The story so far - The Hare Clan

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== Session 1: Leaving Home ==
After receiving the letter Shinjo Takaaki put it away for the moment. 
There was some discussion amongst the Magistrates about what to do next. They listed off the major things that they needed to resolve:
* The Opium trade was at least now stable and less visible, so didn't need further action.
* The Situation with Fade was now in the hands of the other members of the Unicorn clan. 
* The Wind had been captured and revealed to be little more than a young girl with a monkey and was no longer a threat. 
* Tsurichi Okura remembered that Naritoki's assassin was the Eta mortician Eyebrows. However until now Eyebrows was too useful to kill until now.
Shinjo Tomoe went to find the magistrate's cousin Ashidaka Michitaka. She told him that they had found one of his cousin's murderers. 
She took him to the prison where he asked Eyebrows why he did what he did. Eyebrows replied that it was because the Magistrate was a participant in the Opium trade. Eyebrows was incensed and struck eyebrows down with his blade, before apologising to Tomoe. 
They found out that Shosuro Jocho was taking out the majority of the Scorpion troops to hunt down Fade and so many of the Unicorn Bushi had been pressed in to guarding the city. 
With their other business, Shinjo Takaaki read out the letter he had received: 
To the office of the Emerald Magistrate Shinjo Takaaki,
From Usagi Ozaki, Clan Champion of the Hare.
My good and honourable friend, I hope that this letter finds you well with a belly full of rice, your family in good health and the respect of your peers. 
It has been some time since we stood across each other in the sands of the Topaz championship. However I recall that even then you were a duellist of some skill and a person perceptive in the ways of both combat and investigation. Together with your colleagues you were a formidable force among the champions. I would like to invite you and your fellow magistrates to visit my beautiful home of Shiro no Usagi at your earliest convenience. 
There has been a disastrous misunderstanding between my clan and that of the honourable sons and daughters of Matsu, with which I require your aid. 
For the past 2 weeks I have been visiting Kyuden Ikoma, seeking a political marriage for my younger Sister Tomoe. However last night unfortunate events have transpired and now I stand convicted of a murder of a Lion clan Magistrate that I once considered my friend. 
I write this from an inn on my way back to my homeland. I hope that you might be able to assist me and clear my name. I know very little of the law and would seek your wise counsel. My dreams grow dark and I feel you are the only hope for my family and my clan, lest we go the way of the Badger clan whose Daimyo was assassinated at the Topaz Championship and have never recovered from that blow..
If you do decide to come, you will be my most honoured guests and sweet wines, fresh food and fine Saki shall flow in abundance. 
Your friend
Usagi Ozaki
Anzu was still owed a question from the monks of Daikoku, so he went and asked them: "What is the question that the Hare Clan Champion wishes the answer to?" The answer was uncharacteristically straight forward. 
"On the top floor of Hiruma castle.". The castle had long been swallowed by the shadowlands. 
They arranged a servant and horses and set off through the well maintained lands of the Scorpion heading North West. 
As they left the domain of the Scorpion the land became less settled. Villages were further apart and separated by large areas of flat plains and grassland. The winds howled loudly across the flat plains and painted a picture of a less wealthy land. 
On their ride, Tsurichi Okura and Shinjo Tomoe found a broken fence. Climbing over they found several monstrous foot prints, almost certainly Ogres. 
Okura snuck ahead and scouted them. The beasts were arguing over who was going to build the fire to cook the pig. Okura informed the others and they rode in slashing or shooting at the ogres, with Iuchi Ayana. 
They focused down the one that was attacking Iuchi Ayana as a group and then paired off against their opponents. Each of them took several fell blows to kill. Okura destroyed the arms of one of them and they fled and when one was dead and another a hair from death, they broke and fled, overwhelmed by the Sin of Fear. 
Once out on the open grassland the Magistrates were able to run them to ground with ease. 
They burnt the bodies and once purified in flame and cleansed by a shugenja, the blackened teeth were fashioned in to a necklace, a trophy of the victory. 
Continuing onwards they arrived at the hare castle where Osagi Usaki greeted them warmly, invited them inside, The castle was sturdy but modest. 
His arm hung limp in a sling, but he lost none of his warmth as he invited them to the court of his father the Daimyo. 
== Session 2: The Investigation ==
In the castle of the Hare they stood before the Daimyo of the clan and his son the clan Champion. 
Usage Oda: "Usagi Tomoe is now of age to marry and whilst we are still a minor clan she is both a Shugeja and the daughter of a Daimyo. My son Usagi Ozaki too is without a wife and hence an heir. So I sent them both to Kyuden Ikoma, so that they might strengthen our ties to the Lion, after an incident in which our ties with the Lion had become strained. "
Usage Ozaki: "We arrived early in the Summer and were given a lovely house in the foothills of the Mountain. We spent most of our time visiting with the noble families of the Ikoma and Kitsu. Whilst there, I befriended a magistrate by the name of Matsu Akira. An honourable man with a gentle sense of humour, though he was not of sufficient rank to be a suitable suitor and had already taken an ugly injury to the neck in a duel that left him with a rasping voice. A few weeks ago as our stay was coming to an end, it was looking very unlikely that we would find a suitable match and we were in the city searching for suitable gifts to bring back to our Father. When through the crowd I heard Akira’s distinctive voice talking to a masked ronin. I was somewhat uncouth and waved to him. I saw him raise a hand in return, then it dropped and I lost sight of him among the people. I dashed forward, drawing my blade and the crowd parted. When I reached Akira I saw him with blood on his robes and clutching a scroll case as he fell to his knees. Outraged, I turned to confront the Ronin and attacked, but the Ronin did not draw his blade to defend himself and I cut him down in one blow. The crowd panicked and surged around me. My sword was knocked from my hand and I struggled to keep my footing. When the crowd dispersed I found my blade struck into the belly of my friend. I rushed over to him. He pushed the scroll case into my hands and said “Warn him” before the light left his eyes. Closing his eyes, I stood up and saw Lion guards approaching with murder in their eyes. So I retrieved my blade and ran, as I could see I would not have an opportunity to explain myself. Myself and Tomoe fled the city under the protection of her spirits and I wrote to you as soon as I got away."
He showed them and allowed them to copy the mysterious scroll. 
