Setting Background

[Dracos]

Not done.  Doing a momentary 'save out'
---
What Was
-75 Year of Ifurita's Reign

The elvish explorer Ta'kien made his way to what was then the unclaimed lands that would be the foundation of the empire.  Traveling far from the elvish capital of Cormythyr, he was leading a small band of pilgrims, seeking to find new lands and expand the glory of the their kingdom.  It was ever a dangerous attempt to travel beyond the known lands, through the strange mists that always seemed to hover along any untamed lands, but these were brave and hardy people, willing to risk the unknown.  While their journey had been harsh, those that remained saw hope in these untamed lands, the bountiful rivers and lakes showing a healthy land.

It was not long that a sturdy farming and fishing community grew about the plains, slowly but surely eeking out an existence.  It wasn't big, smaller than many towns in Cormythyr, not even one of the larger provinces, much less a kingdom on its own, but they made their way.

So begun the humble township of Huchaun...

-55 Year of Ifurita's Reign

Following a rise in salt costs from the merchant run oligarchy of Calimara, the kingdom of Vostrad began what turned into a ten year long war against the kingdom of Cormythyr.  Though unsuccessful, it lead to a general period of relative disinterest from Cormythyr to its small outlying territories as it focused on driving off this human menace so intent on pillaging their lands.  While it ended a draw, both kingdoms spent many years recovering from the ill thought out campaign.

-50 Year of Ifurita's Reign

News of the stable region spread, trade from the fine fishing and relatively unpoliced area bringing folks from near and far.  Far enough from the founding Cormythyr kingdom to go relatively unpoliced, it was also far enough away from most other kingdoms in the world to go relatively uninvaded.  Travel was still as dangerous and rare as ever in numbers less than a thousand, but still, drifters and wanderers of all races made their way over to the fledgling township, seeking their fortune or evading their past.

-40 Year of Ifurita's Reign

Ifurita the First was born.  This blessed event was met with little notice, despite the union being between the mighty sun god Surya and what was widely considered to be the most beautiful river spirit in the land, Song Hua.  The young girl was healthy and in celebration of this, it is said that Surya rode through the heavens on his chariots of fire, driving the clouds from the sky so that he could better watch his new daughter.

-35 Year of Ifurita's Reign

The young child drew quite the bit of attention after she precociously convinced an elder toad demon to leave their farm alone for a mere song.   The wandering beast's rage had ravaged quite a few farms and they'd been organizing a group to hunt it down by the time she charmed it and sent it away.  Her childish grin was their only answer when they wondered how she'd done it and why she hadn't run away.

-30 Year of Ifurita's Reign

Part of the army of the king Isolidar was sent to deal with marauding kobolds that had begun to harass the growing set of farming towns.  Dealing quickly with the wild menace, they were met with open arms and cheers by the fairly mixed communities.  While they were far enough away to usually only pay lipservice to their technical place in the elvish empire, having an army come clear out their immediate troubles was something almost everyone could appreciate.  The threat to the peaceful land was soon routed.

The army deciding to stick around was not something that was quite as cheered...

-25 Year of Ifurita's Reign

A rebellion started, slowly but surely the whispers of discontent and rage at unjust domination by the peasants turned into small protests.  The protestors being swiftly jailed, followed by a new judicor being sent out to manage the growing towns was the last straw.

The peasants revolted.  It was bloody and swift...  the well trained army soldiers putting down the revolt and breaking the wild borderland spirit of the townspeople in one sharp blow.  By the end of the month, hundreds who had rallied were dead.

This became known as Yeh Meth's massacre, after the judicor that ordered it.  A name that forever after was known as a curse among the farmers.

-5 Year of Ifurita's Reign

A young Ifurita convinced several young men and women to join her in trying their luck against the mists.  Her promises vague and unrealistic, but her certainty and charm convincing several to join and protect her in her escapade.  On the far reaches of the township, the company numbering eleven headed out into the mists.  It didn't take long for folks to start considering their return unlikely.  Few survived in the mists by themselves, and even with a dozen, it was not a journey one would expect to survive on for over a year.

-1 Year of Ifurita's Reign

"Things are going well, the people have largely ended any public or private resistance to their rightful place in the world.  Tax collection is at an all time high and the wines they produce here are fantastic.  They would do the king proud.  I am enclosing a bottle with this report.  Drink it in good health.

Judicor,
Yew Meth"
-Letter received by High Judicor, Lenis Erist during the Summer Solstice.

0th Year of Ifurita's Reign

"They came from the sky, riding on beasts of legend,
Awe and fear disarmed the soliders as they flew overhead,
Their danger made clear by flame and lightning,
the wicked usurpers driven before them."

