Bushi:

Bayushi Bushi
Benefit +1 Intelligence
Honour: 1.5
Skills: Courtier (political manoeuvring), defence, etiquette, iaijutsu, kenjutsu, kyujutsu, any 1 High or Low skill
Outfit: Daisho, bow and 20 arrows, 1 weapon, light armour, kimono and sandals, travelling pack, 7 koku
Rank 1: The Way of the Scorpion
You roll School Rank extra dice on Initiative rolls. Enemies cannot use Combat Reflexes to trade Initiative with you. You gain a +5 TN to be hit
bonus against those with a lower Initiative than you.
Rank 2: Pincers and tail
the bushi has learned the infamous “scorpion feint.” When making a Feint manoeuvre you gain 2 Free Raises on success instead of 1. If an
opponent attacks you and misses you gain a number of Free Raises equal to your Air Ring on any attacks against him before his next turn.
rank: 3 Strike at the tail
scorpion bushi know there is more than one way to defeat an opponent. An enemy without a weapon is not to be feared. You gain a Free
Raise when attempting a Called Shot, Disarm, or Knock-down. On a Disarm attempt your opponent rolls and keeps one fewer die. If you raise
twice on the initial Disarm attack and have a free hand, you may end up holding the weapon.
Rank: 4 Strike from above, strike from below
the bushi’s blinding speed and deceptive fighting allow him to slay multiple opponents with ease. The bushi may make two attacks per round.
Rank: 5 The pincers hold, the tail strikes
by mastering the deceptive techniques of the scorpion, the bushi understands how to spend a precious moment before the strike to make it as
deadly as possible. The bushi may declare raises after her attack roll. You may also decide whether the attack was actually a Disarm, Feint, or
Knock-down after the attack is rolled.

Bitter Lies Swordsman

Path of Entry:Bayushi Bushi 1
Path of Egress:Bayushi Bushi 2
Technique: The Dark Sword of Bitter Lies
You gain 1 rank of Luck immediately, even if you have 3 already. When facing an opponent of higher Insight Rank you roll and keep additional
dice on all attack rolls equal to the difference, but never more than your ranks of Luck. Additionally you roll and keep extra dice equal to your
Luck in all life or death situations outside of combat. Should you ever retreat in the face of superior numbers or skill you cannot use this
Technique for one full day.

Dozan Kenjutsu Style

Bayushi Dozan was a dark individual, who was prepared to make great sacrifices for his Clan. His kenjutsu style is still taught at all of the dojo
of the Scorpion and even some Bayushi Courtiers and Shoruro Butei have become masters of the Dozan style. In fact, knowledge of the
Dozan style is considered an indication of immense loyalty to the Scorpion.
Technique Level: Rank 2
Entry: Any non-Shugenja Scorpion School Rank 1
Egress: Previous School Rank 2 or other non-Shugenja Scorpion School Rank 1
Technique - The Price of Loyalty
Students of the Dozan style know that although Loyalty has a steep price, it does not need to be paid by the Scorpion. While using a katana,
the character may add his Glory to the total of all damage rolls.

Bayushi Violator
Path of Entry:Bayushi Bushi 2
Path of Egress: Shosuro Shinobi 1
Technique: Concentrated Strike
You may spend a Void pint to force all opponents within 15' to spend an additional Void Point to use any of their Techniques, kiho or kata for
the next 5 rounds. If an ability did not have an activation cost before it now costs one Void Point. Additionally you gain an extra Free Raise for
every round you Focus.

Mitsuko's Lesson
ingress: Bayushi bushi 2
egress: Bayushi bushi 3
Technique: Mitsuko's lesson
when you feint, you gain a free raise on all attacks and combat manoeuvres for each multiple school you possess.

School of the Golden Blade

Technique Level: Rank 3
Entry: Mirumoto Bushi Rank 2 or Bayushi Bushi Rank 2
Egress: Bayushi Bushi or Mirumoto Bushi 1 (whichever you did not enter from)
Technique: Striking at the Unknown
This technique is half deception and half mystic understanding of the way your opponent fights. The Scorpion know that you can control
someone with subtle actions, while the Dragon know that subtle actions reveal a lot about someone. Using subtle body language and reading
the opponent, you can set up someone to attack you, thinking he is striking at an opening in your guard. After one full turn of combat with
someone, the bushi can attempt to mislead their opponent into attacking you right where you want them to. Roll your Sincerity or Meditation
keeping your school rank versus a TN of their Perception x5. If you succeed, their next round of attacks targeting you automatically fail. If you
fail, you have shown them a real opening in your guard and your TN to be hit drops to 5+armour.

Tanshin's fan
path of entry: Bayushi bushi 2
path of egress: Bayushi bushi 3
other requirements: ambidextrous, war fan 4
technique: distracting fan
You gain a free raise when using the feint manoeuvre with a war-fan You may add your fire ring to your TN to be hit while wielding a war-fan

Bayushi elite guard

Path of entry: Bayushi bushi 3
Path of egress: Bayushi bushi 4
Requirement: know the school (any great clan bushi school) 3
Technique: my enemy’s eyes
You gain an additional attack per round. This attack may only be used against opponents who possess ranks of a school for which you
possess the know the school skill. You may also use this additional attack against opponents with no school ranks while their initiative score is
lower than yours.

Bitter Lies Avenger

path of entry - Bayushi bushi 4, bitter lies swordsman path
path of egress - Bayushi bushi 5
technique - beware the true dark sword!
The bitter lies avenger has fully mastered the dark sword of bitter lies' technique. For the purpose of the dark sword of the bitter lies technique,
lower your insight rank by the rank of your lowest ring. Also, you can make tests of luck. When you fail a roll, you can re-roll the failed roll,
using your luck rank in place of a skill, trait or ring of your choice. This count as an use of the luck advantage.

Bitter Lies Berserker

path of entry - Bayushi bushi 4, bitter lies swordsman path
path of egress - Bayushi bushi 5
technique – Fury of the dark sword!
The bitter lies berserker has mastered a dangerous version of the dark sword of bitter lies' technique. You can now use your dark sword of the
bitter lies technique against every opponent you face so long as you are in the full attack posture, however you do not gain the free raises to
your attack roll. Also, you roll (not keep) a number of additional dice equal to the number of ranks you have in the luck advantage to your
damage rolls made with a kenjutsu weapon.

Bitter Lies Master

school of entry: Bayushi bushi 5
school of egress: Bitter Lies Kensai
requirements: kenjutsu 5, lore: Tangen's lies 5, deceit 4, agility 4, reflexes 4, perceived honour (any rank), any two scorpion clan kata. Must
have the bitter lies swordsman technique.
The dark soul of bitter lies -
When making an attack roll, you roll and keep a number of dice equal to half the ranks you have in the luck advantage (rounded down); this is
not cumulative with the benefit from the bitter lies swordsman school. When you are using a scorpion clan kata, you may add your lore:
Tangen's lies to the result of your initiative rolls.

Bitter Lies Kensai

school of entry: bitter lies master
school of egress: none
requirements: bitter lies master
fall before the dark sword -
All attack rolls made against you (including in iaijutsu duels) lose rolled and kept dice equal to half your ranks in the luck advantage (rounded
down); any attack roll reduced to zero dice automatically fails. At will, you may raise or lower your honour rank by your ranks in the perceived
honour advantage for all purposes (including techniques, tests of honour, some spells, and other functions); this cannot not increase your
honour rank above 5. You gain an additional rank of luck

Bayushi saboteur [ninja]

Benefit: +1 intelligence
Honour: 1.5
Skills: acting, deceit, engineering, explosives, locksmith, poison, stealth (sneaking)
Outfit: katana, wakizashi, kimono, light armour, travelling pack, any 1 weapon, 2 koku
Rank 1: Bayushi’s footsteps
You roll and keep additional dice equal to your school rank on all stealth rolls. When you spend a void point to gain 1k1 on one of your school
skill rolls, you gain 2k2 instead. You also add your air ring to your initiative total.
Rank 2: seeking weakness
You may study any inanimate object, (armour, weapon, or other object) or building for one round and make a raw perception roll (TN 15). If
successful, you gain a number of free raises equal to your school rank on any engineering or explosives rolls to destroy it (for buildings), or on
an attack roll for using the disarm manoeuvrer Disarmed weapons and objects are dropped, and disarmed armour confers no bonus to TN to
be hit. (disarming armour requires a contested roll as normal, where your opponent uses his agility/defence This is not normally possible, but
is a function of this technique.) You also add your fire ring to your TN to be hit.
Rank 3: the soul of Bayushi
You never suffer initiative penalties from being surprised or wounded. As long as you are conscious and unbound, your TN to be hit may never
be reduced by an opponent’s spells or techniques, unless the spell or technique has a higher mastery level or rank than your insight rank. You
also add twice your air ring to your initiative total, replacing the benefit from rank 1.
Rank 4: no mistakes
You may make an additional attack per round. You add twice your fire ring to your TN to be hit, replacing the benefit from rank 2.
Rank 5: follow the pincers
When making a roll with any school skill, your dice explode on an 8, 9, or 10. This effect may only be used once per die per roll. You also add
three times your air ring to your initiative total, replacing the benefit from rank 3.

