Since in my last Vassal Clans document, there was some complaint that a number of the Minor Clans that I created families for were ones that they didn't even have write ups for, I saw that there was some need to offer something so that those who don't want to come up with their own stats have something they can use. Besides-- I think it is easy for some people to forget that some of these even existed, and FFG haven't gotten around to most of them even 2 years after the game was published. I tried to cover every Minor Clan that has ever been mentioned either in the old lore or the new, altering their origin stories just enough so that they were all formed within the current timeline (and avoiding declaring anything fully extinct as much as possible). The exceptions being the Mantis Clan, Tortoise Clan, Falcon Clan and Centipede Clan as those have already been covered in published books. I understand that proper official versions of the Badger Clan and Dragonfly will be available within the coming months too, but they aren't here today. And I am sure plenty of people have their own versions of their favorite ones and prefer their own versions to what I wrote up here-- but maybe I included a clan or two that you missed.
Also... if anyone has any additional Minor Clans they have created and would like to add, I am not adverse to adding some unofficial homebrew clans to the list.
T
HE
B
ADGER
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Water
Skill Increase:
+1 Fitness
Status:
25
The Badger Clan was the first Minor Clan created in the history of Rokugan, with only the remnant of the Kirin Clan known as the Fox Clan being recognized earlier. When the Kirin Clan left Rokugan at the end of the first century, it left a significant hole in the defenses of the nation. Hantei, concerned that foreign invaders could come through the former Kirin Clan lands. It was Hantei’s son Genji who held a tournament to decide the leader of a new minor clan, the tournament was won by Hida Domogu who was then named Ichiro Domogu. The Badger Clan has protected the borders of the empire ever since from their lands far to the north, sandwiched between the Unicorn Clan and Dragon Clan lands. There are rumors that there is something far more important and special in these lands too—a secret that would rewrite the history of the Empire.
Ichiro Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Earth or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Commerce, +1 Fitness
Glory:
37
Starting Wealth:
5 Koku
The Ichiro family is a surprisingly reclusive one, mostly sticking to their own lands. It is said that their fortress crates an odd melancholy in all those who reside in and around it. Those few Badger who do travel beyond their lands, typically on economic or diplomatic missions, tend to be far more jovial—as if a large weight has been lifted from them. They have fairly productive farm land and despite their long vigil, they have never once been called upon to actually defend the empire from foreign threats.
T
HE
B
AT
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Fire
Skill Increase:
+1 Theology
Status:
25
The Bat Clan originated from the Mantis Clan, rumored to have links to the ancient Koumori spirits that once inhabited the Islands of Silk and Spice, but are rumored to have since disappeared. The clan started with a being simply known as Komori who was purportedly a Mantis Clan shugenja. However, this shugenja claimed to be able to ferry messages to the land of the dead and even summon spirits of the recently deceased temporarily back to the world of the living so that they could be consulted. A previous emperor sought out Komori and asked that he bring his sister back from the land of the dead so that he could consult her for advice and she could pass on knowledge that had been lost when she had departed. The Emperor was apparently satisfied enough to grant Komori his own clan. The Bat Clan is almost an extension of the Mantis Clan, those who are born without the ability to communicate with the kami are sent to the Mantis Clan to be trained in the way of the bushi.
Komori Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Air or +1 Void
Skill Increases:
+1 Composition, +1 Meditation
Glory:
36
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Komori family lives on the Isles of Silk and Spice along with the Mantis Clan, laying claim to a single lost island of their own called “The Island of Lost Wilderness”. They are a fairly reclusive family and many rumors abound that the members of the family are not even human at all, but instead some sort of bat youkai. They continue to claim to be spiritual mediums and to be able to communicate with the dead, as such many who have heard legends of them seek them out—however none have been able to perfectly replicate the feat the original Komori accomplished for the Emperor.
T
HE
B
EAR
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Earth
Skill Increase:
+1 Fitness
Status:
25
The Bear Clan was created during the reign of Hantei XX. During his reign, he imposed extremely high taxes upon the clans. At the same time, a famine hit the Crab Clan lands causing them to be without the rice necessary to feed their population. The Crab became desperate and attacked the Crane Clan lands in an attempt to gain more food. In response, the Crane Clan advised the Emperor to create a sumai wrestling tournament in which the winner would be awarded the honor of their own family. Although the Crab traditionally dominated sumai tournaments during that age, the Crane believed that they could humiliate the Crab Clan due to the Crab’s wrestlers being underfed and starved. The plan failed due to a Hiruma who had been trained in the Hida wrestling school, but also knew how to tap into Berserker abilities, was able to overcome the opponents and win the tournament. Thus, the winner was awarded a low ranking Doji bride and his own family, however Hantei XX took it one step further and awarded them status as their own clan—something that he knew would be burdensome. Thus, the Bear Clan was formed. The clan was filled out entirely with heimin who the new Bear Clan Champion elevated to the rank of samurai. The Clan existed less than two generations, though it was known for both the skill of their sumai wrestlers and their berserker warriors. It was the second that caused their downfall—the Lion Clan marched an army far from home upon their lands and seemingly exterminated the entire clan. The Lion Clan claimed that the entire clan had been corrupted by the taint of the Shadowlands, becoming more beast than man, however much of the Crab Clan seems skeptical of the claim as their destruction occurred very shortly after Hantei XX’s death as though it might have been a deathbed order to erase this failure.
