Fauna

Fauna of Rokugan

Verdant forests, windy plains, dramatic mountain vistas and forbidding swamplands, all of these and more can be found within Rokugan’s borders, and all are home to a great variety of wild animals. Rokugan is one of the most civilized areas of the world, but its people have great reverence for the natural world, and thus the beasts of Rokugan thrive. The lands governed by the Great Clans of Rokugan cover an enormous area, and each includes multiple types of terrain. A brief summary of the more prominent terrain in each clan’s holdings follows.

The Imperial families controls mainly mountainous and forested regions, although they do have some limited plains in the foothills of their lands. Common animals in their territory include badgers, boars, bears, falcons, foxes, goats, tigers, monkeys, and in the plains, oxen.

The Crab Clan borders the Ratlings' destroyed territory and much of its territory is not really suitable for human habitation. However, there is still plenty of land that remains fertile and energetic. Crab Clan lands include plains, forests, and swamplands, as well as the Wall Above the Ocean and Twilight Mountains and a considerable amount of coastline. Animals common to their territory include badgers, bears, boars, crocodiles, falcons, goats, and stags.

The beautiful and extensive lands of the Crane Clan are lush and green, with many rolling hills and a few forests. The Crane holdings are predominantly coastal and as such have plenty of open fields and farmlands, although they also control some coastal mountains as well. Common animals in their territory include bats, crane, eagles, foxes, oxen, and stag.

The vast open plains of the Ki-rin stand in contrast with the northern reaches of the Shinomen Mori, the largest forest in the world, that occupies their southern border. Horses are of course extremely common in their territory, as they maintain vast herds on their rolling grasslands. Natural animals include bears, boar, eagles, foxes, hare, monkeys, oxen, snakes, stags, and wolves, as well as occasional tigers from the north.

The chilly mountains and forests of the Phoenix Clan are incredibly dense with life despite the long winter season and abundant snowfall. Common animals in their territory include badgers, boars, bears, eagles, falcons, foxes, monkeys, oxen, stags, and wolves. Tigers also sometimes cross the mountains to prey on the rich land.

The Scorpion Clan dwells in a dangerous area, for in addition to wooded hills and barren plains, the Scorpion oversee numerous dense forests, strong rivers, and dangerous swamps. Common animals in their territory include badgers, bears, falcons, foxes, oxen, snakes, stags, and wolves.

The open savannahs in the heartlands of the Empire are the only place where the Rokugani lion can be found with any frequency, and even here they are uncommon. These lands are noted for their rich supplies of game. Common to their territory are bears, boar, eagles, falcons, hares, stags, and wolves.

Lists of various fauna

These are the most well-known animals, birds, and insects in Rokugan, though many more exist. Players are encouraged to draw upon what exists in lands such as Japan, Korea, and China for inspiration. 

Animals

Badger, bat, bear, black viper, boar, cat, chameleon, chicken, cougar, deer, dog, donkey, fox, frog, goat, gopher, hare, horse, leech, lion, lizard, monkey, mountain goat, mouse, mule, ox, panda, panther, pig, pony, rabbit, rat, sheep, slug, snake, snapping turtle, snowfox, squirrel, stag, tiger, tortoise, turtle, wolf, and yak.

Birds

Canary, crane, crow, dove, eagle, falcon, game hen, hawk, nightningale, osprey, owl, pheasant, pigeon, quail, raven, sparrow, swallow, and wren.

Insects and bugs

Ants, bees, beetles, bureli wasps, butterflies, centipedes, crickets, dragonflies, fireflies, flies, grasshoppers, horse flies, hornets, locusts, mosquitos, preying mantis, scorpions, spiders, ticks, and wasps.