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A: The Mantis Clan, until recently, was the mightiest of the Minor Clans of Rokugan, composed of merchants and mercenaries based on the Islands of Silk and Spice off of the main coast. Although possessed of a sizable army, the largest standing Navy in the Empire, and a near-monopoly on the shipping and trading of fine silk and rare spices (hence the name of their island headquarters), they only rose to prominence late in the Clan Wars.

Q: Whu--Rokugan? Clan Wars?? Whaddaya talkin' about?

A: Rokugan is a mythical Empire in an imaginary land based on feudal Japan and China. It is controlled primarily by seven Great Clans, all named after a different animal: the Crab, Crane, Dragon, Lion, Phoenix, Scorpion, and Unicorn, although other factions do exist. After a thousand years of peace, a chain of events led to an Empire-shattering war between the Clans, which led to the end of the ruling Hantei dynasty, the return of a great and terrible evil, and the rebirth of Rokugan. For more information, go to Know Story or the Know Links sections of KNOW FEAR.

Q: Okay, so, like, if the Mantis Clan is so big, what's Yoritomo's Alliance?

A: Good question, child. Although the Mantis was strong, it alone had nowhere near the military resources or political power of the Great Clans which monopolized all formal aspects of Rokuganese life. However, the Mantis was not the only Minor Clan. There were others, who, while smaller and less influential, were all tiring of life under the yoke of the supposedly superior Seven. When war broke out between the feuding Great Clans, Yoritomo, a.k.a., the Son of Storms, champion of the Mantis and the greatest mortal warrior in the Empire, siezed the opportunity to rally the Minor Clans under his banner to form the largest single army in Rokugan. The aptly-named Yoritomo Alliance became a force to be reckoned with, and its leader used it to gain Great Clan status for the Mantis, who went on to represent the Minor Clans in all things. Although it is the Clan of Yoritomo which bears equal status with the Seven of old, it would not be able to hold onto its power without the aid of the other members of the Alliance, and this solidarity in diversity is what gives the Mantis its power.
To date, the members of the Yoritomo Alliance are, in order of size and importance:

The Mantis Clan.
The Wasp Clan: A family of mercenaries, who, aside from their rather uncertain loyalties, live by their word. The Wasp archers are, hands down, the best in the Empire, and Tsuruchi, the founder, leader, and Master Bowman of the Clan, is Yoritomo's chief magistrate.
The Fox Clan: The Fox are renowned for their skirmishers and woodland warriors. Their daimyo, Ryosei, is loyal to Yoritomo, but strictly refuses to swear fealty to him, preferring to keep the Fox as an independent faction within the Alliance.
The Tortoise Clan: A diverse band of sailors and diplomats, the Tortoise are somewhat akin to the Mantis, although not nearly as well-organized or powerful. Their one-eyed sailor, Hyobe, is a legend on the high seas.
The Centipede Clan: While it is a small, matriarchal Clan, which prefers peace and anonymity, the Centipede are, nevertheless, noted for their powerful shugenja, the mightiest of which, Moshi Wakiza, wields the power of fire and lightning with unsettling ease.
The Falcon Clan: Scruffy and wild, the Falcon Clan was formed by a group of ronin, or renegade samurai. Their members still tend to be solitary warriors, like Genzo, who stalks the Shadowlands which border the Empire, searching for wild ogres and oni.

Q: Okay. I get it, now. It must be hard being the new guy on the block.

A: You bet, buddy-boy. The Mantis still don't get no respect. Most of the other Clans think we're a bunch of upstart, snot-nosed kids. In fact, some call Yoritomo "the Mantis psychopath!" Imagine!

Q: So, what's Yoritomo up to, since he got what he wanted?

A: Oh, not much. Just taking over Rokugan.

Seriously, that's what he's doing. After the Day of Thunder (see Know Story for more details), Emperor Toturi I charged the Mantis Clan with "regenting the disputes of the unaligned lands." Since the upheaval of the Clan Wars left a LOT of land technically "unaligned" and without supervision, Yoritomo has decided to "regent their disputes" (read: take 'em over). Even Otosan Uchi, the capitol of Rokugan, could be seen as being neutral, and, therefore, ripe for the Son of Storms' picking! Whether or not he is successful in his bid for power (and, hey, the Empire could do far worse in terms of Emperors!) depends on the outcome of the current story arc, The Hidden Emperor, which resolves in February, after an enormous, world-wide storyline event, the results of which are the tabulated results of hundreds of separate tournaments throughout the globe, making the balance of power directly related to the actions of those who play the game! Here's hoping!

The Yoritomo Coalition

The Yoritomo Coalition is a secret Mantis Clan listserv, which is composed of Mantis fanatics, administrated by Yoritomo Kupo, which seeks to influence the storyline in a manner beneficial to Yoritomo's Alliance. While our primary goal is to make the Mantis more than a no-show in the storyline, we also seek to give our Clan a little more honor and dignity than it's been receiving. To date, we have been somewhat successful: the Mantis is now a major force in The Hidden Emperor, fighting with the Crane and, possibly, preparing to storm Otosan Uchi. And our lobbying attempts have resulted in a number of developments, including a future "Mantis splinter" faction, which will be more concerned with doing good deeds than with power. For more information on the Yoritomo Coalition, visit onelist.com, search for yoritomo, and see if it is still open for general membership, or e-mail Yoritomo Kupo.

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