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 Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:38 pm
THE HONG EMPIRE TO THE EAST
「 Largest Empire of the Known World 」 7th Ryuu Dynasty ruler, Empress Xifeng and Crown Prince Desheng
███ An empire with thousands of years of history, the Hong are unarguably the greatest force on the Chess continent. Over the centuries they have absorbed dozens of nations. They occupy the continent's eastern half as they have concentrated most of their efforts upon the eastern coast. Now that they have virtually total control of the East, they have set their sights upon the West.
But there are troubles in the West and the Hong finding themselves being forced to watch it with a hawk's eye rather than charge blazing in.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:49 pm
███ PROMINENT LOCATIONS
The original territory of the Empire remains the most advanced of its territories and is the most densely populated. The capital, Xiangqi, is a sprawling metropolis hugging the eastern coast and going over a dozen miles inland.
Xiangqi can be separated into four different districts.
xxxx「 The Dragon Palace 」 houses the royal family, its servants, courtiers visiting or living at court and the main base of the Royal Army. At any time there are 500 soldiers guarding the castle or are a part of the reserve force. The main palace building is five stories high. The top floor housing the royal family and her attendants, the fourth the courtiers, the other three for guests, halls of various purposes, and holding court/audiences. Empress Xifeng dedicated a few years to the creation of a vast sprawling garden surrounding the palace for aesthetic purposes and as a show of power.
Outbuildings house servants, soldiers and storage.
xxxx「 Peony Promenade 」 is the nobility district. The ancestral homes of all noble clans can be found here - though they may not always be fully occupied. Main and branch families live together on the same property but not necessarily the same building. The size and beauty of the clan property reflects the clan's wealth and power. No commercial businesses may be found here. It is considered 'vulgar.'
xxxx「 Goldfish Walk 」 is the middle class district housing merchants and commercial businesses. Markets, bazaars and restaurants abound in this area (including a red light district -winkwinkcoughcough-). Goldfish Walk is easily the busiest and most boisterous area of Xiangqi. And for those who cannot access Peony Promenade or the Dragon Palace, the most breath taking. As it is close to the water, canals were dug so that certain areas can only be accessed by gondolas or bridges. The water is clear and many merchants have put in colorful saltwater fish (and certain areas where there is freshwater, goldfish and carp!) to draw people in.
This district is heavily watched and controlled by the wealthiest of the merchants.
xxxx「 Bamboo Wood 」 is the working class district. Not the place for those looking to have fun, it mostly houses artisan workshops. Those of the lower class live here among less prosperous businesses and so on. It provides the most direct route to the immediate farming area from the western side and the eastern side to the docks. Those from out of town do not tend to venture here and if they do, it is because they are lost. Or very drunk.
On the very edge of this district are sprawling slums - a place of lawlessness and filth.
Heavily scrutinized by the police as crime rates are highest in this district.
The original territory can be separated into four different provinces.
xxxx「 Jade Province 」 is the center of all crafting development. Cities and towns in this area specialize in a type of crafting that is imported across the continent and into the islands. Pottery, woodcraft, metalwork, textiles and so on are the most advanced in this area. One cannot be considered an accomplished craftsmen unless they took a pilgrimage to the town of their craft to learn for a year or two.
This province is located north of Xiangqi and into the mountains.
xxxx「 Spider Lily Province 」 is center of learning and the home of most scholars. All sons and daughters of the nobility who do not directly inherit go here to learn and become sophisticated enough for court life. Here the learn the art of writing poems, philosophical thinking and so on. Most nobles do not stay here once they have finished their learning. Those that do take on a more academic approach to their learning and do research on a variety of esoteric topics.
The smallest of the provinces, it is located to the far west of Xiangqi.
xxxx「 Lychee Province 」 encompasses most of the countryside and the largest of the fertile lands. It is the province for mostly farmers and nomadic people. The crops grown here supply the army and the rest of the original territories. Not exactly exciting as the villages are spaced far apart with only farmland and domesticated animals in between. Some nobles have built summer homes here for their elderly to breath in the fresh air.
The largest of the provinces, it is to the south of the Spider Lily Province.
xxxx「 Pearl Province 」 is off the southern coast of Xiangqi and Spider Lily. The lands down here lead into a series of islands in which fishermen make their home. The largest port city, Guwara, is an important trade center. Guwara is one of the few places in this province accessible to nonlocals. The rest of the province is made up of islands inaccessible at certain times of the day and only fisherman really know how to navigate it.
Directly south of Xiangqi.
