Kyūden Doji
Kyūden Doji, also known as Esteemed Palaces of the Crane or Doji Palace, was the Crane Clan ancestral seat of power. This palace was the focus of social life across Rokugan, its halls and courts synonymous with courtly elegance and refinement. The tremendous walls of Kyuden Doji rose from the sheer cliffside over one of the most prosperous port cities of the Crane.
Appearance and Locations
Kyūden Doji lied on the Crane coast, on a towering cliff overlooking the small port city of Heiwa Mura. The palace was a large complex atop a height with minimal fortification named after Lady Doji. Kyūden Doji was of white stone and impeccable grace perched on cliffs overlooking the Sea of the Sun Goddess. The keep itself was just barely shorter than the Imperial Palace in Otosan Uchi, likewise built for aesthetics rather than defensive strength. The palace’s location deep within the heart of Crane lands meant it had never been threatened by attack. The tenshukaku sat on the edge of the cliff overlooking the seas, with the rest of the palace stretching out on the mountain slope behind it. Kyūden Doji’s guards were highly disciplined and suspicious. The palace’s defense also benefited from a friendly fleet in the harbor and from watchtowers placed inland. Just outside of the walls of Kyūden Doji lied the sacrosanct the Eye of the Needle.
Beautiful Castle
The keep’s interior was sumptuous and handsomely arranged. The walls, floors, and ceilings of the palace were nearly all hollow. Trapdoors and sliding panels concealed secret doorways leading to a warren of tunnels that filled the areas between the public spaces. The expansive gardens that surrounded the tenshukaku were the famous Fantastic Gardens. Thousand Blossom Path was another beautiful feature of the palace. A shrine devoted to Sarutahiko, kami of strength and purity, adjoined the bathing facilities.