"They will rise, and the prize shall be theirs. But be warned; do not destroy what you cannot rebuild.' -Itako

For a thousand years the Great Clans of Rokugan fought amongst themselves. At times the wars were small; at times they threatened to tear the Empire apart. Whichever the case, one military truth remained constant: the Great Clans were fond of sending the eager young samurai of the Minor Clans--ever willing to prove their worth-to die. The horrid cost this exacted from the smaller clans helped keep them weak. But in these tumultuous days, a leader has emerged from among the "lesser houses'

His name is Yoritomo.

Yoritomo, of the House of the Mantis, is one of the best-known warriors in the land. His brash, arrogant style revolves around peasant weapons rather than the honored weapons of the samurai. Many revile him for his low birth and scorn him for his aggressive nature, but they also fear him for his incredible strength and agility. He is a samurai of legend.

In the early days of the Clan War, the Crane were hard-pressed by the advances of the Lion and the ravages of the False Hoturi. They turned to the Mantis Clan, paying large sums of gold for mercenary samurai troops to expend for Crane safety. Under Yoritomo's guidance, however, the Mantis did not hoard this gold, but spent it to hire ronin and units from other minor clans to bolster their ranks.

As the Day of Thunder approached and the Empire mustered itself to battle the fiend that sat upon the Emerald Throne, Yoritomo stood before the doors of each of the Minor Clans in turn, shouting his message. "The Great Clans have forsaken you," he cried, holding his banner aloft. "We go to remind them that they cannot use us as pawns or as tools. Apart, we are nothing-streams in the wilderness. Together, we are the ocean's wave that they cannot overcome!" The Fox rallied swiftly to his side, weary of the Crane wars that blackened their lands. With the kitsune, traditionally the voice of the Minor Clans, came the loyalty and allegiance of other clans of the Triple Alliance. The Wasp and Sparrow stood beside the Fox, joining Yoritomo in his quest to stop the Great Clans of Rokugan from treating the Minor Clans as ashigaru. and gain the respect that they give each other: the respect of samurai.

At the Day of Thunder, Yoritomo at last won his position. In the war council before the final assault of Fu Leng, he did not kneel, but only bowed. With the assembled Minor Clans firmly behind his leadership, he demanded from the assembled daimyos that they grant the Alliance status as a Great Clan. Should they deny his demand, the Minor Clans would attack the assembled armies to prove their willingness to die for their honor.

In that tense moment, on that desperate battlefield, Crab Champion Hida Yakamo laughed in sincere appreciation for Yoritomo's daring, and, at last, the Minor Clans gained equal standing in the Empire.

But some who marched under Yoritomo's banner now see more. They see a brave general, capable of demanding loyalty and organizing a mighty army out of the scraps of the once-minor clans. They see in the Mantis daimyo a new Emperor, and rumors fly of an assault on Otosan Uchi. Certainly Yoritomo and his Alliance have greater goals than the cessation of war, and if they must take their wages in blood, they will do it for their own voice, not at the demand of the Great Clans.

Upon this much, they all agree.

And still the Alliance's power grows. The Mantis successfully stormed Phoenix lands and hold Kyuden Asako. Yoritorno's son, an adopted Bayushi samurai named Aramasu, has loaned the Mantis a tremendous amount of power, stolen from the Scorpion while they were in exile. With that information and the knowledge of the secret roads of the Empire, Yoritomo and the Alliance have risen to become one of the post powerful clans in the Empire.

And still, for Yoritomo, it is not enough.

Yoritomo, arguably the most powerful military leader in Rokugan, is on the march. Having dealt with the duplicitous Scorpion, the Mantis have moved toward Phoenix lands while keeping an eye on the Crab. What is Yoritomo's goal?

The meteoric rise of Yoritomo and his amalgamation of minor clans has led others to look beyond the old power structure. This is a time of change for Rokugan. Abandoned by most Kami, suffering through a month of darkness, governed by a possibly mad Emperor, the land cries for stability. Would a Shogunate be out of the question?

Steve DiRusso and Eric Devlin

Mantis One-on-One

Dynasty Deck (45)

Events (2)

1 Monsoon Season
1 Unexpected Allies

Holdings (17)

2 Bushi Dojo
3 Jade Works
3 Large Farm
3 Master Smith 1 Oracle of Earth
3 Ratliing Nest
3 Small Farm

Personalities (23)

2 Mukami
3 Ratling Conjuror
3 Ratling Scavenger
3 Ratling Thief
3 Rik'tic'tichec
1 Ropp'tch'tch
3 Tchickchuk
2 Tsuruchi
3 Yoritomo Furikae

Fate Deck (48)

Actions (25)

3 Battle Hardened
3 Contentious Terrain
3 Deadly Ground
2 Diversionary Tactics
2 Encircled Terrain
3 Rallying Cry
3 Ratling Hordes
3 Stand Against the Waves
2 Superior Tactics
Elemental Ring (1) Ring of the Void

Followers (21)

3 Chitatchikkan
3 Ratling Pack
3 Ratling Scout
3 Ratling Conscripts
3 Tattered Ear Tribe
3 Ratling Archers
3 Ratling Bushi
Sensei (1) 1 At'tok'tuk Sensei

Mantis Multiplayer

Dynasty Deck

Events (4)

1 March of the Alliance
1 Inheritance
1 Imperial Gift
1 Iris Festival