Kuma Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Water or +1 Void
Skill Increases:
+1 Fitness, +1 Survival
Glory:
32
Starting Wealth:
3 Koku
Because the Bear Clan lasted for such a very short time, their creation was hardly glorious and they never had any great victories, the memory of the Bear Clan remains simply as a sore spot and rift between the Crab Clan and those of the Crane and the Lion. It is not impossible that some members of the clan escaped the destruction of the clan and did not die in failed attempts at vengeance in the centuries since, it is far more likely that those who have claimed the name of Kuma in the 300 years since the destruction of the clan are ignorant that there even was a Bear Clan in the first place or simply saw that “Bear Clan” or “the Kuma family” were listed in some old document and decided to claim heritage from it. Even so—in Rokugan names hold power and those who take on even a forgotten name are liable to shape themselves in that name’s image. Thus, even those ignorant of the true history of the clan who have taken on the Kuma name have tended to take on the traits of sumai wrestlers and berserkers.
T
HE
B
EE
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Water
Skill Increase:
+1 Aesthetics
Status:
25
The Bee Clan started with a rather sharp-tongued woman from the Doji family whose critique of others was initially praised. However, the more she found adoration for sharp and cutting criticism, the more she became careless with her words and who she offended. Slowly she began to amass enemies. After a particularly biting criticism of the artwork done by the nephew of the Emperor, the Crane Clan themselves ultimately exiled her lest the wrath be visited upon them. However, it was that same individual who was criticized who came forward and pleaded on her behalf, stating that despite her careless words, her deeper understanding of the aspects of art were of use to helping artists of the empire develop to even greater levels. She was given her own clan, the Bee clan. However, because she had disdain for heimin and ronin, the clan remained quite small. The Bee Clan is still often found whenever art is being displayed, though the current members aren’t nearly as careless with their words as their founder.
Hachi Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Air or +1 Fire
Skill Increases:
+1 Design, +1 Games
Glory:
37
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Hachi family is led by a council of five matriarchs, a leadership system quite different from most clans in Rokugan. Each one is specialized in a different kind of art form. For political reasons, a single one—typically the eldest—is considered to be the Clan Champion, they have an equal say as for the decisions they make for their clan. They firmly believe that if one can create the pinnacle of art, then they would find true enlightenment. However, their search for perfection means they are far more bitter about any flaws, particularly in art they see as having come so close to the ideal. They see themselves as the magistrates of the art world and many other clans are quite willing to accept their judgements. This gives them considerable political clout despite the small size of their clan.
T
HE
B
OAR
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Earth
Skill Increase:
+1 Labor
Status:
25
The Boar Clan was one that had a very short life. Originally, they were an expedition of Crab Clan miners who were sent into the Twilight Mountains to mine for metals and stone, but were lost in a landslide during a major earthquake and were presumed dead. Decades later they reemerged from the mountains and delivered three tons of iron and jade to the Emperor which they claimed were back taxes. There are rumors that they had struck some sort of bargain with mountain spirits in order to not only survive, but acquire such wealth. Impressed by this show of generosity, the Emperor named them their own independent clan. And yet, not even 100 years later, nearly the entire clan suddenly vanished. When an imperial envoy was sent to their lands to find out why they had ceased paying their taxes, it was found that all of their clan’s structures were intact and the castle and surrounding areas were oddly empty—as if they had been suddenly abandoned. All attempts to reoccupy these lands ever since have failed as the lands appears to be cursed, haunted or both. The clan was officially declared dissolved for failure of payment of taxes, though their exact fate remains an open mystery.
Heichi Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Earth or +1 Void
Skill Increases:
+1 Fitness, +1 Survival
Glory:
33
Starting Wealth:
3 Koku
Virtually the entire Heichi family vanished, seemingly overnight, at the beginning of the 6
th
century. As they were a rather minor clan and have been gone for more than four times as long as they were ever involved in the politics of Rokugan, they have been utterly forgotten. However, there are a handful of samurai who still claim the name and fly the flag of the boar. They claim to be descendants of those members of the Heichi family who were away from their homelands when the rest of the clan disappeared, or those who swore fealty to those individuals. They are scattered in small numbers across the empire, too insignificant to receive any real attention and haven’t even gathered together enough to try to reoccupy their ancestral castle making them hardly any better than typical ronin.
