1 minute ago, KerenRhys said:Or not. Please refrain from generalization like that as they are useless and almost always wrong.
I actually quite liked the Spider, even though I never played them. In fact, I was routinely beaten up on by my friend's Spider deck. And I have to say, Spider players were typically some of the nicest guys to play against, whether it was in a Kotei or just a pick up game.
Here's one fer the Spider!
Let's...not revive the bickering from two years ago, and focus on the clan data, por favor.
On 14/09/2015 at 1:58 AM, kpsmith said:Players are going to continue to hate on the Spider. Just accept that every non-Spider generally dislikes your faction.
I don't really hate the spider (even less the spider's players). I hate how it was handled story wise.
I think that it is possible to have a great spider clan and I hope they get it get it.
Oh, yeah! How'd Winter Court go? Is it finished yet? Has it started?
Anyway, I shall endeavor to give a brief overview of a clan that may or may not ever exist in this continuity, and almost certainly won't have the exact same history!
Once, evil was about to descend over all of Rokugan, and the clans banded together to fight it off. The head of the minor Mantis Clan (Yummytaco? Something like that) formed an alliance with several other clans, Fox, Centipede, and the awesome Wasp, and demanded that the other Great Clans recognize the Mantis as a Great Clan, otherwise they would attack the other clans while the clans fought the shadow. The other clans were impressed and agreed, the shadow was beaten, and the Mantis became a Great Clan! The families of the Mantis are as follows:
Mantis (Yummytaco): Yummytaco eventually became a Kami, or something, so naturally all his descendants are pirate-merchants. The ruling family of the Mantis are the undisputed masters of the waves, and field the greatest navy in Rokugan.
Wasp (Tsuruchi): The Tsuruchi family are the undisputed masters of archery, taking after their founder, Tsuruchi. He and his family are the best, whether you need sniping, hunting, marsmanshipping, or just general awesomeness with a bow. They're a bunch of one-trick ponies, really. It's actually rather sad.
Fox (Kitsune): The Kitsune family are one of the shugenja families of the Mantis. They specialize in summoning animals from the spirit realm, and playing tricks.
Centipede (Moshi): The Moshi are the other shugenja family, and specialize in Thunder magic and storms and whatnot.
3 minutes ago, JJ48 said:Mantis (Yummytaco): Yummytaco eventually became a Kami, or something, so naturally all his descendants are pirate-merchants. The ruling family of the Mantis are the undisputed masters of the waves, and field the greatest navy in Rokugan.
Greatest? Just about only, which really made that particular brand of supremacy less than wonderful. I really hope FFG sends other clans out to play on the waves.
The Tsuruchi followed the Codeof the Wasp, rather than Bushido, and were pretty awesome...before they joined the Mantis and threw all of that under the bus!
3 minutes ago, JJ48 said:Fox (Kitsune): The Kitsune family are one of the shugenja families of the Mantis. They specialize in summoning animals from the spirit realm, and playing tricks.
They're also descended from the same ancestral stock as the Unicorn Clan- the Kitsune used to be the Unicorn who stayed behind when the the rest of the Clan left.After being pushed around by the Lion, they were made into the Fox Clan in order to protect them.
3 minutes ago, JJ48 said:Centipede (Moshi): The Moshi are the other shugenja family, and specialize in Thunder magic and storms and whatnot.
They really didn't specialize in Thunder until the CCG decided they did. The Moshi began as pious, conservative sun-worshippers...and, much like the Tsuruchi, lost most of that flavor- in their case by mostly becoming thunder-slinging bikini-wearing flunkies of the Yoritomo. Hopefully, if they turn up, FFG does better by them.
1 minute ago, Shiba Gunichi said:They really didn't specialize in Thunder until the CCG decided they did. The Moshi began as pious, conservative sun-worshippers...and, much like the Tsuruchi, lost most of that flavor- in their case by mostly becoming thunder-slinging bikini-wearing flunkies of the Yoritomo. Hopefully, if they turn up, FFG does better by them.
Really? I mainly know them from Ivory/20F, and I thought most of them were wearing rather tasteful kimonos. Then again, I rarely used anything non-Tsuruchi, so I may be mistaken.
