Gonzai

The City of Gonzai. A city in the Hara Kingdom. Currently stewarded by Shogunate Yoshihida Suga, Gonzai was the eleventh city to be constructed to protect the northern mountains. Where Haramusa leads in technological advancement and military strength in Mizuchi, Gonzai trains those who desire to take their skills to the sea. Gonzai began as a fishing town, and due to frequent raids from the north from neighboring barbarians, Gonzai had developed a militia that was able to fight well not only on land but also at sea. The people are friendly and welcoming to residents of the kingdom, however are quite cautious to outsiders, even if they also reside in Mizuchi. Polearms are the favored weapons of this city, as the strongest of Gonzai's soldiers utilise polearms in many different ways. Therefore, their influence of the war had them not only defending the northern waters but also protecting the fractures and training up soldiers from inland to hone their skills with polearms.
For how death is honoured, when the people of Gonzai pass, traditionally they will be cremated with their prized wooden craft. Their ashes are then mixed with a special concoction known only to the Gonzai people that forms the ash into a paste that hardens to that of stone when dried. During the drying process the paste like substance is formed and shaped. Some would shape it as a brick for the home, or a tomb stone. However most homes of highlanders or warriors would shape this substance into a a compact whetstone, as they believe their relatives continue to support them and strengthen them in and out of battle.