SHINSENLIN

The home of Elves in Vangaard, currently embroiled in a violent civil war between the ruling class in the cities and those loyal to them, and their subjects, who dwell in the lands and forests.

Population: 22 Million, primarily Elves. The elven makeup is about 40% High Elf, and 60% Wood Elf. Pallid elves are of a much smaller number, not enough to warrant a percentage count, but are typically allied with High Elves. The same goes for Eladrin, but they are typically allied with Wood Elves.

Government: Feudalist Shogunate, whereby Shogun Hidokami Daiki, a Pallid elf, and direct descendant of Vangaards' first elf, rules over the entire realm, and each of the regions has a lord and vassals that report into them. Fed up with being subservient to their wealthy and landed High Elf peers, Wood Elves had begun an uprising, demanding equal property and land ownership rights for their people.

Culture: Rooted in real world Feudal Japanese culture. High Elves make up almost all of the landed peoples in Shinsenlin, with the only exception being Pallid Elves, who are almost all royalty. Wood Elves have traditionally been subservient, as it was decided that their lack of a natural connection to The Weave and its magic made them lesser. Wood Elves are typically marked by small facial tattoo, that would prevent them from passing as a high elf without thee aid of magic.-

Commerce: Oil, Firearms, Lumber, Gemstones, Gold.

Defence: The landscape is littered with dense forest in the north, with harsh jungles further south. These woodlands provide ample protection from prying eyes, and difficult terrain for artillery to pass through, and infantry to navigate. If these manage to get bypassed, incredibly sturdy city walls defended by powerful mages and advanced firearms are difficult to contend with.

Prime Deity: Haruo.

Important Organisations: The Shogunate, Shinsenlin Egalitarian Front, Karawari Arms Industries, Okomoto Oil Ltd., Hanajira University.

Language: Common and Elvish.

Hallmarks: Massive racial tensions, top of the line firearms, a constant political game.

Fashion: In Shinsenlin, a high elf lord would wear long, flowing robes made of expensive cotton, dyed extravagant colours, while a wood elf scout might choose to blend in wearing rough textured hempen cloth in earthy tones.

Interesting Things About Shinsenlin:

• Shinsenlin is steeped in civil war. This conflict is causing massive problems for the country on a national scale, as most of the labour force is too busy fighting against their lords and masters to contribute to the national industry. This has resulted in a lot of outside labour being brought in to the country to work in industries that keep the Shinsenlin economy running, and significant day-to-day resources needing to be imported. Operating a caravan bringing supplies into Shinsenlin is arguably one of the most hazardous jobs in Vangaard at the present moment.

• One of the world's largest firearms manufacturers is native to Shinsenlin. This sees Elven guards fitted with top of the line firearms, that have a far superior level of craftsmanship than other firearms on the market, rivalling even many custom pieces. This typically means that if, for whatever reason, you find yourself up against an Elven soldier, closing the gap quickly is in your best interest. Then you just need to get past the armour.

• Shinsenlin is home to one of the nation's finest places of academic focus. Hanajira University is both a place of magical and mundane learning, where wizards go to learn everything that they can about the weave, bards go to hone their craft, whether it be music, art, or politics, and all manner of engineers, scientists, and other intellectuals bolster their skill sets. If they've got the money to attend.

Geography: Dense, lush, sprawling forest covers the land from pretty much end to end. There are also mountains to the west that stretch the length of the country, and warp around the whole southern border, many of which are rich with ore deposits and veins of precious stone. Naval endeavours are not out of the question, due to a large stretch of coastline alongside the massive Divine Lake in the centre of the continent.

General Information:

Shinsenlin is the home of the elves, which was settled when after the migration of humans, elves and dwarves south after the Northernmost region of the content froze over. The nation itself is a lush, beautiful landscape where nature and civilisation live in almost perfect harmony. Elves have always been considerate of the environment that they inhabit, and have always done their best to accommodate the natural order when settling in a specific location, but as of late, things have begun to change in this regard.  Under mandates from The Shogunate, Elven corporations have begun to show less and less care and due process when it comes to dealing with the natural world in their endeavours, with respect for nature being replaced by carelessness in the name of economic growth, with the eventual aim of dominance.