The rest of the Empire is an assorted mix of the remnants of its conquered nations. Nations who were conquered centuries past, resemble little of their original culture and appearance. Nations more recently conquered in the last century or so, are less congruous to the rest of the Empire. The Hong have taken a liberal approach to maintaining their acquired lands. Most lands are only required to swear loyalty to the Royal Family and pay tribute each year in exchange for protection and so on. The more difficult lands have heavier conditions that vary depending on the situation.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 11:12 pm
███ THE ROYAL FAMILY
The Hong have had many dynasties in the past. The current dynasty, one of the more long lived ones, is the Ryuu dynasty whose latest ruler is Empress Xifeng.
Succession is determined by order of birth and purity of blood. Gender does not matter, though there is preference for male emperors rather than female.
xxxx「 Heirs 」 An emperor or empress' first duty is to secure an heir upon ascension to the throne. At the age of three, the royal heir begins his/her education to succeed the throne. This includes book learning, etiquette, and martial arts. At the age of ten, the royal heir begins sitting in on audiences held by the emperor/empress. This is the age in which the ruler takes personal charge of the heir's development. Beginning at fifteen, more duties are gradually added until he/she formally inherits from anywhere to 21 and onward. Inheriting earlier is not unheard of.
Marriages are arranged at the time of birth.
xxxx「 Royal Children 」 The rest of the royal children are either groomed to take on leading positions in domestic or military matters. Gender does not matter. Marriages are also arranged for them, though it is possible for these children to choose.
xxxx「 Duties 」 The emperor/empress watches over all stately matters. Decisions must have his/her blessing. The spouse often plays at court to keep nobles happy and contented.
xxxx「 Concubines and Consorts 」 are by the choice of the current ruler. If he/she wishes to have a concubine/consort then one is looked for upon reaching adulthood at the age of 18. Either the heir or his/her parents may look for one. They and their children are taken care of for life though there is no guarantee of the child ever being able to inherit the throne. They must be of noble birth. Common birth is viewed with extreme disdain. A powerful ruler, however, may choose whoever he/she wants regardless of birth. Who would oppose the decision?
Xifeng inherited the throne at the age of 19 during a time of political unrest rife with assassinations and conspiracy. The late Emperor, her father, was poisoned in his bed while she was vacationing in the countryside. A few days before she was due to return, her brothers - who would have inherited - died in an unfortunate accident. Upon her arrival home, Xifeng was immediately thrust into the position of ruler. Her coronation and marriage to her arranged fiancee followed in quick succession.
Xifeng was not groomed to be a ruler, but her fiancee was an ill fit. Wasteful, shallow and air-headed, her advisers urged her to not allow her husband to take the throne. Not a little reluctantly, Xifeng allowed her husband to play amongst the nobles in court while she sat in meetings. To continue the tradition of Hong conquest, the new Empress continued operations in the West while simultaneously exploring the seas. In the twelve years since she ascended the throne, maps have been redrawn more times than can be counted.
Also, as is her royal duty, Xifeng has given birth to to fraternal twins, Biyu and Desheng. Both are now five years old.
Age 31 years old. Arranged marriage.
Disposition Playful, mischievous, haughty, competitive, wily and prone to cruelty.
Preferences "Why having my every whim be catered to, of course! And absolute victory. Mustn't forget that."
Dislikes "I absolutely detest feelings of defeat."
xxxx「 Firo 」 is Empress Xifeng's husband and she spends as little time with him as possible. Though she finds him annoying, he is adept at keeping the court happy so she tolerates him at best. He lives more opulently than even Xifeng and gives few things deep thoughts. The only thing going for him is probably his good looks and excellent background.
xxxx「 Desheng 」 is her son. Born before Biyu, he is the Crown Prince and is much more closely watched than Biyu.
xxxx「 Biyu 」 is Xifeng's daughter.
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 12:04 am
███ CULTURE
Pure Hong culture is similar to many of them major Asian cultures such as China, Korea, Japan and etc. Most Hong are conservative in nature, minus the the oddballs. The core values can be thought of as a series of duties. The main three are: duty to one's nation, one's family and one's beliefs. Hong do not appreciate people who are not honest with themselves. It marks a weakness and that is severely looked down upon. Honesty with others is not expected, but it is imperative that a person is at least content with who they are. Of course, such contentment comes with time and experience so it is only really expected to be seen in adults.
xxxx「 Values 」 The Hong people prize strength, integrity and filial piety above all else. An 'ideal' person is someone who is charismatic, knowledgeable in both mental and physical aspects with strong ties to his/her family.
