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    Legend of The Five Rings 1st Ed Core Rulebook PDF

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    terranova004

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    a ca : rs aT . plar 5 i a A Lia. Ly mp ead ran] 5 A) ACA iM dats : Cc ME . 4 i } ire) ie a2) | 5 Pa ae ~ Bi Z Roleplaying in the Emerald Empire We tell the tales of heroes to remind ourselves that we also can be great. — The Tao of Shinsei Legend of the Five Rings, The Emerald Empire of Rokugan and all other related marks MR Ae) 1996 and 1997 Five Rings Publishing Group, Incorporated, All Rights Reserved, Alderac Entertainment Group, authanzed user. Second Printing. Printed in Canada Written By Joun Wick Rue System by JOHN Wick & Davin WILLIAMS Layout: Steve Houcu, DJ. TRINDLE Layout Design: MattHew D. Witson, DJ. TRinDLE Lint Epivor: D.J. Trinpie Epitinc: DJ. Trinpit. Ros Vaux, Grec STOLZE “CEREMONY OF THE SAMURAI’: Written py ANDREW HECKT, Epitep sy Epwarp BoLme AppiriowaL Writinc py: Davin Wittiams, Roo Vaux, JOHN ZINSER, Greco Stouze, D.J. Trinpie, Ep Botme, ANDREW HECKT Creative Consuctant: Rvan Dancey Cover Artwork: Mattuew D. WiLson INTERIOR ARTWORK: Brian SNODDy, KC Lancaster Maps, CaRTOGRAPHY AND Map Transcations: KC Lancaster Special Thanks JOHN ZiNSER SR., Mary Zinser, Dave Seay, Brian SNODpDY, GREG Sto.ze. Ep Boitme, Anprew Heckt, Ross Isaacs. K.C. Lancaster. Tony KuLt, Jean-Marie Bavevx, Boss Lapy MAvREEN-SAMA AND THE Fripay NIGHT Playtest Crew Dovid Williams wrote or fhe pect write the rules, examples, the Batth System spells, Disadvantages, o lotof the Fire and Air chapters, and made sure everything worked Edwant Bolme and Andrew Heckt proved invaluable with their critiques on rules, history, culture, wrote a lot « spells, magic tems, a lew geographical entries, the adventure in the Book of Void and shared their almost iagleal enthusiasm andl endurance Ross Isaacs assisted with metaphysical thoughts, editing, consistency und [Hendy conversation DJ. Trindle never let me pet away wilh anything Rob Vaux helped write the Geography section, eriliqued and edited much af the history, and helped develop the Crab Clan Greg Stolze edited, threw opinion fils, and provided educated and enlightened insight that was invaluable Marcelo Figueroa created the “Uice solution Meve Hough scanned everything and put if in tis polos (Sensei) Tony Kall showed upevery Friday to clean our clocks and teach us old school pamers whit really hag pens ina five seound combhal round Dave Seay pave me Go Rin ro She and said, “Make it cool like this John Zinser never stopped pushing us to make the bowk what we all wanted tt be Without these lolks, this would have heen a diveless game with five Tratiy | would have never patil attention to a bunch of Skills 1 wouldn't keep track of and a 350 page Bock of Void. Just mentioning them here doesn't do jus tice tothe work they did to make sire this book came oul right Those reho stand alone, fall alin Thank you, thank you. Thank you all JW Legend of the Five Rings is © & ™ 1996, 1997 Five Rings Publishing Group Inc. and is used here under license, A Gauin's GuipE TO RokuGan ......... The Beginning of the World ..,....., The Sun And Moon , 2 c..e.0e40e0050, The Great Sleep of the Naga... ... Children of the Sun And Moon. “When the Last Akwdo Falls”, The Hantei Dynasty The New Wav. A Thousand Years of Peace ROKUGAN i The Bury ohbe Blementaccassas ees eee eee ae eee Culture Women _,, ACBAMLU TES: GU Bosse ener ya RR ares a ga PCPA Ie LAER async aseceg rg gant rasta creeare cura aetna emery alata Language Eeonomy Travel , Food GIDRME scan ryan une See aL Dwellings:sccesnwieninaa aes Castles. occ cies Cities... , i i Bushido; Code of the Warrior... 00.0.0. .c0ccc.ecac ee, Etiquette Politics, . Quick and Dirty Rules. . LOR RPG Golden Rule. Book of Water PatH oF BLoop, Part 2 — SHORT FICTION FROM ROKUGAN CHARACTER CONCEPT ....... The Game of 24) Questions RANSON TDG eossp xc ezsecaxgraveraas pace aa'9. 5 iP aR ERS Ye 52 ABOUT THE CHARACTER SHEET .. Rings and Traits . ele. Wounds Honor sy Insight and School Rank HOU a natridatik patie OvutFit Equrrpment SKILLS Hizh Skills Bugei Skills Merchant Skills ‘cee pye.« Low Skills ui — ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES Advuritapes.,...., Disadvantages CLAN SHEETS . Crab Clan Crane Clan . Dragon Clan Lion Clan . Phoenix Clan sonrpion Clan Unicorn Clan Ronin SKILL, ADVANTAGE, AND DisaDvaNnTaGE List - Book o¢ Fire Pat OF BLoop, Part 3 — SHort FICTION FROM ROKUGAN .... Usinc THE SYSTEM ‘Traits Keeping and Dropping Simple Rolls Contested Holls Working Together Void ; Tests of Honor... ........ Talent vs. Skill ; Combat: SkKIRMISHES EXAMPLE OF A SKIRMISH Combar: BATTLES ....., Gory Awarps anv Losses . . Glory Awards Glory Losses i) ceca vex ae ivads Weapons AnD ARMOR Swords Pole-arms . Baws & Arrows Peasant Weapons : A Visit to the Crab Clan Armory Book o¢ _ | Buipinc Your Campaign gat oa a al | ance ria =e | |] CEREMONY OF THE SAMURAI ~ AN INTRODUCTORY ADVENTURE .. . Bs) AFTERWORD A Path oF BLoop, Part 4 — SHort Fiction FROM RoKUGAN Macic RELIGION Ancestors ...... The Role of the Shugenja .......scs,scissseuscessesevcvsvsievsestveéecsreseeeeeee cl Matia-— Black: Maple sa:siescs ncaa die We Peed RUE Se Pee Folk Magic 2.00... What Magic: Can-and Can't Des occ cen eae ea il Castine A SPELL ......2405 The Basics ..,,..,, Earth Spells Water Spells fire Spells oo. cee eee ewes a (bee eee Air Spells... .....- Book OF vod Paro oF BLoop, Part 5 — SuHorrt Fiction Wuat is A Game Master? ae e ee Running LSR ADVANCED TECHNIQUES ‘| IMPORTANT PEOPLE NEMURANAI = ENCHANTED ITEMS Roxuean’s CALENDAR ........ CREATURES OF ROKUGAN Goblins (Rakemona) Yorei (Ghosts) Shapeshifters 00.0 cece e eee bev esusweeuveeeuwbeebievan Ratlings (Nezumi) Ogres Zombies and Skeletons Kenku Kappa .... PernO RONEN cs aseaea enya PSEA CEE SERA EEE Oni Succrestep READING INDEX PF) CHaracter SHEET senate 152 anaeatiress 195 ADS 196 ica OT hOB wel eevee 200 caisenpaeatlll 204 Cuancep A Ca MDPC) Beet PUM aU Cee Cer OST Tes UU TE HU LOn Tes rules, fix blatant errors and do a gen- Cie mele Te moar ath ea changes can be found Um cael LT me nica rot of all LGR RPG erra> ta, youcan petdi.by PL ee ier | PT teeeere pelt uated envelope to: L5R RPG Errata c/o AEG 4045 Guasti Road Suite 212 Ontario, California 91761 Any requests for crrata or FAQ will eo eo theydo fot include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Se aareemicnatiet i fe ee Mac micmant nt Th SIDEBARS Said ee am Mm PG mm Coach Co PO en erg Pw amg ol the world, or em Ls SUE Ue Le STM R ugh ce PVN meat | rea Peet n ti Dae eri RG eee) pieces of the Emerald Empire. nfroduction e Welcome to Rokugan, the Emerald Empire™ Rokugan is a place of mystery and wonder, inspired by the legends of feudal Japan and other places in the far East, 1's a world of samurai and ninja and spellcasting shugenja, where dragons soar the skies and danger lurks in every shadow The Legend of the Hue Rings Rofe-Maving Game (LS RPG) allows you to take the role of one of those legendary figures in search of honor, glory and adventure, If you're already familiar with how role-playing games work, you can skip right on to The Book of Earth. If you've never played an RPG before, you may want to read the following section. What Ts A Role Playing Gane? Role: A character or part played by an actor in a dramatic performance, Play: To pecupy oneself in amusement, sport or other recreation The American Heritage Dictionary A role-playing game is a very unique kind of game. When players get together to play LOR, they collectively tell the story of a group of char acters and their surroundings, I's kind of like you and your friends getling together to tell a story, using the combined talents of everyone im the #roup ti make the Shory come Lib life for everyone involved, While any number of players can par- ticipate, three to six is usually optimal, including one player called a Game Master - who will take the role of referee and storyteller, THE PLAYERS Each player sits down with the rules in this book and creates a character. A lot of people who play role-playing games often create characters that are very different from thernselves, They have very different skills, attitudes and abilities from the player, and sometimes will do things that the player wouldn't dream of doing. That's the point of role-playing, to play the role of anoth er person. In order to keep track of the strengths and weaknesses of your character, we've provided character sheets at the back of this book, These sheets (which you are free to photocepy, by the way) will keep track of your character's strengihs and weaknesses THe Game Master The Game Master (called the “GM") is a vital part of the game. While each player creates a sin gle character - the main characters af the story the GM is responsible for creating the supporting cast the players’ characters encounter. He takes the role of every