Fuso

Fuso Is a cluster of large islands between Aquilonis and Marlakcor, and the homelands of the Hayato People. It is bounded by the Oriental sea (known to the Hayato peoples as the Seibu sea) to the west and a narrow stretch of sea separating the lands from Marlakcor to the east.

Holy Realm of Hinomoto
Capital: Kamigami no Toshi Government: Theocratic Absolute Elective Monarchy Head of State: Saikōjūsō Head of Government: Saikōjūsō Legislature: Jūroku no Gūji Kaigi Demonym: Hinomoti Currency: Hansatsu, Koban, Nibuban, Ichibuban, Tsuho

The Holy Realm of Hinomoto (被野元) is a theocratic nation occupying the half-tropical/half-arid island of the same name in the southern waters of the Oriental sea. It shares maritime borders solely with Ningyo Shima to the north. The northern half of the island is mostly tropical, while the southern half is mostly arid desert. There was some debate for centuries over whether of not the island is actually part of Fuso, but modern cartographers classify it as part of the whole.

The island has been home to many indigenous clans and tribes since ancient times, and Hayato settlers had been coming to the island for centuries. Hinomoto was originally a powerful chiefdom that was already dominant in the north of the island before the Two Hundred Years' War, but the empire itself began when exiles fleeing war during the early stages of the conflicts came to the island for asylum. The chiefdom was reformed into the empire, and has since extended its rule across the entire island.

A deeply religious nation, Hinomoto was founded on the belief that the island was the birthplace of Zen'nō-sha and the Idainaryū. Despite – or perhaps because of – its religious nature, it has been known for political instability due to religious strife, and has broken into separate states and civil war more than once.

Hinomoto is ruled by the Saikōjūsō (最高住僧) – fem. Saikōmiko (最高巫女) – an holy title that also denotes the leader of the entire Mioshie religion. The title is elective, only voted on upon the death of the previous title holder. Below the Saikōjūsō is the Jūroku no Gūji Kaigi (十六の宮司会議/Council of 16 Priests), sixteen individuals who represent the sixteen Kyōku (教区) of Hinomoto.

While Yamatai conquered most of Fuso and subjugated Ningyo Shima as a vassal in its quest to unify the great lands, Yamatai didn't dare try to conquer Hinomoto. The rationale for sparing Hinomoto from invasion was that no one wished or dared to upset the gods.

Kingdom of Mizuho
Capital: Oshitsu no Kawashi Government: Hereditary Absolute Feudal Monarchy Head of State: Ōshō Head of Government: Ōshō Legislature: High Council Demonym: Mizuhese Currency: Hansatsu, Koban, Nibuban, Ichibuban, Tsuho

The Kingdom of Mizuho is a multi-island monarchical nation in the Oriental sea, occupying the Eda Archipelago, a branch archipelago of Fuso, just off the west of Yumiya Island, land controlled by the Yamato Empire. It shares maritime borders solely with Yamatai to the east. Throughout history there has been some debate over whether or not the archipelago is part of Fuso, but modern cartographers indeed classify it as such.

Mizuho is the only remaining state from the Fourteen Kingdoms Period. The northern island of Mizuho was once territory of the Kingdom of Heiya, another state of the Fourteen Kingdoms Period, before seceding into an independent nation under the rule of the Tsukahara clan, a cadet-branch of the Shimazu clan. When the Warring States Period of the the Two Hundred Years' War broke out, Mizuho managed to avoid falling apart and stayed out of the conflicts of the main body of Fuso for the duration of the wars until the Age of Conquest.

The southern islands were once ruled by a separate dynasty, the Kingdom of Umi Iwa, another state of the Fourteen Kingdoms Period, and the two kingdoms were constantly engaged in a struggle for dominance, to the point of war more than once. When the Two Hundred Years' War broke out, the two sides engaged in a near perpetual state of war; but, just as the Age of Conquest began, these conflicts ended when two royals from the north and south fell in love and married, resulting not only peace, but the permanent union of the two dynasties.

When the new Empire of Yamatai secured the eastern side of Yumiya, it tried to invade Mizuho, but Mizuho put up a stiff resistance and Yamatai was repulsed. The empire was eventually forced to sign a peace treaty with Mizuho so that they could turn their attentions to the rest of Yumiya and Fuso.

During the final stages of the Age of Conquest, Yamatai again tried to assert dominance over Mizuho by conquest, but Mizuho had anticipated the return of Yamato forces and mounted a stern defense. Eventually, the costly conflict forced Yamatai to sign yet another peace treaty with Mizuho, ending the Age of Conquest period of the wars, and the Two Hundred Years' War.

