Battle at Fate Gorge

Cause of the Battle
The Lion general Matsu Uniri had long been an outspoken critic of the use of shugenja in armies. He made a chalenge in open court that shugenja were unneccessary in the armies of the Emperor. The Isawa countered that their magics were unsurpassed and that an army of bushi was no match for an army of Isawa Shugenja. The Shiba joined the argument, agreeing that an army of Isawa would certainly defeat an army of Matsu warriors.

Uniri, knowing a challenge when it was presented to him, drew his katana, cut his own finger, and replied merely, "Done," before leaving the court.

Preparations for the Battle
Three months later, Master of Water Isawa Kaiyoko stood ready to launch a very daring plan. Eight Shiba Bushi stood in her chambers, prepared to be transported by her magic into the command tent of Matsu Uniri with the intent of killing Uniri and Matsu Yunaki, his wife and also an able commander in her own right. To the rest of Rokugan, the act would likely be seen as a cowardly assassination plot, but to the Isawa, it seemed an effective use of surprise tactics combined with their special magical aptitude.

The portal was created and the eight Shiba charged forward. The first was killed quickly by Uniri. The second struk Uniri while he was ditracted, a blow that was fatal, but not immediately so. With his last ounce of strength, Uniri killed that Shiba and another before collapsing. Yunaki proved more of a challenge than Kaiyoko had anticipated, killing four of the remaining five Shiba. The eighth was killed as young Matsu Tsuko, the daughter of Uniri and Yunaki, crushed his throat with her boken. Tsuko was not a threat that Kaiyoko had calculated at all, and as a result, Yunaki was still alive to lead the armies of the Matsu the next morning.

The Battle
As the battle began the next morning, it was not the cry of Yunaki that spurred the Lion to fight, but that of young Tsuko. The war cry of the ten year old girl carried above the Lion troops. "I am Matsu Tsuko, daughter of the great Daimyo Uniri, and I have slain a cowardly Phoenix with my stick and my own honor. How many Phoenix can claim this?"

With a fierce cry, the Matsu charged into the Isawa ranks.

Major References

 * Way of the Phoenix Pages 42-43