Families: Otomo, Miya, Seppun
New family: Hanzo
Hanzo Family Bonus: +1 Awareness
The rise of the Hanzo Dynasty was extremely sudden: prior to his pivotal role in the War of the Broken Sun,
Bayushi Hanzo was not a particularly highly-ranking samurai. But when you and your friends are the linchpin
of saving the entire empire and there’s a power vacuum at the top, well, sometimes matters sort themselves
out. What no one expected was the Hanzo to wind up as by far the longest-serving dynasty in the history of
Rokugan, nearly twice again as long as the Hantei (and obviously far more than short-lived Toturi and
Mitsunari dynasties). Like their founder, the Hanzo specialize in cunning and social aptitude; the reason
they’ve survived as long as they have has a lot to do with the fact they are politicians first and foremost.
The Hanzo are also unique for three other reasons. First, all members of the line of the Hanzo possess the
same golden glowing eyes as did their forebear. Second, the most able child inherits the throne (regardless
of age or gender). Third, those Hanzo children who do not wind up as Emperor or Empress are not forced to
give up their family name and join the Otomo; they are still Hanzo through and through. It’s a system that
has served them well for over 2000 years and counting.