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Mantis Clan

From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings

Mon of the Mantis Clan

The Mantis Clan is one of the eight Great Clans of Rokugan. Prior to the Second Day of Thunder, they could boast of being the oldest Minor Clan in the Empire, though not officially recognized as such. They occupy a unique position in Rokugani history, as a former Minor Clan which rose up on the Second Day of Thunder to become a Great Clan. Until recently, they were the only Great Clan without a divine representative. This changed, however, when the Thunder Dragon gave up a portion of his divinity to make the great Mantis hero, Yoritomo, their official representative in the court of Tengoku. Specifically, their duties within the Emerald Empire are to guard and patrol the seas of Rokugan, protecting the Empire against threats from the oceans.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Founding

The Mantis Clan was founded in 80 by Kaimetsu-Uo, the son of Hida Osano-Wo, after Osano-Wo elected to give leadership of the Crab Clan to his illegitimate son, Hida Kenzan. Kaimetsu-Uo's mother, Matsu Kyoda, was outraged, and though her son bore his brother and father no ill will, Kaimetsu-Uo left the Crab lands, taking his mother and a few loyal Lion and Crab with them. They traveled to a group of islands on the easter coast of Rokugan, later known as the Islands of Spice and Silk, where they settled and formed the Mantis. The clan colors are sea-green and gold. [citation needed]

[edit] Death of Osano-Wo

The first instance of many disputes between the Mantis and the Phoenix occurred shortly after the creation of the Mantis. Following the death of Hida Osano-Wo in 97, the task of catching the killer was passed to the Mantis Clan Champion Kaimetsu-uo. Kaimetsu-uo traced the killer to Shiro Shiba. The Phoenix first refused to open their gates, but when Kaimetsu-Uo cried out to his father for vengeance, lightning struck the gates of the castle, opening them. The Phoenix saw this as a sign to release the traitor to Kaimetsu-Uo. [1]

[edit] Gusai family

The Mantis were finally recognized as a minor clan and temporarily gained the family name "Gusai" in 429, the name of the clan's daimyo at the time. The name was stripped from them only a few generations later in 510 when the Mantis Champion attempted to gain power by kidnapping the imperial heir. [2] [3]

[edit] Great Clan Status

The Mantis become a Great Clan

The Mantis became a Great Clan in 1128 when their leader Yoritomo led them alongside the other great clans on the Second Day of Thunder. Yoritomo demanded that the other clans recognize the Mantis as a Great Clan or the Mantis and their other Minor Clan allies would attack the Great Clan armies. Though the Mantis would surely die, the Great Clans would be weakened enough that they would lose the ultimate battle against Fu Leng. Most of the other Clan Champions were not pleased by this turn of events (with the notable exception of Crab Clan Champion Hida Yakamo), but they realized they ultimately had little choice, and assented to Yoritomo.[citation needed]

[edit] Yoritomo Invades the Phoenix

In 1132, in an effort to expand his power, Yoritomo cited the Mantis Clan Charter and seized control of the lands of the Phoenix Clan, claiming the clan was too weak to properly protect the territory themselves, following their depletion on the Second Day of Thunder. Yoritomo hoped to take the lands quickly, but the Phoenix Clan Champion, Shiba Tsukune, saw his invasion as an act of war and responded in kind. As the Phoenix were not ready for such an assault, Yoritomo slowly made his way deeper into Phoenix lands. In 1133, after having held the Phoenix lands for a year, the Mantis' hold on the lands was finally broken by the guerrilla tactics of a small band of bushi and the magic of their Elemental Guards. It was later concluded that Yoritomo's actions were based on advice given by shape-shifting minions of the Lying Darkness. [4]

[edit] Ivory Kingdoms

Parallel to the War of Spirits, Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo Aramasu led a campaign against the Ivory Kingdoms. Little news of this effort to end an external threat to Rokugan reached those already embroiled in a civil-war, but Aramasu's efforts were noticed by the Emperor and appreciated.[citation needed]

[edit] War of Fire and Thunder

In 1166 War of Fire and Thunder erupted between the Phoenix and Mantis Clans after the Phoenix alledged that the Mantis had used a Black Scroll on a Phoenix village. Although the act had in fact been perpetrated by the bloodspeaker Asako Kinuye, this was unknown to everyone, and the Phoenix petitioned the Imperial Courts that the Mantis Great Clan status should be revoked. The war lasted a year, culminating in a great battle on the Phoenix coast in 1167. The Phoenix surrendered in the end, but the losses were heavy on both sides. Both Yoritomo Kumiko and Yoritomo Kaigen were killed in the final battle. [5][6][7]

[edit] Absorption of the Fox Clan

In 1169 a prophet emerged among the Fox Clan who prohecised the downfall of the Fox. The Fox Clan Champion Kitsune Ryukan sent for aid among their former allies the Tsuruchi family of the Mantis Clan.[citation needed] Following the aid of the Mantis Clan, the Fox were absorbed by the Mantis, becoming the fourth family. [citation needed]

