Warring States - Courtiers of Yamaguchi
At the center of the Ouchi Court are the daimyo of the five largest clans, At any given court, each of the Daimyo will have 1d+2 lesser vassals (Daimyo in their own right) or subordinate samurai. These guests are there to back them up in debates, serve as assistants (in the case of samurai) or simply to learn from the experience of the highest levels of power. Aside from the various claimants and petitioners that come to the court, there are the courtiers. These are the people who are permanent fixtures at court; they have no direct authority, but can wield considerable influence on the indecisive, easily distracted Ouchi Yoshitaka. Each of these people will have 1d-2 attendants, flunkies, or other hangers on when court is convened. Courtiers come from a variety of backgrounds: Kuge, Chinese diplomats, religious leaders, favored scholars or artists, or anyone else that has successfully flattered the Ouchi Daimyo long enough to establish themselves.
Expansionist Faction - The Sue and the Naito both routinely press for further expansion of the Ouchi domains, especially to the south. The Naito fear Mori influence in Suo province, and have attached themselves to the Sue wagon.
Conservative Faction - The Sagara believe that the Ouchi domain is already too large to safely manage, and that Ouchi Yoshitaka has been negligent as daimyo. They constantly pressure him to be more attentive in his duties. The Sagara are not as strong as either the Mori or the Sue, and feel their interests are best served under the umbrella of Ouchi overlordship.
Eastern Faction - The Mori, based in Aki Province, have their backs to both the Amako to the north and the Matsuda to the east. This makes them more cautious in both deployment and policy, since they are most exposed to attack. The Mori believe that the Ouchi are useful for neutralizing threats from Sue and Nagato, but they don’t trust the Sue at all. The Mori direct their intrigues to maintain a balance at court, preventing the Ouchi from becoming too aggressive or too enfeebled. As a result, no one entirely trusts them.
The Daimyo
Ouchi Yoshitaka, Daimyo of the Ouchi, ruler of western Honshu. Yoshitaka has two wives, the first respected at court for her wisdom and position, the other younger, more manipulative and ambitious. He also has several concubines and playthings. All will attempt to manipulate him when possible. All routinely jockey for the benefit of their sons (potential heirs) and families.
Sue Harutaka, Daimyo of the Sue, dominant clan of Nagato Province. Harutaka is available for gatherings of the Court about 2/3 of the time. The other 1/3 of the time he is traveling, at war, or otherwise occupied with Sue business. In this case, the Sue are represented at Court by Sue Takafusa, the 32-year-old son of Harutaka. The Sue are the leading voice of the “Expansionist” faction, and tend to counsel war on neighboring regions, or vengeful raids against the occasionally uncooperative Ouchi minor vassals. The Sue push Yoshitaka into aggressive policies.
Mori Motonari, Daimyo of the Mori, dominant clan in Aki Province. Motonari is available less frequently, as his lands are distant, and frequently require his attentions. He is only present ¼ of the time. In most meetings, Mori Sadahiro represents the Mori. The Mori tend to keep their own counsel, only volunteering suggestions if asked directly, or when it serves to counter the power of the Sue. The Mori nudge Yoshitaka when and where it suits them.
Sagara Takeo, Daimyo of the Sagara, lands in Higo and Nagato Provinces. As the main voice of the “conservative faction”, Sagara Takeo is usually present at court. This is to the detriment of his own lands, which tend to run on their own a lot. He is considered by all factions (even his enemies) to be a good man, the most loyal of Yoshitaka’s vassals, and tends to function as a sort of “Jiminy Cricket” figure. Yoshitaka always hears him out, but seems to only rarely follow the usually excellent advice. The Sagara push Yoshitaka to adopt reforms, limit the influence of the Chinese and the Kuge, and pay closer attention to both the Sue and the Mori.
Naito Daisuke, Daimyo of the Naito, lands in Suo Province. The Naito have their domains to the east of Yamaguchi, but still close enough to the capital to make it easy to be present. Like the Sagara, they are a constant fixture at court, and tend to speak on the Sue’s behalf when necessary. The Naito share some borders with the Mori, and must play a balancing act at court. They distrust the Mori, but dare not provoke them openly. Instead, they work to undermine them behind the scenes. The Naito are rumored to have both master assassins and sorcerers in their employ.
