The Zen Masters and other characters of importance in Battle Realms.

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Campaign-only characters

Kenji Oja

"I am Kenji of the Serpent Clan, and my ancestor broke the world."

Last surviving member of the Oja, ruling family of the Serpent Clan, and the protagonist of the original two campaigns. Kenji starts the campaign returning from a long exile, having escaped murdering his father and an ensuing Lotus pogrom that killed the rest of his family. Depending on the path chosen he seeks either to rebuild the lost Dragon Clan, or to return glory to the Serpent Clan by becoming its new leader. Kenji isn't usable in multiplayer for either clan, as he would most certainly be overpowered.

Arc Words: The above-mentioned quote. It's the first line Kenji speaks in the campaign, and the first line in his final speech in each campaign.
Bad Boss: Serpent Kenji does not hesitate to kill his own people just to set an example. He also expressed that he would execute Otomo once he outlives his usefulness, though Otomo bites first.
The Butcher: When visiting a small village by the Riverside in the Serpent campaign, the villagers present calls him as such and flees the scene, owing to how he leaves a trail of bodies on his travels something that pleases the Necromancer.
Necromancer: Where Kenji goes, fresh corpses litter the ground.
Critical Hit: His Battle Gear skill, allowing to easily damage the target quickly with his sword. Later on, he can also crit enemies with his flintlock pistol.
Easily Forgiven: With the exception of a random peasant in the first Dragon cutscene, nobody seems to care that he killed his father. Otomo, at least, points out it doesn't matter to him if he did or not since Dragon Kenji seems to be a much better leader.
11th-Hour Superpower: As Dragon Leader. After the Nightvol reveals itself, he unlocks his Ki powers and gains massive stat bonuses that lets him more or less one-shot everything.
Evil Is Petty: To showcase his turn to the dark side, Serpent Clan Kenji is rude and disrespectful (for example he refers to Garrin, who recognizes the former with great respect, as "that feeble old Garrin") while Dragon Clan Kenji is polite and humble.
The Exile: In the backstory. The game starts as Kenji returns home.
Hypocrite: As Serpent Kenji, he tells Otomo that so long as they're loyal they have nothing to fear him. Thing is, his willingness to have the head Geisha and a Serpent peasant executed for (not giving him the orb and for falling down while working twice respectively), and admits that he intends on disposing Otomo for not being as ruthless as him or Shinja (and because he is no longer useful) is the very reason some peasants choose to become rebels to defend themselves.
I Am Not My Father: As a Dragon Leader, where he goes to great lengths to avoid becoming as ruthless as his predecessors.
Ironic Echo: Across the campaigns. Upon being forced to burn down a village in the Dragon campaign, Kenji bemoans the fact that he may turn out like his father. Otomo, attempting to console him, answers that "there are worse men to be". In the Serpent campaign, Otomo's introduction has him sounding disappointed over Kenji having turned out like his father. Kenji replies "there are worse men to be".
Irony: The Dragon Clan traditionally shunned firearms as they believe it to be crude and dishonorable, due to their adherence to hard-work and training with mind and body. As Dragon Kenji, he is the first to break the rule by carrying a gun in hand (implied to have been given to him by Teppo).
Lack of Empathy: Serpent Kenji doesn't care about the villagers being harassed by Shinja's band, and finds his conversation with Otomo's compassion, and his willingness to protect the defenseless villagers, nauseating.
Let the Past Burn: In version 1.58, as part of a Serpent becoming a Dragon and in order to completely erase the blight history of the Serpent Empire, he orders Kazan to have Serpentholm (a family ancestral seat) be burned to the ground.
"There is no Serpent. There's only the Dragon."
Lightning Bruiser: With an above-average running speed, multiple good defences and a strong melee strike (and his "Critical Strike" Battle Gear on top of it), Kenji's only immediate lack is a ranged attack and fixes that five levels in.
MacGuffin: He's been searching for it for both Dragon and Serpent campaigns, but failed to actually get his hand on it. By the end of Dragon campaign, the orb's been corrupted by the Lotus which sent him into a minor BSOD... but a small prodding got him to defy the trope.
The Dragon: Forget the orb. Become the Dragon!
Martial Pacifist: As Dragon Kenji, he prefers to solve things first without violence only resorting to the latter if he knows he has no choice. Taro remarks his pacifistic nature during the flashback.
Taro: You've no stomach for war.
Meaningful Name: Kenji is a Sino-Japanese name whose most commonly used kanji combination is 健次, which means "healthy next son", befitting his status as the second-born son.
Samurai: As Dragon Leader. His final appearance dons a traditional hakama just to underline it.
Self-Made Orphan: He has the reputation as the one who killed his father. He didn't. The Nightvol did.
Self-Serving Memory: When he gets a flashback during the Serpent version of the Riverside province, he'll conveniently forget some parts to fit his own narrative.
- In the Dragon version, when Taro says "I'll give the Wolf miners this much - they know how to run" he responds with "They've had a lot of practice. If it's not us driving them into the ground, it's their warlock masters". In the Serpent version, the follow up line is absent and Taro doesn't say "They serve the Lotus, and the Lotus serve us".
- In the Dragon version, the flashback is complete; after Taro says "The Oja are the only family fit to serve as lords of this land. The Serpent clan will rule long after father's gone" he'll retort with "You mean you'll rule" and it is revealed that Kenji spends his time "carousing with commoners in back-alley wine shops". In the Serpent version, the flashback is abridged and it immediately ends after Taro says that only the Oja can rule this land.
Slowly Slipping Into Evil: Subtle in the Serpent Path. Even though Kenji already follows the path of the Serpent at that point, he still disappears in a light (a trait normally reserved for Yang-aligned Zen Masters). Upon his full transitioning to becoming the next Serpent Emperor, he now burst into flames upon defeat (finally cementing his full conversion to a follower of the Yin).
The Social Darwinist: Types I and V. As Serpent Kenji, he believes that only the strong are allowed in his land, while the weak and the meek have no right to live and are deserving of being slaughtered.
Stupid Good: Dragon Clan Kenji at one point refuses to respond to the news of a Lotus (or Wolf) military buildup on his borders in favor of going straight to Serpentholm for the orb, proclaiming he's "got no quarrel with the other clans" — while this makes sense if he holds this belief towards the Wolf clan, it quickly veers to this if the attackers are of the Lotus. He only relents when both Shinja and Otomo remind him that they'll endanger his people if he doesn't intervene.
Shinja: If they cannot hurt you, they will hurt your people. The peasants fought for you Kenji, not the orb!
Otomo: He's right, Lord. If we abandon the villagers, they'll die.
Sword and Gun: He gets a gun early on in Campaign Mode.
The Exile: Returns from a long one in the beginning of the Campaign.
Took a Level in Badass: Has two 'evolutions' through the campaign where his appearance and stats change. Ironically, the first change is actually a weakening, as Kenji with Hat has more resistances than Kenji with Gun.
Unexpected Successor: Kenji was the second son and (in the Dragon campaign) implied to have been The Un-Favourite. The death of his father and brother made him leader by default.
Villain Protagonist: Once again, as Serpent Leader.
Walking Shirtless Scene: His final appearance in the Serpent Campaign, where he forgoes his gi to showcase his well-toned body and a tattoo on his back.
Yakuza: His final Serpent appearance looks like one, complete with a full-back irezumi of a serpent.

