The Draconic Empire

> *"Fall down seven times, stand up eight."* -Draconic saying.
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The Draconic Empire

Wood Elf

Kōtta Yama no Shūdōin Monastery

Kensei no Shūdōin Monastery

## History

The origins of the Draconic Empire start with the arrival of the Dragons on the northern continents. No-one is sure whether they or the Elves were first, but what is known is that for the longest time the Elves were at war with all Dragonkind.

Eventually, to combat this threat, the Metallic Dragons created a pact to support each other should an Elven force arrive. This basic agreement was the origin of what would later become the Draconic Empire.

Sometime after an uneasy peace was struck with the Elves, the first Dragonborn came into being; bipedal humanoid dragons.

The Draconic Empire was formed by the first Emperor, a dragonborn who according to the Draconic Path religion was the child of Bahamut, the Draconic Empire has been a place of war, strong historical connections, poetry and art.

Seeing respect of your enemies as a vital part of the warrior life, the Empire seeks diplomacy and peace through ceremonies and the arts.

Untouched by the ravaging attacks of the Winter Kingdom during the Long Night, they still sent many of their warriors to aid their allies in the Elves, to both help the other societies and to enjoy the thrill of battle.

## Politics

The Draconic Empire is led by the Platinum Dragonborn Family, said to be descended from Bahamut himself. They are treated as divinity, and the line of succession flows from one to the next.

The Draconic Empire has a very strict hierarchy, with those below needing to obey those above in a feudal system. Not showing the proper behaviour to those in authority above you is seen as a punishable offense- although these days you are more likely to get a stern warning than the instant decapitation of the past.

From highest to lowest rank, the castes are:

### Emperor

Said to receive visions and prophecy from Bahamut themselves, the Emperor is beloved as an avatar of the Dragon god's will.

Each Emperor has had at least one child, and somehow even with the most prodigious breeders only one has been born with traces of the Platinum Dragon, lending further credence to the idea that they are somehow blessed or guided by Bahamut himself.

Despite this, there have been many times in the past where the Emperor or Empress has been nothing more than a figurehead, with the Shogun and Daimyo as the real authority.

### Shogun

Supposedly appointed by the Emperor, the Shogun is often considered by many to be the power behind the throne. Often a cousin or sibling of the reigning Emperor, the Shogun is in charge of the military, the courts and the general protection of the state. This is the highest rank someone not of the royal family may obtain.

### Daimyo

Reporting directly to the Shogun, the Daimyo are the land owners and powerful leaders of the Draconic Empire. The Daimyo decide on how to rule their provinces and often fight amongst themselves, with the most powerful and influential becoming Shogun.

Although bound to the codes of honour that fill Draconic society, they can be very cunning and ruthless manipulators.

### Samurai

A deciding factor and key to the Daimyo's power, Samurai are military commanders and warriors in their own right.

Samurai train in the ways of swordsmanship and warrior conduct from a young age, and you may only be born into the class- becoming a Samurai through other means is impossible, and even adopted children of Samurai raised in their ways must constantly prove the right to bear the name of their adopted parents.

It is not unreasonable to suggest that the easiest way to tell of the influence and power of a Daimyo is to count the number of Samurai who swear allegiance to them.

### Ronin and Monks

Ronin are masterless Samurai, by dismissal or the death of their master. Ronin wander the lands of the Empire, looking for ways to hone their swordsmanship and expecting to have a Daimyo to swear allegiance to. Many refuse to find another master, and instead have children who themselves are Ronin.

Monks are of equal-level to the Ronin, learning how to harness their Ki through martial arts. This is the highest rank an outsider to the warrior classes can achieve through sheer determination, and is considered quite an honour. Some teachers of Monks are themselves Samurai or Ronin, while others are Monks as well.

### Peasants

The bulk of the population, ranging from footsoldiers to farmers, peasants come in all shapes and sizes.

