Your Majesty,
In your capacity as Imperial Herald, I have seen many strange and wondrous things. Though my path is often dangerous of late, I embrace the risk, for through hardship comes knowledge. I know above all that there can be no true defeat while in service to the Son of Heaven. As battle lines are drawn between many of the Great Clans, do not fear that your vision of the lands beyond Toshi Ranbo will become clouded. My heralds and I will continue to tirelessly venture across the Empire, seeking out any new events that may be of interest to you so that you might rule Rokugan as effectively as the Heavens intend.
Your dedicated servant,
Miya Shoin, Imperial Herald
The Crab Clan
You may recall that in my previous communication I made some minor mention of Matsu Aoiko’s visits to Crab lands. I have more to report. Apparently Aoiko has spent a great deal of time in the Temple of Persistence, learning the tales of ancient Crab heroes from the Great Bear himself. Aoiko, as you know, has long lived in the shadow of her grandfather, the legendary Matsu Gohei. As Lord Kisada was a contemporary of Gohei in his previous life, the Lion samurai-ko has seized upon the opportunity to learn as much about the Clan War as she can from the resurrected general.
Though their friendship seems like a minor event in the grander scheme of politics, I think this bodes very well for the future. Lord Kisada wields a great deal of influence within his clan, and the Crab Clan is closely allied to the Unicorn Clan. Perhaps through his friendship with Aoiko, Kisada might be encouraged to broker peace between the brash Lion and savage Unicorn? I am sure the idea of using a renowned warrior such as Kisada and the granddaughter of the Butcher himself as catalysts for peace must bring you some amusement, Your Majesty, but I believe even a distant hope for peace is better than no hope at all. If you wish to pursue this matter, you have but to command and I will meet with the Great Bear personally as soon as I have settled my pressing business in Dragon lands.
Sadly, my news of Crab territories carries dire omens as well as hope. Upon your own visits to Kyuden Hida, no doubt you noticed the massive skull mounted atop the gates. I am certain you are also aware of its history. This skull once belonged to a mighty Oni Lord known as the Maw. This creature was feared throughout the Shadowlands not only for his physical might but, much like the new Dark Lord Daigotsu, for his keen intellect and ability to unite and lead the demon hordes. The Kaiu Wall itself was first constructed as a defense against the Maw’s onslaught. Only at great cost was this monstrosity defeated.
Upon the demon’s death, its skull was purified by the Kuni and enchanted by powerful ritual magic. So long as the skull remained mounted upon Kyuden Hida’s gates, pure and whole, the Maw could not return to the mortal realm. My observers in Kyuden Hida report that the soldiers on duty there have become increasingly nervous since a mysterious crack was discovered in the Maw’s skull. Their attempts to gather more information from the Crab have met with a stony silence.
Fortunately the skull of Tsuburu no Oni, which hangs opposite the Maw’s skull on the inside of Kyuden Hida’s out wall, appears to be whole and unharmed.
The Crane Clan
When I was young, all that I knew of gaijin were the legends my mother told me. She spoke of the Battle of White Stag, of the tragedies the Unicorn were forced to endure during their wanderings, of the vicious treatment the Scorpion suffered at the hands of the cruel Senpet. This instilled in me a hatred of foreigners that I suppose is not entirely unusual in our Empire. The gaijin were always the villain.
In more recent years I have had the opportunity to meet with gaijin ambassadors such as Rama Singh and Garen Hawthorne, and learned to my shame that not all outsiders were the vicious monsters I had once foolishly believed them to be. Thus I was greatly saddened when both of these ambassadors vanished from the Imperial City under mysterious circumstances, for I feared that if something terrible had befallen them that an opportunity to learn more about the lands beyond our own might be lost.
