Northeast Region: Empire of the Dragon

The Empire of the Dragon is 6000 years old and is divided into five governing regions coextensive with the five kingdoms that united to form the Empire. The Dragon Emperor is known only by that title and other royal epithets—no proper name. It is claimed he is as old as the Empire, and though his litter can be seen being carried by a formidable entourage, the emperor himself makes no public appearances but speaks through his magistrates. The middle province is ruled rigidly but boasts a high quality of life. The north, bordering the warlike Eaglecrown clan of the Horse Empire, is in a state of constant vigilance and governed under conditions of military austerity. Recent decades of peace with the Carp Empire have allowed trade to flourish in the northeastern and southeastern coastal provinces. The northeast is run as a benevolent dictatorship, but the southeast is corrupt and although it pays its share of taxes to the empire, the bulk of its wealth goes into the pockets of local crimelords or south to the Yakuza of the Ratlands. The nominal governor of the province takes his cut and leaves governing to the gangs. For everyone else in the region, life is brutal and poverty is the norm. The jungles forming the southern border of the empire are impassible by cart or wagon and most trade with the Ratlands is by sea. To the northwest of the capital region is an arid province shielded by the North Golden Crescent range to the south and the Parhelion range to the north. This is the most sparsely populated region of the empire and the most dense hotbed of martial arts per capita, with the region’s Monks forming its de facto ruling class since the government cannot persuade the locals to submit to anything the Monks are opposed to.   Races: Human, Hengeyokai, Spiritfolk, Korobokuru   Common tongue: Showa   Classes: Dread Judge, Samurai, Fighter, Bushi, Wokou, Kensai, Survivalist, Mariner, Youxia, Minstrel, Carnivalist, Merchant, Thief, Detective, Yakuza, Assassin, Ninja, Reverend, Shukenja, Wudang, Oracle, Witch/Warlock, Monk, Serene Knight, Sohei, Wu Jen, Sage (all except Friar, Rogue Scholastic), Alchemist, Mechanist