Collection of customs, cultures, traditions, and lore from the Tribes

[Shinjo Koyama]

Some crude Hikaru bullet points established by Sora in various shouting matches last game:

• The Hikaru do not keep slaves. Criminals tend to be either executed or exiled- there's no room for people who can't be trusted in the Spine of the World, and it's ahrd enough to feed one's comrades without a bunch of unwilling abducted lowlanders
• The material benefits offered by the Kami had little appeal to them, since they tended to scorn anything they couldn't get for themselves
• At least one woman he knew wore bone decorations on her dress
• Dance seems to be a thing (both Sora and Kozan attempted dance for Doji's event- Kozan more successfully than Sora)

I can second bone decorations. Things I introduced through Kozan in addition to it was xue (ocarina) music and playing dice (likely sheep knuckles).

Also, I was advocating for a mountain-people feel for the Hikaru with all the highlanderism, we don't sow we raid attitude and my miserable attempts at speaking Scottish English.

[Jin]

The Three Questions

A recounting of the tale told by Jin to the kami Shinjo and the questions he posed. Any seeking to enter the Jin family are expected to meditate on the questions and what their own true answers are. Jin did not expect all to match his own and, truly, few seeking his guidance would be of the temperament to give an answer he would see as 'wrong'.


The First Question:

The shugenja rolls up the sleeve of his robe, showing a latticework of scars, "First, when those I care for are in need, are in pain or are suffering, I give of my blood to protect and heal them. I would give every last drop to save them if that is what was required of me. Drained to death if I might save even one of them." He overcomes any nerves to look the goddess in the eyes, "So I ask what would you sacrifice for those you love, if the situation demanded it?"

The Second Question:

"In my travels I encountered a village that had been enslaved by another tribe. Its people had grown sick, a plague among them, and the entire village was at risk of death. The overseer of the village, one of the ruling tribe, refused me entry. He did not care about them, they were just slaves after all, he only cared about his own people. Only those of his tribe or those who would fight in their name would be allowed within their borders, no one else, not even a healer such as myself."

While the first tale had been easy this one was clearly much harder on the man and he pauses to collect himself before continuing.

"So faced with my ideals or the death of a village I swore my hand in their service. I was allowed within the village and began to treat its people. It took months before I had beaten back the last of the plague. Not all made it, and I felt every loss even though I knew I had done all I could, but most were saved. Finally it was time to face my debt. The overseer expect me to fight, to kill, in their service."

Once more the large, rough looking man, shudders slightly, as he lifts his right arm and the stump, still bandaged from the other day, where his hand once was.

"I swore my hand to them, and I lived by my oath. The first, and only, person to feel the bite of my axe was my self for I would not kill another. My hand was left, in their service, and I departed. I do not know if it was shock, pity, or respect but they let me leave with my life."

He steels himself once more, returning his gaze to Shinjo, "So, my second question, what are you willing to sacrifice for those in need even if they do not serve you or dwell beside you?"

The Third Question:

"On the day of my birth my tribe reacted in horror. One of my eyes," he gestures to the left, "was dark as is our norm. The other, however, was as blue as the daylit sky when not a cloud is upon it. Though, unlike such a day, it was considered neither a good nor beautiful thing. It was seen as being born under a bad sign, cursed to a dark fate, what is called an evil eye. I have never known my parents, they rejected me that day, and only the mercy of the village wise woman meant I was not abandoned to die in the woods. It was under her that I studied healing, not through magic but by the use of plants and knowledge of the body, but those talents meant nothing to my people. To touch them, to treat them, would taint them with my curse. Even my presence was seen as a dark tiding. I was bullied, I was beaten. If someone was injured I was to blame. If the crops failed or a herd fell ill it was my fault."

It is very clear that these memories bring nothing but sorrow and pain but still the man called Jin pushes through them.

"I was never given a true name. Not a secret one at birth, for my parents denied me, nor was I allowed a naming day to choose one for myself by our customs. When I was yet a young man, barely more than still a child, the wise woman died. Were things different I would have been her replacement as I had learned all that she could teach. But, instead, without her protection I was cast out of the tribe, exiled."

He pauses again to breathe and collect himself.

"I thought, perhaps, that this would change my fortunes. That I could bring my skills to other tribes, or to those who wandered alone. But it was not to be. It seemed that others shared their belief about those like me. That we were cursed, unclean, dangerous. I was shunned at best and often driven off by threat and by force. No matter how much they may have needed a healer, how much my skills could have aided them, I was denied. Again and again."

He shakes his head, wetness clearly welling around his good eye.

