User blog:Ilniaj/Zipangu

The island nation of Zipangu is an oddity among human nations since it is a predominantly human nation that was not in conflict with monsters during the previous age, they instead lived intertwined. However, this was not an equal relationship, the monsters of the previous age had taken over Zipangu, forced the abandonment of the true gods, demanded human sacrifices to them and essentially ruled over Zipangu, with the exception of the Great Haikido clan and its vassals. Zipangu is not a unified nation, it is divided into various Great Clans, each with a multitude of vassal clans and varying combat styles. While all except the Haikido Clan swear fealty to an Imperial Family and Shogun, minor skirmishes both diplomatic and martial are a constant reality of life as the clans compete for power and influence and major wars erupt with some regularity.

A Zipangu army is a magnificent sight, filled with color and variety. Zipangu armies are primarily infantry forces as the native pony is not suited to support full-scale cavalry warfare, although it can be used effectively for scouting and mounted infantry. Only the Taneka great clan and its subordinates make large-scale use of cavalry. When armies go into battle, regardless of their strength, it is the smaller units which form the primary units of tactical maneuver, usually deployed in rectangular blocks wider than they are deep. However, Zipangu lacks concepts like phalanx fighting or forming a shield wall. It is expected that once two enemy units collide, the formation will disperse into dozens to hundreds of small melees. Battlefield tactics thus tend to focus on pre-contact maneuvering, bringing more troops to bear on decisive points through scouting and skillful march and deployment and wearing down the enemy with ranged fire and magic before engagement, as well as withdrawing and rallying units after combat.

The various clans essentially have access to the same troops. While they might focus on different equipment or units or have different resources available, they essentially have identical militaries, though of varying strengths. The exception is the Haikido clan and its vassals. As they swear fealty to the higher powers of the true gods, they have access to the same hero system as the rest of the cultures that swear fealty to them. Because of that, their Samurai are more dangerous, carrying the blessings of the gods, making them more effective in combat in varying ways. They lack Oni but have invented Sumo Warrior in their place, which are better than the Oni as they have human agility and the blessings of the gods make them just as resilient. However, as a consequence, they do not have access to Spider cavalry, Tengu, Beastwoman herds or Ryu to aid them in battle.

The Daimyo are the feudal lords of Zipangu, outranked only by the Shogun and the Imperial family. Daimyo have almost total autonomy in the day-to-day running of their territory, and it is therefore unsurprising that civil strife is common as Daimyo fight over resources and pursue personal vendettas. Each clan has a ruling Daimyo and the constituent extended "Families" (and the branch families of those families) of a clan have a ruling Daimyo. Clan Daimyo tend to be the Daimyo of their family but exceptions to this rule exist. The primary responsibilities of a Daimyo of this sort are protecting his assigned territory and ensuring that the proper taxes are collected for the Emperor. In order to fulfill these responsibilities he is allowed to take a portion of the rice and other goods produced in his province in order to equip and maintain samurai sworn to his service. The clan Daimyo are the most powerful in Zipangu, second only to the Emperor and Shogun in both political and military might. Taisho is a military rank similar to a captain. A Taisho will have many Chui and their units serving beneath him, and reports directly to the Daimyo, who command the force in which the Taisho serves.

The Shugenja are the magical might of Zipangu. In the previous age, they were almost entirely monsters as to cement their power, they demanded that human magic users be killed. This demand has vanished in the current age, though now, most Shugenja are monsters though human Shugenja exist. In Zipangu, magic is believed to not simply be a Shugenja bending the winds to her will but underlies all activities from the bird taking flight to the sun rising each morning. Magic spirits dwell everywhere, simply waiting to be called upon. As a force, magic represents a tool, a blessing and a genuine gift from the Heavens. With the power of magic, a Shugenja can purify foul water, tell truth from fiction, hurl fire into their enemies, and convene with the wisdom of the Celestial Heavens. This immense power commands respect both for the Shugenja who wields it, and for the Kami who provide such strength. Shugenja bless villages many times during a year, to help bring about a greater harvest, healthier livestock, and protect the village against threats both mortal and supernatural. They also commune with spirits of the dead, creating a link between the living and the ancestors of the family. Most armies will keep at least one Shugenja on hand, both as a potent weapon against the enemy and to call upon the blessings of the Fortunes for the battles ahead.

