The Illuminated Peaks

Government

House Ishi has generally offered a firm, guiding hand to its citizens, whether it be under the name of the Emperor or Lord Ishi. The concept of doing your part for the greater good and glory of Gallidon by gladly meeting the obligations of your particular station in life finds no greater support outside the Illuminated Peaks. Lord Ishi often oversees even minor details of the day-to-day operations of the Illuminated Peaks (some view his curiosity in the minutiae of rule to be a most distasteful soiling of nobility). Still, one can not argue with the efficiency and productivity of the Illuminated Peaks — a level of achievement that cuts across many activities: art, literature, farming, craftsmanship, etc. The miniature sculptures, tiny paintings, and small carvings of the Illuminated Peaks are coveted far and wide, finding a fanatic favor even within the Imperial City.

Terrain

The Illuminated Peaks are a chain of high mountains rising out of the eastern coastline, with flat, arable land being at a premium. The ingenuity of its inhabitants (combined with the insightful leadership of House Ishi) has managed to squeeze an amazing amount from such a challenging landscape. Farms are tucked away in nooks, valleys, and hidden basins. Temples dedicated to Gallidon, Lord Ishi, and local spirits are scattered across the ridgeline, even in some of the most hostile altitudes. Winters are generally cold, with heavy snows occurring on a regular basis. Falls and springs are rather short-lived, with summers being hot and punctuated by infrequent but heavy rainfalls. Earthquakes are not uncommon, and architecture tends to incorporate measures that limit damage from these natural occurrences.

Culture

While its inhabitants refer to their homeland as the Illuminated Peaks, the rest of the world often simply calls Lord Ishi’s kingdom the “Peaks.” Visitors to the Illuminated Peaks are often struck first by the overwhelming sense of orderliness, then by the way in which the inhabitants seem to just "know" how to act in any given situation. Calling attention to one's self, outlandish behavior, even wild gesturing seem out of place in a land blanketed by a feeling of stillness — even in the midst of a bustling city corner. These activities still occur, but they occur with an obvious purpose.

The connection with local spirits has become integrated into daily life in the Illuminated Peaks, elevated and refined to a degree unparalleled elsewhere in the Empire. Inhabitants regularly trek to remote temples to pay homage, give thanks, and offer pleas of help to various spirits responsible for the natural and proper workings of the world. Lord Ishi encourages people to bring the worship of spirits into their homes, and priests have found that they can make a nice living simply by selling charms, necklaces, bracelets, and other trinkets that have been imbued with magical powers, protections, or wards associated with the spirits. Perhaps taking their cue from the Orders, the Illuminated Peaks emphasizes finding how you fit into your world rather than attempting to bend the world to your needs or desires.

While most Illuminated Peaks inhabitants are initially and outwardly friendly, they can become quickly and bitterly cross if they feel you have broken a social taboo or strayed outside the accepted customs. There are elaborate rituals, habits, traditions, and eccentricities that most believe could never be mastered by any outsider.

Commerce

In an effort to leverage renewable goods, House Ishi has aggressively promoted the advancement of trade, knowledge, and artistic skills. As a result, the Illuminated Peaks exports primarily crafted goods (swords, earthenware, embroidered clothing, etc.), knowledge (scholars, both secular and religious), and culture (the blind beggars of Gitahn are renown for evoking the most spiritual of reactions from their carvings of local spirits, though none can quite articulate why). Non-indigenous resources such as wine and livestock represent the majority of imports. Although visitors are always welcome and treated courteously, few ever feel at home. Thus, Lord Ishi maintains a fairly homogenous demographic, which helps reinforce the loyalty of his charges.

Warfare

Illuminated Peaks troops are highly disciplined, well trained, and usually very motivated. As a result of the terrain, Lord Ishi’s military tends towards strategies that involve small, organized groups of soldiers who are able to break up, regroup, or reorganize without a lot of command-level direction. Tactically, fighting focuses on being effective in both urban and rural settings, but there is no need to worry about warfare in large, open tracts of land due to the terrain. Practically unstoppable in cities, the Illuminated Peaks troops are at a significant disadvantage when fighting in flat, open areas.

Armor is normally cloth, lacquer, or very light metal, since agility and speed in hand-to-hand combat take priority over protection. “The best defense is a good offense” nicely captures the mentality of Illuminated Peaks troops.

Weapons tend towards smaller blades (the equivalent of very long daggers), while polearms are reserved for assignments or areas with enough room to justify the larger weapons. Ranged weapons are always part of combat, but troops prefer hand-to-hand combat when possible. Wielding dual blades is a popular form of combat, and soldiers almost universally eschew shields.

Notes

(Original source material here.)