Even as a huge Yoritomo family fan, it's really a shame how Moshi ended up being treated in the story and especially card art. They ended up virtually indistinguishable from Yoritomo shugenja.
On 9/13/2015 at 7:23 PM, Robin Graves said:
Hold the wall.
Hold the wall.
Hold the wall.
Hold the wall.
No matter what comes, hold the wall!
Oh come on! How many more of those **** four armed gaijin can there be? Err.. Little help?
Hold the wall.
Hodor!
25 minutes ago, JJ48 said:Anyway, I shall endeavor to give a brief overview of a clan that may or may not ever exist in this continuity, and almost certainly won't have the exact same history!
Once, evil was about to descend over all of Rokugan, and the clans banded together to fight it off. The head of the minor Mantis Clan (Yummytaco? Something like that) formed an alliance with several other clans, Fox, Centipede, and the awesome Wasp, and demanded that the other Great Clans recognize the Mantis as a Great Clan, otherwise they would attack the other clans while the clans fought the shadow. The other clans were impressed and agreed, the shadow was beaten, and the Mantis became a Great Clan! The families of the Mantis are as follows:
Mantis (Yummytaco): Yummytaco eventually became a Kami, or something, so naturally all his descendants are pirate-merchants. The ruling family of the Mantis are the undisputed masters of the waves, and field the greatest navy in Rokugan.
Wasp (Tsuruchi): The Tsuruchi family are the undisputed masters of archery, taking after their founder, Tsuruchi. He and his family are the best, whether you need sniping, hunting, marsmanshipping, or just general awesomeness with a bow. They're a bunch of one-trick ponies, really. It's actually rather sad.
Fox (Kitsune): The Kitsune family are one of the shugenja families of the Mantis. They specialize in summoning animals from the spirit realm, and playing tricks.
Centipede (Moshi): The Moshi are the other shugenja family, and specialize in Thunder magic and storms and whatnot.
For a little more nuanced description
The Yoritomo's Alliance was formed during the height of the Clan War Period when the Mantis Clan flush with cash from all the Mercenary work they had been doing keeping the Crane from getting stomped by the armies or the Lion and rampaging Shadowlands Horde forces led by the False Hoturi approached the other minor clans with a mutual defense plan. Original members of the Alliance were the Mantis, Fox, Wasp, Centipede, Tortoise, Falcon clans. The alliance army was part of the force that stood with the clans at the Second Day of Thunder and after they routed Yogo Junzo's reinforcements Yoritomo stood up to the leaders of the Clan's armies and demanded they recognize him and his allies as equals or else they would force them to acknowledge them by force. The clans impressed by his brashness and willingness to sacrifice everything for his belief agreed to his terms. Following the coronation of the new Emperor Toturi the Mantis were acknowledged as a great clan and the Alliance was given authority to watch over and protect those lands not claimed by one of the other great clans. Using this charter Yoritomo leveraged alliances with the minor clans and convinced the Wasp and Centipede to swear fealty to him and bring their forces under the banner of the Mantis. The Torotise due to their special status as a servant family of the Imperial Court stayed on friendly terms but independent, The Falcon swore fealty to the Crab clan who they had always had close ties to and the Fox opted to stay separate as their leader Ryosei did not trust Yoritomo's intentions and feared how her people would fair under Yoritomo. Years later the Fox facing a prophecy of their own destruction agreed to join the Mantis and became the fourth family of the clan.
