Editing Unicorn Clan (section)

==Clan Relationships==
The Unicorns are the outsiders of Rokugan, which is a bigger problem than newbies might think given the grave importance placed on societal rules. Their enemies (and even their more patronizing allies) look down upon them as uncultured or naive outsiders at best, and soulless, blasphemous barbarians at worst. This is worsened by their own tendency to disregard those all-important social norms if they fail to see the point. And just like how the Crab will stubbornly shut out others who "will never know the true horrors of the wall", Unicorns hold their own culture in a similar light, and [[Grognard|can grow extremely defensive or outright hostile if others are openly looking down on them or demanding they change their ways]].

However, because of their unconventional strengths, enriching trade with ''gaijin'' cultures, and their indisputably superior cavalry, many see the benefits of allying with them and will at least try to play nice if they want their aid. Naturally, their most positive relations are with those who share their own views on tradition and morals.

It's also worth noting that while they're one of the nicest Great Clans out there, the Unicorns are still just as vulnerable to the foibles of their peers: wars over slighted honor, vendettas, being hidebound to their way of life, and a patronizing nature towards most of the Minor Clans.

'''The [[Crab Clan]]''': Despite a rocky start when the Unicorns pretty much just barged through their blockade in the Kaiu Wall to get home (and the fact that Shinjo bested Hida in the Kami's tournament), the Unicorns and Crabs have since found that they get along pretty well. They both share a dismissive view of the more restrictive parts of tradition, have a better understanding of the danger of the Shadowlands (and both share borders with the Shinomen Forest which houses the [[Naga]]), and are more likely to follow their own intuitions and consciences. Crab-Unicorn alliances and marriages occur frequently, and they collaborate often, most notably with how the Shinjo and Hiruma train their scouts together. That said, even the Crabs can still be condescending to the Unicorns' inexperience with culture (despite not caring much for etiquette themselves). The Unicorns (except the Ide) also view the [[nezumi]] as vermin to be exterminated due to the hostile reactions of their horses (a side-effect of the [[ratfolk]]s' pheromones), which is a sharp contrast to Crabs understanding that they're their best allies against the Shadowlands.

'''The [[Crane Clan]]''': The Cranes and the Unicorns certainly have close, positive ties. Their Kami were besties, the Crane championed the Unicorn's claim upon their return (and it should be noted that this was quite a bro move considering that it risked social suicide for a Great Clan so focused on public image), and they helped them to better integrate into the Empire's culture, including helping to sponsor one of the Unicorns' only ''iaijutsu'' dojos and supply its first batch of senseis. Even so, there are some hairline cracks in that alliance. Despite their best efforts to be courteous, more conservative Cranes tend to be patronizing towards their cousins with an underlying attitude of "You're doing so well for someone so primitive, you'd do even better if you just let me teach you culture", and the Unicorns know it. They also know that the Cranes are keeping an eye on what they could gain in trade and military might, especially against their frequent shared enemy the Lion. Still, for the most part, they remain firm allies and at least TRY to play nice as equals, meeting each other halfway with the Unicorns adapting to Rokugan's ways while the Crane try to respect their new traditions.

'''The [[Dragon Clan]]''': You'd think the two non-conformist clans who share borders would get along like a house on fire, but surprisingly (or unsurprisingly), the Unicorn Clan is just as befuddled by the enigmatic Dragon Clan as most of the Empire. They certainly don't look down on them for being different, but on the other hand, the Dragon's tendencies to isolate themselves and be incredibly philosophical means they don't interact often. And when they do, it tends to leave the very down-to-earth Unicorns thinking "What the hell did I just listen to?". Still, while the Dragons haven't done anything to prove themselves as friends, they haven't pissed off the Unicorns either, which is appreciated. As for the Dragons, while it's hard to get a firm opinion from them, they probably wholly accept that the Unicorn Clan's peculiarities are what make them a unique part of the Empire, but believe that the identity they worked so hard to build can also keep them from new possibilities like enlightenment.

