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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ADON THO THE OPEN GAME LICSNs= ‘he fatiowing athe propery of Wied fhe Coe Ie and Cope bie wirnol the ani Wate al ihe eee 1, at on’ mh ph ll alma cane ee a Spe Comet Dene hate cose el eg EEceTiletrn egnperg ni ‘Sine ncn oe ey amt a sree ely Seldom bi chy ch arnt eo hg rene Dn Site nace ce natal Onancoen 4 Copan ones nin pig hn Com fect perea ces in scotch eed a Extent Oyen ame ce ‘lem ng goto nghscomeyedby dt iceme cue samt pic Wm pt COMIC NOTICE po of nent atta Grete Moncton ence Coon ‘Sal iieac ay ob omy no are Coa reer sl he ower ta Pout dey The owe ly Pres ey ed Ope oe ‘Soames peed name be te eae ‘Unni ce cdg nm biplane Latte creed eat nae my no ‘Spans att oagna doch aby sancti noe {2m MO cae me hey hen ea tare neon rs com he hee ene pe ae omen i te ane pr ‘nal epic hernias ahaa ed Aeiteatiltenn te raya Soreltneng orci baat ar Sivensomcateateoe vm one Aiedncoay akan mccyssdeencenie Sn hres "SCORCH NOME en ae eo pia Wn be $e dees Domenie Coe ew Wee So Sp let ates ns wt Cae Stns, SS ey lan army a pa en Gre t Rgn © 0 lea: Enea ep ‘Sciaesomonc ci Airs tacae ep THE OPEN GAME CONTENT Lect etsy dee oes dene ga Mona tceneatspemanenet a Cooke pra ree Soro tears enamel do ano oe gah id a “Sipond pet oe ng ng rpg Ss ee bs ei {epee gp ind fo tet cnn tt ed pn ‘Sem tan Rt of Se ey fe Sagoo oem fr sel eg trotters yo oh [feces hr dunno i me pe po eschew oF OF CONTEST Eire Nori Clton gat tres once eNotes ok print teresa Shetek ssn tlae ‘mma ne Tenn i Chat Sree tn apnea etn Nv ie ako nh bch parent rea eet ‘Sorere ind aro fare oe 1 mde scanty ate New ach Sesetiner rnp a chaise ee pecs ge eee tn lee dort Fresno enced ne ‘Sime bern Open ane Cone em ua tO ae aren Een pln esteem enna ‘Alen Eareanera ont gene Oc aan mse eet ‘appara fn Mn lh pee ek td 09 mc Wits eC ne The msn of ne OC pre ‘Cire ct pencame cond nla eo Nome temo soy 0 ee benoit ‘he mon fe een anny a pp nal ‘aimee erent edrwe ya tna ihm tac tmp at me noe ‘Sst hin cpl gion aphid 261 Ale te ‘haw Gn gh ed.cOnTsnts "Fong Bod and Tuader (i) These Keats, Chibi. caked gor Med Singin ‘stk “tree ‘Toahiges Yom Wine sing the er Ren nour Ge ‘Eevng Set Retin New Merton Jealous Ras Seay Cond ees Protection Flom elu Relns Protec es ad he Saou Jade Mg in Sp sis New Spells 40) New Spell 5 Inbbansol the Spe eae ern Spine ay New Fpl New Adranages ad Disdimapes Shapeshiers Shapeshier Mayor Charter Shapeshier 20) ew Fe ‘Soul the Hemwens ‘Shapeter 38) Human Fo. ‘The hupeior Scho Coruna yes of Shes Shapes es Payer ects a, Shapester Abie “atoor ‘The Spe Resis Teun ry The leo Kyuden Rise, The Toh of he Hewene “The Stadewande Tachi athe Blodbpeen “The Bale Oban Cate a Theware! sie Nemuran of te Spit Resins ‘lose ot. ‘aero Kaus of Pret Cry Pag Serer Chsscrs case Tigo The Reso of Ee “Trough Bod nd Thunder) Jig che Cele! Ore eat and ask aca Pasig fn Winged, Sportncou Tansion Jslouey cons rotons Protection ek abe Migc alton itn ter Reis. Teter ‘rie igs ‘Adore Hooke ‘Gah, The Real of angry Ghost “Though led nd Thunder 0) hed snd the Colsl Ons 30 gens Death nd ad. Kors Ps fem Ning. Spores Hanson Jedoay Canal rection aginst Cade ‘Prterion by Cada bees. Mew ‘akin with ober Reais Ihebiace ‘Spel Type of Gi esas of cok co ‘advetue Books ‘insning Genel Gai. Saka, The Realm of Mace. igh Bod and Taunder 9) ‘Sian andthe Ceestl Onde Dest and Sake Ken Pasig om Ning Spentneoa tants Seva Conia Protection asin She Potcion by Skdae abies. Mog New spall en ‘aban ess Sai Advent Hook Meido the Rel of Wang Throop Bled and Thunder (3) esti Oder in Rin aon Pses em Niger 8, Sjontncou aan Sala, ‘onal "rotecoom aginst Meio. Protectant Meo ‘bles, Moxie Flasons wilbother Reson Ino Fears of Mes ‘Adventure Hook ‘Yomi The Real Hesse Ancestoxs “Though Bled and Thunder, ‘an andthe Cees Orde ‘Death and Yor ‘Knows Fssgen i Ning, Iesouy cone ‘even get Preto bos. ‘hile. Baas othe Ress Inhabitants Seren Soui ‘Adventre Hooks New Mechasce ‘angola The Ces Heavene “Though lod sed Thunder C) “Teng an he Cael rer Death and Tengo owe Fs om Mingo Syentncous aston. fake contol ‘rene pin Tengo ‘rein by Tengo bles. Magis ‘ebtinswilobn Rsns| Inaba ‘he even Gre Foes 6 3 s 2 a The Shine Reverse eines The een Dag. eases Tenge ‘Aveocoe Hooke. Blesngrand Care athe ‘esnge CChikesa, the Resim afte Animale. Though Blood and thunder 8) Chiao sd te Celeil Onder. Desth nd hide ow Pasa fo nga lousy Casa ‘oreton psn Chiba Pronctiony Chitose ‘Anne. eis wick Rand bio Fats Chibi ‘Adverts Hol ‘Toshigoka. The Besim of saughter “Tbigh lad ed Tree) Toeigrh ae he Calera One, Den and Tetigol. known Pssst Ningen do. Spantnecar eons Seles conte "rotstion guint Tipo ‘Picton by Tosi ‘ie. Mage. Reson with che edie Ihab ses of Toshio ‘vce Hos Tha oeder of esns New Mechanics. ‘wume do the Resim of eae Through lod ed ce (0 ‘ore do nd she Cele Order “Det Ye 46 corn Psa oe Niger do. ‘Spontaneous apes Jesoury reaming Lfeaed Yrs do oni. Protein ai meds Protection by Vom do ‘Aste Mig: Ne Spal eine ithe aa Jabba Fears id _dvenuie Hos. Ning, The Rea of Mortis “Taough lod snd Thomder Ninge-do andthe Cele rer Deut and ingen do. Kowa Esp ram Mingo Spentncou rnstons Flor. contol ‘Toten apn Ning do Protection by Ning. sAbsliver lin ith ie Balas Inhabit Ningesdo The Kens Kewutsa Sehec Rew spall News ots EpTHROUGH BLOOD AND THUNDER PART ONE THE YEAR 1128, MONTH OF THE DOG "Thave nothing further fo each you" the old man had sad ‘There had been no disdain, no judgment, no emotion whatsoever tha been a simple statement of fact. The Grand Maser no longer nad any