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Saat Sitenoans Gorin STEWARD LOU'S Ve. rf ~_Jeneaa Jaavis “ons MoRsons rr ak Dohe tea h os nd the ein rd ah tau Onl Adri A player ness ony the yer’ Bandiok™ and Oral Advent, sae the SR RPG Pd Editon portions ofthis book, «GM needs the Game Matter Guide and the ayes Cue ‘A player needs onl the Mayers Guide Snr RINGS produced by AEG under licenee fons Wiards of he Coat Ines subsidiary of aso ine and © 202 Wines lth Con Je All igh ened, y ISBN 1687953620 : lw ‘ 3 | AEG | ) ‘Visit our website ar IsralderacicomAHON THO THE OPEN GAME LICSNS= ‘he allowing athe propery of Wines {bovis fhe Coie ae al ‘GfnCing Cam np hn et sry hee mee er ape ‘serie game igscomeed yh Le berm de pe ca om nia wp, ‘Span cae op nd nd ey an {Nyt hi MOS cae ph me hey he On = ie auc ceasmenv tahoe Igcand Cop THE OPEN GAME CONTENT tno Snape ten ia ps onthe ahr pth yore pean geome i le basa onan pt cs pgs alg te seco aees are ri ome ondCONTENTS rod t00. oe ocooeone ne "Though lod and hander) The spit Ree ‘Chis, aki Diol Med Nisgun-do ‘Ss. “engoka ‘Tosigo em feds Using the Spr Resin in our Game Entering Spt Rea New Mactan esos Reais Teaowy Con Nites Protection Fom edous Rens Protective ems sd the Shao sade Magi in Spt sis, New Spells (120). New pull 0 Inhaltansf the Spi eas eeaned Sire, New Fst New Templates ‘New Advantge and Dindantger, shapeshfes. ‘Shapese ayer Chara Shapeshier 20) ee Fens ‘Soul the Hewens Shapesier 58) Homan For Shapesier es Payer hares 0, Shapesties Abie Toor ‘The Spit enim Tvoghou Bory “The Butleof KyudenKisune The och ofthe Hewvene| ‘Theshodowlands, Tachbn and the lodapeier “The Bale at Ober Gate and TheWirel Spe Nena of he Spit Resins “lel ae. eect Cry anna of Rect Cre Paap Serer ions ate igo The Rel of Ee “Through Blood nd Thunde (3). Jigen the Celestial Order Des and isk wa Psa rm Ningan do. Spontaneous Transom Falowry conta Protein agains fis Protection yok Abie. Magic Reltions wih ther Rss, Inti Fete of igs ‘Adweotere Hooks ‘ak-do The Resin of angry Ghows “Through lod and Thunder 0) aks andthe Cell Onder rei Bebue weed 30 2 2 3 Death nd Cad, Ko ase fm Ninge Spontneons Tansons Jeslouy Conta rection aginst Gado ‘Protection by Cakido bine. Maw elton wih oe Resins Inhabiane ‘Speci ype of Festus ofCaksdo ‘Advts Hk aurcng Genel Gai Tip. Saka The Realm of Mince. “Though Blod and Thunder) ‘Sal and the Celewtal rer ‘Deh and Seba Koen Pasig roi Ningerd. Jeslowy Conia Protecson asin Sle Poecton by Sadak abies. Mog New spall. Relons ih ther Resins Ihab Fees of asi. Adventare Hook eid The Realm of Waiting “Through lod and Thunder (3) Meio andthe Caleta Order ‘Dehand Mes aoa Pages rom ingen do. Syontncour ranean "roveciom inst Med. Prtecony Meio ‘bles, dog Felton wither Rene Inaba Fests of Mei ‘dvente Hook, “Yomi The Realm of Blessed Ancestors “Though lod nd Thunder © Yom snd he CaestlOrer ‘est nd Yom Known Passes fom Ningend, Ieslouy. const. ‘rtection pint ork Prtection by Yom. ‘bles. Beboos wt ches Ress Inhabitants Sera You ‘Adventure Hecke New Mechance Tengoke, The Celestial Heavens “Through lod sod Thunder Q) “Teng and he Cet Oder ‘Death nd Tengoke Keown Psaes rom Ning So. syentneousTanstions. ister, cont ‘roti pin Teng roti by Tengo bis. Magi ‘eltions wh chee Rae Inaban ‘he even Grn Fores The Shrine of Reverse Fortes The Blemecta Dragos. FesurerodTenge ‘Adventne Hooks. ‘lings end Case the esngs. CChikesbad, the Resim ofthe Animale “Through Blod and Thunder Chikashuo sd the Cli Onder. Dest nd Chiko own Pasa fom Ningeh do. sealousy Prtetion gun Chiao Potection by Chikusho blines elton with ike Ras Inbabianes Features Chiko ‘Advevue Heo. ‘oohigok, The Ream of slaughter. “Thbigh Blood apd Thunder) “osigok andthe lest Order. ‘Dentrand Tohigole, Kaen Pasig rom Niger do, ‘Sjontneoaranatons, flowy cont "rotction ngs Tenigok Protection by Toshigok. ‘ble, Mig etons with her Resins Tehaban Fearnr of Txkigo ‘Advenue Hoke ‘The Oder ound ‘New Mechanie ‘yume do, the Resim of Dreams “Thoegh Blood snd Thunder (0) ‘ame do andthe Cell Oder Death and Yume do, Kowa Psages rm Ningen do ‘SpomaneourTanstone Jesoury Dreaming Licand onedo conta Preeti ait ame do ‘Protection by Yume do abies Mog: New pal eis with oke Ring| Inbabiane Fentress “Adventure Heke, Ningemdo, The Reson of Mortis “Though lod and Thunder) Ninge-do spd the Cell Order ‘Desthand Ningen do, Koen Fags rm Ning do Spentncous Tanstons Telos. conte "rotection guint Ning do Prin by Niger. ‘Ais elaons wither Rass Inhabitants Ningendo The Kens Kens Sebel New Spel News lt EmpTHROUGH BLOOD AND THUNDER PART ONE THE YEAR 1128, MONTH OF THE DOG "Thave nothing further o teach you" the old man had said ‘There had been no disdain, no judgment, no emotion wiratseoer 1thad been a simple statement of fact. The Grand Maser no longer had any use for a student, at least not if that student was Monto “Toket. With those sx words, Master Kuro vanished as quickly ashe had come. "Do nt let this consume you, Toke,’ Morito said, frowning at his brother across the lw table "You cannot understand, brother! Takei replied with a sgh. “You do nt now what iti ike to call upon the kami The Grand Master showed me how to summon wind, rin, and fla, to hear the eter- nal voice of the cath. 1 thought that L was making greet progres as Sf were onthe edge ofa great breakthrough... instead I am aber doned, asf am nat even woth the greet Kuro time” ‘Mort shrugged, “Perhaps you are nt” he repli iting a chunk of fish with hs chopsticks and popping it nt his mouth, Toke looked at hs brother curly. "That sem a rather insulting thing to say? Tokw sid, poering at the unshaven mercenary with a hurt expression. Toku had been the only member of Tatu’ command staf to remain in te village with “Toke aftr the Black Lion had departed. ‘Mori chewed thoughtfully for « moment before explaining. “Tokei and Thave wandered the Empire or years now, Because we are ronin, everyone has tld us weve worthless, from the lowest peasant 0 the great daimyo ofthe Unicom.” “Except for Kuro Toei cored. “and Totun? Tok added, "And that’s exally my point” Morte sid pointing at Toku with his chopsticks — an impolite gesture, but Morito had never been ‘much for etiquette. “Look at Totur. There is mo question that he is an important man. Everyone knows he i important, and look where that has gotten him. Dishonoved. Reviled. Half the Empire wants him dead. The other half probably wants him tortured fs. inthe long ran has it even worse than we da Bete 1 think, ogo uno tied than make a spectacle of yourself and end up ike the Blac Lin, Perhaps Kuro was doing you a favor, turning his bac om you like that. The student of Naka Kura, that’ the sot