Kolat

The Kolat is a secret society originally dedicated to the downfall of the Hantei family. The founders believed that mankind should rule itself, and a god declaring himself ruler over them was unacceptable. For over a thousand years, the Kolat plotted the downfall of the Hantei line.

Kolat Objective
The ultimate goal of the Kolat is to have mankind rule itself, free of the rulership of the Kami. It has been their goal since the beginning of their conspiracy.

Since recent times, however, some Kolat feel that their goal has been achieved : a Hantei no longer sits on the throne, there exists a major clan with no direct link to the Kami (the Mantis Clan), and the Sun and Moon have been replaced by mortals. These Kolat consider that maintaining the Kolat organization's power is the only concern. The masters of the Steel, Coin, Silken, Chrysanthemum sects adhere to this philosophy whereas the masters of the Tiger, Cloud, Lotus and Dream sects have a more "traditional" view.

The masters of the Jade and Roc sects aren't interested in the debate and are too concerned with their own responsibilities to be involved.

Before the Clan War
Before the Clan War, the Kolat were lead by the council of the Ten Masters, all working in unisson, meeting at the Hidden Temple


 * Akodo Kage, the Teacher
 * Shinjo Yokatsu, the Daimyo
 * Kaouta, the Geisha
 * Chinoko, the Trigger
 * Isawa Korekado, the Magician
 * Kuni Shimura, the Mind Breaker
 * Doji Akae, the Moneylender
 * al-Hazaad, the Qolat
 * Shosuro Emon, the Shadow's Bane
 * Ikoma Soko, the Guard

The ten masters all knew of the others' identity. This was an obvious danger to the conspiracy. After the Kolat purge, the Kolat reorganized to avoid such dangers.

Present Time
The Kolat are organized in ten different sects: Steel, Coin, Silken, Chrysanthemum, Tiger, Cloud, Lotus, Dream, Jade and Roc. All sects are independent and have their own purpose. Each sect is led by a Kolat Master.

The members of the sects aren't aware of the identity of other members of their own sect, let alone of other sects. Each Kolat operative works for an oyabun which in turn works for his own oyabun, or for the master of his sect. This is to maintain perfect secrecy and limit to a minimum the danger of a Kolat leading to the others.

Kolat History
When the Kami fell from the heavens not all humans wished to obey their command. Some fled to the Burning Sands, others went into hiding, all of them planning for a time when they may return and unmake the Kami controlled society.

The Kolat are the descendants of this group. They have a secretive organization with the goal of undermining the samurai caste and the concept of Celestial Order. Kolat believe all men are equal and the idea of samurai being above others is revolting.

The Infiltration of the Ki-Rin
The Kolat that fled to the Burning Sands were in contact with the Kolat in Rokugan through the Oni's Eye. Both parties plotted to take over the Ki-Rin, slowly infiltrating them through the different gaijin they let into the clan, most notably the Ujik-hai.

It was also the Kolat that made sure the Unicorn learned meishodo, a form of gaijin magic which doesn't use the kami, but the Elements themselves.

By the time the Unicorn came back to Rokugan, the clan was under complete Kolat control. Even though less than 5% of its member were Kolat operatives, they were key members.

The First War
In order to increase their power, the Kolat wanted to increase the power of money and economics in the Empire. This lead to them being instrumental in the Crane-Crab War which eventually led to the Yasuki break and the ongoing underground economic war between the Daidoji and the Yasuki.

This is the first period of history where the Kolat have been noticed, even if it is by few people.

Kolat Purges
After the Clan War,Toturi I made extensive efforts to purge Rokugan of Kolat influence. In addition, the Kami Shinjo purged the Unicorn Clan of Kolat influence, leaving her family in shambles and placing the Moto family in charge of the Clan.

After Oblivion's Gate
The Kolat were believed to have sacrificed themselves in the War Against Shadow, however evidence of their existence persists as recently as 1159, when a sleeper agent was exposed before Hantei Naseru and the entire Imperial Court by Yasuki Hachi.

In addition, their sister group of Kolat within the Burning Sands, known as the Qolat, was largely unaffected by the purges in Rokugan and continue to operate as normal. The Qolat became known as the Roc Sect.

