Concepts
Civilizations/Leaders
City-States
Districts
Buildings
Wonders and Projects
Units
Unit Promotions
Great People
Technologies
Civics
Governments and Policies
Religions
Terrains and Features
Resources
Improvements and Routes
Governors
Historic Moments

Introduction

Air Combat

Civilian

Land Combat

Naval Combat

Support

Heroes

Anansi

Arthur

Beowulf

Hercules

Himiko

Hippolyta

Hunahpu & Xbalanque

Maui

Mulan

Oya

Sinbad

Sun Wukong

Himiko
Description
Shaman-Queen of ancient Japan, renowned for her wisdom and mystical power.
Heroic Abilities
Inspiring: +5 Combat Strength to all units within 2 tiles.
Swift: Ignores all terrain Movement penalties.
Himiko's Charm: Target any adjacent City-State. Himiko immediately places 1 free Envoy in the City-State. If you are already the Suzerain there, Himiko also earns 50 Faith. Costs 1 Charge and ends turn.
Himiko's Rule: Use when within the territory of a City-State you are Suzerain of. Himiko immediately levies its military at no cost. Costs 1 Charge and ends turn.
Historical Context
Though a figure of legend today, Queen Himiko was likely a real person. She was the queen of Yamatai, on the islands that the Chinese called Wa – present-day Japan. In Chinese records, Himiko sent gifts to the Cao Wei kingdom: the northernmost of the three states that divided China between them in the 3rd century A.D. In these records Himiko is dubbed "Queen of Wa (Japan), and friend of Wei" by the Chinese emperor.

Where Himiko’s story gets interesting is in the accusations of sorcery. Chinese sources recount that she bewitched all of the residents of Wa into submitting to her rule, how she lived in a great castle served entirely by female attendants and guards (excepting one man, who brought her food), and rarely left. This mystical reputation is compounded in Japanese records, which identify Himiko with a number of divine beings: as the high shaman of the Japanese sun-goddess Amaterasu, or a shamanic wife of a divine snake. In this latter story, Himiko (identified by the name Yamato-toto-hi-momo-so-bime no Mikoto) is happily married to a clearly divine being, but who only visits at night. She begs him to stay until morning so that she can see him in the sunlight, but he demurs. Eventually, she convinces him, and he tells her that she will see him in her toilet-case, but she must promise not to be shocked at his appearance. The next morning, when she opens the case, there is a beautiful white snake coiled inside. Himiko gasps in alarm, and the god-snake changes back to his human form. He is angry, tells her that she had been warned not to react, and that now he must leave her. Himiko, in her grief, stabs herself.

The wide range of storied surrounding Himiko paint a portrait of an extraordinary woman. She combined the features of a queen and shaman, something which must have disturbed the largely-patriarchal chroniclers in her time. Her story speaks to the almost otherworldly hold that charismatic people can have over us. In popular representations in Japan, she is occasionally a seductress and occasionally a wise old queen, but she remains as popular as ever.
PortraitSquare
icon_civilization_unknown

Traits

icon_moves
4
Movement Points
icon_civilization_unknown
40
Lifespan
icon_stats_spreadcharges
8
Charges

Requirements

Purchase Cost
Base Cost: 400 Faith
PortraitSquare
icon_civilization_unknown
Description
Shaman-Queen of ancient Japan, renowned for her wisdom and mystical power.
Heroic Abilities
Inspiring: +5 Combat Strength to all units within 2 tiles.
Swift: Ignores all terrain Movement penalties.
Himiko's Charm: Target any adjacent City-State. Himiko immediately places 1 free Envoy in the City-State. If you are already the Suzerain there, Himiko also earns 50 Faith. Costs 1 Charge and ends turn.
Himiko's Rule: Use when within the territory of a City-State you are Suzerain of. Himiko immediately levies its military at no cost. Costs 1 Charge and ends turn.
Historical Context
Though a figure of legend today, Queen Himiko was likely a real person. She was the queen of Yamatai, on the islands that the Chinese called Wa – present-day Japan. In Chinese records, Himiko sent gifts to the Cao Wei kingdom: the northernmost of the three states that divided China between them in the 3rd century A.D. In these records Himiko is dubbed "Queen of Wa (Japan), and friend of Wei" by the Chinese emperor.

Where Himiko’s story gets interesting is in the accusations of sorcery. Chinese sources recount that she bewitched all of the residents of Wa into submitting to her rule, how she lived in a great castle served entirely by female attendants and guards (excepting one man, who brought her food), and rarely left. This mystical reputation is compounded in Japanese records, which identify Himiko with a number of divine beings: as the high shaman of the Japanese sun-goddess Amaterasu, or a shamanic wife of a divine snake. In this latter story, Himiko (identified by the name Yamato-toto-hi-momo-so-bime no Mikoto) is happily married to a clearly divine being, but who only visits at night. She begs him to stay until morning so that she can see him in the sunlight, but he demurs. Eventually, she convinces him, and he tells her that she will see him in her toilet-case, but she must promise not to be shocked at his appearance. The next morning, when she opens the case, there is a beautiful white snake coiled inside. Himiko gasps in alarm, and the god-snake changes back to his human form. He is angry, tells her that she had been warned not to react, and that now he must leave her. Himiko, in her grief, stabs herself.

The wide range of storied surrounding Himiko paint a portrait of an extraordinary woman. She combined the features of a queen and shaman, something which must have disturbed the largely-patriarchal chroniclers in her time. Her story speaks to the almost otherworldly hold that charismatic people can have over us. In popular representations in Japan, she is occasionally a seductress and occasionally a wise old queen, but she remains as popular as ever.

Traits

icon_moves
4
Movement Points
icon_civilization_unknown
40
Lifespan
icon_stats_spreadcharges
8
Charges

Requirements

Purchase Cost
Base Cost: 400 Faith
Language
Choose Ruleset
Get it on App StoreGet it on Google Play
CopyrightPrivacy Policy