A peasant lives a life under their Daimyo, and will rarely be granted permission to live in the territory of a different lord, as this would be seen as a dishonour to thier current Daimyo.

### Artisans

Musicians, actors, entertainers, painters and other such ways of life, Artisans are considered to be on the low end of the social totem-pole.

### Merchants

Merchants, the sellers of goods, while often quite rich are very rarely respected. They are banned from wearing ostentatious colours or materials that might show up their sometimes-poorer Daimyo and Samurai overlords, and are considered to be unscrupulous and selfish to a fault.

They are looked down upon as they profit off the creations of others without producing things themselves, making money from what is considered to be a serious lack of work.

### Mages

Considered the lowest social rung, although the Guild of Mages and Enchanters has been doing it's best to improve this reputation in recent years, Mages are seen as finding their power not through dedication, study, or devotion, but purely by being born of it- utterly undeserving of any respect for their achievements because of this.

Adding to this is that Mages do not *do* anything for society in the eyes of the public- their dangerous and often devastating studies benefit none but themselves, and the writings they create are of interest only to others of their ilk.

## Military

The ultimate leader of the military when it comes to international action is the Shogun, but on a day-to-day basis the military is lead by the Daimyo in charge of the land, the Samurai who command it and is comprised of peasant-soldiers.

The Military use traditional methods, and many consider their techniques outdated- it has been centuries since the Empire was engaged in a real war with an outside faction, and so they have grown used to training only to fight others of their own history and culture.

## The Law and Criminality

When a crime is committed, citizens will go to the nearest Guard to report the offence. The guard will mediate and give an on-the-spot physical punishment to the guilty party, or, should they decide the report is false, the reporter of the crime.

For crimes that are too serious and would require the death penalty (such as murder) or where the perpetrator has fled, the Guard will report to a Samurai to deal with the situation. A crime among Samurai would be dealt with by the Daimyo in charge, a crime by Daimyo will be dealt with by the Shogun, and a criminal act of the Shogun is adjudicated by the Emperor.

## Technology

Although welcoming of technology, they are still hesitant to adopt it- Firearms have been the source of much consternation as they allow a barely-trained peasant a fighting chance against an equipped Samurai.

A small private fleet of five airships were commissioned from the Airship Artificers of the Royaume four hundred years ago. The Moving Palace was the largest of them, created as a home that can travel the whole Empire for the royal family, it is often moored at the capital city.

Still, though, Tradition outweighs the march of time and the Daimyo are reluctant to bend the knee to the artificers of their own culture, let alone outsiders.

## Geography

Often raining in the north planes, and snowing up the mountains in the center, the Draconic Empire is quite warm and even rather hot in places.

To the south is the great desert, and in the center are the Dragon no Yama, the Dragon Mountains.

## Society

Draconic Empire society very much resembles feudal Japan with splashes of several other Asian cultures added in.

Cities are bustling, but comparatively quiet, and the countryside is mostly comprised of farmers and fishermen.

People take shelter under awnings when the all-too-common rain hits, but in general have a good life, devoted to their craft and ancestry. There is little unrest in the Empire, and Imperial Citizens treat most people they meet with respect.

### Food and Drink

Sticky rice remains, as ever, the staple side dish of all meals. Fish is highly common, and Sushi is the national dish. Meat and Vegetables are used more for slight garnish than as an actual dish, bread is uncommon but welcomed and Miso Soup is considered the most commonly eaten breakfast dish.

Food is served in a variety of small dishes that are to be lifted in one hand and eaten with chopsticks from the other.

### Clothing

Clothing is mostly very carefully made, tending to eschew buckles, stitching and pouches in favour of ties and careful folds of cloth. Men and women dress similarly, with an emphasis on floral patterns for women's clothing and plain, desaturated hues for mens. Undergarments are rarely worn as a part of every day life, and never with ceremonial outfits.

### Marriage and Family

Marriage is a union of two or more people who are devoted to each other. Most of the time, the new-formed family take the social standing and surname of the highest ranking member.