of person wih attracts attention, but another romin shugenja sitting in a sake house in ‘Nanashi Mura? Nobody cars” “tL dott understand’ Toke ai. “Ae you saying that is better to hide ike a coward than to risk fur?” “What sor of fess that” Tok sneered disgusted. “Without honor, cone may aswel be dead “Tin saying that there’ no pint in boing honorable” Mort said “Th saying that there’ no sense n ticking your neck out without ood reason” “Tot has a great purpose” Tok i “That he des” Monto agreed. “As much asthe Empire may hate hin ight now you hae to respect him. But you, other” He turned to Toke. "You had no purpose studying under the Grand Maser other than to scrounge up al the ower you could, as quickly as you could, ‘That’ not noble. Tha’ the sor of thing that gets you into trouble” “Twas not Serounging’Lintended fo pu the Grand Master’ stud- Testo god use” “Such a?" Mori sipped from his sae. ‘Toke stalled his mouth open but no words coming out. "Tin sure {would have found a purpose in time. he sid finaly “Of coursa” Morito said with laugh, “That's always been your trouble litle bother. Always eager to threw yourself nt the breach, never smart enough fo stopand think about wha’ onthe other sie” “Like when left the Unicorn to follow you asa romin?” Toke sai “Exactly. I never asked you to follow me” Morito shook his head slightly "Well, Tm done eating” he said, rising from his eat. “Good Fexowing you, Tk. Are you ready og, Toket™™ “in nt leaving Toe sad, king down tthe table Morito gave a sharp chuckle. “You cant be serious. Yogo Junzo enous that Nanas Murs lied withthe Blac Lion. Rumor has ‘thisomi are marching hereeven now. Turi has his handfull inthe south we need to lave befone the snows set on. The Horde wll wipe this place off he map ofthe Empire” “Tatu asked met stay here” Tel said “only because he wanted you out of he way" Mert sai “Nonetheless? Toke sod. "Tiss my duly ‘Monit looked around, “To die fora village of ron? Nobody here really cares about Totur’s cause or they be with his army right care Tl said, frowning. “And f there were a hundred of you in Nenashi Mura, Tok, things would be diferent Mort sad. “But theyre no. f youre ook ing for omething to fight for, Toke, dant think youl find it here” “Thaw fo begin somewhere? Toki said, meting his others pace “wil tay ad ight, Taku” The young ronin nodded quickly _Morit sigh, Fora momen it looked asifhe were about to argue He scratched at his unshaven cheek and gave another sharp chuckle. “AIL righ, then” Monto sai,“ tll you what brother. f you sur vive, and you find what youre looking fr, you come lt me know. Him? Though his words were light, Mort voice was thick. The raf ronin knew that he would neve see his brother again. “til” Tei said. “Wil you do mea favor aswell” “Name it? Monit asked “When you win back your honor and become a true sauna sin —for Throw that you will — name your case “Ha? Morito replied. "Of course. Twill name it the Castle ofthe (0% fr you are surely a stubborn as one" “Fair encugh Toke said, With a final grin, Mort bowed to his younger bother and exited the sake house. “You made the right decision, Toke Tou said, “We may di, but swe will di with honor” [As Toke listened fo Moritok horse galloping away he wondered if “Tok was right THREE MONTHS LATER... “Fooisk samuna™ the on oared. “You shoul have run when you had the chance. ‘This Toke reflected ashe unleashed a blast ofjade inthe om fe, Jaa defintely bee a poor decision ‘The village was surrounded. The Shadowlands Horde had broken through Nanash's feeble defenses on every side, The armies ofthe walking dead marched beside squat bakemono and terrible oni that defied all description. Only a handful of defenders remained to stand ‘against the onslaught, and they were quickly losing ground tothe “Horde. Tou and afew others had ridden out in search of reinforce- ‘ments but there had ben no sgn that they had even escaped ‘Again and again Toke shouted othe kam, summoning forth the power of ade im the manner that Naka Kuro hed taught him. Beans of geen energy lanced into the Horde’ ranks, striking down three‘retusa time Is nat enough. The Horde seemed endless and they were intent upon making an example ofthis iny village that had allied itself withthe Black Lion ‘What do we do, okersama? showed a desperate voice at his side 1 was Tua, the young peasant who mow led the Eyes of Nanesh. The young mani fae was pale with far. Toket wondered how much of that fear was reflected in his own eyes. ‘Keep fighting” Toke shouted. He had hoped to say something rove spring, uti was all he could menage under the cru stances, it seemed to have the desied effet The samuna redoubled their efor holding thelne against he enemy. Then Toke head 38 not his encouragement that ad inspired the troops — i was the loud, clear note of& Unicon hunting hor. Reinforcements? There ‘may be hope ye think mo ite samurai shouted vie from he ranks ofthe Shadowlands Horde. A masive creature stepped forward from the army tall the wars the largest ogre. The based ret no ach i cac hands skin was covered in sharp, htenng sales ad two great hors cured rom te rest ofits head. Around its neck it wore a necklace of shattered els, taken from Crab smu, The Shadowlands forces withdrew at his aproach. Even the mindless undead seme to sense thiseeature’s power. “Lod juno demanded that an example be made of Nanas. Yu wil ll di today™ Even fom hee, Toke could sense the cestre’s ower. The com bined forces of Nanash stood no chance. Unless the entire Unicom sry rode to thei rescue, even the veinarcerents would ikely perish when they arrived 1L was then that Naka Kuro’ final lesson fook shape in ‘okeis mind. The young shugenj relied what he must do. NoF’ he showed stepping forwend from the rank ofthe villages fenders. The power ofthe frekami swirled in bla ua around Isha assfangened by the corraption of the oi ‘The om laughed at Tei,“ tid, “Ru tle sugena, Tar around and samer into the forest while you ean. Perhaps you can live to tell others what we have doe to your village. L wil give you this chance, for your braver” Toke merely coved, and sid three words “Not this day” Raw energy flared from the former student ofthe Grand Master, andthe worl lf semed to bend to Toke wll. great sphere of white energy widened from the shugenja postion, consuming al elses path The armies ofthe one seamed in pin and terror as they ctl away. Tres wer tor from he earth by their roots “The skies above, clea only an instant before, now churned with louis as black nigh. Lightning eacled from Toke fingers, and fie burned im his eyes. The great on didnot ry to tur ou asthe thes dite there