use for a student, at least not if that student was Morito “Toket. With those sx words, Maser Kuro vanished a quickly he hed come. "Do not let this consume you, Tei” Mori sid frowning at his brother ars the ow tbl “You cannot understand, brother? Toke replied with igh “You donot know wha is ike to call pon the kami. The Grund Master Showed me how to summon wind, rain, and flame, to hear the eer ral voc of the carth thought that twas making great progres, as if were on the cig of «great breakthrough. instead Tam char done, a sfLam nat eve worth the geat Kut tome” ‘Morita shrugged. “Perhaps you are not” he replied, ijtinga chunk of fish with his chopsticks end popping it into his mouth Toke ooked ths brother curs "That seems rather insling thing to sy Tol sid, pring at the unshaver merenary with & hurt expesion. Tou had heen the only member of Ttun's command af o remain i the village eth Toke afer the Black ion had deprid. ‘Monto chewed thoughtfully for a moment before explaining “Toke and have wandered the Empire fr years now. Because we are ronin. everyone hs tld ws weve woth, rom the lowest peas fo the great daimyo ofthe Unicorn.” “Except or Kuro Tkei comet “and Tour Tk added "Aad thats exactly my point Mort said, pointing at Tok with his chopsticks — an impolite gesture, but Morto had never been much for etiquette “Look at Ttur There no question that he isa important man. Everyone knows he is important, and lok where that has gotten him. Dshonoved. Reviled. Half the Empire wants tim dead The ther half probably wens him tortured fr Inthe Tong ran, he has teven worse thar we do. Bet ink to go unno tied than make a spectacle of yourself end end up ke the Black Lon Perhaps Kuro was ding you a favo, turing his back om you ike that. The student of Naka Kuro tha the wort of prion who atracts attention, but another romin shugenja sitting ina sake house in ‘Nanashi Mure? Nobody cas” “dont understand? Tet sai. “Are you saying that ti beter to hide lke w coward tha ork failure” “what sot of ies that” Tk sneered disgusted. “Without honor, cone may aswell be dead” “Th saying that the no point in being honorable” Mont ad “Te sang tha her's mo sense sticking your neck ou witout oad nason” “tur: has great purpose” Toku sed “That he does” Morte agreed "As much a the Empire may hate him right now you have lo pect hie. Bu you, ther” He tured to Toke. “You hd no purpose studying under he Grand Master ther than to serounge wp all he power yu could, a quickly as you could ‘Thats not noble. That the sn of thing shat gets you into trouble” 1 was nt Serounging Lanended to put the Grand Master tude testo god we “Such a?” Mori sipped from hie sae. “Toke stalled, his mouth open but no words coming out. "Tim sure would have found a prose in time he seid fnaly “Of course” Morito said with «laugh, “That's always been your trouble lite bother. Always eager to threw yourself nt the brsach, ver smart enough fo stop and think about what’ on the othe sie” “Like when left the Unicorn to follow you asa romin” Toke sad “Exactly, I never asked you to fallow me” Monto shook his head slighty "Wel, Tm done cating” he said, rising from his eat. “Goad Fenowang you, Tk. Are you vady og, Tokes™" “Tin nat leaving Tole sed loking down athe table ‘Morito gave a sharp chuckle. “You can be serious. Yogo Junzo Fenows that Nanas Mure allied withthe Black Lion. Rumor has ‘thisomi are marching hen even now. Turi as his handfull inthe south; we need to leave before the snows set im. The Horde will wipe this place off the map ofthe Emprre” “Tatu asked met stay here” Tkel said “only because he wanted you out of the wy" Mort sai “Nonetheless Toke sad, "Tis my day ‘Mori looked around. “To die fora village of romin? Nobody here really caves about Totur’s couse, or they be with his army right care Tok sid, frowning “and f there were a hundred of you in Nanashi Mura, Tk, things would e diferent Monta sad "Bt they eno. fyoue ak ing something to fight fo Toke, don honk youll dt hee” “have ben somewhere” Tke sai, meting his others ge “wl ty and fight, Tu” The young oni nade guy. Mont sighed ora moment, i ook as fhe wer abot argue He xtched at his urshave check and gave anater sharp chuckle "A ght then? Monto sad. °F ll ou what, brother yous vive and you fond what youre loaking fo you com let ve us Him” Though hit wonds were ight, Most voice was hick. The rf rnin Re tha he would never se is brother aga, “tv Tks. “Wal you do me a favor ax well™ Name Monto ake “when yousu back our honor and become rue sauna again for throw tat ou wall —name your ese “fla? Moro replied. "Of cours wll name ifthe Cal of he (0% or youre sly as stubborn as one” “enough Taker sal ‘With a final grin, Mento bowed to his eunger bar and ented the stk howe "You made he righ dectsion, swe wil ie with enon” ‘Toke lstenel to Mona hone galloping away, he wondered if “oka ws igh Tok sad, We may dic but THREE MONTHS LATER... "Foolisk samuoai” the on oar. “You should have non when yous had the chance” ‘This Toke reflected ashe unleashat a blast ofjade inthe om fe, nad definitly bee a poor decsion ‘The village was surrounded. The Shadowlands Horde had broken through Nanash's feeble defenses on every side. The armies ofthe ‘walking dead marched bese squat bakemono and terrible oni that seid all description. Only a hanful of defenders remained to stand ‘against the onslaught, an they were quickly losing ground to the “Horde. Tas ond fw others had rd out im search of veinfrce- ‘ments; but there had ben no sgn that they had even ep ‘Again and again Toke shouted othe kam, summoning forth