The Story of The Bear(story)

As her shining yellow face shone, morning had broken free of the darkness of night. I looked from the castle window on her, blinded. Overhead the cuckoo announced its presence from a treetop somewhere.

Asahi - the morning face of our Emperor's heavenly ancestor. Or, so the priests claim.

In my old age I am not so cowed to believe them, having tasted of Kannon and the Middle Way.

Yet the power of the Godly Path is held by shaman queen and priests alike. It was like many moons ago when this land of the sun goddess was named Wa with Himiko as queen. In those days she was rarely seen, as the priests managed the intricacies of the Godly Path.

Long ago were those ancient days, when I was but a babe. My parents were of Ainumushiri royal stock, cousins to the Wolf King. They named me The Bear, in honor of their totem.

We lived on the sacred island of the Inland Sea. This is the seat of power of the Emishi, the southern branch of Ainumushiri. Our northern cousins were more nomadic, with a vast territory extending to the land of snow and ice. As well, they had an extensive trade route into the Middle Kingdom, all the way to the mythic ancestral home in the Altai.


Yet, in the eyes of the Yamato invaders, we are a primitive people. They had defeated us to form their kingdom, keeping fallen warriors as the Emperor's imperial guard, watched over by their Shinto masters.

These fine men of the Godly Path celebrate ritual purity for the sake of the five sacred grains. They were willing to spill innocent blood in internecine warfare between clans to perpetuate the Sun Goddess.


Today, I am the descendant of the gods, of heaven and earth. It is karma that brought my earthly parents together to beget me. Now I serve my Yamato allies.

Our Emishi brethren are hostages at the palace, in spite of guards being of the same blood. This keeps their clans under control. In time we will conquer this land and make peace with our Yamato allies.

As heirs of the Wa dynasty, the victory of Yamato is assured.