Usagi Oda: “Two days ago we received a missive from the Lion Clan Daimyo and his wife the clan Champion. A trial was held in his absence and a number of witnesses, some of high standing came forward and confirmed that they saw my son kill first the Ronin and then Matsu Akira. Obviously this is untrue, but the Lion once roused is a terrible fury and words will not calm it. They have declared him guilty and have demanded the head of my only son. Ozaki has requested to give himself up to the Lion to assuage their bloodlust, however I have denied this request. For whilst his desire to sacrifice his life for his family does him credit, to do so would be tantamount to a confession of guilt and would stain the honour of our entire clan for generations to come. Besides, my scouts inform me that the Lion clan are already mobilising for an assault, though it may take many days to mobilise and even longer to march from their barracks.“ 
Tomoe, Oda's daughter and Ozaki's sister mentioned that there could be a useful prophecy. According to her, it was a gift from a visiting Dragon clan monk upon the day of her father's coronation as Daimyo. (Though they also admit that they don't know. Maybe it's just a bad attempt at 
Although her father seemed unhappy that she bought it up. He mentioned that the blade probably refers to the Hare Clan sword, which was lost a long time ago. Their founder was once a Crab from the Yasuki Family who was cast out and became a Ronin. He volunteered to go in to Ryoko Owari when it was occupied by Bloodspeakers loyal to the dread Iuchiban (Though he himself was being fought elsewhere at the time). For an entire week he sabotaged the defences and supplies of the city, fighting a constant running battle with its defenders and eventually when the army arrived, they found the gate damaged and the defenders in chaos. This allowed them to sweep the city clean of Iuchiban's forces and cleanse the taint that lingered there. For this he was awarded his own minor clan and a blade from the Emperor. 
The poem read: 
In shadowed summer
A Great beast stalks beyond walls
Ancient Hare's first blade
Pulled from darkness by an heir
Renews a clan's Hope
Anzu immediately connected this to her question to the monks of Daikoku. 
What Ozaki sought was in the Hiruma clan castle in a certain room on the top floor. The castle lies some distance inside the Shadowlands away from the wall. So any journey there may be perilous. 
However Taakaki questioned what actual benefit the sword would bring and Ozaki admitted that he was not sure, beyond some morale boost to the clan.
As they were magistrates they decided that it would be a better use of their time to investigate the crime in question and prove Ozaki's innocence. 
They set out in the morning with supplies ad rode out in to Lion lands towards Kyuden Ikoma. 
After 2 days they encountered a large Lion army, the 1st Akodo army on the road (About 10,000 soldiers, although only about 20% are Samurai), bearing the banner of the Matsu Clan Champion Matsu Tsuko, Matsu Rino's mother and wife of the Lion Daimyo Akodo Toturi. 
The scouts allowed them to pass and Akodo Mokusei, general of the army rode out to greet them. The Magistrates knew him from their time in the Crab lands where he helped lead their forces to victory. He let them know that they haven't actually received authorisation from the Emperor yet, so are only going as far as the border until it arrives.
Matsu Rino also came out, but she seemed more keen on the upcoming battle. Without a war, there was no way for the Bushi under their command to prove themselves and earn glory in battle. They moved to the side of the road to let the army pass 
Moving beyond the army they arrived in Kyuden Ikoma the next day where the Unicorn clan ambassador to the Ikoma family Ike Macha invited them to stay. 
In the morning their investigation began in earnest. With Iuchi Ayana, Tsurichi Okura and Anzu going to visit the scene of the crime, whilst Shinjo Taakaki and Shinjo Tomoe went to visit the widow of the Matsu Akira, he was not simply a Lion magistrate, but the chief magistrate of Kyuden Ikoma, a rival family of his own. 
His widow Matsu Midori, was grieving and dressed all in white when the Magistrates arrived. She invited them to look around, but as Akira kept most of his notes in his head until they were compiled in to official reports, he had not left any notes about the ronin that he was meeting with. 
She mentioned that Akira had been troubled by something and had said he met somebody strange, a ronin wearing a clown mask but had not elaborated. 
His cases did not include any unusual activity. Though he had killed a bloodspeaker about a month ago. 
Back at the scene of the crime, they interviewed the inn keeper of the two rivers inn. This innkeeper (named "Kappu" or "Cup") did not require people to leave their swords to be cleaned, as it was frequented by a large number of Ronin, for whom their sword was their most valued possession. The masked figure was not exceptionally unusual and the inn keeper did not listen in to the affairs of his customers, but did confirm that they had spoken the day before the murder as well as the day of the murder. When the Ronin came in on the second day, he was carrying a scroll case. 
The innkeeper does employ bouncers, but his guard was sat inside at the time of the incident and the street did not have peddlers or market stalls outside despite how busy it was. 
There were no current witnesses except for a beggar expertly located by Okura who said that the Magistrate was stabbed before Ozaki drew his blade, most likely due to a knife. 
It also seems as though the masked Ronin was a complete unknown in Ronin society. 
Meeting up they conclude that whilst the are certain that the Hare have been set up, there are no witnesses of sufficient rank to overturn the guilty verdict of the Lion clan. 
== Session 3: A Quest for Allies ==
Realising that they could do little in Kyuden Ikoma, they raced back to the hare clan, passing the army, some 10,000 strong at a best estimate (Although only about 20% seemed to be Samurai, the rest being Ashigaru men at arms, engineers, support staff. servants and other camp followers.), this time simply riding around it and heading straight through to Hare clan lands and back to the castle, where workers were working hard digging ditches and other earthworks. 
They announced that Usagi Ozaki's house arrest was over and met with the Hare war council. 
They proposed sending both Tomoe and her younger brother to be fostered by the Fox clan, given their historical strong ties to the Hare and Ozaki could come with them. 
Oda and his general pointed out that their forces were limited. 
They had only about 1,000 blood members of the clan in the Samurai caste. However about half of them were either too young, too old or unskilled in the arts of war, leaving about 500 Samurai and about 4,500 peasant Ashigaru. Even with a strong defenders advantage, alone they would be helplessly outmatched by just one of the Lion clan legions and so far they were aware of two Lion legions on the move to the Hare border. As they rode back Iuchi Ayana made further progress on deciphering the scroll. (10/50 successes), but its complexity made it slow progress. 
Fortunately the land of the Hare was something of a breadbasket, so they had substantial reserves of money set aside for just such an eventuality. In addition, the Crane clan had the 3rd Daidoji Heavy Infantry drilling on the Thunder plains. Oda had sent a request for aid as soon as the Lion clan began to gather their forces. If the Daidoji legion responded immediately to his message then they would arrive about a week after the Lion clan. However if they hesitated and asked for confirmation from their Daimyo it could take them a full month before they would arrive. 
Taakaki also realised that the Lion would need to use a Unicorn pass to access the Hare lands easily. Anzu and Iuchi Ayana together wrote a letter asking the Unicorns to delay them with checks and confirmations. 
Oda asked the Magistrates to aid him in finding support. There were two groups Oda suggested and two the the Magistrates knew.
* The Forest Killer Ronin were a large and organised group of bandit Ronin that occupied a huge swathe of forest to the East bordering the Thunder Plains. They had a reputation as ruthless and brutal killers, but their services could likely be purchased for money.
