Koan (Shugenja)

Please note: This article is about the ronin shugenja. For other uses of the term, please see Koan (disambiguation).
Koan was a ronin monk and former shugenja.
== Tournament of Thunder ==
Koan won the Tournament of Thunder in 912. After retirement joined the Order of Strength, devoted to Bishamon, Fortune of Strength. Times of Treachery, by Shawn Carman
== Legacy of a Name ==
Over generations many ronin shugenja also were named Koan. Koan (Dark Allies flavor) The name resembled the sound of one hand clapping. The Destroyer War, Part 13, by Shawn Carman
== Koan 12th Century ==
=== Ronin Bandit ===
Another Koan in the 12th century was member of the Niban's gang, a bandit ronin. He was a loud, outspoken and confident ronin who lived in the Nightingale Village. Niban had founded the village in the hopes of impressing the Phoenix Clan enough to gain his men positions as vassals. Code of Bushido, p. 15
=== Setsuban Festival ===
To gain their attention, he sent Koan to compete in the Setsuban Festival Tournament. The Phoenix judges refused to allow a ronin entry into the tournament, so Niban stole the tournament's prize, a large cache of spell scrolls, and used them to barter Koan into the competition. Koan led by Tobuko, Niban's lieutenant, raided the caravan and stolen the scroll cache. In the fray Koan murdered the cache's keeper Iuchi Taiga. Code of Bushido, p. 11 They returned the cache upon promise Koan could enter the tournament, reaching the semi-finals. The winner was Isawa Uona. Code of Bushido, p. 17
=== Asako winter court ===
Koan and his young female apprentice, Uisako, attended the Asako winter court at Shiro Gisu. Code of Bushido, p. 19 Niban shall testify that Otomo Yoroshiku, Hantei XXXVIII's niece, was not of the imperial line, but Shiba Himitsu accused her before Niban had arrived. One of the many suitors of Yoroshiku, Ryuden, challenged Himitsu for the slight. Code of Bushido, p. 26
=== Nightingale Village ===
When a series of events led to the kidnapping of Yoroshiku by his band, that drew the attention of the Empire to the Nightingale Village, Code of Bushido, p. 39 Koan left it before it was leveled in the Battle at Nightingale Village. Way of the Wolf, p. 45
=== Satoshi's treachery ===
In 1125 Koan met his old friend the Miya Daimyo Miya Yoto in a waystation in the Fresh Soul's Road. Koan told he was pondering to join the fledging army of Toturi the Black. By surprise appeared Yoto'son, Miya Satoshi, who ordered to arrest his father, becoming the new Daimyo shortly before he moved to Winter Court at Kyuden Kakita. Koan fled before Satoshi's yojimbos caught him. Winter Court: Kyuden Kakita, pp. 38-40
=== Yumi's Quest ===
Koan later worked with Miya Yumi and Sanzo. He sent Yumi to visit her uncle Yoto, hoping she could convince him to escape and join the Toturi's Army. Yumi returned and told he refused, but counseled to find new allies against Satoshi. They moved toward Kyuden Ashinagabachi, expecting aid from the fledging Yoritomo's Alliance. Game Master's Guide; 2nd Ed, pp. 61-67 Once there, in 1127, they undertook a dangerous mission to the former Scorpion lands to discover a way to thwart Satoshi's quest for power. Time of the Void, p. 11 Yumi was searching the Kenshin's Helm, a cursed nemuranai. The Wasp Clan Champion Tsuruchi commanded Ashinagabachi Ichiro to guide them to the Traitor's Grove. There Yumi questioned Bayushi Tesaguri, whose spirit was trapped there. They later moved to the Phoenix lands, expecting to cross Beiden Pass undetected, as she believed there were enemies looking for her. Ichiro had left the party for a time, but Ichiro joined again the group. The Helm was hidden within the Phoenix lands, in the possession of one of the greater spawn of Uragirimono, another of the humans cursed by the nemuranai. Time of the Void, pp. 25-27 Tesaguri had told it was hidden at Doro Owari Mura, and that Yogo Junzo was seeking it. Time of the Void, p. 46 The nemuranai had been hid in a cave by Shosuro Hametsu alongside the 11th Black Scroll, the Doom of Fu Leng, but both items had been stolen by Uragirimono. Time of the Void, p. 48 Together, the four of them managed to uncover Miya Satoshi's treachery. Way of the Samurai, p. 81
=== See also ===
* Koan/Meta