Falling leaves kenshi school

benefit: agility
honour: 1.5
skills: athletics, defence, kenjutsu (katana), stealth, knives, pick one bugei skill, and pick one craft or low skill
outfit: katana, wakizashi, tanto, daisho stand, light armour, armour chest, bokken, pick one weapon; kimono and sandals, travelling pack; 4
koku.
Rank 1: way of the falling leaves
the scorpion learns to control her blade’s motion with subtlety instead of muscle through constant training. This intensity in training extends to
all arts of the warrior. When rolling damage with a weapon, she may add agility instead of strength to her DR. When increasing her bugei skills
the bushi pays one less XP (min 1).
Rank 2: divide the heavens
the bushi has learned to bat aside arrows, thrown knives and shuriken almost reflexively. When the bushi has a weapon in hand, her TN to be
hit with missile weapons is increased by +10 unless she is making a full attack that turn. Additionally you add your fire ring to attack rolls.
Rank 3: behind night's shadow
On turns when the bushi has declared full defence, after actions are declared she may choose one opponent who has declared a melee attack
on her this turn. If that opponent fails to hit her, she may automatically strike that opponent, inflicting a number of wounds equal to her weapon
skill. You may make an additional attack per round.
Rank 4: know your enemy
Human opponents of lower school rank than the bushi must spend a void point to declare more than one attack per turn on her. This in no way
prevents multiple opponents from ganging up on the bushi. You now add twice your fire ring to attack rolls (replacing the bonus gained at
second rank).
Rank 5: stand against the waves
Instead of her usual attacks each turn, the bushi may spend a void point to make a single attack on each opponent who has declared a melee
attack upon her this turn.

The graceful blade

Benefit: +1 reflexes
honour: 2.0
skills: courtier, iaijutsu, kenjutsu (katana), Defence, any one high skill, any two high or bugei skills
outfit: katana, wakizashi, any weapon, kimono and sandals, one kimono and pair of sandals (fine quality), travelling pack, 5 koku.
Rank 1: beauty is in the cut
In an iaijutsu battle you gain a number of free raises equal to your school rank that can be used to focus. These raises disappear at the end of
the duel and only one may be used for each focus check. You may use your air ring instead of your agility with the kenjutsu skill in a skirmish.
Rank 2: beauty is in the strike
If you successfully feint with kenjutsu in combat you may opt to take two free raises towards your next attack instead of your normal one. If you
do so you must make raises to turn your next attack into one that does no damage (i.e. disarm, knock-down, etc.).
Rank 3: beauty is in the blade
You may make an additional attack each round. In an iaijutsu duel you may spend two void points to re-roll a failed focus check. You may not
spend void points on the re-rolled check.
Rank 4: beauty is on the edge
Choose a number of special types of attack equal to your air ring that require raises. When making that attack, either in an iaijutsu duel or a
skirmish you receive a number of free raises equal to your air ring. Multiple special attacks as part of the same action don't net extra raises.
Rank 5: beauty is in the soul
In an iaijutsu duel when you declare strike you must announce what type of attack you will make and all raises before your opponent makes
his attack. Your opponent’s TN to hit you increases by 5 for every raise you declare, free or otherwise. In a skirmish you may sacrifice initiative
dice for raises. For every rolled (not kept) initiative die you sacrifice you get a free raise to every attack roll for the duration of the skirmish.
These raises may not be used to lower the TN to hit. This ability must be declared when initiative is called for.

Hitaki Yojimbo
path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : any Scorpion bushi rank 1
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Honour: 1.5
Skills: Defence, Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Medicine (antidotes), Poison 2, 1 bugei, low, or High skill
Outfit Kimono, Katana, Wakizashi, Travelling pack
Techniques
Rank 1: Scent of the familiar venom
Due to almost supernatural familiarity to poison, the Bodyguard is able to detect poison on a successful poison+perception roll, up to 5 feet
away/school rank. This ability ignores amount of dose but cannot detect poisons in a sealed vial. This is not merely a scent thing, it is a
combination of all senses, almost a supernatural sense to poison.

Hitosashi Bushi
This bushi school was the original birthplace of the Katana and Jitte style which was built upon by Shosuro Kyosuke.
path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : Shosuro bushi rank 1
Benefits: +1 Reflexes
Honour: 1.5
Skills: Craft: Weaponsmith, Defence, Etiquette, Knives, Kenjutsu (katana), any two other skills.
Outfit: Katana, Wakizashi, Jitte, Light Armour, Helm, Mempo, Travelling Pack, Kimono, 3 Koku.
Technique: The Pincer follows the Path
The Hitosashi did not share all their secrets with the Shosuro masters. The Hitosashi bushi may, if he strikes successfully with his katana, add
his Jitte's damage rating to that of his sword. For example, Hitosashi Baku has a Strength of 3, and he hits with his katana (3k2) against a
bandit. Baku's normal DR in this instance would be 6k2, but he may add the DR of his Jitte (1k1), making his DR 7k3 by using this technique.

Iioka bushi school

The Iioka are one of the many tools in the scorpion arsenal. When an opponent must simply be removed, the iioka stand ready to send the
unworthy on to the void.
Benefit: +1 reflexes
Beginning honour: 2.5
Skills: Defence, hunting, kenjutsu, kyujutsu (yumi), poison, stealth, 1 Bugei or low skill
Outfit: Daisho, bow and 20 arrows, 1 weapon, light armour, kimono and sandals, travelling pack, 7 koku
Techniques
Rank 1: strike from the heavens
The scorpion has learned to sting swiftly and from a great distance. While shooting a bow he may roll School Rank extra dice for initiative and
is unaffected by range penalties.
Rank 2: the hand of fate
The iioka have always focused on the idea of the single attack that fulfils destiny. They strive for the perfect killing blow: where it is destiny, not
the hand of man, that lays the target low. By spending a void point the bushi may keep two extra dice for one damage roll.
Rank 3: seize the moment
The bushi may take two actions per round (including ranged attacks) on any round where he himself is not being attacked.

Kage-Sagasu [ninja]
The living darkness is an elusive enemy, and a dangerous one. Dangerous enough that the Kage Sagasu, like their witchhunter counterparts,
are few and far between. Candidates are chosen by a select group of other Kage Sagasu. However, unlike the Kuni Witch hunters, the
shadow hunters are very secretive. Only other hunters and the Scorpion daimyo are aware of their true occupation. As such, they are given a
cover as a member of a different school within the clan, usually as a lesser branch of a courtier or bushi school depending on their natural
talents. They are not completely sure what they hunt, so they make sure that what hunts them is not sure what they are either.
Benefits: +1 Perception
Skills: Kenjutsu, Lore: Ninja, Lore: Living Darkness, Investigation, Stealth, Meditation, any 1 skill
Outfit: As cover school, plus a crystal weapon of their choice.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Shadow Has Fear
Fear is the first thing the hunter must exploit from his enemy. Anyone or anything which has Shadow Points, must drop their highest die when
attacking or dealing damage to the hunter.
Rank 2: The Shadow Has Desire
The hunter may have learned another of the shadow's weaknesses. By spending a void point for any reason and making an opposed
Awareness Roll, the hunter can trick a Shadow manifestation into drawing his attention. Any character who's Shadow Points exceed their void
and fails the awareness roll becomes suddenly "interested" in the hunter. It won't necessarily try to attack him, but it will try to draw the hunter
into something.
Rank 3: The Shadow Has Regret
The hunter's TN to be hit is increased by his opponent's Shadow Points x 5.
Rank 4: The Shadow Has Limits
The hunter now becomes resistant to the shadow. As long as he does not take any action motivated by fear, desire or regret (GM's Discretion),
he is immune from gaining shadow points for one day.
Rank 5: The Shadow Has Nothing
The hunter has finally unlocked the shadow's identity. He automatically knows who and what is contaminated by the living darkness and how
many shadow points they have. Unfortunately, no Shadow hunter has ever lived long enough to put this technique to good use.

Kochako bushi school

path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : any Scorpion bushi rank 1
Benefit: +1 intelligence
Beginning honour: 1.5
Skills: Defence, Kenjutsu (katana), Kyujutsu, Lore: Bushi Schools, Performance: Dance, 1 bugei skill, and any one skill
Outfit: Daisho, bow and 20 arrows, 1 weapon, light armour, kimono and sandals, travelling pack, 7 koku
Technique: learning to learn
The Kochako bushi is expected to master a variety of weapons. This constant training teaches the bushi the most important lesson: how to
learn. The experience point cost to improve any bugei skill the character has (already at rank 1 or better) is reduced by one point. You may
also add your Performance: Dance skill to either your TN to be Hit or your Attack rolls, declare which at the start of each round

Kochako executioner [ninja]

path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : any ninja school rank 1
benefit: +1 willpower
starting honour: 1.5
school skills: kenjutsu, investigation, defence, stealth, athletics, jujitsu, ninja ranged weapons
starting outfit: kimono, sandals, stealth clothes, katana, wakizashi, ninja-to, tanto, travelling pack, ashigaru armour, black body paint, any three
weapons, 4 koku.
Technique : the hand shall not falter
When you are on a mission to kill a member of your clan you benefit from the following advantages : irreproachable (6 pt), heartless and clear
thinker.

Nanbu yojimbo
path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : Bayushi bushi rank 1
benefit: +1 stamina
starting honour: 2.5
school skills: kenjutsu (katana), hunting, defence 2, athletics, kyujutsu, any one high or bugei skill
outfit: kimono, sandals, katana, wakizashi, tanto, bow, 20 arrows of any type, travelling pack, light or heavy armour, any one weapon, 3 koku.
Technique : the pincers forever loyal.
You may perform the feint and guard manoeuvre at the same time, this attack require one raise and doesn’t do damage but increase your ally
TN to be hit by 5 and gives you a free raise on your next attack against the opponent. Your may decide to give the free raise gained by this
manoeuvre to your ally instead of benefiting yourself of it. This manoeuvre count as a feint for all advantages, techniques, kata or other
purposes. You may add your honour to your TN to be hit.

