Kashin

Strictly speaking, a Kashin (家臣) is a vassal or retainer to a "daimyo" (little "d"), a Japanese feudal lord who ruled vast hereditary land holdings from approximately 1337-1868, and were subordinate only to the shogun.

In Sakura no Aware, Kashin usually follow the same pattern, and are vassals or retainers to Daimyo (big "d"). It's possible for a Kashin to become a daimyo (again, little "d") in their own right, after a great deal of work and effort (indeed, all daimyo in the recent past were human and of a Kashin power-level), but in the current environment of Ōmijin and Exaltations, this is an increasingly rare event.

Thus, for all intents and purposes, Kashin are normal Samurai, Shugenja, Courtiers, Artisans, and so on, and account for the vast majority of the Empire's population (that aren't commoners). Kashin are normally attached to Minor or Great Clans, and are usually nobility in their own right (we're making a clear separation between Kashin and commoners here; it is exceptionally rare for a commoner to become elevated to the rank of a Kashin). Kashin who are not attached to a clan are either Rōnin (that is, one who lacks a master, and thus lacks prestige), or a monk attached to a particular temple or spiritual school.

Being normal humans aside from any prestige or power their families or clans may bring them, Kashin are thus subject to Izanami's Great Curse and live relatively normal lives (as opposed to Daimyo) and normal life spans (short of supernatural interference). Thus, Kashin characters affect the world in more subtle and less direct ways than their Daimyo counterparts, and are much more immediately (and often, adversely) affected by the (poor) choices of their Daimyo leaders.

While Kashin characters are less immediately powerful, they negotiate the world of Kuniumi at the ground level rather than being at the height of the hierarchy, and have a completely different, more gritty experience than Daimyo characters. There will also always be more Kashin than Daimyo, so the concerns of daily life become a much more interesting affair with these characters, in a general sense (especially where politicking is concerned).

Kashin Hooks

 * Daughter / Son / Brother / Sister to a Daimyo
 * A particular member of a clan's Military Holding
 * Lobbying at the Imperial Court in Amatsu-Kyo as a courtier for the benefit of one's clan
 * A monk of an established temple such as Sentou Taisha or Toutoichi Jinjya
 * Looking for a clan, be it as a Ronin, the leader of a family, etc.