Crab Clan

IC 1500

The Shadowlands has been quiescent for most of the last century - there is currently no Dark Lord, and the City of the Lost is split into squabbling factions. The Crab Clan has thus enjoyed a much-deserved opportunity to build up its strength and resources without serious opposition, especially since they have continued to proclaim "20-Goblin Winters" every ten years or so. Today, the Crab are among the strongest of Clans, and many in their ranks have begun to suggest that they should flex their new-found muscles elsewhere in the Empire, especially toward the continuing split in the Yasuki family. Clan Champion Hida Masakazu, however, seems content to focus on the Clan's traditional ways and ignore the rest of Rokugan.

IC 1502

The Crab enjoy unusually high military strength, due to the weakness of the Shadowlands and their continuing custom of holding Twenty Goblin Winters every few years (they had another last year). Due to the current peace, however, they have not gained any political edge from their high military strength. They were spared from the effects of last year’s drought/famine by the generosity of the Crane Clan.

During the 20 Goblin Winter, their Clan Champion died and was succeeded by his son, Hida Gojiro, “the Beast.”

They are currently fostering the Emperor’s youngest son, Kobe.

Trade Agreement

The Mantis have formed an expansive new trade agreement with the Crab Clan.

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.

Victory

The Crab Clan, with assistance from the Lion and Phoenix, have successfully occupied Shiro Usagi.

War

The Crab Clan, with support from the Lion and Mantis, have declared war on the Crane.

Hida Gojiro, Hida family daimyo, Clan Champion
Considered to be one of the five deadliest men in Rokugan, Hida Gojiro "the beast" is a grim, silent, frequently violent young man in his early twenties, who spends most of his time on the Wall. Previous to his coronation he also lead frequent raids into the Shadowlands. Known for his impulsiveness and his violent hair-trigger temper, Gojiro has not been allowed to visit the courts of other Clans since an incident in Kyuden Doji when he was sixteen: after a Scorpion courtier made a gibe about uncouth Crabs, Gojiro tried to drown the man in a garden koi pond. It took five Daidoji bushi to pull him off. Gojiro ascended to his post after the death of his respected father Hida Masakazu. There is no doubt, especially with the recent declaration of war, that he will be a very different leader then his Father.

Hiruma Tsukan, Hiruma family daimyo
Twenty-seven years old, the eldest of three brothers. Tsukan is trained in the Hida school and is famous for the ferocious rages he displays on the battlefield (unlike Hida Gojiro, however, he can control himself in the courts). Like Gojiro, he spends much of his time organizing and leading raids along the border of Hiruma lands, and the two have frequently cooperated in such efforts. Tsukan's younger brother Satsu, trained in the Hiruma school, serves as commander of the Crab army's scouts.

Kuni Yuriko, Kuni family daimyo
Seventy-three years old, and the oldest daimyo in the Empire by far. Yuriko's refusal to step down is a source of considerable controversy, even elsewhere in the Crab Clan (although her own family accepts it without question). Despite her age, Yuriko is a vigorous and unbowed woman, tall of stature and fierce of intellect, and attends Winter Court every year. She is known to have quarreled more than once with O-Doji Koneko (see "Crane Clan" below), and is rumored to have described the revered Crane matron as a "useless old bat."

Toritaka Yamamiya, Accursed Crab
Toritaka Yamamiya is a loyal young Crab bushi who believes fervently in his Clan and its duty of protecting the Empire against the Shadowlands. As a member of the Toritaka family, his own role is to watch for ghosts, a task he takes quite seriously. Yamamiya has been plagued by atrocious bad luck his entire life, a fate which he has come to accept with a weary, “grin and bear it” attitude.

Kaiu Sumata, Nerdy Treasure Hunter
He is a thick-bodied balding man with a jowly face and oddly small, short, plump fingers. His usual expression is open and smiling, and there is a general aura of childlike innocence and vulnerability about him.

Hida Masakazu
Former Clan Champion

Forty-six years old. Called the "Jovial Bear" in an ironic reference to his ancestor Hida Kisada. Masakazu is a huge, friendly, cheerful man known (and among the Crab, revered) for his tremendous capacity for sake. He seldom leaves the Crab lands and in fact spends most of his time in Kyuden Hida, only occasionally going forth to tour the Kaiu Wall. Upon his death leadership of the clan passed to his son Hida Gojiro.

