Editing Scorpion Clan

The '''Scorpion Clan''' is one of the Great Clans of [[Legend of the Five Rings]]. Descendants of the [[Primarch|Kami]] [[Alpharius|Bayushi]], they are the Emperor's Underhand: his spies, assassins, and schemers willing to get their hands dirty while the rest of the Empire stays clean in their adherence to Bushido.

Like their founder, the Scorpion Clan fights their wars from the shadows. Through manipulation, blackmail, bribery, assassination, and many more covert operations, they keep Rokugan safe by detecting unseen threats and nipping problems in the bud with ruthless efficiency. As a result, the Empire largely scorns them as the basest villains, thoroughly untrustworthy and dishonorable, who can't be removed cleanly because they either know the skeletons in everyone's closets or will just outright plant those skeletons there. The Scorpions accept this sacrifice of their own reputation, darkly proud in their ability to do what the other Clans won't when it must be done. With but a few drops of poison, a knife in the dark, a trained courtesan, or even a single rumour, they can start or end wars, destroy reputations, and acquire dirt on the hypocrisies of their cousins.

But no matter how stained their reputation, one thing anchors them firmly within Rokugan: their fanatical devotion to the Empire and their Duty. Even as some among them lose themselves to the thrill of scheming, the tension of rivalries, or the allure of power, Loyalty is always rigorously drilled into the heads of every Scorpion samurai. They will manipulate and betray anyone if it's for the good of the Empire, from their rivals to their own friends and family, either deadening themselves to these sacrifices or keenly feeling the cost of betraying those who have earned their devotion. And while their fellow Clans distrust them, some know that there is no greater ally than a loyal Scorpion...and all know that there is no greater nemesis than a wronged one.

There is most certainly no relation whatsoever to [[Alpha Legion|another group of smug, intellectual spies and manipulators]]. The fact that they were in fact loyal to an Emperor at the start but sometimes have their plots and schemes spiral beyond their control (or do they?) is complete coincidence.

==History==
From their very inception, the Scorpions have worked from the shadows in their Duty to the Empire. To the other Clans, the things they do would seem unthinkable and distasteful in the extreme. But to the Scorpions, it is Loyalty and Duty which are the greatest of virtues. If a lie, bribe, seduction, assassination, or more would save the Emperor, then in their eyes, the choice is obvious to the truly loyal servant of the Empire. And the stains to their reputation are a price they willingly pay time and time again.

===The Scorpion and the Frog===
In the Tournament of the Kami, after thoroughly trolling his sister Shinjo with increasingly lulzy ring outs (culminating in matadoring her into charging off a cliff), Bayushi prepared for his bout with his [[Omegon|twin]] Shiba. Shinsei, founder of the Tao, met with him and proceeded to share his wisdom with him.

Shinsei began by telling the tale of the Scorpion and the Frog. Bayushi, certain he'd already heard it, almost interrupted Shinsei, but was stopped when the wise old monk changed the ending: When Frog got stung and claimed they would both die, the Scorpion simply replied "But Frog: I can swim." [[Eldrad|What a dick]].

This twist gave Bayushi his own epiphany: The true power of cunning and deception lay in [[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|showing others only what you want them to see]] while [[Just As Planned|keeping your true strengths hidden]]. Get them to underestimate you, lie about your capabilities, and you will always have the advantage. The fact that it made it easier for the snarky Kami to perfect the art of being a backstabbing [[Assholetep|asshole]] was simply a welcome bonus.

Bayushi was so delighted that he quickly donned a simple cloth mask to hide his smile, creating his Clan's most iconic traditional dress code. So while Shiba apparently won because he was too wise to fall for Bayushi's deceptions, the truth was that Bayushi threw the match. All to convince the spectators that surely, there was no way he could pose a threat, not knowing that this Scorpion could swim. And it would not be the last time the Scorpions would feign weakness.

===The Emperor's Underhand===
When Hantei was building his Emerald Empire, he asked his brother Bayushi to do the dishonorable, cutthroat things necessary to keep it safe from equally dishonorable threats. Threats that would be accustomed to lying unseen in the shadows and playing dirty in ways their siblings never would or could. Fully understanding the darker sides of humanity, Bayushi agreed with the fateful words "''I will be your villain, Hantei''"...but warned the Emperor that if he ever screwed him or his followers over, he should remember that he had never faced ''him'' in the Tournament of the Kami.

