O-shuzora-uji

O-shuzora-uji, the Shuzora clan, was the ruling family of the former Shuzora Empire. The Shuzora saw their downfall in the year 1003, when offshoots of the clan decided to usurp the family and rename themselves as the Asatera clan during the 300 Year War.

History
The Shuzora clan can trace its roots to as far back as Prehistoric Ashihara. Following the coalition of the Miwa and Nita people's states around the year 300, the Shuzora clan was chosen as the most capable family of protecting their people.

The Shuzora clan boasted a powerful army which allowed them to take control of southwest Ashihara all throughout the Classical Era. They controlled large swaths of farmland and often had a hand in controlling the trade of goods in the region. Relations with the east's own great civilization, the Toyosaki clan, were more or less amicable during this time.

The 300 Year War
The 300 Year War was sparked by Shuzora-no-miya Mikoto Taishi's murder of Toyosaki-no-miya Yorinari Taishi. Mikoto Taishi would lead his people into war with the expressed purpose of unifying Ashihara. In the year 926, Mikoto Taishi was murdered by an unidentified confidant.

Bereft of a military leader, infighting began among the Shuzora clan and its offshoots for an individual to take his place. The Shuzora clan was eventually usurped and replaced by individuals who renamed their family as the Asatera clan.

Kami Worship and the Imperial Shrine
The Shuzora were considered to be the main proponents of Kami worship during the Classical Era.

An integration of the beliefs between the Miwa and Nita people resulted in the founding of the Imperial Shrine, worshiping the Kami named Ame-no-asashihiko-no-hiruma-no-mikoto, colloquially known as Hi-no-kami or the Kami of the Sun.

The Imperial Shrine would inspire the populace to worship the Kami, and many more shrines would be founded in its wake. Mikoryoku has its roots in this cultural phenomenon of the 300s.

It was also around this time that philosophers created the House of Beginnings, O-meguyoku-uji, as they began pondering about the origins of life.