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Satoshi's Legacy

Miya Satoshi died in disgrace, but his effort to militarize the Miya family left a legacy of trained warriors who wished to continue serving their family and to cleanse the dishonor which Satoshi had brought on himself. Their warrior tradition is carried on by the Satoshi vassal family. Of course, GM’s may also use this Technique to represent the legacy of any Miya leader who tried to militarize his family.

The Rising Sun

After the Unicorn Clan’s return, the Seppun family began aggressively training cavalry forces of its own. Only the most elite members of the already legendary Imperial military are allowed to seek admission to the unit known as the Rising Sun. These men and women receive endless training from the finest mounted combatants to be found in the rest of the Empire - making them masters of tactics the Great Clans do not share with one another. While the Unicorn are the undisputed masters of cavalry warfare, even they hold the Rising Sun legion in extremely high regard.

Tortoise Killers

The Tortoise Clan’s limited military capabilities consist primarily of those trained in the Tortoise Guard technique (published in the L5R 4th Edition supplement Imperial Histories). However, due to the unique nature and duties of the Tortoise Clan, the clan has long found it useful to train certain men and women in the arts of murder and assassination. Some of these killers go on to serve in the Guard, disguising their true nature beneath conventional martial duties, while others remain within the ranks of the Tortoise merchants and sailors.

Tortoise Guard

Although the Tortoise Clan is too small to have a true bushi school, the clan has always recognized the value of defense, especially given the frequency with which its members must enter foreign ports, smugglers' dens, and other such unsavory locations. The original membership of the Tortoise included a number of gaijin, and over the years they adapted their own strange fighting style to the weapons of their new home; with time it evolves into the technique which the Tortoise teach in modern times.

Ujina Skirmishers

The Hare Clan traditionally focuses on a highly athletic and unpredictable school of kenjutsu, but the Hare’s Ujina family prefers to fight with knives. After joining the clan, the founder of the Ujina established his own dojo to teach his two-knife fighting style; although the Ujina Skirmishers have never advanced their style enough for it to become a school of its own, they are a significant asset to their clan nonetheless.

Ichiro Pass Warden

The first duty of the Badger Clan is to protect the pass from invasion, and the clan has long trained a group of specialized warriors whose sole duty is to defend the pass with spears and hurled rocks. Their task is to inflict as much damage as possible on any invaders. The Pass Wardens spend most of their lives within the fortresses of the Badger lands, seldom visiting the rest of the Empire.

Utaku Horse Master

The Utaku family maintains the greatest stables in the Empire. They breed the strongest horses in the land, and their famous Battle Maidens are the only ones allowed to ride their Utaku steeds into combat. The men of the Utaku family are charged with raising and training these horses, and many of them choose to eschew the theatre of war entirely to devote their lives to this duty. The Utaku Horse Master serves as stable master, rider, hunter, and friend to the horses under his care.

Unicorn Yomanri Archer

Although the majority of Unicorn continued to practice Rokugani archery during their travel through the gaijin lands, a significant minority learned the gaijin style of archery which the clan calls yomanri. A yomanri archer draws his arrow to his cheek and sights down the shaft, then releases it once he is confident in his aim.

Unicorn Wardog Masters

During their time wandering the gaijin lands, the Unicorn tame and train a breed of dog unknown within Rokugan, eventually bringing it back with them to the Empire. These fierce and loyal animals are capable of fighting alongside their human masters, and the Unicorn maintain a small dojo which specifically trains bushi in the art of commanding and mastering their war-dogs.

Unicorn Bariqu Wrestler

Bariqu wrestling is distinct from the more widespread sumai wrestling, and is largely unknown outside of the Unicorn Clan. Within the Unicorn, its traditions date back to the time of the Ujik-Hai, the gaijin nomads who joined the clan and became the Moto family. Bariqu is focused on throwing the opponent, rather than driving him out of the ring, and makes heavy use of joint-locks and paralyzing holds.