Rokugan
From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings
Rokugan is the focus of the Legend of the Five Rings setting. It is based heavily on feudal Japan, though it also includes aspects of other Asian cultures, as well as magic and mythical beasts. Rokugani society is based on a clan structure, with seven (and later eight) so-called "Great Clans", as well as several minor clans. Each clan also has areas of land bequeathed by the emperor under their control. The emperor retains ownership off all lands, however, and the clans essentially rent the lands they use by paying taxes annually.
There is no given name for the entire world which the setting describes, so "Rokugan" is used alternately to refer to the specific nation within the setting or to refer to the entire world. Strictly speaking this is incorrect, but as the Emperor lays claim to all that is as a right of being the descendant of Amaterasu and Onnotangu, the courtiers of the Emerald Empire would see this as an appropriate use. The citizens and rulers of the Burning Sands and Ivory Kingdoms might disagree, however.
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[edit] Political Landscape
The nation of Rokugan is divided into varying sized provinces, each controlled by distinct groups. The largest groups, and the largest areas, are controlled by the clans of Rokugan -- groups of families descended largely from a common ancestor who have inherited control of their respective tracts of land, as well as the people living on them.
[edit] Great Clans
The Great Clans were each formed by one of the Kami after their fall from Tengoku. These clans' histories date back to the very beginning of the Empire. The exception to this is the Mantis Clan, which, until the Second Day of Thunder was actually a minor clan. Through force and manipulation, Yoritomo was able to get his family granted Great Clan status in 1128.
Great Clans are made up of several family lines, each family with their own general purpose within the clan. Each clan also has a specific purpose within Rokugan -- some area of expertise or mandate that the specific clan can fulfill better than any others.
[edit] Minor Clans
There are many minor clans in Rokugan -- clans that have been formed since the birth of the empire by those other than the Kami. New clans are not founded lightly. The founders of these clans generally performed some extraordinarily valiant deed or favor for the Empire. Unlike the Great Clans, minor clans generally only have one family, but like the Great Clans, each generally has a specific duty to fulfill.
- Badger Clan
- Bat Clan
- Dragonfly Clan
- Hare Clan
- Monkey Clan
- Oriole Clan
- Ox Clan
- Sparrow Clan
- Tortoise Clan
[edit] Former Minor Clans
Throughout the history of the Empire, there have been several minor clans that no longer exist. Some have joined Great Clans as family lines, and some have been disbanded by the Emperors.
[edit] Imperial Families
In addition to the clans, a very powerful force in Rokugan is the Imperial Families. The Emperor of Rokugan has no clan of his own, but he does have his own family, currently the Toturi, and three families that serve his interests directly: the Miya family, the Otomo family, and the Seppun family. The Imperial Families have no standing army of their own, though they largely control the Imperial Legions, which take soldiers from all the clans of the empire. They also have no Champion, as the Emperor himself leads them.
The Imperial Families are generally smaller than the families of the Great Clans, but what they lack in numbers they more than make up for in sheer political might. With the Emperor as their head, the Imperial Families are possibly the mightiest power in all of Rokugan.
[edit] Lands
In Rokugan, all land is owned by the Emperor. The territory given to the respective clans and daimyo is given by the Emperor for the daimyo to act as stewards, not as owners, over their respective provinces. In return for for permission to live on the Emperor's land, the clans pay taxes to the Emperor.
Should the Emperor believe that a clan cannot protect the lands that they hold for him, he can turn stewardship over to another clan. This is how many of the wars in Rokugan begin, one clan proving to the Emperor that another clan cannot sufficiently protect their land.
[edit] Creatures of Rokugan
Rokugan covers a large area and contains many diverse landscapes, from seas and marshes to mountains and deserts. As a result, it also contains a large diversity of animal life.
[edit] Time
- This section is covered more in-depth in the article Time
Time in Rokugan is measured in several ways. The seasons are the most obvious division of time, as the weather in Rokugan switches from oppressive heat during the summer months to crippling snow in the winter.[1] A more formal system of months and days also exists, dividing the year into twelve months of 28 days.[2] Additionally, the years themselves can be counted in two different systems: the Emperor's Right, which refers to the year of the reign of the Emperor and is the official method of recording the passage of time; and the Isawa Calendar, which measures the number of years since the founding of Gisei Toshi, Isawa's city.[3]
