Altered Origins

A story of the origins of Rokugan

A master set a ring down in front of a child, "Now can you tell me where the circle begins, and where it ends?"

The child picked the ring up, turning its narrow side toward the master. He put his finger on the east side of the ring, "Beginning"; Then on the west side, "End." The child looked the master in the eyes, and asked, "May I be dismissed to go riding now?"

The master took in all the child had just done, and could not determine whether the child was an idiot, or a genius, "Yes, you may go riding, I have other matters to meditate upon."

The first lie told, was when the Nothing told himself that he had created the world with a thought. Had that really been truth when he regretted having made the world a momernt later, and wished it destroyed, the world would have been destroyed. For truly if he had created with a thought, he would have destroyed just the same. Other fvorces though were at work creating the world, without regard of Nothing's thoughts or desires. These were the Ancients who worked together to fashion the world according to their purpose, and for their pleasure were all things of Rokugan created.

This however did not please the nothing who loved the darkness, and chaos he had once known. Thus the Nothing gave birth to the Lying Darkness. They made an allance together to destroy this new world that had been created. Their collective will fashioned a third entity that would later be called the Taint. Together this unholy trinity found a possible ally among the Celestials. They had already encountered Lord Onnatangu once when he came to take note of this world with his lover, Amaterasu. This gave them the idea to enter his sleep. They would whisper doubts, and fears in his ear as he slept. They slowly corrupted his mind, and faded his light. This led to the Fall of the Kami, and the birth of the Shadowlands.

The Warring States of Rokugan

As the kami fall and stood together the eight of them decided that none of them was better. All of them would found a Clan of equal importance.

Ki-Rin, Scorpion, Dragon, Lion, Crane, Phoenix, Crab and finally Raven.

The Raven Clan is composed out of the Hantei, Miya, Otomo and Seppun families. The colors of the clan are black and white like different ravens and their main holdings are the area around Otosan Uchi and the islands before the mainland. The Hantei family is a family of monks following the teachings of a wise man named Shinsei. (Basically use the rules for Brotherhood Monks to build Hantai family members.)

The eight clans flourished and grew but years later the ninth kami emerged from Jigoku his heart tainted in darkness. As he saw what his brothers and sisters had created, he was outraged. He was clearly superior to all of them. So he founded the Spider Clan to conquer all of Rokugan.

He gathered the forces of Jigoku: Oni, Ogre and Goblins, but also those who felt that the kami and their clans had changed the world for the worse:

• His first follower was Chuda, Isawa's younger brother a master of the now forbidden blood magic, This is the reason that even to this day the Chuda Daimyo claims the title: Master of Blood.
• His second follower was Doji Susumu, an elderly courtier who was fallen out of favor. Fu Leng promised her eternal youth in exchange for her fealty. Even to this day the Susumu are ruled by their first and last Daimyo.

But the states were prepared. Shinsei told Hantei everything about the coming storm. As they realized that Fu Leng had risen, Hantei send out his first son Hantei Daigotsu to gather the seven thunder which would defeat Fu Leng and so they did. The price they paid was harsh. Only Hantei Daigotsu and Shosuro survided the day. Shosuro returned to the empire with the 12 scrolls in hand.

But the noble Daigotsu was corrupted beyond recognition. He claimed the leadership of the Spider after Fu Leng's defeat and founded the last two families of the Spider:

• The Fu family would be a monk order similar to the one his father founded, but their ideals twisted and corrupted by the Taint.
• And the last and greatest family among the Spider was the Daigotsu family. Brutish and violent Bushi who rule the Spider with an iron grip until this day.

The setting would play before the second Day of Thunder with the following things to consider:

1. The wall was build by the Crab to protect the eight states from the constant attacks of the Spider. The threat from the Shadowlands is less supernatural then in the original setting. The Spider Clan is still tying to conquer the rest of Rokugan.
2. The Minor Clans will only exist for a small time because they will be quickly usurped by one of the Great Clans without the Imperial protection. This might be a way to make minor clan techniques and families available to the great clans and therefore playable.
3. The Moto family exists due to the crushing defeat of the Ki-Rin by the Lion. After the defeat the Ki-Rin flee from Rokugan and return as the Unicorn led by the Moto and conquer back their lands until finally stopped at the City of the Rich Frog.
4. Hantei Genji is Hantei's second son and continued to lead the Raven Clan. There is no Brotherhood of Shinsei. The Hantei family is the Brotherhood of Shinsei.
5. There are no jeweled champions. Not even the Emerald Champion. Kakita would have been the Crane Thunder.

An Empire Divided

The Great Clans have just experienced an Age of Enlightenment. The heirs to the Emerald Throne are either missing or dead. The throne stands empty, and the Great Clans must decide on a course of action.

Moto Chagatai sees an oppurtunity to advance his clan, and unite the Empire. However he does not just make a militaristic march from the northern provinces into the heart of Rokugan. He does make a show of power, but shows the power of spirit through the Iuchi and the Death Priest, a show of mind through the Ide and Utaku, and a show of strength through the Moto and the Shinjo. Doing so he initially gets the clans to agree upon holding a new tournament similiar to the one held by the Kami on Seppun Hill. He ends up winning the tourament, and having his bloodline purified. Rokugan then seeing the reign of Chagatai I.

This however does not even unite his own clan let alone the Empire. Bickering and fighting break out within the Unicorn Clan. The Death Priest under direction from the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang proclaim Chagatai unfit to rule. They claim he has now forgotten the old ways. Many within the Unicorn Clan feel the same way, they break away from their brethren, and form an alliance with the Spider Clan. The Shi-Tien Yen-Wang themselves leaving Emma-O's realm to watch over their priest, and take up once again the mantles of war becoming the Fortunes of Shourido.

