In the northern part of the Lake of Sorrows lies two islands, Aiko and Airi, of no great size, where a little known Palace sits.  The little known lesser Daimyo of the Doji family, Doji Usaku, known as the Laughing Crane, holds court, and authority over the islands.  The Daimyo with lands, too small to produce the wealth found in his estate, is believed to gain his wealth and power from the trade of secrets, favours, and the goods that travel between the five clans that pass through the water ways, and that dock at the small port on Airi.

For those in the know, the importance of the court of the Laughing Crane is understood.  Overlooked by the majority of samurai in Rokugan, those invited must keep its secret, for its power would be lost to them should they dishonour their invitation and try and reveal it's importance to the masses.  For the court holds secrets, riches, military alliances and actions that can shape, and save, all of Rokugan, and has seen many former visitors rise in the eyes of their clans and emperor.

Welcome to the court of the Laughing Crane.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:33, Thu 13 Aug 2020.

The Crab Clan:

The Crab Clan's jade supplies shrink, while the threat of the Shadowlands grows.  The Emperor has promised supplies, but none have come, while the other clans bicker and fight among themselves ignoring the gravity of the situation presented by the Shadowlands.  In the past only the Yasuki family have been the only visitors to the court of the Laughing Crane, but as the Crab Clan grows desperate, members of other families are being dispatched to the court of the Laughing Crane to find allies in their fight against the Shadowlands.


The Crane Clan:

In the past the court of the Coiled Sisters, now known as the court of the Laughing Crane, has always played an important role in the diplomatic efforts of the Crane Clan.  Initially set up as the open hand, to the closed fist of Kosaten Shiro along the boarder with the Lion Clan, as a means to secretly meet and make agreements with a lower risk of losing face, it has grown from those early years.  Now it is a place of intrigue, wealth and power, one highly prized by the Crane Clan.  From here Lion, Scorpion, and Crane can send samurai to deal with matters in contested territories without sparking conflict.  It is also from here that the Crane Clan is able to maintain and strengthen alliances with the Unicorn and Dragon Clans as the first port of contact along the river that moves their goods to and from the sea.  It is also a place where they can watch the activities of the lesser Mantis clan who has been making efforts to rise their standing, and make alliances with other greater clans.  With the recent poor harvest in Crane lands it is one more port where supplies can be purchased, and arrangements can be made to help the clan in these difficult times.


The Dragon Clan:

The reclusive Dragons have often been seen in the courts of the Laughing Crane.  With the decline in population in recent years and fewer Dragon samurais than ever before, there is now a need for the Dragon Clan to reach out beyond their mountains to bring new blood to their clan, or see their traditions and teachings disappear with them in time.  This has meant more members of the Dragon Clan have been seen at court than ever before.  Where before the shrines that dot the Lake of Sorrows have kept their interests, and a peculiar mystery of the islands have peaked them from time to time, now the court has become an important part of saving the Dragon Clan's future.


The Lion Clan:

Officially, the Lion Clan claims the islands as theirs, as they sit closer to the Lion held lands than those of the Crane.  Unofficially, the Lion Clan understand the importance of the court of the Coiled Sisters, refusing to call it by it's current name of Laughing Crane.  Second in number of only the Crane Clan, the Lion use the court effectively to strengthen and secure their Clan's holdings in the region, and quietly settle grievances with the Scorpion, Crane, and sometimes even Dragon clans when they so desire.  The court has also served to make arrangements with those clans to strike at bandits that reside along the boarders of the clans, by forming multi clan bands to meet the threats.


The Phoenix Clan:

The Phoenix Clan are the clan least seen in the Court of the Laughing Crane.  Having once seen their invitations revoked, only in recent years have they seen invitations sent out to them once more.  With growing conflicts and unease in the empire, the Phoenix clan could not be ignored.  There are mysteries on the island, or beneath the waves that the Phoenix clan seeks to uncover, and so the Phoenix clan returns.  They also return due to the growing number of incidents taking place between the Dragon clan and them, the court serves as neutral of a ground as they can hope for, and as good as a place to meet and confront the elusive Dragon clan as they can find.  Here too, they can keep an eye on the strange talisman magic of the Unicorn clan, which they are very suspicious off.


