#L5R FAQ's - History
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The Annotated History of the Empire of Rokugan
Imperial | Emerald | Shadowlands | Anvil | C&J
Battles | Clans
 
Clan Crab    
Imperial Box Text
For Generations the Crab have held back the horrors of the Shadowlands, but times have changed. Now they have embraced that which they have fought against for so long, turning their mastery of warfare against the Empire they sword to protect.

"You are always blind to your truest enemy, for he is behind your eyes."
-The Tao of Shinsei

Emerald Box Text
For generations, the Crab have held back the horrors of the Shadowlands, but times have changed. Now they have aligned with the dark forces they have fought against for so long, creating an army of tactical mastery and bloodthirsty rage. The power of the Shadowlands may give them the strength they need to win the Empire, but it may also foretell the beginning of their downfall.

    
     
Clan Crane    
Imperial Box Text
Their ambassadors are in every court, their merchants in every city square. They are not masters of war or magic, but their skill in the civilized arts is unmatched by any. No Clan can claim the wealth and prestige of the Crane.

"When I have a voice in the Emperor’s ear, I need no general in the field."
-The Tao of Shinsei

Emerald Box Text
For a thousand years the Kakita Castle has been the proud symbol of the wealth of the Crane Clan. However, the recent invasion of the Crab Clan has forced the Crane to move to the home of the Doji family and re-fortify their position there. With the aid of the Phoenix Clan and a small army of ronin, the Crane have managed to secure their borders and begin to formulate a counterattack against the encroaching Crab army.

    
     
Clan Dragon    
Imperial Box Text
Weaving steel and sorcery into a mighty force, Clan Dragon is the most versatile in battle. With their secret rituals and ancient magic, they are an enigma to the other Clans. Isolated in their lands, they avoid the politics of Rokugan.

"What you do not understand can kill you."
-The Tao of Shinsei

Emerald Box Text
For centuries the Dragon have remained silent, practicing their esoteric philosophies in their vast mountain keeps. But even with their armies being led by the fallen lion Toturi, rumors whisper that their Champion has disappeared, and that the inheritor of the Ancestral Sword has turned against her Clan and joined with the dark forces that conspire against her kin.

    
     
Clan Lion    
Imperial Box Text
One of the oldest families in the Empire, Clan Lion is known for its rigid discipline and respect for tradition. They hold the warrior’s code of bushido above all things. Money and sorcery are toys, for honor can only come from the courage shown in battle.

"Lose your fear, and you gain the world."
-The Tao of Shinsei

Emerald Box Text
They are fearless warriors, the traditional defenders of the Emperor, noble warriors whose hearts are free from fear. But recent upheavals within the Clan have caused many to question the old ways. Some flock to the fallen warrior who once led the mighty Clan, while others retain their fealty to the dying Emperor. Once, they were united in their devotion, but they are united no more.

    
     
Clan Pheonix    
Imperial Box Text
Of all the Clans, the Phoenix best understand the mysteries of the Five Rings. Their Elemental Masters are the most powerful in Rokugan. They prefer peace and solitude to the madness of war and will do what they can to bring the violence to an end.

"You cannot conquer the elements. You must learn to dance with their harmony."
-The Tao of Shinsei

Emerald Box Text
Despite their attempts to restore peace to the Empire, the Phoenix Clan have been drawn into the war for the Emerald Throne. With the opening of the Black Scrolls, ancient and forbidden magics have been released., and only the shugenja of the Phoenix Clan have the knowledge and wisdom to curb their terrible power. But one by one, the Elemental Masters are finding themselves corrupted by the Black Scroll’s power.

    
     
Clan Unicorn    
Imperial Box Text
You can hear them thundering across the hills. Unicorn is one of the youngest Clans, but has achieved great honor in a short time. They are devoted to the welfare of the Empire and putting a Unicorn on the Emerald Throne.

"The art of war is to put your enemy in a position that he cannot fight from."
-The Tao of Shinsei

Emerald Box Text
They left the Empire a thousand years ago and have returned with horses of the West bringing with them the strategies of foreign lands, the Unicorn Clan stands alone without allies, and while their naivete may make them vulnerable to wily words and silver tongues, their mighty steeds and unorthodox tactics have proven to be worth a thousand footmen on the battlefield.

    
     
The Naga    
A thousand years ago, the great civilization of the Naga fell into a deep meditative slumber. Nearly a millenium has passed, and they have awakened to find their self-glorifying civilization in ruins, and the Empire of men in the midst of war. Now they must rise against the evil of the Shadowlands before both Empires fall under its destructive power.

"The strength of an Empire does not lie in the stone of its walls, but the hearts of its people."
-The Tao of Shinsei

    
     
Clan Scorpion    
Surrounded by blackened earth, scorched by sorcerous reprimand, the ruined House Bayushi is the only testament to the once mighty Scorpion Clan. Now they have returned, striking back at the Empire with subterfuge and sabotage. Theirs is not a path to victory, but a path of revenge.

"Do not be distracted by the pincers when it is the tail that can kill you."
-The Tao of Shinsei

    
     
Junzo's Army    
From the high towers of the Imperial Palace, the guards can hear the mad laughter of their Emperor. The undead shugenja, once known as Yogo Junzo now commands the Emperor’s armies, and his dark sorceries twist and corrupt the samurai into mockeries of their former selves. Soon they will stand rank and file next to the madmen and oni of the Shadowlands, and crush the Clans under their feet, bringing victory to their evil lord, laughing on his Emerald Throne.    
     
Toturi's Army    
Across the hills and fields of Rokugan, word has spread among the peasantry that the Emperor’s greatest tactician has returned. His army’s armor is tattered, and their weapons unpolished, but their eyes show a fire of devotion that no man can question. Unconcerned with honor or glory, Toturi has cast away all allegiances to his former Clan, choosing rather to lead his band of followers against the Empire’s greatest enemy: the dark armies of the Shadowlands.    
     
Yoritomo's Alliance    
For a thousand years the Great Clans have dominated every aspect of Rokugan politics and culture. That time has come to an end. The minor clans have gathered under the banner of Yoritomo, the Mantis Clan Champion, to join the conflict that rips at Rokugan’s heart. Inspired by the deeds of the ronin Toturi and fueled by Crane koku, Yoritomo has seized the moment. In Rokugan’s hour of darkness, he and those who follow him fight, not for the Throne, but for their own chance at greatness.    
     
Brotherhood of Shinsei    
Theirs is the way of peace, solitude and tranquility. For a thousand years, they have been the councilors of samurai and shugenja, lord and peasant. But the armies of Yogo Junzo have assaulted the mountain temples of the Shintao, searching for the rumored descendant of Shinsei who will fulfill an ancient prophecy. Armed with only their wisdom, the Shintao monks fight against the darkness, waiting for the time when the Seven Thunders will gather again, to face Fu Leng one last time.