Description
Coming to prominence during the Kamakura Shogunate following the Gempei War, the Otomo clan have remained at the forefront of Japanese feudal politics for almost four hundred years, through the transition to the Ashikaga Shogunate and on to the present day. Alongside the Shoni and Shimazu, the Otomo are one of the largest clans on the southern island of Kyushu, and therefore were amongst the first to make contact with the Portuguese, establishing trade links soon after the Europeans were shipwrecked near the tiny fishing port of Nagasaki. Their daimyo, Otomo Sorin, sees the benefits to both the clan's economy and the military advantages that trade with the West can bring, making good use of their emerging gun technology. Following the arrival of the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier and their subsequent meeting, Sorin has showed tolerance towards Jesuit conversion of his subjects to Christianity, and may even consider conversion himself if it becomes expedient to do so. As a result, the Otomo can recruit cheaper gunpowder units more quickly that other clans, the actions of Jesuit missionaries are cheaper to perform, and the population can be converted to Christianity faster. Yet their policy of religious tolerance has brought the Otomo into conflict with their neighbours, the strictly Buddhist Shimazu. If they can be defeated, the Otomo may be able to control Kyushu in its entirety, meaning there is a chance that Japan may yet see its first Christian shogun!
Clan Traits
- Improved rate of conversion to the clan's religion
- Faster import of matchlocks
- Reduced cost for missionary actions
- Reduced recruitment cost for gunpowder infantry