Schools

Children of the Lord Sun [Shugenja] [HR]

Since the war in the heavens, the Shadowlands has stilled, with even random attacks on the wall now extremely uncommon. Enough time has passed now that many samurai do not believe in the Shadowlands, and even those with reason to know better outside of the Crab are beginning to question the levels of resources that the Crab get from the rest of the empire, until and unless a threat is shown.

During this period of relative peace at the wall, some number of Hida shugenja have been born and have taken up a particular worship of the Lord Sun, leading to the creation of this school. Many adherents of this school believe that the current period of relative weakness from the Shadowlands is directly attributable to a former Crab in such an exalted permission, and that his light will ward off the Shadowlands so long as they keep faith

Note: This school is a house rule and are not part of the standard 4th edition ruleset.

  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Divination, Lore Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft, any 1 bugei skill, any 1 skill.
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyFire / Air
  • TechniqueChild of the Sun - When in direct sunlight, you may cast a fire spell by expending a void point, rather than a spell slot. Get +1k1 on the casting roll for this spell. As this will involve appealing directly to Lord Sun, using this for purposes he would not approve of may backfire harshly. Additionally, you receive a free raise on spells with the Defense keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Fire, 2 Earth, 1 Water.

Hida Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The Hida fighting style is one of the oldest and most respected bushi schools in the Empire, and one with a very basic premise: endure the enemy's attacks until you have the opportunity to crush him with sheer brute force. The style was shaped by the Clan's early years combating oni and other Shadowlands enemies, when only the strongest and most resilient among Hida's followers survived. The Hida Bushi School encompasses two broad themes: damage mitigation and heavy weapon use. Hida bushi may not be the most accurate samurai in the Empire, but when they do connect, they inflict tremendous damage. And fortunately for them, they are able to withstand incredible amounts of punishment while they wait to cripple their enemies.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Crab

    The Hida bushi is the epitome of 'heavy infantry,' able to endure harsh blows and deliver crushing attacks in return. You may ignore TN penalties for wearing heavy armor for all skills except Stealth. When using a Heavy Weapon, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all damage rolls.

  • Rank Two: The Mountain Does Not Move

    The Hida bushi is famous for extraordinary tenacity, weathering wounds that would kill normal men. You gain Reduction equal to your Earth Ring.

  • Rank Three: Two Pincers, One Mind

    A Hida bushi is relentless. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while using Heavy Weapons or weapons with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Four: Devastating Blow

    A Hida stops at nothing to destroy his enemies once his anger is roused. Once per encounter, when wielding a Heavy Weapon you may make a calculated strike against the enemy. Lower the enemy's Reduction by 4 for this attack. If this attack succeeds, you Daze the target. The target may recover from this Conditional Effect by making a successful Earth Ring Roll versus a TN equal to your damage roll during the Reaction Stage of each Round. The TN decreases by 5 each time the target fails the roll.

  • Rank Five: The Mountain Does Not Fall

    Nothing can stop a Hida warrior from fulfilling his duty, not even the threat of death. You may spend a Void Point during the Reaction Stage. During your next Turn, you may take actions as if you were in the Healthy Wound Rank. You ignore the Dazed, Fatigued, and Stunned Conditional Effects. The benefits of this Technique last until the next Reactions Stage.

Hida Pragmatist [Bushi] [EE]

The practitioners of Kobo Ichi-Kai, whose primary dojo is located in Clear Water Village, focus on unarmed combat above all other forms of martial conflict. Although sometimes considered a touch bizarre by other Crab warriors, they are nonetheless respected because of their sheer physical power and ability to devastate virtually any opponent in hand-to-hand combat. Pragmatists make fine yojimbo, since they can leave their weapons at the door and suffer only minimal loss of effectiveness when doing so. Even creatures of the Shadowlands can be overcome by a skilled Pragmatist, and indeed the school was originally developed out of the need to adapt jiujitsu to fighting inhuman opponents.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Eternal Stone Unleashed

    The Pragmatist is taught to endure terror and humiliation while killing his enemies with anything he can find. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to any roll made to resist Intimidation or Fear effects. You also gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of your attack and damage rolls when fighting unarmed or with improvised weapons. However, you must always keep high dice with any attack rolls or damage rolls that benefit from this Technique.

  • Rank Two: Wearing Down the Mountain

    At this rank the Pragmatist learns to strike repeatedly at the same point, wounding even powerful opponents. When fighting unarmed or with an improvised weapon, you may make the Extra Attack Maneuver for only 3 Raises instead of 5.

  • Rank Three: Fury of the Avalanche

    At this rank the Pragmatist learns to fight just as well with his bare hands or whatever is available to him as with the traditional weapons of the samurai. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when fighting unarmed or with an improvised weapon, or when wielding a Samurai keyword weapon.

  • Rank Four: Stone Turns Steel Aside

    The Pragmatist is taught he does not need a weapon when he can turn an enemy's weapon back on him. Regardless of your Stance, a number of times per skirmish equal to your Void, immediately after you are attacked with a melee weapon (after damage is rolled, if the attack hit) you may take a Free Action to make a Contested Roll using Jiujutsu / Agility against your enemy's (Weapon Skill) / Agility. If you win the roll, you immediately strike the enemy with his own weapon (thus, you use your own Strength when determining damage rolled with this Technique). You may Raise on this Contested Roll to perform the Increased Damage Maneuver.

    This technique cannot be used during an iaijutsu duel.

  • Rank Five: Fight to the End

    The final less of the Pragmatist teaches him to prevail no matter what the odds, killing his enemies no matter how severe his own injuries. At the start of your Turn you may spend a Void Point to allow you to make an attack as a Complex Action that ignores your Wound penalties (including Down and Out) and any restrictions or penalties from Status effects or physical Disadvantages you are currently suffering. You gain a +3k1 bonus to your damage roll with this attack.

Hiruma Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

Where the Hida Bushi School teaches endurance and strength, their Hiruma cousins teach avoidance and targeting weak points in an enemy's defenses with lightning fast strikes. The lessons taught by their sensei are essential to fulfilling their duties as warriors inside the Shadowlands. Those who do not heed their teachers well do not survive to perpetuate their mistakes. Those who excel at their lessons become a scourge upon the Shadowlands, moving through that dark realm with speed and grace, leaving death in their wake.

The Hiruma Bushi School emphasizes movement and survival, not just to endure a strike as the Hida do, but to live through an entire skirmish. In one-on-one combat the Hiruma excels at evading his opponents, while in larger skirmishes his ability to avoid damage makes him adept at reaching troublesome foes and eliminating them while his allies tie up other rank-and-file opponents.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Torch's Flame Flickers

    The Hiruma learns to focus his strikes even while protecting himself, perfecting the penetrating quality of his blow without sacrificing his defense. While you assume the Attack Stance, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls. You are skilled at survival and can make all food, water, and jade rations last twice as long for a number of people equal to your Hunting Skill Rank.

  • Rank Two: Wolf's Little Lesson

    Hiruma learn to dash in and out in a single motion. While you assume the Attack Stance, you add 5 to your Armor TN every time you hit with a melee weapon. This bonus may stack a number of times equal to your School Rank and lasts until the end of the current skirmish.

  • Rank Three: Hummingbird Wings

    The Hiruma know how the hummingbird can move in any direction and apply this truism to battle. Once per Round you may activate this Technique when an opponent targets you with an attack. You gain a bonus of double your School Rank to your Armor TN for that attack. This stacks with any other Armor TN bonuses you gain from other means (Such as spending a Void Point).

  • Rank Four: Shark Smells Blood

    Against a weakened opponent, a Hiruma is a terrible foe indeed. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using a weapon with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Five: Daylight Wastes No Movement

    The Hiruma learns to use no more energy than is precisely needed to kill his opponent. If you deliver more Wounds than necessary to kill your target, you may apply the excess Wounds to the next target you hit. This Technique does not activate two attacks in a row. The carry-over effect does not last beyond the end of the current skirmish.

Hiruma Scout [Bushi] [IH]

After the fall of Hiruma Castle, the Hiruma family had no sensei and was unable to preserve the knowledge of its ancient bushi school (the school listed in the L5R 4th Edition Core rulebook as “Hiruma Bushi”). Most of the samurai who actually knew its advanced techniques had perished in battle with the Maw, and those who knew its more basic methods were too focused on fighting and surviving to pass on their wisdom. By the time the family realized their school was in danger of perishing, it was too late.

It was the Unicorn Clan which offered a solution, opening its scout dojo to the Hiruma. Training in the Shinjo methods and adapting them for their own use, the Hiruma developed a new school which placed a far stronger focus on stealth and scouting than their ancestral one. The Hiruma relied on this school for over 300 years, until ancient scrolls of the lost Hiruma Bushi School were finally recovered from the Shadowlands. Even after the Hiruma Bushi techniques were recovered, however, the Hiruma refused to abandon their well-tested Scout school, and thereafter their dojo taught both.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Dance the Razor's Edge

    The Hiruma scouts learn the ways of the Shadowlands intimately, and are taught to rely on speed and stealth to survive, function, and escape in that most inhospitable of environments. You may add your Stealth Skill rank to the total of your Initiative rolls (unless caught by surprise or otherwise unaware). You can make all food, water, and jade rations last twice as long as normal for a number of people equal to your Hunting Skill Rank. While in the Shadowlands, you gain +1k0 to Stealth rolls and always know the direction of the Empire and roughly how far away it is.

  • Rank Two: Run Like the Wind

    The Hiruma practice speed, evasion, and endurance in order to evade their enemies and deliver their scouting reports. You may make Free and Simple Move actions while in the Full Defense stance. You can run at high speed for a number of hours equal to your Stamina + School Rank, after which you are Exhausted until you have one hour's rest.

  • Rank Three: Veil of the Spirits

    At this Rank, the Hiruma has perfected his skills with stealth to the point where they become almost supernatural. As long as you do not move and have some form of cover, concealment, or camouflage available (GM's discretion), you may spend a Void Point to make yourself all but invisible—in mechanical terms, this adds a number of kept dice to your Stealth roll equal to your School Rank. This effect lasts until you move or make a noise.

  • Rank Four: Harness the Wind

    The Hiruma has now learned to strike as swiftly as he runs. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using any samurai weapons, knife, or bow. You may also attack as a Simple Action regardless of weapon when fighting any Shadowlands creature or other known Tainted nonhuman (such as zombies or gaki).

  • Rank Five: Strike of the Stalker

    The Hiruma Scouts strike their opponents from hiding, delivering vicious blows that get past all defenses. If you are striking a surprised or unaware foe, your Raises are not limited by your Void, and you can ignore 10 points of Reduction (from any source).

Kaiu Engineer [Artisan, Bushi] [GC]

The Kaiu Engineers are the most formidable crafters in the Empire, and their skills are turned almost entirely to the Crab Clan's duty of defending Rokugan against the Shadowlands. Masters of construction and siegecraft, they are also formidably talented at the manufacture of arms and armor. Many Kaiu also serve as battlefield commanders, turning their talents at siege to the service of war.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Kaiu Method

    A student of the Kaiu Method is taught the many basic essential disciplines the family uses to serve the Crab. You gain a bonus of +1k0 when making any School Skill Roll. When spending a Void Point to augment a School Skill Roll, you gain a bonus of +2k2 instead of +1k1. These effects are not cumulative.

  • Rank Two: The Path of Stone

    The Kaiu are feared on the battlefield for good reason - they are masters of both construction and destruction. When constructing any large structure (temple-sized or larger), you may make an Engineering Skill Roll at TN 25 to add an additional number of Wounds to the structure equal to your School Rank x 100. Also, when commanding a siege engine, you may re-roll once any of the siege engine's damage dice that roll below your School Rank.

  • Rank Three: The Path of the Shell

    The security and protection of Crab samurai is a somber duty all Kaiu take very seriously indeed. When crafting any set of armor, you may double the crafting time and cost in order to add your School Rank to the armor's Reduction value. You may also add half your School Rank (rounding up) to the armor's Armor TN bonus.

  • Rank Four: The Path of War

    Every Kaiu is a student of battle, as are all Crab. When you roll on the Mass Battle Chart, you may modify your result (up or down) by an additional amount equal to half your School Rank. Additionally, when fighting with a katana, dai tsuchi, or war fan, you may make melee attacks as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action.

  • Rank Five: The Path of Steel

    The greatest and most sacred duty of the Kaiu is crafting the sacred weapons of the Crab Clan. When crafting any weapon, you may choose to confer either a +1k0 bonus to all attack rolls made with that weapon, or a +0k1 bonus to all damage rolls made with that weapon. If the weapon is a katana, you may expend all your Void Points (a minimum of one point must be spent) to make the blade unbreakable (as per the Sacred Weapon: Kaiu Blade Advantage). Doing so renders you unable to recover Void Points for one week.

Kuni Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

Once misunderstood, the Kuni Shugenja School has frequently been painted as a collection of obsessive madmen who delve too deeply into secrets no one should explore. Most Kuni would object to the label of madman, but beyond that they would admit the stereotype fits fairly closely with reality. The Kuni understand they must sacrifice certain inhibitions and reservations in order to serve their Clan and Empire to the best of their ability, and they do so without protest.

The Kuni Shugenja School emphasizes the Crab Clan's specialization in fighting creatures of the Shadowlands. The Crab's alliance with the Nezumi tribes that dwell within the region also has granted them great insight into other non-human creatures, and their Technique allows them to benefit or destroy such creatures as desired.

  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Defense, Lore: Shadowlands 2, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft, any one Weapon Skill
  • Honor2.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyEarth / Air
  • TechniqueGaze Into Shadow - The Kuni have carefully studied many of the most sinister opponents imaginable, and have learned how to combat them. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all Spell Casting Rolls when the target is any non-human creature, and any spell that inflicts damage inflicts an additional +1k1 damage when used against a target who possesses the Shadowlands Taint. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Jade keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Fire, and 1 Water

Kuni Witch-Hunter [Monk] [GC]

The Kuni Witch-Hunters are a small but highly skilled group of mystical warriors who serve the Crab Clan by hunting for maho-tsukai and Shadowlands infiltration within the Empire. They travel freely through Rokugan, often disregarding clan borders and jurisdictions... much to the displeasure of local authorities. Samurai from other clans tend to regard Witch-Hunters as superstitious and ill-mannered louts, but common folk throughout the Empire respect them and seek their aid whenever supernatural threats arise. Within the Crab Clan they are treated with respect and not a little fear, since their appearance often betokens the presence of the Taint.

Last Haiku Editor's Note: The Rank 1 technique adds +1k0 to the roll for each Taint Rank the target possesses. This seems to indicate that a player character using this class is told how many additional unkept dice they must roll, which would hint at whether the target is Tainted or not. While a player is not supposed to use out-of-game knowledge to assist their character's reasoning, such a choice seems quite easily abusable. As a result, it could be advised to allow a free raise per Taint Rank instead, in order to keep the target's impurity a secret.

Techniques
  • Rank One: To See the Darkness

    Witch-hunters are taught both to sense the power of Jigoku and to crush those who carry its dreadful mark. You may attempt to detect the Taint in another person by holding your jade pendant (or another piece of jade) and staring intently at them. This is a Complex Action and requires your to make a Contested Roll of your Investigation (Interrogation) / Awareness against the target's Sincerity (Deceit) / Willpower. You gain a +1k0 bonus to this roll for every full Rank of Taint the target possesses. If you succeed in the roll and the target is Tainted (has at least 1 Rank of Taint), you are able to sense the presence of the Taint and its approximate strength. If you fail this roll or the target is not Tainted, you gain no information. In addition, you gain +1k1 to your rolls to resist the Shadowlands Taint and to your attack rolls when attacking a foe who is a Shadowlands creature or who you know to be Tainted.

  • Rank Two: To Ride the Darkness

    Witch-hunters do not confine themselves to rooting out Tainted men and women - they also learn how to fight the creatures of the Shadowlands, and spend considerable time studying their strengths and weaknesses. Any time you are confronted by a Shadowlands creature, you may take a Free Action to roll Lore: Shadowlands / Intelligence at TN 20 to recall either one specific strength (such as Invulnerability) or one specific weakness (such as jade) for that creature. You choose whether you recall a strength or a weakness, but the GM chooses the exact information. You may Raise on this roll to learn additional pieces of information - one strength or weakness per Raise.

  • Rank Three: To Strike the Darkness

    At this rank the Witch-hunter learns to call on the power of purity to guide and strengthen his blows. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action when your opponent is a Shadowlands creature or when you know your opponent to be Tainted.

  • Rank Four: To Repel the Darkness

    The Witch-hunter's intense study and spiritual training now gives him access to esoteric powers and makes it almost impossible for the forces of darkness to deceive him. You gain a +3k0 bonus to all rolls for your Rank One ability to detect the Taint and to the roll for your Rank Two ability. In addition, you may learn one Kiho. (If the optional rule allowing Kiho for non-Brotherhood monks is in effect, this Kiho does not count against the maximum number of Kiho you can learn, although it is subject to their other mechanical limitations such as Mastery Level.)

  • Rank Five: To Shatter the Darkness

    The Witch-hunter is now the true nemesis of Jigoku's forces, able to strike down his enemies with unmatched power. You gain +4k1 bonus to your attack and damage rolls against Shadowlands creatures and against foes you know to be Tainted. This stacks with the attack bonus from your Rank One Technique.

Toritaka Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The Toritaka Bushi School excels at destruction of creatures that come from the other Spirit Realms. Their style is fluid in order to adapt to any surprises that new monsters might spring upon them. Unfortunately this focus on otherworldly foes makes the Toritaka bushi a very specialized warrior, with few techniques that work against human opponents.

The Toritaka Bushi School focuses on striking monsters and bypassing their defenses. They use the daisho or the spear to find the monster’s weaknesses and relentlessly attack them until they fall. Over a lifetime of training, the Toritaka learns to see past the tricks a monster may utilize and to efficiently dismantle such enemies.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Falcon's Eyes

    A Toritaka must be aware of his surroundings at all times, for his enemies can appear anywhere. You add +1k0 to all Skill and raw Trait rolls involving the Perception Trait. Additionally, when striking a creature from another Spirit Realm (including oni from Jigoku and hungry dead from Gaki-do), you add +1k0 to all damage rolls.

  • Rank Two: The Falcon Takes Flight

    Through his training, the Toritaka can sense the emanations of nearby spirits as they cross over into the mortal realm. You may attempt to detect the presence of any creatures from other Spirit Realms by making a Perception Trait Roll against a TN equal to the creature’s Air Ring x 5.

  • Rank Three: The Falcon's Wings

    The Toritaka strikes with precision, constantly keeping his enemies at bay. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while wielding a spear or a weapon with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Four: Vigilant and Strong

    Monsters may have tricks to confuse their enemies, but the Toritaka learns to see the truth through the fog. You may spend a Void Point to negate any darkness or blinding penalties. This effect lasts until the Reactions Phase two Rounds later.

  • Rank Five: Claws of the Falcon

    Nothing will stop the Toritaka’s attack from hitting its target. Your attacks ignore up to 5 points of your opponent’s Reduction (if he has any). Against creatures from other Spirit Realms, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to reduce the creature’s Reduction by 10 for one Round.

Yasuki Courtier [Courtier] [CR]

Once a Crane family, the Yasuki defected to join the Crab after their Doji masters refused to accept the questionable manner in which the Yasuki performed essential tasks necessary for the Crane to function. The Crab were far more practical masters, and under their leadership the Yasuki have become the most prosperous merchant patrons in the Empire. Their sensei emphasize the ability to find that thing one's opponents in court must have, and provide it for them at a low cost, ensuring both profit and gratitude.

The Yasuki specialize in using commerce as a means of gaining the favor of others. They are as much salesman as courtiers and can use any number of sales tactics, including both pressure and false sincerity, to gain that which they desire from others. No one in the Empire can take a simple resource and transform it into a hot commodity with the same style and deftness as a Yasuki courtier.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Carp

    The Yasuki are masters of commerce and practice it far more openly than other samurai families; they do not consider it to be a breach of etiquette to engage in open commerce. You gain a Free Raise when using the Commerce Skill, and you do not lose Honor or Glory for using the Commerce Skill even in public. Also, Yasuki are taught from youth to be adept at sizing up their potential customers. When speaking with someone you may make a Contested Roll of your Commerce/Perception against their Etiquette/Awareness to discern some material object or service they want or desire.

  • Rank Two: Do As We Say

    The flip side of Yasuki commerce is Yasuki pushiness. The Yasuki are renowned for both their glib tongues and their high-pressure sales tactics, pressuring and deceiving their customers and allies into doing what they want. A number of times per session equal to your School Rank, you may re-roll a failed Sincerity or Intimidation Skill roll. You must keep the results of the second roll.

  • Rank Three: Treasures of the Carp

    Your contracts in the merchant and commercial circles of Rokugan make it possible for you to acquire almost anything you might need to satisfy a customer. You may roll Commerce/Awareness at TN 20 to locate a rare or useful item, subject to GM discretion, for someone else. You may track down higher-quality or rarer items by calling Raises.

  • Rank Four: Wiles of the Carp

    As ruthless merchants, the Yasuki are also skilled at seeing through the deceptions and blandishments of others. Anyone making a Social Skill Roll for the purpose of lying to you or deceiving you has their TN increased by an amount equal to 5 times your School Rank.

  • Rank Five: What is Yours is Mine

    The ultimate skill of the Yasuki is to influence others by offering them what they want the most. If you known of a material item someone needs, and arrange for them to get it, you gain a bonus of +5k0 to any Contested Social Rolls you make against that person for the next 24 hours.

Defender of the Wall [Bushi] [CR]

The Crab Clan is the first line of defense against the ravenous creatures of the Shadowlands, so that protective nature has seeped into many of their martial styles. The Defender of the Wall stands firm against the enemies he may face and weathers all the assaults focused in his direction. The Defender of the Wall is the perfect guardian, as he will let the world end before he lets an attacker pass him.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: The Flames of Purity

    The Defender of the Wall is ready to repel any unnatural assaults with the conviction of a pure soul. Creatures with the Shadowlands Taint may not reroll 10's on attack or damage rolls against you.

  • Rank Two: Hida's Strength

    The Defender of the Wall is an impregnable fortress, even without wearing his armor. You gain Reduction 8. This stacks with any other Techniques or armor which grant you Reduction.

  • Rank Three: The Crab are the Wall

    The Defender of the Wall will let nothing stop him short of death. Once per round, you may immediately negate one Condition on yourself (other than Mounted or Grappled).

Crab Berserker [Bushi] [CR]

When faced with insurmountable odds, a warrior often retreats to fight again another day. To the Crab Berserker, this is not an option. The Berserker will fight wherever his lord directs him, and focuses his entire being into that fight. The Berserker fights with no limits and continues to ferociously attack until either he or his enemies is bloodied and dead on the ground. The Berserkers often fight against the ravaging Shadowlands Horde and are said to match those beasts in rage and viciousness.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Crab Bushi school Rank 2
  • RequirementsEarth 4
  • TechniqueBerserker's Rage - The Crab berserkers manifest their unique and dangerous gifts after spending some time - often months, sometimes even years - on the Kaiu Wall. Some berserkers call on maniacal fury to power their rages, while others enter the notorious "dead eye" trance, but the result is the same: superhuman strength and a near-immunity to pain. Once per skirmish, you may enter your rage during the Reactions Stage. Once begun, the rage lasts for a number of Combat Rounds equal to double your Earth Ring. (You may end it during an earlier round by spending a Void Point during the Reactions Stage.) While in your rage, you cannot take the Center, Defense, or Full Defense stances, and cannot use any non-Bugei skills. While in the raging state, you ignore all penalties and effects of Wound Ranks. You also gain a +2k1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls. If you are killed while raging, you remain alive and can continue to attack until the rage ends, but you cannot be healed (unless you are first targeted with the Force of Will spell) - you are dead, your body simply does not know it yet. The rage ends if you sustain Wounds equal to twice the amount that would normally kill you.

Crab Defender [Bushi] [BoA]

The limited Crab dueling tradition is maintained in the Unbreakable Blade Dojo. It emphasizes endurance rather than speed, teaching its students to endure their opponents' first blow in order to survive to deliver their own. Due to the Crab Clan's martial and pragmatic nature, the sensei of the Unbreakable Blade focus their training on lethal duels (both on the battlefield and in court) rather than on the duels to first blood that are more common in other clans.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesHida Bushi 2, Hiruma Bushi 2
  • RequirementsAwareness 3, Agility 3, Iaijutsu 4
  • TechniqueWarrior of Earth - The Defenders are taught there is more than one way to win a duel. Rather than try to strike faster than their opponents, Defenders learn to call on their own Earth to endure the foe's first strike, allowing them to defeat their enemy in a longer fight. During the Strike step of an iaijutsu duel, you are considered to have additional Reduction equal to your Earth x 3.

Crab Knife-Fighter [Bushi] [BoF]

A few Crab have specialized in knife-fighting over the years, enough for the clan to maintain a few sensei who teach advanced knife techniques. Many of these are sailors, especially Yasuki, who prefer a fighting style which uses small, cheap weapons in an environment where speed and mobility are more important than reach and power.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3 or 4
  • ReplacesHida Bushi 4, Hida Pragmatist 4, Hiruma Bushi 3, or Hiruma Scout 3
  • RequirementsKnives 3
  • TechniqueOne Blade, Both Hands - The Crab knife-fighting technique emphasizes using the empty hand to grasp, control, and distract the opponent, setting him up for the knife-hand to deliver the lethal blow. When fighting with one open hand and a tanto, you add +3k1 to your damage with tanto and may ignore all effects of your opponent's armor. (If your opponent is a creature with inherent Reduction, you may ignore 5 points of that Reduction.)

Crab Sumai Wrestler [Bushi] [BoE]

The Crab have a long and storied tradition of excellence in sumai, whose social respectability can grant skilled Crab wrestlers access to courts where they might otherwise never be invited. Promising students are taught at the Grip of Earth Dojo, the principle home to the Crab Clan's sumai fighting technique. When another samurai encounters a Crab bushi utilizing sumai techniques, it is almost always a graduate of the Grip of the Earth Dojo. Those students who show a knack for the ritual and pageantry of sumai as well as its more physical aspects are sent to Stone Tower Dojo in the Imperial Capital.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesHida Bushi 2 or Yasuki Courtier 2
  • RequirementsJiujutsu (Sumai) 4
  • TechniqueThe Way of Sumai - While most Rokugani treat Sumai wrestling as a sport, the Crab have never forgotten that it originated as a combat art. When rolling to control a Grapple, you gain a +1k0 bonus (+2k0 if you are Large). If you choose to inflict damage in a Grapple (e.g. the "hit" option), you gain a +1k1 bonus to the Damage Roll.

Falcon's Strike [Bushi] [BoA]

A tiny off-shoot of the Falcon Clan's bushi traditions, the Falcon's Strike Dojo becomes much larger and more influential after the Falcon are absorbed into the Crab Clan in the early twelfth century. The dojo selects its students for keen vision and sharp senses, and they learn to reply on focused senses rather than the mechanics of drawing and firing to hit their targets.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesToritaka Bushi 2, Hiruma Scout 2, or Hiruma Bushi 2
  • RequirementsKyujutsu (Yumi) 3
  • TechniqueSpotting the Prey - The Falcon's Strike is taught to use the bushi's deep awareness of their surroundings to strike the target regardless of concealment. When making a range attack with a bow, you may use your Perception in place of your Reflexes for attack rolls. When using a yumi, you may also use your Perception in place of the bow's Strength for damage rolls.

Hiruma Slayer [Bushi] [BoE]

While most samurai despise the masakari as little more than a peasant axe, the Hiruma found value in its combination of relatively small size and the ability to deliver powerful cutting blows against Shadowlands beasts. The Slayers specialize in hunting down dangerous Shadowlands creatures, often operating deep within Fu Leng's realm with little to no support. During wars with other clans, however, the Slayers' skills can also come in handy for raiding behind enemy lines.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesHiruma Bushi 4 or Hiruma Scout 4
  • RequirementsHeavy Weapons (Masakari) 5
  • TechniqueDeny the Horde - The Slayer technique utilizes the masakari to deliver a terrifying barrage of precise and lethal blows on the foe, using it equally well in either hand. You suffer no penalties for using a masakari in your off-hand (although you still suffer normal penalties for wielding two weapons). You may attack as a Simple Action with a masakari. When using a masakari in the Full Attack Stance against any foe, or in the Attack Stance against a Shadowlands creature or a foe you know to be tainted, you gain an additional +3k0 bonus to your damage rolls.

Hiruma Sniper [Bushi] [BoA]

The Snipers are an outgrowth of the fall of Hiruma lands in the eighth century, and the Path does not exist prior to that era. they are trained to stay calm and shoot accurately even when assailed by terrifying monsters, targeting their foes' weak points.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesHiruma Scout 4, or Hiruma Bushi 4
  • RequirementsKyujutsu 5, Reflexes 4
  • TechniqueThe Crab's Eyes - The Hiruma Snipers are trained to strike at specific weak points in their targets, getting their arrows past both mortal armor and monstrous shells and carapaces. You may attack with a yumi as a simple action. When making a ranged attack with a yumi, you may ignore all of the target's natural Reduction (e.g. Reduction from armor or natural protection) and half that much Reduction from magical effects.

Hiruma Yojimbo [Bushi] [StE]

Since the first days of the Crab Clan, the athletic and attentive Hiruma have often served as yojimbo for the Crab Champion and his most important vassals. This is not because the Hida lack for physical or martial power, of course, but rather because the Hiruma excel at perceiving threats that other Crab might easily miss. They are also considerably faster than the average member of most other Crab families, and speed is an essential component of any successful yojimbo’s repertoire of talents.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesHiruma Bushi 3 or Hiruma Scout 3
  • RequirementsDefense 3
  • TechniqueThe Crab’s Shell - Those Hiruma tasked with protecting the lives of important Crab personages understand that the best and most effective means of defending them is to destroy their enemies as quickly as possible. After making a successful melee attack, you may immediately perform the Guard Action as a Free Action (if your charge is close enough for you to Guard). If you do so, you may add the amount by which your attack roll exceeded your opponent’s Armor TN to the Armor TN of your charge until your next Turn.

Kaiu Shipmasters [Artisan, Bushi]

The Crab Clan has maintained a fleet of iron-armored "Turtle Ships" for centuries, but during the age of the Shattered Empire the threat of Mantis raids and the lack of any support from the rest of Rokugan forces them to expand the fleet and to arm and reinforce all of their wooden vessels as well. Hida O-Ushi commands that Earthquake Fish Bay be made impregnable against any naval attack, whether mundane or Shadowlands in origin. This task is given to Kaiu Utsu, the family daimyo and a famed Siegemaster. Utsu went to work with classic Crab practicality, adapting his methods to naval warfare. After he dies of heart failure in 1139, the task is taken up by his heir Kaiu Umasu, who regularized the Technique which Utsu had devised and made sure it was taught to later generations.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesKaiu Engineer 3
  • RequirementsBattle 4, Sailing 5
  • TechniqueUmasu’s Steel - The Kaiu Shipmasters learn how to reinforce their clan’s ships against any sort of threat, whether it be from the Shadowlands or from the fleets of other clans, using a mixture of physical improvements and defensive tactics. At the beginning of any naval battle in which you are in command of a warship, you may make a Battle / Intelligence Skill Roll at TN 25 to grant your ship a bonus Reduction value equal to your Sailing Skill Rank x2. If the ship is a "Turtle Ship", the bonus is equal to your Skill Rank x4 instead.

Kaiu Siegemaster [Bushi] [BoE]

"We sometimes play a game amongst each other. One Kaiu devises the strongest fortification possible, and the others must figure out its weakness." - Kaiu Watsuki

_

The Kaiu are acknowledged throughout the Empire as the foremost practitioners of siege warfare, especially on the defensive. Within their ranks, the elite order known as the Siege Masters holds a position of particular fame ever since they emerged in the fourth century. Siege Masters are known for rendering castles nigh-impregnable and for constructing defenses that break the spirit of opposing armies, even Shadowlands forces.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • ReplacesKaiu Engineer 5
  • RequirementsBattle (Mass Battle) 5, Engineering (Siege) 5
  • TechniqueThe Hammer of Kaiu - During a siege, you may add or subtract your entire School Rank to the total of your rolls on the Mass Battle Table (this replaces the Kaiu Engineering Rank 4 ability to add or subtract half your School Rank). If you are on the defending side in a siege, you gain +2k0 bonus to any Engineering (Siege) rolls you make to operate siege weaponry, and the Reduction of any structures on your side of the siege is increased by 50%.

Kuni Crystal Master [Shugenja] [BoE]

In the twelfth century, the Kuni begin focusing more intensely on the power and nature of crystal, partially influenced by the struggle against the Lying Darkness and partly by their interactions with other races who used crystal, such as the Naga and even the Nezumi. The Crystal Masters emerged from this research. They are the creators of the Sapphire Strike spell, and specialize in awakening the spiritual powers of crystal and using those powers to enhance their other magic.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesKuni Shugenja 4
  • RequirementsEarth 5, Spellcraft 5, Lore: Elements (Crystal) 5
  • TechniqueStrike of Purity - The Crystal Masters learn how to awaken the spiritual power of crystal and use it to strengthen their spells. When you learn this technique, one piece of crystal which you possess becomes awakened and is then used to empower your spells with the essence of Crystal. (If this piece of crystal is lost or destroyed, you cannot use this Technique until you acquire another one - it is the GM's discretion how much time and effort this will require.) When casting a Fire or Earth spell that inflicts damage (e.g. Jade Strike, Fury of Osano-Wo, etc) you may spend a Void Point to channel the spell through your awakened crystal and infuse it with the essence of crystal. This adds one additional Complex Action to the casting time of the spell. The spell does an additional +1k1 damage is is now considered to be Crystal for the purpose of what foes can be damaged by it, whether it can penetrate Invulnerability or Creature Reduction, and so forth.

Oni Slayer [Shugenja] [CR]

Kuni shugenja dedicate their lives to eradicating the Shadowlands threat from the world. The Oni Slayers are an elite sect of the Kuni family that focuses strictly on dealing with the monsters that are too strong to fight on an equal footing. Their rituals and wards are essential in sapping the strength of these unnatural beasts. Oni slayers see things no man ever should, yet their dedication to their duties remains unshaken.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesKuni Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsLore: Shadowlands 3
  • TechniqueBound by the World - The Kuni study the poorly understood art of binding, of using ritual circles and symbols to trap demons so they can be destroyed forever. You may expend an Earth spell slot and make a Spell Casting Roll (without TN, see below) in order to ritually prepare a binding circle, a process which takes an hour. This circle may encompass a maximum area equal to your School Rank x 5 in square feet, although you may combine efforts with other Kuni to encompass larger areas by adding your School Ranks together (only one of you make the Spell Casting Roll). Once an oni enters the circle, it becomes active. The oni may not leave the circle without first succeeding at a Willpower Trait Roll against a TN equal to the total of your Spell Casting roll. While the circle is active, you gain one less Earth spell slot per day.

Rajya ke Varisa [Bushi]

The Rajya ke Varisa are a group of Crab, Unicorn, and Mantis samurai who study the fighting techniques of the Ivory Kingdoms kshatriya and find ways to use them in conjunction with Rokugani combat techniques. The gaijin turned-Mantis known as Yoritomo Singh also contributes to the organization’s training, seeking to preserve some aspects of his former culture. So far they have managed to devise only one technique, albeit one of significant value.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesHida Bushi 4, Shinjo Bushi 4, Moto Bushi 4, Yoritomo Bushi 4
  • TechniqueLegacy of the Kshatriya - The Rajya ke Varisa have learned to emulate the kshatriya technique that calls on religious devotion to strengthen their force of their blows. However, instead of calling on blasphemous gaijin gods, they call on the power of their devotion to the Fortunes. Twice per skirmish, before making an attack you may take a Free Action to spend a Void Point; if the subsequent attack succeeds, you may add unkept dice to your damage roll equal to your rank in the Lore: Theology skill.

Severed Hand [Courtier] [BoE]

The Severed Hand is the term adopted by those Crab warriors who are forced into the courts due to injuries or other physical problems that render them incapable of further military service. Such men and women, usually grizzled veterans, tend to view the courts as a mixture of deadly traps, pointless and puerile ritual, and stultifying boredom; nonetheless, they do their best to represent their clan. Over centuries of trail and error they have developed a Technique to aid them in their duties, and share it with their fellows through personal instruction.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Crab bushi 4
  • TechniqueStrength of Bamboo - The former warriors of the Severed Hand have learned to rely on the indomitable strength of Earth to resist the tricks, temptations, and blandishments of enemy courtiers. When rolling to resist an opponent's Social Skill or Courtier Technique, you may use Willpower as your Trait instead of the Trait normally used. In cases where this Technique clashes with another (such as the Bayushi Rank 4 Technique), the GM has discretion as to which Technique trumps the other.

Toritaka Exorcist [Shugenja] [GC]

From the days of their founding as the Falcon Clan, the Toritaka have studied the ways of the spirits, especially ghosts and gaki. Those of the Toritaka who had a gift of the kami undertook special studies in these topics, learning the ways of yorei and goryo, of gaki and kitsune-tsuki, and the ways to purge their influence from the natural world. The near-destruction of the Toritaka by a malevolent Shuten Doji spirit only furthered their determination to learn the ways of all such dangerous creatures. Toritaka Exorcists are skilled at both detecting dangerous spirits and purging their influence.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesKuni Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsWillpower 3, Perception 3, Calligraphy 3
  • TechniquePurge the Darkness - You can sense the presence of dangerous spirits (ghosts, gaki, yokai, creatures from the spirit realms, etc) by making an Investigation (Notice) / Perception roll. The base TN for this roll is 20, but may be increased by the GM for spirits who are exceptionally difficult to notice. You may make 2 Raises on the roll to learn the specific nature of the spirit you detect (e.g. a yorei, a gaki, etc). You may take a Complex Action to attempt an exorcism on someone who is possessed by a ghost, gaki, oni, kitsune-tsuki, or similar entity. You expend one spell slot and make a Contested Willpower roll against the spirit; if you first place an exorcism ward on the target, you gain +2k2 on the roll. With a success, you force the spirit to leave the body it is possessing; it cannot attempt to re-possess that same person for at least 24 hours.

Tsuru's Legion [Bushi] [S&F]

Created a few years prior to the Clan War, this unit was founded by Hida Tsuru, younger brother of Clan Champion Hida Kisada. He created a legion of cavalry trained to combine speed and power, delivering overpowering strikes to enemy lines. Over time this force became known as Tsuru’s Legion, a name it retained after the death of its founder. In modern times the Legion is a semi-independent strike force used by the Clan Champion, and stands outside the normal structure of the Crab armies.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesHida Bushi 2, Hiruma Bushi 2
  • RequirementsHorsemanship 3
  • TechniqueOverrun - The cavalry of Tsuru’s Legion are trained to deliver decisive attacks at the critical moment of a battle. When you are mounted, you may perform the Knockdown maneuver for one less Raise and you may spend a Void Point to add +Xk0 to an attack roll with a weapon, where X is your mount’s Strength.

Yasuki Enforcer [Bushi] [StE]

The Yasuki merchants specialize in all manner of questionable forms of commerce and negotiation, and some few among them are discovered to have an exquisite talent for intimidation. Rather than see such gifts go to waste, the Yasuki lords at Clear Water Village prefer to teach them the methods they need to make their threats a reality. After all, a threat that cannot be followed through on is just poor business.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesYasuki Courtier 2 or Hida Pragmatist 2
  • RequirementsIntimidation 3
  • TechniqueGentle Encouragement - The enforcers of the Yasuki family know how to threaten in such a way that thoroughly cows any potential opponent. You may make a Contested Roll against any individual, using your Willpower / Intimidation against their Willpower / Etiquette. If you are successful, you gain a bonus of +1k0 on all attack rolls made against that individual during the first Round of combat against them during your next skirmish. Each successful Raise made on this Contested Roll increases your bonus by an additional +1k0. If this Technique is activated during a skirmish, the initial Contested Roll is a Complex Action.

Yasuki Extortionist [Courtier] [BoE]

Some among the Yasuki, mainly in the Crab but also sometimes in the Crane, eschew their family's more conventional mercantile pursuits in favor of the practice of moneylending. Although this is considered especially disreputable activity for a samurai, it can also be hugely profitable - there are always both commoners and samurai who need additional funds, and the concept of paying interest is so strange to them that they usually do not realize how badly the Yasuki are taking advantage of them.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesYasuki Courtier 4
  • RequirementsWillpower 4, Commerce 4, Intimidation 5
  • TechniqueDo Me a Favor - The Extortionists specialize in rooting out the financial weaknesses of potential customers and then pressuring them into calling on Yasuki assistance. If you have supplied something your target needs, whether money or material goods (this could be achieved through role-play and/or by using the Yasuki Rank 1 and Rank 3 Techniques), you may make a Contested Social Roll of your Intimidation (Control) / Willpower against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. With a success, they find the arrangement has left them deeply in debt to you. You may either inflict an Obligation on that person (if the GM judges they have the ability to pay you back) or a Blackmail on them (if the GM judges they cannot pay you back). The default point value of the Disadvantage in either case is 3, but the GM may modify this if circumstances make it appropriate.

Yasuki Taskmaster [Bushi] [S&F]

Although the Yasuki family as a whole is known for its mercantile and political role, many individual Yasuki serve in the Crab armies, with such members of the family often gravitating toward logistical and organization duties. As a result of this role, Yasuki bushi often found themselves in charge of organizing, training, and leading the Crab army's limited ashigaru forces. Eventually, this led to the establishment of a specific organization dedicated to that role: the Taskmasters. The dojo of the Taskmasters, located in Sunda Mizu Mura, admits students from any family but still tends to attract a disproportionate number of Yasuki, and the sensei is usually a Yasuki as well.

It may be noted that while the Taskmasters were originally oriented towards the command of ashigaru, over time their training and role expanded into a more general aspect of supervising lower-ranking soldiers. During the Clan Wars, when the Crab Clan forms a misguided alliance with the Shadowlands, some Taskmasters also find themselves saddled with the unpleasant duty of commanding units of goblin troops.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3 or 4
  • ReplacesHida Bushi 4, Hida Pragmatist 4, Yasuki Courtier 3
  • RequirementsWillpower 4, Intimidation 5, Battle 3
  • TechniqueFear is a Gift - The Yasuki long ago concluded the best method to get peasant soldiers to face the horrors of the Shadowlands was to make the ashigaru more frightened of their officers than of the enemies. The Taskmasters embrace Intimidation as a skill with many more applications than others might expect. You treat Intimidation as a Bugei Skill rather than a Low Skill. You may use Willpower as your Trait on any Battle Skill roll, and may use your Intimidation Rank in place of your Battle Rank when rolling for Step 2: Determination on the Mass Battle Table. Finally, any soldiers (samurai, peasant, or otherwise) under your military command may add your Intimidation Skill Rank to the total of any rolls they make to resist Fear effects.

Asahina Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

Much like the family as a whole, the Asahina sensei who teach at the various branches of the Asahina Shugenja School extol the virtue of preserving life over heedless destruction. As much monks as priests, the Asahina focus on scholarly pursuits and meditation as a means of finding their path in the world. They conduct the same rituals on behalf of the Crane that other shugenja families perform but they use the opportunity to raise questions for those participating or observing the rituals. The Asahina regard everything as a teaching opportunity. Likewise they place great emphasis on the creation of artwork, an act they consider essential to the improvement of the world around them.

Above all else, the Asahina Shugenja School focuses on defense and protection. Both its core Technique and its spell emphases encourage spells that reduce damage and protect others from attack. Other spells possessed by Asahina shugenja tend to have an emphasis on crafting or creating.

  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsAny one Artisan Skill, Calligraphy (Cipher), Etiquette, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft, any one High Skill
  • Honor6.50
  • OutfitRobes, Bo, Wakizashi, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 10 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyAir / Fire
  • TechniqueThe Soul's Grace - The Asahina have harnessed the power of the kami for art, not war. You may spend a Void Point to reduce the total of all opponents' damage rolls inflicted within 20' of you by 0k1 for a number of rounds equal to your School Rank. (Using this technique again before its duration expires "resets" the duration but does not increase the damage penalty.) You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Defense keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Air, 2 Water, and 1 Earth

Daidoji Iron Warrior [Bushi] [CR]

The skills of the Doji and the Kakita have raised the Crane into their position as masters of the court, but when words alone cannot attain victory; it is the strength and the courage of the Daidoji Iron Warriors that carry the day. The Daidoji have always considered themselves the silent steel of the Crane, and that perception is not inaccurate. The Daidoji Iron Warriors are both the rank and file and the heavy infantry of the Crane armies, comprising a sizable portion of the Clan's first army and the majority of the second. They also serve as yojimbo, and this duty is the one most often ascribed to the Daidoji, even if it is but one of their many roles.

The Daidoji are a versatile group, with Techniques that emphasize both enduring the damage of one's opponents and protecting their charge. This fighting style is not exclusively protective, however, and it allows an Iron Warrior to fight defensively in a skirmish to great effect.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Force of Honor

    The Iron Warrior serves as the shield of his clan, defending the honor and homes of the Crane. You gain a bonus of your Honor Rank (rounded down) minus 4 to your Wounds at each Wound Rank, to a minimum bonus of one. (Thus at Honor Rank 6.5, you gain a bonus of 2 Wounds to each Wound Rank.) Additionally, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls while in the Attack Stance.

  • Rank Two: The Shield of Faith

    The Iron Warrior truly believes that his work serves a higher purpose. When you perform the Guard Maneuver, the benefits last for an additional Round. Additionally, the Armor TN bonus of the Guard Maneuver is increased by 5. (This bonus applies to both your Armor TN and your target's Armor TN - thus, you suffer not TN penalty when Guarding, and your target gains a bonus of +15 to his Armor TN instead of +10.)

  • Rank Three: Strike Beneath the Veil

    The Daidoji is an intractable foe, devastating to face under any circumstances. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while in the Attack Stance.

  • Rank Four: Vigilance of Mind

    The Iron Warrior is always on the lookout for dangers. You may spend a Void Point during the Reactions Stage to target an opponent who has attempted to strike at either you or the target of your Guard Maneuver during the Round. You gain a bonus of +2k1 to the total of all attack and damage rolls against that opponent during the next Round.

  • Rank Five: To Tread on the Sword

    When the Iron Warrior fights to protect his charge, he will continue on long after others would perish. You may spend two Void Points as a Free Action when someone declares an action against the target of your Guard Maneuver. You become the target of the action instead (if it would be a legal action - GM's discretion in questionable instances). You also gain one Free Action that you may use immediately for the sole purpose of moving toward the target of your Guard Maneuver. If you cannot reach your target, this Technique has no effect.

Daidoji Scout [Bushi]

Although the Iron Warriors are the most well-known public face of the Daidoji family, they also study a style of warfare specialized in scouting, ambush, and precision strikes against vulnerable enemy assets like commanders and supply caravans. Daidoji Scouts readily employ traps and surprise attacks, accepting a certain amount of dishonor in their own conduct for the sake of the greater good of the Crane Clan. They rely on the rest of the clan to provide them with political cover for their questionable actions.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Surveying the Land

    The Daidoji scouts are masters of observation and pursuit, tracking their opponents, harassing them, and delaying them with traps and ambushes. You gain +1k0 with Stealth and Hunting skill Rolls. Any rural/improvised traps you create are exceptionally deadly, inflicting +1k1 extra damage.

  • Rank Two: Scouring the Shadows

    Daidoji scouts strike from concealment, hitting their opponents with swift and devastating attacks. When attacking an unaware opponent you gain a bonus of +2k0 to your attack roll.

  • Rank Three: Weaken the Resistance

    The Daidoji learn to strike with precision, hitting their opponents in weak spots and evading their armor. You may ignore any Reduction your opponent gains from wearing armor or from school techniques. (You cannot ignore the natural Reduction of creatures, or Reduction bestowed by magical or supernatural effects.) If you attack an opponent who has no Reduction from armor or techniques, you gain +1k0 to your damage rolls.

  • Rank Four: Strike and Move

    The Daidoji scout strikes with the swiftness of the wind itself. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding a katana, wakizashi, knife, or bow. Your traps now inflict +2k1 extra damage.

  • Rank Five: Cunning of Daidoji

    The true master of the Daidoji scout school needs only a single strike, for his opponent never survives to see the second one. During a skirmish, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to attempt a deadly precision strike on your next attack (this may be done with a melee or a ranged attack, but cannot be done more than once in the same Turn). Any Maneuvers called on this attack require 1 less Raise (to a minimum of 1 Raise), and if you successfully hit you gain a bonus of +1k1 to your Damage roll. Furthermore, if your opponent is unaware of you, your Raises on this attack are not limited by your Void.

Doji Courtier [Courtier] [CR]

The reputation of the Crane Clan has for being the unquestioned masters of any court activity in which they are involved is well-deserved, and almost exclusively the result of the ancient secrets of the Doji Courtier School. The School's primary focus is on the creation of vast networks of allies upon whom the Crane can call to accomplish virtually anything, preferably indebting those involved to the Crane in the process. The curriculum in the Doji School is quite broad and encompasses a myriad of topics, more than could be mastered by any single samurai, no matter how talented. Fortunately, the sensei ensure that there are an ample number of courtiers trained in every area so no matter what the need, a Doji stands ready to fulfill it.

The Doji Courtier School is built upon the notion of trading favors. That is not the entirety of their abilities, however; what makes them even more daunting opponents is their ability to perceive what an individual needs, and then offer it to them in such a manner that refusal is difficult if not impossible.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Soul of Honor

    Apprentice Doji courtiers are taught to rely on their Honor when dealing with others, infusing their every word and gesture with the power of their purity, and to build networks of allies by discerning what others need and fulfilling those needs. So long as you maintain your Honor Rank at 6.0 or better, you gain a Free Raise on all Courtier, Sincerity, and Etiquette rolls. Also, by conversing with another person for a few minutes, you can make a Contested Roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness to learn whether they are in need of any favors or assistance (such as needing travel papers to reach another province, for example).

  • Rank Two: Speaking in Silence

    At this Rank the Doji learns Cadence, the art of communicating through subtle gestures and body language. This gives them a huge advantage in the courts by allowing them to share information while their rivals are none the wiser. You can roll Courtier / Intelligence at TN 15 to communicate simple ideas and instructions (things like "distract them," "this favors us," or "Intercept that person") with any other Crane who is trained in the Doji Courtier School or who has at least 5 Ranks in the Courtier Skill. More complex ideas can be conveyed with Raises, although there is an upper limit (set by the GM) on how complicated Cadence can become.

  • Rank Three: The Perfect Gift

    The Doji build their networks of alliances through selflessness, offering others what they need so that in the future the Doji may rely on their assistance. Any time you are in court or in an urban area, you can roll Courtier / Awareness at TN 20 to come up with a suitable gift or a helpful political favor for someone else. By calling Raises on this roll, you can acquire a rarer or more potent gift or favor. If such a gift or favor is accepted, you may immediately take that person as an Ally with 1-point Devotion, without XP cost (subject to the GM's permission).

  • Rank Four: Voice of Honor

    At this Rank the Doji has learned the art of political maneuvering, making his positions and arguments appear synonymous with Honor, forcing anyone who disagrees with him to take a dishonorable position. In any debate or argument, you may make a Contested Roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. If you win the roll, the opponent is forced to concede that his position conflicts with the demands of Honor and Bushido, and if he persists in that position he will commit a breach of etiquette. (It is the GM's discretion, based on the circumstances, as to whether it is a minor or major breach.)

  • Rank Five: The Gift of the Lady

    The final training of the Doji teaches them the art of influencing the emotions of others, making friends and allies out of almost anyone - even bitter enemies. By conversing with someone for a few minutes, you may make a Contested Roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. If the target is an Ally, you gain a bonus of +5k0 to the total of this roll. With a success, you shift the target's emotions in a favorable direction, persuading them to listen to your advice and counsel. The GM is the final arbiter but in general, the target will go along with anything you suggest which does not conflict with his basic loyalties.

Doji Magistrate [Bushi] [EE]

The Doji family is dedicated to protecting its lands and people from all threats, an expression of the Crane Clan's devotion to the Virtue of Compassion. Consequently, they maintain this school to teach their bushi techniques of law enforcement and peace-keeping. Although generally less famous for their deeds, the Doji family's magistrate tradition actually predates their more sensational counterparts in other clans by centuries. The Kitsuki family, the Soshi Magistrates, and even the Emerald Magistrates were not created until well after the Doji tradition had been in place for a very long time. In fact, it is often against the Doji that other such schools are measured, although this is not a conscious comparison.

Despite the name of the school, in actuality only a minority of its students are actually appointed as clan magistrates - students are far more likely to serve as yoriki, assisting other magistrates, or simply as guards patrolling the borders and maintaining law and order in cities and towns. Still, those who are trained in this school are often among the first to receive an appointment when a magistrate position becomes available, and it is not uncommon for many Doji to serve in the ranks of the Emerald and Jade magistrates as well.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Temper Steel With Honor

    Doji Magistrates are trained to fight with compassion, avoiding injury to both themselves and whenever possible to others, a style known to the Crane as Mizu-do (the Way of Water). They specialize in the use of weapons designed to disarm or capture foes rather than kill them. You may add an amount equal to your Air Ring to your Armor TN (unless caught helpless or unaware). You gain a +1k0 bonus to your attack rolls when fighting with a jitte or a sasumata.

  • Rank Two: Flowing Like Water

    The Magistrates are taught the art of subduing law-breakers non-lethally by turning their own strength against them, an especially useful skill when dealing with drunken samurai whose deaths might carry political repercussions. When rolling to control a Grapple or to resolve a Disarm attempt, you may use your opponent's Strength Rank in place of your own.

  • Rank Three: Breath of the Law

    The Doji Magistrates practice a variety of submission holds designed to disarm and disable lawbreakers without harming them. If you successfully Grapple or Disarm an opponent, they are also Dazed.

  • Rank Four: Flowing Like Air

    A true student of the Doji path can move as swiftly as the wind of justice that brings ruin to his enemies. You may make attacks as a Simple Action when fighting unarmed or when wielding a jitte, sasumata, or a weapon with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Five: The Willow in the Storm

    In their final lesson, Doji Magistrates are taught to maneuver around their opponents, redirecting their energy and defeating them with their own momentum. You may spend a Void point during the Reactions stage of a skirmish Round to force anyone who attacks you on the next Round to subtract their Air Ring from each of their dice. (Dice which explode have their final total reduced.) This technique cannot be activated while you are in the Full Attack stance or the Center stance.

Kakita Artisan [Artisan]

Unlike their occasional rivals among the Shiba, the Kakita Artisans do not confine themselves merely to the creation of physical art such as paintings or books of poetry. The Artisan Academy devotes itself to the study of every sort of art, whether it be performance-based or creation-based, and studies not only the ways of art but also the way s in which such art may be turned to the service of the Crane Clan.

  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsCourtier, Games: Sadane, Etiquette, Sincerity, any 3 skills chosen from the following list: Acting, Artisan (Gardening, Ikebana, Origami, Painting, Poetry, Sculpture), Perform (Dance, Oratory, Puppeteer, Song, Storytelling, any musical instrument)
  • Honor5.50
  • OutfitCourt Robes, Beautiful Clothing, Wakizashi, Art supplies, Fan, Steed (Rokugan pony), Traveling Pack, 10 koku
Techniques
  • Rank One: Soul of the Artisan

    The Kakita Artisan is taught from the earliest youth to focus on one specific form of art above all others, devoting himself to it heart and soul and pursuing the goal of absolute perfection within its forms. Of course, in keeping with Crane tradition, the Artisan is also taught to be a ruthless critic to any artistic rivals. Select one of the three chosen School Skills (Acting, an Artisan Skill, or a Perform Skill) as the focus of your artistic training. This becomes your 'chosen art'. When making skill rolls with your chosen art, you gain a +2k0 bonus and your Raises are not limited by your Void.

    Any time you are using Games: Sadane to criticize someone else's art or performance, you gain a Free Raise on your Skill Roll.

  • Rank Two: The Soul's Dream

    The Kakita Artisan is taught to use his art to affect those around them, inspiring emotions and shifting the views of the audience. When presenting a public performance or display of your chosen art, you may make a Contested Social Roll of (chosen art) / Awareness against Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower of the audience members. Those audience members who fail their rolls are profoundly swayed and their emotions shift in a direction you desire - becoming friendlier, more hostile, calmer, or whatever other emotional shift your art is designed to evoke. This emotional shift normally lasts a number of hours equal to your Insight Rank.

    Note that not all persons are equally susceptible to the impact of art - the GM may rule that a particular individual is affected for a shorter period of time, or award a bonus to the resistance roll for person whose emotions are difficult to manipulate. The GM should normally have each individual audience member roll separately to resist this technique (this should always be done for PCs or important NPCs), but with large groups of ordinary NPCs the GM can opt to save time by making a single roll for most or all of them.

  • Rank Three: Free the Spirit

    You may select a second of your three chosen School Skills as a chosen art, and all Technique bonuses and effects which applied to your first chosen art now applies to it as well. The bonus to your chosen art skill rolls increases to +2k1.

  • Rank Four: Undying Name

    Your art is now so magnificent that you make and break the reputations of others by depicting or referencing them in your work. You may create a piece of art referring to another person by rolling (chosen art) / Awareness at a TN equal to 20 plus 5 x their Glory Rank. With a success, you may either increase (if your art is complimentary) or decrease (if it is critical) their Glory by up to 5 points, plus an additional 5 points for every Raise you make on the roll. You may call two additional Raises to inflict a gain of Infamy on the target instead of a Glory change.

    You may not target the same person with this technique more than once every six months. Furthermore, persons of high station cannot have their reputations damaged by artist lacking in prestige - the target's Status cannot exceed your Glory or Status Rank (whichever is higher).

  • Rank Five: A Gift Beyond Price

    Your art is now so perfect that a gift of it can profoundly change another person's attitude toward you or your clan. Once per month, you may give a gift of your chosen art to someone from another clan or faction. Make a Contested Social Roll of your (chosen art) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. (The GM may aware Free Raises to you or the target of this technique based on the type and subject of the art and the attitudes and beliefs of the target - some people are easier to sway than others.) With a success, you permanently alter their attitude toward your clan/faction in a favorable direction. With a failure, the target becomes aware of your attempt to manipulate his emotions, and his attitude toward your clan/faction permanently shifts in a hostile direction.

Kakita Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The sacred art of iaijutsu is practiced by all clans, but none have truly mastered it in the same manner as the sensei at the Kakita Dueling Academy. The School focuses unapologetically upon dueling. Other skills are part of the core teachings, but they are considered incidental and in many cases are offered only because some facet of their instruction relates in some way to iaijutsu. While there are those in the Empire who have criticized the School for its narrow focus, few can argue with the results; many battles have been won by the Crane because an enemy general was slain in a duel before the fighting began. Likewise the Crane stranglehold on the courts is easier to maintain when any challenge can be answered by a Kakita champion taking the courtier's place in a duel.

The Kakita Techniques place an obvious emphasis on iaijutsu but several of them can be used in both dueling and in general skirmishing. The Kakita are generally faster than most opponents, reflected in their Initiative bonuses, and are able to utilize the Center stance for greater benefits than normal, both in dueling and outside.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Crane

    The study of the sword demonstrates the many ways in which the art of Kakita's technique can be applied. You add twice your Iaijutsu Skill to all Initiative rolls. You gain a bonus of +1k1 plus your School Rank to the total of all attack and Focus rolls while assuming the Center Stance. This bonus also applies during the Combat Round following one in which you assume the Center Stance.

  • Rank Two: Speed of Lightning

    Enemies who are slow or weak of spirit are doomed to failure. You gain a bonus of +2k0 to the total of all attack rolls against those with lower Initiative than your own.

  • Rank Three: First and Last Strike

    A Kakita Bushi is feared throughout the Empire as a follower of the oldest and most venerated dueling tradition in the Empire. You may Strike first in a duel if you win the Iaijutsu/Void roll by a difference of 3 or higher. You gain a Free Raise on your Strike for each additional margin of 3 instead of 5.

  • Rank Four: One Strike, Two Cuts

    With one pure strike, the advanced student of Kakita's technique cuts his opponent twice. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while using weapons with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Five: Strike With No Thought

    A true student of Kakita requires no thought before the perfect strike, depending entirely on instinct. You may take one Simple Action per Turn while assuming the Center Stance. You gain the benefits of Center Stance while you assume the stance instead of the following Turn, and you may remain in the Center Stance as many consecutive Turns as desired. The Simple Action you take can be a Move Action (bypassing the normal restriction of the Center Stance).

Children of Doji [Courtier] [S&F]

The Doji Courtier School thrives on alliances, maintaining a vast network of friends and favors. The elite order known as the Children of Doji claims absolute dominance over the Crane system of allies and favors. Each of these elite courtiers is trained to understand that nothing is beyond one’s reach- so long as one has the aid of a few dozen friends. The Children of Doji know everyone desires something and all samurai below the Emperor must bow to the will of another. Know the correct favor to offer, know the right ear in which to speak, and an entire court will dance to one’s tune. Even a war’s course can be changed by such influence with sufficient skill and artistry.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Social Butterfly

    A Child of Doji makes friends like others breathe and is able to call upon them with the mere mention of a name. When making any Contested Social Skill roll, you gain a bonus of +Xk0, where X equals the number of Allies you possess in this court with a Devotion of 2 or greater (this bonus cannot exceed your Insight Rank in dice). Also, if you have at least three such Allies in this court, you may expend (lose) one of those Allies to gain the Darling of the court Advantage for the remainder of this season (spring, winter, etc).

  • Rank Two: All is Fair

    A key skill of the Children of Doji is the ability to reach beyond the courts to control the field of battle through their political influence. A rikugunshokan who is leading his army against the Crane may suddenly find that favorable terrain has been deemed sacrosanct and the war must be fought on less advantageous ground, or that a key supply shipment has been diverted elsewhere. Conversely, an ally of the Crane may find a legion of Imperial troops arriving to aid his cause, or a duelist cutting down the opposing commander for a personal slight.

    You may manipulate a neutral or friendly court to favor or oppose a military conflict happening elsewhere (you cannot, obviously, manipulate the court of your enemy). You must have at least five Allies of Devotion 2 or higher in the court, and must spend a week speaking and maneuvering in the court, after which you may make a roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness at TN 40. A successful roll awards a Free Raise on Battle Skill Rolls to the commander of the side you favor, with an additional such award granted for each Raise you make on the Courtier roll.

    If your activities are being opposed by a representative of the other side in the conflict, your Courtier roll becomes a Contested Roll against that opponent. You may only influence each military campaign with this Technique once (GM’s discretion), and each Free Raise is expended once the commander uses it. If the commander does not use the Free Raises by the end of the campaign, they are lost.

  • Rank Three: Gild the Lily

    The Crane comprehend that the easiest way to maintain a strong network of allies is to regularly offer them favor. Conversely, the best way to flex your political muscle against an obstinate enemy is the denial of favor. You may grant any of your Allies a boon, which takes the form of any Social or Material Advantage with an Experience Point value of up to your Honor Rank. (The GM may veto any Advantage that seems inappropriate.) This is done by spending an hour in court speaking with the ally, then spending a Void Point and making a Courtier (Manipulation)/Awareness roll at a TN of 20 + (5x Experience Point value of Advantage). The effects of the boon last one month.

    You may use the same method to deny an enemy the effects of a Social Advantage they possess (limited to the same Experience Point cost). You converse with the court at large for an hour, then spend a Void Point and make a Contested Social Skill Roll of your Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness versus the enemy’s Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. With a success, the enemy cannot use that Advantage for one month. You may not target the same individual with this technique more than once a month.

Daidoji Harriers [Bushi] [IH]

The exact origins of the Daidoji Harriers are obscure and mysterious. The Crane established a covert training site for unconventional tactics in the ruins of Shiro Giji in the year 330, but for many generations that facility was used merely to train selected Daidoji Scouts in the more ruthless and pragmatic sort of fighting methods. However, at some point the training at Shiro Giji took on a darker and less honorable tone, focusing on the use of truly heinous methods such as sabotage and assassination. The final turning point seems to have been the decision to covertly manufacture and use gaijin pepper, whose secrets were discovered after the defeat of the gaijin in the Battle of White Stag.

The students of Shiro Giji took to calling themselves 'Harriers' to distinguish their methods from the somewhat more honorable tactics of other Daidoji Scouts. With time, the rulers of the family came to see the Harriers as a separate organization, a hand-picked band of men and women who would do anything and sacrifice any amount of their own honor for the greater good of the Crane. They carefully concealed the Harriers' existence and methods from the rest of the clan, ensuring the leadership of the Crane could maintain honor and propriety. In this way the Harriers covertly served the Crane Clan for many generations.

The organization was finally exposed during the so-called War of Silk and Steel between the Dragon and the Crane in the late twelfth century. Crane Champion Doji Domotai was outraged by the Harriers' activities and ordered the entire group disbanded, an order reluctantly obeyed by the Daidoji daimyo.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Move Like Shadows

    The Harriers are taught to sacrifice their own Honor for the sake of the greater good of the Crane Clan (as they perceive it). They train to blend into the shadows and to defeat their foes with traps and ambushes. You lose only half the normal amount of Honor (rounded down) for any dishonorable actions taken on behalf of the Crane Clan. You gain a +1k1 bonus to the DR of any rural traps you create (this stacks, with the Daidoji Scout techniques, if applicable).

  • Rank Two: Iron Feather

    The lightning reflexes of a Harrier allows him to dodge his opponent's attacks easily. When wearing light armor, ashigaru armor, or no armor, you may add your Stealth Skill Rank to your Armor TN.

  • Rank Three: Unforgiving Steel

    The Harrier is taught to disable his foes with a single deadly strike. If you successfully attack a surprised or unaware opponent, or if an opponent takes damage fro a rural trap you created, he is Dazed in addition to any other effects of your attack. He may not attempt to recover from the Daze until after the next Reactions stage, and the TN to recover from the Daze is increased by +5.

Kakita Master Artisan [Artisan]

The most talented elite of the Kakita Masters learn secret techniques of artistic perfection passed down from the early centuries of the Empire. These methods were developed by some of the Empire's finest artists and mastering them is beyond the ability of most students at the Artisan Academy, so only the most supremely gifted are ever taught them. However, for that same reason the techniques are not limited solely to students of the Artisan Academy - any supremely talented Crane may become a Kakita Master.

At their highest pinnacle of skill the Kakita Masters can actually change reality temporarily, a phenomenon which mystifies those shugenja who have studied it. Some speculate the art is so perfect that it inspires the kami in response, but in truth no one knows how the Masters achieve these effects.

Requirements:
  • Rings/TraitsAwareness 5 , Void 5
  • SkillsAt least one Kakita Artisan chosen art Skill must be Rank 8 or higher.
  • OtherIf you are trained as a Kakita Artisan you must have Great Potential in the Skill of one of your chosen arts. If you are not trained as a Kakita Artisan, you must be a Crane with both the Prodigy advantage and Great Potential Advantage in either Acting, an Artisan Skill, or a Perform Skill. This single skill becomes your chosen art for the purposes of this school's techniques.
Techniques
  • Rank One: The Master's Touch

    The Master Artisan transcends the social demands of art to focus on creating works of lasting magnificence which transform those who witness them. You may attempt to create such a work or performance with a chosen art Skill roll at TN 40. A success results in a creation or performance that awes everyone who witnesses its first public appearance. You gain 5 points of Glory, +1 additional point of Glory for each Raise called on the Roll. everyone in the audience at the art's unveiling/performance gains one bonus Void Point (which can exceed their normal maximum) for the next 24 hours; if you successfully called at least 4 Raises on the roll, they gain two bonus Void Points instead. (The effects of this technique cannot stack.)

  • Rank Two: Mastery Unbound

    At this level of skill, the Master Artisan's skills become truly legendary. You gain a bonus of +2k0 with your chosen art skill rolls. If you are trained as a Kakita Artisan you may select a third chosen art from your School Skills.

  • Rank Three: The Perfect Art

    The final secret of the Master Artisans is a level of excellence that transcends the normal bounds of mortal capability, producing art that literally comes to life. Once per month when creating a work or performance with one of your chosen arts, you may spend 2 Void Points and then roll (chosen art) / Awareness at TN 50. With a success, the art comes to life - birds fly off a painting, the characters of a play manifest on the stage, the statue of a Fortune comes to life, and so forth.

    The specific nature of the manifestation, and what action it takes after appearing, is chosen by the GM - but it will always be helpful to you, and will usually be something awe-inspiring and extraordinary. The manifestation normally lasts only a few minutes, but if you successfully call four Raises on the skill roll it will last for one hour.

Kenshinzen [Bushi] [CR]

The iaijutsu duel has always been the domain of the Crane Clan, and the Crane Clan's Kenshinzen are the epitome of the iaijutsu master. They are monsters of single combat, dominating their opponents with both impeccable technique and lethal aura. These warriors put their entire consciousness behind the fast draw and seek perfection of the single strike.

