Yatzao Shogunate

The Yatzao Shogunate is a territory encompassing small portioned islands of the continent Xhishun. It is a small territory that possesses a hard working peasant population regularly dominated and ruled over by a feudal caste of warriors and lords. The shogunate follows a strict isolationist code and rarely trades with people outside of Xhishun without proper trade etiquette and barriers in place to ensure little communication is had outside of trade deals. The shogunate follows a strict feudal structure unlike Clamund or Izdath and have been adhering to Imperial rule since the age of Iron.

## History

The history of the Yatzao island is a troublesome and complex history as the island struggles between satisfying clan vassals and foreigners who regularly come to the island in search of wealth or adventure. Much of early Yatzao history describes the upbringing of the Shogunate as independent cities on the island grew in power as a result of the decentralized state of Yatzao, becoming feudal lords in their own rights while undermining the imperial throne held by the Yatzao Clan. The Shogunate would not fully be recognized until 500 when all the clans across the island were either conquered or submitted to Imperial rule and would remain such until unrestful periods would erupt such as the Dai Fuan, or the Meigui Jin invasion; where traitorous clans would defect or rebel against their lord.

The Yatzao shogunate has over 21 clans under their fealty, each controlling either an island, part of an island, or an equal territory on the Yatzao island itself. Each lord is autonomous in their own rights, only forming a single government entity when their lands are threatened or when royal court is called. Inter-clan warfare is commonplace throughout Yatzao history as local lords often fought amongst one another over petty disputes and to settle arguments in scaled conflicts that usually involve a few hundred warriors and a single battle. Hundreds of these small conflict arisen from 500-1000, showing how often and frequent these clan wars are.

Despite the periods of unrest and political instability, the Yatzao Shogunate would be a pillar of society in the Xhishun continent as their elaborate noble culture coupled with a strongheaded and persistent peasant population makes is unique in comparison to the societies around the shogunate. Their isolationist approach to living has also bled into their lifestyle as they are very suspicious of foreigners and depending on the clan laws they reside in, may have less rights than a slave. Those foreigners accepted in Yatzao society are usually rare and have usually completed great feats in order to gain the respect of a local lord or village.

### 0-200 - Early History

Very early records of Yatzao are non-existent considering that up until the year 500 Yatzao was stuck in a perpetual dark age; separated from other cultures in the Xhishun continent due to the deadly sea storms and lack of foreign trade made many early Yatzao petty lords become locally depended rather than seeking lands beyond the island. Very early Yatzao records say that conflict was constant as petty lords rushed to gather land following the collapse of an unknown empire. Whether it was an empire that controlled the entire island or just a part of it no-one knows. All they know is the name and their seat of power, which is still used to this day at the Yatzao great lake, the seat of power for the Yatzao Shogunate. The Obsidian Empire was the name of the empire and all documents retaining to its existence have been destroyed. It would not be until around the year 200 when the Dragon Lords would assert their dominance and settle some territory on the island; creating the first solid government state on the island with reasonable claims to its legitimacy.

In this period, personal safety was at an all time low. Because of the decentralized nature of the Yatzao island, banditry and raiding was commonplace among the independent villages and hideouts not aligned to a local lord. Outlaws, often calling themselves Kenshin, stalked the lands across the entirety of the island, forcing communities to construct wooden walls around their settlements while raising meagre militias with nothing more than copper spears. Those Kenshi that were not outright evil in nature would hire themselves out to these communities either for food or coin and would train and defend their communities for a period of time.

Kenshin became an important player in local politics as local strongmen accumulated enough coin to purchase armour and weapons for themselves and a few followers. These swordsmen quickly attained local dominance as they imposed their protection upon unsuspecting villages and towns only to eat their food and to steal some people's daughters and retreat into the night, leaving them exposed to bandit attacks. For many, the Kenshin were simply a thorn in Yatzao history as many lacked any true morals aside from bullying lesser people, but for some ambitious lords, this nature allowed for some to attain a military power using the purchased loyalty of several Kenshin and their followers to assert their dominance on local villagers and free towns.

#### Rise of the Kenshin

Kenshin would attain political and military power throughout the early history of Yatzao as their weapons and followers would easily persuade transfer of power upon demanding it. Many kenshin would become powerful this way as they bullied less powerful political figures into submission while securing their domain. Since centralization was low, trade could not regulate the secure shipments of weapons and armour to supply militias to keep the peace, rather, kenshin would roam the lands looking for employment or vassalage as lords and villages ran into constant trouble with bandits and rival lords.

