Basho

Map of Basho, as seen in Samurai no Shoujo.

The Kingdom of Basho (王国場所), formerly the Shogunate of Basho (幕府場所) is a sovern nation located in the central Dalu continent. The capital is Shihon.

## Etymology

Basho (場所) was named by Sho Sai (所哉) by arranging the character of his clan surname, 所 (Sho), with the character for place, 場 (Ba). The original archaic name was **Banosho** (場の所) which literally translates to mean 'Place of Sho' in Hito, the Basho language.

## Geography

Basho is a landlocked nation. It is located to the northwest of Xuyan, south of the Strana Imperiya, northeast of Desa Kauma, and directly east of Arazi.

### **Red** **Shogunate**

###### Main Article: Red Shogunate

The Red Shogunate of Basho, also known as the First Shogunate and the Hojo Shogunate, was a brief period in the late Second Era that completely reformed Basho government and society. It left a permanent impact on the rest of the continent. It was called 'red' for the bloodthirsty nature of the nation during this period. The Red Shogunate was led by the iron-fisted Hojo Mitsuhisa.

## Military

Since its inception, Basho has always been a very military-focused culture. The origins of the country even stem back to war, with the Battle of the Five Clans.

## Culture

Basho is culturally similar to Xuyan, although with some marked differences. The most notable differences between the two cultures is their regard for women. Xuyan's stance has always been much more lenient, perhaps due in part to their historical founder being a woman.

In Basho, the roles and privileges of women have always been very restricted, especially in the north. It is suspected that this aspect is culturally influenced by the Strana Imperiya, located just north of Basho's northernmost borders in the Hinterlands. Like Basho, Imperiyans have a traditionally held prejudice against women. This is, however, because of their folklore and intense suspicions of witches. Basho, however, has no substantial reason for the restrictions against their women. Over time, these restrictions have gradually loosened and there are several historical cases of women in positions of power within Basho. The most notable women in this regard is King Sho Kai in the First Era. Kai was actually a woman, but she was raised and educated as a prince alongside her fifteen brothers, as mandated by her father, King Sho Go. She was also one of the Sixteen Samurai. Upon taking the crown after a highly contested council decision, Kai took the title of *King*, rather than *Queen*, as she did not want it to weaken or otherwise diminish her power as a solitary ruler. She was the first, and only, female monarch to ever rule Basho.

The other most significant woman in Basho's history was a woman known today only as S.M. She served as a Lieutenant General under General Toki Tadatsune during the Red Shogunate, later becoming a General herself. Though the historical accounts are muddled and mostly lost, it is believed that was a female ninja, known as a kunoichi. From what little information remains, it seems that she slowly worked her way up in the military, at one point serving with Gao Jing, before working her way up to becoming the the right-hand of the Shogun. Then, without warning, she assassinated Hojo, revealing herself as an anti-Shogunate rebel. After killing Hojo, she disappeared into the annals of history.