Fuso

Fuso (扶桑) 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 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: Saikojuso Head of Government: Saikojuso Legislature: Council of 16 Preists Demonym: Hinomoto Currency: Hansatsu, Koban, Nibuban, Ichibuban, Tsuho

The Holy Realm of Hinomoto (日乃本の神聖国土/Hinomoto no Shinsei Kokudo) 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 with Yamatai to the north, Mizuho to the northwest and Ningyo Kazan to the southeast. The northern half of the island is mostly tropical, while the southern half is mostly arid desert.

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 already a powerful nation that was dominant in the north of the island before the Two Hundred Years' War, but modern Hinomoto began when exiles fleeing war during the early stages of the conflicts came to the island for asylum. The nation was reformed into the Holy Realm, and has since extended its rule across the entire island and much of the smaller surrounding islands.

A deeply religious nation, Hinomoto was founded on the belief that the island was the birthplace of the supreme kami Zenno Konpaku & Sutekina Reijin and the Idainaryu.

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 Saikojuso (最高住僧) – fem. Saikomiko (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 Saikojuso is the Council of 16 Priests (十六の宮司会議/Juroku no Guji Kaigi), sixteen individuals who represent the sixteen Kyoku (教区) of Hinomoto.

While Yamatai conquered most of Fuso in its quest to unify the great lands, the empire didn't dare try to conquer Hinomoto. The rationale for sparing Hinomoto from invasion was that no one wished or dared to upset the kami.

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

The Kingdom of Mizuho (瑞穂) is a multi-island monarchical nation in the Oriental sea, occupying the Eda Archipelago, a branch archipelago of Fuso, just off the west coast of Yumiya-shima (弓矢島), land of the Yamato Empire. It shares maritime borders with Yamatai to the east and Hinomoto to the southeast. 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 steadfast 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 were prepared to mount 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 the latter has threatened its sovereignty several times in a variety of way since the conclusion of the Two Hundred Years' War.

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

The Kingdom of Ningyo Kazan (人魚火山) is an multi-island nation occupying the volcanic archipelago of the same name. It shares maritime borders solely with Hinomoto to the north. Despite the islands' close proximity to Hinomoto, there was some debate for centuries over whether of not the islands are actually part of Fuso, but modern cartographers classify it as part of the whole.

Being a country on volcanic islands, like the majority of islands in Oriental sea, Ningyo Kazan has the most fertile soil anywhere on Qirsyllviar, 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 southeast Marlakcor.

Empire of Yamatai
Capital: Daitoshi Government: Hereditary Parliamentary Absolute Feudal Monarchy Head of State: Tenno Heads of Government: Tenno & Daijo-daijin Legislature: Gikai Demonym: Yamato (屋魔徒) Currency: Hansatsu, Koban, Nibuban, Ichibuban, Tsuho

The Empire of Yamatai (屋魔鯛), also called the Yamato Empire (屋魔徒帝国/Yamato Teikoku), 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 Hinomoto to the south. It also holds sovereignty over swaths of territory in Marlakcor (the Morokoshi Provinces), the islands of Akantai to the northwest, and the Kappa Islands in Maritymir.

Yamatai is ruled by the Idai dynasty, control of which has passed through three successive clans via scions over a course of almost three thousand years, with only a handful of interregnums.

History
What became modern Yamatai was once only a small independent fiefdom, known as Owari, ruled by the daimyo (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 tenno, the lands and islands of Fuso was divided between hundreds of regional daimyos, samurai and Osho (王将/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 Keikenna no Taiso (敬虔なの太祖), declared himself supreme ruler of all as the first Tenno (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 the supreme kami sent by his divine ancestor to unite world and hold supreme power over the lands. After several years of persuasion, and several wars, the various osho, samurai and daimyo pledged allegiance one after another over a period of at least thirty years. From then on, Fuso was nominally ruled by the tenno. However, the power of the tenno was always questionable.

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

By the time Fuso was divided into fourteen states in what was known as the Fourteen Kingdoms Period (十四王国時代/Jushi Okoku Jidai) (c. 3200AFZ – 3631), these fourteen kingdoms, which were rarely ever at peace with one another, were still under nominal hegemony of the tenno. By that time – roughly 2100 years after the enthronement of the first tenno – the tenno 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 Keikenna no Hayashi-tenno was assassinated in an internal power struggle that was intended to restore power to the tenno. 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 each of the fourteen osho suspecting each other of taking part in the atrocity, and the more ambitious of every major daimyo and samurai sensing and seizing opportunity, 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, even the eventual enthronement of Keikenna no Kyuseishu-tenno did nothing to quell the chaos, the authority of the tenno reduced to nothing and the position reduced to merely an almost-obsolete symbol.

