Tsuruchi

Tsuruchi was the son of a Scorpion and a Lion, who defied both clans to forge his own minor clan, the Wasp Clan. The clan was eventually absorbed by the Mantis Clan and later Tsuruchi joined the Brotherhood of Shinsei becoming Tanari, and later its leader.

Family
Tsuruchi was the son of Bayushi Uchinore, the cousin to Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Shoju, and Akodo Tameko, the daughter of Akodo Ranabe. Their son was named Tsuruchi by his mother, meaning "Little Wasp". Their union was not welcomed by either clan, and both clans began plotting to take the castle they resided in. The courts whispered about the "Shame of the Akodo". Meanwhile, Tsuruchi grew up showing amazing skill with kyujutsu.

Fall of Kyuden Ashinagabachi
In 1107, before Tsuruchi had reached his gempukku, his parents were assassinated. At the same time a Lion army led by his uncle, Tameko's brother, moved towards the castle. It became clear that they intended to take Kyuden Ashinagabachi, and some of the troop stationed there were not loyal to Tsuruchi. Tsuruchi and those loyal killed the disloyal ones, but took heavy damage. By the time his uncle's army arrived he was given a choice between death and surrendering. As Tsuruchi was about to surrender he noticed his uncle reading a message. It was from his uncle's superior, Matsu Kajitoko, ordering the slaughter of Tsuruchi and all those within the castle. Tsuruchi barely escaped, and only seventy men remained with him.

Embracing the Kyujutsu
After such events his faith in the Way of the Samurai and honor code was totally lost. Tsuruchi broke his blade and swore he would not wield another again. From this day Tsuruchi embraced the Kyujutsu as the way to fight.

""I will never again carry the samurai's weapon. For I am samurai no longer.""

- Tsuruchi

Wasp Clan
Two years later, in 1109, Tsuruchi returned to reclaim the castle. He killed his uncle, who had held the castle for the past two years, and all those inside. Tsuruchi knew he would not be able to hold the castle from both clans with his remaining forty-nine men. Instead he approached the Emerald Champion at the time, Doji Tsukihi, and pleaded his case. Luckily the Champion had no love for either of the clans, and both came to the Crane Clan Champion, Doji Utori. Tsukihi declared that the castle would be a permanent garrison for magistrates and under the protection of the Emerald Champion. Tsuruchi, Mukami (his yojimbo) and the remaining soldiers founded the Wasp Clan and took up residence in Tsuruchi's family castle.

Absorbed by the Mantis
In 1128 the Wasp Clan joined the Mantis Clan and became the Tsuruchi family.

Mantis Magistrates
Tsuruchi viewed the role of his family as the Mantis Magistrates on those lands yoritomo would conquer, like the Scorpion lands emptied being exiled its former holders; the Lion lands, being the Lion army marching toward Crab lands; the Phoenix and Crane lands, depopulated and unable to defend themselves from external threats such as the Shadowlands. Tsuruchi expected to guard lands uncontrolled by the Great Clans.

Seeking Toturi
In 1132 Yoritomo gave Tsuruchi an Akodo Dagger brought by a spy from outside the clan to help him to find the Hidden Emperor. The spy was probably a kolat minion, because the only lost Akodo Dagger was seen in the hands of Akodo Kage, the uncovered Kolat Master. It was not clear if the kolat were helping the Empire against the Shadow, the opposite, or only playing on both sides. Tsuruchi and Yoritomo Yukue followed the Emperor's trail, disembarked with ten loyal men in Toshi no Omoidoso and marched to the Morikage Forest. Yoritomo had promised to meet them on the far side of the Phoenix lands, to prepare their march to Kyuden Isawa.

Morikage Forest
In the forest they were attacked by Goju who killed his men, and Tsuyu was revealed as a faceless minion of the Nothing. Tsuruchi managed to escape into the forest.

Morikage Castle
When Tsuruchi was fleeing he met with a group of naga who were taking care of a wounded Unicorn. Tsuruchi tried to explain himself and the foes who were chasing him when the Unicorn, Otaku Kamoko awoke. The naga, Balash, Isha, and Malekish were aware of the kind of enemy which was in the forest and provided Tsuruchi with Crystal Arrows. When the minions of the Darkness appeared the Mantis fired at the faceless. After a sudden explosion not far from them, the group retreated to the Morikage Castle.

