Life In Saiken

A land of silk, intrigue, honor, duty, magic and steel...where merchants, diplomats, spell-casters, thieves and brave warriors grow, compete, befriend, betray and simply live together in this land that exists far away in the imaginations of all players on the site.

Contents
Bushido
Honor
Cosmology and Magic
The Celestial Order
Foreigners
Nobility
Equipment and Money
Time in the Empire
The Environment
Crime and Punishment
Travel
"On" (Face)
Etiquette
Gift Giving
Spirit Realms

Note: samurai in this instance refers to those of the samurai caste. Not just people of the "samurai" class.

Bushido

The code of bushido is the code all samurai have sworn to follow. Every samurai is expected to uphold these codes at all times, however it is rare that you will find a man who appeals to every code of Bushido. Each of the great clans has a single code that its samurai tend to follow above all others.

Jin - Benevolance - Fox Clan
Rei - Respect - Crane Clan
Meiyo - Honor - Ki-Rin Clan
Yu - Courage - Bear Clan
Ko - Reverance for the Dead - Rabbit Clan
Chi - Wisdom - Dragonfly Clan
Chu - Loyalty - Wolf Clan
Shin - Honesty - Sparrow Clan

Honor

Honor plays a very important role in the entirety of the Saiken society. It is an internal measure of a character's devotion to the code of bushido. Those who forsake the code or apply it only when necessary have a low honor rank. Those who use the code to determine their every action have a high honor rank.

Samurai of low rank with be given very mediocre assignments and be untrusted. Samurai of higher honor rank will be given prestige and important duties.

Honor ranges from 100 to -100.

0 Honor indicates that you do not follow the code of Bushido. People below this mark live a life in many ways against the code of Bushido. However, many characters of honor rank 0 tend to simply be foreign to Saiken's culture or have no regards for its laws.

Those with around 20 honor are either those starting in the samurai caste or those of a lower caste who have performed great deeds and who may be considered for entrance into the samurai caste. However, most people at this rank of honor are all but unnoticeable.

Those with around 40 honor are they type who believe in Bushido and follow it whenever possible. They may occasionally enjoy a night of revelry every now and then, but do not allow such things to interfere with their duties.

Those with around 60 honor stand out among other samurai as men of extraordinary devotion to the code of Bushido. If a character finds him or herself in a situation in which he must violate the code to fulfill the wishes of a lord, it fills the samurai with great anguish...

Those with 80 honor are those who follow the code of Bushido without reproach. It is rare a character will ever achieve this amount of honor...

Those with 100 honor are entirely selfless, only thinking of their clan and empire. They threat everyone with the same dignity and courage he expects to recieve from others and never mistreats those who are honorable.

Cosmology and Magic

In Saiken, there is a spirit in everything, living and dead, good or evil. Every stone, tree, waterfall and weapon is inhabited by one or more of the minor spirits called kami. These spirits are vaguely intelligent, able to speak and obey those with the gift of understanding them. Monks, shamans and onmyouji can all "speak" with the kami on a basic level, but shugenja are the masters of hearing and living with the kami.

Magic in the empire is a form of prayer and sorcery. The magic of the shugenja is not a scholarly science. It is the ability to pray to and request help from the kami that make up the physical world. As the spirit of a shugenja grows, so does the ability to call upon the kami for greater tasks and call upon them more often. Shugenja simply utter a prayer to the kami, beseeching them for aid. Shugenja frequently channel these requests through ofuda, small strips of carefully produced paper, as a focus. The kami are usually amused and pleased, and rarely ignore the shugenja's demands. The kami are not servants of the shugenja, but simply spirts who grant the wishes of the pious such as themselves. However, there are non-pious shugenja who use their powers against the wishes of the kami. The result is usually those specific kami never granting an audience to that shugenja, however this is rarely a "problem" for these rogue shugenja. The problems with these shugenja arises when powers greater than the kami see their interference with the celestial order.

onmyouji on the other hand use a different sort of magic. Whereas a Shugenja's magic is a manipulation of the elements through an intercession of that which composes them, a onmyouji is a spellcaster who manipulates the very balance of the raw elements that compose natural phenomena. onmyouji have the power to essentially see how the world that the kami have created is constructed. A rock and a sapling can both be inhabited by earth kami, but they are very different shapes. It is the difference that the onmyouji is concerned about. The onmyouji interact with the physical world on an entirely different level then shugenja.

