The Great Clans of Rokugan (lore from web)

The Great Clans of Rokugan is the lore of the Legend of the Five Rings published in the web priot to GenCon 2023
== Lore ==
The lands of the Emerald Empire are divided between the seven Great Clans of samurai: the stalwart Crab, the elegant Crane, the enigmatic Dragon, the valiant Lion, the mystical Phoenix, the cunning Scorpion, and the far-ranging Unicorn. Each of these clans controls a significant portion of Rokugan in the name of the Emperor.
== The Stalwart Crab Clan ==
 
The warriors of the Crab Clan are slayers of monsters and protectors of the realm. Their sworn duty is to defend Rokugan and maintain the Carpenter Wall, which stands as a bulwark against the endless hordes of horrors that spill forth from the Shadowlands. Those who do not fight with weapons support the Crab’s efforts by securing key supplies for their clan, maintaining alliances to guarantee support of the Wall, or engineering new technologies to turn back the tides of Shadowlands armies. Grim, pragmatic, and often violent, the Crab Clan are often looked down upon as uncultured brutes, but the constant battle against corruption and death that is their daily existence would destroy other samurai. It is only by the valor and sacrifice of the Crab Clan that the Emerald Empire continues.
=== Clan Duties ===
“We are the wall.”
Since its founding, the Crab Clan has stood between the people of Rokugan and the never-ending nightmare of the Shadowlands. Under the uncompromising eye of their founder, Hida, the Crab built a network of fortifications along the Empire’s southern border. These defenses grew and evolved over the centuries to become the Carpenter Wall.
Demarcating the southern border of Rokugan, the Wall stretches on for hundreds of leagues, its slate-gray blocks fitted together seamlessly into a structure thirty feet thick and a hundred feet tall. Twelve watchtowers are garrisoned by warriors, scouts, siege engineers, quartermasters, healers, and elementalists. From these bastions, courageous patrols venture forth into the Shadowlands to surveil the wastes and warn the Crab of growing threats. Together, the samurai of the Crab protect Rokugan from the relentless armies of undead and corrupted beings—no matter the cost.
=== Character Spotlight: Hida Yakamo ===
* Hida Yakamo
Hida Yakamo is the eldest of his siblings and the most like his father, the “Great Bear” Hida Kisada. Just as Kisada was a hot-tempered samurai in his early days, so is his son, and they both wield the clan’s signature weapon, the spiked club known as the tetsubō, to deadly effect. Yakamo proves his bravery as often as he can, leading expeditions into the Shadowlands to ambush raiding parties before they get a chance to strike.
Besides his prowess on the battlefield, Yakamo is an accomplished duelist, never refusing a challenge from an opponent. As a young man, Yakamo was challenged to a duel by a Dragon Clan warrior, Mirumoto Satsu, whom he killed. To Yakamo, the duel was little more than a chance to prove his skill, but the death of Satsu has made Satsu’s sister, Hitomi, grow to hate Yakamo.
=== Clan Culture ===
Courage. Duty. Sacrifice.
Faced with constant horror, the culture of the Crab is defined by martial prowess, creative engineering, and comradery. The clan values stalwart and practical thinking to a degree most other clans do not. Crab Clan samurai cannot afford ostentation or standing on ceremony in the way the other Great Clans can, for a single gap in the Carpenter Wall can spell death to hundreds, and a single missed shipment of goods can doom valiant defenders.
In comparison with the rest of Rokugan, the Crab tend to reward pragmatic solutions and views the idea of chivalry on the battlefield as a potential vulnerability. The clan’s tales tell of some glorious victories, to be sure, but are marked nearly as often by cautionary stories of lapses in vigilance or terrible defeats, with ground irrevocably lost to evil. Despite their grim circumstances, the people of the Crab Clan are not without hope, though Crab Clan humor can come off as notoriously grim to outsiders.
=== Clan Families ===
Each Crab Clan family contributes to the Carpenter Wall’s defenses.
* The Hida Family: The Hida family are intractable warriors, garrisoning the Wall and standing firm in the face of attacks by demons, monsters, and undead.
* The Hiruma Family: The Hiruma serve as scouts, messengers, and saboteurs, warning the clan of impending incursions and harrying the evil denizens of the Shadowlands.
* The Kaiu Family: The engineers and architects of the Kaiu family ceaselessly devise new weapons, traps, and other defenses to preserve the Wall.
* The Kuni Family: The witch hunters of the Kuni delve into the darkest subjects imaginable, striving to understand the threats facing the Empire so that the Crab might better combat them.
* The Yasuki Family: The Yasuki family serves as diplomats, courtiers, and merchants to procure critical resources including jade, which helps protect against the corrupting Shadowlands Taint.
=== The Lands of the Crab ===
The Crab Clan makes its domain in the south of Rokugan, stretching from the westerly Twilight Mountains to waters of Earthquake Fish Bay. The further south one travels, the more the grip of the Shadowlands can be felt upon the land. Whether samurai or commoner, almost every denizen has a nightmarish story of a hungry monster in the night, a bloody mist that stole away dozens of villagers, or another horror more unspeakable still. The Crab Clan’s lands end at the Carpenter Wall, from the towering heights of which one can seemingly peer into the abyss itself. The clan’s stronghold is Hida Palace, the most striking feature of which is the skull of the Maw, an ancient demon from Rokugan’s past, that looms over the main gatehouse.
== The Elegant Crane Clan ==
 
As the undisputed masters of court and the so-called Left Hand of the Emperor, the Crane Clan elevates politics to an art form. In the Imperial Court, the influence of the Crane is inescapable. Not only do the nobility of the Crane often marry into the Imperial line, but many of their lords are powerful figures in the Emperor’s court. Elsewhere, in the castles of the other Great Clans, Crane emissaries foster peace and arbitrate disputes, spreading the message of harmony that has served as the clan’s touchstone since ancient times. Yet diplomacy is but one of many arts honed by the clan. The clan cultivates painters, dancers, poets, sculptors, and musicians to entertain their fellow samurai and spread the Crane’s influence through subtler means. The elegance and accomplishments of their courtiers and artisans also extends to their duelists, who seek to master the technique of one perfect strike.