could be mo escape from what was fo come I seemed to bow in respect for a single instant before the wave struck and tbody crumbled into dus. “The Eyes Nanashi lured to retreat aswell The daring pase to look back at the onslaught Toke had wnleashed. The wise just ra “The cart trembled and seemed to scream as the shugena veleased his ower. Toei fl to his nes inthe center of the storm, tragling tainly to contol the magic He knew tht there was oly one way. ‘Toke glanced up jus asthe reinforcements arrived a the edge of the dearng, and fora single mtant he could se his brother at Tees side, leading the charge to save Nanash Maur Mori shouted some ‘thing, but Toke could not hear “Toke could cont the power he had summoned no longer: esr rendered himself othe power ofthe sell. One instant he lt anid the great eater of destruction he had unleashed. The next instant, he was merely gone, and ll wes apace once more ‘One wec late, the ronin Mort arrived atthe secluded home ofthe Grand Master, carrying news of his former students sacrifice “sacrifice” Kuro replied. "What sacrifice? My student has merely begun his greatest journey” With a nd of satfcton, he closed the door in Monto fae THE Spirit REALMS ‘BY TORITAKA SHIRANE, PHANTOM HUNTER Look around you. The world that you perceive is but one of many possible states of existence. Countless other reais lie superimposed over the realm of mortal men. Some of these realms are much lke our own: others ae by theit very nature inconceivable, Some of these realms are inhabited, and the creature that dwell in them live out their entire existences 38 unaware of us as we are of them. The creatures that dwell in these realms are referred to as spirits” and thus the worlds they live in are called “the Spirit Realms” The term “piit'does not necessarily imply that a creature has returned from the dead, or that i isin eny way ess ral than 3 human, Ic merely describes creatures not native to Ningen-do, our own realm. ‘The concept of realms beyond our own may seem strange and unfamiliar, However, the presence of the Spirit Realms can be found throughout the history ofthe Empite. The exis tence of the Shadowlands, the War of Spirits, the Legacy ofthe Forge, and the many tales of ghosts, shapeshifters, and trick ster spirits are diect evidence ofthese Realms. My fri has studied the Spirit Realms since our founding, and has often consulted with the Kitsu, whose particular expertise is the realms of the dead. Even with our combined knowledge, there is much aboue the Spirit Realms that is unknown, but Twill share what knowledge t have ‘One does not enterTengokuas if entering the next room or journeying ta faraway province A traveler doesnot seek out the Heavens. They surround us at all times; we merely fail to perceive that realm and are chus unable to affect it Likewise, denizens ofthese other realms are often unable to perceive ‘ourexistence, and thus cannot interact with us ‘There are many different ways to enter the Spiet Reals, with the most common being an alteration inthe way one perceives reality The most extreme example ofthis s death When a mortals soul dies, it immediately transfers to one of these realms, whete it awaits reincarnation. Depending upon a person’ actions in lif, he may find himself reincarnated 35a lesser beast, tormented by the oni of figoku, or sent to live in blessed harmony with his enlightened ancestors. Some spit its suchas hengeyoksi,neverreincarnate but seem effectively immortal. Other creatures, such as the Naga, have their own form of reincarnation entirely. Indeed, I suspect thatthe Nags ‘Akasha is similar in many ways to our Spirit Realms; perhaps it exists in the realm of Yume-do or Meido. My encounters with members ofthe Naga race lend credence to this theory Of course, it is not necessary for one to die to enter a new realm of existence. As was proven during the Battle of Obliv- {ons Gate, spirits can also enter other realms by the interven- tion of powerful magic. Some realms are suid to be “closer” than others. Again, this is not due to any physical proximity (all spirit Realms overlap one another) but because they are similar in one way or another. Travel between two stronglydisparate realms may be very dificult, if not impossible, For «example, consider Higoku, the Realm of Evil. In Jigoku itis rel atively simple to make the transition ta similarly horifying realm such as Gaki-do, the Realm of the Hungry Dead. A realm such as Chikushudo, the Realm of Animals difers from Jigoku in such a way that passage from one directly to another fs very ffcult and the heavenly realms of Tengoku are vet ally inaccessible “Entering the Spirit Realms is difficult task even for those who know what they are seeking. Among humans, only shugenja and monks seem to have any reliable ability to locate passages into these realms. Most scholar of the Spirit Realms believe thatthe magical abilities possessed by such individu als are responsible, but I believe it i wisdom, rather than ‘magic, that allows one to journey the realms. As monks and shugenje have an enhanced understanding ofthe nature of the universe, they can comprehend and enter these strange realms more easily Thave heard legends that races such as the zokujn, kenku and ‘Tsuno have extraordinary talents attr versing the Spirit Realms, but have been unable to question any such creatures at length ‘Most spirits only oceupy and ‘comprehend one Spirit Realm at a time, Some enlightened (or unfortunate) crestures can per- ceive multiple realms simuleane- ‘ously, coexisting in each. The spirits knoven as kami, though simple in many ‘ways, can comprehend and exist in all Realms at once (though they gener ally remain in Ningen-do). This makes the kami of great use as messengers between the Spirit Realms, if one has the ‘means to enlist their services. ‘There ate ten documented Spirit Realms, including Ningen-do. 1 believe that there could be countless more all existing alongside our own in rfect harmony. However, most ofthese Would beso diferent from our own realm of existence that their natures would be entirely incomprehensible. The doc: mented Spirit Realms are as fol lows CHIKUSHUDO The Realm of Animals —This x) realms very lose tour own,and >> all ordinary animals can perceive it. When a soul is reincar nated as an animal, it must pass through this realm. CChikushudo is the domain ofthe greater animal spirits as well, as the curious and sometimes destructive hengeyokai. It is also the chosen home of Inari, Fortune of Rice. GAKI-DO “The Realm of the Hungry Dead —This i a realm of punish ‘ment for those who lived lives consumed with selfishness oF