Unicorn Clan

The Unicorn Clan (formerly the Ki-Rin Clan) is one of the Great Clans of Legend of the Five Rings. Followers and descendants of the Kami Shinjo, these nomads departed Rokugan after Fu Leng's defeat to explore the world and scout out threats to the Emerald Empire. After 800 years of wandering and cultural osmosis with the gaijin they met on the way, they returned to their ancestors' homeland only to find a culture entirely alien to them, an impression which was mutual. And unlike them, the majority of their newfound kin very emphatically DID NOT have a curious spirit eager to learn about the unknown.

Not that they let it get them down. Getting back up on that horse (see what we did there?), they've since reclaimed their lands and carved out their own niche in Rokugan. Today, they're known for their bizarre customs and goods gained from the Burning Sands (an amalgam of Mongol and Arab influences mingling with classical Japanese), their 'barbaric' tendency to flout various social norms (such as eating red meat, using leather, and crashing through the veils of social interaction with blunt honesty)...and the best damn cavalry in the whole Empire.

Wait. Strange traditions relative to their faction, Mongolian influences, heavy emphasis on speed and cavalry, and a tendency to follow their own instincts? That sounds familiar...

History

After the Kami's fall from heaven and the tournament to decide who would rule, Shinjo began gathering her own followers into the Ki-Rin Clan. Things were pretty good for awhile until Fu Leng, long thought dead, began his first war with Rokugan using the powers and creatures of the Shadowlands. Shinjo was the only Kami to attempt to reconcile with her wayward brother, which went about as well as you might expect. But in the end, at the Day of Thunder, Shinsei and the mortal champions of each Great Clan were able to hold him off long enough to seal him into the Black Scrolls.

Exodus Of The Ki-Rin

Seeing the vast devastation wrought by her fallen brother, Shinjo decided that she would best be able to serve Hantei by exploring the wider world in order to discover greater threats to Rokugan. Her siblings tried to dissuade her, but ultimately let her go upon realizing they couldn't stop her. They even gave her their last gifts of advice and artifacts to see her off. Even Bayushi gave her tips on how to notice and avoid deceptions, and Doji gave her a fan so that she'd always have a piece of home with her. Keep that trinket in mind, it's going to be very important later.

What followed could probably be described as a road trip right out of D&D. The Ki-Rin encountered a vast array of exotic lands and cultures, and faced the twofold challenge of surviving the journey while also preserving their own sense of identity. To answer these needs, they adapted to their circumstances by cooperating with outsiders and setting up various rituals and laws aimed at preserving their identity through adoption and blood rites to connect them to Shinjo's divine nature. They would welcome the help and learn from them, but they would still be Shinjo's children, united in the hope that one day they would return to their homeland while they served it from afar.

This journey would also change their lives in an important way: It was how they came across and started breeding the mighty gaijin steeds which would be their greatest strength and defining feature. For some context, the average Rokugani pony isn't all that large, and is mostly used for labor and baggage rather than rigorous riding or outright battle, its greatest strengths being its long lifespan and reliability in work. Maybe occasionally, they'd put a commander on them so that they could save their energy and look impressive on horseback. These gigachad quadrupeds, though, were to the native ponies as Space Marines were to Guardsmen, being larger and stronger with slightly less stamina. And the Utaku steeds were Primaris Marines by comparison, far faster and more muscular, but living half as long while needing way more food and water.

Later on in their journey, Shinjo herself would be lost to the Lying Darkness, but the Clan would continue to move on. They renamed themselves, seeing that they were no longer purely Rokugani, but a mixed people with the blood of all they had encountered. Thus, the Unicorn Clan was born.

That wasn't the end of their road trip, though. That came when they briefly got in touch with Shinjo, and she determined the final stretch of their journey: To get back to Rokugan, they'd have to charge through the Shadowlands.

Return Of The Ki-Rin

Fighting their way through the Shadowlands, the Unicorn finally made it back to a home that they had only heard of in legends, but which had kept them united in culture and purpose. They first encountered the Crab Clan and the Kaiu Wall, but were distrusted for their sudden appearance (which was understandable because it was pretty much like emerging from hell and claiming you were Elvis) and attacked.

Rather than fight those who were supposed to be their kin, though, the Unicorns did what they do best: go fast, charge through, and never look back. They rallied and zoomed through a gap in the Crab's defenses, and hauled horse ass in the direction of their traditional lands...right through the Lion and Scorpion, who tried to stop these mysterious, barbaric, and probably tainted outsiders from penetrating deeper into Rokugan. They failed.