=== Clan Duties ===
“There is a proper technique for all things.”
Many members of the Crane Clan see it as their duty to preserve and ennoble Rokugan’s culture by maintaining the bureaucracy, to prevent wars by creating good will and interdependency between the other Great Clans, and to enrich the lives of the empire’s people by adding works of great beauty to the world.
Many of the greatest poets, artists, philosophers, duelists, and courtiers of Rokugan have been trained in the academies of the Crane Clan. As a result, refinement, grace, and sensitivity are not only the defining features of the Crane Clan’s political strategy, but chief among its weapons. The Crane Clan’s courtiers have worked for generations to make themselves indispensable to the function of the Emperor’s court and countless other political bodies across Rokugan. Even outside of Crane lands, Crane-trained diplomats and emissaries smooth relations between the Great Clans, helping to preserve peace and foster understanding.
=== Character Spotlight: Daidoji Uji ===
* Daidoji Uji
Having trained in the arts of war his entire life, Daidoji Uji is a master tactician. The Crane Clan’s armies are outnumbered by those of their greatest rival, the Lion, so Uji has developed a specialty for guerrilla warfare and infiltration tactics. Part of this secret pragmatism is born from his personal interest in foreign philosophies and technologies.
As the lord of the Daidoji, he takes his family’s duties as the guardians of the clan very seriously. To this end, he has secretly cultivated the Daidoji Harriers into a clandestine force of shinobi willing to sabotage, assassinate, lie, and steal their way to victory. He and his followers will do whatever they must in order to preserve the Crane Clan and fend off its enemies.
=== Clan Culture ===
“Be more concerned with good actions than with great ones.”
The samurai of the Crane consider themselves to be the wardens of Rokugan’s cultural heritage. Many strive to fulfill Lady Doji’s vision of beauty, order, and civility, though there are many different ways of going about this. Some champion the arts, others contribute to educating the citizens of Rokugan, others seek to maintain its traditions, and still others collect folklore and wisdom that has long been overlooked. As a result, most Crane Clan samurai are expected to have at least a basic appreciation for the arts even if they are not artisans themselves.
The clan’s culture varies widely among its four great families. The Way of the Doji is living a noble life. The Way of the Kakita is living life to the fullest. The Way of the Asahina is living in atonement. The Way of the Daidoji is living to protect. Although their different perspectives occasionally divide them, these families are united by bloodlines and ancient oaths of fealty. Their varying colors are ultimately feathers of the same brilliant wing: the Way of the Crane.
=== Clan Families ===
The families of the Crane Clan each seek to perfect their chosen art.
* The Doji Family: As the leading family of the clan, the Doji family sends its legendary diplomats to foster peace across the realm with gifts, favors, and friendship.
* The Kakita Family: The Kakita family sees everything as an art to perfect, whether that be the swordplay of their duelists or the music, poetry, and paintings of their artisans.
* The Daidoji Family: The Daidoji family stands ready in times of war, filling the ranks of the Crane’s armies and clandestinely deploying harriers to surveil and sabotage its enemies.
* The Asahina Family: The artificers of the Asahina family are the pacifist heart of the Crane, mediators and healers who eschew violence and spurn the battlefield.
=== The Lands of the Crane ===
Comprising the eastern territories of Rokugan, the lands and castles of the Crane are works of beauty in their own right. Majestic woods along its northwestern border give way to verdant grasslands and billowing rice paddies. Lotus-strewn wetlands mark the clan’s southwestern borders, from which flow cerulean rivers that wend their way east to the Sea of the Sun Goddess. The clan’s provinces are best known for their extensive coastline dotted with secluded coves and forested islands. Overlooking that coast are the Esteemed Palaces of the Crane, considered the pinnacle of culture and refinement in Rokugan and which often play host to the Emperor’s Winter Court.
== The Enigmatic Dragon Clan ==
 
For a thousand years, the Dragon Clan has watched over the other clans, recording the history of the Empire so that when the day of destiny is at hand, Rokugan will stand ready. Dragon samurai are aloof and inscrutable, pursuing their strange and individual interests without regard for how the other clans see them. It is said that Dragon alchemists and courtiers are warriors, their warriors are monks, and their monks are inexplicable. Many of its members are ascetic, dedicating their lives to meditation and spiritual study, while others are deeply immersed in the wider world, seeking to understand the rhythms and secrets of nature. By following their founder’s teachings and cultivating personal wisdom, the Dragon can not only understand the past, but also compose the future.
=== Clan Duties ===
“Find you own path.”
The Dragon Clan stands apart from the rest of Rokugan, ensconced in the forbidding mountains of their domain, where its samurai cultivate their skills and discipline without distraction. The Dragon Clan rarely participates as actively in the politics of the Empire as other clans do—and when they do intervene, it is often for reasons others can only guess at. The secret of the Dragon Clan is their founder’s foresight, which many members of the clan still follow—knowingly or not—to this day.
Unlike the other Great Clans, the Dragon have no obvious special responsibilities beyond the administration of their mountainous domain. The clan’s founder, Togashi, always said that the clan’s purpose was to watch over Rokugan, and the first Emperor seemed to trust his enigmatic brother. Togashi’s inner circle knows that one purpose of the clan is to continue Togashi’s endless duel with his lost brother and perhaps someday find a way to save him.
=== Character Spotlight: Mirumoto Hitomi ===
* Mirumoto Hitomi
Though she is young, Mirumoto Hitomi is already a great warrior in the Dragon Clan and a master of her family’s school of dual-wielding swords, the Two-Heavens Technique. She pursues the way of the warrior with an almost ascetic intensity, and she keeps her head shaved in the style of monks to maintain her focus on her art. Short-spoken and to the point, many consider her as cold as the mountain peaks she hails from. Yet behind her stoic exterior, Hitomi seethes with unquenched rage.