T
HE
C
AT
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Fire
Skill Increase:
+1 Skulduggery
Status:
25
The Cat Clan is a small Minor Clan that make their home on an island off the coast of Phoenix Clan lands. Their precise history is not widely known and some suspect they never even received proper imperial approval or recognition to be a proper Minor Clan. Their island is all but bereft of food, forcing them to live on seabirds, fishing and what food they can buy from the other clans. They are shinobi for hire and reliant on the income. This creates a difficult conundrum as such work is obviously illegal and they would want to keep it secret, but it is also important that those who wish to hire shinobi know that their services can be bought. Despite this, however, there has never been any sort of imperial decree that all Cat Clan members be cut down and instead they are allowed to walk freely in the empire and it is not uncommon to see them in the outskirts of even the capital.
Nekoma Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Air or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Courtesy, +1 Performance
Glory:
33
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Nekoma family are more a group of entertainers than what one would typically associate with being a proper samurai. They are acrobats, actors, and playwrights, traveling up and down the coast of Rokugan putting on shows to entertain the masses. Somehow relying on donations to such shows seem to be enough to live on and keep up their lifestyle as a traveling performance act. They are well known for their Kabuki plays, which are not only colorful, overdramatic and involve exciting fight choreography, but are also notably due to the amount of gender fluidity in the roles the performers take on. There are other rumors, both disturbing and titillating, about how else the family makes their money. It is enough to say that rich patrons often get into bidding wars over the attentions of some of the leads.
T
HE
D
RAGONFLY
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Air
Skill Increase:
+1 Courtesy
Status:
25
The Dragonfly Clan was formed over a broken engagement. Isawa Mariko was pledged to be married to Akodo Yokutsu, but instead married Mirumoto Asjin. The couple settled on the plains at the foothill of the Dragon Clan Mountains, but no sooner had they set up a house then a force of 5000 Lion bushi marched upon the lands. The Lion Army soon found armies of both the Dragon and the Phoenix blocking their path. It appeared that the result would be all-out war, but the Imperials intervened and made the couple a new Minor Clan known as the Dragonfly Clan. Although the Lions were stymied at the attempt of wiping out the clan that day, in the 300 years since they have repeatedly attempted to do so and come quite close at times. Their lands are poor and grow very little food, and offer nearly no defense against invasions, but they are also a popular site for temples and shrines—with everything from shrines to Amaterasu to Brotherhood of Shinsei temples being found in the Dragonfly lands.
Tonbo Family
Ring Increases:
+1 +1 Void or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Sentiment, +1 Theology
Glory:
37
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Tonbo are a group of pacifist courtiers and shugenja. Since the formation of the Dragonfly Clan, the Tonbo family have often served the Dragon Clan as diplomats, ambassadors and representatives during years when the Dragon Clan has been particularly isolationist. They espouse beliefs about the impermanence of the world and believe that true knowledge can only come from personal experience. Their research into spells is often focused on transformation magic.
T
HE
F
IREFLY
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Water
Skill Increase:
+1 Seafaring
Status:
25
The Firefly Clan started with an Emerald Magistrate who had been tasked with patrolling the waters north of Imperial lands. Given the number of ships coming in to the capital, this proved quite a task and he began hiring on ronin to expand his forces. His preparations proved fruitful when a group of yobanjin pirates, whose ships had been blown off course during a tsunami, moved to attack the capital. The forces of the Emerald Magistrate proved successful for long enough for Seppun forces to arrive and put an end to the inadvertent invasion. The group was then officially named the Firefly Clan and continues to patrol the shores between Phoenix and Imperial lands, watching for further naval invasions. They often work with the Tortoise and Mantis to insure they do not accidentally interfere with their business interests. They do not want to slay those who come to Rokugan in peace or as sanctioned traders. They also providing the Phoenix some badly needed naval power,
Hotaru Family
Ring Increases:
+
1 Fire or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Command, +1 Tactics
Glory:
35
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Hotaru family are descended primarily from ronin seamen and they continue to live primarily on ships and on shore. Their rough appearance can often cause them to be mistaken as ronin or even bandits, as a result they make extra efforts to wear clothing that clearly bears their clan mon. Despite their rough appearance, the Hotaru family tend to be quite diligent, punctual and reliable, a lot of their character formed from the fact that they run a large number of lighthouses along the shore of Rokugan and they schedule their lives around the tides and the sun in order to keep them all working. The Hotaru are the first family in Rokugan anyone traveling to Rokugan across the north sea are likely to encounter as they make efforts to intercept each ship and determine their motives for coming to Rokugan.
