Nihon

in: Races

## Introduction

The nation and whole archipelago was named Nihon, the sun's origin, from ancient tales which claimed that the sun rose straight from the island itself. The lands are known for honorable

warriors and it's beautiful culture, but to those that live within the archipelago, they know that the islands are soaked in blood from countless years of civil war and social upheaval, and dying at the hands of a Samurai was just as common as being robbed by a bandit. They are naturally isolationist, the affairs of their own war torn homeland and the fealty to their lords making travel near impossible, without being titled an outcast. Their isolationist ways have bred xenophobia from many of it's people, who believe their way of life, albeit imperfect, should be free of outside influence.

## The Basics

* **Appearance:** Nihons are often people of medium height and pale to olive toned skin, black hair and darker eye tones.
* **Lifespan:** 75 Years
* **Height:** 170 cm (5'5") - 190 cm (6'2")
* **Regions Found:** Chow Island
* **Culture:** It is a common belief that all Nihon must possess honor in how they live. However, reputation is far more important to the people of Nihon than honor, the only caste that truly cares for honor being the Samurai. The reputation of one's family, and selves, determines their position within society. A craftsman with poor reputation may never find work in a village, while those that do whatever they could to uphold their reputation, would have their shops placed within the protective walls of a village.
* **Common Character Roles:** Samurai, Mercenaries, Sailors, Pirates, Merchants, Fishmongers, Smiths, Religious Figureheads
* **Common Allies:** Nihon does not have any official allies, though they have ties with Salvador and the Kingdom of White Thorns via sea-trade.
* **Common Enemies:** Dark Elves, Wood Elves, Snow Elves
* **Architecture:** The Nihon have a long history of strife with the Lóng-Qīn, and are currently in a sort of cold war with them. On rare occasions, they clashed with the Orudei whenever the Nihon stepped foot on the mainland and passed through Orudei lands. In turn, the Orudei have made past attempts at raiding on Nihon but have always been repelled.
* Additionally, the mainland of Nihon has been home to internal conflict between various Nihon clans due to Lords seeking control over their neighbors and the Nihon Emperor having no real central power over the warring clans.
* **Architecture:** Japanese architecture (日本建築 Nihon kenchiku) has traditionally been typified by wooden structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched roofs. Sliding doors (fusuma) were used in place of walls, allowing the internal configuration of a space to be customized for different occasions.
* **Religion:** A polytheistic religion which revolves around the kami (gods or spirits), supernatural entities believed to inhabit all things. The link between the kami and the natural world has led to Shinto being considered animistic and pantheistic.
* **Views on Magic:** The people of Nihon believe magic to come from the spirits of their lands, but majority of them know little of magic, being a practice which is banned across the lands. The code of honor which Samurai follow forbid them from even attempting to practice these methods, and they are known to cut down any who attempt to channel the energy of the kami.
* **Quirks:** The Nihon do not believe in things they consider a defamation of their reputation and integrity. Concepts of honor and respect for one’s enemies are preached, even if not always followed. To the Nihon, honor is what matters, regardless of the outcome. They shape the entirety of their lives in the pursuit of an honorable existence.

## Appearance

Nihons are often people of medium height and yellowed skin, black hair and darker eye tones. They are naturally isolationist, the affairs of their own war torn homeland and the fealty to their lords making travel near impossible, without being titled an outcast. Their isolationist ways have bred xenophobia from many of it's people, who believe their way of life, albeit imperfect, should be free of outside influence.

## History & Culture

The nation and whole archipelago was named Nihon, the sun's origin, from ancient tales which claimed that the sun rose straight from the island itself. The lands are known for honorable warriors and it's beautiful culture, but to those that live within the archipelago, they know that the islands are soaked in blood from countless years of civil war and social upheaval, and dying at the hands of a Samurai was just as common as being robbed by a bandit.

## Culture

It is a common belief that all Nihon must possess honor in how they live. However, reputation is far more important to the people of Nihon than honor, the only caste that truly cares for honor being the Samurai. The reputation of one's family, and selves, determines their position within society. A craftsman with poor reputation may never find work in a village, while those that do whatever they could to uphold their reputation, would have their shops placed within the protective walls of a village.

### *Marriage & Courtship*

Marriage throughout Nihon is viewed as necessary, as choosing to remain single is claimed to be one of the greatest crimes a man could commit spiritually. But it is not unheard of. Most members of the lower-class engage in a permanent marriage with one partner, but chastity is not highly valued in Nihon society, and married men often seek pleasure from multiple courtesans. The purpose of marriage is to form alliances between families, to perpetuate the family line and, especially for the lower classes, to add new members to the family's workforce.

To the nobility, the purpose of marriage is to produce children who will inherit the highest possible rank from the best-placed lineage. It is neither ceremonial nor necessarily permanent.