* On the Thunder Plains its self lay the Temple of Osano-Wo, Fortune of Thunder. The most militant and physically focused of the great temples. Their abbot had rebuffed the Hare clan messenger, but the Temple respects strength and martial prowess above all other things, so the Magistrates may have greater success than any Hare messenger. 
*Back in Ryoko Owari the Widows of the Wall had served them in the Opium war. Led by Hase (Long Valley, a former Crane). 
*They also knew the identity of Fade AKA Otaku Isas, Cousin of Utaku Genshi, who they knew well. His bandits were a perpetual thorn in the side of the Thunder Guard and would be very effective if they could be hired. 
So they set the letter off to Unicorn lands, although they were perhaps not as eloquent as they might have wanted to be. 
Thankfully Taakaki realised that each of the groups they wished to visit lay in approximately a straight line. First the two at Ryoko Owari, then The Temple of Osano-Wo ad the Forest Killers. From there, they and Ozaki could travel to Hiruma Castle in the Shadowlands and attempt to retrieve the Hare clan ancestral sword. Although it would be cutting it fine if they would be able to return before the castle is besieged. 
At Ryoko Owari they entered through the North gates guarded by Unicorn soldiers and split up, with Taakaki and Okura going to the Unicorn apartments to meet with Utaku Genji. They seated Ide Baranato in the next room to listen in. Genji said that her cousin Otaku Isas would be interested in helping, but he would need a magistrate's pardon for his soldiers. Otado tried to make a loose commitment to helping them in the future, but Genji told them that her cousin was disillusioned by Scorpion lies and half truths. As they weren't prepared to use their position to pardon his soldiers then she said she would pass on the message, but did not expect him to accept. 
Tomoe went to visit her lover Kitsuki Tansen and found him decorating her apartment with live climbing roses and mirrors to allow them to grow indoors. He had been planning to propose once she returned, but he wasn't expecting her back so soon. She asked him to escort the two younger Hare Clan heirs to Kyuden Kitsune where they would be safe. However he warned, that the Fox clan would not be able to resist any military or political pressure from a Great Clan if their return was requested. 
Iuchi Ayana and Anzu went to see the Widows of the wall. Their captain Hase, was drinking in the Crab Caves on the North West side of the city. The two of them made their case, but did not lie about their odds. Hase countered that money was fine, but against two or more Lion Legions she would need to be able to give her Ronin some hope that they would return. She asked if the Magistrates would be fighting alongside them. They said that they would, but were going to the Shadowlands first and could not be certain if they would return. 
Anzu did ask Dove, who point blank refused as she had an existing contract, but she did say that she would check to see if others would be interested. 
Okura asked Tai of the Mantis. She hinted that she might know some people who could fight for money, but might not quite call them Ronin. 
However with time pressing on them, they rode out as soon as their business was complete, stopping only for them to purchase powdered jade (As their original supply had decayed), which significantly depleted their annual budget. 
Riding out across the Thunder Plains the area grew more stormy as they travelled. Eventually reaching Shinden Osano-Wo (The Temple of Osano-Wo), the vast temple was built on one of the very few pieces of high ground in the area, with massive basalt foundations and rooves that reached up to the sky, with heavy copper rods conducting the lightning of the regular storms of the region. 
The surrounding countryside was lush and fertile with peasants and monks working together to tend the fields. 
There were guards on the gate, but the front entrance of the temple was a maze of traps and obstacles. A wall was pivoted and driven by water to crush people that did not have the strength to resist it, A greased pole needed to be climbed, traps and deadfalls were painful but not deadly. Anzu fell and suffered numerous scrapes and bruises, but they all made it eventually to the huge brass gates. They were unguarded, but it took the strength of the entire group to move them, as they were counterweighted on the other side. 
Inside the Abbot, a fat but muscular man by the name of Fudoka, greeted them and when they explained their mission, asked why they should join this war. He needed to test their conviction before he would lend his monks to their cause. 
Anzu, unprompted came out and immediately challenged the abbot to a bo staff fight, much to the monks' surprise. 
She came out swinging with an impressive swipe, almost causing the abbot to lose his footing and indeed one foot did leave the ground. However centring his power made him as immovable as the mountain and with a powerful clap of his hands knocked Anzu and Ayana over with the shockwave. However Anzu's strike and her boldness impressed her. He agreed that his monks would lend their aid. 
He bought out the original challenge that he intended, a bare fist test of Jiujutsu against one of their most promising young students. 
The monk beat Okura easily, but the test was not to see if the young monk could be beaten, but if the Samurai would be willing to face death for their conviction. Okura's efforts were appreciated, but ultimately he failed the test as he yielded when injured. Fortunately however Anzu had already secured his cooperation. 
Next they need to travel to the home of the Forest Killers and from there onwards to the Shadowlands. 
== Session 4: The Ronin of the Shinomen Mori and the lands beyond the Wall ==
Anzu advised that if they wanted to contact the Ronin of Shinomen More (The Hidden Forest), they would be best seeking out the town of White Walls; Zakyo Toshi.
They put on a serious pace, knowing that they had a limited window of time before the Lion clan would arrive at the Hare lands. However Anzu fell behind frequently. Rather than slow to match her pace, Taakaki picked her up one-handed from her saddle and made her ride on his horse behind him. 
With that, they made reasonable speed to the town. 
They approached not wearing the mons of the Emerald Magistrates, but their own personal heraldry. On the gates were a couple of Ronin guards in the city's heraldry. When they said they were there to hire mercenaries the guards were keen to welcome them and pointed them to an inn. 
Heading in, the streets seemed relatively empty for a place of it's size, and the population seemed lacking in peasants, rather it was dominated by Ronin and the merchants selling to them. 
In a crowd they spotted a personal mon with a mark reflecting the Topaz Championship. It was Toku, a man they had not been particularly close with but who did conduct himself with honour. 
He explained that he was seeking a hidden Ronin Dojo, but was in no hurry. The Magistrates explained that they were looking to hire armies of Ronin. So he agreed to help out and get them an audience tomorrow. He gave a bit of a run-down of the local factions.
The forest killers were the most organised group, boasting a Dojo of their own, but were largely considered to be little more than bandits. Led by a hardened killer named Yoshi.
The Low-born were the most numerous but also the least well trained. Mostly peasants who had chosen to adopt the Ronin life to escape their life of drudgery. Their leader was called Kuso.
There was a group comprised primarily of Shugenja led by a woman known as Ofuda, but he knew little of her.
Finally there was Aireiko, head of a group of former Clan Samurai who were still keen to reconcile themselves and return to being clan Samurai.
Toku recommended the Starry Inn, which whilst a little rudimentary compared with Ryoko Owari, offered clean and pleasant rooms.
