Badger Clan

From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings

The Badger Clan is a minor clan once charged with the defense of the Empire's northern border. The clan colors are pale gray with stripes of white and black.

Contents 1 Birth of the Badger Clan 2 The First Years 3 Recent History 4 The War of Dark Fire 5 Location 6 Details 6.1 Families 6.2 Samurai 7 Schools & Paths 7.1 Schools 7.2 Paths 8 Badger Clan Champion 9 References

[edit] Birth of the Badger Clan

History says that when the first Hantei watched the Ki-Rin Clan depart through the uninhabited northern mountains, he was worried that a foreign invader could enter unnoticed into his young Empire. While he died shortly after, his son and successor Hantei Genji shared his worry, so he made sure that the region remained populated by the followers of Shinjo that remained behind. With time, however, they were pushed out of these lands by the Lion, and were relocated elsewhere as the Fox Clan. Because the Lion didn't know the lay of the land, Genji worried again and decided to hold a tournament to create a new minor clan to guard this border.^[1]

Hantei Genji believed that it would need to be a strong clan, so the challenge would be a test of strength. The test was a wrestling match between the two contenders for the position, Hida Domogu of the Crab Clan and Shinjo Mako of the Ki-Rin. Domogu won and Mako became his first retainer. Genji awarded Domogu the Ichiro name and made him the first daimyo of the Badger Clan, independent of the Crab, and tasked him with guarding the northern passes of the Empire.^{[citation needed]}

And so, in 110 IC, the Badger Clan was born.^[2]

However, a discovery by Asahina Hira in the middle of the twelfth century suggested that the true reason why the Badger was charged with the protection of these lands was because it was holy ground, containing the tomb of Ryoshun.^[3]

[edit] The First Years

Over the next five years Domogu built the first fortress of the Badger called Shiro Ichiro. Also, they soon made contact with the other Minor Clans, the Fox and the Mantis, to pool resources. One of their joint initiatives was to make a regular event of the tournament that gave birth to the Badger, that would eventually be known as the Tournament of the Emperor's Favored.^[1]

[edit] Recent History

In 1118, the Clan Champion Ichiro Akitomo was murdered while visiting the lands of the Crane Clan. The dishonor of the assassination was of great embarrassment to the Crane, and there are rumors that it was a plot to increase tensions between the Crane and the Lion Clan. The killer was never caught.^[4][5]

In 1126, the Emerald Magistrate Kuni Osuki traveled to Badger lands to deliver an edict only to find the strongholds of the Badger destroyed. A monstrous oni had been summoned by unknown parties and killed virtually every living being within the northern mountains. The oni was eventually destroyed, but the Badger were all but extinct. Because of the Emperor's failing health at the time, the Badger's status as a minor clan was never formally revoked.^[6]

More recently, the Keeper of the Void Asahina Hira, re-discovered the true mission of the Badger, forgotten to time and isolation, as guardians over the tomb of Ryoshun. When the Clans learned of this, they rushed to help the Badger to rebuild so they would be able to continue on their sacred task.^[3]

[edit] The War of Dark Fire

The Badger were assaulted by the Yobanjin forces under control of Tamori Chosai early in the War of Dark Fire. All but one of the Badger's fortresses was overrun and destroyed. Ichiro Kihongo was able to effect an evacuation with the aid of Doji Koin.^[7]

[edit] Location

The lands of the Badger Clan are located North of Mizu-umi Ryo along the northern road called Komichi no Kanashimi. It is little more than a collection of foothills and small mountains. ^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Details

[edit] Families

The Badger Clan only has one major family, the Ichiro, and two vassal families which managed to survive the Oni no Hideo attack.^[8]

• The first one, the Fureheshu family, is a small familiy of expert wrestlers who train with the Hida sumai in crab lands.^[9]
• The second, the Tashimi family, is a very small family of instructors who keep the Ichiro Bushi School alive so that there's always a sensei for the next generation of Ichiro.^[10]

[edit] Samurai

See Samurai of the Badger Clan for a listing of notable members of the clan, both current and historic.

[edit] Schools & Paths

[edit] Schools

The following are the basic Schools within the Badger Clan:

• Ichiro Bushi

[edit] Paths

There are currently no Paths available within the Badger Clan.

[edit] Badger Clan Champion

Ichiro Domogu	110 - ?
Ichiro Akitomo	? - 1118
Ichiro Chuga	1118 - ?
Ichiro Kihongo	? - Present

[edit] References

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