Ashimachi: People of Note
Shogun Man-ta Roku
Man-ta Roku became the sixteenth Shogun of Ashimachi in LN 1281. Himself a descendant of the tenth Shogun, he was groomed for the position by the Zhengfu Pagoda staff from the time of his infancy and ascended to the seat after his father, Shogun Tou-ya Roku, died of natural causes.
Many of the Chains faithful in Ashimachi eagerly anticipate the launch of Man-ta's Grand Expedition - the first in a dozen years - but the steadily growing ethnic and religious minorities of Ashimachi have begun to openly express their discontent with what they see as a tremendous waste of public funds with little to no importance for anyone but the Chains. Early protests have begun, the spearpoint of a movement to end the tradition.
Daimyō Tezuka Kaito
Tezuka Kaito serves as both a Daimyō and the leader of the Ue-shitsu in Ashimachi. He is the head of the Tezuka family, a powerful heritage whose history extends all the way back to the First Shogun's march. Politically speaking, Tezuka is the most powerful man in Ashimachi aside the Shogun himself. He is known for his zealous adherence to the Chains faith and has been the prime benefactor of multiple temples, barracks, and training grounds for both the church and its associated military. In LN 1255 he even personally financed a Grand Expedition for Shogun Tou-ya Roku.
Tezuka strongly disapproves of the sharing of wealth and power: he believes that Ashimachi's prosperity would be unrivaled were the people to fall in line and spend more time working and less time debating ideas beyond their ken. He also despises those of differing faiths, having passed several laws curtailing the rights of practicing Seraphists, Tetraches, and especially Dreamswallowers in his city. His discriminatory housing reforms of LN 1261 targeted Dreamswallowers specifically and are the reason most of them were forcibly relocated to the village of Tailfeather.
The rise of Johann Kreuger and the Populist faction of the Yihui have drawn considerable ire from him: he sees them as an existential threat to the holy mission of the Shogun and has done everything in his power to stymie their progress in every way he can - including the hiring of professional killers. Johann Kreuger
An early immigrant from Drachenkrone, Kreuger is the head of the People's Party in the Yihui. Twice disbarred and thrice elected, he is an increasingly influential political firebrand who openly declares himself in direct opposition to the Ue-shitsu. He is considered such a threat to the Ue-shitsu's established institution that they have mobilized the Order's secret police to try to deal with him discreetly. However, Kreuger caught wind of this before any action could be taken against him and has since surrounded himself with a cadre of bodyguards drawn from his supporters in the Explorer's Guild. Unbeknownst to the city, Kreuger has received steadily increasing amounts of backing from business interests in Drachenkrone, and has begun to arm his closest supporters through the gray market with the funds provided. While Kreuger himself is not especially fond of Drachenkrone, the immutable nature of the Ue-shitsu has convinced him - much to his chagrin, as an egalitarian idealist - that reform in Ashimachi will be truly impossible without violent revolution. The news of a potential threat to his life has only strengthened this belief.
Jō-in Henan Kulei
A former physician from the Centre District, Kulei lived a life of wealth and privilege dissatisfied with the divide between herself and those of her standing and the common people of Ashimachi. Kulei's political career began shortly after her father died and she, as the sole heir, inherited the family medical practice. Pooling their resources, she and a group of like-minded friends began providing greatly discounted medical care to people from a tent in the Crystal Markets. From there, a bit of nudging from her friends led Kulei to pursue political office in an effort to become the change she wanted to see in the city-state.
Elected to the Yihui by popular vote in LN1284, Kulei is the youngest member of the parliament and one of the few to attempt some degree of neutrality in the conflict between the ruling party and the People's Party. With connections to influential families both rich and poor, politically entrenched and disenfranchised, she struggles to provide a voice of reason and common ground between them all.
Chūi Jaco Kimura
A young lieutenant in the Order's Hei-Bing, Jaco hails from the Almani Quarter of Narrowside. The child of a former member of the Calavan Peace Guard and the daughter of a Narrowside inn owner, Jaco was raised with a strong sense of egalitarianism and civic duty: he firmly believes in the Chains philosophy of serving the greater good and has found himself questioning the justice in his unit being repeatedly dispatched to violently disperse peaceful protests by religious and ethnic groups in the city.