In the morning Toku took them to see Kuso, the head of Kuso's army at a gambling house called the Chicken Dinner and convinced him that his people would be best employed harassing the caravans and supplies of the army. With reassurances from Anzu he gladly accepted the offer and discussing the finer points with Usagi Ozaki came to a deal.
After that they went to the area of the city set aside for Shrines, where they met Ofuda, a woman with paper charms suspended from hair pins on either side of her face. She didn't get up or turn around but spoke to them and asked them why she should support them, speaking cryptically of the Mandate of Heaven. The Magistrates convinced her that they fought to safeguard the existence of a minor clan that had done no wrong against false charges bought against them. She reached out and touched Tomoe behind the ear and stared in to her eyes before declaring that she felt satisfied and agreeing to commit her priests to the effort.
Finally they visited Aireiko, who was mustering people on the docks. The magistrates pleaded their case and Aireiko ushered forward a woman with dyed blonde hair. She gave a very formal battle assessment of what a Lion against Hare war might look like. However Taakaki countered that he had raised far more forces than the Lion anticipated. So she conceded that the situation was not hopeless. Aireiko was willing to agree, but insisted that Ozaki be included in the deal as he was eminently single and desirable. They talked in private and he talked her down to allow him a year to find another wife before she could claim his hand and that he would introduce her in social situations. 
She also mentioned a more minor Ronin leader named Kuu, who they found in a Geisha house having her hands and feet pampered. They learned she was a Geisha once who slew her lover and found the act of killing to be so gratifying that she took her lovers swords and ran away from that life to find a new one. She wasn't hard to convince given that she seemed utterly psychotic and revelled in murder. 
With all the Ronin bar the Forest Killers recruited they mentioned putting in good word with Kitsuki Jotemon or the Hard Clan Dojo. He agreed to work for them and would stay behind to marshal troops.
They rode South down towards the Carpenter Wall. The border guards checked them over carefully but one they had done so, they knew the stories and were impressed by the Magistrates. So escorted them down and through the wall.
Once in the Shadowlands it was not cold and moist as it was last time, now it was hot and dry with a fine ash upon the wind.
They came across a creature, part man, part spider who they recognised as seeming similar to Kaiu Shinya from Ryoko Owari. However he knew nothing of the magistrates nor of Ryoko Owari or having a wife. He claimed he was hunting the creature that took everything from him and had been here for years. They offered him death, but he declined as he would not rest until he killed the beast.
They came across an abandoned Crab camp with no disturbance at all and even found a little extra jade, but its stillness and the lack of any struggle were disturbing themselves. 
Later in the day they found a small band of goblins that they effortlessly slew. 
Then Anzu's horse nearly fell into a terrible grasping quicksand that clawed at her poor horse. However Taakaki and Tomoe together were able to pull her and the horse free with their own horses.
They sought a place to camp for the night but Tomoe was unable to find anything. The few possible sites were subtly dangerous with spikes beneath the soil or terrible biting insects from a nearby tree, which hurt Anzu and Taakaki. 
However Taakaki eventually stumbled across footprints leading to a hidden Crab scout camp. The five warriors, 3 heavily armoured, 2 lightly and Shugenja invited them in and allowed them to rest and sleep by their fire. 
However as they slept the controlled bodies of the Crab soldiers moved against them and attacked the Magistrates and attacked their prone forms 
== Session 5: The Ambush of Kommei No Oni ==
Iuchi Ayana was resting at home in a warm soft bed in the Magistrate's residence of Ryoko Owari. She rolled over and pulled at her sheets, which seemed to crumble in her hand to coarse sand. She reached over and suddenly the bedding, the blanket and the floor turned to quick sand filled with hundreds of tiny clawed hands that scratched at her skin. She woke with a start seeing the very real threat of one of the Crab scouts slashing down at her with a wickedly sharp katana. Her scrolls were not to hand and so she rolled away grabbing her scrolls and fled the crater which was their camp site.
Shinjo Taakaki roused by his horse rolled to the side and with his Nodachi swiftly cut the legs out from under his attacker and then followed up with an upward strike to the chin that left the soldier near incapacitated in pain.
Tomoe likewise grabbed her Katana, slashing at her adversary and whistling her horse over, but this one was luckier and took the bulk of the injury to his heavy armour. 
Nearby they could see the leader of the scouts, a tall woman in full armour bodyguarding the tainted individual in robes from earlier.
Okura was the only one without a direct adversary. He found that his bow had been kicked away but was able to lunge for it and in a practiced motion took a single shot against the robed figure who seemed to be controlling the Crabs, but in such tight confines was unable to get a clean shot, so could only wing them in the shoulder.
The robed figure strode over to Taakaki and slashed him with horribly sharp claws, before exhaling a thick yellow fog that filled the small crater. Fortuately everybody had the wherewithal to hold their breath. 
The remaining 2 lightly armoured scouts swung for the dangerous Shugenja and Anzu and the remaining heavy trooper (The one that wasn't incapacitated or guarding the robed figure) struck Tomoe. Without their armours they were very vulnerable.
Anzu feeling under-armed for this fight retreated up the edge of the crater to relative safety.
Iuchi Ayana tried to destroy the Crab with Jade, but whilst it was very effective at piercing the defences of tainted mystics, it did not fare well in the face of metal armour.
Taakaki and Tomoe tried to clear the way again, but this time with far less success and both called for the support of their loyal steeds to help them escape the cloying yellow mists, whilst battling the controlled Samurai. 
This left only Anzu and Okura in the crater. Anzu breathed in the terrible fog and she briefly lost consciousness as it pulled her soul from her body. Okura was more resilient, but when the robed demon slashed him with his claws and exhaled again, he was forced to take a breath. 
Anzu and Okura regained their senses, only to find themselves carrying the wrong weapons and being the wrong height, but still fighting for their lives. The Kommei-no-Oni had tried to inhale their souls together, but could only consume one heroic spirit at a time. As it was able to consume neither, the souls returned, but in the chaos, returned to very much the wrong bodies. 
The crab soldiers meanwhile inflicted terrible wounds on the soldiers, seemingly immune to the gas. 
Okura ran to Anzu and they exchanged weapons in the confusion. Taakaki went out to protect Ayana from the forces outside 
The demon sent his soldiers out to chased down Iuchi Ayana and her guardian. But in their heavier armour they were unable to make a good strike against them and instead surrounded them to prevent an escape. Thankfully Tomoe and Taakaki were able to break the back of the soldiers and whilst not all of them were immediately killed, they were taken out of the fight.
In the wake of the battle Iuchi Ayana strained herself to heal the wounds of her companions. However there was only a finite amount of jade to go around, which she bound in to the bandages with expert care. 
They managed to reach a cave entrance, Ayana's spells completely exhausted. They got what sleep they could.
