Excerpts from "The Making of an Empire:
the Journals of Ide Tadaji"
by Rich Wulf
The Emperor rules over all things. His will is unquestionable, his judgement infallible. The Emperor resides in both Heaven and Earth, and guides the Empire with wisdom and honor. It is the duty of the clans to serve the Emperor. These duties are clearly delineated, with the most notable being the Right Hand, the Left Hand, and the Underhand.
In recent decades the Empire has undergone a number of changes that, I believe, require that we revisit the purpose and nature of these duties. In the new dynasty, I see the greatest powers in the Empire as follows:
The Emperor's Left Hand
The Left Hand serves as the Emperor's political aides. They draft
laws in his name, issue edicts on his behalf, and exert his political
will. If the Emperor should choose to meet with dignitaries of foreign
lands, they are his representatives. Traditionally, this has been
the role of the Crane Clan, bolstered by the Emerald Magistrates.
The Emperor's Right Hand
The Right Hand serves as the Emperor's army. In times of strife,
it is the Right Hand that enforces peace through weight of arms.
In times of invasion by foreign powers, it is the Right Hand that
defends our borders. Traditionally this has been the role he Lion
Clan, the Imperial Legions, and the Seppun Imperial Guard.
The Emperor's Underhand
Though they seldom speak of it, the wise do not deny the usefulness
of the Underhand. They are the Emperor's spies and informants, ever
vigilant for threats that the Emperor cannot deal with directly
for directly for fear of dishonor. This has traditionally been the
role of the Scorpion Clan, though the Otomo family also fills this
purpose in the higher echelons of the court.
The Emperor's Voice
This role has not existed in the past, but I believe it would serve
the Empire well in the future. The Emperor's Voice are the peacemakers
of the Empire, those who maintain a friendly relationship between
the Emperor and the common people and insure that the Great Clans
do not resort to civil war. While the Left Hand creates legislation
that prevents war, and the Right Hand's troops restore peace, it
the Voice's duty to bring a peaceable solution, rapidly and efficiently,
when laws and force of arms fail. The Miya family has performed
such duties for centuries, but I believe that it is time at last
for a Great Clan to step forward and aid them in this noble effort.
The Black Heart of the Empire
Some would call me a fool for listing this among the others, but
I say we would be a fool to ignore it. The Shadowlands, as foul
and detestable as they may be, are a part of the Empire. They are
a twisted reflection of Rokugan, even more so in recent years. Their
purpose is to befoul and corrupt all that we hold dear, to bring
war where there is peace, hatred where there is brotherhood, death
where there is life. Deserving of destruction they may be, but their
power and influence is as great as any power of the Emperor, and
only by understanding the true measure of the threat they pose may
we truly begin to fight them.