¶ Deer Clan
The Deer seek societal balance. When the Great Clans are equal in power, they strive to outdo each other, but do not dare go to war. Oneness and harmony are impossible ideals in a world where differences and conflict are unavoidable. Therefore, when the Deer observe that one clan is strong and another weak, they strive to make them equal. They are manipulators, working for balance within the Empire. Shika Matchmakers mingle with high society to collect information and guide the courts, while Speardancers carry out secret missions in the shadows. They save and they destroy, all for the sake of balance. [1]
Scions of the Deer Clan are taught that developing strong feelings for anyone outside their clan is a risk, for they may one day have to act against them. Of course, this aspiration is rarely achieved, and the Deer are accepting of flaws—including this one. [1:1]
¶ Founding
In the 5th Century, the healer Asahina Takuya and the warrior Daidoji Kokoro married in an unlikely, and unapproved union. A vision revealed to them the spiritual bonds between the people of Rokugan, and guided them to Aokami Forest where the Fortune Musubi taught them to use this new power, Musubu. [2]
In the year 618, as the Imperial heir prepared to ascend the Throne, court astrologers foresaw a pending catastrophe and the Emperor considered abandoning his heir and choosing a different successor. The Emperor was intrigued with murmurs in the court that a traveling matchmaker claimed to have the solution to this pending doom, and summoned the matchmaker to audience. The matchmaker convinced the Emperor to permit the heir to make a pilgrimage to see the sunrise at the Castle of the Centipede. The Deer believe that the relationships formed on that journey saved the Empire from catastrophe, and the the newly crowned heir elevated the Deer to minor clan status, granting them the lands of the Aokami Forest. [2:1]
¶ Musubu
Musubu, the union, was an intimate process of shared meditation in which a Deer shugenja attuned themself to their meditation partner to learn about their state of mind and spirit. The shugenja must match the heartbeat and breathing rate of the person they were reading, so both participants must remain calm. When Musubu was achieved, the shugenja observed ethereal threads reaching out from their companion's body. The anchor points of these threads were the ten ki meridians that flowed through the body and corresponded to the Five Elements. [3] A practitioner of Musubu caould sense the future results of fortuitous or inopportune matches. [3:1]
¶ Motto
Unknown
¶ Colors & Mon
The official clan colors are white and black. The family Mon is a symbolic deer’s head with a black antler and a white antler. (featured top-right of this page) [4]
¶ Bushidō
The Deer Clan values Duty & Loyalty, and views Compassion and Sincerity as less significant. [1:2]
¶ Families
- Shika - Only family of the Deer Clan
¶ Points of Interest
¶ Seat of Power
- Kyūden Shika - Clan Seat
¶ Major
¶ Minor
¶ Schools
The following are the most prominent Deer schools: [1:3]
- Shika Matchmaker (Courtier, Shugenja)
- Shika Speardancer (Bushi, Shinobi)
¶ Champion
The leader of the Deer Clan and Clan Champion. Known Champions of the clan are listed here: [1:4]
| Champion | Date Range |
|---|---|
| Unknown | 621 - ? |
| Shika Renji | ? - Present |