Unicorn

The Unicorn Clan traveled through the dangerous lands outside Rokugan's borders and uncovered threats on every horizon. It soon became apparent that the band of heroes needed an advance unit traveling before them to skirt the most dangerous enemies. The Shinjo family accepted this duty. The Shinjo Scouts soon became adept in quietly stalking through foreign lands, comfortable as if they were in their own homes. Upon the Unicorn Clan's return to Rokugan the Shinjo Scouts traded knowledge with the Hiruma Scouts of the Crab Clan and grew even more formidable.

Even since its return to the Empire, the Unicorn Clan has established a tradition of upholding the law and protecting the common folk, a tradition which often puts it into conflict with groups like the Scorpion Clan and the Empire’s various criminal groups. The Shinjo family dominate this tradition and develop a Technique in support of it - somewhat ironic given that the Shinjo family was also heavily infiltrated by the Kolat.

The Rajya ke Varisa are a group of Crab, Unicorn, and Mantis samurai who study the fighting techniques of the Ivory Kingdoms kshatriya and find ways to use them in conjunction with Rokugani combat techniques. The gaijin turned-Mantis known as Yoritomo Singh also contributes to the organization’s training, seeking to preserve some aspects of his former culture. So far they have managed to devise only one technique, albeit one of significant value.

The Moto family prefers an extremely aggressive outlook on warfare rather than the more conservative viewpoint of the Shinjo. Moto warriors use the mobility of their horses to quickly close the gap to their enemy, and the Fanatics fully embrace that ideal of war. They charge the front lines of opposing armies with alarming frequency, often suffering surprisingly few casualties for their brash behavior. It seems these Fanatics survive the harshest battlefields through a mixture of skill and compete disregard for their own safety.

The people of the Unicorn are the children of the Four Winds and their wanderlust is legendary. The Iuchi Traveler spends his life on the road from birth, moving from one place to the next in an attempt to see all the wonders of the Empire. The Travelers have developed secret rituals to traverse the land in mere moments, allowing them to come back from their journeys whenever the Unicorn Clan needed their powers. These rituals were later adapted for many uses, including war. Despite this change in responsibilities. the typical Traveler remains optimistic and cheerful at heart.

Although they choose to refer to themselves by the humble appellation of the Iuchi Couriers, the shugenja who belong to this group are jokingly referred to by others within their clan as the Lords of the Plains due to their incredible ability to move at speeds no others can match. Shugenja trained by this group possess the ability to sooth the spirits of the Earth as they ride, creating a path of least resistance for their steed's benefit. This allows their horses to ride for much longer at a time, and with virtually no risk whatsoever of any missteps, even during the longest journeys.

Commerce is ill regarded in samurai culture, yet it is essential to fuel the engines of war. The few Great Clans that dedicate families to the manipulation of the economy - the Yasuki of the Crab and Crane, the Daidoji of the Crane, and the Yoritomo of the Mantis - have considerable advantages over the others. The Ide Traders carve their own niche into this domain of conflict, utilizing their friendliness and eagerness to help others to facilitate their mercantile activities.

The Ide family of the Unicorn are not only its representatives in court, but they also serve as its most effective and numerous merchant patrons. In particular, the Ide are well known for their merchant caravans, which travel across the Empire and sell the clan’s unusual wares to all manner of interested customers. This is an incredibly profitable endeavor that brings in a great deal of revenue for the family and the clan as a whole.

The Hand of Peace follows Ide's peaceful dictums to their logical conclusions, becoming dedicated pacifists - often of a rather ascetic nature. Although they still carry the samurai weapons which are their legacy as members of the Unicorn Clan, they refuse to ever use them. They serve as good diplomats when dealing with the more peaceful and/or idealistic clans, such as the Crane and especially the Phoenix.

The dueling grounds of Dark Edge Village are famous throughout the Empire, and as a result many young duelists travel to the village to train and in hopes of meeting both worthy opponents and sensei looking for new students. The village is home to the only notable traditional dueling dojo within the Unicorn lands, although it is quite modest compared to those of the Crane or Dragon and is easily overlooked by visitors to the town. Ironically, most who adhere to the tradition come from the peaceful Ide family.