Pain’s lesson bushi school

benefit: reflexes
honour: 1.5
skills: calligraphy, defence, kenjutsu:pain’s lessons, knife, kyujutsu, poison, stealth.
Outfit: same as Bayushi bushi, see l5r 3e page 139
rank 1: the great tool
Yogo bushi learn to inflict vicious wounds almost by reflex. Any human opponent struck by the bushi has his wound penalty increased by 5 for
his next two actions (the strength of the earth advantage may counteract or offset this). The bushi may make his blows even more
incapacitating, increase this momentary wound penalty by making raises to "hurt" on a one-for-one basis (one raise: an additional -5, two
raises: -10, and so on), or raising to increase the duration of the penalty, adding one action per raise. The penalties from multiple attacks of
this sort are not cumulative; the target of such attacks is subject only to the single highest penalty. If using a missile weapon the bushi does
not automatically cause an extra temporary level of wound penalty, but can still make raises to hurt so long as the target is at close range. You
add your air ring to your TN to be hit.
Rank 2: stinging steel
the bushi is adept in secreting small throwing knives about his person. The TN to spot them on him (raw perception roll) is 50. Even a
thorough search (perception/investigation) is at TN 40. You may add your reflexes in place of your strength to the DR of a knife. The character
may conceal up to his school rank +1 knives on his person. Each blade beyond this limit decreases the difficulty of the TN to find them by 10.
(the character may of course carry many more displayed openly). You may use your knife skill in place of sleight of hand (conceal) skill only for
concealing the knives and resisting searches. Additionally you gain an additional attack using a knife, suffering no penalties for using two
weapons. This additional attack can be done only once per opponent in a single skirmish.
Rank 3: weaving the hurts
the bushi becomes more adept at following up on successful hits. If the bushi hits an opponent, he gains an additional attack at the end of the
turn. If he attacks the same opponent with his second attack, he gains a free raise on his attack. You now add twice your air ring to your TN to
be hit (replacing the bonus gained at the first rank). Additionally the bushi learns to focus his pain and use it against his enemy, from now on
he adds twice his wound penalties or his water ring to all damage rolls.
Rank 4: the great teacher
the Yogo has learned to channel his own pains, taking from them the will to triumph. If the bushi takes wounds from a melee attack he gains a
number of free raises on his next attack (either that turn or on the following turn). He gains 1 free raise if he was struck while having declared a
full attack, 2 free raises if injured in a turn where he declared a normal attack, and 3 free raises if he is hit after having declared full defence
These raises are lost if not used as part of an attack on his next action. Additional hits on the bushi before his next attack do not provide any
additional free raises. You add twice your water ring to damage rolls.
Rank 5: Agony's hand
The Yogo's raking blows are so cruel that they often stop his opponents in their tracks. If the bushi successfully strikes a human opponent with
a melee attack as his first attack of the turn, that opponent automatically loses his next attack or action that turn (the lost action still counts as
one of the two penalized actions for purposes of the Yogo bushi’s 1st rank technique however). Opponents who had declared full defence lose
their benefit from having done so until the end of the turn. You add three times your wound penalties or twice your water ring to your damage
rolls (replacing the bonus gained at the third rank).

Sasu Yojimbo
The sole purpose of the Sasu is to protect the Courtiers of the Bayushi as they carry out their duties. To do this requires a special combination
of strength, discretion and skill, all areas in which the Sasu Yojimbo excel. A common tactic is for the Bayushi Courtier to always demand his
yojimbo to be there, the imposing sight of the Sasu often shakes inexperienced courtiers, making them even easier prey for the dangerous
Bayushi.
path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : Bayushi bushi rank 1
Benefits: +1 Reflexes
Starting Honour: 2.0
Skills: Defence, Iaijutsu, Intimidation, Kenjutsu, Etiquette, Sincerity, any one other skill.
Outfit: Katana, Wakizashi, Aiguchi, Light Armour, Helm, Mempo, Travelling Pack, Kimono, 3 Koku.
Technique: Unsettle the Heart
Sasu Yojimbo are the perfect complement to the Courtiers of the Bayushi. Through their intimidating presence, the Sasu inspire fear in
inexperienced courtiers, making the Bayushi's duties even easier. Any high skill rolls made in the presence of the Yojimbo have their score
reduced by the Yojimbo's Intimidation x2. This technique does not affect characters trained in the Bayushi Courtier School, or other Sasu
Yojimbo.

Shosuro Bushi
The Shosuro Bushi School was founded by Shosuro Kyosuke in the time shortly before the Day of Thunder. The school's techniques revolve
around the use of the Katana, paired with a Jitte. Members of this school commonly refer to their Jitte as their pincer, which they use to
devastating effect. Members of this school are considered marginally more trustworthy than the average Shosuro, and many of the school's
members become magistrates.
Benefits: +1 Agility
Starting Honour:1.5
Skills: Defence, Kenjutsu, Jitte or Sai, Sincerity, any two High or Low skills.
Outfit: Katana, Wakizashi, Light Armour, Helm, Traveling Pack, Kimono, Jitte or Sai, 2 Koku.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Pincer Is My Armour
The bushi may add her Knives skill to her TN to be hit whilst she is wielding either a Jitte or a Sai in her off-hand. She suffers no penalty for
two weapon fighting when using a knife in her off-hand
Rank 2: Catch the Blade
The principal technique of the school, the bushi may attack with her Katana and still make an attempt to disarm her opponent using the Jitte in
her off-hand.
Rank 3: Clearing The Way
Using her Jitte or Sai to find gaps in her opponent's defence, the bushi clears the path for her blade. The bushi may make a contested
Agility/Knives roll against her opponents Agility/Weapon skill. If the bushi wins, she may reduce her opponents TN to be hit by her knives skill
for this round. She may not use her rank 2 technique in the same round she uses this one.
Rank 4: The Pincer Is My Weapon
At this rank, the bushi may attack with both her Katana and Jitte each round. She may also attempt to disarm her opponent in a round where
she attacks twice.
Rank 5: The Pincer Has No Equal
The bushi's skill with her style has become of such a high standard that she can use her Rank 2 and Rank 3 techniques in the same round.
Additionally if she successfully Disarms an opponent she may attempt to break his weapon.

Shosuro Shinobi [ninja]

Benefit +1 Reflexes
Honour 0.5
Skills: Athletics, deceit, defence, kenjutsu, ninja ranged weapons, stealth (sneaking) Underworld
Outfit: wakizashi, ninja-to, 10 shuriken, 1 weapon, ashigaru armour, dark clothing, kimono and sandals, travelling pack, 10 koku
Rank 1: The Shadow has No Mask
Roll and keep School Rank extra die on all stealth rolls. Full Defence does not interfere with your movement. You are always considered to be
in Full Defence unless you declare otherwise.
Rank 2: The Shadow has no Mercy
Your Raises on Stealth skill rolls and attack rolls against people who do not know you are there are not limited by your Void or Skill rank. If you
are using a Skill for which you have Great Potential you gain 2 Free Raises. You add 2x your Fire to your TN to be hit when not wearing
armour.
Rank 3: The Shadow has no Form
On your action you may increase your TN to be hit by up to your Fire x5, all of your own TNs except Stealth, Defence, and Athletics rolls suffer
and equal penalty until your next turn. Using the Stealth skill for sneaking no longer interferes with your movement.
Rank 4: The Shadow has no Substance
Additional attack. May spend a Void Point and make an Agility/Stealth roll when attacked or the target of a spell. If you roll higher than the
attack roll then the attacker automatically misses or the spell automatically fails. Each use of this ability costs you one of your attacks on your
next turn.
Rank 5: The Shadow has no Soul
Your TN penalty from The Shadow has no Form is now half the bonus you apply to your TN to be hit. Your 7s 8s and 9s explode once on
damage rolls against an opponent who did not know you were there.

Shinobi Bowman [ninja]

path of entry: Shosuro shinobi 2
path of egress: Shosuro shinobi 3
technique: the silent stinger
For the purposes of this technique your Shosuro shinobi school rank is considered to be one higher. You may use your ninja ranged weapons
skill when using a hankyu. (you may also purchase the hankyu emphasis as an emphasis for either ninja ranged weapons or kyujutsu and
apply it accordingly). In addition, when attacking with a hankyu, you may add your stealth skill rank to your attack rolls as long as you remain
undetected since your last turn. Also, you may add your ninja ranged weapons skill rank and your air ring to the TN for rolls attempting to
detect you, as long as you are in the attack posture using the hankyu. In addition, your range with a hankyu is doubled at all times.

Turning Leaves
trait: awareness
honour 2.0
skills: courtier, kenjutsu, defence, deceit, kyujutsu, any two high or low skills
Rank 1: way of the scorpion
You add your school rank to initiative rolls in addition to your air ring. Enemies cannot use the combat reflexes advantage to trade initiative
with you. You gain a +5 bonus to your TN to be hit against any opponent with a lower initiative.
Rank 2: leaves darken
You may make a deceit/awareness roll against an opponent’s weapon skill/agility roll. If you succeed you may immediately make one attack
against them. If you hit, they are disarmed, and you keep your lowest dice in damage against them. You gain a number of safe raises per
combat equal to your air ring.
Rank 3: riding on the wind
If you use the knock-down or disarm manoeuvrers or the leaves darken technique against an opponent and succeed you may chose to switch
initiative with them on your next round, and you decide after initiative is determined. If you defeat an opponent in combat but leave them alive,
you may either make them lose a number of boxes of honour equal to your air ring, or cause them to gain a 2-pt. Obligation disadvantage to
you. The honour loss or disadvantage lasts for a number of days equal to your status rank.
Rank 4: strike from above, strike from below
You may make an additional attack per round. You now gain +10 to your TN to be hit against opponents with a lower initiative. This replaces
the bonus gained at rank 1.
Rank 5: the leaves fall
All raises you call on knock-down, feint, and disarm are automatically safe raises. You add twice your air ring to your initiative, as well as your
school rank. You may choose to have any attack against an opponent with lower initiative be non-lethal; you still deal damage normally,
however it will not reduce them past the out rank.

