L5R 1st Edition Player's Compendium

Player’s Compendium
First Edition
This book is not intended to replace the Legend of the Five Rings
books.
Game mechanic information has been, for the most part, excluded
from this resource, as this will require those using this book to
purchase the original source materials.
This is a compilation of the player’s materials such as: families,

advantages, disadvantages, tables, schools, and spells, so that players
are not required to memorize which sources contained which
specific materials, and to lessen the burden of switching between the
various sourcebooks.
The material listed is used without permission and no copyright

violation is intended.
2
Table of Contents
Character Creation 4 Skills 157
Character Advancement 6 High Skills 157
Families 7 Bugei Skills 167
Ronin Characters 9 Merchant Skills 172
Advantages 11 Low Skills 174
Disadvantages 25 Equipment 177
Ancestors 38 Basic Equipment 177
Heritage and Fortune Tables 56 Armor 178
Crab 56 Weapons 183
Crane 59 Ninjutsu & Poison 191
Dragon 62 Special Materials 197
Lion 64 Alchemy & Elixirs 198
Phoenix 68 Gaijin Gear 201
Scorpion 72 Animals 203
Unicorn 75 Spells 211
Ronin & Minor Clans 78 Kuwasu: Ward & Tejina 211
Kolat & Conspiracy 80 Basic & Purification 211
Schools and Katas 83 Air 213
Crab 83 Earth 223
Crane 90 Fire 230
Dragon 105 Water 235
Lion 112 Void 243
Phoenix 119 Maho 247
Scorpion & Shadow Brands 126 Kiho (Monk Abilities) 252
Unicorn 133 Appendix I: Naga 261
Imperial 139 Appendix II: Ratling 285
Minor Clans 145 Appendix III: Character Sheets 335
Ronin 153 Index 343
Monk Temples 154
Katas, Basic 155
3
Character Creation
All clan information reprinted w/out permission from the main source book and supplements
to the L5R RPG (1st edition, now out of print)
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/generation.php
Legend of the Five Rings Character Generation

This guide to creating an L5R character assumes that the person wishing to do so has some conception of what a
roleplaying game is, as well as a character concept. Remember that a character is more than stats and advantages.
Numbers don't make the character; you make the character.
Step One: Choose a Clan

The currently possible clans to choose from can be found either in the L5R RPG, or back at the Clans section. Each Clan
choice confers upon the character a different worldview and choice of family benefits and schools to attend. Also
possible is the choice of playing a ronin, a character with no clan. For rules on creating a ronin character, please refer to
my reprinting of The Process for Generating a Ronin Character.
Step Two: Choose a Family

The currently possible families to choose from can be found either in the L5R RPG, the Way of the ... Sourcebooks, back
at the Families section. Each family within a clan confers a different trait bonus at character generation, so choosing a
family has a great initial effect on your character. Choose carefully, and please refer to the appropriate Way of the ...
Sourcebook to examine the history of each family and how that should play into your character.
Step Three: Choose a School

Unless you decide to take the Different School Advantage, your character must attend one of his Clan's Schools, though
not necessarily his own family's one. It's possible for a character who is an Agasha (a shugenja family within the
Dragon) to attend the Mirumoto Bushi School with intent to be a warrior, but the player should have a good reason as to
why the character abandoned his family's traditional magical training. The School your character attends should be
chosen with care, for only with the Multiple Schools Advantage can you change your School at a later time, so your
character's possible Techniques and special abilities are defined at the outset, as well as what Skills they are going to get
free. If choosing to make a shugenja character, your School choices may be a bit more limited, but still should be
examined carefully. Most Clans have at least two different types of shugenja Schools. For the possible schools identified
by Clan, refer to The Way of ... Sourcebooks, or the Schools section.
Fire Ring: 2 Air Ring: 2
Step Four: Customize
It's at this point that your character gets interesting. You should have already received Agility: 2 Reflexes: 2
two different Trait bonuses for your family and you’re School, as well as a list of Intelligence: 2 Awareness: 2
initial skills. Now you get to completely customize your character. To start with, a Earth Ring: 2 Water Ring: 2
player should be aware that their character begins with all Traits at 2, initial skills and Stamina: 2 Strength: 2
Honor defined by their school, and a Glory of 1. So an unbegun character's sheet Willpower: 2 Perception: 2
would look something similar to this: Void Ring: 2
Honor: x and x boxes
A newly begun character starts with 25 Character Points to customize their character. Glory: 1 and 0 boxes
These points can be spent on Advantages, Skills, Ancestors, raising Traits, Honor, or
Glory, rolls on the Heritage Tables (which I don't intend to ever make available here,
sorry), and your points to spend can be increased by taking Disadvantages. A breakdown on point costs of different
customizations at character generation follows:
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Raising a Trait -8 points
At character generation, a character may not increase a Trait by more than two. Additionally, a
beginning character may not have any Trait above 4.
Raising a Skill -1 point per level
At character generation, a character may not increase a skill by more than two (i.e. if a skill was
conferred by a character's School at level 1, it may not be increased to more than 3, and a skill not
given by School may not be raised to more than 2). If a character starts with a skill at level 1, it
only costs two points to raise it to 3.
Raising the Void -12 points
Ring As explained later in the discussion of Insight, Void is the only Ring that acts as a Trait. The
Void Ring, similar to Traits, may not be increased by more than 2 at character generation.
Raising/Lowering -3/+2 points
Honor Ranks Honor may only be raised or lowered by one Rank at character generation. For a more in-depth
discussion of what different Honor ranks mean for your character, please refer to the L5R RPG,
but suffice to say that an Honor of 2 is a fairly standard one.
Raising Glory Ranks -5 points
Be prepared to explain why your character is so famous if you raise your starting Glory.
Advantages - a number of points dependent upon the particular Advantages chosen
Disadvantages >+ a number of points dependent upon the particular Disadvantages chosen
There is a 10-point limit to Disadvantages
Ancestors >+ or - a number of points dependent upon the Ancestor chosen
Generally, you may only purchase an Ancestor that is from your Clan. If you want another Clan's
Ancestor, be prepared to back it up with exactly why you are related closely enough to the other
Clan to have a kharmic tie with one of their Ancestors.
For reference, skills contribute to the number of dice rolled, and Traits contribute to the number of dice kept. For
instance, a character with an Investigation of 3 and a Perception of 2 would roll 5 dice and keep 2 when examining a
crime scene. Avoid the temptation of putting all your points into Traits. While keeping dice is good, the more dice to
pick and choose from, the better.
Step Five: Calculate Insight Insight Rank

Insight determines what Rank your character is, and thus what Techniques within their School they 0-150 1
are capable of using. To calculate your initial Insight, first look at your Rings. Your Rings are equal 151-175 2
to the lower of the two Traits associated with them (i.e., if your Agility is 5 and your Intelligence is
176-200 3
2, your Fire Ring is 2), with the exception of the Void Ring. Add up all your Rings, and multiply by
10. Then add up all your Skills (a level 1 Skill counts for 1, a level 3 for 3), and add it to the number 201-225 4
you obtained before. This is your Insight, and will change as your character gains Experience Points 226-250 5
and you increase your Traits and skills during play.
Step Six: Calculate Wounds

Look at your Earth Ring. Multiply it by 2, and that is your number of wounds per Wound Level. Wound Levels go from
0 to -4, referring to how many dice you lose at that amount of damage, to Down, to Out, to Dead. Usually, a starting
character will have an Earth Ring of 2, leading to Wound Levels of 4, meaning a total of 32 Wounds. Don't take more
than that. That's when you die.
Congratulations! You have an L5R character!
5
Character Advancement
Experience Points
Everyone gets better at what they do through practice and experience. Your character is no different. At the end of each
session, the GM will award your character a number of “Experience Points” These points can be used to increase your
character’s Traits.
Raising Skills:
It costs 1 Experience Point to learn a new skill at Rank 1.
To raise a skill, you must spend a number of EPs equal to the Rank you are raising your Skill to.
Raise Traits or Void:

To raise a Trait or your Void Ring, you must spend a number of EPs equal to five times the Rank you are raising your
Trait to.
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Clans, Families, and Ronin
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/clans.php
Crab Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Hida Hiruma Kaiu Kuni Yasuki *
+1 Strength +1 Stamina +1 Perception +1 Intelligence +1 Awareness
Crane Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Asahina Diadoji Doji Kakita
+1 Perception +1 Strength +1 Awareness +1 Agility
Dragon Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Agasha Kitsuki Mirumoto Togashi Hitomi Į
+1 Awareness +1 Perception +1 any Trait +1 Agility +1 Void
Lion Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Akodo Ikoma Kitsu Matsu
+1 Perception +1 Intelligence +1 Intelligence +1 Strength
Phoenix Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Asako Isawa Shiba
+1 Perception +1 Awareness +1 Intelligence
Scorpion Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Bayushi Shosuro Soshi Yogo †
+1 Agility +1 Awareness +1 Perception +1 Willpower
Unicorn Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Ide Iuchi Moto † Otaku Shinjo
+1 Perception +1 Awareness +1 Void +1 Agility +1 Reflexes
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Imperial: Families & Trait Advantages
Miya Otomo Seppun
+1 Intelligence +1 any Trait +1 Willpower
Minor Clans: Families & Trait Advantages

Badger Centipede Dragonfly Falcon ‡ Fox
Ichiro Moshi Tonbo Toritaka Kitsuke
+1 Strength +1 Intelligence +1 Perception +1 Willpower
Mantis Sparrow Tortoise Wasp

Yoritomo Į Suzume
+1 Strength +1 Awareness
Destroyed Minor Clans: Families & Trait Advantages
Boar Hare Snake
Heichi Usagi Chuda
+1 Reflexes
Notes:
* : All Yasuki, regardless of their school, start with an additional 2 koku from the family coffers.
† : The Moto and Yogo families automatically receive their family curses: The Moto Curse and The Yogo Curse. All
Scorpion must roll randomly to see if they receive the Yogo Curse.
‡ : While the Toritaka family doesn't get an actual family bonus because they are not officially recognized by the
Emperor, they do get bonus abilities at high Awareness. See the Falcon School for more information
Į : These families do not officially exist until after the end of the Clan Wars (2nd Ed.) Hitomi family may only
become Isa Zumi;
Italics: Indicates that the family are the descendants of the clan’s kami
Bold: Indicates that the family is the head/ruler of the clan (The Dragon have an unusual situation in that Togashi
officially controls the clan, but as a hermit, all actual decisions are usually left to the Mirumoto – who would
never act against Togashi instructions if they were ever given)
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Ronin: Character Creation Options
Legend of the Five Rings Ronin Generation

Reprinted w/out permission from the main source book, L5R RPG
Ronin ("wave men") are samurai who, for one reason or another, have no family and no Clan, and so they have no
family name. Ronin are considered to be just above non-warrior samurai in the Celestial Order. The most common
reason for a samurai to become ronin involves losing a Lord. Either in a battle or by an assassin's blade, men and
women who have lost their lord are in disgrace because they were unable to give up their lives for his. They wander
the countryside looking for the one who stole their honor. Ronin have the advantage that they have no lord or honor
to answer to, but will find great difficulty in finding a teacher. Few wish to stain their family honor by teaching their
family's art to a fallen man.
As far as these basic rules are concerned, there are two types of ronin characters. The first is called a "Clan Ronin."
This is a character who once belonged to one of the Great Clans, but has lost favor with his Lord. The second kind of
ronin is called a "True Ronin." True Ronin have never had a Clan.
Process for Generating a Ronin Character
First, you must decide if you want to be a Clan ronin, or a "True" ronin.
Clan Ronin:
 Create a character from one of the Great Clans.
 Then, take the Social Disadvantage: Ronin disadvantage.
 Clan Ronin gain the Rank 1 Technique, but may not gain further Ranks in their School. They must seek out
other Schools to gain further Ranks.
True Ronin:
 True Ronin receive no Clan or Family benefits.
 They must take the Social Disadvantage: Ronin disadvantage.
 Instead of 25 Character Points with which to customize their character, True Ronin receive 45.
 True Ronin may still only raise a Trait or skill by 2 Ranks with Character Points.
 True Ronin shugenja start with Sense, Commune, and Summon, plus any seven other spells with Mastery
Level less than or equal to their Ring Rank plus one.
 Ronin begin with Hunting, and any six skills. Ronin may also use Low skills without losing Honor.
 True Ronin beginning Honor: 2, plus 5 boxes.
Outfits: use the following or roll on the Ronin Equipment Table
Clan Ronin True Ronin True Ronin Shugenja
Clan Ronin take the (All considered to be average quality; two items of (All considered to be average quality)
outfit of their Clan. poor quality) tanto, wakizashi, kimono, scroll
arrows (10 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, light satchel, traveling pack, 3 koku
armor, kimono, traveling pack, 10 bu
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Ronin Equipment Table: Reprinted without permission
from Way of the Wolf 104-105
1-2 Very Poor Outfit – All Items Poor Quality
Bushi: Kimono, Traveling Pack, Katana or
Light Armor, no koku
Shugenja: Kimono, Scroll Satchel, Wakizashi,
no koku
3-4 Poor Outfit – All Items Poor Quality, 2 items of
Average Quality
Bushi: Kimono, traveling pack, katana, Light
Armor, 1 koku
Shugenja: Kimono, Traveling Pack, Scroll
Satchel, Wakizashi, 1 koku
5-8 Average Outfit
Bushi: Kimono, Traveling Pack, Katana,
Wakizashi, Yumi, 10 Arrows, Light Armor, 2
koku (All Items Average Quality, 2 items of
Poor Quality)
Satchel, Wakizashi, Tanto, 3 koku (All Items
Average Quality)
9 Wealthy Outfit – All Items Average Quality
Bushi: Katana, Wakizashi, Yumi, 20 Arrows,
Light Armor, Helm, Traveling Pack, Kimono,
any 1 weapon, 4 koku
Satchel, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, medical kit,
5 koku
10 Very Wealthy Outfit – All items are considered
Average Quality, 1 item fine Quality
Bushi: Katana, Wakizashi, Bow, 20 Arrows,
Light or Heavy Armor, Traveling Pack,
Kimono, any 1 weapon, Steed, 6 koku
Shugenja: Katana, Wakizashi, Traveling Pack,
Kimono, Scroll Satchel, Tanto, medical kit, 4
scrolls (blank), Steed, 6 koku
10
Character Options: Advantages
All advantages reprinted w/out permission from the main source book and supplements to
the L5R RPG (1st edition, now out of print)
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/advantages.php
A Heart of Vengeance (Way of Scorpion) Restrictions: - 3 points

Pick a clan, any clan (should be a Great Clan). For some reason or another, members of that clan will always draw
your wrath. Whenever you are using any skill against a member of that clan, you always keep an additional die
Absolute Direction (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 1 points

This character never gets lost. He adds two dice to any rolls involving direction, mapping, or finding his way out of a
Shadowlands crypt
Allies (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 or 4 points

You are connected. For every 2 points you spend on Allies, you can gain a single Minor Ally, and for every 4 you can
gain a Major Ally.
Minor Ally Minor Allies are folks you can get you legal things like food, shelter and perhaps a small amount of
(2 points) money.
Major Ally A Major Ally can get you things that are slightly less easy to acquire - like fake travel papers, audience
(4 points) with a daimyo or a quick midnight ride out of the Province
Ambidextrous (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

This character may use both hands without penalty. Any character who does not invest in Ambidexterity rolls two
fewer dice when using his off-hand.
Balance (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 4 points

You have the ability to remain neutral - even level-headed - regardless of your inner emotional state. You ignore any
comments designed to taunt you or make you react. In game terms, this means you ignore any modifiers to your
Honor roll. Also, during Iaijutsu duels, you may raise a number of times up to your Void + 2. Matsu characters may
not purchase this advantage
Benten’s Blessing (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (2 points for Crane) 3 points

People are attracted to you. It may be your looks or your charm, or it may be both. You just have that certain
"something." Whenever you make a roll involving persuasion, keep an additional die (two if they are attracted to you
already).
Blackmail (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - Victim’s Glory in points

You have a bit of information, or evidence, that you can hold over someone's head. Because of this information, you
can gain advantages over the guilty party. The cost of this advantage is equal to the Glory Rank of the individual. This
advantage costs one point less than usual for Scorpion Clan characters. Keep in mind that no one likes to be
blackmailed...
Bland (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 2 points

Characters who bland by nature tend to be unassuming, quiet folk with average build and features. Because they are
not striking in any way, it is easy to forget their name and appearance. They have no real distinguishing features, and
many people simply look away when they pass nearby. Being bland is both an advantage and a disadvantage;
someone who is bland has a greater chance of being ignored when disguised or not wishing to be noticed, but they
also have a smaller chance of being noticed for recognition or award by their daimyo
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Blissful Betrothal (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 3 points
Your character is betrothed, and couldn't be happier about it. Maybe your spouse is rich or well-connected, or maybe
you're just lucky enough to have found true love. For one reason or another, the marriage works to benefit of both
sides. You gain a significant political connection to your betrothed's family, and may purchase one of the following
Advantages for two points less: Gentry, Wealth, Social Position, Ear of the Emperor, True Friend (with your betrothed
only), or Kharmic Tie (with your betrothed only). Note that you do not receive either of these benefits until after the
wedding ceremony, which will take place within one year. Of course, such a wonderful match doesn't come without
its drawbacks. You'll have to see to your spouse's welfare, and disgruntled suitors may eye your happy new home with
jealousy. Be on your guard
Blood of Osono-Wo (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 3 points

You are a descendent of the great Osano-Wo, the Crab warrior whose stamina and battle fury rivaled that of the
elements themselves. His blood has rendered you, resistant to cold, heat, and extremes of temperature. You cannot be
harmed by any naturally occurring weather-related phenomena and always succeed at any Stamina checks involving
temperature changes
Bloodlines (L5R RPG) Restrictions: Kitsu only 5 points

You are the confluence of several pivotal bloodlines within the clan. The voices of your ancestors come to you
without effort, at times to the point of annoyance. All spells and abilities involving any of your clan's ancestors
directly keep an additional two dice, and Ancestors cost you only half their original value in Character Points. Your
ancestors check up on you from time to time, however, and they frequently drop in at inconvenient times
Cadence (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: Crane only 3 points

This is the secret language of the Crane artisans, capable of encoding detailed information into song, speech, or
painting. Certain mythological figures have meanings which can be deciphered by those who have been taught the
Cadence. It is never taught to a non-Crane, lest their enemies learn the secret of their exceptional abilities of
information gathering. This advantage can be bought during play if the GM decides a willing Crane mentor can be
found
Chosen by the Oracles (Way of the Pheonix) Restrictions: - 5 points

Occasionally, a child is noticed by the Oracles and guided gently through their life. While this does not mean that the
person so chosen is destined to become the next Oracle, it means that the Oracle takes a definite interest in their life
and well-being - to the point of interfering when the individual is not doing as the Oracle thinks best. Because the
Oracles are mystical, barely-human creatures, their idea of "best" and "worst" can be very different from our own, and
their meddling can be a double-edged sword
Clan Background (Way of the Shinsei) Restrictions: - 1 points

You have some connection to a clan, and may take its special skills. This advantage is for non-clan members only
(monks and ronin, for example).
Clear Thinker (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

It isn't easy to trick you. Whenever another character tries to confuse, befuddle, or lie to you, add 10 to their TN
Combat Reflexes (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 2 points

After initiative is rolled, you may switch places with the character whose action is directly before yours. For example,
if you are third in line for actions this turn, you may switch places with the person who is second. That person
becomes third in line
12
Correspondence (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 1 points
You have become friends with someone else in Rokugan, though you've never met. Pick a character in another clan as
your correspondent, or let your GM pick one. The two of you write letters to one another often, keeping one another
abreast of current events in your respective domains. Not only does this provide a great source of information about
unknown areas of Rokugan, but if your letters are well-written, your correspondent may come to consider you a close
ally or confidant. There is only one drawback: if you take longer than a week to reply to one of your correspondent's
letters, even once, this advantage is lost permanently. You may reestablish communication with your correspondent,
but something fundamental in your relationship has been lost, and you will never become true friends or allies without
some significant effort on your part
Crab Hands (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 8 points

You have a familiarity with many forms of weapons, and can wield most of them with some degree of effectiveness.
You fight with any weapons you do not have a skill ranking in as if you had a skill Ranking of 1. This is not a
"substitute" for regular skill Ranks, and all weapons skills must still be purchased as normal. Example: Hida Shitoki
has the Crab Hands advantage, a Kenjutsu Rank 3, and no Subojutsu Rank. He fights as if he had a Kenjutsu Rank 3
and a Subojutsu Rank 1. If he purchases Subojutsu through experience, he will still fight as if he had Rank 1.
Crafty (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: - 3 points

Quite simply, you are very good at being bad. You are considered to have at least one Rank in all Low skills, even
skills for which you have not yet purchased a Rank. If, however, you wish to buy a Low skill you do not have, you
must purchase Rank 1 with Experience Points as normal
Dangerous Beauty (Kyuden Seppun) Restrictions: - (1 Scorpion) 2 points

This is a very different advantage from Benten's Blessing. A woman (or man) with Dangerous Beauty rolls three
additional dice for the purposes of seduction and other less-than-honorable temptations.
A character who wishes to purchase both Benten's Blessing and Dangerous Beauty must pay an additional 3 Character
Points on top of the total advantage price (a total of 8 points, or 7 points for Scorpion and Crane characters).
Daredevil (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 4 points

People who take the Daredevil advantage are simply more capable of surviving incredible odds. Whenever this
character does something risky, or performs an impossible feat, the GM secretly rolls a die. If the die roll is even, the
character receives a +10 bonus to their roll (unknown to the player) for that feat. Otherwise, there is no benefit from
this advantage
Darling of the Court (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 4 points

Recently, you did something clever or heroic and the Emperor thanked you personally, to your surprise. You never
met or spoke with the Emperor again. Still, the countless courtiers and Imperial hangers-on have begun to harry you at
every turn, hoping that some of the Emperor's favor will rub off on them. It's a bit of an annoyance at times, but you
have to admit it's fun to be popular. For the next six months, your Glory is effectively two Ranks higher in social
situations, and you may spend 2 experience points to take any of your sycophants as a permanent Minor Ally (there is
no limit to the number of times you may do this, if you have enough experience points to spend). After six months,
this Advantage goes away forever. The Minor Allies you purchase remain loyal, but they no longer hang on your
every word as they did. Everyone just seems to forget your name. Fame is fleeting. Make the best of it.
Death Trance (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (2 for Lion) 3 points

This samurai understands that death has no hold over him, and has taken the philosophy of bushido to heart. When he
faces death, he enters into a thoughtless trance that gives him great courage in the face of adversity. A character with
Death Trance automatically succeeds any Fear test
13
Different School (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (7 for Minor Clan) 5 points
This character did not go to his Clan's bushi or shugenja school, but was instead an "exchange student" at another
Clan's school. This requires the prospective student's family to cash in a number of favors, and may have some effect
on other's perception of him; a Crab bushi who studied at the Kakita school would almost certainly be mocked by his
cousins. This advantage may only be taken once
Ear of the Emperor (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: - 5 points

The PC has a (semi-)direct line to the Imperial court, whether through familial connections, favors, social or political
influence, or simple respect. The terms of the connection must be clearly defined before a PC with this advantage can
be brought into play, but once it is, the PC may invoke it at any time, gaining a bonus to their dice rolled in Awareness
when "suggesting" things to those in the Imperial Court. And the best part of this advantage is that, depending on the
circumstances, the PC might not even need to be present in the courts when it is proposed, relying instead on easily-
manipulated third parties to insinuate the desired information
Elemental Attunement (Way of the Dragon) Restrictions: Mirumoto bushi only 1 points
The bushi has spent many years of training with shugenja. Now he is attuned to the shifts, ebbs, and flows of
elemental energy. With a successful Awareness roll (TN set by GM), the bushi may detect the use of magic in the
immediate area
Elemental Attunement (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 6 points

Characters with this advantage have a bonus to their use of one element, and a detriment to their use of another. A
shugenja who is "aligned" with one element is said to "resist" another. Earth and Air resist each other, as do Fire and
Water. For example, a character with an Elemental Attunement to Fire gains a -5 to all TNs when he is using that form
of magic, but a +5 TN to all Water spells. If an Earth-Attuned character is being attacked by Earth, his TN to be hit is
considered +5, while if they are being targeted by Air, the TN is reduced by 5
Elemental Convergence (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: Ishiken only 6 points

Unlike a standard Innate Ability, this advantage allows a Void shugenja to use a Void spell a number of times per day
equal to their Void Rank without it counting toward their total available Void spells. This is accomplished through a
dedicated regimen of constant practice and application, in which the character studies the complexities of that single
method and its various uses. As every Void method can result in hundreds of possible effects, this process often takes
years to accomplish, and only one Void spell may ever be considered an Innate Void Ability for any character.
Mastery of a Void spell will not grant this advantage - only the standard benefit of the PC no longer requiring the
scroll to cast it. Also, the common Innate Ability advantage may still be purchased or acquired during play for Void
spells, and this has the same effect for them as for common spells
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Favor Tables (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - 3 points / rank
(Note - these favors may differ from those offered in the 2nd Ed. version of the Way of the Crane.) This advantage
allows the character to begin the game with a few favors "in his pocket." These favors need to be given a good history
and background, and must be appropriate to the concept of the character itself. Purchase of this advantage grants the
character one initial roll on the favor tables. It may be purchased up to three times per character. The point cost for this
advantage is the table's rank (1-5) x3.
Rank 1 2 Koku; One item of Fine quality; A pony; Safe (escorted) travel to a major city or palace; Meditative
study (+5 to insight); A tutor to teach you lore appropriate to a clan (Crab: Lore: Shadowlands, Crane:
Lore: Myth and Legends, Dragon: Lore: History, Lion: Lore: Bushido, Phoenix: Lore: Shugenja, Scorpion:
Lore: Ninja, Unicorn: Lore: Burning Sands etc.); Information on some well-known topic or commonly
understood science
Rank 2 5 Koku; A night with a fine geisha or courtesan; One item of Excellent quality; a horse; Someone offers to
champion you in your next duel; a minor fetish from the Asahina shugenja; You are asked to visit the court
of a noble family (+1 Glory box); You are offered the chance to perform some notable service (+2 Glory
boxes); A shugenja will cast a spell of your choice; Next major battle, you will be placed in position to gain
a Heroic Opportunity; You learn a skill or (+1 to a skill) from a craftsman of a major Clan: (suggested
skills) Crab: Weaponsmith, Crane: Courtier, Dragon: Shintao, Lion: Battle, Phoenix: Meditation, Scorpion:
Sincerity, Unicorn: Horsemanship).
Rank 3 10 Koku; Rehonor a dishonored person or ronin; Gain an audience with a minor daimyo; Gain the Patron
Advantage for no point cost, at any time in the game - however, no person can have more than one patron
at any time; The Crab offer a guide into the Shadowlands; A Crane artisan will create an artistic
masterpiece in your honor (+3 Honor boxes); A Kitsuki magistrate will investigate something for you; A
Lion bushi will serve as your bodyguard for a period of months; A Unicorn steed; The Scorpion offer to
embarrass/slander someone under your directives; A blessing is placed upon you from a great Monk of the
Brotherhood - gain one Free Raise to be used in your next adventure; You are given the title hatamoto
(honored advisor) or the rank gunzo (sergeant) (+2 Glory boxes); The Agasha offer you a potion; The
Shosuro offer you a mild poison; An Asahina shugenja will make you a minor fetish of your specifications
(cost: 10 koku, 1 week to create); You are asked to perform a minor service for the Champion of your Clan
(when completed, +3 Glory boxes).
Rank 4 20 Koku; One item of Exceptional quality; You have the opportunity to marry a daimyo's daughter, and
gain the Major Ally Advantage (any clan, whichever one you marry into); Someone unknown to you feels
they owe you an obligation, and will repay unexpectedly in the future; The Asahina ask you to be the
bearer of a major nemuranai; Gain a Minor Ally in the clan of your choice; One of your Clan members (of
common origin) comes and asks to serve you as a personal aide and retainer; A Fine quality fetish created
to your specifications, no cost; Position as a magistrate to your Clan (+ 5 Glory boxes).
Rank 5 30 Koku; Prominent magic item; Minor magic item made to your specifications (GM to determine cost);
Position as a Magistrate for the Emerald (+1 Glory Rank); A prominent member of your Clan (but not a
daimyo or other lord) offers to perform a minor service to you, at your request; You are given the
opportunity to prove yourself to the Ise Zumi of the Dragon Clan - if successful in their test, you will
receive a tattoo; A significant service from the Crab, Scorpion, Lion, or Unicorn Clan - including troops,
information, or safe passage.
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Forbidden Knowledge (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: Phoenix only 1-10 points
This advantage is a form of the Inheritance advantage from the basic RPG. However, other than inheriting a physical
item or ability, the character has some secret knowledge which should be kept secret from the rest of Rokugan.
Because of the reclusive nature of the Phoenix, family secrets are passed only from one member of the household to
another as death comes to the original holder of the secret. Such secrets are considered to be the most precious
knowledge a member of that family can hold. Each family is publicly known (within their clan) to have this secret,
although the majority of Rokugan does not know. This information is jealously guarded by the Phoenix Clan.
This knowledge can be anything from the true ritual to summon an Oni to the location of a Black Scroll, or knowledge
of a hidden maho rite dating back to the Tribe of Isawa, before the Empire came to Gisei Toshi.
For each point spent on this advantage, the character's secret is more potentially damaging to him and his clan, and he
will be more seriously watched by his clan. In any case, members of his clan should be informed that they know he is
a holder of some Forbidden Knowledge; NPCs tend to treat the character differently - better or worse, depending on
the NPC.
Full-Blood Kitsu Ancestry (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: Kitsu Sodan-Senzo only 6 points
Kitsu may not Commune or Summon ancestors without this advantage. Only full-blood Kitsu, who carry the essence
of the original Kitsu race within them, may attend the Kitsu Sodan-Senzo School.
The gift is powerful, but comes with a terrible price. Full-blooded Kitsu may never cast shugenja spells of any kind,
nor may they learn Techniques. Only the effects granted them by their natural talents are available to them
Gaijin Gear (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: Unicorn only 2 points

You start the game with a piece of gaijin equipment of your chose. See Appendix 2 of Way of the Unicorn for what is
available. You may only purchase this once
Gentry (Kyuden Seppun 95) Restrictions: Samurai (Varies) points

Gentry is a samurai with villages, holdings, or followers. You must attain at least one village with this advantage.
Village A basic village provides a samurai:
(cost 5 points)  5 koku/ year in taxes (3 goes to your  10 Ashigaru soldiers (commissioned at
lord) tax time – not followers)
 1 Yoriki (peacekeeper / village)  50 farmers (1 farm)
Farm Each village is considered to have a farm. This counts as an additional farm. See Harvest
(cost 1 point) for additional koku earned.
Holding Earn extra money from businesses in your area. Examples: Blacksmith, Mine, Sake
works, Tea works, Geisha House, Silk works, Leather works, Hawks/Falcons, etc.
Basic (2 points) Fine (4 points) Excellent (6 points)
Merchandise that sells Goods with a bit of a reputation Merchandise known throughout the
Clan – possibly Empire.
Followers Gain 10, Rank 0 soldiers (samurai). Basic soldiers have the following abilities to be set by
the player
(2 points)  1 Ring at 2  3 High skills
 4 Rings at 1  2 Bugei skills
 No Techniques (yet)
Harvest and Taxes: Earnings Events Harvest
Expenses Roll Event  1 dice / village or farm
 3 koku to your lord 1 Catastrophe – 3 dice of koku  +5 koku / village
 1 koku / soldier 1-5 Plague
 +3 koku / basic holding
6-0 Famine
(followers) 2-3 Bandits – 2 dice of koku  +4 koku / fine holding
4-6 No Event  +5 koku / excellent holding
7-9 Unusual / Supernatural Event
0 Bountiful Harvest +2 dice of koku
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Great Destiny (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 5 points
When this character was born, it may have been that the stars were aligned just right, or a birthmark was in just the
right shape, but the ancestors smiled and a Destiny was created for this child. The great wheel moves this character
slowly and surely towards this destiny. If this character takes damage that would kill him, he is reduced instead to a
single Wound at the Unconscious Level. The Seven Fortunes will only protect a character in this manner once per
story. The GM will decide what the Great Destiny is, but need never reveal it to the character. Once the Destiny has
been fulfilled, these points are turned into another advantage of the GM's choice
Great Potential (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: May only be taken once (Varies) points
Pick one of your character's skills. The character is a natural talent in this area, and will one day be a master. When
using this skill, the character may make any number of raises, unlimited by his Void. This advantage provides no free
raises.
 skill costs 3 points  bugei skill costs 8 points  shugenja can purchase this for a
single element costing 10 points
Half-Blood Kitsu Ancestry (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: Kitsu Shugenja only 3 points
Kitsu may not perform any Ancestral Magic without this advantage or Full-Blood Kitsu Ancestry. Half-Blood Kitsu
may only Sense ancestors (see the rules for sensing ancestors under Kitsu Sodan-Senzo).
Half-Blood Kitsu may not attend the Kitsu Sodan-Senzo School. If they attend the Kitsu Shugenja School, their
beginning spells are restricted. Instead of receiving 3 Water, 2 Fire, and 1 Earth, they receive 2 Water and 1 Fire. This
represents the fact that the character has split his studies, and cannot perform either to its full extent. The shugenja
may learn new spells thereafter; however, they may never learn how to Commune or Summon ancestors.
Half-Blood Kitsu who do not attend the Kitsu Shugenja School lose their connection to their ancestors, and may no
longer Sense them.
Hands of Stone (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 5 points

Crab jiujutsu combat techniques are brutal in the extreme, and make good use of the Hida's great size. But you are a
prodigy even by their standards. In bare-handed combat, you make keep 2 dice of damage instead of just 1.
Heartless (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: - 2 points

All attempts to woo or sway your heart to pleas of compassion, love, or courtesy fall on deaf ears. Any appeal to your
heart shall find it made of stone. Any skills used with Awareness in such an attempt (such as Seduction, Poetry,
Acting, or Sincerity) need to raise twice in order to be successful
Heisho (Bearers of Jade) Restrictions: - 2 points

Every day of his life, the character expects to die. This is similar to the Death Trance Advantage in that it grants
immunity to the Fear power. In addition, the character gets a free Raise for noticing traps, concealed weapons, and
other dangers. The problem is, the character is numb and tends to accepts what comes rather than planning ways out.
They have a +5 TN to all TNs to detect lies or convince another of their sincerity
Higher Purpose (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

You have dedicated yourself to a single goal, a single objective. Whenever you take a step toward achieving your
Higher Purpose, you gain an extra Experience Point at the end of the session
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Imperial Spouse (Kyuden Seppun) Restrictions: - 2 points
In rare cases, a member of the Seppun or Otomo families marries someone of the Seven Clans, and chooses to join the
household of their spouse. Having an Imperial Cousin as a wife or husband is a mixed blessing - they will certainly
know the events of the Imperial Court, even as far away as the Phoenix or Crab lands (letters from the Emperor's
family travel rapidly). Also, they will be able to secure invitations, audiences with the Imperial Advisors or daimyos
of the Imperial Houses, or extra koku and supplies for troubled times. However, if an Imperial wife is in danger, the
families of the Emperor may choose to take direct action, without considering the wishes of the husband, his clan, or
their alliances. Although she has changed her name to suit her wedding, a Seppun is always a Seppun. Thus, the
character may be constantly plagued by well-wishers, sycophants, and threats from the Imperial Families as they make
certain that "our cousin is well-treated."
Inheritance (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (Varies) points

You have been given an ancestral item of some sort. This item has been carried by your ancestors and its spirit has
become more powerful than a normal item. The cost in points and the nature of the item must be agreed upon with the
GM, but even a minor magical item would cost 2 or 3 points. A Clan's Ancestral Weapon or Armor might cost 20
points or more
Innate Ability (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

When a shugenja has gained mastery over a spell, he is able to complete the incredibly complex sequence of motions
and meditations that are required to appease the spirits and manipulate the elements without the aid of a scroll. For 3
points, a shugenja can begin the game with one spell as an Innate Ability. The shugenja no longer needs to have the
spell scroll in front of him to cast the spell. If the shugenja casts the spell from a scroll anyway, the spell is even easier
and the shugenja is given a Free Raise. A shugenja can have any number of spells mastered as Innate Abilities, but
cannot memorize a spell unless his Ring Rank plus his School Rank is equal to or greater than the Mastery Level of
the spell.
Inner Gift Way of the Crane 52 Restrictions: - 6 points

The character with Inner Gift has been blessed with an uncontrollable talent, perhaps empathy, precognition, or the
ability to sense when danger is near. It is up to the GM to let the character know when their Gift activates, and what
that means to the current situation. A character with the Inner Gift of precognition, for example, might have a series of
dreams about a bloody knife, only to wake up one morning and find their dearest friend has been assassinated. A
character with empathy might be able to tell when someone is lying to them, or a character with a Gift of psychometry
(reading emotions from objects) might gain a flash of insight when they pick up a samurai's katana. The Gift must be
clearly defined at the time a character purchases this advantage. A character can choose from any of the Inner Gifts
listed below.
Animal Speech: This allows the character to speak to animals.
Command Mind: (Way of the Naga) Restrictions: - (5 points for Naga)
This effect requires no roll, simply a mental command and a single Action. Only one target may be affected.
Otherwise, it produces the same effect as the spell of the same name (see L5R RPG, page 150).
Creature Awareness: Way of the Naga 66 Restrictions: - (5 points for Naga)
Using this Gift, the character is aware of all living things with an Awareness of 2 or more within his own Awareness
in feet, multiplied by 10. Obstacles, organic or not, are ignored for the purposes of this ability
Danger Sense: (Way of the Naga) Restrictions: - (5 points for Naga)
The character with this Inner Gift cannot be ambushed, regardless of the circumstances or the skills of his opponents.
He will always be aware of coming attack, and at the very least be able to roll for Indicative
Empathy: This allows the character to gain emotional senses from others, for example the character might be
able to tell when someone is lying to them.
Precognition: This allows a character to have visions of the future, for example the character might have a
series of dreams about a bloody knife, only to wake one morning and find their dearest friend has been
assassinated, or sensing when danger is near
Psychometry: This allows a character to read emotions from an item, for example the character might gain a
flash of insight when they pick up a samurai’s katana.
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Shared Senses: (Way of the Naga) Restrictions: - (5 points for Naga)
The character is able to link his five senses with those of another person or Naga (humans may only use this ability
with humans, and Naga only with other Naga). This effect lasts for one hour, and may only be used once between
cycles of sleep
Spatial Awareness: (Way of the Naga) Restrictions: - (5 points for Naga)
The character is always familiar with the surrounding terrain (out to his Perception x150 feet), even when blinded
Irreproachable (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: - 1 point / rank

You are devoted to your word. For each point you spend on this advantage, you add +5 TN to your ability to resist
seduction and bribery attempts. You may not purchase Greed or Lechery
Ishiken-do (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: Isawa shugenja only 5 points

This advantage is required of all Isawa who wish to become Void shugenja. It is the basic latent ability all candidates
for ishi status possess, allowing them to reach out into the Realm of the Void and see the myriad patterns swirling
between the four Elements most shugenja associate with. Most importantly, this allows them to comprehend what they
are seeing. Should a person ever by exposed to the Realm of Void without this advantage, the subtle eddies of Void
would either be invisible to them, or would drive them insane
Kaiu Sword (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 5 points

You have inherited one of the fabled Kaiu katana, a magnificent weapon which has been in your family's hands for
generations. It keeps an extra die of damage (3k3), but it must never leave your side. If anyone outside of your family
touches the blade, you lose 1 Honor point. If you ever actually lose the sword, you lose two Honor Ranks permanently
Kakita Blade (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - (4 for Crane) 8 points

Kakita blades are the finest swords in the Empire, thinner and more flexible than ordinary katana. A character who
carries a Kakita sword has prestige, and draws attention. A character can begin the game with a Kakita blade only
under certain circumstances. Kakita blades are rarely given to youths, and only under very special circumstances is
one allowed to leave Crane lands. These blades are rarely given to non-Crane characters. A Kakita blade rolls and
keeps one extra die when striking hit an opponent, and allows its user to reroll a single damage die during an iaijutsu
duel
Kharmic Tie (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 1-5 points

The Rokugani believe in reincarnation, that every soul lives a hundred thousand lifetimes. When you meet someone,
the relationship(s) you've had in past lives influence your reaction to them in this life. You feel uneasy around the
people you've had bad relationships with, while you feel comfortable around those you've had good relationships with.
If you purchase a Kharmic Tie, your character has found someone they are connected to from a past life. Your
relationship depends on the amount of points you invest in this advantage. For every point you invest, you may, once
per game session, roll an additional die when you are fighting for or protecting your tie. You do not get to keep the
additional dice you roll
Large (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (1 point for Crab) 2 points

You are big. The average Rokugani is approximately 5'6" to 5'8" tall. You are anywhere from 6' to 6'3". This is both
an advantage and a disadvantage. Whenever you engage in social situations, you roll one less die. However, all
damage rolls are at +1 die
Leadership (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - (4 points for Lion) 7 points

A character with the Leadership advantage is able to bestow limited benefits on those who follow him. If another
character is following a Leader, he is able to use some of his Leader's skills. Whenever a character is following a
Leader's example (performing the same action as the leader), he automatically gains a bonus Rank in that skill. If the
character does not have the skill, then he performs as if he had Rank 1. The Leader's skill must be higher than those
who follow him, and must be at least Rank 3 in order for his followers to gain this bonus
Luck (L5R RPG) Restrictions: May only buy 3 levels 3 points / level
For every level of Luck, you may re-roll one unsuccessful roll during a session
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Magic Resistance (L5R RPG) Restrictions: May only buy 3 levels 2 points / level
For some reason or another, you are highly resistant to spell effects. For every two points spent on Magic Resistance,
any spells that target you add 5 to their TN
Meek (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - (2 points for Miya) 5 points

Try as you might, you just don't look very threatening. Unless you're having a serious effect upon combat, opponents
won't attack you until they've disposed of all your allies first. If you're not attacking, casting spells, or holding any
offensive weapons, they might not bother to attack you at all. Your demeanor is so non-threatening that you may roll
an extra die on all rolls involving diplomacy or negotiation, even if you're simply begging for your life. This skill is
particularly useful for Miya shisha, for whom an intimidating appearance is an impediment. This Advantage in no way
prevents anyone from questioning, capturing, or verbally harassing the character. In most non-Miya bushi families
(the Hida and Matsu in particular), meekness is often seen as a curse or a grievous error in one's upbringing.
Multiple Schools (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - 5 points

This is an unusual advantage, in that it can only be bought after a bushi (and only a bushi and only to another bushi
school) has progressed beyond Rank 1 in his School. GM permitting, this advantage lets the player switch schools
without losing his old techniques.
When the bushi switches schools, his old Techniques are "frozen." He won't learn any further techniques from his old
school, but he'll begin learning new techniques in his new school immediately. As soon as he gains permission to
begin training at the new school, he more-or-less immediately learns the Rank 1 Technique (GM's discretion on the
length of training necessary, but probably not longer than 3 to 6 game months). The bushi then begins gaining
Techniques in his new school as his Insight goes up, just as usual.
Example: Doji Kuwanan buys the Different School advantage and immediately begins training at the Akodo school
under Akodo Toturi. After he has gained enough Insight to learn the second Technique, he buys Multiple Schools,
returns home to attend the Daidoji school, and learns the first Rank Daidoji Technique instead. When he attains
enough Insight to learn a new Technique, he learns the second Rank Daidoji Technique. He doesn't learn the second or
third Rank Akodo Techniques, since he's no longer at that school. Kuwanan now knows the first rank Akodo
Technique (and will never advance again in that school), and the first and second Rank Daidoji Techniques. Even
though he has the Insight of a third Rank bushi, he doesn't know the Rank 3 Technique for either school.
Musha Shugyo (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 4 points

The "ronin" is actually a bushi on a musha shugyo, a warrior pilgrimage. The bushi has, for a time, left behind the
ways of his clan to seek wisdom through experiencing the fighting styles of samurai throughout the Empire. Everyone
the bushi encounters during his journey will treat him as a clan ronin. Although not frequently practiced, most Great
Clans respect the tradition of the musha shugyo and believe that it can only strengthen the resolve of a young warrior.
Most pilgrimages last a minimum of one year and can only be ended with the completion of an act of incredible skill
and prowess set by the ronin's former sensei. The character is treated as a Clan Ronin, and suffers all the social
disadvantages and prejudices that accompany such a position. When the character feels that he has learned all he can
from his wandering, he may return to his clan and resume his study. This advantage may only be taken by Clan Ronin
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Nezumi Culture Way of the Ratling 53 Restrictions: Non-Ratling Only (max 5 ranks) 2 points/rank
You are knowledgeable in Nezumi culture. For every two points that you spend, you become increasingly
knowledgeable.
Rank 1: You speak a rough, broken version of Nezumi language. Ex – (Point at self) “Yoshi” (Point at
Nezumi) “Stop”. Though you understand that Nezumi are extremely curious and resourceful, you do not grasp the
reasons behind what they do
Rank 2: You can express simple ideas. Ex – “Me name Yoshi. You stop”. You understand Nezumi survival
instinct and their value of identity
Rank 3: You are fairly fluent in Nezumi language. Ex – “My name is Hida Yoshi. Stop right there.” You know
a great deal about Nezumi culture, though some of the more alien aspects (such as their magic) continue to amaze
you.
Rank 4: You are entirely fluent. Ex – “I am Hida Yoshi, great warrior of the Clan that takes its name from
scuttling-tasty-sea-beasts. Come on closer, for there is danger.” You fit in with Nezumi society as well as any
human can.
Rank 5: You have reached maximum capacity to speak. Nezumi without a tail, whiskers, and pheromone
glands. Ex – “I am Hida Yoshi, scout from the Great Wall that protects against the dark. If you come any closer,
then you will also step in quicksand. Please find a stick and pull me out.” You have a sublime understanding of
Nezumi society, enough that you recognize that certain aspects of their culture can never be understood.
Special: The Ratling Language skill presented in Way of the Crab is separate from this Advantage. It provides
fluency in the language for these with no desire to learn Ratling culture.
Noble Birth (Way of the Dragon) Restrictions: Monk only 3 points

Players of the L5R CCG will notice that, in the card game, the Ise zumi are considered samurai. It's true that many
samurai climb up Togashi Mountain and throw away their heritage for enlightenment, but some still retain their social
status.
By default, Ise zumi characters are not considered samurai. They are monks, and fall between heimin and samurai in
the Celestial Order. Ise zumi who wish to retain their samurai status must take this advantage
Patron (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: Ronin only Patron’s Glory in points
A samurai in a position of authority (most likely a city governor, but possibly a provincial daimyo) has noticed the
ronin and appreciates his skill and discretion. From time to time, when a suitable duty arises, this individual contacts
the ronin regarding employment. Although the task in question will be difficult and possibly even life-threatening, the
ronin will be well compensated for his work A ronin who successfully completes such a duty also gains Glory points
equal to his Patron's Glory Rank. The GM is the final authority on whether or not a given task performed for the
Patron is sufficient to warrant the reward of Glory. The cost of this Advantage is equal to the Glory Rank of the
Patron, rounding up. Any Glory Rank exceeding 6.0 rounds down to 6 points; the ronin cannot receive more than 6
Glory points per successful assignment This Advantage is only available to ronin, since samurai of the clans gain
Glory from their lords without the need for such an Advantage.
Patron (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: Artisan only Patron’s Glory in points
Someone of importance has taken an interest in you. Not to be confused with the Allies advantage, a Patron expects a
certain amount of reciprocal trade for their gifts. The Patron will call upon the character from time to time, expecting
some great work of art or a creation to celebrate the Patron's latest achievement. However, such works will
undoubtedly be circulated among the patron's followers, and this may cause a certain amount of fame and jealousy.
This is similar to the Sensei advantage in the basic RPG, but it differs in two ways. One, the patron may not know
anything about the art itself, and may therefore be simply an admirer rather than a teacher; and two, the Patron seeks
to advance the character's political and artistic career by displaying the artisan's masterpieces in courts and public
gatherings. Of course, in exchange for this, the artisan is expected to create masterpieces which flatter their Patron and
give them glory. The artisan is also expected to perform at the request of their patron, whenever the Patron has need
for the artisan's services.
The more points an artisan spends on a Patron, the more powerful and influential their Patron will be - and the more
often the Patron will call upon the artisan to perform their art.
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Perfect Balance (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points
You roll an additional die whenever performing actions involving balance
Personal Mon (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 1 points

Any ronin may choose to adopt a mon to represent himself, although many ronin are too preoccupied with matters of
survival to bother doing so. Of the mon worn by ronin, the vast majority go totally unnoticed by the samurai of the
clans. This ronin’s mon, however, is different. Its design is eye-catching and has a quiet symbolism that appeals to the
sensibilities of the samurai soul. There is no immediate mechanical benefit for the ronin, but upon the completion of
every ten successful assignments undertaken by the ronin, he gains a permanent Free Raise to use in every social
situation with a potential employer
Precise Memory (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 3 points

Make an Intelligence roll with TN 20 to completely memorize something seen, read or heard
Precise Memory (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - 3 points

The character has a phenomenal ability to memorize facts, figures, and written material. Their mind records
information easily, but this does not make them infallible. Neither does it give them any unusual ability to understand
the information, nor learn new skills or languages. Characters wishing to remember something intricate, or precisely
memorize large amounts of information, must make a simple Intelligence roll at a TN of 20. More complex
information may require a higher TN to memorize.
Provincial Hero (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 4 points

Through years of hard work and devotion, the ronin has achieved a degree of acceptance in one particular region of
Rokugan. The peasantry there looks to the ronin as a hero and friend for his actions, and the local magistrates choose
to ignore him so long as his behavior is not outlandish or extreme. While in this region (which may be a single large
city or a sprawling rural area with half a dozen tiny villages), the ronin will always find some degree of employment,
no matter how meager. Protecting a caravan, serving as a bouncer at a sake house, or enforcing the rulings of a village
headman all fall in this category. Note that this does not mean the ronin is paid for his labor, but rather receives free
room and board. For many ronin, that is a far greater reward than koku. Ronin who are Provincial Heroes are among
those most likely to be offered the opportunity to swear fealty to a clan or family
Quick (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

You're just faster than other folks. When determining Initiative, roll two dice and keep the higher
Quick Healer (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

You heal wounds as if your Stamina were one Rank higher.
Ratling Ally (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 2 points

You have a friend among the Nezumi, one who will help you in time of need. He can act as liaison between you and
tribe, provide accurate information on the surrounding landscape, or even assist you in covert tasks like scouting or
hiding from oni. You should design a name for your Ratling friend (see L5R RPG page 195, or The Book of the
Shadowlands for more information), as well as a reason why the two of you are connected. While other Rokugani may
look upon you with distrust for having such a tie, the Crab Clan knows your real value and will treat you with respect
Read Lips (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

With a successful Perception roll, you can read the lips of anyone you can see
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Sacrosanct (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 10 points
You may only take this Advantage if your character has a starting Honor Rank of 3 or higher. Due to a great service
you performed for the Hantei in the past, you are now under the Emperor's protection. This blessing remains so long
as your Honor remains at 3 or above, and you do nothing to defame or dishonor the Emperor. In the meantime,
attacking you or your immediate family is tantamount to attacking the Hantei himself. Any person who strikes you in
combat before you strike them loses five boxes of Honor for every Wound Level they inflict. Anyone who knocks you
unconscious or kills you loses a full rank of Glory, no matter their station. Only an Imperial decree can reverse or
negate either of these effects. In return, you have sworn your utter and devoted loyalty to the Emperor
Sage (Way of Shinsei) Restrictions: - 2 points

Books and knowledge are nearly as important to you as food and water. It is well known you are a seeker of wisdom
and words, and many come to you when they want to know about the past and present Your devotion to the texts has
given you an excellent memory for the events they record and the lessons they impart. All Lore and History rolls you
make roll and keep one additional die
Sensei (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 1, 3, or 5 points

You and your Sensei have developed a bond that makes you inseparable. You would do anything to protect your
Sensei and his school, and he would do the same. The cost of a Sensei depends on his skill. Your Sensei will not be
able to accompany you on journeys (he has responsibilities, after all), but he will be able to assist you in other ways.
1 point: A Sensei with moderate skill (Rank 1 or 2)
3 points: A Sensei with great skill (Rank 3 or 4)
5 points: A Sensei of legendary skill (Rank 5)
Servant (L5R RPG, 2nd Ed.) Restrictions: - (Varies) points

Normally, a samurai has a single servant who manages his home and general needs. If you wish to have more servants
than that, you can purchase it with this Advantage. You should not have more than your Glory x 3 servants. Monks
may not have servants
Cost Clan/Family Discounts
1 point: Eta Crab: A bonge weaponsmith costs 1 point.
2 points: Stablehand, personal attendant Crane: Up to three personal attendants at 1 point each.
*
3 points: Groom, bonge armorer , bonge weaponsmith * Kitsuki: May have an eta for free
4 points: Bonge scribe, spy (both are rare) Lion: A bonge armorer costs 1 point.
Phoenix: A scribe costs 3 points.
* : Makes repairs, but may not manufacture new equipment Scorpion: A spy costs 3 points.
Unicorn: A groom costs 1 point.
Silent (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 3 points

Although unpleasant, the harsh realities of a ronin's life sometimes result in beneficial side effects. The unfortunate
necessities of hunting for food and evading the grasp of magistrates often trains a ronin to move very quietly when the
need arises. The character rolls one extra die on Stealth tests
Social Position (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 5 points / rank

A character who has additional Social Position gains a bonus to their Glory, and therefore to their position within
Rokugani society. This can come from being closely related to a daimyo (or the Emperor himself), or possibly from
having a great omen appear when you were born, etc. The player should note exactly how this advantage is gained
Standing Invitation (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (1 point for Imperial) 2 points

For your family's past accomplishments, you have earned a standing invitation to the annual Winter Court for yourself
and your retinue (up to six persons). Thought this is a great honor, remember that you are representing your family
and your clan. A dishonor or accident on your part will shame everyone at home as well as yourself
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Storm Legion (Way of the Minor Clans) Restrictions: - 4 points
To be a member of the Storm Legion of the Mantis is as much a responsibility as it is an Advantage, for it confers
responsibility and absolute loyalty to the Mantis Clan above all else. A character with this Advantage can never take
the Different School or Multiple Schools Advantages, nor can they take the Black Sheep Disadvantage or reduce their
starting Glory.
In exchange, a member of the Storm Legion need never question the loyalty of a Mantis Clan member. No person
born of Mantis blood, or formally adopted into the Mantis, will - or can - betray them. It simply can't happen. In fact, a
Mantis Clan member must spend a Void point in order to lie to a member of the Storm Legion, and further, must treat
a member of the Storm Legion as if they were one full Glory rank higher than they truly are. Lastly, they
automatically gain one point in the Gentry Advantage, allowing them a small stipend of koku per year
Strength of the Earth (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2, 4, or 8 points

A character who has the Strength of the Earth may ignore some effects of Wound Levels on their rolls. The Wound
Rank penalty is decreased by one die for every level of Strength of the Earth.
Student of Water (Way of the Shinsei) Restrictions: - 5 points

While many generals seek to improve their position on the battlefield, you take a slightly different approach. Instead
of looking at to take advantage of your enemy's mistakes, you look for ways to encourage him to stumble. Whenever
your opponent rolls on the Battle Table (and you are not in the Reserves), you may adjust his total by exactly three
points in either direction
Tactician (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - (3 points for Akodo) 5 points

You've been trained in the art of warfare by the Akodo War College, and you know how to look for opportunities in
the clamor of battle. Whenever you roll on the battle table (and not in the Reserves), you may modify your roll by 3
points, up or down (i.e. a roll of 13 can become either 10 or 16).
True Friend (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2-10 points

True friendship is a rare commodity in Rokugan. You and your NPC friend have gone through much together, and
would do anything for each other. Having such a friend is a blessing, but also demands great devotion and loyalty. The
cost for a True Friend depends on his influence and his devotion.
Influence: Devotion:
1 point: A character of minor influence (a samurai 1 points: Your friend would go out of his way for
without land or political position) you, but would not risk family honor.
3 points: A character of some influence (a samurai with 3 points: Your friend would risk family honor to aid
land and/or political position) you, but would do so secretly
5 points: A character of great influence (a daimyo with 5 points: Your friend would do anything to aid you
land and political position)
Tutor (Way of Shinsei) Restrictions: - (max. 5 points) 1 point / student

You’re a mentor to several students who come to learn from you. These students are usually seeking your knowledge
in a Skill (with GM's approval, it can be School Techniques). Gain one student for each point you spend (up to 5
points), whom you may call upon once per session in an appropriate manner. As you are their teacher, they have little
choice to refuse you, but you are expected to have time to teach them or gain the reputation of a worthless sensei
Voice (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

A character with Voice has 1 additional die for any rolls involving speaking
Way of the Land (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (1 point for Unicorn) 2 points
You know your home Province like the back of your hand. You never get lost and know all the best travel routes.
Characters may also purchase this advantage for other Provinces
Wealth (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - (max. 10 points) 1 point / 2 koku

For each point a character spends on this advantage, they begin with two additional koku
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Character Options: Disadvantages
All disadvantages reprinted w/out permission from the main source book and supplements to
the L5R RPG (1st edition, now out of print)
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/disadvantages.php
A Home in Ashes (Bearers of Jade) Restrictions: - 1 points

Your immediate family lies dead, butchered by Shadowlands creatures. Besides having no kin to speak for you or to
call on for aid, you cannot use the Kharma rule with this character, and have no lands or savings to attract a spouse
Adopted Blood (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: - 1 point / rank

Your parents were adopted (or perhaps you were). You must prove yourself to overcome the stigma of being a recent
addition to the clan. For each point spent, you must gain an extra five points of Glory before you move up a Glory
Rank. Each time you go up a Glory Rank, this penalty drops by five.
Antisocial (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 2 or 4 points

You have difficulty getting along with others. Perhaps this manifests as shyness, troubled speech, discomfort around
people, or even bouts of depression. Whatever the symptoms, you find it hard to communicate your feelings properly
or withdraw from contact with others.
Moderately Antisocial: 2 points. All social skills keep 1 fewer die.
Extremely Antisocial: 4 points. All social skills keep 2 fewer dice.
This may result in the character keeping zero dice, which is an automatic failure
Ascetic (Way of the Dragon) Restrictions: - 3 points

You aren't interested in material wealth or temporal power, glory or gaudy fashion. This world is only a transitional
place between one reality and the next, and you have passed beyond the need to cling to it.
Ascetic bushi own one kimono, one pair of sandals, one obi, and their daisho. Ascetic shugenja own one kimono, one
pair of sandals, one obi, and a pouch full of scrolls.
Maybe - maybe - they own a hat.
These are the only material objects you will ever own. You are unconcerned with Glory, but Honor is still very
important. After all, a liar is concerned with the immediate consequences of his actions, and thus, clinging to a
material world.
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Bad Fortune (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 1 points
A character with Bad Fortune puts his fate in the hands of the GM. The GM makes a secret roll on the table below (or
just chooses one of the options). Some of the results are obvious ("evil eye," allergy, etc.) but others are less so. You
may not take this disadvantage more than once.
Few of the outcomes on the list below have any effect on game mechanics, but all can cause roleplaying challenges.
You have been warned!
Bad Fortune Table:
1 Someone is secretly in love with you and will go to great lengths to mess up your current love life (if any) to
make room for their affections.
2 You have a disfiguring scar or birthmark: the mark of being born under a bad sign. Just touching you can cause
bad luck. Good luck getting a massage
3 You lack one item from your standard outfit
4 You have an allergy to a common item. Tobacco smoke, sushi, silk, and cotton are all good examples
5 You have the "evil eye" (one of your eyes is discolored). People tend to avoid your gaze and whisper about evil
spirits as you pass by
6 One of these days, one roll - a very important roll - is going to fail completely. You won't even need to make the
roll. You won't get to use Luck or any other mechanic to salvage the situation. It's your destiny. Accept it
7 You have an enemy in another Clan. You won't even know you've developed this enemy until it's far too late, of
course
8 Your father has accrued a great gambling debt that you will have to pay off. Soon. Very soon
9 You just haven't gotten the hang of one of your skills just yet. All TNs for one skill are at +5. You may spend
one Experience Point to get rid of this Bad Fortune.
0 Roll again twice on this table; ignore this roll
Bad Health (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

A character with Bad Health has his Wound Ranks figured as if his Stamina were one Rank lower. A character cannot
take this disadvantage if his Stamina is 1
Bad Reputation (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

You've already earned yourself a bad reputation in Rokugan. Whenever other samurai see you, they add a die to the
recognition roll, but they begin with a bad impression of your character. You should choose a single word to define
your character.
Bad Sight (Way of the Naga) Restrictions: - 2 points

A common ailment among the Naga is poor eyesight, from a mild cataract condition, to full and permanent blindness.
With this Disadvantage, the PC's sight is impaired, and he rolls two fewer dice for all sight-based Perception checks
Benten’s Curse (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

There is just something about you that others find repulsive. Add an additional die to any fear or intimidation attempts,
but subtract two dice from any attempts at cordiality or etiquette
Bitter Betrothal (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 3 points

Your character is betrothed. Unfortunately, the marriage is not destined to be a happy one. Perhaps your spouse -to-be
is a member of an enemy house or clan. Maybe he or she is just an arrogant, obnoxious boor, or you're in love with
someone else. Whatever the case, your family has plans for you to marry and expects you to submit to their will. The
wedding is planned sometime within the next year, and you do not look forward to it. What's worse, your intended
isn't fond of the idea, either. At best, you're doomed to live in a cold and bitter home, shackled by a political marriage.
At worst, your spouse may be a spy, and your marriage may be part of a greater plot to weaken and destroy your
family from within. The exact details are left up to the GM
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Black Sheep (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 5 points
You've been ostracized from your family. You have no family ties - although you may purchase some with the Allies
advantage. Any samurai from your Clan who see you are expected to treat you as if you were eta (so don't go
offending them or you'll find yourself in a duel). You may not attend your family school beyond Rank 1 and must find
another school to attend
Bounty (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - (Varies) points

A price has been placed upon the head of the ronin for a crime, although whether or not he is guilty is between the
player and the GM. The level of the Disadvantage depends upon the nature of the crime, which also determines the
amount of the bounty and the nature of those who hunt the ronin in order collect it. A ronin accused of a minor offense
likely only be hunted by magistrates from the province where the offense took place, or other ronin who simply want
the bounty. A violent offense, however, means that magistrates in lands of all the Great Clans have heard of the
offense and are watching for the ronin, who will likely be executed in very short order if captured. It is even possible
that a Wasp Bounty Hunter may pursue a character responsible for such a heinous act.
Points: Severity Bounty TN (to be recognized)
2 points Minor Offense 1-5 koku 25
4 points Serious Offense 10 koku 15
6 points Violent Offense 20 koku 10
Brash (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

Characters with this disadvantage are hot-headed. They seek to avenge any slight on their honor; they must make an
Honor roll (TN=20) in order to keep control
Broken Daisho (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 3 or 5 points

A ronin's daisho is all he has to validate his claim to his samurai heritage. If his daisho is 1ost he is no more than a
common peasant. Additionally, the katana is the primary means by which a ronin plies his trade. Whether as a
yojimbo, doshin, or the guardian of a simple village, ronin needs his blade to execute his duty. A ronin whose
wakizashi has been broken still has his katana to support himself, but he suffers from the stigma of having his honor
broken. A ronin with a broken wakizashi (3 points) rolls one fewer die during social interactions with those of the
samurai caste. A broken wakizashi may reforged into a tanto or aiguchi. A broken katana is of significantly more
import. The katana is the soul of a samurai. Without it, his place in the Celestial Order is questioned. A ronin with a
broken katana (5 points) keeps one fewer die in social interactions with other samurai. A broken katana can be
reforged into a wakizashi, but it is it does 1k2 damage and leaves a very jagged edge when it cuts. Obviously this
Disadvantage can be removed by a new sword, but unless the ronin is singularly dishonorable, he will keep the broken
sword of his ancestors, thereby keeping the penalties as well
Can’t Lie (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

A character with this disadvantage just can't tell a good lie. Whenever he tries, he fails. The party listening doesn't
even need to make a roll.
Cast Out (Way of Shinsei) Restrictions: - 3, 6, or 9 points

Somehow you caught the attention of a religious sect or certain temple, and not in a flattering way. Those who are
aware of your indiscretion treat you with little more than scorn, while holy men who know your history see you as
practically filth. The more points spent on this Disadvantage, the bigger the temple or more widespread the tale of
your blasphemy
Chemical Dependency (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

This character is addicted. The two most predominant addictions in Rokugan are alcohol (sake) and opium. He needs
to feed his addiction on regular intervals or he loses a die on all rolls for every day (or so) he goes without feeding his
addiction
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Colorblind (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - 1 points
The Doji tend to have eyes that are paler than most of Rokugan's natives, and sometimes this causes colorblindness.
The Colorblind character can see colors as shades of gray, but cannot tell the difference between shades. This tends to
make certain tasks more difficult, such as identifying a Clan's mon
Compulsion (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 -4 points

You have an uncontrollable urge (drinking, gambling, a love of geisha) that gets you into trouble. You must make an
Honor roll every time you confront your compulsion to keep you from losing control. The cost of compulsions
depends on the TN of your Honor roll:
TN = 15: 2 points TN = 20: 3 points TN = 25: 4 points
Contrary (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 3 points

A player character with this disadvantage may not remain neutral about anything. He does not have to act, but must
have an opinion about each and every thing he encounters. This means that the player must take a side in every
dispute, seek to solve every problem (even if he can't), and never settle to stand by idly while others do things. In
game terms, this means that he must make a simple Willpower roll vs. a TN determined by the GM (commonly
between 5 and 20) to avoid acting in tense situations. Should he fail the roll, he must do something decisive, regardless
of the consequences
Coward (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 3 or 6 Points

You are secretly afraid. It might be that you lack confidence in your own abilities, or that you are sure that everyone is
better than you are. Whatever the case, you roll and keep fewer dice when facing an opponent with a higher Glory.
You may spend a Void Point to ignore this penalty for one round
Moderate Cowardice: 3 points, Roll and keep one fewer dice when facing an opponent with higher
4 for Lion characters Glory than you
Extreme Cowardice: 6 points, Roll and keep two fewer dice when facing an opponent with higher
8 for Lion characters Glory than you
Cruel (Winter Court) Restrictions: - (4 for Otomo) 3 points

The Imperial Court is prone to create people with very different tastes from the rest of Rokugan. Cruel people are not
an exception. Beyond being uncaring, a cruel person delights in the suffering of others. In Rokugan, there are few that
would be considered so dishonorable as to take pleasure in the pain of others, but there are those who think nothing
more enjoyable than watching a samurai squirm. The cruelty need not manifest itself as physical, but instead could be
just glee in making someone dance on their strings.
A Cruel person can never spend tier last Void Point, nor raise their Void Ring above their lowest other Ring. In
addition, their Awareness is considered one less when interacting with anyone socially, and their Honor is one full
point lower during honor tests. A truly cruel character is expected to behave in a cruel manner, and if ever caught
engaging in a cruel act, may suffer greatly for their transgressions
Curse of the Kami (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 10 points

You have little connection to the Elements beyond that required to grant you sentience. Any spell you are trying to
cast has its TN increased by 10 and takes twice as long to cast. You can never learn any school Techniques or develop
any of your own.
Dark Fate (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 3 points

This is the opposite of the Great Destiny Advantage. Your character can achieve great things in his day, but his death
will be spoken of in hushed whispers, if at all. Some enormous failure will mark the end of his days: he may be the
one whose mistake results in the Shadowlands overrunning the wall, or his misstatement may result in a costly war
against another clan, or perhaps he will simply become Tainted and turn against the people of Rokugan. Only a
premature death via battle or seppuku can stop this fate. Once per story, when the character takes damage that will kill
him, he is reduced to 1 Wound instead. Sounds advantageous, doesn't it? In truth, he is only being kept alive to meet
his dark fate, one which will damn him, his family, perhaps even the entire Empire. Death might be preferable
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Dark Secret (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 5 points
You are keeping a secret that would jeopardize your family's standing if it was revealed. Dark Secrets should not be
taken lightly. If a character's secret is ever revealed, he will be expected to commit seppuku to clear the shame. An
enemy who gains knowledge of the secret will own the character's life, holding the secret over his head with the very
real threat of ruining the character's family
Deathseeker (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 7 points

You are a member of the elite Lion outcasts - the Deathseekers. Your family has been dishonored, your name erased
from the records of the Lion Clan. The only way to redeem your family name is to give your life in combat against a
superior foe. To achieve this, you must seek a situation where your death can benefit the clan, and you must die for the
cause. Unless your family's name can be cleared, this is your only option. Remember, the ancestors do not look
favorably on those who shirk their duty...
As a Deathseeker, you begin the game with no Glory, nor may you ever gain any
Dependent (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (Varies) points

You have someone who is completely dependent upon you. Who it is (a child, grandparent, etc.) is up to you, but they
are helpless without you. Good examples of dependents include small children and aged grandparents, but a naive
spouse could also be included as a dependent
1 point = Adult Dependent 2 points = Elderly Dependent 4 points = Child Dependent
Disbeliever (Way of Shinsei) Restrictions: - 3 points

To you, the Fortunes have forsaken man. They were slave masters, and Shinsei was nothing but a hopeful parable. In
the Emerald Empire such thoughts are practically treason, as they go against Hantei himself. You may or may vocal
about what you think; in fact, you must try to avoid religious discussions at all costs, lest your true feelings be
discovered. But remember, no matter how quiet you are or how well you lie, some say those thoughts are going to get
you in trouble...
Dishonored (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 3 points

You begin at Glory Rank 0 with no points. You are not a ronin, but you have to earn your Glory back. You can't spend
any Experience Points you've earned until gaining Rank 1 Glory, and then can only by up to three skill Ranks, one
Ring Rank, or one Trait Rank (total) per adventure
Doubt (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 4 points

You have a problem. You have no confidence in one of your starting skills (chosen by the GM). Though you train and
train, you still don't excel. The knowledge is there, but the doubt always lingers. In game terms, every time this skill is
used, the character must raise twice in order to succeed. He gains no extra benefits from these raises, and they still
count towards his maximum number of Raises. This Disadvantage can eventually be conquered, but only when the
skill that is plagued with Doubt is raised to a 5, and the character uses it to defeat a superior opponent to save the life
of himself or another, or, in the case of a craft, to create a work of profound skill and lasting beauty (TN 45 at the very
least).
Enlightened Madness (Way of the Dragon) Restrictions: Ise zumi only 2, 4, or 6 points
You're not quite sure what, but something is wrong. Your tattoo tapped into a dark energy, and energy too powerful
for your will to control. Every once in a while, your madness takes control, and you wake up with blood on your
hands and no memory of your actions.
Every Tattooed Man's madness is unique and personalized, and is (for all intents and purposes) permanent. You have
heard legends of Ise zumi overcoming this madness, but you've never seen it.
Choose one of your tattoos. Whenever you summon the power of that tattoo, you must make a simple Willpower roll.
If you fail the roll, you lose control of your character until the following dawn. The TN for the roll depends on how
many points you take for this disadvantage.
TN = 15: 2 points TN = 20: 4 points TN = 25: 6 points
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Enlightened Madness (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: Phoenix shugenja only 1, 3, or 6 points
Similar to the disadvantage from Way of the Dragon, this character has a form of permanent madness brought on by
an uncontrolled release of energy within the soul. For the Phoenix, such troubles can be the result of a ritual going
terribly awry, or a spell which was cast incorrectly. The form of madness triggered by later spellcasting is closely
related to the original spell which was miscast. Nevertheless, every once in a while, your madness takes control, and
you wake up with no memory of your actions. Every spell-induced madness is different, but all are irrevocable. Such a
character must be warned: your mind is not your own, and one day, it will turn against you.
When the character is created, choose an element (Air, Earth, Fire, or Water; you may not choose Void for this
disadvantage unless the character is a Void shugenja). Any spell the shugenja casts from that element could cause the
character's madness to surface. A simple Willpower roll is required for the shugenja to maintain their wits. When they
cast such a spell, the TN to keep their sanity is 20.
One Element: 1 point Two Elements: 3 points Three Elements: 6 points
Epilepsy (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - 4 points

Because the Crane families often interbreed with the Emperor's lineage, some simple genetic problems have evolved.
One of these difficulties is epilepsy, a rare disease which can cause rigidity of muscles, shaking symptoms, and even
death. Epilepsy is a genetic dysfunction which often arises when the character is under stress. Also, flashing lights
(such as a fireworks display) can trigger a seizure. The Rokugani believe that a character with this malady has been
touched by the kami, and that they are a channel for divine influences. Thus, any character who shows obvious signs
of epilepsy (shaking fits, spasms, etc.) might be shunned by common society, but treated as a mystic or holy man by
those brave enough to come near. When a character with Epilepsy is in a stressful situation, they must make a
Willpower roll at a TN of 15 to resist a seizure. If the character enters a seizure, they may make a Willpower roll each
round at a TN of 20 to end the seizure
Fascination (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - 2 points

The character has a fascination with something - music, horses, ancient history - and will go to any length to learn new
things about it. A character with a fascination for spellcraft might resort to stealing scrolls from other shugenja.
Someone who has a fascination with horses would go to any length to purchase (or otherwise obtain) one of the finest
steeds of the Unicorn, or someone who was fascinated with Naga would leap at the chance to travel into the forests of
Shinomen, searching for Naga ruins, even if the forest was crawling with monsters
Forgotten (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 4 points

For some terrible reason, the character has been Forgotten by his clan. The ritual of Forgetting has been cast upon
them, and they have been stripped of all magical ability, spellcasting knowledge and ritual lore, and may never gain
any new knowledge of such things. The character must be a non-shugenja, and can never use magical items or abilities
that require magical aptitude
Forgotten Training (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 7 points

There are some among Rokugan's population of wave-men who have been without a clan for years or even decades. A
young samurai cast out from his clan can survive for many years in the Emerald Empire, eventually becoming an aged
ronin warrior. These older ronin have been absent from the dojo of their clans for the majority of their lives, and some
have great difficulty remembering their training. This is rarely the case for a first-level Technique, as this is the basic
style of fighting that the ronin practices his entire life. Higher level Techniques are much more difficult to recall.
When entering a combat situation, the ronin must roll his Willpower versus TN of 10 to recall his Rank 1 Technique.
Higher level Techniques require Willpower rolls at +5 to be TN per Rank of the Technique
Forsaken (Way of the Dragon) Restrictions: - (3 points for Lion) 2 points

This is a particularly bitter handicap in which, for reasons of the player and GM's devising, the PC's ancestors do not
listen to or aid him in any way, shape or form. No ancestor will ever, under and circumstances, talk to you. Other
Rokugani will assume that someone whose karma is so bad that their ancestors shun them completely must have done
something very wrong indeed. This is not quite as bad as a true Dark Secret, but it will certainly reflect poorly on the
Forsaken character should the truth ever come to light.
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Frail Mind (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points
Whenever you are the subject of a magical attack, Seduction roll, or any other task that would test your Willpower, the
attacker gets to roll two additional dice
Gaijin Name (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: Unicorn only 1 points

You have a name that sounds foreign. It might include the letters L or V, consonant combinations like ST, KS, or TH,
or end in a consonant other than N. Your name is difficult for Rokugani to pronounce, and brands you as one who
consorts with "blue-eyed devils." You lose one die on all social interaction with those who are neither Unicorn nor
gaijin
Gossip (Way of the Shinsei) Restrictions: - 5 points

You tell all your friends that they can confide in you. You're a great listener, and have heard the darkest secrets of
many samurai who trust you. Unfortunately, you're not so good at keeping such entertaining information to yourself.
The only thing better than being so trusted by so many people is being known as such a wealth of hidden knowledge
by others. Whenever you learn a closely guarded secret or delicate information of any kind, you must make a simple
Willpower roll to resist blurting it out to the next "trustworthy" friend you encounter. The TN for this roll is 5 x the
Glory of the person involved. If there are many unfortunate subjects, always use the highest Glory among them
Greed (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: - 1 point / rank

You've spent too much time watching the caravan masters, and not enough learning their ways. For each Rank of
Greed, your enemies get a bonus of five points on all bribery skill rolls they make. You may not make an Honor roll to
resist bribery attempts
Gullible (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

You have a soft spot in your heart for sob stories. You believe almost everything anyone tells you if they are
convincing enough. The TN to convince you of anything is a 5
Haunted (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 1, 2, or 4 points

You are haunted by the spirit of an ancestor who is not happy with you. He is distracting, insulting, and irritating, but
he is also your ancestor, which means all you can do is try to do better.
1 point: The ghost only shows up once per story.
2 points: The ghost appears up to three times per story
4 points: The ghost is with you at least once a day.
Heimin (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: True Ronin only 8 points

The ronin hides the greatest secret of all: while some True Ronin can claim genuine samurai ancestry, he cannot. The
ronin is the son of a farmer, merchant, craftsman, or another member of the non-samurai caste. If any samurai were to
discover the truth, the ronin would be quickly and mercilessly executed for violating the Celestial Order. In addition,
the ronin's complete unfamiliarity with the details of Rokugan's culture makes it very difficult for him to adapt to new
situations. The cost of advancing all High Skills is doubled for the ronin, and any roll involving social interaction with
samurai has its target number increased by a minimum of 5 (GM's discretion). The character's beginning Glory Rank
is zero and may not be raised above zero during character creation. A character with the Heimin Disadvantage does
not have to take Social Disadvantage: Ronin
Hohei (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: Bushi only 6 points

The character has been recruited into combat fresh from gempukku with the rank of hohei, or private. He begins as a
green recruit without the techniques, skills, or Trait bonus of his school, and may not use character points to purchase
more than three of the skills initially offered by his school. He is considered Rank 0. On the plus side, the c haracter
gains double the normal amount of experience points, usable only toward obtaining the starting skills of his school at
Rank 1, and raising the Trait associated with his school once. When this is done, the character gains his first
Technique and five experience points (the benefit of on-the-job experience). At this time, all effects of this
Disadvantage are permanently lost. The GM may choose to allow this Disadvantage only in times of war.
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Hostage (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 3 points
The character was taken by another clan and made to swear fealty. Though he is considered a member of this new
clan, he is neither fully trusted nor respected. His only family has turned its back on him, and he may never learn any
more Techniques from them. On the plus side, the character may purchase Different School or Multiple Schools (from
his new clan) for two points less
Idealistic (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 2 points

All Lion are extreme in their views of bushido. All adhere to it in at least theory, if not practice. Idealistic characters
hew to a slightly more stringent code for behavior and ethics than those from the other clans. Whenever a Lion's
Honor changes, points gained or lost are increased by 1 for every 5 (i.e. a 5-point gain becomes a 6 point gain, and a 1
Rank loss becomes a 12 point loss).
Insensitive (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

The three most important things in your life are your health, your welfare, and your wealth. You care little for the
plights of others and don't make any motions to keep it a secret. You must spend a Void Point whenever you want to
put yourself at risk for another
Jealousy (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 2 points

Because of the highly competitive nature of the Phoenix Clan, this disadvantage is common among clan members,
resulting in much infighting and other problems. A person with the Jealous disadvantage must choose another
character or dependent NPC, and constantly try to outdo them. Once they feel that they have successfully "beaten" the
character in question, the disadvantaged character will "latch on" to another, better opponent, and continue with their
sense of rivalry. Unlike the Proud or Vain disadvantages, the Jealous character does not necessarily feel they are
superior - simply that they must prove themselves so, at any opportunity. With the GM's permission, this disadvantage
can be attached to a skill or ability instead, and the character will be driven to constantly prove their ability with that
one maneuver, particularly against anyone else who has shown aptitude with that skill
Junshin (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: Scorpion only 3 points

This disadvantage is a kind of specialized Black Sheep. You are legitimately honorable. You try your best to adhere to
bushido, but your Scorpion blood keeps disagreeing with your "pure heart." Not only do your fellow Scorpions not
completely trust you, but the rest of the Empire thinks you're just putting on another mask. Or, at the very least, you're
some kind of freak
32
Kitsune Taboos (Way of the Minor Clans) Restrictions: Fox Clan only (max. 3 ranks) 1 point / rank
In order to keep themselves distant (and avoid losing their spiritual powers), the kitsune who interact with the Fox
Clan have adopted several taboos which guide their behavior and mannerisms. Some human members of the Fox
Clan, as well, have chosen to adopt these taboos, respecting their spiritual guides and making less likely that a visiting
kitsune will be noticed. Not all Fox samurai choose to accept a taboo, but those who do follow it faithfully all their
lives. It is said that a Fox who accepts the burden of a taboo is especially loved by the kitsune, and if he abides by it
faithfully, will be well cared for if ever in great need.
 The kitsune are creatures of the land and of the woods. The samurai may not harm a commoner, nor may he
allow the woodland to be defiled or destroyed without cause. He must care for the needs of the common
heimin, and in exchange, he will be warmly greeted and well-cared for when he visits a village.
 The kitsune are creatures of deceit and mischief. The samurai who chooses this taboo may never tell the
complete truth, and must cover their words with a veneer of falsehood. This is a dangerous taboo to accept,
and the samurai must be doubly careful not to mislead his lord while still adhering to the bonds of the taboo.
 For a spirit to become involved in the affairs of mortal man, they must be invited to take action. This taboo
requires the samurai to never directly affect either a battle or any other major scenario without first having
been asked to interfere. They may not enter houses unless they are invited to do so by name, and they may not
offer aid until they have been asked for it.
 The samurai cannot eat rice, but must make do with the natural berries and foods of the forest, supplemented
by a diet of fish and fowl. In this way, they attune themselves to the forest, rather than to agriculture and the
ways of mankind, and remember the kitsune oath to Inari, Lesser Fortune of Rice.
 Being alone is abhorrent to many kitsune, who live for affection, dedicated attention, and mischief. Samurai
who accept this taboo may never be alone, and must always be in the company of at least two other
individuals - even when sleeping.
 As with many spirits, kitsune become ill if they are not able to keep their promises, and follow their word of
honor. A samurai who accepts this taboo will commit seppuku before he breaks a promise (even one given in
haste), and if someone else breaks a promise to them, they will rapidly become deadly enemies
Lame (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

You have a crippled leg. All rolls involving Agility are at -2
Lechery (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: - 1 point / rank

Love is more important to you than it should be to a samurai. For each Rank of Lechery, your enemies get a free raise
on all Seduction skill rolls they make. You may not make an Honor roll to resist seduction attempts
Lost Love (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

You once knew true love, and now it's gone. You tend to have fits of melancholy when you are reminded of your love.
Whenever your love is mentioned, you lose a die from all die rolls until you spend a Void Point to bring yourself back
to the present
Low Pain Threshold (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 5 points

Whenever you get wounded, add an additional -1 to your Wound Penalty
Meddler (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

You cannot resist getting into other people's business. You always have an opinion and enjoy sharing it with others.
You know what's best for everyone and have no qualms about telling them. This can get you in a lot of trouble. The
Rokugani are a very private people, and meddling in another's affairs is considered an insult - it implies that they can't
take care of their own house. Sticking your nose in other people's business could get it cut off
Missing Limb (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

You are missing a hand or a foot. Any appropriate TN is raised by 10
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Momoku (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 8 points
Every Rokugani hero has the potential to achieve "greatness." Periodically, there come moments in every hero's life
when he must tap into a reserve of "something extra" to perform a miraculous feat or obtain a remarkable victory. The
character with the Momoku disadvantage does not have this reserve to tap into. They must rely solely on their own
skill and daring to solve the problems they face.
Perhaps this is because of some dark dabbling with maho, or due to their ancestors' disgrace before, or angering of the
Fortunes. Whatever the cause, this character cannot use his Void Points to boost his Traits under any circumstances.
As far as he is concerned, Void is a distant, unknowable thing, and he has either turned a blind eye or is without the
knack for it
Moto Curse (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: - 0 points

This disadvantage is required for all Moto characters.
Your family has been in part corrupted by the Shadowlands. While your clansmen understand your situation, other
Rokugani first heard your family name in connection with the evils of that dark land, and you find yourself the victim
of great prejudice. Other clans refuse to give you Glory, recognition, or awards. They won't trust you, and won't be
hospitable unless pressured by other Unicorns (lose three dice on all social skills with non-Unicorns). On the other
hand, they are somewhat fearful of you, so they give you no trouble, at least not to your face
Mute (Unexpected Allies) Restrictions: - 4 points

You cannot speak; you can act sincere; you can learn to understand foreign languages. But you cannot speak
Nemesis (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: - 5 points

The dark counterpart to the Kharmic Tie advantage, Nemesis attaches you to an enemy from a past life rather than an
ally. Whenever you face your Nemesis, you cannot use Void Points
Never Sat on a Horse (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: - 1 points

You have never been on a horse, and don't know how to ride one. Even sitting on the back of a calm mare while
traveling, you'll need someone to hold the reins and lead the horse for you. If you are mounted when fighting starts or
something startles the horse, you are sure to fall off. You can buy this disadvantage away with one Experience Point
Nightmares (Way of the Shadow) Restrictions: - 2 points

You are haunted by nightmares and cannot regain Void points and spells by sleeping, but rather must do so by
meditation
Obligation (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 or 4 points

You owe someone a favor, and someday they are going to collect. An Obligation is worth 2 points if it is a small favor
and 4 points if it is a large favor.
A small favor would include something that would not threaten your position and/or your family's standing, but would
cause you inconvenience. A major favor would discredit you and disgrace your family if it came to light
Obtuse (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 1 points

You just don't get it. Poems are a meaningless babble of nonsense. Paintings are just something to cover holes in the
walls. Music is a waste of time if you can't dance to it, and dancing is a waste of time unless you've drunk enough sake
to drown out the music. Don't even start on that kabuki garbage. Your soul is unmoved by the finer things; even when
you try, you just don't see the point. With the exception of Lore skills, Hunting, Investigation, Mountaineering, and
Medicine, learning or raising any High skill costs double the normal amount. In any social or courtly situation, you
must Raise your TN twice to get the effects of a single Raise. On the other hand, being numb to the finer things is not
always a weakness. In the court, people tend to ignore you. They tried making fun of you for a while, but eventually,
that stopped, too. Other characters receive a +5 penalty to all TNs involving taunting, ridiculing, or manipulating your
thick-skulled character
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Onikage Stink (Bearers of Jade) Restrictions: - 2 points
Due to the psychic stink caused by having been too near to onikage, all normal horses and ponies refuse to get near the
character
Outcast (Way of the Minor Clans) Restrictions: Badger or Ronin only (Varies) points
You have been outcast by your clan. Perhaps your worldview did not agree with that of your father or your clan.
Perhaps you're just too eager to embrace new ways. Whatever the case, they now treat you like an outsider. They don't
necessarily hate you, but now they look on you with suspicion. You'll have to earn their respect and, perhaps, regain
their trust
Overconfident (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: - 3 points

You never retreat, never choose to fight another day. You are possessed of the youthful illusion of immortality. When
faced with superior forces, you must make a Perception + Battle skill check at 30 or you stay and fight. You may not
purchase Great Destiny
Permanent Wound (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 5 points

You begin the game with a wound that has never properly healed. In game terms, this means that you always begin the
game at the -1 Wound Level
Phobia (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 or 4 points

Every time you encounter your phobia, all rolls you make lose dice equal to the number of points you gained from this
disadvantage. You may spend a Void Point to avoid this penalty for a single action. Listed below are some possible
phobias for your character; having a phobia must also be approved by the GM.
Fear of heights, open spaces, enclosed spaces, insects, blood, being alone, dead things, fire, and fear of darkness are a
few examples
Proud (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 1 points

You know that you are the finest bushi or shugenja that has ever been produced by your family's school. Your skills
are honed, and the ancestors are on your side. It's not mere overconfidence - it's absolute arrogance. Nothing can stop
you from fulfilling the destiny you're sure you have, whatever it is.
Obviously, it will be the grandest thing you come upon, and any who meet you should be informed of the caliber of
person they are dealing with. One day, they will want to tell their children about you!
Ranshin (Bearers of Jade) Restrictions: - 1-5 points

Your character has been traumatized beyond the point of nightmares. Casual acquaintances may not realize you are
unstable, but it is soon evident. Memories of war are everywhere: sudden movements look like attacks, a cough
reminds you of Tainted victims, playing children sound like goblins. The GM can call for a simple Willpower roll, TN
20, a number of times per session equal to the cost of the Disadvantage. If this roll is failed, the samurai goes into
post-traumatic stress disorder, fearfully lashing out, fainting, or having full-sensory flashbacks. Conversely, the urges
could mean that you are the sort of samurai who leaps into oni mouths believing that you can carve your way out. You
are uncontrollable in Rokugani society: you have emotional outbursts, cackling laughter, and make snap decisions
which cause a steady loss of face
Refused by Family (Way of the Minor Clans) Restrictions: - 1 points

All social skills with your family keep 1 fewer die. You cannot inherit property or goods. One starting item is of
average quality, all others are considered poor
Refused by the Clan (Way of the Minor Clans) Restrictions: - 2 points

As Refused by Family; in addition, all social skills within your clan roll 1 fewer die (Badger Clan shugenja must take
this disadvantage).
35
Scarred (Bearers of Jade) Restrictions: - 1 points
Unhealed wounds in the Shadowlands that were not infected by Taint still leave disgusting, visible marks. Commons
scars whiten the skin, twist and blacken it, or turn it green and oozing. These subtract one die on all social interactions
and two for seduction
Shadowlands Taint (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 1-5 points

You have journeyed into the Shadowlands and left a tiny piece of your soul behind. As a result, you have been
infected with the madness of Fu Leng's realm. For every point you take in this disadvantage, you gain a point of the
Taint (see The Book of the Shadowlands, page 27, or the GM's pack, page 11, for rules on the Taint).
Small (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

You are below average height and weight. Whenever you make a damage roll, you cannot count the highest die
Social Disadvantage (Way of the Dragon) Restrictions: - 3 points / rank

You have slipped from your place within the Celestial Order. For every 3 points of Social Disadvantage, the
character's Glory Rank is reduced by one from his School Rank. All Ronin characters must have at least 3 points of
Social Disadvantage. Characters that fall below Glory Rank 0 are hardly considered part of the Celestial Order.
Soft-Hearted (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

You have a profound respect for human life. Your conscience overcomes you whenever you are about to commit an
act of inhumane cruelty. Whenever you try to take a human life, you must make a simple Willpower roll against a 20
or you can't follow through with the action
Spoiled (Winter Court) Restrictions: - 3 points

A spoiled character is used to having the best of everything. Like the Compulsion disadvantage, a Spoiled character
must make a Willpower roll to resist the object of their desire. If they succeed against a TN of 15 (or greater in
instances where the object is of extreme value), then the object is merely admired and jealously desired. However, if
the character fails their roll, they must find a way to acquire the item or, under the GM's discretion, find a similar
copy.
Obviously, if the item in question is unique or very rare, like a daimyo's sword, a duplicate will not work. In instanc es
where a unique item or object is sought after, the TN should be exceptionally higher.
A spoiled character also desires people, and this is an exceptionally difficult and abusive when the person is already
taken by another - servant, spouse, craftsman, or otherwise. This disadvantage is very akin to the Compulsion
disadvantage, with less focus over what it is the character desires. Such is the way of a spoiled individual.
Sworn Enemy (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (max 6 total points) 3 points + 1 point / rank higher
The character has a Sworn Enemy that desires his death. Having the Sworn Enemy is worth 3 points; up to three
additional points can be gained if the Sworn Enemy is a higher Rank (at one point for one Rank higher). Whenever a
character with a Sworn Enemy gains a Rank, the Enemy gains one as well, with appropriately increased skills and
traits. The Enemy can show up at any time, at the GM's whim, and while he or she may be temporarily satisfied with
ruining the character's plans or reputation, the ultimate goal is death. The player should detail to the GM's satisfaction
the nature and cause of the vendetta, and the GM can either have the character create the NPC enemy or create the
Enemy himself
Touch of the Void (Way of the Shinsei) Restrictions: - 2 points

Somewhere in your family line, your ancestors gained a close connection to the Void, which has manifested itself in
you. While your "attunement" allows you to use an extra point of Void a day, you are often unable to control your
power. Each time you spend a point of Void, all people (including yourself) within a five-foot radius must roll their
Willpower against a TN of your Void x 5. Those who fail the roll feel the backlash of your power, becoming dizzy
and disoriented. The effect lasts for as many turns as your Void rank; during this time affected characters roll one
fewer die on all rolls
36
True Love (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points
Finding true love in Rokugan can be a painful experience. You will find yourself torn between your true love and your
loyalty to your Clan, your sensei and your family. Any character who takes True Love will find himself torn between
his Love and his duty. Whenever he must choose between his Love and his duty to Clan (and/or family, sensei,
daimyo, etc.), he must spend a Void Point to do so. Also, if he ever loses his True Love's favor, he may spend no Void
Points at all until he can gain the favor back
Unhygienic (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 2 points

In addition to the considerable social stigma that comes from being cast out from a clan (or never having been
accepted into a clan in the first place), there are other stigmas attached to being a ronin. Many wave-men become so
distraught over their lot in life that simple matters of hygiene become trivial and unimportant to them. They go weeks
and months without bathing, a practice incredibly offensive to other samurai, who often bathe multiple times per day.
A ronin with this disadvantage bathes very infrequently, and often has a very unpleasant odor as well as a filthy
appearance. He will be denied entrance to the court of virtually any clan, and keeps one fewer die in social interactions
with other samurai. Also, the incessant itching caused by this condition prevents the ronin from benefiting from any
Technique or Advantage that offers Free Raises on a Willpower roll. This disadvantage may be bought off with
experience points
Unlucky (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3, 6, or 9 points

Any character with Unluck will find himself the victim of the GM's whim. For every 3 points the character invests in
Unluck, the GM may - once per session - command the re-roll of any roll the character makes. It is possible to take
both Luck and Unluck; a GM may not command a roll the character has just re-rolled using the Luck advantage
Vanity (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - 1 points

You are gorgeous and/or brilliant - and you know it. Unfortunately, the rest of the world doesn't seem to notice. You'd
better make sure they know the quality of the person they are dealing with!
Weakness (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 5 points

You can reduce any Trait (excepting Void) by one point to gain 5 Character Points. You may not reduce a Trait below
one, or by more than two levels
Wrath of the Kami (Way of the Shinsei) Restrictions: - 3 points / element

There is something about you that the spirits of Rokugan do not like. Perhaps your soul was born unclean, your
ancestors wish to show their disfavor of you, or you have offended them in some way. In any case, the kami of the
Empire go out of their way to harm you when they are directed to do so by a shugenja. Choose one or more elements.
Any time a spell of any element chosen is cast to harm or hinder you directly, the caster gains a Free Raise
Yogo Curse (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: - 0 points

All characters from the Yogo family automatically have this disadvantage.
At the beginning of character creation, all Scorpion characters roll one die, and re-roll any 10 as usual. If the roll is at
least 15, they have inherited the Yogo curse. Once in your life, you will betray the person you love the most. Some
action, either intentional or unintentional, will cause that person pain. They more you try to avoid it, the more painful
the betrayal will be.
Because of the curse, the Yogo family has been forbidden to marry within the Scorpion Clan. However, true love
rarely listens to rules, and taboo often breeds tragedy
Yogo Curse (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 3 points

Members of the Asako family are closely related to the Yogo, a family within the Scorpion Clan. Although the two
families have been parted since the day of Yogo's curse by Fu Leng during the First War, some members of the Asako
family occasionally pop up with the terrible affliction. The curse decrees that some action, whether intentional or
unintentional, will betray the person you love the most. The more you try to avoid it, the more painful that betrayal
will be
37
Character Options: Ancestors
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/ancestors.php
Soshi Saibankan (130-175) (4 points for Scorpion Magistrates) 5 points

Any character who is a magistrate may choose Saibankan as an Ancestor, but Scorpions may take him for 1 point less.
Characters who take him as an Ancestor gain a number of Free Raises per day equal to their School Rank, which may
be used only for the following skills: Investigation, Law, Heraldry, and History
Crab Ancestors: Advantages/Disadvantages

Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Crab, Unexpected Allies, and Bearers of Jade (1st
edition, now out of print)
Shosuro Itode (914-940) 1 points

Itode may be taken as an ancestor by Crab characters as well as Scorpion ones
Though he had no children, Shosuro Itode remains an ancestor to two families, both of which share his determination
and persistence in the face of almost certain failure. They receive a free Raise to all Willpower rolls. However, his
decision to leave his blood relatives for his adopted ones still has repercussions today, and characters of either clan with
this ancestor receive a +5 TN penalty for all social rolls to gain favor with the Scorpion
Crab Ancestors: Hida Family
Hida (kami) ( ? – 210?) 10 points

Characters who take the primal Hida as an Ancestor gain a great benefit - and a great burden. Those who carry the soul
of Hida within them gain an additional Void Point for each Crab who stands with them. Likewise, those Crabs who
stand with him in combat gain an additional Void Point. However, the character also takes a Wound point each time
one of his fellow Crabs is wounded.
Hida Akemi (120-168) 4 points

Those with Hida Akemi as an Ancestor receive two extra damage dice to roll against any opponent more than twice
their weight, and a +2 to their Initiative if fighting in an enclosed space such as a corridor, privy, or bath-house
Hida Atarashi (? - ?) -5 points

Unlike most Ancestors, Atarashi is not yet dead, but his descendants remain tied to his spirit, and bear his curse. Those
with Hida Atarashi as an Ancestor are doomed to eventually go over to Fu Leng. They may fight it for years, and do a
lot of good in the world first, but eventually, no matter how they try to get around it, they will join the forces of the
Shadowlands
38
Hida Banuken (684-739) 2 points
Those who choose Banuken as an Ancestor are able to adapt their own strengths to complement the strengths of others.
When they fight side by side with another, they may strike simultaneously with their ally, regardless of initiative rolls,
and vice versa. The ally must be determined before initiative rolls are made.
Hida Tadaka (379-412) 4 points

Characters who take Tadaka as an Ancestor feel his selfless sacrifice in their veins. They may lend Wound points to
other Crab characters. They may also lend Wound points to non-Crab personalities, but this costs them a Void Point.
The character must be touched in order to "pass on the spirit of the Crab." He may transfer as many Wound points as he
wishes, but he loses any that he transfers - mark them off as you would any normal injury.
Crab Ancestors: Hiruma Family
Hiruma ( ? – 127?) 5 points

Those who choose Hiruma as an Ancestor can re-roll any roll by expending a Void Point. This may only be done a
number of times per day equal to the character's Void Rank
Hiruma Kazuma (302-327) 2 points

Kazuma's descendants may purchase Ratling Allies for half cost and receive a Free Raise on any social rolls with
Nezumi
Crab Ancestors: Kaiu Family
Kaiu ( ?-? ) 5 points

Characters who choose Kaiu as an Ancestor gain a number of Free Raises equal to their Void when using any Craft
skill
Kaiu Gineza (459-498) 1 points

Characters who choose Gineza as an Ancestor may sacrifice their own Wound points to inflict additional Wound points
to creatures and characters with the Shadowlands Taint. Before damage is rolled, the character may sacrifice a number
of Wounds less than or equal to his Earth. The target creature or character takes at least as many Wounds as were
sacrificed by the character
39
Crab Ancestors: Kuni Family
Kuni ( ?-? ) 4 points

Those who take Kuni as an Ancestor always roll twice when determining if they gain the Shadowlands Taint, and use
the higher roll
Kuni Osaku (695-716) 6 points

Characters who choose Osaku as an Ancestor may spend a Void Point to gain a number of Free Raises equal to their
School Rank when casting a spell
Crab Ancestors: Yasuki Family
Yasuki Fumoki (635-671) 3 points

Those with Fumoki as an Ancestor have a deep affinity for the sea and her secrets. They can predict the weather within
a 24-hour period with perfect accuracy. Also, Fumoki's sea legs grant them an uncanny sense of balance; they gain a
free raise to any rolls involving agility
40
Crane Ancestors: Advantages/Disadvantages
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Crane and Bearers of Jade (1st edition, now out of print)
Crane Ancestors: Asahina Family
Asahina Yajinden (475-515) 3 points

Those who choose Yajinden as an Ancestor have a remarkable affinity with kami, and get a Free Raise any time that
they attempt to create a fetish or magic item. However, the call of the darker side of nature is in their blood, and TN for
them to be seduced is lowered by 10
Crane Ancestors: Diadoji Family
Diadoji Masahigi (690-715) 7 points

A character with this Ancestor gains a Major Ally in the Crab house, and their TN to be hit is increased by 3 for each
Wound Rank they take. For example, a character with Masashigi as their Ancestor would have a +6 to their TN to be
hit if they were at the -2 Wound Rank
Daidoji Yohko ( ?-? ) -3 points

Characters with Daidoji Yohko as an Ancestor inherit her devotion, and cannot be affected by Fear as long as they are
aiding someone else. However, they can never knowingly abandon someone who needs their help. This includes
championing courtiers in duels (whether or not you agree with them), always being the last to leave a battlefield of
retreating men, and pursuing friends lost to the Shadowlands
Crane Ancestors: Doji Family
Doji (kami) ( ?-? ) 6 points

Characters who choose Lady Doji as an Ancestor are considered to have a Rank of 1 in all High Skills. If the character
wishes to advance in a skill, they must pay for Rank 1 before continuing on to Rank 2
Doji Hotei (539-582) 4 points

A character which chooses Hotei as an Ancestor gains a minor insanity which may surface periodically during their
life. This insanity should be somewhat debilitating, and triggered by some outside influence: a spouse's death, going
into battle, being called a coward, seeing a chicken's head. It is up to the GM's twisted imagination to decide exactly
what the insanity is and what triggers it (as well as how often), but it should be appropriate to the character.
Descendants of Doji Hotei may spend a Void Point in combat to ignore all wounds for one round. The player must
declare before the round begins if he wishes to use this ability
Doji Taehime (680-745) 5 points

When making a roll using Persuasion, Manipulation, or Etiquette skills, descendants of Taehime may add and keep an
additional number of dice equal to their Void
However, a descendant of Taehime may never reveal all they know about any topic, lest their Ancestor strike them
with sudden ill fortune for their wagging tongue.
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Crane Ancestors: Kakita Family
Kakita ( ? - ? ), (39 years) 15 points

The descendant of Kakita may choose to re-roll any failed roll a number of times per day equal to their Void, in or out
of combat, including an iaijutsu strike. In place of the initial skill used for this reroll, the character should substitute
their Iaijutsu skill level. Further, if the descendant of Kakita is defending the Emperor, the Doji noble family, or a
member of the Hantei house, they have a +10 to their TN to be hit in any combat, including iaijutsu duels.
The blood of Kakita has its drawbacks, however, as Kakita was not loved by all. The enemies he made in the Matsu
house are well-known, and even today the Matsu family still seeks to avenge the dishonor to their ancestress. To
avenge her is to destroy the original, direct line of Kakita himself, wiping out the last of the taint which dishonored the
Mother of their line. Relations with any Lion will be difficult at best, and children of the Matsu house will seek the
character out in order to kill him and avenge their ancestor. The Kakita descendant's battle prowess will be tested, their
honor challenged, and they will never find solace in the house of the Lion. In effect, the entire Clan hates them,
although only the Matsu will act without provocation.
Kakita Rensei (935-962) 2 points

Those who choose Rensei as their Ancestor may not have the damage they deliver reduced, avoided, or ignored in any
fashion. Abilities which would allow a character to dodge or parry the blow are still effective; only those abilities
which negate damage after it has been dealt are ineffective
Kakita Wayozu (450-535) 8 points

Characters descended from Wayozu may, once per day, spend 2 Void Points and attempt to perform any single first-
rank maya from any of the Artisan specialties. If the character has no skill in the art needed for that specialty, they must
roll dice equal to their Fire Ring, keeping only one die. If the character has the skill needed, they may roll their Skill +
Fire, keeping a number of dice equal to their skill. Unless otherwise specified, all mayas last a number of hours equal to
the School Rank of their user.
42
Dragon Ancestors: Advantages
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Dragon and Unexpected Allies (1st edition, now out of print)
Dragon Ancestors: Agasha Family
Agasha ( ? – 82) 8 points

Shugenja who choose Agasha as an Ancestor receive on Free Raise for casting any spell
Agasha Kitsuki (798-829) 5 points

Those who purchase Kitsuki as an Ancestor may spend a Void point to entirely negate the effects of poison
Agasha Nodotai (712-744) 3 points

When characters who choose Agasha Nodotai as an Ancestor are engaged in mass combat, they may move their
position on the chart by one position
Dragon Ancestors: Mirumoto Family
Mirumoto ( ? – 42) 15 points

Characters who take purchase Mirumoto as an Ancestor know and can use the Mirumoto Technique just above their
current Rank. For instance, a Rank 1 Mirumoto may use the Rank 2 Mirumoto School Technique. Only bushi from the
Mirumoto family may take Mirumoto as an Ancestor
Mirumoto Kaijuko (789-877) 4 points

Characters who gain Kaijuko as an Ancestor are both blessed and cursed. They will never marry (even if they try), but
gain an additional die to roll and keep whenever they are making Courtier or Seduction rolls
Mirumoto Takeda ( ? – 480) 8 points

Descendants of Mirumoto Takeda understand his philosophy of self-sacrifice, always ready for a "single, defining
moment." During combat, they may elect to give up one of their attacks per round to increase their TN to be hit by 5.
When using Full Defense, they receive an additional 10 to their TN to be hit. This is in addition to other modifiers, such
as armor, daisho technique, or use of Full Defense
Mirumoto Tokeru (433-456) 3 points

Characters who have Tokeru as an Ancestor never need to make Honor rolls when duty to their lord is in question.
Seducing them away from their sworn duty is impossible. The blood of Tokeru forbids it
43
Lion Ancestors: Advantages/Disadvantages
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Lion, Bearers of Jade, and Unexpected Allies (1st edition, now out of print)
Lion Ancestors: Akodo Family
Akodo (kami) ( ?-? ) 10 points

Lions who take Akodo as an Ancestor gain his almost intuitive knowledge of battle and tactics. When rolling on the
battle chart, they may roll 2 dice and keep the one that they prefer. Also, their Battle skill is always considered to be
one Rank higher than it actually is (yes, this means they can have a Battle of 6). Finally, the Leadership advantage costs
1 point less for Akodo's descendants
Akodo Godaigo (410 - ? ) -2 points

If Godaigo is your Ancestor, then your Elemental Rings and Glory Ranks can never be higher than your Honor. If your
Honor ever drops below the level of a Ring or Glory Rank, then the Ring or Glory is considered equal to your current
Honor Rank until your Honor raises back above the Ring or Glory level
Akodo Samune ( ? – 522) 3 points

The benefits of taking this brave ancestor are twofold. The PC adds a die of damage (rolled and kept) when attacking a
larger character who has a lower Honor Rank. Also, when confronted by a creature with a Fear Rating, the TN for the
PC's Willpower roll is reduced by 10
Akodo Shinju ( ? – 73?) 2 points

Lions who take Shinju as an Ancestor always receive a Heroic Opportunity on the Battle Table
Lion Ancestors: Ikoma Family
Ikoma ( ? – 82?) 2 points

Lions who take Ikoma as an Ancestor inherit the old man's keen intuition and understanding of the patterns of life.
Once a game session, they may ask the GM a single yes-or-no question about their current situation in the game. The
GM must answer honestly
44
Lion Ancestors: Kitsu Family
Kitsu ( ?-? ) 8 points

Lions who take Kitsu as an Ancestor may Sense spirits as a Half-Blooded Kitsu does
Kitsu Ichiosu (566-598) -5 points

Descendants of Ichiosu automatically suffer from the Haunted disadvantage, for Ichiosu keeps track of all his
grandchildren for Fu Leng. He whispers to them of the blindness of Rokugan's beliefs, saying the kharmic wheel is a lie
and that death only leads to a prison mediocrity; that the way to rise above your station is to leap off the bridge and gain
immortality as a servant of the Dark One. This constant demonic encouragement is the equivalent of a Compulsion:
Maho disadvantage. The character must spend one void point per day to resist the temptation or seek out scrolls of
maho "for just a little peek."
Ichiosu also interferes with other samurai's kharmic ancestors. No one with an Ancestor with an absolute point value
less than 5 gains the benefit of their spirit when within 50 feet of Ichiosu's descendants
Kitsu Taiko (717-781) 7 points

Only a shugenja character of the Lion or the Phoenix may purchase this Ancestor. The shugenja may choose an
Element, and they are considered to be well-loved by the kami of that Element. Attempts to Commune, Summon, or
Sense spirits of that Element will be met with friendship, and the character may roll and keep one extra die when
casting spells of that Element
Lion Ancestors: Matsu Family
Matsu Hitomi (423-441) 6 points

Once per day, someone with Hitomi as an Ancestor may spend a Void Point to reroll a to-hit or damage roll, taking
whichever total the player prefers. A character with Matsu Hitomi as an Ancestor may not for any reason attack a
person to whom they have a strong personal tie.
45
Phoenix Ancestors: Advantages/Disadvantages
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Phoenix and Bearers of Jade (1st edition, now out of print)
Phoenix Ancestors
Naka Kaeteru (13 – 160) 14 points

Any shugenja that takes Kaeteru as their Ancestor is always considered to have a Void two higher than it is, and may
always add two additional dice to their meditation score when meditating or helping others to meditate. If the Honor of
the shugenja is ever reduced to 1 or less, Kaeteru will disappear forever and never return
Phoenix Ancestors: Kitsu (Lion) Family
Kitsu Taiko (717-781) 7 points

Only a shugenja character of the Lion or the Phoenix may purchase this Ancestor. The shugenja may choose an
Element, and they are considered to be well-loved by the kami of that Element. Attempts to Commune, Summon, or
Sense spirits of that Element will be met with friendship, and the character may roll and keep one extra die when
casting spells of that Element
Phoenix Ancestors: Asako Family
Asako ( ? - 57?) 4 points

Those who choose Asako as an Ancestor gain her luck with companions, in the form of a 6-point True Friend
advantage. The player may design another character to fill this role, as the GM desires. They also inherit her son's
wrathful nature, however, which results in the Brash disadvantage. Should the PC ever be betrayed by anyone, this
becomes the Driven disadvantage, and he will be devoted to their downfall thereafter
Asako Hanasaku (98 – 153) 4 points

The samurai with Hanasaku as an Ancestor are cursed with the unquenchable desire to know what everything is.
Anything undiscovered or unknown to the Asako is a new frontier to be tested. A Willpower roll against the TN of 20
is necessary to resist the allure of trying anything new. However, Hanasaku's knowledge of the bizarre gives the
samurai an automatic Rank for all rolls involving Medicine, Poison, Herbalism, and all Lore rolls involving strange
events and information. Buying Rank one in any skill still requires the expenditure of one CP
Asako Ingen ( ?-? ) 5 points

Those with Ingen as an Ancestor are always considered to have 20% extra Insight for purposes of School Rank, and are
considered to be 1 School Rank higher for all purposes when using Riddles
46
Phoenix Ancestors: Isawa Family
Isawa Akuma (250 – 283) 3 points
Those choosing Akuma as an Ancestor gain Free Raises equal to their Void when combating Oni, but are also born
only into the lowest social climates (acquiring a 3 point Social Disadvantage without cost) as a result of his fall
Isawa Ijime (601 – 649) -3 points

Anyone taking Ijime as an Ancestor is constantly haunted by images of a dark imaginary word beyond the realm of
what Rokugani consider normal. This unbalancing "euphoria" may unhinge a samurai and cause them distress in
formal settings. All contested rolls have an increased TN of 5, and all social rolls require a TN increase of 10. Dueling
is done as if the Void of the samurai is one lower, and all meditation attempts are at a TN of 40! However, they are able
to glean insight into perplexing situations. The samurai receives a one die bonus to all skills involving puzzles,
investigations, and other "unsolvables."
Isawa Takao (465-489) 2 points

