Varil's Shogunate

The Shogun

Shogun Kirigasa Varil, the Mysterious Gunzosha, has a small staff of advisors and loyal retainers. *His honor guard is composed of Enlightened mortals wearing the Sentinel Defense Force Armor (Wonders of the Lost Age, p. 81), which is a variant on the Ashigaru infantry armor designed for policing and ceremonial duties. They carry a Fire Lance(Wonders of the Lost Age, p. 77), which is a combined melee/ranged weapon, and superb quality swords. A few travel with the Shogun, some guard his personal vessels, and the remainder guard his Palace Manse outside of Deheleshen.

• His closest advisors are a married couple - Karal Soaring Gull and Amilar Reiko. The happily married duo are from the leading noble houses in Deheleshen, and were previously important staff officers in the Legions, with Reiko being the Daimyo's chief of the exchequer. As they are Dragonbloods with military experience, they can handle themselves amidst enemies as well as red tape.
• Nefvarin Takaro is an Immaculate chaplain and sorcerer-exorcist. An old friend of Varil's from their childhood, he remains an excellent advisor and counselor on spiritual matters. He also operates a series of message relay systems, a bit like a telegraph. He has also been investigating the other Celestial Exalted more carefully, to help the Shogunate handle these dangerous beings.

Administration

The Shogunate is divided up into several major administrative divisions known as Provinces. The entirety of what would be the Scavenger Lands is known as the River Province. Other Provinces include the Halta Province to the Northeast, Sextus Jilis Province to the Far East (mostly ceded to the Calacthchan Empire), and Rathess Province to the Southeast. Chiaroscuro Province forms the South Coastal region, and Whitewall Province forms the North Coastal Region. Pasiap Province is the designation for the Blessed Isle, though the latter term is interchangeable.

Below Provincial level are the Prefectures. Prefectures are ruled by Daimyos. Most of the prefectures are the size of countries in the old Scavenger Lands, and many of them would be familiar to people of the normal Age of Sorrows.

Notable Locations

Deheleshen

Capital of Lookshy Prefecture and military center of the River Province. A city of warriors, but also of scholars and craftsmen, Deheleshen is both a fortress and a wort of sublime architecture. A major training academy for young officers is present here, as is the Valkhawsen Academy of Sorcerer-Engineers.

Denandsor

The City of Makers is the political capital of the River Province, and the largest center of magitech manufacture in the entire East. More academic than Deheleshen, it still possesses a fearsome defense force and builds vast airships. The Denandsor University regularly receives guest lecturers from Yu-Shan and all throughout Creation. The Autochthonians have set up a second outpost with

Nexus

One of the recommendations implemented by Minnamoto was to cooperate with the Emissary. Nexus operates almost independently, with the Guild and the Masked Nail Syndicate vying for control of the vast market in this city of free enterprise and industry. There is almost nothing that cannot be bought here, and even the highest Shogunate official respects the Emissary. The respect is apparently returned, as the tribute of the Council has never gone unpaid.

Great Forks

A group of Shogunate soldiers happened to be present when the Three decided to join together, and it is said Tien Yu herself led them. The negotiation led to a rare exception to the Immaculate Faith, though they have a monastery within the prefecture. There is a notable difference in that Great Forks, like the rest of the Shogunate, does not allow slavery in the traditional sense, instead having serfs and indentured servants.

Thorns

A major center of the Immaculate Faith, and a critical part of the defenses of the Eastern coast. The Chaplain-General lives here, and most of the Sorceror-Exorcists train here. The Immaculates are not only use the Martial Styles, but also strive to master sorcery.

Sijan

A center of life devoted to the dead, Sijan carries on as it always has. Notably, the Shogunate Intelligence Directorate holds an office here where ghostly spies serve the Shogunate even in death. The Sijanese also provide ghosts found guilty of grave robbing, conspiring with Oblivion, and otherwise horrific crimes for soulforging to repair Shogunate artifacts.

Chanta / Halta

The forest capital shows a definite Lunar influence, making some believe free Lunars actually have a role in the governance. Animal companions play a vast role in their lives, including sentient animals.

The first action led by the Solar Protectors was to put down a feud by the Gods of the Eastern Forests. The two were told in no uncertain terms that the Immaculate Philosophy would be enforced if they continued stirring up warfare, and a truce has remained in effect snctified by an Eclipse oath. The Shogun's army was mysteriously aided by other forces that later historians would identify as the Raksha noble Slulura and Lunars of the Silver Pact. The Raksha secured his continued existence despite being cut off from the Wyld by agreeing to only feed on those sentenced to death, and to guard the border regions. The fact that his two rivals were cut off from humans by him only made it sweeter.

Rathess

The Dragon Kings rule alongside Dragonbloods here, surrounded by biomagitech and crystal buildings. Rathess is a provincial capitol, and the last city of the Dragon Kings burns almost as bright as it did in the First Age. Airships fill the sky, and the forests remain mostly free of the Wyld very far out.

Military

Typical Shogunate military uses spears and large shields for its general infantry, with soldiers carrying an short sword as well. Armor is typically lamellar with chainmail/leather helms. Archers make up a large portion of the infantry, generally carrying a sword along with a strongbow, with growing use of the crossbow under the current Shogun's leadership. They typically wear layered leather armor with a breastplate and wide-rimmed helm. Officers typically wear somewhat heavier reinforced breastplates, and carry a high quality weapon without a shield. Cavalry soldiers are lightly armored and typically use composite bows and slashing swords, with the exception of a small but elite corps of lancers in the Eastern plains. Cavalry generally performs a skirmishing role, with the heavy infantry forming the line.

In the far East, the land become more suited to guerrilla warfare. Soldiers generally carry javelins, chakrams, and other throwing weapons, along with short spears and chopping swords. Armor is generally similar to lamellar, only made from ironwood and leather. In the far South, armor is usually restricted to breastplates and tough clothing. Most soldiers wield firewands with bayonets as their only weapon, though officers carry swords. A small portion use normal infantry gear to help hold off charges.

Elite forces typically use powered armor, from ashigaru and yoroi armor for ranger/marine units to strike teams of gunzosha and dragon armor clad exalts. The weapon has a similar range, including shock pikes, fire lances, and medium essence cannons. Advanced weapons from Autochthon have seen their first debut here. These units are used for rapid assaults, aerial or marine landings, or stealth attacks. They are also the units sent to deal with problematic Exalts. One unit of Gunzosha, the Devoted Order of Sunipa, is a group of fanatically loyal soldiers who have awakened their Essence through fierce training. They have all sworn loyalty to Varil as a champion of Sunipa, and take the most important and necessary missions.