Requirements:
  • Rings/TraitsFire 4 , Void 4
  • SkillsIaijutsu 5, Lore: Bushido 4, Meditation 5
  • OtherTo become a member of the Kenshinzen, you must defeat a current member of the Kenshinzen in a legal iaijutsu duel. The duel need not necessarily be to the death (and most often are not), but the candidate must win fairly.
Techniques
  • Rank One: Drawing the Void

    The Kenshinzen remains still on the battlefield while the chaos of battle rages around him. If you are in the Center Stance, you add an additional +10 to your Armor TN.

  • Rank Two: Kakita's Strength

    The Kenshinzen can sense the moments between heartbeats, allowing him to strike at the exact moment needed. When making an Assessment or Focus roll as part of an Iajutsu duel, your dice explode on a 9 as well as a 10.

  • Rank Three: A Single Moment

    The Kenshinzen's will to defeat his enemy exudes out of him, paralyzing his enemies. If you make only one attack this Turn, an opponent you hit is Stunned until the beginning of your next Turn.

Aerie Falconer [Bushi, Courtier]

Although the Aerie is the smaller of the two main ports established within the Colonies, it is nevertheless a very important holding for the Crane Clan. It allows them to challenge the Mantis Clan’s dominance of trade in the Colonies, and it is the seat of their diplomatic relationships with the Dragon Clan. The Crane seek to emphasize the city’s value and contributions to the Colonies at every opportunity. The falconers of the Aerie are unquestionably the finest in the Colonies, and some would even say in the Empire as well. Falconry is a noble sport, a pursuit suitable for courtiers, warriors, and even the occasional priest who finds it of interest. A great many important political negotiations have begun or ended on the hunting fields, with raptors on arm, often between individuals who might otherwise not have found common ground.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2 or 4
  • ReplacesDoji Courtier 2, Kakita Bushi 2, Daidoji Iron Warrior 4
  • RequirementsAnimal Handling (Falcon) 3
  • TechniqueSpirit of the Falcon - A gifted falconer can use his bird as if it were an extension of his own body, a weapon of amazing range and ferocity. When hunting with a trained falcon, if you spend a Void Point on a Hunting Skill Roll you also gain a number of bonus unkept dice equal to half your Animal Handling (Falcon) Skill (rounding down). Additionally, you may issue a verbal command as a Free Action to a trained falcon already in the air to attack a particular enemy, as long as that enemy is not a large obvious predator the falcon would fear (such as a bear or a lion).

Asahina Archers [Bushi]

The Asahina Archer technique emerged from a partnership between those few Asahina who chose to follow the path of the bushi and the Daidoji family, which enlisted them and encouraged them to pursue the ways of archery. The organization has existed for centuries, although its relative obscurity means that most samurai in other clans are unaware of its existence.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesDaijoji Iron Warrior 4, Doji Magistrate 4
  • RequirementsAir 3, Kyujutsu 5, and must be a member of the Asahina or Daidoji family
  • TechniqueNo Regrets - Asahina Archers are taught to minimize the influence of their family's traditional pacifism and focus on defeating their enemies swiftly so that wars may be ended equally swiftly. Their technique allows them to call on their own inherent Air, delivering precisely accurate shots. When making an archery attack, you may make Called Shots for one less Raise (to a minimum of 1) and add half your Air (rounded down) in unkept dice to your attacks.

Asahina Artisans [Shugenja]

Founded in the sixth century by Asahina Hake, the Asahina Artisans use magic to create artwork that is transitory and unique, yet supremely memorable. They rely heavily on illusion magic, often using it to either enhance or replace the material components of their art.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAsahina Shugenja 3
  • TechniqueHake's Lesson - The artisans of the Asahina family specialize in infusing magic into their craft in order to give it an otherworldly sense of serenity and beauty. When making an Artisan Skill Roll, you may expend a spell slot to add +2 per slot expended to the total of your roll. You may expend a number of slots equal to twice your Insight Rank in this manner. Air spell slots spent in this manner add +3 instead of +2.

Asahina Fetishist [Shugenja] [CR]

The Asahina shugenja follow the path of peace and beauty, finding harmony in the tranquility of nature. Over the years they have become masters of a secret art of creation that allows them to imbue magical power into small objects. These items, called tsangusuri, temporarily give their bearers the ability to ask for the blessings of the kami. Each item is painstakingly made to honor the Elements and to reflect the Crane vision of a beautiful world.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAsahina Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsOne Craft or Artisan Skill at rank 3
  • TechniqueThe World in the Palm of the Hand - The Asahina are the finest crafters of tsangusuri (fetishes) in the world of Rokugan, and their treasures are highly prized. When using an Artisan Skill or a Craft skill to create a small token of some kind, you may spend a Void Point to confer a one-time blessing into the token. Whoever is in possession of the token may activate this blessing at any time. Whenever activated, the token grants a bonus of +2k0 to one High Skill Roll. No more than one token may be used per day per individual.However, it is also possible to create more [[[advanced fetishes]]] which grant more potent blessings. The GM may represent this by allowing the shugenja to call Raises on the Craft or Artisan Skill Roll associated with making the fetish, or having the shugenja expend more spell slots in its creation.

Asahina Fire Sculptors [Shugenja, Artisan]

The Asahina family are known both for their devotion to peace and for their appreciation of beautiful things, and it is not uncommon for individuals in the family to pursue the creative arts, including sculpture - many of the Asahina monasteries and temples are filled with splendid and famous statues, with admirers traveling from all over the Empire to look upon them. A lesser-known artistic tradition within the family depends not on the permanence of stone but instead on the fleeting beauty of fire to create its sculptures. The Fire Sculptors are few in number but famed for their work, and they are welcomed in many courts where their talents can be appreciated - for the brief time they exist.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsFire 3, Artisan (Sculpture) 2
  • TechniqueThe Inner Shape Of Fire - An Asahina Fire Sculptor is capable of creating beautiful but fleeting shapes rendered in fire, heat, light, or smoke. You may expend a Fire spell slot and make an Artisan (Sculpture) / Fire roll (base TN is 20, adjusted by the GM depending on the complexity of the sculpture being created). The sculpture will last a number of minutes equal to your Fire Ring, but requires full concentration during that time (i.e. you may do nothing except Free Actions). The sculpture vanishes instantly when the time elapses or you cease concentrating. The GM should award suitable Glory for a successful Fire sculpture "performance".

Crane Elite Spearman [Bushi]

The Crane Clan has always had a strong tradition of yarijutsu among its ranks, particularly the Daidoji. Given that the Crane military forces are typically fewer in number than their traditional enemies, any advantage that can be exploited on the battlefield is ruthlessly put to good use. While there are other groups within the clan who excel in this field, such as the Tsume vassal family, it is the Daidoji who supply the clan with its most numerous and proficient spearmen.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesDaidoji Iron Warrior 2 or Daidoji Scout 2
  • RequirementsSpears 3
  • TechniqueTalons of the Daidoji - The ferocity of the Crane spearmen is well known upon the battlefield, as is their ability to pin and immobilize those who would threaten the clan. When using a spear to attack an opponent, if you strike an opponent who has not yet acted this round, he must make two Raises to successfully attack you for the remainder of this Round.

Daidoji Heavy Regulars [Bushi]

The samurai of the Daidoji Heavy Regular units usually train alongside the Crab for at least a year; they are always equipped with the heaviest armor and wield a combination of spears and heavy weaponry. On the battlefield they are usually employed to blunt or break enemy charges, especially when fighting the Lion or the Unicorn. They are also sometimes used as blocking forces to resist enemy arrow barrages, since their heavy armor makes them more resistant to archery fire. They usually prefer either the tetsubo or the dai tsuchi as their primary armament.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesDaidoji Iron Warrior 4
  • RequirementsHeavy Weapons 5
  • TechniqueWay of the Iron Crane - The Heavy Regulars use their experience serving alongside the Crab on the Kaiu Wall to inform their own training in heavy weapons, enhancing their defensive position against enemy attacks and striking back hard against charging foes. When wielding a heavy weapon in the Attack Stance, you may add +1k1 to your attack rolls against any opponent who is in the Attack or Full Attack Stances. When wielding a heavy weapon in the Defense or Full Defense stances, you may add your Heavy Weapons Skill Rank to your Armor TN.

Daidoji Spymaster [Courtier, Ninja]

The Daidoji family handles many dishonorable activities which the rest of the Crane cannot sully their hands with, and one of those activities is running the information networks which keep the clan aware of rival and enemy plans. Those experienced Daidoji who exhibit the proper mixture of pragmatism and loyalty, along with the ability to avoid attention, are sometimes recruited to be Spymasters, running these networks and funneling the resulting information to the Doji and Kakita.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesDaidoji Iron Warrior 3, Daidoji Scout 3, Doji Courtier 3
  • RequirementsCrafty Advantage, or an Honor Rank of 4.0 or less. Must be a member of the Daidoji family.
  • TechniqueTruth in Shadows - You gain the Spy Network Advantage for no points; if you already possess this Advantage, you may use it twice as often. You gain a +2k0 bonus to Stealth, Investigation, and Temptation rolls. When you use Low Skills or otherwise perform moderately dishonorable actions on behalf of the Crane Clan, you lose half the normal amount of Honor, rounded up (you still lose normal amounts of Honor for actions which are not for the Crane and for truly heinous actions like murder, betrayal, or blasphemy).

Daidoji Trading Council [Courtier]

The Trading Council handles the commercial side of the Crane Clan's interests. This is considered a somewhat embarrassing and unpleasant duty, but the Trading Council accepts this task just as the rest of the Daidoji accept the duty of protecting their Doji and Kakita cousins - even at the cost of their own honor. The Trading Council watches their fellow Daidoji carefully and recruits those with the appropriate skills and mindset.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesDoji Courtier 3, Doji Magistrate 3, Daidoji Iron Warrior 3, or Daidoji Scout 3
  • RequirementsCommerce (Merchant) 3, and either Gentry or Wealthy. The Advantage requirement can be waived if the individual has distinguished himself as a merchant in other ways (GM's discretion).
  • TechniqueThe Golden Path - The members of the Trading Council are taught to detect and exploit any possible opportunity for commercial gain, to manipulate markets to their advantage, and to crush mercantile rivals from other clans. Once per month you may wage commercial warfare against a rival merchant by making a Contested Roll of Commerce (Merchant) / Awareness against the rival merchant patron. If you succeed, you inflict a loss on that merchant, a number of koku equal to the amount by which your roll exceeded theirs. If you lose the Contested Roll, you lose half that amount of koku. If the GM allows you to purchase additional Advantages (or Ranks in existing Advantages) after character creation, you may purchase Gentry, Wealthy, and Servants for 1 less Experience Point (to a minimum of 1).

Doji Apologist [Courtier] [S&F]

Even the most honorable samurai may occasionally commit an error of etiquette or make a misstep in a conversation. The Apologists are a group within the Doji Courtier School who are trained specifically to cover for the errors of less-polished comrades and allies, both within and without the clan. After all, a samurai who has been saved from embarrassment is one who may listen with a friendly ear to other things the Doji have to say.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesDoji Courtier 4
  • RequirementsEtiquette (Courtesy) 5
  • TechniqueAll Is Forgiven - The Apologists can smooth over incidents that would ordinarily disgrace other samurai. You can erase the damage done by a Minor Breach of Etiquette (including any associated Glory or Status loss) with a Social Skill Roll of Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness at TN 25. You may reduce a Major Breach of Etiquette to a Minor Breach by successfully calling 2 Raises on this roll. With 5 Raises, you can reduce a Blasphemous Breach of Etiquette to a Major Breach - subject to the GM’s permission (some violations are simply too severe to be mitigated). The Apologist must act promptly in order to resolve an incident before its consequences become set in stone. In general, a Minor Breach can only be repaired within a number of hours equal to twice your Insight Rank, while a Major Breach must be repaired within that many minutes, and a Blasphemous Breach must be mitigated immediately after it takes place. (The GM may adjust these times if it seems appropriate to the specific circumstances.)GM’s Note: The Apologist can only cover for the errors of others, not for himself. The GM may choose to reduce the Honor loss for a breach of etiquette that has been mitigated, to represent the character recovering a sense of moral worth through the mitigation of the error, but the character should always lose at least 1 point of Honor.

Doji Innocents [Courtier]

The tradition of the Innocents focuses on upholding Honesty even in the nasty world of politics, avoiding falsehood at all costs and calling on the strength of their honor to lend their words weight.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesDoji Courtier 3
  • RequirementsHonor Rank 5.0 or better, Sincerity (Honesty) 4
  • TechniqueThe Power of Innocence - The Innocents forgo the traditional Crane method of building favor networks through gifts and favors. Instead, they win allies by speaking the truth in all cases. In any situation in which the Crane could gain advantage or protect their interests by lying or concealing the truth from a specific person, the Innocent may choose instead to tell that person the truth, then roll Sincerity (Honesty) / Awareness against the target's Investigation (Interrogation) / Perception. With a success, the target realizes what the Crane has just done and is deeply impressed by the Innocent's devotion to honor and truth. With the GM's permission, the Innocent gains the target as an Ally with 1 point of Devotion. This Technique may be used multiple times on the same target, with each success increasing Devotion by 1 (to a maximum of 4 points); however, it cannot target the same person more than once per month. Any time an Innocent knowingly tells a lie, he loses 2 points of Honor (over and above any other circumstantial Honor loss that might apply) and is unable to use his Technique for a period of one month.

Doji Marines [Bushi]

During the Shattered Empire era, the Crane Clan conducts a major naval buildup and fights an extended series of naval battles and campaigns against Yoritomo’s fleets. This effort is largely organized by Doji Chomei, who had previously served as an ambassador to the Mantis Clan and knew more about them than almost any other Crane alive. He knew the value of training Crane bushi in techniques of naval combat and boarding action, techniques he had seen demonstrated by Yoritomo himself, and made this a centerpiece of the Crane Clan’s naval expansion. Although Chomei is killed in action in the great battle off Mura Sabishii Toshi in the year 1142, the organization he has created lives on and teaches its Technique to the clan’s next generation of naval warriors.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesDoji Magistrate 3, Daidoji Iron Warrior 4
  • RequirementsSailing 3
  • TechniqueChomei’s Courage - The aquatic soldiers who come to be known as the Doji Marines are trained to fight on the pitching decks of ships and to conduct boarding actions against enemy vessels, using the heave and pitch of a moving ship to their advantage. You do not suffer any TN penalties for fighting on slick, irregular, or moving surfaces/terrain. If you are in the Attack or Full Attack stance in a situation where such a penalty would normally have applied, you add a +Xk0 bonus to your melee attack rolls, where X is equal to your Reflexes.

Doji Warrior-Poet [Bushi]

The Kakita are generally regarded as the Crane Clan’s finest artists with a blade, and for exceptionally good reason. The Doji, on the other hand, are generally regarded as courtiers, with both families having a strong tradition of artisans within them as well. However, despite the general stereotype, the truth is that the Kakita produce a significant number of courtiers as well, and the Doji are just as likely to have a scion of the blade among their ranks as any other Crane family. One need look no farther than the Thunders of the Crane Clan, Doji Yasurugi, a brilliant orator, swordsman, and blacksmith, or his later reincarnation Doji Hoturi, one of the finest duelists in the history of the Empire, to see the full potential of the Doji line manifested. Unlike many other families in the Empire, the Doji consider pursuit of the blade and the arts of equal value, and the Doji are more likely to produce individuals gifted in both domains than perhaps even the other Crane families.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesKakita Bushi 2
  • RequirementsIaijutsu 2, Artisan: Poetry 2
  • TechniqueFan & Sword - A warrior-poet understands that focus is the one and only key to not only victory, but enlightenment as well. When you spend a Void Point to augment an Iaijutsu Skill Roll or a Perform: Poetry Skill Roll, you gain a bonus of +2k1 instead of +1k1. Additionally, whenever you are victorious in a duel or a poetry contest, you gain one additional point of Glory. If you were championing someone else, that person also gains one additional point of Glory. This is in addition to any normal amount being rewarded.

Empress Guard [Bushi] [CR]

The Doji family has been intertwined with the Imperial dynasty from the dawn of the Empire. Over the years this connection has garnered them great favors and great responsibilities. The Empress Guard is a unit with some of the greatest warriors of the Crane Clan. They train to protect the Empress herself and spare no expense in their training. Only a handful of the Empress Guard are on duty at any given time, while the rest train intensively, dedicated to maintaining their abilities.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3 or 4
  • ReplacesKakita Bushi 3 or Daidoji Iron Warrior 4
  • RequirementsPerception 3
  • TechniqueTo Defend Unto Death - The Empress Guard hold the honor of their duties seriously. Only the pure of soul and shape of eye meet the Crane Clan's exacting standards. You may add half your Honor Rank to all attack and Perception rolls. Also, while defending the Imperial family, you may add +10 to your Armor TN.

Kakita Jesters [Artisan]

Within the Kakita Artisan Academy is a small dojo where students are instructed in one of the most peculiar arts of the Kakita: the path of the Jester. The Jesters are a specialized variant of kabuki acting, and their studies include acting, dance, poetry, music, and political commentary. There are few samurai suited to the life of a Jester, and the dojo is never crowded.

Jesters are a very unusual form of performance artisan, created by the Crane but occasionally seen among other clans. While most Artisans focus on creating beautiful and immortal works of art, the Jesters focus on tearing down the pretensions of the arrogant and the powerful. A Jester is chosen for his role early in his schooling and is expected to serve in that role throughout his life, wearing a distinctive kabuki-style costume and makeup and using his performance skills to mock, deride, and needle those who deserve it. Highly experienced and skillful Jesters eventually earn access to the special Technique taught by a handful of sensei at their dojo.

Jesters dance and strut through the courts, singing, telling stories, making slightly inaccurate quotes from famous books, and generally making sure any samurai knows when he or she does something inappropriate. They usually speak in rhymes or riddles and have a habit of foretelling doom for anyone who criticizes or attacks them. It should be noted, however, that Rokugani jesters never behave in a light-hearted or "wacky" manner - their humor is satiric, biting, and often sour, and their favored tool is mockery. Among normal samurai such behavior would prompt duels, but the Jesters receive the sanction of their lords to say things otherwise never tolerated. They are permitted to speak publicly about another person's loss of reputation, honor, or face so long as they do so in a tone of mockery and satire. The GM should generally not inflict Glory or Honor losses on Jesters who are making public insults or committing minor breaches of etiquette as part of their "role" as a Jester. Notwithstanding this "immunity", however, most Jesters are careful to attach themselves to a noble patron in order to gain extra protection for their often-acerbic performances.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • ReplacesKakita Artisan 5
  • TechniqueThe Art of Mockery - The Kakita Jester is tasked with sardonically puncturing the pretense and arrogance of court, reminding all present of their flawed and mortal natures. You may publicly mock a suitable target (someone hypocritical, arrogant, dishonorable, or otherwise deserving of your attention) by means of speech, dance, song, or other such methods. This requires a Contested Roll of you (chosen art) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. If you lose the roll, you lose points of Glory equal to the target's Status Rank. If you win the roll, the target loses face in public, suffering a loss of Glory points equal to your Glory Rank, and a loss of Honor points equal to half as much (rounded up). You may not target the same person with this Technique more than once per month.

Sisters of the Sacred Light [Shugenja]

Founded in the years immediately after the creation of the Centipede Clan, the Sisters of the Sacred Light were originally created to deal with infestations of mischievous spirits. Although founded by the Centipede, they recruit women from several clans, and those women are expected to forsake their former loyalties in order to follow the path of purity and wisdom which the Sisters teach. They dress in the traditional garb of a temple priestess (a red hakama and white gi), bereft of all markings save for a single clan mon to indicate their ancestry.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAsahina Shugenja 2, Isawa Shugenja (Air) 2, Moshi Shugenja 2
  • TechniqueLight Banishes Lies - The Sisters of the Sacred Light specialize in exposing illusions as the falsehoods they are. When attempting to Banish the kami of Air, who are of course responsible for the vast majority of illusion effects, you require only 2 Raises on the Sense spell (rather than the normal 3) and only 3 Raises on the Commune spell (rather than the normal 5).

Student of Mizu-Do [Monk, Artisan]

Mizu-do is a Crane martial art, originally developed from stage performance. It is a defensive and "soft" that focuses on using the enemy’s strength against him. It relies on locks and throws that neutralize an enemy and end the fight swiftly, all while protecting the foe from any permanent injury. The form is quite popular among the Crane and in the Brotherhood of Shinsei, but bushi - especially Crab and Lion bushi - tend to look down on Mizu-do as impractical and pretentious. The form is unusually popular among certain groups of courtiers, who see it as a way to defend themselves without the crude violence of weapons. Courtiers from other clans, especially from the Unicorn and Phoenix, sometimes exchange favors to be able to train in Mizu-do. If the GM wishes to incorporate this into the campaign, this Path should be made available to any courtier school, subject to suitable negotiations to arrange the training.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAny non-martial Brotherhood Monk 3, Doji Courtier 3, Kakita Artisan 3, Asahina Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsJiujutsu (Mizu-do) 4, Water 3, access to a Mizu-do sensei
  • TechniqueThe Way of Water - Masters of Mizu-do techniques are able to avoid nearly any strike, subduing their attackers by using their own strength against them. When performing a Grapple, you use your opponent’s Strength Rank in place of your own. While you are in the Defense or Full Defense stance, when a melee attack misses you, you may immediately take a Free Action to spend a Void Point and make a Jiujutsu (Mizu-do) / Strength roll against a TN of the opponent’s attack roll, but using the opponent’s Strength Rank in place of your own. If you succeed in this roll, you may either immediately Throw the opponent (as per the option in Grappling) or immediately take control of a Grapple against the opponent.

Tsume Pikemen [Bushi] [IH]

The Tsume vassal family prided themselves on being masters of the spear, teaching their bushi to specialize in defensive tactics and rely on a wall of spear-points to break enemy charges. After the Tsume ruling bloodline is exterminated in the War of Bleeding Flowers, the Daidoji continued their tradition and training in their dojo.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAny Crane Bushi 3
  • RequirementsSpears 3, Polearms 3, Honor 3.0+
  • TechniqueWall of Pikes - The Tsume Pikemen are taught to use defensive tactics, luring the enemy into a charge and then impaling them on their spears. While you are in the Defense posture and wielding a spear or polearm, immediately after an opponent makes a melee attack against you or one of your allies within 10' (whether or not the attack hit), you may spend a Void Point in order to take a Free Action to attack that opponent with your spear/polearm. You may also use this Technique in the Full Defense posture, but making the attack will require spending 2 Void Points instead of 1.

Kitsuki Investigator [Courtier] [CR]

Even among the Dragon, the methods and beliefs imparted at the Kitsuki School are unusual. Alone in the Empire, the Kitsuki believe in the importance of evidence, something that most others cannot comprehend. The sensei of this unusual School place tremendous emphasis on developing the family's trademark powers of observation, honing them to a razor point, so much so that those trained in its Techniques possess a nearly infallible memory, perfect recall, and an almost inhuman attention to detail. Very little escapes the eye of a trained Kitsuki investigator.

Although their primary role is as the court representatives of the Dragon, the Kitsuki Investigators obviously make excellent magistrates, and their strengths lie in a gathering information both from the environment and from other people.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Kitsuki's Method

    The Kitsuki are masters of investigation and perception, noticing the most minute and telling details with merely a glance. You gain a Free Raise on all your Investigation Skill Rolls. However, while the Kitsuki are trained for investigation and diplomacy, unlike other courtiers they do not wholly neglect the ways of the warrior. In a skirmish, you add your Perception Trait Rank to your Armor TN.

  • Rank Two: Wisdom the Wind Brings

    The Kitsuki skill at noticing small details makes it very difficult to deceive them. Anyone making a Social Skill Roll for the purpose of lying to you or otherwise deceiving you, or making a Feint or Disarm Maneuver against you in a skirmish, must add +5 to their TN for each of your Kitsuki Investigator School Ranks.

  • Rank Three: Know the Rhythm of the Heart

    The Kitsuki study a secret methodology known as Ichi Miru, or "first look," which allows them to size up another person in almost a single glance. After speaking with someone for a few moments, you can roll Investigation (Notice) / Perception against a TN of their Intelligence x 5. A success grants you a true and accurate, if simple, picture of their personality and motivations. For example, you might perceive that a boisterous ronin is actually a calculating man who is trying to put on the picture of being a rude, simple fellow.

  • Rank Four: Finding the Path

    The Kitsuki has learned the art of uncovering and tracking others' social connections and networks of alliances. By conversing with someone for a few minutes, you can make a Contested Roll of your Investigation (Interrogation) / Intelligence against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Intelligence to identify one of their allies or enemies. Each successful Raise you make on this roll will identify another of their allies or enemies (you choose whether you learn an ally or an enemy - the GM chooses which specific person is revealed).

    This technique can be used against each specific person once per day.

  • Rank Five: The Eyes Betray the Heart

    Kitsuki's method allows its master practitioners to see through even the most practiced falsehoods and tricks. At this rank, any knowing attempt to lie to you (as opposed to unwittingly passing on false information) will almost certainly fail. You automatically make a Contested Roll of your Investigation (Interrogation) / Perception against the liar's Sincerity (Deceit) / Willpower, whether or not you suspect them of lying. Further, if you already known someone is lying to you, you gain a bonus of +5k0 on this Contested Roll, and my call Raises on the roll in an attempt to make them inadvertently give away more information than they intended (GM's choice what information they reveal).

Mirumoto Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

Famous throughout the Empire for its unique teachings, the Mirumoto Bushi School is the lone fighting style that utilizes the Niten technique, wherein a samurai wields both the katana and the wakizashi simultaneously. This is a controversial style because it flies int eh face of the traditional style used by the other clans for centuries, although Niten was actually developed at the same time as the one-sword style. In particular, the rivalry between students of the Mirumoto Bushi School and the Kakita Bushi School, the greatest advocates of Kakita's "One soul, one sword" philosophy, is heated even during times of peace. Many opponents, anticipating the reputation of the Dragon as erratic, are surprised to face the calm, implacable Mirumoto as an enemy, a mistake that has cost more than one samurai victory on the field of battle.

The Mirumoto Bushi School focuses on the mechanical benefits of wielding two weapons simultaneously, both in forgiving the penalties associated with doing so and improving the benefits. It also increases the samurai's Armor TN and grants him additional attacks at an increased rate due to the availability of his weapons.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Way of the Dragon

    Initiates of the Mirumoto Bushi School must master the basic principles of Niten, the two-sword technique founded by Mirumoto himself. When wielding a katana in your main hand and a wakizashi in your off hand, you suffer no penalties of any kind for dual wielding, and you gain a bonus of your School Rank to your Armor TN (This is cumulative with the normal bonus for wielding two weapons). Additionally, when you are targeted with a spell, you may raise or lower the TN of that spell's Spellcasting Roll by 5.

  • Rank Two: The Calm in Midst of Thunder

    In addition to their focus on the art of kenjutsu, the Mirumoto study the art of the duel as well in order to properly face their traditional opponents among the Kakita. While you assume the Center Stance, you gain a bonus to the total of your Iaijutsu rolls equal to your Kenjutsu Skill Rank.

  • Rank Three: Strong and Swift

    As the exploration of Niten continues, the student learns to overwhelm opponents with a flurry of blows while maintaining a superior defense. Attacking is a Simple Action for you while you use weapons with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Four: Furious Retaliation

    Once an opponent presents himself as a threat, the Mirumoto will stop at nothing to defeat him to defend the honor of the family's teachings. During the Reactions Stage of Combat, you may choose one opponent who made or attempted an attack against you this Round. During your next Turn, you gain a bonus of +3k0 to all attack rolls against that target.

  • Rank Five: Heart of the Dragon

    Masters of the Mirumoto Bushi School seem to strike from everywhere at once. If you attack twice in the same Turn while you are wielding a katana in your main hand and a wakizashi in your off hand, you may make one additional attack with your off hand as a Free Action.

Mirumoto Taoist Swordsman [Bushi] [EE]

Although the Mirumoto family are best known for following the twin-sword fighting technique pioneered by their founder (and defined most clearly in his famous book Niten), not all members of the family embrace Mirumoto's fighting techniques. The Dragon Clan's long association with the quest for enlightenment, not to mention the existence of a special monastic order right within its own ranks (the Togashi tattooed men) has given rise to other warrior traditions. The most notable of these are the Taoist Swordsmen, ascetic warriors who maintain a small dojo deep within the most inaccessible mountains of the Dragon lands. There they pursue enlightenment and swordsmanship with equal dedication, often praying and training alongside small groups of Togashi monks. Taoist swordsmen are seldom seen outside their own lands, though on rare occasions they have been known to embrace the tradition of the "Worldly Monk" and travel the Empire in search of both enlightenment and experience with the sword.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Aligned With the Elements

    Students of the Taoist Swordsman school spend their days in the rugged mountains of the Dragon lands, enduring the harsh elements with little clothing and no armor, learning the ways of the sword in complete selflessness. When wielding a sword and wearing no armor, you gain Reduction equal to your School Rank +2. Additionally, you add +1k0 to your damage with any sword.

  • Rank Two: Fist and Blade

    The Taoist Swordsmen train alongside the Togashi tattooed men, studying their unconventional methods of combat and learning to apply those methods to swordsmanship. When fighting with a sword, you may perform the Knockdown maneuver for 1 less Raise, and if you control a Grapple while holding a sword you may inflict damage with the sword instead of unarmed damage.

  • Rank Three: Strike of Harmony

    The Taoist swordsman is now so skilled with his sword that it functions like an extension of his body. While wielding a sword, you may spend a Void Point on your damage roll. If the sword is a katana, this ability stacks with the natural ability to spend a Void Point on damage with a katana.

  • Rank Four: Master of Steel

    The Taoist swordsman is now completely at one with his weapon, striking with the speed of thought itself. You may attack as a Simple Action while wielding a sword.

  • Rank Five: Balance of Nothingness

    The final lesson of the Taoist Swordsman teaches the school's student to pour their entire soul into a single deadly strike. While wielding a sword, once per skirmish you may spend as many Void Points on damage as you wish.

Tamori Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

Formed from the remnants of the Agasha family following their defection to the Phoenix Clan, the Tamori have inherited centuries of experimental studies conducted by their predecessors, and have embraced it just as they did. The most prominent among these unusual disciplines is the study of alchemy. The Tamori have mastered the abandoned Agasha secret of containing the essence of a spell within ritually prepared liquids, allowing them to be used later. Coupled with the martial training that Tamori shugenja receive, this is enough to make the family's secret teachings unique in all the Empire.

The Tamori Technique allows for greater versatility in the use of spells, extended so far as to allow others to use them in the Tamori's stead, if proper preparations have been made. The Technique also allows for a dramatic reduction in casting time, but again only if adequate preparation time is provided, making the Tamori particularly deadly in ambush situations.

  • Benefit+1Stamina
  • SkillsAthletics, Calligraphy (Cipher), Defense, Divination, Lore: Theology, Medicine, and Spellcraft
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyEarth / Air
  • TechniqueFlesh of the Elements - The Tamori have learned to distill the essence of magic and contain it within concoctions or objects for later use. You may expend one spell slot to store a spell you know that has an Area of effect "one target person" or "one target creature" in a potion, to be activated later. This stored spell may be activated instantly by anyone holding the potion by expending a Simple Action to drink it or a Complex Action to throw it (depending upon the spell's target), using Athletics (Throwing) / Agility. Spells stored in this manner may be stored indefinitely, but count against your spell slots per day for each day that they continue to await activation. Creating a potion in this manner requires a number of hours equal to the stored spell's Mastery Level. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Craft keyword. GMs who wish to offer more options for alchemically-inclined Tamori and Agasha characters may choose to let them create other, [[[Kagaku]]] items than merely potions, spending spell slots and making Craft: Alchemy / Intelligence rolls as appropriate.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Fire, and 1 Water

The Hitomi Kikage Zumi Order [Monk] [IH]

Where the monks of the Hoshi family embrace the tsurui path of mystical power and deep contemplation, those of the kikage zumi order - especially the Hitomi - embrace violent physical action as their path to enlightenment. Kikage zumi are most prominent during the reign of Lady Hitomi, but remain a prominent element of the tattooed orders all the way to the Race for the Throne.

It should be noted that while the kikage zumi order dominates the Hitomi family, it is not exclusive to it. Violent and martial tattooed men appear from time to time for centuries before the reign of Lady Hitomi. Thus, much as with the tsurui zumi, the kikage zumi school may potentially be used in almost any era of play if the GM permits it.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Gift of the Lady

    The tattooed men all receive the mystical blood of a good in their unique tattoos, but the warriors of the kikage zumi often manifest their tattoos spontaneously through the gifts of their divine patron. They spend less time in the house of the tattoo masters and more time in their dojo practicing the martial arts. The art of Kaze-do teaches the Kikage Zumi to move as swiftly and unpredictably as the wind, confounding their opponents. You gain 1 [[[tattoos|tattoo]]] at this rank. You may add your Reflexes to your Armor TN, and when rolling to control a Grapple you may choose to use your Reflexes instead of your Strength.

  • Rank Two: Strike the Base

    As the Kaze-do student grows more proficient, he is able to focus the power of his mind, soul, and body into punishing strikes of the hands and feet. You may spend a Void Point on damage rolls for unarmed attacks, including damage inflicted in a Grapple.

  • Rank Three: Moving the Wind

    The Kikage Zumi now strikes with the swiftness of Air itself, the true path of Kaze-do. You may attack as a Simple Action when making unarmed attacks. You gain one additional [[[tattoos|tattoo]]].

  • Rank Four: Strike the Center

    The Kikage Zumi learn to strike with speed and terrible force, while also using the swiftness of the wind to hurl their opponents to the ground. When fighting unarmed, you may perform the Knockdown maneuver for 1 less Raise, and gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of all unarmed damage rolls (including damage inflicted with a Grapple).

  • Rank Five: Strike the Summit

    Final mastery of the ways of Kaze-do allows the tattooed man to deliver strikes and throws that deprive his enemies of Air itself. Any time you perform a Knockdown maneuver, you may call 2 additional Raises; if the Knockdown succeeds, your opponent is automatically Stunned. If you elect to throw an opponent during a Grapple you control, he must roll Earth at TN 20 or he is also Stunned. You gain 1 additional [[[tattoos|tattoo]]].

The Hoshi Tsurui Zumi Order [Monk] [IH]

The monks of the Tsurui Zumi order are a sub-group of the Togashi Tattooed Order, created in the Hidden Emperor era when Togashi Hosi rebels against Hitomi and begins tattooing his own followers. In contrast to the Togashi Ise Zumi and the Hitomi Kikage Zumi, and Tsurui Zumi are less focused on direct physical action and more on the mystical ways of the spirit; although they still study the mystical arts, their focus is on ki techniques and other such mystical fighting fighting abilities, rather than on the more straightforward combat favored by the Togashi or the brutal aggression of the Hitomi. Many Hoshi choose to eschew combat altogether in favor of meditation, contemplation, or strange and whimsical behavior which they consider important to the path of enlightenment. However, when they time comes to fight in defense of the Dragon Clan, they do so readily enough.

The Hoshi family is introduced in the Hidden Emperor era, but the Tsurui Zumi tradition predate the Tsurui Zumi tradition predates the family and continues after it is gone, so this school may be used (with a name change) in many different eras of play.

  • Benefit+1Void
  • SkillsAthletics, Defense, Etiquette, Jiujutsu, Meditation (Void Recovery), any 2 Skills
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueSwift Fist, Subtle Heart - The Tsurui Zumi searches for enlightenment on many different paths, but does not shy away from physical action when it is needed. You may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to activate this Technique for a number of Rounds equal to your School Rank. While this Technique is active, you may either add +1k1 to the total of your unarmed attack rolls or +1k0 to the total of your unarmed damage rolls. You choose which bonus to apply at the beginning of the Turn. You begin the game with one [[[tattoos|Tattoo]]]. You also begin the game knowing 2 Kiho. You must meet all prerequisites in order to use these Kiho. You may purchase additional Kiho normally as per the rules for a Brotherhood of Shinsei monk. At School Rank Four, you gain one additional [[[tattoos|tattoo]]].

The Togashi Tattooed Order [Monk] [CR]

The monks of the Togashi order, known as ise zumi, are the most recognizable and well known members of the Dragon Clan, due in large part to their highly unorthodox appearance. The Togashi monks embrace a strange philosophy that includes as part of its doctrine extensive tattooing of their bodies with ink crafted from diving blood of the Kami Togashi. These tattoos confer incredible, supernatural abilities that defy explanation even by the most powerful shugenja. Due to their behavior, which tends to be unusual even for a monk, the ise zumi are both revered and feared by the people of Rokugan, who never truly know what to expect from these mysterious figures.

Togashi monks specialize in unarmed combat and supernatural feats of athleticism, which a wide variety of other abilities thrown in for good measure. Generally speaking, a Togashi monk can lend support to other characters in whatever capacity is necessary, and usually bring unique abilities to the table as well.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Blood of the Kami

    The blood of the Kami is barely diluted in the ruling line of the Togashi order, and the brothers chosen to serve the Dragon as Togashi vassals receive the mystical blood of a god in the form of unique tattoos. You gain two Tattoos at this rank.

  • Rank Two: Body of Stone

    Master of the body is the first essential step of a monk's journey toward enlightenment, and martial arts are the perfect tool to bring the body and spirit into harmony. You gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of all unarmed attack and damage rolls.

  • Rank Three: Blessing of the Kami

    As an ise zumi continues his journey of self-discovery, accumulating new experiences along the way, he will eventually be judged worth of additional insight in the form of new tattoos. You gain two additional Tattoos.

  • Rank Four: Will of Stone

    Perfect mastery of the flesh is an indication that a soul's journey is nearing its end. You may make unarmed attacks as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action.

  • Rank Five: Touch of the Kami

    Insight into the true nature of the universe is the reward for a soul that seeks true mastery of the spirit. You gain two additional Tattoos.

Mirumoto Master Sensei [Bushi]

High atop the mountains of the Dragon lands, in remote dojo and obscure strongholds, dwell the Master Sensei of the Mirumoto family - a tiny elite group of men and women who have attained true mastery of not only swordsmanship but also of their bodies and souls. Their primary home is Morning Frost Castle, but they also have several lesser dojo scattered through the most remote and inhospitable corners of the Dragon lands. The Master Sensei are very few in number, seldom exceeding two dozen in total, and those who would join their company must meet with their personal approval. Some Mirumoto samurai have spent decades struggling to prove their worthiness to the Master Sensei, while others have been admitted on their first application. Although the nature of the Master Sensei is more amenable to those who have followed the ways of the Taoist Swordsmen, they do not play favorites and more than one Swordmaster or Niten practitioner has joined their ranks.

The Master Sensei are isolated even by Dragon standards, and rare indeed is it for one of them to leave their remote dojo and visit the rest of the Dragon Lands, let alone the Empire as a whole. However, on the few occasions they do emerge to influence the world outside, their impact is always profound.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: The Sword and the Soul

    The Master Sensei has learned that the sword ban bring moments of perfect harmony, just like art or meditation. When fighting with a sword, any time you reduce an opponent to Down, Out, or Dead, you regain 1 Void Point. This can temporarily increase your total Void Points above your Void Ring, although any such "extra" points disappear at the end of the current skirmish.

  • Rank Two: The Body is Illusion

    The Master Sensei has studied mediation and enlightenment to such an extent that he can transcend the limitations of the flesh. You may take a Simple Action to spend a Void Point to ignore Would Penalties (including Down, but not Out) for the remainder of this skirmish, or for ten minutes when outside of a skirmish.

  • Rank Three: Sword of the Sensei

    The Master Sensei knows that a true teacher can share his greatest power with his students. Once per day, you may take a Simple Action to roll Meditation / Awareness at a TN of 25 plus 5 for each ally fighting alongside you. If you succeed, your allies gain the benefits of your Rank One technique for the remainder of this skirmish.

Swordmasters [Bushi] [CR]

The two-sword style of Niten was founded within the Dragon Clan's borders and the evolution of that martial art remains the heart of the Dragon Swordmaster school. The Swordmasters attempt to learn every aspect of this fighting style so they may adapt to any situation they can face on the battlefield. While the Crane Clan's Kenshinzen focus on the art of the iaijutsu duel, the Swordmasters focus on the pragmatic use of the swords in the thick of combat.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: The Silence of Two Strikes

    The Swordmaster's connection to his blades is nearly supernatural, allowing him to tune out the rest of the world. While wielding a katana in your main hand and a wakizashi in your offhand, you may spend Void Points twice per Turn.

  • Rank Two: Mirumoto's Strength

    The Swordmaster feels the calm of the world when he stands before his opponent. In an iaijutsu duel, you always gain a +1k1 bonus to your Focus roll as though you had beaten your opponent with the Assessment roll, regardless of the roll's actual result. (Your opponent can still gain the +1k1 bonus for having a higher Assessment roll, but this does not impact your bonus.)

  • Rank Three: Harmony and Precision

    The Swordmaster fells an opponent with each swing of the blade, striking exactly where he needs to devastate his enemies. While wielding a katana in your main hand and a wakizashi in your off hand, you may ignore your opponents Reduction (if any).

Tamori Master of the Mountain [Shugenja]

The Great Wall of the North is a treacherous mountain range that kills those who are unready for its sudden, vicious changes in weather. Despite its dangers, the range is admirable to those who can see the beauty of its cold violence. Mountaineers who brave the fierce peaks are forged into powerful men. The Tamori Masters of the Mountain learn to harness the power churning within their own souls, a violent echo of the strength of the Elements themselves. It is an old tradition, dating back to when the Agasha family first explored the mountains and studied their secrets. The name may have changed over the years, but the traditions remain true.

The Master of the Mountain is a loose organization with few sensei and fewer regulations. The Masters induct shugenja into their ranks when they spot one with the proper potential. The elders tend to choose impetuous and brash shugenja who trust only their own strength, a preference those outside of the school often question (albeit usually under their breaths). They worry the Masters of the Mountains will be influenced by the impatient natures of their young recruits. However, usually the opposite is true, as the wild students are taught proper methods of venting their anger through their powers, making them wiser as well as more powerful.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Integration of the Gods

    The Master of the Mountain knows flexibility is the only way to survive in the harsh wilderness of the mountains. When casting a spell, you may choose to spend 2 spell slots of another Ring rather than a single spell slot of the appropriate Ring. (This cannot be the Ring of the opposing Element from the spell's Element, e.g. Air/Earth, Fire/Water.) For example, this means that you may spend 2 Earth spell slots to cast a Fire spell instead of a single Fire spell slot.

  • Rank Two: Inner Fortitude

    The Master of the Mountain draws power from within his own body as well as teh Elements outside. Your Shugenja School Rank increases by one. Additionally, you may spend a spell slot as a Free Action to gain Reduction 2 and +10 to your Armor TN. This effect lasts for a number of Rounds equal to your Earth Ring, ending during the Reactions Stage of the final Round. You may choose to end the effect early as a Free Action. For the purposes of casting spells, your School Rank is increased by 1.

    While this effect is active, you find it more difficult to tap into the Elements around you. You must call one Raise to no effect every time you cast a spell.

  • Rank Three: Power in Need

    The Master of the Mountain can coax power out of the most contrary kami by confronting them with his own strength and willpower. As a Simple Action you may spend a Void Point and a spell slot from any Ring. Choose a spell keyword. You gain a bonus of +4k1 to the total of all Spell Casting Rolls while casting spells with that keyword. This effect lasts until the end of the encounter (in combat) or for an hour (outside of combat).

Dragon Clan Overseer [Courtier, Bushi, Monk]

With the wholesale relocation of the Spider Clan to the Colonies, the Empress had need of trusted vassals to oversee the unstable Spider while they operated so far from her supervision. For this most dangerous task the Empress turned to the clan of her origin, the Dragon. The role fit them well given their traditional nature as teachers, and they have undertaken the duty with great devotion. Indeed, the Spider have found their oversight somewhat more stifling than they expected, and while the Dragon treat the Spider with genuine consideration (something few other clans are willing to do), many among their ranks find the Dragon’s hands-on style of supervision quite frustrating

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesKitsuki Investigator 2, Mirumoto Bushi 2, Taoist Swordsman 2, Togashi Tattooed Monk 2
  • RequirementsLore: Shadowlands 2, Lore: Theology 3
  • TechniqueThe Empress’s Guiding Hand - Those tasked with oversight of the Empress’s most malevolent vassals, the Spider, have a penchant for using philosophy to manage their charges. When interacting with those who have a lower Honor Rank than you, if your Lore: Theology Skill is higher than your Courtier or Etiquette Skill, you gain bonus rolled dice equal to the difference on all Contested Social Skill Rolls with those individuals. If your opponent possesses the Shadowlands Taint, they suffer a penalty of -2k0 to their roll as well. Additionally, if you impart a theology lesson to a willing target (represented mechanically by a conversation lasting at least one minute, followed by a Lore: Theology / Awareness roll at TN 25), they gain a bonus of +2k0 to any rolls made during the next 8 hours to resist gaining the Shadowlands Taint. This ability may not be used on the same person more than once per day.

Dragon's Flame [Bushi]

The Tsuruchi family of the Mantis Clan is universally considered to possess the foremost archers of the Empire. Crane archers are celebrated for their accuracy and the Shinjo horsebowmen are known for their speed and unique style. The average samurai may know all of these names, but far fewer know the name of the Dragon's Flame. The warriors of the Dragon's Flame do not specialize in any one aspect of archery, choosing in true Dragon fashion to approach archery in a more individualistic manner. Some have distinguished themselves as excellent horsemen while others gain fame for accuracy over great distances. All of the Dragon's Flame share one important passion: they dedicate their lives to defending the mountains of the Dragon from anyone who might dare threatened them.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Dragon Bushi 4
  • RequirementsKyujutsu 5
  • TechniqueRain of Death - The Dragon's Flame knows accuracy comes from finding tranquility within. You gain a +1k0 bonus to attack rolls or +2k2 while using a bow.

Hojatsu's Legacy [Bushi] [BoF]

The final technique of Mirumoto Hojatsu was developed late in life as a result of his rivalry with Kakita; unwilling to concede defeat to an opponent who could strike faster, Hojatsu instead devised a way to disrupt his opponent's rhythm and thereby win regardless of speed. It is believed this technique was used for the first time in the final duel between Hojatsu and Kakita, in which Hojatsu died and Kakita was mortally wounded.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4 or 5
  • ReplacesMirumoto Bushi 4 or Mirumoto Taoist Swordsman 5
  • RequirementsIaijutsu 5
  • TechniqueStrike When You Cannot - The student of Hojatsu's last technique learns how to use intellect and aggression to disrupt an opponent's rhythm in an iaijutsu duel. During the Assessment stage of a duel, you may take a Free Action and spend a Void Point to force a contested Kenjutsu/Fire roll with your opponent. If you win the roll, your opponent cannot spend Void Points on the Focus roll for that duel.

Kaze-Do Fighter [Artisan, Bushi, Courtier, Monk, Shugenja]

The ancient techniques of Togashi Kaze, which formed the basis for almost all modern Rokugani martial arts, still survive in a somewhat abbreviated form among the Dragon Clan tattooed monks. The technique is rare and those who know it usually pass it down privately to a few select students, preserving its secrets from the samurai who Kaze opposed.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Rank 2
  • RequirementsJiujutsu (Kaze-do) 3
  • TechniqueThe Way of Air - The students of Kaze's ancient techniques learn how to use the speed of their opponents against them while evading enemy weapons. When you are fighting unarmed, any opponent attacking you with a melee weapon suffers a penalty of -Xk0 to his attacking Skill Roll, where X equals his Air Ring. This penalty cannot apply to more opponents within the same Round than your Insight Rank.

Kitsuki Debater [Courtier]

The Kitsuki are best known as the Dragon Clan's premiere magistrates, but they also serve the clan in the courts. Kitsuki excel at an argumentative approach to the social battlefield of court, learning to refute every aspect of an opponent's position by destroying its logic. Every detail, no matter how small, must agree or be revealed as lies. This method can be extremely surprising to those not accustomed to it, flustering even experienced courtiers. Most samurai hide behind masks of courtesy; losing that defense can disorient a courtier long enough for the Debater to make his move.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesKitsuki Investigator 3
  • RequirementsCourtier 3, Etiquette (Conversation) 5
  • TechniqueThe Ebb and Flow of Deception - The Kitsuki Debater represents his clan in enemy courts across the Empire, fighting for every small advantage he can win for the Dragon. You can see the flow of conversation and discern what topic may force your opponent to tell a lie. make an Etiquette (Conversation) / Awareness roll at a TN 20, plus any Raises you wish to call. (The base TN of this roll may be modified at the GM's discretion, based on the opponent, the nature of the conversation, and other applicable circumstance.) If you succeed, you switch the topic of conversation to something uncomfortable for your opponent. He must roll Sincerity / Awareness at a TN of 20 plus 5 for every Raise you successfully called. (Again, the GM may apply circumstantial modifiers as needed.) If he fails the roll he is visibly discomfited by the conversational trap, and suffers a -1k1 penalty to his next Social Skill Roll against you.

Kitsuki’s Eye [Courtier]

The men and women of Kitsuki’s Eye are the true elite of the Kitsuki family, and only those who have both a very keen ability to pick out minute details and a near-perfect recall of everything they see are selected for membership. It is said the Eyes are to the average Kitsuki courtier what the average Kitsuki courtier is to the rest of the Empire.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankN/A
  • ReplacesN/A
  • RequirementsMust attain Rank 5 in the Kitsuki Investigator School and be recruited into the Eye by its sensei.
  • TechniqueThe Eye Sees All - Your ability to perceive details and recognize their significance has been refined to the point of seeming preternatural. Any time you enter an area (room, courtyard, garden, etc), you may spend a Void Point and take a minute to observe the area, after which you make a Perception Roll at TN 25. With a success, you spot any tracks, handprints, out-of-place items, or other such visual clues in the area. You may call a Raise on the roll to gain additional clues (GM’s choice as to what they are) from other senses, such as hearing and scent (one Raise per sense). You may call two Raises to know if there is anything physically hidden in the area (although you will not know exactly where it is). You are also extremely difficult to surprise. You gain a bonus of +2k2 to any rolls made to avoid being surprised.

Kitsuki Justicar [Bushi] [IH]

The justicar tradition is an old one, one that has its roots in Imperial history that predates the establishment of the magistrate system by the Emerald Champion and his associate, Soshi Saibankan. In Rokugan's earlier days, communication among the clans was less extensive and the lands between their holdings were wilder and more dangerous. This often resulted in criminals from one region fleeing to another and completely escaping prosecution. The lack of a strong Imperial network for the exchange of information only exacerbated this situation. However, Bushido demanded a solution to the problem, for a criminal fleeing the Lion lands might prey upon the Crane, bringing great dishonor to the Lion Clan (even though the Crane were hated enemies). The Dragon were thus not the first to establish a tradition of justicars, but they were the only ones to develop and maintain a fighting technique built on the tradition.

A justicar is essentially a magistrate trained in the art of dueling. The duty and purpose of a justicar is to travel in search of fugitives, sometimes hunting specific individuals and other times merely generally searching for anyone who may have escaped the justice of his clan. When he locates such an individual, the justicar challenges him to duel to the death. The death of the criminal retroactively proves his guilt and thus eliminates all problems. Of course, the possibility that the justicar may be killed (and thus the criminal exonerated) is somewhat of a problem but even in this case the clan is freed from any dishonor since the victor was clearly not a criminal before he arrived at his new home.

Since the Kitsuki family's founding, their strong emphasis on justice has led them to embrace the justicar tradition and they have developed a technique to support it. Kitsuki justicars typically hold a post as a Dragon Clan magistrate, and the clan often goes to considerable effort to get them appointed as Emerald Magistrates as well, though success in this depends on the relationship between the Kitsuki family and the Emerald Champion at the time.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesKitsuki Investigator 3
  • RequirementsIaijutsu 4, Investigation 4
  • TechniqueThe Purity of Justice - A justicar is a master of both the hunt and the kill. You may add your Investigation Skill Rank to the total of any Assessment roll made as part of an Iaijutsu duel. You also gain a bonus of +1k0 on all Focus and Strike rolls made against an opponent who has been decreed guilty of a crime by an Imperial or Dragon Clan authority higher than you. Finally, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to any Hunting or Investigation rolls made to hunt such guilty targets.

Mirumoto Mountaineer [Bushi] [CR]

The mountains of the Dragon Clan have served the clan for thousands of years as a natural defense against invasion. However, the warriors of the Dragon must face the same difficulties the mountains pose for an attacking army. The Mirumoto Mountaineers are hardened warriors, born from the treacherous cliffs, fickle weather, and dangerous predators that menace their home. The Mountaineer has found his balance with the elements, a skill that proves useful in the middle of combat

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesMirumoto Bushi 2
  • RequirementsAthletics (Climbing) 3
  • TechniqueHeart of the Mountains - The Mountaineer is a rugged warrior whose constant dealings with the unpredictability of nature makes him ready for anything that may await him in battle. When you are surprised during a skirmish due to failing your Investigation (Notice) / Perception Contested Roll, you may immediately make a second roll using Athletics / Agility. If you are successful, you are not surprised. You may also add half your Athletics Skill Ranks (rounded up) to the total of all your ranged attack rolls.

Mirumoto Sentinel [Bushi]

In any mountainous region, such as the region in which Water Hammer City is located, the security of the Dragon Clan’s vassals can be difficult to secure. In order to address this issue, the Mirumoto have trained a cadre of elite warriors known as the Sentinels to oversee such locations. The Sentinels are deployed in surprisingly small numbers to secure large sections of sparsely populated land in the Dragon mountains, and are remarkably effective at their duties. Before being assigned, Sentinels are extensively trained in the geography of their provinces, until they are familiar with every square mile of it, almost literally down to every tree and boulder. In addition to their prodigious level of skill in using the terrain to their own advantage, Sentinels are well known for hindering the movement of their enemies in any number of ways, exploiting the local terrain to the greatest advantage possible and reducing an opponent’s mobility considerably; leading them into bogs, unsure footing, and pitfalls are particular favorites among these hardy warriors. Many Dragon Clan magistrates look upon the Sentinels as something like embarrassing cousins, but no one can deny their effectiveness as a unit.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3 or 4
  • ReplacesMirumoto Bushi 4 or Taoist Swordsman 3
  • RequirementsWay of the Land Advantage
  • TechniqueMaster the Land - A Mirumoto Sentinel is intimately familiar with the land he is tasked with patrolling, and can use its every resource to his advantage. When you are in a province for which you possess the Way of the Land Advantage, you may select any three Bugei Skills you possess. While in the selected province, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to Skill Rolls using those Skills. You may select different Skills for each province for which you possess the Way of the Land Advantage. Additionally, you may make a Contested Void Roll against one opponent at the beginning of a skirmish, before Initiative is rolled. That opponent’s Water Ring is considered one rank lower for the purpose of determining Move Action distances for the remainder of the skirmish.

Tamori Warrior Priest [Shugenja] [CR]

The Tamori family has been brave and combative ever since its inception. Tamori shugenja often train alongside their Mirumoto brothers to improve their coordination. The yama-bushi (Warrior Priest) consider his martial training equally as important as his connection to the kami. The Warrior Priest can use his bond with the elements to increase his observation of the field of war, allowing him to perform awe-inspiring feats of prowess.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesTamori Shugenja 4
  • Requirements1 weapon Skill at rank 3
  • TechniqueStrength of the Soul - The Tamori are the most maritally inclined of all Rokugan's shugenja families, often training alongside their clan's bushi. You can expend a spell slot as a Free Action to gain a bonus of +1k0 on any Bugei Skill roll. You may not expend more spell slots per round in this manner than your School Rank. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action when using a weapon created by one of the following spells: Bo of Water, Tetsubo of Earth, Katana of Fire, or Yari of Air.

Tamori Weaponsmiths [Shugenja, Artisan]

The Tamori are an intensely pragmatic family, far more so than most shugenja families, and have a number of ideas that more conservative groups view as almost heretical. In particular their embracing of martial traditions, taking the field not merely in support of the bushi but as actual weapon-wielding combatants, has earned them the ire of many other families. Similarly, their desire to craft their own weapons, which they consider necessary to ensure proper quality, is something many others find distasteful.

The Tamori shugenja who take up the art of practical weaponsmithing (as opposed to the more artistic smiths who work in Water Hammer City) seek to marry the design of the blade with the power of Earth, attuning their weapons to their magic.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesTamori Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsCraft: Weaponsmithing 3, the ability to cast at least one spell that creates a weapon (such as Tetsubo of Earth or Katana of Fire)
  • TechniqueSoul of the Stone - A Tamori smith can mingle his spirit with that of stone and steel, creating blades that borrow the very soul of the mountains. When you make a successful Craft Skill Roll to finish creating a Samurai weapon, you may expend all your Void Points to instill within the weapon a number of Free Raises equal to your Earth Ring. These Free Raises may be used on any roll made using the blade. Free Raises which are expended refresh after thirty days. A Tamori weaponsmith may never have more of these weapons in existence at one time than his Earth Rank.

The Dragon's Wind [Bushi] [S&F]

The Dragon Clan maintains a small force of cavalry archers known as the Dragon’s Wind, a force known for suddenly arriving on the battlefield, striking with powerful arcing volleys of fire, and then withdrawing just as suddenly. Unlike many specialized cavalry and archery forces, the bushi of the Dragon’s Wind are also quite capable on foot or when fighting with other weapons, exhibiting the flexibility and lethality which always characterize Dragon soldiers. The unit is small, due to the clan’s poverty and its difficulty in acquiring strong horses, but its battlefield impact is often well out of proportion to its size.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3 or 4
  • ReplacesMirumoto Taoist Swordsman 3, Mirumoto Bushi 4
  • RequirementsHorsemanship 5, Kyujutsu (Dai-Kyu) 5
  • TechniqueWay of the Horse and Bow - The Mirumoto horse archers train with their mounts in the rugged lands of the Dragon, allowing them to ride through territory where other cavalry forces do not dare to tread. While you are mounted, your steed treats Moderate terrain as Basic terrain, and Difficult terrain as Moderate terrain. You may attack with a bow as a Simple Action while you are mounted.

The Transcendent Brotherhood [Monk]

The often-maligned Transcendent Brotherhood embraces a strange philosophy that pain tempers the body and the mind, making it easier to attain a transcendent state that approaches Enlightenment. Although the sect is regarded as dangerously eccentric by the Brotherhood of Shinsei and has been excommunicated from that organization, the Dragon have offered them a home within the Tattooed Orders. It seems there is some degree of validity to their claims, and those who have embraced their philosophies have demonstrated they capable of impressive feats of clarity when touched by the agonizing kiss of fire. neW alTernaTe paTh:

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Tattooed Order 2
  • RequirementsFire 3, Earth 3, Meditation 3
  • TechniqueApotheosis of Fire - Members of the Transcendent Brotherhood seek to use pain as a means of achieving clarity of thought and spirit. Once per day, you may spend at least one hour in deep meditation and make a Meditation / Fire Roll against a TN 20. With a success, you harden yourself against the physical harm done by fire and heat, although you still feel all the pain of being burned. (GMs may opt to impose partial or temporary TN penalties to represent the effects of the pain.) For a number of hours equal to your Fire Ring, you are immune to damage from normal, mundane fires and heat (not magical fire or extreme natural heat sources such as molten lava). One Raise on this Meditation roll will make you immune to magical sources of fire; two Raises will make you immune to damage from any source of fire, even a volcano. While experiencing the pain of being burned, and for ten minutes afterward, your intense focus and clarity of thought grant you a bonus equal to your Fire Ring to the total of all Awareness, Perception and Intelligence-based Trait and Skill Rolls.

Togashi Defender [Monk]

The Togashi ise zumi dedicate their lives to chasing the ephemeral goal of enlightenment. The journey is unique to each person, so the monks of the tattooed orders tend to be a highly unique and varied lot. Some choose to focus on physical exertion over mental strength, honing their bodes through an emphasis on martial arts and hard labor. The Togashi Defender becomes adept at pushing his body to its absolute physical limits... and beyond. The Defender often chooses to stay within the Dragon provinces to protect villages from bandits and other predators. Defenders are also more likely than other Tattooed Men to be seen fighting side by side with Mirumoto samurai and marching in the Dragon armies. The Defenders lose one of the quirks that define the Togashi family, but strike out with vicious strength against any who dare oppose Dragon might.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesTogashi Tattooed Order 3
  • TechniquePower Within and Without - The ise zumi knows the kami cannot aid any man if he proves himself an unworthy physical vessel. While unarmored and with no Kiho or Tattoos active, you gain Reduction equal to 3 plus your Void Ring. You gain one additional Tattoo.

Water Hammer Smith [Artisan]

The men and women who make Water Hammer City their home are almost without exception obsessed with the idea of crafting. Some believe that the prevalent obsession is a result of being in close proximity to the sacred forge, while others think it is merely an oddity that has developed within the city as a result of its nature and function; other cities focused on the arts and production of specific resources tend to have similarly narrow views about the world, after all. Even the peasants of Water Hammer City are fascinated by crafting, and virtually every home contains any number of sculptures, paintings, or other creations happily worked on by the denizens of the estate during their free time. Among all these individuals, however, none are more skilled, more respected, and more famous than the Water Hammer Smiths. These individuals come from all walks of life, as anyone can gain an apprenticeship if their level of skill or even their potential is sufficient enough. Each individual smith chooses his own apprentices, meaning that traditions vary wildly from one to another. The vast majority of them are Dragon, however, and although apprenticeships are often offered to students from other clans, it is rare for any of said students to gain the title of master smith.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Dragon School at Rank 2
  • RequirementsAny one Craft Skill at 3 or higher
  • TechniqueChild of the Water - You have studied the secrets of the Water Dragon found in Water Hammer City, and the path of the smith has been made open to you. You may spend a Void Point to add double your Water Ring to the total of all Craft Skills you make for the rest of the day. If you are a shugenja, you may instead pay this cost by spending a Water spell slot. You may only benefit from a single use of this Technique at a time (i.e. you cannot spent two Void Points at different times during the day and gain two bonuses equal to three times your Void Point).

Akodo Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

Over the centuries, the primary bushi Schools of many Clans have developed specialties that have narrowed their focus. The Akodo consider such things a mistake, and have carefully avoided it. The Akodo School focus on precision in the art of kenjutsu, the basic swordsmanship style of the Empire. The Akodo believe that if you strike your target exactly as you intend every time, there is no need for anything more complicated as part of your studies. Some regard this as simplistic, but no one argues with Akodo capabilities in battle. The study of battle itself is also a strong component of every Akodo's training, and there are virtually no Akodo-trained samurai who do not possess a rudimentary knowledge of tactics and strategy.

The Akodo Techniques focus on precision and success, transforming marginal successes into greater ones and, at higher levels, changing failure to success. To some extent the School also negates bonuses an opponent might possess, but generally speaking the Techniques exist only to ensure success on the part of the Akodo-trained samurai.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Lion

    Bushi of the Akodo School hone their fury until it is as precise as a blade. You may either ignore the portion of an opponent's Armor TN derived from Armor, or gain a Free Raise when attacking. (You do not ignore Reduction from the Armor when choosing the first option.) Also, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls on your first melee attack against an opponent in a skirmish, or against any opponent who has declared a Raise on an attack against you since your last turn. You add only a total of 1k0 for an enemy who Raises against you, no matter how many times they actually Raised.

  • Rank Two: Strength of Purity

    Akodo-trained warriors are known for their dedication to bushido, and take a fierce satisfaction in defeating dishonorable foes. During a skirmish you may add your Honor Rank to the total of any single roll during your Turn. You may not increase damage rolls in this fashion, nor can you do this while assuming the Center Stance.

  • Rank Three: Strength of My Ancestors

    The Akodo bushi attacks twice, once for himself and once for his ancestor. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while using weapons with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Four: Triumph Before Battle

    No foe is beyond the reach of the devoted Lion warrior. Once per skirmish, you may designate an opponent during the Reactions Stage. You may ignore any Armor TN bonuses your target receives from his Stance during the next Round.

  • Rank Five: Akodo's Final Lesson

    Mastery of the Akodo Bushi School imparts an unshakable faith in victory. When you make Raises on any Bugei Skill Roll, if you meet or exceed the original TN (before Raises) but fail to meet the Raised TN, you still succeed without the benefits of Raises.

Ikoma Bard [Courtier] [CR]

If one examines the greatest storytellers of every generation across the history of Rokugan, the pattern that emerges will indicate clearly that the Ikoma dominate this aspect of the Empire's Social circles. Unlike most courtiers who focus on manipulation and shades of deception, the Ikoma bards or omoidasu strive to live by example, citing historical precedents and mythical tales of heroes in order to demonstrate the desired outcome of whatever discussion they are involved in. While this might seem a curious tactic, there are many courtiers in other Clans who have difficulty conducting themselves against the Ikoma when the Ikoma can demonstratively prove that the individual's ancestors might well have disapproved of a course of action. In a society so steeped in history and tradition, argument via parable is a surprisingly effective technique.

The Ikoma Techniques allow a courtier to inspire others as well as to resist manipulation by his opponents. Furthermore, by comparing others to historical figures, the Ikoma can gain Glory not only for himself but by others far easier than most.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Herald of Glory

    The Ikoma are historians and storytellers, tasked with recording the glorious deeds of others for posterity, ensuring that courageous and honorable accomplishments are never forgotten. You gain the Precise Memory Advantage for no cost in Experience Points (if you already have Precise Memory, you are refunded that many Experience Points). You may use the Perform: Storytelling skill to engage in public bragging on behalf of another person. If you can cite heroic or noble actions by that person and successfully roll Perform: Storytelling / Awareness at TN 20, that person will gain a number of points of Glory equal to your School Rank. This may be done a number of times per person per month equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Two: The Heart of the Lion

    The Ikoma are tasked with conveying the emotions which the rest of the Clan keeps bottled away in stoic rectitude. You do not lose Honor or Glory for displaying emotion in public, so long as you do so on behalf of another Lion or for an honorable cause greater than yourself (such as your clan, the Empire, or the Code of Bushido). At the same time, your understanding of both honor and emotion strengthens your own soul against temptation. Anyone attempting to sway your emotions through the use of the Intimidation or Temptation skills must add +5 to their TN for each of your School Ranks.

  • Rank Three: The Voice of the Ancestors

    The Ikoma act as Battle-Criers for the Lion, inspiring their soldiers on the battlefield with tales of the heroic deeds of their ancestors. Prior to a battle or skirmish, you may inspire your allies by speaking for a few minutes and rolling Perform: Oratory / Awareness at a TN equal to 15 + 5 per person you are inspiring. Targets who are not members of the Lion Clan increase the TN by 5 for each such person. With a successful roll, each person you inspired may add their Honor Rank to the total of any one Skill Roll during that battle or skirmish. (If this benefit is not used by the end of the battle, it is lost.)

  • Rank Four: The Strength of Tradition

    The Ikoma's steadfast encouragement call on the examples of noble ancestors to infuse their allies with a strength they did not know they had. A number of times per session equal to your School Rank, as a Simple Action, you may verbally encourage an ally with a tale of great deeds from the past, rolling Perform: Storytelling / Awareness at TN 25. With a success, the next time during the same day that the chosen ally fails a roll, he may re-roll it, adding your Honor Rank in unkept dice to his roll. However, if he fails this second roll, you lose 2 points of Honor.

  • Rank Five: Every Lion is Your Brother

    The Ikoma's understanding of Bushido, history, emotion, and human nature empowers them in court, filling their arguments with the ringing power of generations of noble Lion, and calling on the precedents of a thousand years and more to support their cause. Five times per session, when you are making a Contested Social Roll against an opponent, you may cite historical precedent to support your views and roll additional unkept dice equal to your Rank in Perform: Storytelling. (In situations where citing history seems inappropriate or strange, the GM has the final say on whether this Technique may be used.)

Ikoma Lion's Shadow [Bushi] [EE]

Although many modern Ikoma no longer recall it, or have chosen to forget, the first Ikoma was not a particularly honorable man. He served his lord Akodo with great distinction and loyalty, but the means by which he executed his duties are frequently omitted from any historical record. Most Ikoma do not consider this an issue, but there are some among them who understand this omission is a means of protecting the family's honor, as the first Ikoma was a ruthless, pragmatic individual who would gleefully embrace dishonorable tactics as a necessary means of completing his duties.

The Ikoma Lion's Shadow are a small and extremely secretive group within the Ikoma family who remember exactly who and what Ikoma was, and they celebrate his memory. They consider themselves extremely practical individuals who exist as a sort of foil to the dire machinations exercised by the Scorpion and other unsavory individuals. Although they frequently are called upon to sacrifice their honor for the sake of their clan, they do so willingly and without regret, and almost always with the greater Lion Clan remaining completely ignorant of their activities.

Techniques
  • Rank One: No Boundaries

    Those who walk the path of Ikoma choose a life of self-sacrifice and questionable actions in order to serve the clan as their founder did. You do not lose Honor for using Low Skills if they are used directly for the goals or glory of the Lion Clan (subject to GM judgement). As a Free Action you may target a number of opponents equal to your School Rank; you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls and Contested Rolls made against these opponents. This bonus may be activated a number of times per day equal to your School Rank, and lasts until the end of the day.

  • Rank Two: The Lion Cannot Fail

    The first true lesson of the great Ikoma is that surrender is never an option, and failure can be overcome regardless of circumstances. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to all Skill Rolls using School Skills.