Anyone taking Takao as Ancestor may roll one extra die when casting fire spells, but is assumed to have the Brash
disadvantage in addition to all other disadvantages. If the samurai already has the Brash disadvantage, then all Honor
tests have a TN of 35
Phoenix Ancestors: Shiba Family

Shiba Kaigen (375-408) 2 points
Only a bushi may take Kaigen as an Ancestor, for the warrior spirit which lives on in his descendants will accept no
less. Those who do take the One Man Alone (his title in the ancestral records) are proud of their forefather's death, and
ready to emulate it, if ever the time should come.
Because Kaigen was able to perform this feat through his knowledge of spellcraft, descendants of Kaigen are allowed
to spend one year within the halls of the Isawa Academy, learning much about spells, magic, and the kami
This knowledge gives the bushi a greater aptitude for using spells in battle, understanding the destructive potential of
shugenja, and using the elemental spirit to supplement his own strength in combat. If a shugenja within 10 feet spends a
Void Point, the descendant of Kaigen may gain an extra action, even if they have already performed their only action
for the round. This additional action may not be an attack, but may be used to perform any other ability or maneuver.
Shiba Murayasu (418-479) 9 points

Characters touched by Murayasu's spirit possess his remarkable calmness, both in combat and everyday life. The
character's TN to hit anyone who has declared an attack on him that round (including duels) is reduced by 5. The
character also declares his action last, regardless of his initiative roll (actions still resolve in the order rolled). This
balanced demeanor has a price, however. The character never gains more than one additional die to roll when making a
Full Attack
Shiba Sakazu (881-922) 4 points

Though no one knows how Sakazu made his end, his descendants have inherited his confidence in their abilities to
prevail even when naked, alone, and emptied of thought. Characters with Sakazu as an Ancestor roll an additional
number of dice equal to their Void for all bare-handed attacks.
Shiba Toriiko (802-827) 1 points

Those who take Shiba Toriiko as an Ancestor are always eligible for the Kharma rule should they die trying to prevent
strife
47
Scorpion Ancestors: Advantages
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Scorpion and Bearers of Jade (1st edition, now out of print)
Scorpion Ancestors: Bayushi Family
Bayushi (kami) ( ? – 76?) 5 points

Scorpions who take Bayushi as their Ancestor have both a blessing and a curse. They gain a kind of kharmic tie with
one other character (NPC or otherwise) that allows the two to use each other's Void Points at will. If one of the
characters dies, however, the other character may never use Void Points again
Bayushi Akoru (408-440) 3 points

Players who take Akoru as an ancestor find themselves forgettable and easily overlooked. People don't think about
them, and tend to overlook them, even when they're present. No reliable description of the character is available unless
they do something to attract substantial attention. The character may roll and keep one extra die in all Stealth-based
skill checks, but may never take the Ally Advantage, or have a Glory Rank of higher than 1
Bayushi Tagen (147-170) 2 points

Scorpions who take Tangen as an Ancestor automatically have the Disadvantage Can't Lie. However, this character
always needs 10 less Insight to gain his next School Rank.
Bayushi Tesaguri (415-545) 2 points

Samurai who take Tesaguri as an Ancestor are always paid 50% more gold for any service they perform. They also
receive finer gifts than they deserve. On the other hand, they can't keep a secret. If they ever learn a secret, they will
spill it the first chance they get
Scorpion Ancestors: Shosuro Family
Shosuro Furuyari (774-856) 2 points

Scorpions who take Furuyari as an Ancestor gain a Free Raise whenever using the skills Acting, Oratory/Rhetoric, and
Disguise. The Advantage Voice costs 1 point rather than 2 points if a character has Furuyari as an Ancestor
Shosuro Itode (914-940) 1 points

Itode may be taken as an ancestor by Crab characters as well as Scorpion ones
Though he had no children, Shosuro Itode remains an ancestor to two families, both of which share his determination
and persistence in the face of almost certain failure. They receive a free Raise to all Willpower rolls. However, his
decision to leave his blood relatives for his adopted ones still has repercussions today, and characters of either clan with
this ancestor receive a +5 TN penalty for all social rolls to gain favor with the Scorpion
Scorpion Ancestors: Soshi Family
Soshi Saibankan (130-175) (4 points for Scorpion Magistrates) 5 points

Any character who is a magistrate may choose Saibankan as an Ancestor, but Scorpions may take him for 1 point less.
Characters who take him as an Ancestor gain a number of Free Raises per day equal to their School Rank, which may
be used only for the following skills: Investigation, Law, Heraldry, and History
48
Scorpion Ancestors: Yogo Family
Yogo ( ?-? ) 2 points

Those who take Yogo as an Ancestor have an innate skill at maho. They gain a number of Free Raises equal to their
School Rank when using Lore: Maho-Tsukai. On the other hand, they also gain an additional number of Shadowlands
Points equal to their School Rank whenever they use maho
49
Unicorn Ancestors: Advantages
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Unicorn and Unexpected Allies (1st edition, now out of print)
Unicorn Ancestors: Ide Family
Ide ( ?-? ) 4 points

Those who choose Ide as an Ancestor have a powerful ability: as long as they wear neither weapon nor armor, anyone
attacking them must first make a contested roll. The attacker rolls their Willpower and the Unicorn rolls their Honor. If
the attacker rolls higher, he may attack normally. If he fails, he cannot attack the Unicorn that round
Unicorn Ancestors: Iuchi Family
Iuchi ( ? - 200?) 3 points

Once a day, characters with Iuchi as an Ancestor may use their Void in place of any other Ring when casting spells
Iuchi Atesoro (354 – 418) 6 points

Characters with Atesoro as an Ancestor may dodge arrows and other projectiles. Characters who fire arrows (or other
ranged attacks) at this character do so as if this character were at Full Defense, even if he is performing a Full Attack
Unicorn Ancestors: Moto Family
Moto Chai (593-619) 7 points

Those with Chai as an Ancestor can keep all the dice they roll for Horsemanship, and get a free Void Point to spend on
each and every athletics feat they undertake
Moto Sanjo (472 - ? ) 0 points

Those of Sanjo's blood always hear his maniacal laugh whenever Shadowlands creatures are near. While this acts as an
early warning system (it alerts the character even if he can't see the creatures), it is also demoralizing: the character
must always drop his highest die on every die roll while fighting Shadowlands creatures. The character can avoid this
penalty for one day if he succeeds in passing an Honor test at TN 10
Moto Soro (60?-150?) 5 points

Those with a direct tie to Moto Soro can completely ignore their wounds for a number of rounds each day equal to their
Void. These rounds need not be sequential
50
Unicorn Ancestors: Otaku Family
Otaku ( ?-? ) 5 points

Characters who take Otaku as an Ancestor automatically gain the Voice advantage. Also, their words are
understandable by all mammalian nonhuman creatures. This does not mean that the creatures will comprehend the
meaning, nor does it mean that the creatures will obey or respond... but at least the words will be understood
Otaku Kunami ( ?-? ) 5 points

Descendants of Otaku Kunami are superb handlers of horses, the envy of all Unicorns. They have the ability to perform
incredible tricks with ease. Battle Maidens of her line gain a Free Raise to their TN if performing tricks or stunts while
riding. During normal activity, they cannot be unhorsed. Other Raises must be made normally
Otaku Shiko ( ?-? ) 4 points

A Unicorn who takes Shiko as an Ancestor is as stalwart as her noble ancestor. She may spend a Void Point to ignore
Wound Ranks for a number of rounds equal to her School Rank
Unicorn Ancestors: Shinjo Family
Shinjo (kami) ( ? - 400?) 3 points

Characters who choose Shinjo as an Ancestor get a Free Raise when trying to discern people's emotions or understand
enigmas. That is, a character gets a Free Raise for trying to read someone's emotions, figure out what type of
Shadowlands creature faces her, how this gaijin contraption works, or what the best way is to cook this curious plant
Shinjo Martera (100?-500?) 10 points

Those with Shinjo Martera as an Ancestor never fail to do their duty as they see it. While they may not live up to the
higher expectations of others, they never fail the standards they set for themselves internally. In game terms, such a
character never fails an Honor roll, but he may never deliberately undertake an action that will result in a loss of honor,
or he loses his connection to his Ancestor.
51
Imperial Ancestors: Advantages
Reprinted w/out permission from Winter Court (1st edition, now out of print)
Imperial Ancestors: Miya Family
Miya Naganori (376-399) 8 points

Descendants of Naganori inherit his extraordinary devotion. By spending a Void point, they may ignore wound
penalties (including Down, Out, and Dead) for a number of hours equal to their Honor. This ability does not apply to
attack rolls, only Full Defense, skill rolls, and movement. If the character's Dead level is depleted, the character still
dies
Imperial Ancestors: Seppun Family
Seppun ( ?-? ) (Kyuden Seppun 96) 4 points

Characters with Seppun as an Ancestor can draw on her near-fanatic desire to protect the line of Heaven, even after her
death. They also have her ability to fight with honor against the foulest foes. Whenever the character leads troops to
defend the Emperor, the opposing (human) general cannot use more Battle skill than he has Honor
Imperial Ancestors: Shiba (Phoenix) Family
Shiba Murayasu (418-479) 9 points

Characters touched by Murayasu's spirit possess his remarkable calmness, both in combat and everyday life. The
character's TN to hit anyone who has declared an attack on him that round (including duels) is reduced by 5. The
character also declares his action last, regardless of his initiative roll (actions still resolve in the order rolled). This
balanced demeanor has a price, however. The character never gains more than one additional die to roll when making a
Full Attack
52
Minor Clan & Ronin Ancestors: Advantages
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Minor Clans and Way of the Wolf (1st edition, now out of print)
Badger Ancestors: Ichiro Family
Ichiro Fureheshu (422-462) 3 points

Once per day, someone with Fureheshu as an Ancestor may substitute his or her Strength for any attribute roll
Centipede Ancestors: Moshi Family
Moshi Azami ( ?-? ) 5 points

Characters who choose Azami as their ancestor channel Lady Sun with ease and assurance. Once per session, they gain
one Free Raise on any skill check involving either Agility or Reflexes
Dragonfly Ancestors: Tonbo Family
Tonbo Maroko ( ?-? ) 4 points

The founder of the Tonbo Shugenja School. An intuitive woman, all her descendants are blessed with a Free Raise for
all actions based on Perception
Falcon Ancestors
Hayabusa ( ?-? ) 5 points

Falcons who have Hayabusa as an Ancestor gain the ability to roll (but not keep) an additional die for rolls involving
Awareness
Fox Ancestors: Kitsuki Family
Osusuki & Akomachi ( ?-? ) 3 points

Fox characters who purchase Osusuki and Akomachi as Ancestors are descended from the kits of their union, through
human form. They automatically have the unusual green eyes of the Kitsune family, and may spend one Void point in
any area of the world to gain the Way of the Land Advantage for the region they are in for the day only. Further, they
gain one free die (rolled and kept) for any action taken when they are in the forest of Kitsune Mori. However, the
character must take at least one point of Kitsune Taboos
53
Mantis Ancestors: Yoritomo Family
Kaimetsu-uo ( ?-? ) 5 points

Descendants of Kaimetsu-uo inherit their ancestor's nasty disposition, and can be easily provoked to combat with
insults. However, there will is indomitable. They gain one free Void point to spend on any tests involving Willpower,
save those tests which would allow him to avoid combat
Gusai ( ?-? ) 3 points

descendant of Gusai can never be completely stripped of weapons, unless they choose to be. No matter who well
searched, unless they are completely naked, the Mantis will always be able to conceal some weapon (tanto or smaller).
They may also spend a Void point to conceal a single other item, so long as it could be carried in the palm of the
Mantis's hand.
All descendats of Gusai automatically have the disadvantage Brash, for no points
Sparrow Ancestors
Doji Suzume ( ?-? ) 1 points

A Sparrow with the blood of Suzume is very clever in conversation, rolling an extra die when using Lore, Oratory or
Conversation skills. However, their words often carry more power than is intended. Whenever the character speaks in
large public groups, the GM secretly rolls one die. If the result is a 1 or a 10, the character’s remarks will be interpreted
in a way directly opposite to their intent (for example, a witty remark might lead to your expulsion from your clan). To
make matters worse, at least half of the listeners will usually find the unintended meaning of the character's words
extraordinarily brilliant.
Tortoise Ancestors
Agasha Kasuga ( ?-? ) 2 points

Tortoise who choose Agasha Kasuga as one of the Ancestors gain an understanding of the goodness within all men,
regardless of their caste, and are driven by his fire to see humanity in perfect and equal balance. They gain one kept die
for all rolls using social skills with heimin and hinin
Destroyed Minor Clans
Hare Ancestors: Usagi Family
Reichin ( ?-? ) 3 points

Those who carry the blood of the first Usagi have an uncanny knack for puzzling out codes and detecting traps. They
may roll and keep an extra die when attempting such activities
Sadly, their curious nature also tends to get them into trouble. The character rolls and keeps one fewer die when
attempting to use stealth to gain an advantage or spy on an opponent
54
Ronin Ancestors
Chiroru ( ?-? ) 5 points

A descendant of Chiroru can draw upon his steadfast loyalty, forming a special bond with those that fight by his side.
Such a character may name a number of his friends and allies equal to his Honor as "brothers" or "sisters." Whenever
one of these "siblings" is in danger, the character is immediately aware. The Ancestor does not prove the location,
distance, or the nature of the danger, only the identity of the brother or sister who is threatened. If the brother or sister is
not aware of the danger, the Ancestor does not function (it's not precognition). Chiroru's benefits fade if the character
ever swears fealty to a clan
Hiro ( ?-? ) 3 points

Hiro had many liaisons, and left many children to carry on his name. Characters with a kharmic tie to the bandit lord
roll and keep an extra die on all rolls to influence others by Intimidation and coercion. Descendants of Hiro
automatically have their Honor reduced to zero. If their Honor ever rises above 1, the benefits of this Ancestor depart
forever
Miyuko ( ?-? ) 15 points

Descendants of Miyuko must be shugenja. These individuals wield their illustrious ancestor's deep understanding of the
Elements. All spell effects which depend upon the shugenja's rank (including Damage Ratings) operate as if the ronin's
Rank was that of a Clan shugenja with equal insight
Rezan ( ?-? ) 4 points

A character with a kharmic tie to Rezan is descended from one of the many poets who have written under this famous
name. He may roll and keep a number of extra dice equal to his Void for all Poetry skill rolls
Sun Tao ( ?-? ) 11 points

Descendants of Sun Tao have a remarkable ability to adapt to their environment, learning from their mistakes almost
instantaneously. After some time living with the wisdom of Sun Tao, mistakes no longer exist. After any failed skill
roll, the character may spend one Void Point to add 10 to the result. If this new total would result in a success, then the
roll becomes successful. Any Raises that were originally made are negated. This effect may only be used once per day.
The results of this ability is always obvious. The character makes a mistake, but comes back instantly, making another
maneuver or correction to negate the results. Often, the success seems to be nothing more than dumb luck. For
example, an archer missing a moving target may make an improbable ricochet shot off of a nearby tree, striking his foe
55
Clan Heritage and Fortune Tables
Heritage Table 3 – Distinguished Past

1 Venerable Blood. The blood of your original
.
ancestor flows strongly in your veins. Gain 1 Honor
Crab Clan Heritage Tables and 1 Void. (this roll may only occur once; treat
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Crab 55-56 repeat rolls as no effect)
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Crab_Heritage_Tables 2-5 Battle Veteran. A family member fought at a
tremendous battle. Go to Table 3A - Great Battles. *
Heritage Tables: 6-7 A Hero's End. One of your ancestors died a hero's
After choosing a family for the character the player may death. Go to Table 3B - Glorious Death. *
choose to roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of 8-9 Meritorious Service. Your ancestor performed
lineage the character has. The player may roll up to three prestigiously. Go to Table 3C - Notable Awards.
times on the tables, but each has a cost of 1 Character Point. 10 Famous Affair. Your family has romantic ties with
another clan. Roll a die; if even gain a Minor Ally
Heritage Table 1 from that clan and you may attend a school from that
1-2 Dishonorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 2 clan without buying the advantage. If odd the affair
3-5 Undistinguished Past. No Benefits or Penalties was troublesome and you gain a Minor Ally and a
6-9 Distinguished Past. Roll on Heritage Table 3 Minor Enemy from the clan. If the roll was six or
10 Mixed Blessing. Roll on Heritage Table 4 less the clan was the Unicorn Clan
*Yasuki characters must re-roll these results. If these results
are rolled a second time accept them.
Heritage Table 2 – Dishonorable Past
1 Corrupted! One of your family fell to the
Shadowlands and returned as a monster. Start the Heritage Table 4 – Mixed Blessing
game with 0 Glory and lose 1 Honor Rank 1-3 Your ancestor was an Imperial Magistrate who
2-3 Ruined! Another Clan betrayed your family's trust revealed another family's dishonor. Gain Major
and all but destroyed it. Start with no money, no Enemy, 1 Honor Rank, and 1 Rank in Investigation
family name. Choose Clan responsible 4 Your family had regular dealings with a Nezumi
4-5 Fool! Your family fell for a subtle Crane or Scorpion tribe. Gain a Ratling Ally.
ploy. Roll a dice: if even you have a Dark Secret, if 5 Your ancestor was associated with a notorious
odd you have an Obligation. Choose Clan Yasuki smuggler. Gain +1 to any Trait at Rank 2,
responsible and 1 Rank in Commerce. You also have a Social
6 Weakling! Your ancestors lacked the courage to face Disadvantage and Bad Reputation for all non-Crab
the Shadowlands. Start with no Glory, and must earn Rokugani
20 glory points to reach rank 1. 6-7 Your ancestor slew another clan's hero in a duel.
7-8 Deserter! Your parents forswore their loyalty to their Gain Major Enemy, +1 Glory Rank, and (Enemy
clan. You are a Clan Ronin Clan) Lore, Rank 1.
9 Cursed! Your family banished a powerful oni, who 8-9 Your family has struggled financially. You have no
inflicted a curse upon your family. Lose 2 points of koku and all your items save one are average
honor, and lose your family trait benefit quality. Gain four Bugei, Craft or Low skills at Rank
10 Traitor! Your father took money in exchange for 1.
information. He was banished and his name stricken 10 You have inherited a magical item. It is said to have
from the Clan histories. You will not be given any been taken from an oni by a distant relative. You are
land or title, and the clan will not trust you with unsure whether it really is magic, and even if it is
important information you are not sure if it is cursed or tainted.
56
Heritage Table 3A – Great Battles Heritage Table 3B – Glorious Death
Yasuki character subtract 2 from their rolls on this table. 1-3 Killed fighting the Shadowlands. Gain 1 Rank
-1-1 Crane-Crab The first war between two great in a weapon of your choice. You are immune
War clans was fought over the Kenkai to the fear generated by some Shadowlands
Hanto peninsula. Gain 1-point Crane creatures.
Clan Lore and 1 point Iaijutsu. 4-5 Killed in a Duel. Gain 1 Rank Iaijutsu and
2-4 A Small While stationed on the southern three Character Points
Battle border your ancestor fought against 6-9 Killed in Battle. Roll on Table 3A - Great
the Shadowlands. Gain 1 point of Battles, and once on the list below
Glory and a free Void Point to spend 1 Saved the day. Gain Major Ally from any clan
in battles vs Shadowlands. or family fighting on your ancestors’ side in
5 Battle of the Your ancestor helped in the defense the battle
Cresting of Rokugan from the assault of The 2 Killed while charging the enemy. Gain Minor
Wave Maw. Gain 1 Glory Rank and 1 Ally from your clan
point in the Engineering skill. 3 Died protecting the general. Gain a Minor
6-7 Battle of the Your ancestor fought against the Ally from a clan on your side
Thundering Scorpion Clan following the Battle 4-5 Killed an important foe. Gain 1 Glory Point.
Shrine of the Cresting Wave. Gain 1 Honor 6 Saved a wounded samurai. Go to Table 3D –
Rank and 1 point in Battle. Gifts
8-9 Battle of the The battle to push the Shadowlands 7-9 Fought well. Roll d10 - Gain 1-10 Glory
Kuni out of the Kuni Wastes. Gain 1 Points
Wastes Glory point and 1 rank in 10 Carried the clan standard. Gain 7 Glory Points
Shadowlands Lore. 10 Seppuku. Ancestor committed suicide to
10 Battle of The battle against Iuchiban and his spare the family honor, leaving you with gift.
Sleeping bloodspeakers. Gain 1 Honor Point Go to Table 3D - Gifts
River and gain the skill Maho-Tsukai Lore
Heritage Table 3D – Gifts
Heritage Table 3C – Notable Awards 1-6 Money. Between 1-20 koku
1-3 Magistrate of a family. Gain 1 Glory Rank 7-8 Land. Must be tended to at least 3 months out of
4-5 Crab Clan Magistrate. Gain 2 Glory Ranks. the year. Gain 1-10 koku per annum.
6 Emerald Magistrate. Gain 3 Glory Ranks. 9 Items of high quality
7-8 Gunso. Gain 1 Glory Rank and 1 Battle. 10 A minor Nemuranai.
9 Chui. Gain 1 Glory Rank and 2 Battle.
10 Taisa. Gain 2 Glory Rank and 2 Battle.
57
Bad Fortune Table
1-2 You lack two items from your starting outfit
(GM’s choice)
Crab Clan Fortune Tables 3 You grew up secluded in the Crab lands, and are
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Crab 55-56 completely unfamiliar with the cultural subtleties
in the rest of Rokugan. You may not start out with
You cannot always control the hand of fate. Every character a skill in Sincerity or Etiquette, and your Honor
has the option to roll on this table once, at a cost of 3 CP, to can never be greater than 2
see what fate has dealt them. First, roll a die to determine 4 You have an heirloom item, which is incomplete.
whether the Fortunes have been good to you. If it’s even, roll You think you know who has the rest. . . (a shogi
again on the Good Fortune table; if it’s odd, roll on the Bad set minus one set of pieces, a katana without the
Fortune table. saya)
5 You broke your family katana. Lose one rank of
Good Fortune Table Honor and make do with a 2k2 katana until you
find a better one.
1 Shugenja: You have an extra spell
All others: You have an item of excellent quality 6 Overconfident: lose 1 rank in your highest skill
(Choose randomly if there are more than one)
2 You are a natural combatant; add 2 ranks to any one
7 Disruptive Student: -10 Insight
Bugei skill
8 Gambling losses: lose 1-10 koku
3 You have an heirloom item; several hundred years
9 Gambling debts: Lose all but 1 koku. The next 1-
old (tea set, painting, helmet)
10 koku you get must be turned over to your
4 You have a potion with five doses. Each cures one
creditor
die of wounds
0 No bad fortune. Yet. No, don’t worry about it. I’m
5 You have an item of magical curiosity (a go set
sure the GM will forget all about this
which can play against you, a wakizashi that draws
itself on command, a kimono which never gets
stained or wet).
6 Noble blood: gain three points of honor.
7 Prodigy: +10 insight
8 Windfall: Roll one die and divide it by two, retaining
fractions. You have this many extra koku
9 You have ceremonial suit if armor. Roll two dice to
determine its value in koku (re-roll tens)
0 You have friends in another clan (less than a Minor
Ally, more than nothing)
58
Heritage Table 4 – Mixed Blessing
1-2 Family is renowned for cleverness. Gain 1 honor
rank and a minor enemy in a clan of the GM's choice
Crane Clan Heritage Tables 3-4 An ancestor killed a powerful enemy of the Clan.
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Crane 70-73 Gain 1 glory rank and a major enemy of a clan of the
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Crane_Heritage_Tables GM's choice. Also gain Lore: Clan skill of the
chosen clan and be cursed to always drop the highest
After choosing a family for the character the player may dice when fighting members of that clan
choose to roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of 5-7 Inherited a Nemuranai. Ability unknown, but must
lineage the character has. The player may roll up to three always carry it with you
times on the tables, but each has a cost of 1 CP. 8-9 Last of a once-noble family. Gain 3 glory points
10 Family secret. Family refuse to talk about it.
Heritage Table 1 Unusual things happen around you, and you don't
understand. The circumstances around your birth are
1 Dishonorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 2
unknown to you, and you never even knew your
2-3 Undistinguished Past. No Benefits or Penalties
mother
4-6 Distinguished Past. Roll on Heritage Table 3
7-10 Mixed Blessing. Roll on Heritage Table 4
Heritage Table 3A – Famous Battles
Heritage Table 2 – Dishonorable Past 1-2 Battle of The battle that created a bond
1-2 Traitor! A distant family member betrayed a daimyo Tidal between the Crab and the Daidoji
of your clan. Begin the game with the Black Sheep Landbridge family. Gain 1 glory rank and a
Disadvantage. You gain no CP for this. Minor Ally within the Crab Clan.
3-4 Coward! One of your ancestors failed to prove his 3 Battle of Two minor clans attack each other,
worth in battle and ran when he faced the enemy of Kyuden and the Crane attempt to mediate.
your clan. You begin the game at zero Glory and Kitsune The Crane were forced to intervene
must earn twenty Glory points before you reach after assassins killed many of the
rank 1 Fox Clan. Gain Lore: Ninja at rank
5-6 Shameful birth. Your mother was a highly ranked 1, gain 1 glory rank and a minor
diplomat to another clan. While there, she became enemy in the Fox Clan
pregnant and you were born. You are considered a 4-5 Victory The Crane intervened between the
tremendous shame to your family, because your With No Lion and the Phoenix Clans,
mother betrayed her loyalty to the clan with her Strike resulting in Isawa Asahina attacking
lover. She committed seppuku shortly after your the Crane. Gain a Major Ally in
birth, and you begin the game at zero Glory. You either the Lion or the Phoenix.
were cast out of the clan for her dishonor, and you 6 Battle of The famous sea battle during the
are a Crane Clan Ronin; a relative raised you in the Raging Battle of White Stag. Gain a major
basics of your school’s techniques, but you will Seas ally from a clan of your choice, and
need to go to another school to learn advanced rank 1 in the skill Lore: Gunpowder.
abilities. 7-8 Battle of The battle where the Seven Great
7-8 Vow! Your family has an ancient vow to complete. Sleeping Clans united against Iuchiban. Crane
The character may not reach rank 3 until this vow River Clan Champion Doji Hejiko left her
has been completed. armies against the Bloodspeakers to
9-10 Ruined! Your family lost everything. You begin the gain revenge against the traitorous
game with nothing, no family (ronin), no money. Asahina Jaijimin. Gain 1 glory and
Only the clothes on your back and beginning items rank 1 lore: Maho
(all of Poor quality). 9-10 Night of When Crane forces were forced to
Falling abandon Shiro no Yojin. Gain a
Stars minor enemy in the Lion Clan and
Heritage Table 3 – Distinguished Past the advantage: Higher Purpose
1-2 Fought at a famous battle. Roll on Table 3A. (retake Shiro no Yojin).
3-4 Had a famous romance. Roll on Table 3B.
5-6 Performed a heroic deed. Roll on Table 3C.
7-8 Held a prestigious duty. Roll on Table 3D.
9-10 Died a glorious death. Roll on Table 3E.
59
Heritage Table 3B – Famous Romance Heritage Table 3D – Prestigious Duty
Step One: roll percentage dice to determine the clan of the 1-3 Family Magistrate. Gain 1 glory.
person involved with your ancestor. 4-5 Clan Magistrate. Gain 2 glory.
1-20 Dragon Clan 6 Emerald Magistrate. Gain 3 glory.
21-40 Phoenix Clan 7 Minor Diplomat to the Clan Courts. Gain 1 honor.
41-70 Crane Clan 8 Minor Diplomat to the Emperor's Courts. Gain 2
71-75 Crab Clan honor.
76-85 Scorpion Clan 9 Gunso. Gain 1 rank in Battle and 1 Glory.
86-90 Unicorn Clan 10 Chui. Gain 2 ranks in Battle and 1 Glory.
91-100 Lion Clan, Minor Clan, or GM/Player choice
Step Two: roll percentage dice for the outcome of the affair. Heritage Table 3E – Glorious Death
1-70 Romantic Affair Any result on this table also requires another roll on the
1-15 Summer Affair. Gain Minor Ally Heritage Table 5 – Gifts, found below.
within the lover's clan. 1-4 Killed in a Duel
16-30 Winter Affair. Gain Minor Ally 5-9 Killed in Battle. Roll on table 3A - Famous
within the lover's clan and 5 points Battle and once more on the following table.
of glory. 1-2 Killed protecting general. Gain 1 glory rank
31-55 Marriage! Gain 1 glory rank and a and a Major Ally from an appropriate clan
Major Ally within the lover's clan. 3 Killed charging and breaking enemy lines.
56-70 Affair kept secret. Gain Minor Ally Gain 1 glory rank and a Minor Ally from your
and Minor Enemy within the lover's family
clan. 4-5 Rode out and shouted insults at opposing
71-100 Tragic Affair army, then died later. Gain 1 glory rank
71-77 Unrequited Love. Gain Minor 6 Died defending an ambassador. Gain 1 glory
Enemy from the lover's clan. rank and Gain a favor from the Doji Courtier
78-84 Influential Rival. No effect. favor table
85-95 Messy Affair. Both lovers 7 Challenged the enemy general, but was killed.
committed seppuku, and the Gain 1.5 glory
character was raised by a distant 8 Carried the Clan banner into battle. Gain 1.7
relative. Change family name (i.e. glory ranks
from Doji to Kakita or Daidoji to 9 Stole the enemy banner. Gain 2 glory ranks
Doji etc.) 10 Saved a comrade by dragging them from
96-100 Lover killed. Gain Major Enemy behind enemy lines. Gain 1 glory rank and a
from the lover's clan, and your Major Ally from an appropriate Clan
family will see it as your duty to 10 Seppuku. Gain 5 points of glory
avenge the blood feud.
Heritage Table 5 – Gifts
Heritage Table 3C – Heroic Deed 1-15 1-10 koku (1d10)
1-2 Ancestor saved Daimyo from assassination. Gain 16-35 2-20 koku (2d10)
Lore: Ninja rank 1 and 5 points of Glory 36-50 Gain a minor fetish (tsangusuri), Roll on
3-4 Shugenja: Ancestor researched a spell. Gain an Heritage Table 6 below.
Air Spell as an innate ability 51-75 4-40 koku (4d10)
Bushi: Ancestor famous for sword technique. 76-80 Been made governor of a small bit of land.
Gain 1 free raise for iaijutsu once per day. Gain 1 glory rank and earn a revenue of 1-10
Artisan: Ancestor was a master of two arts. Gain koku a year (1d10). 3 months of the year must
a skill and a maya with that skill that can be be spent tending the estate
used once per day. If the character later gains 81-100 Been made hatamoto to a daimyo of the clan.
the second maya for that skill, they gain full Gain 1 honor rank and an obligation to attend
access to the first maya also your lord once every three months
5-6 Ancestor defeated a swordsman in a duel. Gain a
fine quality katana and 5 points of glory
7-8 Ancestor rescued a kidnapped relative. Gain
Major Ally from the Crane Clan and 3 points of
glory
9-10 Ancestor single handedly turned back a rally
during a siege. Gain Battle +1 and 3 points of
glory
60
. Heritage Table 6 – Asahina Fetishes & Minor Magics
1-10 Incense of Concentration. Use when meditating
for 15 minutes to receive 2 spent void points
back. (only works for shugenja) Crane Clan Fortune Table
11-25 Brooch of Plenty. Nourishes the user fully for Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Crane 70-73
one day. Useable once every other day
26-50 Jade Amulet. Adds 2k2 to resist the A character may only roll on this table once during character
Shadowlands Taint creation. This roll costs 4 CP.
51-65 Makeup Kit. Adds an extra rolled dice to any 1 When you were younger, you got very lucky in a
disguise/impersonation rolls. duel against a famous swordsman. Now you have a
66-69 Bone Key. Can open any door even if locked or reputation as one of the best young swordsman in
magically sealed. Physical traps are ignored but Rokugan. Sometimes it gets you free board,
magical ones are triggered sometimes it gets you a challenge a day.
70-76 Feather of the Crane. When used, the 2 Innate Talent: Raise one of your Skills by one rank
character's weight it reduced by 10 %, but he 3 You’ve always been attuned to one of the Elements
also takes 3 times the normal damage he would – It’s in your blood, and you find it easy to call on
suffer. These effects last 1 hour the powers of its path. Add +1 to one trait under the
77-79 Acorn of Visions. Renders user comatose for Element of your choice, but lower one trait under
an hour when eaten, in which time the user will the opposing Element by 1.
gain visions of any subject meditated upon 4 The Path of Blood: You gain a free raise whenever
prior to eating the nut you’re in combat against one specific clan. You
80-89 Tortoise Shell. Grants protection from ranged may specify any clan, or you may instead specify
attacks for ten combat rounds “Ninja”
90-97 White Sheaf of Grain. Heals 2d10 damage 5 You are a twin, born identical or fraternal – you
from a single person. The person healed must have a sibling who shares your name and nature.
be touched with the Sheaf They may be radically different from you, or you
98-100 Black Fan. Invokes awe and fear of the user. may have the same interests and goals – but even
When using the fan the character adds 2d10 when you’re far away, you occasionally sense
temporary glory points to their glory for the emotion from your sibling, letting you know what
next hour they’re feeling, and they can feel the same from
you. Pain, anger, joy and concern – all are
occasionally transmitted by your strange bond. Its
uncontrollable, but you couldn’t imagine living any
other way.
6 You’ve been cursed. A shugenja of one of the
major Clans took offense at your actions and laid a
curse on you that no one you know has been able to
remove. The exact nature of the curse, and its
harmful effects, are up to the twisted imagination of
your GM.
7 Heroic Deed: Gain +1 Glory Rank
8 Son of a daimyo. Gain +1 Glory Rank
9 Fostered to Another Clan: When you were very
young, you were fostered to another clan as an
attempt to promote understanding and peace
between the Crane and that clan. Gain a Minor Ally
in the clan of your choice, and the Lore: (Clan) of
that clan.
10 Cousin of the Imperial Line: All of the Hantei
brides have been Crane maidens. The wife of the
current Emperor happens also to your aunt. Gain +2
Glory points, 2 koku and a Minor Ally in the
Imperial Court
61
1-2 Your parent was an Ise Zumi. Gain 1 tattoo, but
lose 1 rank of honor
Dragon Clan Heritage Tables 3-4 Your ancestor slew a great enemy of the Dragon
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Dragon 49-51 Clan. Gain 1 rank of glory, a Major Enemy from a
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Heritage_Tables clan of the GM's choice and the Lore (Clan) skill
for that Clan. You are also always cursed to drop
After choosing a family for the character the player may the highest value dice when fighting someone
choose to roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of from that clan.
lineage the character has. The player may roll up to three 5-6 You've inherited a nemuranai. You have no idea
times on the tables, but each has a cost of 1 CP. of what it does, but are expected to always carry it
with you.
Heritage Table 1 7-8 Your family has fallen to poor times. All your
1 Dishonorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 2 starting equipment is of Poor Quality and you
2-3 Undistinguished Past. No Benefits or Penalties have no starting money. Gain 7 points to spend on
4-6 Distinguished Past. Roll on Heritage Table 3 Bugei, Craft or Low skills.
7-10 Mixed Blessing. Roll on Heritage Table 4 9-10 Your ancestor fought and died in a great battle.
Your gempukku ceremony was held at that
battlefield, and since then your ancestor's spirit has
Heritage Table 2 – Dishonorable Past haunted you. Gain 3 Void points per day
1-2 Traitor! A family member betrayed a daimyo of
your clan. Gain the Black Sheep disadvantage (but
no character points for it). Heritage Table 3A – Famous Battles
3-4 Coward! An ancestor failed to prove their worth in 1-3 Battle of The Clans united against the blood
battle. Start game with zero glory and you must Sleeping speaker Iuchiban. Gain 1 glory, and
earn 20 glory to reach rank 1. River 1 rank in the skill Lore: Maho.
5-6 You are the child of a celibate samurai-ko. Roll a 4 Battle of The Dragon Clan surprisingly aided
dice. Even and your mother committed seppuku Cherry the Scorpion Clan in holding Beiden
and start the game with zero glory. Odd and your Blossom Pass against the Lion Clan. Gain 1
mother fled the clan and you start the game as a Snow Lake rank in the skill Lore: Scorpion Clan
Dragon Clan ronin. and a Minor Ally in the Scorpion
7-8 Tricked! Your father was conned by a courtier, Clan
dishonored and banished from the clan. Raised by 5-6 Battle of The Dragonfly Clan, with the aid of
your uncle you have no claim to land or title. Kyuden the Dragon and Phoenix, defended
9-10 Ruined! Your family lost everything. Start game Tonbo itself against the Lion Clan. Gain 1
with nothing. No family (i.e. True Ronin), no rank in the skill Lore: Dragonfly
money, barely any clothes. (all items are poor Clan and a Major Ally from the
quality) Dragonfly Clan
7 Battle of the The Lion Clan assaulted the Dragon
Great Climb Clan, but lost. Gain 1 glory rank and
a Minor Ally in the Lion Clan.
1-2 Fought at a famous battle. Roll on Table 3A.
8-9 Battle of The Dragon aided the Lion in
3-4 Had a famous romance. Roll on Table 3B. Kenson defeating the Scorpion. Fain a Major
5-6 Performed a heroic deed. Roll on Table 3C. Gakka Ally in the Lion Clan, and a Minor
7-8 Held a prestigious duty. Roll on Table 3D.
Enemy in the Scorpion Clan.
9-10 Died a glorious death. Roll on Table 3E.
10 Battle of The Clans united to fight against a
White Stag gaijin invasion. Gain a Major Ally in
Heritage Table 5 – Gifts the clan of your choice and 1 rank in
1-15 1-5 koku the skill Lore: Gunpowder
16-35 2-10 koku
36-50 3-15 koku
51-75 4-20 koku
76-80 5-50 koku
81-100 You have been made governor of a small piece
of land, which you must spend at least 3
months of the year tending to. Gain 1 rank of
glory. The land earns you 1-10 koku a year.
62
Heritage Table 3B – Famous Romance Heritage Table 3E – Glorious Death
Step One: roll percentage dice to determine the clan of the Any result on this table also requires another roll on the
person involved with your ancestor. Heritage Table 5 – Gifts, found below.
1-20 Crane Clan 1-4 Killed in a Duel
21-40 Phoenix Clan 5-9 Killed in Battle. Roll on table 3A - Famous
41-70 Dragon Clan Battle and once more on the following table.
71-75 Crab Clan 1-2 Died protecting general. Gain 1 glory rank
76-85 Scorpion Clan and a Major Ally from an appropriate clan
86-90 Unicorn Clan 3 Died charging and breaking enemy lines.
91-100 Lion Clan, Minor Clan, or GM/Player choice Gain 1 glory rank and a Minor Ally from your
family
Step Two: roll percentage dice for the outcome of the affair. 4-5 Shouted insults at enemy army, then died
1-70 Romantic Affair later.
1-15 Summer Affair. Gain Minor Ally 6 Killed a Hero in the enemy army in a duel,
within the lover's clan. but died later. Gain 1 rank of Glory and a
16-30 Winter Affair. Gain Minor Ally Minor Enemy from an appropriate clan.
within the lover's clan and 5 points 7 Challenged the enemy general, but was killed.
of glory. Gain 1.5 glory
31-55 Marriage! Gain 1 glory rank and a 8 Carried the Clan banner into battle. Gain 1.7
Major Ally within the lover's clan. glory ranks
56-70 Affair kept secret. Gain Minor Ally 9 Stole the enemy banner. Gain 2 glory ranks
and Minor Enemy within the lover's 10 Saved an ally from behind enemy lines. Gain
clan. 1 rank of Glory and a Major Ally from an
71-100 Tragic Affair appropriate clan.
71-75 Unrequited Love. Gain Minor 10 Seppuku. Gain 5 points of glory
Enemy from the lover's clan.
76-85 Broken Heart. No effect.
86-95 Disapproving Parents. No effect
91-97 Messy Affair. Both parties committed
seppuku, and you were raised by
another relative. Lose 1 rank of glory
and change family name (i.e.
Mirumoto to Agasha or Togashi to
Kitsuki, etc.)
98-100 Blood Feud! Gain Major Enemy
from the lover's clan, and your
family expect you to maintain the
Blood Feud.
Heritage Table 3D – Prestigious Duty

1-3 Family Magistrate. Gain 1 glory.
4-5 Clan Magistrate. Gain 2 glory.
6 Emerald Magistrate. Gain 3 glory.
7 Gunso. Gain 1 rank in Battle and 1 Glory.
8 Chui. Gain 2 ranks in Battle and 1 Glory.
9 Taisa. Gain 2 glory points and 2 ranks in the Battle
skill and 1 Leadership
10 Karo. Gain 2 glory points and 2 ranks in the Law
skill and 2 in ranks in the Courtier skill
63
Heritage Table 3 – Shamed Ancestor
1-3 Run Away! Your ancestor was disgraced as a
soldier of the Empire. Roll on Heritage Table 5
Lion Clan Heritage Tables with a -2 modifier.
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Lion 55-59 4 Affront! One of your ancestors angered the
spirits. None will answer you save him, and he is
After choosing a family for the character the player may a rather pitiful being, not acknowledged by other
choose to roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of Jigoku. Gain the Forsaken Disadvantage, but no
lineage the character has. The player may roll up to three points for it.
times on the tables, but each has a cost of 1 CP. 5 Dishonored! Two brothers in your line, after
suffering a bitter defeat at the hands of the Crane,
Heritage Table 1 became Deathseekers. Much later, they were
killed in a futile battle in Crab lands, never having
1-3 Glorious Ancestor. Roll on Heritage Table 2
redeemed themselves. Their stain remains. Begin
4 Undistinguished Past. No Benefits or Penalties
the game with the Dishonored Disadvantage, but
5-6 Shamed Ancestor. Roll Heritage Table 3
gain no points for it. Of course, you could always
7-8 Uncertain History. Roll on Heritage Table 4
go ask the Emperor for permission to follow in
9-10 Something Else. Roll on Heritage Table 6
their steps. . .
6-7 Coward! Your ancestor was afraid to fight. Gain
Heritage Table 2 – Glorious Ancestor the Cowardly (Moderate) Disadvantage, but get no
1-3 To Battle! Your ancestor honored his clan as a points for it.
soldier of the Empire. Roll on Heritage Table 5 8-9 Vain! Your ancestor owned a thousand mirrors.
with a +3 modifier. Gain the Vanity Disadvantage.
4 Bloodlines. Beyond the blood of your original 10 Traitor! The Emperor was betrayed by an ancestor
ancestor, you have the influence of several other of yours, who bartered information critical to the
key figures in the clan’s history. Gain 1.5 Honor peace of the Empire for money, power or to satisfy
and 1 Void; in addition, if Kitsu, gain the a debt. Now everyone looks at you with the same
Bloodlines Advantage. keen eye that should have been directed at him,
5 Ancestral Recall. At his gempukku, your ancestor and you are never to step into the royal palace.
not only recited his lineage to his original
ancestor, but also those of all the samurai present. Heritage Table 4 – Uncertain History
Gain 1-5 points of Glory and the Precise Memory 1-3 Drafted! Acted in accordance with his vow as a
Advantage. soldier. Roll on Heritage Table 5 with no
6 Hero. An Attack on the Emperor while on envoy modifiers.
across the realm was thwarted by the courage and 4-5 Divine Inspiration. Your ancestor, a Crane,
stout resolution of your ancestor. Gain 1-10 points accidently discovered the key strategy used in
of Glory and the Ear of the Emperor Advantage. defeating an enemy while painting. Gain 1 rank
7 Fame. Your ancestor was cited as an example in in Artisan (painting) skill, but lose 3 Honor (due
Akodo’s Leadership. Gain 1 Glory. to derision of other Lion)
8 Inventor. One of your ancestors invented an 6 Spoils. One of your ancestors killed someone
important piece of siege weaponry. Gain 5 Glory, important from another clan in a duel. All families
1 rank of the Siege skill, and 1 of the Craft gain the Sworn Enemy Disadvantage from the
(Artillery) skill. proper clan as well, but no points. If Akodo, gain
9-10 Glory. Your ancestor served two decades as an 1 Honor. If Matsu, gain 1 Rank in the weapon skill
Imperial Guard. Gain 1 set of ceremonial armor used. If Ikoma gain 1 Rank in Battle or the
(fine quality) and 1 Rank in Defense. appropriate knowledge skill (Lore, etc.). If Kitsu,
gain the Bloodlines advantage.
7-8 Knowledge. Your family has always had close ties
with the Ikoma. Gain a new Lore skill or another
level in one you already have.
9 Truce. An ancestor spent time as an Ikoma
Peacekeeper, traveling the Rokugan espousing
mutual respect. If Akodo or Matsu, lose 5 points
of Glory and Honor. If Ikoma gain points in each.
If Kitsu, gain nothing.
10 Hokakku. Hokakku means “touched”. On a trip
into the spirit world, your ancestor encountered a
being he shouldn’t have. . . Gain 2 points in both
the Strength of the Earth Advantage and
64
Compulsion Disadvantage.
Heritage Table 5 – The Forge of War
Heritage Table 5 – The Forge of War (continued)
Notes: The soldier herein refers to the proper person (the PC 4 Fear of Death. The soldier fled in the face of a
or his ancestor) and the exact battle(s) in question must be superior force (which was nonetheless later
determined by the player and/or GM. Akodo and Matsu add defeated), and was excommunicated from his
1 to the roll; Ikoma and Kitsu subtract 1 (all cumulative) family. Lose 1 Glory Rank.
-2 or Legendary Loss. In a battle of pic scope that 5 Mutual Retreat. Lose 1 Glory point. Obscure
lower should have been an “easy win” for the Lion, death of soldier on a roll of 1 (lose 2 Glory
they were crushed! In the confusion, none are points).
sure just who was at fault. Worst of all, the 6 Peace. The soldier was instrumental in
soldier was at the center of the action when it negotiating a peace that lasted. . . three days. He
happened! He or she suffers ignominious death was then killed in battle. Lose 1 Glory point.
on a roll of 1-5. Rokugan will not soon forget 7 Victory. Gain 1-5 points of Glory and a 3-point
this tactical tragedy, nor the names of those Sworn Enemy from the appropriate clan, with
who fought in it. Lose 1.5 Honor Ranks and 1 no associated CP gain.
Glory rank. And gain the Black Sheep 8 Victory without Words. During an Iaijutsu duel
Disadvantage, will no associated points. with an opposing general, the soldier was so
-1 Shattering Defeat. The soldier, an advance intimidating that his opponent walked away in
scout, is blamed for the loss of over 50 Lions in shame rather than face him. You are said to
battle, including himself, when he failed to have inherited his “eye”. Gain the Death
report the presence of several hundred enemy Trance Advantage.
reinforcements. Some claim he was paid by the 9 Arrogant Victory. The soldier was distracted
Scorpion to do so; others say that he was from his duties on the field by a personal
secretly in league with the enemy. You desire Iaijutsu match. In a fit of prideful vengeance,
the truth. Gain the Higher Purpose Advantage. he ignored repeated calls for his aid. The Lion
0 The Crest of the Wave. The soldier was not won the battle, but no thanks to him. Death of
supposed to be involved. He was carrying soldier (in the duel) on a roll of 1-2. If so,
important documents for the Emperor and was records of his place in the clan have been
swept up in events too large too large to ignore. removed; gain the Dark Secret Disadvantage.
The scrolls were lost with him and never found Otherwise, gain the Dishonored Disadvantage.
again. Lose 1 Glory and gain the Black Sheep 10 Dishonorable Victory. The soldier was in
Disadvantage, but no points for it. command of a force that succeeded in battle,
1 Bitter-sweet Defeat. In a crushing defeat, the but under circumstances that were less than
soldier held the line of defense just long honorable (an ambush whose sole purpose was
enough for the bulk of his forces to retreat to fulfill the commander’s glory, one that
honorably, but was captured as a result. He included the death of innocents, etc.) Gain 1
spent several long months in an enemy prison die of Glory but lose 1 die of Honor.
or camp. Gain 1 Honor Rank and 2 Ranks of 11 Prodigal Victory. As a child, the soldier’s
skills appropriate to the victorious clan. home was attacked by enemy troops and
2 Spy for the Clan. For several weeks before an overrun. Although suffering a great loss –
important battle with a major opposing clan, parent or friend – he rallied several other young
the soldier spent time among their troops – as a Lions into a makeshift force that procured their
spy! Gain Lore (Appropriate Clan Battle foes’ banner and became the symbol of the
Tactics) and 2 ranks in skills or normally Lion’s ultimate victory Gain 1 Rank of the
schooled to them (can include skills normally Social Position Advantage.
only available to members of that clan). 12 Pyrrhic Victory. A vile demon released from
Despite his intelligence, however, the battle beyond the Kaiu Wall by rogue Kuni shugenja
was lost. Death of soldier on a roll of 1-2 Gain was dispatched by the soldier, but it cost him
1 Glory Rank but lose 1-10 Honor. his own life. Gain 1 jade pendant (a gift from
3 Personal Demons. Charging the enemy line to the Crab), and 6-10 points of Glory.
save a Lion soldier that had been injured, the 13 or Mythic Victory. The battle waged was against
soldier was himself nearly killed. The wound higher an honorable foe, and a long, difficult struggle,
he received should have been fatal, but was but the forces of the Lion were triumphant. The
miraculously healed at a Unicorn’s touch. Only soldier knew this, of course, as early in the
a discordant bluish scar remained. The Unicorn fighting, he or she witnessed the spirit of Matsu
was a phantasm, the ghost of a soldier fallen on the Thunder, carrying the true Lion ancestral
the field many generations ago, and he lingers sword, onto the field! Glorious death of soldier
with the soldier and those close to him still. . . on a roll of 1-5. Regardless, the battle and the
Gain 1-5 points of Glory but gain the Haunted soldier go down in history and are still honored
Disadvantage, with no points. today. Gain 1.5 Honor Ranks, 1 Glory Rank
65 and the Great Destiny Advantage.
Heritage Table 6 – Other Inconveniences
1 Your ancestor ignored his duty to the clan and
became an Imperial Magistrate of some
standing whose accolades surface even today.
Gain 1 Rank of Investigation and Bad
Reputation Disadvantage, but no points for it.
2-3 An ancestor was a sensei at the Akodo War
College. Gain the Tactician Advantage.
4-5 For reasons appropriate for your family
(honorable combat, noble research,
commemorated in the Hall of Ancestors. Gain
1-5 Honor.
6 You are the kind of person that gets along with
everyone, unlike many of your fellow
clansmen. Gain a Minor Ally that can be used
“on the fly” whenever needed. Once chosen,
however, it cannot change.
7 After being horribly wounded in battle, your
ancestor turned his able fighting skills (and a
fascination with an obscure technique) to the
art of training. Although many laughed at his
odd style, many of his students adhere to his
odd teachings to this day. Gain 2 Ranks of one
of the following: Bo Stick, Knife, Tetsubo,
War Fan, Wrestling.
8-9 One of your ancestors saved the life of a famed
armorer, who promptly commissioned an
elaborate kabuto for him. Of fine quality and
covered in the etchings of a dozen famous
battle scenes, it has been passed on to you.
0 Some say that the love-hate relationship of
Akodo and Matsu continues through the
generations in their descendants. Some of those
say that your ancestor’s infatuation with a
member of the Lion’s Pride was foolishness.
Everyone tells you that your feelings for a
Deathseeker are utter lunacy. Gain the Kharmic
Tie Advantage.
66
“Fortune Forsake Me”
1-2 You dutifully served your clan on the field of
battle. Roll on Heritage Table 5 with -2 modifier.
Lion Clan Fortune Tables Reroll any result that indicates the death of the PC
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Lion 58-59 3 A second cousin was directly related to the
Imperial line, making you a member of the
A player may roll on these tables once only, at the cost of 3 Emperor’s family. But his recent mysterious
CP. An even roll indicates that the Fortunes favor you, illness has raised suspicions, and the fact that you
while an odd result means that they have forsaken you. figured prominently in his will does not help. Gain
a 6-point Inheritance: you’ll need it.
4 You have always been lauded as a remarkable
“Fortune Favor Me” warrior who will win great wars, ever since the
1-2 You dutifully served your clan on the field of fight in which you rescued a mute Matsu you were
battle. Roll on Heritage Table 5 with a +2 infatuated with from her abusive guardian. But the
modifier. Reroll any result that indicated the death truth of the matter is that you had nothing to do
of the PC. with it – she saved herself. In fact, you wouldn’t
3 Due to the connection between your clan and the consider yourself that much of a fighter at all. . .
Imperial throne, you have been offered the Gain the Dark Secret Disadvantage, but no points.
position of the Magistrate to the Emerald 5 You were one of five Lions born at the Temple of
Champion. Shorai. But there was a chaotic shuffling of infants
4 You’ve just inherited a parcel of land, complete shortly after, and none of you know whom the
with an ancestral fortress. How unfortunate that it children belonged to. Thus, you could not recite
lies on the border of an enemy territory, and that your lineage at your gempukku, and still are not
they desire the land as well. To make matters sure of it today. If Akodo, lose Honor Rank.
worse, a small retinue of soldiers await their new Otherwise, lose 1-10 Honor.
lord there, unsure of whether he will arrive before 6 You were born in court under a foul moon, and
the enemy lays siege to them. have a birthmark upon your neck that some say
5 After your gempukku, your uncle brought you a looks disturbingly like a crane.
gift – a cat he says is the purebred descendant of 7 Your father was never home, and your mother
one your ancestor owned. An ancient note written despised the military. She has passed that hatred of
in that hero’s hand says “Trust the cat. It will bring violence to you. Gain the Soft-Hearted
you wisdom and glory.” You are expected to pass Disadvantage.
the cat’s offspring in to your nephew in time. 8 You were raised among the heimin prior to being
6 Your family is well-connected with Lion military. accorded a place at your school by a mysterious
You begin as a Gunso in the army. Whether you sponsor. Two items of your starting outfit are of
accept the post or simply retain an honorary title is poor quality.
up to you. 9 The failed courtship of a Matsu has resulted in her
7 You were trained by a sensei who fought in the public denial of you. This would be unfortunate
Day of Falling Stars. Gain 2 Ranks in any Bugei enough, but now there is another involved who
skill. wishes to scandalize the scene. Gain the Sworn
8 The book your mother read to you from when you Enemy Disadvantage.
were small was actually a religious text presumed 10 No Bad fortune – yet. Don’t worry, though.
lost in the time of the kami. Gain 10 Insight an d1 Doubtless your GM will forget.
Rank of Shintao. Too bad she disappeared one
night may years ago, because you’re sure you
could gain more from it now. . .
9 The Emperor provides your family tax levies for
services rendered. Two items in your starting
outfit are of fine quality.
10 When you were young, you snuck into the Kitsu
Choosing chamber and placed your hand within
the sacred brazier. What you saw there scared you
so much that you have blocked it from your
memory, but as a result, you gain either an Innate
Ability (if shugenja) or 1 Rank of Luck (if bushi)
67
1 Dark Secrets. Your ancestor came across
Forbidden Knowledge. Roll on Heritage Table 5.
Phoenix Clan Heritage Tables 2 Illicit Affair. Some say that the eternal splintering
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Phoenix 66-69 of the Phoenix Clan is carried into the children of
every generation, and that there will never be peace
After choosing a family for the character the player may between them. Some of the same say that your
choose to roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of ancestor’s love affair with one of another family
lineage the character has. The player may roll up to three was wrong. Everyone says that you are insane to
times on the tables, but each has a cost of 1 CP. love one from beyond your bloodline. Gain the
Kharmic Tie Advantage with someone from
Heritage Table 1 another Phoenix family.
3 Obsessed. Your ancestor was constantly bested in
1 Distinguished Past. Roll on Heritage Table 2 something, and it cost your family their lands. You
are sure that you can improve on the past. Choose
5-6 Dishonorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 3 one of your Skills and add 1 Rank in it; gain the
7-9 Mixed Blessing. Roll on Heritage Table 4 Jealousy Disadvantage with that Skill, but no
10 Forbidden Knowledge. Roll on Heritage Table 5 points for it.
4 Unremarkable. One of your ancestors went their
Heritage Table 2 – Distinguished Past entire life without being noticed, and people have
1 Mystic Blood. The blood of an original clan told you that you look and act just like them. Gain
ancestor courses through your veins. Gain 3 the Bland Advantage and lose 1 Glory point.
Insight, and you may purchase any ancestor at half 5 Spoils. One of your ancestors killed someone
the required CP important in a duel. If Shiba, gain 3 Honor Points.
2 Proud Magic. An Isawa ancestor bested dozens of If Isawa, gain 1 extra spell (PC’s choice, any
rival shugenja in magical duels. Gain 4 Honor element). If Asako, gain 2 Insight. All families
Points or an Innate Ability (PC’s choice) gain the Sworn Enemy Disadvantage from the
3 No Fear. An ancestor was well-known for his proper clan as well, but no points for it.
escapes from death. Gain the Daredevil Advantage 6 Tainted Bargain. Your ancestor summoned an oni,
4 Enlightenment. One of your ancestors was an and was consumed by it. It must still remember who
Asako Michibiku, and traveled the Empire it was, however, because family legends refer to it
cultivating the younger clans. If Asako, gain 5 returning periodically to protect its descendants –
Honor Points. If Isawa lose 5. If Shiba, there is no for a price. At any point, the PC may call upon the
benefit. oni for help (once), but thereafter must fulfill an
5 Blood of the Kami. An ancestors died defending Obligation to it as determined by the GM).
the Emerald Empire from the gaijin. Gain one 7 Doomed Cult. One of your ancestors was part of a
Imperial favor: it can be called upon at the PC’s sect devoted to learning better ways to heal others.
discretion, but can only be used once. Unfortunately, they were cursed. Gain 2 ranks in
6 Last Stand. One of your ancestors died defending Advanced Medicine/Acupuncture and the
the Emerald Empire from gaijin. Gain one Permanent Wound Disadvantage, but no points.
Imperial favor: it can be called upon at the PC’s 8 Infiltrator. One of your ancestors spent time in
discretion, but can only be used once. another clan’s schools to steal their secrets.
7 Void Master. Your ancestor tutored some of the Unfortunately, they never came back, and have
greatest Void apprentices in history. You may take sired a new line of relatives you are responsible
the Ishiken-do Advantage for free, if you so desire. for. Gain the Different School Advantage or 5
If not, gain 3 Honor Points. Honor Points (PC’s choice) and a 4-point
8 Elemental Master. The infamous Tomb of Dependent from the appropriate clan.
Iuchiban was built with the help pf your ancestor, 9 Another Calling. Your ancestor ignored his duty to
an Elemental Master. Gain 5 each Honor and the clan and became what he always desired to be
Glory Points, and 1 Rank in Engineering. – an Imperial Magistrate. Although your clan was
9 Code-Breaker. One of your ancestors was an not too happy, the Magistrates have never
Asako in the Great Library of the Isawa, and spent forgotten his dedication. Gain the Bad Reputation
many long hours studying the old tongues. Gain 1 Disadvantage, but no points for it; also gain the
Rank in Cipher Skill. True Friend Advantage.
10 One of your ancestors managed to prevent a battle 10 Message From the Gods. An ancestor vanished in
that would have needlessly cost the lives of the mountains for a month, returning with what he
hundreds. Gain 3 Honor Points and the Voice claimed was a message from the gods. Gain 3
Advantage. Ranks in any Lore Skill, but also receive a 4-Point
Obligation (GM’s choice)
68
Heritage Table 3 – Dishonorable Past Heritage Table 3 – Dishonorable Past
1 Forgotten! Part of a group dedicated to the free (continued)
distribution of magical knowledge, one of your 10 Lost Knowledge! Due to the bumbling of your
ancestors betrayed Phoenix secrets to shugenja of ancestor, important information (the layout of an
the other clans. He was promptly exiled from the ancient tomb, secrets of the Path of Man, etc) has
Isawa. Gain the Forgotten Disadvantage, but no been lost – presumably forever. You must make it
points for it. your mission to find it. Lose 1 Honor Rank (that
2 Exiled! You have odd features and dark skin. At returns when the information is found), and gain a 4-
your birth, it was discovered that your mother was point Obligation Disadvantage, but no points for it.
having an affair with someone who was “not from
Rokugan”. Soon after, your mother fled into the
northern mountains and your father committed
seppuku. You are now Clan Ronin, and will have
to find another school to advance past Rank One.
3 Tempted! A famous shugenja in your line was
seduced by a charismatic but insane colleague who
believed that she could capture and harness that
force of one of the original seven Kami. It turned
out that he was to be nothing more than a material
component in the ritual, and when he was drawn
from the ruins of the madwoman’s fortress by
Imperial Magistrates, little remained of the man he
once was. Gain the Weakness Disadvantage (PC’s
choice of Trait), and lose 3 points each of Honor
and Glory.
4 Lose Lips! A courtier in your line once insulted the
Emperor. Gain the Contrary Disadvantage, but no
point for it.
5 Fallen! Your Shiba ancestor failed to protect his
charge in battle. Lose 3 Honor Points and gain 1-
pointed Haunted Disadvantage (the fallen
Shugenja), no points for it.
6 Scoundrel! The courts of Otosan Uchi were ablaze
with scandal during the time of your ancestor, a
notable – and extremely lucky -shugenja who used
his talents as a womanizer, gambler, and cruel
manipulator. Gain 6 points in Luck and 2 ranks in
the Lechery Disadvantage, but no points for it.
7 Impudence! Bushi within your family cut down a
Fushihai out of spiteful revenge for some petty
slight. Even though they committed seppuku
shortly after, the Fortunes have ignored your
family ever since. Gain the Momoku
Disadvantage, but no points for it.
8 Corrupted! Your ancestor was an Isawa dedicated
to discovering the truth behind dark magics others
consider ‘unclean’. He was seduced by his own
obsession. Gain 1-3 Ranks in Lore (Maho-Tsukai)
or Research – PC’s choice – and an equal number
in the Shadowlands Taint.
9 Imperial Traitor! Centuries ago, one of your
ancestors consorted with an oni general, conspiring
to bring down the Kaiu Wall. He sent sensitive
information to the Shadowlands, then went across
himself. He may still be out there, somewhere. . .
Lose 1 Honor Rank, and gain the Driven
Disadvantage (to destroy him), but no points for it.
69
Heritage Table 5 – Forbidden Knowledge
Either you or one of your ancestors stumbled across something you should never have discovered (as indicated by the table that
brought you here). On this table, “procurer” refers to the focus person (you or your ancestor). If Asako, add 3 to your roll. If Isawa,
subtract 3. If Shiba, just roll.
-2 The procurer stumbled onto a brutal battle scene, and 7 The procurer either guarded or stumbled upon the
one of the victims was an Asako. Upon his body was a ancient wedding gift intended for the first Isawa-Asako
scroll written in ancient cipher. You now have the scroll. union, guarded by the Shiba. Looking into its incredible
If you can get it to the Isawa Masters, gain 1 Glory Rank depths, he/she changed forever. If Isawa, gain one spell.
and the Sworn Enemy Disadvantage (6 points; entire If Shiba, gain one Rank with your primary weapon. If
Asako family) but no points for it. Asako, your School Rank is considered one higher when
-1 The procurer was the subject of his sensei’s bizarre using Rank abilities, you already possess. Of course,
elemental experiments. Gain the Elemental Attunement whenever you use these, you feel the elements around
Advantage (element chosen by PC) you watching. It’s probably nothing; ignore them, and
0 Discovery of a power-laden elixir gave the procurer they may go away. . .
special ability with elemental spirits. Unfortunately, 8 While searching through a cavern beneath the house of a
there is only a limited amount of it. Gain 1 Rank in missing hetman, the procurer discovered the skeleton of
Spellcraft and a 2-point Compulsion Disadvantage (with something with too many arms. Your hand grazed it, and
the elixir), but no points for it. a hundred baths have failed to wash the experience
1 The procurer dabbled with the dark arts successfully. If away. Gain the Haunted Disadvantage, but instead of
shugenja, gain 1 maho spell (designated by the player or being visited by a ghost, the PC has visions of a far-away
GM). If bushi, gain an enchanted weapon (per the savage land.
Immortal Steel spell), which houses a minor Oni that 9 Even the kami have secrets, and the procurer discovered
likes to speak at all the wrong times. one of them. They’re guarding something out in the
2 Problematic experimentation with healing spells has elemental realm, and they know where it is. Gain a 10-
gone terribly wrong. Gain the Quick Healer Advantage point Forbidden Knowledge Advantage and the Curse of
and the Permanent Wound Disadvantage, but no points the Kami Disadvantage, but no points for it.
for it. This wound can never be healed. 10 A dying Ikoma passed on the story of his Ishiken patron
3 The procurer accidentally slipped through into the realm to procurer. Gain 1 Rank in Lore (Void Magic)
of the kami during a ritual gone awry. When he came 11 The procurer has strayed from the Path of Man, and
back, minutes later, he brought something with him. ventured out into the darkness. Somewhere they found a
Gain one extra Void Point to spend each story (e.g. if new source of magic, powerful but alien. Gain an Innate
you have a Void of 3 you have 4 points to per story), but Ability with one spell you can cast, and the Enlightened
whenever the last is used, make a Simple Void roll vs. a Madness Disadvantage with that spell’s elemental as the
TN 15 or lose control (your GM runs your character) for trigger, but no points for it.
your Void in hours. 12 The Asako have more secrets than lives, and many that
4 An Ishiken opened a portal to the Realm of Void, and they are willing to kill to protect. The procurer
dragged your ancestor into it. Gain 2 Ranks each in Lore accidently stumbled into a Fushihai ritual during his
(Void) and Shintao, with a 4-point Phobia (magic). days at the Asako Henshin Academy. In exchange for
5 Extensive investigation of the darkest arcane lore has the removal of that day from his memory, they promised
resulted in a nervous condition for the procurer. Gain 3 another step along the Path of Man. Fortunately for you,
Ranks in any magical Lore, as well as the Epilepsy the effects of that bargain linger in the blood. While
Disadvantage, but no point for it. Unfortunately for you, using all Riddles, increase the effect by one die (added
any spell with a TN over 10 can be considered ‘stress’ with success; subtracted with failure)
6 Fame and fortune were ensured through the procurer’s 13 Once, long ago, the procurer made the mistake of
impure practices. Gain the one Rank in each of the mentioning something he called the ‘Riddles’ to another
Wealthy and Social Position Advantages, but also the – an Isawa. Ever since then, the family has hunted your
Dark Secret Disadvantage. Use your resources well. . . line, convinced that you have some or all of the
information denied their family one thousand years ago.
Gain 2 Ranks to be added to any of the Skills in your
basic package and the Sworn Enemy Disadvantage (6
points; entire Isawa family), but no points for it.
70
“Fortune Favor Me”
1 You have come across Forbidden Knowledge. Roll
on Heritage Table 5
Phoenix Clan Fortune Tables 2 Due to the well-maintained relationship between
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Phoenix 65-69 your family and the Imperial throne, you have
been requested to serve in the Imperial Palace: if
A player may roll on these tables once only, at the cost of 3 Shiba, as an Imperial yojimbo; otherwise, as an
CP. An even roll indicates that the Fortunes favor you, Imperial sage.
while an odd result means that they have forsaken you. 3 You’ve just inherited a parcel of land.
Unfortunately, the Isawa have laid claim to it as
well, saying that it is a place of religious
“Fortune Forsake Me” importance. “A god died there,” they say. . .
1 You have come across Forbidden Knowledge, roll 4 You once saved one of your companions’ lives,
on Heritage Table 5 narrowly rescuing them from some horrible fate.
2 The gift your father left you at his death was a This experience created a bond between you that
very old charm, captured during the decimation of has never faded. Once per story, either one of you
the Snake Clan. It’s a serpentine chain supporting may choose to use one Trait of the opposing
a single, pale green crystal with a globule of blood character for one Action. Thereafter, however, the
trapped inside. It’s quite valuable. Too bad you’ll original Trait value is reduced by the difference
never be able to sell it. . . for three Actions (minimum 0). Death cannot
3 Childhood injuries result in lost training. If result from this effect.
shugenja, lose one spell. If bushi, lose one Rank in 5 Your sensei has extensive resources you can draw
your primary weapon Skill. No CP are gained for from (a sizable library for shugenja, or a well-
this. equipped dojo for bushi). If shugenja, gain 1 Rank
4 You were born under a bad sign! If Asako, gain in Research. Otherwise, gain 1 Rank in a weapons
the Yogo Curse Disadvantage, but no points for it. Skill you do not already have.
If not, gain 3 points of Unluck. 6 Accidental Evidence. In the process of casting a
5 A disastrous encounter with mad shugenja results scrying spell, one of your ancestors discovered
in a Phobia of shugenja at Rank 1, no points. something incriminating about someone else. Gain
6 You were an orphan, left at the steps of a shrine as the Blackmail Advantage, which can be assigned
a baby during a terrible thunderstorm. No one is any time you like. Once assigned, it cannot
sure of your true clan lineage, and you have had to change.
work that much harder for everything you’ve 7 Prodigal ability manifests early in life. If shugenja,
earned. Gain Adopted Blood Disadvantage, no gain the Elemental Attunement Advantage. If
points. Also two items form your starting outfit are bushi, gain the Ambidextrous Advantage.
of poor quality. 8 Your family is granted a boon by Emperor for
7 Your first love was killed during a conspiratorial services rendered. Two items in your starting
shadow-war with another clan. Though neither of outfit are of fine quality.
you had anything to do with it, you are the one 9 You have been gifted with a remarkable find – a
who suffers. Gain the Lost Love Disadvantage, no true phoenix egg! You must care for it until it
points. hatches, and then raise and train it until its time of
8 When you were born, there were complications. rebirth comes. Even though you know nothing of
One of the defects could not be reversed. Gain the animals, your family tells you that it is an honor
Lame Disadvantage, no points. that cannot be refused.
9 You have been doing remarkably well in your 10 You were born special; ‘Chosen by the Oracles,’
studies, even though you are sure that nothing you they say. Gain that Advantage. If Isawa, gain 5
have done has been right. Little do you know that Glory points. If Shiba, gain 3 glory points. If
your performance is being boosted by a childhood Asako, gain the Sworn Enemy Disadvantage (5
rival who is just setting you up for a fall. Gain the points; Isawa, but they do not seek to kill you –
Nemesis Disadvantage, for no points. only draw you into their family), no points.
10 No bad fortune – yet. Don’t worry, though. An
equitable GM would never exploit such an
opportunity. . .
71
Scorpions generally prefer to remain hidden behind masks.
Your ancestor either did not or was bested by another. Now,
Scorpion Clan Heritage Tables his legacy remains. . .
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Scorpion 46-49 1-2 Junshin! One of your ancestors fancied himself
honorable, and bragged about it! Now, you must
After choosing a family for the character the player may live with his legacy. Begin with 0 Honor and the
choose to roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of Junshin Disadvantage, for no points.
lineage the character has. The player may roll up to three 3-4 Fool! One of your ancestors was played! Lose 5
times on the tables, but each has a cost of 1 CP. Honor points, 4 Glory points and 5 initial koku or
2 items from your outfit.
Heritage Table 1 5-6 Cursed! One of your ancestors secretly married
into the Yogo family. Gain the Yogo Curse
1-2 Distinguished Past. Roll on Heritage Table 2
Disadvantage. Of course, your family has kept this
secret from the clan. . . so far.
6-7 Dishonorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 3
7-8 Nemesis! An ancient slight has cost your family
the lives of many of their children since before
many can remember what it was. Gain the
Heritage Table 2 – Dishonorable Past Nemesis Disadvantage (no CP points).
1-2 Villainous Blood. The blood of an ancestor 9-10 Betrayer! Your parents on their parents chose to
courses through your veins. Gain any one testify against the clan in court, creating a schism
Advantage up to 4 points for free and you may between your line and the clan. You are a clan
purchase an Ancestor for half the required CP. ronin.
This result may only be acquired once. Threat
subsequent rolls as no effect.
3-4 Romantic Entanglement. One of your ancestors Heritage Table 4 – Mixed Blessing
attempted to use a romantic affair to his, her or the 1-2 Your family line has a persistent charismatic
clan’s benefit. Roll on Heritage Table 2A strain. Gain the Dangerous Beauty Advantage. Of
5-6 Heinous Deed. One of your ancestors performed a course, this is not always desirable, as many scorn
grievous act of depravity for the clan. Roll on the attractive. Keep 1 less die when using
Heritage Table 2B Etiquette with those whose Honor exceeds yours.
7-9 Obscure Death. An ancestor managed to remain 3-4 Your family has always been involved with the
(largely) invisible into death while in the service underworld. Gain the Minor Ally in the clan of
of the clan. Roll of Heritage Table 2C. your choosing, but they are of a criminal
10 Deep Secret. One of your ancestors was able to disposition.
discover some deep, dark secret and make good on 5-6 A close relative of yours has periodically
its owner. Roll on Heritage Table 2D disappeared without warning all your life. You are
unsure what he or she does for a living. But when
they are around, they teach you strange skills.
Gain 2 Ranks in Ninjutsu.
7-8 You were kidnapped and branded as a child. Since
then, your family has mysteriously urged you to
become a shugenja. Regardless of your choice,
you still gain the benefit of a kage yakiin, as well
as the drawbacks. Gain the Dark Secret
Disadvantage (no CP points)
9-10 You have inherited a magical item (perhaps a
mask or piece of equipment), but are unsure of its
history or nature. You were warned by your
relative to keep it safe, hidden and to never ever
use it.
72
Heritage Table 2A – Romantic Entanglement Heritage Table 2B – Heinous Deed
Step One: roll percentage dice to determine the clan of the 1-2 Ancestors assassinated a daimyo, and was never
person involved with your ancestor. discovered. Gain Stealth or Poison 1 and Honor
1-25 Crane Clan Points.
26-35 Phoenix Clan 3-4 Ancestor ransomed someone’s relative, and was
36-50 Dragon Clan never discovered. Gained 11-20 koku and 5
51-65 Crab Clan Honor. If the victim’s clan ever finds out who did
66-70 Unicorn Clan this, though. . .
71-90 Lion Clan 5-6 Ancestor impersonated as Imperial magistrate,
91-100 Minor Clan, or GM/Player choice rooting out several “traitors,” then arranged for
another Scorpion to replace them. Gain 1 Glory
Step Two: roll a single die for the outcome Rank or Ear of the Emperor Advantage (PC’s
1-3 Advantageous choice) and 3 Honor.
1 Alliance struck! Gain a Major Ally from 7-8 Ancestor performed special (undisclosed) mission
appropriate clan. Keep in mind that this for Shosuro School. Gifted with a gilded mask
alliance may not be based on trust or favor worth 15 koku, which has been passed on to you.
– it might be coerced. You have a standing offer to attend the school if
2 Sensitive information gained! Gain the you choose.
Blackmail Advantage on one of appropriate 9-10 Ancestor wrote an influential book of Scorpion
clan. philosophy. Gain Rhetoric 1 (see Way of the
3 Favor owed! A member of the appropriate Crane), or Bard; a copy of their book, and 3
clan owes you or your family for a Honor.
perceived “kindness” during the social
conflict. Someone owes you a 4-point
Obligation. Heritage Table 2C – Obscure Death
4-7 Noteworthy Your ancestor died in a manner befitting his role as a
4 Scandal! A complicated familial slight Scorpion, Commonly, this means he died away from public
resulted in near-conflict, but your ancestor view, the details of his passing obscured. . .
was in his element and twisted events in his 1-2 Killed in a duel – either to cover up an undesirable
favor. Gain 1 Glory Rank when in presence truth, further an aim or prove a point
of appropriate clan. 3-5 Killed in Battle . . . (roll one die)
5 Summer Affair. Marginal success. Gain a 1-2 . . . after having “detaining” the opposing
Minor Ally from appropriate clan. general the night before. Gain 4 points of
6 Marriage! Loving relationship. No effect. Honor and a Minor Enemy in the
7 Winter Affair. Ancestor’s intent toppled by appropriate clan.
prying gossip-mongers. Lose 3 Honor. 3-4 . . . having secreted away the object of
8-10 Adverse everyone’s contention. It has yet to be
8 Failure! Your ancestor only managed to found. But your mother has told you for
trap himself in an uncaring relationship years that she has a “special gift” for you at
until death. The bitter regret remains to this your completion of your Rank 1 Technique
day. Gain the Insensitive Disadvantage, but 5-6 . . . after poisoning the opponent’s flag-
no CP points. bearer. Gain 3 points of Honor and Poison 1
9 Discovery! Gain the Bad Reputation 7-8 . . . in guise of Scorpion general, who was
Disadvantage (no CP) and lose 5 Honor sequestered in safety elsewhere. Gain 5
10 The Tables Are Turned! The target of the points of Glory, 4 points of Honor and
amorous assault was a close friend to the Mimicry 1
Emperor, and less naïve than your ancestor 9-0 . . . among the ranks of the enemy,
thought. Now, your family owes his or hers “evidence” of their guilt upon his person.
a lasting debt by Imperial decree. Gain the Gain 2 points of Glory 4 points of Honor and
Obligation Disadvantage (but no CP) and Blackmail Advantage for appropriate clan
lose 1 Honor Rank. 6-9 Died to conceal a larger truth or further a larger
plot. Gain the Crafty Advantage and 5 points of
Honor
10 Seppuku – either to save face for the clan, lay the
foundation for future deception or simply to make a
point. You have inherited his blood-stained
wakizashi, originally of fine quality, Gain 3 points
of Honor.
73
Heritage Table 2D – Deep Secrets
Your ancestor discovered something he wasn’t meant to, then
turned it to your family’s advantage. Now you’ve inherited
the secret. Scorpion Clan Fortune Tables
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Scorpion 45-49
Step One: roll percentage dice to determine the clan of your
ancestor’s discovery A player may roll on these tables once only, at the cost of 3
1-25 Crane Clan CP. An even roll indicates that the Fortunes favor you, while
26-35 Phoenix Clan an odd result means that they have forsaken you.
36-50 Dragon Clan
51-65 Crab Clan
66-70 Unicorn Clan Good Fortune Table
71-90 Lion Clan 1 Shugenja: Gain an extra spell. Others: Gain 4k2
91-100 Minor Clan, or GM/Player choice katana
2 You are a natural liar. Gain 2 ranks in Sincerity
Step Two: roll a single die for the outcome 3 You have an heirloom item, several hundred years
1-3 Murder! Your ancestor stumbled on an ambitious old (mask, tanto, fan)
murder plot to depose a daimyo and replace him. 4 You have a potion with five doses. Each renders you
You know who did it, you know why they did it invisible for 2 turns
and you have the evidence. Roll one die, then 5 You have a nemuranai to be determined by the GM
subtract 2; the result is the Glory Rank of the 6 Respected blood. Gain 4 Glory points
murderer. 7 Favored Student: Add 3 points to your skills. One
4-5 Lies! Someone isn’t telling the truth. A family skill may begin higher than 4.
secret lies buried in a chest in Shinomen forest. 8 Swindling: Roll 2 dice and keep the higher in koku
You know where the chest is and you wear the key 9 You have a piece of nice, but stolen, jewelry. Roll 2
around your neck. You’re not exactly sure what the dice to determine its value in koku
secret might be, but your father assured you that 0 You have many contacts (1 Minor Ally yet to be
when you opened the box, you’d understand. determined)
6-7 Dangerous Liaison! Secret affairs are one thing,
but secret marriages are another. You’ve got the
names, dates and places and the shugenja who Bad Fortune Table
performed the ceremony has a habit that you 1 You have two fewer items from your starting Outfit
maintain. . . just in case you ever need him to (GM’s choice)
testify in the Emperor’s court. 2 Lying is difficult for you. Gain the Can’t Lie
8-9 Magic! Maho is a capital offense. . . if it’s ever Disadvantage (no CP), which can be “bought off”
reported. Of course, you’ll never report it as the with XPs
maho-tsukai keeps up his end of the bargain. 3 You are a twin! No one knows who was born first,
0 One of the Twelve! You are a keeper of one of the and there is a sizable inheritance
Twelve Black Scrolls. You know where it’s 4 You have part a stolen heirloom (a shogi set minus
hidden, although you’ve never seen it. And it’s one of the pieces, a katana without a says); your
your responsibility to guard the scroll with your enemies have the rest
life . . . and anyone else’s 5 You lost your family mask. Lose 1 Rank in Honor
and suffer at the hands of your relatives until you
find it!
6 Overconfident: Lose 1 Rank in highest skill (choose
randomly if more than one)
7 You lack direction and purpose, or perhaps you’re
just confused about loyalty and bushido. You must
gain 5 extra Insight for every school rank.
8 Gambling Losses: Lose 1-10 koku or gain a Minor
Enemy (Loanshark)
9 You were recently told that you were found in a
coffer your father pilfered. You are really the son of
a daimyo from another clan.
0 No Bad Fortune – yet. Your crafty GM owns your
soul now, ninja-boy!
74
1 Venerable Blood. The blood of your original
ancestor flows strongly in your veins. Gain 1
Unicorn Clan Heritage Tables Honor and 1 Void. (this roll may only occur once;
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Unicorn 57-59 treat repeat rolls as no effect)
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Unicorn_Heritage_Tables 2 Worthy Pedigree. Due to marriage, the blood of a
different family's ancestor flows in your veins. If
After choosing a family for the character the player may you are a shugenja, gain a Unicorn Clan Secret
choose to roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of Spell (Appendix III of Way of the Unicorn).
lineage the character has. The player may roll up to three Otherwise, gain the rank 1 technique of any
times on the tables, but each has a cost of 1 CP.
Unicorn school other than shugenja or Battle
Maiden
Heritage Table 1 3-5 Battle Veteran. Go to Table 3A - Great Battles*
1-2 Dishonorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 2 6-7 A Hero's End. Go to Table 3B - Glorious Death*
3-5 Undistinguished Past. No Benefits or Penalties 8-9 Meritorious Service. Go to Table 3C - Notable
6-9 Distinguished Past. Roll on Heritage Table 3 Awards
10 Mixed Blessing. Roll on Heritage Table 4 10 Famous Affair. Your family has romantic ties with
another clan. Roll a die: if even, a politically
expedient marriage was arranged, gain a Minor
Heritage Table 2 – Dishonorable Past Ally from another clan and you can attend that
Moto characters subtract one from their rolls on this table family's school without buying the Different
and Otaku/Utaku characters add one School advantage; if odd, the affair was
1 Corrupted! One of your family rides with the troublesome, and you gain a Minor Ally and
Shadowlands, as he has for the last five centuries. Minor Enemy from that clan
Start the game with 0 Glory and lose 1 Honor * Ide characters must re-roll these results. Accept the result if
2 Scapegoat! Another clan betrayed your family’s they get it a second time
trust and all but destroyed it. You begin with no
steed, no money, no family, just your outfit (all of
which is poor quality). Choose Clan responsible. Heritage Table 4 – Mixed Blessing
3-5 Fool! Your family fell for a subtle Rokugani ploy. 1-3 Your ancestor was an Imperial Magistrate who
Roll a dice: if even you have a Dark Secret, if odd revealed another family's dishonor. Gain Major
you have an Obligation. Choose Clan responsible Enemy, 1 Honor Rank, and 1 Rank in
6 Weakling! One of your ancestors failed to live up Investigation
to his duty to the clan. You start with no Glory, 4 Your family studied under gaijin alchemists. Gain
and must earn 20 glory points to reach rank 1. one rank in Poison.
7-8 Deserter! Your parents forswore their loyalty and 5 Your ancestor married a gaijin. Gain one rank in
left the clan with hard feelings. This happened any Trait that is at rank 2, one rank of Gaijin Lore,
shortly before your gempukku. You are a clan and you look like a gaijin. This gives Social
ronin Disadvantage and Bad Reputation when dealing
9 Cursed! Your ancestors cheated a gaijin wizard, with non-Unicorn Rokugani.
who cursed your family to the tenth generation. 6-7 Your ancestor slew another clan's hero in a duel.
Lose two points of Honor, and you don't get your Gain Major Enemy and an item of excellent
family's Trait benefit quality that was taken from his foe's hands
10 Scoundrel! Even magistrates can be bribed; your 8-9 Your family has struggled financially. You have
father was. He was banished, and his name struck no koku and all your items save one are average
from Clan histories. Your mother committed quality. Gain four Bugei, Craft or Low skills at
seppuku. Your clan will give you no land or title, Rank 1.
and will not trust you with money 10 You have inherited a magical item. It is said to
11 Charlatan! Your mother betrayed the Battle have been taken from an oni by a distant relative.
Maidens. Lose one Honor; you may not join the You are unsure whether it really is magic, and
Battle Maiden school even if it is you are not sure if it is cursed or
tainted
75
Heritage Table 3A – Famous Battles Heritage Table 3B – Glorious Death
Moto characters subtract three from this roll, Shinjo Moto characters subtract one from this roll
characters add one. 0-1 Killed fighting the Shadowlands. Gain 1 Rank in a
-2-0 The Blood War Approximately 500 years ago, the weapon of your choice. You are immune to the fear
Moto fought off the Lying generated by some Shadowlands creatures
Darkness. Your ancestor was one 2-5 Killed in a Duel. Gain 1 Rank Iaijutsu and three
the few that survived. Gain one Character Points
Glory rank and a free Void point to 6-10 Killed in Battle. Roll on Table 3A - Great Battles,
spend in every battle against and once on the list below
Shadowlands creatures
1 Saved the day. Gain Major Ally from any
1-4 A Small Battle Dispersed across the continent, the
clan or family fighting on your ancestors’
Unicorn fought a number of
pitched battles during their many side in the battle
years abroad, though the renown of 2 Spared someone's life: gain a Major Ally
these pales in comparison to more from an opposing clan and a Minor Enemy
recent events. The Unicorn have from a clan on your side
also played a part in many of the 3 Died protecting the general. Gain a Minor
Crane's battles. Gain five Glory Ally from a clan on your side
points 4-5 Killed an important foe. Gain 1 Glory Point
5 The Return of Your ancestor was particularly and a Minor Enemy from the opposing clan
the Unicorn: distinguished in the initial assault 6 Saved a wounded samurai. Go to Table 3D -
The Kaiu Walls on the northern Kaiu walls during Gifts
the Unicorn's return some 200 7-9 Fought well. Roll d10 - Gain 1-10 Glory
years ago. The Crab Clan lost Points and a Minor Enemy from the
interest when it turned out that the opposing clan.
Unicorn were not of the 10 Seppuku. Your ancestor committed suicide
Shadowlands. They have long to spare his family's honor, leaving you with
memories, however. Gain one a token of remembrance. Go to Table 3D -
Glory rank, one rank in Battle, and Gifts
a Minor Enemy in the Crab Clan.
6-7 Seven Day After riding through the Crab, the
Battle Plain Unicorn faced the Lion and Heritage Table 3C – Notable Awards
Scorpion on the historic field
Gain one Honor and roll below. Moto subtract two, Ide add
where Iuchiban had been defeated
two.
a century earlier. The terrain gave
the mounted Unicorn an advantage -1-2 Famous General. Gain one rank in Battle
to counter the superior numbers 3-4 Special mission for the Emperor. Got to table 3D -
they faced, and were able to Gifts
withdraw to the north. Gain one 5-7 Emerald Magistrate. Gain a Minor Ally in the
Honor rand and one rank in Battle Imperial Court or any clan
8-9 Battle of the In 827, the corrupted Moto led a 8 Winner of the Great Hunt: Gain one rank in
Chrysanthemum vast army out of the Shadowlands Yomanri or Hunting
Petals and into Unicorn territory. Near the 9-10 No special bonus
shores of Chrysanthemum Petal 11-12 Imperial Procurer. Gain 20 koku
Lake the Unicorn and ashigaru
turned them back. Gain one Glory
rank and one rank in Shadowlands Heritage Table 3D – Gifts
Lore. All gifts subject to interpretation of Game Master.
10-11 Battle of White Before this battle, the Scorpion 1-6 Money
Shore Plain made a concerted effort to prove to 7-8 Land
the Empire that the so-called 9 Items of high quality
"Unicorn" were not Shinjo's 10 Magic
children, but barbarian impostors.
In the battle, they were defeated
suspiciously easily by a small
Unicorn force of mainly Battle
Maidens and a handful of Lion
samurai. Immediately thereafter,
the Scorpion publicly recognized
the Unicorn. Gain one Glory rank,
a Minor Ally in the Akodo family
and a Minor Enemy in the Bayushi
family. 76
Unicorn Clan Fortune Tables
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Unicorn 57-59
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Unicorn_Heritage_Tables
A player may roll on these tables once only, at the cost of 3

CP. An even roll indicates that the Fortunes favor you, while
an odd result means that they have forsaken you.
Good Fortune Table

1 Shugenja: Gain an extra spell. Others: You have an
exquisite item
2 You are a natural horseman. Gain 2 ranks in
Horseman
3 You have an heirloom item, several hundred years
old (tea set, painting, helmet)
4 You have a potion with five doses. Each cures one
die of wounds
5 You have an item of magical curiosity (a go set
which can play against you, a wakizashi that draws
itself on command, a kimono which never gets
stained or wet.)
6 Noble blood. Gain 3 points Honor
7 Prodigy +10 Insight
8 Windfall: Roll one die and divide it by two, retaining
fractions. You have this many extra koku
9 You have a nice diamond. Roll 2 dice to determine
its value in koku (re-rolling tens)
0 You have friends in another clan (less than a Minor
Ally, more than nothing)
Bad Fortune Table

1 You lack two items from your starting outfit (GM’s
choice)
2 Your horse died recently. You start the game on
foot.
3 You grew up outside Rokugan, and are unfamiliar
with its cultural subtleties. Your Sincerity and
Etiquette skills are reduced one rank. You must pay
one extra Experience Point to raise these skills.
4 You have an heirloom item, which is incomplete.
You think you know who has the rest. . . (a shogi set
minus one set of pieces, a katana without the saya).
5 You broke your family katana. Lose one rank of
Honor and make do with a 2k2 katana until you find
a better one.
6 Overconfident: lose 1 rank in your highest skill
(choose randomly if there are more than one)
7 Disruptive Student: -10 Insight
8 Gambling losses: lose 1-10 koku
9 Gambling debts: Lose all but 1 koku The next 1-10
koku you get must be turned over to creditor
0 No bad fortune. Yet. No, don’t worry about it. I’m
sure your GM will forget all about this.
77
Heritage Table 4: Mixed Blessings
1-2 Hunted! Your ancestor learned some disturbing
truths about his former clan. Gain Lore Kolat at
Ronin / Minor Clan Heritage Tables rank 1 and a Major Enemy in the former Clan.
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Wolf 58-61 3-4 Bounty! Your ancestor defeated a powerful bandit
horde by joining their ranks and betraying them
Roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of lineage the from within. Gain 5 koku of bounty money, but
character has. The player may roll up to three times on the lose one rank of Honor. Other ronin may know
tables, but each has a cost of 1 CP. your family’s reputation, and will be wary of
trusting your word.
5-6 Demon-slayer! Your ancestor fought and defeated a
Heritage Table 1
terrible oni at the side of the Kuni Witch Hunters.
Gain a Major Ally in the Kuni, but also gain 1 die
3-5 Dishonorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 2
of Shadowlands Taint for the retributive strike the
6-7 Honorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 3 dying oni leveled against your family’s bloodline.
7-8 Treasure! Your ancestor discovered a weapon of
10 Great Clan Heritage, see Table 5.
Excellent Quality. Perhaps it is even magical.
Unfortunately, it is also stolen. You’d return it to
Heritage Table 2: Dishonorable Past the proper owners, but you’re afraid that your
Roll of table 5 to determine the clan your ancestor came ancestor may have been the thief.
from, but gain no other benefits from that table. 9-0 Tragic Hero! Your ancestor faced a powerful
1 Murderer! Your ancestor was a villain of the worst daimyo in a duel. The daimyo was quite elderly,
sort, slaying his daimyo and fleeing justice! The and stubbornly refused to let anyone duel in his
clan still hunts your family’s blood with a terrible place. Your ancestor allowed himself to be defeated
vengeance. You begin the game with a bounty on in order to let the clan save face. Gain a Rank 3
your head of 20 koku. Favor from that clan as a gesture of their gratitude.
2 Illegitimate! You are the shameful result of an On the downside, your ancestor is now widely
unholy affair between a samurai and an eta! Lose regarded to be a weakling, a coward, and a fool.
one rank of Honor, begin the game with the Dark Your Glory is considered 2 ranks lower until the
Secret Disadvantage and pray to every Fortune that day you swear fealty. (You could use the favor to
you can name that no one finds out. negate this effect, but then you’ve gained nothing.)
3-4 Coward! Your ancestor abandoned his clan in the
heat of battle, heaping disgrace upon your line.
Heritage Table 5: Great Clan Heritage
Gain a Sworn Enemy in your ancestor’s former clan
5-6 Dishonored! Your ancestor was cast out of the clan Some bloodlines run stronger than others. Though you no
for shameful behavior. His kinsman expect no longer bear the name of your former clan, your ancestors still
better from his spawn. Roll two fewer dice on all consider you one of their own. They constantly watch over
social interactions with the former clan. you, encouraging you to greater things. You may purchase
7-8 Disloyal! Your ancestor left the clan to seek his any ancestor from the clan you roll on this table, and may
begin the game with the family Trait bonus of one of that
own fortune, and lost it instead. Begin the game
clan’s families by paying an additional 4 CP. Ancestor and
with no koku. All of your starting equipment is
Poor Quality, except one item. trait must come from the same family.
9-0 Oath-breaker! Your ancestor left to spare the clan
from any stigma as he undertook a potentially Table 5A Table 5B
dishonorable vendetta. Unfortunately, he failed. 1 Crab 1 Badger
Now, you must fulfill his vow or bear the dishonor. 2-3 Crane 2 Centipede
Gain the Driven Disadvantage. Your ancestor will 4 Dragon 3 Dragonfly
not allow you to swear fealty to any clan, no matter 5-6 Lion 4 Falcon
the circumstances, until your vow is fulfilled. 7 Phoenix 5 Fox
8 Scorpion 6 Hare
Heritage Table 3: Honorable Past 9 Unicorn 7 Mantis
10 Minor Clan* 8 Sparrow
Your ancestor is the sort of ronin after whom legends are
9 Tortoise
crafted!
10 Wasp
1-3 Significant Death, see Table 3A
* roll on Table 5B
4-7 Prestigious Duty, see Table 3B
8-0 Heroic Deed, see Table 3C
78
Heritage Table 3A – Significant Death Heritage Table 3B: Prestigious Duty
1-3 Killed in a Duel. Gain 3 boxes of Honor and 1 rank 1-2 Yoriki – Your ancestor served as an assistant to an
in either Iaijutsu or Kenjutsu Emerald Magistrate. Gain 5 boxes of Glory and one
4-8 Killed in Battle. Unfortunately, this is rarely a Rank of Law
positive thing, as ronin are usually the scapegoats of 3-4 Skilled Teacher – Your ancestor shared his
the Great Clans. Roll again to determine the battle: knowledge with the world, and passed it on to you
1-2 Battle of White Stag – Your ancestor was one as well. Gain 5 CP which must be used on five new
of the saboteurs who destroy the gaijin ships skills (rank 1).
in Golden Sun Bay. Add one piece of Gaijin 5-7 Village Ward – Your ancestor made his name by
Gear to your starting outfit, but add Dark protecting and fortifying a heimin village. You gain
Secret as well. Your family knows that the Way of the Land for that area for free, and may
gaijin of White Stag were invited to Otosan purchase a True Friend or Ally from that area for 2-
Uchi at the Emperor’s request, and the Ikoma points less.
would go to great lengths to silence such 8-9 Advisor – Your ancestor’s skills placed him in high
knowledge. demand throughout Rokugan, and the family
3-4 Battle of the Rolling Waves – Your ancestor prospered. You gain one rank in Battle, Iaijutsu, or
was one of Nakano’s famous pirates. Though Siege (whichever was your ancestor’s specialty). If
these men were generally considered villains, you roll on the random starting Outfit Table, add 2
they are heroes among the Mantis. Gain one to your result.
rank of Sailing and a Minor Ally in the 10 Temple Guard – Your ancestor humbly lent his
Mantis. Lose one rank of Honor. sword to the defense of a group of pacifist monks.
5-6 Battle of White Shore Plain – Your ancestor As a result of his generosity, your line has been
fought on the side of the Scorpion, dying an blessed by the Fortunes. Gain 1 Void.
ignominious death in part of their great game.
In an uncharacteristic gesture of kindness, the
Scorpion made minor restitution toward your Heritage Table 3C: Heroic Deed
family. Gain a Minor Ally to the Scorpion, 1-2 Rescue! Your Ancestor recovered the lost heir of a
and a 2-point Obligation to the same powerful daimyo. Gain 1 rank of Honor and a
Scorpion. Major Ally in that clan. Someday, you may be
7-8 Battle of Sleeping River – Your ancestor died allowed to swear fealty if you prove the heroic deed
in combat against the dark forces of Iuchiban. was not merely a fluke.
However, before he died, he returned with . . . 3-4 Hero! Your ancestor defeated a powerful ronin
something. Begin with a nemuranai of the bandit lord. Gain 3 koku and roll an extra dice on
GM’s choice – but keep in mind that this is a all interactions with magistrates.
Bloodspeaker artifact. 5-6 Artist! Your ancestor created a great poem,
9-0 Five Nights of Shame – The battle against the painting, story, or other work of profound and
Snake Clan was a dark time in Rokugan’s lasting beauty. Select any one artisan skill and
history, but it forged a special bond between receive two free Raises whenever you use it.
Phoenix and ronin. Gain a Fine Quality item 7-8 Sage! Your ancestor was a great and wise shugenja,
of Phoenix make, or an extra spell if you are who created many strange and power spells. If you
shugenja. On the down side, all maho that are a shugenja, gain an extra spell of your choice
targets your character receives a free Raise. (including rare or clan-specific spells). If you are a
9-0 Seppuku – Roll again to determine the bushi, gain one level of Magic Resistance.
circumstances: 9-0 Explorer! Your ancestor mapped out a previously
1-6 After cleansing himself of the shame that cast unexplored area of the Empire. Gain Absolute
him from the clan, your ancestor committed Direction, one rank of Navigation or Sailing, and
seppuku to preserve the honor of the line. The begin with a map of that area.
clan approved, and has kept close tabs upon
your ancestor’s descendants. Some day you
may be invited to return to the clan, if you set
a good example. Their eyes are upon you. Do
not fail. Roll on Table 5 to determine the clan,
but gain no other benefit from that table.
7-0 After undertaking a secret mission for the
benefit of the clan, your ancestor took his own
life to hide the secret. You will never be
allowed to swear fealty to that clan, but you
gain a Major Ally within the clan who gives
you help, support, and advice. Begin with the
starting outfit of a bushi of that clan. 79
Heritage Table 2: Current Status
1-3 Experienced Agent: You’ve been around long
enough to have run a few operations for the Ten
Kolat/Conspiracy Heritage Tables Masters. They’ve shown enough confidence in you
Reprinted w/out permission from Merchant’s Guide to to allocate some resources, and to turn to you when
Rokugan 79-81 they need something done. Start with 10 additional
Koku and two Minor Allies (dupes) of your choice.
Roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of lineage the They are to be used only to further the Kolat cause;
character has. failure to abide by this condition will be punished.
If outsiders uncover these resources, it should be
considered discovery of the character’s Dark
Heritage Table 1 Secret, with all attendant punishments. Good Kolat
Is your character a Kolat? keep their affairs hidden.
Unicorn and Yasuki characters add 2 to their rolls. 4-8 Untested Agent: You were indoctrinated into the
1-99 No Kolat, and have dedicated yourself to their cause,
100+ Yes but they haven’t seen fit to call on you yet. You
Note: The Kolat are very rare, numbering far less than one in don’t have access to any of the conspiracy’s funds’
one hundred Rokugani. As “important” samurai, player and you don’t even know who your superior is
characters have a better chance of being noticed than most. (although he’ll make sure you know when he calls
Others in the Empire (i.e. NPCs) are much less likely to be in on you). Sooner or later, you’ll get a mission. For
on the conspiracy. now, you’re concentrating mainly on keeping up
All Kolat characters start with the Disadvantage Dark Secret appearances and allaying suspicion.
(for no points). If discovered, the character will not have to 9 Sleeper: Congratulations. You’re a walking time
commit seppuku (few outsiders will know what to make of bomb. Somewhere along the line, the Kolat got to
it), but the Kolat will have them killed, so the end result is you and turned your brain inside out. Now, they’re
the same. just waiting or the right time to turn you lose. You
Additionally, Kolat characters who are aware of their status believe yourself to be completely normal and go
should all take Investigation and Stealth scores of at least 1, about your life blissfully unaware of the triggers in
and Sincerity scores of at least 2. A high Willpower Trait and your brain. But when they snap their fingers, you’ll
the Advantage Higher Purpose are also recommended. do exactly as they say. Players with sleeper
characters shouldn’t know their status (if the
characters are unaware, their players should be as
well). The GM should determine what exactly the
Kolat have conditioned the PC for (roll on Table 6
to get an idea), and a specific trigger to “activate”
him/her (a whistle, a repeated haiku phrase, etc.).
When the time is right, an active agent will say the
magic words and step back. Sleeper Kolat don’t roll
on Tables 3 or 4, but the GM will have to invent the
time and circumstances surrounding their
abduction. The GM should also secretly assign new
skills and advantages to the character, designed to
assist in the mission (a sleeper to be used for an
assassination will have a high weapons skill, for
example). These skills can only be used when the
sleeper is active.
10 Dupe: You weren’t given the whole story when
they trained you. You think you’re a part of the
plan, but in truth, you’re just bait to be used and
thrown away. Your superior cannot be one of the
Ten Masters (GMs: create an agent to serve in their
place), but you won’t know that. Your missions
will be used to sow confusion and draw attention
away from the important plots. They will be
dangerous, foolhardy, and serve no apparent
purpose. But hey, you’re a Kolat. Anything to serve
the cause, right?
Players with a dupe characters should not be told
that they are dupes. As far as they’re concerned,
80 they’re completely un in the plan.
Heritage Table 3: How was your Character Introduced Heritage Table 4: Continued
to the Kolat? 3-6 without the distractions of outside life. For years,
1-2 Family Member: Some immediate relation to you you studied and trained with other agents, openly
(a parent, an uncle or aunt, an older sibling) has learning what others had to glean by stealth and
sold you out to the conspiracy. They told you the guile. They gave you the skills expected of
way the world really was, and made you promise to someone in your standing (bugei for samurai,
keep what the world really was, and made you spell-casting for shugenja), but also things that no
promise to keep what you had learned a secret. The outside school would ever teach. You returned to
Kolat seem like a part of your family identity, and your old life following your gempukku ceremony,
you will do whatever it takes to maintain your fully indoctrinated and ready to serve.
“family’s” honor The lack of pretense at the Hidden Temple
3-7 Sensei: A formal instructor, or some other authority allowed the conspiracy to fully indoctrinate you.
figure, took you aside for some “special” training You’re particularly devoted to the cause, but you
as you grew up. The philosophies he taught took spent a long time away from the outside world.
hold of your imagination, as did the training It’s left you a little awkward in social situations.
techniques he emphasized. Other adults told you to Most people blame it on the “monastery” you
listen to your teacher, so questioning him was never supposedly studied at. For the first year after
an option. And besides, the things he taught were returning from the Temple, all rolls involving
much more interesting than what the other children social interaction are made at -1 on the die.
learned. 7-8 Subliminal Encoding: You received the basics of
8-9 Daimyo: You were brought to nearby castle at the Kolat life from your teacher or mentor, but the
behest of the local daimyo, who wished to oversee majority of your training took place without
your development personally. You felt privileged to conscious thought. Every night as you lay asleep,
be chosen for such an honor, and never questioned thoughts and ideas were placed in your head by
why the daimyo wanted you to learn some slightly dreams, hypnosis and other methods. You were
different ideas. During your gempukku, you never quite aware of how you came to know these
pledged your life to his cause – and you meant it in things, only that they were right somehow. You
more ways than one . . . only have the vaguest memories of being trained;
10 Other: Someone outside of the traditional authorities as far as you’re concerned, the skills were there all
bonded with you and showed you the light. It may along
have been your mother’s yojimbo, or an advisor in 9 Torture: You didn’t take to the Kolat philosophy as
the castle where you lived. But they took a shine to well as they wanted . . . so stronger methods were
you and you returned the favor. You became the best used. You were abducted multiple times and
of friends; better than friends, for this one was a returned before others were aware you were gone –
grown-up and had more authority than you. Then usually during the night, or while on “training” trips
one day, your friend took you aside and told you the for away. You were then subjected to horrors of the
biggest secret in the world . . . Kolat characters mind and body that left you utterly open to the
approached in this manner cannot take or roll the conspiracy’s whims. In the beginning, you wanted
“Sequestered Study” result on Table 4. to tell someone what was happening to you, but you
couldn’t. The Kolat wouldn’t let you. As things
Heritage Table 4: What did your Training Consist of? went further, your conscious mind learn to reject
1-2 Secret Instruction: You learned the Kolat way of the memories of your torments and you forgot
life right under society’s noses Your teacher about them. But your twisted dreams spoke of the
approached you in secret, during times when you agonies you suffered, and the tortures continued
wouldn’t be seen, and told you what you needed to even as you denied them, By the time they were
know. You didn’t get much sleep as a child; your done with you, you would have done anything they
nights were spent studying the conspiracy’s ways said . . . anything at all.
you got very good at lying about those times when The torturers who conditioned you did their jobs
you were missed, which helped prepare you for the well. As far as your conscious mind is concerned,
lies you’d have to spin as an agent. All of it made you love the Kolat and will do anything to further
you quite used to living a double life; by now, it their cause. But beneath the surface, a few scars
doesn’t bother you anymore. still exist . . . and they’re tearing your unconscious
3-6 Sequestered Study: The Kolat arranged for you to mind to shreds. You suffer from bad dreams every
study somewhere special, where very few students night, and wake up bathed in sweat each morning.
had the privilege to attend. But it wasn’t the distant You cannot ever purchase the Mediate Skill.
school or remote monastery like those around you 10 Mixture: Your training included a combination of
were told. You were blindfolded and taken to the the above techniques. Roll twice on this table,
Hidden Temple, where you could be made a Kolat taking both rolls. Reroll all 10s
81
Heritage Table 5 – Number of Operations Participated In
(Ignore if Untested Agent)
1-3 1 9 4
4-6 2 10 5 or more
7-8 3
Heritage Table 6: Type of Operations Participated In

These are very basic descriptions. “Stopping a Kolat
Operation”, (Merchant’s Guide to Rokugan) contains more
details on most of types of Kolat missions, and you should
fill in specific details about the character’s particular
missions on your own: who was involved, how well the PC
performed, etc.
1 Kidnapping: The character needed to engineer
someone’s abduction, either to turn them into a
sleeper, or just to get them out of the Kolat’s hair
for a while.
2-3 Assassination: Someone in the wrong place got in
the way of the Kolat’s plans. The character helped
dispose of him or her permanently. Usually, such
assassinations are made to look like accidents;
otherwise, sleepers are usually employed. In any
case, the operation gave the character a good
chance to see how ruthless the conspiracy can be.
4 Replacement: Someone was removed and replaced
with an almost identical duplicate for a short but
vital period of time. The character may have been
involved in the insertion or extraction as well as
securing the replaced target while he was in Kolat
hands.
5-6 Forgery: The Kolat will often replace and/or alter
important documents, usually with devastating
results. The character had to make the switchover
cleanly, and possible ensure that the new
documents has the desired effect.
7-10 Advice and Manipulation: A simple and usually
long-term operation, as the character attempted to
alter a particular subject’s opinion or political
stance. It involved quietly giving advice,
manipulating events, or even crude methods like
blackmail. In most respects, this is like typical
Rokugani politics. The only difference was whose
ends the character rally served.
82
Schools: Techniques and Katas
Hida War College: Hida Bushi

Reprinted w/out permission from L5R RPG
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-hbushi.php
Benefit: +1 Stamina Honor: 1 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, any 2 weapons,
heavy armor, helm, kimono, traveling pack, 5 koku
Skills: Archery, Battle, Defense, Kenjutsu, Lore: Shadowlands, Subojutsu
Techniques
Rank 1: The bushi begins by learning how to tap into his own Earth energy. Every time the bushi rolls to hit
and damage, he adds his Earth to the total of the roll. Also, because Crab bushi training is always
done in full armor, they can ignore the penalties other bushi suffer from wearing Full Armor.
Rank 2: At this Rank, the bushi learns the secret of true resilience. Once a day, the bushi may spend a Void
Point to make a simple Earth roll at TN 20 to ignore all damage from a single hit.
Rank 3: At this Rank, the bushi has learned how to make two attacks per turn.
Rank 4: There are times in Rokugan when the Earth rages. At this Rank, the bushi learns how to tap into that
energy. At the beginning of each turn, the bushi may choose to sacrifice 3 Wound Points to keep an
additional die to hit or damage until the end of the turn.
Rank 5: The bushi may now spend a Void Point at the beginning of a turn to make a single action, even if he
cannot due to Wound Rank (Down, Out, or Dead). The bushi can continue to make a single action
per turn as long as he has Void Points to spend.
Shards of Earth: Kata

Reprinted w/out permission from Time of Void 80
School: Hida Bushi Reuse Time: 20 minutes Minimum Rank: 3 XP Cost: 3

Other: When learning this kata, the bushi chooses to practice either with a tetsubo or barehanded. Shards of
Earth may be learned in both forms separately.
Effect: Hida teach their samurai to focus their chi like the earth, to become impenetrable and strong like the
mountains. They show their students how to draw out the Earth in themselves to augment their own
strength, but this kata takes a different approach to the Hida’s affinity for Earth. To see this kata
performed can either be somewhat dull or completely fascinating as the Hida bushi goes through many
slow, wide movements with his hands or tetsubo. The bushi focuses his chi as he moves quietly around a
large stone. When the bushi reaches the end of the ritual, he raises either his weapon or an empty hand
high above his head and strikes down quickly, stopping only fractions of an inch above the stone. The
power of the bushi’s chi alone causes the stone to crumble into pebbles.
While focusing on the Shards of Earth kata, the Hida bushi may completely ignore armor when striking
his opponent, directly attacking the target’s Earth. Unprepared or surprised targets struck by a Shards of
Earth attack must make an opposed Earth check vs. the Earth of the bushi or be thrown off his feet and
dazed for one round.
83
Lost Hiruma Bushi School: Hiruma Bushi
Reprinted w/out permission from Bearers of Jade
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-lhbushi.php
Benefit: +1 Willpower Honor:

