Iuchiban's Legacy

Iuchiban's Legacy is a short fiction.

Annotated Story


There are three different stories among the Scorpion Clan how Iuchiban came to be. One details the creation of the Bloodswords, forged from four of Rokugan's greatest souls in secret on the Anvil of Depair. The anvil, made from an oni's skull covered in flesh, fire and molten steel of Lord Moon's own hatred. On dark nights in the Twilight Mountains the screams of the souls devoured can still be heard.

Using the anvil Iuchiban bound the spirits of four champions to the blades, imbuing them with a thirst for blood and a martial prowess that would be granted to anyone who wielded the blade. The souls were twisted to embody only the blackest aspects of their personalities. Naming the Passion, Revenge, Judgement and Ambition, he sent them as gifts to the daimyo of the Crane, Lion, Crab and Scorpion respectively.

The bloodswords worked with great efficiency, causing the Crane Clan Champion to throw himself off a cliff after announcing his love for a geisha under half his age in court. The Lion Clan Champion led an ill-concieved attack on Dragon lands over a perceived insult, dying outside the gates of Shiro Mirumoto. The Crab Clan Champion killed his children in their sleep, before turning the blade upon himself.

The only blade not to be used, Ambition, was kept safe by Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Rikoji, who ordered an investigation into the sender of the gifts and thus brought about the fall of Iuchiban.

Characters
n/a

Not Present, But Mentioned

 * Iuchiban
 * Crane Clan Champion
 * Lion Clan Champion
 * Crab Clan Champion
 * Bayushi Rikoji

Errors

 * Asahina Yajinden was the creator of the Bloodswords, not Iuchiban. It is very likely however that Yajinden created them on order from Iuchiban.