Clan Letter #5 -- Letter from Shinsei

You know me.

I have stood with the armies of Rokugan and I have stood against the armies that reek of the stench of the grave. You have stood with me. You have stood against me.

The Brotherhood has hidden me well, but now the time has come for all of us to stand in the sun.

Matsu Tsuko knew this when she spilled her own blood with the blade of her ancestors. She could not serve the creature that sits on the Emerald Throne, so she chose the only option her honor would allow her. It was an act of courage, not fear. We must learn what she hoped her act would teach us.

Those of us who will not serve the darkness must stand against it.

We do not have to stand alone.

To the Crab, I offer this:
Your choice is not as easy as it seems. You could choose the path of darkness. If you do, victory for our enemy will be all but complete. Look at your fallen Champion. There is your reward for fighting against this evil. Choose wisely.

To the Crane, I offer this:
You began this war seeking peace. Now your army is one of the mightiest in Rokugan. Will you look past your besmirched honor and see what is required of you? Revenge is a powerful weapon, but it is dull and impotent compared to duty and honor.

To the Lion, I offer this:
If you listen, you can still hear Tsuko's words on the wind. Listen to them carefully. They were spoken a thousand years ago by another Lion.

To the Phoenix, I offer this:
Nothing is certain, not even the rise of the fallen fire bird. Everything in this world must be earned. Sometimes, the price is blood.

To the Scorpion, I offer this:
Your mistress knows her destiny. She knows what she must do. Do you?

To the Unicorn, I offer this:
You have returned to a land that was never really your own and now you are the sole defenders of those who have sworn to serve you. Even so, if we are all standing in the light of a new dawn, a greater task lies ahead of you.

To the Dragon, I offer this:
When the night departs and the sun rises, the seeds of darkness remain. If they are left to grow, the roots will find your heart and drink it dry. Becomes gardeners, my friends.

To the Alliance, I offer this:
You are a new ally. They will not trust you. They do not trust each other. You have an opportunity. Your show of fraternity may prove to be the lesson the Great Clans must learn. Do not stray from your path. Your importance is yet to be realized.

And for Toturi, I offer this:
Victory can be the greatest trap of all.

I have traveled deep into the Shadowlands. I have learned much from my journeys. It is time for me to pull back my hood and let you see my scars.

May the Seven Fortunes guide you,

Shinsei