The way of the onmyouji is an older form of magic, however, whose history predates the fall of the kami. Therefore, for many years most of the empire tended to shun these arts. The onmyouji, who had once reigned in the courts and amongst the nobles much like shugenja do today, were driven away from society to pass their art on to those other exiles of the empire. However, as the empire evolved, it eventually learned that the onmyouji do not in fact disturb the kami that lay in existence, but simply change the form of that which they inhabit. They do not interfere with the spiritual world much, causing only temporary shifts in the placement of kami while practicing their art. Although practicing the art of the onmyouji is now legal, it is still viewed by many as a "lesser art", especially since most of its practitioners are now those of lesser standing in the empire (exiles, etc...). There are, therefore, more onmyouji in clans such as the fox and sparrow who exist on the fringes of the empire because of this, however onmyouji of all types are found throughout the land.

onmyouji manipulate the world using carefully recited phrases that must be learned through tedious study. Although they perform supernatural feats like Shuegenja, and in many cases are considered the "stronger spellcaster" in terms of raw power, there art is less flexible than the shugenja. Whereas a shugenja can move the earth out of a bridge to cause it to collapse, an onmyouji must recite a particular spell with the effect of destroying the metal and wood of the bridge. Although onmyouji can develop new spells, each spell requires countless hours of study and the onmyoujis spell list is therefore restricted to particular effects.

Alchemists on the other hand manipulate the elements through non-magical means such as chemical reactions. Although one may think those in Saiken would see this as a perversion of that which holds the kami, the truth is the society and the kami accept that human forces will always change the natural world in both mundane (a samurai cutting down a tree), fantastic (an alchemist blowing up a tree) and magical ways (a onmyouji uses a blade-storm spell to cut down a tree).

Though they hold existence together, the countless minor kami that inhabit Saiken are the least of the spirits that watch over the empire. The elemental spirits summoned by shugenja tend to be the more powerful of these kami...every day objects like rocks and sticks tend to be inhabited by lesser kami.

The kami in turn answer to the Oracles of the elements. The oracles are the manifestations of the Elemental Dragon's power in Saiken. Since the heavens are separated and held above the mortal realm, the dragons must use the oracles to manifest their powers in the mortal realm, or else risk corruption by Ningen-Do (as was the fate of the Kami who founded the clans).

Above the oracles, but below the dragons, are the fortunes. They are the countless minor gods who represent the many facets of life such as roads, joy, households, windows, contentment, etc... Fortunes rarely interact with the world and vary in terms of power and even people who know of their existence. The fortunes are sometimes mortals who are elevated to divine status, and the Emperor.

Above these fortunes are the dragons and the Seven Fortunes. The Dragons are the representations of the fundamental aspects of the universe. The 5 elemental dragons are the dragons who command each the aspects of air, earth, fire, water and the void. The two remaining dragons known to man-kind are the dragons of Thunder and the Celestial Dragon. The thunder dragon is the manifestation of not only storms, but the human spirit itself. The celestial dragon is the being that holds together and ensures the proper alignment of the celestial heavens.

Above these powers are the moon and sun, Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu. They are the most powerful beings of the heavens, however they do not take much of an active role in the development or life of Saiken.

Magic and Magic Items:

Magic is a holy art in Saiken. Those who can shape the forces of the Five Elements are seen as priests and holy men with a rare gift to hear the spirit world. Naturally, those who abuse this gift are scorned by other shugenja, while the forces of magic are everywhere, with spirits in each rock, leaf, breeze and drop of water, actual displays of magical power are uncommon at best. Peasants usually drop to their knees in wonder at the sight of a shugenja casting the simplest spell, knowing that the shugenja is in tune with the forces that move the world.

In addition, items of a strong magical nature are almost impossible to come by. The vaults of the Great Clans usually house five or six powerful relics created, discovered or given to members of the Clan at some point in history.

The Celestial Order:

The Saiken people believe in a proper order to life and the universe (see the Cosmology section for more information on the spiritual side of this system). Saiken's social order is composed of three distinct groups: samurai (those who make war), clergy (those who pray), and bonge (those who work). There are also the non-group known as hinin ("non-people").