dishonor. These spirits live to feed, to consume until their Inunger is satisfied and they can rise roa higher realm, They are often quite harmless, but a few varieties of gaki are malt cious and deadly. They should be treated with utmost caution, TIGOKY “The Realm of Evil — Common parlance has caused this name to be applied to all Spirit Realms. I believe ths i a fiendish tick of some oni or another, but a custom is custom. When you see the term "Jigoku’ used to refer to the domain of the blessed ancestors try not to be confused, though your ances- tors no doubt gnash their teeth in disgust. Jigoku is realm of| utter darkness ll that exists there i puze, soulless evil, Those rare souls unfortunate enough to be east into Jigoku seldom return, but deserve such punishment. Jigoku is home to oni and the source of the Shadowlands, where the borders between our realms are far too thin. MzIDO “The Realm of the Dead —This isthe realm where sptis goto await reincarnation, Its a domain of wait: ‘ng, ruled by Emma-O, the Fortune ‘of Death. Occasionally, con- fused spirits slip through the gates to Ningen-do once more {in an attempt to resume their former lives. Emma-O's ser- vants then venture forth to bring these lost souls home. TUNGEn-DO ‘The Realm of Mortals —Thisis the realm in which we live, To the spirit, our world is just as real as any other — just as solid and often just as ephemeral. Like any Spirit Realm, ‘Ningen-do has its share of strange crez tures The zokujin the ningyo the Nezumi the |] Ashalan, and many other races all seem to have jf originated in this world SAKKAKU ‘The Realm of Mischief — This Spirit Rein is the home of the mujina, kappa, and kenku (though the kenku often deny i) Mischief spirits enjoy journeying to the mortal world solely fr the __ sake of causing uouble and coo fusing unfortunate mortals-The spits of Sakkakt are not evi ‘merely mischievous, They ate unpredictable, but also very ae their tricks with equal cunning may be offered friendship. TSNGOKU ‘The Celestial Heavens — This realm is the home of most of the Seven Fortunes, the Elemental Dragons, and many other divine entities. Icis also the home of deities that were born in our own realm, such as Yakamo, Hitomi, and many lesser Fortunes. Mortals are rarely allowed to perceive Tengoku, though it is said the True Emperor can see into Tengoku at will The Kami who founded the great clans and their brother, He Who Shall Not Be Named, originated ftom this realm but the touch of our realm prevented them from returning home.TOSHIGOKU The Realm of Slaughter — When a watior dies in senseless bute or perishes consumed by thoughts of revenge, his soul {sas into Toshigok Toshigoku is realm of endless batl, where spirits kil spits only to rise up and kil again. Forur nately, Toshigoku does not bord closely onthe realm of mor tals fritsinabitans ae a cruel and savage lt Instances of spectral armies destroying entire towns or the incidence of systrious Shadow Samuta ar, infact, example of vistors fom Toshigoku. This is one ofthe two realms that opened into our own through Oblivion’ Gate YORU ‘The Realm ofthe Blessed Ancestors — Those who have ful: filled their destinies and their Kharma ae allowed to enter into this realm upon their death. Yoms borders very closely upon our own world; our ancestors walk alongside us and {guide our every atin as shiryo — guardan spirits This isthe ‘other realm that opened into ou own through Oblivions Gate. YUNE-DO ‘The Realm of Dreams — This is the only realm aside from Ningen-do that ordinary mortals regulary perceive. While sleeping, our minds wander this world, The shiyoksi, preda- tory harbingers of nightmares, and che mysterious but often helpful baku, both originate in cis realm. In truth this realm seems to be composed of countless lesser realms, all created by the minds of dreamers. USING THE SPIRIT REALMS IM YOUR GAME Entering the Spirit Realms is quite difficult, the subject of ‘conjecture and legend. Only the most extraordinary individu alscan enter these realms and recurn intact. As such, aourney 10 one of the Spirit Realms makes the perfect subject for an adventure. A journey to Yume-do seeking a way to defeat a powerful Onisu, a quest into Yor to find «long-lost ancestor, ‘or even a journey into Sakkaku to seek the wisdom of an ancient trickster spitit are perfect examples, Such a quest could be an interesting change of pace fora long-running campaign. ‘When planning a campaign in the Spirit Realms, there are several things tha should be taken into account. Often times, a teip into a hostile realm endangers nt just visitor’ life, but his very soul. A character who lingers too long in a place where he does not belong may find himself unable, or even unwilling, to leave “The following section describes many rules regarding the Spirit Realms. Most of these ae sated in very general terms, so that the later chapters of cis book can specifically define them as per individual realms. ENTERING A SPIRIT REALM ‘There are three methods by which a Spirit Realm may be entered ~death, passages, and spontaneous transition. DEATH “That urn fall of ashes is not your grandfather, samurai, any more than th hose that you rode to find this temple you" — Kits uri, Caretaker of the Hall of Ancestors ‘When person dis his other souls immediately transferred to one ofthe other Spit Realms. Where a soul ultimately ends depends upon what sort of life they lived, and what harma (if any) they must work off from their past life. all must wait fora time in Meido, where the Fortune of Death judges each soul and determines its fate. Particularly wicked Individuals end up in Toshigoku, Gaki-do, or even Jigoku Others may pas through Chikushudo and be reincarnated as animals Those who lived a worthy and honorable life will ‘iter pass into the blessed feds of Yom, or be reincarnated in Ningen do Generally speaking, death is not a reliable way fora player character to entera Spirit Realm. 