The Ninja/The Nightvol

A mysterious ninja who appears a few times during the campaign, each time disappearing in front of your eyes. It steals the Serpent's Orb and gives it to either Zymeth or Greyback (depending on whether you're Dragon or Serpent). It takes centre stage in the final part of the final level, revealing itself as an advance scout for the Horde.

As Long as There Is Evil: One of it's Character Catchphrases implies as such, which is shared with the Dragon, but under a different context.
I am always here.
Big Bad: Of the Kenji's Journey, being the mastermind behind the conflicts between the four clans.
Character Catchphrase: I am the dark.
Divide and Conquer:
- Its ultimate goal was to have the four clans fight each other, then use the Horde to slaughter the weakened clans. Needless to say, this plan didn't work out across both the Dragon and Serpent campaigns.
- In the Dragon campaign. Going by his line "his army weakens" (coupled with "using the servant against the master") and the fact that the Lotus Clan are allied with the newly revived Serpent Clan, it is implied that he may have struck a deal with Shinja (shortly after he ordered his men to crucify Otomo) to further cripple the revived Dragon Clan under Kenji.
Evil Counterpart: To the Dragon. Both are supernatural entities with opposing alignments, with the Ninja seeking to slaughter the four clans through deception.
Evil Sounds Deep: The Ninja speaks in a booming voice.
Hidden Agenda Villain: We never learn its motivation until the very end of the game. By leading the clans into a war that would weaken and kill most of them so the Horde could cross the northern channel and invade.
Instant-Win Condition: Once it unveils its true nature, you only have to kill it to win.
Large and in Charge: As a member of the Horde.
The Man Behind the Man: It hides behind the clan that shelters it and only confronts you once said clan is defeated.
No Indoor Voice: Its voice sounds like something not human, even when compared to the Lotus clan.
Pragmatic Villainy: Disapproves of Zymeth killing one of his own men, not because of moral reservations but, because he considers it wasteful. Going by his ultimate goal, this makes sense.
The Quiet One: Has less than ten lines in the game, and its longest sentence is seven syllables long.
Taking You with Me: Killed by Greyback in the Serpent campaign, who drags it with him over a cliff.
You Killed My Father: Is responsible for killing Lord Oja, and dismantling the Serpent Clan.

The Dragon

An ancient, mystical being that was revered by the Dragon clan, but considered a myth by their fallen selves, the Serpent.

As Long as There Is One Man: One of it's Character Catchphrases implies as such, which is shared with the Ninja, but under a different context.
"I am always here."
11th-Hour Superpower: Grants this to Kenji at the end of Dragon campaign.
Fantastic Nuke: The Dragon clan's Dangerous Forbidden Technique, requiring the sacrifice of four Samurais and 3 Yangs on its Monument, but will kill almost anything on its area of effect.
Good Counterpart: To the Ninja /the Nightvol. Both are supernatural entities with opposing alignments, with the Dragon being a harsh, but benelovent being to guide Kenji during the Dragon Campaign.
Physical God: It's a Dragon of mystical power which can rain death to any enemies caught in its wake.
Real After All: The Serpent considered the Dragon to be nothing more than a myth. As the Dragon campaign proves, it's real and alive after all this time.

Dragon Units

Tier I: Spearman, Archer, Chemist

Spearman

Geo Effects: Negated by the long reach of their spears; enemy units receive no damage bonuses when engaging Spearmen from higher ground.
Training the Peaceful Villagers: They were just simple farmers drafted into service, willingly.

Archer

Arrows on Fire: One of their Battle Gears. Very good to light a base up.
Cold Sniper: At full stamina, their first shot does double damage.
Defog of War: Their other Battle Gear.

Chemist

Fatal Fireworks: Their specialty, in the form of rockets.
Healing Potion: Friendly units near idling Chemists recuperate faster.
Pyromaniac: While a few other Dragon units are capable of burning stuff, this defines Chemists' personalities.

Tier II: Dragon Warrior, Powder Keg Cannoneer, Kabuki Warrior

Dragon Warrior

Deflector Shields: One of their Battle Gear manifests an energy shield around them that protects them from any harm, but drains stamina and requires them to stand still.
Flaming Sword: One manifestation of their Magic Knight nature. Very good to burn bases down.
Magic Knight: More knight than magic, but they are also adept at Ki Manipulation.
Sword Beam: They have a range attack that has them shot a ball of chi from their swords.
Walking Shirtless Scene: They go to battle bare-chested, personifying the Dragon Clan's fury and discipline. This also means they are weak against Cutting attacks, allowing Serpent Swordsmen (tier I units) to dominate them one-on-one.

Powder Keg Cannoneer

BFG: They favor powder keg cannons as big as they are, the fluff notes that only those built like a sumo wrestler can operate these types of weapons.
Lethal Joke Character: In-universe, enemies laugh at these fatties waddling through the battlefield lugging their weapon. Their laugh stops the moment these weapons fire.
Required Secondary Powers: Their Stout Strength is required to handle their BFG, and even that's not enough as you can see some of them being blown back by their cannon's recoil.
Salt Solution: Their Idle Animation has them throwing salt to the ground, a traditional ritual to ward off evil and a Sumo match ritual. It causes friendly units in the area of effect to take less damage.

Kabuki Warrior

Apologetic Attacker: He says this when he slain an enemy during combat.
Kabuki Warrior: "My apologies."
Blinded by the Light: Their choices of Battle Gear either reduce enemy close combat capability, or outright preventing enemies from using missile weapons.
Dance Battler: Their combat style is graceful, designed to dazzle and confuse.
Mundane Utility: Their Idle Animation have them do a performance for the masses. Placing one near working Peasants will boost their efficiency.

Tier III & Special Tiers: Samurai, Geisha & Battle Maiden, Guardian

Samurai

Bow and Sword in Accord: They're capable with both a katana and a longbow.
Dying Curse: If they are killed, they will commit Seppuku which causes damage, which can take out the ones killing them if their health is low enough.
Gathering Steam: Downplayed with their Yang Blade Battle Gear, which when activated increases the rate at which a Dragon player accumulates Yang and deals more damage the more Yang said player has, though it drains Stamina while activated.
No-Sell: Dragon Skin makes them immune against missile attacks, but it drains stamina very quickly.

Geisha & Battle Maiden

Bare-Fisted Monk: If a Geisha is engaged in melee combat, she only has her arms and legs to defend herself.
Cast from Hit Points: Their Sacrifice Battle Gear kills them, but fully heals all their allies caught in its effect.
Deadly Disc: The Battle Maiden wields chakrams that allow them to deal cutting damage from range.
Me's a Crowd: The Battle Maidens' Double Image Battle Gear creates a double.
Wreathed in Flames: The Geisha's Fire Shield manifests a flaming aura around her that damages nearby opponents.

Guardian

Carry a Big Stick: Their weapon is a kanabo, a wooden, metal-studded club.
Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Their Concussion Smash can stun nearby opponent, but also damages Guardians themselves.
Determinator: Their Last Stand Battle Gear allows them to keep fighting even at 0 HP, until their Stamina runs out.

