Tsuno



The Tsuno were creatures similar to ogres. Originally from the Spirit Realms, they were savage creatures who were consumed by bloodlust. Like ogres, tsuno worked together in groups and had a strange code of honor. Tsuno used weapons and armor and followed a veteran tsuno who was refered to as a ravager. The shugenja of the tsuno were called soultwisters. Their magic called upon the different spiritual realms and was not considered maho. Soultwisters could learn blood magic if they wish.

Origin
It was recently been discovered that the Tsuno were originally Kitsu. They were banished from the City of Night as traitors, sent to Toshigoku by their brethren. Over the centuries they were twisted into becoming the creatures known as Tsuno, and not surprisingly grew to hate the Kitsu and the Lion Clan.

Traveling Between Realms
The Tsuno dwelled in Toshigoku, the Realm of Slaughter. Wherever foul murder had occurred, wherever the earth had drunk the blood of samurai armies, they could appear. This ability permitted the Tsuno to appear in different places, using the surprise in the most devastating way.

The Lion Clan and the Tsuno
After the purge of the Shimizu family, the Lion Clan thought them dead. This, however, was not the case. A lone Shimizu escaped the purge of Akodo Giri, carrying a larval offspring of the Tamayu no Oni. While this Shimizu was in hiding, he rebuilt the cult worshipping the Oni, who cautiously presented themselves to the Tsuno. Although the Tsuno consider the Shimizu untrustworthy and pitiful, they entered into a shakey alliance with the decimated Shimizu, and it was through the Shimizu that many major events in Rokugani history have been influenced by the Tsuno. The Tsuno taught the Shimizu a ritual that allows them to summon the spirits of those slain during Akodo Giri's assault, and allows the spirits to possess a living body. The Tsuno also helped create Nikushimi, the so called Nightmare of the Lion.

Alliance with Daigotsu
In 1157 Daigotsu made an alliance with the Tsuno: they research more the travel between Realms, as part of the Daigotsu's quest for the return of Fu Leng, and the Dark Lord would aid their revenge against the Lion Clan.

First Sight
In 1158 Hiruma Scouts saw them for first time in Rokugan while hunting the Toturi's slayers in the Shinomen Mori. The Tsuno had taken the naga cities and were torturing the sleeping Naga, and using their pain to transport themselves across Rokugan creating connections between the Realm of Slaughter, where they dwelling, and the Mortal Realm to attack by surprise and quickly retreat.

Matsu Turi
In 1156, under the leadership of Tsuno Kurushimi, the Tsuno allied with the Dark Oracle of Water Matsu Turi to work together in the destruction of the Lion Clan. The Tsuno discovered a blade they believed to be the sword of Akodo himself, Akodo's No-Dachi, and continued their search for his tomb. The Tsuno swore they would find Akodo's remains and return them to their Dark Lord, and attacked both the Hall of Ancestors and Kitsu Tombs in 1159 in efforts to aid this search. Later in the same year they attacked the Lion forces who retrieved the remains of Akodo from Turi, but were routed without the aid of Turi.

Kitsu Okura's Journal
In these raids the Tsuno also retrieved the journals of Kitsu Okura, which contained the research Okura had done about travel betweem Spirit Realms. This journal aided the Tsuno in masternig this travels and allowed Daigotsu to engineer the freedom of Fu Leng and assault on Tengoku, the Celestial Heavens.

Known Tsuno

 * Ikm'atch-tek
 * Nikushimi
 * Tatakiwaru
 * Tsuno Kira
 * Tsuno Kishenku
 * Tsuno Kizuato
 * Tsuno Kurushimi
 * Tsuno Nintai
 * Tsuno Sochi
 * Tsuno Shingai
 * Tsuno Takuma