Some call them heroes, brave enough to take on the gods and emerge triumphant. Some call them traitors, outlaws who prey on the weak. As with all things, the truth is somewhere in between. Still, the annals of history are as much shaped by the actions of ronin as emperors, and the deeds of legendary Ronin are honored by the tapestries and stories of Ikaiguchi forever.
The Ronin’s Road
In truth, most Ronin do not have easy lives. Masterless and outcast from their clans, Ronin take what they need to survive. Often desperate for acceptance, they act as mercenaries or assist those in need in exchange for a place to live and move on once their welcome has been overstayed. Despite that commonality, Ronin are as varied in nature as Ikaiguchi itself, with traditions drawn from the clans and Rings they hail from. Many, however, follow the Serpent Path, long tied to Hebinomichi.
Before the disastrous attack on Minatoshima, the emperor offered Ronin an exchange: if they would act as a vanguard on the island, he would grant them each a boon, and residence in the Emperor Cities as needed. So it was that thousands of Ronin led the charge onto Minatoshima, and so it was that none returned.