1¢5 generally a one-way tip. Als, depending on the souls inl destination it may emen ber lie or nothing ofits former lf. In addition, there is no sway of knowing exactly where a soul will come to rest. samurai who believes that he has been a worthy and honor able person may find himself in Gaki-do because he was ‘excessively arrogant, or in Toshigoku because he died con- sumed with thoughts af revenge. No one truly knows souls destination before death, except perhaps the Fortunes them- selves PASSAGES “Thave never seen anything quite so beautiful — or horrible — «as Oblvions Gate” —Isawa Hochiu, Master of Fire 1In any place where two Realms are extremely similar, there ‘exists strong bond, or pasage, berween them. This similarity ‘may be obvious physically or spiritually, or it may be com- pletely obscure and understood only by the denizens of those Realms, For example, passages to Chikushudo often form in areas where the land is lush and untamed, resembling the primal landseapes of the Realm of Animals. Passages to ‘Toshigoku linger in the sites of pointless battles or mass ‘murder, Passages to Meido seem to follow a pattern no one truly understands, forming a the will of the Fortune of Death, Passages to ‘close” Realms are easier to find than passages 10 “distant” Realms. Finding a passage between rwo barred Realms (suchas Jigoku and Tengoku)is impossible. traveler seeking such a passage mus first journey to 4 Realm that is ‘not batted, then continue onward from there. Just because a passage exists does not mean that someone «an pass from one Realm to another a easily as walking nto.a room. Passages are not doorways; they ae merely areas where 4 person can realign his own awareness of the Realms, and thus move from one to another. Most passages merely repte- sent the potential for travel berween Realms. For a traveler to exploit the passage, he must know how to activate it The easi- est way 0 do this i through the use of magic — many spells «exist that allow one or more travelers to sense the existence of «passage and activate it. (These spells ae described at the end ofthis section.) While itis not unheard of fora traveler to “unwittingly find himself in another Realm (those lost in the Shinomen or Kitsune Mori may very well pass into CChikushudo without realizing i), it is extremely rare. Realms thatallow the possibilty of such spontaneous travel mention iin their chapters.Certain rare nemuranai facilitate the use of passages. Obliv- ions Gate is a perfect example — a powerful nemuranai that allowed passage into both Toshigoku and Yori, and created new mortal bodies for spirits who passed through itsarch. The ‘hengeyokai sometimes craft charms that allow their friends 10 escape into Chikushudo in time of need. Other artifacts ean create passages — the Favors ofthe Dark Oracles create acon- ‘tinuous passage 0 Jigoku in their presence. Such items are rare and powerful, and are described throughout this book. One risk any traveler in the Spirit Realms should keep in ‘mind is that returning home is not always easy Some passages do not work both ways. Once a visitor from Ningetvdo uses 3 sage may have tofind noe usage 1 Ningen- doo return home. SPONTANEOUS TRANSITION "To find heaven, one must vemain serene enough to avoid all ditac- tons, and distracted enough to not become absorbed in serenity” ‘— Hoshi Wayan, wandering monk ‘The most unpredictable manner in which one can enter the Spirit Realms is chrough spontaneous transition. For every Realm, chs means something different. An aged monk who comes toa sudden understanding of the ee mesning of har ‘mony may ascend toTengoku asa Minor Forwune. A shugenfa ‘who tinker withthe powers of maho may be pulled physi- cally into Jigoku to be tormented by vile oni. Every night, sleepers throughout the Empite wander the Realm of Dreams Such transitions if they happen within acampaign, lefcto the whim of the GM, but suggestions for snd how these things ean happen are described throughout this book. New MECHANICS “The Legend of the Five Rings game setting has been offically presented in two separate game systems, the Legend ofthe Five ‘ings RPG 2nd Editon System (presented in the Payers Guide and Game Master’ Guide) and Wizards of the Coast's d20 System” (presented in Rokugan, the official supplement 10 Oriental Adventures). While these two systems are somewhat dissimilar, the setting presented in both versions of the game {s the same, and thus it our intent to present a sourcebook that is useful no matter which ofthese systems you choose 0 tse when running your game. Generally, when a new rule or mechanic is presented, whenever applicable we will present equivalent d20 System™ and LSR RPG 2E System versions in close proximity Rules and options for the d20 System™ look like this. Rules and options for the L5R RPG 2E System look like this (Occasionally, extensive new information may be exclusive toa specific system (such as New Paths for the LSR RPG 2E System or new feats forthe d20 System™). In such 2 case, the information will follow the same convention as above. The dao System™ material will appear in black and the LSR RPG 2E System material in Blue In the case of characters, occasionally, a character's name will be followed by a short explanation of his character clas in lieu of full statistical information. Such an example might look like this: TORITAKA TATSUNE [Samurai 6/Berserker 4/Shadowlands Veteran 10; Hida Bushi 5/Hlida Avenger 3) The information presented before the semicolon isthe character's class and level in the d20 System™ The informa- tion presented aftr the semicolon is che character’ rank and school in the L5R REG 2E System, Sometimes material must be presented for one system oF the other. In such cases, this text wll be contained in callout box with a gay background, suchas the one below The head «efor these boxes wil cleal abel which information is for the d20Sysen™ and which information is forthe LSR RPG and Edition (LSR RPG 28), JEALOUS REALMS “Cettng into Jigoku is as. As forgetting back surly you cant be —Omoni, Shaper of Hesh ‘A number ofthe Sprit Realms seem to ave a wil oftheir ‘own, and compete with other Realms for possession ofthe creatures that live within them. The most obvious example is ‘the Shadowlands Taint. The Taint is the influence of Jigoku, seeking to transform souls into its pawns Though a person corrupted by the power of the Shadowlands Taint might never physically enter Jigoku, the corruptive power ofthat Realm suffses im atal ims, pervertng his actions. Other Realms, such as Ningen-do, do not seek to corrupt, but only possess. For this reason, spirit from other Realms are very careful when entering Ningen-do, lest they become ‘tapped here. Remember that the original Kami once dwvelled in the Heavens, but were forced to remain in the mortal world after the first Hanteis duel with Lord Moon. The jealous nature of Tengoku had suffused even the Kami, preventing them from returning tothe Heavens. ‘All jealous Realms use a mechanic similar to the Shadow lands Taine as they attempr to take possession of creature. In cach of the following chapters, the jealousy of a particular Realm is described as follows: J=ALOUSY ‘his deseribes how often, and under what circumstances, a ‘Realm attempts to take control of a creature. CONTROL “This describes when a creature is considered a fll native of the elous Realm, and the consequences ofthat control Some Realms sek to contol or influence their inhabitsnts' actions. (Others are more passive, and simply posses traveler forthe sake of possesing them, Some Realms (suchas Jigoku) wil not elinguishtheirhold ona creature, but wil play share i, letting their minions travel freely through other jealous Realms‘Table 14: Control Points Control Control Bonus Spellst+ Points Modifie” 123456789 1s ° io 10 ° ae wast i1=S=.