Government
The ruling class of Aetochi is matriarchal, with a Divine Peer holding power over disparate regions and administering laws from the kingdom’s capital of Sonshan. Each region of the kingdom is controlled by a ruling family, who govern their own lands, and formally renew their fealty to the capital in an annual ceremony. The head of a ruling family is called an Intendant, and this title is usually passed on from mother to daughter.
Conflicts, both internal and between clans, are resolved in secret, with the use of hired assassins and warriors. Too bold a display of power would garner the attention of the Divine Peer, and ambitious Intendants that act brashly risk being struck down by the capital’s superior might.
Hierarchy
The Divine Peer - It is said that the Divine Peer is blessed by the greatest raakgui in all of Aetochi, the spirit of the island itself, Da Gui. To oppose the Peer is to wish calamity upon the land, and usher in a new age of curses. The current Divine Peer is named Ino, a young woman who rules with a measured - but perhaps inexperienced - hand from her Golden Throne.
Divine Peer Ino currently has no heirs. If she did, her daughters and sons would be called Divine Princesses and Divine Princes respectively, and all other immediate family members are Lady or Lord.
The Intendant Families - There are eight Intendant Families, each one presiding over their own territory. These territories are largely self-governed, only following a basic set of laws enforced by the Principality. The Intendant Families pay tithe to the Divine Peer, and renew their loyalities each year. For the rest of the year they are left to their own machinations.
The matriarch of a ruling family is referred to as the Intendant. Her daughters are Princess Intendants, and her sons merely Princes.
Magnates - Lower nobility that serve underneath the Intendant families. Though often with contingents and guards at their command, they are military in title only. As most of the Intendant armies are kept declawed and defunct, Magnates in practice manage city affairs, command city police, and settle petty disputes between citizens.
The Storied Clans - Powerful families with a secret history of producing strong warriors and shamans. Officially, the Storied Clans are not nobility, and hold no power in the political landscape. Officially, they have no loyalties to any given Intendant, and do not draw lines through territories. However, the reality is much messier than that.
Citizens - Every citizen of Sonshan is registered within the city's annals. Those with citizenship are granted basic rights, including the right to marry, to own land, to sign contracts, and to hold office.
Visitors - Non-citizens, whether they have been cast out from society or are new arrivals in Sonshan, are not afforded the same protections under the law. They must petition an Intendant to be given full citizenship.
The Intendant Families
Lianzhi - Farmers, cultivators, experts in animal husbandry and botany. Famous for their rice bowl style meals, and fine grades of meat. Watched over by the Divine Raakgui of Humility, the black ram Uden.
Rakugan - Merchants, spirit distillers, sweet makers, famous for their Dango and roast fowl. Watched over by Divine Raakgui of Generosity, the indigo toad Aembi.
Morikami - Diplomats of Sonshan, famed patrons of art, music, and theater. Famous for their tea, and savory tofu. Watched over by the Divine Raakgui of Harmony, the grey wolf Jowha,
Mun - Wardens of the Red Mountain Pass. Militant and fierce. Famous for their spicy cuisine, noodles and meat stuffed pastries. Watched over by the Divine Raakgui of Bravery, the red ape Jugan.
Yenizu - Sailors and fishers that live along the eastern straight. Famous for their seafood, particularly their roasted mackerel. Watched over by the Divine Raakgui of Alacrity, the azure dragon Yenkai.
Nuyen - Inventors, fine metal workers and jewelers. Famous for their savory snacks and boiling pot cuisine, and their hard sugar candies. Watched over by the Divine Raakgui of Ingenuity, the yellow fox Ichizu.
Kokori - Miners, stonemasons, and woodcutters. Famous for their hearty soups, and radishes. Watched over by the Divine Raakgui of Fortitude, the white tiger Hayantsu.
Hemoshi - Paper makers, ink suppliers and scholars. Famous for their bok choy in ginger garlic, and their squid ink broths. Watched over by the Divine Raakgui of Wisdom, the emerald Phoenix Kazuo.
The Six Storied Clans of Aetochi
Though each ruling Intendant has soldiers at her disposal, these trained reserves are rarely used in military maneuvers. Instead, the balance of power is kept by storied warriors, shamans, and assassins, independent clans who work for the highest bidder, and who have formed alliances of convenience, as well as grudges long held.
Ash Clan - Believed to be descended from the first shaman, the Ash Clan are potent in the ways of magic, and keep to the traditions of old, tending to many of the spirit shrines scattered across Aetochi. It is told that the Ash Clan was formed from the remnants of scattered clans, coming together after a cursed age of bloodshed. While many of their ilk still serve in the proxy conflicts of the Intendant, the elders of Ash try to instill the importance of undoing the curses of their past to the new generations.
Feather Clan - Silent as the spring breeze, and fierce as the winter winds, the Feather Clan are famed messengers, sailors, and mercenaries who hold strong to their independence. Known to don straw cloaks that mimic feathers, and for their marksmanship with bow and arrow, those of the Feather Clan wander far and fast, and wield the magic arts of spirit and body in even measure. A highly political clan, they covet contracts with Intendants, and seek to grow their influence.
Mist Clan - Poison and medicine. Two sides of the same coin. Often regarded with great scrutiny, the Mist Clan has gained notoriety as the most reclusive of the Six Clans. Said to give life and take it in equal measure, to see an agent of Mist appear before you is to know you stand at a junction. For like the blinding mists that blanket Aetochi, the Mist Clan can guide one to victory, or mire them in purgatory. Famed healers, said to aid in times of plague, and notorious poisoners, those of Mist walk a path between the politics of mortals, and the divinity of the Raakgui.
Bone Clan - Puppeteers, and dramatists, a fool might mistake an agent of the Bone Clan as little more than a wandering street performer, a vagrant who sings and dances along with a construct composed of long dead beasts. Till that same puppet springs forth a hidden blade from its maw, or lets fly a poisoned arrow. Those of the Bone Clan wield art, and performance, as skillfully as others might the sword. Where their performances begin and end, have shifted the course of Aetochi’s long history. Inventors, and engineers, while their materials may be primordial in nature, their advantages are timeless.
Boulder Clan - Isolated high in mountainous northern regions of the island, the Boulder clan value the strength and fortitude of their own bodies above all else. Their warriors are known for their prowess in battle, even in the face of large numbers, and they have a trained resistance against magic. Those of the Boulder clan care little for politics, and oft choose their own warrior’s code over gaining influence or money. Where other clans may use the divine arts, those of the Boulder find honor in taming the Raakgui with their fists alone.
Iron Clan - Honored blacksmiths and crafters, the Iron Clan is the most intertwined with the Intendant families of Aetochi. Their creations are envied for their quality, and they have supplied many a
legendary warrior with famed weapons. Do not however grow complacent from the offered blade, for the Iron smith always has another cloaked in the dark. Knowing the weight of the weapons they gift, the Iron Clan urges neutrality, and refuses to tip the balance of Intendant families. Those that abuse power given, will find it taken away, with the cold will of the Repentant Blade.