Preview Scroll Two: Emperors, Monks, and Ninjas!
Kannon Bosatsu
Emperors, Ninjas, and Monks
Introduction
The Heian Period was a culturally rich and economically defining point in the history of Japan. Traditions carried over from China compounded with a lengthly period of peace allowed native culture to flourish, creating intrinsic 'Heian' aesthetic standards in literature and art . Increasingly important to the framework of the Japanese infrastructure was the complex role played by religion. Religion in the Heian was a vastly interwoven system of beliefs which combined elements of Mahayana Buddhism with the animistic Shinto traditions native to Japan, in an amalgamation commonly referred to as Shinbutsu shugo (????, lit. "kami and buddhas fused"). To perceive this effect as one akin to the impact of Christianity on Western Europe or Islam on the Middle East would be a monumental fallacy. For in the eastern world, religion was not forceful in its spread nor in its teachings, but rather coalesced across cultures and borders through conscious and unconscious integration.
Osawa Pond at Daikakuji Temple
Heian Palace and the Imperial Court
The divine right to rule was a common source of administrative succession in the east, and Japan is no exception. The Emperor( tenno ??, lit. "heavenly ruler") was believed to have originated from the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, and acted as head of the Imperial Family and high priest; a position which would be passed through his lineage until otherwise usurped. The cultural success of the Heian era was due to the concentration of power and talent in the capital, which exhibited limited control over the provinces. This single focus on court and court life allowed a tough warrior class to arise in the more distant and border regions of the islands. After the rise of the samurai class, more disputes arose between the Emperor and cloistered Emperors, those who had abdicated their throne but could still exercise powers, for the divine right to rule. One notable such instance was the Hogen Rebellion(????) of 1156, which elevated the Taira and Minamoto clans to positions of power within the courts and established the animosities which would later lead to the Heiji Rebellion. The Heiji Rebellion(????) would see the two competing clans clash at the imperial capital, and the Taira establish themselves as the dominant clan in the land, with unprecedented influence in court and over the Emperor.
Despite this being a time where increasing and inhibiting control was exerted over the Emperor and the Court by the rival clans, the Court still held sway in many important affairs, not the least of which was the governing of assets of revenue and land ownership within the Ritsuryo legal system. The lands 'owned' by the two clans were nothing more than their dominion that they could exercise a form of geographical affiliation and leadership over, and as such a large tithe of the production capability and output within their governed regions were not within their remit to exercise control over. This will be represented in All Under Heaven in a number of ways.
I ) Hindered Development - The power of the court to control the assets of the land and its development that the clans are otherwise in possession of by game terms, means that the clans ability to develop their provinces will be severely hindered. While operating as a clan, developmental capabilities will be nearly non-existent in areas not managed by a strong Governor. It is necessary for a region to have a strong Governor in order to properly distribute the resources allotted to it in a most efficient manner so that there is some room for developmental undertakings. Regions without strong governors will not have the capacity to properly cope with the tithes and thus be relegated to their current developmental state. The player will need to use his strong governors wisely to develop key regions to aid in the war effort, and otherwise work with what is available to him. The AI will not be nearly so hindered, giving it a distinct edge over the unprepared player.
II ) Monetary Sanctions - In addition to the stringent development capabilities available to the clans while under Imperial rule, they will also be subjected to monetary sanctions which further limit the resources they have at their disposal. The amounts paid to the court from the coffers of the clan are in proportion to the amounts the clan holds within their coffers. The more money the player accrues, the more will be acquired by the court. It is thus advisable to spend money as it is available, because it is much harder to tax an empty coffer than one teeming with riches.
III ) Missions and Court Funding - Another aspect of the court will be that of missions. The court will provide the player with demands and objectives depending on who owns the capital and the relative disposition of the court towards the player faction. It is also possible that the court will provide funding to the player or AI faction in support of their war effort. Make no mistake however, to assume that the inclinations of the court are straightforward. At times it may be within their best interests to support the faction that is prevailing, to ingratiate themselves to the eventual dominant clan. While at other times the court might seek to pit the two clans against each other, consuming each others resources so as to exercise full control over the land once more under the sole dominion of the Emperor. And, in fact, if the player fails to subdue the rival clan for a significant period of time, they will be summarily destroyed.
IV ) Heian Palace - The key complex at the imperial capital which served as the home and office of the Imperial Family and Court, is the Heian Palace complex. In history the palace was ravaged by fires shortly after the start of our time frame, but for the purposes of the mod it will stand as an indestructible construct and landmark that provides administrative benefit and enables the continual existence of the Imperial Court.