Those within the clan who do feel Chagatai is the rightful Emperor remain in Rokugan and go back to calling themselves the Ki-Rin Clan. This rift within the Unicorn Clan also creates ripples throughout the other clans. The Lion begin warring with the Scorpion, the Crane with the Mantis. The Phoenix find the bloodline curse of the Moto, and declare war on the Unicorn. Chagatai begins assembling the Imperial Armies under the Shogun, but the Shogun splits from Chagatai calling him unfit. The Shogun takes two legions of Imperial forces with him to join with the Spider-Unicorn alliance, now under the leadership of Daigotsu Kanpeki.

Emerald Empire loyalist join the banner under leadership of Emperor Chagatai I.

The Dragon convince the Phoenix, Asahina, and some others to retreat into their mountains. They create a powerful spiritual weave that keeps all others out. Thus cutting Phoenix and Dragon lands off from the rest of the Empire, but creates a refuge for those seeking rest from the war.

Entire Ivory (Battle of Two Empires) as a war between Chagatai (Emerald) and Kanpeki (Obsidian) Empires.

The Final Ride

The night following the Spider's assault upon Unicorn Lands.

The embers of flame still lent an orange hue to the night sky as the Unicorn began regrouping deep inside Ki-Rin Pass their chosen route of escape that was the inferno that was once their home. Now without a home, without much hope they rode in a trail of tears. Moto Naleesh had received mortal wounds, and it was too early to tell if she would recover, or die. Many had begun reciting prayers as they rode. This was tge only comfort they now had. All they had known was lost. Many of the Clan had died, both samurai, and heimin. That is when the rumbles began. First just a low murmuring, but rising steadily all around. Soon it became a thundering cacophany, but it was too late. The horse clan was damned, and now doomed as well. The walls of Ki-Rin pass crmbled down, burying all those who wore the purple mon beneath tons of earth, and rock. The Unicorn Clan died in a futile attempt to ride out of their grave. The pass was closed now, and the ground mixed with the blood of the slain. Blood that seeped down deep, and fed hungry spirits. Only Naleesh's soul was carried to Tengoku that night, the other souls of the entire clan were consumed by Jigoku to open yet another pit to that insidious realm.

Under this reality the Unicorn have totally and irreversibly been eradicated. Their souls consumed to never ever return again to Rokugan. For Unicorn/Ki-Rin purist such as myself this is a The End scenario. Shinjo has no mortal pledges to keep her promise to return to any longer, and can finally find rest, and the comfort, and company of her siblings in Tengoku. Whoever was responsible for the massive eathquake/landslide that finished off the Unicorn, I leave for you to decide.

Shinjo Yosama, one of the deceased.

THE ETERNAL EMPIRE

Alternate Timeline Twist: The First Day of Thunder is not a tragic event, but an almost flawless victory for the Thunders. Only Otaku dies, and the rest returns to the Empire safe, though not unmarked by the terrible battle.

In the final battle of the First Day of Thunder, the First Oni decides to take the field personally and challenge the Thunders prematurely. Hida Atarasi and Matsu defeat the daemon, and without their general, Fu Leng's monstrous army scatters to the wind. The Seven Thunders face Fu Leng together, and their sheer number proves too much for the Dark Kami: the six heroes are more than enough to distract Fu Leng while Isawa performs the ritual that binds Fu Leng into the Twelve Black Scrolls. In the last moment, Fu Leng tries to kill Isawa with a blast of daemonic green fire, but Otaku leaps into the way and the fires consume her rather than Isawa. With Fu Leng sealed away, his minions effectively cease to present any meaningful threat to the returning Thunders who meet Shiba at the edge of the Shadowlands.

The events start to develop quickly from this point. Haunted by the things she experienced in the Shadowlands, Matsu declares that she and her followers will not rest until the Shadowlands is reduced to ashes. The Lion armies join the Crab Clan, and together, they invade the Shadowlands. Atarasi and Matsu prove to be a highly effective pair, and their combined forces grind all opposition into dust. They eventually reach the Festering Pit of Fu Leng and wall that cursed place off from the rest of the world. With that done, the Shadowlands effectively cease to exist, and the land returns to normal within a few decades. The Crab Clan relocate further down south to guard the Festering Pit, and they gift their former lands to the Matsu in return for their help.

In the Empire, things do not unfold too well even though the return of the Thunders is an occasion of great celebration. Isawa has defeated a Kami and made another kneel before him... and now he reaches the conclusion that the Kami as a whole are unfit to lead the Empire. Fueled by his arrogance, his thoughts don't stop here: Isawa also realizes that he is the one who should reign over the Empire. He soon begins to make his mad vision into a reality: before the Day of thunder, he created an extremely powerful magical artifact to protect his people from Fu Leng - now, he refits the artifact so that he can use it to take over the throne.

Doji Konishiko begins to practice Niten and she soon develops her won style - the Fan and Sword - that combines Niten with Kakita's Sword. This of course immediately alerts Kakita who proves to be powerless to stop his daughter and thus he is forced to challenge Mirumoto to a duel. Mirumoto hesitantly accepts, and even though their duel draws quite a lot of attention, it ends with a fuss: a kharmic strike that makes Mirumoto lose a thumb and Kakita an eyebrow. Alas, this immediately ends their rivalry and the two styles are declared as equals. Confused by the result, the two masters decide to unite their knowledge and create the ultimate sword-fighting technique; of course, they can't complete their quest in their lifetime, but their descendants are eager to continue.

The only real winner is Bayushi, who gets Shosuro back, and they soon marry. Their first "child" is no less than the entity called the Shadow Dragon, a creature that combines the divinity of the Kami with the power of the shadow. It assumes its role of acting as a counterweight against the dark influence of the Lying Darkness as kind of a "good" shadow.