character the players meet and he devises a plot for the characters to participate in, improvising plot twists when the characters decide to go a different direction than the one he planned, He is the player's senses, describing all the details of a scene If you are going to be the GM, don't feel ower whelmed, There is an entire chapter dedicated to helping you run L5R, including ae introductory adventure to show you how fis done Tue RuLes AGM is an author and improvisational actor, bul he is also a referee. Whenever a dispule aris es between players, the GM must use the rules along with a good, healthy dese of commen sense) to make a decision. L5R uses 10-sided dice (which you can find at most hobby stores). Whenever there is a question of random chance, the GM tells the players to roll a handful of dice, add up the numbers and the Game Master uses the result to determine success or failure, Dice add a sense of mystery, drama and surprise lo a game. WHo Wins? The best thing about a role-playing gure is thal everyone can win, On the {lipside, everyone can also lose. Role-playing is like storytelling When all the players work in concert, they can create an incredible and breathtaking experience, Players have to be patient when other players are in the spotlight and Game Masters have to be fair to the players, to allow everyone a chance to par- ticipate in the game. It only takes one selfish play- er lo ruin everyone else’s evening. How To Use Tris Book ‘This book is divided into five parts, The Barth Book contains an overview of Rokuga and a summary of the rules, The Water Boak details ere aling a character. The Fire Book tells you how to use the rules to create special effects, combat and battles and The Air Book details shugenja and their magic. Lastly, ‘The Yoid Book is dedicated to the Game Master, It contains Game Mastering tips and tricks, a list of famous characters, a full- color map and an introductory adventure. The Lanquage o Rokigan” os “ROKUGANESE” The language used by the Rokugani is based on Japanese. While it may look intimidating, it's actually very easy to pronounce, Throughout this book, you will be encountering words in italics. These words can be found below in’ the Rokuganese glossary. All letters in “Rokuganese” are always pro nounced the same way, There are no “soft” or “hard” versions of consonants (such as our own “vin cat and cipher), While there are a few diph- thongs (twa vowels mushed together to make a different sound), they are essentially the same two sounds pronounced together quickly Rokuganese is spaken in syllables. Each sylla- ble ends in a vowel with one exception — the let ter “a? “N" is the only free-standing consonant in the Rokuganese syllabary and is the only conse nant that can end a ward, To give you a feel for it, here are a few words broken up into Rokugani syllables: katana ka-ta-na hinja ni-n-jal Rokugan ro-Ku-pan samurai Sa-MU- ral shugenja shu-pen-ja No syllable is given any extra emphasis in Rokuganese. Pronounce them all evenly. Consonants and vowels are pronounced as indicated below. VoOwELs Az As in “lather” LT is never pronounced as in “sight.” but rather as in “machine” or “magazine” U:U is never pronounced as in “ugly,” but as (he ae in “boot” and “shoot.” E: Always pronounced as in “red” O: Always pronounced as in “roleplaying” and “sold? In practice, the U is rarely sounded out unless il is at the beginning or end of a word. When in the middle it is usually skipped, letting the con sonants on either side run inte each other. When at the end of a word, preceded by an §, it is also dropped. For example: Aaisuki is pronounced as hats. DHesu is pronounced des. fhirvis pronounced ee-kee-roo, though, not ee- her. There are some common vowel combinations. To pronounce them, attempt to enuneiate each vowel in the combination, but run them together a bil. al: “ah ee” which ends up rhyming with eve, alive, and sky, au: “ow oo” which ends up rhyming with doubt and shout. ei; “eh ee” which ends up rhyming with day and hay. ou; “oh oo” which ends up rhyming with float and moat. Long vowels are indicated by a macron (a dash over the vowel) and are simply voiced for twice the length, Draw the sound out, as in the difference between foil (short) and torch (long). CONSONANTS The consonant sounds in Japanese (k, s, t, n, h, myn W282 d, b, p, ch) are pronounced just as they are in English with a few exceptions. «"7" is always pronounced soft, as in jump anc “e" is always pronounced hard, as in gallop, (Hint there are no “shoo - jen - ja” in Rokugan, only “shoo - gem - ja") * The Rokuganese “r" is a strange combination of the English “re “I” and “d" Use the tip of the ete eS omen ty who are already Perr aoa Rokugan art proha- bly. asking them- TOM Ma Whig Te } Am aon Coe See ae approximately tour Deed mtg events in thé col- lectible card game. af the English “ry “I” and “di” Use the tip of the tangue to pronounce it In any case, an English style “rt” is intelligible, * "9" is pronounced with just a hint of “d” just before it; start saying il with the tongue in the D position. There is no English counterparl The effect can be quite subtle and an English "2" again, is good enough © A doubled consonant indicates something of a “stop,” or pause, such as in batch. + The “ts” consonant sound ts as in hats, Never breathe it into a “C” then “s" sound. Far example “etsubo" is pronounced te-tsu-bo, not Let-su-bo, « The last item to consider is the consonant-y compound. “Myu" would be pronounced as in music, and the other combinations follow the same pallerc. Glossa’ ee Words And Phrases “Abunai!” jah-boo-nye}: “Look out!” baku |ba-koo|: A creature that eats dreams. bo [boh|: A quarterstatl, daimyo |die-mee-oh|: The lord of a family or Clan. daisho |die-shoh|: A set of paired swords (katana and wakizashi) worn by members of the samurai caste, “Do itashimashite” |doh cet-ah-shee-mah- sheeday|: “You're welcome.” “Domo arigato” {doh-moh ab-ree-gah-toh|: “Thank you very much.’ “Domo arigate gozaimasu” |doh-moh ah-ree gah-toh goh-vay-mah-soa|: “Thank you very, very much. Doro Boekisho |[doh-roh boheh-kee-shoh}: Merchant road, Doro Teikoku no Hito | doh-roh tay-koh-koo noh hee-tah|: tnperial read. doro: [doh-reh|: Road, doshi jdah-shee|: A practice partner or “dojo friend! “Dazo” [doh-toh|: “Please.” Dozo yoroshiku [doh-zeh yoh-roh-shee-koo}: “Pleased to meet your eta [eh-tah}; The caste of Rokugani whose trades are unclean; auicast, fugu |foo-goo]; Fish dinner, delicacy if prepared correctly, poisonous otherwise. gaki jgah-kee)) A “hungry spirit” or vampiric Fc aa se bp aha ASA chal ghost that eats blood, eyes, desire, ete. “Ganbari masu” |galin-bah-ree mal-soo|: “Try harder’, “Don't give up? geirvo jgay-ryoh}; ‘The spirit that sleeps in items and treasures. geisha |gay-shah|: “ trained in many arts, gempukku |pem-poo-koo|: The coming al age OCPeTHLONY, “Gomen kudasai” “Please excuse me" “Gomen nasai” sorry, “Plait!” [hiye): “Yes hakama {hah-kah-mah|: A divided skiet men wear over the kimona an formal occe haori [hah-oh-ree}; A garment — that pronounces the shoulders, Hayaku {hal-yah-koo}: “Hurry up" heimin {hey-meen|: The “middle “merchant class” of Rokugan Hidari [hee-dah-ree|: Left, higashi [hee-gah-shee|; E hinin [hee-neen|; The outsiders The lowest class of people, Gamblers, geisha, actors are all considered hinin, The eta are also of this class, iai |ee-eye}: The technique of drawing a sword quickly, making a clean kill, clean the blade and then replacing it in the scabbard, ikirvo |ve-kee-reeyoh), A family spirit, friendly or otherwise. inkve jeen-keeyoh|: Retirement, Iwanomi |ce-wal-noh-mee|: To be like a rock, resolute and impenetrable; to have the virtue ol Earth, kabuki |kah-boo-kee}: represents the samurai light. kachi |kah-chee|: Victory, kami |kah-mee}: An honorific reserved for the founders of the Seven Clans, kappa |kahp-pah|: A river spirit, kata = [kah-tahj; Formal — prearranged movements that teach a student proper fighting techniques. katana [kah-tah-nah|: Long sword. Only those of the samurai caste may legally carry katana. kimono |kee-moh-noh|: A long-sleeved robe kita [kee-tah|: North kyuden [keeyoo-den|; Palace. “Ma-itta!” |mah-it-tal: “I give up! mamori [mah-meh-reef: A ward, Art-person’) an enlertaines \yoh-mehn Koo-dah-syet: jgoh-mehn nahs-sye). “Tm ISLONS, class” or A type of theater thal ina heroic or tragic cast by a shugenja, to protect a home from vengeful or angry spirits. “Matte!: |maht-tay|: “Wait” or “Hold still? metsuke |meletsoa-keh|: The [Emerald Champion's spies. michi |mee-chee|: Path. migi |mec-gee|: Right. minim |mec-nal-mee|: South. eu-umi [mec-zoo oo-mee|: Lake. i" |moh Fkeyel: "Do it again” mon |mohn|: The symbol and colors of a samurai’s clan, mori |inoh-ree}: Forest, mura |moo-rah|: Village. nageteppo |nah-geh-tep-poh}: An exploding cag bomb used by ninja naginata |nah-pee-nah-tah|: A long sword- staff. “Nan desu ka?” [natin day-soo bah]; “What did you say?" ninja [neen-jah|; Assassins who are reputed to have magical powers. nishi [nee-shee|:; West. Noh [no|: A type af minimalist theater. numachi |ro-mah-chee|: Swamp. obi [ob-beel: A silk belt wrapped around the waist. “Onagai shimasu” [oh-nah-geye shee-mah- sno: “Please do me this fayor™ origami |oh-ree-gal-mee|: The art of folding paper into animals, flowers and other shapes, reihaide |ray-hye-doh}: Shrine ronin |roh-neen|: “wave mani” a samurai without a lord sake |sah-kay|: Rice wine, samurai |sal-moo-rye|! “servant” or “une who serves,” Also the highest caste in Rokugan's social structure, sen [sehn|: To take initiative, seppuku [sehp-poo-kou): Ritual suicide shinden |shin-den|: Temple. shire |shee-roli|: Castle. shite |shee-tay|; One who — takes initiative‘contral, shochu |shol-choa}: fweel potatoes, shugenja {shoo-gen-ja|) The holy men of Rokugan, known better for their “spell-casting” abilities. shuriken [shoo-ree-kenf: A small, sharp thrown object, usually associated with ninja, “Sumimasen” [sco-mee-mah-sen|: “Please brandy made from y pardon my interruption” tatami [tah-tah-mee}; A mat made from woven prass, toride |toh-ree-day|: Keep or fort torii |lwh-ree]: A tall, red wooden arch placed before temples and holy sights. Rokugani believe that passing under them cleanses the spirit toshi [loh-shee|: City. ukemi [oo-keh-mee|: Method of falling without injury. wakizashi fwah-kee-zah-shee}: “bell companion”, a short swerd paired with the katana, collectively called daisho. vama roka [yah-mah roh-kah|: Mountain pass, yama [vah-mah|; Mountain. zori {zoh-ree]; sandals made of wooden straw zubon |zoo-bolin|:Pants‘trousers, Dior eae) beens tn Ps ual ety * AR oe = ee ee Foery journey begins with a single step, Step well, and your journey will be filled with fortutte. Step poorly, and it qwifl be wrought with disaster. - The Tae of Shinset y Path of Blood Just north and east of Beiden Pass is the provinee of Hamana, Ataka is this province's daimyo, one of the great lords of the Clan of the Lion. In Hamana, there is a village, and in the village, there is an inn, It is called Ugaide’s inn, for that is the name of the man who owns it, It was Ugaido’s inn five hundred years ago, and today it remains Ugaido’s inn, passed down from Upaido to Ugaide for too many generations to count, The current Uvaido is a short, bald man whose big laugh fits inside his big belly. Long ago, a group of bandits almost burned his inn down and left him with a long sear along his face, Now only half of his face moves, which makes him sound drunk all the time. But he is a clever man, this fat little fellow, and tonight, there is gambling at his tables and rain on his rool. And itis in this little inn that our story begins. a Ginawa shook the cup hard, holding his palm over the Hp to make certain the dice didi’ fly free. All about him, in the dark and smoky room, samurai and merchants watched as they threw coins onto the table. He watched the money pass from hand to hand, waited until all eyes were on him, then slammed the cup hard on the table, shaking the coins from their piles, He lifted the cup and let Ugaido read the faces. “Fortunes and Winds" the lithe man with the mumbling lip called oul, There were cries of anger and joy all about him. He felt his wicked smile creep on his face and his thoughts turned suddenly to Gimiko, Even with the stink ol tobacco in his head, he could still smell the perfume in her hair. He shook his head clear of the memory. “Ha! There you have it. Fortunes and Winds. Where is The coins were pushed across the table by reluctant hands. He heard the murmurs in the darkness, but he ignored them. Losers geil alzeays find excuses, he thought. Besides, these tineniigs ill keep me cell fed for maey montis. He tucked the coins into a pouch hanging from the silk bell wrapped around his waist, He took up his: sake cup and felt the warm wine run down into his stomach. The wind outside shook the rafters, ani he thought, Good thing Iwill not need the sake to keep mre warm tonighi, He stepped from the table. “Sorry, but the sake has gone to my head. Besides, il has been three days since | have had a bath. Good night” “Nol He turned to find the source of the shout It was a tall man, dressed in a fine silk kimono that deserved better respect. Tucked in his obi were the two swords: the katana and the wakigasti, His eves were red and dancing. “Na! You will play until | get my money back” Ginawa looked for the innkeeper. “Why does this man have his swords? Aren't all expected to check their swords in at the door?” No one said a word. He watched as the crowd parted to allow space between the two men. Ginawa looked for the boy who took his dwn swords away from him at the door. “It is the law? the boy explained. He knew he should have demanded to keep at least the short sword, the wakizashi, “| have no quarrel with you,” he said to the samurai. “You are a coward!” the samurai spat back. Ginawa’s eves narrowed. When he spoke next, there was the hiss of a serpent in his voice, “The sake in your stomach speaks for you, samurai” “Then perhaps | will let my Katana speak for me. Ginawa watched the swordsman carefully, studying the steady rising and falling of his shoulders. Give me a hint, he thought. Give mre just a single... NOW! Ginawa leapt, his whole body pushing him at the samurai with an explosion of motion just as en. no foe eee ells - F] Lad. alisha beanie the drunkard’s sword was coming [ree of its sey. his wwn and snapped the arm aver his leg. He heard the samurai’s breath catch in his throat, but the man had enough willpower lett in his pickled brain to keep himself [rom making any soune, The sword fell to the wooden floor along with its broken master Ginawa stepped back, watching the fallen samurai as he did. His back bumped into a bystander and he spun about, ready for anything. Five samurai before him, the rain dripping off their armor and their spears. Ginawa stepped back from them, “I de not want any trouble, This man,” he pointed at the wounded samurai on the Moor “drew his sword against me lonly defended myself | do not kill drunkards” One cof the samurai walked forward, his masked face turning toward the man with the broken arm. “Magistrate Ujikeme, are you all night?” “Magistrate?” Ginuwa asked, the consequences af his actions coming into focus. “My arm is broken,” the magistrate told the samural like a child tells its mother he has bruised his knee “You must came with us, Ujikeme-sama” The samurai then turned to Ginawa. “You as well” Ginawa opened his mouth to protest, but shut it almost as quickly. “Let me fetch my swords,” he said, “Swords? You are a samurai?” Ginawa [rowned. “Hai. ‘To my shame” The masked guard nodded. “A ronin, eh? Very well. Come with me. My lord will want to speak with you? Ginawa bowed shortly just as the bay stepped up to him, his daisho in his hands: He took the blades, slid them into his belt and tossed a coin at Cgaido. “That should cover the sfugenji'’s fee for purifying the blood from your floor, ald man" “Hai! And then some! You are a good man, Samurai.” Ginawa looked at the old innkeeper, He searched his mind for something wise to say, bud ill he could find was “Lam a killer, old man, The onl’ thing that makes me is enemies” stood They tode through the night along the Emperor's road. By the time the rain trickled to a light haze, by the time the sun crept up in the tast, Ginawa's muscles were screaming fora bath. aed ee ee ree ks He hurled his weight into the sarmurai's shoulder, grabbed the swordsman’s right hand with both of rene We a lace ee, “ust a litthe while longer, old bones.” he whispered, The guards turned to look at hin, He smiled and shrugeed, A few hours alter sunrise, they found the daimyo’s pavilion, The tall circle of white sheets waved in the light wind as their horses came to a stop, The puards dismounted, ancl followed their example. “Leave your weapans with us,” iran-masked puard told hie, “Two times in two days [ will be without my swords at my side” The guard shrugged, “This time you will be siting before my lord, neta crowd of drunkards" Ginawa watched the masked eyes of the guard for a long dime, then took his swerds fram his obi and passed them over. “Fallaw me,” the guard told him, Ginawa obeyed, Inside the pavilion waited three samurai. Twa of them were standing, The third was. sitting: Ginawa didn't need to guess whom he was here la see, He moved slowly, kneeling belore the sealed samural. Then, slowly, he put each hand on the ground before him and touched his head to the backs of his hands. The samurai looked at him, motionless in his stare. Ginawa knew better than to speak before he was spoken to. He also knew that this: silence was a kind of test. He remained motionless, sitting on his ankles, staring deep into the samurai’s eyes. Behind the samurai, he saw the sun rise higher. As it gained height, the pain in his ankles grew, but Ginawa allawed no sign of that pain to show in his eves, Instead, he