Mantis Clan - One of the first minor clans, the Mantis are descended from Kaimetsu-Uo,
the eldest child of Osano-Wo the fortune of Thunder, who was also the son of Hida the Crab clan founder, and Matsu Kyoda his bride. Upset that her son was passed over as the heir to the Crab clan in favor of his younger illegitimate brother Kyoda convinced Kaimetsu-Uo and some of their most loyal followers to leave the clan and settle on the Islands of Silk and Spice off the coast of the empire to forge their own destiny. Years later following his father's murder Kaimetsu-Uo tracked the killer to the Phoenix lands and when the Phoenix refused to hand over the killer he called down the vengeance of his slain father on the city and a great thunderbolt which blew the gates open so that his forces could enter the city. Seeing this as acknowledgement that his demands were just the Phoenix handed over the killer and this became the foundation for the Mantis close association with the Fortune of Thunder. After Yoritomo's death at the Battle of Oblivions gate he ascended to the heavens where he took the place in the Celestial court as the representative of the Mantis. When the heavens were found to be unstable following the ascension of Hitomi and Yakamo as the new Moon and Sun, the Elemental Dragons banished all those not native to the heavens and rather than see Yoritomo who she felt had earned his place there be banished the Thunder Dragon shared her power with him and gave up her place in heaven to him. The Mantis clan in gratitude for her sacrifice took up the role of guarding her resting place on the mortal realm (Thunder Dragon Bay) and in gratitude she shared her power with their Shugenja. The largest of the Mantis Clan families the Yoritomo were the official heads of the clan. Being an island based power they had the largest navy of any of the clans although the Crab and Crane also maintained significant navies. While the clans were dealing with their own internal strife during the reign of Toturi the first the Mantis were fighting a proxy war across the great sea to protect the empire from a threat that originated in the Ivory Kingdoms. IN the aftermath of this war the Destroyer cult eventually overtook the Ivory Kingdoms and launched the war that lead to the Destroyer War that culminated in the formation of the Second Pit in Scorpion lands.
Wasp Clan - Founded by Tsuruchi 20 years before the start of the Clan War. The son of a Scorpion and a Lion Tsuruchi's parents were betrayed by both clans and killed by his Scorpion uncle. Years later Tusruchi and his loyal followers retook his ancestral home and slew his uncle. The Emerald Champion at the time recognized the honor of his actions and awarded him the right to form a minor clan and claim the lands of his family as his own. Tsuruchi who had been long disillusioned with the way of Bushido had formed his own moral code and combat style centered around the bow and arrow and all Wasp were required to excel at archery. The wasp were known as expert trackers and bounty hunters and many took to the role of magistrate or scout. When the Mantis demanded great clan status at the end of the Clan War Tsuruchi saw the merits in bringing his family under the banner of the Mantis and was one of the first families to swear fealty. The Tsuruchi were one of the more loyal members of the Clan and Yoritomo's staunchest supporters.
Centipede Clan - Descened from an Isawa shugenja the Centipede Clan were a matriarchal family best known for their devotion to Amaterasu (Lady Sun) mother of the Kami. At the onset of the Clan War the Moshi Daimyo received a vision from Lady Sun that told her they needed to act as a light of hope to the clans in the dark days ahead and when Yoritomo approached her about the formation of the Alliance saw this as the best option to fulfill this mandate. Following the Clan War Moshi Wakiza daughter of the Moshi Daimyo married Yoritomo and her family joined the Mantis clan as one of the three founding families. In the aftermath of joining the Mantis the Centipede which had formally been a very small and isolated group saw their ranks swell in numbers through marriage and in 30 years the clan size almost tripled. When Hitomi slew Lord Moon and asscended to the Heavens in his place Amatersu in her grief committed Suicide and Hida Yakamo, with the aid of Naga magic, ascended to fill her role as the new Lord Sun. Despite this change in the celestial order the Moshi continued to worship and venerate Lady Sun who they believed would return. When Hitomi and Yakamo were ousted from the Heavens and the Jade Dragon took the role of Jade Sun the Moshi saw this as the reincarnation of Amaterasu. The Moshi forged a close bond with the Thunder Dragon after it fell to earth and this eventually lead to a schism between those who believed they should venerate the Dragon versus the Jade Sun. The Moshi for the most part were powerful Shigenja although after the merger with the Mantis many of the male members of the clan took on a more martial tradition and were well represented in the Mantis navy.
