Editing Crab Clan (section)

==Clan Relationships==
With their duty against a forbidden foe and their rough manners, the Crab Clan's relations with the other Great Clans tends to be prickly, with a few exceptions.

The general trend is that most people will acknowledge that the Crab's duty is a vital one, and that they're rude, uncultured brutes out of necessity. Among the Clans, however, opinions on any of these topics (the importance of their duty, their lack of manners, or their endless need for resources) skew one way or another depending on their focuses. This could lead to them viewing the Crabs as anything ranging from tough, tragic warriors to rabid dogs.

Crabs have a reputation for being discourteous brutes who constantly beg the Empire to send them more supplies, which doesn't win them many friends in court. But beg they must; even the Yasuki's markets can't get them everything they need, and their lands barely produce enough to feed everyone. With the attrition of constant war against monstrous foes, their supplies of food, weapons, medicine, and materials are always in danger of running low, and surpluses are practically unheard of. Which leads to even more tension when more prosperous Clans make the Crab pay a premium both financially and politically for rice.

'''The [[Crane Clan]]''': The Crab absolutely hate the Cranes for the same reasons as everyone: they see them as rich, privileged, political fops who look down on everyone while bragging about their greatness. This is further intensified by the Crab's state of constant warfare; they know for a fact that there's a huge threat that requires their total commitment and costs them dearly each day, which makes the Crane's culture all the more infuriating. Y'know, what with the flaunting of wealth and their claims that this haiku or flower arrangement is the ultimate expression of the samurai's soul, which is a frivolous opinion at best and a disrespectful insult of the Crab's daily sacrifices at worst. It doesn't help that as the Empire's caretakers of culture and tradition, the Crane absolutely look down on the brutish behavior of the Crabs and have a tendency to convince or pressure other Clans to see things their way, leading to more Clans ganging up on the Crabs. However, the ironic exceptions are the Daidoji, who are the one Crane family that the Crabs unreservedly respect for their martial might and prior aiding of the Crab against an oni invasion, and the Yasuki, who the Crane unreservedly despise for being defectors and black market merchants.

'''The [[Dragon Clan]]''': The Crabs are as befuddled by the Dragon Clan's isolation as the rest of Rokugan, but they're not outright hostile...merely grumpy that they, like everyone, don't do more to help. There's also the contrast between the Dragon's esoteric philosophies seeking enlightenment versus the Crab's grounded, down-to-earth pragmatism. Not that Crabs can't comprehend concepts of eternity or philosophy; they just tend to frame it in terms of "So what does that mean for the here and NOW?" However, they actually quite respect their other families with more tangible skills; Mirumoto skill, Kitsuki insight, and Agasha alchemy are all highly regarded by the Crabs. For their part, the Dragons view the Crabs with the same detached, philosophical perspective, having an outsider's insight that their hardened, stubborn demeanors might serve them well in their wars, but hinder as much as protect them. Additionally, both Clans have one more overlooked factor in common: Both are extremely dependent on others for food because their lands aren't suited for farming.

'''The [[Lion Clan]]''': As quite possibly the single Great Clan that the Lions don't actively dislike, there is a grudging respect between the Crabs and the Lions. The Crab Clan fully acknowledges that the Lion Clan has the mightiest army and knows how to use it, though they aren't fans of their attitudes of superiority; they respect that they're good warriors with true grit, but don't get why they so wastefully wage so many wars with so much ceremony and tradition. They also don't care much for their "WARRIOR PRIDE" culture since not only is it seen as a lot of unnecessary words, it's also used in the context of ''human'' foes. You took down five Moto barbarians? That's cute. However, a single Matsu who came to challenge the Shadowlands and faced his death honorably with the Hida daimyo at the time helped to ensure that relations between these Clans remained at "grudging respect" and not "outright hatred".

