Kinlu

Overview

GM overview: An area based on mythological and pseduo-historical (shogunate) Japan, blended with the elven history of Alusia. A land where elven Samurai fight for their noble houses, and human peasants toil in rice paddies.

History

Little is known of the history of the Erelheine in their former homeland of Erelhei, but it is known that some 2,000 years ago that land sank beneath the waves, and many perished.

The survivors made their north to the islands of Kinlu, where most of them settled. Some of the survivors left shortly thereafter (or were forced to leave) and travelled further north before settling in the Dragon Isles. Unconfirmed information from Lord Yo has it that the survivors consisted of three of the great houses and a dozen of the minor houses of Erelhei, and that when members of the three great houses intended or began to become involved in the same arts that that caused their previous homeland's destruction the minor houses rose in rebellion and forced the three houses to leave Kinlu.

Geography

An archipelago of three major and many minor islands far to the east and south of western alusia. Total land area of about 145,000 square miles.

Notable Islands

Outline Map

Hiroyasu

Northern island, largest of the group. Heavily wooded in the central area and increasingly barren and mountainous in the north.

Kozukura

Southern island, second largest island of the group. Sheltered and particularly fertile in the north. On the western, side towards the north end, lies the capital city of Kyoshin, home to House Tajin, and from where a permanently open public portal provides transport to Borovia in Western Alusia.

Takafumii

Smallest of the major islands, to the west of Kozukura. Mountainous and rich in mineral resources.

Ryuushima

Small island to the north of Takafumi, mountainous with volcanic activity.

Akira

Very small island to the west of the far north of Hiroyasu, possessing unusually high mana levels for the archipelago, home to house Amdijin and training area for most Kinlu mages.

Ohta

Small island to the east of Kozukura, rich in crystals and strange metals.

People

Ethnic Groups

Two distinct racial groups inhabit Kinlu, the Erelheine (an elven sub-race), and humans. Humans in Kinlu are divided into two major ethnic groups: Akinrosi, (the majority, integrated with the Erelheine), and the Akros (mountain dwellers in the hinterland of two major islands, often in conflict with both Erelheine and Akinrosi).

Population

Total population: approximately 12 million.

• Erelheine: 2.5 million
• Akinrosi: 9 million
• Akros: 0.5 million

Social Status

The Erelheine and Akinrosi follow a strict class structure with four tiers: Nobles/Warriors, Artisans, Merchants, and Peasants (Farmers, Fishers, Labourers, and Menials).

While the Samurai class of Nobles and Warriors is almost exclusively Erelheine, not all Erelheine are members of the class. Across all of Kinlu the class numbers only about 1 million, with the remaining 60% of the Erelheine mostly falling into the Artisan and Merchant Classes. Akinrosi form the great bulk of the Peasant class, which at over 9 million makes up some 80% of the total population.

Social strata amongst the Akros is believed to be much looser, with only a few tribal chiefs and very few full-time warriors.

Government

• Ruling house Taijin.
• Ruling triumvirate (Daikhan, Hajiin, Yuken).
• Council of three advisors (Kokhan the Summoner, Akrenza Tajin, General Olorin).

Houses

Twelve major nobles houses, number of minor houses (generally allies with / under patronage of one of the big twelve). The symbols and colours listed are those used by the ruling Clans in a House. Other Clans in the House often use variations of these, though it is not prescriptive; not every one from Otaka will be wearing dark blue, but Erelheine in dark blue are more likely to be from Otaka.

House	Symbol	Colours	Monopoly	Location	Notes
Taijin	Eagle feather	Indigo / White	Rice & Iron	North Kozukura	Ruling house
Atsuna	Circle/Ring	Kogane Gold / Moegi Green (fresh sprout green)	Gold/Money	Takafumii	Bankers, coiners, printers of money
Otaka	Wave	Navy Blue / Silver Grey	Fishing & Shipping	South Hiroyasu	Naval forces
Amdijin	Eight-spoked wheel	Red / Gold	Magic	Akira	Training, mercenary mages. The name Amdijin is not a Kinlu-derived name but rather an ancient dynastic name from Erelhei.
Yokozane	Three Interlocking rings	Sumi black / Yamabuki gold	Mercenaries	South Kozukura	Due to the House's method of hiring troops through shifting alliances some Erelheine refer to them as "Yokosama", with the meaning of Sideways/Oblique.
Komasi	Mulberry	Usuzumi (pale ink) / Mulberry	Silk/Cloth	Hiroyasu
Kokatsu	Pine	Deep chestnut / Pine green	Wood	Central Hiroyasu
Takama	Crescent	Sumi (ink) black / silver	Shaping	Ohta
Mou Lung	Lozenge & circle	Matsuba green (pine-needle green)	Dragons	Ryuushima
Dambara	Three-peaked mountain	Akane red (madder dye) / Charcoal	Gems	North Hiroyasu
Kaima	Crane	Fujimurasaki (wisteria purple) / White	Paper	South-Central Hiroyasu
Gotami	Tea-plant fruit	Matsuba green / Sumi black	Tea	Central Kozukura

Clans

Each House comprises multiple Clans, sub-groupings made up of Families bound by ancient alliances and blood relationships.

Economy

Houses hold traditional monopolies on certain commodities, or concepts. Other houses may make they goods or perform these services but usually with some licencing, or similar. In the case of food production all houses produce and consume food, but the houses that specialise in this area have considerable control of the overall market and prices.

Game Materials

Several additional weapons and skills are available for Kinlu.