Fox Clan - At the start of the empire when the first Emperor entrusted the Ki-Rin clan with the task of exploring the lands beyond the empires borders a small number of their people remained behind to steward the lands until their return. When the Lion clan later began to make moves to take over the Unicorn lands the Emperor interceded and brokered a peace between the two clans. He ceded many of the Ki-Rin lands to the Lion and re-christened the Ki-Rin the Fox clan, the first of the Minor Clans, and moved them to the forests of Kitsune Mori, closer to the Imperial Capital, and forbade the great clans from warring with the minor clans. In the years following the Fox adapted to their new home and made piece with many of the spirits that inhabited the forests. This eventually gave rise to the Fox unique version of spirit magic. The Fox clan continued to hold the position of the Ki-Rin clan in the Imperial court until the return of Shinjo's children and the recognition of the Unicorn Clan. The Fox along with the Wasp and Sparrow clans were the first of the minor clans to ally forming the Three Man Alliance in the years leading up to the clan war when the pressures of the great clans threatened the three families, and when Yoritomo first proposed the formation of his Alliance during the Clan War the Fox were among those who sent troops to swell his armies. At the conclusion of the Clan War the Fox Daimyo, Ryosei, uncomfortable with the direction she saw Yoritomo leading his Clan and fearing that merging with the Mantis would be the end of her clan refused his offer of marriage and left the alliance instead siding with the Crane clan. When Kitsune Mori came under attack by the Spider Spirit Kumo ,they eventually fought it off however the lack of assistance from the Crane clan led to the dissolution of their alliance. 40 Years after the end of the Clan War a powerful prophet was found among the Fox and predicted the downfall of the clan. Under attack from the Shadow Dragon and its Ninja minions the Fax approached their old Wasp and Mantis allies and negotiated an agreement to join the Mantis as their fourth family.
6 hours ago, JJ48 said:Mantis (Yummytaco): Yummytaco eventually became a Kami, or something, so naturally all his descendants are pirate-merchants. The ruling family of the Mantis are the undisputed masters of the waves, and field the greatest navy in Rokugan.
I was about to reply: "Hold on, did they actually name someone Yummytaco?!?!?!?"
Then I did some quick research and realized you are just messing around...
3 hours ago, slowreflex said:I was about to reply: "Hold on, did they actually name someone Yummytaco?!?!?!?"
Then I did some quick research and realized you are just messing around...
Games workshop used to do that with the Lizardmen: Itzy-Bitzy, Tiktaq'to, Lord Kroak (a giant frog) and more stupid names like that.
24 minutes ago, Robin Graves said:Games workshop used to do that with the Lizardmen: Itzy-Bitzy, Tiktaq'to, Lord Kroak (a giant frog) and more stupid names like that.
If you go back far enough, GW used to do that for everyone (and still do in places).
Most recent example I can think of (although it is from a Ciaphas Cain novel) Techmarine Tobermori of the Reclaimers chapter. They prefer Corvus pattern power armour and paint it pale grey, with a yellow-orange highlight in the faceplates and gauntlets.
49 minutes ago, Tonbo Karasu said:If you go back far enough, GW used to do that for everyone (and still do in places).
Most recent example I can think of (although it is from a Ciaphas Cain novel) Techmarine Tobermori of the Reclaimers chapter. They prefer Corvus pattern power armour and paint it pale grey, with a yellow-orange highlight in the faceplates and gauntlets.
Oh yeah the Ciaphas Cain books are rife with that stuf: Winetha Phu, anyone?
On 14/09/2015 at 8:00 AM, Kiseki said:Scorpion Clan
The Scorpion Clan is the Clan of Secrets. The Clan uses subterfuge, assassination, underhanded tricks, and other undesirable means to achieve its goals. The Scorpion Clan were responsible an event that has become known as the Scorpion Clan Coup which triggered the events at the launch of the game known as the Clan Wars.
At the dawn of the Empire, the first Bayushi agreed to the first Hantei that he would do the unsavory things that needed to be done and “be the villain” when the Emperor needed him to. The cornerstone virtue that the Scorpion Clan holds above all others is loyalty. To be loyal is to fulfil Bayushi’s promise to the first Hantei and sacrifice all other aspects of bushido for the sake of the Empire. Disloyalty and betrayal are swiftly punished, and a traitor is the worst thing you can be to a Scorpion.
Ironically, it was exactly this dilemma that led Bayushi Shoju, daimyo of the Scorpion Clan, to assassinate the Emperor, his closest friend and liege. Shoju, emboldened by the bloodsword Ambition, discovered prophecies that led him to believe that the Hantei line would be the downfall of the Empire. In a misguided attempt to prevent the Empire that he was ultimately loyal to, he betrayed his closest friend and his Emperor.
