(Year 230, Summer) I decided to write more about the many households in my game, including some details of cultural and historical aspects. I like to share, and it might also help sorting out further paths and needed inspiration for my own game.
1st protected family of Komorebi:
Nishidake Family
Protector of the Fox, Protected by the Sunflower, Element Mountain.
This family is a branch of the family that originally had the Komorebian Royal Throne, until the Sloth Family conquered Mt. Komorebi and declared the Empire of Snorthia. The three old kingdoms, Komorebi, Simerinia and Jacothia kept existing for about 100 years under the Emperor, but with hardly any influence at all, they gradually vanished. Today the 1st Protected Family of each of the three old nations are no longer considered royals, but all but the Ming family are still around as the highest ranked families of their region.
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| Kaori Nishidake (16), Shigeru Nishidake (75) and Sachiko (Mashuno) Nishidake (72). |
The Imperial Council
Let's talk about the empire's only sign of democracy, the Imperial Council. It is a small group of three Councilors, called Daimyo-ichi, Daimyo-ni and Daimyo-san. Each of them are voted in by the protected families. The position is normally life long, and whenever one of the three men dies, there will be a total election the following Spring. The other two Councilors will often be re-elected. The three Councilors then rank by age, meaning that the Daimyo-ichi is always the oldest, and often the one who dies.
This system is only semi-democratic, as only head of a Protected Family can be elected a Daimyo. Today only 12 of the 21 original families are still around, meaning the number of candidates is very limited. Further on, the Emperor can reject any result of the voting. Finally, the Imperial Council's impact is only supervising the Emperor, they can't decide anything if he disagrees. Still, the council may make a difference, depending on their strategy, and not the least the ambitions and personality of their Emperor.
The family of Daimyo-ichi automatically gets ranked as Kauri-ichi. This helps his entire family. The Nishidake family were on the Council ever since Year 44, and were often top ranked. Today head of this family, Shigeru Nishidake, is holding the Daimyo-ichi position, making him the leader of the Council, and the man that is seen as the empire's second most important man, after the Emperor.
Estate
You might expect that the 2nd most important man of the empire resides a palace, but fact is that the Nishidake family's estate is very humble, and is not even owned by them. Their home is owned by Emperor Orchor, but Shigeru is permitted staying there for free as long as he guards the mountain.
Current household
Shigeru Nishidake (75) is head of the family, which he would protect with his own life. However, he is the only male currently alive and if he dies tomorrow this traditional family will go with him. His mind set is extremely formal in an old fashioned manner, both regarding community and esthetics. He also tends to dominate people, even those he loves. His top skill is fishing, which reflects his love for nature. He never liked snow sports very much, and frankly, he would prefer the mountain to be snow free at least in Summer. The only benefit from snow is that he might see the footprints of a fox, if there is any.
Shigeru was elected for the Imperial Council 51 years ago, but it was just recently that he achieved the Daimyo-ichi position, thanks to his high age.
Shigeru and his wife Sachiko had a son, Toko, but he died in a car crash aged 43 with his wife, only their daughter, Kaori survived. Since then Shigeru's only hope is that grandaughter Kaori will have a son before he dies from old age. He might need to reach the age of 90 for this to happen. Otherwise, the old Nishidake family will be gone forever.
Sachiko (Mashuno) Nishidake (72) married to Shigeru 46 years ago. He can be a handful at times, but she never regret. Sachiko supports her hubby's family focus as well as his love for traditions. She wants more luxe than him, though, and she would also like to be admired by others, if only a little bit. That last wish seems hard as her hot-headed husband keeps pushing people away.
Sachiko hails from the now extinct Mashuno family, but her branch also has rooths in the long gone Ming dynasty, the 1st protected family of Simerinia.
Kaori Nashidake (16) lost both her parents, Toko and Yoko, in a car crash two years ago. Then she moved in with her grandparents, and built a strong tie to her grandfather in particular. She inherited the desire to focus more on people than on posessions - their family history is of higher value than any money can buy, but she is only slightly dominant. Kaori wants her future children to grow up in a slightly more modern community. She realizes that the world is changing, and that old values can remain even if some technology is allowed. She has a secret dream of studying at a University in Mazaloom, but knowing she will not be allowed a higher education, she might need to run away.
She is dating the son of the Ito family, but they are both very young.
Animals, Crops and Pets
This family holds no animals, but they do grow a few vegetables for own consume. Sachiko also grows the Fang plant, that used to be the protector of the Ming family. Shigeru is not a great fan of growing some other family's signature flower, but his love for his wife is even more important to him. The Fang plant was never common in Mt. Komorebi, they grow it secretly and store the crops in a shrine.
Their entrance is decorated with sunflowers, and this family also administrates the annual Sunflower Festival, but they don't grow sunflowers themselves.
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