Legend of the Ronin (Legend of the Five Rings)
- Status
Sirrocco
Pedantic
I don't think bringing the Raksha into this is any good here. As for Bayushi Sora...
Well, we're under her command, still, and implying that she's dishonorable would be all sorts of badmojo for the Crab. Further, she's under the direct command of Akodo Tsukiko, while the crab is not, and has personal interest (given that it's her father, and her commanding officer). there should be a way to swing it where Bayushi-sama is the one to take us to either her father or Akodo Tsukiko - probably her father. Unfortunately, I don't see all that much of a way for *us* to make that happen. Hmm...
- Mustn't give the Crab insult she can respond to. We're still a Ronin.
okay. Vote change.
[x] Orders, of course, must be followed, even in case of confusion, but Bayushi-sama is still an officer in the Legion. Could you not release me into her custody? It seems like having us report directly to her father, with me in her keeping, would satisfy all requirements of duty while also bringing this situation to the correct conclusion as fast as possible.
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
Not quite sure on the phrasing of some of it, but I think the idea is sound.
- Location
- Leeds
[x] Orders, of course, must be followed, even in case of confusion, but Bayushi-sama is still an officer in the Legion. Could you not release me into her custody? It seems like having us report directly to her father, with me in her keeping, would satisfy all requirements of duty while also bringing this situation to the correct conclusion as fast as possible.
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
I think the phrasing is fine here. It's basically the same vote but then there's the dialogue.
[x] Orders, of course, must be followed, even in case of confusion, but Bayushi-sama is still an officer in the Legion. Could you not release me into her custody? It seems like having us report directly to her father, with me in her keeping, would satisfy all requirements of duty while also bringing this situation to the correct conclusion as fast as possible.
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
[x] Orders, of course, must be followed, even in case of confusion, but Bayushi-sama is still an officer in the Legion. Could you not release me into her custody? It seems like having us report directly to her father, with me in her keeping, would satisfy all requirements of duty while also bringing this situation to the correct conclusion as fast as possible.
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
keenscythe
No longer NEET
- Location
- WA, USA
[x] Orders, of course, must be followed, even in case of confusion, but Bayushi-sama is still an officer in the Legion. Could you not release me into her custody? It seems like having us report directly to her father, with me in her keeping, would satisfy all requirements of duty while also bringing this situation to the correct conclusion as fast as possible.
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
Canon Omake: How Grandma Got That Way
Born as Mika, daughter of Itsuki, I was raised in the small fortress city of Tōno keikoku-tō Shiro as a Ji samurai, as my father had been, and his father and his father's father. We had been a noble house once, but were stripped of our lands during the Age of War before the Iweko had taken the throne. I was raised on stories of Mika the founder of our noble house who had fought with Kakita Masaru at the Battle of the White Stag and saved his life.
Stories were all we had. My mother gave birth two twin boys, Noburo and Rokuburo, but plague took them and my father in my twelfth summer. I swore on their graves that I would make our family great again for them, for my mother, for myself.
My mother had been a talented duellist before losing her hand to a Scorpion, and after begging her three times, I was able to convince her to teach me, while admittedly not the true style of the Kakita, how to fight and more importantly, how to duel.
I took to it with the passion of a fanatic. Even when I was forced to rest from overtraining, I didn't stop. Instead, I spent my time going out to listen to other samurai and learning the arts of court as best I could. There was no doubt in my mind that in order to rise as I promised, I would need a quick blade and even quicker tongue.
When I reached sixteen summers, my mother Junko declared she had no more to teach me and that she was proud of me for how hard I had worked. I remember how warm I felt at her praise.
Determined as ever to bring our house back, I listened to the rumors flying around the city, hoping that I might find a kernel of something that could lead into an opportunity to make my name. Soon. it became abundantly clear that there was trouble brewing and that the the Matsu would be coming to avenge the insult that Kakita Dairou had levied against them
To this day I don't know what possessed that man to break off his betrothal with Matsu Akane and his sister's betrothal to Shosuro Hiro at the same time. But whatever the reason, I saw the opportunity in it. I decided to join the garrison and gamble on the coming battle. Either there would be success or death, and I always did best under pressure.
