Blood of the Yakuza - Free

The Phoenix Clan
The Phoenix are the ninja of the
Goshukara family and have been so
for about 100 years. While they do not
have the tradition of the Hijo family,
they are very ambitious and determined.
They are also intensively
secretive, even more so than the mysterious
Hijo. Their family name, if they
have one is unknown as is their origin
and current base of operations. Their
operations in Nakamaru may only be
a branch of larger schemes or may be
their true base. It is impossible to say.
The members of the clan carry no
sign to indicate their loyalty and only
know a few other members. Their
head is a woman, a shadowy figure
called the Serpent. Although all members,
natural or adopted, have met her
at least once, none can identify her.
She always speaks from behind a
screen in a faint and whispery voice.
Seen with her is a large hunting dog,
its head resting in her lap. This dog is
vicious and trained to follow all her
commands. At meetings with low
ranked members or grand councils,
she is known to have four bodyguards
on hand at all times. However, such is
their skill that these men are rarely, if
ever, seen.
The Phoenix ninja have decided
that their best chance to prosper and
grow lies with the Goshukara family.
To this end, they have been helping
the Goshukara for a century now.
Their ties are not nearly as close as
those of the Hijo and the Funada, and
the Phoenix have been known to act
purely in their own self-interest. But at
the same time, they know they can get
away with this, for the Goshukara
need their services dearly and cannot
afford to be without them.
Unlike the Hijo, who recruit primarily
from within their family, the Phoenix
Clan freely adopts promising members
into its organization. When a
youth shows promise or natural talent
in the arts of ninjitsu, he is sponsored
by an older and more respected member
of the clan. Upon proving his
skills, the youth is adopted, officially
becoming a son of the sponsor. He
changes his name to show this adoption
and may even move in with his
new “father”. His old family, once the
farewells are said, is forgotten and all
blood ties are considered to be lost.
He must be obedient to his new father
as a proper son would be, following
his will in all things.
When his father dies, the adopted
son can have a reasonable expectation
of assuming the father’s role as
head of the household, claiming both
the name and the property, especially
if there are no other male children in
the line. In this way, new blood and
vigor is constantly brought into the
Phoenix clan. However it also
increases the risks of bad judgment in
adoptions and treachery by outsiders.
Therefore, adoptive candidates are
very carefully screened (in secret, of
course!). Currently, there are about 30
members of the Phoenix clan in Nakamaru.
The Temples and
Shrines
While the Funada and Goshukara
struggle for political power and the
yakuza vie for the rule of the city, the
different sects of Nakamaru contend
for the greater glory of their temples
and shrines. Although they claim to be
politically neutral, most are actively
involved in political life, seeking special
favors and treatment for their religion.
Within Nakamaru, the most powerful
religious groups are the temples of
the Path of Enlightenment. These
temples are more than local cults.
Organized on a national scale, they
are rich and influential groups. Primarily
concerned with their own welfare,
they side with whoever will best
support their temple.
The Shining Mountain Sect
The Shining Mountain is one of the
21
many sects that has grown out of the
original teachings of the Path of
Enlightenment. Founded in the year
1358 by the great teacher Saizu, the
sect’s main temple is located just outside
the capital. The sect, while adhering
to the overall precepts of the Path
of Enlightenment, places emphasis
on the intervention of various deities
and great teachers, who ensure the
well-being of their followers. The
sect’s practices are not too difficult,
making them popular with the commoners
of the city. Thus, the Shining
Mountain Sect has a great deal of
popularity within the city.
The great teachers of the sect have
followed a vigorous program of building,
often with the support of the imperial,
shogunal, or local governments.
Each province has a provincial temple
under which are local subscriber temples.
Part of the donations collected
from these small temples are sent to
the provincial temple. These in turn
use the money for building projects or
send it to the capital. Entrusted with
this financial responsibility and the
support of the citizenry, the provincial
temples such as the one at Nakamaru
wield great power.
The Nakamaru temple of the sect is
a moderate-sized operation. The temple
compound is the home for 100
gakusho and shukenja and a monastery
of 10 monks. In addition, the temple
maintains a force of 200 sohei.
Nearly all of these are fiercely loyal to
the temple, although there have been
rare incidents of treachery among the
sohei in the past. These sohei have a
traditional feud with the sohei of the
Winter Sect.
The current abbot of the temple is a
distant nephew of the shogun, a member
of the Funada family, son of Mitsuhide.
As such, his loyalties are very
much with the shogun and the daimyo.
He, and his temple, have
received generous donations and tax
exemptions. The Shining Mountain
Sect is called upon to lead most ceremonies
at the local court, a prestigious
honor.