The Samurai that distinguish themselves in battle become a part of the clan or families inner circle called Hatamoto, an honoured retainer. On and off the battlefield, the main purpose of a Hatamoto is to protect important people. People such as courtiers and Shugenja are most commonly not trained in combat and require someone to protect them. In the case of duels of honor, a Hatamoto could be a designated champion. At other times, a Hatamoto is assigned to carry the lord's banner. Whether standard bearer or bodyguard, such an honor is taken very seriously, such that a Hatamoto would rather die than live through failure.

The Kensai is a duelist who over many years of practice and dedication has reached spiritual perfection with the use of the sword. A Kensai has devoted their life to mastering the skill of the quick draw. They focus their training and meditation to perfecting the skill of the quick draw, known as Iaijutsu. Their training and meditation is focused into a rapturous perfection with their weapon, channeling their might through it in a deadly dance beyond the abilities of almost all warriors. To be a Kensai is to be one of the fastest blades in Zipangu. The Kensal's speed, skill and dedication to the tenets of bushido are known throughout Zipangu, and even their enemies must grudgingly accept the strength of the Kensai.

The Samurai are the highest rank of the Zipangu social system and the backbone of Zipangu's armies. Greatly skilled with both sword and bow and moderately armored, often with frightening battle masks, these fighters are a match for any opponent. Samurai wield a variety of equipment in battle, from the Katana sidearm to the precise Yumi longbow to the elegant Naginata and fight according to a strict code of honor, displaying fanatical bravery on the battlefield. Unlike nobles of other countries, Samurai tend to live frugal lives with little interest in riches or material things but rather in honor and pride, though as privileged persons, much of their needs are supplied and respect socially enforced. Samurai are expected to not only be great warriors but to be well versed in more classical arts such as calligraphy, mathematics, and song and dance, though it is often the case that these pursuits are overlooked. Samurai are distinguished from ordinary fighters by their adherence to bushido, a code of honour, loyalty, and obedience. This ancient code was established during the dawn of Zipangu, and although the interpretation of the virtues it describes has changed from time to time, the code itself has endured the centuries unchanged.

Cavalry warfare is traditionally the preserve of the Samurai since being a mounted warrior requires wealth and position to sustain the expenses. Mounted Samurai are deadly warriors and the scourge of any commander who has incurred the wrath of a Zipangu army. They eschew the heave plate armor and barding of the knights of other lands in favor of speed and flexibility, attacking in combination with infantry and using their excellent horsemanship to outmaneuver and strike from multiple directions. Samurai cavalry use bows, spears or pole-arms. Their speed over a battlegroup comes in handy when chasing down fleeing troops or delivering a final blow to fleeing enemies. Units of specially trained mounted samurai are also famous for running daring night time raids on enemy camps and fortifications, using their lightly armoured horses to cross rivers and move quickly through woods and mountains, before striking at the flanks of an unprepared enemy. Sometimes, rather than a mounted rider, a unit of Samurai cavalry will consist of Jurougumo and Ushi-Oni spiders. While not as fast as horse riders, their lower half is naturally armored and they can traverse difficult terrain like forests better than horses.

The bulk of Zipangu army are the Ashigaru, peasant warriors. While hardly comparable to Samurai, Ashigaru are disciplined soldiers in their own right. Many Ashigaru families have served their samurai lords for generations, and bear themselves with fierce pride and loyalty comparable to samurai. Most houses have several families of hereditary Ashigaru, serving as guardsmen, doshin (soldiers serving magistrates), and scouts during times of peace. Ashigaru are equipped with a yari (spear), naginata (pole-arm), yumi (longbow) or matchlock arquebus. Ashigaru can prove to be deadly when given sufficient direction by a competent leader. Arrows, spears or bullets in sufficient numbers can lay low even the most highly trained armed and armored samurai before they can get close.