the power of jade inthe manner that Naka Kuro hed taught him. Beams of geen energy lanced into the Blow’ ranks, striking down three‘reatures ata time. st was not enough, The Horde eemel endless and they were stent pon making an example ofthis tiny village that had allied self with the Black Lon. ‘What do we do, Tokers” showed a desperate voice at his sie 114as Tuo, the young pensant wh mow led the Eyes of Nanas, The ‘young mar fae was pale with far. Taker wondered how much of that far was reflected in sown eyes ‘Keep fighting” Toket shouted. He had hoped to say somthing rove inspiring, but twas all he could manage under the circum stances 1 seemed to have the desiedefect. The samurai redoubled ther ffs holding the line agains the enemy Then Toket heard tt 3 not his encouragement that had inspired the troops — it was the loud, clear note of Unicorn hung horn. Reinforcements? There ‘may be hope yet tink mo ite sam? shoute vie from he sank ofthe Shatowlands Horde. A massive creature stepped forward from the army stall athe waist te largest ogre. The Bas held ret wo aac each hana ts skin was covered in sharp, ten sales and wo great hors cured rom te rest ofits head. Around ts neck it wore a necklace of shattered els, taken from Crab sauna, The Shadowlands forces withdrew a his approach, Even the mindless undead seme to sense thiseestures power. “Lod nce demanded that an example be made of Nanas. Yu wil al die today” Ever fom hee, Toki could sense the creature’ power. The com bined forces of Nanas stood no chance. Unless the entire Unicom army rade othe rescue even the veinarcerents would likely ers when they arrived 1 was then that Naka Kuro’ final lesion fook shape in “Tei mind. The young shugenja realized what he must do, Not he shouted seping fre from the ranks ofthe wllages fenders The owe ofthe fre kam sled in bla ua around Ish as sfangeed by the corrption of the om “Theo aughed at Toke “Alta, "Run, itle sgn, Tar around and samer into the forest while you can. Perhaps you ean Five t tell others what we have done to your village. L wil give yon thi chance, for your braver” Toke merely scouted, and sid thee words Not this day” Raw nergy flared from te former student ofthe Grand Master, ~ana the world tf saemed to bend to Toke wll. great sphere of white energy widened from the shugenja’ postion, consuming al else ts path The armies ofthe Hone seamed in pin and lror as they cle away. Tres wer tor from he earth by their roots “The skis above, clea only an instant before, now churned with louis as black night, Lightning crackle from Toke fingers, aad fie burned im his ees. The great om did na ry to tur or a as the thes dit ew thee oul b no escape from what was come I seemad to bow in respec for a single instant before the wave struck and ts body crumbled into dus The Evsof Nenashi turned fo inet aswell The daring paused look back at the onslaught Toke had wnleashed The wise ust ra “The earth trembled an seemed to scream as the shugena veleased his ower Toe fl to his nes inthe center of the storm, stragling ‘ainly to contol the magi He knew thet there was oly one way. ‘Toke lance pus asthe reinforcements arrived at the edge of te earng, and fora single mstant he oul se his other at Tees side, leading the charge te save Nanashi Mur, Mori shouted some ‘thing, but Toke could not eae “Toke could onl the power he had summoned no lnger: esa rendered himself othe power ofthe sel One instant he lt anid the great rater of desition he had wrleased. The net stant, he was merely gone, and ll wes apace once more ‘One wec late, the ronin Mort arrived atthe secuded home ofthe ‘Grand Master, carrying news of his former students sacrifice. “Sueice” Kuro replied. "What sacrifice? My stent has merely gu is greatest journey” With a nod of satisfaction, he closed the door im Moto face THE SPiRiIT REALMS ‘BY TORITAKA SHIRANE, PHANTOM HUNTER Look around you. The world that you perceive is but one of ‘many posible states of existence. Countless other realms lie superimposed over the realm of mortsl men. Some of these realms ate much like our ow; others are by their very nature inconceivable, Some of these realms are inbabited, and the creatures thar dwell in them live out their entire existences as unaware of us as we ace of them. The creatures chat dwell in these realms are referred to as spirit and thus the worlds they live in are called “the Spirit Realms” The term ‘spirit'does not necessarily imply that a ereature has returned from the dead, or that i isin eny way ess real than 3 human, It 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 Empie. The exis- tence of the Shadowlands, the War of Spirits, the Legacy ofthe Forge, and the many tales of ghosts, shapeshifers, and trick ster spirits are diect evidence of these Reams. My fii has studied the Spirit Realms since our founding, and has often consulted withthe Kitsu, whose particular expertise is the sof the dead. Even with our combined knowledge, there is much about the Spirit Realms tht s unknown, but Twill share what knowledge t have ‘One does not enter Tengoku as ifemtering the next room or journeying ta faraway province. A traveler doesnot seek out the Heavens They surround us at all times; we merely fail ro perceive that realm and are chus unable to affect it, Likewise, denizens of these other realms ae often unable wo perceive ‘ourexistence, and thus cannot inert with us ‘There are many different ways to enter the Spist Reals, with the most common being an alteration inthe way one perceives reality. The most extreme example ofthis is death ‘When + mortals soul dis, it immediatly transfers to one of these realms, where st awaits reincamation. Depending upon a petsont actions in lif, he may find himself reincarnated 352 lesser beast, tormented by the oni of figoku, or sent to live in blessed harmony with his enlightened ancestors. Some spit its,suchas hengeyoksi, never reincarnate but seem effectively immortal. Other creatures, such as the Naga, have their own form of reincarnation entirely. Indeed, I suspect that the Nage AAkasha is sinilar in many ways to our Sprit Realms pechaps itexist 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 dic to enter a new realm of existence. As was proven during the Bate of Obliv- ion’ Gate, spirits ean also enter other realms by the interven- tion of powerful magic. Some realms are said 10 be “loser” than others. Again, this is not due o any physical proximiry (ell spirit Realms overlap one another) but hecase they ae similar in one way or another. Travel between two stronglydisparate realms may be very dificult, if not impossible, For example, consider Hgoku, the Realm of Evil. In Jigoku itis el: atively simple to make the transition ta similarly horifying realm such as Gaki-do, the Realm of the Hungry Dead. A such as Chikushudo, the Realm of Animal, differs from Jigoku in such a way that passage from ome directly to another iver diicaland the heavenly elms of Tngok avr ally inaccessible Entering the Spirit Realms isa difficule 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 scholars of the Spirit Realms believe thatthe magical abilities possessed by such individu als are responsible, but I believe i is 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 zokuji, kenks, and ‘Truno have extraordinary talents attra 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 simultane ‘ously, coexisting in each, The spirits known as kami, though simple in many sways, can comprehend and exit in all Realms at once (though they gener ally remain in Ningen-do). This makes the kami of great use 25 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 perfect harmony. However, most ofthese would beso different from our own realm of existence that thet nacures would be entirely incomprehensible. The doc: mented Spicit Realms are as fol lows CHIKUSHUDO : The Realm of Animals —This\. realms very lose w our own,and all ordinary animals can perceive it. When a sou! is reincar nated as an animal, it must pass through this realm. ‘Chikushudo is the domain ofthe greater animal spirits as well as the curious and sometimes desteuctive hengeyokat. Its also the chosen home of Inari, Fortune of Rice GAKI-DO “The Realm of the Hungry Dead! — This is «realm of punish ‘ment for those who lived lives consumed with selfishness or dishonor. These spirits live to feed, to consume until their Ibunger is satisfied and they can rise toa higher realm. They are often quite harmless, But a few varieties of gakt are mali- cious end deadly. They should be treared with utmost caution TIGOKY “The Realm of Evil — Common parlance has caused this name to be applied to all Spirit Realms. I believe this i a fiendish ‘wick 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 All that exists cheze is puce soulless evi 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 realme ate far too thin M=IDO ‘The Realm ofthe Dead —This isthe realm where sptis goto await reincamation, Ie is « domain of wait: ‘ng, ruled by Emma-O, the Fortune ‘of Death. Occasionally, con- fused spins slip through the gates to Ningen-do once more {in an attempt to resume their former lives. Emma-O's ser- vvants then venture forth to bring these lost souls home. TUNGEn-DO ‘The Realm of Mortals —This isthe realm in which we live, To the spirit, our weld 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 crea” tutes The zokujin the ningyo, the Nezumi the Ashalap, and many other races all seem to have originated in this world SAKKAKU ‘The Realm of Mischief —This Spirit Realm is the home of the mujina, kappa, and kkenku (though the kenku often deny it) Mischief spirits enjoy journeying to the mortal world solely for the 2 __. sake of causing wouble and con 4 ~ fasing unfortunate mortals. The spints of Sakkaku ate not ev, merely mischievous. They are unpredictable, but also very wise, Those who can meet 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. Ic is 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 itis 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 ths realm but the touch of our realm prevented them from returning home.TOSHIGOKU The Realm of Slaughter — When a watrior dies in senseless battle or perishes consumed by thoughts of revenge, his soul 4s cast into Toshjgoku, Toshigoks iss realm of endless battle, where spirits kill spits only to rise up and kill again, Fort nately Toshigoku does not border closely on the realm of mor. tals, for its inhabitants are a cruel and savage lot. Instances of| spectral armies destroying entire towns or the incidence of ‘mysterious Shadow Samurai ste, in fact, examples of visitors from Toshigoku. This is one of the two realms that opened into our own through Oblivion’ Gate, YORI ‘The Realm of the Blessed Ancestors —Those who have ful- filled their destinies and their kharma are allowed to enter into this realm upon their death. Yomi borders very closely upon our own world; our ancestors walk alongside us and guide our every action as shityo — guardian spirits Thisis the other realm that opened into our own through Oblivion’s Gate, YUME-DO ‘The Realm of Dreams — This i the only realm aside from Ningen-do