Crane - > Sensates
Crab - > Bleak Cabal
Dragon - > Transcendental Order
Phoenix - > Fraternity of Order
Mantis - > Fated
Scorpion-> Mercykillers
Lion-> Harmonium
Unicorn->Doomguard
Kolat->Athar
Imperials-> Sign of One
Brotherhood of Shinsei->Godsmen
Shadowlands/Spider->Xaositects
Lying Darkness/Nothing->Dustmen
Ronin->Free League
Your thoughts on this?
As a side note, Henshin Mystics of the Phoenix could be said to be closer than any other Rokugani to the ideals of the Godsmen (they come closer to the Elemental Spirits/Nature Gods in time through special training and hope to become one of them after leaving the Realm of Mortals). This school of thought was particularly influenced by Shinsei's last words to Shiba, the Phoenix Clan founder/Kami (whose spirit returned from death-after killing and getting killed by the First Oni- to merge with the soul of the next Clan Champion through Ofushikai/The Soul of Shiba, the Ancestral Sword of the Phoenix).
Additionaly I would consider at least a portion of the Crane Clan to be closer to Sensate philosophy than to others:
Kakita Artisans are respected throughout Rokugan for their contributions to civilization and works of beauty. They learn everything from origami, painting, dancing, music, to storytelling. Within the school there is a saying: "All people are born into life, but the Crane show them what it is to truly live." Artisans, respected for their learning and intellect, are welcomed by Emperors and peasants alike, and are often chosen as advisors. Reading and writing are not common knowledge in Rokugan, and lords often employ artisans to educate the people and teach the stories of the Tao. Such patronages are often rewarded with favors, money or political power. Due to the frequent travelling of the Kakita Artisans the heimin of the Crane lands are well educated. Daimyo of other clans sometimes ask the artisans to travel their lands and educate the people, at the expense of the governing lord, of course. The artisans are the soul of Rokugan, gloriously depicting every battle, singing songs of past heroes and telling myths and legends. They inspire to glorious deeds, and then record those deeds with a painter's brush.
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Kakita_Artisan
Also note Doji Domotai's (Crane Clan Champion) dispute with the Crab Champion about the nature and importance of art:
http://www.l5r.com/story/family-troubles/
The Crane appreciate the finer things in life, being one of the most materialistic and most aesthetic clans in the same time. Their Nightmare is the Onisu of Desire.
The Unicorn could be connected with the Doomguard, as they have a strong death worshiping tradition (The Lords of Death of the Moto come to mind) and are closely associated with Chaos both by other Rokugani and by their own disposition/nature (remember that the Onisu of Chaos is their Nightmare). They are also quite warlike, like the Doomguard.
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Shi-Tien_Yen-Wang
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Onisu
By the way ,the Onisu and Yume-Do in general fit well with the Demiplane of Dreams and I would think of a Planescape/Rokugan adventure connecting the Onisu, the Demiplane of Dreams, (Ravenloft) and Planescape as an interesting prospect.
I have absolutly no idea what anybody is talking about. So I'll just laugh it over.
Well here is litlle explanation for all who dont know what is this all about:
Legend of the Five Rings (L5R for short) started as ccg (later RPG was created, and there is d20 version of setting in book "Oriental Adventures")by Last Unicorn Games in the time when Magic the Gathering was still young, later it was developed by WoTC, and finaly it seteled at Alderac Games.
Setting of the game is settled in fantasy version of Japan and China(empire called Rokugan), it was empire where warious clans are in constant political (and military) struggle for the imperial throne of Rokugan. Only times when they settle their differences and when they work together when the empire is trethened by they common enemies: Shadowlands (demons, undead, oni, evil sorcerers etc...).
L5R is different from other ccgs by fact that it contains interactive and gripping storyline. In other words players of their clans decide fate of characters and their clans by playing the game in special events (story tournaments)and reporting their victories. For example if Crane player wins the tournament he has won bonuses for his clan, and that will afectt the storyline ofthe next expansions.
Anyways, L5R is still one of the most popular ccgs in the world.
So, what we are dissgusing here is similarites between Rokugan´s clans and Planescape factions.
This is good start, but I think that some of them should be changed.
You see clans and factions are two diferent things. Clans of Rokugan are union of families that share common divine ancestor that founded them and their role in empire where set by emperor Hantei. (but you allredy know that if you play L5R).
Factions are on other hand are political organisations bound by simmilar belives and aligment, their roles in Sigil were given to factions that were fit to preform such duties by Lady of Pain.
So here I will give my ideas what mayority of wich clan would belong to wich faction.
Crane - > Fraterenity of Order (Becaouse Crane are politicians of empire), Sign of one and Fated (the most snobish of the Crane)
Crab - > Harmonium, Mercykillers, Fraterenity of Order, Fated (They keep back the chaos that is treath to empire), Bleak Cabal (only oldest individuals), Ragers (Crab Berserkers), They could be Doomguard only in terms of keeping doom at bay and not embracing it.
Dragon - > Transcendental Order, Sign of one (that is selfexplanitory becaouse it has points with zen phlosophy that the world is illusion)
Phoenix (yuck, I hate them) :x - > Fraternity of Order and Incantifers (laws of nature and masters of magic)
Mantis - > Fated and Merkhants-sect, Indeps, Sensates (they are focused on the profit after all, and in disposition are similar to unicorn who mantain contatcs with forigners)
Scorpion-> Mercykillers (I have no better idea for those but I guess that even some AntiAnarhists could fit into Scorpion, after all their divine duty is to keep clans at each other throats)
Lion (my faworites
)-> Harmonium and Fated (they keep peace in empire and one of them had become new emperor).
Unicorn-> Sensates and Planewalkers guild (becaouse Unicorns are of all clans open to new ideas and have contact with other cultures)
Kolat->Athar, Godsmen, Transcendent order and Free League, Anarhists (they want free empire from gods and old imperial families and that empire is ruled by ordinary man)
Imperials-> Fated (becaouse they role in empire where given by fate and gods themselfs)
Brotherhood of Shinsei->Godsmen, Sign of One, Transcended Order (same with Dragon)
Shadowlands (my second faworites
)/Spider->Xaositects; Doomguard, and Anarhists, Bleak Cabal, Dustmen, Fiends (They represent forces of chaos and disorder and undeath that threathen the empire)
Lying Darkness/Nothing->Dustmen and Turncoats
Ronin->Free League (mostly but any faction could fit with these)
So there is it: after all Rokugan is extremly Lawfull (and that means Good in eastern cultures) so most clans can be asociatd with some Lawful faction while outsiders and Shadowlands represent forces of chaos (and that means Evil in eastern cultures) so I gave Chaotic factions to such outsiders.
Neutral Factions members could belong to any clan but only in minority of number.
That is my opinion anyway.
One-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater says: "Monsters are nature's way for keeping XPs fresh."