Samurai
Samurai are an elite class of warriors commonly serving as retainers to the Tekkanese military government (known as the Shogunate.) as well as lesser clans or high-ranking lords (known as Daimyo). They are considered one of the most well-regarded titles in the Tekkanese islands, for holding that position is that of great privilege and accountability. The first samurai rose to power during Shilon's reinstitution of the islands shortly after the five-hundred-year typhoon caused by the Azure Dragon of the East in 1150 RH when a small military unit took control over the emperor and established the first Shogunate as a result of their independence from the Shilon Kingdoms. Over the thousands of years, the samurai have cultivated a great sense of honor along with the third tao; precision. An aspect regarded so highly that a samurai who so happens to fail to follow this path by either losing a great battle or offending a prestigious lord, are forced to perform a suicide ritual known as harakiri to regain one's honor or to avoid being taken in by the enemy. This ritual is mostly practiced by the Seigun, the most prevalent samurai clan in history.
Samurai in the battle of Yamamura.
Known Shogunates in Tekkanese history.
Hagi Shogunate (1150 RH - 1154 RH).
The first but most shortly lived shogunate, were the samurai who defended the country from the Shilon kingdoms in 1150 RH and established the military government in place of their former monarchy system. Unfortunately, almost after immediately gaining independence, The Hagi Shogunate and the islands of Tekkan were quickly invaded by the Batukhan tribe from the Tuskunovna mountains (now known as the Monkhu Empire). Who made quick work of the shogunate, who were unprepared after their recent conflicts with the Shilon Kingdoms.
Seigun Shogunate (1154 RH - 3112 RH)
One of the true icons of all samurai and warriors of Tekkan alike, the swordsmen of the Seigun Shogunate were among the most elite and artful samurai clans in all of Tekkan. Famed for their philosophical ideals known as the Seigun Law and extreme measures taken to mark themselves as flawless as possible. Because of this, they are globally considered the true masters of the third tao; precision, which allowed them to retake their islands from the Batukhan tribe in 1155 RH. Valuing quality over quantity, a single swordsman of the Seigun equaled the might of 50 men and were believed to be divine for their unmatched dexterity. Even the minimum training would be a sacrifice for the simple joys of life.
Mastering the sword to the utmost was only deemed half of what makes a Seigun. The Seigun Law is a set of martial virtues formalized to expect a samurai's attitude, principles, and way of living. These teachings included respect, whether it is to your lord or your enemy. Courage, for no samurai can fear death. Loyalty, for a lord's word is yours as well. And tradition, for you can never stray from your hardships, since they are what make you whole. These principles of respect towards lords and higher-ups eventually became rooted in Tekkanese cultural customs even beyond the samurai. Disavowing these conventions as a Seigun or other elite retainers would be considered an act of treason. Only through death by harakiri would one have a chance to restore their legacy, for there is nothing more honorable than weighing the opinion of a lord over your own life.
Azure Oil being demonstrated in Azuhanto.
The Seigun.
Despite their talents and almost two-thousand-year-long reign, the world eventually grew past them and their wrinkles began to show. During Yamamura in 3100 RH, the Shogunate and other rallied clans were forced to defend themselves from the overwhelming yokai army that swam from the mainland. Fighting by side with a lesser samurai clan known as Tatsu, who had made a technological breakthrough with their military, had proven themselves either equal or superior to the Seigun elite. While the Seigun fought valiantly against the yokai forces, the samurai of Clan Tatsu made quick work of the yokai using their matchlock firearms and cannons powered by azure oil. Raising concerns for whenever to keep the islands of Tekkan under the stewardship of the traditions of old or the potentials of the future. Despite Clan Tatsu's use of technology going against Seigun Law, Akamine Shinji; the Shogun of Clan Seigun, willingly surrendered his position in 3112 RH after the Seigun lackful performance during Yamamura, as long as the new Tatsu Shogun swore to honor the Seigun Law. Shinji then took his life in harakiri as a self-punishment for weighing his pride over the lives of thousands who were slaughtered by the demons of Yamamura. Sacrificing the sacred traditions in the hope of a bright new future for Tekkan.
Illustrated depiction of the Battle of Azuhanto.
The Last Seigun. (3124 RH)
The remaining discharged samurai of clan Seigun became dismayed after their lord willingly denounced their culture and betrayed the Seigun Law. Those who supported Shinji either joined him in harakiri or collaborated with the new Tatsu Shogunate in the hope of further continuing their martial virtues. Those who felt betrayed by Shinji either too committed harakiri, not in honor of Shinji but to escape seeing their world turned tarnished, or wandered the world as ronin. Feeling one last purpose clinging them to the mortal world.