that ordinary mortals regulary perceive. While sleeping, our minds wander this world The shiyoksi,preds- ‘ory harbingets of nightmares, and the mysterious but often helpful baku, both originate in his realm. In truth, this realm seems tobe composed of countless lesser realms al crested by the minds of dreamers. USING THE SPIRIT REALMS IM YOUR GAME Entering the Spirit Realms a quite difficult the subject of ‘conjecture and legend. Oly the most extraordinay sndividu- alscan enter these realms and recurn inact. As such, journey Toone af the Sprit Realms makes the perfect subject for an adventure. A journey to Yume-do seeking a way to defeat 2 powerful Onsu quest into Yom o find along lost snceston, or even a journey into Sakkaku 10 seek the wisdom of an ancient trickster spirit are petfect examples Such 3 quest could be an interesting change of pace fora long-running campaign ‘When planning a campaign inthe Spirit Realms, there are several things that should be taken inte account. Oftentimes, {tepintos hostile realm endangers not jus vistors life, but his very soul. A character who lingers tog 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 are stated in very general terms so that the later chapters ofthis book can specifically define ‘them as per individual realms, ENTERING A SPIRIT REALM ‘There are three methods by which s Spitit Realm may be centered ~death, passages, and spontaneous transition. DEATH “That urn fall of ashes i not your gendfather, samurai, any more than the hose that you vde to find this temple you" — Kitsu Juri, Caretaker of the Hall of Ancestors ‘When a person dies his or her soul is immediately transfered to one ofthe other Spirit Realms. Where a soul ultimately ends depends upon what sort of life they lived, and what Kkharma (if any) they must work off from their past life. All rust 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 pass through Chikushudo and be reincarnated ss animals. Those who lived a worthy and honorable life wll ‘either pass into the blessed fields of Yomi, or be reincarnated in Ninger-do. Generally speaking death is nota reliable way fora player ‘character to entera Spirit Realm. I's generally a one-way trip. Also, depending on the soul’ inal destination, i may remem ber litle or nothing of its former life. tn addition, there is no ‘way of knowing exactly where a soul will come to rest. A 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 le died con- sumed with thoughts of revenge. No one truly knows 3 souls destination before death, except perhaps the Fortunes them selves PASSAGES “Thave never seen anything quite so heautiful — or horrible — «as Oblivion Gate” —Isawa Hochiu, Master of Fire 1m any place where two Realms are extremely similar, chere ‘exists a strong bond, orpastige, berwen 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 o follow a pattern no one truly understands, forming a the wll of the Fortune of Death Passages to “cose” Realms are easier to find than passages 10 “distant” Realms. Finding a passage between two barred Realms (suchas Jigoku and Tengoku) is impossible. traveler seeking such a passage must fist 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 as 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 mevely repre- sent the potential for travel berween Realms. Fora traveler to exploit the passage, he must know how to activate it.The easc est way o 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 are described a the end ofthis section.) While itis not unheard of for a 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 exteemely rare. Realms thatallow the possibilty of such spontaneous travel mention iin their chaptersCertain rate nemuranat facilitate the use of passages Obiv- fonis Gite is a perfect example — a powerful nema that sllowed passage nto both Toshigoks and Yomi, and created ‘pew mortal bodies for spirits who passed through isarch. The Ihengeyokai sometimes eraft charms that allow their friends 0 escape inco Chikushudo in time of need. Other artifacts ean create passages — the Favor of the Dak Oracles ceeteacon- tinuous passage to Jigoku in their presence. Such tems are tate and powerful, and are described throughout this book One risk any traveler in the Spirit Realms should keep in mind i that returning home is not aways easy Some passages do not work both ways. Once a visitor from Ninget-do uses 4 esate may hve ond anther passe Nine doo return home SPONTANEOUS TRANSITION "To fid heaven, ome must remain serene enough to avi all ditac- tons, and distracted enough to not become absorbed s serenity” ‘— Hoshi Wayan, wandering monk ‘The most unpredictable manner in which one can enter the Spirit Realms is through spontaneous transition. For every Realm, this means something different. An aged monk who comes toa sudden understanding of the ere mesning of har ‘mony may ascend toTengoku asa Minor Forcune. A shugena ‘who tinkers withthe powers of maho may be pulled physi- cally into Jigoku to be tormented by vile oni. Every night, sleepers throughout the Empire wander the Realm of Dreams Such tansitions they happen within acampaign ate always Jefi1o the whim of the GM, but suggestions for whe why, snd how chese things ean happen are described throughout this book. New MECHANICS ‘he Legend ofthe Five Rings game setting hasbeen offically sented in two separate gate systems, the Lepend of th Five ngs REG 2nd Edition System (presented in the Payer’ Guide and Game Masters Guide) and Wizards of the Coasts 420 System (presented in Rokugan, the offical supplement co Onenial