<em>Fortune favors the mortal man.<br/><br/>Shinsei spoke these words as the reason he would take the people of Ningen-do with him to battle the evil forces of Fu Leung.  He would not take the sons and daughters of Heaven with him in his quest to save Rokugan, but instead desired those that were born of the dirt and soil.  He saw within each man and woman of this landscape a potential for greatness that might surpass even the mightiest champion from beyond this world.  Shinsei saw the true strength of the soul.  <br/><br/>Such immortal words find no greater banner than in the strength of the Minor Clans.  Chosen not for the blood in their veins or the beauty of their ancestry, these samurai were brought together by the tenacity and work of their founder.  Each Minor Clan was forged to honor the words or actions of a mortal man or woman, to give recognize in them the strength of their soul.  Just as Shinsei had envisioned so the Minor Clans bring to life.  From their ranks come the children of the soil and dirt, from their ranks come the truest breath of humanity.  With swords and souls raised high, these brave few stand to be heard and have their voices shake the pillars of Heaven.<br/></em><br/><br/>For much of the year the sleepy village of Tsuma remained just as the landscaped suggested.  Gently rolling hills and soft breezes showed this place to be a haven from the bustle of life.  A tiny village nestled into the bend of a river there seemed to be few cares of the world here.  Along the quiet shore lapped peaceful waters with fisherman shouting greeting to each other as they fished for their families.  By night a pleasure barge might make its way across the waters should a rich patron reside nearby, but typically there was little to disturb the music of silence found there.  Blossoms ebbed and flowed with the cycle of life, the mark of the Crane evident on even the poorest doorstep with flowery arrangements.  Few could mistake this place as belonging to any other than the Crane Clan.<br/><br/>Yet once a year the waters were disturbed by the presence of ships.  Flowers were trampled with the sandals of many and the villagers were sent to keeping their homes.  Once a year samurai from across the proud land of Rokugan descend on the village of Tsuma in search of glory and honor.  The Topaz Championship arrived every year to become the altar of adulthood for many young samurai.  The championship a testing ground for strength, skill and training that each had received since childhood.  Samurai could find little better place to start their glorious journey than on these hallowed grounds.  While the villagers find their homes besieged with strangers, they take the invasion in stride.  Smiling faces are common as they know that this competition brings much prosperity and good fortune to their small village.<br/><br/>Prosperity typically comes from the vast arrangement of merchants that come along with the young warriors.  As the championship serves as a center for attention, this also means that the village becomes a center for trade as people barter and wage economic wars with one another.  Goods from all across the region come to this village as well, sometimes coming from farther than just the borders of the nation.  Merchants from the Unicorn Clan bring their wild leathers and saddles, while those from the Crab bring their legendary steel and traps for hunting.  Those in between likewise bring their legendary wares to be sold and have connections established.<br/><br/>Positioned now upon a place, creatively named Merchant Way, these combatants of the koku setup their stations and surveyed their fields.  Tents were erected to host exalted guests and wares were set on display to attract the passerby.  On this day, a week before the tournament’s opening ceremony, these tents were in the most chaotic of construction.  Wagons took their place now with bundles of straw mats rolled up in the rear of such vehicles.  Ponies and horses stamped their feet, some bucking at the bustle and crowding of people so close.  Merchants of great families, minor clans and the unknown alike are gathered in this small place.  Fights are common and have been for many decades.  As such a small contingent of samurai are sent to watch over the proceedings so that focus can be kept on the games and not on policing merchants.<br/><br/>A collection of odd security had been assigned for this event.  Drawn mainly from the ranks of the Minor Clan, their presence was meant to be a stronger than deterrent to violence than the previous year with heimin and ronin guards.  Scandal had rocked the tournament as the ronin had turned their peace keepers into enforcers and began to exact payment from merchants to use the field set aside for them.  Such a thing had ended in failure of the Merchant Way to conduct business peacefully and effectively.  Daidoji Masuke had been forced to come to the aide of the merchants, killing each of the ronin guardians himself.  Their heads still proved a gruesome display to any others that might take such an unscrupulous path to riches.  Daidoji Masuke still served as the magistrate for the tournament and head of the security forces for the Merchant Way.<br/><br/>The man’s white hair could be seen clearly in the morning light.  Each strand perfectly combed and positioned as if the wind dared not bother him in thought.  Eyes of cold blue stared down at the proceedings and surveyed those assigned to him.  The daisho he wore was rumored to have been a gift from the Emerald Champion himself over a decade before, when Masuke was still young enough to chase criminals across the Empire.  Now he suffered from a leg that refused to heal and many said his eye sight was growing dim.  That he had killed several ronin single handedly seemed to attest that neither defect had slowed him down much.<br/><br/>He bowed to them as they assembled.  A sign of respect given first before he would assume proper command.<br/><br/>“A call went out to each of your daimyos.  A summons for worthy bushi and wise shugenja, for the canny and quick of mind to be brought here.  While the children of the Empire wage their war for glory and honor the task of defending the honor of the Crane and the Empire will rest upon our soldiers.  The eyes of all those that matter will be turned on us for this small time.  Our reward is that they do not see us, our dishonor is for them to take notice that we had to act at all.”  The last sentence is given emphasis as he stared past them and to the severed heads that line the road to this area.<br/><br/>“For the next few weeks I am the one you speak to if there is trouble.  I am the one that will shelter you, feed you and protect you.  I am your lord and these merchants are your people.  Protect them as you would your own lands and this will be a proud event for us all.”<br/><br/>