Scorpion Clan Letter - #7
Cousins,
The palace of the Emperor is freed from the darkness which has inhabited it for so long, and our battle against the Dark Lord is finished. The halls of Otosan Uchi have been rid of the undead which roamed them, and Fu Leng's taint has been removed from the throne. Once I longed to be the mistress of this palace, to rule from its Emerald Throne. I will be glad to leave its haunted halls.
Those halls hold the tale of the death of Fu Leng. The Thunders traveled through their dark passages, guided by Shinsei's own hand. When the fight was joined, the madman hurled magics strange and foul, and shook the floor with thunder. Although we fought him with the power of jade, he cast it back at us, destroying the Master of Earth. In the end, the Dark Lord died under the blades of the two friends: Toturi and Hoturi, though the throne room was blackened by the battle. With the death of Fu Leng, the corruption of the Shadowlands has begun to fade from Rokugan. The last Hantei's soul is at peace now, freed from the taint of evil which darkened his spirit. The Emperor's body was taken from the palace and thrown into the sea, headless and wasted by the dark magics of Fu Leng. There was no funeral pyre, no honorable burial - the body belonged to the Dark Lord, and there was no reason for homage.
Our failure to protect the black scrolls dishonors us still. Their taint has spread across the land, and their evil still threatens Rokugan's future.
Seek out these scrolls, and bring them to me, at any cost. A new guardian must be chosen - one who cannot be corrupted by their darkness. Cast out the evil of the shadows and let their energies be destroyed by the light. If they are left upon the face of Rokugan, I will personally take revenge on those who did not carry out my wishes. Hear, and understand.
Toturi called me before the gathered assemblage when he was made Emperor, and returned our house to its rightful position in the Empire. He has given us back our place in Rokugan, our seat in the Imperial court, and our Clan name.
Because we have no Champion, I will stand as the leader of our clan. For now, however, I must remain in the Imperial palace, assisting Toturi as he begins his reign. As my personal retainer, Aramoro will speak for me while I am away from our lands.
You will obey his words as if they were the words of my beloved husband.
The pyres on the plains of Otosan Uchi are fading with the growing light of the sun. Tomorrow will be Rokugan's first day under the rule of a new Emperor - a new start for our Clan within the Empire. In those flames I see the spirits of the Thunders who died to bring us that chance, and their blood is on our hands. The release of the black scrolls and the return of their Master was due to our weakness. We must begin this age with new strength.
Secrets still lie in the shadows, and it is our duty to seek them out, be they our allies or our enemies.
Bayushi Kachiko