Culture

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History

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> The Hitomi Clan is located in Northern Soratani, along the Silver Peaks mountain pass.
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> They are known for producing sharp, perceptive and strategic warriors, which is where they get their namesake Hitomi 瞳, which means “eye” or “pupil”. This is also depicted in their clan crest with a watchful eye in the center. Their clan colors are black, white, navy and silver.
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> The clan is overseen by the Daimyo and his Council; a Second Hand, Domestic, Military, Political, and Treasury Advisor.
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> The line of succession is by blood, but special exceptions can be made in cases where there are no heirs, to which the Council will elect someone from the clan best fit to fill the position.
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> The Hitomi Clan has grown large enough to qualify as it's own city, and is completely self sustaining, even all the way up in the mountains.
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> The Daimyo rules over the Hitomi Clan, but also looks after the villages of the Silver Valley below, which is where many of their samurai go on their first missions.
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> The clan is very proud and holds itself in high regard, meaning they never hire adventurers from Tenkoku, as they believe they will be able to handle their own issues without aid. And, even then, if help is needed, the clans will rely on each other over outsiders, or as they call them; *gaijin* 外人.
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Tani Dialect

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> Because of their desire to separate themselves from the outside world, the clan has their own branch of Common called the Tani Dialect:
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> Names:
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> * *Banshō*: Curfew
> * *Kōchi*: Detention
> * ***Batsu***: Punishment
> * ***Musha** **Shugyō**:* A Rite of Passage Mission where samurai go out into the real world for the first time
> * ***Dokubō**:* Solitary confinement
> * ***Muchi**:* Flogging
> * *Chinmoku:* Tongue removal
> * *Setsudan:* Hand removal
> * *Moumoku:* Eye removal
> * *Nikukei:* Genital mutilation
> * ***Harakiri**:* Honorable execution
> * *Jikkō:* Dishonorable execution
> * *Kōshukei:* Hanging
> * *Yuderu:* Boiling
> * *Yukeru:* Burning
> * *Hiku:* Sawing
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> Places:
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> * ***Shuku**:* School
> * *Tera*: Temple
> * *Nakaniwa*: Courtyard
> * ***Kunren***-***ba***: Training fields
> * ***Gaikai***: Outside world
> * ***Tani***: Valley
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> Insults:
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> * ***Yarō***: Bastard/Son of a bitch
> * *Hannin*: Criminal
> * ***Tōbō***-***sha***: Runaway
> * ***Gaijin**:* Outsider
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> Code Phrase: *Uchi* or *Soto*? *Senshi*
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Customs, Values and Beliefs

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> It is customary in the Hitomi Clan that children are not named until the infant opens their eyes and the parents choose a name based on what they “see” within. (i.e. sometimes colors like "autumn" or "peach", adjectives like "courageous" or "kind", or traits like "strong" and "wise")
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> The Hitomi Clan does not possess any magic, instead focusing on having high quality martial fighters. However, just because they don't have it does not mean they don't like it. The only magic they disapprove of is necromancy, as they believe if a warrior has passed, then it was their time.
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> While marriage is mostly free and for love, if the Daimyo or Council Member asks for someone's hand, they are not allowed to deny it.
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> Affection is not openly shown or expressed in the Hitomi clan, so more often than not, gifts are used as a way to maintain relationships for acquaintances, friends, lovers, etc.
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> The Hitomi Clan believes in Reincarnation (after you die in the spirit realm), meaning however good you were in your previous life dictates how good your current life will be, and how good you are in this life will dictate your next one. Because of this, not much sympathy is show to someone who undergoes tragedy or hardships, because that just means they did something bad in their past life and thus deserve what is happening to them. They also believe friendships, family, and love can last several lifetimes, and that no matter what, soulmates will continue to find each other one lifetime after another.
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Expectations

