Legend of the Five Rings, or L5R for short, is a game that started as a CCG in the early 90s and quickly developed a devoted and massive fan base. It didn't take too long before the setting started getting complex, and an RPG of the game was made, for the delight of players around the globe.
The setting is based on feudal Japan, with influence from Mongol, Chinese, Indian and similar cultures. This diversified people take
Rokugan
as it's home.
Myth of Creation
At the beginning, there was Nothing.
Nothing then, became unrestless and lonely, so it created the "Three Gods Whose Names Cannot Be Spoken", and from their thoughts came Amaterasu, the Sun and Onnotangu, the Moon. Many years, or maybe milleniums, passed with Onnotangu chasing Amaterasu across the skies, due to her unrivaled beuaty and brightness.
During their Sky chase, these two great beings started naming everything in the world, thus giving them identity and growth. The Original, the Nothing, hid in the Moon's shadow and was not named at all, giving it the freedom to change shape as will, not able to be defined.
When Onnotangu reached his love, the first Great Sleep of the first race - the Naga - begun, and another age was born.
From their union, came the Kami.
Sons of the Moon and Sun, these were special and strong. The Nothing, now jealous of everything created and named, wished to return to it's natural self, when all was Nothing, and being was it; this surreptitious shadow whispered words of madness in Onnotangu's ear. It was then known as the Lying Darkness.
Convinced that his offspring would soon dethrone him, Lord Moon called his Bright Wife and ordered she brought his sons for him to devour.
Amaterasu cried, and her tears became Jade as they touched the ground on Ningen-do - the Realm of the Mortals. Yet, she obeyed. As each of the Kami were devoured, she cried and offered one more cup of sake with a bit of poison in it.
When the time came to devour their youngest, Hantei, the Moon was sleepy, his eyes barely could see what was in front of him, he couldn't even feel his own body. Seeing that her poison was effective, Amaterasu swapped Hantei for a stone, and that was consumed in it's stead.
Hantei trained hard through his childhood until he matured into a powerful man.
The surviving child confronted his father, and a terrible battle ensued. Not much further in the fight, Hantei realized he could not kill his almighty father, and with a quick strike from his blade, he cut a great gash on his father's belly, falling down along with all his brothers and sisters... All but Ryoshun.
As soon as the Kami fell to Ningen-do, they lost their divinity; but no fool would call them 'mortal' either. These gods were very powerful, but Onnotangu knew the Children of Moon and Sun could not return anymore, and thus, was satisfied.
The Moon could not understand why his beloved wife, to whom he gave the stars could've betrayed him.
"My wife has betrayed me" he said "and for her crime, I will chase her through the heavens. She will have no rest, no peace, and she will forever be alone, apart from her children. As she took her love from me, so will she be forever without love."
"My children, too, deserve no mercy. One by one, I shall hunt them and their people, until the world is as red as blood, and as black as night. I shall destroy them, for daring to steal what is my own."
"But I shall have one child," said Onnotangu, gnashing his teeth with fury, "a son of my own choosing, who has never betrayed me. A child who has never known the Sun."
Onnotangu went for the only he could trust, it who told him about the impending betrayal of his offspring: The Shadow who hid. The Moon spoke to it as a father, and lifted Nothing to become the blackness between the stars.
This was known as the Fall of the Kami.
[[These events are narrated in different forms with changes here and there, such as it was expected from a Myth]]
The Clans
In Rokugan, the political division is based on it's three main castes: The Samurai, the Clergy and the Bonge. Further more, they have Clans with strict rules of behavior and duties sweared by their Founder Kami*.
These are the Nine Great Clans as they exist in the mod:
Crab Clan
Champion
Hida Kisada, the Great Bear
Founder
Kami Hida.
Families
Hida
,
Hiruma
,
Kaiu
,
Kuni
, Toritaka & Yasuki
Duty
Defender of the Empire; the Crab protect the Kaiu Kabe, an enormous wall separating the Empire of Rokugan from the terrible Shadowlands.
