Hoshizora

The Hoshizoran Flag

"*Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.*" - **Marcus Aurelius,** Meditations

A place of honor, peace, spirituality, and ritual. It sat ever quiet in the Ethereum, not drawing too much attention to itself. With the majority of the population living under the peaceful rule of the Sky Emperor and Empress on the 2nd planet Tenjō-kai, the small but rich culture flourished under prosperous leadership. The elected legislative body of the sphere is also located on Tenjō-kai, in the capital of Tengoku, or "Heavenly City" as it's translated. While the emperor is revered by the masses, the day to day operations are run by the Council of Five Factions, who have tremendous political power, each with a seat and vote. The citizens are quite safe, but there are rumors of banditry, disappearances, and worst of all the legends of yokai attacks are spreading fast.

## Culture

The theme of the sphere is eastern Asian with a focus on Japanese, Chinese, and Mongolian influences. Duty and Honor, or at least the appearance of are the most important aspect of the social culture in the sphere. There are three main overarching sections of culture that pervade the sphere: the Japanese-themed Tenjō-kai natives, the Chinese-themed Dìmiàn Jiā natives and immigrants, and the Mongolian-themed Unseer nomads. There is a blending and divergence of these three as any culture would have over thousands of years of varying levels of interaction and isolation. The culture is somewhat varied from place to place from the big cities to the hermit camps on the moons.

The capital Tengoku is a bustling city with all the flair of power and wealth, and those who seek to curry favor with them. It is the heartbeat of sphere with the Emperor and Empress living in the palace, the council and their large entourages, the visiting an local lords, merchants, clan leaders and members, and the assortment of those who bring forth concerns, complaints, or recommendations. All this radiates the feel of importance, thus bringing miles and miles of people and their customs to the big city.

Smaller towns are steeped in tradition, from local ceremonies and festivals, to holding local competitions to hold certain positions. Family and clan rally and support each other to form long and deep connections. These towns are usually far removed from the political maneuverings of the big cities, so their connections usually only run as far as the next town over in which trade and news travel from.

Monasteries and Dojos are prevalent throughout the landscape, be it shrines to the gods or simple gatherings of like-minded individuals to seek personal enlightenment. Despite their original purpose, they are quite popular tourist spots as their locations and structures tend to inspire awe in travelers. What better way to dedicate yourself to physical training than to build and build and build, reaching epic scales as the years go on. There are those dedicated to shadow, secrets, and stealth; the way of the shinobi has been part of stories and myths for as long as anyone can remember.

The Unseer are special in their culture as they were one of the original peoples of the land, but were uprooted and forced away, hence their name literally translating to "The Uprooted." They now live as splintered tribes with varied beliefs, customs, and morals. They do care for others of their tribe and tribes of like minded people as though they were their own kin.

## Factions

Tenjō-kai is home to the ruling body and therefor where the majority of the movers and shakers can be found. Legally speaking five factions represent the legal body of the council consisting of Seishima, Takeyama, Kizoku, Denshō, and Namihito. Translated in order they are the Islanders, Mountainfolk, Nobles, Traditionalists, and Commonwealth. There is also an observer of the Unseeri Clans able to propose motions but not vote.

To a lesser extent, clans can have an influence on the local governors and townships as well as who will be the next representative for their faction on the council. There are a great many number of feuds, partnerships, and alliances between the numerous clans, both active and extinct. The important note is that the people believe in country first, then faction, then clan. Whether this is actually taken to heart by those with influence, most people are skeptical.

There also exists an organization that deals in the dark. While membership is not explicitly illegal, the Triad is a group that deals heavily in illicit goods and services. Seperated into three branches, the Triad isn't exactly united, but their touch is felt everywhere where people gather.

## Religion

While people worship or revere ancestors or minor spirits, the main body of worship is devoted to the 12 zodiac gods, and a not so lucky 13th. It is said that the first Sky Emperor hosted a race for all creatures to enter. The winners would become worshipped as deities that would watch over them, symbolizing an aspect of the world. The first 12 were recognized by the Emperor and idolized, while the 13th was a special case. While some domains may seem like contradictions, it tells a more complete story as no coin is one-sided, there is usually a darker half to the pantheon that goes unspoken in pleasant company.

Religion as a concept in Hoshizora is more centered on the whole of the gods rather than believing only one has the right to be worshipped. Even the most devout followers of the Ox will recognize the divinity of the Rat, whether it was earned or not. The belief is that the many are the whole, and one is simply a piece, as necessary as they are.

