The Knights of Aidespar

Forward
Welcome, to the Knights of Aidespar creation project. Just a bit of
information for you to peruse before getting to the meat of this project
concerning intentions and goals. It was an idea I had ages ago to consider
creating/updating the lore and mechanics of the Thrane and Methrane
Gaijin in order to create a secondary play option. My goal was to do for the
romanticized fantasies of medieval knights what L5R's core rules do for
romanticized samurai fantasies. After some research I discovered that while
information about Thrane and Methrane was frustratingly vague, there was
just enough of it that rewriting the history for those groups would be a
slippery slope with all sorts of hidden pitfalls.

To that end I decided to start my project from scratch and created an entire
new nation of Gaijin to develop this idea, the nation of Aidespar. The
purpose of this material is to provide GMs and players alike with a what-if
style campaign. What if knights invaded or accidentally stumbled onto
Rokugani shores? What if Rokugani samurai found themselves lost or
specifically sent into the land of knights as scouts? How would these cultural
difference play out? To answer these questions I now set out to create a set
of rules and lore that allow GMs and players to pick up and play this
possibility out, while still hopefully leaving enough gaps for other to fill in
with their own visions and ideals of what such a world would look like.

So please browse, enjoy, leave feedback, and welcome to Aidespar...

KoA Character
Sheet: http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa236/Aio-chan/KnightsofAide
sparCharacterSheet.jpg

Table of Contents
Post I:
KoA News and Updates
The Land of Aidespar

Post II:
The History of Aidespar
Cultural Customs and Superstitions of Aidespar
-Appearance and Equipment
-Alchemy
-Life and Duties as a Church Member
-Life and Duties as a Knight
-Life and Duties as a Noble
-Knightly Valours
-The Arcana
-The Art of the Insult

Post III:
Mechanical Changes
-Currency
-Glory & Honor v Dignity & Valour/Status
-Void v Light
-Aidesparian v Rokugani Magic
-The Endless
-The Chaos
-Advantages/Disadvantages & Skill Changes
-Status in Aidespar
Rokugan Versus Aidespar
-Honor Against Valour
-Shugenja in Aidespar
Families of Aidespar
Schools of Aidespar
-Knight of the Earth
-Knight of the Fire
-Knight of the Water
-Knight of the Wind
-Church Inquisitor
-Noble Scion

Post IV:
Paths and Advanced Schools
-Advanced Schools
--Chaos Knight
-Paths
--Knight of Light
-Knight Errants
--Valour's Calling
--Longbow Master
--Heavy Knight Infantry
--Duelist Knight
--Shield Knight
--Aidesparian Jester
--Noble Ambassador
New Rules
-Aidesparian Weapons and Armor
--Armor
--Shields
--Heavy Weapons
--Saber Weapons
--Spear Weapons
-New Skills
--High Skills
--Bugei
--Low Skills
--Merchant Skills
-Advantages
-Disadvantages
Duels of Dignity and Valour in Aidespar
-Jousting
-Fencing
Post V:
Creatures of Aidespar
-The Legions of Pandemonium
--Legion Soldier
--Vile Pawn
--Desecrating Rook
--Unhallowed Bishop
--Shadowed Knight of Darkness
--Infernal Queen of Wrath
--Genocidal King of Terror
-Sorceric Creations
--Clockwork Replicants
---Clockwork Assimilators
---Clockwork Knights
--Golems
-The Undead of Aidespar
--Dullahan
--Reanimates
--Will o Wisp
-Spiritual Creatures and Elements
--Asrai
--Glastig
--Gnome
--Hödekin
--Pyrohippos
--Salamander
--Sylph

Post VI:
--Undine
-Animals of Aidespar
--Donkey
--Horse, Aidesparian Riding Steed
Treasures of Aidespar
-Elemental Crystals (Liths)
-Excalidurge
-Light's Will
-Moonstone
New Rokugani Material
-Minor Clans and Factions of Rokugan
--Red Velvet Faction
--Sakura Clan
--Shark Clan

Post VII:
New Weapons
-Henteko

KoA News and Updates

8-17-2010: KoA fully revised with new basic schools, an additional path,
new lore and some changes to the history, and additional material for
Rokugani players.

9-08-2010: New Henteko added.

10-06-2010: Knight Errants rules revised. Archery skill moved/added to New

Rules section.

12-11-2010: Major updates across all fronts and errata for existing classes
applied. Finally broke into the 6th post!

2-7-2011: The Shark Clan has been added and the Sakura Clan fleshed out.
Major updates and Errata have been applied to many items, skills, and the
Fencing Duel. Alchemy Rules have been added. Map updated and Symbols for
each major school added.

2-24-2011: New creature descriptions and data added. Posts shuffled

slightly to adjust for text limits; ToC updated to reflect this.

3-30-2011: Creature stat blocks completed. Knightly Valours added. New

animal, Donkey, added. Rough draft officially complete!

7-4-2011: History revised, Reanimates added, Light's Will added.

The Land of Aidespar

L5R KoA World Map
Map of Aidespar's Cities

Aidespar is a nation that occupies the eastern front of a continent several

weeks of northeastern sea travel from the furthest tip of Phoenix lands.
Territory ruled by Aidespar originally stretched hundreds of miles in every
direction, however at present Aidespar is composed of an elongated stretch
of multi-terrained land estimated at 300 miles wide and 170 miles long. The
old territory is comprised of a J-shaped stretch which borders the
neighboring principality of Durian. This territory consists of ground that has
been corrupted by the influence of Pandemonium and the Archfiends,
rendering it unusable and impassable.

Present Aidespar territory consists of various environments from desert, to

forest, to mountain ranges, and even large stretches of coastal land. There
are hundreds of villages ranging from small to medium sized that stretch
over Aidespar. In total there are approximately 15 castle cities with no
capitol city presently declared. The old capitol was the first to fall when
Pandemonium scarred Aidespar and it is the knight's intention to take it
back, relocating the capitol would in their eyes be a sign of giving up this
goal.

