Post by emeralddragon on May 1, 2017 1:26:18 GMT 10
This is getting its own thread apart from the character creation, just in case anyone has any questions or the like about the families. Its not exactly likely, but its possible. These are insights and guidelines for the new families and schools and are essentially flavor alone at this point, only really to be expanded if a character desires a connection to one of these groups or someone decides they want to be a member of this school or family (For example we do have a Mirumoto Gunslinger)
Thats not to say I won't expand them anyway, latter on....just that right now my focus is on stuff that is guaranteed used (Like ship stats, state of the Clans and the like)
But I hope this is somewhat enlightening.
I included a Motto for each family, because I find such things give an interest insight into their minds. Its only semi-cannonical...just a picture into their minds. You will note the Scorpion family does not have one... I blame it being late and the fact that they really are whatever the Bayushi need them to be.
As for why the Crab, and Dragon didn't get new families.... in a way they don't need them. No great change of mindset happened to those clans, and while the Dragon got new duties, in many ways those duties were more isolating then ever.
Badger Clan
New Families:
Takeda
Meek and humble Shugenja who left their clans to make sure Ryoshun was properly prayed to by his clan were the initial founders of this Clan. Unfortunately the Ichiro’s dislike of those who overuse the kami and their value of strength and tradition over almost all else has left the Takeda almost subservient to the other family of the Badge.
[Motto: Humility and Duty]
New School:
Takeda Shugenja School:
A small school for a small family, the Takeda Shugenja School famously summon pillars of Jade and carve then with wards before placing them around where the old wounds in reality on Rokugan. Every year the pillars are swapped, and gone over carefully, to make sure not a single sign of corruption is shown.
Likely has the ability to add the Jade Keyword to spells that don’t normally have it.
Crab Clan:
No new families.
New School:
Kuni Anatomist (Shugenja School)
The continuation of the Kuni traditions of research into the body of both human and inhuman creatures, the Kuni Anatomist are considered the best doctors in the Empire when it comes to wounds and injuries. However their interest in such things has led to some fairly twisted resulted in the eyes of the Empire, including replacement limbs and implants.
Water Based Kuni School, likely with a bonus to healing spells
Crane Clan:
The Kakita family is...gone. Many believe they are dead, but there is no proof and the kami say they yet live.
New Families:
Uesugi
Formed from the split up of the Daidoji, the Uesugi are a combat Shugenja family that are somewhat obsessed with the Kakita and their traditions and art. They claim to be their heirs, but refuse to learn Kakita techniques or inhabit their buildings, claiming they are saving them for the return of the Kakita.
[Motto: The Air Sings. More than it howls, screams and wails, the air sings.]
Hosokawa
Formed in the split up of the Daidoji, the Hosokawa arguably second only to the Doji in terms of power in the Clan, having been formed from the members of the Trade Council, and they barely consider themselves inferior to the Doji. However for all the power their wealth buys them, and all the strength they have, the Doji have the support of the other families, and so the Hosokawa focus on gaining money and power for themselves, at least for now.
[Motto: The Koku cannot bow. That is its weakness and its strength]
New Schools:
Uesugi Shugenja School:
Militant Shugenja School that focuses on the art of the sword, be that its making or its use.
Uesugi Duellist (Path): A technique that uses the Shugenja’s connection to the Void and the sword she holds, that he made herself to enhance her duelling techniques,.
Hosokawa Courtier School: The Hosokawa are masters of monopolies, finding ways to take control of most of a commodity in the Empire, and then forcing others to come to the table using said control. While most often that deals in luxuries, historically their most successful year was convincing the Dragon, Badger and Phoenix to supply the vast majority of the empires Jade to them for 2 years.
Dragon Clan:
‘New’ Families:
Tonbo
After the beginning of space travel the Tonbo became redundant, and after a decade of being purposeless, the Dragon offered to absorb them. The majority joined the Dragon, while a small number went to the Phoenix.
New Schools:
Tamori Techromancer: Focus on turning Shugenja prayers and Nemurani into technology and integrating tech and kami prayer. They aided the Lion multiple times in history till the Lion established their own scientist family.