"I could have been a hermit and avoided those who did not want me. But I couldn't do it, not out of fear of loneliness, but because it would have meant rejecting the calling of my heart. I was a healer even if they would not deign to let me heal them. For the same reason I could not surrender to bitterness and anger though many would have forgiven me if I had chosen such a path. Instead there was only one choice left to me..."

He moves aside the patch over where his right eye once was. There is no rough cut or wound as one would expect if it had been lost in battle or trauma. The wound was clean and smooth, carefully cut and cauterized.

"In the wilderness, alone and hated, I removed my accursed eye. Removed it so that I could return to a world that had shown me nothing but hate and heartbreak. Return to them and once more seek to aid them, to heal them, to save them even when they had denied me."

He offers a tight, sad smile, "And it worked. No longer was I a pariah upon the mere sight of me. No longer was my presence feared. I have lost count of the lives that I have improved or even saved. Lives that would have never wanted my help or my presence even a year before."

The patch, carefully returned to place, turns to her along with his good eye as his left hand wipes away the tear that had started to move down his face, "So, my final question, what would you be willing to sacrifice even for those who would turn their back on you. Those who scorn you or do not believe in your nature or your place in this realm. If the day comes that they are in need, what will you give?"

[Seppun Dawei]

Not sure how "canon" this will be--that is in the province of Birb--but one of Dawei's goals was moving towards a woodcarving artisan path. Seems it'd be a favored art among the Seppun, possibly among the broader Stag.

[Jiyo Sora]

Also, I was advocating for a mountain-people feel for the Hikaru with all the highlanderism, we don't sow we raid attitude and my miserable attempts at speaking Scottish English.

Ohhhh yeah, a repeated cultural brick wall that the Hikaru ran into last game was that since they didn't farm, as a matter of course, that all the stuff the sedentary Seppun thought was so wonderful offered them literally nothing they actually cared about- but another takeaway was that even raiding wasn't seen as a major subsistence activity, because that meant dependence upon others...

[Togashi Saruko]

I've tagged your posts with the most info (especially for new players) in the OP.

If you guys wanna do a writeup of Hikaru shenanigans, I'd love that. Otherwise, I can volunteer for the work.

[Shinjo Koyama]

I think you're the best of lore chroniclers so I'd leave it up to you.

[Jiyo Sora]

Oh! Here was one I kind of glossed over...

I had Sora build fish traps but know nothing about fishing with a rod or a line. It seemed to fit the Hikaru's mountain lifestyle....

[Nanzi]

Sweet cookies are a treat that Nanzi made to accompany tea.

[Hanzou]

The First Journal

Day 1
Ryoshun says that my writing has improved. He says I should practice daily. Nazo says I should use the writing to record my discoveries. So I will...

Day 23
The caves are bigger than we thought. They go quite deep. Beyond any natural light from the surface. I want to explore them, but Nazo says to be careful. Stay near the bats. They watch over us. We know those areas are safe. Ryoshun said to look for more of the metals I found. They'll be important...

Day 36
A stranger arrived today. He said he heard a call. Nazo seemed to understand what he meant. They spent time in the mist-filled cave. Where Ryoshun teaches me. He's began to use Ryoshun's name afterwards. The way Nazo does...

Day 57
More strangers have arrived. The village outside the caves is growing. I've expanded the garden and we've built more pens for the livestock. But, we’ll need to clear more land and plant better crops and cultivate the fungus in the caves...

Day 82
Wen's piglets are adorable. I was worried that the delivery would be difficult, but there were no issues. It was much easier than the water buffalo...

Day 130
There’s another shugenja in the village! Two actually, but one is gifted with Void magic. He was brought to be the first of Nazo’s mystic students. But, the one who brought him is skilled with Fire! She’s promised to show me some of what she knows....

Day 165
It always amuses me when new students are introduced to Ryoshun. It confuses them to walk into the mist-filled cave and find Nazo waiting to teach them. While the barrier between realms is thin there, Few other than Nazo are able to cross it fully, and only under the right conditions. Ryoshun needs a physical form to inhabit on this side. His lessons must be taught through her.

Ryoshun’s lessons cover the walls of the mist-filled cave, much like my writings cover my cave. They will remain there for future generations of sensei to learn and gain inspiration from. This is to be the heart of Ryoshun Seido...

Day 198
Some of the Seppun are visiting. Finally, there’s someone who can teach me about the Air kami! That only leaves Earth. Unfortunately, I’ve been told that most of those gifted with Earth are far to the south, other than the Isawa. Nazo doesn’t trust the Isawa to teach me. She worries that they might try to make me one of their own. But, it is my choice. She’s promised that I can leave with her blessing if I choose to.

It isn’t an easy decision...

Day 205
I've decided to stay, for now. I've learned much of and through the kami, through my own studies and from what visitors have shared with me. There’s so much more I want to know, so much more I want to see and explore. But, there’s a lot to discover her in Ryoshun Seido.