A1- Paladin Castle: Old capitol of Aidespar. Originally housed a population

of 5000 citizens and 2000 soldiers. Presently a fortress stronghold for the
Archfiends.

A2- North Sky Keep: Original front line stronghold against the Archfiend
invasion. Housed a population of 3500 citizens and 1500 soldiers. Currently
in ruins.

A3- Melchior Stronghold: Northern city established by one of the early

Knights of Water. Housed a population of 2000 citizens and 500 soldiers.
Status unknown.

A4- Fort Tiridates: Western Fort established by an early Knight of Earth.

Located on top of treacherous mountain terrain. Housed a population of 500
citizens and 1000 soldiers. Status unknown.
A5- Costal Fort West: Military garrison established by the Nobles. Houses
1000 citizens and 1500 soldiers. Fortified with weaponry to repel invading
vessels. Sister city to Coastal Fort East.

A6- Caspar Stronghold: Southern city established by one of the early Knights
of Fire. Houses 1500 citizens and 500 soldiers. Has an advanced port nearby
to construct vessels of war.

A7- Balthasar Stronghold: Southern city established by one of the early

Knights of the Wind. Houses 2000 citizens and 500 soldiers. Village resources
primarily devoted to fishing and costal resource gathering.

A8- Coastal Fort East: Military garrison established by the Nobles. Houses
1000 citizens and 1500 soldiers. Fortified with weaponry to repel invading
vessels. Sister city to Coastal Fort West.

A9- Citadel of The Light: Holy city that was built from the ruins of an old
village decimated by plague. Houses 2000 citizens and 1000 members of the
Church. Home to the largest library in Aidespar.

A10- Eastern Fort Paradigm: Border fortress to Durian, one of the first
major cities of Aidespar. Housed 1500 citizens and 1000 soldiers. Presently
garrisoned by the Chaos Knights as their home city.

KE1- Temple of Earth: Castle city devoted to the training and upbringing of
potential Knights of Earth. Serves as headquarters to the Knights of Earth as
well. Holds up to 2500 occupants.

KF1- Temple of Fire: Castle city devoted to the training and upbringing of
potential Knights of Fire. Serves as headquarters to the Knights of Fire as
well. Holds up to 1500 occupants.

KWa1- Temple of Water: Castle city devoted to the training and upbringing
of potential Knights of Water. Serves as headquarters to the Knights of Water
as well. Holds up to 2000 occupants.

KW1- Temple of Wind: Castle city devoted to the training and upbringing of
potential Knights of Wind. Serves as headquarters to the Knights of Wind as
well. Holds up to 1000 occupants.

N1- Castle of the Four Lords: Established by the Nobles as the headquarters
for their most elite members to rule over. Overseen the highest ranking
member of each family. Houses up to 3500 citizens and 2000 soldiers. One of
the most ornate cities in Aidespar.

P1- Pandemonium's Blight #1: The original scar upon Aidespar where the
Archfiends first opened a portal connecting Aidespar to Pandemonium.
Seems to be gradually expanding as if to allow for something truly massive
to pass through from the other side. Serves as the only passage that allows
the Archfiend's armies to surge through to Aidespar.

P2- Pandemonium's Blight #2: This second portal to Pandemonium was

opened from Aidespar by the Chaos Knights. This portal is heavily guarded to
prevent any Archfiends from passing through. The Chaos Knights seem to use
it for their own experiments regarding the effects of Pandemonium's power.

The History of Aidespar

Pre-History (Myth):
It is recorded in the doctrine of members of the Church that in times long
past there was only the Light. The Light was said to be the only source of
energy and power in the vast darkness that engulfed all existence. One day
a fragment of the Light broke off and shattered into thousands of tiny
splinters, with each splinter forming into a different aspect of the modern
world. The stars, the planets, the elements; all of these were created in an
instant that day. However the world was still and silent for no life stood
within its domain. To this end the Light shone upon the world and invoked its
essence into all the elements. From this mystical combination the first life
was born into the world and humanity recorded history began.

Pre-History (Fact):
In some of the most ancient tomes in Aidespar, a variant of the creation
story is recorded. The few who have discovered it believe to be the absolute
truth of how the world came to be. In the time before recorded history
there indeed was a mystical source referred to as the Light. The Light was
filled with the singular desire to bring life into the world and to this end
invoked its powers to form a world not so different than the one currently
existing. However the power used to create this first world was filled with
the aspect of the Light’s suppressed half, the desire of destruction simply
referred to as the Shadow. The Shadow spread rapidly across the world
causing its inhabitants to wage endless and terrible war with each other. In
seven days the entire world was extinguished of all life by the unchecked
chaos that flooded through it like a poison. Saddened and enraged by this
the Light wiped away the ashes of the first world and tried once again to
create life anew.

During the second attempt the Light purged itself of the Shadow entirely
and converted its own body into the fabric of the new world. The
inhabitants of this second world shared a similar mindset to the Light itself;
peaceful, righteous, yet ultimately naïve and far too trusting. This proved to
be the world’s downfall as the expelled Shadow split into seven pieces and
formed physical bodies reflective of the vices this world lacked. The
Daemos, as they came to be called, systematically infected the world with
their cunning lies and deceitful natures until it was too late to stop them.
Slowly this world too withered and perished under the Shadow’s influence.
When all was lost the Light collapsed the world and restored itself to its
original form; trapped the Daemos in a mystical prison box called the
Pandorica for all time as punishment for their misdeeds.