Sorry I'm being unpleasant, but you're describing the Scorpion in a very peculiar way. The Scorpion's reason to be, was to protect the Empire and the Emperor from underground threats, from threats other more honorable servants of the Empire wouldn't be aware of, and wouldn't know how to fight. Because of this, the Scorpion values Duty and Loyalty above all other Bushido virtues. Before talking about assassinations and other tricks, it is important to say that the most important weapon of the Scorpion is the information its spies can gather, and the way the Clan gains leverage through it...
Blablabla. There are so many important things to say about the Scorpion that you just skipped that the description just feels very wrong to me.
Couple notes, based on changes in timeline:
1) Agasha is part of the Dragon Clan in this story, and hasn't defected. Tamori don't exist.
2) Toritaka is still just a minor clan I believe, and not part of the Crab yet, though in old history, it would be soon. They are however allies of the Crab.
3) The Scorpion virtue is "Loyalty" (emphasis on this first), Crab emphasize Duty. At least in the old game.
Also, the Spider clan mechanically was fine (even fun ) but was terribly written to try and explain some unified game mechanics in story terms, and ended up being a mess that was hard to accept as a logical conclusion. Especially in Emperor and Ivory editions. Most of the clans dislike the spider because they basically are at their core very unsamurai (They do not follow Bushido, the core of Rokugan society) , and it doesn't make sense that the culture of intolerance that is Rokugan (Lets be fair, they are pretty intolerant people) would just accept the spider in any way.
1 hour ago, Katsutoshi said:Sorry I'm being unpleasant, but you're describing the Scorpion in a very peculiar way. The Scorpion's reason to be, was to protect the Empire and the Emperor from underground threats, from threats other more honorable servants of the Empire wouldn't be aware of, and wouldn't know how to fight. Because of this, the Scorpion values Duty and Loyalty above all other Bushido virtues. Before talking about assassinations and other tricks, it is important to say that the most important weapon of the Scorpion is the information its spies can gather, and the way the Clan gains leverage through it...
Blablabla. There are so many important things to say about the Scorpion that you just skipped that the description just feels very wrong to me.
I'm an old school player, so much of my information is informed by the older RPG materials, such as Way of the Scorpion. There is a lot that's been added or tweaked, but that doesn't make what I posted "wrong" by any stretch. There might have been things added in later books I don't own, or my memory of certain facets might be stronger in some places than others. To address your points:
To the best of my memory, the original reason Hantei needed a villain in Bayushi was to keep the other clans off balance so that they would never rise up against him. The idea of fighting against threats unseen (the role of the Underhand of the Emperor) wasn't a thing until Toturi created it during his reign, and asked the Scorpion to fill it. It wasn't the Scorpion clan's original mandate. To be the villain Hantei needed was. The role of Underhand simply didn't exist until around the era of Gold Edition.
To your second point, no, you are incorrect. Scorpions take their duty seriously, but no other virtue is as important to a Scorpion as loyalty. This is why Scorpions have a grove of trees dedicated to eternally tormenting traitors (and not those in dereliction of duty). Scorpions waged a long feud with the Mantis clan over the betrayal of Bayushi (Yoritomo) Aramasu. The Scorpion Onisu was Fushin, Onisu of Betrayal, and was defeated because Bayushi Kwanchai was too crazy to foster any sense of disloyalty (I was one of the ones who pushed for that story). We literally had a stronghold named Shiro Chugo.
It was much more common to equate Crabs with duty than Scorpions. Part of the reason that it seemed duty was on equal footing is that because loyalty was so prized, it meant that each individual was working towards the goals of the clan, and while the clan was loyal to the Empire/Emperor, the clan was fulfilling the duty they'd been commanded to fill.
For your third point: I absolutely agree, and will revise the write up to reflect this. It's an oversight for sure.
If there are any other things you think should be added or tweaked, please feel free to give me some examples. If there is anything I overlooked, I'm happy to adjust the write up. Keep in mind that this was really meant to give a broad overview of the families within the clans, and that each of us has a different entry point to the game and its lore.
Looks
Those who spend their lives on the Kaiu Wall may either shave their heads or allow their hair to grow long and wild.
