Daimyo (Great Lord)

The land of Usilia is split into various regions, hand-chosen by the Shogun, known as the Daimyo (High Lord). Each High Lord receives a gift from the Shogun upon taking his, or her, position and this is usually presented publicly in a ceremony at the Lord's new home. It is one of the very few times that commoners and other loyal subjects are allowed inside the abode. The only subjects who are usually allowed in the abode either serve the Daimyo directly or are his/her guests.

Powers of a Daimyo

Each Daimyo rules with absolute power within their region. They are allowed to use which means necessary to follow the Shogun's decree and can even declare their own laws, though they can never overrule any law passed by the Shogun himself.
They are responsible for management of their household and can choose up to six Samurai to serve as his guard, not counting the one gifted by the Shogun, leading to a total of seven. They may also choose any subject from any village within their region to serve them personally. Some take this gesture as one of great honor, while others fear it as the Daimyo tend to be unkind to their subjects who serve with fear, for those who fail the High Lord's will tend to simply disappear. It's not uncommon, though it is considered a heinous, almost criminal, act for families to hide their youngest when a Daimyo visits their village to try to avoid this fate.

The Omo (Minor Lords)

In each region ruled by Daimyo has Omo, Minor Lords who rule over villages, farmland and immediate surroundings. While some Omo are handpicked by the Daimyo, others are chosen among the villagers themselves. When a new Daimyo comes to power, representatives from all the villages gather at his abode to witness the succession ceremony. After it takes place each village's representatives are able to stand before the Daimyo to present their fealty by swearing to serve their new Lord faithfully and accompanying the said vow with an offering, though these do not always dictate which person receives the position of Minor Lord, though this position is only valid as long as the Daimyo holds his position.

The succession of a Daimyo

When a Daimyo is chosen, it usually means that their predecessor either passed away or was executed by one of the Shogun's elite soldiers. This usually presents a period of turmoil for the region as all the Omo who had sworn fealty lose their power. The less scrupulous of these tend to be executed almost immediately, while others try to flee towards the shores or the contested lands to take their chances among the orcs. When the turmoil ends, representatives from each village travel to the Lord's abode to watch his ceremony take place.
The ceremony itself starts with a procession where the Daimyo and his chosen servants and guards, along with a Samurai offered by the Shogun himself, will walk into the city and travel down its main street. When the procession reaches the Daimyo's abode, he would the first to enter it, followed by his servants and then most of his guards. Then the representatives of each village would enter and form columns behind the guards, awaiting for the grand moment of the ceremony.
When all are gathered, the Samurai representing the Shogun would walk down between the columns where the Daimyo awaits at the end. Upon reaching him, the Samurai would sit down on his knees, remove his sword and present it to the High Lord and finally present him with a sealed dark box, a personal gift from the Shogun. When the Daimyo takes the box his term is officially begun, and as the box leaves the Samurai's hands, he will bow until his head touches the ground and swear fealty to the new Lord until his dying breath. This is part of a ritual that all Samurai follow when they take their oath, though it is the only oath that is public.
It is custom for a Daimyo to accept or deny a Samurai's oath, though to deny one appointed by the Shogun would be considered a most treacherous move. The only reported case of a High Lord refusing to accept a Shogun's Samurai resulted in his, and his family's, disappearance during his inaugural night.

Type

Political, Activist