As a young girl, Hitomi witnessed the duel between her older brother Satsu and the hot-headed Crab Clan samurai Hida Yakamo. She watched in horror as Satsu was brutally killed, as she could do nothing to stop Yakamo. Since that day, Hitomi has burned with hatred for her brother’s killer and remains vigilant for the chance to seek her revenge. But first, she must follow the cryptic orders given to her the by the prophetic leader of the Dragon Clan, Togashi Yokuni: find the missing prince.
=== Clan Culture ===
“I see nothing more than you do. You look the wrong way.” – Togashi
The Dragon Clan is diverse in its pursuits, even among members of the same schools and traditions. However, it is unified in one philosophy—a philosophy of commitment to the betterment of oneself and, therefore, the betterment of the whole Empire. Despite the individuality displayed by Dragon Clan samurai, they have been united in their task to record the lessons learned from its failures and victories, which occasionally means coming down from their seclusion in the northern mountains to experience the Empire face-to-face.
In the centuries since the founders of Rokugan fell to earth, Togashi’s followers have acquired a reputation for being philosophical and worldly in equal parts. Togashi’s acolytes are known for their esoteric practices, innate curiosity, and veritable tradition of disregarding tradition—at least in the eyes of the other clans. People expect them to be insightful and humble, but also unpredictable, individualistic, and even dangerous. They tend to look at problems from unexpected angles, and they seek solutions others might not consider.
=== Clan Families ===
The families of the Dragon Clan strive to emulate the wisdom of their founder.
* The Togashi Order: The Togashi Tattooed Order of monks was founded by Togashi’s earliest followers. For a thousand years, it has trained its ise zumi in the ways of martial and spiritual discipline.
* The Mirumoto Family: The family of warriors known for Mirumoto’s unique “Two-Heavens” style governs the Dragon Clan’s holdings and leads its armies.
* The Kitsuki Family: The courtiers of the Kitsuki family are both renowned and maligned for their investigators who value physical evidence in determining the truth.
* The Agasha Family: The mystics of the Agasha family study the physical and spiritual worlds, and their inquiry into the five elements developed into an alchemical tradition.
=== The Lands of the Dragon ===
The Dragon Clan inhabits the harsh mountains to the north. The landscape is stark yet beautiful, the barren rock shaped by volcanic eruptions, rushing rivers, and spectacular waterfalls. To many travelers, the mountains seem inhospitable, yet Togashi’s followers have carved out a place for themselves in these hinterlands where they can contemplate the world and its lessons. The ancestral home of the Mirumoto daimyō, Last Glance Castle, is predominantly a fortress and headquarters to the small but formidable Dragon army. Further north, the forbidding High House of Light is seemingly impossible to find unless one is meant to. Here, the Togashi Tattooed Order meditates, studies the Teachings of Shinsei, hones their martial arts, and prepares for their destiny.
== The Valiant Lion Clan ==
 
Perhaps the most well-known soldiers and generals in the Emerald Empire, the samurai of the Lion Clan are famous for their ferocity, courage, and integrity. The Lion’s military might is unrivaled, as there are no sharper tacticians and no larger armies in all of Rokugan. This proud military heritage has earned the Lion Clan a place as the Right Hand of the Emperor, sworn to protect him by serving as his personal guard and his standing army. Through strategy and sagacity, loyalty and legacy, the families of the Lion Clan devote themselves to studying and upholding the Code of Akodo, the philosophy set down their legendary founder. To the Lion, these virtues of the warrior spirit are more than a simple code of ethics, but an entire way of life.
=== Clan Duties ===
“For my ancestors!”
The Lion Clan’s primary duty is maintaining the standing forces that protect the Emerald Empire from direct military threats, both internal and external. At the very dawn of the Empire, Akodo’s armies were responsible for the rapid expansion of the Emerald Empire and have been the primary military force sustaining it ever since. Over the centuries, the Lion Clan has also suppressed rebellions and clashed with faraway foreign powers that have made attempts at invading Rokugan. Even now, over a thousand years later, the might of the Lion Clan is unquestioned.
The Lion Clan also maintains ancient records of lineages as well as vast amounts of historical documents, treatises, and commentaries. Most famous among these is Akodo’s Leadership, the essential Rokugani text on waging war. From Leadership, the Lion learned the importance of surprise in battle, which led them to secretly train shinobi capable of reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, and sabotage.
=== Character Spotlight: Akodo Toturi ===
* Akodo Toturi
With the soul of a warrior and the heart of a monk, Akodo Toturi has always walked a path apart. During his childhood in a monastery, he studied the Teachings of Shinsei, but as a scion of the Lion Clan’s nobility, he was still taught the Code of Akodo and the arts of weaponry and warfare. He has become a skilled duelist in his own right, and like countless generations of ancestors before him, he has a keen mind for strategy and tactics.
Despite being the firstborn heir, Toturi was never meant to become the leader of the Lion Clan. His younger brother, the bold and beloved Arasou, was better suited to the role by far. But when Arasou was killed in a battle to retake a strategic fortress, Toturi found himself forced to walk a path for which he was never prepared. For the intrigues of the Emperor’s court are no less deadly than a battlefield, and the reputation of his clan rests on his ability to lead them to victory.
=== Clan Culture ===
War is the most noble pursuit of a samurai.
The Lion Clan is war itself, forged by Akodo to crush the Emperor’s foes and enforce the Emperor’s will with absolution. Lion Clan culture exalts martial achievement as the greatest glory its samurai can achieve. It expects its samurai to meet force with force and death with a smile—a hard path for anyone to walk, and harder still for any gentle soul. But there is also a strong camaraderie within the Lion Clan, and a widespread belief that everyone from the most elevated hero to the humblest denizen has something vital to contribute to society, whether they are a master-at-arms, a storyteller, a diplomat, or a farmer.
