Editing /tg/ Custom L5R Minor Clans (section)

==History==
Most minor clans have their origins in time of turmoil, and the Eel Clan is no exception. During one of the frequent instance in history when the Lion and Crane were at each other’s throats, the heroic actions of Tsuruchi Funji and a band of fellows one moonless night on the Three Sides River earned them the right to create a new clan, and the responsibility that came with it. Tsuruchi Funji had long earned a name of himself in the longtime tradition of young Tsuruchi by wandering Rokugan as a bounty hunter. His habit of tenaciously hunting down his targets, and his prowess in surviving the worst ambushes and traps that the collective scum and villainy of the empire could throw at him earned him the nickname “Unagi” or The Eel. However, the deeds that led to the creation of the Eel Clan result not from when he was hunting a target, but when he missed his ferry across the Three Sides River due to a hangover.

Returning to the inn where he had spent the night before to pass the time till the next boat, he would overhear a conversation of much importance. Two men, neither looking like the upstanding type, were in hurried debate over various ways to send an unnamed man to an early grave. Tsuruchi Funji, despite his head feeling like the inside of a prayer bell and being one man against two, lacked no time in marching up to the two men and introducing himself as the man who would be taking their heads to the Daimyo for conspiracy to murder. It was only after that the entire patronage of the inn stood to draw swords alongside Tsuruchi’s targets did it occur to him that he perhaps had spoken too loud. However, Tsuruchi Funji was not known as The Eel for no reason, and acted in fashion true to himself by throwing himself out the window and into the river below; surfacing only when the inn was out of sight and he was thoroughly covered in mud.

Pulling himself onto a passing boat, he was surprised to find that it was none other than the “Floating Blossom”, the most renown pleasure boat on any of Rokugan’s rivers. So famous it was it even claimed to have once hosted the Emperor himself for a night. But what intrigued Funji was what would such a boat being doing here, a small village which’s most interesting feature was the ferry that Funji had missed now twice. But as fate led him to overhear the conspirators so too would fate now lead Funji, for as he was still catching his breath a door to his left opened and let out none other than an Emerald Magistrate, one who Funji was fortunately much acquainted with as a Bounty Hunter. After introducing himself to the quite shocked man and receiving assurances that his soggy attire was acceptable considering the escape undertaken recently, Funji inquired to as why the Emerald Magistrate would visit such a quiet stretch of river, and in such a luxurious vessel. The Magistrate succulently explained that he would be berthing for the night before continuing upstream where he was to broker a peace to end the recent hostilities between the Crane and Lion clans, and that this boat was to serve as neutral ground for negotiations. Putting two and two together, Funji realized the number of men in the inn would be more than enough to overwhelm the magistrates few guards, and were most likely hired to kill the magistrate, but could come not come up with a reason to.  

But the Emerald Magistrate seemed nonplussed with the unresolved plot, stating as they came into dock that now that the plot had been exposed it would be simple to recruit the local Daimyo’s help in hunting down the pirates. But Funji quickly came to the realization as the boat moved past the dock that it wasn’t going to easy as that, as he recognized the Daimyo quickly striding to the landing and his bodyguard as none other than the men who had tried to kill him no more than an hour ago. 

Quickly dodging behind the Emerald Magistrate and his flanking guards to conceal himself, he whispered to the man the increasingly complex problem, and the solution he was quickly formulating. It would defeat the purpose of the assassination to do it during mid-day where all could see it, and when the Emerald Magistrate’s men could put up a fight. Funji deduced that the attempt would come tonight, when the Emerald Magistrate would host his local counterpart. But knowing the plot and being able to do something about it were two very different things; if they acted to soon the Assassins would cut them down regardless. But Funji assured the Emerald Magistrate he had a plan, and that he would return tonight to kill the pirates. 
The boat very nearly finished docking, Funji finished his whispered discussion with the Magistrate and left in typical fashion, over the starboard railing. This time Funji waited until he was well always from the town to make his way to the shore and climb out of the river. He wasted little time once he was on shore to put into motion his plan; by his estimates he had 4 bells till the sunset and the assassins would strike. Funji’s plan was to beat the lawmen at their own game. He, along with whatever local samurai were left in their estates, would disguise themselves as rowers for the Floating Blossom and ambush the the corrupted Daimyo and his men before they could strike.  By the time he had finally returned to the crossing village he had amassed a posse of 20 men and women, all left behind when their spouses went upstream to join the clan armies. 

Once he had his posse Funji moved on to the next step of his plan; infiltrating the boat. Now the assassins would suspect any guests as possible obstacles to their plot, but they wouldn’t suspect the rowers. Disguising themselves, Funji’s posse waited below, posing as rowers, while their weapons were smuggled in by the kitchen staff. By the time night fell and the dinner was to begin Funji and his cohort’s arms were like lead from rowing upriver to the Daimyo’s personal estate. With the sounds of dinner above, Funji began his plan, which was almost over before it began as he caught the eye of a patrolling guard who recognized him form the inn. Using what he had at hand, Funji lashed out, and began fighting the man with an oar in hand. Worried that the sound would have already alerted the would be murderers and fearing that the stashed weapons would be too late to reach in time, Funji extorted his men to grab their oars and begin the attack. With the sounds of battle quickly spreading through the ship, Funji urgently searched for the Emerald Magistrate, fearing that he was too late. Luckily, he found the assassin’s target safe surrounded by the bodies he and his bodyguards had slew with their swords. Combining the two groups, the would be vigilantes charged the reinforced scum with Funji at the fore, still wielding an oar.

Once the dust settled the Daimyo and the 50 men he had hired to kill the emerald magistrate lay dead, along the both the Emerald Magistrates bodyguard and 12 of Funji’s posse. The true backers of the Daimyo’s treachery were never uncovered, but with the Emerald Magistrates life intact a peace was brokered between the Lion and Crane, preventing further bloodshed from staining the river. For his part, Funji was granted permission by the emperor of the time to form a new minor clan, with the edict to clean Rokugan’s river of pirates and scum. And since then the rightfully name Unagi Clan has patrolled the rivers, and can now be found on nearly every major river. But they do not forget their origins, they display an oar on their mon, and will not hesitate to wade into battle wielding the instrument of the water.