The Phoenix Clan

The Phoenix Clan

Clan Champion: Shiba.
Clan Colours: Red, yellow, orange.
Main worship: The Ancestors.
Virtue: Courage.
Allies: Crane, Ki-Rin, Scorpion.
Rivals: Crab, Owl.

Serving as the Emperor’s Left Hand, Shiba and his followers stand first as the ones who spread the Emperor’s word and the many scholars who have joined the banner of the Phoenix find themselves hard at work trying to implement uniform rules and laws to work for all of the Empire’s citizens. This work naturally brings the Phoenix and Crane close together, as they are both a united front in bringing harmony to the Empire, though the Phoenix are more focused on educating and spreading knowledge compared to the Crane who seek to elevate culture and art. The Phoenix value scholarly pursuits, even for their warriors, and they believe that knowledge and truth will be the path forward for mankind. Shiba, along with his sister Shinjo, were tasked by Togashi to be his Left and Right Hand in the Empire. Where Shinjo is the swift sword of the Emperor, Shiba is the one who holds a scroll and a brush, ready to write down the Emperor’s words or read it aloud to the people of the Empire. While Togashi’s own order of monks often serve as his eyes and voice in the world, the Phoenix are often viewed as the ones who bring official proclamations. The Prince of Truths, as many call the Kami Shiba, is a patron of different religious faiths, and is responsible for the creation of many shrines and temples, even outside the lands of the Phoenix. Before the Empire was formed, various groups had their own systems of writing, or similar systems but with different symbols used for various words; the Phoenix, particularly the Asako, are committed to the laborious task of mapping all these and consolidating it all into one system of writing. So far, Shiba has spread the written form of the Kami’s language, which has become the de facto form used among the higher ranking people of the Empire, and the one that most people learn certainly draws a lot from the Kami’s language but is more simplified and uses forms and symbols that were in use before the arrival of the Kami.
While the Phoenix prefer peaceful solutions, they are not as pacifistic as their allies among the Crane and do not shy away from drawing weapons when pressed to do so. Sometimes, this more military side is a point of contention within the clan, as there are those who believe they should commit fully to the path of pacifism as a departure from their more barbaric past, while the warriors of the clan believe that they could stand to become more militaristic in order to better protect the northern against the yobanjin who they believe will pose a threat to the Empire. For the time being, Shiba’s presence and diplomatic nature keeps a balance of sorts between the two sides, though it’s only a matter of time before one must make a decisive choice. The tribe of Isawa is another issue for the Phoenix to face; a majority of the clan’s numbers hail from that tribe and they are already sort of part of the Phoenix though not officially so, as the leadership of the tribe stubbornly hold onto their independence. The Isawa have acknowledged the Emperor and his rule, but so far they have refused to bend the knee to any Kami - the Emperor has not pressed the issue, merely saying that “they will come in time”, and so far Shiba is keeping to that line of thought himself, though he is pressed from his followers to officially welcome the Isawa into their fold. This reluctance to make aggressive moves often puts the Phoenix at odds with the Crab, and the Owl often finds them to be too nosey for their own good when it comes to learning. However, the Phoenix are regarded well by almost all, sharing close bonds not only with the clans of Doji and Shinjo, but also with the clan of Shiba’s twin brother - the Scorpion.
Despite these troubles, the Phoenix are doing well in the grand scheme. Through Asako’s teachings and intelligent exchanges with Lady Agasha, the people in the lands of the Phoenix have made the most of what they can, with clever engineering to improve agriculture, and currently they are working on a long-term project that seems to be creating terraced paddies for crops. As many of the Phoenix numbers hail from the tribe of the Isawa and its neighbouring tribes in the north, many have come together in the worship of ancestors. Phoenix homes and important buildings bear inscriptions on their doorways or the main pillars with incantations asking the ancestors for protection and blessings, and they have the most elaborate graveyards compared to any other clan, where bodies of the dead are buried and given engraved tombstones. Some have moved their dead, or simply just their markers if too much time has passed, to be part of these new communal graveyards, while many have refused to do so out of concern for disturbing the remains of their honoured ancestors. It’s not unusual to come across old and hidden grave sites in the lands of the Phoenix, where most of them have been surrounded by sacred rope to ward off evil spirits and warn travellers that the site is not to be disturbed.

The Shiba Family

Daimyo: Shiba, The Prince of Truths.

Mon: Two flaming swords, crossed in a defensive guard.

A beautiful man of keen intellect, Shiba is second only to Shinjo when it comes to compassion and second only to Togashi in knowledge. The Prince of Truths moves through life with a great thirst and passion for knowledge, and he shares this knowledge with ease and generosity to all. His selflessness and dedication to the people around him makes others view him with admiration as a paragon of Bushido. Shiba is not the first one to speak in a gathering of people, but when he does speak it is with great insight and deep thought. Shiba’s followers seem to have his gift of being perceptive of their surroundings, and observing before acting.
Shiba has personally placed himself in front of his people to protect in the times where they have had to deal with belligerent yobanjin on the borders, and most would say that he probably would give his life for the clan if need be. From his followers, and especially those he personally trains and tutor, Shiba asks only that they act in accordance to truth - not only universal truth, but also to their true selves. His students are perhaps the least aggressive warriors but also the most scholarly, as they spend just as much time reading and writing as they do training how to fight. Many of them also seek out

members of the Crane, Ki-Rin, or the Imperial families, learning alongside them subjects such as art, horsemanship, or theology. Perhaps only rivalled by the Mirumoto who serve the Emperor directly, the warriors of Shiba are very spiritually-minded, learning esoteric meditation techniques and cultivating a strong spiritual centre within themselves, allowing them to tap into great reserves of potential.
While the past years have kept Shiba more grounded to administrative work, it’s no secret that he longs for the days before when the Kami were new to the world of man, when he could go on adventures and travel where he pleased to discover all the truths of the world. For now though, he is content to be a mentor and guide to humanity, even if a wistful expression is often found on his face when he seems to think no one is looking.