He has attempted to voice his concerns to both his superior officers and his peers, but has been met only with derision and disbelief for doing so. He attempted to transfer to the Internal Affairs division in LN 1284 but was rejected - likely due to prior knowledge of his beliefs.
Gunsō Da-le Huang
At 54 years of age, Da-le Huang is the epitome of the "career NCO." The very model of stoicism, Huang is known for speaking only when spoken to and communicating his intentions primarily through gesture. He has worked a dispatch desk at the Order's station in the Kusari District since it was first built, and while he can be caught occasionally grumbling about his dissatisfaction with his life and career choices, he has never once requested a transfer of station.
Similarly, his uninspiring attitude and lack of enthusiasm have seen him remain at the rank of Sergeant for almost 25 years. Huang is known to have only one hobby: he owns an extensive collection of handcrafted Spellglass statuettes made by a magical artisan named Chie Yui. Despite his obsession he has never approached the artist personally, and instead tasks his patrolmen with purchasing them on his behalf.
Sky Jack
A native Aziran who emigrated to Ashimachi as a teen due to his distaste for scholarly pursuits, Sky Jack is a member of the Chains Elite known for being loud, ostentatious, and having the skills to back it up. Seen in public appearance wearing a modified suit of red artifact armor with no chest piece - indeed, he fights bare-chested - he specializes in hand-to-hand combat. In spite of his status, Sky Jack is vocal about the plight of immigrant populations in Ashimachi and has made several public appearances during public protests and other demonstrations.
Master Siu
A wizened-looking old man sporting a long beard and often seen wearing traditional Yunhainese clothing, Master Siu is an unassuming member of the Elite. His small stature and conservative dress conceal the fact that he is a Coast-renowned master of five different Magical Martial Arts, and for those who have seen him in combat there is little question that he is one of the most powerful men in Ashimachi. Master Siu has a great appreciation for horticulture, and maintains an immaculate garden at his home in Eastlock with a dazzling blend of decorative plants and produce crops.
Birdcatcher
The first of the Saints of the Reef, Birdcatcher is the mastermind behind the radical Chosen of the Reef cult and rumored to be over a thousand years old. Wildly mutated by repeated exposure to the intense magics of The Reef, Birdcatcher is the innovator of the Chosen's practice of sewing beads of deicite ore under their skin and barely recognizable as human.
On a personal level, Birdcatcher is most famed for his ability to manipulate plant life with alarming speed and even integrate it with his own body: he can weave a net of vines in the blink of an eye, or construct a colossal suit of armor by causing trees to grow into and around himself.
Xal-Qandermal Jr.
A notable member of the small community of Ilian citizens living in Westlock Mills, Xal-Qandermal knew he was destined for greatness from the moment he arrived in the City of Reeds as a refugee from the West. Making a name for himself in underground fighting rings as a young adult, he put his newfound wealth and fame to work when he made an unexpected career change in LN 1280.
The road to theatrical stardom was difficult for him: with his muscled physique and unusual race he found himself shoehorned into bland and stereotypical roles such as that of the hulking villain or brutish bandit. But Xal refused to be typecast and, following the breakout success of Dream of the Red Garden - written and directed by Fujin Kaito - showed that he had what it took to be a real star in any role.
In the current year, bookings to see the Ilian star's performances at the esteemed Kako-en Amphitheatre sell out months in advance. Xal has become notoriously picky about the roles in which he is cast, seeing himself as a sort of ambassador for Ilian people in the East, and devoted fans of the theatrical arts in the Coast follow his exploits with rapt attention.
Lamai Akemi
One of the youngest women to ever pass the rigorous processes and exams required to become a magistrate clerk (the lowest rank in Ashimachi's municipal courts) Lamai's celebration of the event was cut short when her husband was brutally murdered in the basement of their Narrowlock condominium. Lamai herself survived having her throat slit and recovered with miraculous speed, leaving many to suspect foul play was at hand.
Despite the accusations, no evidence of foul play was found during the Order's investigation of the murder, and a suspect was never found. Almost a decade has passed, with Lamai now serving as district magistrate, but even today rumors circulate of her consorting with demonic or otherwordly forces and being the true perpetrator of her husband's demise.
