Setsu

The Ermines; Current Divine Veto-Bearers of the Shogunate

Setsu Sakuya, wife of Ashikaga., Lady of the Realm.

A humble but shrewd Eastern Highland clan, the Setsu have long been members of the Commonwealth, but until recently were reticent and uninvolved. But their ancestral spirits stir at the depredations of other clans, and in an amazing series of political Chess moves over the past century, the humble Highlanders have now been elected by a razor-thin margin to lead the Shōgunate, to the surprised anger of some major clans. The Ermines are sometimes called the Weasels outside polite company.

Clan Status: Minor, yet currently the occupy the Empyreal Palace and are “Sitters of the Plain Pillow”, giving them veto power over the Commonwealth Council

Totem Kami: The Ermine

Colours: White prominent, black & brown highlights; northern fashions and traditional folk ornamentation combined elegantly with modern styles; some Setsu still dress in ritual browns in summer

Chief Kannushi (and Shōgun): Setsu Ashikaga “The Magnificent”; pejorative: “The Grand Weasel”

Vassal Clans: None; may soon bleed vassals from the Matsunagayama if they continue to grow

Reputation: Savvy, inscrutable, polite, socially graceful despite being Highlander hicks, arrogant upstarts, possible traitors to the Commonwealth according to their rivals

Preferred classes: Samurai, ranger, ninja, courtier, sorcerer, druid

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Imagery: Setsu Fashion & Scenery Image Gallery (External)

Friar Mananarva, chief advisor to the Shōgun.

The Setsu are the ruling clan of the Commonwealth of Marai after a (for them) fortunate series of military victories, convenient deaths, divided loyalties and one world-changing promise. After a humiliating loss of a major trade route to the Skylander arakh tribes by the previous rulers, the Raan, the Setsu laid out their strategic and monetary position to the Council of the Realms and stated their plans to take back the route. In an astonishing vote, the council allowed them to depose the Raan from the Empyreal City, on condition they get the results promised.

Once a minor house in the far Coreëast of the Maraian Highlands, the Setsu have enjoyed three decades of prosperity and growth under Setsu Sanjurō (now deceased), his son Ashikaga (the current Shōgun) and the mysterious former (?) monk of the O-Nao-En-Zan, Friar Mananarva. The last five of these years have been sitting the Plain Pillow.

The Setsu Shogunate is a divisive topic, but despite the oddity of a Highland clan ruling their popularity is high. The trade route seized by the arakh has been retaken as promised, and is more lucrative than ever (clans like the Raan, Shan and Matsunagayama complain bitterly this was accomplished on secret, friendly terms with the Skyland hordes). The Setsu have established healthier resource flow across the Commonwealth, and under the quiet guidance of their Master of Coin, the mousy and plain Setsu Oroha, there is always money when needed. This wealth sees its way down to the peasant class at an unprecedented rate. Friar Mananarva spends hours each day listening to those of all castes who have complaints, and is well-loved for his wise but unpretentious demeanour. The Minister of Spiritual Affairs, Setsu Noa, maintains a warm relationship with the priests of the the O-Nao-En-Zan, and her shadow-aspected champions tend to clinch the Setsu’s role as hosts of the Winter Festival most years.

But Ashikaga, “The Magnificent”, is most loved of all. Staggeringly handsome, skilled with words and an above-average iaijutsu practitioner, few save for his staunchest political rivals can resist his charm.

Geography

The Setsu preside over a semi-forested, lakeland territory to the far Coreëast of the Heartlands, Coreward of the the Morō and the Matsunagayama, east of the Nikata and west of Asura's Wall.

The Commonwealth of Marai

Open full size

Including the Skylands to the east and the Kula'wongai to the Voidwest. Map covers Waking Materia's Lower Alpha and Upper Beta Quadrants.

Warfare

An ermine struggles with a raven, symbolizing the
cold war between the Setsu and Shan.

Ermine samurai are famous partially for a style of combat on frozen ice, where they wear bladed clogs with which they may move quickly and deftly on even the most slippery of surfaces. This style won the proto-Setsu clans many astounding, shorthanded battles against the proto-Morō and Matsunagayama clans, who disdainfully named the style Yukionna-Odori ("Snow Revenant’s Dance") after the much-reviled, predatory blizzard spirits known to haunt the mountains around the Wall. The reticent Ermines appear not to take any offense to this, which the Wolves and Dire Boars claim only further proves their occult nature.

The Shan-Setsu Cold War

The Shan (Great Ravens) are a mysterious clan who are strangely active in the arakh-controlled Skylands, east of Asura's Wall. It is of course dangerous to test the arakh's God-Chieftains' patience, but the Shan have much to gain: "Granny Branchhead" Rin-Xian, with the assistance of the Great Ravens' best rangers and tomb raiders, is in an all-out cold war with the arakh over acquisition of important and potentially powerful artifacts related to the arakh homeland of Tiam's Cradle. Whether this is to harness their power or simply to keep them out of the hands of the arakh tribes is unknown.

These attempts are being frustrated by the Shan’s rivals, among them the Setsu, who have now been elected to sit the Plain Pillow. thus giving them certain veto powers over the Commonwealth and placing the Shan in an extremely difficult position. The Great Ravens must act decisively but subtly to realize their plans without overtly antagonizing the Ermine Shōgunate further. But if there is an intellect able to pull it off, the Shan could ask for few better than Old Branchhead.

Explanations for the Setsu's opposition vary (though few are even aware of the "war" aside from a few Dragon, Nighthawk, Panther and peasant-class information mongers). Most believe the Setsu simply see their long-time rivals as a more immediate threat than the Skylanders. Others believe it's an attempt to broker peace between the arakh hordes and the Commonwealth. The few who are aware of the shared history between arakh and humans even wonder whether both the Skylanders and Setsu are descendents of the relics' creators, and the Ermines' reasons are far more personal...

A Setsu samurai.

The Skylands Enari

Though a remote and alien people, the "ghost elves" of Tei-Oru (The Illusionary Islands) on the far Corewestern reaches of the Skylands have their own deep roots in the great archipelago, and cannot be underestimated should they wish to play a stronger role in regional affairs. Of particular note is the Enari's ambassador to the Setsu, Slow Aiyu, who is an U'shu'e: rare individuals born with powerful innate magic, deep ancestral memories and bizarrely patterned, multicoloured skin (though she hides all three behind feigned obliviousness and illusion magic). As the U'shu'e generally have more curious and adventurous dispositions than their reclusive siblings, Slow Aiyu may yet become a force of great change between Marai and the Skylands.