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> The Hitomi Clan has several hard set rules and expectations, of which there is a range of punishments.
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> Modesty, Honor, Respect, Loyalty, Collectivism, Zen and *Bushido* are all important aspects of the Hitomi clan culture.
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> Modesty: Both men and women are expected to wear long, draping clothes, in order to keep as much covered as possible. For the most part, only the neck and hands are meant to be visible. There are a few exceptions to this, such as events like festivals or weddings, and samurai both in and out of training do not tend to dress in long clothes in order to keep fabric out of the way. Furthermore, physical contact and/or affection is something that is reserved for a spouse or family.
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> Honor: This is something all Hitomi clan members take very seriously (or, are supposed to at least) and base almost all of their actions on the principle of honor and maintaining it for their reputation and status. Honor applies to everything, not just battle; telling no lies, doing good deeds, upholding promises, and other forms of respectful behavior are derived from it.
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> Respect: Because the Hitomi Clan is a vertical society, where someone stands on the social ladder is highly important. It starts with the Daimyo, then council members, followed by samurai, elders, teachers, students, and lastly artisans/merchants/laborers. One example of this is that, if walking with or following someone of higher status, you are not allowed to walk in their shadow.
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> Loyalty: Propaganda and blind loyalty to the clan and the Daimyo are ingrained from birth, promoting ultimate allegiance above all else. Clan members, especially Samurai, are expected to give up everything they posses - material items, morals, their life - if the Daimyo so much as asks.
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> Collectivism: The Hitomi clan will quickly and easily outcast those who do not fit in; appearance, personality, even who one's parents are, can all affect how a person is treated. It is expected that everyone is to work together as a cohesive group, maintain harmony, follow orders, and abstain from 'rocking the boat'.
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> Zen: Quiet and peace is one of the hallmarks of the Hitomi clan atmosphere; running, yelling, talking/laughing/crying loudly, even most kinds of music are prohibited. The only exceptions for these are during certain events like festivals and weddings and, of course, the training grounds.
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> *Bushido*: This is the warrior spirit that all Samurai strive to achieve. It involves not only martial spirit, but also absolute loyalty to one's lord, a strong sense of personal honor, devotion to duty, and the courage, if required, to sacrifice one's life in battle or in ritual.
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> The clan also has a long list of tenants called the *Hyaku-San,* or "The 103 (tenants)", of which all Hitomi samurai and clan members are expected to follow (but *especially* the samurai)
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Batsu