Hida Hei, "The Brute"
 Sapphire Magistrate

The infamous Hida Hei became known as "The Brute" for his actions during a tournament for a position as Sapphire Magistrate in which he savagely back handed his finals opponent with his tetsubo when he asked Hida Hei to concede at katana point. Having a strong belief in peace he enjoys his position, though his brutal Crab thinking means that he often tries to obtain peace in a way that Miya Shikan does not approve.

Hida Komatsu of House Moshibaru
This massive brute, known as "Iron Hands" is not Crab by birth. Raised in the Akodo family, he was thrown out of the Lion and made ronin when he was falsely accused of violating his lord's daughter's virtue. Wandering the Empire as a ronin for some time, he quickly gained a reputation for his excellent jiujutsu skills. When the 20 Goblin Winter was announced, Komatsu sought glory and recognition, a chance for a new home and a new family. Proving himself quite handily, he was allowed to pledge fealty to the Crab. Eschewing most weapons but being fully trained anyway, he is known for crushing goblin skulls like over-ripened fruit, and once he has his hands on an opponent, the fight is over a heartbeat afterwards. He has honey-brown eyes and he wears his finely groomed chin beard in two plaited braids that end in iron caps. He proudly wears his heavy armor and can oftentimes be seen patrolling the Kaiu Wall at all hours of the night, citing "The Shadowlands never sleep, so why should I?"

Hida Yoshiki
Hida Wrestler, Glory 2.1, Honor 2.1, Status 4.7

Sapphire Magistrate

Yoshiki is a very large man even among the Crab. He is balding even at his young age though good looking. He loves women and money, and cares for nothing else. It is said being hit by him is not unlike a tetsubo strike. It is also said he feels no pain.

Hiruma Ami
A shy girl who will gladly throw herself at the biggest creature on the battle field if it means to save but a single life, Ami is known to travel the birth of the empire. She is married to a Tsruchi who was forced to take the Hiruma name.

Hida Tango
The "Howling Wolf of the Wall," named for the fearsome wolf mempo gifted to him after winning the weapons tournament at Hida Yushiro's wedding. He wields a large dai tsuchi named "The Tao," and never refuses a challenge. He has been accepted into the Hida Elite Guard.

Hida Tango is married to the Witch Hunter Mariko, and his brother, Hida Doguo, is a berzerker serving on the Kaiu Wall.

While he has allies among the Hare Clan, he is eager to serve his Champion on the battlefield. When told of Hida Gojiro's recent declaration of war against the Hare, he joined the assembled Crab in a cheer, "For the Wall!"

During the Battle of Shiro Usagi, Hida Tango's unit had the misfortune to end up facing the command group of the Scorpion general Bayushi Tenkai. Tango's unit was quickly knocked back from its initial forward momentum as the Scorpion used any trick available to disable the Crab unit's combat effectiveness. Archer's bowstrings were cut, a fierce shugenja battle took place, and Tango himself was even disarmed. Reaching deep inside, Tango summoned all his inner reserves for one last desperate attack against Bayushi Tenkai himself. As the crab launched himself with a near berserker frenzy toward the general, something inside the Scorpion snapped and his courage fled followed immediately by his person. Detractors claim that some magical ability assisted Tango in this rout, but those who saw the shear fury etched on the Crab's face that day quickly put down such rumors.

Kuni Hiro
Rank 1 Kuni Witch Hunter Status 1, Glory 1

Kuni Hiro is surprisingly charming for a Kuni, but having only recently emerged from the Kuni Wastes, little else is known about him.

Kuni Fumio
A young shugenja with a patch over one eye, Kuni Fumio has recently passed his gempukku. His visage is painted in the kabuki style of his family. The white base is marked with vivid blue patterns inspired by the Kami. He has marked the jagged scar from the wound that claimed his eye in a deep blood red. Not yet of sufficient experience to serve his clan beyond the Wall, Fumio travels the Empire as the daimyo directs.

He was forced into a marriage with a Scorpion Shugenja right before the events known as "the doom of the Crab." His heroics, including the revelation of a crystal eye that held back tainted creatures, was one of the major turning points for the successful retreat from the wall.

Hiruma Goro
Rank 2 Hida Bushi Status 1 Glory 2

While often seeming slow and simple, this hulking man is quick to answer any such assumptions with a swift tetsubo to the face.

Goro was once an active and cheerful agent of his clan, known for his fondness of wrestling and disdain of courtly activities (two character traits often displayed in conjunction) but has been relatively inactive for at least the last year.

In this time he has been mourning the Emperor's sons and his travelling companion Matsu Kira, who died by their side.

Toritaka Jo
Toritaka Jo is an aspiring young archer. Thus far, he has done nothing of note.

Hida Origano
Died for the Toturi Dynasty