However the question was, with only a single pouch of jade and a handful of jade fingers, could they really hope to strike a heavily guarded Hiruma castle. When scouting it, they could see that its gatehouse was manned by a large group of goblins.
After some deliberation they decided that they could not give up with their goal in reach. So pressed on. 
== Session 6: Hiruma Castle ==
A closer observation showed about 10 goblins on the tall main gate above its imposing yet corroded brass gates, the fields around the castle were fetid swamps with strange trees, tended by zombies in conical hats, a mockery of a true Clan Samurai's castle. 
Usagi Osaki volunteered to scout the perimeter before sunset and report back. He seemed nervous about a sprint around the Shadowlands on his own, but after an hour he returned, reporting a great rent in the wall on the East side, but this was guarded by some goblins. He added that there was no sign of banners that would indicate nobles in residence. Whilst the Shadowlands was but a parody of Clan Samurai, it was known that their fallen troops mimicked this tradition at times.
They felt the gap was too risky, so it would be better to scale the walls. Okura in the diminutive Anzu's body stood ready with a rope and arrow. However on the way over Anzu in Okura's body made too much noise in her armour. Even with a spell from Iuchi Ayana, the clattering drew the goblin guards which began to pelt the Samurai with corrosive tar, terrible pots of bile and assorted other bits of detritus. Fortunately they were largely able to dodge them and Tomoe summoned her horse as they moved around to the hole in the wall which was their backup plan.
In the gap stood a pair of hulking ogres. However the Samurai were experienced with such things and cut down one as things continued to be thrown down on them from the walls. 
Moving through into the courtyard was a host of angry goblins of all ages, from old haggard ones to young goblin spawn. They swarmed the samurai with reckless abandon. 
From the side a waifish woman reclining on a bier watched the fight with mild interest. The bier was held aloft by a quartet of slightly sturdier zombies. 
Suffering from the numerous slings, spears, cookpots and bare teeth of the creatures they slowly whittled down their substantial numbers. Until Taakaki held aloft the Ogre head and threw in among the goblins with a terrifying battle cry. This caused them to scatter terrified. 
With the courtyard rapidly clearing of foes, the woman congratulated them between bouts of anemic coughing. She was a courtier named Tokukura that lived here, she was not a warrior and so her family had left her behind. 
Okura asked her if she knew a three eyed Bloodspeaker and as it happened, she did. So Okura gave her a gift to pass on to that Bloodspeaker, a single arrow with the message "Kind regards" and she said she would. 
Tomoe, Anzu and Ayana stayed to chat with her and Tomoe pondered killing the seemingly defenceless girl, but she eventually decided against it. 
Okura and Taakaki pushed forward. The ground floor of the castle was nearly abandoned and the floorboards had rotted through leaving only uneven lumps of driftwood that had been cut to serve as paths. Pressing through filthy rooms divided by stretches of unidentified leather, they found the detritus of filthy goblin hovels and nests before finding some stairs.
The stairs however terminated as the castle rooms above had collapsed and the moved East further into the castle where they found a grizzly trophy room filled with skulls and heads of numerous creatures. Ayana was fascinated to find what appeared to be the severed head of a Nezumi. The rat-creatures that predated the Empire. At the urging of her ancestor she took it and hid it in her bag despite it being unclean and tainted.
Here they found a new set of stairs leading up, but Okura's keen eye spotted a trap. The first step was connected to an old cracked and corroded bell several feet tall suspended on rope. If anybody touched the step it would fall down slamming in to anybody on the steps and likely throwing them from a window in the process. They carefully stepped around it. 
A nasal voice screamed "Who dares disturb the Exalted Ugu?" and a pair of incorporeal ghostly figures wearing blindfolds with a symbol on the cloth stepped out in Hiruma armour and each carrying a Nodachi. Tomoe swung, but her blade sailed through their forms harmlessly. 
She turned back to Ayana, but she had seen the rotting face of one of the Samurai, a face not dissimilar to her own and was reminded viscerally that if she died here, she would be stuck here forever and all rational thought fled as Anzu tried to step around them to seek out the mysterious sorcerer that had bound the ghosts. 
== Session 7: The Hare Clan sword: ==
Anzu, Okura, Takaaki and Ayana moved around the ghosts. One of whom attacked Ayana, but their blindfolds left them unable to reliably target their foes. 
Tomoe selflessly taunted the second ghost grabbing its attention focusing both of their attacks on herself, whilst the others went hunting for the sound of the goblin shaman that had bound the ghost. 
They explored three rooms (A courtier's bedroom, a room full of stacked corpses and an abattoir of bodies suspended from meat hooks. 
Ayana rallied herself, shaking off the waves of fear of seeing the terrible bound ghosts. 
This left only one potential room remaining. The door beyond was pitch black but small footsteps could be heard inside. Within Exalted Ugu was shrouded in darkness.
Anzu in Okura's body stormed in whilst Okura and Takaaki took shots into the room. Anzu was hit by a terrible body wracking pain that left them vulnerable and injured and the goblin followed up with a sharpened stick under the armpit where the armour was more limited. But they did manage to connect with the goblin, injuring it badly. 
A stray arrow from Okura hit his former body by chance which was unfortunate and painful. However when the goblin squealed in pain, the noise was enough for Taakaki to home in on his prey and eliminate the terrible monster with his Nodachi. 
With the shaman eliminated and her head clear, Ayana realised that the ghosts were bound by a spell on their blindfold. They could only touch living flesh, so blood, salt or bare hands would work. The Goblin had kept the Samurai ghosts blind, so that they would not know who they were attacking. But Tomoe hearing Ayana's words ripped the blindfold from one of the ghosts. Once one was free it helped the other and the two ghosts bowed in gratitude to Tomoe for setting them free of the binding spell. 
Once the ghosts had expressed their gratitude in the combat sign-language of the crab and directed them to the treasure room, they picked their way through the remaining traps and climbed up to the top floor where they found the treasure room. 
It contained a number of rusted red pillars with tainted prizes atop. A huge black Oni skull, Tomoe tried to destroy it with her bisento. Whilst she scored it deeply leaving a deep cut in it, but the blade began to rapidly corrode and fall apart. There was also a huge obsidian mirror hung against one wall. However Ozaki found his ancestral sword in the corner. 
With the sword secured they tried to leave, but from the treasure vault emerged five shadows in the shapes of the magistrates and once they hit the wall, they saw the banners of a Shadowlands army belonging to the Steed.
However with only minor difficulties they were able to fight their way back to the lines of the Crab and with the code phrase they were admitted through its mighty gates.
Heading back at best speed to the Hare Clan Castle, the Magistrates paused, unfurling back banners with the seal of the Emerald Magistrate made by Shinjo Sugai, they marched down to the Lion clan encampments outside the castle. 