### 200-356 - Reign of the Dragon Lords

The Dragon Lords was the first ever example of a unified state within the Yatzao island. Under the unification of the clan territories of Tado, Sata and Natabatake, the Dragon Lords imposed their dominance over a considerable portion of what was once the fortresses and castles of the Obsidian empire. Their ancient and elaborate designs allowed for those who were in possession of the fortifications to impose military dominance over their neighbors using their military prowess to attract the retainers and kenshin of their enemies clans to defect to theirs. By 250, the Dragon Lords numbered at 3, with their heirs inheriting the roles of Dragon Lords and continuing to dominate the Yatzao Islands in the south, extending their territories as far as Kobold Hills, a range of hills that dominate the southern part of the island of Yatzao. Several minor clans would also spring up during this time, owing their allegiance to the clans that have put them in power.

The Tado Clan would incorporate Ryidoji clan and Masuda clan; Natabatake would create several island clans including the clans Nae, Itki, and Shai, all sea-faring clans with sizable junk navies. The great clan Sata would be the largest domain of them all as most of the southern lands encompassing the Kobold hills would make suitable vassal lands as the clans Makeda, Dawa, Tatsuda and Koma would be under the fealty of Sata, creating the alliance's formidable army of Kenshin and retainers. Most of the clans created by Sata were made from the ruthless kenshi commanders who commanded the kenshi owing fealty to all four of the dragon lord's armies. These clans are very martially focused with most having a proud history of leading and fighting for the great clan Sata.

Much of the dominance of the Dragon Lords can be attributed to the sizable forces they retained under their direct control. Unlike the period of uncertainty and non-lasting allegiances between lord and kenshi, where a kenshi could defect for a better master on a whim or simply by a disagreement, the Dragon Lords were able to gain the fealty of several more independent clans in the southern part of the Yatzao island as well as their retainers as many were under the belief that they would become lords when in service.

The decline of the Dragon Lords would be apparent after 350 as the triple alliance of Tado, Sata, and Natabatake was at a decline seeing how each clan had with them several minor clans under their direct command, thus erasing the need of having a triple alliance as the threat of external invasions and banditry had steadily declined since the beginning of 250. Growing discontent grew among the minor clans as many of the lords felt that their rule would be undisputed if one were to rebel against the Dragon Alliance, leaving the other member unable to respond either due to the neutrality, or out of spite. Diplomacy continued to fail until the year 356 when the combined demand from the clans under the lordship of the Natabatake and Sata clans, Lord Zakai Utada of the Tado clan brought together all the lords under the dragon lords rule at the Tado clans capital of Junrei and declared that all lords were free from the alliance, allowing them to freely rule themselves. Upon this declaration, Lord Zakai committed suicide as his rule would forever be tarnished having unable to keep his ancestors alliance alive, leaving his heir to rule in his wake.

### 356-477 - The Free Lord Period

The Free Lord Period can be summed up as the island of Yatzao briefly returning to the chaotic early period of the island, except in place of the independent towns and forts owned by strongmen and elders, are now lords and kenshin. Many clans, including the many self-proclaimed clans in the northern part of the island, now fended for themselves in autonomous control while they competed with one another for control over local territory. Many lords would seek alliances inspired by the dragon lords, but most would not last as many lords actively sought to undermine their allies in spite of agreements, thus contributing to the general chaos of the period.

Following the collapse of the Dragon Lords, most clans in the south would retain their allegiances with the clans that had created them, however, for the north part of the island, chaos would continue as normal as independent lords would fight over precious land where obsidian fortresses would still stand. Unlike in the south where the Dragon Lords resided, taming the chaotic nature of the land for over a century, the north largely remained chaotic as independent kenshin claim overarching titles over a plot of land, sometimes forcing the old leader's order into exile while doing so. Many independent clans in the northern part of the island would become powerful this way as the rise of the kenshin made it possible for a group of kenshin to easily seize a family's fortified settlement to turn it into a seat of power for the leader and his retainers. Without an overarching power to assure mutual defense during this chaotic time like the Dragon Lords, the power struggle was eternally present throughout the Free Lord Period as even after the collapse of the Dragon Lord Alliance, kenshin continued to compete for power.

During the Free Lord Period, most alliances in the south would mostly stay intact aside from the defection of the Shai clan as their domain was far from Natabatake's. Some clans leaders would urge conquest into the northern clans as the Rokugo and Baagawa clans were weakened due to having lost the trade benefits of a triple alliance. However, infighting between the former Dragon Lords would fracture the southern region before they had the chance to march north.

