Seppun Family

Like the Otomo, the Seppun family can trace its origins to the very dawn of the Empire. When the Kami fell from the Celestial Heavens, the eight who landed together did so at a place that came to be known as Seppun Hill, named for the first mortal to meet with the Kami after their fall, a woman called Seppun. Seppun was so moved by the sudden arrival of the Kami that she offered herself and her followers as servants. The Kami Hantei accepted her offer, making them the first mortal followers of the Kami. As a result, while others may vie for the Emperor’s favor, the Seppun always have it simply by virtue of who they are. While some Seppun are courtiers, and many are functionaries in the Imperial bureaucracy, the Seppun are best known in the Empire as the Emperor’s protectors.

When the divine Kami fell into the Realm of Mortals from the Celestial Heavens, they took on some of the vulnerabilities of mortals. The Seppun therefore took it upon themselves to guard and protect the Kami. This devotion has continued ever since, leading the Seppun to become the foremost defenders of the Emperor. They are therefore always prepared to sacrifice themselves to protect the Emperor. This isn’t simply fanaticism: rather, this is their duty and their very reason to exist in the Celestial Order. To facilitate carrying out their duty, the Seppun have established two basic types of protectors: the Palace Guard, or Seppun Honor Guard, who form the personal bodyguard of the Emperor and protect the Hantei from physical threats, and the Hidden Guard, who guard the Emperor against spiritual and supernatural threats.

The Palace Guard are among the most accomplished warriors in the Empire. All of their considerable skill is focused on a single purpose: protecting the Emperor. Defense and acting as bodyguards are their ultimate purposes, and all of their combat tactics and techniques are designed to that end. Even their great skill in iaijutsu is intended only to allow them to draw their blades quickly against sudden attack, rather than during formal dueling.

The Hidden Guard, on the other hand, is made up of bushi and shugenja who have devoted themselves to understanding the kami and the teachings of Shinsei. They are just as prepared to place themselves between the Emperor and spiritual harm as the Seppun Honor Guard are regarding physical threats. Many members of the Hidden Guard are adept wardmasters capable of crafting durable defenses to guard areas frequented by the Emperor and their family from magical intrusion or attack. There is a close relationship—albeit a very discreet one—between the Hidden Guard and groups such as the Kuni Witch Hunters of the Crab, the Asako Inquisitors of the Phoenix, and the Kuroiban, or Black Watch, of the Scorpion.

Like the Otomo, the Seppun fulfill other roles aside from their primary one of guarding the Emperor. For instance, many members of the Imperial bureaucracy are from the Seppun family. More notable, however, is the devotion of the Seppun to the teachings of Shinsei. The original Seppun, having met Shinsei when he appeared shortly after the Fall of the Kami, became a fervent disciple of the “Little Teacher.” Seppun advocated strongly for the teachings of Shinsei and after her death, her children started four temples venerating his philosophy in various parts of Rokugan. To this day, the Seppun remain among the most devoted adherents of Shinseism and the most fervent guardians of its teachings and records.

The Seppun also maintain a vast Imperial Library, one that is less focused on the facts of history and more on the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of those involved in past events. This Imperial Library contains many poems, stories, plays, journals, and diaries of those who lived at the times when certain historical events were occurring. Such documents are, of course, very subjective, but much can be learned about the people from these sources: how they interacted, how they viewed and subsequently recorded events from their own perspective, and how they judged events of history.