Many within the Lion Clan value order, martial prowess, and scholarship, especially as relates to learning from history. Individual values vary by family—the Akodo tradition tends to teach its students to focus on teamwork and success as a group, while the Matsu and Ikoma traditions tend to be more individualistic, their stories centered on the glory of past heroes. The Kitsu mediums prioritize tradition, having been founded from the last remnants of the mystical Kitsu species. But all four families teach the importance of understanding the past so that they can protect Rokugan against threats in the future
=== Clan Families ===
Each Lion Clan family brings to bear a different strength on the battlefield.
* The Akodo Family: In addition to leading the clan, the Akodo family trains many of the master strategists and tacticians of the Empire at its legendary war college.
* The Matsu Family: The teeth of the Lion are the Matsu family, whose fighters’ skill is sharpened every day by arduous training.
* The Ikoma Family: Having served as the historians of Rokugan since its inception, the bardic Ikoma family makes warriors into legends.
* The Kitsu Family: The Kitsu family links the Realm of Mortals with the Realm of Sacred Ancestors, allowing their mediums to channel the experience and wisdom of the clan’s ancient heroes.
=== The Lands of the Lion ===
The warrior-god Akodo built his keep, Loyalty Castle, a mere day’s ride from the Imperial City so that his clan would always be ready to defend the Emperor. The provinces of the Lion Clan are dominated by rolling grassy plains and ancient forests, and are bordered by great rivers. It is common to see armies drilling across Lion lands, even in times of peace. The lands grow steadily hillier as they reach south and west, eventually culminating in the Spine of the World Mountains. To the southwest is Beiden Pass, one of precious few crossroads through the mountain range and part of the most important trade route in the Empire. It is named for the legendary warrior monk who is said to have defended it singlehandedly against an army in the early days of the Empire.
== The Mystical Phoenix Clan ==
 
The Phoenix are the masters of magic in the Empire, the keepers of the Teachings of Shinsei and caretakers of the Empire’s soul. Mountains collapse at their whispered requests, dry rivers are convinced to flow again, plagues are banished, restless ghosts are returned to slumber, and fiery infernos consume the walking dead. Nevertheless, the Phoenix understand that even the purest wish can have unintended and destructive consequences if the elements are brought out of balance or if the harmony between mortals and gods is broken. The wisdom the Phoenix have gleaned from the spirits and the Teachings of Shinsei has led them to foster peace and understanding among the other clans, even if it means sacrificing themselves in the process.
=== Clan Duties ===
“Master the elements and be reborn.”
The Phoenix Clan is tasked with maintaining harmony between the Mortal and Spiritual Realms, as well as harmony within themselves. The Phoenix steward the Elemental Academies, the foremost centers of learning for elementalists, including those rare few capable of manipulating the mysterious element of Void. The five Elemental Masters are the most sage and powerful adepts in the Empire, serving as the authority on the lore of their chosen element.
The clan also sees the protection of Rokugan from spiritual threats as part of its remit, and trains its samurai to investigate elemental imbalances, root out heretical cults, and banish evil spirits. To some members of the clan, this means learning as much as they can about unknown traditions and sharing this knowledge for the betterment of the Empire. To others, this means sequestering dangerous arcane secrets at any cost and maintaining control over what magics can be practiced within Rokugan.
=== Character Spotlight: Isawa Tadaka ===
* Isawa Tadaka
Isawa Tadaka served as the Elemental Master of Earth, the most powerful earth elementalist among the Phoenix Clan and perhaps in the entire realm. To Tadaka, the Shadowlands were always the greatest threat to Rokugan, and it was his duty to combat them at every turn.
Tormented by the legacy of his disgraced ancestor, Isawa Akuma, Tadaka delved into forbidden lore in search of a way to free Akuma from the clutches of the oni lord he created.
To that end, he became the apprentice of another mighty earth elementalist, Kuni Yori of the Crab Clan, even if it meant leaving the service of his daimyō and the woman he loved, Shiba Tsukune.
=== Clan Culture ===
“My life, my soul for the Phoenix.”
Most members of the Phoenix are pacifists who eschew violence when they can, but they are also skilled combatants who march into battle when they must. Many members of the Phoenix Clan are also deeply dedicated to the religious Teachings of Shinsei, who taught that when samurai do not govern their lands justly, the Heavens themselves may voice their displeasure. It is the duty of every Phoenix to take a stand to do the right thing, even when one must set aside pursuing one’s own ego to do it.
The Phoenix Clan’s cultural traditions come from a wide variety of sources: the Isawa traditions are closely related to the animist practices of the Dawn Peaks, where ritualists invoke ancient heroes and celestial beings for power in a similar way. However, the clan’s founder, Shiba, and the prophet known as the Little Teacher also put their mark on the clan’s traditions, emphasizing a belief in the importance of pacifism and selflessness within the clan. Meanwhile, the Kaito family customs come from local religious rites that also predate the Empire, emphasizing a strong bond with the land and service to its resident spirits.
=== Clan Families ===
The Phoenix Clan's families are devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and peace.
* The Isawa Family: The elementalists of the Isawa family can hear and speak to the spirits of air, earth, fire, and water, as well as tap into the mysterious fifth element of void.
* The Shiba Family: The Shiba are the Phoenix’s lone warrior family and foremost of the Empire’s yōjimbō, or bodyguards.
* The Asako Family: Besides serving as scholars and diplomats, the Asako family’s small monastic order preserves the Teachings of Shinsei for future generations.
* The Kaito Family: The Kaito family’s priests and mystic archers protect the many shrines scattered across the Phoenix holdings from angry and evil spirits.
