Kuroiban

A Kuroiban

The Kuroiban, which means the Black Watch, was a secretive group of Scorpion Clan shugenja devoted to destroying maho both inside and outside the Clan.

Creation of the Kuroiban

When the armies of Iuchiban rose to attack Otosan Uchi, it was the Scorpion who were the first to see the threat. When the bloodspeaker was defeated, Scorpion shugenja devised the wards that bound his soul. Though it seemed that the bloodspeakers threat had been defeated, a Scorpion named Yogo Itoju feared that the circumstances that created Iuchiban could occur again. The Phoenix Inquisitors and Kuni Witch Hunters had dedicated themselves to defending the Empire against such threats, but Itoju felt that was not enough.

Though the Witch Hunters and Inquisitors were well suited to deal with most threats, the Scorpion reasoned that the most dangerous maho cults were those that existed beyond the eyes of the law. The main reason Iuchiban himself was so dangerous was because of his connection to the Emperor. Only a group that did not officially exist - and thus was not bound by the laws of the Empire - could defend against such threats.

Yogo Itoju approached the Emperor directly, requesting his permission to found a brotherhood of maho-hunting shugenja that would serve at his command. The Emperor agreed, and this group was called kuroiban. ("Black Watch").

Tradition

Kuroiban Compound

Secrecy was the tradition of the Kuroiban. They did not have a headquarters or dojo per se. Instead, it owned a number of small estates, well hidden and scattered about the larger cities of the Empire, the Kuroiban compounds. All of these homes were inscribed with special wards, visible only to those who have passed the initiation of the Black Watch. Tainted members or those who betrayed the group's secrets were expelled, and another Kuroiban was sent to swiftly end their life.

Training

Only the most skilled and trustworthy shugenja were invited to join their number, taken to one of their hidden safehouses and given a crash course in the organization's secret methods during six months. Working with a partner or dispatched on his own, they were given their first mission.

Sensei

There were no career sensei among the Kuroiban. A Kuroiban was only expected to teach when selected to train a new member, and when he developed a new spell to be shared with his fellow agents.

Yogo Jitte

The Yogo Jitte were the badge of office for the head of the Kuroiban. Many replicas of the original had been fashioned for other agents of the organization, were also called Yogo Jittes and had much of the same properties of the original.

Known Techniques

• The Black Watch
• Seek the Darkness
• Greater Warding
• Find the Darkness

History

Four Winds Era

With the Empire's lack of an Emperor, the Kuroiban supported Toturi Sezaru as Emperor.

Shadowed Tower

The Kuroiban, led by Yogo Koji at the time, played an important role on the internal conflict between the Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Yojiro and the Shadowed Tower led by Bayushi Atsuki. They helped Yojiro find the Shadowed Tower's bases and destroy them. ^{[citation needed]}

Hunted

In 1166 something hunted the Kuroiban, and it was neither Daigotsu nor Iuchiban. They could be the demons of the shadowlands, in their subtly civil war against the tainted humans, and enemies as well of the Kuroiban.

Hunted by the Chuda

In 1170 Chuda Mishime, leader of the tainted Chuda family of the called Spider Clan, turned his attention on the Kuroiban, seeking their complete destruction, as ordered by Daigotsu.

Spider Clan as Great Clan

In 1173 after the victory of the Empire and the death of Kali-Ma the Empress conferred the status of Great Clan to the Spider Clan. Those free of the taint were allowed to remain in the Empire after they were inspected by forces from the Jade Champion, the Asako Inquisitors, the Kuni family, or the Kuroiban.

Unrestricted Access Granted to the Crab

The Crab Clan aided the Scorpion to build the Scorpion Wall, the wall that surrounded the Second Festering Pit. In return the Kuroiban gave the Crab full cooperation and the uninhibited sharing of information in matters relating to the taint or maho.

Notable Members of the Kuroiban

• Kuni Hiroji Kuni Witch Hunter. 12th century.
• Shosuro Kiemon Shugenja. 12th century.
• Soshi Angai Shugenja. 12th century.
• Soshi Hiroaki Shugenja. 12th century.
• Soshi Nikaro Shugenja. Keeper of Jade. 12th century.
• Soshi Shuuko Shugenja. 12th century.
• Yogo Koji Shugenja. Kuroiban Leader. 12th century.
• Yogo Itoju Shugenja. Kuroiban founder. 8th century.
• Yogo Itoju Shugenja. 12th century.
• Yogo Rieko Shugenja. 12th century.
• Yogo Sutebo Shugenja. 12th century.
• Yogo Tanaka 12th century.
• Yogo Toshiki Shugenja. 12th century.

External Links

• Kuroiban Advisor (Reign of Blood)
• Kuroiban Compound (Rise of the Shogun)

References

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