Upward mobility in classes is possible but difficult.
xxxx「 Mores 」 A balance that many Hong must find is how to follow one's heart while keeping within the expectations of family. Often compromises must be made between the two. It is not encouraged for one to make life decisions independently. Major crossroads in one's life should have both the consultation and blessing from the family/clan. Another is to refuse a duty or expectation from one's country, family or self. Another major one is marrying one who is not of Hong descent.
xxxx「 Clothing 」 Any period clothing from Asia is acceptable. Climate and class should be considered before picking a style. It should be noted that as little skin is revealed as possible. What skin is revealed in public can be considered scandalous.
xxxx「 Occupations 」 For a noble, there are only four respectable occupations: a scholar, a warrior, a courtier or a ministry official. Anything else will certainly reflect negatively on said noble's family and bad gossip will almost always circulate about him/her. For anyone else, a 'good' occupation is to be trained by a master from one of the four provinces.
xxxx「 Religion 」 The Empire is so large and diverse that Xifeng has declared it unncessary to dictate how people worship. Though in the past, previous rulers have attempted to force the subjects to conform to one religion or to treat the ruler themselves as their patron god. The sheer diversity of the empire has made this difficult and, in Xifeng's opinion, a waste of time and resources. Religions now depend entirely upon the region. Polytheistic religions are much more common than monotheistic religions. The prevailing religion is the Imperial religion practiced by the nobility. Previously found only within the nobility, it has trickled down the ladder to pervade most areas. It is polytheistic and there is a god for just about every aspect of life.
xxxx「 Foreigners 」 Hong are extremely ethnocentric. They do not marry with foreign nations and they definitely do not have children with other races. The Empire is so large that many Hong do not see the need to travel outside of it. Foreigners who visit the Empire are treated with respect but held at arm's length.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:04 pm
███ GOVERNMENT&MILITARY
The Hong Empire is a hegemonic empire. The main method of conquest is to provide crucial resources to a smaller nation under the condition that they pay tribute and recognize the Hong Empire as its final authority. Another more devious method, is to slowly weaken the nation in question until it is too weak to either support itself or protect itself from other nations. In return, the Empire allows the nation to keep majority jurisdiction over its territory but any final control is ultimately ceded to the empire. Among other benefits to the Empire, the most significant one is access to resources the heart may not have and a steady flow of money from all corners of the continent. In a nutshell, one can imagine the Empire as a magpie that is constantly on the lookout for shiny things because it loves to hoard them for no other reason than to hoard it.
xxxx「 Campaigns&War 」 The Empire has almost limitless patience. Conquests often take as long as decades to as quickly as mere months to accomplish. Occasionally, a nation will arise that is more troublesome than most. The usual response is to simply wait. However, if the nation possesses something the Empire is keen on, more aggressive actions are taken. This often leads to small scale war and a brutal takeover.
xxxx「 Emperor/Empress 」 is the final authority on all matters pertaining to the whole of the Empire. However, he/she will only deal with matters that make it up the ladder of bureaucracy in the capital. Other duties include maintaining the loyalty of the people and expansion according to the Empire's needs.
xxxx「 House of Lords 」 is the larger governing body under the ruler. There is one representative from every territory under Empire control as well as any nobility who have enough of a political influence to warrant their presence. Generals of the Empire's various armies and leaders of the middle class have seats as well. The council fluctuates anywhere between 40 to 50 people at a time. Due to the number, the council meets once a month while individuals meet more often. Empress Xifeng has made it clear that failure to attend without reasonable grounds will give her enough cause to appoint someone new to the position.
xxxx「 Military 」 There are five armies within the empire. Two land based armies, two fleets and an army based in the original territory. Their purposes vary according to situation, but it is mainly to ensure greater control over the vast territory while splitting the military power between five people to balance each other. If you own a Hong piece, you may choose any of the five armies to play in.
xxxx Xiaolong Army or Little Dragon Army is the first of the landbased armies and is primarily concerned with occupation and control of acquired nations. Soldiers from this army are most common outside of the empire.
xxxx Bai He Jian Army or Sword of the White Crane is the most prestigious of all five armies. They are charged with defense and conquest. Often nicknamed "the People's Army" it is the more popular of the five. They do not venture far from the Empire as their duties do not ever require them out there.
xxxx Xun Su Bo Fleet or the Rapid Wave fleet. They are often the ones Xifeng sends out on exploration voyages.
xxxx Bao Feng Fleet or the Windstorm fleet police the Hong Empire waters.
xxxx Tian Ming Yun Guard or Heaven's Decree Guard is the army under Xifeng's personal jurisdiction. Though she has a general to manage it, in truth, he does nothing without her consent or direction. They are stationed wherever Xifeng wants them to be. Often she sends them to the other four armies to keep tabs on them. The nobility are often placed here if only because it is the easiest post of all five.
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