I was therefore greatly pleased to receive the latest news from the lands of the Crane Clan. Lord Daidoji Kikaze has announced that Ambassador Esteban Cornejo will be an official guest of the Crane for the indefinite future. Apparently this gentleman was a scholar of some sort in his homeland and had determined to explore the seas. According to Kikaze, Cornejo’s ship fell prey to a vicious storm and the young man was found injured on the southern beaches of Crane territory. For many months the young man languished in a wounded state of delirium, but through the patient care of the Asahina family’s unparalleled healers, he returned to sense and vigor.
Cornejo apparently hails from Merenae, the same kingdom whence our missing ambassador, Garen Hawthorne, originated. According to the herald who interviewed him, Cornejo was most surprised to hear the mention of Hawthorne’s name and asked many questions. I suspect the two were perhaps friends, or at least colleagues. What a sad twist of fate that Cornejo should awaken in such a strange and distant land only after his only countryman has vanished!
In any case, Lord Doji Kurohito appears most interested in brokering trade agreements with Esteban’s homeland. He has requested permission to assemble an honor fleet of vessels to make the journey. This has caused quite a stir in the courts. Ikoma Masote, who has been so vocal in his opposition of the Crane Champion of late, was particularly acerbic. He summoned representatives of the Mantis Clan almost immediately, who demanded that their superior vessels be allowed to make the journey instead. Ambassador Yoritomo Katoa presented an obscure but legitimate document presented by your father to Lord Aramasu many years ago, wherein the Mantis Clan are officially referenced as the Imperial Navy, thus making such a duty not only a logical choice – but the Mantis Clan’s right.
Though there are currently no direct political tensions between the Crane and Mantis, the Mantis Clan’s current war with the Crane’s closest allies, the Phoenix, could make such a journey quite a delicate arrangement indeed.
The Dragon Clan
I have always admired the lands of the Dragon. The mountains have a powerful, eternal beauty. My rare visits to Dragon territory have always yielded times of serenity and focus in my otherwise hectic life, and I invariably look forward to them. Yet my enjoyment of the Dragon lands was as nothing compared to that of my cousin, Yoshimaru. As another of your Imperial Heralds, Yoshimaru also occasionally visited Dragon lands. He once confided in me that upon his retirement he intended to return there and join the Order of Hoshi. We were close friends and, given Yoshimaru’s great love of sake and young ladies, I doubted his sincerity but I never argued with him.
Several weeks ago, as is my custom, I dispatched three of my finest heralds to the provinces of the Dragon Clan, entrusted to collect information on Your Majesty’s behalf. The first was assigned to Shiro Tamori, where the reclusive shugenja of the Dragon dwell. The second was sent to Last Glance Castle, the home of the bold Mirumoto samurai. The third, my cousin Yoshimaru, was dispatched to the High House of Light itself, the temple stronghold of the Dragon Clan’s mysterious Three Orders of tattooed monks.
Two days ago I received a message from an exhausted Kitsuki envoy. He met me with a bowed head and offered me a missive penned by Lady Kitsuki Iweko’s own hand. It was a surprisingly detailed report, as is no surprise coming from a Kitsuki. From it, I learned that Yoshimaru and his fellow heralds had been brutally murdered shortly after their arrival in Dragon lands. All three were apparently skinned alive and left hanging in crossroads where they would be found by local authorities. These events happened simultaneously in areas of Dragon territory that were several days’ travel apart, so they could not have been performed by a single killer. Despite the efforts of Iweko’s magistrates to determine the true identities of the killer, she has detained no suspects. She has requested that we leave this affair to the Dragon Clan’s investigators.
Your Majesty, you know me. I give advice when offered, I make suggestions when I am able, but I am never the sort to tell you how to perform the task entrusted to you by the very heavens. In this case, however, I must beg that you deny Iweko-sama’s request. I was once a magistrate. I still have many friends who are. Allow me to summon my allies and ride forth to the Dragon lands. Let me root out this conspiracy of killers and avenge my cousin, who sought peace in the lands of the Dragon but found only death.
