The Choice of the Phoenix

[Mindshred]

Hantei the XXII is dead, murdered by the returned spirit of his ancestor, Hantei XVI, after his descent refused to abdicate the throne. The brutal murder turned the ancestors of the Lion Clan against their descendants, spreading chaos through the Clan and the Empire at large.

In the aftermath of the Emperor's death, many claims are made upon the throne.

Hantei Tokiyo - The Emperor's widow, Hantei Tokiyo, has perhaps the greatest claim to the throne. As a former Lion, however, she is conflicted with the idea of raising arms against her ancestors. Weakened by a particularly difficult childbirth, she is but a pale shadow of her former self, and only time will tell whether the "Imperial Lion" will recover in time to rally the Empire to her cause. Her supporters are many, but others whisper whether having a Lion - particularly a Matsu - as Empress is really what the war-torn Empire needs.

Seppun Kato - The Emperor's youngest brother has numerous political connections throughout the Empire, including an extensive network of blackmail on a number of high-profile samurai. Shrewd and cunning, the so-called "Spider" spent many years bedridden in terrible pain from burns he suffered as a child, but thanks to the support of the Brotherhood, he has fully healed and risen from the ashes like the legendary Phoenix. Kato has brought peace to the war-torn city of Toshi Ranbo, and at the urging of the Sparrow and Piranha Clans, the majority of the Minor Clans have thrown their support behind his bid for the throne, rather than behind a former member of the perpetually abusive Lion Clan.

Hantei XVI - The Iron Chrysanthemum is an infamous figure returned as if from a storybook to haunt Rokugan once more. Though rumors of his insanity are the thing of legend, the returned Emperor leads a mighty host of fearsome Lion spirits and is an alarmingly skilled tactician. Perhaps more importantly, he is more than willing to reward his allies with unprecedented appointments... such as selecting new Clans to serve as his left and right hands, or even new Champions to lead the Clans or Fortunes to fill the heavens. Some of the greatest (if also the most bloodthirsty) Lion heroes torn from the scrolls of history march at his side, adding legitimacy to his claim.

Otomo Hiro - The Emperor's eldest half-brother has been plagued with strange voices that only he can hear since he was a small boy. The Seppun initially believed him to possess the ability to speak with the kami, but after a year of training, the Phoenix returned him, claiming that no kami or other spirit they could detect were speaking with the boy. Hiro was enrolled in the Otomo Courtier school and promptly forgotten about... right up until his agents kidnapped the Emperor's infant son from the midwife's arms and fled into hiding with the child. Now, Hiro wishes to rule the Empire not as Emperor, but as regent to the young Emperor. He claims that his ancestors have spoken to him and shown him a path to lead Rokugan through the upcoming chaos, but that path depends upon his leadership and navigation. His supporters are a mixture of those who believe his words and those who just want to ensure that the Imperial heir is safe.

A Council of Rulers - The cycle is obvious; the weakness of the Emperor is the weakness of Rokugan. A strong Emperor is a blessing, this is true, but the days of god-emperors is past, and now the Empire suffers under one flawed human after another. Rokugan is too large and too important to be ruled by one man, no matter his skills. A council of talented politicians and statesmen, however, drawn from each of the Great Clans... such a bold idea has served the Phoenix well for centuries. Why not the Empire as a whole (with Isawa leadership, of course)?



You may vote for one candidate for the Phoenix to support. The ratio of votes will serve as a microcosm of the Clan's opinions; a landslide for one candidate will result in the Clan's unified support for that candidate, while a narrow victory will result in split loyalties and internal strife.

Note that his poll is not choosing the next Emperor of Rokugan, merely who the Phoenix support for that position. There will be consequences for winners and losers alike.

This poll will run for one week.

[Mindshred]

The Phoenix, unsurprisingly, have not yet come to a full consensus on who they are supporting, though most favor either a council of rulers or, failing that, Otomo Hiro. Seppun Kato and the Empress are not without their own supporters, however.