As it happens, revenge from both families was swift and brutal. Matsu Akane, having gained permission to avenge the insult levelled against her (really who ends a betrothal with, 'I like a woman who looks like a woman'?), took her small force of a thousand Matsu and began sieging the town.
Simultaneously, for some unexplained reason Kakita Dairou and most of his senior staff were found mysteriously dead from various causes. (Definitely not because a certain Scorpion was avenging the insult Dairou gave by calling that Scorpion's mother a peasant. That would be wrong)
With everyone in charge dead, the garrison of Tōno keikoku-tō Shiro was in a state of panic and disarray. We had no leaders, and while the gunso tried to step up, it was clear they had no consensus who should be in charge.
Thus, I took a chance and did what had to be done. I convinced my unit to throw in with me and launch a surprise counterattack on Matsu Akane's forces. It was the last thing they would expect, and if we killed Matsu Akane, the Lion would be in an even worse state than we were.
Matsu Akane was my first real duel, and she nearly killed me. I always respected her for that.
In the end, on hearing that the man she was coming to kill was well...dead, she withdrew her forces, but only after beating me within an inch of my life. It was only thanks to the shugenja that I lived.
Returning back to the city, I was declared a hero for having the audacity to risk it all on a battle that I could not win. There was an entirely inappropriate celebration for us not being sacked. I say inappropriate because by rights, we should have been mourning the loss of our lord. In the ensuing celebration, I got both my first hangover and for some reason, a tattoo of the Crane on my back.
Naturally, when word came that the Kakita army had sent a detachment to help with the fighting, none of the remaining gunso wanted to admit to Dairou's cousin that they had let him die. Instead, they opted to order the hero of the hour to go talk to Kakita Daikachi-sama, chui of the Kakita Army.
Though hungover, I somehow made a good impression and Kakita Daikachi-sama sent word back to Shiro sano Kakita of my accomplishments.The Steel Crane Kakita Takayo, upon hearing the report, decided to grant me the honour of forming a noble house and taking on the Kakita name.
I accepted the honour without hesitation, changing my name from Mika to Kakita Misaki. I have cried but three times in my life, and only one of those times was from the joy I felt. When I first wrote my name out to show to the seal maker to get my personal chop, tears fell on the paper. I was confused at first, because I wasn't sad...it was only when your grandmother came in and commented on the smile on my face that I realized that they weren't tears of sorrow. I had fulfilled the first part of my promise to my father; I had gotten our name back.
And that, my son, is how I began the rise of our house, as well as a reminder of how quickly we can fall. We rose in a generation, fell in a generation and rose again. Keep this in mind when raising your own children.
----Kakita Misaki, when asked by her son about her past.
Stories were all we had. My mother gave birth two twin boys, Noburo and Rokuburo, but plague took them and my father in my twelfth summer. I swore on their graves that I would make our family great again for them, for my mother, for myself.
My mother had been a talented duellist before losing her hand to a Scorpion, and after begging her three times, I was able to convince her to teach me, while admittedly not the true style of the Kakita, how to fight and more importantly, how to duel.
I took to it with the passion of a fanatic. Even when I was forced to rest from overtraining, I didn't stop. Instead, I spent my time going out to listen to other samurai and learning the arts of court as best I could. There was no doubt in my mind that in order to rise as I promised, I would need a quick blade and even quicker tongue.
When I reached sixteen summers, my mother Junko declared she had no more to teach me and that she was proud of me for how hard I had worked. I remember how warm I felt at her praise.
Determined as ever to bring our house back, I listened to the rumors flying around the city, hoping that I might find a kernel of something that could lead into an opportunity to make my name. Soon. it became abundantly clear that there was trouble brewing and that the the Matsu would be coming to avenge the insult that Kakita Dairou had levied against them
To this day I don't know what possessed that man to break off his betrothal with Matsu Akane and his sister's betrothal to Shosuro Hiro at the same time. But whatever the reason, I saw the opportunity in it. I decided to join the garrison and gamble on the coming battle. Either there would be success or death, and I always did best under pressure.
