Shizumi
Shizumi, also referred to as “The Lake Confederation” is an alliance of the three major clans in the northern, more mountainous and rugged parts of the Soukoku region, and a vassal to The Yuyan Dominion.
Just like Tanasi, Shizumi has not been left untouched by the Starfall and the subsequent invasion of The Gray Giants of Rungholt, though as the northern territories of Shizumi are only sparsely populated, a diplomatic solution could be found much faster. The newly founded settlements of Vestamark and Vindmark now act as enclaves, and engage in regular trade with the Wildkin tribes of Shizumi. Shizumi is overwhelmingly inhabited by members of The Wildkin Strain, specifically of the mammalian variety:
The central mountains are predominantly inhabited by the “Yabihito”, short two legged people with goat-like features.
The southern grasslands and karsts are mostly inhabited by different varieties of “Kibatsugi” two legged wildkin with feline features.
The eastern forests and heights are the homeland of the “Kusei”, towering two legged wildkin with thick fur and bear-like features.
The far north is mostly populated by the “Renjin”, tall and lanky avians with long, thin limbs and long beaks.
The lands surrounding Lake Minami and The Mie River belong to Clan Taberu, The lands surrounding Lake Hiroku and The Tori River belong to Clan Amiraku, and The lands surrounding Lake Nagami belong to Clan Ashitaka.
Besides that, the clans cooperate in the defense of their land and people against outside threats, which was the original reason this union came into being in the first place.
The current heads of the clans are Lord Taberu Sanzo, Lady Amiraku Yoshitsune and Lord Ashitaka Touma.
The high clans that controlled Shizumi at the time were not spared from “The Age of Culling”, though their comparatively remote location and rugged terrain made large troop movements and invasions a good deal more difficult. As such, they looked to other ways of getting the better over one another, first and foremost among which was assassination. According to some records, during those 500 years not a single clan leader could keep their head on their shoulders for more than 10 years before ending up dead. Many clans simply died out as there was no one else to take up the mantle of the dead, and it was such that from the dozens of clans and lords that claimed lands in Shizumi back then, only four remained by 300 pSF. Clan Amiraku, Ashitaka, Taberu and Suyin were not overly keen on cooperation back then, with blood-feuds that supposedly reached back well over 300 years.
At first they paid no mind to the rising power to their south, they had after all been left to their own devices for well over 500 years, why would that suddenly change? Alas, with hindsight we can now see this critical error for what it was. In 232 pSF a messenger arrived in the capital of Clan Suyin, demanding that they bow to the authority of the imperial throne of Yuyan. The messenger was burned, and sent back in an urn with the words of Suyin Hitori, the leader of Clan Suyin at the time: “Suyin does not bow”. An extreme response, though Lord Suyin Hitori was known to be a man of callous nature and short temper. Some historians theorize that the messenger may have provoked him on purpose, to provide justification for Yuyan.
4 months later word reached the three other clans that Clan Suyin was no more, slaughtered to the last. Only then, did the three set their conflicts aside to unite against the coming threat, though by the time they could muster a unified defense the armies of Yuyan were already on their doorstep. Outmatched 4 to 1, the three great clans, the three last clans of Shizumi fought together for the first time in history… and were soundly defeated. In a way this was good, a short campaign would mean less severe treatment than a drawn-out bloodbath.
The clans were mostly allowed to keep their authority, so long as they agreed to adhere to the codes of Yuyan. Only about half of their historical records were destroyed, and most of their great shrines still stand. Compared to how The Yuyan Dominion had treated The Begarit or The Oyagi, this seemed like little more than a slap on the wrist. The impact on the three clan's culture was of course still severe. With the enforcement of the Order of High and Low, countless stories, festivals and practices fell into obscurity, and were eventually forgotten entirely.
Inadvertently though, The Yuyan did what no one else could do in the past 800 years, forging the clans of upper Soukoku together, ensuring peaceful cooperation between the three. Ever since their defeat at the hands of The Yuyan in 231 pSF, the three clans have worked in unison to keep as much of their power, influence and freedom as possible, towing the line between satisfying their duties as vassals and resisting further imperial intervention where and whenever they can, without stepping out of line. Past emperors and empresses have sometimes referred to Shizumi as “a rat, nipping at the Dominions heels”, incapable of doing any real harm, but too annoying to outright ignore.