It was then the Light began to realize that even with the Daemos sealed
away they were only one of many forms the Shadow could take on. So long
as the Light existed, so would the Shadow. It could recreate the world a
thousand times over only to watch it be corrupted a thousand different
ways. To this end the Light undertook the only method possible to bring out
its desire of an everlasting world. It destroyed itself during the act of the
third world’s creation; splitting itself into three avatars in the process. The
first form was the Order, which gave birth to all that lives on the planet and
the laws that govern them. The second form was the Chaos, which sealed
the Shadow's influence within a parallel world called Pandemonium and gave
birth to the Archfiends. The third form was the Balance, which exists as an
arbiter between the Order and the Chaos to prevent either side from
destroying each other and plunging the whole world into oblivion. With
these three aspects of the Light watching over the world in sealed physical
forms, life was allowed to prosper on the new world without fear of the
Shadow inevitably consuming it.

0-500 AL (After Light)

For the first 500 years after the Light created life, man struggled to make
his own place within society. The first makings of the society of Aidespar
began to take root, yet the progress was quite slow. Between constant
breakouts of illness amongst the people and the elements themselves
rebelling against their would be tamers; humanity faced near extinction
several times.

Then mankind discovered the art of sorcery. The earliest of sorcerers

discovered that with the right incantations the very elements of nature
could be manipulated to the will of the user. This led to many advancements
in civilization in a short time span. Cities began evolving in mere decades.
The decline in sickness led to longer life spans which led to more time to
educate oneself about the world. With the help of the sorcerers Aidespar
soon build a civilization of magic and steel, certain to rise up and stand tall
as the shining center of the world.

Major advancements of this time period included the birth of Alchemy, a

combination of science and magic that allowed those skilled in it to change
items of one element into another. Also this marked the creation of the
"Liths", a special stone that was used as a container to store the powers of
elemental manipulation. Aqualiths brought forth water even to the driest
regions, Aeroliths could bring down cooling winds to stop the raging storms,
Pyroliths helped utilize fire to its utmost potential, and Terraliths
transformed the very face of the earth itself.

During this time period those with great magical talents would rise above
their peers. With this power came the inevitable lusts for power and
recognition; seeded into their subconscious by the influence of the Chaos.
Many great and terrible things came to pass during this era. Every few years
a new sorceric war between feuding arcane masters would break out; with
tremendously powerful magical weapons such as the World Eaters and
Clockwork Replicants being created as a result of these. However for every
power mad Sorcerer waging war in a corner of the kingdom another more
benevolent one would be helping maintain peace; as such Aidespar
continued to grow despite this constant civil wars.
501-746 SKR (Sorceror King's Reign)
The prosperous nation of Aidespar did not last forever though. In the year
501 a prodigy of the arcane arts was born, Hazeldurn Richelieu. Hazeldurn
showed himself to command a terrifying amount of skill over the elements,
a talent which earned him the praise of nearly all within the nation of
Aidespar. Yet this talent was not just an inheritance by birth, Hazeldurn has
an unquenchable thirst for knowledge that pressed him to delve ever deeper
into the history of his arts and of the nation itself. It was this thirst that
would ultimately give birth to one of the most horrifying tyrants in all of
Aidespar's history.

It was just before his 25th birthday that Hazeldurn, in his endless search for
more arcane knowledge, discovered a page from an ancient tome hidden in
the vast libraries of the Citadel of the Four Elements (before it was rebuilt
as the Citadel of the Light). As fate would have it the page he discovered
belonged to a book many believed to be pure myth, the “Light’s Will”. A
book said to have been passed on to the inheritors of this world shortly after
creating it; explaining literally everything about the world. The multi-world
histories preceding it, how the world functions, and why things must remain
in balance.
Hazeldurn’s discovered page contained within it details of the Shadow’s
nature and vast knowledge of Fire magic. This knowledge poured out of the
page directly into his mind; unable to stop the flow of information he was
consumed both by insanity from the truth and the overwhelming influence of
the Order which came with so much knowledge of the arcane. With his soul
corrupted by the Order, Hazeldurn became Aidespar’s first recorded case of
an “Endless”. That day Hazeldurn rose up and declared himself the Sorcerer
King, ruler of all Aidespar for all eternity. Even with rival Sorcerers uniting
to fight against him the power the new Sorcerer King brought to bear was far
too great.

Seemingly immortal in terms of lifespan and power within 200 years

Aidespar was left in sordid state as the last great Sorcerer fell at Hazeldurn’s
hand. The people were without hope and both civilizations and nature were
razed to unrecognizable states. Over next two and a half centuries heroes
would rise and fall to Hazeldurn with no end to the tyrant’s reign in sight.
747-800 YHM (Year of His Majesty)
Not all hope was extinguished under Sorcerer King's reign however. For the
past 200 years a small group of resistance fighters managed to remain out of
his grasp. These fighters, though heralding from all the different major
households of Aidespar and having vastly different fighting styles and skills;
had one major thing in common: They were blessed by the elements
themselves. Although unable to manipulate the elements like sorcerers,
these fighters drew strength from the either Air, Water, Earth, or Fire
depending on whom that particular element favored. This granted them
strength far beyond typical warriors and allowed them to survive their
skirmishes with the Sorcerer King.

Although too few in number to liberate Aidespar, these Elemental Knights as

they came to be called, worked in guerrilla operations and managed to turn
the Sorcerer King's forces in many critical battles. It was in the year 780 that
the knights intercepted what seemed to be a typical supply caravan that
would in fact prove to be the turning point of the way. Upon raiding the
caravan the knights discovered a small baby locked away amongst the
supplies along with a missive from the Sorcerer King. The missive revealed
that Hazeldurn had received a vision during his divinations of this child and
that somehow if left alone it would grow up to be the downfall of the
Sorcerer King's reign.