Hantei Genji takes the throne, but his rule is relatively short-lived. The aging Isawa makes his move just as Genji also gets the idea that something is wrong with the Phoenix Thunder, and the two meet at Gisei Toshi, where Isawa is already preparing to unleash the power of his artifact. Genji don't go down without a fight though, and just as the artifact is activated, he throws himself and Isawa into it, hoping to destroy it. The actual result is quite different: they both merge with the magical device, and in turn it takes up a humanoid form, brought to life by the two souls. The Eternal Emperor is born, and it claims its right to rule the Emerald Empire, a right provided by the divine blood and soul of Genji that are now part of the "artifact".

The Eternal Emperor is an immortal and extraordinary powerful creature with the combined personalities of Isawa and Genji (with Isawa's being dominant), and as such, its rule is prosperous and just... but also abusive and inhumane. As its first act upon taking the throne, the Eternal Emperor unleashes a massive wave of mystic energy that reaches all corners of the Empire, conferring supernatural abilities to many mortals and revitalizing the land with arcane power. Then, it declares that only people who can wield the power of the supernatural may have a voice... the others must fall silent and obey without question. With that, the samurai caste goes through a punishing purification, as those who don't possess any supernatural abilities (either naturally or from the spirit-wave) are cast out.

Naturally, Tengoku tries to intervene, but it is too little, too late. When the Celestial Heavens renounce their support, the Eternal Emperor invades Tengoku, using the spirits of Yomi as its army, and seizes the Heavens, restoring their "support". It also kills Onnotangu during the final assault, leaving the scared and powerless Amaterasu alone to rule over Tengoku. This act overturn the Celestial Order, and its effects soon become apparent in Tengoku and the other Spirit Realms, as they start to shrink while the power of Ningen-do grows accordingly. Realizing that it can't trust Tengoku, the Eternal Emperor rejects the Shintao and abolishes most forms of religion.

The age of the Eternal Empire begins.

That's for general. Rokugan is now a magocracy, and not a pious one for that. Every samurai is a spellcaster or has some sort of similar supernatural ability; those who don't are pretty much untouchables as they have no rights only the obligation to serve. A samurai child has the chance to portray (or gain) some sort of supernatural ability until the end of his/her childhood - if he/she fails to show anything special, then he/she will be cast out. Similarly, an untouchable child rises to become a samurai if he/she displays a supernatural ability. Everything else is a lot like in the canon, only without most of the religious mysticism. Magic is both very common and fairly well-understood, and practitioners of the arcane arts see their magic as a canon samurai would see his sword-fighting.

Characters in this setting will hold tremendous power, but they will struggle to use their powers responsibly... and/or to use their powers not to be used by them. Common themes include abuse of power (especially against those who don't have powers), arrogance and the inevitable humiliation, and loss of humanity as the characters grow more detached as they grow more powerful. This is pretty much a superhero world with all the superhero tropes.

Queen of Seven Kingdoms

The week following the Spider's initial push for the throne. The Unicorn have set up mobile base of operations as they make their way towards Journey's End City.

Moto Naleesh is still not recovering from her grevious wound. Shinjo Min-Hee is co-ordinating Unicorn patrols, and gathering intelligence on the state of affairs throughout Rokugan. Swift strike teams of the Baranghuar and Battle Maidens are sent to rescue, and save key personalities throughout Rokugan. Moto Taigon is called to Toshi Ranbo to help lead Imperial Legions in resistance against Kanpeki. Shinjo Tselu, and Shinjo Kinto accompany Moto Taigo to the capitol. An ambush co-ordinated by a joint effort of Phoenix, and Scorpion is spotted by Kinto, Tselu sacrifices himself to enable Taigo, and Kinto to reach Toshi Ranbo.

Another weak passes, the Unicorn patrols can now spot Journey's End City in the distance. They will have one week to prepare to assault, and arrest control of the city. Moto Naleesh still showing no sign of recovery. Utaku Zo-Sai enters Naleesh's tent, and expels everyone else, demanding they not re-enter until Zo-Sai emerges. Once Zo-Sai, and Naleesh are alone Zo-Sai opens Iuchi's Lost Tome. She begins reciting from it to summon the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang. "See what your meddling has done," she scolds the Ten. After a heated argument taking the better part of a day, Zo-Sai's other guest finally arrive. The guards outside the tent fall back, and allow Akasha, and Moto Chen to enter Naleesh's tent. "Now watch as I correct your error, " Zo-Sai informs the Ten. Then taking hands with Akasha, and Moto Chen they stand around Naleesh's cot. The three begin to speak words, and one of Shinjo's Children leaves Zo-Sai's body to plunge itself into Naleesh. Moto Naleesh jolts awake, frightened at first, but calms as she sees her parents. Then spasms as a horse spirit chases a dark spirit out of her. Naleesh' s wounds heal as the dark spirit is banished to Jigoku, and the horse spirit returns to Tengoku.

While Akasha, Chen, and Naleesh catch up on what has transpired, Zo-Sai once again turns to the Ten, "Two of us have come, and gone, her memory is half awakened. Return to your duties, and stop your meddling."

*******

The people rescue/saved by the Unicorn strike teams would not be taken from their clans, or families. Simply helped past their darkest trials so that during the following months they are present to lead their people, and form resistance against Kanpeki the Shadow Emperor.

*******

This sets the stage for Journey's End City to be retaken, the Unicorn and Naga to reform their alliance, and for the Unicorn to revisit the Seven Gaijen Kingdoms. Shinjo reawakens during this effort to revisit, and reforge these old alliances, but this time gaining their full alligance to return to Rokugan with a massive, and diverse army at her command.

