Schools

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.