And the Scorpion did not disappoint. Highly unscrupulous yet fanatically Loyal, Bayushi and his Clan proved incredibly proficient at their Duty. With Shosuro, his greatest student and waifu/adoptive daughter (maybe, the lore is ambiguous...or is it?), Bayushi shaped the Scorpion Clan into Rokugan's greatest intelligence network and masters of clandestine, covert operations.

To combat crime, they mastered the ways and organizations of criminals. To catch corruption, they spread bribery among their own magistrates and used this reputation to seem like easy marks. And if the peace of the Empire depends on dirty, underhanded tricks, they won't hesitate to pay that price. Lies, betrayals, seductions, false flags, anything to get the more aggressive or blindly honorable Clans to move the way they want: back in line, doing what the Emperor demands of them. After all, what is Honor next to the lives of thousands, or even millions? If a lie would save the Emperor, they would gladly tell it.

This is the mask they presented to the Empire. Much like the ones they physically wear, it is a reputation that is meant to be seen by everyone, warning them: they're masters of deception, and you shouldn't trust them. So they take on this reputation, endure any insult, live with their choices and betrayals. No matter how lonely the path or how much it might conflict with their own values, they do it all and go to any lengths in the name of Duty and Loyalty. Even if saving the Empire means striking down the noblest samurai, the most cherished Clanmate...or even the Emperor himself.

==Families==
It would be a mistake to think that the Scorpion families are disorganized and prone to infighting because of their specializations and demeanors. While cunning, ambition, corruption, and individual initiative are common elements among the Scorpions, the Clan's utter devotion to the tenets of Duty and Loyalty give them a fair amount of cohesion while their talents give them a knack for organization; no self-respecting Scorpion would put their grudges above the Clan's orders, or damage it with their vendettas. Those that prove to be so selfish find themselves punished with deadly assignments, used as distractions, or given a one-way trip to Traitor's Grove [[Grimdark|where their souls will be ritually bound to trees through prolonged torture to suffer for eternity outside of the cycle of reincarnation]]. The Clan as a whole trusts their specialists from each family to conduct its affairs competently, though occasionally higher-ranking samurai will deliver specific orders to pursue a broader goal. And for the most part, Scorpions will obey these orders even if it means death or disgrace.

===Bayushi Family===
The descendants and followers of Bayushi are the "face" of the Scorpion, both at court and on the battlefield. They possess most of the Scorpions' iconic traits, being dangerous, charismatic, cunning, and utterly ruthless in the pursuit of their goals.

Bayushi courtiers are infamous for using the most obvious political tricks attributed to the Scorpion: blackmail, assassination, intimidation, corruption (as in bribery and moral decay, not Shadowlands Taint), and seduction (which is helped by the fact that even in-game, it's generally acknowledged that [[Meme|OH NO THEY'RE HOT]]). Besides being exceptionally skilled at getting dirt on you, they are also trained to be experts at provoking or tempting you to stain your reputation. In either case, they pressure their target with such blackmail to stress that cooperation would be in their best interests in a dark mirror of the Doji's exchanging of favors.

However, the Bayushi also have a strong martial tradition and head the Clan's biggest straight-up military schools, learning to apply Scorpion methods to the battlefield. Commanders and bushi of these schools will be experts at dirty tricks and mind games, whether it's poisoning supplies, leaking false intel, or duelling with left-handed feints, to name but a few of their tactics. Anything to misdirect an enemy and create doubt in their minds, giving the Scorpions those precious opportunities to achieve their objectives.

===Shosuro Family===
Shosuro, Bayushi's protege of ambiguous gender (though often taken to be female), was the Scorpion Thunder and a master of disguise, assuming different roles to get where they needed to be. Their followers would take those lessons to heart and would establish the Shosuro school of acting. ''Officially'', they elevate a traditionally "low" art form to give prestige to the Scorpion Clan. In reality, however, they're infiltration and disguise specialists, using theatres as a cover for their clandestine operations. Shosuro troupes are prestigious enough to get them into the highest courts of Rokugan where they can ply their craft, each samurai taught to utterly change their appearance through simple tricks of posture, voice mimicry, and wardrobe.