The main temple is nearly complete and construction has begun on the watchtowers and the keep. There’s been growing concern of bandits living in the northern wilds.

The forge and foundry have grown and the mines are being expanded. I understand why Ryoshun asked me to document the different metals I found so carefully.

The bats follow me into the caverns now, allowing me to go deeper, though I suspect they aren’t ordinary bats. I doubt Ryoshun would encourage me to continue exploring if they were. Nazo still objects, but she has other concerns.

The baby will be here in only a few months....

Day 260
Rei arrived midwinter, on the solstice. She’s small, but healthy. She’s beautiful. Nazo calls her snowflake and Rei seems as light and delicate as one. No harm will come to her. I’ll allow nothing to hurt my little sister...

Day 291
I found tracks in the lower caverns today, similar to those of a lizard, but larger. The miners suggested they were goblin tracks, but none of the stories I’ve heard mentioned any being so far north. The bats didn't seem bothered either...

[Wu]

-The Path of Self-reliance, script received by the students of the dojo of Wu

I have met many man of professed wisdom, both true and false, during my travels but the words of one of one of my old mentors echoed more profundly within me. This is the essence of what he believed in the words of my friend and fellow student Mirumoto. Meditate on these words

1. do not turn your back on the various Ways of the World
2. Do not scheme for physical pleasure
3. Do not intend to rely on anything
4. Consider yourself lightly; consider the world deeply
5. Do not ever think in acquisitive terms.
6. Do not regret thing about your own personnal life
7. Do not envy another's good or evil
8. Do not lament parting on any road whatsoever.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. In all things, have no preferences.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
17. Do not begrudge death
18. Do not intent to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect the words of the wise and the gods but do not depend on them.
20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
21. Never stray from the way of martial arts.

[Togashi Saruko]

The Ways of the Hikaru Tribe


The Tribe of Hikaru is fiercely independent, rarely even trading to fill their needs, despite their rather rugged location in the foothills of the Spine of the World Mountains, near Beiden Pass. The Tribe has opportunistic eating habits. In the mountainous region, the ability to farm is limited, and their diet is supplemented by foraging and taking from others in harsh times, though they don’t make as much of a habit of it as the Noriaki. Preying on others is a form of dependence in their eyes. They are also herders and have made considerable progress in food preservation techniques. They do, however, have little time beyond ensuring that they can survive from year to year. Intermarriage and their rare trading has nonetheless given them some cultural commonalities with other nearby tribes.

Prominent Members:
Chosaku – The leader of the tribe, who not long ago led them to victory over six neighboring tribes over territorial disputes. He is well known for being led into war over virtually any reason, and his tribe has gained a more violent reputation since he took power. - official writeup by GM Canary

Player-created content (compiled from the various players and scene in the Dawn of the Empire-game)


The Hikaru as a tribe has a single leader, usually one of their toughest warriors. As a tribe, they value strength, hardiness, and survival skills over adminastrive talents, so a leader is expected to be able to contend with anyone who would challenge the tribe as a whole or them as leader of the tribe.

Daily life in the Spine of the World is harsh and unforgiving, and it has made the Hikaru a hardened folk. They consider themselves sturdy and hardy folk of the Highlands, and the name Hghlander is a common moniker they call themselves by. In comparison, those who don't live in the mountains, but in what they call the Lowlands, are Lowlanders - weak and soft by their standards. This lifestyle has also given them a strong independent streak. While it's not "every man for themself"-philosophy in full among them, each member of the tribe must be able to contribute and not be a burden on the community. In this vein, the Hikaru do not keep slaves, and criminals are usually either executed or exiled - there is simply no room for people who can't be trusted in the mountaints, and it's hard enough to feed oneself and one's family. An abducted Lowlander wouldn't be considered trusted, and thus it would be a waste to provide for them.

The tribe do not farm, or practice much of agriculture, except for keeping animals. Goats are the most common as mountain-goats are able to survive the harsh climate and mountainous region, as well as chickens who can also live on little and eat what the humans cannot. They are opportunistic in their eating habits, and are expert foragers in the Spine of the World. And since so much of their time is spent on hunting and foraging for survival, they have developed many clever hunting tricks, such as various forms of traps, as this allows them to cover a wider area. Likewise, they are also quite skilled at food preservation to last them through the rough winter seasons. Similarly to the Noriaki, the Hikaru raid other tribes to procure what they need to survive, but even raiding is seen as a form of dependence upon others, but in hard times (which can be often in the Spine of the World) they consider raiding a nescesary form of survival.