Dining
The Crabs believe in two simple principles when it comes to food; simple and plentiful. In honor of those who’s duty is on the Wall, the Wall cuisine is the Crab normal. Wanting food that can be made fast, eaten fast, and can keep them going.
Crab of all levels favor thick, hearty noodles called udon. However, their most famous meals is that of age (deep fried tofu) due to the extra calories and flavors from the oils and noodles, because of its simplistic nature that the Wall has time to specialize in.
One food advantage the Crabs have over anyone else is their fresh vegetables almost all year round. Due to their southern location, they are able to grow kale, mustard, broccoli, broccoli rabe later in the fall and earlier in spring than any other place in the Empire.
Crab chopsticks are usually made of bamboo. Most non-Crab assume this is because the Crab don’t care what they are made of, but the truth is that bamboo is a common symbol of perseverance, a virtue the Crab readily admire. The fact that the wood is also tough enough to be sharpened into an emergency weapon is just a bonus.
Customs
-
-New children are cherished in the Crab as a sign that the clan’s strength is being replenished, and Crab birth customs are oriented toward protecting the child. When a pregnancy is about to come to term, whether samurai or peasant, a local shugenja makes sure to renew all blessings on the home. During childbirth a guardian always stands vigilant over the house holding a specially blessed wand (called a gohei) to keep away goblins, spirits, and other demons that might want to harm or corrupt the child. In the case of an important samurai family, this guardian is always a shugenja. With lower-status samurai families the shugenja gives the wand to a lesser priest or monk, while in peasant families the fatherto- be (or, if he is dead, another male relative appointed to act as “father”) is given the wand. Even an eta family will get a blessing at this time, as corrupt eta are every bit as dangerous as corrupt samurai.
As the child grows, most Crab mothers will sew a wish doll, a practice started by the Kuni. Wish dolls are stitched with one eye and the spirit of the doll is asked to watch over the child. As the child grows the doll sits watchfully in an honored place in the house (usually in the child’s room), and at gempukku the second eye is stitched on as a sign of thanks for the doll-spirit’s aid.
Crab gempukku ceremonies vary widely from family to family. The most well-known custom is the Hida practice of sending the student into the Shadowlands (admittedly, only after the student has demonstrated his skills with an assortment of martial demonstrations). The student must return with the head of a Shadowlands creature to be made samurai. Crab sensei take careful note of what the student brought back and how he went about it. Students who bring back the head of an oni or other dangerous creature are given important responsibilities on the Wall, and those wise enough to seek out their peers and enter the Shadowlands in a group are groomed as offi cers. Students who return with the head of a nezumi, however, are labeled as fools and cast out of the clan.
The Hiruma also have stringent tests, though theirs emphasize cunning and speed over brute strength—the ability to return from the Shadowlands with information is valued more highly than the ability to return with an oni’s head. During the two centuries when Shiro Hiruma lay in the hands of the Shadowlands Horde, a common test was for the student to bring back an item from the fallen castle. During other eras, different tests were applied, such as bringing back a weapon or piece of armor from one of the many battlefi elds where Crab heroes fell against the forces of Fu Leng.
The Kuni have no formal dojo, and so their gempukku tests vary from sensei to sensei. These tests are never easy, and in fact many of the senior Kuni have a secret rivalry over who can devise the most difficult but passable gempukku test.
While the Crab believe marriage is very important (the next generation of Crab samurai has to come from somewhere, after all) they don’t put a lot of emphasis on the process. Any Crab who reaches the age of 22 without marrying is granted an arranged marriage. The arrangements are typically handled by parents, and frequently a local magistrate will fill the role of matchmaker, the whole affair carried out in an atmosphere of efficient practicality. The receptions following a marriage ceremony, on the other hand, are times of wild and boisterous celebration. The Crab can turn even a party into a feat of endurance, and this combined with the clan’s notorious fondness for strong drink results in many marriages remembered mostly for the drinking contests that happened afterward.
Crab samurai rarely retire to the life of a monk; the idea of someone still capable of serving the clan going off to a life of meditation and contemplation strikes them as almost mad. The few Crab monasteries usually hold monks who suffer from devastating injuries or some form of insanity, and these establishments often double as hospitals. More frequently, older Crab samurai become sensei at one of the many Crab dojo, where they can contribute to the war effort by passing on their skills and knowledge to the next generation.