Dragon Zen Masters

The Dragon Clan was one of peace, order and honour, before it was all but destroyed when Tarrant The Elder used the Serpent's Orb to stop the oncoming, destructive Horde. The remnants of the Dragon let go of their honourable ways, and formed sneaky and nefarious Serpent Clan. Many await for the day that the Dragon Clan is reborn under a new leader.

Otomo

"Fight not for me, but for the sake of your honour. Should you fall, others will remember this day as your greatest."

The Dragon Clan's main Zen Master, and Kenji's old friend. He seeks to aid Kenji in restoring the Dragon Clan. Honour is everything to him. He is killed in both the Dragon and Serpent Clan's campaigns by a rebellious Shinja, and the Serpent Army respectively.

Battle Cry: His Battle Gear inspires nearby allies to fight harder.
BFS: Otomo wears an oversized nodachi that's longer than he is and almost as broad.
Hero Antagonist: If you choose the Serpent Path, as he aims to protect the people from Kenji's tyranny.
Heroic Willpower: His innate ability increases allies' stamina with every blow he deals. This makes him an awesome second for Kenji.
Killed Off for Real: Regardless of which path Kenji takes, he ends up dead after a certain point of plot (either executed by crucifixion or at Kenji's hands).
The Lancer: To the Dragon Kenji.
Meaningful Name: His name means 'great attendant'. Which is exactly the role he fills, at least in the Dragon path.
Mentor Occupational Hazard: He serves as Kenji's primary retainer on the Dragon path, yet is executed by Shinja after the latter turns on Kenji.
Mighty Glacier: Good offensively, but very slow.
Supporting Leader: Took control of half of the Serpent Clan after the Serpent died, and turned it into a Dragon Clan throwback. Upon Kenji's return he joins you willingly, and happily on top of it if Kenji chose to follow the Dragon path.
Token Good Teammate: On the Serpent path, he serves as the honorable advisor to Kenji even as it becomes apparent that his master is following in his father's footsteps. This leads to him turning on Kenji when he goes one step too far, resulting in his demise.
What the Hell, Hero?: To Serpent Kenji. While at first he willingly joins him upon his return, as Kenji displays ruthlessness and Lack of Empathy for the peasant's plight, he begins to call him out for his actions. This reaches its limit when Kenji is ordered to brutally subjugate the peasants at a province, culminating in him protecting the villagers from Serpent forces and plans on ending Kenji's life to stop all the senseless slaughter.

Kazan

"Fat, flammable, and dangerous to know."

A fat, cheery monk who carries a massive barrel filled with a poisonously strong alcohol which he uses to shoot fireballs at things.

Acrofatic: He is built like a sumo wrestler and has the slowest walking speed, but he runs much faster than Budo. One of his idle animations is him jumping to do a split kick.
Big Damn Heroes: In the Dragon campaign, he makes his first appearance in the Swan's Pool where he saves a Geisha from a Wolf Brawler, who is attempting to get an information out of her.
Big Fun: Overweight and very cheery.
Breath Weapon: His active ability turns his fireballs into a melee-range cone of fire.
Crippling Overspecialization: Kazan is weak to two of the three most common melee damage types, and resistant only to the rare explosive and fire damages. In a unit-versus-unit fight he has very few favourable matchups, but give him an unprotected base to sneak up on and it will be in cinders a minute later.
Drunken Master: Where he gets the fuel for his fireballs.
Meaningful Name: Both Japanese for "volcano" and a type of cooking pot common to Turkic and Balkan cultures.
Playing with Fire: He spits fire as a ranged attack, and he can scorch his opponents via a Battle Gear.
Plot Armor: In the Dragon Path. He is the only Zen Master to show up later if he is killed earlier during the defense of the Swan's Pool, as he becomes a central character where he serves as Kenji's companion. This contrast with the other Zen Masters where they are Killed Off for Real if they didn't survive the fight prior to the Keep's introduction.

Garrin

"Mud, gore, screaming horses... Fight on!"

The lord of a Dragon province and a famed General, Garrin carries a large lance and is exceptionally good at mounted combat. He is able to summon a horse from anywhere on the map to his side.

The Beastmaster: Has an affinity with horses to the point he can summon one from anywhere on the map.
BFS: Wields a gigantic lance.
Determinator: His passive ability is to negate the advantage of being on higher ground than himself (including mounted ones).
Heroic Bastard: The manual claims he may be Shinja's. If he is, the game never acknowledges it and Serpent Kenji treats him as much older than he would have to be were that the case.
Horseback Heroism: He is rarely seen without a horse, and on one he is quite a force.
Hot-Blooded: He has very few lines in the campaign, but the ones he has all involve shouting in one manner or other.
Jack of All Stats: Notably, he has neither resistance nor vulnerability against any attack, as well as neither advantage nor disadvantage against any armor (noted by the sword cursor which changes to bronze, silver or gold depending on the situation).
Mundane Utility: His battle gear is much more useful for equipping geisha or peasants with horses: Garrin can't use his ability while mounted and he is powerful enough as-is on foot.
Rags to Riches: Started out as a stable boy before he climbed his way to becoming one of the Serpent Clan's finest generals.

Arah

"My thoughts move, my arrows fly... One and the same."

A famed archer without peer, Arah met Kenji during his exile from the Serpent Clan, where she developed a strong bond with him. She can view the landscape through the arrows she fires.

Anime Hair: Has a truly impressive mane of spiky hair.
I Owe You My Life: She will join you in the Dragon campaign if you save her from a pair of Wolf attackers in the first Wolf map.
Meaningful Name: Indonesian/Malay for "direction".
Sssnake Talk: No apparent malevolence behind it, but she has a very noticeable lisp.
World's Best Warrior: She's a master archer who is well known for impossibly accurate aim, and for continually routing Wolf patrols.

Tao

"Perhaps you mistake the parts for the whole."

A wandering mercenary carrying only a staff and a sack of rice. He seldom speaks, and is in complete balance with both Good and Evil. Anybody who bothers him is dealt with swiftly. Strangely, he is only available to the Dragon clan in skirmishes, despite being recruitable as Dragon and Serpent in Kenji's Journey.

Counter-Attack: His Battle Gear.
Heroic Neutral: In a nutshell. He believes that the balance of good and evil should be maintained and that either energy becoming dominant should be taken care of immediately. This means he'll have zero problems joining up with, the ruthless and tyrannical, Serpent Kenji.
Ice-Cream Koan: His selection quotes are... odd. Especially when it comes to his exchange with Wild Eye, take his response to the latter being calling him "mad" for example.
"Correction: only 'half' mad."
Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: He is both Monk and Ninja.
Wild Card: Thanks to his.... views, he will join either the Serpent or the Dragon Clan. This means he won't hesitate to turn on the Yang aligned monks if Serpent Kenji chooses to subjugate them.
Yin-Yang Bomb: His belief is basically this, as Yin and Yang must remain in balance.

Teppo

A character introduced in the expansion pack, Teppo is a genius from the land of Malcolmson who wields a Dragon Wheel which launches several rockets in quick succession. He is a little crazy.

