Kosaten Shiro (CN3) in the Kosaten province ^[1] was also known as Crossroads Castle. ^[2]

Contents 1 Defensive Architecture 1.1 Emerald Champion's meeting point 2 Conflicts 2.1 Clan War - War of Spirits 2.2 Lion Suicide Attack 2.3 Dragon Clan Attack 2.3.1 Consequences 3 New Facilities 3.1 Dojo 4 Leadership 4.1 Forces 5 External Links 6 References

Defensive Architecture Edit

The castle was constructed two centuries after Shiro Daidoji when the Crane Clan realized that their disagreements with the Lion Clan would not abate over time. Moving troops from Shiro Daidoji to the Lion border every time there would be a conflict was just not practical, and Kosaten Shiro was created between the Crane lands and Shiro Matsu. Due to its smaller size compared to the Lion Clan's fortresses, the defense of the Crane relied on the more unorthodox tactics of the Daidoji Army. ^{[3] [4]} Many traps, deadfalls, and ambush points laid hidden in the walls of Kosaten Shiro, and the architecture lent itself to deep, concealing shadows. ^[5]

Emerald Champion's meeting point Edit

Four times a year the city was visited by the Emerald Champion, to be given the obliged periodical report by the Emerald Magistrates of the provinces nearby. ^[6]

Conflicts Edit

Clan War - War of Spirits Edit

During the Clan War and War of Spirits Kosaten Shiro served as the center for the Crane military machine. During the Crane Civil War it also served as the Daidoji primary fortress. Should the castle fall all of the southern Crane provinces would come under threat. ^[7]

Lion Suicide Attack Edit

In 1166 Matsu Shigeru led a force of eight hundred bushi against the castle in a suicide attack, after murdered several Crane border patrols. Shigeru was a bloodspeaker who was following Iuchiban's orders to strike out the Empire in a wave of murder, betrayal, and destruction. ^[8] The Crane did not blame the Lion in the court, being clear the bushi had been fouled.

Dragon Clan Attack Edit

In 1167 Kosaten Shiro was sacked by a small force of Dragon samurai to release Mirumoto Mareshi and Mirumoto Narumi. Both Dragon samurai had been detained by the acting lord of the palace, Asahina Keitaro. The small group, combined with the Dragon not being at war with the Crane, took the defenses by surprise. The Dragon struck and fled, and the ensuing fire caused smoke that could be seen from miles away. This attack sparked the War of Silk and Steel. ^[3]

Consequences Edit

In addition to igniting a war, the attack on Kosaten Shiro allowed for the escape of Daigotsu Rekai. Rekai, the former Daidoji Daimyo but later tainted member of the Lost, had been held captive in the dungeons following her capture by Asahina Sekawa. Rekai exploited the Dragon attack to escape and set fire to a significant quantity of gunpowder that the Daidoji Harriers had concealed within the castle for storage. The gunpowder explosion provided her with the diversion she needed to escape. The castle structure was severely damaged. The explosion was blamed on the Dragon who had attacked, and the Daidoji were definitely holding a grudge against them. ^[3]

New Facilities Edit

Following the damage the Crane were able to spend more resources than the first time in rebuilding. This meant that should the tentative peace between the Lion and Crane fall apart, the Crane were safe in their knowledge that their fortress had been significantly improved to rival the fortresses of the Lion. Some would think it was a Kaiu structure by the new look of it. There were enough barracks to house several legions of samurai and numerous dojo. Its most unique facility was a massive war room, with large tables depicting the surrounding regions in miniaturized detail. ^[9]

Dojo Edit

Kosaten Shiro was the location of the Kosaten Shiro Dojo ^[4] and the Iron Crane Dojo. ^[10]

Leadership Edit

The Daidoji Daimyo could be found at Kosaten Shiro as often as at Shiro Daidoji, but in his absence his chief shireikan took command. The Daidoji did not differentiate between their political and military rulers, and as such the shirekian found himself the governor of the city as often as its commander. Daidoji Zoushi was shireikan of the city. ^[10]

Forces Edit

The forces stationed at Kosaten Shiro were dependant upon the Crane Clan Army's commitments. In general there could be found here the Forty-Second through the Forty-Eighth Legions of the Daidoji Army, the Thirty-Seventh and Thirty-Ninth Legions of the Kakita Army. In addition there were roughly two dozen Doji Magistrates and their yoriki, as well as roughly two thousand Daidoji students in training. ^[10]

External Links Edit

• Kosaten Shiro (Soul of the Empire)

References

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