Waves beneath the sea yojimbo school

benefit: perception
honour: 2.5
skills: calligraphy, investigation, meditation (fasting), kenjutsu, spears, defence, any one skill
outfit:
Rank 1: wind on the surface
He may start the skirmish in full defence stance. At the beginning of a skirmish he chooses if he will add his water ring to his attack rolls or his
charge’s TN to be hit.
Rank 2: pebbles on a beach
If an ally is hit while the yojimbo is guarding him, he may spend a void point to take the blow, resolve the attack normally, but apply all the
damage to the yojimbo. You receive a free raise on melee attack rolls that can only be used to guard an ally.
Rank 3: the calm follows the storm
Before any action is taken this turn the yojimbo may spend a void point to make a contested agility/defence roll against weapon skill/varies of
any opponent who can attack his charge. Any opponent who fails the roll can not attack the charge for the rest of the turn.
You gain an additional attack each round, and you add twice your water ring to either attack rolls or your TN to be hit (replacing the bonus
gained at the first rank).
Rank 4: secrets of the deep
at this rank the yojimbo gains a second free raise on attack rolls that can be used only to guard an ally.
After an opponent attacks your charge you may spend a void point to gain a free attack on that opponent. If your charge suffered damage you
do not need to spend a void point. He adds twice his water ring to both his attack rolls and his TN to be hit.
Rank 5: the river meets the sea
You can use the full defence stance to protect your charge as if he were you, all attacks to your charge are treated as if they were directed at
you, if it hits the damage is applied to your charge. You gain all the benefits of full defence When you use pebbles on the beach you reduce all
damage suffered by your meditation rank. From now on the yojimbo gains an additional attack per round.

Yogo assassin (ninja)

Favoured trait: +1 perception
Honour : 2.0
Skills: acting, conversation or seduction, investigation, knife, poison, sleight of hand, stealth
Outfit:: daisho w/ stand, tanto, 2 fine kimono, sandals, courtier’s fan, travelling pack, 6 koku
Rank 1: the underhand
you gain 2 free raises on all low skill checks.
Rank 2: sting not the scorpion
He gets to pick one specific poison that he is immune to. If the poison is particularly strong it may (at the gm’s discretion) make him dizzy or
nauseous, but nothing like what it should do. At each rank hereafter the character may pick another poison to which he becomes immune.
Rank 3: suffer thy lord’s demand
While performing a task for his lord (or on behalf of those on his loyalty list) the assassin may spend an action to make a test of honour with a
TN of his current wound penalty (treat down as 25). If the test succeeds he may ignore all wound penalties (except death) for a number of
turns equal to twice his honour rank. This may be done only once per day.
Rank 4: I can swim
Once per adventure the assassin may "reveal" a skill he possesses. He may spend unspent experience points to purchase a new skill at rank
1 or 2, or to increase a skill he already possess by one rank. Use of this technique does not require an action and may be done at any time.
Rank 5: "simplify, simplify, simplify"
He no longer needs to roll to succeed when using the sleight of hand or poison skill. The character is entitled to any free raises, but may not
make raises while using this technique. If the assassin wishes to raise he must roll normally.

Shugenja:
Jitsuyoteki interrogators
benefit: +1 awareness
skills: calligraphy, spellcraft (Tejina), poison, hunting, anatomy, deceit, investigation
honour: 1.5
Outfit: wakizashi, tanto, kimono and sandals, scroll satchel, travelling pack, torture instruments, 3 koku.
Affinity/deficiency: the Jitsuyoteki interrogators have an affinity for air and a deficiency for fire.
Technique: opening the mind
You gain a free raise on all spells used to obtain information from a victim. You add your spellcraft skill rank to your investigation rolls.
Spells: sense, commune, summon, counter-spell, any 3 air spells, any 2 water spells and any 1 earth spell.

Soshi Shugenja
Benefit +1 Awareness
Honour 1.5
Skills: Calligraphy Courtier, Etiquette, Meditation, Spellcraft, Stealth (spell-casting)m Theology
Outfit: wakizashi, tanto, kimono and sandals, scroll satchel, travelling pack, 7 koku.
Affinity/Deficiency Air/Fire
Spells: Sense, summon, commune, counter-spell, Secrets on the Wind, 3 Air, 2 Water, 1 Earth
Soshi's Whisper
Secrets on the Wind as an Innate Ability. Free Raise when casting Secrets on the Wind, Reflective Pool, and Essence of Air. Free Raise on
Stealth rolls to cast without being noticed.

Soshi duellist
Path of entry: Soshi shugenja school 2
Path of egress: Soshi shugenja school 3
Technique: mask of the Soshi
When resolving a taryu-jiai duel, you may spend a void point to add a penalty to your opponent's TN to learn information about you during the
assessment phase. This penalty is equal to twice your awareness, and the number of void points that you may spend for this purpose during
the challenge phase is limited only by the number that you have remaining to spend.

Soshi illusionist [shugenja]

Path of entry: Soshi shugenja 2
Path of egress: Soshi shugenja 3
Technique: unending deception –
When casting a spell that deceives the senses - such as creating false images or sounds or diverting attention away from herself - the
shugenja may expend a spell slot to increase the base duration of the spell to one week. So long as the spell is active, the shugenja cannot
recover the spell slot used to cast this spell. An illusionist may end one of her spells that has been altered in such a way with a simple action.

Soshi shadow-brander
entry path: Soshi shugenja 2
egress path: Soshi shugenja 3
special: must have at least one shadow-brand or shadow point. Characters who know this technique are prime targets for corruption by the
lying darkness.
Technique: Shosuro's bargain
Special: ranks in this path count towards your mastery level as shugenja, keeping any previous affinities and deficiencies.
For purposes of this technique your Soshi shugenja school rank is considered 1 rank higher. You may now mark shadow-brands upon a
receiver. This requires a one hour long ritual taking place on darkened room. At the end of this time the shadow-brander makes an opposed
(lore: lying darkness (kage-yakin)/Soshi shugenja school rank) roll against the recipient’s void. If successful the target now has a shadow-
brand. For every shadow-brand or shadow point the recipient has the TN to craft the brand is reduced by 5, characters hit by shadow bolts
(see way of shadow) also have the TN reduced by this amount; however every failed attempt increases the TN for further attempts by 10.
Whether successful or not the recipient takes 1k1 dice of damage from the ordeal.
It should be remembered that shadow-brands limit the maximum amount of void a character may have. If granting a shadow-brand would
result in the character having a higher void rank than that allowed by the number of brands possessed the branding attempt automatically
fails.

Tansaku diviner
benefit: +1 perception
skills: calligraphy, spellcraft (maho), meditation, lore : history, lore : maho, theology, any one high skill
honour: 2.0
outfit: wakizashi, tanto, kimono and sandals, scroll satchel, travelling pack, 3 koku.
Affinity/deficiency: affinity for water deficiency for earth. Affinity for all spells divining future events and deficiency for all damaging spells.
Technique: seer of the curse
Whenever you cast a divination spell that targets a member of the Yogo family you gain free raises equal to the status rank of the target.
Spells: sense, commune, summon, counter-spell, any 3 water spells, any 2 air spells and any 1 fire spell.

Yogo Shugenja
Benefit: +1 Perception
Honnour 1.5
Skills: Calligraphy, Lore: History, Lore: Shadowlands, Meditation, Spellcraft (Maho), Theology, 1 High skill
Outfit: wakizashi, tanto, kimono and sandals, scroll satchel, travelling pack, 5 koku
Affinity/Deficiency: None
Spells: Sense, Summon, Commune, Counterspell, Banish, 1 of each element
Technique: Yogo's Love
Symbol of Air/Earth/Fire/Water count as Mastery level 1 spells. Start with one in addition to normal spells and may only learn an additional one
each time he increases in Rank.

Yogo duellist
path of entry : Yogo shugenja rank 1
path of egress : Yogo shugenja rank 2
Technique: Yogo's hardened heart
In the resolution phase of a taryu-jiai duel, all of your opponent's attacks against you suffer a penalty added to the TN equal to twice your
willpower. You may spend a void point to increase this penalty to 3 x your willpower, but you may spend no more than 1 void point per attack in
this manner.

Naganori protector
path of entry : Yogo shugenja rank 2
path of egress : Yogo shugenja rank 3
technique : slayer of the beast
You can create wards that will only activate on tainted targets. The TN to resist the effects of such wards is increased by twice your Yogo
shugenja school rank. The damage of those wards is increased by twice your Yogo shugenja school rank. This technique count as a Yogo
shugenja school rank for this purpose.

Yogo ward master

Path of entry: Yogo shugenja 2
Path of egress: Yogo shugenja 3
Technique: mastery of wards
For every Raise you make when creating a ward, or casting a spell with ward in the title, you gain an additional Free Raise that may not be
used to increase the final total of your roll by 5.

Courtier:
Aotora poisoner
path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : any non shugenja scorpion school rank 1
benefit: +1 perception
starting honour: 1.5
school skills: kenjutsu, deceit, medicine (antidote), poison 2, stealth, any one high or bugei skill
outfit: kimono, sandals, katana, wakizashi, tanto, travelling pack, light or ashigaru armour, poison crafting tools, bottles of glass, 5 koku.
Technique : the tail shall deliver
the Aotora are the master poison crafters of the scorpions. Their poisons are both deadlier and the most difficult to heal. You gain a free raise
on all poison rolls. You gain a free poison emphasis by insight rank. The TN to create an antidote for your poisons is increased by double your
insight rank.

