The Shimizu family was founded in the 743rd year of the Empire, by Akodo Shimizu, as a reward for destroying the Maho-tsukai Agasha Enshoku, who was then masquerading as a Crane - Kakita Edako, one of the proposed brides of the Emperor. They are the lost fifth family of the Lion Clan

Contents 1 The Beginning of the End 2 The Fall of the Shimizu 3 Shimizu Legacy discovered 4 Shimizu Daimyo 5 References

The Beginning of the EndEdit

During Shimizu's time as daimyo of the family, all was well. It was not until the time of his great-grandson, Shimizu Tamayu that the family fell into maho.

In 827, Tamayu launched a military campaign against the neigboring lands of Ikoma Kuniomi, which ended in disaster. After this failure Tamayu turned to maho, summoning the oni that would become knowns as Oni no Tamayu.

His forces strengthed by his use of the foul blood magics, Tamayu subjugated Kuniomi's lands, as well as adding lands from Akodo Oko, Akodo Nage, and Akodo Kitako in the following years.

The Fall of the ShimizuEdit

In the year 911 Tamayu's great-grandson, Shimizu Otori launched a war against Akodo Miyawa. Miyawa's tactical skills were legendary, and not even the oni-enchanced force of Otori could overcome them, and the two forces were drawn into a war that would last a decade.

During the war, Otori's wife, Shimizu Riko, was trapped away from the family's lands. Shimizu Ohoshi, the child of Riko and Otori, was born away from the conflict, and saw none of it.

Having already begun his training as a bushi with the Akodo family, Ohoshi took their teachings about duty and honor to heart, although his parents didn't realise this until it was too late. Even at his young age, Ohoshi could sense there was something wrong with his parents, and he crept into the sub-chambers of the palace at night. What he found terrified him, as he witnessed his entire family engaging in the ritualized giving of blood unto an Oni.

Ohoshi left that night, and walked the 50 miles to the Akodo who had been his teachers and friends all his life.

Six years later, a vast Lion army marched towards the holdings of the Shimizu familiy, lead by a young man who had taken the name Akodo Giri at gempukku. The entire Shimizu family was slaughtered to the last man, and their holdings burned to the ground.

Most believe that the Shimizu were wiped out by a plague, although the Ikoma historians know otherwise, and no Lion is permitted to speak of the true downfall of the Shimizu, upon pain of death.

Shimizu Legacy discovered Edit

During the Winter court of 1170, historian Ikoma Hanshiro discovered that the brothers Kitsu Tenshin and Kitsu Tinshu were secret descendant of the Shimizu family. Luckily for them, Hanshiro could not find anything damning and so their secret remained hidden. ^[1]

Shimizu Daimyo Edit

Akodo Shimizu	743 - ?
Shimizu Tamayu	(c. 827)
Shimizu Otori	? - 927

References

• Secrets of the Lion Pages 87-88.
• Bearers of Jade Pages 97-100.

Sources Conflict The sources relating to this article are in conflict with each other.

In Bearers of Jade, the date for the founding of the Shimizu is given as 743 years after the First War, whereas Secrets of the Lion places this event simply at the year 743. Bearers of Jade, however, also references the fourth generation of the Shimizu in 827, a mere 42 years later. It must be assumed from this that the phrase referring to the War was an error and that 743 was the actual date of these events.