The Shosuro were also the ones in charge of the first spy network of Rokugan until the Imperial Otomo family ordered them to disband it. Which they did...and then created the urban myth of the ninja, backed up by low-ranking Scorpions dressed in black pajamas causing a ruckus, in order to hide their continued operations. Despite being a dishonourable taboo that absolutely does not exist, the Shosuro shinobi are the most infamous and efficient spies of the Empire, highly adept at infiltrating precarious positions and blending in with both their natural and social surroundings.

Of course, while these are the most prominent functions of the Shosuro family, they also have a less obviously iconic role: many of them work with the Ikoma to manage the Empire's history. Usually by erasing incriminating details of Imperial ancestors from the record so that the Hantei dynasty's divine right to rule remains unblemished. Wouldn't do to know that past Emperors [[Tzeentch|invited gaijin traders]], [[Slaanesh|lusted after young samurai-ko]], [[Khorne|provoked Lion crusades over an errant gesture]], or [[Nurgle|never took baths]], after all. And it works, because nobody knows these omitted details...including the Emperors themselves.

===Soshi Family===
The Soshi are the descendants of Bayushi's shugenja aide...who was actually Shosuro faking their own death. The Soshi, as the Scorpion's shugenja family, supplement the Clan's talents for espionage with magic. While the Scorpions are a practical lot who'd rather pacify spirits than make use of them, they never turn down an advantage.

Soshi are experts at casting spells subtly, as well as most forms of magical spying that can be done. This can range from overhearing conversations remotely through the wind to scrying on targets through ponds. However, their true talents are tightly-kept Clan secrets: the Soshi developed the first <s>ninja</s> ''shinobi'' of Rokugan, supplementing the Scorpion's already-impressive espionage skills with shadow magic perfect for infiltration, camouflage, and information gathering.

===Yogo Family===
Yogo, follower of Shiba and husband of Asako, was cursed during the war against Fu Leng to betray the ones he loved most. Bayushi, however, convinced him to join him and lend his mystical expertise despite Yogo's concerns by reasoning "But Yogo, you do not love me." Since then, Yogo's curse has passed onto those of his blood and those who shared his name. All Yogo are aware of this curse on a metaphysical level, as well as when it has been fulfilled. Time has left them dour and pessimistic about the curse's certainty, as well as the fact that the more they try to avoid or deliberately trigger it, the worse it gets.

That being said, their Phoenix heritage was also passed down. The research of the Yogo have left them the foremost experts of warding magic and curses in Rokugan. Their knowledge of the details and conditions of curses and abjurations makes them well-suited to their main duty of guarding the Black Scrolls which seal Fu Leng, as well as solid mystical defenders against magical threats. Additionally, they train shugenja specialized in sniffing out and combating maho, the ''Kuroiban'' (Black Watch), who also work closely with the Kuni Witch Hunters.

==Culture & Role==
In a Clan that projects an image of masks, secrets, intrigues, and betrayals, the identity of the Scorpion hinges on two foundations: their devotion to the Empire, and the paired tenets of Duty and Loyalty.

While they act and are seen as pragmatic, ruthless, manipulative assholes who commit all manner of dishonorable bullshit in the shadows (and do teach that this is the "smart" way to act), every Scorpion is taught from day one that it all serves a greater purpose. Scorpions are raised with a complete readiness to serve the Empire by any means necessary, though their definitions of "any means" is considerably broader than that of the other Great Clans. This zeal is no less genuine, however, and only the most uptight and rigid samurai (usually a Lion) would actually dare to accuse them of ''faking'' it; to anyone else who begins to understand how the Empire works, a Scorpion may be a slimeball, but he's undoubtedly the ''Empire's'' slimeball, and demeaning him for doing his job is a quick way to end up facing all those problems that he magically removed. Good luck procuring information, getting through security, staying unnoticed, or speaking with ''hinin'' then.