Man-ta Roku became the sixteenth Shogun of Ashimachi in LN 1281. Himself a descendant of the tenth Shogun, he was groomed for the position by the Zhengfu Pagoda staff from the time of his infancy and ascended to the seat after his father, Shogun Tou-ya Roku, died of natural causes.
Many of the Chains faithful in Ashimachi eagerly anticipate the launch of Man-ta's Grand Expedition - the first in a dozen years - but the steadily growing ethnic and religious minorities of Ashimachi have begun to openly express their discontent with what they see as a tremendous waste of public funds with little to no importance for anyone but the Chains. Early protests have begun, the spearpoint of a movement to end the tradition.
Daimyō Tezuka Kaito
Tezuka Kaito serves as both a Daimyō and the leader of the Ue-shitsu in Ashimachi. He is the head of the Tezuka family, a powerful heritage whose history extends all the way back to the First Shogun's march. Politically speaking, Tezuka is the most powerful man in Ashimachi aside the Shogun himself. He is known for his zealous adherence to the Chains faith and has been the prime benefactor of multiple temples, barracks, and training grounds for both the church and its associated military. In LN 1255 he even personally financed a Grand Expedition for Shogun Tou-ya Roku.
Tezuka strongly disapproves of the sharing of wealth and power: he believes that Ashimachi's prosperity would be unrivaled were the people to fall in line and spend more time working and less time debating ideas beyond their ken. He also despises those of differing faiths, having passed several laws curtailing the rights of practicing Seraphists, Tetraches, and especially Dreamswallowers in his city. His discriminatory housing reforms of LN 1261 targeted Dreamswallowers specifically and are the reason most of them were forcibly relocated to the village of Tailfeather.
The rise of Johann Kreuger and the Populist faction of the Yihui have drawn considerable ire from him: he sees them as an existential threat to the holy mission of the Shogun and has done everything in his power to stymie their progress in every way he can - including the hiring of professional killers. Johann Kreuger
An early immigrant from Drachenkrone, Kreuger is the head of the People's Party in the Yihui. Twice disbarred and thrice elected, he is an increasingly influential political firebrand who openly declares himself in direct opposition to the Ue-shitsu. He is considered such a threat to the Ue-shitsu's established institution that they have mobilized the Order's secret police to try to deal with him discreetly. However, Kreuger caught wind of this before any action could be taken against him and has since surrounded himself with a cadre of bodyguards drawn from his supporters in the Explorer's Guild. Unbeknownst to the city, Kreuger has received steadily increasing amounts of backing from business interests in Drachenkrone, and has begun to arm his closest supporters through the gray market with the funds provided. While Kreuger himself is not especially fond of Drachenkrone, the immutable nature of the Ue-shitsu has convinced him - much to his chagrin, as an egalitarian idealist - that reform in Ashimachi will be truly impossible without violent revolution. The news of a potential threat to his life has only strengthened this belief.
Jō-in Henan Kulei
A former physician from the Centre District, Kulei lived a life of wealth and privilege dissatisfied with the divide between herself and those of her standing and the common people of Ashimachi. Kulei's political career began shortly after her father died and she, as the sole heir, inherited the family medical practice. Pooling their resources, she and a group of like-minded friends began providing greatly discounted medical care to people from a tent in the Crystal Markets. From there, a bit of nudging from her friends led Kulei to pursue political office in an effort to become the change she wanted to see in the city-state.
Elected to the Yihui by popular vote in LN1284, Kulei is the youngest member of the parliament and one of the few to attempt some degree of neutrality in the conflict between the ruling party and the People's Party. With connections to influential families both rich and poor, politically entrenched and disenfranchised, she struggles to provide a voice of reason and common ground between them all.
Chūi Jaco Kimura
A young lieutenant in the Order's Hei-Bing, Jaco hails from the Almani Quarter of Narrowside. The child of a former member of the Calavan Peace Guard and the daughter of a Narrowside inn owner, Jaco was raised with a strong sense of egalitarianism and civic duty: he firmly believes in the Chains philosophy of serving the greater good and has found himself questioning the justice in his unit being repeatedly dispatched to violently disperse peaceful protests by religious and ethnic groups in the city.
