Raikougan

• Government Type: Shogunate
• Symbol: Lightning & Turtle
• Major Races: Lizards (shell-bearer, draconic, semi-aquatic), Avians, Elves
• Capital: Kyousei
• Demonym: Raikoujin

The Raikougan Archipelago is located at the easternmost side of Ruefang, and connects Ruefang to Splint. Cut off from the mainland for 300 years following the Fist of God's Impact, it has developed a distinct culture and system of governance. The Archipelago is considered a special administrative region of Ruefang for now, but tensions are high as the ruler of the Archipelago, Shogun Arashi Hachiman, has recently declared independence.

The topography of the climate is predominantly temperate forests with some plains and mountains on each of the islands. There are many islands, each one bearing similar climates to each other. The land is still subject to the remnants of the Veil Storm. They are subjected to heavy rain storms during the autumn seasons, sometimes manifesting as hurricanes. Each island is heavily infused with elemental magic which is a cause for the tempestuous climate. The largest and most major islands are:

• Kamejima (Turtle Island). The most populous and largest of the islands. Its capital, as well as the capital of the entire Archipelago, is the city of Kyousei. The Shogun makes his home here.
• Chokoku (Avian Island) a lush place with many terraces. Produces much of the Archipelago's crops, and is mostly rural. Its capital (and the island's only large city) is Shumoku.
• Ryushu (Dragon Island), a place known for its naval bases and fisheries. A major garrison of the Shogunate is located here, and many Shogunate soldiers train on Ryushu for at least a few months. Its capital is Youtai. Due to its relevance and importance in military matters, and its position as a major food supply location, Ryushu finds itself targeted by many criminal attacks, most notably by the Blood Hawks mercenary group.
• Tokagegan (Lizard Island), is the magical center of the Raikougan, where most of the large magic schools are located. Due to its location near Ulos, they conduct much trade with the neighboring nation. Its capital is Setsuko.
• Juuken (Firearm Island), an aptly named center of industry for the Raikougan. Manufactures many industrial products, including almost all of the archipelago's firearms. Its capital is Kayakusei, and it is a loyalist to Ruefang in the brewing war.

Other major locations on Raikougan include:

• Nosurichi Island: Close to Ulos, this island was severely ravaged by the Storm after the Fist of God. The landscape is still magically and physically scarred, with many believing it to be an island of ill omen full of ghosts and malicious spirits. The sky appears purple overhead here, illuminating ruins of old villages and remains of roads and temples with a melancholy light.
• Onami Strand: The archipelago that makes up the southern side of Raikougan. This place is sparsely populated, but has recently become a haven for Semi-Aquatic lizards arriving from Jaern who wish to make a new home in Cahyali. A current of brackish water runs through the area, making the environment more tolerable for those lizards who may not be entirely adapted to Cahyali's saline oceans. Though unconfirmed, rumor persists that a robust network of portals to Jaern is maintained somewhere beneath the waters of Onami.
• Chō Strand: An archipelago making up the border between Raikougan and Splint. Here, the cowboys of Splint meet the samurai of Raikougan, and a unique lawlessness becomes king. This archipelago is sparsely inhabited, with most preferring to keep to civilization's centers on either side. There are few natural resources, and most out here are running from something or simply looking to live a freer life.

The government of Raikougan is a shogunate, led by Shogun Arashi Hachiman (as of 10081). The official name of this shogunate is the Arashi Federation. Their laws are very similar to Ruefang's: a holdover of their days as part of the country. In addition, there is a complex web of social rules and politeness guidelines that, while not exactly codified in the books, is still crucial in day-to-day Raikoujin life.

• Assault and battery: Incarceration from 1-5 years.
• Theft: Corporal Punishment of 10-20 lashes depending on what was stolen.
• Disparaging Remarks against Leadership: Fine of 500 gp.
• Worship of Demons & Fey: Fine of up to 5,000 gc and possible incarceration for up to 15 years.
• Ownership of another intelligent humanoid creature: 20 years Incarceration or Exile
• Political Corruption and Bribery: Incarceration of up to 10 years
• Hunting Sacred Animals: Incarceration of up to 20 years
• Defying Orders of a Superior: Corporal Punishment, Incarceration, or Execution depending on degree
• Polluting the Natural Environment: Execution
• Murder and rape: Execution
• Treason: Kaze-no-shi

Kaze-no-Shi: The practice of kaze-no-shi, “wind death,” is a punishment reserved for the highest of crimes, and to the Raikoujin, that’s treason. When an individual betrays their lord or warlord it is considered to be betraying Raikougan herself. Warlords are held to a similar standard as by the Storm’s Oath, they must obey the commands of the shogun.

The practice involves going before a Warlord or the Shogun during an Autumn Hurricane, where they recite a poem to convey their shame and regret for their crime. They then must wound themselves on their left leg and right arm, then walk out in the wilderness while the storm rages. There has yet to be a documented case of someone surviving this.

For more information on the Raikougan Archipelago, its role in the 10081 civil war, and its notable leaders, follow this link: Raikougan History & Overview

Kyousei, Seat of the Shogun: The capital of the Raikougan Archipelago, and one of the most populous cities in the nation. Situated closest to continental Ruefang of all major Raikougan cities, Kyousei boasts prosperous trade and notable industrial advancement. Despite this, the architecture retains a traditional, indubitably Raikoujin flair.

Shumoku: Located on Chokoku Island, this city is a place for growers and farmers from across the island to gather, trade, and discuss local matters. It has a surprisingly low permanent population, and is famous across the Archipelago for its frequent farmers' markets, where the freshest produce in the land is hawked over multiple streets' worth of colorful stalls.

