Shinomas Magocracy

Others speak of serving their country, dying for their king or doing anything for their fellow countrymen. In Shinomas, we do not speak of such things: we act.

— Dākuho Bitto, Shinomas General

A nation of scholars and warriors, the Shinomas Magocracy have taken to the practice and industry of Necromancy with a fervor that give even other Nekrobiotek pause. In their rapid and brutal rise to Great Power status, they have made no friends and many enemies but all have been made to fear them.

The Iron Kingdom

Once a small and unassuming nation, the lands of the Shinomas was a generally peaceful nation, more often defender than aggressor. When the world begun to industrialize, they changed too. With a speed that caught their neighbors off-guard, the Shinomas transformed into an economical and industrial powerhouse, dominated by powerful financial conglomerates and warrior-aristocrats. Since then, they have rapidly ascended to the status of Great Power by putting their neighbors under heel. Their quick expansion soon made them the topic of many troubled discussions among the other Great Powers.. And then, the secrets of Necromancy were unlocked.

When they came to Shinomas lands, they were quickly appropriated and put to use for the greater good of the nation. Nekrobioteks made fortunes from supplying the financial giants with labors and the army with soldiers, accumulating enough power and influence to effectively rule the land. Though Shinomas is still on paper under aristocratic rule, it is the Necromancers who pull the strings to make the puppets dance.
Theirs is not the largest nation or the grandest armies and with no real navy to speak of, but no nation can match a Nekrobiotek from Shinomas. Everything here is bent and broken to accommodate the Necromancers and their pursuit for power... And darker things.

On The Dead

Beyond their great industry or majestic temples, more than their well-trained army or titanic mountains, the Shinomas Magocracy are known for their Necromancy. Out of all the Great Powers, they have the most casual and practical relation with the undead. No superstition remain, no tinge of feeling like they are dealing with what was once a living behind. The undead have become utterly normalized in Shinomas and are usually not even afforded a death-mask, with such accessories considered wasteful.

The Shinomas have gone further and stranger in the field of Necroengineering than any other Great Power. They field the most Warbeasts, both in terms of number and variety, and have demonstrated an willingness to experiment that make other Nekrobiotek look positively conservative.

The Long War

If any one nation can be said to be a winner in the Long War, the Shinomas Magocracy can make the strongest claim to such a title. After several important victories, the Shinomas have captured much territory and gained much prestige. But their success has been bloody and atrocities seem to follow their conquests at every step. Even for generals and soldiers numbed by the endless carnage, this has been a step to far: on several occasions, enemies have made temporary alliances for the express purpose of attacking Shinomas forces and more permanent arrangements seem inevitable.
While the Shinomas Magocracy still command a great number of troops both living and then, they are being battered by the long war. No matter how many villages they are willing to conquer and purge to refill their ranks, there is signs of slow degradation in the armed forces of the Shinomas. If the war goes on too long and their enemies unite against them, the Magocracy may not be able to hold onto their gains.

The people of Shinomas are hard workers, industrious and clever. Theirs is a culture which commends the humble man, the kind who works hard for his family, who always leaves something behind for the next man in line and who treats his fellows with courtesy and respect. They are polite to a fault and have always demonstrated their capacity for solidarity with their fellows and friends.
In battle, they are fearless and tenacious fighters, capable of great feats of heroism and selflessness with a sense of duty to never leave another brother in arms behind.

It has been said that you can get a stiff to laugh before a man from Shinomas. Cold and distant, they make no attempts to bridge the gap between strangers or to break bread with old foes. They have shown themselves able to be exceptionally cruel to others, enemies as well as neutral factions who were simply in the way. Sometimes, this cruelty is very casual and other times elaborate. No one matters as much as the Shinomas nation and there may be no line they will not cross in its support.
This cruelty can extend to people from their own nation, too. Those who step out of bounds with convention, who surrender in battle or otherwise violate some cultural taboo can expect no better than an enemy captured in war. Out of all the Great Power, no one wants to be a captive of the Shinomas.

Faith and Dead Flesh
Not all faith was shattered by the gloomy revelations made by magic. In the inner circles of the Shinomas Magocracy, there are those who view Necromancy as more than mere industry. It is a means of ascension, a way to transcend all the frailties of the human body.
This cult of necromancers are known to only a few and all who do fear them. So far, they have kept their name secret from all outsiders but their influence on the Shinomas Magocracy is great.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the rulers of Shinomas do not think highly of most of the other Great Powers.

On the republic of Korero-Take

Lazy, ill-disciplined and loud. It is a wonder they ever got anywhere. Why won't they just go away, leave us alone?

— Man in the Street

On the Obryad Federation

They understand and respect power better than any other. If they could only get over their silly sentimentalitets, we could perhaps call them brothers.

— Shinomas Diplomat

On the Abhimaan Monarchy

It's only a matter of time before they crack. They're old and weak. It is our time, now.

— Dākuho Bitto, Shinomas General