The Bear Clan Sends in Koku

To Seppun Ritisharu-sama the Imperial Treasurer,

It is my great honor and duty to write you on behalf of Kuma Suripu-sama, lord of the Bear Clan and the Forgotten Bay. I know that these names must seem as foreign to you, as they did to me some time ago, however, this missive is designed to undo that injustice. After the last great war, it was the decree of the imperials to go forth and settle the colonies on behalf of Divine Empress, and so we did. The colonies were a strange and exotic place filled with terrors, delights, insanity and enlightenment. During one expedition, I became lost in an unfamiliar landscape and was unable to find my way back to the Imperial Explorers who I was assisting in their explorations. Many years ago, I was in a similar situation when I climbed the Great Climb in the Dragon Lands. I had learned much from that climb and understood my path would always lay ahead of me. So I did not allow fear or confusion to distort my journey in this lost and one time forbidden land.

I wandered for days, and I found not a living soul. I saw much of the ruin that had once been let loose across the land, and I saw the spirits of this strange place healing the wounds of the past. I saw animals and plants that bewildered me, but I saw many that were recognizable to our own Empire. However, after days of walking, my thirst was great, and my hunger a constant thing. I felt that I might soon join my ancestors, when I came upon the sounds of men. I was weak and came upon them slowly, but I saw that they were bushi training in the unforgiving wet heat of the colonies, pressing and training themselves in this unforgiving land. I collapsed when I saw them, and faded from this world.

They saved me, and took me to their refuge, a place they called the Forgotten Bay. As I regained my strength, I discovered that my hosts were a number of ronin, some from the great clans, each with a story of how they took up this life. They had settled in a over looked water cove that opened into a bay, and built a settlement. Peasants worked the bay, and in return the samurai were fair and protected their sleepy over looked bay.

When I had recovered, my honor demanded that I aid the ronin in their training and dedication. I met with their leader, a bushi named Suripu. He had dedicated his band of wavemen to training and mastering the art of strength and survival. I pledged myself to him for his saving my life and I trained beside these unique bushi. We teach shared our strengths, overcoming our weaknesses, and rose above what we were once sure was our limits.

As wavemen we had traveled the lands of the Colonies, the Empire, the lands in between and even stranger lands then these. Of the strangest places we wandered, was the Jewel of the Desert, and a strange land in a desert where men fought constant duels with giajin pepper. In all these travels we tested our strengths, tested our resolve and rose further in our understanding of our art.

When we returned to the Forgotten Bay after one of our wanderings, the peasants told us that an angry bear had moved into a cave just down from the shore line. Suripu nodded, and threw aside his travel pack and walked to the bears cave. There he found the bear waking from a doze, and it was enraged and attacked the bushi. Without drawing steel, Suripu advanced on the beast and wrestled it to the ground. The battle was a feat of strength, all of us watching as our leader pitted his raw strength against that of mightiest of animals. After some great time, both beast and man stepped apart, both winded and raw from the brawl and respect in both of their eyes. With a bow of respect Suripu backed away from the bear, and the bear backed away without triumphant roar. Since that day, we have called him Kuma Suripu, for he has a bear's spirit. And since that day the bear has troubled us no more.

The Bear Clan has gathered around Suripu-sama, and in honor to the accession of Iwako II, we offer him the tribute that is due as all Clans but pay their taxes to the Chosen Children of the Heavens. We have also included some of the strange currency from the lands outside of the Empire for the Emperor. The currency of the Burning Sands is perhaps more common, but we know it has not been seen in at least a decade. We have also recovered ghost stones, the currency of that strange land of 'gun duelists.'

With Honor,

Kuma Naiteiru

I feel like it is too wordy and far too personal form my own perspective. But I would like to send everything out soon. So I figured I would take a stab at it. Any feed back? Anything else I should send?

I really like it, and don't have much I'd like changed. The only real bit I have any issue with is Suripu beating the bear in it's grapple/juijitsu match. Because he wouldn't. No man would. Bojatsu maybe, but it's never been proven, as every time he is about to duel one, they go out for drinks instead. That's right, Bojatsu goes club hopping with motherfucking grizzly bears.

Joking aside, a big part of the animal "mon" for each clan is not only as a symbol, but also representative of their way of life and their style. I do not like the idea of Suripu chasing the bear off... I instead would prefer that he and the bear come to some sort of understanding. Maybe it's a "tie" and the bear respectfully backs down, as does Suripu, and as they eye each other, they both turn and walk away.  So it's more of a "respect" thing, which would lead into us being the bear clan through respect of their strength and their acceptance of us, not just our dominance over them. Does that make any sense?

I will edit that in, I like that much more then my idea.