In My Rokugan

Mon of the Month

Crab Clan Drummers & Kite Flyers (double bill)
Those who know me, know of my soft spot for the Crab Clan. Simple, honest and forthright, they are one of the easier clans to identify with, given that we are "westerners playing at being in oriental clothes".

Amongst my reading I came across an article that talked about the use of the drum to ward off evil spirits, and that boundaries would have the drum played around them on occasions.

So, what of the Kiau wall and drummers, with evil across it every day. Again, in my Ro-kugan the Kiau Wall isn't the magnificent edifice portrayed in the way of the crab book. Parts of it are: especially those bits that other clans get to see. The rest of it is much closer to the Great Wall of China and Hadrians wall - lower and simpler. Aside from magic portals that temporarily open up in Crab lands to enable shadowlands creatures to get into Rokugan. it is these lesser stretches of wall that may be vulnerable to being breached, although given the nature of the terrain in which they are found (rocky, mountainous, forest), large shadowlands armies cannot easily assemble to^et "through or across" the wall, only determined raiding parties.

The Great Wall of China had watchtowers built at irregular intervals (ie. best points of visibility) which had units of troops stationed in them.

Thus, my lesser Kiau wall has these watch-towers with stocks of arrows, powdered jade, food etc, and provide accommodation for a crab unit.

Alongside this will be the Crab Drummer and Kite Flyers. Not all Crabs are big and tall. Even those families known for producing the best warriors in the realm, will occasionally produce those who are small and slight. Everyone is useful in the Crab clan though.

Drummers can use their drums to do several things:
1) Send Messages from tower to tower, including raising the alarm.
2) Beat a rhythm that wards against evil spirits.
3) Beat a rhythm that raises the morale of those who can hear it, and help protect against fear effects.
4) Beat a rhythm that causes intimidation and can cause fear.
5) Beat a rhythm that uplifts the spirit of those who hear it, and thus offset the effects of fatigue.

(Shiba Toma has produced a Phoenix clan drumming school: I've no permission to reproduce it. but for those with e-mail access can tell you where to find it).

As before, I've not produced ranks or techniques. as these are essentially NPC activities to add flavour to my background.

The Kite Flyers are even more esoteric and scarce. (The Chinese had man carrying kites, although I've not found a picture of one yet). Sent up in appropriate weather, these kites are tethered to one of the watchtowers, where they can be wound down. Because of the height advantage, the kite flyers can see shadowlands forces massing for some distance and messages can be sent up and down the kite strings (I did this as a child, so presume some of the rest of you did also). Aside from messages, which can be difficult to write and compose whilst airborne, the kite flyer also has a number of coloured streamers, which can be dropped to quickly indicate a number of threats or things to do. In an emergency the cord can be cut from either end. leaving the kite to drift free - by slashing cuts in the frame, then it will start to come down, although control is minimal.

Obviously the lighter the better for this line of duty, and many crab women find employment in this role for a few years, before settling down to marry, often to one of the ground troops. The kite flyer also maintains the windsock at each tower, to show the archers wind strength and direction. They have also been used as "runners" along the wall to send messages etc.

(For Clan war players, Dixon do a model Taiko drum and drummer which I think will fit on a large infantry base - I'm assembling mine now).