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This led to tensions between the Elven subgroups, with those more intrinsically tied to nature harbouring feelings of anger and betrayal, and over time has led to unrest and displeasure. Those who would have been previously quite happy to accept their place in society as laid out by The Shogunate, found themselves consumed by rage, after seeing their homes exploited, and in some cases destroyed, in the name of economic expansion. This unrest has grown over the years, and the constant exploitation of the landscape, and it's resources, combined with the forced labour of those who inhabit it, has resulted in the outbreak of civil war that encompasses the whole nation.

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Politics, among the elven lords, is shrewd at the best of times. At the worst of times, it can be downright ruthless. Elven lords, all of whom are skilled and trained politicians, are constantly in a battle of wits and words in order to place themselves higher in the favour of the Shogun, hopefully placing them in a position to take over when he eventually passes. Scheming is at an all-time high, with the Shogun reaching his twilight years, meaning that the potential to replace him inching ever closer, all of the Elven lords are vying to outdo one another, and potentially quell a rebellion. Some broker deals with outside sources in order to gain backing from other nations, none of whom are necessarily eager to publicly endorse one particular side, but are willing to give support in favour of thriving industry behind the scenes.  Some lead marches on Wood Elves conclaves in order to wipe out any unrest at the source, at the risk of losing any potential labour forces should the rebellion be suppressed.

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On the other side of the fence, Wood Elves are looking for support through those in opposition to industrial endeavours, or at the very least would benefit from a change in regime. This help often comes from the criminal underworld, revolutionaries that are active in other parts of the world, activists looking to free their own homelands from the clutches of industry, hired mercenaries or even in some cases, governments who would prefer to see someone else in charge of Shinsenlin. In extremely rare, but not unknown cases, The Sea Leagues have aided the Wood Elves in their endeavours, based on the hatred for the damage industry is causing to their own homes. In any case, guerrilla warfare, ambush tactics, night raids, and often questionable methods are put to food use in any way possible to turn the tide in their favour.

Cities and Towns:

• Kibara: Capitol City - A sprawling city within the depth of a magnificent jungle, at the foot of a mountain, where the Shogunate calls home, and the Hanajira University welcomes students from all over. Seemingly untouched by the civil war.

• Watugiri: Port City - A massive port dealing with most of Shinsenlins water based trade.

• Jinsei: Trade City - A trade city that lies on the North Western border, situated at a point nearest to all nations, for ease of import, export and distribution

• Mukijo: Oil Mining City - Deep in the jungle, near caverns and ravines that are rich in oil deposits.

• Kyataru: Military City - Lying on the South Westerly border, a vast and intimidating fortress that served as the first bastion of the Elven homeland when at war with Kabal'Ara

• Mikido: Military town.

• Gaihan: Lumber Town

• Yisho: Mining Town

• Yamaichi: Mining Town

• Shibetsu: Fishing Port

• Nagitomi: Port Town

• Mirubira: Religious Town

• Tatsuzawa: Trade Post

• Himada: Agricultural Town

• Daizawa: Agricultural Town

Making a Character from here:

• A Not-So-Civil War: What side of the line do you fall on? Are you loyal to the side that you were born into? Or maybe you're a High Elf that sympathises with the cause of the Wood Elves. Maybe a Wood Elf that's satisfied with the relative simplicity and basic comfort that working under this regime has afforded them?

• How do you contribute to the cause? Do you stay in Shinsenlin and actively support your side, by fighting for one group or another, or contribute to the war effort through labour? Have you vacated and are contributing from an outside perspective, like sending resources or funds back home in order to help your respective side achieve victory? Or, have you chosen to stay out of it and remain impartial, or even indifferent?

• Do your beliefs align with the culture, or are you opposed to it? How do you feel about the persecution of outsiders and what it means to want a better life, either here or somewhere else?

Naming Culture:

Male Names - Aoto, Daiki, Haru, Ibuki, Kota, Minato, Ryuki, Sosuke, Tatsuki, Yuki.

Female Names - Akari, Haruka, Funaki, Ichika, Koharu, Mei, Natsuki, Riko, Shiori, Yue.

Surnames - Arai, Chiba, Fujimoto, Harada, Ishimura, Kudo, Matsui, Okada, Saito, Takeda.