Karasu

Karasu is a rather small country located in the southern portion of the main continent. It is home to a population of just under three million, primarily Tengu. While some other races occasionally have members in Karasu, it's very uncommon. Fiercely independent, Karasu is known for keeping to itself more often than it doesn't. While it does trade with anyone who sends a ship to their shoes, they do not welcome outsiders with open arms. Until the rule of their current emperor, Nori Shin'ya, they eschewed trade with outsiders, preferring to keep to themselves and viewing their self-sufficiency as a mark of valor. Honor, in Karasu, is viewed as the cultural idea. To be seen as a person of honor is the goal of the vast majority of those who live in the country. Those without honor are cast out of society and live either as beggars on the streets or are driven out of the country entirely.

Structure

Karasu is ruled by Emperor Nori Shin'ya from his palace in Nishiki, the capitol. The rest of the country is broken up into city-states who are currently in an uneasy peace with one another, though that has the possibility to change at any time. The city-states have a complex relationship with one another and squabbles break out with some regularity. The city states are:

Koigara
Shinjo
Kaburagi
Shimokumi
Hirose
Ohata
Sokei

Each city-state's leader, or daimyo, sits on the council advising the emperor. The daimyo's lands are passed down through hereditary inheritance with no regard for gender. Men and women are viewed as equal in their right to rule with no preference given to male heirs over female heirs.

Public Agenda

Reclusive to a fault, Karasu avoids involvement with its neighbors beyond trade. This is largely a matter of self-defense given that if they were to engage in a war with the countries around them, it would prove disastrous for their economy and society as many of the other countries are far larger than they are and could do a great deal of damage to Karasu (Qu, for example, has almost four times their population).

Assets

Karasu mostly exports the following:

Fish
Artisan Goods
Weaponry
Art

Demography and Population

By overwhelming majority, Tengu are the primary race of Karasu. Very few others live within the country, though there are a scattering of them. Most of those who are not Tengu live in some of the martial arts temples as students.

Territories

Karasu's lands have not changed much over the course of their many year history. Once established, its borders have not expanded or shrunk by a significant margin. Within its borders, however, the shape and size of the city states has changed over the years depending on the wax and wane of the strength of each state.

Military

While Karasu has no standing national military, each daimyo can be called upon to provide troops to the service of the emperor at any given time. If the cause is to defend their nation, none of the daimyo may (or would) refuse that service. Their warriors are fierce, and a large portion of the country is trained in the martial arts. Behind every blade of grass lies a sword, more or less.

Religion

The primary worship is of the duality of Shizuru and Tsukiyo, the goddess of the sun and god of the moon, respectively. Their dual natures represent the darkness (not evil) and light within all of us. In addition to those two, the Karasuni revere their ancestors. Most homes have a small shrine in or near their homes where they provide offerings to those who have left the world as it is.

Foreign Relations

Collectively, Karasu has decent, if cool, relations with the nations around it. Generally speaking, they do brisk trade with Qu to the north Jushuitan to the east along the boarder as well as trade with the various and sundry nations who send them ships to port. However, they resolutely refuse to be involved in alliances with other nations on any basis but trade because they cannot afford to upset their neighbors, most of whom are far bigger than Karasu.

Agriculture & Industry

Many of the farmers in the lowlands grow rice, providing a major staple for the country. Rice and fish are the foundation of the Karasuni diet, though they do eat chicken, beef, and other foods. Karasuni iron is notoriously poor in quality, necessitating a great deal of work to create quality weapons.

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Capital

Nishiki

Demonym

Karasuni

Leader

Nori Shin'ya

Head of State

Nori Shin'ya

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Traditional

Currency

Gold standard.

Legislative Body

The emperor is responsible for ratifying any laws that affect the nation, though each daimyo is allowed to make laws within their own region provided they do not conflict with the laws of the emperor (whose laws naturally supersede those of the daimyos).

Neighboring Nations