The caravan guard was questioned as to why they did not simply kill the
baby. Their reply was that anytime an attack was attempted against the
child a brilliant light would glow from a strange birthmark on his chest and
repel any harm. With this information, the Elemental Knights swore to
protect the child and sheltered him from the Sorcerer King's eyes. For the
next 19 years they trained the child in their ways and through that training
they came to discover the boy had been seemingly blessed by all of the
elements equally. The boy, named Paladin by the knights, revealed his true
powers on his 20th birthday; the day Sorcerer King Hazeldurn discovered the
knight's hideout. The battle lasted for three days and nights before finally
Paladin and Hazeldurn met on the field of battle in single combat. Paladin
lifted his blade to the sky and his body became engulfed in a brilliant and
blinding light. With the light he now commanded, Paladin destroyed
Hazeldurn in a single strike and purged the land of his destructive influence
once and for all. After that battle Paladin was heralded as a legendary ruler
and crowned king of Aidespar, as well as receiving the title: Knight of the
Light.

Although the citizens of Aidespar rejoiced thinking their troubles to be over;

no one discovered how Hazeldurn had risen to such great power or the price
they would soon pay for his defeat. Hazeldurn’s rise as an Endless had
caused a huge swing in influence for the Order, as even though he had been
a tyrant his end goal had been to unify the world under an iron fist. The
power that defeated him had simply been an even greater aspect of the
Order’s influence. As such the Balance began to allow the Chaos’ influence
to amass in even greater amounts; beginning the events leading to the rise
of Pandemonium.

801-1000 YHM
Great changes took place in Aidespar after Paladin's reign began. First, the
art of sorcery was forbidden to be practiced within the kingdom ever again
and those who knew the arcane arts were either placed under close watch
or banned from the kingdom entirely. Secondly, the Elemental Knights who
had raised Paladin and fought alongside him in battle were given the task of
protecting the kingdom as well as given estates to train and foster future
generations of Elemental Knights. For 150 years Aidespar returned to a civil
state and thrived under the successive rule form the Paladin line.

During this time period, those who practiced the sorceric arts who did not
wish to be killed or exiled went underground. Many of these individuals
gather together and swore a vow to never let the knowledge of their arts
die. Using the vast collection of historical tomes gather together by fellow
sorcerers before the Sorcerer King's reign and by discovering more pages of
Light’s Will, they managed to piece together a religious dogma that gave
birth to the Church of the Divine Light. Originally this group existed simply
to protect fellow sorcerers and continue the pursuit of knowledge and power
outside of the eyes of the new King.

However a few decades after their creation several researchers began

finding papers belonging to very old but incomplete tomes. From these
tomes they were able to discern that a great evil existed in the world in
ancient times and that it might be returning in the future. Fearing for their
country's future, these now priests of the Light search the country far and
wide gathering any and all information regarding this future apocalypse.

The fruits of their research yielded little, except for two things to be certain
of: The coming of this evil would be marked by an unholy phenomenon and
the Paladin line would be directly involved somehow. To ensure that this evil
did not enter Aidespar undetected the Church of Divine Light became more
directly involved in politics and became a major representation of the
people starting with King Paladin III's high council.

It was during the rule of King Paladin the 5th that a strange phenomenon
was reported along the northern border of Aidespar, just 10 short miles west
from the capitol city. King Paladin V rode out with his personal guard to
investigate this for himself. When he arrived, the border village of Golgangi
was seemingly trapped in a landscape out of a nightmare. The skies above
had been stricken orange and the grasses grew in unusual shades of blue and
violet. Those who lived in the village seemed to have digressed into a
riotous and primal state. The law and order Paladin's rule prided itself on
had devolved into something frivolous, uncontrollable, and in the king's
eyes, intolerable.

King Paladin V ordered the village destroyed so that the phenomenon would
end here and not get the chance to spread. It was then the villagers
attacked him and his guard, all the while spouting blasphemies and taunts
towards the king. Paladin V found a wild anger stirring within himself at
these villagers and soon went into a battle frenzy, slaughtering them wildly
while screaming like a madman. After the battle he collapsed from
exhaustion and was rushed back to the palace for treatment. Upon
awakening, the attendants of Paladin V found something unusual about the
king. Though none dared to speak it aloud the king now seemed more easily
irritable and whimsical than before; and those who looked straight into his
eyes now noticed a strange yellow hue that vanished the moment they
blinked.

Gradually Paladin V's attitude changes became more self-destructive and out
of control. Many times the ruler had to be escorted out from affair of state
meetings and often Paladin V made decrees and laws that either made no
sense or threw certain aspects of the kingdom out of balance. Before his
madness could ruin all that Aidespar had become, the Elemental Knights
attempted to remove Paladin V from power and place his daughter on the
throne. However when the knights burst into the king's chambers they found
a man unrecognizable from the wise ruler that had once been.

Paladin V stood before them with hair black as the night sky without a moon
and eyes blazing a more burning yellow than the sun itself. Clad in dark
armor Paladin V renounced his rule before all of the knights and declared
himself the envoy of the Chaos, prophesying an end to all who didn't follow
him into this new age. A battle ensued between the fallen Paladin V and the
knights, with this knights being unable to touch their former ruler. A strange
power unlike anything they had ever seen seemed to coarse through Paladin
V's veins and arc around him like a shadowy aura; giving him strength
unimaginable.

Just when all seemed lost a group priests from the Church of the Divine
Light burst into the chamber, as they had prepared for generations for this
moment, and summoned forth the power of the elements to drive Paladin V
back. Faced with the threat of both the knights and these new arrivals,
Paladin V fled by leaping out the window and fell to his death on the
courtyard below. At the very spot he landed, a pool of silver and black
sparkles formed into a large circle. This circle spread wider ever so slowly
and whatever it touched sank into the matter in an instant. Everyone
evacuated the capitol just as the sparkling dark portal engulfed the entire
city and the land began to alter as it had at Golgangi. As the skies sparked
and gleaned with mysterious colors a horde of figured began to emerge from
the ground. These beings with eyes of gold, dark violet armor, and figures
resembling beastly human form came in droves. First hundreds, then
thousands, and then more still; their numbers so vast the entire northern
border seemed to gleam violet under the malformed skies. The legions of
the Archfiends had arrived, and the northern border was theirs.