focused on another pain, a deeper pain that ved deep in his heart. He lived the moment in his mind over and over again. Thal pain smothered the ache in his ankles. Finally, the samurai spoke. name?” Ginawa shook his head. “My name has been taken from me.” “Is that why you travel through my lands without papers? Is that why you wound my magistrates? You are seeking your name?” Again, he shook his head. “What | seek only death itsell can give to me” A light of understanding shane in’ the samurais eyes. “You are a wave man, a conin” He looked to his guards, “You say this man defeated Lijikeme?” Ginawa the pavilion’s “Whal is your sae eenaeeiaielnieieinielaemeeenie ere nee eee eee porn oD eT a PAT ee a a whether of a eae MTL ae Pyare Fortiines and Winds- PUREED ret ig CURaco etn errr tke PR oe ion Ce grits ce el 6 Perera bi samurai BET a eer Lae ae renee ee etre Rite EMO eho ia rts TT eae ae ct eT OBC M Iam PT RT Te tee ourlaeri rte bere orl Shugenja — magician, PTTL ae TL LET the lines are not always clearly efoto a Wakizashi — the ‘shortsword worn by Cee a Wits DELETE RA ae ead Tees PM eee itd | st Ee Roxucan, Not pF | ea ee started, one thing RUT area rer peer(s Mea ba Parc te ea ic Japan. We have drawn heavily from japanese history, an eto esc esc PM a at Lact Prem rt) fire Land of the R Sun, you will,not find ‘it hore. When playing AT ea nee bogged down Ree UT ma ete ome Cm trig Rau MLS ec Tea oa a really was” in feudal Eels Wee ets tae PEM ce oa irue nature of honar, PC mem meanings of en tre philosophy and Pra Irae CEL eit Ta Co a] no different. The guard rushed forward to kneel al his master’s feet. “Hai!” “With nothing but his bare hands?" The guard bowed shortly. “Hai!” The samurai nodded. “You were never very fond of Ujikeme, were you, Hijiko?" Ginawa looked to his right at the kneeling guard. Slowly, she removed the helmet from her head and placed it al her side. “He was ever devoted to you, Ataka-samia.’ Alaka almost smiled. “Your sincerity does you credit, Hijiko” He removed his fan from his ob and pointed it at Ginawa. “And what do you think af our nameless friend?” She looked at Ginawa, and he saw a glint of something in her eyes. “He moves well, Maka sama, And he shows a bit of resolve” “Good, [am glad we are in agreement’ Maka made a motion toa servant who quickly brought two papers to the samurai. One of the papers he handed to Hijiko; the other, uw Ginawa. “Hijiko, you have served me well for three years, No longer will you be a yortki, a magistrate’s assistanL You are now my chiel magistrate, my karo? Despite her best efforts, a smile blossomed on Hijiko's face, and as Ginawa watched it bloom, he realized he was looking at a hidden beauty under all that sweat and armor, “And you, my nameless friend, | have a preposal for you, Since | am now one yoriki short, J was wondering if you would help me fill the gap. Ginawa knew the question before Ataka spoke it, His gaze dropped to Ataka’s knees. He could hear his breath, He felt his heart pounding against his chest, He took a breath and said, “4taka-sama, | have been samurai to a daimyo, and when my courage was questioned, | failed. | never want that to happen again.” “Then don't let it happen again, samurai? Ginawa’s head snapped up. Again, he looked into Mlaka’s eyes, Moments passed. Something unspoken passed between them. Ginawa nodded, “lL accept! “Good. Then tell me your name” “ht is Ginawar He felt Hijiko start and saw the two samurai behind Ataka put their hands on the pommels of their weapons. Alaka did nol move, “Then the blade you carry ,,.” Ataka whispered. ara a eee ee) “Hai. It is one of the faur luchiban blades" Across the pavilion, servants stepped away from the resting sword, “The cursed swords of the blood speakers.” Hijika murmured. Maka asked, “Which one is it, Ginawa?” “The blade of revenge, Ataka-sama. He nodded, “Then take your weapon and go to your steed, Wait there? “Hail! Ginawa rose quickly and went to his blade. He took it as the servants watched, their eyes filled with trepidation, When he was aut of sight, Hijiko asked, “Alaka-sama, is it wise..." “He is strong, Hijiko, The strength of his ancestors is in his soul, | can see that. There is also a destiny in his eyes. | may be a part of that destiny’ He looked directly at the samurai ko, “And so might vou.” She bowed and rose. “My life for you, Maka sama” Then she rushed hack out to her steed. “The Fortunes have made my house a way station on your path, Ginawa,” he said as he watched them ride away. “l hope your path of blood will end in honor” ¥ A Gayn's Gunde To Rokugan What follows is a basic outline of Rokugan’ history, culture and socio-political structure. The history is told in a narrative format to give you am idea how the people of Rokugan view their past, The Books The Be mning o¢ the World ae | Doe you see the circle | have drawn, child? |) Where is the beginning? Where is the ending? Of QOUPSE, WOU cannot HOSWEr, for there is no answer to this question. There must be a beginning and an ending, bul there is: neither. Just like the circle, this story has no beginning and no ending. Betore this world, there was another. After this world, there will be another, and our souls will fall into that world, carried by the weight of our great and lowly deeds. This is the way of things, child, a way you must fearn. } Only by learning the way will you find peace in this world af sorrow. The beginning of this world, as it has been for every world, is with nothing Nothing was alone inthe void, and so it was for countless ages. Then, without warning, Nothing realized thal it was alone, and it was afraich. This created one third of the world. Then, Nothing realized it desired a companion. This created another third. Lastly, Nothing realized that its weakness had created the world, and it fell regret, wishing ta undo what ithad done. Nothing's regret completed the world and made it whole. When Nothing spoke its words, the world was made. At first, the stuff of the world was like an egg whose heavy yolk had been broken and mixed together with the delicate white. The delicate separated from the heavy and the Gelicate rase as the heavy fell. The delicate rose ever higher, bul some of it hesitated and became the sky and clouds, The rest climbed for what seemed {0 be forever and created the high Heaven. The heavy stuff fell deeper and deeper, forming nothing but the shapeless chaos af a ielylish, And se it was for many, many years, The Sun and Noon With the creation of the Heavens came the creation of the Three Gods Whase Names Cannat he Spoken. They recognized the need to bring form to the earth below, and so together they qreated a young man and a young woman to give ilshape and form, In order to create the man and woman, they used their names, which is why we cannot say any more of them. The man and woman were born in Heaven ad eae and looked down upon the shapeless earth, seeing need to bring it shape. They descended on a rainbow and found that it was like the jellyfish. The man and woman pondered on how to give it shape, and realized that the only way to do so would be io name it. They thought long about the name to give to the world, and when it was ready, they kissed the formless earth and whispered the name, As the name was spoken, so were their own names. The woman became Amaterasu, the Sun, and the man became Onnotangu, the Moon Together, they floated across (he sky and about the newly named earth as it took shape. The land separated from the sea and from the fertile soil, plants prew. In the warm oceans, the fishes took their many shapes. In the Heavens, the Fortunes began to take farm, born in the dreams of the creatures who slept far below, The Moon and the Sun flew around the world again and again until all the creatures chose their shapes. Then they rested, and looked down to the earth, To their amazement, same ot the creatures begin to build The Great Sleep o¢ the Naga These builders were called Naga, Like all creatures, they were able to change their shape into many forms, They practiced art and war much like men do today, but in the age of Napa, there were ne men. They also worshiped the Thousand Fortunes who dance in the stars and on Ee meee Tem eae ia REC The ThreeSins cominitted by Nothing are what PUTT) Meee EEE arr ie Roktigan belief, AN ise ee Desire ‘and Regret - Poh PMTCT ecient nia With certuisity. When the Three Sing areportrayed in jemples, bowls af regi) oreo dCi OCR tem it em remit camer Tm ag atc bool eam est ere “THE CHILDREN Cae Moon The illustration at” right shows Lady Sun with Lord Moon and Oy) the kami. The melee Moon ate (irom top io bottom): Togashi, MAkodo, Doji, Shiba, STUY (om aceite Ger a and Bayushi. le ee eat de Ll TT é Ny 1 mountains, much as we do d that the greatest of all the Sun Goede the one we call Amaterasu They knew that a time would come when the suited Pall ters 3, andl Sth, toe, 4 But the do inte q f that their ci Were their downlall The i when Lord Moon