Samurai:

Of Saiken's classes, samurai rank above the others. The symbol of a samurai's office is the diasho, the two-sword set of katana and wakizashi. Only a samurai may own or carry such weapons. Any other individual found guilty of possessing them may be executed. Shugenja and Courtiers in the samurai caste usually just carry a wakizashi, as they are usually not trained to use a katana.

The Emperor:

The Emperor owns all the land in the empire and permits those who owe him fealty to manage it. Those who manage the land must pay yearly taxes to him. The emperor is known as the "Son of Heaven" and acts as the head of the state and the religion. The emperor's word is law and is not to be questioned. Those who defy the emperor face the wrath of the Magistrates and the legions, as well as most of the empire itself.

The Kuge:

The Kuge are the elite of the samurai class who have inherited nobility and powerful positions within the government. The emperor is a member of the kuge, though he is far more important that any other member.

Buke:

Most samurai are members of the buke, the samurai without land or high titles, but who serve another household. Samurai in service to a house typically bear that house's name. While there are only a few dozen members of actual Shiba family by blood, for example, the house can have thousands of members who bear the Shiba name.

Foreigners:

Visitors to Saiken are extremely rare. The Empire's view of themselves as the favored children of Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi means that outsiders are treated at inferior at best. Even those who repeatedly prove themselves to the samurai of Saiken never find their standing in society on par with a native. The only general exception to this rule is the Wolf and Sparrow clan, who have come to learn both those who have taught them how to survive harsh climates and, ironically, those who have been enemies in a long war for many years.

Although you can play as a few select non-human races, these races must keep their non-human self a secret at all costs.

Nobility:

Most players should have come from a noble caste. Even a ronin samurai probably came from a great clan at one point. A samurai has the ability to request food, aid or shelter from anyone of lower caste, however if they abuse this privilege, the lord of that person may see you as a threat. However, as a samurai you are expected to uphold your duty to show respect for those of higher caste. Samurai are expected to be educated, with the exception of the bear clan. Although Bear samurai can still read and write, they usually have little more training than the basics. And although being able to cut a man into pieces is fine and dandy, in the end most nobles will mock a person who does not have some training in the fine arts, dubbing them a barbarian.

Equipment and Money:

In most fantasy RPGs, the acquisition of money for the normal player is a constant struggle. However, in Saiken, it is expected that as a samurai dedicates his every being to his lord, so does his clan clothe, shelter and equipt those of the samurai cast. repairing or replacing armor, food, clothes, a steed or other bit of equipment is free of charge for those in the Samurai caste or higher (so long as you still have a lord). Of course, samurai who abuse this privilege will be assigned to less dangerous tasks to allow the lord to spend koku on samurai more capable of caring for their possessions. A samurai's katana is sort of an exception: that blade breaking is taken more seriously than just breaking a piece of armor.

Those not of the samurai caste but still in a clan can expect food and shelter while within the boundaries of their home-town (i.e. they usually have a house, usually of their family). They are given more freedom, but less priveledge. Ronin on the other hand are given total freedom and no aid from any lord, so their items are usually in worse shape then that of a clan aligned samurai.

Time in the Empire:

A day in Saiken is split into 12 equal sized hours. Each hour is given 2 names: a common name used by everyone, and a formal name used usually during matters of ceremony and formal occasion. Some nobles use the formal names outside of court as a matter of habit.

Hour: Common: Formal:
6-8AM Hare
8-10AM Dragon
10AM-N Serpent
N-2AM Horse
2-4PM Goat
4-6PM Monkey
6-8PM Rooster
8-10PM Dog
10PM-M Boar
M-2AM Rat
2-4AM Ox
4-6AM Tiger

Days are divided into 12 months bearing the same names, which are divided into 12 years bearing the same name as well, however with a prefixture that changes every 5 years that corresponds to one of the 5 elements (either Shugenja or, in rare cases and among those in the wilderness or traditionalists of the pre-Saiken age, the onmyouji elements.)

The Environment:

Climate:

The weather in Saiken is extremely varied. The length coast-line ensures enough moisture moves inland to keep it largely temperate. Drought it uncommon, although far west near Sparrow and Fox holdings it is not entirely unheard of.