Conversely, however, the Scorpions' reverence for Duty and Loyalty also make them a tightly-knit Clan that takes care of its own despite the occasions where rival schemes and ploys overlap. Scorpions strongly value family to a degree other Clans might find surprising, even if their interactions are heavily couched in what Duty demands of them or what's for the good of the Clan. From childbirth to marriage, Scorpions eagerly celebrate and keenly value their connections, and most of the time a wronged Scorpion's family will devote their entire being to arranging an appropriately painful punishment for whoever screwed them over. These bonds are mostly ties of blood or Clan, but those who earn their trust will find there are few allies who are more loyal.

===Tactics===
Whether in the courts or on the battlefield, [[Bane|theatricality and deception are powerful agents]] of the Scorpion Clan. They are THE experts of using bribery, blackmail, misinformation, assassination, and so forth to remove obstacles...and use this reputation to mask their surprising proficiency in a number of other fields.

Their talents are mostly seen in the context of court, where the whispers of Scorpion courtiers can start or end wars while the threat of their secrets can force another Clan to either assist them or abandon a rival. However, it's also important to note that as infamous as they are, the Scorpion Clan doesn't use these methods all of the time...just with enough calculated attention to create the sort of publicity they want. Which is to say, a reputation for manipulation, cunning, and ruthlessness. [[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|Obvious enough]] to move their rivals in predictable directions...while also hiding their true objectives in plain sight.

For example, a Crab who distances himself from a smiling Scorpion on principle alone is subtly moved in the direction of the Phoenix, which serves the overall goal of isolating the Lion at court...and allowing a servant in the Scorpion's pocket to move unnoticed by all three of them. Meanwhile, their trade agreement with the Unicorn goes off without a hitch because their partner doesn't want to piss them off or miss out on the juicy gossip. Roughly speaking, for every one highly visible scheme, there's a subtler one hiding in its shadow and a straight-up honest agreement following in its wake.

Such multilayered schemes apply to warfare as well. Certainly, the most obvious threat any commander faces from the Scorpions is their vast arsenal of dirty tricks: supplies are sabotaged, officers assassinated or replaced, mercenaries bought off, intel compromised, never knowing if they are marching on the Scorpion's true camp or a decoy, or even if they're at the right battlefield. The Scorpions may lack a large army or magical firepower, but their mastery of playing dirty can cripple an enemy force to be considerably easier pickings. And if a battle against the Scorpion seems to be going suspiciously well, bear in mind that they're likely playing a longer game, whether it's making themselves seem weak or diverting you from a strategic objective. And of course, their reputation of "weak to a straight-up fight" is just what they want you to believe; while they certainly lack numbers and brute force, it must be said that the Scorpions do still train their forces to be surprisingly competent generalists. Not Lion-competent, but still enough to be a nasty surprise for the killing blow.

===Bushido & Religion===
As a whole, the Scorpion Clan is not a particularly devout Clan given the nature of their Duty and their tendency to be manipulative cynics. Both the code of Bushido and the religions of the Empire are generally regarded as rigid and perhaps naive means to control the masses, though they do honor their ancestors and those spirits most related to them like the Kami Bayushi and the Fortunes Benten, Daikoku, and Jurojin, and this disdain sometimes fades as they approach retirement age. After all, if a Scorpion ever lives long enough to ''retire'', they'd have to be one of the wisest, most badass schemers in the Empire.

However, it's worth noting that they aren't [[Imperial Truth|stubbornly atheistic in a setting where magic and gods are real]]. Instead, Scorpions simply treat the supernatural as one more factor to consider in their plans. While they mostly operate in the mortal realm of politics and intrigue, they have strong foundations of mystical knowledge with the Soshi and Yogo families. Their stewardship of the 12 Black Scrolls gives them a greater appreciation for mystical threats (which their ''Kuroiban'' take ''very'' seriously), and as a matter of fact, their meticulous attention to detail means that Scorpion samurai are quite likely to observe a large number of superstitions meant to appease the kami and promote prosperity and success. Granted, it's less out of reverence and more in the vein of "OK, spirits, I'll make the required sacrifices, say the prayers, and do the dance, so you stay the JIGOKU away from my covert op". Some of their most prominent superstitions are that two is a lucky number as Bayushi was a twin, and three is unlucky as he was the third Kami eliminated from the contest (however intentional). They also consider rats lucky as they are associated with Daikoku, Fortune of wealth, and keep their pest control at "just enough to not have a plague of rats on our hands" while seeing cats as unlucky.

