Nomadic by nature and necessity, the Aranami Clan are master mariners, following the tides wherever they might lead.
On their immense floating settlements, Aranami bazaars sell wares from near and far; goods made in the countless workshops aboard are sold alongside the rarities of Ikaiguchi. As the acrid aroma of sweat mingles with the heady scent of spices, smaller boats bounce up against the gargantuan hulks’ sides like pilot fish, eager for the scraps left by the traders.
On certain evenings of the year, those on the shore watch as the lights of the floating towns slowly fade below the horizon. Outsiders have no inkling to where the Aranami sail on these nights, and when asked, those within the clan remain as silent as the ocean depths.
Philosophy & Hierarchy
The Aranami pay lip service to each Shin’rei, though they have special allegiance to Chinami, who they often call by other names, including Houkaiin, the Mariner’s Friend. Most commonly she is called the Shoal, for her ability to divide her flesh into a shoal of fast-swimming fish that will often chase alongside the huge traders.
The Aranami refuse to recognize the politics of the realm or answer to the rule of the Emperor. What they have instead is the Furōtingukōto: a self-regulated system of crime and punishment where justice is swiftly dispensed by the Captain. High-ranking clan members form the Furōtingukōto, with the majority needing to be convinced of guilt for the Captain to pass sentence.
But when dealing with the Aranami, do not forget: Life is trade. Everything can be bought, and everything has its price.
History and Background
On the cliffs of the Hātokawa, there was once a city, or so say the books kept by the Salt Seers. When evil came to the city, the seas rose to claim it, with tidal waves tearing each soul from the crumbling edifice. As her world collapsed around her, a young woman, Sakura, took to the water, gathering only her most precious belongings – including her love, Haruto, and took to the sea in her tiny boat. As they braved the waves, their home fell into the roiling water.
The first of the floating cities, great Atarashīkibō, claims Sakura as its founder. Its histories state that Sakura saw a future in the water, building a city for her and hers out of the ruins of their home, with layers being added as the Clan grew. Atarashīkibō has not been seen by land-dwellers in generations, but the Aranami will tell you it floats to this day, grown so corpulent that its lowest decks touch the seabed, mooring it above the deepest ocean trench.
The city represented the beginning of a new order on the water, one with no Emperors to lord it over them, a meritocracy where birthright meant nothing. Everyone had to earn their place within the clan, and should one betray it, the punishment was simple: they would be cast overboard. For major misdeeds, the perpetrator would have their hamstrings cut before being thrown from the deck, driving the ocean’s predators into a frenzy. This practice became known as Umi no Kyōen, the feast of the sea.
During much of the Third Age, the Aranami have focused their efforts on building more and more trading vessels, developing a complex network of trade. Merchants may deposit money or valuables with the clan in exchange for a promissory note that can be redeemed for coin at any of the Aranami’s floating cities for a ‘small’ transaction fee. Every clan has been known to use this system, as it offers the simplest way to combat bandits and other threats on the long road.
The Aranami have, for the most part, avoided the turmoil of rebellions and uprisings, of Emperors and betrayals, because the land is of no interest to them, and the sea recognizes no ruler.
Locations
There are now dozens of floating cities on the sea, the largest of which are known as Kyoshuku amongst the Amarani. These include Karasunosu, Aisufarukon, and Bakafune. All three are so huge they cannot make landfall, and have dozens of smaller vessels that sail in their shadows, acting as guide ships and tender boats for going ashore. The Aranami have no land-based settlements as such would go against the founding philosophy of the Aranami. To settle on land would be an affront to the memories of Sakura and Haruto, who turned their backs on dry land once and forever.