Phoenix Clan
The Phoenix Clan is known throughout Rokugan for their skilled shugenja and mastery of elemental magic. They are the greatest mages in the Empire, with control over powers none other can manage. The Phoenix are also noted pacifists, preferring diplomacy to war if at all possible. The Phoenix presence in the courts of the land is not great as their courtiers are relatively few, although they are not isolationists like the Dragon Clan. The Phoenix Clan was founded by the Kami Shiba, while the family of his vassal Isawa generally ran the affairs of the clan.
The Phoenix was mostly identified with red, yellow, and orange colours.A Kami Kneels
The most important event in the history of the Phoenix Clan was when Shiba knelt before the mortal Isawa, casting away his pride and arrogance and promising to protect his people in exchange for Isawa's help in ending the War Against Fu Leng by becoming the Phoenix Clan Thunder. Until this point, the tribe of Isawa had been a part of the Phoenix only because geographically their land was within the area granted to Shiba by Hantei. Isawa refused to acknowledge the rule of the Kami, but he also refused to leave his lands. Shiba protected him from the Emperor's wrath by claiming that the Isawa were part of his clan even though Isawa would have claimed otherwise.
Isawa had believed that the War would not affect his people because it was confined to southern Rokugan, and thought if he remained neutral the Dark Kami would leave his people alone. When the forces of the Shadowlands began attacking the Isawa lands in the far north of the empire, Isawa too realized that he could not remain neutral in the War, and that if he tried, his people would be destroyed.
Isawa then offered to help Shiba in defeating his corrupted brother but only on the condition that Shiba would kneel before him as he offered his fealty. Isawa would not have his people believing that he had sold them into bondage to a Kami. Shiba, realizing the opportunity before him, did not hesitate to kneel before Isawa and offer to protect his family once he was gone.
The mystics and philosophers of the Phoenix seek enlightenment, but the clan also seeks to ensure their position as the controllers of magical knowledge within the Empire. With three of the four Phoenix families studying the elements it is hardly surprising they have been widely recognized in this area by the rest of Rokugan. This attitude has a detrimental side in that the other clans often see the the Phoenix as being arrogant and disinterested, as having a more intimate knowledge of the kami and their ways.
The Phoenix Clan was named the Voice of the Emperor by Toturi III after he decided that the honour should not be the sole duty of the Miya family. As such, they are the emperor's peace brokers, seeking to maintain civil dealings between the clans. This role fits naturally with the pacifism of the clan.
Shugenja
The leadership of the Phoenix Clan expects the members of the clan to be at least somewhat in touch with the kami and be also knowledgeable in the areas of spellcraft and magical theory. Shugenja are omnipresent in the lands of the Phoenix, and children are raised seeing spellcraft every day of their lives. Magic is the backdrop for all their studies, examinations, and work as children.
The Isawa Shugenja school accepts new students at the age of six. When a child reaches this age, the shugenja within, or closely connected to, his immediate family come together to study the child and determine if he has the ability to receive shugenja training. Among the Isawa family, nearly all children are sent to the school, as it is a great dishonor to the child's family otherwise. To the Shiba and Asako families, the testing is merely a chance to determine the child's abilities and destiny, and the schooling is not an obligation but simply a path the child might take.
The Phoenix are staunch pacifists. They have been known to intercede on behalf of oppressed minor clans and other daimyo in attempts to stop warfare within Rokugan. The Isawa believe that all life is valuable, from the weakest peasant to the mightiest emperor, and no life should be thrown away.
Many other clans take this as a sign of the weakness of their armies or the imbalance of the rule of the Council of Five. On the contrary, the Isawa do train in military maneuvers, and once the Phoenix fully commit themselves to a war, they unleash their magics with such power that the effects take years to fully heal. Because of this, the Council does not involve the clan in battle unless it is an absolute necessity. And once it becomes a necessity, the rest of Rokugan is often shocked and repulsed by the brutal efficiency of the Phoenix war machine
Families
Colors
The Phoenix was mostly identified with red, yellow, and orange colours.A Kami Kneels
The most important event in the history of the Phoenix Clan was when Shiba knelt before the mortal Isawa, casting away his pride and arrogance and promising to protect his people in exchange for Isawa's help in ending the War Against Fu Leng by becoming the Phoenix Clan Thunder. Until this point, the tribe of Isawa had been a part of the Phoenix only because geographically their land was within the area granted to Shiba by Hantei. Isawa refused to acknowledge the rule of the Kami, but he also refused to leave his lands. Shiba protected him from the Emperor's wrath by claiming that the Isawa were part of his clan even though Isawa would have claimed otherwise.
Isawa had believed that the War would not affect his people because it was confined to southern Rokugan, and thought if he remained neutral the Dark Kami would leave his people alone. When the forces of the Shadowlands began attacking the Isawa lands in the far north of the empire, Isawa too realized that he could not remain neutral in the War, and that if he tried, his people would be destroyed.
Isawa then offered to help Shiba in defeating his corrupted brother but only on the condition that Shiba would kneel before him as he offered his fealty. Isawa would not have his people believing that he had sold them into bondage to a Kami. Shiba, realizing the opportunity before him, did not hesitate to kneel before Isawa and offer to protect his family once he was gone.
Purpose of the Phoenix Clan
The mystics and philosophers of the Phoenix seek enlightenment, but the clan also seeks to ensure their position as the controllers of magical knowledge within the Empire. With three of the four Phoenix families studying the elements it is hardly surprising they have been widely recognized in this area by the rest of Rokugan. This attitude has a detrimental side in that the other clans often see the the Phoenix as being arrogant and disinterested, as having a more intimate knowledge of the kami and their ways.
The Phoenix Clan was named the Voice of the Emperor by Toturi III after he decided that the honour should not be the sole duty of the Miya family. As such, they are the emperor's peace brokers, seeking to maintain civil dealings between the clans. This role fits naturally with the pacifism of the clan.
Shugenja
The leadership of the Phoenix Clan expects the members of the clan to be at least somewhat in touch with the kami and be also knowledgeable in the areas of spellcraft and magical theory. Shugenja are omnipresent in the lands of the Phoenix, and children are raised seeing spellcraft every day of their lives. Magic is the backdrop for all their studies, examinations, and work as children.
The Isawa Shugenja school accepts new students at the age of six. When a child reaches this age, the shugenja within, or closely connected to, his immediate family come together to study the child and determine if he has the ability to receive shugenja training. Among the Isawa family, nearly all children are sent to the school, as it is a great dishonor to the child's family otherwise. To the Shiba and Asako families, the testing is merely a chance to determine the child's abilities and destiny, and the schooling is not an obligation but simply a path the child might take.
Pacifism
The Phoenix are staunch pacifists. They have been known to intercede on behalf of oppressed minor clans and other daimyo in attempts to stop warfare within Rokugan. The Isawa believe that all life is valuable, from the weakest peasant to the mightiest emperor, and no life should be thrown away.
Many other clans take this as a sign of the weakness of their armies or the imbalance of the rule of the Council of Five. On the contrary, the Isawa do train in military maneuvers, and once the Phoenix fully commit themselves to a war, they unleash their magics with such power that the effects take years to fully heal. Because of this, the Council does not involve the clan in battle unless it is an absolute necessity. And once it becomes a necessity, the rest of Rokugan is often shocked and repulsed by the brutal efficiency of the Phoenix war machine
Type
Geopolitical, Clan
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Comments