As it happens, revenge from both families was swift and brutal. Matsu Akane, having gained permission to avenge the insult levelled against her (really who ends a betrothal with, 'I like a woman who looks like a woman'?), took her small force of a thousand Matsu and began sieging the town.
Simultaneously, for some unexplained reason Kakita Dairou and most of his senior staff were found mysteriously dead from various causes. (Definitely not because a certain Scorpion was avenging the insult Dairou gave by calling that Scorpion's mother a peasant. That would be wrong)
With everyone in charge dead, the garrison of Tōno keikoku-tō Shiro was in a state of panic and disarray. We had no leaders, and while the gunso tried to step up, it was clear they had no consensus who should be in charge.
Thus, I took a chance and did what had to be done. I convinced my unit to throw in with me and launch a surprise counterattack on Matsu Akane's forces. It was the last thing they would expect, and if we killed Matsu Akane, the Lion would be in an even worse state than we were.
Matsu Akane was my first real duel, and she nearly killed me. I always respected her for that.
In the end, on hearing that the man she was coming to kill was well...dead, she withdrew her forces, but only after beating me within an inch of my life. It was only thanks to the shugenja that I lived.
Returning back to the city, I was declared a hero for having the audacity to risk it all on a battle that I could not win. There was an entirely inappropriate celebration for us not being sacked. I say inappropriate because by rights, we should have been mourning the loss of our lord. In the ensuing celebration, I got both my first hangover and for some reason, a tattoo of the Crane on my back.
Naturally, when word came that the Kakita army had sent a detachment to help with the fighting, none of the remaining gunso wanted to admit to Dairou's cousin that they had let him die. Instead, they opted to order the hero of the hour to go talk to Kakita Daikachi-sama, chui of the Kakita Army.
Though hungover, I somehow made a good impression and Kakita Daikachi-sama sent word back to Shiro sano Kakita of my accomplishments.The Steel Crane Kakita Takayo, upon hearing the report, decided to grant me the honour of forming a noble house and taking on the Kakita name.
I accepted the honour without hesitation, changing my name from Mika to Kakita Misaki. I have cried but three times in my life, and only one of those times was from the joy I felt. When I first wrote my name out to show to the seal maker to get my personal chop, tears fell on the paper. I was confused at first, because I wasn't sad...it was only when your grandmother came in and commented on the smile on my face that I realized that they weren't tears of sorrow. I had fulfilled the first part of my promise to my father; I had gotten our name back.
And that, my son, is how I began the rise of our house, as well as a reminder of how quickly we can fall. We rose in a generation, fell in a generation and rose again. Keep this in mind when raising your own children.
----Kakita Misaki, when asked by her son about her past.
- Location
- Leeds
Grandma?
Well we have something of an insight about why she came back to 'guide' us.
Yes Grandma, as requested by @EtchedSteel (Also the only requester)
And yes Grandma Misaki is somewhat...sensitive about the idea of her house falling again.
Note if people want me to blather on about my take on the feudal system as it exists in Rokugan let me know and I'll do a lore update as well.
- Location
- Leeds
By all means go ahead. Aside from it being an interesting topic I want to make sure that we stall until I'm certain that Sirrocos vote is beating Simonbobs.
Vote tally:
[X]"Bayushi-sama, I remain under you command. Shall I?
No. of votes: 3
Simonbob, veekie, Broken25
-[X] Don't start a fight, but insist in following orders.
No. of votes: 4
Simonbob, whydoyoubother, veekie, Broken25
[X] The insult is mainly given to you, Bayushi-sama. Since i am yours to command, what are your orders?
No. of votes: 1
whydoyoubother
[x] Orders, of course, must be followed, even in case of confusion, but Bayushi-sama is still an officer in the Legion. Could you not release me into her custody? It seems like having us report directly to her father, with me in her keeping, would satisfy all requirements of duty while also bringing this situation to the correct conclusion as fast as possible.
No. of votes: 4
Sirrocco, Dark as Silver, EtchedSteel, keenscythe
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
No. of votes: 4
Sirrocco, Dark as Silver, EtchedSteel, keenscythe
Current vote count.