Arms Dealer: Implied. Owing to his genius intellect and his knack for inventions, he is implied to have supplied Kenji with a gun, before setting off to Serpentholm, in order to aid him in his quest.
Genius Ditz: An airhead he can be, he is actually a brilliant scientist.
King Mook: Basically a Zen Master version of the Chemist, who also specializes in launching rockets at their foes.
Impossibly Cool Weapon: His Dragon Wheel.
Macross Missile Massacre: Relative to the setting. He fires multiple rockets in quick succession.
Rocket Jump: Unique to him, he uses the rocket wheels on his back to launch himself to a horse instead of simply mounting it the conventional way. Luckily, his horse doesn't get hurt (or startled) despite the backblast.

Serpent Units

Tier I: Swordsman, Crossbowman, Musketeer

Swordsman

Bandit Mook: Their Mug Battle Gear strips enemy Battle Gears.
Press-Ganged: Recruited from the rowdiest peasants local taverns can offer.
Super-Reflexes: Owing to their bar fight backgrounds, missile attacks are less likely to hit them when running.
One-Hit Kill: Glass Sword instantly kills any non-hero unit, at the cost of inflicting backlash damage against themselves. If you haven't given them their health upgrade, this will kill them, too.

Crossbowman

Automatic Crossbow: Shorter range than Dragon Archers, but fires much faster.
Cold Ham: While their quotes are quite hammy, they never raise their voice.
Poisoned Weapons: Their Poisoned Weapons technique allows their bolts to deal additional magic damage to enemies, while their Weakness Bolts Battle Gear weaken the armor of affected enemies.

Musketeer

Grenade Launcher: One of their Battle Gears make their musket shoots explosive shells instead of bullets.
Improbable Aiming Skills: They never miss anything within range of their normal or Sniper Scope attack. Not even Koril.

Tier II: Bandit, Cannoneer, Raider

Bandit

Bandit Mook: Obviously. They can pilfer some Rice and Water from enemy corpses.
Bow and Sword in Accord: Armed with a sickle, and arm mounted crossbow.
Poisoned Weapons: Like the Crossbowman, they can take advantage of the Poisoned Weapons technique, allowing their sword and crossbow to deal additional magic damage to foes, while their Paralysis Darts Battle Gear can immobilize affected enemies.
Stealth Expert: Their Stealth Battle Gear allows them to sneak by their enemies undetected at the cost of stamina.
Sword and Gun: More a sickle and a crossbow.

Cannoneer

BFG: Their primary weapon.
Malevolent Masked Men: They wear a white mask with a long protruding nose, seemingly a variation of a Tengu mask.
Pinball Projectile: Their cannonballs can be upgraded to bounce along the path and deal damage to any enemies hit by it.
Smoke Shield: Their Smoke Bomb Battle Gear makes them drop a smoke bomb that stuns the enemy units and obscures their vision.
Trap Master: One of their Battle Gear grants them the ability to place mines. These mines are not invisible, but can barely be seen on map (very low transparency), and thus can catch the unwary off-guard.

Raider

Demolitions Expert: They're not very good at fighting. They are however, very good at burning bases down.
Fragile Speedster: They move quickly and not suited at direct combat, but that also means they can light up your base and run before you get to chase them.
Pyromaniac: One of their quotes is "Can I burn something?"
The Sneaky Guy: They traverse the forest well, gaining no sight penalty while in it. They're also quick to run, and have Caltrops as a Battle Gear to discourage pursuers if they need it.

Tier III & Special Tiers: Ronin, Fan Geisha & Witch, Enforcer

Ronin

Blood Magic: Blood Bond makes any damage they take to be suffered by their bonded ally instead. If that ally is surrounded by friendly healers however...
Dying Curse: Like their Samurai counterpart, they curse the enemies around them when they die. Unlike the Samurais, their curse doesn't deal damage, but reduces enemy combat effectiveness.
Evil Counterpart: The Yin counterpart of the Samurai.
Mana Drain: Their Yin Blade Battle Gear drains enemy stamina with each blow to increase Yin gathering rate.
Might Makes Right: The philosophy in their quotes implies they believe that only the mighty are allowed to rule.
Rōnin: The trope itself.

Fan Geisha, Witch & Demoness

Combat Medic: Fan Geishas are more combat than Medic compared their Geisha counterparts. Their heal takes more stamina, while having a few upgrades to their damage output.
Demonic Possession: When equipped with the Demon's Amulet Gear, a Witch can turn into a powerful Demoness. Once her stamina depletes, she returns to her original form.
Femme Fatalons: The Demoness has very sharp claws she uses to shred the opponent's flesh.

Enforcer

Combat Pragmatist: His "Low Blow" Battle Gear is described as him delivering a sucker punch to an opponents' solar plexus — this translates to reducing an opponent's movement speed and drains their stamina.
Crippling Overspecialization: They can easily bully any tier-1 units (bar two exceptions as noted below) in a fight, but (like any bullies) they don't exceptionally fare well against units above their tier level (especially against a Zen Master).
Epic Flail: Their weapon is a large thresh that they use with extreme brutality.
Irony: A unit, well known for bullying and defeating tier-1 units (and winning a fight against a Berserker, a tier-3 unit) is very weak against the very attack-type he is using — blunt. Against a Lotus Staff Adept and a Wolf Mauler (both tier-1 units), he'll lose in a one-on-one fight to either of them.
Mighty Glacier: A beefy, powerful unit able to duel a Wolf Berserker and win, but is so slow that they need their Hobnailed Boots Battle Gear to catch up with the rest of the army.

Serpent Zen Masters

The Serpent Clan was founded from the remnants of the original Dragon Clan.

Shinja

"Only strength - and the willingness to use it - can preserve us."

The Serpent Clan's main Zen Master, and Otomo's polar opposite. He seeks to restore the Serpent clan, but is far more ruthless and pragmatic about it than Otomo is. He's killed in the Dragon campaign for murdering Otomo and trying to usurp Kenji, but gets to live in the Serpent campaign.

