The Player Design Team is pleased to give players a look at the primary themes of each Clan, as they are planned for the Celestial Edition arc. Today a look at the Spider Clan.
Spider
Primary Themes
Undead
Death has never been a permanent state in the Shadowlands and the Spider shugenja know that. The ability to resurrect corpses through foul maho and the capacity that the Lost Samurai and Generals have to lead them is terrifying. No samurai wants to see his clansman fall at his side one day only to appear as a grotesque parody of his former self in the opposing army the next. Fear, zombies and relentless aggression epitomize this Spider clan theme.
Spider Undead will have a military victory as a focus. Beating your opponent will not, however, be considered enough, you will be expected to reanimate him or her afterwards!
Paragons
The Lost have their own code. They are not just a mindless rabble. Despite the taint of the Shadowlands, they were once Samurai known and respected in the Empire. That Samurai heritage has been taken and corrupted, twisted into the Code of Shourido. Like the tenets of Bushido, Shourido has its own moral compass – based on power, domination and will. It is at the same time both a subtle and yet obvious path and some of those that once followed Bushido now follow the new code with as much fervor and vigor as any Lion Samurai. These are the dark Paragons. And like the Lion, this devotion to the code makes them a strong and savage military force and especially when adhering to the principles of Shourido from which they gain immeasurable strength.
Spider Paragons will have a military victory as a focus.
Secondary Themes
Beasts
Despite its recent attempts to gain acceptance in the Empire, the veneer of plausibility that the Spider Clan has tried to show is not very thick. Below the surface, waiting to unleash a ravenous tide of unrelenting terror are the Oni and Goblins of the Shadowlands. Freed from the shackles of trying to hide them, Daigotsu is now once again poised to release wave upon wave of the beasts of darkness to assault the walls of the Empire. Oni are massive and nigh indestructible. Goblins are numerous, relentless and expendable. Both strategies will be employed through this theme.
Spider Beasts will have utterly obliterating their enemy as their victory condition.
Monk Kensai
Perhaps one of the strangest parodies of the Empire are the Spider Sohei. Unlike Dragon months that rely on inner personal strength, unarmed martial arts and their mystical tattoos, Spider Monks use weapons – and they use them well. Their military skills are based around their force rather than their chi and with many Spider Monks also being Kensai they become doubly dangerous when armed with their favorite weapons, Bo, vicious halberds or naginata. Many of their number are corrupted, but there are some that have simply become inspired and ensnared by the seductive allure of Shourido and what it means for a Sohei. Either way they represent an awesome foe, powerful either with, or without weapons.
The main focus of victory for Spider Monks will be military.