Bayushi Courtier
Benefit +1 Awareness
Honour 1.5
skills: Calligraphy, Courtier, Deceit (seduction), Etiquette (sincerity), Investigation (interrogation), 1 High, 1 Low
Outfit: wakizashi, tanto, courtly dress, kimono and sandals, travelling pack, 15 koku.
Rank 1 Weakness is my Strength
Whenever you make a Contested Social skill roll you gain a Free Raise for every 2 points of your opponent's Disadvantages that you know
about, or every 4 points that you do not. You know how many Free Raises have and thus immediately sense if there is more to learn about
your opponent. Disadvantages that gave no Character Points still count for their normal value. Any time you succeed on a Contested Social
roll you gain a Free Raise on your next Contested Social roll against that opponent.
Rank 2: Shallow Waters
You may observe a target for a single round and make a Contested Awareness roll to learn his lowest Trait and his rank in that Trait. You may
make Raises to learn additional Traits from the lowest to the highest, learning one additional Trait per Raise. When an opponent attempts to
use a Skill or Technique to determine your Traits you mat spend a Void Point to instead feed him false information.
Rank 3: Secrets are Birthmarks
By making a successful Contested Awareness roll during a conversation, your opponent must chose to reveal one of the following to you: two
Disadvantages (his choice), his three highest Traits, or the Ranks and Emphases of all his skills. If he chooses to reveal information you
already know his dice cannot explode on Contested Social rolls against you for one full day. You may not use this technique more than once
per day against the same person.
Rank 4: Scrutiny's Swift Sting
When using Courtier (gossip) to spread gossip or rumours your Glory Rank is increased by your School Rank. You do not need to raise to
conceal the fact that you are the source of any rumours you might spread though you may claim the credit if you so wish. If you posses the
Blackmail Advantage you may choose which dice the Blackmailed character keeps on any Contested Social Skill roll against you. You may
add your Air Ring to all Contested Social Skill rolls if you know the Rank of the Trait your opponent is using.
Rank 5: No More Masks
If you successfully use Courtier (gossip) to spread a rumour and spend a Void Point you may give the target one of the following
Disadvantages: Bad Reputation. Obligation (4 points, to an individual of your choice), or Unlucky (6 points) – on Social skill rolls only, you may
choose when it occurs. People who hear the gossip know you imposed the Disadvantage by starting the rumour. The target receives no points
for the disadvantage. If the target confronts you publicly and makes a successful Contested Awareness roll denouncing your slander the
disadvantage is permanently removed. You must continue to spread gossip and spend a Void Point each day or people stop talking about the
rumour and the disadvantage evaporates.

Bayushi defiler
Path of entry: Bayushi courtier school 2
Path of egress: Bayushi courtier school 3 or Shosuro shinobi school 1
Technique: venom of the Shosuro
You gain a bonus to all courtier, deceit, and etiquette (sincerity) skill rolls equal to twice your Bayushi courtier school rank. In addition, when
making deceit skill rolls, you may spend a void point to explode an 8 or 9 in addition to any 10s you may roll. You may spend no more than 1
void point per roll in this manner.

Blade of the court

path of entry: Bayushi courtier 2
path of egress: Bayushi bushi 1
technique: while in a duel you may spend one void point to treat your next iaijutsu roll as a contested social skill roll against the other duellist
(this is for the purposes of school techniques only, your opponent does not get to roll against you)

Naseru's Technique
Technique Rank: 4
Path of Entry: Doji Courtier or Bayushi Courtier 3
Path of Egress: Doji Courtier or Bayushi Courtier 1 (enter the opposite school)
Technique: You are adept at reading the emotions and desires of others. By making a successful Perception check (opposed by the target's
Willpower) you can determine what the subject desires most at that moment. This may be very general ("he seems to be looking for
something") or very specific ("he wants the Lion to remove their troops from his territory") at the GM's discretion. This technique provides only
information; useful application of this information is up to you.

Rokugo master of the underworld

path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : any non shugenja scorpion school rank 1
benefit: +1 awareness
starting honour: 1.5
school skills: kenjutsu, deceit, courtier, stealth, commerce, underworld (kuenai), any one high or bugei skill
starting outfit: kimono, sandals, katana, wakizashi, tanto, travelling pack, light or ashigaru armour, any one weapon, 5 koku.
Technique : herder of secrets
You start with 5 points of the gentry advantage to invest in a geisha house. Each month you may buy a new blackmail advantage. The XP cost
of this advantage is reduced by your rank in the gentry advantage. The gm decides who is the target of your new blackmail. You may add
twice your air ring to deceit and underworld rolls.

Soshi magistrate [courtier]

egress: Bayushi bushi 1 or Bayushi courtier 1
trait benefit: +1 awareness
honour: 2.0 skills: lore: law, etiquette (sincerity), investigation (interrogation), lore: heraldry, history, courtier, deceit (lying)
outfit: as Bayushi courtier
technique: Saibakan's method
gain a number of free raises per day equal to the character's insight rank, which may be used only for the following skills: investigation, lore:
law, lore: heraldry, and history.

Shosuro actor [courtier] (formerly Shosuro butei)

benefit: +1 awareness
honour: 1.5
skills: acting (disguise), courtier, deceit (seduction), etiquette (sincerity), knives, stealth, any one skill
outfit: katana, wakizashi, tanto, aiguchi, 3 kimonos of varying colours, travelling pack
rank 1: a scorpion has a thousand hearts
You roll (but not keep) additional dice equal to your school rank when using the acting skill or when attempting to persuade another using a
social skill. You may always willingly roll less dice for a skill than you have ranks in that skill. You also add your air ring to your TN to be hit.
Rank 2: the scorpion’s sting
When attacking an opponent who is unaware of your attack, the maximum raises you may make are not limited by your void or by your skill
rank. You gain a number of free raises equal to your school rank on all your knives rolls. You also add your fire ring to all your initiative rolls.
Ranks 3: the thousand masks
from the moment they begin their training, Shosuro actors are taught to adopt the mannerisms and customs of other clans and families. Using
correspondence, assistance from senior students, and networks of contacts in other regions the actor begin creating fictional personas At
ranks 3, 4 and 5, choose a school. You create a new persona with the appropriate gear (equivalent to the school’s beginning outfit). You
determine the persona glory and status but they cannot be higher than your school rank. Your personas have an actual existence in the scrolls
of the clans, in the imperial census and in the various schools and dojos your persona is supposed to have gone to. It takes you ten minutes to
change your appearance and voice to enter your persona. You add twice your air ring to your TN to be hit (this replaces the rank one bonus).
Rank 4: the false smile
the actor has now reached a point where he can easily impersonate almost anyone in the empire and even fool the most expert sensei into
teaching them the secrets of their clan. If the actor has ranks in the know the school skill he can mimic that school by making an acting skill roll
opposed by a perception roll using a school skill of the school the actor is imitating. The actor can mimic bushi, courtier, monk, ninja and
shugenja schools. He also add his ranks in the know the school skill to his acting rolls to mimic a particular school. The actor doesn't gain any
technique related to the school he is imitating but people observing him will believe he is what he appears to be. You also add twice your fire
ring to all your initiative rolls (this replaces the rank two bonus).
Ranks 5: the final act
at the summit of his career there is no secrets left in the actions of others for the actor. While he doesn’t understand the secrets technique of
the other schools he knows them enough to mimic them beyond perfection. Secrets are the trademarks of the scorpions and the actor is now a
hoarder of secret knowledge. You can copy the technique of any school for which you possess the know the school skill. You can copy a
school up to a rank equal to half your know the school skill rank for that school, rounded down. To get the actual benefits you need to make
appropriate preparations (kata for bushi schools, speaking exercises for courtier schools) for a number of hours equal to the maximum school
rank you are going to copy. You cannot copy shugenja or monk schools. The use of this technique requires very high concentration so you
cannot benefit from your own technique while using it. It also requires the expenditure of one void point by hour. You add three times your air
ring to your TN to be hit (this replace the rank three bonus).

Shosuro kagemusha [ninja]

technique rank : 4
path of entry : Shosuro actor 3
path of egress : Shosuro actor 4 or Bayushi saboteur 1
technique : mask the soul
this technique counts as a rank in the Shosuro actor school. You gain an additional 10 skill ranks to either create a new persona or further
develop your existing persona. You also gain 5 emphases to distribute between your personae

Shosuro artisan
Trait: +1 perception
skills: artisan: [select one], courtier (political manoeuvring), etiquette, forgery, investigation (notice), merchant (appraisal), any one high skill
rank 1: art's lesson
You may add your ranks in forgery as a bonus to all artisan and merchant (appraisal) skill rolls and to all attempts to spot a forgery. You lose
no honour for performing appraisals in public.
Rank 2: art in court
Gain a number of cp equal to your ranks in courtier. These cp may be spent on the allies, servant, and wealthy advantages. Whenever you
gain a rank of courtier you gain one more cp to spend on these advantages. Once per season you may elect to change patrons. Changing
patrons allows you to reassign the advantages gained by this technique. However, changing patrons is not without an element of risk. When
you change patrons, make an intelligence/courtier (political manoeuvring) check with a TN of 10 + 5 x insight rank. If you fail this check you
manage to alienate one of your current patrons, gain an enemy worth half your courtier skill for no cps.
Rank 3: the masters’ form
Whenever you make a forgery you gain a number of free raises equal to you rank in this skill. These free raises may be split between the
artisan and forgery rolls necessary to craft the forged document.
Rank 4: truth in art
When studying a work of art you may spend a void point to make a perception/investigation (notice) check with a TN equal to that necessary
to craft the item being examined. If this check is successful, then for every raise the artist put into crafting the item you may learn one of the
following about the artist at the time of the piece's creation: their greatest advantage (as determined by point value); their greatest
disadvantage (as determined by point value); the number of advantages they possessed; the number of disadvantages they possessed; their
best trait; their worst trait; their void; their insight rank; their skill rank in the skill necessary to craft the item.
Rank 5: tapestry of lies
To use this technique you must make a forgery check with a TN of (10 + (5 x glory)). For every raise you make on the roll you may
permanently shift the subjects posthumous glory by 1 pip. This change in glory lasts until your work is publicly proven to be a forgery or until
someone else uses this technique for the same person and generates even more raises that you.

