Hoshido

Hoshido (白夜王国 Byakuya Okoku lit. White Night Kingdom in the Japanese version) is a peaceful nation in Fire Emblem Fates.

Profile
The kingdom of Hoshido was founded by humans loyal to the Dawn Dragon, who gave them land and its blood so they could harness the Dragon's Vein. Its capital is Castle Shirasagi, which is surrounded by a bustling market town. Hoshido is located east of Nohr and the Bottomless Canyon.

In contrast to the barren, blighted lands of Nohr, Hoshido benefits from fair, sunny weather, resulting in plentiful food supplies, to the point where there is more than enough to feed both Hoshido and Nohr combined. The Hoshidan monarchs rule fairly and justly, and are thus loved by their people. Hoshido is home to populations of pegasi.

History
Relations between Hoshido and its rival Nohr were long fraught with tension, as Nohr envied Hoshido's bountiful lands. Mikoto arrived at Hoshido after escaping Valla with her newborn child, the Avatar. Mikoto met the king of Hoshido, Sumeragi once whiling secretly traveling to Hoshido before Valla's destruction, and soon after Ikona's death, married him. Sumeragi had four children from his first wife; Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura. During a trip to Cheve with his first son and step-child, Sumeragi was killed by Nohrian soldiers and the Avatar was kidnapped. Without a king, Mikoto became the new Queen of Hoshido. Some time after, Hoshido kidnapped the adopted princess of Nohr, Azura in order to trade her back for the Avatar, but the trade was ignored, and Azura was set to live Hoshido, and th people were ordered to treat her like a Hoshidan princess by Mikoto, who was secretly Azura's aunt.

Over the following years, Nohr and Hoshido frequently skirmished, with all-out war prevented only by a magical barrier crafted by Queen Mikoto; the barrier caused any Nohrian soldiers who crossed it to lose their will to fight. To counter this, Nohr's mages created the Faceless, constructs of flesh who lacked souls and free will, allowing them to retain their aggression beyond the barrier and attack Hoshido. However, the Faceless lacked the intelligence and coordination of a human army, limiting the damage they could inflict.

Known people from Hoshido

 * Avatar - Prince/Princess of Hoshido and the third eldest child of the royal family.
 * Azura - Princess of Nohr. Adopted princess.
 * Ryoma - Avatar's elder brother and the eldest Hoshidan royal child. A Swordmaster who wields the Raijinto, a lightning-wreathed katana.
 * Hinoka - Avatar's elder sister. A Sky Knight.
 * Takumi - Avatar's younger brother. An Archer who wields the Fujin Yumi, a wind-wreathed bow.
 * Sakura - Avatar's younger sister and the youngest Hoshidan royal child. A Shrine Maiden.
 * Mikoto - The queen of Hoshido and the Avatar's mother.
 * Sumeragi - The late king of Hoshido.
 * Fuga - Chieftain of the Wind Tribe.
 * Hana - A Samurai who proclaims that she is Lady Sakura's 'most trusted subordinate'.
 * Subaki - A Sky Knight in service of Sakura.
 * Saizo - A red-haired Ninja in service of Ryoma. Kaze's older twin brother.
 * Orochi - A female Diviner who works for the castle.
 * Rinkah - A female Oni Savage from the Fire Clan.
 * Kaze - A green-haired Ninja. Saizo's younger twin brother.
 * Oboro - A female Spear Fighter and Takumi's subordinate.
 * Kagero - A female Ninja in service of Ryoma.
 * Hayato - A male Diviner from the Wind Tribe.
 * Hinata - A Samurai serving under Takumi.
 * Kaden - A male Kitsune from a remote area in Hoshido.
 * Azama - A Monk serving Hinoka.
 * Setsuna - A female Archer and subordinate of Hinoka.
 * Mozu - A female Villager.
 * Reina - A female Kinshi Knight and subordinate of Mikoto.
 * Yukimura - A male Mechanist and Hoshido's tactician.
 * Kumagera - A soft hearted Assassin sent to kill King Garon.
 * Haitaka - Proud General of Black Dragon Fortress.
 * Emma - A female Sky Knight who debuted in Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher).
 * Yuzu - A female Samurai who debuted in Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher).

Etymology
Byakuya literally means white night in Japanese.

Hoshido is possibly a combination of Hoshi meaning star or Shiro meaning white in Japanese and bushido, the samurai code of chivalry, to match the Japan theme of the country.

Trivia

 * Hoshido is based on feudal Japan, evident in its aesthetic and cultural style.