Mantis Clan

Mantis Clan
Champion: Yoritomo Hiromi



 Moshi family

As the most honorable and traditional of Mantis families, the Moshi have had their hands full trying to improve public opinion of their clan and provide spiritual guidance and find their place in the world after the death of Lady Sun. Slowly, they are turning towards the direct worship of Yakamo, Lord Sun. Though they will always revere Amaterasu above all others, they have come to accept that she chose her successor, and refusing to serve him in the same way they served her is dishonoring her final wish. As they turn back to their old ways, they are slowly recovering their focus and inner peace, and it seems that Lord Sun is rewarding their devotion in the same manner that his predecessor did. Their daimyo, Moshi Awako, reinforces Moshi traditions and rituals, and has devised a few new ones to honor Yakamo specifically.



 Tsuruchi family

The Tsuruchi are feeling a bit nervous these days. Now that it seems as though the Lion are ready to bring up old grudges with the Mantis, the Tsuruchi wonder if they are really as safe as the Yoritomo say they are. Their daimyo, Tsuruchi Fusako, is getting close to retirement age and her son Sannosuke is well-groomed towards the position. He is a competant archer, though obviously not the best the family has to offer, but a good tracker and has brought many criminals to justice. Most importantly, he is comfortable in court and able to present the Tsuruchi as a civilized and respectable family. Sadly, the Yoritomo's ever-increasing ego and the Moshi's gradual withdrawal from clan politics has left the Tsuruchi feeling isolated and unappreciated. Some are even talking of abandoning the Mantis in favor of the Minor Clan Alliance, which they feel is more true to the spirit of the Three Man Alliance and Yoritomo's Alliance than the modern Mantis. While this is in no way a serious option, at least at present, the fact that it is being discussed at all indicates that all is not well in the Mantis Clan.



 Yoritomo family

The Yoritomo are as swaggering and headstrong as they always are. They are recovering from the assault on the Imperial City and have a near monopoly on sea trade in the south. The Phoenix and the Lion still zealously guard trade in their waters, but the Crab are busy with the Shadowlands and the Crane's recent misfortunes have allowed the aggressive Mantis to take over much of their trade. With the clan officially, undisputably recognized as a Great Clan, much of their problems of legitimacy have disappeared, and their reputations as bullies and unrestrained by common courtesy are just laughed off. Hiromi is trying hard to fit into the sandals of his predecessors, but is so far something of a disappointment to many Yoritomo. He has a lot of pride, but is a bit too hampered by acting as he thinks his predecessors would act rather than as he would normally act. The more experienced courtiers of the clan have run a bit rampant with their individuality, pulling the clan in slightly different directions, weakening their overall focus. This has come at the expense of the other Mantis families, though few Yoritomo see or pay much attention to this.



 The Mantis Clan in general.

The Mantis are doing quite well. Empress Iweko reaffirmed their status as a Great Clan and left it in no doubt that disputing this would be offending both the Mantis and the Empress herself, as well as Emperor Toturi. Always a rather wealthy clan, the political downfall of the Crane has served them well and they have a near stranglehold on all sea and coastal trade. Even Crane waters have seen a dramatic drop in Crane ships over the last decade or so, and the Mantis have filled the gap. Naizen retired to the temple of Osano-wo leaving his son Hiromi as champion. Hiromi is young and eager to prove himself, but lacks his father’s spirit. The Mantis are hoping he will improve in time. The Mantis are allied with the Crab. After realizing they could not cleanse the Armor of the Shadow Warrior, they invented a story of how it was recently recovered and immediately returned to their distant cousins. The Crab are overjoyed at the return of this priceless relic and barring something really stupid on the part of the Mantis will remain allies for a long time.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt">The Unicorn are distant allies. The two have started an official exchange of information about the world beyond the Emerald Empire, realizing that they both stand to benefit. The Crane are officially neutral, but unofficially unfriendly. The Mantis have taken over much of the Crane's sea trade, and the Crane do not approve. For the moment the Crane have no chance to regain their lost sea power, and the Mantis will do their level best to make sure they never will.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt">The Mantis are unfriendly with the Lion, as the Lion seem to be interested in fighting them. The Mantis are content to bask in the warm glow of their undisputed Great Clan status and subtly thumb their nose at the Lion until the Lion start hostilities.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt">The Mantis approve of the Boar clan in general. Though it is too early to tell if the clan will survive, or if its first generation of Boar samurai prove to be as strong and effective as their founders, the Mantis respect anyone who can do what Kuni Eri and her band did.