Minor Clans

IC 1502

The Minor Clan Alliance is long gone. The Fox Clan have regained their independence from the Mantis. The Bat Clan, however, has been absorbed by the Mantis, and the Dragonfly Clan is now part of the Dragon. The Tortoise Clan and its ally, the Tiger (former Yotsu family) have great wealth and influence due to their control of the Thrane trade, although their monopoly was broken by the Mantis two years ago. The Badger recently suffered a raid from the Dragon, but have made peace. The Hare Clan have discontinued their search for a Shugenja school after their defeat at Shiro Usagi.

Minor Clan Alliance

The Minor Clan Alliance has been declared a success.

Ichiro Ota, daimyo of the Badger
The Bader daimyo is a man in his late thirties, the prime of life, with several children including a daughter, Kaori, said to be quite attractive (except for having unfortunately large feet). Ota is currently heavily occupied with trying to repair the political damage from the incident in Ryoko Owari last year, which nearly led to war with the Dragon Clan.

Ichiro Genzo
H: 5.9  G: 10   S: 3.1 After my gempukku I followed the Badger tradition and traveled the land to search for mercenary jobs whose pay can help my Clan. My travels took me to Ryoko Owary Toshi where I spent a few years guarding caravans and merchants and sometimes I was extra muscle to the Thunder Guard when they needed some intimidation. During that time, I saw great men fall to vice and lose their way on the path of Bushido. I almost fell from the path myself.

Selling your services to merchants brings a man low.It became harder for me to tell the difference between myself and the Ronin who I worked alongside. We both sold our souls for a few zeni and hope to make it to tomorrow. Most people have never really heard of the Badger Clan. We are all but forgotten and It was a dark time for me. I became vary morose and melancholy.

However I did nothing that I would be ashamed of because a friend came to me and helped me during this dark time for me. He was a Ronin who I think use to be Lion and went by the name Sato. He reintroduced me to Akodo's "Leadership", his 10 orders, and to Bushido it's self.

With his help, I regained my zeal for life and Honor. As many samurai sank into the pit of Ryoko Owary, I held Ryoko Owary up to be an example of what I should never be. That is when I wrote back to my Lord asking how could I sever the Clan. He has been sending me around the Empire ever since and for that I am thankful to my Lord.

Ichiro Togaki
Died for the Toturi Dynasty

Kitsune Yudai
Chui of the Imperial Legion, Chui of the Fox Forces. The stander size bushi wound be forgettable, but once you seen the twinkle of Yudai jade colored eyes you will never forget him. This young Fox grows every day into the commander of man. Even after the lost by the defenders of Shiro Usagi, his banner is being remembered for his actions in the battle.(Glory 5, Status 5)

Kitsune Yusuke
Imperial Zoologist, Archivist of the Beasts of the Empire. Few ever give Yusuke a second glance. In court he is a simple non-descript man, preferring to blend into the lower ranked courtiers or possibly even the higher ranked servants. He knows that the courts are not his place, and he feels uncomfortable there. In the streets of Rokugan's towns his eyes dart around, taking in details (often noting them in the numerous scrolls he has been known to carry).

Yet it is in the wilderness that this enigmatic scholar truly comes into his own. An expert tracker and a master scholar of the empire's animals, he has become known as the preeminent sage on the all the pure living forms. The rumours are conflicted about whether he has studied the influence of the shadowlands on the animals of Rokugan, and whenever the topic is mentioned he becomes strangely silent before steering the conversation to more palatable topics.

He is married to Kitsune Sumomo.

Kitsune Sumomo
Mistress of Herbs, Shugenja and Healer to the Fox Court. Rarely far from her husband's side in the wilderness, Sumomo shines more strongly in the courts due to her ethereal beauty and the accumulated favors she has acquired among many of the other clans in exchange for her healing services and mastery of herbal lore.

According to a number of rumours, Sumomo has the blood of the foxwives in her veins. She has ensured never to confirm nor deny this rumour in public, but those who have seen her healing skills in action have invariably spoken of a natural energy or aura that seems to aids her hands and herbs.

She is married to Kitsune Yusuke.

Kitsune Hideki
Died for the Toturi Dynasty

Hare
War

The Crab Clan has declared war on the Hare and their Scorpion allies, claiming the continued Hare friendship with the Scorpion represents an insult which can only be purged with blood.

Defeat

The Crab Clan, with assistance from the Lion and Phoenix, have successfully occupied Shiro Usagi. The Usagi Daimyo is dead and most of his family have been relocated to an unknown location.

