A topic from AEG's L5R CCG Rules forum, copied for Oracle of the Void from a copy of the forum saved in October 2015, so pages it didn't save are missing. Players' names are left out; the rules officials are named. Rulings are as they stood on these dates; later rulings, the rulebooks and the Rules Archive may differ.
A player, 3 August 2007
Open: Bow Samarhad: Take control of a target Personality without his controller's Clan alignment. Straighten him. At the end of the turn, if he is not Ratling, return control of him to the player you took him from.
In reference to a stronghold with no clan alignment, does his ability still work?
Answer is: A) Since no one has that stronghold's clan alignment, Samarhad can steal anyone from The Maw's Grave! B) Player requires a clan alignment. Samarhad can't steal someone who doesn't share something that does not exist!
Chris Fuchs (rules official), 4 August 2007
Open: Bow Samarhad: Take control of a target Personality without his controller's Clan alignment. Straighten him. At the end of the turn, if he is not Ratling, return control of him to the player you took him from.
In reference to a stronghold with no clan alignment, does his ability still work?
Answer is: A) Since no one has that stronghold's clan alignment, Samarhad can steal anyone from The Maw's Grave! B) Player requires a clan alignment. Samarhad can't steal someone who doesn't share something that does not exist!
A. If you don't have a clan alignment, obviously your cards won't be able to match it, and Samarhad takes your people.