Earthquakes:

Earthquakes have occurred in virtually every part of the empire. While some regions are more prone to them (especially in Wolf lands), they are simply accepted as a sign of the disapproval of the Fortunes.

Tsunami:

Earthquakes of significant strength that occur undersea can lead to the creation of the gigantic waves known as tsunami. These waves are an incredible force that can destroy virtually everything in their path. Entire villages or even cities can be completely wiped our by such waves. There is little warning to such waves, save for extremely sensitive water shugenja.

Taifun (Hurricanes):

Moving in from the sea, taifun are forces of unbridled destruction. Their powerful winds shred unstable buildings with frightening ease, and the massive waves and subsequent flooding often finish off what little remains when the winds are finished. Fortunately, they can be predicted and anticipated, so often those in its path have an opportunity to flee.

Fires:

Forest fires occur every now and then usually in the vast forest of the fox clan. Fortunately, the many Shugenja and Wu-Jen schools scattered throughout the woods are alert enough to divert these fires away from any Fox-clan holdings in the area (or eliminate the fires if the source is deemed unnatural enough).

In cities, fires to homes are disastrous. Due to the architecture of the era, the best way to combat a fire is to ensure no surrounding structures catch ablaze, and let the structures already on fire burn to the ground.

Flooding:

In the aftermath of a tsunami or severe taifun, flooding is not uncommon. However, floods are a disaster unlike the tsunami that can be predicted and even avoided. With the empire's primary food source being rice, an aquatic crop, the people have developed great skill in the construction of dikes, canals and dams. Although flash flooding is occasionally a problem, most flooding is easy to see coming and can be diverted appropriately.

Flora:

Arrowroot, azaleas, barly, bellflower, bramble, camellia, carmine, cattail, cherry, cherry blossom (sakura), chrysanthemum, cinnabar, cucumber, cumin, fruit trees, grass, hariju, lichen, lily, lime, lotus, morning glory, moss, mulberry, oats, oleander, onion, orchids, peony, persimmon, plum, poppy, reed, rice, rose, saffron, snapdragon, sorghum, straw, vines, waterlily, wheat, wisteria and yarrow.

Trees:

Apple, ash, balsa, bamboo, bonsai, cedar, cypress, ebony, fir, hackberry, uniper, lacquer, mahogany, maple, oak, orange, peach, pear, pine, poison ivy, rattan, sandalwood, spruce, teak and wicket.

Fauna:

A brief list: badger, bat, bear, boar, cat, chameleon, chicken, cougar, deer, dog, donkey, fox, frog, goat, gopher, horse, lion, lizard, monkey, mouse, mule, ox, panther, pig, pony, rabbit, rat, sheep, snake, quirrel, stag, tiger, tortoise, turtle, wolf and yak.

Crime and Punishment

A violation of the emperor's law offends the celestial order, the heavens and over three hundred years of tradition. smaller crimes however can be forgiven with the proper procedures. Like everything else in the Empire, justice, trial and punishment are ritualized, and many times the outcome is already known before the mandatory matters of long, formalized etiquette are tended to.

In Saiken, people die every day. It is seen as a natural part of the cycle of the soul, so death a murder can be seen as an inconsequential matter, or a crime of degree varying with the circumstances. Honorless assassination is a crime punishable by execution, but if someone is killed in an honorable fashion, the offended family can call for a blood feud and little else. Almost any time someone is killed, the deceased one's family may claim the right of vengeance. Duels are always considered the final matter on such matters, and to carry on seeking vengeance or reparations after a duel is against Imperial law.

In most other matters, the law of Saiken is severe and inflexible. Theft and forgery and punished by execution. Treason against the Emperor is the worst crime of all, and the offending party can expect to be executed dishonorably, along with his wife and children, while his house is razed to the ground. The names of such traitors are expunged from the Imperial Histories and the Emperor almost always gives commands that the traitor's name never be spoken again. If a crime is committed by a child not yet past his coming of age, the consequences of the child's actions fall upon the father. A villager who commits a crime brings the repercussions down upon the village headman instead of himself.

In all cases, testimony must always be gathered before judgment can be pronounced. Evidence has little place in the courts. However, the method of extracting testimony can be...quite varied in many cases.