Trade isn't unheard of in the tribe, but it's not their preferred method of survival. What they can spare, usually the pelts and hides they aren't using for clothes themselves, is traded with the neighbouring lowlanders for food, fabrics, and other essentials that they can't get in the mountains. Since they trade for most of their fabrics, which isn't as highly prioritized as food, fur and leather remain the most common items for clothing with fabrics used where nescessary. There is not much thought given to fashion or style when it comes to their clothing, but they do use bones for decoration. Either by fashioning it into their clothing, to be used as accessories in their hair, or as piercings. Pigments made from grinding certain stones or from clay are used to decorate one's skin.

The gruff Hikaru are not without appriciation of some arts, though their skill with it might not be considered very artistic by the Lowlanders. Dance is popular, as its something everyone can join in on, especially during revelries and celebrations. Wind instruments have some popularity as well. The Xun, which is a globular vessel flute made of bone or baked clay, originated as a hollow-weight attached at the end of ropes used for catching prey, so when thrown it would produce sound. The Highlanders found its sounds enjoyable and learned how create music by blowing air into the egg-shaped instrument.

[Jiyo Sora]

The Dissenters- The Willow Sect (With apologies to Frank Herbert)

The name of this organization probably doesn't exist yet, but the association is there (I also picked it because of the association of willows with ghosts in Japanese folklore).

"That which submits rules. The willow submits to the wind and prospers until one day it is many willows — a wall against the wind."

This is a statement that bears some unpacking- because Sora does not always mention the obvious fact- that the wall of willows doesn't stop the wind from blowing, it just shelters those who might not be prepared for it. Taken in its entirety, it illustrates the stance of the master of one of the sects of dissent- not to stop Shiba's reign (which its master largely endorses), but to protect people whose concerns might be crushed under the engine of progress.

Philosophically, Sora does not object to the rule of the Kami as such, so long as it respects that humanity has lessons to teach the Kami as much as the reverse, and given that Shiba has allowed tribes to make decisions without much outright coercion, he remains basically pleased with the arrangement.

In keeping with Sora's admiration for Shiba, action against the Imperial families is strictly off-limits during Sora's lifetime- after all, they have the Emperor's ear in many respects, and the Kami who was able to muddle through Sora's inept personal expression can be trusted to give an ear to legitimate concerns.

"We serve the Emperor, but we stand for the people of the Empire."

Due to the particular nature of its founder's association with the Emperor, the operatives of the Willow sect are not intended to be distinct from the population they protect, nor do they oppose the will of Shiba. Operatives at the dawn of the Empire (and therefore any character in this game's timeframe who wants to claim membership) are hand-picked by Sora, usually with a combination of on the spot judgment and a bit of oracular insight from his eye.

Most are not what one would think of as inherently lethal- among Sora's early recruits are a sixteen year old girl running from an arranged marriage in her tribe who had endured whippings for her disobedience, a 60 year old man with no sight in one eye and a bum leg abandoned by his band as potential dead weight, and a happily married father of six who simply had the audacity to demand what the hell this so-called "Empire" had to offer him that he didn't already enjoy. As capable killer in his own right, Sora is able to teach enough for most of his operatives to perform as required. The defining trait sought by Sora in his recruits seems to be either having been screwed over by tradition in some fashion, or an open questioning of what joining Shiba's Empire would actually offer them on a cultural level.

All live within the wider population, changing and being changed by the surrounding culture. No Willow Sect operative will act in that capacity without a full understanding of their target and why they must die (those whose duties include the odd bit of death, such as warriors, are expected to carry those out as they see fit, independent of their sect duties). "Because other Dissenters said so" is not good enough. In practice, most of them probably never actually carry out an assassination during this timeframe.

Sect members are encouraged to quietly let it be known in their communities that they can solve certain problems. Whether those problems are tyrannical Imperial officials, crime bosses who evade the law through bribery or stealth, brutal tribal chieftains who don't allow their people a choice in allegiance, or creepy suckers using magic to selfish ends, Willow Sect operatives are expected to exercise judgment in their removal.

They are most decidedly not above executing fellow proto-Kolat whose methods interfere with the freedom of people to choose their loyalties, or which seem to be power-grabs for their own ends.

Moreover, at this point in their history, the identities and residences or areas of operation of all operatives are known to Emperor Shiba.

[Togashi Saruko]

The teachings of Togashi Saruko, founder of the Saru Family

"To be childlike in heart and mind is to be true to your genuine heart and mind. If one denies themselves the purity and joy that comes from such a mindset, then they deny their genuine self. A childlike heart and mind is free of pretentiousness and falsehoods; for it is the original spirit at the very beginning of thought."