The Exposure of Master Coin
Also, after the Junghar Army commander Moto Chen became the victim of a slandering campaign which resulted in the loss of his position, he began a quest to extract vengeance from the people responsible, with the implicit blessings of his lord Unicorn Clan Champion Moto Chagatai. He learned that not only was his brother, Moto Chaozhu, the person who set things in motion, but he was able to do so with the assistance of the Kolat in a failed attempt to usurp his brother's position. Chen then received information about a Kolat cell operating within Mantis lands. He took this information to Mantis Clan Champion-contender Yoritomo Kumiko, who personally assisted him in attacking the cell, which turned out to be Master Coin Moshi Shanegon's secret stronghold and treasury. The two, with the help of Kumiko's forces, fatally wounded Shanegon's operation, and caused him to flee into the Ivory Kingdoms. Through this, Chen was able to redeem himself in the eyes of the public, and Kumiko gained more legitimacy and support in her battle for the Championship. And unbeknown to the two, Yasuki Jinn-Kuen, their secret sponsor and source of information, managed to use the ensuing chaos within the Coin Sect to take over as the new Master Coin. Shanegon was already held in low esteem by his fellow Masters thanks to his decadence and the sloppiness of his way of running things, and this blatant exposure convinced them that it was time for him to be replaced. Jinn-Kuen was more than happy to oblige his fellow Masters.

Black Chrysanthemum
The Kolat once again returned to their under-the-radar ways after the fiasco with Moshi Shanegon. However, their next move was, once again, an apparent failure - they never forgot Chen's attack on them, and Chaozhu's failure. The Kolat attempted to finish both off in one fell swoop by setting up an ambush in Toshi Ranbo wo Shien Shite Reigisaho on the two. However, the brothers figured it was an ambush, and were almost able to escape Ikoma Tsai's assasins, which he personally lead. However, things went awry both for attackers and the Motos when the Rain of Blood fell on all of them - Tsai and his people succumbed to corruption, as well as Chaozhu, and only Chen survived unscathed. All was not lost for Ikoma Tsai, however - Shadowlands Dark Lord Daigotsu negotiated with Master Roc Ruqayah on building an alliance, or at least a truce, between the Shadowlands and the Kolat, as they had greater enemies in the Empire - Iuchiban's Bloodspeakers, and the secret political conspiracy known as the Gozoku. The Kolat agreed to this, and created the position of Master Black Chrysanthemum to serve as liaison between the Shadowlands and the Kolat. They selected Ikoma Tsai for this, after having freed him from the mind-altering effects of both the Taint and the Bloodspeakers.

Secret Gozoku War
The Kolat had become painfully aware of the Gozoku machinations and the way they had undermined Toturi III's rule - this, to the Kolat, was unacceptable, since they considered the continuing rule of the Toturi Dynasty as one of their major successes. Finally, the Kolat took action against their bitter enemies - Master Silk Kakita Kyruko talked with Doji Yasuyo, and through innuendo and logic, alarmed her about her fiance Kaneka's ambitions, and then gave her information about Kaneka holding a very important Crane hostage. Yasuyo confronted Kaneka and his officers about Doji Takeji, and Kaneka not only admitted his membership in the Gozoku, but also gave Yasuyo all the information he had so far about the conspiracy. They then set in motion a chain of events that would eventually lead to the exposure and eventual death of the Gozoku leaders, Bayushi Atsuki, Doji Akiko, and Seppun Toshiaki.

Battle at the Tomb
Once again, the Kolat took an active role in assisting the Toturi Dynasty - they deployed both Yasuki Jinn-kuen and Tsuruchi Etsui in the failed rescue mission of Toturi Naseru from the Shadowlands. The two were given full reign to use Kolat resources in facilitating the transportation of the rescuers, which benefited the Crab and Mantis squads to great effect. Jinn-kuen and Etsui also both managed to enter the Tomb with the Emperor himself, and were among the 8 Great Clan Representatives, along with the Nezumi and Daigotsu Rekai, who were commanded by Naseru to bring back a relic from the Tomb back to the Empire immediately, even at the cost of Naseru's life. Jinn-kuen brought with him to the Crab the Tao of Fu Leng, while Etsui brought back not only a candle and a magical sword, but also a powerful secret - the true heir of Toturi Naseru, the former he gave to the Mantis, the latter to the Kolat.

Holdings
Unknown to Rokugan, the Kolat maintain their ancient stronghold, the Hidden Temple, deep within what used to be Phoenix Clan lands. The area around the temple is now controlled by the Ox Clan, whose champion, Morito, is Master Steel. (3E p. 295)

Major References

 * Way of the Ninja Pages 41-49.
 * The Merchant's Guide to Rokugan Pages 84-99.