A Day in the Limelight: You get three missions with him on the Serpent Campaign while Kenji hangs out at Serpentholm overseeing its repair and getting a nice back tattoo.
Character Catchphrase: "If we hurry, we might take them unprepared", a line which he says whenever any of the three provinces are selected before going to the Swan's Pool. If Kenji follows the Dragon path, he'll say this line one more time during his discussion with Otomo about their next attack (concerning the Shale mines).
Combat Pragmatist: Like most of the Serpent Clan, he isn't above using less "honorable" methods to win; in this case, poison.
Death Glare: His Battle Gear, "intimidate" (which reduces enemies' attacks), is represented by one.
Drunk with Power: One of the contributors to his obsession with rebuilding the Serpent Empire — ever since Lord Oja's death (and his Empire slowly crumbling, which gives the Wolf and Lotus the opportunity to strike), he is the only person capable of restoring order to a province and crush any opposition in his path by rallying the remains of the Serpent army. However, because he tasted power, this slowly turned him from an indifferent professional to someone who wanted to bring back the Empire to its former glory (which puts him at odds with Dragon Kenji).
The Dragon: To Serpent Clan Kenji. He would probably find the trope name ironic, given he does not believe in dragons and opposes the Dragon Clan.
Dual Wielding: Uses a pair of katanas in battle. When it comes to sheathing them, he puts them away on each side instead of being on one side.
Face–Heel Turn: In the Dragon Campaign. He grows so resentful of Kenji that he decided to turn his back on him by having Otomo executed, rebuilding the Serpent Clan all by himself, and striking a deal with the Lotus Clan.
Gameplay and Story Segregation: His tooltip says that he has an innate trait called "Ye of Little Faith" which, on-paper, causes magic-type attacks to only deal 10% damage to him. In gameplay, he takes 25% magic damage (a trait shared with most units and Zen Masters). The only unit who has a 90% resistance to magic-type attacks is a Hordeling, a unit that doesn't possess a passive.
Hidden Depths: The description notes him to be an indifferent individual, neither enjoying killing others but has no problems killing if he has to. While this makes him a professional, regardless if Kenji revives the Dragon Clan or bring the Serpent Clan to its former glory. He proves to be more loyal to the Serpent — he gets annoyed at Dragon Kenji's insistence of healing the land instead of restoring the Serpent Empire, and eventually drove him to betray him in favor of bringing the Empire back on his own terms.
Irony: He has a tendency to insult Otomo by calling him "weak" and a "coward". If he and Otomo were to pit each other in a one-on-one fight, the former will always lose the duel (making his statement, rather, ironic).
Jerkass Has a Point: He called Kenji out when Kenji decided to just go MacGuffin hunting instead of saving the peasants in Dragon campaign. Notably, this is one of the things Otomo agrees on.
Shinja: If they couldn't hurt you, they'll hurt your people. The peasants fought for you Kenji, not the orb!
Kick the Dog: In the Dragon Path. When he decides to rebel against Kenji by restoring the Serpent Clan on his own terms, he had his men execute Otomo for no reason just to spite Kenji.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: There is one case in the Serpent campaign where Shinja, who is known to be dismissive of magic in general, decided to accept that magic is real and to accept its help; the vile Necromancer.
Shinja: If what you are saying is true, then Kenji would need every soldier he can get. Even the dead ones.
Meaningful Name: "Shinja" can mean "true snake" in Japanese, fitting for a guy who's devoted to restoring the Serpent Clan.
Poisoned Weapons: His katanas are poisoned.
Sour Supporter: To Dragon Clan Kenji who he criticizes every decision he makes, even disobeying Kenji's direct order to stand guard and repel both the Lotus and Wolf clans while the former is journeying to Dragon's Spire. Unlike other examples of this trope, he eventually chooses to double-cross Kenji as he considers him too weak to rule.
Supporting Leader: Took control of the other half of the Serpent Clan following lord Oja's death, but was unable to wrest control of the other half from Otomo. Kenji's first order of business in both campaigns is to defeat him, after which he joins you.
Undying Loyalty: Zig-Zagged. While he does serve Kenji due to his status as the son of the Serpent Emperor, how he faithfully serves him depends on the path he takes. He'll only truly stay by Kenji's side if he opts to rebuild the Serpent Empire, otherwise he'll go against him if he chooses to bring back the long defunct Dragon Clan.
Shinja: As I serve the father, so shall I serve the son.

Vetkin

"I'll fight to the death any man I can't outrun."

Garrin's main advisor and protegee, Vetkin is a wastrel and hedonist who is nonetheless unusually good at footraces and is implied to be much more cunning than he acts. He fights with twin sai. He joins you in the Serpent campaign if you visit Riverside.

The Charmer: His Battle Gear is called "Bravado".
Dirty Coward: When he faces you in the Dragon Campaign he immediately runs off and joins up with the Wolf Clan present.
Fragile Speedster: Vetkin's ability is to not lose stamina by running. He has the fastest running speed in the game bar none, and can outrun horses, but his HP and damage are closer to a mook than a Hero Unit.
Schrödinger's Gun: In the Dragon campaign, he locked up Garrin, his own lord, and does most of the decision making. In the Serpent campaign, Garrin is angry at him for his treachery for siding with Kenji.
Smug Snake: He's quite full of himself, bossing Garrin's people around, but he's also cowardly and weak in combat.
Tattooed Crook: Has a truly impressive piece of forearm and back tattoos.
Treacherous Advisor: He is Garrin's chancellor, and small talk from peasants notes that he does the former's dirty work. In the Dragon campaign, this is false as he locked up Garrin in his keep and is the one doing all the orders.

Budo

"What are you looking at?"

A Serpent clan overseer (read:slavemaster) from the days of the Wolf Clan's slavery, Budo now works as an administrator of peasants, where he favours a hands-on approach to increasing productivity. He can increase peasant movement and harvesting rate at a cost of their health by cracking his whip, which he can also use against enemies. Becomes available in the Serpent Campaign in the Wolf mission after the Swan's Pool.

Bad Boss: His Battle Gear increases the peasants' movement and action speed at the cost of their health.
The Dreaded: Amongst Serpent Clan peasants. Merely implying he may be set to administer a region increases its productivity.
Dumb Muscle: According to his description, he has a rather thick skull, which makes him a perfect tool for Shinja when carrying out tasks that he can't handle.
Fat Bastard: His girth is only rivaled by his sheer evil.
Grumpy Old Man: Literally says "Get off my property!" and attacks you on sight when you first approach him. He'll only respond to reason if Kenji approaches him.
Saved by Canon: In Greyback's Journey, where he fought against Grayback on two separate occasions. As he is bound to appear in Kenji's Journey (should he choose the Serpent Path), he'll survive Grayback's encounter.
Sex for Services: Joins you if you leave him in the company of one of your Fan Geisha. Or, if you think they deserve better than him, you can also use your army for what it's for and destroy everything he owns and he'll give in.
Villainous Demotivator: He can, literally, overwork your peasants to death.
Whip of Dominance: He not only wields a whip as his weapon into battle, but can use it to whip Peasants into working faster as he's infamous for being a cruel taskmaster who overworks his people.

Utara

"Share my bed, share my sorrow."

A mad Serpent geisha who's forsaken healing arts for inflicting pain, little else is known about Utara apart from tales and myths. She can join you during the Serpent Campaign. Her special ability stuns nearby enemies when she gets hit, making her a terror in clumped melees.

Ax-Crazy: Her description allegedly refers to her as being insane. Going by her quotes (namely when attacking, or killing an opponent), this seems to hold water.
Brown Note: Her Battle Gear is a sad song that damages enemies and drains their stamina.
Combat Sadomasochist: While she likes to inflict pain on others, she gets ecstatic if she experiences some sort of pains, even begging her opponent to hurt her more.
"Baby!!.. Oh beat me, yes...!!"
Devious Daggers: Wields a pair of them that can inflict poison, this fits well with her sadomasochistic nature.
Glass Cannon: While her looks literally kill, she has relatively little armor for a Zen Master.
Meaningful Name: Indonesian/Malay for "north".
Saved by Canon: She appears in Grayback's journey on three occasions, first where she curses at him upon destroying her base and interrogating her for Gaihla's location, second she, and her Crossbowmen, ambush Grayback and Wildeye and is responsible for holding the monks hostage, and third she and Budo aid Yvaine's forces with Serpent reinforcement before ultimately losing. Because she appears in Kenji's Journey (Serpent Path), she'll be live and well and (reluctantly) serves Grayback.

Taro Oja

"You will address me by my proper title! I am Prince Taro, heir to the Serpent Throne!"

