Hare 1 (April)<br/>Dragon 2 (May)<br/>Serpent 3 (June)<br/>Horse 4 (July)<br/>Goat 5 (August)<br/>Monkey 6 (September)<br/>Rooster 7 (October)<br/>Dog 8 (November)<br/>Boar 9 (December)<br/>Rat 10 (January)<br/>Ox 11 (February)<br/>Tiger 12 (March)<br/><br/>1136:<br/>The Phoenix devise a ritual which will render a spirit mortal. Toturi issues an edict that all returned spirits must either submit to this ritual or commit honorable suicide and return to the afterlife. Many spirits obey, but many more do not.<br/><br/>1138:<br/>The Crab and Crane battle on the Yasuki border.  Following a rejected demand from Yasuki Masashi, a brief but bloody clash erupts between the Crab and the Crane.<br/><br/>Hantei XVI seizes the Phoenix Children. A spirit force led by Hida Tsuneo and assisted by the disgruntled Dragon daimyo, Agasha Tamori, seizes Kyuden Isawa in a bold raid. The children there, including those of the Elemental Masters, are taken hostage.<br/><br/>Hantei XVI Demands the Throne. Hantei Okucheo arrives in Otosan Uchi and demands Toturi surrender the Throne to him. Toturi refuses. The Hantei is infuriated when Shiba Tsukune, the Phoenix<br/>Champion, refuses to turn on Toturi in spite of his holding her clan’s children hostage. Hantei declares war on Toturi and the War of Spirits begins.<br/><br/>1139:<br/>Battle of Fallen Ground. The first major battle of the War of Spirits, fought near the Lion-Phoenix border, pits a spirit army under Hida Tsuneo against a mainly Lion army under the general (and former Akodo ronin) Akodo Ijiasu. It is a mortal victory, albeit a costly one. Tsuneo is prevented from attacking Otosan Uchi and falls back on Kyuden Isawa.<br/><br/>The Phoenix children are freed. Hantei XVI’s murder of the Master of Earth’s daughter causes the Phoenix to rebel and drive the spirits from Kyuden Isawa.<br/><br/>1142:<br/>The Battle of Shallow Waters. A mortal army comprised predominantly of Lion troops is attacked by a much larger spirit army in a river valley on the edge of the Golden Sun Plain. The Lion fall back on a fortified camp; the camp is eventually overrun, but its sacrifice allows most of the mortal army to withdraw intact.<br/><br/>1145:<br/>Battle of Shiro Iuchi.  Spirit forces manage to capture the seat of the Iuchi family after a hard-fought battle. The sometime-ronin Shinjo Morito plays a key role in the defense.  In recognition of his valor at Shiro Iuchi, Shinjo Morito’s claim to the land he and his followers have occupied near the Phoenix border is recognized by Emperor Toturi. This eventually leads to the creation of the Ox Clan in 1158.<br/><br/>1146:<br/>The Second Battle of White Shore Plain.  A mortal army of Unicorn, Scorpion, and Phoenix troops engages and defeats a spirit army at White Shore Plain, then moves to retake Shiro Iuchi. A young Scorpion bushi named Bayushi Paneki reputedly infiltrates a spirit camp and poisons their food supply, swinging the following day’s battle in favor of the mortal army and allowing Shiro Iuchi to be retaken.<br/><br/>1147:<br/>The Mantis sail to the Ivory Kingdoms.  After actively participating in the War of Spirits during the first few years, the Mantis Clan seems to all but disappear from the Empire from this time forward.  Many think the Clan Champion, Yoritomo Aramasu, is showing disinterest in the Empire’s woes, but in reality Aramasu and the Mantis are obeying an order from Toturi to sail to the gaijin lands known as the Ivory Kingdoms and assist the ruling maharajah against an aggressive rebellion by the Cult of the Destroyer. The Mantis are largely successful, and Rokugan avoids a new threat from overseas…at least for a time.<br/><br/>Yasuki Oguri and Yasuki Kamoru executed for membership in the Kolat.  Whether investigators happened to stumble onto the identity on their own or the Kolat exposed someone with conflicting loyalties is unknown, but Yasuki Oguri, the Master of Coin, and his son Kamoru, who had been appointed heir to the position, were caught by Seppun Toshiken and eventually allowed to commit seppuku.  Before dying, Oguri named many other semi-important positions within the Kolat, thus averting what would have been an execution.  This move had the ironic effect of weakening the Empire, as the Kolat had been firmly aligned with Toturi against Hantei XVI, and the blow significantly weakened their ability to support, though not their resolve. In addition, Toshiken sustained significant wounds due to an ambush while investigating.  (inserted)<br/><br/>1148:<br/>With the Yasuki family daimyo and his only child dead, battles between Crane and Crab resume, each trying to claim control of the leaderless family once more. (inserted)<br/><br/>1149:<br/>The Battle of Drowned Honor.  Hida Tsuneo moves to take control of the key Scorpion city of Ryoko Owari. A combined mortal force of Crab and Scorpion troops engage his force, marking one of the first major commitments of Crab troops to the war and the first time they have stood against Tsuneo.  The mortals win, pushing Tsuneo away from the city, but the victory is costly: Hida Yasamura, the husband of Crab Champion Hida O-Ushi, dies with an arrow in his throat, fired from the bow of a spirit Crab.<br/><br/>Battle of Kiken and Roka Toshi.  With the Mantis diverted and the Crab focused on Ryoko Owari, spirit forces were able to sail up to the coastal palace without hindrance, successfully taking the city.  Supplies in the city were scarce, and despite the short distance from the capital, reinforcements could not arrive before the city was taken and reinforced.  This was a huge blow for morale of Toturi forces. (inserted)<br/><br/>1150:<br/>Month of the Goat: The Battle of Quiet Winds.  Determined to end the suffering caused by the ongoing war, Toturi marches the bulk of his army south through Beiden Pass to join a large waiting Scorpion force. He finally achieves the decisive engagement he seeks at the Battle of Quiet Winds, so-named because the day of battle is still and sultry. However, at a crucial moment the Scorpion appear to change sides and join the spirits. Toturi’s army is forced to withdraw, with only a valiant and sacrificial rearguard action by the Lion preventing a total rout.<br/><br/>Month of the Goat: The Fall of Beiden Pass.  Driven from the field at the Battle of Quiet Winds, Toturi’s army retreats northward through Beiden Pass, seeking to regroup and prevent the Steel Chrysanthemum from threatening Otosan Uchi. At the urging of Bayushi Baku, Hantei XVI orders Hida Tsuneo to send the spirit army in pursuit. However, this is actually a trap of Scorpion design. When most of the spirit army is in the Pass, Phoenix shugenja collapse it, burying and destroying the spirit army.<br/><br/>Month of the Monkey: Hantei sends a messenger to Toturi to negotiate the terms of surrender.<br/><br/>Month of the Rooster: Lord Sun creates the Great Crater.  The destruction of Beiden Pass leaves the Empire without a major direct route through the Spine of the World Mountains. In answer, Lord Sun hurls fire into the mountains near the ancient Seikitsu Pass, creating the Great Crater and reopening a route through the peaks.<br/><br/>Month of the Rooster: Treaty with the Spirits.  With the bulk of his army lost, Hantei XVI finally agrees to negotiate with Toturi. In exchange for peace, the Stag Clan is created, headed by Hantei Ochukeo. In return, Hantei Ochukeo renounces his claim to the Throne of Rokugan, bringing the War of Spirits to an end.<br/><br/>Month of the Boar: Winter Court begins at Kyuden Gotei, the Mantis Clan Palace.  The new Great Clan, championed by Hantei Ochukeo, is announced as the Stag Clan, with Hantei Masashi (formerly Yasuki) founding the Masashi family, vassal to the Hantei.  The Crab Clan is given 1 month to name a new daimyo to the Yasuki family, the previous daimyo and only heir having committed seppuku during the Spirit War.<br/><br/>Month of the Rat: Akodo Reijiro is named the daimyo of a new Minor Clan, the Owl, which will carry his name.  Toritaka Reju is named the sensei of the Owl bushi school.  Crab name Yasuki Mayako daimyo of the Yasuki family.<br/><br/>Month of the Ox: Territory for the two clans is finalized.  In addition, Toturi decrees that not only must all Clans send "two tenths of one percent" of their samurai, but that "all families will be represented."  Locations in Rokugan are designated as points for those to declare their change of fealty, the majority in Lion lands.  Imperial ambassadors would be sent to both the Crab and Crane to determine which of their samurai would be tithed.<br/><br/>Month of the Hare, 1151: All "tithed" samurai report to the various locations across Rokugan to announce their new fealty and travel to Owl lands.