T
HE
F
OX
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Fire
Skill Increase:
+1 Survival
Status:
25
The Fox Clan was the first Minor Clan to receive such a status in the history of Rokugan. They were formed from the remnants of the Kirin clan when Shinjo led most of her clan out of the empire and into the Burning Sands. That remnant of the Kirin came under assault by the Lion Clan only a few years later as the Lion claimed they could no longer properly administer those lands with their small numbers. They fled into the Shinomen forest. Soon afterward, Hantei recognized the Fox Clan as a Minor Clan in order to provide them legitimacy and some protection against further aggression from the Lion. It is said that the Fox Clan mixed with the Fox Spirits living within the forest, in the very least they took on a more mystical nature and became masters of animal training, tracking and hunting. Ever since the Unicorn returned to Rokugan, there has been some pressure put upon the Fox to rejoin their former clan—but both the Unicorn and the Fox have changed so dramatically from their centuries of separation that they have hardly anything in common.
Kitsune Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Air or +1 Fire
Skill Increases:
+1 Medicine, +1 Theology
Glory:
36
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Kitsune are said to be the shugenja who are most attuned to nature. They specialize in illusion and trickery magic. In addition, they have a deep knowledge of the medicinal properties of the many plants found within shinomen forest and an understanding of all the various spirits that live there. Their lands are called the Kakuso and their castle Kyuden Kitsune is found within a smaller forest known as Kitsune Forest. Within their castle they have a large library of their research and findings across the many centuries as well as many ancient and powerful artifacts. Their home would be quite a target, but their forest provides them with protections both seen and unseen.
T
HE
H
ARE
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Air
Skill Increase:
+1 Fitness
Status:
25
The Hare Clan was the second Minor Clan formed specifically in order to hunt and combat Mahotsukai anywhere in the empire. While many of Rokugan’s clans have families dedicated specifically for hunting down such bloodspeakers within their own lands, the political tensions between the clans necessitated the creation of an independent group without political ties to any of the Great Clans. This was particularly true at the time of the Hare Clan’s creation, as it was the period when the particularly infamous bloodspeaker known as Iuchiban raised an army and attempted to conquer all of Rokugan. The ronin known as Reichin was instrumental in first warning the city of Ryoko Owari and then leading a makeshift force of undesirables against it. Reichin continued to fight until Iuchiban was finally defeated and destroyed. For his heroics in the war, Reichin was given the name Usagi in recognition of his speed and persistence and made the first champion of the Hare Clan. To this day the Hare Clan continues to hunt down bloodspeakers wherever they may reside in Rokugan.
Usagi Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Fire or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Sentiment, +1 Fitness
Glory:
35
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Usagi family is known for their speed and persistence. It is said that their gempukku ceremony involves catching a hare with one’s bare hands and that rather than following hereditary rule like most clans, the position of Champion in the Hare goes to the swiftest among them. In addition, the Usagi family is trained to be able to identify bloodspeakers easily and know a multitude of techniques for quickly defeating them. However, as very few shugenja are born among the Usagi, they do not do research into maho nor collect maho artifacts, thus making it far less likely that they will fall to the same temptations as the Chuda did.
T
HE
M
ONGOOSE
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Fire
Skill Increase:
+1 Medicine
Status:
25
The Mongoose Clan are residents of Zakyo Toshi, a city located between Scorpion, Lion and Sparrow Clan lands. The city is known for lechery and vice, periodically being cleaned up by imperial intervention. One of those times occurred after an Emerald Magistrate investigating some assassinations within the city found that they had been carried out by the orders of the then Scorpion Clan governor of the city. Although the governor was arrested, the Emerald Magistrate was killed during the process of eliminating the corrupt members of the city’s government. His head yoriki, a ronin named Noburo, took over and finished rooting out the evil in the city. Another Emerald Magistrate visited the city and made Noburo the interim governor of the city until a proper governor could be decided. Noburo survived many attempted assassinations via poisoning and ultimately when a new governor was chosen, Noburo and his followers were turned into the Mongoose Clan and assigned to continue to serve by rooting out corruption in the city. The Mongoose clan are experts at antidotes for counteracting and neutralizing poisons and there are some rumors that they ingest herbs to make them resistant to many common poisons.
Noburo Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Air or +1 Fire
Skill Increases:
+1 Command, +1 Skulduggery
Glory:
36
Starting Wealth:
3 Koku
The Noburo live in Zakyo Toshi where they primarily serve as magistrates, causing them to have a fairly long list of enemies. Despite the city’s reputation for corruption, the Noburo are by and large a rather honorable group. They are often skulking in the shadows of the city waiting to pounce on any criminal action they may uncover. However, due to the government of the city often profiting from the crime within it, they tend not to receive the necessary backing, authority and funding to be nearly as effective as they would wish to be.