After much work and the use of a powerful fire spell, Iuchi Ayana had decoded the message:
"On the Thirteenth day of the Rooster, at Noon, Matsu Tsuko and her daughter is your target. You must kill both and avoid suspicion. You may use the poison enclosed, then the attack may begin. Once done, go to Otusan Ichi for next orders."
They were greeted politely by Akodo Totori, the Daimyo of the Lion clan and his generals, including Matso Tsuko (the Matsu clan champion) and Matsu Rino (Fellow Topaz Championship winner and daughter of Totori and Tsuko). He heard their concerns about the validity of the Hare attack and was grateful that they had uncovered this plot. However without a confession or other proof, they would not call off the attack. The machinery of war was already in movement, it could not be stopped now without a grave loss of face. 
Though Taakaki did ask them to consider what the Empire would think of them if it was revealed that the pretence for the invasion was a mere ruse.
== Session 8: The Ritual ==
Akodo Totori politely but firmly stated that this was his final decision and whilst the magistrates were free to stay the night in their encampment, as it was an active battlefield, he advised them to move on. 
As the magistrates rose to leave Matsu Rino followed them out. She apologised for her father, who followed the writing of the Kami Akodo religiously, whose book Leadership, stated that indecisiveness and hesitation were much worse for an army than moving in the wrong direction. He would not change his mind without far better evidence. 
She revealed that the Lion had not been careless and left their land unattended, with 7 legions pulled back from the borders so that there was nowhere that they could respond with multiple legions to any incursion by their neighbours within a day. Totori suspected the Crane would send a legion and had a reserve legion of his own nearby. He hoped that this would bait the Crane into an attack without appropriate justification. 
She suggested that there were 4 possible ways to save the Hare clan:
* Join them and help them win the battle.
* Persuade the Hare Daimyo to give up his son.
* Solve the mystery of the Magistrate's murder and gain the confession of the true killer.
* Find some suitable dupe and force them to confess to the crime.
Whilst the final option seemed oddly uncharacteristic for a Lion Samurai, they still rejected condemning an innocent to death unjustly. They knew the Daimyo would not willingly give up his son and they did not wish to become bogged down in a battle that was not their own. 
This left only the option of solving the mystery. Ryoko Owari had a number of specialists who might be able to help with the investigation including the Emerald Magistrate and Topaz Champion Seppen Sugai. As well as Kitsuki Oki and Iuchi Sadako who had an interest in intrigue and gossip, so they resolved to return there and hope that the Hare could hold out for a time. 
So they stayed the night before setting off again in the morning arriving to the city gates the next morning where they were welcomed by Unicorn guards.
Inside they visited Seppen Sugai and updated them on the recent news of the city. The Eta quarter was in a quiet rebellion that was proving difficult to put down. The Thunderguard had not yet returned from hunting Fade who was hitting more merchant targets than ever and there had been a spree of drunkenness by Samurai and peasants alike. He wanted them back as soon as they had finished their investigations. He seemed frustrated about the distance between himself and his former family.
They showed him the cipher scroll, which seemed to give him a headache and he claimed to not know anything about it.
There was speculation that the Scorpion clan must do something to people who join other families to prevent their secrets from being compromised. But Shinjo Sumi was still in the Imperial city of Otusan Ichi. However Shosuro Kimi was around in the Unicorn apartments and whilst she couldn't read it, she confirmed that this did appear to be a high level Scorpion diplomatic cipher, or a code that used the same symbols. Only somebody who could read the Cipher would be able to tell the difference. 
So they visited Iuchi Sadako with Kitsuki Oki. When they were invited in to her home she had a large board covered by a curtain that included all the major personalities of the city including the magistrates themselves.
Anzu was noted as being suspicious as being a Ronin who earned such a high office. Tsurichi Okura was listed as "Mermaid?", Tomoe was suspicious for turning down a match with the Governesses son, Iuchi Ayana "Snake cultist?" and Taakaki's marriage to a prominent Scorpion was also called in to question. Along with all the other major people of the city. 
She confirmed that the cipher did appear to be a Scorpion design, but the only person who could confirm it was the Governess. 
So they split up. Iuchi Ayana took Anzu and Okura to the temple of Ameterasu and using a spell to bolster her mind, devised a new spell to help move their souls back to the correct bodies. However this was her first time inventing a spell of this magnitude. When it came time to try it, strong winds filled the temple and rattled the temple terribly. 
However whilst they ended up back in their own bodies they felt something strange and different.
Tomoe was taken out by Kitsune Tanzen who proposed after a romantic gondola ride upriver and they spent a day exploring some of the nearby caves. 
They gathered up again afterwards and spoke with the governess, who claimed that the scroll did not appear to be a genuine Scorpion code, simply using the same symbols, implying that the Crane would be the only ones with the intricacy to manage such a deception.
They had done about as much as they could in the city after those two days, so with 4 days left before the date on the scroll they resolved to leave in the morning. 
== Session 9: The Coup ==
Unsure about what to do the magistrates found themselves discussing their next step in Ryoko Owari. They felt there was little more they could do in the city. 
As they passed the Orange Blossom Inn, the owner waved them over. Whilst they were unable to save his wife and daughter, they did save his life and invited them in for a round of drinks as Emerald magistrates are a prestigious form of client. Inside they sat down and Tomoe ordered a plum sake whilst the others had traditional drinks. 
Taakaki was telling the story of the time they killed the Oni and an elderly man on a nearby table expressed his amazement at the tale. He suggested that stating their problem aloud sometimes helped him. He often talked to a small statue in his home. But as they explained the magnitude of the conspiracy and he felt a bit flat. Although he suggested that if they already exhausted the possibilities at the Hare lands then they should go to somewhere they haven't explored yet. The coded message mentioned Otusan Uchi, which is presumably where the assassin would need to go for their next instructions. Plus they had friends there already and so even if there wasn't a direct clue then they might be able to get some better perspective. 
They parted ways and as they left and saw a crane fly overhead they realised the old man was Megumi, the Fortune of Heroic Opportunities. 
Following his advice they first went to get appropriate gifts. Ozaku and Anzu both went to buy appropriate gifts, but the offerings by merchants were not particularly inspiring. Ozaku couldn't find a good scabbard or tassel suitable for people of such high station.
However they visited Kaiu Shinya, who was able to furnish them with an elegant sharpening stone in a wood case carved from two dragons and a written account of the first duel of the Kami and other small gifts like sword tassels. Though they didn't mention meeting somebody with his face in the Shadowlands.
With that they met with Kitsuki Oki and tasked her with sorting out the Eta situation. Pointing out that they had a good rapport with Raspy, one of the senior Eta leaders. She said she had investigated a bit of thing and their complaints were more nuanced than the price of rice or similar. 
