Sons of Winter

The Sons of Winter were a ronin bandit juzimai. They were destroyed several centuries before 1169 by the Emerald Champion, but it is believed that some escaped to the Shinomen Mori and survived.

Fox Clan
In 1169, ronin resembling the Sons of Winter began attacking the Fox Clan out of the Kitsune Mori. Strangely, there seemed to be nothing that could truly kill them. It seemed that the Sons were attempting to kidnap Kitsune Narako, a Fox prophet. Soon after the attacks began, Kakita Hideo and Kitsuki Taiko arrived in Fox lands on a different matter and offered their help to the Fox.

The attacks grew worse, and eventually the Mantis Clan intervened. First by lending the Fox the Candle of Shadows to hide Narako from the Sons, and then by sending troops to help the Fox. This led directly to the Fox' absorption into the Mantis Clan. Following Mantis intervention, the attacks largely ceased.

Shadow Dragon
Eventually, it was discovered by Bayushi Eisaku, Hiruma Aki, Kakita Hideo, Kitsuki Taiko, Utaku Kohana and Yoritomo Saburo that the Shadow Dragon had orchestrated the attacks and had given the Sons of Winter the power of Nothing. His original plan was to use the Fox' connection to Chikushodo to gain the awareness of all animals in the world, making him nearly omniscient. When he realized Narako's gift of prophecy, he instead sent the Sons of Winter to kidnap her, and to take her gift for himself. The Shadow Dragon was repulsed by Narako's purity. It is not known how the Shadow Dragon will continue to use the Sons of Winter.