Out of the chaos of the small wars and clan conflicts among the surviving lords, the Tado Clan, despite losing domain over the Ryidoji clan following the Kobold war, would possess one of the last surviving examples of the fortresses planned and constructed by the Obsidian empire, effectively holding the last "obsidian fortress" as the final fortresses held by the Dragon Lords would be lost and ultimately destroyed following the Free Lord Period. Great Lord Teramoto Utadai Tado; Lord of the Tado clan from 469 to 500, would instill his power over the entirety of the Yatzao island, starting a tumultuous crusade known as the Dai Fushaguko period.

#### The Kobold War 357

Shortly after the death of Lord Zakai, Great Lord Okada Sata of the Sata clan would declare war on the weakened Tado clan. After lengthy disruptions due to some of the minor clans questioning the validity of the decision to invade, Lord Okada would march around 1,000 kenshin and their retainers as well as 5,000 militia would meet Lord Zakai with his 10,000 soldiers mainly consisting of militias from Ryidoji and Masuda and would fight at the Battle of Dragon Hill in 357 where Lord Zakai would lose his entire army to a cunning plan by Lord Okada placing his superior Kenshin against a disadvantaged militia. The war would shortly reign until the end of 357 as Lord Okada's army pillaged Tado clan territory in a series of small-scale raids on villages and forts before seizing Ryidoji land as condition for losing the war.

#### The Dawa Rebellion 360-364

The Dawa Rebellion would be a rebellion started by the Dawa clan following disputes over who would rule over the newly acquired territory following the Kobold war. Lord Miyazaki Kunihiko Dawa of the Dawa clan would raise his flags in rebellion in 360 after three years of neglect following his denial of the territory of the Ryidoji clan. The Dawa clan as well as the Koma clan would gather their kenshin in a rebellion which matched both sides of the conflict equally in terms of fighting force. The rebellion would culminate in a warlike period within the Sata clan's domain as no large battle was able to settle the dispute once in for all as the Dawa rebel kenshin fought in a guerilla style, denying open battle while disrupting enemy lines and raiding unsuspecting targets. By 364, Lord Miyazaki would be granted his demands, allowing both the Dawa and Koma clans independence, severely diminishing Sata rule and their claim to power.

### 477-542 - Dai Fushaguko

The Great Unrest Period is along lasting period in Yatzao history where almost all existing clans actively fought in a war for their independence as the Tado clan, under the command of Great Lord Teramoto Utadai Tado in 477 following his encounter with a Shuten-doji known as Zhang Fen. The mystical vampire promised a thousand years of imperial rule if he were to follow the commands and will of Zhang Fen for the period of the conquest. After selling his soul, Great Lord Teramoto was granted with an unusual lifespan and paler skin and while under the influence of Zhang Fen, declared war on Natabatake clan in late 477, thus starting the unrest.

Almost all lords at this time aside from the former dragon lords were largely independent, ruling over their own domain with their own armies and nobles that answered only to them. Lord of this style were heavily independent, having established a court separate from the dragon lords, this along with the consistency of small conflicts bred a steady cast of warriors and warlords who are not unfamiliar with the cost of war. During Tado's offensive, many minor clans in the north would be conquered by them as their growing army along with their vassal clans would allow for Great Lord Teramoto to easily overpower the lesser forces of the lesser clans.

## Society

Given the nature of Yatzao reclusiveness, society on the island has retained its exact same traditions and values since the reign of the dragon lords. Despite being fractious and constant in inter-clan warfare out of the sake of tradition and customary obligations, Yatzao society has largely retained a rigid societal structure which divides the population among classes which distinguishes their values, political power, and divinity when it comes to the eventual fate of death.

The highest of classes in Yatzao society are among the members of nobility and their administrators. Below the ruling lords of the Island; many of whom are themselves former low class kenshi, are the lower nobility that owe their allegiance to their lord by acting as administrators within their courts, collecting taxes, giving court, and overall administrating the lands of their lord. Other high class nobles may be commanders of a clan's armies. Proficient in small scale conflict, some may even be able to attain Boshingun status, a high ranking commander who has overall command of an empire's army.