[X]"Bayushi-sama, I remain under you command. Shall I?
No. of votes: 3
Simonbob, veekie, Broken25
-[X] Don't start a fight, but insist in following orders.
No. of votes: 4
Simonbob, whydoyoubother, veekie, Broken25
[X] The insult is mainly given to you, Bayushi-sama. Since i am yours to command, what are your orders?
No. of votes: 1
whydoyoubother
[x] Orders, of course, must be followed, even in case of confusion, but Bayushi-sama is still an officer in the Legion. Could you not release me into her custody? It seems like having us report directly to her father, with me in her keeping, would satisfy all requirements of duty while also bringing this situation to the correct conclusion as fast as possible.
No. of votes: 4
Sirrocco, Dark as Silver, EtchedSteel, keenscythe
-[x] spend a void point, if applicable
No. of votes: 4
Sirrocco, Dark as Silver, EtchedSteel, keenscythe
Current vote count.
So the system in Rokugan is a bit convoluted already dividing people into four castes. (Those who fight, those who pray, those who work, and those who do the work no one wants to. Samurai, Clergy, Bonge and Hinin) This ignores the Clergy, Bonge and Hinin to focus on the Samurai. I will note that much of this is an adaptation of L5R and my own attempt to figure out how individual families differentiate each other when they're all Kakita-san or whatever.
So the tldr version.
In addition to the Kuge ranks, there are also buke ranks. A House is a single family with hereditary land or position. House Samurai are more important than Ji Samurai and the lowest rank that gets a family name.
The Samurai themselves are broadly divided into Kuge and Buke.
Kuge are the elites of the elites, and stand at the top of society. There's eight ranks for them arranged in order of importance from top to bottom:
The Emperor
The Shogun
The Imperial Families
The Imperial Advisors (Emerald Champion, Imperial Treasurer, Jade Champion ect)
The Clan Champions
The Minor Clan Daimyo
The Family Daimyo
The Provincial Daimyo
Most of the Kuge have hereditary positions, although in theory the Emperor could appoint anyone to any of these positions, in practice the Daimyo and Clan Champions pass along established family lines, as do the Imperial families obviously. The exception to this is the Shogun and the Imperial Advisors. They typically change hands every generation and are used to reward exceptional members of the buke or servant samurai. It would be a very bold Emperor who would try to interfere with the succession matters of a Clan without cause and possibly one not long for the world. The era of Hantei infallibility is long over even if still paid official lip service to.
However while the great Dance of Court influences the lives of hundreds of thousands, it's players are not the majority of Samurai. Most are buke samurai who do as they're told and play their own game of rising and following.
Buke are broadly divided into House and Ji Samurai. Ji Samurai are the lowest of the Buke, better than ronin, but only by dint of having a lord take them into their service. Since this service is not hereditary, every generation a Ji Samurai must put forth great effort to secure the promise of his or her lord to allow their children to swear into service. These lowly samurai also have somewhat fickle care from their lord. Unlike house samurai who can rely on a set stipend, and call upon their lord to grant aid in times of crisis, Ji samurai get none of these things. A Ji samurai gets a stipend in the amount that a lord wants to give, and gets aid only if they make a good case for it. By and large it's a hard life for a Ji samurai but they are provided quarters even if they are not permitted to carry the family name, they are permitted to carry the Clan mon.
Above the Ji Samurai are the House Samurai. House Samurai are permitted to carry a family name and are the general 'default' for most people's minds of samurai. They do not have the right to make their own mon, but they typically identify themselves with the seal of the person to founded their House or of the lands they hold. (As an example, when Megum was still Kakita Sakura, her seal would have read thus: Kakita Sakura of House Misaki. Kakita Reika before her marriage had her seal read thus: Kakita Reika of The Green Willows.)
House Samurai are as whole typically the main working class within the various armies, courts and arts of the Clans. This is not unnoticed by the Kuge who grant them privileges and responsibilities above that of Ji-samurai.
The most important privilege/responsibility for a House is their granted land or title. This is what elevates them to the position of having a house and is the inheritance passed on from parent to child through the ages.