The Kingdom of Mizuho has remained under the rule of the Tsukahara clan to this day. Despite permanent peace within its borders, Mizuho has remained a rival of Yamatai, and Yamatai has threatened its sovereignty more than once since the conclution of the Two Hundred Years' War.

Kingdom of Ningyo Shima
Capital: Ryukyu Government: Elective Feudal Monarchy Head of State: Kuni-o Head of Government: Sessei Legislature: Sanshikan (Council of Three) Demonym: Ningyo Shiman Currency: Hansatsu, Koban, Nibuban, Ichibuban, Tsuho

The Kingdom of Ningyo Shima is an island nation occupying a quartet of volcanic islands, known as the Ningyo Archipelago, in the Oriental sea. It shares maritime borders with Yamatai to the north, and Hinomoto to the south. Given the islands' relative distance from Yamatai and close proximity to Hinomoto, there has been some debate over whether of not the archipelago is part of Fuso, but modern cartographers classify it as part of the whole.

Ningyo Shima is a suzerainty of the Empire of Yamatai, and the ruling Sho clan is in turn a vassal of the Oda clan, an offer they made themselves to prevent conquest by Yamatai, but has since enjoyed stability and prosperity under the protection of the empire.

Being a country on volcanic islands, like the majority of islands in Oriental sea, Ningyo Shima has the most fertile soil anywhere in Aquilonis, and is home to a vast network of caves many consider the most spiritual anywhere. But what makes the country most special is the coexistence between humans and merpeople, similar to Renyu Dao in Marlakcor.

Empire of Yamatai
Capital: Daitoshi Government: Hereditary Parliamentary Absolute Feudal Monarchy Head of State: Tennō Heads of Government: Tennō & Daijō-daijin Legislature: Gikai Demonym: Yamato Currency: Hansatsu, Koban, Nibuban, Ichibuban, Tsuho

The Empire of Yamatai, also called the Yamato Empire, is a large monarchical island nation in the Oriental sea (known to the Hayato peoples as the Seibu sea), occupying most of the large archipelagic lands and islands of Fuso. It shares maritime borders with Mizuho to the southwest, and Ningyo Shima, Yamatai's suzerainty, to the south. It also holds sovereignty over swaths of territory in Marlakcor (the Kami Islands, the Suisho Islands, Samui Shima and the Morokoshi Provinces), and the Kappa Islands in Maritymir. Yamatai is also the suzerain of Ningyo Shima, whom has been a suzerainty of Yamatai since the conclusion of the Two Hundred Years' War (c. 3631AFZ – 3840/1914IIO – 2123).

Yamatai is ruled by the Idai Dynasty, control of which has passed through three sucessive clans via scions over a course of almost three thousand years, with a century-long interregnum.

History
What became modern Yamatai was once only a small independent fiefdom, known as Owari, ruled by the daimyō (patriarch/matriarch) of the Oda clan, on the southeast shore of the northernmost of the three great islands.

Before age of Yamatai, or even the first tennō, the lands and islands of Fuso was divided between hundreds of regional daimyōs, samurai and Ōshō (Kings) competing and warring with each other for land and hegemony.

About two thousand years before the Two Hundred Years' War, out of nowhere, during what history calls Akagane Jidai (赤金時代/Copper Age), a figure known to history as Taiso no Keiken'na (太祖の敬虔な), declared himself supreme ruler of all as the first Tennō (天皇/Emperor) in Fuso's history, creating what he named the Idai (偉大) Dynasty. The high priests of the time claimed him be a descendant of a god sent by his divine ancestor to unite world and hold supreme power over the lands. After several years of persuasion, and an occasional war, the various kings, samurai and daimyōs pledged alliegance one after another. From then on, Fuso was nominally ruled by the tennō. However, the power of the tennō was always questionable.

For a time, the tennō truly held supreme power over Fuso and all answered to him. But, as time went by, the power of the tennō waned until everything was as it was before Tennō Taiso. While the daimyōs, samurai and kings nominally proclaimed alliegence to the tennō, the tennō ruled only the imperial capital and the surrounding territory at best and true power over the lands remained in the hands of the daimyōs, samurai and kings, who continued to compete and war with each other for hegemony, and the emeprors were near powerless to do anything. Only a few daimyōs, samurai and kings truly ever held any loyalty to the tennō. The tennō's role in time became purely ceremonial while the daimyōs, samurai and kings did as they pleased, and it was almost like the tennō didn't exist.

