Akashima

HISTORY

Dawn of the Snow Heron

Formerly a peaceful clan of barbarians called the Snow Heron, the people lived in peace with each other and tended the land under the watchful rule of their headman. The elderly but wise warrior chief made sure his tiny clan can survive the winters as each year comes full round, constantly checking the grain harvest and wood stock so that there will be enough to go around each family. Their warriors kept watchful eyes for signs of danger each day and night, warding off vicious creatures emerging from the forest. Their scholars kept records of each season and generation on fine bark strips with the ink distilled from the Belkeil tree sap to later bind them into books and tomes, stored away in an underground library where not many souls, even among the scholar themselves, have seen. The small clan flourished and thrived off the land they had settled in growing in culture, tradition and ingenuity. The Time of Tranquility seemed to last for eons, but that was not meant to be.

Only after seventeen generations had passed, the high seer perceived a grave danger looming in the distance. Hajira tried to warn Headman Kouran, now elevated to the status of the Chieftain, but was politely disregarded as Chief Kouran continued to check the ration stores prepared for the nearing winter. High Seer Hajira went back to his hut with a heavy heart and, sensing his own end drawing near, wrote down his vision before hiding it in a cavern at the foot of the Shirayama Mountains.

Not long after the outlanders came ashore in their mighty ocean vessel. Not wanting to be of much resistance, as it was the way the Snow Heron had always sustained themselves against the other clans, Chieftain Kouran agreed with the other faction leaders to let Chieftain Fannos of the Burning River to do the negotiating. However, this peaceful tribe had no idea the world around them had plunged into open war and alliances had been torn asunder. During those dark years, the Snow Heron kept to themselves in the protection of the woods.

The Onslaught

One fateful day, the warriors on guard duty heard awful cries of deranged creatures lurking in the woods to the south. The beastly creatures, called by the fleeing survivors as "Skinless Warriors," laid siege upon the unprepared village and many were forced to flee. A small band of fighters remained to fight the invaders, led by the High Seer himself, and clashed with the unholy army on the outskirt of what used to be the Snow Heron's tribal community. One by one the warriors fell until at last Hajira was cut down by the dark sword of the Skinless Leader. In triumph, Hrozma the Skinless torched down the buildings with his fiery breath. Within minutes what was once Snow Heron was now in flames. Everything from ancient records of fertility to Lores passed down from family to family was lost in the unquenchable flames. It was said, as modern scholars had calculated, the Age of Onslaught coincided with the demon invasion during the Age of Darkness.

Redemption and Lady Akashima

Even as the Onslaught dragged on for years on end, all hope was not lost. Of the twelve warriors fighting alongside Hajira was a young swordmaiden who had followed the High Seer wherever he went. During that time, women were not allowed to fight, even to defend themselves much less wield a weapon. The High Seer, however, foresaw something that was to come and allowed her despite the protest of her peers. As each warrior fell in battle against the heartless beasts they ordered her to flee along with the survivors but she remained and fought alongside gallantly. Bleeding profusely and hanging onto dear life by a single thread, she hobbled into the cavern where her master had hidden the secret vision. There, her strength diminished and she fell down in the crystalline cavern with the bark strip in her hand...

The next day, she found herself healed and healthy though many wounds remained as light battle scars. Her eyes turned towards a strange glowing blue light and saw a vision of wondrous creatures with radiant eyes and great powers. They spoke to her without even a sound, yet she understood completely what needed to be done.

Reina returned to the survivors cowering at the seaside, some had already begun to construct crude rafts in a desperate attempt to flee the land. The swordmaiden tried to reassure them in vain, and after seeing her promise was doubted, left them while chanting her battle prayer.

What went on after that remained a mystery to the rest of the tribe but at daybreak a great beam of silver light rushed forth from the earth off in the distance where the Skinless Ones had supposedly razed. A small scout party was sent and reports came back telling of the vanquished invaders and a great crystal spire that had sprung up in the center of the battlefield. However, all that was left of the courageous swordsmaiden was her silver sword. In honor of her selfless sacrifice, the Chieftain declared her their Savior and deified her name. That evening, as the sun shone on the crystalline tower, the spirit of Reina appeared before the Chieftain and instructed him in the knowledge of the Lore. From time to time, strange mystical creatures with friendly intent ventured down from the slopes of the Shirayama Mountains to help the rebuilding community grow into its glory as of today.

Advent of Unification

Over the centuries, Akashima has kept a very low profile as the other cities (Radasanth, Underwood, Serenti and Gisela) prospered and grew during the Era of Dawn. Only until recently the Akashiman Royal Family decided to reconnect bonds with the outside world through diplomacy and trade. Despite the fact this city is nearly an island nation within an island, its borders are inconspicuous and lenient for travelers and traders to come and go with little hassle. Tributes are also sent out each year to the Corone Government, ensuring its independent rule within the borders with justification from the Council Members.

