Second Yamato Empire

The Second Yamato Empire is a new nation founded by Yamatian rebels who overthrew the demon-led nation of Ebonia in the third decade of the Fourth Age after besieging Kageshima. The cruel Emperor was killed by his own allies, the Empire of Andaria, when they no longer saw him as useful. As of the present day, it has just begun to consolidate its holdings, attempting to establish an administration over the territories it has 'liberated'. This has been made more complicated by the loss of some key military assets in the Siege of Kageshima.

History

Background

See Ebonia, Yamato Restorationists.

When the original nation of Yamato was conquered by Demons at the close of the Third Age, most of the local population was enslaved except for a small force of resistance fighters who sought to start a liberation from strongholds in the mountains and other rough terrain. Over time, this force grew in numbers as well as anti-demon extremism, eventually founding the Restorationist movement.

Formation

As the rebels also grew in publicity and profile, they began to receieve aid, supplies, and 'volunteers' from foriegners, with the United Provinces of Portiguara proving to be a major supporter. However, they could not have had serious hopes of liberty if not for the help of a mysterious being called Tetrarch, who joined the Restorationists with an army of magical golems and his own great powers.

The Restoration War

Early Operations

One of the earliest operations of the Restoration War was a raid on the City of Dejma, one of the new 'loyalist settlements' founded by the Ebonian Empire to cement their control over their new territory. This raid was a success, kidnapping the Portiguaran ambassador (which would strangely lead to the formation of the Portiguaran - Restorationist alliance), and looting a large amount of treasure kept in the city.

Liberation of Dejma

Independent of Portiguaran aid, the new 'Shogun' of Yamato and his Marshalls, including the mysterious being named Tetrarch, sent an army to take Dejma, an army bolstered by a force of Golems led by Tetrach himself. This army, enlarging their numbers by freeing slaves from various villages encountered along the way, took the city easily due to Tetrarch's golems, which were resistant to the crossbows, bows, and even arquebuses wielded by the defenders. After that, Dejma became a conduit for further Portiguaran aid.

Battle of the Four Marshalls

Advancing towards Kageshima, the old Capital of the Yamato Empire, the Four Marshalls converged on Ebonia's remaining armies, meeting them in a pitched battle where Tetrarch's Golems proved instrumental in breaking the Demons and their Human conscripts, before Tetarch himself and another mysterious being, Jifeng, created a magical storm which forced the enemy to rout back to Kageshima for the final act of the war.

Siege of Kageshima

See Siege of Kageshima.

With Jifeng's help, Tetrarch and the Restorationists broke Kageshima's walls and fought their way into the Ebonian Emperor's palace, where the Andarian 'advisors' who were helping the Ebonians sprang an ambush against Tetrarch and Jifeng, using one of their Battle-Slaves, Cook, to lure them into a chamber containing runes of Order. At the same time, another of these 'advisors' betrayed and killed the Ebonian Emperor due to feeling that the latter was no longer useful for Andaria. Then they absconded with a kidnapped Tetrarch and Jifeng and left the city to the Restorationists.

The Second Empire had triumphed.

Consolidation

At present, Ebonian forces still linger in the north and west of the territories claimed by the Second Empire, and these are a genuine danger due to the partial loss of Tetrach's Golem forces. Nevertheless, morale remains high among the Imperials and reconstruction has begun in Kageshima, now the new Capital.

There were a few minor problems when the current High Magistrate (an old man who had lasted through the Ebonian occupation)'s attempts to improve relations with foreigners resulted in a brief coup attempt by Traditionalists in Kageshima city itself, but those were disposed with within a single day.

Military

The Second Empire has a sizable military force of Peasant Levies/Pikemen, Samurai, Monks, and new-fangled Arquebuisers, Cannons, and Hwacha rockets, organized into four armies, each under a 'Marshall'. The Shogun also has a large personal force of his own, which he used to liberate the city of Dejma in Southern Yamato during the Restoration War.

Economy

The Second Empire's economy is in the process of rebuilding from decades of demonic occupation and constant guerilla warfare, and is heavily dependent on Portiguaran aid, as well as what urban areas and farmland they have liberated. The treasury, even with cash siezed from the Ebonian regime, is still in a precarious state.

Geography

See World Map (Fourth Age).

The Second Yamato Empire is seperated from the new Central Continent by a narrow sea, with the Andarian Empire at its Northern borders.

Demographics

The Second Empire favors Pureblooded Yamatians even more than the Old Empire did, with those with Demonic Blood being discriminated against at best. Even foriegners who had helped in their liberation are not safe from prejudiced talk (especially Elves and Dwarves), although they are mostly protected from any physical manifestation of hatred. The Shang and Bharata seem to be regarded as similar to Pureblooded Yamatians, with many of them seen as citizens.

Geopolitics

The Second Empire has established itself in the city of Kageshima, now a few miles away from the coast, and most observers expect that the new government will insist on a central authority centered from their new Capital. Not just that, but there are indications that there is a new Shogun and a new Emperor, although the names of both have not been revealed yet.

Already, there is internal dissent from traditionalists and xenophobes, which manifested itself in a brief spate of assassinations and a coup attempt in Kageshima itself, which failed.

Relations

As their help was instrumental to Yamato's liberation, the United Provinces of Portiguara is poised to become the chief ally of the Second Empire.

See Also

Yamato Restorationists