[edit] Heavenly Representative

Following years of turmoil in Ningen-do and it's adverse affects on Tengoku, the heavens rose up and usurped the former mortals Yakamo and Hitomi from their positions as Lord Sun and Lady Moon respectively. A cleansing of the heavens began, where the Elemental Dragons removed any who did not rightfully belong in Tengoku. The Thunder Dragon disagreed with the case that Yoritomo had not earned his place in the heavens, and gave up a portion of his divinity to make the great Mantis hero, Yoritomo, the official representative of the Mantis Clan in the court of Tengoku. As a result, the Thunder Dragon was cast out of the heavens, but in return for his patronage, Yoritomo Naizen and a large portion of the Mantis fleet along with their Ningyo allies began standing watch over the immortal creature.[citation needed]

[edit] How the Mantis are Viewed

Most of the other Clans consider the Mantis pirates and opportunists (the exceptions generally being the Crab Clan and the Unicorn Clan). Their naval strength is unmatched, allowing them contact with nations beyond Rokugan, something which has been forbidden for most of history. The Mantis struggle to cast off their reputation as thugs and pirates, but many of them are aware that such practices exist. [8]

[edit] Views on the Other Clans

[edit] Crab Clan

The Mantis were once of the Crab Clan, and they honor the Clan of Hida as their cousins. It is a telling part of the Mantis ethos that when Kaimetsu-Uo was passed over for leadership of the Crab, he did not whine or swear vengeance upon his brother like some petty Kakita, choosing instead to hold no grudge, but to leave to forge his own path. The Mantis respect the Crab's military might and understand better than most their sacred duty to protect the Emerald Empire from the Shadowlands. Furthermore, the Crab seem to be the only other Great Clan (with the possible exception of the Crane) that actually understands the importance of sea power, maintaining the Empire's second-largest navy, including the infamous Turtle Ships (although the Mantis navy still dwarfs that of the Crab). Lastly, they get along personally quite well with the Crab, who tend to speak their mind just as the Mantis do. Traditionally, whenever the Crab have needed military aid, the Mantis have been among the first to offer it (such as at the Battle of the Cresting Wave). It is telling of their relationship that when Yoritomo made his declaration in front of the Great Clans on the Second Day of Thunder, the only person who seemed genuinely pleased (and more than a little amused) by his power play was Hida Yakamo, Crab Clan Champion.[citation needed]

[edit] Crane Clan

The Mantis hold mixed views on the Crane Clan. On the one hand, the Crane seem to be the only other Great Clan that truly understands the importance of commerce in Rokugan (with the possible exception of the Unicorn), an issue near and dear to the hearts of most Mantis. On the other hand, this means the Crane are the Mantis' biggest opponent on the road to economic superiority. Furthermore, the Mantis perceive the Crane as militarily weak, and personally cowardly for often hiding behind what they see as the false veil of honor and the complex webs they weave at court. The Crane have alternately been the Mantis' greatest ally and greatest opponent in their quest for greater recognition through the work of the Yoritomo Courtiers. The Mantis remember Doji Kuwanan's betrayal of Yoritomo when they went to claim the Scorpion lands, but they also remember the many times the Crane hired them as mercenaries during their time as a Minor Clan (increasing their coffers and helping to give them the leverage they would ultimately need to become a Great Clan). The Tsuruchi, however, greatly respect and honor the Crane, as they owed their existence as a Minor Clan to Doji Satsume, the Emerald Magistrate at the time of their founding.[citation needed]

[edit] Dragon Clan

Like most of the other Great Clans, the Mantis simply do not understand the Dragon Clan. They respect the Dragon's military might, but the Mantis are a Clan of actions, not riddles and philosophy. The two Clans have never actively warred (and, given the geographical distances between the two Clans, not to mention their drastically disparate spheres of influence, it seems unlikely they ever will), and the Mantis have never particularly cared one way or the other for the Dragon. The Mantis do feel a recent fondness for the Dragon, however, stemming from the new Empress Iweko I awarding the newly-created position of Imperial Treasurer to a Mantis, Yoritomo Utemaro.[citation needed]

[edit] Lion Clan

Perhaps surprisingly, the Mantis and the Lion Clan have never engaged in any real hostilities. Nevertheless, while the two Clans are not openly hostile towards one another, the Mantis have varying viewpoints on the Clan of Akodo, most of which are not particularly positive. These viewpoints tend to split along family lines. The Yoritomo tend to respect the Lion the most, readily acknowledging their military might, although they think the Lion's myopic views on bushido and Rokugan as a whole will ultimately do more harm to the Empire than good. The Moshi, however, have not forgotten the Lion's attempt to conquer them in centuries past, when they were still a Minor Clan. Neither have the Kitsune forgotten that it was the Lion who forced them from their lands before their establishment as an official Minor Clan – although, to be fair, most Kitsune see this as having been a blessing in disguise, for without it they would not have been led to such a close relationship to the Kitsune spirits after which they are named. The Tsuruchi, meanwhile, have the most to hold against the Lion, as their foundation as a Minor Clan had much to do with the Lion's betrayal of Tsuruchi himself. Though the younger generation is less vehement on this point, the elders among the Tsuruchi have not forgotten that the Lion's treachery proves that their view of bushido is little more than a sham.[citation needed]

