Crab Clan

The Crab Clan is one of the Great Clans of Legend of the Five Rings. In a game and society that revolves around the niceties and tensions of social drama, the descendants of the Kami Hida...do NOT give any shits about art and etiquette. Crabs are blunt, rude, and prone to aggressively running roughshod over their "softer" cousins, giving them a reputation as uncouth bullies. So why hasn't everyone waged a socially acceptable war on them to be rid of this stain on Rokugan's society?

Simple: Because they're the first line of defense Rokugan has against the eldritch horrors of the Shadowlands down in the south. Against an enemy with monstrous strength, unending numbers and a limitless capacity to twist and corrupt your own, Crabs need to be tough, pragmatic, and direct. They need to accept the harsh realities of constant casualties and dwindling supplies, they need clear and direct communication, and they need to have a pragmatic mindset to fight the long war. Quite simply, war against the Shadowlands simply CANNOT afford the loftier trappings of samurai etiquette and conduct such as holding your tongue to save face, glorious last stands, and absolute loyalty to your superior no matter how idiotic their decisions. Against oni and the hordes of Jigoku, victory can lie in living to fight another day and pass on what you learned even though your every instinct screams to die beside your brothers and sisters.

The Crabs are the weapon Hida forged them to be, and they stand as strong and resolute as the Kaiu Wall they built to contain the Shadowlands. And with a duty that sucky yet essential, it's no wonder that they've little patience for any preening courtier who has the nerve to belittle their sacrifices or even dismiss it as lies. However, just as any samurai in L5R faces the tension between being a living weapon and a person, so too are the Crab more human than you would think beneath their hard shells (see what we did there?). Even in the face of the horrors they face on a daily basis, they live and die hard, their honor and bonds tethering them to their humanity and the Empire. Because whatever else you might rightly say about their manners, no Crab would ever shirk their Duty.

So they're the first line of defense against monstrosities the Empire isn't allowed to know, stoic defenders of magnificent fortifications, who blow off steam with wild abandon others find barbaric. But unlike the Night's Watch, at least they're encouraged to get married and start pumping out kids.

History

The formation of the Crab Clan begins with the Kami, Hida, who was the most physically powerful of his divine siblings. But it doesn't end with the absolutest of units; from him and his first followers and continuing through their descendants, the Crabs have been constantly building on their defenses and their strength. Understandable, given the eternal war they have to fight against the Shadowlands.

Hida And Shinsei

Hida was actually the first of the Kami to be eliminated from their tournament to decide who would rule Rokugan, having lost the first-to-three-points duel to the speed and skill of his sister Shinjo. The blow to his ego, however, was far heavier, and Hida left to sulk. He, who prided himself on his strength, was ashamed that his massive gains could not save him from his weakness.

Enter Shinsei, the mysterious monk and founder of the Tao, who spoke with Hida about the reason for his depression. But to Hida's surprise, Shinsei dropped a truth bomb which would change his life forever: Yes, he lost because of a weakness. But now he knew what that weakness was, and could transform that knowledge into a strength.

This completely changed Hida's worldview, instilling in him a greater sense of pragmatism and self-awareness, and led to him studying the strengths of his other siblings instead of wallowing in self-pity. And it was this philosophy which he would pass on to his followers and descendants. To this day, even though they might start out valuing purely physical strength, Crabs are taught to know their own limits. Firstly, so that they won't overestimate themselves, endangering their lives and the lives of others. And secondly, so that they will realize: There are many kinds of strength, and true success lies in knowing how to make the best use of all of them.

Standing Against The Shadowlands

After surviving the horror of Fu Leng's war, Hida took on the duty of guarding the Emerald Empire from the tainted hordes of the Shadowlands. As the strongest of his siblings, he had the mental fortitude to wage a neverending war against an implacable foe. And as one would expect, he declared that only those strong enough to survive in the harsh environment would be worthy of his new Clan, forging them into a hardened army able to withstand the worst attrition. His first recruits were the hunter Hiruma, the smith Kaiu, and the mystical scholar Kuni. To prove their worth, he tasked them with eliminating a surviving lieutenant of Fu Leng. The trio worked together with the foundational skills which would define their future families: Kuni studied everything he could about the oni including what magic worked against it, Kaiu forged traps and a weapon capable of slaying it, and Hiruma tracked it down and lured it. Together, these three mortal men barely felled a demonic beast from the depths of Jigoku with their combined knowledge and tenacity.