Of course, the more visible cultural nuance of the Scorpion is their relationship with Bushido. Certainly, there's the very visible disdain they have for its more rigid and honest demands (and how predictable it makes their rivals), something that more devoted Clans scorn them for. Conversely, however, their fanatical devotion to the paired values of Duty and Loyalty is also just as well known. Thus, you can generalize Scorpion views to two schools: those who think Bushido is garbage except for Duty and Loyalty, and those who think Bushido is worthwhile but Honor must be sacrificed in the name of not just protecting the Empire, but allowing it to stay ''good''. The average Scorpion samurai falls somewhere between the extremes of stone cold pragmatism and wistful, tragic appreciation, reaching a conclusion along the lines of "It's a nice idea, but ''we'' have to be realistic".

==Clan Relationships==
The Scorpion Clan's duties and methods have left them in the interesting position of being despised by many while being too well-informed to recklessly provoke. Even those engaging in diplomacy (whether for profit or to stand against a mutual foe) will be wary of the Scorpions, even with years of cooperation. And that's just the way they like it; their reputation is a useful shroud in their hands, and a lazy, careless excuse when used by anyone else hoping that "It wasn't me, it was the one-armed Scorpion!" will get them out of a jam.

Of course, being the Emperor's Underhand and smug, creepy bastards in general, the Scorpions have few friends among the Clans; even positive relations are tinged with the reminder that at any point, anything you say or do can be turned against you. The mainstream Scorpion view of all the other Clans can be summed up like this: "You're all hypocritical dumbasses, and I'm smarter than you". But given that their line of work lets them know exactly how many dirty secrets the "honorable" Clans are hiding, it's understandable that they'd feel smug superiority over the very people decrying them at court. To the Scorpion, you're no better than they are; the only difference is that ''they'' know where ''your'' bodies are buried. And that gives them power over you.

'''The [[Crab Clan]]''': Despite the Crab's very clear dislike for the Scorpion for being backstabbing creeps, the Scorpions don't hate the Crabs any worse than they do the other Clans. They certainly look down on them for being blunt and uncultured brutes, but this can also be a plus in the eyes of the Scorpion as it means Crabs are also likely to be predictable and easily manipulated...though they also greatly stress to not screw around too much because the Crabs are also the ones most likely to ignore courtesy and just straight up kill them on the spot. Beyond that, however, there's actually some surprising areas of positivity: the Kuni and the Yogo collaborate often to track down ''maho tsukai'' and Tainted foes, and the Crab actually considers the Scorpion, as distasteful as they are, a step up from the Crane, because at least they get shit done and don't pretend to be noble.

'''The [[Crane Clan]]''': There is a complicated love-hate relationship between the Crane and the Scorpion, which is appropriate as each is a light or dark reflection of the other. There is certainly a great deal of pride and resentment over their clashing cultures: the Crane believe Honor and nobility are big deals, while the Scorpions think those are just hypocritical masks, and each is quick to denounce the other for their failings. They often clash at courts, and their courtiers' respective styles of political favors versus blackmail often cancel each other out. However, the fundamental similarities of their specialties and their mastery of Rokugan's social rules and pressures does give them actual respect for one another's skills, each viewing the other as a genuine intellectual threat and challenge instead of a helpless rival to look down upon. Cooperation between them can produce extraordinary results in the Empire's courts, and the Crane even took in Scorpion children during their exile one edition.

'''The [[Dragon Clan]]''': While the Scorpion Clan maintains an air of smug superiority over most Clans, the Dragon Clan is one of the few they harbor stronger resentment and disdain for. Although their isolation and scarcity of allies are weaknesses the Scorpions exploit, much of the Dragon way of life makes them notoriously difficult to manipulate and spy on: their nonconformist nature makes social pressure less effective, while their schools teach a level of insight that helps them to evade or even expose Scorpion plots, with the Kitsuki often being the Holmes to their Moriarty able to see through obvious plans to catch subtler ones. Furthermore, the upper echelons of Scorpion leadership have an extra level of butthurt over a closely-guarded secret: Togashi leads the Clan in a mortal incarnation, subverted the Scorpion daimyo's daughter sent to seduce him, unfailingly sees through every spy and scheme, and makes sure the only secrets the Scorpions know are those he allows them to discover. And yet, this little-known connection has sometimes led to the Dragon Clan assisting the Scorpion Clan by sending reinforcements to a battle.