He has attempted to voice his concerns to both his superior officers and his peers, but has been met only with derision and disbelief for doing so. He attempted to transfer to the Internal Affairs division in LN 1284 but was rejected - likely due to prior knowledge of his beliefs.
Gunsō Da-le Huang
At 54 years of age, Da-le Huang is the epitome of the "career NCO." The very model of stoicism, Huang is known for speaking only when spoken to and communicating his intentions primarily through gesture. He has worked a dispatch desk at the Order's station in the Kusari District since it was first built, and while he can be caught occasionally grumbling about his dissatisfaction with his life and career choices, he has never once requested a transfer of station.
Similarly, his uninspiring attitude and lack of enthusiasm have seen him remain at the rank of Sergeant for almost 25 years. Huang is known to have only one hobby: he owns an extensive collection of handcrafted Spellglass statuettes made by a magical artisan named Chie Yui. Despite his obsession he has never approached the artist personally, and instead tasks his patrolmen with purchasing them on his behalf.
Sky Jack
A native Aziran who emigrated to Ashimachi as a teen due to his distaste for scholarly pursuits, Sky Jack is a member of the Chains Elite known for being loud, ostentatious, and having the skills to back it up. Seen in public appearance wearing a modified suit of red artifact armor with no chest piece - indeed, he fights bare-chested - he specializes in hand-to-hand combat. In spite of his status, Sky Jack is vocal about the plight of immigrant populations in Ashimachi and has made several public appearances during public protests and other demonstrations.
Master Siu
A wizened-looking old man sporting a long beard and often seen wearing traditional Yunhainese clothing, Master Siu is an unassuming member of the Elite. His small stature and conservative dress conceal the fact that he is a Coast-renowned master of five different Magical Martial Arts, and for those who have seen him in combat there is little question that he is one of the most powerful men in Ashimachi. Master Siu has a great appreciation for horticulture, and maintains an immaculate garden at his home in Eastlock with a dazzling blend of decorative plants and produce crops.
Birdcatcher
The first of the Saints of the Reef, Birdcatcher is the mastermind behind the radical Chosen of the Reef cult and rumored to be over a thousand years old. Wildly mutated by repeated exposure to the intense magics of The Reef, Birdcatcher is the innovator of the Chosen's practice of sewing beads of deicite ore under their skin and barely recognizable as human.
On a personal level, Birdcatcher is most famed for his ability to manipulate plant life with alarming speed and even integrate it with his own body: he can weave a net of vines in the blink of an eye, or construct a colossal suit of armor by causing trees to grow into and around himself.
Xal-Qandermal Jr.
A notable member of the small community of Ilian citizens living in Westlock Mills, Xal-Qandermal knew he was destined for greatness from the moment he arrived in the City of Reeds as a refugee from the West. Making a name for himself in underground fighting rings as a young adult, he put his newfound wealth and fame to work when he made an unexpected career change in LN 1280.
The road to theatrical stardom was difficult for him: with his muscled physique and unusual race he found himself shoehorned into bland and stereotypical roles such as that of the hulking villain or brutish bandit. But Xal refused to be typecast and, following the breakout success of Dream of the Red Garden - written and directed by Fujin Kaito - showed that he had what it took to be a real star in any role.
In the current year, bookings to see the Ilian star's performances at the esteemed Kako-en Amphitheatre sell out months in advance. Xal has become notoriously picky about the roles in which he is cast, seeing himself as a sort of ambassador for Ilian people in the East, and devoted fans of the theatrical arts in the Coast follow his exploits with rapt attention.
Lamai Akemi
One of the youngest women to ever pass the rigorous processes and exams required to become a magistrate clerk (the lowest rank in Ashimachi's municipal courts) Lamai's celebration of the event was cut short when her husband was brutally murdered in the basement of their Narrowlock condominium. Lamai herself survived having her throat slit and recovered with miraculous speed, leaving many to suspect foul play was at hand.
Despite the accusations, no evidence of foul play was found during the Order's investigation of the murder, and a suspect was never found. Almost a decade has passed, with Lamai now serving as district magistrate, but even today rumors circulate of her consorting with demonic or otherwordly forces and being the true perpetrator of her husband's demise.
Additional Info
Ashimachi: People of Note
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