  • Rank Three: The Spirit of Ikoma

    Although many among the Lion remember him differently, the followers of the Lion's Shadow know that Ikoma was a warrior who cared for victory first, and the means of attaining that victory second. Once per Round, you may lose three points of Honor as a Free Action to add +2k1 to your attack, damage, and Contested Social Skill Rolls until the end of the Round.

  • Rank Four: The Quiet Lion's Claws

    Although their principle battleground is that of the court, those who bear the name Lion's Shadow are sons of Ikoma first and foremost, and carry the ferocity of their ancestor within their veins. You may make melee weapon attacks as Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Five: Ferocious Determination

    The wrath of a disciple of Ikoma is terrible to behold. You may spend a Void Point to take a Free Action to make a Contested Roll of your Courtier / Awareness versus against an opponent's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. If you win the roll, you have shaken his resolve by reminding him of his past failings. The opponent subtracts a penalty equal to your Awareness plus the opponent's own Honor Rank from the total of his attack and Contested Social Skill Rolls against you for a number of hours equal to your School Rank. This technique does not work against those who possess no Honor Rank (animals, oni, etc).

Kitsu Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The ancient rituals of the Kitsu School have remained virtually unchanged since the family's creation, and the notion of putting aside the relics of the past has never even occurred to the family. Because of the Kitsu family's unique origins, they have always possessed insights into the relationship between the mortal world and the realms beyond. Their ability to perceive the bonds that tie the living to their ancestors have gradually expanded to the point that they area also able to sense and even manipulate the bonds that an individual might possess to other realms.

The Kitsu possess a unique ability to interfere with the link another has to other realms, represented by their Technique that allows the disruption of certain kids of Advantages. Their secondary focus is on large-scale magic that can be employed in battle, which is the lifeblood of every Lion samurai, and can allow them to influence the outcome of skirmishes through use of powerful spells.

  • Benefit+1Perception
  • SkillsBattle, Calligraphy (Cipher), Etiquette, Lore: History, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft, any one High or Bugei Skill
  • Honor6.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyWater / Fire
  • TechniqueEyes of the Ancestors - The Kitsu are descended from mystical creatures, and as such are able to reach across the veil between worlds and speak with their ancestors. You may make a Spell Casting Roll (as though casting a Water Spell) against a target's Willpower x 5. If successful, you learn all Spiritual Advantages or Disadvantages that individual possesses. By spending a Void Point, you may negate any one Spiritual Advantage an opponent possesses for a number of minutes equal to your School Rank. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Battle keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Water, 2 Air, and 1 Earth

Lion Elite Spearmen [Bushi] [NP]

At the Dawn of the Empire, the spear was the most common melee weapon among the tribes who lived in what became Rokugan. The tribal warriors who followed Akodo and his chief lieutenant Matsu were particularly skilled in the ways of the spear, both as a hand-to-hand weapon and a short-range missile, and these spearmen formed the backbone of the Lion armies during the First War. In the era of peace that followed under Hantei Genji, the Lion as a whole shifted more toward the way of the sword, which all of Rokugan’s leading figures (including Akodo and Matsu themselves) considered to be the first and most honorable weapon of the samurai. However, within the ranks of the Matsu family there were many traditionalists who continued to uphold the spear-fighting traditions of their ancestors. Matsu Shujo, one of Lady Matsu’s grandsons, took it upon himself to organize their training and founded their first dojo, where he eventually developed their first Techniques.

In modern times, the Lion Clan’s spearman units are relatively few in number and are considered by the other Great Clans to be something of a holdover from a simpler era (as discussed in the L5R 4th Edition supplement The Book of Air, page 35). Nonetheless, they maintain their dojo and continue to serve as useful components in the overall structure of the Lion armies. Although the school is still customarily referred to as the Lion Elite Spearmen, it is maintained by the Matsu family and they form the bulk of its students.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of Magari-Yaritjutsu

    The basic lesson of the Elite Spearman School is to rely on one’s spears for both offense and defense, eschewing heavy armor in favor of the more flexible options provided by a longer weapon. You gain a +1k0 bonus to Skill rolls with Spears and Polearms. When wielding a spear or polearm in the Center, Defense, or Full Defense stance, your skillful deflection of blows awards you Reduction equal to half of your Rank in the Skill.

  • Rank Two: Strike Like The Lion

    The trained Elite Spearman infuses his honor and self discipline into every blow he delivers. When wielding a spear or polearm (in melee or with ranged attacks), you may ignore an amount of enemy Reduction equal to half of your current Honor Rank (rounded up).

  • Rank Three: Strike Through the Eagle

    The Elite Spearmen are trained to advance on the foe while hurling barrages of nage-yari to disrupt their defenses and open holes in their lines. You may ready/draw a nageyari as a Free Action any number of times per Round, and your ranged (hand-hurled) attacks with nage-yari are considered Simple Actions.

  • Rank Four: Strike Like the Wind

    At this rank, the Elite Spearman learns to attack faster than a snake’s flickering tongue. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a spear or a polearm.

  • Rank Five: Strike With the Soul

    The final lesson of the Elite Spearman School is to fight in complete harmony with one’s spear, striking more swiftly than thought, bringing down the foe with a relentless barrage of attacks. When fighting in melee with a spear or polearm, you may perform the Extra Attack Maneuver for only three Raises. When hurling spears as missile weapons, you may make one attack as a Free Action.

Matsu Beastmaster [Bushi]

The Beastmaster organization is completely unique in its approach to war and to animals. Many other clans train animals for combat, but the Matsu Beastmasters take a personal approach to each beast. The lion is a savage creature that fights as part of a group called a pride. The Beastmaster adopts lion warcats into his own pride, bonding emotionally and spiritually to each warcat that charges into battle beside him. The Beastmaster treats his warcats as equals, fostering a sense of family and belonging.

The communication between Beastmaster and warcat borders on the mystical. Once a warcat has trained with her Beastmaster, she can sense what he wants without any words or gestures. However, this intense empathy between human and predatory animal can sometimes hinder the Beastmaster's social abilities among humans. Most Beastmasters tend to stay amongst their own kind rather than share the company of "normal" samurai. Some Lion generals have raised concerns the Beastmasters retort that they are still Matsu above all. Only the Matsu, they say, are strong and proud enough to maintain their hold on Bushido and human traditions under such pressures.

Techniques
  • Rank One: One with the Pride

    You have trained in the highly secretive dojo of the Matsu Beastmasters and have forged a bond with one of the legendary Lion warcats. The lion will accompany you wherever you go and follow basic commands without question. No lion will ever attack you without being compelled to do so in some way. You may direct one of your warcats to Attack as a Complex Action. Any one warcat who is not attacking will use the Guard Action to protect you.

  • Rank Two: Heart of the Beast

    Your training with the warcats has increased your physical abilities as well as your mental bond with your lions. An additional lion joins your pride. You and your companion lions gain the creature trait of Swift 2, and all of your lions gain an additional Wound Rank that changes the end of the progression from a normal lion's to: 36: +15, 60: Dead.

  • Rank Three: The Ferocity Within

    You strike as fiercely as the lions you have trained. When wielding a katana, wakizashi, magari-yari, nage-yari, or any knife, or when fighting unarmed, you may make melee attacks as a Simple Action. Additionally, you may direct one of your warcats to Attack as a Simple Action.

  • Rank Four: All as One

    The fury of the beastmaster and his pride is whispered legend among your clan's enemies, and for good reason. Members of your pride may make two claw attacks per Round instead of the normal one. You and all members of your pride gain a bonus of +2k1 on all damage rolls made when fighting alongside one another. Finally, when you direct a warcat to Attack (a Complex Action for lions), the warcat may also make a Simple Move Action during the same Round.

  • Rank Five: With the Soul of a Lion

    United by your leadership and companionship, your pride has become fearsome indeed. An additional lion joins your pride. All of your warcats gain +10 Armor TN, +2 Reduction, and +2 Fear.

Matsu Berserker [Bushi] [CR]

The great majority of the vast legions of Matsu samurai study at the family's home School, if for no other reason than that most Matsu believe other fighting styles are too conservative and reserved. A true Matsu has no fear of death, and as such the Techniques imparted by their sensei embrace absolute, unwavering commitment to battle. Although this leaves the Matsu vulnerable to an opponent's attacks, the philosophy behind the Techniques is that an opponent who has been defeated has no opportunity to retaliate. It is for this reason that the legions of the Matsu family are so feared on the battlefield: how can one defeat an enemy who does not care if his lives or dies, so long as you are defeated first?

The Matsu Techniques focus heavily upon the Full Attack Stance, which makes them heavy-hitting opponents who have to to position themselves carefully in order to prevent an opponent from exploiting their lower Armor TN. As a secondary focus, the Matsu can generate Fear effects that can further destabilize opponents and make them easier targets for himself and allies.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Lion's Roar

    Warriors of the Matsu School respect their Akodo cousins' leadership skills, but they know that a furious attack often simply overwhelms an enemy. You add your Honor Rank to all damage rolls. Whenever you assume the Full Attack Stance, you may move an additional 5 feet per Turn in addition to the bonus your receive from the Stance. (This does not allow you to move farther than your maximum move per Turn.)

  • Rank Two: Matsu's Fury

    The target of a Matsu's fury has little hope of victory. When you assume the Full Attack Stance, choose an opponent within 30'. If you successfully hit him this Turn, the target is frozen with fear and cannot take Move Actions to move from his current position. During the Reactions Stage, an affected opponent may attempt a Willpower roll against a TN equal to the amount of damage dealt from your latest attack to negate the effects of this Technique (the opponent does not suffer penalties from his Wound Rank for this roll). If he fails, the effects of this Technique end during the next Reactions Stage (the second after he was struck).

    Enemies who are immune to Fear cannot be affected by this Technique.

  • Rank Three: The Lion's Charge

    When a Lion strikes, he grants the gift of final rest to all who stand against him. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Matsu's Courage

    Death means nothing in the face of the loss of honor, and no Matsu will yield while he yet draws breath. You ignore TN penalties from Wounded Levels equal to your Honor Rank, or twice your Honor Rank while in the Full Attack Stance.

  • Rank Five: The Lion's Victory

    The death of an opponent is the only measure of victory for a Matsu. Once per encounter after you roll damage for an attack, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to activate this Technique. You rend the opponent, ripping open his wounds and dealing grievous injury to him. All of the dice you choose to keep explode, re-rolling and adding the result to your damage total.

Akodo Tactical Master [Bushi]

"An army led by an Akodo general has never lost a battle."

So it is often said in the courts across the Emerald Empire and even in the battle tents of the Lion's fiercest enemies. While the statement is not completely factual, the sentiment behind it is undeniable. The Akodo Tactical Masters are the greatest strategists of Rokugan, second to no others. Only a truly unique commander with a powerful destiny can challenge the Tactical Master in his own realm and hope to compete.

The Akodo Tactical Master studies every notable battle in Rokugani history. He examines how the Lion have handled every situation - and just as importantly, how the enemy attempted to find weakness in the Lion Clan's traditional plans. He learns to adapt, react, and change his battle plans to meet every eventuality. Even knowledge from outside Rokugan's borders is not wholly anathema to him, since he can use such intelligence to plan against future incursions from the hateful foreigner.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: The Eyes of the General

    The Akodo Tactical Master spends his entire life studying the teachings of Lion generals from centuries past. He benefits from the wisdom of all of his ancestors and hones himself into the perfect general. You may reroll any one of your dice in each Battle Turn of Mass Combat. You may also reroll any one of your dice during an attack roll in which you called at least one Raise.

  • Rank Two: Malleable as the Sea

    The Tactical master can navigate the sudden changes in the battlefield, adapting and reacting so his army can benefit. You may spend a Void Point to choose any one Heroic Opportunity from the corebook to perform during a Mass Battle Turn. (This choice is subject to GM approval, since not all options will be suitable for the situation and the characters involved.)

  • Rank Three: The Soul of the Army

    The Tactical Master knows he is responsible for his army, and directs its strength where it may do the most damage. You may spend a Void Point to gain a +5k2 bonus on any Battle Skill Roll (rather than the usual +1k1), or to gain a +2k2 bonus to any Bugei Skill Roll (rather than the usual +1k1).

Kitsu Sodan-Senzo [Shugenja] [IH]

All members of the Lion Clan's Kitsu family have some degree of ancestral connection to the original five kitsu who became human, although in most cases the link is only via marriage. Still, the connection is sufficient that the average practicing Kitsu shugenja has the ability to perceive and influence connections mortals possess to the ancestral realms.A small handful of the Kitsu, however, possess a true blood lineage to their inhuman kitsu founders, and in these individuals much more significant powers can manifest.

The true-blooded Kitsu are known as sodan-senzo, and the family's sensei teach them secret techniques that evoke their hidden powers. They can not only sense ancestral connections but can actually project their souls into the spirit realms in order to interact with the souls of the dead. The Kitsu regard this as the most sacred of tasks and never undertake such a thing lightly. Some are also able to manifest a pale shadow of the original kitsu's physical abilities as well, something that has proven a fatal surprise for many of the Lion's enemies over the centuries.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Senses of the Kitsu

    The first gift of a true son of the kitsu is the ability to detect portals between the realms. Any time a spirit portal exists within a radius equal to your School Rank x 10 miles, the GM may opt to secretly make a Spellcraft / Perception (TN 25) roll to determine if you detect it. If the portal is within a number of miles equal to your School Rank or less, you pass this test automatically. Your previous School Rank increases by one for the purposes of casting spells.

  • Rank Two: Hand of the Kitsu

    Although peaceful, the kitsu were powerful warriors, and their descendants carry that potential within them. Your unarmed damage increases by an additional +0k1, representing the spiritual talons of the kitsu. You may make a Meditation Skill Roll (TN 30) to project your soul into the realms of Meido or Yomi, where you may interact with ancestral spirits (using Social Skill Rolls as normal if required).

  • Rank Three: Soul of the Kitsu

    For the true kitsu there are no boundaries. When you project your soul into the spirit realms (as described above in the Rank 2 Technique) you may take another person with you if they also succeed at the Meditation Skill Roll. This passenger may see and hear everything you experience, but may not speak. Ancestral spirits with whom you interact can sense this passenger. Additionally, you gain one additional rank in the previous School for the purpose of casting spells.

The Lion's Pride [Bushi] [CR]

The Lion's Pride is one of the most respected military units in the empire, feared for its prowess on the battlefield and its long list of successes. Only female Matsu samurai-ko can join the Lion's Pride to uphold their high standards. They live, train, and fight together as a unit at all times. On the battlefield, the Lion's Pride tries to seek out the enemy generals and kill them, destroying the enemy's battlefield efficiency.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: The Fury of Matsu

    The Lion's Pride bushi's attacks leave no room for counterattack, serving as the perfect defense. You may add +10 to your Armor TN while in the Full Attack Stance.

  • Rank Two: Paragon of Honor

    The Lion's Pride warrior knows that her devotion to her personal honor is its own reward. Opponents with lower Honor Rank within 30' may not reroll 10's. Opponents may ignore this effect for the encounter by spending 2 Void Points during the Reactions Stage of any Combat Round.

  • Rank Three: Matsu's Technique

    Even in the middle of her attacks, the Lion's Pride bushi is ready to counter any feeble attempts to strike her. When an opponent declares a melee attack against you, if you have not taken your Turn this Round, you may immediately spend a Void Point to take a Simple Action to make an attack against that Opponent. This attack resolves before your opponent's attack. If you use this Technique, you may only perform one Simple Action during your Turn this Round. (You may take Free Actions as normal.) You may use this Technique while in the Full Attack Stance

Akodo Kensai [Bushi]

The samurai of the Lion Clan value tradition above all else, and many Lion warriors follow directly in the footsteps of their ancestors. While other weapons may be better suited for the battlefield, the katana remains the icon of samurai culture. The Akodo Kensai focuses exclusively on this weapon until he can overcome its deficiencies. He pours thousands of hours of practice into kata, kenjutsu, and iaijutsu until he has a profound connection with the weapon. When he is ready, the Kensai can move and attack as if the katana were a very part of his body. He strikes with almost supernatural ease, with a grace and beauty that enthralls any who watch him.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Lion Bushi 4
  • RequirementsIaijutsu 4, Kenjutsu 5, Prodigy Advantage
  • TechniqueThe Heart of the Sword - The Akodo Kensai navigates the battlefield with his katana in his hands. He remains untouched by his enemies around him, for he can direct the flow of combat with his own attacks. While using a sword and in the Attack Stance, you may increase your Armor TN by your Honor Rank against the first melee attack of each Combat Round. Additionally, once per skirmish you may activate a Kata as a Free Action.

Akodo Siege Strategist [Bushi]

Founded by Akodo Keiichi, the Akodo Siege Strategists are trained in the art of defeating enemy castles as quickly and efficiently as possible. While they do not possess the sheer flexibility or depth of knowledge of the Kaiu Engineers, the Siege Strategist are nonetheless quite capable in their specific role. The Lion Clan's rapid capture of many enemy castles over the centuries, such as Shiro no Yogin and Kenson Gakka, is largely due to the skillful tactics of the Siege Strategist.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2 or 4
  • ReplacesAkodo Bushi 4 or Akodo Tactical Master 2
  • RequirementsBattle (Mass Battle) 6, Engineering (Seige) 4
  • TechniqueBroken by Tactics - The Akodo family's mastery of warfare does extend to sieges, and while their expertise in that domain is not so great as the Kaiu, they have attack castles over the centuries to make it a specific topic of study at the Akodo War College. When you are on the attacking side in a siege, your expertise makes it easier for your side to overcome the castle's defenses. When rolling on the Mass Battle Table under those circumstances, you always receive a Heroic Opportunity, regardless of the normal result. Any structures on the opposing side suffer a 50% penalty to their Reduction, due to your superior understanding of their weaknesses (This penalty is applied after any defending bonus to their Reduction).

De Bellis Legionnaire [Bushi]

A generation ago the Lion Clan came into possession of a most curious gaijin artifact, one of those things called a "book." But this was not simply any book, but rather a copy of De Bellis Yoditorum: an ancient treatise on the many tactics and strategies employed by the Yodotai, a vast and ruthless culture of warriors that lies far north and west of Rokugan. After significant difficulty, the Lion scholars were able to translate the text into the Rokugani language, and examination of its contents began in earnest.

Although the Lion have considerable appreciation for the information in the book, its existence has only enhanced their disgust toward cultures other than their own. Nevertheless, they have carefully studied everything within, training special units of their soldiers to employ and to counter the gaijin tactics on the field of battle. Some among the Lion believe their understanding of the book has placed them in a unique position to defeat the Yodotai, should those conquerors ever trouble the Empire. However, scholars who are more familiar with the text are deeply troubled by references that imply it is but one of a larger series of works.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAkodo Bushi 4, Matsu Bushi 4
  • RequirementsBattle 3, Lore: Gaijin (Yodotai) 1
  • TechniqueI Stand with My Brothers - Students of Yodotai tactics have honed their ability to fight as a unit to an even greater degree than normal for a Lion army, which is no mean feat. At the beginning of a skirmish, you may make a Battle / Awareness Skill Roll (TN 15) as a Free Action. If successful, you gain a number of bonus unkept dice equal to the number of allies in your group, plus one for each Raise made on the Battle roll. You may not gain more total bonus dice than twice your School Rank. You may use these bonus dice on any attack or damage rolls during the current skirmish, but cannot use more on any one roll than your School Rank. During Stance declaration, when assuming the Full Defense Stance, you may also spend these dice on your Defense Skill Roll. Unused bonus dice are lost at the end of the skirmish.

Bishamon's Chosen [Shugenja] [CR]

The Lion Clan is home to the greatest armies and generals of the Empire. The martial tradition is the center of every Lion samurai, be he a priest or a warrior. The Kitsu family largely favors the traditional paths of priesthood, but the Kitsu shugenja do not shirk their duties to the clan. Bishamon's Chosen learn to wield weapons and march into battle beside their bushi brethren. Their fervor and dedication to the Celestial Order remains pure, however, whether in the sanctity of the temple or in the chaos of the battlefield.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesKitsu Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsBattle 3
  • TechniqueScion of Strength - The Fortune of Strength shows obvious favor to those who follow his teachings without question or reservation. You may expend a spell slot as a Free Action to gain a bonus of +1k0 to any Strength-based roll, including the damage roll of a melee weapon. You may also expend a spell slot in this manner to gain a bonus of +1k0 to the Spell Casting roll made for any spell with the Battle descriptor.

Deathseeker [Bushi] [CR]

A Lion bushi holds bushido and his ancestors above all else. When he shames his ancestors by dishonoring his name, he has lost the center of his soul. He must cleanse the dishonor, typically by committing seppuku. However, the Lion also offer another choice: fighting with the Deathseekers, a unity of lightly armored warriors who seek death at the front lines of battle. They charge in without abandon and cut down their foes with no hesitation. Most Deathseekers do not survive even one year of duty.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • ReplacesAny Lion Bushi School 1
  • RequirementsHonor Rank 5+
  • TechniqueHonor of the Lion - Deathseekers redeem their dishonored names by falling in the thick of battle. You gain the Benefit, Skills, Honor, and Outfit of a Rank 1 Lion bushi (any Lion bushi school). You may add your Honor Rank to the total of one damage roll during your Turn. If you do so, your Armor TN is reduced by 5 until the Reactions Stage of the following Combat Round. Additionally, you add +1k0 to attack rolls while in the Full attack Stance.

Ikoma Historians [Courtier]

The Ikoma Historians are a specialized sub-group within the Ikoma courtly schools, recruiting students from both the Omoidasu and the Lion’s Shadow. They are an elite group within the family, charged with supervising the Empire’s official histories, and regard their duties as a sacred trust. They frequently make use of their access to the secrets of the Empire’s history to protect both Imperial and Lion interests, and most of the members of the hidden Ikoma-Shosuro alliance are drawn from their ranks.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesIkoma Bard 3, Ikoma Lion’s Shadow 3
  • RequirementsLore: History 5
  • TechniqueThe Past and the Present - The Ikoma Historians are tasked with comprehensively recording the official histories of the Empire - and also with concealing inconvenient aspects of that history. You are expected to always be ready to record the events around you, and as such you are trained to memorize and perfectly recall anything worthy of inclusion in the historical records. When you take this Path, you acquire the Advantage Forbidden Knowledge (Empire’s True History). You gain a Free Raise on all Calligraphy rolls and you may roll Lore: History / Intelligence at TN 25 to accurately recount any incident you have witnessed and any story you have heard, down to the smallest detail - including details you may have missed at the time.

Ikoma Orator [Courtier] [S&F]

Although all traditional Ikoma are trained as battle-criers, inspiring their fellow Lion on the field by recounting the deeds of their ancestors, some in the clan have found ways to adapt such methods for the courts. The Lion historians credit the first Orator as Ikoma Tasuki, a skilled courtier from the time of the Gozoku, whose intense speeches on behalf of the Empress Yugozohime were instrumental in cementing her power and convincing many former Gozoku from the Crane and Phoenix to retire or commit seppuku. After his fortieth birthday, Tasuki was permitted to start a dojo and teach his speech-making methods to other Ikoma.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesIkoma Bard 3
  • RequirementsSincerity 4, Lore: Bushido 3, Perform: Oratory 4
  • TechniqueThe Voice of Bushido - The Orators use their speechmaking powers to draw attention to the honor of their side and the dishonor of their foes. You must give a speech (suggested of at least five minutes’ length) before a court or similar audience to activate this Technique. If you are targeting an ally with the speech, you roll Perform: Oratory / Awareness at TN 30. If you are targeting an enemy, you either make the same roll (if the enemy does not respond), or make a Contested Social Roll of your Perform: Oratory / Awareness against his Sincerity / Awareness (if he does respond).A successful speech for an ally grants that ally one of the Paragon of Bushido Advantages for one week, while a successful speech against an enemy inflicts one of the Failure of Bushido Disadvantages on that enemy for one week. (If the enemy character has the corresponding Paragon of Bushido Advantage, you instead deny the use of that Advantage for one week.) You cannot affect the same person with this Technique twice in the same month. GM’s Options: GMs who wish to add more depth to the Ikoma Orator’s abilities may choose to let the target’s onor, Glory, and Infamy affect the rolls required to use the Voice of Bushido technique. When targeting an ally, the TN to bestow the Advantage is reduced by the target’s Honor Rank and Glory Rank, but increased by his Infamy Rank (if any). When targeting an enemy, the reverse applies - Honor and Glory increase the TN, while Infamy reduces it.

Ikoma Scrapper [Bushi] [S&F]

It is sometimes forgotten that Ikoma was not only a storyteller but also a rather vicious hand-to-hand fighter. In modern times, much of Ikoma’s less-reputable legacy is found in the obscure Lion’s Shadow school, but the Lion Clan also maintains a more public and honorable dojo which teaches a simple hand-to-hand technique inspired by Ikoma’s legacy.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAkodo Bushi 4, Matsu Berserker 4, Ikoma Lion’s Shadow 4, Ikoma Bard 4
  • RequirementsStrength 4, Jiujutsu 5
  • TechniqueEvery Scar Has a Name - The Scrapper learns that so long as he can call on the same courage and ruthlessness as Ikoma himself, he is never truly unarmed. You may attack as a Simple Action with unarmed strikes and improvised weapons (if you did not already have the ability to do so). Your vicious attacks can disorient and terrify your opponents. Once per skirmish, if you strike unarmed or with an improvised weapon, you may call two Raises to make your attack inflict a Fear effect on the target, with a Rank equal to your Insight Rank.

Ikoma Warden [Bushi]

Although it was not until the Unicorn Clan returned to the Empire that the armies of the Great Clans truly embraced the value of cavalry forces, the Lion had maintained a small cavalry force for centuries before that, dating back almost to the time of the Empire’s founding. While the Akodo and the Matsu have always prepared for war, the Ikoma have often been relegated to ensuring the security and lawfulness of the Lion provinces. For this reason, the Ikoma Wardens were created. The wardens exist to patrol the perimeter and interior of the Lion provinces, traditionally moving along well-traveled and carefully controlled routes throughout the land. They hold magistrate status within the clan, although if they attempt to use this authority outside the rather limited parameters of their normal activities they can be called upon to explain themselves by virtually anyone. The wardens are easily the most capable horsemen in the Lion Clan, and are frequently called upon to supply cavalry forces not only for the Ikoma army, but the Akodo and Matsu forces as well. For this reason, those families often send individuals to train with their Ikoma cousins, and the number of wardens serving the clan at any one time is much larger than one would expect from a group intended for patrol and law enforcement.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAkodo Bushi 2 or Ikoma Lions Shadow 2
  • RequirementsHorsemanship 3
  • TechniqueTo Race the Wind - A true warden understands that mounted warfare is as natural as fighting among the glorious Lion infantry. When Mounted, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to all Bugei Skill Rolls. Additionally, when spending a Void Point to augment a Horsemanship or Investigation Skill Roll, you gain a bonus of +2k2 instead of +1k1.

Kitsu Spirit Legion [Shugenja]

Formed during the twelfth century, the Spirit Legion is comprised of a handful of Kitsu shugenja with the ability to reach across the boundaries of the Spirit Realms and summon the spirits of those realms to serve them. The ability cannot be taught - one must be born to it = and those with the gift are quite rare.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesKitsu Shugenja 4
  • RequirementsMust be born with the spiritual gifts required to serve in the Spirit Legion. This is essentially a character-development/role-play constraint which should be discussed between player and GM.
  • TechniqueThe Legions of the Dead - The handful of Spirit Legionnaires are able to pull aside the veil of the Spirit Realms and call forth the spirits themselves to defend their family. You may conduct a ritual that opens a portal and summons forth a spirit to fight in your place. This is a Complex Action that requires you to expend 2 spell slots associated with one Element of your choice and spend a Void Point. the spirit appears as an armored warrior with the Spirit trait and with all Rings at 2 except for the Ring whose slots you sacrificed; that Ring begins at 3. The spirit is considered to have Kenjutsu 3 and Defense 2, and is equipped with a spectral daisho and light armor. These spirits remain in the mortal realm for a number of hours equal to your Kitsu Shugenja School Rank, or until dismissed by you.

Lion Paragon [Bushi]

The samurai class lives by the Code of Bushido, but the stresses and temptations of everyday life makes strict adherence to Bushido nearly impossible. The Lion Paragons persevere through these obstacles, striving to be ideal samurai. The Paragons follow an ancient technique that benefits from their focus and strength of will, and pass it on to those who possess the same qualities. The Paragons are well known to all Lion and their technique continues to be passed down from one generation to the next.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAny Lion Bushi 3
  • RequirementsVoid Ring 4, Kenjutsu 5, Honor Rank 7
  • TechniquePure and Dedicated - The Lion Paragon lives by the tenets of Bushido, and the strength of his devotion allows him to push himself beyond his physical limits. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action. However, if you choose to do so, you may only make one attack that Turn. (This prohibits you from making any additional attacks, even with the Extra Attack Maneuver.) Once per skirmish, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to activate this Technique. Your Honor Rank is considered to be double for the purposes of your other School Techniques. (For example, if you are a Matsu Bushi, you add double your Honor Rank to all damage rolls from your Rank 1 Technique.) This effect may increase your Honor Rank above 10, but does not stack with any other effects that modify Technique bonuses; in such a case, choose the highest modifier. The effects of this Technique end when the encounter ends.

Lion Scout [Bushi]

Akodo's treatise on warfare emphasized the necessity of knowledge. He knew a skilled corps of scouts could determine the result of battle even before it began. Hiding is considered a dishonorable act, but the Lion Scouts are willing to swallow their pride and accomplish what must be done. The Akodo and Ikoma both train scouts to be adept at avoiding the enemy and surveying the terrain, working to garner even the slightest advantage against their enemies.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Lion Bushi 2
  • RequirementsBattle 2, Hunting 3
  • TechniqueShadow Unseen - The Lion Scout cultivates all the skills required to fulfill his tasks, setting aside his own honor for his clan. You may move at a normal rate while using the Stealth Skill, and you gain a +1k0 bonus to Stealth Skill Rolls and all Agility-based Bugei Skills.

Lion Tactician (Ikoma Tactician) [Bushi] [S&F]

The Lion Clan’s famous War College is best known for training the brilliant shireikan and generals known as the Akodo Tactical Masters. However, the school also offers specialized training to the most promising lower ranking officers, such as gunso and chui, to enhance the performance of smaller units in the Lion armies. Through most of the Empire’s history these men are known simply as Lion Tacticians, but in the twelfth century the generation-long disbandment of the Akodo family results in a large number of Ikoma samurai training in this technique, and many Lion take to calling them the Ikoma Tacticians.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Lion Bushi 4, Ikoma Bard 4
  • RequirementsBattle 4, War Fan 4, must be at least a Gunso in rank.
  • TechniqueThe Commander's Fan - Lion officers usually carry a war-fan in order to use it for conveying orders on the battlefield. Early on, they discovered the fan could also be used to protect themselves when they came under attack on the battlefield. You gain a +1k1 bonus to Battle (Mass Battle) rolls in any situation where your war-fan makes it easier for you to convey orders (GM’s discretion). While you are carrying a war-fan (regardless of which hand you are using), you may add half your Warfans Skill Rank (rounded up) to your Armor TN. If you are in the Defense or Full Defense Stance, or you are ONLY carrying a war-fan, you may add your full Skill Rank instead. (These do not stack, and carrying two war-fans does not double the bonus.)

Lioness Legion [Bushi]

Founded centuries ago by a legendary Matsu sensei, the Lioness Legion has since its inception been feared by the clan’s enemies for the sheer speed with which it can assault any enemy fortification, no matter how distant. Indeed, it is said by those who have had the grave misfortune of facing the Lioness Legion in battle that they combine the speed of cavalry with the unbridled ferocity of the Matsu, a combination that would give nightmares to any rational enemy commander. The Lioness Legion is typically composed of very young warriors, women in the prime of their physical condition, who are chosen for their natural athleticism and trained ruthlessly to exploit that advantage, as well as to combine it with advanced martial training. Although males are not permitted to join the unit, the techniques used in their training have been granted to lesser sensei among the family and a male equivalent unit, the Lion’s Mane, have begun to take the field of battle in certain engagements.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesMatsu Berserker 2, Akodo Bushi 2, or Matsu Beastmaster 2
  • RequirementsAthletics 3
  • TechniqueCharge of the Pride - The Lioness Legion is feared for many reasons, but the greatest among them is their fleetness on the field of battle. When in the Full Attack Stance, any movement you make during the course of the Round gains an additional 5 feet (this benefit is only gained once per Round). Additionally, as a Complex Move Action, you may move your Water Ring x25 feet.

The Disciples of the River [Shugenja]

Founded by Kitsu Sonosuke, the Disciples recruit those in the Kitsu family who are talented shugenja but lack the pure bloodlines to become Sodan-Senzo or the militant spirit to join Bishamon’s Chosen. They devote themselves to venerating the spirits of the Empire’s rivers, great and small, and their power serves the Lion Clan in many ways, from irrigating local rice paddies to defending the clan’s northern border or moving troops and supplies safely along waterways. The Disciples are seen as eccentric but well-meaning and honorable by the rest of their clan. New Alternate Path:

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesKitsu Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsWay of the Land Advantage for an area with a river.
  • TechniqueServant of the River - The Disciples of the River take the concept of Water magic much more literally than do most of the Kitsu family. Their approach is more like that of a Phoenix, although none would ever admit such (and they would be insulted by the comparison). When casting a Water spell while standing within one hundred feet of a naturally occurring river, you gain one Free Raise on that spell.

Kitsune Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The Fox Clan is located next to one of the largest forests in Rokugan, a fact that has shaped the direction of their lessons. Each Kitsune shugenja gains a love for the spirits and the tranquility of the deep forest after countless hours meditating within its borders. This connection between man and beast is encouraged and strengthened with comprehensive lessons.

The Kitsune's love for nature is evident in the abilities taught at their school. The Kitsune can connect with the wilderness and the animals that inhabit it. It is a versatile technique that can be vital to the Kitsune shugenja's duties, and few from other schools can duplicate the Fox's abilities.

  • Benefit+1Stamina
  • SkillsCalligraphy, Defense, Hunting, Medicine (Herbalism), Meditation, Spellcraft, any one High or Bugei skill
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyEarth / Air
  • TechniqueEssence of Chikushudo - None in the Empire are closer to the ways of nature than the simple Kitsune who make the wilderness their home. You may use the Sense, Commune, and summon basic spells to affect the animal spirits of Chikushudo as well as kami (using Summon results in the appearance of a single animal spirit rather than a set amount of the elemental material). Animal spirits tend to be more direct than kami, and perceive things differently, but have just as little sense of why man does what he does. You gain a Free Raise on any non-damaging spell cast on an animal.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Water, and 1 Fire

Mantis Brawler [Bushi]

For most of its history the Mantis Clan has included a strong element of disreputable piracy and black-market smuggling. Although the clan has occasionally made efforts to purge these criminals from its ranks (especially after it attained Great Clan status), they have never been fully eliminated. The various efforts to purge them have, however, ensured that their fighting techniques may be found among ronin, commoner wako (pirate gangs), and numerous smuggling cartels as well as within the clan's own ranks.

The fighting techniques of the Mantis Brawlers are even more unconventional than those of the regular Yoritomo bushi. They are born out of the violence of dirty shipboard fights and drunken bar-brawls and passed down parent to child through direct instruction (often of a rather unusual kind) rather than in a formal setting of a dojo. Some tales about this fighting form have claimed it is found in the Brotherhood of Shinsei as well, or perhaps even originated among misbehaving drunken monks and spread from there to the Mantis Clan. Whatever the case may be, this unconventional fighting style continues to prosper among Mantis and criminals alike.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Way of Drunken Fists

    The basic techniques of the Mantis brawlers are based on the need to prevail in chaotic fights on tilting ship decks... or when reeling drunk through a sake house. Brawlers are tough and slippery fighters who evade the grip of their enemies while striking them at every opportunity. If you are Prone, you do not suffer any penalties to your Armor TN or to your attacks with Small weapons (or when unarmed). You still gain the Prone Armor TN bonus against ranged attacks. Also, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to rolls made to take control of Grapples and to your damage rolls with unarmed strikes, improvised weapons, and small weapons.

  • Rank Two: Drunk Loses His Sandal

    Mantis brawlers learn to be swift and flexible fighters who attack their foes from unexpected directions, often deliberately offering the appearance of weakness in order to create openings. If you successfully perform the Feint maneuver, you may choose to reduce the extra damage from the Feint by 5 in order to add +5 to your Armor TN until the start of the next Turn; if you were Prone when you perform the Feint, you add +10 instead.

    Also, immediately after an enemy attack resolves against you (whether or not the attack hit or inflicted damage on you), you may take a Free Action to become Prone.

  • Rank Three: Drunk Never Falls

    The third lesson of the Mantis brawler is to win even when exhausted, dead drunk, or clubbed on the head. During a skirmish, you do not suffer penalties for being Fatigued or Dazed, nor do you suffer any penalties for intoxication. If you become Stunned, you may still take one Simple Action per Round.

  • Rank Four: Two Drunks Dance

    The erratic bobbing, squirming, and weaving of the Mantis brawler creates additional opportunities for him to attack his foe. You may attack as a Simple Action when fighting unarmed, with an improvised weapon, or with a small weapon.

  • Rank Five: Drunk Pounds a Door

    The final lesson of the Mantis Brawler is to strike so hard his foe never gets the chance to strike back. When making a melee attack you may spend a Void Point to deliver a fierce shattering blow; this attack gains a bonus of +4k1 to both the attack roll and the damage roll. If you are Prone, the bonus is +4k2 instead.

Moshi Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The practices of the Moshi shugenja were developed over the course of many years spent in unwavering devotion to the Sun Goddess. Despite the celestial upheaval that has occurred within the Celestial Order during Rokugan's history, the Moshi have managed to retain their devotion even if the nature of their magical studies has changed somewhat. Since joining the Mantis Clan, their focus has shifted from one of pure theology to more practical concerns, and they excel at invoking the kami who hold sway over the weather. As such, the Moshi, who are far more numerous than the modest Yoritomo bloodline that maintains its own shugenja tradition, are frequently stationed aboard Yoritomo vessels in order to placate the seas during the clan's all-important mercantile voyages.

Like their Yoritomo kinsmen, the Moshi are highly adaptable. Their ability to gain an additional Affinity during the day, particularly since it is not accompanied by an additional Deficiency, allows them extreme versatility in their spell-casting choices, enough to rival even the Isawa of the Phoenix Clan.

  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Divination, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft: any two High or Bugei Skills
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 10 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyAir / Earth
  • TechniqueFavor of the Sun - No family has been more reverent of the various incarnations of the Sun throughout their history, and their piety has granted them great favor with the Heavens. During the day, you gain an additional Affinity for Fire spells. This benefit is lost at night. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Thunder keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Air and 3 Fire spells

Tsuruchi Archer [Bushi] [CR]

Even before joining the Mantis, when they were the Wasp Clan, there was little question that the Tsuruchi were the greatest archers in the Empire. That they have so embraced this as to virtually put aside the study of the blade, however, has often caused others to look at them with great suspicion. The Tsuruchi rarely care, however; they believe in the purity of the bow, and while their sensei teach proficiency with other weapons as well, such are purely secondary concerns. The Tsuruchi Techniques are the epitome of the Rokugani philosophy of archery, which is that the arrow knows the way, and should be fired without hesitation or aiming.

The Tsuruchi Techniques focus almost exclusively on ranged combat, an area in which they are unquestionably the finest in all the Empire. while this is a considerable advantage, when pressed into melee, a Tsuruchi will be badly outclassed by virtually any other bushi School.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Always Be Ready

    The Tsuruchi Archer must be prepared to fight against his foes with little warning. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls using a bow. Additionally, you gain a bonus of +3 to your Initiative Score.

  • Rank Two: The Arrow Knows the Way

    A Tsuruchi must not aim, but simply allow the arrow to follow its own path. You gain one Free Raise that can only be used to make the Called Shot Maneuver. Additionally, you gain a bonus of +2k0 to the total of all damage rolls while using a bow.

  • Rank Three: The Wasp's Sting

    Tsuruchi's technique teaches its students uncanny speed. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using a bow.

  • Rank Four: Flight of No-Mind

    The true archer does not concern himself with the arrow, but exists only to loose it. Once per skirmish, you may spend a Void Point as a Complex Action to shoot an arrow that knows exactly where it must go. This attack ignores all effects of armor, as well as any penalties from Wound Ranks or visibility. You may make Raises but you cannot perform the Extra Attack Maneuver for this attack.

    You may not shoot a target that is further than your bow's normal range with this Technique.

  • Rank Five: Tsuruchi's Eye

    The final lesson of Tsuruchi is that there is nothing that cannot be felled by a single arrow. You may make a ranged attack as a Complex Action to gain a bonus of +4k1 to the total of both attack and damage rolls. You may not use this Technique in conjunction with Flight of No-Mind.

Tsuruchi Bounty Hunter [Bushi]

During the early days of the Tsuruchi family when they were known simply as the Wasp Clan, the vassals of Tsuruchi were well known for two things: their incredible skill at archery and their unwavering tenacity as bounty hunters. The clan was authorized by the Emerald Champion to hunt down fugitives from justice for a fee, and for many years the Wasp survived largely on the income generated by this practice. Although many samurai condemned this mercenary practice, no one could deny Tsuruchi prowess and few clan magistrates refused to employ them.

Since the Tsuruchi family joined the Mantis clan, its two iconic pursuits have separated somewhat, becoming distinct schools which young Tsuruchi may choose between depending on their aptitudes and preferences. The majority choose to pursue a career as soldiers and archers within the Mantis military (the Tsuruchi Archer School), but a select few continue the family's original tradition by becoming members of the small but famed Tsuruchi Bounty Hunter School.

Members of the Tsuruchi Bounty Hunters are usually treated as clan magistrates within the Tsuruchi provinces and often within the Mantis Clan's territory as a whole. The contract between Tsuruchi and the Emerald Champion still exists and thus the family can impart authority to a select number of students that is roughly equivalent to an Emerald Magistrate, at least insofar as the ability to apprehend known criminals. The Tsuruchi are extremly cautious in whom they trust such authority, however, since they are keenly aware the contract could be nullified if it is abused or misused.

Tsuruchi Bounty Hunters traverse the Empire in search of fugitives, those accused of crimes by superior authorities who have escaped the justice they deserve. Although they can technically only hunt those decried by an Imperial authority, the Tsuruchi also accept individual bounties from clans or families who wish their assistance. Bounties are usually a number of koku equal to the Insight Rank of the target. This fee is doubled if the target is a violent criminal or a shugenja, and may increase even further if special or unusual circumstances apply.

Techniques
  • Rank One: A Hunter's Sense

    A Tsuruchi bounty hunter is well known as a fierce and terrible opponent of all who seek to evade justice, and even those who are without guilt find them intimidating. You gain a bonus of +1k1 to any Intimidation Skill Roll used against someone of lower caste who you believe can help you find your prey. When interacting with samurai, this bonus is reduced to +1k0 but applies to all Social Skill Rolls, not just Intimidation. Also, when you are hunting a particular target, you may roll additional unkept dice equal to your School Rank or any Hunting or Investigation Skill Rolls used to track the quarry down.

  • Rank Two: No Prey Escapes

    A true master of the Tsuruchi method has an encyclopedic knowledge of criminals throughout the Empire and can use them as tools to capture his prey. You may spend a Void Point to automatically succeed at a Lore: Underworld Skill Roll to identify any criminals in an area who you might be able to press for information regarding your prey. You lose Honor as normal for associating with such individuals, however.

  • Rank Three: Justice of the Wasp

    The Tsuruchi hunters are merciless, but have a reputation for bringing their prey back alive to suffer a proper sentence for their criminal acts. When facing an opponent who has been declared guilty of a crime by an Imperial or a higher Mantis authority, you may make the Disarm or Knockdown Maneuvers for one Raise less than normal. If you successfully execute one of these Maneuvers against an opponent, that opponent is automatically Dazed.

  • Rank Four: Twin Sting Strike

    The justice of a Tsuruchi is swift and without mercy. You may make ranged attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a yumi. Additionally, if facing any target decreed guilty of a crime by an Imperial or a higher Mantis authority, you may also make melee attacks as a Simple Action when wielding a katana or any knife.

  • Rank Five: Eyes of the Wasp

    The worst truth a bounty hunter learns is that anyone can be a fugitive; thus a bounty hunter makes careful assessments of everyone he meets. When you identify a samurai using a Lore: Heraldry Skill Roll, you not only learn his Glory but also his Honor Rank and all Social and Mental Disadvantages. Also, any opponent who may be targeted by your Rank 3 Technique is now automatically Dazed if you successfully hit them with an attack, regardless of whether or not you use a Disarm or Knockdown Maneuver on them.

Yoritomo Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The Yoritomo are masters of the sea, and as a result of centuries spent fighting from ship to ship and on the beaches, their fighting style is highly unusual. The pitching and rolling of the waves has been incorporated into their style, which uses more movement than many major Schools. Likewise the Yoritomo have learned that protracted fighting is almost always detrimental to naval combat, and they have learned to ruthlessly exploit any weakness in their opponents' defenses. Finally, the corrosive effect of sea air on steel is well known, and as a result the Mantis have centuries of experience fighting with highly unconventional weaponry, in particular the kind of weapon most often relegated to peasants.

The Yoritomo Techniques essentially focus on dabbling in a little bit of everything. They have potent attacks, unhindered movement, and can cripple an opponent's Armor TN, among other things. The Yoritomo are jacks of all trades, but master of none, making them highly adaptable assets in a skirmish.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Mantis

    Mantis bushi learn to fight on the pitching decks of ships and to use anything within reach as a weapon. You suffer no penalties to movement or attacks for rough or uneven terrain. You do not lose Glory or Honor when using improvised weapons, or weapons with the Peasant keyword, in combat. You suffer no penalties for fighting with a Small or Medium weapon in your off-hand if that weapon has the Peasant keyword. finally, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to all attack rolls.

  • Rank Two: Voice of the Storm

    Your wild, unfettered attacks disorient your opponent and opens holes in his defenses. Every time you hit an opponent in melee, his Armor TN is reduced by 5. This penalty only applies to your attacks, and lasts for 2 Rounds. This Technique is cumulative (a number of times equal to your School Rank), and the duration resets with each application.

  • Rank Three: Strike of the Mantis

    A Yoritomo strikes as swiftly as the storm. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while using weapons with the Samurai or Peasant keyword.

  • Rank Four: The Rolling Wave

    The Yoritomo Bushi reacts with the flow of combat, deftly dodging blows while reaching his target. If you move at least 5 feet, you gain a bonus of +10 to your Armor TN until your next Turn. You may sacrifice this bonus during your Turn before you roll any attack to gain two Free Raises that may only be used to perform the Knockdown Maneuver.

  • Rank Five: Hand of Osano-Wo

    The Yoritomo Bushi strikes with brutal force, digging his weapons deep into his target. You may choose to activate this Technique by spending a Void Point as a Free Action. You keep an additional number of damage dice equal to your Strength. If these attacks hit a Prone target, you gain a bonus of +0k2 to the total of your damage rolls against that target.

Yoritomo Courtier [Courtier] [CR]

Left to their own devices by an Empire that largely discounted them, the Yoritomo family refused to disappear, instead devoting their considerable resources to every possible aspect of a Clan's normal development. Understanding the impact that trained courtiers could have on their mercantile interests, the Yoritomo developed a School to serve them in that regard. Although successful in business endeavors, the Yoritomo courtiers have only rarely made strides in court, historically speaking, because of their brusque manner and dependence upon intimidation. Since their elevation to Great Clan status, however, they increased clout of Mantis possess has diminished the need for these tactics, and the Yoritomo Courtier School has begun to see more success in different political arenas.

The Yoritomo Techniques specialize in intimidation and, frankly, bullying. This makes them particularly effective when facing opponents unaccustomed to such tactics, or who are weak-willed. Unfortunately, more capable opponents such as the Crane or Scorpion may well be completely immune to a Yoritomo's primary abilities.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Duty Before Honor

    Like the Yasuki, the Mantis Courtiers are merchants as well as diplomats, and they cultivate a personal style built around intimidation rather than friendship. Furthermore, they spend much of their lives outside of the courts dealing with some of the more unsavory characters in Rokugan. You do not lose Glory or Honor for using the Commerce Skill in public, and you do not lose Honor for using the Intimidation (Control) skill. Any time you are making Social Skill Rolls against ronin, bandits, gang members, mercenaries, pirates, and other lawless types, you gain a number of Free Raises equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Two: Storm Heart

    When the time comes to act in courts, the Yoritomo eschew the eloquent words of the Doji or the subtle gibes of the Scorpion in favor of straightforward bullying, browbeating friend and foe alike into accepting their position. When you use the Intimidation (Control) Skill, your Willpower is considered to be one Rank higher. When you use the Intimidation (Control) skill against a samurai with lower Status Rank than you, your Willpower is considered two Ranks higher instead.

  • Rank Three: Command the Winds

    The Mantis are taught to put the force of their boorish and aggressive behavior behind their words in court, making it difficult to tell whether they are lying or telling the truth. A number of times per session equal to your School rank, if you have failed a Sincerity Social Skill Roll, you may re-roll it as an Intimidation (Control) Social Skill Roll instead. You must take the result of the Intimidation roll.

  • Rank Four: Will of the Storm

    An experienced Mantis has learned to shatter and demoralize his opponents in court with his mere presence. When initiating a conversation with someone, you may make a Contested roll of your Intimidation (Control) / Willpower against his Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. If you win the roll, he cannot spend any Void points against you for the next hour. Also, during that time he suffers a -3k0 penalty to all Social Rolls made against you. (This Technique cannot be used again until its effect expires.)

  • Rank Five: Strength in All Things

    At this Rank the Mantis courtier's iron willpower and threatening nature have reached perfection, allowing him to overcome all foes and to laugh in the face of threats that would make even a Hida bushi turn pale. Any time you are attempting to use the Intimidation skill against someone else, or are rolling to resist an Intimidation or Temptation Skill roll or a Fear effect, you gain a bonus of +5k0 to the roll.

Yoritomo Shugenja [Shugenja]

There are few families in the Empire as diverse and ambitious as the Yoritomo, so it is no surprise the family supports a small number of shugenja. The tradition stems back to the earliest day of the Mantis Clan. Kaimetsu-Uo, the clan's founder, had no capacity to speak to the kami, but one of his daughters did and she married a ronin who possessed the same ability. Thus began a branch of the Yoritomo family that possesses an unparalleled ability to commune with the spirits of the sea and storm.

For centuries, the small number of Yoritomo shugenja have maintained an inexplicably powerful link to the spirits of the sea and to a lesser extent the spirits of wind and storms. The Moshi have proven more capable in the latter since their induction into the clan, but no shugenja in the Empire is at home on the seas as one from the Yoritomo family. The school maintains a number of small temples throughout the Mantis islands, but none are as well known as the infamous Tempest Island, a small island renowned for the battering it receives during storm season. It is here the most powerful among the Yoritomo hone their skills and power, making themselves a force to be reckoned with throughout the whole of Rokugan.

  • Benefit+1Perception
  • SkillsAthletics, Calligraphy, Knives, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Sailing (Navigation), any 1 Skill
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 10 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyWater / Earth
  • TechniqueChild of the Sea - The family line of the Yoritomo who possess the talent for magic have a strong bond with the sea and with weather as a whole. You may expend one spell slot to alter the wind conditions in your current location by one degree. If you also spend a Void Point, you may instead shift the entire weather status one degree. You may expend a maximum combined total of spell slots and/or Void Points equal to your School Rank each Round to enact these shifts. These shifts affect an area a number of miles equal to your School Rank in all directions from your current location. You also gain a Free Raise on all spells with the Thunder keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Water spells, 2 Fire spells, and 1 Air spell

Kobune Captain [Bushi] [EE]

The majority of the Mantis Clan's holdings are removed from the mainland by a vast expanse of sea, resting amid the Islands of Silk and Spice. The clan has lived this way for one thousand years; although the ascension of the Mantis to Great Clan status resulted in the addition of small mainland provinces held by the Tsuruchi and Moshi (and later the Kitsune), the lifeblood of the Yoritomo family still flows through the fleets of kobune that ferry materials and personnel back and forth to the mainland. The captains of these vessels are the trusted servants of the Mantis Clan Champion, and are responsible for ensuring their clan endures and prospers in spite of the perpetual threats they face from enemies, pirates, weather, and any other number of other hazards. Young samurai look upon these masters of the wave as an inspiration, admiring them for their bravery, their reputation, and their wealth. If some are possessed by the stereotypical arrogance of the Yoritomo family, it is at least well deserved, for they are surely the true sons and daughters of the clan founder Kaimetsu-uo and the chief bearers of his legacy in the modern Empire.

Requirements:
  • Rings/TraitsWater 3
  • SkillsCommerce 4, Knives 3, Sailing 4
  • OtherMust possess the Leadership Advantage, and have been appointed to a position of command within the Mantis Clan
Techniques
  • Rank One: The Joy of Plunder

    The promotion to the rank of captain in the Mantis navy is one that comes with considerable benefit and reputation. Your Status Rank is considered one higher when interacting with all members of the Mantis Clan and with any merchants from the heimin caste. When you spend a Void Point to augment any Merchant Skill, you gain +2k2 instead of +1k1. Once per month you may make a Commerce / Intelligence Roll (TN 25) and gain an amount of koku equal to the amount by which your roll exceeds the TN.

  • Rank Two: Strength of the Mantis

    The true measure of a captain is the quality of those who pledge their loyalty to him. You gain 30 Experience Points which may only be used to purchase the Servants Advantage. The servants purchased in this manner represent a portion of your crew. Budoka servants purchased in this manner are instead considered to be Rank 1 Yoritomo Bushi. You may also spend 10 points to gain a Rank 1 Moshi Shugenja as your navigator. The shugenja is considered to have Air 3 rather than all Rings at 2.

  • Rank Three: Master of the Seas

    A true captain of the Mantis Clan excels in all areas pertaining to his duties. You may spend a Void Point on any Merchant Skill Roll (excluding Craft Skills) to replace the normal amount you would roll with 10k10. You may also add a bonus of +3k0 to all Bugei Skill Rolls made while onboard a water-borne vessel.

Storm Riders [Shugenja] [CR]

The Storm Riders are the elite shugenja unit at the heart of the Mantis Clan's armadas. They devote all of their studies to the ocean and the water kami that flow around the Mantis islands. The Storm Riders are the undisputed masters of the sea, and they strive to maintain their connection to the waves at all times. The Storm Riders' value in naval combat is fearsome, a deadly threat to any who might challenge the Mantis Clan's dominance of the waters.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Strength of Suitengu

    The Storm Riders are at home on the seas, navigating with an ease envied by all who see them. Your Shugenja School Rank is considered one higher for purposes of casting Water spells. You may spend a Void Point to release a lightning bolt from your hands as a Complex Action. This bolt strikes one target within a range of 10' x our Water Ring. It rolls and keeps a number of damage dice equal to your Air Ring. You may expend spell slots to increase the damage of this bolt by +1k0 per spell slot expended, up to a maximum of your Storm Rider Rank.

  • Rank Two: The Raging Ocean

    The Storm Rider's connection to the ocean allows him to extend beyond his limits. Your Shugenja School Rank increases by one. You Water Ring is considered 2 ranks higher for purposes of determining the number of spells you may cast per day.

  • Rank Three: Child of Osano-Wo

    The Storm Riders are the descendants of the Fortune of Fire and Thunder, and their blessings protect them from his domain. Your Shugenja School Rank is considered 1 higher for the purpose of casting Water spells. You may spend A Void Point as a Free Action to gain immunity to all spells possessing the Thunder keyword for 3 rounds. This ability only affects spells of Mastery Level 3 and lower.

Acolyte of Thunder [Shugenja]

The guidance of the Oracle of Thunder allows the shugenja of the Mantis Clan to discover new ways to call on the power of Thunder.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesYoritomo Shugenja 4
  • RequirementsFire 3, Void 4
  • TechniqueThunder's Call - The Acolytes of Thunder can call on the power of the great Thunder Dragon to smite their enemies. You may cast the spell Fury of Osano-Wo as a Simple Action by sacrificing a spell slot in any Element. Your Raises for damage on that spell award +1k1 per Raise instead of +1k0.

Children of Chikushodo [Shugenja]

Perhaps no family in the Empire is so keenly attuned to the ways of the Realm of Animals as the Kitsune family. Throughout their long history, first as the Fox Clan and later as a family of the Mantis Clan, certain individuals within their ranks appear to be able to slip free of the normal confines of Earth magic and accomplish amazing feats through their pacts with the animal spirits of Chikushudo.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesKitsune Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsHunting 3, Lore: Spirit Realms (Chikushudo) 2
  • TechniqueBorn of the Earth - A master of earth's intricacies can project his mind into the soil and be born again in the form of an animal. If you are sitting upon the bare earth, you may sacrifice two Earth spell slots and make a Meditation Skill Roll (TN 15). After ten minutes of meditation, you fall into a deep trance and a natural animal erupts forth from the ground before your body. Your mind inhabits and controls this animal form until you choose to end the effect, your real body is harmed or disturbed, the animal form is killed - in any of those circumstances, the animal form crumbles into dirt and your consciousness returns to your real body. You must choose any one natural animal, either from the Book of the Void in the L5R RPG core rulebook or Chapter One of the source book Enemies of the Empire, as the form you adopt. if the animal form has higher physical or mental Trait Ranks than you, you use the animal's form's Traits - otherwise, you use your own. You gain any and all abilities of the creature, but cannot speak (and thus cannot cast spells) while in the animal's body.

Cliff’s Edge Student [Bushi]

The Mantis love chain weapons, especially the kusarigama ; which was wielded by none other than their clan founder, Kaimetsu-Uo. Basic Mantis chain weapon training is similar to the training in other clans, but the clan’s most advanced chain-weapon fighters train in the Cliff’s Edge Dojo, learning specialized maneuvers taught only by the most experienced sensei. Many students undertake special pilgrimages to be able to truly master the Mantis techniques.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3 or 4
  • ReplacesTsuruchi Bounty Hunter 3, Yoritomo Bushi 4
  • RequirementsAgility 4, Chain Weapons 5
  • TechniqueHowl of the Cliff’s Edge - The Mantis who train at Cliff’s Edge Dojo are particularly fond of using the kusarigama to trip, disarm, and otherwise disable their foes. When using a kusarigama to make a Knockdown or Disarm maneuver, you gain a +2k1 bonus to your attack roll. You may call three Raises on an attack with a kusarigama to Entangle an opponent up to 15’ away (as per the Entangled condition). The condition lasts until you voluntarily release the foe (as a Free Action), or the foe succeeds in a Contested Strength Roll against you (as a Simple Action).

Kitsune Artisan [Artisan]

For much of their history, the Kitsune people have been sequestered in their own small region of the Empire, struggling for survival and attempting to overcome the many deficits of resources that have plagued them since their creation as the Fox Clan a thousand years ago. Because of their struggle for survival, the Kitsune have rarely possessed the resources to devote any time or energy to the pursuit of the arts. Despite this, however, a unique tradition of artistry has arisen among their ranks, a testament to the notion that the soul of a samurai yearns for beauty, no matter his surroundings. Those who have spent time in the forest have learned to see the beauty of their surroundings, appreciating it for exactly what it is, and leave their mark upon it in delicate ways. The most unique aspect of the Kitsune artisan tradition, however, is that in its purest state, it is performed without damaging the materials from which it is created. Living sculptures are created from the trunks of trees that continue to grow and thrive following their creation. Others are crafted from boulders that remain in place, continuing to support whatever lay atop them with no loss of stability. With the increase in the family’s profile as part of their incorporation into the Mantis Clan, they were called upon to create more permanent, traditional works of art for the benefit of their clan’s court endeavors, but the spirit of their work remains the same. The removal of their creations has caused some degree of discomfort to many Kitsune artisans, but the strange nature of their craft is such that it has become an instant sensation in many courts, and the displays found in Broken Wave City are among the most popular in the current court season.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesKitsune Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsAny one Artisan or Craft Skill at 3
  • TechniqueThe Beauty of the World - A master of the Kitsune naturalist art style can craft incredible beauty out of any aspect of the world, be it wood, stone, or whatever can be found in nature. When working with natural materials, you may expend an Earth spell slot to gain a bonus of +1k0 on any Artisan or Craft Skill Roll. You may expend a number of spell slots in this manner equal to your School Rank, and this may be used in conjunction with Void Points.

Kitsune Ranger [Bushi]

At their heart the Kitsune are a simple people who have weathered the centuries due to their unique harmony with the forest and spirits around them. Although many of the family possesses the ability to speak with the kami, there are plenty in each generation who are unable to do so. These men and women still serve their clan, however, and still possess the same link their kinsmen enjoy with the wilderness. They are among the finest woodsmen to be found anywhere in the Empire.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Mantis Bushi 2
  • RequirementsHunting 3
  • TechniqueOne With the Wild - Although they do not possess an ability to speak to the kami, the Kitsune rangers are at home in the wilderness like few others in the Empire. You gain a Free Raise on all Hunting Skill Rolls and on any Stealth Skill Rolls made while in a rural environment. Additionally, you gain a bonus of +2k0 on any Contested Roll involving detection, whether you are avoiding detection or attempting to detect a hidden opponent.

Mantis Navigator [Shugenja] [CR]

The Mantis Clan is the undisputed master of the seas. Each captain of their ships is trained to handle the worst the waters can throw at him. The Mantis Navigator, meanwhile, can solve any problems beyond the abilities of a normal man. His mastery of the seas is unparalleled; his whispered prayers can calm the roughest seas and clear the darkest skies. The crew can rest easy , knowing the Navigator will get them back to land without fail.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAny Mantis Shugenja School, Rank 3
  • RequirementsSailing (Navigation) 3
  • TechniqueThe Fortunes' Guidance - The shugenja who serve the Mantis are taught many techniques that allow them to placate the elements, even under extreme circumstances. When confronted with difficult weather conditions, you may negate them by spending a Void Point as a Simple Action. This affects an area equal to your School Rank x 20 feet in all directions of you. In a skirmish, this effect last a number of Rounds equal to your School Rank. Outside of combat, this effect lasts a number of hours equal to your School Rank. If the weather effect being negated is the result of a spell, you may only negate spells with a Mastery Level equal or less than your School Rank, and then only bey spending a number of spell slots equal to the Mastery Level in addition to the Void Point.

Mantis Orochi Rider [Bushi] [S&F]

The strange origins and history of the special groups known as the Orochi Riders are explained in the L5R 4th Edition supplements Enemies of the Empire (the Spirits chapter) and The Great Clans (Mantis chapter). In the latter half of the twelfth century, the Orochi Riders are a small but extremely powerful element of the Mantis Clan military, and the closest thing the clan has to a cavalry tradition.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5 or 6
  • ReplacesThe Orochi Rider Path can replace any Mantis Basic/Advanced School Technique at Insight Rank 6, or replace a “blank” Insight Rank for a character who has attained Rank 5 in any Mantis Basic School. If you are trained entirely in one of the Mantis Shugenja Schools, you may take this Technique at Rank 5 instead; in that case, this is considered a Shugenja Path.
  • RequirementsWater 4, Athletics 5, Lore: Spirit Realms 5
  • TechniqueThe Orochi Pact - The Orochi Riders are taught to form and maintain a spiritual bond with one of the Orochi sea-serpents, and to ride them into battle using the Athletics Skill. You gain an Orochi (Enemies of the Empire, page 252) as a mount; the Orochi is an NPC (controlled by the GM) but will generally obey your commands and fight at your side so long as you do not demand anything suicidal of it. You gain a +2k0 bonus to Athletics rolls, and your bond with the Orochi grants you two special abilities: You are considered to have two Ranks of Magic Resistance against hostile Water Magic. While riding the Orochi, you may hold your breath underwater for twice the normal amount of time.

Mantis Whirlwind Fighters [Bushi]

Yoritomo is credited both with perfecting the final technique of his family’s school and also with developing this powerful variation of the Mantis fighting style, the so-called Whirlwind Fighting style. This form relies on a mixture of relentless motion and relentless attacks to both obstruct enemy blows and overwhelm the foe with rapid strikes. Among the Yoritomo it is often the preferred fighting form to use in duels within the family, and some Mantis call the masters of this style “Whirlwind Duelists.”

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesYoritomo Bushi 4
  • RequirementsKnives (Kama) 5
  • TechniqueWaves Rush to Shore - Whirlwind Fighters are a constant blur of motion, using their swift and relentless strikes both to deflect their opponents’ attack and to break through their defenses. When fighting with a kama in each hand, you may add your Knives Skill Rank to your Armor TN, and gain a bonus of +3k0 to your damage rolls with kama.

Moshi Guardian of the Sun [Bushi]

For much of their existence the Moshi family were without a ready source of bushi to defend their holdings. The family's meager resources permitted them to hire a small number of ronin to supplement the very limited numbers of their own family who were not shugenja, but it was generally agreed that this was insufficient, and only the extreme isolation of the family's holdings prevented it from being a critical problem. The lack of bushi has been less of an issue since the family's induction into the Mantis Clan, since the Yoritomo can supply ample forces to secure the Moshi homelands, but the family still prefers to have its most sacred locations defended by its own.

The bushi unit known as the Guardians of the Sun has evolved over the centuries. It is comprised of the finest Moshi warriors available and specializes not only in the defense of the homeland but also in the protection of the family's shugenja. While not as well known as the Shiba or Daidoji yojimbo traditions, the Guardians of the Sun are nevertheless well regarded for their dedication and prowess.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • ReplacesAny Mantis Bushi 1
  • RequirementsNone
  • TechniqueDefended as the Sun - The Guardians of the Sun take an oath to repel all attacks against their sacred charges. When defending a Moshi personage or holding in a skirmish, you may choose to either gain a bonus of +1k0 to your attack roll or to add an additional +1k1 to the Armor TN of a person or object you are defending with the Guard Action. You make this determination at the start of your Turn during each Round of the skirmish.

Rajya ke Varisa [Bushi]

The Rajya ke Varisa are a group of Crab, Unicorn, and Mantis samurai who study the fighting techniques of the Ivory Kingdoms kshatriya and find ways to use them in conjunction with Rokugani combat techniques. The gaijin turned-Mantis known as Yoritomo Singh also contributes to the organization’s training, seeking to preserve some aspects of his former culture. So far they have managed to devise only one technique, albeit one of significant value.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesHida Bushi 4, Shinjo Bushi 4, Moto Bushi 4, Yoritomo Bushi 4
  • TechniqueLegacy of the Kshatriya - The Rajya ke Varisa have learned to emulate the kshatriya technique that calls on religious devotion to strengthen their force of their blows. However, instead of calling on blasphemous gaijin gods, they call on the power of their devotion to the Fortunes. Twice per skirmish, before making an attack you may take a Free Action to spend a Void Point; if the subsequent attack succeeds, you may add unkept dice to your damage roll equal to your rank in the Lore: Theology skill.

Sisters of the Sacred Light [Shugenja]

Founded in the years immediately after the creation of the Centipede Clan, the Sisters of the Sacred Light were originally created to deal with infestations of mischievous spirits. Although founded by the Centipede, they recruit women from several clans, and those women are expected to forsake their former loyalties in order to follow the path of purity and wisdom which the Sisters teach. They dress in the traditional garb of a temple priestess (a red hakama and white gi), bereft of all markings save for a single clan mon to indicate their ancestry.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAsahina Shugenja 2, Isawa Shugenja (Air) 2, Moshi Shugenja 2
  • TechniqueLight Banishes Lies - The Sisters of the Sacred Light specialize in exposing illusions as the falsehoods they are. When attempting to Banish the kami of Air, who are of course responsible for the vast majority of illusion effects, you require only 2 Raises on the Sense spell (rather than the normal 3) and only 3 Raises on the Commune spell (rather than the normal 5).

Soldier of the Three Man Alliance [Bushi] [IH]

The formation of the Three Man Alliance is the first step in a process of twelfth-century consolidation among the Minor Clans, leading to (among other things) the combination of the Mantis, Wasp, and Centipede clans into the Great Clan of the Mantis and, later in the century, the creation of the Minor Clan Alliance. It is the creation of the Three Man Alliance and their military victory over the Scorpion Clan that first inspires the Minor Clans to band together for greater benefit and effect, and many successful officers from that first military alliance eventually go on to achieve military and political prestige within the Minor Clan Alliance.

The fighting technique of the Three Man Alliance is formed by the combined efforts of several experienced soldiers from the Sparrow and Wasp. The warriors pool their life experience and develop a unified technique to carry back to their respective clans. Although the Three Man Alliance is superseded during the later Clan War by Yoritomo's Alliance, the technique it developed survives, and decades later it is still occasionally taught in Suzume and Tsuruchi dojo.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesTsuruchi Archer 2, Tsuruchi Bounty Hunter 2, or Suzume Bushi 2
  • RequirementsBattle 2
  • TechniqueStand Against Oppression - The scions of the Minor Clan are not intimidated by their more influential detractors among the Great Clans. Far from it, they are inspired to greatness by their hardships. When facing an opponent with a higher Glory Rank than you, you may spend a Void Point to gain bonus unkept dice on your attack roll equal to the difference in your respective Glory Ranks. You may not gain more dice than your School Rank from this Technique.

