[DOC] Records of the First Millenium

[Imperial Princess Rika]

Enabled by the magnanimity and virtue of the Supreme Ruler and Heavenly Creatrix, the Silver Empress.

Written by Divine Historian Shin'i,
completed on the 9th of Quiescence, Gintei 280 - Toutei 1000.

Published by the Imperial Silver Press on the 19th of Submission, Gintei 280 - Toutei 1000.

0. Dedication
1. The Temple
2. The Porcelain Empress
3. The Silver Empress
4. The Scholars
5. The Soldiers

 

[Imperial Princess Rika]

Dedication

[ ... ]

 

[Imperial Princess Rika]

The Temple

[ ... ]

... The last of the mad priests was the High Priest Kouyo of Water, born the twelfth of Caesura T703 and serving from T716 to T720. On the second of Fruition, T720, he disappeared on the same day that a large fire broke out in the High Priests' quarters. It is presumed that he set the fire himself in an attempt to destroy his personal documents and then perished in the flames as well, though the absence of remains from the site led to speculation of a possible escape.

No High Priest was chosen until the ascent of the Silver Empress in Descent, at which time she installed High Priest Taiga of Earth, born the second of Caesura T703. Taiga served fruitfully until the first of Submission, G14-T734, at which time he retired. He died peacefully at the age of 53 on the ninth of Ascent, G36-T756.

[ ... all subsequent High Priests serve peaceful, uninteresting employments,
retiring around age 30 and living out their years quietly.
No further incidence of suicide or madness is mentioned. ]

 

[Imperial Princess Rika]

The Porcelain Empresses

[ ... ]

... The violence of the First Empress's reign had not been equaled until the second half of Empress Rishi 25-T720. On the second of Submission, T720, the regional leaders of Bukoku united and named the commoner Jika of Wood the Queen of Bukoku. Jika then led a rebellion against the Empire, swiftly slaying all Imperial officials living on the north and northeastern coasts. Due to the weak leadership of Rishi, the army was slow to mobilize, and by late Submission the northern half of Bukoku was entirely controlled by the rebels.

Acknowledging her inferior leadership, Rishi resigned her office on the 29th of Submission. The majority of the Court Ministers, led by Court Minister Jyuukou of Wood, elected the First Imperial Princess Souken of Heaven, born the seventh of Extinction T687, to Imperial office on the first of Redress. Several Court Ministers and other prominent courtiers, led by Minister of Eastern Toukoku Hiwa, questioned the legitimacy of the election. Court Judge Shoutoku of Heaven, born the tenth of Submission T679, attempted to begin an investigation, but Souken blocked her efforts.

Bitter conflict and factionalization then took place in the Imperial City, preventing the Empire from moving effectively against the rebels. By late Extinction Bukoku was effectively taken over and communication with Kokoku hampered by rebel blockades while relations with all subordinate Queendoms broke down. When rebellion began stirring in Baikoku, Souken declared that it was necessary to quell the conflict in order to preserve the Empire and, on the fourth of Descent, burned down the Imperial Palace, resulting in the deaths of at least 80 people, including Hiwa, Fourth Imperial Princess Kin'an of Water, Fifth Imperial Princess Rika of Earth, and Souyuu, daughter of Second Imperial Princess Soukyou of Heaven. Rishi also died on the fourth of Descent, in the town Far Shoals.

Souken then took personal control of the Imperial army, removing Grand General Ten'yuu from her position. The entire Empire was in disarray, however; the rebels from Bukoku were attempting to capture Kokoku and Rinkoku, occupying the Imperial armies stationed in those regions which refused to follow Souken's direction. The eastern front was also complicated by an alliance of the Queendoms of Dragon's Spine, Dragon's Neck, and White Tiger with the rebels of Baikoku in Quiescence of T721 and those Queendoms' subsequent refusal to cooperate with the Imperial army, hampering the movement of supplies and troops.

