Crane Clan

Crane Clan 

 '''Champion Doji Makoto, son of Domotai. '''

Doji Nagori was regent of the Crane Clan following Doji Domotai's seppuku, doing his best to repair the Crane's shattered public image. Nagori relinquished his post as Regent in the winter of 1189 to allow Makoto to assume the Championship. While Makoto had technically come of age several years earlier, he wished to gain some experience before assuming the duties of Champion. While his own behavior has been exemplary, he still has the unenviable task of trying to rebuild the Crane’s position and image in the Empire. Nagori has mostly done damage control and tried to prevent the Crane from sinking further, not actual rebuilding.



 Doji family

The Doji work around the clock to create new webs of favors and allies, desperately trying to put themselves on top of the heap again. Fortunately for them and the Crane, the Doji were not directly involved in the Anvil of Despair affair. The Crane are still the richest clan in the Emerald Empire and have their impressive history to help them recover, but even so the Doji are fighting an uphill battle to preserve this. Doji Makoto is an elegant and cultured courtier, who is soft by the standards of his mother, grandfather and great-grandfather.



 Kakita family

The Kakita have worked overtime trying to duel any hint of slander of the Crane and keeping up appearances. Noritoshi retired as daimyo in 1185 and returned to the life of a sensei, leaving the Kakita in the hands of his son Ichiro, who has kept his name past gempukku. Ichiro is an artisan, he is a respected among his family and among the more cultured clans for his excellent paintings which he gives freely as gifts. While many expect the daimyo of the Kakita to be among the best duelists in Rokugan and feel vaguely ashamed on behalf of the Kakita, Ichiro has come to terms with his curse and emphasizes the artistic and creative nature of this family.



<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Daidoji family

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The Daidoji, as always, end up taking the worst of the heat for the Crane. The existence of gunpowder, their part in defiling a temple and the hiding of the Anvil of Despair has hit them hardest of all Crane families. They are almost universally reviled even by their own clan. Their daimyo, Daidoji Hirotsuge, just grits his teeth and does his job, letting opinions fall where they may. Daidoji are not uncommonly found in duels to protect their family name. Perhaps worst of all, the Daidoji have lost much of the respect of the Crab. The Crab feel the Daidoji should know when following your lord's commands is a shitty but necessary thing to do and when it's a criminal, blasphemous thing to do.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt">The Crab are not actively hostile towards the Daidoji anymore, but the term "Iron Crane" has not been heard for 10 years and diplomatic relations between the Crab and Crane are almost non-existant, except through the mediation of the Phoenix.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Asahina family

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The Asahina, despite it being their last two daimyo who screwed things up for the Crane, have come out of this relatively unscathed. Sekawa was not considered a real Asahina by many people, due to his rejection of their pacifist creed, and Keitaro spent his time with the Daidoji doing his stupid deeds rather than with his own family. Asahina Junichiro is their daimyo, and is everything an Asahina should be: wise, patient, a true pacifist even in the face of violence. He still has to take the heat for his predecessors’ failings, but it seems as though he and his family will get off well.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The Crane Clan in general.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Where the Crane were universally feared for their stranglehold on Imperial politics and their vast wealth, they are left with only their vast wealth. They are still masters of art and culture, but many look to other clans for fashion now, leaving the Crane to follow suit rather than lead. Their immense wealth has kept them afloat while the Scorpion have smoothly moved in to take the position of the Empire’s foremost political clan. Though the Lion are no longer actively hostile, they are not allied, and many Lion, especially Matsu, enjoy bringing up past dishonors and disputes to lord it over the honorless Crane. The Phoenix are still allied, if more distantly. They look down their noses at the Crane, commenting how 'of course things go wrong when the right people (the Isawa) are not in charge of magic (as the Jade Champion) and taking care of nasty artifacts'. The Unicorn see this as another example of how dishonesty ruins things for everyone, but are more forgiving, considering their own history of Kolat infestation. Officially, the Scorpion are supportive of the Crane and have publically defended and excused them many times. Privately, the Scorpion are doing their level best to indebt the Crane to them so deeply that the Sons of Doji cannot ever get out.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt">The Crane are superior and officially consider the Boar to be beneath their notice. The Crane are very good at bringing up other topics whenever the subject of the Boar comes up. Privately, they are quite resentful of Heichi Eri's role in shaming the Crane. They cannot officially or publically do anything about their resentment, for obvious reasons, but any time a Boar clan is present at talks or courts that have a Crane they find all their efforts mysteriously blocked.