——— 20 {_ 22 i £e¢——— 2630042 444-7 7 Bas fia poe 34043 tia i——— as 4 $44 5 2———— 465004 2iati oo sss 45 224148 2.=0— 566045 224t11—-—— ssa 2220111 —— 67046 2221111—— m7 47 222211141 76-8047 22221111— Biss 3222214111 8690 322224111 * This modifier may apply to certain rolls, saves, or checks, This varies by Spirit Realm, + Certain Realms may or may not offer certain types of bonus spells to spellcasters. This varies by Spirit Realm, and stacks with bonus spells for high ability scores, any. If creature escapes into another Realm, does this Realms possessive nature fade? Some Realms ike Jigoku, maintain their hold permanently, Others such as Toshigoku, are cond tional; those who escape the Realm of Slaughter find that the bloodlust quickly fades. Control by a Realm is measured much like the Shadow- lands Taint. (The Shadowlands Taine sin fact, simply Control ‘exerted by Jigoku.) Once Control reaches a certain level, 2 ‘character may find himself acting differently The amount of ‘Control Realm has overa characteris measured in levels The effects of various levels of Control vary by Spirit Realm, and some are even beneficial Control is messured in points, with each ten points causing. the ‘control modifier” ofthat Realm to increase as indicated on Table [-1. Control by a Realm is measured by how many ability score modifiers ate exceeded by the control modi= Ber Control is measured in ranks, similar to Honor. Once a character gains ten points of contol, the rank increases by fone. Control by a Realm is measured by how many Rings are exceeded by the rink of Control. LEVELS OF CONTROL ‘evel One Control modifier higher than two ability score modifiers. ‘Control Rank higher than lowest Ring. Level Two Control modifier higher chan three ability score modifiers. ‘Control Rank higher than two Rings Level Three ‘Control modifier higher than fous ability score modifiers. ‘Conttol Rank higher than three Rings. Level Four Control modifier higher than five ability score modifiers, ‘Control Rank higher than four Rings, Lew! Five Control modifier higher than all ability score modifiers. Control Rank higher chan all Rings. ABILITIES Some Realms grant their inhabitants natural abilities. Jigoku, for example allows Tainted individuals to draw on their cor ruption for power — ataprice. Ningen-do will always draw its inhabitants back home, Other Realms may offer other abili- ties, Control Modifier: This modifier may apply to one more ability checks or saving throws, depending on the Realm. Rules for using the control modifier are given under spe- cific Realms. Some do not use this modifier at al, PROTECTION FROM JEALOUS REALMS “The easiest way t avoid becoming an unwilling inhabitant in some strange Sprit Realm is by bringing along an item sul fused with the power of your home Realm. Each Realm offers different protection tots natives, with differing amounts needed to resist the contrl of foreign Realms. These protec- tive items work similarly to jade as protection against the Shadowlands Taint Each time a Realm attempts to assert con- ‘wok over visitor, one unt ofthe protective item is expended (uni is defined under the rales for using each tem) Each Realm lists how often unit of protetion lasts Carrying mul: tiple unis ineteases the protection, but ony to point PROTECTWE ITEMS AND THE SHADOWLANDS ‘Any items listed as used for protection under a certain Realm may be used to protect natives ofthat Realm from the Taint ‘while in the Shadowlands. These items protect for half the duration of jade, and decay into corrupted sludge in the same TADS Many shugenja and scholars consider jade to be a “perfect” rinetal, a careful balance of all five elements. The natives of any Spirit Realm may use jade as a protective item aguinst the controlling nature of foreign Realms. The only exception to this is Jigoku — the purity of jade brings the oni and cor- rupted denizens of the Realm of Evil great pain. They cannot rely upon jade to protect them against the control of other Realms ‘A finger of jade — a shaft ofthe mineral about the length and thickness ofa man’ finger — counts as one “unit” of jade.MAGIC IN SPIRIT REALMS ‘The kami can be found throughout the Spirit Realms. How: ever, some Realms tend to attract certain types of kami, and therefore certain types of magic are more powerful in these Realms. The chapter pertaining to each individual Realm wil describe in detail which sorts of magic are more or les effec: tive within its boundaries. Bonus Spells: Certain Realms are strong in some varieties ‘of magic, and grant bonus spells of specific types to those with a high Control modifier Ia controlled individual is not already a spelleastr, no bonus spells are gained. Rules for using bonus spells are given under the rules for specific Realms New SPELLS 10201 DETECT PASSAGE Divination Level: Shu 6, Sor/Wiz 7” ‘Components: ¥,$ Casting Time: 1 full round ‘Range: Medium (100 fe. + 10 ft/level) ‘Area: Quarter circle emanation from you to the extreme of the range Duration: Concentration, up to § minutes/level (D) ‘Saving Throw: None ‘Spell Resistance: No You can sense the naturally occurring passages that link the various Spirt Realms to one another. For those who possess knowledge of the passages and how to perceive them, they 3 actually fairly common and easy to access. How much information you gain on the passage depends upon how long you study a area or passage. ‘st Round: Presence of absence of Spirit Realm passages. 