Creation and the Seven Thunders
In the beginning there was emptiness in the world, the formless void. From this void came a great time of creation; the great sea parted and land emerged, creatures sprang up and populated that land, and two heavenly bodies developed, Amaterasu and Onnotangu. Lady Sun and Lord Moon watched as the creatures of the earth grew, interacted, and after much bloodshed eventually parted. During this time the Sun and Moon embraced and created nine children; Hantei, Hida, Lady Doji, Akodo, Shiba, Togashi, Bayushi, Lady Shinjo and Fu Leng. Each pure of heart but different in personality. These brothers and sisters, known as the Kami, watched the world from above.
Though Amaterasu loved her children, Onnotangu despised them. He saw them as rivals and cast them to the earth to live among the mortals. The nine brothers and sisters fell the earth, landing together in the center of Rokugan. The only exception to this was Fu Leng, whose descent brought him into the Shadowlands and a pit to Jigoku (hell). The evil of that place corrupted him and when he finally arose from his pit, the lands around him fell into darkness.
The other Kami faired better. The decided to journey the world and find their lost brother. It was during this search that the first born, Hantei received a vision from his mother; he saw the corruption that infected Fu Leng and learned of his plans to destroy the world. Hantei rallied his siblings and asked them to gather as many people to join in their fight against the evil about the ravage the land. Fu Leng was gathering an army of his own, but this consisted of the foul oni of Jigoku.
By this time man had grown into tribes and erected many small villages throughout the land. A powerful family that dominated the area ruled each village. Hida, the largest of the Kami, ventured to the north, in search of men as mighty as him to turn back the demonic force. Among the rough terrain of the Yugure Yama (Twilight Mountains) he found his people. The strong, brutal warriors of the area rallied behind the behemoth Kami’s banner. Along with them came the shadowy mystics of the Kuni tribe as well as the scientifically minded Kaiu. As Hida believed in brute force and strong armor beyond all else, the mighty Clan became known as the Crab.
To the east Hida’s sister, Lady Doji traveled. While not as physically powerful as her brother, Doji had the gift of gab and a subtle grace that could not be mistaken. In her area she found amazing artists and people as elegant as herself. In no time the tribes of the area, particularly the gifted swordsmen of the Kakita tribe, fell in with her. They adopted the graceful Crane as their mon (symbol) and returned to Hantei.
The quiet, reserved Kami known as Togashi journeyed into the mysterious mountains of the south, and did not return with the other Kami. He joined his the monastic tribes of the area, the Mirumoto and the Agasha, and contemplated existence over gathering an army. The enigmatic Dragon, as they came to be known, were to stay out of this war.
To the west the brash, aggressive Kami known as Akodo found tribes of savage and war-like men whose spirit was much like his own. He found powerful followers in the Matsu and Ikoma tribes and adopted the fierce Lion as their banner. Behind Akodo marched the largest army in all of Rokugan.
Beyond the Dragon lands, far to the southeast Shiba walked. In his journey he found people that hated the children of the Sun and Moon. Shiba was a pacifist and thinker and used his mind to convince others to join him. Shiba came to one city that chose to defy him and spoke to their leader, a mystic called Isawa. Shiba told Isawa of the encroaching threat of the Shadowlands and of Fu Leng. But Isawa was stubborn; it was only when Shiba bowed before this mere mortal and pledged to protect his people that Isawa joined him. The Isawa people knew much of the elements and adopted the spirit of the majestic Phoenix to watch over them.
Bayushi, although noble, was always out-witting his fellow Kami. He knew a few well-chosen words or a skilled assassin could end a war. He searched the southeast for those that thought like him. In the people of the Shosuro and Soshi tribes, he found that. These mysterious masked men bowed before Bayushi and rode together toward the other Kami under the mon of the treacherous Scorpion.
Deep in the south, the Kami with the most wanderlust traveled. Lady Shinjo gathered mortals around her of the same adventurous spirit. They became known as the Ki-Rin Clan can returned to Hantei to begin the assault.
All the Kami return to Yama sano Kaminari (Mountain of the Thunders), the place they fell to the earth, and Hantei was waiting. Before his was massed a great army, but his brother Togashi was missing. Reports of his unwillingness to fight left Hantei very sad, but he knew he needed to continue on.
As the army began to mobilize, a mystic came before them. He was an oddly dressed man that ventured from over the Burning Sands. He said that the army would not be enough, but that he could teach them how to defeat Fu Leng. His name was Shinsei, which means the new way, and that is exactly what he promised Hantei.
The Kami was not impressed with the monk, but let their curiosity be tempted. Shinsei offered to train the local geisha in the arts of war and that they would be his evidence. Two days later, Shinsei called the Kami to witness his geisha army. These women showed such mastery, poise, and discipline that Hantei allowed Shinsei to teach his own forces. Through his teachings, the first samurai were born. Shinsei also taught the mystics how to harness the elemental powers as their own, creating the first shugenja.
Before departing for the Shadowlands, Shinsei traveled to Togashi. He and Hantei sought out Togashi and convinced him to return with them. The Kami were together at last.
Finally the great army of the Seven Thunders was ready. Collectively, they journeyed to the Shadowlands and faced Fu Leng’s massive demonic horde. Many a great man died that day. In the end, Fu Leng was imprisoned in a comatose like sleep deep within the Shadowlands. Of the Thunders, it is believed that none survived. They gave their immortal lives to stop their evil brother. Those generals that remained, returned to Rokugan and began the setting of an Empire. The Clans united and decided that the Hantei line would rule as Emperor. Shinsei gave the path of enlightenment (Shintao) to those remaining and vanished into the Burning Sands whence he came.