=== The Lands of the Phoenix ===
Composed of the northern coastline, forests, and mountain ranges, the Phoenix Clan’s lands are marked by stark natural beauty. Amid the ancient groves, hidden valleys, and high peaks, the Phoenix Clan’s members pursue arcane secrets and spiritual awakening, communing with the spirits of their lands in a variety of ways for incredible power. The Isawa family’s ancestral seat of power, Isawa Palace, is a locus of spiritual practice and research and home to the five Elemental Academies. Isawa Palace is also the home of the Great Library, the largest in the Empire, as well as the main council chamber for the Elemental Masters and the contemplative Grove of the Masters.
== The Cunning Scorpion Clan ==
 
The masked samurai of the Scorpion Clan are beguiling and dangerous, but beneath an outwardly sinister appearance is a clan that prizes loyalty above all. Bayushi, the clan’s founder, swore to defend the Emperor by any means necessary, even if that meant his followers had to become spies, scoundrels, and shinobi. To combat the liars, thieves, and traitors within the Great Clans, the Scorpion would lie, steal, and cheat in turn. Blackmail, infiltration, poison, and sabotage became the weapons they grimly wield to ensure that the Emerald Empire continues. The Scorpion dirty their hands so that others’ can remain pure, and they will sacrifice their wealth, their reputations, and their very lives if that is what it takes to fulfill their duty.
=== Clan Duties ===
“I will be your villain, Hantei.” – Bayushi, from the play Bayushi's Promise
At the dawn of the Empire, enemies loomed beyond Rokugan’s borders, but they also lurked within them. The clan’s founder, Bayushi, swore to protect the Emperor by any means necessary, to seek out schemes and corruption among his vassals and relatives, as well as within the ranks of the Imperial legions and bureaucracy. Where the Code of Akodo tied the Emperor’s Left and Right Hands, the Emperor’s Underhand could still reach.
If an insurrection can be stopped with an assassination, the Scorpion Clan acts without hesitation. If uncovering a cult of evil sorcerers requires sending an infiltrator to blackmail a provincial governor, the Scorpion Clan already has the materials required to apply pressure. If a criminal cartel is to be brought to justice, the Scorpion Clan already has agents within a rival cartel who can drive the two into conflict.
=== Character Spotlight: Bayushi Kachiko ===
* Bayushi Kachiko
One of the most cunning courtiers in the Empire and a masterful actor, Bayushi Kachiko is sometimes called the Mistress of Secrets and Lady of Whispers. Through her web of spies, every secret passed through a gossip’s lips eventually makes its way to her ear.
It is rumored she holds enough evidence to blackmail every family in the Empire. As the wife of Bayushi Shoju, leader of the Scorpion Clan and friend of the Emperor, Kachiko wielded immense power and influence not only over her clan, but also within the Emperor’s Court.
Despite her cynical nature, she lost her heart to the idealistic leader of the Crane Clan, Doji Hotaru. As war between the clans looms, Kachiko must balance her loyalty to her clan against her love for a rival clan’s leader.
=== Clan Culture ===
There is none more loyal than a Scorpion
All Scorpion samurai wear masks at all times, their designs ranging from ornate works of art to understated or utilitarian face coverings. The Scorpion claim there is no dishonesty in wearing masks, because in Rokugani society, everyone wears a metaphorical mask of propriety—the Scorpion are just honest enough to wear theirs on the outside.
Despite its fearsome reputation, the Scorpion Clan is made up of virtuous and fallible people like any other clan. Scorpion Clan culture puts loyalty to the Emperor as the highest virtue, but this does not mean that members of the clan never pursue other goals or hold other ideals. While some influential members of the Scorpion Clan hold that at times, the ends justify any means required, many individuals do not adhere strictly to this, or set personal moral limits.
In a clan that teaches its disciples to be willing to deceive and manipulate to serve the greater good, trust can be a hard-earned treasure to be cherished and guarded. Any member of the Scorpion Clan who betrays their clan is punished with swift retribution, and the souls of the worst transgressors are forever bound into the horrific limbo of the place known as Traitor’s Grove.
=== Clan Families ===
Each Scorpion Clan family specializes in a different form of deception
* The Bayushi Family: The ruling family of the Scorpion, the Bayushi, are master manipulators at court and swift swordsmen on the field of battle.
* The Shosuro Family: The Shosuro seem merely a family of talented artists and actors, but from their ranks come the clan’s spies and saboteurs, their poisoners and assassins.
* The Soshi Family: The Soshi are master illusionists and shadow-weavers, cloaking themselves and their allies in disguises, or using darkness itself as a weapon.
* The Yogo Family: The Yogo, a family of ward-masters cursed to betray the ones they love, protect the Empire from those who delve into forbidden, evil magics.
=== The Lands of the Scorpion ===
Sitting between the towering heights of the Spine of the World Mountains and the ancient boughs of the Shinomen Forest is the daggerlike sliver of Rokugan controlled by the Scorpion Clan. The clan’s ancestral stronghold is Silk and Shadow Palace, within which lies a maze of labyrinthine halls, hidden trapdoors, and secret passageways. Follow the River of Gold north to reach the city of Journey’s End, better known as the infamous City of Lies. Here, money rules, and the lines between legitimate merchants and criminal cartels becomes blurred. To the south and east, Beiden Pass is one of the few places to cross the Spine of the World Mountains, and the pass is heavily defended on both sides.
== The Far-Ranging Unicorn Clan ==
 
The mounted archers and warriors of the Unicorn Clan are unmatched, and the clan’s scouts and emissaries are the bridge between Rokugan and the wider world. A thousand years ago, the Unicorn Clan’s ancestors rode out of Rokugan, seeking to discover the wider world. Their journey was arduous, and they found many strange lands, some with new allies and others with new threats. Through their triumphs and tragedies, the clan stayed true to the driving curiosity that led its founder to chase the sun to the ends of the world. After eight centuries of wandering, the clan returned to the Empire, changed but stronger for their travels. Now, the Unicorn draw their strength from their unique customs and perspectives that originated beyond the Emerald Empire’s borders.
=== Clan Duties ===
“I will always return.”