Execution is viewed as honorless and in many cases dishonorable. A clean death comes from the blade, and many samurai who wish to avoid death in such an ignoble manner claim the right to commit seppuku with their own wakizashi. This is considered an honorable and correct way to atone for one's crimes before departing to the land of the dead. If the crime and criminal are deemed unworthy of such an act, the samurai's lord with hand him a wooden blade in response to the request--an indication that the daimyo believes the samurai is too cowardly to perform a true seppuku.

Travel:

Throughout the empire was build various roads and freeways originally for the emperor's use. They are well maintained, frequently patrolled and the safest routes to and from each Kyuden (the castles and heads of various families and clans in the empire). Near most Kyuden's, statues and trees line the roads, providing for a quite enjoyable and pleasant journey.

These roads are quite large, able to support several caravans at any one time. They can be used by anyone who has proper papers (which can be procured by your lord free of charge at almost any time assuming your in a clan). In any other road in the empire, bandit attacks, demon encounters, etc... are drastically increased, however this does not mean you have a 0% chance of such encounters on the main roads.

Since the individual clans patrol these roads and maintain the checkpoints scattered about them, if your clan is at war with another clan, finding passage on this road may be difficult, if not impossible.

"On" (face)

Despite the importance of truth in both Saiken's texts and laws, the empire has customarily been more concerned with appearance than with facts. Those who speak sincerely are believed over those who speak the truth poorly in court. A characters on (which loosely translates to "face" or "respectability") is a measure of how well-tended a character's reputation is. This is something a little different than honor or concerns of glory.

Etiquette:

In Saiken, etiquette is very important. A samurai without ettique can meet his ends just as quickly as one on the battlefield. Despite its outward appearances, the courts of Saiken are a battlefield in their own right, and words are the ultimate weapon in this arena.

All things listed here are those that all samurai would know, regardless of clan.

Bowing and Kneeling:

It is customary when greeting another samurai to bow. It is a show of respect and trust, although many bow merely as a formality when such emotions are not actually present. This practice began during the dawn of the Empire, when samurai would bow or kneel before their lord with their hands held to their sides as a way of demonstrating their loyalty by offering their unprotected neck to their lord.

Bowing is a show of respect between two individuals of equal social standing. The lower your rank, the lower the bow to the other person--bowing only slightly to an equal or person of higher standing than you is a great sign of disrespect and many times used as a thinly veiled insult.

One kneels before a person of obviously superior rank, such as a lord of any family or clan, even if the clans are at war.

One also never shows their back to another when leaving a room--a sign that you believe the other person to be so worthless that they could not harm you.

Terms of Address:

This RPG adds Japanese suffixes to names as they are addressed or mentioned. So if a peasant was to address a samurai, he would call that samurai "Name"-sama.

Suffixes:
-San: A person of equal rank and standing
-Kun: A close person, lover, great friend, etc...
-Sama: A person of higher rank.
-Sempai: A person of higher rank or an older person in the same school or job as you
-Kohai: Someone of lower rank than you in the same job
-[rank]: Military Ranks (Taichou, Soutaichou, Gunso, etc...) are used when addressing people performing their military duties.
-Sensei: A teacher
-Chan: Used to address children, people you consider cute or may be infattuated with, or persons of lower rank.
-Shi: Used when addressing someone when you don't know who they are. Typically only used for letters.
-Dono/Tono: Lord (like "your lord")
-Heika: A person with the highest royal title of a country you are a citizen of.
-Denka: A person of high rank in a royal court.
-Kakka: An ambassador or head of a foreign state.
-Hime: A princess.
-Hanshi: In martial arts, a senior instructor.
-Kyoshi: An advanced instructor of the martial arts.
-Renshi/Shisho: A teacher of the martial arts.

These words can be combined to some extent (so instead of saying "Kionchi-chansama", you can say "Kionchi-chama"), although it is very informal to do so and usually the highest title is used over any others that may apply.

Many times titles are used as a sign of respect to someone who may not deserve it (outside of court only of course). So a lover can call his girl-friend "-hime" as a sign of affection and respect, despite the fact the lover is not really a princess.

