguns, although this would imply that she has lost her arihat status. The Kamon Clan instead has a long, convoluted tale about how they are descended from Kammon prior to her enlightenment. Her chief temple is in Edokawa province.

Toyou-no-kami, God of the Moon, Beauty, Water, Regret, Madness and Secrets: Birthed from the saliva of the creator god Izan, Toyou-no-kami is one of the Ancestral Triad; the gods from whom most Yamato treat as ancestors. He is married to his sister Amar-no-kami, although they are estranged. He is always depicted as feminine and aloof. Considered the brightest of his children, Izan granted him the office of librarian and offered him all the secrets of the Heavens and Earths. The secrets at first greatened his knowledge and his wisdom, but then he began looking into the more insidious and esoteric of truths. Teetering on the edge of sanity, Toyou-no-kami killed his daughter Oyomosi-no-kami after she  had happily revealed how she had cooked him his dinner- by devising it from her own being. The chicken was her snot, the wine was her moon-blood, the soba from  her hair, the vegetables from her nails and the broth from her bile. This fact was something known by Izai and Amar-no-Okami as well as many heavenly gods; Oyomosi-no-kami made the best of meals. In grief, Amar-no-Okami swore to never speak to her brother-husband again and agreed to being turned into the sun to get away from her husband. Anguished by this, Toyou-no-kami deigned to follow her in the sky, becoming the moon. His chief shrine is found in Itcho-ki province.

Tsusan, God of Storms, Determination and Trickery: Birthed from the snot of the creator god Izan, Tsusan is one of the Ancestral Triad; the gods from whom most Yamato treat as ancestors. He is always depicted as lordly and proud. In the earliest of ages, Tsusan had quarrelled with his father and was thus banished from the Heavens. Descending onto a small rock that would one day become Fawashima province, journeyed to find purpose. In those days, there were no people, only the kami of the land. Tsusan eventually found a community of kami, all weeping for a great demon would soon come to take its tithe of their children. Tsusan, hoping to prove his worth to the earthen kami, volunteered to slay the demon. Whilst the tales vary, most agree that Tsusan tricked the demon by brewing the first sake and making the demon drunk. He then cut through each of the demon's heads with his heaven-made knife. Inside the entrails of the demon he found a sword of light. In all of the Heavens, he knew only that his sister Amar-no-Okami was the only being capable of such creations and immediately, he came to see his sister in a darker light. Becoming king of the land, Tsusan would enter conflict with his sister for generations, before peace finally came. Since then, Tsusan has forsaken rulership, and now tends to the ocean winds. His chief shrine is found in Fawashima province.

Somewhat Less Important Gods
Gods of the secondary rank or below, but not so low that they are only worshipped in a small area or have no mortal-known name at all.

Bentennosun, Goddess of the ♫♪ Flow ♪♫ and Love: A Rajhese goddess that has long been naturalised in Yamato, she was brought over by Celestial and Meditationist visitors centuries ago. Bentennoson presides over all that flows; this is a lot of things. Water, oil, sake, syrup, words, blood, music; all are within her spheres. For murkier reasons, she is associated with love. Her chief temple is in Nagai province, although entrance is only granted twice every year.

Daijan-no-Okami, God of the Earth, Rulership, Antiquity and Earthly Kami: An ancient god Daijan-no-Okami was the god-king of the earthly kami before the heavenly kami descended unto the world. It was he who first dealt with the rampages of demons in his lands and it was he who first met Tsusan after his exile. After Tsusan showed his righteousness by slaying the demon lord, Daijan-no-Okami offered him the office of king and his loyalty. In the war that followed between Tsusan and Amar-no-Okami, Daijan-no-Okami served loyally, but was eventually tricked into a trap. His whole being was split and sundered and portioned out between 8000 objects. When the two gods of the Ancestral Triad made peace, Amar-no-Okami refused to free Daijan-no-Okami, fearing his power would allow Tsusan to rebel against her. He is as such, is still divided. He is often worshipped in the same temples as Tsusan or other gods related to him; some even have pieces of him. Whilst unconscious and locked away, Daijan-no-Okami's splintered soul is sometimes known to answer prayers. He has no chief shrine.

