Takagari (Japanese Falconry) Clan:
The Takagari Clan finds its roots in the north western wilds of the Earth Country, and predate even the hidden villages. Originally this Clan was a nomadic group of hunters that used hawks as tools on their hunts. As the clan grew small detachments erected settlements throughout their territory and began training hawks to be messengers between the settlements and to the remaining Clan as they moved from settlement to settlement. It was tradition in the clan for a boy to start learning the skills of the hunt at age 5 and to be given his first hawk to train by himself at the age of 7. Women did not originally participate in the hunt or hawk training, but this changed later, when they began training messenger birds as well.
The territory belonging to the Takagari became similar to a small country or province of its own, largely ignored by the Daimyo of the Earth Country though still claimed as a part of his domain. Because the Daimyo allowed the Takagari to govern themselves, and they had almost no contact with the rest of the Earth Country, other politicians/advisors often attacked the Daimyo saying that he must take control over all of his domain, otherwise he will appear weak in the eyes of the other countries.
Thus began the war to subjugate the Takagari clan and would later be known as the War of Earth and Sky. This became a turning point in the history of the Clan as they no longer trained themselves or their partners (the hawks) to hunt and fight beasts, but to hunt and fight men. The war raged for 17 years, but as the Takagari clan did not seek to expand their territory they merely repelled attacks and only went on the offensive to reclaim lost lands. In these 17 years the elite warriors among the Clan had developed many techniques that would be passed down to the new generations.
After 17 years with no end to the war in sight the Daimyo of the Earth Country was facing major problems. War with the other countries seemed imminent and both his funds and his troops were dangerously close to being depleted. On the very day that he planned to announce the end of the war, and send a messenger to the Takagari, a messenger from the recently established Hidden Village of the Rock appeared with a proposal. The Tsuchikage knew very well of the War to the North and offered the aid of his village to prove their strength in battle. With the Rock bolstering the Daimyo's ranks with skilled ninja, the war took a horrible turn. The Takagari had faced nothing as powerful as the ninja that the Hidden Rock provided so within two years all of their permanent settlements had been taken over, and the remains of the nomadic clan had been cornered. In a move to ensure the safety of his warriors, Takamura Hojo, the Takagari's leader, surrendered himself to the attackers, and was brought before the Daimyo where he was publicly executed.
Those that survived the war built a shrine in their homeland to commemorate the War and their fallen Clansmen, before accepting the Tsuchikage's invitation to join the Hidden Rock. However, many of the surviving members of the clan harbored a bitter hatred toward the Earth Country and the Hidden Rock, and refused the invitation, choosing instead to travel the world and make new homes somewhere outside of the Earth Country. Thus the Takagari Clan was split, and their art and techniques were carried throughout the land. In every village that uses the Hawk for communication, or battle, you can find a descendant of the Takagari clan, that still passes down the techniques learned in the War between the Earth and Sky, but each individual group of the clan has adapted its own unique techniques often reflecting the area in which they chose to settle.
Each group considers itself part of the Takagari clan, but over the years they have also formed bonds and loyalties to their own countries, and villages. It was a common practice among all the clans for a clan member to make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Earth and Sky at least once in their lifetime. Although this is still taught within the clan, none have actually made the pilgrimage since the time of Rising Doom, and the location of the Shrine itself has been lost.
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I gave a history of the clan and and tried to loosely work it into the story that was created for the RPG. I would like to hear what you guys think about the Clan, I obviously would like to make a character that is a member of the Takagari Clan, but I'm not sure which village I want to be a part of, or if you guys don't like the idea of them having split up and being in every village that can be changed.
As far as ideas for techniques go, I was thinking an long sight type technique might be fitting, like an eagle's or hawk's vision, and maybe a Taijutsu or sword style that is mostly aerial based like a hawk swooping in on its prey, and since they were hunters maybe have some Archery techniques as well.
Any and all input is most welcome, this is my first attempt at online RP'ing. I'll work more on the techniques, and then eventually get around to making a character. I kind of want to wait and see what everyone thinks of the Clan and whether its worthy to be included in the game before I bother rolling a character or fleshing out the techniques.
Subject: The Takagari Clan 
Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:32 pm