T
HE
M
ONKEY
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Earth
Skill Increase:
+1 Sentiment
Status:
25
Although Rokugani historians would prefer to espouse that the transition from generation to generation within the Hantei family has always been an easy one, a closer examination would demonstrate otherwise. As much as Hantei attempted to limit the number of those within the empire who would carry his name so as to prevent disputes over inheritance of the throne, the transition has not always gone smoothly. A conflict erupted over inheritance of the throne after the death of Hantei the XXIV. During the conflict Hantei the XXV managed to seize the throne before being quickly overthrown by Hantei the XXVI. Instrumental to the victory of Hantei XXVI was a ronin named Toku, who it turned out was not a ronin at all—but merely a heimin who picked up a dead soldier’s sword in order to assist Hantei the XXVI in his battles. Toku offered to commit sepukku for his crimes, but instead he was given status as a Minor Clan. The Monkey Clan lands are on the far eastern side of the Shinomen forest, further east than the Scorpion provinces. Their lands are wealthy and abundant, producing more grain than they need and giving them plenty to trade with other clans. They are far from the center of politics, causing them to be mostly forgotten, however they have particularly good relations with the Miya family.
Toku Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Air or +1 Earth
Skill Increases:
+1 Command, +1 Culture
Glory:
36
Starting Wealth:
5 Koku
The member of the Toku family are surprisingly cheerful, upbeat and worry-free for samurai in Rokugan. They are occasionally seen as a bit silly and foolish, but they rarely get upset at even the most direct jab at their honor. They are known for keeping extensive travel journals which they pass on to their children so as to keep a personal record of their family line. Although the Toku family’s lands are some of the most distant and rural of all samurai, they do travel surprisingly far from home and can be found on occasion anywhere in the empire.
T
HE
M
OTH
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Void
Skill Increase:
+1 Theology
Status:
25
The Moth Clan was one that was created to combat a very specific threat to the empire. Creatures known as “baku” who reside within Yume-do and feed upon dreams were making their way into
waking world. The creatures plagued people as a curse and could not be destroyed through conventional means. An Isawa shugenja studied the creatures and discovered ways to banish them back into the dream world. However, more would have to be done in order to prevent them from continually escaping. He approached the Emperor for support and the Emperor granted the Isawa the right to create his own clan, the Moth Clan, and school where he could teach what he had learned and carry out further research on how to combat threats from Yume-do. The finest of the shugenja from the clan have learned to travel into Yume-do and have done so for centuries while other members of the clan take care of the duties of administration and protection of the clan’s incredibly small holdings.
Kaikoga Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Fire or +1 Void
Skill Increases:
+1 Sentiment, +1 Theology
Glory:
35
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
Most of the fully trained members of the Kaikoga family spend much of their lives asleep, with their minds and spirits carried away to Yume-do. Their bodies provide anchors for their spirits, but they can spent years in a deep hibernation. Other members of the clan, those born without the ability to communicate with the kami or the realms, spend their time attending to the sleeping members of the family, protecting them and taking care of the matters of the realm. Time passes differently in the realm of dreams as it does in the waking world, oddly resulting in both cases where a Kaikoga shugenja spent a very short time asleep while having accomplished much while others believe they have been in the realm for only a short time and awaken to find their bodies significantly aged. It is said the most powerful of the Kaikoga shugenja can even physically enter Yume-do which grants them immortality as they do not age while within the realm, however they also face much dire consequences for carelessness in Yume-do without being able to rely on their body as an anchor. The Kaikoga shugenja primarily deal with the Baku, many of whom are benevolent and help protect sleepers from nightmares. However, just like humans—the occasional baku becomes greedy or corrupt and it is up to the Kaikoga to fight them.
T
HE
O
X
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Earth
Skill Increase:
+1 Survival
Status:
20
The “Ox Clan” isn’t a clan, at least not a proper one. Only recently did the Utaku daimyo exile her two sons for the crime of injuring a prized Utaku warhorse. The two men had grown up dissatisfied with the position of men in their family and wished to ride upon the powerful steeds of their family. One night, Morito attempted to ride one resulting in it being injured by the inexperienced rider. Although exiled and now ronin, the two boys are still the children of a daimyo and thus garner a fair bit of respect for their family line. Others dissatisfied with the ways of the Utaku, or even the Unicorn in general, as well as ronin, ashigaru and even former bandits have become a mercenary band forming around the two ronin. With Morito in charge, this band of mercenaries has taken to informally referring to themselves as “The Ox Clan”.
Morito Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Fire or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Culture, +1 Survival
Glory:
33
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
Those who have sworn fealty to Morito are a rowdy lot. Boisterous and unrestrained, they love loud music, red meat and very physical forms of entertainment. They have tossed away all pretenses to courtesy or manners and instead revel in being entirely true to themselves. The Morito family seems to have some unknown and wealthy benefactor allowing those in this band such freedoms, but precisely where this wealth is coming from is unclear.
