Hageki Shogunate
Colloquially known as "the Shardlands" or simply "the Shards", the dark, swamp-like islands, bamboo forests and misty mountains of the Hageki Shogunate changed from close set of allies to a largely-autonomous, subservient Shogunate, in an age-old tale of betrayal, more myth than truth at this point. To the people today, the Shogunate has always been a part of the Empire, even if it is a strange part with its own mysteries and quirks. Known to be an easy place to hide, there is a plethora of bandit warlords, thieves' guilds, strange cults and so forth hiding in the places where nobody looks, waiting to strike or simply eking out a living among the Spiritstone groves. The People of the Shards are known to be tough and warlike, with a long and proud martial tradition, and to be more in tune with the Angels and Spirits than the Gods, and many cults and esoteric monasteries find their home in the mountains. They were among the first of humanity to slay a Great Dragon, though not before it tore what was once a single continent apart into the Shards filled with Spirits and their effects that we know today. Thus the people and nation both became known to be "Forged in Dragonfire", a legend and common saying which lives on today.
Structure
The Shardlands are Ruled by the Shogun, who enjoys full control over the military, state affairs and trade of the nation. Owed fealty to him or her are the Daimyō, the rulers of Han (or Domains). The Shogunate is notorious for its small amount of noble families, with each Clan essentially serving as a Great House, with no "minor" noble families beneath them, like other Imperial Territories would expect. Like most principalities, it largely governs itself, though there are certain exclusive trade rights associated with its integration into the Empire that have been in place for ages, leading to its reputation abroad as a bit of an Isolationist nation.
Public Agenda
Publically, the Shardlands promotes peace and prosperity, and has in fact been technically at complete and total peace for two centuries. Of course, the only reason this is true is that they classify these altercations as "border skirmishes", "joint exercises" and so forth. The shardlands has provided many soldiers to many wars over these centuries, but they have always fought under others' banners. There has been much conflict between the Clans, but not an open war. Beneath the veneer of peace, secretive Angel and Spirit Cults and various criminal factions are always fighting their war in the shadows over control in the Shardlands, earning it a seedy reputation.
Assets
Decidedly average among the Imperial Principalities, The shardlands is not an area rich with many resources. Aside from the usual food, timber, rare metals and so forth, the two unique things they possess are large quantities of spirit stones and spirits, and control over the trade routes between the Heartlands and the Colonies (and by extension, most of the Empire's Eastern trade routes). This overall earns them more than enough capital to be self-sufficient and field modernized armies, but by comparison to other principalities they can't be called rich, though also not poor.
Mages in the Shards
The Sorcerers and Sorceresses of the shardlands are not unlike the college of Mana in the Heartlands, in that they drawn on the fabric of our reality, the power of spirits and life instead of that of Hell. Their magic is steeped in personal reality, emotion, feeling your way through the magic and commanding it with your pure will. They tend to take some time to get going, but everyone regrets the day they really piss of a sorcerer, for they are much more powerful when feeling strong emotions.Coven of Shadows
Manipulating light to create darkness, these mages are masters of stealth and terror. Capable of blinding their foes, manipulating manifested darkness to bend to their will, these Sorcerers are incredibly powerful at night, and draw their power from the darkness around them. Put them into the light and they will be a lot easier to deal with, but give them one shadow and they can escape the deepest hole, or infiltrate the most secure fortress.Coven of the Storm
Utilizing the power of electrical energy and weather, these mages are forces to be reckoned with in the many naval conflicts that have happened around the Shardlands over the years. Capable of making ships faster, crafting tailor-made storms to grant them advantages, or simply exploding somebody from the inside out with static electricity, these are sorcerers of many talents, most of them terrifying.Coven of the Mind
The Sorcerers and Sorceresses of the Coven of the Mind manipulate the minds of others. Thoughts, feelings, sensations, nothing is too far. A tradition looked down upon as much as it is feared, and with good reason - nobody likes a political opponent that can make memories go away with a snap of their fingers, and nobody likes an opponent in a fight that can make you feel like you're falling into a bottomless pit with a look.
Type
Geopolitical, Principality
Parent Organization
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