2nd Round: Precise location of the passage 5nd Round: The Spirit Realms that can be accessed by enter- ing the particular passage PASSAGE INTO CHAOS “Alteration “Level: Shu 7 (Water) Components: V,S Casting Time: {full rund f ‘Area: You and willing creatures within 50 ft, maximum one creature per five levels Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: No ‘This spell activates any existing passages to Chikushudo or Sakkaku, sending all those inthe affected area to that Realm immediately. (If the passage connects to both Realms, the caster must choose which Realm is the destination.) Using this spell blindly is not recommended; if the caster is not, aware of where he is going, and the portal toa jealous Realm is in the vicinity, he may find himself irrevocably pulled into that Realm, PASSAGES INTO DARKNESS Alteration Level: Shu 7 (Barth), Maho § Saving Throw: Fortitude negates ‘As passage into chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Gaki-do or figoku. PASSAGE INTO DEATH Alteration Level: Shu 7 (Fire) Saving Throw: Reflex negates ‘As passage into chaos, except that this spell activates passages to ‘Meido or Toshigok. PASSAGE INTO DRZAM ‘Alteration Level: Shu 7 (Ait) Saving Throw: Reflex negates ‘As passage nto chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Yume-do or Tengoke PASSAGE INTO HARMONY Alteration Level: Shu 7 (AlD, Void 5 Saving Throw: Wil negates ‘As passage nto chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Ningen-do or Yomi, New SPELLS f2ND SDITIONI DETECT PASSAGE Element: All| Mastery Level: + Duration: Concentration ‘Area of Effect: Self ‘Range: 100 radius This spell enhances your natural senses, extending them into all the Spit Realms simultaneously. As long as you concen: trate, ou can sense the presence and location of any natural passages to other Spirit Realms within the area, With a suc- cessful Void roll vs. TN 20, you can determine which Spirit Realm the pastage leads to. At the GM’ discretion, particu larly weak or dangerous passages may have a higher TN. PASSAGE INTO CHAOS Element: Water Mastery Level: 5 ‘Duration: Instantaneous ‘Area of Effect: Caster and up to two creatures within range Range: 20° ‘This spell activates any existing passages to Chikushudo or Sakkaku, sending all those in the affected area to that Realm immediately. (If the passage connects to both Realms, the caster must choose which Realm is the destination.) Unwill ing creatures must make an opposed Water roll against you to avoid being taken along Using ths spell blindly is not recommended ifthe caster is not awate of where he is going, and the portal to jealous Realm is in the vicinity, he may find himself irrevocably pulled into that Realm,Raises: For each Raise made, you may bring an additional creature along. PASSAGE INTO DARKNESS Element: Earth Mastery Level: 5 {As Passage Into Chaos, except that this spell activates passages t0 Gaki-do or Jigoku. Unwilling creatures must make an ‘opposed Earth roll agsinst you to avoid being taken along. ‘Any caster with at least one Rank of Taint may learn and cast this a a Mastery Level 4 spell, but gains Taint as if it were amaho spell PASSAGE INTO DEATH Element: Fire Mastery Level: s ‘As Passage Into Chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Meido or Toshigoku. Unwilling creatures must make an ‘opposed Fre roll against you to avoid being taken along, PASSAGE INTO DREAM Element: Air Mastery Level: s ‘As Baseage Into Chaos, except that this spel activates passages to Yume-do or Tengoku. Unwilling creatures must make an ‘opposed Air roll against you to avoid being taken along. PASSAGE INTO HARMONY Element: All| ‘Mastery Level: s ‘As Basage Into Chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Ningen-do or Yomi. Unwilling creatures must make an ‘opposed Void roll against you to avoid being taken along. Ishiken may lean this spell as a Mastery Level 4 Void spell. INHABITANTS OF THE SPiRIT SALMS “ama spit yes but Lamas weal as you are, samurai, Justa oli, just as warm, jus as sof. woul you cave to find out or youre” —The Lady Kitsune CCeeatures who hail from the Spisit Realms are collectively referred to a8 spirits, Despite this word’ connotations, many spirits are neither incorporeal nor dead. Infact, even many intangible ghosts are not truly incorporeal; they just do not exist fully in the Mortal Realm and thus can pass through solid objects Spirits gain certain abilities and immunities by entering other Realms. These abilities areas follows: Spirit Subtype: Many creatures in this book have the “sprit” subtype described in Oriental Adventures and elab- crated on in Creatures of Rokugan. The benefit ofthis sub- type areas follows: Spirits gain a +# racial bonus against all, enchantment effects except those of other spitis. Spivits ‘can sense any passages to their home Realm within one mile. Spirits are also vulnerable to certain spells and effects that affect the spirit subtype. Spirit Abilities: Spirits have +10 on all Willpower rolls ws. hostile magic except that cst by other pints Spirits ean sense any passages to their home Realm within one mile Certain spells specifically arget and affect piri, In theit home Realms spirits are no longer considered spirits. When visiting other Realms, human characters are consid cred spicts. Nezumi characters are never considered spirits. Most denizens of Jigoku are not considered spirits, unless they were spirits prior to their corruption. RETURNED SPIRITS (Of all the denizens of the Spirit Realms who have walked Rokugan, none have had greater impact than the souls of those who have died only to return. One need look no farther than the Splendid Emperor Toturi I—or the War of Spirits — to see whata tremendous effect these beings have had on Rokugars development over the past few decades. In the era of che Four Winds, relatively few true spirits remain in the Realm of Mortals. In accordance with the wishes of Torui after the Battle at Oblivion’ Gate, the major- ity termed 10 their home Realms through the noble ritual of seppulku, ot simply retired until such a time asthe kharmic wheel would return them to their rightful place. Many allowed themselves to be subjected to a Phoenix ritual that severed their ties to the Spirit Realms and made them fully ‘mortal once more. So far as anyone in the Empire is aware, the only spirit to escape this fate was Toturi himself, who remained exactly as he had emerged from Oblivion's Gate uni che time of his death Rokugan isa land of secrets, however, and handful of spir- its remained within the Empire after the Battle at Oblivion Gate although very few realize i. Since Toturis death, those few who remain have become more open with their true nature, since there is no longer an Emperor ro demand that they return to their Realms oF undergo the rather unpleasant Phoenix ritual of return, ‘Returned spirits are generally reated with a mix of respect, and caution. They are respected for their wisdom and experi- ence, for they have seen and done things that no mortal being, can claim. However, they are also treated carefully because of the inherently unstable natuee of beings from certain Realms. ‘The War of Spits proved that spirits are a force to be reek coned with, and few will willingly or knowingly risk antago- nizing