Kakita Munemori

Please note: This article is about the courtier and member of the second Gozoku. For other uses of the term, please see Munemori (disambiguation).
Kakita Munemori was an aging Courtier of the Crane Clan. Although he was a highly skilled diplomat, he was also a notorious flirt, often pursuing women half his age. During the struggles of the Four Winds, Munemori stood by Toturi Tsudao, along with the rest of his clan. Strangers, by Rich Wulf A Time of Retribution, by Rich Wulf
== Kakita Yoshi ==
Munemori's father called in many favors so Munemori might enter Kakita Yoshi's tutelage. After two years, Munemori began receiving assignments to negotiate in Yoshi's stead. Munemori insured he made an impression only on those who were key players in the Empire's courts. Shortly after he was released from apprenticeship under Yoshi, Munemori became close friends with Ikoma Hatori. Secrets of the Crane, p. 64
== Courtier in the Shadows ==
Munemori was always careful to insure others are credited for most of his major accomplishments, and ensured courts at large regarded him as a lecherous fool. As long as the general populace underestimated his worth, he was free to move about and serve the Crane to the best of his ability. 
=== Doji Tanitsu ===
Doji Tanitsu was trained by Munemori to replace him once he was too old to continue working for the Crane. It was after Tanitsu was able to outmaneuver Bayushi Kaukatsu to offer the Otomo a home within Crane lands using information supplied by Munemori about the Shadowed Tower and Kaukatsu's son Bayushi Ogura. Undone, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Tanitsu considered Munemori his sensei and friend. The Forgotten Son, by Rich Wulf
=== Shadowed Tower ===
Munemori made bargains with the secret Scorpion organization the Shadowed Tower, being his contact Bayushi Seiryo. In 1160 the Tower had kidnapped the wife of his old friend Miya Hatori, seeking to blackmail the Imperial. Munemori met Hatori and his aide Otomo Taneji in the gardens of Kyuden Kakita, Secrets of the Crane, pp. 57-58 and told them where was a safehouse of the Tower within Ryoko Owari. Jade Magistrates led by the Jade Champion Asahina Sekawa went to investigate the building. The Emerald Champion Yasuki Hachi rescued Hatori's wife. Secrets of the Crane, pp. 73-74
=== Rama Singh ===
It was on an assignment from Doji Akiko that Munemori and the monk adviser Konetsu took custody of the gaijin Rama Singh from the Shogun whilst the gaijin travelled the Empire searching for ginseng that only grew in the Fantastic Gardens of the Doji. Konetsu tried to make a treaty with the gaijin out of the eyes of Kaneka, but the Shogun caught him and the concealed ginseng shipment. Munemori showed in Kaneka's Court an Imperial Edict of Toturi II allowing free passage to the gaijin. The edict and the Empress was supported by the Imperial Legions, so Kaneka chose to leave the ginseng and the gaijin free. The Crane marched to Kyuden Doji and made an agreement with the Ivory Kingdoms. 
== The Gozoku ==
Munemori also concealed a darker side. His contact with Bayushi Atsuki through Atsuki's yojimbo Bayushi Kamnan introduced him in the Gozoku conspiration of the 12th century. They believed the fire at Toshi Ranbo in 1165 could be the start of the Emperor Toturi III weakness, and an opportunity for those who sought the best for the Empire. If Toturi III could not rule the Empire, the Gozoku would rule instead. Return of the Master (Diamond Rulebook Story), by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman Munemori believed the Gozoku should not be in the hands of the same leaders of the Shadowed Tower, who had been playing with maho to achieve their goals, and began to work against them from inside. Fires of Toshi Ranbo, Part Three, by Rich Wulf He worked in expanding the Gozoku, but only with individuals who he believed would join him in opposing Atsuki. Four Winds, p. 113
=== Spreading the Gozoku ===
Working with Atsuki and Doji Akiko he was a high ranking go-between and information gatherer for the both the Gozoku and the Shadowed Tower, regularly reporting to ninja in the gardens of the Imperial City. He was also involved in recruiting other high ranking samurai into the conspiracy, such as Yoritomo Kumiko and the Shogun. Despite plotting against an Emperor, Munemori truly believed that what he did was for the good of the Empire. Silk and Spice, by Shawn Carman Clan Letter to the Mantis (Hidden City timeline) Return of the Master, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman In return Munemori offered Kumiko the head of Yoritomo Aramasu's assassin, Kamnan. She had to cleanse the Gozoku of Kamnan and Atsuki. 
=== The Shogun ===
Having been a member of the court for many years, and his time in Toshi Ranbo when it was a crane stronghold, he has learnt many of the lesser traveled and more discrete passages, knowledge that he had used to curry favor with the Shogun. During the time Iuchiban was at large in the Empire, it was Munemori who manipulated Kaneka to move his legions into the imperial city, should Iuchiban take up the Emperor's challenge and attack the capital. Opening Move, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Munemori also informed Kaneka about the dark side of the Gozoku, expecting Kaneka would take away the remmants of the Shadowed Tower from the conspiracy. 
=== Enmity ===
Once sensei and student, Munemori and Tanitsu became bitter opponents. The two were often brought into conflict by the machinations of their common enemy, Bayushi Kaukatsu. Four Winds, p. 150
=== Tortoise Clan Champion ===
Munemori attempted to gain influence over Kasuga Taigen, the Tortoise Clan Champion and the representative of the Alliance of Minor Clans in the Imperial Court. Minor Complications, by Rich Wulf
=== Minions ===
Within the Gozoku, Doji Takeji, Doji Jurian and Otomo Shujito reported to Munemori. Guile, by Rich Wulf
=== Listings of the Shogun's Resources ===
During a "chance" meeting with Bayushi Adachi in the gardens of the Imperial City, Munemori was given detailed plans and listings of the Shogun's legions and resources, what he chose to do with these documents remained to be seen. Battle Lines, by Nancy Sauer
=== Akiko Exposed ===
In 1167 Munemori was witnessing the marriage between Kurohito's daughter, Doji Domotai, and the Lion Ikoma Kusari at Kyuden Doji. He saw a Lion courtier talking with Doji Akiko, another fellow Gozoku. He reached the pair and Masote left the conversation. Masote had given signals he knew the Gozoku membership of Kurohito's wife. Dawn of Lotus, The Crane Clan, by Shawn Carman
== Amethyst Champion ==
When the Phoenix Clan announced that the holder of the Amethyst Champion position was relinquishing it, Munemori came to be approached by Yoritomo Sachina. Sachina convinced Munemori to have the Crane support the Mantis candidate Yoritomo Yoyonagi in exchange for a part of the Teardrop Island district in Ryoko Owari and support for a candidate to the position of commander of the Legion of the Sapphire Chrysanthemum. Amethyst, by Nancy Sauer
== Noritoshi ==
Munemori gave refuge to the Kakita Daimyo Kakita Noritoshi and his son, who were fleeing from the reach of the Emerald Champion Shosuro Jimen. Kakita Munemori (Before the Dawn flavor)
== Warned ==
Munemori fell under the watch of a kolat, Yasuki Makoto, who sent him a message in the form of a weak poison. A Weak Poison (Embers of War flavor and Picture)
== See also ==
* Kakita Munemori/Meta
== External Links ==
* Kakita Munemori (Fall of Otosan Uchi)
* Kakita Munemori Exp (Before the Dawn)
Category:Crane Clan Members
Category:Members of the Gozoku