Imperial blood has been spilled, your Majesty. You must let me find justice.
The Lion Clan
The proud Lion are a clan firmly dedicated to their history. Though all samurai remember honor their lineage, few would deny that the Lion Clan’s dedication is greater than most. It has often been said that a Lion who cannot name his ancestors and their deeds is no Lion at all. It is said that a Lion never truly dies – his hand continues to guide the blades of all who bear his name and blood. I am certain that such statements can only fill your own noble heart with pride, Your Majesty, as your father was a direct descendant of Akodo, founder of the Lion Clan.
So I felt it might be of interest to you that my heralds recently discovered a disturbing trend of doubt and uncertainty among the warriors of the Right Hand. As you know, several decades ago the noble Akodo family lost their name and lands. Your father might have reinstated them, given time, but his ascension to the throne was marked by great difficulty and political unrest. Of course it was later discovered that many of these troubles were engineered by the Lying Darkness, a force bent upon the utter destruction of the Celestial Order. During the Clan War, the Darkness had consumed many once noble samurai and turned them to its services – including a large number of former Akodo.
When Lady Moon discovered that the Darkness drew power from its unknowable, undefined state she focused her divine power to give the Darkness a name. She chose Akodo, for not only did the name symbolize courage, honor, and duty but many of the Darkness’ servants were in fact consumed Akodo samurai. These samurai returned to their former state when Hitomi named the Darkness. Many of the Darkness’ other servants also returned to mortal form, knowing nothing of their previous histories – only that they were now Akodo.
The Darkness was vanquished, and these Akodo were returned to Rokugan without any memory or sense of what they once were. Noble Ginawa, staunch comrade of your father, became the leader of the reborn family and swore that he would teach these lost souls what it meant to be warriors of the Right Hand.
Yet after all these decades, a great deal of doubt still remains. What is a Lion who does not remember his own past? How can a samurai look to his ancestors when he has none? The Akodo have concealed it well, but Lord Shigetoshi can endure it no longer. He has determined that he must know more of his family’s strange connection to the Darkness, and whether they are truly Akodo merely because a goddess deems it so, or if they must become something greater to fulfill the strange destiny she granted them. Not one to trust lightly, Shigetoshi has importuned one of his kinsmen to investigate the Akodo’s connections to the Darkness, and it is thus that the matter came to my attention – and to yours.
Shigetoshi has sought the aid of none other than your own brother, Isawa Sezaru.
The Mantis Clan
The war between the Mantis and Phoenix continues. The Mantis Clan seems to have been forced back from the Phoenix shores, at least for a time, but the battle continues on the many islands off the eastern coast where the Mantis have constructed temporary strongholds. The Phoenix have had a great deal of trouble securing any decisive victories in these areas, and in fact generally find themselves driven back to the mainland due to their inferior fleets and the Mantis Clan’s use of orochi.
I know that Your Majesty has expressed a great deal of curiosity regarding these strange sea serpents who now serve the Mantis Clan. My heralds have endeavored to determine the origin of these creatures on your behalf, and you will be pleased to know that many of your suspicions have been confirmed. The orochi are not Shadowlands creatures, though their origins do connect them to realms beyond the mortal.
The orochi are powerful serpents native to Sakkaku, the Realm of Tricksters, where such creatures as kappa and mujina dwell. The orochi are strangely humourless compared to their mischievous countrymen, and many experts suspect that the Realm of Tricksters itself created the orochi merely so that they could serve as the butt of its other children’s jokes.
After many ages, the more powerful orochi found a way to escape into the mortal realm. Their leader, Ryujin, made a deal with the ocean-dwelling ningyo to enter our own world in return for guarding the ningyo cities. These ancient and powerful orochi are the source of many legends of sea serpents, as they will brutally attack any intruders in their domain. However, there were many other orochi who remained trapped in Sakkaku. Though ancient and powerful by our standards, these orochi children could not escape Sakkaku on their own. A pair of young Storm Riders devised the magic that would allow these orochi to enter our world. In taking oaths to another, the orochi set aside enough of the chaotic nature of Sakkaku that they may escape. Thus the orochi bind themselves to the service of the Storm Riders, an arrangement that benefits both parties greatly. As you suspected it was the master summoner Komori, Lord of the Bat Clan, who helped perfect the art.