The Crab amassed manpower, expertise, and weaponry, all the while struggling with the threat of constant casualties and sparse supplies. The greatest of their fortifications is the Kaiu Wall (or the Great Carpenter Wall). What started as a wall that ran along the Hiruma border was first destroyed in the same attack which cost the Hiruma their ancestral home. But when another army led by the oni known as The Maw arrived en masse, a single Kuni shugenja turned the rivers into an impassable barrier, buying time for the Crab Clan to construct an even greater wall with the aid of the other Clans. Having bought the defenders 73 days at the cost of one year of her life for each day, the Kuni died, but the new Kaiu Wall stood tall, and the Shadowlands army broke against it and the combined might and firepower of its defenders, siege engines, and magical artillery.

Since then, the Wall, much like its defenders, has suffered great damage and constant attacks, only to rebuild and stand firm each time. The first line of defense against an unspeakable evil, held together by the toughest samurai in the worst battlefield imaginable for an Empire that doesn't always appreciate them.

Families

While they may seem extremely different side-by-side, all Crab families are united by two things: they are regarded as crude and ill-mannered bullies by the majority of the Empire, and they are absolutely united in their shared duty to stand against the Shadowlands. As a pragmatic lot, the Crabs defer a great deal to their specialist families in their fields of expertise, though all of them bow to the Hida when it comes to executive overarching decisions or when a judgement call needs to be made. An arrangement that is, ironically, quite similar to the council of the cultured, soft Crane families.

Hida Family

The heads of the Clan, descended from the Kami himself. The Hida are a martial family and represent what the average Rokugani thinks when they imagine a Crab. On the one hand, they are among the Empire's largest, toughest, and bravest warriors who face a lifetime of horrors with stiff determination, heavy armor and weapons, and godly levels of stamina. On the other hand, they are also regarded as blunt, rude bullies who act slovenly and violently at all times. And to be honest, Hida tend to start out living up to the stereotypes; they are first exposed to the war against the hordes of Jigoku, and then likely to the less than grateful reactions of their cousins. Doesn't give them much incentive to play ball.

However, despite their reputations as rowdy rough ruffians who are too swole to control, Hida who live past the initial shitty realities of being a Crab can become some of the most pragmatic and level-headed leaders of Rokugan. Those who don't lose themselves to their egos or their PTSD will have the chance to fully discover the philosophical legacy of Hida: self-awareness, recognizing the many forms of strength, and understanding what it truly means to be Dutiful in their war. Thus, even setting aside their inherited position as the Kami's descendants, it's this culture which ultimately makes them best-suited to lead the rest of the Crab Clan.

Hiruma Family

The right-hand family and the scouts of the Crabs, exceptionally skilled at navigating treacherous terrain and hit-and-run tactics. Even in a Clan which has quite possibly the worst duty to uphold in all of Rokugan, the Hiruma have arguably been through the most out of everyone. The loss of Shiro Hiruma to the Shadowlands has left them as dour, grim hunters with a death wish to avenge their loss or die trying. It isn't always the attitude they grow into, but with the stakes of their duty made abundantly clear at all times, the pressure is always hanging over their heads.

Nevertheless, despite their fatalistic approach to life, they're dependable lieutenants who still hold onto the gritty determination shared by all Crabs: they believe that they can hold the line and win the war (or at least the immediate battles), but the Hiruma are just more keenly aware that they'll always have to pay a steep price for victory. They even help maintain good relations with the Unicorns, with the Shinjo hosting Hiruma scout training within their own dojos.

