The Protected Lands (Rokugan)

[Canary]

Geography

The Protected Lands is the Seppun Tribes term for the large swath of lands bordered by the Northern Ranges, the Great Forest (later known as the Shinomen) in the west, the Twilight Mountains to the south and the Eastern Sea. Any realms beyond are largely unknown to the denizens of this area because of the difficulty in crossing these natural barriers and the relative lack of reward in doing so. The Seppun on rare occasion speaks of a Burned Land to the west, but few have strayed far enough to see it. The Tribes tend to be separated geographically by the Spine of the World mountains, and trade is often limited between the two halves of the region.

Food

Most of the Protected Lands are relatively lush, encouraging the cultivation of a wide array of plants naturally found there. Tribes can be found growing a vast array of crops. Grains, mostly wheat, buckwheat, barley, and millet, are grown widely and used for a variety of food including buns, noodles, and porridge. Vegetables and fruits are cultivated depending on the environment of the particular tribe. Seafood, poultry, herd animals, ad various wild game are eaten for protein, as well as soybeans. Food preservation in the forms of drying and pickling are common. Salting is more rare, as salt is not especially common outside of some coastal tribes. Rice exists, but is currently the province of the Isawa Tribe.

Social Classes

Social classes aren't especially stratified in most tribes, with a few exceptions such as the Kakita and the Isawa tribes. The leaders of the tribes often do similar work to their followers in the day to day, with the difference being more in the leadership they offer in addition to that. There are some people who oversee large farms, but they also work on those farms themselves. Everyone contributes to the protection and well being of the tribe.

Among the Clans, classes are beginning to be stratified between those who serve the Kami by fighting (socially, spiritually, and physically) and those who serve by working the land and providing goods.

Etiquette

Etiquette is fairly basic, as this event is one of the first times there has been a major meeting of many tribes at one time. There are a few general guidelines, however. Most people are referred to using both their tribe name and their given name in that order to make each other's interactions clearer. Bows are used to greet others, though the depth doesn't vary based on someone's social class most of the time. It is considered bad form to attack someone outside of an agreed-upon place and time to sort out disagreements, since that would cause trouble for the hosts, the Seppun Tribe. Hospitality is an important idea among the tribes, and if someone visits the camp of another tribe, it is considered good form to treat them as an honored guest.

Since rice is not yet a common food, "have you had rice today" is not a common greeting.

Doji and the Emperor's consort, Yuzuru have been codifying new ideals behind etiquette, including the standard of bowing and tea.

Love and Marriage

Marriage is one of the institutions that varies wildly from Tribe to Tribe. Even very spiritual tribes are extremely different in their practices. Among the Seppun, marriages are approved and conducted by the Seppun herself. In the Isawa, any priest may sanctify a marriage, including a ceremony which involves drinking sake with a drop of blood from each person mixed in. The Ayakashi are not terribly interested in marriage at all, and most couples simply choose who they want to live with and make children with and do so, and little ruckus is made if they later end the arrangement.

Amongst the nascent Clans, marriage is starting to become a more formal thing, with shugenja sanctifying them. Agreements and the binding of the majority of a Tribe into a Clan has recently had marriage as a key part of that. Marriage between those of the same sex is known and of equal value politically. In those cases, a third party is involved to provide children. The basis of this tradition lies in the marriage of Emperor Shiba and his consort, Yuzuru, and Shiba's yojimbo, Jiyo, who was the third party involved.

Calendar and Seasons

Most tribes consider the year to begin on the Spring Equinox, and many have festivals celebrating the changing of the seasons, as well as solstices and equinoxes. Harvest time also features many celebrations – these vary by the particular crops that the tribe in question grows and their seasons.

A few tribes who live in more unusual weather zones have different celebrations, such as times when specific herds pass through, or celebrating something related to the Fortune or Fortunes they revere in particular.

The celebration of birthdays varies. Many tribes consider all children to age at the time of the new year, though a few tribes have families keep careful track of birthdays. A common practice is holding a celebration 100 days after an infant's birth to celebrate their survival through the most dangerous part of their childhood. Infant mortality is a fact of life.

The Tribes all measure the roll of years different, but a common system of months have filtered through the Tribes. The year begins with the coming of Spring, which consists of the months of the Hare, Dragon, and Serpent. Summer is the months of Horse, Goat, and Monkey. Autumn is Rooster, Dog, and Boar. The year ends with Winter and the months of Rat, Ox, and Tiger.

Since the fall of the Kami five years ago, the Tribes that follow them, and people who are now part of the nascent Clans, have begun counting the years by the fall of the Kami, and mark the start of the year on the day of their Tournament, the first day of the month of the Hare.