*******

This is the Unicorn perspective, and naturally the other clans would not be idle, nor would the Imperial Legions. This all sets up a Rokugan in the midst of war, and revolution. A Rokugan wher heroes can rise, or fall. I am a Ki-Rin/Unicirn purist so do not presume to speak what the other clans views or actions would be during this dark time in Rokugan.

I have an idea of what might be interesting, though not nearly as diverse as some of these.

Shiba Dynasty Rokugan

When the seven children fell from Tengoku to Ningen-do, they had already lost a great deal – their father was a kinslayer twice over, and their eighth brother was lost to a place other than the one they could find. When the seven children fell, they found much, with the mortals around them swearing to forever honor and obey them, as well as their parents and the Heavens that they ruled. The seven departed from the Hill, collecting followers as they ventured through the lands, and saw that all was in chaos. When the seven returned, they decided that they must bring order to the realms, showing a reflection of their home to the Heavens. The seven discussed who should lead them in this effort, and after much discussion, they settled upon the one most surprised by their choice – thus did Shiba rise from the Hill as first Emperor.

The Empire

Shiba Dynasty Rokugan is extremely different from canonical Rokugan for several reasons.

The Reborn Emperors and Empresses

The Shiba line is bound inextricably to the Soul of Shiba, and it is by this method that the successors of the Empire are selected. A humble family by all accounts, the Imperial Shiba rarely, if ever, embrace the pomp and circumstance of the Hantei Emperors of canon, and are more accessible to the various Clans than might be imagined. That said, however, they do have certain quirks that concern the Clans from time to time – the first Shiba married a mysterious woman, rumored to come from beneath the sea, who modern scholars believe to have been a Ningyo. The Emperors and Empresses since have occasionally chosen consorts from similarly dubious backgrounds, and it is rumored that they wed non-human creatures every so often. Other rumors, such as a reputation for occasional madness surround the family, though of course these beliefs are held only by the most paranoid of samurai.

The Isawa

The Isawa family is the foremost of the Imperial families, around whom the Empire revolves. When the First Emperor swore to protect the Isawa from all things in exchange for Isawa fighting Fu Leng as a Thunder, the Isawa’s prominence as foremost among equals had yet to solidify. In the years since, the Council of the Masters have become known as the only ones who can speak against the Emperor or Empress will, albeit with extreme restrictions. The Isawa as a whole are amongst the most wealthy and powerful families in Rokugan, and have delved deeply into theology and magic beyond all others, though others do have some more specific masteries than they themselves do. Though the rest of Rokugan knows it not, the Isawa also have an important duty in locating and preserving the sanity of the Emperors and Empresses, whose merely mortal minds might not withstand the pressure of the Soul of Shiba.

The Great Clans

The Crab

The Crab are a fairly grim group, led by the Hida family in the defense of the Pit Wall – a wall surrounding the direct portal to the Realm of Jigoku, wherefrom Fu Leng arose and the Shadowlands spread prior to the Day of Thunder. The Hiruma follow the lead of the Hida in the defense of the Wall, yet remain aware enough of the outside world that they are often the yojimbo sent to maintain relations with other Clans. The Kaiu , meanwhile, are the Crab best known outside of their lands as they are the leading scholars of the Clan – masters of architecture and engineering, they have studied with the Trolls and learned much. The Kuni , last but not least, are favorites of the Isawa, who draw on their expertise at times to ensure that certain magics are not drawing upon kansen and foul maho . The Crab are also rather more engaged in the politics of Rokugan than they are in canon, as they lack the constant invasions by the Shadowlands to divert their attention from the rest of the Empire.

The Crane

The Crane are the most courtly of Clans, as in canon, and are extremely devoted to the Phoenix Emperors. Led by the Doji , who establish many of the trends and customs of the Empire, the Crane are amongst the most wealthy and powerful of the Clans. Many of the Isawa choose spouses from the Crane, a practice enhanced by the establishment of the Asahina in the mid-third century, when an arrogant shugenja by that name was so offended by Crane refusal to aid his family in a particular issue that he attacked, only to be defeated by the strength of one samurai, the daughter of the Champion. The Kakita , meanwhile, are respected for their close relationship with the kenku, as well as their centeredness that arises from their mastery of the sword. The Yasuki keep tabs on darker shades of business, their long-forgotten peasant heritage advising them in how to keep the Crane wealthy and the Empire flourishing, though they are often at some odds with the Asahina’s less worldly view.

The Dragon

The Dragon are enigmatic in the extreme, by and large keeping themselves to themselves in the mountains that are their home. Such is the respect that flourishes for them amongst the Imperial Families, however, that whenever Dragon do appear in the Empire at large, their words are well-considered and often held as incredible wisdom. The Togashi Order is “led” by the Kami Togashi himself, who feels no need to hide his nature in this world, though his influence is incredibly subtle. The Mirumoto run day-to-day order of the Dragon, aided by the Agasha and the Kitsuki .

The Lion

The oft-thought most militaristic of Clans from canon has a rather different role in the Shiba dynasty. The Lion, who hold that tradition is absolute and sacred, are interested in not only their own traditions, but also those of others. While the Akodo are well-known for their devotion to honor and the way of their ancestors, keeping alive the proper forms and functions of their Kami, much as in canon, the Matsu are renowned for their devotion to the Reborn Emperors, whose blood flows in every Matsu Champion’s veins. When the Matsu were readying their first strike against the Crane under Matsu Kiriko, Shiba Tsuzaki appeared before them, facing down an army alone with his refusal to allow bloodshed to shatter the Empire his father had ruled. He offered instead to allow the Matsu to kill him rather than break the peace his father had died for. Kiriko, impressed by his honor and bravery, refused his death, but instead took his life – she demanded he wed her (not the other way around), and that any daughters be Matsu, which he accepted, much to the surprise of the Realm. Since then, the Matsu have been insanely devoted to their Reborn Emperors. The Tokoyama family, descended from one of Akodo’s sons who wed a Kitsu after an embarrassing defeat by her people, maintain a rich heritage, reaching the ancestors that all the Empire might know the proper traditions of their heritage, and the Ikoma , rather than simply being historians, collect information on various historical traditions across the Empire, not demanding change, but simply noting when and how they differ from one another.