Usagi Hayai
 Emerald Magistrate

Quick to judge and unrelenting in his attitudes and self-confidence, Hayai dresses in a traditional kimono and normally carries himself with honor and dignity – although those who criticize traditional Rokugani methods of law will earn his anger.

Toku Mika
After attending gembukku at the Topaz Championship -- where she unexpectedly won the tournament -- Mika chose her name, for lack of any other ideas. Mika means 3rd day of the month, the auspicious day on which she graduated. Since that time she has hardly returned home, her Daimiyo instead seeing fit to send her to every sort of make-work mission or court across the empire. Knowing full well her hatred for any courtly or other social situations one can only assume that he must hate Mika with a vengence. Or has a great sense of humour. . . Always accompanied by her silver-faced monkey Ginzo, Mika has used her special love for animals to tame and train a stray white tiger that had been menacing Crane lands (now named Akiisa) and an abandoned mongrel dog (Kimi). They have been joined by Mugen, a Shinjo steed and Jiyuu, a hunting falcon.&nbsp Mika swears they just followed her home. Beware all ye with pets. ..

Suzume Isoroku
A really tall Sparrow bushi.

Suzume Saburo
Young and idealistic, Saburo is a contradiction in terms. Though very much a traditionalist in many ways, as are most Sparrows, he is the product of his daimyo's desire to bring the clan more fully into the Empire. Trained at the Open Hand of the Lion Dojo as an Omoidasu (regarded by the Sparrow as the second best storytellers in the Empire), Saburo is unsure if the daimyo means to found a school for courtiers in Suzume lands, or merely to utilize him in the courts of the other Minor Clans.

Saburo is of medium height, with a red beard likely stemming from a Kitsune ancestor somewhere in the past (which also makes his Lion sensei a bit more accepting of his presence in an Ikoma school). When in non-Sparrow lands, Saburo eats heartily at any feast, knowing that chances to indulge in plentiful, hearty fare are rare on the road and at home. This makes him a deal stockier than most Sparrow Clan samurai.

Suzume Genma
At a young age a deadly illness came to his village and killed many people, Genma was one of the very few who survived but contracted a sickness that could not be cured. The sickness, similar to tuberculosis made him weaker and he could no longer attend the Suzume Bushi school. Many gave up on Genma but his Sensei did not she taugh him in secret and when not being trained by her Genma would train alone till he collapsed. At the Topaz championship he fell in love with a girl who was a Ronin, there love forbidden but he was proud to be in love but he knew that there love could not be. Genma despite his illness and wailing health fought on to win the Topaz championship and was almost in tears when he was spoken to by the Emperor. After this he had to leave behind his love and do what was needed of him, his sensei was proud to have taught the ill boy and presented him with a wakizashi that was once her fathers, Genma took the blade as his and held back his emotions despite it being a really emotional week. In his days he met many people some heroes, some villains, and some monsters, on one such adventure he came across ronin working under a certain someone who wanted to hurt him and his friends, there he met her again...his love. Genma just looked at her and she fell apart, Genma pursued her and found out why...A night of passion at the Topaz had gotten her pregnant and Genma was amazed...That even though he was nearly dead from his disease he was able to father a son. Genma took her as his wife, and none spoke up against it, maybe they pitied a man who would not live to see 16. Genma finally died not from his disease but from his enemies, Genma died defending the Empire from unseen enemies he was 15.

Yotsu Araki, daimyo of the Tiger
The Tiger daimyo is a pleasant middle-aged family man, who spends most of his time in his modest estate in the ruins of Otosan Uchi, raising his many children.

Ox PCs
OOC Note: These four characters are all siblings- intended to be the children of the Ox Daimyo, pending the Campaign Admin's approval.

Morito Doi
Rank 1 Morito Bushi

Eldest son. Twin brother of Seinosuke.

Morito Seinosuke
Rank 1 Ronin Duellist

Second son, trained in kenjutsu by a private teacher. Twin brother of Doi. Idealistic, believes fervently in the order of heaven and is fanatically devoted to the Emperor.

Vastly humble, and very doubtful of his abilities in a courtly setting. Continually wonders why his father keeps sending him to court. Oddly, performs well consistently.

Once shamed by Otomo Kazuma after mis-writing a character in a declaration signed by several in attendance at a court; this (unintentional) error meant that the declaration read as treasonous. Publicly accepted blame for this declaration's creation after Kazuma-sama pinned its creation on Hida Hei.

Often appears down-trodden and trail-worn. Face is open, honest and hopeful; like a puppy hoping that the kicking will soon stop.

Morito Naoko
Rank 1 Isawa Tensai

Third child.