1001-1200 YHM
Events following the emergence of the Archfiends can be hard to discern as
chaos and misinformation covered most of Aidespar during the height of the
invasion. The following are the few indisputable facts known from the war
thus far:

-After some years of constant debate, the story presented by the Church of
Divine Light (that the powers they had used to defeat Paladin V were Holy
Magics granted to them by the Light) was accepted as truth. This was
primarily aided by the holy tome the church presented to back up their
claims. To all present it appeared to be a completed copy of Light’s Will. No
one stepped forward to proclaim it as a false writing after inspection and
such it was accepted as the genuine article.
In truth though the Church’s copy of Light’s Will was mostly fabricated by
using the few fragments of the true Light’s Will the Church possesses in
order to give it legitimacy. Leaders of the Church did this because they knew
at present revealing the truths in the full pages would destabilize the
nation. Those highest up in the Elemental Knights know the public Light’s
Will to be a falsehood; as the original Elemental Knights learned their
techniques from four pages of the true Light’s Will (held as secret treasures
by each sect). Together they agreed not to publically dispute the Church’s
claims yet; both to gauge their intentions and because the public’s morale
would sharply decline if the Church were suddenly brought into question.
Although in general the rank and file Elemental Knights are still wary of the
Church and its activities, they do permit the casting of Holy Magic to aid
with the battle against the Archfiends and their minions.

-The crown princess gave up her authority at the same time Paladin V died
and vanished into the Elemental Knight's protection after having given them
the order to protect the realm at all costs. To this day the Elemental Knights
serve as both the forefront army against Archfiend incursions and as envoys
to other nations in order to try and secure help in this war. The princess's
descendants are rare but they still do exist in the modern age, ensuring the
bloodline of Paladin and the Knight of Light still exists. At the princess's last
request, no attempts have been made by the Knights to reinstate the heir to
the throne as ruler of Aidespar lest the Chaos corrupts the King or Queen
again. It is unlikely the morale of the citizens could standing having a second
ruler killed in such a manner.

-To fill the power void left by the overnight disintegration of the monarchy,
a group of wealthy nobles gathered together and formed the Castle of the
Four Lords. Between having a vast city under their command and having the
funds to support the Knights and the Church in the defense of Aidespar, the
Nobility became a major political power in Aidespar. Behind the public
appearance of working to keep Aidespar's political structure alive and
working to support those who would crush the Archfiends sits a private face
which plans to ensure their societal position remains even should the rightful
descendants of Paladin return after the war's end.

-After the initial invasion the Archfiends attempted to cut a line right down
the middle of Aidespar with their legion of soldiers. The Elemental Knights
and the Church managed to prevent a direct invasion, but the vast numbers
of the Archfiend Legion have resulted in occupation of all of Aidespar's land
borders. Matters are complicated further by intelligence that the only force
Aidespar has seen so far is the foot soldiers. It is said the more powerful
creatures leading this legion still lurk within the realm beyond the portal
from which the legion pours, a mystical realm dubbed Pandemonium.

-The Chaos is not only limited to the Archfiend foes however, as like Paladin
V before, many knights have fallen prey to the Chaos' influence. Those who
have become warped by the Chaos have begun to gather and form a faction
of their own. These Chaos Knights serve neither for Aidespar nor for the
Archfiends, rather they seem to have their own unknown agenda and have
been known to assault either faction at seemingly random points.

Additionally the Chaos Knights have driven the Archfiends out of Aidespar’s
southeastern corner and claimed it as their own. Through the aide of a page
of the Light’s Will they have managed to tear open their own link to
Pandemonium and shield it against invading Archfiends. Presently they use
this link to experiment with Pandemonium’s unbridled powers in hopes of
more quickly mastering the Chaos before it consumes them entirely.

Cultural Customs and Superstitions of Aidespar

Appearance and Equipment: To both the Church and the Elemental

Knights maintaining a proper appearance is very important. Ever since the
fall of King Paladin V these two factions have become the stand in
representation of Aidespar as a whole. As such when not specifically going
off to a combat assignment both parties prefer to dress in the finest
ceremonial clothing available. This garb is intended to tell as much of their
country and family's history, usually by being covered in crests and other
finery to show the pride and power of their ancestors. It is often assumed
that if one is not dressed in their finest garb, then it shows an utter
disrespect for your heritage and that you do not true believe in the oaths
and vows you make as an individual.

Because of this and the very discomforting nature of Aidespar armor, most
Knights refuse to wear it unless they know they are going into a battle where
they will need it. Knights who do wear their armor into towns or social
gathers who are not specifically on guard duty for the hosting lord or
governor (denoted by a special crest given to those in such positions) will
often be chastised as being cowardly or idiotic. In contract, every Knight is
expected to carry his weapon of choice with him at all times (and the
Church their copies of Light’s Will). These items are the mark of the
individual's status and to not carry your weapon with you is an insult to
those who came before you. A Knight without his weapon or a Church
member without their tomes can expect public humiliation at best and duels
of Dignity at worst.

Alchemy: Some of the earliest Sorcerers in Aidespar's history discovered

that magic alone could not do certain tasks. Powerful viruses could still
claim a life despite the strongest healing spell and it could not be used to
alter existing objects aside from destroying them outright. From this desire
to go beyond the power of the arcane was born the purely human power of
Alchemy. Alchemy draws on the natural elements of the world such as
various minerals, herbs, and liquids to create fantastic concoctions with
capabilities limited only by the alchemist's imagination. Only a select few
bothered to take up the practice of Alchemy and during the rise and fall of
Sorcerer King Hazeldurn these few vanished out of the pages of history.