Middle classmen within Yatzao society encompass the numerous kenshin who roam the lands of Yatzao in search of service to a lord or town. Kenshin are a militaristic member of Yatzao society that fight a majority of Yatzao's conflicts. Kenshin consist of heavily armed noblemen who were given the honors of kenshin by any lord. The permittance of any lord allowing to raise a person of lower status to kenshi meant that any warrior in service to a lord could be given the title depending on the severity of the lord's situation. Most kenshin can be distinguished as low-class kenshin, given how most were given the title as they were simply an armoured warrior compared to a lord's militia. Higher class kenshin are usually distinguished as lower-class nobles as most are elite warriors within a lord's retinue, perhaps even being apart of a high ranking lord's lifeguard. High-class kenshin are usually nobles in their own right, having own a small plot of land with a small peasant population to work the land for profit usually situated on their lord's land with a given right to tax. All kenshin are obligated to fight in service to their lord in exchange for a place to live, sometimes for an indefinite amount of time depending on their rank. If a kenshin were to break this obligation at any cost, they would lose their kenshin status and would be considered a lower class ronin.

The lower class is divided among several sub-groups of classes. Slaves for example are the lowest form of class in Yatzao society; their role in society being one of the lowest forms of employment and humiliation considering the jobs they are subjected to as well as the working conditions. Peasants are the most numerous and fulfilling of the lower classes as they consist of the workers in villages as well as those who are enserfed to factories within towns and cities. Peasants own little to nothing and are enserfed to their local lord or kenshin with little in return aside from safety and a roof over their heads. Some may be able to purchase their freedom from their lord, thus becoming a freeman, but this is never a good decision as it is expensive to buy out, but it may save potential children from becoming property of a local lord as freewomen's children would be born free. Being a freeman with no local ties is usually a bad idea considering that most freemen are usually associated with bandits and outlaws seeing how locals would shriek from having to offer help to a freeman out of fear of retaliation from their lord or local kenshin as it is a crime to help someone that does not owe allegiance to nobody.

Those freemen able to buy their freedom usually become lower class administrators in a clan's system as clerks or join a merchant's society as a trader or merchant. Freemen also often join a kenshi's retinue as a follower, although not all kenshin are able to sustain a sizable force of followers, some are able to modestly equip some freemen as they owe no fealty to any lord. More than often, followers often break their contract and join gangs of bandits in times of uncertainty and when their kenshi cannot pay them for their service, thus adding to the uncertain status of a freeman.

Some freemen could also be known as ronin as they might've defected from their lord or even were cut from service due to neglecting their obligations. Ronin are usually cherished by the lower class for their ability to help villages and towns with their problem for a small price or even none at all. Ronin are not a solidary force in the lower class as most ronin are independent, usually stuck to roaming the countryside for potential service or perhaps joining a bandit gang out of the need to find a sustainable source of food.

Slaves and foreigners are the lowest status of the lower class in Yatzao society. Slaves usually consist of criminals with a suitable punishment and those captured in conflict as war prisoners and enemy serfs are usually captured with the express purpose of being slaves. Slaves are the dominant labour force for lower class nobles as peasants are usually tied to the land they are born on, unlike slaves who can be exchanged and sold at a whim. Slaves in Yatzao society are essentially exchangeable serfs and have less rights and safeties to their livelihood, making the life of a slave less desirable than death for some.

Foreigners are kept with the highest level of suspicion as they have no ties with anyone that lives on the island. Because of this, no member on any part of the societal ladder will adhere or acknowledge the requests of a foreigner unless they receive favor from a local lord.

## Military

The military practices regularly used by Yatzao is proven to be unique compared to the rest of the Xhishun continent. Due to its isolation and perpetual ritualistic combat expressed by the island culture, Yatzao warfare remained mainly unchanged throughout the entire period of recorded history on the island. Their military power extends from the land and sea as the Yatzao Imperial Navy has proven itself on multiple occasion to successfully defend the Island empire from foreign and local threats.

Having being a nation at constant war with itself through several means including private wars, raids, clan disputes and outright rebellion, military culture has had its time to slowly evolve to suit the needs of Yatzao. Many clans honor this style of warfare by retaining a sizable amount of kenshin. Kenshin are a good way of determining the power of a lord as these warriors are sometimes renowned warriors that are free to move between lords at the cost of their personal dignity and reputation. The lower class have also been apart of war too often as peasants and freemen are often conscripted into clan armies as low-class infantry; a class of the military that bears no style in combat, and are no match compared to the skill of a kenshin formation.