"And so gather round my friends and hear a tale,
of ten brave heroes, and the one who lead them all,
And their quest to fight the Cormythyr."

"There was Sni Lei the thief, bold as he came,
a rat through and through, he heeded the call,
standing up when no one showed,"
his measure to be more man than rat."

"Roufas the farmer, a humble man,
faithful as always, good to a fault,
his call as he left, simple as him,
'I can't in good conscience, let her go alone"

"Chem'kien, aged descendant of Ta'kien
came as he would, his sage wisdom help,
sought far and should, but on his old back
he carried duty and truth."

"Salir of the lake and Chusoun of the rivers,
both pledged allegiance and traveled as well,
spear sisters at heart, sworn to each other,
they would help their friend, through ice and fire."

"Brave as giants despite their stature,
the halflings lent horses, ready for the ride,
one rough woman, a traveler, a merchant,
Kim, rode alongside them on her pony."

"Clever by trade, the tinkerer came,
his words tricks, his magic a game,
not afraid to stand up, when farmers bowed down,
the gnome Irutsk went along for the crowd.'

"Like brothers they were, born of different mothers,
one short, one tall, both strong of arm and brave,
The river dwarf Keivan and the warrior George,
traveled along with them."

"All lead by one, divinely blessed,
chosen by the heavens to give our grief rest,
she came from the rivers and the skies,
riding dragons she came,
to free us, to save us."

"They came from the heavens,
eleven in number,
and on that day the castle burned,
and the soldiers did fall."
-Popular bardic song of the time.

Ifurita did return, her allies, soon the founders of the great houses, with her.  Blessed with the aid of dragons, they were able to savage and drive away the occupying forces and end the oppressive regime of Yew Meth.  Seeing that a response of Cormythyr was certain with time and if not, another kingdom would take its place, she had herself anointed its empress, divinely chosen, to unite the people of Huachuan against its invaders now and forevermore.  The people, charmed by her glory and thankful for their freedom, flocked to her banner as the new kingdom was formed.

1st year of Ifurita's rule

A flurry of changes surrounded Ifurita's coronation, the very country beginning to be reworked in the image of this young woman.  Though weakened through the abuses of their former rules, this was a hard working people and it did not take them long to begin to rebuild their land.

It was during this time that Huachaun became the official capital of their new kingdom.  The humble begins of wood shacks ill demonstrating the changes to come.  Construction on the Temple of the Nine Suns began this year as well, envisioned as the religious center point of the new kingdom, for her highness was sure to let the people know by her father's grace they had been saved.

Preparing for the coming war, her closest allies began growing a new army, training and preparing the lands for the inevitable return of their once rulers.  It was at this time that the ten great houses were formed around the heroes who had brought them freedom... in a sense.

10th Year of Ifurita's Rule

They came by air and by land, an army ten thousand strong to crush the rebellious young nation.  Not a small force, nor a kind one.  The fires alerted the capital far before they arrived and the battles were long and fierce, the fresh walls they had built only barely keeping the hordes from their throats. 

Yet again they prayed for divine salvation in face of the elven brutality.

40th Year of Ifurita's Rule

The times had been hard.  Harder than they had ever been for the tough citizens of Huachaun.  Victory came, but at a fierce price.  Several of their best and brightest slaughtered.  A generation raised in the ever fear of war.  But they were free, having driven off one of the great armies  of the world.  Their lands were burned and would be a century or more in recovery, but they had their victory.

Though some of this time may have turned to despair, or even blame of the horrible turn of events resistance had gotten them, these folks seemed to disappear.  The first library of Huachaun recording the great victory against the oppressive villains who had come.  The beginning of a trend to control both the history and religion of the empire.  Subtly the bad parts dampened, the good shined upon.

The peaceful times that followed though allowed the near suffocated people to begin to heal...

100th Year of Ifurita's Rule

During this year, both the Castle of Rivers and the Temple of the Nine Sun were completed.  Gigantic and magnificent in scope, they were a tribute to the gods and to their empress, who many were half convinced she was a god herself, for despite being close to one hundred and fourty years old, she looked every bit as young as they day she first took the throne.  Not that many got to see the empress.  Indeed, it was soon a very rare event as she promoted this almost godlike distance between herself and the normal people.

