The Yobanjin were tribes of barbarians who lived in the Great Wall of the North mountains, [1] beyond the northern border of Rokugan, descendants of those who would not bow to the Emperor and thus were banished. From time to time they performed raids against the Phoenix lands, being punished by the Rokugani. [2] It was known that they carved animal bones as their own way of sculpture. [3]
Yobanjin warriors used to wear wooden masks, tunics, and teardrop-shaped earrings on their tattooed faces. [2:1]
Yobanjin used some kind of sorcery not related with the kami. [2:2]
There are only two known Yobanjin tribes, listed below.
The Hyōketsu was a yobanjin tribe who lived in the mountains near the Garanto Province. Their priestess were called princess, and were part of the tribe's council. The Hyōketsu used to stage raids against Rokugani lands of the Isawa family. Eventually the tribe was assimilated by the Phoenix Clan in the Fifth century as the Kaito family after a civil war which was won by Kaito no Momotsukihime. [2:3]
The Tribe of Isawa were a yobanjin tribe [2:4] who eventually were assimilated into the Phoenix Clan as the Isawa family, following its leader Isawa. [4] They originally lived at the Dawn Peaks [5] and built castles even before the fall of the Kami. [6]