The Raven

When the Day of Thunder arrived, Fu Leng fought against Seven Thunders, and lost. Isawa’s great spell captured all of the Taint of Jigoku, tearing it free of the fallen Kami, and sealed it away even as he died. The new being, who took the name Saisei, threw himself on the mercy of Shiba, who died protecting him. Since then, the Raven have been a binding and seeking force upon the Empire.

The Saisei family, following in the tradition of their founder, wanders the Empire on musha shugyo more often than any other family in the Empire, and indeed it is whispered that Saisei himself was the first to establish the tradition. The Saisei are infamous for their belief in second chances, and many of those who would commit seppuku within the family retire to the Brotherhood of Shinsei instead, “killing” the self that had been and becoming reborn as a new being.

The Migami family, descended from a wise archer-woman who joined Saisei on his journey, is the silent watcher of the Raven, keeping keen eye on the world without for threats. The Migami are reflective, and keep mostly to themselves, but their family has strong ties to the Hiruma and (when they return) the Shinjo.

The Konishiko family, descended from Saisei and Konishiko, are the face of the Raven, charming and courteous at all times, yet nonetheless a closed group, quiet and unassuming save for when they must speak. They represent a hooded but graceful face for the Raven as a whole. They are acknowledged as masters of the tea ceremony, and keep it in its original form – a method whereby the entirety of Rokugan can be united. Peasants in Konishiko lands tend to be educated in this simple ceremony, if in nothing else.

Finally, the Chimoto family is the shugenja of the Clan, descended from a tribal shaman who achieved enlightenment with Saisei’s quiet advice, and are incredibly close with the Brotherhood of Shinsei.

As a whole, the Raven are allied with the Crab and Crane, often providing a bridge for their words, are friendly with the Dragon, and are found odd by the Lion and the Unicorn especially.

The Raven have a reputation for being highly lenient with their samurai, giving them far more chances than any other Clan deems correct. The Saisei point out that if their Kami had not been given a second chance, there would be no Raven Clan, and keep to their traditions.

The Scorpion

The Scorpion are amongst the most loyal Clans to the Reborn Emperors – Bayushi was the twin of Shiba, and whenever there are twins born to the Imperial couple, one of the two is educated and often marries into the Scorpion. The Bayushi watch those things that cannot be seen by others, hunting the works and agents of the mysterious Kolat, while their Shosuro and Soshi families work in yet darker places. The Yogo are strongly bound to the Imperial family the Asako by old blood ties, but remain quiet and loyal to their Bayushi masters, working to experiment in the field of wards.

The Unicorn

When the Unicorn finally return from their long journey, they bring with them a host of challenges, changes, and knowledge. Though they are far from welcomed with open arms, there is nonetheless a certain warmth to their relationship with the Isawa, especially since the Isawa verify their identity as the children of Shinjo. This relationship is soured when the Emperor allows the Unicorn to practice their magic without Isawa oversight, though overall it remains. The Unicorn are unique – the Shinjo rule with Compassion, making them favored vassals of both the Isawa and the Reborn Emperors, while the Moto bring new knowledge of horses and gods foreign to the Empire to the Isawa’s attention. The Iuchi find the magic rich environment of Rokugan an astonishing and wonderful thing, while the Ide are the family who most often marry and establish ties with the Asako. Finally, the Otaku are silent devotees of purity to an incredible degree, and their philosophy is allowed to establish a monastic order solely for its spread. The Horiuchi are founded in the late twelfth century when Iuchi Shoan protected the children of her Champion from a raging Naga by soothing it.

Younger (or Minor) Clans

The Wolf

The city of Otosan Uchi, though not the Imperial Capital, is the most scared of all cities and sites in the Empire, for it is where the Kami first fell. It is here that there are a thousand shrines to the Fortunes, to the Heavens, and to the kami all at once. It is here that the Wolf tend to their sacred duty – the protection of this holiest of cities. The sole family of the Wolf is the Seppun , the descendants of the tribe who welcomed the Kami and first swore to serve them. The Wolf are the oldest of the Younger Clans, having been established in the very early reign of Shiba Tsuzaki, around 50.

The Fox

In Shiba dynasty Rokugan, the Lion do not immediately attack the remnants of the Ki-Rin Clan after Shinjo leads the overwhelming majority away from Rokugan, meaning that the Fox are not immediately created. However, within a few decades it becomes clear that the Ki-Rin are not able to adequately protect their borders from without, nor even to keep banditry at a minimum within their lands. As such, the leader of the Ki-Rin requests the Emperor for aide, and receives it in the form of being moved to the Kitsune Mori and awarded with the title of Championship of the Fox Clan and daimyo of the Kitsune . “For the Ki-Rin have perished,” the Emperor said, “and are now reborn as the Fox.” The Fox were founded in 111.

