To all who follow Lady Hitomi:

Greetings, most noble ones. I find the situation of our Clans to be most interesting. For, you see, we all must make choices. Your lady Hitomi, for whatever reasons, brought Togashi Kokujin, a corrupted tattooed man whom Togashi himself had banned from the clan, back into the fold. She wears the Obsidian Hand with pride, and, while it certainly protects her from the corrupting influence of the Black Scrolls, whatever evil lies within the hand itself must certainly be powerful. In her letter to you at the Day of Thunder, she admitted openly that what lies in her heart was as black as the obsidian hand itself.

I find the situation for you to be interesting for precisely the reason I found that of the Lion and the Phoenix so interesting. You are faced with two paths. One, the road of honor and the staus quo, down which lies an uncertain reward. The other, the road of darkness, down which lies ultimate power. Take it from me, gentle Dragons, one who knows the Shadowlands and the power it brings -- that the rewards of darkness far outweigh the price. After all, look at the Crab. They claimed to have purged themselves of the taint of evil, and all they can do is build fortifications, which they convieniently get stuck behind. Now, look at the Phoenix. While certainly few in numbers, they hold the powers of the new Kiho forces, being able to toss them about as easily as a child tosses a rock. Which of them benefitted more from their choice? The answer, gentle Dragons, is simple. Remain 'honorable' in your battle against the Naga, and you shall certainly fall, but in such a noble way! Embrace the darkness, as I have, and you will know certain victory, and then true power.

We are alike. The other clans think that, because of our essential nature, we are not a threat. Show them that a Dragon is never as screwed as they seem. Show them the power of the Shadowlands, and we shall rule a new empire together.

Regards,

Yogo Shiriko