In the early days of the Empire, the clan’s founder, Shinjo, resolved to journey beyond its borders to discover and understand the dangers that lurked there before they could take Rokugan by surprise. She and her followers were gone for centuries, but they made good on their promise to one day return. Now, the Unicorn Clan continues its duty to safeguard Rokugan from external threats, but also continues to bring new goods, arts, and ideas into the Empire. Acting as ambassadors for Rokugan, the Unicorn Clan works to reach new lands, find allies in the wider world, bring new information the Empire, spread cultural awareness, and promote understanding. Almost all of Rokugan’s foreign relationships were established by the Unicorn Clan. To aid them in their journeys, the Unicorn maintain the most powerful cavalry force in all of Rokugan, and they also serve as horse breeders, steed trainers, bookkeepers, and traders.
=== Character Spotlight: Utaku Kamoko ===
* Utaku Kamoko
Utaku Kamoko is the commander of the Battle Maidens, one of the finest heavy cavalry units in the Empire known not only for their courage but also for their purity of heart. Despite her youth, she has already seen much fighting and has developed a reputation for being fierce and deadly on the battlefield.
Kamoko wants nothing more than to get revenge against Matsu Agetoki of the Lion Clan, the man who was responsible for killing her mother during a raid when she was a child. Kamoko’s aunt and daimyō, Utaku Rumaru, raised her to live by a strict code of chivalry and service, a code that tests her every day.
Until the day Kamoko proves herself worthy of becoming the Utaku daimyō, she rides in search of justice and vengeance.
=== Clan Culture ===
“One cannot capture the wind.”
Members of the Unicorn Clan tend to be very receptive to new ideas and cultural elements without fearing the loss or erosion of their own, for they preserved what was most precious of their own traditions throughout their long centuries of journeying beyond Rokugan’s bounds. As such, Unicorn Clan culture reflects the various cultures the Unicorn Clan encountered during its journeys, including foreign religions, languages, foods, traditions, etiquette, clothing, magic, weapons, and combat techniques.
Some samurai from other clans see the Unicorn as too changed by their travels to be fiercely loyal to the Emerald Empire, and some of them would be right. Having learned to see from various perspectives, the Unicorn Clan has vowed to follow its heart in matters of politics. Though many within the Emerald Empire see the outwardly acquired customs and values of the Unicorn Clan as irreconcilable differences to their own, others understand the true message behind the Unicorn: Differences among people can make a nation stronger, if only they are embraced.
=== Clan Families ===
The Unicorn Clan families are always exploring new wonders of the world.
* The Shinjo Family: The horseback riders of the Shinjo are great archers and diplomats, and the family’s daimyō holds the title “Khan of Khans.”
* The Ide Family: The insightful and charismatic Ide are the ambassadors and traders of the clan, both within Rokugan and along the Sand Road.
* The Iuchi Family: The Iuchi family have mastered the mystic art called the Way of Names, which allows them to call upon powerful spirits housed within magic talismans.
* The Moto Family: The Moto descend from the Ujik, a people from beyond the Plains of Wind and Stone. A family of these steppe nomads swore their service to Shinjo herself.
* The Utaku Family: The Utaku family is known for its Battle Maidens, an elite order of warriors famed for their devotion to virtue and their majestic Utaku steeds.
=== The Lands of the Unicorn===
The vast plains of the Unicorn might seem abandoned, but they are not empty: these grasslands are home to herds of wild ponies, deer, and countless other forms of wildlife. Roving between the clan’s traditional castles and villages are nomadic Unicorn bands, forever roaming the lands in search of a new adventure. The seat of the Shinjo family’s power, Far Traveler Castle, is so named due to the difficult journey required to reach it. The Unicorn’s most important port, the City of the Rich Frog, lies to the east beside the banks of the Drowned Merchant River. The westernmost edge of Rokugan is marked by the City of the Khan—Khanbulak—the chief holding of the Moto family and the beginning of the Sand Road.
== The Realm of Rokugan ==
 
In the wondrous domain known as Rokugan, shapeshifters, dragons, and gods walk beside mortals, while ghosts, monsters, and demons lurk in the shadows. The land itself is alive with elementals, and grand shrines are devoted to revering the spirits of the greatest forests, rivers, lakes, and mountains across the realm. Temples and monasteries are places where mortals can pray to the Fortunes for protection or prosperity, or retreat from the wider world to focus on cultivating their soul. Mighty ancestor spirits may bestow their blessings on the worthy or curse descendants who do not live up to their family name. Armor and weapons wielded by heroes can have their inner magic awakened, and powerful curses can cling to bloodlines and artifacts alike.
=== The Five Rings ===
The world of Rokugan is composed of five elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and the Void that holds the other elements together.
These elements, also called the Five Rings, are represented in the sacred spirits of the land and the natural world, but also in society and in one’s psyche. Air is the weather and the wind, the invisible and the innuendo, and the swiftness of a bird of prey. Earth is stone, wood, and metal, as well as a donkey’s stubbornness and a tortoise’s patience. Fire is the gentle warmth of the sun or the rage of a wildfire, but also the spark of innovation, the passion of devotion, and the ferocity of a wildcat. Water is an octopus’s adaptability and flexibility; it takes the shape of its container, be it a puddle, river, or endless sea. Void is the emptiness of the night sky, at once present and transcendent.
The mortals capable of invoking the power of the spirits of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water are known as elementalists. Each samurai clan fosters its own arcane traditions, from the artificers of the Crane to the alchemists of the Dragon, the witch-hunters of the Crab to the spiritcallers of the Lion, and the illusionists of the Scorpion to the name keepers of the Unicorn. The Tensai of the Phoenix specialize in mastering a single element, while the enigmatic Ishiken can tap into the enigmatic fifth element of Void.
