Crab Clan:

"Honor is for children who tell tales by the fireside. Come and see the blood of duty, and then speak to me of honor." - Hida Tsuru

For a thousand years, the Kaiu wall has separated the green fields of Rokugan from the horrors of the Shadowlands, and for a thousand years the merciless samurai of the Crab have held true to their ancestor's oath: that no shadow of that dark land should be allowed to tread upon the soil of the Empire. For months, the remaining Crab who walk the length of the Wall have hoped for some word that their brothers in the lost Hiruma Castle still live, but the Shadowlands are silent. Now, the family of the Crab must ready itself for battle against an ancient foe, for in this new age they may be the last protectors of the Empire.

Crane Clan:

"When the dawn comes, ronin, one of us will stand on this field, and one will fall. I know my destiny. Are you so sure of yours?" - Daidoji Rekai

The Crane have always been the bastions of culture and civilization. Their famed Iaijatsu masters - the most deadly duelists in Rokugan - have dominated the field of battle, and their politicians have gently guided the fate of the Empire. For nearly a year the Emperor vanished, kidnapped by the shadows while a grieving Empire tried desperately to keep the peace. Now Emperor Toturi has returned, and the future of the Empire is no longer secure. Their finest diplomats and courtiers struggle to maintain unity in the Imperial Court and uphold a tumbling Empire, but politics and manipulation can only turn aside the threat of chaos for a short time. Now, on the battlefields of the Empire, the Crane must prove that their actions speak as loudly as their words.

Dragon Clan:

"The secret that is remembered is a blessing. The secret that cannot be forgotten is a curse." - Hitomi Akuai

The dark mountains of the enigmatic Dragon clan cast long shadows across the Empire of the jade Throne, and the winds from the north are mysteriously silent. For a thousand years the Dragon have been ruled by a single man, and with his death the clan has retired to its deepest fortresses. Theirs is the way of unknown magic, of riddles and omens, but the time for prophecy has ended and a new path has been chosen by their silent champion. As the forces of the Naga destroy their palaces one by one, the Dragon must choose between the hope of a new beginning and the condemnation of an empire. And on an ivory throne a woman with a hand of black glass lifts a forbidden veil and decides the fate of an empire.

Lion Clan:

"Speak not the of past or the present. If the future is to be changed, we must challenge fate - and win." - Kitsu Motso

From the day of its founding, the Lion Clan has been the defender of the Emperor, serving his every need and destroying his enemies on the fields of battle. During the Clan Wars, Lions' loyalty was questioned and the throne they served was usurped by a terrible, dark power. For three years they have struggled to reforge their broken unity, but to no avail. While their champion leads an army on a cause known only to her, the Jade champion sits in the Lion palaces guided by a dark power. If the Lion hope to escape a terrible destiny, they must have the strength to claim the Throne and save the Empire from the darkness within humankind's own heart.

Phoenix Clan:

"I hear the darkness move, and words are whispered into the wind. Somewhere, someone is making the elements bleed." - Naka Kuro

Since the dawn of the Empire, the Phoenix have been devoted to the search for wisdom. Their Elemental Masters, the most powerful shugenja in the Empire, fell prey to dark sorceries, leaving the Phoenix broken and defeated. Now the last survivors of the Phoenix gather in ruined palaces, hoping to rebuild what was lost. The greatest shugenja of the generation, Naka Kuro, guides the novices on their paths to wisdom - but will their salvation come too late?

Unicorn Clan:

"Let the Empire know this: there can be no peace without security. We are the law that stands between Rokugan and chaos, and we intend to stand our ground." - Shinjo Yokatsu

For hundreds of years, the lost clan of the Ki-Rin were absent from the fields of Rokugan, following a destiny apart from the Empire. Now the clan of the Unicorn stands among the other Great Clans of the Jade Empire, judging the crimes of the populace and governing the law of the Empire. Their armies march across clan boundaries, stating their claim to govern as the right hand of the Jade Throne, and their magistrates declare martial law in the name of the Emperor. They are the Emperor's right hand, bringing one victory after another to the feet of the troubled lord on the Jade Throne.