Gift Giving:

When meeting a host or superior for the first time, it is customer to offer a gift. They are also given to demonstrate a favor or reward loyal service. The more personal they are, the more meaningful the gift is. Therefore, one should avoid simply buying a gift from a market and is in many cases a sign of disrespect. While something like a nemuranai that the character has owned for many years would be a good example of a gift. A sword or piece of armor is generally considered a bad gift (especially if new), as it implies the person is unable to defend themselves. It is customary to refuse a gift twice before accepting it, especially in more formal settings, as a sign of great reverence for the gift.

As the number 4 ("Shi") is close to the word for Death ("Shin"), it is highly inappropriate to give a gift in 4s (for example, 4 tsuba, or 444 bushels of rice). Furthermore, it is considered uncouth to give money at a wedding or gempukku, as if you are telling the person they cannot earn enough themselves.

Spirit Realms

The spirit realms are 8 realms that "overlap" with one another (for lack of a better term). Each of these realms support a wide variety of their own special creatures, societies, geographies and magics. Some are only visited by a handful of lucky heroes, while others are visited by even the lowliest commoner every time they go to sleep...

Jealous Realms: These realms are semi-sentient. They are, with the exception of the Heavens, Realm of the Waiting Dead and Realm of Dreams, "Jealous" realms. They desire more power and despite the lingering "scent" or "aura" of beings from other realms who exist within them. Over time, unless a creature is protected from this realm's influence, a creature has a chance of becoming a "native" of this realm. There soul is kharmically bound to this spirit, resulting in (many times) negative and (sometimes) positive changes to the body and soul of the visiting soul. Souls from non-jealous realms are immune to the corrupting effects of jealous realms.

Ningen-do: This is the realm of mortals, home of humans and many other creatures (like Naga, Nezumi and Tengu).

Yume-do: The realm of dreams. This realm is mostly empty, composed of baku, creatures made of potential influenced by any around them. Every night when a being goes to sleep, their spirit and mind enter this realm though the Veil of dreams. Whatever that person perceives in the dream is in fact a baku in the shape of whatever the person sees. Light is always the same in this realm, and only very few people can control themselves in this realm enough to properly explore it. Upon leaving the realm, people pass through the veil of dreams again, which usually wipes their memory clean (which is why most do not remember their dreams when they wake up).

Chikushudo: The realm of animals is the place that all animals and hengeyokai co-exist within and come from. Although an animal's lack of sentience is its protection against being native to the Realm of Mortals, and hengeyokai follow taboos to ensure they can exist in ningen-do, the realm is very much a jealous realm and will attempt to corrupt any who enter. From anywhere in the realm is visible a giant mountain, atop which is the palace of Inari, the defender of the realm and fortune of rice, which is guarded by a court of kitsune.

Tengoku: The realm of the heavens. It is here that the 5 elemental dragons reside along with all the past emperors and the fortunes. They reside in a magnificent court in the heavens blocked entrance to all planer travelers by a great gate guarded by a three headed Kami.

Yomi: The realm of the honorable dead. It is here that those who have completed their kharmic cycle may at last rest: the heroic souls of the empire reside here, watching their ancestors "from above" as it were, learning from one another or doing whatever they wish.

Gaki-do: The realm of hungry dead. It is here wicked souls (especially greedy ones) are turned into Gaki, souls forever destined to feed. These floating pathetic minor spirits eat everything around him and are never satisfied...the realm itself is much like Ningen-do, except most of the buildings are in ruins and the only beings are these fanatically hungry souls.

Meido: The realm of the dead or the realm of the waiting dead. This place is a simple realm whose only natives are Emma-O and his court of Shinigami. It is here that beings wait for their next reincarnation into the kharmic cycle or to be brought to Yomi.

Toshigoku: The realm of slaughter. Those poor souls who die in violent and dishonorable combat are sent here--a place where every day is a battle between two mighty armies of the dead. At the end of every day, a cavalry of the court of this realm pass through, slaughtering all beings within it for the night, who rise back up and begin their fighting in the morning.

Sakkaku:The realm of tricksters. This realm is considered by many the "practical joke" of creation...the home of many trickster spirits and in many ways a trick itself. Most beings consider this place an annoyance if anything...

Jigoku: Hell; The Realm of Evil. It is here that truly wicked souls are cast...a realm that few know the true nature of...for the only who have survived a trip there in their planar travels refuse to explain what it was like.