Yoritomo's Alliance
Yoritomo's Alliance was formed at the onset of the Clan War by the great warrior Yoritomo, daimyo of the Mantis Clan. Yoritomo realized the time to make a name for his clan had arrived. Seeing that many of the minor clans were being caught in the middle of battles they had no hope of winning, he banded together with the Fox Clan, the Wasp Clan, [1] and the Centipede Clan. Alone, none of the minor clans could hope to stand against any of the Great Clans, but united they were a force to be reckoned with. [citation needed] The Alliance protected the minor clans' holdings and territories, and they shared in profits made by working as mercenaries for various clans, mostly the Crane Clan. [2]
Leaders[]
- Yoritomo: Mantis Clan
- Tsuruchi: Wasp Clan
- Moshi Wakiza: Centipede Clan
- Kitsune Ryosei: Fox Clan
- Kasuga Kemmei: Tortoise Clan
Gathering Minor Clans[]
In 1122, [3] in the Islands of Spice and Silk, Yoritomo summoned the leaders of Three Man Alliance: Suzume Yugoki, son of the Sparrow Clan Champion; Ryosei, daimyo of the Fox; and Tsuruchi, head of the Wasp. Yugoki made no objection when the other leaders joined Yoritomo's Alliance, but the scarcity of bushi within the Sparrow Clan forced him to stand aside. [4] In 1127 the Dragonfly and Falcon Clans refused to join Yoritomo, the Moshi of the Centipede were meditating upon the offer, and the Tortoise Clan immediately accepted the invitation to join the Alliance. [5]
Clan War[]
Battle at Benten Seido[]
In 1128 the Crane Clan expended much of its treasury to hire groups of ronin and enlist the aid of Yoritomo's Alliance. The alliance proved its worth in the Battle at Benten Seido, where a large Shadowlands force was routed. [6]
Clans United Against the Hantei[]
After the failed assault on Otosan Uchi against Hantei XXXIX in the Month of the Hare of 1128, the surviving Crab forces laid a camp near the ruins of Kyuden Doji. In winter of this year the possessed Emperor announced the cancellation of the annual Winter Court. Hida Tsuru, brother of Crab Daimyo Hida Kisada, sent invitations to hold a mock Winter Court outside the city, which was soon attended by the leaders of the clans and their military advisors. Now united, the clans began marshaling their forces against the Shadowlands. [7]
Battle of Sokustel Forest[]
In mid-winter the armies of the clans were massed near Otosan Uchi. Yogo Junzo's Army headed toward the united armies of Rokugan through the Sokustel Forest. They were ambushed by the Wasp archers of Tsuruchi, flanked by the forces of the Falcon, and smashed by another flanking assault from the opposite side by Mantis warriors. Fox and Centipede shugenja riddled the tainted army with magical attacks. The forces of the Shadowlands suffered heavy losses until Yoritomo withdrew his forces and quickly moved north to join the others. [7]
Fall of the Alliance[]
Fall of the Alliance
The Mantis Clan's reputation was greatly weakened by Yoritomo's defeat in the failed Mantis Invasion of the Phoenix lands, and Yoritomo's control over the minor clans rapidly degraded. The Fox left the alliance and came to embrace the Crane Clan. [8] After the death of Yoritomo at the Battle of Oblivion's Gate the Mantis Clan were slowly losing power among the great clans. Even after absorbing the Wasp and Centipede, they were not as strong as they had once been. With no conflict to unify the minor clans the Alliance dwindled, and by 1137 the Mantis stood alone once again. [9]
External Links[]
- The Alliance (Siege: Clan War)
References
- ↑ Player's Guide: 2nd Ed, p. 72
- ↑ Silk Works (Hidden Emperor 5 flavor)
- ↑ Fealty and Freedom, p. 87
- ↑ Player's Guide: 2nd Ed, p. 72
- ↑ Time of the Void, p. 11
- ↑ Time of the Void, p. 76
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Time of the Void, p. 100
- ↑ Fire and Shadow, Starter Quotes
- ↑ Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 24
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