Brief Description
The Crab Clan has the duty of guarding the Emerald Empire against the horrors of the Shadowlands. The Crab Clan Champion has always been from the Hida family, directly descended from the original Hida. Unlike other Clans, the Crab did not value sincerity as highly as they did honesty, carrying this philosophy from the battlefield into the court. The Crab viewed the political situation in very simple terms; the strong had more right to rule than the weak, and those who could not protect the Empire did not deserve to rule it. Because of the first Hida's defeat by Hantei, they viewed the Hantei dynasty with respect.
Crane Clan
Champion
Doji Domotai, daughter of Doji Kurohito
Founder
Kami Lady Doji.
Families
Asahina
,
Daidoji
,
Doji
&
Kakita
. There is a small group of Yasuki on the Crane Clan as well.
Duty
Left Hand of the Emperor; upholders of the Law and customs.
Brief Description
The Crane consisted of four powerful families in complete symbiosis, no two families overlapping in duties. The Doji family were the voice of the clan and control most of the politics within Rokugan. The Kakita family were famed for their iaijutsu duelists as well as their skills as artisans. The Daidoji family were the military might of the Crane as well as handling the things too dishonorable or dangerous for the other families. The Asahina family were the only shugenja in the clan, and spent their time in peaceful meditation and creation of nemuranai. The Asahina were in theory a fifth family, as the Yasuki family were once Crane. Their path however led them away from the Crane to the Crab Clan shortly after the founding of the Asahina.
Dragon Clan
Champion
Mirumoto Shikei, son of Mirumoto Kei
Founder
Kami Togashi.
Families
Togashi
(a Monastic Order),
Mirumoto
,
Tamori
&
Kitsuki
.
Duty
Togashi did not participated in the Tournament of the Kami, but was charged to Watch the Empire.
Brief Description
Following the first appearance of Shinsei after the Tournament of the Kami, Togashi retreated into the mountains of northern Rokugan to live in solitude. This, however, did not happen as he was followed there by two men, Mirumoto and Agasha. These two became his first followers and the three built a temple to Amaterasu with a castle around the temple to protect it. Over the years Togashi's followers grew in number. Those seeking his wisdom took the Togashi name, while those showing any skill with the blade were taken in by Mirumoto and trained by him in his niten technique. Those who showed an affinity for the elements were taught by Agasha. The Dragon were secluded, and for the next thousand years they would rarely leave their mountains to interfere with the politics and events of the other clans
Mantis Clan
Champion
Yoritomo Kumiko, Daughter of the Storms
Founder
Kami Yoritomo.
Families
Kitsune
,
Moshi
,
Tsuruchi
,
Yoritomo
.
Brief Description
The Mantis Clan is one of the Great Clans of Rokugan. Prior to the Second Day of Thunder, they could boast of being the oldest Minor Clan in the Empire, though they were not officially recognized as such. They occupied a unique position in Rokugani history, as a former Minor Clan that rose up on the Second Day of Thunder to become a Great Clan. Until recently, they were the only Great Clan without a divine representative. This changed, however, when the great Mantis hero Yoritomo ascended to Tengoku. Later, the Thunder Dragon gave up a portion of his divinity to allow Yoritomo to remain as the Mantis' official representative in the court of Tengoku. Specifically, their duties within the Emerald Empire are to guard and patrol all the lands of the Empire which do not belong to any other clan, including the seas of Rokugan. They protect the Empire against threats from the oceans, particulalrly any potential gaijin invaders. The clan's motto is
"Only a fool stands in the path of a storm."
Lion Clan
Champion
Akodo Dairuko
Founder
Kami Akodo One-Eye.
Families
Akodo
,
Ikoma
,
Kitsu
&
Matsu
.
Duty
Right Hand of the Emperor; record the military and political interactions between Clans.