## Government

Nihons live under a feudal system, their lands split between princes and warlords, Daimyos, who swear their fealty to the emperor. However, the emperor serves as more of a religious figure who delegates their power to the Shogun, a noble who would be appointed by the emperor to become the de facto military ruler. Each Daimyo is given a small army of professional warriors, the Samurai, who are the only caste allowed to wear their blades in public. These Samurai are fierce warriors who use their skills to enforce the complex class system, primarily to ensure the lord they serve retains power. But the Samurai make up only a handful compared to what is needed to fight in wars, meaning every day civilians make up the rest of the fighting force under a Daimyo. Society is divided into four social castes: *The Nobles*, who hold the greatest status and influence. *The Samurai*, the second most powerful caste, have significant influence. They only make up around ten percent of the population, but they are the ones who enforce the rule of the lands. They are highly trained and experienced warriors, who follow a strict warrior code, Bushido. *The Peasants and Craftsmen*, who are legally bound to their lords, and are entitled to some civil rights. The food and products they produce are essential for everyone, and thus, hold far more merit than those below them. *The Artisans and Merchants*, the lowest of the four. The only people lower than them are slaves and outcasts. They are considered the lowest since they do not manufacture any products, making a living only for themselves. The rigid upholding that the Samurai enact over each caste makes it nearly impossible for members of lower castes to rise any higher up the chain. This directly breeds turmoil, the Samurai often being resented behind closed doors.

## Racial Relations

The Nihon harbor a degree of respect for those capable of shapeshifting – especially the Huli Jing, also known as Kitsune. They believe this particular tribe of beastkin to be a type of Yokai who are revered as spiritual guides in Nihon culture. Other shapeshifters are acknowledged as Yokai, but may not receive the same level of consideration as the Huli Jing. In this regard, the Huli Jing’s reverence by the Nihon is unique to them. Aside from that, inhuman races are often regarded with negative perception, including but not limited to the belief that such individuals are the equivalent of Oni, a physical embodiment of a wicked soul. Honor focused societies are also respected by the Nihon people even if there is rare interaction between the differing cultures and peoples. Rare encounters with the Orudei have always led to conflict, whether the Orudei attempted to land on Nihon lands, or when the Nihon have stepped foot on the mainland in an attempt to capitalize on driving the Long Qin back. These skirmishes were usually the result of Nihon forces encroaching on Orudei territories. There is a long standing conflict between the Long Qin and the Nihon. The origins of this date back many years, and the original cause is debated but as the Nihon tell it, Long Qin have sought to conquer the small island nation and have been met with fierce resistance. As of right now, the outright fighting has simmered but the two factions are engaged in a sort of cold war, performing small scale deeds to undermine their opposition in any way they can. Nihon is also subject to internal feuding between the clans, with the Emperor lacking any real central power and the neighboring clans fighting with each other in bids of supremacy.

## Religion

### Shinto

A polytheistic religion which revolves around the kami (gods or spirits), supernatural entities believed to inhabit all things. The link between the kami and the natural world has led to Shinto being considered animistic and pantheistic. The kami are worshiped at kamidana household shrines, family shrines, and public shrines. The latter are staffed by priests, who oversee offerings of food and drink to the specific kami enshrined at that location. This is done to cultivate harmony between humans and kami and to solicit the latter's blessing. Shinto does not emphasize specific moral codes although it places a major conceptual focus on ensuring purity, largely by cleaning practices such as ritual washing and bathing. Shinto has no single creator or specific doctrinal text, but exists in a diverse range of local and regional forms. The Emperor was often worshiped as if he was a kami in human form.

### Three Precious Children

The goddess of the sun, Amaterasu. Worshipped as the ruler of the heavenly realms. The god/goddess of the moon, Tsukuyomi. A proud deity of order and beauty. The god of storms, Susanoo. A powerful and boisterous guardian kami. These are the three that are primarily worshipped under Shinto.

### Kami - Spirits

The Kami can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, as well as beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the spirits of venerated dead persons. Kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing good and evil characteristics. The Yokai are not all demons, like many of the western world may claim, but are rather spirits and entities, whose behavior can range from malicious to friendly. They often possess animal-like features, and shapeshifting is a common trait associated with them. Some may use this ability to cause harm to humans, while others may use it to assist them in a time of need. The Oni are one such Yokai, troll-like, which are hulking figures with one or more horns protruding from their heads. They are conceived as having multiple hues of skin color, ranging from red, green, white or blue colored and wild multi-colored hair. They are known to be the wicked souls beyond rehabilitation, transforming into an oni after death. But it is also claimed that a human, who is truly evil, can transform into an oni while still alive, and are known to prey on humans.

## Perception of Magic

The people of Nihon believe magic to come from the spirits of their lands, but majority of them know little of magic, being a practice which is banned across the lands. The code of honor which Samurai follow forbid them from even attempting to practice these methods, and they are known to cut down any who attempt to channel the energy of the kami. But to be in harmony with the awe-inspiring aspects of nature is to be conscious of the way of the kami, and it is known that humans may be given the favor of their spirits, to channel their energy, be it both for good or evil. This usually requires strenuous practice, and may even kill those who channel the use of these supernatural energies. Although magic is banned under the fist of the emperor, lords are still known for hiring assassins, known as the shinobi, versed in these energies to eliminate political adversaries