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> Punishments for violating any of the above virtues vary. For simple infractions, such as yelling, running or speaking rudely to someone of higher status, calls for detention, curfew, and/or manual labor. However, for higher offenses, such as fleeing a battle, disobeying orders, or attacking other clan members, will result in much more severe punishments. This is referred to as *Batsu.*
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> *Batsu* happens once per month, and is one of the most brutal aspects of the Hitomi Clan.
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> **Crimes:**
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> * Public Intoxication: Solitary Confinement
> * Lying: Tongue Removal
> * Runaways: Flogging
> * Gambling/Thievery: Hand Removal
> * Pervasion: Eye Removal
> * Sexual Assault of Any Kind: Genital Mutilation
> * Assault, Battery, Murder: Execution w/Seppuku
> * Treason: Any of the above punishments, ultimately ending in execution without Harakiri (Hanging, Boiling, Burning, Sawing)
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> * Aside from Solitary, all of these punishments are done in public, and the offenders are usually strung up afterwards for others to view (alive or dead) - used as both a way to humiliate and shame the offender, and to scare and discourage others from going against the tide.
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> **Punishments:**
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> * Solitary Confinement, *(Dokubō):* There are caves and pits along the mountainside of Silver Peaks, many of which are used as holding cells. The offender is thrown into one of these pits (sometimes drops as high as 30 feet), of which are brutally cold and nothing but solid stone and ice, with no food, water, and little sunlight. Time spent in solitary can vary depending on the crime, but most of those in solitary are either for Public Intoxication, or are awaiting *Batsu.*
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> * Tongue Removal*, (Chinmoku):* If caught lying, whether about ones owns actions or the actions of another, the offender will then have their tongue cut from their mouth and will be forced to swallow it.
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> * Flogging, *(Muchi):* This punishment tends to be something that is done alongside others like solitary, removals, mutilations, etc., but will always be used for runaways. For more severe crimes, sometimes an offender may be flogged several times on separate occasions, never quite allowing the wounds to heal before being reopened - this is one of the most drawn out form of punishments when needed to make an example, which is why it is often used for runaways.
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> * Hand Removal, *(Setsudan):* For gambling, thievery, and sometimes alongside sexual assault charges, an offenders hands will be removed. It is done with a sharp blade, and many times the offender does not survive this since they are strung up immediately after with no way to stem or stop the bleeding. And if that doesn't kill them, the infections they will contract from being left out in the elements will.
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> * Eye Removal, *(Moumoku):* For perverted acts that do not involve actual physical contact, the offenders eyes are removed with a dull blade. It is more likely the offender will survive this than others, but are forever disabled because of it. This punishment is widely waived over the heads of children to drill in the concept of Modesty.
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> * Genital Mutilation, *(Nikukei):* For sexual assault of any kind, the offender is mutilated to the point that they would not be able to commit the act again. Further, the victim of the offender is allowed to dole out this punishment, if they so wish.
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> * Execution with Seppuku, (*Seppuku)*: For assault, battery, and murder, which are actually seen with more respect than the other crimes, the offender is allowed to maintain honor if they commit Seppuku.
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> * Execution without Seppuku, *(Jikkō):* This punishment is one of the worst to receive; not only is the offender subject to any of the other punishments simply because of their crime, but the inevitable execution is always in a brutal manner.
> 	+ Hanging, *(Kōshukei)* is one method, but offenders are purposefully not given enough rope length to properly snap their neck, so they are left there to slowly suffocate to death.
> 	+ Boiling, *(Yuderu)* is a method where the offender is submerged in a cold liquid, which is then heated up to a boiling point, and they are left to slowly cook to death. The cauldron has a hole on top for the steam to escape, it's not big enough for the offender to escape, or even get their head out, but it is plenty big enough for their screams to be heard.
> 	+ Burning. *(Yukeru)* is a method where the offender is tied upon a pyre of wood, which is then lit and they are left to burn to death. This can be a quick or slow process, slow being that the fire is given little kindling and so it burns out often and has to be relit, causing the offender to slowly get charred rather than quickly burnt up.
> 	+ Sawing, *(Hiku)* is the most brutal and vicious form of execution. For this, the offender is sawed or cut in half while still alive (vertically, horizontally, at a slant, etc.). It will usually start somewhere minor and slowly dig towards more vital areas to draw out the process.
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Samurai

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> Hitomi Samurai warriors train from birth, and are taught to hold a sword at the same time they're taught to walk.
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> When a student turns seven-years-old, they forge the katana with which they will carry for the rest of their life. The tsuba's have the Hitomi crest emblazoned on both sides, with the blade coming out of the pupil.
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> When students finish basic training at 14, the Hitomi crest is tattooed on the back of their dominant hand. Outside of the clan, this is used as a code where a Samurai will cover up one of their eyes with their hand, the tattoo facing out.
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> The age of maturity in the Hitomi Clan is 20-years old, and thus is when a samurai is sent on their rite of passage mission; called *Musha Shugyō* ("travelling for improvement"). This is also the first time they leave the clan grounds and go out into the real world.
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> The training regime for Hitomi samurai is incredibly brutal and harsh. A samurai is expected to spend all of their time on the training grounds outside of schooling, eating, and sleeping. Many of the drills and exercises are done in unforgiving conditions (practice in blazing heat, sleep in freezing snow, etc.), they do not use training weapons, only real blades, and many will train till their bones break or muscles tear. And even then, some will still keep going.
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> One of the toughest challenges is known as *Gin Seizon-sha*, or the "Silver Survivor" competition, which takes place once a year in the depths of winter. It is never known when it will happen, only that at some point, in the dead of the night, all samurai between the ages of 8 and 16 will be pulled from their beds and dropped out in the snowy wilderness. Kids between 8 and 10 will get a bow, 10 arrows, a waterskin, 1 days rations, and a bedroll. Kids between 11-13 will get a bow, a waterskin, and a bedroll. Kids between 14-16 will get nothing. The goal is to survive for as long as possible, having to hunt your own food, build your own shelter, and use your skills and wits to keep you alive. It is not uncommon for at least one person to die during the competition. There are no rules. You do what it takes to survive.
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> Depending on how old a samurai is and how long they make it out there, the honor or shame they endure when they return varies. I.e., returning within just a few days is seen as shameful, while making it over a month is highly honorable. Hiyashi struggled his first few years just from the isolation, but he won his first competition at 14, and was usually in the top five after that.
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Festivals