Brief Description
The Lion were the most militant and aggressive of all the clans, revering bushido and loyalty to the Emperor as life's two most essential governing principles. The Lion's rigidity and strict adherence to tradition had made diplomatic relations with other clans very difficult, especially the Crane and Scorpion Clans. To the Lion, an ancestor was more than simply a spirit of the past; they guided the current generation of Lions in their everyday life and helped shape their destinies. They were more than the Clan's past - they were its present and future.
Phoenix Clan
Champion
Shiba Tsukimi, the Soul of Shiba. The Blind Phoenix.
Elemental Council
-
Elemental Master of Air
Isawa Nakamuro
-
Elemental Master of Earth
Isawa Emori
-
Elemental Master of Fire
Isawa Ochiai
-
Elemental Master of Water
Asako Bairei
-
Elemental Master of the Void
Shiba Ningen
Founder
Kami Shiba.
Families
Agasha
,
Asako
,
Isawa
&
Shiba
.
Duty
The mystics and philosophers of the Phoenix seek enlightenment, but the clan also seeks to ensure their position as the controllers of magical knowledge within the Empire.
Brief Description
The Phoenix Clan is known throughout Rokugan for their skilled shugenja and mastery of elemental magic. The Phoenix are also noted pacifists, preferring diplomacy to war if at all possible. The Phoenix presence in the courts of the land is not great as their courtiers are relatively few, although they are not isolationists like the Dragon Clan. The Phoenix Clan was founded by the Kami Shiba, although the family of his vassal Isawa, generally ran the affairs of the clan.
Scorpion Clan
Champion
Bayushi Kachiko
Founder
Kami Bayushi
Families
Bayushi
,
Shosuro
,
Soshi
,
Yogo
.
Duty
The Underhand of the Emperor; the Scorpion pose as villains, so the Clans have an enemy to focus on in times of peace, leaving the Emerald Throne secure.
Brief Description
The Scorpion Clan was founded by the Kami Bayushi. The clan and its members are widely considered to be villainous and untrustworthy by the rest of Rokugan, though they merely attempt to fulfill the duty given to their family by the First Emperor on the day of his ascension.
While the Crane was the Emperor's Left Hand and the Lion his right, the Scorpion was often referred to as the Underhand of the Emperor. It was a family of spies, manipulators, and assassins who valued loyalty and duty and for whom the ends justifed the means. The samurai of the Scorpion clan understood that by dirtying their hands, they ensured that no others need do so.
Spider Clan
Champion
Daigotsu Kanpeki, son of Daigotsu
Founder
"
Kami" Daigotsu
Families
Daigotsu
,
Goju
,
Ninube
&
Susumu
.
Brief Description
The Spider were the followers of Fu Leng. Originally denizens of the Shadowlands known as the Lost, the Spider left that dark realm under the direction of their dread lord Daigotsu and infiltrated the Empire. Daigotsu. led his people from the Shadowlands and into the Empire, where they masqueraded as the Spider Clan.
Unicorn Clan
Champion/Khan
Moto Chagatai
Founder
Kami Shinjo.
Families
Horiuchi,
Ide
, Iuchi,
Moto
,
Shinjo
,
Utaku
.
Duty
Protectors of the Lands Beyond; Just as the Crab protect the Empire of the Shadowlands down South, the Unicorn Clan is the Empire's shield against forces from beyond the Rokugani border, such as the Burning Sands, Medinat al-Salaam.
Brief Description
The Unicorn are the finest cavalry in all of Rokugan. The Unicorn were considered barbarians by most of the other Rokugani clans. They spent eight hundred years outside the Empire, exploring the Burning Sands and other lands, and Rokugan's cultured society believed that in spite of the two centuries since their return they still have not relearned the civilized ways of their motherland. The clans could not be more wrong. The Unicorn know the ways of their cousins, but chose to follow their own path, influenced by their contact with gaijin cultures. Because of this, they were held in low regard by many, but nonetheless were feared for their military might. Their battlecry was
"We are the people of the Wind"
.