Ginzo, God of Many Functions, Children, Demons and Travelling: A god of Meditationist origin, Ginzo is an arihat; an enlightened being. He is also a Naukar, who has postponed the Sublime State until all others have achieved it. An ancient deity, Ginzo supposedly originates from a time and place that existed eons ago; another kalpa. In that time, Ginzo was female and worshipped the Prime Naukar of that era. Caring for her elderly mother, she knew that her mother had sinned greatly. As such, she offered all she had as sacrifice and made many prayers to the Naukars. When her mother died, she spent months in the temple, until she received a vision of the naukars. They brought her to hell, in which her mother had been destined to go to, but was shown that through Ginzo's sacrifice, her mother had been saved from such torture. Here, most would have ended their tribulations. Instead, Ginzo was horrified by the state of hell's inhabitants and swore to see them saved. Later becoming male in another life and soul, Ginzo continued his mission of offering salvation to demons, and later, children. Children, especially those who died without accumulating good deeds, also became wards of of the god, who personally carried them across the banks of the River of Death and allowed them an afterlife or reincarnation. Ginzo is oft depicted as child-like and kawaii. Ginzo's chief temple is found in Aksho province.

Izbiso, God of Fishermen, Orphans, Health of the Youth, Optimism and Adoption: Firstborn son of the divine couple Izai and Izan, the pair discarded him because he was born without bones. This was because of their improper courtship rite; divine marriage is only truly completed if the male speaks first, not the female. Izbiso was cast adrift on a small boat in this time before time, doomed to die. But he did not. After being adopted by a turtle and a shrimp, Izbiso grew into a jovial adult and became popular amongst earthly kami and later, mortals. Izbiso's cult massively eclipses those of his parents, whom he has supposedly forgiven. Izbiso's chief temple is on the remote island of Aryon.

Kagan-no-hichi, God of Industry, the Forge and Fire: Of immaculate parentage, Kagan-no-hichi was the last child born of the divine couple Izan and Izai. Of fiery vigour and burning body, Kagan-no-hichi's birth burnt Izai's during his burning, dooming her to a painful death. Ashamed of what trauma he had caused for his parents, Kagan-no-hichi fled the Heavens after reaching the age of understanding, secluding himself on the earth. There, he witnessed the conflict between his siblings Tsusan and Amar-no-Okami and saw their creation of mortals. He saw how their sufferings and their plights, of their daily difficulties and surprising intellect. Taking pity, Kagan-no-hichi taught them the knowledge of fire, from which they could enjoy the luxury of cooked food and later, the creation of new tools. Since those early days, Kagan-no-hichi continues to guide and teach the mortals, being considered a most personal god to many. His chief temple is found in Kanogawa domain.

Lesser Fox (,The), God of Tea and Earthly Foxes: Consort of the Great Fox, the Lesser Fox is a relatively young deity, only announcing his existence a few centuries ago. As the story goes, Tea and Foxes were once the domains of the Great Fox, but he decided to promote his mortal lover to a deity. As such, he divested Tea and Foxes to his lover. His shrines tend to be shared with the Great Fox's and are only rarely separate.

Maro-no-kami. Goddess of Navigation, Commerce and Innovation.: A Celestial deity who was supposedly born a mortal, she was in life known as a great shaman who consorted with all manner of spirits and demons. Mainly, she used her connections and power to ensure that travelling ships arrived in port safely, and that the profits of both seaman and merchant were guaranteed. For this, she was much loved and respected by her community. After her death, her power was so revered that people believed that she could continue to aid mortals, leading to the erection of hero shrines to her, which in time became ancestral shrines and after that, godly shrines to the deity that which she had become. In all those years, Maro-no-kami's worship has spread to whatever port Celestial sailors have travelled to, including many of Yamato's own. Whilst her chief shrine is found in the Celestial Realm, Yamato's national Maro-no-kami shrine is found in Tsuchima.

