Kiyosu Empire

The Kiyosu Empire (Kiyosu Teikoku) is one of the many Kingdoms of Men that inhabit the world of Mantica. They are an isolationist society and the remnants of an ancient peoples whose history had been lost during the dark era of The Time of Ice. Driven from their ancestral homes in a time long gone, the Kiyosu people settled atop the peaks of the Dragon Teeth Mountains from which they rebuilt their Empire.

Although strong and mighty, unrivaled in skill and bound by a strict code of conduct, the Kiyosu find themselves vastly outnumbered by their neighbors. They are often forced to employ great cunning and subterfuge in order to survive, knowing that their nation may very well be the last of their kind.

Overview
Among the Kingdoms of Men, the Kiyosu Empire is the least populous and has only ever deployed its army in extreme circumstances, instead preferring to utilize the cunning and ingenuity of its elite Orochi and Shinobi Orders to project their political goals. They are characteristically unified under the rule of an Emperor or Empress, although the Empire can be further broken down into nearly a dozen houses ruled by their respective Daimyos. Honor is valued foremost among the Samurai of the Kiyosu and defines their unflinching loyalty to their people.

The current Empress—Erika Kagurazaka—is a descendent of the Empire’s first Emperor and came to power following a brief, but bloody, civil war known as the Orochi War (Orochi sensō). Her rule has seen significant peace and unity throughout the Empire and a more open foreign policy than previously practiced be her predecessors. As a currently serving member of the Orochi Order, Erika has been known to undertake dangerous missions as part of her sworn lifetime of servitude to the Kiyosu dragon goddess.

Geography
The land of the Kiyosu Empire encompasses parts of the western branch of the Dragon Teeth mountains and the foothills leading into the Ardovikian plain. The majority of the Empire’s cities are located deep within the mountains, well-fortified and difficult to attack. The capital city of Takahagi has remained unscathed for several centuries and exists as the crown jewel of the Kiyosu people. As part of an elaborate strategy of defense in depth, the Kiyosu Empire possesses a number of fortresses built in in several rings around Takahagi, the largest being Kure (under the control of the Kagurazaka).

Military
The Kiyosu Imperial Army (Kiyosu Teikoku Rikugun) is the armed forces of the Kiyosu Empire and is administered by the Imperial Daimyo Council which in turn is subordinate to the Empress. The permanent standing army of the Empire numbers nearly 5,000 strong and mostly consists of the garrison of Takahagi. In times of war, the Empire musters forces from its constituent states with each detachment under the control of their respective Daimyo.

Apart from the Imperial Army, the Empire also possesses its Orochi and Shinobi Orders—men and women trained in the art of espionage, deception, and other forms of irregular warfare. While both Orders are trained in similar arts, Orochis are considered more martial-focused and serve as scouts and light infantry for the army whereas Shinobis are skilled in statecraft and often serve as spies and agents of chaos. Each Order is also dedicated to a different god of the Kiyosu pantheon—Orochis are dedicated to the dragon goddess Emina and Shinobi swear loyalty to the god of darkness Hoitsu.

Equipment
The armor of the Kiyosu is characteristically light by comparison to the steel plate utilized by the other Kingdoms of Men. This is mostly due to the nature of their home in the Dragon Teeth Mountains where heavy armor proved fatal in navigating the mountains. As a result, the Samurai utilize a form of laminar armor reinforced with some metal plating.

Kiyosu katanas and nodachi form the backbone of the Empire's offensive weaponry, often found in the hands of the Samurai class. Unrivaled in their forging, the swords of the Empire are known for their precise, yet brutal elegance. Many are considered priceless weapons viewed as family heirlooms passed down from generation to generation.