*Note: The Mantis and the Spider do not have a Son of the Sun and Moon as a Founder Kami, but Patrons:
- Yoritomo, Patron of the Mantis Clan was part of a Minor Clan and his destiny was to keep it that way. Yoritomo though, knew that 'only mortal men can change their destiny' and he had the strength to do so. With his combat prowess and cunning, he was capable of rising a Minor Clan to Great Clan status, something that never happened until then.
- Daigotsu, Patron of the Spider Clan, also known by many dreadful nicknames, such as Dark Lord of the Shadowlands & Master of Jigoku was the second son of Emperor Hantei XXXVIII. Due to the machinations of a cell of the Bloodspeaker Order, Daigotsu was raised far away from his home as a child of the cult. He was so powerful, that many thought he would one day finally succeed in destroy the Empire. What those many didn't know, was that Daigotsu's plan was to have a home for his followers, and created the Spider Clan, later becoming a Great Clan when the Dark Lord ascended as the Master of Jigoku.
Other Figures
The Imperials
Leader
Emperor Toturi III
Families
The Emperor's Family
,
Miya
,
Otomo
&
Seppun
.
Description
The Emperor of Rokugan was the title given to the ruler of the Empire of Rokugan. It was a hereditary monarchy whose throne passed, with few exceptions, from eldest son to eldest son. Three dynasties have held the title of Emperor: the Hantei family, under whom the title was established and held for over a thousand years, the Toturi family, the dynasty whose last blood member Toturi III died without an heir, throwing the line of succession into confusion, and the Iweko family, the newest dynasty to claim the throne. Toturi III's wife Toturi Kurako acted as regent until her death in 1169, resulting in even more turmoil. Toturi III's remaining living siblings had also been killed in 1169, leaving no clear succession. Following the Celestial Tournament in 1170, Iweko I became the first Empress of the new Iweko family dynasty.
The Brotherhood of Shinsei
Head of the Brotherhood
Tanari
Monk Schools
- The Four Temples
- The Shrine of the Seven Thunders
- The Temple of Kaimetsu-uo
- The Temple of Osano-Wo
- The Temples of the Thousand Fortunes
- The Order of Resolution
- The Order of Strength, devoted to Bishamon
- The Order of Heroes, devoted to Goemon
- The Order of Rebirth, devoted to Tsukune
Description
The Brotherhood of Shinsei was a religious organization that governed and oversaw the thousands of temples, shrines and monasteries of Rokugan. It was named after Shinsei, the monk who led the Seven Thunders to victory over Fu Leng at the dawn of the Empire. Devoted to the study of the Tao of Shinsei, the worship of the kami no michi and the pursuit of enlightenment, the Brotherhood was the preeminent spiritual body in the Empire.
The Shadowlands
Leader
Jigoku, the Realm of Evil
Description
It was created when Fu Leng fell from heaven, and left a crater known as the Festering Pit deep within the Shadowlands. It was from here that the Taint spread out, blighted, and corrupted the land. This is also where demons and evil spirits could cross freely from Jigoku into Ningen-do. The Shadowlands was a constantly shifting and uninhabitable nightmare come to life. It was home to oni, ogres, trolls, goblins, the Lost and countless other vile creatures.
The Shadowlands was a passage between Ningen-do and Jigoku, existing in both realms simultaneously. The Crab Clan held the forces of the Shadowlands at bay along the Carpenter Wall.
Ronin
Description
A ronin (literally, "wave man" - one who was tossed about, like a wave in the sea) was a masterless samurai.
A samurai would became masterless from the ruin or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or privilege. A samurai was forbidden to become employed by another master without his previous master's permission. When the samurai's previous master died without an heir or was stripped of his lands and title, the samurai became unemployable by other daimyo.
In addition, a samurai could become ronin if he was not recognized as an heir by his samurai parent, was outcast for a failure and denied seppuku, or was simply someone who had chosen to abandon his station.