Mirumoto Gunslinger: A mix of Mirumoto Bushi and Tao Swordsman traditions the Gunslinger isn’t a well loved school among the Dragon, the implications its founders make about the founding ancestor of the Mirumoto and how quickly he would of embraced guns as a weapon not sitting particularly well with some people.
However no one can deny their effectiveness in combining the Niten style with pistols.
Lion Clan:
New Family
Shoni Family:
A recent family to form, the Shoni were formed in response to the losses the Lion was suffering in space, and was founded by Akodo, Ikoma and a small number of Agasha who were willing to marry into the Lion to aid this family’s creation. They taking technology discovered by other Clans, taking it and making it better then founding anything new. Despite this they work quite close with the Kitsu to make sure the ancestors do not reject their work.
[Motto: We are the Blank pages of Leadership.]
New School:
Shoni Reforger School (Artisan): The scientists of the Lion family, the Shoni’s abilities would focus on understanding, replicating and improving technology they come across in the hands of Rokugani. While the vast majority of the Shoni cannot hear the kami speak, they are taught Shugenja traditions in the interest of recognising what shugenja abilities make a technology work.
Mantis Clan:
New Family
(The Mantis since the year 1200 have absorbed many families, and minor clans, but most became vassal families. There is one except to this general rule)
Hoji family: The Hoji was a family tied to the City of Lies, who despite being Ronin in all but name, worked closely with the Mantis. After centuries of supporting the Mantis, even at times in the face of Scorpion sanctions the Mantis absorbed the Hoji, and made them a major family of the Mantis.
The Hoji did not leave the City of Lies unchanged and are often considered far more cold, calculating and serpentine then the other families of the Mantis, saying little, and listening to you speak, waiting for the hole in your words to appear. Naturally the Mantis recognised their court potential.
[Motto: The truly sincere say nothing at all, for nothing needs to be said.]
New School
Hoji Courtier School: The Courtier school the Mantis have long needed, they are based on deflection, and making the opponent appear to be lying, while avoiding duelling. In this way the Hoji protect the Mantis from accusations of piracy and other criminal activity when disavowing the criminal Samurai in question is unacceptable.
Phoenix Clan
New Family
Chiba family
Once the Nasu family of the Shiba, the paranoid Iweko XXIII ordered them to be disbanded and banished after the Ikoma family was forced to reveal all groups in the Empire that had ever threatened the Emperor who still existed.
Most committed Seppuku rather than suffer such a fate, but a small number took to the ships they made for the Phoenix and sailed away with the little the Phoenix could give them. They returned two generations latter, rich from trade with the protectorates, tributaries and other weak states that bowed to the Empire. Gifting their wealth to the Emperor, they requested they be allowed to rejoin the Phoenix, to focus on the material pursuits that no one else in the Clan would and allow the other families to focus on the Kami, Fortunes and Tao.
Being a wiser man then his father, Iweko XXIV made them swear to dedicate every day to their duty to the Phoenix, in the faint hope, in some distant future, their family could make up for their sins against the throne.
“You shall exist as Samurai once more, only so the Phoenix need not sully their wings in the mud.”
The Chiba family are often considered showy and flamboyant, however those who pay attention to them notice most if not all of them retire to the Monastery at a young age.
[Motto: In the Shadow of their Wings.]
New Schools:
Chiba Courtier School: The Chibas are in public, showmen. Despite their dark past, they are still an Imperial family that can link, distant as it may be, to the Otomo, Miya and Suppun families, and the goods they are selling are some of the best in the Empire.
They don’t bully, manipulate the market, or seek out rare gifts to impress...instead they sell goods as an actor sells their show.
Nemurani Creation School: While all clans have some Shugenja dedicated to creating Nemurani for their technology, only the Phoenix have a school that is focused on nothing BUT Nemurani creation. A few times in history the other Great Clans have tried to make the school one more publically available, or an Imperial School, considering it in the Empire’s best interest to do so, but thus far the Phoenix Courtiers have convinced the throne that such an action is unwise.