Eventually, the Unicorns found some allies. The Crabs decided they weren't the things they fought on a daily basis, so they ignored them. The Phoenix, upon hearing their tale, vouched for them. And finally, when they presented the Crane with the fan that Doji had gifted to Shinjo, that proved their identity enough that the Emperor at the time pretty much ordered everyone to stand down so that he could figure out this mess. Some diplomatic backing and a gift of a breeding pair of Utaku stallions later, the Unicorns were recognized as the rightful descendants of Shinjo and given back their lands.

The rest, as they say, is history. A long, long history of bickering and warfare, often with the Lion, while committing their fair share of brutal bloodletting. So yeah, they pretty much fit right in.

Families

The main families of the Unicorn are the descendants of Shinjo and her followers, as well as one family of gaijin they adopted who rose to prominence. Among them, there are varying degrees of integration with Rokugan. Some like the Ide and Utaku are able and willing to adopt and adapt to the Empire's culture, while others like the Moto hold their own Unicorn customs in higher regard and don't care about fitting in. The majority of the others tend to fall somewhere in-between, trying to follow social norms while still seeming rather alien to the average Rokugani. Despite these differences and each family's strong individual identity, however, the Unicorn families tend to be united in culture, purpose, and direction. Ambitions and tensions do exist in overlapping areas like the Shinjo and Moto for leadership, the gendered roles within the Utaku, and the Ide's peacemaking versus the Clan's desire to expand their territory FAST, but their shared culture (and persecution by conservatives) gives the Unicorn a good deal of solidarity. Each family is trusted to serve in their specialties with speed, initiative, and loyalty, regardless of personal reservations with the Khan's will.

Shinjo Family

Descendants of Shinjo's first servants as well as her one son who assumed a human form while the rest of his siblings remained spirit-fire ki-rin horse things (look, divinity is weird, alright?). Shinjo are renowned as expert scouts and outriders, as well as skilled archers and upright rulers. Depending on the time period, they are either the current leaders of the Clan, or its former leaders after their disgrace when a large number of them were purged for being members of the Kolat conspiracy which sought to overthrow the divine rule of the Kami.

Whatever their standing, though, the Shinjo keep their spirits high. In a Clan which stands out for its cooperative nature, the Shinjo are known as some of the fairest and outright nicest of the families, though the Ide could also lay claim to that distinction as the Unicorn's courtiers. Even among other Clans, they're known for treating their allies and enemies with mercy and fairness. This doesn't make them soft, however; they know how to perform a cavalry charge as well as the more militant families of the Unicorn, and have fielded some of the best mounted archers in all of the Empire, made doubly potent by their mastery of yomanri, the gaijin archery art of aiming down your sights carefully rather than firing from the hip quickly. Their fighting techniques also combine gaijin tricks and traditional kenjutsu, prizing mobility and using techniques like ripostes to combine offense and defense.

Moto Family

The Moto are descendants of the Ujik-hai, a gaijin clan the Unicorns encountered and defeated. Inspired by the valor and skill of the Ki-Rins, they joined up with them and proved their worth as warriors. Worthy doesn't mean nice, though; while they embraced their new family and legitimately earned their place, Moto are one of the most militant bushi families of the Unicorn Clan, and tend to provide the majority of its heavy cavalry. Their warriors are known for death-defying brutality as they politely make their differences of opinion known to their enemies. In their more controlled aspect, that means using mobility to move from foe to foe, avoiding attacks while relentlessly attacking. But when going full monke, Moto heavy cavalry are known to just flat-out charge into enemy lines, sacrificing their mounts to break spear walls and go full-on berserker in charges that require extensive training of their steeds and an utter disregard for personal safety. Basically, if the Shinjo use hit-and-run with agility and archery, the Moto use run-up-and-hit-them, and favor heavy weapons in a similar fashion to the Hida and Matsu.

Their OTHER most defining feature is the Moto Curse, which comes in two flavors: a spiritual sense of doom and foreboding that comes from their ancestral death gods cursing them for letting their religion fade to obscurity, and a bleak reputation in society due to one of their ancestors leading a large army into the Shadowlands to try and purge it only to get the majority of them corrupted into the Dark Moto. Despite that, however, their pride, courage and ambition also made them the Unicorn's natural leaders when the Shinjo were disgraced.

Don't mistake their aggression for barbarism, though. Despite their public image ranging from "weeb Khornate Berserker" to "dour deathseeker", the Moto are in fact extremely disciplined in how and when they unleash their fanatical fury, and these pretty swell guys and gals are fully capable of forging bonds of respect, family, and love the way most people would understand them. So basically mounted Hidas, or Rokugani Klingons (both Original Recipe Hearty Warriors and Dour Disciplined Worfs).