Student of the Cliff's Edge [Bushi]

The Mantis love chain weapons, especially the kusarigama - which was wielded by none other than their clan founder, Kaimetsu-Uo. Basic Mantis chain weapon training is similar to the training in other clans, but the clan’s most advanced chain-weapon fighters train in the Cliff’s Edge Dojo, learning specialized maneuvers taught only by the most experienced sensei. Many students undertake special pilgrimages to be able to truly master

the Mantis techniques.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3 or 4
  • ReplacesTsuruchi Bounty Hunter 3 or Yoritomo Bushi 4
  • RequirementsAgility 4, Chain Weapons 5
  • TechniqueHowl of the Cliff's Edge - The Mantis who train at Cliff’s Edge Dojo are particularly fond of using the kusarigama to trip, disarm, and otherwise disable their foes. When using a kusarigama to make a Knockdown or Disarm maneuver, you gain a +2k1 bonus to your attack roll. You may call three Raises on an attack with a kusarigama to Entangle an opponent up to 15’ away (as per the Entangled condition in the L5R 4th Edition Core rulebook, page 89). The condition lasts until you voluntarily release the foe (as a Free Action), or the foe succeeds in a Contested Strength Roll against you (as a Simple Action).

The College of Clarity [Courtier]

A creation of the Moshi family, the College of Clarity is less of a formal learning institution and more of a philosophical movement that focuses on allowing one’s ascendant Fire-aligned chi to grant a pure and unadulterated view of the world. The College remained very obscure until some samurai realized its philosophies lent themselves well to the study of iaijutsu. Since that time, some duelists have traveled great distances to avail themselves of the College’s teachings.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny School 2
  • RequirementsFire 3, Meditation 2
  • TechniqueThe Clarity of Fire - The College of Clarity teaches its students to draw on their inner Fire to promote clarity of thought and recall. By meditating for at least one half hour and making a Meditation / Fire Roll against a TN of 15, you gain the Clear Thinker and Precise Memory Advantages for a number of hours equal to your Fire Ring. If you already have either or both of these Advantages, their bonuses are increased by +1k0.

Tsuruchi Master Bowman [Bushi]

Tsuruchi never gave up trying to perfect his skills as an archer, and he perfected this final technique shortly before he was critically wounded at the Battle of Oblivion's Gate. He taught it to only a bare handful of his most trusted followers. Since then, only the most worthy and elite of the Tsuruchi family have been trusted to learn its secrets.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankN/A
  • ReplacesN/A
  • RequirementsKyujutsu 7. Must have School Rank 5 in either the Tsuruchi Archer or Tsuruchi Bounty Hunter School, and be selected by the Tsuruchi sensei to learn this technique.
  • TechniqueThe Way of the Archer - Tsuruchi was perhaps the greatest archer in the history of Rokugan, and his final technique pushes the limits of what can be achieved with the bow. When using a bow, your range is increased by 150' (this is applied before applying the 50% range bonus for Kyujutsu Rank 5). Your Raises with a bow are no longer limited by your Void Ring (or Skill Rank if you have Great Potential), and you may perform Called Shots for half the normal number of Raises (rounded up).

Tsuruchi Swordsman [Bushi]

The origins of the Tsuruchi family are found in the Wasp Clan, the tiny Minor Clan that would later join the Mantis Clan and become the Tsuruchi. The family’s founder, a ronin born of a union of Lion and Scorpion, despised the blade because to him it represented all that was wrong with the clans of his parents, the same clans that robbed him of everything he knew and loved in the world when he was little more than a child. Because of this, he eschewed it completely and expected his followers to do the same; the samurai who served the Wasp did not even carry a katana. Generations of war and decades of service to the Mantis, however, as well as the retirement of Tsuruchi himself to the ranks of the Brotherhood of Shinsei, gave rise to a new generation of samurai who saw no reason to cast off study of the blade, and in fact embraced it to the fullest. With the natural athleticism of the Tsuruchi, swordsmanship comes easily once embraced, and the Tsuruchi swordsmen are rapidly developing a reputation as the finest in the entire Mantis Clan. Granted, this is not the greatest praise, given that most families within the clan embrace alternative weapons as their primary combat style, but other clans have begun to recognize the potential of Tsuruchi as opponents.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesTsuruchi Archer 4, Tsuruchi Bounty Hunter 4
  • RequirementsKenjutsu 3
  • TechniqueAscendancy of Steel - A master of the Tsuruchi style is a flurry of movement and unrelenting assault. You may make a melee attack as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action when wielding a sword.

Yoritomo Emissaries [Courtier]

The Yoritomo as a whole are not known for their patience, but they have found that it is occasionally a useful virtue in the courts. Beginning with the era of White Stag, the Emissaries emerged as the exception to the Mantis Clan's general diplomatic habits. They are well-trained court functionaries, schooled to handle hostile negotiations with calm patience, displaying much greater subtlety then "normal" Yoritomo courtiers.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesYoritomo Courtier 4
  • RequirementsEtiquette (Courtesy) 4
  • TechniqueIntrepid Negotiator - Where the standard Yoritomo training focuses on browbeating foes, teh Emissary learns to leaven this aggression with the calm patience of the Earth, outlasting opponents' anger and thus finding peaceful solutions to potentially violent confrontations. When making an Etiquette or Sincerity roll, you may spend a Void Point to add your Willpower in unkept dice to the roll. If the roll is specifically using Etiquette (Courtesy), you add your Willpower in kept dice instead.

Yoritomo Scoundrel [Bushi] [CR]

The Mantis Clan was once a Minor Clan, and the Yoritomo have never shied away from performing questionable activities to make a name for themselves. Over the years they have been smugglers, pirates, and mercenaries. The Mantis have gained legitimacy with time, but old habits are hard to break - especially when those habits are quite effective in fulfilling the Yoritomo's wishes. The Scoundrel may perform feats that are considered beneath a samurai, but he knows what he does is for the good of his clan.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesYoritomo Bushi 2
  • RequirementsCommerce 2, Sailing 2
  • TechniqueRevel in Villainy - The Scoundrel will do what he must, despite what society may say about his activities. Whenever you spent a Void Point to enhance an Athletics, Commerce, Sailing, Sincerity, or Low Skill Roll, you gain an additional bonus to the total of the roll equal to twice your School Rank.

Yoritomo Sculptors [Artisan]

Although the Mantis are not known for their artistic traditions, their sailors' penchant for wood-carving on long voyages has developed over time into a modest school within the clan. The clan drew on commercial ties with the Crane or the Phoenix to gain the services of their artistic sensei and develop its casual skills into a true Technique. In modern times, the Mantis use this group as a source of both political favor and personal leverage.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Mantis Bushi or Courtier 2
  • RequirementsArtisan: Sculpture or Craft: Sculpture 4
  • TechniqueWatanabe's Legacy - The Yoritomo Sculptors hone their wood-carving skills on ship-board before graduating to actual training in their organization's tiny school. You gain a +1k1 bonus when using the Skills of Artisan: Sculpture and Craft: Sculpture, and you may ignore any circumstantial or environmental penalties (distractions, weather, noise, etc) to your rolls with those two Skills.

Agasha Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

During their centuries of service to the Dragon Clan, the Agasha pursued many unconventional paths of magic, pursuits which were carried out with the full resources and endorsement of the Agasha Shugenja School. In addition to their alchemical interests, the Agasha have always had an interest in the creation of spells that invoked kami of multiple elements simultaneously. Among the Phoenix the Agasha have been given leave to pursue this area of study as far as they wish, and have made tremendous strides in the area of multi-elemental spells.

The Agasha Techniques focuses on the family's interest in merging the elements and casting multi-elemental spells. Although this practice has yet to be accepted, their Techniqu allows them to change the element of the spell they are casting, which gives them unmatched versatility in managing both their spells per day as well as their spell slots.

  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), any one Craft Skill, any one High or Bugei Skill, Defense, Etiquette, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyFire / Water
  • TechniqueElements of All Things - The Agasha understand the interactions of the elements more so than perhaps any other family. When casting a spell, you may spend a Void Point to use a different Ring of your choosing rather than the appropriate Ring for that spell. this spell uses a spell slot for the Ring used to actually cast the spell. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Craft keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Fire, 2 Earth, and 1 Air

Asako Henshin [Monk]

There are few groups in the Emerald Empire as enigmatic and poorly understood as the monastic Asako sect known as the Henshin. Even among the Phoenix, very few outside the Asako family have any real understanding of the Henshin's ways. Most Rokugani believe the Henshin are merely a monastic group of courtiers and historians within the Asako, although their strange behaviors do distinguish them from other Asako and suggest they possess some manner of mystical or supernatural talent. Unfortunately, that recognition does little to assist in understanding the Henshin's ways.

The Henshin follow the Path of Man as revealed by Shiba to Asako. By developing perfect unity with the universe, tricking the Elements and learning their secrets, the Henshin can attain absolute perfection of the soul, which in turn grants divinity. The Henshin are essentially monks of a sort, and as apprentices they are known as michibuku. Once they have learned the secrets of the Path of Man, they are inducted into the ranks of the secretive fushihai, the true masters of the Henshin order. The fushihai hold deep knowledge of the universe and essentially immortal, able to live far beyond the normal mortal span. Some of the fushihai ascend to the Celestial Heavens upon their mortal death, becoming minor Fortunes and validating the Path of Man.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Four Mysteries

    The first lesson of the mysterious Henshin is the relationship between the individual and the Elements that comprise all things. You may, as a Simple Action, increase or decrease both Traits associated with one of your Rings by an amount equal to your School Rank. This lasts for a number of minutes equal to your Insight Rank and may be done a total number of times per day equal to five times your Insight Rank. You may instead increase or decrease the Traits of another in a similar manner, but only by an amount equal to half your School Rank, rounding down (to a minimum of 1). Altering the Traits of an unknowing or unwilling target requires a Contested Willpower Roll. Traits reduced in this manner do not affect a target's Ring (and thus do not change Wound Ranks when the Earth Ring is targeted, etc.).

  • Rank Two: The Riddle of Earth

    The stoic and straightforward kami of Earth are the simplest to entertain with one's riddles, and their blessings are potent indeed. As a Simple Action, you may invoke this Technique and gain Earth's blessing; you are immune to all Conditional Effects (excluding Grappled and Mounted) for a number of hours equal to your Earth Ring.

  • Rank Three: The Riddle of Air

    The capricious spirits of Air can be delighted into conferring their blessings upon you. As a Simple Action, you may invoke the blessing of Air. The blessing lasts a number of hours equal to your School Rank. For the duration of this effect, you cannot be deceived by any illusion or other false images, and can perceive them as transparent falsehoods. If an illusion is created by a spell of higher Mastery Level than your Insight Rank, you and the spell's caster must engage in a Contested Air Roll. If you are defeated, you do not perceive the falsehood of the illusion.

  • Rank Four: The Riddle of Fire

    The wrathful spirits of Fire can be entertained by your riddles, if only briefly. As a Complex Action you may invoke Fire's blessing to increase the number of kept dice on an unarmed damage roll (which is normally 0k1to your Fire Ring. This effect lasts a number of Rounds equal to your School Rank.

    Alternatively, when an opponent strikes you with a melee attack, you may spend a Void Point to force a Contested Fire Ring Roll. If you are successful, the number of damage dice your opponent rolls is reduced by your Fire Ring.

  • Rank Five: The Riddle of Water

    The mercurial spirits of Water can confer their speed and fluidity in exchange for your riddles. You must succeed at a Lore: Elements (Water) / Water Skill Roll against TN 20. If successful, you may take one Complex and one Simple Action per Turn, or you may instead take three Simple Actions per Turn.

Asako Loremaster [Courtier] [CR]

The Asako are monastic and scholarly by nature, and nowhere is this more evident than in the courtier tradition they maintain on behalf of the Phoenix Clan. Their training consists of extensive studies in a large number of subjects, some of which may be chosen by the students themselves. A broad knowledge base gives the Asako a frame of reference from which to examine any new data or situation, and allows them great insight into the social situation of court.

The Loremasters specialize in scholarly pursuits, and use those as a means of succeeding in social situations. Asako courtiers use Lore Skills to augment their Social Skills, gaining influence and success in court through their learned natures.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Temple of the Soul

    The Asako are historians and scholars, and their studies are broader than those of any others in the Empire. They pride themselves on the depth of their knowledge in all fields of intellectual endeavor. They also share the Phoenix devotion to peace and civility, relying on genteel discourse to resolve problems. You gain a Free Raise on any Skill Roll with a Lore Skill. Any time you spend a Void Point on an Etiquette Skill Roll, you gain a bonus of +3k1 to the total of the roll instead of the normal +1k1.

  • Rank Two: From the Ashes

    The Asako Loremasters' in-depty study of historical events allows them to detect subtle patterns in behavior in every court, patterns invisible to their more worldly rivals from the other Clans. After spending at least one day observing the events in a particular court, you can roll Lore: History / Perception at TN 20 to gain a bonus +2k0 to the total of all your Social Skill Rolls for the next two days, so long as your remain in that court. (This Technique's effect can be re-activated with another skill roll when it expires - it is not necessary to spend additional days observing so long as you remain in the same court.)

  • Rank Three: Voice of the Universe

    As the Asako's training progresses, his recall of obscure historical facts allows him to provide useful contemporary advice to his allies. You may spend an hour conversing with a friend or ally and then roll Lore: History / Intelligence at TN 25. With a success, that ally may add your Lore: History Skill Rank to the total of any Social Skill Rolls he makes within the next twenty-four hours. You may Raise twice to affect one (and only one) additional ally, provided that ally also participates in the conversation. (This Technique cannot be used on the same person again until its effect expires.)

  • Rank Four: Invincible Mind

    The enlightened and educated Asako can see through the games, tricks, and deceits of the material world. Any time you fail a Contested Social Skill Roll to resist someone trying to influence your emotions, opinions, or behavior (such as with the Courtier, Temptation, or Intimidation skills), you may re-roll using Intelligence as the Trait for the second roll in place of whichever Trait was originally required. You must keep the result of the second roll. This Technique cannot be used to resist Fear.

  • Rank Five: Wisdom of the Ages

    At this rank, the Asako truly demonstrate that the wisdom of the Phoenix is eternal. Any time you are rolling a Lore Skill, including for your other School Techniques, you gain a +5k0 bonus to the total of the roll.

Isawa Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The Isawa are the greatest shugenja in the Empire, and while the family would never claim this openly, the behavior of those who have trained in their prestigious School bears this out. Fortunately, most others recognize the truth of it as well, and accept it with varying degrees of resentment or resignation. The Isawa are nearly twice as a large as the next largest shugenja family in the Empire. Indeed, there are so many among their ranks that they are nearly the size of a typical bushi family. That so many among them are born with the gift to speak with the kami has allowed teh family to diversify into numerous areas of magical specialization, but the core of their power has always been the Isawa Shugenja School. It is literally the oldest School of its kind in Rokugan, and the Isawa have been struggling to master the secrets of the universe for more than a thousand years.

The Isawa Shugenja has no particular specialization, but instead are constructed around the premise that being the finest at spell-casting in general. their ability to choose an Affinity without a corresponding Deficiency, and their unrestricted Free Raise on all Spell Casting Rolls of their Affinity, make them extremely competent and the equal of virtually any other shugenja character.

  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Lore: Theology, any one Lore Skill, any one High Skill, Medicine, Meditation, Spellcraft
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyIsawa shugenja may select any element of their choosing, including Void, as their Affinity. They do not have a Deficiency.
  • TechniqueIsawa's Gift - There are no greater masters of the shugenja tradition than those among the Isawa. You gain a Free Raise on all Spell Casting Rolls for spells of the element which you chose as your Affinity.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 spells of any one element, 2 spells of any other element, 1 spell of a third element, and 1 spell of a fourth element.

Kaito Shrine Maiden [Bushi]

Description forthcoming.

Note: This school is a house rule and are not part of the standard 4th edition ruleset.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Title TBD

    The art of archery is the first taught to all members of the Kaito vassal family.

    +1k0 to all attack rolls while using a bow. Additionally, you may purchase kiho as though you were a monk. You may not purchase or use kata.

  • Rank Two: Title TBD

    Gain +1k1 to all social with a spirit. Gain +1k0 to all lore rolls related to identifying a spirit.

  • Rank Three: Title TBD

    You may take ten minutes to prepare a ward against a specific spirit, which can either prevent their entering a location, or if they are within a container or location, may prevent them from leaving it. If this is renewed daily for a month, it becomes permanent.

  • Rank Four: Title TBD

    You may make kyujutsu attacks as a simple action.

  • Rank Five: Title TBD

    You may spend a void point to make a kyujutsu attack as a complex action that ignores all resistances and immunities. If a spirit is struck with this attack, it must make a willpower roll at a TN of the damage of this attack, or be sealed into an appropriate container of your choosing until it is opened.

Shiba Artisan [Courtier] [EE]

Although not as prestigious or politically connected at the Kakita Artisans, the Shiba Artisans are still much-admired in the Empire and few Phoenix or Dragon daimyo will let themselves go without a sample of their work.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Soul of Brilliance

    A true child of the Shiba line finds his perfect center in the serenity and beauty of creation. Select any one Artisan Skill. Whenever you spend a Void Point making a Skill Roll using that Skill, you gain a bonus of +2k2 instead of the normal +1k1.

  • Rank Two: The Way of Sincerity

    Through use of his craft, a Shiba artisan can forge close bonds with others that allow for long-term alliances to be formed. Once per month you may make an Artisan Skill Roll against a TN 15. You gain a number of Experience Points equal to the amount by which your roll exceeds the TN, but these Experience Points may only be spent to purchase the Allies Advantage (subject to GM approval). These Allies are temporary and last for a period of time equal to your School Rank in weeks.

  • Rank Three: The Art Speaks

    An artisan has the ability to fall back on his art when pressed in a social situation, allowing its beauty and simplicity to speak for him. Choose one Artisan Skill. When you are called to make a Social Skill Roll, you may use your Ranks in the Artisan Skill in place of whatever Social Skill is called for. You gain no Mastery Level benefits when using this Technique, since you do not actually possess ranks in the Social Skill in question.

    There may be social situations where this Technique is not applicable; when in doubt, the GM has the final say.

  • Rank Four: Bounty of the Craft

    When presenting your art to others, you increase not only your own understanding of your place in the universe, but you aid others in perceiving theirs as well. Once per day you may make an Artisan Skill Roll against a TN 30. If successful, you and a number of other people up to your School Rank who are present at the time regain all Void Points. This ritualized presentation of your craft requires at least fifteen minutes to complete. This Technique cannot be used in the Shadowlands.

  • Rank Five: The Touch of Destiny

    The work of a true master requires no explanation to inspire others to greatness. When your work is on display in court or in the home of a lord, all present in the chamber where it is displayed gain one additional Void Point. If you are present, you gain two additional Void Points, instead, and you may choose to deny the benefit of this Technique to any in attendance. An individual may only receive a maximum of one additional Void Point per day in this manner (or two, in your case).

Shiba Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The Shiba Bushi are well known as a relatively peaceful group, at least as bushi are concerned. Their training emphasizes a number of non-martial skills in addition to the traditional weapons training, which has led to a reputation as warrior-scholars in some circles. A Shiba bushi considers all options before committing to combat, searching for any possible alternative other than the loss of life. If those a Shiba protects are threatened, however, or if combat is an inevitability, he attacks swiftly and without reservation, committing himself fully to the act until it is done. Those who mistake the desire of a Shiba bushi to preserve life for an inability to take it are woefully unprepared to face them on the battlefield.

The Shiba Techniques optimize the use of Void Points and specialize in the protection of others, allowing Shiba bushi to more than adequately fill their common role as yojimbo. They also possess an affinity for the use of polearms, and can excel at dueling if properly tailored.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Phoenix

    Shiba bushi move through battle as the Void moves through all the elements. When spending a Void Point to gain +1k1 on a roll, you may choose to spend 2 Void Points (to gain +2k2) on the roll instead. You may Guard as a Free Action; however, if you do so, your target only adds +5 to his Armor TN instead of +10.

  • Rank Two: Dancing With the Elements

    Shiba bushi become attuned to the shugenja they protect, aiding their spells and deterring those of their enemies. When you assume your Stance for the Round, you may choose a target within 30'. Whenever your target casts or is the target of a spell, you may choose to increase or decrease the TN of the spell by 5. Additionally, whenever you are the target of a spell, you may immediately choose to increase or decrease the TN of the spell by 5.

  • Rank Three: One With the Void

    In battle, the Shiba can find his place in the world. This Technique automatically activates during the Reaction Stage of Combat if another character spent a Void Point during this Combat Round. You regain a Void Point. This Void Point may exceed your maximum, but all excess Void Points are lost after combat resolves. You do not learn anything regarding the source of the Void Point or how it was originally spent. this Technique only activates twice per skirmish.

  • Rank Four: Move With the World

    Serenity brings certainty, and certainty brings speed. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action with using Polearms, Spears, or weapons with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Five: Touch of the Void

    Masters of the Shiba style can draw back the veil and allow the universe to act through them. For every Void Point you spend, you gain the effects of spending two, when applicable. Additionally, you may now spend Void Points on enhancements twice in one Turn.

Asako Inquisitors [Monk]

The Asako are generally regarded as a peaceful and serene family, the very picture of the pacifistic Phoenix. For the most part this is an accurate picture of the family and their philosophy, but there are those who stand apart from it. The Asako are the primary force behind the Inquisitors, the Phoenix order devoted to eradicating the corrupt and blasphemous from within the ranks of the Empire's shugenja. It is a mission they embrace completely and enact at any cost. The order has existed since the Empire's earliest days, long before the creation of the Jade Magistrates, and organization that fulfills much the same purpose. The Inquisitors sometimes work in cooperation with the Kuni Witch Hunters and have even had a few limited contacts with the Yogo family's secretive Kuroiban.

The Asako Inquisitors do not concern themselves exclusively with maho or Shadowlands corruption, although these crimes are among their most frequent targets. They also investigate gaijin magic and any religious groups with heretical beliefs, such as the Bloodspeaker Cult. Members of the Inquisitor order are selected primarily from the ranks of Phoenix Shugenja, but many bushi serve with them and a few Henshin and Brotherhood Monks have been inducted as well. Those who are inducted into the order and take the necessary vows of duty and secrecy are granted a stylized tattoo of an eye, the symbol of the order, somewhere on their body. The back of the hand is the most common location.

Requirements:
  • Rings/TraitsVoid 4 , 2
  • SkillsLore: Law 4, Lore: Shugenja 3
  • OtherMust be able to cast spells of Mastery Level 4 in one element OR have the ability to make melee attacks as a Simple Action and possess the Phoenix Sacred Weapon (the Inquisitor's Strike). May not be Tainted.
Techniques
  • Rank One: Eye of the Inquisitor

    The Asako Inquisitors are taught to focus their will to disrupt the unnatural magic of blasphemers and criminals. You are considered one Rank higher in your original Shugenja School for the purposes of casting spells. Non-shugenja Inquisitors instead gain one Kiho, for which you must meet all prerequisites.

    During a skirmish you may use a Complex Action to prepare a disruption of energy magic. At any point later in the same skirmish when an opponent is casting a spell, you may as a Free Action force him to make 2 additional Raises on his spell-casting roll. These additional Raises have no effect other than to raise the TN of the roll. Once this is done, you must take another Complex Action if you wish to ready another disruption.

  • Rank Two: The Trials of Jade

    An Inquisitor finds the weakness in his enemies and exploits it, bringing them the Emperor's justice. When casting any spell, you may spend a Void Point for the spell to count as jade or crystal for the purposes of reducing or defeating your target's Reduction or Invulnerability traits. If you cannot cast spells, you may instead make a melee attack as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when facing an opponent you know has violated the Empire's laws regarding the legal forms of magic.

  • Rank Three: Conviction of Purity

    Those who commit the unpardonable sin of breaking the Emperor's laws concerning magic are unable to stand against you. You are considered one Rank higher in your original Shugenja School for the purposes of casting spells. Non-Shugenja Inquisitors instead gain one additional Kiho, for which you must meet all prerequisites. You may now prepare a disruption (as per your Rank One technique) as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action, and opponents whose spells are disrupted require 3 additional Raises rather than 2.

Elemental Guard [Shugenja] [CR]

The Elements that form the world are as different and unique as the people who inhabit the Empire. It is inevitable that shugenja feel a closer kinship to the personality of the kami of one aspect of nature. These priests join one of the units of the Elemental Guard, four separate schools that focus on each of the four main Elements.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Name of the Elements

    The Elemental Guard hones his entire soul to his chosen Element until he is completely at harmony with its kami. Your Shugenja School Rank is considered one higher for the purposes of casting spells of your Chosen Element. You may also spend a Void Point as a Free Action to add twice your Rank in your chosen Ring to your Armor TN. This effect lasts a number of minutes equal to your Shugenja School Rank, and is a very visible effect (you are surrounded by flames or by swirling water, you skin becomes rocklike, etc.).

  • Rank Two: Touch of the Elements

    The link between the kami and the Elemental Guard deepens further. Your Shugenja School Rank increases by one. Your chosen Ring is considered two ranks higher for purposes of determining the number of spell slots you have in that Element per day.

  • Rank Three: Shape of the Elements

    The Elemental Guard can wield the power of the kami with a single whisper. Your Shugenja School Rank is considered one higher for the purposes of casting spells of your Chosen Element. You may select one spell of your Chosen Element of Mastery Level 3 or greater. A number of times per day equal to your Void Ring, you may cast that spell with a single Simple Action.

Agasha Alchemist [Shugenja]

The Ikakeya are a lesser known sect of the Agasha family who have deliberately avoided the attention of outsiders ever since their family joined the Phoenix Clan. These individuals have continued their studies of the alchemical formulae and techniques from their time with the Dragon Clan (and which the Tamori family has continued in that clan). The Ikakeya are known for their skill at producing potions and other alchemical items that contain the essence of their magic, as well as for their skill at transposing and combining different Elements for maximum effect.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAgasha Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsFire 3, Spellcraft 3
  • TechniqueFury of the Elements - You may store a Fire spell with the Area of Effect "one target person" or "one target creature" in an alchemical preparation for later use. The stored spell may be activated instantly by anyone as either a Simple Action (to drink a potion) or a Complex Action (to throw it, using Athletics (Throwing) / Agility). By spending a Spell Slot for another Element (except Void), you may also give a spell stored in this manner either an additional Elemental keyword, or replace its Fire keyword with another Elemental keyword. For example, by spending an Earth slot, you could cause the stored spell to be both Fire and Earth, or just Earth, for all purposes related to the type of Elemental keyword associated with the spell. A spell may only be given one additional Elemental keyword this way.

Asako Mediator [Courtier] [S&F]

Few among the Phoenix champion the cause of pacifism as devoutly as the specially-trained Mediators, a near-monastic order dedicated to the cause of peace above all. They believe that few if any conflicts are beyond peaceful resolution, and seek to bring opposing parties to a harmonious accord whenever possible.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAsako Loremaster 2, Shiba Bushi 2, Isawa Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsSincerity (Honesty) 3
  • TechniqueStand Down - Any time you are in a situation where samurai are preparing to enter into formal hostilities (examples would include a challenge to a duel, a declaration of Blood Feud, or even a declaration of war), you may approach either or both parties and attempt to persuade them not to follow through. This is a Contested Roll of your Sincerity (Honesty) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. With a success, that party in the conflict will agree to back down, and your mediation prevents them from suffering any loss of Glory for doing so.Special GM Considerations for the Asako Mediator Technique: If the parties in a conflict are deeply or honorably committed to their quarrel, the GM may require the Mediator to call Raises on the roll (anywhere from 1 to 5 Raises, depending on the depth of their anger or the strength of their Honor). Note that this may result in the Mediator being unable to impose a solution due to being unable to call enough Raises - quite likely when trying to mediate the highly honorable and easily-angered Lion, for example. However, if the Mediator is able to propose an honorable and reasonable solution to the quarrel, the GM may also choose to award a bonus to the roll, ranging from +1k0 to +5k0, depending on the GM’s judgment of how appealing the solution seems to the parties involved. In some cases, the scope or severity of a quarrel will be such that it is not possible for a Mediator to actually prevent the conflict. In this case, a successful roll will merely delay the onset of hostilities by a reasonable amount of time (as determined by the GM). In general, the larger the scale of the conflict, the longer the delay - thus a duel might only be delayed for a day or two, while a war might be delayed as much as a month.

Asako Philosopher [Courtier]

In addition to its purpose as a center of diplomacy, or perhaps because of it, Nikesake is a noted center of education within the Phoenix provinces as well. The so-called Blue Tiled Room within the city is highly specialized, having extensive tomes concerning philosophy gathered from all across the Empire and beyond. Many courtiers stationed within the city for long periods of time, particularly among the Asako, consider the pursuit of philosophy an entertaining pastime, and spend many hours within the library poring over the various tomes. Fluency in one school or another of philosophy is considered something of an achievement, and the courtiers who frequent the library enjoy having elaborate debates among themselves, frequently changing the school of thought from which they are debating in mid-argument or even multiple times during the course of a single debate. Scholarly courtiers of other clans, particularly the Crane, are welcome to join in these debates, but few ever find the pastime quite as entertaining as the Asako seem to. While the avid pursuit of philosophy is largely a diversion among the denizens of Nikesake, the lords of the Phoenix are familiar with their pursuits and have had occasion to call upon them when insight into certain other families and clans is required.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAsako Loremaster 2
  • RequirementsCourtier (Rhetoric) 2, Etiquette 3
  • TechniqueThe Winds of Rhetoric - Those who study with the Nikesake sophists have learned to defuse almost any situation, as they have a superior understanding of how those with whom they enter debate think and seek solutions to various problems. You gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of all Contested Social Skill Rolls using Etiquette.

Asako Scholar [Courtier]

In every generation there are a few members of the Asako school who display the "Mind of Fire", a tremendous natural talent for memory and an intuitive grasp of how to apply connections between different fields of study in ways nobody else could have imagined. These individuals are trained in the special dojo of the Scholars, where their gifts are honed for both scholarly research and courtly service.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAsako Loremaster 3, Asako Henshin 3
  • RequirementsInvestigation 3, Intelligence 4
  • TechniqueThe Hidden Patterns - The hallmark of the Asako Scholars is their ability through the study of multiple topics to spot the patterns between seemingly unrelated events, sharing their wisdom with their fellow Phoenix and thereby bringing success to all. If you have spent at least one day observing the patterns within a court or other social setting, you may roll Investigation/Intelligence at TN 25 to detect and understand the hidden patterns underlying others’ behavior and goals. Rivals and enemies cannot benefit from Raises on Social Skill Rolls against you and cannot spend Void Points on Social Skill Rolls against you for the next 24 hours. You may Raise on your roll to share the benefits of your insight with your friends and allies (one person per Raise).

Elemental Legions [Bushi]

The most unique and potent force within the Phoenix armies is unquestionably the Element Guard, a set of small and highly specialized units consisting primarily of potent Isawa-trained shugenja who specialize in battle. These individuals are capable of battlefield-shaking magic, but they cannot and do not take the field on their own. For each of the Elemental Guard units there exists a highly trained legion from the Shiba family that is uniquely prepared to take the field alongside their shugenja brethren. The Hurricane Initiates are accompanied by the Legion of Wind, the Avalanche Guard by the Legion of Stone, the Firestorm Legion by the Legion of Flame, and Tsunami Legion by the Legion of the Wave. Each of these accompanying legions are staffed with bushi who have received exhaustive training from both shugenja and members of the Brotherhood in how to properly align their spirits with the Element of their guiding force, allowing them to draw strength from the forces unleashed by their shugenja comrades.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesShiba Bushi Rank 3
  • RequirementsLore: Elements (appropriate Ring) 2. Must be selected to serve in one of the Elemental Legions.
  • TechniqueStrength of the Five - Shiba bushi who serve in the four Elemental Legions are trained to draw strength from their shugenja brothers. When you learn this Technique you must select one non-Void Ring. When an allied shugenja within your line of sight casts a spell of that Elemental, you gain one bonus Void Point. These bonus Void Points may only be spent on rolls which use the Traits associated with that Element. The Void Points may be also used in additional ways (listed below) depending on the Element in question. You may not gain more Void Points in this manner than you School Rank, and bonus Void Points not used by the end of the skirmish are lost.* Air: Increase your Armor Tn by 10 for one Round.* Earth: Reduce the number of Wounds suffered from one damage roll by 10.* Fire: Temporarily increase 1 Skill Rank from 0 to 1 for one roll.* Water: Exchange your Initiative Score with one other willing participant for the duration of the present skirmish.

Isawa Acheologist [Shugenja]

The death of the Ivory Kingdoms has left the region rife with overgrown ruins, collapsed cities, and lost temples. It is a land filled with buried secrets, forgotten lore, and abandoned culture. While all of the clans of Rokugan believe their own culture is greatly superior to that which has been eradicated, there is nonetheless considerable curiosity about it, and none feel this more keenly than the Phoenix. Throughout history, the Phoenix have been the masters and keepers of ancient and forbidden lore, and the sudden presence of so much completely unknown has been like a feast offered to a starving man. Many Phoenix in the Colonies have taken up the pursuit of these secrets in earnest and train to make it their primary duty.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 2, Agasha Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsLore: Gaijin (Ivory Kingdoms) 3
  • TechniqueThere Are No Secrets - The scholars of the Phoenix Clan are masters of prying the secrets of a dead nation from its ruins, regaining vast amounts of knowledge that might otherwise have been lost forever. When casting a non-damaging spell on an object, creature, or willing individual (not yourself) for which you have at least 3 Ranks in an applicable Lore Skill, you gain a +1k1 bonus on the Spell Casting Roll. The GM is the final judge on whether a Lore Skill is applicable. For example, Lore: Shadowlands would apply when casting a spell on an oni, but not when casting it on a gaki.

Isawa Seaguard [Shugenja]

The Phoenix Clan expands its own fleet in response to Yoritomo’s growing campaign of raids and piracy; lacking the numbers to conduct a build-up on the same scale as their Crane allies, the Phoenix instead focus on placing shugenja on all their ships and training those priests to use winds and waves against the Mantis ships - an especially important duty given the number of Yoritomo and Moshi shugenja fielded by the Mantis fleet. The Seaguard, as they come to be called, are often recruited from shugenja who would normally have joined the Elemental Guards, and receive much of their training directly from the clan’s new Master of Water, Isawa Riake.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsWater 3, Air 3, Sailing 3
  • TechniqueThe Ward of the Sea - The Seaguard are taught to call on the power of the wind and waves to protect their ships, allowing them to fight on even terms with the more numerous and skillful ships of the Mantis Clan. While on board a ship on the water, you may expend a Water or Air spell slot as a Complex Action to create a barrier of water and air around the ship. This barrier lasts for three Rounds. While it is in effect, the ship has Reduction of 10 against any physical attacks and Reduction of 25 against any natural or magical fire-based attack. In addition, the barrier obstructs arrows at (and from) anyone on the ship, replicating the mechanical effects of the spell Summoning the Gale.

Isawa Temple Guardian [Shugenja]

Countless temples and holy sites throughout the Emerald Empire have benefited from the protection of the Isawa Temple Guardians over the centuries. Indeed, as a group they are welcome in the lands of virtually every clan and family in Rokugan. Although their expertise is only rarely needed, when it does come into play the results tend to be memorable. There are many tales of a single Temple Guardian turning the tide during an unexpected attack.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 3, Agasha Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsEarth 4, Lore: Theology 3
  • TechniqueNever This Sacred Ground Shall Fall - The Temple Guardians of the Isawa family are well known for the power they bring to bear against all who threaten the holy places of the Empire. When defending a sacred location such as a shrine, temple, or monastery, you gain a Free Raise on all Earth spells. In addition, when defending a sacred location you may spend one Void Point (as a Free Action) when casting any Earth spell that inflicts damage in order to grant it the Jade keyword.

Isawa Tensai [Shugenja] [CR]

The Isawa are the undisputed masters of elemental magic among the Great Clans. This prestigious family produces the most shugenja by far, and puts them through rigorous training to maintain high standards. The Tensai stand out as exceptional prodigies even among the Isawa. Instead of a general study of the kami, the Tensai focuses his attentions on a single Element. His command of the kami grows to an astounding level, as the kami seem to sing and dance at his call. Unfortunately, his single-mindedness comes at a high cost. It seems to be one the Tensai are only to eager to bear.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsLore: Elements 3, Spellcraft 3
  • TechniqueEmbrace the Elements - There are those among the Phoenix whose chi is so strongly attuned to the essence of a single Element that they are able to accomplish incredible things by studying that Element to the exclusion of others. You gain an additional Affinity in any one Element for which you already possess an Affinity. You gain a Deficiency in all other Elements. For example, if you are a Rank 1 Isawa with an affinity for Fire, when you advance to this Technique, you will be a Rank 2 shugenja capable of casting Mastery Level 4 Fire spells, but only Mastery Level 1 spells of all other Elements.

Kawaru Sages [Shugenja]

This small sect of shugenja studies and refines the ancient kawaru texts and methods, offering guidance and divination to all who might need it. To these shugenja the ways of kawaru are a sacred art, a gift from the Fortunes, and they often blend the kawaru methods with actual divination magic to get more precise results. They like to wear robes embroidered with the kawaru hexagrams. Kawaru Sages occasionally gain fame as court diviners, although they more often toil in obscurity.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Phoenix shugenja 2, Tonbo Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsDivination (Kawaru) 3
  • TechniqueThe Veil of the Future - The Kawaru Sages have mastered the art of reading the sixty-four hexagrams of kawaru in order to divine what will happen in the near future, enhancing their forecasts with the aid of the kami of Water. At the beginning of each day, you may spend one hour in meditation and make a Divination Skill Roll, at a basic TN of 15. If successful, you gain a +1k0 bonus die, and you may Raise on the roll to gain addition bonus dice up to your Water Ring. You may spend these +1k0 bonus dice on any Spell Casting Rolls made during the rest of the day. Unused dice are lost at nightfall.

Mist Legion [Shugenja]

The Phoenix Clan is home to the Elemental Guard, a set of four elite military units staffed by shugenja specializing in those Elements. Within the Hurricane Initiates, the Legion focused on Air, is a secretive group called the Mist Legion which focuses on using illusions on the battlefield. Although their existence is seldom officially acknowledged, they can be recognized by a small gray cloud worked into the school mon on their kimono. Although they are trained for the battlefield, these shugenja are not solely warriors, and in non-battle situations many of them use their abilities to create massive temporary works of art.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 3 (Air Affinity)
  • TechniqueThe World is a Canvas - The members of the Mist Legion assist the Elemental Guard and the Elemental Legions by manipulating the battlefield to the advantage of the Phoenix Clan. A number of times per day equal to your Insight Rank, you may spend a Void Point to cast the spell Summon Fog or False Realm as a Simple Action.

Nameless Ones [Shugenja] [IH]

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsIshiken-do
  • TechniqueDarkness Undone - The Nameless Ones are terrible foes of all corruption, but especially of the Shadowlands. When casting any spell that targets an opponent with the Shadowlands Taint, you may expend one additional spell slot to lower your opponent’s Reduction by an amount equal to your School Rank. You may spend multiple spell slots in this manner, up to a maximum equal to your Void Ring. The lowered Reduction lasts until the beginning of your next Turn.

Order of Chikai [Bushi]

The Order of Chikai is among the oldest and most prestigious orders within the Shiba family, and is revered with an almost religious devotion by many of that family. The Order was founded only a few generations after the Empire formation and bears the name of Shiba Chikai. Chikai was the yojimbo assigned to protect the Phoenix Master of Water; she sacrificed her life to protect her grievously wounded charge from a band of ten assassins, none of whom survived the encounter. Since that time, the Order has devoted itself to providing the finest possible yojimbo to protect all five members of the Council of Elemental Masters. Members of the Order are hand-selected by its leaders and are universally drawn from yojimbo with exceptional records of service. Many have already served with the most elite units of the Shiba army (such as the family's House Guard).

* **Technique** Rank: 5

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • ReplacesShiba Bushi 5
  • RequirementsMust have taken the Shiba Yojimbo Path at Rank 3 and be selected for service in the Order of Chikai.
  • TechniqueNone Must Fall - A member of the Order of Chikai will gladly sacrifice his life to save his charge, but prefers to preserve both lives so that he may live to protect his charge another day. You may designate one individual as your charge at the beginning of a skirmish. When your charge is targeted by an attack or spell you may use the Shiba Yojimbo Technique as normal, making the same Defense / Reflexes roll (TN 25) to absorb the damage instead of the charge. However, at the time of the roll you may choose to spend a Void Point as a Free Action to activate this additional ability: if you succeed in the roll, the damage is negated rather than simply transferred to you.

Provincial Guard [Bushi]

Once known as the Sapphire Legion, the Provincial Guard is a unit of distinction among the Phoenix Clan, well known for its defense of the sacred City of Treaties, Nikesake. The legion was founded hundreds of years ago, and named for the accord reached between the Phoenix and Crane clans, an accord further reinforced in later years by the marriage of Isawa Asahina to the daughter of the Crane Champion, resulting in the creation of the Asahina family. The legion’s name is taken from the color of the gemstone in question, a tribute to the colors of their allies among the Crane. In recent generations, however, the creation of an elite unit called the Legion of the Sapphire Chrysanthemum within the hierarchy of the Imperial families, who were ignorant of the Phoenix unit’s existence, has created something of a predicament for the Phoenix clan. They cannot continue to refer to their unit as the Sapphire Legion for fear of confusing them with the Imperial group of a similar name, and so the group has become known simply as the Provincial Guard, an admittedly somewhat bland name that manages to preserve both the unit’s intent as well as its integrity. Members of the Provincial Guard are well known for their courtly tendencies, and are trained in matters of etiquette in addition to their normal duties as sentries and yojimbo. Perhaps Ironically, the Shiba who train within Nikesake have found that the two aspects of their training are actually quite similar, and mutually beneficial.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesShiba Bushi 2
  • RequirementsDefense 2, Etiquette 2
  • TechniqueMaintaining the Peace - A Shiba member of the Provincial Guard is skilled in protecting himself from all harm, regardless of its source. When in the Defense or Full Defense Stances and spending a Void Point to augment your Armor TN, you also add an amount to your Armor TN equal to your Etiquette Skill.

Sesai Ninja [Ninja]

* **Technique** Rank: 2

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesShiba Bushi 2
  • RequirementsStealth 3
  • TechniqueAnything For the Phoenix - When on a battlefield, you gain +1k1 to all Stealth rolls and a Free Raise on all attack rolls made by surprise. When performing dishonorable acts on behalf of the Phoenix Clan, you lose half the normal amount of Honor (rounded up).

Shiba Advisor [Courtier] [S&F]

Some Shiba choose to train with the Asako in order to become scholarly historians of war and conflict, a path of study which the Asako family normally frowns upon. These Shiba are able to view contemporary battles and campaigns through the dispassionate eye of history, allowing them to offer potent counsel to their fellow Shiba during times of war. When the Phoenix must fight, every Shiba general makes sure he has an Advisor on his command staff.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAsako Loremaster 3
  • RequirementsLore: History 3, Lore: War 3
  • TechniqueLessons Never Forgotten - The Advisors have the ability to call on their scholarly knowledge of war to enhance their army’s chances of success. Prior to your side undertaking a military task or duty (such as a patrol, a scouting mission, an attack on an enemy, or a hunt for bandits), you may review the plans for the task and apply the wisdom of history. You make either a Lore: War / Intelligence roll at TN 25 or a Lore: History / Intelligence roll at TN 35. With a success, you are able to give advice which increases the chances of success on the mission. One allied bushi on the mission gains a single Rank of Luck for the duration of the mission (if unused it disappears at the end of the mission). You may Raise to bestow the Luck on additional allies (but not on yourself), to a maximum number of allies equal to your School Rank.

Shiba Armorsmiths [Bushi, Artisan]

The love of Shiba have for scholarly pursuits and the arts is an oddity among bushi families in Rokugan, so much so that many other bushi families look upon them with a mixture of confusion and distaste. Many Shiba pursue some manner of artistic endeavor, although they usually prefer those of a scholarly nature, such as poetry or writing. Some, however, embrace both sides of the their family's nature and take up the path of the armorsmith, crafting the famous armor of the Phoenix Clan. These are both beautiful artistic creations and instruments of defense for what the Shiba regard as the tragic inevitability of war.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesShiba Bushi 2
  • RequirementsCraft: Armorsmithing 3, Defense 3
  • TechniqueBrilliant Steel - A Shiba armorsmith is adept at the creation of beautiful armor, and consequently is also adept at using armor effectively on the battlefield. You gain a +1k0 bonus when making Craft rolls to create armor. When you are wearing armor and spend a Void Point to increase your Armor TN by 10, you may increase your Armor TN by an additional amount equal to twice your Earth Ring.

Shiba Illusionists [Shugenja, Artisan]

Founded by the unconventional shugenja Shiba Tsuna, the Illusionists use Air Magic to delight and entertain, following their founder's dictum that there is no sound the Air kami like more than the laughter of children. They are regarded with some hostility by the Isawa, who believe their use of the kami is frivolous, but after the disgrace of Tsuna's rival the Isawa have avoided any direct attack on the organization, preferring to simply ignore it as much as possible.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 1 or Shiba Artisan 1
  • TechniqueThe Tejina's Art - The path of the illusionist is one that specializes in crafting false images. You gain a number of additional spell slots per day equal to your School Rank. You may only use these slots to cast the spells Token of Memory, Flight of Doves, or Mists of Illusion.

Shiba Yojimbo [Bushi] [CR]

Shiba bent the knee to man and swore to follow the Isawa family at the inception of the Phoenix Clan. Throughout Rokugan's history, the Shiba family has acted as the defenders of the Isawa shugenja against anything that may stand against them. The Shiba take this duty seriously and many have devoted their entire lives to this goal. The Shiba Yojimbo is the epitome of the family's ideal; he will die before he allows harm to his charge.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesShiba Bushi 3
  • RequirementsHonor Rank 5.0+
  • TechniqueShiba's Sacrifice - The Shiba yojimbo are an elite cadre of personal guards, trained to give their lives for their charges at a moment's notice. Only the most honorable and selfless of the Shiba are selected for this training, since it requires a willingness to throw one's life away without hesitation. At the start of any skirmish, you may designate one ally as your charge for that skirmish. Any time your charge is hit by a physical or a targeted (non-area-affect) damage-causing spell, if you are within 10' you may make a Defense / Reflexes roll at TN 25. With a success, you take the damage instead of your charge. If you spend a Void Point to reduce this damage, it is reduced by 20 instead of the normal 10.

Sisters of the Sacred Light [Shugenja]

Founded in the years immediately after the creation of the Centipede Clan, the Sisters of the Sacred Light were originally created to deal with infestations of mischievous spirits. Although founded by the Centipede, they recruit women from several clans, and those women are expected to forsake their former loyalties in order to follow the path of purity and wisdom which the Sisters teach. They dress in the traditional garb of a temple priestess (a red hakama and white gi), bereft of all markings save for a single clan mon to indicate their ancestry.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAsahina Shugenja 2, Isawa Shugenja (Air) 2, Moshi Shugenja 2
  • TechniqueLight Banishes Lies - The Sisters of the Sacred Light specialize in exposing illusions as the falsehoods they are. When attempting to Banish the kami of Air, who are of course responsible for the vast majority of illusion effects, you require only 2 Raises on the Sense spell (rather than the normal 3) and only 3 Raises on the Commune spell (rather than the normal 5).

The Acolytes of Snow [Shugenja]

Founded by a third-century Isawa shugenja who was fascinated by the legends of the Yuki no Onna (Snow Maiden), the Acolytes develop magic built around snow and ice, modifying spells from Water and other Elements to fit their needs.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2 or 3
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 2, any other Phoenix Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsLore: Yuki no Onna 3 or Water Affinity
  • Techniquethe Maiden’S Icy Grasp - The Acolytes of Snow recognize that the icy touch of the Snow Maiden allows Water to mirror the strength and power of Earth. You may cast the following Earth spells as Water spells: Armor of Earth, Armor of the Emperor, Be the Mountain, Bonds of Ningen-do, Earth’s Stagnation, Grasp of Earth, Major Binding, Minor Binding, and Wall of Earth. The spells create their physical effects from ice instead of from earth or stone, and the Acolytes usually rename these spells to incorporate "Ice" into their titles.

The Inferno Guard [Shugenja]

The Elemental Legions of the Phoenix Clan are a legend even among the Empire’s military traditions. The Firestorm Legion and their attendants in the Legion of Flame are the most aggressive of the Elemental Legions, ever on the forefront of any battle in which they are part of the Phoenix forces. Despite their overwhelmingly aggressive tactics, however, even the vaunted Firestorm Legion must give some attention to defense, and that is the purpose of the Inferno Guard. They defend positions by creating walls of fire, they protect by immolating archery fire from the sky, and they obscure by filling the skies with thick plumes of smoke.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesIsawa Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsFire 3, Battle (Mass Battle) 3, Fire affinity.
  • TechniqueMenacing Flames - Members of the Inferno Guard learn how to employ certain Fire spells to maximize the apparent threat they represent to opponents. When casting any Fire spell that does not list "One Target Creature" or "One Target Individual" as its Area of Effect, you may either spend a Void Point or expend an additional Spell Slot to give the spell an additional effect of Fear X, where X is the Mastery Level of the spell.

Bayushi Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The greatest villains in Rokugan's most successful plays are always Scorpions, because it is so easy for most samurai to believe. It is the actions of students from the Bayushi Bushi School that have brought this stereotype to life and reinforced it over and over again. Every student in the Bayushi dojo is trained to be the perfect weapon of discord, capable of turning the Clans against one another with minimal effort. Weapons training is only one aspect of their education, which often includes social manipulation, stealth, and even the use of poisons when the student is deemed suitable for such things.

The Bayushi Techniques might best be described as dirty tricks. They focus on granting the character an advantage, such as an increase in Initiative, or ruthlessly exploiting any other advantage that might already exist. In particular the ability to cripple an opponent with Conditions can turn the tide of a battle against a vastly superior opponent, if one has but a little luck.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Scorpion

    Scorpion bushi always seem to get the jump on opponents. You gain a bonus +1k1 to your Initiative Rolls. You also gain a bonus of +5 to your Armor TN against any opponent with lower Initiative.

  • Rank Two: Pincers and Tail

    The infamous Scorpion feint has been the demise of many foolhardy samurai. You may make the Feint Maneuver for one Raise instead of two.

  • Rank Three: Strike at the Tail

    Scorpion bushi strive to keep their enemies off guard, stopping their attacks and slowing them down. When you assume a Stance at the start of your Turn, you may choose a target within 30'. If you successfully hit him during your Turn, the target is Fatigued as if he had gone without rest for 24 hours. During the Reaction Stage, an affected opponent may attempt an Earth Ring roll against a TN of 25 to negate the effects of this Technique. If he fails, the effects of this Technique end during the next Reactions Stage (the second Reactions Stage after he was struck).

  • Rank Four: Strike From Above, Strike From Below

    The swiftness of the Scorpion allows him to cut down foes before they realize they have been attacked. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Five: The Pincers Hold, The Tail Strikes

    Striking an opponent's weakest point is the Scorpion's true path to victory. Once per encounter, you may spend a Void Point as a Complex Action to attack your opponent with a melee weapon. If the attack is successful, the target is Stunned. During the Reactions Stage, an affected opponent may attempt an Earth Ring roll against at TN equal to the amount of damage dealt to end the Stun effect. If he fails or does not attempt this roll, the Stun effect ends during the next Reactions Stage (the second Reaction Stage after he was struck).

Bayushi Courtier [Courtier] [CR]

The reputation of the Scorpion in court is nearly equal to that of the Crane, and certainly more fearsome. This is a direct result of the malevolent machinations of Bayushi courtiers over the course of centuries. The much vaunted information network of the Scorpion is largely a product of their masterful courtiers, ferreting out even minute bits of information that can be used as a whole to bring ruin to individuals, families, or even Clans.

A Scorpion courtier is a master of manipulation and deceit. Even more than that, however, they excel at discovering the weaknesses and dark secrets of their opponents (or even allies!) and ruthlessly exploiting them for the good of the Scorpion. Any foe, no matter how seemingly implacable, can be the target for a Bayushi courtier's abilities, opening avenues previously closed.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Weakness is My Strength

    The Bayushi are masters of ferreting out and exploiting the weaknesses and failures of others. Even if they do not know the exact nature of a rival's secrets, there mere realization that he has some sort of secret is enough for them to work with. When you are making a Contested Social Roll against someone else, you gain a Free Raise to your roll for every 3 points of Mental or Social Disadvantages (rounded off) he possesses. Disadvantages which did not award Experience Points still count for their normal point value for the purposes of this Technique. This technique cannot award more than 5 Free Raises.

    The Bayushi are also known as the masters of both truth and lies, speaking so smoothly that both are indistinguishable in their mouths. You gain a Free Raise when using the Courtier skill to spread gossip, and need not Raise in order to conceal that you are the source of that gossip.

  • Rank Two: Shallow Waters

    The Scorpion know how to assess others, sensing their weaknesses so as to determine how best to bring them down. By conversing with someone for a few minutes, you can make a Contested Roll of your Investigation / Awareness against their Etiquette / Awareness. With a success, you learn the identity and rank of their lowest Mental and their lowest social Skill that has at least one Rank (The GM chooses in the case of ties). You may spend a Void point to also learn their next lowest Mental Trait and next lowest Social Skill.

  • Rank Three: Secrets are Birthmarks

    At this rank, the Scorpion has become so adept at ferreting out secrets that he can lure others in revealing them in casual conversation. By speaking with someone for a few minutes, you may make a Contested Roll of your Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness to force them into revealing one Mental or Social Disadvantage they possess. If they have no such Disadvantage, this will instead reveal one Mental or Social Advantage. (Note this will only reveal the rulebook title of the Advantage / Disadvantage, not the specific nature of it. For example, you might learn that the target has "Dark Secret," but not the specific nature of the secret.) If the roll succeeded in revealing a Disadvantage, with the GM's permission you may take a 2-point Blackmail Advantage against this individual, for no cost in Experience Points.

  • Rank Four: Scrutiny's Sweet Sting

    At this rank, the Bayushi Courtier has learned to use all the information he has collected to subtly wreck his enemies, undermining their every word and deed. Any time you make a Contested Social Skill Roll against someone on whom you have Blackmail, his dice cannot explode. In addition, any time you make a Contested Social Skill Roll against someone, regardless of whether you have Blackmail on them or not, you may spend a Void Point to force them to use a mental Trait of your choice (instead of the normal Trait used for the roll).

  • Rank Five: No More Masks

    The final lesson of the Bayushi School is to force the rest of the court to see the corrupt, dishonorable world he knows, shattering the reputations of those he speaks against. A number of times per session equal to your School Rank, you may make an Opposed Social Roll of Courtier (Gossip) / Awareness against an opponent's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. If you have Blackmail on the person you are targeting with his technique, you gain a bonus of +5k0 to the total of this roll. With a success, you may inflict one Social Disadvantage on the target: Social Disadvantage, Sworn Enemy, or Obligation (to someone of your choice). The Disadvantage lasts for one month, unless the GM judges that the target has taken action which can expunge it sooner. (This Technique cannot be used on the same target until its effect expires.)

Shosuro Actor [Ninja]

The Shosuro Butei (Acting) Academy is a famous acting school, rivaling the actors of the Kakita Artisan Academy, but its students are also taught methods of infiltration and impersonation. The most promising students receive instruction in poison, stealth, and assassination, and are given contracts within the Scorpion spy network to help them to build up the false personas which they use in their later espionage careers. For the vast majority of its students, of course, the Butei Academy is simply as school of the arts - the Scorpion students are aware the school is more than it seems, but are content to ignore such unpleasantness and focus on pursuing their craft.

The skilled infiltrators who emerge from the Butei Academy are a matter of rumor and supposition to the rest of the Empire. There are fanciful tales of Scorpion infiltrators so skilled they could convince a doting mother to place an entire family's welfare into their hands. These are exaggerations, but the Shosuro Actors are certainly quite skilled and they take their clan's sacred duty to protect the Empire extremely seriously. In their view, whatever deceptions they must perpetrate are more than justified, and they are as ready to die for the clan as any other Scorpion.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The First Face

    The Shosuro Actor begins his career by learning the basics of deception and mimicry, and takes his first steps on the path of infiltrating the Empire. You learn one persona. Any time you spend a Void Point on an Acting or Sincerity (Deceit) Skill roll, you gain a bonus of +3k1 instead of the normal +1k1.

  • Rank Two: The Subtle Sting

    Shosuro Actors are expected to serve their clan as both infiltrators and assassins. You gain a bonus of +2k0 to your attack rolls when wielding a Small weapon.

  • Rank Three: The Second Face

    The Actor's training has now advanced enough to make him a far more flexible and capable infiltrator. You learn a second persona. In addition, you may now spend 2 Void Points (rather than just one) when enhancing a Skill Roll with any of your School Skills. This stacks with the effects of your Rank One ability.

  • Rank Four: The Viper's Kiss

    The Shosuro Actor intensifies his martial training to enable swift and deadly assassinations of his targets. You may attack as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using a Small-sized weapon.

  • Rank Five: The Third Face

    The Shosuro Actor is now a true master of deception, infiltration, and murder. You gain a third persona. In addition, if you attack a foe who is unaware or does not expect danger form you, your Raises are not limited by your Void.

Shosuro Infiltrator [Ninja] [CR]

Few outside the Scorpion Clan are aware of the existence of the Shosuro Infiltrator School, and those few who do are either so inextricably bound to the Clan that they dare not reveal its existence, or have been so thoroughly discredited that no one takes their wild accusations seriously. The Shosuro are that which most believe all Scorpion to be, but without the arrogance and cruelty that such villains are commonly ascribed in plays and poems. The Infiltrators are silent, merciless killers who take no pleasure or satisfaction from their role. They are simply fulfilling their duty, and experience neither joy nor remorse as a result.

The specialization of the Shosuro Infiltrators is relatively simple: they attack unknowing targets and destroy them utterly. Their bonuses to stealth make them virtually impossible to detect and, once hidden from an opponent, they can strike from shadows and inflict incredible amounts of damage.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Path of Shadows

    The first lesson of an infiltrator is to mask all signs of one's true nature. You lose no Honor for use of Low Skills or Ninjutsu Weapons in the service of the Scorpion Clan (subject to GM approval). You gain a bonus of +2k0 to the total of all Stealth Skill rolls.

  • Rank Two: Strike From Darkness

    A student of the Shosuro Techniques never fails to exploit any advantage held over a foe. Whenever you declare an attack against an opponent who is unaware of your presence until the moment of the attack, your Raises are not limited to your Void and you roll additional dice equal to your School Rank on the attack roll. You also roll half this number of additional unkept dice on an attack roll made against an opponent who is suffering from a Condition effect (such as Stunned or Fatigued). These two effects are not cumulative, and if both could apply, you must choose one of them. (You do not add one and one half times your School Rank in dice to an attack roll against an opponent who is both Blinded and unaware of your presence, for example.)

  • Rank Three: Steel Within Silk

    Striking quickly and effectively is the hallmark of a true shadow warrior. When attacking from ambush as described above, or when using ninjutsu weapons (including any weapons with the Ninja keyword), you may make a melee attack (or ranged attack, in the case of shuriken or tsubute) as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action. Alternatively, when wielding shuriken, you may take a Complex Action to make a number of ranged attacks equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Four: Whisper of Steel

    A master assassin strikes from shadow without ever revealing his presence. Even after attacking a target, your opponents and bystanders must succeed at a Contested Roll using Investigation (Notice) / Perception against Stealth / Agility to detect you. You may only use this Technique if you make a single attack per round. (The GM may rule that this technique does not work in situations where concealment is impossible.)

  • Rank Five: The Final Silence

    The true assassin requires but a single strike. After you make a damage roll as a result of a successful attack, you may spend a Void Point to increase any two dice to show 10s. These 10s do not explode. You may spend multiple Void Points in this manner, with each Void Point spent increasing the result of up to two damage dice.

Soshi Magistrate [Bushi] [EE]

The Soshi magistrate school is descended from a set of techniques taught to the yoriki of Soshi Saibankan during his many years as a judge, and some rumors claim the first three techniques were invented by Saibankan himself. Whether this is true or not, the school remains the principle method the Scorpion use to educate those who must maintain order within their lands - magistrates, yoriki, city guards, and border patrols. Like many such schools, the Soshi Magistrate school teaches a mixture of armed and hand-to-hand techniques, allowing its students to suppress brawls and defeat lethal bandits with equal skill.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Face of Justice

    The Soshi magistrates are trained to control their environment through a mixture of fear and force, intimidating even the most violent street gang with ease. You gain a +1k0 bonus to the Intimidation skill; when you use it against someone of lower Status Rank than yourself, the bonus is +2k0 instead. You also gain a +1k0 damage bonus with melee attacks.

  • Rank Two: Rise to Meet the Challenge

    Soshi magistrates often deal close-up with criminals and thugs who employ dishonorable tactics, so they are taught brawling techniques and learn to quickly recover any time they find themselves in a vulnerable position. Any time you are Prone, you may take a Free Action to roll Athletics / Agility at TN 20 to regain your feet. You gain a +1k1 bonus to any roll made to control a Grapple.

  • Rank Three: The Magistrate's Cut

    Soshi magistrates prefer to disable foes rather than kill them outright, since prisoners can be useful when ferreting out criminals and enemy spies. In a skirmish, once per opponent, by successfully making three Raises for a Called Shot on a melee attack you may temporarily Blind a foe. They are considered Blinded until the Reactions stage of the following Round.

  • Rank Four: Certainty of Purpose

    When the time comes to fight, the Soshi magistrate does so with vicious speed and ruthlessness. You may make melee attacks (including unarmed attacks) as Simple Actions rather than Complex Actions.

  • Rank Five: Relentless Resolve

    The Soshi magistrates are taught to wait for the perfect moment and then overwhelm their enemies with fear and aggression, crushing lawbreakers with a few swift blows. Once per skirmish, you may gain extra unkept dice equal to your Intimidation skill rank on all your attack rolls for one Round. This technique cannot be used in the Center Stance.

Soshi Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

Although it is admittedly rare, there are times when the prodigious physical abilities of the Bayushi and Shosuro are inadequate to accomplish a task requiring stealth and subtlety. When this happens, a student of the Soshi Shugenja School is brought in to deal with the matter. The Soshi understand better than most that the kami are not honorable beings as many envision them, but rather completely alien creatures with no firm concept of human behavior or even of honor itself. They can and will do virtually anything asked of them if properly entreated, so long as the request is not a violation of the natural order such as blood sorcery. The Soshi excel at exploiting this to channel the kami into feats of stealth, trickery, and deception.

Although all shugenja have the potential to cast spells discreetly, none excel at is as the Soshi do. Their ability to cast virtually any non-damaging spell without any outward indications of its origin make them perfect for infiltration and subtle manipulation at court.

  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Courtier, Etiquette, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft, Stealth, and one Skill
  • Honor2.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyAir / Earth
  • TechniqueThe Kami's Whisper - The Soshi cast their spells as quietly as the kami themselves. You may sacrifice an additional spell slot (of the same Element) when casting any spell with no potential to inflict damage in order to eliminate all visible signs of the spell having been cast. All spell effects take place normally; there is simply no outward sign of what has happened. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Illusion keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Air, 2 Fire, and 1 Water

Yogo Wardmaster [Shugenja]

The school founded by Yogo is known for an unusual style of magic that focuses on special protective charms known as wards. These are similar to the exorcism wards used by the Toritaka, but are significantly more flexible in their use and application. The Yogo guard their methods carefully and seldom allow others to study in their dojo; even their shugenja cousins in the Soshi family know little about the secrets of ward magic.

  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Etiquette, Investigation, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft, Stealth, any 1 High or Low Skill
  • Honor1.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, pack of twenty paper wards, 3 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyYogo Shugenja do not have an elemental Affinity or Deficiency. Instead, they have an Affinity for all non-Void spells with the Wards keyword, and a Deficiency for all spells with the Travel or Craft keywords. They may treat certain spells as having the Wards keyword - see below.
  • TechniqueWay of the Wardmaster - The Yogo are masters at creating wards for later use. When you cast any spell with the Wards keyword, you may Raise a number of times equal to the spell's Mastery Level to instead place the spell into a paper ward. Once this is done, the paper ward will hold the spell "latent" until you activate it (as a Simple Action) by placing it on a target. Only you may activate your wards. The ward sticks to the target and immediately discharge the spell, whose duration is measured normally from that moment. If an area-effect spell is discharged onto a living target, it will only affect that target. Placing a paper ward on an unwilling target requires an unarmed melee attack using a roll of Spellcraft / Agility. An active ward may be physically torn/destroyed, which instantly ends any ongoing spell effects; this requires a Simple Action. You cannot recover the spell slot of a spell which has been cast into a paper ward until after the ward is discharged. If a ward is damaged or destroyed before it is discharged, it loses all power and you may regain the spell slot normally. The following spells are treated as having the Wards keyword for purposes of spell selection and use of their technique:
  • SpellsCommune, Summon, 3 Ward Spells, 3 other spells (may not be Void Spells)

Scorpion Instigator [Courtier] [CR]

The Scorpion Clan is the Clan of Secrets, and the Scorpion Instigator strives to maintain mastery over that domain. These courtiers are given access to rigorous training designed to exploit their own weaknesses until they become strengths. The Instigator learns to control the flow of conversation so that his falsehoods can pass undetected even against the most trained investigators. His ability to mask the truth keeps his opponents unsettled and unable to perform at their best.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: The Depths of Dishonor

    The Instigator learns to turn his own dishonor into a weapon and to use his opponent's Honor against him, subverting their beliefs. When making a Contested Social Skill roll, you gain a bonus of +Xk0, where X is the difference between your Honor Rank and that of your opponent.

  • Rank Two: Sheath Your Lies in Truth

    An Instigator is taught to constantly reassure himself the lies he speaks are actually the truth. This causes some mild psychological discomfort, but is extremely effective on others trying to see through his lies. If anyone is trying to tell whether you are lying, you may spend a Void Point to gain a bonus of +3k3 to the Contested Social Skill roll to conceal your falsehood (instead of the normal +1k1). Note that if you use this Technique to make statements that are blatantly and obviously false ("the sky is red"), you will quickly become known as a madman.

  • Rank Three: Pull the String

    Those who are weak and unworthy are nothing more than pawns to the Instigator. If you possess Blackmail on someone, you may spend 10 minutes conversing with them and then spend a Void Point as a Complex Action to suggest an action they should take. This also requires you to win a Contested Social Skill roll of your Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. If you win the roll, so long as the action is not life-threatening and its consequences will not be worse than revealing the Blackmail, the target must either take the action or lose 4 points of Honor.

Scorpion Saboteur [Ninja] [IH]

The saboteurs are the military elite of the Scorpion shinobi forces. While the clan's other shinobi focus on spying and assassination, the saboteurs undertake the military defense of the Scorpion lands, using every sort of tactic defense of the Scorpion lands, using every sort of tactic (including the forbidden gaijin pepper) to weaken, distract, and cripple enemy armies. Although they prefer to operate by stealth, they are more than capable of defending themselves should the need arise.

During the Clan War era, with most of the Scorpion Clan dead or scattered, the saboteurs bear the burden of protecting their lands and punishing those who occupy them. Both the Imperial Legions and the Crab invaders suffer heavily at the Saboteurs' hands.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Follow the Pincers

    The saboteur are trained to an extreme degree of focus and alertness, assuring they can slip through enemy lines and silence anyone who spots them. You gain +1k1 bonus to all Stealth rolls and suffer no Initiative penalties for being surprised, Dazed, or Fatigued.

  • Rank Two: No Mistakes

    The saboteur specializes in using demolitions to destroy vital targets such as walls, bridges, supply dumps, and castles. When you spend a Void Point on a roll with Craft: Explosives, you gain a +2k2 bonus instead of the normal +1k1. Due to your extensive training with gaijin pepper, you suffer no ill effects from low rolls with Craft: Explosives and if the optional "fizzle" rule is in effect you are immune to it as well.

  • Rank Three: Seeking Weakness

    The saboteurs are trained to strike at their opponents' weak points with lethal and shocking speed. When fighting with a Small weapon (melee or ranged) you may make a single attack as a Free Action each Round in addition to any other Simple Action or Complex Action attacks you might make. Also, when fighting with a Small weapon (melee or ranged), you may ignore the effects of your opponent's armor on his Armor TN and Reduction.