To keep peace with the Assembly, The Akashiman High Court had also made available the Akashiman Royal Army and the Akashiman Royal Navy to the Master General.

With the current civil war between the newly-established Coronian Empire and the remnants of the Coronian Rangers, Akashima kept itself at a distance with regards to the conflict. But despite of the external power struggles going on just beyond the borders, internal turmoil began stirring as well...

LOCATION

This great nation of hardy humans and mystical creatures sat upon the south slopes of Shirayama Mountains (known to the other Coronians as Comb Mountains) on the eastern part of the mainland, north of Corone city, Jadet. A great sea of trees extended outwards to the west and south beyond the rolling plains where the Akashimans have converted from defiled woodlands during the Siege of the Skinless Warriors. During the winter the entire city turns into a white wonderland with powdery snow only as high as a soldier's knees. During the winter time food is stored safely away under the houses and shops as farming was impossible until the snow melts away. However, fish and seafood are in no shortage as the harbor works year round to provide the nation with fresh produce from the sea.

THE AKASHIMAN POPULATION

Though humans make up the majority of the population in Akashima, strange creatures have also been spotted mingling with the humans as well. Among them are the Nekojins, strange bipedal beings with a mix of human and feline characteristics who dwell among the populace. No one knows how long these odd creatures have lived among the humans. However, there were no animosity between them and the humans as they have shown no ill to the nation. Therefore, these feline-like creatures are allowed to stay and start their own little community within the borders of Akashima and live freely so long as they follow the law like any other citizens of the country.

NATIONAL EMBLEM OF AKASHIMA

The Akashiman Emblem is a silver double-edge longsword with two pairs of white angelic wings covering the grip and the tip of the sword. It is backed by the color Red with the kite-shield outline.

PLACES OF NOTE

The Great Crystal Spire: Every evening as the sun sinks below the lush green forest, the brilliant rays will shine into the Great Crystal Spire which sprung up in the center of Capital City, illuminating the streets below. Strangely, it also produced a sort of domain which allowed ethereal beings to take shape on their own without the need of a channeller or vessel. It is a phenomenon that the Akashimans have kept studying over the course of their history, though no conclusions have yet to be drawn. Sometimes when a stray spark from the Crystal Spire strikes an inanimate object with its thunder bolt-like energy arc, the object becomes animate and the locals say it is the spirit of someone who had passed away. However, the phenomena remains only until sunset when the solar rays disappeared behind the foliage.

The Akashiman Royal Palace: A grand palace for the Royal Family was constructed not far from the Great Crystal Spire and that is where to Royal Family resides. The great granite structure, even while fashioned to become a formidable fortress in times of war, depicted delicate artworks and stone masterpieces throughout its grand halls and towering walls. The Akashiman Royal Guards are housed and stationed within the walls of the palace to respond to any threat they may find. Highly trained by the Royal Army and instructed in the Way by the Ninyama scholars and the Spirit Warders, they are a force to be reckoned with and no infiltrator has escaped the compound with their lives intact. Though technically a part of the Coronian Assembly in terms of government, Akashima retained Matriarchal Rule within its borders. The Lady of Akashima rules as head of local government with the Princess of Akashima being the direct heir to the throne. The King of Akashima is the local commander, controlling the Akashiman Royal Army and Navy. However, he must forfeit control over to the Master General in times of continental war.

Ninyama Village: A small village a little ways up the slope of the Shirayama Mountains near the secret cavern, now locally known and protected as the Sacred Crystal Cavern. It is this tiny village that the scholars unearth and study the ancient scripts their ancestors had left behind before the Siege. It is also here that the Spirit Warders are trained and charged with putting malicious spirits to rest using their knowledge of the Way of Spirits. Their patron Lore Guardian is Gingitsu, the Spirit Fox. The village, while not officially part of the Northern Duchy, remains under the protection of the Sakurazuka House.

Yanbo Harbor: The main fishing city of Akashima. Here, shipwrights are active at work building fishing ships and trading barges while supplying the nation with their ocean harvest. The Akashiman Royal Navy requested the merchants to keep their trading barges ready to convert into transport ships in case mass evacuation of their home was ever needed. The Akashiman Royal Navy also resides here where their galleons, though numbering only a little under ten, rested at the waiting for any seaward threat, be they large or small. Notable harvests are marine creatures of various kinds (mainly Crabs, Lobsters, Squid, Marlins, Snappers, Sardines and Tuna), pearls and ambergris. This seaside city is under the jurisdiction of the Jubei House.

Shikigawa Village: The largest known gathering of the Akashiman Nekojin is in fact a small town and not a village at all. With the population reaching almost 200 households, the feline citizens have been able to maintain a steady relationship with the rest of Akashima by supplying wild fowl, game meat as well as animal hides from the forest just beyond the Akashiman border. The town is located in the western reaches of North Akashima, thus its protection is ensured by the ruling House of Northern Akashima.