Background Overview

 

Politics

There are nine prominent nations in the known world: the Dayoi, Shaozhe, Qintao, Agaboshi, Kosuryo, Brahla, Chosaek, Taekcha, and Peouji.  They are sharply divided into the Empire (Dayoi, Shaozhe, Qintao, Agaboshi, Kosuryo) and the East (Chosaek, Taekcha, Peouji), with the Brahla as independents outside both categories.  Qintao is a satellite of Shaozhe, while Kosuryo is little more than a protectorate of the Dayoi.  Trade relations within the Empire are excellent, but minor and even serious clashes between its nations and those of the East or the Brahla periodically interrupt more peaceful pursuits between the larger groupings.  The head of the empire is the sovereign of the Dayoi, known as the Emperor, but each nation within it except for the Kosuryo is independent and has its own sovereign as well, though they will petition the Dayoi emperor for recognition of their kingship and are often not fully accepted by the other nations as kings until they have done so.  Beneath the sovereigns are typically the great and noble lords of the realm, often drawn from the leaders of the most influential families.  It is not unheard of for a dominant family to have such sway that many are the de facto force behind the throne.  Family influence is typically gained by advantageous marriages or being able to place members in high positions within the social class system.  Some families hold enough sway to effectively block all or nearly all outsiders from certain trades and professions.  However, the fortunes of families wax and wane, and ruling families can lose power just as minor families may rise into it.  And while a powerful family may control aspects of the society and the workings of the nation, making it difficult for others, they are also aware that it increases their own influence and power to gain new, promising, members and are therefore often willing to adopt those they believe would bring honour to the family.

 

Culture Notes

These are typically floor-sitting cultures, kneeling on cushions at low tables.  Shoes are usually removed before wholly entering a house or anywhere else indoors, and there is often a small area in which to take them off before stepping into the home.  A raised floor often indicates the difference, but even where the floor remains flat, it is simply good manners and good practice to remove shoes before stepping inside.  Bowing is traditionally a sign of respect, used when meeting or greeting someone, used to show reverence, and even used to thank someone.  The lower the bow, the deeper the feeling is behind it.  An inferior will always bow lower to their superiour than to an equal, while the superior, if of a high enough rank, may simply nod in return.  Those who do not know each other well will refer to each other by title, or by family name and title such as Minister Cheng.  Or, if the person has no formal title, Master Cheng, Madame Cheng, or Mistress Cheng.  Titles and forms of address take some getting used to, but should be used where applicable.  Those who know each other very well, and are of equal station, may simply use family name.  It is rare for anyone outside family to use a person’s given name.  Kowtowing, or bowing to the floor from a kneeling position, is typically a mark of reverence to a sovereign, throne, or image in a temple or shrine.  Women are typically intended to do little outside the home, but this attitude is changing, especially in the cities, and they are not formally barred from any capacity.  Upper-class Dayoi, Agaboshi, and Kosuryo women will keep their faces hidden from the sight of men behind screens when at home or fans, and it is generally considered a mark of good breeding to follow this practice.  The court ladies and wealthy women of these same nations are also noted for the custom of cosmetically blackening the teeth, an appearance said to be very elegant though the other nations often find it less so.  The age for marriage varies by culture, typically coinciding with coming of age, and may be as young as fourteen, or as late as sixteen.  Girls are sometimes considered ready to live with their new family by as early as twelve years old, but this is rare and even in these cases, the marriage itself will not usually take place until later.  Men of certain social classes, and who have the means to afford to keep an extensive household, often maintain secondary wives or concubines in addition to their first wife.  In a society where arranged matches are the norm, this allows for some semblances of love matches.

 

Astrology

Shaozhe thought has permeated the world, resulting in the adoption of the Shaozhe Zodiac by most nations.  This classifies each person according to their dominant element, whether it be fire, water, metal, earth, or wood, all kept in careful balance and all interdependent as each is related to an element it gives birth to, as well as another that it keeps in check or controls.  The zodiac also assigns each person an astrological sign, based on twelve birds.  Elemental affinities are tied to this same system of birth years, and these are said to influence a gfreat deal of the person’s natural aptitudes and predispositions.  Various signs are considered desirable or less desirable, and usually determine who a matchmaker will suggest as a good pair.  The birds are the Nightingale, Crane, Raven, Skylark, Albatross, Wren, Magpie, Heron, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Thrush, and Starling.  Each has its own traits, applicable both to the behaviour of the bird itself as well as to those born under its sign.

 

Social Classes

The typical social classes are the Ruling Class, the Warrior Class, the Scholar Class, the Priestly Class, and the Artisan Class.  Each has subgroups within it, and various nations regard and therefore rank each of these differently in their social scheme.  Ruling Classes typically include the rulers and lords, knighthoods, and households of the rulers, while the warrior class is often composed of the armies and specialized martial organizations of a particular nation.  The scholarly class has the civil service at its head and focuses mainly on magic use and the various societies beyond this, but can include alchemists, doctors, and the like as well.  The Priestly class includes the priests and teachers of the various religions, while the artisans include makers and sellers of all sorts of goods.  Thieves, beggars, and other such people are considered to be outside the social class scheme.   Display of clothing, jewelry, and various materials or colours may be restricted to specific social classes in some nations, and each has its own laws regarding this and other situations.  It is always a wise idea to learn the local laws before traveling too extensively.  Social class also often determines marriage habits, with the poorer unable to support large households while the wealthy may choose several concubines.

