On the surface, the samurai of the Hatsuki Clan are honorable warriors. They follow a strict code of conduct laid down centuries ago, and their daimyos are often called upon to adjudicate matters of law and resolve disputes with the utmost diplomacy. Behind their silken smiles though, the Hatsuki harbor a dark secret.
For years they have developed a network of apothecaries and assassins through which they control a clandestine empire, hidden from the Mitsuhide Dynasty and, for the most part, the other major clans. Cunning and deadly, the Hatsuki are versed in complicated herbalism and botany, creating harmful poisons and beneficial elixirs.
Philosophy & Hierarchy
The Hatsuki Clan has traditionally favored the worship of Saion, for when the gloved hand fails and the fist of war must be unleashed, there are few as deadly in battle as the Hatsuki.
In recent decades, things have started to change. Since Kaori Hatsuki effectively seized control, poison and subterfuge have become the weapon of choice for many in Hatsuki Clan. This had led to a greater appreciation of Shizen, for the Horned God holds dominion over the flora of Ikaiguchi and the endless possibilities it provides for alchemical and toxicological use.
More troubling still is the recent rise in the forbidden worship of Tayōna kami, the Manifold God, believed to have long ago fought against the Shin’rei. If that is true, calling for her might damn more than their souls.
History & Background
The Hatsuki family rose to prominence during the reign of Toko Mitsuhide. By 1200 T-K they had proven themselves skilled diplomats and advisors to the emperor. During times of strife, such as the Ongoru invasion and the reign of Emperor Iso, the Hatsuki’s would often move with the prevailing winds, retaining their prominent position among the emperor’s court, while in secret working to undermine his despotic rule.
When the Mitsuhide dynasty once again took the throne, the Hatsuki Clan proved themselves invaluable once more. The emperor gifted them with the sacred Violet Chrysanthemum, which never wilted nor shed a petal as long as it stood in the Night Garden of the Hatsuki Clan. For decades this flower was jealously guarded by the clan, though they had no idea the sorcerous powers it harbored. That was, until it crossed paths with a woman named Kaori.
The Tale of Lady Hatsuki
Born into a wealthy family, Kaori’s early years were spent in relative comfort. When her father fell afoul of an unknown ailment, Kaori realized her precarious position. She was not yet betrothed to a suitor, and should her father die she and her mother might be left destitute.
With her father unable to act against them, the Hatsuki Clan elder, Genpaku, took control of all her family’s holdings. Genpaku dispatched his assassins and Kaori’s parents were murdered. Kaori was forced to flee, relentlessly hunted by agents of the Hatsuki Clan.
A woman named Ai eventually found Kaori, concealing her from her pursuers and hiding her back at her wilderness apothecary. There, she began to teach Kaori all she knew of her trade. Once Kaori had learned all she could, it was time for Ai to reveal her secret.
Ai revealed she was in fact the bastard daughter of Genpaku Hatsuki. Under Genpaku’s rule, the Hatsuki Clan had grown corrupt and power-hungry. Ai saw it as her birth right to take control of the clan and restore it to its former glory. To help her achieve this she intended to steal a petal from the Violet Chrysanthemum and use it to destroy Genpaku and his agents.
The pair struck out, breaking into the Hatsuki Night Garden and finding the Royal Flower. No sooner had Kaori retrieved a petal from the flower than they were set upon by Hatsuki warriors. Ai created a diversion while Kaori fled. The last thing she saw before she escaped the Night Garden was Ai struck down by the blades of the Hatsuki guardians.
Kaori returned to Ai’s apothecary where she crafted a poison from the sacred petal, with the intention of completing Ai’s mission to bring down the clan. Genpaku’s agents tracked her down, but with the poison concealed within the lining of her kimono, she allowed herself to be captured and taken back to the Hatsuki clan house.
Genpaku interrogated Kaori for days, finding himself captivated by her charm. Soon he allowed her to roam his estate with the intention of taking her as his concubine. But Kaori had other ideas. She used the poison she had concocted from the petal of the Violet Chrysanthemum on both Genpaku and his son, Hisato. Instead of killing them, the poison instead bent the will of both men to Kaori’s. Within a week they were both her servants.
One night, she summoned them both to her chamber where lay a single tanto knife. At her order, Hisato slew his father in front of her, and Kaori finally had vengeance for the murder of her parents.
Over the years, with Hisato as her puppet, Kaori has seized complete control of the Hatsuki Clan. Outwardly she is Lady Hatsuki, Hisato’s chief concubine. But behind this veil she is in ultimate control of the clan and its agents.
Locations
The clan’s home is Barashi, the City of Flowers. They also control the nearby forest of Dokuen, the Poison Garden, which contains various apothecary lairs and places to cultivate poisonous flora. Countless other gardens are home to Hatsuki cells across Ikaiguchi, diplomacy and lethality combining in tranquillity.