Thus the Fourteen Kingdoms Period ended, setting the stage for the Warring States Period (戦国時代/Sengoku Jidai)(c. 3631AFZ – 3739) of the Two Hundred Years' War (二百年戦争/Ni Hyakunen Senso )(c. 3631AFZ – 3840/1914IIO – 2123).

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 Oda Yoshishige, a scion of the Oda and the Keikenna 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 and the imperial capital, Daitoshi, and the abdication of Keikenna no Saigo-tenno to Yoshishige, began the Age of Conquest (征服時代/Seifuku Jidai)(3739AFZ – 3840) and led to the founding of the Empire of Yamatai under the rule of a new line of tenno descended from the old one, thus maintaining the Idai dynasty. This was also the first time in some millennia the tenno held any real power over the lands.

The Yamato Empire under Yoshishige – posthumous name: Shintoki-tenno (新時天皇) – 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 centuries since the conclusion of the Age of Conquest, rulership Yamatai since passed 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, following the assassination of the twentieth Oda tenno. The first Toyotomi tenno of the Idai dynasty was Toyotomi Nobunaga (信長豊臣). Nobunaga was a great-grandson of a previous Oda tenno of the Idai dynasty – Suisho-tenno (水晶天皇) – personal name: Mitsuyasu (光泰) – via his daughter Mutsumi Naishinno (六ツ美) – and was a retainer of the assassinated tenno, Odayaka-tenno (穏やか天皇) – personal name: Mitsuhide (光秀). Nobunaga avenged Tenno Mistuhide in the resulting civil war, later becoming tenno when the male heirs of the previous line renounced the imperial title in favor of Nobunaga. Thus, Nobunaga – posthumous name: Funiki-tenno (新時天皇) – became the new tenno of Yamatai while preserving the dynasty. Following tradition, Nobunaga dropped his clan surname, 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 Ryojikan (領事館/consulate) and run by a Ryoji (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 substantial army and navy, making it the dominant superpower of the Oriental sea (the waters between Fuso and Aquilonis) with no real rivals.

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

Political Divisions
The empire is loosely divided into many provinces. As established by the first tenno 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: Each noble clan is headed by a daimyo (大名) pledging fealty to the tenno. While each daimyo and all samurai still pledge fealty to the tenno, each and the political divisions enjoy a great deal of autonomy from the tenno.
 * The empire is divided into numerous sectors in four main levels:
 * The first level are the Ryoiki (領域/Region), and can be spread across multiple islands. A ryoiki is governed by Sotoku (総督/Viceroy), which is appointed from the family of a daimyo or samurai from one of the great clans. The governance of these great clans are restricted to the ryoiki of Yamatai proper in Fuso; the sotoku of the ryoiki of Morokoshi and Akantai are appointed from different great clans in a similar way.
 * The second level are the Gun (郡/Province). Any number of Gun can make up a whole ryokiki. Each individual gun is governed by a Shugo (守護/protector), the position of which is appointed by the sotoku, with the approval of the tenno, by merit or inheritance. Most of the time they are appointed from the family of the sotoku of the ryoiki or from the family of the prior shugo, whether from the main family of a cadet-branch. Sometimes they come from a clan that controls a different ryoiki, or they can be unrelated entirely.
 * The third level are the Shigai (市街/city), the major cities within the gun. They are governed as a whole by Shicho (市長/mayor).
 * The final level are the Ku (区), the minor settlements of all types within the gun outside of cities. These are mostly private lands and towns controlled either by a local samurai or a Yanushi (landlord), which are appointed by merit or inheritance.
 * The sole exception to the political structure of Yamatai proper is the capital gun and city, Daitoshi (大都市). Daitoshi is governed directly by the tenno and the imperial family.Daitoshi.png
 * Morokoshi, Yamatai's Marlakcese territories, and Akantai are similarly divided according the structure of the main empire's political divisions, as they are proper extensions of the empire.
 * The great clans that are appointed sotoku of the Morokoshi and Akantai Ryoiki are a relatively recent development. While equal rank, they have a lesser standing than the great clans in Yamatai proper in Fuso.
 * The Kappa islands in Maritymir, are the exceptions to the primary political structure established in the wake of the wars; they are a Kuiki (区域/zone) ruled by a Bugyo (奉行/magistrate) appointed by the tenno.
 * Morokoshi and Akantai were treated the same way before they were organized into the primary political divisions as proper extensions of the empire.

