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Otomo family
Otomo 
Organization: Imperial Families 
Founded: Year 7 
Daimyo: Otomo Terumoto 
"In difficulty lies opportunity." ([1])


The Otomo family was formed by Otomo, one of the followers of the original Hantei.

Duty[]

The family's purpose was to protect the Emperor from losing political power to the Great Clans, such as the situation with the original Gozoku. Using their power as the most prominent courtiers in Rokugan, the Otomo strived to maintain strife and conflict between the Great Clans, keeping them from unifying against the political power of the Emperor. [2] They served as courtiers, ambassadors, and keepers of the law in far-off provinces. They also were in charge of trade into and out of the Imperial City, as well as Imperial surveyors in any negotiations between clans. [3]

History[]

Otomo's followers[]

The early family was composed of those capable of helping to keep peace in the fledgling Empire. They were devious negotiators, often responsible for starting and ending conflicts with a few words to either side. [4]

Law system[]

The system of Rokugani law, called ritsuryo, was created in the 3rd century by the Otomo Daimyo, Otomo Kuchiru. [5]

Hantei[]

The Hantei who did not ascend to the throne stepped aside, renouncing their name to clear the line of the true Emperor. [6] They usually took the Otomo family name. [7]

Wasting Disease[]

In 1123 the madman Yogo Junzo opened the first of the Black Scrolls, the Wasting Disease. Much of the Otomo family died, terminating the various side-branches of the Hantei bloodline. [8]

Toturi Dinasty[]

The Otomo had retained their position during the rise of the Toturi Emperors through no small amount of manipulation, ambition, and sheer stubbornness. [9]

Second Gozoku[]

The Otomo family supported the Emperor Toturi III against the supporters of the Gozoku conspiracy. Its leader, Otomo Hoketuhime, made a bold move: retrieving the hidden Toturi's Daisho from Seppun control to publicly return it to the Emperor. [9]

Undermined by the Crane[]

In 1199 the Imperial Heir Iweko Seiken seized control of the Second City, and the Otomo had been tireless in keeping news of it out of the Imperial Court. The Crane, supporters of Iweko Shibatsu as next Emperor, maneuvered around the Otomo. [10] The Crane eventually brokered an alliance with the Scorpion Clan [11] to undermine the Otomo. [12] The Crane wished to seize power from the Otomo, so they agreed Scorpion courtiers would stay out of Crane affairs, and the Crane would stay out of Scorpion ones. The alliance would last until the end of winter. [13]

Politics[]

Daimyo of the Otomo[]

The following were the known daimyo of the Otomo family:

Otomo 7 - ?
Otomo Kuchiru 3rd century
Otomo Hokusai's father ? - 436
Otomo Hokusai 436 - ?
Otomo Sorai (c. 1122)
Otomo Ishihama (c. 1138)
Otomo Hoketuhime ? - 1170
Otomo Taneji 1170 - 1200
Otomo Terumoto 1200 - Present

Vassal Family[]

The following were the vassal families of the Otomo:

Within the family[]

Lands[]

The Otomo family held no actual provinces and thus has no peasants till farmlands for the Otomo, and the family controlled no territory larger than its own palace and associated village. They considered all the duties of landholders not only distractions, but actually beneath their calling. Kyuden Otomo was their seat of power. [14]

Otomo Mon[]

The Mon of the Otomo represented four snakes twined about one another and born from the same source, each attacking the other with no regard for its safety. It was a representation of the Otomo's purpose: to divide the Empire and maintain the absolute power of the Emperor. [1] Officially the Otomo claimed it was designed by Hantei Genji himself, but most probably dated from sometime following the Gozoku conspiracy. [15]

Schools[]

The Otomo family had a school of Seiyaku, which meant covenant or agreement. Its techniques focused on sowing distrust between the samurai of the clans. [1]

The following were the schools within the Otomo Family:

See also[]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, p. 100
  2. Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, p. 38
  3. Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, pp. 99-100
  4. Imperial Histories, p. 26
  5. Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, p. 39
  6. Footsteps of Madness (Ambition's Debt flavor)
  7. Blood Dawn, Part IV: Twisted Visions, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
  8. Imperial Histories, p. 152
  9. 9.0 9.1 Fires of Toshi Ranbo, Part One, by Rich Wulf
  10. Letters to the Clans – November 2014
  11. A New Alliance (The New Order flavor)
  12. New Factors (The New Order flavor)
  13. Scenes from the Empire: Halloween Deluxe Edition, by Robert Denton and Shawn Carman
  14. The Atlas of Rokugan, p. 229
  15. Secrets of the Empire, p. 117



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