Nippon

Official languages	Nipponese, K'chonese, Common
Capital
Currency

Contents 1 New Nippon 1.1 History 1.2 Hierarchy, Military and Law 1.3 Religion

New Nippon

History

Before 1100ac, New Nippon was the country know as the Celestial Empire of Kchon. The Kchonese were a peaceful and scholarly people renowned around their world for their great learning and generosity. Their culture was rich in tradition and custom, and social structure was rigid yet fair. When Mount Fujisawa erupted in 1098ac the island nation of Nippon was devastated, leaving a race of people with nowhere to go. As the closest nation, Kchon was the easiest place to reach for those Nipponese that made it out alive. Once they had established themselves on the Kchon’s extensive east coast, the Nipponese regrouped and joined the Tartaria-Frisian Alliance. With this backing they began to systematically slaughter the Kchonese people. Not prepared to defend themselves, these ostensibly non-violent people were wiped out almost entirely in little over two years. Having been driven high into the Celestial Mountains, to the North, the last of the Kchonese, 5000 men, women and children, including the last remaining battalions of the Empirical Army, were barricaded in the Celestial Palace. The alliance forces lay siege to the palace and massacred every soul they found, in the last gruesome and bloody cull of one of the most repellent wars in the history of the World.

Hierarchy, Military and Law

New Nippon now operates under the same strict hierarchy as Nippon had previously. The nation is ruled by the Emperor, who is said to be ordained by All the Gods as their Living Emissary. Directly below him, are the Provincial Lords each of whom has their own private army and a group of Samurai (personal guards). The emperor’s guard, Ryuodu Samurai (Dragon Guard) is comprised of the Kakita Family, led by Kakita Tsubasa a member of the AAG. The Emperor also has his own army. The Imperial Army, lead by the Shogun (Lord General) numbers ten times that of any provincial army. The Imperial Army are the only army allowed to cross Provinical borders during Peace time. During war time, control of the provinces passes to the generals of the provincial armies, who report to the Shogun. The Emperor remains in command at all times. Nippon is primarily a patriarchal society, although women are able to rise to position of authority. There are however no female Provincial Lords, or women serving as soldiers. The following crimes are punishable by death:

• High Treason - the assassination (either successful or attempted) of a member of the Imperial Family.

• Treason - the betrayal of one’s Provincial Lord

• The Desecration of a Temple

• The Desecration of the Dead

• Murder

• Rape

Methods of Execution vary from one Province to another, but most favour ritual beheading (not Seppuku as this is reserved for either Samurai or Provincial Lords) or burning at the stake. The desecration of a Temple or of the Dead are punishable by the Death of One Thousand Cuts which is carried out by a skilled torturer who inflicts precisely one thousand small wounds, each one being more painful that the last.

Religion

As a spiritual nation, Nippon considers priests to be of overwhelming importance. The Priesthood are considered a seperate Social Class; even a low-level Priest could be considered “higher” than a Provincial Lord. However, due to the discipline and humility ingrained in them by years of training a Priest would never overstep his authority (unless compelled by his God). Female clerics are allowed, but only in the Temples of Life and Death. Some of darker religions are restricted. The Trickster faith is limited by law to Bards, Minstrels and other artists. Worship of both Chaos Gods and Kesoth are closely regulated.

Countries of Urdd
Major Powers
Aberddu			Albion			Frysia			New Nippon			Paravel			Tartaria
Lesser Powers
Alendria	Alraeth	Arabi	Aragon	Ba'al	Baylis	C'tuma	Dwarven Realms	The Elven Forest	The Elven Hills	The Elven Woods	Hasselt	Jaffria	The Middle Kingdoms	Nedlund	Nortrol	The Squswn Isles	The Northern Isles