When The Starfall came and went, Clan Ashitaka and Amiraku chose to deal with them diplomatically, simply giving them what they wanted: land to call their own. The Gray Giants did not attack Shizumi, did not interrupt their trade networks, did not burn their towns and enslave their people, and all it took was some land that the clans didn’t even really want or need. They even got some new trading partners out of it.
“The Order”, or Dao-Lu as it is known in The Yuyan Dominion, is rigidly enforced and adhered to, though High and Low take much less effort to separate from one another. The Highborn of Shizumi speak the same language as the common folk, Kotoba, in all matters except religious, and do not cover themselves head to toe, though most of them do travel by palankin.
The reasons for many ancient folk traditions were lost over time, either simply forgotten or erased on purpose by the Yuyan, though the people of Shizumi still stubbornly hold on to them. That is the general pattern of Shizumi, they show defiance wherever they can in what would by most be perceived as meaningless ways, without actually neglecting their roles and duties in The Order.
No surprise then that Bards, or Songweavers as they are referred to in Soukoku, are greatly revered here. It is believed that the first bards came from this region, and subsequently spread their arts, along with their stories, to the rest of the continent.
Karaku - is the seat and largest city of Clan Taberu, finding itself on the opposite end of Shizumi on the shores of Lake Minami. With a population of roughly 12.000 people, Karaku is the largest city in all of Shizumi and with that it’s major trade hub.
Yabuko - is the seat and largest city of Clan Amiraku, sporting a population of roughly 9.000 people. Yabuko is Shizumi’s industrial center, with the abundance of natural resources around it making it a great place for woodworkers, jewelers and metallurgists. Vestamark - and Vindmark are the two new settlements founded by The Gray Giants of Rungholt that landed on the shores of Shizumi. As opposed to most other encounters that resulted from their exodus after The Starfall and the eruption of The Vulspar (see: Rungholt), their encounter with the people of Shizumi was a comparatively peaceful one, and following some minor skirmishes they were granted both land and resources to found a place for themselves. Vestamark is the larger of the two, sporting a population of roughly 7.000 people, while Vindmark currently has around 2.000. The two cities regularly engage in trade with Shizumi and each other.
Just like Tanasi, Shizumi has not been left untouched by the Starfall and the subsequent invasion of The Gray Giants of Rungholt, though as the northern territories of Shizumi are only sparsely populated, a diplomatic solution could be found much faster. The newly founded settlements of Vestamark and Vindmark now act as enclaves, and engage in regular trade with the Wildkin tribes of Shizumi. Shizumi is overwhelmingly inhabited by members of The Wildkin Strain, specifically of the mammalian variety:
The central mountains are predominantly inhabited by the “Yabihito”, short two legged people with goat-like features.
The southern grasslands and karsts are mostly inhabited by different varieties of “Kibatsugi” two legged wildkin with feline features.
The eastern forests and heights are the homeland of the “Kusei”, towering two legged wildkin with thick fur and bear-like features.
The far north is mostly populated by the “Renjin”, tall and lanky avians with long, thin limbs and long beaks.
Territory:
Shizumi lies entirely in the northern parts of the Soukoku region. It stretches from roughly the middle of The Hoboku Karsts to the northern coast of the continent, with Vindmark being the northernmost settlement. Its western borders are mostly lined out by The Mie River and Lake Minami, while in the east The Great Heights of Begarit mark its limits. Shizumi also holds control over parts of The Hutan forest north of the great heights, where the settlement of Vestamark marks the furthest reach of its influence.The lands surrounding Lake Minami and The Mie River belong to Clan Taberu, The lands surrounding Lake Hiroku and The Tori River belong to Clan Amiraku, and The lands surrounding Lake Nagami belong to Clan Ashitaka.
Government:
The relationship of the three clans of Shizumi is less one of authority and more one of cooperation. Laws are often passed in unison to ease their implementation, bolster trade and protect the interests of the region as a whole, rather than try and get ahead of the other clans.Besides that, the clans cooperate in the defense of their land and people against outside threats, which was the original reason this union came into being in the first place.