By the time Fuso was divided into fourteen states in what was known as the Jushi Okoku Jidai (Fourteen Kingdoms Period) (c. 3200AFZ – 3631), these fourteen kingdoms, which were rarely ever at peace with one another, were still under nominal hegemony of the tennō. By that time – roughly 2100 years after the enthronement of the first tennō – the tennō was generally the peacekeeper of Fuso and was highly respected and revered, but in practice still held little-to-no actual power. This period ended when Tennō Hayashi no Keiken'na (the last tennō of the revered Keiken'na clan) was assassinated in an internal power struggle that was intended to restore power to the tennō. The coup backfired and most of the direct imperial family was killed in the same incident, leaving the heir to the imperial throne uncertain.

With the each fourteen kings suspecting each other of taking part in the atroscity, and the more ambitious of every major daimyō sensing and seizing opprotunity, rebellions and war ensued and most of the fourteen kingdoms collapsed entirely. And so the lands and islands of Fuso were plunged into chaos of near perpetuate war.

Thus the Fourteen Kingdoms Period ended, setting the stage for the Warring States Period (c. 3631AFZ – 3739) of the Ni Hyaku-nen Sensō (Two Hundred Years' War).

Owari was one of many states that rose to de facto independence after the collapse and breakup of great states of the Fourteen Kingdoms Period.

In the latter half of the Two Hundred Years' War, a cadet branch of the Oda (織田) clan rose to prominence under the leadership of Yoshishige Oda, a scion of the Oda and the Keiken'na clan; first uniting a divided clan and subjugating its closest enemies. Those successful actions, along with the eventual conquest of the former Kingdom of Shinrin, began the Age of Conquest (3739AFZ – 3840) and led to the founding of the Empire of Yamatai under the rule of a new line of tennō descended from the old one, thus maintaining the Idai Dynasty. This was also the first time in some millennia the tennō held any real power over the lands.

The Yoshishige and his descendants eventually conquered all its rivals and the rest of Yamatai during the Age of Conquest, through a combination of force and diplomacy, eventually becoming the sole governing authority of the empire. The sole exception to this is the Kingdom of Mizuho, the only remaining state from the Fourteen Kingdoms Period. Twice during the Age of Conquest did Yamatai tried to conquer Mizuho, and twice Mizuho repelled the invasions.

In the seven senturies since the conclusion of the Age of Conquest, rulership Yamatai since pased to a cadet branch of the larger Toyotomi (豊臣) clan.

Roughly two hundred years before present day, a cadet branch of the Toyotomi clan came to power, via a branch that was descended from Yoshishige Oda, following the assassination of the twentith Oda tennō. The first Toyotomi tennō of the Idai Dynasty was Nobunaga Toyotomi (信長豊臣), a great-grandson of a previous Oda tennō of the Idai Dynasty – Tennō Mitsuyasu (光泰) via his daughter Princess Mutsumi (六ツ美) – and a retainer of the assassinated tennō, Mitsuhide (光秀 織田). Nobunaga avenged Tennō Mistuhide in the resulting civil war, later becoming tennō when the male heirs of the previous line renounced the sovereign title in favor of Nobunaga. Thus, Nobunaga became the new tennō of Yamatai while preserving the dynasty, and the Idai Dynasty branch of the Toyotomi clan continues to rule Yamatai to this day.

Foreign Relations
Yamatai maintains diplomatic relations with many nations to the west and east. The main embassies, referred to as a Taishikan (大使館/embassy) and run by a Taishi (大使/ambassador), are located in a nation's capital and represent the empire itself, while offices in other cities, referred to as Ryōjikan (領事館/consulate) and run by a Ryōji (領事/consul), maintain relations between nationals living in those cities and the local populace.

Yamatai is also a longtime friend and ally of the Kingdom of Soleil, and is one half of the Copain-Tomo Alliance. This wasn't always so; one century after the end of the Age of Conquest, and four centuries after the founding of Soleil, Yamatai established a colony on the then-unoccupied end of the Vieillesse Peninsula, and expansion of that colony was viewed as a threat by the growing Kingdom of Soleil. After a ferocious war, which saw territorial control being pushed back and forth several times, Yamatai was expelled from the mainland, and period of hot & cold relations ensued for at least three generations.

