Post by Kizmet on Jun 13, 2011 23:12:53 GMT -5
Name: The Eastern Mountains; The Kingdom of Shinohi
Description: The Shinohi live in the mountains, high up, close to where the timber line ends. The people live in isolated individual communities usually of 100 to 300 members each, though there are larger settlements. Honor and devotion to the Gods, Goddesses, and Emperor & Emperess are important in Shinohi, and the people live quiet aloof exsistences. They pursue personal interests, some choosing the way of the Warrior, others choosing religion, others intellect. Magick is highly regarded in Shinohi. It is believed to be a gift from the Gods/Goddesses, and only Religious Devotees may practice. Anything else is considered akin to demon possession and is treated as such, hence the animosity between Shinohi and Aquilos, where magick is widespread. Wealth is spread evenly amongst the people of Shinohi, though there is little of it because there is little need for it.
Geography: The Eastern Mountains stretch from North to South along the eastern edge of Lamavia. They are of varied heights, with some peaks soaring miles into the sky, almost always obscured by clouds, while others resemble very large mountains, with snow not even existing on them year yound. Between the mountains lie low valleys. The valleys have fertile soil and are relatively warm year round, compared to the mountains. This attracts people to settle there, but it is a death trap. Vast River systems flow from the mountains to the Eastern Ocean as well as three large lakes that lie amongst the mountains and valleys and to the Sun-Grss Plains and the Kingdom of Aquilos to the West. During the 8 months of deep winter the high mountains experience, the rivers are calm and there is little flooding. During the four months of thaw, all but a few shallow western valleys flood, some to depths of 50 feet or more. The Shinohi know this and avoid the valleys save for a few that are used as farming fields in the depth of winter. The Shinohi call the valleys 'Shikou', or death pits. The valleys and mountains around the weastern and southern edge of Shinohi tend to be smaller and more rounded, where the mountains to the east and north tend to be smaller but jagged, and break off into cliffs that drop into the Northern Ocean in the North and the Eastern Sea to the East. The mountains in the center of Shinohi are the highest, the valleys the lowest, and this is where the most catastrophic flooding and snows occur.
Terrain: Shinohi is completely made of mountains, hills, and valleys. There are many rivers and three large lakes. The largest lake, Lake Hoshishiro, consists of several flooded valleys connected by the water, and at places is over a mile and a half deep.
Climate: The climate of Shinohi is generally very cool and wet. The valleys are a bit warmer than the surrounding mountains due to their lower altitudes and in the summers heat waves can raise the temperatures into the 90's. Normally the valleys are in the 70's in the summer and as low as the 20's in the winter, though this rarely occurs, and devestates food supplies when it does. At the peaks the weather is well below 0 degrees F most of the year except in the depth of the thaw, where it rises above freezing, usually for less than a month..
Flora/Fauna: Arctic Foxes, Polar Bears, weasels, owls, hawks, Arctic Hares, wolves, etc.; Scrubs, ferns, pines, conifers, lichen, etc.
Year Established: The people of Shinohi do not know when exactly they arrived in the mountains, but their legends and myths tell of a great tragedy that forced them to leave their homeland in the east many millenia ago.
Ruler: The current ruler is Emperor Sui Chin of the Tan Lu Shang Dynasty
Ruler's Titles: Emperor, Empress, Princess, Prince
Capital: Toshio. Located on Mount Seika, it is the largest city in the Empire, the Emperor and his family lives at the summit. The palace is connected to the rest of the city by rickety wooden briges tied together with rope. It is frightening experience to be traveling on one of these bridges when the wind begins to blow. Many tragedies have occured when the rope bridges have snapped in the past.
Population: 100,000
Size: 535 Square Miles
Government Type: The Emperor has absolute power, though he has advisors. The military helps control the populace.
Government Stability: Very stable thanks to the military.
Allies & Alliances: Akinosh
Enemies & Rivals: Aquilos
Neutral Countries: Messina, Nisga'l'Haida, Ahatna'l'Haida, Yakima'l'Haida
Demographics: Semi-based on Asian Cultures (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, etc.) and Alaskan and other Northern Native Tribes (Inuits, Eskimos, etc.)
National Colors: Bronze, Copper, and Orange
Government: When the Emperor/ess dies, the eldest child succeeds him/her.
Legal System: In Shinohi, Mob Rule is the norm. If the people of your town feel you are guilty, vigilante justice will be served.
Military: Everyone is required to serve in the Military. The best stay in; the others return to their home towns after 5 years and go on with their lives unless they are needed for service again.
Economy: Shinohi is not a money-based civilization. They mostly use bartering, because high in the mountaisn, what good is money to anyone? They want goods.
Currency: Though they mostly use bartering, they also Roupes. Different colors indicate different amounts. Gold is 20, Silver is 10, bronze is 5, and copper is 1. They are small coins that are used all over Lamavia.
Technology Level: Ancient. Clothing of animal skins and furs, mostly stone weapons and tools.
Natural Resources and Manufactured Goods: Pottery, animal skins, minerals. Few natural resources, their pottery and other crafts can fetch a fair price in Aquilos. Their magicks are also sought after by certain people.
Social: Honor, self-discipline, internal strength are all very valued in Shinohi. Traditional and conservative, change tends to happen very slowly in Shinohi.
Languages: The native language, Kenjin, believed to have come across the sea with the original Shinohins. Very few people in the smaller more rural villages, if any, speak the traders tongue, though scholars in the larger cities usually do speak it.
Primary Religion: Religion is very important to Shinohins. They believe in a system with multiple deities, and also worship their ancestors like Demi-Gods.
Cities of note: Toshio, the Capital; Hiramiku, where the military school is located; Kejisakuri, a large village where the farmers pass the flood season.