Tremendous causalities resulted, far beyond the dead of the Unification Wars. The numbers were partially due to the simply larger population of the isles, but also the improved technology and the degeneration of law and honor on all sides. In Toukoku, Souken instituted a heavy draft to feed the army; in Gestation around 1 in 30 registered soldiers were below the age of Naming, and it is believed that many soldiers were unregistered. The fear that had ensured the heartland's compliance with the new Empress was overtaken by discontent at the destruction and neglect of domestic affairs, leading to peasant resistance across the continent.

On the 20th of Gestation, Souken's escort was interrupted near Green Shore by a group of such dissidents, led by the Blood Sorcerer. Her guards were beguiled by the Sorcerer's spells and Souken was killed. The peasants cut off her head and limbs and mounted them on a scarecrow-pole in the middle of the town, where they remained a full day before Priest Seika of Fire of the Green Shore Temple was able to capture and hastily cremate it.

Such was the state of the Porcelain people at the time that the Court Ministers were not able to gather in one place to elect the next Empress. It was at this time that Supreme Ruler, the Silver Empress, miraculously descended upon the ruined Imperial Palace on the first of Parturition, G1-T721. Deploring the state of her children, corrupted by the evils of the mundane world, she sent out her army of silver spirits to all Porcelain lands and removed the violence from their hearts.

After instantly restoring the Palace with her magic, she ordered the removal of all remaining corruption by the execution of all courtiers and surviving Imperial children, appointed the witnesses to her arrival the new Court Ministers, and sent her messengers to refill every empty position in the Empire with individuals of talent and pure heart. After announcing her intention to remain with the Porcelain forever, to ensure their eternal compliance with peace and order, she retired to the innermost rooms of the Palace and began her divine rule, under which we now prosper. The year Toutei 721 was made Gintei 1, and Toutei 720 Gintei 0.

Thus the office of Porcelain Empress was closed forever.
 

[Imperial Princess Rika]

The Silver Empress

[ ... This chapter of Shin'i's texts describes the remarkable peace and prosperity of the Silver Empress's rule.
He gives endlessly detailed records of cycling Court Ministers, every one virtuous,
year after year of bountiful harvests and no natural disasters,
and Judges who pursue "reforms" that do nothing to change the status quo.
Not one rebellion is recorded, and not even one quarrel with the spirits is recorded. ]

 

[Imperial Princess Rika]

The Scholars

[ ... ]

... Fifth Imperial Princess Rika of Earth, born the thirteenth of Quiescence, T704, lived only until the burning of the Imperial Palace by Empress Souken on the fourth of Descent, T720, dying at age 16, but produced an enormous volume of writing on scholarly and political topics during her short lifetime. She did not manage to publish any books before her death; the majority of her surviving writings are either letters or partially finished draft manuscripts. Her most significant works are taxonomical; her historical, religious, and political writings are unique but woefully immoral in their prescriptions...

[ ... It seems the vast majority of scholars of the Gintei years are historians,
poets, and writers of literature. There is hardly a natural philosopher
or political or social theorist to be found in the later sections. ]

 

[Imperial Princess Rika]

The Soldiers

[ ... ]

All four of the Dragon Knights died in Rishi 25-T720. Sir Setsushi of Water, born the seventh of Submission, T691, was murdered by his Squire in late Caesura. Dame Unsou of Wood, born the 24th of Ascent, T695, slew Dame Tenryuu of Wood, born the twelfth of Fruition, T702, on the tenth of Fruition, in a duel responding to an insult; she later died of her own injuries. On the same day, Dame Chourou of Earth, born the twelfth of Fruition, T688, was found dead; she was believed to have committed suicide. Empress Rishi delayed appointing new Knights, and the duty was forgotten during the disturbances later that year. After the ascent of the Silver Empress, the Dragon Knights were declared unnecessary, and no other appointments followed.

[ ... No wars or rebellions occur after the ascent of the Silver Empress.
Though it appears the army continued to exist as police and public labor,
Shin'i writes little more about it. ]