They departed out of the city and past Scorpion lands only to find that many of the wayside inns were out of stock of common goods, claiming that there had been an unusual amount of traffic from merchants and other travellers. They carried on through the unnaturally straight and clean Crane lands and into the less fussy but still picturesque lands of the Imperial countryside. 
Arriving at the gates they found they were not the only dignitaries waiting to be approved. The guard directed them to the gate for the inner wall, but seemed doubtful they would get through without an appointment. 
At the inner gates were greeted by a grey haired man with a thin smile. He originally tried to insist that they could not enter without an appointment or a letter from their patron. Either the Emerald Champion or Hantai Taro. However Okura was able to talk him around with an example of an ancient historical precedent. 
A guard escorted them to the Crane embassy in the Chisei district. 
They were greeted warmly by Hantei Taro and Kikita Tokiko. Tokiko was enamoured of Tomoe's tales of duels and utterly fixated on her. Taro meanwhile invited them inside and took them to a luxurious bath-house designed to resemble a natural onsen. She mentioned that Shinjo Sumi was in the palace and invited her over. Over dinner the magistrates explained the situation in more detail and Sumi arrived. 
She agreed to send a message to request the presence of the Emerald Champion tomorrow, who would have access to the intelligence needed to spot where any Scorpion attack was going to strike. 
Meanwhile Tokiko challenged Tomoe to a friendly practice duel. The two of them squared off, Tokiko was the more specialised and experienced duellist. but Tomoe pushed herself. They focused and measured each other up for several moments before in an instant they both struck. Tomoe's blade came within a hairs breadth of hitting Tokiko, but and barely sidestepped it. Her returning blow struck Tomoe on the cheek, but was at a difficult angle. So cut deeper than she had intended. She was jubilant at the close fight and she acted almost as if Tomoe had won. 
Taro revealed that there would be a fireworks display tonight, Taro had chartered a pleasure barge for the river and invited everybody along, then they could meet the Emerald Champion in the morning. 
On the river the barge was positioned beautifully under a moonless sky with bursts of fireworks overhead. 
However Anzu spotted a strange light downstream, as they diverted down-river. It was the Seppen barracks burning. A bucket chain had already been organised. 
Suddenly figures on rooftops threw a knives in the neck of an unprepared guard in the bucket chain as well as other guards. 
The magistrates couldn't see up past the glare of the lanterns as they swiftly relocated. Approaching the barracks, the main entrance had been blocked by a wagon, which was now blazing like an inferno. There were screams from within the barracks as there were fires inside as well. 
Taakaki bust down a door for one of the shops and ran upstairs to confront the attacker up there. Tomoe took a knife intended for Taro, whilst the attacker pointed out Taro's location and they followed Taakaki inside. Tomoe identified the dead knife thrower as somebody who wore a mask daily. No doubt a Scorpion. 
They found the knife thrower on the roof and Taakaki killed him easily. However covered by the chaos of people panicking in the street another assassin throw a bottle with a flaming rag in it. Anzu was close and tried to use her fan, but it slipped past her defences ad hit Taro. She was badly burnt, but Taakaki ran downstairs and bundled her in his wolf pelt to extinguish the flame. Okura captured the Molotov killer alive with an arrow to the leg. It was one of the Thunder Guard members from Ryoko Owari. 
The Scorpion Clan coup has begun. 
== Session 10: The Prophecy of the fall ==
As they took a few moments they found that the shop they were belonged to a merchant of ceramics. Taakaki and Okura were able to shift the burning cart away just enough to slip in through the door and search the barracks, however they were too late and everybody inside had died from the smoke. Although they could find a uniform robe for the Seppen guard. 
Meanwhile inside the pottery shop Iuchi Ayana treated Hantei Taro's burns, almost completely restoring them. Ayana then went up to the roof and saw that just a few streets away people were continuing with celebrations blissfully ignorant of what had happened here. 
Tomoe dragged in the Thunder Guard that Okura had incapacitated and bound his wounds so that he would not bleed out. Then despite the prisoner's mocking, they interrogated him. He was keen to let them know that he saw this attack as righteous and necessary as the only means to avoid the collapse of the Empire. The clan had become aware of a prophecy that the child of the current Emperor's youngest child would bring about the doom of the Empire unless stopped. 
Taro mentions the secret escape tunnels built so that the Imperial family could escape danger, they could use them to get back in to the central ring of the city. So They took the barge out and look around the coast only to find squads of soldiers assembling. Deciding that they could not easily face such numbers, they got off the barge with Sumi and let the barge owner find his own luck. 
They need weapons, so they went to the Yotsu Dojo where a young woman named Yotsu Seou had held up with a handful of other Ronin. She was able to furnish them with some spare training armour, similar to Ashigaru armour. Taakaki also sought a Nodachi. One of the Ronin named Kugan reluctantly agreed to give it to Taakaki, but only if he would repay the favour once this was over and care for the blade. 
Seou mentioned that her father earned the Yotsu name when she was young. The Empress and the Imperial Heir Hantei Sotorii were abducted by bloodspeakers. Her father snuck into the bloodspeaker camp with one of her brothers. If he took either of them, their absence would be noticed quickly, so he left his own son in place of Sotorii and took Sotorii back to Otusan Uchi to be reunited with the Emperor.
Hantei Taro mentioned that Sotorii was not somebody she enjoyed spending time with as he seemed crass and even a little cruel. There was speculation that he may have been tainted whilst a prisoner of the Bloodspeakers. Taakaki also mentioned that the Phoenix twins mentioned a rumour that the Emperor had acted to supress an important prophecy recently. 
With all of this in mind they made their way to the nearest gate to the inner city, which was the one that they had originally entered through on the Emperor's way. 
Here the streets were normal and bustling with lanterns and music. Somebody even tried to sell them dumplings. However when they approached the gates they were stopped by a different bureaucrat, who advised them that the gates were closed for the night and could not be moved, even with an Emerald Magistrate's seal and tales of a coup. 
However they noticed that she was wearing clothes that didn't quite fit her. In a place where image was everything and everybody was dressed immaculately, this concerned Anzu who struck first knocking her down. Okura disarmed a guard and Tomoe kept the administrator down. However the administrator stayed prone and appealed to the crowd for help, drowning out the Magistrates protesting their innocence, after al the Magistrates struck first. 
They managed to beat the guards with minimal injuries and Hantei Taro managed to calm the bystanders who were mostly courtiers. The guards retreated rather than staying to die and the administrator was bound. 
However the gate was barred from the inside and as the Scorpions had access to the tunnels below the city, it was very likely that the entire inner city had been seized. The Emerald Legions, armies of the Emperor were camped not too far from the city and they would respect the report of an Emerald Magistrate. There was a narrow window to depart the city before the city's outer gates would fall. 