Funerals are a solitary exception to the Crab Clan’s usual disdain for ceremony. Death on the Wall is common, and each death is accepted with quiet respect. Funerals are elaborate affairs, usually commemorating the death and life of many samurai at once. In the case of large battles, such an act is not only practical but allows the Crab samurai to be remembered as they lived—as fellow soldiers and comrades. If the deceased are even suspected of Taint or Maho, however, the body is cremated immediately. The formal funeral is performed later.
While Crab insult their living comrades with jovial familiarity, to speak ill of the dead is a grave offense. The only fault ever spoken of after death is cowardice; all else is forgiven once a soul has passed from the mortal realm. Visitors who accidentally insult a dead Crab find every Crab in the room suddenly turning their backs, quietly pretending they no longer exist. If the visitor is truly unfortunate, the dead man’s comrades or relatives will immediately demand a duel. The Crab Champion almost never refuses permission for such duels, for no Crab will endure an insult to his duty. Even if no duel is forthcoming, the insulting visitor may find himself trapped in an alley later that night by a swarm of masked crab with jo staffs.
Part of the Crab’s formal attitude toward funerals is the custom of “voice after death,” in which a person is allowed to speak of the deceased as if he were still alive. Prior to death many Crab warriors will chose someone to act as their voice. This person is given a message the Crab wishes to be said at his funeral. To ask another person to be one’s voice is the ultimate gesture of trust and respect between two Crab, and it is a bond some take more seriously than marriage.
The Draw-Lot Plays of the Crab
The only thing a Crab commander on the Kaiu Wall fears more than an oni attack is boredom. Boredom saps the will, takes the edge off reaction times, and lulls the mind into a false sense of security. Unfortunately, bringing in artisans to provide entertainment can create even more problems than it solves. During the reign of Hantei
XXXIV
, a Crab officer named Hida Monzaemon had an idea—his unit could entertain itself with an amateur kabuki production.
Since he was fairly certain that he would never get volunteers for this, he wrote the names of characters from a popular play on small scraps of paper and put them in his kabuto (helmet). Then he added enough blank slips of paper to make the total number of slips equal to the number of men in his unit, lined his men up, and ordered them each to draw a slip out of the kabuto.
The ones who drew character names were informed that those were their roles and they had a week to rehearse. None of the “actors” were happy about this (especially the ones who drew female roles), but they quickly got into the spirit of the thing when they saw how much their comrades were looking forward to the play. The week after the performance Monzaemon was besieged by bushi who wanted to know when the next one was going to be. The tradition of the draw-lot play was born, and the idea quickly spread up and down the Wall.
There are three rules for a draw-lot play:
Pulled this info from the following page and I am quite certain it's originally from the "Way of the Crab" rpg book.
http://legendofthefiveringsaftermath.obsidianportal.com/wikis/crab
Dragon Clan
They're weird.
......oh and they live in the mountains.
Thy also eat Mountain Tuna.
21 hours ago, Shiba Gunichi said:Greatest? Just about only, which really made that particular brand of supremacy less than wonderful. I really hope FFG sends other clans out to play on the waves.
The Tsuruchi followed the Codeof the Wasp, rather than Bushido, and were pretty awesome...before they joined the Mantis and threw all of that under the bus!
They're also descended from the same ancestral stock as the Unicorn Clan- the Kitsune used to be the Unicorn who stayed behind when the the rest of the Clan left.After being pushed around by the Lion, they were made into the Fox Clan in order to protect them.
They really didn't specialize in Thunder until the CCG decided they did. The Moshi began as pious, conservative sun-worshippers...and, much like the Tsuruchi, lost most of that flavor- in their case by mostly becoming thunder-slinging bikini-wearing flunkies of the Yoritomo. Hopefully, if they turn up, FFG does better by them.
I did not know that about the Unicorn/Kitsune. I started playing in CE and picked Mantis solely because the Kitsune were introduced as a part of that clan. It is my belief that the Mantis will be added at a later date. However, in the event they are not, maybe there is some faint hope of seeing the Kitsune brought into the game via the Unicorn Clan.
