The Mantis Clan
Mantis Clan- The only Great Clan not to be directly founded by one of the Kami, they do have ties to one with the first Mantis being Hida Kamietsu-uo, grandson of the Kami Hida. After being passed over for Crab Champion he left with his mother and a small band of followers to found the Mantis Clan, the first of the Minor Clans, though not officially recognized as such until later. Making his home in the Islands of Silk and Spice. There the Mantis went through success and failure, serving as mercenaries for the Great Clans, ecspeially the Crane to enrich their coffers and falling out of favor when one of their Daimyo attempted to assassinate the Emperor. This state of affairs continued until the Second Day of Thunder when the current Damiyo, Yoritomo, rallied several minor clans, known as Yoritomo's Alliance, and force the Great Clans to acknolwegde the Mantis Clan as a Great Clan. As part of this they also contributed one of the Thunders who faced down and defeated Fu-Leng. Of these Clans, the Wasp and the Centipede remained with the Mantis to form the Great Clan, while the Fox and the Tortoise returned to their own paths. This changed in 1169 when the Fox under threat of the Shadow Dragon sought safety under the Mantis, becoming one of the four families of the Mantis. The Mantis are a Clan of the Seas, and maintain the largest Navy, with the second being the Crab Navy. In addition they deal far more with wealth and commerce then the other clans, which causes a divide with the more traditional Clans. The Mantis are composed of the Yoritomo, formerly the Mantis Clan, the Moshi, formerly the Centipede, the Kitsune, formerly the Fox and the Tsuruchi, formerly the Wasp. The Yoritomo are the Champions of the Clan.
Yoritomo Family- Originally known as the Mantis Minor Clan, when they became a Great Clan they took on the name Yoritomo, in honor of their Daimyo and first Clan Champion. Unique in that for a long time they had schools to train courtiers, bushi and shugenja, the Yoritomo are if nothing else adaptable. Making their home amongst the islands, it is rare to find a Yoritomo that has not sailed, and many of their bushi are trained to fight at sea. Athletic and flexible, Yoritomo bushi tend to be straightforward, much like the Crab from which many are descended.
Moshi Family- Formerly the Centipede Family, they are a Shugenja Family and also the traditionalists amongst the Mantis. A matriarchal family, they were first founded in 347, by Isawa Azami and his eleven daughters. They were given a title as a minor clan due to the distance from the rest of the Phoenix. During this time they both marched alongside the Phoenix in the 400's and in 580 stopped an invasion of their lands by the Lion. A member of Yoritomo's Alliance, they fully joined the Mantis as a family in 1133 when the daughter of the current Centipede Champion married Yoritomo. Now the women provide the mystical might of the Mantis, along with a few families from the Yoritomo. The men of the clan have adopted Yoritomo schools and work as bushi or courtiers.
Tsuruchi Family- The former Wasp Minor Clan, upon joining the Mantis they took the name of their founder, Tsuruchi. Tsuruchi was the son of a Scorpion and a Lion and welcomed among neither. Showing immense talent with the bow, he was raised by his father and mother until they were assassinated. At the same time a Lion army led by his uncle marched to seize the castle of his parent for the Lion, and to put Tsuruchi and his retainers to the death. Tsuruchi managed to escape, however the blatant violations of Bushido shook his faith and he destroyed his blade, vowing to only use the bow. Two years later in 1109 he reclaimed the castle, killing his uncle and those defending it. Despite this he knew attacks would come from both Lion and Scorpion and petitioned the Emerald Champion, a Crane, for assistance. In the end an agreement was reached with the Crane that the castle would be a permanent base for the Emerald Magistrates and attacks on the castle would be considered attacks on the Emerald Champion. He personally lead his Clan in alliance with Yoritomo, joining the Mantis once they became a great clan. Now the Tsuruchi provide famed magistrates, training they received during the time they when they were still the Wasp and considered part of the Emerald Magistrates. In addition the Tsuruchi produce some of the best marksmen in all the realm, a tribute to Tsuruhci himself.
Kitsune Family- The Kitsune Family, along with the Mantis can make claims as the first of the Minor Clan. Originally the Fox, they were founded in the year 90 from the Ki-RIn (now known as the Unicorn) who remained behind when the rest left with the Kami Shinjo. It fell upon the Fox to record and keep track of all that happened in Rokugan in order that the Ki-Rin could be informed upon their return. Forty years after the Ki-Rin departure, in the year 89, they lost their lands to the Lion, an act which prompted the Emperor to pass a decree forbidding Great Clans from invading Minor Clans. The Emperor granted them the lands of Kitsune Mori, which were inhabited by the kitsune spirits. Over time they formed a bond with the Kitsune, and some of the Kitsune took human form and married into the Fox Family. As such the Clan became a Shugenja clan, though everyone is taught the basics of combat due to the need to hunt for food and the potential dangers in living in an area where spirits can crossover. It is the Fox that first recognized the returned Ki-Rin as their long departed brethren who had finally returned. However despite this they chose to remain a separate Clan. Joining with Yoritomo for his Alliance, afterwards they chose to return to their own path. Later in 1169 growing threats against the family led to their petitioning for membership in the Mantis which was accepted. It was found that these threats were agents of the Shadow Dragon as it wished for the powers of the spirits in Kitsune Mori to further its plans. Since this setback the Shadow Dragon has not been hear from.
