Yoritomo Mifune
Yoritomo Mifune | |
Yoritomo Courtier | |
Clan: | Mantis Clan |
Daimyo: | Yoritomo Date |
Glory: | • • • • • • • • |
Honor: | • • • • • |
Status: | • • • |
Rank: | • • • |
Player: | Monjoni Osso |
We all serve, in our own ways
We all serve, in our own ways
Contents
Background
Yoritomo Mifune is an up and coming courtier of the Mantis. His parents, Aizawa and Hoketune, served with Yoritomo in the Clan War and Mifune is the first of the family to carry Yoritomo's name. He feels like this is an awesome responsibility, and threw himself into his studies at the Yoritomo courtier school. His sensei were astonished at his skill, he easily manipulated students several years older than him. Despite possessing nothing resembling intimidating physicality, the boy was able to bully even much older children into doing what he wanted. One story, still told in the dojo of the courtiers by the students, says that Mifune once convinced an older, full samurai of the clan that he had completed his gempukku when he was only 10 and that, afterwards, he introduced his "yojimbo" to the school. So the story goes, it took the sensei of the dojo to convince the samurai otherwise. He completed his gempukku with the highest honors from his school; a rare silver koku forged in Phoenix lands.
Mifune found service under Yoritomo Date in Irie Province, practicing his arts in keeping the peace between the island's lumberjacks and fishermen. He is genial and kind to peasants and has been accepted among them, attending many of the island's festivals and himself becoming festooned with tattoos. He is one of Date's most capable servants and he seems to be content with that role. Though called a babysitter by some, he accepts the quiet honor of being the go-between and problem solver for the various factions of Heimin in Irie Province. He sees the duty as vital in order to continue the province's prosperity and bring honor to his lord.
The Truth
The Mantis have continued the practice of piracy even under the stewardship of Yoritomo Aramasu. Illicitly gained treasure fills the vaults of Kyuden Gotei and the Mantis are able to maintain deniability, with the phrase "Amaterasu's Tears are for everyone" a commonplace mea culpa to affected parties. Mantis pirates are, by most standards, untrained and unkempt bandits using their advanced knowledge of sailing to attack even great clan shipments. They have no honor, and their continued presence reflects poorly on the Mantis Clan.
Yoritomo Mifune will not have the house of his parents and his lord slandered in such a way.
Mifune secretly leads a small fleet of pirates. He runs them along the lines of the code of Bushido, in as much as he can impart its lessons to peasants and ronin. He uses skills he developed as a courtier to maintain a tight grip on the organization, ensuring an easy flow of goods and wealth. The pirate bands that have sworn loyalty to him are written on his skin in symbols of tigers, lotus petals, coiling dragons and snapping snakes. Mifune seeks to improve the conduct and organization of Mantis pirate activities, to make even this act honorable. To Mifune, everyone serves the needs of their clans in their own way. In this, he hopes to show the empire that even the Mantis have honor.
Marriage
Mifune is married to Yoritomo Naomi, a former ronin. Naomi's economic skill is the match of any Mantis, though there are dogged rumors that she fled Otosan Uchi for some reason. Some claim she participated in an illegal duel, others that she robbed a lord of the Seppun. Mifune remains adamant that such rumors are spread to cast doubt on the Mantis, but still they persist.
Hobbies
Mifune has taken to sailing and traveling. He will, on occasion, journey out to sea with the local fishermen and takes any opportunity he can to travel the Islands of Spice and Silk as well as the mainland of Rokugan. Tsujikaze, a gift from the Unicorn Clan, is perhaps Mifune's closest traveling companion. Hand-trained, it is one of the few horses in Rokugan able to bear journey across the sea in a kobune.
Modules Played
SoB00, SoB01, SoB02, SoB03, SoB7-SoB11, SoB13-SoB23, SoB26-31, SoB35, SoB37-38, SoB40-45, Int10, Int01, Int12
Courts Attended
Winter Court: Kyuden Hida, Winter Court: Kyuden Gotei, Winter Court: Kyuden Tonbo, Winter Court: Shiro Chuda
Quotes
Do you know how you fought a Mantis? You lost.
You should know this about us. We are Mantis. We take what we want.
Fictions
- A Mantis' Heart Month of the Rooster, 1138
- A Mantis' Concern Contains spoilers for Forgotten Tomb Month of the Rooster, 1142.
- A Mantis' Love Contains spoilers for The Wasp's Nest. Month of the Serpent, 1141
- A Mantis' Anger Month of the Dragon, 1143
- A Mantis' Scorn Month of the Tiger, 1142
- A Mantis' War Contains spoilers for March Beyond Hope. Month of the Dog, 1143