Mantis Letter - #12

My kinsmen,

I have heard the rumors. I know that there are whispers among you of the existence of a "true heir" of Yoritomo. There are those who believe that this person, if he does in fact exist, should take his rightful place as the Champion of the Mantis. To answer such a claim, I can ask but one question.

Where was Yoritomo's heir when Aramasu was killed?

I could not save our lord Aramasu, but I have done all in my power to avenge his death. Where has Yoritomo's heir been? He was hiding while we avenged his adopted brother's death. Would the great Yoritomo want his child to cower like a craven beast while others performed their sacred duty? I laugh at the very notion. The Son of Storms would have spit upon such a Mantis and cast him out of the clan for cowardice. If this heir does exist, he is a disgrace to his father's memory and a disgrace to all that the Mantis Clan has become.

We have joined with Akodo Kaneka and his allies among the Unicorn and Akodo. In his name, we blockade the seas and bring the other clans to their knees. Kaneka will be the next Emperor of Rokugan, and we will stand at his right hand, as it should be. If you desire the power and prestige that we so rightly deserve, then follow me to glory. If you wish to embrace a legacy of cowardice, then follow this so-called heir. I would not have your weakness among the Mantis in any event.

All clans have their traditions, and we Mantis have ours.

Strength. Courage. Ambition.

The strength of honor is determined by those with the courage to seize what they deserve. Let us take what the Empire has denied us, together, as Yoritomo would have wished it.

Yoritomo Kitao

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