The philosophy of the Saru is the ideals of spontaneity, abundance in feelings, joy, and a love for the world the inhabit. The idea is that a mind and heart that is not burdened with indifference or stagnation will find and nurture creativity, innovation, compassion, and understanding. A person who can trust their heart and mind will move through life with ease, without becoming shackled to the weights of the world; one must be part of the world they occupy, for one cannot step into water without becoming wet, but one must also be careful to not drown in the depths of the world and the darkness that can be found there.

"Find joy in the world, for it is the world that shapes our souls in the same way that a weaver brings together many threads to create a greater whole - one cannot live life alone for the essence of life is togetherness. Life can only be created by other lives coming together; from the birth of a child, from the earth that nurtures the seeds that will sprout, from the Sun and Moon creating the stars in the sky."
"This is not to say that there is no pain in the world, but one must be careful to not make pain a cycle by creating more pain. If a man plants barley, he will recieve barley - as it is with pain and joy. Our actions can extend beyond our selves and touch the lives of other, and the power is ours if those actions will bring pain or joy."

Togashi Saruko taught that her followers should show kindness and compassion where possible. Not only because one should strive to treat others as they themselves would like to be treated, but because it was also good for the well-being of one's spirit to practice virtuous behaviour. However, she did not speak for full devotion to pacifism, as she did not see fault in taking up arms to defend oneself, loved ones, or the lives of others. "It is a sad truth in the world that there are some who can only understand violence and are very willing to inflict that violence upon others, including yourself. It is at times like these where you must stay true to yourself and do what your heart and mind tell to you to be right. If you listen to your true heart and mind, then you will not be afraid and you are able to act as you must."

"We are part of a larger whole. Not only the lives we live amongst and are connected to, but the trees, the rivers, the animals in the woods, the birds in the sky - we are all part of the great weave, joined together in an elaborate pattern. Treat nature with kindness and respect too, for it is the bounties of the natural world that sustain our lives. If there is harmony in the spirits of the land, and the animals are thriving, then so shall you thrive."

While the teachings reinforces that one should nurture good feelings and actions over negative ones, the teachings also reflect upon that it is indifference that is the deterioration of the spirit's well-being, for it closes off the purity of thought and action from the childlike heart and mind. To feel anger or sadness is a normal feeling, though one should not be controlled by such negative feeling, it is a more genuine reflection of one's heart and mind than to not feel it or acknowledge it at all. Indifference is the death of creativity and expression.

"Remember that all things are nescessary in order to reach a true understanding of the world and our place within it. The song that lifts the spirit holds as much value as the edge of a sword, the food that nourishes your body holds as much value as the sights that nourishes your soul. To appriciate beauty is the beginning of wisdom, I have been taught. And we should never stop appriciating beauty, or stop creating beauty where we go. To further the gifts of wisdom, we also further creating a more beautiful and harmonious world for the generations to come."


---- Update during game (because of library goal) ------

Togashi Saruko spoke and promoted much of bringing learning and education to as many as possible, and it was her wish that all people who followed her would be taught to read and write at the very least, and also be able to study philosophy, particularly the Tao of Shinsei. She highly encouraged other daimyo and clans to show the same amount of care in building a better future.

"Teaching and learning is the path to understanding and a greater harmony in the world. This is important from the highest lord to the humblest farmer. For if you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them."

[Nanzi]

Nanzi and Doji present the Kami and their spouses with beautiful kimono in their preferred colors as a wedding gift, and build a beautiful garden for the Emperor his spouse, and the royal Fox lineage.

Nanzi was not present at the wedding of Hantei, but was at all other weddings he could actually attend.

[Hantei Kinsen]

Why not?

[Nanzi]

Why not?

From the Crane Archives as recorded by Doji Jigutsuji:

The forgotten one known as Nanzi returned to us, we the people of the Goguryeoji. Last he had been seen I was no more a child that could make words. He had been cast out but returned to us and said that the Gods now walk among us and he was their champion… even more so that one was his bride. It seemed untrue but his confidence was great and his tale was enraptured.

He did not return alone, others followed him and called him Lord and verified his tale, they were outsiders but they all gave the same tale and spoke of this goddess made flesh named Doji. Nanzi-dono gave us a choice to join him or live on the fringes as mere bandits and shepherds or join something larger and greater.

He even gave amnesty to his kin that had cast him out, they refused but many saw some truth in his words and before the month was out most had chosen to follow Nanzi, my family included. It was not all bloodless, but when they saw that the numbers favored this champion of the Crane tribe they were scattered.

We returned to these protected lands, the lands of our ancestors of the old tribe and were brought before Lady Doji in all her beauty, it was true she was his spouse, she was beyond all measure, and he had brought us a better future. We now serve the Crane, many of our people seem different in hue and size to the protected lands but all are the people and now we are of the families of Nanzi and Doji; now we are Crane and the Ghost Tribe is no more.