The current heads of the clans are Lord Taberu Sanzo, Lady Amiraku Yoshitsune and Lord Ashitaka Touma.
History:
The early history of the lands now under the control of Shizumi are, just like those of The Yuyan Dominion, largely a mystery. These lands two once supposedly lied under the jurisdiction of “the first nation”, though the scholars here tend to refer to it as Saishoku instead, preferring the native Kotoba language over the imperial Zenshi language of Yuyan high courts.The high clans that controlled Shizumi at the time were not spared from “The Age of Culling”, though their comparatively remote location and rugged terrain made large troop movements and invasions a good deal more difficult. As such, they looked to other ways of getting the better over one another, first and foremost among which was assassination. According to some records, during those 500 years not a single clan leader could keep their head on their shoulders for more than 10 years before ending up dead. Many clans simply died out as there was no one else to take up the mantle of the dead, and it was such that from the dozens of clans and lords that claimed lands in Shizumi back then, only four remained by 300 pSF. Clan Amiraku, Ashitaka, Taberu and Suyin were not overly keen on cooperation back then, with blood-feuds that supposedly reached back well over 300 years.
At first they paid no mind to the rising power to their south, they had after all been left to their own devices for well over 500 years, why would that suddenly change? Alas, with hindsight we can now see this critical error for what it was. In 232 pSF a messenger arrived in the capital of Clan Suyin, demanding that they bow to the authority of the imperial throne of Yuyan. The messenger was burned, and sent back in an urn with the words of Suyin Hitori, the leader of Clan Suyin at the time: “Suyin does not bow”. An extreme response, though Lord Suyin Hitori was known to be a man of callous nature and short temper. Some historians theorize that the messenger may have provoked him on purpose, to provide justification for Yuyan.
4 months later word reached the three other clans that Clan Suyin was no more, slaughtered to the last. Only then, did the three set their conflicts aside to unite against the coming threat, though by the time they could muster a unified defense the armies of Yuyan were already on their doorstep. Outmatched 4 to 1, the three great clans, the three last clans of Shizumi fought together for the first time in history… and were soundly defeated. In a way this was good, a short campaign would mean less severe treatment than a drawn-out bloodbath.
The clans were mostly allowed to keep their authority, so long as they agreed to adhere to the codes of Yuyan. Only about half of their historical records were destroyed, and most of their great shrines still stand. Compared to how The Yuyan Dominion had treated The Begarit or The Oyagi, this seemed like little more than a slap on the wrist. The impact on the three clan's culture was of course still severe. With the enforcement of the Order of High and Low, countless stories, festivals and practices fell into obscurity, and were eventually forgotten entirely.
Inadvertently though, The Yuyan did what no one else could do in the past 800 years, forging the clans of upper Soukoku together, ensuring peaceful cooperation between the three. Ever since their defeat at the hands of The Yuyan in 231 pSF, the three clans have worked in unison to keep as much of their power, influence and freedom as possible, towing the line between satisfying their duties as vassals and resisting further imperial intervention where and whenever they can, without stepping out of line. Past emperors and empresses have sometimes referred to Shizumi as “a rat, nipping at the Dominions heels”, incapable of doing any real harm, but too annoying to outright ignore.
When The Starfall came and went, Clan Ashitaka and Amiraku chose to deal with them diplomatically, simply giving them what they wanted: land to call their own. The Gray Giants did not attack Shizumi, did not interrupt their trade networks, did not burn their towns and enslave their people, and all it took was some land that the clans didn’t even really want or need. They even got some new trading partners out of it.
Culture & Society:
As the Yuyan tend to do with those that oppose them, the people of Shizumi have been subject to thorough cultural assimilation at their hands. Now, over 250 years after this process first began, the people of Shizumi resemble their lieges in more ways than one, though they tend to “put their own spin” on things.“The Order”, or Dao-Lu as it is known in The Yuyan Dominion, is rigidly enforced and adhered to, though High and Low take much less effort to separate from one another. The Highborn of Shizumi speak the same language as the common folk, Kotoba, in all matters except religious, and do not cover themselves head to toe, though most of them do travel by palankin.