caught Lady Sun, the Age of Man ushered oul the Age ol (he Naga. Cindren of the Aun Since the beginning of time, Lord Moon has ased Lady Sun about the world. One day, he pave birth to nine cl Akodo, Shiba, Bayushi, Shinjo, Mu Hantei. Lord Moon knew that any children whos veins carried both WOOL lil Brow to he Sun had to think quickly her first child, she ou must be thirsty alte she offered him a cup of suke. | ind drank it down. After ud he D ch cup had a single dr poison swimming in the sake, Bown each child weol into Lord Moor mach, anil as swallowed them down, Lady Sun's many tears fell, As [ 1 from the Heavens to the ' h the stuff af the vir and the stuff of the wind, Fini “tears of the Sut touched the Earth, & rhere each of ther fell, the ained still, silent and sleeping n. Lard Mr drunk and numb that he did not noti child, Hantei, with a ce “p, and as he § Hantei a explaine of combat, preparing Hantei for the moment when his father would awaken, IL is said many years passed during this time, and if is alse said many centuries passed. When Lord Moon awoke, he found Lady Sun and the young Hantei waiting for him, The battle that tnok place was great; in the end, Hantei sliced open his father's belly, and the children and his entrails tell out to the earth below. Lord Moon reached out at the last moment to prasp the children, bul caught only ditthe Fu Leng. Hantei then sliced his fathers hand, breaking his prip and causing Fu Leng {and his father’s severed hand) to follow his brothers and sisters to the earth below, But as Fu Leng tell he reached out at the last moment and grabbed Hantei, dragging his brother down Lord Moon's blood fell to the earth, finding the puddles of shapeless form Lady Sun’s lears had made. When they found each other, the blood and the tears mingled and a man and a woman formed from each of the thousands of puddles. Fu Leng fell apart from his brothers and sisters, into a deep crevasse far to the west. Trapped under the earth, he struggled to reach the surlace, but he was no longer the same. His many inonlhs under the ground had piven him dark knowledge. It poisoned his mind and body, cormupting him into a twisted mockery of who he ance was, ‘When the Last Akodo Falls” As soon as the Children of Sun and Moon ouched the earth, they ceased being divine, While hey were not mortal men, they were also mo anger gods, They looked about and found the scattered beginnings of mankind, and knew what hey must do. Mankind was as naked and naive asmewborn children, and the Children of Sun and Moon made this promise: “We will teach you the | ways of the world and we will protect you from its evils, Serve us with humility and obedience and we will keep this promise.” The Children af Sun and Moon, except for the nipped Fu Leng, decided they would hold a ournament lo see who among them should rule he world. There was a contest of speed, a contest of strength, a contest of wits and many others. Togashi declined to compete in the tournament, for he looked at his brothers and sisters and knew the outcome. The final contest was a great melee Lord Hida relied on his great sirength to carry him through the battle, but he was swiftly overcome by the speed and accuracy of Shinjo's strikes, Lady Shinjo’s quickness proved to be her undoing. Lord Bayushi used her impetuousness to taleh her off guard, and with his tricks and distractions, he defeated her. Lord Shiba was loo cralty for such trickery, however. He observed Bayushi’s tricks and his actions were unmoved by the distractions, Then Lord Shiba turned to meet Lady Doji. The slender and beautiful Doji stood back and wailed for Shiba to strike, knowing that her brother would gain too much knowledge from watching her movements, Shiba’s patience ran oul; he attacked and was swiftly defeated by Doji’s technique. Then Akodo stepped forward. He knew Lady Doji’s tactic and used it against her Finally, only Akodo and Hantei stood on the battlefield. They fought with the love of brothers, but as the battles intensity increased, so did Akodo’s temper. Al a crucial moment, Akodo’s great fury overcame him, Hantei sensed his brother's rage and used it against him. It was a thoughtless mistake that caused Akedo to lose his duel with Hantei, a mistake that should have cast him his life, Because Hantei spared Akodo, Akodo swore to his brother that he and his family would serve him. Togashi, watching the battle from a distance, whispered: “When the last Akodo falls, so falls the last Hantei” The Hanter Aynasty At the end of the tournament, it was decided Hantei's dynasty would rule the others, Hantei declared that the Children of Sun and Moon should build a mighty Empire, an Empire that would show their devotion to their sacred mother Amaterasu, As Hantet was Emperor, each of his brothers and sisters went out into the known lands, gathered together mankind and created the Seven Clans. Hida formed the Crab Clan, Doji formed the Crane, Togashi formed the Dragon Clan and Akoda formed the Lion, Shiba formed the Phoenix Clan while Bayushi formed the Scorpion. Lastly, Shinjo formed the Unicorn Clan, For many years, the Empire flourished as Hantei and the Clans built roads, palaces and temples. But one day, an army of foul and putrid creatures attacked the palaces and temples of the | OF) ae Ploy me yy em ne Wircrcy ny im SCOT ei PRUETT Os) cor) the name of her husband. However” ee Lm cg Shinjo weremMarried, Brera Tre Tata roe cin a Pees) ee Tom Fel Tec uiT oe Peri fecal ae eerie Pc Tk 2 T er MMe cere ey may ORC TT ora | charge of the Teeter ci mek Pr As MoT Tce on managing her DCT m CoCr (i PCa mr et veer] strate to their a Sd te 20 HANTE! AND Ret ema ertee mer Ty Tey eee mare Te he dentanded that it” Wee eve Pe a ig cs Shinsei sawathe Palace aridhsaid, “It is\) Te og a Siena vr ow Haniel was confused))"1 am the Perea ... The Mastersmited) ial serra Pe mcm Ca Smits ie mtad one hundred thousand Hanteis and Pitom Te oem) i orem thousand more,’ Hantei nodded, Rn wisdom, but then the RTC e tC eli Poa be Pere coor TLC Hantei palace from Oma ey Ut PMC Ciba UTC to see it?” Mantel nodded Pre BO ihe bein ta : ie ri che ect toa fo ATG tee Ta ty mci Me entails ones? Evéry one of F Lag biuaslaiel a eS brothers. and sisters. His mastery of the mi if baitle the underworkl was ) ried wi e ebl i he ; ed fi » hells unde charged, rth, he planned to d re ranks of darknes Haniel knew then that Shinset had Emerald Em nel claim tt somehow fulfilled his promi of mortal man for his own power i In anticipation of the he and glory. | return, he prepared a feast for their vic siimural returne 3 irpion samurai, bearing Harntet ‘ ee twelve scrolls. and an an army ta oath i ; enchanted hand made of shape-shilti — 2. = ~-= | Fu Le I , could is © d : were the doom ¢ : Z Leng” ‘Then, the ‘ orpion samurai died, spared for one The Emperor for assault on the plains of the breaking of the Uichiman, a small man with a | scroll: s and pa rok the duty of hiding r Hantei. euarding them 1o the himsell Scorpion Clan. He then new w commanded the build a great v “ between the Empire and the Hantei was é | dar of the underworld , commanded that the lithe man be now known asthe removed, but when the guards triec ! ( wuard 1 Rokugan fram its. evil. The Crane and Lion Clans s\ protect the Emperor. oil selected to be the Emy { champion while Akodo stop the that march on your led the Emperor's armic lands” the field of battle. The Dragon Hantei was intrigued with the little and Phoenix chose the man. Tle sp the entire paths of ¢ mplation; both stiomi i is his brother , =e Clans took the Tao of Shinsei and incorporated it into their awn understanding of sor ly, the Unicorn Clan left the Empire to find what lay beyond its borders. to touch them all without using teh a} Fy | eh SO IP/PIE still ha ind in the Emperors library and in the libraries of all the Clan: but the little 1 No, It must be mortal men, for fort ors the mortal man” Hantet saw the wisdam in Shinsei’s words and sent one warrior al ae om 2 germ strana Pema la Se eer ee ee Reinvent oR enia A Thousand Years of ‘Peace The time called the “thousand years of peace” was hardly peaceful. Clans fought for territory, gained political strength in the court, and built on the foundations of the philosophy that Shinsei left behind. Emperor Hantei and his brothers and sisters grew old and their children assumed their responsibilities and duties, As the age marched on, each Clan developed its character. In the span of a thousand years, the population has grown to 30 million, including two million samurai. The strengths of the Seven Clans have ebbed and flowed, political boundaries have been redrawn and fought for many, many times, But some things never change, only grow and mature. Each Clan has grown from their beginnings, transforming themselves into a distinct force, each an individual power to be reckoned with. “Minor Clans” also developed, but none were as significant as the Seven Great Clans that were born of the Children of Sun and Moon, Tue Cran of THE Crap For a thousand years, the Crab have steadlastly defended the Emerald Empire from the evil hordes of the | Shadowlands, Unfortunately, this duty has left (hem little time for courtly activities, thus making them the most blunt and uncouth of the Clans. While their courage and honor is never questioned, the other Clans often point to the fact that the evil aura of the Shadowlands lingers on everything it touches, and they wonder how many Crab samurai have gained what the Phoenix call “ihe Shadowlands lait!’ THe CLAN OF THE CRANE When it came time for Hantei | to wed, all the Clans offered up their most beautiful daughters for consideration, Ik was the daughter of Doji, from the Crane Clan, thal he chose, Ever since that day, every Emperor has chosen a bride from the Crane Clan. That is how the dynasty of Doji has maintained its hold on the Imperial Court: every Emperor has a Crane he calls “Mother” Also, every Emperor has attended a Crane fencing school. The Kakita Schoal is he most prestigious in the Empire, ils students legendary for their prowess and courage. Ultimately, however, the Crane are seen by the other Clans as posers and S ieameneaceaisieren iio CTU oy Te a cue ang Pate): a aL eee eae SU oe such a heroie!or Selfless ackthat his MU eee ee eae? Prue Leas The minogClans olf! bavi omen tet samuraie While they f are not considered equals tothe Seven ee EA mela) PLUMS eter ae CET ma Wee tet CUE Tat) influential minor Clan is the Mantis fe FT homelands are off Cm mn ro UMVIM) § Riya TL Some of the more BUT ea Tey Le EME mt) Ted The Hare Clan cn The Fox Clan PEST Tg] Wier er aro The Sparrow Clan Pheer | Wim ere eet) Lette EE nETERERERLERERieatammenneieieeetcieieateniiee ameter irene oi | ie / J Fira e tag Coie ciel samurai caste are assumed to beable, to read and write, at least at a basic level of omiprehension. Asa general rule, a A UM LiL cee) (t wee) AT) ees] Mc ic CRORE Tc fe Wut j clan. The Phoenix, who Eom irae. Mr rin |) Cir wet Meet ato tt) 8 Pc Mt roe Ores tag teem wenn iciiter| OT ge eam ec the most literate clans, Also, (he Lion Pee Pema es historians. Don't eee er cote Pe rte re Psa orca able to cut a clear set Me toe mam ita commander of his reat UTC meee tam iMedia all. Their traditions Pr eC og oC 0) Bremer mca Payee os oT Hen eee sycophants lor their relationship with the Emperor THE CLAN OF THE DRAGON Since the earliest days of the Hantei dynasty, Togashi and his Clan have remained secreted away in the high mountains of Kokugan Practicing their strange meditations in privacy, the Dragon Clan are the most misunderstood samurai in the Empire. Their spelleasters are fluent in the ways of war, and their samurai are familiar with the ways of sorcery. The strangest of their Clan - the ise gant - shave all hair from their bodies and cover their skin with detailed tatloos. Always enigmatic, the Dragon Clan are sometimes seen as aloal and bizarre by the other Clans, Tue Cian OF THE LION If the Crane are the “left hand” of the Emperor, then the Lion are his right hand. The Lion Clan has always maintained a reverence for the Emperor, a devotion unparalleled anywhere in Rokugan. The samurai of the Lion Clan are some of the mest brilliant tacticians the Empire has ever known, commanding small armies agains! large ones with legendary success. However, some would say the Lion Clan clings too tightly ta tradition, and their unquestioning loyalty to the Emperor has caused much strife between them andl the other Clans - especially their chief rival, the Crane. THe CLAN OF THE PHOENIX The word “shugenja” has many meanings in Rokugan: haly man, prophet, sorcerer, priest, The most powerlul shugenja in the Empire, without any doubt, belong to the Phoenix Clan, The scribe who stood by the Emperor and wrote down his conversation with Shinsei was a Phoenix, and he brought back all the details and verbal nuances of that conversation to his Clan, Sa other Clan has a more fundamental understanding of the Old Religion of Rokugan and the “new way" of Shinsei, It was the Phoenix who melded the two into the current belief taught across the Empire. However, in their study of the sublime, the Phoenix samurai have suffered. Days spent in contemplative meditation and reading ancient texts are days unspent learning the finer aspects of swordplay and battle, THe CLAN OF THE SCORPION lf there are secrets to be known, a Scorpion somewhere knows them, They are the masters af double-dealing and subterfuge, Wany say that the Scorpion is only a front for a family af ninja, bt no evidence has ever been procured t prove thal claim, Over the thousand years of Hantel’s reign the Scorpion have proven to be valuable allies to every Clan, Theirs is a Clan of spies and information peddlers, Onee you strike a deal with a Scorpion, however, you can never clear yoursell of the debt THe CLAN OF THE UNICORN Just alter Hantei took the Throne, he turned to his sister Shinjo and asked her to ride inte the outlands of the Empire to seek allies and look for possible dangers. Shinjo left with a small band of followers and was not heard from again for eight hundred years. Two hundred years ago, the Clas of the Unicorn returned with wealth undreamed of, fabulous treasures of foreign make, and their most valuable prize: the war-horses of the wes, The Unicorn Clan also brought with it many strange customs and beliefs, making them strangers to the people of Rokugan. Theit ignorance of the delicate etiquette of Rokugan has made them appear to be “barbaric” and “oncivilized” at times, but their mighty horses an valiant samurai (all trained in what the Lion cal “barbarian tricks") have made them valuable allies to any who would take them Rokuqan Rokugan is a rocky, mountainous landJ surrounded by mountains on three sides (north, west and south) and an ocean to the east, Ther are nearly two hundred yoleanoes, approximately fifty of them active, and hundreds of bot springs dotted across the mountainous regions, Only about a fifth of the land is flat; the majority & rolling hillsides, steep gorges, narrow valleys, ravines and mountains. The closer one gets to the ocean, the flatter the land gets, This is where the farms can be found. The nobility have used the mountaingus region to their advantage, building castles in tight or inaceessible passes, The flatlinds are used tor farms, ports, and cities There are many rivers runing through Rekugan, (lowing from mountain springs across the landscape and emptying out inte the ocean Cities and rice farms build up around the flatlands where the rivers run, on stilts for protection [rom the spring floods, cin A, Bigs SS oie ro eed ery The climate is diverse. Winter is short, but cold. Summer is long and sultry. Fall is cool and spring is wel, Just one look at the buildings and clothing of Rokugan can tell a foreigner the Rokugani find summer's heat far more tnpleasant than the chill of winter, Rokugan experiences heavy snowfall during the winter, so much so that travel nearly grinds to a halt The Fury ry o¢ the Elements ~ Rokugan is no stranger to disaster, Over the thousand years of Hantei rule, the Emerald Empire has seen hundreds of earthquakes, lsunami and hurricanes. Earthquakes occur regularly. At least once a year a minor tremble is fell under the earth. Rarthquakes can occur as slight tremors that tumble for a few moments, or as great quakes that rip down buildings and pull up the earth for minutes at a time, There bave been five greal earthquakes in the history of Rokugan, all of which were quickly followed by a tsunami, Tsunami is the Rokugan word for “tidal wave” Miter an earthquake, Rokugani always begin preparation for a tsunami. They can usually count dn the isunami arriving within three days al the mos Even minor quakes can cause tsunami, but the severity of the quake always foreshadows the severity of the tsunami, Hurricanes are alse frequent visitors Lo Rokugen’s shores. These great storms destroy entire villages, but also bring great bounty to the fishermen when they are aver, Another sign of nature’s force takes the shape of volcanoes, As mentioned above, there are many volcanoes in Rokugan, mot all of them dormant, The Rokugani people usually build their villapes in the lowlands, but the nobility builds its fortresses high in the mountains, near the threat oberuption, Although the moutitain fortresses. are wt built near the active volcano chains, mest Rokugani know the (doubtless apocryphal) tale of agroup of shugenja wha cast a powerful ritual thal awakened the fire af the earth to devour an enemys castle. . Culture Tue CELesTiAL ORDER While the culture of Rokugan may seem quite foreign, it is very much like the feudal Europe familiar to fans af history and fandastic literature, The following section is devoted to the regimented societal structure that makes up Rokugan, While it may appear intimidating at first, it is, in fact, quite simple, All of Rokugan is based on a hierarchical