'''The [[Mantis Clan]]''': The Mantis, as an offshoot of both the Crab and the Lion, have a complicated relationship with their cousins. 
On the one hand, the Crab respect the Mantis' blunt, martial natures and their unique naval power. However, they're not fans of how their cousins have a highly mercenary culture as bounty hunters and merchants. The way the Crabs see it, all of their own "rudeness" and Yasuki "commerce" is done for a greater Duty; the Mantis, by contrast, only do such things for themselves (at least as far as outsiders can tell). As such, Crab opinions are a mix of those who respect the Mantis and those who think they're unworthy of calling themselves Osano-Wo's descendants until they pick up their weapons and man the Wall with them. The Mantis, for their part, don't really hold any ill will against the Crabs unless they're on the receiving end of their disdain. They have a distant respect for their forebears and their Duty, but remain individualistic in charting their own course, and see no need to prove themselves to the Crabs.

'''The [[Phoenix Clan]]''': Surprisingly, the Crab Clan actually respects the Phoenix Clan. They may think they're idealistic fools whining about peace, but they admire that they have the guts to stand up for their views, and that said views necessitate an open mind willing to talk peace. When the Phoenix are not being [[Magnus the Red|insufferably arrogant]], the Crabs respect the restraint, self-control, creativity and willpower that go into training shugenja who seek nonviolent solutions. Meanwhile, the Phoenixes abhor the violence the Crab commit and face on a daily basis, but they acknowledge the importance of their duty and are content to leave them be since their lands are far removed from each other. They may be firmer allies of the Crane who share their outlook, but with their focus on magic over art, they have a better appreciation for the severity of the Crab's duties. Particularly since their Asako Inquisitors are dedicated to rooting out ''maho'' practitioners, and have worked with and against the Scorpion Kuroiban and the Kuni Witch Hunters.

'''The [[Scorpion Clan]]''': The Crabs absolutely hate the Scorpions, much like they do the Crane. Their sneaky and deceptive ways, using words and lies instead of actual courage and steel, are deeply distasteful to the Crabs who have been forged into blunt and direct warriors (albeit ones who also make use of intelligence gathering and stacking advantages). However, they at least respect them more than they do the Crane, because at least those lies and plots get shit done. The Scorpions, on the other hand, view the Crabs as direct and easy to manipulate...but also take care to avoid pissing them off too much because they're likely to duel you or tear you apart if provoked. More so than the Lions, because at least the Lions still observe some modicum of courtesy regarding public violence. You can manipulate the outcome of a duel with the approved social hoops tacked onto it; you can't really manipulate an enraged Crab tearing your jaw off because you tipped your hand a little too much. [[Just As Planned|Unless provoking physical violence was your plan all along.]]

'''The [[Unicorn Clan]]''': The Unicorns are the Great Clan that the Crabs have the best relations with. Their most obvious common ground is that they are both warriors and outsiders who face Shadowlands threats, and have brutally honest cultures that don't gel with conventional etiquette. It's not all roses, though. Because the Unicorns are so unfamiliar with Rokugani civilization, even the Crab can't help but condescend to them. They don't necessarily despise their ''gaijin'' ways, but they tend to think they're lost and need guidance. After all, even if the Crab don't really give a shit for all that art and fake-politeness of their culture, it's still the culture they're a part of. But for the most part, the two are firm allies with lots of cooperation between them, the most noteworthy being the Shinjo hosting the Hiruma's trainers in their own dojos.

'''The [[Nezumi]]''': While not a Great Clan, it's worth noting the Nezumi for two reasons. The first is that the Crab are one of the few Clans who have a solid, peaceful relationship with them, and the second is that the Nezumi share borders with the Crabs along the Shadowlands, so they end up fighting the same battles side-by-side. The Crabs were the first to learn that these ratfolk were actually reasonable (and, in fact, outright immune to the Taint) despite some meetings being tense. And with their shared struggles and pragmatic attitudes they soon ended up getting along, with many Crabs earning adoption into nezumi tribes. The Crabs can't challenge official (and incorrect) public opinion that the Nezumi, being non-humans from the Shadowlands, are Tainted monstrosities, to say nothing of the unfortunate fact that their pre-Rokugan civilization is an inconvenient challenge to their Empire's historical authority. Still, they do what they can to protect their most steadfast allies, and there are even rumours that some nezumi have been adopted into Crab families.