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 gun, even across the borders of a ryoiki.

The cities and towns governed by the shicho are not hereditary, even if the shicho is a the head of a minor cadet-clan that is a vassal of the daimyo. A shicho 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 gun that make up a ryoiki are set up by law but actual ownership of each individual gun is always under dispute. It is not uncommon for a gun 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 gun as shugo ends without a potential heir, the tenno 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 gun to change hands. If the previous ruling clan is removed from power over any amount of land by force, the tenno can recognize the victorious daimyo's claim to the land and appoint someone of that clan as shugo of the gun, making it part of the daimyo's realm, and the tenno can even side with the aggressor daimyo militarily to see the war concluded hurriedly. Otherwise, the tenno can refuse to recognize the claim or result of the war, and can command the daimyo to end the war or vacate the conquered land. If the daimyo refuses, the tenno can marshal troops against the aggressor daimyo, and even strip the offending lord of all lands and titles before giving them to someone else.

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

If the war ends in the aggressor daimyo's favor, often the tenno will often be forced to recognize the aggressor daimyo'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 gun a clan controls, the titles of sotoku of ryoiki are legally restricted to the leaders of the Great Clans.

Politics & Government
The empire is a hereditary monarchy ruled by the Tenno (天皇/Emperor), and the heir apparent is titled the Kotaishi (皇太子/Crown Prince). The spouse of the tenno is the Kogo (皇后/Empress). Direct relatives of the tenno, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, are titled Shinno (親王/Imperial Prince) and Naishinno (内親王/Imperial Princess) respectively. All other male and female relatives of the tenno (those too far down the line of succession to have any hope of succeeding the throne) are titled Koshi (皇子/Prince) and Kojo (皇女/Princess) respectively. Tenno who have abdicated and retied are titled Daijo-Tenno (太上天皇/Emperor Emeritus).

Deceased tenno are given a posthumous name after death, and are usually given one that relates to their personality or the nature of their reign somehow. Past tenno are typically referred to by their posthumous names but sometimes by their personal names, especially by those who knew them during their reigns, but tenno from before Shintoki-tenno's reign are known by their posthumous names only, their personal names forgotten to history.

Titular kings and queens within the empire, the first level of the non-royal nobility, are titled Osho (王将/Kings) and Ohi (王妃/Queens), while their closest relatives are titled Oji (王子/Prince) and Ojo (王女/Princess) respectively. Male and female relatives, the same-level nobility, are titled Shoko (諸侯/Prince) and Hime (媛/Princess) respectively. Due to the political structure of the empire, these titles are mostly ceremonial, relics of the preimperial eras, and hold only a small amount political influence.

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

Beneath the Daijo-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 tenno under the supervision of the tenno and an official called the Tairo (大老). The members of the Gikai are called Giin (議員) and write the laws of the land, which are in turn executed by the tenno if he approves them. In the Gikai, rather than representing the clans, it is the gun 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 gun are normally from the same clan ruling it or from cadet-clans. Regardless, no matter how many gun any clan controls, the Giin representing the gun 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 tenno usually work in conjunction, but the tenno is more powerful as there are very few checks and balances. There only a few things that the tenno 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 Tairo will often serve as the tiebreaker in the event of one, but the tenno 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 tenno 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.

Notes & Trivia

 * Fuso and the Hayato people are based off Japan and the Japanese people.
 * Because of how the Japanese language – which the Hayato language "Yogata" is based on – works, the title "Tenno" (天皇/Emperor), and other titles, are both singular and plural.
 * The term "Yamatai," while the name of the empire, is also sometimes erroneously used to refer to the entire land as a whole.
 * Fuso includes the main lands currently occupied by the empire; the Eda Archipelago, occupied by Mizuho; the southernmost lands the Ningyo Archipelago, occupied by the Kingdom of Ningyo Kazan; and Hinomoto.
 * 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 Kazan, 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.