The Shrine of Hamaskis.
Hachiman - Development
The Shrine of Hamaskis.Hachiman - Development | |
This is a temporary page containing the information so far obtained from the existing sources on the nation of Hachiman. The High Priest would like to thank Ken Beuden for collecting and analysing this information. Hopefully, further details will emerge in the light of ensuing discussion. There are also some interesting facts concerning the history of Hachiman.
We know the name of the land is Hachiman, also the name of that people's God of War. Also, Ambassador Keiko told the people of the Isles of the Dawn that Hachiman is called Ojin by the peoples who actually live there. If Ojin is another name for the God of the War these is strikingly similar to the Southwest Khulian name for the God of Battle Rage, Odin. Perhaps then some ancient link can be inferred.
The name of the capital is Konichi. This has connotations with the word for today and is sometimes used as referring to dawn. So perhaps Konichi is the city of the Dawn. It would make sense given its location, on the Plain of this great Hang-Yo River. The Road of East Wind is an ancient road used by those travelling to and from Konichi and Marcher Lands begin at edge of land held securely by Shogun.
The Hiang-Kiang is the greatest River in Hachiman flowing from the Shios'ii mountains (the awesome and imapssable mountains surrounding Hachiman and cutting it off from the rest of Khul) through the Spider Fens and on to the Ocean. The Plain of lower Hiang Kiang River is the term for the Hiang-Kiang river delta amid the Spider Fens of Kumo which was lost beneath a pall of mist descended centuries ago and so is called the Eternal Mist. The Longhills is an extensive range of hills leading to the valley of a tributory of the Hiang-Kiang river.
Hiang Kiang (which people from other parts of Titan tend to pronounce Hong Kong) means fragrant waterway. This seems a beautiful and elegant name for the mighty river in Hachiman. Perhaps we can infer something of the ancient civilisation mentioned in the story, and of the land around the Hiang Kiang before the Eternal Mist descended to help form the Spider Fens.
The Hagakure Bridge is an ancient bridge across the Hiang-Kiang river on edge of Forest of Shadows (west and north of Konichi), massive menacing Forest, under the guardianship of the Tatsu. In one version of the tale, the hero travels via the Forest of Shadows to the Hagakure Bridge. Interestingly, Hagakure was the name of a book written by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, and is known as the Book of the Samurai. The word Hagakure can be translated as either hidden leaves or hidden by leaves. This seems most apt for the samurai. What is also apt is that the bridge is hidden by the forest from the south, so it too is hidden by leaves.
The Mizokumo Fens - also called the Spider Fens - lie east and north of Konichi across the plain of Hang-Yo River. They are sprawling Fens over the delta of the mighty Hiang-Kiang. Go north from here to reach the foothills of the Shios'ii beyond the Hiang Kiang river. Many dykes can be found in Hachiman, especially around the area now occupied by the Spider Fens. They run for miles - built by an ancient civilisation before the eternal mists descended. The Giant's Causeway is a causeway over a lake within the Spider Fens (the lake below is occupied by monstrous beasts - beware!). Giant Trapdoor Spiders and Water Spiders can be found in this land. The Scarlet Pagoda is on the edge of a mist covered lake in the Spider Fens and is a gateway to the Enchanted Garden, a magical Garden accessible via magical portals, occupied by a wizard and magical statues.
Kanshuro is a land of villages and dales where wooded plateaux are riven by beautiful and peaceful dales, nestled unseen between cliffs cut into the limestone by rivers. This place is near to the charcoal burners wood, part of the woodland to the East and North of Konichi, occupied by charcoal burners. From here you are near to the Vale of Tinshu and the village of the Undead.
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Sentient beings:
Supernatural beings:
Animals:
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Famous People:
Shinmen - in some versions of the story, we come across a village being ransacked by Lord Tsietsin's Samurai and as a reward for chasing them off, the Headman of the Village gives the hero the headband of Shinmen, a legendary hero of Hachiman. The silken red Headband patterned with a black 3 spokeed wheel, had been kept for centuries by the vllagers of his village.
Ninji - the present day headman of the village from which Shinmen came
Tsunewara - a legendary master of Kyujutsu (said by some to have had majical powers). Arrows he made were with white eagle feathers and were said to have the power to dispell evil spirits.
Yomitsume Moichi - in the legend of the Sword of the Samurai this young samurai became the retainer of the hero, the shogun's champion.
Eleanor the Enchantress - a powerful enchantress trapped in the Enchanted Wood
Knights of the Golden Company - appear to be 9 of them. They wear golden armour with white surcoat covered in blue circles. They are searching for the war fan of their king - symbol of nine gold arrows, a blue circle and white background.They are from an ancient time.
Other Individuals:
Gargantus - a giant bronze beast with the legs of a goat and with ruby eyes.
Graalsch - a demon toad of the Dai-Oni
Hammurabi - Lord of the Flies. The priestess of this god appears to be good. She sings the Song of Swarms.
Hotei - The God of Luck. One of the Kami of the Heavens, and with the possible exception of Hammurabi, the only Hachiman deity mentioned in the tale of the Sword of the Samurai.