Deep in the wilderness of Zipangu lie the mountain retreats of religious warrior monks, the private armies of the secluded monasteries and similar to religious templars of the rest of the world. In these monasteries, monks not only study religious and academic texts but also a variety of martial arts though in practice, Warrior Monks are the ones who show little promise for the contemplative life of a monk. The studying of martial arts is seen as a way to improve oneself spiritually and mentally, not just physically. They are more militant than holy and receive little religious instruction. What Warrior Monks do is defend the monastery against attacks and advance its political claims in the outside world. They welcome all challenges as tests of their prowess and, secondarily, their faith. Most also have a slight ability to resist the affects of hostile magic.

The Yamabushi are the highest ranking monks in the monasteries of Zipangu. Besides their ability to affect the divine, and popular opinion and morale, the monks ability as warriors encourage the Samurai clans to keep as many monasteries as possible on their side. Whether having once been a Warrior Monk or of the non-martial variety, the Yamabushi is a powerful user of both divine magic and physical combat. The peasantry, samurai clans and monks regard these men and women with respect and fear their magical abilities. Their prayers effects tend to be localized, strengthening, invigorating or protecting a single individual.

Before Emperor Yamakyuki, many nobles of Zipangu lived in constant danger of assassination, whether from the hired killers of other nobles or the ambitious members of their own family. In the complex web of family and group loyalty that is Zipangu society it was sometimes best to employ outsiders, individuals who have no clan or family ties to interfere with their personal loyalty and what could be a bigger outsider than a non-human? Onis and Ochimushas would be such men, iron muscled, resilient and of prodigious size. In the performance of their bodyguard duties, they were expected to interpose themselves between their master and potential threats, becoming living shields. This dedication to duty and lack of concern for their safety made them a formidable foe on the battlefield. After Yamakyuki took the throne and unified Zipangu, the practice of monster bodyguards became redundant as most Daimyo began to hire their most loyal samurai as bodyguards. While no longer the principal bodyguards of nobles, Oni and Ochimusha are still a strong military force on the battlefield. While less agile than humans, they are considerably tougher. In times of war, these warriors go into battle wielding no-dachi swords easily capable of cutting down a knight with a single blow or tetsubos, great clubs that shatter armor like glass, making them excellent shock troops.

Kabuki is one of the most common forms of theater in Zipangu and focuses on lively and almost violent action, dancing and tension. Singers and orchestras provide the backdrop for the actors and key information about the setting. The plays make use of elaborate costumes, makeup, sets and special effects to accompany the story, and the actors move in special stylized patterns known as kata. The set is changed by stagehands dressed entirely in black during the show, and the stage contains many trapdoors and rotating platforms to aid in this endeavor. There are two major types of Kabuki plays; the jidaimono, or "rough stuff style", and the sewamono, the "talk of the town". While it might be a surprise to outsiders, Kabuki is also a basis of a martial art form and a significant number of Kensai were once Kabuki Dolls. Some nobles flaunt their Kabuki Doll escorts when in public, as it is a great status symbol in society to own one, and accomplished Kabuki Dolls can command the price of a small mansion for a single evening’s entertainment. Units of Kabuki Dolls make very effective combat troops, and their expertise in the martial arts, bravery and dedication to duty are second to none.

Red Devils are a special order of Samurai that focus only on the aspect of war, completely neglecting the other parts of the Way of the Warrior. Their armor and banners are blood red, decorated with skulls and bones and their helmets are topped with two large horns, from which their name stems. The combination of the Red Devils abilities with the horse, their skills in battle and intense battle frenzy turns these samurai from simple warriors to something more like unrelenting forces of nature. The Red Devils are very particular on who may join them, only Samurai with years of service and outstanding martial skill are accepted. Many Ushi-Oni seek to become Red Devils, like Jurougumo they aren't as fast but can more easily traverse difficult terrain.