[Nanzi]

Preface to the Divine Blade

On the sacred hill of the Seppun this humble samurai witnessed the birth of the divine art of steel, the perfection that is superb art of the Challenge, the Focus, and the Strike. It is by mastery of the divine form of Iaijutsu that Emperor Shiba earned the favor of the Heavens and proved his right to rule and guide our peoples to the future.

This is the highest aspiration of the sword, the genteel and honorable art of the duel.

The Challenge

There is no honor in simply brawling like a thug, even to settle differences we must be better than the society that came before. A Challenge must be clear and orderly, it must be made with Honor in the heart and Sincerity in the soul. It is not a frivolous thing to make a Challenge, it is only for matters that are of grave importance to the samurai, to their kin, and to their clan.

A samurai must be clear in their intent, the Challenge must be specific and it should announce the why of it, and it is not a tool to be used to deflect punishment but only to seek justice and amend the Honor of the aggrieved party. If a judgment is to be passed one cannot challenge the judgment, but they can challenge the testimony made in such judgment if they contest the veracity of the words.

Once a Challenge is given, a response must be given, samurai honors their word so there can be recourse but to see it through. The Challenged can accept they are wrong and bow to the will of the Challenger or they can accept the Challenge and set a time to resolve the matter through the Divine Art. With the approval of their senior, and with an official of position they can move to the sacred duel.

The Focus

A sacred duel does not need sacred ground, but it is preferred. Heaven is always watching though and thus will know the truth of things if one wishes to act without Honor. The sword is the weapon of the duel, it is the arbiter of justice with matters of Honor between civilized samurai. Most duels should be settled with a single cut, there is no need for continued butchery and if the duel must continue beyond the first strike then the matter is grave indeed and both parties have accepted that only the life of the other can satisfy the demands of Honor.

The Divine Art should spare needless bloodshed, but the demands of Honor and one’s kin are greater than their life and if they must be satisfied then so be it. Before blades are drawn, there is one final chance for the Challenged to accept they are in error and bow to the Challenger, once blades are drawn then only Heaven can decide. To bow is not an act of cowardice but Courage and Honor to accept either a superior foe or to see that they have erred and mend the rift that has formed.

The Strike

This is the most straight forward of all, the singular strike. The blade is drawn and then continued into a strike, and justice will favor the more just party. Even so, Heaven supports those who strive for perfection and seek to emulate the divine ways of her honored Children. Thus, we must hone our talent with the blade, master the draw and strike so we can better be instruments of Heaven’s will.

The strike is not mortal, it should draw blood, but a samurai should be able to recover from such a blow with minimal attention of a healer. The first to draw blood, proves their intentions were just and Heaven favors them, and there can be no further challenges on this subject. One cannot challenge the outcome of the duel, that is an insult to the Heavens and to the Divine Son, whose will is first and foremost.

With the duel resolved, assuming it is not a grave matter, the participants should depart in peace and Honor. If one has fallen, they should be given all due honors and it is the burden of the victor to see that all things are done properly or insult their ancestors and the Heavens with their crass lack of etiquette.

The sacred duel has ended, the Heavens have spoken.

[Shoji Haka]

Various Shoji Customs

The Shoji are superstitious, and rightfully so; few other tribes spend so much time in close proximity to the spirits of the dead. A number of customs have developed among the tribe to help then survive in their haunted woods.


Names: The Shoji believe that names hold a aort of mystical power. Children are often given multiple fake names to confuse the ghosts, only learning their real name when they reach adolescence. At this point, the fake names are discarded, along with whatever attention those names have attracted from the spirits.

Speaking a name aloud - whether one's own or that of another - is only done when it is safe, preferably in warded and protected areas, lest it be overheard by a ghost and draw its attention. Shoji thus tend to either speak about themselves or others in the third person or rely upon descriptive nicknames. Most Shoji become annoyed or agitated when directly addressed by name, as it is seen as announcing one's presence to any ghosts in the area.


Kusabi Ritual: Literally a "wedge," Kusabi are individuals who have been marked for sacrifice by the tribe. Those with mystical powers are seen as better Kusabi than those without, as are those with notable markings, such as facial birthmarks or eyes of different colors.

Every hundred moons, a Kusabi is sacrificed by the tribe to keep the door to the spirit world wedged shut for another hundred moons. The Kusabi is ritually purified by bathing in the moonlight, then they are wrapped with sacred ropes which are pulled tight by the tribe's shamans, suffocating the Kusabi (and often breaking their ribs). The sacred ropes are then taken into the forest and placed in specific areas, where the spirit of the Kusabi is said to keep them at bay.