Outfit: None given
Skills: Archery, Athletics, Battle, Kenjutsu, Stealth, Shadowlands Lore, one of Heraldry, Navigation, or
Hunting
Note: Attending a lost school requires GM approval
Techniques
Rank 1: The Hiruma learns to focus his strikes even while protecting himself, perfecting the penetrating
quality of his blows without sacrificing his defense. As long as he is not making a Full Attack, the
Hiruma adds his Fire to hit and damage roll totals.
Rank 2: Hiruma bushi learn to dash in and out in a single motion, increasing their TN to be hit by 5 +
Athletics for every Raise they make on their attack. This does not apply to a Full Attack.
Rank 3: Hiruma know how the hummingbird can move in any direction. Once a round, the bushi can make a
contested Agility + Defense roll vs. the opponent's attack roll total to dodge it outright. They do not
have to declare Full Defense to use this, and can attack once in the same round, although with a +5
to their TN. This cannot be used with a Full Attack.
Rank 4: No animal waits to see the effect of its first attack before pressing its advantage. At this rank,
Hiruma can make two attacks a round. If they prefer, they may sacrifice one attack for a second
Hummingbird Wing dodge.
Rank 5: The Hiruma learns to use no more energy than is precisely needed to kill his opponent. If the bushi
delivers more Wounds than necessary to kill his target, he may apply the excess Wounds to the next
target he hits. The carry-over effect does not last beyond the end of the current skirmish. This may
be done once for each of the Hiruma's attacks.
84
Hiruma Scout School: Hiruma Scouts
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Crab
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-hscout.php
Benefit: +1 Perception Honor: 2 + 0 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) katana, wakizashi, clothing, running sandals, black body paint,
carved piece of jade
Skills: Archery, Athletics, Jiujutsu, Kenjutsu, Lore: Shadowlands, Stealth 2
Techniques
Rank 1: The first thing Hiruma bushi learn is how to avoid their enemies' blows. The forces of the
Shadowlands have taken their homeland, but they must not be allowed to take them as well. Thus
do the Hiruma maintain the balance between duty and vengeance. For every school rank the bushi
has, add 5 to his TN to be hit by any Shadowlands creature.
Rank 2: The Hiruma Scouts must be able to outdistance the horrors of the Shadowlands and report back to
the Kaiu wall. Those who reach this rank know how to push their endurance beyond normal human
limits. They can maintain a running pace for a number of hours equal to their Stamina x2, after
which they must rest (no activities and little movement) for the same amount of time. Assume they
can keep a pace of at least 10 mph during the length of their run.
Rank 3: At this Rank, the Scout has learned how to detect the subtle nuances of the Shadowlands Taint. It
grants her a sense of absolute direction when traveling through Fu Leng's Realm - how far into the
darkness she has gone, where the Taint is strongest, and the nearest path back to the Crab lands. the
Scout can never become lost while in the Shadowlands and always succeeds on any rolls involving
direction therein. Also, the Scout gains the ability to sense the Shadowlands Taint in nearby sentient
creatures. The aura of awareness extends a distance of approximately 10 feet times his School Rank.
Rank 4: The bushi learns to translate his fleet footedness to combat. At this level he makes 2 attacks per turn
against Shadowlands creatures.
Also, the Scout's memory facilities are enhanced considerably. At any time, he can hold an image in
his head, and recount the details of that image on demand with perfect clarity, as if he were still
standing there. He may only hold one image at a time in such a manner.
Rank 5: The Scout has learned how to keep himself perfectly still, and to remain hidden within that state. By
spending a Void point and remaining still, the Scout gains an effective "invisibility," unable to be
seen by any creature. he or she must be making a conscious attempt to hide - using available cover,
wearing camouflaged clothes, etc. - and can conduct no actions while hidden; any movement at all
disrupts the effect.
85
Hiruma Berserker "School": Hiruma Berserkers
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-hberserk.php
Benefit: +1 Stamina Honor: 1 + 0 boxes

Outfit: None given
Skills: None given
Note: In order to become a berserker, a character must spend points to take the Death Trance advantage.
He must further renounce any schools he previously belonged to (giving up their advantages and
techniques) and drop his Honor Rank to 1 (unless it was already 1 or lower), reflecting an
increased callousness and disregard for social niceties. If he does this, he has achieved enough
focus to enter a berserk rage. He may later increase his Honor through Character Points or
Experience.
Techniques
There is no berserker school, just instinct and the passion with which one adheres to bushido. When berserkers go into
their trance, however, they forget the tenets of other battle philosophies and so cannot use any of the special abilities of
their home school. In exchange, they gain an inhuman strength and the ability to absorb incredible amounts of damage.
The benefits of being a berserker increases as time goes on: as he gains experience, he learns how to harness his rage
more and more effectively, and can thus strike with greater and greater amounts of power. The Ranks of the "Berserker
School" reflect this increased effectiveness.
When a berserker enters combat, he ignores wound penalties for a number of rounds equal to his Earth x2 (the wounds
are suffered, they just have no effect on him). Furthermore, he may roll and keep an extra die of damage for every Rank
he has, reflecting his ability to focus his rage into his attacks. These extra dice are rolled regardless of what the berserker
is attacking with, be it a tetsubo, katana, or his bare hands.
There is a price to be paid for such power, however. After a number of rounds equal to his Earth x2, the berserker is
spent, and his rage collapses into a semiconscious daze. He is considered Incapacitated for the rest of the combat, and
must be protected by his comrades if he wishes to stay alive. Because of this, many berserkers along the Kaiu Wall live
short, brutal lives, despite their combat effectiveness.
Kaiu Engineering School: Kaiu Engineers

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-kengine.php
Benefit: +1 Intelligence Honor: 2 + 0 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) katana, wakizashi, heavy armor, kimono, drawing paper and
pens, scroll case, surveying tools
Skills: Armorer, Battle, Engineering, History, Siege, Traps, Weaponsmith
Techniques
The Kaiu understand the ebb and flow of large-scale battles, the fundamentals of civil engineering, and the practical
crafts of armor and weaponsmith. The Kaiu school emphasizes these crafts, and focuses on the subtler elements of
military conflict.
At each successive Rank, the Kaiu picks one of the seven skills taught by the school. He or she may roll and keep an
additional die for that skill whenever a skill check is called for. He or she is not limited to the number of times a skill can
be improved in this manner; for example, a Rank 2 Kaiu could opt to roll and keep an additional die for Battle and an
additional die for Weaponsmith, or opt to roll and keep two additional dice for Weaponsmith only. The only limits are
the GM's discretion and the character's willingness to specialize.
86
Kuni Shugenja School: Kuni Shugenja
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-kunishug.php
Benefit: +1 Willpower Honor: 1 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) katana, tanto, wakizashi, kimono, scroll satchel, traveling pack, 3
koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Defense, Kenjutsu, Lore: Shadowlands, Meditation, any Bugei weapon skill, any High
skill
Note: Kuni shugenja get a Free Raise for all Earth spells.
Shugenja may never learn school techniques. Those with school techniques may never become
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon Fire: 2 from core or clan book
Earth 3 from core or clan book Water: 1 from core or clan book
Kuni Witch Hunting School: Kuni Witch Hunters

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-kwitch.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) katana, wakizashi, traveling clothes, jade Witch Hunter pendant
Skills: Athletics or Stealth, Defense, Herbalism, Hunting, Lore: Shadowlands, any 2 Bugei skills
Techniques
Rank 1: The apprentice has learned how to block out all distraction when facing their foe. He or she gains
two attacks per turn against any creature with the Shadowlands Taint.
Rank 2: The Hunter learns the tell-tale signs of the Shadowlands Taint and can attune his or her senses to its
elemental corruption. This is an intuitive sense, dependent upon the Witch Hunter's instincts rather
than any tangible evidence. He or she can detect the presence and proximity of a Tainted being, out
to about fifty ken-an (yards) by rolling Awareness + Lore: Shadowlands at TN 15 (20+ if the
person/creature is adept at hiding its nature; GM's discretion).
Rank 3: The Hunter's proximity to evil lends him great strength when he battles against it. In close range
combat, the Hunter may keep a number of additional dice to hit equal to his opponent's
Shadowlands Rank. Against native Shadowlands creatures, they may keep a number of dice equal to
the following:
Goblins and Zombies = 1 die
Ogres, Pennaggolan, and Ghosts = 2 dice
Oni = 3-5 dice, depending on their power (GM's discretion)
Rank 4: At this level, the Hunter can focus his will to resist the effects of dark magic. He or she becomes
immune to maho and can make another character resistant for one round by rolling Willpower +
Lore: Maho-Tsukai at a TN of 25. Raises allow the Hunter to extend this resistance, one round per 5
TN raise.
Rank 5: The Hunter is now a true enemy of the Shadowlands, and can cut down Fu Leng's minions with
devastating power. If a Hunter's damage roll kills a Shadowlands opponent (a creature of Fu Leng or
a human with the Taint), it does not count as an attack for the round.
87
Yasuki Merchant School: Yasuki Merchants
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-ymerch.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) katana, wakizashi, kimono, sleeping clothes, traveling clothes,
sleeping roll, wicker basket, traveling pony with storage packs, 8 koku
Skills: Commerce, Defense, Gambling, Etiquette, Heraldry, Sincerity, any Craft skill
Note: Within the Yasuki family, Commerce is not considered a dishonorable skill.
Techniques
The Yasuki Merchant School does not teach techniques, but as the merchant grows in Insight, he shows a greater ability
to acquire what he needs. With each Rank, the merchant is able to appropriate more valuable objects. In addition, the
time required to gain an object decreases significantly. It takes approximately one week to gain an item, but two days
less to acquire an item from a previous School Rank.
For example, if a Rank 3 merchant wishes to gain a Rank 1 item, it will take 7 days minus 4 (2 fewer days x2 Ranks).
Thus, the Rank 3 merchant can gain Rank 1 items in 3 days.
To gain an item, the merchant must make a School Rank + Commerce roll to beat a TN set by the GM. The merchant
may make raises to increase the quality of the item, decrease the amount of time required to acquire it, or increase the
number of items acquired. Each raise takes away one day required to gain the item. A merchant will always need at least
one day to gain an item. Each raise doubles the number of items that can be acquired. For instance, 3 raises will gain a
merchant eight items (1x2 = 2; 2x2 = 4; 4x2 = 8).
Rank 1: Carts, bolts of cloth, lanterns, clothes, pots, "peasant weapons," pans, wicker backpacks, trinkets
(which may be mistaken for real jewelry).
Rank 2: Boats (rafts), ponies, weapons of average quality, safe travel to the next town, real jewelry of
average quality, and two Rank 1 items.
Rank 3: Safe travel to a distant town (within the same province), "fingers" of jade, expensive jewelry, illicit
goods including but not limited to: forged papers and other "merchandise of doubtful provenance,"
recommendations to an average quality geisha house, any four Rank 1 items, any two Rank 2
items.
Rank 4: Safe travel out of the province (with or without papers), armor, warhorses, (non-Unicorn), weapons
of fine quality, boats (sampans or junks), recommendations to a fine quality geisha house, any eight
Rank 1 items, any four Rank 2 items, any two Rank 3 items.
Rank 5: Unicorn horses (bad color, born on a bad day, etc.), official travel papers (unlimited travel), minor
nemuranai (with appropriate consequences), introduction to a high quality geisha ("You mean that
sake house is really a tea house?"), girls with green eyes, any sixteen Rank 1 items, any eight Rank
2 items, any four Rank 3 items, any two Rank 4 items.
88
Yasuki Taskmaster School: Yasuki Taskmasters
Reprinted w/out permission from L5R RPG, 2nd Ed.
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-ytask.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) katana, wakizashi, whip (0k1 weapon, uses Nofujutsu), light
armor, helm, traveling pack, kimono, any two weapons, 6 koku
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Intimidation, Jiujutsu, Kenjutsu, Lore: Shadowlands, any Bugei skill
Note: The Taskmasters are the sub-officers and commanders of the rank and file troops. They keep the
heimin in line, but also have proven quite useful in controlling the Shadowlands beasts that have
become the Crab's allies.
Students of the Yasuki Taskmaster School may learn the Whip specialized weapon skill as a Bugei
skill instead of a Low skill.
This is a second edition school and requires GM approval.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Taskmaster has learned the art of cowing those weaker than himself. He may roll an extra die
on all attack rolls against those with less Willpower than himself.
Rank 2: As his action for the round, the Taskmaster may activate Taking the Gift. Once on, it stays on until
the Taskmaster takes another action. If an opponent hits the Taskmaster while Taking the Gift is
active, the Taskmaster may immediately attack that opponent once; this attack automatically hits.
The Taskmaster's damage roll is increased, if necessary to be at least the amount of damage done
by the attacker. The Taskmaster may not counterattack if he is at the Down, Out or Dead Wound
levels.
Rank 3: The character is well on his way mastering the arts of intimidation. The Taskmaster may taunt or
insult any one opponent who can understand him (even while the Taskmaster is attacking or doing
something else); making a contested Intimidation/Willpower roll with the target. If he succeeds, he
may add the amount by which he succeeded to one attack roll against that opponent in the
following round.
Rank 4: The Taskmaster's rage has become so terrifying and overwhelming that he may now make two
attacks per round.
Rank 5: The Taskmaster has mastered the arts of fear and intimidation to the point that they are a part of his
being. Opponents attacking the Taskmaster subtract twice his Intimidation skill from all attack and
damage totals against him.
89
Asahina Shugenja School: Asahina Shugenja
Reprinted w/out permission from L5R RPG,
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-asashug.php
Benefit: +1 Awareness Honor: 3 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) tanto, kimono, scroll satchel, steed, traveling pack, 10 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Etiquette, Meditation, Shintao, any 3 High skills
Note: Asahina shugenja get a Free Raise for all Air spells.
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon Air: 3 from core or clan book
90
Tsume Pikeman
New Path: Crane
New Technique Rank 1

Path of Entry: Rank 1
Path of Egress: Diadoji Bodyguard or Doji Magistrate
Benefit: +1 Reflexes (Use Doji for Tsume family benefits – A vassal family of the Doji)
Honor: 2 + 5 boxes
Outfit: (All items are of fine quality)
katana, wakizashi, yari, any 1 weapons, light armor, traveling pack, 8 koku
Skills: Battle, Defense, Hand-to-Hand, Kenjutsu, Yarijutsu 2, any one High or Bugei skill
Note: This is a second edition school and requires GM approval.
Techniques: New Path: Tsume Pikeman Rank 1

Rank 1: If the pikeman is struck by an opponent while on Full Defense and wielding a yari, he may
immediately roll Yarijutsu/Reflexes vs. TN 10. If successful, he has maneuvered the weapon so
that his opponent has impaled himself on it. The opponent suffers wounds as indicated below. The
pikeman may increase the dice rolled for damage by 1k0 for every successful raise on the
Yarijutsu/Reflexes roll.
Opponent is wearing Wounds
No Armor 3k3
Light Armor 2k2
Heavy Armor 1k1
Techniques: Diadoji Bodyguard Ranks 1-4

Rank 1: At the first Rank, the Daidoji bushi uses his Honor Rank, rather than his Earth Ring, to figure his
wound level. Round all fractions down
Rank 2: At this Rank, if the bushi chooses Full Defense, they automatically gain the highest (fastest)
initiative in the combat round following the round in which they declared a Full Defense. The
bushi does not need to roll, and this overrides any other initiative ability
Rank 3: The bushi can use his opponent's armor rank against him, forcing their opponent to move against
the constrictions of tightly laced do-maru and restricted peripheral vision. The bushi dodges and
moves in ways which force his opponent to work against the restrictions of his own armor. The
bushi's own TN to be hit is increased by the value of his opponent's armor
Rank 4: At this Rank, the bushi has gained the ability to pierce his opponent's defenses to such an extent
that he may make two attacks per round
OR (May be taken in combination)
Techniques: Doji Magistrate Ranks 1-4

Rank 1: The Magistrate's first lesson is that his eyes must always be open, ever prepared for ambush from
any quarter. His TN to be hit is increased by his Perception
Rank 2: The Magistrate has infused the duties of his position into his being. Spending a Void Point or
making a Raise on any Law or Investigation roll has double the normal effect. (Add two dice
instead of one or gain the effect of two Raises for each Raise made.)
Rank 3: When in combat against a Rokugani who is in severe violation of the Emperor's law (any crime
punishable by death), the Magistrate rolls additional dice equal to his Honor for all attack rolls
against that opponent
Rank 4: The Magistrate is so dedicated in his pursuit of justice that he may now make two attacks per round
91
Daidoji Bodyguard School: Daidoji Bodyguards
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Crane
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-dbguard.php
Benefit: +1 Agility Honor: 2 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) katana, wakizashi, yari, any 3 weapons, heavy or light armor, helm,
kimono, traveling pack, steed, 10 koku
Skills: Archery, Battle, Defense 2, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, any High or Bugei skill
Techniques
Rank 1: At the first Rank, the Daidoji bushi uses his Honor Rank, rather than his Earth Ring, to figure his
wound level. Round all fractions down
Rank 2: At this Rank, if the bushi chooses Full Defense, they automatically gain the highest (fastest)
initiative in the combat round following the round in which they declared a Full Defense. The
bushi does not need to roll, and this overrides any other initiative ability
Rank 3: The bushi can use his opponent's armor rank against him, forcing their opponent to move against
the constrictions of tightly laced do-maru and restricted peripheral vision. The bushi dodges and
moves in ways which force his opponent to work against the restrictions of his own armor. The
bushi's own TN to be hit is increased by the value of his opponent's armor
Rank 4: At this Rank, the bushi has gained the ability to pierce his opponent's defenses to such an extent
that he may make two attacks per round
Rank 5: The bushi at this Rank has learned how to use his opponent's school against him. If the bushi faces
an opponent whose school technique he has previously seen, the Bodyguard may choose to spend
Void equal to his opponent's School Rank. If he does so, the opponent may not use any of their
special school abilities that round
92
Doji Courtier School: Doji Courtiers
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-dcourt.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) tanto, kimono, small iron box, traveling pack, steed, 15 koku
Skills: Courtier, Etiquette, Heraldry, Manipulation, Oratory, Sincerity, any High skill
Techniques
Rank 1: The Doji courtier is part of a tremendously large system of give-and-take between the Clans, a
system which has resulted in the collection of "favors" from various families and individuals.
Often, the Crane will intercede in political situations on behalf of other clans, and from this will
gain certain political compensation. A Crane diplomat begins at rank one with the ability to
exchange these favors - either on his own behalf or for another. Each chart on the favor tables for
the Crane show examples of political favors which the Crane Clan can call upon. At the courtier's
first school rank, they must be from the rank one favor table; at the second school rank they may be
from either the rank one or two favor tables, and so on. The courtier may call upon a maximum
number of favors per adventure equal to their Air + School Rank.
Rank 2: A second rank courtier has gained a great amount of control over their emotions, enough so that
they can affect others with them - for good or ill. Through the study of a person's motivations and
desires, the courtier gains a certain influence over that person's mental state - be it one of levity,
depression, or fear. The ability to influence people's emotions is a powerful one, and can change
people's reactions or alter how they perceive their surroundings. Certainly, it can make someone
more sympathetic to the courtier's cause, or it can foster trust towards the courtier. With the use of
this skill, the courtier attempts to change a person's emotional state to one more useful to the
courtier's goals. A courtier who shifts a person's emotional state towards anger while telling them
of an imminent Lion army's invasion might cause their audience to react poorly toward any Lion
Clan members they come in contact with later, even to the point of offering their services to those
opposing the Lion. In order to be successful, the courtier must spend a minimum of five minutes
talking to their target, and make a successful contested Awareness roll.
Rank 3: Beginning at this rank, the courtier has the ability to challenge another person's action with a test of
honor. The courtier can do this a number of times per day equal to the courtier's school rank.
Before an action has been rolled by the target (any action, from an etiquette roll to an attack roll),
the courtier may challenge the target. If the courtier's honor challenge is successful, the action of
the other character immediately becomes a failure, no matter what the roll.
In order to challenge an opponent's honor, the courtier and his victim must make a contested roll
based on their Honor ranks (round down). The TN is equal to the opponent's Honor x5, and any
non-Crane character must drop all dice that roll lower than the Crane's Honor. If both contestants
succeed on their rolls, the one who rolled higher wins. If neither contestant succeeds, the contest
continues on to the next round; the action which the courtier contested is "in stasis" and does not
occur until the contest is resolved
Rank 4: At this rank, the courtier has gained such mastery over the political niceties of the court that such
things become almost effortless. When the courtier is using Etiquette, Manipulation, Heraldry,
Oratory, or Sincerity, they no longer need to roll. Their attempts are automatically successful. The
courtier gains no raises when they are using this skill - if they wish to add raises for the skill, they
must still roll, but a failed roll in that case is considered to be a base success, without the bonuses
the raises would have applied. This technique may not be applied to contested rolls
93
Doji Courtier School: Doji Courtiers (pg2of2)
Rank 5: Once the courtier achieves Rank 5, it is a simple matter for them to gain friends and allies. They
can make someone's reaction of them more favorable, even going so far as to assuage any warlike
or offensive feelings. If the person is trying to influence has a Willpower less than or equal to that
of the courtier, the courtier can automatically manipulate their actions. If they have a Willpower
greater than the courtier, they must still make a successful Willpower + Etiquette roll against a TN
of the courtier's Willpower x5. If successful, they have found a way out of the courtier's
manipulation.
If the courtier succeeds, their target is friendly to them, and treats them in all ways as a trusted
advisor. Charmed by the courtier's ability, the person affected will consider them to be a friend, and
will listen to the courtier's words and counsel. Unless the person affected has a direct reason to
mistrust the courtier (obvious signs of betrayal, or if the courtier asks them to risk their life), the
target will continue to trust the Crane as a trusted ally.
However, this ability diminishes over time, and must be maintained carefully by the courtier. For
every day beyond the courtier's school rank that the courtier does not have prolonged contact (long
conversations, visits, or some other time spent in the company of the target), or if the courtier asks
them to do something against their personal code of ethics, the person who has been charmed may
roll their Willpower against a TN of 30. For each successive day, or each request, the charmed
person gets an additional +5 to their die roll, until they break free of the courtier's influence.
If the person influenced by the courtier has been treated well, and the courtier has genuinely
attempted to be friendly and has assisted their target's own goals and desires, the courtier will have
gained a true ally. However, if the courtier has been unreasonable, asking their target to reveal
hidden information or risk themselves in some way, the person may feel used and unfriendly
toward the Crane character, and may actually become an enemy. In any case, the person is
considered to have a Willpower of 2 ranks higher if the same courtier attempts to use this ability on
him or her again.
94
Doji Magistrate School: Doji Magistrates
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-dmagis.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, light armor, jitte, helm,
traveling pack, kimono, steed, badge of office, any weapon, 10 koku
Skills: Archery, Etiquette, Heraldry, Iaijutsu, Investigation, Kenjutsu, Law
Note: The Crane have always had a close relationship with the Emerald Champion, often holding the
office itself. Even when a Crane is not the Emerald Champion, many Cranes carry on the search
for justice.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Magistrate's first lesson is that his eyes must always be open, ever prepared for ambush from
any quarter. His TN to be hit is increased by his Perception
Rank 2: The Magistrate has infused the duties of his position into his being. Spending a Void Point or
making a Raise on any Law or Investigation roll has double the normal effect. (Add two dice
instead of one or gain the effect of two Raises for each Raise made.)
Rank 3: When in combat against a Rokugani who is in severe violation of the Emperor's law (any crime
punishable by death), the Magistrate rolls additional dice equal to his Honor for all attack rolls
against that opponent
Rank 4: The Magistrate is so dedicated in his pursuit of justice that he may now make two attacks per round
Rank 5: The Magistrate no longer needs to roll an any Law or Investigation tests unless he wishes to make
a Raise. If the Magistrate Raises on any Law or Investigation Test and fails but still rolls greater
than the original TN, the roll succeeds without the benefit of his Raises.
95
Kakita Artisan Academy: Kakita Artisans
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-kart.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) katana, wakizashi, kimono, traveling pack, Artisan's satchel, basic
equipment as suited for their Artisan specialty (paintbrushes, makeup kit, etc), 10 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier, Etiquette, Lore: Myth and Legend, any 1 artistic skill (see below), any High
skill
Note: For brevity, I've eliminated anything of the more technical about maya usage, as well as anything
else "extra-ish", and kept this to what would be needed to build an Artisan character if one already
understood how the maya worked. Thanks to Ran for doing the grunt work on getting this
particular page up and running!
The Kakita artisans are the finest creators of art and literature in Rokugan. Their intense study of
the arts and their focus on the innate magic inherent in all works of beauty have led them to the
development of certain techniques, or maya. They are known throughout the Empire as teachers,
instructors and tutors, and their skills are welcomed in every court in Rokugan. Among their
artistic endeavors are the students of the art of the sword - the famous Kakita Iaijutsu Masters.
Kakita artisans (other than students of the Iaijutsu school) are neither bushi nor shugenja, similar to
the Ise zumi detailed in the Way of the Dragon sourcebook.
The Kakita Artisan Academy still trains its students in the traditional "School Rank" system (from
ranks 1-5). The most unusual part of this system, however, is that when an Artisan gains enough
insight to raise them in overall School Rank, the artisan may choose which maya they will learn for
their next rank. However, an Artisan cannot choose to learn a maya for which they have not
already learned the base ranks. This means that while an Artisan can always choose to learn a rank
1 maya, they may not attempt to learn a rank 2 maya unless they have already mastered the rank 1
maya for that art.
Techniques
Artisans do not have "techniques" per se, nor do they gain spells as a shugenja might. Artisans gain maya abilities, as
defined below, for each rank they rise within their school. Characters from the Kakita dueling school do not gain any of
the maya abilities outlined below, nor can they choose to take an artisan maya in place of their normal school rank.
When a maya calls for the Artisan's School Rank, they are asking for the overall School Rank of that character, rather
than the character's ability with that art. An Artisan who has an insight of 201, and has mastered the maya Origami 1,
Dance 1, and Ikebana 1 & 2 is still considered a School Rank 4 character.
When an Artisan begins at rank one, they must choose a specialization from the list below. At rank one, they will gain
the first maya ability of that specialization. Thereafter, when the Artisan gains enough insight to rise another Rank, they
may return to the Crane lands and choose another maya. If the Artisan chooses to continue in their specialization, they
will gain the second maya ability. If they choose to begin another specialization, they may choose one of the other
specializations and gain the first maya in that school. If an Artisan gains all three maya abilities of one specialization,
they are considered to be a Master of that art.
In this way, a rank 5 Artisan will have 5 maya abilities, chosen from the ranks below. At no point may an Artisan have
the second or third level ability within a specialization unless they have already achieved the earlier levels of that art.
However, there is no constraint forcing an Artisan to Master in any art, or even to take more than one maya from any art.
Thus, the five maya which are known by a 5th rank Artisan may be from five different arts, or any combination thereof.
When an Artisan picks their first maya from a specialization, they receive a single free Skill Rank in the corresponding
art. Thereafter, the Artisan must purchase further skills in this art normally.
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Kakita Artisan Academy: Kakita Artisans (pg2of8)
Acrobatics The maya for acrobatics require no preparatory rounds, and cannot be "held."
Rank 1: A first rank acrobat has the ability to escape complex bonds through coordination and control of
their joints and muscles. They can escape ropes, gags, or other restraints with a successful Agility +
Acrobatics roll. The TN for the roll depends on the complexity of the restraints (anywhere between
10 and 30). Further, the acrobat has the additional ability to move through passages too small for
typical human inhabitants, to slide through windows, past bars or other major impediments in a
Houdini-like style. Such extreme activity is painful for the acrobat, as it requires dislocating joints
or stretching muscles in dangerous ways. Its use delivers a single rank of Wounds each time the
acrobat performs the maneuver. The acrobat may perform this maya an unlimited number of times
per day
Rank 2: When the acrobat reaches the second level of mastery, they have gained the swift reflexes and
incredible dexterity needed to dodge missile combat, such as arrows or thrown weapons. When
dodging missiles, the Acrobat adds his School Rank x 3 to his TN to be Hit. This bonus is only
applied if the acrobat is aware of the incoming missiles. This maya requires no skill roll
Rank 3: Rank three acrobats are among the most agile people in the Empire. Their movements are
blindingly fast, and they have the ability to perceive threats in their peripheral vision. Because of
this, an acrobat can instinctively move to correct their position or balance. If the acrobat chooses a
Full Defense and selects a target to defend themselves against, they cannot be hit by any targeted
weapons or spells from that individual. This maya requires a skill roll each round the character
declares their Full Defense maneuver
Dancing Dancing is an art which requires concentration and skill, but which can be performed with almost
no preparatory work. Thus, an Artisan does not require any preparatory time to use a dance maya.
However, dance maya cannot be "held."
Rank 1: Dancers, as performers, are often asked to use the martial skill of mizu-do in order to perform
staged combat during a performance. Because of this, a dancer often has a better grasp of the
martial art of mizu-do than the typical practitioner. The skills needed to perform accurate stage
combat require hours of concentrated rehearsal, making every action a perfect harmony of body
and mind. The rank one dancer gains one level of the mizu-do skill for free. A dancer gains a
number of free raises equal to their School Rank anytime they use the mizu-do skill (for
information on mizu-do, please refer to Way of the Crane, Appendix II).
Rank 2: At this rank, if the dancer makes a successful contested roll of their Agility + Dancing versus the
viewer's Willpower, they have mesmerized the viewers. Someone who has been mesmerized can
break free of the dance by winning the contested roll. A dancer must continue to make these
contested roll. A dancer must continue to make these contested rolls with his audience every three
minutes. Someone who has been mesmerized is not "frozen" nor ignorant of their surroundings. If
attacked, they will respond. However, they will ignore and forget anything which occurs (save their
memory of the dancer and his dance) and does not directly affect them. Therefore, if a dancer
mesmerizes the daimyo's guards, someone could slip past them, steal something from them, (with a
successful Agility check) or discuss something in their presence, all without the guards' knowledge.
And the guards won't even remember they were there
Rank 3: At this rank, the dancer has so sharpened their reflexes, body control and sense of timing that they
are able to more effectively perform precise movements in a short period of time. When using the
mizu-do skill, the dancer may make an additional defensive maneuver each round.
97
Ikebana In general, ikebana maya cannot be "held," with the exception of their rank three ability, noted
below
Rank 1: At this rank, the ikebani can bring good fortune to those the artist favors. By spending ten minutes
and making a successful Intelligence + Ikebana roll at a TN of 15, the artist can grant an individual
(himself or another) an additional die to roll and keep for one task. The task to which this
additional die is applied must be immediately performed. No more than one die can be given in
such a way to a single task
Rank 2: A second rank ikebana artist can use the beauty of their arrangements to inspire confidence and
remove doubt. With a successful Intelligence + Ikebana roll (TN 20), the Artisan can grant a single
Free Raise to any individual they touch, for any one stated task which must be performed within
the hour. It takes ten minutes for the artist to confer this benefit. This ability is not cumulative with
itself, and an ikebana artist may not give more than one free raise to any individual in the span of
less than an hour. However, this is cumulative with free raises from other sources, such as a
shugenja's free spell raise based on their school
Rank 3: A master of flower arranging has the ability to warp luck around himself, gathering fortune and
changing the odds of probability. This ability has two possible applications: beneficial or
detrimental, based on the ikebani's choice of luck or unluck. Either effect requires a successful skill
roll (Intelligence + Ikebana at a TN of 25).
Once the ikebana Artisan has successfully performed their art (an act which requires five minutes
of concentration), they have gained one reroll. This reroll may be used at any time, on any
individual in the ikebana's sight, to force the reroll of a single action. Thus, the ikebani can choose
to reroll a failed roll performed by himself or one of his companions, or he can force an opponent
to reroll a successful action before it can take place.
An ikebana Artisan can "hold" this reroll for up to one full day after he has performed the initial
arrangement
Jester Jesting does not require any preparation, but it also cannot be "held."
Rank 1: At rank 1, the Jester has become adept at manipulating the emotions of others. If the Jester
converses with another character, he can leave that character feeling distracted or carefree, at the
Jester's whim. Afterwards, all of the target character's social skill rolls (Tea Ceremony, Etiquette,
etc) either add or subtract one die to their roll for a number of hours equal to the Jester's School
Rank. A character may only be targeted with this once per hour
Rank 2: The Jester can manipulate everyone else into jumping into a melee before he does. With his skill at
taunting and understanding of basic human impulses, the Jester has gained the ability to start a
fight. While this is not a difficult thing in many places of Rokugan, the Jester can do so without
appearing to be at fault. Whether in or out of combat, the Jester can attempt to draw someone into
direct combat - luring an archer from safe cover, taunting an opposing shugenja into rushing into
combat, etc. The Jester must perform for two actions, after which the victim must roll their
Intelligence against a TN of 15, or charge the nearest individual, whether friend of foe. If the Jester
wishes to raise this TN, he must make a performance roll (Intelligence + Jester) at a TN of 20, plus
raises for every 5 he wishes to add to their victim's TN
Rank 3: Upon reaching Rank 3 in his school, the Jester has become skilled enough to pull an onlooker into
his act. Anytime the Jester is making a public performance (at the Imperial Court, during a festival,
etc), he may target someone in the audience. The character targeted is on the receiving end of the
Jester's wit. If the Jester defeats his opponent in a contested Intelligence roll, the victim
permanently loses a number of Honor points equal to the Jester's School Rank. The Jester may
never target the same person twice in less than six months.
For more information on properly characterizing your Jester, please refer to the full description in
Way of the Crane
98
Noh/Kabuki Using raises, the Artisan can increase the duration of their ability, doubling the time the ability
would be active for each raise declared by the player. Use of any of the Noh/Kabuki maya requires
ten minutes to perform, and these maya cannot be "held."
Rank 1: The Artisan has gained the ability to impersonate certain individuals, through study and
observation. The target numbers for this impersonation skill are:
Someone you've known for years: TN 15
Someone you've known for months: TN 20
Someone you've just met: TN 25
Through this ability, the Artisan's voice, mannerisms, and physical appearance are changed
through the careful application of makeup and use of the acting skill. Certain physical attributes,
such as extreme height or an extremely unusual voice, cannot be mimicked through this ability.
The artisan needs a makeup kit and simple tools, such as appropriate garb or certification of their
identity. (A samurai who is well known for his tattered saya, for example, might be questioned if
he appeared without it.)
Rank 2: At this rank, the dramatist has captured the essence of the more fearsome characters depicted in the
plays. Demons, nightmares, furious spirits from beyond the grave - all these archetypes common to
the kabuki and Noh dramas have become second nature to the skilled artisan. With practice, they
can use this ability to shape their visage into something more fearsome that any mask they use on
stage. A number of times per day equal to their School Rank, the dramatist may attempt to cause a
fear effect, centered on themselves, affecting all creatures in a 30' radius who do not make a
Willpower roll against a TN of 20. Those affected will cease whatever they are doing and flee the
area at top speed for a number of rounds equal to 2 x the Artisan's School Rank. The Artisan does
not have to make an Artisan's Skill roll to perform this act, but if they wish to increase the Target
Number or the radius, or exclude certain individuals from the effect, the dramatist may attempt to
roll as per the Artisan's rules, making raises appropriate to their alterations. If this skill’s check
fails, the entire use of the ability is wasted, as if used normally, but no effect is produced
Rank 3: At this rank, the dramatist has gained the ability to physically alter their entire body, so that the
dramatist can assume the form of animals. The forms which the actor chooses to become may not
exceed the mass of a heavy war horse, and no items (including clothes or weapons) change with
the Artisan
99
Music Because of the delicate and precise nature of this art, it cannot be "held." A musician's maya
require one round of playing before their magical abilities activate, with the exception of the rank
two maya as noted below
Rank 1: While the musician plays, she creates a 10' area around herself which makes it more difficult for
spells to be affective. All incoming or outgoing spells within 10' of the caster must add +10 their
Target Number. Raises by the Artisan can increase this penalty
Rank 2: At this rank, the musician can summon one die of animals from her area to perform simple tasks. It
requires a half hour of playing, singing and performance to summon the creatures. The animals
have limited intellect, but can understand the Artisan's will through the music. These creatures are
determined randomly by the Game Master, but all are of small size, such as squirrels, dogs, or
hawks. The creatures are loyal to the caster, and the maya grants them the ability to understand
simple commands and perform simple actions without supervision. These creatures will obey the
will of the caster for one full day
Rank 3: The final rank a musician can achieve confers the power to enchant listeners to such an extent that
they will cease all activity and listen to the musician for as long as she chooses to play. Use of this
power calls for a contested roll versus the listener's Willpower. If the roll is successful, the listener
will cease activity and listen to the music, oblivious to all that occurs around them. If the listener is
attacked, moved or roughly shaken, they are immediately freed of all further effect of the song, and
cannot be targeted with this ability again for 24 hours. This ability is not targeted, and affects all
listeners within earshot
Origami Each use of a maya to create the effects below destroys the paper which is used in the composition
Rank 1: The Artisan can create small, mobile animals. At this point, the creatures made by the artisan have
no intelligence, and merely follow commands of the creator. Further, the animals are still formed
from paper, and retain their original size and mass. This means that the Artisan could create a
horse, but it would only be a three-inch high horse. A bird, however, would have the ability to fly,
a spider to spin a web, or a dog to bark a (rather faint) warning when strangers approached. These
creatures make reliable short-distance messengers, sentries and scouts, as they can verbally
communicate with their creator in a limited fashion. The Artisan is not limited to "real" animals.
Creations from the character's imagination are acceptable, as are animals from myth and legend.
The items are under the direct mental control of their creator for as long as they are in the artist's
sight. These animals last a number of minutes equal to the artisan's School Rank
Rank 2: The artisan has increased her prowess, and has gained the ability to make their inanimate creations
real for a short time - small boats, boxes or kimonos could be made for use. Regardless of the size
of rice paper that the Artisan uses to activate her creations, the item becomes the appropriate size
and correct (if mundane) material. Such items are always of average quality, and must be of no
greater mass that a rowboat. The items still retain a strange, "paper-like" quality which
distinguishes them from normal items; they cannot be mistaken for a "real" item of the same type,
even under casual inspection. These items last a number of hours equal to the artisan's School Rank
Rank 3: At the final rank, the Artisan has the ability to create actual animals, fully alive and formed of flesh
and bone. The animal may be up to the size of a heavy war horse, and has no real intellect and no
magical powers. Therefore, a Ki-Rin would look like a Ki-Rin, but be unable to fly, ignite itself, or
use spell-like abilities. A giant eagle, on the other hand, would be able to fly, because a bird's flight
is not a magic power. It is completely under the command of its creator, and has the ability to
communicate through barks, nods, or other animal actions. It is not intelligent, and cannot read or
understand complex orders. As in her Rank 1 ability, the artisan is not limited to "real" animals -
creations from the character's imagination are acceptable, as are animals from myth and legend. It
is loyal to its creator, and will risk itself for their well-being. These animals last a number of hours
equal to the artisan's School Rank
100
Painting A painter who does not spend the appropriate amount of time perfecting his technique may end up
with some very disturbing results. Painting maya require at least fifteen minutes of preparation, but
they can be "held." Any glyph which is "held" must be kept in a safe, dry place (spell scroll tubes
work), and the GM must be informed which glyphs in particular have been made
Rank 1: At this rank, the painter has the ability to create semi-permanent calligraphic glyphs which are
powered by the essence of the word. The painter can use special inks and brushes to impart certain
magical qualities to the character the Artisan creates. The glyphs will remain where they were
painted until a number of people have seen them equal to the painter's School Rank. Some
examples of appropriate calligraphic characters are given below, but players should be encouraged
to create their own glyphs and effects.
Confusion: When the painter creates this glyph, he confers the essence of chaos and disorder into
his calligraphic character. When someone looks at it, they must make an Intelligence roll against a
TN of 15 or become confused for a number of turns equal to (6 - their Intelligence). A confused
individual will alternately wander about, attack blindly, recite poetry or stand still. The GM will
decide the appropriate reaction.
Protection: When this glyph is drawn, the painter must inscribe it upon the forehead of the
individual to be protected. Once placed, it will remain for a number of days equal to the painter's
School Rank, and add 5 to their TN to be hit. Further, it offers an additional day of resistance to the
Shadowland taint for each School Rank of the painter. Only one such glyph may be placed upon
any individual at a time
Rank 2: When the Artisan achieves this amount of skill with his medium, he may create paintings of
individuals with whom he is familiar. In order to do this, the painter must first create special
implements, such as brushes made from the hair if the individual, or a canvas which is made of the
person's favorite kimono. Such personalized tokens allow the magic to connect the painting to the
target individual. Once the painting has been successfully completed (Agility + Painting roll at TN
25), The Artisan can use it to speak to the target over a great distance, by meditating with the work.
Such a painting can take d10 days to create, and requires a great amount of dedication and devotion
to the work. Raises to the Target Number can allow the Artisan to see through the eyes of the
individual in the painting, or allow the picture to work even at extreme distances, such as into the
Shadowlands
Rank 3: The Master Painter has gained the ability to actually travel through his paintings. After he creates a
work based on a place with which he is familiar, the Master can meditate on the painting and
actually step through it to the place represented by the picture. The creation of a mural of this
magnitude can take as long as several weeks, and requires an Intelligence + School Rank at a TN
of 30. If the mural is successful, the Artisan can step through and appear on the other side. If
unsuccessful, the picture is ruined and work must begin again. Each time the painter attempts this
feat, there is a 25% chance that the painting will be ruined. The Master Painter is the only one who
can journey in this way
101
Poetry Extemporaneous poetry is one of the most loved art forms in the Emerald Empire, and courtiers
delight in challenging each other to spontaneous poetic acrobatics. Thus, some poetry can be
performed without preparation, while other, more complex works require as much as an hour to
create
Rank 1: At this rank, the poet has the ability to create a minor mirage based on his recitation. Descriptions
of woods can create the image of a forest surrounding the Artisan; a poem based on a lady's beauty
can make her (temporarily) even more lovely. These illusions have no auditory components, and
cannot create the illusion of a specific person. However, they could be used to camouflage a party
of samurai as bushes, or to enhance a shugenja's spell effect, making it appear as if flames roared
from the caster's hand. The maya is directed by the Artisan's mind at the time of its creation, and
cannot be altered thereafter, except by the use of another maya. Anyone attempting to disbelieve
the illusion must roll their Willpower + Perception against a Target Number of 20.
This maya requires a preparation time from ten minutes to an hour, depending on the complexity of
the mirage. Enhancing an already existing object (such as a lady's beauty) is a relatively simple
task (ten minutes), while camouflaging a group of people as bushes is a radical change and might
take an hour
Rank 2: The second rank poet has the ability to send short messages, composed as a haiku or waka, which
are received as whispers in the ear of the receiver. The receiver may then compose their own poem,
in the same style, and whisper it back. If the receiver is in sight of the poet, this ability does not
require a Skill roll, and may be done a number of times per day equal to the poet's School Rank. If
the recipient is out of sight, the poet must make a Skill roll (Intelligence + Poetry) based on the
distance between the two, and must also have some item which is close to the recipient. Typical
skill rolls for distance are: TN of 15 for up to 1 mile, TN of 20 for up to 5 miles, and TN of 25 for
up to 10 miles. A message can be sent and received across a great distance in this way once per day
for each School Rank of the poet.
This maya requires no preparation
Rank 3: The third rank poet has the ability to inspire great deeds through his recitation of poetic events and
famous chants. Anyone who sits and listens (up to a maximum number of people equal to two
times the poet's School Rank) for three rounds (the poet's preparation time) before going into
combat will receive a +10 to all of their attack rolls, and a +10 to their TN to be hit for a number of
rounds equal to two times the poet's School Rank
102
Storytelling Storytelling is not a static art. It requires time and creativity to perform, and therefore cannot be
"held" as some other Artisan maya can. Storytelling requires at least ten minutes to perform -
longer if the Storyteller is attempting a complex or difficult feat
Rank 1: At this rank, the Storyteller has a great knowledge of items and ancient history. If the Storyteller
studies an item for ten minutes, she has a chance of understanding its importance in history and any
legendary attribute which the item may have. The Storyteller may know of the original owner of
the item, or any reputed owners, as well. This ability allows her to identify the magical or
renowned capabilities of the item, if any. The Storyteller must make Intelligence + School Rank
roll against a TN of 20 to identify most notable items (Bloodswords, Ancestral Items) and their
abilities, but more obscure times will have higher Target Numbers. Note that a failed result may
result in a misunderstanding, and the Storyteller may gain an inaccurate result
Rank 2: At this rank, the Storyteller has the ability to cause such belief in their stories that they may actually
come true. Whether the Storyteller reaches the deepest psychological point of the intended
recipient, or whether the ability in some ways calls up spirits to do the Storyteller's bidding, is
unclear. What is clear are the results. The Storyteller chooses a myth and recites it in such a way
that the target sees a connection between himself and the character, and that myth will come true in
their own life. This can have beneficial or detrimental effects which come to pass over a period of
time determined by the GM and the nature of the story. For example, if the Storyteller influences
their target by telling them of a great Oni which eats the feet of the dead and carries the hearts of
victims to the Shadowlands, the recipient may find themselves plagued by a strange odor, hearing
noises in the night, and over the course of weeks or months actually believing that they are being
attacked by such a creature. If they successfully defeat this being (the product of their own
imagination), the story loses its power and will plague them no more. Each time the Storyteller
uses this ability, the roll is a contested one, versus the recipient's Void. The Storyteller loses all
points of Void in the attempt, whether successful or not, and cannot use this ability again for a
number of days equal to (6 - his current Void).
Rank 3: A master Storyteller has the ability to bring characters from myth and legend to life. Characters
such as Doji Nio, son of Kakita; Osano-Wo, the Fortune of Thunder; or Benten, the patroness of
romantic love, can all be created in semi-sentient physical form. Such "spirits" are not the original
characters, of course - they are merely the Storytellers own chi, which has created a constructed
being who has certain traits which are attributed to the character. These creatures, if they can be
called that, have no intelligence of their own aside from the mythical knowledge of their characters
and the direction of the storyteller. A construct of Osano-Wo might be asked to stand and defend
the storyteller, for example, but it cannot woo a woman or cast spells, because those aren't part of
Osano-Wo's mythical characteristics. A Storyteller can only have one-character active at any given
time, and must maintain total concentration or the character will vanish and the maya will end. At
no time can the construct be out of the Artisan's sight. If the construct is ever killed or destroyed,
the Artisan immediately drops to the "Down" wound rank.
Typical constructs will require an Intelligence + Storytelling roll at a TN of 20, but more obscure
characters or characters with a great deal of personality may require a higher TN. Players and GMs
should peruse the lore of Rokugan as presented in the various clan books and the basic rule book,
and decide on statistics for certain constructs which the storyteller chooses to call upon fairly often
- an incarnation of love, for example, or for deceit. A word of warning is required however - the
only Artisan bold enough to attempt to bring forth the First Children of the Sun was driven mad
and torn to pieces by the power he attempted to channel. Some things are better left alone.
For more information on storytelling, please refer to the suggestions in The Way of the Crane
103
Kakita Dueling Academy: Kakita Duelers
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-kduel.php
Benefit: +1 Reflexes Honor: 3 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, any 3 weapons, heavy
or light armor, helm, kimono, traveling pack, steed, 10 koku
Skills: Archery, Etiquette, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, Sincerity, any High skill, any High or Bugei skill
Techniques
Rank 1: The Kakita School emphasizes the more traditional and ritualistic fighting styles. Bushi from the
Kakita School may add their Iaijutsu skill to any Initiative roll and may also use their Iaijutsu in
place of their Kenjutsu
Rank 2: The bushi now learns the famous "sudden strike" of the Crane Clan. When engaged in an Iaijutsu
duel, the samurai can raise the TN by any value, not just multiples of five. He may still only raise a
number of times equal to his Void
Rank 3: At this Rank, Crane bushi learn how to spend more than one Void Point when engaged in a Iaijutsu
duel
Rank 4: The bushi learns how to move so quickly that he can make two attacks per turn.
Rank 5: At the very beginning of combat, before Initiative is even rolled, the bushi makes a Void vs. Void
contested roll with his opponent. If he succeeds, he gains one attack before combat even begins.
Usually, the TN to hit a motionless target is 5
One Leg Stance: Kata

School: Kakita Bushi Reuse Time: 25 minutes Minimum Rank: 3 XP Cost: 4

Other: When learning this kata, the bushi chooses to practice either with a yari or a katana. The One Leg
Stance kata may be learned for both weapons separately.
Effect: This kata is unusual in the fact that there are almost no movements below the waist while this is
performed. Like the stance of the clan’s totem, the samurai raises one leg and folds it beneath him. From
this position, the Kakita bushi then strikes at furious angles all around him, moving only slightly to
change the direction he is facing. When the kata is completed, and the bushi is ready to fight, he stands
normally, but is focused on making controlled, furious strikes with as little movement as possible.
The blinding speed and focus of this kata grants the bushi one additional attack per round. While focused
on the One Leg Stance, the bushi’s TN to be hit is reduced to his Reflexes x2 (plus armor) for close
combat, or simply his armor bonus when being targeted with a ranged attack. The relative immobility of
the One Leg Stance also means the Crane suffers a +5 penalty to the TN to hit anyone attacking the
samurai with a polearm (unless the Crane is using a yari)
104
Agasha Shugenja School: Agasha Shugenja
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-agashug.php
Benefit: +1 any Trait Honor: 2 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) wakizashi, tanto, kimono, scroll satchel, traveling pack, 3 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, History, Meditation, Shintao, any High or Bugei skill
Note: Agasha shugenja get a Free Raise for all Fire spells.
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Earth 2 from core or clan book Air: 1 from core or clan book
105
Ise Zumi Order of Tattooed Men: Ise Zumi Tattooed Men
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Dragon
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-tmen.php
Benefit: +1 Void Honor: 1 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) kimono, traveling pack, 2 koku
Skills: Juijutsu, Meditation, Nazodo, Shintao, any Craft skill, any other 2 skills
Note: All Ise zumi must belong to the Togashi family
Techniques
When an Ise zumi gains Rank 1, he also gains a tattoo. He may accumulate up to two more tattoos at the cost of 8
Character Points apiece. This is a one-time offer, available only at character creation. When he accumulates enough
Insight to gain another Rank, his body and soul are ready for another tattoo. An Ise zumi may never have more tattoos
than his Void Ring.
Tattoos (http://www.geocities.ws/kitsu_nikkou/l5r/tattoos.html)*
Arrowroot *
Effect: The Ise Zumi may heal himself or another character a number of wounds equal to the Ise
Zumi’s School Rank
Cost: Whenever the Ise Zumi uses this power to heal another, he takes half the total wounds healed.
The Ise Zumi must heal these wounds normally; they cannot be healed my magical means
Bamboo *
Effect: The Ise Zumi raises his Stamina a number of ranks equal to his school rank. The effect lasts a
number of rounds equal to the Ise Zumi’s school rank
Cost: The Ise Zumi’s Agility cannot exceed his school rank
Bat *
Effect: The Ise Zumi’s Reflexes are raised by a number equal to his Tattooed Man rank. This effect
lasts a number of rounds equal to his rank and does not affect his TN to be hit
Cost: The Ise Zumi’s Strength cannot exceed his school rank.
Bellflower *
Effect: The Ise Zumi may substitute his Void for any Trait a number of rounds equal to his school rank
Cost: Spells targeting the Ise Zumi gains a number of free raises equal to the Ise Zumi’s Void.
Butterfly *
Effect: The Ise Zumi adds his school rank to his Awareness for the rest of the day.
Cost: The Ise Zumi automatically fails any Earth, Stamina, or Willpower roll he is required to make
Centipede *
Effect: As long as the Ise Zumi begins at mid-day, he may run to anywhere in the Empire, reaching his
destination the at following mid-day exactly. Once he begins the run, he cannot stop. If
someone wishes to interfere with the Ise Zumi's run, he must make a contested roll, his Reflexes
against the runner's Reflexes plus School Rank
Cost: Once the run is completed, the Ise Zumi must rest for six days minus a number of days equal to
his school rank.
106
Ise Zumi Order of Tattooed Men: Ise Zumi Tattooed Men (pg2of4)
Chameleon *
Effect: With a successful Willpower plus School Rank roll, the Ise Zumi alters his appearance to
resemble any other human he's encountered. (See TN's below)
Cost: The Ise Zumi cannot use more Void Points than his School Rank
Target Numbers
5 Someone he's known his entire life 15 Someone he's known for months
10 Someone he's known for years 20 Someone he's just met
Cherry Blossom *
Effect: The Ise Zumi gains a number of "Honor Points" equal to his honor, which may be spent in the
same manner as Void Points. This effect lasts until sundown, and cannot be used between
sunset and sunrise
Cost: If the Ise Zumi performs a dishonorable act, he loses double the normal honor points
Cloud *
Effect: The Ise Zumi may communicate with a number of spirits per day equal to his rank. He may ask
a number of questions equal to his rank
Cost: The Ise Zumi must add 5 to the TN of any Awareness roll. This tattoo is always in effect.
Crab *
Effect: The Ise Zumi may absorb a number of Wounds (per hit) equal to twice his School Rank
Cost: The Ise Zumi suffers a -1 penalty to his Reflexes; this does not affect his TN to be hit
Crane *
Effect: The Ise Zumi gains the Luck advantage. For each school rank he gains, he gains an additional
rank of Luck. He never ages. Once per story, when the Ise Zumi takes damage that would kill
him, he instead has one Wound left.
Cost: All of the Ise Zumi's Experience Point costs are doubled
Crow *
Effect: The Ise Zumi is immune to the Shadowlands taint for a number of days equal to his school rank.
Cost: Shadowlands creatures can smell an Ise Zumi with a crow tattoo up to a mile away. When a
Shadowlands creature makes Perception roll against the Ise Zumi, it gains a number of dice
equal to the Ise Zumi's school rank. Shandowlands creatures will usually choose to attack the
Ise Zumi instead of other samurai
Chrysanthemum *
Effect: During daylight, the Ise Zumi heals a numbers of wounds equal to his school rank
Cost: After sunset, the Ise Zumi does not heal at all, not even by magical means
Dragon *
Effect: The Ise Zumi may breathe fire. The damage rating of this strike is equal to his school rank plus
fire ring, keeping a number of dice equal to his school rank. The Ise Zumi may hit a number of
targets equal to his school rank. The target's armor gives no bonus to its TN.
Cost: The Ise Zumi may only use this power a number of times per day equal to his school rank. After
using this tattoo, the Ise Zumi must rest a number of rounds equal to 10 minus his school rank,
and while resting, the Ise Zumi is at the "Down" wound level
107
Dragonfly *
Effect: When the Ise Zumi uses this tattoo, he adds his school rank to his reflexes when determining his
TN to be hit. The Ise Zumi may use this power a number of times per day equal to his school
rank; this power lasts a number of rounds equal to his school rank
Cost: When using this tattoo, the Ise Zumi finds his muscles trembling with constant movement. In
order for the Ise Zumi to stand or sit still, or concentrate on anything for more than ten minutes,
he must spend a void point
Falcon *
Effect: The Ise Zumi is immune to fear effects. He may add his school rank to his honor when making
honor tests
Cost: If the Ise Zumi ever loses honor points due to disservice to his lord, the honor loss is doubled
Hawk (from Time of Void 58)

Effect: See farther, when using archery skill reduce TN by 5 and gain a free raise.
Cost: Perception checks to see things close up are increased by 10
Lion *
Effect: The Ise Zumi may add (and drop) and number of dice equal to his school rank to all Bugei skill
rolls
Cost: The Ise Zumi cannot resist joining a battle, although he is able to not provoke a fight
Monkey *
Effect: All stealth, Sleight-of-Hand and similar skill rolls (GM's discretion) gain dice equal to the Ise
Zumi's school rank. When leaping and climbing, the Ise Zumi may add his school rank to his
Agility
Cost: When attempting to be convincing, charming, or personable, the Ise Zumi may not keep a
number of dice greater than his school rank
Moon, Crescent *
Effect: By spending a Void Point, Ise Zumi can take the form of a shadow. He may not pass through
solid objects, but objects can pass through him. The Ise Zumi can only use this power in a place
where there are already shadows: a dimly lit room, dark forest, outdoors at night. He may
remain in this form a number of hours equal to his school rank
Cost: For every hour, or part of an hour, the Ise Zumi take the form of a shadow, he takes six Wounds
Moon, Full called: Kikage zumi

Effect: Cancel a number of an other’s raises equal to his rank. He can do this rank/day.
Cost: You cannot raise during daylight hours
Mountain
Effect: Add your school rank to your Earth (Stamina and Willpower) for rounds equal to rank x 2.
Cost: Your Air (Reflexes and Awareness) drops to 1, you cannot move.
Nightingale
Effect: Heal all of your own wounds 1 day/ school rank
Cost: Costs one Experience point (lost permanently) and one Void point
Ocean
Effect: Never need to eat, drink, or sleep, and your school rank/day you may refresh your Void points
Cost: When used make Willpower TN 5x uses today (cannot use Void) or unable to speak or move
for the rest of the day
108
Phoenix
Effect: Gain a number of raises school rank/day for any spell targeting you. These can either increase the
spells affect or it’s casting target number
Cost: You cannot ever initiate any attack
Pine
Effect: You may ignore the effects of wound ranks based on your school rank
School Rank 1 = Ignore Wound Rank -1
School Rank 5 = Ignore Down and Out Wound Ranks
Cost: Your Strength may never exceed your school rank
Scorpion
Effect: Opponents must use lowest trait for all to hit rolls
Cost: Everyone will always believe that you not to be trusted, with every word
Spider
Effect: Poisonous Touch dealing school rank k1 additional damage
Cost: Spend Void point to be able to touch another for 1 hour
Sun
Effect: Gain a free raise per school rank each day (must be used separately)
Cost: Cannot make any raises (even free ones) at night
Tiger *
Effect: The Ise Zumi increases the number of dice kept for rolls on unarmed combat by his school rank.
(Dice kept, not rolled.) This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to his school rank, and may
be summoned daily a number of times equal to his school rank
Cost: The Ise Zumi may not speak or hold anything in his hands
Tortoise
Effect: Has flashes of the memories of previous Ise zumi. May substitute school rank for any skill a
number of times equal to his school rank
Cost: May become possessed when using this tattoo, Willpower TN 5x uses today or gain Haunted
until 3 Void are spent. You can have multiple ancestors haunting you if you fail on subsequent
rolls
Unicorn
Effect: Gain a free reroll a number of times per day equal to your rank
Cost: Each time this tattoo is rolled the GM needs to make a secret roll 1-9 nothing happens, 10 and a
future roll utter fails (after being rolled) at GM discretion
Wasp
Effect: Gain an additional action per round, a number of times per day equal to your school rank
Cost: While using this tattoo you may not also use Void points
White Mask (laughing mask)

Effect: You hide all of your thoughts (even from magic) and emotions. You are emotionless, cold without
sympathy, compassion, or mercy.
Cost: Maximum Awareness becomes 1
109
Kitsuki Magistrate School: Kitsuki Magistrates
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Dragon
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-kmagistrate.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) katana, wakizashi, light armor, kimono, small iron box, traveling
pack, 3 koku
Skills: Courtier, Heraldry, Herbalism or Poison, History, Law, Nazodo, any Lore
Techniques
Rank 1: At this Rank, the magistrate has learned how to focus his perceptions to such a degree that he can
notice even the most minute details. The magistrate may spend as many Void Points as he has
available when he makes an Awareness or Perception roll
Rank 2: This character has gained an advanced understanding of Kitsuki's method. When making any
Awareness or Perception roll, he gains a number of Free Raises equal to his School Rank
Rank 3: At this Rank, the magistrate's duties have become effortless, almost second nature. When using
Heraldry, Nazodo, Law, and History, the magistrate does not need to roll to succeed. He gains no
raises from using this effect. If he wants to Raise, he must still roll
Rank 4: At this Rank, the magistrate has gained an intuitive understanding of the ways and methods of the
Clans of Rokugan. If he faces a samurai who uses a School Technique he has seen, the samurai
must spend a Void Point (or an additional Void Point) in order to use it
Rank 5: When a Kitsuki magistrate reaches this level of skill, not even a Scorpion has a chance of fooling
him. Whenever a character tries to lie to a magistrate, compare their respective Awareness Traits.
A character with a lower Awareness cannot even bring himself to lie; he is overwhelmed by the chi
of the magistrate. A character whose Awareness is equal to or greater than the magistrate's may lie
to him, but the magistrate automatically knows that the character is not telling the truth
110
Mirumoto Bushi School: Mirumoto Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-mirubushi.php
Benefit: +1 any Trait Honor: 2 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, any 1 weapon,
helm, light armor, kimono, traveling pack, 2 koku
Skills: Archery, Defense, Kenjutsu, Lore: Shugenja, Meditation, any High or Bugei skill
Techniques
Rank 1: The Mirumoto School teaches bushi a radical technique that uses both the katana and the
wakizashi. Because opponents have to deal with two weapons instead of one, the TN to hit an
initiate of this school is raised by 5 any time he's using both weapons
Rank 2: At this Rank, the bushi has become so attuned to his style that he may make 2 attacks per turn
Rank 3: Unlike the bushi from other Clans, Dragon bushi are not segregated away from their shugenja kin.
Because of this, Dragon bushi may spend a Void Point to aid (or hinder) spells that are targeting
them, thus giving the caster a Free Raise (or raising the TN by 5).
Rank 4: The bushi has mastered the meditative "no-mind" techniques taught to him by the Mirumoto
School. If this bushi's damage roll kills his opponent, that strike does not count as one of his attacks
this Round, and he may attack again immediately
Rank 5: A true master of the blade, the bushi may now make 3 attacks per Round
Falling Stars: Kata

School: Mirumoto Bushi Reuse Time: 15 minutes Minimum Rank: 2 XP Cost: 2

Other: This kata may be used with the Daisho
Effect: In order to learn the coordination of the two-sword technique, a student’s patience and focus must be
absolute. The kata of Falling Stars is an important one for a would-be Niten legend to master – although
it is a simple pattern, the intricate steps and strikes takes months to learn precisely. The kata begins with
both swords at rest, and the student draws the wakizashi, stepping back and away in defense moves and
postures until the katana is drawn. It is then that the truly amazing part of the kata begins. The Dragon
samurai becomes surrounded by an endless whirl of blades as he strikes down three opponents for every
step. The movements showcased by the Falling Stars kata are so intricate that samurai have been known
to slash themselves – in two cases fatally – attempting it.
This kata brings the student’s focus to an absolute point, making it nearly impossible to distract the
bushi’s attention from the battle, by magical means. Any technique or action that relies on some sort of
feint or distraction automatically fails. This also means that the Dragon samurai will be oblivious to
things further away than about 20’. While focused on the Falling Stars, the bushi gains +5 TN to be hit in
close combat, and suffers a -10 TN to be hit by a ranged attack.
111
Akodo Bushi School: Akodo Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-abushi.php
Benefit: +1 Strength Honor: 3 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality, 1 fine) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, any 2
weapons, helm, light armor, kimono, traveling pack, 5 koku
Skills: Archery, Bard, Battle, Defense, History, Kenjutsu, any High skill
Techniques
Rank 1: The Akodo School is one of precision. Bushi of this School may ignore the effects of their
opponent's armor or gain a Free Raise when attacking (to gain an additional die of damage, strike a
specific location, etc).
Rank 2: At this Rank, the Lion is taught how a righteous heart guides a righteous strike. When rolling to hit
and damage rolls, the Lion adds his Honor to the total of the rolls.
Rank 3: Lion bushi truly believe that their ancestors guide their every action. At this Rank, the bushi may
attack twice per turn, once for himself and once for the ancestor guiding his hand
Rank 4: By this time, the Lion bushi understands that there is no such thing as luck, and that all actions are
preordained. At Rank 4, the bushi no longer needs to raise his TN for any called shot. The bushi
must still raise if he wishes to do additional damage
Rank 5: The Lion bushi has learned the final secret of the Akodo technique: there are no failures. If the
bushi raises his TN, misses the raise, but rolls greater than the original TN, the roll succeeds, but he
does not get the benefits of his raises. This advantage can be used in both physical and mental
contests
Akodo War College: Akodo Tacticians

Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Lion
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-acollege.php
Benefit: +1 Perception
Skills: Archery, Bard, Battle 2, History 2, Kenjutsu,
Note: The Akodo Tacticians have the same Techniques, Honor, and Outfits as normal Akodo bushi
Fury Without End: Kata

School: Lion (Akodo) Bushi Reuse Time: 30 minutes Minimum Rank: 3 XP Cost: 3
Other: None
Effect: Rarely shown at completion, the Fury Without End kata is sometimes used when training Lion armies.
The kata itself has no ending, just as the name implies. Its final move glides smoothly into its first,
repeating until the samurai chooses to end it (usually from fatigue). Units of samurai have practiced this
kata for days on end, not wavering until their general gives the command to cease. The movements of
the kata itself are simple enough to adapt to any close-ranged weapon, or even empty hands.
The strength of this kata, however, lies not in intricate patterns and sweeping motions. Fury Without End
allows the Lion samurai to ignore fatigue, pain, and other distractions while fighting for a number of
hours equal to his school rank. Penalties incurred due to wounds are ignored, and the need for rest is
similarly forgotten as the bushi fights on and on. This is not a berserker rage of any sort, but a focused
mindset that sweeps away all else but the fight.
When a Lion comes out of the battle, he will require rest for at least half a day, and is considered to be at
the +20 wound level until he rests.
112
Ikoma Omoidasu School: Ikoma Omoidasu
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-ibard.php

Outfit:
Skills: Bard, Calligraphy, Heraldry, History, Law, any 2 Lore skills
Techniques
Ikoma Omoidasu do not learn "techniques;" instead, they gain several abilities. The bulk of these relate to their selfless
place in Rokugani society. Ikoma are the great storytellers of the Empire, and spend a great deal of time seeking out
samurai whose experiences they can craft into sweeping tales of honor and glory. With each new story, comes glory for
the samurai involved, and honor for the bard.
In game terms, this means that the bard must seek out a patron samurai at some point during his rise through every
School Rank. He begins the game having already found and made known one samurai's tale (to achieve Rank 1), which
the player is encouraged to document as his character would, thus further establishing his GM's world. He must then find
another before he can achieve Rank 2. This can be more complicated than it sounds, as not all great warriors wish to
have their stories told, and those that do often lead the Ikoma into dangerous situations before the tale is done.
After the events of the story are done and compiled by the Ikoma, he must take them back to his daimyo and present
them at formal court. This requires an Intelligence + Bard skill check with a TN equal to the samurai's Glory x5. Should
this succeed, then the samurai is heralded as a hero and gains Glory Points equal to the School Rank of the bard. These
points can push the samurai's Glory to the next Rank without the express permission of his daimyo (though it would be a
rare instance for a daimyo to deny a samurai who has just been so honored by an Ikoma). The one major restriction to
this is that the Ikoma may never increase a samurai's Glory to a Rank higher than twice his own (i.e. if the Ikoma's Glory
is 2.4, the samurai may not rise above 4.8 as a result of this ability). The Ikoma, for his part, gains a like number of
Honor Points and, without GM intervention, a Major Ally in the samurai honored.
Finally, Omoidasu do not lose Honor or Glory for losing face (expressing emotion) in public. They are the heart of the
Lion, and their duty is to express what others cannot.
113
Ikoma Tactical School: Ikoma Tacticians
Reprinted w/out permission from L5R RPG, 2 nd Ed.
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-itact.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality, 1 fine) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, helm, light
armor, kimono, traveling pack, sashimono, 5 koku
Skills: Archery, Battle, Defense, History, Lore: Bushido, Kenjutsu, any High or Bugei skill
Note: With the loss of the Akodo Family (after the Scorpion Clan Coup), many peaceful Ikoma have
begun to step forward to apply what they have learned from their lost cousins in their own manner
Techniques
Rank 1: The Tactician has learned the first lesson of the great general Sun Tao, to observe Heaven without
stepping outside. He may add his Honor to all Battle Table and Initiative rolls
Rank 2: The Tactician learns from his foes even in the midst of chaos. Once per attack roll or opposed
Battle roll, the Tactician may spend a Void point to reroll all dice that roll equal or lower than his
Battle
Rank 3: Like Sun Tao, the Tactician knows that thought should not interfere with strategy in the heat of
conflict. He may now make two attacks per round
Rank 4: The Tactician has learned to goad his opponents, to lead them into making critical errors at the
worst times. When making an opposed Battle roll, the enemy general must drop all dice that roll
equal to or less than the Tactician's Water Ring. Similarly, all opponents making an attack against
the Tactician must drop all dice that roll equal to or less than his Water Ring.
Rank 5: The final lesson of Sun Tao: when you can go no farther, change. The Tactician may spend a Void
Point before the opponent's attack roll to make an opposed Battle/Perception roll against any attack
- including spells - directed against him. If the Tactician rolls higher than the attack roll, he has
forseen the attack and it misses completely. If commanding troops in a battle, the Tactician may
shift his Battle Table rolls by one column (from Losing to Even, from Even to Winning).
Fury Without End: Kata

School: Lion (Akodo) Bushi Reuse Time: 30 minutes Minimum Rank: 3 XP Cost: 3
Other: None
Effect: Rarely shown at completion, the Fury Without End kata is sometimes used when training Lion armies.
The kata itself has no ending, just as the name implies. Its final move glides smoothly into its first,
repeating until the samurai chooses to end it (usually from fatigue). Units of samurai have practiced this
kata for days on end, not wavering until their general gives the command to cease. The movements of
the kata itself are simple enough to adapt to any close-ranged weapon, or even empty hands.
The strength of this kata, however, lies not in intricate patterns and sweeping motions. Fury Without End
allows the Lion samurai to ignore fatigue, pain, and other distractions while fighting for a number of
hours equal to his school rank. Penalties incurred due to wounds are ignored, and the need for rest is
similarly forgotten as the bushi fights on and on. This is not a berserker rage of any sort, but a focused
mindset that sweeps away all else but the fight.
When a Lion comes out of the battle, he will require rest for at least half a day, and is considered to be at
the +20 wound level until he rests.
114
Kitsu Shugenja School: Kitsu Shugenja
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-mirubushi.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) tanto, wakizashi, kimono, scroll satchel, traveling pack, 3 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Etiquette, Heraldry, History, Meditation, any High skill, any Bugei skill
Note: Kitsu shugenja get a Free Raise for all Water spells
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
115
Kitsu Ancestor Magic School: Kitsu Sodan-Senzo
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-kmagic.php

Skills: Calligraphy, Etiquette, Heraldry, History, Meditation, any High skill, any Bugei skill
Note: Shugenja may never learn school techniques. Those with school techniques may never become
Shugenja
Techniques
Only those with Full-Blood Kitsu Ancestry are permitted to attend this school. Others do not have the appropriate
connection to the ancestors. The Sodan-Senzo, however, learn how to make contact with ancestors, not just from the
Kitsu family or the Lion Clan, but from all the major families in Rokugan.
A Sodan-Senzo may Sense an ancestor of any power, whether it be a household ghost, a shuten doji of the Shadowlands
or Akodo himself. However, they may only Commune with or Summon those spirits (Ancestors) whose Character Point
cost is less than or equal to twice their current School Rank. In order to use Commune and Summon with spirits other
than currently available Ancestors (i.e. spirits who do not have Character Point costs), use the spirit's Air Ring x2.
Those of Full-Blood Kitsu Ancestry are able to see and speak with ancestors, and even draw ancestors into their own
spirit.
There are ways in which the Kitsu interact with the spirit world. They are equivalent to the ways in which common
shugenja manipulate the Elements by working with the kami. Full-blooded Kitsu can Sense (see), Commune (speak
with), and Summon (channel or draw into themselves) ancestors and their power
Spells
Sensing Ancestors The way this works is both simple and complex. No mechanics exist for, nor are there any skill
rolls ever made for, Sensing ancestors. This should be roleplayed between the GM and the
Kitsu player to their mutual satisfaction.
When Sensing an ancestor, the shugenja can see, hear, touch, and even smell the spirit. Most
spirits can make themselves invisible at will, but they cannot hide from a Kitsu if he is using
Sense. Further, although the ancestry may not be present, the Kitsu can sense if a spirit has a
connection to a particular person, place or thing
Communing with As with Sensing ancestors, no skill rolls are ever made for Communing with ancestors. It
Ancestors should be roleplayed between the GM and the Kitsu player to their mutual satisfaction.
Remember, however, that the ancestors are not all amiable, and often refuse to speak to the
living (especially if they died badly).
Summoning Ancestors Summoning ancestors is more difficult than merely Sensing them or Communing with them. A
Kitsu may only Summon an ancestor whose cost is less than twice his Honor. He may not
make raises of any kind while trying. Finally, the Kitsu must spend a Void Point with every
attempt (to represent the spiritual struggle of gaining contact).
The TN for Summoning is 5x the Character Point cost of the ancestor in question, and the skill
roll is made using the Kitsu's Intelligence + School Rank. Appropriate offerings can reduce his
TN (GM's discretion).
If successful, the Kitsu will feel himself filled with the presence of the ancestor, who will
remain a number of hours equal to his Void Rank. This ancestor does not have to be from the
Lion Clan; they may be from any Clan. During that time, the Sodan-Senzo gains the ability
(and detriments) granted by that ancestor, as if the Sodan-Senzo had been created with that
ancestor at character generation. Multiple ancestors can be summoned into a single Kitsu at
one time, but only up to the Kitsu's Honor.
116
Matsu Bushi School: Matsu Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-mbushi.php

weapons, helm, light armor, kimono, traveling pack, 5 koku
Skills: Archery, Battle, History, Jiujutsu, Kenjutsu, any 2 Bugei skills (not Defense)
Techniques
Fear Ratings: When opposing a Matsu bushi creating a Fear effect, opponents must make a Willpower roll against the
bushi’s Fear Rating x5. The bushi’s Fear Rating is her school rank +1.
Those who fail cannot use Void points while combating her, and must also drop dice lower than the Fear Rating while
taking actions against her.
Rank 1: When making a Full Attack, the Matsu bushi creates a Fear effect for all those who oppose her.
The Fear rating is equal to her School Rank +1.
Rank 2: When making a Full Attack, the Matsu bushi may now make one additional attack per turn
Rank 3: When making a Full Attack, the Rank 3 Matsu bushi rolls a number of initiative dice equal to her
Honor
Rank 4: The bushi may now make two attacks per turn. If the Matsu bushi is performing a Full Attack, then
she can attack a total of three times per turn (see Rank 2 Technique).
Rank 5: If the Matsu bushi is making a Full Attack, she ignores action penalties she would suffer as a result
of Wounds, up to her Honor Rank. Thus, if a Matsu with an Honor of 4 is making a Full Attack,
she ignores the -1, -2, -3 and -4 Wound modifiers. This does not apply to the "Down," "Out," or
"Dead," Wound Ranks
117
The Matsu Beastmasters Advanced School: Matsu Bushi
Reprinted w/out permission from Time of the Void 56
Requirements:
Ring/Traits: Agility 5, Awareness 4, Willpower 4
Skills: Athletics 5, Beastmaster 4, Hand-to-Hand 3, Whip 2 (this is a Bugei skill)
Advantage: Death Trance
Other: Training with lions from cubs, the Beastmaster gains insight into their dangerous ways. As long as
he maintains eye contact, no lion or warcat, no matter how feral, will attack him
Techniques
Rank 1: Fighting fluidly alongside the pride, the Beastmaster knows how to position himself for
maximum effectiveness. He receives one Free Raise on attack rolls per warcat within twenty
feet. The number of Free Raises may not exceed the samurai’s rank in the Beastmaster skill.
Rank 2: Fighting alongside the mighty warcats, the Beastmaster has learned the secret of the lion’s deadly
strike. When fighting unarmed, the Beastmaster may ignore enemy armor bonus. The DR for the
Beastmaster’s unarmed attacks increases to 0k2
Rank 3: The Beastmaster has formed a bond with the leader of his pride that cannot be broken. When
fighting with his second (see above), the Beastmaster directs the creature’s action through a subtle
form of body language invisible to outsiders. The Beastmaster may choose what action the lion
will take each round (regular or full attack) and rolls for the lion as if he were taking the action
himself. The lion gains a number of experience points each session equal to the Beastmaster’s
school rank, which may be spent in any way the player chooses. If the Beastmaster’s familiar lion
is ever killed, this Technique becomes unusable until a new lion can be trained (not until the
Beastmaster acquires 25 further points of Insight)
Matsu Warcats
Earth: 5
Fire: 2
Water: 4 Agility 4
Air: 3
Fear 4
Attack: Bite 5k3, Claws 6k4
Damage: Bite 5k4, Claws 4k3
TN to Hit: 20
Wounds: 30: -2; 60: Dead
Notes: Beastmaster spending
experience points for their chosen
warcat (as per Rank 3 above) pay the
standard cost raise Traits. Increase an
attack or damage roll costs new level
x3 for rolled dice and new level x4
for kept dice. The lion’s TN to be hit
can be increased by an increment of 5
for an amount of experience equal to
half of the new TN (rounded down),
118
Asako Henshin Academy: Asako Henshin
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Phoenix
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-ahen.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) kimono, traveling pack, wakizashi or bo staff, tanto, first-aid kit,
acupuncture set, quill and ink, 3 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Defense, Hand-to-Hand, History, Medicine, Meditation, Shintao
Note: Henshin are a non-shugenja class, and cannot cast or research spells as do shugenja. For brevity,
I've eliminated most of the Henshin examples. Please see Way of the Phoenix for examples of
Henshin use
Techniques
Mysteries: Henshin are trained in the ways of the Elements in their first years with the Academy. This
provides them with a general knowledge of how the Elements react to outside stimuli, and how to
gauge their next manifestations. Thereafter, Henshin are tutored in the first Four Mysteries,
learning the Riddles and Rank Effects of each Element with the progression into each new School
Rank. The student is allowed to choose this own course of research, thus tailoring his abilities to
his own likes, dislikes, and goals.
A Henshin PC chooses an Element to focus on during each of his first four Ranks. The order in
which they are chosen is of paramount importance, for once an Element is chosen for a School
Rank, it may not be chosen again for another, and the ability gained at that School Rank will never
increase.
As the higher Ranks provide more mastery over the associate Elements, this should result in a
strategy in a PC's progression through the game; if a PC wishes to have a great amount of ability
with Fire, for instance, he must wait to acquire it.
A Henshin may use both Rank Effects and Riddles in the same day, but may not use them more
times per day than his rank in the corresponding Ring.
Rank Effects: As Ranks are assigned, the PC gains the ability to add or subtract their Rank in a particular
Element from their own associated Ring, or half that value (rounded down) from the associated
Ring of another. Even though the PC may progress into a higher School Rank, the Elements he has
already assigned will never provide more than the value of the School Ranks they were originally
learned at. These abilities require no roll, and the duration of the effect is equal to the Henshin's
current School Rank.
The use of the Mystery is considered a combat action
Riddles: Riddles direct the Elements through a body, thus changing the target in some way. This is very,
very dangerous, and requires a Simple Roll of the associated Ring, with a TN equal 5x to the
School Rank the Element was learned at, in order to successfully pose the Riddle. There is no
duration for the Riddles - they are one-shot applications. The four Riddles follow.
Rank of Earth The Henshin may ignore his (chosen School Rank for Earth) + Earth Ring in Wounds, or heal the
same amount of Wounds taken by another
Rank of Water The Henshin may add his (chosen School Rank for Water) + Water Ring in dice rolled (not kept)
for physical Perception checks.
Rank of Fire The Henshin may add his (chosen School Rank for Fire) + Fire Ring in hand-to-hand combat. This
cannot be used for combat involving weapons.
Rank of Air The Henshin may add his (chosen School Rank for Air) + Air Ring in dice rolled (not kept) for
social interaction checks (including to see if someone is lying or to resist someone else being able
to tell if they are lying).
Invoking the Riddle of Air requires the Henshin to make a successful simple roll, rolling and
keeping his Air Ring in dice (two) to beat a TN of 5 (the original Rank it was learned at, x5).
Should this roll fail, the exact opposite of the intended effect occurs. If this results in a negative
dice pool or value, then the attempted action or effect fails automatically
119
Asako Henshin Academy: Asako Henshin (pg2of2)
Final Mystery The Final Mystery is that of Fate, and those that learn is are forever known within the Asako as
Fushihai (or Masters). No one ever chooses to become Fushihai (indeed, none - even within the
Asako themselves - know that there is another Rank of training; see the "Mysteries of the Asako"
sidebar, Way of the Phoenix, page 44). The Fushihai choose those who are ready to join their
ranks, based on the merits of their progression through the first Four Mysteries and their
understanding of the Riddles.
These scholars of the Path have advanced to a point at which they are fully aware of it, and can
perceive their place on it at all times. With effort, they can even perceive the locations, directions,
and pace at which others are moving along it as well. Everything they do and say, everything they
don't do or say, affects their place on the Path, and they know it. They act according to a strict code
of conduct dictated by the words originally passed down to Asako, and actively avoid doing things
that might hinder their progress.
No player character should be allowed to achieve Rank Five in the Henshin Academy without
serious consideration by both the GM and player involved. The responsibility of knowing the
greatest, most protected secrets of the Asako is a heavy one, and the role of the Fushihai requires a
certain distance from humanity in general. Many of them do not see others outside the family for
the duration of their lives, and this would certainly detract from an ongoing campaign. Should a
player wish to acquire such a level of mastery with The Gift, it would likely be best if it were
considered the pinnacle of his game career, and success the end of his role-playing one. Retire him
- it is for the best.
Should the mechanics for the Final Mystery ever come into play for some reason, they can be
found within Way of the Phoenix, under "Final Mystery" in the Henshin Academy section.
120
Isawa Shugenja School: Isawa Shugenja
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-ishug.php
Benefit: +1 Void Honor: 2 + 5 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality, 1 fine) tanto, wakizashi, kimono, 2 blank books, first-aid kit,
scroll satchel, traveling pack, 3 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Investigation, Meditation, Shintao, Theology, any 2 High skills
Note: Isawa shugenja get a Free Raise for all rituals. Isawa shugenja may use any number of Void points
when they are casting spells
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon
Elements 3 of one element from core or clan book
2 of one element from core or clan book
1 of one element from core or clan book
Isawa Tensai School: Isawa Tensai

Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Phoenix
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-tensai.php
Benefit: +1 any Trait in the Ring of their chosen Element Honor: 3 + 0 boxes
Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) traveling pack, scroll satchel, 3 blank scrolls, wakizashi, tanto, first-
aid kit, 5 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, History, Meditation, Shintao, Theology, any 2 High skills
Note: Isawa shugenja get a Free Raise for all rituals. Almost invariably, the Isawa send their children to
the Tensai school - it is considered a great dishonor if an Isawa child is not accepted to the
Academy of Wizardry. For the Shiba and the Asako, it is less an obligation, and more a simple test
to decide the child's options for the future
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Spells: Sense, Commune
Elements 2 of one element (primary) from core or clan book
1 of one element (secondary) from core or clan book
Techniques
Because the Tensai are taught as standard Isawa shugenja for the first few years of their training, they have full
knowledge of the workings of the general spellcraft which is used by their companions in the Clan of the Phoenix.
However, they have completely devoted themselves to their singular field of study, be it Earth, Air, Water, or Fire. Void
Tensai have their own ishiken school.
In game terms, this means that Tensai receive a Free Raise to any spells within their element for each School Rank.
These raises may be used in any way the player chooses, whether for distance, damage, or accuracy, and may be divided
as the player sees fit.
However, such devoted training to one element is certain to leave a Tensai somewhat lacking in knowledge of other
elements. Although the Tensai may still learn and cast spells of any element, it is more difficult for them to do so. Spells
of all elements other than their primary have a +5 to their TN for every School Rank past the first the Tensai has
achieved.
121
Shiba Bushi School: Shiba Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-sbushi.php

Skills: Archery, Defense, Kenjutsu, Meditation, Shintao, Tea Ceremony, Yarijutsu
Techniques
Rank 1: Shiba bushi are trained in a "no-thought" technique of this School. As such, Shiba bushi may add
their Void Rank to any to hit or damage rolls. Also, they may spend up to their maximum Void
Points on a single action
Rank 2: Because the Phoenix bushi are trained with the Phoenix shugenja, they have become trained to be
more attuned to the manipulation of the elements. The bushi may spend a Void Point to increase or
decrease the TN of any spell targeting him by 5
Rank 3: At this Rank, the bushi learns how to fall into a "no-mind" trance. The bushi may spend a Void
Point to gain an additional action per Round. This ability cannot be used to gain an additional
attack
Rank 4: At this Rank, the bushi has learned to let his Void flow to such an extent that he gains two attacks
per turn
Rank 5: The bushi has finally learned to release the full power of "no-thought." By spending a Void Point,
the bushi may substitute his Void Rank for any Trait or skill until the end of the turn
Heaven’s Wing: Kata

School: Shiba Bushi Reuse Time: 25 minutes Minimum Rank: 4 XP Cost: 4

Other: This kata must be used with a naginata
Effect: Many Shiba bushi are never taught the Heaven’s Wing kata, as it requires a focus and deep strength that
are beyond the capabilities of most. The way this kata is performed is unusual, as it does not teach
technique by its movements. Heaven’s Wing instead teaches a focus that builds up over the simple, wide
movements of the naginata. Although almost never used for competitions, the steps are beautiful and
sure as the bushi guides his weapon in long flowing arcs all around him.
The effect of this kata is both devastating and simple. After the bushi gains enough focus from the
movements, he can maintain that mindset for no more than half an hour as the power of his chi and the
Void burns within his soul more brightly than ever. When the time is right, the Shiba bushi unleashes a
furious and sudden assault. The bushi spends all of his remaining Void Points, and gains a number of
extra attacks equal to the number of Void Points spent. After the round is over, the bushi must remain on
Full Defense for a number of rounds equal to the number of attacks he gained.
122
Defenders of Uikku
New Path: Shiba
New Technique Rank 3

Path of Entry: Shiba Yojimbo Rank 2
Path of Egress: Shiba Bushi

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, light or heavy
armor, kimono, traveling pack, 2 koku
Note: These Shiba are those who protect the Elemental Masters and their servants. They are similar to the
traditional Shiba, but use their skills entirely for defense
Techniques: Shiba Yojimbo Rank 1-2

Rank 1: The Yojimbo knows his place in the universe, and is prepared to sacrifice himself for another.
When performing Full Defense, instead of the normal bonuses the Yojimbo may attempt to
intercept an attack within 10 feet by announcing that he is intercepting the attack before the attack
roll is made, and then making an opposed Defense/Agility roll vs. the attack roll. If successful, the
target of the attack is changed to the Yojimbo
Rank 2: The Yojimbo may spend any amount of Void to raise his TN to be hit for a single round. On Full
Defense, his TN to be hit is increased by 10 per Void point spent instead of 5. This Full Defense
benefit may be combined with the Rank 1 Technique
Techniques: New Path: Defenders of Uikku

Rank 3: The Defender of Uikku is comfortable with the ebb and flow of the Kharmic wheel and can turn
opponents’ victories into his own personal doom. When on Full Defense, the Defender may spend
a Void Point to male an opposed Void roll vs. the melee attack roll of his attacker before damage is
rolled. If the Defender is successful, the attack automatically misses and the Defender may
immediately attack his opponent with any weapon he has ready. He must apply the total of his
opponent’s failed attack roll in place of his own.
Techniques: Shiba Bushi Rank 1-2

Rank 4: At this Rank, the bushi has learned to let his Void flow to such an extent that he gains two attacks
per turn
Rank 5: The bushi has finally learned to release the full power of "no-thought." By spending a Void Point,
the bushi may substitute his Void Rank for any Trait or skill until the end of the turn
123
Shiba Tejina School: Shiba Tejina
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-stej.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality, 1 fine) tanto, wakizashi, kimono, scroll satchel, traveling pack,
first-aid kit, 2 blank scrolls, steed
Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier, Etiquette, Lore: Myth and Legend, Meditation, Shintao, Tejina
Note: Tejina tend to favor spells involving illusion. They have an Affinity for Air and a Deficiency for
Earth, plus special Affinity rules described below
Shugenja
Techniques
Tejina shugenja gain an additional Rank of Affinity for any spell that creates an illusion or alters the perceptions of
others. This is cumulative with their Affinity for Air magic. They also gain a Deficiency with combat spells (any spells
that do damage to an opponent) which is cumulative with their Deficiency in Earth. Spells affected by Tejina Affinity in
the L5R RPG and are listed here. The GM's word is final in determining whether spells from other sources gain Tejina
Affinity. Any spell that causes damage automatically gains Tejina Deficiency, even if that damage is conditional (as in
case of Jade Strike).
Affinity: Aura of Flame, Benten's Touch, Cloak of Night, Cryptic Cipher (though a Tejina would not have access to this
Imperial Spell, it is an illusion spell), Essence of Air, False Face, Mists of Illusion, Quiescence of Air, Reflective Pool,
Secrets of the Wind, Spirit Script, Walk Without Passing, Way of Deception
Beginning Spells
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon Air: 3 from core or clan book
Fire: 1 from core or clan book Water: 2 from core or clan book
124
Shiba Bodyguard School: Shiba Yojimbo
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-syojim.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, light or heavy
armor, kimono, traveling pack, 2 koku
Note: These Shiba are those who protect the Elemental Masters and their servants. They are similar to the
traditional Shiba, but use their skills entirely for defense
Techniques
Rank 1: The Yojimbo knows his place in the universe, and is prepared to sacrifice himself for another.
When performing Full Defense, instead of the normal bonuses the Yojimbo may attempt to
intercept an attack within 10 feet by announcing that he is intercepting the attack before the attack
roll is made, and then making an opposed Defense/Agility roll vs. the attack roll. If successful, the
target of the attack is changed to the Yojimbo
Rank 2: The Yojimbo may spend any amount of Void to raise his TN to be hit for a single round. On Full
Defense, his TN to be hit is increased by 10 per Void point spent instead of 5. This Full Defense
benefit may be combined with the Rank 1 Technique
Rank 3: The Yojimbo has become mystically linked to someone under his care. By spending a Void point
and meditating for one hour with an individual, he places this person under his charge. Afterward,
the Yojimbo will always know what direction that person lies in regards to himself by spending a
Void point to do so. This does not indicate distance, location, or even if the charge still lives, only
direction. A Yojimbo may only have one "charge" at a time
Rank 4: The Yojimbo may make two attacks per round, even while using his Rank 1 Technique. (This is a
special bonus. He does not otherwise get to attack on Full Defense.)
Rank 5: The Yojimbo's spirit is like the flames, unquenchable, unconquerable. The Yojimbo's opponent
rolls one fewer Damage die for each Rank of the Yojimbo's Water Ring; someone attacking a
Yojimbo with a Water Ring of 4 would roll four fewer Damage dice than usual. The opponent may
always roll at least one die
125
Bayushi Bushi School: Bayushi Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-bbushi.php

Skills: Archery, Defense, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, Poison, Sincerity, Stealth
Techniques
Rank 1: The Bayushi's motto is "strike first, strike last." The bushi rolls two dice for initiative, keeping both
Rank 2: The bushi has learned the infamous Scorpion feint. The bushi makes a Simple Agility + Kenjutsu
roll against his opponent's Reflexes x5. If he is successful, the TN to hit his opponent the next turn
is 5
Rank 3: Scorpion bushi know that there's more than one way to defeat an opponent. Instead of making a
normal attack, this bushi can make a Simple Agility + Kenjutsu roll against his opponent's weapon
skill x5. If successful, he has disarmed his opponent. If he raises the TN twice, he can end up with
the weapon in his own hands
Rank 4: The bushi has gained enough skill in the art of distraction that he may make 2 attacks per turn
Rank 5: Finally, the Scorpion learns how to use his distractive techniques to spend a precious moment
before the strike to make it as deadly as possible. The bushi may declare raises after his strike roll
Rising Claws: Kata

School: Bayushi Bushi Reuse Time: 0 minutes Minimum Rank: 3 XP Cost: 4

Other: This kata may be used with bladed weapons
Effect: When some view this kata performed by a Scorpion samurai, they are amazed by how openly it makes
underhanded and obviously deceitful moves. The bushi moves in a circle around the invisible foe, feinting
in and out quickly, but never actually striking the “opponent”. The fact that a blow is never landed is
obvious only to the person performing the ritual steps and to others who know this technique. What the
bushi is actually attempting to do is find a rhythm in the opponent’s defense to take advantage of.
Unlike many kata, this may be performed in a combat situation, but it is almost worthless unless the
samurai is engaging a single foe. While using the kata of Rising Claws, the bushi gains +10 to his TN to
be hit, as he is not really attempting anything but drawing attacks from the foe. The kata is completed
when the samurai makes a sudden, single attack at the opponent’s inner thigh, striking at the tendons. The
strike gains a +5 bonus for each round spent dancing around the foe, to a maximum of +20. If the roll
beats the opponent’s TN to be hit by 5, the attack has successfully “hamstrung” the Scorpion’s target, who
can no longer stand correctly until the wound is tended.
The samurai performing the kata has a -20 penalty to his TN to be hit against all opponents except the
target of the kata. This kata is useless if the Scorpion samurai is somehow unable to move fully around the
opponent, as the sudden strike requires a deft spinning lunge. The kata is equally useless against those
who know it. Of course, the name “Rising Claws” has nothing to do with what the kata actually does, but
is simply another piece of Scorpion deception.
126
Bayushi Courtier School: Bayushi Courtiers
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Scorpion
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-bcourt.php

Skills: Courtier, Etiquette, Forgery or Poison, Investigation, Law, Sincerity, Seduction
Techniques
Rank 1: The Bayushi Courtier School teaches its students to turn the weaknesses of others to their
advantage. Whenever he makes a contested roll against another character in a social situation, he
gains a Free Raise for every 2 points of disadvantages the character has (round up).
Rank 2: The name of this Technique comes from the proverb: "Every man is an ocean, and no matter how
deep, every ocean has shallow waters." After ten minutes of conversation with another character,
the courtier may make a contested Awareness roll to determine the character's lowest Trait. If the
roll is successful, the courtier may expend a Void Point to discover the character's next lowest
Trait. A Scorpion may only perform this Technique against a single character a number of time
equal to the Scorpion's Awareness. For example, a Scorpion with a 4 Awareness and 3 Void makes
a successful contested Awareness roll against a Crane and discovers that his lowest Trait is his
Willpower. Then, over the course of the evening (through continued conversation), the Scorpion
spends all three of her Void Points, discovering the Crane's next three lowest Traits. Because she
has a 4 Awareness, she can only discover the Crane's 4 lowest Traits. Once she increases her
Awareness to 5, she can go back, chat with the Crane for a while, and discover his next lowest
Trait.
Rank 3: The name of this Technique comes from the Scorpion adage: "Secrets are like birthmarks; the
more you try to hide them, the easier they are to see." The courtier has gained an acute sense that
allows him to sniff out the weaknesses of his opponent. By making a successful contested
Awareness roll, during conversation, he may know one disadvantage of any character he speaks
with. This Technique can only be used to gain the general nature of a disadvantage. For instance, a
Scorpion could use this Technique to determine that a character has a Dark Secret, but does not
necessarily know the details of the Secret
Rank 4: At this Rank, the Scorpion can not only learn others' weaknesses, but how to exploit them. For
every one hour of game time spent interacting with the character, the Scorpion gains one point of
the Blackmail advantage on that character (maximum 5). He must make a successful contested
Awareness + School Rank roll vs. the character's Awareness in order to use this Technique. In
other words, the Scorpion has learned some bit of information the character doesn't want anyone to
know. If the character doesn't have any such secrets to hide (they'd better be a saint to pull this one
off), the Scorpion learns something about their wife or husband or some other family member.
Alternately, the Scorpion is just good enough to twist mundane information into something
scandalous
Rank 5: Finally, the Scorpion has become the master of manipulation. Through conversation, she is able to
show the weaknesses she sees, gaining herself benefit and inflicting difficulties on others. Through
slanderous public communication (and the expenditure of Void Points), the Scorpion is able to give
target characters the disadvantages Bad Reputation (2 Void Points), Obligation (4 Void Points), or
Sworn Enemy (4 Void Points). A character gains no Character Points for these disadvantages, nor
can he get rid of them with Experience Points. He is stuck with the disadvantages until the GM is
satisfied that the player has role-played his way out of them. A courtier may only bestow a number
of disadvantages on one character equal to his School Rank
127
Bayushi Saboteur School: Bayushi Saboteurs
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-bsab.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, light armor,
kimono, traveling pack, any one weapon, lock picks, 2 koku
Skills: Acting, Engineering, Explosives, Locksmith, Poison, Stealth, any Low or Bugei skill
Note: Students of Bayushi Kyono, the saboteurs are now among the most important Scorpion operatives,
wreaking the vengeance of the Bayushi behind the scenes
This is a second edition school and requires GM approval
Techniques
Rank 1: The Saboteur may add his Stealth to his TN to be hit. Also, while operating near a source of large
distraction (a conveniently located fire, explosion, avalanche, etc.) the Saboteur keeps all dice on
Stealth rolls
Rank 2: For every ten minutes the Saboteur spends observing a target location, he rolls and keeps an extra
die on Stealth, Explosives, Engineering, and any other rolls to infiltrate or destroy what he has
observed. He can not gain more dice than his School Rank
Rank 3: The Saboteur gains the Inner Gift advantage. Specially, he gains a sixth sense about being
ambushed. He knows instantly if he is spotted, and from what direction. The character may always
roll initiative when he is ambushed
Rank 4: To the Scorpion, sabotage is not a crime, but erring in the service to your lord behind enemy lines
is an inexcusable offense. The Saboteur may roll twice on all rolls involving stealth and sabotage,
keeping the better roll. (This does not include attack rolls.)
Rank 5: Like his bushi brethren, the Saboteur has learned the Scorpion's greatest trick, to lead with the
pincers while the tail finds its target. If the Saboteur knows he has been noticed, he may spend a
Void Point and make an opposed Stealth/Agility roll vs. the Investigation/Perception of the
observer. If the Saboteur is successful, he creates a small distraction and leads the observer to
believe that he was imagining things, giving the Saboteur an opportunity to resume hiding.
128
Shosuro Butei School: Shosuro Actors
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-sact.php

Outfit:
Skills: Acting, Etiquette, Forgery, Locksmith, Poison, Seduction, Sleight of Hand or Stealth
Techniques
Rank 1: Drawing upon their rigorous acting training, the actor adds his School Rank to his Awareness
whenever he is attempting to influence or persuade. His Rank is also added to his Awareness when
others are attempting to test his candor or sincerity
Rank 2: The actor has been taught how to strike an unaware opponent with such skill that only a single
strike is necessary. When an opponent is unaware or unable to defend himself - making his TN to
be hit a 5 - the actor's raises are not limited by his Void
Rank 3-5: From this point on, the actor learns the deepest secrets of Shosuro's technique. While other bushi
spend months learning new fighting techniques, the Shosuro actor spends that time learning a new
identity. At each new School Rank, the actor gains a new "Persona," an identity that is etched into
his own personality. Therefore, at Rank 3, the actor gains one Persona, at Rank 4 he gains a
second, and at Rank 5, he gains a third.
When he assumes his Persona, he has the skills of that person. If he takes the role of a Lion bushi,
he has the skills of a Lion bushi. If she takes the Persona of a geisha, she has the skills of a trained
geisha.
Many of the Persona that are taught by the Shosuro School are listed below. GMs are free to create
new Persona, so long as they follow the guidelines listed below. An actor gains these skills at their
listed ranks and may use them while in the mindset of that Persona. Immersing oneself in a
completely different identity is not a simple thing; it is a meditation that requires complete
concentration. Therefore, while in the mindset of one Persona, it is difficult to use the skills and
abilities of another.
While in the mindset of one Persona (including his own "native" Persona), the actor cannot use
skills from another without great difficulty. It requires a Void + Meditation roll at a TN of the Rank
of the skill x5. This represents the fact that skills that are at greater ranks are etched more strongly
into the core of that other Persona, making them more difficult to summon. To switch between
Personae, the actor must spend 5 minutes of complete concentration as he sheds one set of
trappings and dons another.
Shosuro Personae: The following Personae are those that are taught by the Shosuro School. As an
actor learns each new Persona, he gains their skills at Rank 1. The actor cannot gain ranks in these
skills normally. It requires double the regular Experience Points to increase them.
Clan Bushi or Shugenja: A Shosuro actor who takes on the role of a clan bushi gains all the skills
of that School, but not the Techniques. Particularly confident or foolhardy actors may also attempt
to impersonate the shugenja of respective clans, but they may not use spells.
Geisha: Conversation, Dance, Etiquette, Music, Seduction, Tea Ceremony
Farmer: Herbalism, Hunting, Knife, Lore: Farming, Lore: Peasant Superstition, any 2 Craft skills
Merchant: Commerce, Gambling, Law, Lore: Streetwise, Sincerity, any 2 Craft skills
Monk: Bojutsu, Jiujutsu, Shintao, Theology, Tea Ceremony, any 2 Craft skills
129
Shosuro Shinobi School: Shosuro Assassins
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-sshin.php

Outfit:
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Explosives, Ninjutsu 2, Poison, Stealth
Note: This school is the counterpart to the Shosuro Butei School. Those who pass the Gauntlet Initiation
are allowed to cast away the ninja garb and learn the true secrets of Scorpion espionage.
Editor's note: For a character to reach even Rank 1 in this School, they are expected to have gone
through a lot of crap, and cannot expect to interact with normal samurai in any sort of open,
friendly manner. Read Appendix II in Way of the Scorpion for more information, with your GM’s
approval.
Techniques
Rank 1: Assassins are given rudimentary acting training in their first year, mainly to teach them how to
master the art of appearing nondescript. He keeps a number of extra dice equal to his School Rank
when rolling stealth
Rank 2: The Assassin has been taught how to strike an unaware opponent with such skill that only a single
strike is necessary. When an opponent is unaware or unable to defend himself - making his TN to
be hit a 5 - the Assassin's raises are not limited by his Void
Rank 3: Using unique movement techniques, the Assassin is a very difficult target to hit. The Assassin may,
during the declaration phase, use this technique instead of one of the three maneuvers. By using his
distraction technique, the Assassin may raise his TN to be hit by 10 or 20 (Reflexes x 5 +10 or
+20). However, any actions he chooses to take also have their TN's raised by 10 or 20, respectively
Rank 4: At this rank, the Assassin has learned the true art of invisibility. The Assassin may move through a
room without anyone noticing he was ever there. In order to do this, the Assassin must spend a
Void point. The invisibility lasts for as long as the Assassin can hold his breath (a number of
minutes equal to his Stamina) and there must be activity in the room he is passing through
Rank 5: Finally, the Assassin has learned the mythical power of 'walking through walls'. By spending a
Void point, the Assassin can move through 1 inch of solid material. This requires at least one
minute of meditation before the act
130
Soshi Shugenja School: Soshi Shugenja
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-soshug.php

Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier or Etiquette, Meditation, Shintao or Theology, Sincerity, any 2 High skills
Note: Soshi shugenja get a Free Raise for all Air spells
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon Air 3 from core or clan book
Fire 1 from core or clan book Water 2 from core or clan book
Tejina: The Magic of the Soshi Family

While the Elemental Masters researched the more primal elements in the Tao of Shinsei, the Soshi have tapped into a
lesser known element: the element of shadow. Tejina is sometimes also called shinobi, kage-do, or “the way of shadow”.
It is the art of summing and binding shadow. The most common application of the art is through kage yakiin, or “shadow-
brands”. The recipient of a kage yakiin is places in a dark chamber with a Soshi shugenja. There is always a single candle
lit during the ceremony. The recipient seldom remembers the event; excruciating pain is often the sole memory.
When the ritual is over, the Scorpion has gained a black pattern across his skin, much like a tattoo. However, the brand
fades to near invisibility when in direct sunlight, resurfacing only in near-darkness. Also, those who possess kage yakiin
report the brand burns when directly exposed to light.
Shadow Brands
Kage yakiin (shadow brands) are only available to Scorpion characters, and are usually only administered to those of the
Shosuro and Soshi families. A character may have more than one kage yakiin, but there are side-effects.
For some reason, shadow-brands limit a character’s attunement to the more primal elements. After a character receives his
first kage yakiin, his Void can no longer be above 5. When he receives his second, Void can be no higher than 4. A third
brand will reduce the maximum Void to 3. Soshi shugenja have never administered more than three kage yakiin to a
single individual. . . at least, they haven’t reported it to the Bayushi.
For every shadow-brand a character has, he keeps an additional die to every action when he is in dim light. A large room
lit only by candles could be constituted an area of dim light. Any sunlight will cancel out the benefits gained by kage
yakiin, even if it is a single beam. In fact, any shadow-brands exposed to direct sunlight will visibly blister and burn,
causing 1 die of Wounds per round exposed per shadow-brand.
Shadow-brands cost 5 CP at the beginning of character creation. A character may only begin with a single kage yakiin.
Further imprinting of shadow requires more than simple experience points. Soshi shugenja will only reward Scorpions
who have proven themselves worthy of such a distinction. One brand per School Rank is a good rule of thumb for GMs
who allow shadow-brands in their campaigns.
131
Yogo Shugenja School: Yogo Shugenja
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-yogo.php

Skills: Calligraphy, Heraldry, Lore: Maho, Lore: Shadowlands, Meditation, Theology
Note: Yogo shugenja get a Free Raise for all warding spells.
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Fire 1 from core or clan book Water 2 from core or clan book
Kuwasu: Ward Magic

The Yogo family has done a great deal of research creating magic that would keep out those who wished to break the
Scrolls’ bloody seals. “Warding magic” or “kuwasu” (created in conjunction with the Kuni shugenja of the Crab Clan) is
designed for just that purpose.
There are two kinds of wards: elemental wards and Shadowlands wards. If the shugenja knows the calligraphic character
for what he wishes the ward to guard against, he can create that ward.
A shugenja must spend at least one hour to summon the energy required to create the ward; he cannot use the energy of
kami or other elemental spirits. First, he draws the symbol of what he wishes the ward to guard against. For instance, if he
wishes the ward to guard against. For instance, if he wishes the ward to guard against anyone with the Shadowlands Taint,
he draws the calligraphic character for the Shadowlands. As he draws the symbol, he chants and passes a bit of his own
energy into the symbol.
Wards are usually drawn with ink onto pieces of paper. They are nailed on doorways – one side on the door and the other
on the wall – to keep the door sealed shut. They may also be attached to boxes, a katana’s saya, or any other object that
can be opened.
Casting a ward is identical to casting a spell. The element used in the creation of a ward depends on the nature of the ward
depends on the nature of the ward.
 Elemental wards (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Void) are cast using the appropriate Element. For instance, an Earth
ward would call for an Earth + Shugenja School Rank roll.
 Shadowlands wards require an Earth + Shadowlands Lore roll.
The TN to create a ward is 20. The shugenja may use Raises when creating the ward. By Raising the TN by 10, the
shugenja adds 1 die to the ward’s effectiveness.
Anyone who attempts to touch the ward will be forced to make a Contested Roll against the ward. The ward rolls 4 dice
(keeping 4) and the creature rolls the appropriate Element. For instance, if a character touches an Earth ward, he rolls his
Earth. If the ward wins the roll, the ward rolls 4 dice and keeps the highest die. This is the number of Wounds the creature
takes. If the creature wins the roll, the effectiveness of the ward is reduced by 1 die. The creature may continue to try to
reduce the effectiveness of the ward until it has run out of dice, thus ‘disenchanting” the ward.
132
Ide Emissary School: Ide Emissaries
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Unicorn
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-iem.php

Outfit:
Skills: Commerce, Courtier, Etiquette, Horsemanship, Kenjutsu, Law, Sincerity
Note: The daimyo of the Moto family, forbids anyone in his family from joining this school.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Ide student is shown how to let her soul shine in every action. Whenever the emissary makes a
skill roll in a social situation, add her Honor to the result. Whenever the GM makes a random roll
to determine someone's initial reaction to the emissary, the roll should be similarly adjusted. Also,
the emissary is taught to reflexively mimic and be responsive to local customs. She may make an
Awareness + Etiquette roll against a TN of 20 to avoid making a faux pas, even if the character is
not aware of the existence of a taboo
Rank 2: The student has learned that every detail is important, and takes great care to observe and
remember everything. The character may make a simple Intelligence roll to remember anything
that was said and done during a meeting. The TN of this check depends on the importance of the
event and the significance of the action: recalling something the Emperor said on his birthday is
only a 5, while remembering what one opponent's aide said to another at an impromptu meeting is
a TN of 30. Also, the emissary can gather important clues about the person she is negotiating with
by looking around, assimilating details. Make a simple Perception + Investigation roll. The better
the roll, the more clues to the person's personality are gained. Obviously, it is harder to gain clues
when meeting someone in a dark alley than it is when meeting them in their house during the
daytime
Rank 3: The emissary is well attuned to the ebb and flow of negotiation, and can sense when the current
shifts. If the situation turns violent or something else is about to happen that the emissary doesn't
like, she may be able to react. The emissary can make a simple skill check using her Awareness
against a TN equal to the sum of the Void + Sincerity of the opponent (whoever initiates the
undesired activity) x5. If this roll succeeds, the emissary can take one action before anything else
happens. Ide merchants use this skill to proactively attack thieves or cheats, while diplomats use it
to move behind their bodyguards or grab someone valuable to their enemy to use as a shield
Rank 4: At this level, the emissary has learned to see past the surface to the truth within. This is done by
paying acute attention to tangible clues (dilation of the eyes, unconscious habits, slight alterations
in tone of voice) as well as by more esoteric spiritual methods which defy explanation. The
Sincerity skill may no longer be used against the emissary, nor do those opposing her in
negotiations receive any benefit from magical enhancements. Furthermore, whenever someone
tells a lie to the emissary, she may make an opposed Investigation versus Sincerity skill check to
discern the truth of the matter. For each five points of success the emissary scores, she learns one
true fact.
Rank 5: By this point, the emissary has perfected the art of peace. She has incredible presence, and her calm
and assured demeanor make her an island of serenity in even the worst of storms. She may use her
personal presence as her defense. As long as she does not raise a hand in violence, anyone who
wishes to do her harm must make an opposed roll pitting his Willpower against her Awareness to
see if he can do so, after he declares his intent. The emissary rolls additional dice equal to her Void,
but may only keep dice equal to her Awareness. If the attacker succeeds in his roll, he may attack
the emissary without penalty. If he fails, he forfeits that action, and all other actions taken against
her this turn
133
Iuchi Shugenja School: Iuchi Shugenja
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-iushug.php

Outfit (All items are of fine quality) tanto, wakizashi, kimono, scroll satchel, traveling pack, steed, 3 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Defense, Herbalism, Horsemanship, Hunting, Meditation, any Bugei skill
Note: Iuchi shugenja get a Free Raise for all Water spells.
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Earth 1 from core or clan book Water 3 from core or clan book
Moto Bushi School: Moto Bushi

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-moto.php

weapons, heavy or light armor, kimono, traveling pack, steed, 10 koku
Skills: Archery, Defense, Horsemanship, Hunting, Kenjutsu, Lore: Shadowlands, Meditation
Techniques
Rank 1: The bushi is first taught how to make every action perfect, from high-level activity like thought and
kenjutsu down even to tasks like breathing and the very beating of the heart. The perfection of this
technique will take a lifetime. With this purity of motion, the bushi adds his School Rank to his TN
to be hit as well as to every skill check and damage roll he makes
Rank 2: Understanding the karmic ties between those of the Moto family and their corrupted kin, the bushi
can detect the proximity of Shadowlands creatures with a successful Awareness check. This is an
indistinct sense, and does not rely on sight or any other sense; it's simply a knowing. The better the
success, the more is known about the size, number, distance, direction, power, and even intent of
the Shadowlands creature(s)
Rank 3: Driven by the need for atonement, the bushi can focus on an aggressive attack to the exclusion of
all else. He can make two attacks per round, but they may only be gained if the bushi is making a
Full Attack
Rank 4: By this time, the bushi is the master of his fate and embraces the doom of his family. The bushi
may spend two Void Points on each action, and may declare whether or not he spends them after
making his skill roll.
Rank 5: By this stage, the bushi is perfectly attuned to the doom of the Moto family. If he dies, he can will
his spirit to ravage his body, tearing and shredding it to prevent it from being animated.
The bushi may also stay alive through an indomitable force of will. On the wounds chart, replace
Down and Out with -4, and replace Dead with three -5 wound levels, followed by three -6 levels,
then -7, etc. The bushi cannot be killed normally, and can remain alive past the -4 state for a
number of turns equal to his Void. During this time, he can continue to move, fight, take damage,
etc., but he must be healed to -4 or better by the end of his last turn or he dies. Some think this is an
expression of the Moto's desire to live, but given the great damage taken by some Moto in their
lengthy, desperate battles, other Unicorn samurai know the Moto don't harbor such delusions
134
Otaku Battle Maiden School: Otaku Battle Maidens
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-bmaiden.php

