Monk

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.