Kenji's Jerkass older brother. Mentioned in the original game but not seen until the expansion, where he became a Serpent Zen master usable in multiplayer.

Ascended Extra: Appears only in a flash back on the first game. In the expansion he is a playable Zen Master, and appears in Graybacks quest.
Crippling Overspecialization: Taro may be mediocre in most stats, but his Insidious Hex synergizes amazingly well with skills that deal massive magic damage.
Inadequate Inheritor: He's described as one to his father, as he lacked courage and administrative skills to keep the Serpent Clan on top.
Master of None: His stats are terrible. His main use is if you ally with a Lotus or use witches a lot, as he makes enemies weak to magic damage.
Overlord Jr.: Is the first born son the Lord Oja, and is the direct heir to the throne. Compared to his brother he is jerk who is fine with the Lotus enslaving the Wolf Clan. When Kenji notes that what he has no stomach for is not war itself but the way their father fights wars, Taro's response is a sarcastic "yes, always winning is such a burden".
Posthumous Character: In the original campaign, having fallen off a horse and split his head open on a rock a few years ago.
Screams Like a Little Girl: His battle cries sound more like battle cries.
Sissy Villain: His demeanor is quite effeminate, resembling that of a Spoiled Brat.
Spell Blade: His sword is enchanted to deal magic damage.
Too Dumb to Live: Described as such by the manual's narrator.

The Necromancer

"Enjoy your terror while it lasts. In my realm, you shall plead for death as you now plead for life."

Technically speaking a special unit rather than a hero, The Necromancer is one of the few important story characters of the Serpent Clan. He joins you instead of the Dragon, finding Kenji's tendencies to kill everyone he encounters "most pleasant".

Difficult, but Awesome: In multiplayer. You need to construct a special building and sacrificing four Ronin worth of rice, water, and training, but you get to have a Spirit Warrior and Zombie maker. And those four units back—he and his minions don't add up to your total unit count.
In Love with Your Carnage: He joins you because of this.
Mook Maker: Given enough stamina, spontaneously creates Zombies from the recently slain and up to three Spirit Warriors upon command.
Necromancer: It's even in his name, and (true to his title) he specializes in raising zombies and summoning Spirit Warriors (who are implied to be the sacrificed Ronins) to fight by his side.
One-Man Army: One of the Serpent missions have you destroy an entire village with just him, Shinja, a Raider, a Bandit, and two Fan Geishas. Even the description lampshades it, saying "We have no peasants to build a town, but the Necromancer's power should suffice to wipe out Otomo's pitiful rebels."
Red Right Hand: His forearms and hands are disproportionately large and skeletal.
Stone Wall: Only fire is even halfway dangerous to him, but his melee attack is very lacking. The Necromancer is best kept out of combat so his (sadly all too limited) stamina, necessary to summon Zombies and Spirit Warriors, recovers faster.

Wolf Units

Tier I: Brawler, Mauler, Hurler

Brawler

Good Old Fisticuffs: Their punches don't have much style to them, but they come out fast and deadly.
Hero Killer: Zen Counterpunch will One-Hit Kill enemy Heroes.

Mauler

Epic Flail: A hugeass rock wrapped in chains, used to slam opponents and structures alike.
Gone Horribly Right: The Maulers were a result of Lotus overseers punishing particularly rebellious Wolf Clan members by chaining them to gigantic rocks meant to hold them down while they toiled in the mines. The Lotus, however, failed to anticipate that said Wolf Clan members would grow strong enough to start wielding said rocks as their weapons.
Spin Attack: Their Wrecking Ball Battle Gear makes them spin in a circle and smash everything around with their boulder.

Hurler

Blood Sport: So much they consider going to war less dangerous than Wolfball.
I Know Madden Kombat: Their expertise in Wolfball makes them dangerous opponents.

Tier II: Sledger, Pitch Slinger, Ballistaman

Sledger

The Ahnold: They speak with a weird Germanic accent that only they have.
Demolitions Expert: Very good at reducing enemy structures to rubble.

Pitch Slinger

Demolitions Expert: Burns down enemy structures with alarming speed.

Ballistaman

Mighty Glacier: How about you try running with an oversized crossbow mounted on your back?
Uniformity Exception: No other Wolf unit bears arms that could qualify as a machine.

Tier III & Special Tiers: Berserker & Werewolf, Druidess & Dryad, Pack Master, Digger

Berserker & Werewolf

Emergency Transformation: You can invoke this in Berserkers by giving them the Lycanthropy Battle Gear before battle so you can turn them into Werewolves if their health dips too deep into the red.
Our Werewolves Are Different: Berserkers can turn into Werewolves after receiving a blessing from a Druidess.
Real Men Eat Meat: Exaggerated. Berserkers are described as not only eschewing plant-based food altogether, but subsisting solely on raw meat. Justified given that they're one step away from becoming Werewolves.
Viral Transformation: Werewolves can be blessed by Druidess so that enemies killed by them are turned into wolves.

Druidess & Dryad

Green Thumb: The Druidess' basic attack roots the enemy to the ground. Two Druidesses with good timing can permanently root an enemy to the ground.
Laser Blade: The Dryad's weapon is a spectral sword that resembles the Soul Reaver.
Next Tier Power-Up: The Druidesses can bestow their blessings upon non-Hero Units, unlocking their Battle Gear.

Pack Master

Bare-Fisted Monk: They have no weapons other than their bare hands, although having several wolves following them can shift the tide in their favor.
The Beastmaster: Unlike other Wolf units, Pack Masters can have up to 3 wolves around them at all times.
Stone Wall: A Tier I with the HP of a Tier II.

Digger

Fast Tunnelling: Their signature ability is digging through the ground to remain hidden.
The Unintelligible: Their speech consists of gibberish that only fellow Wolves can understand.

Wolf Zen Masters

A race of barbarians who landed on the northern shores of the continent made by Tarrant due to storms destroying their homeland, the wolf were enslaved by the Lotus with Serpent aid. They finally freed themselves a few years prior to the game's beginning. Led by Greyback, this faction of former mining slaves will stop at nothing to keep their freedom and restore their ancestral culture. The playable faction in the Winter of the Wolf expansion, they are antagonists during Kenji's Journey and are defeated halfway through if you play as Dragon.

Grayback

"Hear me, sorcerers; you cannot cage the wolf."

The self-appointed leader of the Wolf clan and the mastermind behind the wolf rebellion that finally freed them. His innate ability makes wild wolves nearby follow him, and they will never attack him first.

Barbarian Hero: In the expansion's campaign where the Wolf clan is playable.
Battle Cry: Works almost identically to Otomo's Battle Gear.
The Beastmaster: Wild wolves will never attack Grayback, and will instead join him as bodyguards provided he isn't full up already.
Hero Antagonist: In the Serpent Campaign.
Large and in Charge: He's almost twice the size of any of the Dragon/Serpent characters. Played With though, as in the Wolf campaign he originally appears lean but toned, and only after getting to the Shalery to forge his armor does he become bulky.
Lightning Bruiser: He is fast and insanely strong. Even without his shale armor (which beefed up his considerable defense), he is much stronger than Kenji in a straight-up fight.
Powerful Pick: It's about as large as he is.
Slave Liberation: He leads the revolt that frees his fellow Wolves from their shackles.
The Strategist: On top of being the Wolf clan's leader, he possess a quick wit and a tactical mind (almost comparable to Kenji's).
Taking You with Me: With The Nightvol at the end of the Serpent path.
Took a Level in Badass: In the expansion's campaign, after he gains access to a Shalery.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Unlike Zymeth who, at least, makes a single appearance in the Serpent campaign if a Lotus territory is selected (after retaking Serpentholm). He is completely absent in the Dragon campaign and, while Kazan states that the Wolf are already beaten by the Lotus, his actual fate his unknown.

