The Centipede Clan was one of the Minor Clans of Rokugan. Devoted to the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, the matriarchal Centipede Clan preserved ancient traditions and mostly kept to themselves. The Moshi family produced a large number of shugenja, whose fire magic kept the clan safe. [1] The Castle of the Centipede was their ancestral seat of power. [2]
Creation[]
In the fourth century Isawa Moshi was enlightened by a vision of Amaterasu herself and she changed her name to Moshi Azami. This decision was regarded by the Isawa family as an act of arrogance, earning the family much scorn and condemnation from within the Phoenix. The Emerald Champion at the time made the case to the Emperor that due to the remote nature of the Moshi, it would be easier for the Imperial administration to count the family as a separate clan when receiving its tributes. [3]
Amaterasu's Chosen[]
Amaterasu appeared on the horizon every day, crossing the sky until she reached the opposite horizon, yielding the sky to nightfall. It was believed that the songs of her blessed chosen, the Moshi family, were what awaken her each morning, and that she followed the Moshi's voices as they sang at the shore of Bay of the Golden Sun. [4] One effect of the Blessing of Amaterasu was that any child born within the valley had a much higher chance of being female than one born anywhere else in Rokugan; female children outnumbered children of other genders three to one. As a result, most daimyō, priests, and other officials of the Centipede Clan tended to be women. [3]
Details[]
Ancestral Blade[]
The ancestral sword of the Centipede was a gift from the Shiba family to the Moshi, who enshrined it within the Shrine of the Lady Sun. [5]
Mon[]
The name Mukade no Tani referred to the large insects that infested the rocky terrain of the Mountains of Regret. These centipedes were nearly a foot in length, reddish brown in color, and highly aggressive, with an extremely painful bite that could stun adults and even kill small children. The Centipede Clan adopted these creatures as their mon, or crest, to remind outsiders never to underestimate the might of the small. [6]
Spouses[]
The fact that the Centipede Clan comprised a single family meaned that finding spouses outside the clan was necessary. Many Centipede spouses came from the Mantis Clan and other minor clans, but rōnin who agreed to learn the customs of the Moshi and who proved themselves to be honorable were readily welcomed. [3]
Traditions[]
The Centipede were known as bulwarks of tradition, such as the morning song to welcome Amaterasu each dawn, which the Centipede had sung since their founding as a clan. When a child of the Centipede was two years away from their gempuku, they were sent to live for a week with one of their grandparents. During this time, their grandparent tested the child's knowledge and abilities to ensure that their parents have properly prepared them. Should they failed, the grandparent took a much more active role in their upbringing. The traditional Centipede gempuku involved climbing the Mountain of the Sun Goddess by following the path of Moshi Azami and praying at the Shrine of the Lady Sun for guidance. Some children heard hear Amaterasu's voice, though most just receive a vision that guided them on the rest of their journey. Due to their love of Amaterasu and their strong bonds with the seafaring, star-tracking Mantis Clan, the Centipede practiced a tradition involving mapping the bodies of the observable sky. [7]
Allies and Enemies[]
The Centipede were traditional allies of the Falcon and Mantis Clan. The Mantis were the Centipede Clan's oldest allies, having been among the first to scale the steep cliffs of Mukade no Tani and make contact with the isolated Centipede. The Mantis helped construct the pulley systems that scale the steep cliffs overlooking the ocean, allowing trade to reach the valley. Many Centipede found spouses among the Mantis, absorbing them into their clan in what became known colloquially among the Mantis as “the Mukade no Tani retirement.” The Centipede offered the Mantis unfettered access to the small port they controled, called the Port of Sun's Reflection. They also offered Mantis shugenja a place in the Light of the Lady Sun Dōjō. The Centipede recognized the Falcon as fellow mystics with an ancient spiritual duty, offering the clan a permanent place in the Light of the Lady Sun Dōjō to train their shugenja. The Akodo were some of the Centipede's oldest enemies, who once swore to take Mukade no Tani as theirs. [8]
Notable Holdings[]
Centipede Clan Champion[]
The Centipede Clan Champion could only be someone who had heard Amaterasu's voice. The one who held this position received the title “Mother of the Centipede,” or “Parent of the Centipede.” [7]
| Isawa Moshi | ? - ? |
| Moshi Chiasa | ? - Present |
See also[]
References
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