[edit] Phoenix Clan

The one Great Clan the Mantis loathe with a passion is the Phoenix Clan. The Mantis and Phoenix have never really gotten along (see above), but their recent history has been one of repeated war and hostility. The Mantis see the pacifistic Phoenix as weak, and too stuck in their obsessive quest for magical knowledge to ever actually accomplish anything. Moreover, the Mantis proximity to the Phoenix coastline ensures that the two Clans will usually have something to fight over (and with the Mantis' clear superiority at sea, the Clan of Yoritomo will usually win any conflict against the Phoenix unless they do something phenomenally stupid). The Mantis are quite proud of the fact that they are currently the only Clan ever to have defeated the Phoenix in a war (as the War of Fire and Snow ended in a stalemate). This relationship does not seem likely to particularly improve any time soon; it will take a long time indeed before the Mantis forgive the Clan of Shiba for petitioning to have their Great Clan status revoked. Alone among the families of the Mantis, the Moshi have a deep fondness for the Phoenix, from whom the Centipede Clan originally sprang.[citation needed]

[edit] Scorpion Clan

If there is another Clan besides the Phoenix that the Mantis greatly dislike, it is the Scorpion Clan. This stems entirely from the murder of former Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo Aramasu at the hands of a Scorpion assassin. Aramasu, as a former Scorpion given to the Mantis as part of a deal brokered by Yoritomo, refused to betray the Mantis that had taken him in and treated him as an equal by handing over secrets to the Scorpion, and for this perceived betrayal, they would eventually have him killed. After Naizen's attempts to extend the hand of friendship to the Clan of Bayushi (culminating in the Mantis' being handed Bayushi Kamnan, murderer of Aramasu), however, relations between the two Clans have dramatically improved. Philosophically, while the Mantis do not generally approve of Scorpion methods (and would rather swallow their own kama than place their full trust in a Scorpion), they understand the Scorpion philosophy of doing what needs to be done quite well indeed.[citation needed]

[edit] Unicorn Clan

The Mantis get along better with the Unicorn Clan than any other, even the Crab. There are myriad reasons for this. The Mantis and Unicorn are the only two Great Clans that share a respect for and understanding of cultures outside of Rokugan; in the Mantis' case, those of the Ivory Kingdoms, Merenae, and Thrane, and in the Unicorn's, the many cultures of the Burning Sands and the Senpet. They are located on diametrically opposed ends of the Empire, meaning that a war between the two is almost comically unlikely. Their spheres do not generally overlap; while both are interested in furthering their economic interests, the Mantis' economic power comes from the sea and the Unicorn's from the desert, so neither group ever really gets in the other's way. Moreover, the Unicorn remember well the aid their Mantis allies (and in particular Yoritomo Naizen) gave the Khan Moto Chagatai in his failed assault on the Imperial Capitol Toshi Ranbo (not to mention Naizen essentially talking the other Clan Champions out of executing Chagatai). Lastly, the Mantis and Unicorn personally get along, for the same reasons as do the Mantis and Crab. Though the Mantis are people of the waves, and the Unicorn people of the horse, both Clans seek to understand the other. That, perhaps more than anything else, is why the Mantis and Unicorn are friends.[citation needed]

[edit] Minor Clans

The Mantis respect the Minor Clans more than any other Great Clan, and afford them a far greater amount of influence in their courts than any other. This is not particularly surprising, when one considers that the Mantis were once a Minor Clan themselves. They tend to view the other Minor Clans as their wayward brothers, and often attempt to convince them to join the Mantis as new families. They have been successful in three of these instances, absorbing the former Wasp, Centipede, and Fox. Though the Mantis are the newest Great Clan, they have already spawned one Minor Clan: the Bat, led by former Yoritomo Shugenja Yoritomo Komori.[citation needed]

[edit] Details

[edit] Statistics

  • Capital: Kyuden Gotei
  • Population: 1,110,000 (approx)
  • Military: 66,000 samurai
  • Imports: Raw Materials
  • Exports: Silk, Spices, Exotic Goods

[edit] Families

The following are the families of the Mantis Clan:

[edit] Major Holdings

The bulk of the Mantis holdings are located on Shima no Koshinryo or Shima no Kinu. Others are in the much smaller Moshi and Tsuruchi territories on the mainland.

[edit] Samurai

See Samurai of the Mantis Clan for a listing of notable members of the clan, both current and historic. For the leaders of the clan, see also:

[edit] Schools & Paths

[edit] Schools

The following are the full Schools within the Mantis Clan:

[edit] Paths

The following are the Paths within the Mantis Clan:

References

  1. ↑ 3E p. 10
  2. ↑ 3E FAQ p. 3, 3E pp.12-13
  3. ↑ [1]
  4. ↑ 3E pp. 22-23
  5. ↑ [2]
  6. ↑ [3]
  7. ↑ [4]
  8. ↑ 3E pp. 7
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