Clan Chiba

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## General History

Clan Chiba is an ancient family descended from the early Heian period of Japanese history. Despite this early history, much of its recorded origins were lost in the chaos of World War II when the imperial archives were bombed. Participating as major actors in the Genpei War at the end of the Heian era, the Chiba participated on the side of Clan Taira against the Minamoto—a formidable lineage of Hachiman—which ended in a decisive defeat for the Taira coalition. Despite this defeat, Clan Chiba was reinstated as a respected ally of Clan Minamoto. It is said that despite their loss in the Genpei War, Clan Chiba's members remained adamant that it was the Taira who lost the war—not the Tengoku of Tsukuyomi who could have continued the bloody conflict.

Granted their status as Tengoku of Tsukuyomi in the early Heian period, their presence in the history of Japan was mighty and profound, albeit challenged by the direct lineage of Amaterasu's Tengoku. Known to be self-righteous and excessively prideful, the Chiba's power waned over the centuries before rising once more in the Sengoku period, doing battle with Oda Nobunaga. Despite their reputation as formidable warriors, the Chiba were defeated by Oda and integrated into Toyotomi Hideyoshi's coalition as a vassal family. Their status would be restored with the succeeding reign of Tokugawa Ieyasu during the founding of the Tokugawa Shogunate where they would become imperial retainers until the Meiji Revolution. With strong samurai roots, their resistance to modern innovation was short-lived as they embraced the new ways of the West, so long as it benefitted the Japanese people as a whole. Throughout the revolution, they acted on the Emperor's behalf, destroying pockets of traditionalist resistance. It is recognized in scattered texts that Clan Chiba was one of the several Tengoku clans that comprised the Battotai's founding members.

By the Second World War, Clan Chiba's prestigious status was abruptly dismantled. Accused of levying a widespread conspiracy against the Imperial Family, Clan Chiba's members were hunted down and killed by the Battotai and the various Shodai. Following this sanctioned purge, the power of Clan Chiba was virtually dissipated as its bloodline was extinguished. It is believed that there were only a handful of survivors who remain alive for unknown reasons—and seemingly at the mercy of the Imperial Family.

### Reputation

Clan Chiba's historical reputation is a long line of achievement, respect, and devotion to their patron Tsukuyomi. Despite this, their alleged conspiracy of insurrection cost them their centuries of prestige, and left them to be a near-extinct clan. Since the War, sightings of Clan Chiba's survivors have been *extremely* sparse to the point that many members of the Battotai commonly associate them to be an extinguished bloodline. For the rare handful that acknowledge their existence, it is believed that their survivors are walking omens of death, a tarnished legacy, and symbolic outcasts. Between the Meiji Restoration and the Great War, senior swordsmen from Clan Chiba were frequent holders of the Jito position in the Kanto region.

### Known Locations

Aside from Tatsuma Ito, Clan Chiba's ancestral castle is situated in the Kanto region by Tokyo as **Chiba Castle**. This castle is a well-maintained, private property that is quietly owned by an anonymous benefactor. They also have a ruined estate within the Chiyoda Ward, the primary residence and fortress of the Tokyo Battotai. Any access to the private estate of Chiba Castle is strictly forbidden without explicit permission from the officials of the Kanto Battotai.

### Abilities

As the Tengoku of Tsukuyomi, Chiba descendants are blessed with the gifts of the moon kami. Known only to themselves, they are able to inscribe hidden messages in a script known as *Tsukigengo.* Such script cannot be read by any other Tengoku, regardless of the magnitude of their efforts. Furthermore, their ancestral techniques are a closely guarded secret. First rediscovered by Tatsuma Ito, Clan Chiba was known to have refined the powerful **Dark Moon Stance**: an elegant but deadly kenjutsu style that emphasizes speed, lunar photokinetic constructs, and precise bladework to dismantle an enemy.

### Known Associated Figures

* Tsukiya Chiba (**Heian**) - Samurai
* Uragarishi (**Unknown**) - Shinigami
* Tatsuma Ito (**Present Day**) - Kansai Battotai