Longtooth

"Even the warlocks who claim to know death, cringe from my fury."

Grayback's second in command and next in line for leadership of the Wolf Clan. Longtooth fights with a gigantic, razor-backed boomerang and deals bonus damage when he has higher ground.

The Lancer: To Grayback in his Journey.
Improbable Hairstyle: Red punk hairdo.
Improbable Weapon User: Boomerangs.
Took a Level in Badass: In the expansion's campaign, after he gains access to a Shalery.

The Shale Lord

"..."

A gigantic pile of living stone made by an experiment of the Lotus warlock Soban on an unnamed and long-forgotten Wolf clan warrior. The Shale Lord is mute, but his willingness to crush the Lotus and protect the Wolf Clan speaks volumes in itself. The Shale Lord can armour your units for free by giving up some of his health.

Cast from Hit Points: He can sacrifice some of his health to grant an ally a suit of Shale Armor.
Good Old Fisticuffs: Being a creature made of shale, he only needed his fist to tear everything apart.
Gone Horribly Wrong: For his creator, that is. Was a stroke of good luck for the Wolf Clan, as his immense strength made him a valuable ally.
Informed Attribute: The Shale Lord is said to be mute, but he has voice-lines in gameplay.^note
Lightning Bruiser: Very fast for his size.
Was Once a Man: Was formerly a Wolf Clan warrior before Soban turned him into the Shale Lord.

Gaihla

"Thread lightly in this place, for every forest is my temple."

A forest nymph, allied with the Wolf. Can be recruited in the Dragon Campaign if you assault the Wolf Clan's mines.

Adaptation Dye-Job: Started out with green hair, before having her sprite and portrait changed to brown-red in a later patch.
Damsel in Distress: In Grayback's Journey, she is kidnapped by Utara and is given to Soban to be used for the latter's experiments.
Fertile Feet: Increases rice growth by standing in a rice field.
Healing Hands: Her Battle Gear is area-of-effect healing.
In Harmony with Nature: More so than any other Wolf clan, even with Druidesses and Dryads.
Squishy Wizard: Do not, repeat, not put her in combat. Especially not against fire users.
Support Party Member: Gailha isn't really suited for direct combat, but her innate ability to regrow rice quickly if she stands on a rice field along with her Battle Gear makes her useful.
What the Hell, Hero?: In Grayback's Journey, she is one of the staunch allies of the Wolf Clan as they go on a quest to stop the blizzard conjured by Yvaine (with said blizzard worsening her condition as the weather is harming the forests). In the Dragon campaign, due to the Wolf Clan suffering from Motive Decay (especially as their war with the Lotus mounts up), the Pitch Slingers are burning the forest to expand their shale mining operations (which also greatly hurt her in the process). She gets disgusted by this action that she defects to the Dragon Clan to punish the miners for their recklessness.

Wildeye

Exclusive to the expansion pack, can spawn spirit wolves.

Improbable Weapon User: A drum and its drumstick.
Summon Magic: By beating his drum, Wildeye is able to summon wolf spirits to aid him in combat.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Teppo is implied to be the guy who gave Kenji firearms, Yvaine dies at the end of the expansion, and Taro was Killed Offscreen. So where was Wildeye during the original campaign?

Lotus Units

Tier I: Blade Acolyte, Staff Adept, Leaf Disciple

Blade Acolyte

Healing Factor: Inner Strength Battle Gear allows the Acolytes to restore their health at the cost of stamina.
Serrated Blade of Pain: Which they will sharpen during their Idle Animation, granting them a damage boost for the first few moments they fight.

Staff Adept

Spin to Deflect Stuff: Their Dark Canopy Battle Gear allows the Adepts to deflect projectiles by spinning their staves.

Leaf Disciple

Improbable Weapon User: Their weapon is a wreath of razor-sharp metal leaves that revolves around them.

Tier II: Diseased One, Unclean One, Infested One

Diseased One

Body Horror: Lean, wasted, and riddled with all kinds of nasty diseases that turns their entire body poisonous.
Brown Note: Their Death Wail battle gear deals damage, drains stamina, and instantly dismounts enemies from horses.
Gas Mask Mooks: Strangely, they wear a modern-looking gas mask.
Taking You with Me: If they die, their corpse stays behind leaving a poison hazard to the enemies.

Unclean One

Bad Black Barf: They spew a dark ichor that they can sling towards their foes or darken their sight once they perish.
Body Horror: Lean, wasted, and constantly producing acidic mucus that must be expelled regularly or they'll choke.
Vomit Indiscretion Shot: Their attack animation has them vomit into their catapult and slinging it to the enemy.

Infested One

Auto-Revive: Their Rebirth Battle Gear allows them to be automatically revived after their HP drops down to zero.
Body Horror: Lean, wasted, except for their Mister Seahorse bloated belly.... filled with flesh eating maggots.
The Infested: They let their bodies become home to flesh-eating maggots that they can sick on enemies.
Taking You with Me: If they die, their belly explodes, spreading their flesh-eating maggot everywhere and dealing damage to enemies caught in the blast.

Tier III & Special Tiers: Warlock & Master Warlock, Channeler & Overseer, Reaper

Warlock & Master Warlock

Ambiguous Situation: It's left disquietingly unclear who wins the duel between Warlocks that results in the birth of a Master Warlock. One theory is that the winner brandishes the loser's skull as a trophy, while another states that the skull is the winner and uses the other's body as a meat puppet of sorts.
The Archmage: Lore-wise, they're considered the sorcerer elites of the Lotus clan. In-game, their Battle Gears grant them really unique abilities such as Teleportation, instantly burning down buildings, and even raising the dead back to life.
Bishōnen Line: The Lotus' Tier II units are decrepit, diseased beings full of Body Horror. Then they learn Rite of Ascension and straight into this. Zig-zagged with regards to the Master Warlock, which is a semi-ethereal being with a skull as its vestige of its former humanity.
Having a Blast: While their projectile is depicted as a ball of lightning, it really deals Explosive damage.
One-Winged Angel: Rite of Ascension turns Lotus tier II units into Warlocks with 50% hp. If cast at full hp, it also becomes Cast from Hit Points.
Squishy Wizard: Warlocks are weak against Cutting damage, which is the most common damage type to melee attackers. Master Warlocks however, are rather resistant to it.
Power Floats: They float, thus gaining height advantage in any situation.
Wizard Duel: How Master Warlocks are created.

Channeler & Overseer

Creepy Crows: Channellers use murders of crows to heal their allies.
Dressed Like a Dominatrix: Overseers wear an attire that best can be described as BDSM gear.
Whip of Dominance: Overseers are primarily modeled on Dominatrices and masterfully wield a whip in combat. In the story, they were used in part to intimidate Wolf clan members into submission.

