West, the Wilds
The Wilds is home to a variety of ruins of a lost Empire that fell when their cultivators grew too powerful, too decadent to manage the corruption within their souls. It is said the secrets to become an Immortal King are among these ruins but there are dangers stronger than our good Emperor out there as well. It is the reason the land has never been reclaimed. Leave the kami, kaiju, and other city-killers alone I say.
North, Harton, House Uchaka
To the North, you have House Uchaka's fief. It is currently managed by a Core Formation expert said to have a focus on Fire focusing secondarily on Death. He explores the Wilds regularly with a small retinue of retainers and brings back valuable scrolls, other reference material, and the occasional Treasure. He claims his interest is historical but your father suspects House Uchaka has tasked him with finding the secrets of Immortal Foundation for their clan elder who is nearing the point where even a new cultivation level will not be enough.
While this has made Uchaka Lang a powerful man on a personal level, his fief is neglected and left to administrators who are likely corrupt or incompetent. Perhaps a mix of both. Whatever the cause, his forces are half the size they should be for a fief bordering the Wilds. You can expect no help from him and, importantly, he may prove a liability should his personal power fail to solve a problem.
South, Maton, House Mirin
To the South, you have House Mirin. They are known, not for artifice or pills or any of the traditional cultivation arts. Instead, they are known for their cooking. Given they named themselves after a staple in Empire cooking, that should be no surprise. They are a powerful House by your father's standards. Certainly more powerful than yours.
However, the fief of Maton has been where they have exiled their least valuable members and is distant from their core holdings. A vulnerability that might be exploited if the rumors of an Imperial Civil War are to be believed. While they have not neglected their house troops like the fief of Harton, they have no strong champion like Uchaka Lang. So that is a weakness of a different sort. A powerful cultivator can dominate the lesser.
Their food is said to speed cultivation without corruption via some secret technique and a contract with Mirin would be useful in that regard. It is, perhaps, a 15% boost but that is an entire stage you can skip as each cultivation tier has 9 stages.
The current head of the fief is Mirin Shoto.
Northeast, Osaka, House Ito
To the Northeast you have the city-state of Osaka ruled by House Ito. They are a genuine power on the border with their core holdings bordering their city further east. In the mountains east of Osaka there is the strongest cultivation resort the Empire has ever seen. It provides a full 50% increase in cultivation speed to the lucky few who are permitted to cultivate there at no cost to corruption. However, it is currently limited to the Imperial family and the head of House Ito.
Despite this, the head of House Ito is only Ascendant Soul although many suspect in the years to come he will reach Immortal Foundation. A potential contender for the throne if war was to break out. That is for certain.
This fief is the trade hub for the region, even if it heavily depends on food imports. Anything legal to sell can be bought here for the right price. Even some illegal things for a slight markup can be found if one has the right contacts.
Their house troops are the strongest and most numerous in the region. However, they have three fiefs to defend and not enough food to last long if besieged. They must maintain allies with their food producing neighbors to keep Osaka and their house troops fed. Your father has admitted if war came, he would suggest you conquer your neighbors along the wilds then cut food supplies to Osaka from the west. It would be enough to tip the scales in your favor.
It is ruled by the head of House Ito, the Lady Ito Kusanagi.
East, Stripen, House Otto
To the East is one of the few outliers, a noble house from beyond the Empire that secured a place here. They control only the one fief and their head is barely into Ascendant Soul but they are still noteworthy. They have strong Death cultivation techniques and their scions wander the Wilds freely killing spirit beasts to gather this power. Whatever they are doing to accelerate their cultivation, it works. While your family has 1 Ascendant Soul, 3 Core Formation, and You? They have 2 Ascendant Souls and 6 Core Formation in their main branch alone!
In any plan to displace House Ito as the queen of this region, you would need Otto's support. They are the only one House with enough powerful members to challenge Ito directly. That is assuming, of course, you figure out how to deal with an Immortal Foundation tier cultivator. Even for Otto, fighting such an old monster would be suicide.
Their household troops are average for the reason and they are mostly an agrarian valley fulfilling orders for spirit herbs, spirit grain, and more mundane food for Osaka.
William Otto is the current head of house and the lord of Stripen.
Southeast, Valley of Shadow, House Nakamura
The southeast is occupied one of the few openly admitted Ninja Houses. They cultivate Darkness and Death energy primarily. These elements form the backbone of their deadly assassination techniques that have allowed them to eliminate anyone who has seriously threatened their core holdings.
While the Valley of Shadow is distant from those same core holdings, it is used as a staging ground for journeys into the Wilds to use Death cultivation legally. It also doubles as a training ground for their young. As it does not touch the border, it is secure enough to be used for such.
The import and export little besides spies and ninja. Few trust them but it is said their current position is secured by the word of the Emperor himself.
The current head of fief is unknown.