Outfit:
Skills: Battle, Defense, Horse Archery, Horsemanship 2, Kenjutsu, any High or Bugei skill
Note: All Otaku females join this school. Females of other Unicorn families must take the Different
School advantage to join (with special cost of 3 points), while females from other clans are not
allowed. This is because all females in this school must have a direct blood tie to the original Otaku
(and given a thousand years to intermarry, most Unicorn females can demonstrate at least some
distant relation to the founder). No males are permitted to join this school; many Otaku males end
up at the Shinjo bushi school.
Techniques
Rank 1: Her fiery ancestral blood yearning to be free, the Battle Maiden is one with Otaku when riding,
preferably fast. Whenever the Battle Maiden makes a skill roll while mounted, she may keep an
extra die
Rank 2: The Battle Maiden has learned to strike first, and strike hard. After everyone rolls for initiative, the
Battle Maiden may switch the values of her initiative roll and her TN to be hit for the rest of the
combat round
Rank 3: The Battle Maiden has learned to avoid damage by rolling with the impact. Subtract her School
Rank from the total damage done by each strike that lands successfully
Rank 4: The Battle Maiden has learned the secret of the continuous strike. This has two advantages. First,
when making a lancing attack, she may angle her pole-arm to make two attacks in a single round.
Secondly, if a Battle Maiden happens to kill an opponent with any attack (even if she is not
mounted), she may attack another foe at the end of the round. Each attack the Battle Maiden makes
in a given round can have a second attack associated with it, but if she kills her enemy with the
second attack, she does not get a third
Rank 5: The Otaku believe their ancestor looks upon them as they charge into battle, bestowing her
blessings on her most favored. During any combat, the Battle Maiden may re-roll dice that roll less
than her appropriate Trait. This may only be done once per Round
135
Shinjo Bushi School: Shinjo Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-shinbushi.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, any 3 weapons, helm,
light armor, kimono, traveling pack, steed, 10 koku
Skills: Defense, Hunting, Horsemanship 2, Kenjutsu, Unicorn Archery, Yarijutsu
Techniques
Rank 1: Unicorn bushi are almost raised on horses. When on horseback, the bushi may add his
Horsemanship to any skill when making a roll
Rank 2: The Unicorn fighting style involves the techniques the Clan learned while on the other side of the
mountains. The bushi may choose to "parry," a skill unheard of in Rokugan. The TN to hit a
parrying bushi is (Reflexes + Defense + Kenjutsu) x5. This is a Full Defense maneuver
Rank 3: At this Rank, the bushi learns the sweeping style that allows him to make two attacks per turn
Rank 4: The link between the bushi and his steed is complete. When performing any physical acts (fighting,
riding, jumping, etc.) his steed can make up for any imperfections in the bushi's technique. If he
raises his TN, misses the raise, but makes the original TN, the roll succeeds, but he gains no benefit
from his raises
Rank 5: Some call it luck; the Unicorn call it "dancing with the Fortunes." After any roll, the Unicorn bushi
may choose to roll again to get a better result. The bushi may not re-roll this second roll; he has to
keep it. The bushi may even re-roll a success if he wishes to try for a better result
Thundering the Sky: Kata

School: Shinjo Bushi Reuse Time: 20 minutes Minimum Rank: 3 XP Cost: 5

Other: This kata must be used with a katana and no armor
Effect: Many believe the Unicorn can fight on a horse. Many will tell you if you cut the horse from beneath a
charging Shinjo, you have already defeated him. Many are wrong and dead. Developed shortly after the
return of the Unicorn to the Empire, Thundering the Sky is an awesome kata to behold. The Shinjo
samurai leaps and spins, never stopping until every sweeping and dizzying movement of the kata is
completed. The strikes of this kata defy the tradition of kenjutsu in the Empire, a fact that the Unicorn
relies on once he has set his mind on the Thundering the Sky kata.
The katana’s strikes seem to come from all angles as the Shinjo bushi dances all around his opponent, no
matter how hard the foe attempts to catch him. The TN to hit the samurai is raised by 15, and the
Unicorn gains one extra attack each round. However, due to the shallow and quick strikes focused on by
this kata, each hit made by the Unicorn rolls and keeps one fewer for damage.
136
Shinjo Magistrate School: Shinjo Magistrates
Reprinted w/out permission from Imperial Herald #10, by Scott Gearin
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-smagistrate.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) jitte, katana, wakizashi, light armor, 3 kimonos, traveling pack, steed,
6 koku
Skills: Heraldry, Horsemanship, Hunting, Investigation, Kenjutsu, Law, any Bugei skill
Techniques
Rank 1: The magistrate is driven by the righteousness of her cause. When facing an opponent (in skirmish
or duel) with an Honor rank of less than 2, she will keep an extra die for both attack and damage
rolls
Rank 2: At second Rank, the magistrate is taught the methods of sensing each clue the prey leaves behind;
these form a path, straight from the hunter to the prey. The magistrate keeps all the dice she rolls
for Hunting and Investigation
Rank 3: The magistrate learns to endure the rigors often required by her work. Her devotion to justice
carries her through trying times. She may operate normally with minimal sleep (three hours per
day) for a number of weeks equal to half her Earth Rank. At the end of this ordeal she will require
three extra hours of sleep each night, for a number of days equal to the number of weeks spent
using this ability
Rank 4: At this rank, the Shinjo have learned to strike twice per round: Once for themselves and once for
the Emperor, in whose honor they serve
Rank 5: The Lady Shinjo's true form and spirit was said to be the Ki-rin. That spirit still guards those who
have given their lives to the pursuit of justice. Any being with an Honor Rank of 0, 4, or 5 falters
when attacking the magistrate, dropping their highest die both to attack and for damage
137
Shinjo Scout School: Shinjo Scouts
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-sscout.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality)
arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, light armor, steed, kimono, traveling pack, any one
weapon, 10 koku
Skills: Battle, Defense, Horsemanship, Hunting, Kenjutsu, Stealth, Yomanri
Note: The Hiruma Scouts have long trained in the lands of the Unicorn and the Unicorn have applied
much of what the Crab have taught them.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Scout has learned well from his Hiruma allies; when on Full Defense, he may add his School
Rank x 5 to his TN to be hit. In addition, he is given a steed specially trained to move swiftly and
quietly, allowing the Scout to use Stealth while on horseback. (The horse knows not to make
noises when the scout commands and can move with relative silence. Obviously, a horse is still
easier to notice than a person and there are some limitations to a trained animal's abilities.)
Rank 2: While the Hiruma are endurance runners, the Shinjo are sprinters. For a number of minutes equal
to the Scout's Earth, he may run at a speed of his Water x 20 in feet per round. After this time the
Scout receives a + 15 penalty to all TNs until he rests for an equal amount of time
Rank 3: The Scout has a keen sense of direction, rarely becoming lost even in unfamiliar territory. He may
always locate true north, and rolls extra dice equal to his School Rank on all Perception rolls
Rank 4: The Scout's incredible speed is now incorporated into his fighting style, and he may make two
attacks per round
Rank 5: The Scout has become the master of the swift ambush. He may roll extra dice equal to his Stealth
when attacking any foe unaware of his presence. Those actively trying to detect the Scout drop all
dice that roll equal to or lower than the Scout's Air
138
Emerald Magistrate Dojo: Emerald Magistrates
Reprinted w/out permission from Kyuden Kakita
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-emdojo.php
Note: Of all the schools scattered throughout Rokugan, none is more selective than that of the Emerald
Magistrates. There is no Benefit, nor beginning Skills package. There are no true Rank 1 or 2
Techniques. The sensei at this school do not teach their ways to new, untested samurai. Rather,
they take the finest among the Magistrates and give them additional training. When an Emerald
Magistrate who has demonstrated outstanding service and skill is ready to learn a new Technique
from his home school, he may instead by granted the opportunity to study within the Emerald
Champion's dojo. There he learns one of the following Techniques instead of that of his school.
There are certain skills that a Magistrate must possess in order to benefit from training at the
Emerald Dojo. Students should be skilled in Courtier, Heraldry, Investigation, Law, and Sincerity.
As a result of studying at the Emerald Magistrate School, the character may learn the Obiesaseru
skill. Any time that the Magistrate uses these skills to either enforce the Emperor's laws or to
investigate the culprit or circumstances of a criminal act, he is considered "on-duty" for the
purposes of the Techniques below
Techniques
Two things must happen for a character to learn any of these Techniques. The Emerald Champion (or another extremely
high-ranking Magistrate) must offer him the chance to do so. GMs should only offer this option if they feel that the
player in question has done an outstanding job of role-playing. Secondly, the PC must spend a number of experience
points. This represents the incredible rarity of this honor as well as the powerful nature of the Techniques.
Note that simply because a character has been invited to learn one of the Imperial Magistrate in no way gives him the
right to expect to learn the others. Each one must be offered separately, as a reward for outstanding service to the
Emperor and the Empire
Rank 1: The magistrate has grasped the simple but effective methods originated by Soshi Saibankan Once
per session, the magistrate may spend a Void point to automatically succeed on any test involving
one of the recommended skills, above. This Technique costs 10 experience points to learn
Rank 2: The blessing of the Son of Heaven truly shines upon his defenders. Having achieved Rank 4, the
magistrate may spend a Void point to negate the damage-reducing abilities of his opponent,
inflicting damage as normal for a number of rounds equal to his Honor rank. Oni powers, Shadow
powers, protective effects from spells, and maho-bujin Techniques may all be countered by this
Technique. This Technique costs 15 experience points to learn
Rank 3: At this level, the burning passion to serve the Emperor permeates every breath the magistrate takes.
When undertaking any task in fulfillment of his sacred duty (on duty, as above), the magistrate has
a number of Free Raises per day equal to his Honor rank. This Technique costs 20 experience
points to learn
139
Miya Shisha School: Miya Shisha
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-mshisha.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) sashimono or nobori, horo, kimono, wakizashi, 10 koku, steed, light
armor
Skills: Courtier, Defense, Diplomacy, Etiquette, Heraldry 2, Horsemanship
Note: The Miya Shisha are considered to be bushi
Techniques
Rank 1: At this rank, the Miya begins to learn the subtle skills of diplomacy. If the Miya makes an opposed
social skill roll, she may roll additional dice equal to her School Rank. The Miya also gains an
astounding fleetness of foot in order to promptly deliver the Emperor's word. If the Miya does
nothing but flee combat, she gains a bonus to her TN to be hit equal to her Rank x5. This bonus is
cumulative with a Full Defense
Rank 2: The shisha who has gained this level of skill obtains a profound harmony with the Empire. The
shisha gains the Way of the Land Advantage for one territory, and gains it for another territory
each time she gains another school Rank. If the shisha is in one of these territories she may make
any number of Raises on Perception checks. Any rolls to identify mons or other heraldic symbols
are automatically successful if that mon originates from one of these territories.
Rank 3: A shisha who has mastered this technique wears an almost tangible aura of passivity. Any who
directly serve or fear the Emperor will be loath to harm her. If the shisha makes no threatening
moves and spends a Void point, an opponent must spend a Void point before they may attack her
that round. Up to one other person per school Rank of the shisha can be protected by this
technique, though they must also make no threatening movements, and stay within ten feet of her.
Rank 4: The shisha has developed a powerful personality, capable of intimidating lesser meant. If combat
has not begun, the shisha can step forward and address the leader of the enemy party, boasting of
her party's skills and offering a chance to retreat. This requires a full round, and the shisha must
make an opposed roll of her Awareness + School Rank against the enemy leader's Willpower +
School Rank. If one side is heavily outnumbered, the GM may give the other side free Raises
during the contested roll. If the shisha succeeds, her party gains a number of free Raises equal to
the shisha's school Rank x2 during the combat to split however they wish. If the shisha's roll is
more than double her opponent's, then the enemy party is affected by Fear equal to double the
shisha's school Rank. if the shisha attempts to use this technique during a full scale battle, success
indicates that she and a number of companions equal to her Rank may adjust their positions on the
battle table by one column during the first two rounds. Failure has no additional effect in large
battles. This ability will function against any creature that can understand the shisha's words
Rank 5: The shisha learns the final lesson, mastering the arts of non-aggression. If the shisha makes no
moves to attack or undermine her enemies in any way, they may not purposefully attack her.
Affected enemies may attempt to capture the shisha, and if she resists or flees, they may attack her
normally. When an enemy attacks a shisha of this rank, she may spend a Void point to ignite a
lingering thread of doubt in the attacker's mind. The attacker may not keep his highest damage die
that round. This technique only works against those who serve or fear the Emperor
140
Otomo Seiyaku School: Otomo Seiyaku
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-otomo.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality, 1 excellent) katana, wakizashi, light armor, kimono, badge of office,
traveling pack, steed, 20 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier, Etiquette, Kenjutsu, Law, Manipulation, Obiesaseru
Techniques
Rank 1: Otomo courtiers get their information from a variety of sources - both inside and out of the court.
Because the Otomo are in charge of trade into and out of Otosan Uchi, as well as serving as the
Emperor's eyes in any negotiations between clans, they are privy to a great wealth of information -
and they share it with the other courtiers of this school. Once per week per rank, an Otomo courtier
may "speak to their contacts" in any city, court, or province, and may learn one critical fact about
the adventure, determined by the GM
Rank 2: Peasants, infiltrators, and even loyal guards instinctively trust the seiyaku. Because of their position
in the court, even if the character has a flaw such as Benten's Curse, a seiyaku may visit and listen
to the delicate negotiations of other clans (after all, they are the Emperor's eyes and ears).
Any time someone actively disagrees with the seiyaku, or accuses him in public of twisting the
truth, the accuser automatically loses a number of boxes of honor equal to the seiyaku's School
Rank. If the disagreement occurs in private, the courtier may choose to spend one day spreading
rumor through any public forum (court, a city, a major port). If the seiyaku succeeds in an
Intelligence + Courtier roll versus their target's Honor x5, their target will lose a number of boxes
of honor equal to the seiyaku's School Rank.
The Otomo cannot use this skill if there is no basis - no "false premise" will withstand the critical
investigations it must withstand to reduce someone's honor. A false accusation will not make an
individual feel that they have "dishonored" themselves to the Emperor's ambassador, and therefore,
no amount of rumormongering will be taken seriously
Rank 3: If an Otomo courtier spends as little as ten minutes speaking with someone, they can "slant the
facts" to imply the most horrible outcome possible. In this way, an Otomo who simply mentions
that a Lion might be hot-tempered will cause others to recognize him as a brash, rude, and violent
individual. Therefore, those individuals will be sure to have many guards around when dealing
with that lion. If the seiyaku mentions a Crane militia has been called in the Daidoji lands, a Crab
might suddenly realize that a nearby village is unprotected and decide that the Crane are going to
attack. At that point, of course, the seiyaku will tell the Crane that the Crab - who are now sending
troops to the border village - are preparing for an invasion.
It is possible for an Otomo courtier to cause individual disputes, conflicts, or even (with prolonged
activity) minor battles and wars. If an Otomo wishes to cause someone to believe the worst about
something, they must make a successful Intelligence + School Rank roll against a TN determined
by the complexity of the action, and the amount of truth in their suggested perception. If the Otomo
uses their Rank 1 Technique three times in order to gather information about the matter they wish
to misrepresent before they attempt this, they will receive a free raise to their action.
The difficulty depends on the particular circumstances of the action. Causing a Crane to mistrust a
Lion, when the two personalities already dislike each other might have a TN of 5. Creating border
conflicts between two already edgy opponents could be as high as a 15, while convincing someone
that their best friend (or mother) is trying to start a war with them is probably closer to a 35.
A seiyaku should be warned, however: their successful divisions often become true. If a Crane
begins treating the Lion with distrust, the Lion will most likely begin to respond with dislike, and
shortly, with violence. If the Crane and the Crab were not about to begin a war, moving their troops
to the border on the suggestion of the Otomo will almost certainly cause one, if the situation is not
defused.
141
Otomo Seiyaku School: Otomo Seiyaku (pg2of2)
Rank 4: At this rank, an Otomo courtier has been noticed by the members of the Hantei family themselves,
and given a commendation for their devoted and dedicated service. The Empire knows that this
seiyaku, by blood and association, is under the direct protection of the Hantei, and further, that any
physical harm which befalls him or her will be investigated by the highest authorities in the land.
No one will challenge a seiyaku to a duel, nor attack them, or otherwise injure them unless the
individual attempting to assault the courter has one of the following: A Glory of 7 or higher, the
permission of the Otomo courtier's daimyo, the Emerald Champion, or the permission of a member
of the Hantei family.
If someone is foolish enough to choose to assault the seiyaku, they will be horribly reprimanded:
executed immediately (no trial) without honor or seppuku; their family name removed from the
rolls of the clan, or the offender's hands and feet are cut off, their honor permanently removed, and
their family sword broken.
Indeed, it is considered unwise
Rank 5: At this point, the seiyaku is considered the voice of the Emperor in all political negotiations. If they
spend a Void point, they may order a member of the samurai class to obey their wishes. If the
person does not obey them, and their honor is less than the seiyaku's they will be forced to either
become ronin or commit seppuku. In effect, the samurai has refused or failed an Imperial
Command.
If the seiyaku's command contradicts or dishonors the samurai's daimyo, the samurai may spend 2
Void points to successfully (and carefully) refuse the command with honor. If a PC samurai agrees
to a seiyaku's command, and dies attempting to fulfill it, the player may make his next character
according to the Kharma rule, with an additional rank free of cost to one of the following: a Trait,
their Honor, or their Glory.
142
Seppun Miharu School: Seppun Miharu
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-seppun.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality, 1 excellent) arrows (20 any type), bow, katana, wakizashi, yari, any 2
weapons, heavy armor, helm, kimono, emerald badge of office, steed, 20 koku
Skills: Archery, Battle, Defense, Etiquette, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, Obiesaseru
Note: The Seppun Miharu School is only open to members of the Seppun family (or in rare cases,
children of the Imperial House with Seppun mothers).
There are only a few hundred Seppun guards in Rokugan, so they generally command troops of
Lion or Crane bushi rather than leading their own men. Thus, Seppun guards often spend a year
studying at either the Akodo or Daidoji school (just enough to understand the techniques, not
enough to learn them), and can take Allies in the Crane or Lion Clans for one point less at character
creation
Techniques
Rank 1: The Seppun understands that loyalty to the Hantei line supports the pillars of the world, and cannot
be swayed from his duty by any desire. He may add his School Rank to his Willpower or Honor (to
roll and to keep), for purposes of resisting any temptation away from his duty, including fear,
fatigue, seduction, bribery, or the pleas of his own dying children
Rank 2: The Imperial Guard learns to use his senses to move through an attacker's defense as quickly as
Lady Sun's rays part the morning clouds. For the first round of combat, the Miharu may roll an
additional number of dice equal to their Perception, keeping one additional die. In addition, he may
make a simple Perception test to avoid being surprised in an ambush or assassination attempt. The
TN for this test is the attacker's Honor x5. Attackers actually trained at an assassin's school add
their School Rank x5 to this TN.
Rank 3: After so much time spent in the presence of the son of Amaterasu, the Imperial Guard no longer
sees with the clouded eyes of mortals. His discerning gaze can pick out the true nature of all that he
views. The character rolls his Honor against a TN of the target character's Awareness x5 to see
through physical disguises, Mists of Illusion spells, ninja magic, oni shape-changing abilities,
Shosuro actors, etc. This may also be used (at a TN determined by the GM) to see the true nature
of disguised item (i.e. noticing hidden doors, concealed traps or poisons and so on).
Rank 4: Even the constraints of time itself cannot keep a Seppun from his duty. At this rank, the Seppun
guard has two actions per round. These can be used for attack or for any other purpose (e.g.
jumping in front of arrows, slinging the Emperor's heir onto his horse and riding away, and so on).
Rank 5: The Seppun's bond with his charge has the strength of Lady Sun behind it. Even when his
attentions are elsewhere, he is attuned to any danger. Whenever he is within his School Rank in
yards of the person he is guarding, the bushi may spend a Void Point to transfer damage or harmful
spell effects inflicted on that person to himself. This ability works even if the bushi's back is turned,
eyes are closed, or he is knocked out by a sleeping drought.
Normally, this ability is used to protect a member of the Hantei line, but the bushi may choose
another recipient. At the dawn of each day, the bushi must declare who the Technique is attuned to,
and he will remain attuned to that character alone until the following morning
143
Seppun Shugenja School: Seppun Shugenja
Reprinted w/out permission from L5R RPG, 2nd Ed
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-sepshug.php

Outfit: (All items are of fine quality) tanto, wakizashi, kimono, scroll satchel, traveling pack, first-aid kit,
emerald badge of office, steed
Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier or Etiquette, Investigation, Obiesaseru, Meditation, Shintao, Theology
Note: Seppun Shugenja have an Affinity for both Air and Water, but they have a Deficiency for both Fire
and Earth
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Air 3 from core or clan book Water 3 from core or clan book
144
Ichiro Bushi School: Ichiro Bushi
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Minor Clans
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-badbushi.php
Badger Clan: Minor Clan

Outfit:
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Jiujutsu, Kenjutsu, Wrestling, Yarijutsu, any High skill
Techniques
Rank 1: Because of their tenacity and outright stubbornness, the Badger are feared as opponents in combat
throughout the Empire. They are burly, tough, and capable. There is a proverb in Rokugan: If you
plan to strike a Badger, prepare to accept your own strike.
The Badger rolls first for initiative and then may subtract as many points as desired to a minimum
initiative result of one. The amount subtracted may be added to all to hit rolls in the round.
Rank 2: As Badger samurai learn to adapt to their native mountains, they often practice feats of tremendous
strength. As games, the Badger test their ability to lift and throw, often hurling large trees or small
boulders as part of a bet or a gambling match.
The bushi may reroll any strength roll (even one that succeeded) to get a better result. Once rolled,
however, the second roll must be accepted
Rank 3: Armor? Armor is weak compared to the stone of the mountains, and the Badger know well that a
truly crushing blow cannot be turned aside by mere flaps of metal and silken cord. When the
Badger strikes, either with their hand or with a weapon, armor provides no TN protection versus
the bushi's attack.
Badger Shugenja: Ichiro Shugenja

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-badshug.php
Note: The Ichiro dislike magic in general. As a result, most members of the Ichiro family are reluctant to
follow the path of a shugenja, even if they have the natural ability. How can a man truly test his
strength if he has aid from the kami? For those determined to follow this path, however, there are
several options. Most choose to study with the Unicorn at the Iuchi School. Others follow the
mountains and study with the Dragons at the Agasha School. A very few drift towards the Crane
and the quiet Asahina School. All Badger shugenja must take the Refused by the Clan
Disadvantage
Shugenja
145
Chuda Shugenja School: Chuda Shugenja
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-chshug.php
Snake Clan (DESTROYED): Minor Clan

Outfit: None given - Use True Ronin
Skills: Bard, Calligraphy, Investigation, Kenjutsu, Lore: Maho, Meditation, any 1 Low skill
Note: Although the Snake have been destroyed, some of their teachings and a few of their students may
still remain in the Empire. Those who study the magic and skills of the Snake must be warned: To
do so is to invite the spirit of the Shuten Doji to enter your life and eventually, to destroy you.
This is an excellent school for NPC maho shugenja, and possibly for PCs under their GM's
guidance. However, even though the Snake teachings remain alive, no members of the original
family are known to be still alive. Thus, no one would publicly claim to be of the Chuda. To do so
would be to invite certain death at the hands of the Phoenix Elemental Masters.
All members of the Chuda Shugenja School are considered to have the Compulsion (Study Maho)
Disadvantage for no points. All members of the Chuda school should be considered True Ronin,
and have the penalties and outfit thus appropriate
Shugenja
Heichi Bushi School: Heichi Bushi

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-heichi.php
Boar Clan (DESTROYED): Minor Clan

Outfit:
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Mai Chong, Lore: Twilight Mountains, Yarijutsu, any 1 Bugei skill
Techniques
All Heichi Techniques must be performed with the Mai Chong, and are not available when using any other weapon
Rank 1: When using the Mai Chong, the bushi may strike a number of adjacent opponents (within reach of
the Mai Chong, 5') equal to half of his Mai Chong skill, rounding up. Only one roll is made to
strike all of the opponents. That roll is made against a TN equal to that of the opponent with the
highest TN plus 5 for each additional opponent. If this roll is successful, the damage for the single
strike is divided equally among opponents thus struck (rounding all fractions down). The bushi
must declare a Full Attack for the round in which he wishes to use this Technique.
Rank 2: At this point, the Heichi bushi has trained with his weapon on the steepest slopes of the Twilight
Mountains, learning the advantage in challenging an opponent's footing and balance. His Mai
Chong has become more than a simple spear in his hands, and the devastating potential of the rear-
pointed hook can be unleased. When he has successfully used his Mai Chong in an attack (once
damage has been calculated and applied), the bushi and his opponent must roll an Opposed
Strength test. If the bushi wins the test, his opponent is entangled in the Mai Chong's hook and
automatically acts last the following round
Rank 3: At this rank, the Boar Clan bushi has so mastered the length and advantage of their Mai Chong that
they may declare a Full Defense, and still receive a single, unmodified attack on one opponent in
the same round. This secondary attack may not receive any bonuses, additions, or follow-up
benefits of any kind
146
Falcon Bushi School: Falcon Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-fabushi.php
Falcon Clan: Minor Clan

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) daisho, naginata, kimono, traveling pack, diary paper and stylus
Skills: Falconry, Hunting, Lore: Yorei, Meditation, Yarijutsu, another level of Falconry or Hunting
Techniques
Rank 1: Above all things the Falcon prize awareness of the world around them. At each school Rank this
ability improves. Throughout their training, Falcons constantly focus upon meditations to expand
their senses. This Technique grants the bushi a +1 per school Rank bonus to the total of any rolls
involving Awareness. Furthermore, the bushi may substitute Awareness for any roll that calls for
Perception
Rank 2: When the bushi advances to this Rank, he gains the understanding of the falcon's movements in the
skies. The way that the predator chooses its prey become instinctive within the bushi as well. The
Falcon bushi gains two strikes per round, in imitation of the Falcon's instinctive assault
Rank 3: Finally, the bushi learns the secrets and way of the Falcon. At this rank, the bushi may spend a
Void point to make an Awareness roll against his opponents. The TN of this roll is (highest
opposing school Rank + number of opponents) x 5. If successful, the Falcon may make up to three
attacks during the combat round. Void points spent for this ability do not allow for the rolling of a
Void die
Eyes of the Eagle:A Falcon’s training emphasizes the study of unusual conditions, strange occurrences and
‘hunches’. A bushi who has spent his life understanding such training gains a benefit from
their devotion (rather than the customary family trait bonus).
As Toritaka’s awareness increases, they gain the following additional benefits:
Awareness 3 If a hidden creature or person in the Falcon’s normal field of vision moves, the Toritaka will
immediately notice.
Awareness 4 The bushi no longer relies solely on his eyes. Darkness and blinding do not affect a Falcon
bushi’s Target Numbers to hit and defend.
Awareness 5 The Falcon’s mastery of sensing is so great that the bushi cannot be surprised.
Kitsune Shugenja School: Kitsune Shugenja

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-kitsune.php
Fox Clan: Minor Clan

Outfit:
Skills: Calligraphy, Defense, Herbalism, Hunting, Kenjutsu, Meditation, any Bugei skill
Note: Kitsune shugenja get a Free Raise for all Earth spells.
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Earth 3 from core or clan book Water 1 from core or clan book
147
Mantis Bushi School: Mantis Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-mantis.php
Benefit: +1 Agility Glory: 0 + 5 boxes Honor: 1 + 0 boxes

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) Any one weapon (no swords, bows, or daggers), light armor,
helm, traveling pack, kimono, 3 koku
Skills: Athletics, Battle, Commerce, Defense, Kenjutsu, Sailing, any 1 Bugei skill
Note: The Mantis pride themselves on their seamanship and their unpredictability, as well as their long-
standing tradition of mercenary gain and being swords-for-hire. They do, however, have a code of
honor: once a job has been accepted, it will have completed, and all aspects of the contract will be
fulfilled. This keeps them from being seen as mere ronin, or being destroyed as a matter of course
by their employers. Once a Mantis has been paid for, he has been permanently bought. No
questions asked
Techniques
The Mantis are the only Minor Clan with even four techniques in their school; a fact that they prize highly. They guard
the secret of this fourth technique with their lives, and have sworn not to teach it to anyone that was not born of their
clan.
The fifth technique is only available with GM approval as it only exists in certain timelines. (Time of Void 106)
Rank 1: The origins of the Mantis are noble, but their lives have been spent mixed with the simple heimin
of the Islands of Silk. Because of this heritage, Mantis Clan members have a great familiarity with
improvise, unusual, or "peasant" weapons, such as the tonfa, nunchaku, or kama. Mantis bushi may
use any Low Weapon Skill as if it were a High Skill. In addition, mantis bushi fight with any
weapons they do not have a Skill Rank in as if they have a Skill Rank of 1. This is not a substitute
for regular Skill Ranks, and all weapons skills must be purchased as normal. Also, Mantis bushi
train for years on the unstable footing of the Silk Islands and the rolling boats of the Mantis fleets.
This training allows Mantis bushi to ignore any penalties for unsure footing and imbalance during
combat
Rank 2: Mantis live knowing that they are the true heirs to the strength of Osano-Wo. Using the storm
within their souls, they fuel their ferocity against an opponent. The Mantis bushi may spend a Void
point when declaring a Full Attack, so that the bushi's TN to be hit stays at its normal level and is
not reduced due to the Full Attack.
Rank 3: Long ago, it is said that the son of Osano-Wo, Kametsu-uo, learned a style of fighting from a
traveling Dragon monk. If the bushi has a medium or smaller sized weapon in each hand, he rolls
initiative separately for each, and gets an attack with each weapon every round. If the character is
already ambidextrous, he may use the higher initiative for both weapons
Rank 4: The bushi masters of the Mantis Clan have developed a weaving and dodging style of fighting that
is perfectly suited to the rolling waves of Rokugan's wide oceans. This movement is hypnotizingly
slow and unpredictable, and causes the Mantis to be more difficult to hit. While making a normal
attack, the Mantis bushi's normal TN to be hit is increased by the bushi's Water Ring x5. It is said
that the newest Mantis daimyo, Yoritomo, created this technique on his own, and has taught it to
his followers.
Rank 5: Masters of the Mantis Bushi school are capable of a savage double overhand strike. While using -
two weapons of medium or smaller size, the Mantis may make a single attack with both against an
opponent. The attacker chooses which weapon he wishes to lead the strike with; the DR of the
attack is the weapon’s DR + 1k1. In addition, the attacker gains a number of free raises on this
attack equal to his Water. Multiple attacks cannot be performed while using this technique.
148
Moshi Bushi: Moshi Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-mobushi.php
Centipede Clan: Minor Clan
Benefit: Honor: 1 + 3 boxes

Note: No bushi school exists in Centipede lands. Most family bushi travel elsewhere to receive their
training - usually to the Shiba School of the Phoenix. Those who don't generally apprentice
themselves to a family member, or to some trusted ronin who has served the Centipede for a long
time. Such samurai are considered True Ronin for rules purposes, save that they lack the Social
Disadvantage: Ronin Disadvantage and all items in their beginning outfit are considered average
quality. Centipede bushi start with an Honor of 1 + 3 boxes, regardless of where they receive their
training
Moshi Shugenja School: Moshi Shugenja

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-moshug.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) wakizashi, tango, scroll satchel, kimono, traveling pack, first aid kit
Skills: Athletics, Calligraphy, History, Meditation, Shintao, Theology, any High skill
Note: Moshi may gain a free raise in either Fire or Air, this cannot be changed and will be considered
their primary element.
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Fire 3 from core or clan book Air 3 from core or clan book
149
Suzume Bushi School: Suzume Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-suzbush.php
Sparrow Clan: Minor Clan

Outfit: (All items are of poor quality, 1 average) katana, wakizashi, kimono, traveling pack, helm, 0 koku
Skills: Bard, Calligraphy, History, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, any Lore skill, any High skill
Techniques
Rank 1: At this Rank, the Sparrow has learned to focus their legendary patience, even in the heat of combat.
At the beginning of the round, a Sparrow may voluntarily lower his own initiative to raise his TN
to be hit by an equal amount. He may not use this Technique while making a Full Attack. Also, at
this Rank, and every Rank afterward, the Sparrow receives a Free Raise on a single Lore skill of
his choice. Once this skill is chosen, it may not be changed, though the Sparrow may choose a
different Lore skill every time he increases in Rank
Rank 2: The Sparrow who has attained this level of skill wields an aura of purity as dangerous as any
weapon. Any human opponent with lower Honor rolls one fewer die when attacking the Sparrow
Rank 3: The Suzume has now become a walking storehouse of information, and knows how to exploit his
knowledge. If the Sparrow has a Lore skill that pertains to his opponent, he may make two attacks
per round.
This technique demands very specific knowledge. For example, against a Matsu Bushi, Lore: Lion
Clan or Lore: Matsu Family are acceptable, but Lore: Samurai is not. Against an oni, Lore: Oni
will Suffice, but Lore: Shadowlands is simply too vague. Attaining levels of skill beyond 1 in a
particular Lore provides no additional benefits
Tonbo Bushi: Tonbo Bushi

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-tonbush.php
Dragonfly Clan: Minor Clan
Benefit: Honor: 1 + 5 boxes

Note: The Dragonfly have no formal bushi school. After his father's death, Tonbo Kyuden disbanded the
school to symbolically end the bloodshed that plagued the clan's birth.
However, the Dragonfly do have bushi. Dragonfly samurai may choose to study either at the
Mirumoto or Shiba bushi schools. Unofficially, however, the clan prefers that their bushi study
with the Shiba
Tonbo Shugenja School: Tonbo Shugenja

http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-tonshug.php

Outfit: (All items are of average quality) wakizashi, tanto, kimono, traveling pack, scroll satchel, 1 koku
Skills: Calligraphy, Etiquette, Meditation, Shintao, Theology, any 2 High skills
Note: Tonbo shugenja get a Free Raise for all Water spells
Shugenja
Beginning Spells
Water 3 from core or clan book Earth or Fire 1 from core or clan book
150
Tortoise Bushi School: Tortoise Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-torbush.php
Tortoise Clan: Minor Clan

Outfit:
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hand-to-Hand, Nofujutsu, any 3 Merchant/Low skills
Note: There are a few things to remember when making a Tortoise bushi (paraphrased from the Way of
the Minor Clans)
The Tortoise may purchase Merchant and Low skills without normal restrictions. The Tortoise are
not liked; their Glory is considered one full Rank lower for all purposes. They gain the Bad
Reputation Disadvantage for the purpose of interaction with all non-Tortoise. This stigma may be
overcome through time and diligent role-play, but will never be completely forgotten, even in the
eyes of one's traveling companions
Techniques
Rank 1: All Tortoise have learned from their heimin and hinin allies. At the time of their creation, all
Tortoise characters choose one peasant weapon as their primary armament. When attacking with
this weapon, they roll and keep an additional number of dice equal to their school Rank.
Rank 2: Tortoise samurai understand that honor must sometimes be sacrificed along the path to
enlightenment. As of this Rank, the Tortoise may give up a number of Honor boxes equal to their
school Rank. For each Honor point sacrificed, he gains one die (rolled, not kept) for one action
with any single non-High Skill. These extra dice must be used immediately
Rank 3: Though most other samurai resent it, all know that the Tortoise have the Emperor's blessing, and
are careful about attacking them. Their own devotion to the Emperor (their Honor) prevents them
from raising their blade against a Tortoise without the consent of their lord (the Emperor). When
the Tortoise is attacked by a non-Tortoise without the express permission of the Emperor, his
opponent must add his own Honor x5 to the Tortoise's TN to be hit. This modifier can be overcome
if the opponent sacrifices an action and succeeds in an Honor test vs. a TN of the Tortoise's Glory
x5. The roll to overcome the modifier may only be made once per attack on the Tortoise. Success
with such an Honor test removes the modifier to the Tortoise's TN to be hit for the remainder of the
combat
151
Usagi Bushi School: Usagi Bushi
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-ubushi.php
Hare Clan (DESTROYED): Minor Clan

Outfit:
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Kenjutsu, Jiujutsu, Hunting, Lore: Maho, any 1 High/Bugei Skill
Note: Students who wish to begin play with the Hare bushi school must have once been Hare samurai,
and automatically gain the Social Disadvantage: Ronin and Sworn Enemy (Kolat) Disadvantages,
for no points
Techniques
Rank 1: At this Rank, the bushi begins to incorporate astounding feats of agility and athletics into his
normal combat routine. Any maneuver that requires a leap or jump has its TN reduced by 10. The
Hare could use this Technique to leap into a fray and lower the TN of his first attack, but such a
daring maneuver would certainly be considered a Full Attack. Once close combat has been joined
this Technique is difficult to use offensively unless the local terrain is very uneven, allowing for
jumping and capering about. If the character uses this Technique when going on Full Defense
(leaping and cartwheeling frantically), they may add an additional +5 to their TN to be hit
Rank 2: The Hare bushi who has attained this level of skill now possesses the quick wits and swift reflexes
of the animal from which his clan takes their name. The bushi need not declare his intended action
in a round until all other combatants have declared theirs (if multiple Hares are in the same combat,
resolve among them as normal).
Rank 3: The Hare that has attained this Rank learns the Usagi's most bizarre but powerful technique. He
gains an additional attack every round, but this attack must be an unarmed punch or kick.
Optionally, the character may declare a "Hop." The hop requires the bushi to kick an opponent,
making one raise. If successful, the bushi performs a snap kick (normal damage) and springs off of
his opponent into the air. The character may then immediately perform his second attack, during
which he may use his Rank 1 Technique without necessarily declaring a Full Attack. If the hop is
successful, this second attack may be directed at any opponent within six feet, or even at the
opponent who was originally kicked.
152
Wasp Bushi School: Wasp Bounty Hunters
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/school-wabushi.php
Wasp Clan: Minor Clan

Outfit: (All items are of average quality, fine bow) bow, arrows (20 of each type), any 1 weapon, light
armor, traveling pack, traveling papers, one region, kimono, mon of the Emerald Champion, 2
koku
Skills: Archery 2, Defense, Fletchery, Hunting, Stealth, Lore: Area Knowledge
Techniques
Rank 1: The first lesson the archer learns is to trust his instincts. Whenever firing an arrow, he gains a
number of Free Raises equal to his school Rank. Each Rank, including this one, extends archer
range by 50'
Rank 2: Now moving beyond instinct, the archer may make a number of attacks when firing a bow equal to
his School Rank
Rank 3: Finally, the archer and arrow become one. The archer no longer needs to roll to hit when firing his
bow, but hits automatically. No Raises of any kind may be applied to this attack. The Wasp archer
amy only use this Technique for one attack per turn
Toturi’s Army: Ronin Brotherhood

Type Otokodate (5 points)
Requirements
Traits: Water 3
Skills Battle 3, one weapon skill at 3
Other: Must have Honor of at least 2.0
Skills: Archery 2, Defense, Fletchery, Hunting, Stealth, Lore: Area Knowledge
School Location: Mobile
Techniques
Rank 1: Toturi’s Army teaches its members to be calm and prepared at all times, keeping one’s anger in
check as a weapon to be used at the proper moment. Whenever the bushi spends Void Points on an
action, he may add his Water x2 to the total roll.
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Brotherhood of Shinsei
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of Shinsei 52-54
Monk School Archetypes

Outfit: Kimono, traveling pack, 1 koku, 1 peasant weapon
The Four Temples

The temples that surround Kyuden Seppun are the heart of the Empire’s religion. The shinpu of these temples believe
that enlightenment cannot be gained by separating oneself from the world, but only by going forth and living in it. These
monks frequently serve as advisors, especially to generals or other military figures. This archetype works well for other
temples that associate regularly with the outside
Benefit: Roll an extra die when using any High Skills Honor: 2 + 5 boxes
Skills: Courtier, Etiquette, Hand-to-Hand, Meditation, Shintao, Zanji, and one Skill
Temples of the Seven Fortunes

The Seven Fortunes have countless temples throughout Rokugan. The monks that serve these greater deities believe that
the truest strength comes not from the Fortunes, but from wisdom. The Fortunes are not meant to coddle mankind, but
help mortals in their quest for wisdom. As a result, these monks are among the most educated individuals in Rokugan.
These monks believe that only through the refinement and cultivation of the mind can true enlightenment be gained.
This archetype works well for any temple with a high concentration on learning and internal dialogue.
Benefit: Begin with an additional kiho Honor: 2 + 5 boxes
Skills: Atemi, Hand-to-Hand, history, Meditation, Shintao, any Lore skill, any High Skill
The Fortunes:
Benten Fortune of Love Bishamon Fortune of Strength Daikoku Fortune of Wealth
Ebisu Fortune of Honest Work Fukurokujin Fortune of Wisdom Hotei Fortune of Contentment
Jurojin Fortune of Longevity
Shrine of the Seven Thunders

The yamabushi of the Shrine of the Seven Thunders are extremely reclusive, rarely venturing from their mountain
retreat. These monks believe that enlightenment can only be found in solitude, in peace, and in quiet contemplation.
These monks occasionally venture down from the mountains to visit the world from which they have separated
themselves. Many are intrigued by the variety of the outside world, or challenged by the prospect of bringing
enlightenment to the Empire. These individuals may remain outside the temple’s boundaries indefinitely. These monks
tend to be clumsy and uncertain in manner of etiquette, but their honor is unquestionable. This archetype works well for
any reclusive temple focused on solitary meditation. (Note: Though the Elemental Acolytes are all given their titles by
this temple, they need not have begun their training here)
Benefit: Choose to focus on one element, choosing all of his starting Honor: 3 + 5 boxes
kiho from that element. If he does so, his Mastery Level in the
corresponding Ring is considered to be 1 higher than normal.
Skills: Fasting, Hand-to-Hand, Meditation, Mountaineer, Shintao 2, Zanji
The Thunders:
Crab Hida Atarasi Lion Matsu Scorpion Shosuro
Crane Doji Konishiko Phoenix Isawa Unicorn Otaku
Dragon Mirumoto
154
Temple of Osano-Wo
The Temple of Osanao-Wo is known as the birthplace of the sohei, warrior monks as fearsome as any bushi. The sohei
are normally peaceful, but retaliate violently against any blasphemy or unwarranted incursion into their territory. These
monks are relentless, resourceful, and reliable. They can be terrible foes or powerful allies. Any temple with an emphasis
on martial arts and weapons training will work well with this school archetype.
Benefit: Keep an additional die of damage on all Hand-to-Hand attacks Honor: 1 + 5 boxes
(This is cumulative with Stone Hands, if that Advantage is taken)
Skills: Battle, Meditation, Shintao, two Bugei Skills, any Hand-to-Hand skill 2
Temple of Kaimetsu-uo
The three Temples of Kaimetsu-uo follow an amended Path of Purification. Instead of being prohibited from violence,
monks of Kaimetsu-uo are not allowed to initiate violence, but may react defensively. Many monks never see a fight,
preferring to remain cloistered and practice their martial arts. In addition, monks are prohibited from exhibitionism (both
bragging and showing off), and many eschew weapons (although the Temple’s rules do not prohibit them). The rest of
the monastic charter remains in effect.
Benefit: Receive the Bland Advantage Honor: 2 + 5 boxes
Skills: Defense, Fasting, Hand-to-Hand (Kaze-do), Meditation, Shintao, any one Skill
Striking as Fire: Kata

School: Any Reuse Time: 10 minutes Minimum Rank: 1 XP Cost: 2

Other: None
Effect: One of the first kata any bushi learns, this is simple, short, and adaptable to any weapon or empty hands.
Schools that prize speed over power teach this right away as an exercise, improving the accuracy and
repetition of a student’s strike. While focusing on Striking as Fire, the bushi may raise his initiative roll
by 2, rolls one extra die when rolling to hit, and rolls one fewer die when determining damage.
Striking as Water: Kata

School: Any Reuse Time: 10 minutes Minimum Rank: 1 XP Cost: 2

Other: This kata can be used with a blunt weapon or bare hands
Effect: Focusing on pure strength over more subtle moves in combat, the Striking as Water kata brings to bear
the power of Water in the bushi’s chi, sacrificing all else for the pure ability to inflict damage. Given the
nature of this kata, however, bladed weapons (such as katana) do not benefit from this as effectively,
thus negating the kata’s benefits. When under the effects of Striking as Water kata, the bushi gains two
additional dice for damage, but his initiative rolls are reduced by 2 and he rolls one fewer die when
attempting to hit a target.
155
156
Character Options: Skills
All skills reprinted w/out permission from the main source book and supplements to the L5R
RPG (1st edition, now out of print)
http://laeren.net/rpg/l5r/ref/skills.php
High Skills
Acting Heraldry Lore: Rokugani Political Maneuvering
Artisan Skills History Civilization Puppeteering
Astrology Horsemanship Manipulation Research
Astronomy Hunting Medicine Rokugani Language
Bard Ichi Miru Meditation Sadane
Calligraphy Investigation Mountaineering Sensei
Cipher Kagaku Music Shintao
Conversation Law Nagash Sincerity
Courtier Lore Nazodo Spellcraft
Dance Lore: Ancestors Omens Tea Ceremony
Diplomacy Lore: Festivals & Oratory/Rhetoric Theology
Divination Ceremonies Origami Tropical Fish
Etiquette Lore: Ghosts Painting Tsangusuri
Falconry Lore: Literature Pearl Carving
Fasting Lore: Naga Poetry
Acting Characters with this skill have training in theater. There are two kinds of theater in
Awareness Rokugan: Kabuki theater and Noh theater. Kabuki theater is flamboyant and full of
(L5R RPG) action and color. It is "samurai" theater, telling the great and tragic tales of lords from
the past. Noh theater is not Kabuki theater; it is quiet and subtle, with light music and
little movement against a black backdrop. Characters must choose which form of
theater they are trained in. Most characters will probably be more interested in
Kabuki theater.
Characters with the Acting skill gain the ability to disguise themselves (ninja often
use Acting to disguise themselves as geisha). Characters with Acting can convince
others that they are not of the same caste, profession or even gender. Using Acting in
the manner is usually a simple Awareness + Acting roll with the TN being another
character's Perception x5. If the character has to actively engage in conversation
while in disguise, the simple roll becomes a contested roll
Artisan Skills Acrobatics, Dancing, Ikebana, Jester, Music, Noh/Kabuki, Origami, Painting, Poetry,
Varies Storytelling
(Way of the Crane) These skills are designed to be used by Kakita artisans with their maya abilities.
However, it is not unreasonable for any character to have working knowledge of an
art. These skills grant the knowledge of how to perform the ability, including basic
knowledge of things associated with it. For example, a character with the Origami
skill might have knowledge of papermaking, and a character with the Noh skill
would have knowledge of theatrical literature, makeup techniques, and costume
making. These artistic knowledges are not designed to grant complete competency in
all their related fields, but rather to give a working comprehension of those areas
157
Astrology This is the skill of identifying heavenly bodies and patterns, such as stars and
Intelligence constellations. It allows a shugenja to determine what astrological omens are
(Way of the Crane) currently in effect and what their connotations are. This skill can be used for simple
divinations about the future, and for determining the appropriate time for the creation
of certain items and fetishes. Also, it can be used to identify certain character traits
according to the day, date, and year of someone's birth, and to predict certain future
events or omens. If a character wishes to use Astrology as a divination tool, their TN
is 15, and the GM should give them a general view of events in the future, simply
supplying a list of adjectives such as "pleasant, peaceful, and uneventful," or
"dangerous, death is in the future."
Astronomy This skill is derived from the Naga's attentive love of the Celestial Heavens. All
Perception Naga are raised to respect the stars in the night sky as distant cousins, who are
(Way of the Naga) always watching from their divine plane far above. They are also thought to be part
of the Akasha, observing each Naga's spiritual progress towards Atman.
Thus, watching the skies has become as much a pleasurable pastime as a source of
religious verification to the Naga. Entire branches of scholarly thought are devoted to
interpreting the myriad things seen in the heavens, and the most advanced methods
available are applied to the effort. These include such devices as rudimentary lenses
(mainly imported from the wastes beyond the Ivory Kingdoms), near-precise maps,
and pincer-like measuring devices.
Note that this skill differs from Astrology in that it is a direct source and application
of information first, and interpretation of such second. Astrology deals primarily
with discerning omens and divining the future, while Astronomy is principally
concerned with documenting the paths and patterns of the stars and planets visible by
the Naga. Astronomy is by far the more literal and fact-based of the two skills, and
less prone to subjective opinion. This reduces its appeal to most "classically-minded"
Rokugani.
Bard This is the skill of telling a story well. Storytelling in Rokugan is an ancient tradition.
Awareness Every lord has a bard in his court, telling tales of samurai of long ago
(L5R RPG)
Calligraphy Calligraphy, or shogaku, is the art of writing in the ancient language that was given
Perception to man by the Fortunes. A character with Calligraphy can read and transcribe the
(L5R RPG) ancient scrolls in the shugenja libraries.
Cipher This advanced form of Calligraphy allows the encryption or decoding of written
Intelligence information. The Asako use an even more developed version of this to keep their
(Way of the Phoenix) texts from being read by outsiders. Magical and sensitive knowledge is often coded
in this manner for this reason. In game terms, an Intelligence + Cipher roll is made
secretly by the GM whenever a player with the skill tries to encode something. Later,
when someone with the same skill tries to decode it, they are rolling their
Intelligence + Cipher vs. the original total. Calligraphy will not permit the decoding
of ciphered material
Conversation The ability to find, and lead conversations towards, interesting yet inoffensive topics.
For instance, getting a band of grumpy Crab Bushi talking about which types of
(Way of the Minor Clans) armor is the best, instead of getting violent
158
Courtier A character skilled in being a courtier knows all the ins and outs of court life. He is
Awareness aware of who is making the power plays, who is in debt, and who pulls the strings
(L5R RPG)
Dance There are two styles of dancing in Rokugan: court dancing and folk dancing. Court
Agility dances are performed almost exclusively by women. Folk dancing is performed by
(L5R RPG) the peasant folk, both men and women alike.
Diplomacy A trademark of the Miya, this skill focuses upon solving disputes quickly and
Awareness amicably. The diplomat immediately places himself at the center of a dispute as a
(Kyuden Kakita) neutral party, hoping to make some sort of compromise. If one or more sides do not
wish for assistance, the diplomat may make an opposed Awareness + Diplomacy roll
against the Willpower of the main representative of each unwilling party
(particularly bitter foes may roll extra dice to contest this, at the GM's discretion). If
the diplomat's roll is higher than the rolls of all unwilling parties, then some form of
common ground has been found upon which to build diplomatic discussions. If the
first opposed roll fails, then the diplomat may make no further attempts to resolve the
matter until something significant changes in the conflict (GM's discretion as to what
constitutes a significant change). A series of successful opposed rolls combined with
good role-playing will eventually bring the conflict to a peaceful resolution
Divination Using certain tools, this skill allows the character to catch a brief glimpse into the
Void future. The foresight is not a mental picture of any kind, simply an answer given by
(Way of the Shinsei) the tools. The character must spend one hour in meditation and ritual for the
divination, at the end of which he may ask the GM one question. The question
cannot pertain to any event beyond one week ahead per the character's rank in this
skill. The GM then assigns a TN according to the difficulty or importance of the
question, and makes the roll for the character in secret. Failure means either an
unreadable answer or (in the case of missing the TN by more than 15) a completely
false answer
Etiquette This is the skill of knowing what to say and how to say it. A character with Etiquette
Intelligence is confident in his social skills, and never makes mistakes in front of the wrong
(L5R RPG) people. This is a very important skill for those who wish to spend time at court, for
the court of Rokugan is very formal. Demonstrating a lack of concern for etiquette
demonstrates a person of low character.
159
Falconry Falconers have the ability to train and care for all birds of prey - hawks, falcons, and
Awareness osprey. In order to train a bird of prey to respond to command, the falconer must
(Kyuden Seppun) spend upwards of 20 hours a week with the bird, all the while wearing a heavy
leather cloth on the hand to protect it from the strong claws of the bird. It can take
months to train a single bird, depending on the trainer and the bird. A master falconer
can train a bird in five weeks, while a beginner may need four months. Once the
falcon is trained, it responds to verbal commands and gestures, usually in the forms
of a single word or hand signal or show of colored cloth or ribbon.
The base time to train a falcon is two months, at 12 hours per week. if the time is
exceeded by 8 hours per week, or by one month, the falconer earns a free raise
against the final training check. For each week short of the two months that is spent
in training, the TN is raised by 5. No less than 10 hours a week can be spent to train a
bird of prey. A TN of 20 is rolled each week to see if the time spent was valuable. If
not, the week is lost and the trainer must extend the training time by another week.
When the training is completed, the falconer rolls a contested roll against the bird's
Intelligence. Success finds the falcon loyal, with each raise increasing the level of
difficulty in commands that the falcon understands. Failure results in the animal's
escape
Fasting Those who are more religiously incline than the average Rokugani occasionally
Willpower observe holy days and festivals by fasting. Characters with this skill are able to fight
(Way of the Shinsei) off the effects of starvation for a total number of days equal to their Stamina Each
day past this limit, the character must check Willpower + Fasting at a TN of 10 times
the number of days he has fasted. Failure means the character must eat something
soon or pass out from starvation
Heraldry A character with Heraldry has studied the banners and sigils of the Clans and
Perception Families. With a simple Perception + Heraldry roll vs. a TN of 20, a character can
(L5R RPG) know one of four things about a person when viewing their banner: 1) their name; 2)
their Clan and Family; 3) their Honor Rank; and 4) their Glory Rank. With every
raise, the herald can know an additional fact from viewing the banner
History This character has studied history and is familiar with all the pertinent events that
Intelligence have led up to the current political situation
(L5R RPG)
Horsemanship Samurai are master horsemen. A character who has Horsemanship knows how to
Varies ride a horse, how to fight from horseback, and how to shoot a bow from horseback
(L5R RPG) (this was amended in the Way of the Unicorn; see Horse Archery).
Hunting A character with Hunting is skilled in all manner of outdoor skills. He knows some
Perception falconry, how to track, how to make a fire, set up camp, etc.
(L5R RPG)
Ichi Miru Ichi Miru ("first look") is the art of observation. A character with this skill can glean
Perception information from another character through observation (what modern shysters call a
(Way of the Dragon) "cold read"). From observing the character's actions and behavior, he can determine
Kitsuki only nature, disposition, temperament, habits, and mannerisms
160
Investigation When on a crime scene, this character (with Perception) knows where to look for
Varies clues, how to put disparate facts together (Intelligence) and (using Awareness) how
(L5R RPG) to interrogate suspects
Kagaku Kagaku is the practical application of nazo bubun no Agasha. It is the study of
Intelligence elemental observation, experimentation and reaction. Characters with this skill are
(Way of the Dragon) knowledgeable in the cause and effect of chemical reactions and will be able to
Agasha & Kitsuki only create items and effects.
Law This character is familiar with the inner workings of Rokugan's legal system. He may
Intelligence argue cases with magistrates, defend or prosecute the accused and write up legal
(L5R RPG) documents.
Lore There is much to be learned about a variety of subjects, and this skill is the general
Intelligence knowledge of those subjects. A character may specialize on any subject, but
(L5R RPG) Shugenja Lore and Shadowlands Lore are among the most popular in Rokugan at
this time
Lore: Ancestors In the Lion Clan, those who have come and gone, fought and fallen, are held in the
Intelligence utmost reverence. Even those who failed in their duty to the clan are remembered, if
(Way of the Lion) only to be learned from. Thus, it is considered honorable to know as much about
one's ancestors, and the ancestors of your neighbors, as possible
Lore: Festivals & This skill provides a detailed knowledge of Rokugani festivals, the days upon which
Ceremonies they occur, and how they are celebrated. A successful skill roll provides knowledge
Intelligence of the appropriate rituals and ceremonies involved with a particular festival,
(Kyuden Kakita) superstitions and taboos, and what rewards are commonly bestowed for important
contests and competitions
Lore: Ghosts A master of ghost lore has detailed knowledge of gaki, yokai, yurei, ubume, and
Intelligence other varieties of potentially malevolent haunting spirits. This skill provides only the
(Kyuden Kakita) most basic awareness of shiryo and oni, mostly in how they relate to ghosts.
Characters with this skill are particularly adept at telling good ghost stories
Lore: Literature This skill does not provide any talent for writing. It does, however, provide an
Intelligence extensive knowledge of famous poets, authors, playwrights, and their respective
(Kyuden Kakita) works. This skill may be used to remember a particular piece of written work, or
simply to cite a clever quote for the amusement of the court. This skill provides an
awareness of Rokugani literary traditions and conventions, which is always a boon in
a land as steeped in tradition as Rokugan. When combined with Calligraphy and
Rhetoric or Poetry, a character can compose letters that are works of art unto
themselves
Lore: Naga Naga Civilization, Naga Myth, Naga Ruins, Naga Religion, Pearl Magic
Intelligence There are several fields of knowledge not commonly available to Rokugani that
(Way of the Naga) Naga may be familiar with at the start of the game. All rules for standard Lore skills
apply to these specializations.
Rokugani may learn these skills, but are required to pay twice the normal cost (in
character or experience points).
161
Lore: Rokugani This skill is required for Naga (or any foreign character) to understand Rokugani and
Civilization their ways. It is used whenever a Naga seeks to puzzle out some aspect of Rokugani
Intelligence culture. The Rokugani need not purchase this skill; for them, it is considered default
(Way of the Naga)
Manipulation Manipulation is the art of using psychology and character interpretation in order to
Awareness predict someone's actions. It can be used to determine wants, needs and desires, and
(Way of the Crane) can also tell the character how to fulfill them. As with many other Awareness-based
skills, conversation is required for this skill
Medicine This character is familiar with the medical practices of Rokugan. He may treat
Intelligence diseases and cure wounds to make certain that they don't become infected. He is
(L5R RPG) familiar with massage techniques (used to center energies) and acupuncture
Meditation A character with the Meditation (Za-zen) skill can make a simple Void + Meditation
Void roll vs. a TN of 20 to gain back all his spent Void Points. Meditation requires
(L5R RPG) complete, undisturbed silence for one hour to complete
Mountaineering A character with Mountaineering is skilled at climbing mountains, knows how to

Varies forage for food in rocky terrains and has a basic knowledge of mountain passes and
(Way of the Dragon) the like. This is considered a High skill for samurai-caste characters, and a Low skill
for heimin and himin
Music This is the skill of playing musical instruments. For every Rank taken in this skill, a
Varies character may learn another musical instrument. The biwa is a wide bodied flute; the
(L5R RPG) fue is a very popular long, bamboo flute; a hichiriki is a double reeded flute, not
unlike an oboe; a koto is the Japanese zither; a sanisen is the lute/banjo instrument;
and san-ko are the three drums.
While playing an instrument is a demand on the character's manual dexterity
(Agility), it is also a demand on his sense of tempo, pitch, and harmony (Awareness).
When a character plays an instrument, he must use the lower of those two Traits
Nagash Naga do not begin with the skill to speak Rokugani, and must purchase Rokugani
Intelligence Language to learn the language of the humans. But all Naga can speak Nagash, a
(Way of the Naga) combination of sibilant sounds and long, meaningful pauses, coupled with soft
motions of the face.
With a skill of 1 in Nagash, a character may converse with other Naga in simple
words and phrases. With a 3, the Naga is considered fluent in their own language,
and can converse freely. At Rank 5, the Naga has mastered its language, and is
capable of showing off his study and large vocabulary with ease.
Naga begin the game with Rank 3 in this skill, which does not add to their
Discipline. They may purchase Ranks 4 and 5 during character creation or later in
the game at the normal costs.
It is extremely difficult for humans to learn this skill. They must pay twice the
normal cost (whether in character or experience points) to acquire it.
Nazodo This is a special version of the Investigation skill, available only to Dragon
Varies characters. This skill operates exactly as the Investigation skill, but characters with
(Way of the Dragon) Nazodo can also use this skill to solve puzzles, riddles and logic games. Nazodo is
Dragon only also effective when attempting to understand omens, portents, and other natural
conundrums
162
Omens Strangely shaped clouds, shooting stars, odd planetary movements, dreams, and even
Perception sneezes can have profound prophetic meanings in Rokugan. This skill allows the
(Kyuden Kakita) character to identify omens when they occur, and divine their possible meaning.
Omen reading is not a precise science. A dream that seems to foretell of death or
great tragedy may just as easily mean nothing at all. The GM is the final arbiter in
how useful and prophetic the character's omens are. This skill has long been common
among shugenja. Lately, however, many Crane courtiers have begun to practice it,
believing the ability to read the future to be a great way to display wit and cleverness.
The Asahina sigh quietly; their cousins meddle with forces they do not understand.
Meanwhile, the trend continues to grow in popularity
Oratory/Rhetoric character with this skill has training in the art of speechmaking. Oratory - the art of
Perception performing a persuasive speech before an audience - can be used to convince a large
(Way of the Crane) group of people of a certain point of view. Characters with the Voice advantage gain
a free raise when using Oratory. Rhetoric is the ability to write persuasive speeches
for others to recite, and can be used in conjunction with other artisan skills in order to
create a more effective document
Origami This is the art of paper-folding, the ability to transform scraps of tissue into cranes,
Agility horses, and other figures. A character skilled in Origami can use tiny creases in the
(Way of the Crab) paper to create a likeness of just about anything. It is primarily practiced in the courts
of Rokugan
Painting This is the art of spontaneous ink painting. Many samurai are skilled in this painting
Intelligence style. It is done briskly and without forethought, relying entirely on intuition and
(L5R RPG) inspiration, much like iaijutsu
Pearl Carving The Naga know how to turn a simple pearl into a work of tremendous beauty. More
Akasha/Dexterity than simply working the pearl with tools and carving knives, the Naga use a series of
(Way of the Naga) prayers and meditations to help the pearl attain the form they desire. This skill works
as the Tea Ceremony does for humans, taking one half hour (and requiring a non-
enchanted pearl). When performing the ceremony, the Naga may invite any other
Naga she wishes to participate. Each participant then enters a ritual trance, touching
the mists of the Akasha and speaking with the spirit of the pearl. The artist carving
the pearl may then make a simple Akasha + Pearl Carving roll; if she is successful,
all Naga involved (up to the performer's skill Rank) regain a single spent Akasha
Point (not to increase their Akasha Points beyond their Akasha Ring).
While humans may learn the basics of this skill, they gain no benefits from its use.
Poetry Haiku is the three-line, 17-syllable style of poetry. This style is very popular with
Awareness samurai for its concise and impromptu nature
(L5R RPG)
163
Political Maneuvering Everyone in the Emperor's court knows that a Crane's heart is an honorable heart.
Intelligence Therefore, to disagree with a Crane (especially if he has logic on his side) is to turn
(Way of the Crane) your back on honor.
With this skill, the Crane can move opponents into the position of disagreement. This
is done through simple conversation, but it must be done in public to gain the best
effect. The Crane uses traps of logic to lead someone toward the Crane's chosen
outcome. If the Crane is successful, their opponent will find that if they disagree,
they appear dishonorable. If they agree, then they must do as the Crane has
suggested.
The Crane rolls his Skill + Intelligence against a TN of his opponent's Awareness x5
(the character gets a free raise if his opponent has the Gullible disadvantage, and is
penalized by 5 if his opponent has the Clear Thinker advantage). If successful, the
Crane's opponent would be acting without honor if they were to disagree with the
supposition, and must perform as the Crane has outlined. On the other hand, if
someone is caught in the verbal trap and refuses to give in to the Crane, they will
lose one point of Honor. This Honor loss may be increased by another point for each
raise the Crane uses on his initial skill roll. This skill will automatically fail if used
against someone with a higher Honor Rank.
Puppeteering This skill provides a mastery of the deft, precise movements required to control the
Reflexes marionettes used in Rokugani puppet shows. It requires practice and patience; many
(Kyuden Kakita) of the finer puppets have fully articulated eyes, fingers, and even eyebrows. No
character with a Rank of less than 3 in this skill should even remotely consider
performing a professional puppet show. This skill has grown very popular in the last
few years, as many samurai patrons find it easier to host a single skilled puppeteer
than an entire troupe of potentially unreliable actors to serve the same purpose. As
such, a skilled puppeteer can nearly name his own wages in Rokugan
Research This skill adds a one-time (per spell researched) -5 TN to a shugenja's researched
Intelligence spell roll, due to having this skill, no matter to what extent the shugenja has mastered
(Way of the Phoenix) it. It also reduces the shugenja's time to research a spell by one week per Rank of
Shugenja only Research, which may not go beneath the one-month minimum research time for any
spell
Rokugani Language One difficulty that all awakening Naga face is learning the language of humans.
Intelligence Humans chitter, where Naga hiss. Humans chirp, where the more civilized tongue
(Way of the Naga) uses long syllables and open vowel sounds.
With a skill of 1 in the Rokugani tongue, a foreigner may converse with Rokugani in
simple words and phrases ("Where are the horses?"). With a 3, the character is fluent
in the Rokugani language, and may converse freely ("Excuse me, honorable Kakita-
sama, but where are the stables located?"). At Rank 5, the character has mastered the
Rokugani language and is capable of showing off his study and huge vocabulary
with ease ("Excuse my interruption, oh exquisite maiden of the lineage of the Kakita
daimyo, but I am in turmoil over the distressing loss of my equine. Could you, with
all eloquence, assist me in locating the magistrate?").
Rokugani start with Rank 3 in this skill, which does not add to their Insight. They
may purchase Ranks 4 and 5 during character creation, or later in the game, at
normal costs.
Naga do not begin with this skill, and must purchase it to speak with humans. It is
extremely difficult for Naga to learn this skill; they must pay twice the normal cost
(in character or experience points) to acquire it
164
Sadane Another popular courtly game, sadane is the art of impromptu criticism. Sadane is
Awareness not a mere insult but rather a biting denouncement of a piece of art, a book, or even
(Kyuden Kakita) the ethics and morality of another person. Sadane is almost always based upon the
legitimate faults of the target. If a person or piece of art is genuinely without fault,
sadane may be impossible. At night during Winter Court, many young courtiers meet
secretly to engage one another in bouts of sadane
Sensei Teaching in itself is an art form; those who wish to do so must learn how. This
Intelligence character may impart knowledge of his own skills or school Techniques to others
(Way of the Shinsei) who are ready to learn them. The GM may dictate how much time this takes, at the
end of which the character with the Sensei skill rolls Intelligence + Sensei at the rank
of the skill or Technique being taught x 10. The roll includes the Intelligence of both
the student and the teacher. The sensei may not teach skills or techniques above his
rank in this skill (i.e., a character who is a rank 3 Sensei may not impart rank 4
Shintao to another).
Shintao This is the study of the Tao of Shinsei, the guiding philosophy of Rokugan. Note: A
Intelligence character cannot have Traits higher than 5 without also having at least a Rank 3 in
(L5R RPG) this skill
Sincerity The nobility of Rokugan do not value honesty, they value sincerity: the ability to
Awareness give the appearance you believe what you are saying. Characters with Sincerity are
(L5R RPG) the most skilled in this respect.
Spellcraft This skill provides the shugenja with enhanced knowledge of magic and the kami. A
Intelligence shugenja with this skill can roll Intelligence + Spellcraft vs. a TN of 20 to sway a
(Way of the Phoenix) kami's view of them from hatred to mere dislike, or neutral to friendly. Further, it can
Shugenja only be used to identify spells being cast in the area, and to understand complexities about
an unfamiliar spell. Lastly, a successful roll of Intelligence + Spellcraft vs. a TN of
20 can determine if a spell has been cast in the area recently, or to identify what spell
has been cast on a person. This skill can be used to identify the residual effects of a
spell that was cast in the recent past (up to 1 hour per Rank of Spellcraft).
Tea Ceremony The tea ceremony is far from simply brewing tea. It is a detailed ritual, designed to
Void free the mind of outside concerns, thus liberating and cleansing it of distracting
(L5R RPG) thoughts. It takes about a half an hour for a character with this skill to perform a
ceremony (a simple Void + Tea Ceremony roll) and all involved (up to the skill
Rank of the performer) will gain back a single spent Void Point.
Theology Characters with this skill are familiar with all the rites and practices of worshipping
Intelligence the many gods of Rokugan. Religious services are highly formal, and improper
(L5R RPG) procedure may draw wrath from the gods... at least, that's what the people of
Rokugan believe
165
Tropical Fish This skill bestows knowledge of the care and maintenance for one particular breed of
Varies rare tropical fish. Koi, fighting fish, weatherfish, lionfish, blowfish, eels, and even
(Kyuden Kakita) small sharks are possible breeds, so long as they are small enough to live in a
samurai's garden pond. Tropical fish are frequently very delicate animals, prone to
shock and strange diseases. The expense of maintaining their health and strange diets
can be phenomenal. A samurai with knowledge of this skill can pass conversation
upon the subject at court. The subject of tropical fish is considered to be a humble
method of bragging about one's wealth, for only a wealthy samurai can afford to own
and maintain such animals. The GM may disallow this skill unless the character is
wealthy enough to afford a proper fish pond
Tsangusuri This is the skill needed for an Asahina shugenja to create the minor, one-use magic
Intelligence talismans (or "fetishes") which are popular among the Crane. Such talismans often
(Way of the Crane) require an amount of time (as much as a week) to be spent finding the appropriate
Asahina shugenja only materials for creation, and a successful use of Astrology must be made (by someone,
not necessarily the creating shugenja) to determine the correct time and day for the
ceremony to be performed. Lastly, the item must be made on a sacred site
appropriate to the item's nature - an ancestral shrine, for example, or on temple
grounds
166
Bugei Skills
Animal Husbandry Defense Kenjutsu Siege
Archery Explosives Know the School Tessen
Athletics Horse Archery Lance Unicorn Archery
Battle Iaijutsu Lore: Maho-Tsukai Weaponsmith
Bujutsu Intimidation Mai Chong Wrestling
Conceal Kemari Obiesaseru Jiujutsu
Animal Husbandry This is the footman's equivalent of the Horsemanship skill. It can be used just like
Varies Horsemanship in all ways but one: it does not allow the character to ride into battle.
(Way of the Unicorn) It can be used to evaluate horses for purchase, treat injured horses, break and train
horses, etc., and while the character can ride a horse just fine to go to the ocean and
back, he or she is as lost as any peasant when it comes to mounted warfare
Archery Characters with Archery (kyujutsu) are practiced in the skill of shooting bows.
Reflexes However, the style of kyujutsu is very spontaneous, relying on instinct rather than
(L5R RPG) aim. "The arrow knows the way" is a common phrase among archers of Rokugan.
Characters use Reflexes + Archery when firing bows
Athletics Running, jumping, lifting and similar physical actions fall under the jurisdiction of
Varies Athletics. If a character is running, for instance, and wants to test his speed, he uses
(L5R RPG) Reflexes + Athletics. However, if he wants to test his endurance, he would roll
Stamina + Athletics. Athletics is a Bugei skill for samurai-caste characters, and a
Low skill for heimin and himin
Battle This is the study of warfare. Characters with Battle have studied the successful
Perception strategies and tactics of famous battles and the philosophies of war. This skill is used
(L5R RPG) for both large-scale battles and for smaller skirmishes
167
Bujutsu The weapons skills of the L5R RPG cover weapons with similar size and weight
Varies distribution. Here is collected the entirety of them (referred to by Rokugani as
(Way of the Lion) bujutsu) here for clarification. For game purposes, if a character has one of these
skills, he is assumed to have the same Rank while using all weapons listed with it.
Iaijutsu is not included, as it is not a weapons skill per se, but the application of such
knowledge. These terms do not supersede previous material, but may be used in
place of those in parenthesis in future supplements.
 Bojutsu (Bo Stick): bo, jo

 Chisaijutsu (War Fan): tessen
 Jiujutsu (Hand-to-Hand): Mizu-do, Kaze-do
 Kenjutsu: katana, no-dachi, wakizashi
 Kyujutsu (Archery): dai-kyu, yumi
 Nofujutsu (Peasant Weapons): jitte, kama, nunchaku, sai, tonfa (Low skill)
 Subojutsu (Tetsubo): die tsuchi, tetsubo, ono
 Tantojutsu (Knife): aiguchi, tanto
 Umayarijutsu (Lance): lance
 Yarijutsu (Naginata): nagamaki, naginata, yari, nage-yari, sasumata,
sodegarami
 Ninjutsu: ninja-to, shuriken, blowgun, nageteppo, tetsubishi, han-kyu
Ninjutsu works a little differently from the rest of these skill groups. At Rank 1, the
character only learns how to use one of the tools listed at Rank 1. For every further
Rank gained in the skill, the character gains an additional Rank in the use of tools
already known, and another tool at Rank 1.
Conceal This skill can only be used in a natural environment, such as forest, mountains, or
Awareness underwater. It allows the player to hide objects or other people within natural
(Way of the Naga) surroundings, using the terrain as cover to obscure their location. Tracks may also be
hidden using this skill, though time and effort are required if the character with the
skill is also concealing his own trail.
Use of this skill is always contested. The total rolled by the character using the
Conceal skill becomes the TN for others to discover what he has hidden, or
successfully follow the tracks he has obscured. This TN is reduced by 5 for those
with Way of the Land in the area
Defense Every character knows how to get out of the way (that's their Fire Ring). This
Agility character knows how to do it effectively. Any character who does not purchase at
(L5R RPG) least Rank 1 in Defense cannot make the Full Defense Maneuver
Errata (GM Survival When a character goes to Full Defense, roll a number of dice equal to his Defense
Guide, Original 31) skill and keep the highest – i.e. (Defense)k1. Add that die’s total to his TN to be hit.
Explosives This skill represents the character's experience with the small explosives used in
Intelligence stink bombs, smoke bombs, flash paper, etc.
(Way of the Scorpion)
168
Horse Archery A character with the Horse Archery skill can not only fire a bow from the back of a
Agility moving horse, but can do so without falling off and with a reasonable expectation of
(Way of the Unicorn) hitting the target. The bow used for this skill is the dai-kyu, a long, asymmetrical
bow particularly suited to the task.
The strength of the dai-kyu comes from its size and greater draw, thus giving more
force to the arrow; and a bowman on horseback is at least three feet taller than one on
the ground, affording a much broader field of fire and range.
The Horse Archery skill is based on the Unicorn method of archery (and uses the
same mechanics), and so is not generally available to non-Clan members. A
character who knows Archery, but not Horse Archery, has his TN raised by at least
10 when firing from the back of a horse; characters who don't know how to handle a
bow at all probably ought to hope for divine intervention. A similar penalty would
apply if, for some reason, a character trained solely in Horse Archery were forced to
fire from the ground.
Iaijutsu Those who practice iaijutsu practice the art of the "fast draw." Iaijutsu is only
Varies practiced by samurai and katana are the only weapons that are used. It is a formal
(L5R RPG) duel that must follow explicit rules (given in the L5R RPG, page 108), or the
offending party is dishonored and expected to commit seppuku.
A samurai with his sword in its saya must use Iaijutsu if he wishes to attack in the
current round of combat, or must spend the round drawing and preparing his
weapon. A drawn weapon cannot be used with the Iaijutsu skill.
Two samurai stand a few feet apart with their katana sheathed. Then, in a furious
explosion of motion, both suddenly draw their swords and attack
Intimidation Intimidation is the ability to coerce others through fright or the intention to harm.
Willpower Crab samurai are the unquestioned masters of menace, and can intimidate others with
(Way of the Crab) a mere pause or the raising of an eyebrow
Jiujutsu Jiujutsu is the art of fighting with bare hands. Legend has it that Shinsei brought this
Agility skill with him from across the mountains. Damage from a Jiujutsu strike is
(L5R RPG) Strength+0k1
Kemari Kemari is a soccer-like game often played at court. The rules are simple: a group of
Reflexes players stand in a circle and kick a leather ball, trying to keep the ball from hitting
(Kyuden Kakita) the ground. Though it seems straightforward, players always wear full courtly dress
(tall peaked cap and kimono), making it much more complicated (the rules for
playing kemari are available on page 65 of Winter Court 2). Note that with an extra
raise, kemari can be played using the Athletics skill, so this skill is not necessary to
play. Die-hard kemari addicts, however, will certainly want to learn this skill
Kenjutsu This skill is used when a character is using a katana, wakizashi, etc.
Agility
(L5R RPG)
Know the School A character with this skill picks one particular bushi school that he has attended or
Intelligence studied with some regularity. The character gains Free Raises against anyone using
(Way of the Shinsei) that school equal to his rank in this skill. In addition, anyone trying to use that school
to strike this character has his TN raised by 5
169
Lance Unicorn bushi (and occasionally shugenja) use this skill when trying to lance (for
Strength example, with a yari or a naginata). Obviously, lancing an enemy can only be done
(Way of the Unicorn) from on top of a moving horse. If the Unicorn samurai succeeds in hitting his target
with a lancing attack, he does not add his own strength to the roll. Instead, if his
mount is charging, he rolls the weapon's DR plus the number of rounds he's charged
for damage. He must also make a Strength + Lance check against a TN equal to x5
the number of rounds he charged. This extra roll is not considered an action. If the
bushi fails this roll, he loses his grip on his polearm. If he fails it badly (GM's
discretion), he can even be unhorsed.
Lancing from horseback is a Unicorn specialty, something they learned in distant
lands. It is rare for any other Clan's samurai to use their polearm in this way, but it is
not unheard of. For a non-Unicorn samurai to use a polearm as a lance, he must
either have a Unicorn teach him, or else survive such an attack and make a
Perception + Yarijutsu check against a TN of 30 (less 5 for every time he's seen it)
and spend an Experience Point
Lore: Maho-Tsukai Characters with this skill are knowledgeable in the ways of black magic and can
Perception identify those who practice it. This is not the same as learning maho; those who have
(Way of the Crab) it cannot summon oni, drain the soul, or perform other unwholesome maho spells.
Rather, it gives them an overview of the discipline, allowing them to recognize signs
of maho activity if they come across it. They also know which particular spell is
being practiced, and the protective wards against it, if any exist. It is rare to find this
knowledge outside of the Kuni Witch-Hunters, for only they have need of it. It is a
Bugei skill for the Witch-Hunters, but a Low skill for anyone else
Mai Chong The Mai Chong is the epitomal weapon of the Boar Clan, which their school of
Agility bushido is based upon. Purchasing Yarijutsu does not confer any particular ability
(Way of the Minor Clans) with the Mai Chong, because of the many differences in style needed to effectively
utilize the weapon. A character must purchase at least one rank in this skill in order
to master any of the Techniques of the Boar
Obiesaseru This is a specialized form of the Intimidation skill, used only by members of the
Willpower Imperial Guard, or the Emerald Legions (including Emerald Magistrates on duty for
(Kyuden Seppun) the Emerald Champion). By appealing to the target character's belief that the
Imperial families only Emerald Legions are the best-trained, most frightening bushi in the Empire, and that
the entire Celestial Order stands behind them, a member of the Imperial Houses can
freeze a samurai in their tracks. The guard makes a contested Obiesaseru roll against
the target's Willpower to freeze the target for one round. Raises can increase the
number of rounds this works, or the number of people frozen. The character can still
move to flee or defend himself, but cannot move forward or attack the Seppun or
anyone behind him. Against non-humans or non-Rokugani, this becomes the same as
the normal Intimidation skill.
In order to use this skill, the character must have some obvious token of Imperial
authority - the armor of an Imperial Guard, wearing the mon of the Seppun, or some
other easily-seen token. If the skill roll fails, the individual who was being
intimidated immediately knows what the Imperial Guard was attempting, and will
most likely have a very bad impression of his would-be oppressor
170
Siege If engineering is building, Siege is tearing down. Siege represents a character's
Perception ability to gauge the strength of a given fortress and devise the best way to breach it.
(Way of the Crab) By observing the target for a given length in time, a siege master can determine the
number of samurai guarding it, the shifts in their patrols, possible escape routes from
the castle, and the most effective direction to launch an attack. It also covers the
ability to operate a siege engine - such as a catapult or fire breather - and to direct it
where it will inflict the most damage
Tessen The tessen, or war fan, is an iron-ribbed fan that has two purposes. It is used as a
Agility weapon, typically to parry strikes from unsuspecting attackers. It is also used to give
(L5R RPG) silent signals on a battlefield. To give signals on a battlefield is a simple Agility +
Tessen roll
Unicorn Archery Most Rokugani practice what they call kyujutsu. This is a fast method of shooting the
Agility bow, and relies primarily on instinctive aim, feel, and experience. It's the equivalent
(Way of the Unicorn) of "hip-shooting" with a bow. In their travels to distant lands, the Unicorn learned a
different method, involving careful aim. Instead of drawing and firing instinctively,
the bowman looks down the shaft of the arrow and aims it. They found this method
to be superior to the Rokugani method, for they could fire rapidly when they needed
to, but they could also take their time and aim the arrow when scoring a hit was of
critical importance. The Unicorn call this technique by its gaijin name, "yomanri,"
and all Unicorn samurai use it. As you might imagine, gaijin use this skill as well.
The downside of this technique is the stillness it demands on the part of the archer:
use of this skill is considered a Full Attack. No extra dice are rolled, but the TN to hit
the archer is a 5.
For the Unicorn, the Archery skill is based on Agility rather than Reflexes. The
Unicorn samurai can fire once a round like their counter parts, but they may also take
time to aim their bow. For each round a Unicorn archer spends aiming (and doing
nothing else), he or she gains a Free Raise on his or her to hit roll. An archer can only
aim for a number of rounds equal to his Archery skill.
Also, the amount a target is moving also restricts the amount an archer can aim. Only
half a character's skill can be spent in rounds aiming at moving targets.
Weaponsmith This is the art of making and repairing weapons. While this is also a Merchant skill,
Earth Ring it is one of the most honorable of all Craft skills
(L5R RPG)
Wrestling This is sumai, the forerunner of sumo wrestling. It is a sport rather than a lethal skill.
Strength Using this skill, a character can throw his opponent with a successful contested
(L5R RPG) Strength roll. If his opponent is thrown, he must make a successful Stamina roll at a
TN of 5x the Strength of the thrower (plus 5 for each raise of the thrower), or he is
stunned and can take no action next Round
171
Merchant Skills
Appraisal Craft: Advanced Engineering Mining
Armorer Medicine/Acupuncture Fletchery Navigation
Commerce Craft: Mitsugusuri Herbalism Sailing
Craft Skill Craft: Tattooing Locksmith Traps
Appraisal With this skill, characters can determine the approximate value of an item or group
Perception of items. Further, a character with the Appraisal skill has a greater chance of
(Way of the Crane) identifying forgeries and counterfeits
Armorer This is yoroi-sei, the skill of making and repairing armor. It is one of the most
Earth Ring honorable of all Craft skills
(L5R RPG)
Commerce This is the skill of bartering, handling currency and merchandising. It is dishonorable
Awareness for a samurai to practice this skill
(L5R RPG)
Craft Skill This skill covers many different areas. It is the skill of making. Every manner of craft
Varies can be listed with this skill, except Armorer and Weaponsmith, which are regarded
(L5R RPG) above all other crafts. Samples of Craft skills include: Farmer, Cook, Potter,
Gardener, Shipwright, Brewer, Carpenter, Cobbler, Fisherman, Seamstress/Tailor,
and Mason
Craft: Advanced Medicine While this is not a magical skill, it is the physical ability to treat minor wounds or
/ Acupuncture provide relief and healing for injuries and common sicknesses. Not all diseases can
Perception be healed through application of this skill, nor can all poisons be reversed, but it
(Way of the Phoenix) gives the user a chance to determine what poison or sickness affects the recipient,
and counteract it. Characters with Acupuncture can use their ability with a successful
Perception + Advanced Medicine roll vs. a TN of 15 (less if the wounds are not
severe, greater if the wound is traumatic or the disease is an uncommon one) to
successfully treat a patient. Such patients will heal at twice the normal rate thereafter.
Patients can only be treated with this skill once per wound or disease. Poisons can be
determined with a TN of 20 or higher, and can only be treated if the healer also has
Lore: Poison, or the Poison skill
Craft: Mitsugusuri Mitsugusuri is the art of making magical potions

Intelligence
(Way of the Dragon)
Craft: Tattooing A character with this skill knows the art of tattooing. Raises allow more complicated
Agility and elaborate tattoos
(Way of the Dragon)
Engineering Engineering is the ability to design, build, and repair large structures. This can be as
Intelligence simple as constructing a lean-to in the forest or as complex as strengthening the
(Way of the Crab) foundations of the Kaiu wall. A character skilled in engineering knows how to
survey the land for optimum building sites, can find the best places to cross a stream,
and can warn other characters not to smash that load-bearing wall. All Kaiu are
expected to have a point or two in Engineering
172
Fletchery Fletchery is much like Weaponsmith, but specializing in the art of making arrows. A
fetcher can make arrows from small bundles of wood, and from loose branches. This
(Way of the Minor Clans) is not considered a Bugei skill, as no samurai would make his own arrows
Herbalism This skill is the peasant version of Medicine. It is used to cure wounds and heal
Intelligence maladies. Instead of acupuncture, it uses herbs
(L5R RPG)
Locksmith This skill not only allows a character to make locks, but to break them. When a
Agility locksmith creates a lock, he makes a simple Agility + Locksmith roll. This sets the
(L5R RPG) TN for the lock. When another locksmith attempts to pick the lock, he must make a
simple Roll vs. the lock's TN
Mining This skill provides needed information about shoring up weak walls, where and how
Intelligence certain ores travel through the ground, and the ability to recognize unworked metals
(Way of the Minor Clans) with only a few simple tests
Navigation The Unicorn, Crab, and Mantis occasionally find it necessary to go to unexplored
Varies places without roads, maps or townsfolk they can ask for directions. Using stars,
(Bearers of Jade) triangulation, and memory, a character can use this skill to plot journeys through
uncivilized terrain with Intelligence or find their way with no stable reference point
(e.g. left blindfolded in an unknown forest) with Perception
Sailing Knowledge of this skill includes how to sail simple kobune craft, maintain a course
Agility on coastal seas, and understand the rudiment of boat craft and repair. It is considered
(Way of the Minor Clans) a Merchant skill, but it is not dishonorable for a Mantis Clan member to know and
use it
Traps This is the ability to build, set, and detect all manner of booby traps, from the merely
Perception incapacitating to the gruesomely lethal. Not only can a character with Traps design
(Way of the Crab) and construct such pitfalls, but he knows how to conceal their presence until they are
sprung. Consequently, he can identify the tell-tale signs of a hidden trap, and may
roll to detect it before it goes off. This is a Merchant skill for the Kaiu, a Low skill
for anyone else
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Low Skills
Autopsy Gambling Mimicry Sleight of Hand
Escape Goblin Culture Ninjutsu Stealth
Evasion Gossip Poison Torture
Farming Hisomu Ratling Speech
Forgery Kuenai Seduction
Autopsy Used to determine causes of death, in a vague manner as Rokugani medical science
Varies is not that advanced. Touching the dead is unclean, so you really should have an eta
(L5R RPG, 2nd Ed.) do this
Escape This is the simple art of getting out of bonds of any kind. Any situation from, being
Agility simply bound at the wrists to being completely wrapped in chain, falls under this
(Way of the Shinsei) skill. However, Escape only covers slipping out of the bonds. Characters who are
jailed or trapped in a room, for example, will need some other way to get out. The
TN for Escape can range from 10 (simple rope binding around the wrists) to 45
(completely wrapped in metal chain).
Evasion Sometimes the only place to hide is not behind a door or around a corner, but just out
Reflexes of sight of the only person in the room. Taught to assassins and many other unsavory
(Way of the Shinsei) people the Empire, this is an effective way to stalk a target for almost as long as the
assassin wishes. The character with Evasion simply stays behind his target, or out of
sight, and does not need to make any skill check until the target for some reason
begins to suspect that a person is following him. The TN for Evasion is the target's
Awareness x 5. Someone warning the target of a stalker ruins the Evasion
completely
Farming The single most common skill in all of Rokugan
(Way of the Wolf)
Forgery This skill allows a character to forge official documents, letters, etc. When forging a
Varies document, the forger must make a simple Agility + Forgery roll. This sets the TN for
(L5R RPG) the document. When another character views the document, he must make a simple
Perception roll (sometimes supplemented by Law or Investigation, depending on the
GM) to beat the TN of the document
Gambling This is the skill of professional gambling. In other words: cheating. The Trait to use
Varies with Gambling is Awareness. To detect cheating, a character must make a contested
(L5R RPG) Perception + Gambling roll against the gambler's Awareness + Gambling
Goblin Culture Goblins do not have a "culture" as such, but their activity is based around a pattern of
Intelligence imitating human customs. An observer who knows goblins well enough will be able
(Way of the Crab) to identify their purpose and intent at any given time. He or she can thus make sense
of their bizarre activities and even predict what they are going to do next. This skill
also covers any attempts to communicate with the goblins on a meaningful level -
bartering with them, scaring them off, etc. Needless to say, it is considered a Low
skill
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Gossip Gossip is frowned upon in the court, but to suggest that it never happens would be
Awareness ridiculous. This skill makes the character a practiced gossip, which may be used in
(Kyuden Kakita) two ways: to hunt rumors or to spread them. To hunt rumors, the character must
spend a day in court discussing a particular person or subject, rolling his Gossip +
Awareness against a TN of 15. If the roll succeeds, the character has learned one
juicy rumor about the subject. There is a base 50% chance that the rumor is true,
though truthfulness doesn't guarantee usefulness ("It's true! Shinjo Yokatsu dyes his
beard!"). For every raise the character makes, the chance of truthfulness increases by
5% to a maximum of 80%. To spread rumors about a person or subject, the character
must spend a day speaking about his target in court, then roll against a TN
determined by the GM. In the case of a person, a good default is (target's Glory -
character's Glory) x 10, but the TN should never be lower than 10. This skill only
insures the rumor goes into circulation; it doesn't insure that anyone believes it. Also,
keep in mind that gossiping behind someone's back is a good way to get challenged
to a duel
Hisomu The ability to move through an urban environment without leaving clues for the
Awareness authorities to follow
(Way of the Wolf)
Kuenai This is the Etiquette skill of the (criminal) underworld - how to address people of
Awareness questionable character and unsavory occupation
(Way of the Wolf)
Mimicry The character has learned to mimic the voices of others. When this skill is used
Awareness against someone who is unfamiliar with the person being mimicked, make a simple
(Way of the Scorpion) Awareness + Mimic roll against their Perception x5. If they are familiar with the
person being mimicked, expect the GM to raise the TN, depending on the degree of
familiarity. For instance, someone with a casual acquaintance would increase the TN
by 5 or 10, but when attempting to fool someone's wife or husband, expect the TN to
go up by as much as 20.
Ninjutsu "Ninjutsu" is a broad skill that represents the training required to use the tools of the
Varies ninja's trade. Each tool is both a weapon and a tool. With each Rank, the assassin
(Way of the Scorpion) learns how to use a new tool. (See Bujutsu.)
Poison A character with this skill will be able to detect, analyze and use the various poisons
Intelligence available in Rokugan
(L5R RPG)
Ratling Speech The Nezumi tongue is unlike the Rokugani language, and takes an amount of
Intelligence training to speak. Characters with this skill are fluent in Ratling speech and may
(Way of the Crab) communicate with the Nezumi as they would a human being. A character will lose
one Honor point every time he or she uses Ratling speech outside the presence of
Nezumi
Seduction Honorable women do not act seductively. This activity is left to geisha. Seduction
Awareness uses a contested Awareness + Seduction roll vs. the opponent's Awareness
(L5R RPG)
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Sleight of Hand This skill allows the character to use sleight of hand tricks such as palming items,
Agility picking pockets, and other acts of prestidigitation
(Way of the Scorpion)
Stealth A character with Stealth (shinobi) moves silently through shadows, unseen by the
Agility casual observer. To use Stealth, a character must make a contested Agility + Stealth
(L5R RPG) roll against another character's Perception
Torture The use of Torture is dishonorable because it involves touching blood, sweat and
Awareness dead flesh. When using Torture, a character is trying to extract information from the
(L5R RPG) tortured character using pain. Torture is a contested Awareness + Torture roll vs. the
opponent's Stamina (deducting a number of dice equal to his current Wound level, of
course).
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Equipment
1 koku (gold) = 5 bu (silver) = 50 zeni (copper)
Fine Equipment:
Many of the beginning Outfits list items as “fine”. This means they are of higher quality than regular items.
For instance, a Fine Quality katana has a DR of 4k2 rather than 3k2, and no Crane diplomat would ever be seen
wearing a “normal quality” kimono (out of fear that his GM may penalize his next Etiquette Roll).
Fine quality items tend to be 5-10 times more expensive than normal quality items, but they are, at the very least,
impressive, and – sometimes – more useful.
Basic Equipment
Backpack, wicker 3 Coppers Lantern oil 3 Coppers
Basket, large 5 Coppers Mirror, small 3 Silvers
Basket, small 1 Copper Mirror, large 2 Koku
Books and Scrolls Average 1-10 Silver Musical instruments: 1-5 Silvers
(Shugenja use this) Fine 2-10 Koku Samisen (guitar)
Bowyer’s Kit 2 Silvers Biwa (4-string lute)
Candle 10 Coppers Kokyu (3-string fiddle)
Chest, metal 8 Silvers Koto (3-string harp)
Chest, wooden 2 Silvers Flute
Chopsticks (ivory) 8 Coppers Drum
Cloth, silk bolt 2 Koku Paper, writing (pouch of 5 sheets) 1 Silvers
Dice and dice cup 25 Coppers Pot, iron 15 Copper
First aid kit 3 Silvers Quiver 20 Coppers
Fishing kit (with book, net, etc) 10 Coppers Rope, braided hair per foot 4 Coppers
Flint and Steel 15 Coppers Rope, hemp per foot 1 Copper
Furoshiki sack 1 Copper Sumi-e (writing) box 1 Silver
Games (go, shoi, etc) 10+ Coppers Sword stand 1 Silver-koku
Inro (medical kit) 1+ Silvers Travel Pack (dried rice & fish 5 Copper
Lantern, metal 4 Silvers Wrapped in rice paper)
Lantern, paper 1 Silvers Umbrella 2 Silver
Clothing
All clothing is listed with its “average” price. Noble clothing can be much more expensive, up to 100 times more
expensive in some cases.
Tessen (fan) 40+ Coppers Obi pouch 25 Coppers

Hakama (Divided skirt – pants) 75 Coppers Sandals 30 Coppers
Haori (exaggerates shoulders) 25 Coppers Silk Cloak 75 Coppers
Kimono (includes obi) 1 Silver
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Armor
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179
180
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Weapons
Swords
Aiguchi Sword 2 Koku 1k2
Skill to Use: Tantojutsu Trait: Agility L5R 122
A short Knife without a hilt
Katana Sword 20 Koku 3k2

Skill to Use: Kenjutsu Trait: Agility L5R 122
A long sword, the sword of the samurai, the symbol of his castle. No samurai is ever seen without his katana and
wakizashi, collectively known as Daisho. It is slightly curved, ended in a chiseled point. A katana is forged from two
steels: one soft and spark, the one hard. These two metals are heated and folded many times, providing a blade that is
both rigid and sharp. The length of the pommel differs, depending on the social climate. During times of peace, the
pommels are short, more difficult to use and less cumbersome in an obi. During times of war, however, the pommels
are longer, providing greater leverage on the blade and much more difficult to carry. The total length of the weapon is
approximately 3 feet long.
No-dachi Sword 30 Koku 3k3

The no-dachi is a great sword, typically 5’-7’ long
Tanto Sword 3 Koku 1k2

Skill to Use: Tantojutsu Trait: Agility L5R122
A short knife with a hilt, often used by women, easily hidden in a kimono or the
pommel of a katana.
Wakizashi Sword 15 Koku 2k2

A short sword, the companion piece to the katana. When together, they are referred to as daisho
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Tessen 2 Koku 0k2
Skill to Use: War Fan Trait: (Agility) L5R122
The tessen is not a sword, but it has become so associated with the samurai, it seems
natural to list is near the katana and wakizashi. The tessen is the “war fan”, a metal
ribben fan that serves as both a shield (that deflects the blades of assassins) and as a
general’s tool (used to command units across the battlefield). If the situation is dire, you
can swat someone with it.
Pole-arms
A character using a pole-arm has a slight advantage over a character using a shorter weapon. To represent this, a;
characters using pole-arms against opponents who are using shorter weapons may roll an additional die for their Initiative
Roll and keep the higher roll. Pole-arms cannot be used in an Iaijutsu duel.
Die tsuchi Pole-arm 4 Koku 2k2

Skill to Use: Subojutsu Trait: (Agility) L5R 123
The Rokugani equivalent of a war hammer. This weapon is used almost exclusively by the Crab Clan.
Nage-yari Pole-arm 3 Koku 2k2

Skill to Use: Yarijutsu Trait: (Agility) L5R 123
A 3’ javelin. It can be used as a hand weapon or thrown
Nagamaki Pole-arm 4 Koku 4k2

Skill to Use: Yarijutsu Trait: (Agility) L5R
A shorter version of the Naginata, this pole-arm is a long wooden shaft (approximately 3 ½’ long) with a long (3’)
sword-like end
Naginata Pole-arm 5 Koku 3k3

A pole-arm with a large blade on the end. Samurai-ko are often trained in its use.
Ono Pole-arm 5 Koku 3k3

A battle axe with a wooded shaft approximately 4’ in length. Its steel head is often double-headed.
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Samamata Pole-arm 4 Koku 0k2
Skill to Use: Yarijutsu Trait: (Agility) (Agility to trap target) L5R 123
“The man-catcher” is a 6’ long pole-arm with a double-pronged hook at the end, the insides of which are barbed. It is
designed to catch a body within and rake it against the prongs. On a successful hit, perform a contested Agility roll
against the target. If you win the roll, the target is trapped, and you will do damage every turn that the target is caught.
The target can escape the Sasumata with a simple Strength test TN 25.
Sodegarami Pole-arm 5 Koku 0k1

“The sleeve-entangler” is a 6’ long pole-arm with a series of wicked barbs designed to catch the sleeves of kimonos and
the loose edges of armor.
Tetsubo Pole-arm 6 Koku 2k2

An iron rod, much like a mace, used with two hands. The end is often ribbed or tipped with metal studs. This weapon
does not get the pole-arm bonus for initiative.
Yari Pole-arm 4 Koku 4k2

A straight spear approximately 6’ in length.
Boar Weapon Pole-arm 4k2

Skill to Use: Mai Chong Trait: Agility Way of the Minor Clans 113
The Mai Chong is a spear with a uniquely curved and wavy head. The spear is eight feet long, and has a blade length of
over eight inches. The blade is double-edges, with a three-inch hook pointing back toward the handle.
185
Bows
Dai-kyu Bow 4 Koku As Arrow
Skill to Use: Archery Trait: Reflexes L5R 124
The “long bow”. It is seven feet long and designed to be fired from horseback. The dai-kyu can hit targets out to about
200 yards (approximately 600’)
Yumi Bow 4 Koku As Arrow

Skill to Use: Archery Trait: Reflexes L5R 124
The yumi is designed to be fired while standing. As with the dai-kyu, its range is about 200 yards (approximately 600’)
Arrows
Ya Arrow 1 Silver 2k2
Skill to Use: As bow Trait: As Bow L5R 124
This is the standard arrow in this category is the yaanagi-ba, or “willow leaf” arrow
Armor Piercer Arrow 2 Silvers 1k2

An arrow with a narrow, spiked tip designed for punching through armor. Ignore the target’s armor when calculating
the TN
Watakusi Arrow 3 Silvers 3k3

This arrow is known as the “flesh cutter”. It spins as it leaves the bowstring and augers into unprotected flesh. It is
particularly ineffective against armored targets, however; if the target is wearing armor, double the protection it gives
when figuring the TN to hit.
Karimata Arrow 5 Silvers 1k1

The “fork” arrow. This is a very specialized arrow, used for cutting through ropes or cords. Its points are not very sharp,
but the interior curve is sharpened so that it cuts more effectively.
“Humming Bulb” Arrow 5 Silvers 0k1

A hollow-tipped arrow that whistles as it flies through the air. It is generally used to signal troops. The tip is rarely ever
sharp, and tends to glance off whatever it hits.
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“Peasant” Weapons
All of these weapons were developed by monks and taught to the peasantry so they could defend themselves against
bandits and drunk samurai. Samurai do not use these weapons. To do so would bring shame to their katana.
Bo Peasant Weapon 5 Coppers 2k2

Skill to Use: Bojutsu Trait: (Agility) L5R 125
A long hardwood staff about 6’-7’ long. A character using a bo may roll an extra die for initiative as with a pole-arm
Jitte Peasant Weapon 10 Silvers 1k1

Skill to Use: Nofujutsu Trait: (Agility) L5R 125
Similar to the sai, the jitte has only a single prong. It is rarely sharpened and is used as a
defensive weapon. Any character attempting a disarm with this weapon gets a free raise
to do so.
Jo Peasant Weapon 1 Copper 0k2

Skill to Use: Bojutsu Trait: (Agility) L5R 125
A smaller version of the bo, often used in pairs (one in each hand). The jo is usually about 3’ long.
Kama Peasant Weapon 3 Silvers 2k2

A short scythe-like weapon that is easily over-looked as a weapon. It is reputed to be a
favorite weapon of the ninja.
Nunchaku Peasant Weapon 25 Coppers 2k2

Originally intended to be a wheat flail, the nunchaku is two short (2’) hardwood poles
connected by a short chain less than a foot long.
Sai Peasant Weapon 10 Silvers 1k1

A two-pronged knife used to catch weapons and pill them out of their wielder’s grip. It
is usually not sharpened and is essentially a defensive weapon. Any charcter sttempting
a disarm with this weapon gets a Free Raise to do so.
Tonfa Peasant Weapon 1 Silver 1k2

This weapon was originally the handle of a millstone. It is a short wooden staff –
approximately 2’ long – with an offset handle. This weapon is swung in a swirling
motion.
Shobo Peasant Weapon +1 die to roll

Skill to Use: Hand-to-Hand Trait: Agility Way of Shinsei 63
The shobo is a short cylinder of iron, perfect to wrap a fist around. It is similar in
function to brass knuckles, except that halfway down its length a single iron ring is
welded to the shaft, allowing the shobo to be held in a variety of positions. The Shobo
can be used with the Hand-to-Hand skill allowing the user to roll an extra die for
damage on bare-handed attacks.
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All of these are also considered “Peasant”, or Nofujutsu weapons. As such the samurai of the Greater Clans will generally
refuse to use them. Many of these weapons can be used to entangle. Entangled opponents must double their TN to Hit
until they have freed themselves with a successful attack vs. a TN 20, destroying the entangling chain. However, if a
weapon has been used to entangle, it may not also be used to attack.
Chijiriki Peasant Weapon 3k2

Skill to Use: Nofujutsu Trait: (Agility) Way of the Minor Clans 25
A normal spear to which is added a length of weighted chain on the non-bladed end. It can be used as a normal spear, or
the chain can entangle an opponent rather than causing damage.
Kusari-Gama Peasant Weapon 2k2

The kusari-gama is a kama with a long weight of chain attached, used for climbing as well as entangling. It provides a
free raise when used to climb short distances.
Kyoketsu – Shoji Peasant Weapon 2k2

The Kyoketsu-shoji is effectively the same weapon as the Kusari-Gama, with a difference in head design and a heavier
length of chain. It provides a free raise when used to climb short distances.
Kawanga Peasant Weapon 0k1

The Kawanga is a simple climbing hook and rope. It can entangle (though the TN to escape is 10). It provides two free
raises when used to climb short or medium distances.
Lajatang Peasant Weapon 1k1

Similar to the sasumata (manchatcher), the lajatang is a 6’ long pole arm. However, the lajatang has capture hooks at
both ends. A target can escape the lajatang with a simple strength test TN20
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Manriki-Gusari Peasant Weapon 1k2
Another entangling weapon, the manriki-gusari is a simple chain with weights at each end
Parangu Peasant Weapon 2k2

A standard machete, the parangu is not made of the intricately folded steel of the katana, and will certainly break if
matched against a samurai’s sword.
Shikomizue Peasant Weapon 2k2

The shikomizue appears to be a simple bamboo walking staff, but inside hides a sharpened blade for fighting. If used as
a staff, the shikomizue is a 1k2 because of its weight
Tankoli (Stick with Talc) Peasant Weapon 0k0

Tankoji is not effectively a weapon, but is often used by Mantis sailors in brawls. It is a hollow stick, corked on both
ends, containing a large amount of stinging talc. When broken, the talc explodes, blinding everyone within 5 ‘ who does
not make a simple Willpower vs. TN 20
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At the wall, heimin may keep peasant weapons, both for self-defense and as back-ups for samurai in need. The Crab
train and fight with anything handy. They still lose Honor when using a peasant weapon, but this is the Wall. It’s
better than touching the enemy.
Manjisai Peasant Weapon 1k2

Skill to Use: Nofujutsu Trait: (Agility) Bearers of Jade 14
A sai with one quillion pointing up and one down, the central spike serving as the
handle. Like the sai, it used to be a fork for hay baling or impaling poultry
Nunte Peasant Weapon 3k1

Skill to Use: Yarijutsu Trait: (Agility) Bearers of Jade 14
This is a bo staff with a manjisai on one end, making a spear.
Yawara Peasant Weapon 1k1

Skill to Use: Hand-to-Hand Trait: Agility Bearers of Jade 14
A six-inch stick held in the fist to reinforce a blow, used mostly to hit pressure points.
Kai Peasant Weapon 2k1

Skill to Use: Subojutsu Trait: Agility Bearers of Jade 14
Thick oaken oars, found all along the Wall, Well away from water, due to their use as practice tetsubo. It does not
ignore armor, or give any bonus to Initiative
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Ninjutu Weapons & Tools
Ninja have many tools, and nearly all of them are designed to befuddle and confuse rather than kill. Unfortunately, most
of them are also of low quality and/or near useless. Here’s the low-down on ninja tools, for better or worse
Blowgun (Fukiya) Ninja 1k1

Skill to Use: Ninjutsu Trait: Varies (Agility) Way of the Shadow 37
The blowgun is a specialized weapon, designed to deliver a poisoned dart. The blowgun has one dart (loaded), which
does 1k1 damage, but delivers a poison (a variant of figu) which, unless the character succeeds in a Stamina roll TN 25,
will kill in 2 hours. The attack must hit skin (add a +5 to be hit for non-armored, +10 for armored)
Ninja-to (Ninja sword) Ninja 1k2

Skill to Use: Ninjutsu Trait: Agility Way of the Scorpion
The ninja’s sword, a ninja-to is forged of cheap metal. The metal is not folded and often double-edged, making it more
useful as a spear or a thrown weapon than a sword. A solid hit from any katana worth its weight aill shatter a ninja -to.
The hilt is often hollow anyway, providing the ninja a place to hide climbing equipment, caltrops, etc.
This sword unlike other swords has a straight blade. The scabbard also has a removable end allowing the scabbard to
double as a blowgun.
Shuriken (Throwing Stars) Ninja 1k1

Shuriken are little pieces of shaved and sharpened metal that ninja throw through the air
at encroaching opponents. No ninja in his right mind expects these little things to hit,
but it does make your opponent duck, which gives you another moment or two to fade
into the background.
However, many ninja have taken it upon themselves to turn these little toys into real
weapons. They practice for hours on end, throwing and throwing until their arms and
fingers cramp to get the technique right, just to spite their Shosuro superior who watch
them and quietly giggle behind their masks
Climbing Tools Ninja 4k1

Skill to Use: Ninjutsu Trait: Strength (Stamina) Way of the Scorpion
Ninja climbing tools require a great deal of strength and stamina. They are “climbing
claws” attached to the hands and feet that make a terrible racket if not used properly.
Those who subscribe to the myth that they make good hand-to-hand weapons must also
realize that they add about 3 pounds to each hand, are impossible to walk in and provide
no protection from a four-foot razor blade.
Climbing tools add 3 dice to any climbing actions (rolled, not kept)
Han-Kyu (Half-bow) Ninja 1k1

Han-kyu are small, concealable bows that fit up the ninja’s sleeve. Unfortunately, they
have poor range (50 yards) and little stopping power. Arrows fired from han-hyu are the
size of crossbow bolts without the velocity, and usually bounce off any real armor.
Thus, when fired against a samurai in Heavy Armor, a han-kyu does no damage. When
fired against a samurai in Light Armor, it does not re-roll 10s
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Tetsubushi (Caltrops) Ninja 1k1
Tetsubishi are small, sharp metal spikes thrown on the floor to delay pursuers. Razor
sharp, they can usually cut through most leather shoe soles. Roll a die for each caltrop
stepped on. If the result is an even number, the caltrop causes damage. The target must
make a Simple Stamina roll against TN 20 in order to continue pursuit. Also, he keeps
one fewer die from each roll until the barbed tetsubishi is removes (which causes
another damage roll)
Tetsubishi are difficult to use because. . . well, because they’re sharp little pieces of
barbed metal that you’re supposed to throw. Special gloves are usually employed when
throwing them, but ninja don’t always have the time to put them on while a dozen
samurai are chasing them. In order to use tetsubishi without gloves, the ninja must make
a Simple Agility roll against TN15. If he fails, he takes damage from the tetsubishi: one
die per 5 points (or fraction thereof) by which he missed the roll.
Nageteppo (Egg Grenades) Ninja

Egg grenades are perhaps the cruelest jok ever played on Shosuro apprentices. They are
awkward to carry, difficult to throw, breaking easily, and work 50% of the time. If a
ninja carrying nageteppo falls, there’s a good chance his little grenades will explode,
even if they are being carried in cotton – they’re eggs, after all.
Nageteppo force ninja to be quick on their feet. They don’t dare fall down. When used
as grenades, roll a die for each egg thrown. An even number indicates the egg has
exploded successfully. An odd number indicates a bad egg with no effect.
There are two kinds of nageteppo: smoke and fire.
Snoke Nageteppo: explode into choking clouds of noxious fumes. Anyone within the
cloud must make a Simple Stamina roll to beat a TN 30. If they succeed, they keep one
fewer die for all actions as long as they remain in the area effect of the cloud. If they fail
the roll, they fall to the ground helpless for 1 die of rounds.
Fire Nageteppo: are almost exclusively used at night. They provide a brilliant flash that
blinds any unwary viewer. If successfully deployed, any viewer must make a Simple
Reflexes roll TN 30 or be blinded for 1 die of rounds. If the viewer succeeds in this roll,
they keep one fewer die for all actions taken in their next round.
Kimono (Ninja-style) Ninja Way of the Scorpion

The ninja kimono often has metal sewn into its seams. This helps turn aside blows.
Unfortunately, most katana of any worth will cut right through the metal of the strike is
good enough. The ninja gown counts as Light Armor, adding 5 to the ninja’s TN to be
hit. The armor also rattles if the ninja isn’t very careful. This adds 5 to any stealth rolls
the ninja undertakes, or gives any active listeners a Free Raise if attempting to find the
location of a moving ninja
Lock Picks Ninja

The lockpicks ninja use are crude and break very easily, but are still fine training tools
for the real lockpicks they’ll get after graduation.
192
Poisons
Bee and Wasp Venom Poison: Injected (Weapon)
Skill to Use: Poison Trait: Intelligence Way of the Scorpion 100
Bee venom is not very lethal unless the victim is allergic to it. Wasp venom is a little more potent. Bee and wasp
poisons will cause skin irritation, and under extreme circumstances will also cause respiration problems, nausea and
vomiting. Death can occur within one hour if enough venom is injected.
Kirei-ko Poison: Ingested