Fetiches: Ghosts have difficulty identifying humans - they don't really have eyes, after all. A confused ghost is generally preferable to a hungry ghost or an angry ghost, so the Shoji.are fond of fetiches: objects shaped to look like people. Whether these are small stick figures hung outside one's hut or a dummies made of leaf-stuffed cloth and slathered with blood, they exist to make it more difficult for wandering spirits to differentiate between the living and the artificial.

Some Shoji even reverse this process, painting their faces to look less human and more like a spirit. This is most common among hunters and others who spend a great deal of time away from the "safe" routes.


Death: The Shoji believe that it takes roughly one day for a spirit to be severed from a corpse and become a hungey ghost. The bodies of those who due are carried, often by their relatives, as far into the forest as possible and left with offerings of food and blood in the hope that its hunger will be appeased before it can grow out of control. Even if the ghost is not placated, it will at least be far from the village and less prone to encounter a villager while they are gathering food.

The sick and dying are expected to enter the forest on their own before they perish, though they may be helped by their relatives if travel is difficult. Encountering the spirit of a relative is said to be a bad omen.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

The Takemori tribe is a nomadic one - wandering from lands that, in another history, would belong to the Yogo in the west, all the way through the suzume valley, and past, near the coast to the east. Their nomadic nature, moving their herds from place to place, has led to them adopting well built and decorated storage wagons as their primary constructions, holding most everything of value and forming impromptu fortifications when circled at a camping site. Individuals and families live in well adorned tent structures, which can be assembled and packed quickly, to allow for the tribe to relocate every few months when the pastures grow thin and need to regrow.

This mobile nature has made them an individualistic and proud tribe, relying heavily on their herds for wool, meat, bones, and leather, along with wood gathered along the edge of the shinomen forest during their west-most travels. Because of this, they tend away from complex metal tools, only acquiring such hard metals from trade, and otherwise using decorated wooden tonfa to guide and protect their flocks. Clothes are woven in decorative patterns, from fiber or wool, and jewelry and other ornaments are crafted from small bits of copper and stone. The Tribal arts are largely performative - with lasting creations mostly consisting of decoration upon wagon, instrument, or clothing, and no written records kept.

Names: Takemori tribes-people will carry a variety of names, drawing as they do from villages and travelers who may have chosen to stay and marry into the tribe. That said, all will take the Takemori tribe name, along with the undergoing the ritual of membership, unless they are Ongaku.

The second 'family' of the tribe, the Ongaku, are the ritual performers. Any children who are not claimed by the parents, either because they are born of an incautious fling by an unwed individual, or because one parent does not wish to remain with the caravan, is taken by the tribe and made Ongaku. These children are then raised as one apart, tasked with learning and performing the many songs and dances of the tribe history - bringing lively energy to festivals and bringing blessings from the earth with exemplary performance. They are respected, but also isolated - forbidden from taking a spouse within the tribe, so as to avoid any family gaining undue influence over their sacred work.

Oaths, and Oath Breaking: The Takemori are a people bound purely by oral contract. Without written records or confirmation of any dealings, reputation is critical to maintaining trust between caravan families and villages with whom they do business. The reputation of an individual is held in high regard, and the twin crimes of oath breaking and defamation are viewed as reprehensible. Staining your own reputation by failing to live up to your promises will often lead to the tribe divesting you of authority, tasking you with menial and unimportant matters until you can prove yourself worthy of returning to regular life. In turn, falsely impugning the reputation of another is viewed as worse - this crime often carries the cost of public lashing or even exile - for who could trust someone who does not give a fair accounting when speaking of others? They sow distrust and uncertainty, not just about themselves, but about all with whom they do business.

Marriage: Because the Takemori are a people bound purely by oral contract, marriage is regarded as a very sacred rite. If one is to be trusted, they must be able to keep their pledge to those they love, first and foremost of all. Accordingly, not all Takemori who start families together choose to marry, indeed many do not, but those that do are making a public declaration of their trustworthiness, and are expected to remain extremely faithful to their spouse. Adultery is often punished like other oath-breaking, by stripping an individual of any esteem or social position they hold, leaving them only the least important and inconsequential tasks, so that their treachery cannot threaten the good of the tribe. Recovering from this status is arduous, often requiring years of effort and reliable labor for the good of the caravan, along with the agreement of their spouse.

Children born to two parents within the tribe are Takemori by name, to be raised by those parents - only those who are born of adultery or a dalliance with an outsider who refuses to join the caravan are made Ongaku. In rare cases, if there is a shortage of such children, Ongaku may be allowed to wed one another, but such an event is rare.