Though not as powerful as the massive leviathans that guard the ningyo cities, the orochi who now serve the Mantis Clan are quite fearsome. A single orochi can overturn an unprepared vessel, and they can swim more swiftly than all but the finest ships – all ships except those built by the Mantis. It is my belief that with these spirit-serpents at their command, the only hope the Phoenix Clan has to win this war is to remain on land… or to find equivalent allies.
The Phoenix Clan
Surely, Your Majesty, you must find it as curious as I do that the Phoenix – who preach the path of pacifism more sincerely than any others – have embraced war with the Mantis with such unbridled ferocity. Indeed, even though the war began on Phoenix territory, it was the Phoenix who struck the initial blows. I have heard tales of Mantis soldiers set ablaze by Phoenix magic. I have heard reports of the Tsunami Legion overturning Mantis ships and commanding the waves to suck all surviving sailors to the bottom of the sea. I have even heard rumor that, with their own territory secure, the Phoenix plan to mobilize their armies and march south, taking the fight to the inland territories of the Moshi family. If these reports are true, such violence from the Phoenix is, at best, disheartening.
Of course, I realize the circumstances that led to this war. The report that the Mantis laid waste to a Phoenix village using black magic was delivered to you by none other than your brother the Wolf, thus the truth is indisputable. That it was no ordinary maho (if maho can be said to be ordinary) but a Black Scroll is even more deeply disturbing, as it was the magic of those same scrolls that once led the Phoenix Elemental Council to corruption and ruin.
And this makes me wonder if we should not be more concerned about these reports of Phoenix violence. The involvement of a Black Scroll has led them to take this conflict quite personally. Were the Phoenix to allow the Mantis to continue use of such magic, it would be a failure on their own part – a failure to protect the Empire from the same evil that once nearly consumed their own leadership. The Phoenix fight for revenge upon the Black Scrolls themselves.
Still, I am worried. Lore of the Clan War claims that the curse Fu Leng laid upon the Black Scrolls was powerful and insidious. The scrolls sought to corrupt and pervert honourable men, turning them against each other so that the only recourse, the only salvation, would be to break the seals and unleash their magic. Though Fu Leng’s soul is no longer bound within the Black Scrolls, is it possible that this aspect of his curse still endures? Is it possible that a single Scroll’s involvement in this war has subtly twisted the judgment of both armies involved, leading them to fight in a much more brutal manner than they otherwise would have?
An even more chilling thought – given the amount of unexplained hatred, animosity, and violence that has consumed the Phoenix is it possible that there is more black magic involved here than a single Black Scroll?
The Scorpion Clan
Investigating the current events in Scorpion territories has been my personal concern of late. While my heralds have investigated the lands of the other Great Clans, I myself have walked the streets of Ryoko Owari, gauging the status of the Empire’s largest and most notorious city.
I faced some good-natured scorn from my advisors previous to my departure. Ryoko Owari Toshi is, of course, one of the primary centers of culture, recreation, and luxury in the Empire. The idea that a man would undertake a journey there because he believed it to be necessary work he would entrust to none other is one that most would find difficult to believe.
No doubt you know that the truth is quite different. You lived for many years in the City of Stories, Your Majesty, so you know the delicate political situation that endures there. Though ruled by the Unicorn Clan until very recently, the city has always been the heart of the Scorpion Clan’s trade, politics, and commerce. It is often theorized that it is also the headquarters for many of the Scorpion Clan’s darker ventures such as smuggling, espionage, and assassination. Of course such statements have no basis in fact and I would not lower myself to accuse the noble Scorpion of activities without compelling evidence, but I digress.
