Sengoku Amahara

Some kind of combined FBH/Mal thing?

Sengoku Amahara RPG
Sengoku Amahara: Units

Historic Background

Rouran Invasions

The Rouran Invasions of Amahara occurred roughly two centuries ago. Amahara was ruled at the time by the decentralised Takamachi Shogunate, the second of the shogun dynasties since the Gempei War. The military strength of the buddhist sects had been reduced and the court of the Apostle, the Grand Shrine of Amahara, while still nominally the spiritual leadership over all of the domain, was at the nadir of its power. Prior to the invasions, the Rouran Empire had never been defeated and had conquered half the known world. The crown jewel of their empire was the supposedly invincible Middle Kingdom, the conquest of which shook civilisation itself to its foundations.

Rouran armies fought in a vastly different way compared to traditional Amaharan warfare, where individual samurai call out a worthy opponent by name and engage in single combat. Though heroism retained a place on the battlefield, the Amaharan military paradigm was irrevocably changed, with the introduction of conscripted ashigaru, signals and tactics, and true generalship becoming vital. As the samurai clans were whittled away, both the Shinto sects centered around the Grand Shrine of Amahara and the various Buddhist sects remilitarised and played a greater role in the affairs of the domain. In the end, phenomenal storms blew away the Great Khan's fleets, mass death befell his armies, and the invasions were repelled.

The invasions had great importance to the subsequent history of Amahara. Although ultimately victorious, the Takamachi clan suffered irreparable damage and its leadership received most of the blame for the early losses. They were replaced by the war hero Azuma Hatsunari, one of their own former subordinates, who received half of the credit for the later victories. Unlike the previous dynasties, the Azuma Shogunate was a much more centralised state (at least during its first century) because the necessity of joint defense had bound the various Amaharan clans together in a way that it never had before. More than just the Azuma clan advanced from the conflict; an entire generation of "young" clans consider themselves to have been founded during the war. Amahara's ruling class were also made much more aware of the outside world, beyond the peaceful trade relationships and importation of Middle Kingdom culture that it had had before.

The other half of the credit for the victories went to the gods and the Shinto sects who interceded with them on behalf of the people of Amahara. The spiritual supremacy of the domain and of the Apostle were confirmed and the shrine maidens gained a greater share of temporal power, though the shogunate remained supreme. Along with awareness of the outside world came the awareness of outside gods which Shinto had an obligation to recognise. The Buddhist sects also benefitted as its teachings of Zen and the esoteric arts spread.

Azuma Shogunate

The reigning dynasty of Amahara. It was gradually decaying in military power, internal strife and relevance, until the Incident at Ayanami Castle.

Incident at Ayanami Castle

On the 16th day of the 8th month of the 5th year of Mukyu era, the entire ruling household of the Azuma clan was assassinated within X castle despite protection by a nightingale floor. Only two of the daughters may have survived and they are said to be missing. Speculation is still rife on who the culprit is though it is thought that only the head of one of the great ninja clans or a god could have accomplished such a thing. No one is sure yet. Immediate and bloody fighting has torn the remains of the clan apart, put the capital to flames and left a massive power vacuum in the rest of the country.

Annals of Power

The Shogunate

The dominant power in the politics of Amahara. The Shogun is in theory the one responsible for carrying out the Apostle's rule but in theory holds all the temporal reigns of power. All other feudal clans in theory owe their loyalty to the Azuma Shogunate but the former have gradually been regaining leverage over the past century. The sudden implosion of the Azuma clan has thrown the clans almost entirely to their own devices.

Presently, the remnants of the Shogunate have sundered into three factions surrounding the capital from the north, south and east.

The Grand Shrine of Amahara

The shrine of the Apostle of Amahara. The Apostle is a girl selected by the Shinto clergy and to some extent ratified by Buddhist clergy through a complex set of astrological calculations. However actual power in this faction is held by the Grand Chamberlain who is usually a former apostle. The Grand Shrine of Amahara is the spiritual capital of all Amahara and the Shinto doctrine. Its doctrine proposes aggressive spread of Shinto which has so far largely occurred at the expense of the Ainu to the north. Because of the power of the Shogunate and the need to protect their wealth and powers, the shrine maidens do also pay attention and play a part in more worldly politics.

The Ninja Clans

Ninja Clans hold some hidden fortresses but mostly mingle with ordinary peasant or town life where they also hold some key monopolies. They deal in information and work for any side that pays them but are of course concerned with protecting themselves as well.

Buddhist Temples

The Buddhist Temples are arranged somewhat like the Shinto shrine system but have no generally agreed upon paramount leader. They do have greater sway with the samurai and don't clash with them as much owing to the greater adherence to the Buddhism of Buddhism-Shinto sliding scale among the samurai class.

Bandits

Bandits with a capital B are usually one way or another disenfranchised samurai. They have bands of supporting small b bandits. Although outlaws they are notable in that they know perfectly well how to fight, may hold sway with local lords, and will take proactive steps to protect their reigns if necessary. There is sometimes a sliding scale between Bandit and Lord in some locales. Some are pirates.

Ainu

Cling to their lands in Ezo.