Ryujan, God of Water, Tides, Rain and the Ocean: An immortal dragon-king, Ryujan has long been worshipped as a water deity by those both underwater and abovewater since times before times. He resides in a great underwater palace composed of coral and jewels and is known to administrate his deep realm from there. His draconic servants are responsible for directing the rain cycle of Yamato, as well as regulating its rivers and tides. He does this by distributing magical pearls called tide jewels, which are able to control water. Whilst now at peace with the Yamato gods, Ryujan is known for having aligned himself with Tsusan in the centuries long war between him and his sister Amar-no-Okami. Indeed, his daughter was married to Tsusan's mortal lineage- a lineage that was assimilated into the imperial clan at the conclusion of the war between the two. As such, those of the imperial clan - and by extension, much of the Yamato - have draconic blood in their veins. As such, he is sometimes worshipped as an ancestral god. His chief shrine is found in the waters around Kyoda province's coast, although an annex shrine is nearby for his terrestrial visitors.

Shimiyami (,The), Gods of Four and Protection: Four gods, together they represent four numbers, four directions, four virtues, and four elements. Hachiman was once of their number, before ascending. They are Meditationist in origin and their statues are oft found protecting Meditationist temples from bad luck and malignant spirits. They have no chief shrine, being more divine bouncers than gods of much worship. They are still prayed to at most Meditationist shrines, with their statues often found on the shrines of other deities.

Tsujan, God of Scholars, Poetry, Exams, Plague and Natural Disasters: Tsuga was a mortal bureaucrat named Faranhide Shoto so powerful and so wise, he could use the Imperial Memorandums to influence the Emperors to create wealth...He had such a knowledge of the bureacucracy that he could keep the projects he cared about from cancellation. The imperial side of bureaucracy is a pathway to many processes some consider to be unnatural.  He became so influential...the only thing that he was afraid of was losing his influence, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his kohai everything he knew, then his kohai exiled him in his onsen. Ironic, he could save other projects from cancellation, but not himself.  Faranhide eventually died in exile, but was posthumously promoted to godhood after a series of plagues and disasters, which many priests and soothsayers aid was the work of Faranhide Shoto's spirit. Whilst originally a god of plague and disaster, he eventually came to be seen in a more positive outlook. His chief shrine is in Nankyo.

[micelus]

Not As Important Fluff

The Faith of the Singular Being


Denominations
Due to the few number of Detche in Yamato, these differences won't matter most of the time.

Representative Singularists [Not Catholicism]: the Singular Being continues to send prophets derived of his nature, but not of it (but also not without it), to the world to enlighten people in Goodness. Rep. Singularists consider it a matter choice to both not deny the mortal nature of the prophets, but also not to affirm that they are mortal. Rep. Singularists nominally have a church head known as 'Il Perito' who is elected by the cardinals of the Church.
Ceaserist Singularists [Not Byzantine Orthodoxy]: Believe much of the same as the Rep. Singularists, but they believe that temporal and spiritual power is best combined under one earthly representative- and that is the emperor. Prophets are meant to aid the emperor, not rule.
Sealists "Singularists" [Not Sunni Islam]: Believe that their prophet is the last prophet and has the clearest and best methods in order to be a good person. They are supposed to elect a kalipha to lead the faithful, but that title has oft been usurped by hereditary dynasties.
Demagoguer Singularists [Not Protestantism]: Believe in a lot of things, but mainly that no temporal leader has sole authority over religion.
Irzthani Singularists [Not Oriental Christianity]: Believe that the prophets are wholly mortal and wholly divine. They tend towards tolerance of divergent views and are distrusting of autocrats.
Echadim 'Singularists" [Not Judaism]: Believe in a lot of things, but certainly not what the other Singularists believe. Indeed, they have their own theological disputes completely removed from the theological disputes of other Singularists. They're still debating whether or not the Temple is spiritually destroyed or only physically destroyed. Their idea of prophets differs in that most are 'proclaimed' by the people.