Given the recent transfer of power back into Scorpion hands I thought it might be wise to see how the Clan of Secrets have readjusted to their long lost city. As is usual with the transfer of property the result of war treaties, I expected to see a city rife with tension, streets choked with garbage, and large patrols of nervous looking samurai prepared to meet unrest with violence. Instead, I found that Ryoko Owari is cleaner, quieter, and more inviting than I have ever seen it. Bayushi Tsimaru, the new governor of the city, was chosen by Lord Paneki himself. Already he has earned a reputation for impartiality and an unflinching dedication to Imperial Law.
Since his installation, no less than fourteen gangs involved in such crimes as forgery, extortion, smuggling, kidnapping, and in one case even a plot to murder the Khan have been brought to justice. Three of these gangs were led by Scorpion samurai; their torture and execution were extraordinarily vicious.
A smuggling ring found to be sponsored by high ranking Yasuki samurai led to Tsimaru’s proclamation that all Crab (and all Crane Yasuki) would be banned from the city for a period of six months. The declaration led to a brief riot, led by angry Hida merchant patrons. The details of this affair are sketchy but apparently the riot instigators fell unconscious shortly after attempting to burn down a Shosuro herbalist’s shop. They were deposited naked outside the city walls, with their armor and swords sent ahead to Kyuden Hida for them to retrieve.
The Unicorn Clan
In past generations, few ever considered the Unicorn in matters of politics. They were strangers who kept to themselves and seemed to show little interest in the affairs of others. At times the Crane or Scorpion would use them as mercenaries or pawns. Only the Crab showed their neighbors any true respect or friendship, and the Unicorn gladly repaid it in kind.
Now, the eyes of Rokugan turn to the northwest – toward the Unicorn.
After generations of being ignored or abused by the other clans, for the first time the Three Armies of the Unicorn are a force to be feared. The Khan’s defeat of Matsu Nimuro at Sukoshi Zutsu showed that his clan had been sorely underestimated. The Unicorn’s success at rooting out Bloodspeaker cells during the Blood Hunt only proved that their previous victory had not been a fluke.
The Khan’s prowess in battle is obviously formidable. I know that many have suggested his ambition is also limitless, and that only pragmatism has stayed his hand from attempting to seize the throne for himself. Though I know that Your Majesty would never question the honor of one of his sworn Champions in such a manner, I have taken the liberty of dispatching several of my keenest heralds to observe Moto Chagatai and his advisors.
Nomads and explorers by nature, their settlements exist only to conduct trade and entertain guests. Their strongholds are thus carefully engineered to present only the face the Unicorn wish the rest of the Empire to see. As these are not their true homes, such behavior is in no way falsehood – it is in fact the height of courtesy. Unicorn culture differs in many significant ways from that of the rest of Rokugan. The Unicorn are well aware of this and wish, above all, for their cousins from other clans to be comfortable.
The mistake I believe most samurai make when dispatching emissaries to the Unicorn is sending them to these cities and strongholds. The only place where one can truly learn to know the Unicorn is on the windswept plains that are their true home. It is here that my heralds have insinuated themselves among the Shinjo, Utaku, Ide, Moto, and Iuchi families. They have learned that morale is extremely high among the Unicorn, but so are their expectations. After so many victories, the warriors of the plains look eagerly upon the Khan to see what glory he will earn next. I do not know what the Khan plans, but I expect it will not be long before his name is shouted across the Empire once more. We watch the Khan with great interest – but so do his own people.
When he acts, I do not expect he will disappoint any of us, Your Majesty.
The Shadowlands
Though my heralds have little expertise surviving in the Shadowlands, I realize the events of that unspeakable wasteland are of foremost interest to you, given that many of the most serious threats to the Empire have originated beyond the Kaiu Wall. Thus I have instructed my Heralds in Crab lands to hold frequent meetings with Hiruma scouts, those hardy veterans who spend most of their waking hours in a nightmare land few would chose to enter.
