Scorpions Are A Misunderstood Clan

I've just finished reading Legend of the Five Rings novel, Clan War First Scroll: The Scorpion. And honestly speaking as I've been reading the book, I have felt like they have been very misunderstood.

In RPG, I usually play a Scorpion. I once played a scorpion shugenja with Bentem's Blessing. I never gotten to play that character much but she has become an NPC with some friends of mine. She's really cunning and very manipulative...not to mention seductive as well. *snicker*

But I've also played a Clan Ronin. Once a scorpion samurai whose daimyo had died in the heat of battle. Since she was one of the most trusted guard of that daimyo, she should have committed sepulcre but she didn't. Instead, she went out in search of her daimyo's killer. Anyway, that was another character that I have never get to play much. And I'm actually hoping to get to play her once more.

But going back to the book that I have read. I really felt that the scorpion were the most powerful clan in all of Rokugan. This isn't just because I play a scorpion when I play RPGs but as compared to other clans, they have a massive network of spies and they know everything there is to know about Rokugan. And plus the fact that they are very loyal to Rokugan unlike all the other clans. They are skilled diplomats and also skilled fighters. You can't lose whether they are in the battle field or having a debate in court. They are the only clans who would want to associate with Ninjas. And since I am a lover of those masters of the stealth, I really admire a clan who sees them as allies rather than enemies. Heck they have one main enemy, Fu Leng. I don't see why they still need to fight each other like what the other clans are doing. And while other clans destroy each other with their petty squabbles, the Scorpions watch and wait, ready to strike.

Like the real scorpion who seems harmless and vulnerable because they're small, so does the Scorpion clan seems a triffle to the other clans for being cunning and deceitful. But the scorpion holds his true power upright. It's tail is very poisonous and deadly. The Scorpion Clan is the same in principle. They do not show their real strength hide their real sting with the information they gather against the person.

*sigh*

After reading the book, I'm actually glad I played a scorpion when I play RPG. It might not what my real personality is but it sure is good to actually try to play the manipulative, secretive, yet powerful clan.

And yet, I wonder why they are considered evil by other clans. Just because they are good at getting all the dirt about you doesn't mean that they are really evil. Detectives do the investigating and also get dirt about different people and they don't actually become the bad guys...so why does a scorpion considered evil just because they know what you do, where you do it and how you do it? It's just not fair. And everything that this clan does if for the good of the empire. So, why is it that they are considered the evil people when all they wanted was to have a peaceful empire free from Fu Leng?

Well, I guess this will be a question that would be answered when I actually finish off all the books.