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> There is a 12-year festival cycle in the Hitomi Clan culture;
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> * **子 *Nezumi*, Year of the Mouse**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Rat are charming, honest, ambitious, and have a tremendous capacity for pursuing a course to its end. They will work hard for their goals. They are easily angered but maintain an outward show of control.
> * **丑 *Ushi*, Year of the Ox**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Ox are patient, mentally alert and when required to speak are skillful. They have a gift for inspiring confidence in others. This allows them to achieve a great deal of success.
> * **寅 *Tora*, Year of the Tiger**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Tiger are sensitive, stubborn, short-tempered, courageous, selfish and slightly mean... yet they are deep thinkers and are capable of great sympathy for those they are close to and love.
> * **卯 *Usagi*, Year of the Rabbit**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Rabbit are the most fortunate. They are smooth talkers, talented, ambitious, virtuous and reserved. They have exceedingly fine taste and are regarded with admiration and trust.
> * **辰 *Tatsu*, Year of the Dragon**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered and stubborn. However, they are honest, sensitive, brave and can inspire trust in most anyone. They are the most peculiar of the 12 signs of the Zodiac cycle.
> * **巳 *Hebi*, Year of the Snake**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Snake are deep thinkers, speak very little and possess tremendous wisdom. They are fortunate in money matters and will always be able to obtain it. They are determined in what they do and hate to fail.
> * **午 *Uma*, Year of the Horse**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Horse are skillful in paying compliments and talk too much. They are skillful with money and handle finances well. They are quick thinkers, wise and talented. Horse people anger easily and are very impatient.
> * **未 *Hitsuji*, Year of the Sheep**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Sheep are elegant, highly accomplished in the arts, passionate about nature. At first glance, they seem to be better off than the people born in other years. They are deeply religious and passionate in whatever they do and believe in.
> * **申 *Saru*, Year of the Monkey**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Monkey are the erratic geniuses of the Zodiac cycle. They are clever and skillful in grand-scale operations and are smart when making financial deals. They are inventive, original and are able to solve the most difficult problems with ease.
> * **酉 *Tori*, Year of the Rooster**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Rooster are deep thinkers and are always busy and devoted to their work. They always want to do more than they are able, and if they undertake a task beyond their abilities, they are disappointed. Rooster people have a habit of speaking out directly whenever they have something on their minds.
> * **戌 *Inu*, Year of the Dog**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Dog have all the fine qualities of human nature. They have a sense of duty and loyalty, they are extremely honest and always do their best in their relationship with other people. Dog people inspire confidence in others and know how to keep secrets.
> * **亥 *Inoshishi*, Year of the Boar**
> 	+ People born in the year of the Boar are brave. They have tremendous inner strength which no one can overcome. They display great honesty. They are short-tempered, yet hate to quarrel or have arguments. They are affectionate and kind to their loved ones.
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> Each festival has it's own theme, food, music, decorations and events, but the *Tatsu* (Dragon) Festival is the biggest and most looked forward to out of them all.
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