structure called “The Celestial Order” Rokugani believe that everything is part of a divine pattern. Even humanity has a role to play in this order, They believe that everyone bas a destiny, and must work toward fullilling it, even if it means displeasure, pain or death; for as terrible as one’s path may be, an even more terrible fate awaits those whoa try to cheat their destiny, THREE TIERS Rokugan is very formal. The universe operates under a tiered structure: men and women are born inte one of the three tiers of the Order, and must live the rest of their lives in the roles they were born to play, There are times when those of one tier move to another, but they are the exception rather than the rule. There are three classes of people in Rokugan: Nobilily (those who make war), Peasants (those who work), and Clergy (thase who pray). Those who fall outside of this structure are considered “non-people” jor fiir) und are not protected by the Emperor's justice. Fora visual representation of the social structure @ Rokugan, see “The Celestial Order on the next page. Rokugan itself is a feudal state, There is a single Emperor who owns all the land. Everything under the sun belongs to the Emperor because his bloadline traces back to the first Hantei who won the ‘Tournament of Sun and Moon. Lesser nobles (daintyes) swear fealty to the Emperor. They govern the territory they are given and make certain the Emperor's laws are obeyed and enforced, In exchange, they gain the right ta lax the land they govern, Likewise, a daimyo can give some of his land in exchange for lealty, Peasants work the land in exchange for protection from other nobles. Unfortunately for the peasants, the “feudal contract” is a ttle lopsided in Rokugan. Daimyo and samurai are nol required t protect the peasants. Those that do so act aut of courtesy Non~Busui ey Wire yi te icy gmc Ped ee | om mee Pro meet tit nee ||| ae eet mer Tee PUM at eeu equallevelwith one MLLURAA ela UELtdLCm icc ar hee et ge eC Bae rate Tso TT emer chim TES Maer Teco) SU Meme alo Tree tre mat Porte Teen tary how to use it. a ey | “THE CELESTIAL Reh ta ccm BM it Taner ci tea bare) | erator eau Leas hoe oa Ber eR UCe trig See acs the Sun Goddess 1 a9 bali cd Pie ae ea Caer Clans, lordly, of the Potomac . ae See Te eS Oat Rb eee Td samurai caste (bushi BURCH vem tia who live and die to an ay KAT Then, Pasa it ro rst) haa UT ren reg Te emer ty Pent ett Pies Cimon BUC rst yaaa UC int) a uns UCR sw HOSE Woo Make War ; in Rokugan is the ai All those who are born inte family considered samural of their profession. The Emperor and on the third, The fourth rung are th have sworn fealty to the family d under {hem on the lil ith rune are those whe ki warrior training are the ronin men”, called so because of their wandering { rriors who wa the eated with the system are considered within the samurai caste. a a samurai is allowed in wear «i This compl “murals actions, See w for more hetero s ete well as learning fuget (lighting "Skil undergo a religious ceremony upon their ing of the daisho, in which the front of thelr wed and anointed by a slrageris an talk to-th have them answer, see Shugenja rai do not hold with 4 A Crab learns how to fight and how te hat is all he needs to know. HEIMIN: HALF~PEOPLE Heintin, or “hall-people,” are the common folk The highest commoner in the Order is the farmer, for he provides what is most necessary food. Without the farmer, everyone go Next is the artisan, for he creat people d. The merchant is lowes e he dea f compromised by their rudeness, What constitutes] Jeness” is usually up to the samurai whe bas xcen offended, so heimin always try to be a r I nen en mee ret ee ee oe eee EPR ary and they must obey well. many Fortunes. For charlatans magicians and and) garb neluded are the ¢ torturers, @ While kill a killing hinin is not dered a crime by p nol actually a part of the Order. However, , Women — not her ynstitutes her jal Order, Women s far as caste: “r, there are a few differences that must be noted, SAMURAI-KO Samural maidens ition in the Ce are equal to men nurai would ling with a Hitomi'’s men la become in the eves of e samurai ritual of ¢ name has brought many le samurai - to take the upon taking the daisho, including the The Celestial Order does not apply to mankind Clan sarourai-ke Mirumoto Hitomi. ilone, The gods of Rokugan - commonly referred One of the vows that same samurai-ka take EER RSP BYE ta ce) ae ae Me per el ua When thé-harvest POST U Ue y Pim Ree emg oa pretty penny. Geisha madiins purchase girls on contract, Pavia ‘ol conversation, dance and song. Tee Creme ToL Pee UT ECL pote tee ee Fim Lammy Gait the night” Phey are erent. i Geisha are UU ae Lom Vue etm iC aL a contract, which Pec hecome “freelance” PE Oe Coe Eco the business sense, to eC) tea iJ oe q iad ad aT Bruce Lied in the fallte collegtitaxes (see ede Mere rie SMa cc tary Penton nee ets farmer with nothing Tea sy POMEL ut daimyos are generous, allowing a eS Se orl at Mem LMU titi cd UTERUS Oe wa) Pam eu fio Ten og ee Cae ata Pen cm eta Murs eae wm cco mL eme FTC 1d due (see “Geishi while othe PRT era CeCe usr art Urea e tT aL) rear h during their initiation ceremony is a vow of celibacy (a samurat-ko cannot be devoted to both a daimyo and a lover or husband, after all). If a celibale samurai-ko is found to have a lover, she offen renounces her station and joins the ranks of a monastery, Of course, the key word is “discovered” There are many samurai-ko who take lovers, and every poet's repertoire has several stories of samurai and samurai-ko who doom themselves for love. Samurai-ko are treated as samurai warriors in the Celestial Order. They are no different from male samurai in that regard Wives Marriage in Rokugan has nothing to de with love. A marriage is strictly a business matter, arranged by the parents of the couple and a middle man, One is not necessarily expected to love one's spouse, However, a slight against a saumurais wile is a slight against her hushand. A Rokugani household is very different from what one might expect. In Rokugan, the wile handles all of the money and is in charge of the household in every respect. A male samurai is given a stipend by his wile which he is allowed to spend in any way he wishes, but the wife determines how the rest of the money is allocated. She manages the finances, hires workers to repair and improve the house and handles all of the entertainment for visitors. However, other than that, a wife has little t do but gossip with the wives of other samurai and read the various romantic tales (called “pillow books") that are sold in the marketplace. GEIsHa While there is very little romance to be found in a marriage, the same cannot be said for affairs outside a marriage. Although a samurai's extramarital affairs are ignored by society, he is expected to be discreet, so he does not insult his wile’s family. When samurai seek such company, they often find it in the arms of a geisha, Geisha are entertainers. They are trained in the arts of music, poetry and conversation. While highly respected for their skills, they are still only hinin in the Celestial Order. When entering a geisha tea-house, samurai are expected to leave their kalana al the door (to avoid bloodshed within). Legends are filled with samurai falling in love with geisha, and the danger thal such passion brings. A samurai is expected to have such passion for one thing only, and that is the protection of his lord. Such passions compromise the samurai’s devotion ts his lord, and are frowned upon greatly in Rokugan, A Samurar's Lige Like the seasons and the tidés, human lik travels through a cycle, ‘To deny this cycle is te deny that one is part of the order, and to deny one’s place in il, Not only is this dishonorable tp the gods, but also to one's ancestors who expect betier of a young samurai, BIRTH AND YouTH When a child is born, it is born into the caste of its mother and father, Childhood in Rokugan isj very different than childhood in the west. Children are not considered adults until they go through the gempukku ceremony (yg. nota “little adult” He is a child who has nol been taught the rules of adulthood, and therefore must be treated with kindness and leniency. Once he |s seven, a child is sent toa school where he spends many years training in the ways of bis caste and profession. CominG oF AGE: THE GEMPUKKU CEREMONY Young samurai are raised in schools wien they are taught history, swordplay, language, battle tactics and philosophy, [takes approximately nine years to finish the training! and students rarely - if ever M some point between the years of 13 and 2! (typically sixteen), a child performs a rite d passage called geripudkn, and is, for the find lime, considered an adult, Children expected to take a new name - at this time MARRIAGE Marriages are arranged by the parents of the bride and brideproom, and only occasionally di see thetr parents are alter their adult name the two find themselves in