Youtai: This city, on Ryushu Island, features a bustling fishmongers' trade as well as a fortified garrison. Many Shogunate soldiers train and rest here, due to its position near the center of the Archipelago. It is said by some that Youtai is as close to a second Kyousei that Raikougan can have.

Setsuko: The center of magical studies on Raikougan, especially air magics. The Shisai Mahougokko - Raikougan's foremost magical college - is located in this city. Setsuko's skyline is famous for its many temples, where divine magic is practiced and studied, in addition to its many mages' towers, where Mahougokko students live and study.

Kayakusei: This city is the manufacturing capital of Raikougan, where raw materials mined from the earth are smelted into metals and tools, and sent off to other places. As the war has ramped up, Kayakusei has found itself in dire straits, as their industrial connections to the rest of the archipelago shut down.

The Raikoujin are a warrior people first and foremost. Every child, regardless of gender, is trained in the ways of the blade, spear, and bow (or guns if you live on Juuken). They each owe absolute loyalty to their warlord and the Shogun. The culture is highly collectivist, putting the welfare of the common people above anything else. The Raikougan have always seen Ruefang as a union of independent nations rather than its own single nation. They do have deep love for all art forms and see swordfighting as just another kind of artistic expression. Most are taught some form of art, the most common is calligraphy.

The Raikoujin do not worship the gods most are familiar with, instead they worship the islands, sea, and the sky. Each island has a personification that bears the same name. Each of them is seen as a maternal figure with the Raikougan itself being seen as the chief goddess.

The sea is also viewed as a god that provides the Raikoujin with fish and allows travel between islands. The annual cyclones that affect the Raikougan are referred to as the Storm. While outsiders may view it as a malevolent entity, the Raikoujin see it as a being that makes them strong through the hardship it puts them through. Thus, they have a more neutral view on it. Mages are viewed as holy figures as they see them as those with the power to affect and even control the spirits.

While traditional worship of the Fourteen is not particularly frowned upon, few temples to them exist and priests attempting to proselytize are generally looked upon with disdain, if not outright told to stop. Divine magic is normally welcome, as long as it used to heal and not harm.

Each of the major five islands are ruled by specific noble houses: the warlords of the respective islands and their families. Warlordship can change from time to time, and losing this position is a massive blow to the integrity and honor of any noble house. Most of these have grand estates, where the entire extended family lives.

This is a family of shell-bearer lizards, and is most notable for being the ruling bloodline of the Shogunate. They have been in power for about 350 years. The current leader of the Arashi family is Arashi Hachiman, Shogun and Warlord of Kamejima Island. The Arashis have been well-respected since Raikougan antiquity, and only recently has controversy begun to crop up surrounding the family.

A family of Harpidan (Verraerian) avians, and the leaders of Chokoku Island. They report directly to the Shogun, and are known for their focus on development of medical technologies. Rising to prominence in the early days of Raikougan isolation, the Fujin family have been famous as skilled doctors for centuries. Their current leader is Fujin Hikaru.

A blended family of halflings and draconic lizards, formed from the union of Kentarō Ryuji and June, a Ley'Orkian immigrant. They are well known for being skilled fighters, with many Kentarō scions joining the military or training in the magical arts. This skill has been needed, however: after the decline of the Raiden family, the Kentarōs found the duty of fending off the Blood Hawks on their shoulders.

The current leader is Kentarō Ryou, a draconic halfling and adventurer¹⁾. He took over in name after the death of his father, Ryuji, but many of the family's affairs are being run by June until Ryou is ready to take on the responsibility of rulership.

Leaders of Juuken Island, and loyalists to the Ruefang regime. The matriarch of this human family is Bakuhatsu Izumi, a crass woman who maintains her position through fear, intimidation, and outright coercion. Many inhabitants of Juuken are unhappy with the Bakuhatsus, but cannot hope to stand against them in a coup d'etat.

Originally a small-time noble house from Kamejima, the Kamiyas found themselves catapulted into the spotlight when their daughter Akane found herself elected to the position of Commissioner of Raikougan after Arashi Hachiman's declaration of independence. Caught between two fiercely opposing sides, the Kamiya family both commands great power and treads on eggshells.

The Fall of Toyeto, a short story detailing the 17th Kasha's assault on the town of Toyeto, Ryushu and his murder of Kentarō Oza.

The shadow haunting Raikougan for centuries: the Blood Hawks are a mercenary group infamous for their brutality and cruelty. While they can be hired for the right coin, they do mostly what they will in the midst of a job. They seem to take great pleasure in pillaging and destroying villages, and many noble estates train fighters for the express purpose of fending off Blood Hawk attacks on their land.

The Blood Hawks are loosely organized, with most traveling in small groups that may meet up to ransack particularly valuable targets. They can be prone to infighting, as different groups with different loyalties and goals meet. When these fights happen, severe collateral damage is likely to occur in the region.

There is only one leader, known as the Kasha, who is always rumored to be the worst of the lot: the most sadistic, the most cruel, and the most bloodthirsty. If there are ever two individuals with a claim to the title of Kasha, they fight to the death and the victor claims dominion over the Blood Hawks. Many Kashas are denoted with a number - first, second, third, etc.

However, the most recent Kasha (as of 10081), a Giantkin, was so emblematic of these “virtues” that he was simply titled the Kasha. This man disappeared without a trace in 10040, leaving the Blood Hawks scattered, weakened, and leaderless ever since. He was rumored to have reappeared in Ruefang in 10081 during the Ars Machina Incident, but was then killed by Kentarō Ryou.

The symbol of the Blood Hawks is a red bird with its wings outstretched on a black or gray background. Many of its members will display this symbol with a pin or patch somewhere on their armor or weaponry. Specific sects of the Hawks may adjust this symbol in different ways to signify their more specific allegiances.