Shosuro Assassin [ninja]

Benefit: +1 perception
Honour: 1.5
Skills: Acting, Deceit (seduction), Investigation, Medicine, Poison, Sleight of hand, Stealth
Outfit: wakizashi, tanto, courtly dress, kimono and sandals, travelling pack, 15 koku.
Rank 1: the underhand
The assassin's first task is to be the eyes and ears of the emperor. To see and deal with those threats others will not. The scorpion receives a
free raise when using any low skill.
Rank 2: sting not the scorpion
At this rank the assassin has worked diligently to build up a tolerance for the tools of his craft. He gets to pick one specific poison that he is
immune to. If the poison is particularly strong it may make him dizzy or nauseous, but nothing like what it should do. At each rank here after
the character may pick another poison to which he becomes immune.
Rank 3: i can swim
The assassin is the master of unseen skills and hidden advantages. Once per adventure the assassin may "reveal" a skill he possess. He may
spend un-spent experience points to increase a skill one rank. This may also be used to purchase a new skill at rank 1. Use of this technique
does not require an action and may be done at any time.
Rank 4: my only virtue
The loyalty of the scorpion is a thing few can fathom. Even fewer recognize it's intensity. While performing a task for his lord (or on behalf of
those on his loyalty list) the assassin may make a test of honour using his loyalty (his honour + 2) with a tn of 5 x the number of wound ranks
he has filled. If the test succeeds he may ignore all wounds (even death) for a number of rounds equal to twice his loyalty rank. This may be
done only once per day.
Rank 5: "simplify, simplify, simplify"
At this rank the assassin has achieved the greatest mastery in the craft of poisons. He no longer needs to roll to succeed when using the
poison or herbalism skills. The character is entitled to any free raises, but may not make raises while using this technique. If the assassin
wishes to raise he must roll.

Shosuro Kannoteki Geisha Academy

Shosuro Kannoteki is one of the Scorpion who train the geisha which form one of the main industries of the Scorpion clan. It is widely
accepted that the maiko (first and second rank trainees) and geisha (third rank onwards) trained by Kannoteki are the finest in the Empire, and
it is rumoured that most of the family daimyos of the great clans have taken a Kannoteki-trained geisha as a mistress.
Many of the geisha trained by Kannoteki have taken her name as a ‘family’ name to honour their teacher. Shosuro Kannoteki was genuinely
flattered by this, and has used the loyalty of her pupils to further her career within the Scorpion.
The main centre for the Kannoteki is Ryoko Owari, and although they are most commonly encountered on Teardrop Island, they are also often
seen walking through the noble and merchant areas, the eyes of all the men following them as they walk.
The maiko, or trainee geisha, often wear highly colourful kimono, flamboyant obi and wear their hair in intricate styles, decorated with many
beautiful hair pins. Their sandals are often highly platformed, which in Ryoko Owari can be a necessity! Fully fledged geisha are somewhat
less flamboyant in their dress, but their clothes are always of the highest quality.
The pupils of Kannoteki’s school come from many different backgrounds, some are farmers daughters, purchased by Kannoteki for their
beauty and grace, but there are several who are the second or third born of the families of the Scorpion; the last intake included two Shosuro,
a Bayushi and a Soshi.
Benefits: +1 Perception
Starting Honour: 0.0
Skills: Etiquette, Seduction, any three high skills, any one low skill.
Starting Outfit: (all fine quality) three kimono, three different sets of hair pins, fan, 1 koku. Rank 1 (maiko): Empty Promises
Rank 1 (maiko): Empty Promises
Through a combination of sensuous movement and blushing fan-fluttering the maiko instils assumptions into her client’s mind, making him
believe he will ‘have his way’ with her. Of course, the maiko has no intention to pillow with the client, but it makes her other tasks that much
easier. Some maiko have practiced this technique for so long that they do not even realise it is happening! The maiko may add her insight rank
to all seduction rolls.
Rank 3 (geisha): Ensnare the Heart
The Kannoteki geisha have many suitors, there are many who would wish to marry such a beautiful woman. These would-be husbands have
been trapped by the careful manipulation of the geisha, and most would be willing to die for her. The geisha may attempt to ‘ensnare the heart’
of a suitor, this process takes several weeks and requires the geisha to make a contested seduction roll against the target’s willpower each
week. Once the target has lost a number of rolls equal to his honour rank plus willpower, he gains the ‘True Love’ disadvantage for the geisha.
The geisha obviously does not gain this disadvantage. This may be carried out on many different targets, even at the same time.

Tokagure gardener
path of entry : none, this is an entry level technique
path of egress : Shosuro butei rank 1, Bayushi courtier rank 1, Shosuro shinobi rank 1, Shosuro Assassin 1
benefit: +1 awareness
starting honour: 1.5
school skills: acting, deceit, medicine (herbalism), artisan: gardening, poison, stealth, any one low or bugei skill
starting outfit: kimono, sandals, katana, wakizashi, tanto, travelling pack, poison crafting tools, bottles of glass, medicine pack, gardening tools,
make-up, 5 koku.
Technique : the beautiful flower is the deadliest
The Tokagure can cast the spell commune but only with plants. They cast this spell using their air ring as a shugenja of equal insight rank.
They may cast this spell a number of times equal to their air ring. They add their artisan: gardening skill rank to the result of their poison and
medicine skill rolls.

Paths:
Aotora Herbalist
Replaces: Bayushi Bushi 2, Bayushi Courtier 2
Requires: Craft: Poison 3, Medicine 2
Green Tiger Legacy:
You may add your ranks of Craft: Poison to the result of Medicine (Herbalism) and Hunting (Survival) rolls and you gain one Free Raise on any
attempt to diagnose or identify a poison.

Bayushi defender
Path of entry: Bayushi bushi school 2 or Bayushi courtier school 2
Requirements: iaijutsu 4
Path of egress: Bayushi bushi school 3 or Bayushi courtier school 3
Technique: the scorpion's sting
You gain a bonus equal to your fire ring to all of your initiative rolls, you gain a bonus to all iaijutsu rolls equal to twice your fire ring. In the
strike phase of an iaijutsu duel you gain a bonus to your TN to be hit equal to (2 x your honour rank) +1, also, you gain 1 free raise whenever
you make a contested social skill roll. If you have 5 or more ranks in a social skill with which you make a contested roll, you gain 2 free raises
instead of 1.

Bayushi duellist (bushi)

path of entry: any scorpion bushi 3
path of egress: scorpion bushi (same) 4
technique: the hidden sword
when you make an awareness/iaijutsu roll, you may forgo receiving a piece of information to reduce the number of pieces of information your
opponent receives by 1. You may do this a number of times equal to your void. After the strike in a duel, your damage dice created by
spending void explode on both nines and tens one time (they explode normally after the first roll).

Courtly duellist
path of entry:Bayushi courtier 2,Bayushi bushi 2
path of egress:Bayushi bushi 1, Bayushi courtier 1 or Bayushi bushi 3
whispering secrets,blood red truth
The TN to both focus against you and strike you in a iaijutsu duel is increased of 5 for every 3 points of disadvantages the enemy has,
rounded down (meaning from 1 to 3 points of disadvantages 5 points; from 4 to 6 ->10 points etc...). If you won more contested social rolls
against the opposing duellist than the ones you lost,before the duel occurs,the TN to focus against and strike you in iaijutsu is increased of
another 5 points for that particular opponent. You may focus one more time in iaijutsu duels.
If the first strike you make in a skirmish(and only that one) is aimed to an opponent with a lower initiative than you,you may make a
iaijutsu\reflexes strike instead of the normal kenjutsu\agility,but you must be using a katana or wakizashi. This technique counts as a Bayushi
bushi rank for the purpose of determining Bayushi bushi rank 1 benefits.

The folding leg (bushi/ninja)

Path of entry: Bayushi bushi 2 or Bayushi saboteur 2
Path of egress: Bayushi bushi 1 or Bayushi saboteur 1 (enter opposite school)
Requirements: jujitsu (atemi) 3
Technique: break the foundation
You may spend a void point after making a successful jujitsu (atemi) attack roll to inflict one of the following effects upon your target:
• reduce the effectiveness of any non-magical armour by 5 (lasts until repaired by an armorsmith).
• reduce any bonus to your opponent’s TN to be hit from a technique or advantage by double your jujitsu skill rank for three rounds.
• reduce your opponent’s effective defence skill rank by 2 ranks for 3 rounds. All defence mastery abilities requiring a higher skill rank than the
target’s effective defence skill rank are suspended during the duration of this effect.

Hitake Poison Taster

path of entry : any Scorpion bushi or path rank 1,
path of egress : Same school Rank 2, any Scorpion bushi rank 1
Rank 2: Swimming in poisoned waters
Each time a particular poison is encountered by the Bodyguard, he becomes immune to it if he survives and is successful at a TN25
Earth/School Rank +1 roll. For each failed attempt at immunity, that does not lead to death, the Bodyguard gains one free raise, to be used on
the next attempt at immunity for that poison only.

Ichiba’s consortium (courtier)

Path of entry: any scorpion school at rank 3
Path of egress: re-enter the same school at rank 4
Requirement: commerce 5
Technique: Ichiba's technique
Each month, you gain an amount of koku equal to your insight rank x10 so long as you remain within the empire. You also may spend a void
point to re-roll any social skill roll, keeping the better of the two rolls. You may only use this ability once per roll.

The Kuroiban (shugenja)

Path of entry: Yogo shugenja 3 or Soshi shugenja 3
Path of egress: re-enter same school at rank 4
Requirement: lore (shadowlands) or lore (maho) 3
Technique: the black watch
If you make an attack that damages a target, whether melee, ranged, or magical in nature, you may immediately spend a void point to learn
whether or not the target of your attack possesses the shadowlands taint. By expending 2 void points, you may gain this information about any
target affected by a spell you cast.