It wasn't until within the past century that knowledge of Alchemy was
rediscovered in various alchemist diaries found throughout Aidespar.
Eventually ambitious individuals began to practice the art and due to the
results it produced knowledge of Alchemy spread across the land. Once
rumors of this lost art reached the Elemental Knights and the Church both
groups immediately condemned its practice amongst any of their ranks. For
the Knights viewed it as a foul relic of Hazeldurn's era, a symbol of the now
forbidden arcane arts; and the Church viewed Alchemy as a blasphemy
against the Light itself (as it's very foundation suggests there are things the
Light is not capable of doing in this world).
While this did highly limit the practice of Alchemy it did not stop it entirely.
The nobility of Aidespar has seen Alchemy as a something with great
potential and prevents both the Knights and the Church from banning it
outright. Those from the lower classes support the nobility in this as
Alchemy provides them with medicines and tools they might not otherwise
receive. This does not prevent both the Knights and the Church however
from looking down upon (and in extreme cases harassing) those who practice
it. If a member of the Knights or the Church is caught practicing Alchemy by
their superiors it is grounds for severe punishment.

Life and Duties as a Church Member: Those who have joined the
ranks of the Church of Divine Light are those believe to have (or have
demonstrated the ability) to use sorceric arts. Those accepted into the fold
spend many years as Initiates, studying the history of the Church and the
sorcerer's who founded it. They are not allowed to leave the Church until
they are properly educated on their techniques and the consequences of
letting the world know exactly what they are.

Once they pass this initiation, they are treated as "Priests" and allowed to
leave either for war against the Chaos, investigation for more of Aidespar's
"true" history, or to attend political courts run by the Nobles to ensure their
own political power is not diminished. Members of the Church often find
themselves welcomed by the Nobles due to their influence amongst the
commoners, but treated with some tension by the Knights due to suspicions
on the nature of their "Holy Magic". While not traveling members of the
Church often reside in one of the many monasteries scattered throughout
Aidespar, but their presence is often welcome in any city and it is considered
a great honor to have a Priest spend the night at one's abode.

Only the highest ranking members of the Church are aware of the truth
behind the false front of the counterfeit Light’s Will. Those amongst this
elite order have the twofold duties of searching for the missing pages of
Light’s Will and ensuring their contents never become public knowledge.

Life and Duties as a Knight: Those joining the legions of the

Elemental Knights go through a long and rigorous training process to ensure
their skills are finely honed before sending them out into the world. New
recruits begin as Squires underneath a Master. Their Master will often use
them for errands and spend the rest of their time training them the basics
needed to master their fighting style. Once the basics have been learned
knighthood is granted and training continues in between assignments that
the Masters will give to their pupils.

While in the Squire stage or freshly knighted, Elemental Knights will spend a
majority of their time residing in their temples or at nearby villages to get a
feel for the people they are sworn to protect. Once the reach a certain level
of training experience, an Elemental Knight can be sent out anywhere from
the courts of the Four Lords to the front line battles with Archfiends. The
Elemental Knights are welcome relatively everywhere, even amongst the
monasteries of the Church. However they are expected to pay for their own
lodging and are often subject to the influence any of their fellow
companions may have left of the populous before their arrival.

They enjoy a certain degree of privilege in that they are allowed to request
time to journey into the world and discover their true potential. These
travels often result in the Elemental Knights drifting from town to town and
handling problems that might be too small for the Knights to worry about as
an organization due to having to deal with the Archfiends and Chaos Knights.
Also Elemental Knights are often the individuals selected to go out on
delegations to foreign nations of behalf of Aidespar, to recruit help in
defeating the Chaos.

Although never publicly stated; the Elemental Knight’s penultimate duty is

still to the throne. Their members are always aware of the few who still
carry the pure blood of the Paladin line and will place highest priority on
ensuring their safety if forced to choose between any other present duties.
Failure in this obligation results in immediate expulsion from the Elemental
Knights.

Life and Duties as a Noble: While the Nobility may be considered to

lead a relaxed, if not spoiled life, due to the sheer amounts of wealth and
power their families command their lives could be considered the most
perilous in all of Aidespar. From the time they are of speaking age all those
within the Nobility are expected to start learning the social behaviors of
proper court and are groomed to set their ambitions as high as possible. A
Noble who is not trying to advance his own status in life is often considered
a waste of space and an embarrassment to the family they came from.

Those of the Nobility are introduced to the social scene on their 12th
birthday and from there have to deal with the many complexities of human
nature. There are people out there who can help them rise to power but
just as many who would stamp them into the dirt if it meant a rise in their
own personal life. These constant "attacks" by other Nobles ensure that one
has to adapt quickly and learn to take risks just to maintain one's own
position.

The Nobility very rarely leave the confines of the Castle of the Four Lords,
especially those who have obtained higher positions on the food chain. Yet it
is not unusual for younger Nobles to travel to other cities in order to
maintain political presence or to fulfill obligations. Quite often members of
the Nobility travel to the Elemental Knight temples and to the Church of
Divine Light to offer aid towards their individual goals.

Due to their social positions the Nobility never have to worry about
acceptance except by those of higher power than themselves. The Church
and the Knights both need the Nobility's funds and power much like the
Nobles need their influence and knowledge of the forces threatening to
consume Aidespar. However the Nobility realizes that the Knights and the
Church could eventually rise to be a greater political animal than themselves
once the war is over. To counter this, the Nobles will often play the mistrust
between the two factions against them in order to weaken both sides once
they become too powerful.

