Unlike clans, which are chosen at character creation and cannot be changed (well, not unless the character becomes a ronin), organizations are groups that are joined after birth and that can be changed. There are many different organizations in the Empire, each with their own goals and ambitions. They operate somewhat outside the clan structure, and it is possible for members of enemy clans to be part of the same organization. Most organizations are represented by a prestige class of some kind.
Ronin Brotherhoods
Cast out by their families and clans or forsaken by the circumstances of their birth, few ronin within the Empire have a home to call their own or even comrades who will guard their backs. It is a lonely, desolate lifestyle that few can endure for long without succumbing to the bleakness of their own existence.
It does not always have to be so, however, and the Empire's history is full of examples of ronin banding together for survival and mutual benefit. Although many of these groups have been bandits or common mercenaries, there have been many counterexamples of ronin who remember what it means to be a samurai. Some of the groups, called otokodate, or "manly fellows," have existed for decades or even centuries and have played subtle, almost invisible roles in many historical events.
The Hearts of Nanashi: One of the oldest otokodate, the Hearts of Nanashi are the ronin who defend and protect Anonymous Village. It is a haven for wave-men and yakuza, a place where they can find acceptance among their own kind and respite from the scorn of the Empire. The leaders of the village are all too aware of their precarious position, however, and will not shelter the dishonorable from justice. This reputation is all that protects the village from the clans, who would descend upon it with a vengeance if they believed it to be a hiding place for criminals.
The Hearts of Nanashi are busy trying to form alliances with several different clans, so that whoever eventually ascends to become emperor remembers their debt and improves the status of ronin. Right now, they are most concerned about gaining the favor of the Ota and Ishikawa clans.
The Blades of Yasuga: The Blades of Yasuga may be the most respected ronin band in the Empire. Several centuries ago, a man named Yasuga rescued the Shogun from a dangerous cabal of necromancers. In gratitude, the Shogun granted the ronin his own family name and a small fief within the mountains. Before his death, Yasuga and his nine children expand their holdings; his daughters even became the governors of a sub-district in the capital city.
The ronin who swear fealty to the Yasuga are expected to defend the helpless at all times, no matter the situation, no matter the consequence. This is addition to their duties in defense of their district of the capital, over which the Yasuga maintain control to this day. Thei ways of defending the innocent have helped the image of the ronin as a whole, but have also made many heimin think that every ronin will protect them, which is not the case. The Yasuga always seek ways to expand their power base, preferably by recruiting suitable individuals.
The Gaze of Sun Tzu: The origins of this esoteric band of warriors lie with the renowned ronin general known as Sun Tzu. One of the most skilled and insightful strategists the real world Empire has ever seen, Sun Tzu was also an accomplished duelist. Within the pages of his Art of War are not only the secrets of battle, but also the secrets of dueling. While the styles of the Ishikawa and Yokokiyo dominate the clans' perception of the duel, certain ronin have taken up the study of Sun Tzu's style and seek to perfect their art.
The ronin who study the Art of War are not a particularly organized or cohesive group; it might be more appropriate to say that they share a philosophy. They seek the perfection of their art, although many have been known to take on students in order to pass on the wisdom imparted by Sun Tzu's teachings.
Though most members of the Gaze of Sun Tzu are ronin, they have accepted samurai into the fold on several occasions. Ota Nobuyuki is a recent example, and he has allowed many of the other members to bear the Ota name. The others stand behind the upstart, for in Nobuyuki ascends to the throne, their style will finally gain the widespread recognition it rightly deserves.
Ninja
Many children know stories of the black-clad demons who creep in the night and slit the throats of the unwary. Ninja are universally despised as foul men and women who are the antithesis of the code of Bushido and evertyhing else the Empire holds dear.
Ninja are more than myth and rumor, and even their name invokes paranoia. Men who dress in deepest black could be hiding in your closet, around the corner, or right behind you. While the Empire publicly denies the existence of ninja, behind closed doors nearly everyone agrees they are real.
The relationship between the ninja and the samurai clans is a complex thing. Most ninja clans are allied with at least one of the samurai families, and often live on their land. Some ninja are nothing more than spies for their lord, not the merciless assassins and poisoners of ninja legend. Every daimyo has at least 10 ninja under their employ, though some families maintain vast networks of ninja spies.
In addition to the clans that serve a specific daimyo, there are also the ninja that serve the Censors. The Censors maintain a massive network of spies and assassins that make sure that government officials and police do not overly abuse their position. Of course, when they are not needed by their employers, they will gladly offer up their services to the highest bidder. That is, of course, if you can find them
Most ninja start out as rogues, assassins, thief acrobats, or ninja. They often take prestige classes that are appropriate for whatever their job is. It is also not unheard of for there to members of the ninja clans who are jesters.
Since there are a bunch of different ninja clans, the names are all up to you. If you want to use historical names such as the Iga, Koga, Hattori, and so on that's fine, but there's no reason you can't have a clan called the Poison Fists. Some ninja are simply extensions of the daimyo, so they don't even get cool clan names. Seriously, this part is up to you. Because most ninja aren't supposed to exist, they should rarely gain the clan benefits (and really, if you have a ninja PC who serves the Yokokiyo, then they shouldn't be saying they serve the Yokokiyo at all. Or that they're ninja).
The Fuuma
When Katzu won the great war, not all of the conquered races wished to obey his rule. Some opposed him and were ruthlessly slaughtered. Others fled, planning for a time when they might return return and unmake the unnatural society the hobgoblins had created.
The Fuuma are the descendants of the latter group. They are an extremely secretive organization with the goal of slowly undermining the samurai and abolishing the idea of a caste system. The Fuuma believe that all men are essentially equal, and that the samurai class system is an abomination.
While this does seem like a noble end, the Fuuma's means are far from it. They exist only be secrecy, and expand their influence through espionage, brainwashing, and assassination. They believe that once their goals have been achieved, a new order must be prepared to fill the void left by the samurai. The Kyosho will be the pinnacle of this order, a ruling classs chosen through personal achievement, not accidents of birth.
Their Master Plan is extremely precise, long, and complex. It spans over many generations, culminating with the overthrow of the samurai. In recent years, however, with the Fall to Chaos and the loss of the Shogun and Emperor, many Fuuma have decided to abandon the plan and capitalize on the warring clans to destroy the caste system.
The Fuuma are ruled by several Kyosho, whose identities are only known to the other Kyosho. The utter secrecy required for the Fuuma to operate requires that even the Kyosho are not privy to the operations of the other Kyosho. This excessive secrecy can sometimes be troublesome, but in the long run the policy has helped the Fuuma survive.
While the Fuuma are not technically a clan, most daimyo and samurai believe that they are a simple mercenary ninja clan, and they usually function as one while furthering their dark goals. They offer their help to any and all that are desperate and can afford their services. The Fuuma have a tendency to work for cheap, and often only want a small favor or bit of knowledge in return for what they are asked to do.
It should be noted that while the Fuuma are a shadowy organization with dark goals, that they are not allied or associated with Kuraigami and his dark worshippers. Many Fuuma value the Way, since Nonemu was a normal man who came up with one of the most admired philosophical studies ever.
Joining the Fuuma is a difficult, complicated process. Many ronin are drawn into their thrall, wishing to create a society where honor means nothing, so that their children will be able to be normal. Many members of the Sugiyama clan are also attached to the Fuuma; the elf clan still remembers the atrocities of the Great War and wishes to destroy the hobgoblins and everything they created.
The Way
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