Adventures). While these two systems ae somewhst dssimile the seting presented in both versions of the game {s the same, and thus iis our intent to present «sourcebook thats useful no mater which ofthese systems you choose © tse when running your game. Generally, when a new rule or mechanic i presented, whenever aplicabe we will present equivalent 420 System™ and LSR RPG 2E System versions in dse proximiny Rules and options for the d20 System™ look like this. Rules and options for the L5R RPG 2E System look like this Cceasionally, 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 cas, the information will follow the same convention as above. The «20 System™ material will appear in black and the L5R 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 class in liew of full statistical information. Such an example might lool like this: TORITAKA TATSUNE [Samurai 6/Rerserker 4/Shadowlands Veteran 10; Hida Bushi 5/Hlida Avenger 3) The information presented before the semicolon is the character’ class and level in the d20 System™ The informs- tion presented aftr the semicolon isthe characters rank and school in the L5R REG 2E System. Sometimes material must be presented for one system or the other. In such eases, this text will be contained ina callout box with a gray background, such asthe one below The head- ‘ers for these boxes wil cleatly label which information is for the d20 System™ and which information is for the L5R RPG 2nd Edition (LSR RPG 2° JEALOUS REALMS “Cettng into Jigoku is as. As forgetting back. surly you cat be —Omoni, Shaper of Hlesh ‘A number ofthe Sprit Realms seem to ave a wail oftheir ‘own, and compete wich other Realims for possession ofthe creatures that live within them. The most obvious example is ‘the Shadowlands Taint. The Taint isthe 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 suffases him at all times, pervertng his actions. Other Realms, such as Ningen-do, do not seek to corrups, bbutonly possess For this teason, sist from other Realms are very careful when entering Ningen-do, lest they become ‘tapped here. Remember that the original Kami once dwvelled inthe Heavens, but were forced to remain in the mortal world after the first Hanreis 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 postession of creature. In cach of the following chapters, the jealousy of «particular Realm is described as follows: JEALOUSY This deseribes how often, and under what circumstances, 2 Realm ateempes to take control ofa creature. CONTROL “This deserbes when a creature is considered a fll native of the jealous Realm, and the consequences ofthat contol Some Realins sek to contol or influence their inhabitsnts actions (Others are more passive and simply posses traveler forthe sake of possessing them. Some Realms (suchas Jigoku) will not elinguishrheirhold ona creature, but wl ply share i, letting their minions travel freely through other jeslous Realms‘Table 14: Control Points Control Control Bonus Spells Points Modifier 123456789 1s 0 fe 10 ° Be ee wast {Loose 120 {Sea 2242 ib g————.— 23002 4445-7 Bas = er) hid poecoe 4s 242 ft ———e 45004 2iatio sss 45 22444 ¢>e= 560045 224141——— sis 46 2220t11—— 746 2221111—— 7-75 7 22221111- 780 47 22221111— Bias 322221111 90 322224111 * This modifier may apply to certain rolls, saves, or checks. Tis varies by Spirit Realm, + Certain Realms may or may not offer certain pes of bonus spells to spelleasters This vaies by Spirit Realm, and stacks with bonus spells for high ability scores, if any fa creature escapes into another Realm, does this Realm’ possessive nature fade? Some Realms, like 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 Taint is infact, simply Control ‘exerted by Jigoku.) Once Control reaches a certain level, 2 character may find himself acting differently The amount of ‘Control a Realm bas over characteris measured in levels The effects of various levels of Control vary by Spirit Realm, and some are even beneficial ‘Controls measured in points, with each ten points causing the ‘control modifier” ofthat Realm to increase as indicated ‘on Table I-1, Control by a Realm is measured by how many ability score modifiers ate exceeded by the control modi Ber Control is meusured in ranks, similar to Honor. Once a character gains ten points of control, the rank increases by fone. Control by a Realm is measured by how many Rings ate 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 ‘Conteol Rank higher than to Rings Level Three ‘Control modifier higher than four 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, Le Five Control modifier higher than all ability score modifiers Control Rank higher than all Rings. ABILITIES ‘Some Reslms grant their inhabitants natural abilities. )igoku, 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- 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 all. PROTECTION FROM JEALOUS REALMS “The easiest way to avoid becoming n unwilling inhabitant in some strange Spit Realm is by bringing along an item sul fased with the power of your home Realm. Each Realm offers different protection tots natives, with differing amounts needed to resist the control of foreign Reaims. These protec- tive items work similarly to jade as protection against the ‘Shadowlands Taint Each fme a Realm attempts to assert con- teol over visitor, one unt ofthe protective item is expended (A uni is defined under che rules for using each tem) Each Realm lists how often a unit of protetion lasts Carrying mul: tiple unis ineeases the protection, but only ta point. PROTECTWE ITEMS AND THE SHADOWLANDS ‘Any items