The Hiruma have been surprisingly forthcoming with whatever information my scouts wished for. I find they sometimes provide a level of grisly detail that seems unnecessary, but I would not wish to be the samurai who tells a Crab how to do his duty. Their Crab are ready and eager to teach others about the nature of their enemy; after all should a visitor fall to the Shadowlands out of ignorance, he may rise up as the Crab’s enemy tomorrow.
The nature of the latest information from the Crab is quite distressing, but I suppose one should not expect good news from the Shadowlands. After many months of relative peace, Crab patrols in the Shadowlands have been repeatedly and violently attacked. Survivors of these confrontations described creatures that have been identified as spawns of the Oni Lord, Kyoso. Combined with the damage to the Maw’s skull I reported earlier, this news grows darker. With Daigotsu, Kyoso, and possibly the Maw all at loose in the Shadowlands, the Kaiu Wall and the territories beyond have become very dangerous places.
According to the Crab, Kyoso no Oni was defeated and banished from this realm by Daigotsu himself several years ago, and somehow found a way to return. This is the only positive light to this news. If the Oni Lord has returned, is it possible she might seek revenge against the Dark Lord? So soon after his war against Iuchiban, one might pity the Dark Lord for being confronted with such a foe – were he not the Dark Lord of course. If there is another war in the Shadowlands, I only hope that this time our enemies destroy one another.
Nezumi tribes
Though the Nezumi are more organized and eager to communicate with humans than they have been at any other time in history, my heralds who have attempted to keep tabs on them find the process difficult. Part of this, ironically, has to do with the great respect the Ratlings have recently developed for my heralds. You may find the tale entertaining. I know I did.
One of my heralds, a young woman named Miya Iko, arranged to meet with Kan’ok’ticheck, the chieftain of the One Tribe. The Ratling warrior was cool and distant toward Iko until she was asked to describe her purpose in the “Emperor’s Tribe.” She told Kan’ok’ticheck the following: “I am a shisha, a herald. I collect stories so that the Emperor may hear them. I collect the Emperor’s words so that his people may hear his voice.”
When Kan’ok’ticheck heard this, he became quite perplexed. He turned to his advisors, demanding to know if what Iko had said was true. When it was confirmed, his attitude changed dramatically. Servants were immediately summoned to attend to her every need. Two large Crippled Bone bushi were permanently assigned to protect her from any possible danger; they follow her even when she ventures beyond the Nezumi territories, deferring to her commands. A Nameseeker even crafted a powerful fetish for her, a charm that the Seppun have since confirmed offers Iko (and only Iko) potent protection from dark magic. Kan’ok’ticheck himself makes frequent appointments to meet with Iko-chan, during which he only wishes to hear tales of the Imperial Families. During these tales, so Iko says, the powerful chieftain listens with the rapt, silent intensity of a child.
All other heralds who have since visited any Ratling tribe that acknowledges Kan’ok’ticheck’s rule have received a comparable reception as soon as the Ratlings recognize my family mon.
According to those few experts on Nezumi culture whom I know, apparently the Ratlings seem to equate my brethren with a very special sort of Ratling in their own society – the “Tch” or “Rememberer.” Apparently most Ratlings have terrible memories, a fact which disturbs them as a people due to the close bonds they share with one another. The Tch are rare Ratlings who have extraordinary memories. They are the keepers of Nezumi lore, history, and ancestry. The Ratlings believe that not only do the Tch remember these tales but, by remembering the tales of the past, the past lives on within their souls.
I find it quite touching. I have spent all my life endeavoring to understand the mysteries of the past. To consider that my efforts might have, in part, kept the great deeds of mighty heroes from fading altogether makes me very proud. I hope that does not sound arrogant.
I find am growing fond of these Nezumi.