Unabara

Unabara (海原 lit. Ocean) is a fictional fief in Gamaran and the main place where the events are set. It is known for its many schools of martial arts of various kinds, and because of its numberous and fierce warriors it was named "The Demon's Haunt" (鬼の巣 Oni no Sou). The fief has a large city with a big inner citadel and castle in the middle where the Daimyo and his family resides. It is worth 650000 koku and eventually revealed to be located somewhere in Kyushu, one of the two southern islands of Japan. After the events of the Tournament the fief ended under the rulership of Kurogane Jinsuke and his Muhou School, causing it to be at war with the Bakufu. After the timeskip, The layout of Unabara's castle and inner citadel changed, as a huge moat was dug and the gates were reduced in number. After the Bakufu's assault, Unabara's castle was destroyed along with most of its martial schools, and the new government under the Shogunate took over.

Events Centered Around Unabara

The Great Unabara Tournament

Under the rule of the Washitzu Daimyo, Unabara was the theater of the Great Unabara Tournament to decide which school was the strongest of them all. At least 32 schools partecipate to this war, and only ten were left at the beginning of the second round. However, the second turn was inconclusive as in the middle of the battle, the Muhou School made his coup d'etat and killed the Daimyo and all his family, except for Naoyoshi, who would have served as a puppet ruler.

Known Schools partecipating to the Tournament

• Ogame School: Reached the second round but where eventually attacked by the Muhou School and forced to retreat.
• Tengen School: Defeated by the Ogame School in the first round.
• Muhou School: Took over Unabara.
• Nakaizumi School: Surrendered to Gama in the first round.
• Kyousen School: Defeated by Gama in the first round.
• Kuribayashi School: One of the Five Dragons. Defeated by the Kasanemanji School in the first round.
• Kasanemanji School: Reached the second round.
• Tamagakushi School: Defeated by the Ogame School in the second round.
• Souen School: Defeated by Shinnojou in the second round.
• Maruyama School: Reached the second round, then joined the Muhou School.
• Jouchi School: Defeated by the Myoujin School in the first round.
• Myoujin School: Defeated by the Ogame School in the second round, the only surviving member joined the Muhou School.
• Kannari School: Apparently won both the first and second rounds.
• Urabe Ippo School: Reached the second round, but then its whereabouts are unknown.

Ogame School Invasion and Shogunate Attack

One year after the end of the tournament, another challenge was thrown by Jinsuke Kurogane to the Ogame School members: in one month, they'll have to reach the Castle of Unabara, fighting through the hordes of the Muhou School soldiers, and save Naoyoshi from the castle before he's executed. As the battle between the two groups proceede and many members of the Muhou School fall, both Kizaki Gensai and Nakaizumi Arata join the cause of the Ogame School. When the battle reaches the inner citadel, however, the Bakufu start his counterattack on Jinsuke from the shadows thanks to Tsukikage. By the end, as the Ogame School members breach into the castle, the Bakufu soldiers inside the organization soon reveal their real colors and start attacking both the Muhou School and the Ogame School. Eventually, as the score between the two schools is settled, an army of 10000 shogunate samurai storms Unabara and takes over the castle, wiping out the survivors including Yukio, though Tsukikage is killed and many important members of both schools managed to sneak their way out of the inferno. Eight days later is shown that the bakufu has established his rule on the fief and will likely put a new daimyo on the throne, putting an end to the Lair of the Demons.

Locations

• Jouka: The city around the castle, it's divided in many quarters. Most of the dojos of the various schools are scattered there.
• Inner Citadel: The city inside the walls where most of the samurai and nobles of the city resides. After the timeskip, the citadel has now two accesses and is surrounded by a large moat.
• Unabara's Castle: The castle of the Washitzu family, now the headquarters of the Muhou School. It's vast and contains many parts including prisons, the Honmaru and the personal quarters of the Advisors and Personal corps. After the timeskip, it's surrounded by walls and another moat and the only passage is the sandy corridor patrolled by Arimaru.
• Gorge: The only access to Unabara, is a small wooden bridge located on a gorge. The bridge is destroyed by the members of the 47th Division.
• Anayaka Forest: The huge forest outside Unabara, there's a path there that leads to the town from the mountains. Bandits are shown to live in the forest.
• Ogame School Dojo: The Dojo of the Ogame School, located at the borders of Unabara, in the mountains. The gates are worn and old, and adorned by the statues of a menacing turtle holding a sword in his mouth. There are also many broken swords and weapons outside. The Dojo is located at the top of a tall hill.
• Juuren Village: The hidden village of the Ogame School, located somewhere in the middle of the wilderness, it's only access is through a cavern, leading to a hidden valley. There lies the village (actually a small, fortified dojo) and behind it, Juuren Mountain is located. On its tip, Kashitarou resides in a small cavern.