1st) Nezumi the Rat God - Wealth, greed, and lies/betrayal

2nd) Ushi the Ox God - Manual professions, hard work and labor, and tradition as well as grudges

3rd) Tora the Tiger God - Combat, hunting, and martial skill:

4th) Usagi the Hare God - Speed, adaptability, and fertility:

5th) Ryu the Dragon God - Civilization, knowledge, and duty: Ryu was the bringer of knowledge, civilization, and in some circles magic, to the mortal races. It was thought that during the zodiac race, the dragon would come first. But Ryu stopped along the way to help people at it claimed it was its duty to advance them. It is said these first to be blessed would later be the source of draconic sorcery in Hoshizora. Others dispute this as there are records that point to it existing before the race supposedly occurred. As with all the gods there are two sides to them, boon and bane. Burden of knowledge, especially of cruelty and tyranny is also a result of Ryu, but it is unknown if this was intentional or just a side effect.

6th) Hebi the Snake God - Patience, truth, and poison: Hebi is very much at odds with Nezumi, not just for snake against rat, but for Hebi standing for truth versus Nezumi's lies. Hebi is also preyed to for patience, as it is said the snake can sit unmoving an entire day and strike at the perfect time. While the last aspect may seem underhanded, the poison means both the literal toxic substance, and the rot of corruption. This poison is worshipped as a means of removal, but some in private still pray for the poison or rot to take.

7th) Uma the Horse God - War, peace, and travel: While there hasn't been a major war in some time, Uma is still worshipped for continued peace. Travelers also look it's way to assure safe travel should long journey's be necessary. Praying for protection from bandits or rockslides is common. Uma is a fickle god and has been known to abandon those who seek it's protection for the smallest slights. The ramifications of this can lead to dire outcomes for battle or treacherous conditions on the road. As a note, Uma holds special place for the Ünseer people, seeing them as children of horses.

8th) Yagi the Goat God - Healing, nature, and family:

9th) Saru the Monkey God - Humor, pranks, and wisdom: Saru is revered as the prankster god, along with whimsy and fun. There is never ill will in the pranks and only good natured humor, for trickery of ill intent falls into Nezumi's domain. Almost in contrast to pranks, they are sought out for wisdom as well, from simple farm advise to political maneuverings. Saru is accepted at many shrines dedicated to other gods, though some grudgingly.

10th) Ondori the Rooster God - Day/Night cycle, festivals, and calendars:

11) Inu the Dog God - Loyalty, friendship, and home: Mirroring the best traits of dogs, Inu is praised for steadfast loyalty to brother's in arms or even business partners. Friendship needs no explanation. Home could mean a place to stay for the night or a residence passed through generations. Many homes have a small shrine or idol dedicated to Inu as it is seen as a universal good.

12th) Buta the Pig God - Food, bounty, and contentment: Farmers prefer Buta and Ushi to help them grow prosperous crops, but Buta is more of the symbol for a good harvest than the work itself. However there is a darker side to Buta as plenty and contentment can lead to greed. Nezumi tends to lurk in the shadows of a household that Buta frequents.

and unlucky 13th) Neko the Cat God - Fortune and Luck, and the lack thereof: Though not part of the twelve, Neko is loved by the people, especially due to the nature of the race that determined the gods. They are still worshipped as the god of luck and fortune, also ill luck and misfortune should you earn it's ire. The expression that a black cat brings ill fortune originated from Neko, as well as the superstition around the number 13.

## Demographics

The large majority of people living on Tenjō-kai are Hoshi in origin with some of the larger cities upwards of 100,000 people. Tengoku alone has a quarter of a million, including surrounding farms and supporting villages. The vast majority are spread out among the continents and islands that connect the land masses. The people think of themselves as Hoshi first and members of their race second. While there are clans and factions, wide variety of races live as citizens of Hoshi no Ōkoku, or "Kingdom of the Stars." The factions section has more information on what the groupings are and their preferred landscape.

Far few in population on Tenjō-kai, but the majority on Dìmiàn Jiā are descendants of Hoshi culture but colonists to the neighboring world formed their own culture and civilization until their civil war brought them to disaster. Crops ruined, populations decimated, famine and pestilence, the war brought no winners. The Hoshi adopted their long diverged cousins back into their own, attempting a blend of culture to bring stability to Dìmiàn Jiā and peace to the Hoshizoran sphere.

Last are the Ünseer, or "Uprooted" in their native tongue. These nomads are much fewer in number, or so the census would lead people to believe. Moving from place to place, living as tribes with great variation between creed and ethos. Some have turned to banditry, having lost the skills and artistry of their ancestors. Others have lived simple lives amongst the wildlife that has yet to be tamed, communing with nature and learning it's secrets. And others yet wander the plains, training their beast-mastery and archery skills. One tribe as made the journey from Tenjō-kai to Dìmiàn Jiā and living as a sedentary civilization. Should all the tribes come together to retake their homeland, there may not be a force strong enough to stop them.

## Celestial Bodies

The planets maintain a simple and predictable orbit of the sun Tendō, meaning "Path of Heaven" in Hoshi. Strangely, there is no actual religious significance given to it, unlike other civilizations have done.