We are the Wall.

The Crab Clan has stood as the guardians of the Empire for over a thousand years. This steadfast group of samurai spends day and night facing the terrors of the Shadowlands, a grim land of horrors beyond imagination. The Great Carpenter Wall is their last and only line of defense, protecting the other clans of the Empire from certain doom. But the wall is more than just a physical structure; in the heart of every Crab they are the Wall.

Perfection. Nothing less.

The Crane Clan are responsible for maintaining the art and culture of Rokugan. They rule the courts, ensuring that their enemies are kept at a constant state of disadvantage and dare not move against them without threatening their position with the other clans. The Crane pursue perfection in all things, whether the spoken word, the beauty of art, or skill with the blade. Although the Crane do not command the Empire’s strongest army, their flawless political tactics ensure that the other clans look to them as one of the most powerful clans in all of Rokugan.

We are the riddle.

The Dragon Clan is a clan of mysteries. Their enigmatic monks answer questions with questions, and their samurai want little to do with the rest of the Empire. They cover their bodies in mystic tattoos, drawn with the blood of their founding kami. The Dragon ponder the universe, and their unending meditations have brought them to a state of harmony with the elements unseen in other clans. It is rare for the Dragon Clan to descend from their mountain home, but when they do, they shape the future of the Empire.

There is no glory but war.

The Lion Clan are the Emperor’s right hand. They are the shining example of what a samurai is meant to be. War is not only their life, it is their life and death. For a Lion samurai there is no greater honor than to server the Emperor, and no greater glory than to die in his name. From the fierce Matsu, to the brilliant Akodo, the Lion dominate any field of the battle they take.

Our destiny is the storm.

The Mantis Clan were not born from divine blood like the other clans. They seized their power and territory through force of will and sheer tenacity. The Mantis are the unquestioned masters of the sea, and their wrath is like that of a terrible storm. Having come from humble beginnings, the Mantis pride themselves as the defenders of the people, ensuring that the Empire and its people are never destroyed by the boundless arrogance of the other Great Clans.

Peace will be brought to the Empire, however the means.

The Phoenix Clan carry a burden of power that few clans understand. Their position as the keepers of knowledge and magic in the Empire has opened them time and again to incredible power, and incredible danger. Their shugenja wield spells that can lay entire armies low, yet they seek only peace. Now the Phoenix look to the empty throne and fear the wars they know will come as the other clans grow ambitious. Perhaps now, after a thousand years, the time has come for the Phoenix to show their true strength. Perhaps it is the only chance for an Empire at peace.

There is nothing to fear in the shadows, friend.

The Scorpion Clan are the knife in the darkness and the eyes watching every move. The Scorpion are sworn to protect the Empire from threats it does not see, be they from the criminal underworld, heinous plots against the Throne, or the corruption of the Shadowlands. Their methods are their own, employing tactics samurai of the other clans would never be caught taking part in. The Scorpion’s network of spies and assassins is so vast however, that one often has little choice to but to go along with any of their machinations.

It will be a new world, in his image...

The Spider Clan are an enigma to the Empire. This strange group of samurai operate out of the deep Shinomen forest, attacking bandits, pirates and other criminals. Over the last months they have built a strong reputation for themselves through tales of their valor. Their agents appear to some samurai of the Empire and entice them to join this new group, calling themselves the Spider Clan as if they had the Imperial sanction to do so. But what waits in the Spider’s web could be more horrible than any imagine.

We are the wind, and the wind cannot be caged.

The Unicorn Clan are outsiders. After centuries away from the Empire, exploring the world at the behest of the first sovereign Emperor of Rokugan, the Unicorn returned a changed people. Their ways are not those of the samurai, though they are truly the children of the kami Shinjo. As the Unicorn return to the fold of Rokugan, their strange ways have shown to be both a hindrance and an incredible advantage. Commanding the Empire’s most powerful cavalry, the Unicorn armies are a threat that even the strongest clans must respect.