Shangkong
The Sinonese settlement town in the Drai Shon Archipelago
Ruled by: Gonzi Huang Zan Note Lord Zan is a scion of the Huang, a mountain clan who are worshippers Yamatsumi - the god of the mountains for Yamatsumi. When they heard of this magnificent mountain in the middle of the ocean, ruled by devil-men, they knew they should claim it for Yamatsumi and the Jade throne. While the Huang lead the venture, it is funded more broadly, in the hope of gaining the blessing of both Yamatsumi and the Imperial Court.
Huang Zan believes, strongly, that the Huang (and the Jade Throne, of course) should rule this whole archipelago. Natives that submit to his rule are welcomed. Natives who have not submitted to his rule, and foreign interlopers from Hann and Sakhar, are fair game for the freebooting captains.
Military Forces
The Military forces are led by a samurai who is loyal to the Huang Clan, she has a number of samurai (who may be loyal to other clans) as her officers. While they might have different Clan loyalty, they have sworn an oath to the Daimyo. Below them are the soldiers.
Military Commander: Daimyo Huang Lei Note A Non-noble member of the Huang clan who was trained as a Samurai, and then proved both her loyalty and skill. She was promoted to Daimyo, for this expedition.
Officers: Various Samurai. Each has a command responsibility, it might be a ship, it might be a defensive tower, for a junior officer, it might just be a single watch on a ship or with the town guard. However, they all have some sort of command position. There are minor issues, while each Samurai has sworn an Oath to the Daimyo, they come from a range of Noble Houses - all of whom have slightly separate agendas. On top of that, there are a few Ronin (who have also sworn to the Daimyo) but they have their own agenda. While everyone has been vetted, that is no guarantee … Most of the senior land based Samurai are from Clan Huang - but many of the ship's commanders are from different clans.
The Troops: This is a right mix of troops. There are guards, soldiers, sailors and marines. Most have one (or more) warrior levels, while a few have a fighter level or two. They have different weapons and armour to suit their role.
Use this page for eastern weapons. However, it might be worth adding the Parang (use the same stats as a machete) - particularly for use by sailors & marines (ie the Eastern version of the Cutlass)
Religion
Yamatsumi: the shrine to Yamatsumi is set on the peak of the highest hill on Shangkong Island, while the surrounding land is left natural (but carefully manicured) However, there are gardens and other 'respectful' tidying of nature, close to the shrine itself.
The Heavenly Court: Close to the centre of town you will find the temple of the Heavenly Court. The largest shrine is dedicated to Shizuru, the Empress of Heaven, although there are also shrines dedicated to Tsukiyo (Prince of Heaven), Hei Feng (the Duke of Thunder) and Qi Zhong (master of medicine).
Irori: How could the monks or Irori ignore a new land? So much to learn, so many new things to see … There is a Monastery dedicated to Iriori on the outskirts of Shangkong, and monks are often found serving aboard the freebooting ships as the Surgeon, however, they are often seen as a witness to the Captain's Honesty, as well.