Kirei-ko was originally used as a cosmetic. The women of the Scorpion and Crane Clan used it to shade their eyes. One
Shosuro wife remarked to her husband that it caused her eyes to tingle, and since that day, it has become one of the
most popular Shosuro poisons.
Kirei-ko affects the nervous system, causing dilated pupils, blurred vision, dry skin and mouth and hallucinations. The
most dramatic side-effect is how it affects the pulse. The victim’s heart rate and blood pressure becomes so high that his
pulse is audible from several feet away. Industrious Scorpions can find a way to exploit this to their own ends. Death
from kirei-ko poisoning can last several hours or even several days. Currently, there is no Rokugani antidote.
Administering kirei-ko is easy. It can be made into a powder or liquid, but it must be ingested. Kirei-ko can also be fed
to animals (mostly fish) and served to guests. The poison will remain in the animal for hours after preparation.
Ketsu Poison: Contact: Inhaled, Ingested, or Injected (Weapon)

“Ketsu” (its proper name is ketsuiki-ringo) is found in nearly 50 different fruits in Rokugan. It can be made from
peaches, apples, apricot, cherries, plums or any related fruit. After processing ketsu appears as a grey or brown powder
that smells of bitter almonds. It can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled, ingested or injected. Generally, it becomes
toxic when it comes in contact with gastric acids.
Ketsu prevents white blood cells from absorbing oxygen, so the victim “suffocates to death”. Obvious symptoms of
ketsu poisoning are lack of breath, wheezing, headache, rapid pulse, dizziness and fainting. Kitsuki magistrates have
learned to identify ketsu poisoning from the bitter almond smell, but a more tell-tale sign has also been recently
discovered – the blood takes on a bright cherry red color. The skin may also develop a slight pink hue after poisoning.
There is no current Rokugani antidote for kensu.
Warui Paseri Poison: Ingested

Different parts of the paseri plant are poisonous at different times of the year. The roots are poisonous during winter
and fall, but nearly harmless during springtime. The leaves are almost always poisonous, but deadly during spring.
It takes almost a half an hour for paseri to take effect. Once it does, it causes gradual degeneration of muscle control.
The pulse slows. As muscles slowly degenerate, a dull pain sets in. Blindness often occurs in the final hours before
death. But the most terrible thing about paseri is that the mind stays awake and aware through the whole process. Death
finally occurs after several hours of suffering, usually from paralysis of the lungs. There is only one cure for paseri
poisoning, and that is immediate regurgitation.
Quail eat paseri regularly (they’re immune to it), but the poison remains in their flesh for several hours. Cooking the
quail flesh does not affect the poison, and the above symptoms usually show up about four hours after consumption.
Jellyfish Poison: Contact

Jellyfish poison can be quite dangerous, mainly because small doses can cause dramatic effects. It is a contact poison
that causes severe chest pains, skin necrosis (death of tissue), swelling in the throat and larynx, breathing difficulties
and cardiac depression (slowing of the heart). Contact on the skin causes immediate irritation to such a degree that
permanent scars are left behind. Death can occur within minutes.
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Jeruku Ropu Poison: Ingested or Inhaled
In Rokugan, jeruku ropu is an evergreen. Nearly all parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested or inhaled as a gas
(smoke), but the most potent collection of poison is in its flowers. Exposure to jeruku ropu causes quickening of the
heartbeat. Common symptoms are sweating, irregular pulse, respiratory problems leading to paralysis and death. Many
species of bees use jeruku ropu pollen to make honey, which can be made into a very tasty poison indeed. Death is
rapid after exposure.
Pufferfish (Fugu) Poison: Ingested

The poison of the famous “pufferfish” is contained in the fish’s ovaries. The poison survives through the cooking
process and causes slow, painful death if ingested. If poisoned, there is an approximately 50% chance of death. Eating
fugu causes the ingestor to feel a slight numbness or tingling in the stomach, lips and tongue. It also causes slight
euphoria and has been known to cause dizziness.
If poisoned, the victim loses all control of speech. Complete paralysis quickly takes hold and death follows anywhere
from ten minutes to four hours. Smaller doses of the poison cause a kind of paralyzation of the brain, making the victim
little more than a semi-conscious zombie, capable only of involuntary actions (breathing, pulse, swallowing, etc).
Scorpions have learned to use small doses of fugu poison to capture and control victims until they can be removed to
safe houses for safe keeping.
Scorpion Venom Poison: Injected (Weapon)

While scorpion venom is more lethal than snake poison, it is also generally administered in lesser doses (the size of the
little beast’s stinger), and is therefore less dangerous. Scorpion assassins have a rectified that problem. Scorpion poison
is a neurotoxin that destroys nerve tissues and causes cardiac problems. It must be injected. Symptoms include swelling
of the tongue and throat, spasms and convulsions, irregular pulse, water on the lungs and respiratory failure. Symptoms
usually occur within two to four hours of exposure, and death can occur anywhere from four to twenty-four hours.
Some samurai have been known to survive up to four days after exposure.
Kitsuki magistrates have discovered an antitoxin to scorpion venom and many Shosuro assassins have switched to
other, more reliable poisons. The antitoxin must be used immediately after exposure to the poison, however, or it will
do no good.
Snake Venom Poison: Injected (Weapon)

While there are many species of snakes in Rokugan, there are only three kinds of snake toxin. The first is a neurotoxin,
attacking the nerves and muscles of the victim. The second is nearly acidic, causing the tissues to “melt” on contact.
The third is thrown into the eyes to cause blindness (the snake spits the venom). The first two kinds of venom must be
injected. They may also be ingested, but only cause minimum discomfort when introduced into the digestive system.
It should also be noted that snake venom loses its potency in a matter of minutes after it’s been exposed to open air.
This makes it one of the least useful poisons listed here.
Spider Venom Poison: Injection (Weapon)

There are over one hundred different species of spider in Rokugan, but the most favored is by far the Black Piper. Black
Piper spiders are jet black with a long white line down their body (the “pipe”). Poison from a black piper begins to take
effect approximately eight hours after injection. Symptoms highly resemble the flu. The victim’s nasal passages
become clogged as the sinuses release inordinate amounts of fluid. Excessive coughing occurs as the lungs begin to fill.
Chills and fever soon follow. Headaches, pallid skin, nausea and diarrhea are also common symptoms. Finally, the
victim passes away from cardiac failure.
The Kitsuki do possess and antitoxin for black piper poison, but it must be administered within hours, and the antitoxin
itself is very poisonous. If administered, there is an equal chance of dying from the antitoxin as there is from the spider
poison.
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Fuantei Shi Poison: Ingested
Fuantei shi is one of the most dramatic and frightening poisons known to the Rokugani. Once it takes effect, the victim
loses complete control of bodily functions as he throws himself into violent convulsions, literally shaking himself to
death.
It is a colorless, crystalline powder with a tell-tale bitter taste. It is usually used in liquids, but it can be concealed in
solid food as well, and can even be applied to the eyes. It can be extracted easily from certain bitter-tasting orange
plants or a root called inu botan, or “dog button”.
Fuantei shi attacks the central nervous system. Once ingested, the poison goes to work in approximately ten to fifteen
minutes. As soon as it takes effect, the victim begins reacting violently as every muscle in the body begins to constrict
and contract all at once. This causes what the Kitsuki have call “the folding knife effect”, named after the folding
knives used by Mantis Clan sailors. The body flexes, the back arches, arms snap in the sides of the body and the face
contorts into a hideous grimace. Contractions can be as quick as one per two seconds.
The spasms become quicker, until finally the body is trapped in an arched position. Any sound or movement around the
victim will cause the spasms to become even more violent. Death occurs in minutes.
The Kitsuki have found an antidote for fuantei shi. It is called “Rukun’s Juice” named after the Kitsuki who discovered
it. Small doses of Rukun’s Juice must be given to the victim immediately after ingestion of the poison. Once symptoms
appear, the antitoxin is less effective, but has still been known to save lives. Kitsuki have also learned to keep the victim
alone and to extinguish all but necessary light, to prevent aggravating the spasms.
Night Milk Poison: Weapon (Injected) 4 koku/dose TN 15

Skill to Use: Poison Trait: Intelligence Honor’s Veil 38
This weapon poison is a watery white liquid that smells like spoiling onions. When painted on a weapon it leaves a
white film or crust that is clearly visible. Being struck with a weapon that is coated with Night Milk is incredibly
painful – it causes a deep, bruising agony that expands out from the wound. In fact, some who have been hit with it say
that they actually felt like they’d grown more flesh in order to hold all the pain – sort of like how people will sometimes
feel “phantom” pain or itching in a missing limb.
After the first damaging strike from a weapon poisoned with Night Milk, an extra four damage dice are rolled and
dropped. After that, the poison has no further effect.
Fire Biter Poison: Weapon (Injected) 3 koku/dose TN 10

Fire Biter looks like crumbly red clay. When rubbed against a weapon it leaves an odorless, invisible residue. It causes
an unpleasant burning against naked skin when applied, so many wear gloves when applying it. Someone struck by the
envenomed weapon will immediately feel a burning sensation in the wound, which will swell up and turn a bright red.
This redness will spread out like webs along the blood vessels going from the injury as the poison is carried further into
the body.
After the first damaging strike from the Fire Biter, one extra damage die is rolled (but not kept), and the person struck is
immediately afflicted with severe tremors for at least an hour. It is still possible to act through these shakes, but the
Agility trait is lowered by -2 (minimum of one) for the duration of the poison. The dose of poison is used up after one
strike.
Dripping Poison Poison: Ingested 10 koku/dose TN 20

This odorless, greenish fluid is undetectable when dripped into food or drink, and there is no known treatment. When
ingested, it has no effect for 1-5 hours, but after that a searing pain begins in the throat, lips and stomach and spreads
slowly outward, getting steadily more intense. The victim begins to feel weak, and breathing becomes difficult and
strained.
When the poison takes effect, the victim immediately takes 1 die of Wounds, which do not return until the poison has
run its course. The victim is also at -1 Strength during that time. Finally, every hour the victim must roll Stamina
against the Breathless number (explained in; Honor’s Veil 42). If he doesn’t, takes an additional die of wounds.
If the poison was purchased, it will have a Breathless number of 10-15. If it was brewed, have the poisoner choose a TN
and roll Intelligence + Poison to find the Breathless number (see Side Effects, in Honor’s Veil 42). If he succeeds, the
TN he chose the Breathless Number.
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Hot Madness Poison: Ingested 3 koku/dose TN 10
This powder looks like salt and has neither taste nor color. It dissolves easily in water and is undetectable. It does not
kill, but a day after it is eaten, the victim will come down with a severe fever and feel a sense of intense, crushing fear
until the poison leaves his system.
This poison has a 24-hour delay before it takes effect. While in effect, the victim cannot spend Void points and is at -1
Intelligence. However, it causes no damage.
Wish You Dead Poison: Contact 20 koku/dose TN 25

This tarry black slime smells, oddly enough, of ripe persimmons. It is a powerful contact poison. As soon as it is
touched with bare flesh, it immediately causes a heavy, throbbing pain to spread from the touched area. This pain
quickly spreads to the head and guts, causing agony and vomiting. It has been known, on rare occasions, to kill instantly
by stopping the heart. This usually causes death within four minutes.
The victim to Wish You Dead immediately loses 1 die of Wounds and is afflicted with vomiting. Any time the
character tries to take an action, there’s a 1 in 10 chance that he will throw up instead of doing his action. Furthermore,
the victim must make a Stamina check (TN 10) every 10 minutes or take an additional die of Wounds.
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Special Materials
Jade Weapons (Book of the Shadowlands 107)
Jade Katans or weapons studded with jade are able to do normal damage to oni, even if they possess Invulnerability. Also,
when shadowlands creatures are wounded by such weapons, the gashes do not close and heal.
Jade Powder (Book of the Shadowlands 107)

Blades coated in jade powder will do normal damage the first strike to a creature with Invulnerability, but the
effectiveness diminishes with each attack until it is once more an ordinary blade.
1st strike: Full damage 3rd strike: ¼ damage 5th + strike: 1 wound
nd th
2 strike: ½ damage 4 strike: 1/8 damage
Tea of Jade Petals (Book of the Shadowlands 37)

Genuine Jade Petal Tea is a rare commodity. It requires delicate cultivation and careful processing. Happily, it only takes
a spoonful to the shredded emerald leaves to brew a cup, which is the equivalent of one dose. However, it takes the leaves
of one Jade Lotus to make one dose, making Jade Petal Tea expensive.
Characters affected by the Shadowlands Taint, whether in or out of the Shadowlands, can temporarily negate a number of
points equal to the potency of the tea. The strength of the tea depends on the quality of plant and the brewer’s art. Roll
Intelligence + Herbalism TN20.
This is not a permanent effect, rather lasting for eight hours, at which point either more tea must be consumed or the
character regains the points.
When in the Shadowlands, characters cannot regain lost Wound Points. The body’s natural healing processes do not work
in these lands. Wounds continue to fester and drain until the character is beyond Fu Leng’s influence. Tea of Jade Petals,
however, counteracts this effect. Consumed prior to a night’s rest, the wounded character heals the normal amount of
damage.
Crystal Weapons (Book of the Shadowlands 107)

Crystal katana and other weapons have powerful spirits bound within the blades.
The spirits sleeping in the crystal react when in the presence of Shadowlands Taint. The crystal begins to glow with a
powerful white aura. The strength of the aura depends on the strength of the spirit within the crystal.
Crystals have a strength rating from 1-5. The strength of the crystal determines the radius of the crystal’s power, which is
one foot per point of strength. When a crystal encounters someone (or something) with Shadowlands Taint, both make a
roll: the crystal against a TN15, and the creature against the crystal’s strength rating x 5. If the strength of the crystal is not
enough to overcome the Shadowlands Taint, the crystal has no effect on the creature. If the strength of the crystal
overcomes the creature, however, it will keep the creature out of the aura of the crystal.
If the crystal ever comes in contact with a creature with Shadowlands Taint, another contested roll is made. This time if
the crystal succeeds, the wielder of the crystal rolls a number of damage dice against the creature equal to the strength of
the crystal. If the crystal fails, it does no damage at all.
Obsidian Weapons (Bearers of Jade 65)

Obsidian weapons are relatively easy to manufacture, since they require only primitive shaping rather than elaborate
folding, but deposits are rare. Use the rules for finding Jade (Bearers of Jade 32) to determine whether obsidian weapons
or powder are available. Most swordsmiths categorically refuse to soil a Daisho with obsidian, bot other weapons can be
custom-made. Such weapons have the same DR as other weapons of that type, and they cause normal damage to creatures
with Invulnerability.
All obsidian has a 3 in 10 chance of being cursed. GM rolls secretly when the character acquires the weapon: the madness
is triggered when it first hits Tainted blood. The bearer must make an immediate Willpower roll, TN 5, to resist its effects.
This roll is repeated every full moon at +5 to the difficulty. Each time they fail, they fall into a blind fury, seeking to
commit barbaric atrocities against their closest friends and kin. The GM will tailor these to make sense to the character in
her maddened state, though the character will regret it later.
Discarding the obsidian reverses the process; each month the Willpower roll grows easier until they are free of its effects.
If the samurai fails five rolls in a row, the lunacy becomes permanent.
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Alchemy & Elixirs
Kagaku (Alchemy) Items
Moeagaru (Flash paper) Creation Time: 10 min. TN to Create: 10
Skill to Use: Kagaku Trait: Intelligence Way of the Dragon 88
Moeagaru is thin rice paper that’s been treated with a chemical that ignites upon friction. The shugenja simply rubs his
fingers along the paper for a moment or two, and it ignites and burns with a flash. The paper is completely destroyed in
the blink of an eye.
Moeagaru has little chance of causing actual damage, but if held close to the eyes, it can blind a character for a single
Action. The target character must make a Reflexes roll (TN from 10-20, depending on the circumstances) to avoid the
effects of the flash.
Poluvora (Black powder) Creation Time: 1 day/dose (1k1) TN to Create: 20

When the gaijin fleet assaulted Otosan Uchi, they used a black powder they called “polvora”. Many years later, the
Agasha have learned how to develop black powder, but their initial experiments have proven to be dangerous at best.
“Poluvora” is an unstable substance (they haven’t learned to add saltpeter to it, just yet), so it is too dangerous to use in
any kind of military action. However, the Rokugani have learned to develop fireworks from the substance.
Each “dose” of poluvora causes 1k1 die of damage
Hinemuri (“Sleeping Fire”) Creation Time: 2 hrs / dose (1k1/rnd) TN to Create: 10

Hinemuri, or sleeping fire, is actually a thin, transparent liquid that responds to slight and sudden changes in
temperature. Typically, it is painted thinly on a surface and left for the unsuspecting to discover. If the surface
temperature of hinemuri is altered (through physical contact or even breathing no the surface), it will ignite. It causes
little or no damage unless prolonged contact continues, in which case, it will do 1k1 damage per round.
Ekitai Kemuri (“Liquid smoke”) Creation Time: 1 hr/dose TN to Create: 10

Ekitai kemuri is a gummy liquid that, when set alight, emits a thick, black smoke that burns the eyes and throat. Ekitai
kemuri burns for approximately ten minutes per dose. Those wishing to move through an etitai kemuri cloud must do so
with a Stamina roll at TN 10. This TN may be increased by Raising the creation TN.
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Mizugusuri (Elixirs)
Mizugusuri (mee-zoo-goo-soo-ree) The Agasha shugenja brew these elixirs using their knowledge of herbalism and
the secret names of the elements.
Bayushi’s Bane (Way of the Dragon 90) When a character ingests this potion, it extinguishes any
TN: 10 Skill: Mizugusuri poison running through his veins.
Duration: Instantaneous Trait: Intelligence
Raises None
Brother of Air (Way of the Dragon 90) Brother of Air makes the drinker immune to the effects of
TN: 10 Skill: Mizugusuri any Air spells. Duration can be increased by 5 Rounds
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence for each Raise
Raises Duration
Brother of Earth (Way of the Dragon 90) Brother of Earth makes the drinker immune to the effects
TN: 10 Skill: Mizugusuri of any Earth spells. Duration can be increased by 5
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence Round for each Raise
Raises Duration
Brother of Fire (Way of the Dragon 90) Brother of Fire makes the drinker immune to the effects
TN: 10 Skill: Mizugusuri of any Fire spells. Duration can be increased by 5 Rounds
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence for each Raise.
Raises Duration
Brother of Water (Way of the Dragon 90) Brother of Water makes the drinker immune to the effects
TN: 10 Skill: Mizugusuri of any Water spells. Duration can be increased by 5
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence Rounds for each Raise
Raises Duration
Crane’s Tongue (Way of the Dragon 90) While under the influence of Crane’s Tongue, the character’s
TN: 15 Skill: Mizugusuri Awreness is considered 1 Rank higher. For each Raise, the
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence Duration can be increased by 5 Rounds or, for two Raises, the
Raises Duration, Awareness character’s Awreness can be increased by an additional Rank
Dragon’s Breath (Way of the Dragon 91) When the character drinks this elixir, he has one Round to
TN: 20 Skill: Mizugusuri prepare for a burst of flame that will erupt from his mouth. The
Duration: Instantaneous Trait: Intelligence flame hits a single target with a 3k3 blast of damage that also
Raises Damage Rating, Number of Targets causes the drinker 1k1 damage. For two Raises, the brewer can
increase the damage (number of dice rolled, not kept), or the
number of targets hit, but no more than three targets can be hit
with the blast.
Earth’s Anvil (Way of the Dragon 91) The drinker of this elixir is immune to effects of Wounds
TN: 20 Skill: Mizugusuri until he is “Down”. The Duration of this elixir can be
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence increased with a 5-point Raise.
Raises Duration
Earth’s Hammer (Way of the Dragon 91) The drinker of this elixir finds his Strength Trait increased
TN: 10 Skill: Mizugusuri by one. Duration can be increased with a 5-point Raise, but
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence increasing the Strength Trait further costs two Raises.
Raises Duration, Strength bonus
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Health (Way of the Dragon 91) The imbiber of this elixir heals an entire Wound Level.
TN: 10 Skill: Mizugusuri However, as with all healing magics, any permanent wounds
Duration: Instantaneous Trait: Intelligence (such as broken bones, missing limbs, etc.) are not healed.
Raises Health Level
Lion’s Heart (Way of the Dragon 91) The imbiber of Lion’s Heart may add his Honor Rank to the
TN: 10 Skill: Mizugusuri result of any to hit or damage rolls. A Raise can increase the
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence duration of this elixir by 5 Rounds
Raises Duration
Liquid Fire (Way of the Dragon 91) No one (except the insane) ever drinks Liquid Fire. It is an
TN: 20 Skill: Mizugusuri elixir, but it is not intended for consumption. It is thrown at an
Duration: Instantaneous Trait: Intelligence enemy, and upon impact, it explodes with a raging flame that
Raises Damage Rating sticks to anything it hits. The thrower makes a to-hit roll
(Agility + any applicable Skill, such as Athletics). If he hits,
all others in the immediate area must make a Simple Reflexes
roll at TN 10 to get out of the splash (the thrower may Raise
his own TN to increase the Reflexes roll to get out of the
way). The DR of Liquid Fire is 2k2, but after the first round of
exposure to the elixir, the target takes an additional 1 die of
damage each Round until he washes off the Liquid Fire.
Smoke (Way of the Dragon 91) This elixir is much like Liquid Fire, above. It is not taken
TN: 5 Skill: Mizugusuri internally, but thrown. When it impacts, it releases a putrid
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence smoke (in one of a number of colors) that blinds and chokes
Raises Duration, Area of Effect, Stamina roll any within its 10’ radius. Anyone wishes to move through the
smoky cloud must make a Simple Stamina roll at 10. If they
fail, they fall down, choking and crying from the rank
stinkcloud. A 5-point Raise will increase the duration by 5
Rounds, the area of effect by 5’, or the Stamina roll by 5.
Vitality (Way of the Dragon 91) The imbiber of this elixir gains an increase in either Stamina
TN: 20 Skill: Mizugusuri or Willpower. When the elixir is brewed, the shugenja must
Duration: 5 Rounds Trait: Intelligence determine which Trait will be increased. The Trait in question
Raises Duration, Trait increase is increased by 1 Rank. With two Raises, the brewer can also
include the complementary Trait (Stamina or Willpower),
increasing it also by 1 Rank. It costs an additional two Raises
to increase a Trait by 2 points, but each Trait must be
increased independently; a single Raise does not gain an
increase in both Traits.
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Gaijin Gear
He Unicorn have dealt with many different cultures. Many of them have methods of warfare that are very different from
those found in the Emerald Empire. Unicorn samurai can experiment with these items and the “treacherous barbarian
tactis” required for their use
Ashi-kyu (Foot bows) Gaijin Gear: Weapon

Skill to Use: Trait: Way of the Unicorn 100
Damage: As arrow + Strength -1 Range: Archer’s Strength +2, times 100 yards
The ashi-kyuis as long as s dai-kyu, but it is symmetrical and much more powerful. It is designed to be fired at
stationary troop formations or large targets. To fire it, you lie on your back, brace the bow with both feet, and pull back
on the bowstring with your arms. While this awkward position makes it difficult to change your aim (if you can’t do it
just by angling your legs, you must wiggle on the ground) and makes you immobile, it makes for a very powerful pull.
The range of the ashi-kyu is also far better than a dai-kyu or yumi; an archer can typically fire the ashi-kyu twice as far
as a standard bow. It takes a full round to set-up an ashi-kyu.
The Unicorn most often employ the ashi-kyu in sieges or against slow-moving or disorganized armies such as goblin
mobs. They alsi occasionally use them in hit-and-run raise, sending a few dozen horse archers with ashi -kyu to sneak
up on enemy buildings, launch two or three flaming arrows apiece, and then ride off before the guards can catch them.
Longswords Gaijin Gear: Weapon 1k4

Skill to Use: Trait: Way of the Unicorn 100
Notes: Ignores Armor; -5 to Initiative
Barbarian longswords are very different from the Rokugani katanas. Where the katana weighs maybe eight pounds and
relies on its razor edge the barbarian longsword weights as much as forty pounds, and demands much on its impact.
Some Unicorn carried longswords back to Rokugan, but they proved too cumbersome to be adapted to the Rokugani
method of fighting.
Still, because of their great weight, longswords are effective against large, slow-moving creatures. Bushi must have a
Strength and Stamina of 3 to use one, and it subtracts five from all their initiative rolls. On the plus side, it ignores
armor
Oil Lamps Gaijin Gear: Basic Way of the Unicorn 101

Range: Standard Lamp 15’ Directional Lamp 30’
In Rokugan, oil lamps are mode of paper and wood. The most common kind of lamp illuminates the entire area in a soft
glow. Other lamps are made almost entirely out of wood, with a single door on one side. This door directs the light in
one area like a low-grade flashlight. The problem with these lamps is that they are fragile and flammable. Treat them
roughly, and a fire is likely to ensue.
This is not at all the case with the barbarian oil lamps owned by the Unicorn clan. Made of metal and glass, the
Unicorn’s oil lamps are sturdy and windproof, and are much brighter than the paper lamps of Rokugan. They also have
a larger oil capacity, and can burn all night long without difficulty.
Furthermore, gijin alchemists have sold the Unicorn clan interesting lenses made of glass, which focus the light from a
lamp which are much better flashlights than the makeshift directional lamps of the other clans. The light is brighter,
more tightly focused, and longer ranged. Unicorn magistrates often carry these around to help them locate wrongdoers
in the dark; the common folk call these lamps “the eyes of the Horse”
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Shields Gaijin Gear: Armor Way of the Unicorn 101
When they returned to Rokugan, the Unicorn brought back shields among their multitudinous other treasures. Attempts
to use them in melee combat proved catastrophic; while they provided virtually impenetrable protection, the shields
were too heavy and too slow to be able to block light, flexible weapons like the katana. Unicorn samurai rapidly gave
up having one arm weighted down with a shield and returned to the traditional Rokugani fighting style.
Shields, however, are still employed tp provide cover against missile fire. They do excellently for blocking arrows and
the like an oni’s fiery breath have their effects impeded by the presence of a good shield.
Size Shield TN vs. Missiles Area Weapon Dice Lost
Small +5 -10%
Medium +10 -25%
Large +20 -50%
Tower +30 -90%
Sling Gaijin Gear: Weapon Way of the Unicorn 102

Skill to Use: Sling Trait: Agility
Damage: Sling 2k2, 75 yards Staff Sling 3k2, 100 yards
The ling is another “barbarian trick” the Unicorn brought back. It is a secret they hold very tightly, for they recognize
that other Rokugani do not consider rocks to be deadly weapons, nor a sling itself to be anything other than a foolish-
looking barbarian accessory. To perpetuate this belief, many Unicorns wrap their sling around their wrist or neck, wear
it as a fake eye patch, or otherwise use it to adore their outfit. Thus Unicorns have been able to carry a sling (and a
“lucky stone” or two) into places where they would otherwise be unarmed.
The use of the sling is entirely separate from archery. While the Unicorn think of it, other clans consider it a low skill.
In fact, many would consider using a sling to be a vicious ninja trick!
Spyglass Gaijin Gear: Basic Way of the Unicorn 102

Spyglasses, another invention using glass lenses crafted in the Caliphate, are small telescopes. This is handy in times of
war when the use of a spyglass can locate hidden troops, survey the battlefield, or even spy on the gestures and
expressions of an enemy general. There are several sizes of spyglass, with varying ranges. Small and easy-made ones
can cause an object as far away as 50 yards to appear as if it’s right next to the viewer; extremely well-made and pure
lenses can push this range out as far as 250 yards, but such quality items are difficult to find outside of a daimyo’s
personal collection.
Umayari (Heavy Lances) Gaijin Gear: Weapon Way of the Unicorn 102
Skill to Use: Lancing Trait:
Damage: DR mounted: 3k4 DR on foot:1k2, -2 dice to hit, and -8 initiative
Another curious barbarian import; the umayari are designed exclusively for use while mounted. All Unicorn characters
who have both Horsemanship and Lancing skills automatically learn to use these. Umayari are held under the armpit
and aimed at troops while charging. When the rider(hopefully) skewers his target, he simply lets the point of the
umayari drop and slip behind him, and he drags the body of the victim on the ground until it drops off. At this point, the
rider can reposition his umayari and charge again.
The great length of umayari make them ideally suited for the charging attack; the rider always wins initiative on the
first round of a charge. The rider also wins the initiative on the first round of any subsequent charge, providing he has
spent at least one round out of the fighting and wheeling his steed about for another run – even a single round. If the
lancer is charging a group of infantry who are all neatly lined up and standing still, then few raises should be required.
On the other hand, if the lancer charges a melee, where order is gone and everyone is running about, the chance to
strike two targets is remote, if not impossible. In short, the difficulty is up to the GM.
Unfortunately, umayari are too long and heavy to be used on foot, so lancers are well advised to have a katana handy in
case they get unhorsed.
202
Animals
Animals from the 4th Edition source Enemies of the Empire have been converted to the 1st Edition system.
Badger: Bear: The most common varieties are the

Badger (Anaguma) Bear, Black black bear and the brown bear. Black
Enemies of the Empire 11 GM’s Survival Guide 107 bears are found more often in the lands
Earth: 1 Stamina 2 Earth: 4 of the Crane than elsewhere, while
Fire: 1 Agility 3 Fire: 1 Agility 3 brown bears are most plentiful in
Water: 1 Strength 2 Water: 2 Strength 6 Phoenix lands. Black bears are noted
Air: 1 Reflexes 2 Air: 2 for being smaller than brown bears and
Attack: Claws 3k2 Attack: 4k3 far less aggressive; however, all mother
Bite 2k2 Damage: 6k2, Bite 4k3 bears are fiercely protective of their
Damage: Claws 1k1 TN to Hit: 20 young and will tear any threatening
Bite 2k2 Skills: Mountaineering 3, creature to pieces.
TN to Hit: 10 Hunting 3 with scent Hungry bears are dogged hunters,
Wounds: 12: -2; 20: Dead Wounds: 35: +1 roll not keep; pursuing their victims relentlessly,
Badgers are small predators with nasty 60: Dead although they cannot run downhill.
dispositions. While they are not Special: Fear 2, Huge, Swift 3 (not Black bears will climb trees to get their
physically imposing, badgers are downhill) prey, while brown bears prefer to
known for their sharp claws and vicious Bears are large omnivorous mammals knock trees over. Aggressive bears can
bites. They do not go out of their way found throughout mainland Rokugan. be terrifying, for they are notoriously
to attack humans, but a cornered or The most common varieties are the difficult to kill. An angry bear can
trapped badger will fight with a ferocity black bear and the brown bear. Black threaten even a group of armed samurai
matching that of a samurai. Badgers are bears are found more often in the lands
found in all areas of the Rokugani of the Crane than elsewhere, while Birds of Prey:
mainland. brown bears are most plentiful in Eagle (Washi)
Phoenix lands. Black bears are noted Enemies of the Empire 14
Bat: for being smaller than brown bears and Earth: 1
Bat (Koumori) far less aggressive; however, all mother Fire: 1 Agility 4
bears are fiercely protective of their Water: 2 Perception 4
Enemies of the Empire 12 young and will tear any threatening Air: 1 Reflexes 5
Earth: 1
creature to pieces. Attack: Beak/talons 5k4
Fire: 1 Agility 3
Hungry bears are dogged hunters, Damage: Beak/talons 2k2
Water: 1 Perception 3
pursuing their victims relentlessly, TN to Hit: 30
Air: 3 Reflexes 3
although they cannot run downhill. Wounds: 7: -1; 15: Dead
Attack: Bite 3k3
Black bears will climb trees to get their Special: Swift 3 (when flying)
Damage: 1k1
prey, while brown bears prefer to The largest raptor in Rokugan is the
TN to Hit: 20
knock trees over. Aggressive bears can golden eagle. While falcons are more
Wounds: 5: -2; 10: Dead
be terrifying, for they are notoriously swift than eagles, eagles are known for
Skills: Hunting 3
difficult to kill. An angry bear can their surprising strength and have even
Special: Swift 3
threaten even a group of armed samurai been known to make prey of goats. It is
Echolocation: no penalties in total
darkness possible to train an eagle as a hunting
Disease Carrier: When bitten 1 in 10 Bear, Brown (Kuma) companion in the same manner as a
chance to catch disease. Treat Enemies of the Empire 12 falcon, but this is far less common, as
Medicine TN (30), all physical traits Earth: 6 eagles have a more aggressive and less
take -1, can become permanent. Fire: 1 Agility 4 predictable nature than falcons and
Bats are usually seen as a good omen in Water: 2 Strength 7 even trained eagles may attack humans.
Rokugan, since they eat insects such as Air: 1 Reflexes 3 An eagle which takes 7 or more
Attack: Claws 6k4 Wounds cannot fly until it heals.
mosquitoes which are often believed to
be a form of Gaki. Bats are nocturnal, Bite 5k4
and are able to make their way in the Damage: Claws 7k3
dark by use of echolocation. Bite 4k3
TN to Hit: 20
Wounds: 30: -1; 60: -2; 90: Dead
Special: Fear 2, Huge, Swift 3 (not
downhill)
Bears are large omnivorous mammals
found throughout mainland Rokugan.
203
Falcon Canines: Wolf
GM’s Survival Guide 106 Dog GM’s Survival Guide 109
Earth: 1 GM’s Survival Guide 109 Earth: 3
Fire: 1 Agility 4 Earth: 2 Fire: 2 Agility 3
Water: 1 Strength 6 Fire: 1 Agility 3 Water: 3 Perception 4
Air: 1 Reflexes 5 Water: 1 Perception 3 Air: 1 Reflexes 3
Attack: 5k4 Air: 1 Reflexes 3 Attack: 4k3
Damage: 5k2; if hit for 6+ victim Attack: 3k3 Damage: 5k2
loses an eye Damage: 1k1, Bite 3k1 TN to Hit: 15
TN to Hit: 25 TN to Hit: 15 Wounds: 10: -2; 20: -3; 30: Dead
Wounds: 5: -1 & can’t fly; 10: Dead Wounds: 10: -2* flee; 30: Dead
Skills: Hunting 3 Crane:
Boar: Crane (Tsuru)
Boar, small Fox (Kitsune) Enemies of the Empire 13
GM’s Survival Guide 107 Enemies of the Empire 15 Earth: 1
Earth: 3 Earth: 1 Stamina 2 Fire: 1 Agility 3
Fire: 1 Agility2 Fire: 1 Agility 3 Water: 1 Perception 2
Water: 2 Strength 4 Water: 1 Perception 3 Air: 1 Reflexes 4
Air: 1 Reflex 2 Air: 2 Reflexes 4 Attack: Beak 3k3
Attack: 3k2 Attack: Bite 4k3 Damage: 2k1
Damage: 3k3, Charging 5k3 Damage: Bite 2k2 TN to Hit: 25
TN to Hit: 10 / 5 TN to Hit: 25 Wounds: 6: -1; 12: Dead
Wounds: 18: -1; 36: Dead Wounds: 12: -2; 24: Dead Special: Swift 4 (when flying)
Skills: Athletics 2, Stealth 3 Wild crane in flight are the subject of
Boar (Inoshishi) Special: Swift 2 numerous Rokugani poems and
Enemies of the Empire 13 Foxes are small vulpine creatures, paintings. Cranes are no threat to
Earth: 5 distantly related to dogs. They are humans, and samurai will not harm
Fire: 1 Agility3 common throughout the forests of them, but the occasional ronin will hunt
Water: 2 Strength 4 Rokugan, especially in the Kitsune them. Samurai of the Crane Clan in
Air: 1 Reflex 3 Mori and Isawa Mori. Foxes are known particular see killing one of their
Attack: Tusks 5k3 for their cunning and swiftness as well namesake birds as an act of needless
Damage: 5k2 as their ability to stalk undetected. destruction of innocent beauty, and no
TN to Hit: 20 They pose no threat to humans, but one ever shoots at a crane in their
Wounds: 30: -1; 75: Dead often prey on chickens and other farm presence.
Skills: Jiujutsu 3 animals, and as a result many Rokugani
Special: Huge hunt them. Crocodile:
Disembowel: Grapple attempt with Hunting of foxes is by no means Crocodile (Wani)
tusks, delivers 4k4 universal, however, since they are often Enemies of the Empire 14
Goring Charge: Full Attack adds +1k1 closely associated with the fox-spirits Earth: 3 Stamina 4
to attack & damage of Chikushudo. In regions where Fire: 2 Agility 4
Boars are medium-sized mammals contact with animal spirits is wide- Water: 2 Strength 4
related to pigs, differing from their spread, such as the Kitsuni Mori, Air: 1 Reflexes
smaller cousins by their thick hides, killing a fox is considered dangerous Attack: Bite 5k4
bristly fur, and the two large tusks and potentially deeply unlucky. Damage: Bite 4k4
located at the ends of their jaws. Supposedly, fox spirits have green TN to Hit: 20
Although herbivorous, they are eyes, and many superstitious hunters Wounds: 24: -1; 36: -2; 64: Dead
dangerous and aggressive animals, will try to see the eyes of a fox before Skills: Stealth 2
notoriously difficult to kill, and the they will shoot at it. Special: Fear 2, Fleet 2 (swimming)
only think easier than understanding a Aquatic: no skill roll needed to swim
boar is being disemboweled by one. Tenacious Jaws: may hold with a bite
Boars may travel alone or in herds, and attack Contested Strength check, if
viciously assault all predators. Samurai succeeds victim takes 2k2 damage /
consider hunting boar to be great sport, round, then victim begins to drown
doing so with bows and spears. Crocodiles are large four-legged
amphibious reptiles known for preying
on humans. The largest crocodile may
be twenty feet long and weigh nearly
204
3000 pounds. While they are not Wounds: 5: -1; 10: -3; 15: Dead extremely difficult to domesticate,
common in Rokugan, they can be Special: Low-light Vision although wealthy noblemen will some-
found in several rivers and many Cat Scratch Fever: When scratched 1 times keep them as (well-guarded) pets.
coastal swamps, as well as on the Isles in 10 chance to catch disease. Treat Tigers in Rokugan are found primarily
of Silk and Spice. Crocodiles hunt by Medicine TN (30), all physical traits in the northern regions of the Empire,
lying still, either appearing to be logs or take -1k0, until cured crossing the Great Wall of the North
disappearing below the surface of the Cat in Rokugan are the subject of Mountains from the steppes. A more
water, then lunging at convenient prey. considerable superstition, and some tropical variety of tiger is found in the
They like to seize prey in their jaws and peasants believe them to be shape- Ivory Kingdoms and these beasts have
then spin and thrash in the water to changers or friendly spirits. They are sometimes been imported to the Mantis
further damage and potentially drown sometimes kept as pets, and many Isles as curiosities. Regardless, all
their victim. monasteries and villages also forms of tiger are dangerous and they
Hieroglyphs found in the ruins of the encourage their presence because they have little fear of men
long-lost troll civilization suggest that reduced the number of rats and other
the trolls once kept crocodiles as pets vermin. However, in some regions rats Ferret:
and perhaps as war beasts, although are regarded as lucky animals,
Ferret
any such connection between the races especially among the Scorpion, and
Way of the Ratling 48
has long since vanished. these folk take a darker view of cats.
Earth: 1
Due to their hunting of vermin, cats
Fire: 1 Agility 5
Elephant: sometimes become carriers of diseases.
Water: 1 Perception 3
Elephant (Zo) Air: 1 Reflexes 3
Enemies of the Empire 14 Lion (Matsu Warcats) Attack: 3k3
Earth: 4 Stamina 6 Earth: 5 Damage: 3k1
Fire: 2 Agility 3 Fire: 2 TN to Hit: 15
Water: 2 Strength 7 Water: 4 Agility 4 Wounds: 15: Dead
Air: 1 Reflexes 3 Air: 3 Ferrets judiciously avoid attacking
Attack: Tusks 4k3, Stamp 5k4 Fear 4 creatures larger than they are, unless
Damage: Tusks 7k2, Stamp 4k4 Attack: Bite 5k3, Claws 6k4 trained specifically to do so. Even then,
TN to Hit: 20 Damage: Bite 5k4, Claws 4k3 they tend to flee quickly unless
Wounds: 20: -1; 40: -2; 60: -3; 80: - TN to Hit: 20 cornered.
4; 100: Dead Wounds: 30: -2; 60: Dead Ferrets are a small species of weasel,
Special: Fear 2, Huge, Note: These are trained Battle Lions. adapt at hunting small animals. The
Elephants are native to the distant ream Squeaky Eyeball Tribe (Nezumi) first
known as the Ivory Kingdoms and are Tiger (Tora) discovered these creatures in the lands
all but unheard-of within Rokugan. Enemies of the Empire 18 of the Yabanjin. Finding them
Some samurai have imported elephants Earth: 3 Stamina 4 intriguing, they learned to domesticate
as curiosities, but there have never been Fire: 2 Agility 4 them and brought several back to
more than four in the Empire at any one Water: 3 Strength 4 Rokugan and has become a popular pet
time. Air: 2 Reflexes 4 among nearly every (Ratling) tribe. The
Elephants are striking creatures, very Attack: Claws 6k4, Bite 4k4 Nezumi use these creatures both in
large and surprisingly intelligent. While Damage: Claws 5k2, Bite 3k3 hunting and to protect the warren from
they appear fearsome, elephants are TN to Hit: 25 snakes. Shamans especially favor them,
herbivores and are usually mild in Wounds: 24: -2; 48: Dead and view them as animals of strong
nature, becoming violent only when Skills: Hunting 4, Stealth 4 Name.
they or their young are threatened. An Special: Fear 2, Swift 1 Ferrets have much in common with
enraged elephant, however, is very Tigers are massive predatory felines, Nezumi in that they are intensely
much a creature to avoid. even larger than lions. Their fur is curious and playful. They are very
usually a pattern of white, orange, and adaptable, love to steal and collect
Feline: black stripes, but some breeds lack the small objects, and can slip past almost
orange coloration and all-white tigers any sort of obstacle. The Nezumi view
Cat (Neko)
have occasionally been reported. Tigers ferrets with nearly the same loyalty and
Enemies of the Empire 13
are not pack animals, preferring admiration with which humans view
Earth: 1
solitude and viciously defending their dogs.
Fire: 1 Agility 3
Water: 1 Perception 4 territory against all intruders. While
their solitary behavior may make them
Air: 2 Reflexes 4
Attack: Bite 4k3, Claws 3k3 seem less dangerous than lions, tigers
Damage: Bite 1k1, Claws 1k1 are intelligent and aggressive hunters,
strong swimmers, and seem to have a
TN to Hit: 25
Skills: Athletics 4, Hunting 3 taste for human flesh. They are
205
Flying Squirrel: Goat: Hare:
Flying Squirrel (Musasabi) Goat (Kamoshika) Hare (Usagi)
Enemies of the Empire Enemies of the Empire Enemies of the Empire 15
Earth: 1 Height: 3 feet Earth: 1
Fire: 1 Agility 2 Weight: 290 pounds Fire: 1
Water: 1 Perception 2 Earth: 2 Water: 1 Perception 3
Air: 2 Reflexes 4 Fire: 1 Agility 3 Air: 1 Reflexes 4
Attack: Teeth 3k2 Water: 1 Strength 2 Attack: None
Damage: 1k1 (cannot explode) Air: 1 Refelxes 2 TN to Hit: 20
TN to Hit: 25 Attack: Horns 4k3 Wounds: 5: -2; 10: Dead
Wounds: 6: -1; 12: Dead Damage: 3k2 Skills: Athletics 5
Skills: Athletics 5 TN to Hit: 15 Special: Swift 3
Special: Swift 2 (gliding); Wounds: 15: -2; 32: Dead Small, fast, and wary, hares can be
Swift: 4 (gliding from higher locations Skills: Athletics 2 found nearly anywhere on the
to lower ones) Special: Swift 2; Rokugani mainland. They are common
The flying squirrel is the largest of Headbutt: Free Raise for knockdown game for falcon-ers, though of course
Rokugani squirrel. It can leap and glide attempts proper samurai will not actually eat
great distances, using a web of skin that Rokugani goats are among the largest such red meat. The occasional starving
connects its front and rear paws on species of goat in the world. They are ronin may not be so choosy however. A
each side. Flying squirrels are not notable for their shaggy dark fur with fleeing hare will tend to run in a large
particularly bright or threatening, and white faces. Both males and females circle, eventually ending up in its
are often hunted – by samurai archers have short horns. starting place, a habit exploited by
for target practice, or by poor peasants The hardy goat is found in all Rokugani experienced hunters.
who are willing to set aside their forests and is notable for its tenacity as
distance for meat on order to stay fed. well as its surprising dexterity. The
animal is a herbivore and normally
docile, but will not hesitate to drive off
threatening intruders.
206
Horses:
(battle maidens). Their training to
Otaku Warhorses accept a rider begins at age one, and Rokugani Pony
Way of the Unicorn 99 they are required to retire for breeding Way of the Unicorn 99
Otaku (Unicorn) Only at age 15. Height: 10 Hands (3’4”)
Height: 16 Hands (5’4” The Otaku Battle Maidens spend years Weight: 90 Ken-o (700 lbs)
Weight: 125 Ken-o (1000 lbs) training with their horses, and form a Life Span: 30+ years
Life Span: 25-30 years special bond with them. If a Battle Earth: 2 Stamina 4
Earth: 3 Maiden’s horse is lost, it will take two Fire: 1 Agility 2
Fire: 2 years for another to be trained for her. Water: 3 Strength 6
Water: 3 Strength 6 In the meantime, she is confined to Air: 2
Air: 2 training, simple missions, and Attack: (Kick) 2k2
Attack: (Kick) 3k3 assignments which do not require her to Damage: 4k2
Damage: 6k3 be in combat. TN to Hit: 10 (15 while galloping)
TN to Hit: 10 (15 while at gallop) Wounds: 8: -1; 16: -2; 24: -3; 40: -4;
Wounds: 24: -1; 48: -2; 84: Down 48: Down
In the eight hundred years of their Gaijin Riding Horse The smallest, and most common breed
exploration of the world, the farthest Way of the Unicorn 99 of horse in Rokugan, the pony is
west the Ki-Rin clan went was an Unicorn Only primarily used as a beast of burden, as
enormous desert they called the Land Height: 17 Hands (5’8”) it is best suited to pulling wagons and
of the Burning Sands. It was here that Weight: 160 Ken-o (1300 lbs) carts. Its short legs make it easy to
they discovered the legend of the Life Span: 25 years mount with or without stirrups, but it
animal known as the Unicorn, and the Earth: 3 isn’t an effective cavalry horse because
horses that most resembled the famed Fire: 1 Agility 2 of its short strike. The pony’s fastest
animal: the warhorse. Only slightly Water: 3 Strength 6 gait is a trot, further making it
shorter than its riding horse cousin, this Air: 2 unsuitable for battle. However, it has
breed is noticeably leaner and more Attack: (Kick) 3k2 tremendous endurance, does not
muscular that the other breeds; Otaku Damage: 6k3 consume as much food and water as the
warhorses have one fewer pair of ribs TN to Hit: 10 (15 while at a gallop) larger breeds, uses much less energy as
than other breeds. The reason for this Wounds: 12: -1; 24: -2; 36: -3; it moves, an is ideally suited to pulling
skeletal adaptation is still a mystery. 60: -4; 72: Down and carrying due to its short, stocky
The warhorse is also fleet of foot, and By far the tallest of the breeds, the musculature. The Unicorn also use
centuries of travel on sand have given it riding horse is also the common steed ponies to teach children the basics of
a preternatural sense of balance. of the Unicorn Clan. In very simple horsemanship, but soon the students
Domesticated first by the nomadic terms, this breed is temperamentally graduate to larger steeds.
tribes of the desert, and then again by suited to bearing a rider. Training a Possibly the greatest benefit of the
the Unicorn, the modern warhorse horse to accept a rider is no easy task. pony is its longevity. The Rokugan
passes this ability of equilibrium on to A samurai does not merely sit in the pony has an average life span of 30
its rider. Another unique feature of the saddle and take the reins. A horse has years, with some of them livig well into
warhorse is its unusually large lung to allow the rider to sit on its back, and their 40s, and maintains its full
capacity, a result of millennia of the gaijin riding horse is the breed of faculties to within a few years of death.
adaptation to the dry air of the Burning horse that seems to be friendliest and When a Pony is retired, the end of its
Sands region. In battle, this gives the most easily broke. All the clans’ natural life cannot be too far behind.
warhorse the ability to make fantastic cavalry troops and their mounted
spirits across immense battlefields, and infantry employ these steeds.
where necessary, the endurance to The endurance of the breed is second
gallop much farther than other breeds. only to the Pony; they are capable of
The cost of these adaptations, however, carrying a man and his equipment at
is his breed’s faster metabolism; least three times as far as a man can
warhorses require more grain and water walk on foot in a comparable length of
than the other breeds. The warhorse is time. The training to accept a rider
by far the rarest breed in Rokugan, and begins around age 2, and they are
they are exclusively bred by the Otaku usually retiring to stud around age 15.
family. The breeding grounds of these
horses are the most heavily protected
stables in all of the Unicorn lands, and
they are bred solely for use by the
Emperor, the Unicorn clan and family
Daimyos, and the fames shiotome
207
Primates: Monkeys are not a physical danger to to thirty or forty feet long, although
Ape (Ozaru) samurai, or even to most peasants, but such huge specimens are only found
Enemies of the Empire 11 their thieving and destructive nature deep beneath the waves. Both squid
Earth: 2 Stamina 4 can make them a considerable and octopi are eaten throughout
Fire: 2 Agility 4 nuisance. Smaller breeds of monkey are Rokugan, fresh or in dried or smoked
Water: 1 Strength 5 sometimes kept as pets by nobles – forms. Octopi are usually not
Air: 1 Reflexes 3 these types of monkeys will have aggressive animals. Most species
Attack: Smash 5k4, Bite 4k4 Strength and Agility of 2. of octopus have the ability to expel a
Damage: Smash 5k2, Bite 3k3 dark cloud of ink to obstruct the vision
TN to Hit: 20 Octopus & Squid: of their enemies, and many of them can
Wounds: 10: -1; 20: -2; 30: -3; also change the color and texture of
Octopus and Squid (Tako)
40: Dead their skin so as to appear as harmless
Skills: Athletics (climbing) 3 rocks or blend in with the sea-floor.
Earth: 2 Stamina 4
Special: Fear 1 However, an alarmed octopus may lash
Fire: 2 Agility 3
Apes are large manlike animals, out at its attacker, strangling or
Water: 2 Strength 4
covered in fur, with high intelligence; drowning the unwary. An octopus will
Air: 2 Reflexes
some breeds are known to be able to attempt to flee from a combat in which
Attack: Tentacles 5k4, Beak 4k4
utilize crude stone or wood tools. They it takes at least 20 Wounds. Squid are
Damage: Arms 4k4, Beak 2k2
are common in the jungles of the Isles more aggressive predators and larger
TN to Hit:
of Silk and Spice, and sometimes squid may attack almost any creature
Wounds:
appear on the mainland as well, albeit they encounter, fighting to the death.
Skills: Jiujutsu 5, Stealth (Hiding,
much more rarely. Apes are not overtly The stats listed here are for a larger
ambush) 5
aggressive, but they will defend any specimen of either species, since those
Special:
intrusion into their territory, and a are the only types likely to threaten
Color Change (Octopus only): The
perceived threat to their dominance will samurai
octopus’ natural ability to change its
be met with brutal retaliation. Any color allows it to blend into these a
warrior would consider it foolish to bottom. If it can spend a Simple Sharks:
face an enraged ape without weapons. Action to conceal itself in this way, it Shark (Aoizame)
The stats below represent a typical gains +1k1 on its Stealth Skill Roll to Enemies of the Empire 16
medium-sized ape. GMs may depict hide Earth: 1 Stamina
larger specimens by increasing the Jet Propulsion: A squid or octopus may Fire: 1 Agility 3
Earth Ring, Strength Trait, and Wounds fire a jet of water to move at a greatly Water: 2
increased rate. If the creature takes a Air: 1 Reflexes 4
Monkey (Saru) Complex Action to move, it may Attack: Bite 4k3
Enemies of the Empire 15 move up to its Water x30 Damage: 4k2
Earth: 1 Stamina 2 Poison Bite: On a successful attack TN to Hit: 30
Fire: 2 Agility 3 with its beak, a squid or octopus will Wounds: 12: -2; 24: Dead
Water: 1 Strength 3 afflict its target with a paralyzing Skills: Hunting 3
Air: 2 Reflexes 4 venom. The target is Dazed for four Special: Swift 4,
Attack: Bite 3k3 Rounds, recovering during the Blood Frenzy: Sharks become enraged
Damage: Bite 3k1 Reactions Stage of the fourth round. by the presence of blood in the water,
TN to Hit: 25 If the victim rolls Stamina at TN 20, which they can smell up to a half
Wounds: 8: -5; 16: -2; 24: Dead the Dazed effect lasts only two mile away. A shark in blood frenzy
Skills: Athletics (Leaping) 5 rounds instead will attack the nearest prey even if it
Special: Swift 2 Octopi are aquatic eight-tentacled is not hungry. While in this frenzied
Far more numerous that their larger ape creatures with soft and swollen bodies, state a shark rolls +1k1 for all
cousins, monkeys are found in many inhabiting the waters off of Rokugan’s Initiative, At-tack and Damage Rolls
parts of the Rokugani mainland as well coasts. Squid are similar to octopi but Vulnerability: A successful Called Shot
as on the Mantis Isles. Some of them have a tougher body, longer and more to the shark’s nose (2 Raises) will
even dwell in the cold mountains of the dangerous tentacles, and a larger beak- inflict a Fear 3 effect on it
north, warming themselves in natural like mouth. There are dozens of There are several varieties of shark
hot springs. Monkeys are intelligent octopus and squid species local to native to Rokugan’s waters, many of
and playful, very curious about Rokugan, and many are very small and which are too small or inoffensive to
humans, and will often root through a harmless. Giant octopi do exist, threaten humans. The most common
human’s possessions or explore their however, and can reach a size of dangerous variety, the aoizame (also
residence. between fourteen and twenty feet. sometimes called the mako) is a fleet,
Giant squid may grow even larger, up aggressive animal about four feet long.
208
These sharks rarely attack humans, but Wounds: 20-40* : Dead
when they do attack they do so swiftly Skills: Hunting 2-4 (+1 in water) Snake, Vipers
and mercilessly. Sharks have a Special: GM’s Survival Guide 108
tendency to attack in a berserker-like * Constrictor stats vary by size. Shorter Earth: 1
fury when they smell blood in the snakes (10’) have the lowest stats. Fire: 1 Agility 5
water, which they are capable of doing Larger ones (30’) have the medium Water: 1 Perception 3 (smell)
from great distances. For this reason, level stats. 50’constructors have all the Air: 1 Reflexes 4
sharks are held in reverence by both the stats at their listed maximu m. Attack: 3k2
Hiruma family and, ironically, some of ** Each loop adds an additional die to Damage: 2k2; Venom 8k8
the smaller Bloodspeaker Cult Sects. A the Strength of the hold (and damage), TN to Hit: 10
samurai caught in the water with crazed to a maximu m of 6k2 Armor: 1
sharks is in a precarious position Wounds: 7: -1; 17: Dead
indeed. His best chance may be to Snake (Hebi), Constrictor Skills: Hunting 3
strike the shark on the nose, which Enemies of the Empire 17
often upsets or drives off the beast Earth: 3 Stamina Snake (Hebi), Poisonous Asp
Fire: 1 Agility Enemies of the Empire 18
Shark (Hohojirozame) Water: 2 Strength 4 Earth: 2
Enemies of the Empire 17 Air: 1 Reflexes 3 Fire: 1 Agility 3
Earth: 3 Stamina 3 Attack: Bite 3k3, Grapple 7k3 Water: 1 Perception 2
Fire: 1 Agility 4 Damage: Bite 1k1; Grapple 4k1 Air: 1 Reflexes
Water: 3 Strength 4 TN to Hit: 20 Attack: Bite 3k3
Air: 1 Reflexes 4 Wounds: 16: -1; 32: -2; 48: Dead Damage: 1k1 (plus venom)
Attack: Bite 5k4 Skills: Jiujutsu 4, Stealth 4 TN to Hit: 20
Damage: 7k4 Special: Wounds: 6: -2; 12: Dead
TN to Hit: 25 Squeeze: When using its Grappling Skills Stealth 5
Wounds: attack, the constrictor snake will Special:
Skills: Hunting 4 always choose to inflict damage Venom: Asp venom is only dangerous
Special: Fear 2, Huge, Swift 4 while it controls the Grapple. (It rolls if it is introduced into the
Blood Frenzy: Sharks become enraged 8k4 to maintain control of the bloodstream (via a bite). It reduces
by the presence of blood in the water, Grapple.) After a victim has taken the target’s Agility, Reflexes,
which they can smell up to a half Grappling damage for a number of Stamina, and Strength by 1 each
mile away. A shark in blood frenzy consecutive Rounds equal to its hour. At the beginning of the second
will attack the nearest prey even if it Stamina, it will begin to suffocate, and each subsequent hour, the target
is not hungry. While in this frenzied taking another 2k2 Wounds per may make a Stamina Roll (TN 25) to
state a shark rolls +1k1 for all Round prevent suffering additional penal-
Initiative, At-tack and Damage Rolls Over three dozen varieties of snake ties for that hour. Otherwise, these
Vulnerability: A successful Called Shot make their home in Rokugan. While penalties continue to accrue until the
to the shark’s nose (2 Raises) will not often seen, snakes are present in the target succeeds on three consecutive
inflict a Fear 3 effect on it lands of every clan and often play a big rolls, the poison is treated, 24 hours
The largest breed of shark found in part in keeping the populace healthy by pass, or the target has an
Rokugan’s water, the ho-hojirozame or eating vermin species. No definite link uninterrupted eight-hour period to
“white-cheeked shark” can grow to be is known between mundane snakes and rest. If Stamina is reduced to 0 by the
up to ten feet long, and has jaws the serpentine race of the Naga, poison, Earth and Wounds become 0
powerful enough to bite a grown man although samurai often assume the two as well, and the victim dies. Reduced
in half. It does not like to eat humans are connected and those who respect Traits return at the end of 24 hours if
but it is an aggressive animal and is the Naga will try to avoid killing the victim survives
much more likely to attack than the snakes unless necessary. Constrictor Poisonous snakes are found throughout
smaller aoizame shark snakes are large beasts, anywhere from Rokugan but are most common in the
eight to fifteen feet long. They are central and southern parts of the
generally found only in the Mantis Empire. The Scorpion Clan uses their
Snakes:
Isles, although they occasionally appear venom for its own sinister purposes,
Snake, Constrictors in the southern coast-al swamps of and other, more secretive organizations
GM’s Survival Guide 108 Rokugan as well. They are stealthy
Earth: 1-4* also harvest snake venom. Asps are
predators, lurking in trees, streams, or generally small, two or at the most
Fire: 1-4* marshes until their prey comes close
Water: 1-4* three feet long, and are usually not
enough to seize and constrict. They are aggressive, though they will not
Air: 1-4* willing to attack humans, but prefer
Attack: 2k2; 5k3 in water hesitate to bite if they are frightened or
smaller and less well-defended prey angered
Damage: 1k1; Constriction 3k2**
TN to Hit: 5; 20 in water
209
Stag:
Stag (Shika)
Height: 4 feet
Earth: 1 Stamina 3
Fire: 1 Agility 3
Water: 2 Strength 4
Air: 2 Reflexes 5
Attack: Gore 3k3
Damage: 4k2
TN to Hit: 30
Wounds: 12: -2; 24: -4; 36: Dead
Skills: Stealth 2
Special: Swift 3
Rut: During their mating season, male
stags become much more aggressive
and careless. They roll +1k1on
Attack rolls but lose all Ranks in the
Stealth Skill
The stag is the most widespread game
animal in Rokugan. They are prized for
their swiftness and the challenge they
present to hunters. It is not uncommon
for proud hunters to decorate their
kabuto with the horns of their kills, and
ronin use this to advertise their hunting
prowess to potential employers. Due to
Rokugani dietary beliefs, stag meat
(venison)is normally only eaten by eta,
although peasants and even samurai
have sometimes eaten it when they had
no other choice. Stags stand around
four feet tall and can have very large
horns. Most of them are brown or
reddish in color and have a pattern of
white spots near their hindquarters.
Exceptions are the deer of the Mantis
Isles, which frequently are a deeper red
and spotless, and the occasional white
stags found in the lands of the Seppun
family
210
Magic: Elemental Spells
All spells reprinted w/out permission from the main source book and supplements to the L5R
(1st edition, now out of print)
Kuwasu: Ward Magic

This unique form of magic is taught only in the Yogo Shugenja School. See this school for more information.
Tejina: The Magic of the Soshi Family

This unique form of magic is taught only in the Soshi Shugenja School. See this school for more information.
Basic / Universal Spells