Morito Iuki
Rank 1 Shiba Illusionist

Fourth child. Won the Topaz championship, though how she was allowed to compete at the same time as her older brothers is unknown. Extremely talented at any game she attempts.

Kasuga Magoro, daimyo of the Tortoise
Little is known about the reclusive daimyo of the Tortoise, although it is rumored that he spends much time visiting with the Thrane gaijin who land in his Clan's ports. Many believe he has grown too close to the Thrane, and some less honorable gossips have even suggested that he has taken a Thrane woman as a secret lover.

Kasuga Gyuuho
 Emerald Magistrate

Gyuuho is a soft-spoken, good-natured, kind-hearted man, with a strong desire for justice and honesty. He dresses in drab, uninteresting clothing without any of the ostentation or display which characterizes other samurai.

Kasuga Yumei
Retired

Engaged to Daniel Hatcherman

Yumei is the young niece of Kasauga Magoro. She is quite beautiful, with entrancing eyes and long hair usually adorned with fresh flowers, a beautiful comb, or elegant pins. She has an engaging personality. She is also modestly wealthy. Yumei is very friendly, with an almost bubbly demeanor at court. Her manner of speaking is somewhat odd, as her words are accented with a faint and unusual accent. Her court clothes are extremely elegant and for the most part Rokugani, however the collar is touched with eyelet lace; she also wears a long pair of white lace gloves.

Yumei has a high level of fluency in the Thrane language, and is relatively knowledgeable in Thrane culture. She also knows how to play the Thrane dice game Friars.

While friendly, Yumei tends to keep the details of her past to herself. Though some rumors already exist relating to her manner of speaking and dress, and her lack of interest in finding a suitable husband. There are various rumors floating around about her preference for gaijin men, particularly the mysterious Thrane Daniel Hatcherman. During her visit to Winter Court at Shiro no Shoshuro this year she was persistently badgered by a lecherous Mirumoto bushi Mirumoto Hideyo, who a year earlier she had tried to pawn off on another girl. This led to a rather hilarious situation of him giving her some very interesting if not embarassing nicknames: "Yummy-chan" and "The Yummy Tortoise". She finally spelled it out for him that there was no chance that she would ever be interested in him, which then led to some very nasty name calling on his part, which she simply ignored as the rantings of a jealous and spoiled child.

Not just a pretty face Yumei is an adept courtier. She was instrumental in securing the Dragon clan's endorsement of a Tiger vanguard force at the Shrine of Peace, and was able to do so without offering her support to the Dragon clan. More recently she has become involved with the politics of the fledgeling minor clan alliance. Yumei is still a relatively young courtier and with youth comes mistakes, even then things seem to come out fairly well even when she completely fumbles a task.

Yumei is rarely seen without a yojimbo of some sort. In Tortoise lands it is most often her cousin Kasuga Yasu,a tiger trained bushi who has watched over her since before her gempukku. She is occasionally seen with "The Demon Tiger", Yotsu Subotai acting as her informal yojimbo.

Yumei was last seen right before the battle of Toshi Ranbo. She is currently on a boat to Thrane lands with Hatcherman.

Character Portrait http://www.sharemation.com/angelicmadrigal/selese.jpg

MODS KASUGA YUMEI HAS PLAYED

Kasuga Yoji-Aki
Courtier, Rank 5, Status 5.2, Glory 9.8, Honor 1.5 Emerald Magistrate  Kasuga Yoji-Aki is the typical Kasuga Courtier in many ways; save for his ability to convince nearly anyone of anything, and his perfectly shaven head. He is willing to do anything for the Empire and the clan. He has also strengthened ties between his clan and the Crane with the marriage to a Hanagensai bride. He is currently studying to be an actor with the Mayakashi acting troop. Currently trying to establish trade between the Ivory Kingdoms and Rokugan. As other Tortoise, He is close with some Thrane individuals. None as close though as his True Friend Daniel Hatcherman.

Kasuga Jin
Kasuga Courtier, Rank 2, Status 4, Glory 2.4

Kasuga Jin is rather typical amongst his clansmen in looks and behavior. He wears his dark hair in the traditional samurai bob and his skin is worn and ruddy from his time at sea in his early career. His personality is very pragmatic, what needs be done will be done regardless of what the more 'honorable' might think of his methods. This does not mean that he seeks the easy path in all things, but there are some sacrifices that must be made for the greater good.

Jin has spent most of his time making minor trade agreements within the empire, but has recently been moved to a more active place within his clan's politics. Jin assisted in the formation of the Minor Clans Alliance, but his role so far has been a small one.

Kasuga Kouji
Minor Clans Explorer, Rank 1, Status 0.5, Glory 0.2