== Sensei in the Shogun's Army ==
Koan joined the Shogun's camp, where he was importuned by Shiba Gyukudo. The yojimbo was enraged with the presence of a ronin beside him, and quickly began a fight with Koan, unsheathing his blade against an unarmed opponent. Despite it Koan managed to disarm and defeat Gyukudo, who soon knew the man who had defeated him would be his new sensei by Kaneka's command. Way of the Open Hand, pp. 5-6
== Order of Heroes ==
In 1165 when it was revealed that Matsu Goemon had become the Fortune of Heroes the current leader of the Order of Strength sect, also called Koan, created the Order of Heroes. He had been a student of the Order of Kanosei Furudera who went in pilgrimage, wandering throughout the Empire seeking something he called "the answer." Way of the Shugenja, p. 95
== Champions of Bushido ==
=== Village of Thunder ===
The same year Koan wished to defend Juujiro Mura, the Crossroads Village, from a bandit gang. The village once had been sacred to the Dragon of Thunder, who bequeathed the courage and indomitable spirit to the mortal race of men. Champions of Bushido, Part Two, by Shawn Carman The village lied near the borders of the territory of three Clans, Unicorn, Lion, and Dragon, but all were involved in the War of the Rich Frog, so they would not divert forces to save a minor village. Koan engineered how to gather defenders there. Champions of Bushido, Part One, by Shawn Carman
=== Gathering the Heroes ===
He sent word to the Lion Clan Champion, Matsu Nimuro, who sent two bushi, Ikoma Fujimaro and Matsu Masutaro, to investigate what happened there. Another monk of the sect had visited to Asako Katsuhito near the Kaiu Wall. a shugenja who regreted to had dabbled with maho, which led him to become a Bloodspeaker. Katsuhito deserted the Shogun's army and sought redemption in the peaceful temple told by the monk. Shiba Danjuro followed his tracks, to return with him back. Another monk had approached to Kakita Korihime at Toshi Ranbo, and also told her about the temple. Shortly before she was ordered to take a break in his station at the court, and commanded to go in pilgrimage. A third monk at Kyuden Bayushi deceived Yasuki Shikaro and made him to believe he was receiving sensible information about the Scorpion Clan. Shosuro Maru and Bayushi Muhito was aware of the Yasuki deals, and tracked the monk, marching toward the Crossroads Village. 
=== Meeting and Explanation ===
When the seven arrived to the village Koan appeared and explained the situation. Fourty eight bandits would arrive to ask the villagers tribute they would not afford. Two other villages had been already razed when they could not pay the quantity they would ask. The assembled men rallied to defend the village. 
=== Bandit Attack ===
The peasants were convinced by Maru to defend their home, and hastily built fortifications. The bandits, led by Kobuta, attacked the village. Katsuhito died in a suicide attack that killed the enemy shugenja in the bandit ranks, Muhito was grievously wounded, Masutaro died taking in return Kobuta's life, and only Maru was not bathered or injured. The village had survived at great cost. Champions of Bushido, Part Three, by Shawn Carman
=== True Champions of Bushido ===
Koan proclaimed they had represented the virtues of Bushido, becoming the Champions of Bushido. Korihime, Champion of Duty, Danjuro, Champion of Ji, Katsuhito, Champion of Honor, Fujimaro, Champion of Gi, Masutaro, Champion of Yu, Maru, Champion of Makoto, and Muhito, Champion of Rei. 
== War of Dark Fire ==
When in 1171 the Yobanjin Army of Fire approached the city of Heibeisu Koan, Jineko, and Kaiu Kiyoka prepared to fight. The War of Dark Fire, Part 11, by Shawn Carman and Nancy Sauer
== Destroyer War ==
In 1173 during the Destroyer War Koan was in the Magistrate's Keep not long before the Destroyers' approach. Shosuro Orikasa met him there. He could hear Orikasa's sister, the goryo Shosuro Rokujo. This encounter helped the young Scorpion courtier to realize that she wasn't mad. He advised Orikasa to leave the place, and foresaw her path had to come. The Destroyer War, Part 13, by Shawn Carman
== External Links ==
* Koan (Dark Allies)
Category:Ronin
Category:Members of the Brotherhood of Shinsei