No matter how prosperous or beleaguered Zipangu becomes, there will always be samurai who serve no master but themselves. To these samurai, known as Ronin, a life without duty is far worse than death. Some are born to this lot, unrecognized by their parents. Others are cast out for failure, a wife failing her husband, a Hatamoto whose charge dies, a samurai who fails a mission or simply choosing to abandon their station. Denied even the honorable redemption of seppuku, these Ronin have found themselves on the path of the mercenary. They are renegades, soldiers of fortune and wandering vagrants, but they are no less dangerous warriors than normal Samurai for it. Ronin roam Zipangu seeking their fate in battle and searching for ever greater tests of their swordsmanship and honor. If two powerful and well known Ronin happen to meet they may well duel to the death simply to test their skills. But despite their bloody trade, the Ronin share a deep mutual respect for each other and will often form into bands to offer their services in war. Since there is no reason for a Samurai to exist without honor, they want nothing more than to fall on the field of battle, thus relieving themselves of their shame by finding a worthy death. Most commanders are happy to allow them to join the armies of Zipangu, as they fight for practically nothing in return, and hopefully results in a few less Ronin in the world.

Zipangu has Beastwoman present, however there is a bit less variety in their forms, only ungor variants are present. The Beastwoman ungors serve in almost the same way that they'd serve a typical Beastwoman warherd, scouting, delivering messages and mapping the terrain. Bands of these raiders range ahead of the army as it travels, sending runners back and forth to ensure that the main body can bring its might to bear. In battle, the Ungor Raiders range far ahead of the bulk of the warherd in order to disrupt the enemies battlelines, draw out charges or reveal the locations of hidden warriors. These raiders make an efficient skirmisher screen, charging enemy gunlines or firing volleys with bows before fleeing to safety through the main units that follow behind. Wearing little to no armor and armed with swords and bows, they can be a large threat if not countered in time.

When the wealthy and powerful need an enemy eliminated quickly and without fail, they call upon the ninja. When a general needs to sabotage the siege engines of his foes before they reach the castle walls, they call upon the Ninja. And when fools dare to move against a ninja or thier companions, they will find the ninja waiting for them while they sleep, ready to strike. These shadowy killers are masters of infiltration, sabotage, and assassination, using a wide variety of weapons and practiced skills to achieve their goals. Ninja almost always operate under a cover identity or another. A Ninja can only depend on their compatriots making loyalty even more important than for normal samurai. They must also be prepared to deny allegiance when caught and face the consequences alone. Due to the need for secrecy, most ninja orders are very small and their inductions are meant to ensure loyalty. For example, the Kunoichi villages are entirely an extended family. The true induction into a Ninja order is their first mission. They may be allowed to accompany a senior on a mission during training but never participate. It is the Ninja's first mission that truly earns them acceptance. Either they fail and die or succeed and become a full ninja. The skills of the Ninja are the product of a lifetime of intensive training, cunning and the clever use of misdirection. Though generally distrusted and loathed by the Samurai, some commanders see past the Ninjas’ lack of honor and see their uses on the battlefield. The ability to move about largely unseen on the battlefield means they appear from nowhere, launch an assault on an enemy general and then vanish before they are caught or killed. They are armed with throwing knives for short-range attacks and their blinding grenades can disorientate an enemy for a short time, reducing their fighting ability. Groups of Ninja scouts ahead of the army, assassinate valuable targets, and harass the enemy supply lines.

When a ninja begins to show great talent in stealth, they are selected for further training as Shinobi. Most are instructed privately. Optimally, a Shinobi has a full life and duties aside from those learned in school. When their clan calls upon them, their skills are ready but until then they hide in plain sight. A Shinobi is trained to move silently, kill efficiently, and blend effortlessly into the shadows. They are also knowledgeable in all aspects of Zipangu’s criminal underworld, for their duties often require them to seek aid or information there. Above all, a Shinobi's most prized possession is their identity, concealing it from anyone they do not trust completely. Shinobi who are exposed must claim to be acting without the knowledge of their clan. They reveal nothing about their training or objectives. If there is no possibility of escape, a captive Shinobi will take their own life rather than reveal their secrets. The Shinobi are the highest ranking of Ninja in Zipangu. They are employed to eliminate enemy commanders, small units and war machines, and are a match for anyone in combat.