The Scorpion Clan:

The Court of the Laughing Crane is a court made from the Scorpion Clan.  Third most numerous of the clans in the court, they ply their craft, dealing in secrets, and stealing them where they can.  They understand however that the court is not made of fools, and tread a fine line, careful in their actions.  They, perhaps more than any clan, including the Crane, know the cunning of their host, who they believe has stolen a secret from one of their schools.  Understanding the nature of the game in the Court of the Laughing Crane, they have found a great deal of success by attending it.


The Unicorn Clan:

It is said that the family of Doji Usaku was the family that first spoke to the Unicorn clan upon their return, and recognized the fan of Lady Doji.  From then the Unicorn Clan and the line of Doji Usaku has held a close bond.  Their trade vessels always dock in Airi, and many courtiers of the Unicorn Clan have come to learn under the family in the days of their return.  To this day, Doji Usaku is one of the rare few samurai in all of Rokugan, outside the Unicorn Clan, who has a mare of the great horses of the Unicorn Clan.  In the courts of Laughing Crane, the Unicorn clan are respected and welcomed guests, and this privilege has been recognized by them, as they use the courts to make friends in allies in a court not as hostile as some are.  It is also a place from which they can trade their goods and knowledge, and delve into the intrigue of the empire, lending their abilities to the other clans when needed.


The Mantis Clan:

The minor clan has often had one of their clan attend the court regularly.  They seem to be welcome guests, and have often been able to strike deals with many of the great clans present.  The bushi samurais that have attended in the past have also been called on by the great clans in dealing with problems that trouble them along the river and in the lake.  This has lead the Mantis clan to send their best each year, though the number of invitations open to them have always been few.


The Wasp Clan:

Never seen in the court, a single invitation has been set to the new minor clan.  How the Scorpion and Lion clan will take their presence in the court is still unclear, but as a clan seeking allies where they can, the invitation can not be overlooked.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:32, Thu 13 Aug 2020.

Bushi:

While the Court of the Laughing Crane may first seem ill suited for the a Bushi, with all its intrigue, matters of diplomacy, and trade, Bushi samurai understand the importance of the skill in swords in the intrigues of court.  Duels, and the threat of them, can by used by a skilled Bushi to accomplish much.  Along with that, bandits know well that the if they can find means to cross a board without being noticed, that the conflict along them can serve them well, as they can attack places on other sides of a boarder, and return to the safety of another side, knowing their pursuers can not chase them with any great numbers.  With Emerald Magistrates too few to deal with every band of bandits, or the desire of clans to deal with their own matters themselves, the Court has often been the place from which multi clan alliances have been sent out to uncover and dispatch of bandits plaguing Crane, Lion, or Scorpion lands, as the two islands rest at the edge of all three clan's holdings.


Courtier:

Courts are a courtiers playground, and this is true of the Court of the Laughing Crane more so than many.  The intrigue, diplomacy, and trade agreements that take place here is a closely guarded secret.  The threat of removal from the Court however is a serious one, and many ambitious courtiers have found themselves uninvited, resulting in a lose of standing among their clan, so courtiers must play the game carefully.


Shugenja:

Many arcane mysteries find their way to the Court of the Laughing Crane.  This may be due to the fact that it is the port destination of many Unicorn trade vessels on their way to the sea, or the Mantis and Crane ships that go up river.  There are also mysteries in and around the islands.  More than one shugenja has used the island as a place from which to go into the lands of the Crane, Lion, and Scorpion to investigate matters they were not welcome to investigate.  On the hand, some shugenja have been invited by those clans in look at matters they wished to keep quiet.


Monks:

The Lake of Sorrow is to hold the spirits of those who died in the many conflicts over the region, and who weren't buried properly. Small shrines dotted the shoreline of the lake in homage to those who fell and names were not remembered.  The rotting corpses of the dead walked the salty marsh around the blackened lake, and it was said they were violent, attacking any who came within their territory, even dragging any who passed near them into a watery grave.  The area around the island needs monks to help heal the wounds of centuries of conflict, and the scare that marks the land from those conflicts.


Shinobi:

Call to ply their craft within the Court of the Laughing Crane, and at times called on within to take of matters in the surrounding region, shinobi find themselves needed regularly in the subtle and secretive court.  Of course they must be careful however, as the Daiymo is known for his skills in perception.  However, more than one boat has left one foggy night, on errands unknown, with samurais from the Court of the Laughing Crane.  One can only suspect that shinobi were among those samurais, though no one would openly claim such a thing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:49, Thu 13 Aug 2020.