Toshimo's Unicorn Summary
The Ki-Rin Clan was tasked with exploring the lands outside the empire. They came back 800 years later as the Unicorn Clan. They arrived by charging through the Shadowlands on their fancy super horsies (compared the donkeys available in the empire) and making the poor Crab defenders at the wall wet themselves in terror. It was all very funny. The Crane remembered a treaty they made with the Ki-Rin and so the Unicorn were accepted and fully recognized without question.
In addition to our amazing Shinjo Steeds, we brought with us amazing technology such as forks and yurts. These items quickly became popular in the whole of Rokugani society. As a carnivorous people, we also carry jerky with us in case we need a snack on the plains. Dead flesh is so delicious. I have some right here if you wish to... No?
Since we are the authority on foreigners, the Unicorn quickly opened trade with the outside world and became fabulously wealthy. We trade in spices, diamonds, textiles, and more that are very popular with our traditional cousins looking for adventure. Because we are adventure. We are quick to adapt to any way the wind blows.
Shinjo - The ruling family of the Unicorn. Mostly warriors. This one has no need of kimono and will kill you if you stare too long.
Ide - These guys are trained to understand traditional customs. They talk for us. Thank the Kami that I don't have to... wait.
Utaku - The ladies are called Shiotome and will charge into battle without making a sound and then they will stab you while you stand there with your mouth agape. Beautiful and scary . The men tend the stables.
Iuchi - We are the priests and knowledge keepers. Not scary at all!
Other:
Moto - These poor bastards all died saving everyone else when we crossed the Shadowlands. Some of them are still out there, I bet, but all twisted by the corruption . Sorry, Crabs.
Horiuchi - This family was *fnord* by Shinjo Yokatsu, right before the Scorpion Clan Coup, who and which *fnord* in the reboot. I've never met any of them. They protect our enormous forest or something? Got eaten by Goblins once, a long time in the future. It was sad, but we quickly didn't care that much.
Dragon Clan (really)
After the Kami fell to earth Togashi, after speaking with the monk Shinsai, went into the mountains to meditate on what he has been told. Two individuals - the master swordsman Mirumoto and the Shugenja Agasha - followed the Kami. After day's of not eating or drinking (he refused to do so until he gained the understand he wanted) Shinai joined Togashi in meditation, telling the Kami he would not eat or drink until Togashi did (neither will I). After hearing this Togashi break his fast.
Togashi and his two follows built a temple and then a castle to protect it in the mountains. As word spread many people came to join the trio. Most followed Togashi and became monks seeking enlightenment. These individuals were given tattoo's using the blood of the kami which granted them magical powers and connected them directly to him. Those with the skill to do so became Mirumoto's students and learned his unique Niten style. Those able to commune with the Kami becamse Agasha's students, and the family became known for their.....weird interests such as alchemy and spells that invoked multiple Kami at once. The Agasha are so pacifists, though not as strictly as the Phoenix or Crane Shugenja.
Hundreds of years later Agasha Kitsuki, who had a great logical mind but was not a skilled Shugenja, impressed the Mirumoto Daimyo with his intelligence and was granted the honor of founded his own family. The Kitsuki act primarily as Magistrates & Courtiers - utilizing their ken minds, love of puzzels and logic and the "Kitsuki Method" to further the goals of the Dragon. Many also train with the Mirumoto to become accomplished Duelists in their own right, meaning many don't need Yojimbo to fight for them.
The Dragon Clan Champion, at the time of the LCG, is Togashi Yokuni. Unknow to most, since the founding of the family the Kami Togashi has directly ruled his clan. At first Togashi would fake his death once a generation, then pose as the new Togashi leader. At someone the Kami lost his own body and started taking over the bodies of willing monks called tamashii. The Togashi did not take an active role in the day-to-day running of the clan, those duties fell to the Mirumoto Daimyo.
Quick note: Chugo is the one and only Bushido virtue that the Scorpion place value on, and it covers the concepts of both Duty and Loyalty.
So the Crab tend to value Chugo more than other virtues in a similar, but not altogether same, way that the Scorpion value Chugo more than other virtues.