World History

Ashihara has existed for approximately 1887 years. Evidence of writing among older civilizations has existed since the year 83, but proper written accounts of history became much more cohesive during the Classical Era.

The San-meike are considered to be Ashihara's de-facto historians, and have preserved a myriad number of records all throughout Ashihara's history.

Prehistoric Era (0-300)
All people in Ashihara can trace their ancestry to three major civilizations that originally settled on the island: The Miwa, Nita, and Azusato people.

The Miwa People
A group of people believed to have hailed from the southernmost tip of Ashihara, the few written records left of this civilization suggest that they were poised hunters and gatherers. It is believed that central to Miwa society was that of filial loyalty, and family patriarchs and matriarchs were often considered to be the leaders of civilization.

The concept of clans as it is understood today in Ashihara is believed to be a making of the Miwa people. Much of the Miwa's success during their time is attributed to a powerful military force which sought to protect family leaders.

The Miwa dominated much of southwest Ashihara until around the 300's, where they allied with the Nita to form the Shuzora Empire.

The Nita People
A group of people who were believed to have entered Ashihara from the westernmost islands, records show that the Nita were the earliest to adopt an agricultural lifestyle. It is believed that the Nita were the ones to teach the Miwa crop cultivation.

Not much else is known of the Nita, as they would eventually be absorbed by the Miwa to form the Shuzora Empire.

The Azusato People
Hailing from the far eastern reaches of Ashihara, the Azusato people were believed to be incredible seafarers and astronomers. Because of this, it is believed that the Azusato invented Onmyodo, and early practitioners were more likened to that of natural scientists than their modern counterparts.

The Shuzora Empire
Main article: O-shuzora-uji

In the year 300, the Shuzora family was chosen by the Miwa and Nita people as the most capable clan to lead and protect both civilizations. It was also around this time that Kami worship began to become more commonplace, and more shrines were founded in order to house the myriad Kami that appeared. Mikoryoku was developed and codified by the practices of worshipers during this time.

Around the year 402, clans which did not desire to remain under imperial rule defected to the northern reaches of Ashihara.

The Azusato Monarchy
Power structures within the Azusato began to emerge as early Onmyoji, practitioners of the now formal practice Onmyodo, were considered to be society's leaders. Religion was solidified into the belief that humans have a practical, workable relationship with the Kami. Onmyodo, a practice born of astronomy, branches further out to taming animals on the island, inventing measurements of time through studying animals on the land and fish in the seas.

Records show that currency in the form of gold coins began to see use within the Azusato Monarchy around the year 531.

Eruption of NORTH VOLCANO
The erruption of NORTH VOLCANO took place in the year 475 and affected the entirety of Ashihara. The resulting ash cloud of the eruption brought down temperatures drastically, and the once temperate north had quickly become an inhospitable snowland.

The clans of the north
The Imperial defectors which populated the northern region were further fragmented, with many clans choosing to push eastward. These clans would eventually ally with the then Azusato people to form the Toyosaki clan.

The clans which chose to remain within the unforgiving north are collectively called the Nagikari, and not much is known about them and their culture to this very day.

The Empire's response
The concepts of Ara, Nigi, and Utsushiyo were still relatively unknown up to this point in history, as such the general populace was unaware of the effects of fear and panic on the stability of the world. Scholars of the period were able to hypothesize that public thinking had the power to cause calamities, and as such The House of the Present, O-toyobanashi-uji was established as a measured response to circumvent social panic.

Notions of faith and respect for the Kami were further strengthened, and people were encouraged to pray and worship more as a means to assuage their fears and worries.

The Toyosaki Clan
Main article: O-toyosaki-uji

In response to a growing population and the freezing shorelines following the volcanic eruption, the Azusato started moving into the mainland in search of resources. This decision led to an encounter with the clans who moved eastward following the eruption of NOTH VOLCANO in the year 575. This sparked a civil war which saw no victor, and was instead resolved in a political marriage which created the once eponymous Toyosaki clan.

This intermingling of cultures resulted in the establishment of trade routes to western Ashihara as a means of stimulating the clan's economy and as a means to obtain more resources.

Trade in Greater Ashihara
Though there were already settlements that existed across southern Ashihara, the push of the Toyosaki clan to establish trade with the Shuzora saw the creation of major trade routes which would become the backbone of Ashihara's economy throughout the Classical Era. The use of gold coins, now called gankin, became more commonplace as gold became a standard for currency.

Enlightenment through the Kami
This era of cultural exchange among civilizations saw an even further rise in Kami worship as ideas and philosophies were shared between scholars. Humanity began to see how all known things are holy, and as such, all things can have Kami. Shrines which worshiped these myriad Kami were founded, and Terakoya were built to teach younger generations of this newfound knowledge.

The Murder of Toyosaki-no-miya Yorinari Taishi
News of Shuzora-no-miya Mikoto Taishi's murder of Toyosaki-no-miya Yorinari Taishi saw the beginnings of a war that would last 300 years. Mikoto Taishi made his intentions clear following the incident: that he wished to unify Ashihara under the Shuzora Empire's banner, and that he would be leading the Shuzora as the new emperor.

The Murder of Shuzora-no-miya Mikoto Taishi
Within the first 25 years of the war, the Shuzora were poised to take Ashihara as they successfully dismantled the Toyosaki Monarchy. These plans were stopped short as Mikoto Taishi was murdered by an unknown confidant in the year 947. This sparked infighting within the Shuzora clan, greatly stymying their power in the war.

Warring States
Due to the weakening hold the Shuzora had on Ashihara, many warrior families began to take on the challenge of unifying Ashihara themselves. The years 947 - 1004 were marked with multiple, smaller skirmishes throughout Ashihara as these clans fought to take control.

The Asatera Clan
Main article: O-asatera-uji

In the year 1004, the infighting within the Shuzora Empire came to a head when one offshoot family killed what was left of the Shuzora clan. Naming themselves the Asatera, they would make use of leftover Shuzora knowledge and connections to invent the first form artillery. This revolutionized warfare, and ultimately won them the war.

The Asatera clan was now the leader of Ashihara, ending 300 years of war in the year 1428.