The Taguzen (tag-uh-zen or tahg-ooh-zen) Shogunate occupies the northern half of the western continent and is the second-youngest of the four nations of Io. It is presided over by the Tag Shogun, the chief of the military of Taguzen, and their council of advisors, from the military city of Kyosa at the northernmost tip of Taguzen.
The Shogunate is nothing if not ambitious, and spent many decades absorbing its surrounding territories — both with the promise of prosperous rule and the threat of invasion — until it encompassed all of Kuythus, save for the cold indifference of the Kell’ar Mountains and the Divine Kingdom of Theanill itself. It declared war on Theanill several years ago, and has been locked in combat with the Divine Kingdom since then.
Despite its great size, Taguzen remains relatively closed-off from its neighbors, preferring to involve itself with internal affairs (with the exception of those territories it seeks to conquer.) Once a territory becomes a part of Taguzen, it gains access to Taguzen trade, but is forbidden from cooperating with and admitting outsiders unless permitted. Notable exceptions to this rule include:
- Yoruba Island, a landmass off the northern coast of Taguzen that, while claimed by the Shogunate long ago, remains largely uninhabited. Tall stalks of bamboo forest cover the island, and it’s said small, eccentric tribes of people are its only population.
- Hizu, the merchant-city. Since it is the only (legal) place to obtain many of Taguzen’s goods, it is a thriving center of trade known across Io.