Non-Human Sapients
Dragons: Wise sea serpents with short thin limbs, dragons are capable of magical flight. Sometimes worshipped as gods, dragons have control over the waters and are often associated with rainfall to the point that the the draconic god-king Ryujan is worshipped on land as much as he is under the sea. Majestic beings, most dragons inhabit the sea, with the wealthier ones living in coral palaces in the deepest abyssal plains. Young dragons tend to live in coral reefs and are often mistaken for eels; these beings are much weaker waterbenders than their elders. Some dragons live in freshwater areas or estuaries or even mountains; these beings are much rarer. Common belief states it is rarely wise to spurn a love-obsessed woman, for they may study alchemy, turn themselves into a dragon, and then kill you. The opposite is of course a laughable situation.
Oni: Brutish red (sometimes blue, yellow or green) troll-like demons that inhabit the mountains of Yamato, the oni are a race of demons that enjoy in the suffering of mankind. They grow sharp teeth and horns and are oft three times the length of the tallest human. Primitive creatures, they usually wear little more than pelts or loincloths, arming themselves with clubs and spears. Some smarter oni use slings and bows, although they are ridiculed by their kin. Whilst physically imposing, oni cannot enter areas which have performed the Spring-Coming ritual on the first day of spring. That is, the throwing of soybeans out of the building or area and shouting 'out damn oni, out! Good tidings, come here!". This ritual works until late winter, a period during which oni are able to run amok. This period is known as 'Fun Month' amongst the oni. Not surprisingly, many oni make a life out of banditry, with some more amiable ones working as mercenaries and guards.
Tengu: Beings that resemble humans, they have large feathered wings and long beaks attached to a human face. Their feathers are usually gray, but their skin is red or pink. The Tengu are an extremely spiritual and proud people who live in small villages in mountains or windy coasts, who worship the kami above all else. As a rule, they find Meditationism a heathen faith and find its influence in religion to be sacrilege. The religion they follow is thus, somewhat different from that of mainstream Yamato, often with very different stories. They are fond of debating religion, especially with young Meditationist monks. More extreme tengu are known for killing or kidnapping monks, seducing them, or otherwise making them unvirtuous in the eyes of the Meditationist faith. Tales are still told of the Namahude Yahiro, the boy-turned-kensei who had been tutored by the tengy Sojirro, who was indoctrinated into massacring hundreds of monks and even one emperor. As a result, Meditationists call them corruption demons- something which the Meditationist Kamon Shoguns agree with. They are oft discriminated against by the Shogunate. Whilst decentralised, most tengu communities have the same technologies and diets as their human counterparts.

[micelus]

Reserved

[micelus]

