Crab Clan
"Your magic cannot save you. Your knowledge cannot save you. Nothing can save you." - Hida Kisada
The grim samurai of the Crab Clan guarded the Emerald Empire against the horrors of the Shadowlands for nearly a thousand years. They are the most feared samurai in Rokugan, both for their tenacity and for the mysterious "Shadowlands taint" that casts a shadow upon everyone who comes in contact with the foul spawn of that dark land. But now, with the last Hantei Emperor dying from a mysterious wasting disease, the Crab have made a dark pact with evil powers even they do not fully understand. Emboldened by the gruesome creatures which now fight at their side, the Crab armies march upon Rokugan's green fields, looking to claim the Emerald Throne for themselves.
Crane Clan:
"For the coward, there is no life. For the
hero, there is no death." - Kakita Toshimoko
For a thousand years the Crane have been the magistrates of the
Emperor, the power behind the Throne. While their knowledge of combat
and tactics is limited, none can argue that the Crane have brought
the art of Samurai strategy to the political struggles of the Imperial
Court. But now, as the last Hantei Emperor lies dying, the other
clans muster their armies in preparation for a clan war the likes
of which Rokugan has never seen. While they eye the clan's vast
reservoirs of gold, they also fear the deadly dueling skills of
the Crane iaijatsu masters. The Crane must be careful, but should
they survive the fall of the last Hantei, they know who will sit
on the Emerald Throne.
Dragon Clan "You cannot destroy what you do not understand."
- Togashi Mitsu
High in the northern mountains of Rokugan, the mysterious Champion of the Dragon Clan looks down upon the Emerald Empire with a restless gaze. For a thousand years, the Dragon have watched and waited. He knows the moment is at last at hand, and war will summon his people from their seclusion. Soon he will disappear, leaving a disgraced ronin in command of his army of samurai, spell-casters, and enigmatic tattooed men known as the {ise zumi}. What are the Dragon waiting for? What do they know of the future? None can say. Theirs is the way of the Dragon, the ways of riddles and omens, and their greatest strength is that no other Clan can truly say they understand them.
Lion Clan
"The fires of fury burn in our eyes, the fires of courage burn
in our hearts. Nothing can keep us from our destiny!" - Matsu
Tsuko
From the dawn of the Emerald Empire, when the first Akodo swore fealty to the line of Hantei for all eternity, the Lion Clan has fearlessly defended the throne. They are proud, noble and fearless, and draw great strength from the traditions of their families. In the ake of the recent coup the Lions have been caught in a terrible trap, snared by their own aggressive nature. Their champion has falled from favor, betrayed by his geisha lover; and the black madness that grips the dying Emperor causes many to question the old ways. Once united, now roaring in confusion and anger, the Lions must find the true enemy and destroy it before they destroy themselves.
Phoenix Clan
"Only the darkest sorceries can save the Empire now, and I am ready to pay their price." - Isawa Tadaka
From its founding the Phoenix Clan has been devoted to studying the Tao of Shinsei and the ways of magic. The Phoenix are also the greatest advocates of peace, but even their wisdom was not enough to avoid the war for the Emerald Throne. Now, with the opening of the Black Scrolls, they, too, have been drawn into the fighting, desperately seeking to defeat the spreading corruption before all Rokugan falls to its arcane wiles. The most powerful mages in the Empire, the Elemental Masters of the Phoenix have themselves become tainted, hoping that they can use this forbidden knowledge to turn the ancient evil back upon itself before it consumes them and dooms the land.
Unicorn Clan
"We have a duty to the Emperor, but we also
have a duty to those who call us masters. Where does our duty lie?
We sall soon see." - Shinjo Yokatsu
Long considered the lost clan, the Unicorn returned from their centuries-long
journey a battle-hardened army equipped with powerful horses and
rich with the curious treasures of the West. Mistrusted and alienated
by the other, more traditional clans because of their "barbarian"
habits and their open compassion to the peasants of Rokugan, the
Unicorn can find no allies in the Imperial Court. Although their
powerful steeds and unorthodox tactics make them a force to be feared
on the battlefield, their inexperience and naivete leave them vulnerable
to manipulation and betrayal. The Unicorn have long gambled on their
audacity, but now the stakes are the Emerald Empire itself.