The surviving Seigun would eventually return in 3124 RH when they rebelled against the Tatsu Shogunate after they dishonored their agreement to honor Seigun Law by planning a full-scale invasion of the mainland. Which was thwarted by 500 Seigun ronin on the shores of Azuhanto where they ambushed and battled the entire Tatsu legion. Despite being outnumbered by 20 men to 1, the Seigun demonstrated the full might of the tao of precision and clashed their swords. Regardless, the Seigun ronin would ultimately be brought down due to their numbers, but not without cutting down the Shogun's army by over half. Forcing the Empire of Tekkan to retreat from their plans of conquest.
Tatsu Shogunate (3112 RH - Present)
The Tatsu Shogunate, authorized under Kuroda Tamayuiki Tatsu is the current shogunate of Tekkan and pioneers of Tekkan's Great Industry Era. While the common Tatsu ashigaru lacked the skill and experience compared to the Seigun, they certainly out-armed them in augmented weapons and armor. The clan began as a lesser retainer to the previous Seigun Shogunate in the early 2700s and remained in their status until their economic discovery of azure oil in 2947 RH, which allowed them to surpass their current rank and became one of the strongest samurai clans below only the Seigun. Their discoveries and skill in blacksmithing showed concerns from the Seigun lords and their law, but the daimyo of Clan Tatsu at the time promised that his loyalty and ambitions belonged to the Seigun Law and nothing else. The Tatsu Daimyo was telling the truth, of course, but she did not consider if her future kin would think otherwise. The desire for the sweet fruit grows the higher you climb up the tree.
In 2980 RH the quarries owned by Clan Tatsu began expanding with the resources they found in the rich earth. With the resources they found in their mining facilities, their blacksmiths developed incredible new inventions such as electricity, refined steel, steam-powered trains, and augmented weaponry. The more the smithys of Clan Tatsu grew their impressions upon the people, so did their differences with the shogunate. For a brief time creations such as firearms and exo-suits were prohibited from Seigun Law until the events of Yamamura where this method of defending against the yokai invasion became absolute.
It was after Yamamura that the Shogun noticed the necessity of Tatsu's military and surrendered his position in 3112 RH. Dismantling the old traditions in favor of a new age of steel. For it is better for the common folk to live a life at ease than to die in honor. Daimyo Kuroda Tamayuiki Tatsu was appointed shogun and the country's politics were rebuilt.
For a time the Tatsu Shogunate ran successfully, the economy grew, quality of life was brought to the city, and the military grew powerful despite being less experienced than the predecessors. But absent of Seigun Law, the samurai became corrupt and lost their sense of morality. Causing a small percentage of people tied to the previous shogunate and its virtues to rebel against the Tatsu lords for defying the ways of old.
General Kuroda.
Illustrated depiction of the Battle of Azuhanto.
Clan Tatsu crest.
Illustrated depiction of the Battle of Azuhanto in Smoking Serpents Issue #1.
An example of the Shioh family's reservation for the snake symbol.
Bakuma Murosawa with his clan banner.
Known Vassal Clans.
Murosawa Clan
A recently established clan under the Tatsu Shogunate that was rewarded to Bakuma Murosawa for his aid against the Seigun during the battle of Azuhanto. Known for using Ushiogane as mounts and imagery of a centipede as their clan symbol, based on Bakuma's famed mount; Omukade. Despite being a samurai clan, they behave more like an illegal bandit gang that ravages the Otsuhama region for sport without the suspicion of the Shogun.
Najimu Clan is a crime syndicate that runs in the deeper areas of Tatsu without the jurisdiction or affiliation to the Shogunate. They were once a samurai clan that served the Seigun for hundreds of years until they became practically buried and forgotten when Clan Tatsu built an entire city on top of them in 2980 RH.
Shioh Family
Clan Shioh was one of the oldest established retainers of the Seigun Shogunate that lived on for more than a thousand years and are known for cultivating the snake zodiac. Despite their lineage, they have always remained relevantly small, owning a single manor estate and a couple of acres of land. The clan was discharged in 3112 RH along with the Seigun Shogunate but was shortly revived in 3122 RH when the master's daughter revered the Shioh name under the Tatsu Shogunate. This new rein wouldn't last long as the master; Suda Shioh reunited with his Seigun brothers in the battle of Azuhanto. Where afterward the Shioh name was erased from all records, leaving Suda's daughter Angylyn Shioh to hopelessly continue the family name as a wanted outlaw.
Iwata Family
The Iwata clan is a former Seigun clan turned Tatsu similar to Clan Shioh. Nothing else is known about this clan other than it is carried on by Iwata Koshi.
Clan Najimu.
Lord Uchiyori Murosawa.
The fate of Suda Shioh.
