Imperial Families
Resumo
- Anéis
+1 Air- Perícias
- +1 Government
- Status
- 40
Descrição
It may be tempting to view the Imperial families as mere adjuncts to the Great Clans, similar to the various Minor Clans. Indeed, in terms of numbers, lands, and holdings, they are considerably smaller than the Great Clans. In many important respects, however, they are more powerful and influential than any of the Great Clans. As their name implies, the Imperial families have a direct connection to the rulership of the Empire, one that is tied much more closely to the Throne than any of the Great Clans. The Hantei family, which includes the Emperor and his immediate family, is truly “Imperial,” insofar as the Emperors who have reigned over Rokugan have come from this family. Three other families are considered Imperial: the Seppun, the Otomo, and the Miya. All three stand close to the Throne by virtue of a combination of blood, duty, and history. All wield enormous political and cultural might, far out of proportion to their relatively small “footprint” on the greater landscape of Rokugan.
Because they are members of the kuge, the senior nobility of the Empire, the Imperial families stand apart from the bulk of the samurai, the buke. This distinction is expressed in a variety of ways. Most obviously, the Imperial families have a degree of access to the Emperor and the senior Imperial authorities, such as the Emerald Champion, Imperial Advisor, and Imperial Chancellor, that the Great Clans can only envy. They tend to have few lands and holdings, but those they do have are protected by standing Imperial decree from attack or seizure by the clans. When addressed, a member of one of the Imperial families is always entitled to be addressed by the honorific -sama, regardless of the status of the speaker. Also regardless of the relative status of a samurai and a member of an Imperial family, the latter is always treated with the same respect and consideration that would be given to a higher-status samurai. However, these rules don’t apply if the other samurai in question is another member of an Imperial family, a senior Imperial official, or of course, the Emperor.
Texto do livro
Emerald Empire · Chapter 7: New Player Options › New Answers for the Game of Twenty Questions › The Imperial Families · p. 228
Mostrar o texto como impresso
It may be tempting to view the Imperial families as mere adjuncts to the Great Clans, similar to the various Minor Clans. Indeed, in terms of numbers, lands, and holdings, they are considerably smaller than the Great Clans. In many important respects, however, they are more powerful and influential than any of the Great Clans. As their name implies, the Imperial families have a direct connection to the rulership of the Empire, one that is tied much more closely to the Throne than any of the Great Clans. The Hantei family, which includes the Emperor and his immediate family, is truly “Imperial,” insofar as the Emperors who have reigned over Rokugan have come from this family. Three other families are considered Imperial: the Seppun, the Otomo, and the Miya. All three stand close to the Throne by virtue of a combination of blood, duty, and history. All wield enormous political and cultural might, far out of proportion to their relatively small “footprint” on the greater landscape of Rokugan.
Because they are members of the kuge, the senior nobility of the Empire, the Imperial families stand apart from the bulk of the samurai, the buke. This distinction is expressed in a variety of ways. Most obviously, the Imperial families have a degree of access to the Emperor and the senior Imperial authorities, such as the Emerald Champion, Imperial Advisor, and Imperial Chancellor, that the Great Clans can only envy. They tend to have few lands and holdings, but those they do have are protected by standing Imperial decree from attack or seizure by the clans. When addressed, a member of one of the Imperial families is always entitled to be addressed by the honorific -sama, regardless of the status of the speaker. Also regardless of the relative status of a samurai and a member of an Imperial family, the latter is always treated with the same respect and consideration that would be given to a higher-status samurai. However, these rules don’t apply if the other samurai in question is another member of an Imperial family, a senior Imperial official, or of course, the Emperor.