=== Geography ===
Rokugan is the Emerald Land, a vast, majestic country that stretches nine hundred miles from the pine valleys and snow-capped peaks of the Great Northern Mountains at one end, to the austere Carpenter Wall standing vigil along the country’s desolate southern border. Beyond the Wall lies the Shadowlands, a blighted land tainted by the influence of Hell itself, and dangerous for even the most legendary heroes to step foot within.
At its widest point, Rokugan measures six hundred miles, from the Sea of the Sun Goddess in the east to the Burning Sands in the west. Within its borders, bountiful plains ripple gold in the sunlight, and primordial forests hide mysterious spirits and dangerous creatures. Hot springs straddle mountain ranges and hills laden with precious gems and minerals. Countless rivers, lakes, and streams wend their way toward the ocean, where fish, seaweed, and pearls are netted by divers and fishermen. Crimson gates mark the gateway to sacred spaces, which exist alongside the sprawling cities and huddled hamlets of human civilization.
=== Lands of the Great Clans ===
Each of the seven Great Clans presides over a different corner of the Empire, protecting the natural harmony of the land and the spirits that dwell there. Shrines and temples dot the landscape, marking places of spiritual power and contemplation. Fortifications large and small protect roads, bridges, mountain passes, and the domains of great lords. In the shadows of these castles, towns and villages prosper from the efforts of craftspeople and artisans. Beyond the city limits, peasants toil over rice paddies and fields of grain, or hunt and gather the bounty of the forests. Coursing rivers carry merchant vessels, pleasure barges, and the occasional pirate ship from province to province. To travel the Empire on its few roads, samurai must obtain special papers and pay a tax toward their upkeep. Merchants’ carts and horses are banned from the Imperial highways altogether, forcing them to rely on special trade routes to carry goods between cities.
Given the size of the Empire and the difficulty of journeying, few get to witness the variety of the Empire’s vistas in one lifetime. Instead, citizens are deeply in tune with the natural cycles of the provinces they call home. The Elemental Dragons bring four seasons to the Empire, which are celebrated by festivals and arts. In the spring, the delicate fragrance of cherry blossoms wafts from misty gardens. Summer heralds rains and oppressive heat, slowly giving way to autumn’s brilliant scarlet leaves, shrill cicada cries, and typhoons. Winter buries the lands in deep snow, closing mountain passes and driving the citizenry to the warmth and comfort of the hearth.
=== The Emperor and the Imperial Families ===
At the dawn of the Empire, the Tournament of the Gods was held to determine which of the celestial siblings who fell from the stars would lead their siblings and rule the land. It was Hantei who emerged victorious, and his name became synonymous with the new imperial dynasty. For a thousand peaceful years, the descendants of Hantei have ruled over the Emerald Empire with justice and wisdom. None of the Great Clans can have one of their own sit on the throne and promote their clan’s interests above others. Though the Imperial Consort may be of a specific clan, the Hantei are scrupulous in not showing favoritism.
With so many generations of Hantei, innumerable siblings have become spare heirs who are never called upon to ascend the throne. Even within only a few generations, the number of royal heirs born to the Imperial family would require an entire city of palaces, and moreover, none but the Emperor and their immediate kin could use the Hantei family name. To manage this abundance of royals, these other heirs join peripheral Imperial families upon reaching adulthood. They serve as the heralds and bureaucrats of the Empire and the bodyguards and spiritual wardens of the Emperor.
=== Iconic Locations ===
The Great Clans and Imperial families have constructed many shining palaces, bustling cities, and sturdy defenses.
* The Imperial City: The Imperial City is the oldest city in Rokugan and the seat of the Hantei Emperors. Overlooking many city districts and the enchanted walls, the Imperial Palace rises ten stories high in the very heart of the Forbidden City.
* Violence Behind Courtliness City: Originally a minor castle town, Violence Behind Courtliness City has grown into a mighty fortress city. For centuries it has stood at the heart of the Crane-Lion fighting, and possession of the holding has passed back and forth between the two clans endlessly.
* The Carpenter Wall: The Carpenter Wall fortifies Rokugan’s southern border as the first and final line of defense against the depredations of the Shadowlands. It is by far the Empire’s largest edifice, with hundred-foot-tall walls, massive battlements, and soaring watchtowers.
* Beiden Pass: Beiden Pass is a vital strategic holding and the main pass across the Spine of the World Mountains. Named for the legendary monk who once single-handedly defended it, it is a key through-point for overland travel when moving north or south in Rokugan.
=== The Path of Waves (Way of the Rōnin) ===
In Rokugan, a rōnin, or “wave man,” is a samurai without a master. They might be samurai whose fortunes have fallen, who have been unjustly dismissed by their lords, or who have no post to inherit. Others are individuals who have chosen to undertake a warrior’s pilgrimage, adventuring in the world to win a name for themself, prove their skills, or even find redemption. Still others were not born to the samurai class at all, but have proven their skill and now wander the land, working as scouts, bodyguards, and blades for hire. Some rōnin lament their status and desire to find a new lord to employ them. Others prefer to be free of courtly intrigues and political compromises, making their way in the world on their own. Some rōnin hold themselves to the Code of Akodo or some other set of virtues they find important, while others are pure pragmatists. No two rōnin have exactly the same circumstances, but theirs is always a hard path.
== The Shadowlands ==
 
The Shadowlands were created at the dawn of the Empire, when the god Fu Leng plunged into the underworld, tearing open a hole between the mortal realm and Jigoku. Through this rift, known as the Festering Pit, the vile essence of the Realm of Torment seeped into the surrounding land, turning it into a profane place of corruption, death, and destruction. All of the things living there were either destroyed or twisted into foul, unnatural forms.
In a few short years, this region became a blighted nightmare realm of dread and twisted reality. These lands are dangerous for even the most legendary heroes to step foot within, for new monstrous creatures are forever spewing forth from the Festering Pit, and foul winds carrying the anguish of the tormented can poison even the noblest hero’s body, mind, and soul.
