The throne is empty – the Hantei still lingers in his bed with a mysterious plague. The position of Emerald Champion is vacant following the death of Doji Satsume in the coup attempt. It is an open secret that Kachiko handles the day-to-day ruling of the Empire.   The Empire is in turmoil at the probable loss of the last Hantei, who has no heir. Many clans are posturing and preparing for war, each positioning itself to put one of their own on the Emerald Throne.   And in the Shadowlands, something stirs. Something beyond the fathoming of mortal man ... Something that will rip the Empire apart.   As daimyo of one of Rokugan's great clans, this is your time. A time to show your ability to command an army against your ancient enemies and more recent rivals. A time to crush those who oppose you. This is the time to take the Emerald Throne and ensure the ascention of your clan for the next thousand years.   Welcome to Clan War!

Matsu Gohei   Matsu Gohei has risen from obscurity to fame through the ranks of the bold Matsu. Once a simple country warrior, a minor bushi in service to a local daimyo, Gohei's courage and skill have earned him a reputation as one of the finest samurai of the age. Gohei's bold manner and blustering behavior are justified, for he has defeated hundreds of samurai in battles and duels.   When the whisper of his name became commonplace in the Matsu courts, and his victories were too many to be ignored, the Matsu daimyo commanded that Gohei come and serve in her personal legions, hoping that the added dangers would slience the bragging young samurai's boisterous ego.   The position instead just served to increase the brashness of his behavior. In her service, Gohei again proved his worth and his skills brought honor and fame to the Matsu house. Now, Gohei serves at the right hand of the daimyo, giving his advice to the Lion Champion and proving his loyalty to the Lion Clan.   He is often sent on advance missions, leading his troops into unknown territory and launching the first assault against the enemy. His troops respect him as they do no other man, and his name is chanted before battle by thousands of screaming throats.

E-mail: gohei@lowfierce.com