The Rites: Almost every truly important moment in Takemori life has some sort of song, dance, or festival. Marriages are day long affairs, wild and full of music and dancing, as are the festivals which mark the turning seasons, funerals, and birth celebrations. Takemori believe a single great deity made everything, before falling into a deep sleep, leaving the world in the hands of many caretaker spirits, and they will often offer songs or dances to please them, before taking a new camp site to remain for a few months. They hope enough of their songs will pass through those caretakers to eventually wake the great deity. Even smaller events, such as formal contracts, departing a camp site, or ritual fight to solve a dispute will often have an Ongaku present, playing a truthsong, or a binding melody to underscore the proceedings.

Ogres: Ever since joining the tribe, the Ogres have formed a second caravan, which follows the human one, so that none of the local villages they pass are unprepared for their coming. Standoffish and disdainful by nature, those ogres who stayed among the tribe have grown to enjoy human company - fleeting though it may be, and often serve as sages and judges, resolving human disputes or offering wisdom from generations past. Some take human spouses, and stay with them until eventually time, and human mortality, separate them. After the loss of a spouse, often an ogre will return to the second caravan for a season or two to grieve, avoiding human company.

They keep tribes of goats, following harsher paths than the human caravans, wandering in wilder places, and some seasons they travel far from the usual circuit, seeking solace in wild places where humans are yet to settle, but they often return a few months later as if nothing unusual had happened.

Death: Upon death, a Takemori is given a parting festival - a short but fierce song declaring their name and deeds to the spirits, so that they will be returned to the maker with a good report - that way the new spirit will be given a good home and place in the next life as a caretaker. Then the body is wrapped, bound, and burned, so that the spirit is not tempted to try and come back - but instead is free to go on with no regrets.

[Nanzi]

Excerpt from the Divine Blade.

The Samurai and the Blade’s Purpose

The Samurai is many things, but first among them is the role of Servant. We serve at the behest of our betters, from the Emperor to the respective Champions of each Clan, to the Daimyo of the families, to the Lords that serve the Daimyo and on down to the samurai that serve the lords. Through this service we bring order and serenity to the Empire, the chaos of what came before is dissolved and replaced by a divine order ordained by Tengoku and replicated in the realm of Ningen-do.

A samurai is a role of responsibility, charged with defending the Empire with their very lives and to do so with Courage and Honor. They submit completely to the will of their respective Family and Clan, who ultimately reflect the will of the Emperor, the first divine patron.

A samurai must know Compassion, they dedicate their skill and power to the betterment of others. They put the good of the all before themselves, when such does not exist they create it. They are driven to make the lives of those they serve and govern those that cannot do so for themselves.

A samurai must know Courage, they must not be afraid to act for the Good of the nation, the Empire. They are driven to take action when action is needed, they are driven to do what must be done even at great cost to themselves. They know that death in service to their Lord and Emperor, is not a failing but the highest Honor they can achieve. They do not act foolishly but with reason and cunning; but they shall know no fear as a true servant of the Empire.

A samurai must know Courtesy, they are not cruel tyrants or despots but guardians and warrior sages. They have no need to prove their strength or ability, that path leads to hubris and folly. A samurai respects the high and low, the enemy and the friend. Judge not a samurai by how he treats his Lord but how he treats the lowest person, for even the lowest serve the Emperor and are to be given respect.

A samurai must know Duty, he owns his words and actions and chooses such with care. He is the final arbiter of responsibility and will not shirk what is his role. To do so is to be a poor servant to those above and below. They must own their responsibility wholly and dedicate themselves to the execution of that role to the utmost of their abilities and beyond. Only in Death are they finally released from such Duty.

A samurai must know Honesty, they deal not in falsehoods with their words, they speak truths at all times. Some claim there is a shade of gray, these are the words of those that do not know Honesty in their heart, there is right and there is wrong. A samurai must be Honest, for they are their word and deed. An exception to this is in warfare, but in all other actions they should be just and true.

Finally a samurai must know Honor, they must know that they cannot hide from their actions. They must act as is right even when no others are around to chastise or observe them. They must do as instructed even if no one else will know they have accomplished the deed for they shall know and a samurai cannot hide from the mirror of the self. This is the final truth of what a samurai must know.

Once a samurai accepts all these things they are ready to master the blade. To master themselves. The blade is not a tool of tyranny or oppression. A samurai seeks mastery of the blade because it is just and right, as they will be called to act in the service of others and to do so with no hesitation. This is the purpose of the Blade, to serve the greater good of the Empire. This is the purpose of the Divine Blade and mastery of the duel, as servants our lives are not our own and altercations will occur but a clean method of adjudication that expresses the purpose of civilized society must be adhered to.

They do not strike for their own selfish desire but for their ancestors, for their clan, and for the Emperor. They bring the justice of Tengoku into the Ningen-do, and that is a responsibility that cannot be disregarded lightly.

This is the greatest responsibility of the servant and the Divine Blade.