Scorpion Clan:
'New' Families
Rokugo Family
The World of Dreams was just another criminal hive for the Rokugo to be the Underhand's Underhand, but on a far, far larger scale then their ancestor could dream of. Serving at time for years without seeing sunlight, they maintained a level of control over the figures that were amassing in the underhive, and began to get connections in the criminal organizations of the Mantis and Tortoise....careful and tenuous ones, but connections none the less. The Bayushi rewarded such continued dedication by formally making the Rokugo a major family, there official duty to manage the financial and trade relations of the Scorpion.
New Paths
Shosuro Hacker (Path more then School): Using a combination of technical knowhow, Shugenja training, infiltration, trickery and occasionally Soshi magic, the Shosuro hacker are said to be able to bring almost any computer in the Empire to its knees.
Rokugo Trader School (Courtier): A school dedicated to facilitating illegal transactions, controlling criminals, and reducing honor loss on low skills, and surprisingly, getting people (well criminals) to trust you.
Spider Clan:
New Family
Shimazu Family
The Shimazu, despite how offended both families would be by the comparison, has a lot in common with the Kuni. Both are quite grim and very serious about their duties stereotypically, and both explore the darkest parts of the universe.
What marks the key difference is the Shimazu’s following of Shourido and how that shapes them, as well as a far darker view of death then essentially any other Clan. The Shimazu’s studies in Gaki-do and Toshigoku shape how they view the Kharmic Wheel and the Celestial Order and it’s not an uncommon belief that they have forgotten that good outcomes to rebirth exist, such as Yomi and Chikushudo.
[Motto: We all pay our Dharma in the end.]
New School
The Shimazu Shugenja School focuses on summoning spirits to protect the Empire. They are very careful only to summon spirits from the realms of Gaki-do and Toshigoku, to make sure they are not summoning someone who should be honoured for their actions.
Unicorn Clan:
New Families
Khoshuud Family
The Khoshuud’s emerged from the Hyuga family during the Gunpowder wars. Having long experience taming and breeding horses, the Hyuga were originally sent in the unlikely event that some horse species in the gaijin lands could improve the stock of the Shinjo steeds.
Not the Utaku steeds of course, they were of the Blessed Herd, but perhaps the Shinjo steeds could be improved.
However one member of the family saw the spirit of the animal in something far more mechanical, horses quite rare in the plague ridden gaijin lands. Carefully, the Hyuga that were on the other side of the world began to be influenced by this technology and began to make horseless carriages all of their own.
By the day of 14 Thunders they were essentially an entirely a different family, and this was acknowledged by the Moto Clan Champion, the Khoshuud becoming vassals to the Moto.
By the age of Space Travel, the Khoshuud’s mastery of technology and specifically vehicles elevated them to a major family of the Unicorn.
The Khoshuud, fitting their origin are adventurous and have a great enjoyment of going fast, often considered frivolous by non Unicorn. As they were founded by the Clan Champion striping what the Utaku viewed as a semi-disloyal vassal from them, the Utaku and Khoshuud do not get along as much as they should given how closely they work together.
[Motto: We still serve Horse Souls.]
New Schools:
Khoshuud Engineer School (Bushi): Similar in nature to the Kaiu, but the Khoshuud would be less focused on mass battles and siege engines and more on the mastery and use of the weapons on the crafts they built.
Minor Clans:
Silkworm Clan
The Silkworm are often considered vague and distracted, as their eyes and mind cannot help but see the two layers of the universe, and more than once a Silkworm has left a ship without permission for some task the Void has given them, usually covered in their action by their fellow Silkworms on board.
This is often frustrating, however the fact remains the Silkworm are the best Shugenja in the Empire at the “Open the Way” Ritual, and their ability to hear the void, even if they can’t talk back, has saved the Empire, Emperor, and very occasionally the vessels they serve upon. This fact allows them to continue their powerful control on several Clans shipping, allowing the Clans to focus on their duties.
