Moshibaru family

The Moshibaru family are vassals to the Hida family. The family consists of "new" Moshibaru, who are ronin that have won fealty to the Crab, and "old" Moshibaru, who are the samurai that train them in the ways of the Crab.

Origins
In the late fourth century, a demon named Oni no Usu arose from the Festering Pit. He gathered an army and marched on Shiro Hiruma. The Crab armies gathered to fight him, but Usu was cunning and the Crab took serious casualties. They became outnumbered and sent runners to inform the Akodo of Hida's imminent failure, and warned them to protect the Emperor at all costs. They dug in, resigned for the worst.

A week later, most of the Imperial Legions arrived in Crab lands, led by Emperor Hantei Fujiwa. He placed them, and even himself, under the command of Crab Champion Hida Ichido, saying, "My ancestor gave you this duty, to fight this menace. We have failed you by not offering all the aid we could. Show me how to fight the Shadowlands." With their help, Ichido's armies defeated Oni no Usu and his demons.

Fujiwa gave the Crab a large sum of Imperial gold to rebuild and gave Ichido permission to recruit new troops however he wished. But few would join the Crab after seeing what the clan faced in the Shadowlands. To risk one's life for gold was one thing, but to risk one's soul against the forces of darkness was something else entirely. Ichido's solution was to offer more than just koku, but honor and glory instead, and instituted the custom of the Twenty Goblin Winter. Any person who offered the heads of twenty bakemono to the Crab Champion would be given the opportunity to swear fealty to the Crab and attain samurai status, no questions asked.

The problem was, what to do with them? The new Crab were mostly ronin, criminals, vagrants and even peasants. If they were given too much influence, they might cause more problems than they solved. Hida Moshibaru, Ichiro's cousin, had a solution. He offered to take the new Crab and form a vassal family from them, subordinate to all other Hida. Those who would be Crab must prove that they deserved the honor. Ichiro approved and the Moshibaru vassal family was born.

Duties
Nearly all who win the Crab name during the Twenty Goblin Winter become Moshibaru. The family has a specific purpose. They either are teachers of Hida's techniques and philosophies, or they are the students. Once the students have proven their worth and honor, they can be promoted out of the vassal family, or they can choose to remain to help train and develop other new Moshibaru. Therefore, not all Moshibaru are ex-ronin, as those who are born Moshibaru prove their worth at their gempukku.

Samurai of the Moshibaru

 * Hida Moshibaru
 * Hida Kinashita

Holdings

 * Kyuden Moshibaru

Major References

 * Secrets of the Crab Pages 24-25.

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