To a samurai, for whom their duty to their master was their life, the loss of duty was often seen as a fate worse than death. Generally, a samurai would request to commit seppuku to absolve himself of whatever shame caused him to become ronin, though this step could be forbidden by the samurai's daimyo, if becoming ronin were a punishment.
Traditionally, ronin were generally regarded as disreputable and were frequently targets of humiliation and satire. In addition, ronin often posed a serious threat, as the masterless life often degenerated into a life of thievery and malice. Ronin bands frequently threatened settlements and commerce. This was a problem that arises somewhat regularly and that the magistrates of Rokugan put forth every effort to quell.
Ronin existed outside the Celestial Order. They were still samurai, but they were not subservient to any greater power. They wore the daisho, but they did not have the protection of even the eta who lived under a daimyo. Many ronin felt that their freedom was worth the sacrifice, but there were also many that would disagree.
And now, the Mechanics!
The MOD
Each Clan will have 4 Civilizations, with each of them representing one of the families and 4 additional Civilizations without Clan alignment: The Imperials, Shadowlands Beasts (led by Akuma no Oni), Shadowlands Army (led by Yogo Junzo, being Daigotsu the leader for the time being) and The Ronin.
All Civs belonging to a Clan will share a single Palace building, giving them a simple ability to signify their Clan of origin.
Technologies
"Science" is replaced by "Research".
When you have discovered enough techs to advance an Era, instead you get an upgrade to your Palace on your capital. The usual message "You entered the Industrial Era" will now be displayed as "Your
Stronghold is now a Goten!"
Stronghold is now a Goten!"
Instead of Eras, now the Research defines the complexity of the construction of your Stronghold in the Capital. In order:
Kessai
Mura
Shiro
Yosai
Goten
Yakata
Kyuden
Dendo
Great People
Artists are now Artisans.
Writers are now Poets.
CoreGameChanges
Palace
Each Clan will have a Palace (which is now referred to as
Stronghold
) replacement.
The Shadowlands player(s) will have an exclusive Victory Condition, related to the Tao of Fu Leng and missions to rescue it and bring it to their Palace.
Abilities
Every Civilization will have 1 Unique Building, 1 Unique Unit, 3 of any combination of UU, UB or UI and an Unique General.
The Unique Generals will either be Civilians or Military units, with the major difference being (other than the fact that one can fight and the other cannot) that the Civilian will have a passive ability and a powerful active ability, while the Military General will have 2 passives instead.
Combat
Barbarians
Barbarians are replaced by Bandits.
Shugenja
They will have powers beyond mere promotions, with spells being suited to their preferred element.
Specialists
Monks - Faith Specialists
Courtier - Influence Specialists
Timeline
- v0.1a - 10 Civilizations, no changes to core game. Basic testing.
- v0.1b - Introduction of Unique Generals.
- v0.2 - Expansion of Uniques to a total of 6 for each Civilization.
- v0.3 - Pulverization of the Clans, becoming Family Civilizations instead (at this point only 2 families per Clan will be available).
- v0.4 - Slight modification of the Policies, in order to become more in line with L5R stories.
- v0.5 - Adapted Tech Tree for L5R. Addition of Jade, Obsidian and Crystal resources and new effects for each.
- v0.6 - Introduction of the Honor system of upgrading the Capital (no longer will Eras be relevant to your development).
- v0.7 - A third family per Clan. Modification of texts and terminology to be more in line with L5R lore.
- v0.8 - Addition of Ronin, Imperial and/or Shadowlands Beasts Civilizations, bringing the total to 28-30 options!
- v1.0 - The first step of the total conversion, with a new Spell system, exclusive Policies, a new tech Tree and modifications to the Tourism system.
- v1.1 - The last batch of families per clan, bringing the total to 37-39 Civilizations.
- v1.2 - Introduction of a new Victory Condition: Enlightenment.