Naganori Hunter
Path of entry: Bayushi Bushi 1, or Yogo shugenja 1, or Soshi shugenja 1
Path of egress: re-enter same school at rank 2
Requires: Lore: Shadowlands 3, Hunting 3
Trail of Purity: While you are tracking a non-human creature through the wilderness you may make a Hunting/Perception roll TN 20 to
determine whether or not it is tainted. Each raise you make on this roll will reveal one of the creature's Special Abilities if it is Tainted.

Poison the blood

requirements poison 3, medicine: anatomy 3 taint 3.0
point of entry any non-shugenja scorpion school 1
point of egress same school 2, Daigotsu legion 1, or Goju 1 (loses taint; family trait and name becomes Goju)
Technique: Tainted Blood
if you ingest a poison you may take 1 wound to apply your blood to any edged metal implement. That implement gains the traits of the poison
for three hours. In addition you are now immune to all poisons

Rokugo Mastermind [Courtier]

Entry: Bayushi Bushi 1, Bayushi Courtier 1, Ronin 1
Egress: Same school 2, or: Bayushi Bushi 1, Bayushi Courtier 1, Ronin 1
Requires: Lore: Underworld 3, Intimidation 2
Black Regency:
You may roll +1k0 on all Intimidation and Temptation rolls, this increases to +2k1 against a character who's Honor is equal to or less than your
School Rank.

Scorpion claws (bushi)

Path of entry: Bayushi bushi 2 or Shosuro Shinobi 1
Path of egress: Bayushi bushi 3 or Shosuro Shinobi 2 (re-enter as appropriate)
Technique: the envenomed claw –
During a skirmish, you may place poison on the blade of your weapon as a miscellaneous simple action, and may make a stealth roll (TN 15)
to do so without anyone noticing. All of your attacks made with a sai ignore any increases to your opponent’s TN as a result of armour The TN
to resist poisons applied to your sai increased by 5.

Scorpion gunso [bushi][ninja]

path of entry: Bayushi bushi 2 or Shosuro shinobi 2
path of egress: school of entry 3
technique: within the fog of war
you may add your battle skill rank to the result of all stealth (ambush) rolls and everyone under your command is considered to be skilled in
stealth for purposes of collaborative rolls. You may also refuse 3 battle opportunities per mass combat (instead of the usual 2), this does not
negate the penalties for refusing a battle opportunity.

Scorpion Loyalist
Entry: Any Scorpion School at Rank 2
Egress: Same school appropriate rank
Requirements: Courtier 4 (courtiers), spellcraft 4 (shugenja), one Weapon Skill at 4 (bushi or ninja)
technique : no matter the Cost
You may sacrifice points of Honour up to a maximum number equal to your Scorpion School Rank to gain a bonus on one roll made
against non-Scorpion opponents. Bushi and ninja gain a bonus of +1k0 per point of Honour on attack rolls, courtiers gain the same bonus
on Contested Social Skill Rolls, and shugenja gain the bonus on spell-casting rolls made on Air spells (only) targeting those opponents.

Scorpion tempter [courtier]

Path of entry: Bayushi courtier 1, Shosuro Assassin 1 Shosuro shinobi 1, or Shosuro actor 1
Requirement: must have dangerous beauty or Benten's blessing
Path of egress: re-enter same school at one rank higher
Technique: private whispers
After speaking for 5 minutes with someone in a social setting, you may make an awareness/Investigation roll against a TN equal to that
person's willpower x 5 to determine whether he specifically possesses anyone of the disadvantages related to the sin of desire (this includes
true love, lost love, fascination, lechery, driven, greedy, spoiled, compulsion, and any appropriate dark secrets). If you raise twice on the roll,
you can ferret out the exact nature of the desire in question (for example, compulsion: opium). Any deceit (seduction) skill rolls you make
against a target whose desires are known to you gain a +1k1 bonus.

Shosuro Yojimbo
Path of Entry: Shosuro Shinobi 2, Shosuro Actor 3
Path of Egress: Shinobi 3, or Shinobi 1
Technique: Protector from the shadows
For the purpose of this Technique your Shinobi School Rank is considered 1 higher. You gain Free Raises equal to your Shinobi School Rank
on Investigation or Battle rolls to notice hidden threats or traps that might threaten your charge. At the beginning of a skirmish you may make a
contested Stealth/Awareness roll against each opponent, if you win all of these rolls you gain 1 full round to act before anyone else does. If
your opponents are not aware of your presence you add twice your stealth to each of these rolls.

Soshi Investigator [courtier]

entry: Bayushi bushi or Bayushi courtier 2
egress: same school at appropriate rank
technique: ever watchful
the Soshi magistrate may keep an additional die on all perception rolls. Void points spent on perception related rolls grant double the usual
benefit. Gain a number of free raises per day equal to the character's insight rank, which may be used only for the following skills:
investigation, lore: law, lore: heraldry, and history.

Tokagure Gardener [Artisan]

Entry: Any Scorpion School 1, or 1000 Fortunes Monk 1
Exit: Same School 2
Requires: Artisan: Gardener 3
The Subtle Cut:
You may treat Craft: Poison as an Artisan skill, and whenever you spend a Void Point to enhance an Artisan Skill roll you gain +2k2 instead of
the normal +1k1 .

Yojiro's way (courtier)

Path of entry: Bayushi courtier 1 or Bayushi bushi 1
Requirement: must have either the "junshin" disadvantage or an honour rank of 3.0 or better.
Path of egress: re-enter the same school at rank 2.
Technique: the path of truth
Any time you attempt to deceive someone by omitting or avoiding the truth (rather than outright lying), you gain a bonus equal to twice your
honour rank to the appropriate social skill roll, whether it be deceit, courtier, or etiquette.

Advanced:
Aotora Herbalist [courtier]
Requirements: Rings /traits: intelligence 5, perception 5, stamina 5
Skills: medicine 5. Poison 5
Advantage: Jurojin's blessing
Other: the advantage requirements may be waived by increasing the stamina requirement by 1.
Rank 1: Sowing
You gain a bonus in rolled and kept dice to your medicine skill rolls equal to your school rank. Also. your stamina rank is doubled when you roll
to resist poison.
Rank 2: Growing
You may create an addictive compound by making a successful intelligence/poison roll against a TN of 15. It affects anyone who ingests it as
a poison. The TN to resist the addiction is 15. You may make a raise to increase this TN by 5. If the target is affected by the substance, treat
him as if he has the disadvantage compulsion.
Rank 3: Reaping
When making poison or medicine skill rolls. your 8's and 9s explode as well as 10’s. The TN (for anyone other than a poison master) to create
an antidote to your poisons is increased by 5x your insight rank in addition to the effects of any raises you make on your poison skill roll.

Bayushi Iaijutsu Masters [bushi]

requirements: traits/rings: fire 4, air 4, void 4
skills: iaijutsu 5, kenjutsu 4, deceit 4
must have joined the Bayushi defender dojo.
rank 1: all things are one.
In an iaijutsu duel, you may focus an additional number of times equal to your rank in this school. Add your deceit rank to your TN to be hit.
Rank 2: a scorpion's tail.
At the beginning of a iaijutsu duel, your TN to be hit is increased by your school rank x5, while your opponent's is increased by 5. You get a
bonus equal to your air on your focus rolls. If you successfully disarm an opponent, you immediately get an extra attack against him
rank 3: a scorpion's mask
during assessment, you gain a number of free raises equal to your school rank, that can only be used to block your opponent from learning
your statistics. During the focus phase of a iaijutsu duel you gain a number of extra void points equal to your school rank. These points may be
spent in addition to regular void use, but no more than once per roll. If you successfully hit your opponent in the strike phase of a duel, you roll
additional dice of damage equal to your fire ring

Disciples of Bayushi
Requirements: agility 5, defence 5, stealth 4, kenjutsu and iaijutsu 5.
Special: disciples may not have the following disadvantages. Soft hatred Cruel Insensitive Brash overconfident Junshin idealistic Jealousy
Rank 1: little truths
The bushi may, at the start of each round, make a perception + investigation role at TN 20 to discover one opponents TN to be hit, amount
rolled and kept to hit (+ bonuses), or amount rolled and kept on damage (+bonuses). A raise will discover another piece of information.
Rank 2: strike first, strike again.
The bushi may now make an additional attack per round.
Rank 3: in shadows, strike.
The bushi may make a contested stealth + agility role vs his opponents investigation and perception. If he succeeds, the opponent’s next
attack automatically misses. This is in place of a normal attack.

Scorpions claws (bushi)

requirement : athletics 6, kenjutsu 5, stealth 5, reflex 5, combat reflexes advantage
rank 1 : the scorpion dance
at the start of a combat reduce every opponent's initiative by an amount equal to twice your athletics skill rank. You may choose to do this after
or before switching initiative with the combat reflex advantage. When rolling for tides of battle, reduce the result of every opponent by an
amount equal to your athletics skill rank. Add your athletic skill rank to your TN to be hit.
Rank 2 : the crafty claws
you gain + 10 to your TN to be hit against opponents who have a lower initiative than you. You are no longer limited to one raise when making
a feint manoeuvre. Whenever you perform a guard, disarm, knock-down or called shot manoeuvre you gain the benefits of a feint made with
the same number of raises.
Rank 3 : the unseen sting
whenever you are successful in an attack benefiting of free raises from feint manoeuvre you may double your damage. The rank 2 technique
expressly count as a feint for this purpose. You gain an extra attack.