them. JIGOKU Fortunately, few of the souls consigned to Jigoku ever gain the power or force of will necessary 0 reenter the Empire under their own power. Of those few that do, the majority are mere shadows of their former selves, insubstantial remnants of ‘humanity with only a vague semblance of sentience to guide their actions. The souls of humans trapped within Jigoku are known as yok, and suffer one of two fates. Either they are torn apart by the evil forces that dominate that dark Realm, becoming little more than mindless wraiths summoned t0 [Ningen-do by strong negative emotions, or they resist the tumultuous energies of Jigoku and carve their own tiny domain out ofthe blackness. The later are extraordinarily few,‘A small handfal of spcits are rescued from their gruesome fates by the Blessed Guard of Yomi and imprisoned within chat Realm unt they repent of hei sins ‘Asmall number of yokai managed to escape the Spit Realms dueing the Batl at Oblivion’ Gate and return 0 the Realm of Mortals. Obviously, these individuals kept their seaus a closely guarded secret and avoided the Phoensx ritual of return, which would have revealed their true nature Instead, these yokai have remained largely in hiding. While some seek to atone for their past lives, others have embraced the madness that their power and Taint have bestowed upon them. Although none has yet come tothe attention of the Empire at large, iti only a matter of time until one distin- auishes itself in some way and alerts the clan to this hidden threat MW=zI0O The general populace of Rokugen believes Meido to be an empty, silent Realm where the spirits of the unfulfilled dead ‘g0 to contemplate their failures and await judgment, All dead souls ative in Meido to be judged by Emma-O, the Fortune of Death. From this stark Realm a soul may travel on to Yor! ifit is found worthy, ot it may be condemned to one of the lower Realms: Gaki-do, Toshigoku, or igoku. Under normal circum- stances, those spirits that can reach from the Realm of the Dead to the Realm of Mortals are morose, sorrowful creatures that cannot comprehend their deaths, only knowing that they have left behind some kind of unfinished business. While typ- ically not aggressive, these spirits have posed a threat to the ‘welfare of the living in the past, and are often deale with by the likes of the Toritaka phantom hunters and the Kitsu sodan- ‘The return of spirits from Meido to Ningen-do is extraordi- narily uncommon, The Fortune of Death, Emma-O, is an unforgiving, unwavering master, and he does not allow spirits to exit his domain until such time as he deems it appropriate. “Exceptions occur, however, and a small number of such spirits returned to the Empire through Oblivion’ Gate. Like yokai, the number of Meido spirits to cross over was extremely low in comparison to the number of spirits from Yomi and Toshigoku, and thus hardly anybody realized that any a had emerged. Also like the yokai, few Meido spirits submitted to the rituals that the Phoenix offered to return them fully to life, preferring to remain spirits. This was not due to any alice on the part of the spirits, Spirits escaped from Meido are virtually emotionless, and very introspective. They gain insight into the natural order of things in the mortal realm that few are willing to give up. TOSHIGOKU ‘The Realm of Slaughter is an empty, barren place. It is litle ‘wonder thar its forsaken spirits leapt atthe opportunity 0 return to Ningen-do when Oblivion’ Gate opened. Infact, the _great majority ofthe spirits who returned to Roleugan through the Gate were from Toshigoku. Their unending thirst for battle found plentiful oes in the Shadowlands and minions of the Lying Darkness in that great battle. When it was over, the spirits finaly found their bloodlust at an end. For some, it was the first time in centuries that the erimson haze lifted from their vision, ‘Unfortunately, this espite was brief After yeats of endless ‘combat, the spitits of Toshigoku were not prepared to aban- don it so easily. Those who returned refused Toturis order to return to Toshigoku and flocked tothe banner of Hantei XVI, a genocidal madman who had spent centuries in Toshigoku himsel£ This ed to the War of Spirits, the conclusion of which saw most of these spirits returned to Toshigoku. A small rpumber hid from the forces of Totus. Now thatthe Emperor has died and the Empire is embroiled in conflict, they no longer feel the need to conceal themselves, and travel the Empire once more. YORI ‘The return of the legions of Toshigoku to Rokugan chrough Oblivion’ Gate could easily have spelled the doom of Emperor Totus empire had not many shiryo of Yomi passed through aswell As shryo have great respect for the Celestial ‘Order, most chose to respect Torurts wishes and immediately returned to their native Realm. A large number did remain, however, as they recognized the coming conflict with Hante, XVI. The valiant blessed ancestors helped to curn the tide against the forces of Hantei XVI during the War of Spirit. Daring the War, many ofthese individuals formed an elite fighting force known as the Heroes of Rokugan, and were ‘essential in helping Torri keep his throne - Afterward, many of the former shiryo (including the Heroes of Rokugan) were allowed to remain within the Empire. Some quietly chose not to do so, however, and remained in their half spirit form rather than fully embrace mortality. Slow to age as all spirits ate, these few have remained in Rokugan throughout the rule of Toturi and his subsequent death, and many now seek to find their place in the Empire dusing the reign ofthe Four Winds. New FEATS AEDIUM ‘You speak easily with the spirits of the dead, and they with you. Prerequisites: Void Use, Knowledge (arcana) (ranks) Benefit: Any undead creature can automatically under stand you, and you can automatically understand them. This is not a function of language, but a primal, spiritual connection that confers mutual understanding. In addition to this bene- fit, you gain a+2 competence bonus to any Charisma-based ability or ski rolls with returned spirits (those individuals ‘who possess any of the templates detailed in this chapter. SPIRIT BLOOD You are the child of a spicit that returned to the Empire through Oblivions Gate. Although you do not possess the ide array of abilities your parent did, there are hints of your spiritual lineage within you. Prerequisites: Void Use Benefit: When spending Void points, you gain a +3 bonus rather than the normal +2. This additional +1 bonus is cum lative with any other Void bonus effects such as those com ferred by level benefits ofthe inkyo class,