The Minimoto take great pride in their work, with some devoting a lifetime to the study of metal and what they can do with it. To know a Minimoto weaponsmith’s name is to understand his entire history, his lineage, his heritage; it is eternal, and, as he feverishly works the heated alloy, his hammer dancing over the glowing metal, you bear witness to him writing his legacy into that weapon. These are more than mere katanas or tetsubos; they are a tongue that will speak for his art even when there is no-one left to tell it.
A blacksmith spends countless hours learning the language of the steel, studying its form, its function, and how much it can be stressed before it breaks. The Minimoto Clan apply the same rigorous principles to their soldiers, and thus, they are renowned throughout the Isles of Jwar. Once allied to the Takashi Clan during the Dragon Wars, it seems as if that relationship has cooled somewhat of late as they focus on their own ambitions. There is a curious wind that howls through their Iron Mountains, and their home, Jyoto, and whether it blows fair or foul, remains to be seen, but the Minimoto Clan are nothing if not patient.
Never one to seek the fineries and fripperies of court life, they are more than satisfied to spend their days mining, smithing, fighting, and singing the Songs of their Ancestors. When let loose, "Hear us strike! Your blood becomes our fountain. Armor on! We march to war! The Bear goes over the mountain!"
The samurai of the Minimoto Clan are undoubtedly the most heavily armoured warriors in the Isles of Jwar. Add to this their devastating weaponry, and you have a fearsome combination that destroys all that gets in its way. Not the most maneuverable of warriors, they are however relentless and single-minded in the pursuit of their enemies. But fear not, for the Ice Witches that share their lofty, icy, peaks ensure that they do not become outmaneuvered when in melee.
Their blacksmiths take to the field as well, to assist where they can; be it making pots of molten metal to douse their enemies in, or to repair arms and armor alike. Then there are the bears that have come out of hibernation to fight alongside the Minimoto; they too play a part in the Clan’s path to glory.