Crane Clan
At the dawn of the Empire, after the Kami had fallen from the Celestial Havens, they found themselves plunged into a mortal world rife with cruelty and war. The Kami Doji - sister of Hantei, the first Emperor- resolved to bring order to this savage realm. The embodiment of elegance and grace, Doji walked among the earthly peoples, calming them in the way fair weather calms a storm-tossed sea. Any Crane will gladly speak of how from her, humans learned writing so they could record their achievements, politics to govern their affairs, economics and commerce to manage their wealth, and art and culture to lift them from their lives of misery. Those she touched the most became her devoted followers, the first samurai of the Crane Clan. Since that time, the Crane have become both the poets and the poetry of the Empire, at once the swordsmiths and the duelists wielding the smiths's blades. In every sapect of their lives, the Crane strive for mastery in all things, an ideal that the other clans can only hope to emulate.
The Crane Clan represents the pinnacle of refinement in Rokugan. Its members are known for their elegance, grace, and mastery of social customs. People expect them to be well-spoken, subtle in the extreme, and unfailingly polite.
The Crane Clan, Left Hand of the Emperor, is known throughout Rokugan for its skilled duelists and artisans. The Crane are also noted courtiers, wielding great power in the courts of the land. The traditions established by Lady Doji were now customary in the Emperor's Court. The formal dueling system, iaijutsu, was established by Doji's husband, Kakita. Their preferential status with the Imperial line was renowned and throughout history the clan had had fewer taxes and more gifts heaped upon them. They were the masters of the courts and had the status and wealth commensurate with such a position.
Families of the Crane Clan
The Crane consists of four powerful families in complete symbiosis, no two families overlapping in duties. The Doji family are the voice of the clan and control most of the politics within Rokugan. The Kakita family are famed for their iaijutsu duelists as well as their skills as artisans. The Daidoji family are the military might of the Crane as well as handling the things too dishonorable or dangerous for the other families. The Asahina family are the only shugenja in the clan, and spent their time in peaceful meditation and creation of nemuranai. The Asahina were in theory a fifth family, as the Yasuki family were once Crane. Their path however led them away from the Crane to the Crab Clan shortly after the founding of the Asahina.History
Enmity with the Lion
In the year 50 the Matsu family attacked the Kakita family's holdings south of Otosan Uchi, goaded by the stories of Kakita's insults against their founder. The Phoenix allied the Crane, while the Scorpion supported the Lion. The Emperor Hantei Genji decreed such actions legal and honorable. The Matsu eventually halted their attacks, feeling they had proven their point.1000 Years of Peace
During the 1000 years of peace, the Cranes, and particularly the Doji family had provided most of the spouses to the various Emperors. This was one of the reasons for the quasi disproportionate political influence the Clan enjoyed during so many centuries. An initial blow for the Clan, though, was the defection of the Yasuki family to the Crab Clan, which led to the First Yasuki War .The Gozoku
The Crane Clan daimyo was deeply involved in the Gozoku.There is a proper technique for all things.
Founding Date
Year 0
Type
Geopolitical, Clan
Capital
Alternative Names
Left Hand of the Emporer
Leader
Head of State
Major Exports
Fine goods, rice, fish
Major Imports
Raw materials, metals, exotic goods
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
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