However, this land/title division does create a distinction between House Samurai. Landed House Samurai who hold a gentry or village for their lord typically never have to worry about losing their house status. Barring the leader of a House going crazy and burning down the holding while screaming 'blood for maho' or something equally terrible, the Kuge confirm passing it on to the child as a matter of course. (After all to take land from the buke, reminds the Emperor that land can be taken from the Kuge and who wants that?) Unlanded House Samurai are in a somewhat more precarious position. Their house status comes from them holding some specific job for the daimyo and doing it well, if they fail, then the daimyo will find someone else. Commonly these are the magistrates, army officers and court officials, granting them a degree of power over the landed house samurai, but also a weakness. Many houses have ceased to exist after accidentally offending their lord or simply being on the wrong side of an argument. (This is what happened to Misaki's House)
House Samurai typically jockey amongst themselves for position and status, the dream of course being to become Kuge somehow. That said most aim lower for the position of city governor or district governor along those lines. These creates its own dance as houses rise and fall from prominence with some regularity.
Kuge are the elites of the elites, and stand at the top of society. There's eight ranks for them arranged in order of importance from top to bottom:
The Emperor
The Shogun
The Imperial Families
The Imperial Advisors (Emerald Champion, Imperial Treasurer, Jade Champion ect)
The Clan Champions
The Minor Clan Daimyo
The Family Daimyo
The Provincial Daimyo
Most of the Kuge have hereditary positions, although in theory the Emperor could appoint anyone to any of these positions, in practice the Daimyo and Clan Champions pass along established family lines, as do the Imperial families obviously. The exception to this is the Shogun and the Imperial Advisors. They typically change hands every generation and are used to reward exceptional members of the buke or servant samurai. It would be a very bold Emperor who would try to interfere with the succession matters of a Clan without cause and possibly one not long for the world. The era of Hantei infallibility is long over even if still paid official lip service to.
However while the great Dance of Court influences the lives of hundreds of thousands, it's players are not the majority of Samurai. Most are buke samurai who do as they're told and play their own game of rising and following.
Buke are broadly divided into House and Ji Samurai. Ji Samurai are the lowest of the Buke, better than ronin, but only by dint of having a lord take them into their service. Since this service is not hereditary, every generation a Ji Samurai must put forth great effort to secure the promise of his or her lord to allow their children to swear into service. These lowly samurai also have somewhat fickle care from their lord. Unlike house samurai who can rely on a set stipend, and call upon their lord to grant aid in times of crisis, Ji samurai get none of these things. A Ji samurai gets a stipend in the amount that a lord wants to give, and gets aid only if they make a good case for it. By and large it's a hard life for a Ji samurai but they are provided quarters even if they are not permitted to carry the family name, they are permitted to carry the Clan mon.
Above the Ji Samurai are the House Samurai. House Samurai are permitted to carry a family name and are the general 'default' for most people's minds of samurai. They do not have the right to make their own mon, but they typically identify themselves with the seal of the person to founded their House or of the lands they hold. (As an example, when Megum was still Kakita Sakura, her seal would have read thus: Kakita Sakura of House Misaki. Kakita Reika before her marriage had her seal read thus: Kakita Reika of The Green Willows.)
House Samurai are as whole typically the main working class within the various armies, courts and arts of the Clans. This is not unnoticed by the Kuge who grant them privileges and responsibilities above that of Ji-samurai.
The most important privilege/responsibility for a House is their granted land or title. This is what elevates them to the position of having a house and is the inheritance passed on from parent to child through the ages.
However, this land/title division does create a distinction between House Samurai. Landed House Samurai who hold a gentry or village for their lord typically never have to worry about losing their house status. Barring the leader of a House going crazy and burning down the holding while screaming 'blood for maho' or something equally terrible, the Kuge confirm passing it on to the child as a matter of course. (After all to take land from the buke, reminds the Emperor that land can be taken from the Kuge and who wants that?) Unlanded House Samurai are in a somewhat more precarious position. Their house status comes from them holding some specific job for the daimyo and doing it well, if they fail, then the daimyo will find someone else. Commonly these are the magistrates, army officers and court officials, granting them a degree of power over the landed house samurai, but also a weakness. Many houses have ceased to exist after accidentally offending their lord or simply being on the wrong side of an argument. (This is what happened to Misaki's House)
House Samurai typically jockey amongst themselves for position and status, the dream of course being to become Kuge somehow. That said most aim lower for the position of city governor or district governor along those lines. These creates its own dance as houses rise and fall from prominence with some regularity.
