I put together two new player options I want to share with other players and maybe get feedback on. The Falcon Lantern Warden based on the adventure seed "Broken Circle" and a Tortoise Customs Officer. While I recognize that one could use the Worldly Ronin as a stand in for a generic Bushi school and the Tortoise could easily use the Mantis schools to represent other Tortoise or similar seafaring training, I was trying to make a unique feel for both the Falcon and Tortoise Clans.

Toritaka Lantern Warden:
The Falcon Clan's Lantern Wardens serve as the spiritual sword and shield to the Phantom Hunters. When not on a mission helping to quiet restless spirits and ghosts, they help to set and maintain the Lantern Circle every night in the Toritaka Valley
+1 Air, +1 Fire
Starting Skills (Choose Five): +1 Command, +1 culture, +1 Government, +1 Martial Arts Melee, +1 Sentiment, +1 Survival, +1 Theology
Honor: 35
Techniques: Kata, Rituals, Shuji
Starting Kata: Crescent Moon Style
Rituals: Threshold Barrier
Shuji (Pick one): Courtier's Resolve, Honest Assessment, Stirring the Embers

School Ability: Lantern Lighter-When performing the Threshold Ritual you may spend a number of opportunity results up to your school rank to increase the TN of Meditation(Void) check by 1 for each opportunity spent. When you chose to perform an area ward, the sealed area covers a number of range bands equal to your school rank plus the number of bonus successes on your roll.

Rank 1:
Martial Skills Group
Performance
Survival
Theology
Rank 1 Shuji
Commune with Spirits
Pelting Hail Style

Rank 2:
Social Skills Group
Meditation
Martial Arts Melee
Sentiment
Rank 1-2 Kata
Shallow Waters
A Samurai's Fate

Rank 3:
Scholar Skills Group
Command
Survival
Tactics
Rank 1-3 Shuji
Flowing Water Strike
Open Hand Style

Rank 4:
Trade Skill Group
Courtesy
Martial Arts Melee
Theology
Rank 1-4 Kata
Rouse the Soul
Buoyant Arrival

Rank 5:
Martial Skill Group
Performance
Sentiment
Survival
Rank 1-5 Shuji
Soul Sunder
Crimson Leaves Strike

Rank 6: Lantern Circle Master-When performing the Threshold Barrier Ritual, you may add a number of kept ring die equal to your theology skill set to either opportunity or success. You may coordinate with other characters performing this ritual so that their warded area and yours stack.

Kasuga Customs Official
While many members of the Tortoise Clan operate as smugglers, the Customs school serves to enforce the Emperor's restrictions on the importation of goods and items of Gaijin origin and manufacture. They are most often seen in Slow Tide Harbor inspecting cargo holds and offloaded merchandise. However, having the Emperor's commandment of communication and observation of foreigners in Rokugan, they can often be seen in the border regions of the Great Clans where contact with the outside world is common. On the Islands of Spice and Silk they work with Mantis Magistrates in fulfilling the same responsibilities as they do in Slow Tide Harbor. In Khanbulak. the often work in tandem with the Ide and Shinjo familes in managing the inflow of Gaijin good used by the Unicorn, much to the chagrin of the Moto, Iuchi, and Utaku Families. In Phoenix Lands, they maintain watch over the quite trade between that Clan and the Yobanjin often alongside members of the Kaito Family. In Crab lands, they work with Yasuki and Kuni to make sure that Gaijin items entering Rokugan, particularly to the Carpenter Wall do not carry the taint.
+1 Fire, + 1 Earth
Starting Skills: +1 Command, +1 Commerce, +1 Courtesy, +1 culture, +1 Labor, +1 Martial Arts Melee, +1 Skullduggery
Honor 30
Techniques: Kata, Rituals, Shuji
Kata: Coiling Serpent Style or Open Hand Strike
Shuji: Honest Assessment, Shallow Waters

School Ability: Customs Inspection-When performing a Trade check involving Gaijin character or item of Gaijin manufacture or origin, you may spend a numer of opportunity up to your school rank to add that many bonus successes. At GM's discretion, this effect can extend to social interactions with characters of the Unicorn, Phoenix, Mantis, Badger, and other Tortoise clan characters.

Rank 1:
Martial Skills Group
Courtesy
Sentiment
Commerce
Rank 1 Kata
Stirring the Embers
Well of Desire

Rank 2:
Trade Skill Group
Command
Culture
Martial Arts Melee
Rank 1-2 Shuji
Breath of Wind Style
Rushing Avalanche Style

Rank 3:
Scholar Skill Group
Courtesy
Fitness
Skullduggery
Rank 1-3 Kata
All Arts are One
Buoyant Arrival

Rank 4:
Social Skill Group
Commerce
Martial Arts Melee
Sentiment
Rank 1-4 Shuji
Crescent Moon Style
Strike as Void

Rank 5:
Martial Skill Group
Command
Culture
Skullduggery
Kata Rank 1-5
Sear the Wound
Wolf's Proposal

Rank 6: Imperial Writ-You do not lose honor or glory for possessing, carrying, or using Gaijin items. You may acquire (ie confiscate) such items without penalty as if they were legal.


Feedback or thoughts?

The fact that the Falcon Clan only got one school, and it was a shugenja school, while the Deer Clan is getting two is definitely something I would love to see fixed. As someone who also homebrewed a Falcon Clan bushi school (before the Shadowlands book), I really like the inclusion of a focus on Threshold Barrier. I would expand it slightly, however, and add something allowing them to add a Kept Ring die set to Opportunity on all Survival checks and Skill checks involving ghosts.

I will need to take a longer look at this Tortoise School and give you my thoughts.

Thank you sndwurks. I look forward to your assessment of the Tortoise Customs school. I will see what I can do about adding in your suggestion for the Lantern Warden. Would that kept die you suggested be only on the Rank 6 mastery or would it be part of the School Ability that levels up with each rank?