Bayushi Distracter [Courtier] [S&F]

The Scorpion Clan often approaches court, like war, as a domain where misdirection and confusion are its most potent allies. Although the Bayushi Courtier School focuses primarily on blackmail as its favored weapon, the school’s sensei also teach specialized techniques in spreading false information. The more rumors and confused gossip suffuse a court, the easier it is for the Masters of Secrets to prevail.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesBayushi Courtier 3
  • RequirementsSincerity (Deceit) 3
  • TechniqueSmoke Screen - The Distracter specializes in spreading false information in order to confuse and disrupt his opponents. When in conversation with another individual, you may roll Sincerity (Deceit) / Awareness against the target’s Investigation / Awareness to inflict misinformation on a specific topic. (If the target possesses a directly relevant Lore skill, he may substitute Lore / Intelligence for the Investigation roll.) If successful, the target’s future discussions of that topic are weakened by his false information; he must call a Raise for no effect any time he makes a Social Roll involving that topic. You may call Raises on the Contested Roll to increase the number of non-effect Raises the target must call.If the target fails to call the Raises (or is unable to call them due to insufficient Void Rank) he is considered to automatically fail the Social Skill Roll. At the GM’s option, a character who calls the Raises and then fails his Social Skill Roll due solely to those Raises may embarrass himself in public due to his display of false information, resulting in a loss of 1-5 points of Glory (depending on the importance of the topic).The effects of this Technique last one week, and it cannot target the same person within the same week.

Bitter Lies Swordsman [Bushi] [CR]

The fact that the Bitter Lies technique works at all is astounding. The founder of the Bitter Lies style, Bayushi Tangen, was a man who capitalized on chance and reaches success through sheer force of will. He refused to accept anything as out of his reach and would take insane risks to accomplish his tasks. He passed this style of no-holds-barred adventurous fighting to a single student, who later found several students of his own. The Bitter Lies Swordsmen carry on this legacy with their own reckless antics. The Swordsman's natural fortune helps him survive situations where logic says he could not.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesBayushi Bushi 3
  • RequirementsKenjutsu 3
  • TechniqueThe Dark Sword of Bitter Lies - The Bitter Lies Swordsman charges into battle with no regard for his own safety. You may spend a Void Point to immediately re-roll any one roll. This re-roll suffers no penalty to the TN, even if you failed the original roll. You may keep either result that you prefer. However, you may not re-roll the same roll another time through any means.

Fading Shadows [Shugenja]

The Fading Shadows are a tiny sect operating out of the Hidden Moon Dojo, the secretive Scorpion organization devoted to studying the Nothing and its manifestations in Rokugan. The Fading Shadows recognize that a link may exist between the Nothing and the Void, a disturbing idea but one that provides useful means of defeating the Nothing’s machinations. They are predominantly Soshi, but the Hidden Moon Dojo does not hesitate to recruit shugenja from other Scorpion families if it seems advantageous to do so.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • ReplacesAny Scorpion shugenja 5
  • RequirementsVoid 4, Spellcraft 5, Forbidden Knowledge: Lying Darkness
  • TechniqueUnravel the Shadow - The shugenja of the Fading Shadows are trained to perceive the lies and distortions of the Nothing and to disrupt the powers of the Shadowspawn by exploiting their vulnerability to the Void. As a Simple Action, you may spend a Void Point to try to strip away the false identity of any Shadowspawn and other minions of the Nothing within your sight, revealing them for what they are. This requires a Contested Roll of your Void against their Willpower. With a success, the creatures are revealed as what they truly are, and are unable to reassume a false identity as long as they remain in your sight. As a Free Action, you may spend a Void Point when you cast a spell or make a physical attack. That spell/attack will have full effect on a minion of the Nothing, regardless of normal resistances or immunities.

Kuroiban [Shugenja]

The Kuroiban were originally created by the Yogo, and the Yogo family still leads the organization. However, it draws recruits from both the Scorpion shugenja Schools. Only the most trustworthy and skillful shugenja are recruited into the Black Watch, since its very existence is known to only a handful of people. Outside the Scorpion Clan, only the Kuni family is full aware of the Kuroiban, although the Asako Inquisitors have a vague realization that something of the sort exists.

Students of the Kuroiban are taught a secret technique to call on their connection with the kami and root out those who are corrupted by Jigoku's touch.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Scorpion shugenja 4
  • RequirementsWillpower 4, Lore: Maho 3, Lore: Shadowlands 3. Must have been chosen to serve in the secret order of the Kuroiban.
  • TechniqueThe Black Watch - You have been taught to sense the presence of the Taint through your connection to the kami. Any time you target someone with a spell (including a benign or helpful spell) you may expend an additional spell slot (in any Element) and take a Free Action to make a Contested Willpower roll with the target. If you succeed in the roll, you can sense whether or not the target is Tainted (e.g. has at least one full Rank of Taint). Normally this technique can only be triggered with targeted spells that have an instantaneous effect. However, if you are trained in the Yogo Shugenja School you may also use this technique with your wards, activating it when the ward is placed. If the spell has a duration, you may only use the technique at the moment you place the ward.

Saigo's Blades [Bushi]

The iaijutsu duel is a sacred tradition in Rokugan and a lynchpin of the Empire's legal system. Given the history the Scorpion Clan has in the creation of that system, it comes as no surprise that a small but effective branch of the clan's primary bushi school is devoted to the art of iaijutsu. Through much of the Empire's history the group did not have an official name, but during the years immediately prior to the Clan War it drew attention for the deeds of Bayushi Saido, one of the finest graduates of its training program. Saigo's victories over other clans' duelists were so notable that the graduates of the dojo became known - first informally, then later formally - as Saigo's Blades.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesBayushi Bushi 3
  • RequirementsIaijutsu 3
  • TechniqueSaigo's Technique - A true Scorpion duelist knows that intimidation and deception are the keys to victory. When dueling any opponent that you have previously used the Intimidation Skill upon successfully, you gain a bonus of +5 to the total of the your roll during the Assessment Phase of the duel. Additionally, by spending a Void Point, you may report one statistic of your choice as being one rank higher during the Assessment Phase.

Scorpion Loyalist [Artisan, Courtier, Bushi, Monk, Ninja] [IH]

The long period of relative peace and tranquility the Empire enjoyed took its toll upon the Scorpion just as it did all the clans. When the whispering of Ambition began to take hold in Bayushi Shoju’s mind, his demeanor changed, affecting those closest to him, then their vassals, and so on. When the Scorpion discovered the prophecy that foretold the return of Fu Leng through the last Hantei, this growing seed of dissent and paranoia blossomed into a loyal cadre who would do anything to make Shoju’s vision a reality. These warriors, priests, and courtiers, conspirators one and all, formed the bulk of the forces in the Imperial City during the Clan Coup, commanding even senior officers and agents in the successful capture and security of the city as a whole.

The technique which these men and women employed was not wholly exclusive to their era, however. The Scorpion Clan has always had those willing to do anything at all to fulfill their lord’s commands, and in truth the technique of the Scorpion Loyalists can probably be traced back to the internal split within the clan during the Gozoku era.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Scorpion School at Rank 2
  • RequirementsCourtier 4 (courtiers), Spellcraft 4 (shugenja), one Weapon Skill at 4 (bushi or ninja)
  • TechniqueNo Matter the Cost - Those Scorpion agents who embrace their duties to the fullest strike viciously at the clan’s many enemies without regard for the constraints of honor, custom, or propriety. You may sacrifice points of Honor up to a maximum number equal to your Scorpion School Rank to gain a bonus on one roll made against non-Scorpion opponents. Bushi and ninja gain a bonus of +1k0 per point of Honor on attack rolls, courtiers gain the same bonus on Contested Social Skill Rolls, and shugenja gain the bonus on spell-casting rolls made on Air spells (only) targeting those opponents.

Scorpion Maskmaker [Courtier, Artisan]

Although every clan has artisans who specialize in the creation of courtly masks, the Scorpion Clan takes such artistry to a much higher level. This is hardly surprising given the importance of masks to Scorpion culture.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesBayushi Courtier 2, Soshi Shugenja 2, Yogo Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsCraft: Maskmaking 5, Sincerity (Deceit)
  • TechniqueConceal the Eyes - The artisans who craft masks for Scorpion samurai know how to direct attention away from the wearer’s face (and any social cues it might reveal) to the distracting mask itself. Once every three months, you may craft a mask which is especially effective at concealing thoughts and emotions; this mask matches the abilities of the Inheritance Advantage with the Sincerity Skill, and creating it requires two Raises on your Craft: Maskmaking roll. Also, your experience at using masks to conceal emotions teaches you how to read others’ intentions without relying on facial expressions. You gain a +2k0 bonus on any Social Skill roll to detect falsehood or concealed intentions in others.

Scorpion Weaponmaster [Bushi]

The Scorpion are not generally known as a clan of great warriors, at least not in the same manner as their rivals among the Lion and the Crab. They are much more commonly perceived as villains, thieves, and assassins, accusations that are vehemently contested and yet not without a kernel of truth. Still, there are many within the Scorpion Clan who excel at martial pursuits, and the Scorpion army is rightfully feared on the battlefield. A small handful of Scorpion, however, possess the perfect combination of natural talent and extensive training to elevate combat beyond the simple act of war; in the hands of a Scorpion master, a weapon is but a brush and combat is his art. Perhaps ironically, the greatest weaponmasters among the Scorpion are typically found within the ranks of the Bitter Lies legion, which has led some within the clan to speculate that the prodigious physical talents these samurai possess are in fact some manner of compensation for their damaged psychological state.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesBayushi Bushi 4
  • RequirementsAny three Weapon Skills at 2
  • TechniqueI Am A Weapon - A true weaponmaster understands the common thread between all weapons, and draws upon it. When wielding any melee weapon, a number of times per skirmish equal to your school rank, you may as a Free Action use any other melee Weapon Skill you possess for attack rolls using your current weapon. For example, you could spend a Void Point to use Kenjutsu when wielding a tetsubo if you had no ranks in Heavy Weapons. You gain no benefits from any Mastery Abilities or Emphases when utilizing this Technique. The effect lasts a number of Rounds equal to your School Rank, and while this Technique is in effect you may make melee attacks as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action.

Shadow Blades [Ninja]

Among the military ranks of the Scorpion, there is one unit that is known to the clan’s leadership but which appears in no formal documentation anywhere in the clan’s annals. These men are trained by sensei of both the Bayushi and Shosuro families, and are among the most proficient killers in the entire Empire. When they take the field, there are no survivors to tell tales of their abilities. Even their allies never lay eyes upon them. The location of their secret dojo is unknown to all save those who dwell within it, and those of family daimyo status or higher among the Scorpion. A persistent rumor among the attendants of those who know of the Shadow Blades’ existence places the dojo within Zakyo Toshi, but no one knows if this is simply conjecture or if there is a kernel of truth to the matter.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesBayushi Bushi 3 or Shosuro Infiltrator 3
  • RequirementsNinjutsu 3
  • TechniqueNever Beyond My Reach - The flawless blend of warrior and assassin works unlocks a samurai’s true potential as a killer of men. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding a katana, weapons using the Ninjutsu Skill, and to the Ninja-to sword. You may also add +1k1 to your attack and damage rolls with that weapon.

Shadow Hunter [Shugenja] [CR]

The Scorpion Clan never publicly acknowledges the existence of many of their elite forces. Their assassins and ninja can slip past powerful defenses to reach their targets. However, these ninja are only humaan and have limits to their abilities. The Soshi's Shadow Hunters are adept in speaking with kami, bypassing normal thresholds of power. The Shadow Hunters can alter the world with the help of their spells. These elite assassins meld with the darkness, revealing themselves only to devastate their foes.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAny Scorpion Shugenja School, Rank 3
  • RequirementsStealth 3
  • TechniqueScourge in Shadow - There are some targets the Shosuro ninja are unable to eliminate, either because of their protection or simply because they are too difficult to kill. For such targets, the Soshi send in their Shadow Hunters. When casting a damaging spell targeting an opponent who is unaware of your presence, you gain a bonus +2k0 on the Spell Casting Roll. You may also spend a single spell slot as a Free Action to gain a bonus of +1k1 on a Knives or Stealth Skill Roll.

Shosuro Assassins [Ninja]

The Assassins are the venomous sting of the Scorpion, their activities one of the greatest sources of paranoia in all Rokugan. They are trained to dispatch all manner of targets in every sort of circumstance, relying on tanto as small, easily concealed weapons which are ideal for infiltration work. The Shosuro Assassins learn to employ precise knife cuts and stabs to slay their targets in a matter of seconds with a minimum of noise and commotion.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankN/A
  • ReplacesN/A
  • RequirementsCraft: Stealth 5, Knives 5, must have attained Rank 5 in either the Shosuro Infiltrator or Shosuro Actor school
  • TechniqueThe Hidden Blade - The Assassins are the elite killers of the Shosuro shinobi orders, trained to kill their targets with a single precise stab or slice. When attacking a surprised or unaware opponent with a knife, you may activate this Technique by spending a Void Point (as a Free Action). Your attack will target a vital spot, and any Raises for damage you make on that attack are kept dice (+1k1 per Raise) instead of unkept (+1k0).

Shosuro Defilers [Courtier]

The Defilers are an elite group within the Scorpion who specialize in the destruction of reputations, skillfully spreading lies and calumnies against their opponents, often lies backed with just enough truth to make them effective. They tend to be prominent figures whose vicious tongues earn them many enemies, and their tactics can sometimes rebound back on them - especially if the target of their words has a better dueling champion than they do. However, a true Defiler is more than ready to give his life in return for shattering the name, honor, and repute of an enemy of the Scorpion.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesBayushi Courtier 3 or Shosuro Actor 3
  • RequirementsSincerity (Deceit) 3, Glory Rank 3.0 or better
  • TechniqueShameless Slander - The Defilers forsake blackmail and manipulation in favor of smearing and destroying their foes. If you slander someone in court, either directly or indirectly, you may roll Sincerity (Deceit) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower; if you are able to base your slander on a real secret or disgrace involving the target, you gain a +1k1 bonus to the roll (GM's discretion). If you succeed in the roll, the target is humiliated and disgraced, losing a number of points of Honor and gaining a number of points of Infamy equal to your current Glory Rank. If he does not promptly and effectively answer your slander (GM's discretion, but in general the victim should have to make a concerted effort within the first week after he has been targeted), he also loses 1 Rank of Devotion from all of his Allies. The Defiler's attacks are not without rank. If you lose the Contested Roll, your blatant insults degrade your own reputation, lowering your Glory by 3 points. This technique cannot target the same person more than once per month.

Sons of Shadow [Bushi, Shugenja]

The Colonies are a vast area in which many dangers and secrets are hidden. The other clans are interested in those secrets, interested in what resources and power might be contained or unleashed by them, interested in how they can benefit from such things. But while the clans understand the physical dangers of such things, only the Scorpion understand the spiritual threat. Only they know the razor’s edge on which they walk, risking the integrity of their honor and indeed their souls by studying such gaijin artifacts. The two branches of the Soshi family, those who follow the path of the priesthood and those who follow the ways of combat and law enforcement, have both dedicated themselves to ensuring the danger presented by the Colonies is never fully realized. Whatever horrors they must perform, they accept them as necessary burdens to prevent even greater horrors from being unleashed. If all goes as planned, the other clans will never know the suffering the Scorpion have spared them.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesSoshi Magistrate 3, Soshi Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsLore: Shugenja 3 or Lore: Law 3 (whichever applies to the opposite School)
  • TechniqueNone Shall Know My Path - The Sons of Shadow train extensively with their cousins throughout the Soshi family, learning the skills of both of the family’s schools. If you are a Soshi Shugenja, you may as a Simple Action spend a spell slot to gain temporary ranks equal to your School Rank in Athletics, Defense, Intimidation, or Lore: Underworld. If you are a Soshi Magistrate, you may as a Simple Action spend one Void Point to gain temporary ranks equal to your School Rank in Calligraphy, Courtier, Etiquette, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft, or Stealth. These temporary Skill Ranks last for one hour. No Mastery Abilities are gained for any of these temporary Skill ranks.

Soshi Deceivers [Shugenja]

For centuries the Soshi Deceivers are the darkest secret of the Soshi family: a secret group who combine Air magic and the power of Nothing to produce a host of sinister effects. They are notably adept at illusion magic, cloaking their actions in concealing shadows, rendering themselves invisible, or taking on the visage of others to deflect blame for their actions. After the exposure and apparent defeat of the Lying Darkness, the original Deceivers are purged from the clan, but the organization is later re-started in the belief that its powers can be replicated without relying on the dangerous influence of the Shadow. Whether this effort is truly successful, or the Soshi are merely deceiving themselves, remains to be seen.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesSoshi Shugenja 3
  • TechniqueWay of the Shadow - A master of Shadow gains many powerful abilities. You may sacrifice a spell slot of an Element to gain perfect vision when in absolute darkness. Alternatively, you may spend an Air or Void spell slot to gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of any Stealth, Sleight of Hand, or Sincerity (Deceit) Skill Roll. You may not spend more spell slots than your Insight Rank in this manner on any one Skill Roll.

The Scorpion Elite Guard [Bushi] [S&F]

Most clans and families maintain a highly skilled force known as an Elite Guard or House Guard, usually tasked with protection of the Clan Champion and/or of key clan holdings. Appointment to such a force is a privilege and reward, a mark of great trust from the clan’s rulers. The Scorpion Elite Guard, however, is a very different sort of force. Each member of the Scorpion Clan’s Elite Guard trains to adapt his fighting style to that of a specific enemy clan, becoming an intimidating opponent to any members of that clan - and also gaining the ability to pose as one of that clan’s samurai if necessary. Of course, this is a secret largely unknown outside of the Scorpion Clan, and most opponents believe the Scorpion Elite Guard is merely a highly proficient bushi unit like the comparable force of other families and clans. Within the ranks of the Scorpion Clan itself, the warriors of the Elite Guard are sometimes called "Violators".

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesBayushi Bushi 3, Shosuro Actor 3
  • RequirementsLore (selected clan) 3, Kenjutsu 5. At the GM’s option, characters may substitute "Heart of Vengeance [Selected Clan]" for the Lore requirement.
  • TechniqueThe Eyes of My Enemy - You select a specific Great Clan when you learn this Technique (this choice cannot be changed). You may attack as a Simple Action when targeting a samurai from this clan. When fighting a Skirmish against a samurai from this clan, as a Simple Action you may spend a Void Point to prevent that samurai from using his School Techniques for his next two Turns. (This Technique cannot be used in iaijutsu duels.)Historical Note: In the twelfth century, the Scorpion Clan is exiled for a time in the Burning Sands. During that period, a warrior named Bayushi Eiyo encounters one of the legendary Ashalan and learns a fighting technique that also disrupts the enemy’s fighting style; Eiyo later teaches this technique to a number of successors, and the members of this group also call themselves "Violators". Mechanically, the GM can use this Path to represent both the Elite Guard and Eiyo’s later group.

The Scorpion’s Tail [Bushi, Ninja]

Chain weapons are taught in the Scorpion Clan’s shinobi organizations, and in addition there is a showier type of chain ghting taught at the Shosuro Acting Academy which is designed to appear as a form of dance. Those few Scorpion bushi and assassins who actually specialize in chain weapons above other types of armament train in the small dojo which calls itself the Scorpion’s Tail. Their style specializes in the kusarigama, using it as both an infiltration tool and as a vicious weapon. They especially appreciate its ability to disable and even cripple opponents at a distance.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3 or 4
  • ReplacesBayushi Bushi 3, Shosuro Infiltrator 4
  • RequirementsAthletics 4, Chain Weapons 4
  • TechniqueThe Tail’s Reach - The Scorpion’s Tail dojo teaches students several effective ways to employ the kusarigama and its brethren. If you use any chain weapon as a climbing tool, you gain a +1k1 bonus to any Athletics rolls made for that purpose. You may attack with a kusarigama at a distance of up to 15’ from your target. Also, any time you attack with a kusarigama, you may call three Raises on the attack to inflict the Lame Disadvantage on your opponent ; the Disadvantage lasts until the Wounds from the attack are healed.

Chuda Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The Chuda possess an ancient tradition of maho, passed down from one to another in secret for centuries, ever since their family was eradicated by the Phoenix Clan hundreds of years ago. Within the Spider Clan, the heirs of the Snake have found a new home as the reinvigorated Chuda, and they serve their masters well. The Chuda are among the most powerful and progressive maho-tsukai that have ever existed, always pushing the envelope of what is possible with blood magic, never content to simply accept the power available to them. The atrocities committed in the name of increasing their School's knowledge and power are without limit.

Maho is unquestionably the strength of the Chuda family, but the costs associated with it can make them less prolific spell-casters than other shugenja. Fortunately, their Technique permits them to conceal the corrupted nature of their magic, and to mitigate the rate at which they acquire the Taint.

  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Hunting, Lore: Maho, Lore: Shadowlands, Spellcraft, Stealth, any one Skill
  • Honor0.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyChuda Shugenja have an Affinity for any non-Void Maho spell. Select one non-Void element, You have a Deficiency for all non-Maho spells of the selected element.
  • TechniqueBlood Like Water - The Chuda have existed for centuries, hidden among the people of Rokugan and concealing the true nature of their dark arts. When casting a maho spell, you may declare one Raise to conceal the corrupted nature of the magic. The spell functions exactly as normal, but there will be no outward sign that it is anything other than traditional elemental magic. You may declare a second Raise to reduce all Shadowlands Taint normally acquired by a maho spell to only one Point, regardless of the spells Mastery level. Alternatively you may sacrifice one point of Honor to reduce all Taint normally acquired by the spell to one Point.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Maho spells of one element, 2 Maho spells of a second non-Deficient element, and any 1 spell of any non-Deficient element.

Daigotsu Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The legions of warriors loyal to Daigotsu employ a fighting style cobbled together from the various techniques they possessed in their former lives. As a result, the Daigotsu Techniques are mildly eclectic, but can be brutally effective when used in conjunction with one another. Skilled bushi can use these secrets to devastate their foes and then harness their dying life essence to replenish themselves, an act that forever marks them as traitors and blasphemers in the eyes of the Empire.

The techniques of the Daigotsu bushi clearly indicate the favor in which they are held by their god and master, Fu Leng. Their ability to increase their damage and instill fear in their opponents makes them potent opponents for virtually any enemy, and their power level can increase dramatically if they employ their Shadowlands Taint as well (although this is, of course, not without risk).

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Spider

    The Daigotsu Bushi must walk the fine line between using the Taint to power his body, and hiding its effects in public. At the beginning of each Round, you may choose to either reduce your TN penalties from Wound Ranks by your Strength Trait Rank plus your Taint Rank until the end of the Round, or increase your damage rolls by the same amount. Additionally, the TN on any roll to detect the presence or effects of the Shadowlands Taint on you is increased by 10.

  • Rank Two: Aura of Blood

    The presence of the Daigotsu Bushi can be unsettling to those who are unprepared to face it. You may spend a Void Point as a Simple Action to activate this Technique. While this Technique is active, you and all of your allies within 30' add +2k0 to the total of all damage rolls. This lasts for a number of Rounds equal to your Taint Rank plus your Strength Trait Rank. This bonus is not cumulative with any other applications of Aura of Blood. Using this technique while under its effects refreshes its duration.

  • Rank Three: Ashura's Wing

    The Daigotsu Bushi moves and strikes as swiftly as ash borne away by the wind. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Devouring Wrath

    By the power of Fu Leng, the Legionnaire feeds on the strength of his enemies. Any time you hit an opponent in melee, you immediately regain 5 Wounds. This can potentially grant additional Wounds beyond your normal maximum, but this bonus will not increase over 20 wounds. Excess Wounds are lost at the end of the skirmish.

  • Rank Five: Inhuman Assault

    The wrath of a Daigotsu bushi is like that of a rampaging beast. Once per skirmish, you may launch into a series of bone-shattering blows by making a melee attack as a complex action. This attack ignores the bonuses and effects of armor, including Reduction from armor, and any Stance the target assumes. If the strike hits, the target cannot gain the bonuses of armor or Stance to his Armour TN for a number of rounds equal to your Taint Rank plus your Strength Trait. If your opponent is in the Full Attack Stance Posture, he still retains the -10 to Armour TN penalty.

Daigotsu Courtier [Courtier] [CR]

Perhaps the greatest success of the Spider Clan has been the slow and subtle infiltration of many courts of the Great Clans. Disguised as ronin and emissaries of minor branches of other families, the Daigotsu courtiers have used the Spider Clan's network of contacts, blackmail victims and willing subordinates to assume positions of power in the courts of numerous clans, even one of the Imperial Families. From this position of power, they attempt to subtly manipulate others into conflicts that best serve their true clan, keeping their enemies away from them and gradually undermining the notions of honor possessed by many weak-willed samurai.

The greatest strength of the Daigotsu courtiers is not their techniques, which are admittedly useful, but rather their ability to mask their Taint, should they possess it. Their Techniques focus on the disruption of others, providing an environment on which the Spider can capitalize, and deflecting both attention and blame away from themselves. This is essential both to their survival and to their ability to benefit their clan.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Insidious Whispers

    Every student of the Daigotsu Courtiers is accomplished at the art of masking his nature, preventing his true intentions from being discovered by others. You are skilled at hiding your intentions and the symptoms of Taint. You gain a Free Raise when using Sincerity (Deceit). Any rolls made to detect your Taint (such as the techniques of the Kuni) have their TN increased by an amount equal to 5 x your School Rank. You add your School Rank to your Honor Rank whenever another is attempting to discern your Honor Rank.

  • Rank Two: Cracks in the Wall

    The Daigotsu courtier is taught to drop subtle, seemingly innocuous conversational hints that disrupt the focus and attention of those around him. Any time you are engaged in conversation, you may spend a Void point and make a Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness roll (as a Simple Action) at TN 25 to force everyone within 20 feet of you to suffer a penalty of -1k1 to all their Etiquette and Perform Skill rolls for the next hour. They are not aware of the source for their lack of focus. This effect cannot be stacked.

  • Rank Three: Darkness Cannot be Trapped

    At this rank, the Spider courtier is taught to deflect attention and blame away from himself, spreading disharmony among his foes while avoiding the price of his own actions. Any time you are the focus of suspicion or accusation, you may spend a Void point as a Simple Action to try to shift the blame to someone else who is present at the moment of the accusation. You must make a Contested Roll of your Sincerity (Deceit) / Awareness versus the victim's Sincerity (Honesty) / Awareness in order to make the shifting of blame stick. (If your attempt seems weak or poorly justified, the GM can award bonuses to your victim's attempt to defend himself.) With a success everyone who heard you will believe your target is the real culprit, until presented with evidence to the contrary.

  • Rank Four: The Touch of Sin

    At this level of training, the Spider's mastery of manipulation and misdirection allows his words to twist the thoughts of others, temporarily leading them into weakness, aggression and confusion. A number of times per session equal to your School Rank, you may speak with someone for a few minutes and then make a Contested Roll of your Courtier (Manipulation) / Willpower against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. If you succeed, they acquire one of the seven Consumed by Shourido Disadvantages (your choice) for a number of hours equal to your School Rank. By calling two successful Raises on this roll, you can inflict a second Consumed by Shourido Disadvantage of your choice on the same person for the same period of time. (You cannot use this technique on the same person twice in the same day).

  • Rank Five: The Embrace of Darkness

    The final lesson of the Daigotsu Courtier School teaches its students to lead their enemies into paths of aggression and violence. By speaking with someone for at least 15 minutes, you may make a Contested Roll of your Sincerity (Deceit) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Perception. If your target currently has one of their Consumed by Shourido Disadvantages, you gain a 5k0 bonus to this roll. With a success, you may convince your target to treat some other person, group, institution or clan as their enemy. This cannot be used to turn someone directly against his lord or the Emperor. Subject to that limitation, the target will continue to believe in this enmity until presented with evidence to the contrary. This technique cannot be used against the same person more than once per month.

Dark Moto Cavalry [Bushi]

After the Dark Moto became a new force within the Shadowlands, they began to modify their traditional Moto fi ghting techniques to their new nature as creatures of the Shadowlands. Over time, a new school evolved, one known at first only to the Dark Moto themselves but later taught to other Lost who served alongside Tsume’s fearsome legions. After the destruction of the Dark Moto in the twelfth century, their school survived among a handful of Lost and eventually was passed down to Daigotsu’s forces. The later Spider Clan also employed some of the techniques of the Dark Moto.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Power in the Darkness

    The embrace of the Taint grants the Dark Moto strength beyond that of mortals. Your maximum Raises are now limited by your Taint Rank or your Void, whichever is higher. You add your Taint Rank in unkept dice to all attack rolls. However, you no longer gain any benefit from the Full Defense stance.

  • Rank Two: Ride beyond Death

    Not even death can break the connection between a Unicorn and his steed. The Dark Moto are bonded to onikage, the monstrous creatures created from horses that fall to the Taint. You may mentally summon an onikage as a Simple Action. The creature will appear at the start of the next Round, bursting forth from the ground.

  • Rank Three: Dark Lord's Fury

    The rage of Jigoku courses through the Dark Moto’s body, driving him to inhuman speed and fury. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Visage of the Damned

    The Dark Moto radiate a powerful aura of terror and malignance, and can intensify this power to the point where it will cripple their foes. Once per skirmish as a Simple Action you may create a Fear effect equal to your Taint Rank against all those who gaze upon you. Any opponent who succumbs to the Fear is, in addition to the normal penalties, limited to one Simple Action (and no Complex Actions) on their next Turn. They may take Free Actions as normal.

  • Rank Five: Death is an Illusion

    The corrupted forms of the Dark Moto are nearly impervious to injury, and they can continue to fight until they are destroyed. You no longer suffer any Wound penalties, not even at the Down or Out Ranks, and you heal Wounds equal to your Taint Rank during the Reactions Stage of each Round.

Free Ogre Bushi [Bushi]

The so-called free ogres, once they begin to slip free of Jigoku’s direct control, quickly discover they remember an ancient set of techniques that can be put to tremendous use in a fight. While an average ogre is already a respectable opponent, those who know the techniques of their bushi school are much more dangerous. Muhomono, the legendary king of ogres and supposedly perfect ogre warrior, epitomized these techniques, so mastering them is a source of pride and glory for free ogres. They revel in the rediscovery of their culture and try to approach the excellence of their long-dead king.

The techniques of this school emphasize the ogres’ superior strength and size, focusing these natural advantages into deadly weapons. While the school’s techniques outwardly barely look different from a savage ogre’s normal assault, this is deceptive; the free ogre school is actually quite sophisticated in its methods. The fact it is not recognized as such by humans is only one more advantage for the ogres. This school can only be taken by an ogre. No other race would ever be allowed to learn Muhomono’s sacred techniques.

Note: Ogres have their own concept of Honor, but it is not one shared by the Rokugani.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Muhomono’s Strength

    Named for the legendary king of ogres, this technique comes as a profound revelation to most free ogres as they reconnect with their race’s ancient legacy. It allows the ogre to focus its strength into more powerful blows, instead of wasting it like his savage cousins. Before rolling Initiative, you may choose to inflict a -1k1 penalty on your Initiative roll. If you do, you gain +2k0 on all damage rolls for the rest of the skirmish. Also, you gain a Free Raise on all Intimidation (Bullying) rolls.

  • Rank Two: Muhomono’s Eyes

    The great Muhomono won many fi ghts with his terrifying gaze, striking fear into his opponents before the fight even began. Your Fear rating is increased by 1, and you add +1k0 to your attack rolls against any opponent who failed to resist your Fear.

  • Rank Three: Muhomono’s Speed

    The ogre warrior strikes his opponent with speed and strength, certain in his superiority over any opponent. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while using large weapons, Heavy Weapons, or unarmed attacks.

  • Rank Four: Muhomono’s Arm

    The broad and powerful arm of the ogre bushi carries over from one opponent to another, never slowing down. Once per skirmish, if you successfully hit an opponent with a melee attack, you may immediately infl ict the same damage roll on another opponent of your choice within 5 feet of the first one, without making an attack roll against the second opponent. This does not count as a separate attack.

  • Rank Five: Muhomono’s Armor

    A true ogre bushi knows that physical armor is only a disguise - the true warrior needs nothing more than his skin and determination. Your natural Reduction increases to 20.

Free Ogre Mage [Shugenja]

Some very rare free ogres discover that they have the ability to influence the elements by sheer force of will. Called mages by their peers, these ogres slowly remember how to carve sigils in their skin to summon forth magical powers. Ogres can cast spells of all four elements, although they tend to favor Fire due to its destructive nature. Their flexibility with the kami has greatly disturbed the few Rokugani shugenja who have noticed.

This school can only be taken by an ogre. Humans are incapable of manipulating the kami in this manner even if an ogre was willing to teach them - which none are.

Note: Free ogres have their own concept of Honor, but it is not one shared by the Rokugani.

  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsBattle, Defense, Hunting, Jiujutsu, Intimidation (Bullying), Lore: History (Ogres), Spellcraft
  • Honor0.00
  • OutfitTattered Clothing, any 2 weapons.
  • Affinity/Deficiency: N/A
  • TechniqueStrength of the Mind - The ogre mages do not use the same techniques as the Rokugani shugenja, but instead coerce the kami into submission through mystical sigils and sheer strength of will. You can never learn or use the spells Sense, Commune, or Summon. You do not need spell scrolls; instead you call on the power of sigils carved into your own skin (in mechanical terms, all of your spells are considered to be memorized). You have no Affinity or Deficiency.
  • Spells3 Fire, 2 Earth, and 1 Air.

Goju Ninja [Ninja] [GC]

The Goju are essentially the brawn of the forces controlled by the Lying Darkness and its successor, the Shadow Dragon. They are certainly the most numerous of its minions (although still relatively few in number compared to any real samurai family) and consist of men and women from all backgrounds and families who have been absorbed into the Lying Darkness and lost their identity, becoming faceless creatures of darkness. All members of the Goju have had their identities at least partially consumed (in most cases almost completely so) by the Nothing. All are able to draw upon the power of the Nothing to varying degrees, using it to generate supernatural capabilities that invariably center around infiltration, deception, and murder

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Cloak of Night

    The first lesson a Goju masters is the art of wrapping oneself in shadow, gaining concealment from enemies in exchange for making direct action more difficult. You may increase your Armor TN up to a maximum amount equal to your School Rank x 5. The TN of all your rolls other than Athletics, Defense, and Stealth Skill Rolls is increased by the same amount. Activating this Technique is a Simple Action and it lasts for the duration of the skirmish.

  • Rank Two: Melting into Shadow

    A Goju is not merely protected by the darkness but part of it, and can blend easily within it. You gain bonus rolled dice equal to your School Rank on any Stealth Skill Roll. Any uncontested roll made by an opponent trying to detect you automatically has its TN increased by an amount equal to your School Rank x 5. You gain one Free Raise on all attack rolls made against opponents who are unaware of your presence.

  • Rank Three: The Shadowed Blade

    The Goju is a swift and merciless foe. You may make an attack as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action when attacking with knives or any weapon that uses the Ninjutsu Skill. Alternatively, when wielding shuriken, you may take a Complex Action to make a number of ranged attacks equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Four: Step Within Shadow

    As all darkness is one with the Goju, so too can the Goju use the darkness to move between shadows without crossing the space in between. You may enter any shadow large enough to conceal an individual of your size and emerge from any other similarly-sized shadow nearby. This is considered a Simple Move Action. The range of this movement is equal to your School Rank x 100 feet.

  • Rank Five: Shadow upon the Moon

    A true Goju no longer even vaguely resembles anything human. Your facial features are permanently erased, leaving only a tell-tale eggshell mask in their place. In darkness or shadows, you may dissolve your physical body into a vague cloud of inky vapor. This is a Simple Action; changing back into corporeal form is a Free Action. You may move at your full speed while in incorporeal form but may not physically interact with any object or individual and cannot be harmed by anything except crystal. You may pass through solid matter in a thickness of up to your School Rank x 5 in inches. You gain +5 to your Initiative Score during the first Round (only) each time you change back to your corporeal form.

Ninube Shugenja [Shugenja] [GC]

The individuals who call themselves the Ninube are not truly shugenja in the conventional sense of the word, but then they are not truly individuals either, so the terminology here is largely a matter of convenience. The Ninube are minions of the Lying Darkness who seem to retain a portion of their individuality (whether they truly do is impossible to say). After the Darkness was defeated but before the Shadow Dragon usurped its place as the avatar of Nothing, the Ninube chose to go their own way, forsaking loyalty to this new master. (Or so they believe… in truth, they remain every bit as much a part of the Shadow Dragon’s machinations as their more willing former comrades among the Goju.)

* **Ninube Family:** +1 Reflexes

  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsCalligraphy, Knives, Sincerity (Lying), Spellcraft, Stealth 2, any Low skill
  • Honor0.00
  • OutfitBlack Clothing, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 2 Koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyAir / Earth
  • TechniqueMask of the Nothing - As a Complex Action you may expend a spell slot to dissolve your physical self and become a shadow. As a shadow you are invisible in darkness and gain a bonus of +5k0 to your Stealth Skill Rolls under all other circumstances. You are immune to most mundane attacks, but crystal and magic can affect you. Magical attacks that involve crystal or generate light double their rolled damage dice against you. When in shadow form, if you suffer damage that would kill you, you instead return to physical form at once with either half of your Wounds or with the Wounds you possessed when you entered shadow form, whichever is lower; you are Stunned when this happens. You may not inflict damage on others in any way while in shadow form, but you may cast non-damaging spells and can speak in the form of a disembodied whisper. You gain a Free Raise on all Nothing spells. You may not cast maho spells. Several existing spells may be cast as Nothing spells. When this is done the spells invoke a very unsettling atmosphere obvious to any shugenja (although they may not know what causes it, only that they feel unwell), and may even make non-shugenja uncomfortable. Common side-effects of such spells, in addition to their normal effects, include the deepening of shadows, the dimming of lights, the presence of faint undecipherable whispers, etc. GMs may of course add or exclude any spells from this list as it suits the needs and style of their campaigns.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Air spells, 2 Fire spells, and 1 Water spell

The Order of the Spider Monks [Monk] [CR]

The origins of the enigmatic Order of the Spider are a mystery to many even within the clan that holds their loyalty. The Order began with the teachings of the fallen monk Roshungi, but not until his greatest student Michio began spreading the gospel of finding one's own path, regardless of the consequences to others, did the Order begin to grow in earnest. Brothers of the Spider are merciless opponents with a well deserved reputation for brutality. Their training includes devastating hand-to-hand styles and many heavy weapons techniques as well. Although some succumb to the Shadowlands Taint, many have remained pure simply because it has not suited their needs to draw upon the power of darkness.

The Spider monks are peerless hand-to-hand combatants who, unlike most monastic fighting styles, cripple foes rather than simply disabling them. Their steely resolve grants them significant bonuses to resist both manipulation and actual magic, as well as resilience and improved capacity to inflict damage.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Dark Path

    The Order of the Spider teaches strength and mastery of oneself, even the darkness that hides within the Soul. You gain a bonus of 1k0 to the total of all attack rolls made using unarmed strikes or with polearms. You also add twice your School Rank to your Armour TN against all melee attacks.

  • Rank Two: Drawing in the Strike

    Mastery of the body is a step to the path of power, and this mastery affords tremendous endurance to those who reach it. You may select any non-void ring. You gain Reduction equal to this Ring, plus your Rank in Shadowlands Taint, if you have any.

  • Rank Three: Speed of Darkness

    The alignment of body and mind allow tremendous speed, When using a polearm or an unarmed attack, you may make melee attacks as Simple Actions rather than Complex Actions.

  • Rank Four: Guarded by Chi

    Following mastery of the body comes mastery of the soul. When you learn this Technique, you may select any one non-Void Ring. You add twice your Rank in this Ring, plus your Shadowlands Taint Rank (if you possess any), to the TN of any spell being cast against you. You may choose to suppress this effect if you wish.

  • Rank Five: Darkness Unleashed

    True mastery of the self requires drawing upon the darkness within. You gain an additional number of Void Points per day equal to your Shadowlands Taint Rank, or your Earth Ring, whichever is higher. These may be spend exactly like normal Void points, except they may also be spent to add a bonus of +1k1 to the total of your damage rolls.

Dark Paragon [Monk] [EE]

There are those among the Spider Clan, particularly among the ranks of the Daigotsu bushi and the Order of the Spider monks, who have embraced their own sinister variant of honor and devotion. Even the touch of Jigoku itself can be used as fuel for their power, a power that strangely resembles the oneness many Brotherhood monks have with the universe. Some believe this is an indication that the path of the Spider, while radically different from the paths of the Brotherhood, is a true path to enlightenment. Those among the Brotherhood who are aware of the existence of the Dark Paragons vehemently refute this claim, insisting they are nothing but more seductive tricks of the Realm of Evil. The Paragons themselves insist instead that their power reflects their absolute mastery of themselves, and Jigoku has no reason to leave its mark on its servants when those servants are willing, devoted, and able to enact its will far more effectively without the constraints of the Taint.

Requirements:
  • SkillsLore: Theology 4+
  • OtherDark Paragon Advantage, Honor Rank 4+, must have the ability to make melee attacks as a simple action.
Techniques
  • Rank One: Ruthless Determination

    A student of the dark paths learns to flow from one thing to the next, and learns the secrets hidden in between. You gain two Kiho, for which you must meet all prerequisites. If you possess the ability to make a melee attack with a weapon as a Simple Action, you also gain the ability to make an unarmed attack as a Simple Action, and vice versa.

  • Rank Two: Rising Shadows

    The strength of the pious is that surety of purpose can lead one to overcome virtually any failure if one is but strong enough in one’s beliefs. A number of times per skirmish equal to your Void Ring, you may immediately re-roll any failed Bugei Skill Roll using your Lore: Theology Skill in place of the Bugei Skill originally used.

  • Rank Three: Absolute and Unwavering

    A true paragon of darkness can eschew the restrictions of honor or even the touch of another realm in order to accomplish greater things in the mortal world, simply by tapping into his true connection to the universe. You gain two Kiho, for which you must meet all prerequisites. You may sacrifice 2 Honor points or voluntarily reduce your Taint by 1 point rather than spending a Void Point in order to activate any Kiho. You do not lose any physical deformities previously gained as a result of your Taint Rank in this manner, but you can lose Shadowlands Powers. If you gain subsequent ranks of the Shadowlands Taint, you regain lost abilities rather than getting new ones.

Maho-Bujin [Bushi]

Throughout the history of the Empire, Lost warriors of great power have occasionally appeared who manifested fighting skills of terrifying capability. These individuals had not learned at a school, or from the words of a sensei - rather, they were instructed by Jikogu itself, whispering into their bodies and minds through the medium of the Taint. When the Lost began to form communities, they saw these warriors as receiving special blessings from Fu Leng and revered them accordingly. Although the Spider Clan later made some attempts to form organized schools around the maho-bujin techniques, they were not successful - the ways of the maho-bujin can only be learned from the Taint itself. The Spider developed simpler techniques that could be taught normally.

**Requirements**

Requirements:
  • SkillsJiujutsu 3+, any Weapon Skill 5+
  • OtherMust be chosen by Jigoku to learn the ways of the maho-bujin.
Techniques
  • Rank One: Carve the Crimson Road

    The maho-bujin’s body flows freely with the Taint that inhabits it, and his blows strike with a terrible power no mortal flesh can match. Your maximum Raises are now limited by your Taint Rank or your Void, whichever is higher. You gain a bonus in unkept dice equal to your Shadowlands Taint Rank on all damage rolls. You can now make the Extra Attack maneuver with only 2 Raises instead of 5.

  • Rank Two: Corruption Rewards

    The fighting instincts of a maho-bujin sense blood and leap for it, striking with preternatural skill and speed, and as his foes grow weaker the maho-bujin moves relentlessly faster and faster. During each Reactions Stage of a skirmish, you increase your Initiative by your Taint Rank. You may now make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Three: Devourer of Purity

    The warriors of Jigoku are able to heal themselves by feeding on the suffering of their enemies, even consuming their honor and strength of soul. Moreover, the maho-bujin has now transcended the Celestial Order and fully embraced the power of the Taint, making him nigh-indestructible. Any time you reduce someone to Down or Out or kill them, you instantly heal a number of Wounds equal to 2 x (their Honor Rank). This may be done any number of times per Round, but you cannot heal off the same person more than once in the same Round. In addition, you gain the creature ability of Invulnerability. (If you are already Invulnerable due to a Shadowlands power, you gain Reduction 10 instead.)

Obsidian Warrior [Bushi] [CR]

This terrifying school was created by a deadly Lost bushi, but has since been taught to many Spider warriors with little or no Taint, for its methods of raw power and force of will can be used by anyone ruthless and cruel enough to master its techniques. Reputedly, most of the students at this school's handful of dojo never survive their training, but the minority who make it through are among the Spider Clan's most formidable warriors, able to match or defeat the mightiest of Rokugan's bushi.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Darkness is My Light

    The Obsidian Warrior's devotion to Shourido frees him from the constraints which bind and restrict lesser mortals. Your maximum Raises are no longer limited in any way.

  • Rank Two: The Power of Impurity

    The power of the Shadowlands courses through the Obsidian Warrior, disorienting nearby foes. All your opponents within 30' are affected by this Technique. The total of their Bugei and Damage rolls are reduced by your Strength Rank plus your Taint Rank. Opponents may ignore this Technique for the Turn by spending a Void point.

  • Rank Three: My Strength Has No Limits

    The Obsidian Warrior's complete devotion to the ways of Shourido allows him to shrug off anything that might deter him, and to funnel his power into devastating blows. You roll extra unkept dice equal to your Strength Rank plus your Taint Rank when resisting an Intimidation attempt or a Fear effect, you gain the same bonus in unkept dice to any Damage rolls you make with Melee weapons.

Chuda Necromancer [Shugenja]

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesChuda Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsLore: Shadowlands 3, knowledge of the maho spell Summon Undead Champion
  • TechniqueThe Dead do not Rest - The Chuda are unparalleled masters of undeath. As a Simple Action you may expend a spell slot of any element to immediately create from existing corpses a number of zombies equal to your Taint Rank. These undead will obey simple commands from you. They last for one week or until you choose to dismiss your power over them-either way, at that point the corpses disintegrate into rot and dust.

Chuda Subversive [Shugenja] [CR]

The Shadowlands Taint offers great power to those who would listen to the seductive beckoning of the dark realm. This comes with certain drawbacks, often including grotesque disfigurations. Witch Hunters and Jade Magistrates learn to spot these changes and kill these blasphemers on sight. Those who use these profane rituals must find ways to lessen the consequences of their actions if they wish to live within the Empire. The Chuda Subversives are well versed in masking the effects of the Shadowlands Taint and passing as normal citizens of the Empire. Their abilities have grown so great that they may even fool the kami.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesChuda Shugenja 4
  • RequirementsLore: Shadowlands 4
  • TechniqueThe Dark Kami's Discretion - Certain sects of the Shuda have extensively studied means by which the influence of Jigoku in the mortal realm can be concealed from others. By expending three spell slots, you may completely suppress your own Taint, or that of a willing target you touch, for a number of hours equal to your School Rank. In the case of a human who possesses the Taint, this will render them temporarily immune to damage from jade or other effects that target the Taint, but will deny them access to any Taint based powers. In the case of inherently Tainted creatures targeted by this effect, such as oni or goblins, the effect only renders them immune to Taint detection abilities. They gain no immunities and lose no abilities. This technique in no way disguises physical mutations.

Colonial Conqueror [Bushi]

The dangers of a new land are ideally suited to unleashing the full power and horror of the Spider Clan. When the Divine Empress struck her bargain with the forces of darkness at the end of the Destroyer War, she knew what would become of those corrupted vassals entering her service. She would send them away, to ensure that her own people, the just and the honorable, would be spared their company and their threat. What she could not know, what she did not foresee, was the incredible joy the Spider would take in fulfilling her command: “Go forth, and conquer in my name.”

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesDaigotsu Bushi 3, Order of the Spider Monk 3
  • RequirementsEarth 3, Strength 3
  • TechniqueAll Fall Before Me - A Spider Conqueror is an unstoppable juggernaut of destruction that crushes all in its path without hesitation or remorse. Once per Round when you make a successful melee attack, you may immediately take a Free Action to make a Contested Willpower Roll with your opponent. If you win the Contested roll, your damage for that strike is doubled.

Daigotsu Scout [Bushi]

In addition to serving as the lords of the Spider Clan, the Daigotsu are also the rank and file of its legions. Of the many samurai who have joined the clan since its inception, those with a talent for speaking to the kami join the Chuda, those whom the Shadow Dragon has chosen as his own become members of the Goju, and a small handful take up the path of the monk as members of the Order of the Spider. All the rest join the Daigotsu, and among those legions, the cruel and sinister sensei of the Spider dojo select those with the greatest affinity for stealth, athleticism, and sheer physical prowess to serve as the small but distinguished group known as the Daigotsu scouts. These individuals are trained extensively in the art of remaining unseen regardless of circumstances, and are allowed to travel through the Empire with impunity, observing and remembering everything they have seen to report back to their master Daigotsu. In addition to their physical talents, the scouts are chosen for mental acuity; they dare not keep records of their observations, as capture could reveal too much about the family or clan. Likewise their loyalty to the Spider is of paramount importance. In the event that one of them is captured, the Daigotsu sensei must be confident that the scout will not betray the family’s secrets even under pain of torture or death. Together, these traits result in an elite cadre of scouts who are intelligent, talented, and completely ruthless. Those few who know of their existence regard them as extremely competent and dangerous enemies.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesDaigotsu Bushi 2
  • RequirementsStealth 3
  • TechniqueThe Cloak of Shadows - Although not as talented as the inhuman minions of the Shadow Dragon or the Lying Darkness, the Daigotsu scouts are still highly skilled in moving about without being detected. Stealth is now considered a School Skill for you, and you gain one additional Emphasis in the skill above any you may already possess, and in excess of the maximum normal number of Emphases you may posses. Your Move Actions are not reduced when using Stealth, and when using Stealth you may also ignore any terrain penalties that would normally reduce your Move Actions.

Dark Path Sohei [Monk]

The Order of the Spider is an enigmatic and sinister order, with its origins in the diseased and diabolical mind of the fallen monk Roshungi. Under his teachings, enlightenment could only be discovered by completely unlocking an individual’s greatest physical and mental power. The path to doing that, Roshungi reasoned, was completely up to the individual to discover. In his order, those who wished to embrace their full potential and thus unlock enlightenment and the secrets of the universe were encouraged to embrace whatever means were necessary to achieve power. To some, this meant embracing the Shadowlands Taint. To others, it simply meant becoming physically and mentally disciplined and powerful on a level virtually unprecedented among the Brotherhood. Roshungi’s greatest pupil and eventual successor, the monk Michio, embodied this philosophy to its utmost, but there are others among the order who believe that they have been successful in finding the first steps down the road to enlightenment. Some of these individuals call themselves the Dark Path sohei, or warrior monks. These individuals combine all the power and ruthlessness of their order with the strange, almost supernatural powers normally seen only among the Brotherhood. Together, the two are an exceptionally dangerous combination that ensures the Dark Path sohei are a deadly threat to any they choose to label as enemies.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesOrder of the Spider 2
  • RequirementsTheology 3
  • TechniqueWalk upon the Dark Path - Even the most devout member of the Brotherhood of Shinsei would attest that there is no one true path to enlightenment, and certain members of the Order of the Spider seem to bear out that theory. You gain two Kiho, for which you must meet all normal prerequisites. These Kiho do not count against the normal number of Kiho you may learn as determined by your School Rank.

Obsidian Magistrate [Bushi] [CR]

When the Spider Clan was formed out of the Lost, its founder Daigotsu decided to organize his forces as a subversion of the values Rokugan holds dear. He created an ideology and a set of laws with which to rule his own empire. The Obsidian Magistrate acts as the dark mirror of the Emerald Magistrate. He imposes the law of the Spider on everyone he meets, and his fanaticism fuels ferocious charges against his foes on the battlefield.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • ReplacesDaigotsu Bushi 1
  • RequirementsInvestigation 2
  • TechniqueStrength in Terror - The Obsidian Magistrate is the bastion of Shourido and enforcer of Daigotsu's will. You gain the Benefit, Skills, Honor and Outfit of a Rank 1 Daigotsu Bushi, you may add your Perception Trait plus your Taint Rank to the total of all High and Bugei Skill Rolls. This bonus does not apply to Weapon Skills. You may also add the difference between your Honor and that of your opponent to the total of all attack rolls made against that opponent.

Susumu Courtier [Courtier]

At the end of the twelfth century, the Susumu have existed as a family for only a single generation, and have barely begun to differentiate themselves from the earlier methods of the Daigotsu family. This is represented mechanically by giving them a Path rather than their own full School.

From a strictly "historical" sense, the value of the Susumu Path is limited, since it can only be used in games set in or after the Age of Exploration. However, as with other such specialized mechanics in L5R, GMs can freely modify the Susumu Path to fit other eras or storylines. For example, if Shourido emerged earlier in Rokugan’s history, any number of different groups might have developed a Technique based on embracing and exploiting the Way of Victory.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • ReplacesDaigotsu Courtier 1
  • TechniqueThe Way of Victory - Susumu courtiers learn how to use the Code of Shourido to strengthen their own efforts in court and to ferret out and intensify the selfish impulses of other samurai. You gain the Student of Shourido Advantage for free (if for some reason you already possess this Advantage, the Experience Point cost is refunded). After a few minutes’ conversation with another samurai, you may make a Contested Social roll of your Temptation/Willpower against your opponent’s Etiquette/Willpower; with a success, you detect whether the character has any personal flaws which would make him amenable to the appeal of Shourido. (You do not learn the specific nature of the flaws, merely whether they exist. From the GM’s viewpoint, in addition to role-played flaws, this could also detect the presence of Disadvantages such as Brash, Compulsion, Consumed, Contrary, Disbeliever, Driven, Failure of Bushido, Cast Out, Dark Paragon, Forbidden Knowledge, and Perceived Honor.)

The Dark Whisper [Courtier]

Dark Whisper courtiers use the power of a bound Air kansen to dig out the secrets and sins of their foes, allowing them to subtly inflict chaos on the courts they attend. Because of the danger that their supernatural nature might be uncovered, they are deployed selectively, preferably in courts where their kansen ally is unlikely to be uncovered.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesDaigotsu Courtier 3
  • RequirementsYou must have an Air kansen bound into your body by a special Chuda ritual. This does not directly Taint you, but the presence of the evil spirit can be sensed by those with the ability to detect spirits, and it will trigger the spell Ward of Purity.
  • TechniqueVoice of the Kansen. - You may call on the power of your kansen to ferret out dark secrets within the minds and hearts of those around you. As a Simple Action you may attempt to sense the secrets of any one person within 100 feet, making a Contested Air Roll against them. The target will be aware of a vague sense of unease but there will be no other outward sign of your action. If the roll succeeds, you learn one meaningful secret about the target (chosen by the GM, but it will always be something useful and, if possible, will be related to sinful or dishonorable behavior). You may attempt this Technique against an individual person once per day, but once you successfully learn a secret, you cannot target that person again for one month.

Horiuchi Shugenja [Shugenja]

The Horiuchi family was formed late in the history of the Unicorn, but the shugenja school bears their name in modern times has an ancient history with roots from before the Great Clan's return to their ancestral home in Rokugan. During their travels outside the borders of the Emerald Empire, the Unicorn discovered many different methods and styles of magic among both their allies and enemies, incorporating them into a single method. After the Horiuchi family was formed they became some of the foremost practitioners of the meishodo method and in modern times the school bears the Horiuchi name.

The original gaijin sorcerers who created name magic could not speak to the elemental kami and had no direct access to the gods. Instead, they forged amulets of power that could simulate magical effects by invoking the true names of the elements. When the Unicorn studied this magic, they realized it trapped a kami into the item, forcing it to reproduce a single effect whenever the sorcerer focused his will into it. The Unicorn changed and adapted the process to fit their own beliefs. Their meishodo amulets no longer trap the kami, but instead appeal to the elements surrounding the amulet to perform the desired magical effects. However, somewhat like the gaijin originals, a Unicorn meishodo amulet contains only one unalterable effect that can be invoked in this manner.

Meishodo is a Unicorn secret, jealously guarded by all of the clan. Meishodo sacrifices power for speed, using a brief incantation rather than an extended dialogue with the kami, and speed has always been an important aspect of the unicorn approach to life.

  • Benefit+1Stamina
  • SkillsCalligraphy, Craft: Meishodo, Defense, Lore: Theology, Mediation, Spellcraft (Spell Research), any 1 High or Bugei Skill
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll/Amulet Satchel, Traveling Pack, 4 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyEarth / Air
  • TechniqueMysteries of Meishodo - Meishodo is a mixture of gaijin and Rokugani magic, resulting in a fast and powerful method of calling the kami. Shugenja studying these methods learn to create meishodo amulets, keyed to invoke the elements in specific ways. You may create a magical amulet by making a successful roll of Craft: Meishodo/Ring, using the Ring for the desired spell. The TN of this roll is equal to 15 plus 5 x the spell's Mastery Level. Creating a meishodo requires a number of hours equal to the spell's Mastery Level. If the roll is successful, you create a small charm imbued with the prayer to the kami that will cast the chosen spell. Each meishodo stores only one spell, and is used in place of the scroll normally required to cast the spell. Casting a spell through a meishodo requires only one Complex Action, regardless of the Mastery Level of the spell. You do not have to make a Spell Casting Roll to cast the spell, but the spell cannot gain any benefits from Raises (not even Free Raises). You expend a spell slot as normal. You may only create meishodo from spells of a Mastery Level equal or less than your Shugenja School Rank, and can never create meishodo from spells of Mastery Level 4, 5, or 6. Other shugenja may use your meishodo if they are proficient in meishodo magic (e.g. trained in this school).
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Water, and 1 Fire

Ide Emissary [Courtier] [CR]

The Ide Techniques focus on a calm mind, serenity in all things, and meditation. They are the most pacifistic of any courtier tradition among the Great Clans, save possibly for the Asako of the Phoenix Clan. The intensity of their conviction with regard to pacifism has waxed and waned over the years, but on the whole they remain devoted to defusing conflict whenever possible. This makes them welcome allies to some Clans, and meddling outsiders to others. The Ide accept compliments and criticism with equal cheer.

The Ide Techniques are different from most courtier Techniques in that they are entirely non-offensive in nature. The Ide specialize in protecting themselves from the ramifications of their actions, and in attempting to defuse conflicts among others.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Heart Speaks

    The Ide are taught to adapt instantly to new customs and social nuances, allowing them to avoid giving offense in even the most dangerous and hostile of courts. Also, since they must often deal with foreigners who might react poorly to lies or manipulation, they are taught to employ honesty and direct speech whenever possible. In any situation in which you might inadvertently give offense, whether through accident or ignorance (such as being unware of a daimyo's hostility to a particular subject of conversation), you may roll Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness at TN 20 to avoid doing so. You gain a Free Raise when rolling Sincerity (Honest), but any time you roll Sincerity (Deceit), your TN is increased by +5.

  • Rank Two: Piercing the Veils

    After centuries of dealing with unpredictable and sometimes violent folk in the Burning Sands, the Ide have learned an almost preternatural ability to read the emotions of others, recognizing their true feelings and, hopefully, steering away from trouble. You may attempt to read someone else's true emotions in a social situation by making a Contested Social Roll of Etiquette / Awareness against the target's Etiquette / Willpower. With a success, you gain a simple, general idea of their true feelings - which can be very useful when those feelings are not the same as their outward actions. You may Raise for better information, subject to GM's adjudication. (For example, two Raises might tell you, "The Doji is actually hoping for your success against the Dragon.")

  • Rank Three: The Heart Listens

    The Ide family's training emphasizes friendship and good personal relations as the key to successful diplomacy. You may attempt to sway someone's attitude toward you in a positive direction. This requires spending at least 10 minutes in conversation, after which you may make a Contested Roll of your Sincerity (Honesty) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. With a success, you shift their attitude toward you in a positive direction. (A hostile individual will become more neutral, an undecided individual will become friendly, etc.) If you make at least two successful Raises on this roll, the target will regard you as an Ally for the remainder of this day (subject to GM approval).

    This technique cannot be used on Sworn Enemies, and the GM is the final arbiter on whether it functions against unusual targets such as nonhuman creatures.

  • Rank Four: Answering the Heart

    At this level of training, the Ide have become true masters of mediation, able to see past all the deceptions and false fronts of diplomacy and discern the true solution to any problem. When using your Rank Two and Rank Three techniques, you may roll additional unkept dice equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Five: The Immovable Hand of Peace

    The final lesson the Ide school teaches its students is to be such perfect mediators that no honorable person can raise a hand against them in violence. You may spend a Void Point to make a Contested Roll of your Sincerity (Honesty) / Awareness against a target individual's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. If you win the roll, the target cannot take any hostile action against you (physical, social, or magical) for a number of hours equal to twice your School Rank, as long as your likewise refrain from hostility against that person. This Technique does not work agaisnt those with an Honor Rank less than 2.0 or who possess no Honor Rank (animals, oni, etc).

Iuchi Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

With the possible exception of the Tamori, the Iuchi are the least conventional and conservative shugenja family in the Empire. They are wild and carefree, and as many of their sensei's lessons are taught in the open plains as in the temple. This stems from their history of teaching while the Clan was traveling through distant realms. The impact of those years is also felt in the diversity of the family's magical styles. The Iuchi embrace, among others, the style called meishodo, which involves the creation of magical talismans that shugenja can draw on in lieu of the kami.

In keeping with the theme of the Unicorn in general, the Iuchi Technique enhances movement and allows for unparalleled speed, even among the Unicorn. Their ability to cast more powerful Travel spells further enhances their skill in this area.

  • Benefit+1Perception
  • SkillsBattle, Calligraphy (Cipher), Horsemanship, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft, any one High or Bugei Skill
  • Honor5.50
  • OutfitExtravagant clothing, wakizashi, Scroll Satchel, any 1 weapon, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, Horse (Unicorn Riding Horse), 10 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyWater / Fire
  • TechniqueSpirit of the Wind - The Iuchi harness the power of the elements to grant the waves' speed to others. As a Complex Action, you may sacrifice one spell slot of any element to grant one target individual an additional Simple Move Action. This Simple Action is in addition to the target's normal Actions per Round. The Additional Action must be used on the target's next Turn or it is lost. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Travel keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Water, 2 Earth, and 1 Air

Moto Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The Moto Bushi are the living stereotype that many hold of the Unicorn Clan. More so than any other family, they are born of a union between the Rokugani people and the gaijin who were allowed to join the Unicorn during their travels abroad. Owing to their descent from the wild, nomadic, barbarian tribes of the northern steppes, the Moto practice an unfettered fighting style that makes them awe-inspiring opponents on the battlefield, even as it earns them the enmity of all those who despise deviation from the customs and nature of Rokugani warfare.

The Moto Bushi are heavy cavalry, a role around which their Techniques are unabashedly centered. They excel at the Full Attack Stance, and many of their Techniques are geared towards allowing them to do additional damage with any of an assortment of weaponry.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Unicorn

    The Moto combat style is a wild, unfettered fury that intimidates witnesses. You may wield any two-handed weapon with one hand (except for bows). You gain a bonus of +1k0 to damage rolls while mounted, using a scimitar, or while using a two-handed melee weapon (these bonuses do not stack). Scimitars have the Samurai keyword for you.

  • Rank Two: Shinsei's Smile

    The Moto are famed for slicing their enemies' throats from ear to ear, a gruesome display they proudly call Shinsei's Smile. You take advantage of your opponent's weakened state, gaining a bonus to your attack rolls equal to half of his Wound Rank TN penalties, rounded down. For example, if your opponent is unhurt and in the Healthy Wound Rank, you do not gain a bonus. If your opponent is in the Crippled Wound Rank, you gain a bonus of +10 to the total of attack rolls.

  • Rank Three: Desert Wind Strike

    Power and precision are equally valuable to the Moto. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using a melee weapon.

  • Rank Four: The Charge of Madness

    The Moto fighting style is utterly relentless, allowing him to move from one foe to another without ceasing. Once per skirmish, if you successfully bring a target down to the Out Wound Level, you may immediately make an additional attack as a Free Action. This attack may not target the same target as the attack that activated Technique. You may not make Raises on this attack.

  • Rank Five: Moto Cannot Yield

    A Moto never surrenders. While mounted or while assuming the Full Attack Stance you keep an additional number of damage dice equal to half your strength, rounded down. You only gain this bonus while wielding a two-handed weapon or a weapon with the Samurai keyword.

Moto Death Priest [Shugenja] [IH]

The starting individuals known as the Moto Death Priests are adherents of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang, the pantheon of wrathful gods of death and judgment who were worshiped by the Moto family prior to its allegiance to the Unicorn Clan. When the Moto were still nomads, they paid homage to these Lords of Death out of both reverence and fear. However, when the Lady Shinjo taught the Moto there gods who could show compassion and reward loyalty, they forsook their old devotion and joined the Unicorn. For centuries, the enraged Lords of Death sought their wayward worshipers, finally locating them in the Empire of Rokugan and afflicting them with ill fortune and misery, a kharmic phenomenon sometimes referred to as the Moto Curse. It was not until the days of Moto Gaheris, near the end of the War of Spirits, that the gods were contacted directly and a bargain was struck: the Lords of Death would stay their wrath and in exchange the Moto would resume their worship.

After the reunion of the Moto and the Lords of Death, worship of these gods spreads to other families within the Unicorn, especially once they are elevated to the position of lesser Fortunes in the cosmology of Rokugan. Holding sway in the Realm of Waiting, they pass judgement on the dead who await reincarnation, and their power even attracts a few worshipers from other clans. The Death Priests who revere the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang are singularly focused and disturbing men and women; they bring the blessings of death to those who are determined to be enemies of the Unicorn, and their prowess in battle is something other clans quickly learn to fear.

  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsAthletics, Horsemanship, Hunting, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft, any 1 Skill
  • Honor3.50
  • OutfitSturdy Traveling Clothing, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, Horse (Unicorn Steed), 5 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyEarth / Air
  • TechniqueBlessings of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang - The Moto Death Priests carry the favor of gaijin death gods and bestow their blessings to their enemies. As a Simple Action you may sacrifice a spell slot and target one enemy (within a maximum range equal to your School Rank x 100 feet). Make a Contested Willpower Roll against that opponent. If you are successful, the target may not benefit from exploding dice or from Advantages that allow him to re-roll a roll. This effect lasts for a number of Rounds equal to your School Rank. You gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Travel keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Fire, and 1 Water

Moto Vindicator [Bushi] [GC]

The Moto family suffered a great blow to their morale and honor during the ninth century when their daimyo Moto Tsume, fueled by pride and arrogance, rode into the Shadowlands with the majority of his forces. He and his men fell to darkness and became some of Jigoku's greatest tools in the fight against Rokugan. These Moto who survived or remained behind were deeply shamed and swore to eradicate all those Tainted creatures who bore their name. This oath gave rise to both the elite White Guard and to the Moto Vindicator School. Although the order of the Vindicators existed before the fall of Moto Tsume, they did not have an intense personal hatred for the Shadowlands and their Techniques had not yet advanced to form a full school. The disgrace of Tsume's defeat changed everything.

The Dark Moto were terrible creatures. They rode monstrous steeds that never tired, struck with inhuman strength, and used foul magic to destroy their foes. The threat forced the Vindicators to become stronger, strong enough to overcome their fallen cousins. They trained to spot the signs of the Shadowlands Taint and to neutralize their opponents' advantages. The Moto called every favor at their disposal to learn from the best, and the Crab were glad to help, especially since the Shinjo had offered help to their Hiruma family.

The Moto Vindicator School focuses the fury and dedication of the Moto to a destructive point. If a Vindicator spots his sworn nemesis, he will not retreat until either he or his foe is dead.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Purity of the Breath

    The Vindicator knows the only way to combat the Shadowlands is to maintain integrity in the face of the foulest corruption. At the beginning of each Round, you may choose one of two effects to apply until the end of the Round. You may reduce your TN penalties from Wound Ranks by an amount equal to your School Rank plus Willpower. Or, you may instead choose to add a bonus to your Armor TN equal to your School Rank plus your Willpower.

    If you are in a skirmish against creatures of the Shadowlands, the chosen bonus is doubled.

  • Rank Two: Facing the Dark Within

    The Vindicator learns to hone his senses so that he is never surprised by those who serve the darkness. You gain a +2k0 bonus to all Investigation rolls. This bonus is increased to +2k1 if you are specifically attempting to notice the effects of Shadowlands Taint.

  • Rank Three: Justice of Our Ancestors

    The Vindicator's rage at his foes knows no bounds. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Avenging Our Own

    The Vindicator's fury is provoked the most when it is directed at those creatures he once called his brothers. You gain a bonus of +2k0 to your attack and damage rolls against an enemy who has attacked you in a skirmish and against any creature with the Shadowlands Taint whether it has attacked you or not.

  • Rank Five: Bloodied but Unbowed

    The Vindicator can push on past physical limits once his goal is in sight. Once per skirmish, you may choose to keep fighting despite your injuries. Activating this Technique is a Free Action. Once it is active, while making melee attacks you gain a bonus to the total of your damage rolls equal to the TN penalties you are suffering from Wound Ranks. (This uses the default Wound penalties, ignoring modifications from Advantages, spells, or other such effects.) The effects of this Technique last for two full Rounds. You may choose to extend the effects of this Technique for an additional Round by taking 10 Wounds.

Shinjo Bushi [Bushi] [EE]

The Shinjo excel at mounted tactics, a trait common to all Unicorn bushi traditions. The family's fighting techniques incorporate a number of gaijin fighting methods encountered during the clan's centuries of travel outside the Empire, and as a result they employ a unique defensive style that depends on concepts such as the active parry, riposte, and other such oddities that most Rokugani are unfamiliar with.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Way of the Ki-Rin

    The Shinjo family's natural affinity for horsemanship is immediately obvious and pervades their every action. When spending a Void Point to add +1k1 to any School Skill Roll, you may also add your Horsemanship to the total. This bonus cannot be used while in the Center Stance.