listed as used for protection under a certain Realm ‘may be used to protect natives of that 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 2 “perfect” sineral, a careful balance of all five elements. The natives of any Spirit Realm may use jade as protective item against the ‘controlling nature of foreign Realms. The only exception to this is Jigoku — the purity of jade brings the ont 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 Binget of jade — a shaft of the mineral about the length and thickness of a man’ finger — counts as one “unit” of jade.AG—-ANCUGCNAA— MAGIC IM 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 will describe in detail which sors of magic are more or less effec tive within its boundaries, Bonus Spells: Certain Realms are strong in some varieties ‘of magi, and grant bonus spells of specific types to those with «high Control modi If controlled individual is hot already a spelleaster, no bonus spells ate gained. Rules for using bonus spells are given under the rules for specific Realms Nsw SPELLS 10201 DETECT PASSAGE Divination Level: Shu 6, Sor/Wia7 ange Medium (00% 10{/ee) ‘Area: Quarter circle emanation from you to the extreme of the range Duration: Concentration, up co § 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, chey are actualy fairy 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- {ng the particular passage PASSAGE INTO CHAOS Alteration evel: shu 7 (Water) Components: VS Casting Time: {fll ound Range: 50, ‘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 chose inthe affected area to that Realm, immediately. (IF the passage connects to both Realms, the caster must choose which Realtn is the destination.) Using this spell blindly is not recommended; if the caster is not aware of where he is going, and the portal ta jealous Realm is in the vicinity, he may find himself irrevocably pulled into that Realm, PASSAGE INTO DARKNESS Alteration Level: Shu 7 (Earth), Maho 5 Saving Throw: Fortitude negates ‘As passage ini chos, except that this spell activates passages to Gaki-do of Jigoku PASSAGE INTO DEATH Alteration Level: Shu 7 (Fire) Saving Throw: Reflex negates ‘As passage into chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Meld or Toshigoks. PASSAGE INTO ORSAM ‘Alteration Level: Shu 7 (Ait) Saving Throw: Reflex negates ‘As passage into chaos, excep that this spell activates passages 10 ‘Yume-do or Tengok PASSAGE INTO HARMONY Alteration Level: Shu 7 (AlD, Void 5 ‘Saving Throw: Will negates ‘As passage nto chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Ningen-do or Yomi, N2wW SPELLS [2ND SDITIONI DETECT PASSAGE Element: All Mastery Level: + Duration: Concentration ‘Area of Effect: Self Range: 100 radius This spel enhances your natural senses, extending them into all the Spiit Realms simultaneously As long a8 you concen- trate, you can sense the presence and location of any natural passages to other Spirit Realms within the ares, With a suc cessful Void roll vs. TN 20, you can determine which Spirit Realm the pastage leads to. At the GM’ discretion, patti: 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 this spell blindly is not recommended if the caster is not aware of where he is going, and the portal to a jealous Realm is in the vicinity, he may find himself irrevocably plled into that Realm,Raises: For each Raise made, you may bring an additional creature along. PASSAGE ITO DARKNESS Element: Earth Mastery Level: s ‘As Passage Into Chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Gaki-do or Jigoku. Unwilling creatures must make an opposed Earth roll agsinst you to avoid being taken along. ‘Any caster with a least one Rank of Taint may learn and cast this as a Mastery Level 4 spell, but gains Taint as if it were ‘amaho spell PASSAGE INTO DEATH Element: Fise Mastery Level: s ‘As Passage Into Chaos, except that this spell activates passages to Meido or Toshigoku. Unwilling creatures must make an ‘opposed Fire roll agsinst you to avoid being taken along, PASSAGE INTO DREAM ‘Element: Air ‘Mastery Level: s ‘As Besage Into Chaos, except that this spel activates passages ‘© Yume-do or Tengoku. Unwilling creatures must make an ‘opposed Air tol against you to avoid being taken along. PASSAGE INTO HARMONY Element: All| ‘Mastery Level: s ‘As Passage 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 leen ths spell sa Mastery Level 4 Void spell. INHABITANTS OF THE SPiRiT SALMS "ams yes ut Lamas veal as you are, camara, Justa oli, just as warm, jus as soft. woul you cave to fn out or yourself” —The Lady Kitsune Creatures who hail fromm the Spisit Realms are collectively referred to as spirits, Despite this word’ connotations, many spirits are neither incorporeal nor dead. ln fact, even many incangible 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 are as follows Spirit Subtype: Many creatures in this book have the ‘spirit’ subtype described in Oriental Adventures and elab- crated on in Creatures of Rokugan. The benefits of this sub- type are s follows Spirits gain a+4 racial bonus against ll enchantment effects except those of other spirits. Spirits ‘can sense any passages to their home Realm within one mile. Spirits are also vulnerable to certain spell and effects that affect the spit subtype. Spirit Abilities: Spirits have +10 on all Willpower rll hostile magic except that cst by other spirits. Spirits can Sense any passages to their home Realm withio one mile Certain spells specially target and affect spirits, In their home Realms, spirits are no longer considered spirits. When visiting other