The Badger

The third and last of the Younger Clans founded in the reign of Shiba Tsuzaki, the Badger were created in much the same way as their canonical counterparts, save that rather than a mere contest of strength, there were several other competitions as well – a competition of knowledge and skill, as well as a private interview with one of the Elemental Masters. This led to the rather unusual sage-artificer Kaiu Domogu taking the name Ichiro and becoming the first Champion of the Badger, which in turn affected their plans for defense and character greatly. The Badger are well-known for their fortifications, as well as for their deep appreciation for the spiritual side of life. While they are remarkably unpolished, much like their Crab ancestors, they are by far less engaged in the worldly pleasures that the Crab feeds itself upon. The Badger were founded in 114.

The Order of the Mantis

When Kaimetsu-uo was sent forth with his mother from the lands of the Crab by Osano-wo, he wandered for several years, gathering ronin and peasants alike as he travelled. Finally, he declared he would be leaving the Empire, and sailed westwards, eventually landing on the Isles of Silk and Spice. There he stayed for a few years until the assassination of his father brought him back to the mainland. When he did so, he was a changed man, and his father’s assassin, who had refuge with the Isawa, found it astonishing that a young monk was able to call down thunder. The Isawa turned him over, and named Osano-wo the Fortune of Thunder and Fire.

The Order of the Mantis is much like the Order of Kaimetsu-uo in the canonical timeline, and after 97 recruitment spreads rapidly throughout the Empire, and their message of serenity, of choosing another path is wildly popular amongst the peasants, and even a few samurai retire to join the Order of the Mantis. Unlike many of the monastic orders, the Order of the Mantis does not demand their monks remain chaste or celibate, and allows them to marry and have families… so long as their happiness does not depend on those things.

The Centipede

In 347, the Empire was rocked by an astonishing event – Lady Sun revealed herself to Isawa Azami, inheritor of the remote Valley of the Centipede (Tani Shishio). Amaterasu spoke and proclaimed Azami the leader of a new family, and a new Clan who would exist only to revere her and act in alignment with her will. This shocked many, and dozens of Isawa shugenja flooded to either join this new Clan, which the Shiba of the time named “Centipede” or to interview Azami herself. Azami turned many aspirants away, but accepted just as many. The acceptance criteria were ever unclear to the rest of the Empire, but as she had been so deeply touched by the divine, it was accepted. Since then, the Moshi have led lives of deep piety, and remain a strongly matriarchal family. Their sun magic is widely revered, and though they are rarely seen outside their valley, when they are they are treated with utter respect.

The Sparrow

Much like their canonical counterparts, the Sparrow were founded in 400 when a young Crane spoke somewhat foolishly in the Imperial Court of the time. However, unlike in canon, the statement “Maybe the Crane should simply give their wealth to peasants?” was not spoken for the end of the Yasuki War (which never occurred), but rather in an intense discussion between the Crab and Crane about commerce between the two Clans. Yasuki Suzume spoke in response to an accusation about the wastefulness of the Crane, and found himself bound up in the Imperial creation of a new Clan. The Sparrow are otherwise more or less the same as in canon.

The Tortoise

In 440, the first explorers from the Qarthi League arrived at the borders of Rokugan. Though they were long associated with the Keren Empire, the Rokugani were yet unprepared for these new gaijin arrivals. When they arrived in the capital, they brought with them pestilence, which slew a great many of the kuge of the Empire, and left the Empire leaderless for a few long months. Agasha Kasuga, who had befriended the Qarthi, took them under his wing and hid them for quite some time, until in 443 the Soul of Shiba was discovered in Shiba Tsumiko, to whom he confessed this. Tsumiko, acting on the advice of the Soul, created a new Clan for him, but only appointed him daimyo of the Kasuga , keeping the title of Champion of the Tortoise to herself. Since then, the Kasuga have kept themselves to themselves, watching the far western realms to see if any hostility arises.

The Dragonfly

The founding of the Dragonfly in 704 is an unusual one in Shiba dynasty Rokugan, largely due to the changes in the status of the Isawa family. As in canon, Mirumoto Asijin and Isawa Maroko founded the Dragonfly, in defiance of her betrothal to Akodo Yokutsu. However, as the Isawa are the highest-ranking Imperial family in Shiba dynasty Rokugan, there was little that he could directly do to attack the couple, who remained as part of the Dragon Clan until 711, when the Lion attack on Shiro Mirumoto was clearly motivated by their presence there, albeit unofficially. At this point, Yokutsu slew Asijin, as in canon, and the Dragon Kami promised to protect his descendants in perpetuity. Yokutsu was than slain in turn by their son, Kuyuden.

At that point, the annoyed Shiba Emperor called the two forth and granted them the Dragonfly Clan and the name Tonbo . Maroko was declared its first Champion, and together with her son guided the Dragonfly into the shape that they are today, which is strongly reminiscent of the canon depiction.

The Dove

In 760, a great war broke out between the Crane (with their allies amongst the Raven) and the Lion, devastating Rokugan and its people. When, in the years following the end of the conflict, beautiful paintings depicting the cost of such devastation began appearing across the lands that had been most harmed, an investigation was launched to discover who had been creating them. As it turned out, a young ronin woman had been doing so – called “Hato” or the Dove, she was, in the following year, 763, invited to the Imperial Winter Court to demonstrate her skills in painting. What she demonstrated there was so shockingly beautiful that the Shiba Empress immediately commanded her to gather followers and create a new Clan. The Hato family have since promoted peace and beauty through the medium of the arts, and are especially keen on helping those recovering from war.

Era of the Dark Dragon

Or

The War Against the Darkness

It has been fifteen years since the people of Rokugan survived the Day of Thunder, Fu Leng defeated, and a new emperor crowned. Peace and prosperity reigned.

It didn’t last.

Ten years ago, black tales of faceless, twisted men and beasts began to trickle out of Dragon lands. These gradually increased to a tide before a host of dark creatures burst forth from the mysterious clan’s holdings and crashed upon the borders of their neighbors like a tsunami. The armies of the Dragon and their misshapen allies flowed down from the mountains and into the surrounding lands, laying waste to anything they encountered.