  • Rank Two: Dance of the Blade

    The ancient gaijin swordsmanship techniques practiced by the Shinjo have given them a defensive edge against many styles practiced within the Empire. When you are in the Full Defense Stance and an opponent succeeds with an attack roll that targets you, you may immediately take a Free Action to make a Contested Agility Roll against that opponent. If successful, the attack misses instead. This may be done a number of times per Round equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Three: The Four Winds Strike

    The swift and relentless assault of a Shinjo is a dreadful sight to behold for his enemies. You may make attacks as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action when wielding weapons that possess the Samurai keyword. If you are fighting while mounted, you may also attack as a Simple Action when wielding a bow.

  • Rank Four: Spirit of the Blade Unleashed

    Those who mistake the defensive style of the Shinjo as weak can find themselves brutally surprised in the last moments of their lives. When you are in the Defense or Full Defense Stances and an opponent makes a melee attack targeting you, after the attack resolves you may immediately take a Free Action to make one melee attack against that opponent. This causes you to immediately assume the Attack Stance. This Technique may be used a number of times per skirmish equal to your School Rank, but may only be used once per Round.

  • Rank Five: Dancing With the Fortunes

    A Shinjo atop a horse is a sight that gives even the most seasoned among his enemies pause, and for good reason. During a skirmish, when mounted, when you wish to spend a Void Point you may make a Void Ring Roll (TN 20) as a Free Action. If the Ring Roll is successful, you gain the mechanical benefit of having spent the Void Point without actually spending it. (This does not actually create a bonus Void Point, it simply generates the mechanical effects of spending one.) If the roll fails, you spend the Void Point as normal. You may only use this Technique a number of times per skirmish equal to the number of Void Points you had at the start of the skirmish.

    You may utilize this Technique when on foot as well, but the TN of the Void Ring Roll increases to 30.

Utaku Battle Maiden [Bushi] [CR]

The Utaku Battle Maidens, also known as the shiotome, are the finest and most respected cavalry in all the Empire, feared by reputation even more so than their kindsmen among the Moto and Shinjo families. While the remainder of the Clan trans on gaijin riding horses, a larger and sturdier breed than the simple Rokugani pony, the Utaku alone have the right to breed, raise, and ride into battle the legendary Utaku steeds, the finest horses in the world.

Like other Unicorn bushi Schools, the Utaku Battle Maiden Techniques focus on mounted combat, although not to the total exclusion of non-mounted abilities. On a horse, however, an Utaku is a threat to virtually any human opponent. Honor is an important trait for a Battle Maiden as well, and the higher an individual's Honor, the greater the bonuses they receive.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Riding in Harmony

    The Utaku Battle Maidens value honor above all. You gain a bonus equal to your Honor Rank to one attack per Round. While mounted, you may instead choose to apply to bonus to one damage roll if you choose. You gain a bonus equal to your Honor Rank to the total of all Horsemanship rolls.

  • Rank Two: The Void of War

    An Utaku can sacrifice defense for speed if the flow of the battle calls for it. During Stage 1 of any Combat Round, you may add 5 to either your Initiative Score or your Armor TN. This bonus lasts until you use this Technique again or the skirmish ends.

  • Rank Three: Sensing the Breeze

    The natural feel of the saddle lends an Utaku unnatural freedom of movement. While mounted, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Wind Never Stops

    Like the wind across the battlefield, the charge of an Utaku is unstoppable. While mounted, you may overrun the enemy spending a Void Point. You may take a Simple Action to charge the enemy and attack him at the end of your movement. (Both the movement and the attack take the same Simple Action. If you are mounted, this Action uses the movement rate of your steed.) If this attack succeeds, you gain a bonus of +2k1 to the total of all damage rolls this Turn.

  • Rank Five: Otaku's Blessing

    The Utaku carry the honor of their founder as their shield. At the beginning of your Turn, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to activate this Technique. You add your Honor Rank to all damage rolls and Bugei Skill Rolls this Turn. This bonus stacks with those from Riding in Harmony.

Utaku Mounted Infantry [Bushi]

Although the Unicorn Clan is known for its cavalry, the tactics of Shinjo’s children also require infantry to serve as a base of maneuver and to “fix” enemy infantry in place. The need for such tactics became clear during the clan’s years of wandering in gaijin lands, most notably during the 200 years after Shinjo disappeared in battle against the Lying Darkness. During those two centuries the clan fought a variety of opponents, many of whom could not be defeated with a simple cavalry charge. To deal with this problem, the Unicorn developed a force of mounted infantry - soldiers who rode horses while the army maneuvered, but then dismounted and fought on foot. From the beginning, this force attracted a disproportionate number of men from the Otaku family, who were forbidden by family tradition from fighting on horseback alongside the Otaku women. In fact, it was one such man, Otaku Buki, who devised the first specific Techniques for the mounted infantry, drawing inspiration from the gaijin fighting techniques he had seen.

Over time, the School which developed from Buki’s techniques came to be known as the Otaku Mounted Infantry School (in modern times, the Utaku Mounted Infantry); although it drew recruits from all of the families, the Otaku men always predominated. However, it remained a distinctly secondary choice for most Unicorn, since the cavalry schools were considered the premier symbols of Unicorn might, and enrollment in the school was never as high as its sensei (or the Unicorn generals) would have liked. That finally changed, however, after the disgrace of the Shinjo family during the Hidden Emperor era. The Shinjo Bushi School had always been the preferred choice of Otaku/Utaku men who wished to serve in battle, but after the revelation that many of the Shinjo had served the Kolat, a rift opened between the families and the bulk of the Utaku males began training in the Mounted Infantry School instead. This resulted in a sharp expansion in the overall size and strength of the Unicorn infantry forces, and many samurai in the other clans finally began to take note of the school and its students.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Choose Your Weapon

    The Utaku infantry are trained to fight with sword, spear, and polearm, but each student of the School is expected to choose one such weapon on which to focus his training.

    You may choose either the Kenjutsu Skill, the Polearms Skill, or the Spears Skill you gain a free Emphasis of your choice in that skill. You are trained to use that weapon for both attack and defense. You add a +1k0 bonus when attacking with that Skill. If your chosen Skill is Spears or Polearms, when you are in the Defense or Full Defense stance while wielding a weapon using that Skill, you may add your Skill Ranks to your Armor TN. If your chosen Skill is Kenjutsu, you add half your Skill Rank (rounded down) instead.

  • Rank Two: Speed of My Sisters

    The Utaku Infantryman is taught to move swiftly in order to support the Unicorn cavalry on rapidly-evolving battlefields. On foot you move as though your Water Ring is 1 Rank higher and add a +1k0 bonus to your Initiative rolls.

  • Rank Three: All-Fronts Attack

    The Utaku Infantrymans mastery of his chosen weapon has now reached the point of allowing him to strike in all directions with blinding speed. When using your chosen weapon Skill, you may attack as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Utaku's Thunder

    Like the women of the Utaku family, the men of the Utaku Infantry are taught to call upon their Honor to strengthen their purpose and their blows. Once per Skirmish while wielding your chosen weapon, you may spend a Void Point to add your Honor Rank in unkept dice to your attack roll. In addition, your movement bonus (from your Rank 2 Technique) now lets you move as though your Water Rank is 2 higher (instead of 1).

  • Rank Five: Epic of My Name

    The fully trained Utaku Infantryman is an unpredictable whirlwind on the battlefield, striking and dodging with equal skill. The Armor TN bonus from your Rank One technique now also applies while you are in the Attack Stance. Once per skirmish while in the Full Attack Stance you may add a +4k2 bonus to your damage roll with your chosen weapon; if your chosen weapon is Spears or Polearms, you may do this in the Attack Stance as well.

The White Guard [Bushi] [CR]

The White Guard are an elite heavy cavalry force that often serves as the center of the Unicorn army. They represent the best warriors of the Moto family, upholding the causes the Moto hold close their hearts. They fight against gaijin forces that may threaten the safety of Rokugan and fight anything that might tarnish the Moto family legacy. Their extreme pious dedication to the gaijin gods known as the Lords of Death is notable, as are their merciless tactics.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Pale Face of Death

    The White Guard marches into battle in ceremonial white face paint, striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. At the start of your Turn, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action and choose an opponent within 30'. He suffers TN penalties to all actions equal to your Lore: Theology Skill Rank. This penalty lasts until the end of the encounter. You may only affect one target in this manner at any one time.

  • Rank Two: Moto's Strength

    The White Guard stays true to the teachings and abilities that are the core of his soul. You ignore TN penalties from Wound Levels equal to double your Lore: Theology Skill Rank.

  • Rank Three: Fury of Heaven

    The White Guard attacks with vigor and intensity, repeatedly striking his enemies without abandon. Whenever you make an attack, you may spend a Void Point to add five times your Lore: Theology Skill Rank to the total of your roll.

Calm Heart Duelist [Bushi]

The dueling grounds of Dark Edge Village are famous throughout the Empire, and as a result many young duelists travel to the village to train and in hopes of meeting both worthy opponents and sensei looking for new students. The village is home to the only notable traditional dueling dojo within the Unicorn lands, although it is quite modest compared to those of the Crane or Dragon and is easily overlooked by visitors to the town. Ironically, most who adhere to the tradition come from the peaceful Ide family. Their purpose in creating a dueling tradition stems from their need to resolve conflicts in which their kinsmen, the representatives of the Unicorn Clan in court, become embroiled. The necessity of being able to skillfully defend the honor of the Ide and the Unicorn as a whole, and to do so without needlessly taking life, has given rise to the dojo of the Calm Heart Duelists.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAny Unicorn Bushi School, Rank 3
  • RequirementsIaijutsu 3, Lore: Law 1
  • TechniqueThe Calm Heart Conquers - A soul of serenity can overcome even the most stalwart opponent. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of any Iaijutsu Skill Roll when you are not striking to kill your opponent, whether in a duel to first blood or a skirmish. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when you are wielding a katana or wakizashi.

Hand of Peace [Courtier]

The Hand of Peace follows Ide's peaceful dictums to their logical conclusions, becoming dedicated pacifists - often of a rather ascetic nature. Although they still carry the samurai weapons which are their legacy as members of the Unicorn Clan, they refuse to ever use them. They serve as good diplomats when dealing with the more peaceful and/or idealistic clans, such as the Crane and especially the Phoenix.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesIde Emissary 4
  • RequirementsHonor 5.0 or better
  • TechniqueIde's Ideal - The followers of the Hand of Peace are able to overawe their rivals by the purity of their devotion to peace. Any time you are able to propose a peaceful solution to a diplomatic problem or negotiation, you may cite the benefits of peace and roll Courtier (Rhetoric) / Awareness against your opponent's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. With a success, the opponent is forced to make a meaningful concession to your position (the exact nature of the concession is of course chosen by the GM, but it will always be significant). This technique may be used a maximum of twice per encounter. If you commit an act of violence (even in self-defense) that inflicts damage on a fellow Rokugani (even a ronin or bandit), your sense of moral serenity is shattered and you lose the benefits of this technique for one month.

Ide Caravan Master [Courtier]

The Ide family of the Unicorn are not only its representatives in court, but they also serve as its most effective and numerous merchant patrons. In particular, the Ide are well known for their merchant caravans, which travel across the Empire and sell the clan’s unusual wares to all manner of interested customers. This is an incredibly profitable endeavor that brings in a great deal of revenue for the family and the clan as a whole. Those who are trained to oversee such activities occasionally suffer from some degree of stigma for their association with mercantile pursuits, but the rewards are significant enough that there is never a shortage of willing candidates.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • ReplacesIde Emissary 1 (This Path uses the same Benefit, Skills, Honor, and Outfit)
  • RequirementsCommerce 2
  • TechniqueThe Gilded Road - A true master of the caravan path can forge lasting bonds with his customers, and has reaped the rewards of his travels. You gain a bonus of +1k1 on all Commerce Skill Rolls. You also gain this bonus on all Social Skill Rolls made with your customers. You gain one level of the Wealthy Advantage and one instance of the Way of the Land Advantage for free.

Ide Trader [Courtier]

Commerce is ill regarded in samurai culture, yet it is essential to fuel the engines of war. The few Great Clans that dedicate families to the manipulation of the economy - the Yasuki of the Crab and Crane, the Daidoji of the Crane, and the Yoritomo of the Mantis - have considerable advantages over the others. The Ide Traders carve their own niche into this domain of conflict, utilizing their friendliness and eagerness to help others to facilitate their mercantile activities. Their affability is for the most part only a facade, however, for the best Ide Traders are as cunning and ruthless as the most cutthroat Yoritomo.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesIde Emissary 2
  • RequirementsCommerce 3, and must pursue a career as a merchant patron
  • TechniqueBrisk Economy - The Ide Trader is a master of the merchant class, extending his control across the land. You cannot lose Honor or Glory for using the Commerce skill in public. You may attempt to persuade someone to become a new mercantile partner for your clan by rolling Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness with a bonus to the roll equal to double your Commerce Skill Rank. For persuading a commoner the suggested TN is 25, increased by the GM as appropriate if the target is hostile. Persuading a samurai requires a Contested Roll against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower, with the target gaining a bonus equal to double his Commerce Skill Rank. (Some samurai targets may gain additional bonus or even be immune to this Technique doe to unshakable loyalties - the GM has the final say in such manners.) If you succeed in the roll, the target agrees to become a part of your network of connections and commercial assets. You may immediately gain the target as a free Ally with 1 point of Devotion.

Iuchi Couriers (Lord of the Plains) [Shugenja]

Although they choose to refer to themselves by the humble appellation of the Iuchi Couriers, the shugenja who belong to this group are jokingly referred to by others within their clan as the Lords of the Plains due to their incredible ability to move at speeds no others can match. Shugenja trained by this group possess the ability to sooth the spirits of the Earth as they ride, creating a path of least resistance for their steed's benefit. This allows their horses to ride for much longer at a time, and with virtually no risk whatsoever of any missteps, even during the longest journeys.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesIuchi Shugenja 2
  • RequirementsHorsemanship 3, Way of the Land Advantage
  • TechniqueBeyond the Wind - You can shape the Earth as you ride, lending speed and endurance to your steed. With a five minute ritual and a successful Meditation Skill Roll (TN 15), you may bless your horse or the horse of another rider. For a number of hours equal to your Earth Ring, the horse will never suffer movement penalties based on terrain, nor will it suffer the effects of fatigue. The maximum number of horses which may benefit from this Technique at the same time is equal to your Earth Ring.

Iuchi Traveler [Shugenja] [CR]

The people of the Unicorn are the children of the Four Winds and their wanderlust is legendary. The Iuchi Traveler spends his life on the road from birth, moving from one place to the next in an attempt to see all the wonders of the Empire. The Travelers have developed secret rituals to traverse the land in mere moments, allowing them to come back from their journeys whenever the Unicorn Clan needed their powers. These rituals were later adapted for many uses, including war. Despite this change in responsibilities. the typical Traveler remains optimistic and cheerful at heart. Multiple spell slots may be expended in this manner to move across greater distances.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesIuchi Shugenja 3 or Horiuchi Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsAthletics 2, Horsmanship 2
  • TechniqueWhere the Wind Wills - You possess knowledge of the most sacred Unicorn magic: the art of moving from one point to another without crossing the space in between. You may spend 1 Void Point and expend 1 spell slot of either Air or Water (Void may not be used) as a Simple Action to instantly teleport a maximum distance equal to your School Rank x 100 feet. This affects only you and the material you are carrying, but by expending a second Void Point you may also teleport any horse-sized mount on which you are sitting at the time of the effect.

Moto Fanatic [Bushi]

The Moto family prefers an extremely aggressive outlook on warfare rather than the more conservative viewpoint of the Shinjo. Moto warriors use the mobility of their horses to quickly close the gap to their enemy, and the Fanatics fully embrace that ideal of war. They charge the front lines of opposing armies with alarming frequency, often suffering surprisingly few casualties for their brash behavior. It seems these Fanatics survive the harshest battlefields through a mixture of skill and compete disregard for their own safety. They believe an all-out crazed assault disorients the enemy, forcing them to commit mistakes they would otherwise avoid, and their success would seem to prove the point.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Moto Bushi School 4
  • TechniqueReckless Abandon - The Moto Fanatic charges into the thick of battle with no thought to his own safety. If you are in the Full Attack Stance, you may spend a Void Point as a Simple Action to activate this Technique. You gain Reduction equal to your School Rank so long as your remain in the Full Attack Stance.

Rajya ke Varisa [Bushi]

The Rajya ke Varisa are a group of Crab, Unicorn, and Mantis samurai who study the fighting techniques of the Ivory Kingdoms kshatriya and find ways to use them in conjunction with Rokugani combat techniques. The gaijin turned-Mantis known as Yoritomo Singh also contributes to the organization’s training, seeking to preserve some aspects of his former culture. So far they have managed to devise only one technique, albeit one of significant value.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesHida Bushi 4, Shinjo Bushi 4, Moto Bushi 4, Yoritomo Bushi 4
  • TechniqueLegacy of the Kshatriya - The Rajya ke Varisa have learned to emulate the kshatriya technique that calls on religious devotion to strengthen their force of their blows. However, instead of calling on blasphemous gaijin gods, they call on the power of their devotion to the Fortunes. Twice per skirmish, before making an attack you may take a Free Action to spend a Void Point; if the subsequent attack succeeds, you may add unkept dice to your damage roll equal to your rank in the Lore: Theology skill.

Shinjo Magistrate [Bushi] [S&F]

Even since its return to the Empire, the Unicorn Clan has established a tradition of upholding the law and protecting the common folk, a tradition which often puts it into conflict with groups like the Scorpion Clan and the Empire’s various criminal groups. The Shinjo family dominate this tradition and develop a Technique in support of it - somewhat ironic given that the Shinjo family was also heavily infiltrated by the Kolat. After the exposure and purging of the Kolat by Lady Shinjo herself, the Shinjo Magistrates remade themselves to be especially skillful at rooting out and purging the Kolat influence, later assisting the Ox Clan in establishing the order known as the Vigilant.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesShinjo Bushi 2, Utaku Battle Maiden 2, Moto Bushi 2, Moto Vindicator 2
  • RequirementsInvestigation 3, Lore: Law 3
  • TechniqueEyes of the Vigilant - The Magistrates are charged with rooting out and destroying criminals, traitors, and law-breakers of all sorts. When using Investigation to try to locate clues or to test another person’s truthfulness, you gain a +1k0 bonus. When tracking known criminals or traitors you gain a +1k0 to Hunting Skill rolls, and when attacking such persons you gain a +1k0 to all Weapon Skill Rolls.GM’s Option: The Unicorn Vigilant - In games set after the Hidden Emperor era, the GM can reflect the Unicorn Clan’s efforts to purge Kolat influence by increasing the Investigation bonus to +1k1 when opposing Kolat activities or agents.

Shinjo Scout [Bushi] [CR]

The Unicorn Clan traveled through the dangerous lands outside Rokugan's borders and uncovered threats on every horizon. It soon became apparent that the band of heroes needed an advance unit traveling before them to skirt the most dangerous enemies. The Shinjo family accepted this duty. The Shinjo Scouts soon became adept in quietly stalking through foreign lands, comfortable as if they were in their own homes. Upon the Unicorn Clan's return to Rokugan the Shinjo Scouts traded knowledge with the Hiruma Scouts of the Crab Clan and grew even more formidable.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesMoto Bushi 2 or Shinjo Bushi 2
  • RequirementsStealth 3
  • TechniqueThe Swift Soul - The Shinjo Scout learns to slip by unnoticed, even deep in enemy territory. You may use the Stealth Skill while on horseback. You are considered to have the Way of the Land Advantage no matter where you are. Finally, you gain +1k0 to all attack rolls while Mounted.

Unicorn Bariqu Wrestler [Bushi]

Bariqu wrestling is distinct from the more widespread sumai wrestling, and is largely unknown outside of the Unicorn Clan. Within the Unicorn, its traditions date back to the time of the Ujik-Hai, the gaijin nomads who joined the clan and became the Moto family. Bariqu is focused on throwing the opponent, rather than driving him out of the ring, and makes heavy use of joint-locks and paralyzing holds.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Moto bushi school 2, Shinjo Bushi 2
  • RequirementsJiujutsu (Bariqu) 3
  • TechniqueWay of the Ujik-Hai - A bariqu wrestler relies on his use of unconventional locks, holds, and maneuvers to defeat his foes, rather than just on raw strength. If your opponent in a Grapple does not have the Bariqu Emphasis of Jiujutsu, you gain a bonus of +1k1 when rolling to control the Grapple. If you have a higher Agility Rank than your opponent in a Grapple, you gain a +2k0 bonus when rolling to control the Grapple. These bonuses stack with each other.

Unicorn Doomseeker [Shugenja]

The Doomseekers are a Rokugani adaptation of an ancient Burning Sands order dedicated to bringing"death to the deathless" by rooting out and destroying immortal supernatural evils. The original targets of their technique were the heartless sorcerers known as khadi, but over the centuries they expanded their mission to include other immortal threats such as demons and rakshasa. (Ironically, it was actually a rakshasa, Adisbah the Cruel, who introduced the Doomseeker technique to Rokugan in order to avenge himself on the Bloodspeaker Iuchiban.) Within Rokugan the technique is extraordinarily rare and is only taught personto-person; thus far, there has never been more than one Rokugani Doomseeker in the same generation.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesIuchi Shugenja 4, Horiuchi Shugenja 4, Moto Death Priest 4
  • RequirementsWillpower 5. Must find a personal teacher who will share the secrets of the Doomseeker tradition.
  • TechniquePath of the Doomseeker - The Unicorn Doomseekers learn to root out immortal evils, primarily khadi but also other such immortal and demonic entities who cannot be readily identified. Any time you are in the presence of a hidden demon, monster, khadi, or similar entity, you may roll Willpower at TN 25 to sense the presence and location of the creature. (Some GMs may wish to make this roll secretly in order to avoid tipping off the players.) With a success, you are able to pick up subtle clues that give away the entity’s true nature to you.If you have become aware of the presence of such a creature (either through this Technique or in some other way), you may spend a spell slot as a Complex Action to make a Contested Willpower roll against the creature - with a success, you gain a spiritual insight into the entity’s true nature and learn one key piece of information (GM’s choice) about how it can be unmasked and/or defeated. The second part of this technique cannot be used against the same target more often than once per month.

Unicorn Wardog Masters [Bushi] [S&F]

During their time wandering the gaijin lands, the Unicorn tame and train a breed of dog unknown within Rokugan, eventually bringing it back with them to the Empire. These fierce and loyal animals are capable of fighting alongside their human masters, and the Unicorn maintain a small dojo which specifically trains bushi in the art of commanding and mastering their war-dogs.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesShinjo Bushi 4, Utaku Mounted Infantry 4, Moto Bushi 4
  • RequirementsAwareness 3, Willpower 4, Animal Handling (War Dogs) 5
  • TechniqueFerocity of the Ki Rin - The War-Dog Masters learn how to train an entire pack of war-dogs and how to control and direct the pack in combat. As a Complex Action, you can roll Animal Handling (War Dogs) / Willpower at TN 20 to give your entire pack of War-Dogs a simple command (such as “Attack” or “Track” or “Hold Position”). You can Raise on this roll to convey more sophisticated commands, subject to the GM’s judgment and limitations. Also, when your War-Dogs carry out attacks which you have ordered them to make, they gain a +1k0 bonus to their attack and damage rolls.

Unicorn Yomanri Archer [Bushi]

Although the majority of Unicorn continued to practice Rokugani archery during their travel through the gaijin lands, a significant minority learned the gaijin style of archery which the clan calls yomanri. A yomanri archer draws his arrow to his cheek and sights down the shaft, then releases it once he is confident in his aim.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesShinjo Bushi 4, Moto Bushi 4, Moto Vindicator 4, Utaku Battle Maiden 4
  • RequirementsAgility 4, Kyujutsu 5
  • TechniqueThe Way of Yomanri - Yomanri practitioners use a distinctive form of archery which relies on careful aiming rather than swift instinctive shooting. When using a yumi or dai-kyu, you may choose to spend one or more consecutive Simple Actions aiming your shot before you fire. Each such Simple Action awards either a +1k1 bonus to your attack roll or a +1k0 bonus to your damage (your choice). The maximum number of Simple Actions spent aiming cannot exceed your Agility Rank; moreover, if you are interrupted all benefits from the aiming are lost. This technique cannot be used while you are in the Center Stance.

Utaku Horse Master [Artisan, Bushi, Courtier, Shugenja]

The Utaku family maintains the greatest stables in the Empire. They breed the strongest horses in the land, and their famous Battle Maidens are the only ones allowed to ride their Utaku steeds into combat. The men of the Utaku family are charged with raising and training these horses, and many of them choose to eschew the theatre of war entirely to devote their lives to this duty. The Utaku Horse Master serves as stable master, rider, hunter, and friend to the horses under his care. A popular joke says the Horse Master marries twice in his lifetime - once to his spouse, the other to his stable.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Unicorn School 2
  • RequirementsMust be a male of the Utaku family
  • TechniqueMaster of the Open Plains - The Utaku men devote themselves to raising and training horses, and are without question the greatest in Rokugan at this task. Indeed, the Unicorn claim that in all their travels across the world they have never encountered better. You gain a +2k0 bonus to all Animal Handling, Horsemanship, and Hunting rolls.

Ichiro Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The founder of the Ichiro Bushi School was a Hida. It is no surprise, then, that the School remains similar to its Crab roots. The school's philosophy is simple: hit the enemy so hard that he has no time to engage in any fancy tactics.

The Ichiro Bushi School focuses on their love of wrestling and unarmed combat. It emphasizes the power of pure strength in defeating enemies. The Ichiro Bushi uses strength as the answer to almost any problems that may arise. Others may move faster or strike with more precision, but the Ichiro will answer with overwhelming damage.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Transcend the Mountain

    The bushi of the Badger Clan live and train in the rugged territory of the Great Wall of the North, and revere strength as the ultimate measure of any warrior's capabilities - the power of a warrior's fists can still be relied on when all else fails. You may re-roll any Skill roll or Trait roll which uses Strength, but you must keep the result of the second roll. You suffer no movement or combat penalties for Moderate terrain, and only half the normal penalty for Difficult terrain.

  • Rank Two: Strength of the Badger

    With practice, the Badger learn to call upon their strength to crush their opponents. A number of times per session equal to your Strength Rank, you may re-roll a damage roll, keeping the better of the two results.

  • Rank Three: Crushing Blow

    Experienced Badger learn to deliver blows of truly fearsome power, with weapons or even their bare hands, which can pulverize flesh even through the protection of armor. You may ignore the effects of armor on an opponent's Armor TN. Your unarmed attacks may ignore 1 Rank of your target's Reduction.

  • Rank Four: Crashing Stones

    Ichiro samurai are taught to strike with the speed of the deadly avalanche. Your attacks with Samurai weapons or unarmed strikes are considered Simple Actions.

  • Rank Five: Return the Strike

    The final lesson taught in Badger Clan dojo is that the most effective blows in combat are not the swiftest, but the hardest struck. At the start of a skirmish, before Iniative is rolled, you may choose to lower your Initiative total by 20 for the duration of the skirmish. In exchange, you add your Strength Rank in unkept dice to both your attack and your damage rolls for the first two rounds of that combat.

Ichiro Pass Warden [Bushi] [SE]

The first duty of the Badger Clan is to protect the pass from invasion, and the clan has long trained a group of specialized warriors whose sole duty is to defend the pass with spears and hurled rocks. Their task is to inflict as much damage as possible on any invaders. The Pass Wardens spend most of their lives within the fortresses of the Badger lands, seldom visiting the rest of the Empire.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • Replaces* Ichiro Bushi 3
  • RequirementsStrength 4, Spears 4, Athletics 4
  • TechniqueHold the Passes - Your range with hand-hurled missiles is doubled, and you add +1k0 to damage rolls with thrown weapons; if the weapon is a nage-yari or a rock, the bonus is +1k1 instead.

Komori Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

When Yoritomo Komori was granted the honor of forming his own Minor Clan, he quickly gathered the brightest shugenja to his side. He decided he would honor his bat spirit heritage of swift communication and bring that resource to the rest of the Empire. The Komori recognize that one must balance the practical with the theoretical, and strive to hone their messaging abilities for use on the field.

The Komori Shugenja School is unique in the Empire. The koumori are benevolent bat spirits, creatures hailing from Chikushudo who have helped mankind on several occasions. Their powerful magic has never been understood because of the spirits' reclusive nature. The Komori shugenja have tapped into that resource, giving them strange and wondrous spells that have never been seen before.

  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Lore: Ancestors, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft, Tea Ceremony, any one High Skill
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyAir / Earth
  • TechniqueThe Kami's Whispers - The Komori practice the rituals of the koumori spirits from whom their founder is descended, and ferry messages from one to another via the kami. You may expend one spell slot to send a whispered message to another individual known to you. This message must be no longer in length than thirty seconds per School Rank, and may be delivered a maximum distance equal to your School Rank x 100 miles.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Air, 2 Water, and 1 Fire

Heichi Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

Shadowy dangers always threatened the Boar lands, and the Heichi Bushi School formed to face them. The Boar were ready to defend themselves and developed techniques that would help them match that fervor. They learned to take the worst attacks their enemies might hold in store and simply keep going. The trained Heichi Bushi maintains a strong defense, but his furious assaults are chilling to see.

The Heichi Bushi School emphasizes a weapon that is rarely seen in the rest of the Empire: the Mai Chong. The uniquely shaped spear has a curved head, and the weapon handles completely differently from other pole weapons. The Heichi Bushi can use the spear to devastate his enemies at range. The longer reach of his weapon perfectly suits his defensive style, where he waits for the perfect moment to break the enemy's momentum.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Charge of the Boar

    The attack of a boar can come from nowhere, with little warning. If you are in the Full Attack stance, you may ready a medium weapon or a spear as a Free Action. When wielding a spear in combat, you gain a damage bonus of +0k1.

  • Rank Two: The Strength of Opposition

    The Boar school specializes in using spears, especially the Mai Chong, to snare an opponent's clothing and armor, rendering them helpless. You may call two Raises to Entangle an opponent with a Mai Chong, or three Raises to Entangle them with another spear-class weapon.

  • Rank Three: The Speed of the Boar

    The Boar bushi learns to strike with the relentless speed of his namesake animal. You may attack as a Simple Action when wielding a spear.

  • Rank Four: The Anger of the Boar

    Much like their namesake, Boar bushi keep fighting even when critically injured. You may spend a Void point during the Reactions segment to reduce your Wound TN penalty by one Wound Rank (the wounds still exist, you simply feel less pain from them). This effect lasts the remainder of the skirmish.

  • Beyond the Mountains

    At this rank the Boar has learned to control his warrior's fury and unleash it at the most unexpected times, even when he appears to be completely defensive. If you are in the Full Defense Stance, you may make one normal attack with a spear or a Samurai-keyword weapon as a Free Action, ingoring the restriction of the Full Defense Stance. This attack gains a bonus of +2k0 to the attack roll.

Usagi Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The Hare Clan has seen a lot of combat for a Minor Clan. Their continued war against the enemies of the Empire has raged for centuries without an end in sight. Consequently, the Usagi Bushi School is one of the better-developed Minor Clan warrior schools. It has been perfected in battle and blood, as the Hare Clan has painstakingly learned what works and what simply fails.

The Usagi Bushi School takes the athleticism of the Hare Clan and channels it into combat advantage. The Hare learn to move faster than the average samurai, darting in to deliver a punishing blow then dashing out of range of any counterattack. An unprepared opponent is quickly overwhelmed as he is attacked from what seems like all sides.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Speed of the Hare

    The Hare are known for fighting with a speed and agility reminiscent of the animal for which their clan is named. In any situation where you have room to dodge, jump, and otherwise maneuver (GM's discretion), you may add your Athletics Skill Rank to your Armor TN except when in the Full Attack or Center stance. Your Water Ring is considered 1 higher for purposes of how far you can move with Move actions.

  • Rank Two: Leap of the Hare

    The Hare bushi has learned to strike with a devastating springing attack that catches many opponents off guard. If you are in the Full Attack stance, you can leap forward and attack an opponent up to 15' away without taking a Move Action. All of your attacks on this turn must target that opponent.

  • Rank Three: Swift as Lightning

    The speed and flexibility of the Hare allows him to strike with fearsome rapidity. Your attacks with unarmed strikes, knives, or Samurai-keyword weapons are considered Simple Actions.

  • Rank Four: Kick of the Hare

    The Hare has learned not only how to strike with speed, but also how to dodge and avoid his foes at the same time. You may now perform your Rank Two Techniques while in the Attack stance instead of the Full Attack stance. If you perform the technique in the Full Attack stance, you may make your second attack of the Round against another opponent within 15' of the first opponent.

  • Rank Five: Reichin's Style

    The final lesson of the Hare school is a whirling flurry of leaps, feints, and attacks that come at the opponent from all directions, confusing and disorienting him. You may perform the Feint Maneuver for only 1 Raise, and your damage bonus from a successful Feint is not limited to your Insight Rank x 5.

Ujina Skirmishers [Bushi]

The Hare Clan traditionally focuses on a highly athletic and unpredictable school of kenjutsu, but the Hare’s Ujina family prefers to fight with knives. After joining the clan, the founder of the Ujina established his own dojo to teach his two-knife fighting style; although the Ujina Skirmishers have never advanced their style enough for it to become a school of its own, they are a significant asset to their clan nonetheless.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesHare Bushi 2
  • RequirementsKnives (Tanto) 3
  • TechniqueMaster of the Quick Blade - The Ujina are trained to fight with a tanto in each hand, cutting their foes to death with swift and deadly strikes. When fighting with a knife in each hand, you gain a +1k0 bonus to your Initiative rolls and a +1k1 bonus to your damage rolls with knives.

Fuzake Shugenja [Shugenja] [SE]

The Fuzake originated as a small order of ronin shugenja within Toturi’s Army, led by a young man named Yasuki Garou (later Fuzake Garou) who was a close friend to Toku. When the Monkey Clan was formed he immediately swore fealty to it. The Fuzake dedicate themselves to healing and to an intense but rather eccentric veneration of the Fortunes.

  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsCalligraphy, Defense, Etiquette, Lore: Theology, Medicine, Spellcraft, any one High or Merchant Skill
  • Honor5.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 2 Koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyEarth / Fire
  • TechniqueThe Sideways Path - The shugenja who came to be known as Fuzake Garou was originally trained by the Kuni, but spent much of his life trying to protect and heal those around him. Over time he found ways to call on his Earth magic to support his efforts, and after his disappearance and apparent death at the Battle of Oblivion’s Gate, his followers pursued and eventually perfected the crude technique he devised. When casting a spell that heals Wounds or cures poison or illness (such as Path to Inner Peace or Peace of the Kami), you may opt to also expend one or more Earth spell slots; each such slot awards a Free Raise on your Spell Casting Roll.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth spells, 2 Water spells (one is automatically Path to Inner Peace), 1 Air spell

Toku Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The Monkey Clan has the blessing of the Imperial line and access to skilled experts in the field of war. Hundreds of ronin teachers have stepped through the dojo doors, ready to impart knowledge on an eager audience. These diverse skills were distilled into a single, cohesive fighting style that contains the best aspects of each lesson given in the Monkey dojo.

The Toku Bushi School teaches techniques to help fight against multiple enemies. The Toku learns the keep his head in the face of overwhelming odds and to fight on without hesitation. He sharpens his concentration and resolve to supernatural heights, and his calm on the battlefield becomes one of his greatest weapons.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Toku's Lesson

    A Monkey Bushi will prevail, even in the face of the most difficult odds. You add +1k0 to all Skill Rolls with a TN of 25 or higher. (This includes attack rolls.) Additionally, all your Wound Penalties are reduced by an amount equal to your Willpower plus double your School Rank.

  • Rank Two: The Strength of One Man

    As a member of a very small Minor Clan, the Toku bushi is accustomed to fighting against the odds. While facing multiple opponents or an enemy with a higher Insight Rank, you add +1k1 to your attack and damage rolls.

  • Rank Three: Courage Above All

    The Toku bushi calls on the courage of his Clan's founder to speed his own attacks. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Forge Your Own Fate

    The Toku Bushi learns to dodge the worst of any attack. You may spend a Void Point when suffering Wounds to force your opponent to drop his two highest dice from his damage roll, even if this would reduce the total amount of kept dice. This cannot reduce the damage roll to less than 1k1.

  • Rank Five: Fortune Favors the Mortal Man

    The Toku bushi earns his good blessings with his own sheer tenacity. Once per Round, you may spend a Void Point to reroll any roll. You add +2k1 to the new roll. You may choose to keep the new roll or your original roll.

Tsi Smith [Artisan] [CR]

Tsi was the name of an ancient gaijin blacksmith who impressed the second emperor, Hantei Genji, with his works. The Emperor declared the man was blessed by the Fortunes and made him a Rokugani on the spot. Centuries later a ronin apprentice took the forgotten name for himself and impressed Emperor Hantei XXX with his style.

Artisans trained in the Tsi Smith School are unique in that everything they learn is to increase their skills crafting weapons and armor. They learn martial styles to know how experts will treat the weapons they create. They have little use for social pleasantries or political maneuvering so their teachigns mostly bypass those aspects of a samurai's life.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Tools of the Fortunes

    The Tsi Smith dedicates his life to reaching perfection in the heat of the furnace. All Craft Skills are considered School Skills for you for the purpose of effects that target School Skills. Whenever you make a Craft Skill Roll, you gain one point of Glory for succeeding, and one additional point for every increment of 5 by which you exceed the TN. This effect only applies to rolls made against a TN equal to 10 plus your School Rank x 5 or higher.

  • Rank Two: Tsi Xing Guo's Blessing

    The Oriole smith seeks to emulate the works of the Fortune of Steel. When wielding or using one of your own creations (such as a weapon in battle or wearing an elaborate kimono in court), you gain a bonus of +2k1 for Void Points spent on relevant Skill Rolls, rather than the usual +1k1. Additionally, when an item you created is given as a gift among members of the samurai caste, both you and the gift-giver gain Glory equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Three: A Crafter's Dedication

    A Tsi Smith knows the worth of everything he creates, years after it has left his forge. When crafting, the price of the object you are creating is reduced by half for the purposes of determining how long it takes to create the object in question. When someone in your presence is using an item you created, you may take a Complex Action to grant them a bonus of +xk1, where X is your School Rank, on the relevant Skill Roll (for example, Kenjutsu for a katana, Defense for armor, or Etiquette for a kimono).

  • Rank Four: Exhaustive Knowledge

    All members of the Tsi smiths are expected to test their own creations for weight, balance, and effectiveness. You may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to allow you to make any attacks with a weapon you created as Simple Actions rather than Complex Actions. This effect lasts for a number of Rounds equal to your School Rank.

  • Rank Five: Star-filled Steel

    Oriole-made items are rivaled only by the masterful items of the Kaiu Forge. Once per day upon the completion of crafting a weapon, you may spend all your Void Points in order to create a Sacred Weapon (as per the Advantage). this weapon is known as a Tsi Weapon (e.g., a Tsi Blade, Tsi Tetsubo, etc.), and may possess one of the following qualities: Balanced (the wielder gains a bonus of +1k0 on attack rolls made with this weapon), Swift (The wielder gains a bonus of +5 to his Initiative Score while wielding the weapon, or Unbreakable (the weapon may not be broken). At the GM's option, a truly gifted Tsi smith may also be able to make a weapon Radiant (treat the weapon as jade for purposes of harming Invulnerable creatures).

Tonbo Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The Tonbo are a deeply spiritual people. They have forged a strong connection to the mountains and remain in their lands even though hardship after hardship has fallen upon them. Though the Tonbo Shugenja are no less priests than their counterparts in the other Clans, they are acutely aware of the political responsibilities that rest on their shoulders. As the intermediaries between the Dragon Clan and the rest of Rokugan, the Tonbo are well equipped to survive the perilous courts of the Empire.

The Tonbo Shugenja School uses all the resources at its disposal to prepare its students for the courts. A trained Tonbo can use his connection to the spiritual world to heighten his social graces. This boost is often a necessity with opponents such as the Lion Clan always watching for a social faux pas.

  • Benefit+1Perception
  • SkillsCalligraphy, Courtier, Etiquette, Meditation (Void Recovery), Sincerity, Spellcraft, any one High Skill
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyWater / Fire
  • TechniqueGuided by Fate - The Tonbo are adept at court as well as the ways of the shugenja, serving as they have as the Dragon Clan's intermediaries almost since their creation. The kami's whispers can be powerful tools in court. You may expend one spell slot to gain a bonus of +1k0 on one Social Skill Roll. You may never spend more spell slots than your School Rank to augment a single roll. You gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Divination keyword.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Water, 2 Air, and 1 Earth

Dragonfly Advisor [Courtier, Shugenja] [SE]

One of the things generally agreed among the Tonbo to be a mark of Enlightenment is an understanding of something they call “dependent arising” - the nature of cause and effect; the realization that all things exist only as a result of other causes and conditions. Nothing spontaneously comes into being without a precedent giving birth to it, and an Enlightened person comprehends the consequences of every action and condition. The Tonbo Advisors use their studies on this aspect of existence to become effective diplomats and also to gain insights into the ways of divination.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesTonbo Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsIntelligence 3, Meditation 5
  • TechniqueSeeing the Pattern - The Dragonfly Advisors are trained to understand all the patterns of cause and effect around them, letting them perceive the potential consequences of their actions. You gain a +2k0 bonus to all Divination and Etiquette Skill Rolls.

Chuda Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The Chuda Shugenja School was formed with some of the same techniques the Phoenix Inquisitors use to this very day. The founder Isawa Chuda was an Imperial Magistrate, sworn to destroy maho-tsukai. Unfortunately, the descendants of the Chuda have become exactly what Isawa Chuda swore to destroy.

The original Chuda Shugenja School was designed to do one thing: destroy the forces of the Shadowlands. The Chuda would hunt Tainted maho-tsukai and bring down the wrath of the elements on their heads. The Chuda learns to penetrate the substantial defenses of any monsters a maho-tsukai may summon, and his focus on Earth spells allows him to learn the Jade spells required to punish the wicked.

  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Etiquette, Lore: Maho, Lore: Shadowlands, Spellcraft, any 2 Skills
  • Honor4.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyEarth / Air
  • TechniqueTo Punish the Wicked - Isawa Chuda was a ruthless persecutor of the Shadowlands, and his techniques live on in those who bear his name. You may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to negate an amount of Reduction equal to your School Rank from one targeted opponent. You also add your School Rank to the total of any damage roll made by a spell you cast against a target who possesses the Shadowlands Taint.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Fire, and 1 Water

Yotsu Bushi [Bushi] [IH]

The original Yotsu technique was based on the family's self-appointed role as protectors of the common people in Otosan Uchi. The later evolution of a full-scale bushi School happened as a result of the family's experiences fighting the Spider Clan in the ruins of Otosan Uchi. The Yotsu were forced to fight with stealth and ruthless aggression in an environment where the dominant terrain feature was ruined buildings. Although the resulting school was not one which more rigidly honorable samurai would admire, it suited the Yotsu well and they have maintained its techniques ever since.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Tiger's Tread

    The Yotsu are taught to stalk and attack their enemies with the same mixture of stealth and speed displayed by the tiger when it hunts its prey. You do not lose Honor for using the Ambush or Shadowing functions of the Stealth Skill so long as you are using them against enemies of the Empire (GM's discretion). When operating in an urban environment (including a ruin or other ancient relic of such an environment), you gain a +1k0 bonus to Stealth Skill rolls and add your Stealth skill rank to your Armor TN.

  • Rank Two: The Tiger's Pounce

    The Yotsu are taught to strike with uncanny speed, catching their opponents by surprise. On the first Round of a skirmish, you may add your Stealth Skill rank to the total of your Initiative roll. (This bonus ends on the Reactions stage of the first Round.)

  • Rank Three: Rending Claws

    The Yotsu strike with the speed of the pouncing tiger. When fighting with a Samurai weapon you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

  • Rank Four: Shelter the Blameless

    The Sword of Yotsu draw strength from their duty to protect others. During any Round when you are actively defending or protecting (GM's discretion), you gain one bonus Void Point for use during that Round. Unspent Void Points gained from this Technique are lost at the end of the Round (after the Reactions stage).

  • Rank Five: The Tiger's Fangs

    The final lesson of the Yotsu is to emulate the Tiger's pounce, striking the opponent so fiercely with one's first attack that he has no opportunity to fight back. On the first Round of a skirmish, you may declare Maneuvers for one less Raise.

Suzume Bushi [Bushi] [CR]

The Sparrow Clan has never been a martial power, but Sparrow samurai will march into combat when the call comes. At the foundation of the clan the Suzume were Crane samurai, and their mastery with the katana remains a foundation of the school to this day. Their fighting style displays much about their philosophy on life, as they will take as much time as needed to make a perfect strike.

The Suzume Bushi's love of storytelling gives him an insight into battle. He uses that knowledge to see the ebb and flow of combat, allowing him to strike slower or faster to exploit his opponent's weaknesses. The Suzume Bushi has evolved far from the clan's roots in the Kakita Bushi School, creating abilities that center on Initiative in unique ways.

Techniques
  • Rank One: All Things in Time

    The Suzume watches the flow of combat to discern the perfect time for assault. At the beginning of the Combat Round, before the first character has taken his Turn, you may reduce your Initiative by 5 to add +1k0 to all your attack and damage rolls for the Round.

  • Rank Two: Purity of Chi

    The Suzume's body is filled with disdain for those who indulge in temptations away from the tenets of Bushido. You add +5 to your Armor TN against creatures and against human opponents with lower Honor.

  • Rank Three: Wisdom is the Greatest Weapon

    The Suzume is a masterful storyteller, captivating audiences with his words. You may spend a Void Point to add your Honor Rank to any Perform or Lore Skill Roll.

  • Rank Four: Quiet Spirit, Steady Blade

    the serenity of a Sparrow is often mistaken for complacency, but that is far from the case. You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while in the Attack Stance.

  • Rank Five: Slow and Deadly

    The Suzume strikes when his foes least expect it, even if he must weather the worst of the opponents' attacks. During the Round following your adoption of the Center Stance, you add +10 to your attack and damage rolls. You do not gain this benefit during iaijutsu duels.

Suzume Storytellers [Courtier, Artisan] [SE]

The Storytellers are the closest thing to true artisans in that poverty-stricken clan. Their tradition originated with Doji Edakumi, a Crane artisan whose descendants form the Edakumi vassal family of the Sparrow. Edakumi was the founder of the Sparrow artistic tradition and became the most popular and welcomed samurai in the clan’s territory; the members of the Edakumi family are known as the best storytellers in the clan and perhaps in the Empire.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesSuzume Bushi 2
  • RequirementsPerform: Storytelling 3, Precise Memory
  • TechniqueThe Heart of the Story - The Suzume Storyteller can use a skillfully crafted story to make virtually any point he wishes. When making a Courtier Skill roll, you may spend a Void Point to add your Perform: Storytelling Skill Rank to the total.

Kasuga Smuggler [Courtier] [CR]

The Kasuga are as true to the Imperial cause as any other clan, though one often wouldn't know this from watching their activities. They perform illegal acts with murderers and thieves and have established a strong connection to criminal cartels across the land. The Tortoise are in fact monitoring these conspiracies in the Emperor's name to make sure the safety of the Empire is not at stake. They also conduct extensive trade in foreign lands in order to ensure that gaijin cannot again threaten Rokugan as they did in the past.

The Kasuga Smugglers must mingle with the dirty criminal riffraff of the Empire, and their abilities reflect that need. They are knowledgeable of the underworld and are ruthless in all of their dealings. In their fight against the worst of Rokugan, the Kasuga Smuggler finds allies wherever he can - a virtuous peasant is a huge asset to a man who is often outnumbered and surrounded on all sides by cutthroats.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Way of the Tortoise

    The Tortoise routinely consort with the lowest elements of Rokugani society, often spend time in foreign ports, dealing with gaijin, and other villains, and otherwise do things most samurai would find repugnant. They are also skilled merchants, an unavoidable side effect of being smugglers. At character creation, you may learn an additional gaijin language for free with every purchase of the Languages Advantage. You do not lose Honor for using Low Skills, or Glory for using the Commerce skill in public, so long as you are doing so as part of your duty to your clan. When dealing with heimin or hinin, such as peasants, merchants, and eta, you gain a +2k0 bonus to all Social Skill rolls.

  • Rank Two: The Shell of the Tortoise

    Most samurai in Rokugan revile the Tortoise for their unusual behavior and their association with commoners and gaijin, but all samurai know the Tortoise Clan has the special permission and sponsorship of the Emperor. Any clan or Imperial samurai who physically attacks or openly slanders you without provocation on your part (GM's discretion) will immediately lose a number of points of Honor equal to twice your School Rank.

  • Rank Three: The Eyes of the Emperor

    The Tortoise function as spies and agents of the Emperor, and are adept at the lowest of tactics and methods. When acting on behalf of your clan, you may roll additional unkept dice equal to your School Rank on all Low Skills in which you have at least one Skill Rank. This includes any School Skills which only function as Low Skills when used in certain ways (such as Sincerity with the Deceit Emphasis). This does not work with Advantages and Techniques which simulate Skill Ranks (such as the Crafty Advantage.)

  • Rank Four: Hand in Hand

    The Tortoise work in close cooperation with the common folk of Rokugan, people who other samurai ignore as much as possible. This gives them access to information networks no other samurai can reach. Once per session, if you have access to the local heimin or hinin, you can roll Lore: Underworld / Awareness at TN 25 to learn one useful piece of information (chosen by the GM) that cannot be learned any other way.

  • Rank Five: The Tortoise Smiles

    With his training completed, the Tortoise smuggler can transcend his own limits in the pursuit of his Clan's devious goals, serving the Emperor without constraint. When making a Skill Roll with any of your six specified School Skills, your maximum Raises are not limited by your Void. A number of times per session equal to your Void Ring, you may gain a +5k0 bonus when making a roll with any of your School Skills. This bonus can stack with the bonus from your Rank Three technique.

Tortoise Guard [Bushi] [IH]

Although the Tortoise Clan is too small to have a true bushi school, the clan has always recognized the value of defense, especially given the frequency with which its members must enter foreign ports, smugglers' dens, and other such unsavory locations. The original membership of the Tortoise included a number of gaijin, and over the years they adapted their own strange fighting style to the weapons of their new home; with time it evolves into the technique which the Tortoise teach in modern times. The Tortoise Guards are tasked to protect their fellow smugglers from all manner of dangers, and typically fight without any particular limitation or scruple.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesKasuga Smuggler Rank 4
  • RequirementsStrength 3, any 1 Weapon Skill 4
  • TechniqueThe Path of One - From their gaijin ancestors and their commoner allies, the Tortoise Guards have learned that samurai Honor can be a hindrance to victory; practicality is more useful. You may attack as a Simple Action with any non-Samurai melee weapon, and gain a +1k0 bonus to damage with any Peasant Weapon.

Tortoise Killers [Bushi] [SE]

The Tortoise Clan’s limited military capabilities consist primarily of those trained in the Tortoise Guard technique (published in the L5R 4th Edition supplement Imperial Histories). However, due to the unique nature and duties of the Tortoise Clan, the clan has long found it useful to train certain men and women in the arts of murder and assassination. Some of these killers go on to serve in the Guard, disguising their true nature beneath conventional martial duties, while others remain within the ranks of the Tortoise merchants and sailors.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesTortoise Smuggler 3
  • RequirementsAgility 3, Stealth 4, any two Weapon Skills at 4
  • TechniqueThe Poisoned Frog - The Tortoise Killers are trained to dispose of their targets with whatever weapon comes to hand, while maintaining the outward appearance of an ordinary sailor or soldier. Once per opponent per skirmish, when making an attack roll you may spend a Void Point to cause your Raises for damage on that roll to award +1k1 rather than +1k0 to damage. You may never take more Raises than your Void Rank when using this Technique.

Four Temples Monk [Monk] [CR]

Many sects believe that monks must retreat into seclusion to achieve harmony with the elements. The monks of the Four Temples sect know that man is a social creature and it is in his nature to interact with others. The Four Temples monks believe they must maintain a strong connection with civilization to unravel the mysteries of the world. The Four Temples monks remain in direct contact with the political heart of the Empire - indeed, one of its biggest monasteries lies within the Imperial capital. Four Temples monks may become advisers to major generals or daimyo, or they may travel the road, helping the unfortunate who cross their path.

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsCourtier, Etiquette, Jiujutsu, Lore: Theology (Shintao), Meditation, any 2 Skills
  • Honor6.50
  • TechniqueSoul of Civility - Brothers of the Four Temples are accustomed to interacting with extremely important visitors and receiving invitations to influential courts. When you spend a Void Point to augment a High Skill Roll or a Social Skill Roll, you gain +2k2 instead of the normal +1k1.

Fudoist Order [Monk]

The resurgence of Fudoist philosophy in the Colonies has given rise to a new generation of monks who subscribe to its ancient and forbidden texts. Many are benevolent and enthusiastic adherents of this mindset, but some among their ranks are beginning to display the sort of malevolent behaviors that doomed the first incarnation of the sect. (GMs may also use this School to represent the followers of the original Fudoist heresy from the early days of the Empire.)

  • DevotionNone
  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsCourtier, Etiquette, Jiujutsu, Lore: Theology, Meditation, any two Skills
  • Honor-1.00
  • TechniqueFor Each, One Path - Monks of Fudo must choose their own path, and it can vary wildly from one to another. At the time of character creation, you must choose a low or high Honor Rank (1.5 or 4.5). Likewise, you must choose to specialize in either opposed Social Skill Rolls or in Attack rolls. You gain a bonus to your total in the selected roll type equal to twice the difference between your Honor Rank and that of your opponent.

Order of Heroes Monk [Monk] [CR]

A small sect that is not well known among those outside the Brotherhood, the monks of the Order of Heroes are among the most proactive sects in Rokugan. Adherents are followers of the Tao, the Thunder Dragon, and the Fortune Goemon (The Fortune of Heroes). They believe the potential for greatness exists within the soul of all men. With the proper encouragement, any samurai can become a hero of legend to inspire and teach others. The Order actively seeks out threats and problems that exist within the Empire, and then seeks out individuals who possess the proper talents to deal with the matter conclusively. In this way, the Order has quietly assisted in the births of hundreds of heroes and legends, tales remembered in plays and novels throughout history. The Order remains all but unknown, however, since adherents consider it vital to perform their duties without ever drawing attention to themselves.

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Perception
  • SkillsAthletics, Defense, Jiujutsu, Lore: Theology (Pick an Emphasis), Mediation, any 2 Skills
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueDestiny's Hand - The Order's esoteric methods allow for the passage of chi from a monk to another without difficulty. You may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to confer a bonus of +1k1 to any one roll this round by an ally who has not yet taken his Turn. You may not enhance a roll that cannot normally benefit from Void Points (such as damage roll, for instance).

Order of Peaceful Repose [Monk] [SE]

Pockets of this sect may be found throughout Rokugan, especially in places where warfare or local spiritual conditions make ghosts more common. They dedicate themselves to serving Emma-O by laying ghosts to rest, without regard for whether those ghosts are the spirits of heimin or samurai. In the twelfth century the monks of this Order form an alliance with the newly-formed Brothers of Rebirth, whose aims they see as harmonious with their own.

  • DevotionFortunist (Emma-O, the Fortune of Death)
  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsAthletics, Calligraphy, Jiujutsu, Lore: Ghosts, Lore: Theology (Emma-O), Meditation, any one Skill
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueEmma-O’s Insight - You may detect the presence of ghosts (yorei or goryo, but not gaki) by spending 10 minutes in meditation and making a roll of Meditation / Awareness at TN 25. You may do this a number of times per day equal to your Void Rank. You may call Raises on this roll to learn the following additional information (one piece of information per Raise): the ghost’s identity, its manner of death, and its connection to the mortal world. For three Raises, you can gain specific insight into what will lay the ghost to rest. (GM’s discretion as to exactly what you learn, but it will always be directly useful to resolving the ghost’s presence in the mortal world.)

Order Of the Five Rings [Monk]

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsCourtier, Defense, Etiquette, Jiujutsu, Lore: Elements, Lore: Theology (Shintao), Meditation
  • Honor4.00
  • TechniqueCracks Within the Elements - Monks of the Order of the Five Rings excel at seeking out the imbalances within others and exploiting them to their own advantage. Whenever you are making an attack roll or a Social Skill Roll against a mortal opponent, you gain a bonus to the roll equal to twice the difference between your opponent’s highest and lowest Rings.

Order of the Nameless Gift [Monk]

An offshoot of the Shrine of the Seven Thunders, this Order believes the fate-altering power of the Seven Thunders resides in all mortal souls. Its teachings are not for the faint of spirit or body, since the monks of the Nameless Gift delve into their secrets through physical rigor and endless trials of endurance. Training in the Order involves a great deal of focus on the physical world and seeing the vastness of the universe reflected in the mundane.

Monks of the Order of the Nameless Gift have a direct and uncomplicated approach to all things mental, physical, and spiritual. Instead of attempting to view the world in a subtle or complex manner, they embrace what is obvious and contend with that instead. This has led many to believe the Order is somewhat simple-minded, and its members do not bother to argue the point. The serenity and enlightenment they gain by keeping their perceptions and expectations simple gives them insight, endurance, and expertise at the most unusual times.

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Stamina
  • SkillsAthletics, Defense, Jiujutsu, Lore (pick one), Meditation, any two Skills.
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueShinsei’s Gift - A monk taught by the Order of the Nameless Gift can be an endless well of endurance, patience, and insight. Because they are much more worldly than many other monks in the Brotherhood, their training and experience add to a typical monk’s canny mind and strength in combat. You gain a number of Void Points per day equal to your Earth Ring, but these Void Points may only be spent to reduce damage or to raise your Armor TN. These Void Points may not be spent simultaneously with other Void Points or in any other fashion.

Order of the Wind [Monk] [BoA]

There are many divisions within the Order of the Wind, but while the core tenets vary wildly from one group to the next, the core beliefs are the same throughout the Order. The essential beliefs of the Brothers of Wind are that the world is a naturally chaotic and unpredictable place, and this cannot be changed. Rather than struggle against this, a Brother of Wind simply accepts it and remains resolute in the face of uncertainty. This belief grants them control over themselves and, in a limited way, over the world around them. This latter portion of their belief system is not generally discussed outside the ranks of the Order, naturally.

  • DevotionFortunism
  • Benefit+1Reflexes
  • SkillsAthletics, Defense, Jiujutsu, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Staves, any one Skill
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueEssence of the Wind - A true Brother of the Wind allows the world to move around him like a breeze, remaining centered and assured throughout the chaos of existence. Any effect that targets you and attempts to influence your behavior, whether it be a spell, a courtier Technique, a social Skill or Advantage, or any other mechanic, requires an additional Void Point to take effect. (However, this can bypass the normal limit on spending one Void Point per Round for enhancement effects.)

Shinmaki Order [Monk] [EE]

The monks who are admitted to the small Shinmaki sect spend much of their lives studying the controversial Diamond sutra and meditating on the Seven Thunders, who are supposedly avatars of Shinsei from other cycles of the world. They remain in their dark and isolated monasteries for years, and some of their practices there are highly controversial (for example, some claim they copy sutras onto dried flesh). However, they do occasionally emerge to explore the world or to gather for meetings of the entire sect.

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Void
  • SkillsDivination, Jiujutsu, Lore: Theology (Diamond Sutra), Meditation 2, any two Skills
  • Honor6.50
  • TechniqueThe Diamond Sutra - The monks who study the Diamond Sutra are known for their strange and bizarre behavior and esoteric practices, but also for their extreme spiritual purity and lack of respect for conventional etiquette. You start play with the Disturbing Countenance Disadvantage for no points, but gain a +1k0 bonus to Meditation rolls, Fear rolls, and to all Social Skill Rolls involving members of the heimin and hinin castes. You do not lose Honor for touching dead flesh (but lose Glory or gain Infamy normally).

Shrine of the Seven Thunders Monk [Monk] [CR]

When Rokugan desperately called for heroes to defeat the threat of the dark god Fu Leng, seven mortals sacrificed everything to save their Empire. The monks of the Shrine of the Seven Thunders honor these heroes by dedicating their entire lives to enlightenment through contemplation and tranquility. These monks rarely leave the monastery, choosing instead to become one with their environment.

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Stamina
  • SkillsAthletics, Jiujutsu, Lore: Theology (Shintao), Lore (pick one), Mediation, any 2 Skills
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueWalk with the Prophet - Brothers of this shrine emphasize training in one element over all others. All three of your initial Kiho must be selected from the same element. Your Insight Rank is considered 1 higher for the purposes of meeting the Mastery Level of Kiho from this element.

Temple of Kaimetsu-uo Monk [Monk] [CR]

The adherents of Kaimetsu-uo, the founder of the Mantis Clan, have a considerably different view of that heroic individual than the samurai who belong to the Clan he founded. They believe Kaimetsu-uo performed legendary deeds because he wanted to avoid the destruction that would have come if he had stayed and contested the claim to the Crab Clan's leadership. The monks of the Temple of Kaimetsu-uo believe enlightenment comes from conciliation and peace with others.

  • DevotionFortunist
  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsDefense, Jiujutsu, Lore: Theology (Fortunes), Mediation, any 3 Skills
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueThe Path of Purity - You soul dwells in a place of wisdom and serenity, and your ire is difficult to arouse under any circumstances. When making a Contested Social Roll initiated by your opponent, you may use any Ring in place of the normal trait used (typically Awareness) for the purposes of that roll.

Temple of Osano-Wo Monk [Monk] [CR]

Perhaps the most militant of all Brotherhood sects, the Temple of Osano-Wo stands apart from the other Fortunist orders because of its extraordinary focus on physical prowess and martial arts. Adherents believe enlightenment comes with hard work and physical exertion, and a well-trained body leads to a well-trained mind and soul. Monks of this order are notorious for ritually scarring their skin to mark the progress of their training, giving them an alarming appearance.

  • DevotionFortunist
  • Benefit+1Strength
  • SkillsBattle, Jiujutsu 2, Lore: Theology (Fortunes), Meditation, any 2 Bugei Skills
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueThe Hand of Thunder - The emphasis of the Thunderer's monks on the purity of unarmed combat is obvious to all who encounter them. You gain a +0k1 bonus to all damage rolls stemming from unarmed attacks. This effect is cumulative with any other effects that allow you to roll or keep additional dice on unarmed damage.

Temple of Persistence [Monk]

Devoted to the ideal of unyielding defiance and endurance, the monks of the Temple of Persistence believe the ultimate test is to persevere in the face of adversity, rather than merely accepting it. While they are largely a martial order, they accept any initiates who show an unflagging spirit and willingness to persist in their goals despite overwhelming odds. Training in the Temple tests both body and mind, as the monk is constantly given tasks aimed at finding his limits physically, mentally, and even emotionally.

The Temple is something of a home for monks who are viewed as overly stubborn by the rest of the Brotherhood. Monks of Persistence are not necessarily hot-headed or brash, but they very rarely accept defeat and are extremely difficult to deflect or deter from what they set out to do. While the membership of the Order is small, its monks are often called upon to represent the Brotherhood in situations where tenacity is more important than traditional diplomacy or martial prowess.

  • DevotionFortunist
  • Benefit+1Stamina
  • SkillsAthletics, Defense, Jiujutsu (Martial Arts), Lore: Theology, Meditation, any one Bugei skill, any one skill.
  • Honor3.50
  • TechniqueUnyielding Spirit - Members of the Order of Persistence are known to be stubborn in both body and soul. They do not simply endure the wrathful assaults of others, but learn to push forward actively toward their goal. You may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to ignore all penalties to an immediately subsequent die roll. If you use this Technique when making either a Contested Roll you did not initiate or an Attack Roll, you may also add +Xk0 to the roll, where X is your Earth Ring.

Temples of the Thousand Fortunes Monk [Monk] [CR]

Rokugan is a devout Empire filled with thousands of shrines and monasteries across the land. The Temples of the Thousand Fortunes are as diverse as the gods they revere. It is almost impossible to categorize all of the monks Temples of the Thousand Fortunes as one group, but most believe they must work diligently to prove worthy of enlightenment.

  • DevotionFortunist
  • Benefit+1Agility
  • SkillsJijutsu, Lore: History, Lore: Theology (Fortunes), any 1 Lore Skill, any 2 Skills, Mediation
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueThe Thousand Forms - There is no limit to the variety of blessings bestowed upon the loyal members of the Brotherhood by their divine patrons. You begin the game knowing 4 Kiho, rather than the normal 3 possessed by all Brotherhood monk characters. These do not count against the additional Kiho you can purchase with Experience Points (which you may do as normal).

Tengoku's Fist [Monk]

Centuries ago, the Order of Tengoku’s Fist was created as an offshoot of the Shrine of the Seven Thunders. The divide was philosophical, and although it was amicable, the two sects no longer have much to do with one another (this causes some observers to assume hostility where none exists). The monks of Tengoku’s Fist see violence not as an inherently evil thing, but rather as a natural part of existence found in all aspects of life regardless of good or evil, honor or dishonor. They are among the Brotherhood’s more serene sects of sohei, however, for they do not view violence as a first resort, merely as a viable option to be considered equally with all others. When violence is called for, they tend to prove exceptionally gifted at dispensing it.

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Agility
  • SkillsAthletics, Battle, Jiujutsu 2, Lore: Theology, Meditation, any one Skill.
  • Honor4.50
  • TechniqueThe Hand of the Heavens - The monks of Tengoku’s Fist strike with surety and purpose, and their strength is magnified by the influence of the divine. When making an unarmed attack against an opponent, or an attack using a bisento, a bo staff, or a weapon with the Monk property, you may gain a Free Raise on the attack roll if your Fire Ring is higher than your opponent’s Fire Ring.

The Order of Eternity [Monk]

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsDefense, Divination (Astrology), Jiujutsu, Meditation, Lore: Theology, any two High Skills
  • TechniqueThe Touch of Eternity - The monks of this Order believe that time is an illusion and that the events of the past, present, and future are all coexistent. This causes them to engage in many strange actions, but also allows them an unusual degree of insight into the world around them. You may contemplate a noncombat situation, for an amount of time determined by the GM (the monks of this Order have been known to size up a complex situation in an instant, but also to spend an hour considering whether to eat a bowl of rice). At the end of your contemplation, you roll Meditation / Void at TN 25 (higher for complex situations). With a success, you gain a bonus of +1k1 +Void to any Skill Rolls you make to try to resolve that specific situation.

The Order Of Rebirth [Monk]

The Brothers of the Order of Rebirth come from a militant tradition of sohei who once served in the ranks of the Order of Thunder devoted to Osano-Wo, the Fortune of Fire and Thunder. The Order embraces new paths and philosophies in an attempt to unlock new truths about both the self and the universe. Their subtle disregard for tradition has earned them a fair amount of disdain from other sects, but the brothers of Rebirth tend to ignore this hostility; as an oft-repeated maxim of their sect observes, the first step upon a new path is always the most difficult.

  • DevotionFortunist
  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsAthletics, Jiujutsu, Lore: History, Lore: Theology, Meditation, any two Skills.
  • Honor6.50
  • Technique - Changing the Way The Brothers of Rebirth celebrate different approaches in all their myriad of forms. Each time in a given encounter that you attempt to utilize a Kiho of a different Element than any Kiho previously used in the same encounter, you gain a bonus of +5 on the activation roll.

The Temple of Heavenly Wisdom [Monk]

The Temple of Heavenly Wisdom is one of the eldest, perhaps the eldest, monastic traditions within the Crane Clan’s provinces. The temple itself was ancient when the Lady Doji first approached it, having been created by primitive men to revere the oldest of the Fortunes. These monks and their studies aided the Lady Doji in the promotion of culture throughout the Empire, and in the process their temple became something of a sensation in early Rokugan, affording the brothers there an unexpected amount of social prestige and influence. This was something of an anomaly in the early Brotherhood and created some difficulties for the sect, but in the intervening centuries the impact of monks upon Rokugan’s society has long since been accepted by the Brotherhood’s leadership.

  • DevotionFortunist
  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsCourtier, Etiquette, Lore: History, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Sincerity, any one High Skill.
  • Honor6.50
  • TechniqueThe Largesse Of Fukurokujin - The Fortune of Wisdoms showers his blessings upon those monks who revere him, granting them insight into the ways of politics and diplomacy where others might make grievous errors. When making any Social Skill Roll, you may select any one Kiho you possess. You may not use that Kiho for the remainder of the day, but you gain a bonus of +1k1 to the Social Skill Roll. You may only select each Kiho you know once per day for this purpose.

