Great Guard
The Empire’s feudal order grants each sworn lord semi-autonomous rule over their lands, and with that sovereignty comes the duty to defend them. Every prominent lord maintains a personal guard drawn exclusively from their most loyal and seasoned retainers (bannermen).
These elite warriors are known domestically as Ō-ban; each is typically a branch-clan leader in their own right and a veteran field commander. Men and women alike may earn this distinction. Their status affords them the best equipment in the Empire: finely wrought weapons and the latest armors, fitted and tailored to the individual.
On the battlefield, a clan champion ceremonially takes command of the vanguard, the Red Guard, while the Ō-ban fulfill the role of Great Guard, serving as the lord’s heavy personal guard. From there, they may be assigned to command critical elite detachments, stern guards, or rearguards positioned on the flanks or at the rear of the army.
Scholar of the True Word
The Scholars of the True Word form a renowned sect of the Rishinkyo clergy, famed for their esoteric practices and for their pursuit of overcoming mortal limitations. In search of Rishin’s teachings, they journey into the unknown, seeking enlightenment through meditation, spiritual cultivation, starvation, and physical exertion. On their pilgrimages they chant the sutras of the True Word, purifying the path against evil.
They are beloved by the common folk for their altruistic work. They heal the sick, tend to the needy, and found warrior-monk monasteries in remote regions where most lords would never send their men. In many frontier lands, these monasteries stand as the only bulwark against spirits, beasts, and winter starvation.
Among the most devout exists a final trial: the Final Passage of the True Word. After decades of monastic life, a monk may attempt this ultimate test. They depart beyond the northern imperial borders into the unexplored mountains with no provisions save a goei-staff, a short blade, a clutch of sutra scrolls, and a vow of fasting. Before departing, they offer a saint’s bone upon the altar of the Fiery Wisdom deity. The relic burns for two hundred days. If it is consumed to ash, the monastery knows their wandering brother’s soul has passed beyond the mortal realm, succeeding in their journey. If the flames die before then, the monk has failed, and their soul is lost.
On rare occasions, however, monks have returned—years after the bone has burned away. Changed. Bearing knowledge no mortal should possess. Such practitioners then abandon worldly life soon after and are immortalized as saints.
Bushi Attendant
Children born into warrior clans or the nobility begin their martial training after their sixth harvest. From a young age, high-born boys and girls are encouraged to grow accustomed to the weight of bow and sword, with the hope that they may one day safeguard their household or serve higher callings in the Empire.
Upon reaching adolescence, these youths are sent into the service of prominent lords as personal attendants. In this role, they assist their masters with a variety of duties, but chief among them is the solemn task of accompanying them into battle.
Well-armed and trained in the fundamentals of warfare, these warrior attendants are more than mere squires: they are reliable combatants, trusted to hold the line or deliver the finishing blow when called upon.
Once they have proven their worth on the battlefield, an attendant is honored with the formal title of bushi—a full-fledged warrior, entrusted with both the privileges and burdens of that sacred role.