Relations changed drastically when Soleil and Yamatai found a common enemy in an invading extra-dimensional horde, the source of which was never determined, and fought side-by-side to see the enemy defeated. The victory resulted in feeling of unity and friendship between the western and eastern peoples, and a permanent alliance was formed. This alliance, along with the friendship and camaraderie between the two countries, has endured ever since.

Armed Forces
Yamatai maintains a subtantial army and navy, making it the dominant superpower of the Oriental sea (the eastern waters of Aquilonis) with no real rivals.

The Imperial Army & Navy is run by the Shogun, the highest military rank beneath the tennō. He is responisible for all affairs of the military.

Politics & Government
The empire is a hereditary monarchy ruled by the Tennō (天皇/Emperor), and the heir apparent is titled the Kōtaishi (皇太子/Crown Prince).

The tennō's direct cabinet is the Daijō-kan (太政官/Council of State), the highest organ of the Imperial government beneath the tennō and above the Gekai.

Beneath the Daijō-kan is the bureaucracy known as the Gikai (議会), the Imperial Legislature of Yamatai. This organ administrates the laws of the empire on behalf of the tennō under the supervision of the tennō and an offical called the Tairō (大老). The members of the Gikai are called Giin (議員) – singularly and plurally – and write the laws of the land, which are in turn executed by the tennō if he approves them. In the Gikai, rather than representing the clans, it is the bunkai that are represented, one Giin from each – in the early days of the empire it was seven from each, but the number was reduced as the empire expanded.

Giin are elected to the Gikai by popular vote (one of the few democratic processes of Yamatai), but the Giin representing the bunkai are normally from the same clan ruling it or from cadet-clans. Regardless, no matter how many bunkai any clan controls, the Giin representing the bunkai are required to swear an oath of impartiality before taking office. This is so that no one clan has too much influence in the Gikai, and any instance of perceived favoritism, no matter how small, is met with immediate dismissal from one's post.

The Gikai and the tennō usually work in conjunction, but the tennō is more powerful as there are very few checks and balances. There only a few things that the tennō the the Gikai must jointly agree on to become law, the main one being the ratification of treaties. The Gikai passes laws by a simple majority vote, and the Tairō will often serve as the tiebreaker in the event of one, but the tennō can also veto any laws at his leisure if he doesn't approve, and the Gikai has no power to overturn it. That said, the only thing the tennō has no power to do is make laws at his leisure. He can put forth a motion and propose a law, but the Gikai is required to vote on them for them to become law.

Political Divisions
The empire is loosely divided into many provinces.

As established by the first tennō of a united Yamatai during and after the Age of Conquest of the Two Hundred Years' War, the political structure of the empire is thus: While each daimyō and all samurai still pledge fealty to the tennō, the each and the political divisions enjoy a great deal of autonomy from the tennō.
 * Each noble clan is headed by a daimyō (大名) pledging fealty to the tennō.
 * The empire is divived into twelve sectors, each called a Ryōiki (領域/Region), consiting of any number of Bunkai (分会/Demarcations) and can be spread across multiple islands.
 * A ryōiki is governed by Sōtoku (総督/Viceroy), which is appointed from the family of a daimyō or samurai from one of the thirteen great clans. The governence of these great clans are restricted to the ryōiki of Yamatai proper in Fuso; the sōtoku of the ryōiki of Morokoshi are appointed from different great clans.
 * Each individual bunkai is governed by a Shugo (守護/protector), the position of which is appointed by the tennō or by inheritance. Most of the time they are appointed from the family of the sōtoku of the ryōiki, whether from the main family of a cadet-branch. Sometimes they come from a clan that controls a different ryōiki.
 * Settlements of all types within the bunkai are governed by Shichō (mayor). Private lands outside of cities and towns are controlled either by a local samurai or a Yanushi (landlord), which are appointed by merit or inheritance.
 * The sole exception to the politcal structure of Yamatai proper is the capital bunkai and city, Daitoshi (大都市). Daitoshi is governed directly by the tennō.
 * Morokoshi in Marlakcor are similarly divided according the structure of the main empire's political divisions, as they are a proper extension of the empire. The great clans that are appointed sōtoku of the Morokoshi Ryōiki are a relatively recent development. They have a lesser standing than the great clans in Yamatai proper in Fuso.
 * The Kami Islands and Samui Shima, and the Kappa islands in Maritymir, are the exceptions to the primary political structure established in the wake of the wars; each are a Kuiki (区域/zone) ruled by a Bugyō (奉行/magistrate) appointed by the tennō.

