Kyuden Isawa
From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings
Kyuden Isawa is the home of the Isawa family of the Phoenix Clan. It lies just to the east of the Mori Isawa, along the shore of the eastern sea. The castle seems hopelessly weak in its defenses, but the great magics of its namesake protect it at all times. The castle houses the largest spell research library in Rokugan.
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[edit] Protection
The walls that house the Isawa family have been enchanted with runes, spells, and spirits to protect them from both magical and physical attacks.[1] Though the castle seems completely inadequate from a military perspective, and would-be attackers would find themselves sinking into the sand of the coastline, being crushed under the sea's mighty waves, and struck by mighty lightning from the heavens.[2]
[edit] Kaimetsu-Uo
The one time in recorded history that the protections upon the castle have failed completely was shortly after the murder of Hida Osano-Wo. Kaimetsu-Uo, Osano-Wo's exiled son who would found the Mantis Clan, assaulted the castle in an effort to capture his father's killer, who, unknown to the Isawa, was hiding within. During that assault, the mighty lightning that usually protected the castle was instead unleashed upon it, throwing open the castle's gates. The Isawa immediately recognized the divine interference with their defenses and released the killer to Kaimetsu-Uo.[2]
[edit] The Isawa library
The most important feature of Kyuden Isawa is its library, which occupies nearly the entire castle. The Isawa library dwarfs all others throughout Rokugan in sheer volume, its monumental amount of available information completely unrivaled within the empire. The library is kept by dedicated Isawa librarians and scribes.[3][1]
Nearly every spell ever cast within Rokugan has managed to find its way to the library at Kyuden Isawa. Each of these spells are painstakingly researched, cataloged, and controlled by the Isawa. Only certain individuals have access to the library, and those wishing to research there must obtain permission through the proper channels. As spell research is a never-ending science, there is an entire branch of Isawa librarians dedicated to keeping the library neat, organized and up-to-date.[2]
The magical protections placed upon the library are nearly as powerful as those placed on the castle's walls.[2]
[edit] Other libraries
Each Isawa family castle has a library of its own. These libraries are patterned after the main library at Kyuden Isawa, and are always smaller. These branches generally contain only copies of the knowledge contained within the great library at Kyuden Isawa.[4]
[edit] Dojo
Located just south of Kyuden Isawa lies the Dai-Chikai Dojo, where the yojimbo needed to protect the Isawa are trained.[5]
[edit] Grove of the Five Masters
The Grove of the Five Masters is a garden where the Elemental Masters and others approved by them may visit and relax peacefully. A great deal of the Grove was destroyed in 1165 when Iuchiban loosed the Kusatte Iru on Kyuden Isawa to prevent the masters from going to the Siege of Gisei Toshi.[6] It is not yet known to what extent the Grove has been rebuilt.