Knightly Valours: Much like the Code of Bushido in Rokugan; Aidespar

has its own set of virtues called the Knightly Valours. These ideas were first
drafted down by King Paladin before accepting the crown; and have been
the guiding principles behind anyone aspiring to follow the ideas of Valour.
Like Bushido, not ever aspect of the Knightly Valours is followed by anyone
of higher Valour. Some might focus on only one virtue and attempt to master
it; while others might only lightly follow all seven, or anything in-between.
Below is a list of the seven Knightly Valours and a brief summary of the
creed each one carries with it.

Courage: A Knight vows to always show Courage in the face of any threat,
to never back away from any challenge, and to serve his King with an
unwavering heart.

Justice: A Knight vows to always show Justice in a world that might not
always welcome it, to uphold the law of his King, and to ensure no wrong
ever goes un-righted.

Mercy: A Knight vows to always show mercy to his inferiors, to his enemies
who ask for it, and to his fellow Knights to ensure no needless blood is ever
shed.

Faith: A Knight vows to always show Faith towards his King and the
judgements he makes, to the Light and the life it has given to the world,
and towards his fellow man.

Diligence: A Knight vows to always show Diligence before the most menial
of tasks, under any conditions might they be unfair or unfavorable, and in
the face of any other adversity.

Truth: A Knight vows to always show the Truth even if it would be

unfavorable to him, to ensure no lies are tolerated under his watch, and to
reward those who also uphold it.

Hope: A Knight vows to always show Hope regardless of how dire the
outcome appears, to be a symbol inspiring the hearts of the people, and to
show the world that Aidespar will never falter.

The Arcana: Almost as old as the tale of creation itself, the belief in the
Arcana is a core feature in Aidespar's history that remains steadfast to this
day. The Arcana are a group of 14 figures that Aidesparians believe govern
the various quirks of life such as fate or luck. Often if someone is gifted or
blessed at a particular aspect of their life it is said they were born under the
favor of the relating Arcana. Conversely if someone seems to have been
cursed at certain things, people refer to it as having the Arcana reversed, an
ill omen in Aidesparian society.

A popular use for the Arcana is a deck of 14 cards that those skilled in the
art of divination (or creative lying) use to foretell ones past, present, and
future by interpreting the cards drawn and their positions. Two major
factors go into determining what each card presents; the Arcana drawn and
weather the card is right side up (good) or upside down (bad, often referred
to as "reversed").

Below are the 14 Arcana used in Aidesparian society and a brief, generalist
interpretation of their meanings. GMs are free to elaborate upon their
meaning and/or accuracy as is seen fit for the campaign.

Arcana 0- The Fool: The Fool is a representation of untapped potential and

a hard working spirit in search of experience to unlock this potential.

Arcana I- The Magician: The Magician represents an individuals talents and

resources and the constant pursuit to hone these resources into their purest
form.

Arcana II- The Priestess: The Priestess is often a symbol of inner intuition,
pointing towards one who seeks to understand that which is beyond their
comprehension.

Arcana III- The Empress: The Empress is a reflect of the individual's outer
beauty, weather it is natural or a result of constant effort.

Arcana IV- The Emperor: The Emperor signifies power and the authority
that comes with that power. Often it is in relation to those who wish to use
that power to bend other wills to their own.

Arcana V- The Hierophant: The Hierophant symbolizes one who seems

knowledge for the purpose of enlightenment and furthering one's own
betterment.

Arcana VI- The Lovers: The Lovers is a symbol of all that is related to
attraction and charm. It deals more with the perception of beauty rather
than the phsyicalization of beauty.

Arcana VII- The Chariot: The Chariot reveals an individual's devotion to the
ideas of Valour and loyalty to someone or something.
Arcana VIII- The Justice: The Justice deals with knowledge like The
Hierophant, only this knowledge is often used more for personal gain or to
shape the world rather than for higher callings.

Arcana IX- The Hermit: The Hermit appears to those who have often
reflected upon the world and have come to sympathize with the people who
struggle to survive in it.

Arcana X- The Fortune: The Fortune is a very powerful symbol as it can

influence the personal success of one's endeavors in life. Wealth and fame
are often tied to this Arcana.

Arcana XI- The Strength: The Strength foretells of one's ability to endure
and possible change the condition of one's circumstances through fierce
determination and strenght of mind.

Arcana XII- The Hanged Man: The Hanged Man governs all senses of duty to
a higher calling. This symbol often appears for those who would sacrifice
themselves for a cause.

Arcana XIII- Death: The Death is the only symbol in all the Arcana that will
never appear in reverse. This Arcana symbolizes the end of everything and is
considered the unluckiest Arcana in the set.

The Art of the Insult: Much like in Rokugan, Aidespar has it's own form
of socially acceptable insults. Often this battle of wits is played out during
social gatherings as almost something of a party game. However the game
has very real and potentially dire consequences for one's political career if
played poorly. A battle begins when one party says something mildly
insulting to another. It is then the insulted party's job to come up with a
retort that is slightly worse than the one given unto them. The original
insulter may then counter with a mildly harsher insult and so the pattern
repeats.

This continues until either one party cannot think of an insult to retort with,
or if one side throws out an insult so harsh it leads to either a duel of Valour
or Dignity (depending upon the nature of the insult). It takes a finely skilled
tongue to toe the line between acceptable insult and challenge worthy
slander, so these final sections of the bout can create quite a tense
atmosphere for those observing it. Those who are skilled at this art often
receive high acclaim amongst the nobility and it can be said that one needs
to master this skill in order to have any hope of advancing up the social
ladder.

Mechanical Changes
Before we get to the parts I know everyone's waiting for (character schools) I
need to go over some of the core changes you will have to incorporate when
dealing with Aidespar themes in your game.