Reaper

Animate Dead: Reapers can raise Shamblers, zombie-like creatures, from the enemies' corpses.
Fake Ultimate Mook: They look intimidating with their Sinister Scythe... But remember they are at best, tier I unit trained directly from Peasants.
Frankenstein's Monster: They're created by Soban from the bodies of dead Lotus peasants and Wolf slaves.

Lotus Zen Masters

A clan consisting of death- and corruption-worshiping religious fanatics, led by a council of near-immortal warlocks, the Lotus were also originally immigrants to the continent of Battle Realms after The Horde destroyed their homelands. The Lotus allied themselves with the native Serpent and eventually, with Serpent aid, enslaved the Wolf Clan. Upon the death of Kenji's father, the Lotus betrayed the Serpent and conquered most of the north-eastern part of the island. It is the only clan not playable in single player and serves as antagonists in all three campaigns. They are defeated by the Wolf halfway through the Serpent campaign.

Zymeth

"The warlocks of the Forbidden Path have conquered death, but I am still their master."

Leader of the Lotus Clan warlocks and thus the clan itself, Zymeth is a several hundred year-old warlock, politician, and altogether unpleasant fellow. His specialization in-game is the weather; he can summon rainstorms and call lightning from the sky at will.

The Archmage: Considered first and foremost of the Lotus Clan's magocracy.
Badass Boast: See his character quote.
Bad Boss: At one point he zapped a minion who came back empty handed. Even The Ninja called him out on it, if only because it's considered a waste of manpower.
The Ninja: Wasteful.
Zymeth: He angered me.
Big Bad: Of the Dragon Campaign. Subverted in the end when the Nightvol takes over the role when you kill him.
The Chessmaster: Boosted by his longevity too; his schemes can span over generations.
Evil Chancellor: To Kenji's father. Backstabbed the clan the moment the Serpent died and had the rest of the family killed and cremated.
Fisher King: It is noted that when he's in a foul mood, thunderstorms form above the Lotus keep.
Handicapped Badass: Despite his status as The Archmage, he is plagued by the same crippling corruption that's been so ingrained in the Clan. Doesn't stop him from being badass anyway. By the end of Dragon campaign, he manages to shake off the corruption and you'll get a taste of just how powerful he really is.
Mundane Utility: His rainstorms also removes the need to water rice, greatly boosting regrowth.
Mutual Disadvantage: As well as Mutual Advantage. His rainstorm boosts rice growth and douses fires for everyone in the map, including your enemies. And if it's a winter map, it causes frost that slows down rice growth for everyone.
Power Floats: Has no visible legs.
Power Incontinence: The rainstorms he starts only end when he dies.
You Have Failed Me: Incinerates a mook who brings him news of Kenji being alive.
Weather Manipulation: With a dose of Shock and Awe, as lightning strikes any enemies close enough to him.
Wizards Live Longer: Has ruled the Lotus clan for generations, and his longevity allows him to concoct very long term plans affecting the other clans.

Koril

"You may think of space and distance as solid facts. I prefer a more fluid interpretation."

The second-most powerful warlock of the Clan and its effective second-in-command. Koril is the master of the school of space, and has mastered the art of teleportation.

Almighty Janitor: According to the manual he's even older than Zymeth, and possibly even shrewder politically. He doesn't take charge because it's a hassle.
Bullet Dodges You: Koril isn't entirely "there" all the time due to his spatial magic, and is nigh-immune to missile weapons.
Sinister Scythe: A one-handed Kama to be precise.
Space Master: Koril is the master of the school of space, which manifests as both his passive ability of dodging missiles at whim as well as his use of teleportation on the battlefield.
Teleportation

Issyl

"Hey mister! Want to see me do a trick?"

Dean of the college of time, Issyl is currently stuck in the body of a twelve year old boy due to a magical mishap that makes his body age backwards.

Improbable Weapon User: Uses a gigantic hourglass with spikes.
Merlin Sickness: A spell gone awry caused a process that reverses Issyl's aging to the point he's now in a teenaged boy's body.
Mundane Utility: Haste can be used to boost your army's effectiveness twofold, which almost guarantee any battle turning into a Curb-Stomp Battle.... Or it can be used to boost Peasants' productivity instead.
Super-Speed: Haste in a nutshell, albeit temporary. His Battle Gear is one of the most useful abilities. The catch? It granting ANYONE WHO NEAR HIM also get inhuman speed with him. It's also extremely useful for peasants, as they can pretty much gathering water/rice faster. Oh, and did we mention that it granting anyone do everything faster? EVERYTHING.
Time Master: As the master of the college of time, Issyl regenerates health at an accelerated rate and can speed up time within his immediate vicinity.

Soban

"While my colleagues waste their time studying death, I have taught the very stones to live."

A master alchemist and golem creator, responsible amongst other things for the creation of the Shale Lord from an unknown Wolf Clan warrior, Soban has no interest in politics and holds his position purely on terms of merit: He has no real power within the clan and prefers it that way.

Artificial Limbs: His left arm is a claw engine, another one of his creations. This three-pronged weapon is attached to his forearm and gives him an improved striking ability, allowing him to deal blunt damage to his opponents.
Defector from Decadence: In the Dragon Campaign, when Koril orders Soban to use his Golems as suicide units to impede Otomo and Shinja's forces, it was the final straw for Soban, causing him to angrily leave the Lotus and join the Dragon clan.
Golem: His special ability is to create up to golems from the dirt. They can gather resources and build structures like peasants, and have the ability to self-destruct.
Grumpy Old Man: Is the only warlock to actually show his age.
For Science!: More interested in his research than anything else.
Karma Houdini: In Grayback's Journey, he is responsible for performing inhumane experiments on Wolf slaves (one of which resulted in the Shale Lord's creation). In the Dragon path (if the Lotus territory is selected after retaking Serpentholm), provided if he survives the chapter, he'll go on to join the Serpent Clan (which has been reformed into the, long lost, Dragon Clan at that point) enabling him to get away scot-free.
Support Party Member: Moreso than the other three Lotus Zen masters: Soban can barely stand up in a fight, and is mostly useful for his golem-generation which frees up peasants.

The Three Brothers

Three brothers who tended to the Tree of Corruption and became the representation of its parts: Lythis, the blade master, is the roots, Tausil, the staff wielder, is the trunk, while Sekh, the ranged combatant, is the leaves. While they're currently dead, they can be summoned from their Crypt to aid the Lotus Clan and bestow their blessings upon their followers.

Dual Wielding: Much like his Blade Acolytes, Lythis wields a blade in each hand.
Our Gods Are Different: The Brothers are basically are the deities the Lotus Clan worship in their twisted existence.
Next Tier Power-Up: They can bestow their blessings upon non-Hero Units, unlocking their Battle Gear.

Yvaine

Zymeth's mistress and lady of the shale mines, she is the Big Bad of the expansion pack Winter of the Wolf.

An Ice Person: Prefers using ice-based attacks, including her Battle Gear.
Big Bad: In Winter of the Wolf.
Doomed by Canon: She's never seen in Kenji's Journey, meaning that Grayback would kill her at the end of his campaign.
Weather-Control Machine: Her plan is to use Wolf Clan's totem to bring about unending winter.

Characters / Battle Realms

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