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Courtiers

Courtiers

Courtiers are the politicians and higher civil servants of Rokugan. They are often diplomats, sent by a clan or a family to another clan, family or even the Emperor's court. Some can be sent officially as ambassadors or to study a technique or an art within another part of the Empire, or to attempt to foster trade and commerce with others for the benefit of their Clan. Some are simply administrators, attendants, ministers or civil servants in one of the many courts. [citation needed]

Mastering power[]

A member of the court did not inherit land from his position. Without land, he had no access to real resources, and he must trade political favors for money. The members of the Imperial Court had immediate access to the Emperor's ear, so they should learn how to manipulate opportunities in his favor. [1] The courtiers of lesser courts had few chances to improve and gain honor for their families. [citation needed]

Honored Hostages[]

Honored Hostage

Honored Hostage

Some courtiers were used as hostages. A young samurai would be sent by his daimyo to an ally or even rival court as a sign of good faith. They were respected and treated as honored guests and even trained and raised as true members of the "hosting" family. There was honor in being a hostage, as one was then the living guarantee of the word given by his clan or family to another. [2]

Demeanor[]

Courtiers are often refined people, possessing wide general knowledge, highly refined etiquette, and a sense for the various intrigues of court politics. They master various arts and always act with sophistication. In their daily work, courtiers tend to wear the shorter wakizashi, rather than the katana - which is considered to be too deadly to carry around important nobles. Because they evolve in the environment of Rokugan's highest social class and because they must make the best impression possible, they always wear rich clothes and use the most beautiful objects. Even though these are actually often provided by their Clan or Family, it gives the impression that they are wealthy individuals. This is not always true, but Courtiers that have used their station to amass personal wealth are unfortunately not uncommon. [3]

Leading Courtiers[]

Courtiers 2

Courtiers

Some of the clans of Rokugan have mastered the work of the court as an art form. The Crane Clan foremost of these clans, particularly the Doji family, have even invented many of the various courtier techniques over the past centuries. The Scorpion Clan are the closest rivals to the Crane, in their own treacherous way, and of course the Otomo Imperial family have been the official regulators of the Emperor's court for many centuries. The Spider Clan has recently begun to master the art of the Courts in order to get as much influence as possible and to become a recognized clan. Despite all odds, the Spider have proven themselves quite adept within the courts, working in a way similar to the Scorpion.[citation needed]

Some courtiers view their station as their life's calling, fully devoting themselves to the Courts. Others see it as a burden, an annoying task which must be fulfilled for the greater good of their Clan or of the Empire. Some of them, eventually, see the whole of Rokugani politics as a gigantic chess game, where other courtiers are nothing more than pawns, whose purpose is to be used solely for amusement.[citation needed]

The art of the Courts is a difficult one where deception is often essential. More than one Courtier has had to choose between his Honor and his Duty. The line is thin between outright lies, deceit, and the "sincere" answer does not necessarily reveal the entire truth. Some excel at this game naturally, while others are participants by their birthright. In any case, winning the favor of a Court, especially the Imperial one, is often a short term experience, and the "allies" of one day can easily turn upon the Courtier the moment weakness is shown. [4]

Relations with other stations[]

Some bushi tend to despise courtiers for appearing to seek a safer environment to "serve their clan" while bushi risk their lives. Courtiers know better. The wrong word at the wrong time--or even a simple sigh--can cause great insult and cost a courtier their life or their honour. As a Crane courtier once said: "A winter court dinner in Toshi Ranbo can be just as deadly as a battlefield in front of the Kaiu Wall". [citation needed]

A general who needed a courtier's political advice in the battlefield often had several of them among his Command Group. [5]

Contrary to the view of many samurai, most Shugenja are at ease with Courtiers as both stations involve great study and knowledge, and because both usually prefer a peaceful approach to various situations rather than a violent one.[citation needed]

Courtiers are, of course, the best potential patrons for Artisans, but the relation can be uneasy for the true artists who might appreciate more freedom.[citation needed]

Monks tend to prefer austerity and an ascetic life to the luxury often surrounding Courtiers. However, both are students of culture as well as of the workings of the human mind. This explains why some Monks have been known to advise Courtiers in their work. These Courtiers, however, must be prepared to endure the criticism of their life style and the constant riddles typical of the monk's path.[citation needed]