There are many clans across Yamatai with varying degrees of influence and noble ranks. Some of Yamatai's many clans, minor or major, don't actually rule any land, for one reason or another, but still retain some form of political influence; either through business dealings like trade or diplomacy, history as a political player in government, or from a history as a military family.

Rulership of the various political divisions are usually hereditary, depending on which clan controls it and how the ruling clan and/or the government chooses to handle the succession, unless a family is removed from power over a territory and replaced with another for one reason or another. And a single clan can actually have several members of their family appointed shugos, giving them control over multiple bunkai, even across the borders of a ryōiki.

The cities and towns governed by the shichō are not hereditary, even if the shichō is a the head of a minor cadet-clan that is a vassal of the daimyō. A shichō is a random noble, military officer, a landless samurai, or some other landless lord or citizen that is appointed directly by the government to rule the municipality, chosen solely by merit, and hereditary succession is not recognized in any instance unless the successor is chosen by merit alone.

The bunkai that make up a ryōiki are set up by law but actual ownership of each individual bunkai is always under dispute. It is not uncommon for a bunkai to change hands every so often for a couple of reasons: Since many clans, minor and major, are interrelated somewhere down the line, and most noble clans have one or several cadet-clans, conflict for inheritance and succession is a common occurrence throughout Yamatai. The main cause for this are succession rights crises caused by an inheritance dispute; if a minor clan that was ruling the bunkai as shugo ends without a potential heir, the tennō can hand the land to another clan to fill the vacancy, even if only temporarily, and this can lead to a minor clan being risen up to noble one.

War is another cause for a bunkai to change hands. If the previous ruling clan is removed from power over any amount of land by force, the tennō can recognize the victorious daimyō's claim to the land and appoint someone of that clan as shugo of the bunkai, making it part of the daimyō's realm, and the tennō can even side with the aggressor daimyō militarily to see the war concluded hurriedly. Otherwise, the tennō can refuse to recognize the claim or result of the war, and can command the daimyō to end the war or vacate the conquered land. If the daimyō refuses, the tennō can marshal troops against the aggressor daimyō, and even strip the offending lord of all lands and titles before giving them to someone else.

Assuming the tennō intervenes in the conflict on the side of the defending daimyō, and the war ends in favor of the defending daimyō, the tennō will often demand the aggressor daimyō to renew an oath of fealty and will exercise greater authority over the aggressor's future actions for a determined period. The tennō may also hand some or all of the aggressor's land over to another clan; another option would be to appoint a new daimyō from the many candidates of the defeated clan, usually one who stayed out of the conflict or sided with the tennō.

If the war ends in the aggressor daimyō's favor, often the tennō will often be forced to recognize the aggressor daimyō's claim to the land, but a demand for greater autonomy could also be granted; however, the latter outcome is a rarity.

Both of these issues has led to the unofficial creation of "realms" when a clan owns a great amount of land, and it is a constant fear that it could lead to a clan becoming so powerful that it threatens to topple the imperial family, or the ignition of another Warring States Period.

Regardless of what happens or how many bunkai a clan controls, the titles of sōtoku of ryōiki are legally restricted to the thirteen Great Clans.

Notes & Trivia

 * Because of how the Japanese language – which the Hayato language "Yogata" is based on – works, the title "Tennō" (天皇/Emperor) is both singular and plural.
 * The term "Yamatai," while the name of the empire, is also sometimes erroneously used to refer to the entire archipelago as a whole. Its proper term is its ancient name "Fuso (扶桑)": Fuso includes the main lands currently occupied by the empire; the Eda Archipelago, occupied by Mizuho; the Ningyo Archipelago, occupied by Yamatai's suzerainty the Kingdom of Ningyo Shima; and Hinomoto, the southernmost lands.
 * The easternmost land of Fuso is the Suisho Islands. they extend into the western waters of Marlakcor.
 * There has been constant debate amongst Qirsyllvian cartographers throughout history on whether of not the southernmost lands, the Ningyo Archipelago and Hinomoto, the former which is occupied by Yamatai's suzerainty, the Kingdom of Ningyo Shima, is part of Fuso, but most agree that they are.
 * Since the western islands of Yamatai are more "solid" while the eastern islands are more "fragment-like," some historians speculate that Fuso was once a whole continent before it broke up into smaller pieces, similar to what happened with Atlantis during the the Great Ketellaao. But whatever happened with Yamatai (if it even happened at all) happened thousands of years before that Atlantian catastrophe, likely before recorded history.