[Motto: We hear the whispers no one else wants to.]
New School:
Balhae Shugenja School: The Shugenja School of the Silkworm, focuses on bending the Void the connect two places and sensing rips in space-time. It also comes with an Obligation to The Void.
Thats not to say I won't expand them anyway, latter on....just that right now my focus is on stuff that is guaranteed used (Like ship stats, state of the Clans and the like)
But I hope this is somewhat enlightening.
I included a Motto for each family, because I find such things give an interest insight into their minds. Its only semi-cannonical...just a picture into their minds. You will note the Scorpion family does not have one... I blame it being late and the fact that they really are whatever the Bayushi need them to be.
As for why the Crab, and Dragon didn't get new families.... in a way they don't need them. No great change of mindset happened to those clans, and while the Dragon got new duties, in many ways those duties were more isolating then ever.
Badger Clan
New Families:
Takeda
Meek and humble Shugenja who left their clans to make sure Ryoshun was properly prayed to by his clan were the initial founders of this Clan. Unfortunately the Ichiro’s dislike of those who overuse the kami and their value of strength and tradition over almost all else has left the Takeda almost subservient to the other family of the Badge.
[Motto: Humility and Duty]
New School:
Takeda Shugenja School:
A small school for a small family, the Takeda Shugenja School famously summon pillars of Jade and carve then with wards before placing them around where the old wounds in reality on Rokugan. Every year the pillars are swapped, and gone over carefully, to make sure not a single sign of corruption is shown.
Likely has the ability to add the Jade Keyword to spells that don’t normally have it.
Crab Clan:
No new families.
New School:
Kuni Anatomist (Shugenja School)
The continuation of the Kuni traditions of research into the body of both human and inhuman creatures, the Kuni Anatomist are considered the best doctors in the Empire when it comes to wounds and injuries. However their interest in such things has led to some fairly twisted resulted in the eyes of the Empire, including replacement limbs and implants.
Water Based Kuni School, likely with a bonus to healing spells
Crane Clan:
The Kakita family is...gone. Many believe they are dead, but there is no proof and the kami say they yet live.
New Families:
Uesugi
Formed from the split up of the Daidoji, the Uesugi are a combat Shugenja family that are somewhat obsessed with the Kakita and their traditions and art. They claim to be their heirs, but refuse to learn Kakita techniques or inhabit their buildings, claiming they are saving them for the return of the Kakita.
[Motto: The Air Sings. More than it howls, screams and wails, the air sings.]
Hosokawa
Formed in the split up of the Daidoji, the Hosokawa arguably second only to the Doji in terms of power in the Clan, having been formed from the members of the Trade Council, and they barely consider themselves inferior to the Doji. However for all the power their wealth buys them, and all the strength they have, the Doji have the support of the other families, and so the Hosokawa focus on gaining money and power for themselves, at least for now.
[Motto: The Koku cannot bow. That is its weakness and its strength]
New Schools:
Uesugi Shugenja School:
Militant Shugenja School that focuses on the art of the sword, be that its making or its use.
Uesugi Duellist (Path): A technique that uses the Shugenja’s connection to the Void and the sword she holds, that he made herself to enhance her duelling techniques,.
Hosokawa Courtier School: The Hosokawa are masters of monopolies, finding ways to take control of most of a commodity in the Empire, and then forcing others to come to the table using said control. While most often that deals in luxuries, historically their most successful year was convincing the Dragon, Badger and Phoenix to supply the vast majority of the empires Jade to them for 2 years.
Dragon Clan:
‘New’ Families:
Tonbo
After the beginning of space travel the Tonbo became redundant, and after a decade of being purposeless, the Dragon offered to absorb them. The majority joined the Dragon, while a small number went to the Phoenix.
New Schools:
Tamori Techromancer: Focus on turning Shugenja prayers and Nemurani into technology and integrating tech and kami prayer. They aided the Lion multiple times in history till the Lion established their own scientist family.
