Burden of the Emerald Empire (A Legend of the Five Rings Tale)

---Minor Clan
--A Holy (Wo)man

The Badger have had a difficult time in this last century, you could admit that much honestly. A mere decade ago and they were thought to be doomed. Their numbers never recovering from the powerful oni that had ravaged them in secret while the rest of the Empire had burned.

However, where once there was a grim fatalism, now a stubborn hope persisted. Hidden even from the Badger's own knowledge had been a redoubt of Badger Samurai led not by a bushi, but a simple, and ultimately very lost shugenja of the Kitsune family. Ichiro no Kitsune Tamamae had upon leaving the realm of spirits, found herself in an unfamiliar land with an unfamiliar castle near by. Exploring it she had discovered the Badger, and realizing the power of the Oni begged to be allowed to set up a sacred place for the children, the old and the sick so that they may hide from the Oni and free up the might of the Badger to go on the offensive.

A futile gesture in some respects. The Badger that new the secret place had gone to his grave without revealing it. So for nearly fifty years Tamamae had led the Sanctuary she had created, having taken the Badger name and been the only one who could maintain it. With the peaceful (for Rokugan) years past, the Sanctuary had opted to rejoin their brethren bringing the Badger back to nearly their full might. (You are told that for fifty years there had been not much to do besides work, and well...procreate vigorously)
Having seen her charges through, the now aged shugenja had passed in her sleep around the time of the Goju assault last winter. Reportedly she was smiling and had a bright light emanate from her form.

The Tamamae line was now quite prominent as a line of shugenja within the Badger who called the ancient Clan to a more balanced state of being. While there is tension, the Champion of the Badger has no intention of ruining his Clan's hope.

Regardless with Tamamae's death, the Badger had dutifully worshipped her as ancestor and saviour. Now you would elevate her into a minor goddess. The Fortune of Priestly Guardians, it would be her duty to continue to guide all those who found themselves in situations similar to hers. Cut off from the outside world with only their faith in the Heavens to sustain them they would find succour in her name.

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In retrospect you didn't know what you had expected from the Minor Clans when you made your announcement. It certainly had not been this. You look at the strong, proud Badger Samurai kowtowed before you, beside them sitting on an enormous cart. Is perhaps the greatest collection of gold and precious gems that you have seen outside of the Imperial Treasury. Standing at least three times your height and a dozen times your length, your admittedly lackluster math estimates this is enough to run the Empire for a year? Maybe two?

Yoritomo Hiroko stands beside you, visibly affected by the sight. You'd think someone had just brought her newborn grandson by the way she seems to want to touch it. In her defence, you have a little trouble believing it yourself.

Quietly you bid the Badger to stand up.

"Ichiro Megumi-san...I do not deny the tribute you have brought before me, I only ask for how you have done this. My samurai do no good to anyone if they cannot eat." You say.

Megumi nods, her flat broad face coached into stillness.

"When the Sanctuary discovered...they had laid up taxes dutifully for all the time they had spent hidden away. It had been thought that we would use it to pay our dues to the Emperor over time while we recovered...but with the Emperor's acknowledgement and gratitude, we found that we could no longer justify to ourselves holding it back. Even if it was not something you would ask for in your gracious munificence"

Were the Badger Lands really that productive? You need to remind Hiroko that there is more to wealth than trade.

"Very well, I would ask the Badger to continue their loyal duty in the north, and thank them for their generosity."

Megumi shifts a little.
"Honesty compels me to say that the Minor Clan Alliance also all contributed a small amount. When your father raised Toku-no-kami up. We saw it as repayment for all the efforts he made for your Grandfather. When you raised Tamamae-no-kami up, we see it as your wisdom and insight showing that we are worth the same to you as the Great Clans, and we will not forget your praise"

"The Minor Clans were created in honour of the valour of their founders. It pleases me to see my faith in them is not misplaced" You say.

There's a bit more back and forth, but ultimately, the Badger depart, and you find yourself looking back at this year, as something of an astounding victory. It may have taken two years to get to the point where things go smooth, but it had happened.

You only hope that you thinking that somehow hasn't caused something somewhere to jinx you. It'd be nice to go a few months without something major happening, or in the immediate offing.

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Ah winter court, your first one in a foreign court with your wife even. This should prove a nice working vacation of sorts...okay probably not, but you have optimism dammit. Now where were you going again?

[] Crab Clan (Kyuden Hida)
[] Crane Clan (Kyuden Doji)
[] Dragon Clan (High House of Light)
[] Lion Clan (Kyuden Ikoma)
[] Mantis Clan (Kyuden Gisei)
[] Phoenix Clan (Kyuden Asako)
[] Scorpion Clan (Kyuden Bayushi)

Unicorn are not available for 7 more years

(AN Remember this is essentially +5 influence to that Clan)