Patera Project: Myoshima
by Andrew TheisenMYOSHIMA (Empire of)
Location: Patera, Near Side. East of Malacayog.
Area: Approximately 140,000 sq. mi.
Population: About 3,000,000 Rakasta, mostly concentrated in the
cities. The capital city has about 500,000 Rakasta inhabitants.
Language: Myoshiman.
Coinage:
Technology Level: Iron age, steel forged.
Government Type: Semiautonomous provinces owing fealty to a
central Emperor.
Industries: Fishing, agriculture, crafts (ironworking).
Description: The Empire of Myoshima consists mainly of three
rocky, jungle covered islands. Fertile soil is only found around
coastal areas; inland areas do not support any great degree of
agricultural production. The buildings are elaborate, pagoda
structures, similar to Ochalean architecture on Mystara. The
population consists almost entirely of a single breed of Rakasta- a
short, brown furred species (RW equivalent- Iriomote cat). Some
members of other species are present, slaves from other lands and
their descendants, but these invariably are afforded a lower status
among Myoshiman society (Note: the grey furred Myojo Katamura would
fit into this category).
Notable Sites:
History: Myoshimans have a long and unusual history on Patera. For
most of their prehistory, they remained primitive hunters, relying
even less on gathering to supplement their lifestyle than their
Rakastan cousins elsewhere on the moon. Isolated as they were, they
didn't benefit from the Pachydermions sharing of domestication of
plants, and they relied on very few tools, their natural weaponry
and hunting abilities making them the most efficient predators on
the Myoshiman islands. This, coupled with their relatively fast
reproductive rates, led the Myoshiman Rakasta quickly to a state of
overpopulation. Indeed, they might have overrun their islands and
expanded into other portions of Patera had not a few curious
incidents arisen in their history.
The moon of Patera is known for its often torrentially stormy
weather; monsoons are a common sight. One curious side effect of
this is the generation of strange vortexes, seeming tornadoes, in
the air. Many hundreds of years ago, a Myoshiman Rakasta wokani
attempted to explore one of these vortexes, known as Kamikaze
('Divine Wind') among Myoshimans. Mounted on his flying sabretooth
tiger, he was quickly catapulted through the atmosphere, and beyond
the skyshield of Patera. Fortunately, the quick thinking wokan
managed to cast a Create Air spell and saved he and his mount from
death. He returned to the surface of Patera and related his
account. Over the following centuries, more Rakastan explorers
ventured beyond the skyshield. (Note: This phenomenon has been
documented on Mystara by Alphatian wizards, and is known there as a
Vortigern's Vortex).
During the time of massive overpopulation of the Myoshiman
islands, there was a sudden uprising in the number and size of
these Kamikaze, and many unsuspecting Rakasta were swept away,
never to be heard of again. One brave leader, suspecting the
Immortals of sending a sign, ordered his tribe to mount their
sabretooths and fly off into the void. Many hundreds of Rakasta did
so, and flew off beyond the skyshield. Once there, they followed
their leader to a large sphere that lay immediately beyond Patera;
the planet of Mystara. There they landed on the island of Ochalea,
c.800 BC (Mystaran calendar). (Note: It is suspected by Alphatian
sages who documented this expedition at a later date that the
increase of Vortigern's Vortexes on Patera was caused by massive
changes in the climate of the Known World around the same time-
notably the raising of the Atruaghin Plateau and the creation of
the Canolbarth forest, both events which created massive
disruptions in the climate of the region of the Known World that
Patera happened to be in orbit above during this time.)
The Rakasta eventually became assimilated into the Ochalean
culture, and picked up many of their customs, not the least of
which were agricultural techniques (primarily rice farming) and
steel production.
Over the centuries, the aggressive and fast reproducing Rakasta
(compared to the Ochalean humans) began to war with the Ochaleans,
and eventually dominated them, enslaving the human population.
Within a few decades, the Rakasta ruled the island of Ochalea.