Realms, human characters are consid cred spitts, Nezumi characters are never considered spirits. Most denizens of Jigoku are not considered spirits, unless they were sptits 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 wha have died only to rerurn. One need look no farther than the Splendid Emperor Totur I —or the War of Spirits — to see what 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 Mottsls. In accordance with the wishes of Torui after the Battle at Oblivion’ Gate, the major ity returned ro theit home Realms through the noble ritual of seppuku, 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 thet severed their ties to the Spirit Realms and made them fully morta 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 uns the time of his death Rokugan isa land of secrets, however and a handful of spir its remained within the Empire after the Battle at Oblivion’ Gate although very few realize it. Since Toturi's death, those few who remain have become more open with their true nature, since there is no longer an Emperor to demand th: they return to their Realms or undergo the rather unpleasane 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 moral being, can claim. However, they are also teated carefully because of the inherently unstable nature of beings ftom certain Realms ‘The War of Spists proved that spits ate a force to be teck 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 to reenter the Empire under their own power. Of those few that do, the majority are mere shadoves of their former selves, insubstantial remnants of fhumanity with only a vague semblance of sentience to guide their actions. The souls of humans trapped within Jigoku are Jnown as yokai and suffer one of two fates. Either they are ‘orn apart by the evi forces that dominate that dark Realm, becoming litle more than mindless wraiths summoned to Ninget-do by strong negative emotions, of they resist the tumultuous energies of Jigoku and carve their own tiny domain out ofthe blackness. The latter are extraordinarily few.AG—-ANCUCNAA— A small handful of spirits are rescued from their gruesome fates by the Blessed Guard of Yomi and imprisoned within that Realm until they repent of thei sins ‘A small number of yokai managed to escape the Spirit Realms during the Battle at Oblivions Gate and return to the Realm of Mortals, Obviously, these individuals kept their status a closely guarded secret and avoided the Phoenix 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 yer come tothe attention of the ‘Empire at large, it is only « matter of ime until one distin- ‘muses itself in some way and alerts the clans to this hidden thea. Wz 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 Yorn 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 spitits have posed a threat to the welfare of the living inthe past, and are often dealt with by the likes of the Toritaka phantom hunters and the Kitsu sodan- ‘The return of spitits 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 spiits to exit his domain until such time as he deems it appropriate Exceptions occur however, and « small numberof 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 et all 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 malice 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 Ii litle ‘wonder that its forsaken spirits leapt at the opportunity to rerurn to Ningen-do when Oblivion’ Gate opened. Infact, the _great majority ofthe spirits who returned to Rokugan 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 bate. When it was over, the spirits finally found their bloodlust at an end. For some, it was the firs time in centuries thatthe erimson haze lifted from their vision Unfortunatly, this respite was brief After yeats of endless ‘combat, the spitits of Toshigoku were not prepared ro aban don it so easily. Those who returned refused Toturis order to return to Toshigoku and flocked to the 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 ‘number hid from the forces of Toru. 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’s Gate could easily have spelled the doom of Emperor Torus empire had not many shiryo of Yor passed through 2s well As shiyo have great respect for the Celestial ‘Order, mose chose to respect Torus 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 Spirits Daring the War, many ofthese individuals formed an elite fighting force known as the Heroes of Rokugan, and were ‘essential in helping Tori 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-spirt form rather than fally 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 ofthe dead, and they with you. Prerequisites: Void Use, Knowledge (arcana) (4 ranks) ‘Benefit: Any undead creature can automatically under: stand you, and you can automatically understand them. This rota function of language, but a primal, spicitual connectio that confers mutual understanding. In addition to this bene- fit, you gain a 42 competence bonus to any Charisma-based ability or skill rolls with returned spirits (those individuals ‘who possess any of the templates detailed in this chapter) S7IRIT BLOOD You are the child ofa spirit that returned to the Empire through Oblivion’ Gate. Although you do not posses the ‘wide aeay of abilities your parent did, there are hins of your spiritual lineage within you Prerequisites: Void Use Benefit: When spending Void points, you gsin a +3 bonus rather than the normal +2. This additional +1 boos is carn lative with any other Void bonus effets, such as those con ferred by level benefits ofthe inkyo class