The Kuge
Prince Daigo no Atsumichi – Prince Atsumichi is a long time fixture at the Ouchi Court. He and his family left Kyoto years ago, as they were on the losing side of a samurai power struggle. Not wishing to be a part of that, he traded his lands in the Kansai for a small valley to the north of Yamaguchi, where he now maintains a small but opulent manor, and hosts frequent parties. The Prince takes almost nothing seriously, leaving his affairs to his underlings, who do a decent job running things. He is one of the lynchpins of the Ouchi social set, and his parties are one of Yoshitaka’s favorite distractions. In fact, Prince Atsumichi is seen as a corrupting influence at court, diverting the Daimyo’s attentions from more pressing issues.
Princess Kakuji no Harumi – Princess Harumi was a lesser member of a cadet branch of the Imperial Family. She left Kyoto for reasons unknown a couple of years, and will not discuss them openly. Princess Harumi is extremely cultured and attractive, but thought somewhat high-maintenance, even for a Princess. She currently resides at the Ouchi castle, a guest of Daimyo Yoshitaka. Princess Harumi has a number of suitors, though she keeps her private life very quiet. Word is that she must be approached very delicately.
Prince Inokuma Harunobu – Prince Harunobu is no scandalized exile. Instead, he is a scholar and a traveler who left the stifling environment of Kyoto. The Prince spends his time researching and reading, and has spent years at a time in China, Southeast Asia, and other distant lands. It is rumored he has even been to the distant realms beyond China. Prince Harunobu is a quiet, reserved man in his late fifties, who tends to watch much and say little. He will be pleased to converse with those who can teach him something new, but has little patience for most politics. Despite all of this, he is frequently invited to court, due both to his status and his many interesting tales. The Prince appears to have struck up a friendship with Lord Wen, the Ming envoy. Prince Harunobu resides in a small hillside estate on the outskirts of town, and has an immense library.
Prince Masachika no Kadonomaro – Imperious and condescending, Prince Kadonomaru is the highest ranked member of the Kuge in Yamaguchi. He relocated to the region some years back, trading his lands for estates here in Yamaguchi. Despite this, he remains active in the Kyoto court, albeit from a distance. The Prince appears to be extremely wealthy and influential, though he rarely flaunts it.
The Chinese
Lord Wen Yuanfang, Ming Envoy to the Ouchi – The senior diplomat in charge of state affairs. Extremely charismatic, Lord Wen has the ear of Yoshitaka, who hangs on his words of praise. He seems vaguely scornful of samurai culture in general, but sees the value of having the Ouchi as allies and trading partners. In recent months, his main concern has been to get the Ouchi to move forcefully against the Wako pirates of northern Kyushu. Lord Wen frequently butts heads with Sue Harukata over his attempts to expand Ming influence at the Ouchi Court.
Minister Jiang Gongji, Ming Envoy to the Ouchi – Minister Jiang is the junior diplomat, mainly in charge of trade and commercial affairs. He is warm, friendly, and seems almost a little obsequious.
The Priests
Brother Genbo, Head Monk of the Joei-ji – The leader of the main Rinzai temple in Yamaguchi, Brother Genbo is an older man with a warm sense of humor and very insightful. Most courtiers see him as the senior Buddhist priest in Yamaguchi, and go to him for spiritual guidance in an informal capacity. Yoshitaka sees him as a father figure of sorts, a role the monk is happy to take on, though only a few years older than the daimyo. Brother Genbo has no love for the other priest at court, Zuiken.
Priest Zuiken, Shingon Monk – Zuiken is from a small Shingon temple located in the middle of Yamaguchi. The priests of the temple have long served as diviners and counselors to the Ouchi Clan, and Zuiken is no exception. He is a small, wizened old man in elaborate robes who never misses court, and normally enjoys the festive atmosphere. Unfortunately many of the courtiers consider him unsettling due to his odd religious practices, and try to avoid him at court.