“Long ago, child, we stepped from the oceans. If it be by a sailing ship, or

from the depths of Oceana as some have told, it does not matter. We

came, and it was with purpose.

The Matriarch, the first Mother, of our Family, she had a dream. In that

dream, she met Kage. Kage told her that a place was made for her people,

for though Kage did not show the same affection to Mann whom Kage had

birthed, love existed nonetheless, as the Gods had learned what

destruction not loving could bring.

The Mother could not sleep, the breath of the land far away roared in her

ears, the scent of the earth filled her senses, she could not satiate her

thirst with water not from that which had been granted her, and her feet trembled in anticipation of the first steps she would take there.


She, and those she was closest to decided to brave the journey. If that be across oceans, then so be it, if it be across deserts, it would be so.

Now, child, there is a pretty tale of a princess who finds her prince who grants her Yamaichi lands. This may be true, but it may simply be a tale and nothing more. We do know that the Yamaichi have found themselves in courts and marital beds, but only with your great, great grandmother are we certain that such an arrangement was forged. Know, however, we have been here for some time, and that it is true that this land is ours. Even if our name were to fall from it by law, the Gods have caused it to sing to us, even in our sleep. A Yamaichi explorer will always find her way home.

Eventually, the Mother and her companions found their home. The people already there were sick with disease, the Kingdom at war. The Mother and her Yamaichi set to work healing the people, rebuilding homes, and sharing the story of the quest of the Yamaichi.

In the people, they found believers, as their Baron was corrupted, and sought evil upon his people, those he ruled sought to place the Mother at the seat of command, as the evil of the Baron was known, those in surrounding baronies approved, thus the Yamaichi founded Okuninushi.


For many generations, we followed that which Oceana and Yamaichi ordained for us; to fight against the dimming of the Divine Spark of Mann, to work to enlighten those souls so that the Spark may grow brighter, and to prepare ourselves, and the peoples of Elyria for the darkness to come. Our work never went unnoticed, and it was not long before Okuninushi became the seat of our county, Akal-Samudra. It is said in the old tounge it means ‘Wisdom of Oceans’, as we were granted the wisdom of Oceana to fulfil our purpose, and the Gods had, in turn, granted us a land to call home.

The Kingdom was - has for many generations - been peaceful, welcoming. Then something changed. Perhaps a Misfortune caught the ear of His Highness, we do not know. We know that a hundred and thirty years ago, a male Yamaichi held the line, then a great drought struck the kingdom and did not dissapate for many years. Afraid that it may be his presence, the Father stepped from his position and appointed a young and beautiful Mother in his place.

She caught the eye of his Highness during spring court, as the flowers long starved for water had begun to bloom. He wooed her, then offered her a place at his side. She was modest, but knew such a position would aid her people, still struggling from the effects of the drought.

They were married, and our Mother did not seek other companions, wishing to offer her husband her full attention, as affairs of state were quite burdensome, especially to a kingdom recovering from such a dreadful turn of events.

But the King was vain and arrogant, and felt that it was acceptable to take from the people to fulfil his wants when the people were already suffering so.

Our Mother pleaded with him, then challenged his decisions openly. She then moved diplomatically to attempt to ease the burden on the people. It seems that His Highness did not care for his wife to challenge his decisions.

Our Mother was also growing older, and His Highness soon found a young, quiet and obedient courtly maid that better suited his tastes. The King soon arranged to have the older, much louder wife eliminated. He sent one of his servants to hire an assassin. The servant cared for the Mother, but did not wish to betray his master, thus, he commissioned an assassin who followed the Yamaichi assassin path.

The masked one knew what it meant, and revealed to his Mother that he was contracted to kill her. As the Mother would not oppose the will of the King, nor stand in the way of the path of one of her own, she requested he fulfil his obligation during the Feast of Angelica and she would signal him when she was ready.

At the festival, as the sun shone bright behind her, the Mother stood to speak. The King had been notably absent, it was decided it was intended to display his displeasure with his Lady.

The Mother praised the people for their hard work, commended them for doing as they could for King and Kingdom, and finally, she wished all of the blessings she could bestow on them, then, setting down her diadem, she bid the people good-bye.

With that, an arrow flew, piercing her heart, and she fell down dead.

The people panicked, and the general ordered his guards to tear down the curtain that hung in the tower from whence the arrow came, and there the king was laid, in full display, wrapped in his lovers arms, to the people of the kingdom.

The Yamaichi were concerned that the King would seek retribution for the wrong that he perceived inflicted upon him. It was determined that, for the good of the people, the Yamaichi would withdraw from the kingdoms, that they would close their borders, and not engage in any way that would position them against His Highness.

It seemed the Misfortunes continued to plague the lands, and not only the King, but Duke and Count alike fell to selfish behaviours, in-fighting, and sought to do war with his neighbour. The Yamaichi fell beneath notice, their power and position diminished as they took no sides, nor offered assistance in the war.

The King did not forget, however, and though he could not gain cause for a Caucus Belli (and none of the counts had asked, despite His Highness’ attempt to convince them) he was able to send mercenaries and assassins in an attempt to snuff out the Mother’s line.

For several generations, the Matriarch and the Count were separate. When one fell, the other would ensure Akal-Samudra would remain safe, stable. Destruction and Barbarism howled at our borders. We believed that the Darkness had come, and the Misfortunes had done their will to all of Mann.

It was a dark time.

A hundred years where we watched our borders, while we watched our warriors die, our merchants murdered. A hundred years that saw far too many fellow Clans exterminated before the merciless blade of the Misfortune of Pride and Vengance. A hundred years as we relearned the lessons of old, and brought tradition back to us so that if, just if we could only save the few who huddled with us, we would do it ~right~.