The State of the Clans - Lion
Lion Clan Champion - Matsu Hideo (M)
Both the Ikoma Histories and the Akodo War College hold extensive reports on the Hideo Reforms, a series of unpopular and spartan measures that were necessary to transform the Lion from their pre-Return days into something more familiar to 12th Century audiences; a force capable of remaining relevant as Right Hand of the Emperor and challenging the Unicorn supremacy. No longer having access to the rich lands of the Ki-Rin, the Lion saw famine and civil war and almost destroyed themselves with internal strife. In the chaos arose Matsu Hideo, a grizzled veteran of many battles. He has beaten rebel after rebel, surprised assassin after assassin, and even seemed impervious to the boldest plots.
It was under his leadership that the Lion rebuilt their former glory. It was by his mandate that every plot of land was to be used for its full potential, every heimin life taken repaid with interest, and every grain of rice accounted for. Logistics had to precise or heads would roll. Opposition was brutal, but Hideo was relentless in purging the clan of discontent and had zero tolerance for wave-men and other fringe elements.
After an ironclad rule, succession of the Championship seems safe, as Matsu Hideo's eldest son, a twelve-years old prodigy of the Akodo War College, will marry a girl from the Akodo kuge and take up the mantle of Championship. Hideo is already making plans for his well-deserved retirement.
Trouble:
The Schism has fragmented the Lion and left them unsure about what is expected from them as Right Hand of the Emperor. Both the Emperor and the Seppun family have been lobbying for support from the Lion on these delicate spiritual matters, but so far the Lion have kept their distance and limited themselves to squashing riots. They have not been idle.
In the 3rd day of the Month of the Goat, an unknown invasion force appeared on Lookout Mountain. After two costly weeks of battle, the threat was successfully contained. Little is known about these attackers, except that they are furious humanoid spirits led by feline-like monsters and those that perish against them would end up joining their bloodlust-filled ranks. The Lion have kept the situation under close wraps - to the rest of the Empire, they have been performing especially brutal “training exercises”, which is disturbing enough on its own. The Kitsu whisper theories about betrayers of their family and the unspeakable act that they did after the Unicorn returned - erasing the names of those defeated in battle against the Sons of Shinjo and dooming their souls to eternal war, torn asunder from the kharmic wheel. There was a desperate plan to erase their previous mistakes, but that ended when the Hunters were released.
The Lion seek more information on this new threat, and they would also like to have the backing of the Imperial Legions to keep their borders safe while dealing with the invasion - a situation that is found very unusual by the rest of Rokugan, as Lion usually provide manpower to the Legions instead of drawing from it. Obtaining the Imperial Chancellor was a boon for the Lion, and they want to get a more permanent foothold in the capital as reward for their role keeping order - at the very least, a district governed by a Lion samurai.
Finally, the Shimizu family has been lost to the Dark Brother and will stop at nothing in their efforts to destroy the Lion from within.
Allies:
The Hantei, the Legions, the Emerald Office and the Otomo, they all cater to the Lion and thrive on their support - which has been gladly given. In return, they have protected the Right Hand at court and defended their interests against vicious attacks from Phoenix, Scorpion and Crane.
Maho-tsukai all over the Empire owe a lot to the Shimizu family, and they are always apt to help the Shimizu and their dark master.
Enemies:
The Crab have been taunting the Lion for too long, and the two clans have been preparing for an inevitable showdown. Right now the Lion is very busy, but the Crab might not be willing to wait until things calm down. Some military analysts of the Crab even suggest that the exercises of the Lookout Mountain are just the first phase of Lion preparations to attack the Clan of Hida.
The Unicorn have been encroaching on Lion territory since their arrival, and the Right Hand has fully regained confidence in their military machine with the Hideo Reforms. Law prevented the Lion from joining the War of the Broken Wagon and they resent the Dragon for stealing a spotlight that was theirs by right; if the Unicorn are involved in a new war, at least one or two Lion families will try to ally themselves to the opposing side.
Other Families Of the Lion
Ikoma Daimyo - Ikoma Toshiyuki (M)
A tall, dark, green-eyed and mysterious man of a certain age, Toshiyuki is considered by many the most desired man in the Empire. When not breaking hearts all over the Empire, Toshiyuki is seen sighing about the latest Imperial Edict and wondering what madness the future holds.
Hantei XXVI makes the Ikoma daimyo's life a living Jigoku, and Toshiyuki is working hard in white-washing all of the Emperor's actions and juggling all the facts with convenient lies. There is not a single mention in the Histories about either his First Concubine or the Schism, and Toshiyuki has no idea how to justify the contradictions that keep defying his creativity. The Ikoma have been working close with the Shosuro in keeping the issue of the bastards of Hantei XXV in check - a matter about which Toshiyuki avoids making too many questions about, delegating any “purging” to his Scorpion counterparts.