The Naga:

"Sometimes humans cannot see the darkness, even when it shrouds their eyes." - Tausha

Long before the rise of Rokugan, an ancient race of serpent-beings formed a civilization of great beauty and power. Then a dark time fell over the land, and one by one the Naga fell into a thousand years of sleep. Since their time, the race of humans has built a grand empire on the lands the Naga once knew. As they stand on the gateway of the Dragon mountains, they seek to uncover a secret that has been lost for a more than a thousand years, a secret they will give their lives to destroy. But against an empire united in battle, will their strength be enough to change their future?


Scorpion Clan:

"There is no secret, nothing seen or unseen, that I do not control. I am the seeker of truth and the keeper of lies." - Aramoro

The Scorpion, Rokugan's darkest clan, have always been the keepers of secrets and the wardens of dark truths. Emperor Toturi's disappearance left blood on Scorpion hands, and their clan was condemned to an exile beyond the borders of the known world. Hidden in the shadows of the Empire, the last of the Scorpions bide their time against the wars that tear across the lands of Rokugan. With the Emperor's return, the time for their revenge grows near, and poisoned words whisper through the Empire. Their allies have given them the power to bring the Empire to its knees, but the cost will be the Scorpions' soul.

The Shadowlands Horde:

"It is never too soon for revenge." - Moto Sada

The dark forces of the Shadowlands have stood for an eternity, their evil corrupting any who come into their realm. Where undead roam and terrible oni twist former samurai into mockeries of honor and faith, a new army rises - one whose only goal is revenge. Once the challenge has been offered, only the blackest of hearts can summon the darkness back from the abyss, bringing the power of the Shadowlands once again to the realm of light. Deep in their most hidden fortresses, the legions of the undead prepare for their new assault on the realm of the living, led by a living prophecy - the heart of the darkness that awaits only a destined Hero.

Toturi's Army:

"Some say life is led by destiny, but the future can be defeated. A man's fate lies nowhere but in the palm of his own hand." - Toku

At the bidding of their returned lord, the servants of Toturi desperately try to fulfill the commands of the Light of Heaven in the rapidly dissolving Jade Empire. Though the Emperor has returned, he is dark and troubled. Toturi's eyes hold a strange shadow, as if he has seen some tormented future. Armed with faith and loyalty, these warriors lead the last remains of the Emperor's once-powerful armies across Rokugan. If some evil guides the Emperor's hand, their hope will be shattered and their new lives as samurai will once again be destroyed. But if Toturi's visions hold the truth, then the shadow that is to come may be the final end of the Empire...

Brotherhood of Shinsei:

"Sometimes the voice of peace must ring like thunder." - Takao

Through a thousand years of preparation, the Brotherhood of Shinsei has fulfilled the prophecies of the ancient Tao, guarding the Empire through its turbulent history. Now is the time of the New Tao, a continuation of Shinsei's teachings. It is the New Way, a new hope for enlightenment and peace in the dawning of the Age of Man. Desperate to unlock the secrets of the new Shintao, the Brotherhood has sealed itself into deep meditation, allowing nothing to disturb its contemplation. The prophet the Monks await has not come, and their struggles to understand the New Way only lead to more confusion. Their attempts to bring peace have failed, and now the Brotherhood must learn the ways of war.

Yoritomo Alliance:

"Only a fool stands in the path of a storm." - Yoritomo

Across the hills and plains of Rokugan, the now colors of the Mantis are raised beside the banners of the seven Great Clans. The Son of Storms has led the minor clans to victory, earning the respect and grudging alliance of the imperial court. Now the armies of the united clans once again march beneath a Mantis banner, one by one swearing fealty to the Son of Storms. One by one, the Great Clans have fallen into anarchy and war, and the Alliance waits for its time to steal the prize that rests just within its grasp. if the Empire is to have peace, then someone must lead it from the brink of destruction.

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