Reserved

[Nakéen]

~~~ "Mumei" Nakamura, the Yamato Exile ~~~

Name: "Mumei" Nakamura
Background: Exiled Scholar
Ethnicity: Yamato

Appearance:
A mysterious elder standing three heads above the common men. His dark amber eyes are hidden behind an embroidered silk blindfold at all times, and his long gray and dark straight hair reaching up to his knees are often tied in a high ponytail. His face is rugged and sports an outrageous gray beard.

The man wears crude garments atypical of a traveler, yet his clothes are surprisingly clean and well-maintained. He wears a black hakama over a tarnished gray kimono, over which hangs a heavy coat of earthen complexion. The man walks around in geta in a silent fashion, even on wooden boards.

Nakamura is a silent observer for most of the time, though he will reveal a surprising vitality when taking action. He particularly enjoys the cool days of autumn with a cup of tea and a few poems.


Backstory:
"Mumei" Nakamura was once a Yamato Noble hailing from a middle household of Nankyo. On his 12th birthday, he learnt from his very mother of his secret bastard status, being born from a tryst between a Yamato noblewoman and a Aihoni merchant. Terrified that his impure blood would make him less able to the arts of nobility, Nakamura worked thrice harder than his fellow nobleborn, and studied until he would collapse on his cypress desk. Being gifted with great insight and intelligence despite his impure blood, Nakamura proved to be a genius and promising servant of the Empress.

But Nakamura was too clever, and too curious. He started delving into hidden knowledge, sought to learn the mysteries and ways of other lands and people. Such that with time, he even started committing an abject crime of thought, the one of seeing non-Yamato as being less inferior than initially thought. In time he even dared to use of his power to offer equal justice to Yamato and non-Yamato, which drew to him the ire of other nobles. And finally Nakamura made a great crime, the one of reading a forbidden imperial record about the exchanges with the first Aihoni.

Outraged by what he saw, and disillusioned with the rotting imperial nobles, Nakamura swore he would not look at people anymore inequally and blindfolded his eyes. His crime and missteps came to light and those who despised Nakamura used them against him. At the end, he was stripped of his name and assets, thus becoming a "Mumei" as he now called himself.

Still too powerful and appreciated by both lowborn and nobleborn, he was exiled to Emshin to serve the local government, ironically returning him to the ancestral lands of his father family. There he defiantly grew a beard and stopped tending to his hair, and he instructed himself on the history and traditions of the Aihoni. But knowing people of the imperial domain would fear him as long as he lived, he disappeared without a trace to travel the land and escape any would-be pursuer, using this occasion to gather more knowledge about the world and its history.


And now, he aims to defeat the shogun for what he believes is the good of the people.




Region of choice: Agame, God-Cursed Ruins

[Glass]

Name: Erill Silverstein / “Sibin”
Background: Merchant-engineer
Ethnicity: Detche
Appearance: A relatively short, scholarly-looking man, with a pair of spectacles perched perpetually upon his nose. His hair is brown, though worn in a local style - mostly shaved, save for a tail at the back. Depending on the social environment he is found in, he can be seen wearing either worn-out artisan’s clothing stained with oil and smoke, or a well-fitted dress outfit that contains aspects of clothing from across the continent (as well as four short braids, one at each corner of the bottom). He typically carries on him a small set of his most-used tools, a wood-and-bone pistol, and a small-but-long scroll in a language only he seems to be able to read.
Backstory: The diaspora of the Echadim (read: Jews) cast its members far. Erill, however, has gone farther than most; to escape persecution, he traveled east, toward lands where those who would kill him for his religion were few and far between. Taking with him the various schematics he had drawn, he became something of a cross between a merchant and a tinker. He would travel alongside trade caravans, repairing for them what would need to be repaired, and buying some of their stock to sell himself.

In the unsettled frontiers between countries, resources were often in low supply, so Erill worked on finding ways to make certain parts out of subpar-but-common materials, and how to get as much as possible out of a given item. A large bone from a bear that tried to attack the caravan, for example, could be carved into a dozen gears and other small moving parts, almost any wooden pole could be hollowed out to work as a gun barrel (at least temporarily), some plants had threads just as strong as that if any cloth.