The highest of Daimyo and the Emperor are protected by a group of extraordinary warriors. These are the Great Guard, who have protected the families of their charges for centuries. They are in charge of keeping their lord's chambers as well as the inner facilities of the castle. These greatest of Samurai are usually recruited from Hatamoto or aspiring Taishos whom have proven themselves worthy in battle by protecting their liege above all else. Such rigorous standards ensure that only a few dozen Great Guard exist at any time. The Great Guard ride to battle upon the Kirin, said to be among the most noble and virtuous of beasts. A Kirin is an artificial creature crafted in imitation of the Qilin of nearby Cathay. A Kirin is generally in the shape of a horse but is instead covered in scales instead of fur. The hair that that does grow on its body forms thick eyelashes, manes that flow upwards and beards, such that it resembles a Ryu from the previous age. Though Kirin can fly, they lack wings, flying entirely through magical currents.

The Mangonel is the most widespread of all Zipangu siege weapons: a large counterweight propels missiles long distances via arcing fire. Because of its small size and limited throwing ability, it does not have the power of a cannon, so rather than destroying the walls, it ignores them by hitting what's on the other side. The Mangonel's projectiles are small earthenware bombs. When the bombs hit the ground, they explode, spreading flames everywhere, panicking those nearby and setting fire to buildings.

When Zipangu had first contact with Estalia, the "Nanban" trade was soon established, providing Zipangu with arquebuses and cannons. The Flaming Arrow is a light Zipangu cannon meant to destroy walls and wreak havoc on enemy units. The weapon is exactly what the name suggests; a giant arrow fired from a cannon. Each arrow is wrapped in a flammable covering and ignited, ripping straight through a regiment with ease. Flaming arrows are slow to fire and relatively inaccurate, but anyone unfortunate enough to be hit will be skewered and set ablaze.

Crow Tengu's are a type of Harpy native to Zipangu that share resemblance to crows or ravens. Though their society is reclusive, residing in places that are difficult for anyone that can't fly to reach, they are very interested in human societies, often watching them and recording information on human deeds and bloodlines. Crow Tengu revere their elders and when they gather, they defer leadership to age just as much as experience. Their bones, though very strong, are hollow in the avian manner, which makes them significantly lighter than a human of equivalent size would be. Crow Tengu age slower than humans and can live for much longer, some have even lived for upwards of 300 years and remain vigorous even in old age. Though rarely seen in nature, they can't resist battle or duels and will appear in battlefields clashing through the woods and behind the rocks, disappearing after battle the same way they came.

A shrine is a structure whose purpose is to house the spirit of one or more Kami. Smaller, more portable shrines are called Mikoshi, resembling a miniature building with pillars, walls, a roof, a veranda and a railing. The body stands on two or four poles for carrying. Shrines dedicated to the Kami can be found everywhere in Zipangu, scattered across the land. The blessing of the Kami is an important aspect to the Zipanguenese, and as such, it is an increasingly common sight on the battlefield. Mikoshis are carried into battle by Warrior Monks who fight to the death to protect it. The presence of these shrines is not just a boost to the morale to the soldiers, but a potent weapon. Warriors true of heart may benefit from its blessings, giving them strength and purpose for the task at hand. However, those that spoil their gifts and are weak hearted should beware, for no sooner than they have received their blessing may it turn upon them to punish them for their cowardice.

The Ryu is a dragon variant native to Zipangu and like the rest of the dragon variants, they can transform into their form from the previous age. A Ryu is a wise and powerful creature and revered by the people of Zipangu. It is rare for a Daimyo to successfully entreat a Ryu for aid on the battlefield but worth the effort. More commonly, Ryu will use their powers over the rains to aid humans, blessing them with water. Anyone passing into their domain would do well to respect them. More than once have the Ryu thwarted invading ships from Cathay, Pirates or Dark Elf raiders. Swooping into battle they use tail, tooth and claw as weapons against any who oppose them. Their ability to quickly and easily traverse the battlefield has proved the difference in many confrontations. Many within Zipangu say that the Ryu are a gift from the Kami, and having one fight at your side is a sign of your right to rule. Their breath weapon is a powerful stream of water, able to push aside nearly anything. Ryu can generally be classified into three sizes. Young Ryu are the smallest with weaker bodies and scales, "Standard" Ryu are middling in capability and Great Ryu are the oldest and mightiest among them.