Kenshin family

The Kenshin family is a vassal family in service to the Iuchi family of the Unicorn Clan. During the Ki-Rin's Exodus there was a samurai named Iuchi Kenshin who had no shugenja abilities. He was a disappointment to his father, who sent him to train with the guardsmen and servants while doting upon his incredibly talented daughter. Over the centuries it happened that all of Kenshin's direct male descendants were born with no shugenja abilities and his direct female descendants were very powerful shugenja.

Once, in 1145, a samurai named Iuchi Sun Ni was on patrol and noticed a group of bandits gathering to attack a lone traveler. Sun Ni shouted a warning to the traveler and killed the bandit leader with a single arrow. It turned out that Sun Ni had rescued Iuchi Yue, the future Iuchi daimyo.

Yue brought Sun Ni to the Iuchi daimyo, Iuchi Kumiho. Kumiho told Sun Ni that he had performed a great favor for his family. Sun Ni merely nodded and asked to leave so that he could continue his duties. Kumiho was confused and Sun Ni told him that he was doing his duty and thus needed no reward.

Kumiho spoke to Sun Ni alone and Sun Ni told him of Iuchi Kenshin and, remarkably, the rest of his male ancestors. He then told Kumiho that all male members of his line were bushi who dedicated their lives to protecting shugenja. Kumiho asked why only females in his family became shugenja and Sun Ni was forced to reveal his family's shame. Kumiho saw it as a wonderful blessing, the females were granted great power and wisdom while the males were given great ability to protect their sisters from the physical world's dangers.

Kumiho spoke with his advisors. Two weeks later, every member of Sun Ni's family was granted vassal family status. All were given the Kenshin name and Sun Ni was made daimyo. The Kenshin's duty would be to protect valuable members of the Iuchi family. Sun Ni was himself made Iuchi Yue's yojimbo and the guard captain at Shiro Iuchi. Sun Ni and his kin consider Iuchi Kenshin to be the family's founder.

Since their founding Sun Ni has been able to send his men to train with the Daidoji family and Shiba family so that they may learn the arts of defense from the best. Their estate, Shiro Kenshin was still unbuilt as of 1160, but the humble Kenshin are content to live in a village of gers until then.