(01-12-2017, 07:23 PM)Kazukata Wrote: 1. Yugiri is a shinobi and a general during the revolt, but the shinobi are the ones that ultimately betrayed Doma and are at least partially blamed for the collapse. Am I right in assuming that the traitors were a group of shinobi that acted independently and Yugiri bears no blame for that?
These were a separate faction known as the Imperial Shadows, trained by the Shinobi master Gekkai, but likely bolstered and funded by the Garlean Frumentarium (spy network). Gekkai claims to have turned cloak to spare his village of shinobi on the outskirts of Doma, but his actions and subsequent position at the head of the Imperial Shadows says his intentions were likely far less altruistic.
Gekkai Wrote:Don't tell me you require a history lesson, young one. Since the time of our ancestors, the shinobi have served many masters. Have you never wondered why, Oboro? Why, when Doma was subjugated by the Empire, was our village alone spared Garlemald's wrath? It was because of my actions. I protected us where the entire nation of Doma could not.
Gekkai's shinobi, however, are not the only faction of shinobi in the Yanxia region. The art itself is born in Hingashi, an island further to the east across the Ruby Tide, but the shinobi have upheld a long tradition of pledging themselves to a cause or family. Yugiri swore her blade to the Doman General's clan, so while she may have trained under Gekkai, she left the village to serve another master and was not privy to his plot.
Oboro Wrote:As you know, we are blades, and missions are as whetstones to us. Through duty and service, we sharpen our skills and our minds. This is the next step on your path.
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Having thus mastered ninjutsu and being given the epithet ‘Mistwalker,’ she pledged herself to the remnants of the Doman general’s clan. Thereafter, she waged a war against the Garlean Army.
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(01-12-2017, 07:23 PM)Kazukata Wrote: 2. The timeline's a bit murky for me, but when exactly did the Doman revolt start? It sounds like it was a full-blown military conflict, so would many of the revolutionaries have, in fact, also fought in the initial war? I was planning on making Kazukata more middle-aged, so do I need to account for the initial conquest, as well? The Garleans' initial conquest was 20 years before present time, but I imagine the revolt at least started a few years prior.
The Garlean Empire first invaded Othard in the Year 1528, roughly 50 years ago, and finally brought Doma under Imperial control in the Year 1552, five years before they conquered Ala Mhigo in northern Aldenard.
It's unclear if the known city-states of Othard (Doma, Hingashi, Rabanastre, and Bozja) put up a united defense against the Garleans during this twenty-four year time period. We do know that Garlemald's armies, led by Solus and Gaius during those early years did clash against Far Eastern armies and that at least one Othardian nation summoned a primal in defense of the East.
We also know that the fall of the Doman palace at the heart of their city-state spelled the end of Imperial resistance in the Far East. If there was another nation that had not yet been annexed, they either were defeated shortly thereafter or surrendered with the Domans. So if your character was in the Doman military twenty-five years ago or more, they most certainly would've fought against the initial conquest of Doma, with or without the support of the other nations.
Fast-forward roughly a quarter of a century to about one year ago, which marked the death of the First Emperor Solus zos Galvus to illness at the age of 88 and the start of the War of Succession. During this time period the Domans believed their resistance (which had likely been brewing underground for many months as news of the emperor's health steadily declined from age) could retake the city from a distracted Imperial army. They were right, partially.
The Doman resistance was able to retake several key landmarks, including their palace, but when Garlemald rallied, they were betrayed by Gekkai's Imperial Shadows and the resistance fell. To set an example, Garlemald razed their palace and capital and took every resistance member they captured alive and executed them along with their families for the other Far Eastern nations to see what happens when you betray the empire.
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Until recently, Doma was a proud independent nation situated in Yanxia - a southeastern region of Othard made fertile by the waters of the One River. At the civilization’s heart lay a mighty walled palace, a city unto itself. It was when this, the pride of their nation, fell into Garlemald’s clutches in 1552 that Doma became but another imperial province amongst many. For long years thereafter, the Domans tasted the bitterness of life as Garlean subjects.
In the coming of the Seventh Astral Era, however, the Empire was plunged into a war of succession. In that moment, the Domans saw their chance for freedom. Marshalling under the previous leader, the people took up arms. Their efforts bore victory, and many key landmarks were reclaimed, including the lost palace. Yet the discord in Garlemald ended more swiftly than the Domans had expected. The imperial forces rallied, and the Domans suffered a second crushing defeat. In the aftermath of the rebellion, the Garleans withheld any and all mercy. Those who took part in, or even supported the insurrection were given public executions, as were their families.
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(01-12-2017, 07:23 PM)Kazukata Wrote: 3. Something that's been a consistent frustration and would clear up a lot of my other questions, but I doubt there's an actual answer to: how autonomous were the Raen in Doma? They're constantly talked about like a separate group that allied with Doma, but literally everything that happens to Doma sounds like it also happens to the Raen, making them sound more like actual citizens of the nation.
The Raen were once nomadic like their Xaela cousins, spreading across Othard many many centuries ago. However, at some point, they gave up wandering and settled specifically in the coastal, southeastern Yanxia region of Othard, where Doma is found today. This region stretches from the One River to the northwest to the mountains of the north to the deserts of the south. Raen can be found in villages throughout this region, not all of them hailing from the city-state of Doma.
Raen can also be found in Hingashi, one of many smaller islands off the Yanxia coastline to the east of Doma across a sea known as the Ruby Tide. Hingashi is the birthplace of the shinobi and seems to have a similar culture and language to that of Doma, which makes sense as the two nations trade frequently.
In any case, the Raen adopt the language, customs, and culture of any nation in which they settle, according to the lore book. They adapt. So yes, there were Raen citizens of Doma. There are also Raen who are citizens of other nations in Othard. However, as the majority of our scope of the lore comes from the Doman refugees who fled to Eorzea (bringing with them the first Raen in Eorzea) much of the lore we get for the Raen is seen through the lens of Doma and their culture.
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Believing themselves the children of the Dawn Father, the forebears of the Raen left behind their homeland to settle across Othard. They were received with hatred and hostility by other races in the early years, until a prominent warlord of Yanxia, impressed with their valor, forged an alliance with the strange race and took them on as retainers. Before long, the Raen had assumed a prominent role as warriors in the service of countless great warlords.
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:The Raen now make their homes in central Othard and the surrounding islands, where they have forged strong relations with the Hyur and other races, adapting readily to new cultures.
Lodestone Wrote:Unlike their sister clan, the Xaela, who bloody the land with endless tribal conflict, the Raen have embraced a life of tranquility and solitude, long abandoning the nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors to settle the deep valleys of Othard’s mountainous eastern reaches. Only on rare occasions will one emerge from the valley mists to seek adventure in realms afar.
Fernehalwes Wrote:Fernehalwes: “Now, whereas the Xaela are made up of dozens of small tribes lead by khans, the Raen are mostly stationary and live near Doma or in the Far Eastern islands across the sea from Doma. However, due to the invasion of Othard by the Garlean Empire, a lot of Raen have been displaced and now flock to areas where they can find safety—like Eorzea (as was the case with Yugiri).
Hope this helps! ^^