Mirumoto Gunslinger: A mix of Mirumoto Bushi and Tao Swordsman traditions the Gunslinger isn’t a well loved school among the Dragon, the implications its founders make about the founding ancestor of the Mirumoto and how quickly he would of embraced guns as a weapon not sitting particularly well with some people.
However no one can deny their effectiveness in combining the Niten style with pistols.
Lion Clan:
New Family
Shoni Family:
A recent family to form, the Shoni were formed in response to the losses the Lion was suffering in space, and was founded by Akodo, Ikoma and a small number of Agasha who were willing to marry into the Lion to aid this family’s creation. They taking technology discovered by other Clans, taking it and making it better then founding anything new. Despite this they work quite close with the Kitsu to make sure the ancestors do not reject their work.
[Motto: We are the Blank pages of Leadership.]
New School:
Shoni Reforger School (Artisan): The scientists of the Lion family, the Shoni’s abilities would focus on understanding, replicating and improving technology they come across in the hands of Rokugani. While the vast majority of the Shoni cannot hear the kami speak, they are taught Shugenja traditions in the interest of recognising what shugenja abilities make a technology work.
Mantis Clan:
New Family
(The Mantis since the year 1200 have absorbed many families, and minor clans, but most became vassal families. There is one except to this general rule)
Hoji family: The Hoji was a family tied to the City of Lies, who despite being Ronin in all but name, worked closely with the Mantis. After centuries of supporting the Mantis, even at times in the face of Scorpion sanctions the Mantis absorbed the Hoji, and made them a major family of the Mantis.
The Hoji did not leave the City of Lies unchanged and are often considered far more cold, calculating and serpentine then the other families of the Mantis, saying little, and listening to you speak, waiting for the hole in your words to appear. Naturally the Mantis recognised their court potential.
[Motto: The truly sincere say nothing at all, for nothing needs to be said.]
New School
Hoji Courtier School: The Courtier school the Mantis have long needed, they are based on deflection, and making the opponent appear to be lying, while avoiding duelling. In this way the Hoji protect the Mantis from accusations of piracy and other criminal activity when disavowing the criminal Samurai in question is unacceptable.
Phoenix Clan
New Family
Chiba family
Once the Nasu family of the Shiba, the paranoid Iweko XXIII ordered them to be disbanded and banished after the Ikoma family was forced to reveal all groups in the Empire that had ever threatened the Emperor who still existed.
Most committed Seppuku rather than suffer such a fate, but a small number took to the ships they made for the Phoenix and sailed away with the little the Phoenix could give them. They returned two generations latter, rich from trade with the protectorates, tributaries and other weak states that bowed to the Empire. Gifting their wealth to the Emperor, they requested they be allowed to rejoin the Phoenix, to focus on the material pursuits that no one else in the Clan would and allow the other families to focus on the Kami, Fortunes and Tao.
Being a wiser man then his father, Iweko XXIV made them swear to dedicate every day to their duty to the Phoenix, in the faint hope, in some distant future, their family could make up for their sins against the throne.
“You shall exist as Samurai once more, only so the Phoenix need not sully their wings in the mud.”
The Chiba family are often considered showy and flamboyant, however those who pay attention to them notice most if not all of them retire to the Monastery at a young age.
[Motto: In the Shadow of their Wings.]
New Schools:
Chiba Courtier School: The Chibas are in public, showmen. Despite their dark past, they are still an Imperial family that can link, distant as it may be, to the Otomo, Miya and Suppun families, and the goods they are selling are some of the best in the Empire.
They don’t bully, manipulate the market, or seek out rare gifts to impress...instead they sell goods as an actor sells their show.
Nemurani Creation School: While all clans have some Shugenja dedicated to creating Nemurani for their technology, only the Phoenix have a school that is focused on nothing BUT Nemurani creation. A few times in history the other Great Clans have tried to make the school one more publically available, or an Imperial School, considering it in the Empire’s best interest to do so, but thus far the Phoenix Courtiers have convinced the throne that such an action is unwise.