So the tldr version.
In addition to the Kuge ranks, there are also buke ranks. A House is a single family with hereditary land or position. House Samurai are more important than Ji Samurai and the lowest rank that gets a family name.
- Location
- Leeds
Its times like this that just show how poor the status stat is at representing what it is meant to.
Well yes and no. It's a 100 point system, the central issue is that your status can change depending on where you are and who you're interacting with. Like the relative status of Sora changes when she's in the Legion because she's not very high in the legion. (Dai-hohei or 1.5) but when she's not in the Legion her status grows to around 2.0 because of who her father is.
- Location
- Leeds
Oh I recognise that the idea is valid, but its spaced out so awfully.
Off the top of my head to be in the top 40% of the chart you need to be a daimyo or champion or similar. All of the distinction occurs where it isn't really necessary. If it was a 0 to 89 scale and then 90 to 100 were daimyo and stuff then it would be fine because you either are that rank or you aren't and once you are that rank you out rank everyone lower. As it is its nearly impossible to see significant difference where most play in games actually occurs.
Well granted but it is meant for more tabletop and to allow players to get to those high positions, at least in my mind.
- Location
- Leeds
Also the negative ranks are basically pointless, in what situation will you outrank a grave robber but not a torturer?
When your GM goes crazy and decides to play an all peasant game.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
So... right now, we're ronin, but we work for the legion, so we're sort of ronin-with-a-job. The next step up the chain would be to find some lord who was willing to swear us into service (which could basically be any Champion or diamyo, if I'm reading this right - or would it be any of the Kuge?) which would make us Ji-samurai.
At that point, if we do something sufficiently awesome for that lord, one of the things they might see fit to award us with would be status as a House samurai, at which point we will have basically completed our starting objectives.
Am I mostly getting this right?
At that point, if we do something sufficiently awesome for that lord, one of the things they might see fit to award us with would be status as a House samurai, at which point we will have basically completed our starting objectives.
Am I mostly getting this right?
Mostly, although city governors can also request the Provincial Daimyo to give them the right to make Ji Samurai. This is typically a formality and usually granted. I'll note that Otomo Daichi already being kuge has the right to make Ji Samurai.
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So while I commit the heinous sin of triple posting and asking for a tie breaker...again. Let me give you a little more background.
Since we've covered the Unicorn and Crane clans. Today's Lore info is brought to you by the letter S for Scorpion.
In the aftermath of the War of the Eagles, the Scorpion with the possible exception of the Phoenix came out of the war the best. They hadn't been nearly destroyed as the Lion and Unicorn had. Their coffers hadn't been plundered to pay for the war as the Crane Mantis had. They didn't find themselves pushed to their limits holding the line while the other clans rebuild as the Dragon were. The Crab of course were exactly where they started, trapped in an endless war that they could not begin to figure out how to end.
No, in most respects the Scorpion on the surface seemed poised to dominate Rokugan by dint of still having relatively intact armies and supplies. However, underneath the surface was a far different situation. Where the Dragon were tasked with holding the line while the shattered Unicorn and Lion rebuilt. The Scorpion were given the task of destroying the Yodotai, by sword and stealth they were to assassinate and destroy the Yodotai leadership and prevent them from ever coming back as a united Empire.
Due to the immense logistical problems of fighting a covert war on the other side of the world. The Scorpion found themselves unable to take advantage of the fact that no one back home could really fight them. Instead becoming bitter and hateful enemies of the Yodotai as it seemed that these people refused to die. No matter how many times Scorpion agents assassinated senators and emperors, or how many times they engineered a sack of Ocatvion the capital, the Yodotai Empire remained hardy, if racked by civil wars. Their one great success was in assisting in the Senpet revolt and gaining a powerful regional ally for the Emerald Empire.
