Description

[Cearnach]

This stump, the remains of a truly massive tree, is devoid of any plaque or rail, but it is no blemish on the courtyard. Rather, it is a relic of the Dawn of the Empire, as precious as Shori, or Shukujo, or the Enchanted Walls of Otosan Uchi: it is the stump on which Ikoma sat when he encountered Lord Akodo, and it has been the accepted meeting place of the leadership of the Lion clan ever since that day. Currently, it serves as a speaking platform, featuring the top graduates of the Open Hand dojo for the past 80 years. Lord Ikoma's father was known to speak to his samurai from it on special occasions, such as to denounce the gaijin in the aftermath of White Stag, and his grandfather marshaled the strength of the Ikoma family against the besieging Crab and Scorpion during the Crab-Dragon war from this very spot.