Deep within their mountain holdfasts, the forge-masters of Funkazan work tirelessly night and day. Rich veins of ore are extracted from the depths to be transformed into arms, armor and all manner of mechanical wonders. Their smithies ring to the sound of endless toil.
Though jealously protective of their territory, the samurai of the Funkazan Clan are welcoming of outsiders; their hospitality and feasts are the stuff of legend. These skilled warriors, though fearsome at first glance, greet every visitor as a friend, their endless quest for knowledge driving them to engage in long — and highly technical — conversations with all newcomers.
The Forge Fathers send their craftsmen, artisans and artificers far and wide to discover new technologies, that they might continue to develop their repertoire of ingenious creations.
Philosophy & Hierachy
The Funkazan Clan has established a practice of hard work and mercantile endeavor alongside its military traditions. Every samurai of the Funkazan is trained in the fundamentals of the forge, and every smith taught how to wield a blade.
The Funkazan worship each of the Shin’rei, but particular observance is offered to the gods Akane and Saion. The power and strength represented by the Sun Queen is much admired among the Funkazan smiths, and the warlike aspect of Saion is a natural fit for the clan’s samurai.
Many smiths of the Funkazan have a close relationship with the Priests of Sankurato. For a modest fee, these priests are willing to invoke the blessings of the goddess Akane, adding strength to any weapons tempered upon the forges this way blessed.
The Funkazan Clan has a strict hierarchy that has been maintained since the reign of Toko Mitsuhide. At its peak is the Lord or Lady of the Mountains, the Great Igniter, leader of the clan. Below them, the Forge Fathers and Mothers control the clan’s interests outside their own territory. The samurai are tasked with defending the honor of the clan and may rise to join one of the elite orders if deemed worthy enough.
History and Background
As General Yoshito united Ikaiguchi during the War of Three Empresses, the spies of the Empresses worked out one thing: If Yoshito was winning every battle, his smiths were winning the wars. From within his eastern stronghold, the best quality arms and armor were enabling his forces, paid for with the promise of a better future.
Once the general became an emperor, that promise was repaid. A united clan of smiths was good for the realm, and for the smiths; in concert, their development would be faster and more reliable. One of Yoshito’s most loyal samurai, Masahiro Funkazan, was chosen as clan leader, and served his master as overseer of the forges. After the emperor’s death, the Funkazan Clan continued to serve under subsequent rulers until the Night of Black Petals, when Empress Natsuko Kira usurped the throne.
During the reign of the Undying Empress, the Funkazan Clan were reduced to little more than slaves. The Empress installed their rivals, the Kabiruda Clan, as overseers of the Funkazan, and they were treated with great cruelty and forced to toil for their brutal ruler.
It was not until a legendary blacksmith, known as Haruo Tsuyoken, led the clan against their oppressors that the Funkazan rose once more. Haruo traveled with his followers to the great volcano, Mount Akasofu, whey they forged weapons of obsidian, the likes of which had never been seen. With them he fought back against the Kabiruda Clan, destroying them utterly. This was the first victory in the rebellion against the Undying Empress. When Toko Mitsuhide sounded his horns of war, with the intention of deposing Natsuko, the Funkazan Clan was the first to answer.
After Mitsuhide’s triumph, the Funkazan Clan broke away from imperial authority, establishing itself on the eastern fringes of Ikaiguchi. There, they harnessed the volcanic terrain to fuel new forges built beneath the Moeru Yōna Pīku. For the next 150 years they worked tirelessly to tap the power of the earth… until it turned against them. In 1350 T-K Mount Akasofu erupted, almost wiping out the Funkazan Clan altogether. Since then, the Forge Fathers and Mothers have worked tirelessly to build their clan anew, unearthing ancient techniques and seeking out bold new ways to craft and forge.
Locations
The Funkazan Clan’s main base of operations is beneath Mount Akasofu, where a huge network of forges can be found. The base can only be reached by crossing a bridge and is guarded by huge iron doors that no army has ever breached.
Their smithies toil the length and breadth of Ikaiguchi, often experimenting with new techniques to better strengthen the clan.