V ) Saio - In history, the Saio was an unmarried female relative of the Emperor who would come to live at Saiku and serve at the Grand Shrine in Ise, the most important shrine of Shinto tradition. The chosen family member would be escorted to their new lodgings in a grand procession, to stay there and serve as High Priestess on behalf of the Emperor in order to invoke the good will of the gods, as was tradition. This honor will be extended to the powerful clans, and once every reign, an unmarried princess will be chosen and set to serve at the shrine. At the end of their service, the princess will hold considerable sway in the affairs of court, and will be much more likely to garner diplomatic proposals and achieve strategic marriages.
By destroying the rival clan and transitioning to a Shogunate, many of the negative effects of the Court exerting its dominion over controlled land will dissipate. They will naturally be replaced with certain other issues, however, as the consequence of a more decentralized form of rule.
Heian Palace Scroll
Diplomat Strat Model
Saio Strat Model
Byodo-in Temple
Temples and their Denizens
The temples across the land played a vital role in the lives of the populace and in the matters of state, as well as being host to various sects. Many brilliant temples surrounded the key cities of the time and acted as home to the many ascetics (yamabushi) and monastic orders of the time. These temples served as a refuge to those wishing to escape their worldly affairs in devotion to the spirits. Generals of the clans will be able to seek reprieve in regions with significant temple complexes, which will cause them to become unavailable for some time and in turn have a chance to return temporarily enlightened, providing boosts to their stats. Some of the more famous shrines about the land, such as the Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei and the Todai-ji Temple at Nara, will be present as unique buildings within the regions where they were present.
Additionally, some of the shrines such as the Todai-ji Daibutsu Hall and the Kofuku-ji five-tier pagoda, will be visible on the strategy map in our new and innovative Wonders System, which will allow us to place an unlimited number of landmarks all around the strategy map, something we will go into more detail about later. Last, but certainly not least, the Temples will serve as recruitment complexes for monks of the monastic sects who are willing to exhibit their martial tradition for a price (these units will also be available in more limited quantity as mercenaries throughout Japan).
Todai-ji Temple Scroll
Kofuku-ji Temple Scroll
Todai-ji Temple and Kofukuji Pagoda
Buddhist Monk Strat Model
Sohei: Warrior Monks
From the tenth century, bitter disputes broke out between Buddhist temples and sects over imperial control of their orders, many which led to armed conflicts between monks. These first Sohei were little more than security men and such disputes were purely political, with no religious dimension. However, the succession disputes between Tendai monks of the line of Ennin and Enchin resulted in opposing Tendai centers at Mount Hiei, the sanmon (?? Mountain Order) and at Miidera, the jimon (?? Temple Order). Warrior monks were used to settle the disputes, and Tendai leaders began to hire mercenary armies who threatened rivals and even marched on the capital to enforce monastic demands. Whilst the intense rivalry between Enryakuji and Miidera grew, it did not stop the two joining forces against Nara's Kofuku-ji in 1081. Burning and looting became commonplace as temple factions resolved their differences in violence.
As the wars between the clans begin, both Taira and Minamoto leaders court the favour of the temples at Nara and Mount Hiei. Samurai commanders are keen to recruit the fearsome monks from wherever they can to augment their own military forces. For the reputation of the Sohei is renown, as ex-emperor Go Shirakawa said: 'There are three things that are beyond my control: the rapids on the Kamo river, the dice at gambling, and the monks of the mountain'.
Yoshiminedera Sutra Hall
Bushido and the Role of Espionage
Bushido (bushi 武士 "warrior", do 道 "way", transliteration "Way of the Warrior") was a Japanese code of moral conduct practiced in the samurai class of Japan. The ideology was a loosely drawn together and entirely implicit combination of house rules imposed by the various feudal lords of the land. Honor in the eastern world was a wholly intrinsic aspect of society. It also played a role in warfare of the time, encouraging tactics that were straightforward and discouraging those that were underhanded.
It is because of this code that the art of espionage was far removed from the art of warfare. The bushido made clandestine acts reprehensible for a samurai to engage in, and reflected poorly on the lord who commissioned them. Therefore a new and loosely defined class of shinobi emerged, samurai who were especially proficient in the art of stealth and could take action in such ways that honor would not permit. In All Under Heaven, every time you recruit a group of samurai, there is a slight chance that you will find a truly skilled shinobi within the ranks, and be able to commission his services for your shady desires.
General Strat Model
Captain Strat Model
Spy Strat Model
Assassin Strat Model
Taira Strat Map Family !
Credits
Craig O. Tale of Genji - Photographs
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Originally Posted by Storm