The reasons for many ancient folk traditions were lost over time, either simply forgotten or erased on purpose by the Yuyan, though the people of Shizumi still stubbornly hold on to them. That is the general pattern of Shizumi, they show defiance wherever they can in what would by most be perceived as meaningless ways, without actually neglecting their roles and duties in The Order.
Spark of Defiance:
In fact, that restrained defiance is probably what people from Shizumi are most known for. Oh, they will do what is expected of them in their role, maintaining propriety while at the same time doing everything they can given the confines of their situation to let the people around them know exactly what they think of them. If someone from Shizumi has a problem with you they won’t tell you, but you will surely know.Religion:
In the past, The Idanasha used to be the predominant religion in Shizumi. They specifically worshiped two: The Shattering Hakai and The Adamant Fumetsugi, Destroyer and Protector Respectively. The two of them were said to be eternally locked in battle, their clash being the cause of the natural disasters in the region. During the calm seasons they would bring offerings to Fumetsugi to thank him for his protection, while during the harsh seasons they would make sacrifices to Hakai to distract him from the battle and let Fumetsugi get the upper hand again. Temples dedicated to the two can still be found here and there, though Yuma has by now clearly replaced The Idanasha as the region's predominant faith.Land of Songs and Stories:
Shizumi, like the other states that call Soukoku their homeland, are known to hold a long tradition of song and storytelling. Since time immemorial the people of these lands recorded their history not by dedicating them to papyrus, parchment, wood or stone, but through remembrance in Songs and Stories. Believing that sound and the voice itself holds some indescribable quality or power which is lost upon transferring them to the physical, this tradition has held strong, so strong in fact that until 500 years ago, there existed no codified writing systems in the region.No surprise then that Bards, or Songweavers as they are referred to in Soukoku, are greatly revered here. It is believed that the first bards came from this region, and subsequently spread their arts, along with their stories, to the rest of the continent.
Laws & Institutions:
The Laws & Institutions of Shizumi, while they have some variance, are closely modeled after those of The Yuyan Dominion.Major Settlements:
Ashitaka - is the seat and largest city of Clan Ashitaka, and used to be the farthest northern city in Shizumi before The Gray Giants of Rungholt arrived on their shores. Given the altitude and latitude, the climate Ashitaka finds itself in is surprisingly mild and calm, allowing steady agriculture to maintain a city of almost 8.000 people. The scenery around Lake Nagami is said to be quite enchanting, subject of many paintings and poems, and as such it should come as no surprise that many artists and Songweavers call Ashitaka their home.Karaku - is the seat and largest city of Clan Taberu, finding itself on the opposite end of Shizumi on the shores of Lake Minami. With a population of roughly 12.000 people, Karaku is the largest city in all of Shizumi and with that it’s major trade hub.
Yabuko - is the seat and largest city of Clan Amiraku, sporting a population of roughly 9.000 people. Yabuko is Shizumi’s industrial center, with the abundance of natural resources around it making it a great place for woodworkers, jewelers and metallurgists. Vestamark - and Vindmark are the two new settlements founded by The Gray Giants of Rungholt that landed on the shores of Shizumi. As opposed to most other encounters that resulted from their exodus after The Starfall and the eruption of The Vulspar (see: Rungholt), their encounter with the people of Shizumi was a comparatively peaceful one, and following some minor skirmishes they were granted both land and resources to found a place for themselves. Vestamark is the larger of the two, sporting a population of roughly 7.000 people, while Vindmark currently has around 2.000. The two cities regularly engage in trade with Shizumi and each other.
Shizumi
Geography:
Region: Northwest - SoukokuSociety:
Population: ~350.000 peopleStrains: Wildkin 90%, Hominids 5%, Other ~5%
Religion: Yuma, The Idanasha
Politics:
Government: Clan ConfederationRuler: -
Influence: minor
Commerce:
Currency:50 Tong (Copper) = 1 Yin (Silver)
25 Yin = 1 Yuan (Gold)
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