The farming of the people kept the city well fed as it grew, their stonework and craftsmanship for jewelry as well as the quality of their drinks bringing enough wealth to the growing kingdom to hold it together.  And there had been a sort of divine providence to it all.  After winning their war, things had gone right.  While their relationship to Cormythyr was as rocky and antagonistic as ever, they were on relatively friendly terms with many other kingdoms and the legends of their dragon flights, a rare sight to see in the defense of any, kept others too wary to bring war to their grounds.  Only on particularly special occasions would normal people get to see her.  Her words were generally carried forth from meetings with the clan leaders and her highest bureaucrats.

110th Year of Ifurita's Rule

The clan system truly was beginning to take hold, as being in some way associated with the divine and rarely seen empress pleased the people and the emphasis on war helped secure the nation.  It was during this year that

1231 Year of Ifurita's Rule

This is present day.  It is early august, and as occurs every four years, the best and brightest of the temple are gathered to find their place.  During this gathering, the young from temples across the country and even outside of it make a pilgrimage to the holy Temple of the Nine Suns.  Here they spend nine days in prayer before receiving new roles at the temple.  Usually, the attendees range from fifteen to twenty five.

The Temple

There are many religions in this world, but within the boundary of the empire, there is only one that has any meaning to you.  The worship of the Nine Suns, as they are called.  This name is something of a misnomer.  They are not all sun or fire gods.  The name itself is reasoned to be a homage to Surya, for obvious reasons.

The gods that make up the religion are:

Surya: Considered the highest of the gods and the first that is prayed to.  He is known by his celestial chariot which it is said he carries the sun across the sky with and chases the clouds away to keep them from flooding the river towns.

Amaterasu: She whose light shines upon us all, the goddess of the sun Amaterasu is a shy one, but is ferried each day across the skies by Surya.  She is a patron of the animals and smiles down upon brave heroes.

Tsunami: Tsunami is said to be found in the deepest woods, tending to the saplings that will be the giants of tomorrow.  The plants and trees of the forest are her domain.  She is known for both her patience and her kindness, the gentle spirit that would watch over them through years and changes.

Yang-Tse-Kiang: The first of the four river kings, the river god of the north, he is known for his nobility and his elegance.  He is the leader of the four and though speaks least, he also speaks best.  A proud warrior spirit, he is the very essence of grace in all things.  By this does he lead the other four.

Midzu-chi: Bringing healing with her waters, Midzu-chi is the favored river god of the west.  The weakest of the gods, some may say, but none would refuse her a prayer for the healing arts she grants are blessed indeed.

Naga Raja: The river god of the east, powerful and raging, his waters seize up those before them and crush them like a vicious serpent.  Most often depicted as a towering Naga, he is the most fierce and warlike of the gods.  Prayed to often for bravery.

Botan: The last of the river gods, guarding the southern pass, Botan is often pictured as a young woman with an oar, guiding a small ship across the calm river waters.  She is the guardian of the dead, the one that carries the spirit to the next world to await reincarnation.  It is said that monsters are a result of the tormented souls that were denied passage upon her ship and twisted into beasts in their anguish.

Stamveshdo: Known most for his golden hair, Stamveshdo is the god of luck, favored of the traveler.  It is said when one has lost ones way, to simply march forward and let luck lead your steps and Stamveshdo will see you safely home, wherever that may be.  Seen as whimsical and kind.

Haruna: Goddess of life, source of waters.  Shone upon by Amaterasu and guarded by the four kings of the river, Haruna is the goddess of the lakes, she whom provides bounty to the empire.  It is said that her kindness knows no depths and that the lakes and rivers were once formed from her tears at the plight of the young villages.

The structure of the temples is both very regimented and free, depending a lot on how close you are to the capital.  Leading the overall religion of the country is pope Zera, a kind and benevolent man who is kept quite busy overseeing the running of the church and of his own clan.  Under him are the Nine, each a chosen of a god, blessed often with abilities beyond the norm, it is their council with Zera that decides most of the edicts and rules that make up church life.  Beneath them are the high priests, each which generally run a temple within the nearby cities.  Priests under them tend to the services and the people, with Chaplins running the congressions, Zenfiers tending to the teachings, and Harusufas tending to the healing.  Maintaining these churches is often quite a busy task, as many acolytes seeking to learn the ropes learn.  Many of these who rise from the acolyte position find themselves tending to small congregations along the outskirts of the empire, and as such closeness to the empire is often seen as a measure of rank, though many do choose to oversee their own small congregation where they grew up.  Others never leave the acolyte position, occassionally getting referred to as senior acolytes due to their years of experience in assisting the local priests.