Their neighbors were not taken completely by surprise, having heard the sinister tales coming out of Dragon lands, but they were not prepared for the war of annihilation that was brought to them. The Unicorn fared best, already having some knowledge of what they were facing, and quickly stemmed the assault on their lands with crystal. The Phoenix fared next best, protected by their magic, and their willingness to adopt the tactics of the Unicorn. Initially, the armies of the Lion were devastated, not being equipped to deal with the corrupt invaders from a military nor spiritual position. The Dragon struck at them when they least expected it and wearing the faces of their greatest heroes. At the same time, the Hall of Ancestors fell under assault by agents of the Shosuro, aided by the same strange monsters accompanying the Dragon.

On what was the twilight of the Lion’s resistance, the Naga appeared. Each of the snake men was armed with a crystal naginata that sparkled in the sun, making the battlefield look like a choppy sea at dawn. They crashed upon the ranks of the faceless, crushing their ranks and forcing them South. At the same time another army appeared in Lion lands. This one was made up of a handful of uncorrupted Dragon samurai, tattooed men, and Brotherhood monks led by the half-dragon Hoshi. Eventually the dark Dragon were pushed back to the River of the Drowned Merchant and the Shosuro to their own territory, but they left their stain upon the land.

The Hall of Ancestors is destroyed, the lands north of the River of the Drowned Merchant are lost to the Lying Darkness, and the Shosuro lands are being transformed into a shadowy wasteland. The people of Rokugan are locked in battle with a force that seeks not to destroy their way of life, but to unmake life itself.

The fall of the Dragon and Shosuro has since been pieced together by accounts from those who escaped the Lying Darkness. After the Day of Thunder, Hitomi began to act erratically: sometimes speaking to people who weren’t there, speaking of events that hadn’t occurred yet, and being possessed by fits of rage. The Togashi made what efforts they could to sooth her, but she rebuffed them and eventually invited the madman Kokujin back to the High House of Light. His dark whispers only made matters worse, eventually leading Hitomi to demand that the Togashi take her name. A few did, but most choose to flee, and many of them were cut down by Kokujin and Hitomi’s new tattooed men. From there, the Shadow crept down the mountain, erasing the enigmatic Dragon as surely as a riddle written in the sand is washed away by the sea.

The fall of the Shosuro was somewhat more sudden. Numerous accounts exist of travelers arriving in Shosuro lands to find them abandoned. Shortly after, the assault on southern Lion lands began. The Scorpion have surmised among themselves, that the practice of Shadow Branding must have been responsible and somehow led to wholesale corruption of the family and their vassals.

The consequences of the Shadow’s assault on Rokugan are numerous and far-reaching. Most trade along the River of the Drown Merchant has ceased. The probability that a trader is a shadowspawn is simply too great. The Unicorn have lost the castle of Ide as well as Bikami and Akami, the source of much of their rice and fodder. This has forced the Ide to once again maintain a nomadic existence. They now travel almost continuously around the empire seeking to trade political favors and exotic goods for rice. The Unicorn hold the Lying Darkness at the land north of the River of the Drowned Merchant and south of the Great Wall of the North. Trade with the Burning Sands has increased dramatically, especially crystal items, offsetting their new need to trade for much of their grain and fodder.

The Lion are now forced to maintain a snaking vigil along the River of the Drowned Merchant. The majority of the remaining Dragon samurai stand at their side. The Lion resent the additional burden upon their resources and often treat the Dragon among their number with scorn. In contrast the Moto and Hiruma who encounter the now homeless Dragon often see a kindred spirit. To the south the Lion are aided by the few remaining Shosuro, upon whom they heap even greater scorn than they heap upon the Dragon.

Seido Jurojin fell in the early days of the war and the Phoenix haven’t recover it. East of its ruins their earth shugenja erected a great cliff between Iron Ring Cascade and the Great Wall of the North. Fortunately the Shadow was pushed back before being able to destroy much of the Phoenix’s accumulated knowledge. Because of their powerful shugenja, their lives continue least disrupted when compared with the Lion and the Unicorn.

The corruption of the Shosuro lands have cut off the direct flow of goods up or down the River of Gold. The Scorpion have also set up a perimeter around the Shosuro provinces. The effects of this have been mixed on Ryoko Owari. It is much harder to access than before, but there are plenty more soldiers from Scorpion, Lion, and Unicorn lands looking to forget the horrors they see on the Northern River of the Last Stand, as the River of the Drowned Merchant is sometimes now called. Many high ranking Shosuro were called to account for the actions of their family, including Bayushi Kachiko, leaving leadership of the Scorpion in the hands of Bayushi Aramoro. Curiously, several months after her very public Jigai, rumors began to swirl that Kachiko was not in fact dead. Some of them even have put her in two places at once.

The Crane have remained largely unscathed by the War of the Dark Dragon, being far removed from the fighting. Their traditional enemies, the Lion and the Scorpion, have both been reduced by the war and now rely on the Crane to procure supplies and favors for them.

After seeing the devastation brought by the Shadow, the Crab have straightened their backs and vowed anew to keep the Shadowlands from overrunning Rokugan. Some of the Crab look upon the war with a smug attitude. For so long they stood against the Shadowlands while the other clans dismissed the importance and burden of their duty. Now these clans find themselves in the same situation, pressed by an implacable foe and begging for aid from anyone who will listen and seeing the devastation that comes from failure. Other Crab look upon the Unicorn, Lion, and Phoenix with sympathy, because they know the tremendous loss that comes from eternal battle.

