Last long post before I move this to the Wiki...
This is the last long post before I post this to the Wiki on Sunday. I need some C & C guys!
The Empire of Asahi, so far:
1. Zao, which is based on Buddhist ideas, but instead of elimination of all material things good and evil, so one is cleansed through meditation and attaining enlightenment, hence Nirvana. I am instilling the western good vs. evil ethic. Where the Asahi and the Wheel of Life construct, which the Imperium wants to maintain, control and dominate represent the primary "evil" overlords in the setting. The idea of Nirvana is both hidden and considered heresy by the state. The Court is an anti-buddha regime.
2. Heretics discover the truth of Nirvana, secretly follow the path to enlightenment. Those who attain it and return become powerful mage/priests known as Boddhisatva or the "enlightened ones" represent the force of good in Asahi. Underground shrines are established in many provinces away from the capital at Fukuhara-kyo. By following the path to enlightenment those of any caste (the realms of the Wheel of Life) can escape the Wheel, and reach Nirvana, which defies the wheel, the imperium and takes power away - the imperium is losing its permanent citizens of the cycle.
3. Because the Noble House, Minamoto was the primary opposing force to the real life Taira clan, now in exile in Asahi, senior members of Minamoto clan become the leading Boddhisatva and have come to Asahi to renew hostilities with the Taira and work to limit or eliminate the power of the throne. The Minamoto clan become one of the noble houses of Asahi, though technically outside the wheel, they hold the position of the Heaven Realm, as not all members of the house are enlightened. (Though they have a much greater chance of achieving Nirvana, due to the senior members/Boddhisatva of the clan.)
4. Because the emperor, shogun and senior members of the court are undead, as well as loyal Daimyo (provincial clan leaders), they are technically outside the construct of the Wheel itself - this is how they maintain the status quo and dominate (permanently) those doomed to roam the eternal cycle of the wheel.
5. Those who rise in the Wheel of Life and reincarnate into the Heaven Realm/noble houses (not including the Minamoto House) are allowed to grow to adulthood. A special branch of the ministry watch them throughout their early lives and perform tests of their loyalty to the throne. If satisfactory to the Imperial mold, they are allowed to continue as nobility. The "best" of them are transformed to undead status, by the Court Necromancers to join the powers in control of Asahi. Should they fail, or otherwise be determined to not profess the ideals of the Court, they are killed and sent back into the Wheel.
6. There is always the random chance that those reincarnated to the Heaven Realm will be born into Clan Minamoto, or one of the lesser "pro Boddhisatva" clans who support them are given a greater chance to join the forces of good. Whether through unwillingness, character flaws or other distractions a member of these good houses they aren't killed but watched, and allowed to perform their duties. If, however, a house member proves to be dangerous, they will be unofficially exiled - sent to hold one of the outer holdings, where the unclean cannot upset the plans of the pro Minamoto.
7. Note, outwardly clan Minamoto serves as a "loyal" provincial house of the Empire. Afterall, in order to best succeed, the Boddhisatva agenda must be kept hidden from public view, to avoid military interdiction by the Imperium. They excuse themselves from acts of vile deeds, but do help the empire in case of heresies darker than the empire itself, invasion by outside nations, and other participation where Imperial goals at least temporarily are for protection of the nation and the populous. The Minamoto also pay taxes, grow rice for the imperial good, etc.
8. Part of the "Minamoto Heresy" is the introduction of the Pure Land, a mitigating place between the Wheel and Nirvana, where those who seek the path to enlightenment, can consign to specific matras before death and allowed entry into the Pure Land. This is on a different plane of existence, outside the control of the Wheel of Life, with Boddhisatva waiting to help guide newcomers to finding the path to enlightenment. Pure Land Buddhism (which this idea is based) is a messianic branch of Buddhism, more akin to western thought, so more easily grasped by readers of the game setting.