 

Religion

The dominant religions of the world are the Laharti, Kamutsu, Gaveena, and Quendrin faiths.  The Laharti religion preaches simplicity of living, recognition that all life is pain, reincarnation, and escape from the cycle of reincarnation by strong karma, or positive actions.  Prayer is a big part of the Laharti life.  It is not an exclusive religion, and is occasionally therefore practiced in addition to others.  Laharti monasteries and temples can be found within every nation with the exception of the Brahla.   Kamutsu faith focuses on spirit and ancestor worship, having a keen sense of the spiritual plane.  Kamutsu priests and priestesses typically pass their position down to their sons or daughters and they too are non-exclusive.  The Kamutsu religion is the state religion of the Dayoi, and found within the Dayoi, Agaboshi, and Kosuryo nations.  The Gaveena faith is a polytheistic, sacrificial religion with a dominant influence over all aspects of life among the Brahla, with the Gaveena priesthood being the very pinnacle of Brahla society.  It too believes no one has a monopoly on the truth, and requires only belief in the sacred scriptures to be able to be considered a devotee.  However, the religion has never gained influence outside Brahla.  The Quendrin faith was banned throughout the empire in rapid succession in the 5^th century IE (Imperial Era).  A monotheistic religion, it clashes with the other dominant faiths by virtue of being exclusive.  Quendrins believe in a strict morality, and that people in this life must behave in an ethical, moral manner to be rewarded in the next.  They also believe that to truly practice their faith, it is impossible to participate in the rites and festivals of another.  As a result of this exclusive viewpoint, Quendrins are often blamed for misfortunes interpreted as the anger of the gods and spirits they refuse to worship.

 

Philosophy

The dominant philosophies of the world are Taizhe and Wengzhen.  Taizhe philosophy speaks primarily of proper relationships between people, including that of ruler and subject, and is encouraged by rulers and patronized by the state as a model for their actions and as an ideal for their people.  It also speaks extensively of family relationships, making it a vital part of the education of a dutiful son or daughter.  Wengzhen philosophy has been developed by the society of the same name, and focuses on learning to live within nature with an emphasis on passivity and the realization that everything is relative, everything is connected.  This philosophy has led some sects to abstain from magic use, but the majority maintains the view that to harness the natural essences is instead evidence of successful living within the natural world.

 

Magic

The use of magic depends upon the ability to shape the essences, the ever-present forces that compose the world.  These abilities are highly sought, and many societies have grown up whose only purpose is to further study in these areas.  The most obvious of the essences are those that comprise the natural world, but others have been admitted as well.  Natural Essence itself is divided into six elements: Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, Earth, and Air.  In essence terms, fire is linked to power, water to change, wood to growth, metal to strength, earth to nurturing, and air to spirituality or holiness.  A strong understanding of these elements determines the strength of the user’s magic as well, and the extent to which they can shape the natural world.  Inner Essence, sometimes called personal essence, is also further divided, this time into three: Mental Dominance, the ability to shape one’s own mind or another’s mind, Telepathy, the ability to communicate with the mind rather than language or the other senses, and Extended Perception, or the ability to expand the reach of one’s five senses.  Healing magic draws upon Inner Essence as well, but the healer is gifted with the ability to shape their own body as well as shaping minds.   The actual healing spells may typically only be used upon the caster, which has resulted in the development of the ability to transfer wounds, illness, or pain from the body of the sufferer to that of the healer, where it may be treated.  Tales of a reversed form of this empathy, the ability to transfer one’s own wounds to the body of an enemy, has been well documented in various tomes of lore, but is difficult to learn.  As most illness is brought on by imbalance of the elements, healers are also required to be strong in natural abilities.  The last essence, Spiritual Essence, refers to power granted by the gods and spirits of the world.  It is one of the more difficult to learn, but the power that can be used is immense.

 

The Calendars

With the rise of the Empire, the various nations have adopted a unified calendar of months based on the cycles of the moon.  Each of its eleven months has anywhere from twenty-nine to thirty-one days, giving three hundred and thirty-one days to a  lunar year.  Each year is linked to one of the zodiacal bird signs, as well as to an elemental cycle of twelve years.  Thus one may be, for example, an earth nightingale or a fire nightingale.  The days of the week are also counted according to the elements, giving five to each one.  Each nation has retained its own method of counting the years, but also typically uses the Imperial Era year system, which counts the year of the ascension of Emperor Atemu of the Netsui Family as year one.  Hours are counted specifically with sundials, water clocks, and hour candles, which has allowed them to become informally known by the same names as the zodiac birds.

 

Side by side with the calendar is the seasonal almanac, an almost purely Shaozhe invention.  It counts the cycles of planting and harvest with highly descriptive terms for each one.  Both calendars are in common use, as the passage of time and dates are counted by the lunar, but the solar cycle governs the life of a farmer.

 

Astronomy

The world is known as Chibara, and it’s the second in its solar system.  The order of planets from nearest to furthest from the sun is Asheru, Chibara, Shinara, Takeshu, Mitsukoku, and Reyi.  Asheru is viewed as bright blue in the sky, and shows the largest, leading to speculation regarding its size.  Chibara itself has one moon in its orbit, controller of the tides and seas.  It is a small planet covered mostly in water, and its land mass is grouped into two main continents.  The constellations visible from Chibara change with the seasons, but the patterns themselves have typically been described as forming the shapes of birds, giving rise to the zodiac followed by its people.  A round world is generally assumed, given the shape of the other celestial bodies.  Shinara appears in the sky of Chibara as a brown or green mass, depending upon the season.  Takeshu appears grey when visible, leading to its personification as the Grandfather of the Heavens.  Its silver colour has led many over the centuries to speculate about its possible composition of wealth, and the proverb, “He wouldn’t be happy with all the silver on Takeshu,” has come to describe a miser.  Mitsukoku, the largest planet, appears very colourful with bands ranging from deep blue to bright red across its surface.  Reyi, the last planet, is a brownish colour marked by hints of deep red, the source of the colour described in legend as the blood of departed warriors and heroes waiting until their deaths may be avenged.