Similarly on the level of the high priests are the Masters, leaders of monastic schools where many young train to purify their mind and body.  The training in these arts is part of the heritage of country, and many tend to spend at least a year or two under the guidence of the monks.  The masters themselves are assisted by the monks, those who have chosen to continue their training into the advanced arts under a master, and the students themselves.  Separate from this in a way, but deeply lined are the Divines.  Started by Ifurita the Second, the Divine Empress, they were to combat the various dangers that would arise from the mist and expanded to be spiritual guardians of the people.  Wherever spirits or beasts would go arry, they would be there to protect the people.  Only a few at a time, many years none being selected.

Finally, at the very bottom are the petitioners... those who are seeking to join the church in some fashion but have not yet.  The difficulty of this varies across the empire and for many is as short a period as simply asking the local priest to let them help.  For others, it can be an arduous task, proving diligence and dedication, for devoutness is not a simple whim.  One of the well known ways petitioners join the church is that every four years, the temples near the capital hold a great Choosing ceremony.  Here, willing applicants, whether in the church or not, can attempt to show their abilities and possibly find a place within the church order.  This is considered one of the more dramatic ways of changing your position within it, and such are the tests that few find themselves misplaced.  The applicants are within the ages of fifteen to twenty five.  Those younger are not allowed to participate, and equally so, it is believed that if one has not found one's place by such

The Ten Houses

Clans, at this point in time, have likely branches that are of different races than the founding member.  15ish generations will do that.  All clans participate in some way in the ever shifting bureaucracy of the government.  Equally, almost all clans have some level of representation in the national army.  Even so, they still tend to focus on their primary area of responsibility and interest.

The Nezumi Clan: Descended from the family of Sni Lei, they are those that walk in the shadows.  For much of the earlier years, they were the spies and assassins of the rising queen, dealing with those that questioned her divine rule discretely and often driving fear into the heartlands of their enemies.  In these mostly more peaceful times...they still are the feared rats in the shadow, a trait they take with pride.  Often younger members of this clan work as couriers, traveling across the land to deliver mail and news.  The current leader of the clan is a young woman by the name of Ri Zue, known as for both her grace and deadliness.

The Sun Clan: This is the clan of Royals, pertaining entirely to those who can trace their bloodline directly to the queen.  They are often phenomenially long lived, sometimes as much as twice the length of time that normal mortals live.  Often helping to rule, a few can be found in the church.  They are by far the smallest clan, but so far, no one has been willing to risk either the divine wrath that stands behind them or the possible rage of their long time allies, the enigmatic and mysterious dragons.

The Cup Clan: Roufas returned from the mist a changed man, the light in his eyes that of fervent devotion.  It was he who oversaw the founding of the religious order of the Nine Suns and planned the great temple that stood as a momunment to their devotion, both to Surya and to the other gods of good.  Even now his clan is among the most devout priests, most loyal servants of the empire.  Zera, leader of the temple, is the current clan patriarch.

The East Riders: Founded by Kim, they are the heart of the traders of the empire.  Halfings, humans, and travelers of all races, they span the globe, bringing trade and news  back to the empire, boldly expanding the edges of civilization.  Their current patriarch is Kun Tou, known for his business acumen.

The Book Clan: Chiem'kien, on his deathbed, requested that his children look after the history of the empire.  To not forget what came before or where they came.  And so began the order of the hidden book.  Keepers of history, both on and off the record.  They are a secretive bunch indeed, and keep close to the capital.  Their leader, a man by name of Zien Yun, has not been seen for many years, but they function well enough.  While in the past this break from royal tradition was generally frowned upon, and even at some points attempted to be wiped out, in present day they have come somewhat back into the graces of the current empress, used as advisors and storytellers for the kingdom.

The Shield Clan: Most diligently, Keiven gave his all in the defense of the newborn country.  Even as he died, others took up the banner, forming a clan in his honor and devoting themselves to the defense of the kingdom against all threats from outside.  Known for their warriors, they are the samurai defenders of the realm.  By their own creed, a shield that will not break.

The Dragon Clan: Fierce in battle and in life, they pride themselves on being the best.  Often at the front of the military, they are also prominent in the noble endeavors around the kingdom.  Kim Georg is their leader, a man whose mastery of the blade strikes fear in any who face him and is current commander in chief of the national army.

The Lake Clan: Perhaps the most ardently crossed with spirits, the lake people are descended from Salir and favor strongly the religious side of the empire.  Devout and sometimes as far as fanatical, they see the empire as an outgrowth of the mighty lake Chinnogora that it sits near.  They are often found as monks and other spiritual guardians, favoring the polearms as their weaponry.

Basic Empire Summary

Average life expectancy is 60 years.  Truly ancient people sometimes live to be one hundred, but that is rare.  The timeless nature of the Empress is one of the things that so strongly supports her divine right to rule.

more to come