Commune Sense increased by a like amount for each
Basic (L5R145) Basic (L5R145) raise. Summoned earth can include
Base TN: 5 Base TN: 5 metals and stones. Summoned air can
Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 2 actions be nearly any type of gaseous
Duration: 1 round Duration: Instantaneous substance (which will hold the shape
Mastery: 1 Mastery: 1 of a small ball for several seconds
Concentration: Focused Concentration: None before beginning to disperse).
Raises: Amount/clarity of Raises: Accuracy, casting Summoned fire can apply to
info, casting time time flammable substances such as wood
Effect: This spell allows a shugenja Effect: The shugenja can use these and paper that the shugenja can touch
to speak to the spirit sleeping in a spells to attempt to sense a particular (with more raises, the shugenja can
campfire, lake, mountain, tree, or material or item of the appropriate ignite material that isn’t quite as
other element. The duration is only a element. For example, a shugenja flammable). Summoned water can be
few moments (1 round), allowing sensing Earth could sense gold or a any liquid, from pure drinking water
only a single question path through the mountain in his to a noxious poison.
immediate vicinity. A shugenja Void cannot be summoned in this
Counterspell concentrating on Water could sense a way.
Basic (L5R146) source of fresh water, and a shugenja Whatever the shugenja summons in
Base TN: 10 sensing Air could notice the smell of this fashion is in actually “stolen”
Casting Time: 1 action a deer or the voice of a particular from somewhere else in Rokugan,
Duration: Instantaneous person. and the casting time will depend on
Mastery: 1 how close by such an item can be
Concentration: - Summon found. Items that are nearby can be
Raises: - Basic (L5R145) summoned in seconds, whereas
Effect: When cast, a shugenja must Base TN: 10 something that is only found on the
target another shugenja who is in the Casting Time: Variable opposite side of Rokugan will take
process of casting a spell. The Duration: Permanent many hours of concentration.
shugenja must summon energies that Mastery: 1
directly oppose the Element of the Concentration: None
spell being cast. Raises: Volume, casting
Opposing Elements: time
 Earth and Air Effect: This spell allows the shugenja
 Water and Fire to create a small volume of the
If casting successfully, this spell appropriate element. The object that
raises the TN of the spell the is “created” in this fashion can be in
opposing shugenja is casting by 10 any shape or composition within the
plus five per raise. volume limit. The amount of the
element created is about the size of
the shugenja’s fist and can be
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http://www.elementalmagicworkshops.com/ya
hoo_site_admin/assets/images/colour_element
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2 Elements: Candle (Earth & Fire), Purification Spells
Transform Ceramic cup (Earth & Fire), Sake
Agasha (Dragon) Only (Water & Earth) Blessing of Cleansing
Basic Way of Dragon 88 5 Elements: Katana Crab Only
Base TN: 5 per element (see Book of Shadowlands 33
below) Base TN: 10
Casting Time: 1 Round per Casting Time: 20 minutes (minus
element (see below) 3 minutes per raise)
Duration: Permanent Duration: Instantaneous
Mastery: 7 Mastery: 3
Concentration: Total Concentration: None
Raises: See below Raises: Casting Time, Aid
Effect: The shugenja approach the for the Honor check
spirit world very differently than Effect: Calling upon blessings of
shugenja from other Schools. Other Amaterasu and the other Fortunes,
shugenja ask the rock spirit “Who the shugenja attempts to cleanse the
passed by here?” while the Agasha target object or substance (this spell
shugenja asks, “What would happen is not effective on people) of the
if I crushed you into powder and Taint. If the spell is successful, the
mixed you with that rock over target makes an Honor roll against a
there?” With this experimental TN 10. The shugenja can give the
approach to Elementalism, the target an additional die to roll with
Agasha have gained a fundamental each raise. If the target is purified and
understanding of the transitory nature made fit for consumption. This effect
of the elements. is temporary, and food and water will
The Transform spell (a logical begin to deteriorate again as usual
extension of the Sense, Commune, from this point. If the caster happens
Summon triad) allows the Agasha to
to summon an uncooperative kansen,
transform one element to another. the spirit may cause the target to rot
Simple transformations, such as instantly and permanently.
turning a rock into water, is relatively
easy. Complex transformations, such
as turning a katana into water, is Healing the Taint: Purification
much more difficult. The TN to use Crab & Phoenix Only
Transform depends on the object Book of Shadowlands 36
being transformed and what it will be Base TN: 10 + Shadowlands
transformed into. First, determine Rank of Target x 10
how many elements make up the Casting Time: 1 hour
target object. Examples can be found Duration: N/A
in a nearby side-by. Mastery: 8
Add the number of elements that Concentration: Total
make up the target object, then add Raises: Shadowlands
up the number of elements that make Points Destroyed
up the object you want to transform it Effect: Ritual: This complicated and
into. Multiply this number by 5. complex ritual demands at least an
That’s your base TN. The total hour’s worth of concentration and
number of elements also equals the effort in order to cast properly. If
Casting Time. casting is successful, a number of
“Awakened” objects (such as people Shadowlands Points equal to the
and creatures) cannot be targeted number of shugenja in the ritual are
with this spell (their willpower is too destroyed. However, all shugenja
great). involved in the ritual automatically
Sample Objects and Their Elements: gain one Shadowlands Point. Each
1 Element: Open Flame (Fire), raise will destroy one extra
River water (Water), Light breeze Shadowlands Point outright.
(Air), Table (Earth)
212
Air Spells
Accounts of Shorihotsu to four hundred yards instead of two intended target; it cannot miss under
Air (L5R155) hundred, etc. The thrower suffers no ordinary circumstances, although it
Base TN: See below penalties for this increased range, travels no farther than normal. The
Casting Time: 5 actions although normal penalties for cover, damage is automatic by the types
Duration: Instantaneous visibility, etc. still apply. The arrow used. If the target knows the
Mastery: 3 affected missile must be within thirty arrow is coming, he can attempt to
Concentration: None yards of the caster for the spell to dodge it, but he must know that the
Raises: Greater Understanding, function. For every raise, the arrow was aimed at him and must
Casting Time shugenja can increase the range of time his/her dodge so that it confuses
Effect: By casting this spell, the flight by twenty yards, or affect one the guiding spirit. A successful dodge
shugenja becomes one with the additional missile within range. With requires a Reflex + Defense roll at
energies that are being gathered to four raises, the spell can be cast upon TN25 to succeed. Defensive magic,
create a spell that the shugenja is siege weapons such as catapults and such as Osano-Wo’s Breath, can also
watching. The shugenja identifies and ballista. The Crab army once used a be effective. In order to counter such
analyzes the spell and its effect, as master of this spell to launch an magic, the shugenja casting Arrow’s
long as the duration hasn’t expired. entire piece of the Kaiu Wall at a Flight must make a simple Air roll
The TN of this spell is the mastery fleeing Oni army. The wall crushed against the target’s Air x 5. Failure
level of the targeted spell times five. an entire legion, including the army’s means the arrow veers off course and
If the spell being targeted is commander. hits the ground harmlessly. The
instantaneous, the shugenja must use arrow targeted by the spell must be
a raise to be able to analyze it, even Awaken the Spirit within 10 feet times the Air of the
though it does not have a “duration”. Crane Only caster, or else the spirit will not be
The shugenja will be able to tell: Air Way of the Crane 116 able to reach it in time. The spell may
 The element involved Base TN: 5-20 (GM’s discretion) be cast instantaneously; it can affect
 The style of the caster (clan and Casting Time: 4 Actions an arrow being loosed on the same
school) Duration: 1 hour action it is cast. However, the
 The intended target Mastery: 6 shugenja will be drained by the effort
of controlling the spirit, and must rest
 The spell’s duration Concentration: None
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, without moving for two actions
 Any other details the shugenja
Potency of Spirit (once following the casting. This spell may
may come up with
only) only be cast once a day (the spirits of
With raises, the shugenja can get
Effect: This spell temporarily rouses air have better things to do than tail
more information about the spell
the spirit of an item, making it better arrows around at the behest of some
being analyzed.
at whatever it is used for. If the item fleshling shugenja).
Archer’s Reach is a weapon, then the wielder rolls an
extra die when rolling to hit or Bad Kharma
Centipede Only
damage (choose one before casting). Scorpion Only
Air Way of the Minor Clans 75
If the item is used to perform a skill, Air Way of the Scorpion 98
Base TN: 15
the user may roll an extra die. This Base TN: 10
Casting Time: 2 actions
spell may not be used on nemuranai Casting Time: 5 Actions
Duration: Instantaneous
because their spirits have already Duration: See below
Mastery: 4
been fully awakened. Mastery: 4
Concentration: None
Concentration: Full
Raises: Number of Missiles,
Arrow’s Flight Raises: Casting Time, Number of
Range of Effect, Range of
Air Walking the Way 78 die rolls (see below)
Flight
Base TN: 15 Effect: Soshi shugenja have become
Effect: With this spell, the shugenja
Casting Time: Instantaneous quite adept at contacting angry,
uses the power of the wind to extend
Duration: 1 Action vengeful or otherwise disgruntled
the range of missile weapons. Loosed
Mastery: 5 kami, and drawing that kami’s
arrows fly farther that they ordinarily
Concentration: Full attention to another. This causes a
could, yet strike with the same power
Raises: None number of problems, depending on
and accuracy as they would
Effect: When Arrow’s Flight is cast the strength and/or vindictiveness of
otherwise. Once cast upon a hand-
successfully, the shugenja commands the kami. The result is usually a
held missile weapon (either thrown or
a simple arrow as it is being loosed. streak of “bad luck” for the target.
launched), the weapon’s range is
The spirit draws the missile to its
effectively doubled – arrows fire out
213
Bad Kharma requires a little bit of against a TN equal t o5 times the to the shugenja’s Air + School Rank.
preparation time, but if successfully shugenja’s Air rank, using a number If the target is unwilling the TN to
cast, this spell allows the caster to of dice equal to their Earth rank. If use this spell is the target’s Earth x 5
contact a kami who holds a grudge they succeed, the spell is broken and
against the family of the spell’s the shugenja must begin again. If the Castle of Air
target. With a little coercion (GNs roll fails, the victim is reduced to half Air Walking the Way 80
should award Free Raises for good movement, half normal attacks, and Base TN: 15
role-playing and likewise penalize suffers a penalty of 4 to their Casting Time: 3 Actions
those who take the kami’s favors for initiative. Anyone entered the area Duration: 5 + Air
granted), the shugenja can convince while the shugenja is still Mastery: 6
the kami to make the target’s life a concentrating is automatically Concentration: Focused
living hell. affected. The duration is extended by Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
The target of this spell has the 5 actions per raise. The area of effect Damage, Diameter
equivalent of the Unluck is increased by a 5’ radius per raise. Effect: Like Castle of Water, Castle
Disadvantage. The spell only lasts of Air is designed as a general
until the next time the target tried to By the Light of Lord Moon defense of an area near the
make a roll. The kami automatically Air (L5R155) shugenja’s location. The caster
botches the roll, effectively giving Base TN: 5 creates a spinning vortex of wind,
them a roll of 1. For one Raise, the Casting Time: 2 actions swirling at high speeds in a circle ten
shugenja can decrease the Casting Duration: 5 actions feet across and stretching indefinitely
Time as normal, and for 2 Raises, the Mastery: 2 high. Raise increase the diameter of
shugenja can cause a second (or third, Concentration: Full the vortex by five feet per raise. The
or fourth) roll to botch as well. Raises: Duration, Casting Time shugenja can place this mini-tornado
Effect: This spell causes items anywhere within fifty feet of his/her
Benten’s Touch deliberately hidden (traps, false, location, but most conjure it to their
Air (L5R155) bottoms, etc.) to stand out clearly in front to better protect themselves
Base TN: 10 the Shugenja’s vision. Anything from harm. Outside the area of the
Casting Time: 3 actions “hidden” that the shugenja can see vortex, the air is windy but
Duration: 1 hour normally will have a faint blue glow essentially harmless. Anywhere
Mastery: 3 about it that draws the shugenja’s inside, however, dirt and debris fly
Concentration: Full eye’s. The exact nature of the item around at hurricane speeds; there is
Raises: Duration, Bonuses will not be understood, just that it has no ’eye’ in this storm. Advancing
Effect: The target of this spell has been hidden. An item hidden from attackers must overcome the strength
their Air amplified by the caster for view will not be highlighted, of the tornado in order to penetrate
one hour. The target may keep an however (e.g. a sword hidden within the barrier, by making a simple
additional die for any Awareness a large jar). Things that are magically Strength roll against TN 25. Failure
rolls when made in social situations. hidden (illusions, etc.) are more indicates they have been blown off
The duration may be increased by difficult to see, and require a their feet and knocked backwards by
one hour per raise. Also, the target Perception + Shugenja Lore roll with the force of the wind. All within the
may keep an additional die for every a TN equal to the spell’s Mastery tempest, whether they successfully
raise, but the shugenja may not raise times five. remain or not, take Wounds equal to
a number of times greater than his DR1 from flying objects in the
own Air. Call Upon the Wind whirlwind. In addition, shugenja will
Air (L5R155) have a difficult time seeing their
Binding Base TN: 10 targets through the swirling debris,
Crane Only Casting Time: 3 actions and all attempts to cast spells through
Air Way of the Crane 115 Duration: 4 rounds the Castle of Air are made at TN 10
Base TN: 20 Mastery: 4 higher.
Casting Time: 2 Actions Concentration: Casual The effects of Castle of Air last for
Duration: 5 Actions Raises: Duration, Casting Time, five actions plus one for each point of
Mastery: 7 Air speed the caster’s Air Ring.
Concentration: Focused Effect: The shugenja summons a
Raises: Duration, Casting Time, number of wind spirits who carry the
Area of Effect target through the air. The target may
Effect: This spell slows time within a only move slowly, and does not have
limited area. Anyone within 10’ of control of the spell. The target may
the target point of the spell must roll be a number of feet per round equal
214
Cloak of Night Crow’s Vision can use while on the physical plane;
Air (L5R156) Fox Only it causes 3k2 Wounds with each
Base TN: 10 Air Way of the Minor Clans 35 strike, equivalent to a normal katana.
Casting Time: 2 actions Base TN: 15 The spirit will remain on the material
Duration: 1 day Casting Time: 2 Actions plane just long enough to complete
Mastery: 3 Duration: 1 hour per School Rank the duel, then vanish back to where it
Concentration: Casual Mastery: 4 came. Should the spirit win the duel
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Concentration: (killing its opponent), the summoning
Difficult items Raises: Casting Time, Other (see shugenja gains any honor or glory
Effect: This spell conceals a target description) rewards as it she had participated in
item upon the target character. The Effect: The Fox spell known as the duel herself. Similarly, if the
shugenja must be able to touch both Crow’s Vision is extremely rare in spirit loses the duel, the summoning
item and target to cast the spell. If the Empire, and not often taught shugenja must pay the price –
successful, the item becomes visually outside the Fox Clan. It allows the suffering any honor loss incurred and
imperceptible to others so long as the caster to both see normally through forced to commit seppuku in
target item is not readied or used. The their own eyes, and if they close their response to the failure. There may be
item must be able to be carried eyes and concentrate, to see the more humiliations to suffer in the
without the use of the target’s hands. landscape around them as if they afterlife as well; the summoned spirit
The TN of this spell is increased of were a crow flying above the ground. may have quite a bit to say about the
the GM judges the item to be difficult This unique perspective can be used “incident” which cost the family so
for people to ignore (a screaming to foil ambushed, to scout the area, or much honor.
child, the Emperor’s crown, etc. . . ) to pursue a hunter’s quarry. Kitsu shugenja can cast the spell at a
For every three raises, the casting base TN5 lower than other shugenja.
Command the Mind shugenja may also give the gift of Members of other clans may also cast
Air (L5R156) Crow’s Vision to another individual. it, but they do not have nearly the
Base TN: Target’s Willpower x5 same success with it as their Kitsu
Casting Time: 1 action Defender from Beyond brethren do. For the most part, it
Duration: 1 command Lion Only cannot be found anywhere outside of
Mastery: 6 the Lion families. Strangely enough,
Air Walking the Way 82
Concentration: Full the Lion consider this form of
Base TN: 20 / 15 for Kitsu
Raises: Difficulty of Perception proxying quite honorable and even
Casting Time: 4
Effect: By using the subtle influence pragmatic in a certain way. Even if
Duration: One Duel
of his Air the shugenja is able to look the duel is lost and the shugenja
Mastery: 6
into the eyes of the target of this spell subsequently dishonored, their folly
Concentration: Casual
in order to send thoughts from his will not cost any additional Lion lives
Raises: Stats of Dualist
own mind into the mind of his target. Effect: The spell summons a spirit
If he is successful, the target of this from beyond the grave, who is Echoes on the Wind
spell gets to make a Perception roll Air (L5R156)
granted limited physical form and the
against the shugenja’s Air x 5. If he is use of certain skills for the duration Base TN: 15
successful, he notices the shugenja’s of its stay. It appears as a ghostly Casting Time: 6 actions
attempt to implant the thought and reflection of its former self – Duration: Special (see below)
the spell fails. If he fails his complete with armor and Daisho. It Mastery: 4
Perception check, the spell is has a single purpose on this plane: to Concentration: None
successful, and the target will believe represent the spellcaster (or any Raises: Casting Time, Message
the thoughts to be his own. This will character the spellcaster wishes) in an length, Duration
allow subtle suggestions, but Iaijutsu duel, which it will do with all Effect: When this spell is cast, the
thoughts that are very different from the zeal and fervor it can muster. shugenja places a whisper that will
the target’s beliefs will be remain dormant for a time. The
The summoned apparition fights with
unconvincing. a base Agility and Iaijutsu skill of 3 whisper will awaken when a specific
The shugenja may use one or more each. Its Awareness is 4, and its person, identified by the spellcaster at
raises to increase the TN of the Reflexes are 3. Raises can be used to the time of casting the spell, arrives
Perception roll by five per raise. adjust these statistics, 5 TN per point in the area. Messages hidden in this
raised. (A successful raise means the way can be (at most) ten words long.
shugenja has contacted a more Only the target person of the spell
powerful spirit than he/she would will hear the message, as if whispered
otherwise) These are the only stats it into the target’s ear by the shugenja.
An additional ten words. Can be
215
added to the message per Raise. The do enormous damage to a soul that is Effect: This spell was taught to the
spell ends after the message is not properly balanced. Kuni by a Diadoji shugenja two
delivered. The target can be specified In game terms, the shugenja casts the hundred years ago. It is rarely used
to be “anyone” rather than a specific spell and then makes an opposed roll by the Kuni, but those who excel in it
person. With two raises, the shugenja with the target each round. The target are valuable in the ranks of the Hida.
can make the spell permanent, so that rolls a number of dice equal to his This spell causes the air spirits to
the message is delivered forever, or lowest Trait and the caster rolls a create terrible sounds of screaming
until the effect is dispelled. number of dice equal to the target’s and pain in the language of the
highest Trait. If the target fails, he listener. The effect can be quite
Essence of Air takes Wounds equal to the difference. disheartening to both Shadowlands
Air (L5R156) Alternately, the caster can choose to creatures and mortal enemies alike.
Base TN: 15 have the spell do no Wounds but When the spell is cast, any targets
Casting Time: 3 actions prevent the target from spending within hearing distance must make a
Duration: 1 minute Void or voluntarily making Raises Contested Willpower roll against the
Mastery: 4 for the duration. If the target succeeds successful casting roll of the
Concentration: Full on one of these opposed rolls, the shugenja. If the roll fails, they flee in
Raises: Duration, Casting Time, effect ceases. terror (TN to be hit: 5) for a number
Concentration of rounds equal to the School Rank of
Effect: By casting this spell, the False Tongue the shugenja. If they succeed, they
shugenja decreases the physical Scorpion Only are frozen in fear (no action but Full
aspects of all of his Elements but Air Air Way of the Scorpion 98 Defense) for one round. Obviously,
down to Rank one. The Shugenja Base TN: 10 Raises will increase the possibility of
becomes imperceptible to others’ Casting Time: 1 Action the targets failing their Willpower
vision, just like the air. If the Duration: Caster’s Air rolls.
Shugenja takes an action whose Mastery: 4
results could be noticed (talking, Concentration: Full Flight of the Dragonfly
opening a door, picking up an Raises: Duration Dragonfly Only
object), anyone can make a Effect: By use of this spell, the caster Air Way of the Minor Clans 46
Perception check with TN equal to can speak while appearing to say Base TN: 20
the Shugenja’s Air x 5 to penetrate something completely different. For Casting Time: 1 Action
the spell and notice the Shugenja. example, the caster is a shugenja Duration: 5 rounds
Anyone who has pierced the veil of standing in court, surrounded by Mastery: 5
this spell can easily see and track the Lions and a fellow Scorpion. He casts Concentration: None
Shugenja until his or her attention is this spell, allowing him to continue to Raises: Duration, Effect
diverted, even briefly, at which point speak to the Lions about trade policy Effect: With this spell the shugenja
they lose complete track of the while the target of the spell (the other calls upon the perception and cunning
shugenja’s location. If unsuccessful Scorpion) hears something of the dragonfly. The spell causes the
all they note is a motion of the wind. completely different. creature affected by it to actually
The shugenja can use raises to reduce This spell is extremely difficult to use appear to be in two places at once.
the level of concentration needed to and requires complete concentration. When the spell is cast, the shugenja
maintain the spell by one level per The Scorpion can only target one must choose a target for the spell.
raise. individual to send messages to and no This can be any living creature
other. The spell lasts a number of (including him/herself). Once the
Facing Your Devils turns equal to caster’s Air, but each spell is cast successfully, the target
(Restricted Spell) Raise increases the duration of the creature appears to shift suddenly,
Air Way of the Wolf 114 spell as normal. hardly remaining still. The spell
Base TN: 20 adjusts their place in the Way so that
Casting Time: 3 Actions Fear he/she is perceived by reality to be in
Duration: 3 Rounds Crane & Crab Only both places at once.
Mastery: 5 Air Way of the Crab 105 The spell adds 10 to the Base TN to
Concentration: Focused Base TN: 15 hit the character in combat. For each
Raises: Casting Time, Duration Casting Time: 2 Actions Raise assigned to Effect, the shugenja
Effect: In casting this spell, the Duration: Shugenja Rank (see can add another 5 to the base TN. If
shugenja causes disharmony within below) and opponent rolls a TN that would
the natural rhythms of the target’s Mastery: 3 have hit the character normally but
mind and body. The sudden eruption Concentration: Complete missed because of the spell affect, he
of chi, strong pitted against weak, can Raises: See below or she strikes the wrong image,
216
having been fooled by the reality of anything but air. If a shugenja forms if the target is moving, or if the
the appearance. The attacker has been a large gate in a small hallway, the attacker spends a Void point.
tricked by the Dragonfly’s spall into gate is completely opaque, although
thinking their target was somewhere sometimes unusual images that defy Glimpse the Soul’s Shadow
other than where he/she was. description can be seen in the Air Walking the Way 88
blackness. Such images are not Base TN: 20
Four Winds’ Favor necessarily visible to shugenja Casting Time: 3 Actions
(Secret Spell) Unicorn Only watching the gate from the flip side. Duration: 2 + Caster’s Air
Air Way of the Unicorn 107 The gate is not solid, but neither is it Mastery: 5
Base TN: 5 just an opening. Air in the vicinity of Concentration: Casual
Casting Time: 5 Actions the gate pass through and vanish Raises: Casting Time, Duration
Duration: 5 minutes from sight, but it resists allowing Effect: The shugenja incites the air
Mastery: 4 large objects like humans to pass spirits around a target person to move
Concentration: Focused (GM discretion) more quickly. Successfully cast, it
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Some Ide shugenja wonder what doubles the speed and action of the
Range impact this flow of air and other target for a number of actions equal
Effect: When this spell is cast, it objects might have on either this to the shugenja’s Air plus two. Raises
causes the spirits of the winds to world, which loses matter, or the can be used to increase the duration
carry sounds to the shugenja’s ears. other side, which gains matter from All of the usual abilities the target
Wind speed and direction plays a another place. Others wonder if may engage in are now done twice as
factor: in still air, sounds are brought something unusual but undetectable quickly; a samurai capable of one
from up to two miles away, while in a might be seeing its way back through action per round can now take two
light breeze (10 mph) such sounds this gate into Rokugan. actions, a shugenja casting a spell can
are carried downwind up to five do so in half the time, etc. To the
miles, crosswind up to one mile, and Gift of the Wind target, everything around seems to be
upwind up to 100 yards. The wind Air Walking the Way 84 moving more slowly, while he/she
spirits sort the sounds for the Base TN: 10 can still function at normal speed.
shugenja per his requests, giving him Casting Time: 3 Actions The spell tends to exhaust the target
only those noises that are of interest Duration: 10 + Air Ring after a time, requiring a simple
to him. Soft or indistinct sounds may Mastery: 3 Stamina check at TN10 to continue
require the shugenja to make a Concentration: Casual functioning after it wears off. In any
Perception check to hear them; the Raises: Duration, Casting Time case, the target will need at least an
spirits can only convey the sounds; Effect: With the successful casting of hour’s rest without movement
they cannot amplify them. Shinjo this spell, the shugenja draws upon following the end of any strenuous
shugenja often use this spell to the spirits’ intangible nature to make activity involving the spell.
eavesdrop on enemy generals, or to himself or another target invisible.
scan the terrain upwind for the The spell can affect both living Gust of Wind
sounds made by troops waiting in beings and inanimate objects – Crane Only
ambush. provided the object in question is no Air Way of the Crane 115
bigger than a human being (a katana Base TN: 10
Gate to Nowhere or tea set could be affected; a house Casting Time: 2 Actions
(Secret Spell) Unicorn Only or giant statue could not). The target Duration: 8 Actions
Air Way of the Unicorn 108 cannot be seen for a period of ten Mastery: 5
Base TN: 15 actions plus one times the caster’s Concentration: Focused
Casting Time: 4 Actions Air Ring. This invisibility is total (it Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
Duration: 6 Rounds cannot be broken by splashing the Force of Wind,
Mastery: 9 target with mud say), but only if the Deflection
Concentration: Total target remains unmoving. Significant Effect: This spell manipulates the air
Raises: Area of Effect, Casting movement, such as walking or around the recipient, deflecting
Time, Duration, Range attacking, creates a distorted blur physical missile attacks or even (with
Effect: Ritual: This summons a great which is easier to see and strike. To a raise) turning them back on
gate to nothing, which looks like a successfully attack an invisible target, attackers. Anyone trying to hit
black disk ten feet in diameter (plus the attacker first makes a simple someone projectile must roll to hit
five feet per raise). It appears Awareness roll against a TN 25 and with their TN increased by 10 (+10
wherever the shugenja wishes within even if successfully cast cannot make per raise). If the deflection raise is
ten feet of him (plus twenty feet per called shots. The TN is lowered to 10 used, any shots that miss are
raise). The gate will not form in redirected against whomever fired
217
them, using the shugenja’s Air rank. can be extraordinary distracting and Rings – strongest and the weakest
A raise used for duration will extend confusing for the target as the foreign (flip a coin if there are ties) – and
the spell another 4 actions. mind rummages around inside his or their attendant Traits. For each 5 TN
her head. The GM may require a raise, another Ring (and the Traits
Howl of Isora Willpower roll by the target to keep under it) can be determined. The
Air Walking the Way 90 from being ‘stunned’ for a short target’s Void cannot be revealed,
Base TN: 10 period of time by the trauma. however, until all of the other Rings
Casting Time: 2 actions Surface thoughts are those that have first; to realize nothing you
Duration: 1 Round concern the situation that the must first realize everything.
Mastery: 3 character is in, while the deeper Discovering a character’s Void
Concentration: Full thoughts will include memories, reveals both the base rank, and the
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, beliefs, and other ideas that are not number of points he/she has left to
Location currently relevant. spend.
Effect: Howl of Isora summons a
short but intense blast of air which Know the Shadows Mists of Illusion
flies forth from the shugenja’s Air (L5R157) Air (L5R157)
fingertips. The wind is hurricane Base TN: 5 Base TN: 10
strength – strong enough to scatter Casting Time: 4 actions Casting Time: 2 actions
light objects, blow over furniture and Duration: 10 rounds Duration: 1 minute
cause people to lose their footing. Mastery: 4 Mastery: 7
People and humanoid creatures Concentration: None Concentration: Focused
caught in the blast must succeed in an Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Raises: Duration, Casting Time,
Agility + Athletics roll at TN20 or Concealment see below
else spill heels over head as the wind Effect: The shugenja bends shadows, Effect: Using the subtleties of light
buffets them back. They must spend blending them to her own Air, and shadow, the shugenja creates a
one round staggering to their feet making her one with the darkness. very convincing illusion. The illusion
before they can take another action. In order to use this spell properly, may be as large as an adult man and
Raises can increase the length and there must be shadows near the makes no sound. Anyone within the
intensity of the wind, and force those caster. This spell is useless in direct vicinity of the illusion may make an
affected to remain down for longer sunlight. The TN to see the target (or Awareness roll with a TN of 15 to
than one round (plus one round for hit the target with Ranged Weapons) see its true nature. The illusion
each raise). The spell usually affects is raised by 5 for every raise in the cannot come in contact with anything
a 5’ by 5’ cone extending forward casting of the spell. or its plausibility is ruined. The
from the casting shugenja, but can be shugenja may use raises to add the
targeted to anywhere within sight if Look into the Soul following effects to the illusion:
the caster is skilled enough (100 feet Scorpion Only  Motion – slow, simple
for each raise). Air Walking the Way 94 movements: 1 raise. Complex or
Base TN: 20 fast: 2 raises
Know the Mind Casting Time: 10 Actions  Sound – caster may have the
Air (L5R156) Duration: Instantaneous illusion make a single sound per
Base TN: Target’s Willpower x 5 Mastery: 6 Raise. A sentence would require
Casting Time: 3 actions Concentration: None 2 raises.
Duration: 30 seconds Raises: Casting Time,  Size – caster may increase the
Mastery: 6 Information Gained size of the illusion by 50% (a
Concentration: Total Effect: Use of this spell permits the man and a half) of 1 Raise
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, casting shugenja to peer into the soul  Number – caster may increase the
Depth of Thought of a target being, and ascertain the number of illusionary objects by
Effect: By attuning his own Air with elemental composition of his/her 1 per 2 raises (both together
the Air of the target, the shugenja spirit. In so doing, the shugenja limited to one man’s size)
casting this spell can read the surface learns his/her strengths and  Duration – 1 extra minute per
thoughts and emotions of the target. weaknesses – which elements run raise
The standard version of this spell will strong in them, and which might be  Precision – Raise the TN to see
give the shugenja vague impressions found wanting. through the illusion by 5 per raise
of the target’s thoughts, but with In game terms, the spell allows the
additional raises, the shugenja can shugenja to determine the Rings and
read deeper and receive more distinct Traits of a given target. A successful
thoughts. Reading deeper thoughts casting at the base TN reveals two
218
hundred or more, the number of revealing its true nature. The
Nature’s Touch targets is great enough to negate the insubstantiality makes it difficult to
Air (L5R158) need for aiming. When engaged in sustain for any great length of time,
Base TN: 10 mass combat (see the L5R RPG 114- and skilled practitioners know not to
Casting Time: 1 action 117), the shugenja may use the spell use it in crowds or other such
Duration: 1 question to gain +1 Glory points and receive situations.
Mastery: 3 five fewer wounds per Battle Round. Reflecting Mirror’s main purpose is
Concentration: Casual to draw attention away from a
Raises: Duration, Questions Quiescence of Air specific target and to sow confusion
Effect: This spell allows the shugenja Air L5R158 in potential pursuers. As such, it is
(or another target) to speak to the Base TN: 5 popular with scouts and spies. In
creatures of Rokugan. Once cast, the Casting Time: 1 action combat, it can hide the target behind
spell allows the target to ask one Duration: 10 actions several identical duplicates, giving
question to a creature and Mastery: 5 him/her time to attack while
comprehend the answer. Each raise Concentration: Casual opponents strike at insubstantial
permits the shugenja to ask an Raises: Area of Effect, “bubble”, phantoms. Multiple images – placed
additional question. Duration in any position within range that the
Effect: This spell generates an inert shugenja wishes – can be created for
Osano-Wo’s Breath area of air five feet around the caster each 5 TN raise. Some of the more
Air Walking the Way 96 which silences all noise produced formal shugenja schools discourage
Base TN: 10 within its radius. The silence area’s its use for the chaos it tends to create,
Casting Time: 2 Actions radius can be increased by three feet and for the “cowardice” it can
Duration: 1 Round per Raise. This will ruin any further encourage, but others see it as a
Mastery: 3 spell casting within the spell’s area of potent teacher of control, and a
Concentration: None effect. A variation on this spell can stepping stone to more powerful
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, be performed with 2 raises that illusion spells.
Missiles Deflected creates a “bubble” that dampens any
Effect: This spell channels the power sound going in or out, thus keeping Roaming the Wide Plains
of Osano-Wo through the shugenja’s conversations private and keeping Unicorn Only
lungs, allowing him/her to exhale a outside noises from bothering those Air Way of the Unicorn 99
hurricane-force wind. It can blow inside. Base TN: 5
over weak structures, tear branches Casting Time: 10 minutes
from trees, even lift small children Reflecting Mirror Duration: Caster’s Air +
off the ground. On a more practical Air Walking the Way 98 Horsemanship in hours
note, it renders the user practically Base TN: 15 Mastery: 5
immune to missile weapons. The Casting Time: 3 Concentration: Full
power of Osano-Wo’s Breath can Duration: 5 Rounds Raises: Additional Targets,
turn arrows and yari away from the Mastery: 6 Duration (1 hour per
spellcaster, to have them clatter Concentration: Casual raise)
harmlessly on the ground. A Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Effect: Ritual: This gives the target(s)
successful casting will deter one Number of Duplicates, the speed and persistence of the
missile from its targets. Raises Larger Target (2 Raises) winds. They – horse and rider both –
increase the number of missiles Effect: Reflecting Mirror brings an can move at a trot without food or
deflected: one for each raise. Other illusionary duplicate of the target into water for the duration of the spell. If
people can be protected in this existence. It appears anywhere the horse and rider move as fast as a
manner, provided they are within ten between five feet and three hundred gallop or as slow as a walk, the spell
feet of the caster. Only the casting feet (shugenja’s choice) from the quits affecting them. Targets of the
shugenja may exercise the powers of target; and matches his/her spell can themselves cast spells,
the spell; the enchantment cannot be countenance exactly – right down to engage in combat, or whatever, and
placed upon anyone else. scars, clothing and hair. The image as long as their horse keeps trotting,
Osano-Wo’s breath is powerful moves the way its original moves, the spell will continue its effects.
enough to send missiles flying back mimicking motions, speech and facial
to their original users with lethal tics exactly. Sounds and speech
speed, but lacks the accuracy to cause patterns are copied as well, allowing
any real damage – Osano-Wo was the image to easily pass for flesh and
not known for his fitness. However, blood. The illusion is immaterial and
against closely-grouped units of one objects touching it pass right through,
219
the spell, the area ceases to be, and Raises: Additional Targets,
Secrets on the Wind anything within it will be dumped Casting Time, Size of
Air L5R158 unceremoniously back into the “real Objects Teleported
Base TN: 10 world” Effect: This spell moves objects from
Casting Time: 6 actions one location to another. One of those
Duration: 10 minutes Summon Bird locations must be within ten feet of
Mastery: 5 Air Walking the Way 108 the shugenja, and the other must be
Concentration: Full Base TN: 15 within ten feet of the shugenja, and
Raises: Duration, Casting Time, Casting Time: 5 Actions the other must be within line of sight,
Range Duration: Earth in Days however distant. The object being
Effect: By casting this spell, the Mastery: 4 teleported can be as large as a burly
shugenja gains favor with the spirits, Concentration: None Crab samurai (larger with raises). If
allowing him to listen in on Raises: Casting Time there are objects at both ends of the
conversations in the areas he is Effect: This spell allows a shugenja teleportation spell, their locations can
familiar with. He may listen in on to summon a particular type of bird – be switched; the larger number of
any area (about the size of a room) presumably one suited to the task it objects determines how many raises
that he is familiar with for 10 minutes will be charged with. The shugenja are required to make the switch, and
plus 10 minutes per Raise. The target appeals to the spirits and asks them to the smaller number are transferred for
location must be within 10 miles, bring forth one bird of the type free.
plus 10 miles per Raise. The sounds specified – be it hawk or sparrow.
that can be heard are those that the The GM should determine if the Tempest of Air
shugenja could hear if he/she were animal desired is available based on Air L5R158
standing in the center of the location the surrounding environment, time of Base TN: 15
being targeted by the spell. Hearing day etc. The animal arrives in 1-10 Casting Time: 2 actions
soft or indistinct noises may require a actions, and will be well-disposed Duration: 6 actions
Perception roll by the shugenja. towards the summoning shugenja. Mastery: 4
The spellcaster may then make a Concentration: Total
Step Between the Stars single request of the animal, which it Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
Air Walking the Way 100 will promptly obey. The task must be Targets, Wind Strength
Base TN: 25 simple and cannot take longer than Effect: This spell sends a strong gust
Casting Time: 5 the spellcaster’s Earth Ring in days. of air from the shugenja at a target.
Duration: 1 Hour per Rank of The creature remains under the sway No projectiles from the target aimed
Caster’s Air of the spell until the task it has been at the Shugenja will succeed. Make a
Mastery: 6 assigned is completed. It will not Contested Roll of the Shugenja’s Air
Concentration: Focused agree to anything which jeopardizes vs. the target’s Earth each Action
Raises: Casting Time, Duration its life, or otherwise places it in until the spells end. If successful, the
Effect: Through the use of this spell, undue danger. Typical requests might target is knocked off his/her feet and
the shugenja creates an area of be to protect a campsite or person, begins to tumble away from the
extradimensional space, accessible carry a written message, watch a Shugenja at ten feet per turn. The
through a magical opening that particular house for signs of activity. number of targets of this spell can be
appears anywhere within ten feet of After the duration expires or the task increased by one for each Raise.
the caster. There is enough room is completed, the animal is no longer
within the space to hold up to six under the spellcaster’s control and Walking the Way
people comfortably, or an equal will go about its own business. Like Air Walking the Way 104
amount of inanimate objects. It is Call Beasts, it will not be hostile to Base TN: 25
immune to the effects of the elements the summoning shugenja if the Casting Time: 1 hour
and cannot be entered except by shugenja is in the immediate area. Duration: Air + School Rank in
permission of the spell caster. Hours
Weapons and missiles cannot Teleportation Mastery: 6
penetrate it in either direction – (Secret Spell) Unicorn Only Concentration: Focused
attacks by or upon any occupants will Air Way of the Unicorn 99 Raises: Duration, People
automatically fail. The shugenja may Base TN: 20 Transported
seal the opening from either side, Casting Time: 4 Actions Effect: The shugenja opens a
thereby preventing those within or Duration: Instantaneous dimensional portal between two
without from entering or leaving. The Mastery: 8 locations, allowing himself and
effects last for one hour times the Concentration: None perhaps a number of passengers to
caster’s Air rank. At the expiration of travel between them without
220
difficulty. This is not the same as whopper) and possibly even whether
teleporting; it is not instantaneous Way of Deception the statement was true regardless of
travel. The distance traveled is still Air L5R158 the target’s beliefs.
the same, and the travel time remains Base TN: 10
identical to traveling overland. The Casting Time: 3 actions Wind-Borne Slumbers
difference lies in the terrain and the Duration: 30 minutes Air L5R159
obstacles one would normally Mastery: 5 Base TN: 15
encounter on the road. With Walking Concentration: Casual Casting Time: 1 action
the Way, all of that is avoided. Thus, Raises: Detail, Duration, Casting Duration: 1 hour
a journey from Otosan Uchi to the Time, see below Mastery: 4
city of Remembrance by use of this Effect: Way of Deception creates an Concentration: Casual
spell would avoid any travails of the illusionary costume and mask which Raises: Duration, Difficultly of
road: bandits, wild animals, covers the target and imitates the Resistance
Mountains, etc. target’s actions. The illusion will not Effect: When cast successfully, the
The spell manifests as a glowing endure if touched, and may also be shugenja sends placating air spirits
silver doorway leading into detected as an illusion (but giving no into the target who mollify the
nothingness. Once the shugenja (and clue as to the real identity of the target’s own Air into a deep slumber.
whoever is traveling with her) passes person behind the illusion) if those in The target of this spell must make a
through, the doorway vanishes its presence make a Perception + simple Earth roll against the
behind them and cannot be accessed Shugenja Lore roll against a TN of Shugenja’s Air time five. If he fails,
by anyone else. The travelers will 20. The difficulty of the Perception he falls into a magical slumber for
find themselves walking a silver line roll can be increased by fire per raise. one hour. For very raise, the target’
through swirling nothingness. While If the target and the illusion are
time passes at the normal rate, the significantly different, a number of Wind-Born Speed
travelers will have no concept of it; raises will be required to create a Air L5R159
they will not need to eat or sleep believable illusion. Base TN: 15
while they are on the path, and the Normal – If appearance is minor Casting Time: 4 actions
surroundings never change. At the in change i.e. portraying another Duration: 12 actions
end of the journey, another doorway human with similar facial features Mastery: 6
will appear, identical to the first. It and same tonal qualities. Concentration: Full
emerges onto the spell’s destination One Raise – for increased or Raises: 10’ per round
and will vanish once all the travelers diminished size by greater than 10%, Effect: Target of this spell is lifted by
have passed through it. or additional appendages (wings) that the winds and may be moved quickly
The shugenja must be familiar with require animation, or greater detail through the air at Shugenja’s Air x 10
the desired destination before casting; (i.e. trying to fool someone with an feet per round. The target moves
they must be able to evoke an illusion of someone they know well). along at up to 30’ above the ground
accurate mental image of where they Two Raises – for different (movement through a dense forest
wish to go. Place where air does not physique and posture, of difference in may be dangerous). The Shugenja
penetrate, such as the bottom of the size greater than 50%, or inhuman may use a raise to add additional
sea or heart of a volcano, cannot be sounds, etc. . . targets up to his/her Rank in Air.
reached with this spell. Nor can it be With an additional raise, the targets
used to send wagons or other large Whispering Winds move with an additional 10’ per
inanimate objects through; only one Air L5R159 round.
person and his/her immediate Base TN: Target’s Intelligence x 5
possessions can be transported, Casting Time: 1 action Wind’s Distractions
although additional people may use Duration: Instantaneous Air L5R159
the spell at a rate of one person per 5 Mastery: 3 Base TN: 15
TN raise. Horses may be brought Concentration: None Casting Time: 1 action
through with two raises per horses. Raises: Depth of the Lie Duration: 5 rounds
The distance traveled is limited by Effect: If successfully cast, this spell Mastery: 4
the shugenja’s Air + School Rank in informs the shugenja if the last thing Concentration: Focused
Rokugani hours, although it can be the target said in the shugenja’s Raises: Number of Spirits
increased through additional raises presence was a lie. The spell will Summoned, Duration
(one Rokugani hour per 5 TN raise). only tell the shugenja what the target Effect: This spell summons a
believes to be true. Using raises, the troublesome spirit of air whose
shugenja can find out roughly how acrobatic displays and constant taunts
great a lie (little white, moderate, big distract the target. The shugenja may
221
use raises to summon additional
spirits on a one-for-one basis, either Yari of Air
increasing the horde that is Air L5R159
distracting a single target, or splitting Base TN: 10
them up between several targets. All Casting Time: 3 actions
TN’s of a target are increased by 5 Duration: 10 rounds
for each spirit that is distracting him. Mastery: 4
Air spirits are particularly distracting Concentration: None
to shugenja whose TNs for spells are Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
increased by 10 per spirit. Weapon Type, Weapon
Damage
Wisdom the Wind Brings Effect: The shugenja creates a Yari
Air Walking the Way 106 formed from the air. The Yari of Air
Base TN: 10 has a DR of 3k3, and can be wielded
Casting Time: 2 Actions using the appropriate weapon skill.
Duration: 1 Round For each raise, the shugenja can
Mastery: 3 increase the number of damage dice
Concentration: Casual that are rolled (and dropped) when
Raises: Casting Time, the elemental weapon hits
Information Gathered successfully. If the shugenja becomes
Effect: This spell allows the shugenja unconscious or is killed, the
to contact those spirits and ask them a elemental weapon vanishes.
single question about another person.
They can learn one thing about a
target; something from their history,
a particular preference or ability,
even a hidden subject that no one else
knows about. The effect is similar to
reading a samurai’s stance before an
Iaijutsu duel: the spirits reveal the
sources of a quirk or physical
mannerism, which may determine a
great deal about the target’s
background. In game terms, each
successful casting allows the
shugenja to determine one fact about
the target:
 One Ring  One Trait
 One Advantage  One Disadvantage
 One Skill & Rank
The target cannot resist this process
any more than he can stop breathing or
change his own past, although the
shugenja must be able to see him for
the spell to take effect. The spirits see
everything and cannot be fooled.
Note also that extremely important
people – family daimyos and their
betters – almost always have a
shugenja or two watching them and
ready with magical countermeasures,
or at least a small nemuranai making
spells cast against them much more
difficult.
222
Earth Spells
Minor Binding. This spell can be When the spell expires, the animals
Armor used to immobilize any creature with will cease their commanded actions
Crab Only the shadowlands Taint – but not oni and go about their business as they
Earth Way of the Crab 105 or maho-tsukai. The spell is very normally would. They will not attack
Base TN: 20 complex and requires much the summoning shugenja. Raises can
Casting Time: 3 rounds preparation. First, the shugenja must increase the number of animals
Duration: Number of rounds equal learn the true name of the creature it summoned as well as increasing the
to the Earth of the target wishes to bind. Then, the name must duration of the spell by one action per
+ School Rank of be written on manacles of some kind. raise.
Shugenja Finally, the manacles must be placed Roll 2D10 (unexploded) and add the
Mastery: 4 on the creature, who is then results for the table below:
Concentration: Full immobilized. Animal Type #
Raises: Casting Time It is dangerous and tricky spell. It is 2 Badger 1-5
Effect: This spell fortifies the Earth usually performed as a ritual with a 3 Bats 2-20
few Kuni Witch Hunters around to do 4 Birds, Large 1-5
in its target, making him even more
the muscle work. 5 Birds, Small* 3-15
resilient than the standard Crab.
The shugenja must meet the TN of 6 Boars 1-2
Whenever damage is rolled against
the spell three times: once while 7 Cats (civilized area only) 1-10
him, the attacker cannot re-roll 10’s.
chanting the true name of the 8 Deer 1-4
9 Dogs (civilized area only) 1-5
Benevolent Protection of Shinsei creature, then while it is being bound.
10 Foxes 1-5
Earth L5R146 If all three rolls are successful, the
11 Goats 1-3
Base TN: 20 creature is bound and cannot move or 12 Hares 1-10
Casting Time: 3 Actions use any special abilities until the 13 Horses (civilized area only) 1
Duration: Sunrise manacles are removed. 14 Leopards* 1
Mastery: 7 Major Binding is a more powerful 15 Lynxes* 1-3
Concentration: None spell than its counterpart, but is 16 Monkeys 1-4
Raises: - identical in most other ways. Major 17 Rats* 3-30
Effect: Ritual. This ritual, once Binding is the only spell that can bind 18 Snakes 1-10
completed, prevents any creature oni and maho-tsukai. The same 19 Toads* 2-20
from entering within a thirty-foot process and materials are used. 20 Wolves 2-10
radius of the lead Shugenja unless it * Stats on these animals are not available
succeeds in a contested skill roll of Call Beasts
the Shugenja’s Void Ring + the Earth Walking the Way 6 Calling the Elements
Ranks of the participating Shugenja Base TN: 15 Earth L5R146
vs. its Willpower x 5. The radius of Casting Time: 5 Actions Base TN: 10
the spell can be increased by 15 feet Duration: 10 rounds Casting Time: 1 Action
per Raise. The range of this spell is Mastery: 3 Duration: 8 rounds
magnified tenfold if cast within a Concentration: None Mastery: 4
temple. The shugenja’s Void is Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Concentration: Casual
increased by 3 for the purpose of Number of Creatures Raises: Area of Effect, Duration
keeping away evil if cast within a Summoned Effect: Ritual: This spell calls forth
temple. Effect: Similar to Heart of Nature, groping weeds and brambles from a
shugenja calls upon the nearby earth 10’ by 10’ square area of earth which
Binding (Minor and Major) spirits to summon any animals in the hinders movement. For every Raise,
Crab Only area to his aid. The species and this spell covers an additional 10’
number of animals are rolled square area. Anyone in this area must
Earth Way of the Crab 105
Base TN: 20, plus Shadowlands randomly from the chart and must be make a simple Agility roll each
Rank of target x 5 native to the local environment. The action at a TN equal to the TN of the
Casting Time: 3 days shugenja can ask the animals to spell when cast, or be ensnared
Duration: N/A perform one action, which the earth within the brambles. Anyone
Mastery: 5 spirits translate. They will obey to the ensnared can move by making a
Concentration: Full best of their ability, although they simple Strength roll with a TN of 10
Raises: N/A will not put themselves in extreme to move 1 foot per action.
Effect: There are two binding spells danger or deliberately sacrifice Unintelligent beasts panic if
taught by Kuni shugenja. The first is themselves at the shugenja’s behest.
223
ensnared, and if unsuccessful in of a horse, between 2 inches and a target of this spell, thus elevating the
breaking free may injure themselves. foot in height. (A clay horse can be target’s Earth to supernatural levels.
produced by meeting an Agility + For each Shugenja participating in
Castle of Earth Sculpting TN 10, or an unskilled this ritual, one target Samurai reduces
Earth Walking the Way 8 Agility roll of 20). When the spell is any damage taken by three points per
Base TN: 10 cast, the shugenja gives the horse to round. This spell has no effect when
Casting Time: 3 Actions another and asks them to name it. the target is not from one seven Great
Duration: 1 hour Only the person who first names a Clans. Reduce the damage by a
Mastery: 6 Clay Horse may ever use that further 3 points if the foe is
Concentration: Focused particular horse for the effects of this Shadowlands tainted. The shugenja in
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, spell. the ritual can use two raises to add an
Strength of Wall So long as the spell’s effects last and additional Samurai to the effect,
Effect: Castle of Earth represents one the target carries the horse, he is protecting both.
of four variations on a common unaffected by exhaustion and does
theme. It fulfills the same basic not sleep. This includes forms of Earthquake
purpose and versatility. The spell sleep and exhaustion caused by Earth (L5R146)
creates a towering wall of earth, rock magic or poison – the bearer of the Base TN: 15
and stone, the exact composition of horse is immune. If the target ever Casting Time: 5 actions
which depends on the area. In loses or breaks the horse, the spell Duration: 5 Rounds (see below)
mountains and other rocky locales, ends. The target begins to feel Mastery: 3
for example the wall will be of exhaustion only when the spell Concentration: Total
ancient granite, while in a city it expires, any labor or activity Raises: Duration, Casting Time,
would be composed of the stones that performed while under the effects of Area of Effect, Penalties
pave the nearby streets. The wall the horse does not tire him in any Effect: With this spell, the shugenja
manifests itself during the 3 action way. causes great upheavals in the Earth
casting time, and will knock those Users of this spell should be aware with the aid of resting Earth spirits.
directly above off their feet (Agility + that a Clay Horse can be very fragile. When cast, the shugenja calls up the
Athletics, TN 20 to remain standing). Every time the spell expires, there is destructive forces of the Earth,
The wall is ten feet high and five feet a chance that the horse will break and causing the ground to shake and roll.
wide; raises increase either of these be forever useless. The owner of the All Actions are at -2 dice for the
by 5 feet. The radius of the wall horse must roll dice equal to his duration of this spell for those within
equals the shugenja’s Earth x 5’ and Earth, and if he cannot meet a TN of the range of the spell. Also,
can be increased an additional 10’ per 40, his horse shatters. This TN is characters in the range of the
raise. It cannot be damaged with lowered by 5 for every raise the Earthquake may be subject to falling
anything smaller than a siege engine. sculptor made while crafting the objects and other hazards. The
The spell lasts for an hour, plus half horse, or every raise the shugenja earthquake affects everything within
an hour per raise. When the spell made while casting the spell. The TN 50 yards of the target plus 10 yards
expires, the wall collapses back into is lowered by 5 for every raise the per raise. Each raise may impose an
the earth. sculptor made while crafting the additional -1 penalty to characters
horse, or every raise the shugenja within the earthquake’s area of effect.
Clay Horse made while casting the spell, The TN The center of the earthquake can be
(Restricted Spell) is lowered by 10 if the clay horse is any point that the shugenja can see
Air Way of the Wolf 114 fired in a kiln. clearly.
Base TN: 20
Casting Time: 5 Actions Courage of the Seven Thunders Earth’s Stagnation
Duration: 12 hours plus the Earth L5R146 Earth L5R147
caster’s Earth in hours Base TN: 15 Base TN: 5
Mastery: 4 Casting Time: 2 actions Casting Time: 1 action
Concentration: None Duration: 10 actions Duration: 1 round
Raises: Duration, Casting Time, Mastery: 7 Mastery: 5
Durability Concentration: Full Concentration: Focused
Effect: A strange magic adapted from Raises: Duration, Casting Time, Raises: Penalty, Duration
Naka Kuro’s studies of Crane (2) Additional Target Effect: When casting this spell, the
tsangusuri and Unicorn travel spells, Effect: Ritual: The shugenja casting shugenja is summoning the sleeping
the Clay Horse is both a spell and a this spell summon the Earth about Earth within the target, weighing him
minor nemuranai. To cast the spell, and within them and cast it into the down to the point of immobility.
the shugenja must have a clay statue
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The weight of the earth is pressed When the spell ends, the target rises at the most inopportune moment:
upon the target of this spell, as up above the ground wherever he was while the character is holding a dam
footing is made more difficult, and without harm. The target can also up for example or keeping a pile of
even the air around the target is choose to end the spell voluntarily at rocks from crushing the party.
difficult to move through. Any roll any time, although once he has risen, Essence of Earth only works so long
involving movement by the target he cannot sink again without as the target remains on the ground –
will be at -1die, with an additional -1 recasting Embrace of Kenro-ji-jin. He in contact with the spirits who enable
die for each raise spent in this is immune to injury while under the the spell. If she is lifted off the
fashion. effects of the spell, and cannot harm ground, then her Earth ring will
or be harmed by ordinary weapons. return to its normal score. Note that
Elemental Ward Spells which seriously affect or the spell will still function if the
Earth L5R147 destroy the earth surrounding the target is on a surface like a rug or the
Base TN: 5 target, however, cause him to rise and wooden floor of a building. Only a
Casting Time: 2 Actions return to a “normal’ state, where he is total separation of the target from the
Duration: 4 rounds once again vulnerable. earth – with nothing save the open air
Mastery: 2 between them – ends the enchantment
Concentration: None Essence of Earth permanently.
Raises: Duration, Casting Time, Earth Walking the Way 14
Spell Difficulty Base TN: 10 Fires from the Forge
Effect: Shugenja casting this spell Casting Time: 2 Actions Earth L5R148
summons the virtue of Earth into his Duration: 1 turn Base TN: 5
mind and body. Invasive magic is Mastery: 4 Casting Time: 1 action
less effective against a soul who is Concentration: Full Duration: Permanent
empowered by the strength of the Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Mastery: 3
Earth. Bonus Concentration: None
When cast, this spell protects the Effect: Shugenja use this spell to Raises: None
target from spells. Any spells that are increase the fortitude of the target, Effect: This spell repairs any man-
cast against the target have their raising their connection to the ground made item or piece of equipment to
difficulty raised by five points, plus 5 beneath them beyond ordinary limits. its original state. Any magic
points per raise. The spirits of rock and stone fill the contained in the item before it was
target with their power, and grant broken is lost. This spell will have no
Embrace of Kenro-ji-jin them the ability to resist even the effect upon an item that is intact.
Earth Walking the Way 10 most harmful conditions. With a
Base TN: 10 successful casting, the spellcaster can Fist of the Earth
Casting Time: 5 Actions raise the target’s Earth Ring – thus Earth Walking the Way 16
Duration: Caster’s Earth in Hours increasing the attendant traits of Base TN: 25
Mastery: 4 Stamina and Willpower – by one. The Casting Time: 2 Actions
Concentration: None effects last for one turn. Raises can be Duration: 10 rounds
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, used to increase the Ring higher one Mastery: 7
Number of Targets point for each 10 TN Raises or to Concentration: Casual
Effect: The spell enables the shugenja increase the length of the spell’s Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
to sink the body and possessions of a effects an additional turn for each 5 Length of Chasm
given target into the ground around TN Raise. The target’s Earth Ring Effect: Ritual: With the completion of
him. If successful, the target merges can be raised a number of ranks equal this spell, the shugenja causes the
into the ground and cannot be to the caster’s Void, and the target ground to crack open, forming a
extracted until the spell effects can never have an Earth score higher bottomless chasm extending deep
expires. He remains aware of events than 6. into the earth. The chasm is ten feet
occurring above him, and can “see” Furthermore, the target always wide and stretches a number of feet
out of the rock and earth as easily as succeeds at any skill rolls involving equal to ten times the shugenja’s
looking through water. He can also Earth or the Stamina or Willpower Earth. Those on the edge of the rift
move at walking speed beneath the traits. No raises can be made on such must make an Agility + Athletics
ground, remaining hidden while rolls as the target is imbued with the check (TN 15) to keep from falling
traversing as much distance as the necessary energies. However, blatant in. For anyone directly over the rift
spell’s duration will allow. The abuse of the spirit’s generosity is apt when it opens, the check is at TN25.
effects last for the caster’s Earth in to make it upset, which will result in When the spell’s duration expires, the
hours. it withdrawing its favor and returning chasm closes back up, as if it had
the target’s Earth to normal, usually never been. Raises can extend the
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duration of the rift, or seal it up implications Grounding Energy
before the standard interim expires. Grounding Energy raises. A few have even gone mad.
No one is entirely sure where the Earth Walking the Way 20
chasm goes, or how far those who fall Base TN: 15 Hands of Jurojin
are taken. Some whisper it leads to a Casting Time: 2 Actions Earth L5R148
dark pit of Jigoku, where its victims Duration: (Earth x 5) rounds Base TN: Variable
are tortured endlessly with other Mastery: 3 Casting Time: 10 Actions
damned souls. Other contend it Concentration: None Duration: Instantaneous
merely extends for hundreds of feet, Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Mastery: 3
and breaks those who fall like Radius Concentration: Total
anything else dropped from a great Effect: It requires a great deal of Raises: Casting Time
height. Whatever the reason, those power and will to cast spells as Effect: This “spell” is actually prayer
who tumble into it the swallowed by shugenja do. The spirits they summon to the Fortune of Mercy, Jurojin. If
the silent earth and never seen again. are fickle, and not all of them are successful, it allows the shugenja to
Tales about of multiple shugenja willing to help those who call on heal and cure disease and poison that
wreaking terrible havoc through them. afflict the target.
extended use of this spell. Legends of Grounding Energy was created to The Shugenja must touch the target
entire cities falling into the earth, or disrupt the connection between when casting this spell. The TN to
armies engulfed by a chasm many shugenja and spirit, nullifying the neutralize the ailment is reduced by
miles wide have surfaced throughout magical effects they attempt to create. five per Raise. The Shugenja is not
the years. Those who are familiar Essentially a more potent version of harmed by any disease or poison that
with Fist of the Earth laugh at such Counterspell, Grounding Energy is being worked on. The target
stories, claiming the difficulty of creates an area of effect equal to the number to neutralize is dependent on
creating even a small chasm is too shugenja’s Earth times 5 feet. Any the strength of the disease or poison
difficult for most shugenja to other spell cast within that area, or and how long it has gone untreated
consider. Who on earth could be targeting that area from another for a week or more may have a TN of
powerful enough to destroy a whole location, has chance of failing. Every 40, while a mild disease caught
city with it. Despite the scoffing, the time a shugenja attempts to cast such recently would have a TN of 5.
tales continue, and are favored by a spell, both shugenja make a
those who feel that shugenja are too Contested roll. The opposing Hidden Footsteps
powerful to be trusted. shugenja roll his appropriate Ring Fox Only
(Air for an Air spell, Water for a Earth Way of the Minor Clans 34
Force of Will Water spell, etc) against the caster’s Base TN: 15
Earth L5R148 Earth Ring x 5, while the caster rolls Casting Time: 4 Actions
Base TN: 10 his Earth against the opposing Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 2 actions shugenja’s spell Ring x 5. If the Mastery: 4
Duration: 3 rounds caster is successful, he effectively Concentration:
Mastery: 4 “grounds” the magical energy and Raises: Casting Time, Area
Concentration: disrupts the spell; the spell has been Covered
Raises: cast (and must be recast from the Effect: When a shugenja casts this
Effect: When cast, the shugenja beginning) but its effects are spell, it raises up the spirits of the
selects a target (which may be completely nullified. If the opposing Earth in the area, giving them
himself). The target has a wound shugenja wins the contest roll, the temporary form and physical
penalty of one less for the duration of spell goes off normally. presence. These spirits immediately
the spell. The wound penalty can be Particularly powerful practitioners of scour the area, purging the earth of
further decreased by 1 level per raise. this spell have found it sometimes any tracks, evidence of a traveler’s
The shugenja does not need to interferes with their search for passing, campfire, or other lingering
maintain this spell and may act freely enlightenment. By placing harmonic trails. They will clear a ten by ten-
for its duration. energies into conflict, they are foot area in front of their caster to its
shattering the balance of the five natural, undisturbed state in such a
elements. The wise recognize the manner that it will be impossible for
place of chaos in the cosmic order, a tracker or hunter to tell that anyone
and see that this spell has a place in was ever there.
the universe as all others do. But The spirits are not otherwise under
those unable to resolve the schism are the caster’s control, and have no
often quite disturbed by the obligation to perform any other tasks.
When they have finished, they will
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return to the earth and become scroll for the spell must be written in upon it like a hurricane. Every round
dormant once more. Each raise of the that person’s blood, which must have the ritual continues, the oni must
spell adds an additional five by five- been given willingly in a special make a contested Willpower check
foot area. ceremony. When cast, the target against the combined Willpower of
becomes one with his doom and the shugenja involved. Each time it
Immortal Steel gives his life for the sake of the fails, it loses one rank in each Ring.
Earth L5R148 family name. He rolls and keeps When it reaches zero in any Ring, its
Base TN: 30 additional dice equal to his Void on link to the physical world is shattered
Casting Time: 1 hour every skill and damage die roll he and it vanishes in a blinding light. If
Duration: Permanent makes for the duration of the spell. it succeeds on more than three
Mastery: 6 He also adds his Void trait to his Willpower checks in a row, however,
Concentration: None initiative die roll. At the end of the it has proven too strong and the spell
Raises: None spell’s duration, the target dies ceases with no further effects. If the
Effect: Ritual, Singe Use: This spell Some Rokugani object to this spell, spell is broken for any reason, all of
adds a little of the shugenja’s own claiming that since the scroll is the oni’s stats return to normal.
Earth to a weapon. If cast properly, written in blood and requires blood to Raises allow the shugenja to force
this spell raises the DR of a weapon function, it is black magic. To this the rerolls: one reroll per raise. Knowing
by one, permanently. Thus, if it were Moto counter that the traditional the name which binds it to the
cast on a katana with a 3k2DR, the Rokugani fealty ceremony involves material world is helpful and lowers
DR would be raised to 4k3, Immortal signing a pledge with a brush dipped the spell’s TN by 10. Many oni
Steel can only be cast on a weapon in your own blood. Signing your fate arising from Shadowlands do not
once. This spell will only affect metal to a magical scroll is no different. have true names and cannot be
weapons. Further, the scroll does not need the affected the way their summoned
blood to power it; it simply needs it counterparts can. No record exists of
Jade Strike to key itself to the individual. an attempt to ward against one of the
Earth L5R148 four Oni Lords (Akuma, Tsuburu,
Base TN: 10 Oni Warding Kyoso, and Shikibu), but it can be
Casting Time: 1 Action Earth Walking the Way 22 assumed that they are too powerful to
Duration: Instantaneous Base TN: 30 be affected in such a manner.
Mastery: 4 Casting Time: Variable Certainly, no one who tries has lived
Concentration: N/A Duration: Instantaneous long enough to report their findings
Raises: Damage, Number of Mastery: 7 to another.
targets Concentration: Total Banished oni do not look kindly upon
Effect: Shugenja may only use this Raises: Force Rerolls beings who thwarted them, and often
spell against a character or creature Effect: Ritual: This ritual enables a plan an elaborate and painful revenge
with the Shadowlands Trait. The shugenja to revoke an oni’s physical upon their return to the physical
shugenja summons the power of the form, forcing it to leave the material plane.
Earth from the environment around world and return to Jigoku where it
him and from his own inner energies must wait until summoned again. It Rock Storm
and unleashes them to assail a differs from the spell “Banish Oni” in Earth Walking the Way 24
Shadowlands creature. Jade Strike that the shugenja need not have Base TN: 20
has a DR 3 against a single target. summoned the oni in the first place. Casting Time: 3 Actions
The number of targets can be Any oni may be warded; the only Duration: 1 Action
increased by one per Raise. condition is that the caster be strong Mastery: 5
enough to match wills with it. Concentration: Full
Not This Day! In order to cast the spell, the shugenja Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
(Secret Spell) Unicorn Only must have the oni physical sight and Extra Dice, Targets
Earth Way of the Unicorn 104 keep it there for the entirety of the Effect: This spell calls upon spirits of
Base TN: 5 ritual. When more than one shugenja the earth to hurl small pebbles, rocks
Casting Time: 3 Actions is involved, they must surround the and stones at a target within the range
Duration: Rounds equal to target’s oni in order to keep it confined to the of the caster’s Earth x 10 feet. This
Void space between them. As the spell distance can be increased by 10 feet
Mastery: 6 begins to peel its physical form away. for each raise. The rocks fly forward
Concentration: None The ritual is exceedingly painful for faster than any normal human can
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, the oni involved: its flesh literally throw; they have been known to
Effect: Single Use: This spell is rends from its bones and horrors of shatter bones. A given swarm of
keyed to a specific individual, and the the Festering Pit come rushing back stones does 3k3 Wounds and each
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raise increases the number of dice (windows, doors, and any other wood to paper can be affected,
rolled, but not kept. The target can opening in the walls). provided it is not larger than ten cubic
dodge the storm with an Agility + feet. The item will be unable to
Defense roll at TN 20. Normally, Strike at the Roots function and will fall to pieces unless
only one target can be affected by Earth L5R148 handled with utmost delicacy. Scrolls
Rock Storm, although the caster can Base TN: Target’s Earth x 5 become illegible, pillars will bear no
make raises to affect multiple targets Casting Time: 2 Actions weight, and weapons become
– an additional target for each raise – Duration: 10 rounds corroded junk.
if he so wishes. A bigger storm can Mastery: 4 This can be particularly nasty if the
also be created, increasing the TN to Concentration: None object in question has some family
dodge the storm by 5 for each raise. Raises: Duration, Casting Time value. The GM may allow certain
Rock Storm has become synonymous Effect: This spell separates the target ancestral family items to resist the
with Isawa Tadaka, the Phoenix from his own Earth energies, thus process by forcing the caster to make
Clan’s Master of Earth. throwing his soul into a subtle a simple Willpower roll at TN 20.
imbalance. If successful, the target of Failure means that item is spared the
Sharing the Strength of Many this spell must roll all Earth rolls as if spell’s effect. The results are
Earth L5R148 his Earth Rank is 1 for the duration of permanent and cannot be undone by
Base TN: 15 the spell. The target’s damage levels any normal means; once a sword has
Casting Time: 3 Actions are unchanged. rusted through, very little can be done
Duration: 10 rounds to help it. The spell Fires from the
Mastery: 7 Tetsubo of Earth Forge will counter the effects of
Concentration: Full Earth L5R149 Time’s Deadly Hand, and restore a
Raises: Duration, Casting Time, Base TN: 10 corrupted item to pristine condition.
Bonuses Casting Time: 3 actions Nemuranai, jade, and crystal weapons
Effect: Ritual: Shugenja casting this Duration: 10 rounds are immune to this spell, since they
ritual gives some of their own Earth Mastery: 3 are imbued with spirits of their own
to the target of this spell. The target Concentration: None to protect them.
glows with the energy and gets to Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Because of its destructive effects,
keep an additional die on all rolled Weapon Type, Weapon some shugenja schools have
for the duration of the spell. For Damage denounced this spell as evil and
every Raise, the target can keep an Effect: If properly cast, the shugenja refuse to have anything to do with it.
additional die, but may only gain a creates a tetsubo formed from the They say it pollutes everything that
number of additional dice equal to Earth. The Earth weapon has a DR touches it, and is one step away from
the number of shugenja participating 3k3, and can be wielded using the blood magic and oni summoning.
in the ritual. Tetsubo skill. For each raise, the Others argue that it merely
shugenja can increase the number of accentuates the cosmic cycle of
Spirit Ward damage dice that are rolled (and destruction and rebirth, and praise it
Earth Legacy of the Forge 34 dropped) when the Tetsubo of Earth as a means of making those
Base TN: 15 hits successfully. If the shugenja unpleasant truths clear. If time itself
Casting Time: 3 Action becomes unconscious or is killed, the will eventually wreak the same
Duration: 1 hour elemental weapon vanishes. destruction, then how can one
Mastery: 4 condemn it as evil without also
Concentration: Total Time’s Deadly Hand condemning the eternal and
Raises: Effect Earth Walking the Way 26 unchanging realities of time?
Effect: This Spell is very effective Base TN: 10 In any case, the spell is quite
against ghosts and all form of spirits. Casting Time: 2 Actions controversial among the schools and
The shugenja draws a circle in salt Duration: Permanent libraries of Rokugan, and the debate
about himself and anyone else who is Mastery: 4 has raged for centuries. Shugenja
to be protected, and then – with a Concentration: None using is can expect to find themselves
successful casting roll – falls into a Raises: None drawn into the argument, or even
deep trance-like sleep. For one full Effect: Initially designed to condemned as maho-tsukai if the
hour (or until the shugenja is demonstrate the fleeting quality of wrong parties learn of the
awakened), spirits must overcome the material possessions, this spell has “indiscretion”
line. Chambers may be similarly been modified to destroy such items.
protected if lines of salt are placed Upon casting, it causes a target object
over all vertical points of ingress to rust and corrode until it is pitted
and useless. Anything from steel to
228
drops of blood. With it, the
Tomb of Jade Way of Earth summoned spirit can follow the
Earth L5R149 Earth Walking the Way 24 target’s passage across the earth, and
Base TN: Target’s Earth x 5 Base TN: 10 note where he/she has passed. The
Casting Time: 3 Actions Casting Time: 4 Actions effects last for several hours, and the
Duration: Variable Duration: Caster’s Earth x 5 spell can be recast with the same
Mastery: 6 Mastery: 4 component.
Concentration: None Concentration: None
Raises: Casting Time, Damage Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Wooden Prison
Effect: Shugenja may only use this Effect: With this spell, the shugenja Earth Walking the Way 30
spell against a character or creature summons an earth spirit to envelop Base TN: 25
with the Shadowlands Trait. The and protect a target character. The Casting Time: 4 Actions
shugenja casting this spell attempts to spirit remains invisible, While the Duration: Permanent
draw out the impure Earth of the target’s armor, clothing, or skin takes Mastery: 6
target, replacing it with his own on a rough, stone-like countenance. Concentration: None
Earth. If successful, the target’s skin The spell increases the target’s armor Raises: Casting Time
turns to jade and he may not move. ranking by the casting shugenja’s Effect: This nasty spell transforms the
Every Turn, he must make a Earth Ring, causing missiles and target character: their skin becomes
Contested Roll against the shugenja. other weapons to bounce harmlessly bark, leaves and branches sprout from
The Contesting Traits are the off. Way of Earth does not penalize their appendages, and roots sprint
shugenja’s Earth + School Rank and the target’s TN for other actions, and from their feet to dig deep into the
the opponent’s Earth. Every time the the target’s movement is unaffected. ground (even though floors and stone
target fails, he is injured by a DR 2. The effects cast for a number of if the target is indoors). Armor,
Over the next 4-7 days, the jade will actions equal to the caster’s earth clothing, and weapons are
turn to dust and disappear, leaving times five, plus two per raise. transformed along with the victim.
nothing behind. The result is a small and healthy tree
Whispers of the Land shaped uncannily like its target.
Wall of Earth Earth Walking the Way 28 Those enchanted by Wooden Prison
Crab Only Base TN: 20 are fully conscious of their
Earth Way of the Crab 105 Casting Time: 10 Actions surroundings Their inability to move
Base TN: 15 Duration: Caster’s Earth in Hours or talk is quite frustrating, and those
Casting Time: 2 Actions Mastery: 5 freed from the spell have commented
Duration: Number of rounds equal Concentration: Full on the near-madness the condition
to School Rank of the Raises: Casting Time, Duration, brings. Sometimes, it is possible to
Shugenja Effect: The Kitsuki magistrates and pick out an expression, frozen onto
Mastery: 3 others who search out the criminals the “face” of the bark. Those who
Concentration: Full of the Empire have found this spell know what to look for can recognize
Raises: Duration, Casting Time, invaluable to carrying out their such a tree for what it is, but others
Height, Width duties. When cast, it causes the trail will merely note its unusual shape.
Effect: By communicating with the of its subject to glow with a soft light The effects of the spell are
spirits of the Earth, the shugenja calls – allowing him/her to be tracked permanent, although those who know
forth a great wall from the Earth. The unerringly. Every footprint, every Wooden Prison can reverse them by
height and width of the wall is 10 feet bent branch, every tiny piece of casting the spell at a TN 5 higher than
x the School Rank of the shugenja (2 evidence marking the target’s passage the imprisoning shugenja cast it at.
Raises add 10 feet to either is lit up for the tracker to find. Only one character may be affected
measurement). The wall has a Hundreds of criminals who thought per casting. The target may make a
number of Wounds equal to the Earth their escape routes concealed have Willpower roll against the Shugenja’s
of the shugenja x 10 found Emerald Magistrates closing Earth x 5 to resist. Success indicates
the distance in a heartbeat. The spell the victim has fought off the
functions in any terrain, and in enchantment, and cannot be targeted
adverse weather conditions as well; again be spell for at least one week.
tracks that the rain may have washed Subsequent castings on this particular
away still leaves a ghostly imprint for target are at TN 5 higher.
pursuers to follow.
Use of the spell requires a material
connection to the target – piece of
clothing a lock of hair, even a few
229
Fire Spells
visiting with the unusual wizards in
Amaterasu’s Anger Biting Steel the Caliphate of the Burning Sands.
Fire L5R152 Fire (L5R152)
Base TN: 10 Base TN: 5 Castle of Fire
Casting Time: 2 Actions Casting Time: 2 actions Fire Walking the Way 60
Duration: Instantaneous Duration: 2 rounds Base TN: 10
Mastery: 5 Mastery: 4 Casting Time: 2 Actions
Concentration: None Concentration: Full Duration: 5 Rounds
Raises: Casting Time Raises: Duration, Casting Time Mastery: 6
Effect: This “spell” as actually a Effect: This spell can only target Concentration: Focused
prayer to Amaterasu. If it is weapons. For the duration of this Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
successful, the Sun Goddess spell, the target weapon’s wielder Size
unleashes he ranger in a blinding gets to roll (but not keep) an extra die Effect: This spell creates a huge wall
flash originating with the Shugenja when using this weapon, both while of blazing fire centered around the
and expanding outward. All who can rolling to hit and while rolling for shugenja. The wall manifests itself as
see the Shugenja, even peripherally, damage. If the subject is already an ever-shifting circle of flames that
must make a simple Reflexes roll at a rolling ten dice, then the subject can dances and twists with blazing fury
TN equal to the shugenja’s Fire x 5 instead keep an additional die. The about the caster. The circular wall of
or be temporarily blinded. Anyone shugenja can make additional raises flame is ten feet high and ten feet
blinded has a penalty equal to the to give the target more dice. The thick, and becomes thicker or taller
shugenja’s Fire Rank imposed on any shugenja must raise twice to give the by five feet for each raise. The radius
dice rolled (including damage). The target an additional die. of the wall equals the shugenja’s Fire
penalty is reduced by one die per times 5’ and can be increased by an
minute. Burning Sands additional 10’ with each raise. It lasts
The casting shugenja can use raises (Secret Spell) Unicorn Only for five rounds plus a number of
to delay recovery by one minute per Fire Way of the Scorpion 107 rounds equal to the caster’s Fire
raise (2 raises = 3 minutes before the Base TN: 15 Ring. The casting shugenja (and
penalty decreases by one). Casting Time: 4 Actions anyone within the circle) feels no
Duration: Minutes equal to the heat from the spell, but those outside
Amatersu’s Blessing Shugenja’s Fire the wall will be singed. The wall has
Fire L5R152 Mastery: 5 DR 4 for anyone attempting to pass
Base TN: 5 Concentration: Focused through it, and cannot be douses by
Casting Time: 3 actions Raises: Casting Time, Damage any means. Flammable objects in the
Duration: See below Rolled, Damage Kept, path of the flames will ignite, and the
Mastery: 2 Duration, Height, Length casting shugenja is not safe from
Concentration: None Effect: Ritual: This summons a wall their fire. Astute practitioners of the
Raises: Duration, Area of Effect, of flame from the ground, twenty feet spell avoid casting it in dry fields,
Casting Time in length and five feet high. The wall small villages, or anywhere else that
Effect: This spell provides does not completely block vision near may cause an inferno.
illumination of the non-day sun the top, although it obscures it greatly
anywhere, in any conditions other and aiming through the fire is Elements’ Fury
than magical darkness. It creates difficult at best. The wall may be in Fire Walking the Way 62
enough light to fill a small to any shape the shugenja desires, but Base TN: 25
medium-sized room, but larger rooms may not move once it is cast. The Casting Time: 10 Actions
and outdoor locations will need raises damage rating of the fire is 3k2. Duration: 1 Round
to avoid dark, shadowed areas in the Raises can either increase the damage Mastery: 7
edges and corners. The duration of dice rolled or kept, although the Concentration: Full
the spell is based on the number of shugenja may only keep additional Raises: Casting Time, Targets
raises used for duration: dice equal to the number of shugenja Effect: Ritual: This nasty ritual draws
0 raises – 1 minute 4 raises – 1 hour in the ritual. Each raise may also upon the power of all five elements to
1 raise – 5 minutes 5 raises – 3 hours increase the length by twenty feet or create a whirlwind of ranged
2 raises – 15 minutes 6 raises – 1 day the height by ten, and add one minute destruction. Gathering in a circle, the
3 raises – 30 minutes 7 raises – 1 month to its duration. shugenja calls upon mercurial spirits
This spell was learned by the to lend them their power, then shoot
grandson of the original Iuchi while it forth in a deadly array of bolts,
230
beams and missiles. Lightning of the duel. They say the glow
follows flying chunks of ice, which derives from the elemental fires of Fire from Within
follow razored stones, which follows purity, which have been invoked by Fire L5R153
balls of living fire. The display is the spell. They serve a signal that Base TN: 15
truly awesome, and those who nothing has tainted the proceedings. Casting Time: 3 Actions
survive it speak of the overwhelming Many would think that such a spell Duration: Instantaneous
beauty of the missiles sent at them. It hinders the Crane more than it helps Mastery: 5
is usually cast only during great them. After all, the Iaijutsu school is Concentration: None
battle where a large number of targets based almost exclusively around Raises: Number of targets,
present themselves. dueling abilities, and Essence of Fire Damage
In game terms, the ritual creates a denies then that edge. But the Crane Effect: This spell hurls a ball of pure
number of ranged attacks, which fly have found it actually enhances their fire from the shugenja’s hand towards
out and strike whatever target the reputation as duelists, and their honor one or more targets within sight.
shugenja choose. The missiles have a is impeccable in dueling situations. With a Raise, the shugenja can send a
DR equal to the lowest Fire among Most Kakita are skilled enough at second ball of fire towards another
the ritual participants, and the iaijutsu that losing an advantage or target. This spell has a DR equal to
number created equals the number of two doesn’t matter. And if sacrificing the shugenja’s Fire rank
shugenja involved in the ritual. their techniques can neutralize a
Raises can be used to increase the Scorpion’s powers of distraction or a Eyes of the Phoenix
number of targets, by one target per 5 Crab’s stamina – so much the better. Fire Walking the Way 66
TN In formal proceedings, the Crane will Base TN: 20
not invoke Essence of Fire unless Casting Time: 2 Actions
Essence of Fire both combatants agree to it. Most do. Duration: Caster’s Fire
Fire Walking the Way 64 Those who protest its use are all but Mastery: 5
Base TN: 10 admitting their weakness, and may Concentration: Casual
Casting Time: 1 Action lose honor accordingly. In the courts Raises: Casting Time Duration
Duration: 1 Strike of Rokugan, such an admission may Effect: When successfully cast, this
Mastery: 3 be more perilous than the duel itself. spell renders a target person or
Concentration: Casual Nonmagical weapons which grant creature blind. His/her eyes become
Raises: None bonuses, such as Kakita dueling sheathed in magical fire, and they
Effect: Another dueling – related blades, are unaffected by this spell. will be unable to see anything save a
spell, Essence of Fire was created by The spirits involved in Essence of bright white glow. Any attacks or
the Crane clan to “even out” Iaijutsu Fire can only counter magical effects, other actions dependent upon sight
duels – eliminating specific not the “natural” products of fine that the target wishes to make must
techniques or other magics. The spell craftsmanship. be attempted at TN 20. Failure may
targets a particular duel, and the two result in some harm coming to the
participants in it. It negates the Evil Ward target – from slipped and falling to
effects of any school techniques Fire L5R152 injury caused by mishandling a
either character may have – even the Base TN: 10 weapon. GM’s discretion applies to
Iaijutsu-specific Kakita school – and Casting Time: 5 actions anything a blinded character wishes
prevents the use of magic to Duration: 1 day to attempt. The effects last for one
influence the outcome, either from Mastery: 3 Action for every level of the caster’s
nemuranai or spells. In addition, any Concentration: None Fire Ring, and can be increased by
poisons coating a blade or ingested Raises: Area of Effect, Duration, one Action per 5 TN Raise. The
by the combatants are rendered null Casting Time, Damage target may decrease the time by one
for the length of the duel. What’s left Effect: The shugenja inscribes upon Action if they wish to expend a Void
are the raw skills: Void, Agility. And the ground (or on any immobile point in the process.
Iaijutsu, unfettered by gimmicks or surface) a symbol to ward off evil.
magical aid. The two duelist face Once completed, any creature with
each other as the Fortunes intended, the Shadowlands trait within a thirty-
and the outcome is as pure as it is foot radius of the symbol erupts into
final. flame (DR2) for every minute they
The spell is simple to invoke and can remain within the area of effect. The
be cat at a moment’s notice. The two radius of the spell can be increased
targets seem to blaze with an by 10 feet per raise.
unearthly fire during its effect, a
display which often awes observers
231
cannot be harmed by normal
Fiery Wrath Fist of Osano-Wo weapons, but a large amount of water
Fire Walking the Way 68 Fire L5R153 (5 or more gallon) destroys it.
Base TN: 10 Base TN: 25 Additional apparitions can be
Casting Time: 3 Actions Casting Time: 1 hour conjured for every Raise, the but the
Duration: Instantaneous Duration: 1 hour fire must be large enough to
Mastery: 4 Mastery: 7 accommodate all of them. The
Concentration: None Concentration: Total creatures’ duration ca ne extended by
Raises: Casting Time Raises: Casting Time, Damage one round or the casting time reduced
Effect: This spell allows the shugenja Effect: The target of this spell is a by one action per Raise. Disrupting
to destroy a building or other building in the Shugenja’s sight. the shugenja’s concentration at any
structure using the excitable element While being cast, the skies above the time during the spell’s duration
of Fire located within it. The target target fill with dark, ominous clouds. causes all apparitions to vanish. This
becomes hotter and hotter until it For the duration of the spell, the spell may be attempted only once on
bursts into flames, which can engulf a building is struck continuously by any given fire.
target area of up to 50 by 50 feet. lightning strikes in the form of a
Wood, paper, and other flammable massive fist. These strikes weaken Fury of Osano-Wo
objects within the area of effect catch the structure until it collapses Fire L5R153
fire immediately and burn (usually very near the end of the Base TN: 5
unceasingly until they are nothing but spell’s duration). This spell is rarely Casting Time: 2 Actions
ashes. An entire building such as a used against a protected target due to Duration: Instantaneous
hut or tea house, can be affected this its long casting time and Mastery: 5
way; the spell will destroy is concentration requirements, which Concentration: None
completely. The flames cannot be put make it susceptible to interference. Raises: Damage, Casting Time
out by non-magical means. Water This spell is more effective against Effect: This “spell” is actually a
and other retardant will simply have smaller structures which it destroys prayer to Osano-Wo, the Fortune of
no effect, and the fire will consume quickly and easily. Larger or stronger Fire and Thunder. When cast
its target area unimpeded. Water- structures may be only slightly properly, Osano-Wo sends lightning
based spells, magically created water damaged by the spell. from the skies – even if there isn’t a
and counterspells will still work as cloud to be seen. If this spell is cast
usual. Flames of the Goddess during a rainstorm, the caster gains a
Only one building (or 50 by 50-foot Centipede Only free raise. The DR of the spell is 2.
area if no building is targeted) will be Fire Way of the Minor Clans 74 Casting this spell often causes violent
affected. Adjoining structures – no Base TN: 15 storms to erupt in the skies above the
matter how flammable they are – will Casting Time: 4 actions caster, lasting for week at a time.
not catch and the fire will never Duration: 10 rounds
spread beyond its initial target. Mastery: 5 Heart of the Inferno
Living beings and objects normally Concentration: Total Fire L5R153
immune to fire (such as stone or Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Base TN: 15
steel) are also unaffected by Fiery Number of Apparitions Casting Time: 5 Actions
Wrath. Thus, fortresses and army Effect: This spell allows the shugenja Duration: Instantaneous
units have little to fear from it; while to conjure life-like spirits out of an Mastery: 7
clothes and other articles may be existing fire and set them against Concentration: None
affected, the skin itself will not so specific targets. For every campfire- Raises: Damage, Casting Time,
much as singe. The spell was sized blaze (minimum one-foot Radius of Effect,
originally intended to clear brush for diameter), the shugenja can create Difficulty of Defense
farming, or safely dispose of one apparition. It may take any form Effect: Use: When cast successfully,
dilapidated buildings. It also makes (man-sized or smaller), and it will be the shugenja hurtles a blast of fire
an excellent diversion, and generals composed of living flame. While its that, strikes a visible target and all
have occasionally used it to cut off basic shape remains constant, its people and objects within 10’ of the
enemy movements. In addition, spies features flicker and billow, ever- target. The blast has a DR6 to anyone
have ensured vital papers are truly changing for the duration of the spell. in the spell’s area of effect. Anyone
destroyed by judicious use of the The apparition follows the in the target area may make a Reflex
spell. summoner’s orders. It ignites + Defense roll at TN 15 to escape
flammable materials it comes into that brunt and only take a DR 2 hit.
contact with and has a DR equal to The shugenja must burn this scroll
the casting Shugenja’s Fire Ring. If (as his final Action) in order to cast
232
the spell. The shugenja can increase becomes unconscious or is killed, the This spell cannot be cast on an
the radius of effect by 5’ per Raise, Katana of Fire vanishes. unwilling target. It requires the
and may increase the TN of the combined will of both the caster and
defense per by 5 per Raise. Kuro’s Fire the target to completely destroy the
(Restricted Spell) Taint. If the target is unwilling the
Inflame Fire Way of the Wolf 113 spell is automatically unsuccessful.
Fire L5R154 Base TN: 20
Base TN: 5 Casting Time: 4 Actions Wings of Fire
Casting Time: 3 Actions Duration: Instantaneous Fire L5R154
Duration: Instantaneous Mastery: 6 Base TN: 10
Mastery: 3 Concentration: None Casting Time: 3 Actions
Concentration: None Raises: Casting Time Duration: 2 minutes
Raises: Casting Time, Effect: This spell is similar in many Mastery: 4
Flammability of Target ways to The Fire From Within. Concentration: Full
Effect: This spell targets only non- However, Naka Kuro has fine-tuned Raises: Duration, Casting Time,
living objects. The shugenja attunes the invocation in many ways that Carrying Capacity
his own Fire to the Fire within the differ from the original. While this Effect: The target of this spell
target item in an attempt to awaken it. spell is quite powerful, it can be a suddenly manifests fiery wings along
Success ignites the item. If it is in potentially exhausting and useless and under their arms. These mystical
someone’s possession, the TN of this endeavor for the unworthy. wings are approximately eight feet
spell is increased by the possessor’s This spell draws upon the power of long. The target may fly at a slow
Water x 5. The base version of this the shugenja’s chi as well as the rate – roughly the Shugenja’s Fire
spell only affects paper, kindling and energies of the fire kami. When cast, rank times five feet per round. The
other fire-starting materials, but a shugenja may spend any amount of target cannot fly if greatly
other, harder to burn materials can be Void to hurl an equal number of bolts encumbered; the shugenja must use a
affected with one or more raises (see of flame. These can be directed to Raise for every 30 pounds of
below). By tradition, shugenja do not strike multiple targets, but all targets additional material being carried or
use this spell against another must be visible during the casting. worn by the target, else the target will
shugenja’s scrolls – doing so would Each bolt has a DR equal to the be unable to achieve enough lift to
be the cause of a blood feud and caster’s Fire. get off the ground.
word of it could get the shugenja
removed from his school’s list. Last Rites Light of Amaterasu
One Raise – Dead wood, cloth, Crab Only Fire Walking the Way 70
etc. Earth Way of the Crab 105 Base TN: 20
Two Raises – Hardened (but Base TN: 5 x Shadowlands Rank Casting Time: 4
flammable) materials, non-metallic Casting Time: 1 action Duration: Caster’s Fire
armor, leather Duration: N/A Mastery: 5
Mastery: 2 Concentration: None
Katana of Fire Concentration: Full Raises: Casting Time, Duration
Fire L5R154 Raises: N/A Effect: Similar to the Force of Will,
Base TN: 10 Effect: This is the only spell known The Light of Amaterasu allows the
Casting Time: 3 Actions to the Clans to completely remove target to shrug off the effects of
Duration: 10 rounds the Shadowlands taint from a living blows or other injuries. Upon casting,
Mastery: 4 badly. There’s just one catch. It kills the subject begins to glow with the
Concentration: None the target. light of the sun (if the environment
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Last Rites is only performed upon permits it, rays of sunlight will streak
Weapon Type, Weapon dying samurai and shugenja who from the sky and bathe the character
damage have been infected (or are suspected in light), which keeps him/her from
Effect: Shugenja creates a katana to have been infected) by Taint. The feeling any inflicted wounds. The
formed from fire. The Katana of Fire spell is cast to keep old comrades subject may ignore all wound
has a DR 3k3 and can be wielded from coming back as shambling penalties for a number of round equal
using the Kenjutsu skill. For each horrors muttering the Dark Lord’s to the spellcaster’s Fire, plus one for
raise, the shugenja can increase the name. A successful roll indicates that each raise. This is not a “powering
number of damage dice that are the body is clean from the Taint. A through” spell like Force of Will,
rolled when the elemental weapon failed roll, however, means that the which gives the target the mental
hits successfully. If the shugenja spirit of the living forever. strength to overcome the pain. This is
a complete eradication of the pain,
233
such that the target does not even feel Once the duration of the spell has
injuries. It is far more powerful, and passed, the flames returned to normal Wrath of Osano-Wo
as such is more difficult to cast. It is and may be doused by any mundane Fire Walking the Way 76
usually used on samurai who are means. Normally, Osano-Wo’s Base TN: 15
facing a certain death or prepared to Blessing is only cast on continued Casting Time: 3 Actions
defend a doomed cause; with the help fires – hearth flames, blacksmiths’ Duration: Instantaneous
of the spell, they will not cry out in coals, signal fires, etc. Occasionally, Mastery: 5
pain and thus dishonor their however, the spell has been cast on a Concentration: None
ancestors. It is favored by Crab wild fire, turning it into a destructive Raises: Casting Time, Extra
shugenja, who cast it on their terror. Such fires can destroy acres of Target, Range
berserkers and wild men just before property in a brief amount of time, Effect: The Son of Storms was never
sending them out against the and only the eventual termination of one to be trifled with, and fury could
Shadowlands. the enchantment and the efforts of make the mountains themselves
numerous Water and Air spells will cringe with fear. This spell, like
Osano-Wo’s Blessing prevent them from burning much many which bear his name, reflects
Fire Walking the Way 72 more. that temperament and the terrible
Base TN: 10 destruction it could cause. It creates a
Casting Time: 3 Actions Purity of Shinsei magical flaming arrow that leaps
Duration: Caster’s Fire x5 in Fire Walking the Way 74 from the shugenja’s fingertips and
minutes Base TN: Varies, See Text flies to wherever he/she indicates.
Mastery: 5 Casting Time: 1 Action Upon striking its target, the arrow
Concentration: Casual Duration: Instantaneous explodes with a DR equal to the
Raises: Casting Time, Duration Mastery: 2 shugenja’s Fire. In addition to the
Effect: The god of wind and thunder Concentration: None normal damage, the target is now
is not solely limited to those blustery Raises: None aflame and suffers Wounds
attributes. To his devout followers, he Effect: Counterspell is intended to equivalent to a DR of 1 each round
offers protection from storms, and affect another shugenja’s spell while until extinguished.
ways to ensure that life could it is being cast. This spell, on the Wooden buildings and other such
continue even in the worst weather other hand, negates any spell effect or structures catch fire immediately and
conditions. Osano-Wo’s Blessing is spell-like effect (GM’s discretion) of quickly spread beyond the ability to
the product of just such a protection. a nonhuman creature. Monsters such be easily contained. The arrow can be
When cast successfully, the spell a goblins and Nezumi practice a dodged by living beings, but only by
causes a target fire to resist most different sort of magic than human making an Agility + Defense roll at
attempts to put it out. The fire spirits shugenja. Thus, a different form of TN20. Success indicates that the
in the flames become run rampant, spirit is required to negate them. The arrow flies by, and ignites whatever
and refuse to curtail their dance. shugenja must cast it as the target is behind the target. The range of the
Water will have no effect on the creature is casting its own spell. The arrow equals fifty feet, plus ten feet
nature of the flame, no matter how caster must beat a TN equal to the per School Rank. Truly powerful
much is used. Similarly, wind, sand concentration level of the target spell. shugenja have been known to extend
and other extinguishers will do GM’s should use discretion for it even farther than that. The Phoenix
nothing to lessen the heat or determining the TN for spell-like Master of Fire, Isawa Tsuke, has
brightness of the fire. It requires effects such as Oni or other powerful displayed ranges of almost one
magic – magical water spell, magical beings; but the TN should be no less thousand yards in the past.
wind or other such conjured spirit – than 25. If successful, the effect is
to gain control of the gleeful flames, canceled and the target must try again
and even then, the spell must be
directed specifically at the enchanted
fire. If this is the case, the spirits will
be calmed, and the fire will return to
normal, but the spell in question will
have no other effect. A castle of
Water, for example, cast upon the
enchanted flames, will allow them to
be dosed but will not create a great
moat as the spell effect describes –
the spirits are too preoccupied
placating their fiery brethren.
234
Water Spells
that are bothering the target, but the Horsemanship, TN 20) or they panic
Bo of Water honor roll becomes contested against and may injure themselves trying to
Water L5R149 the spirit’s Earth escape. It takes at least eight rounds
Base TN: 10 for a normal-sized human to walk
Casting Time: 3 Actions Breath of Mist across a 10’ patch. Strength +
Duration: 10 rounds Water Walking the Way 32 Athletics (TN 15) rolls decreased the
Mastery: 4 Base TN: 15 time by one round per roll; raises cut
Concentration: None Casting Time: 5 Actions the time even further by one round
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Duration: 2 Hours per Shugenja per raise.
Weapon Type, Weapon Mastery: 6
Damage Concentration: None Calm Mind
Effect: Shugenja creates a bo stick Raises: Area, Casting Time, Water L5R149
formed from water. The Bo of Water Depth Base TN: 10
has a DR 3k3, and can be wielded Effect: Ritual: A rudimentary Water Casting Time: 4 Actions
using the Bojutsu skill. For each ritual, Breath of Mist transforms solid Duration: Instantaneous
raise, the shugenja can increase the earth into a viscous bog which slows Mastery: 3
number of damage dice that are the movements of man and beast Concentration: None
rolled when the elemental weapon alike. Even the sure footing of rock Raises: Casting Time, Additional
hits successfully. If the shugenja and stone becomes a quagmire, Targets
becomes unconscious or is killed, the trapping any who cross it in a firm Effect: When this spell is cast
Bo of Water vanishes. but fluid grip. The base spell affects a successfully, the target is rid of the
10’ by 10’ area and descends 2’ – effects of fear and other mind-
Blessing of Purity deep enough to entrap most beings, altering effects produced by a third
Water L5R149 but deep enough to suffocate or party. The shugenja can extend the
Base TN: 10 drown them. Raises can be used to beneficial effects of this spell to
Casting Time: 20 minutes (-3 increase the area of effect – an extra additional targets with one raise per
minutes/raise) 5’ by 5’ for each raise. The spell target
Duration: Instantaneous cannot cause the bog to grow
Mastery: 3 significantly deeper. For instance, in Castle of Water
Concentration: None order to increase the depth to 4 feet, Water L5R149
Raises: Casting Time, Aid for the you would need to make 4 raises; Base TN: 10
Honor check which can be done, but would take a Casting Time: 2 Actions
Effect: Calling upon blessings of great deal of energy for a relatively Duration: 5 minutes
Amaterasu and other Fortunes, the minor effect. The same raise can be Mastery: 6
shugenja attempts to cleanse the used to spread the bog for hundreds Concentration: Focused
target of this spell of any diseases or of feet, perhaps even covering an Raises: Duration, Casting Time,
illnesses that are infecting the body. entire battlefield. The affected area is Moat’s Radius, Depth
This will also neutralize any poisons difficult to discern, requiring a Effect: When cast, this spell creates a
that are currently afflicting the target. Perception + Hunting roll at TN 20 to moat of water centered upon the
If the spell is successful, the target spot. This TN may be adjusted if Shugenja. The moat takes the full
makes an Honor roll against a TN 10. darkness or other mitigating casting time of the spell to manifest
The shugenja can give the target an circumstances are involved. The spell and will not manifest beneath man-
additional die to roll with each raise. lasts for a number of Rokugani hours made foundations. The moat is 10’
If the target’s Honor roll is equal to 2 x the number of shugenja deep and wide (plus 5’ per raise). The
successful, the poisons and illnesses involved. radius of the moat is (Shugenja’s
are purged from the body. Anyone who enters the area affected Water x 5’) and can be increased an
This is a very physically draining by Breath of Mist will be slowed to a additional 10’for each Raise. The
process for the shugenja and the crawl. The sludge sticks to boots and water is normal in every respect and
target as the evil spirits must be feet, rooting them to the ground and is even drinkable if necessary.
moved through the shugenja and then requiring a reasonable effort to shake
out into the air to be purged. If this free. All skill rolls based on
spell is performed in the sunlight or movement (running, dodging, etc) are
at a shrine of Amaterasu, the reduced by 2 dice. Horses and other
shugenja gets a free Raise. This spell animals trapped in the mud have to be
has some effect against evil spirits calmed by their owners (Awareness +
235
internal psyche suffers complete is three feet (plus three per raise)
Cross the Veil of Sleep degradation. The victim loses the centered on the navel of the shugenja.
Water Walking the Way 34 ability to think or reason; he/she If the shugenja moves, the mist
Base TN: 15 walks on all four, sniffs the ground moves with him.
Casting Time: 2 Actions like an animal, and obeys basic fight- The first unicorn taught the original
Duration: Single Message or-flight instincts in response to Otaku a curious mix of poetry and
Mastery: 3 threats. The victim cannot conceive dance. She did not understand the
Concentration: None or express elaborate thoughts and can knowledge that was being given to
Raises: Casting Time, More only communicate through a series of her, but she kept it nonetheless, and
Information unintelligent grunts or barks. For all passed it to her children as The Great
Effect: With a successful casting of intents and purposes, they are an Mystery of the Unicorn. Several
this spell, the shugenja can animal for the duration of the spell. hundred years later, an Otaku joined
communicate with someone through Needless to say, the civilized the Iuchi shugenja school, and
their dreams. The shugenja must Rokugani finds this spell utterly understanding dawned: the unicorn’s
know the person targeted by the spell, repugnant, and most shugenja refuse teaching was a spell.
and must also be in a relatively quiet to learn it.
area; locations such as the battle, or In game terms, the spell’s target must Energy Reversal
the midst of a parade are not make a Simple Willpower roll at TN Water Walking the Way 40
conductive to the necessary kami. 20 to avoid succumbing. If they fail, Base TN: 20
Other than that however, distance is their Awareness, Willpower and Casting Time: 4 Actions
irrelevant; the spell will find the Intelligence are effectively reduced to Duration: 5 + Water of Caster
target even if he lies on the other side zero and cannot be raised by any Mastery: 6
of Rokugan. The target need not be means. Furthermore, they will be Concentration: Full
asleep at the time of the casting; the unable to spend any Void points, or Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
shugenja’s message will “wait” until use any skills beyond the simplest Difficulty of Resistance
he/she beds down before manifesting. and most rudimentary (Hunting, Roll
The shugenja then appears’ Stealth, certain instances of Effect: The elements are constantly in
approaching, then talking to the Athletics). The effects last for an motion throughout every living thing.
target. Immediately upon awakening, hour. Raises can be sued to lengthen It affects the choices they deal with
he/she remembers the message quite the duration of the spell 10 rounds per others. Someone enlightened enough
clearly, and can then act on it as raise, increase the TN of the to see them can temporarily rearrange
he/she sees fit. The message must be resistance by 5 for each raise, or an the patterns throughout every living
fairly simple: a single statement or additional target is affected per 10 thing. It affects the choices they make
sentence. The GM should use TN raise. If the duration is raised 6 x in their lives and the choices they
discretion in deciding how long one the curse becomes permanent until make in their lives and the way in
sentence can be. Additional sentences removed by healing magic or the which they deal with others someone
can be added the rate of one sentence whim of the spellcaster. enlightened enough to see them can
per Raise. temporarily rearrange the patterns
Dance of the Unicorn between two people into a more
Curse of the Jackal (Secret Spell) Unicorn Only beneficial configuration. When cast
Unicorn Only Water Way of the Unicorn 104 successfully, this spell switches the
Water Walking the Way 38 Base TN: 5 Rank in a Trait between two
Base TN: 15 Casting Time: 3 Actions characteristics as chosen by the
Casting Time: 4 actions Duration: 2 Rounds caster. Thus, a passive Phoenix
Duration: 1 hour Mastery: 3 diplomat could the high Agility of his
Mastery: 5 Concentration: Focused Crane duelist companion, while the
Concentration: None Raises: Area of Effect, Casting Crane becomes clumsy and
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Time, Concentration, butterfingered for the duration of the
Resistance Roll, Targets Duration spell. The Phoenix could then face an
Effect: This vicious spell has its Effect: This spell summons a approaching Iaijutsu duel with better
origins in the Unicorn Clan, who purifying swirling mist which washes odds – or alternately, the Crane could
brought it with them from the burning the air clean of smoke, dust, and face the same situation without his
wastes beyond the mountains. It poisons. It also gets everyone inside normal Agility to call upon. The
affects the mind and countenance of it wet, so shugenja are encouraged to effects last for five actions, plus an
its target, reducing him/her to an transcribe this spell in oil-based ink. additional number equal to the
animal state. While the outer The mist is thick enough to get all the casting shugenja’s Water Ring.
appearance remains unchanged, the airborne particles in its area of effect
236
The Traits swapped must be the same as his brain tries to re-organize the by sent, smell predators or bandits
for both target characters; the caster distorted information. hiding in ambush, or identify
cannot switch one person’s If the caster fails his casting roll, the someone in disguise (usually humans
Willpower with another’s Reflexes, target is aware of what has occurred. have a near-impossible time
for example. Void cannot be affected He is still slightly disorientated, concealing their scent). Each raise, up
at all by the spell. If one of the targets however. The target rolls one fewer to a limit of the shugenja’s Water
is unwilling, he/she can make a die (dropped before the roll is made) trait, allows the shugenja to roll (not
simple Willpower roll vs. the caster’s for a number of rounds equal to the keep) another die for these Perception
Water Ring x 5. The shugenja can caster’s Water. checks.
take raises to make this roll more
difficult. Each raise increases the TN Heart of Nature Inari’s Blessing
of the resistance roll by 5. Success Water L5R149 Water Walking the Way 42
indicates that the spell has no effect, Base TN: 15 Base TN: 15
although the shugenja may try to cast Casting Time: 4 Actions Casting Time: 1 Action
it again if he/she wishes. Like any Duration: 1 month Duration: Permanent
spell, Energy Reversal has certain Mastery: 3 Mastery: 3
social limits placed upon it, and the Concentration: None Concentration: None
times and placed upon it, and the Raises: Duration, Casting Time Raises: Types of Food Generated
times and places in which it can be Effect: Establishes a mental link with Effect: Inari is the lesser Fortune of
“acceptably” applied are somewhat an animal in the shugenja’s sight. The Rice, responsible for blessing crops
limited. Casting it in the midst of a animal will then not stray more than and ensuring that food is plentiful. By
diplomatic meeting to increase a 3 hours’ travel from the shugenja. It appealing to Inari and Inari’s
character’s Perception, for example, will then come, once, whenever the attendant spirits, the shugenja can
or during a poetry contest to affect a caster summons it. When summoned, create enough food for one person for
contestant’s Intelligence, is the animal will be generally friendly one week for each point of the casting
considered dishonorable and may towards the shugenja and will shugenja’s Water Ring. The food
result in a loss of face. Characters certainly be violent if the shugenja is must be basic: uncooked rice,
who insist on applying the spell to in danger, but it still considers its life vegetables, fish, or some other
such situations should take care not to valuable and will not risk itself Rokugani staple.
be caught. unnecessarily. If the summons is not A mixture of foodstuffs can be
made within one month, the spell created with Raises, provided that the
Forget fades. This ‘deadline’ can be total amount does not exceed the
Scorpion Only extended by one month per raise. The limits of the spell. The spell cannot
Water Way of the Scorpion 99 shugenja may make an Awareness create prepared food or a magical
Base TN: Target’s Intelligence x5 roll against a TN 15 to get an idea of banquet; the PCs still have a cook it
(Contested) how far away and in what direction themselves. It also cannot generate
Casting Time: 2 Actions his animal is. The spell does not spices, not even salt. And as members
Duration: See below impart the ability to communicate of the samurai caste, most shugenja
Mastery: 4 with the animal. consider the production of food to be
Concentration: Full This spell was once a Unicorn Clan “peasant work”
Raises: Casting Time, Secret Spell
Effect: This spell requires a Kharmic Vengeance
Contested Intelligence roll to be Horse’s Nose Water Walking the Way 44
successful. Also, the caster must (Secret Spell) Unicorn Only Base TN: 15
make eye contact with the target. If Water Way of the Unicorn 105 Casting Time: 2 Actions
the spell is successful, the caster can Base TN: 5 Duration: Caster’s Water
remove ten minutes of memory from Casting Time: 2 Actions Mastery: 3
target. The caster must have intimate Duration: 2 Rounds Concentration: Full
knowledge of the information he is Mastery: 3 Raises: Casting Time, Duration
removing; he gets a Free Raise to use Concentration: Casual Effect: For shugenja, this phrase has a
this spell if he experienced the ten Raises: Bonuses, Casting Time, fit meaning – a spell which conjures
minutes he is attempting to remove. Duration up the terrible deeds of a victim’s
Removing the information takes Effect: This gives the shugenja a past to haunt them in the present. The
approximately five seconds and when sense of smell equal to that of a shugenja forces the target to relive a
finished, the target is incapacitated horse, which is to say good, but not painful moment, causing crushing,
far about thirty seconds to a minute as good as a dog’s. The shugenja can gut-wrenching guilt. It might be a
make Perception rolls to track people humiliating defeat at the hands of a
237
rival, or a foolish comment made at Should the target be close to a river
the wrong time. Obviously, the or other naturally-occurring body of Path to Inner Peace
particulars vary from target to target, water, the tsunami is even more Water L5R149
but the target relives his worst powerful. The water comes rolling up Base TN: 5
memory with painful clarity, and from the source, and the spiritual Casting Time: 2 Actions
suffers through it without mercy. energy that would otherwise be used Duration: Permanent
Unless he succeeds at a simple to bring the liquid forth can now be Mastery: 4
Willpower roll against the shugenja’s spent in increasing its force and Concentration: None
Water x 5, the target curls up into a power. The DR now equals the Raises: Casting Time, Wounds
ball of self-recrimination, staring shugenja’s Water Ring +2 and the TN Healed
blankly into space, and may do for the victim’s roll to remain Effect: This spell allows the shugenja
nothing for a number of rounds equal standing is increased by ten. Failure to use his own energies to heal the
to the caster’s Water Ring. indicated that they have been swept wounds of another. When cast
While the spirits summoned to work off their feet and into the water; the successfully, it will send a healing
Kharmic Vengeance know the nature current (if there is any) will rapidly flow of life force (Chi) through the
of the memories they invoke, the carry them away. target that heals one Wound Rank.
caster does not. The shugenja cannot Each Raise allows the shugenja to
use the spell to bring any Open the Waves heal an additional Wound Rank. Each
incriminating evidence to light, or Water Walking the Way 48 Raise increases the casting time by
force the target to reveal something Base TN: 10 one action.
against his/her will. Nevertheless, the Casting Time: 3 Actions
spell is quite popular with Scorpion Duration: Concentration Path Not Taken
shugenja, who use it to remind their Mastery: 4 (Restricted Spell)
adversaries that they are not as pure Concentration: Full Water Way of the Wolf 113
as they would have some believe. Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Base TN: 20
Dimensions Casting Time: 10 Actions
Master of the Rolling River Effect: With this spell, the shugenja Duration: 1 Day
Water Walking the Way 46 can cause a body of water to part Mastery: 5
Base TN: 15 before him, leaving an open and Concentration: None
Casting Time: 4 Actions relatively dry path across it. The spell Raises: Casting Time
Duration: 1 Round parts an opening ten feet wide, to a Effect: This spell is frequently used
Mastery: 5 depth of ten feet times the caster’s by Kuro and his students to focus
Concentration: Total Water Ring, and extending for a their energies in one particular
Raises: Casting Time, Raises, length of fifty feet times the caster’s element. When the spell is cast, the
Targets Water Ring. One raise can increase shugenja weakens his link to one
Effect: When this spell is successfully either the distance spanned by the element on order to strengthen his
cast, the target is suddenly smashed spell or the depth by ten feet; it takes bond to another. The spell must be
by a magical tsunami, which springs two raises to increase the width of the cast while the shugenja’s connections
from the air around them to fall with path. The opening remains as long as to the elements are at their peak, and
crushing weight. The target must be the caster continues to concentrate – thus it cannot be cast if the shugenja
within the shugenja’s Water Ring direction (GM’s discretion) ends the has cast any other spells since he last
times ten feet. Those hit by the water spell immediately, causing the water rested.
must make a simple roll against the to crash back down into the opening. The effect of the spell is quite potent.
caster’s Water x 5 to remain standing; Woe be to anyone caught halfway The maximum number of spells the
the DR of the bow equals the across in such a situation. The shugenja may cast in the strengthened
shugenja’s Water Ring. In any case, spellcaster must be near the shore of element is raised by half the value
the target is soaked from head to foot, the body of water in question (within (round up) of the weakened element.
and must make an Awareness + 100 feet or thereabouts) for Open the The number of spells he may cast in
Meditation roll at TN 15 to conduct Waves to have any effect. River the weakened element is reduced to
further action that round. currents, tidal cycles and other zero. Though spells can be recovered
Spells, Iaijutsu strikes, or other tasks naturally-occurring phenomenon are naturally by meditation, these
requiring concentration are examples not affected by open the Waves – maxima remain the same and thus
of actions that can be interrupted. they continue normally as if the spells of the weakened element
Additional targets can be added at the spell’s disruption did not exist. Fish cannot be recovered until the duration
rate of one new target per Raise. The and other aquatic creatures cannot ends. This spell cannot be voluntarily
range of the spell can also be pass through the opening, nor can ended before the duration expires.
increased by 10 feet for each Raise. boats, floating branches, etc.
238
Penetrating Drop hole, then cast the spell and pour this
Unicorn Only Water into the wood. This is easily Reversal of Fortunes
Water Way of the Unicorn 105 done, and the wood expands. Because Water L5R151
Base TN: 5 the wood expands, it puts pressure on Base TN: 10
Casting Time: 10 Actions the jade and breaks it much more Casting Time: 3 Actions
Duration: Instantaneous easily than if the shugenja tried to Duration: 10 Actions
Mastery: 4 pour his Water into the jade itself. Mastery: 4
Concentration: None Similarly, it is often easier and more Concentration: None
Raises: Casting Time, Effect, effective for a shugenja to affect the Raises: N/A
Target Material mortar holding stonework together Effect: This is a blessing which
Effect: Just as water can permeate the instead of trying to affect the stone allows the target to re-roll one
cracks in rocks to split them asunder itself. unsuccessful roll during the duration
or leak into wood to warp it out of of the spell. The duration can be
shape, so can this spell allow a target Reflections of Pan Ku increased by ten actions per Raise.
to let his Water seep into a target Water L5R149
material and break it or otherwise Base TN: 10 Ride Through the Night
ruin it. If you will, this is capillary Casting Time: 5 Actions Unicorn Only
action for the soul; the target does not Duration: 5 Actions Water Way of the Unicorn 105
actually get wet, but it acts as if it had Mastery: 3 Base TN: 10
been. The amount of raises which are Concentration: Full Casting Time: 4 Actions
required to break or ruin the target Raises: Casting Time Duration: Caster’s Water in hours
depend on that it is made of. Effect: This spell teaches the Mastery: 6
 One Raise: Paper, cloth, other shugenja how to align his Water Concentration: Casual
water-absorbent material. This (Perception) to the magical energies Raises: Additional Target,
can peel paper off glue, make that swirl about an enchanted item. Casting Time, Duration
water-based dyes run, etc. Once cast, the Shugenja’s vision (1 hour/raise)
 Two Raises: Dry untreated wood, becomes distorted as if looking into Effect: This allows a target horse to
porous rock, low-grade steel. water. In this state magical items, run at a gallop for the duration of the
This can cause the wood to warp reveal their nature, shimmering like spell or until dawn, whichever comes
badly, break rock into two or light reflecting off water with an second. While under the influence of
occasionally more pieces, and intensity paralleling their power. this spell, the horse does not need
cause a bandit’s low-grade food, water, or rest, although the rider
weapons to rust into uselessness. Reflective Pool is apt to be sore by the time the spell
 Three Raises: Treated wood, Water L5R150 is finished.
mid-grade steel, stone. This can Base TN: 10
pop a door, give a sword a Casting Time: 5 Actions Speed of the Waterfall
dishonorable coating of rust, and Duration: 3 minutes (Secret Spell) Unicorn Only
crack stonework. Mastery: 5 Water Way of the Unicorn 106
 Four Raises: Waterproofed wood, Concentration: Focused Base TN: 5
high-grade steel, marble and Raises: Casting Time, Duration Casting Time: 3 Actions
other solid minerals. This will Effect: Shugenja must cast this spell Duration: Caster’s Water in
tarnish and dull a blade, stress into a pool of still water. If cast minutes
and weaken wood, and loosen successfully, the shugenja may Mastery: 4
masonry joints. visually observe any area that he is Concentration: None
Additional raises can be taken to familiar with. The shugenja will not Raises: Additional Target,
have a more dramatic effect; each get any sound from the observed Casting Time, Duration
raise affects the material as if it were location, but can see anything that Effect: This more or less doubles the
the next class lower. The properties could be viewed through a clear pane speed of the target as long as it runs
of this spell occasionally allow the of glass in the ceiling. downhill. Aside from allowing
caster to bypass the strength of the Unicorn cavalry on the high ground
material he wants broken. For engage the enemy at surprising
example, it would be hard to break an speed, this adds the force of the
ear off a giant jade statue. However, impact when the cavalry uses lances.
if the ear had a hole for an earring With lances, roll extra to-hit and
drilled in it, the shugenja could insert damage dice equal to Water of the
a peg of dry wood snugly into the shugenja casting the spell. This spell
239
only works as long as the target spirits was nothing short of
moves downhill, although moving remarkable. The kami he communed Sympathetic Energies
uphill does not cause the spell to with remember his kindness and Water L5R151
cease. understanding, and impart their Base TN: Target Ring x 5
blessing to those shugenja who use Casting Time: 3 actions
Suitengu’s Embrace the spell that bears his name. When Duration: 3 rounds
Mantis Only successful, it will reflect a spell Mastery: 5
Water Walking the Way 50 directed at a given target back to its Concentration: None
Base TN: 20 own caster. The summoned spirits Raises: Casting Time, Duration
Casting Time: 7 Actions turn against their would-be controller Effect: When cast successfully, this
Duration: Permanent when they hear the words of their spell reduces the Ring (and Traits) of
Mastery: 6 ancient companion spoken once one character by 2 and increases the
Concentration: None again, the target suffers no effects same traits of another character by 2
Raises: Casting Time from the spell directed at him/her, and increases the same traits of
Effect: Suitengu is a fortune of the while the original spellcaster must another character by the same
sea who watches over the souls of endure whatever fiendish horrors he amount. A Ring and/or Trait cannot
drowned sailors. The spell which has unleashed. Sukinjin’s Gift is a be reduced below 1. The TN is equal
bears his name has a less protective reactionary spell; while difficult to to the Ring x 5 of the character that is
purpose – it fills the lungs of a target focus, it can be cast at a moment’s losing the trait. The shugenja does
character with seawater. Successfully notice – a necessity if it is to have any not need to maintain this spell and
cast, it causes the victim to begin value. may act freely during the duration of
drowning as if they were underwater. The TN to successfully cast the spell. This spell does not transfer
The climate and conditions the target Sukinjin’s Gift is equal to the TN of any Void Points.
is in do not matter; the water appears the spell it is reflecting, including its
spontaneously within them, with caster’s raises, plus ten. The target of Torrential Rain
predictable results. The victim must the spell – that is the being who will Water L5R151
be within a space of five feet times be protected by Sukinji’s Gift – must Base TN: 30
the casting shugenja’s Water Ring be within a number of feet equal to Casting Time: 5 Actions
when the spell is cast, or else the spell the shugenja’s Water Ring x 5. Duration: 1 hour
has no effect. Otherwise, Sukinji’s words will not Mastery: 6
Drowning characters take Wounds reach the spirits. This range can be Concentration: Focused
equal to DR1 on the first round DR2 increased by five feet for each 5 TN Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
on the second, DR3 on the third and raise made. The unfortunate Penalty, Area of Effect
so on. Applying traditional remedies spellcaster who finds his own power Effect: Ritual: This spell, if
(vigorous pounding on the back, turned against him by Sukinjin’s Gift successful, calls down a violent storm
suspending head-down and so on) is entitled to make any resistance centered on the shugenja and
allowing the victim to make a TN15 rolls described under the original covering one square mile. Visibility
Willpower roll each turn. A spell. If he fails, he suffers whatever drops to 1 foot, and all physical
successful roll restarts the Wounds damage or effects the target would actions taken in the area of effect are
clock at DR1 as the victim coughs up have taken, Sukinjin’s Gift can reflect at -3 dice. Raises can be used to
a quantity of water; back-to-back only one spell per casting. increase the penalty by an additional
successes expel all the water and end Subsequent spells directed at the -1 die per raise, or to increase the
the spell. target will function as normal, unless area of effect by 1 square mile per
blocked by another casting of raise.
Sukinjin’s Gift Sukinjin’s Gift. The number of
Water Walking the Way 54 consecutive times this spell can be
Base TN: Special cast is equal to the shugenja’s Void.
Casting Time: 1 Action This does not overrule the usual rules
Duration: Instantaneous about casting multiple spells from the
Mastery: 5 same element.
Concentration: None
Raises: Range
Effect: Sukinjin’s Gift is designed to
protect the caster against other
practitioners of the shugenja’s art. It
is named after a legendary Phoenix
spellcaster whose rapport with the
240
of 25, each round to break a man- necessarily makes the vision any
Ties that Bind sized hole through it. The bamboo clearer); each image adds one turn to
Water L5R152 will sprout anywhere, even though the duration.
Base TN: 10 the stone floors of fortresses and
Casting Time: 3 Actions other buildings. After the spell Wheel of Fortune
Duration: 10 Actions expires, the bamboo becomes brittle Water Walking the Way 58
Mastery: 5 and can be broken down with a few Base TN: 20
Concentration: Full solid hits. Casting Time: 7 Actions
Raises: Casting Time, Duration, Duration: 10 Rounds + Caster’s
Location Accuracy, Water’s Sweet Clarity Water Ring
Range Dragonfly Only Mastery: 6
Effect: Waters run deep under the Water Way of the Minor Clans 44 Concentration: Casual
ground, reaching out to all corners of Base TN: 20 Raises: Casting Time, Duration
the earth. This spell allows the caster Casting Time: 5 Actions Effect: Wheel of Fortune is similar in
to attune himself to those waters and Duration: 3 Rounds some ways to Energy Reversal,
locate one individual or one Mastery: 5 although simultaneously more
manmade object. Concentration: Total (20) powerful and more chaotic.
If cat successfully it gives the caster a Raises: Casting Time, Images Successfully cast, the spell rearranges
vision of the item’s whereabouts, or Effect: This spell creates the power the target’s Rings in a random order,
even leads him to is if it is within a of augury for the shugenja casting it such that their elemental harmonies
mile. The caster must be somewhat He or she must have access to a pool resonate much differently. The target
familiar with the item or hold of water to cast it. Even a bowl of must make a simple Willpower roll
something associated with the item or water will do. The waster should be against the shugenja’ Water x 5 to
person. Range of this spell is one still so that the images can be resist. Failure indicates that his/her
mile plus one mile per Raise. reflected more easily, but it can be Rings have shifted. Roll a die.
cast over a brook or river. GMs may 1-3 Target’s Rings move
Wall of Bamboo raise the TN by 5 for casting the spell clockwise one space
Water Walking the Way 56 on running water. After the spell has 4-6 Target’s Rings move
Base TN: 10 been cast, the shugenja peers into the counter-clockwise one space
Casting Time: 1 Action water on which he or she has cast the 7-8 Target’s Rings move
Duration: 30 minutes magic. Images appear to him or her clockwise two spaces
Mastery: 4 in the water. These images can take 9-10 Target’s Ring moves counter-
Concentration: Casual the form of events, people, places, clockwise two spaces
Raises: Duration, Size objects, or anything else the GM Even Void is affected. The victim’s
Effect: Based around the same chooses. The images in the water are sense of self becomes shaken and
concept as the ‘castle’ spells, Wall of typically associated with the future. confused. All secondary Traits (such
Bamboo is perhaps the least They are visions of things to come. as Wounds) should be recalculated.
powerful. The spirits summoned are They can sometimes, though, be
attuned to growth and plant life, and current events or even images from When Two Become One
use their influence to approximate the the past that have some bearing on Unicorn Only
effects of their rockier cousins. When the present. Water Way of the Unicorn 106
cast, the shugenja creates a wall of The spell lasts for 3 rounds. Each Base TN: 15 minus the target’s
dense bamboo, which magically round, the character sees another Horsemanship
springs up anywhere within a fifty- image. The images are all associated, Casting Time: 2 Actions
foot radius. The bamboo is ten feet but their relationship might not be Duration: 4 Rounds plus the rider’s
high and five feet wide, plus an exactly clear. Ultimately, the Willpower
additional five feet for each raise the character must figure out what the Mastery: 3
shugenja makes. The wall’s length is visions mean. Concentration: None
equal to the shugenja’s Water times To cast this spell, the player tells the Raises: Casting Time, Duration
five feet, and can be increased an GM what sort of vision his or her Effect: This merges the spirits of a
additional ten feet per 5 TN raise. character is looking for. The horse and its rider. The rider controls
While not as strong as, for instance, character then rolls. If the roll is the body of the horse as if it were his
Castle of Earth, the spell can be cast successful, the GN grants the own; his own body merely hunkers
more quickly, and still requires an character three images related to what low on the horse’s back and holds on
effort to hack through. It takes at least he or she wants to know. Raises can tight. All rolls made by the pair use
three rounds, succeeding at an be spent to add one additional image the higher trait and skill of either
Athletics + Weapon roll against a TN per raise (though this by no means party (i.e., the rider could use the
241
horse’s Agility trait and his own
Dodge skill). The rider can attack The World is Not Heavy Yuki’s Blessing
with the horse’s hoofs using his own Unicorn Only (Secret Spell) Unicorn Only
hand-to-hand skill. Water Way of the Unicorn 106 Water Way of the Unicorn 106
Base TN: 5 Base TN: 5
Wonderful Origami Furoshiki Casting Time: 3 Actions Casting Time: 5 Actions
(Secret Spell) Unicorn Only Duration: Caster’s Water plus Duration: See below
Water Way of the Unicorn 106 Rank in minutes Mastery: 5
Base TN: 10 Mastery: 4 Concentration: None
Casting Time: 1 hour Concentration: None Raises: Area of Effect, Casting
Duration: 1 day or until opened Raises: Casting Time, Duration Time, Duration
Mastery: 6 Effect: This spell helps the target to Effect: Ritual: This freezes water into
Concentration: None fully recognize that the material a thick flat bridge of ice, which is
Raises: Duration, Volume of world is but an illusion, and does not more or less easily crossed on
Effect weight upon the eternal spirit, so that horseback (Horsemanship rolls are
Effect: Using a special silk furoshiki the target is not at all encumbered by necessary if crossing it at any speed
sack (costing 1 koku), the shugenja whatever he is carrying. He must be other than a walk). The spell creates a
can fold a cubic yard of objects into a capable of lifting his baggage without bridge ten feet long and five feet
bundle merely half a cubic foot in the aid of the spell, but as long as the wide, which is plenty enough to cross
size. The weight of the pack is spell is in effect, it is as if the streams. A like amount can be added
similarly reduced so that it is easily baggage had no mass. Not even full for each raise, making it possible for
carried over one shoulder. When armor gives the target a die roll a group of shugenja to create a bridge
poked, prodded, or shaken the penalty. large enough to cross a river, or for
furoshiki seems merely to be holding an army to cross moats several
a few bulky items, but when it is samurai abreast.
unfolded, the contents resume their The spell takes effect
normal size and weight. This instantaneously, but that is not of
unfolding itself requires 5 Actions to interest to the samurai crossing the
do properly, and the results are rather ice bridge. They want to know how
abrupt if done carelessly. There is a long the bridge lasts. In spring or
story of an Ide caravan master who autumn, the bridge can be crossed by
was beaten and robbed. When the mounted samurai for 15 minutes,
bandits opened the sack, three chests samurai leading their horses for 20
jumped out of the cloth, and the minutes, and samurai on foot for
heaviest chest crushed the bandit thirty minutes or more. This duration
leader beneath it. The other bandits depends on the season (which
fled fearing more magic. influences the water temperature) and
the speed of the water. Fast rapids
erode the bridge three times as fast,
while bridges over placid lakes can
last ten times as long.
242
Void Spells
Altering the Course Depth of the Void may not be attempted again;
(Restricted Spell) (Restricted Spell) sometimes destiny will not be
Void Way of the Phoenix 61 Void Walking the Way 112 stymied.
Base TN: 20 Base TN: 15 The Phoenix Ishiken only cast the
Casting Time: 3 Actions Casting Time: 2 Hours Depth of the Void if it serves the
Duration: One day or one story, Duration: 1 Game Session greater purpose of the Celestial
whichever is less Mastery: 5 Pattern. Toying with the future is a
Mastery: 4 Concentration: None dangerous business, with serious
Concentration: None Raises: Rerolls repercussions for the shugenja who
Raises: N/A Ishiken Rank 4 attempts it. Stories of shugenja
Ishiken Rank 2 Effect: Many spells of this nature are vanishing as if they had never been
Effect: This is like saving up all your used to divine the future: they see the circulated through the ranks of the
chi for a ‘critical moment’, then patterns formed by the Celestial Phoenix and serve as warnings to
focusing it into one very effective Order and discern the direction in those who would thwart Destiny’s
action. All the other shugenja in which they are headed. In so doing, plans. If the GM feels that a shugenja
Rokugan may look at the effort and the shugenja is able to predict the casting the spell has gone too far
claim that the caster is favored by the outcome of certain events. Depth of he/she can instantly revoke the
Fortunes, but she knows the truth- the Void takes that one step further, effects and inflict a suitable
that she has managed to circumvent however. By summoning the proper retribution on the offending shugenja.
Fate and alter the course of history. spirit, the shugenja may grasp the Broken limbs, blindness, and other
This spell allows Void magicians to threads of time and shift them – permanent deformities are the least of
spend a number of Void Points on changing the outcome of certain the possible injuries; GMs are
any action, up to their School Rank. minor events. A courtier who will encouraged to use whatever fiendish
Of course, this does not allow them botch a tea ceremony, for example, mutations their twisted minds can
extra Voids Points – only a faster may instead miraculously carry it off devise.
way to use the ones they already successfully, or a bushi’s missed
have. sword stroke can be altered to strike Divine the Future
home. The spell requires a profound (Restricted Spell)
Contemplate the Void ability to read the Celestial Pattern, Void Walking the Way 114
(Restricted Spell) and to know which events can be Base TN: 10
Void Walking the Way 110 changed without detrimental effects. Casting Time: 4 Actions
Base TN: 15 In game terms, the spell-caster can Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 2 Actions “store up” an additional skill roll, Mastery: 3
Duration: 10 Rounds allowing the failed roll of an ally or Concentration: None
Mastery: 3 successful roll of an enemy to be Raises: Casting Time, Number of
Concentration: None reattempted. The player need not Questions
Raises: Casting Time, Duration know which roll they want to change; Ishiken Rank 3
Ishiken Rank 1 he/she simply announces that the Effect: This spell allows a shugenja
Effect: This simple spell is among the spell takes effect following any skill to view the great Celestial Pattern
first Ring taught to adepts of the roll in the course of a game session. and thereby determine the nature of
Void. By acknowledging the paradox Raises increase the number of rerolls upcoming events. The caster will be
of nothing and everything – and more – one reroll for every two raises, unable to affect such events: that
importantly, by realizing his/her although no shugenja can store more requires the greater mastery of
place within it – the shugenja can than three rerolls. Reversal of Fortunes or Depth of the
temporarily increase the number of Casting the spell requires two hours Void. Armed with such knowledge,
Void points he/she can spend in a of uninterrupted meditation, and however, the shugenja will have an
turn. Casting the spell at the base TN sufficient stamina to see the process opportunity to properly prepare for
allows the shugenja to spend a through (minimum Earth score of 2). whatever is coming and perhaps gain
second Void point on a given roll, or Each casting, successful or not, a greater understanding of his/her
allow another character to do the demands the shugenja expend a Void place in the cosmos. The game
same. Each raise allows another point point. If it fails, the Void is still lost. effects of Divine the Future are fairly
to be spent, up to all the character has A successful casting can be used to simple. A successful casting of the
left. Spent Void points are regained change any roll during the current spell allows the player to ask the GM
normally. role-playing session. Failed rerolls a simple question about the campaign
243
they are participating in. The has. An Ishiken may only cast this exceeds theirs, but they must spend a
question must be answerable by a spell once per day. Void point to do so. Failing the initial
“yes” or a “no”, but the GM must contested roll means that the target
answer it honestly. For every Essence of Void cannot be further affected by it, and
successful raise, the shugenja’s (Restricted Spell) the shugenja must wait at least a
player can ask one additional Void Walking the Way 116 month before attempting it on that
question. Each question requires the Base TN: 15 particular person again. Shadowlands
expenditure of a Void point. Casting Time: 5 Actions creatures and others who do not have
The dangers inherent in this spell are Duration: Concentration a Void score cannot be targeted by
great. The shugenja will be unable to Mastery: 5 Essence of Void.
affect anything he/she sees, and may Concentration: Total
be tormented by an inability to act. Raises: Time Between Checks Kharmic Intent
Legends abound of spellcasters Ishiken Rank 2 (Restricted Spell)
seeing their own death in the spell, or Effect: This powerful spell can be Void Way of the Phoenix 62
the destruction of a cause they had used to render another character inert. Base TN: 15
dedicated their entire lives to By concentrating on the target, the Casting Time: 3 Actions
upholding. Wisdom is truly terrible Ishiken shugenja can paralyze Duration: Varies
when it brings no profit to the wise. him/her, denying voluntary motor Mastery: 4
Thankfully, such incidents are rare, skills while maintaining the heartbeat Concentration: None
and relegated mainly to the history and other acts necessary for life. The Raises: Casting Time, Duration
books. Intelligent shugenja know victim literally becomes as still as a Ishiken Rank 3
better than to delve into their own statue, unmoving until the shugenja Effect: This spell allows a shugenja
future, knowing that they cannot stop ceases concentrating or he/she and a target to share their Void Point
anything they see. Those who do so manages to overcome the magical pools for an amount of time equal to
usually have the power of Depth of power. The shugenja must be within the caster’s Void Ring. Both parties
the Void to back them up, and are 50 feet of the victim and able to see must agree to the link, and thereafter
thus wise enough not to tamper with him/her before the spell can take they can ‘share’ Void Points for all
the fates. They prefer to speak of effect. It takes two rounds of normal purposes, until the duration
widespread occurrences that others preparation to properly align the expires or both run out of Points.
can prepare for (such as upcoming harmonies between caster and victim. After the spell is successful, neither
floods or droughts) or the affairs of Follow that, each round the caster may opt to break the link or oppose
people they don’t know. They’re wishes to hold the victim, he/she the use of a Void Point without the
content to leave their own destinies must make a contested roll vs. the agreement of the other.
uncertain. PC shugenja foolish target’s Void. Success means the
enough to inquire after their personal target has been seized and can do Moment of Clarity
fates should suffer the consequences. nothing that round. Failure means (Restricted Spell)
Any attempts they make to alter or that target has broken free, and may Void Way of the Phoenix 61
change the future should lead them move as he/she pleases. The Base TN: Target Trait x 5
directly to the very fate they tried to spellcaster must maintain Casting Time: 4 Actions
avoid. concentration in order to hold the Duration: Caster’s Void in rounds
target; an injury or other distraction Mastery: 3
Drawing the Void (GM’s discretion) breaks the spell Concentration: Focused
(Restricted Spell) and forces the shugenja to begin Raises: Casting Time, Duration
Void Way of the Phoenix 60 again. Raises increases the duration Ishiken Rank 2
Base TN: 15 between contested Void checks (5 Effect: When casting this spell, the
Casting Time: 2 Actions TN per round), which will allow the shugenja must choose a Skill to grant
Duration: Instantaneous caster to maintain his/her hold to the target. The Trait that this Skill
Mastery: 4 without concentration. If a target is based upon is used both to
Concentration: None submits willingly to the spell for determine the TN of the spell, and the
Raises: N/A some reason, no contested roll needs effect. If successful, the target gains
Ishiken Rank 1 to be made; the target will remain the Skill at a Rank one higher than
Effect: This spell allows a shugenja still for as long as the shugenja the Trait, allowing him that many
to ‘grab’ a Void Point from the concentrates. dice to roll, but not keep. This effect
Realm while he is wandering. After it The spell only works on characters lasts for a time equal to the caster’s
is acquired, the Point may be used as with a lower Void score than the Void in rounds.
all other Void Points the character shugenja. The caster can attempt to
paralyze someone whose Void
244
Rise from the Ashes  Thoughts (human or animal)
(Restricted Spell) Sense Void  Emotions (human or animal)
Void Way of the Wolf 113 (Restricted Spell)  Component elements of a person,
Base TN: 30 Void Way of the Phoenix 60 place, or thing, and how they are
Casting Time: 1 hour Base TN: 10 arranged
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 3 Actions  Illness or injury (the presence of,
Mastery: 7 Duration: Concentration the nature of as relating to the
Concentration: Total Mastery: 2 elements, etc.)
Raises: None Concentration: Full  Supernatural phenomena (the
Ishiken Rank Raises: Accuracy, Distance presence of) – although this can
Effect: Ritual: This extremely Sensed, Amount Sensed result in some danger if the roll
powerful and draining magic can turn Ishiken Rank 1 although this can result in some
back the kharmic wheel itself. The Effect: This is the fundamental Void danger if the roll is failed. If the
spell must be cast on a single magic ability. It is the first that any Taint is involved, then another
individual or item, and neither the Ishi learns. Like its sister ability for immediate roll against the Taint
target or the shugenja may move standard shugenja, this allows must be made per normal rules
during the casting. When the spell is him/her to reach out with their mind Simple use of this spell such as
complete, all corruptive effects and and sense the world around them. In confirming obvious emotion or
damage inflicted on the target during practice, this works somewhat like sensing a high level of the Taint,
the last six hours are negated. ‘astral projection’, where the spirit should not suffer modifiers. But more
Wounds, poisons, curses, even the mind leaves the body for a time, complex uses, such as discerning
Shadowlands Taint can be exploring the unseen layer of reality hidden feelings, should accrue an
retroactively negated. The target and most are rarely aware of. appropriate modifier to the initial TN
shugenja are both exhausted by this The truth, however, is that you never
spell, and receive a -2 penalty to all really leave your body at all. Your Spiritual Presence
skill rolls until they rest for six hours. consciousness does, to a degree, but (Restricted Spell)
In caster is completely spent. This it is always intimately connected to Void Walking the Way 118
Void loss is more exhausting than your physically anchor (a shugenja’s Base TN: 15
normal, and can only be recovered at Ishiken during training and himself Casting Time: 4 Actions
a rate of one point per day until fully once he reaches the first School Duration: 10 Actions
recovered. Rank). Should this connection ever Mastery: 4
For every extra shugenja that be neglected, or broken, the shugenja Concentration: Special
participates in the ritual, an extra will find themselves free-floating Raises: Casting Time
hour of damage is negated. All through the Realm of Void, with little Ishiken Rank 1
shugenja experience the same likelihood of ever returning. Effect: Spiritual Presence grants the
draining effects as if there were only Mechanically, this means that after ability to extend the shugenja’s inner
one caster. the first roll to see if Sensing the essence into another person –
It is important to note the limitations Void worked, another must be made permitting that person to draw upon
of this spell. This spell cannot every hour half of travel through the the shugenja’s chi. By use of this
resurrect the dead. Though a dead Realm. The second roll (the first spell, the shugenja allows a target
body can be repaired, the soul is during the journey) is at TN10, but character to gain a number of points
carried beyond the reach of this all successive rolls are at +5 to the in any Ring equal to the shugenja’s
magic and cannot be restored to its TN. This modifier is cumulative, and Void. The added points can be used
former power unless the original thus staying away from your anchor in any skill rolls involving that
spirit can somehow be coaxed back for long periods of time could result particular Ring, as well as simple
into the item. On the other hand, oni in becoming lost in a ‘frozen, quiet rolls and school techniques that call
or undead affected by this spell will world’ between the moments. for it. The spell does not increase the
be restored to full strength, if it is cast The distance that the Ishiken desires target’s Wounds, even if the target’s
quickly enough. to sense should determine the initial Earth is raised. In addition, the
TN of the spell, with 10 being target’s Void cannot be raised
roughly within line of sight. Beyond through use of Spiritual Presence.
that, the basic TN should be raised by The shugenja himself can be the
the GM accordingly (perhaps 15 target of this spell, and temporarily
across a large village and 25 or more raise his own Rings through its use.
across an entire clan’s territory). Spiritual Presence can only affect one
This spell allows the following things person at a time; multiple targets are
to be gleaned:
245
too taxing on the shugenja’s chi. The
target of the spell must always Void Strike Winds of Change
consent to the connection being (Restricted Spell) (Restricted Spell)
made; if they resist the process in any Void Way of the Phoenix 63 Void Walking the Way 120
way, the casting will fail. They must Base TN: Target’s Void Ring x 5 Base TN: 10
also be within sight of the casting Casting Time: 5 Actions Casting Time: 5 Actions
shugenja at all times. If they move Duration: Instantaneous Duration: 10 Rounds
beyond visual range – to a point Mastery: 6 Mastery: 4
where the shugenja cannot see them Concentration: None Concentration: Casual
without physically moving – the spell Raises: Additional Void Stolen Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
ceases immediately and must be Ishiken Rank 4 Targets
recast before it will function again. Effect: This spell allows the caster to Ishiken Rank 2
Spiritual Presence does not require ‘steal’ one of the target’s Void Effect: Winds of Change allows the
active concentration on the part of Points. If successful, the Points stolen shugenja, or another target with a
shugenja beyond the first are simply transferred from the target Shintao score of at least 2, to use a
incantations. He/she can continue to to the caster. Additional Points can be skill which he has no rating in. For
move and act while Spiritual stolen, but two Raises are required the duration of the spell, the target
Presence is in effect, and can even for each additional Point. Also, the functions as if he/she had a rating of
cast other spells should they wish. caster may only steal as many Points two in that skill. He can fight, sing,
However, this freedom if action has a as he has Void Ranks each day. orate, meditate or do anything else as
price. The shugenja will be distracted if he has practiced it all his life. The
by connection – like a quiet buzzing Void Suppression target does not understand any of the
that will not go away – and will (Restricted Spell) concepts or underlying theories of the
therefore not be operating at full Void Way of the Phoenix 63 skill in question, and cannot describe
capacity. He/she must subtract one Base TN: Trait to be Affected x 5 how or why he does what he does. He
doe from any skill rolls made, a Casting Time: 5 Actions cannot, for example, answer
reflection of the niggling presence of Duration: Caster’s Void Ring in questions on kenjutsu training
the spell in their minds. When casting rounds techniques just because the spell
other spells, this penalty is doubled, Mastery: 7 grants him a Kenjutsu skill. The spell
and if the second spell fails, then Concentration: Total intensifies instinctive knowledge, the
Spiritual Presence ceases Raises: Casting Time, Duration untapped potentials of the soul, not
immediately. Furthermore, the Ishiken Rank 4 formal knowledge imparted through
shugenja may not spend any Void Effect: When successful, this spell instruction or experience.
points for as long as the spell forces the target to use their lowest The effects of Winds of Change lasts
continues to function. Trait Rank in place of the Target for ten actions, plus one action for
Trait for the duration. This means each raise the shugenja makes. Skills
Void Release that a character with three in all that target already possesses – even if
(Restricted Spell) Traits save Strength (which he has a they only have ratings of one –
Void Way of the Phoenix 62 four in), could be made to have a cannot be improved by this spell. The
Base TN: Highest Trait of Target x three in Strength if this spell were patterns laid down by formal training
5 used successfully on them. prevent the instinctive augmentation
Casting Time: 5 Actions that Winds of Change facilitates.
Duration: Caster’s Void Ring in Multiple targets can be affected,
rounds provided the shugenja makes a 10 TN
Mastery: 5 raises for each additional target over
Concentration: Total the first. Such targets must all gain
Raises: Casting Time, Duration the same skill (if one gets Heraldry,
Ishiken Rank 3 they must all get Heraldry), which
Effect: When successful, this spell none may have any ratings in before
allows the target to use their highest the spell takes place. If any do, the
Trait Rank in place of another of their spell is canceled without effect.
Traits for the duration. This means
that a character with three in all
Traits save Strength (which he has a
four in), could have a four in any of
the other Traits if this spell were used
successfully.
246
Maho Spells
To cast maho, the shugenja uses: Earth + Shadowlands Rank. The shugenja must bleed a number of Wounds equal to the Mastery
Level of the spell. This blood can be his, or someone else’s. For every additional sacrifice of blood (equal to the requires amount,
above), the shugenja gains one Free Raise. Finally, the shugenja gains a number of Shadowlands Points equal to twice the Mastery
Level of the spell.
and freeing him or her from the oni’s additional foot unless a Water roll as
Animate the Dead influence. TN of 10 or greater is made. Once to
Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 13 the edge it takes an Earth roll to pull
Base TN: 20 Blood of Midnight free. The TN of this roll is equal to
Casting Time: 10 Actions Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 13 TN five time the number of feet
Duration: 1 month Base TN: 10 submerged. Anyone in the morass at
Mastery/Wounds Required: 5 Casting Time: 1 Action the end of the spells duration must be
Concentration: None Duration: 8 Rounds dug from the earth, but can be
Raises: Additional Targets, Mastery/Wounds Required: 4 assisted by any number of people
Duration, Casting Time Concentration: Casual who can reach the target. If the spell
Effect: Cast upon the remains of a Raises: Additional Target, stops short of its duration for any
sentient being, this spell animates the Duration reason, the earth spirits will retaliate
corpse into a Shadowlands undead. Effect: Imbues a bloodlust to the against the shugenja by immediately
The shugenja can animate additional target (with an additional target per releasing the targets and reversing the
undead with one additional target per raise), increasing his/her attack and spells effect upon the shugenja’s
raise. If the corpse has been dead damage dice by four. The target must area. Each Raise increases the radius
longer than one week it revives as a spend one round after killing a foe to of the morass by three feet. Should
Skeleton, pulling itself upright from further butcher the body and taste its the Shugenja lose concentration, the
any remaining flesh and shedding any blood. Each foe slain increases the Morass is dispelled and the ground
excess tissue. Corpses animated less duration of this spell by 2 Actions. slowly firms up, giving those trapped
than one week after death become After the spells duration, the target ample opportunities to escape.
Zombies whose faces are covered by must make an Honor Test equal to
a mystically appearing porcelain five times the number of foes slain, Curse
mask. These creatures are slow and or else lose one point of Honor. Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 13
generally weak, but serve the While under the influence of this Base TN: 10
shugenja without thought. spell, the target is fully aware, but not Casting Time: 5 Actions
Zombies: under control of his actions (and may Duration: See below
Shadowlands Creature in fact attack friends as well as foes). Mastery/Wounds Required: 5
Earth: 0 - Stamina: 3 If the target of this spell is unwilling, Concentration: Complete
Fire: 1 the TN becomes the target’s Earth Raises: See below
Water: 1 - Strength 3 times five. Effect: This is a generic curse spell,
Air: 0 usable by anyone intimate with black
Fear 4 Corruption of the Earth magic. Curses are simple, but require
Attack: Tetsubo or Katana 1k1 Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 13 a sympathetic component: a lock of
Damage: Tetsubo or Katana 5k2 Base TN: 15 hair, fingernail clipping, an ounce of
TN to Hit: 15 (Heavy Armor + 5) blood, etc. It is not enough to gain a
Casting Time: 3 Actions
Armor: 7 piece of clothing of the subject of the
Duration: 4 Actions
Wounds: 60: Dead
Mastery/Wounds Required: 8 curse; the caster must gain something
Special Abilities: Invulnerable
Concentration: Total that contains spiritual energy of the
Raises: Duration, Casting Time, target.
Banish Oni If the curse is successful (see
Area
Maho Book of Shadowlands 97
Effect: If successful, the earth within suggestions), the caster must keep the
Base TN: 15
three feet of the target of this spell item in physical contact at all times.
transforms to deep mud which begins If the caster ever loses the item, the
Duration: Instantaneous curse is broken. This is the only way
swallowing all within its radius at a
Mastery/Wounds Required: 5 to break a curse.
rate of two feet per action. Characters
Concentration: Complete Examples from: Game Master’s Pack
trying to escape must make Earth roll
Raises: Casting Time revised 12-13
of TN 15 to move three feet.
Effect: Properly banishes oni to
Attempts to move (successful or not)
Jigoku, severing the link to the namer
cause the character to sink an
247
roll Honor against a TN of 5 x the
Dancing with Demons caster’s Taint the first time this spell Heaven has No Justice
Maho Book of Shadowlands 146 is used. If they succeed, they are Maho Book of Shadowlands 148
Base TN: 5 x cost of Advantage unaffected, and the caster keeps one Base TN: Target’s Honor x 5
Casting Time: 1 hour fewer die in all future social Casting Time: 5 rounds
Duration: Permanent interactions with that character. Duration: Caster’s Taint Rank in
Mastery/Wounds Required: 8 hours
Concentration: Total Dark Divination Mastery/Wounds Required: 4
Raises: None Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 13 Concentration: None
Effect: The maho-tsukai enters a Base TN: 15 Raises: Casting Time, Duration,
complex dance with the kansen Casting Time: 3 Action Number of Targets
summoned by this spell, increasing Duration: 1 Action Effect: The maho-tsukai realizes only
the tempo until her body is re-forged Mastery/Wounds Required: 4 idiots believe in kharmic order, and
by the fires of Jigoku. The caster Concentration: Complete uses the foolish beliefs of others to
must make an Awareness + Dance Raises: Questions manipulate them. He increases a
roll at the same TN as the spell- Effect: This spell allows the caster to mental Trait of his choosing when
casting TN to cast this spell. ask questions to the GM. Each interacting with a target, gaining an
If successful, the caster can question gains the caster 8 additional number of dice to roll and
permanently gain any personal Shadowlands Points (Mastery Level keep equal to the target’s Honor. This
physical or mental Advantage x 2). The GM must answer the lasts for a number of hours equal to
affecting them affecting them alone. question honestly, but is only his Taint Rank, plus ten minutes per
For example, they could gain required to answer with a “Yes” or Raise.
Dangerous Beauty or Magic “No”. For every Raise, the character
Resistance, but not an Ancestor, can ask an additional question. No Pure Breaths
Kharmic Tie, or Social Position. Maho Book of Shadowlands 145
Failure is summoning or dancing Gift of the Kansen * Base TN: Target’s Earth x 5
means the maho-tsukai burns Maho Book of Shadowlands 147 Casting 2 Actions
horribly, taking 1k1 Wounds for Base TN: 5 x Mastery of Spell Time:
every point of Advantages sought. Casting Time: 1 hour Duration: Instantaneous
The spell can also grant Advantages Duration: See below Mastery/Wounds Required: 5
to other willing, present targets. In Mastery/Wounds Required: 6 Concentration: None
this case, the Taint is divided Concentration: Total Raises: Damage, Casting Time,
between caster and target. Raises: Spell effect Number of Targets
A variant of this spell allows the Effect: Gift of the Kansen essentially Effect: The caster summons the Air
caster to instead convey a like traps another spell inside a gift box, within a target and forces it out, like
Disadvantage on an unwilling victim. holding it inactive until the box is popping a paper bag. At its most
The maho-tsukai must be within one opened, at which time the spell takes successful, the target literally
mile of the target and have one of the effect on the opener. exposes; more often the spell simply
target’s personal possessions to offer Raises increase the trapped spell’s ruptures lungs and stomachs, causing
the kansen. results. For example, if preparing a internal bleeding.
gift of The Fury of Osano-Wo, the The spell has a base DR of the
Dark Charisma caster would have to roll a base target caster’s Shadowlands Rank. The
Maho Book of Shadowlands 146 number of 25; for every +5 to the TN, target receives a +10 TN penalty until
Base TN: 10 he can increase the spell’s damage as magically healed, from the pain of
Casting Time: 3 Actions usual. The spells can remain trapped breathing corrupted air.
Duration: Shadowlands Rank in for an indefinite amount of time, and
hours are only released by opening the gift Sinful Dreams
Mastery/Wounds Required: 5 box. Maho Book of Shadowlands 145
Concentration: None Once released, roll for spell effect Base TN: 5 x target’s Awareness
Raises: Duration, Casting Time normally, using the caster’s Traits Casting Time: 5 rounds
Effect: The caster can roll and keep and rank, but the spell takes effect Duration: 1 hour
an additional number of dice equal to instantaneously. No Raises can be Mastery/Wounds Required: 4
her Shadowlands Rank for any social made at this time. Concentration: Total
interaction. Each raise increases the Raises: Duration, Effect, Intensity
duration of the spell by a half hour. Effect: The caster sends herself into
Characters with Honor higher than the target’s dreams, creating pleasant
the caster’s Shadowlands Rank may fantasies and awakening a deep
248
longing for her. She receives one severed, and the oni returns to the
Free Raise for any other social Summon Oni underworld of Fu Leng. If the mortal is
interaction with the target. These Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 14 overcome by the Shadowlands taint, the
Raises can be “stacked” over a Base TN: 20 oni gains permanent status in the world
number of nights of casting, up to a Casting Time: 10 Actions and the caster loses his command over
maximum of the caster’s Awareness. Duration: See below the oni’s will.
People under the effects of this spell Mastery/Wounds Required: 5
often walk and talk in their sleep, Concentration: Complete Summon Oni
acting out portions of the dream. This Raises: Casting Time Maho Book of Shadowlands 96
can be inconvenient for samurai Effect: This spell (and its companion Base TN: 20
sharing rooms. spell) calls oni from the depths of Fu Casting Time: 10 Actions
Leng’s underground kingdom. A Duration: See below
Summon Garegosu no sacrifice of blood (5 Wounds) is Mastery/Wounds Required: 5
Bakemono required as well as a name. The Concentration: Complete
Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 13 procedure is as follows: Raises: Casting Time
Base TN: 15 First, the caster must make a circle of Effect: Brings forth an oni from
Casting Time: 5 Actions bones. Second, the caster must place Jigoku to be commanded. A sacrifice
Duration: N/A a scroll within the circle. Written on of blood (5 wounds) is required as
Mastery/Wounds Required: 9 the scroll is the name of a living man well as a name. The procedure is as
Concentration: None or woman, (If the person named on follows:
Raises: Casting Time the scroll is not cooperating willingly First, the caster must make a circle of
Effect: Single Use: Successfully, with the summoning, the shugenja bones. Second, the caster must place
cast, this spell summons a tentacle- must make a Contested Roll of his a scroll within the circle. Written on
horror known as Garegosu no Void + Shugenja Rank vs. the the scroll is the name of a living man
Bakemono who fights for, and obeys, target’s Void. If the shugenja loses or woman. The caster speaks the
the Shugenja until the sun rises. The the contest, the TN to summon the necessary words and chants as he
Shugenja involved need never fear oni increases by 10). Lastly, the spills blood on the scroll within the
Garegosu no Bakemono. caster must chant the name of the oni circle.
Garegosu no Bakemono: it wishes to summon as he spills If the ceremony is performed
Shadowlands Creature blood on the scroll within the circle. correctly, the oni is summoned within
Earth: 3 If the ceremony is performed the circle and bound to the name
Fire: 3 correctly, the oni is summoned within written on the scroll. The mortal
Water: 4 the circle and bound to the name whose name was written on the scroll
Air: 2 written on the scroll is also bound to is also bound to the oni. The oni and
Attack: 4k3 the oni. The oni and the mortal share the mortal share a symbiotic
Damage: Earth Ran k + 5 a symbiotic relationship from that relationship from that point on. Until
TN to Hit: 25 (Heavy Armor point on, destroyed. Slowly, the the scroll is destroyed. Slowly, the
equivalent) mortal loses strength to the oni. His mortal loses strength to the oni. In
Wounds: 9: -1; 20: -2; 35: Dead skin turns pale, his bones grow brittle game terms, when an oni is given a
Special Abilities: and his will leaks away. samurai’s name the samurai begins to
Eating: Each time the Garegosu no In game terms, when an oni is given a gain Shadowlands Points. The rate of
Bakemono kills an opponent it samurai’s name, he begins to gain corruption depends on the Earth Rank
consumes the body and adds the Shadowlands Points. The rate of of the samurai.
digested meal’s former Earth Rank to corruption depends on the Earth Rank Samurai’s Earth Rank:
its own (increasing its damage and of the samurai: 1 1 Shadowlands Point per 36 hours
wounds) 1 1 Shadowlands Point per 36 hours 2 1 Shadowlands Point per week
Fear: Garegosu no Bakemono is a 2 1 Shadowlands Point per week 3 1 Shadowlands Point per 2 weeks
horrific creature resembling a large 3 1 Shadowlands Point per 2 weeks 4 1 Shadowlands Point per 4 weeks
cancerous octopus about the size of 4 1 Shadowlands Point per 4 weeks 5+ 1 Shadowlands Point per 8 weeks
an elephant. Whenever anyone sees 5+ 1 Shadowlands Point per 8 weeks
Garegosu no Bakemono for the first Jade does not protect the samurai from
time they must make a simple this process. Whoever possesses the
Willpower check at TN 15 or flee scroll (assuming it’s not the caster) has
from its sight. Witnessing a Garegosu control over the oni. The oni must obey
no Bakemono eating requires another all of the caster’s commands. If the
Willpower check at TN 20 or flee scroll is ever destroyed, the connection
from its sight. between the oni and the mortal is
249
the casting shugenja, the scroll will Air roll. The stone remains for the
Summon Swamp Spirits destroy itself without effect. next 1-10 days before crumbling to
Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 15 Shadowlands Revenant: dust.
Base TN: 10 Shadowlands Creature Because of the blood sacrifice, Tomb
Casting Time: 2 Actions Earth: 5 of Earth does not weaken the caster
Duration: 25 Actions Fire: 4 like Tomb of Jade.
Mastery/Wounds Required: 7 Water: 2
Concentration: None Air: 2 Touch of Death
Raises: Casting Time, Number Attack: 6k4 Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 15
Summoned Damage: Weapon’s DR +5 Base TN: 20
TN to Hit: 20 (Light Armor)
Effect: The spell must be cast near a Casting Time: 2 Action
Wounds: 15: -1; 30: -2; 45: -3; 60: -4;
still body of water. It calls forth Duration: N/A
75: Dead
minions of the swamps to do the Mastery/Wounds Required: 5
Special Ability: Fear 3
caster’s bidding. These swamp spirits Concentration: N/A
are blue-green humanoids that appear Raises: Duration, Range, Casting
Stealing the Soul
to be made of the clay found at the Time
bottom of Rokugan’s swamps. The Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 15 Effect: Strikes the target with lethal
Base TN: 15
spell calls forth one swamp spirit and energy, summoned directly from Fu
Casting Time: 2 Action
one additional one swamp spirit can Leng, through the casting shugenja
Duration: 8 Actions
be summoned per Raise, but this and into the target. The target must
Mastery/Wounds Required: 8
increases the casting time by one be within 10 feet plus 2 feet per raise
Concentration: Full
action. of the casting shugenja. The skin and
Raises: Casting Time, Duration
Swamp Spirit: hair of the target age rapidly under
Effect: Ritual: This spell’s target
Shadowlands Creature the influence of the spell. The hair
loses one from each Ring and Trait
Earth: 1 loses all color, turning white and
Fire: 2 for each Shugenja participating in the falling out in great clumps, while the
Water: 3 ritual until the duration expires (no
skin blackens as the flesh ages too
Air: 1 Ring or Trait can be reduced below
rapidly to fall away. The spell has a
Attack: 3k2 one). DR of 7.
Damage: 3k2 This terrible spell was used to
TN to Hit: 10 incapacitate Hida Shonojo, the
Truth is a Scourge
Wounds: 4: -1; 10: Dead legendary Crab daimyo, immediately
Maho Book of Shadowlands 146
before his assassination. Its dread
Base TN: 5 x Target’s Air
Summon Revenant power is said to come from a boiling
Maho Game Masters Pack rev. 15 black pit in the Shadowlands.
Duration: 1 hour
Base TN: 20 Mastery/Wounds Required: 4
Casting Time: 5 Actions Tomb of Earth Concentration: None
Duration: 1 hour Maho Book of Shadowlands 144 Raises: Duration, Casting Time,
Mastery/Wounds Required: 7 Base TN: Target’s Air x 5 Number of Targets
Concentration: None Casting Time: 3 actions Effect: This spell forces the target to
Raises: Casting Time, Duration Duration: Variable say exactly what is on his mind.
Effect: The spell summons an undead Mastery/Wounds Required: 6 About everything. For the duration of
champion who appears at the end of Concentration: None the spell. The character narrates his
the spell and thereafter fights for, and Raises: Casting Time, Number of every thought, be it about his painful
obeys, the Shugenja for the spell’s Targets itch, his fantasies about the daimyo’s
duration. At the end of the spell the Effect: Much like Tomb of Jade,
wife, the memory of an old murder,
Shugenja can permanently enlisted Tomb of Earth replaces the target’s
or the out-of-character snappy
the undead champion (making the earth with the caster’s own Tainted
comeback a player always has ready
spell permanent), but must elements. If successful, the spell turns but never utters. While this may be
permanently sacrifice one point of a target to stone, starting on the comedic at first, in Rokugan it will
his/her Earth Rank (both Stamina and outside (i.e. armor, then clothing, often get a samurai killed The spell
Willpower) to do so. If enlisted, the then flesh). Every turn, the target lasts one hour, plus ten minutes per
champion thereafter fights and must make a contested Air roll Raise. It takes two Raises to affect
abbeys the shugenja until destroyed against the maho-tsukai’s Earth or each additional target.
or the shugenja dies. If there are no suffer DR2. The spell ends when the
dead bodies within a quarter mile of target dies (becoming a statue) or the
first time the target succeeds in her
250
Ward of Divine Peace Ward of the Eighth Kami
Maho Book of Shadowlands 146 Maho Book of Shadowlands 146
Base TN: 20 Base TN: 10
Casting Time: 1 hour Casting Time: 5 Actions
Duration: Two days Duration: See below
Mastery/Wounds Required: 7 Mastery/Wounds Required: 6
Concentration: None Concentration: None
Raises: Area of Effect Raises: Area of Effect, Damage,
Effect: This spell creates a sphere Duration (see below)
with a diameter of ten yards per Effect: This spell takes the form of
participant in the ritual. Each Raise cold blue fire encasing a location
adds an additional two yards. (radius of ten yards per maho-tsukai
Everyone other than the casters who in the ritual). This fire has a DR equal
enters the area of effect is overcome to the highest Shadowlands Rank of
by a sense of peace and well-being. the participating maho-tsukai. The
In game terms, they roll one fewer spell lasts twenty-four hours, plus
die in all rolls that require a sense of one year for every person killed in
paranoia (primarily Perception- and the casting.
Reflexes-based rolls). The spell is triggered by armed or
The spell lasts for two days from a hostile opponents, and can be
single exposure. Additional bypassed by walking through without
exposures increase the duration and weapons, armor, or aggressive
have a cumulative effect (e.g. thoughts. Keep one’s mind blank
someone walking in and out twice enough to fool the spirits takes a
will subtract 2 points for four days; if Void + Meditation roll with a TN 5 x
they walk in again, it will be 3 points Shadowlands Rank of the ward’s
for six days). Constantly exposed caster.
people pay little attention to anything
after a few weeks. People who lose
more than five times their Perception
from their rolls become extremely
suggestible, easy to manipulate, and
useful to an evil cult.
Attempting to sense the Taint of this
spell is at double normal difficulty.
251
Kiho
All spells reprinted w/out permission from the main source book and supplements to the L5R
(1st edition, now out of print)
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Kiho
Kiho were abilities possessed by the more learned members of the Brotherhood of Shinsei. They could manifest
themselves as advanced martial arts techniques, near-superhuman feats of athleticism or even spell-like elemental spirits.
Kiho were similar to spells in that they were all aligned with one of the five elements, and by aligning their inner chi to
one of those elements inside their body the monks were capable of inexplicable feats. When a kiho was performed they
could sometimes be indistinguishable from spells. In addition to being kiho of elemental properties they could also be
broken down into categories of martial/mushin, internal/aiki, Kharmic and mystical/zanshin kiho. Those developed by
corrupted monks were categorized as Dark kiho.
Air Kiho
Flee the Fortunes becomes vulnerable to hostile spirits. Iuchi, who discovered it during their
Way of Shinsei 63 Any harmful magic cast upon the travels across the Burning Sands.
Type: Kharmic monk automatically receives a free Unlike most aiki, it is more a series
Mastery: 6 Raise. of movements and counter-
Effect: The monk has focused his movements than a specific mindset. It
mind to the exclusion of outside Great Silence is a highly defensive kiho, allowing
forces. His chi is constantly alert to Way of Shinsei 62 the monk to perceive harm quickly
all attempts at external manipulation. Type: Zanshin and move out of its path with little
Any attempt to control his mind Mastery: 4 effort. The monk using Soul of the
(whether it be a spell or a courtier’s Effect: This strange kiho is the bane Four Winds gains a bonus to his TN
Rank Technique) will activate this of courtiers and shugenja. Activating to Be Hit equal to his Air + Rank +
kiho, increasing the monk’s it is a simple task: the monk must Defense, but may not declare a Full
resistance dramatically. meet eyes with his target and spend a Attack.
In game terms, the GM alerts the Void Point. This allows the monk to
character when the kiho has detected make a contested Air roll. If this roll Stain Upon the Soul
some sort of outside influence. If the is successful, the target becomes Way of Shinsei 61
character wishes, he may spend a overwhelmed by the monk’s chi, Type: Mushin (Atemi)
Void Point to double the TN to affect temporarily stricken mute. Mastery: 4
or control him, or double the result of Only a single target is affected. The Effect: This is a simple atemi
his roll to resist the effect. Even if the kiho lasts for a number of minutes technique, a fingertip attack that
monk does not choose to spend Void equal to the monk’s Air, or until the inflates the target’s nerve centers
to resist, the kiho will still alert him monk spends another Void Point for with elemental Air to cause
that an attempt was made to subvert any reason. tremendous pain. Once the attack roll
his will. Like most zanshin, how this is successful, the monk may spend a
technique works is a mystery. Those Void Point and make a contested Air
Fortune’s Breath affected by the Great Silence have roll. If the monk succeeds, the target
Way of Shinsei 61 described its influence as “a cold receives dice penalties to all of his
Type: Aiki shadow, gripping the throat and skill rolls equal to the monk’s Air
Mastery: 3 filling the lungs”. Many monks divided by two (round up) for a
Effect: the monk who has mastered eschew its use. It is theorized that the number of rounds equal to the
this state of mind knows the art of the Great Silence draws upon the darkest monk’s Air. The kiho’s effect is
true breath; his breath is so strong, regions of the soul, and that cumulative if applied multiple times.
pure, and lasting that he needs little prolonged use may lead to madness. The fingertip attack causes no
air to survive. While this kiho is Wounds.
active, the monk can go without air Soul of the Four Winds Victims of this kiho claim that the
for a number of minutes equal to his Way of Shinsei 62 sensation is like nothing else, beyond
Air x 5, and may replenish himself Type: Aiki pain and into some other realm of
with but a single breath. This kiho’s Mastery: 4 (3 for Unicorn) agony. Those who have felt the Stain
drawback is that in casting so much Effect: This strange kiho was avoid encountering it a second time.
of his spirit upon the winds, one introduced to the Brotherhood by As an interesting contrast, a few
252
militant sects of monks practice this
kiho upon themselves as a form of Way of the Willow
body hardening and mortification. Way of Shinsei 61
Type: Kharmic
Steal the Air Dragon Mastery: 3 (2 for Crane)
Way of Shinsei 62 Effect: Way of the Willow borrows
Type: Aiki much from the mizu-do fighting style
Mastery: 5 of the Crane. If the monk declares
Effect: This strange kiho allows the Full Defense and his opponent
monk to enhance the elemental Air declares a Full Attack, the monk may
within his own body, expanding it to interrupt his opponent’s initiative and
create a cloud of distraction and throw him by making a contested Air
insignificance. As long as the monk + Hand-to-Hand damage is inflicted,
makes no threatening moves, does plus falling damage if applicable. The
not speak, and bears no obvious opponent’s attack is canceled, and he
weapons, other intelligent beings will is knocked prone.
ignore him. He might walk into the
heart of a heavily guarded library, Wind’s Truth
past the yojimbo and guard dogs of a Way of Shinsei 62
powerful daimyo, without raising an Type: Aiki
eyebrow. The monk is not invisible; Mastery: 4 (3 for Scorpions)
he just seems to belong. He is Effect: While most aiki involve
insignificant. Usually, he will be meditative trances that resist physical
forgotten. Particularly alert or hardship, the Wind’s Truth is
dedicated individuals (like all Seppun something different. The monk who
Miharu) can make a contested Air fills his soul with the Wind’s Truth
roll to notice the monk. Once one finds his perceptions heightened in
person begins drawing attention to subtle ways. He sees the souls of
the monk, others catch on swiftly, others painted clearly upon their
making contested Air rolls with a +5 faces, and sometimes hears what is
bonus for every other individual who meant rather than what is actually
has seen through the illusion. said.
If the monk is not seen, he will be In other words, he develops a good
forgotten as long as he leaves no ear for lies. Any attempts to lie to or
evidence of his passing. If he leaves seduce the monk have their target
any noticeable trace, those who failed number increased by his Air x 5.
to notice him will suddenly Further, whenever the monk hears
“remember” that he was there. For someone speak, he may spend a Void
instance, a monk enters a room full of Point and make a contested Air roll.
diplomats, turns over a chair in the If the monk wins, he immediately
corner of the room, and leaves. knows whether the speaker is lying.
Though the diplomats fail to notice The drawback is this: while the
the monk, one later happens upon the monk’s perceptions are focused upon
overturned chair and comments upon the subtle, he tends to miss the
it. Immediately, everyone in the room obvious. Though he can easily
begins to remember the monk that perceive the intentions of another
passed through, though they have no being’s spirit, he becomes clumsy in
idea why he seemed to insignificant his interactions with the material
earlier. world. Any non-social skill rolls
The penalty of this kiho is extreme. made while using this kiho roll three
As long as the monk lingers in the fewer dice.
Air Dragon’s embrace, his bugei
skills and mushin kiho function as if
his Rings, Traits, and Skills had a
value of 1.
253
Earth Kiho
Cleansing Spirit by wounds) are lowered by an Shadowlands and uncorrupted
Way of Shinsei 56 amount equal to the monk’s Rank. opponents), as there is no inherent
Type: Aiki While under the effect of this kiho, imbalance for the kiho to draw upon.
Mastery: 4 the monk’s spirit is encased within This kiho has also been used as an
Effect: The monk who has reached the stoic nature of Earth, rendering effective, if blunt, method of rooting
this state of consciousness has him unable to speak. If the monk out those who secretly carry the
learned to circulate pure chi through loses contact with the earth for more Taint, as it can be delivered with a
his body, removing all external than a few seconds, this kiho’s effects single touch.
impurities. While this kiho is in are negated and he must meditate for This kiho can be used with a weapon
effect, the monk receives a bonus to fifteen minutes or spend a Void Point or with bare-handed attacks.
all rolls to resist poison and to activate it again.
corruptive influences (drugs, alcohol, Root the Mountain
poison, etc.). Any attempts the monk Heart of Stone Way of Shinsei 57
makes to resist any corruptive effects Way of Shinsei 55 Type: Zanshin
roll a number of bonus dice equal to Type: Kharmic Mastery: 6
the monk’s Earth. By spending a Mastery: 3 Effect: This kiho focuses on the
Void Point, the monk can attempt to Effect: The spirit is never so strong as mastery of the itten, a point just
cleanse himself of poisons that when it is tested. This kiho below the navel, the repository of the
normally have no antidote. In this symbolizes this truth, granting the soul and the body’s center of gravity.
case, the monk must also roll his monk the durability of stone in the By focusing Earth in the itten one
Earth vs. TN 30, with no bonus dice. face of destruction. When this kiho is becomes nearly impossible to topple
A master of this kiho can even active, the monk may spend a Void or move. At any time, the monk may
attempt to cleanse himself (and only Point after he receives Wounds in make an Earth roll vs. a TN 25 to
himself) of the Shadowlands Taint or order to reduce to 10 all dice that roll activate this kiho. (This requires the
corrupt by the Lying Darkness. This greater than 10. use of one action.)
is a difficult process, requiring at While the kiho is active, any attempts
least a week of meditation. At the end Rest, My Brother to lift, throw, or otherwise forcibly
of this time, the monk spends a Void Way of Shinsei 56 move the monk face a TN of the
Point and makes an Earth roll vs. a Type: Mushin monk’s Earth x 15. The monk may
TN 40. He may then reduce his Mastery: 3 (2 for the Crab) make a number of attacks each round
Shadowlands Taint by one box, Effect: This kiho was first discovered equal to half his Earth, rounded up;
permanently. Five successful by a retired tsukai-sagasu. After these cannot be ranged attacks. The
attempts will remove one Shadow spending a lifetime striving to defeat monk may not move, but his TN to
Point, permanently. the creatures of the Shadowlands, he be hit is unchanged (what he lacks in
Like many aiki, this kiho has its learned to direct the purity of his chi mobility is made up for by the
drawbacks. While the spirit is against those twisted by corruption. durability this kiho grants). The
protecting the body, the mind is The kiho draws out the inherent downside to this kiho is its total
unguarded. Any attempts to possess purity of the target’s soul, bringing it immobility. The monk cannot declare
or influence the monk’s mind with into conflict with its Taint and Full Dense or Full Attack, and may
either magic or social skills receive a causing terrible damage as darkness not move until he spends an action to
number of free Raises equal to the and light war within the target’s soul. make another Earth roll vs. TN15 to
monk’s Water. The tsukai-sagasu was quite pleased negate the kiho’s effects.
with the results and began teaching
Grasp the Earth Dragon the kiho to any others who could
Way of Shinsei 56 master it.
Type: Aiki When using this kiho, any attacks the
Mastery: 4 monk makes against an individual
Effect: This kiho allows the monk to with the Shadowlands Taint roll and
fuse his spirit with the stability of the keep an additional number of attack
Earth Dragon’s power, the monk and damage dice equal to twice the
cannot be forced to lose target’s Shadowlands Rank. Note that
consciousness by any outside forces this technique is ineffective against
short of actual death. Further, any creatures without a Shadowlands
dice penalties (including those caused Rank (both native creatures of the
254
Tsuchi-do Walk Through the Mountains
Way of Shinsei 57 Way of Shinsei 57
Type: Mushin Type: Zanshin
Mastery: 4 Mastery: 7
Effect: Many Earth kiho focus upon Effect: A master of this kiho has
stillness and stability. Tsuchi-do is attained a profound fellowship with
not one of these kiho. Tsuchi-do is an the earth. By spending a Void Point,
incarnation of the raw fury of the the monk may pass through earth and
earth, the power of the avalanche and stone without harm. Neither the
the rage of the earthquake. Tsuchi-do monk nor the stone become
is a fierce and unrelenting embrace, immaterial; they simply cease to
crushing opponents with the limitless affect each other. This kiho lasts for a
power of the earth. number of minutes equal to the
To use this kiho, the monk must first monk’s Earth, during which the
deliver a Hand-to Hand attack with monk may breathe normally and
two Raises, roughly seizing his move freely.
opponent about the body. If the monk This kiho can be risky, for the inside
makes for Raising, his opponent’s of solid stone is completely dark. If
arms will be pinned, leaving him the monk should become lost, he may
unable to attack. (This attack does become trapped with no further Void
normal Hand-to-Hand damage) to spend. (The monk is not harmed if
If the victim’s arms are not pinned trapped in stone, though he may
and he chooses to attack, his attack suffocate if he cannot replenish his
rolls are divided by two (rounded Void quickly.) Occasionally, monks
down). If he chooses to break free, he who wish to understand the true
must succeed in a contested Earth roll nature of earth use this kiho to
against the monk. (this can be disappear into the heart of a
attempted once per round.) Each mountain. Some never return.
round the monk maintains the hold, Using this kiho also allows travel
he automatically rolls damage dice across quicksand, quagmire, or other
equal to his Earth + Rank, keeping a unstable earthen surface as if it were
number of dice equal to his Earth. solid ground for the same duration.
Note that a monk can take no other
actions nor move while holding a
target in the grip of tsuchi-do. The
immobile monk’s base TN to be hit is
a mere 5.
255
Fire Kiho
Ai Uchi skills. The greatest masters can Channel the Fire Dragon
Way of Shinsei 59 approach a pile of bricks, invite a Way of Shinsei 59
Type: Kharmic spectator to select a specific brick, Type: Aiki
Mastery: 3 then shatter the pile with a single Mastery: 3
Effect: This is the most basic, and blow, leaving the selected brick Effect: This kiho grants incredible
perhaps the most powerful, of all unharmed. resistance to extremes of heat and
kharmic kiho. The monk waits for the To use tamashiwara, the monk must cold. Temperature extremes no
moment when his attacker is most simply make a bare-handed attack. longer bother the monk, not even the
vulnerable: the moment of a First, the monk spends a Void Point most chilling blizzards or boiling heat
successful strike. At the beginning of and makes an attack roll against the waves. The monk can withstand
any round a character with kiho may object (in the case of inanimate extraordinary temperature extremes
declare that he intends to attempt a targets, the attack roll is for short periods, walking across hot
kharmic strike, lowering his TN to Be unnecessary). The monk then makes coals or seizing frozen metal in his
Hit to 5. As soon as he is struck with a Fire roll against a predetermined hands with no effect. In game terms,
any blow that would cause Wounds, TN. The affected thickness can be any fire or cold damage the character
he counterattacks before damage is doubled for every Raise the monk receives always drops a number of
rolled, striking the target makes on his Fire roll dice equal to the monk’s Rank. All
automatically. The monk may not Material Thickness TN damage dice from heat and cold that
make Raises on this attack, but gains Ceramics / Glass 1’ 5 roll below the monk’s Fire are also
a number of free Raises equal to the Wood 4” 10 dropped.
number of Raises made by his Brick 3” 15 While the monk is under the effect of
attacker. A kharmic strike attack may Stone 2” 20 this kiho, his concentration and focus
be delivered a number of times per Metal * 1” 25 become nearly impenetrable. The
round equal to the monk’s Fire * Note that the somewhat suicidal distractions of the outside world are
divided by two (round down). Only notion of punching a moving katana shut away, and there is only the
one counterattack may be made per should require several Raises, to say moment. The monk may speak only
each successful strike against the the least. Such a tactic will also in one-word sentences. Such a
monk. automatically allow the person holding character is easily surprised (+10 TN
Note that the kharmic strike does not the katana to gain initiative on the to all rolls to perceive ambush).
prevent Wounds. Both the monk and sword-punching monk
his target make damage rolls If successful, the monk has Dance of the Flames
simultaneously. successfully “broken” the target, Way of Shinsei 60
knocking a hole the size of his fist. Type: Mushin
Breaking Blow Though the effect is small against Mastery: 5
Way of Shinsei 60 walls or other large structures, an Effect: Fire dances and sway as it
Type: Mushin aptly-placed break can threaten even a burns. It is everywhere at once, never
Mastery: 4 castle’s stability. still, never unprepared. The master of
Effect: Also called “tamashiwara”, When used against a living opponent, the Dance of the Flames has learned
this kiho focuses the mind and body the Breaking Blow allows the monk to to fight like fire, spreading his attack
to the execution of one goal: roll and keep a number of extra dice among all that dare to come close.
destruction. Using nothing more than equal to his Fire for damage. This While using a single Hand-to-Hand
his bare hands, the monk can deliver technique requires such focus and or weapon skill, a practitioner of this
a blow to shatter stone, crumble precision that it can never be attempted kiho may make multiple attacks in a
wood, or split a samurai’s armor. during a Full Attack. Directing the single round.
Though many kiho are subtle and Breaking Blow specifically at an The character must divide his attack
reclusive arts, tamashiwara can be opponent’s armor requires three Raises dice between target’s, both rolled and
very competitive. Some masters have and does only normal Hand-to-Hand kept. For example, consider a monk
broken as many as a dozen wooden damage to the opponent. However, the with 3 Agility and 2 Bojutsu who is
planks or clay bricks with a single Armor’s TN bonus is permanently facing three opponents. If he wishes
blow, and proudly hold open reduced by an amount equal to the to attack more than one, he could
challenges to surpass these records. It monk’s Fire. attack the first by rolling three dice
is not an uncommon sight to see and the others with one each attack
traveling monks meeting one another roll. Every target that is successfully
at festivals in order to compare their struck receives Wounds normally.
256
The mushin kiho may be used with a maneuvers the opponent in such a
weapon, or bare-handed. way that future attacks will be more
effective. For every 5 by which the
Falling Star Strike monk succeeds in his attack roll, he
Way of Shinsei 60 gains a free Raise to attack that same
Type: Mushin (Atemi) opponent in the following round.
Mastery: 4 These free Raises are only applicable
Effect: This is a subtle, yet to this opponent, and must be used in
potentially deadly, atemi strike. After the round immediately afterward.
a successful fingertip strike, the Note that the monk does not
monk may spend a Void Point and necessarily have to take advantage of
make a contested Fire roll against his the free Raises; they can be sued by
opponent is struck blind for a number any character attacking the same
of rounds equal to the monk’s Fire. opponent.
All Perception checks or other Kuzushi may be delivered with a
actions dependent upon sight receive weapon or a Hand-to-Hand attack.
a +20 TN for the blinded character,
and he is likely to fall or injure Purity of Shinsei
himself as he stumbles about. The Way of Shinsei 61
blinded character gains only half his Type: Zanshin
normal Reflexes bonus to his TN to Mastery: 5
Be Hit. Effect: The monk who has mastered
the Purity of Shinsei has gained
Hitsu-do absolute control of his inner fire. He
Way of Shinsei 60 can summon this fire, using it to light
Type: Aiki his path or strike fear into the
Mastery: 6 (5 for Phoenix) minions of darkness. By spending a
Effect: This incredible kiho inflates Void Point, the monk’s skin glows
the Fire in its user’s body, causing his with an unearthly light. This radius of
hands, eyes, and weapons to light up the light is equal to ten feet times the
with flame. At all times while under monk’s Fire, and is bright enough to
Hitsu-do’s effect, the character rolls read or travel by. Creatures of the
extra dice equal to his Fire for his Shadowlands, the Lying Darkness,
attack and damage rolls. Real flame and Gakido are irrationally afraid of
billows from the monk’s limbs and this light, and are affected by it as if
eyes, leaving a sparkling corona as he the monk had a Fear Rating equal to
moves. The art of Hitsu-do is an his Fire (frightened creatures who do
intimidating and amazing sight, and a not have Void drop a die for all
rare one. The masters of this kiho are actions). This kiho lasts for a number
few, for the price of its power is of hours equal to the monk’s Fire.
steep. At the end of every round that Canceling the glow does not end the
Hitsu-do is in effect, the character kiho prematurely.
takes Wounds equal to his Fire.
These Wounds cannot be negated or
healed until the kiho is deactivated.
Fortunately, the kiho shuts down if
the monk is knocked unconscious.
Kuzushi
Way of Shinsei 60
Type: Mushin
Mastery: 4
Effect: Kuzushi is the art of
unbalancing an opponent. It is a
quick, precise attack to an opponent’s
joints or other vulnerable areas.
Kuzushi itself does no Wounds, but
257
Water Kiho
Boundless Depth of Water character with a fingertip attack,
Way of Shinsei 59 spend a Void Point, and make a Ride the Water Dragon
Type: Kharmis contested Water roll against Way of Shinsei 59
Mastery: 6 whomever delivered the original Type: Aiki
Effect: The master of this kiho learns atemi. If successful, the atemi effect Mastery: 5
that there is no end to the body’s is immediately negated. Certain atemi Effect: This powerful aiki fills its
endurance; as long as the spirit attacks require more involved user with the spirit of water, greatly
survives the body may be enticed to methods of healing, detailed in their improving his healing capabilities.
endure. If a monk’s Wounds reach own descriptions. The character heals Wounds equal to
Down, Out, or Dead while this kiho his Water each minute the aiki is in
is active, the monk automatically Freezing the Lifeblood effect. Unfortunately, this kiho
spends 2 Void Points and regains a Way of Shinsei 57 renders the user somewhat sluggish
number of Wound levels equal to his Type: Mushin (Atemi) as the excess of Water collects in his
Water + Rank. If the monk does not Mastery: 3 muscles. Any damage rolls the monk
have at least 2 Void Points to spend, Effect: This is one of the most basic makes while this kiho is in effect
the kiho does nothing. This kiho will atemi. The monk makes a simple automatically keep the lowest dice.
not revive a monk who has been fingertip strike, usually directed at
killed. This kiho puts an extreme the throat, spine, or heart, causing no Slap the Wave
shock upon the monk’s systems. He damage. If the monk strikes Way of Shinsei 58
can make no maneuvers except Full successfully, he may spend a Void Type: Mushin
Defense for 10 rounds minus his Point to make a contested Water roll Mastery: 3
Water + Rank. The kiho will not against his target. If the monk wins Effect: Slap the Waves is
activate during this recovery period. the contested roll, his target is undoubtedly one of the most dramatic
paralyzed for that round and a of the Water kiho. The monk
Chi Protection number of rounds afterward equal to summons his chi into a powerful kiai
Way of Shinsei 58 the monk’s Rank. A victim of this shout, accompanied by a deafening
Type: Mushin (Atemi) kiho may make another opposed clap and expenditure of a Void Point.
Mastery: 4 Water roll each round in order to These gestures send ripples through
Effect: Also called chi gung, this is resist to kiho’s effects, but must the elements, confusing and
the most potent healing kiho. spend a Void Point every time he disorienting everyone in the area.
Strangely, this atemi applies many of wishes to do so. Anyone who hears the slap must
the same nerve-center strikes and make a Water Roll vs. the monk’s
joint manipulation techniques used in Musubi Water x 5. If this roll fails, he
the infamous Death Touch. The Way of Shinsei 58 becomes disorientated, subtracting a
practitioner delivers a number of Type: Kharmic number of dice equal to the monk’s
fingertip strikes and painful-looking Mastery: 3 Water divided by two (round up)
manipulations to his subject over the Effect: As water is forced down, the from all actions. This effect persists
course of ten minutes. At the end of surrounding water rises up in greater for a number of rounds equal to the
this time, the practitioner spends a strength. Such is the power of this monk’s Water. Note that both friends
Void Point. Both characters then add kiho. To use musubi, the monk must and foes are affected by this kiho;
their Water together and make a first declare a Full Defense. If an only those entirely without hearing
single roll vs. a TN 30. Wound attacker fails to strike him, the monk and the character who delivers the
penalties for both practitioners and can strike back the following round, slap are immune. This kiho is used
target affect this roll. If successful, a rolling an extra die on his attack roll, often by traveling monks to quell
number of Would levels are healed plus another extra die for every 5 by angry mobs or to escape groups of
equal to the practitioner’s Water, plus which the attacker’s roll missed. This pursuers.
one for every Raise. A character may attack can only be directed against
use this ability to heal himself; the opponent who failed to strike the
simply roll as if the monk were his monk.
own subject.
The kiho may also be used to counter
the effects of any other nerve-strike
atemi kiho. In most cases, the monk
must simply strike the affected
258
Speak to the Soul
Way of Shinsei 58
Type: Zanshin
Mastery: 4
Effect: Through use of this kiho, the
monk allows his own spirit to
resonate in harmony with an
inanimate object. By touching a
person or object, then spending a
Void Point, the monk immediately
learns the subject’s elemental
makeup. He learns which element (or
Ring) is strongest, and whether the
spirit of an inanimate object is
awakened (i.e., a nemuranai). This
kiho will also notify the monk
whether the subject is corrupted by
the Taint, and it reveals the touch of
the Lying Darkness as an absence of
all elements. (If the monk is not
familiar with the Shadow, this could
be more confusing than informative.)
Spirit of Water
Way of Shinsei 59
Type: Zanshin
Mastery: 7
Effect: This extraordinary kiho
allows the character to step between
the bonds of the elements,
momentarily disappearing from
reality. The monk simply steps out of
sight, spends a Void Point, and
reappears anywhere in his previous
range of vision. It is unknown exactly
where the range of vision. It is
unknown exactly where the monk
goes in the interim, or how he
traverses the intervening distance. It
is known, however, that the kiho will
not function if anyone can see the
monk. He must step out of sight, or
the kiho fails to work. Only the monk
and whatever he can easily carry are
affected.
259
Void Kiho
Astral Guidance a contested Void Roll. If this roll of the Brotherhood who use the
Way of Shinsei 63 succeeds, the dim mak sets in and the Death Touch as its name implies.
Type: Zanshin target is likely doomed.
Mastery: 4 (3 for Lions) Nothing happens at first. In fact, the Happo Zanshin
Effect: Though the brothers of victim may be unaware that anything Way of Shinsei 65
Shinsei do not depend upon kami for has happened at all. Soon, though, the Type: Aiki / Zanshin
their fantastic abilities, they often curse takes effect. The body begins to Mastery: 8
serve as go-betweens with the spirit rot. Wounds fester instead of healing. Effect: Happo Zanshin is a near
world. The souls of the ancestors The spirit is restless, causing terrible legendary kiho. It can only be learned
sometimes speak to monks, offering nightmares and preventing a good from another master, never
their advice or pleading for help. night’s sleep. The victim finds that no spontaneously arrived upon. Happo
A monk who has mastered this kiho amount of rest will stem his Zanshin grants “eight directions
can attain a deep trance, spending a exhaustion. awareness”, making the monk aware
Void Point to summon whatever In games terms, the character heals as of everything within ten feet. When
spirits happen to dwell in the area. if his stamina were one rank lower, used, the monk simply spends a Void
Normally, this kiho calls upon shiryo, and healing spells must Raise twice Point and rolls dice equal to his Void.
but it has been known to occasionally to have any effect at all. The victim For every 10 he rolls, the radius, of
summon other varieties of spirits, or slowly loses Wound Points every day Happo Zanshin is extended an
rarely, the Fortunes (if they wish to at sunrise and sunset, equal to the additional 10 feet. Everything within
answer). The monk instantly knows Rank of the monk who placed the the kiho’s radius, every detail, every
the identity of the spirit who answers, Death Touch. These Wounds cannot hidden door, every concealed object,
and may ask a number of questions be healed by any means until the dim is revealed to the monk. He sees,
equal to his Void. Bear in mind that mak is removed. This continues until hears, smells, tastes, and feels
spirits are known for cryptic replies, the victim dies. everything within the radius.
and are not bound to tell the truth. It There are two known cures. First, the Darkness and even physical
is up to the monk to interpret what he Death Touch can be removed by the obstructions are no barrier, though
hears. monk who delivered it. This is an certain spells and wards will prevent
easy task, requiring a second touch its intrusion. Monks with the Precise
Death Touch and Void roll with a TN of 15. Memory advantage find this kiho
Way of Shinsei 64 Second, it can be removed by monk particularly useful, using it to take
Type: Mushin (Atemi) skilled in Chi Protection. This is a accurate “snapshots” of a large area
Mastery: 6 painful and arduous process for both for later analysis.
Effect: The dim mak, or Death the victims and the healer, requiring a
Touch, is the most feared and deadly week of meditation and acupressure Kukan-do
of all atemi. Its name is whispered in treatment before a cure can even be Way of Shinsei 65
hushed tones, and tales of its use attempted. At the end of this time, the Type: Zanshin
always carry a hint of fear. It has healer must pit his will against the Mastery: 7
been described as cruelty incarnate, monk who placed the curse. The TN Effect: This is among the most
causing a slow, rotting illness that to cure the dim mak is equal to five powerful of the zanshin, a risky but
condemns its victim to a living hell. times the Void + Rank of whoever potentially deadly tap into the power
Delivering dim mak requires only the placed it. The healer rolls only his of Void. The monk fills his chi with
faintest brush of the fingertips, no Water subtracting whatever Wound Void, and then extends it into an
more, no less. To deliver the penalties the victim suffers. If the opponent, locking both of their spirits
technique with excessive force would healer also knows dim mak, he may in a deadly embrace. For as long as
disrupt its function. Only a gentle add 15 to the attempt to cure it. If the the monk chooses, both individuals
touch will do. The monk must make a healer fails, the cure worsens, are held in stasis, unable to draw
normal attack roll with three Raises, inflicting 2 additional Wounds at upon the elements for any purpose.
signifying the care and precision he sunrise and sunset until cured. To use this kiho, the monk must
must take. The technique may not be This kiho is considered a perversion make eye contact with his victim and
used while the monk is making a Full of the teachings of Shintao. Its use is spend a Void Point, then make a
Attack or has any aiki or kharmic reviled and despises among the contested Void + Rank roll. (If the
kiho active. If the attack is peaceful Brothers of Shinsei. Most target is a Naga, roll its Akasha +
successful, the monk spends Void monks who practice it do so only to Rank instead. If the target has no
equal to his target’s Rank and makes better understand how to cure the Void or Akasha, roll against five
curse. Rumors persist of a secret sect
260
times the target’s Earth + Rank.) If A monk under the influence of this more intelligent spirits will be able to
the monk succeeds, then neither the aiki can meditate for five minutes read the monk’s spirit as it wafts
monk nor the target may use any (TN 20) to completely replenish his across the environment, immediately
magic, kiho, rank techniques, tattoos, Void Points. However, the monk’s learning what kiho he is capable of
or other Rank-derived benefits until detachment from the crude physical using.
the kiho’s effect ceases. Skills, world limits the body’s capabilities. Second, the monk should never use
advantages, disadvantages, and While this kiho is active, the monk this kiho in any area that has become
Void/Akasha Points are unaffected. cannot make Raises. Tainted by the Shadowlands. Doing so
This technique lasts until the target invites the corruption of Fu Leng into
moves out of visual range, the monk Touch the Void Dragon the body and spirit, causing the monk
ends the effect, or the monk does or Way of Shinsei 63 to gain a point of Taint for every round
loses consciousness. Type: Aiki the kiho remains active.
Mastery: 4 (3 for Dragon)
Ryoku Effect: it is said that the enhanced Unattunement
Way of Shinsei 64 state of consciousness this strange Way of Shinsei 64
Type: Mushin kiho provides is a crucial step upon Type: Kharmic
Mastery: 5 the path to enlightenment. The monk Mastery: 5
Effect: Literally “strength”, Ryoku opens his chi and allows it to flow Effect: Unattunement is a difficult
suggests a strength of spirit so pure into the land. The chi of the kiho to master, but a powerful one. It
that it utterly dominates an opponent. environment flows back in turn, has no purpose except defense. When
To deliver Ryoku, the monk releases providing him with its strength. another’s magic overwhelms the
a shocking kiai shout and makes an While the monk is affected, his kiho monk, the monk’s chi strikes out in
open hand punch or chop against an function as if one of his Rings were retribution. The kiho makes no
opponent, doing normal Hand-to- one level higher. The Ring that is attempt to protect or defend its user,
Hand damage. After damage is affected depends upon the and does not affect the attacker’s
rolled, the monk may choose to spend environment and local geomancy. most vulnerable moment and severs
any number of his remaining Void Caves are strong in Earth, rivers and his connection to the elements.
Points. These spent Void Points than waterfalls are often strong in Water, For this kiho to activate, someone
are currently available, the target may etc. The ebb and flow of the elements must voluntarily use a spell of kiho
not recover Void for a number of is such that the benefit is never directly upon the monk. The monk
days equal to the difference. This certain. A Perception + Shintao roll may then spend a Void Point to make
technique has no effect on opponents with a TN 15 can easily predict the a contested roll with his opponent,
who lack a Void Ring, though it will result in a given area, but the benefit contesting the Monk’s Void plus
function against the Akasha Points of is typically Air or Earth. Rank to the opponent’s Ring (the
a Naga. If the GM is uncertain what element Ring of the spell of kiho used) plus
is strongest, he may roll one die to Rank. If the monk is successful, his
Self, No self determine the answer randomly. If a opponent’s connection to that
Way of Shinsei 63 10 is rolled, rerolled and add to the element is served for a full day. This
Type: Aiki result. effect negates the use of all spells and
Mastery: 3 1-5 Earth * kiho that depend upon that Ring. The
Effect: Beyond Mere meditation, 6-9 Air affected Ring and its associated
beyond zanji, there is a state of mind 11-14 Water* Traits are also lowered by one (to a
in which all concept of self, all 15-19 Fire minimum of one) for the same
concept of lack of self is discarded. 20 + Void duration. Even rest and meditation
The body, the mind, the spirit * If near river or sea, switch with Water cannot re-establish the connection.
become everything, become nothing. Like many aiki, becoming one with the
A monk who can enter this state Elements has certain drawbacks. First,
swims freely in a realm of pure Void, any spirits residing in the area become
in the midst of the elemental dance. aware of the monk’s presence. The
261
262
Appendix I: Naga
For a complete understanding of the Naga beliefs and culture please read Way of the Naga.
Naga: Character Creation
Rules Regarding the Naga:

Changes to the standard system for Naga characters are as follows:
Traits: Skills:
Akasha replaces Void Single Strike replaces Iaijutsu
Discipline replaces Insight Swordsmanship replaces Kenjutsu
Monksha* replaces Shintao
Pearl Carving* replaces Tea Ceremony
* These skills are further defined later in Appendix I
Akasha (Void Ring) represents the Naga’s link to the Great Consciousness of the Naga people. It functions in the same
manner as Void.
Naga Caste Ranks (Glory):
Animals and Naga: animals see Naga as large predators. When they become near Rank 10: The Qatol (currently
one another, they must make a contested Earth roll. Animals with training may add vacant)
their skill to this roll. The effects are based on who wins: Rank 8-9: The Dashmar and Qamar
Naga wins: Animal flees in fear Rank 7-8: Bloodline Champions
Animal wins: Animal stands its ground (Shahdet, Shashakar, and the Lord
Tie: Animal is at -2 to all dice until the situation changes Vedics of the Bright and Pale Eyes)
Rank 6-7: The Isha, the Taquar,
Female Naga: No roll is required to swap their tail for legs, the ritual process does and the Malekish, Military generals,
take 5 hours. All skills involving balance or movement must be learned twice – provincial governors, focal religious
once with the tail and once with legs. figures and great minds.
Rank 5-6: The Sysh, the Shazaar,
and the Shalasha. Minor lords and
High Strike: This is the Naga ability to coil their massive tail beneath them,
vassals
heaving their bulk above an obstacle so that they can see or stack beyond it. The
Rank 4-5: The Ramash, the Qarash,
maximum height a Naga can attack over is equal to 2/3 of its total length. Glancing
and the Eshru. Mid-level military
over such obstacles requires one action but no roll. Attacking requires two Raises, if lords and political administrators
on the Naga’s has just risen. Remaining coiled requires a Strength TN 5 each round. Rank 2-4: The Balash and the
Shagara, Those without special
Working Together: As a result of the Akasha the minds of Naga work together recognition (yet). Most starting
efficiently as their linked minds favor unison. When working together (with other player characters
Naga only) each Naga makes an Action roll the group uses the highest total, Rank 1-2: Untouchables and lower-
regardless of the number of Naga. caste servants
Rank 0: Abominations and
Caste Rank and Character Points (CP): Outcasts.
A character can raise their Caste Rank by 1 Rank for 4 CP, or by 5 boxes for 2 CP.
A character may voluntarily lower their Caste Rank by 1 to gain 2 CP, or by 5 boxes to gain 1 CP.
A character may only raise or lower their Caste Rank by a maximum of one.
Naga Equivalent Skills: These skills refer to Naga culture as opposed to Rokugani
Archery (Reflexes) Calligraphy Dance History Painting Theology
263
Armorer Cipher Etiquette Law Poetry
Banned Naga Starting Character Options: The following skills and advantages are banned to starting Naga characters,
although with the right teacher they can acquire them after the start of game play.
Skills:
Animal Husbandry Craft (Mitsugusuri) Horse Archery Mimic
Artisan Craft (Tattooing) Horsemanship (males) Tea Ceremony
Courtier Falconry Manipulation Ninjutsu
Advantages:
Balanced Chosen by the Oracles Ear of the Emperor Imperial Spouse
Bland Death Trance Elemental Attunement Innate Ability
Blood of Osano-Wo Different School Gentry
Disadvantages:
Curse of the Kami Enlightened Madness Gaijin Name Moto Curse
Deathseeker Forgotten Idealistic Never Sat on a Horse
Dishonored Forsaken Momoku Shadowlands Taint
Yogo Curse
Advantages:
Multiple Schools advantage can be purchased by Naga after the start of game play (with storyline and GM approval), this
costs 10 experience points. This option can only be taken once.
264
Naga: Bloodlines
Way of the Naga 56-61
Asp Starting Caste Rank: 1.5

Benefit: Wounds for the Asp are figured as though their Earth Ring is one higher.
Bloodline Ability: Choose any Venom (except Consuming Flame) at Rank 1
Note: -
Description: The warlike Asp are the soldiers and guardians of the Naga people. Long ago, during the Bloodland
Wards, the Asp nearly conquered the other Naga bloodlines, raising a military dictatorship above all
the cities of the Naga. They were stopped only by the direct intervention of the Qatol, the Naga’s
greatest hero, and by the defensive Pearl Effects of the Cobra.
The Asp still believe that – had the Cobra’s magic not interfered – their coup would have been
successful. In many ways they are still arrogant and aggressive, but their loyalty to the Naga people is
unquestioned. The Asp make up the body of the Naga armies, and they are most commonly Naga
Warriors – the generals and lieutenants in charge of leadership of the armies of the Naga.
Asp are slightly stronger and more bulky than the Cobra, being some 15-20 feet in length and 600-800
pounds in weight. They are one of two medium-sized Naga bloodlines (together with the Cobra).
Chameleon Starting Caste Rank: 1.0

Benefit: Add their School Rank in dice (rolled not kept) to Stealth rolls. A Chameleon character loses this
benefit if they take a mutation that affects their skin color
Bloodline Ability: Choose either the Creature Awareness Inner Gift or the Animal Speech Inner Gift. In either case, this
ability is limited only to aquatic animals, such as sharks, dolphins, and other deep-sea fish.
Note: Though most Chameleon are naturally aquatic in nature, only those characters who choose the
Amphibious or Watersnake options (described later in Appendix I), have the associated abilities or
drawbacks.
Description: The Chameleon are one of two Naga bloodlines which are commonly scouts, as their ability to hide
and remain unseen is well known throughout the Naga civilization. Chameleon Naga are slightly
longer than Greensnakes ranging from 13-17 feet in total length, and their bodies are bulkier in
proportion (they weigh between 520-680 pounds). Chameleon can alter their body’s coloring to an
extent, allowing them to blend in with their surroundings.
Cobra Starting Caste Rank: 0.5 Benefit: +1 Awareness

Bloodline Ability: As a result of their close connection with the Akasha, Cobra may choose one Inner Gift for free at the
start of the game.
Note: A Cobra character may choose no more than three Rokugani Skills at character creation, and none of
those can be above rank 1. This includes the Rokugani Language.
Description: The Cobra are the most mysterious bloodline of the Naga. Their magic, strange and unattainable,
fascinates the shugenja of the Empire. They are only recently awakened from the Great Sleep, and – as
such – are the least familiar with the customs of Rokugan’s samurai.
It has been very difficult for the Cobra to awaken, as the Pearl Effect they cast upon the Naga over a
thousand years ago still lingers with them. Perhaps this is because it was centered on their own city,
Vyakarana; nevertheless, there are very few Cobra awake in Rokugan.
The Cobra work very closely with the Chameleon, who guard the precious pearl-beds, the source of
most Cobra’s magic. They are willful, and tend to be domineering over their smaller brethren, possibly
to compensate for their ostracizing mutations.
Cobras are close in size to Asps, though their frames are generally less thick, and more agile. They
measure 15-20 feet in length and 600-850 pounds in weight.
265
Constrictor Starting Caste Rank: 1.5 Benefit: +1 Strength
Bloodline Ability: Constrictors may attempt to grapple an enemy by coiling their huge tail around them. This requires an
Agility + Hand-to-Hand with 2 Raises. Success indicates that the target is wrapped within the coils and
must Contest the Constrictor (Strength + Hand-to-Hand vs. the victim’s Strength) to break free. The
results of this Contest are as follows:
Constrictor Wins: The Constrictor rolls a number of dice equal to his Earth Ring, adding one dice
(rolled, but not kept) for every Turn the victim has been held (not including the first). The result is
applied as Damage to the victim.
Both (or Neither) Win: No Damage is applied, but the victim fails to break free.
Victim Wins: The victim breaks free, and may flee with his next Action.
During this Contest, either combatant may ignore the Contest to Attack his opponent (resulting in an
automatic Contest success for the other if they roll it as their Action). Declaration of each combatant’s
Action should follow the standard Initiative rules. Attack rolls are modified as follows:
Constrictor: While he is grappling a victim, the TN to hit the victim is 10, and cannot be modified
by other Skills, Advantages, or Disadvantages.
Victim: While grappled, the victim’s Attack dice are reduced by half (round down) to Attack the
Constrictor.
Note: The Constrictor’s Attack may only be performed on creatures’ horse-sized or smaller.
Size Modifiers: As a result of their bulk, Constrictors multiply their Earth by 3 for each Wound Level, instead of 2.
However, Constrictors roll two less dice when using Stealth or trying to evade an enemy. Also, their
TN to be hit is reduced by 5 as they present an oversized target.
Note: Due to the lack of newborn Constrictors, no character of this Bloodline may be a youth (Ashamana),
nor can they be of a very young age. Simply put, there are no young Constrictors anymore.
Description: The Constrictor bloodline is said to be the oldest, although that claim is often disputed by the Asp,
whose naturally superior sensibilies are offended by such claims.
What is certain is that the Constrictors have a closer connection to the Akasha than any of the other
Bloodlines. They are typically the priests and religious leaders of the Naga people, and they are the
ones who interpret and call forth the memories locked in the deepest recesses of the collective
subconscious of the Akasha.
The Constrictors are also the largest and most physically massive of the Naga people, their strength
belied only by their typically gentle demeanor. If they had the Asp’s battle-prowess and violent
temperamant, they might be the rulers of all six of the Great Cities, but as they are speakers for the
Akasha, it has never been their way to destroy what could be studied instead. The emptiness of the
Constrictor eggbeds is thus one of the greatest tragedies in Naga history. If the problem is not solved,
the Constrictors may cease to exist altogether.
Members of this Bloodline are astronomers, Vedic priests, and law-givers. Their purpose in the Naga
Kingdoms is an essential one, as they interpret the stars and swirling pools of the Akasha for the rest,
and have guided them through the most tragic decisions their race has ever faced. It was their
recommendation to bury the race within the sleepless Akasha for the last thousand years, a decision
they are still criticized for today.
Naga Constrictors are easily the largest examples of their kind, measuring 25-30 feet in length and
weighing in at between 1000-1200 pounds. In desperate times of war, when the odds are stacked
against the Naga, Constrictors can be called into service as living siege engines, though this radically
conflicts with their moral stance, and is avoided if at all possible.
266
Greensnake Starting Caste Rank: 2.5 Benefit: +1 Intelligence or Awareness (player’s choice)
Bloodline Ability: From hatchling, Greensnakes are introduced to the ways of others – especially the Rokugani, whom
they interact with regularly on behalf of the Naga nation. As a result, each Greensnake character gains
an additional 10 CP at creation, which they may spend exclusively on foreign Skills, Lore, and non-
restricted Advantages and Disadvantages.
Further, for each adventure they complete in which they had prolonged contact with a foreign race,
studied a foreign race, or were in a foreign locale, Greensnakes gain 1-3 bonus Experience Points,
which they can use exclusively to purchase Skills and non-restricted options learned from that race
(i.e., the character must have observed the skill in use sometime during the adventure).
Description: The Greensnakes are the smallest, most diplomatic Bloodline within the Naga civilization. They are
often chosen to be Scouts because of their ability to negotiate and understand strangers, and frequently
have abilities which reflect this. The Dashmar is almost always a Greensnake.
Of all the Bloodlines, Greensnakes most often venture outside the Shinomen Forest, and encounter
non-Naga races. They have the most experience with those outside the Akasha. They alone have been
charged with collecting and distributing knowledge and tactical information about humans, zokujin,
and other foreign races.
Greensnakes are the smallest of the Naga ranging from only 10-15 feet in total length, and weighing
between 400-600 pounds. Their physiques are slender, and they can move quickly.
267
Naar Teban This Type of Naga is not a true Bloodline and requires GM approval. Way of the Naga 56-59
Bloodline Ability: Receive an additional 16 CP at character creation
Benefits: Leap: they may leap up to 4 x Strength this counts as an action; they must Raise two times to Attack
while leaping, but roll an additional two dice for Damage if they are successful. TNs may be adjusted
for difficulty, complicated use of ability, and falling rules do apply with a failure.
Claws: Naar Teban have claws as natural weapons use the Hand-to-Hand Skill when rolling to Hit
with a DR of 1k2.
Venom (Consuming Flame) Advantage
Drawbacks: No Fire Salamander may use Naga Bloodline Benefits or Abilities, nor Great Lesson Benefits or
Techniques.
The Naar Teban will be attacked by Naga daily, usually in groups. They will always know where
he/she is.
The Naar Teban is magically bound to the Burning Sands. Every month he/she is away he must roll his
Earth in dice vs. TN 10 (+5/month away) or lose 1 Earth Rank.
Description: A few Naga abominations have ventured beyond the northern mountains or the Ivory Kingdoms to the
west. Beyond, there is an endless sea of dunes, blistered sand left over from a brutal magical
apocalypse nearly a thousand years ago.
There is still some magic left in the sands, great power hidden in silent pockets and lost tombs, waiting
to be discovered. This magic affects Naga in strange and terrible ways, perverting their bodies and
casting nightmarish visions through them and into the Akasha.
Naga who remain near the Burning Sands for too long fall into a deep lumber, their bodies slipping
beneath the dunes for several days. During this time, their screams can be heard for hundreds of miles
through the Akasha.
When they burst forth again from the dunes, these Naga are changed. Their skin takes on a golden hue
and their scales glisten like jewels. They are stronger, faster, and more agile than they were, and gain
new and frightening abilities including the Consuming Flame attack (see the Venom Advantage).
Their tails are placed by long and powerful legs, which can propel them high into the air over short
distances, or upon their enemies.
But there is a price for such power. The original Naga soul trapped within the Naar Teban’s body is
tortured in madness and pain, unable to reconcile its new form and its link to the Akasha. Many of
these “Fire Salamanders” come to see the Akasha as the source of their pain, and return to Rokugan to
hunt down their invisible “adversary’.
The pure-born Naga of Rokugan sense the blooming madness and pain of these pitiable creatures
through the Akasha. It is like an open sore within the communal mind, bleeding upon everything that
senses it. With the Naar Teban so far away, the pain is rarely more than a dull ache, but those that
return magnify the sensation. As they enter the Empire, their howling madness rattles through the
minds of all Naga within 2 miles until they are silenced.
268
Naga: Advantages
These Advantages are not Abominations unless noted. All other Advantages are located in the main Advantages section, page 10.
Abomination Way of the Naga 55 Restrictions: Naga only 5 points

There are two ways to design a Naga abomination, one which results in advantageous mutations – such as natural
weaponry, keen eyesight, and thermal vision – and another which hinders that character (see Disadvantages).
Purchasing this advantage grants the character one roll on the Positive Abomination Table.
Note that some of the beneficial abomination abilities are particularly effective and cost additional CP. They are
noted on the Positive Abomination Table. Characters may forfeit these abilities to save the requisite CP, and roll
again on the table until they come up with something they can afford.
Acute Smell Way of the Naga 55 Restrictions: Naga only 3 points

The character has a sharper sense of smell than is natural, even for a Naga. They gain 2 dice (rolled, but not kept)
for all their Perception-based Skill checks involving their sense of smell, including hunter, tracking, fishing, etc.
The target of their check must be within 50 yards per rank of the character’s perception, or have traveled over the
ground that they are surveying within the last twenty-four hours. Rains, excessive foot-traffic through the area, and
other factors may raise the TN for such Skill checks, at the GM’s discretion.
Amphibious Way of the Naga 55 Restrictions: Naga only (2 for Chameleons) 3 points
The Amphibious Advantage allows a character to remain submerged within a body of water. The character derives
the oxygen he needs from the water, and does not need to breathe air while he is submerged.
For this purpose, gills line the neck and upper torso of a character who takes this Advantage. Generally, gills are
considered an abomination ability by the Naga (except for Chameleons), who look unfavorably on those who have
been born with them. Hiding such a mutation from other Naga is difficult, but not impossible. If a character is
found to have them, he loses 1 Caste Rank.
Fertile Way of the Naga 56 Restrictions: Constrictors may not take 4 points
this Advantage - Naga only
Since the days of the Great Sleep, fewer and fewer eggs are seen among the Naga, and their population is
diminishing rapidly. Some believe that this is a temporary side-effect of the Great Sleep, but others say that the
Naga have outlives their time, and are slowly being “weeded out” of the natural order. If the latter is true, then the
lack of children may be the first sign of the Naga’s final decline.
Naga who can lay eggs are treated with far more respect than most. Similar to Social Position for Rokugani, a
Naga with this advantage gains 1 full Caste Rank if their condition is known among the other Naga. Also, fellow
Naga will strive to keep the character out of harm’s way; Naga Warriors will seek to protect them and Vedics will
bless them frequently.
Immune to Fear Way of the Naga 56 Restrictions: Naga only 3 points

Naga are raised within striking distance of the Shadowlands, and come in contact with the horrible menace of the
blighted realms frequently, and from a young age. As such, many of them have developed a “thick skin” against
such monstrosities. With this advantage, the Naga may resist the fearful presence of Shadowlands creatures, and is
no longer subject to Fear Effects.
Note that this is the Naga equivalent of the Death Trance Advantage. Since Naga have no concept of honor or chi,
they cannot purchase the Death Trance Advantage. This option replaces it.
269
Pearl Jiva Way of the Naga 56 Restrictions: Naga only 5 points / rank
Some Naga are raised in the Cobra pearl bed egg-pits, but do not become Jakla. Many of these retain a slight bit of
magical prowess, enough to perform rudimentary attacks with the power of a pearl. A Naga with this Advantage
may destroy a pearl to perform a Ranged Attack at up to 50 yards. Resolve this like an Archery Attack (using
Agility instead of Reflexes), except that Strength does not affect the potency of the attack. The number of dice
rolled and kept for the Damage of the Attack is based on the Rank of the pearl used (which may not exceed the
character’s School Rank with the Advantage). If a character uses a pearl of higher Rank, the effect is reduced to
the value he is capable of.
Thus, a character with this Advantage at Rank 2, destroying a Rank 3 pearl, would only have a Damage value of
2k2.
Only one pearl may be used for such an Attack per Action.
Characters purchasing this Advantage gain one Rank 1 pearl at the start of the game. They must find any other
pearls they wish to use as “ammunition” during play. Note that pearls of Rank 3, 4, and 5 are near-impossible to
find in the wild, and difficult to procure from the Cobra Jakla protecting them. No pearl above Rank 5 has ever
been found. For more on the properties and uses of pearls, please see Way of the Naga 38 and 62-64.
Prehensile Tail Way of the Naga 56 Restrictions: Naga only 2 points

Though tails are a frequent source of mutation, some grow to be strong and efficient limbs as well. Characters with
this Advantage may use their tail as a fifth limb, picking objects of reasonable weight (no more than five times the
character’s Strength in pounds) or manipulating simple tools, levers, pulleys, etc.
Gamemasters are within their rights asking for Dexterity, Strength, or Reflexes rolls if the character attempts
something complicated or strenuous with his tail. TNs should be applied as necessary (pushing a poorly-balanced
item from the edge of a table might be simple enough for a Strength + Hand-to-Hand check of 5 to succeed, while
pilfering a fan from the Emerald Magistrate’s obi might result in a Dexterity + Sleight of Hand check of 30 or
more).
Venom Way of the Naga 56 Restrictions: Naga only 7 points / rank

No character may purchase more than 3 Ranks in this Advantage, nor may they purchase more than one type of
Venom.
Some Naga are able to spit, inject, or spread venom upon their opponents, causing a variety of powerful effects.
The precise result of such an Attack is determined by the type of Venom chosen, the Ranks purchased in this
Advantage, and the character’s Ranks in an associated Ring.
Venom Ring Used Venom Ring Used
Acid Water Consuming Fire Fire
Blinding Mist Air Contact Poison Earth
Blood Thickener Earth Nerve Toxin Air
Attacking Using Venom
Making an Attack with Venom requires an Agility + Hand-to-Hand check against the opponent’s TN to be Hit,
with 2 Raises. Attacking within close quarters (inches) eliminates the need for the Raises, so the TN to be Hit is
unmodified.
Additional Raises beyond those required to hit with a Venom Attack may be used to strike a certain location, but
do not affect damage in anyway.
Venom Damage Values
The Damage Value for each type of Venom is determined by rolling the Venom’s Rank (as purchased) + its
associated Ring, and keeping a number equal to the Venom’s Rank.
Special Effects
Each type of venom has a specific effect based on the type of Venom chosen.
Acid: The Naga regurgitates acid bile, which he spits upon his enemies. The damage Value is applied
directly to the location hit, and affects the target’s Wound Levels normally.
Blinding Mist: The Naga exhales a cloud of vapor toward the target, which burns all bodily orifices. The
victim must overcome the Damage Value, rolling and keeping his Earth in dice, or be blinded for a number of
270
Turns equal to the amount by which he missed the Damage Value. If the target is blinded for more than ten
Turns, the effect is permanent.
Blood Thickener: The Naga injects his venom into the target’s bloodstream through his incisors. The venom
thickens the blood, causing clots and possible paralysis. The Damage Value of this Venom is applied directly. If
the victim takes more than three times his Earth in Wounds, he suffers paralysis for a number of Turns equal to
the Damage dice rolled. If he takes more than six times his Earth in Wounds, the victim suffers a stroke, and he
loses 2 Ranks in a random Trait.
Consuming Flame: This is a special Venom, available only to the Naar Teban of the Burning Sands. It is
emitted from a special lung-like organ, and blown upon the target. When it touches organic tissue (including
human skin), it begins dissolving it, using the matter as a fuel source. The victim must roll his Earth in dice to
overcome the Damage Value. Success reduces the Damage Value by the difference between the rolled total and
the Damage Value. Additionally, a success results in no applied Damage for the Turn. Failure adds an equal
amount to the Damage Value, and applies Damage for the Turn. The cycle continues until the Damage Value is
reduces below 0 (at which time the fire burns itself out), or the victim dies, his bones fused in place by the
intensity of the heat. Skeletons of such victims are occasionally discovered among the ruins of old Naga cities at
the base of the Spine of the World Mountains, where early Scouts roamed. They remain standing as they died,
reminders of the power of the sands.
Contact Poison: The Naga either emits a mist or exudes a gel (player’s choice – cannot be changed) which
seeps through the pores of the victim upon contact. Each day thereafter, the victim must roll his Earth in dice
against the Damage Value generated by the Naga. Success reduced the Damage Value of the poison by the
difference between the TN and the rolled total, and results in no applied Damage for that day. Failure adds the
same amount to the Damage Value (and applies the Damage to the victim). The cycle continues until the
poison’s Damage Value is reduced below 0 or the victim dies a slow, agonizing death.
Note that the victim’s Void may not be affected by this Venom.
Nerve Toxin: This venom is not inherently deadly. It must be injected into the victim’s system or sprayed
upon their eyes, mouth, or ears (requiring three Raises instead of the standard two). No (standard) physical
damage is applied using this Venom. Instead, for every ten points in Damage the Venom applies to the target, a
random Trait is reduced by one. A single Trait may be affected by Venom multiple times during a single Attack,
if the Damage Value is high enough and the Trait is rolled again (e.g. a Damage Value of 20 could result in the
victim losing 2 Ranks of Willpower). Should any Trait be reduced to 0 by way of this Attack, the victim falls
unconscious and permanently loses two Ranks in the Trait that fell below 0. Should this permanently reduce the
Trait to 0 or less, the character dies.
Should the character survive, Traits that were not lost permanently return to the victim at the rate of one Rank
per day.
Akasha and Void may not be affected by this Venom.
Xenophobic Way of the Naga 58 Restrictions: Naga only 3 points

This is a specialized version of the Phobia Disadvantage from the L5R rulebook. The character is mistrusted of
non-Naga, and will go to great lengths to avoid them, He may even become irrational when around them for too
long, lashing out or going into deep depression if he cannot escape their presence.
When the Naga character enters combat with being of another race (humans, Nezumi, goblins, etc.), he gains one
die (rolled, but not kept) for all attacks against them. This benefit does not apply to Damage Values, or any other
aspect of combat. Also, Naga who take this Advantage lose one rolled die during all social interactions with other
Naga.
271
Naga: Disadvantages
Abomination Way of the Naga 58 Restrictions: Naga only 5 points
Where some abominations are born with mutations that can benefit them under certain circumstances, others are
not so fortunate. Most abominations suffer from horrible distortions of the natural Naga form, possibly caused by
their parent’s exposure to pearl magics, or the pearls used in the egg-pits. These mutations range from mild facial
or torso elongation, scales on their faces or hands, and human-colored or albino skin, to more severe forms of
mutation, including serpentine eyes, fins, useless gills, or webbed hands.
This Disadvantage represents the negative aspects seen among abominations. Talking this Disadvantage grants the
character 5 additional CP to spend at creation, at the cost of one roll on the Negative Abomination Table. The cost
of the Disadvantage is static, and does not increase or decrease regardless of the Point gain listed on the table for
the abomination trait acquired.
Bad Sight Way of the Naga 58 Restrictions: Naga only 2 points

A common ailment among Naga is poor eyesight, from a mild cataract condition to full and permanent blindness.
With this Disadvantage. The player character’s sight is impaired, and he rolls two fewer dice for all sight-based
Perception checks during play.
Watersnake Way of the Naga 58 Restrictions: Naga only 4 points

This Naga is less able to survive above water than most of his kin. He must return to the wa ter every 24 hours, or
be completely immersed in water (such as a cool bath) for at least an hour per day. Otherwise, all his TNs are
increased by 5 until he fulfills this requirement. Note that the character must fully immersed for the full hour once
per day to ignore this penalty.
Naga: Skills
Moksha This skill is the Naga equivalent of Shintao, and reflects a Naga’s dedication to duty
Akasha and the tenets of their race. It represents a Naga’s understanding of the fundamental
(Way of the Naga 54) beliefs and ethics of their Bloodline, and the Akasha as a whole. Naga who take this
Skill are extremely loyal to the Naga race, and pursue their life knowing that they are
High Skill - Naga Only a small part of a greater whole. Unlike Shintao, Naga Traits may progress beyond
Rank 5 without this Skill.
Pearl Carving The Naga know how to turn a simple pearl into a work of tremendous beauty. More
Akasha than simply working the pearl with tools and carving knives, the Naga use a series of
(Way of the Naga 55) prayers and meditations to help the pearl attain the form they desire. This Skill works
like Tea Ceremony does for humans, taking one half hour (and require a non-
High Skill enchanted pearl). When performing the ceremony, the Naga may invite any other
Naga he/she wishes to participate. Each participant then enters a ritual trance,
touching the mists of the Akasha and speaking with the spirit of the pearl. The artist
carving the pearl may then make a Simple Akasha + Pearl Carving roll; if he is
successful, all Naga involved (up to the performer’s Skill Rank) regain a single spent
Akasha Point (not to increase their Akasha Points beyond their Akasha Ring).
Humansgain no benefits from the use of this skill.
272
Heritage Table 2: Ethical Ancestor
1 Discovery. After your birth, you were drawn to a
hidden grove within the Shinomen Forest, where
Naga Heritage Tables you found the remains of a Naga Asp who had
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Naga 68-73 accepted the Curse of Eternal Vigilance. Knowing
the corpse to be your own in a past life, you felt no
Roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of lineage the compunction claiming its weapon – a Fine Quality
character has. The player may roll up to three times on the Scimitar (3k3 Damage Rating)
tables, but each roll after the first has a cost of 1 CP. 2 Resourceful. You were a Scout in a former life who
helped to direct friendly forces during the First
Burning of the Lands. Gain 5 Caste Points or one
Heritage Table 1
Rank in the Leadership Skill (PCs choices)
1-2 Ethical Ancestor. Roll of Heritage Table 2. 3 Honored Ally. One of your former lives was an
3-4 Undistinguished History. No benefits or penalties. expert in the Single Strike, and attracted the interest
5-6 Unethical Ancestor. Roll on Heritage Table 3 of several Kakita masters. Before they departed the
7-9 What Must Be Done. Roll on Heritage Table 4 Naga lands, they gifted him with one of their fames
10 Akashic Memory. Roll on Heritage Table 5 swords. Gain the Kakita Blade Advantage (Way of
the Crane 52). The weapon is ancient (forged at the
dawn of the Empire), and priceless.
4 Purity. One of your Past Lives pledged himself to
return a precious and unique pearl that was stolen
from the Outcasts living in the Ivory Kingdoms.
Only after it was replaced beside the scales of three
abominations did he release his final breath. Gain
the Irreproachable Advantage and 5 boxes of Caste.
5 Self-Control. The discipline of one of your Past
Lives echoes through you. Gain the Acute Senses
Advantage or two Ranks in the Pearl Carving Skill
6 Truth. The secrets of the Akasha were your passion
in a Past Life. Legend states that several of its most
guarded secrets were yours before your unfortunate
death. Gain one Inner Gift of your choice.
7 Observant. You were a highly-regarded Scout in a
former life. Gain one Scout Past Life Duty for free
or gain two Ranks in one Scout starting Skill
8 Custodian. You were a highly-regarded Vedic in a
former life. Gain one Vedic Past Life Duty for free
or gain two Ranks in one Vedic starting Skill
9 Guarding. You were a highly-regarded Warrior in a
former life. Gain one Warrior Past Life Duty for
free or gain two Ranks in one Warrior starting Skill
10 Inquisitor. You were a highly-regarded Jakla in a
former life. Gain one Jakla Past Life Duty for free
or gain two Ranks in one Jakla starting Skill.
273
Heritage Table 3: Unethical Ancestor Heritage Table 3: Unethical Ancestor continued
1 Redemption! The memories of a Past Life haunt
you today. From the eyes of your Past Life, you 6 Temper! One of more of your Past Lives had a
witnessed the murder of a Vedic striving for peace reputation for easy to anger, failing in their duty to
between your race and the humans. That Vedic the Akasha. Gain the Contrary Disadvantage. You
your father, and you can still feel the snap of his gain no CP for this Disadvantage.
neck between your fingers. Though the killer gone, 7 Murderer! A Past Life engaged in blood feuds
you can still carry on your father’s work. . . Gain against the Rokugani, the Nezumi, and others, and
the Higher Purpose (Peace With Rokugan) you are sickened by his actions. Gain the Soft-
Advantage. Hearted Disadvantage. You gain no CP for this
2 Pearl Rage! One of your Past Lives was a Jakla Disadvantage.
who dabbled with merging pearls with one’s 8 Broken! The mind of one of your Past Lives was
Akasha, hopefully improving both. You gain the shattered in a terrible encounter with an Oni that fed
Pearl Jiva Advantage at Rank 3, but it is from intellect. Gain the Frail Mind Disadvantage.
uncontrollable. When you are within 20 yards of a You gain no CP for this Disadvantage.
pearl (Rank 3 or less), the pearl is immediately 9 Outcast! One of your Past Lives committed a
dissolved to produce an Attack vs. a random target grievous crime against the Naga nation, and now
in your line of sight. If more than one pearl is you must atone for his mistakes. At the start of the
within the radius, they dissolve one per Turn, game, you are an Outcast (like an abomination,
beginning with those of the highest Rank. striving to prove yourself worthy of returning to the
3 Traitor! One of your Past Lives betrayed the Naga Naga). You will have a Caste Rank of 0, and may
against their enemies. Begin the game with the not progress past the first Lesson in your School
Black Sheep Disadvantage. You gain no CP for this until you fulfill a great quest of the GM’s devising.
Disadvantage. 10 Ancient Horror! Something was left within the
4 Recluse! One of your Past Lives failed to prove Shinomen Forest in the moments before the Great
himself during the Bloodland Wars, and was Sleep, buried beneath a tree root. It is a shone
remanded to the Vedics for a life of demanding shard, a piece of the great creation slab that all
absolution. Gain the Ascetic Disadvantage, but Naga were born from – one that never shifted to
also gain one Minor Ally among the Vedics. flesh. Hidden in its heart, however, there is some
Warrior and Scouts lose 1 Caste Rank. Vedic and life, beating slowly until it wakes. You remember
Jakla are unaffected. where the stone is buried; will you brave seeing it
5 Prejudice! You have been hatched from a long line again? Gain the Dark Secret Disadvantage. You
of bias against all but your own kind. Gain the gain no CP for this Disadvantage.
Antisocial Disadvantage or the Xenophobic
Advantage. You gain no CP for this Disadvantage.
274
Heritage Table 4: What Must Be Done Heritage Table 4: What Must Be Done continued. . .
1 Explorer. One or more of your Past Lives spent 7 Reckless Love. One of your Past Lives was a famed
significant time in Rokugan, learning of their suitor who eventually fell in love with the Isha of
culture. Gain 5 CP worth of Rokugani Skills, but their time, only to break his heart when a war with
reduce your starting Caste Rank by 5 Points. the Nezumi lured her away. Gain the Dangerous
2 Duelist. One or more of your Past Lives were Beauty Advantage and the Benten’s Curse
accomplished swordsmen. Gain two Ranks in the Disadvantage, both of which are only applicable
Single Strike Skill, along with the Brash with other Naga. You gain no CP for this
Disadvantage. You gain no CP for this Advantage. Disadvantage.
3 Blasphemer. You found ancient Naga scriptures 8 Parental Link. You are one of the Naga born fertile,
documenting the skies. Gain 2 Ranks in the and have already laid an egg for the culture which
Astronomy Skill. Unfortunately, they are heretical. has hatched. The infant Naga is cared for by the
Lose one full Rank of Caste. community, but you share a special bond with it –
4 Protected. You were born fertile. Gain the Fertile more like a close first cousin or twin brother than a
Advantage. But while this provides you with great responsibility. Gain the Fertility Advantage and the
benefits, you are sheltered by others in your Dependent Disadvantage (PC and GM determine its
Bloodline, who seek to protect you from potential age). You gain no CP for this Disadvantage.
harm in the world. 9 Martyr. One of your Past Lives held the pass at the
5 Night Terrors. One or more of your Past Lives Crossroads, giving his life but inspiring the Naga
traveled with the Rokugani to the north of the armies to form a veritable wall against the Outcasts.
Shadowlands for several months. While your Gain a full Caste Ran, along with the
experiences there have hardened you to Fu Leng’s Overconfident Disadvantage. You gain no CP from
corruption (gain the Immune to Fear Advantage), this Disadvantage.
the Past Life and all his companions were 10 Greatness Lost. In one of your Past Lives, you
slaughtered without remorse by a band of Nezumi were the Qamar. Gain 2 Ranks in any martial or
brigands (gain a 2-point Phobia vs. Nezumi) military Skills (weapons, Defense, Battle, etc).
6 Adopted. As a hatchling, you were found by a Unfortunately, you have fallen short of this lofty
curious Kuni Witch Hunter. But when he found you position in this life. You strive to uphold your
were intelligent and responsive instead of violent former Caste Rank, but are hard-pressed by the
and dangerous, he secretly raised you as his own. meddling voices of others. Gain the Overconfident
Today, you are grudgingly accepted among the Disadvantage, but no CP for it. Also, a number of
Kuni along the Carpenter Wall. Gain the Adopted military commanders deride you for your “fall
Blood Disadvantage. You may also spend as many from greatness” (“Why can’t you be more like you
of your starting CP on Rokugani Skills as you like. were. . . ?”)
You gain no additional CP to spend, however.
275
Heritage Table 5: Akashic Memory
1 Incredible visions of Atman visited you just before
your last life ended. Gain 1 Rank in the Moksha
Skill.
2 It is said that you have an uncertain future. The
Vedics have seen into your future through the
Akasha, but are unwilling to discuss what they have
seen. The player may pick an emotion that the
Vedics reveal to the PC as his only “Insight” from
the encounter. Eventually, the character will fulfill
this emotion – whether he feels it himself or is
responsible for it in someone else.
3 Memories of the capture and torture of countless
Naga by shadowy assailants haunt your dreams.
Gain the Xenophobic Advantage.
4 One of social status within the Naga culture pales
when compared to the marvelous heights you rose
to in former lives. Gain two Points in the Greed
Disadvantage. You gain no CP for this
Disadvantage.
5 One of your Past Lives was among the most
prolific philosophers of the ancient Naga, but he
was also known as an incessant interloper. Gain 2
Ranks in Lore (Akasha) and the Meddler
Disadvantage. You gain no CP for this
Disadvantage.
6 The weight of your Past Lives’ commitments is
heavy upon your brow. Gain two 2-point
Obligations. You gain non CP for these
Disadvantages.
7 You are closely connected with a Past Life,
remembering much of his exploits and emotions.
You may purchase any single Past Life at half
normal cost.
8 You remember your spectacular victories as a
Warrior or a Scout in a previous life. Gain 2 Ranks
in any one Warrior or Scout starting Skill.
9 The grand discoveries you made as a Vedic in a
previous life are still discussed by the Masters
today. Gain 2 Ranks in any one Vedic starting
Skill.
10 In a previous life, you gathered over thirty Jakla
together in a mass ritual that awakened new layers
of the Akasha formerly undreamed of. Gain 2
Ranks in any one Jakla starting Skill.
276
Bad Karma Table
1 The character was abominated at birth or mutated
during his first Shedding. Roll on the Negative
Naga Karma Tables Abomination Table.
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Naga 71 2 Your parents were of different Bloodlines. One was
angered when you were born of the Bloodline of
A player may roll on these tables once only, at the cost of 3 the other, murdered its mate, and now hunts you.
CP. An even roll indicates Good Karma for you, while an Gain a 4-Point Sworn Enemy.
odd result means that you have Bad Karma. 3 During the Naag Panchami, you experienced a wash
of emotion through the Akasha, seemingly emitted
Good Karma Table from a sliver of the Black Stone in the Place of
1 The character was abominated at birth or mutated Falling. Ever since, you have been hyper-sensitive to
during his First Shedding. Roll on the Positive the Naar Teban, feeling their agony two nations
Abomination Table. away. Should you ever encounter one, you will
2 You have recently awakened, along with one of the suffer physical pain – a 1k1 Damage Value – each
Scorpion scouts who was studying you when he fell day that it remains in Rokugan. Good Hunting!
asleep several hundred years ago. Gain a Minor 4 You were the subject of a cruel and careless
Ally, which you design a servant Character (20 CP) experiment by a maho-wielding shugenja, who
3 One of the Vedics watching the skies at your birth purposefully delayed your hatching within a
claims that the “heavens open to reveal Atman” powerful pearl-bed. Roll three times on the
when you look your first breath. He gifted you with Negative Abomination Table, but gain the Heart of
the item he used to witness the event – a telescope. Vengeance Advantage against maho-users.
4 Your mother was a Greensnake well-known to the 5 You are diminutive. Gain the Small Disadvantage
outlying lords of Rokugan. You may purchase the and lose 1 die of length (in feet). You gain no CP
Multiple Schools Advantage at any time in your for this Disadvantage.
career for half cost. 6 Your birth was largely ignored by the other Naga
5 You are enormous. Gain the Large Advantage and Bloodlines. Your Starting Outfit is reduced by 2
1 die (exploding) of length (in feet). items (PC’s choice)
6 Your birth was celebrated by the other Naga 7 You have always been easy to fool. Gain the
Bloodlines. Gain one item of Fine Quality Gullible Disadvantage. You gain no CP for this
appropriate for a Bloodline other than your own Disadvantage.
(Cobras might give a pearl, Asps a weapon, 8 The egg-bed where you hatched became the nest
Constrictors one of their sheddings to be forged for a parasitic scavenger-eel which fed from your
into armor, etc.) egg’s shell and fluid. You were born stunted as a
7 The pearl-carvers witnessed your birth through a result, and have never fully recovered. Gain the
special pearl found within the beds of Candas. When Bad Health Disadvantage.
you survived your First Shedding, the pearl was 9 The Akasha frowns upon you. Gain 1 Rank in
given to you. The pearl is valuable, and may be used Unluck. You gain no CP for this Disadvantage.
to channel Effects of one Rank higher than its natural 10 No bad fortune. . . yet! Don’t worry, though – an
level (3), effectively making it a Rank 4 pearl. equitable GM would never take advantage of such
8 You have found your perfect mate. Within the an opportunity.
Akasha, you share a love than no Rokugani can
understand. Design the mate as another character
(20 CP) which the GM has access to as an NPC.
When protecting your mate, roll and keep 2 extra
dice. But don’t forget – they are as much a liability
as a benefit; you never know when they will be
threatened, or by whom. . .
9 The Akasha favors you. Gain 1 Rank in Luck.
10 No good fortune. . . yet! Pester your GM regularly
to bestow it upon you in play.
277
Negative Abomination Table continued
80 – 83 Watersnake (as the Disadvantage)
84 – 86 Constantly shedding; sensitive skin in spots
Naga Abomination Tables (pick a location; when hit in that location,
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Naga 72-73 take 1 additional die of Damage)
87 – 89 Less fingers than normal
Each roll reduces your Caste Rank by 1 full Rank 90 – 92 No thumbs on one or both hands – Roll
Again;
1-2: both hands
Negative Abomination Table 3-10: one hand (PCs choice)
01 – 05 Roll again on this table or GM chooses 93 – 94 Extreme Serpentine Feature:
abomination aspect 1: Snout
06 – 50 Minor Abomination: No mechanical 2-3: Forked or extra-long tongue
effects. 4-5: Serpentine eyes
1: Mild facial elongation 6-7: Ridged brow
2: Scales on face or hands 8-9: Pointed ears (commonly flattened
3: Human-colored skin against skull)
4: Unusual skin-tone (blue-black or grey) 10: No hair (head or body)
5: Fins 95 – 98 Massive Physical Abnormality:
6: Useless gills 1: Reduced Agility (-1 to Trait)
7: Webbed Hands 2: Reduced Reflexes (-1 to Trait)
8: Ridged or spiked back 3: Reduced Stamina (-1 to Trait)
9: Extra joints in fingers or toes 4: Reduced Strength (-1 to Trait)
10: Odd odor that follows the character 5: Reduced Endurance (Wound Levels are
51 – 52 No arms – just a tail (serpentine) always one worse than current Damage
53 – 56 Bright or fractured scale pattern (easy to see) taken)
57 – 60 Odd or discolored (unacceptable or taboo) 6: Albino (take 1 die of damage every ten
scale patterns – Outcast minutes in open sunlight)
61 – 63 Non-retractable hood 7: Atrophied limb
64 – 66 No teeth or failed digestive tract; sensitive 8: Two heads (only one can communicate)
diet 9: Deformed – horribly mangled, like
67 – 69 Weak or stumpy tail Shashakar (Social Disadvantage) - Roll
70 – 72 Extra limb (useless) Again;
73 – 75 Non-Naga characteristic (Nezumi, Ningyo, 1-2: Add one Rank to Disadvantage and
etc.), such as paws or fur worsen deformity (GM’s discretion,
76 – 79 Reduced Sense: then roll again, repeating the cycle
1: No Sense of Taste (taste-based Perception 3-10: No other affect
checks disallowed) 10: Cannot shed (Earth reduced by one
2: No Sense of Smell – Roll Again; during each Shedding after the game
1-2: PC is missing nose (odor-based begins)
Perception checks disallowed) 99 - 100 Roll once more on this table + Fertile
3-10: No other affect (redeemed, but feared, in Naga society). No
3 – 4: Cataract; Weak Eyes (-2 to all Caste Rank loss.
Perception checks based on vision)
5 – 6: Colorblind (as the Disadvantage)
7: Blind (vision Perception checks
disallowed)
8: Inner Ear Problem (-2 dice to all checks
involving balance)
9: Deaf – Roll Again;
1-2: PC is missing ears (sound-based
Perception checks disallowed)
3-10: No other affect
10: Mute – Roll Again;
1-2: PC is missing tongue (cannot
speak)
3-10: No other affect
278
Positive Abomination Table Positive Abomination Table continued
Additional CP Cost to the right, if you can’t afford this reroll. 86 – 87 Different Bloodline Ability (PC chooses 4
01 – 05 Roll again on this table or GM choice 0 one of the other Naga Bloodline
06 – 50 Minor Abomination: No mechanical 0 Abilities, trading it with their own)
effects. 88 – 89 Extra Limb (the character has another 4
1: Mild facial elongation arm or leg, which he can use like the first
2: Scales on face or hands two)
3: Human-colored skin 90 – 94 Physical “Enhancement”:
4: Unusual skin-tone (blue-black or 1: Preternatural Endurance (as Strength 2
grey) of the Earth 2)
5: Fins 2: Swift (+2 to Initiative total) 3
6: Useless gills 3: Leaping Ability (as the Naar Teban’s 4
7: Webbed Hands leaping ability)
8: Ridged or spiked back 4: “Webbed” Torso (may “glide” 1 foot 4
9: Extra joints in fingers or toes in any direction for every 10 feet
10: Odd odor that follows the character fallen, and takes no damage when
51 – 54 Retractable Hood touching down)
55 – 59 More fingers than normal 5: Preternatural Agility (+1 to Trait) 5
60 – 63 Warm-Blooded 6: Preternatural Reflexes (+1 to Trait) 5
64 – 69 Prehensile Tail (as the Advantage) 1 7: Preternatural Stamina (+1 to Trait) 5
70 – 74 Scale pattern is one that Naga respect or 2 8: Preternatural Strength (+1 to Trait) 5
worship (+2 rolled dice to all Social 9: Natural Armor (+5 to TN to be Hit, all 5
checks with other Naga) locations)
75 – 77 Suction cup fingers and/or toes (can 2 10: Severed limbs (except head) 5
climb sheer surfaces; STR in feet per regenerates over (8-Earth) in days
Turn) 95 – 98 Natural Weaponry: Use Agility + Hand-
78 – 80 Film covering eyes (prevents blindness 2 to-Hand for all Attacks using Natural
from lightning or bright flashes) Weaponry unless otherwise stated
81 – 83 Enhanced Senses: 1-2: Fangs (1k1 Damage, success with 2 3
1: Keen Sense of Taste (taste-based 2 Raises indicated a grapple)
Perception checks +2) 3-4: Claws (1k2 Damage) 3
2: Keen Hearing (sound-based 3 5: Horns (1k1, +1 rolled die per 10 yards 3
Perception checks +2) of straight-line charging before Attack)
3 – 4: Keen Sense of Smell (as the 3 6: Scythe-line bones through elbow skin 3
“Acute Smell” Advantage) (1k2 rear Attack)
5 – 6: Keen Eyesight (sight-based 3 7: Razor-sharp scales (anyone who 4
Perception checks +2) grapples the Naga takes his own
7: Night Vision (can see in dim light, 3 Strength in Damage)
dusk, or night without impediment) 8: Rattler tail (3k3 Damage Value; 4
8: Thermal Vision (can perceive heat 3 Strength is not added)
signatures within PER x 50 in yards) 9: Pearl Kyujutsu (Rank 1) 4
9: Special Awareness (equilibrium; like 3 10: Venom (Rank 1): 5
the Inner Gift) 1: Acid
10: Precise Eye-Hand Coordination (+1 4 2-3: Blinding Mist
rolled die for all Attacks, Defense, or 4-5: Blood Thickener
other Actions involving eye-hand 6-7: Contact Poison
coordination) 8-9: Nerve Toxin
10: Roll again for Venom type, adding +5
one Rank to Venom (maximum 2)
99 Roll once more on this table + Fertile 6
(redeemed, but feared, in Naga society).
100 The character was an Outcast who 7
traveled to the Burning Sands. Now a fire
salamander, he has returned to Rokugan
for a reason determined by the GM and
player
279
Naga Schools
Naga Jakla
Benefit: 1 Free Raise per School Rank using all Pearl Magic Caste Rank: +1 Rank
Outfit: Fine Bow (Yumi), 40 arrows of any type, Clothing (silk robes or gilded leather), Spear (use Naginata
stats), Hunting knife (use Tanto), Traveling Pack, 4 (non-enchanted) pearls
Skills: Calligraphy (Naga), Lore (Pearl Magic), Meditation, Moksha, Pearl Carving, any 2 other Skills
Beginning Pearls: 3 pearls in each of the Jakla’s two highest Rings (not counting Akasha), 2 pearls in his third
highest Ring, and 1 in his lowest Ring. In the case of equal Rings (for instance, all of his starting
Rings are Rank 2), the player assigns his pearls according to the model above. All starting Jakla
begin the game with 9 pearls, spread between the four Rings as shown above (3-3-2-1)
Beginning Spells: No restricted spells or any spells from Walking the Way sourcebook.
Please read Way of the Naga for more information on Casting Pearl Magic.
280
Naga Scout
Benefit: +1 Perception Caste Rank: +5 boxes
Outfit: Fine Bow (Yumi), 40 arrows of any type, Clothing (silk robes or gilded leather), Spear (use Naginata
stats), Hunting knife (use Tanto), Traveling Pack, 4 (non-enchanted) pearls
Skills: Archery (Naga) 2, Conceal, Hunting, Moksha, any two High or Bugei Skills
Note: This version of the Naga Scout Lesson differs from previous versions. It has been modified to
maintain play-balance within the Naga castes.
Great Lessons of the Naga Scout

Discipline 1: At this Rank, the Naga Scout has honed his vision to a level where he can see well in the dark,
The Isha’s Gift even making out the faint presence of individuals in near-darkness. The Naga Scout has trained
his sensitive eyes to see a broader spectrum of light than humans are able to, and he can register
an individual’s presence even in the faintest of starlight. Assuming any degree of ambient light,
the Naga can see as clearly as if in full daylight.
Discipline 2: At this Rank, the Naga can sense the impurity of the Shadowlands Taint within a creature or item.
Know Your The Scout makes a blind roll, Perception + Shadowlands Lore vs. a TN 30 minus 5 x the creature or
Enemy item’s Taint is innate or gathered through use of maho or other dark means. The range of this effect
equals the Naga’s School Rank times his body length, but the individual or item in question must be
in line-of-sight.
Discipline 3: The Scout may make two Attacks per round with their bow. The arrows are launched one after the
Blackened Sky other; the attack is handled just as a bushi making two Kenjutsu Attacks per round.
Discipline 4: At this Rank, the Scout’s perception is so heightened that they are aware of all life nearby. The
Wisdom the Scout id fully conscious of all living things that have an Awareness of 2 or higher, within ten
Wind Brings times his School Rank + Perception in yards.
The ability supersedes barriers, natural or otherwise. The Naga Scout can sense all such beings at
all times, even if there are trees, stone walls, or other barriers in the way. The Scout need not
concentrate, and may perform other (Complicated) actions while using this ability.
The Scout may follow the movements of these beings, aim arrows at them, or attempt to discover
their identities (in general terms, such as to determine their general race).
Should the Scout wish to attack one of these beings, he may choose the location the attack one of
these beings, he may choose the location the attack is directed at, without Raising for the Called
Shot. Note that the Scout must still have a logical chance of actually hitting the being and chosen
location from his position (i.e. he cannot fire through stone, trees, or other barriers, but can fire
through light foliage or rice paper walls).
Further, the Naga can concentrate to gain additional information about and target specific non-
sentient animals and plants (such as birds, vines, fish, insects, and other living things with or less
Awareness). This requires an Action and the use of an Akasha Point. While concentrating, the
character may still move and speak, or attack the animals or plants, applying the same
restrictions as above.
Discipline 5: The Scout may now control animals with less than Awareness 2, or “piggy-back” their senses
Outer Mind with those of more sentient creatures (having an Awareness of 2 or higher). This requires the use
of one Akasha Point, and a Contested Willpower roll against the creature targeted. If a creature
the Scout is linked to is e loses 1 Akasha Point or suffers one die of Wounds. If the creature is
killed, he loses 2 Akasha Points, or suffers 2 dice of Wounds.
While “piggy-backing” their senses onto those of another, the Scout sees, smells, tastes, hears,
and feels everything the target creature does, but has no control over where it goes or what it
does.
281
Naga Vedic
Benefit: +1 Intelligence or Awareness Caste Rank: +1 Rank
Outfit: Clothing (silk robes or gilded leather), Spear (use Naginata stats), Hunting knife (use Tanto),
Traveling Pack, 4 (non-enchanted) pearls
Skills: Advanced Medicine, Astronomy, Calligraphy (Naga), Law (Naga), Medicine, Theology (Naga),
and any 1 Lore (usually Naga-based)

Discipline 1: Vedics are trained to be as adaptable as possible, learning from and improving upon the ways of
Willful other. This Lesson stresses the importance of willful harmony – choosing your own path in the
Harmony world instead of being given one. All Naga Vedic are considered to have them. These “free”
Ranks have no effect on the character’s Discipline.
Discipline 2: All Naga Vedic are trained to be one with the Akasha, able to derive power from within themselves.
Inner Mind This is the first step in this long path, one which culminates somewhere beyond their Rank Five
Lesson (below). Characters of this Rank receive one free Inner Gift, which they may begin using
immediately.
Discipline 3: Now, Vedics become spiritual icons within the Naga culture, able to physically support other Naga
Mantle Within around them. The start of each adventure, the Vedic gains an additional number of “Vedic Points”
equal to their Akasha Ring. These are special Akasha Points, which may be spent at any time to
enhance the rolls of friendly Naga. Any number of these Vedic Points may be spent on a single
Action, but they do not refresh until the start of the next adventure. The Vedic may not use these
points of his Actions. Non-Naga may not benefit from this Lesson, as the Vedic is literally
manipulating linked mind of the Naga to perform it.
Discipline 4: This is the turning point in a Naga Vedic’s career, when he is at the cusp of self-discovery. From
Earthly this point on, Vedics must face life as a pilgrimage, without the benefit of close supervision.
Concerns They are free to walk the earth as they please, only returning to discuss their journey with their
master and receive his blessing (when he is ready for Ranks 4 and 5). Characters of this Rank are
able to sacrifice their own attributes to “heal” those of others. They may spend one Akasha Point
to return one Wound Level to another, or suffer one Wound Level themselves to return one
Akasha Point to another. This ability requires one Action to complete, during which time only
one exchange may occur (1 for 1 maximum, or earlier transaction, but not both). The character
must be within line-of-sight to affect other Naga in this manner, or able to touch the target if he
is not Naga.
Discipline 5: Finally, the Vedic begins his endless journey toward Atman, delving into the most remote
This Body is a regions of the Akasha. Once per day, the character may choose a Rank 1-4 Lesson from any of
Shell the other Naga Schools to use as his own. The character must spend one Akasha Point and
succeed with an Awareness + Akasha check vs. a TN of the (chosen Lesson’s School Rank x5)
to acquire the Lesson. Failure means that the character does not acquire any additional ability for
the current day; he will have another chance after he has slept for at least eight hours. The effect
of this Lesson last one full day (24 hours) from the time they are acquired. You may not activate
this Lesson while you are currently benefitting from it.
282
Naga Warrior
Benefit: +1 Stamina, Agility, or Reflexes (player’s call) Caste Rank: +5 boxes
Outfit: Any primary weapon of the player’s choice (if the bow is chosen it is fine quality and comes
with 40 arrows of any type), Clothing (silk robes or gilded leather), Spear (use Naginata stats),
Hunting knife (use Tanto), Traveling Pack, 3 (non-enchanted) pearls
Skills: Archery (Naga), Athletics, Battle, Defense, Hand-to-Hand, Swordsmanship, Yarijutsu (Naga)

Discipline 1: The first thing taught to all Naga Warriors is how to balance their fighting style. “Nothing is
Drawing from more important than being able to adapt to your situation, and respond in kind,” the Greater a
the Deep Warrior recite. Characters at this Rank may add the value of their Akasha Ring to all Attack and
Damage rolls.
Discipline 2: Early in his career, a Naga Warrior is introduced to the open battlefield, where the Fortunes are
Tides of War reckless and the Akasha reminds one of his failings. Characters graduating into this School Rank
may add or subtract their School Rank to any total generated in mass combat or on the Battle Table
(L5R RPG 115). It does not matter where the character is located in the battle, nor what part of the
fighting he is in. Note that this ability is in addition to the Tactician Skill, if the Naga also has it.
Discipline 3: Naga of this Rank are able to draw from the spiritual strength of the Akasha to aid them on the field
This Blood of battle. They may perform 2 Attacks each Turn.
Shall Guide Me
Discipline 4: The Akasha supports the Naga just as they support and nurture their connection with it. Often,
Pillar of Blood warriors of the Naga are able to derive near-superhuman strength from the collective soul of all
who have come before, all who live today, and all those yet to come. At this Rank, the character
is able to ignore a number of Wound Levels equal to his Akasha, for a number of Turns equal to
his Akasha.
Discipline 5: Finally, a Naga Warrior of this caliber has become one with the Akasha, and proved himself to
Bonds his living kindred and those who have already fallen. He is the living embodiment of physical
Between Us perfection, and must now embark upon his spiritual journey toward Atman. At the start of a
battle, the character gains one Akasha Point for each other Naga within sight of him. The
character may spend a number of these bonus Akasha Points equal to their Akasha Ring on a
single Action, without limit. Additionally, each other Naga present gains one Akasha point as
long as they stand beside the character (maximum 1). However, the character also takes one
Wound Point each time one of his fellow Naga is injured. This effect lasts until the Naga
disperse or until the next dawn, whichever comes first.
283
Naga Pearl Magic
Way of the Naga 119-120
As introduced in Chapter Three, Naga Jakla derive their magical power from pearls they harvest from the sea -beds
guarded by the Chameleon. These Pearls are often also harvested by Rokugani divers seeking them for their beauty, but
until recently, few humans would have realized the awesome power they contain. . .
Types of Pearls
There are four general types of pearls in Rokugan. The first are mundane baubles – pretty, but powerless. These are often
left behind by the Cobra and Chameleon to provide humans with a satisfying boon when they found. They range in size
from the smallest pebble to roughly an inch in diameter, and are prized accordingly. Pearls of more than one koku in
worth are rarely priced; they are acquired, stolen, or given as gifts to treasured lovers.
Channeling Pearls
The second type is the “standard” pearl used by Naga Jakla. They rarely look any different from standard pearls (like
those above), but Jakla are trained to differentiate them, sensing a slight glow from within their smooth surface.
Pearls of this type are Ranked 1-5, and act as vessels for Elemental Spell Effects up to their Rank. To determine which
effects can be channeled through a particular pearl, double the Rank. Any Spell in the game (of the correct Element)
whose Mastery Level is equal to or lower than this value may be channeled through the pearl.
Casting Spells through such pearls acts just as casting spells using scrolls. So long as the Jakla has had a chance to study
an effect, he may attempt it. Note that attempting to cast a Spell he has never witnessed in action increases its TN by 10.
As would be expected, pearls may not be used for Spells outside their Element. Earth pearls, for instance, cannot be used
for Air Spells.
There are no Void or Akasha pearls. The Elemental attunement of a pearl is designated by the component Element
which it is most comprised from.
Channeling Pearls may be used as many times as the Jakla wishes, but lose a Rank of channeling power each month, or
when an Akasha Point is used to cast a Spell Effect through them. This effect is cumulative; when the pearl is reduced to
Rank 0, it is destroyed.
Spell-Specific Pearls
Pearls are sometimes attuned to a specific Spell Effect instead of an Element. Such pearls can be the result of natural
selection, though this is very rare. More frequently, powerful Jakla have modified a Channeling Pearl to cast a Spell in a
particular way (increasing its duration, range, damage, etc.).
These pearls are also Ranked 1-5, and gain one Free Raise per Rank for the Spell Effect they are attuned to. These
Raises can be used to modify any parts of the Spell listed in the “Raises” line of its entry.
No Spells other than the one the pearl is attuned to may be cast using this kind of pearl.
Those pearls are never found randomly or given frivolously. They are created by the highest level Jakla during extremely
rare magical conjunctions.
Name Pearls
These pearls are legendary, fabled, or otherwise obscure, and have specific, predetermined effects that may be cast by
Jakla of sufficient ability.
284
Appendix II: Ratling
RPG (including 1st edition, now out of print)
For a complete understanding of the Ratling please read Way of the Ratling.
The Term ‘Ratling’ and ‘Nezumi’ are used interchangeably.
Ratling: Character Creation

Way of the Ratling 55-67
Nezumi Niche Ranks (Glory):
Creating a Nezumi Character Rank 10: Nametaker (Rank 5 Shaman)
Step One – Chose a Tribe: detailed in Appendix II, under Tribes Rank 9: Tribal Chieftain
Step Two – Chose a Profession: detailed in Appendix II, under Schools. If Rank 8: Namebinder (Rank 4 Shaman)
you wish to attend a school that is not offered by your tribe, you must Rememberer (Rank 5 Shaman)
purchase the Tribal Wanderer Advantage. Rank 7: Namefinder (Rank 3)
Rememberer (Rank 4) Pack Chief
Step Three – Customize Your Character: Nezumi begin with 30 CP
(Chekchuk)
Rank 6: Remember (Rank 3), most
Void – Rank 5 Characters
Nezumi have a Void Trait, however they are not capable of the use and focus Rank 5: Rememberer (Rank 2)
Void. They also cannot use any Rank Technique or ability that requires Void. Rank 4: Nameseeker (Rank 2 Shaman)
most Rank 4 characters
Niche – Rank 3: Most Rank 3 characters
Nezumi have an effective Glory of -10 in Rokugani society. The Nezumi’s Rank 2: Conjuror (Rank 1 Shaman),
Glory Trait has been replaced by Niche, which represents a Nezumi’s place Rememberer (Rank 1), most Rank 2
in their own society. characters
Nezumi do not gain Nezumi awards in the same way that Glory is awarded. Rank 1: Most Rank 1 characters
Rank 0: Outcast
At ten years of age. A Nezumi gains 1 Rank of Niche, they also gain another
Rank every 4 years after the age of ten. They also gain 0.5 Ranks of Niche when they produce their first liter of pups.
Name (Charathathich) –
Nezumi have an effective Honor of 0 in Rokugani society. The Nezumi’s Honor Trait has been replaced by Name,
which represents a Nezumi’s strength of character.
285
Name Gain / Loss
Banned Nezumi Starting Character Options: The following skills, advantages and disadvantages are banned to
starting Nezumi characters, although with the right teacher they can acquire some of them after the start of game play.
Skills: See the Skills chart for Rokugani level of Rokugani Culture required for restricted skills.
Social Skills have a penalty when used with non-Nezumi
Advantages: Nezumi cannot purchase any Advantages which involve Honor, Glory, Rokugani Political Connections, the
use of Void, or membership in a family or clan.
Disadvantages: Nezumi cannot purchase any Advantages which involve Honor, Glory, Rokugani Political Connections, the
use of Void, or membership in a family or clan.
Altered Character Options:

Advantages: change
Allies becomes Human Ally (Naga allies cost triple)
Blackmail costs x2 for humans or Naga;
use Niche Rank for cost for Nezumi
Blood of Osano-Wo becomes Fur of Chipped Tooth
Benten’s Blessing becomes Shine-Shiny-Eyes
Different School becomes Tribal Wanderer
Hands of Stone costs -1 for Crippled Bone Nezumi; it does not affect bite damage
Kharmic Tie becomes Nnich’charatha
Leadership works * only on Nezumi
Multiple Schools works * only on other Nezumi Schools
Ratling Ally becomes Allies
Silent costs only 1 point for Green-Green-White
286
Disadvantages: change
Benten’s Curse becomes Kwa’thch
Black Sheep works * only on the schools within the Nezumi’s own tribe
Coward works * only on the impressions of non-Nezumi towards the PC
Idealistic works * on both Name and Honor
Small cost Third Whisker gains +2 CP for this Disadvantage
Min. Rokugani Min. Rokugani

Skills Culture Rank Skills Culture Rank
Astrology 4 Lore: Ancestors 5
Acting 2 Lore: Bushido 2
Advanced Medicine 5 Lore: Festivals and Ceremonies 4
Animal Husbandry (Horse) Never Lore: Literature 3
Armorer 1 Lore: Nemuranai 4
Artisan 3 Lore: Shadowlands (Deep Shadowlands) * 1
Autopsy 5 Lore: Shugenja * 4
Bard 4 Lore: Tropical Fish 3
Calligraphy 1 Manipulation * 5
Cipher 3 Music * 2
Commerce * 1 Oratory * 3
Courtier * 5 Oratory/Rhetoric * 3
Dance (see Mee-I’thich) * 1 Origami 1
Engineering 1 Painting (see Th’Kwee) * 2
Etiquette * 2 Poetry (see Tloo’ch’thrr) * 2
Explosives 3 Political Maneuvering * 5
Forgery 3 Research * 4
Gambling * 1 Seduction * 5
Go 1 Shintao 2
Hand-to-Hand (Mochatchikkan)* 1 Sincerity * 4
Heraldry (see Tribal Lore) * 3 Spell Research * Never
History (see Remembering) * 3 Spellcraft (see Name Lore) * 5
Horse Archery Never Tea Ceremony Never
Horsemanship Never Theology * 3
Iaijutsu Never Torture * 2
Law * 5 Weaponsmith * 1
Locksmith 1 Yomanri 2
* Indicates a skill that has an equivalent in both Nezumi and Rokugani culture. The Rokugani cultural Rank does not
apply to the Nezumi equivalent.
Craft skills come easily to the Nezumi. Any Nezumi with even one rank in Rokugani Culture may learn human or Naga
Craft skills
287
Ratling: Racial Abilities
Way of the Ratling 58, 60-61, 63
Nezumi Abilities:
Burrowing: Nezumi can burrow through three feet of soft earth per hour, leaving a tunnel if he wishes. Make a Stamina
check TN 5 +5/hour of burrowing. When this check fails, the Nezumi must rest for six hours before burrowing further.
The tunnel a Nezumi creates is unstable unless shored with other materials.
Climbing: When a Nezumi climbs he/she rolls three extra unkept dice as if he were using climbing tools. A Nezumi is
never considered to be unskilled when climbing.
Contortion: Generally, a Nezumi can fit through any opening large enough to accommodate his/her head with an
Agility TN 25. If he fails, he takes one die of Wounds and does not make it through, but may try again. The TN
increases by 15 if wearing Light samurai armor, and is impossible in Heavy Armor.
Enhanced Hearing: Nezumi can hear a higher register of sound than humans, but cannot hear low, bass tones.
Enhanced Scent: Nezumi sense of scent is acute. A raw Perception roll vs. an appropriate TN allows a Nezumi to detect
a strong scent in the air, and identify it if he has encountered it before. Nezumi cannot track by scent unless the smell is
overpowering. All Nezumi are skilled at detecting the subtle odor of pheromones.
Immunity to the Taint: Nezumi cannot contract the Shadowlands Taint by any means, and can heal normally within
the Shadowlands with no danger of infection. Name Magic cast in the Shadowlands receives no TN penalty.
Leaping: A Nezumi character can leap a distance equal to his height times his Water from a standing start, and his
height times half his Water straight up. Increase either of these distances by half with a running start. The GM may
require an Agility or Athletics/Agility roll vs. an appropriate TN for complex leaping maneuvers.
Pheromones: The average Nezumi can leave a pheromone that indicates his gender, tribe, and the direction in which he
is traveling. These pheromones can be detected up to twenty feet away by other Nezumi and linger until washed away.
The TN to detect these pheromones by scent is 5, plus 5 for each additional week of age. Creatures with a strong sense of
smell (such as dogs and horses) can detect Nezumi pheromones, but do not know they mean. Some animals become
inexplicably aggressive when they encounter Nezumi pheromones.
Speed: A Nezumi may more a number of feet per round equal to his Water x 7, or Water x 10 if running on all fours
with nothing in hand. If they wish to run at top speed, they may move twice this distance but may take no other action in
that round. Nezumi face no penalty during the round after they run at top speed, as humans do.
Teeth: A Nezumi can gnaw through a foot of wood per hour, or an inch of soft metal (gold, lead, etc.). The Nezumi
must make a Stamina check vs. TN 5/hour of gnawing + 5 for each additional hour. When this check fails, the Nezumi’s
teeth are dulled and he must wait twenty-four hours before he may gnaw again. A Nezumi skilled in Mochatchikkan can
use his teeth to bite an opponent, inflicting normal unarmed damage (Strength k1)
Toughness: Nezumi has a strong constitution which makes them resistant to illness. A Nezumi can eat nearly anything
without harm, and has a +10 bonus on all rolls to resist disease, including magical disease.
Vision: Nezumi are nocturnal, and can see well with little light. A Nezumi ignores TN penalties inflicted by darkness,
up to a maximum of +10. Nezumi have only limited color vision (they see greens and blues as shades of brown) and
have only half the visual range of a human, one quarter in bright sunlight. All Nezumi have the Colorblind Disadvantage
for no points.
Wounds: Nezumi can endure more pain than humans, and remain active until knocked out entirely. To reflect this, a
Nezumi determines Wounds on each Rank by multiplying Earth by four, rather than two.
288
Nezumi Prohibitions:
Nezumi cannot:
 Spend Void, or use abilities that depend on Void  Learn kiho or ise zumi tattoos
 Use Rokugani Magic or Naga Pearl Magic  Use maho or Shadowlands Powers
 Purchase a human ancestor
 Nezumi have a natural antipathy toward Naga. Occasionally Naga become bloodthirsty towards Ratlings.
 Horses and dogs cannot stand Nezumi. Dogs bark wildly and can track Nezumi. Horses become aggressive.
 Nezumi have a short life span, 25-30 years. Most characters have only recently come of age and are 6-7 years old.
 Except Rememberers Nezumi have a poor memory and must make a TN 15 to remember things that happened
more than a week ago. If the event is extremely important or personal, no check is necessary.
289
Ratling: Tribes
Chipped Tooth Starting Name: 1.5

Schools Allowed: Rememberer, Shaman, Scout, Warrior
Benefit: Chipped Tooth Nezumi may move their full normal speed in the water, can hold their breath for twice the
normal amount of time, and gain one Rank in the Sailing skill for free. They may purchase Mantis allies for
normal cost. Their natural poise and balance allow them to add their Rank in Agility to all Initiative rolls.
Outfit: Four Treasures, one weapon, one other piece of equipment (poor quality)
Description: The only Nezumi to have ventured onto the seas, the Chipped Tooth are accomplished sailors.
Territory: They make their homes in the southern portion of Crab lands, in these provinces of the Yasuki and the Hida
and venture into the Spice and Silk Islands but they have no permanent burrows They have two rough little
ships gifted from the Yasuki named M-atflur-tk’tk (Big-Sea-Wanderer) and S’sflur-tk’tk (Little-Sea-
Wanderer)
Physical The Chipped Tooth are several inches shorter than average (Tattered Ear) Nezumi. They tend to have sleek,
Description: oily black coats that shed water. A few have developed webbed skin between the digits of their paws.
Crippled Bone Starting Name: 2.0

Schools Allowed: Remember, Shaman, Warrior, Chieftain, Berserker
Benefit: Crippled Bone Ratlings are immune to Fear, and their Earth is considered to be one higher for the purposes
of determining Wounds.
Outfit: One extra Scavenging Table roll, and one of the following:
1. Two peasant or Nezumi weapons (Average quality)
2. One peasant or Nezumi weapon (Average quality) and one weapon of choice (Poor quality)
3. One weapon of choice (Average quality)
4. Light or Heavy Hide armor (Average quality)
Description: More savage and warlike than other Nezumi, the Crippled Bone believe that they are the rightful rulers of
their race. The terrors they have seen in the deep Shadowlands make the rest of the world’s threats seem
feeble by comparison.
Territory: Typically, larger than other Ratlings, with muscled frames scarred from years of constant fighting. Darker fur
patterns are common, with gray and black being the most prevalent. Though omnivorous, the Crippled Bone
tribe prefers meat above all other foods.
Physical Until very recently, the Crippled Bone considered their territory to the very deepest regions of the
Description: Shadowlands (humans can only survive there for a few moments).
Within the last few months the Crippled Bone has laid claim to a stretch of the Shadowlands roughly 50
miles south of the Great Carpenter Wall, almost exactly in the center of the other tribes’ lands. They have
systematically eliminated all the major Shadowlands creatures within this territory and sent a strong message
to the other Nezumi tribes: stay out of our lands. Hiruma haven’t been welcomed either.
290
Crooked Tail Starting Name: 2.5
Schools Allowed: Rememberer, Shaman, Scout, Warrior, Chieftain, Scrounger
Benefit: The cost of increasing your Void Ring (with experience or Character Points) is four points less for Crooked
Tail Ratlings. All Crooked Tail Ratlings gain one Rank in Lore (Lying Darkness) for free.
Outfit: Two Treasures, one extra weapon (Average quality), finger of uncut crystal.
Description: The Crooked Tail see themselves as the only defense against an enemy the other tribes will not even admit
exists. These Ratlings look into the eyes of humans and see an evil brewing that they cannot name, a
darkness not born of the Shadowlands.
Largest of three sections of the great Forever-Racing-Tomorrow tribe.
They are hesitant to deal with humans and are cautious around other Nezumi.
They are almost exclusively vegetarians.
Territory: Their territory occupies the region of the Shadowlands that border the southern edge of the Plains Above
Evil. It was chosen because of a long outcropping of crystal near the Plain, which acts as the center of the
tribe’s territory, traveling no more than two days’ from the rock. They refer to it as “the Driving-Out-
Darkness Rock” They do travel to the ghost-hunters of the Falcon each winter.
Physical Description: Their appearance varies widely with few physical stereotypes applying.
Grasping Paw Starting Name: 1.0

Schools Allowed: Rememberer, Shaman, Scout, Builder, Scrounger
Benefit: Grasping Paw Tribe’s reputation as thieves is well deserved. These Ratlings have an unquenchable desire for
mental wealth, and will scurry off with anything they can lay their hands on.
Outfit: Six Treasures, two pieces of equipment (Average quality, no weapons), one extra Scavenging Table roll
Description: The Grasping Paw Tribe’s reputation as thieves is well deserved. These Ratlings have an unquenchable
desire for material wealth, and will scurry off with anything they can lay their hands on.
Territory: They primarily operate from their warren, Ch’tppu’kich, which lies on the border between the Twilight
Mountains and the Plains Above Evil. They range far to the east and north in their scavenging. They are
constrained by the Falcon Clan in the north and Yasuki merchants in the west.
Their prior range was in the northern portions of the Shadowlands, mostly centered somewhere northwest of
the ruins of Hiruma Castle. These lands have been in part taken by the Crippled Bone.
Physical They are slightly smaller than average with lean, athletic frames built for speed and dexterity. Light browns
Description: are the most common fur colors, although like all tribes there is a wide range of coloration.
A distinctive sub-group among the Grasping Paw tribe has a strikingly different appearance. Hairless, with
large ears, bulging eyes and pronounced fangs, these Nezumi are the descendants of the exiles who joined
the tribe in its formative days, saving it from certain destruction. Despite their appearance, they are valued as
the most gifted scavengers of the tribe.
Green-Green-White Starting Name: 2.5

Schools Allowed: Rememberer, Scout, Builder, Berserker
Benefit: Green-Green-White Ratlings roll extra dice equal to their Rank on all Stealth, Hunting, and Climbing rolls in
a wilderness setting. All Ratlings from this tribe gain one free Rank in Hunting or Herbalism (determine
other starting skills before adding this bonus). Members of this tribe may not be shamans, not even by
purchasing the Tribal Wanderer Advantage. Lore (Deep Shadowlands) is replaced by an additional rank in
Hunting or Herbalism in all Green-Green-White schools.
Outfit: Two Treasures, two pieces of extra equipment (Either or both may be peasant or Nezumi weapons, Average
quality)
Description: Members of this tribe may be isolationist xenophobes, but they are also masters of survival. They have no
magic to speak of, but their wilderness skills are second to none.
They make their burrows in the tree-tops
They are extremely reclusive, staying away from human contact, sometimes killing a lone human.
Territory: The tribe’s territory ranges through the northern forests and mountains of the Phoenix and along the eastern
coast to the province of the Centipede.
Physical Green-Green-White Ratlings are shorter and thinner than the average Ratling, but have tails as long as their
Description: entire bodies, adapted for climbing. During the winter their fur is white, in the summer it is a becomes a
ruddy-brown. A large number of Green-Green-White are albinos, with blood-red eyes and fur that remains
white all year long.
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Squeaky Eyeball Starting Name: 3.5
Schools Allowed: Rememberer, Shaman, Scout, Warrior, Scrounger
Benefit: Nezumi of the Squeaky Eyeball roll an extra die when trying to convince, coerce, or make friends with any
sentient creature. If the object of their persuasion is another Nezumi, they may also keep the extra die.
Further, once per adventure, a Nezumi of the Eye may remember some pertinent piece of an ancient tale that
may assist them with their dilemma – a new idea of how to attack a foe, a memory of a particularly clever
trick, or some random bit of trivia they heard in a story. Your GM will provide the obscure information; it is
the Ratling player’s task to find a way to put the information to use.
Outfit: Three Treasures, two pieces of equipment (no weapons, Poor quality)
Description: Gregarious and charismatic, the Nezumi of the Squeaky Eyeball are treated well by all tribes of Ratlings.
Further, because nearly every member of the Squeaky Eyeball has heard the old tales, they are considered to
be the most ‘educated’ Nezumi of the great tribes. They are peaceful, but very talkative, and willing to do
nearly anything in order to learn some new story to take back to their tribe. Because they are very good at
remembering everything they see and hear, and also because they’re just genuinely friendly, they can
occasionally be found with the samurai of Rokugan, serving as a guide or traveling companion.
Territory:
Physical Description:
Tattered Ear Starting Name: 2.5