Kaiu Family

Architects, engineers, and master smiths. The Kaiu are the most cerebral of the Crab, and turn their training and gifts towards shoring up their defenses and coming up with the best tactics and weapons to wield against either Shadowland beasts or rival Clans. Their mentality leans towards seeing the big picture and thinking many steps or even years ahead, which is derided by their more hotheaded cousins, but all of them appreciate the engineering expertise and siegecraft of the Kaiu. And while they're as aware of the stakes as the rest of their Clan, the Kaiu might be the most outright optimistic of the founding Crab families, looking at life as one big engineering project and looking forward to seeing what solutions they can come up with.

The Kaiu are also the masterminds behind the great Kaiu Wall, from its labyrinthine layout to its lethal deathtraps and artillery emplacements. Across the Wall, sections are continuously under threat of being damaged, destroyed, or overtaken, with Crab teams sent to repair, reinforce, or recover them, leaving large areas as forgotten fortifications filled with monstrous creatures and lethal deathtraps. Kaiu graduates are expected to design a siege engine fit for service on the Wall, and if they succeed, their first task is to build the damn thing. As a fun aside note, they're also artisans of such skill and precision that they can create little clockwork mechanisms and toys.

Kuni Family

The shugenja of the Crabs. Kuni are held in fear and respect in equal measure, seen as part mad wizard and part mad scientist, with spells largely focused on detecting and exterminating Shadowlands Taint (through the purifying power of jade and crystal) and monstrosities (through overwhelming firepower). Kuni are infamous for the makeup/war paint they use to give themselves a fearsome visage, serving to hide their true nature and souls from mystical threats...and in some cases, to obscure the horrific scars and injuries they suffer in the line of duty. They obsessively study their enemies, and as a result, have become masters of autopsies and biology (a huge taboo in Rokugan which sees contact with dead bodies as unclean) in order to find weaknesses or recognize signs of the Taint. Only one other family, the Kitsuki of the Dragon Clan, practice similar methods of studying the dead.

Because of the destruction of their lands (which they are only just starting to magically heal), the Kuni are not a unified body of knowledge like other shugenja families. Instead, they are highly decentralized, each keeping their own stash of accumulated knowledge and only occasionally meeting up (often at the Hida daimyo's request) to compare notes or swap information. The obvious downside is that each Kuni only has their own knowledge at hand and no resources, but it does also serve to protect the whole of their information from being destroyed in one fell swoop, which is a bigger concern than one would think given the foes they face.

Yasuki Family

The Yasuki are the odd ones out, namely because they weren't originally of the Crab. These merchants were once part of the Crane Clan's financial empire, but faced flak because their black markets were a huge source of scandal. Facing persecution and embargoes from their own brethren, the Yasuki promptly decided to take their business elsewhere and create their own markets with blackjack and hookers. The Crab took them in, and they proved to be a surprisingly good fit, honouring the protection of their new home with their wealth and loyalty. And loyal they remain, being entirely willing to give their lives on the Wall despite their origins and specializations.

The Yasuki are merchants first and foremost, and their back-alley black market used-car-salesman style is seen as crude, greedy, and dishonorable by most Rokugani who already treat merchants with contempt as money-grubbing parasites who buy their way into polite society. They'll sell almost anything (including wares deemed dishonorable as long as they don't jeopardize their laws and markets) and haggle about the price the whole way, and their courtly negotiations tend to come down to providing gifts and goods in exchange for promises and agreements, yet they are also honest about their intent to make a profit without any of the more flowery trappings of negotiation in Rokugan. As a result, between their actual trade deals, smuggling operations, and black markets, the Yasuki are ludicrously wealthy, and use all of their gains in court to keep their new brothers and sisters supplied against the Shadowlands. They take these attitudes and their assets to court, and are seen as the most "civilized" of the Crabs that most Clans (other than the Cranes) would prefer to deal with...even if most samurai think their preferred style of gift-giving and favor-trading is crude, almost peasant-like, and bordering on bribery. The Yasuki, of course, see it differently: they're masters of trade, and they're making sure everyone gets what they want. You scratch their back, and they'll scratch yours.

Just make sure you're not the Crane Clan, who want them dead, or the Daidoji family, who want them deader. The Yasuki and the Daidoji have been locked in an economic war with their markets, which has the unfortunate side-effect of giving rise to organized crime in Rokugan...as well as spaces where the Kolat conspiracy seeking to overthrow the Kami-ordained society can thrive.

