idea The Elemental Bloodline of Fire idea
The Katsushika Clan
602 b.N. Flight from Blood RiotThe origins of the Katsushika are traced back to the Blood Riot sickness, due to the strain being put on the Fire Elemental itself. A large group of panicked citizens evidently puts their trust in several departing vessels; this portion of Katsushika history is known as the Exodus. Evidently they make their way out to sea, and at that point records are sketchy.
600 b.N. Landing on [insert name here]What is known is that the group that was to become the Katsushika crash-landed on an island.
599 b.N. Darkness Closes inMeanwhile, possibly the most unlucky thing ever to occur happens. A large group of Hyphos soldiers has the bright idea of assaulting the city of Higashi from the sea. They forget why no man in his right mind would ever venture onto the waves. One third of the "fleet" is lost at sea, one third retreats and one third is slaughtered by the Higashi defenders, and the flagship Dzulgor crash-lands on [insert name here] one month later.
580 b.N. The Butchers of HyphosApproximately twenty years later, a party of survivors begin to explore the island. When the only response they ever were given was the party of soldiers that immediately began butchering them, for the next century and a half, the humans gradually learn how to hide, to evade, to sneak past the brute orcs. Then Katsushika Takamasa was born.
463 b.N. A heart of FireKatsushika Takamasa is born in the year 136 by Gaia standards. His parents are killed in an Hyphos raid when Takamasa is 16. The encampment where Takamasa's family is living fails to learn of the impending attack, and the young man vows not to let such an atrocity happen again.
447 b.N. The RoninAt this point history and myth begin to intertwine. Current Katsushika legend states that one night, Takamasa is visited by Kenshi, and is told that he must discover the way to strike against the Darkness (as the Hiding called them) by using the powers of the land to aid them.
"Draw your strengths from night, from heat, from nature, wherever you can. On our level of existence, The Darkness has nearly won! But they have grown complacent, and the time has come to strike back. I will contact you again when the time is right."
[Some more stolid historians have noted that Takamasa was one of many of the younger bloodliners to enjoy a beverage made of saltwater and crushed seeds, and as such may not have been entirely stable.] However, Takamasa always holds his vision as truth, and several of the Hiding, tired of the constant running and fear of the soldiers, fall behind the charismatic leader. There is also the rather convincing evidence of the divine blade Shinka, which one mage has confirmed is imbued with flame powers. The woman who eventually is to become his wife, a descedent of Leiko herself, was among these, and it is she who is credited with the discovery that may have been the most important to the Katsushika clan: the poisonous plant, dubbed in the name of the Water Elemental.
Thanks to many helpful pushes from Kenshi, the Hiding are prepared. Through many trials, they have trained without stopping, respectively being able to move silently enough to not disturb a cave filled with bats, and the ability to endure the fear and heat of flame itself.
443 b.N. Assault on Fortress of DorolakKenshi appears before some of the members of the group, and teaches them a final lesson, of the power of the native plants and animals to kill. Finally, the group (seven in number according to the legend) steal a ship and sail under a deep fog to the other side of the island where the fortress erected by Hyphos lay.
When there, the ten each do their work. Akuma no Jubei and Ishito swiftly sink many of the transports under construction, Kan and Kasa poison the water supply, while Obakeken escorts them. You may note that leaves two to be accounted for.
Takamasa and O-chiba have stolen into the heart of Dorolak, and as they draw closer, oppressive darkness begins to cover the halls. Shadows dissapear, camouflage falls apart, and even Shinka is growing weak. Then they arrive at the innermost sanctum: A violet and golden room, fire streaming around it, and three mages chanting around a strange orb. An orb that in Takamasa's vision seems to be screaming out that the two were there. The mages evidently share this vision, and suddenly the shadows around the room shapes itself around the mages and starts to look like a man:
A man who stands ten feet tall, his eyes pools of obsidian, his armor eternal blackness, his sword the night itself. Takamasa draws Shinka, and utters one brief prayer.
"Fool! Here, the Father of Flame is powerless. And in the heart of MY sanctum, even with that sword, you are even more worthless than he is!"
Legend tells many things of the battle that follows. There are those who say that Takamasa presses the Dark Elemental to his limit, and there are those who say that Takamasa simply is lucky. But then there are also those who say that the Light elemental finally allows Fire his retaliation against her shadowed brother. However, on one thing all tales agree. The Dark elemental is on the verge of slaying Takamasa, when O-chiba throws herself in front of the blow, sacrificing her life for that of her beloved. And in the moment of her death, something snaps within the young hero. Somehow, Takamasa strikes the heart of the Dark elemental with the divine blade Shinka. Somehow, he is returned to the Fire Temple. Somehow, the last remnant of O-chiba is taken with him.
The Tomb of Takamasa is not a great place, in the senses of many. Indeed to many it would appear simple and shabby, lacking the ornate decorations of the resting places of such as many Kings. However, there is something very commanding about the simple bier of dark marble and flame... and the single rose atop it.
440 b.N. Death of Katsushika Takamasa Katsushika Takamasa, after teaching all he knows to his son Yoshitora, dies. His tomb is placed within the Temple of Fire itself. Noted at his funeral are the five other men and women who aided Takamasa in the assault on Dorolak.
Eventually those five would branch off with their individual skills to form seperate clans, thus spreading their knowledge.
300 b.N. The Clans re-establish link with HigashiArrangements are made and supplies as well as other support is sent out periodically. The age of Shinobi is officialy born.
By now: Shinobi WatchwordThe Shinobi are a watchword in much of Higashi as the elite assassins of the shadows. Moonblades pierce Gaian weaponsmiths' awareness, and they start churning out imitations. No substitute for the real thing, though.
The current bloodline descendent and leader of the Katsushika clan is none other than Katsushika Shinken.
question Fire's Relations with other Bloodlines question
Water
Though the Fire clan protects the clan of Light, incidents in the past have caused Water and Fire to cultivate a mutual hatred. We're still working out why.
Air
Unknown.
Earth
Unknown.
Light
Fire is intertwined with the power of the Light, and though the Light bloodline can do more than fend for themselves, Fire watches over them dutifully.
Dark
The Dark is nothing when brought into the fierce light of Fire. Nothing but trouble, and even going so far as to label them 'evil', Fire has no qualms about striking out against Hyphos; however they are bound to serve under word of Higashi and thus restrain themselves.