The Seppun daimyo has made subtle moves towards Toshiyuki, dropping implications that he would just make certain decisions of the Hantei XXVI disappear upon ascension to the Throne, making the Ikoma's job much easier. Those letters always leave Toshiyuki tempted. But then he remembers that there are two Lion samurai suspected of being Imperial bastards and wonders if they could be shaped into useful puppets.
Kitsu Daimyo - Kitsu Hatsuyo (F)
There is some sort of disturbance in the universe, the balance between the different Spirit Realms disrupted. Many feel the imbalance but cannot understand it, but the priests of the Lion are painfully aware. The Kitsu family has been working hard to discern more about the spirits of Toshigoku and their cursed Tsuno cousins, trying to understand why they have invaded Ningen-do in such numbers and at this precise timeframe; they also dare to venture into other Realms in search of answers about the changes in the cosmos. They would never admit Regret, but many Kitsu believe the Legacy of the Forge and the toshi spirits to be their fault and responsibility; it is their duty to contain them in a more permanent manner or see to their salvation.
Their efforts have been thwarted time after time; someone or something is out there, hunting Kitsu that reach too close to the truth. The names and identities of their victims are erased, disappearing from records and memory - and denied Yomi. The Fortunes are merciful and the attacks of these “Hunters" have waned before they destroyed the entire Kitsu family.
Kitsu Hatsuyo's own father and previous daimyo has fallen prey to the Hunters, leaving her to command the fates of the Kitsu. The young shugenja often wonders why Ancestors picked her for leadership of the family; after all she is neither talented not related to anyone important.
Akodo Daimyo - Akodo Noru (M)
The young but calm Akodo Noru might not be the Champion of the Lion, but Hideo trusts implicitly in his ability to lead the armies of the Clan in battle. Though Noru lacks ambition, he is famous and along with names like Nichira and Ichezo, is considered one of the Five Tiger Generals, the best commanders of the current generation. Ever modest, Noru dismisses such praise, as he is a general of peace, untested and undeserving.
The Siege of Lookout Mountain has proven that Noru deserves all the praise he is given, and more. Noru’s scouts quickly answered to Kitsu omens and assessed the situation. The general himself then promptly marshalled the entire Akodo family. They have been holding the line for seasons against an enemy that does not tire, does not hunger, does not feel pain, does not stop once killed, and wields strange magics. Noru's tactical acumen and on-the-fly strategies have thwarted the invasion force every single time, a testament to his training and skill.
However, Noru is near the breaking point. He needs to be at his best every waking hour and has little chance to rest. So far he has not faltered, and as long as he keeps getting all the support he needs, he will hold the line. Resisting the invasion is stressing the fruits of the Hideo Reforms to their limits, and the Lion might eventually be forced to turn to outsider assistance.
Shimizu Daimyo - Shimizu Hattoko (F)
Nursed with tainted milk and chants to the glory of Fu Leng, every single Shimizu is a pawn of Him That Should Not Be Named.
The family fell into darkness during the rule of Shimizu Tamayu. After the arrival of the Unicorn, the ambitious Shimizu not only attempted to seize land from other families but also tried to make a gambit for Championship of the clan during the Lion's civil wars. Defeated, Tamayu turned to maho and gave his name to an oni, saving himself but dooming his entire family. For this dark bargain, the Shimizu managed to turn the tables on other families and managed to seize the most fertile of Lion lands - forcing the other families to agree with their terms or starve, keeping his life and conquests.
For outsiders, the Shimizu are the most powerful family of the Lion - untouched by disgrace, their lands have been heavily fortified, no words of distress or disorder within their borders. Matsu Hideo sees them as model samurai, and often relies on the Shimizu to keep peace within their borders and pay their considerable taxes - which they apparently do. As everyone else has more urgent matters to handle, the Shimizu are often left to themselves.
Just as they prefer.
In cellars bellow their palaces and castles, Tamayu no Oni gathers an army of tsukai to destroy the Lion Clan and wage war against Hantei XXVI. The Shimizu feed and protect them, slowly bidding their time.
Shimizu Hattoko is the perfect pawn of Tamayu no Oni; a weak-willed woman that has been fully indoctrinated and devoted to Fu Leng. Tamayu no Oni itself is often disguised as her (dead) husband or sensei, accompanying the Shimizu Daimyo wherever she goes. Half-mad and gullible, Hattoko believes that she is actually the daughter of the coupling of the demon with the wife of the previous daimyo. A twisted and wretched creature, she exists only to fulfill the designs of her Oni “father”.
The Shimizu believe the time to strike is approaching, the coming year or the next. Using captured Kitsu shugenja, Tamayu no Oni has made a bargain with the Tsuno. Alongside Shimizu Hattoko, the Tsuno have planned their invasion, sharing ways of creating nightmare oni in exchange for priceless information given by the Shimizu. Hattoko has had limited but important success in using these oni, and is currently looking for an opportunity to start a new civil war, fully aware that it would cause the Siege of Lookout Mountain to be lifted.
Hattoko will see the Lion Clan destroyed. Everything else is secondary.
