The Phoenix Clan
The mysteries of the universe are the domain of the Phoenix. Long ago, before the sage Shinsei arrived in Rokugan, people worshipped the Seven Fortunes, fickle gods who were as easily pleased as angered. The secret rites to communicate with them were kept by an order of holy men called shugenja. When Shinsei brought his philosophy to the Empire, it spawned new mysteries for the shugenja to contemplate. No one ponders the nature of reality quite like the Phoenix. Moreover, no one can utilize its arcane powers as fully as Phoenix shugenja. The shugenja’s curiosity may prove to be its downfall.
When the Kami first roamed the land looking for men who would follow them, one of them ventured far to the west to a people that hated the children of Sun and Moon. His name was Shiba, and he was known among his brothers and sisters as a pacifist and a thinker. He believed in the power of the word over the sword. It was this philosophy that allowed him to win over the humans who had rejected the Children of the Heavens.
Shiba came to a city that had chosen to defy him, and he spoke to its leader, a shugenja called Isawa. Shiba told Isawa of the encroaching threat of the Shadowlands. He told him at Fu Leng would seek to dominate them all, therefore it would be wise for all to stand together against the Dark Lord. But Isawa was stubborn, and it was only when Shiba bowed before this mere mortal and pledged to protect his people that Isawa agreed to become one of the Seven Thunders.
Since that time the Shiba family, thought descended from a Kami, has always been subservient to the Isawa. In fact, the Phoenix do not even have a daimyo in the tradition of the Empire, but are ruled by a council of five shugenja, the Elemental Masters.
Colors: Red, orange, and yellow
Champion: Shiba Ujimitsu
Masters: Isawa Tsuke (Master of Fire), Isawa Tomo (Master of Water), Isawa Uona (Mistress of Air), Isawa Tadaka (Master of Earth) and Isawa Kaede (Mistress of the Void)
Personalities: The Nameless One (formerly Isawa Ujina, Master of the Void, father of Tsuke, Tadaka, and Kaede), Shiba Tsukune (Phoenix General and sister to Ujimitsu)
Families:
- Isawa
: Like their founder, the Isawa are proud and independent, breaking from the tradition laid down by the Kami and forming their own traditions
- Shiba
: The Shiba are the sworn protectors of the Isawa family. Though willing to raise a sword in defense of their wards, the descendants of Shiba are peaceful and serene
- Asako
: The Asako are the keepers of the histories and secrets of the Phoenix Clan
Dojos:
- Isawa Shugenja Dojo
: The studious Isawa shugenja define magic for all of Rokugan. Their knowledge makes them immensely versatile
- Isawa Tensai Dojo
: As masters of elemental forces, the Isawa have trained many of their shugenja to specialize their study in a particular element, to the exclusion of all others. The Tensai (element masters) are these specialists
- Isawa Ishiken Dojo
: The most difficult elemental ring for a shugenja to master is the Void. Only those born with an aptitude for understanding the Void can even hope to learn to control and shape it. The Ishiken (void masters) are viewed with mystery and awe even by other Isawa shugenja
- Shiba Bushi Dojo
: The bushi of the Phoenix are taught to work closely with their spell-casting brethren. A true Shiba bushi must have nearly as great an understanding of magic as a shugenja
- Shiba Kanshi Dojo
: The Shiba Kanshi (House Guard) are renowned across the Empire for their fanatical devotion to their guardianship. They even go beyond yojimbo, for they are bred as guards, not taught
- Asako Henshin Dojo
: The first Asako was given the gift of understanding by Shiba a thousand years ago. She passed that riddle on to her children and every Asako since then has learned to understand the elements in a way that escapes even the Isawa. The Henshin (elemental diviners) use this skill to peer into the soul of magic
- Asako Tsukai-Sagasan Dojo
: The Asako realized centuries ago that their understanding of the riddles of the elements would be invaluable to a magistrate. Techniques were developed to aid these Tsukai-Sagasan (inquisitors, witch hunters) in their quest to root out foul magic and other crimes of the spirit
- Isawa Yosoguntai Dojo
: Very recently, the Phoenix took their knowledge of the elements to another level, the fusion of man with element. Thus were born the Yosoguntai (elemental warriors), warriors wielding the power of the elements themselves, without the aid of spirits
Special Notes:
- The focus of the Phoenix is magic. While I am not going to make new groups, or a new element to incorporate the Void, they can do things with magic that others cannot. Just use them in dramatic and creative ways without adding to their power.
- The typical shugenja and Tensai are basic mages. The only difference is that the Tensai never learn a second element. As I said before, I won’t give them any additional abilities. Just make them a higher rate than normal if you want to show off their power.
- The Ishiken are the most powerful shugenja in Rokugan and should be handled that way. They are extremely rare (1 in a 1000 Phoenix shugenja are Ishiken). Since I’m not going to create an entire new set of spell groups, the Ishiken are considered to be able to cast any spells they wish. They do not conform to a single element, they cast them all (though any individual Ishiken can choose any primary element they wish). As stated before I’ll not make additional spells, just use them well and keep the players guessing.
- Shiba bushi and Kanshi are protectors and pacifists. They do not engage in battles for the sake of it, only in defense (thought their definition of "defense" can be fairly broad). The only things that makes them different from other warriors is their preference of mage skills, especially Identify Spell. The skills help them work well with their shugenja allies.
- Asako Henshin are another form of mage, but tend to be more focused as scholars. They work in history, not the present and as such aren’t seen that much. Think of them as librarian-mages.
- The Asako Inquisitor is a different matter entirely. They are warriors that venture the land hunting down the practitioners of magic. They do not discriminate, and arrest anyone that seems to be using the elements in dark ways. Whether this is creating undead, summoning oni, contacting Fu Leng, or things much less destructive, the Asako are there. They generally are warrior-mages with a preference for their swords.
- Isawa Yosoguntai are quite unique. These warriors could never go hidden, and can not pass for human in normal society. These are warriors that have given themselves over to the elements. In return they have become immensely powerful. These are not human; they are creatures. Use the statistics for elementals to represent them (Aerovervo, Akvovervo, Fajrovervo, Terovervo for Air, Water, Fire, and Earth respectively). Void Guard (Yosoguntai of the Void) will have a separate write-up elsewhere.