Culture & Role

The Crab Clan has one all-important duty: to stand against the Shadowlands and keep the Empire safe from it.

Every Crab family, even those whose duties are diplomatic, lives with the reality of the unending war their fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters fight. And so they train their warriors to fight oni, their shugenja to hunt down the Taint and maho, and their courtiers to negotiate supplies and trade deals to keep their armies fed and armed. That's how important and all-encompassing this job is to the Crab's culture and demeanor. And of course, the reaction of the other Clans to this duty colors a great deal more of their personality. Since knowledge of the Shadowlands is considered "impolite" and disgusting, the average Rokugani noble remains woefully uninformed about it other than what facets occasionally overlap with average life, such as concerns and taboos about the Taint, maho, and touching dead flesh. Effectively, this means that most people northwards into the Empire are either blissfully unaware about the horrors in the south, squeamish about discussing it, or haughtily dismissive of it as mere fairy tales and boasting, not unlike the average Game of Thrones noble's reactions to the White Walkers. Thus, Clans steeped in tradition and societal rules view the Crabs with disdain and condescension...though even then, Crabs are acknowledged as living under the rules they flout, unlike the Unicorns who sometimes experience greater hostility over their altogether different culture.

With such unhelpful responses to their requests for more resources, it's no wonder most Crabs tend to be rude, surly and demanding; given the war they fight, most are of the opinion that it's so serious that their cousins should be giving them ALL the manpower and supplies they need (and to be frank, they're not wrong). In some cases, that disdain becomes physical, as the Crab are viewed as the Clan most likely to say "screw it" and bash someone's face in, protective layers of etiquette and protocol be damned. Though to be fair, they can be just as unreasonable; many Crabs are so embittered by this situation that even if social rules relaxed about discussing the Shadowlands, they'd still stubbornly assume their cousins aren't ever going to listen to them. A common refrain from Crabs to others is something along the lines of "You wouldn't last a day on the Wall where we fight REAL monsters!" They are, after all, still samurai filled with stubborn pride.

On the job, the Crab Clan is absolutely focused on their Duty and facing it with Courage. They are the first wall of armor and muscle standing between the enemy and their allies (including off the Wall), and are among the most honest and courageous warriors of the Empire. Off duty, they have a reputation for letting loose and partying hard, enjoying a number of low worldly pleasures like drinking and gambling which run counter to the image of self-control and sophistication most samurai prefer to project. They drink, swear, brawl, and rut about like there's no tomorrow, and in many cases, that might very well be true. As such, few Crabs truly get into art and culture, with most seeing things like flower arrangement, origami, haiku, and paintings as "pretty, but absolutely worthless against a zombie made from your brother's corpse or an oni twice your size who rips heavy armor apart like it's rice paper".

However, despite being looked down upon as mannerless brutes with explosive tempers, Crabs can actually be surprisingly pragmatic and levelheaded, especially when compared to other adherents of Bushido. This is because their job is so lethal that they can't afford to waste lives and resources, whether on doomed campaigns to avenge Shadowland losses, or the various conflicts that explode among their northward cousins. They have their pride and hate the dishonors they've suffered, of course, but Crab Duty is stronger than all of that. But beneath that prickly, hardened outer shell, it's important to note that Crabs are just as human as everyone else, albeit affected by their grim lot in life. They're just as prone to introspection about how to make their lives worth living, and Crab philosophy which prizes strength has a level of depth outsiders find surprising, given that it goes beyond "CRAB STRONGEST ONE THERE IS" and into a great deal of responsibility, self-awareness and outward appreciation. They do cherish what they protect, and familial bonds are of the utmost importance to them. Every Crab wants a large family (because the Wall needs troops, as hard as it is to prepare your children for that horrific war), and they might be one of the few Clans to actively encourage (or at least approve of) romantic marriages, seeing as they're more likely to produce more children.

