This small sect of shugenja studies and refines the ancient kawaru texts and methods, offering guidance and divination to all who might need it. To these shugenja the ways of kawaru are a sacred art, a gift from the Fortunes, and they often blend the kawaru methods with actual divination magic to get more precise results. They like to wear robes embroidered with the kawaru hexagrams. Kawaru Sages occasionally gain fame as court diviners, although they more often toil in obscurity.
The Phoenix Clan is home to the Elemental Guard, a set of four elite military units staffed by shugenja specializing in those Elements. Within the Hurricane Initiates, the Legion focused on Air, is a secretive group called the Mist Legion which focuses on using illusions on the battlefield. Although their existence is seldom officially acknowledged, they can be recognized by a small gray cloud worked into the school mon on their kimono.
The Isawa are the undisputed masters of elemental magic among the Great Clans. This prestigious family produces the most shugenja by far, and puts them through rigorous training to maintain high standards. The Tensai stand out as exceptional prodigies even among the Isawa. Instead of a general study of the kami, the Tensai focuses his attentions on a single Element. His command of the kami grows to an astounding level, as the kami seem to sing and dance at his call. Unfortunately, his single-mindedness comes at a high cost. It seems to be one the Tensai are only to eager to bear.
The Phoenix Clan expands its own fleet in response to Yoritomo’s growing campaign of raids and piracy; lacking the numbers to conduct a build-up on the same scale as their Crane allies, the Phoenix instead focus on placing shugenja on all their ships and training those priests to use winds and waves against the Mantis ships - an especially important duty given the number of Yoritomo and Moshi shugenja fielded by the Mantis fleet.
Countless temples and holy sites throughout the Emerald Empire have benefited from the protection of the Isawa Temple Guardians over the centuries. Indeed, as a group they are welcome in the lands of virtually every clan and family in Rokugan. Although their expertise is only rarely needed, when it does come into play the results tend to be memorable. There are many tales of a single Temple Guardian turning the tide during an unexpected attack.
The death of the Ivory Kingdoms has left the region rife with overgrown ruins, collapsed cities, and lost temples. It is a land filled with buried secrets, forgotten lore, and abandoned culture. While all of the clans of Rokugan believe their own culture is greatly superior to that which has been eradicated, there is nonetheless considerable curiosity about it, and none feel this more keenly than the Phoenix.
The Ikakeya are a lesser known sect of the Agasha family who have deliberately avoided the attention of outsiders ever since their family joined the Phoenix Clan. These individuals have continued their studies of the alchemical formulae and techniques from their time with the Dragon Clan (and which the Tamori family has continued in that clan). The Ikakeya are known for their skill at producing potions and other alchemical items that contain the essence of their magic, as well as for their skill at transposing and combining different Elements for maximum effect.
Founded by a third-century Isawa shugenja who was fascinated by the legends of the Yuki no Onna (Snow Maiden), the Acolytes develop magic built around snow and ice, modifying spells from Water and other Elements to fit their needs.
Founded in the years immediately after the creation of the Centipede Clan, the Sisters of the Sacred Light were originally created to deal with infestations of mischievous spirits. Although founded by the Centipede, they recruit women from several clans, and those women are expected to forsake their former loyalties in order to follow the path of purity and wisdom which the Sisters teach. They dress in the traditional garb of a temple priestess (a red hakama and white gi), bereft of all markings save for a single clan mon to indicate their ancestry.
The Mantis Clan is the undisputed master of the seas. Each captain of their ships is trained to handle the worst the waters can throw at him. The Mantis Navigator, meanwhile, can solve any problems beyond the abilities of a normal man. His mastery of the seas is unparalleled; his whispered prayers can calm the roughest seas and clear the darkest skies. The crew can rest easy , knowing the Navigator will get them back to land without fail.