Schools Allowed: Rememberer, Shaman, Scout, Builder, Warrior, Chieftain, Scrounger
Benefit: All Tattered Ear Ratlings gain three free Ranks of the Rokugani Culture Advantage. You may purchase one
Nezumi Special Ability for two points less than the standard cost. Tattered Ear Ratlings may exchange the
Lore (Deep Shadowlands) Skill offered by their school for any other Lore Skill.
Outfit: Four Treasures, two pieces of equipment (Average quality, no weapons), one extra Scavenging Table roll
Description: The Tattered Ear know human better than any other tribe. Their long struggle for acceptance has had mixed
results, but they will never stop trying to find a place in Rokugan. Their large population grants them a wide
diversity of racial abilities and schools.
This tribe lives among humans as scavengers and is so large that it has split into, at least seven, independent
tribes.
Territory: They have a migratory range covering a broad swath from the southern Unicorn steppes to the Suzume Hills.
They have been known to appear in the lands of the Unicorn, Scorpion, Hare, Sparrow, Crab, Crane, Fox,
and Falcon. The tribe’s migratory range takes three and a half years to circuit, followed by a year and a half
to rest.
At the end of their migration pattern, the Tattered Ear packs converge on the Shinomen Forest for a year-
long concave. Deep in the center of the Shinomen, the Tattered Ear have constructed an immense burrow
which they refer to as M-atikf’chtr-foo (“Great-grand-home-in-the-woods-where-all meet-as-one” or simply
the Great Home). This burrow appears small from the surface, but extends as much as two hundred feet
straight down, with dozens of chambers where the Ratlings make their home. One small pack of Tattered Ear
remains in the Great Home at all times to protect is from invaders.
Physical They are roughly the same size as humans, with fur ranging from black to light brown. Their ears tend to be
Description: larger than most and are often ritually notched, to indicate Niche, occupation, liters sired, etc.
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Third Whisker Starting Name: 3.5
Schools Allowed: Rememberer, Shaman, Scout, Scrounger, Chieftain
Benefit: If you are a shaman, you gain the Namebound Advantage for free, once. This special bonus does not count
against the maximum number of times you may learn the Namebound Advantage. Future purchases of
Namebound cost one point less. If you are not a shaman, you may purchase Prophecy or any Transcendent
guardian for four points less than the standard cost.
Outfit: Two Treasures, one piece of extra equipment (Poor quality, no weapons), one extra Scavenging Table roll
Description: The Third Whisker’s connection to the Transcendent is a blessing and a curse. While their magic is powerful,
they are disdained by many Nezumi for their pessimistic doom saying.
This is the smallest of all tribes with about 2-3 dozen members.
Territory: This tribe lives underneath the central portion of the Kaiu Wall, near Kaiu Shiro. They have lived within the
catacombs as long as the wall has been there. They even preform repairs and reset traps.
Physical Members of this tribe are extremely small, averaging three feet in height. Their coats tend to be mottled gray
Description: or spotted. Third Whisker born with white fur and a black spot over each eye (like a raccoon’s mask)
respected. These black spots are referred to as nm’atch-tekn (“tomorrow eyes”) and symbolize the vision of
prophecy. Once a generation, a Nezumi with nm’atch-tekn is pronounced the Chosen Prophet of Z-ee, and
becomes the leader of the tribe when the former Chosen Prophet dies.
They are fond of the trappings of magic. Even those who are not shamans commonly braid beads, feathers,
figures, and other fetishes into their fur. They favor long, dark robes covered with impressive looking
pictograms.
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Ratling: Advantages
Way of the Ratling 52-54 & 62
Advanced Pheromones Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling only (free for Rememberers) 6 points
You can leave complex messages through the use of pheromones. Any sentence of ten words or less that can be
constructed using only the words in the Language section (Way of the Ratling Appendix) can be left as chemical
message. These pheromones can be detected up to forty feet away by other Nezumi and linger as normal
pheromones do.
Bigjump Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (2 for Chipped Tooth) 3 points
You can leap fifty per cent farther and higher than a normal Nezumi. This ability is common among Chipper
Tooth Ratlings, who must often leap about in the rigging of ships.
Bignose Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only 5 points

You can detect pheromones at double the normal range, and gain a +10 to all Perception rolls involving scent. You
may make a Hunting/Perception roll vs. TN 25 to track the scent of any creature with whom you are familiar if
they have passed through the same area recently.
Black Vision Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (2 for Crooked Tail) 3 points
You can see in almost total darkness, and ignore TN penalties inflicted by darkness, up to a maximum of +50. You
have no color vision whatsoever.
Clever Tail Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (2 for Green-Green-White) 3 points
Your tail is almost completely prehensile. It can wrap around protrusions and support your entire weight. Attacks
and skill rolls requiring manual dexterity may be made with your tail at a +10 to the TN. The tail does not grant
extra attacks nor can it wield weapons. It can, however, lift any item it can reach and place it is your hand or pack.
Digger Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (2 for Grasping Paw) 3 Points
You can burrow through six feet of soft earth per hour, or three feet of hard earth (such as the earth beneath a
castle wall). If combined with Sharptooth, you can borrow a path through a foot of stone per hour. Make a Stamina
check vs. a TN of 5/hour, +5 each additional hour. When this check fails you must rest for six hours before
burrowing further. When burrowing at full speed, you leave no trail, though another Nezumi or human could
follow closely before the tunnel collapses. Burrowing at half speed leaves a passable, if unstable, tunnel.
Favored-Pup-of-the-Chief Way of the Ratling 52 Restrictions: Ratling Only 5 points

You are a s’stvhuk, favored child of a tribal chieftain. Others often flatter or bribe you in attempts to gain the
chief’s favor. You may increase your starting Niche by one rank, and can count on political allies within your tribe
so long as the chief retains his position.
Forever Memory Way of the Ratling 52 Restrictions: Ratling Only (Rememberer only) 5 points
The power of memory runs through your veins; you are destined to become a great Rememberer. After each
session you gain an extra Experience Point that can only be spent on creating Tchr (Memory Sticks).
Fur of Chipped Tooth Way of the Ratling 52 Restrictions: Ratling Only (3 for Chipped Tooth) 5 points
This Advantage is identical to Blood of Osano Wo. It has been renamed because the Nezumi do not worship
Osano Wo
Great Name Way of the Ratling 52 Restrictions: Ratling Only (Shaman only) 8 points/rank
Your Name is above reproach, and is considered to be one Rank higher for all spell-casting effects. You may only
purchase one rank of this Advantage during character creation. You may purchase this Advantage in play for
Experience points equal to the new Rank x 8. You can have up to four Ranks of Great Name.
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Hardy Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (1 for Crippled Bone) 2 points
You have an extraordinary resistance to disease. Non-magical illness does not affect you, though you may become
a carrier for disease.
Human Ally Way of the Ratling 53 Restrictions: Ratling Only As Allies in points
This is essentially a specialized version of Allies. You cannot spend more points on this Advantage than your
Rank in Rokugani Culture, unless the ally is a Crab.
Namebound Way of the Ratling 53 Restrictions: Ratling Only (Shaman only) 3 points
Select one spell you know. You have achieved complete mastery of this magic, and it no longer counts against the
maximum number of spells you may learn. You cast this spell as if your Rank were one higher. This Advantage
may be purchased in play for three Experience Points. You may not purchase this Advantage more than once per
Rank
Nnich’charatha Way of the Ratling 53 Restrictions: Ratling Only As Kharmic Tie

This is the Nezumi version of Kharmic Tie. This term means “same name”. Nezumi do not believe in kharma, but
they believe that some names are connected. It cannot be detected by sodan-senzo, though a shaman can sense the
link with a Name Lore/Intelligence roll vs. TN15
Prophecy Way of the Ratling 53 Restrictions: Ratling Only 3 points

You are an ikak, a prophet. Sometimes, when you sleep, the Transcendent speak to you. Your dreams may offer
muddles warnings or visions of the future. The use of this Advantage is never intentional, but up to the discretion
of the GM. You usually have a prophetic dream at least once per adventure, possibly more if you are on an
important quest. You may learn Name Lore as if you were a shaman.
Rememberer Blood Way of the Ratling 54 Restrictions: Ratling Only (3 for Squeaky Eyeball) 6 points
Rememberers are born, not made. Though you are not currently a Rememberer, you have the potential to become
one, and can take future Ranks in the Remember school. You also gain the effects of the Precise Memory
Advantage. (Characters who become Remembers at Rank 1 do not need to purchase this Advantage)
Rokugani Culture Way of the Ratling 54 Restrictions: Ratling Only (max. 5 ranks) 2 points/rank
You are knowledgeable in Rokugani culture. For every two points that you spend on this Advantage, you become
increasingly familiar.
Rank 1: You speak a rough, broken version of Rokugani. Ex – (Point at self) “Chack’th’witch” (point at human)
“Food?” You have no understanding of social mores. However, as Nezumi are have great mechanical cunning,
you already have the potential to understand human technology.
Rank 2: You can express simple ideas. Ex – “Me name Chack’th’witch. Give food?” You also have a vague
understanding of religion, art, Bushido
Rank 3: You are fairly fluent in Rokugani. Ex – “My name is Chack’th’witch. I am hungry.” You are well
versed in how the human world functions, though much of the reasoning behind it continues to escape you.
Rank 4: You are entirely fluent. Ex – “I am Chack’th’witch, Rememberer of the squeaky Eyeball Tribe. If you
could spare some of your stew, I would appreciate it.” You understand the society of Rokugan as well as any
samurai.
Rank 5: You speak Rokugani with great ability, though some body language (posture, frowning, eyebrows) is
impossible. Ex – “I am Chach’th’witch, esteemed representative of the Squeaky Eyeball. That stew would turn out
better if you were to marinate the fish before boiling, but what is done is done, hm? Perhaps if you care to share a
bit, I could return the favor with an interesting recipe a Mantis sailor once gave me. . . ” You understand enough
about Rokugani culture to realize that some elements are beyond your grasp.
Sharpears Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (1 for Tattered Ear) 2 points
You have larger ears than normal, granting a more highly developed sense of hearing. You receive a +15 bonus to
all Perception rolls involving hearing.
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Sharptooth Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only 3 points
Your teeth are as sharp and tough as a katana. You can gnaw materials at twice the normal rate. In addition, you
can chew through iron at the rate of one foot per hour and steel at the rate of one inch per hour. You must make a
Stamina check vs. a TN of 5/hour, +5 each additional hour. When this check fails, your teeth are dulled and you
must wait twenty-four hours before you may gnaw again. If your teeth dull while chewing iron or steel, you take
one die of Wounds. This ability increases the damage of your bite by one die, rolled and kept.
Shine-Shiny Eyes Way of the Ratling 54 Restrictions: Ratling Only (2 points for Tattered Ear) 3 points
This is Advantage is mechanically identical to Benten’s Blessing, though it has been renamed as the Nezumi do
not acknowledge Benten.
Softbones Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (3 for Third Whisker) 4 points
You are extremely flexible, and take no damage when failing to squeeze through a tight area. In addition, you can
fall up to sixty feet without harm. Falls greater than sixty feet inflict half damage.
Spirit Sight Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (4 for Shamans) 6 points
You can see ghosts, mujina, oni, and hengeyokai in their true form, even when disguised or invisible. Shamans are
often chosen because they possess this ability.
Swiftfoot Way of the Ratling 62 Restrictions: Ratling Only (2 for Squeaky Eyeball) 3 points
You are fast, even by Nezumi standards. You may move a number of feet per round equal to your Water x 9, or
Water x 12 if running on all fours with nothing in hand. Either of these speeds can be doubled if you do nothing
but run during that round, but this imposes a +5 penalty the round immediately after running.
Teeth of Stone Way of the Ratling 54 Restrictions: Ratling Only 5 points

This Advantage is similar to Hands of Stone, except that it specifically affects damage inflicted by the Nezumi’s
bite attack.
Tribal Wanderer Way of the Ratling 54 Restrictions: Ratling Only 3 points

This is the Nezumi equivalent of Different School. At some point in your early life, you wandered so far from
your home that you met another tribe. For one reason or another, they accept you and taught you their skills. You
may attend any school offered by that tribe. If you wish to learn more Rank Techniques from this school, you must
visit a tribe that offers such techniques.
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Ratling: Disadvantages
Kwa’thch Way of the Ratling 54 Restrictions: Ratling only 2 points

Translated, this means “ugly as the boiling pit” This is mechanically identical to Benten’s Curse, but has been
renamed as the Nezumi do not acknowledge Benten.
Lost Tail Way of the Ratling 54 Restrictions: Ratling only 4 points

In some grisly accident better forgotten you lost your beloved tail. You gain only one extra die on Climbing
checks and cannot run on all fours. The absence of a tail also carries a great stigma in some Nezumi social circles.
No Name Way of the Ratling 54 Restrictions: Ratling only 8 points

You have been cursed by the Take Name spell (see the Magic section). Your Name no longer exists. Your friends
and relatives no longer remember you. Your Niche rank is effectively zero and cannot increase unless join a tribe
again. You effectively gain a Major Enemy in the Nametaker who destroyed your Name.
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Ratling: Transcendents
Transcendents operate in the same way that Ancestors do. They are not however detectable by sodan-senzo (Kitsu).
They can be purchased after character creation for double the normal cost.
Nezumi will be pestered and taunted in his dreams if the Transcendent feels that his aide is not living up to its (often
impossibly high) standards. Once the aide fulfills the quest demanded of him, a Transcendent Guardian depends forever,
taking with it the abilities granted but giving the aide Experience Points equal to twice the Transcendent’s original cost.
The motivations of all Transcendent are murky at best. The GM determines when and if the Transcendent ever decides
to leave.
A’chuu’kir Grants aid with Full Attack 4 points

A’chuu’kir is known as the Huntsman. He was the last shaman born to the Green-Green-White Tribe. It is unknown
whether A’chuu’kir approves of his former tribe’s distain for shamans. In fact, not much is known about A’chuu’kir at
all save that he is a violent and dangerous Transcendent. Those who are selected as his aides become veterans of great
renown or die in the battle (usually both). Those who aid him can seldom keep their hands clean of blood.
Most Nezumi fear him.
Those guided by A’chuu’kir are strong in battle. When on Full Attack, his aide’s maximum number of Raises is not
limited by his Void. While protected by A’chuu’kir, a Nezumi may not declare Full Defense.
A’tck Seeks new magic (Shaman only) 6 points

A’tck is known as the Sunlit-Elder, one of the oldest and most powerful Transcendent. He transcendended to I’thich only
moments before Fu Leng destroyed the Nezumi Empire, and claims that the unique circumstances of his death have
granted him unique insight into the nature of the war against the darkness.
He always refuses to explain what this insight may be.
A’tck’s domain is magic. He chooses only shamans as his aids, and is obsesses with accumulating new forms of magical
power. He is particularly interested in unlocking the secrets of Rokugani and Akashic magic, but often sends his aids to
search for nemuranai or dangerous maho artifacts as well.
The power of A’tck’s protection is great indeed. His mortal aides gain a free Raise on all Name magic they cast, and
harmful magic targeting them has its TN increased by 5.
G’ni’ch Opposes Fu Leng 5 points

G’ni’ch is known as the Fierce. He hails from no existing tribe, his people having been destroyed by the Shadowlands.
He remains an implacable enemy of Fu Leng. Before he transcended, G’ni’ch slew a great number of Tainted beasts,
including a spawn of Oni no Akuma, an entire pack of Sanru oni, and the depraved maho-tsukai Kuni Yoshimitsu
G’ni’ch does not demand much from those who serve him, except that they destroy all trace of the Taint. He will not
abide any tolerance of the Taint from his aides, and those that befriend Shadowlands creatures are likely to find another
one of G’ni’ch’s aides hunting them. If G’ni’ch departs, it is usually from exasperation because the aide is not destroying
enough Tainted creatures (you can never really destroy enough to satisfy G’ni’ch).
G’ni’ch’s blessing is simple, but powerful. His aids roll and keep an extra die on attack and damage against all creatures
with the Shadowlands Taint, whether the damage they inflict is with a weapon or a spell.
Ksoo’ma Seeks peace between humans and Nezumi – grants human allies 2 points
Hiruma Kazuma is known as the Peace-Bringer, the human who forged the alliance between Crab and Nezumi. He is the
only human who has ever been invited to join the Transcendent, and his spirit exists in I’thich and Yomi simultaneously.
Kazuma watches over his Crab descendants and their Nezumi allies, guiding them toward a future where there will be
peace and equality among these kindred races.
Kazuma is far less cryptic and unpredictable than other Transcendent. He answers questions in concrete, definable terms
and never steers those whom he protects to ruin. Unfortunately, his assistance is more limited than most Transcendent.
As Kazuma had no Name magic in life, he cannot read the future and the past as the Nezumi Transcendent can.
He is, for better or worse, the same as any human shiryo.
Those Nezumi who are under the Peace-Bringer’s protection may purchase human Allies at half cost and receive a free
Raise on all social rolls with Humans.
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Neelru’kir Seeks amusement – ally to the Mujina 6 points
Neelru’kir was the great Nametaker whose magic saved the mujina from the Taint. Though the spell killed him, he was
able to transcend before his consciousness became the stuff of dreams. The other Transcendent know Neelru’kir as the
Trickster, for he shares many traits in common with his mujina friends.
Unusual for a Transcendent, Neelru’kir has no particular goal. He latches on to mortal aides simply so he can experience
the mortal world through their eyes. When he is no longer amused, he leaves. In many ways, he is a tragic figure – he
feels that his life was cut short and feels a lingering need to see as much of the mortal world as he can.
Those who serve Neelre’kir gains a special advantage. The mujina can feel their savior’s presence and will not harm one
that serves as his eyes. In addition, the character gains a mujina servant as if he had cast the Summon Trickster spell,
except that the character need not reward the mujina so long as Neelru’kir remains. If Neelru’kir departs, it is possible
that the mujina could be bribed into sticking around.
Ochi’kir and Min’kir Opposes aggression between Nezumi 4 points

Ochi’kir and Min’kir are referred to as the Twins. They were two of four pups who were at the center of the infamous
War of Lost Pups. When the war was ended, the two sisters were split, Ochi’kir going to the Tattered Ear and Min’kir to
the Squeaky Eyeball. Both became mighty Nametakers in time, and were reunited in I’thich.
These two Transcendent always appear as one communal being, and share the same desires and goals. In particular, their
domain is the maintenance of peace among the Nezumi tribes. They have guided many Nezumi to greatness, but have
also sent just as many proud warriors to their doom.
Ochi’kir and Min’kir protect those who pursue the way of peace. Their mortal aids gain a + to their TN to Be Hit, but
this bonus is lost for the rest of the battle when their aide declares any sort of violent action.
Rtch’t’tok Opposes Darkness Within & the Shadow 3 points

Rtch’t’tok was a Crooked Tail who first discovered the strange, unnamable darkness that plagues the humans from
within. Rtch’t’tok is utterly convinced that this darkness is not connected to Heaven’s Grave in any way, and that it is
actually a greater threat than the Shadowlands.
Among the Transcendent, he is known as Nothing-Seeker.
Rtch’t’tok is a relatively quiet and unobtrusive Transcendent most of the time, but if the powers of the Lying Darkness
are nearby he will scream and rant through his mortal aid’s dreams until something is done. He is unwilling (or unable)
to explain exactly what these creatures are or what they want, but his goal is always the complete destruction of “the
darkness.” He will not abandon a mortal aide until this goal is complete.
Nezumi protected by Rtch’t’tok are immune to the corrupting effects of the Shadow (see Way of the Shadow). They
cannot gain Shadow Points, Shadow Powers, or Shadow Brands.
Z-ee Save the Nezumi – reunite the Forever-Racing-Tomorrow Tribe 3 points

Z-ee was born a simple Nezumi among the Forever-Racing-Tomorrow Tribe. A transcendent chose him to become a
prophet, and drove him mad with visions. These visions warned Z-ee of the chaos that would ensue if the Forever-
Racing-Tomorrow split, but his madness caused many Nezumi to ignore his ravings.
In time, Z-ee’s Transcendent Guardian elevated the demented prophet to I’thich, almost as if in apology.
As a Transcendent, Z-ee’s sanity remains questionable. He is tormented by visions of a time when the power of Name
will be led astray by a terrible darkness, and neither the Crooked Tail, Tattered Ear, or Third Whisker will be equipped
to deal with it alone. The only way to survive is if the three tribes reunite. Though his vision of the future is pure, his
madness sometimes causes him to send his aids on quests that seem irrelevant.
It is difficult to say how Z-ee will choose to help. Once per session, one roll that Z-ee’s aid makes gains four Free
Raises. At the beginning of each session, roll one die. If it is an even number, the player gets to decide which roll gains
Z-ee’s Raises. If it is an odd number, the GM’s choice, and he does not assign them before the end of the session, the
character gains an extra Experience Point.
299
Ratling: Heritage Tables
Heritage Table 2: Personal Experience

1-3 You once served as an aid to Amit’tek, the greatest
scout the tribes had known. He took you deep into
Nezumi Heritage Tables the heart of the Shadowlands, and you have seen
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Nezumi 90-93 and experienced many things. You gain one rank of
Lore (Deep Shadowlands). Roll on Scavenging
Roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of lineage the Table 2.
character has. The player may roll up to three times on the 4-6 You have fought many battles against your tribal
tables, but each roll after the first has a cost of 1 CP. None of enemies. While it has given you exceptional skill, it
the advantages or disadvantages gained by these tables give has also made you many enemies. You gain one
or take any additional CP points. free rank in your primary Weapon’s Skill and the
Nemesis disadvantage.
Heritage Table 1 7 You saved the life of a young Nezumi when you
1-3 Personal Experience. Roll on Table 2 were young, receiving a wound in the process. The
4-6 Family History. Roll on Table 3 one you saved is now a Nameseeker, and has given
7-9 Dramatic Name. Roll on Table 4 you great Name. Gain the Major Ally Advantage, 1
10 Undistinguished. No benefits or penalties point in Name, and the Lost Tail Disadvantage.
8 When you were young, you were attracted to a
young Ratling, but later moved on. The young
Ratling was heartbroken. Unfortunately for you, the
young’s older brother was a great Nameseeker.
When hearing what had befallen his younger sister,
he turned his anger towards you. He confronted you
and cursed you, adding C’rag to your name.
Anyone who has a familiarity with Nezumi culture
will see you as weak and will never treat you with
respect until you gain at least two ranks in your
Name.
9 While traveling through your tribe’s lands, the
Tattered Ear Chieftain saw you training was
impressed. If you are not from the Tattered Ear
tribe, you gain the Tribal Wanderer Advantage for
that tribe for free, a favor that may be called in even
years from now.
10 Years ago, you were taken in by a venerable
chieftain after your family was killed in the
Shadowlands. You and your surrogate father grew
very close, so close in fact that you came between
him and his actual son. The other son has left the
tribe, forsaking both you and his father. You gain
the Favored-Pup-of-a-Chief Advantage and the
Nemesis Disadvantage.
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Heritage Table 3: Family History Heritage Table 4: Dramatic Name
1 In your veins runs the blood of Titchtch’tch, the 1 On the day of your first Naming, you were to be the
first Rememberer. Every Nezumi knows his story, last to receive your name. As the Nameseeker
so his Name carries a lot of weight. If you are not a opened his mouth to say your name, he fell over
Remember, you start the game with 2 extra CP to and died. Twice since, you have attempted to be
spend on Lore and History skills. Rememberers named, but each time, tragic death has claimed the
begin the game with 5 extra Insight points. giving Nameseeker. You have taken the name
2 Your family was cast out of your tribe a generation “Tuptr” which means “cursed one”. You must keep
ago. While they managed to do well, it was only a this name until the curse can be removed. As long
matter of time before your mother and father died. as you have the curse your Name may not be
You chose to return to the tribe to plead for the increased beyond its starting value.
lives of your litter. The tribe took you back; 2-3 Before your birth, your mother left your tribe to see
however, since you were not born to the tribe, you the world. Unfortunately for you, she died in
begin with no Name (your Name rank is zero, and childbirth. You were found by a passing Kuni who
are given the birth name “S’stch”). took you to a nearby monastery, where you were
3-5 You and your ancestors have maintained good raised. They gave you a human name and raised
Name and admirable skill over the years, but you as a human, but you eventually found your way
nothing exceptional. You accrue no bonuses or back to your tribe of birth. You start with 0 Name,
penalties. and all of your School Rank advances cost an
6 A conjurer of your family became close to an Isawa additional 5 Insight. You may purchase any non-
shugenja who was intent upon learning the secrets prohibited human skills as though you were a
of Nezumi magic. When the old Nezumi died, the human during character creation and gain three
Isawa promised that one of his descendants would ranks in Rokugani Culture for free.
be led to greatness. It seems that you are the 4-5 A Nezumi name dictates its destiny, and yours has
recipient of that prophecy. The spirit of Isawa stays manifested itself physically. Your name’s first
close by you at all times urging you to greatness, if syllable is Jak, and you gain +1 Strength
somewhat forcefully. Any time you perform an act 6-9 Your connection to an ancient Name is powerful, as
that would make you lose Name you take enough the shaman who Named you confirmed at the Rite
Wounds to drop you one Wound level. However, of Naming. You may select any Transcendent that
once per session you may choose to make any roll costs 5 points or less for free.
twice, keeping the more favorable roll. 10 Even Ratlings are not immune to the temptations of
7-8 A member of your family was a great thief. power, and the shaman that Named you was one
Unfortunately, his skill cost him his life. The last such villain. As Nezumi have no name of their own
thing your relative stole was a priceless heirloom of until the shaman gives him one, this shaman gave
fine craftsmanship belonging to a samurai you a name that bound you to him for life. It was a
somewhere in the Empire, an item which your bizarre twisting of the Name Sharing, and now you
relative passed on to you. Whether you know it or are almost completely his slave. The shaman is
not, the one who lost the item has lost much face powerful enough that he does not call upon you
before his family and has vowed to get it back. That often, but when he does, you must comply. You
samurai may or may not have a good idea where to would tell someone in your tribe about this, but
start looking. they would probably kill you to deprive the shaman
9 Your mother died defending the lives of you and of his servant and to end your suffering. There may
your siblings. Her name is remembered fondly be a way out of the curse without getting killed, but
among your tribe, and a shaman took pity on you you haven’t found it yet.
and made it his personal duty to make sure you
were raised correctly. Your bond with the shaman
is still strong, and you gain him as a Minor Ally
unless you are a member of the Green-Green-White
Tribe, in which case you gain no benefit. Life is
pain sometimes.
10 A few generations back, your ancestor saved the
life of the Hida daimyo’s son. As a reward, the
Crab ordered the Kaiu to construct an item of her
choice. Your ancestor showed him how to make tail
claws. What the Kaiu produced is nothing short of
amazing, and it has been passed on to you. The
slender claw blends jade and steel, and is of
exceptional quality. It does 4k2 Wounds, 5k3
against those with the Shadowlands Taint.
301
Heritage Table 5: Shadowlands Journeys
1-2 You were separated from your pack on one of your
first trips. As you searched around, you came upon
a tunnel. When you followed it to the end, you
came out in an ancient castle, inside of which were
many ogres and goblins. You then realized that you
had found a secret tunnel to the famous Hiruma
Castle. You know that someday someone will need
to know its location.
3-4 Once you came upon a half-dead oni. You quickly
finished it off, but unfortunately many of your pack
saw you kill it. Not knowing that it was nearly dead
already, they assumed that you slew it and have
added “ch” to your name, making you a renowned
warrior. Whether you like it or not, a warrior you
must now be. You may only attend the Berserker,
Warrior, or Scout schools.
5-6 On one of your expeditions, you came upon a
group of Hiruma Scouts being besieged by an
enormous oni. It was your intervention that allowed
them to live and they are very grateful. Gain the
Major Allies Advantage.
7-8 You came across a freshly-dead samurai deep in the
Shadowlands. You are not sure how he got that far,
and he did not live to tell the tale. You gain a
katana of Fine quality.
9-10 It was your last trip into Heaven’s Grave. Amit’tek
led you as he had led you ten-tens of times before.
This time, things were different. You were
ambushed by over a hundred goblins and a Sanru
oni. Your pack fought valiantly, but it was
hopeless. You were among the few survivors after
the “Sunlit Scout” fell. It will take you years to
recover your name. You start with 0 Name.
302
Scavenger Table 2: Nezumi Item
1 Your father’s cherished bolo, weighed by a rock
stolen from the Crane Chief’s own garden and an
Ratling Scavenging Tables oni bone, was given to you after he was killed.
Reprinted w/out permission from Way of the Nezumi 90-92 2 A pair of twin daggers fashioned from the front
teeth of a shaman of great Name.
A Nezumi character’s Tribe and School give him a number 3 You have managed to gain enough koku to make
of rolls on the Scavenging tables. These rolls also help flesh one entire necklace of human coins. You’re not
out the character a little, but emphasize that actual ‘stuff’ going to tell anyone how easy it was to take them
he’ll start with. Start on Scavenging Table 1. from the human that was found dead, since it makes
everyone think you stole them the hard way.
Scavenging Table 1 4-6 You have not managed to gather anything of real
note, a fact that irritates you to no end.
1-8 Nezumi item. Roll on Table 2
7 A war club made from the leg bone of a human and
9-10 Human or other item. Roll on Table 3
the teeth of an animal you couldn’t quite describe
8 Your mother, once a great warrior who may still
someday be called Sunlit, has become too old to
fight, and given her troll-skin armor to you.
9 A necklace of generally worthless trinkets that
shines in the light, including some crystal. This
wouldn’t be so noteworthy if it didn’t attract the
attention of your tribe’s chief, who is most
impressed with it. It is no secret your plaything is
favored by the chief, who has decided to allow you
to keep the necklace. For now, anyway.
10 You have one stone of the stone throwing axes
found almost exclusively in the Green-Green-White
tribe. If you aren’t a member of the Green-Green-
White, this could be very bad indeed.
Scavenger Table 3: Human Item

1 A few scraps of silk, some sinew and a lot of
patience has yielded you a full Rokugani kimono,
or sorts.
2 You and your brothers snuck into the stables of a
Unicorn family and made off with a well-decorated
bridle. Since it was your cunning that kept anyone
from being killed in the attempts, your brothers
allowed you to keep it, and you wear it around your
torso.
3-4 Though it is worn and dull, you possess the kabuto
of a Scorpion samurai, including the mask. When
wearing it, you gain +3 to your TN.
5-8 You had a Rokugani weapon once, but the tribe
decided it was of better use in the hands of a more
experienced warrior. You would never go against
what the tribe wants, so you handed it over quickly.
You have never forgotten that once it was yours.
9 Your story may be told for the rest of Nezumi time.
By a combination of luck, daring, and cunning, you
now carry the bow of a Naga.
10 One of the most coveted human weapons is yours –
a full-sized katana.
303
Ratling: Schools
Way of the Ratling 67-75, 84-85
Nezumi Berserker (“Chitatchikkan”)

Benefit: +1 Strength Starting Niche: 0.5
Outfit: Add one peasant or Nezumi weapon, Light or Heavy Hide Armor, leather pouch, and one free roll on the
Scavenging Table
Skills: Athletics, Intimidation, hunting, Lore (Deep Shadowlands), Mochatchikkan 2, any Bugei Skill
Special: Characters who are not immune to Fear cannot enter this school.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Chitatchikkan has been touched by a power most Nezumi do not understand. You gain the
Mad Fury Overconfident and Brash Disadvantages (no additional character points are gained if you already
have 10 points of Disadvantages). When the time comes for battle, you become a seething
maelstrom of power, rolling an additional damage die on all melee attacks.
Rank 2: The Berserker’s fury becomes more pronounced at this Rank. You may make an extra attack per
Price of Pain round, but only on Full Attack.
Rank 3: The Chitatchikkan who reach this level of skill know that pain is an illusion; as the door to death
Rage of the swings wider it only gives the Berserker more reason to fight. When wounded, you gain a bonus to
Sun and your melee attack rolls equal to the normal Wound penalty for that level (disregarding effects which
Moon reduce Wound Penalties). Wound penalties still apply for non-combat activities. This technique has
no effect on the Dead Wound level.
Rank 4: The Chititchikkan’s fury is fearsome to behold, even for a samurai used to such battle-hardened
Dance of the rage. You may make one extra attack per round, and keep one extra die on melee damage rolls.
Doomed
Rank 5: Death is not the end, only failure is the end. For a Chitatchikkan there is no failure. Any attack
Sever that reduces you to the Dead level or below triggers an immediate retributive melee attack
Tomorrow against that opponent. You make your attack as if you have one Wound remaining, and then go
down normally. If the attack which triggers this technique will kill your character, you gain four
Free Raises on your retributive attack.
304
Nezumi Builders (“Ktch’kirptu”)
Benefit: +1 Intelligence Starting Niche: 1.5
Outfit: Any one peasant or Nezumi weapon, crude tools, leather pouch, one Treasure, one free roll on the
Scavenging Table
Skills: Armorer, Defense, Scrounging, stealth, Weaponsmith (Nezumi), any one Craft skill, any one Weapon skill
Techniques
Rank 1: In the hands of a Builder, no item is truly broken. Masters of improvisation, these cunning
Fixed It! individuals can utilize even heavily damaged items. With an appropriate Craft skill roll versus a
TN of 10, any broken or Poor quality item in the possession of a Builder may be used as if it
were in Average condition. This item must be relatively intact for this to work.
Rank 2: A gifted yet. Primitive engineer, the Builder is constantly gaining new insight into the simple
Clever mechanics and physics of primitive construction. The Builder gains a number of Free Raises equal
Student to his Rank in this school per day for use on any roll of the skills taught by the Builder’s teacher (the
beginning skills of the school.
Rank 3: By this rank the builder has mastered the basics of many different skills. He may roll and keep one
Master the additional die on any Craft skill roll, and the maximum number of Raises on Craft skill rolls is not
Basics limited by the Builder’s Void.
Rank 4: The Builder has mastered that art of adaptation. When observing the use of any item, be it
Gift of the weapon, tool, or whatever, the Builder can internalize the information and store it for further use.
Nezumi Observing any Craft or Weapon Skill, the Builder may make an Intelligence roll versus a TN
equal to 15 minus the target’s Skill. If successful, the Builder gains that skill at Rank 1. If the
Builder has the experience points necessary, he may immediately advance that skill up to Rank 3
so long as the builder’s new skill does not match or exceed that of his target (although the
builder may match an observed skill of rank 1).
Rank 5: The wisdom of age and devotion to task bring great success to the Builder. A number of rolls per
No Task Too day equal to the Builder’s rank in this school may be considered automatic successes, The Free
Hard Raises gain from Rank Two may be applied to these rolls, but no other Raises may be made
without rolling for success as normal. If Raises are made and the roll fails, but the original TN is
met, the task succeeds without the benefits of Raises.
305
Nezumi Rememberers (“Tch’tch”)
Benefit: +1 Intelligence Starting Name: As Tribe +5 boxes Starting Niche: 2.0
Outfit: Add a peasant or Nezumi weapon, clothing, six wooden sticks (perfect for creating Tchr, or “memory
sticks”). One extra Treasure, leather pouch, one free roll on the Scavenging Table, and 5 Experience
points worth of Rank 1 Memory Sticks.
Skills: Courtier (Nezumi), Etiquette (Nezumi), Lore (Deep Shadowlands), Mee-i’thich, Remembering, Stealth,
tribal Lore
Rememberer Abilities:
1. Advanced Pheromones – Rememberers gain this ability free of cost. This ability is used in creating
Memory Sticks
2. Remembering – Rememberers gain the Precise Memory Advantage (normally not allowed to Nezumi) free
of cost. They face none of the normal penalties when attempting to remember events. For each Rank of
Insight a Rememberer obtains, he gains a free Raise on all Remembering skill rolls (including Memory
Stick creation)
3. Insight Life-span – Rememberers live ten years longer than the average Nezumi.
4. Create Tchr - At Rank 1, a Rememberer can make Tchr (Memory Sticks).
Nezumi Scout (“Tek”)

Benefit: +1 Agility Starting Niche: 1.0
Outfit: Add any one peasant or Nezumi weapon, Light Hide Armor, leather pouch, and one free roll on the
Scavenging Table.
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Lore (Deep Shadowlands), Stealth, any two skills
Techniques
Rank 1: The Scout learns to concentrate by dividing focus among many things. You may add your Rank
Clever and in this school to all Skill rolls involving the Skills taught by this school. In addition, you may
Brave purchase one Advantage or Nezumi Advanced Ability that costs five points or less, free of cost.
Rank 2: A Scout who has achieved this level of mastery has been begun to realize that it is not important
World is One what you do – so long as what you do is important. Select one Skill. From now on, you gain free
Raises equal to your Rank when using that school were one higher. You do not gain additional Rank
Techniques due to this effect.
Rank 3: The Scout who reaches this level of Insight can achieve nearly anything he puts his mind to. Any
Pieces of Advantages you purchase during play cost two fewer Experience Points, to a minimum of one point.
Everything
Rank 4: The Nezumi Scout has now begun to realize the simple truth that all paths are one. Knowledge of
A Little one thing gives knowledge of another; all you must do is make the connections. You may now
Knowledge make an extra attack each round.
Rank 5: The rare Scout who reaches Rank 5 has unraveled the ultimate mastery. In remaining focused, he
Grasp-Grasp has become versatile. In cleaving to one path, he has become a master of many. You gain an
Tomorrow additional one-point discount on Advantages. Also, at the beginning of each day, you may
choose any Nezumi school, including Rememberer or shaman. For the next twenty-four hours,
you gain the Rank 1 Technique of that school.
306
Nezumi Scrounger (“Ithith”)
Benefit: +1 Perception Starting Niche: 1.0
Outfit: Add any one peasant or Nezumi weapon, Poor quality clothing, one large sack, and two free rolls on the
Scavenging Table
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Lore (Deep Shadowlands), Scrounging, Stealth, Sleight of Hand
Techniques
Rank 1: Even at this early Rank, the Scrounger has developed surprising speed and cunning. You may
Scurry-Scurry add double your Rank in this school to your TN to Be Hit. When attacking an opponent who is
Through the unaware of your current location (because you are hiding, for example), you may roll an
Darkness additional number of attack dice equal to your Rank in this school.
Rank 2: If you make a successful attack roll against an opponent, you may choose to distract him instead of
Fight and Fly inflicting Wounds. If there is ample cover, you may immediately hide, making a Stealth roll with free
Raises equal to your Rank in this school. Your opponent cannot attack you until you reveal yourself
or he makes an Investigation + Perception roll vs. a TN equal to the result of your Stealth roll
Rank 3: By making three Raises on your attack roll, you gain an additional action which may only be used to
Yours is Mine try to steal something form your opponent. For this action to be successful, you must make an
opposed Sleight of Hand + Agility roll vs. your opponent’s Defense + Agility. If successful, you
steal a random item from the target’s obi, pocket, or other easily accessible place. If you first make a
Scrounging + Perception roll vs. your opponent’s School Rank x 5 while observing them, you may
identify the most valuable item visible. You cannot steal items out of your opponent’s hands.
Rank 4: By making a Stealth roll with four Raises, you may hide behind an opponent. Each round
Riding the thereafter, you may make an opposed Agility roll to remain behind him, out of the reach of his
Shadow weapons. While in this position, you may use your Rank 1 Technique as if your enemy were
unaware of your location. However, if you attack your opponent, this technique is negated and
cannot be used again for five rounds. So long as you make your Agility rolls and remain near
your opponent’s back, you may take any other actions you desire (including attacking other
opponents). You may not hide behind more than one opponent at a time.
Rank 5: The Scrounger who has reached this level of skill is the master of the quick escape. When using
Hide From your Rank 2 Technique, you may now inflict normal damage as well as hide.
Tomorrow
307
Nezumi Shaman (“Kir”)
Benefit: +1 Void Starting Niche: 2.0
Outfit: Add a spear or knife, Poor quality clothing, leather pouch, one extra Treasure, and one free roll on the
Scavenging Table
Skills: Defense, Hunting, Lore (Deep Shadowlands), Name Lore, Meditation, Mee-I’thich, Stealth,
Beginning Spells: A starting shaman knows three spells, plus a bonus spell depending upon his tribe.
Chipped Tooth Bless Name Squeaky Eyeball Beast Speech
Crippled Bone Name Weapon Tattered Ear Conjure Earth’s Bounty
Crooked Tail Smite the Nameless Third Whisker Importune Transcendent
Grasping Paw Conjure Earth’s Bounty
Shamans of a created tribe gain one additional spell of the GM’s choice.
Nezumi Warriors (“Ch”)

Benefit: +1 Agility Starting Niche: 1.0
Outfit: Any one peasant or Nezumi weapon, Light or Heavy Hide Armor, leather Pouch, one Treasure, and one
free roll on the Scavenging Table.
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hand-to-Hand (may chose the Mochatchikkan specialization if desired), Hunting, Lore
(Deep Shadowlands), stealth, any one Weapon skill.
Techniques
Rank 1: Nezumi are lightning-fast creatures with incredible reflexes. Warriors learn to harness this ability
Speed of the Rat early in life and make the best use of it in combat. A Nezumi warrior may choose to re-roll his
Initiative a number of times per day equal to his Rank in this school. The warrior may choose
which of the two rolls to keep. The warrior may also add his Athletics Skill rank to all attack rolls.
Rank 2: Young Nezumi warriors always hunt and fight in packs to increase their chances of survival. In time
Strength of the this becomes a carefully orchestrated maneuver where each combatant anticipates his allies’ moves
Pack and acts according. For each ally in the same melee combat alongside the warrior, he gains a Free
Raise for use in that combat (up to a maximum equal to his Void Ring).
Rank 3: The warrior has learned to use his speed and agility to its fullest advantage. Accustomed to fighting
Darting Strike larger, stronger opponents, the warrior has learned to dart into combat, strike, and then withdraw to
a safer distance. When the warrior wins initiative, he may add +10 to his TN to be hit for the entire
round.
Rank 4: The warrior has learned the true lightning speed of the Nezumi. He may now make two attacks
Strike-Strike per round
Fast
Rank 5: The tail is an often-overlooked advantage of the Nezumi warrior, and at this rank the Ratling has
Tail Sweep learned to make full use of it. Following a successful weapon strike, the warrior may make a
spinning follow-through that sweeps his opponent’s legs with his tail. There is no roll; this attack
automatically hits if it follows a successful weapon strike. This attack has a DR equal to the
Nezumi’s Strength. An opponent who takes damage has been knocked to the ground and must
spend an action to regain their feet. This knockdown does not work on foes that are more than
twice the warrior’s size (GM’s discretion). If the Nezumi makes two attacks per his Rank Four
Technique, he may only follow one of the two attacks with the Tail Sweep per round.
308
Ratling Chieftain Generals (“Chuk’tek”)
Benefit: +1 Perception Starting Niche: 1.5
Outfit: Any one Weapon, Light Hide Armor, Poor clothing, two Treasures, one free roll on the Scavenging Table
Skills: Battle, Defense, Hunting, Lore (Deep Shadowlands), Remembering Tribal Lore, any one Weapon skill.
Techniques
Rank 1: An effective leader in small skirmish battles, the Chuk’tek has an instinctive grasp of group
Many Fight tactics. Once per combat per Rank in this school, the Nezumi may change his Initiative score to
Together match that of any ally involved in the skirmish. This is done after Initiative is rolled, but before
actions are declared.
Rank 2: A chuk’tek thrives when in command, his every instinct leading his pack to victory. When in
Leader of the command of a group with a number of allies equal to or greater than his School Rank in this school
Pack per combat, and may add his niche to his TN to be hit.
Rank 3: A true chuk’tek acts not for himself, but for his tribe. The chuk’tek may choose to re-roll any roll
For the Tribe that if failed, would result in harm for members of his tribe in any way. This may be done a number
of times per day equal to his Rank in this school.
Rank 4: The chuk’tek can move with the speed that only certainty can bring. He gains an additional
Think Fast, action per round. This additional action may be used for an attack if desired.
Move Faster
Rank 5: At this rank the chuk’tek and the warriors he fights alongside truly work as a single fighting
Many Fight entity. So long as the chuk’tek remains in the fight, Wounds suffered by any member of the
as One group may be distributed among the group however he sees fit, representing the constant flurry
of warriors attacking the target and defending one another. This ability may only affect a number
of allies up to the chuk’tek’s Insight Rank x2
309
Ratling: Skills, Unarmed Fighting Style, and Language
Way of the Ratling 51-52 & 88
Ratling Skills
Animal Training Hand-to-Hand: Remembering Th’Kwee
Lore (Deep Shadowlands) Mochatchikkan Rokugani Language Tloo’cha’thrr
Mee-I’thich Name Lore Scrounging Tribal Lore
Animal Training Due to horses’ natural antipathy for Ratlings, Nezumi are unable to learn Animal
Awareness Husbandry. This is a special variant which gives the character expertise in breeding
(Way of the Ratling 51) typical Nezumi pets – ferrets and cats. Ferrets can be trained to fetch and steal small
items, or to hunt small game. Cats can’t be trained to do much, but are helpful in
keeping small vermin at bay
Lore (Deep Shadowlands) This is a special variant of Lore (Shadowlands) known only to Nezumi. A Nezumi
Intelligence can use this skill to prevent getting lost even in the deep Shadowlands, where chaos
High Skill reigns. This skill also provides limited knowledge of what lies in the deep
(Way of the Ratling 51) Shadowlands. It can also be used to find edible food and safe sleeping quarters in the
Shadowlands.
Mee-i’thich This is the Nezumi version of Dance. Mee-i’thich (“Flying-through-dreams-that-are-

Agility yet-to-be”) is both ritual and entertainment. Rememberers use dance to aid in
Low Skill storytelling, and dances of shamans are strong in the power of Name.
(High for Ratlings)
(Way of the Ratling 51)
Hand-to-Hand: Translated, the name means “Casting-down-the-stalks-of-grass-with great-skill”.

Mochatchikkan This is the Nezumi art of unarmed combat, and counts as a Specialized Weapon
Agility Skill. Mochatchikkan relies on instinct and finesse, using the Nezumi’s natural
Bugei Skill weapons to great effect. Advanced maneuvers (see the section on Mochatchikkan in
(Way of the Ratling 51) this chapter) cannot be attempted without this skill. Humans and Naga may never
learn this skill, as it depends upon anatomy they do not possess.
Name Lore This is the Nezumi equivalent of Spellcraft. This skill grants knowledge of the true
Intelligence power of Name. The Nezumi may roll Name Lore/Intelligence against a TN 15 to
(Ratling Shamans only) attempt to identify a particular Name magic as it is cast. A successful roll vs. TN 20
High School can determine if a spell has been cast in the area within a number of hours equal to
(Way of the Ratling 51) the shaman’s rank in this skill. With three Raises, the particular spell and its target
can be determined as well. A shaman uses this skill when communing with the
Transcendent.
Remembering This is the Nezumi version of History, and indicates that the character remembers the
Intelligence origins of his tribe and race. Typically, only Rememberers have any expertise in
High Skill Nezumi history.
(Way of the Ratling 51)
310
Rokugani Language Some Nezumi have no interest in Rokugani culture other than to speak the language.
Intelligence This skill allows understanding of human speech. Roll Rokugani
High Skill Language/Intelligence TN 10 for simple messages, 20 or more for complex
(Way of the Ratling 52) messages. Even with this skill, the Nezumi has a pronounced accent and often says
things incorrectly.
Scrounging This skill allows quick analysis of an area to find the most useful things to steal. It
Perception helps identify items that would be easy to carry away, or how to go about
Low Skill disassembling them so that they can be more easily taken. This does not guarantee
(Craft – High Skill for that the desired items can be taken. This does not guarantee that the desired items can
Nezumi) be taken, but grants knowledge of which ones appear to be the most valuable. A
(Way of the Ratling 52) Nezumi could use this skill, for example, to quickly locate the best armor, weapons,
and food remaining on a battlefield.
Th’Kwee Translated, this term means “putting-it-down”, and refers to the Nezumi art of
Intelligence painting. Nezumi painting is much different from the Rokugani art. It relies on bold
High Skill colors and thick pigments more suited to the side of a tree or a stone wall than a
(Way of the Ratling 52) scrap of silk. Ironically, Nezumi painting is more rooted in realism than stylish
Rokugani artwork. A Nezumi who paints another Nezumi does so because he wants
to create a work of beauty. Even those who believe the Nezumi to be uncultured
savages are taken aback by the skill their artists display. It is not truly art, a Crane
might say, but it is certainly impressive.
Tloo’ch’thrr Translated, this term means “too-funny-to-be-repeated.” The closest counterpart to

Awareness Rokugani culture is poetry. Tloo’cha’thrr is a spontaneous art, in which the poet
High Skill makes a humorous observation on his own existence. An example composed by the
(Way of the Ratling 52) great poet Kee’thrr’thrr: “Sun rose fast today while Kee’thrr’thrr fall asleep-sleep.
Sun so mad I not say hello; she burn-burn my nose. Sun not my friend no more.”
Though many of the most profound works of Tloo’cha’thrr have been recorded by
the Rememberers, it is an unspoken rule that a poem is best the first time it is uttered.
After the first time, it is no longer poetry. The Nezumi are baffled by Rokugani
haiku, as they fail to find the humor in it. Conversely, Rokugani poets are utterly
confused by Tloo’cha’thrr.
Tribal Lore This is a Nezumi version of Heraldry. Though Nezumi do not display their heritage
Perception with mon and sashimono, the tribes broadcast their lineage just as boldly. This skill
High Skill gives knowledge of the totems, fetishes, and pheromones used to mark a particular
(Way of the Ratling 52) tribe. Humans who learn this skill have a +10 to TNs due to the fact that they cannot
sense pheromones.
311
Ratling Unarmed Fighting Style
The ancient art known as Mochatchikkan is believed to predate the Terrible Day. Those who have seen a Nezumi use
Mochatchikkan describe its movements as frenzied, nearly uncontrolled. Despite its appearance, Mochatchikkan is an
extremely precise combat form, taking full advantage of all of a Nezumi’s natural weapons.
When using Mochatchikkan, a Nezumi can perform any of the following as an attack. Most of these maneuvers require
multiple Raises or Advanced Nezumi Abilities to be effective.
Grapple
This is identical to the Grappling maneuver described in Kaze-do.
Leap-Over Raises: 3
Athletics + Agility (with 3 Raises) vs. opponents’ Weapon Skill/Agility (add 10 to opponents die roll if he is using a
polearm). If the Nezumi succeeds, he leaps over his opponent’s head. This increases the Nezumi’s initiative so that it
is one higher than his opponent’s on future rounds. If the Nezumi makes another attack before his opponent’s next
action, he can attack from behind.
If the Leap-Over attempt fails, the Nezumi falls to the ground and is considered to be an unmoving target (hos TN to
be Hit is 5 + Armor) until his next action. Nezumi with Bigjump add 5 to their roll when performing a Leap-Over.
Punch/Kick/Bite Strength k1
The most basic attack form.
Rake Raises: 1 + Strength to Hand-to-Hand damage total

Raises: 3 Blinded D10/rounds
A raking attack with the claws. If Blinded for 15+ rounds they have lost an eye.
Tail Grab (Must have the Cleaver Tail Ability) Raises: 2/each attack
The Nezumi may attempt to make a grappling attack with its tail. If the Nezumi succeeds on his grapple, he may
attack with his claws, weapons, or teeth on subsequent rounds while maintaining the grapple with his tail. This
maneuver requires extreme coordination on the Nezumi’s part, and thus the Nezumi must make two Raises on all
attacks while maintaining a Tail Grab and cannot declare Full Defense or Full Attack without releasing the grapple.
Alternately, the Nezumi may simply use Tail Grab to assist a normal grapple attack, or to escape a grapple. This adds
one unkept die to all such grappling rolls to indicate the assistance of his extra limb.
Tail Punch Raises: 1 Strength -1 k1

This maneuver can be performed while the arms and legs are restrained, or while performing a successful Leap-Over
if the Nezumi makes as extra Raise on both his Agility roll and this attack roll. A Nezumi with Clever Tail does
normal Hand-to-Hand damage with his tail.
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Weapon Bite (Must have the Sharptooth Ability) Raises: 2 Strength k1
A Nezumi on Full Defense may attempt to perform a Weapon Bite. If the result of this roll is higher than the
opponent’s attack roll, the Nezumi catches the weapon in his teeth and cancels the attack. Make a raw Strength roll as
follows, depending upon the weapon:
Weapon TN
Hand-to-Hand attack 10
Wooden weapon (bo staff, tonfa, jo) 15
Wooden-hafted weapon (naginata, die-tsuchi) 20
Small metal weapon (tanto, tessen) 25
Metal-bound wooden weapon (tetsubo, sasumata) 30
Steel or stone weapon (katana, ogre’s club) 35
The preceding assumes that the Nezumi bites the weapon at its weakest point (at the wooden haft of a die -tsuchi, for
example).
If the Nezumi’s Strength roll is successful, the weapon is destroyed, except for hand-to-hand attacks, in which case the
Nezumi inflicts automatic bite damage - Strength k1 - on the attacker. If the Nezumi fails his Strength roll or his attack
roll, he takes double damage from the attack.
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Nezumi Language
Nezumi Names: When creating a Nezumi name, it is important to remember that their name has a great deal of
meaning, and often changes as their life progresses. Players should consider these factors when choosing a name for
their Ratling character. Traditionally, there are 4times that a Nezumi’s name may change.
Birth: All Ratlings are called S’stch until the second spring after their birth, when the Nezumi hold the Rite of Naming.
Rite of Naming: At this time, the tribe’s Name Seeker will bestow the first name upon the youth, often prophesying the
Ratling’s place in the world. Even the Kuni have been unable to discern whether the name dictates their destiny or vice
versa, but there is no denying the power of a Nezumi name. They have determined that even those who have the same
name, may have different destinies.
Common or important “first names” and their closest meanings are:
Ropp Scout of Destiny Zorr Bringer of War
Matt Large Warrior Yoee Fool
Rik Friend of All Oh-chik Bringer of Words
Mack Seeker of the Way Tmitr Heart of Wood
T’tok Knowledge of Many S’ctt Reluctant One
Tchick Leader Ksoo’ma Peace Bringer
Rise of position: When a Nezumi dies, his job is taken over by another. In this way, the Ratlings ensure their survival.
When a Nezumi takes over a new position, he/she may be given a Second Name that includes their profession. Realize
that although this is part of their name, it is only said when giving respect. Those who achieve high Name (4 or higher)
are referred to by their full name in all situations. Nezumi characters should use a second name in the same way that
samurai characters would use “-sama” when addressing someone of higher status.
Common titles and their translations are:
Guide Uk Scout Tek
Warrior Ch Adventurer Trr’trr
Shaman Kir Rememberer Tch’tch
Teacher Sh’n Pack Leader Chek
General ‘Tek Thief Ithith
Chieftain Chuk Artist D’n
Ascension: Only one in a thousand are ever given the honor of the Ascension. When a Nezumi has achieved a greatness
unsurpassed by all others, they are given the honor of adding an “A” to their name, adding Sunlit to their name. The
Nametakers of the Tribes gather to bestow the title upon the worthy Nezumi and it is considered the highest honor that a
Ratling can receive. It should also be noted that one human, Yasuki Garou, known to the Nezumi as Oh-riktch (Human
who brings Name and Friendship to Nezumi) has achieved 4.5 in Name and is being considered for Ascension. He
would be the first non-Ratling in history to receive such an honor. If a character wishes to add this title to their name,
they must have at least a 4.5 in Name and have performed a feat worthy of the honor (GM’s discretion).
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Nezumi Words:
Household Living
Food Ch’da Child S’Stch Small one with no name
Meat Ch’tem Clothing Gr’ftk
Nuts Ch’pip Tools Beckr
House F’chtr-foo Here I live Poison H’tach
Family Dak Those who share my food Trade Ratch
Male Op’chtch One who brings food Hungry Krt’chda No food for me
Female Ichtr’foo One who brings life Communicate Trf
Descriptions
Brave Chit Friend Rik Small S’s
Weak C’rag Enemy Yu-wer Skill Kan
Wise Set’tch Clever Rtch Sunlit/Blessed A
Strong Jak Big M-at Bad N-ki
Races
Human Krtichik Those-with-no-hair Oni Mat’tch’tr Big-scary-spirits
Naga Skurtrfoo Large-snakes-of-death Spirit Tr’tr-foo Beings-of-once-life
Goblins Tutwauwer Ugly-smelly-enemies-of- Ratlings Chi’ch-tch Brave-warriors-who-
Nezumi remember
Human Tribes (Clans)

Crab Tich’chik Humans of the Wall Lion Hert’chik Ferocious Humans
Unicorn Jedd’chik Humans with Horses Scorpion Krt’chik Invisible Humans
Crane Chi’chik Human of Words and Phoenix / Jakr’chik Humans with the power
Beauty Dragon * of Gods
* Most Nezumi don’t acknowledge a difference between the Phoenix and the Dragon due to their close proximity and
heavy use of magic.
Emotions
Happiness Tcha Love Kn’noo Excitement Re’”
Sadness K-m Anger Ir’ch Fright -Tep-
Measure
Near Kt Less Rep There Tfch
Far Tk Here F’ch Great Ik
More Per
Numbers †
0 Krt 3 Sin 5 G’o 7 S’chi 9 Ku
1 Ich 4 Ashi 6 Rochu 8 H’ch 10 Chu
2 Nni
† All numbers were created in order to mimic Rokugani, hence their similarity to their Rokugani counterparts
Time
Night Fatch-tek Tomorrow M’atch-tek Path-to-the-next-night
Day A’fatch-tek A sunlit night Yesterday K’thach Walk against the moon
Today Fatch-tek Night
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General
Sleep A’lun Hurt/Pain Tsch
Dream I’thich Life/Live Tr-foo Act of life
You Grt Death M’atch-tek
Me/Name Mrt Niche T’ach-cht One’s Place in the World
Yes Trk School Sh’ch Teacher is here
No Krt Steel Pep’tr
Run Kufl Kill M’krtf Path to death
Danger Drsnitsch Pain is present
Nature
Earth Er’c Water Flur Snow/Cold Se-tr
Fire/Hot Fitch Forest/wood Ep’tr Shadowlands/Evil D’gr
Air Romit
Important Phrases
My name is * Mrt Me Goodbye Tifrg Thank you † A’gato
Hello Grfit Please † K’tsai
* This simple phrase encompasses all that a Nezumi is, and should not be taken lightly.
† Like the numbers, these words were created in order to mimic Rokugani, hence their similarity to their Rokugani
counterparts
316
Ratling: Equipment
Way of the Ratling 70, 136-138
Generally, Ratling items can be comparable to a human item. For example, a yari could be imitated by a long pole with a
cluster of Nezumi teeth affixed at the end. GMs may either simplify use a comparable damage rating for Nezumi
weapons, or use the weapons as listed.
Bolo Way of the Ratling 70 Sword 1k1

Skill to Use: Tantojutsu Trait: Agility
Hide Armor Way of the Ratling 70 Armor TN + 3
Heavy Armor Way of the Ratling 70 Armor TN + 7
Nezumi Bow Way of the Ratling 70 Bow As Yumi
Nezumi Teeth Club Way of the Ratling 70 Peasant Weapon* 2k2

Skill to Use: Subojutsu Trait: Agility
Stone Throwing Axe Way of the Ratling 70 Peasant Weapon* 3k2 thrown, 2k2 held
Skill to Use: Subojutsu Trait: Agility
Tooth Daggers Way of the Ratling 70 Sword 1k2

Skill to Use: Tantojutsu Trait: Agility
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Ratling: Name Magic & Rememberer Abilities
Ratling Shaman: Spells

Definitions: Mechanically, Nezumi magic is similar to shugenja magic. Terms that are new to Ratling Shaman Spells:
Backlash: Certain Nezumi spells are dangerous if cast improperly. If the shaman fails to cast the spell, he takes
Wounds equal to the amount by which he failed, multiplied by the Backlash.
Bleeding: Casting a spell that requires Bleeding inflicts a number of Wounds to the caster equal to the Bleeding
number. Though this practice resembles maho, it is not black magic. The caster sheds his own blood
as a focus to extend his essence outward. If a spell lists “Bleeding for Raise”, then the shaman may
choose to bleed himself by the listed number of Wounds to gain one free Raise. A shaman cannot
gain more free Raises in this manner than his Void.
Dance: Certain Nezumi spells require ritual dance (Mee-i'thich). The Nezumi dances for a number of hours
equal to the Mastery Level (this becomes the Casting Time of the spell), then makes a Dance
(Mee-i'thich + Agility) roll vs. TN 15. For every Raise made on this roll, the Nezumi gains a free
Raise when he casts the spell. If the Dance roll fails, the spell fails. Spells that have an optional
Dance requirement may be cast as a dance ritual or as a normal spell.
Name: Spells with a range of Name have effectively unlimited range, but the Nezumi must know the True
Name of his target.
Spell Slots: A shaman has a number of spell slots equal to his Name x 3 (adjusted for the Great Name
Advantage). If his Name increases or decreases, his spell slot immediately increase or decrease
proportionately. A shaman can recover exhausted spell slot with a full night’s sleep, and can recover
a single spell slot with an hour of meditation and Meditation roll vs. TN 20.
Learning a Spell: Nezumi shamans may know up to four spells per Rank. A shaman learns spells by training with other
Nezumi shamans, or by communing with Transcendent in the Realm of Dreams. Each time a Nezumi learns a new spell,
he must spend Experience equal to its Mastery Level.
When a shaman increases in School Rank, he immediately gains two new spells free of cost.
Casting a Spell:
Calculate the Spell’s Target Number. A spell’s basic TN is its Mastery Level x 5. If the target of the spell is unwilling,
multiply the target’s Void by his School Rank and add this number to the spell’s TN. If the shaman knows the True
Name of his target, he may ignore this increase in TN.
Roll dice equal to the shaman’s Name, keeping dice equal to his School Rank. Remember that the Namebound
Advantage allows the caster to cast a spell as if his Rank were one higher, and the Great Name Advantage allows him to
cast spells as if his Name were higher.
Shaman and their Titles: Ratling shamans exhibit a healthy amount of respect for one another, and can sense a fellow
shaman with a glance. A shaman of higher Rank can determine the Rank of another shaman with a successful Perception
vs. target’s Rank x 5.
Rank Title (Rokugani) Title (Nezumi) Rank Title (Rokugani) Title (Nezumi)
1 Conjuror Rep’chik 4 Namebinders Jak’chik
2 Nameseekers Kan’chik 5 Nametakers A’chik
3 Namefinders Per’ichik
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Shaman Spells: Mastery Level 1
Beast Speech Conjure Dream Conjure Smoke
Way of the Ratling 75 Way of the Ratling 75 Way of the Ratling 76
Mastery Level: 1 Mastery Level: 1 Mastery Level: 1
Duration: Concentration Duration: 1 minute Duration: 1 minute
Area of Effect: Self Area of 1 creature Area of Effect: 20’ radius
Range: Hearing Effect: Range: 100’
Effect: Similar to the Rokugani spell Range: 25’ Special: Bleeding for Raise (2
Heart of Nature, Beast Speech allows Effect: When this spell is cast, the wounds), Backlash (1x)
the caster to understand and speak the Nezumi reaches into the target’s Effect: This spell summons a cloud
language of normal animals. This mind and conjures up an illusion of of billowing smoke in color of the
spell does not guarantee that the the person or item they desire most. caster’s choice. Visibility within the
animals will wish to speak to the Every detail of the illusion is as cloud is reduced to five feet. The
caster; it simply makes perfect as the target remembers. If the smoke will roil about in strong wind,
communication possible. target attempts to interacts with an but will not disperse until the
illusionary person or item, he may duration ends, at which time it
Bend Name roll his Perception vs. a TN of the disperses normally and is gone within
Way of the Ratling 75 caster’s School Rank x Void to see ten minutes.
Mastery Level: 1 through the illusion. If the target
Duration: 5 Rounds fails, his mind causes the illusion is Dream Walk
Area of Effect: 1 target real for the duration. The caster has Way of the Ratling 76
Range: 100’ no control over the illusion, which is Mastery Level: 1
Special: Bleeding for Raise (4 controlled by the target’s own Duration: 1 night
Wounds), Backlash (1x) subconscious mind. Area of Effect: Self
Effect: This spell alters the target’s The caster can see the illusion as Range: Self
sense of Name slightly, causing him well, but no one else can. Special: Dance
to become disorientated and Effect: This spell allows the sleeping
confused. For the duration of the Conjure Earth’s Bounty shaman’s spirit to enter I’thich, the
spell, the target has a +3 penalty to all Way of the Ratling 75 Nezumi Realm of Dreams. While
skill rolls. For each additional Raise, Mastery Level: 1 wandering I’thich, the shaman may
the target suffers an additional +3 Duration: Instantaneous have glimpses of the future, meet the
penalty. Area of Effect: Food for one Nezumi Transcendent, or even witness the
Range: 10’ dreams of others. More information
Bless Name Special: Dance (optional), Backlash on what can be done in I’thich can be
Way of the Ratling 75 (1x) found in Appendix of Way of the
Mastery Level: 1 Effect: This spell causes fresh fruit Ratling.
Duration: 1 minute and ripe grain to burst from the earth, For each Raise, the Nezumi may take
Area of Effect: 1 creature enough nutritous food to satisfy one one other willing creature into I’thich
Range: Name adult or two pups for one day. The with him.
Effect: This spell is a new form of food is tough but edible to humans or
conjuring intended to draw on that Naga, and they will require water
most mysterious and unpredictable (Nezumi can quench their thirst with
power of humans – luck. At any time fruit juice). For each Raise, enough
during the spell’s duration, the target food for an extra Nezumi is
may re-roll one of his die rolls and produced.
keep the better result.
319
Importune Transcendent Name Friend Smite the Nameless
Duration: 1 hour Duration: Permanent Duration: Instantaneous
Area of Effect: Self Area of Effect: 1 Small Animal Area of Effect: 1 Creature
Range: Self Range: 10’ Range: 100’
Special: Dance, Bleeding (5 Special: - Special: Bleeding for Raise (2
Wounds), Backlash (2x) Effect: This spell allows the caster to Wounds), Backlash (1x)
Effect: After casting this spell, the share his Name with one small Effect: This spell summons the purity
shaman falls into a deep sleep from animal (usually a ferret or cat). of the shaman’s spirit and sends it
which he cannot be awakened. Forever after, this animal and the forth as a beam of crystal energy. The
During this time, he faces the spirit of Nezumi are one. They can understand beam inflicts 3k3 Wounds on
a Transcendent and may ask it each other’s speech, instantly sense creatures corrupted by the
questions (if the shaman has a when the other is in danger, and can Shadowlands Taint or Lying
Transcendent guardian, the sense each other’s general distance Darkness. If accidently used upon a
Transcendent is always the one who and direction. The animal also shares target not corrupted by either of these
answers). Roll the shaman’s Name the Nezumi’s immunity to the forces, the beam rebounds on the
Lore + Perception vs. TN 10. If the Shadowlands Taint. caster and damages him instead.
roll is successful, the Transcendent The animal will be favorably Raises may be made to affect
will answer one question, plus an disposed toward the shaman and help additional targets, striking one extra
additional question per Raise made him as much as it is able, but will target per Raise. Raises may be made
on the skill roll. While the also depend upon him for food and to increase damage, allowing you to
Transcendent have access to a great protection. The caster does not roll and keep one additional die.
deal of information, the answers they control the animal, though he can
give are often phrased in the form of train it normally. If this animal dies,
a riddle or another question. When all the caster loses one rank of Name.
questions have been asked, the The caster may have only one Name
shaman finds that the spell is cast Friend at a time.
more than once per week, the
Transcendent becomes annoyed and Name Weapon
demands a service in return for its aid Way of the Ratling 77
Mastery Level: 1
Mend Name Duration: 1 Year
Way of the Ratling 76 Area of Effect: 1 Weapon
Mastery Level: 1 Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent Special: Dance
Area of Effect: 1 Target Effect: By casting this spell, the
Range: Touch shaman places a bit of his Name in a
Special: Bleeding for Raise (1 weapon, increasing the weapon’s
Wound) strength and durability. The shaman
Effect: This spell can only be cast of may add his Name + School Rank to
the caster knows the target’s True all damage rolls with the weapon is
Name. It returns a wounded Name to destroyed, the Nezumi loses a full
its proper form, healing physical rank of Name.
damage. The target immediately A shaman may only have one Named
heals Wounds equal to the caster’s weapon at a time, typically a spear,
Name. bow, or dagger. These weapons are
This spell can be used to repair always decorated with feathers,
broken, burnt, or damages inanimate beads, and symbols of their owner’s
objects weighing less than one pound power.
320
Burn Name weapon immediately appear, but he Purify Name
Way of the Ratling 77 may attack with it in the same round. Way of the Ratling 78
Mastery Level: 2 If the shaman intends to summon his Mastery Level: 2
Duration: Instantaneous weapon and attack, he gains a +5 to Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: 1 Target his Initiative for that Round. Area of Effect: 1 Target
Range: 100’ Range: Touch
Special: Backlash (2x) Conjure Perfect Self Special: Dance (optional)
Effect: Shaman summons the Way of the Ratling 77 Effect: This spell can only be cast
strength of his Name to unravel the Mastery Level: 2 upon a subject’s True Name. It is
target’s sense of identity. Bright Duration: Permanent essentially an improved version of
energies crackle between the caster Area of Effect: Self Mend Name, wherein the shaman
and target, inflicting XkX damage Range: Self directs his own strength of Name into
where X is the caster’s Name. Special: Dance, Backlash (2x) the target, returning the target to a
If used against an inanimate object, Effect: By throwing himself into this truer version of itself. The spell
this spell starts a fire. If there is no ritual dance, the Nezumi restores the removes all poisons and disease from
fuel, the flame dies out naturally. most perfect version of his own the target’s system, though it does not
Name. At the end of the spell, all of cure any Wounds already done by
Conjure Animal the Nezumi’s current Wounds are these effects.
Way of the Ratling 77 healed. The GM may raise the TN of this
Mastery Level: 2 spell as he sees fit for effects which
Duration: 1 hour Hide Name are particularly potent or magical.
Area of Effect: 1 animal Way of the Ratling 78 Certain poisons and diseases cannot
Range: Special Mastery Level: 2 be cured at all. If the poison was
Special: Bleeding (4 Wounds), Duration: Permanent created by a character (PC or NPC),
Backlash (2x) Area of Effect: 1 Creature add that character’s Poison Skill x
Effect: This spell can be used to Range: Touch School Rank to the TN to cast this
transport one animal to the caster’s Special: - spell. If the shaman knows the True
location. The animal must be a native Effect: This subtle protective magic Name of the poisoner, this increase in
creature within one mile. The spell used to protect the tribe from enemy TN is negated.
cannot summon a specific animal (it shamans. Its effect is simple – it
can summon a horse, but not Shinjo slightly changes the True Name of Seek Name
Yasamura’s horse). The chosen the target. Any other shaman who Way of the Ratling 78
animal appears at a random location wishes to use magic with a Range of Mastery Level: 2
within 100’ of the caster and behaves Name against the target must learn Duration: Instantaneous
normally. Randomly conjured the target’s True Name again. Area of Effect: 1 creature
animals are confused by the sudden Range: 100’
change in location and either flee or Name Talent Special: Bleeding for Raise (1
attack the nearest target, depending Way of the Ratling 78 Wound)
upon their nature. The summoned Mastery Level: 2 Effect: This spell allows the shaman
animal may not weigh more than two Duration: 1 hour to look into the spirit world and
hundred pounds per rank of the Area of Effect: Self discover the True Name of the target.
shaman. Range: Self This spell’s TN is always increased
Special: Backlash (2x) by the target’s highest Ring x School
Conjure Named Weapon Effect: By conjuring the power of Rank.
Way of the Ratling 77 this magic the shaman alters hos
Mastery Level: 2 Name, adding experiences cultivated
Duration: Instantaneous from the dreams of others. For the
Area of Effect: Name Weapon duration of this spell, the caster may
Range: Name use any one skill as if he had a Rank
Special: - in that skill equal to his Name.
Effect: To cast this spell, the shaman
needs a Named weapon. This spell
conjures the shaman’s weapon to his
hand. Not only does the shaman’s
321
Share Cunning
Mastery Level: 2
Duration: 1 Minute
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Range: Name
Special: -
Effect: Using this magic shares a bit
of the shaman’s Name with the
target. The caster selects one of his
Skills. For the duration of the spell,
the target may use the Skill at the
caster’s current Skill Rank, and the
caster is considered unskilled.
Raises may be made to increase the
effect. For every Raise made an
additional Skill can be shared.
Share Name
Mastery Level: 2
Duration: 1 year
Area of Effect: 1 willing creature
Range: Touch
Special: Dance
Effect: By casting this spell, the
target shares his name with another
living being. For the duration of the
spell, the caster knows the target’s
True Name as well as he knows his
own, and can change it as he can
change his own. All spells that affect
one affect the other, for good or ill.
(This happens whether the spell is
Name magic or other forms of
magic). The caster and the target
always know each other’s location
and direction in regard to themselves.
A shaman’s Name may only be
shared with one creature at a time.
322
Bonds of Blood causing a +5 TN penalty for the Curse of No-Lips
Way of the Ratling 78 target’s next action within one round. Way of the Ratling 80
Mastery Level: 3 Mastery Level: 3
Duration: Instantaneous Conjure Trickster Duration: 1 minute
Area of Effect: 1 Creature Way of the Ratling 79 Area of Effect: 1 creature
Range: 100’ Mastery Level: 3 Range: Name
Special: Bleeding (Special and for Duration: 1 Month Special: Bleeding (5 Wounds),
Raise) Area of Effect: 1 Mujina Bleeding for Raise (Wounds),
Effect: This rather ghastly spell has Range: 10’ Backlash (3x)
played a large part in Rokugani Special: Dance Effect: This powerful curse is often
prejudices against Name Magic, as it Effect: This spell allows the caster to used to disable enemy shamans and
is very similar in appearance to summon a Mujina from Sakkaku, the other spell casters. The Nezumi sends
maho. The shaman slices open his World of Mischief. The Mujina will forth the power of his Name and
hand and releases the boiling torrent demand a gift, usually a small steals a bit of the target’s Name. The
of bloody red energy at the target. amount of gold, jewels, or an mouth of the target is sealed over
This energy inflicts 6k3 Wounds. intricately crafted toy. If the Mujina with flesh for the duration of the
When rolling damage for this spell, approves of the gift, it serves the spell, making spell casting or any
keep track of the unkept dice. This is caster dutifully for one month. If the meaningful verbal communication
the number of Wounds. When rolling Mujina is not satisfied by the gift, it impossible.
damage for this spell, keep track of returns to Sakkaku in a puff of smoke
the unkept dice. This is the number of and cannot be summoned again for Find Name
Wounds the shaman takes from another month. If treated well and Way of the Ratling 80
Bleeding. given another gift at least once a Mastery Level: 3
Raise may be made to increase the month, the Mujina remains in the Duration: Instantaneous
area of effect. For each Raise, an caster’s service. The shaman may not Area of Effect: 1 Target
additional target is affected. have more than one Mujina servant at Range: Name
Raises may be made to increase the a time. Special: Bleeding for Raise (2
damage. Each Raise allows the Even a loyal Mujina will not enter Wounds), Backlash (3x)
shaman to roll and keep an extra dice combat unless it has no other choice. Effect: By casting this spell, the
for damage. These tricksters are more likely to shaman gains a momentary mental
Raises may only be made for this distract or confound opponents so image of one creature or item of
spell via Bleeding, using the number that their shaman can escape. A which he knows the True Name. He
of Wounds inflicted on the caster as shaman who causes the death of his also receives a vague impression of
the Bleeding number. mujina cannot summon another for at the target’s general direction and
least one year. distance from himself. If the spell
Conjure Thoughts Mujina: fails, the target gains a mental image
Way of the Ratling 79 Trickster Spirit of the shaman’s location instead. This
Mastery Level: 3 Tomb of Iuchiban 28 spell has a casting time of ten
Duration: Instantaneous Earth: 1 minutes.
Area of Effect: 1 creature Fire: 2 Agility 6 With two Raises, this spell’s duration
Range: 100’ Water: 2 Strength 3 is extended to one minute. For each
Special: Backlash (3x) Air: 2 Reflexes 5 additional Raise after that, the caster
Effect: This spell allows the caster to Skills: Defense 5, Athletics 5 can spy on his target for an additional
Attack: 3k2 minute.
reach into the mind of one creature
Damage: 1k1 (rocks or other hurled
within range and borrow his, her or
objects)
it’s thoughts for a moment. If the Name Warren
TN to Hit: -
spell is successful, the caster Armor: - Way of the Ratling 80
immediately knows what the target Wounds: - Mastery Level: 3
was thinking during that round. If Special Abilities: They are essentially Duration: 1 Year
used properly, this spell can be used spirits, and suffer no damage from Area of Effect: 1 Warren
to detect falsehoods or discern physical blows and cannot be harmed Range: Name
motives. by most spells. Elemental Ward keeps Special: Dance
If the caster makes two Raises, the them at bay, which is usually enough to Effect: By using this spell, the caster
target loses his train of thought, get them to move on. They lack the extends a bit of his Name into this
patience to wait out a warding spell. home, whether that home is a warren,
323
burrow, cave, or castle. While within Raises can be made to increase the when the shaman wields it. Each of
the Named area, all friendly magic effect. For every Raise, the target’s these extra dice must be allotted to
(even non-Nezumi magic) gains a TN to be Hit again increased by an either attack or damage rolls when
free Raise. All enemy magic, or amount equal to twice the caster’s the spell is cast.
magic cast with a harmful intent Name. The caster’s TN is reduced by
toward the caster or tribe, has its TN an equal amount. The shaman may Trade Name
is increased by 10. A caster may only not grant the target a bonus greater Way of the Ratling 81
have one Named Warren at a time. A than his own total TN to be Hit. Mastery Level: 3
Warren may only have one of these Duration: Instantaneous
spells in place at a time. Strengthen Named Weapon Area of Effect: 2 Creatures
Way of the Ratling 80 Range: 100’
Shield Name Mastery Level: 3 Special: -
Way of the Ratling 80 Duration: 1 Day Effect: This magic allows the caster
Mastery Level: 3 Area of Effect: Named Weapon to twist the bindings of reality,
Duration: 1 minute Range: Touch causing two living creatures within
Area of Effect: 1 creature Special: Dance range to instantly switch places. Both
Range: Name Effect: To cast this spell, the caster targets are disorientated for one
Special: Bleeding for Raise (3 must have a Named Weapon. This round, and can take no action but Full
Wounds) magic allows the caster to Defense.
Effect: This simple spell allows the temporarily invest a larger amount of This spell can only be cast if the
shaman to extend the protection of energy into his weapon. This energy caster knows the True Names of both
his Name into the target. While this is offered up in the form of spell targets.
spell is in effect, the caster’s TN to be slots. For every three spell slots
Hit is reduced by twice his Name. invested in this magic (including the
The target’s TN to be Hit is increased one used to cast this spell) the Named
by the same amount. Weapon rolls and keeps an extra die
324
Bind Name ingredients that the shaman must

Way of the Ratling 81 Conjure Name harvest (GM’s discretion). The
Mastery Level: 4 Way of the Ratling 81 paint’s magic lasts until it is smeared
Duration: 1 hour Mastery Level: 4 upon a living creature, or until the
Area of Effect: 1 creature Duration: Instantaneous paint spoils (if perishable).
Range: Name Area of Effect: Shared Name The shaman who created the paint
Special: Dance, Backlash (4x) Range: Name must personally apply it to the target
Effect: this spell binds the caster’s Special: - (covering clothing and armor as well
Name to the target’s temporarily, Effect: The shaman reaches out to as the body), and must paint the
subverting the target’s will. The distant parts of his Name, and pulls target with wild representations of the
caster’s soul transfers into the target’s them together once more. This spell power of their Name: thus the
body and the target’s control of can be used to instantly summon a shaman must know the target’s True
himself is suppressed. The caster’s creature who has been targeted by the Name. Once the paint is in place, the
body appears to be in a trance for the Share Name, Conjure Trickster, or target gains a single Nezumi
duration. The caster gains complete Name Friend spell or bring a names Advanced Ability or a single
control of the target’s body, though item (such as a Named Weapon or a Advantage that could be purchased in
he cannot use the target’s Skills, Set Blood Aside crystal) to the play. This advantage may not have a
Techniques, or magic. While caster’s presence. Alternately, the Character Point cost higher than
possessing the target, the caster’s caster may choose to use the spell to twice the Target’s Name. No more
mental Traits remain his own, but he send himself to such an item or than one application of this war paint
gains the physical Traits of the target. creature’s location, or to return may affect a target at a time.
Wounds are unaffected by this himself to his Named Warren.
charge. The target can see and hear Set Blood Aside
everything the caster does during the Fracture Name Way of the Ratling 82
spell’s duration, but is helpless to Way of the Ratling 81 Mastery Level: 4
interfere. If the target dies while the Mastery Level: 4 Duration: Permanent
caster is in his/her body, the caster Duration: Instantaneous Area of Effect: Self
dies as well. Area of Effect: 1 Creature Range: Special
Range: 100’ Special: Bleeding (Special)
Close the Door Special: Bleeding (6 Wounds), Effect: The caster sets some of his
Way of the Ratling 81 Bleeding for Raise (6 Wounds), own blood aside for future use.
Mastery Level: 4 Backlash (4x) Bleeding for this spell can be any
Duration: Instantaneous Effect: The caster sends waves of amount up to three-quarters of
Area of Effect: 1 Spirit disruptive energy toward the target, caster’s total Wounds. The blood
Range: 10’ breaking off small bits of its Name. transforms into pure energy and is
Special: Backlash (4x) This potent spell does (2X) kX stored within a small crystal (which
Effect: This spell must be cast on one Wounds, where X is the caster’s the caster must provide). At any later
spirit that is not native to Ningen-Do. Name. If the caster knows his target’s time, the caster may break this crystal
(Kappa, mujina, oni, yurei, shiryo, True Name, he keeps two additional and order the blood into himself or
hegeyokai, gaki, oni, and baku are all dice of damage. another creature whom he is
legal targets) The spell servers the touching. This instantly heals a
spirit’s connection to the mortal Paint the Name number of Wounds equal to the
world, sending it back to its own Way of the Ratling 82 amount bled to cast this spell. A
realm. The creature cannot return Mastery Level: 4 caster may only have one Set Blood
under its own power for a year and a Duration: Special Aside crystal at a time.
day, though it can try to access the Area of Effect: 1 pot of paint
mortal realm through other means Range: Touch
(such as the Festering Pit, Volturnum, Special: Dance
or the assistance of a mortal Effect: This spell summons the power
summoner). of raw Name Magic from the Realm
This spell cannot be cast unless the of Dreams and infuses it into a pot of
caster knows the target’s True Name. war paint. This paint must be
specially prepared beforehand and
may contain rare or unusual
325
Steal Cunning
Mastery Level: 4
Duration: 1
Area of Effect: 1 Creature
Range: Name
Special: Bleeding (4 Wounds),
Bleeding for Raise (4 Wounds).
Backlash (4x)
Effect: The caster temporarily
borrows a bit of the target’s Name.
Select one skill known by the target.
For the duration of the spell, the
caster gains that skill at the target’s
Rank, and the target is considered
unskilled. If the target is unwilling,
the TN of this spell is increased by
the Rank of the skill times two. You
must know the True Name of the
target for this spell to be effective.
Twist Name
Mastery Level: 4
Duration: 1 Day
Area of Effect: 1 Creature
Range: Name
Special: Dance, Bleeding (20
Wounds)
Effect: This potent curse allows the
shaman to greatly alter the target’s
identity, and is among the most
feared magics of the Namebinders.
For the duration of the spell, the
target gains a Disadvantage of the
caster’s choice. Others automatically
react to target as if they are aware of
the Disadvantage. When the spell
ends, all effects of the Disadvantage
vanishes and those who were affected
are left wondering what happened.
In the case of a Disadvantage with
variable effects (like Dark Secret) the
details are left to the GM. No
Disadvantage bestowed may have a
point cost greater than the caster’s
Name.
326
Conjure Chitatchikkan’s Fury Conjure Storm Take Name

Duration: 1 Hour Duration: Special Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: Willing Creature Area of Effect: 1 Mile Radius Area of Effect: 1 Creature
Range: Name Range: Immediate area Range: Name
Special: Bleeding (20 Wounds), Special: Dance, Bleeding (10 Special: Dance, Bleeding (30
Bleeding for Raise (20 Wounds), Wounds), Bleeding for Raise (10 Wounds) Backlash (30x)
Backlash (5x) Wounds), Backlash (5x) Effect: This is the most feared of all
Effect: For the duration of this spell Effect: The shaman claps his hands Nezumi magics. The target’s name is
the target is enhanced by the berserk and summons a terrible thunderstorm taken away forever. The target still
fury of the Chitatchikkan. The target from the sky. The storm is centered exists, but no one else remembers
rolls and keeps extra dice equal to the on the caster but does not harm him him except for the caster. His family
caster’s Name on all attack rolls. All or those who remain within twenty is now someone else’s family. The
Wounds Penalties (including Down, feet (though they will get quiet wet). deeds he accomplished are
Out, and Dead) are negated for the Visibility drops to five feet and earth remembered as if someone else had
Duration of the spell. The target is immediately turns into thick mud. done them.
aware of his Wounds, but can remain Lightning strikes a random object Those who were particularly close to
fighting until he is dead. within the area once per minute, the target may notice discrepancies.
Raises can be made to increase the inflicting 10k10 Wounds. If the (“you say you saved my life at the
area of effect. For each two Raises caster stays at the center of the storm, Battle of Beiden Pass? No you didn’t.
made, an additional target is affected, he can direct one lightning bolt at Matsu Gohei did. . . Wait a minute. I
specific targets once every ten didn’t meet Matsu Gohei till three
Conjure Nightmare minutes. months after that battle. What’s going
Way of the Ratling 83 This spell’s duration is equal to the on?”)
Mastery Level: 5 shaman’s Name in hours. It is believed that this magic cannot
Duration: 1 Minute be undone. The shaman has plucked
Area of Effect: 1 Nightmare Conjure Tribe the target’s identity out of the stream
Range: 100’ Way of the Ratling 83 of reality, and the waters have
Special: Backlash (5x) Mastery Level: 5 smoothed around him.
Effect: The Chitatchikkan reaches Duration: Instantaneous Each time this spell is cast, the
into the realm of dreams and pulls out Area of Effect: 10 Ratlings caster’s Void is permanently reduced
a nightmare beast that proceeds to Range: Name by one. Other shamans do no take use
attack everything in sight. Treat this Special: - of this spell lightly, and those who
creature as a randomly created Effect: This spell allows the caster to use it are likely to be visited by other
“Powerful Oni” that has no send a mental summons (up to twenty shamans (who know the signs of its
Shadowlands Taint. words long) to up to ten other use) curious as to why it was used.
creatures whose True Names he
knows. If any of these creatures agree
to assist him, they are immediately
transported to a place of the caster’s
choosing within one hundred feet of
his current location.
327
Dream Forever
Mastery Level: 6
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: Self
Range: Self
Special: Dance
Effect: The caster becomes one of the
Transcendent, casting off his mortal
form and forever entering the Realm
of Dreams. It is unknown how a
Nezumi gains the ability to cast his
spell. Only the Transcendent know
for sure.
328
Rememberer: Memory Sticks (“Tchr”)
These are small wooden sticks (about six inches in length and three inches in diameter) cover with pictograms and
varnished strongly with pheromones. A Memory Stick carrier a tale of the tribe’s history. Memory sticks are the only
items of property upon which Nezumi place any sentimental value. Kuni shugenja who have studied Tchr claim that the
Rememberers have somehow awakened the spirit within a simple piece of wood, transforming it into a minor nemuranai
by investing it with a tale of their people. The hoard of sticks in the chambers of the Squeaky Eyeball Tribe’s Council of
the Eye is in actuality a hoard of thousands of Tchr, a priceless treasure in the eyes of any Nezumi.
Creating a Tchr requires four hours of work and an appropriately-sized chunk of wood. At the end of this time, the
Rememberer rolls his Remembering + Intelligence vs a TN determined by the stick he wishes to make. If this roll is
successful, the Rememberer must pay the cost of the stick inexperience points. The stick is immediately ready for use. A
Rememberer may not create a Tchr of higher level than his School Rank.
When holding a Memory Stick, a Nezumi’s mind is filled with the tale it contains. The memories of the past flood the
holder’s soul and bestow extraordinary abilities. Unless noted otherwise, Memory Sticks can be used once per day and
their effects last for five Rounds. A character can hold one Memory Stick in each hand and one in his mouth, activating
them all simultaneously (a weapon and Memory Stick cannot be held in the same hand). If a Memory Stick is dropped,
broken, or put away its effects immediately fade. Two Memory Sticks of the same kind used at once do not provide
cumulative effects.
Raises: A Rememberer may attempt Raises on his Remembering roll when creating a Tchr to increase the item’s power.
The point cost of Memory Stick is increased by the number of Raises made. Each of these effects must be purchased
separately, although the Rememberer can buy an effect more than once. For instance, a Rememberer making three
Raises on his roll could buy an additional die (3 Raises); and additional time increment and an additional charge (1 Raise
plus 2 Raises); or three additional increments (three 1-Raise effects).
1 Raises: The stick may be used one additional time per its normal increment (If the duration is rounds, it lasts one extra
round; it lasts an extra round; if the duration is hours, it lasts an extra hour, etc.)
2 Raises: The stick may be used one additional time per its normal increment. (If it can normally be used once a week,
now it can be used twice, etc.) Sticks which break when used cannot have this ability.
3 Raises: Sticks which allow the carrier to roll and keep an additional die can be made to bestow an additional die.
4 Raises: Two stories may be places within the same stick, allowing the powers of two Memory Sticks contained in one.
The Rememberer must make these five Raises when creating both sticks, and if either roll fails, both fail.
Memory Sticks for New Tribes

If you have created your own Ratling Tribe, ask your GM to select one specific Tchr. Your tribe’s Rememberers can
create this Tchr for two fewer Experience Points
329
Memory Sticks: Rank 1
Ch-tchr (Warrior’s Stick) Nee’nee-tchr (Digger’s Stick) Tcha-tchr (Happy Stick)
TN to Create: 20 TN to Create: 20 TN to Create: 15
Cost: 4 Cost: 2 Cost: 1
Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
mighty warrior. While holding this builder who dug a huge warren in a good-natured Nezumi who always
stick, the Nezumi rolls and keeps and single day. For an hour per day, this did the right thing. Then held, the
extra die with a specific Weapon or stick allows the holder to burrow at Nezumi rolls and keeps an additional
Hand-to-Hand Skill double his normal rate. die on all tests of Name.
A’ichtr’foo-tchr (Mother’s Stick) A’op’chtch-tchr (Father’s Stick) Tek-tchr (Scout’s Stick)

Cost: 3 Cost: 2 points, 1 points for Chipped Cost: 5
Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Tooth Ratlings Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
mother’s love. If carried for a full day Effect: This stick tells the tale of a scout skilled in many things. IT
and held for at least an hour during brave father who rescued his grants its holder one Rank in all
that day, the stick allows the holder kidnapped pup. This stick is attuned Skills in which he is unskilled.
to heal Wounds as if his Stamina to a specific, willing creature (not
were one Rank higher. Raises can be necessary a Nezumi) and is usually Tk’tchr (Wanderer Stick)
made to increase the power of the left behind in the warren. Once per Way of the Ratling 85
stick, increasing the holder’s hour, a Nezumi holding the stick can TN to Create: 10
effective Stamina by 1 per two Raises command it to point unerringly Cost: 1
toward the creature to whom it is Effect: This stick tells the tale of the
Ktch’kirptu-tchr (Builder’s attuned. Chipped Tooth Nezumi founding the tribe. While holding it,
Stick) frequently use these sticks to find the Nezumi always knows the
Way of the Ratling 85 those that have been lost at sea. direction of his home (either the
TN to Create: 10 tribe’s current location or their largest
Cost: 2 established warren). It can be used as
Effect: This stick tells the tale of a often as the holder likes.
clever Builder. While holding this
stick, the Nezumi rolls and keeps an
extra die on a specific Craft Skill.
330
Ch’da-tchr (Food Stick) Ithith-tchr (Scrounger’s Stick) Kufl’kufl-tchr (Runner’s Stick)
Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
time of great abundance, and clever thief. The holder can roll and swift runner. The holder may run and
provides solace during the Lean keep an extra die on Stealth and jump as if his Water Ring were two
Times. By holding this stick for one Sleight of Hand rolls. higher. Raised can be made to
hour, the Nezumi is refreshed as if he increase this effect. For each Raise,
had eaten enough food and drunk Kn’noo’kn’noo-tchr (Lover’s the runner’s effective Water Ring is
enough water to satisfy him for the Stick) increased by one.
day. It may be used once per week. Way of the Ratling 86
TN to Create: 15 Rik’rik-tchr (Friend Stick)
F’chtr-foo-tchr (Home Sticks) Cost: 3 Way of the Ratling 86
Way of the Ratling 86 Effect: This stick tells the tale of a TN to Create: 20
TN to Create: 15 Nezumi who would sacrifice Cost: 5 (4 for Tattered Ear
Cost: 2 anything for his love. The holder of Rememberers)
Effect: The cost and TN involved to this stick can heal up to ten Wounds Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
create F’chtr-foo-tchr actually creates by touch, once per day. The holder Nezumi who had many friends. The
two sticks, attuned to each other. takes an equal amount of Wounds holder may roll and keep an extra die
These paired sticks tell the tale of a whenever the stick is used. on all social skills.
great friendship. Once per hour, each
stick can be commanded to Kufl’kufl-tchr (Runner’s Stick) Wau’tchr (Nose Stick)
unerringly point in the direction of Way of the Ratling 86 Way of the Ratling 86
the other. Remember, Rokugani TN to Create: 15 TN to Create: 25
hours are one-twelfth of a day, not Cost: 3 Cost: 4
one twenty-fourth Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
Nezumi who would sacrifice tracker with a sharp nose. The holder
anything for his love. The holder of may add +20 to all Perception rolls
the stick can heal up to ten Wounds involving scent (including tracking, if
by touch, once per day. The holder the holder has bignose). This ability
takes an equal amount of Wounds is permanent, bestowed as long as the
whenever the stick is used. stick is held.
331
Chitatchikkan-tchr Ratch’ratch-tchr (Trader’s Set’tch-tchr (Wisdom Stick)
(Chitatchikkan’s Stick) Stick) Way of the Ratling 87
Way of the Ratling 86 Way of the Ratling 87 TN to Create: 25
TN to Create: 25 TN to Create: 25 Cost: 2
Cost: 6 (4 for Crippled Bone Cost: 6 Effect: This stick tells the tale of an
Rememberers) Effect: This stick tells the tale of a unanswered question. By breaking
Effect: This stich tells the tale of a wily trader. Once per day, it allows the stick, the holder can ask one
ferocious berserker. The older may the holder to detect whether the last question of a Transcendent, and
roll and keep an extra die on all thing he was told was a lie. receive an answer.
damage rolls.
I’thich-tchr (Dream Stick)

TN to Create: 20
Cost: 4 (2 for Third Whisker
Rememberers)
Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
strange dream. Once per week, the
holder can enter I’thich (the Realm of
Dreams) while sleeping, but remain
aware. (See Appendix in Way of the
Ratling)
Mat’tch’tr-tchr (Demon Stick)

TN to Create: 30
Cost: 7 (5 for Crooked Tail
Rememberers)
great demon defeated by the tribe.
The holder can harm Invulnerable
creatures with any weapon as if it
were a magic, crystal, or jade weapon
Mocha’mocha-tchr (Grass-
Cutter’s Stick)
TN to Create: 30
Cost: 4
mighty master of Mochatchikkan.
When using this stick, the holder
gains a Free Raise on any
Mochatchikkan maneuvers (see the
skill section in this appendix). This
does not include Mochatchikkan
attack rolls, only the Raises needed to
perform complex maneuvers. The
Free Raises do apply to Weapon Bite
rolls, unless the stick is being
clenched in the teeth. Raises can be
made to increase this effect. For
every Raise made during creation, the
user gains an additional Free Raise.
332
A-tchr (Sunlit Stick) Kir-tchr (Shaman’s Stick) Tr-foo-tchr (Life Stick)
Effect: This stick tells a tale of a hero Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
who never lost his way. The holder of mighty shaman. If a shaman holds this wounded warrior. The holder of this
the stick can always see clearly stick, he may cast one spell per day stick can call upon its power once per
regardless of blindness, darkness, or without expending a spell slot. Raise day to restore two levels of Wounds
reduced visibility. The stick’s effects can be made to increase the effect. For to himself or another by touch. Raises
last for one hour per day. every two Raises, the shaman may use can be made to increase this effect.
the stick an additional time per day. For every two Raises, the stick
H-tach-tchr (Poison Stick) restores an additional level of
Way of the Ratling 87 Tich’chik-tchr (Crab Stick) Wounds.
TN to Create: 30 Way of the Ratling 87
Cost: 6 (4 for Green-Green-White TN to Create: 30 Tr’tr-foo-tchr (Spirit Stick)
Remembers) Cost: 8 Way of the Ratling
Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Effect: This stick tells the tale of the TN to Create: 20
great herbalist. Once per week, the Nezumi’s friendship with the Crab Cost: 5
holder can call upon the stick’s Clan. When it is held, the holder’s Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
power to cure a poison within his TN to be hit is increased by 10 as if terrible spirit that once haunted a
body. At the GM’s discretion poisons he were wearing the heavy armor of a warren, and how the tribe freed it
may be unaffected. Crab bushi. This bonus is not from its wandering. For one hour per
cumulative with real armor. day, the holder of this stick can
Raises may be made to increase this understand and be understood by
effect. For every Raise made, the TN ghosts, including gaki, yurei, and
bonus of the magical armor is shiryo. At the very least, the holder
increased by 1. may be able to divide what causes a
haunting spirit to linger, and how to
go about helping it free itself.
333
Chuk’tek-tchr (Chieftain’s N-ki-tchr (Evil Stick) Tppu-tchr (Treasure Stick)
Stick) Way of the Ratling 88 Way of the Ratling 88
Way of the Ratling 35 TN to Create: 35 TN to Create: 30
TN to Create: 35 Cost: 15 Cost: 5 (3 for Grasping Paw
Cost: 10 Effect: This stick tells the tale of the Rememberers)
Effect: This stick tells the tale of a Terrible Day When Air Became Fire Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
great chieftain. While holding this and Heaven Fell From Its Perch to great treasure yet to be found. Once
stick, the holder can bestow three Crush Our Glorious Home Beneath per hour, the stick can be commanded
Ranks of any skill he knows on, up to Its Blackened Corpse. The stick’s to point to the nearest source of value
ten others who follow his commands. holder cannot be harmed by the treasure not yet owned by the tribe.
Raises can be made to increase this beasts of the Shadowlands. Any This treasure could be food, gold,
effect. For every Raise made, the Shadowlands Tainted creature must shiny objects, or any of a variety of
followers gain an additional Rank of succeed at a Willpower roll vs. TN things, but it will always be
the Skill. Followers cannot gain a 35 to attack or harm the holder in any something that the tribe could use
Skill at a higher Rank than the holder way. If the holder attacks a and conceivably attain. The stick
of the stick. Shadowlands creature, the stick no immediately attunes itself to the
longer protects him from that treasure and can henceforth be used
M’atch-tek-tchr (Tomorrow creature. to find the treasure no matter where it
Stick) Raises can be made to increase the is located, even after the tribe has
Way of the Ratling 88 power of the stick. For each Raise acquired the treasure.
TN to Create: 25 made, the Willpower TN is increased
Cost: 5 by 5.
Nezumi destined to battle Tomorrow Tch’tch’tchr (Rememberer’s
– and win. The stick must be attuned Stick)
to a specific Nezumi, and need not be Way of the Ratling 88
carried to be effective. The attuned TN to Create: 35
Nezumi gains the Great Destiny Cost: 20
Advantage so long as the stick Effect: This stick tells the tale of a
remains intact, even if he is not great Rememberer. When held by a
currently holding the stick. As soon Rememberer, the cost of creating any
as the stick saves the Nezumi’s life other Tchr is reduced by two points,
once, it breaks. If the stick breaks to a minimum of one. The stick can
prematurely, the Nezumi attuned to it only be used once per month. Most
dies. large tribes have at least one of these
A Rememberer who makes this stick sticks, passed down to the most
must wait until it is broken before important Rememberer of the tribe as
making another. a sign of their office.
334
Appendix III: Character Sheets
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
Index
Advantages 11 Crab Clan
Agasha Family Crab Clan Ancestors 38
Agasha Family Ancestors 43 Crab Clan Fortune Tables 58
Agasha Family Traits 7 Crab Clan Heritage Tables 56
Agasha Shugenja School 105 Crab Clan Schools 83
Air Kiho 252 Crane, Animal 204
Air Spells 213 Crane Clan
Akodo Family Crane Clan Ancestors 41
Akodo Bushi School 112 Crane Clan Fortune Tables 61
Akodo Family Ancestors 44 Crane Clan Heritage Tables 59
Akodo Family Traits 7 Crane Clan Schools 90
Akodo War College, School 112 Crocodile, Animal 204
Alchemy Items 198 Crystal Weapons 197
Ape, Animal 208 Deer, Animal 210
Armor 178 Diadoji Family
Asahina Family Diadoji Bodyguard School 92
Asahina Family Ancestors 41 Diadoji Family Ancestors 41
Asahina Family Traits 7 Diadoji Family Traits 7
Asahina Shugenja School 90 Diadoji Tsume Pikeman School 91
Asako Family Disadvantages 25
Asako Family Ancestors 46 Dog, Animal 204
Asako Family Traits 7 Doji Family
Asako Henshin Academy, School 119 Doji Courtier School 93
Badger, Animal 203 Doji Family Ancestors 41
Badger, Minor Clan Doji Family Traits 7
Badger, Ichiro Family Traits 8 Doji Magistrate School 95
Badger Bushi School 146 Doji Tsume Pikeman School 91
Bat, Animal 203 Dragon Clan
Bayushi Family Dragon Clan Ancestors 43
Bayushi Bushi School 126 Dragon Clan Fortune Tables 62
Bayushi Courtier School 127 Dragon Clan Schools 105
Bayushi Family Ancestors 48 Dragonfly, Minor Clan
Bayushi Family Traits 7 Dragonfly, Tonbo Family 8
Bayushi Saboteur School 128 Dragonfly Shugenja School 150
Bear, Animal 203 Eagle, Animal 203
Boar, Animal 203 Earth Kiho 254
Boar Minor Clan Earth Spells 223
Boar Bushi School 146 Elephant 205
Boar, Heichi Family Trait 8 Elixirs 199
Boar Weapon, Mai Chong 185 Emerald Magistrate Dojo, School 139
Brotherhood of Shinsei, Temple Schools 154 Equipment 177
Cat, Animal 205 Experience Points 6
Centipede, Minor Clan Falcon, Animal 204
Centipede, Moshi Family Traits 8 Falcon, Minor Clan
Centipede Shugenja School 149 Falcon, Toritaka Family 8
Clans 7 Falcon Bushi, Ghost Hunter School 147
343
Families, by Clan 7 Jade Petal Tea 197
Ferret, Animal 205 Jade Powder 197
Fire Kiho 256 Jade Weapons 197
Fire Spells 230 Kaiu Family
Flying Squirrel 206 Kaiu Engineering School 86
Fox, Animal 204 Kaiu Family Ancestors 40
Fox Minor Clan Kaiu Family Traits 7
Fox, Kitsuke Family Traits 8 Kagaku, Alchemy Items 198
Fox Shugenja School 147 Kakita Family
Gaijin Gear 201 Kakita Artisan Academy, School 96
Goat 206 Kakita Dueling Academy, School 104
Hare, Animal 206 Kakita Family Ancestors 42
Hare Bushi School 152 Kakita Family Traits 7
Hida Family Katas
Hida Family Ancestors 38 Kata Falling Stars 111
Hida Family Traits 7 Kata Fury Without End 112, 114
Hida War College, School 83 Kata Heaven’s Wing 122
Hiruma Family Kata One Leg Stance 104
Hiruma Berserker School 86 Kata Rising Claws 126
Hiruma Bushi School, Lost 84 Kata Shards of Earth 83
Hiruma Family Ancestors 40 Kata Striking as Fire 155
Hiruma Family Traits 7 Kata Striking as Water 155
Hiruma Scout School 85 Kata Thundering the Sky 136
Hitomi Family Traits 7 Kitsu Family
Horse 207 Kitsu Ancestor Magic School 116
Ide Family Kitsu Family Ancestors 45, 46
Ide Emissary School 133 Kitsu Family Traits 7
Ide Family Ancestors 50 Kitsu Shugenja School 115
Ide Family Traits 7 Kitsuki Family
Ikoma Family Kitsuki Family Traits 7
Ikoma Family Ancestors 44 Kitsuki Magistrate School 110
Ikoma Family Traits 7 Kiho (Martial Arts) 252
Ikoma Omoidasu School 113 Air Kiho 252
Ikoma Tactical School 114 Earth Kiho 254
Imperial Ancestors 52 Fire Kiho 256
Imperial Schools 139 Water Kiho 258
Isawa Family Void Kiho 260
Isawa Family Ancestors 47 Kolat Heritage Tables 80
Isawa Family Traits 7 Kuni Family
Isawa Shugenja School 121 Kuni Family Ancestors 40
Isawa Tensai School 121 Kuni Family Traits 7
Ise Zumi Order of the Tattooed Men, 106 Kuni Shugenja School 87
School Kuni Witch Hunting School 87
Ise Zumi Tattoos 106 Lion, Animal 118, 205
Iuchi Family Lion Clan
Iuchi Family Ancestors 50 Lion Clan Ancestors 44
Iuchi Family Traits 7 Lion Clan Fortune Tables 67
Iuchi Shugenja School 134 Lion Clan Heritage Tables 64
344
Lion Clan Schools 112 Nezumi (see Ratling) 284
Maho Spells 247 Ninjutsu Equipment 191
Mantis Minor Clan Obsidian Weapons 197
Mantis Bushi School 8 Octopus, Animal 208
Mantis Clan Weapons 188 Otaku Family
Mantis, Yoritomo Family Trait 148 Otaku Battle Maiden School 135
Martial Arts (see Kiho) 260 Otaku Family Ancestors 51
Otaku Family Traits 7
Matsu Family Otomo Family
Matsu Beastmasters Advanced 118 Otomo Family Traits 8
School Otomo Seiyaku School 141
Matsu Bushi School 117 Phoenix Clan
Matsu Family Ancestors 43 Phoenix Clan Ancestors 46
Matsu Family Traits 7 Phoenix Clan Fortune Tables 71
Minor Clans Phoenix Clan Heritage Tables 70
Minor Clan Ancestors 53 Phoenix Clan Schools 119
Minor Clan Families Traits 8 Poisons 193
Minor Clan Heritage Tables 78 Purification Spells 212
Minor Clans Schools 145 Ratlings 285
Mirumoto Family Ratling Advantages 294
Mirumoto Bushi School 111 Ratling Character Creation 285
Mirumoto Family Ancestors 43 Ratling Disadvantages 297
Mirumoto Family Traits 7 Ratling Equipment 317
Miya Family Ratling Heritage Tables 300
Miya Family Ancestors 52 Ratling Language 314
Miya Family Traits 8 Ratling Name Magic 318
Mizugusuri Elixirs 199 Ratling Rememberer Sticks 318
Monkey 208 Ratling Schools 304
Moto Family Ratling Skills 310
Moto Bushi School 134 Ratling Tribes 290
Moto Family Ancestors 50 Ratling Unarmed Fighting Style 312
Moto Family Traits 7 Ronin
Naga 261 Ronin Ancestors 55
Fire Salamander, Naar Teban 268 Ronin Character Creation 9
Naga Abomination Tables 278 Ronin Equipment Table 10
Naga Advantages 269 Ronin Heritage Tables 78
Naga Bloodlines 265 Ronin School 153
Naga Character Creation 263 Scorpoin Clan
Naga Disadvantages 272 Scorpion Clan Ancestors 48
Naga Heritage Tables 273 Scorpion Clan Fortune Tables 74
Naga Karma Tables 277 Scorpion Clan Heritage Tables 72
Naga Pearl Magic 284 Scorpoin Clan Schools 126
Naga Schools 280 Seppun Family
Naga Skills 272 Seppun Family Ancestors 52
New Path Schools Seppun Family Traits 8
New Path Defenders of Uikku, Shiba 123 Seppun Miharu School 143
New Path Tsume Pikeman, Diadoji 91 Seppun Shugenja School 144
New Path Tsume Pikeman, Doji 91 Shadow Brands 131
345
Shark, Animal 208 Tatoos, Ise Zumi 106
Shiba Family Tenjina Magic 131
Shiba Bodyguard School 125 Tiger 205
Shiba Bushi School 122 Togashi Family Traits 7
Shiba Defenders of Uikku School 123 Tortoise Bushi School 151
Shiba Family Ancestors 47, 52 Toturi’s Army, School 153
Shiba Family Traits 7 Traits, by Family 7
Shiba Tenjina School 124 Unicorn Clan
Shinjo Family Unicorn Clan Ancestors 50
Shinjo Bushi School 136 Unicorn Clan Fortune Tables 77
Shinjo Family Ancestors 51 Unicorn Clan Heritage Tables 75
Shinjo Family Traits 7 Unicorn Clan School 133
Shinjo Magistrate School 137 Universal, Basic, Spells 211
Shinjo Scout School 138 Void Kiho 260
Shosuro Family Void Spells 243
Shosuro Actors, Butei School 129 Ward Magic 132
Shosuro Assassins, Shinobi School 130 Water Kiho 258
Shosuro Family Ancestors 48 Water Spells 235
Shosuro Family Traits 7 Wasp Bushi School 153
Snake, Animal 209 Weapons 183
Snake Shugenja School 146 Wolf, Animal 204
Soshi Family Yasuki Family
Soshi Family Ancestors 48 Yasuki Family Ancestors 40
Soshi Family Traits 7 Yasuki Family Traits 7
Soshi Magic 131 Yasuki Merchant School 88
Soshi Shugenja School 131 Yasuki Taskmaster School 89
Sparrow Minor Clan Yogo Family
Sparrow Bushi School 150 Yogo Family Ancestors 49
Sparrow, Suzume Family Trait 8 Yogo Family Traits 7
Special Materials 197 Yogo Kuwasu Magic 132
Squid, Animal 208 Yogo Shugenja School 132
Squirrel, Flying; Animal 206
Stag, Animal 210
346

L5R 1st Edition Player&#39;s Compendium

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L5R 1st Edition Player&#39;s Compendium

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Player’s Compendium

This is a compilation of the player’s materials such as: families,

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Legend of the Five Rings Character Generation

Step One: Choose a Clan

Step Two: Choose a Family

Step Three: Choose a School

Step Five: Calculate Insight Insight Rank

Step Six: Calculate Wounds

Raise Traits or Void:

Crab Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Crane Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Dragon Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Lion Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Phoenix Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Scorpion Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Unicorn Clan: Families & Trait Advantages

Minor Clans: Families & Trait Advantages

Mantis Sparrow Tortoise Wasp

Legend of the Five Rings Ronin Generation

A Heart of Vengeance (Way of Scorpion) Restrictions: - 3 points

Absolute Direction (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 1 points

Allies (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 or 4 points

Ambidextrous (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

Balance (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 4 points

Benten’s Blessing (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (2 points for Crane) 3 points

Blackmail (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - Victim’s Glory in points

Bland (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 2 points

Blood of Osono-Wo (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 3 points

Bloodlines (L5R RPG) Restrictions: Kitsu only 5 points

Cadence (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: Crane only 3 points

Chosen by the Oracles (Way of the Pheonix) Restrictions: - 5 points

Clan Background (Way of the Shinsei) Restrictions: - 1 points

Clear Thinker (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

Combat Reflexes (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - 2 points

Crab Hands (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 8 points

Crafty (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: - 3 points

Dangerous Beauty (Kyuden Seppun) Restrictions: - (1 Scorpion) 2 points

Daredevil (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 4 points

Darling of the Court (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - 4 points

Death Trance (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (2 for Lion) 3 points

Ear of the Emperor (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: - 5 points

Elemental Attunement (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: - 6 points

Elemental Convergence (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: Ishiken only 6 points

Gaijin Gear (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: Unicorn only 2 points

Gentry (Kyuden Seppun 95) Restrictions: Samurai (Varies) points

Hands of Stone (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 5 points

Heartless (Way of the Scorpion) Restrictions: - 2 points

Heisho (Bearers of Jade) Restrictions: - 2 points

Higher Purpose (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 2 points

Inheritance (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (Varies) points

Innate Ability (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 3 points

Inner Gift Way of the Crane 52 Restrictions: - 6 points

Irreproachable (Way of the Unicorn) Restrictions: - 1 point / rank

Ishiken-do (Way of the Phoenix) Restrictions: Isawa shugenja only 5 points

Kaiu Sword (Way of the Crab) Restrictions: - 5 points

Kakita Blade (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - (4 for Crane) 8 points

Kharmic Tie (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - 1-5 points

Large (L5R RPG) Restrictions: - (1 point for Crab) 2 points

Leadership (Way of the Lion) Restrictions: - (4 points for Lion) 7 points

Meek (Kyuden Kakita) Restrictions: - (2 points for Miya) 5 points

Multiple Schools (Way of the Crane) Restrictions: - 5 points

Musha Shugyo (Way of the Wolf) Restrictions: - 4 points

Noble Birth (Way of the Dragon) Restrictions: Monk only 3 points

L5R 1st Edition Player's Compendium

L5R 1st Edition Player's Compendium