Tactics

As the very wall which protects the Emerald Empire from the Shadowlands, it's no surprise that the Crab Clan has a strong military culture that is influenced by their demanding duty. They field the second largest army in Rokugan at around 300,000 troops, but three quarters of that number are stationed along the Kaiu Wall. Most of the Crab military is dedicated to holding the line or launching counteroffensives into the Shadowlands, with those stationed within the Empire mostly defending their territory instead of waging wars.

War against the remorseless horrors of the Shadowlands has massively shaped Crab tactics. Because the tides of monstrosities never truly end, only wax and wane with the seasons, the Crab Clan has become the Empire's foremost experts on defensive warfare and fortifications. Their most obvious assets are their durable troops who are among the toughest baseline soldiers of the Empire, and siege engineers who can set up a fortified position at a moment's notice that only gets tougher to crack the more time they have to prepare it. However, they're more than just big walls of meat, steel, and stone. Knowing they cannot simply wait for Fu Leng's hordes to come to them, Crabs make sure to pair their defenses with a thorough support network: scouts provide thorough information of enemy movements, courtiers and smugglers keep them well-supplied, and shugenja and scholars address and dissect mystical threats. And of course, everyone is trained in countermeasures to deal with the Taint, from simple disinfection procedures to using jade fingers for security.

These fundamental strategies and advantages are also put to good use whenever the Crab enter disputes with the other Great Clans. The game plan largely remains the same: Knowing they lack mobility and numbers, Crab leaders will carefully scout out the battle ahead, fortify key positions, and methodically crush enemies between the shell of their defenses and the claws of their units. It's common knowledge among the Empire's fighters that while storming a fortified position is foolish, doing so against one held by the Crab is suicidal. However, against their cousins, there's one major difference: the Crabs hold back. Their traps, war machines, and tactics go from "completely dismember and incinerate" to "injure and take them out of the fight" if they can afford it...though there's hardly anything gentle about a Crab fort's ballistae and catapults ripping into conventional troops like a bolter round through a grot.

Bushido & Religion

Like their Unicorn allies, the Crab Clan has views on Rokugan's primary cultural forces which are uniquely shaped by their experiences and seen as uncouth by the rest of society.

On the whole, the Crab are neither especially devout nor particularly irreverent. Culturally, they worship and honor their ancestors like everyone else, take care to respect the Kami, and are in fact acutely aware of the spiritual side of life given that their duty pits them against said spiritual forces in their most corrupted form. In terms of Bushido, the Tao of Shinsei, and the worship of the Fortunes, Crabs tend to view things in pragmatic, practical terms: How is this relevant to the present, and how can it benefit the Crab's struggle? So like the Unicorn Clan, they usually end up picking and choosing the parts which work for them: values like Courage, Duty, and Honesty are viewed with greater esteem, while ones like Courtesy and Sincerity are viewed as face-saving time-wasters. Naturally, to the disgust and butthurt of more traditional Clans.

Similarly, the Crab's approach to Enlightenment and the gods is framed in practical terms. The Brotherhood of Shinsei dedicates itself to introspection and Enlightenment from the world; the Crab focus their philosophy and self-reflection exploring the spiritual side of practical strengths. The Phoenix dive into Fortune-worship in a mix of religious fervor and elemental minmaxing trying to grasp the secrets of the universe; the Crab mostly focus on how to not piss off the Kami and which ones to call upon to deal with their Tainted foes. There is a great deal of thought behind both paths, but it is always viewed in terms of how it can help the Clan NOW.

This mindset also extends to the Rokugani convention of retirement; much like the Lions and Unicorns, Crabs seldom retire to monasteries in their twilight years because they believe they should still be getting shit done. Warriors with lost limbs become cautionary tales, while veterans whose age has caught up to them become senseis...though in truth, even maimed or old Crabs are still dangerous enough to fight in the front lines.

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 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. 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.

See Also

• Astartes Praeses: For the group of SPEHSS MAHREENZ explicitly assigned to guard against eldritch horrors on the front lines.
• Imperial Fists: For the SPEHSS MAHREENZ who know the most about how to FORTIFY.
• Memories of a Stone Wall: The most complete storythread of a Crab bushi's campaign, and a good look at not just what it means to be a Crab, but what Legend of the Five Rings is all about.