T
HE
P
EACOCK
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Air
Skill Increase:
+1 Courtesy
Status:
25
The Peacock started under somewhat inauspicious circumstances. Their founder the beautiful and skilled son of the Crane Clan Champion during the reign of Hantei XIX, quick with his wits and his sword and yet with a weakness for sake and women. It is said that the Emperor’s own niece broke off her engagement with the son of the Phoenix Clan Champion and instead married him in a rather rushed manner. Originally the man was adopted into the Seppun family and was personally charged with taking care of the Emperor’s prized flock of Peacocks. Eighteen years later, the slighted former fiancé of his wife led the Phoenix Clan on an attack on Otosan Uchi itself in an event known since as the Night of Five Fires. Although he died that night, he did so while protecting his wards. For his heroism, his wife and children were made into the Peacock Clan and given new lands between the Crane and Scorpion lands as well as enough Peacocks to create their own flock. Ever since the Peacock Clan has been found flocking to courts across the empire. They known for being incredibly charming, seductive and flamboyant. Although one might question the precise effectiveness of accomplish much positive on behalf of their clan, they are at least quite good at creating relationships with every new family they meet in Rokugan.
Kujaku Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Air or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Design, +1 Culture
Glory:
35
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Kujaku family is primarily known as courtiers, though they do tend to have a few bushi. They stand out as a bit odd, usually dressed in gaudy and flashing clothing. They tend to lay compliments on thick with everyone they meet showing genuine interest in everyone who is different from themselves. The family also has a negative reputation for both having and causing far more than their share of bastard children and any engagement with a member of their family is seen as a curse that is likely not to be fulfilled. While this negative reputation should be enough to do them in, they tend to be simply so pleasant to be around that most are willing to just put the thought to the back of their mind and enjoy how lively having a Kujacku around can cause things to be.
T
HE
R
AVEN
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Earth
Skill Increase:
+1 Theology
Status:
25
The origin of the Raven clan is quite unclear. There are those who might suggest that they started as a group of Brotherhood of Shinsei monks who took up mercenary work in order to earn money to feed the monks of the monasteries. Others believe that they were started by a grandson of Otomo Reju in an attempt to continue his efforts to spread the Tao of Shinsei. Still others claim that they are actually tengu who have disguised themselves as humans, or at least the progeny of such tengu. Regardless, it is unclear exactly when or by whom the Raven Clan started and received official recognition. Even the samurai of the clan are either unaware of the circumstances or keep it a secret. Regardless, those of this clan are known to be traveling mercenaries who generally spend their nights as Brotherhood monasteries and donate the majority of the koku they make over to the Brotherhood.
Karasu Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Air or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Survival, +1 Tactics
Glory:
35
Starting Wealth:
3 Koku
The members of the Raven Clan are easy to mistake for simple ronin. They tend to be shabbily dressed and dirty for even a Minor Clan samurai. However, their dedication to Shinseism and their impressive combat skills certainly set them apart from the common ronin mercenary. It is unclear if the Karasu family has any holdings at all. While it would be expected for a Minor Clan to have some holdings by which to pay their taxes, no one seems to know exactly where they may be and asking the Raven Clan samurai themselves has never yielded any results. Still, they have been more or less accepted as a valid Minor Clan for so many centuries that any idea of investigating their validity has been dismissed.
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HE
S
ALAMANDER
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Void
Skill Increase:
+1 Calligraphy
Status:
25
The Salamander Clan was started by an Agasha who was particularly driven to experiment with new kinds of magic. She set up an academy in the foothills of Dragon Clan lands and invited shugenja from all other clans to come and both teach and study. Those who had either fallen out of favor or felt unappreciated by their own clans slowly made their way and collected at this academy. The eclectic group experimented and studied what they could do by learning to speak to different kinds of kami and coaxing them to cooperate. Ultimately they hit on a strange kind of void magic, a kind that is far less refined than that practiced by the Isawa. In fact, most accept the Isawa’s contention that the Salamander Clan void magic is not even true void magic. It is unclear how this academy became recognized as its own clan, but the general consensus is that a Miya or Seppun shugenja who attempted to join the Hidden Guard and failed the tests ultimately joined the academy and used family ties to see that recognition of the clan would be slipped into an imperial decree that the Emperor signed.
Hitokage Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Fire or +1 Void
Skill Increases:
+1 Courtesy, +1 Theology
Glory:
35
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Hitokage are a group that keep their door open for any shugenja in the empire to join. Even heimin born with the gift are quickly adopted into the family if they manage to make their way to the clan’s single academy. Those born to the clan without the gift to speak to the kami are generally employed as scribes or administrators, leaving this clan with very few proper bushi. Most other shugenja in the empire, particularly the Isawa, look down on the Hitokage as a group that attempts to do everything and masters nothing or simply a refuge for the most inept and undisciplined shugenja. However, this disdain rarely rises above pity to become hatred and few would wish to see harm come to them.