Wind’s Grace Order [Monk] [BoA]

Created in the aftermath of the Clan War, the Wind’s Grace Order was home to a great number of formerly serene monks who answered the call to defend the Brotherhood’s temples during that extensive conflict, but who could not regain their former peace and serenity afterward. The Brotherhood seized upon the practice of archery as a way for these unfortunates to find both spiritual focus and purpose, leading to the creation of the Wind’s Grace Order, a new sect with strong ties to the Asahina family and to other prominent archery traditions throughout the Empire, including both the Dragon and the Mantis. Through focus and proper contemplation, the once-lost brothers managed to recover from the horrors of the Clan War and resume the long path toward enlightenment.

  • DevotionShintao
  • Benefit+1Reflexes
  • SkillsCalligraphy, Jiujutsu, Kyujutsu, Lore: Theology (Shintao), Meditation, any two Skills
  • Honor6.50
  • TechniquePillars of the Mind’s Eye - By clearing the mind and embracing absolute serenity and focus, a brother of the Wind’s Grace can grasp the simple truth: the arrow and the target are already one. You make an archery attack as a Complex Action; for every Kiho you have that is presently active, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of that roll. Active Kiho may not have any other effects during a Round in which you employ this Technique, and only one Martial Kiho can confer this benefit. However, any time you use this Technique to make an attack that directly results in the death of an intelligent being, you lose 3 points of Honor.

Abbot [Monk]

Those whom the Brotherhood honors with election to a position of leadership are given additional training from senior monks, and also gain influence and social status within their Orders and the Brotherhood as a whole.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4+
  • ReplacesAny Brotherhood Rank 4 or higher (potentially lower Ranks as well, see Special below)
  • TechniqueThe Reverence of Wisdom - Your fellow monks have chosen to honor you by elevating you to the position of abbot at your monastery. Within the Brotherhood, you are now considered to be Status 4.0. When interacting with members of your own Order, you gain +1k1 to all Social Skill rolls (except Temptation). With outsiders of all types, you add +1k0 to those rolls instead.

Barefoot Breathren [Monk] [SE]

The Barefoot Brethren carry messages all across Rokugan, asking no price except food for their journey. They are famed for their endurance, regularly outpacing even Unicorn horses over long distances. Many of those they serve are heimin, who have few other ways to communicate with distant kin, but samurai also make use of the Barefoot Brethren.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Fortunist Brotherhood Monk 2 (may not belong to the Order of Osano-Wo)
  • RequirementsAscetic, Meditation (Fasting) 3, Athletics 4
  • TechniqueKoshin’s Favor - You gain only one Kiho at this Rank. The strength of Koshin prevents you from becoming Fatigued from travel or lack of sleep, but not from the lack of food/drink. You gain a +1k1 bonus to all Meditation rolls.

Brotherhood Spy [Monk]

To combat the growing influence of the Gozoku conspiracy, Emperor Hantei VI turned to a completely unexpected source to assist him: the Brotherhood of Shinsei. Although the monks of the Brotherhood were of course willing to obey their Emperor without question, they had never been involved with anything like this, and were more accustomed to changing the perceptions of small local tyrants rather than facing a nationwide organized movement stripping power from the Emperor in the name of progress. Some were so horrified by the suggestion that they were simply incapable of providing useful assistance. Others did help but with great reluctance, and a few rose to the occasion in truly spectacular style. Unfortunately, the Brotherhood’s leadership was completely inexperienced in this sort of endeavor and was either unwilling or unable to differentiate between these three different groups, leading to the exposure and downfall of the whole effort-and ironically, contributing directly to the downfall of the Gozoku as well. Some later historians speculated this was the plan of the Emperor all along, but in truth, if he had possessed that level of manipulative cunning it seems unlikely the Gozoku could so easily have co-opted his rule in the first place.

The monks who succeeded as spies were predominantly (but by no means exclusively) former Scorpion samurai who had retired for a life of quiet contemplation. Many were delighted by the chance to be active once again, and they were not entirely alone. Sadly, the failures of the more numerous monks ill-suited to espionage led to the capture of all.

Although the Brotherhood Spies officially only existed during the reign of the Gozoku, they could have appeared in almost any era where the Brotherhood of Shinsei found itself drawn into the Empire’s political affairs. The technique created by the retired Scorpion-turned-monks could well have been preserved in the Brotherhood’s ranks and brought out again in later eras when the monks of Shinsei had need of it. In the twelfth century a perverted form of the technique could even have found its way into the ranks of the Spider Clan by way of the heretical Order of the Spider and Order of Venom.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Brotherhood Monk School at Rank 2
  • RequirementsLore: Theology 3
  • TechniqueBearing The Emperor’s Shame - Acts committed in the Emperor’s name are done with certainty that can overcome the shame associated with them, even when they are against one’s personal code of honor. When acting against a known or suspected agent of the Gozoku conspiracy, or when acting on orders from a legitimate Imperial authority, you gain a Free Raise on all Stealth and Deceit Skill Rolls. You lose no Honor for these Skill Rolls when made under these specific circumstances.

Defender of the Brotherhood [Monk]

Although the Brotherhood of Shinsei generally holds itself apart from the Empire’s politics, on some occasions they do send emissaries to the courts to make sure their own concerns - the protection of the common people and of the Brotherhood’s shrines and temples - are properly expressed. Over the centuries, those of the Brotherhood with an aptitude for patient diplomacy have devised a Technique which is now taught within several monastic orders. The Defenders of the Brotherhood are most commonly found among the more peaceful and contemplative sects, such as the Temple of Kaimetsu-Uo, but even the sohei of Osano-Wo have occasionally trained their monks in its simple but effective methods.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Brotherhood Monk 2 (may not be a Four Temples monk)
  • RequirementsWillpower 3, Courtier 3, Etiquette 4
  • TechniqueHarmony in Chaos - The power of Earth grants infinite patience and endurance, strengthening the inherent tranquillity of monastic reserve and thus allowing a Defender to deliver telling remarks within the courts. Any time you spend a Void Point on an Etiquette or Courtier Social Skill roll, you gain a bonus of +Xk1 to the roll (where X is your Willpower) instead of the normal +1k1.

Kaze-do Fighter [Bushi, Monk]

The ancient techniques of Togashi Kaze, which formed the basis for almost all modern Rokugani martial arts, still survive in a somewhat abbreviated form among the peasants of Rokugan and the monks of the Brotherhood of Shinsei. The technique is rare and those who know it usually pass it down privately to a few select students, preserving its secrets from the samurai who Kaze opposed.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Rank 2 for a character who qualifies.
  • RequirementsJiujutsu (Kaze-do) 3
  • TechniqueThe Way of Air - The students of Kaze’s ancient techniques learn how to use the speed of their opponents against them while evading enemy weapons. When you are fighting unarmed, anyopponent attacking you with a melee weapon suffers a penalty of -Xk0 to his attacking Skill Roll, where X equals his Air Ring. This penalty cannot apply to more opponents within the same Round than your Insight Rank.

Order of Ebisu [Monk, Courtier]

The monks of this small order spend most of their time among the common folk, but do occasionally interact with the samurai caste to offer counsel or to report abuse of the heimin. They seek to teach those who forsake Compassion and to bolster those who already practice it, subtly influencing the courts with their ideals. They use teaching, education, and example to spread their views rather than relying on actual political negotiation, and their effect can often be quite subtle. Monks who serve Ebisu are known to be extremely patient and will labor without complaint for endless days, awaiting the moment when their work can bear fruit among the samurai.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesThousand Fortunes Monk 3, Jurojin’s Blessing Monk 3
  • DevotionFortunist
  • RequirementsAt least two heimin Craft Skills at Rank 3 or higher
  • TechniqueThe Voice of Humility - The monks of the Order of Ebisu spend their time among the peasants, seeking enlightenment by sharing the simple work of the heimin. However, on those occasions when they offer counsel to the samurai caste or make appeals on behalf of the peasants, their humble labors grant them an aura of serene enlightened harmony which even the most stubborn or callous samurai finds difficult to resist. In order to use this Technique, you must spend time working alongside the peasants at humble tasks (e.g. utilizing the Craft Skills associated with this Path). For each week you spend laboring in this manner, you gain a bonus Void Point which you may only spend on those Craft Skills, on Medicine Skill Rolls made to help peasants/hinin, or on Social Skill Rolls made against samurai. The maximum number of these bonus Void Points you may "hold" are equal to your Void Rank

Pure Song Shrine [Monk] [SE]

For this sect, purity is more than merely a standard - it is the road to Enlightenment. Pure Song monks not only refrain from eating the flesh of any living creature, they also forgo eggs and even root vegetables whose loss kills the plant. They refuse all garments of silk, wearing robes woven from hemp. Those who have taken full vows wear bells on their ankles and their staves to warn creatures of their approach. Under no circumstances will a Pure Song monk take violent action, even to defend another - though he will not hesitate to lay his own life down to save others’ lives, even if it is only a momentary reprieve.

The Pure Song is a movement within the Shrine of the Seven Thunders for some time before achieving formal recognition as a separate sect.

One odd talent of the order wins them admission to unexpected places: their beautiful music. Several Pure Song monks have risen to great fame as singers and musicians, rivaling even the best Kakita artisans. All members of the order habitually chant or sing while meditating, or improvise harmonies around their bells as they pursue their duties.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesShrine of Seven Thunders Monk 4
  • DevotionShintao
  • RequirementsWillpower 4, Defense 4, Meditation 3, any one musical Perform Skill at 3
  • TechniqueThe Pure Song - You gain a +1k0 bonus to all Perform Skills that involve music. You may never deliberately attack another living creature; if you ever do so, the spiritual pollution causes you to permanently lose the ability to perform Kiho. However, while you remain nonviolent and thus spiritually pure, you gain a +1k1 bonus to all Defense rolls, and any time you spend a Void point to negate Wounds, you negate 20 Wounds instead of 10.

Silent Ones [Monk] [SE]

This tiny order, never encompassing more than a dozen full members in total, is unknown outside the Scorpion lands and barely known within them. However, the upper ranks of the Scorpion Clan find the Silent Ones a deeply useful order, and keep careful note of the temple’s location. These monks spend most of their lives in meditation, but this is not merely due to preference; it is because they literally cannot speak. When an initiate takes the full vows to join the Silent Ones and serve the Fortune of Secrets, as soon as the last word is spoken his tongue vanishes from his mouth.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAny Fortunist Brotherhood Monk 3
  • DevotionFortunist (Tsugumu, the Fortune of Secrets)
  • RequirementsWillpower 4, Meditation 4
  • TechniqueTsugumu’s Silence - A member of this order who is voluntarily told a secret can never give it up. The knowledge is guarded by the power of the Fortune of Secrets, and can never be taken from the monk’s mind in any way, even through torture or intrusive Air magic.

Student of Hitsu-Do [Monk]

Hitsu-do is an extremely offensive martial art with few defensive maneuvers. It focuses on speed and power, striking with punches and kicks that commit all of the martial artist’s strength and infuses each strike with the power of Fire.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Brotherhood Monk 2, Kikage Zumi 2, Kuni Witch-Hunter 2, Asako Henshin 2
  • RequirementsJiujutsu (Hitsu-do) 4, Fire 3, access to a Hitsu-do dojo
  • TechniqueThe Way of fire - The practitioner of Hitsu-do learns to harness his inner Fire chi, using it to empower his strikes ... but this has a price, since such use of one’s own Fire is also harmful. When making an unarmed attack, you may opt to call on your inner fire, but you suffer Wounds equal to your Fire x2. (Any Wound Penalties from this damage are applied after your attack roll is completed.) In return, your unarmed damage for that attack has a base DR of 0k[Fire] instead of 0k1. (This does not stack with the unarmed damage bonus from the Advantage Hands of Stone.) For mechanical purposes, using the Hitsu-do technique is considered to be the same as using a Mystical Kiho. The practice of Hitsu-do makes it easier for its students to master the ways of Fire. Your Fire Ring is considered to be 1 Rank higher for the purpose of learning Fire Kiho.

Student of Mizu-Do [Monk, Artisan]

Mizu-do is a Crane martial art, originally developed from stage performance. It is a defensive and "soft" that focuses on using the enemy’s strength against him. It relies on locks and throws that neutralize an enemy and end the fight swiftly, all while protecting the foe from any permanent injury. The form is quite popular among the Crane and in the Brotherhood of Shinsei, but bushi - especially Crab and Lion bushi - tend to look down on Mizu-do as impractical and pretentious. The form is unusually popular among certain groups of courtiers, who see it as a way to defend themselves without the crude violence of weapons. Courtiers from other clans, especially from the Unicorn and Phoenix, sometimes exchange favors to be able to train in Mizu-do. If the GM wishes to incorporate this into the campaign, this Path should be made available to any courtier school, subject to suitable negotiations to arrange the training.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesAny non-martial Brotherhood Monk 3, Doji Courtier 3, Kakita Artisan 3, Asahina Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsJiujutsu (Mizu-do) 4, Water 3, access to a Mizu-do sensei
  • TechniqueThe Way of Water - Masters of Mizu-do techniques are able to avoid nearly any strike, subduing their attackers by using their own strength against them. When performing a Grapple, you use your opponent’s Strength Rank in place of your own. While you are in the Defense or Full Defense stance, when a melee attack misses you, you may immediately take a Free Action to spend a Void Point and make a Jiujutsu (Mizu-do) / Strength roll against a TN of the opponent’s attack roll, but using the opponent’s Strength Rank in place of your own. If you succeed in this roll, you may either immediately Throw the opponent (as per the option in Grappling) or immediately take control of a Grapple against the opponent.

The Taoist Archers [Bushi, Monk]

The Taoist Archers seek perfect harmony through the study of kyujutsu and have existed within the Brotherhood of Shinsei for centuries. In the Pre-Coup era a ronin named Gahei learns the Technique and begins to teach a selected students, and thereafter this Path is also available to ronin characters (assuming they can find someone who knows it and is willing to teach them).

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • ReplacesAny Brotherhood Monk or Ronin 5.
  • RequirementsVoid 4, Kyujutsu (Yumi) 5, Lore: Theology 3, Meditation 4
  • TechniqueFlight of Innocence - The Taoist Archers practice their art blindfolded. When making archery attacks, you ignore all TN and dice penalties for being Blind, for having a Missing Eye, or for the target being concealed by darkness, magical illusion, camouflage, and similar visual obstructions. Penalties for physical obstacles and obstructive conditions (such as the target being Prone, a normal or magical wind, etc.) are applied normally. In addition, when wielding a bow you may spend a Void Point for a +1k1 bonus on damage.

Sainika Fighter [Guru]

The culture of the Ivory Kingdoms has its own martial arts tradition, dating back to ancient times before the land was unified by the Maharajah. The tradition was maintained by the gurus, wise men drawn from the brahmin caste, who saw it as being as much a religious devotion as a fighting art. They taught some of their techniques to the kshatriya caste, from which they eventually migrated into the Cult of the Destroyer, but the gurus retained the true secrets of their arts.

Since the fall of the Kingdoms, Sainika has been fading away as the remaining gurus age and die without students. The handful of surviving gurus are deeply concerned about this and many of them are actively seeking students to preserve their techniques; it is possible an open-minded Rokugani might be able to take on this role

Techniques
  • Rank One: Harmony

    Through a rigorous program of physical training and intense meditation, the beginning student of Sainika learns physical flexibility, spiritual harmony, and the basics of defense, making himself more difficult to harm both physically and mentally. You may add your Void Rank to your Armor TN. You may also add your Void Rank in unkept dice to any Contested Roll you make to resist Social Skill Rolls, Social Techniques, and Fear effects.

  • Rank Two: Vision

    The sainika fighter studies his opponent, gaining insight into his strengths and weaknesses so as to exploit them in action. During a skirmish, you may spend a Void Point and take a Simple Action to assess your opponent. For the remainder of that skirmish, you gain a +Xk0 bonus to your attack rolls against that opponent, where X is the opponent’s lowest Trait.

  • Rank Three: Understanding

    At this level, practitioners of sainika gain an all but supernatural awareness of their surroundings, rendering them impossible to surprise. You roll additional dice on all Perception-based rolls equal to your Void Rank.

  • Rank Four: Unity

    The advanced sainika fighter moves fluidly from one target to the next, as both offense and defense become a single integrated action. When fighting unarmed or with a knife, you may make attacks as a Simple Action.

  • Rank Five: Purity

    True masters of sainika can deliver blows that cripple not only the body but the spirit. When attacking an opponent with an unarmed blow or a knife, you may spend a Void Point to also strike at the opponent’s spiritual being. If your attack hits, you make a Contested Void roll against the opponent. (The GM may substitute Willpower for creatures which do not have a Void Ring.) With a success, the opponent suffers a -Xk0 penalty (where X is your Void Rank) on his Skill Rolls. This lasts until the third Reactions Stage from now.

    Your attack still does normal physical damage in addition to this effect. The spiritual effects of this Technique cannot be stacked, although the duration can be extended by using it again on later Rounds.

The Kenku Swordsman School [Bushi]

As stated, the Kenku are extremely discerning in regards to their techniques. A human student must either prove his worth to a Kenku sensei or be selected by a Kenku to receive training.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Wing of Thunder

    The kenku bushi has learned to harness the speed of the wind itself, and can draw that element into himself. You may add the total of your Reflexes and School Rank to your Armor TN against any enemy with lower Initiative.

  • Rank Two: Heaven's Claw

    The bushi has tapped the power of the thunderbolt, striking hard at his enemy’s weaknesses. Any time you inflict more than 10 points of damage with a single attack, your opponent loses one Void Point. Against opponents with no Void Points remaining (or no Void), you may instead re-roll a single damage die and take the better of the two results.

  • Rank Three: Lightning Kiss

    The kenku bushi has captured the swift fury of lightning. You may attack as a Simple Action while using any melee weapon in which you possess a Skill Emphasis.

  • Rank Four: Churning Skies

    The kenku bushi has learned to patiently build his energies, only to strike with thunderous power. If you choose to delay your Turn during a Round until after all your opponents have acted, you may ignore the effects of all Wound Penalties (including Down and Out) and your may spend any amount of your Void Points on your damage rolls during this Round.

  • Rank Five: The Same Breeze

    Even two leaves carried on the same breeze may take quite different paths. This is the final lesson of the kenku school. At the beginning of your Turn, you may take a Free Action and spend a Void Point to copy one bushi Technique of any other character (human or otherwise) within 20’ for a number of Rounds equal to your Air. You must abide by whatever costs and restrictions apply to the copied Technique (Void Point cost, specifi c armor or weapons, etc). If you are not a Kenku yourself, you must have seen the Technique you are copying used at least once. Regardless of whether you are human or Kenku, you may only copy one Technique at a time.

Agents of the Second Gozoku [Artisan, Bushi, Courtier, Monk, Ninja, Shugenja]

Despite his genuine affection for his sister, Hantei Naseru uses his influence and connections to resurrect the Gozoku conspiracy, an organization defunct since the fifth century. The goal of the Second Gozoku is not to overthrow the Empress but rather to ensure her rule is prosperous despite her own shortcomings. Naseru and his allies among the Scorpion Clan are well aware of the hindrance Honor brings with it, and seek to ensure their beloved Empress flourishes by taking the steps she cannot, doing what must be done regardless of the consequences.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny School 2
  • RequirementsHonor Rank of 4 or less. Must have Obligation to the Second Gozoku or its leader.
  • TechniqueTo Shield the Empress - The members of the Second Gozoku believe they do what they must to protect the Empress from the harsh realities of rule, and this philosophy in turn protects them from the worst excesses they must embrace. Whenever you take an action that would result in a loss of Honor, if by taking this action you spare Honor or Glory loss to someone of higher Status Rank than you, the loss is halved (rounded down).

Chrysanthemum Conspirator [Bushi, Courtier]

The reign of the Steel Chrysanthemum was one of the most heinous time periods of Rokugan’s history, and the excesses of the Emperor were such that he drove his own mother and brother - along with many other men and women of honor - to join together in secret to oppose him. The terrible crime of regicide, an act normally regarded as absolute blasphemy and among the greatest sins comprehensible in the Empire of Rokugan, became the only viable option.

Otomo Nazeru created the Technique of this group, but stopped teaching it to others the moment his older brother died. Nonetheless, it is possible the Technique might be preserved into later eras, or even recreated by a different group rebelling against a tyrant. (Timelines such as a Thousand Years of Darkness would be good settings for this Technique.)

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Bushi or Courtier School at Rank 2
  • RequirementsYou must have the Disadvantage Dark Secret (Rebel)
  • TechniqueNo Course but One - Those who conspire against the Steel Chrysanthemum place greater value on Honor than on social status or Imperial authority. You gain a Free Raise on any attack roll made against an opponent whose Status Rank exceeds their Honor Rank.

Dragon Channeler [Shugenja] [BoV]

GM’s Option: Some GMs may wish to create a connection between the Dragon Channelers and the Chosen by the Oracles Advantage (due to the link between the Oracles and the Dragons). If this is desired, a character with Chosen by the Oracles starts with four Dragon Spell slots rather than three.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank6
  • ReplacesMust be a Rank 5 shugenja
  • RequirementsAt least one Ring at Rank 5 or higher, at least two other Rings at Rank 4 or higher, Meditation 5, Spellcraft 5, Lore: Theology 5
  • TechniqueBeseech the Dragons - You lose any Affinities and Deficiencies you had prior to becoming a Dragon Channeler, instead gaining an Affinity for [[[Dragon Spells]]]. Your normal spell slots are reduced by 2 in each Ring; in return, you gain three "Dragon Spell Slots" which can only be used to invoke the powers of the Dragons via Dragon Spells (see below). You may spend Void Points to cast additional Dragon spells when your slots are exhausted. Dragon spell slots do not recover from rest - you may only regain them by sustained meditation (two hours of uninterrupted meditation and Meditation/Void at TN 30 to regain one slot).

Emerald Magistrate [Bushi, Courtier, Shugenja] [CR]

The Emerald Magistrates directly impose Imperial Law upon the land. Their jurisdiction has no boundaries and their actions are reversed only by the Emperor and the Emerald Champion. Appointments to the Emerald Magistrates are sometimes handled through politics and bribes, as the prestige of an Emerald Magistrate can elevate his entire family.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Bushi, Courtier, or Shugenja School, Rank 4
  • RequirementsInvestigation 3, Lore: Law 3, and must receive an appointment as an Emerald Magistrate before this Path can be entered
  • TechniqueHonor Is My Shield - Those who enforce the Emperor’s laws are among the most virtuous souls, and that is their protection. You gain Reduction equal to half your Honor Rank, rounded up. This effect is cumulative with Reduction you may have from other sources, including armor. Note: This Path will frequently be taken by bushi characters. If the character is from a School that makes attacks Simple Actions at Rank 4, a generous GM may opt to let the character select this Path at Rank 3 or Rank 5 instead.

Gozoku Agent [Courtier]

The first Gozoku is perhaps the most wide-ranking and cosmopolitan conspiracy in the Empire’s history, and it is certainly the most successful despite its relatively short duration and ultimate failure. (Unlike the far longer-lived Kolat, the Gozoku actually manage to seize the power they want and hold it for over a generation.) The beneficial effects accomplished in the name of the Empire during the Gozoku’s reign is something never honestly discussed in subsequent centuries, but the most intelligent and objective of Rokugan’s historians are keenly aware of the economic growth and artistic flowering which took place under the conspiracy’s rule. Perhaps this is why the Gozoku found it relatively easy to recruit agents from virtually every clan and family in the Empire.

Agents of the Gozoku were able to move among the courts of the Empire with near impunity, as their thinly veiled status as members of the conspiracy protected them from all but the most adamant Imperial loyalists. Few wished to risk the wrath of the Gozoku by acting openly against their representatives. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, only the Lion courts were relatively free of this level of brazen impudence.) It was perhaps these very tendencies that undid the Gozoku; while most of the original members had only the best intentions at heart, a great number among those who served them (and indeed some among their number as well) came to regard the Gozoku as nothing more than a means of seizing personal power and prestige at the expense of others.

This eventually led to a sharp divide among Gozoku agents. The more altruistic members of the Gozoku took after the original vision of Raigu and Gaijushiko: they genuinely sought to better the Empire and the lives of its citizens, and used their abilities to secure whatever was necessary to make this happen. Their counterparts, however, followed the path of Atsuki: they were petty and selfish, and preferred to use the threat of the Gozoku to garner increasing amounts of influence for their own purposes (which sometimes did not coincide with those of the conspiracy at all).

The technique of the Gozoku agents was originally created by Bayushi Atsuki, but he shared them with the other two founders of the conspiracy; all three men taught the technique to their immediate followers, from whom it spread through the conspiracy. Historically, the technique dies out as soon as the Gozoku are purged, but is revived by Atsuki when he returns to the Empire through Oblivion’s Gate in the twelfth century. GMs who wish to diverge from the historical pattern, however, may rule that the technique survives among Gozoku loyalists (especially if the "underground Gozoku" option is used). The technique may also be used to enhance the depiction of any other political conspiracy that recruits agents from multiples factions or clans, such as the Kolat in the various historical settings or the conspiracy of the Three Old Men in the Heroes of Rokugan setting.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Basic School at Rank 2
  • RequirementsForbidden Knowledge (Gozoku) Advantage
  • TechniqueOverwhelming Presence - The agents of the Gozoku conspiracy were feared for the power they could bring to bear on any who dared oppose them in court. You may add your rank in the Intimidate Skill to the total of all Social Skill Rolls you make against individuals who are not members of the Gozoku.

Imperial Explorers [Bushi]

The Imperial Explorers are the most recently created facet of the Imperial bureaucracy, one that is limited entirely to the Colonies. The Explorers were created to break the stranglehold on exploration by the Spider and Mantis clans, allowing the Imperial families to maintain control over the situation in the Colonies. They were initially founded based on the recommendation of the first Imperial Governor, who received the permission of the Divine Empress to create them. At the Governor’s command a group of sensei were assembled from multiple clans; they were housed in a training compound a day’s travel south of the Second City, and young and ambitious samurai from the various clan delegation were nominated for training.

Young samurai who join the Explorers endure a minimum of a year’s training before they are considered fit for active duty on the frontier, and typically operate in teams for greater safety. Anything they discover during that time becomes the property of the Imperial families. After the first year, Explorers are permitted to operate on their own and any resources they find are divided evenly between the Imperial families and the Explorer’s clan. For this reason, the clans tend to send only talented and loyal young samurai to join the Explorers, hoping thereby to eventually enhance their own prosperity.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Bushi School at Rank 2
  • RequirementsLore: Cartography 3
  • TechniqueSeeking New Paths - An Imperial Explorer forges the way for the vassals of the Empress to follow. You gain Absolute Direction if you did not already possess that Advantage, and you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all Bugei Skill Rolls made in a region for which you possess the Way of the Land Advantage. After spending at least two days in any city or province-sized area, you may make an Intelligence / Lore: Cartography Skill Roll (TN 20) to create a map of that region. Anyone who possesses the map is considered to have the Way of the Land Advantage for that region as long as they keep the map in their possession.

Imperial Legionnaire [Bushi] [CR]

The Imperial Legions are filled with the brightest and bravest samurai from all the Clans, chosen to directly serve the Emperor’s will. The Imperial Legionnaire trains with the most prestigious sensei of the land and sees service against those who threaten the safety of the Empire (such as foreign invasions or mighty maho-tsukai). An appointment to the Imperial Legions nearly guarantees a bright and celebrated future for any samurai.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Bushi School, Rank 2
  • RequirementsGlory 2+, must receive an appointment to the Imperial Legions before this Path can be entered
  • TechniqueStrength of the Empire - The strength of the Emperor is exerted via the actions of his loyal legions. When fighting alongside other members of the Imperial legions, or alongside Emerald or Jade Magistrates, when you spend a Void Point to enhance a roll you also gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allied legionnaires and/or magistrates within 25 feet.

Jade Legionnaire [Bushi, Shugenja] [CR]

The Jade Champion has access to many resources within Rokugan, but the Jade Legion is his personal, highly trained force. This force does whatever the Jade Champion requires and their exploits against the Empire’s enemies often go unsung. Legionnaires are trained to fight alongside shugenja and to armor their pure souls against the dank corruption of their enemies.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Bushi or Shugenja School, Rank 2
  • RequirementsGlory 2+, must receive an appointment to the Jade Legion before this Path can be taken
  • TechniquePurity in Purpose & Deed - The Jade Legionnaires accompany the Jade Magistrates against the most dangerous, most insidious, and most numerous of the Empire’s magical threats. If your Honor Rank is higher than that of your opponent, you may add the difference between the two to the total of all your attack and damage rolls made against that opponent. For the purposes of this Technique, all creatures and other opponents who do not possess an Honor Rank are assumed to have an Honor Rank of 0.

Jade Magistrate [Bushi, Courtier, Shugenja] [CR]

The Jade Champion combats criminals who abuse the arcane, and his magistrates enforce his will. The Jade Magistrates are trained to recognize these crimes and quickly dispense justice. These warriors mainly hunt maho-tsukai and Bloodspeakers, all those who perform profane magic within the Empire’s borders.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Bushi, Courtier, or Shugenja School, Rank 4
  • RequirementsLore: Law 3, Spellcraft 3, must receive an appointment as Jade Magistrate before this Path can be entered
  • TechniqueScent of the Kami - A servant of the Jade Champion is a master at deciphering the mysteries of the kami. You may make a Perception / Spellcraft Skill Roll to identify any spells cast in an area during the past forty-eight hours. The TN for this roll is equal to the basic TN to cast the spell in question (which is to say its Mastery Level x 5, plus 5).

Kenburo's Way [Bushi] [IH]

Akodo Kenburo devised his dueling technique while he was a young ronin, roaming the streets and confronting other ronin, criminals, and thugs. During his tenure as Emerald Champion he taught the technique to a few of his most trusted magistrates, and after his death they preserved it within the Ruby Dojo and passed it down to later generations. Kenburo’s core tenet was that it was not the fastest, strongest, or most skilled duelist who won the duel, but the duelist who most frightens his opponent. “Break their spirit and their skill doesn’t matter,” he commented. “Make them think they are certain to die and even the boldest samurai will falter.”

Kenburo’s Way is only known within the Ruby Dojo and is thus normally only available to Emerald and Jade Magistrates. However, given that it was originally devised by Kenburo while he was a ronin, GMs may also wish to experiment with making the technique available to other ronin—after all, who knows whether Kenburo taught it to anyone before he won the Emerald Championship?

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • RequirementsIntimidation 5, Iaijutsu 5. Must be a student of the Ruby Dojo.
  • TechniqueThe Butcher’s Gaze - During an iaijutsu duel, before Assessment rolls are made, you may spend a Void Point to take a Free Action and make a Contested Intimidation/Willpower roll against your opponent. (This is considered a Fear effect for the purpose of abilities and mechanics that resist Fear.) If you win the Contested Roll, your opponent’s dice do not explode on his Assessment and Focus rolls for this duel.

Kolat Master [Bushi, Courtier, Shugenja] [EnE]

The Ten Kolat Masters are among the most devious, manipulative, and ruthless individuals in the entire Emerald Empire. Only ten exist at any one time, and they generally achieve their position by rising through the ranks of the conspiracy, demonstrating great loyalty, adaptability, and efficiency... or great ability to forge alliances with other Kolat. Regardless, no one becomes a Kolat Master without years of dedicated service to the conspiracy.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank6 (can also be taken at Insight Ranks above 6)
  • ReplacesAny Technique (or none) at Insight Rank 6 or higher
  • RequirementsTwo mental Traits at 5 or higher, Courtier (Manipulation) 5, Intimidation (Control) 4 and must be a member of the Kolat conspiracy and chosen to lead one of the ten Sects. Cannot be Tainted or corrupted by the Nothing.
  • TechniqueWill of the Master - The ten Kolat Masters exert total control over the conspiracy. All members of their Sect are answerable to them and other Kolat will show them the greatest of respect and deference. You are considered to be Status 10 to any character who is a member of the Kolat conspiracy and who belongs to your Sect, and Status 9 to any character who is a Kolat but not of your Sect. You gain +2k0 on all Courtier and Intimidation Skill rolls.

Order of the Stone Crab [Bushi]

Hida Tsuneo, known as the Stone Crab, was the trusted follower and personal champion of the Steel Chrysanthemum. He was a man of honor and skill whose unfortunate complete loyalty to his Emperor led him to commit a long series of horrific atrocities regardless of the cost to his own soul. Unfortunately, many among his own clan also embraced his willingness to commit horrors for his lord. The warriors who followed in his wake exemplified cruelty and horror, becoming the worst caricatures of what samurai are meant to be. The Technique they developed did not long survive Hida Tsuneo’s death, since within a month’s time all known members were dead from seppuku or shameful public execution.

GMs who wish to make broader use of this Path can have it depict ruthless groups in other eras who are committed to a villain (or anti-hero). For example, the Technique could represent followers of Akodo Gintaku in the Heroes of Rokugan setting, or followers of Hida Kisada during the Clan Wars.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Bushi School (of appropriate clan) at Rank 4
  • RequirementsMust have an Honor Rank lower than 5.0
  • TechniqueScorn the Weak - Members of the Order of Stone are known for their particular relish in crushing those weaker than themselves, exploiting any weaknesses they might find. When attacking human opponents, you gain a bonus of +1k1 on your attack rolls for each Physical Disadvantage they possess.

Second City Guardsman [Bushi]

Without question the most elite and prestigious military unit in the Colonies is the Second City Guardsmen. They were formed early in the colonization of the former Ivory Kingdoms, when the Second City was little more than a village of tents and ramshackle buildings. Agents of the Cult of Ruhmal, still active in the region, attempted to assassinate the group of military officers who formed the fledgling city’s leadership (at this point the position of Imperial Governor had not yet been created). The attack was thwarted by a handful of sentries and vigilant samurai in the area, and the cultists were slain to the last man. The highest-ranking officer in the city immediately ordered these samurai to form a new unit, one solely tasked with ensuring the safety of the city and all within it. Decades later, the Second City Guardsmen are revered throughout the Colonies for their near-flawless track record, protecting the city and its inhabitants from all manner of threats. However, this record suffered a severe blemish when the previous Governor was assassinated. In the wake of his death, the commander of the Second City Guardsman, Akodo Tsudoken, took control of the city until a replacement Governor could arrive from the Empire. Anguished over his failure, Tsudoken instituted several draconian measures intended to root out any remaining threats within the city; these alienated the populace and tarnished the repute of the unit. Comparisons to the Seppun family’s failure to protect Emperors in previous eras became common. Even after the source of the attack was finally revealed, the Second City Guardsmen continued to suffer a damaged reputation for quite some time.

It may be noted that the Second City Guardsmen include shugenja in their ranks; however, since they are primarily a military organization and the vast bulk of their ranks are bushi, the only actual Technique they have developed is a bushi Technique.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • ReplacesAny Bushi School at Rank 2
  • RequirementsDefense 4, any one Weapon Skill at 4
  • TechniqueThe Governor’s Armor - The Second City Guardsmen are among the most prestigious groups in all of the Colonies. Your Status Rank is considered one higher throughout the Colonial territories. When you are fighting within the Second City or another city-sized Colonial settlement, and you are in the Defense or Full Defense Stance, if your opponent attacks and misses you before your Turn for the Round you may immediately change your Stance to Attack. You lose all bonuses to your Armor TN from your previous Stance.

Serpent Hunter [Bushi]

Since the death of the first Imperial Governor of the Colonies, the variant of Naga unique to the Colonies have presented an increased threat to the citizens of that region. Prior to that time the beasts were dangerous but essentially little more than powerful animals. With the influence of the Dark Naga, however, the creatures became more cunning and capable of acting in groups, albeit in a limited capacity. This made them a significant problem for travelers in the remote regions of the jungle, and the Mantis and Spider Clans in particular had difficulty with the Nagah.

As a result, a small sect of warriors has sprung up within the Colonies, men and women dedicated to the eradication of the Nagah at all costs. These individuals are frequently sought out by explorers and merchants who require protection while traveling in lightly populated or unexplored regions. These so-called Serpent Hunters are skilled not only in the combating of such foes but also in tracking them, as well as knowing the basic aspects of Naga culture.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankVariable
  • ReplacesAny Bushi School Rank that awards an attack as a Simple Action
  • RequirementsLore: Naga 3, Hunting 3
  • TechniqueBlood of the Serpent - The warriors who have made it their duty to hunt the feral Nagah of the Colonies excel in the execution of their prey. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding melee weapons with the Samurai quality. When facing a Naga opponent of any kind, however, you may make attacks as a Simple Action with any weapon.

The Amethyst Champion [Courtier] [CR]

The Crown of the Amethyst Champion is a mysterious artifact capable of granting wealth and power to its bearer, as long as he remains pure of soul. The Amethyst Champion holds this nemuranai with him and must prove his strength of will over all temptations. The Amethyst Champion holds the welfare of the people at heart and speaks as the representative of their desires.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankSpecial
  • ReplacesAny - may voluntarily take upon advancing in Rank or wait until a later Rank
  • RequirementsCourtier only
  • TechniqueThe Emperor's Voice - The Amethyst Champion brings the voice of the Emperor and the Imperial Court to those who cannot attend the Imperial Court. As such, the Champion is a master at dealing with any threats to the sanctity of the Emperor's Court. As a Free Action, you may spend a Void Point to temporarily gain the ability to use any courtier Technique that has been used against you in the past seven days' time.

The Bloodspeaker Technique [Artisan, Bushi, Courtier, Monk, Ninja, Shugenja]

The secret methods of the Bloodspeaker Cult were pioneered

by Iuchiban himself and passed down through his chief apprentice, Yajinden, to other members of the cult. Only those of the Bloodspeakers who are high-ranking and knowledgeable enough to understand that Maho is the true source of the cult’s strength are allowed to learn this technique. The Bloodspeakers make no distinction between social caste, and have taught their secrets to samurai of all types, to peasants, and even to eta.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankAny
  • ReplacesAny
  • TechniqueIuchiban’s Method - The high-ranking Bloodspeakers realize they are meddling with the Taint, but have learned ways to mitigate this, in part by shunting the corruption off onto their misguided followers. You learn two Maho spells of your choice and gain a Free Raise for Spell Casting Rolls with Maho spells. When casting a Maho spell, you may reduce the amount of Taint you gain by 1 point for every 2 additional Wounds you take when casting the spell. (This cannot decrease the Taint gain below 1 point.) However, if you are using someone else’s blood to power the spell, you may instead use this technique to transfer the Taint for the spell onto that person, at the rate of 1 point of Taint for every 2 extra Wounds infl icted. This can reduce your own Taint gain to 0.

The Emerald Champion [Bushi] [CR]

The Emperor cannot travel to the far reaches of Rokugan, so the Emerald Champion serves as his proxy in all ways. The Emerald Champion personally guards the Emperor and holds authority even over the Great Clan Champions. He leads the Emerald Magistrates and must often command the armies of the Emperor when threats arise.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankSpecial
  • ReplacesAny - may voluntarily take upon advancing in Rank or wait until a later Rank
  • RequirementsBushi only
  • TechniqueThe Emperor's Hand - The Emerald Champion is the hand of the Emperor, and the champion of his laws. You gain a bonus of +1k1 on all High and Bugei Skill Rolls, and an additional +1k0 on all your School Skills. You also gain a number of bonus Void Points per day equal to your highest Ring. These Void Points may be granted to any one subordinate or ally in your line of sight for use on any appropriate skill roll. Granting these bonus Void Points in this manner is a Free Action, but may only be done once per Round. You may not use these bonus Void Points yourself.

The Jade Champion [Shugenja] [CR]

When the Empire is in need, it calls the greatest shugenja to serve as the Jade Champion. This guardian scours the land of magical corruption and demonic forces to keep Rokugan pure. While each Jade Champion has personally chosen the focus of his duties, most consider the eradication of maho their greatest responsibility.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankSpecial
  • ReplacesAny - may voluntarily take upon advancing in Rank or wait until a later Rank
  • RequirementsShugenja only
  • TechniqueThe Emperor’s Will - The Jade Champion is the enforcer of the Emperor’s laws related to magic and religion. You gain a Free Raise on all Spell Casting Rolls. When confronting an opponent who practices any form of outlawed magic (maho, yobanjin shamanism, any form of gaijin sorcery, etc.) or who possesses corrupt supernatural abilities (the Shadowlands Taint or corruption by the Lying Darkness), you gain an additional Free Raise on your Spell Casting Roll.

The Ruby Champion [Bushi] [CR]

The Emerald Magistrates function as servants of Imperial law and their teacher must prepare them for work in the field. The Ruby Champion is the sensei of the Emerald Magistrates and is an authority on law and kenjutsu. The Ruby Champion’s students march into battle fully confident of their abilities.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankSpecial
  • ReplacesAny - may voluntarily take upon advancing in Rank or wait until a later Rank
  • RequirementsBushi only
  • TechniqueMaster of the Dojo - The Ruby Champion is among the greatest sensei in the Empire, and can inspire those under his command to almost unparalleled heights. When fighting alongside allies under your command, you may spend a Void Point as a Complex Action to allow any one ally within line of sight to use one of your Techniques as if that ally were a member of your School of equivalent rank. This effect lasts until the start of your next Turn.

The Topaz Champion [Bushi, Courtier, Shugenja] [CR]

Every year, the village of Tsuma in the Crane lands is host to the greatest gempukku ceremony in Rokugan. The person who proves himself or herself the worthiest samurai becomes the Topaz Champion for that year. Since the contest is heavily weighted toward martial competitions (especially iaijutsu), bushi tend to dominate the Topaz Championship.

Requirements:
  • Technique RankSpecial
  • ReplacesAny - may voluntarily take upon advancing in Rank or wait until a later Rank
  • TechniqueSoul of Promise - The Topaz Champion is among the best and brightest of each generation. When you advance in Insight Rank and into this Path, you gain the Technique it would normally replace. You also gain a number of bonus Void Points per day equal to your highest Ring. You may spend these just like normal Void Points (with all the normal restrictions), but they may only be used to enhance your School Skill Rolls.

Generic Ronin [Bushi] [SE]

The ronin mechanics in the L5R 4th Edition RPG are designed to reflect the unfortunate reality of a wave-man’s life - namely, most ronin bands are only around for a short time, and are unable to develop more than one Technique. Even the rare ronin groups that manage to endure for a long time or gain prestigious support, such as the Legion of Two Thousand, are hard-pressed to establish the sort of infrastructure and long-term continuity required to maintain a full-fledged bushi school. The game design reflects this with a system which forces most ronin to rely chiefly on their innate capacities (represented by Skills) with only one or two Techniques.

Although this approach is realistic for the setting, it does put ronin significantly behind clan characters (even Minor Clan characters) in terms of their game-mechanic capabilities. This can be frustrating for players who are running ronin characters. GMs who wish to mitigate this frustration can opt to make this “generic ronin school” available for play. Although a “generic” school does not really fit the concept of what schools are supposed to represent in the world of Rokugan, it does allow greater options for players, which is a virtue in itself. GMs can thus have the freedom to decide whether they wish to focus their campaigns more on setting authenticity at the expense of game-balance, or more on game-balance and maintaining fairness between players.

Although this school is intended primarily to represent ronin, it can also be used to represent any other situation in which a character could have martial training without access to a “named” bushi school. For example, it could represent the training of Great Clan samurai who belong to minor vassal families without access to their clan’s main dojo. It could also represent Minor Clan samurai in clans like the Fox, Dragonfly, Oriole, or Bat who have bushi in their ranks but lack any bushi school of their own.

Techniques
  • Strength of My Father

    Ronin are known for their resilience in the face of adversity. When you are suffering TN penalties due to Wounds, you may make an Earth Roll (ignoring Wound TN penalties) during the Reactions Stage of each Round, with a TN equal to 5 + 5x the number of Wound Ranks you are currently suffering. If the roll is successful, you may ignore the effects of your Wound penalties until the next Reactions Stage. This Technique does not work once you reach the Down or Out Wound Ranks.

  • Never Yield

    Ronin are accustomed to being the underdogs. When you are outnumbered in a skirmish, you gain a bonus to your Armor TN equal to the amount by which the number of enemies exceeds the number of your allies. This bonus cannot exceed the total of your School Rank x2.

  • Bite of the Wolf

    Veteran ronin are swift and deadly fighters. You may attack as a Simple Action when wielding a katana or a knife.

  • Twice-Cutting Spirit

    As ronin become truly experienced, they become ever more deadly with many different weapons. Choose one additional melee weapon: you may attack with that weapon as a Simple Action. Once per skirmish, you may spend a Void Point on a damage roll, regardless of what weapon you are using.

  • Valor of the Wolf

    Those ronin who survive long enough to perfect their skills become legends of the battlefield, able to endure all manner of hardship and prevail in spite of severe injuries. Choose another melee weapon: you may attack with that weapon as a Simple Action. Additionally, you may spend a Void Point to activate your R1 Technique without requiring a Earth Roll; when you activate it in this way, it lasts a number of Rounds equal to your Fire Ring.

Ronin Order Shugenja [Shugenja] [EnE]

  • Benefit+1Awareness
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Cipher), Divination, Lore: Theology, Lore (pick any), Meditation, Spellcraft, any one Skill
  • Honor5.00
  • OutfitSturdy Robes, Daisho, Traveling Pack, Scroll Satchel, 5 bu
  • Affinity/DeficiencyRonin orders tend to emphasize practicality over power, and most often favor spells that have utility in daily life. You have an Affinity for Air spells and a Deficiency for Earth spells.
  • TechniqueThe Path of Discipline - Orders such as the Brotherhood and other prominent ronin groups emphasize the most basic tenets of shugenja traditions, strengthening the core beliefs and abilities of their students. You gain one Free Raise on all Sense, Commune, and Summon spells for all elements except Void and Earth.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Air spells, 2 Water spells, and 1 Fire spell

Self-Taught Shugenja [Shugenja] [EnE]

  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsAthletics, Hunting, Meditation, Spellcraft, any three non-High Skills
  • Honor4.00
  • OutfitSturdy Robes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, Scroll Satchel, 5 bu
  • Affinity/DeficiencySelf-taught shugenja typically have great holes in their training as a result of the trial and error method by which they learn the ways of the kami. You may choose any one non-Void Element in which to have an Affinity. You automatically gain a Deficiency in the opposing Element and in any one other Element of your choice.
  • TechniqueThe Kami’s Gift - Those who are selftaught possess an affinity for the kami that many among the clans would envy. When you spend a Void Point on a Spellcasting Roll, you add +2k2 instead of +1k1. Unfortunately, you do not automatically gain additional spells when you advance in Rank; you must seek them out on your own.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, and any five spells you can cast (no spells may be in Elements for which you have a Deficiency).

Void Mystic [Shugenja]

  • Benefit+1Willpower
  • SkillsDefense, Divination, Hunting, Lore: Elements (Void), Meditation, Stealth, any one non-High Skill
  • Honor3.50
  • OutfitSturdy Clothing, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Travelling Pack, 5 bu
  • Affinity/DeficiencyNone. Instead, the Void Mystic begins play with both the Ishiken-do Advantage and the Touch of the Void Disadvantage. You cannot cast spells of the four non-Void Elements except for the basic spells of Sense, Commune, and Summon, and you cannot Importune for spells.
  • TechniqueThe Void's Caress - The Void Mystic, born with a close attunement to the Void but lacking any conventional training, does not need to acquire spell-scrolls. You may cast any Void spell up to your current Mastery Level, expending a Spell Slot as normal. Mechanically, the spell is cast as normal, but you do not need to speak aloud to cast your spells. You may only cast each Spell once per day, and you may never cast Void spells above Rank 5. You also gain a Free Raise to the Divination Skill (a by-product of your attunement to the Void).
  • SpellsNone

Disciples of Sun Tao [Artisan, Bushi, Courtier, Ninja, Shugenja] [SE]

The Disciples are an ancient ronin band based around Sun Tao’s legendary book. The leaders of the band believe they possess the only complete copy of Sun Tao’s writings. Due to the band’s age and dedication, it has actually developed multiple Techniques. Those raised within the band usually learn the Gaze of Sun Tao initially before moving on to study the Disciples’ advanced teachings. However, the Disciples also recruit other ronin who have learned different basic Techniques.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Terumoto’s Lesson

    Sun Tao’s chief disciple was a skilled warrior who embraced his master’s doctrine of studying battle in all its forms and mastering all types of warfare. Choose any three Weapon Skills; you gain a +1k0 bonus to your rolls with those Skills.

  • Sun Tao’s Legacy

    All members of the Disciples study the Book of Sun Tao, which binds them together as a group. You gain a bonus of +1k1 to your Battle Skill rolls when rolling to determine who is winning a battle, and a bonus of +1k0 when rolling to determine your status on the Mass Battle Table.

  • Aikumo’s Perfection

    The second leader of the Disciples perfected their teachings and his Technique is the pinnacle of the band’s training. You may make attacks with melee weapons as a Simple Action.

Kolat Assassin [Ninja]

The assassins of the Lotus Sect are among the deadliest killers in the Empire, swift and merciless. Much of their training is dedicated to infi ltration and deceit, allowing them to disguise themselves and replace others, but they are also taught all possible methods of murder. Few of those marked for death by the Kolat are able to escape the reach of Lotus assassins.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Kiss of the Lotus

    The Kolat assassins are taught to slip through Rokugani society all but unnoticed. You are a master of deception and infi ltration. When you spend a Void Point on a Stealth or Acting Skill roll, you gain a +2k2 bonus instead of the normal +1k1.

  • Tiger's Claw

    When striking on the first Round of a skirmish against an unaware opponent, or an opponent who does not realize you are a threat, you gain a +1k0 bonus to your attack rolls and may make melee attacks as Simple Action.

  • Steal the Light

    During a skirmish, once per opponent you may call 2 Raises to make a melee attack that keeps only 1 die of damage (regardless of the weapon used) but leaves the opponent either blind, deaf, or mute (your choice) for a number of minutes equal to your Water. Blinded characters suffer the Blind Conditional Effect from the L5R 4th Edition core rulebook. The GM has discretion to decide the exact penalties of being deafened or muted, but some effects should be obvious è for example, a muted character cannot cast spells.

Legion of Two Thousand [Artisan, Bushi, Courtier, Ninja, Shugenja] [SE]

Sponsored by the Imperial house, the Legion of Two Thousand - recruited from some of the best soldiers in Toturi’s ronin army - enjoys resources and support which most ronin can only dream about. As a result, it has been able to develop extensive martial techniques, an extremely rare accomplishment for wave-men.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Stand as Two Thousand

    The Legion earned fame in its early years for protecting remote corners of the Empire and for helping defend the Kaiu Wall. You gain a +1k0 bonus to your Defense Skill rolls. When you are fighting in defense of the innocent or of the common people, this bonus is +1k1 instead.

  • Kuronada’s Honor

    The son of the tyrant Karatsu embraced honorable ways despite his father’s legacy and became one of the most famous commanders in the Legion. So long as you have an Honor of 5.0 or better, you gain a bonus of +2k1 whenever you spend a Void Point on a roll with a School Skill, rather than the normal +1k1. This ability cannot be used in the Center Stance.

  • Tamago's Expertise

    The ascension of the brilliant tactician Tamago to the leadership of the Legion of Two Thousand leads to the Legion developing more advanced training. You may make melee attacks with Samurai weapons as Simple Actions.

Broken Guard [Bushi] [EnE]

In the aftermath of the infamous Scorpion Clan Coup at the beginning of the twelfth century, the Akodo family of the Lion Clan was dissolved by a wrathful Emperor. The majority of the family joined other Lion families, and many others took their own lives in shame. Some, however, took up the life of the ronin rather than remain within the now hostile Lion Clan with its new Matsu leadership. Of those who became wave men, a small group banded together for mutual defense and survival. These men, known as the Broken Guard, were led by a former officer named Saigorei, a man with a deep grudge against the Unicorn Clan. Saigorei gathered men with similar philosophies to his banner, honing their skills with an emphasis on anti-cavalry maneuvers. The Broken Guard quickly gained a reputation as dangerously effective against mounted foes, and they saw regular employment throughout the Clan War era. When the Akodo family finally reformed, many of the Broken Guard rejoined it. Of those remaining, most joined together with other ronin who had fought in the amalgamation known as Toturi’s Army, becoming the Wolf Legion.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • TechniqueGeneralization - Independent of the timeline, this Path could be used to represent any anti-cavalry group, or a group with a grudge against the Unicorn Clan for whatever reason.

Claws of the Wolf [Bushi] [EnE]

The Claws of the Wolf are a small group of rather vicious vigilantes who subscribe to the ideals of Toturi Sezaru, an Imperial heir who lived during the mid to late twelfth century and whose death helped usher in the Race for the Throne. Sezaru was one of the most powerful shugenja of his age, and perhaps of all time, but struggled throughout his life with emotional detachment and borderline sociopathic tendencies. He never surrendered his honor, but came close on more than one occasion, especially during his ruthless and relentless hunts for members of the Bloodspeaker Cult. The men who claim to continue his legacy are similarly brutal in their assessment of the world around them, and attempt to eradicate threats to the Empire’s stability or to its people. Unfortunately, their judgment of what constitutes a threat can be highly suspect at times. The members wear ceramic masks similar to the one made famous by Sezaru himself.

Generalization: This Technique can be used by any group of vigilantes or devotees to a ruthless figure. Other notable historical fi gures might include Hantei XVI (the Steel Chrysanthemum), for example, or a notably ruthless or pragmatic magistrate. Even the Clan War-era berserker Hida Amoro might inspire such a group.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsWary, Driven
  • TechniqueHunting the Darkness - The Claws of the Wolf ruthlessly punish all who violate Imperial law. You gain a bonus of +2k2 to the total of your first attack roll in a skirmish if the opponent you are attacking is an individual you know without question is guilty of a violation of Imperial law.

Disciples of Sun Tao [Bushi] [CR]

The ronin who call themselves the disciples of Sun Tao are a group that have taken the teachings of the legendary ronin tactician Sun Tao, who is said to have studied with each of the Great Clans in turn, and applied his wisdom to the art of the duel. Although they lack the skill and recognition of dueling traditions within the Great Clans, those who follow dueling have, over time, come to grudgingly acknowledge their strength.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • TechniqueThe Gaze of Sun Tao - Students of Sun Tao understand the relationship between honor and skill. You may add your Honor Rank to the total of all Iaijutsu Skill Rolls.

East Wind [Bushi] [EnE]

The East Wind is a benevolent ronin brotherhood devoted to protecting the common people of East Hub Village, a city on the outskirts of Otosan Uchi. The Eastern Hub’s primary role as a port ensures a constant stream of wealthy merchants, a breed that often suffers from mild paranoia and usually has excess funds to spend in protecting investments. The East Wind initially found gainful employment with such merchants and used their pay to purchase simple holdings of their own within the city. From that power base they extended their infl uence throughout the city in an attempt to curb crime and other excesses as much as possible. Although they preferred to keep a low profi le, the people of Eastern Hub recognized the value of what the ronin did and looked on them with fondness and gratitude. After the destruction of Otosan Uchi in the mid-twelfth century, the fortunes of the Hub Cities declined, but the East Wind brotherhood endured, and eventually the Unicorn Clan began revitalizing the city and sponsoring the ronin.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsCommerce 1+, Horsemanship 2+, Honor 4+
  • TechniqueShielded by the East - The East Wind specialize in the defense of their charges, whoever they might be. When in the Defense or Full Defense Stances and performing the Guard Action, you increase both your Armor TN and that of your charge by 5.

Eyes of Nanashi [Bushi] [EnE]

Nanashi Mura (“Anonymous Village”) sits on the edge of Dragon Clan territory near the vast Dragon Heart Plain. Imperial records indicate the village is a holding of the Dragon, and it is true they are responsible for its administration. In reality, however, the Dragon have always permitted the ronin who call the city home to rule the village’s affairs, so long as they meet their taxes and maintain peace in the region. The village is overseen by a council of ronin and their will is enforced by a group of warriors and magistrates known as the Eyes of Nanashi. Within the village the Eyes are generally regarded as honorable law enforcement, and even visiting Great Clan samurai will treat them with some respect, albeit mostly out of deference to the Dragon Clan.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsLore: Law 3, Honor Rank 4+
  • TechniqueStrike the Center - The Eyes of Nanashi prefer non-lethal means of defending the city, and often use non-traditional weapons to gain a psychological advantage over their foes. You gain a bonus of +1k1 on any attack roll intended to disable rather than kill. (This is at the GM’s discretion, but maneuvers like Disarm, Knockdown, or certain Called Shots are usually a good indication you are trying not to injure your opponent.)

Fireman Gang Lord [Bushi]

Many ronin join local criminal gangs, where their skills can quickly bring them to a position of prominence. The infamous fireman gangs of Ryoko Owari have developed a technique for maintaining control of the patrons in the gambling houses and other dens of iniquity they control. This technique can also be used to represent any local crime lord who reigns over his own small territory like an underworld daimyo.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • TechniqueMaster of the Dice - Your menacing presence ensures that all goes as it should in your establishment. You may add your Ranks in the Intimidation skill to the total of any Contested Social roll you make.

Forest Killers [Bushi] [CR]

The Forest Killers are perhaps the most ruthless and fearsome bandit organization in the history of the Empire. For centuries they exploited the superstitions surrounding the

Shinomen Mori by hiding within its depths. They were eventually eradicated by the Emerald Champion, but their demise proved short-lived, and within a few years a new group of Forest Killers was plaguing the lands around the Shinomen once more.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • TechniqueStrength of the Forest - The Forest Killers are a formidable group who recruit only the toughest and most durable of warriors to join their band. You gain additional Wounds per Wound Rank equal to your Stamina. You may also add your Stamina to the total of all damage rolls resulting from melee attacks.

Guardian of the Hidden Temple [Bushi]

The ancient order of the Hidden Guard, named mockingly after the Seppun Shugenja who safeguard the Emperor, is tasked with protecting the Kolat’s headquarters, the Hidden Temple. They are recruited from skilled ronin who have already joined the Kolat conspiracy and shown their loyalty and dedication. Although their primary duty is to protect the Temple, they may also serve as yojimbo to important or high-ranking

members of the conspiracy. The Hidden Guard are taught defensive tactics to allow them to defeat the more specialized warriors of the Great Clans. Of course, they also fi ght with tactics which most clan samurai would consider dishonorable, and have no compunction at eliminating their foes with ambushes, surprise attacks, and similar methods.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • TechniqueTigers Do Not Fall - The lesson of the Hidden Guardians is that defenders must make themselves immovable, stopping all who might threaten the Hidden Temple. Any time an opponent in a skirmish declares a Maneuver against you (including the Increased Damage Maneuver), you may choose to immediately take a Free Action to spend a Void Point and negate the beneficial effects of the Maneuver. (The opponent must still make his Raises in order to hit you, but no longer gains any benefit from them.) In addition, at all times you may ignore the penalty to your Armor TN for being Grappled.

Hateru Ninja [Ninja]

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsActing 3, Stealth 3
  • TechniqueThe False Dragon - The Hateru specialize in pretending to be Dragon samurai, and have actually infiltrated the Kitsuki family in order to keep tabs on the clan. When using the Acting Skill to play the role of a Dragon samurai, you gain a +2k1 bonus. You gain a Free Raise on any Skill roll made for the purpose of either avoiding leaving clues to your identity or creating false clues to lead enemies away from you.

Hawk Purist [Courtier]

During the years of the Heresy the Empire has, as always, many ronin desperate for acceptance and belonging. Since the Hawk Clan did not yet formally exist, there was technically no penalty for impersonating a member, and some ronin took this opportunity to represent themselves as members of the Hawk Clan, hoping not only to mitigate the circumstances of their day-to-day existence but also perhaps to gain acceptance into the ranks of the Hawk Clan if the Heresy succeeded. As the Heresy escalated, these ronin became numerous enough to band together and develop a simple Technique to enhance their efforts, but once Gorinno was cast down it became dangerous to continue claiming allegiance to the Hawk, and the former "Purists" scattered and abandoned their Technique. GM may also use the Hawk Purist Technique to represent any ronin band that aspires to become a Minor Clan and thus lays claim to a larger name and identity.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • TechniqueGrace from the Shadows - The ronin who fancy themselves members of the Hawk Clan rely on a mix of popular opinion, bluff, and intimidation to make themselves part of a greater movement and gain favor with others. Any time you are speaking with another person, you may assert your membership in the "Hawk Clan" and try to convince him to treat you with corresponding respect. This is a Contested Awareness roll (and is a Complex Action if Actions are relevant). If you succeed in the roll, your opponent will treat you as if your Status is one Rank greater than it is. (Thus a normal Status 0 ronin will instead be treated as though he is Status 1.)

Hidden Sword [Bushi] [EnE]

The ronin band known as the Hidden Sword is a large group that patrols the outskirts of the Shinomen Mori, trying to protect the people in the lands around it from the various enemies who threaten them. The Sword targets primarily bandits but also the various enigmatic creatures emerging periodically from the Shinomen. The band’s area of operation requires them to interact with the Scorpion, Crab, and Unicorn clans fairly regularly, and as a result the men of the Hidden Sword, while honorable, remain extremely practical and realistic individuals who do not succumb to blind idealism. Historically, the group has opposed and been sworn enemies of the Forest Killers, one of the Empire’s largest and most violent groups of ronin bandits, who lair within the Shinomen Mori. On at least one occasion, the Hidden Sword has been completely wiped out by the Forest Killers, but was reformed by its leader’s sons to carry on his work.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsHero of the People
  • TechniqueKeeping the Peace - The Hidden Sword excel at combating criminals and bandits, and have been taught effective techniques for dispatching such individuals. When fi ghting against an opponent with lower Honor Rank than yours, you may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding weapons with the Samurai keyword.

Iron Gauntlet Brotherhood [Bushi] [EnE]

The battered and scarred veterans who make up the Iron Gauntlet Brotherhood are among the most seasoned and fearsome ronin in all of Rokugan. Those familiar with their reputation whisper prayers to their ancestors when they catch sight of the Iron Brotherhood banner. The individual members of the Iron Gauntlet are survivors of other ronin groups that have been wiped out by one force or another. The first few members were lone survivors of groups eradicated during one of the Empire’s greatest conflicts. Some believe it was the First War, while others think it may have been as recent as the Clan War. No one knows for certain, and the Iron Brothers do not speak of it to outsiders. In fact, they rarely speak at all save to negotiate the terms of their contracts. In battle, they are utterly ruthless and without hesitation. Anyone who has seen them on the battlefield understands exactly how they survived their individual units’ destruction.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • RequirementsEarth 4, any one Weapon Skill at 5 or higher
  • TechniqueFor My Brothers - Members of the Iron Gauntlet stand together against incredible odds and survive. When fighting alongside other members of the Iron Gauntlet Brotherhood, you may expend a Void Point to negate damage inflicted on an ally by an amount equal to your Void Ring x 5.

Kaze-do Fighter [Bushi, Monk]

The ancient techniques of Togashi Kaze, which formed the basis for almost all modern Rokugani martial arts, still survive in a somewhat abbreviated form among the peasants of Rokugan and the monks of the Brotherhood of Shinsei. The technique is rare and those who know it usually pass it down privately to a few select students, preserving its secrets from the samurai who Kaze opposed.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsJiujutsu (Kaze-do) 3
  • TechniqueThe Way of Air - The students of Kaze’s ancient techniques learn how to use the speed of their opponents against them while evading enemy weapons. When you are fighting unarmed, anyopponent attacking you with a melee weapon suffers a penalty of -Xk0 to his attacking Skill Roll, where X equals his Air Ring. This penalty cannot apply to more opponents within the same Round than your Insight Rank.

Kenburo's Way [Bushi] [IH]

Akodo Kenburo devised his dueling technique while he was a young ronin, roaming the streets and confronting other ronin, criminals, and thugs. During his tenure as Emerald Champion he taught the technique to a few of his most trusted magistrates, and after his death they preserved it within the Ruby Dojo and passed it down to later generations. Kenburo’s core tenet was that it was not the fastest, strongest, or most skilled duelist who won the duel, but the duelist who most frightens his opponent. “Break their spirit and their skill doesn’t matter,” he commented. “Make them think they are certain to die and even the boldest samurai will falter.”

Kenburo’s Way is only known within the Ruby Dojo and is thus normally only available to Emerald and Jade Magistrates. However, given that it was originally devised by Kenburo while he was a ronin, GMs may also wish to experiment with making the technique available to other ronin—after all, who knows whether Kenburo taught it to anyone before he won the Emerald Championship?

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • RequirementsIntimidation 5, Iaijutsu 5. Must be a student of the Ruby Dojo.
  • TechniqueThe Butcher’s Gaze - During an iaijutsu duel, before Assessment rolls are made, you may spend a Void Point to take a Free Action and make a Contested Intimidation/Willpower roll against your opponent. (This is considered a Fear effect for the purpose of abilities and mechanics that resist Fear.) If you win the Contested Roll, your opponent’s dice do not explode on his Assessment and Focus rolls for this duel.

Koga Ninja [Ninja]

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • TechniqueThe People’s Vengeance - The Koga Ninja specialize in protecting and avenging the common people by killing those samurai who abuse their station. You gain a +1k1 bonus to any Skill roll made against a member of the samurai caste.

Machi-Kanshisha [Bushi] [EnE]

This band of ronin are known by the name of their preferred weapon, a long iron smoking pipe. Perhaps fortunately, the machi-kanshisha pipe is not well known in many parts of the Empire, and as a result many associate the name with the ronin band itself rather than the pipe for which they are named. The Machi-kanshisha are the guardians of the City of the Rich Frog, a major trade hub that sits in the narrow divide between the holdings of the Lion and Unicorn clans. Because of the militant nature of the two clans in question, who closely observe any significant violence near their borders, the Machi-kanshisha prefer to use their namesake smoking pipes as non-lethal weapons, employing them to subdue their foes rather than kill them. In the twelfth century, the City of the Rich Frog is annexed by the Lion Clan, and the Kaeru ronin family, administrators of the city and employers of the Machi-kanshisha, become vassals of the Ikoma family.

Generalization: Most of the Empire’s history has seen the Machi-kanshisha employed as listed above. If the GM chooses to modify a campaign set in the modern era, they can remain doing exactly what they have for so long without the Ikoma’s involvement.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsAthletics 2+, Staves 3+
  • TechniqueSmoke and Mirrors - The Machi-kanshisha are extremely adept at wielding their namesake weapon. When using an iron pipe, you gain a Free Raise on any Disarm or Knockdown attack. You may also spend a Void Point to make a melee attack with a machi-kanshisa as a Simple Action (you may spend up to two Void Points per Round in this manner).

Master of Games [Courtier]

This Technique represents the skills taught to the diplomats of Nanashi Mura in the twelfth century, but can also

be used to represent the training of any long-lived and powerful ronin group that has the resources to teach diplomats-the Kaeru family of the City of the Rich Frog are an obvious example.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsCourtier 3, Etiquette 3. Must be a resident of Nanashi Mura (in the twelfth century) or belong to a ronin group with similar resources (in other eras).
  • TechniqueForge Your Own Fate - The Master of Games is adept at turning his own lowly ronin status to his advantage, luring others into treating him with complacency. When making a Social Skill Roll against someone of higher Status, you gain a +2k1 bonus so long as you maintain a modest and subservient manner and tone.

Minor Clan Alliance Diplomat [Courtier]

Minor clan samurai who deal with members of the Great Clans are in constant danger of angering them with a misplaced word, action, or even a look. Minor Clan samurai who have survived the minefield of the courts long enough are often sent to the Minor Clan Alliance’s court in Kudo Mura. There, they can learn from the best diplomats in the Alliance, studying how to sooth the ruffled feathers of Great Clan samurai and, more importantly, how to avoid ruffling those feathers in the first place.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesAny Minor Clan School 4
  • RequirementsCharacter must belong to a Minor Clan
  • TechniqueThe Courts of Kudo Mura - The diplomats of Kudo Mura are masters at dealing with the needs, desires, and whims of their superiors. When conversing with a samurai from one of the Great Clans or the Imperial Families, you gain +3k0 on all Contested Rolls using the skills of Etiquette or Sincerity.

Moonless Riders [Bushi] [EnE]

The Moonless Riders are an extremely small and specialized group of ronin who have carefully cultivated skills that allow them to not only survive but seek regular employment by the armies of the Great Clans. The Riders, who are comprised primarily of former Unicorn, Lion, and Dragon samurai, specialize in cavalry tactics - but unlike most samurai, they train at night. As a result, they are among the preeminent nocturnal scouts and couriers in the Empire. The Unicorn find their practices distasteful due to the risk posed to horses in night operations, but the Moonless Riders consider this a necessity in order to maintain their livelihood. Although they wander freely across the Empire, the Moonless Riders do tend to linger in areas where clans share borders, and often find employment by the Lion along the Unicorn border and, less frequently, the Crane border as well. Minor Clans also employ them when possible to protect themselves against hostile neighboring Great Clans.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsHorsemanship 3+, Way of the Land
  • TechniqueMoving the Shadow - Moonless Riders are experts at all things nocturnal. You do not suffer any penalties that might be incurred due to natural darkness. When active at night or in other forms of darkness (such as a basement or cave), you gain a bonus of +2k1 instead of +1k1 when you spend a Void Point to enhance any non-Weapon Bugei Skill.