the throes of remanes Often times, a middleman is used to arrange the nartiage; this is very allen a member of the Crane Clan who are always aware of births in the royal families of Rokugan. The twa are usualli introduced teach other sometime alter gempukku ceremony. On the wedding day, the bride wears white the colar that is symbolic of death, to shew: thi! she is now dead to her family. During th A child isgg canges he will need ta make to his lifestyle. Love While the concept of low western literature, it is al ; often tragic in has no p aly room. for often [ who fail are tragic and sometin aKYOs (Comune OF O1o AEE umil he od. On the ir fortieth onsidered proper jor samurai to iwi =a ua is “middle g birthday EF 5 eee tis i onosreoed their names and the next lifetime, snl mean wo Hida no intention head and joining ¢ ery. Gray Crane” himoko 1 of wanting t taco TC eT he | tered RW ee te WRT Lat pert SomeiCrane dye BT rhe WUT meer it | ee Oe me Ps UT he Benen ram tora yt eRe WU OMT emer eo Cotman CT and wild and dye it gold. The Phoenix Pe MCE ECe LA CLEA Qar tire mee Osa! AU. er ae OTRO mes mt features hidden while eee ewe CM mete get, PUT VL ered hair, Pr tt aa Dees esa reed ecran em tee £ Dirt’ i Beebe iti d Lert om ce ae SUR cee Pe ee cy ie Te doubled iérward over ‘the crown: However, knots. The Scorpion ' the court which mat puppel mon in borrowed my ancestors’ name, it to them is astonishing the face ¥ cin make lor ived samurai, when samurai [ails in his duti or rmett le the » test of that test, the ritual al proving ones courage in the of death. samurai sperida the av in a temple At the end of the day, the samurai ki moa mat to dl fram his blood, draws three deep cuts in his t aften tim Se eed ce. lke gale " ‘mut pul ered thought into including seppuku in their game. A Farmer's Lige TROUBLES AND CHANGE A farmer's tile is v rent from the lite a samurai, A farmer spends his entire life re on the predictability of nature and the cert the seasons, When occur, the fi | that he has. ¢ WT {o bias tT change disrupt the patte can mean nothing trouble. THE SEASONS The fone] SeHsOns the life farmer § is full x Tal cherry farmer summer is on ils wat Summer is a endured rather th is the time when and little manu done without d This is also the time off j which ruin all the farmer's hard work Autumn is a welcom cools dov aa in Sead in}, weaving silk and other cloths, : ver industrial skills. OF brings the beginning of open nak nee c ken a into 5 S RSW tee 3 ichibukin or “b h Hair nm down into ten Cc elei Liat) j “pen _ 5 bu = 30 zeni A woman of the samurai cadte almost’ Pee een le) muri grown and brewed wery hi “é : “ee Samurai-ko in the farms of Rokugan. Ls 2 ill oku of cugan. It en POUT eee UL Lo produces tax Aire ors W Mgt al Language 4 ready to collect 6 eae CUO ape at mt al d —— : aye ite ame f ; There are eye distinc ‘ ok, Tax o | de not always BEER Ban languages in Rokugan: the : a , lect food, Farmers will offer co Oe common parlance aml the ‘ } ‘lothing or tea to NO ney ew om md ta Remy utr eC UIC U ULL ee or aswell, Often parlanee, é ee ./ CRAFTSMEN AND i Be ccna mee A) Mercuants ( ; aiismen and merchants ¥ low in the social ions for the Ree cooper: ths and other craftsmen Often, a : 5 Q repair oF ace their tools, at will i : : Clan, even his high used - c J total of two hundred carpenters are available atv written in the high language ( ‘ and re to work, not to mention the forgery from the lower clas allowed in courtrao murat ue = and mal makers. it important the auenints ( idy work fron the understand (he order of the court; they only need — al The wealthiest crafismen | e able to afford Natiecats to protec! them eis ee eee eS ee ay oe a suas a eT er A CLan CoLors aCe aie Seven Great Clans eS ekg 11) identified by the — Uma smite || eu Tira it an eg i pC pees UL mmm SHE armen ig ETO re | arr ra Ort ee Comer a aU STO ict | sen TM Lem Lion: Yellows, browns, and earth tones. Phoenix: Red, vellow, BT ae Te RIM e Hr | Rit Eta Unicorn: Purple, Rae Caan tk ae a i ee ene Se? a ol ae ee Te against bandits. It is not an uncommon occurrence for peasants to pay local carpenters a stnall fee to extend that protection to them as well, OF course, the carpenter must make “arrangements” with the local magistrate to ignore such activities. No daimyo wants his authority compromised, and carpenters have been killed for offering protection to a daimyo's subjects, There are four classifications of “carpenter” in Rokugan: the plasterer (who makes plaster walls), the roofer {whe makes shingles for roots), the stonemason (who sets the foundation of the home), and the sawyer (who measures, cuis and sets wood}. These four men travel in crews, Jed by a carpenter who is a master of all the skills, This carpenter acts as a foreman who gels jobs tor his crew, Travel TRAVELOGUES Travel in Rokugan can take a long time. A man on horseback can travel 20 to 30 miles.a day, depending on weather, where he begins, where he is traveling to, whether he is using one of the Emperor's roads, ete. Fach of the clans has at least three travelogues: one for the daimyo, one for his chief magistrate and another for visiting dignitaries, These small booklets include maps and lists of roads, temples, inns, way stalions, towns and villages as well as friendly territories and territories la aveid. Emperor's Roaps anp Way STATIONS Long ago, the first Hantei ordered that roads be constructed ta connect the palaces of the Great Clans and the Imperial City, Otosan Uchi. Por a thousand years, these roads have been maintained by the Clans to varying degrees. The Crane spend incredible sums to keep their roads in good condition, while the Crab Clan only bothers to maintain these roads that speed up lroop movements along the Shadowlands border, Along many roads are tall, wide trees to provide shade and protection from rain. Way stations are located along the Emperor's roads: they're typically guarded by samurai apprenticed to magistrates. There are many of these way stations, all of which vary in size and staff. The officers al way stations provide ass to travelers, act as advance scouts (looking foe invading armies) and keep an eye out for general trouble. They are often staffed with a shugenja ar twa, just in case of emergencies, TRAVEL Papers Well-kept roads mean quick travel betwee cities. Tt also means quick travel betwee provinces, Which is nat good for clans who fee invasion. When samurai or peasants travel, they must gain permission from their daimyo and carry travel papers (indicating their destination and business) to do so, Papers are checked at Way Stations placed at the barders of Provinces. Food RIcE “Have you eaten rice today?” Common Rokugan greeting Rokugani donot greet each other with “Helle” or “How are you?" They ask each other if they had anything t eal, and the one product thi tnakes its way into every meal is rice. Rice ts the staple af the Rokugan diet. It is steamed aad served as a main dish, boiled into a thick gruel, ¢€ mixed and shaped with vinegar, It is oft crushed and made into rice cakes or ground inti flour and made into dumplings and noodles E rice is not available, or is too expensive, millet the poor mans rice - is used instead FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Rokugani eal a variety of vegetables (alway served with rice, Vegetables are almost neve eaten raw: they are steamed, fried, pickled anf stewed, Popular vegetables are beans (especial the soy bean which is used to make soy sauce ant tofu) which are stewed or mashed into a paste SEaFoopD seaload is a delicacy all across Rokugan Obviously, only those who live clase to the coal have access to fresh seafood. ish is boiled, brailed fried, stewed, or served raw on vinegar-treated tit {and called sus/ii. Typical types of seafood include abalone, bonito, clam, crab, cels, fish maw, herring jellyfish, kelp, mackerel, octopus, oysters, pulterfish (ihe famous “blowfish” that is: poison if prepared incorreetly), sardines, scallops, sea has sea cucumber, sea tirchin, shrimp, squid, swordtist and tuna Meat Red meat is not eaten in Rokug | their milk is com tr toth p id nobility larly, while eta eat and Nobility meal: it them smell dirty, Drinks Tea is the most popular drink 1. An entire 1 to the pri } [ of this drink. not add ar tu wigh some Unicorn still drink theirs with horse » called those ( ul hot fat hody temperature) and i ilrunk fre nall cups thal be held in one hand. A more mn of sake is callec Only very serious ra partake of shochu, For the whe cannot afford +, there are fruit br Cloth Clothing is desizned to keey person warm and dry. In fokugan, clothing has another You can often tell a ition by the clathes they le wear § rment that with. In ugani wear light silk In winter, Rokugani wear padded with cotton. hi lo keep the scan be kept in the kimoeno’s wide ‘alled an is worn about the wist. The obi is . which serves the hes can be i _— i

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