Forest-Killers
The Forest-Killers were a juzimai of cutthroat, ruthless bandits who lived in a ruined castle deep in Shinomen Mori. They plagued the Scorpion, Crab, and Unicorn lands for generations, and were the most infamous Ronin band in the Empire. After Kuso took its command they were converted into mercenaries and linked to the Eyes of Nanashi.
Bandits[]
Forest Killer hideout inside a cavern
The Forest Killers, by their very nature, were migratory. They were simply too large to stay in one place for too long before they drew too much attention to themselves. [1] They were the largest and most dangerous bandit group in the Empire. The bandits usually attacked mounted and split into several groups after they hit. [2] The Eyes of Nanashi hunted the Forest-Killers for a generation, diminishing its power and numbers. [3] Part of the reason for the survival of the Forest Killers was a secondary base of operations, a hidden cavern in the hills just south of the Shinomen Mori, which served as their last refuge in times of trouble. [4]
Technique[]
The Forest-Killers developed the Fool's Harvest technique, [5] and taught it in the Leaves of the Tree Dojo. [6] It was said that Hiro was the creator of the technique. [7]
History[]
Founding[]
The cruel Hiruma Miroto became exiliated and a ronin, and made his home in the Shinomen. He gathered other ruthless men, raiding the villages nearby, and making a fortress within the haunted forest. Miroto was murdered by Yugoro, gaining control of the group. [8]
Yugoro's Horde[]
Outside the Falcon Clan, the Forest-Killers were the most experienced woodsmen in the Shinomen. Some members of the Hare Clan even joined the Forest-Killers in an attempt to learn their lethal mastery of the forest. The Forest-Killers were one of the member groups of Yugoro's Hordes. [9]
Mikaru[]
Mikaru, a volatile ronin known for his Blood Feud with the Balash, became their leader and used the bandits as a tool to exact revenge on the Naga. [8]
Kuso[]
When the Forest Killers were attacking a crane caravan a ronin joined the bandits. The ronin called Kenjiro was a member of the Eyes of Nanashi, but made a bargain with them. Kenjiro covinced the Eyes's leader to pay a fee to the Forest-Hunters, and in return they stopped their bandit actions and began to make the dirty job of the Eyes. Kenjiro also allowed the Forest-Killers to be hired by other groups than the Eyes, and changed his own name to Kuso. [3]
Hidden Storm is Doomed[]
The Forest Killers were responsible for the destruction of the Hidden Storm ronin group in 1152. The Hidden Storm were attempting to track down the Forest Killers, but the Forest Killers laid a trap and destroyed the group killing their leader Ryuta in the process. [1]
Hideouts[]
A secret hideout of the Forest-Killers was kept it deep in the center of the Heart of Vigilance Forest, within the Akodo lands. [10]
New Yugoro[]
In 1165 the former Emerald Magistrate Ide Nominari claimed to be Yugoro's soul reborn, and reunited the remnants of the Forest Killers to raise the banner of the Yugoro's Hordes again. Kinyobi, the current leader of the Forest-Killers accepted Nominari's virtual takeover of his band. [11]
Akasha[]
In 1167 the bandits attacked a kobune in the River of Gold, stole its cargo and run into the Shinomen Mori. The captain of the ship, Yoritomo Bunmei, and the Unicorn half-naga Akasha chased and defeated them, killing its leader, Ide Nomari. [2]
Shutai[]
This year the Emerald Champion Yasuki Hachi restored order to Shutai after a significant increase in bandit attacks in the area, and that in turn led him to the Forest Killers in the Shinomen Mori. Hachi hunted them until their outposts were found and tracked down the stragglers. [12]
Chased[]
The Forest Killers were chased out of the Shinomen Forest by a squad of dauntless Crab magistrates, where upon they fled into the Valley of Spirits. They ran down the bandits, one by one. [13] They were eventually eradicated, but their demise proved short-lived, and within a few years a new group of Forest Killers was plaguing the lands around the Shinomen once more. [14]
Known Members[]
- Miroto - Founder
- Hiro
- Yugoro - Leader
- Mikaru - Leader
- Kuso - Leader
- Kinyobi - Leader
- Ide Nominari - Leader
Known Techniques[]
See also[]
External Links[]
- Forest Killer Cavern (Path of Hope)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Forgotten Saga, Part 2, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Souls of Steel, Part 1, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Way of the Ninja, p. 79
- ↑ The Atlas of Rokugan, p. 223
- ↑ Way of the Wolf, p. 54
- ↑ Way of the Ninja, p. 77
- ↑ Way of the Wolf, p. 74
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Way of the Ninja, p. 78
- ↑ Way of the Wolf, p. 53
- ↑ Secrets of the Lion, p. 19
- ↑ Way of the Thief, p. 53
- ↑ To Defend the Emperor, Part 1, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ News of Rokugan, Circa Lotus Edition (Imperial Herald v2#17), by Rich Wulf
- ↑ Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 235
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