Basic Directions

Japan is northwest of Panama isthmus (Pacific side) in medieval. To reach the islands, HUNT BUSHI and then - when hunt fails -- go west and then north four times. Beware attacking the bushi on guard "Near a Small But Mighty Fortress" because archers man the walls and will shoot you to death quickly.

You'll want to speak to Father Santiago in the Citadel and ask him about the warlord if you want to find a way past the first guarded gateway of Japan. You may also want to ask about his glossary of simple Cippango vocabulary. You can ask the priest, and sometimes other persons you meet in Japan, about words in the glossary.

In the forest - and especially through the forest into the mountains - there are many aggressive, large creatures. The temple is bad news - a big group area. Many areas here do not allow shooting either. So when you explore, if you're not high level, you should check (using hunt) for "baleful" monks, "ronin" samurai, the white "tiger," the rat-faced "nezumi" and and the "hungry" bandits. If their trail is too fresh, go back. Those are dangerous and aggressive creatures.

Check the obvious exits, because there are many death traps. However don't depend only on the "obvious exits" - many exits in Japan are not obvious and require reading the room descriptions - or just dumb luck - to find them.

In Kyoto city, Minako is the name of the innkeeper. In Edo, Kozo is the tavernkeeper of the Inn of the Angry Onin.

Special Items

• (Magical) an exquisite horse-riding hakama, 5 strength, 2 hitpoint regeneration, worn on legs, - 9 armor, 2165 rent

• (Magical) a Nezumi's head helm, 4 dexterity, 2 hitpoint regeneration, worn on head, - 8 armor, 2160 rent

• (Magical) a black tortoise-scale wristband, 5 strength, 4 hitroll, - 1 mind, - 2 constitution, - 8 armor, worn on wrist -- found in the Osaka area

• (Magical) a black menacing mempo that you need sakura blossoms to get

• Other items, including a katana, wakizashi and others.

Cippango Japan History

The Sengoku Jidai, or Warring States, period is coming to an end. For a hundred years, Japan has been a country at war. The feudal lords of the Emperor -- the Daimyo -- have been fighting each other for control of the land.

The Empire's provinces -- each controlled by an all-powerful Daimyo -- were in essence small countries governed in the name of the Emperor, who in reality had very little control over his nobility. One of the most powerful Daimyo, Oda Nobunaga, succeeded where most of the other warlords failed: in beginning to unite the clans and the whole country.

Alas, Nobunaga did not live to see his dream realized; just as he was on the verge of success, he was assassinated at the age of forty-eight. One of Nobunaga's allies, the powerful Toyotomi Hideyoshi, tried to achieve Oda's ultimate goal -- the tenka-fubu -- bringing all of Japan "under a single sword". Toyotomi furthered this endeavor by concentrating on the arts of peace and administration. One of the greatest heroes of Japan, he managed to control the warmongering Daimyo through administration and his immense wealth.

When he died, the various feudal lords again fell into contention with one another and Hideyoshi's son lost out in the scramble for regional power.

In 1600, Japan is ready to fall back into war as every Daimyo desires to achieve Hideyoshi's dream and become Shogun, the one and only warlord of Japan, commander of armies and administration.

Everyone, however, has his eyes turned on Tokugawa Ieyasu, powerful Daimyo of Edo, nicknamed 'the cunning old fox'. Ieyasu seems ready to go to war once again to claim for himself the prestigious Shogunate.

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