Utaku Family

A matriarchal bushi family descended from Shinjo's stoic samurai-ko follower Otaku (who have since rebranded as the Utaku for obvious reasons) who more closely look like Rokugani samurai. They strive to emulate their founder, and so tend to be stoic and determined, preferring to let their actions speak for them instead of making flowery oaths or war cries (though in supporting stories, they can chat just fine if they need to). Their Shiotome Battle Maidens form the shock troops of the Unicorns, and in the cavalry clan, they are THE elites with much more stringent training and a near-mystical connection to their steeds which are superior to even the Unicorn's gaijin horses. The Shiotome school's curriculum is the most "orthodox" in terms of technique, and besides mastering the cavalry charge, they also train their warriors to maintain their Honor and focus to such a degree that it literally makes them hit harder. Only women are allowed to ride these mighty beasts in battle, and their speartip charges are among the deadliest military threats you can face among the Great Clans. Be very afraid, and very aroused impressed.

That being said, their men are not to be underestimated either. While they're not the rulers of the clan, Utaku men are usually the ones to breed and train their steeds, which necessitates actually riding them (just not to war). This was initially something of a consolation prize for second-class clanmates, but later editions reinforced that Unicorns would naturally hold their horse breeders and stable masters in high esteem. And those that go to war tend to form the Unicorn's elite infantry, playing vital roles in supporting the cavalry, whether by pinning enemy forces in place or following up their charges. Most male bushi in this family become Utaku Mounted Infantry, riding to a battle and then dismounting to become the indomitable anvil that the Clan's cavalry hammer crushes their foes against, with martial technique worthy to stand beside the other schools.

Ide Family

Descended from Shinjo's most diplomatic follower, the Ide are courtiers, mediators, and caravan masters. They are marvelously adaptive, whether negotiating goods and services with cultures beyond the Empire or navigating the murky waters of a Winter Court. They have a reputation as impartial outsiders, helping to resolve conflicts and indebt both parties to the Unicorn, and most Clans respect them enough to listen when they speak. This is partly because they're outsiders with a unique perspective that others fall back on as "the token neutral third party", and partly because the Ide are trained to be both agreeable, helpful friends and charismatic masters of rhetoric. Politicians from other Great Clans might look down on them as idealistic peacemakers, but few are able to actually use that as a weakness against them; a skilled Ide's collection of allies and wealth can give pause to even the most well-connected Doji or Bayushi. It wouldn't be far off to say they're like a cross between the Yasuki's business sense and the Doji's diplomacy.

Ide believed that diplomacy should always be the first option to resolve conflict, and that idealism carries over into their approach. That doesn't make them soft, easy marks, however; Ide are trained to carefully study the people and cultures around them. Preferably to reach agreements, but also to take note on whether they plan to betray or butcher you. They can read a room with the best of them, and like any courtier, they are fully prepared to bring the weight of their wealth and connections down on their enemies. They also host the Calm Heart dojo, one of the only iaijutsu dojos in Unicorn lands whose duelists focus on causing as little excess damage as possible, seeing as they needed to be prepared to defend their honor on the other Clans' terms. They'd just rather talk it out first.

Iuchi Family

The shugenja family descended from Shinjo's magic master who dealt with practically all magical matters on their exodus. Iuchi are wild and carefree nature priests whose signature spells work mostly with movement/travel magic, and communing with animals (especially horses, duh). They also stand out in the Empire for two things. Firstly, thanks to their history, they have a pretty open-minded and experimental perspective of magic as a whole and would readily study and experiment with even foreign styles, which rankles conservatives to no end. And secondly, their signature style of magic: meishodo. By inscribing spells into talismans and convenient devices, an Iuchi is able to cast spells with incredible speed through their spell focuses, extending this benefit to any other caster entrusted with it.

There are trade-offs for this power, though. A spell cast via meishodo can never be modified with further effects such as increasing its power or range. It is also viewed with suspicion as blasphemy because it doesn't derive power from the Kami and Fortunes, but from the power of Names and words used in the creation of the world. And finally (and also unknown to everyone including their own Clan), practicing this art has an unfortunate tendency to further weaken a shugenja's connection to the native magic of Rokugan, making it harder or downright impossible to cast the conventional way even if they wanted to. But despite these drawbacks, the Iuchi still play an important role as the Unicorn's spiritual experts, and are potent force multipliers for their military who prefer subtler buffs such as letting an army march with great speed, silence, or supernatural cover.

Culture & Role

To sum it up: Horses, traveling, and doing things differently. Much of the Unicorn's culture was defined by their big road trip, and as a consequence, that left them EXTREMELY different from the rest of Rokugan.

Equestrianism and exploration are big deals to the Unicorn; their horses are practically sacred beasts that they bond with from a young age, and they have a liberal attitude and boundless curiosity. Where the average Rokugani looks beyond the Empire with uncertainty and disgust, the Unicorn looks and sees delightful opportunities. Unicorns are eager to cooperate and adapt, but they also have the warrior spirit to use force to pursue their goals. They want to be in constant motion, whether in the world or in society, and would rather do something, anything, that moves them forward rather than get stuck in a rut thinking of the best way to do things. Which can royally bite them in the ass when a high-ranking samurai decides to Leeroy Jenkins their army into a "worthy cause" and get it slaughtered or worse, but that's life in the Emerald Empire.