Courtiers' relations with heimin and eta are purely of a practical nature. Most courtiers will simply treat such beings as far beneath their station. Like most samurai, though, courtiers will of course make an exception for geishas and for some highly skilled specialized artisans. But in both cases, this is more an acknowledgement of their practical, economic and social value rather than any sense of equality, which would go against the Celestial order that courtiers uphold.[citation needed]

Courtier of Rokugan[]

Clan Family School
Crab Clan Kaiu family Kaiu Blacksmith
Yasuki family Yasuki Courtier
Yasuki family Yasuki Extortionist (Path)
Yasuki family Yasuki Quartermaster
Yasuki family Yasuki Sumai
Any Crab bushi The Severed Hand (Path)
Crane Clan Daidoji family Daidoji Spymaster (Path)
Daidoji family Daidoji Trading Council (Path)
Doji family Doji Courtier
Doji family Doji Apologist (Path)
Doji family Doji Arbiter (Path)
Doji family Doji Innocent (Path)
Doji family Master of Dance (Path)
Doji family Master of Ikebana (Path)
Doji family Master of Poetry (Path)
Doji family Master of Wits (Path)
Doji family Doji Gamester
Doji family Doji Rhetorician
Dragon Clan Togashi family Ise Zumi Advisor
Kitsuki family Kitsuki Courtier
Kitsuki family Kitsuki Gamester (Path)
Kitsuki family Kitsuki Diplomat
Kitsuki family Kitsuki Investigator
Kitsuki family Kitsuki Debater (Path)
Kitsuki family Kitsuki's Eye (Path)
Lion Clan Ikoma family Ikoma Bard
Ikoma family Ikoma Herald (Path)
Ikoma family Ikoma Historian (Path)
Ikoma family Ikoma Orator (Path)
Ikoma family Ikoma Poet (Path)
Mantis Clan Yoritomo family Yoritomo Courtier
Any family College of Clarity (Path)
Yoritomo family Yoritomo Assessor (Path)
Yoritomo family Yoritomo Emissary (Path)
Phoenix Clan Asako family Asako Courtier
Asako family Asako Loremaster
Asako family Asako Mediator (Path)
Asako family Asako Philosopher (Path)
Asako family Asako Scholar (Path)
Shiba family Shiba Advisor (Path)
Shiba family Shiba Arbitrator (Path)
Scorpion Clan Bayushi family Bayushi Courtier
Bayushi family Bayushi Distracter (Path)
Bayushi family Scorpion Tempter (Path)
Bayushi family Shosuro Defiler (Path)
Bayushi family Yojiro's Way (Path)
Shosuro family Shosuro Actor
Any family Ichiba's Consortium
Any family Scorpion Instigator
Any family Scorpion Loyalist
Any family Scorpion Maskmaker
Spider Clan Daigotsu family Daigotsu Courtier
Chuda family Dark Whisper
Any family Mouth of the Lost
Any family Voice of Daigotsu Courtier
Susumu family Susumu Courtier
Unicorn Clan Ide family Ide Emissary
Ide family Hand of Peace (Path)
Ide family Ide Caravan Master (Path)
Utaku family Utaku Mediator
Imperial families Any family Imperial Scion
Miya family Miya Herald
Miya family Emperor's Blessing (Path)
Otomo family Otomo Astrologer
Otomo family Otomo Courtier
Otomo family Imperial Influencer (Path)
Otomo family Imperial Observer (Path)
Otomo family Otomo Bureaucrat (Path)
Otomo family Otomo Infiltrator (Path)
Otomo family Otomo Orator (Path)
Any family Imperial Master of the Courts
Any family Path of Toturi (Path)
Dragonfly Clan Tonbo family Dragonfly Advisor
Sparrow Clan Suzume family Suzume Storyteller (Path)
Tortoise Clan Kasuga family Kasuga Courtier
Kasuga family Kasuga Smuggler
Monkey Clan Fuzake family Fuzake Diplomat
Any Minor Clan - Minor Clan Alliance Diplomat
Ronin - Hawk Purist
- Master of Games
- The Scales of the Carp
- The Silent Current
- The Silken Promises
Brotherhood of Shinsei - Defender of the Brotherhood (Path)
Naga - Naga Vedic
- Disciples of The Dashmar (Path)

See also[]

References

  1. Roleplaying in the Emerald Empire, p. 38
  2. Emerald Empire page [citation needed]
  3. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition page [citation needed]
  4. Masters of Court page [citation needed]
  5. Clan War: Crane Army Expansion, p. 26



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