9. Suicide is considered taboo, perhaps a downtrodden laborer desires a better life and knows with death they have a chance to escape their current caste to something better. This is not the case as suicide by personal choice is considered wrong.
9a. Ritual suicide (seppuku) performed by the samurai, is outside this taboo, because the true task of samurai (and the word's very meaning) is "to serve". Hara kiri (the common venacular for the rite) is done in service to one's lord, it is not by personal choice thus not taboo.
9b. Those who choose to kill themselves through personal choice, are in effect, so filled with insatiable cravings for a better life, they are condemning themselves to the Hungry Ghost realm and reincarnate as merchants, entertainers, thieves or prostitutes. Suicide by choice will not allow you to move up the wheel of life, unless you're an Oni Demon of the Hell realm, though suicide by Oni is extrememly unlikely, they are demons afterall.
9c. If you are committing suicide due to despair, you are condemning yourself to the Oni Hell realm - the worst realm of all.
10. Good and Evil actions by player characters grant positive or negative points of "Kharma" (no matter which game system is used, this is one of the unique attributes necessary for playing in the Asahi system, as it is a mechanism of the Wheel of Life.) Good Kharma gives a PC the chance to upgrade to a higher realm in the Wheel, while Bad Kharma sends you down.
10a. The level of Kharma provides positive or negative "saves" against magical attacks.
10b. Spellcasters require a minimum amount of Kharma to access spells (bad Kharma is necessary to access dark sorcery spells). High amounts of good/bad Kharma allow spellcasters additional spell access and greater powers.
11. Honor, another attribute necessary for Asahi primarily affects interactions with members of castes above you, as normally higher castes have distate for those below them. It is an enhancement of charisma.
12. There are more plot devices than just the war between the Wheel's Heaven realm and Nirvana - which is the ongoing war between the Taira Imperialists and the Minamoto heresy.
a. Heretics encourage rebellions among the peasants of the Human/Farmer caste, sometimes against the Empire, sometimes against the Boddhisatva, sometimes both, perhaps as a desire to end the immortal war between good and evil, to bring about a final peace. Provinces cede from the empire, opposing temples are burned and other types of social unrest occur.
b. Asahi Pirates prey on any merchant ships in the waters they travel. This means outside nations may make war or invade Asahi in an attempt to punish the Empire, or the pirate centers on the isles and inaccessable coastlines of Asahi where they dwell. I think Ansium might be introduced to the empire through this means...
c. Outsider nations may attempt to invade the Empire to expand their own territories, something like Kublai Khan's invasion attempts on feudal Japan.
d. Imperial desire for more resources may start wars with the animal barbarian Hengeyokai, or other non-human races of Asahi for human vs. non-human hostilities.
e. Undead vs. undead or clan vs. clan wars erupt when disagreements occur that do not affect the status quo, or damage the imperium causing small civil wars from time to time.
f. Dark sorcery from non-imperial factions causes widespread sterility within a given caste, stopping the mechanism of the Wheel and affecting all castes require identification of the source and magical rejuvenation of the fertility once again - this would be at threat to both the Imperium and the Boddhisatva, one of those rare cases that they work together.
g. Outside nations desire or impose trade with the empire, making an otherwise closed society, open up and deal with international problems.
13. Plus all the standard Japanese tropes - political intrigue, ninja assasination/spying, "wire-fu" monks, etc.
14. At this time, I am not utilizing the Shinto faith in this setting. The Buddhist faith includes nature spirits, good and damaging spirits that intercede with Asahi PCs much as the kami might in a Shinto based setting.
15. Even though Ronin (masterless samurai) are normally weakened in most feudal Japan settings, because most noble house daimyo are undead, the institution of ronin occurs more frequently. This means a larger number of weapons skilled freeman exist in Asahi and there are more opportunities for hack and slash games, and adventuring opportunities, games in the empire aren't one big political game like L5R and more gaming options become available.
What do you think?
Again, sorry for the loooong post - I just tend to be thorough!
GP
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