The Honorable Dragon are now a dying clan, bereft of their divine guidance and almost completely destroyed. They are led by Mirumoto Sukune, a man in the twilight of his years. Most of those who escaped have taken up a post on the border of their former lands, hoping that one day they can be reclaimed. The Moto have invited the great sensei of the Dragon to live among them and the Hiruma so they might preserve their techniques, which are slowly fading from the world. The ise zumi have rallied around Hoshi and joined the Brotherhood, resuming their monastic lifestyle and working towards a day when the divine presence of a Togashi might one day again shine in the High House of Light. As he lay dying in Hitomi’s arms, Gaijutsu is rumored to have said “he hasn’t left us.” Many speculate he was referring to Togashi himself and that the kami’s spirit abounds in Rokugan, waiting to return to his clan.

Like the Unicorn, the Mantis have done brisk business in crystal and other exotic goods. The destruction of swathes of farmland have also driven up the demand for fish and the Mantis have begun to seek out new fishing grounds to keep up the supply. Sailors return from these voyages with wild tales of the seas, most of which remain unverified.

The return of the Naga has sent ripples through all of Rokugan. None can deny they saved the Lion clan and their help since has been invaluable, but many factions still look on them with suspicion and scorn. The Dashmar and Mirumoto Daini have made diplomatic inroads with some of the clans, particularly the Unicorn, Crab, and Mantis. The emperor has gone so far as to declare the Naga imperial guests in the empire, but most Rokugani still distrust the snakemen, if not for their strange appearance then for their strange customs.

The lands of the Dark Dragon are devoid of natural inhabitants. Mutated beasts prowl the overgrown fields and the faceless servants of Nothing patrol the abandoned villages. Hitomi sits upon a shadow-tainted throne in the High House of Light, her body now encased in obsidian and directs her minions to do the bidding of the Lying Darkness. Kokujin, the madman who tamed the power of two gods has become another pawn to the Lying Darkness. He does Hitomi’s will her tattooed shadowspawn against the empire.

The defeat of Fu Leng was a major setback for the Shadowlands. The most powerful denizens spent several years fighting amongst themselves to establish a new order. Once this period came to an end, attacks on the Wall began to increase in frequency. The Crab also noticed a new faction among those that assaulted their wall, one led by Kuni Yori and the resurrected Moto Tsume.

Rokugan struggles to find enough crystal for its war against the Darkness and there is usually famine in some part of the empire. Desperate bandits and additional need for overland trade have combined with the War Against the Darkness have increased the need for skilled bushi, creating much opportunity for those who can seize it, but shedding the reputation of a ronin requires more than simply donning the mon of a great clan.

It has become the Rokugani custom to place crystal chimes at the entrances to a house, to guard against the Lying Darkness. This crystal takes away from the war effort and some have used the excuse of requisitioning it to raid their neighbors and unscrupulous merchants have been caught selling glass in its stead. Such merchants are dealt with under harsh laws designed to halt the spread of corruption through the empire.

Major Personalities:

Mirumoto Sukune: Hitomi and Daini’s uncle, Sukune has assumed responsibility as the Dragon clan Daimyo since Daini became involved with bringing the Naga into the empire, and showed little interest in assuming the leadership of the clan anyways. Arthritis prevents him from continuing with his favorite pastime, archery, as well as engaging in many of the activities associated with the samurai class. He is a man in the twilight of his years leading a dying clan and fears that with no obvious successor the Dragon will simply come apart when he passes, giving him a morose outlook on life.

Ginawa: Now the head of his own minor clan made up of many of the ronin from Toturi’s army, he has been charged with rooting out Shadow infestations throughout the empire. The Shadowhunters, as the traveling agents are called, are allowed to recruit apprentices travel with them. If they successfully learn the necessary skills, and survive the training, they are offered fealty to the Wolf clan, which has helped grow the clan’s numbers significantly. Despite his new status as Daimyo, Ginawa is rarely found in the small castle allotted to his clan; he still roams the empire searching for the man who killed his master, Revenge ever at the forefront of his mind.

The Dashmar and The Daini: Since the Naga awoke to oppose the Foul they have been struggling diplomatically with Rokugan. Xenophobia on the part of the Rokugani and a sense of superiority on the part of the Naga have made relations difficult and many times they nearly broke down completely but for the work of The Dashmar and the former Mirumoto Daini. The Daini gave up his family name after the destruction of the Dragon lands and now spends most of his time among the Naga, learning their customs and instructing them in his. As a result, most of the more “civilized” Naga have a noticeable Dragon bent to their manners. The Dashmar spends most of his time among the high courts of Rokugan, on a similar mission.

Kitsuki Kaagi: Kaagi was found wandering faceless near the lands of his birth. Most of his mind had been consumed by the Shadow, but he had enough sense to demand that he be bound in crystal shackles and placed under guard. His fading lucidity proved a great help to Rokugani understanding of the Lying Darkness. He rarely says anything useful these days, his form is black and oozing and he babbles madness. Anyone listening too long runs the risk of suffering a similar fate to Kaagi’s own.

Mirumoto Bujun: There is one man brightening the darkening twilight of Sukune’s reign, Mirumoto Bujun. He was a young man, nearly a boy, when the War Against the Darkness began, but proved himself to be an able fighter in the those first desperate years. He mastered the Daisho technique under the tutelage of Taki and has since become proficient in a wide variety of weapons under the instruction of the Lion. Furthermore he, is regarded as a paragon of Bushido and is spoken of highly be nearly the entire empire. He is an inspiring presence to the Dragon, a beacon of light that shines against the Darkness. There are no direct descendants of Mirumoto after Sukune and it is widely speculated that rulership of the clan will pass to Bujun upon Sukune’s death.

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