This has not been Erill’s first visit to Yamato, though he has not made many; the sea between it and he mainland makes travel there an unreliable privilege. While there before, he had studied their culture and works, as he had done with all those he had encountered; his own heritage had instilled in him an honor for learning, after all. But his heritage contained something else, too: a hatred of oppressors. And so when he heard of the rebellion, of the misdeeds of the shogunate, he could not stand by in silence.

He does not quite agree with the specifics of the revolution - believing that an equality of opportunities would be superior to an equality of status - but yet believes that it will be better for this place than what presently plagues it.
Region of choice: Kanogawa, Domain of Iron

[Kilojoule Proton]

PTP? PTW!

[micelus]

One bump!

[Shadowclaw777]

Name: Jian Zhang
Background: Priest Missionary (Singularist)
Ethnicity: Celestial
Appearance: A somewhat tall and somewhat toned and muscular middle-twenties man that stands and somewhat tall fellow with cropped and a normal loose amount of blackish hair, narrow hazel-coloured eyes with quite a stare, pale skin with a hooked-like nose with a final distinguishing tattoo of both a cross on his left wrist and the religion symbol of the Meditationist belief on his right.

Jian usual apparel is mix of both dark like clerical robes and the monk clothing of the Meditationist belief, as he combined tries to combine his Celestial culture into his new religious outfit. He always has on him a religious leather-backed book denoting the Singularity, as well as some ancient scrolls describing the history of his previous tutelage as a monk, as well a journal describing his history in the Celestial language and on his newfound venture all stored in a leather satchel and the utility knife he carries on him, as well as a vial of ink and a pen.

Backstory: The most that the peasants of the Celestial realm do not expect much if you are of the serf-ranking and expect a highly advanced level of a stratified society based on discipline of the higher-ups, and growing up as rice agriculturist led Jian to have a blique if consistent life as a peasant, and due to the fact that their wasn’t a civil war brewing it allowed him to live his rebellious and mildly iconoclastic personality to ease and let him grow to be what was expected out of society. Eventually he learned a group of religious missionaries that came from a place they called the Rajh, like the realm of where he could serve as a farmland this land was similar yet quite different from his own. It was still massively populated, had giant grey-skinned work animals, and the people were often of olive skin. They taught the village resided within, about the wonders of the Meditationist belief, and about its facet and tenets like reincarnation and karma that made him stare in awe and through sneaking out and joining the village elders, he became a new apprentice and teaching with these people of mixed ethnicities and merchants but mainly from the Rajh about the core principles about this religion throughout his adolescence until eventually he allowed himself to travel back to the Rahj back on a trading ship, called a dhow, to teach more of the new people about the belief as he became the new monastic person work, until that led to a serious hurricane on that day that crashed him and left him emaciated on a plank of wood and only the clothes and religious texts, and stranded in the waters.

About nearly a week or so had passed before his starving body was on a wreck of a ship, and a ship came back to him, one based on the Detche culture of the trading sort. They took his body back onto the ship, and through the basic medical training in the vessel allowed him to go to a reasonable resortment of full-health, and thankfully through his Celestial realm travels he learned the basics of the language of these foreigners and a bit of sign language to get by. A priest of the Singular Being was on the ship, and helped him with the learning process of getting a basic understanding of their language, as well knowing the Celestial language as their translator. The Singularist priest was a kindred soul who was relieved to help this missionary of himself back to full-health. When they got back to his own land, and with no more famial or his traveling nomadic merchant group to reconnect back to, the priest allowed him to stay in his mission. Throughout his growth to adulthood in the mission, he civilly discussed and challenged the viewpoint of this different religion compared to the one he was taught too and through a turning point of his life switched his beliefs from Meditationism into Singularist with a new devout cause. Jian travelled the countryside of the Celestial Realm, being familiar of the region and teaching village and the occasional town about the teaching of Singularist and with his Celestial origins was able to convince a few of his own ethnicity about the wonders of his religion to the peasents about one based on the meek shall inherit. Eventually, he decided to make a big move to travel from a Celestial tradeship into the way of Yamato lands, to teach them about his beliefs as a true experienced missionary.

Region of choice: Kanogawa, Domain of Iron

[Glass]

