Yoritomo

Yoritomo, often called the "Son of Storms", was a large man by Rokugani standards. He had an athletic build and green eyes. He was only rarely seen out of his trademark mantis-like armor, and even rarer still without his kama. Believing that the Mantis Clan deserved to be more than a minor clan, he lived his life to one end: the ascension of his people to Great Clan status. Yoritomo was a cunning tactician and a fearsome warrior. His courage and audacity shocked many, but lead most samurai to admire his strength.

Youth
In 1107, Yoritomo was born the youngest of three sons to the Mantis Clan Champion Yoshitsune and his wife Kirei.

In 1110, at the age of three, Yoritomo's mother and two brothers were killed by assassins from the Ivory Kingdoms. The attack upon the Mantis Clan Champion's family left the Champion with a crippled leg and Yoritomo with a scar across his face. Yoshitsune kept the true nature of his family's death from Yoritomo for years to come.

In 1117 Yoshitsune's conscience weighed too heavy, and he revealed to Yoritomo the true nature of what had happened that night. Yoshitsune revealed that he was an impostor, that the real Yoshitsune had died in 1110, and the imposter had come to love Yoritomo and raised him until just before his gempukku. The false Yoshitsune handed Yoritomo his blades, and as it dawned upon the ten year old boy that the man was not his real father the man jumped from the walls of Kyuden Mantis to his death in the sea below. That same year, Yoritomo was made the Mantis Clan Champion. Many within the Mantis felt he would lead them to greatness as he was well known for his anger over the minor clan status of the clan.

Training
Yoritomo's sensei during his youth was called Tokui. In one sparring session, earlier in the same day Yoshitsune revealed the truth to Yoritomo, Yoritomo broke some of Tokui's ribs. Tokui might have been killed were it not for the intervention of Yoshitsune.

Yoritomo's Alliance
To increase his visibility and power base, Yoritomo formed the Yoritomo's Alliance during the Clan War. The Centipede Clan joined after Yoritomo married Moshi Wakiza, the Moshi Daimyo.

The Great Clan
On the Second Day of Thunder, Yoritomo presented the Clan Champions of the assembled Great Clans with an ultimatum: he and his clan would rather die than continue to serve, so accept the Mantis as a Great Clan, or Yoritomo would attack with his army. Kakita Toshimoko asked Doji Hoturi for permission to kill Yoritomo for the request. Hida Yakamo just laughed and said he approved. The Champions were so impressed they agreed to give the Mantis Great Clan status, assuming any of them survived the day.

The Scorpion Deal
Bayushi Aramoro made a deal with Yoritomo in 1131. In exchange for his son, Bayushi Aramasu, Yoritomo would hold the Scorpion lands until their return from their exile to the Burning Sands. Yoritomo Aramasu traveled to Mantis lands bearing maps and secrets, so that Yoritomo could further his power in Rokugan and fulfill his promise to Aramoro. Citing their charter from Toturi I to tax and regent any "unaligned" lands, Yoritomo traveled to Scorpion lands.

While journeying through Crane Clan lands, Doji Kuwanan himself traveled with the Mantis. Upon arriving in Scorpion lands, it became clear that Kuwanan had made his own plans, using the Scorpion children fostered to the Crane as an excuse for rightful ownership of Scorpion lands. Kuwanan ambushed Yoritomo as they entered Scorpion lands, and Yoritomo was forced to retreat.

Kuwanan was unaware of it at the time, but his decisions were based on advisors sent by the Lying Darkness to cause strife in the Empire. This is widely regarded as the beginning of the War Against Shadow.

Mantis Invasion of Phoenix Lands
In 1132, in an effort to expand his power, Yoritomo again cited the Mantis Clan Charter and seized control of the lands of the Phoenix Clan, claiming the clan was too weak to properly protect the territory themselves, following their depletion on the Second Day of Thunder. Yoritomo hoped to take the lands quickly, but the Phoenix Clan Champion, Shiba Tsukune, saw his invasion as an act of war and responded in kind. As the Phoenix were not ready for such an assault, Yoritomo slowly made his way deeper into Phoenix lands. It was later concluded that Yoritomo's actions were based on advice given by shape-shifting minions of the Lying Darkness.

Morikage Castle
Yoritomo helped Otaku Kamoko and several Naga from a Lying Darkness attack inside the Morikage Castle, just after Toturi had been found and freed.

Shinjo and Yoritomo
In 1133, shortly after the Mantis' defeat in Phoenix Clan lands, Yoritomo was approached by Lady Shinjo, who offered to put him on the Imperial throne. Her reason for this was that the Mantis did not have a hand in ending her brother Hantei's family line. Yoritomo refused, saying he would never become a pawn, not even of the Kami.

Oblivions's Gate
When the Dragon of Water came to collect Yoritomo and his twenty strongest men to be speeded away to Oblivion's Gate, Yoritomo knew his men were weak and weary from the war with the Phoenix. He told the Water Dragon that he was his twenty strongest men. Young Aramasu boldly stood with his father and said "And I am twenty-one."

Death
During the Battle of Oblivion's Gate in 1133, Yoritomo was confronted by Goju Adorai who attempted to convince the Mantis Champion to join the Shadow by giving up his name. Yoritomo replied that he had already given his name to his followers. Adorai was outraged and lashed out at Yoritomo, severely wounding the Champion before fleeing. Aramasu, who had been watching nearby, raced over to his adoptive father. Dying, Yoritomo passed leadership on to Aramasu. Aramasu took up his father's kama and ended Yoritomo's suffering, fulfilling the prophecies Hitomi and Adorai had made that Aramasu would kill his father.

Continuing the Fight
Following his death Yoritomo fought alongside the other heroes of Rokugan who returned through Oblivion's Gate. He once again took up arms alongside his son Aramasu and other heroic souls in the Legion of the Dead to battle the Legion of Blood over the newly formed Realm of Thwarted Destiny.

After Death
Following the victory at Oblivion's Gate, Yoritomo spent his time in Yomi, repeatedly performing kata on the seashore. What would be considered a reward for some was a boring existence for a man who had had such an exciting life. It was not until 1168 that his situation changed when Moshi Daimyo Moshi Amika and Horiuchi Rikako used the Heavenly Kobune of Suitengu to enlist his aid in finding Otaku Kamoko among the stars. As a reward for bringing Kamoko to the court of Tengoku, Yoritomo was granted admittance so the Mantis would have a voice in the heavenly court.



Following the Elemental Dragons' purge of all non-fortune, non-Emperor mortals in the heavens, the Dragon of Thunder did not wish Yoritomo to be cast out of Tengoku. The dragons allowed Otaku Kamoko to stay in Tengoku as Shinjo's substitute until Shinjo's return, but they would not allow Yoritomo to remain because he had no divine patron. Thunder, feeling that Yoritomo was worthy of being allowed to remain, gave up a part of its own divinity to make Yoritomo a rightful resident of the heavens. Thunder was cast down and Yoritomo was allowed to live in Tengoku permanently, effectively considered to be a Kami.