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HE
S
HARK
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Fire
Skill Increase:
+1 Command
Status:
25
Any legitimacy the Shark Clan has to the claim of a clan seems to be solely backed up by their ability to quickly put anyone who would publicly challenge them to the sword. Starting with a cold-blooded but brilliant fighter and duelist named Jirozame, he roamed the land to find others with the kind of skill and cruelty. Soon they garnered a dangerous reputation. They roam the wildernesses of Rokugan, laying siege to towns and almost gleeful in inviting then cutting down any defenders who might attempt to stand in their way. Although widely hated across the empire, the Great Clans recognize that the Shark Clan is a weapon they would rather have fighting on their side than be aligned against them.
Jirozame Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Earth or +1 Water
Skill Increases:
+1 Skulduggery, +1 Survival
Glory:
32
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
The Jirozame are a family only in the loosest sense of the term. The majority of them are bandits and other cold-blooded killers who get recruited into the clan for their fierce reputation and skill—and the clan is always recruiting, seeking out wanted criminals purely to add them to the ranks. The very few children born to this family are forced to prove themselves as vicious with a blade as any other member even at tenderly young ages—the Shark eat their own. The family is feared just slightly more than they are hated, allowing them to get away with brazen violence.
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HE
S
NAKE
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Water
Skill Increase:
+1 Theology
Status:
25
The Snake Clan proceeded the Hare Clan as the independent minor clan tasked with hunting down bloodspeakers from all corners of Rokugan. They were formed under Imperial Magistrate Isawa Chuda who became legendary for being able to hunt down and destroy maho cells, even saving the Emperor from an assassination attempt. The Snake Clan was formed and proved to be extremely proud, prosperous and influential. They made their homes on the Dragon Heart Plain. Although the Clan lasted less than a century and, as administrators, were unremarkable—their death became a lasting legend. In their relentless hunt for mahotsukai, they amassed a large collection of artifacts, one of which possessed a spirit that first haunted the castle before possessing the son of the Clan Champion. After his father died, the son attempted a ritual that promised to grant him eternal life. The Phoenix sensed the dark ritual and acted quickly—within a week, the Snake Clan palace had been burned to the ground and all those within had been killed. Although this brought imperial sanctions upon the Phoenix, they testified that the Snake Clan had been mahotsukai themselves—and no one stood alive to testify on behalf of the Snake Clan. This dark fate has made the legend of the Snake Clan one that has been whispered around campfires for the 600 years since these events transpired.
Chuda Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Earth or +1 Fire
Skill Increases:
+1 Courtesy, +1 Skulduggery
Glory:
32
Starting Wealth:
3 Koku
There are two dynamically opposed groups of people who have taken up the Chuda name in the centuries since the destruction of the Snake Clan. There are those who feel that the fate of the clan was unjust and that their name has been soured and so aim to commit an act great enough in the name of Chuda to redeem it. And then there are those who lionize them for their supposed use of maho and see taking up the name of Chuda as a renegade act in defiance of the empire, claiming to represent them in service to the 9
th
Kami. Oddly enough, there does seem to be considerable overlap between the two in techniques and mannerisms. Both are secretive, callous and very good at stealth and deception. Both tend to specialize in Earth magic, particularly magic that can be used to trap or destroy those with Shadowland taint or other sorts of dark spirits. And both claim to be descended from the survivors of the original Snake Clan. Given that the clan’s duties led its members to the many corners of Rokugan, it is not unlikely that some members of the clan did survive—but there is little reason to think any true descendants would still be claiming such a cursed name rather than having joined some other family and let this dark heritage be forgotten.
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HE
S
PARROW
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Air
Skill Increase:
+1 Labor
Status:
25
The Sparrow Clan were original members of the Crane. Their leader, Doji Onegano, was a devout student of the Tao and came to feel that the Crane’s opulence and ostentatious use of wealth was an affront to the teachings of Shinsei. After expressing such views in open court, he was exiled from the clan. However, a surprising number of others agreed with his views and followed him. The Emperor heard of this and decided to turn the least abundant and profitable province of the Crane Clan to this newly formed Sparrow Clan. They were challenged to live up to the ideal they espoused, taking a vow of humble poverty and avoiding extravagance in favor of turning their wealth to improving their lands instead. This proved to be more difficult than they had initially anticipated and the Sparrow Clan has had to undertake many measures in order to keep their people fed—from avoiding the use of scrolls and passing their history on through oral tradition to limiting couples to only having two children. However, those within the Sparrow Clan believe this hardship only brings them closer to enlightenment and are proud of their traditions and all that they have endured. They have also been tasked with protecting the Golden Sun Plains, a region that has bountiful plant life and yet farming has been forbidden—forcing them to stretch their forces even thinner and providing nothing in exchange.
