Kiga Shogunate Government

Government and Power

Kiga is a feudal society: all of the land belongs to the Emperor, who bestows the rights of stewardship on the Shōgun, who in turn bestows it on champions and lords within the Great Clans, who in turn pass on the tasks of administration to lesser-ranked samurai.
All Imperial authority and patterns of life proceed from the Hantei, the Jade Emperor, who is descended from divinity and sits on the Emerald Throne. He is attended primarily by his jeweled champions (the Emerald Champion in particular) and by the champions of the Great Clans. The clan champions are masters of the Great Clans, overseeing the families sworn to each.
These families are descended from the heroic mortals who swore fealty to the Kami. Other champions have earned their fame and renown in the arena by competing in the Arenian games on behalf of the Emperor.
The various families within the clan are themselves ruled over by daimyō (literally, “the great names”), lords of the families, who hold the power of life and death over their kin and command absolute loyalty. Their individual lands are divided into provinces, the divisions of land in Kiga, which are ruled over by lesser daimyō—who themselves rule over district and city governors, lords of rich lands and wealthy cities. The clans and their representatives vie for dominance in the courts of these daimyō, prevailing over others with silk and steel.
The way of the samurai is the way of the warrior. Most are trained from birth to fight for their lords and lay down their lives if need be. Others attend the many schools scattered across the land to hone their craft. When ownership of a territory falls into dispute, or when threats from beyond the Shōgunate's borders imperil the very existence of the Empire, the daimyō of the clans mobilize their armies and fight for their champion or on behalf of the Emperor as part of the Imperial Legions. The Shōgun permits his vassals to take a share of the annual rice harvest so that they may arm themselves for war and defend the lands they have been entrusted with.
Not all wars are won on the battlefield, however. Samurai skilled in the subtle arts of the courtier fight their battles with honeyed words and mocking, tittering laughter behind face-concealing fans. Their arena is the courts, be they the provincial courts of city or family daimyō, the castles of the clan champions, or the famed yet deadly Imperial Court. In these places of delicate and indirect speech, impeccable etiquette is a better defense than the finest katana when a samurai walks into court. Courtiers seek out one another for private meetings, each expressing their clan’s wishes indirectly and sealing treaties with honor and promises rather than ink and parchment.
Winter is harsh in Kiga, and battles cannot be fought in the bitter cold and impassable snow. Thus winter is when court is most active, for there is little else to do except attend court. The Shōgun's Winter Court is a highly selective social event, with higher stakes and rewards than any other.

Type

Geopolitical, Empire