Naturally no one in Rokugan outside of the Scorpion or the Emperor is aware of this. The Empire needs peace, and if the Scorpion are still fighting, honour would demand the rest of the clans petition to join them. Thus the Scorpion remain the underhand doing what needs to be done, without thanks or praise.
This secret war informs much of what they do and is in the mind of their Champion, Bayushi Sokani their greatest weakness. Hence while he finds the reforms of the Emperor distasteful at best, he finds himself forced into working for these reforms. Only if the Scorpion can acknowledge their war, can they make use of it. To that end the Scorpion Clan as a whole typically finds itself serving as a devil's advocate within the Owl Faction. Trusted to be loyal above all else, but still expected to be the gadfly in a conversation it is a roll they enjoy. In secret more than once have Scorpion Shinobi provided critical intelligence to the Hawk faction just in time to prevent the appointment of Owl faction members to key positions. While some in the Crane suspect the Scorpion, so far there is no proof.
Sokani himself dreams of Scorpion supremacy, and there are rumors that he can trace his lineage however distantly to the infamous Bayushi Atsuki, leader of the Gozoku conspiracy centuries ago. Already he manoeuvres to have one of his clansmen appointed as Shogun. It is uncertain whether he will see his Clan rise the greatness they briefly achieved in the 12th century or not.
Since we've covered the Unicorn and Crane clans. Today's Lore info is brought to you by the letter S for Scorpion.
In the aftermath of the War of the Eagles, the Scorpion with the possible exception of the Phoenix came out of the war the best. They hadn't been nearly destroyed as the Lion and Unicorn had. Their coffers hadn't been plundered to pay for the war as the Crane Mantis had. They didn't find themselves pushed to their limits holding the line while the other clans rebuild as the Dragon were. The Crab of course were exactly where they started, trapped in an endless war that they could not begin to figure out how to end.
No, in most respects the Scorpion on the surface seemed poised to dominate Rokugan by dint of still having relatively intact armies and supplies. However, underneath the surface was a far different situation. Where the Dragon were tasked with holding the line while the shattered Unicorn and Lion rebuilt. The Scorpion were given the task of destroying the Yodotai, by sword and stealth they were to assassinate and destroy the Yodotai leadership and prevent them from ever coming back as a united Empire.
Due to the immense logistical problems of fighting a covert war on the other side of the world. The Scorpion found themselves unable to take advantage of the fact that no one back home could really fight them. Instead becoming bitter and hateful enemies of the Yodotai as it seemed that these people refused to die. No matter how many times Scorpion agents assassinated senators and emperors, or how many times they engineered a sack of Ocatvion the capital, the Yodotai Empire remained hardy, if racked by civil wars. Their one great success was in assisting in the Senpet revolt and gaining a powerful regional ally for the Emerald Empire.
Naturally no one in Rokugan outside of the Scorpion or the Emperor is aware of this. The Empire needs peace, and if the Scorpion are still fighting, honour would demand the rest of the clans petition to join them. Thus the Scorpion remain the underhand doing what needs to be done, without thanks or praise.
This secret war informs much of what they do and is in the mind of their Champion, Bayushi Sokani their greatest weakness. Hence while he finds the reforms of the Emperor distasteful at best, he finds himself forced into working for these reforms. Only if the Scorpion can acknowledge their war, can they make use of it. To that end the Scorpion Clan as a whole typically finds itself serving as a devil's advocate within the Owl Faction. Trusted to be loyal above all else, but still expected to be the gadfly in a conversation it is a roll they enjoy. In secret more than once have Scorpion Shinobi provided critical intelligence to the Hawk faction just in time to prevent the appointment of Owl faction members to key positions. While some in the Crane suspect the Scorpion, so far there is no proof.
Sokani himself dreams of Scorpion supremacy, and there are rumors that he can trace his lineage however distantly to the infamous Bayushi Atsuki, leader of the Gozoku conspiracy centuries ago. Already he manoeuvres to have one of his clansmen appointed as Shogun. It is uncertain whether he will see his Clan rise the greatness they briefly achieved in the 12th century or not.
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