| Five Nights of Shame | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location: Shiro Chuda at Dragon Heart Plain | |
| Date: 402 | |
| Major Forces: Phoenix Clan, Snake Clan | |
| Generals: Council of Five, Chuda Tamihei | |
| Battles of Rokugan | |
The Five Nights of Shame were a dark mark in history when the Snake Clan was destroyed by the Phoenix Clan.
Maho exposed[]
On the morning Chuda Tamihei gained control of the Snake Clan, a temple bell was rung by a young deaf boy after he received the hammer from an unknown woman, possibly Jizo, the Fortune of mercy. The Council of Five heard the bell and when the Master of Water scried a frozen pond, the Isawa family learned that the once-noble Snake Clan had not only fallen to maho, but had been possessed by a Shuten Doji (specifically the Shuten Doji of Regret). The Council of Five realized they could not allow this evil to escape the Dragon Heart Plain under any circumstances, or it could well overrun the entire Empire. [1]
Phoenix attack[]
Within days, the forces of the Phoenix Clan descended on the Snake in a wave of death. The Elemental Masters used their powers to stop the spreading of sound, because with it came the possession of the Shuten Doji. When they reached the city, the Snake army met them, ready to fight. The Master of Air stifled the air in their lungs to surround them in silence, and all three thousand samurai were killed without a sound. [1] The first to fall were a group of scout ronin, who were slaughtered by the Snake Maho-tsukai. Upon their sacrifice the Elemental Masters learned how to protect their kin. [2]
The magic of the Isawa and the steel of the Shiba attacked at night when the Shuten Doji roamed Shiro Chuda and after five nights, every man, woman, and child was destroyed until not a living soul remained of the once-honorable Snake Clan. [3]
Rokugani Reaction[]
"Never again"
Once word of the slaughter reached the rest of Rokugan, the reaction was universal outrage. The clans could not believe that the pacifistic Phoenix would do such a thing. Hantei Kusada himself sent a missive to the Phoenix, demanding an explanation of their actions. [3]
The reply of the Masters was two simple words: "Never again." [3]
Shuten Doji's Fate[]
A Phoenix magistrate, Isawa Tsuneo, disappeared when he was determining the Shuten Doji's fate. [4] The noble magistrate gave his life to bind the Shuten Doji in his tomb. He placed several wards that would remain active to prevent the spirit's escape. [5]
Escapee[]
A lone vassal, a servant familiar with maho, escaped the destruction of the Snake. He went into hiding and would spend his remaining years practicing blood magic in secret. He would teach the secrets to his daughter, who would go on to teach them to her child, and so on, establishing the secret Snake line for centuries to come. [6]
References
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