Rescue of Toturi
Inside the castle Tsuruchi saw a shadow and fired at it, only to realize he had wounded the bloodspeaker Jama Suru, who had Otaku Xieng Chi as a hostage. A Goju appeared and tore some shoji screens to ruin, revealing a chained man standing in the center of the room, Toturi I. The minions of the Shadows attacked the Tsuruchi group, and the sorcerer. Suru released Xieng Chi and began to chant, the Otaku released the Emperor from his chains, and the rest fought the Goju. Suru created a hole in the floor of the castle and many Goju fell through it. Xieng Chi was saved from falling to his death by Balash. While the Goju were rallying, Suru, Xieng Chi and Toturi magically departed with a maho spell empowered with Kamoko's blood. Tsuruchi was the last to escape from the castle, and the group survived after they were found by a Mantis patrol led by Yoritomo himself, who had entered the forest with their Ikoma allies to find what had happened to their men. Tsuruchi reported to Yoritomo about the dark activities in the Morikage Castle and the Mantis Clan Champion used it to march with his troops toward Phoenix lands. Strangely, Yoritomo informed Tsuruchi was dead, the reasons remained unknown. The followers of Tsuruchi did not believe it and began to seek him.

Shinjo and Otosan Uchi
In 1132 the Kami Shinjo and the Empire forces marched to the Assault of Otosan Uchi, and Tsuruchi joined them. When they entered the Imperial Throne room they faced the Champion of the Moon. Tsuruchi stood in the Emperor's window, aiming his bow at the heart of the Moon's avatar but Tsuruchi's arrow did not fly true. The Crystal Arrow he fired had been gifted to Tsuruchi by a spectral guide, who already had advised he had only one chance.

Twenty-Seven Days of Darkness
Onnotangu was death and Amaterasu had fled the Celestial Heavens, beginning the Twenty-Seven Days of Darkness. In the tenth day Hitomi visited him at Kyuden Ashinagabachi as a sign of destiny.

Retirement
Tsuruchi retired from the position of daimyo, taking the name Tanari, at the end of the War Against Shadow in 1133. It was not known to most, but Tsuruchi had been almost crippled from a wound in the war and his choice to step down from leadership was to prevent the Wasp from appearing to have weak leadership. When the Wasp clan was absorbed it put Tsuruchi in a position he never wished. He found himself following orders he sometimes did not believe in, freedom was replaced by politics. Tsuruchi stepped aside because there were others who could do the job better. Tanari decided to seek enlightenement.

The Tsuruchi family constructed a new shrine for Tanari in their lands, the Temple of Kaze-no-Kami. At first, his retirement was quiet, and few knew what had happened to him. Eventually, a ronin loyal to the Wasp named Kagehisa, found him. Kagehisa respected the First Wasp's wish, and kept his secret.

Death of Kaze-no-kami
The temple suddenly came into the spotlight when Fu Leng assaulted the Heavens in 1159 and slew a number of fortunes and minor kami, including Kaze-no-kami himself. Pilgrims came to the temple out of curiosity for a few years, wondering how the Brotherhood would take the change.

Shumai
Another change would come when Tanari was joined in 1165 by Shumai, the man who was once Tsuruchi Ichiro, Tsuruchi's successor to the Tsuruchi leadership. With Shumai taking over more and more of the temple business, Tanari gained more free time, and was able to be more involved with Brotherhood in general.

Head of the Brotherhood
This involvement was enough that when Shoan retired from the leadership of the Brotherhood of Shinsei around 1166 Tanari was made head of the Brotherhood of Shinsei.

K'mee
In 1168 the nezumi K'mee came to see him. She was seeking the man he once was, Tsuruchi, and Tanari explained the changes he had suffered. K'mee told that a building in his former lands housed something that could be a threat to Rokugan. Tanari traveled with her to see what it was. The building was guarded by the gunso Yoritomo Satako and Yoritomo Batei. They did not let them pass until Tsuruchi Fusako, an Emerald Magistrate appeared and requested so. Inside the building was a box which contained a katana. The box had been retrieved from a vessel of the Dark Wave Fleet and put under custody there. K'mee saw Tomorrow on the blade, it would bring Darkness in the future. Fusako would bring it to the Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo Naizen, and Satako would march with her. After the journey He became friends with K'mee who asked if she could join the Brotherhood, and Tanari accepted her.

Kumitae
This year the pirate Yoritomo Buntaro "discovered" Kumitae, a treatise on the martial arts written by Shinsei himself, and given to Tanari for examination. The Brotherhood determined its authenticity and the Mantis held a tournament to determine who should protect the manual. Kumitae was won by Hida Nichie and was protected by the Crab Clan.

The Empty Throne
In 1170, Tanari sent out a request for an audience with Togashi Satsu. Satsu was unable to attend but Togashi Ieshige went in his place. Upon meeting the ise zumi, Tanari explained that the Brotherhood of Shinsei would support Satsu's bid for the throne as he felt the Empire needed a wise ruler to keep Rokugan out of a state of constant internal conflict.