=== The Dark Lord's Domain: Beware the wastes beyond the Wall ===
The landscape in the Shadowlands is hopelessly corrupted. The scenery changes—sometimes obviously, writhing and reshaping itself into new landforms as one watches, and sometimes subtly, such as a path slowly twisting itself to lead towards hazardous terrain. Those familiar with the phenomenon, such as Crab Clan scouts, can still find it disturbing; to those newly exposed to it, this can be terrifying and utterly disorienting. There seems to be no natural pattern to the changes. Rather, they almost appear to be intentionally as confusing and distressing as possible, as though guided by the malign will of Fu Leng. While mortals have attempted to map out this blighted terrain, the precise location of its landmarks are seldom in the same place twice.
The land itself is as dangerous as its denizens. Pits and sinkholes can suddenly open beneath a traveler; ground that appears flat and dry can swallow feet in sucking mud; rocks can suddenly come crashing down along slopes that appear too shallow to pose such a threat. Water in the Shadowlands is never safe and bears similar marks of corruption: streams and pools often appear slimy or sludgy, or glisten with an oily sheen. The water usually reeks of decay or brimstone, and deeper into the Shadowlands, Crab scouts report that what should be water is sometimes replaced by blood or bile.
=== Lord of the Shadowlands: The Agony of Fu Leng ===
During the Descent of the Stars, Fu Leng plunged all the way through the Mortal Realm to the Realm of Torment, where he was lost. After he had become twisted by his time there, he climbed back into the world where his siblings had made themselves rulers. Demons followed in his shadow, and he welcomed them. Outraged upon discovering no search had been conducted to rescue him, he assumed it was because Hantei was worried Fu Leng might have bested him in the tournament to become Emperor.
Fu Leng challenged Hantei to a duel for the throne. Hantei accepted and named Togashi as his champion, who would fight with all of Rokugan. Fu Leng, in his twisted anger, raised the legions of Hell to meet the armies of Rokugan, and so began the First War, which only ended when the Seven Thunders sealed Fu Leng within twelve Black Scrolls. In the centuries since, Fu Leng’s followers—collectively known as the Shadowlands Horde—have ceaselessly pursued their terrible quest to open the scrolls and release their lord.
=== The Shadowlands Horde: Army of Evil ===
Beyond the bulwark of the Carpenter Wall, deep in the evil wastes known as the Shadowlands, malevolent forces gather. The Shadowlands Horde marshals beneath the banner of a fallen god to conquer Rokugan and plunge the realm into a thousand years of darkness.
Riding at the vanguard of this host are the Lost, twisted samurai who have embraced carnage and destruction. Cunning goblins, wicked trolls, and powerful ogres fill the ranks of the horde’s infantry, their numbers seemingly endless. Still more horrific are the legions of shambling zombies, skeletal warriors, and other undead monstrosities raised by foul necromancers and empowered with dark magics.
Leading these armies are oni and oni lords, hellish beings loosed from the Vile Pits of Jigoku to wreak devastation. Together, these demons, monsters, and revenants are poised to invade in the name of their Dark Lord, Fu Leng.
=== Dark Agenda ===
"A day will come when then rightful Emperor sits the Emerald Throne."
The ultimate goal of the Shadowlands Horde and its evil champions is to topple the Hantei dynasty, release Fu Leng from his imprisonment in the Black Scrolls, and enthrone their dark master as the new Emperor of Rokugan. To do this, they must weaken the Great Clans and cultivate hidden allies among their ranks.
The sinister agents of the horde sow discord from the shadows, pitting clan against clan to deplete the armies of the samurai before the Shadowlands’ invasion force even arrives. They seek out the clans’ most powerful ancestral artifacts to steal or destroy, and they proliferate cursed objects in their stead. They tempt and sabotage the clans’ heroes, setting them on false paths and fruitless quests to distract them from the true threat.
The most powerful and devious lieutenants of the horde scour the land in search of the unopened Black Scrolls, leaving razed villages and unhallowed ground in their wake.
=== Champions of Evil ===
Many evil souls are bound in service to the fallen god:
* Akuma no Oni: The legendary oni lord was created when a Phoenix Clan samurai betrayed his clan and offered his name to a demon. In the centuries since, Akuma no Oni led countless invasions into Rokugan in the name of his true master, Fu Leng.
* Moto Tsume: Moto Tsume was an arrogant Unicorn cavalry general who believed he could defeat the Shadowlands. When he, his steed, and his horde perished in the attempt, their souls were bound to the will of the Shadowlands.
* Atsuko, Witch of Calamity: The so-called Witch of Calamity is a wicked shapeshifting demon spawned from the corrupted marshes of the Shinomen Forest. Now, she and her minions lair in the ruined Yogo Castle.
* The Obsidian Flower: Once a courtier of the Crane Clan, the Obsidian Flower’s vain quest for eternal beauty corrupted her very soul. Now, she is the immortal demon bride of Fu Leng and serves as his high priestess.
=== Oni and Oni Lords ===
“Only the deepest pits of Jigoku could spawn such evil.”
Of all the horrors to stalk forth from the Shadowlands, the demonic creatures called oni are by far the most powerful and dangerous. With twisted horns, razor-sharp teeth, and enormous talons on their hands and feet, these bestial creatures resemble the very Hells in which they dwell. Fortunately, they are only able to enter the mortal realm of their own volition through the Festering Pit. Unfortunately, there is another way for oni to come to the realm of Rokugan that is far more insidious: invitation by misguided or evil mortals. Only when they are slain do the souls of oni return to the Realm of Waiting, although the powerful ones are able to make their way back to Jigoku itself to be reborn.
The mightiest of oni are known as oni lords, and fortunately for the Empire they are few in number. These fiends have gained immeasurable power from a name stolen from or granted by a mortal summoner. Oni lords are capable of uniting the disarrayed forces of the Shadowlands into a single, terrifying horde. With their terrifying mixture of brute strength and devilish cunning, oni lords are almost impossible to defeat.
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