'''The [[Lion Clan]]''': The Lions and the Unicorns have a pretty mutual hate-boner for each other. And as two of the mightiest military Clans in the Empire, that has led to several generations of bloodshed and vendettas. While they both begrudgingly respect the other's prowess in war, the Lion Clan generally despises the Unicorn Clan's ways of life, and vice versa. Lions, being diehard followers of Bushido and tradition, absolutely hate the foreign customs of the Unicorn which are an affront to 'proper' behavior (though both aren't huge fans of the Crane's courtly dissembling), and the cavalier attitude of less tactful Unicorns who look down on the culture they're supposed to come from as backwards. And this being Fantasy Japan, some Lions uphold the socially accepted xenophobic view of ''gaijin'' as soulless, vicious barbarians outside the Celestial Order, which is extended to the Unicorn to varying degrees. Meanwhile, the Unicorns hate how the Lions aren't just staunchly traditionalist and elitist about it, but prone to lording it over others, as if they should be praised for brutalizing others who hurt their feelings. War and peace between any of the Great Clans are never permanent, and there can be alliances and friendships...but between the Lion and the Unicorn, there is a lot of bad blood most of the time. Basically, Lions think Unicorns are [[Chaotic Stupid]], and Unicorns think Lions are [[Lawful Stupid]]. This hostile relationship becomes extra-hilarious if you're aware of the fact that, in Medieval European mythology, lions and unicorns were literally blood enemies, to the point of trying to kill and eat each other on sight.

'''The [[Mantis Clan]]''': AEG's waifu of ''nouveau riche'' Not!Capitalists enjoy fairly positive relations with the Unicorn Clan, though it's less because of direct involvement and more from indirect overlaps. Being located on opposite ends of the Empire, they haven't had any reason or opportunity to war with each other. They both also have a thriving culture of commerce and exploration with ''gaijin'' cultures, the Mantis doing so by sea and the Unicorns by land. Add to that their tendency to appreciate rather than condemn foreign cultures, and their own mannerisms which speak bluntly and directly rather than having to jump through the myriad hoops of tradition, and there's a lot of common ground between them.

'''The [[Phoenix Clan]]''': The Phoenix and the Unicorns seldom have anything to do with each other, what with Lion and Scorpion lands between them. Despite a strong start with the Phoenixes being one of the first Great Clans to back their claim as Shinjo's descendants, their relationships since then tend to be on the vague side like with the Dragons, but also complicated like with the Cranes. The Unicorns essentially see the Phoenixes as [[Magnus the Red|well-meaning scholars with their heads stuck up their asses]] who [[Lorgar|act patronizingly to everyone]] while refusing to use their knowledge to actually get shit done. Meanwhile the Phoenixes, as pacifists who defined the traditions of religion the way the Crane defined the traditions of etiquette, look down on the Unicorns for their barbaric, warlike ''gaijin'' ways and blasphemous foreign magic. Ironically, they both claim they'd be totally willing to cooperate if the other party would simply shut up and listen for a change.

'''The [[Scorpion Clan]]''': As one would expect, the backstabbing Scorpions and the bluntly honest Unicorns aren't exactly the best of friends. Unicorns obviously have a distaste for the Scorpions' trademark manipulations which tend to be dishonorable and ruthless. The Scorpions, on the other hand, only have a minor disdain for the Unicorn's otherness. Instead, what really grinds their gears is the fact that the Unicorns either refuse to play their game, or trample over the dominos they so painstakingly set in place, with even the Ide being as likely to peacefully frustrate a blackmail attempt as they are to have the messenger ripped apart by horses. On a philosophical level, the Scorpions are also salty (seriously, even in their own sourcebook) about the fact that in an Empire of masks where you have power if you can threaten to remove someone's cover, the Unicorns seem to blunder through life maskless, completely honest about who and what they are. Even so, each sees the potential benefits of allying with the other, the Unicorns recognizing their clandestine skills as the Emperor's Underhand, and the Scorpions interested in a non-Lion military ally. And for all their fundamental differences, they can still forge firm friendships, like that between the Unicorn's best ambassador, Ide Tadaji, and Shosuro Taberu.