Scorpion Clan:
'New' Families
Rokugo Family
The World of Dreams was just another criminal hive for the Rokugo to be the Underhand's Underhand, but on a far, far larger scale then their ancestor could dream of. Serving at time for years without seeing sunlight, they maintained a level of control over the figures that were amassing in the underhive, and began to get connections in the criminal organizations of the Mantis and Tortoise....careful and tenuous ones, but connections none the less. The Bayushi rewarded such continued dedication by formally making the Rokugo a major family, there official duty to manage the financial and trade relations of the Scorpion.
New Paths
Shosuro Hacker (Path more then School): Using a combination of technical knowhow, Shugenja training, infiltration, trickery and occasionally Soshi magic, the Shosuro hacker are said to be able to bring almost any computer in the Empire to its knees.
Rokugo Trader School (Courtier): A school dedicated to facilitating illegal transactions, controlling criminals, and reducing honor loss on low skills, and surprisingly, getting people (well criminals) to trust you.
Spider Clan:
New Family
Shimazu Family
The Shimazu, despite how offended both families would be by the comparison, has a lot in common with the Kuni. Both are quite grim and very serious about their duties stereotypically, and both explore the darkest parts of the universe.
What marks the key difference is the Shimazu’s following of Shourido and how that shapes them, as well as a far darker view of death then essentially any other Clan. The Shimazu’s studies in Gaki-do and Toshigoku shape how they view the Kharmic Wheel and the Celestial Order and it’s not an uncommon belief that they have forgotten that good outcomes to rebirth exist, such as Yomi and Chikushudo.
[Motto: We all pay our Dharma in the end.]
New School
The Shimazu Shugenja School focuses on summoning spirits to protect the Empire. They are very careful only to summon spirits from the realms of Gaki-do and Toshigoku, to make sure they are not summoning someone who should be honoured for their actions.
Unicorn Clan:
New Families
Khoshuud Family
The Khoshuud’s emerged from the Hyuga family during the Gunpowder wars. Having long experience taming and breeding horses, the Hyuga were originally sent in the unlikely event that some horse species in the gaijin lands could improve the stock of the Shinjo steeds.
Not the Utaku steeds of course, they were of the Blessed Herd, but perhaps the Shinjo steeds could be improved.
However one member of the family saw the spirit of the animal in something far more mechanical, horses quite rare in the plague ridden gaijin lands. Carefully, the Hyuga that were on the other side of the world began to be influenced by this technology and began to make horseless carriages all of their own.
By the day of 14 Thunders they were essentially an entirely a different family, and this was acknowledged by the Moto Clan Champion, the Khoshuud becoming vassals to the Moto.
By the age of Space Travel, the Khoshuud’s mastery of technology and specifically vehicles elevated them to a major family of the Unicorn.
The Khoshuud, fitting their origin are adventurous and have a great enjoyment of going fast, often considered frivolous by non Unicorn. As they were founded by the Clan Champion striping what the Utaku viewed as a semi-disloyal vassal from them, the Utaku and Khoshuud do not get along as much as they should given how closely they work together.
[Motto: We still serve Horse Souls.]
New Schools:
Khoshuud Engineer School (Bushi): Similar in nature to the Kaiu, but the Khoshuud would be less focused on mass battles and siege engines and more on the mastery and use of the weapons on the crafts they built.
Minor Clans:
Silkworm Clan
The Silkworm are often considered vague and distracted, as their eyes and mind cannot help but see the two layers of the universe, and more than once a Silkworm has left a ship without permission for some task the Void has given them, usually covered in their action by their fellow Silkworms on board.
This is often frustrating, however the fact remains the Silkworm are the best Shugenja in the Empire at the “Open the Way” Ritual, and their ability to hear the void, even if they can’t talk back, has saved the Empire, Emperor, and very occasionally the vessels they serve upon. This fact allows them to continue their powerful control on several Clans shipping, allowing the Clans to focus on their duties.
[Motto: We hear the whispers no one else wants to.]
New School:
Balhae Shugenja School: The Shugenja School of the Silkworm, focuses on bending the Void the connect two places and sensing rips in space-time. It also comes with an Obligation to The Void.
