The Kabutogani Clan
In the wake of the War of the Broken Sun, thousands of samurai lay dead and dying, the Empire nearly
shattered upon the altar of one man’s twisted ambition. Shugenja could provide some balm – but medicine
could hardly be left entirely in the hands of magic users, as there weren’t nearly enough of them to go
around. Thus, one of the first acts of the newly-crowned Emperor was to bring together all the finest
surviving nonmagical healers in the Empire – whether peasant or samurai – and declare them members of the
new Sakai family. Their mandate: to find cures for every strange new disease or illness that threw itself at
Rokugani society, and to come up with groundbreaking new medical treatments that didn’t rely on prayers to
the kami. The new Kabutogani Clan served capably for over 1000 years, particularly as the personal
physicians of the Imperial families themselves – and then their job became even more critical when Rokugan
took to the stars. The Emerald Stars were filled with all sorts of new discoveries – and more than a few new
diseases and medical problems, all of which the Sakai family was tasked with solving from their arctic
planet called The Stellar Ward. The Kabutogani aren’t complaining, though; they live to solve these
puzzles.
Sakai Family Bonus: +1 Intelligence
The Kabutogani Oath
I solemnly swear by the blessing of the Fortunes and the honor of my clan:
- To uphold the virtue of Compassion in all my dealings, treating each patient with kindness and respect, regardless of their station or clan.
- To embrace Duty and dedicate my life to the art of healing, ever striving to perfect my skills for the benefit of those in need.
- To act with Honesty in all my practices, never deceiving my patients, their families, or my lord about their conditions or treatments.
- To maintain Honor in all my practices, using my knowledge to preserve life wherever possible, but standing ready to defend my patients, my comrades, and my lord with my life if necessary.
- To show Courage in the face of disease, suffering, and battle, standing firm against the ravages of illness, injury, and enemy forces, never abandoning my post or my patients even in the direst circumstances.
- To pursue Wisdom tirelessly, seeking always to expand my understanding of the healing arts and the balance of the elements within the body.
- To respect the sanctity of life and the natural order, intervening with my healing skills when necessary and with my martial skills only when duty demands.
- To honor the traditions of those who came before me, both in the healing arts and the samurai code, while remaining open to new knowledge that may benefit my patients and my clan.
- To treat friend and foe alike on the field of battle, for in the eyes of a healer, all are equal when suffering afflicts them, yet never compromising the security of my lord or clan.
- To keep secret that which should not be known, guarding the privacy and dignity of those under my care as I would guard my own honor.
- To recognize the limits of my art and to seek help when needed, for true strength lies in acknowledging one's own weaknesses.
- To pass on my knowledge to those worthy students who would follow this path, ensuring that the art of healing and the way of the samurai continue to serve Rokugan in harmony.
Should I break this sacred oath, may I be struck down by the Fortunes, my name be forever stricken from the annals of my clan and profession, and my spirit find no rest in the realm of Meido.
This I swear, with all the sincerity of my heart and the strength of my spirit.