The Asako Family

Daimyo: Asako, The Seeker.

Mon: A bloodied hand, signifying the innate power of humanity.

The Asako are considered by many to be a bit of an odd group. They are dedicated scholars, scribes, and teachers, and yet they also lead a very ascetic lifestyle that puts them more on par with the likes of priests and the tattooed monks who serve the Dragon Emperor. Of all the groups in the Empire, only the Imperial families are more esoteric and mystical than the Asako, who are still a friendly people that many find it easy to approach. Within the Phoenix, they are the side that is the most vocal that the Clan should dedicate themselves towards peace over military tactics, and many say that they should try to find a way to negotiate for the yobanjin to return to the fold in the Empire.
Leading the Family is Lady Asako, an early follower of Shiba. Like many of the Kami’s followers, Asako seems to have retained her youth and vitality, still appearing as a woman in her prime with much gusto and drive still. She is known to be clever and insightful, and has been a driving force for expanding overall education in the Empire. Asako was among the spectators watching the tournament of the Kami, having travelled there from the Isawa Tribe against their wishes to see for herself, and as the Kami dispersed afterwards she joined Shiba’s side, seeing much good in one of the divine twins. Her subsequent fealty to Shiba, and the fact that many others from the Isawa joined her in doing so has become a point of contention between the Phoenix and the remnants of the tribe. The Isawa feel like she has been trying to undermine their leaders’ authority and trying to usurp the tribe in the name of the Kami, while Asako finds many of her tribal kin to be inherently stubborn and narrow minded, unable to see the potential future underneath the Kami’s leadership. Some might say that it would have to come down to Lady Asako squaring things out with the Isawa leadership first before there can be any resolution between the Phoenix and the Isawa.

Since joining Shiba’s side, Asako has been hard at work applying all her knowledge and everything she learned from Shiba as well to begin improving the lives of those who joined his banner, and she is the Prince of Truths’ closest friend and confidante.
Those who come to learn at Asako’s feet find themselves gifted with her gentle personality, and learn to use their ki in ways that might surprise even a shugenja. As both Shiba and Asako share a great interest for knowledge and learning, her students are as much scholars as they are diplomats and mystics.

Culture

The members of the Phoenix are very much defined by their dedication to knowledge and education, and barring the direct followers of the Emperor they possess the highest number of literate and educated people. Those who decided to follow Shiba hail from all over the Empire, but a majority come from the northern lands, specifically the Tribe of Isawa who most consider to have more or less been absorbed by the Phoenix (even if the tribe themselves deny it even if they are now at the brink of having to make a decision about the matter). Spiritualism, knowledge, and piety define the clan's daily life, no matter if one is a scholar, priest, warrior, worker, or craftsman. Even those who work the fields and those who craft offer their prayers before work, or seek blessings for their crops or their workspace.
Birds have become favoured creatures of the clan, as many believe they are connected to the powerful phoenix for which Shiba named his clan. In the same vein, many temples and clans house a sacred hearth where a fire is kept burning.

Public Agenda

The Phoenix seek to expand upon the education of the people in the Empire, which is not exactly a contended topic with the other clans, but rather is one that isn't at the top of all the other Kami's agendas. They also encourage more contact with nonhumans, which places them at odds with the Owl and the Crab who find their ideas naïve and possibly dangerous. 

Assets

The Phoenix benefit greatly from their location, possessing access to the sea, forest, and mountains. The woods give them plenty of sources for creating paper and scrolls of various sorts, as well as incense. Their coastline provide them with fresh seafood, and the mountains have yielded some small bounties of iron but mostly silver. 
In addition to these material good, the clan also possess the highest number of scribes. Many of them travel to other parts in the Empire, often lending out their services to other clans or simply just as travelers that provide the service of reading and writing to locals in more rural communities. 

Religion

The Phoenix share many similarities with the Owl as a pious folk, but where the Owl focus almost exclusively on the worship of Amaterasu, the Phoenix pray and give offerings to all manner of spirits and gods. Though at the end of the day, it is the ancestors that is given the most reverence out of them all. Many of them believe that the ancestors guide their actions to build a better world, and that it is their duty to their predecessors to improve life for future generations. A person does not exist in a vacuum as they owe their existence to the parents and those who came before, and everything they do will impact the future and the existence of one's future children. 
Those who hail from the Tribe of Isawa place an exceptional importance on ancestor-worshipping, as they inscribe the names of their deceased family members (several generations back) in their house, usually on the doorframe, the foundations, or support-beams - any part of the structure that is vital to its structural integrity. 

"Knowledge is its own reward"

Founding Date

Year 6 of the Isawa Calendar

Major Exports

Silver is a popular material with the other clans, as the Phoenix seem to have found the most of it so far in the Empire. Incense, paper, and scrolls are in demand pretty much anywhere, giving the clan a good selection of goods to offer to other clans in return for their own needs even if the clan is managing to be mostly self-sufficient in a lot of aspects. 

Major Imports

The Phoenix have some iron mines but still rely mostly on acquiring it from other clans, such as the Crab, which is proving more annoyingly difficult these days due to the disagreements between the leaders' ideals. They also take in extra food from the Ki-Rin and the Crane, furthering the strong ties between the three clans. Amulets and prayer scrolls from the Owl is happily traded to the Phoenix though, even with the disagreements between Hantei and Shiba. The Owl feel that if the Phoenix are going to annoy some spirits, at least they should be protected while doing so, even if they wish they simply would not.