Cracked Bone

The Cracked Bone was a tribe of the Nezumi race. They were stronger and larger than most of their race, some reaching upwards of five feet in height. They carried armor and weapons retrieved from fallen bushi or fashioned from whatever materials they could get their paws on. They pierced their ears, noses, and tails, adorning themselves with carved decorations of the same materials. These nezumi were not actively hostile to the Rokugani, but they fought to protect their territory. The warriors of the Cracked Bone actively sought battle against Shadowlands creatures to prove themselves worthy. Their young must bloody their claws to achieve adulthood, in a ceremony not dissimilar to the Rokugani gempuku. Their warriors trained hard from birth, so that an adult warrior could perform physical feats impossible for nezumi of more peaceful tribes, including to strike with a tail and to use that tail to wield a weapon as well. Their leader held their position by virtue of their martial skill, and when they grew too old to defeat all challengers, a victorious warrior killed them and takes their place.