Can you guys at least explain why you want to be at Agame? The reason I want to be at Kanogawa is that we start at a place where we can make what we need, the reigning authorities are powerful and have little love for the people we're rebelling against (while they likely wouldn't join us unless we freed their family or the crown had them killed without it being our fault, we could likely convince them to at least leave us alone), and stuff in that vein.

While I understand that Agame has weapons and ruins and stuff, it's also very dangerous. If we start outside, we can gather its deadly precipitation from the edges and mount an expedition inwards once we have enough equipment to have a reasonably high chance of success. If we start inside, then I feel like there's a good chance we lose a lot of stuff from swordfalls.

[Nakéen]

Can you guys at least explain why you want to be at Agame? The reason I want to be at Kanogawa is that we start at a place where we can make what we need, the reigning authorities are powerful and have little love for the people we're rebelling against (while they likely wouldn't join us unless we freed their family or the crown had them killed without it being our fault, we could likely convince them to at least leave us alone), and stuff in that vein.

While I understand that Agame has weapons and ruins and stuff, it's also very dangerous. If we start outside, we can gather its deadly precipitation from the edges and mount an expedition inwards once we have enough equipment to have a reasonably high chance of success. If we start inside, then I feel like there's a good chance we lose a lot of stuff from swordfalls.

Excerpt from the traveling log of Nakamura:

"Of silence and blood
Land of forsaken people
Of lost words and fallen gods"

Once more I am back in the cursed lands of Agame. Here I know none will pursue me, for this land of taboos and outlaws is silently feared by the nobles of Nankyo. At my feet lies a blade of rust, a drop of godblood. It is brittle and even slightly crumbles in my hands, and feels impure to the touch. This is the curse of Agame. But I have heard whispers, legends and ramblings.

All speak of a curse, the dying grudge of a vindicative god. Some speak of a hidden blessing, a gift for those that were chosen by Baizhoten-no-kenshi. I know there is a truth somewhere, a powerful truth. The Zu will help me, I know they will. We have the kindred of exiles, and I have seen enough of the outlaws and exiles of this world to know of what the Shogunate is trying to muzzle and contain.

And I take a step, one step loser to the revolution.

[IronyOwl]

Name: Karuzuki Ai
Background: Samurai
Ethnicity: Yamato
Appearance: A young, noble-looking Yamato woman with long jet-black hair and a beautifully mahogany left eye. A straight scar runs from her right temple to just below the left corner of her mouth, and her right eye is cloudy and blind. She was likely beautiful before her scar, and might still be were she not scowling like a vengeful fox.
Backstory:

Naruhito and Ai were twins born to the Karuzuki clan the same year Yamato surrendered to its enemies and Yabakjae was broken and scattered. This was considered a poor omen, but perhaps a momentous one as well, and the two received the finest educations and highest hopes their noble house had to offer.

Despite being the firstborn, as a woman Ai was second to her brother to inherit; on their sixteenth birthday she challenged him to a duel to rectify this situation. This cost her an eye and cemented Naruhito's worthiness to lead. He was quickly betrothed to a daughter of the prestigious Akuhai Clan, descendant of both the royal family and Kagan-no-hichi, while Ai was passed to the useless third son of the Rakyan, influential merchants in Tsuchima.

So it was for five years and three children apiece, until Naruhito's wife was discovered in bed with a wandering ronin. The legitimacy of his heirs in question, they were declared probable bastards until the matter could be resolved with more certainty. Four months later, Naruhito was slain protecting a young maiden from the depredations of an oni mercenary, relations between the Karuzuki and the Akuhai broke down entirely, and Ai was declared heir apparent. Her father, heart broken and wearied from politics, largely withdrew from power, allowing Ai to function as more or less the head of the clan.

Having been treated as inferior her entire life, and having given up an eye failing to escape such a fate, these events struck Ai as nothing less than a sick joke. She decided then that if the world was pointless and cruel anyway, she might as well pursue power at any cost until it was snatched away from her just to be coy. She cares nothing for the Red-Wrung Ideal- or most any other Ideal, for that matter- but she recognizes opportunity when she sees it and fears very, very little.


Region of choice: Emshin, Primeval Domains of the Aihoni

[micelus]

I would like to add that it is game proper begins after the declaration of rebellion in the region, in case that affects any choices.

[Glass]

What exactly does that mean? Is there still any way for us to maintain subtlety, or is the crown coming after us immediately?