Scorpion instigator (courtier)

Requirements: Rings/traits: awareness 5, intelligence 5
Skills: courtier 5, deceit 5, etiquette 5, stealth 3
Advantages: blackmail (on at least three individuals), perceived honour
Other: all members of the instigators must possess the disadvantage dark secret and must divulge this secret to their sensei upon joining.
Rank 1: the depths of dishonour
When making any social skill roll, you may spend a void point to roll a number of additional dice equal to five minus your honour rank. You add
your air ring to the total of any skill roll using a skill required for entry into this school.
Rank 2: master of puppets
You may make a contested awareness roll against any target you choose. If successful, you gain a number of bonus dice on any social skill
roll made with that individual equal to half the number of disadvantage points that he possesses rounded up. This effect lasts for the remainder
of the day. This roll may only be made once per day per opponent.
Rank 3: sheath your lies in truth
By spending a void point, you force any attempt to determine if you are lying to require a contested perception/courtier roll against your
awareness/deceit. You gain a bonus to your roll equal to three times your deceit rank. If you are successful, your opponent believes that you
are telling the truth. If you use this technique to make statements that are blatantly and obviously false (“lord kurohito’s armour is purple and
black!”), You will quickly gain the disadvantage bad reputation (lunatic). Also, you add twice your air ring to the total of any skill roll using a skill
required for entry into this school, replacing the benefit from rank 1

Scorpion man-hunter [bushi]

requirements rings/traits: fire 5, air 5, void 4
skills: any weapon skill 4, know the school (any school of chosen clan) 4, lore: (chosen clan) 4, hunting 4
advantage: heart of vengeance (chosen clan)
special: upon taking their first rank in this school a character must select a clan for which they possess the heart of vengeance advantage. Any
time this clan is referenced within this school’s techniques or requirements it shall be referred to as their chosen clan.
rank 1: ichor in the wound
The man-hunter now keeps an extra two dice on all rolls made against a member of their chosen clan. This replaces the normal bonus from
the heart of vengeance advantage. The man-hunter may add his ranks in lore: (chosen clan) to all perception and awareness based rolls
made to observe or track a member for their chosen clan.
Rank 2: wrath of the shamed
At the beginning of any skirmish or duel, or after engaging someone in conversation for 5 minutes, a man-hunter may initiate a contested
void/know the school roll against your opponents void/insight rank. For every increment of 10 by which the man-hunter beats his opponent’s
roll he may deactivate one of his techniques, starting with the lowest rank and moving towards the highest. This roll may only be initiated
against an opponent who possesses techniques form a school in which the man-hunter has purchased the know the school skill. This
deactivation effect lasts for a number of rounds (or minutes if not in combat) equal to the man-hunters ranks in lore: (chosen clan).
Rank 3: grant no purchase
The man-hunter may add his ranks in lore: (chosen clan) to all social and battle rolls against members of that clan. Likewise the man-hunter
may add his ranks in know the school to his TN to be hit, his attack, or his damage rolls when facing a member of a school that he has know
the school in, but only if they are from his chosen clan. The choice as to what the bonus applies to must be made at the beginning of the man-
hunter’s turn and may be changed without using any action at the beginning of his next turn.

The only problem i see with the rank 2 technique is that later techniques are often stronger versions of earlier techniques… so nullifying an
earlier technique may not be that effective. My suggestion, proceed backward, nullifying later techniques instead, but since this would make
the rank 2 technique a bit more powerfull, either make it the rank 3 or add some sort of limitation like a void expenditure

why not?
Nullify techniques one by one.
must spend a void point each time to initiate.
roll contested void/know the school against void/insight rank with a number of raises equal to the rank to negate.
duration equal to the school rank of the man-hunter
Hmmm i like that. I think i would still keep the nullification lasting a number of rounds or minutes equal to their lore: chosen clan.

Scorpion Shadow-Hunter [ninja]

Requirement: Rings/Traits: Awareness 4, Perception 4, Void 4
Skills: Hunting 4, Investigation 5, Lore: Lying Darkness 3, Stealth 5
Advantage: Heart of Vengeance (Goju and Ninube)
Other: May waive Heart of Vengeance by raising all skill requirements by 1
Rank 1:Strike of Righteousness
Gain Free Raises equal to your Insight Rank on all attacks against those with Shadow Points, Shadowlands Taint, or are manifestations of the
Living Darkness, that may only be used to increase damage. Gain Free Raises to Stealth rolls equal to School Rank +1
Rank 2: Scent of the Prey
By spending a Void Point you immediately become aware of any Living Darkness spawn or any individuals with Shadow Points within 100'.
Additionally you may add double your Stealth skill to your TN to be hit.
Rank 3: Strike from the darkness
A number of times per day equal to your School rank you may choose to double the result of a damage roll against any enemy who was not
aware of your presence before your attack. Once per day you may spend 2 Void Points to instead triple your damage. These increases must
be declared before the attack roll.

Shosuro champion (bushi)

Requirements Rings/traits: any 3 rings at 4
Skills: deceit 5, stealth 5, and either iaijutsu or kenjutsu at 5
Advantage: bland
Other: you may waive the bland advantage requirement by raising all skill requirements by 1
To be admitted into the Shosuro champion dojo, you must have proven your loyalty to the scorpion clan beyond doubt. Typically by
successfully completing at least one mission on the direct order of the scorpion champion.
Rank 1: the strength of secrets
You gain a bonus to any low skill or social skill roll made to deceive or manipulate an opponent equal to your insight rank. When making a feint
manoeuvrer, you gain an additional number of free raises equal to your school rank. When resolving an iaijutsu duel, you may spend a void
point to add a penalty to your opponent's TN to learn information about you during the challenge phase. This penalty is equal to your
intelligence, and the number of void points that you may spend for this purpose during the challenge phase is limited only by the number that
you have remaining to spend.
Rank 2: the swiftness of shadow
You gain 1 additional attack per round. You also gain a bonus to initiative rolls and iaijutsu rolls equal to your stealth skill. Every time you make
a raw reflex roll or a reflex-based skill roll. you roll an additional number of dice equal to your school rank.
Rank 3: the strike of the Shosuro
You may spend a void point to forego all your additional attacks in a round and make one unnaturally fast, precise, or deadly attack, against a
single enemy. When you do, you gain additional rolled and kept dice equal to your insight rank on your initiative roll , attack roll, or damage roll
(your choice). When resolving an iaijutsu duel, you may spend a void point to add a penalty to your opponent's TN to learn information about
you during the challenge phase. This penalty is equal to twice your intelligence, and the number of void points that you may spend for this
purpose during the challenge phase is limited only by the number that you have remaining to spend. This benefit supersedes the benefit
gained at rank 1.

Shosuro poison masters

Requirements: Rings/traits: intelligence 4, earth 3
Skills: poison 5, medicine (antidotes) 3, stealth 4
Other: must be a member of the scorpion clan. You must be personally selected by the sensei of the poison masters.
Rank l venom's wisdom
You gain a number of free raises equal to your poison master school rank ,when using the poison skill. You gain a bonus equal to your fire ring
to your stealth and sleight of hand skill rolls. Finally, your intimate knowledge of poisons makes you more resistant to their effects - any time
you are subject to the effects of poison, you gain a +1k0 bonus to any roll made to resist it.
Rank 2, venom's speed
You may take 2 complex actions per round as long as you do not make a physical attack or cast a spell in that round. You gain a free raise
when using the medicine skill with the antidotes emphasis.
Rank 3' venom's triumph
You gain a bonus equal to twice your fire ring to your stealth and sleight of hand skill rolls, replacing the benefit from rank 1. Also, your poisons
are now supremely deadly, and any poison which you create with the poison skill inflicts a -1k1 penalty to any roll made to resist its effects.

Soshi deceiver (shugenja)

Requirements: Rings/traits: willpower 4, void 4
Skills: spellcraft 4, stealth 4
Other: normally only scorpion shugenja may join this school. Students of the Shosuro shinobi school may join, but the rank for all ring and skill
requirements is increased by 2. Characters that were previously shugenja use their insight rank when determining what deceiver school spells
they may cast. Shinobi characters use only the total of their shinobi school rank and their deceiver school rank. Regardless, all members of
the school must fake their own deaths and sever all social ties within six months of joining the school.
Rank 1: shadows & wind
You lose all former elemental affinities and gain an affinity for all deceiver spells, regardless of which element they use. You are instructed in
the ways of deception, learning 3 new Deceiver spells. These spells are cast as spells of the appropriate ring, as listed in their descriptions.
You also gain a bonus in rolled dice equal to your school rank to all deceit and stealth skill rolls. However, any time you cast a deceiver spell,
the mental and spiritual corruption of this peculiar magic may overtake you. You must make a willpower/meditation roll against a TN of 10 + (5
x mastery level of spell). If you fail this roll, you begin to suffer from a progressive madness in which your sense of identity and memory
gradually degenerates. Each failed roll makes these symptoms worse in ways chosen by the gm. After 5 failures, you will have trouble
remembering your own name, and after 10 failures, you will completely lose your sense of identity, as well as the ability to cast spells, deceiver
or otherwise. This corruption also damages your connection to the kami. If you have failed 3 or more rolls, you suffer a -5 penalty to your
spellcasting roll when casting any normal (non-tejina) spell. If you fail 6 or more rolls, this penalty becomes -10.
Rank 2: the silent soul
You gain a bonus in rolled dice equal to your deceiver school rank on all attempts to cast with subtlety, and on any contested rolls made to
conceal your spell casting from onlookers. Your Rings are considered 1 rank higher for the sole purpose of determining how many deceiver
spells you may cast per day.
Rank 3: an empty breeze
You may spend a void point to gain carapace 4 for 1 minute. Crystal weapons and crystal-empowered spells bypass this carapace, but no
other effect can reduce it. This ability may not be used cumulatively. Each time you use this ability, you must make a willpower/meditation roll
to resist mental corruption as though you have cast a rank 3 deceiver spell.