The New Winds

The Emperor’s Road
There are many roads in the Emerald Empire, but five great highways surpass the others in scope and prominence. These highways are collectively known as the Emperor’s Road and as the Five Highways. The Emperor’s Road extends into the territories of the Unicorn, Scorpion, Phoenix, Lion, and Crane, where it links important holdings.

The Five Highways were built in the early seventh century during the rule of Hantei XVI, the Steel Chrysanthemum. The Hantei was always paranoid that people were working to usurp his authority, so he ordered the various daimyō of the realm to take on these and other enormous infrastructure projects in order to drain their coffers. The moves may have prolonged his reign, but ultimately he was killed by his own Seppun Honor Guard for the good of the Empire.

The Steel Chrysanthemum chose the locations of the roads with Imperial control in mind. They connect-ed areas loyal to the Hantei with areas where rebel-lion was simmering, enabling brutal police actions. Since that time, many of these cities have grown into their roles as local extensions of Imperial authority—a trend that the Great Clans have suffered with varying degrees of frustrated silence

The Five Highways are maintained to this day by Imperial edict and enable swift travel between some of the Empire’s major cities. In addition to being broad and level, the roads are generally well guarded and blessed with an unusual number of way stations. Imperial agents, such as tax collectors and Emerald Magistrates, are a more common sight on the Emperor’s Road than anywhere else—for better or for worse.

Virtually no trade flows along the Emperor’s Road. Merchant wagons and carts are entirely disallowed. Merchants have to use special trade routes instead, which leave them entirely at the whims of the clans. Travelers on the Five Highways are most often courtiers, magistrates, pilgrims, scholars, and others who travel for some honorable purpose