The Musashi Empire
Type of Government: Federated Constitutional Monarchy
Description of Government: Main Race: Human
Minority Race(s): TBD
Race Demographics: TBD but mostly human
Religion Description:Religious Demographics:Culture: Musashi culture is an amalgam of ancient East Asia cultures, primarily Chinese and Japanese, with western influences. Most of Musashi’s people wear hanfu, hanbok, or kimonos; which one an individual wear in any given situation is determined by many different things ranging from where they live to their own person style to if they are going to a special event or not. Upon reaching adulthood, usually twenty years of age but can be as low as fourteen depending on the region, Musashi stop cutting their hair because their view their body and hair as gifts from their parents, thus it is culturally taboo to willingly damage either. This includes tattoos and cosmetic surgery, although the latter is acceptable in the event of a disfiguring injury.
All Musashi have special masks that they wear when in the presence of lower class citizens. The Musashi people refuse to show their faces to those who they believe to be below them. Many individuals pay large amounts of money to have unique masks made. These masks can be a statement of their individuality and can be used to show aspects of their personality or instead can be used to reveal nothing about the wearer. Many of these masks have the appearance of being made of ceramics, although few actually are, while more expensive ones might be made out of more exotic materials. The more expensive masks may also have special features built in such as a phone, binoculars, and other gadgets. Soldiers also wear similar face covering masks, although theirs provide extra protection and built in systems to aid them on the battlefield.
History: Musashi was one of the first colonies established by the Terrain Imperium after its victory over the Solar Confederation and, as Humanity rapidly expanded across the galaxy, became the capital of its region’s “autonomous administration zone.” The Musashi Autonomous Administrative Zone was one of many such administrative units, but there was something unique about it. Early on it underwent what was described of as an “East Asian Renaissance.” The people of Musashi had become fascinated with the cultures of the ancient and now defunct civilizations of the East Asia region of Earth. The people of Musashi took elements of these cultures, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and blended them together to form their own unique culture. Soon the people of the Musashi Autonomous Administrative Zone had become culturally distinct from the rest of Humanity.
As time passed the democratic institutions in Musashi lost power and influence. At first the “Emperor” of Musashi was a powerless figurehead, something that the people had wanted as a symbol of their culture and government while in fact having had no intention of giving the monarch any power. Over time the Emperor’s power and influence grew, but it was a gradual thing. At one time he would set in mediate a dispute between political powers. At other times the Emperor would give rousing speeches that cause the population to act in a specific way. Each time one of these things happened the Emperor’s power and influence grew. Eventually the Emperor’s power was codified in law, although he was still checked by a few democratic institutions. For its part the Terrain Imperium watched Musashi and its emperor with a mixture of indifference and condescending amusement. As far as the Imperium was concerned Musashi could refer to its leadership however it pleased so long as it remained loyal to the Imperium and continued its rather efficient administration of the region.
When Humanity’s empire fell, Musashi found itself at the heart of its own. Being unified by its culture and government structure, the Musashi Autonomous Administrative Zone escaped much of the strife and instability that was rampant throughout what had once been Imperium space. The Emperor reformed the Musashi Autonomous Administrative Zone into the Musashi Empire in the days following the collapse of Terrain Imperium and has forged the Musashi Empire into a power that remains relevant to this day.
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