Map: www.freewebs.com/siberiae/photos/Shinohi/Map%20of%20Shinohi.bmp
Description: The Shinohi live in the mountains, high up, close to where the timber line ends. The people live in isolated individual communities usually of 100 to 300 members each, though there are larger settlements. Honor and devotion to the Gods, Goddesses, and Emperor & Emperess are important in Shinohi, and the people live quiet aloof exsistences. They pursue personal interests, some choosing the way of the Warrior, others choosing religion, others intellect. Magick is highly regarded in Shinohi. It is believed to be a gift from the Gods/Goddesses, and only Religious Devotees may practice. Anything else is considered akin to demon possession and is treated as such, hence the animosity between Shinohi and Aquilos, where magick is widespread. Wealth is spread evenly amongst the people of Shinohi, though there is little of it because there is little need for it.
Geography: The Eastern Mountains stretch from North to South along the eastern edge of Lamavia. They are of varied heights, with some peaks soaring miles into the sky, almost always obscured by clouds, while others resemble very large mountains, with snow not even existing on them year yound. Between the mountains lie low valleys. The valleys have fertile soil and are relatively warm year round, compared to the mountains. This attracts people to settle there, but it is a death trap. Vast River systems flow from the mountains to the Eastern Ocean as well as three large lakes that lie amongst the mountains and valleys and to the Sun-Grss Plains and the Kingdom of Aquilos to the West. During the 8 months of deep winter the high mountains experience, the rivers are calm and there is little flooding. During the four months of thaw, all but a few shallow western valleys flood, some to depths of 50 feet or more. The Shinohi know this and avoid the valleys save for a few that are used as farming fields in the depth of winter. The Shinohi call the valleys 'Shikou', or death pits. The valleys and mountains around the weastern and southern edge of Shinohi tend to be smaller and more rounded, where the mountains to the east and north tend to be smaller but jagged, and break off into cliffs that drop into the Northern Ocean in the North and the Eastern Sea to the East. The mountains in the center of Shinohi are the highest, the valleys the lowest, and this is where the most catastrophic flooding and snows occur.
Terrain: Shinohi is completely made of mountains, hills, and valleys. There are many rivers and three large lakes. The largest lake, Lake Hoshishiro, consists of several flooded valleys connected by the water, and at places is over a mile and a half deep.
Climate: The climate of Shinohi is generally very cool and wet. The valleys are a bit warmer than the surrounding mountains due to their lower altitudes and in the summers heat waves can raise the temperatures into the 90's. Normally the valleys are in the 70's in the summer and as low as the 20's in the winter, though this rarely occurs, and devestates food supplies when it does. At the peaks the weather is well below 0 degrees F most of the year except in the depth of the thaw, where it rises above freezing, usually for less than a month..
Flora/Fauna: Arctic Foxes, Polar Bears, weasels, owls, hawks, Arctic Hares, wolves, etc.; Scrubs, ferns, pines, conifers, lichen, etc.
Year Established: The people of Shinohi do not know when exactly they arrived in the mountains, but their legends and myths tell of a great tragedy that forced them to leave their homeland in the east many millenia ago.
Ruler: The current ruler is Emperor Sui Chin of the Tan Lu Shang Dynasty
Ruler's Titles: Emperor, Empress, Princess, Prince
Capital: Toshio. Located on Mount Seika, it is the largest city in the Empire, the Emperor and his family lives at the summit. The palace is connected to the rest of the city by rickety wooden briges tied together with rope. It is frightening experience to be traveling on one of these bridges when the wind begins to blow. Many tragedies have occured when the rope bridges have snapped in the past.
Population: 100,000
Size: 535 Square Miles
Government Type: The Emperor has absolute power, though he has advisors. The military helps control the populace.
Government Stability: Very stable thanks to the military.
Allies & Alliances: Akinosh
Enemies & Rivals: Aquilos
Neutral Countries: Messina, Nisga'l'Haida, Ahatna'l'Haida, Yakima'l'Haida
Demographics: Semi-based on Asian Cultures (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, etc.) and Alaskan and other Northern Native Tribes (Inuits, Eskimos, etc.)
National Colors: Bronze, Copper, and Orange
Government: When the Emperor/ess dies, the eldest child succeeds him/her.
Legal System: In Shinohi, Mob Rule is the norm. If the people of your town feel you are guilty, vigilante justice will be served.
Military: Everyone is required to serve in the Military. The best stay in; the others return to their home towns after 5 years and go on with their lives unless they are needed for service again.
Economy: Shinohi is not a money-based civilization. They mostly use bartering, because high in the mountaisn, what good is money to anyone? They want goods.
Currency: Though they mostly use bartering, they also Roupes. Different colors indicate different amounts. Gold is 20, Silver is 10, bronze is 5, and copper is 1. They are small coins that are used all over Lamavia.
Technology Level: Ancient. Clothing of animal skins and furs, mostly stone weapons and tools.
Natural Resources and Manufactured Goods: Pottery, animal skins, minerals. Few natural resources, their pottery and other crafts can fetch a fair price in Aquilos. Their magicks are also sought after by certain people.
Social: Honor, self-discipline, internal strength are all very valued in Shinohi. Traditional and conservative, change tends to happen very slowly in Shinohi.
Languages: The native language, Kenjin, believed to have come across the sea with the original Shinohins. Very few people in the smaller more rural villages, if any, speak the traders tongue, though scholars in the larger cities usually do speak it.
Primary Religion: Religion is very important to Shinohins. They believe in a system with multiple deities, and also worship their ancestors like Demi-Gods.
Cities of note: Toshio, the Capital; Hiramiku, where the military school is located; Kejisakuri, a large village where the farmers pass the flood season.
Map: www.freewebs.com/siberiae/photos/Shinohi/Map%20of%20Shinohi.bmp