Suzume Family
Ring Increases:
+1 Earth or +1 Void
Skill Increases:
+1 Culture, +1 Sentiment
Glory
:
34
Starting Wealth:
3 Koku
The Suzume family is known as a family of storytellers. Their stories are noted for being extremely longwinded and for often seeming to not have a point beyond simply recounting events accurately as they happened. There are many who have heard their reputation that would actively avoid conversation with them lest they find themselves trapped within a boring conversation with no polite means of escape. Despite this, the Sparrow are noted for being quite attractive, perhaps even more so than their Crane Clan cousins as they have healthier skin, are more often seem smiling and have a more natural appearance. Despite often being seen in drab, faded, second-hand clothing, many mistake them for simply being a minor Crane family.
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HE
T
ANUKI
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Fire
Skill Increase:
+1 Performance
Status:
25
The Tanuki Clan is one that most don’t know what to make of. They were formed by a Badger Clan samurai who became lost in the Shinomen forest for many years before emerging with wild stories about the spirits and creatures that live at the heart of it. Some say that his stories became ever more elaborate and fantastical with every retelling. His stories made their way to the Emperor’s ears and he was summoned to recount his adventures to the Imperial Court. After hearing him out, the Emperor assigned him the task of collecting a group of ronin and continuing to explore the secrets of Shimomen forest. A castle for the Tanuki Clan was set up in a place known as Tanuki Grove and they sent annual reports to the Emperor of the various secrets they have discovered. While it is unknown if the original emperor took them seriously, in subsequent generations the annual reports of the Tanuki have come to be regarded with incredulity and ridicule, seen more as fantastical stories purely for entertainment.
The Tanuki Clan also has a reputation for wild celebrations and creating quite wonderful sake that is valued by many other clans, of which they regularly partake. Some might even go so far as to suggest that the Tanuki’s sake might have more to do with their tales than other kinds of spirits.
Tanuki Family
Ring Increase:
+1 Air or +1 Void
Skill Increases:
+1 Survival, +1 Sentiment
Glory:
33
Starting Wealth:
3 Koku
For their own part, if the Tanuki family are in on the joke, they play their role remarkably well. Every Tanuki bushi knows all of the elaborate tales of the creatures of shinomen forest that have been reported by previous members of their family, and while each of them will note that they have not personally had the experiences or met any of the creatures, or if they have met them then their experiences were far more mundane, but they will insist that even the most outlandish tales are absolutely true. However, they also remarkably do not take any skepticism about the stories as an insult to them or their clan and are not known to resort to any violence to silence doubters as many other clans might when their clan’s honesty comes into public doubt.
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HE
W
ASP
C
LAN
Ring Increase:
+1 Water
Skill Increase:
+1 Survival
Status:
25
The Wasp Clan originated with an ill-fated union of the Lion and the Scorpion. The two Great Clans contested a small province between their lands and attempted to resolve it be wedding a member of each clan and granting the couple Kyuden Ashinagabachi. While initially the province was intended to split taxes between the two clans, this arrangement was one neither clan was satisfied with. Eventually tensions grew over things besides tax burden and armies from both clans marched on the castle. Ultimately the Imperial Legions interjected to prevent the two clans from going to war and those residing in Kyuden Ashinagabachi became the Wasp Clan. For generations since, the Wasp Clan have been known primarily as mercenary archers who are willing to be hired on any side of a conflict. They hold an annual test to allow ronin or ashigaru to join their ranks.
Tsuruichi Family
Ring Increase:
+1 Air or +1 Earth
Skill Increases:
+1 Fitness, +1 Skulduggery
Glory:
34
Starting Wealth:
4 Koku
Until recently the Ashinagabachi family, recently Kyuden Ashinagabachi was attacked and conquered by the Lion Clan with the knowing assistance of the Scorpion and their daimyo killed. The daimyo’s son, Tsuruichi, gathered the forces of the Wasp from around the empire and used a sneak attack to infiltrate his family’s castle and slaughter all the enemies within before asking for intervention on behalf of Doji Satsume, the then emerald campion. The Lion’s attempt to erase a minor clan received sanctions, which only increased tensions between the Lion and the Crane. The Ashiganabachi family was then renamed the Tsuruichi family and fought on the side of the Crane in their recent war with the Lion. Although the Lion have been weakened through their recent wars, Tsuruichi is still likely plotting some sort of revenge on the Scorpion as well. In the years since the Ashiganabachi family was renamed, they have become even more mercenary and honorless, seeming to have no use at all for the code of bushido. Many of them do not even bother to carry katanas.
You may find additional families for these clans in the Rokugan Vassal Clans Document here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SLwtNQzxfT-2Dqbz9NQS0UHqOfQEn29c/view?usp=sharing
Edited by TheHobgoblyn