== Session 11: The Crisis of the Three Emperors ==
Leaving the capital of Otusan Ichi, the magistrates travelled with Hantei Taro and Kakita Tokiko across country to avoid any Scorpion agents on the road. 
Travelling North they went towards Shiro Yogasha, the Emerald Champion's Castle, the base of operations for the Emerald Legion and the training grounds of the Emerald Legion. 
However as they camped overnight Iuchi Ayana was woken up by Tsurichi Okura. He was glowing and wore a crown of leaves. He identified himself as Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto (Or just Uzume) Fortune of the Dawn. 
She was concerned that nobody had yet performed the ritual to greet Amaterasu. A daily ritual normally performed by the Emperor to greet the dawn, without which the sun would not rise. So she asked Ayana to wake Hantei Taro, who was as surprised as Ayana had been.
The Fortune left them once Ayana said she wanted to wake her friends leaving Okura very confused.
Hantei Taro had never performed the ritual and neither had Ayana, but between the two of them, they managed to get most of it. As they finished, a fat blood red sun rose slowly over the horizon casting the world in crimson for the rest of the day. 
They arrived at the training grounds of the Emerald Legion and were invited inside where they met with the current commander of the Emerald Legion Seppen Takemi. They told him of the coup against the Hantei line and he send out scouts to collect information, as well as messengers to recall the Imperial Legions. 
They were invited in to clean up. Anzu tried to lead a tea ceremony, but fumbled a cup and the spiritual and meditative atmosphere of the ceremony was losst. 
Before the next morning a trio of Shugenja from the Centipede clan came to help guide the new Empress and her personal shugenja through the ceremony. With their aid the ceremony was much smoother and the sun rose without protest. 
Later that day the scouts reported back. Treachery among the multi-clan Imperial Legions had catastrophically hurt their numbers, with some too far away to help, whilst others had been reduced to half of their already reduced strength. They were still a large if scattered and demoralised force. 
Scouts indicated that messengers were entering and leaving Otusan Ichi. They were also able to give good estimates of the size of available armies. (see below) and that there was a winged figure leaving the city carrying two other forms. Also the Tortoise scouts at sea saw Mantis and Crab ships travelling together up the coast, but could not determine more. 
Later in the day, a messenger from the Scorpion clan arrived. Bayushi Naoki was polite and came under a couriers flag. He explained what they already knew about the curse and that Bayushi Shoju had killed the Emperor when he confronted the Emperor, he asked him what he should do to resolve a threat to the Empire. The Emperor answered "Anything" and with that Shoju slew him. The Scorpions have since placed a well respected Imperial family member on the throne; Miya Satoshi. 
Satoshi is a well respected member of the Imperial Court. He was the Imperial Herald, he's even-tempered and thoughtful, but also a man who has led troops in battle, he's also unmarried, but only in his early thirties. In the wake of the coup, he was crowned as Emperor Satoshi I. 
They began to discuss their options: 
* Okura was loathed to ally with the Scorpion clan and believed they should face punishment for what they did. 
* Taakaki was keen to avoid violence by whatever means necessary. But wanted to know more about the prophecy. 
* Ayana was supportive of Hantei Taro. 
* The others were torn. 
The only evidence that Hantei Sotorii was tainted was his ill-omened look and temprament.
Then it struck them, that they could use the ritual of greeting the Sun to test the worthiness of this new Emperor. 
They would wait until Dawn-time and see if Satoshi could raise the sun. The sun did rise but it was weak and distant. In the towers Ayana and Taro performed their own version of the ritual. Now after guidance from the Centipede, it went much more smoothly ad the sun turned from its pale shadow to a warm and illuminating orb as Amaterasu smiled again on the world. 
The following day it was reported that the Crab clan had berthed at Otosan Ichi, but the Mantis had moved on to Centipede lands and was flying the flags of several great clans. Four of the Elemental Masters arrived, missing only Earth. They repeated the prophecy that in the time of Megumi's chosen, if the heir of the Hantei line survives then Iuchiban would return and usher in the return of Fu Leng. 
With no clear course of action they decided to visit the Lion lands and persuade Sotorii to stand down. As he seemed likely to contribute to the prophecy. 
=== Forces: ===
Hantei Taro: (Nearly 20,000 total)
* Imperial forces:
** The Emerald Legion (2,000 soldiers, well equipped and disciplined, but untested in real battle) [Good quality]
** The Imperial Legion (In theory this should have been 50 legions of 200 soldiers each, but they had long been under-strength, may are too far away to effectively recall and then Scorpion treachery almost halved their effective numbers. So in total there are 2,500 highly demoralised soldiers.) [Poor quality]
* The Crane Clan: Primarily with Hantei Taro because the other two candidates are in the pockets of their adversaries the Scorpion and Lion)
** The Doji Army (5,000 troops) [Good quality]
** The Kikita Army (5,000 troops) [Good quality]
** The Daidoji, the Crane's most battle-hardened unit it too far away, near Hare Clan lands. 
* The Phoenix Clan
** The Shiba Army (2,000 troops, with a large number of Shugenja) [Good quality]
* Minor Clans:
** The Centipede (1,000 troops with a lot of Fire specialist Shugenja, very little military experience.) [Poor quality]
** The Tortoise (2,000 experienced marines, less skilled on land) [Average quality]
Hantei Sotorii (15,000-30,000 troops)
* The Lion Clan:
** An unknown number of Lion armies, probably 3-6 armies of 5,000 soldiers each. So between 15,000 - 30,000 troops, disciplined and hardened). As up to 3 armies are in the North facing the Hare Clan and 2 of their armies are reserve forces which may take time to mobilise. [Good quality quality]
Miya Satoshi (28,000 troops) - These troops have the advantage of being the defenders and being heavily dug in after some time. 
* The Scorpion Clan (20,000 troops)
** The Bayushi Army [Average quality]
* The Crab Clan (8,000 troops)
** The Great Eastern Army [Average quality]
Undeclared: (11,000 from the Minor clans and 10,000 Unicorns)
* Minor clans: The following Clan flags were seen flying from a Mantis vessel travelling to Centipede lands: 
** The Mantis (5,000 troops, Primarily Marines) [Average quality]
** The Fox (1,000 troops, Primarily Shungenja) [Average quality]
** The Sparrow (3,000 troops Largely untested infantry with poor quality equipment.) [Poor quality]
** The Wasp (2,000 troops Almost entirely archers) [Average quality]
** The Hare (No troops)
* The Unicorn Clan (Probably 10,000 cavalry that can operate outside of their own borders, but they are unlikely to be able to reach Otusan Ichi)
Neutral:
* The Dragon Clan (They have an unknown number of soldiers but have declared their intention to stay out of the fighting.) 
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