Yoritomo Al-Zayan

Please note: This article is about the Mantis Harbourmaster. For other uses of the term, please see Al-Zayan (disambiguation).
Yoritomo Al-Zayan of House Watanabe was the harbourmaster of Broken Wave City. 
== Family ==
Al-Zayan was the son of a Rokugani mother who met his father while visiting the Ivory Kingdoms. The half-breed boy was the result, and the Mantis allowed him to be fostered to the Watanabe family where he took his father's name Al-Zayan.Strongholds of the Empire page 22
== Early Rise to Fame ==
When it came to matters of shipping and sailing, Al-Zayan possessed an almost preternatural affinity. Within a few years of his gempukku he had already designed several innovations in ship designs. Ships with keels laid by Al-Zayan quickly became the most sought-after, which eventually brought him to the attention of the Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo Kumiko.
=== Kumiko's Duties ===
Al-Zayan's principles were applied to warship, and he was given a position on Kumiko's personal staff. Kumiko also used Al-Zayan's innovations in hopes that they would prove an advantage against an inevitable confrontation with the Dark Wave fleet.
== Broken Wave City ==
Kumiko's successor, Yoritomo Naizen, retained Al-Zayan on his retinue after Kumiko's death, but quickly reassigned him to Broken Wave City. The growing need for his talents there were immediately apparent to Al-Zayan, who recognized that the nascent port was poorly designed and suggested changes to the Interim Governor Yoritomo Ninsei.Strongholds of the Empire page 23
=== Harbourmaster ===
Despite Al-Zayan's gaijin appearance and heritage, and membership of a vassal family, he became the Harbourmaster, one of the most powerful positions in Broken Wave City. In a clan of very skilled mariners, Al-Zayan was amongst the most capable. Ninsei had immediately been impressed with the young shipwright's work that he named him harbourmaster and gave him leave to design the port facilities as he saw fit.
=== Accomplishments ===
It was Al-Zayan's foresight that meant that when the docks in the Bay of Thunder required extending to accomodate the Third Storm, only a few months disruption were sufferent.Strongholds of the Empire page 16 His expertise was also essential to the successful administration of the Fishers Quarters, which accomodated such a vast amount of small ships which provided the city with a daily source of fish.Strongholds of the Empire page 17
=== Enemies ===
Al-Zayan's heritage and rapid rise brought with it some who bore little love for the man. More than a few, including the commander of the Third Storm, would have liked to see the shipwright gone from the city.
== Appearence and Demeanor ==
Al-Zayan was an unassuming man most noted for his exotic gaijin features and a shipboard injury which left him lame. He would be more interested in solving practical problems than becoming embroiled in the cynical and manipulative world of politics.
== See Also ==
* Watanabe Al-Zayan/Meta
Category:Mantis Clan Members