Kusanagi Clan

The clan symbol of the Kusanagi clan

> *"Loyalty and Blood"*
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> *The motto of the Kusanagi clan.*
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The Kusanagi have had a rough time for such a nomadic people. Currently, they are under the supervision of the distrusting Hojo clan. Despite this, they continue to live their nomadic lives as best as they can within the confines of the Hojo's lands. Made up mostly of tradesmen, miners, and ranchers, the Kusanagi manage to keep their lifestyle and way of living alive by sleeping under the stars or in tents, never settling in a specific section, and rotating their horses for exercise. Every morning, they continue their drills, battle techniques and formations to insure that they are always battle ready should the Hojo ever call them.

## History

Not much is known about the Kusanagi's roots beyond the stories that are passed down through mouth. By their own legend, the first Kusanagi was a baby girl that had been birthed from the oceans off of the coast of Lightning Country. Once the baby had grown, she journeyed into the forests and established a settlement for herself and her family. She later married a traveling merchant, and together they set off with his horses and some bread to settle in the mountains.

The Kusanagi largely kept to themselves, multiplying and living in communal units, however, the land began to lose its resources. The Mother of the Kusanagi urged her children and their families to throw out their wasteful ways and use the natural resources more efficiently. For a time, they listened, but soon forgot. The fields and forests they called home browned and the animals were hunted to near extinction. Shamed by the misuse and sheer uncaring nature of her children, the aging Mother left with her husband to find a new place to live. Also shamed, their youngest daughter packed up her family and followed her parents to learn from and care for them.

A generation passed before the daughter returned to the site of the original Kusanagi. The clan had been wiped out by a snow storm some time before, their folly and hard headed arrogance led to their destruction. To atone for her brothers' and sisters' disregard for nature, the young woman pledged her family to never build a settlement. Her children and their children after them would live amongst the trees and animals, to never take resources selfishly and for granted.

Generations later, half of the Kusanagi followed Korina Kusanagi and her sister to create a new life in a foreign country. It was only a few months before they returned, and continued their way of life. Korina was returned her title as Kiyohime, having understood that politics was never her station, and would never be. During the journey back to Lightning Country, her sister perished from sickness, along with fifteen others. Korina swore to never let her ambition get ahead of the love of her family and clan ever again. As such, she serves her time as a ninja to Cloud when she isn't guarding Ayami.

Since the reunification and subsequent servitude to the Hojo, Romi took over the Kusanagi in a rather hostile takeover from the established Horsemen council. He sought to return the Kusanagi to an ideal of humility, loyalty, work, and understanding. He attributed Korina's failure to the same arrogance and pride that once brought ruin to the clan, and thus worked to teach her the proper Kusanagi way. From there, she taught her warriors the same lesson, and established a chain of accountability. Now, the Kusanagi serve under the Hojo, a decree of the late feudal lord.

## Members

* **Korina Kusanagi**: Current Kiyohime, A member of the Literature Shinobi Corps.
* **Ayami Kusanagi**: Current Heir to the Kusanagi Clan, younger sister of the deceased heir.
* **Romi Kusanagi**: Current Head of the Kusanagi, a strict man that has brought a radical change to the clan. He threw out the council and has installed a meritocracy state. Has formally adopted Korina following the Break.
* **Kalin Kusanagi**: Older brother to Ayami and Korina. Oveesees the day to day operations and taxes to the Hojo.

## Techniques

The Kusanagi is known, mostly, for their horse riding expertise and mounted fighting capabilities. As a clan, they don't utilize many jutsu thanks to their conventional way of fighting. However, those few in the clan are quite skilled in the use of summoning and sealing spells, as evidenced by the seal Korina once carried. The information is passed on orally, from a master to their apprentice, with the utmost secrecy. Therefore, their unique way of transporting goods, animals, chakra, and other things through seals is kept within the clan.

## Traditions

The clan is well known for its overall skill in archery. Clan members begin archery lessons at the age of six summers, with basic stance, arrow type familiarization, and horse care. At the age of eight summers, Kusanagi kids are given their first bow and are allowed to help with caring for their mother's horse. Once the child hits ten summers, they are chosen to help the sect's hunting party to reinforce the lessons. After a year of hunting reinforcement, the child is then allowed to interact with a trained foal and begins their horse archery, horsemanship and throwing lessons. These lesson often included (but not limited to): bareback riding (for learning balance and rhythm), agility training (known as vaulting), learning to lead the horse with their legs instead of the reigns (utility and balance), talking axes and javelins from the horse, and the rapid drawing of more than one arrow at a time (maximizing effectiveness, usually two or three can be fired in rapid, accurate succession). The lessons conclude at the age of 14 summers, where the child is now considered to be an adult and has passed their tests. Any Kusanagi that wishes to take up a different weapon does so before their twentieth summer to allow ample training time.

Military readiness is considered to be a constant state until the age of 55 summers. Even then, the elders often impart their wisdom to their younger counterparts and oversee training and drills.