'''The [[Lion Clan]]''': Scorpions and Lions have an obviously antagonistic relationship, with pragmatic deception butting heads with rigid, militaristic Bushido. While they recognize their potency, the Lion Clan sees the Scorpion Clan as the most debased villains who not only resort to the most dishonorable methods that disgrace the virtues of Bushido, but have the gall to claim it's all in the name of Duty and Loyalty. Yet funnily enough, the Scorpions don't feel all that threatened by the Lions; outside of their brilliance on the battlefield, they regard them as one of the most easily anticipated and manipulated Clans in the Empire, even commonly manipulating them to move against the enemies of the Scorpion. And beyond such snide acknowledgement, there are unlikely factors giving them common ground. In addition to the Ikoma and Soshi managing the Empire's history, both Clans place extreme importance on family and have a burning zeal to destroy the enemies of the Emerald Empire. So when they're not throwing invasions or intrigues at each other, they occasionally cooperate to gang up on anyone they consider a threat...like the Unicorns when they first returned to Rokugan.

'''The [[Mantis Clan]]''': Relations between the Mantis and the Scorpion are definitely tense. While the Scorpions are likely to hire the Mantis for a job, their snide and arrogant treatment of a former Minor Clan is never taken well. Additionally, the overall disdain they have for each other is worse in the case of the Tsuruchi family of the Wasp Clan due to their origins of being born from a Lion and Scorpion only to be betrayed by both Clans for being a public disgrace that defied their authority. Nevertheless, as much as Scorpion methods and history earn the disgust and distrust of the families of the Mantis, their unconventional and individualistic culture does identify with Scorpion philosophy of getting shit done no matter what.

'''The [[Phoenix Clan]]''': Like the Crane, Phoenix-Scorpion relations are complicated. On the surface, a Clan devoted to pacifism, tradition, and religion would certainly take issue with the Clan of backstabbing spies who generally see traditional values as inconvenient or useless. However, there are some areas of common ground. Being intellectual yet not politically driven, the Phoenix do have a distant appreciation for the Scorpion's mastery of Rokugan's social rules. Additionally, both Clans do share an affinity for magic, though the Phoenix are a lot more balls-deep into it. The Scorpion's stewardship of the Black Scrolls, efficient use of magic in espionage, and dedicated anti-''maho'' group of ''Kuroiban'' does give them areas of agreement or even cooperation with the Phoenix, who are the Clan most focused on sniffing out and ending mystical threats.

'''The [[Unicorn Clan]]''': The Unicorns are the other Great Clan the Scorpions don't just sneer at but actively hate, and that dislike certainly goes two ways. However, while the Unicorns are hostile for the reasons you'd expect (Clan of honest warriors being against treachery and deception), the Scorpions' hatred isn't for the usual reasons the other Great Clans might have. Cultural differences aside, the Scorpions actually don't care all that much that the Unicorns have ''gaijin'' blood or different customs; inferior and barbaric, sure, but no worse than a rowdy Crab. Instead, what really gets them butthurt is that they refuse to play their social games. When the essence of Scorpion politics is to threaten to unmask their target, it frustrates them to no end that the Unicorns live life practically maskless, usually honest about who they are and uncaring about what others think while trampling over well-laid plans and schemes. However, despite their bad blood, the unorthodox nature of both Clans does give them potential for alliances. As each of them is something of a pariah to the others for different reasons, this makes them more receptive to any potential ally, particularly one with strengths that they lack.

==See Also==
*[[Just As Planned]]: The general ethos of their tactics and identity.
*[[Alpharius]] & [[Omegon]]: THE smug, manipulative assholes who play double agent FOR THE EMPRAH.
*[[Alpha Legion]]: Smug, manipulative assholes with multilayered, life-ruining plans...IN SPACE.
[[Category: Legend of the Five Rings]]