Another thing that makes the Unicorns stand out is their strong sense of noblesse oblige, a legacy of their Kami and their long, difficult journey. While Unicorns still abide by the Celestial Order that places samurai at the top as "full people" and peasants as lesser beings, they also believe that those at the top have a duty to use their advantages to help those below them. They can certainly be as ruthless as the other Clans to enemy populations depending on the commander, but within their own lands or those entrusted to them, peasants generally know that they can count on Unicorn magistrates giving them fair treatment. Much to the befuddlement of most of the other Great Clans who either hardly think about heimin or take it for granted that they're there to serve samurai.

Because of these traits, Unicorns serve as the Empire's best cavalry and horse breeders internally. More importantly, they are Rokugan's explorers, outriders, and ambassadors with the world beyond its borders, and contribute a great deal to Rokugan's trade both within and without. They're the ones sent to the Burning Sands to deal with the gaijin out there, whether it's to trade for riches or to be on guard against foreign invasion. Not only are they equipped for the job, they actually WANT to be out there, and are even willing to negotiate first instead of launching conquests out of distaste for disgusting foreigners.

Tactics

In case you haven't been paying attention this whole page, the Unicorn Clan makes heavy use of cavalry thanks to their gaijin horses. Speed and force are their greatest assets, and their greatest weaknesses are when terrain or position slows them down or blunts their charge, and their dependence on battlefields with enough grazing and water to sustain their mounts. Their horses and tactics may have started spreading across Rokugan a bit more, but they still maintain the largest cavalry with the most skill and experience in mounted tactics. For everyone else, cavalry is a specialty unit, and their focus is more on tactics to counter them. The Unicorns' initial shock value has worn off since they returned, but it's still really freaking difficult to counter an offensive you can see but can't react to, backed up by the combined weight of a Space Marine-scale mount and its rider.

Whatever their battle plan is, the Unicorns make sure that their horses are disciplined and fast enough and their riders of equal skill to pull it off. They make heavy use of scouts to learn of the enemy's position, and are fond of either riding past them or cutting off their supply lines. Strategically, their overall goal is to get where the enemy least wants them as fast as possible, hit as hard as they can before an effective defense can be mounted, then ride off to the next opportunity.

This extends to their tactics. On the offense, they prefer breaking enemy lines with a charge and surrounding them with support from mounted archers and infantry to keep the enemy pinned and the cavalry intact, but have also mastered riding and archery techniques to make them dangerous on the move and even while retreating. When playing defense, they prefer to defend in the open rather than behind walls, intercepting enemies with patrolling battalions in hit-and-runs rather than fixed garrisons.

Bushido & Religion

The Unicorns prefer to worship and live in harmony with nature and the related Fortunes, and have a complicated relationship with Bushido and the Tao of Shinsei, the main spiritual pillars of Rokugan. While most think that their strange customs, gaijin riches, and utter disregard for tact would make them utterly irreverent hedonists, Unicorns actually hold a fair bit of respect for these beliefs. They just tend to follow them in their own way, preferring practical lessons that hew closely to their worldviews.

As far as Bushido goes, there are obvious values that Unicorns hold in high regard, particularly those encouraging you to be a better samurai and a more righteous person. But they have next to no patience for the usual social conventions found in samurai drama relating to saving face and being 'polite', often bluntly calling out these things or speaking truthfully even if it gets them into hot water. Basically, to Clans who build on and around such social maneuvering, the Unicorns are a Clan of Stupid Good Paladins taking the whole "never tell a lie" and "never tolerate injustice" bits too far.

As for the Tao, the Unicorn Clan views it in mostly practical terms, much like the Crab. As a worldly, down-to-earth Clan, they don't really get the sort of meditative philosophy of enlightenment that Shinsei preaches, and tend to just cherry-pick things that apply to them and color it with their own perspectives. This extends to their views on retirement, as (like Crabs and Lions) Unicorns prefer to live and serve even into their senior years rather than retire from worldly affairs. However, while they're not big fans, neither are they haters; Unicorns do respect the Brotherhood of Shinsei as teachers and storytellers, even if they don't think the teachings apply to them, and freely let them come and go through their lands, usually unmolested. They may not be as religious as the Dragon Clan, but neither are they as outright hostile as the Lion Clan.

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 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 ratfolks' 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 well-meaning scholars with their heads stuck up their asses who 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.

See Also

• White Scars: Independent speedy boiz...IN SPACE.
• Mongols: The historical inspiration for much of their new culture.