Order of Five Weapons [Shugenja] [SE]

Founded by a Void shugenja named Ekuro, the Order of Five Weapons teaches mastery of the Elemental weapon spells, and also maintains a secret spell taught to its most trusted members.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesRonin shugenja 4 (any ronin shugenja school)
  • RequirementsAt least Rank 3 in the Skills of Kenjutsu, Heavy Weapon, Spears, and Staves
  • TechniqueEkuro’s Weapons - The founder of this order perfected the use of weapons summoned from the Elemental kami. You may cast any of the four Elemental Weapon spells as a Simple Action (rather than a Complex Action). You may spend a Void Point (as a Free Action) to be able to attack with these summoned weapons as a Simple Action for a number of Rounds equal to your Insight Rank. If you have the Ishiken-do Advantage, you may learn the secret spell “Dart of Void.”

Order of Isashi [Shugenja] [SE]

This ronin shugenja order was founded in the wake of the second war with Iuchiban. Its members travel across Rokugan, always going to the most war-torn and disasterplagued regions, healing the injured and treating the sick with no expectation of payment or reward. They are welcomed in Crab lands but tend to encounter suspicion and hostility in most other regions, since their actions can be perceived as shaming the local clan shugenja for callousness.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesRonin shugenja 3 (any ronin shugenja school)
  • RequirementsMedicine 3, Honor Rank 5.0 or better
  • TechniqueIsashi’s Mercy - The Order of Isashi devotes itself to healing the sick and the injured. You gain a +1k0 bonus to Medicine Skill rolls and a Free Raise when casting any spell that heals Wounds or cures illness.

People's Legionnaire [Bushi] [IH]

After the commoner Asahime began organizing her army of peasants, she worked with her monk adviser Rojin to develop a spear-fighting technique that would allow simple ashigaru soldiers to stand their ground against samurai opponents. The technique was designed to capitalize on working together, using numbers and discipline to overcome the superior fighting skills of samurai opponents. Unsurprisingly, in Rokugan’s canon history the technique did not survive the ultimate defeat of the People’s Legion, but creative GMs can use it to represent any peasant or ronin army that lasts long enough to develop some discipline and organized training.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • TechniqueUnity of Purpose - The People’s Legionnaires drill endlessly, learning to act in unison on the battlefield. After Initiative is rolled at the beginning of a skirmish, you may take a Free Action to lower your Initiative score to match that of an ally who is also trained in this technique. If you and an ally with the same Initiative attack the same opponent, you each gain a +1k0 bonus on your attack roll for each such ally striking the same foe. The maximum number of bonus dice you can gain on a single attack roll is equal to your Insight Rank +1.

Scales Of the Carp [Courtier]

The Scales of the Carp is a ronin smuggling organization run by the Yasuki family; its purpose is to conduct trade with the Crane, who otherwise largely cut off all mercantile contact with the Crab. Although the trade barriers between Crane and Crab diminished over time, the Yasuki found the Scales too useful not to keep around, especially for dealing with illicit trade that might otherwise sully their own hands.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsCommerce 4, Lore: Underworld 3, and must be recruited into the Scales by existing members
  • TechniqueSwimming Beneath the Waves - The Scales of the Carp operate beneath the level where most samurai take notice, and are adept at convincing the authorities - especially those on either side of the Crab-Crane border - to ignore their activities. You gain a +1k0 bonus to all Temptation (Bribery) rolls. If the roll is against a Crab or Crane samurai, the bonus is +1k1 instead, and if the samurai agrees to the bribe you may (with the GM’s permission) spend a Void Point to gain him as an Ally with 1 point of Devotion. He will remain an Ally permanently unless you betray him or otherwise break the alliance.

Serpents of Sanada [Bushi] [EnE]

Over the centuries there has been no shortage of ronin who have turned to violence and brutality to make their way through the world. Some, such as the Forest Killers, have cultivated such a reputation that their name is used to frighten children throughout the Empire. There are very few, however, who have the sheer audacity and penchant for destruction as the Serpents of Sanada. The Serpents are a naval band and over the years they have accumulated a small fleet of vessels, using them to become one of the most successful (and hated) pirate groups in almost a thousand years. In particular the Serpents are an offense to the Mantis Clan, who not only have many former members among their ranks but have actually been attacked on their home islands by the Serpents, something no pirate ever before dared to do. The Mantis ruthlessly hunt down vessels in the Serpents’ fleet but find it difficult to destroy the whole force.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsKnives 3+, Sailing 3+, Honor Rank 3 or lower
  • TechniqueThe Serpents’ Coils - The Serpents of Sanada are utterly ruthless pirates, and like others of their ilk they have been forced to master weapons that will not corrode in the sea air. When wielding a wooden weapon or a weapon with the Peasant keyword, you may make melee attacks as Simple Actions rather than Complex Actions.

Seven Waves Mercenaries [Bushi] [EnE]

The Seven Waves Mercenaries are an older ronin group with a reputation for discrete and effective service. The organization was founded roughly a century after the return of the Unicorn Clan to the Empire. The Seven Waves were created by a group of seven ronin, each one an outcast from one of the original Great Clans - this of course predates the elevation of the Mantis to Great Clan status, and the organization’s leaders never deigned to add a Mantis ronin to their ranks. When the Seven Waves take a job, those of their number associated with the clans in question remain apart to avoid coloring the employer’s opinion of the organization, but still offer expertise and advice to the other members. Over the years the organization has grown, but the leaders of the group, most of them descendants of the original founders, prefer to keep it organized into similar seven-man teams.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • RequirementsClan Ronin only
  • TechniqueRoaring to Shake Heaven - Members of the Seventh Wave draw strength from their diversity. When fighting alongside your allies, you gain a bonus of +2 to the total of all attack and damage rolls for each different Basic School represented among your group. You may not gain a total bonus greater than twice your Void Ring from this Technique.

Shadowed Steel [Bushi] [EnE]

The word ‘ninja’ conjures one of two reactions from the Rokugani: exasperation, because of course ninja do not exist, or fear, because they suspect the substance of the night itself will disgorge and assault them for daring to consider such things. The truth is that to some extent both statements are true. On the one hand, the black-clad assassins of superstition do exist, but are largely a diversionary tactic used by groups like the Scorpion Clan - including through pawns such as the ronin group called the Silent Blade. On the other hand, the primordial entity known as the Lying Darkness unleashes inhuman ninja who can steal faces and names. And then there is the middle ground, where few have ever tread and survived. The men and women known as Shadowed Steel are former vassals of the Scorpion Clan, surreptitiously culled from the clan’s ranks over the course of generations or even centuries, and carefully cultivated into a completely deniable and disposable asset. The Shadowed Steel are few in number and answer only to the Shosuro family, who communicate with them through covert means such as blind drops. When an objective absolutely must be achieved or a foe eliminated at all costs, when the risk is simply two high to utilize the Shosuro family’s own assets, they call on the Shadowed Steel to deal with the matter quickly and with absolute and unwavering finality.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • RequirementsAthletics 4+, Ninjutsu 4+, Stealth 4+
  • TechniqueDeath’s Dark Shadow - The Shadowed Steel strike from darkness to devastating effect, and rarely need to strike twice. When you succeed at a Contested Stealth Skill Roll against an opponent attempting to detect you, you may spend a Void Point to add the amount by which your Stealth Skill Roll exceeded your opponent’s roll to the next attack roll you make against that opponent. This must be done within one hour of the Contested Roll taking place - otherwise you must wait until the next Contested Stealth Skill Roll opportunity.

Silent Blades [Bushi] [EnE]

Although they pride themselves on their skill as hired killers and assassins, the Silent Blades are in truth little more than rank amateurs when it comes to the arts of infiltration and assassination. Although they do have some skill, it is vastly less than they like to imagine, and as a result they are constantly struggling to overcome the impact of botched jobs and the occasional disastrous failure. Fortunately for them, however, those who would hire ronin assassins rarely communicate with one another, and the group has managed to avoid cultivating a poor reputation despite their mediocrity. While they do not know it, the Blades are actually pawns of a more secretive and skilled order known as Shadowed Steel, which is in turn a pawn of yet another unknown force. Thus the Silent Blades are essentially fodder for larger, more powerful, and more skilled groups, brought out when a scapegoat is necessary or when a very unskilled target needs to be eliminated.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsNinjutsu 3+, Stealth 3+
  • TechniqueBlack Hearts, Red Blades - The Silent Blades are not completely without skill as assassins. If you are attacking an opponent who is unaware of your presence (for example, a foe you have defeated with a Contested Stealth Skill Roll to remain undetected), you may add your Stealth Skill Rank to the total of all attack and damage rolls made against that opponent for the duration of this skirmish.

Snow Riders [Bushi] [EnE]

Through most of Rokugan’s history winter has brought an abrupt end to war. The costs of waging war in the bitter cold and snow are simply too high, and every time it has been attempted the army responsible has ultimately been defeated. This did not change until the Empire’s twelfth century, when the boundless ambition of the Unicorn Clan Khan, Moto Chagatai, led him on a winter campaign across the Lion provinces. Although Chagatai’s campaign to capture the Imperial City was ultimately unsuccessful, the punishment he inflicted on the Lion forever changed the way the Empire regarded winter warfare. Few attempted to recreate the extent of that campaign, but most recognized it was possible to fight in the winter with adequate preparation and training. One group of ronin who served in Chagatai’s forces and survived the Lion’s vengeance went on to sell their services as couriers, messengers, and general supplemental cavalry, all with a specialty in winter tactics. The Yasuki family of the Crab would be envious of the discreet promotion the Snow Riders have conducted on behalf of their organization, and they have ensured they are always employed during the winter - if nothing else because their employers don’t want their enemies employing the Riders instead. Generally speaking, the Riders make adequate profits during the winter months to support them through the summer, which is exactly their intention.

Generalization: Although the story of this group is tied specifically to the Khan’s infamous campaign, there is no reason a small group could not develop along these lines independently of that incident. Doing so might make their services more difficult to market and sell, however.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsAthletics 3+, Horsemanship 4+
  • TechniqueThe Journey’s Beginning - The Snow Riders have mastered the art of mounted warfare and of waging war in winter conditions. You may ignore movement penalties based on terrain if the penalties in question are caused by snow or ice. You may spend a Void Point while fighting mounted in order to make a single attack as a Simple Action.

Sword of Yotsu [Bushi] [EnE]

There are few ronin brotherhoods in the Empire better known than the Sword of Yotsu, and perhaps none who have experienced the same degree of success. The brotherhood is led by an actual family, one of only a handful of ronin families in Rokugan’s history. The founder of the Yotsu performed a glorious service for the Hantei Dynasty, rescuing the Emperor’s youngest son from the clutches of the Bloodspeaker Cult by leaving his own child in the boy’s place. In gratitude and recognition of his sacrifice, the Emperor granted the ronin his father’s personal name as a family name, and the Yotsu family was born. Having lived many years wandering the Empire in his youth, Yotsu understood very well how the poor and defenseless suffered, and he vowed to use what little he had to ensure he and his would never suffer such fates. Over subsequent generations, Yotsu’s children expanded their family’s operations into a true ronin brotherhood, allowing other ronin to swear fealty to them and take their name in exchange for a vow to protect the defenseless. The Yotsu are generally honorable men and women, although they place greater emphasis on their duty than on the niceties of everyday samurai behavior.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • RequirementsKenjutsu 4+, Hero of the People, Honor Rank 5+
  • TechniqueShelter the Blameless - The Sword of Yotsu draw strength from their duty to protect others. During any Round when you are actively defending or protecting another (GM’s discretion), you gain one bonus Void Point for use during that Round. Unspent Void Points gained from this Technique are lost at the end of the Round (after the Reactions stage).

Tawagoto's Army [Bushi] [CR]

Inspired by the young and charismatic ronin Tawagoto, this group of ronin and peasants rallied together to protect the innocent people of Rokugan from the rash of violent peasant revolutions inspired by the mad monk Kokujin while the Great Clans were engaged in another war of succession. Eventually the clans recognized the threat and sanctioned Tawagoto’s activities, lending him aid to complete the task of hunting down Kokujin’s forces and destroying them.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • TechniqueThe People’s Will - Those who are guided by honor carry the strength of the Empire’s people in their actions. When you spend a Void Point to add a bonus of +1k1 to any Skill or Trait Roll, you may also add your Honor Rank to the total of that roll.

Tengoku's Justice [Bushi] [CR]

Ruthless in the extreme, the mountain bandits known as Tengoku’s Justice could threaten the reputation of the Forest Killers as the most reviled bandits in the Empire if they

survive long enough. Their heretical name, however, gives additional reason to hate them, likely shortening their expected survival. The Tengoku’s Justice band makes their home in the Dragon mountains, pillaging and laying waste to entire villages to gather the supplies and wealth they desire. They trust in the traditional inaction of the Dragon to make their apprehension less likely, but have drawn the unwavering attention of the magistrates of the Mantis Clan due to their actions.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • TechniqueHeaven’s Curse - The sheer ruthless, murderous nature of the Tengoku’s Justice fighting style could rival even that of the Forest Killers. Whenever you surprise an opponent in a skirmish, you may double your Strength for the purposes of determining how many damage dice you roll on that attack.

The Ghosts of the Forest [Bushi, Shugenja, Courtier, Artisan]

The Ghosts of the Forest are a small band of ronin with a legacy many generations old. They tend to recruit from their own family lines, and there are some members who are the sixth or seventh generation to take up the banner of defending Nazo Mori.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsPolearms 3+, Heart of Vengeance (Unicorn)
  • TechniqueThe Tiger’s Teeth - The enigmas of the forest at Nazo Mori are more familiar to you than almost anyone else in the Empire. Whenever you are within a woodland area, you gain a Free Raise on all Athletics, Hunting, and Stealth Rolls. If you are within sight of Nazo Mori, you also gain a bonus of +1k0 on any roll involving the Perception Trait (these effects can stack).The Broken Guard are among the finest anti-cavalry forces in the Empire. You may make a melee attack as a Simple Action when using a polearm. You gain a bonus of +1k1 on attack rolls made against targets on horseback (or mounted on similarly-sized creatures).

The Guards’ Wrath [Bushi]

The Guards are a ronin otokodate based in a remote town. They hire out their members to protect merchants and courtiers, earning funds to maintain themselves in reasonable comfort. In contrast to many ronin bands, the Guards are a fairly honorable group, and do their best to carry out their contracts honestly and successfully. In game terms, the Guards’ Wrath Technique can also be used to represent any group of reasonably honorable ronin who hire themselves out as guards or escorts.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • TechniqueThe Guards’ Wrath - The ronin of the Guards are taught defensive techniques designed to keep both themselves and their clients alive (so they can be paid). When you take the Guard Action, your TN is not reduced.

The Silken Promises Geisha [Courtier]

The Silken Promises are a secretive organization of geisha who use their acting and performance skills to develop influence with their important customers. The Promises work primarily to protect their own interests, but often act in alliance with other groups who are aware of them and value their ability to exert covert political influence-most notably the Scorpion Clan, who are the official sponsors of the Silken Promises. However, the Promises have also been known to work with the Kolat, as well as the Spider Clan in eras when that group is active.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsMust be a geisha who has been admitted to the ranks of the Silken Promise and who has Acting 3 and at least three Perform skills at Rank 3.
  • TechniqueDance of Silk - The geisha of the Silken Promises use their entertainment skills to subtly guide their clients into the policies and attitudes they prefer. You may attempt to shift someone’s attitudes by offering a suitable artistic performance (typically dance or music) and making a Contested Roll of your Perform / Awareness (or Acting / Awareness if more appropriate) against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. With a success, you lure them into the attitude or a choice you would prefer. At the GM’s option, you may also take them as an Ally with 1-point Devotion.The effects of the Silken Promise technique are not "mind control" and cannot force someone to make a decision that goes directly against his character or his true loyalties. Subject to such caveats, however, the technique can exert considerable influence, since the target is unaware that he is being manipulated and may well believe his new decision is entirely his own. Ultimately, the GM has the final say on how much impact the Silken Promise Technique can exert. You may not target the same character with this Technique more than once per month.

The Taoist Archers [Bushi, Monk]

The Taoist Archers seek perfect harmony through the study of kyujutsu and have existed within the Brotherhood of Shinsei for centuries. In the Pre-Coup era a ronin named Gahei learns the Technique and begins to teach a selected students, and thereafter this Path is also available to ronin characters (assuming they can find someone who knows it and is willing to teach them).

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • RequirementsVoid 4, Kyujutsu (Yumi) 5, Lore: Theology 3, Meditation 4
  • TechniqueFlight of Innocence - The Taoist Archers practice their art blindfolded. When making archery attacks, you ignore all TN and dice penalties for being Blind, for having a Missing Eye, or for the target being concealed by darkness, magical illusion, camouflage, and similar visual obstructions. Penalties for physical obstacles and obstructive conditions (such as the target being Prone, a normal or magical wind, etc.) are applied normally. In addition, when wielding a bow you may spend a Void Point for a +1k1 bonus on damage.

The Tessen [Bushi] [CR]

Composed primarily of former Crane and Lion, the Tessen came together to attempt to protect the people of Toshi Ranbo, centuries before it became the new Imperial City. The constant changing of hands between the two clans left the city in a terrible state, often plagued by criminals who knew the clans were too busy with one another to bother hunting them. Because the Crane forbade any save themselves to carry a blade within the city, these ronin took up the tessen as their weapon of choice, and continue to patrol the streets of the Imperial City today, albeit with only grudging acknowledgement from the city’s Imperial protectors.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank1
  • TechniqueFolds of the Iron Fan - Few in Rokugan have mastered the facets of the iron fan with the same fluency as the Tessen. When wielding a war fan in your off hand, you suffer no penalties for attacks made with that hand. You also add your rank in War Fans to the total of your Armor TN at all times while wielding a war fan.

The Thousand [Bushi] [SE]

The Thousand were formed during the First Yasuki War under the banner of a Crane ronin named Tamedaore who had a knack for both military organization and mercantile commerce. His ronin band peaked at over a thousand men and fought for the Crane during the latter years of the Yasuki War. Afterward, the band remained together but its numbers gradually diminished over the centuries; their last remnants were wiped out by the Unicorn Clan in the year 816.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2
  • RequirementsIaijutsu 4, Void 3
  • TechniqueTamedaore's Secret - While you are in the Center Stance and on the Round immediately after you leave the Center Stance, you gain a bonus to your Armor TN equal to 2x your Void Ring.

the Unbroken [Bushi]

The Unbroken are among the most famous and legendary of ronin bands, but also one of the smallest and most transient. The band has formed and collapsed many times over the Empire’s history, re-organizing whenever a Tainted wave-man manages to unearth the secrets of its technique. The origins of the Unbroken Technique are mysterious; some claim they learned their methods from studying the Naga or perhaps the Ratlings, while others claim it was originally devised by some legendary and long-forgotten ronin in the Empire’s early history. Whatever the case, the Unbroken Technique is both singularly powerful and extremely dangerous: it can purge the Taint from one’s body - perhaps the only way to completely purge the Taint short of outright divine intervention. However, it does so through the practitioner successfully defeating powerful Shadowlands creatures. Needless to say, one is more likely to die in the pursuit of this goal than to succeed at it. The Unbroken traditionally work as a unified group, each willing to sacrifice himself for the others. Only a handful have ever been cured of the Taint, and the entire band has never been larger than thirty individuals. Supposedly, the mystical Technique which they use shortens their lifespan, allowing them to survive for only a single year - unless they can purge their Taint before that time expires. All members of the group wear masks, both to conceal their identity and to reinforce the principle that they are a group that stands or dies together.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsLore: Shadowlands 3
  • TechniqueThe Unbroken - The students of the Unbroken learn to set the impurity within themselves against the impurity of their foes. When you are fighting a Shadowlands creature or one of the Lost, you may add your Taint Rank in unkept dice to your attack rolls. Each time you do this you gain three additional Point of Taint. However, any time you singlehandedly kill a Shadowlands creature or one of the Lost, you may spend a Void Point to permanently lose one Point of Taint. If you ever single-handedly kill an extremely powerful Shadowlands foe, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to make a Contested Earth roll against the Earth of the foe you have slain. With a success, you immediately purge all the Taint from your body - and thereafter lose the ability to perform this Technique. Ultimately, it is the GM’s discretion whether a particular foe is powerful enough to trigger the more potent aspects of the Unbroken Technique. Examples of creatures which could trigger the effect include major oni, any of the Onisu, or a Lost of at least two Insight Ranks higher.

Tsume Pikemen [Bushi] [IH]

The Tsume vassal family prided themselves on being masters of the spear, teaching their bushi to specialize in defensive tactics and rely on a wall of spear-points to break enemy charges. After the Tsume ruling bloodline is exterminated in the War of Bleeding Flowers, their samurai become ronin but do their best to preserve their traditional fighting methods, passing their Technique down from parent to child. The process is further enhanced by their tradition of meeting annually to renew their sense of loyalty and identity.

Tsume ronin often hire themselves out as guards or escorts, using their spear tactics to defeat bandit raids. In keeping with their legacy as former Crane samurai, they are trustworthy and reliable soldiers and refuse to ever betray their employers. This makes them quite popular among merchants and others in need of reliable guards.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • RequirementsSpears 3+, Polearms 3+, Honor Rank 3 or higher
  • TechniqueWall of Pikes - The Tsume Pikemen are taught to use defensive tactics, luring the enemy into a charge and then impaling them on their spears. While you are in the Defense posture and wielding a spear or polearm, immediately after an opponent makes a melee attack against you or one of your allies within ten feet (whether or not the attack hit), you may spend a Void Point in order to take a Free Action to attack that opponent with your spear/polearm. You may also use this Technique in the Full Defense posture, but making the attack will require spending two Void Points instead of one.

Weavers [Bushi] [EnE]

Many ronin groups are not well known in the Empire, but few are as completely unknown to the Great Clans as the secretive sect called the Weavers. These men and women rarely associate with one another in person, communicating instead through carefully encoded messages, discrete tattoos, and secret hand signals. They gather together only when there are important matters at hand, typically involving violence or infiltration of the most invasive sort. The Weavers are among the elite agents of the Kolat conspiracy and are only known to its highest-ranking members, or at least so they believe. Although the ten Kolat Masters have access to the entire roster of Weavers, most of their direct subordinates know of perhaps a half-dozen or so they can call upon in dire need. The abilities of the Weavers vary wildly from individual to individual, each having been recruited for a particular skill or set of skills that were needed at the time. In general, however, most have a propensity for violence and an absolute mastery of deceit. One might say lying is a requirement for the job.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • RequirementsAllies (Kolat) OR Dark Secret (Kolat) OR Obligation (Kolat)
  • TechniqueTwist the Weave - The Weavers excel at deceit and manipulation, and use such methods as weapons against their foes. If you have ever won a Contested Skill Roll against someone using your Sincerity (Deceit), Intimidation, or Temptation, if you subsequently face that person in a skirmish you gain a Free Raise that can be used on an attack roll during the first Round of the skirmish.

Wolf Legion [Bushi] [EnE]

During the epic conflict history remembers as the Clan War, an unprecedented number of ronin gathered together under the banner of Toturi, the Black Lion. The former Lion Champion, cast out when the Akodo family was dissolved, Toturi assembled thousands of his former clansmen who had become wave men, along with many former Scorpion samurai (whose clan had also been dissolved) and legions of simple ronin looking for the opportunity to be part of something greater than themselves. The organization known as Toturi’s Army fought to protect the people of the Empire and the stability of the Empire itself. After the war, many of the group rejoined their former clans; those who remained formed a new organization, the Wolf Legion. For decades, the Wolf Legion continued to protect the people of Rokugan, alternately ignoring or confronting the selfish politics of the Great Clans.

Generalization: The Wolf Legion are similar in many respects to Tawagoto’s Army (presented in the L5R RPG core rules) in that they are a benevolent organization devoted to the greater good of the Empire. If the GM is running a game in a different era or timeline, they could even represent a more advanced portion of the same organization as Tawagoto’s Army.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • RequirementsHonor Rank 5+
  • TechniqueBlack Lion Talon - The traditions of the Wolf Legion are steeped in honor and bushido. Whenever you spend a Void Point to add +1k1 to the total of an attack roll, you may add your Honor Rank to the total of that attack roll as well.

Miya Herald [Courtier] [CR]

The Miya are Imperial messengers, charged with spreading the words of the Emperor and the Imperial Court to even the most remote regions of Rokugan. While they are protected in most areas by the Imperial status, the Miya must often travel to places of great conflict and danger. Occasionally bandits and criminals become unreasonable or desperate and attack the herald. Thankfully, the Miya is well trained for that eventuality.

The Miya Herald School focuses on building trust and cordiality with everyone in the Miya's path. He speaks with confidence and composure to ease tensions and smooth altercations. The Miya learns ways to boost his defenses and spread peace to achieve the dream of a strong, united empire.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Voice of the Emperor

    The Miya learn the ways of the Empire, so they can spread the word of the Emperor far and wide, and the art of non-aggression, so their words will be heard by all who respect the Emperor. While inside the borders of the Empire, you may spend a Void Point to gain the Way of the Land Advantage for the province you currently occupy - this effect lasts until you next sleep. Also, any Rokugani who reveres the Emperor and who knowingly and deliberately attacks you will automatically lose a number of points of Honor equal to twice your School Rank.

  • Rank Two: Eyes of the Emperor

    The Miya serve as peacekeepers as well as messengers, brokering treaties between warring factions in the Empire, and learn to remain impartial under the most intense pressure. You may add your Honor Rank to all Etiquette (Courtesy) skill rolls made to resist others' attempts to influence you.

  • Rank Three: Hand of the Emperor

    The Miya's aura of peacefulness and non-aggression has now reached the point where it becomes difficult for honorable foes to attack him at all. At the start of a skirmish, or during the Reactions Step of any later round in a skirmish, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to prevent any Rokugani who reveres the Emperor from being able to harm you before the next Reactions step. (They can still attempt to capture or restrain you in a non-damaging way.) This Technique only takes effect as long as the Miya is not participating in the skirmish or in a duel.

  • Rank Four: Blessing of the Emperor

    At this rank, the Miya have developed a personality strong enough to impose their demand for peace on the more violent individuals around them, in what is essentially a specialized form of the Otomo technique of obiesaseru. This may be done a number of times per session equal to your School Rank, but you may only use this Technique against honorable samurai (Honor Rank 1.0 or better) who revere the Emperor - criminals, bandits, the Lost, and nonhumans are immune to its effects. To use this Technique, you take a Complex Action to step forward and forcefully demand an end to violence. ("This brawling will cease, in the name of the Emperor!") You make a Contested Roll of your Courtier (Rhetoric) / Awareness against the Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower of all affected person within hearing. All individuals who lose the roll must immediately cease all aggressive action, and cannot attack or cast offensive spells until they take damage or you give them permission to fight. (They can still use defensive abilities and the Defense and Full Defense stances.) The effect lasts for one minute, and the Technique can be used on the same targets again if it is resisted or expires. This Techniques affects both enemies and allies.

  • Rank Five: Glory of the Emperor

    The Herald is now a true master of non-aggression and diplomacy. When rolling with the Courtier or Etiquette skills against a target with at least Honor 1.0, you may add a +5k0 bonus to the roll.

Otomo Courtier [Courtier] [CR]

Like the Seppun, the Otomo are dedicated to the safety of the Emperor. The Otomo simply choose more underhanded methods to prove that devotion. The power of the Emperor must remain strong and unchallenged. This can only happen if no one can gather enough strength to topple the pillars of the Emperor's authority. The Otomo sow suspicion and distrust amongst the Great Clans to prevent any malicious schemes from taking root among them.

The Otomo Courtiers, also known as Seiyaju, focus on fully utilizing the tools at their disposal. As an Imperial family, the Otomo automatically garner respect and power from every honorable samurai. The Otomo learns to push this advantage as far as he can to make others cower under the weight of Imperial decree. He uses every underhanded trick in the book, knowing that his blood protects him from the repercussions.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Voice of Heaven

    The Otomo believe that nothing done in the name of the Emperor and Imperial authority can ever be truly dishonorable. Their appointed role within the Empire is to spread conflict between the clans so they cannot unite against Imperial power, and the Otomo do this without hesitation. You do not lose Honor for using the Intimidation (Control) Skill. Any time you are in conversation with someone from one of the clans (Great or Minor), you may make a Contested Roll of your Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness to provoke a disagreement or argument between them and someone from another clan or faction of your choice.

  • Rank Two: Destiny Has No Secrets

    The Otomo have information networks that rival those of the Scorpion, and can call on them in almost any part of the Empire. If you have the opportunity to seek out your contacts, you may spend a Void Point to roll Courtier / Awareness at TN 25 to learn one piece of critically useful information (chosen by the GM).

  • Rank Three: My Master's Voice

    The Otomo speak with the direct authority of the Emperor, and the more experienced among them have mastered the art of "obiesaseru", using the authority of the Son of Heaven to stun their foes. You may only use this Technique against honorable samurai (Honor Rank 1.0 or better) who revere the Emperor - criminals, bandits, the Lost, and nonhumans are immune to its effects. To use obiesaseru, you must take a Complex Action to pause, gather your willpower, and shout an appropriate command (typically something like, "Stop in the name of the Emperor!"). You make a Contested Social Skill roll of Intimidation (Control) / Willpower against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. (If the target sincerely believes he is acting honorably, he gains a Free Raise to his roll.) If you win the roll, on his next Turn the target may not move, attack, cast spells, or perform any other action that would directly obstruct or threaten you or your immediate friends/allies (GM's discretion as to who is considered your ally). He may, however, attack others who are not your allies, and regardless he can always use the Defense and full Defense Postures.

  • Rank Four: The Emperor's Protection

    As a favored servant of Imperial power, the Otomo is under special protection, and can easily crush those foolish enough to disagree with him in public. Any time you are in an argument or debate with another person, you may spend a Void Point to make a Contested Roll of your Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. If you win the roll, they must either agree with your position or immediately lose 5 points of Honor.

  • Rank Five: The Virtues of Command

    The Otomo is now able to bring the full power of Imperial authority to bear on those who displease him. When making an Contested Social Roll against someone who reveres Imperial authority, you may gain a +5k0 bonus on your roll.

Otomo Diplomat (Owl) [Courtier]

(This School derives from an alternate timeline where Togashi defeated Hantei and became the first emperor, with Hantei creating the Owl Clan, specialized with dealing with nonhuman creatures. As a result, it does not exist in the main timeline, although GMs can, as usual, adapt it if needed)

Techniques
  • Rank One: Wisdom of the Owl

    The basic technique of the Otomo Diplomat is to find ways to relate successfully to all parties, human and nonhuman alike, smoothing over misunderstandings and conflicts. You gain a +1k0 bonus to your Etiquette rolls. During any social interaction with "nonhumans", you may as a Free Action roll Lore: Nonhumans / Intelligence at TN 20 to remember an important aspect of social interaction with those nonhumans (the GM chooses the specific thing you remember, but it will always be something useful to the situation).

  • Rank Two: Unity of the Realms

    Because the Otomo specialize in negotiating with the "nonhuman" races, they have many friends, allies, and contacts among them. Any time you encounter a "nonhuman" in a non-hostile environment, you may roll Courtier / Awareness at TN 25. With a success, the "nonhuman" will treat you as an Ally with Devotion 2 for the remainder of the encounter (unless you actively do something to threaten or harm it).

  • Rank Three: the Voice of Heaven

    When understanding does not work, the Otomo have another method: cowing others by invoking the awesome authority of the Celestial Heavens. When you spend a Void Point on an Intimidation roll, you gain +2k2 instead of the normal +1k1. If the roll is made against a "nonhuman" opponent, the bonus is +3k2 instead. Either way, you do not lose Honor for using Intimidation in this manner.

  • Rank Four: Uphold the Peace

    At this rank, the Otomo Diplomat is able to call on the awesome repute of the clan founder, Hantei himself, to impose peace on all manner of confrontations. At the start of a skirmish, or during your Turn on any later Round in such a skirmish, you may take a Complex Action to spend a Void Point and demand an immediate cessation of hostilities. You make a Contested Intimidation / Willpower roll against all those within hearing, gaining a +3k0 bonus against any of those targets who are "nonhumans". Any combatants who lose the roll must cease all offensive action until they are attacked or until three Rounds have passed.

    This Technique cannot work against Shadowlands creatures or denizens of Jigoku or Tengoku. Using Intimidation in this manner does not cost you Honor.

  • Rank Five: Hantei’s Mandate

    The Otomo may now bring the full weight of Hantei’s Celestial favor to bear against those who trouble Ningen-do. You gain an additional +3k0 bonus to your Intimidation rolls with your Rank Four Technique (this stacks with the +3k0 bonus against "nonhumans" in that Technique).

Seppun Guardsman [Bushi] [CR]

A Seppun knows from birth that he is born to protect the Emperor from anything that may threaten him. A safe Emperor means a united Rokugan, and Seppun ensure the bright future of the Empire by fulfilling their duty. When chosen for this prestigious service, the Seppun Guardsman, also known as a Miharu, sacrifices everything in his life for the job. After all, nothing else is significant when set against the task of protecting the Imperial House.

The Seppun Guardsman School holds defense as its highest priority. The Guardsman learns to put the life of his charge above everything else, including his own survival. The Guardsman becomes stalwart against any sources of corruption that may interfere with his job, and learns to be always aware of his surroundings, ready to identify any threat before it may approach his change.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Never in Darkness

    The Seppun are taught to be unswerving in their Honor, and nothing can draw them away from their duty. Any time you are rolling to resist a Social Skill roll which could tempt or lead you away from your duty - such as Temptation, Intimidation, or even Courtier - you roll additional unkept dice equal to your School Rank. You gain a +1k1 bonus any time you are making an Investigation roll to detect an ambush or surprise attack.

  • Rank Two: The Clouds Part

    The Seppun's blows are infused with his dedication to the Emperor's cause. At the start of your Turn, you may spend a Void Point to add your Honor Rank to the total of your attack and damage rolls until your Next Turn.

  • Rank Three: Sun's Light Reveals

    The Seppun's dedication now allows him to see through all manner of deceptions, even magical ones. At any time you may choose to spend a Void point as a Free Action to roll Investigation (Notice) / Perception at TN 25. With a success, you immediately see through all disguises and illusions around you, whether normal or magical in nature. If you are in the presence of the Emperor, his immediate family, or a major Imperial Official (Chancellor, Shogun, etc) you do not need to spend a Void Point to activate this Technique. Once you have pierced a specific disguise/illusion, it no longer has any effect on you (although a new disguise or illusion you encounter later will function normally).

  • Rank Four: Speed of Heaven

    The power of Heaven infuses the Seppun's arm, allowing him to strike with greater speed. You may now attack as a Simple Action when using weapons with the Samurai keyword.

  • Rank Five: Heaven Never Falls

    The true Seppun bodyguard is never caught off-guard, and can protect his charge even when surprised or disabled. Any time you are within 20' of a person you are guarding, you may spend a Void Point to leap in front of a blow or spell which is targeting your charge. The damage is automatically applied to you instead of your charge. If you are still standing (not Down or Out) after this damage, you may immediately take an extra Simple Action, which may be used for any purpose including an attack. This Technique can be used even if your character is Blinded, Prone, Stunned, Dazed, Entangled, or at the Down Wound Rank (but not Grappled or at the Out Wound Rank).

Seppun Shugenja [Shugenja] [CR]

The best bushi of Rokugan are granted the privilege of guarding the Emperor. There are threats steel cannot answer, however, and against these the Seppun Shugenja stand ready. As members of the Hidden Guard, the Seppun Shugenja wait and stand vigil at all times of the day for signs of an attack. Their wards are among the best in Rokugan, and the Seppun constantly practice their prayers to the kami in preparation for an assault on their territory. They are the last line of defense for the Emperor and they will not be broken.

The Seppun Shugenja School focuses on defense of the Emperor and his retinue. When danger approaches, the Seppun calls upon the kami with his entire soul, amplifying spell effects and performing magical feats he would not be able to do normally. The Technique is versatile and works with a large variety of offensive and defensive spells, as long as the shugenja is trying to save the life of the Son of Heaven.

  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsCalligraphy, Defense, Etiquette, Investigation (Notice), Meditation, Lore: Theology, any 1 High or Bugei Skill
  • Honor6.50
  • OutfitRobes, Wakizashi, Bo, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 10 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyFire / Water
  • TechniqueIn Defense of the Throne - The Hidden Guard exist only to defend their Emperor, and are terrible opponents for any who might pose a danger to the sanctity of the Son of Heaven. You gain a Free Raise on any spell cast to protect the life, personal belongings, family, or reputation of the Emperor, as long as the action taken would not cause you to lose Honor. This includes members of the Imperial families (though not yourself). You also gain a Free Raise on any spells known only to the Imperial families.
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Fire, 2 Water, and 1 Air

Seppun Shugenja (Owl) [Shugenja]

(This School derives from an alternate timeline where Togashi defeated Hantei and became the first emperor, with Hantei creating the Owl Clan, specialized with dealing with nonhuman creatures. As a result, it does not exist in the main timeline, although GMs can, as usual, adapt it if needed)

  • Benefit+1Intelligence
  • SkillsCalligraphy, Defense, Investigation, Lore: Nonhumans, Lore: Theology, Meditation, any one High skill
  • Honor6.50
  • OutfitRobes, wakizashi, bo staff, scroll satchel, traveling pack, 4 koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyFire / Water
  • TechniqueIn Defense of Ningen-Do - The Seppun shugenja exist both to communicate with nonhumans and spirits and to protect the Empire from their depredations when they act improperly. You gain a Free Raise on any spell which targets a "nonhuman". When casting a spell which inflicts damage on others, you may expend an additional spell slot (of the same Element or of Void) to have the spell ignore Reduction on the target(s) equal to twice your Void Rank. If the target is "nonhuman", this Technique also ignores all damage mitigation effects from creature abilities (other than Invulnerability).
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, 3 Fire, 2 Air, 1 Earth

Imperial Scion [Courtier] [EE]

The Imperial families are not generally given a great deal of consideration by the average citizen of Rokugan. Even most members of the samurai caste go their entire lives while glimpsing only one or two true Imperials, and many of the more remote family branches never encounter one for generations at a time. The Imperial families are simply smaller than most of those who serve the clans, and their spheres of influence are relatively limited in comparison to their clan counterparts. Even the well-traveled Imperial heralds of the Miya family tend to stick to clearly defined travel routes, avoiding the Empire’s more remote districts for decades or even centuries at a time. In some cases this can lead to a misperception of the Imperials as dangerous or hostile individuals who desire only the obedience and submission of other samurai. While this is untrue in the main, there are a few individuals who prove it correct.

Scions of the Imperial families are utterly ruthless individuals who have mastered the manipulation of their own social standing to decimate their enemies. Standing against a scion in court is tantamount to ruination for all but the most skilled or highest-ranking samurai. These scions most often come from the Otomo family, which teaches their secret techniques in its most prestigious and elite dojo. Much more rarely, members of the Miya or Seppun families are permitted to train there as well. The scions are rarely liked, frequently sought as allies, and almost always feared for the power they can and will bring to bear on any who arouse their ire.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • The Awe of the Throne

    A true scion of the Imperial families knows how to use his social position to his advantage in nearly any situation. Any time you are called upon to make a Skill Roll, or to use your Glory or Honor rank, you may spend a Void Point to instead substitute your Status Rank.

  • The Strength of the Throne

    As a champion of the Imperial line, you can ensure that those who oppose you suffer mightily for their temerity. After conversing with an opponent of lower Status Rank for a few minutes, you may force that opponent to make an opposed Courtier / Etiquette roll against you. If you defeat your opponent at the roll, you may reduce his Status by a number of points up to a maximum of twice your Insight Rank.

  • The Terror of the Throne

    There is virtually no one who is immune to the power of an Imperial scion. While conversing with an opponent of equal or lower Status Rank, you may force a Contested Void Roll. If you are successful, you can permanently give the opponent any one Social Disadvantage. Alternatively, you can force the opponent to become ronin, but the technique can only be used in this manner once every six months. Forcing a samurai to become ronin in this way costs you 5 points each of Glory, Honor, and Status.

Tsudao’s Legion [Bushi]

Under the reign of the Emperor Toturi II, known to many by her youthful nickname of the Sword, the greatest force for enforcing the laws of the Empire is the Imperial Legions which serve the Throne directly. Reorganized by the Empress during the early years of her reign, these Legions operate under the direct command of the Emerald Champion, the Shogun, the Jade Champion, and most notably the Empress herself.

The Empress oversees the reorganization of these military forces personally, continuing her father’s tradition of military innovation throughout her reign. In particular, she institutes a rigid set of requirements that restricts membership in the Legions, with the most stringent requirements for the Legion she personally commands. She also devises a set of new Techniques which she teaches to the best warriors of that Legion, making it one of the most formidable military forces in the Empire’s history.

Requirements:
  • Rings/TraitsAgility 5 , Strength 4
  • SkillsBattle 5, any one Weapon Skill at 5
  • OtherHonor Rank 6+, Status Rank 2+, any one Paragon Advantage
Techniques
  • Rank One: All Things Through Honor

    The members of Tsudao’s Legion are taught there is nothing that cannot be accomplished if one’s Honor is true. When making a Skill Roll with a High or Bugei Skill in which you have at least 1 Rank, you may spend a Void Point to make that roll as though your Skill Rank is equal to your Honor Rank.

  • Rank Two: Wisdom of the Sensei

    The dojo of Tsudao’s Legion teaches both tactical versatility and the joy of battle in the name of one’s lord. When rolling on the Mass Battle Table, you may add or subtract your Void Ring from the total of your roll, as desired. Additionally, you may select one Maneuver. Whenever you attempt that Maneuver, you gain one Free Raise toward success.

  • Empowered By Her Name

    Those who devote themselves utterly to the cause of the Empress are nigh unstoppable in their fervor. If your Honor Rank exceeds your opponent’s Honor Rank, you may make a single additional melee attack (as a Free Action) once per Round against that opponent.

Imperial Influencer [Courtier] [S&F]

The Imperial families exert control over the Empire in many ways both obvious and subtle. Although the Otomo family is best known for its ability to overawe and crush rivals through the sheer weight of Imperial favor, some of the family’s greatest masters follow a subtler path, shaping entire courts through things as deceptively simple as hosting dinner parties. The Influencer Technique is sometimes credited to Otomo Madoka, the author of The Subtlety of the Court, but whether it was devised by her or by some more ancient Otomo master courtier, its subtle but relentless power cannot be denied.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesOtomo Courtier 3
  • RequirementsAwareness 4, Etiquette 5, Sincerity 5
  • TechniqueFollow My Lead - At any courtly event you are hosting (such as a moonviewing party, a musical performance, or a dinner party), you may roll Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness at TN 30 to set the dominant tone of the event. This tone may be broadly positive or negative and can also have a specific flavor such as friendly, hostile, hedonistic, suspicious, conciliatory, competitive, or anything else which suits your needs. Anyone who makes a Social Skill Roll during this event while acting against the tone of the event must call two Raises to no effect - if they fail the roll due to those Raises, they are considered to have committed a Minor Breach of Etiquette. Conversely, anyone who makes a Social Skill Roll while acting in concert with the flavor of the event (including yourself) gains a +2k0 bonus to their rolls. These effects last until the end of the event.If you are not the host of the event, you may still attempt to set the tone, but your Courtier (Manipulation) rolls is now a Contested Roll against the host. Also, whether you are the host or not, other guests at the event may opt to oppose your setting of tone by making Contested Rolls of Courtier (Manipulation) against you. For all such Contested Rolls, the character with the higher Status Rank gains a +1k0 bonus for every such Rank of Status. If you lose the Contested Roll, you are unable to set the tone for this event. However, if lower Status characters fail such a Contested Roll against you, they have committed a Minor Breach of Etiquette. Likewise, if you fail to overcome the host with this Technique, you have committed a Minor Breach of Etiquette.

Imperial Observer [Courtier] [S&F]

Observers are assigned by the Imperial Bureaucracy to oversee the honorable conduct of war. It is an Observer’s duty to monitor the strategies of each side, reporting both honorable and shameful activity back to the Imperial Court. (The Great Clans assign their own battlefield observers, of course, but only those with Imperial authority are empowered to deliver unquestioned reports to the Throne.) The Technique of the Observers is an Imperial secret and is taught in the Ruby Dojo (best known for training the Emerald Magistrates).

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesOtomo Courtier 4, Miya Courtier 4. Optionally, any Courtier 4 (see Special Note below)
  • RequirementsBattle 4 or Lore: War 4, Sincerity 4, Status Rank 3.0 or higher.
  • TechniquePierce the Fog of War - The Imperial Observer is trusted to deliver news of the battlefield to the Imperial Court. When reporting on the events or conduct of a war, you are considered to have the Sacrosanct Advantage. In your report you may choose to praise or damn a commander on either side. This is a Sincerity / Awareness Roll at a TN of 5 x the Glory Rank of the commander. With a success, you may increase or decrease that commander’s Glory by 1 Rank. By calling Raises on this roll, you may instead inflict or remove Infamy on the commander, at the rate of a half-Rank plus an additional half-Rank per Raise. No individual may be affected by this Technique more than once for each battle you report.Special Note: At the GM’s option, this Path may be made available to courtiers from the clans, provided they gain the sponsorship of the Imperial families.

Otomo Bureaucrat [Courtier]

The methods of the Imperial bureaucracy began in the time of Hantei Genji, but came to full flower in the years after the Reign of the Gozuku, when the Otomo family was tasked with obstructing and dividing the Great Clans, ensuring they would never again be able to subordinate the Emperor. Otomo bureaucrats specialize in delay, obfuscation, and subtle but persistent obstruction, using such indirect and seemingly passive methods to block and foil the goals of the Great Clans.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesOtomo Courtier 3
  • RequirementsEtiquette (Bureaucracy) 5
  • TechniqueImperial Scrutiny - Where a normal Otomo relies on the awesome power of Imperial authority to overawe his rivals, a Bureaucrat relies on the intricate and obscure complexities of the Imperial government to stymie and obstruct his opponents. Any time another samurai is trying to accomplish something in the courts (building an alliance, negotiating a treaty, making a trade deal, requesting a favor from the Throne, etc), you may employ the intricacies of the Imperial bureaucracy to delay him. This may take up to several hours to carry out, and is represented mechanically by a Contested Roll of Etiquette (Bureaucracy) / Willpower; if you spend a Void Point on this roll, you gain +2k2 instead of the usual +1k1. If you win the Contested Roll, the samurai cannot make any progress toward his goal for the next two weeks, no matter what he does.

Satoshi's Legacy [Bushi] [SE]

Miya Satoshi died in disgrace, but his effort to militarize the Miya family left a legacy of trained warriors who wished to continue serving their family and to cleanse the dishonor which Satoshi had brought on himself. Their warrior tradition is carried on by the Satoshi vassal family. Of course, GM’s may also use this Technique to represent the legacy of any Miya leader who tried to militarize his family.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesMiya Herald 4
  • RequirementsKenjutsu 5
  • TechniqueFire and Ice - The Satoshi vassal family teaches an aggressive fighting style derived from their founder’s training with the Matsu family. You may make attacks as Simple Actions when you are in the Full Attack stance.

Seppun Astrologers [Shugenja]

Astrology is very important to all of the Imperial families, with the Otomo employing it in court while the Seppun study it for its spiritual and divinatory purposes. The Seppun Astrologers watch the night skies constantly, seeking portents to better protect the Emperor and the Empire. Like the Kawaru Sages, the Seppun supplement their astrological knowledge whenever possible with divination magic (although they would be greatly insulted to be compared to the practitioners of kawaru).

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank4
  • ReplacesSeppun Shugenja 4
  • RequirementsDivination (Astrology) 4, Lore : Omens 5
  • TechniqueWisdom of the Heavens - The sage-priests of the Seppun Astrologers are capable of finding great wisdom in the alignments of the Celestial Heavens, and their recognition of previously unnoticed patterns can bring joy - or doom - to the mortal world. Once per month, you may clarify a person’s place in the great tapestry of fate and thereby confer one Spiritual Advantage or Spiritual Disadvantage on that person. (This is a ritual effect and cannot be performed during a skirmish.) This effect lasts for one month or until you use this Technique on a different person, whichever comes first. If you are attempting to confer a Disadvantage, you must also succeed at a Contested Void Roll against the target.

Seppun Hidden Guard [Shugenja] [SE]

Although all Seppun shugenja are tasked to help protect the Emperor and the Imperial City against magical and supernatural threats, but the elite order of the Hidden Guard receives special training for this purpose. The Hidden Guard are in charge of the direct magical and spiritual protection of the Emperor, his family, and the Imperial Palace. Many of them spend their entire lives doing nothing but endlessly watching, reinforcing, and maintaining the wards and other magical protections over their charges.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank3
  • ReplacesSeppun Shugenja 3
  • RequirementsMust be chosen for service in the Hidden Guard
  • TechniqueHarmony in All - The Hidden Guard are tasked with warding and protecting the Emperor, the Imperial family, and their possessions and holdings. You gain a Free Raise with all spells that have the Wards or Defense properties.

The Rising Sun [Bushi] [S&F]

After the Unicorn Clan’s return, the Seppun family began aggressively training cavalry forces of its own. Only the most elite members of the already legendary Imperial military are allowed to seek admission to the unit known as the Rising Sun. These men and women receive endless training from the finest mounted combatants to be found in the rest of the Empire - making them masters of tactics the Great Clans do not share with one another. While the Unicorn are the undisputed masters of cavalry warfare, even they hold the Rising Sun legion in extremely high regard.

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank5
  • ReplacesSeppun Guardsman 5 (with the GM’s permission, any bushi Basic School 5 if the character is enrolled in the Imperial Legions)
  • RequirementsStrength 4, Horsemanship 5, Spears 5
  • TechniqueThe Storm of Heaven’s Wrath - The bushi of the Rising Sun are trained in the true mastery of cavalry tactics and call on their devotion to their Imperial duty to make them a terrifying force on the battlefield. While you are mounted and in the Attack Stance, you may add your Honor Rank to your Armor TN and may spend a Void Point to add half your Honor Rank (rounded up) in kept dice to your attack roll.

Hachi Courtier School [Courtier]

Although it was difficult to realize at times, the Hachi were truly passionate about the arts. They saw the ability to create deeper meaning out of mundane means as the greatest skill of mankind, akin to magic and a gift from the Fortunes. But this also meant they hated to see mediocrity, considering it an offense to the Kami and a stain on one’s honor. As such, the Hachi became merciless courtiers, travelling the courts of Rokugan to dispense their judgments, like magistrates of the fine arts. This gave them significant political clout which, true to their Crane heritage, they never hesitated to use to solidify their position in the Empire.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Sting of the Bee

    The first thing a Bee samurai learn is how to properly criticize art, finding the smallest of flaws in any work. Rare is the samurai who can measure up to their standards, but for those their reputation is assured. You gain a +2k0 bonus to all Games: Sadane rolls, and to any Artisan or Perform rolls made to appraise the quality of somebody else’s work. If the work of art or performance you’re reviewing was made with at least as many raises as your school rank, the artisan or performer gains an amount of glory points equal to your school rank if you publicly praise them.

  • Rank Two: Colors of the Season

    The Bee know that fashion follows cycles not unlike those found in nature, and choose their outfits accordingly, subtly enhancing their social talents. Before attending court, you can make a Lore: Fashion/Intelligence roll at TN 15 to select your outfit. If successful, you gain a +2k0 to rolls using a specific emphasis of the Courtier or Etiquette skills (ex: all Courtier (Manipulation) rolls, or all Etiquette (Conversation) rolls) for the duration of the day. You can roll again for a new outfit the following day, but must choose the same bonus unless you successfully make two raises on your roll. The GM is free to disallow usage of this technique if your supply of clothing is somehow limited, but the ones included in the school’s starting outfit are considered enough for the purposes of using this technique.

  • Rank Three: the Words of my Sisters

    Members of the Hachi Family are a tightly knit group, and although their activities often cause them to be separated they kept contact through extended correspondence. Using the flowery language of the arts, the Bee were able to communicate information to one another, hidden even to those who might read their letters. By writing a letter and succeeding at a Calligraphy/Intelligence TN 20 roll, the Hachi Courtier can request information from another member of the Family. The letter cannot be fully understood by anyone who doesn’t have access to this technique - the metaphors used are unique to the Bee Clan. The information usually pertains to the arts and fashion, such as upcoming new trends, the rise and decline of specific artists, or the location of performer groups. The information can take from one to four weeks to come, but once obtained can provide a +3k0 onetime bonus on a roll related to it, such as reviewing a piece of art related to the new trend or obtaining favors through showcasing a popular artist.

  • Rank Four: Shatter the Ego

    At this rank, the Hachi courtier learns how to completely destroy the confidence of a samurai based on his works or representation. By succeeding at a roll of the appropriate artisan or performance skill/Awareness, at a TN equal to the roll used to create the work or performance, the Hachi Courtier can spend a Void point to activate this technique. Verbally pointing out the flaws of the performance or work, and through it of the performer or artisan, causes him to suffer from a -2k0 penalty on all further social skill rolls the same day, and prevents him from spending Void points on social skill rolls.

  • Rank Five: Beyond the Veil

    The most senior members of the Bee Clan look for those rare displays of artistic skill which can be considered perfect. For those so attuned to the deeper meaning of the arts, such a sight can be akin to a temporary moment of enlightenment, allowing them to see everything around them more clearly. Upon witnessing a work of art or performance accomplished with at least 5 raises, the Hachi Courtier can roll the appropriate artisan or performance skill/Void, at a TN of 25. If successful the Courtier recovers all spent Void points, and gains three extra Void points on top of his maximum.Those three Void points disappear if not used by the end of the day, and this technique cannot be used more than once a day.

Hotaru Bushi School [Bushi]

The techniques of the Hotaru bushi school were in large part shaped by Hotaru Oshio, Hotaru Jainu’s first yoriki. A ronin who had studied the blade for his whole life, Oshio relished the opportunity to formalize his style and teach it to a new generation as part of a Minor Clan. Oshio had a similar temper to the Clan founder’s, and preferred observation to rushed attacks. His techniques focused on studying the enemy’s style, and adapting to it, only striking when the time was right. Although not as aggressive as other Schools, the Firefly style of fighting served the Clan well in their various duties. Jainu also contributed to the School whenever he could, and it shows some influence from the Shinjo bushi school, including horseback combat.

Techniques
  • Rank One: the Firefly’s Light

    The first lesson of the Firefly bushi school teaches how to assess an opponent before the fight has even begun, gaining an advantage just by picking up on subtle clues. At the beginning of the fight and before initiative is rolled, you may roll Investigation/Awareness opposed by the opponent’s weapon skill/relevant trait. If successful, you may add your Investigation Skill to your Armor TN, to a maximum of Twice your School Rank.

  • Rank Two: Firefly in Flight

    Once the fight has begun, a Hotaru bushi makes subtle corrections to his own moves, making it even harder for his opponent to land a decisive blow. You gain +2k0 to all your Defense rolls, and add +2 to your Armor TN when adopting the Defense stance.

  • Rank Three: Prepared for the Night

    A Firefly bushi knows that the difference between being off-duty and on -duty is just an illusion for the truly honorable. They are always ready to strike, in any situation. Every day, you receive a number of Free Raises equal to your School Rank. They can be used on any School Skill rolls, but never more than one at a time. The raises refresh after a night of sleep.

  • Rank Four: the Strength of Duty

    Assured of his place in the Empire, the Firefly bushi’s strikes show no hesitation. You may attack as a Simple Action when using a samurai weapon or bow, including from horseback.

  • Rank Five: Twilight Strike

    Having perfecting the art of studying his opponent, the Firefly bushi is able to defend and strike in a single move. Immediately after an enemy fails to hit you while you are on the Full Defense Stance, you can spend a Void point to activate this technique. You can immediately attack this opponent, ignoring the restrictions of the Full Defense stance, with a +2k0 bonus on both the attack and the damage roll.

Kujaku Bushi School [Bushi]

Techniques
  • Rank One: Vow of the Peacock

    The Kujaku are known for their honorable stewardship of the regal birds whose name they bear. When performing the Guard Maneuver you may add your School Rank plus one to the Armor TN of your target, in addition to the normal benefits of the maneuver. Additionally, you have learned that a seductive glance can be just as effective as a swift sword, and gain a +1k0 bonus on your Temptation(Seduction) rolls.

  • Rank Two: Gaze of a Thousand Eyes

    Like the watchful and weary peacock, nothing can get by your gaze. When you assume the Center Stance, you gain a bonus to your Iaijutsu (Assessment) Roll equal to your Animal Handling Skill Rank. You also gain a +1k0 bonus on all rolls to detect ambushes or other unseen opponents.

  • Rank Three: The Heavenly Array

    The spirit of the peacock flows through you, giving you influence similar to that of a male peacock over its harem. When using the Guard Maneuver, you may extend the benefits of the maneuver to a number of targets equal to your Air Ring. Furthermore, you have come to understand that the ways of the peacock are beautiful and glorious, and not something to be looked down upon. You no longer lose honor from using the Temptation (Seduction) skill.

  • Rank Four: An Impressive Display

    Mimicking the graceful speed and deadliness of an enraged mother peahen, you may now make melee attacks with bladed weapons as a Simple Action.

  • Rank Five: Wrath of the Golden Peacock

    At the pinnacle of your training, you realize that the peacock is not just an animal of extraordinary beauty, but that it is also a creature of extreme wisdom and cunning. During the Focus segment of a duel, you gain a Free Raise on your Iaijutsu (Focus) roll for every rank you possess in the Animal Handling skill. In addition, if neither you nor your opponent beats the other's Iaijutsu (Focus) roll by at least 5, you may still make the first strike in the Strike segment of the duel.

Peacock Provocateur [Courtier]

While many see being assigned as a tender of the Emperor’s favored menagerie as a sign that one has clearly displeased a superior of great influence, many of those who ‘earn’ such a promotion have taken to it with all the devotion and duty that such an important role requires. A small number of them have even managed to learn something from studying such proud and self-important animals.

Requirements:
Techniques
  • Rank One: Deeds of the Peacock

    Those who are fortunate enough to earn a place in this highly selective group have learned to wield the power of their position in conjunction with the disregard most of the Empire pays their deeds. If during a contested social roll, your Status is higher than your opponent and your Glory is lower than your opponent, add twice your rank in Animal Handling to the result of your roll.

  • Rank Two: Grace of the Peafowl

    The Peacock is known for its awesome strut and magnificent plumage which it uses to both frighten off enemies and attract mates. You must spend a Void Point to activate this ability. For every consecutive round in which you both move and speak, you gain a cumulative +1k0 to all Intimidation and Temptation rolls to a maximum of +5k0. While this ability is active Intimidation and Temptation do not count as low skills for you.

  • Rank Three: Call of the Golden Peacock

    Once per session you may ‘recommend’ another samurai, with lower status than yours, for service in this most exclusive of positions, they immediately gain a number of status points equal to the difference in status ranks between you. However they also lose 1 full rank of Glory for every point of status they gain as the mere mention of their name in such circles causes others to think that they have fallen into disfavor. This cannot reduce their Glory below their Insight Rank.

Karasu Bushi School [Bushi]

Techniques
  • Rank One: Winds of War

    A young Karasu bushi learns that there are many ways to wage war, but like many things in life they are an illusion, and are in fact all one. You gain +1k0 to all your attack rolls, regardless of what weapon you are using. This also applies to unarmed and ranged attacks.

  • Rank Two: Never Without an Edge

    Samurai are warriors, and as such cannot afford to be defenseless at any time. The Raven learns to always be on guard, and to strike hard once the fight begins. You gain +2k0 to all rolls to avoid being surprised. Furthermore, you can add +2k0 to your first damage roll in each fight, regardless of what weapon you are using, or even if unarmed or using improvised or ranged weapons.

  • Rank Three: The Raven’s Wings

    At this point the Raven begins to better understand how all moves flow into a single one, and is able to attack his enemies from many directions at once. You can attack as a simple action when using one of your school skills, including kyujutsu and jiujutsu.

  • Rank Four: The Fortunes’ Blessing

    While mercenaries, the Raven believe they are doing their duty by waging wars for the other Clans in service to the Empire. This faith carries them through many battles, enabling them to push themselves further than other samurai would. You can reduce all your wound penalties by an amount equal to your Lore: Theology skill rank.

  • Rank Five: No More Light

    This dangerous and cruel technique has been said to have been told to Karasu himself by a monk, who had abandoned the blade after using it only once. It allows a Raven samurai to slice at his opponent’s eyes, causing blindness and excruciating pain. To activate it, the Karasu bushi must first spend a Void point, and then succeed on an attack roll with three raises. If successful, the target is blinded for the reminder of the combat.

    Additionally, unless the target succeeds at a TN 20 Willpower they are unable to fight, and are considered to be at the Down wound rank until they receive some help. With five raises, instead of three, the target permanently acquires the Blind disadvantage, and the TN of the Willpower to remain standing is now TN30. At the GM’s discretion, usage of this technique can cause an honor loss if inappropriate, such as in a first blood duel or against an unarmed target. It can only be attempted once per day, whether successful or not.

Hitokage Shugenja School [Shugenja]

When he started to organize his Clan, Hitokage refused to adopt the traditional model which other shugenja school employ. Instead of focusing on one area of magic or a specific element, Hitokage encourage his students to diversify themselves, and to learn the basics of all elements. Without the resources of the Phoenix Clan, this proved difficult, but Hitokage eventually found a balanced approach.

With great effort, this allowed the Salamander to emulate some of the powers of the Void shugenja, although it still wasn’t true Void magic.

  • Benefit+1Perception
  • SkillsCalligraphy (Clan Cipher), Etiquette, Lore: elements, Lore: theology, Spellcraft (Spell Research), Sailing, any one skill.
  • Honor5.50
  • OutfitSturdy Clothing, Travelling Pack, Wakizashi, Calligraphy Set, 3 Koku
  • Affinity/DeficiencyNone/none
  • TechniqueOne Way Through Many Paths - The Hitokage embraces all forms of magic, giving him an unparalleled variety of abilities. You gain one Void spell with each rank, but you cannot cast it as a Void spell. To cast it, you need to spend one spell slot from each one of two opposed elements (one Fire slot and one Water slot, one Earth slot and one Air slot, or two Void slots) and roll your lowest Ring/Rank. You cannot learn any other Void spells than the ones learned through this technique (unless you possess the Ishiken-do advantage) and they are not considered Void magic, but simple elemental spells of your lowest Ring (you can pick in case you have more than one Ring at the same, lowest level).
  • SpellsSense, Commune, Summon, any six non-Void spells (and at least one from each non-Void element)

Jirozame Bushi School [Bushi]

While his origins remained a mystery for all, Jirozame seemed to have received extensive training in both Kenjutsu and Iaijutsu, and passed those talents on to his followers. The original Jirozame samurai were often talented warriors themselves, and honed their skills by "raiding" villages outside their own territory, somewhat like legitimized bandits. Those samurai brave enough to face them found the Shark to be obsessed with the demise of their opponents, with no concerns for their own safety. While skilled with the katana and in duels, the Jirozame particularly enjoyed using the nodachi, for sheer power and intimidation potential.

Techniques
  • Rank One: The Shark's Teeth

    While many schools cover topics such as first blood dueling and how to disable an opponent without wounding him, the Jirozame Family consider these a waste of time, seeing the kill as the ultimate goal of any warrior. You add twice your School Rank to all damage rolls made with a sword.

  • Rank Two: Eyes Of the Predator

    In the wild many animals are paralyzed when faced with a clearly superior predator, and the Shark bring this attitude to the fight, purging all emotion from their mind to establish superiority. Before initiative is rolled (or before the Assessment roll in a iaijutsu duel) you can make an Intimidation/Awareness roll, contested by your opponent’s Honor/Willpower. If successful, you can add +5 to your Initiative roll, or to your Focus roll in a iaijutsu duel.

  • Rank Three: Blood Follows

    The Jirozame bushi knows that each blows only calls for another, and another, and so on until he or his opponent is no more. You may make attacks as a Simple Actions while using a sword.

  • Rank Four: The Shark’s Bite

    Once a shark holds its prey in its jaws, the fight is almost over, for it will not relent after having tasted blood. If you have wounded an opponent in the current fight already, you gain +3k0 to all further attack rolls against him. This technique only applies to one opponent at a time, which you must pick at the beginning of your turn.

  • Rank Five: Death Comes

    The Jirozame’s disdain for life extends both to themselves and their enemies. Those who fully embrace their philosophy are capable of launching near suicidal assaults, almost always resulting in death - of one fighter or the other. You can activate this technique before initiative is rolled for a fight, and before using your rank 2 technique. You must spend a Void point and adopt the Full Attack Stance to do so.

    Once activated, the technique grants you +10 on your initiative roll, the regular +2k1 bonus to Attack Rolls from the Full Attack Stance, and a +2k1 bonus on all damage rolls for the first round. However, your armor TN is reduced to 5 for the entire first round of the fight. This technique cannot be used in an iaijutsu duel.

Tanuki Bushi School [Bushi]

The majority of samurai thought the Tanuki were somewhere between lunatics and buffoons, pointing to their large consumption of alcohol and odd superstitions, such as never going outside without wearing a broad straw hat, or bowing to the tanuki effigies at the entrance of their home when coming in. A small minority thought their explorations were bearing fruit though, and found the Shinomen Forest to be a somewhat safer place in their presence. The Tanuki never seemed to care much for any opinion, preferring their forest expeditions to discover more about the spirits hiding there, and the parties they held after such trips. To protect themselves, they developed an odd fighting style, which didn’t attract much praise from other bushi Family. Still, the Clan thrived in a dangerous environment, so they must have done at least one thing correctly... or been extremely lucky.

Techniques
  • Rank One: Dance of the Tanuki

    The Tanuki’s movements may seem odd to an observer, but still have the same aim as any warrior’s: landing blows on the target. Once per day, after an attack roll (but before re-rolling any dice because of any emphasis), you may turn a single die which rolled a one into a ten, which doesn’t explode.

  • Rank Two: Sacred Beverage

    A real Tanuki samurai is rarely seen without his trusty sake jug in hand, and seems to be constantly sipping from it, even before a fight. Yet this never seems to play against the Tanuki in combat. You suffer no penalty for inebriation in combat. Furthermore, if you’ve had at least one cup’s worth of sake in the thirty minutes preceding the fight, you may add +3 to your Armor TN.

  • Rank Three: Swing, Swing, Swing

    Missing is not something which bothers a Tanuki samurai, he just keeps attacking, regardless of the circumstances. You may attack as a Simple Action when using a samurai weapon or a chain weapon.

  • Rank Four: More then One Shape

    The Tanuki laugh when they see samurai practicing rigid kata, or speaking of specigic stance. For them, just because one stands and moves one way, doesn't mean the same thing will happen each time. If your Stance this turn is different from your Stance the previous turn, you may add +3k0 to any skill roll this turn. This technique cannot be used on the first turn of a fight.

  • Rank Five: Part of Both Worlds

    At this rank, the Tanuki Bushi is fully aware that the mortal world is only part of reality, and even a simple human may slip out of it, if only for a moment. Once per day, after a successful attack against you but before damage is rolled, you may spend a Void point to activate this technique. You lose all your remaining Void points, but the attack is now considered to have missed, and you suffer no damage or effects from it. To outsiders, this looks like a last moment fluke, but the Tanuki believe they momentarily pass into the spirit world when this happens - up to the GM to decide whether this is true or not.

Tanuki Sake Master [Bushi, Monk]

  • Benefit+1Void
  • SkillsAthletics, Defense, Jiujutsu, Meditation (Void Recovery), Staves (Bo), Tea Ceremony (Sake), any one High or Merchant Skill
  • Honor2.50
  • TechniqueJust One More Drink - Whenever your character becomes intoxicated by sake, you may double the mechanical effects of spending a Void Point (if applicable). This ability can be used a number of times per session equal to your School Rank. Also, your character can perform the Tea Ceremony with sake. If your character is intoxicated while performing the tea ceremony, participants regain an extra Void Point. You also begin the game knowing two Kiho. You must meet all prerequisites in order to use these Kiho. You may purchase additional Kiho normally as per the rules for a Brotherhood of Shinsei monk. You may also perform Martial Kiho (including Atemi), while using a Bo Staff.

Blue Tanuki's Brand Ambassador [Courtier]

Requirements:
  • Technique Rank2 or 4
  • ReplacesAny Tanuki school rank from 2 to 4 of your choice. (Ronin Sake lovers have been known to swear fealty into the Tanuki clan. Those may access this Technique provided that they find a suitable teacher who is sober enough to teach them.)
  • RequirementsCraft: Brewing 3, Temptation 3
  • TechniqueOne More for the Road - You may use the Temptation skill to entice someone else into entering a drinking contest. While doing so, Temptation is not considered a Low Skill for you. This is a contested roll of your Awareness / Temptation against their Awareness / Etiquette (Courtesy). By spending an Void point, you may immediately roll the same against another bystander, who will join the drinking contest as well, to a maximum number of participants equal to your School rank +1 (not including yourself). All participants who fail to resist must have as many drinks as you do, or a number of drinks equal to your Void Ring, whichever is higher. Those who beat your contested roll may chose to decline, but if there are witnesses, they lose 2 points of Glory.Needless to say that if this happens in your establishment, the victims need to pay for their drinks (business is business). Failing to do so may incur an Obligation to you, at the GM's discretion.