Small and fast wars were commonplace across the island, even ship battles did not exceed more than ten ships a side, each filled with a few dozen men. Veterans of such conflicts both on land and sea are seasoned in quick hit-and-run warfare. Common battles on any field of battle was also highly focused on personal combat between two foes, rather than stealing every advantage there was to grab. It was common for formations of kenshin on both sides to engage in combat before the militia engaged in battle in order to uphold that combat is tightly controlled in order to ensure accurate combat and less bloody encounters. Although the practice has evolved over time, this style of combat mostly relies on the strict killings in personal combat, survivors are usually executed or mended depending on their status and the ones that lose are either forced to hold their ground or retreat in dishonor, shaming their liege and potentially marking them for death by their own side as it is dishonorable to take on known cowards.

Yatzao military is divided among clans who owe their loyalty to a greater lord or emperor. It is the responsibility of the clan's war leaders to appropriately equip low-class kenshin as well as equipping the numerous militia forces gathered from the countryside of the clan. Depending on the wealth available, individual clans can raise around 1,000 men including up to half of them being kenshin. When combined under the banner of multiple clans, a sizable army in Yatzao can reach the numbers of around 10,000 or even 25,000 including over a thousand kenshin.

Kenshin are the dominant military unit of any Yatzao army. Their effect on the battlefield is almost required to win combat as military training is a pillar of kenshi lifestyle. Traditionally, kenshin usually come to battle armed and adorned with personal armor and colors, with an indicator of their allegiance by wearing a sashimono on their back or their clan's symbol painted on their armor. Kenshin use a variety of weapons as many kenshin are trained by specific practices depending on the region, however, for the most part it is generally understood that kenshin are experienced in all forms of combat even if they only excel in one. Kenshi armor remains unchanged throughout the centuries as weapons used in combat remained the same. For the most part, a kenshin formation may as well be equipped and armed the same way they could have been armed hundreds of years prior. As armor evolved, it was given to the kenshin that could afford it; which as armor became more protective, it was worn by lords and high-class kenshin.

Low-class kenshin made up the better parts of militia formations, most kenshin of this class relied on the protection of their wooden pauldrons as they acted as their protective shields as they fight with long weapons. These pauldrons protected the shoulders and upper arms, waist and sometimes the tailbone if required. Wooden pauldrons were often thick and cumbersome making the use of interwoven leather and cloth of later models of armour much less straining on their user. The common weapon used by low-class kenshin usually was the yari seeing how easy it was to train with and use effectively in formation. The use of short yari was especially effective against militia as the combination of training and armour made them particularly effective at killing. Some low class kenshin often became sergeants in militia formations, and sometimes the formation adopted the use of the yumi. yumi-wielding kenshin are not uncommon as the use of ranged combat sometimes was necessary seeing how most battles started with an exchange of arrows. Although not all kenshin adopted the use of bows, a majority of low-class kenshin specialize in it, sometimes rarely forming a formation of kenshin bowmen to deadly effect against their foe.

High-class kenshin are often in separate formations from their militia counterpart, often being the vanguard of any agreed battle. Kenshin in this class are usually equipped to the highest standard, with some even using a yumi before meeting their enemy in melee. Horse choppers are a common weapon used by kenshin as they are a heavy blade meant to strike down anything from a human to a horse. Despite the use of armour, a well placed strike by a horse chopper could easily stagger and injure a man enough for a final strike. It is customary that all high-class kenshin come to battle armed with at least one sword, but some are able to bring more than one, leading to the adoption of the tachi; a backup blade usually carried by lower-class kenshi as their personal sword. It is much smaller and lighter than a horse chopper which makes it a good sword for dueling or light combat. High-class kenshin are extremely well-equipped and armed as their status on the social ladder allows it, however, their limited numbers make them sorely missed if a lot were to be killed in battle as kenshin often filled a role in their clan outside of combat like any other noble.

A majority of foot soldiers present in any Yatzao army would mainly consist of the "militias" of a clan's town and outlying villages. Every village is required to submit at least a few dozen fighting men to be formed into battle formations encompassing people from all parts of a clan. The effectiveness of a militia formation largely revolves around the overall training of the force and how much dedication by clan administrators was given into developing effective militia programs. For the most part, militias are ill-equipped, often bringing neglected and poor equipment in comparison to their kenshin betters. Some poor clans may even bring militia into battle armed with nothing more than sharpened bamboo, while others allow their militia to be equipped with iron spears as well as padded protection. Militia are often set to fight the opponent's formation of militia in pitched battles as the kenshin ritual combat would have already concluded depending on whether or not the two sides adhered to ritual combat rules. Militias are usually led by veteran militiamen or low-class kenshin and often their stability to not turn and run depended on the safety and livelihood of their officers.