Around 600 BC, Ochalean humans entered into an alliance with the
nearby Alphatian humans, who were beginning to venture further
afield in their own attempt to create an empire. The Ochaleans,
with their Alphatian allies, drove out the Rakastan upstarts,
scattering them. Many Rakasta fled to various regions of the Known
World; a small but powerful group returned back the way their
ancestors had come- to the moon of Patera.
This group, landing once more on the islands that would become
known as Myoshima, quickly dominated the more primitive Rakasta
living there, with their superior knowledge and weapons. They
brought with them many Ochalean customs, and the development of
Myoshima's first cities began. The first permanent capital, Mara,
was built in 428 BC (Mystaran calendar).
A hereditary aristocracy was created. Emperor Myoshima (from where
the islands get their name) became the first ruler of the land in
344 BC. Among the aggressive Myoshimans, a new class began to rise
to prominence- a warrior class; katana wielding Rakasta who
travelled the land and fought for a living.
The rise of the warriors proved a problem for the aristocracy,
which soon lost its power as wars began to ravage the land. The
warriors took on more power for themselves; the Kamaukura
Shogunate, the first military government of Myoshima, was
established in 42 AC, but would soon be followed by many others.
The farmers and fishercats lived in fear; these were lawless times,
when a Rakasta owned only that which he could hold by force.
Two massive barbarian invasions from the nearby islands of
Malacayog, in 136 and 143 AC, caused large numbers of casualties
among the Myoshimans, and led some to question whether a more
central authority might be able to better protect the islanders,
but their voices were small, and the warriors continued to dominate
the land.
Finally, in 329 AC, the voices of unity grew much louder, and a
civil war rocked the islands of Myoshima. It would last for nearly
a century, and would eventually result in the rise of a new class
of warrior; the Daimyo. These Daimyo were powerful military
leaders, and managed to bring great unity to the islands over time.
Eventually, the unification process came to a head in 442 AC.
Myoshima became an Empire once more.
In 455 AC, Ieyasu Kitahara was crowned Emperor of Myoshima. A new
class system was instituted among the islands, a four class system:
at the top were the samurai; below them, the peasants, then
artisans, then the despised merchant class. Convicts and slaves
formed an unofficial fifth class. In 491 AC, the Kitahara family
instituted a period of total isolationism from the rest of Patera,
in order to consolidate their power, and re-establish the Empire
from within.
This isolationism lasted for centuries, until the Emperor of
Myoshima, in 903 AC declared an end to it. An almost complete
turnabout then came, as Myoshimans entered into a policy of
expansion into Patera. This brought them into conflict with most of
the other nations of the moon.
In 961 AC, a group of Heldannic Knights, increasingly curious
about Bellaynish activity, explored beyond the Skyshield of Mystara
and discover the moon of Patera. They landed in Myoshima, where
they encountered the xenophobic Myoshimans. The two peoples reacted
badly to one another, and the Heldanners were quickly branded as
undesirables and criminals within Myoshima, and were driven
offworld. A few years later, an encounter with Prince Haldemar of
Haaken led to a more congenial response by the Myoshimans. The
Empire entered into diplomatic relations with the Mystaran Empire
of Alphatia. Myojo Katamura joined the crew of the Princess
Ark.
Important Figures: Lord Katayama (Daimyo of Ichiyoda
Province).
Flora and Fauna: The islands of Myoshima are virtually devoid of
intelligent monsters, though beasts roam the innermost areas of the
land. A notable exception is the presence of a number of dragons,
of various colours, that live within the Empire's borders.
Generally, these creatures are well regarded and feared by the
Myoshimans. The southernmost island in the Myoshiman chain is also
known to host a large population of Dragonnes.
OTHER NOTES:
I'm sure the migrations to Mystara may be controversial, but here's my reasoning: The similarities with Ochalea and Myoshiman culture. That's essentially it. :)
I figured the Vortigern's Vortex idea would be a good way of tying in the migrations beyond the skyshield, especially when I saw how neatly it paralleled the concept of Kamikaze ('Divine Winds'). I also tied it in with the oft tossed about idea of a native Ochalean culture (pre-Alphatian); we'll see what the M-China people want to do with that, if anything.
On another note- it helps explain
why Lord Katayama spoke Alphatian when he met with Prince Haldemar.