Children are seen as a blessing, and are taught their parents ways. The failures of children are seen as failures of the parents, so parents are often thought to be very demanding of their offspring.

### Popularity

    Carbonated beverages, a recent invention in the Empire, are incredibly popular with the peasant classes, and are even secretly enjoyed by members of a few higher tier social groups.

Despite the low-standing of musicians, popular music and art has really taken off lately. causing some concern with Daimyos and the Shogun.

### Education

A child is taught by their parents, and then should they be taken into a different craft than the one of their parents, their new master.

Because of this, most social classes below Ronin level are illiterate, with the exception of Mages. this is not seen as a problem by society, as you should focus on what is important to learn to best perform your task, and additional learning beyond that is seen as frivolous at best or a waste of potential at worst.

### Medicine

Medicine is traditionally either herbal remedies made by the family, or in the worst cases people will go to see a Shrine Maiden (Miko) or even a Priest at their local temple. Both of these peoples are considered very important, as they are ordained by the Emperor themself to teach and conduct ceremonies in honour of ancestors and the gods.

### Species and Religion

There is no major discrimination on either in the Draconic Empire, beyond a mild dislike of the tinkering ways of Gnomes.

As long as you respect the customs and cultures of the dominant religion, you may practice whatever religion you wish to.

### Death in the Empire

The Soshiki is the ceremony of death in the Empire, and as with everything else has rules and a culture around it.

As soon as someone dies, their lips are gently moistened with water. The shrine of the family home is covered to stop the spirits of the dead from getting lost in them. A decorated table with flowers and incense is placed next to the bed of the deceased.

Occuring as soon as possible after the death, the deceased is washed by the shrine maidens at the local shrine and dressed in a ceremonial yukata. The funeral is organized by the eldest son of the family. Items that can be burned are placed in the casket with the deceased, the casket is placed with the head of the deceased pointed to the north. The relatives of the deceased stay with the body until morning.

A sutra is chanted at the funeral by a priest, flowers are used to line the coffin, and a new name is given to the deceased before cremation. After cremation, the family take out the bones of the deceased using elaborate, ceremonial chopsticks and place them into the urn, starting with the feet and moving up. Finally, the urn is given a symbollic place and the ashes are buried in the family grave.

### Bathing and Utilities

Communal bathing in Onsen is mixed gender. Bathing is performed ritually every night, and is seen as purifying the self after a hard day.

Toilets are a basin that is designed to be squatted over, typically in a ditch. Higher classes may have a private room located off the house to perform ablutions in.

### Taboos

Drunkenness is not a major taboo for the Draconic Empire, unless you have failed to perform your duties that day.

Slacking off at work is considered a huge problem, and people who go home without finishing their tasks- or even take long breaks from those tasks- are regarded as weak-willed.

If you are confronted by one of a higher social status than you, you are expected to bow, lower your head to an angle where you look at the floor, and move out of their path. Not doing so can lead to a punishment or summary execution if the person is particularly strict. You may straighten out of the bow only if told to or if they have passed you by.

There is no major nudity taboo, although it is somewhat expected to wear clothing out of the house, during official visits, and especially during ceremonious occasions or when meeting the Emperor. Clothing is made to show off your social status, after all, and people cannot tell what caste you are if you are completely bare.

Behaving without honour, and not affording your enemies the same, is a grave misdeed in the Empire. Even in death, you must correctly honor the fallen.

As your failure is seen as a failing of your family, you must "Save face" at all times- not admitting to personal weakness or failings to your social lowers. However, it is also seen as losing face and dishonourable to not admit to your failings and apologize to your peers and superiors, causing a difficult balancing act in a number of situations.

Although lessening, there is still a taboo about marrying "Out of caste". Samurai marry Samurai (Or their equivalents in other cultures, although this is loosened somewhat due to other culture's less-regimented caste system), Daimyo marry daimyo, and so on.