K'rllk - a Mantis demon of the Dai-Oni
Silver Samurai - can be encountered in the Enchanted Garden. A mythical warrior who gives out the Battlecry of ages.
| People and Powers | Work and Skills | Trade and Commerce |
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Kihei Hasekawa - the Shogun
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| ashiguru | a peasant soldier |
| bakemono-sho | a lesser variant of the goblin |
| bakufu | military rule; rule of the shogun |
| budo | the way of combat |
| bushi | warrior; name given to all the warriors who made up families with a warrior tradition |
| bushido | way of the warrior; a code of honour and social behaviour; succeeded unwritten code the Way of the bow and the horse |
| daimyo | the Hachiman word for baron, a feudal lord; maintain a great number of samurai in their service, who all swore an oath of allegiance to them according to the rules of Bushido |
| Hachiman | the name of the land |
| headman | head of a village elder council, he carries a ribbon of office and the headman's medal |
| iai-jutsu | the skill of the fast draw of the sword |
| kami of the Heavens | the Hachiman name for the Pantheon of the Gods |
| karumijutsu | the skill of heroic leaping |
| ken-jutsu | the warrior art of the sword; art of using the sword as soon as it is drawn from the scabbard, in order to attack the enemy; transformed into the art of kendo |
| kendo | the way of the sword; martial art (budo) of using sword (ken) |
| kensei | the name given to the Shoguns' champion meaning sword saint |
| kyujutsu | the skill of Archery |
| naginata | weapon used by foot soldiers against horsemen or to cut the tendons of horses or disembowel them; also favourite weapon of the wives of samurai and of warrior monks |
| nether regions | perhaps the Hachiman name for the Pit |
| ninja | men and women trained for espionage and assassination; generally drawn from the lower classes and used by daimyo to assassinate enemies and penetrate enemy fortresses |
| ni-to-kenjutsu | the art of 2 sworded fighting |
| ronin | name given to all bushi and samurai who did not serve a particular master, either because the master had died or because his lands had been confiscated. A number of these ronin become martial arts teachers or begin some other job compatible with their samurai status (e.g., bodyguards) |
| samurai | a class of bushi (warriors). The original samurai were there for the protection of their lord and were especially trained in martial arts. Later the name was given to all bushi of a certain rank belonging to warrior families |
| seppuku | act of ritual suicide performed by samurai (The expression hara-kiri, to cut the abdomen is considered more vulgar.) |
| shogun | title given by the emperor to the daimyo who shows himself to be the richest and the most powerful of all the lords |
| so-jutsu | techniques of using the lance, and performed wearing the ancient armour of the samurai |
| Weapons | |
| Dai-Katana | Singing Death the great sword of the Shogun. Bestows great powers on its keeper. It is known as the soul of Hachiman. He who has it and uncovers the secret of the sword will rule Hachiman. If you know the secret you cannot reveal it freely -- if you do then your soul will be damned to the Nether Regions |
| Bo | a six foot staff usually constructed of wood |
| Cane | basically a walking stick, preferably one with a hook at the end |
| Hanbo | a three foot staff made of wood and is sometimes wielded in pairs. A variation of the hanbo are called escrima or kali sticks, which are sometimes used in pairs |
| Jo | a four foot staff usually made of wood |
| Katana | long sword |
| Konsaibo | a hardwood staff reinforced with metal strips and often had heavy iron nubs along its upper portion, it was a lighter version of the tetsubo |
| Magari-Yari | similar in appearance to the trident, the side blades are set at right angles to the central blade, points turning slightly inward |
| Nagemaki | a type of naginata with a heavy very long blade mounted on a shorter, sturdy staff |
| Naginata | usually six to eight foot staff with a curved sword-like blade at one end |
| Shinobi-Zue | a ninja staff weapon with a chain hidden in one end with a lead weight attached to it |
| Tetsubo | the tetsubo, or iron staff, comes in various shapes and lengths, with circular or hexagonal, or octagonal cross-sections. Only the strongest warriors could be proficient in its use as it is very heavy |
| Wakizashi | shortsword |
| Yari | a spear, their lengths vary greatly, they can be as short as six foot to as long as thirteen feet. There are also many different types of spear heads that were used by the samurais |
There are eight destinations from the Tourney of Planes.
Elder Plains - Here you may well meet sabre tooth tigers etc. It is likely these Plains are from a past era.
Enchanted Wood - Where it lies can not be said for sure.
Endless Sands of Alehon - Where it lies can not be said for sure. The Pheonix lives here.
Eternal Tower - Where it lies can not be said for sure. The Golden Company reside here
Mountain of Ineffable Holiness - Here you may meet a Ki-Rin - a servitor of the gods and a creature of wisdom, law and goodness - it has a horse body, feathered wings, and a lion like head.
Pinnacle of Ultimate Height - Here you may meet the Tatsu
Swamps of Primordial Mire - Here dwell Great Serpants among other deadly creatures.
Place of Battle - The last destination where you must do battle with the Dai-Oni and his minions.
Other items mentioned in the text:
Battlecry of ages - This is the cry of the Silver Samurai
Helmet of Befuddlement - from this you will lose Skill.
Legion of the Seventh Seal - they were the honour guard of the First Shogun. Amazing Warriors. Wiped out by a force 10 times their size 500 years ago. They wore amazing armour of gold and blue hues.
Magic Arrow dispells evil spirits
Phoenix ruby - this ancient artefact placates the Pheonix.
Seal of Shogun - this guarantees safe passage in areas loyal to the Shogun
Talisman of Fortuitous Circumstance (Jade in dragon shape) - this is a gift given out but rarely by the Tatsu.
Tourney of Plains - a place where many Plains meet.
Undead Samurai - the guardian of Hagakure Bridge.
Waters of Knowledge - these cure insanity.
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