Currency
Let's get the easiest one out of the way first. This is the currency conversion
compared to Rokugan.
Koku = Dolat (Large Golden Rectangle, size of two thumbs side by side)
Bu = Laral (Small Silver Square, size of a pinky)
Zeni = Met (Bronze Square, size of thumbnail)

Glory and Honor v Dignity and Valour/Status

First let's cover some changes to the baseline stats. Status remains relatively
the same in Aidespar as it does in Rokugan. Glory and Honor have slightly
different functions however.

Starting with Glory, it is now called "Dignity". All Aidespar characters start
out with a Dignity of 5.0. Dignity is the respect given to you for your deeds
and behavior in public. In example a character with a Dignity of 8.0 is well
known for any combination of heroics, impeccable manners, or just being a
social grace where ever they might go. Where as conversely a character with
a Dignity of 2.0 might be known for cowardly acts, social faux pas, or just
being a rude barbarian that most proper lords and ladies will try to keep
well away from their dinner parties. Dignity is important when dealing with
members of the Church or higher status individuals. Without at least a 3.0 in
Dignity social interaction with these groups incurs a +15 TN penalty. All
foreigners are considered to have a Dignity of 0.
Honor in Aidespar is called "Valour". Your Valour starting value will depend
upon your starting school. All foreigners are considered to have a Valour or
at least 2.0 unless they perform any immoral deeds, at which point it
automatically drops to 0. Valour is a general term used to describe the moral
behavior of an individual. Those who perform virtuous and acts for the good
of their fellow man will have higher Valour (such as defending the weak,
giving to the poor, ect.). Where as those with more sinful intentions will
have little to no Valour (extorting the defenseless, allowing misdeeds to go
unpunished). Valour is important when dealing with commoners and the
Elemental Knights. Without at least a 2.0 in Valour social interaction with
these groups incurs a +15 TN penalty.

Void v Light
In Aidespar's culture there is no concept of the Void like in Rokugan,
however a similar mechanic exists. Aidespar's founding belief is in a mystical
source of energy and power known as The Light. They believe that because
humans are born from the Light's essence that a small bit of the Light's
power exists within every living thing. By attuning themselves to this power
they can push themselves to perform amazing feats under any
circumstances.

Light functions just as Void in Rokugan with the same mechanical benefits.
Just replace all instances of "Void" with "Light" when using L5R material.
(I.E: Light Ring, spending a Light point, ect.)

Aidesparian v Rokugani Magic

The magic used by ancient sorcerer's and modern members of the Church
functions exactly like Rokugani magic with some minor differences.

1. Rather than casting from a scroll, Aidesparian priests have an individually

customized copy of Light’s Will (differences are in the spells the priest has
been taught) they carry with them. Mastery rules still work the same.

2. Magic does not come from the Kami, as Aidesparians do not believe in
them. In Aidespar Magic is truthfully the power granted to those born under
the divided aspect Light known as the Order (the counter part to the Chaos).
Because this isn't known amongst Aidespar's few practitioners of magic,
invoking the power of the Elements is done so by calling forth the Magic in
the name of the Light. An example in character terms would be: "By the
Light I call forth the powers of Water to heal you of your wounds."

3. Spells like Commune still function when cast by an Aidesparian. However

they believe they are talking to an incarnation of the Light itself in
elemental form rather than an elemental Kami.

The Endless

Unique only to native born Aidesparian Sorcerers is the danger of being

turned into an “Endless”. In Aidespar magic is the result of beings tapping
into the Order’s power and allowing it to be channeled through their bodies.
The more spells a Sorcerer knows the more of this influence he is allowing
in. As all living things in Aidespar are born from the Order this is a perfectly
natural process; until the Sorcerer starts trying to advance their powers too
quickly. Whether it be through a desire for greater power or a thirst for
knowledge once a Sorcerer has brought more of the Order’s influence in than
his soul can handle the Order overwhelms and consumes his mind. When this
happens the original soul is extinguished and a new one is born within their
old body. This soul can have any sort of personality traits as a normal
person; however they will be insatiably obsessed with the innate impulses of
the Order itself. A desire for law, harmony, and the utter extinction of
Chaos. These impulses are so strong than an Endless will inevitably become
tyrannical in nature and will go to any ends to bring absolute Order to the
world around it.

An Endless is created when any Sorcerer learns a number of spells greater

than his Insight Rank x 10. Their lifespans are extended to an average of
1000 years and can cast any spell they have learned as though it were of
Mastery Rank 1 for the purposes of actions required to cast. The ultimate
downfall of any Endless is they will always have a personal set of “rules”;
typically in the form that requires them to play out a form of “game” with
those who stand before them. However the Endless are never obligated to
explain these rules which leads to many perishing without standing a
chance. Because of how the Endless are created and the devastation the last
one caused (Sorcerer King Hazeldurn) the Church is very strict about limiting
the amount of additional spells their members learn outside of their
training. However due to natural born Sorcerers sometimes escaping the
Church’s notice there have been some cases of Endless popping up over the
years which the Church deals with as swiftly as possible.

The Chaos
Like Rokugan has Jigoku and the Shadowlands Taint, Aidespar has
Pandemonium and the Chaos. Chaos is a malevolent side effect of the
Archfiend's home realm of Pandemonium. Pandemonium is a plane of
existence founded on pure, unbridled Chaos. When beings from other realms
are exposed to this Chaos it has a chance of effecting their minds and
gradually taking them over. Once infected by Chaos an individual's hair will
gradually turn the darkest shade of black and their eyes will turn yellow as
the Chaos spreads. Physical changes aren't the only alterations. Once
infected a person's ability to make rational judgements will slowly diminish.
This can be in the form of hypocritical logic or just pure insanity, in the end
all that will be left is an unpredictable and often dangerous individual.

Those who spend more than 30 minutes in any area effected by

Pandemonium's influence must make a Willpower roll against a TN of 10.
This roll is redone and increases by 1 for every additional five hours spent in
Pandemonium's domain. There is no known way to protect oneself against
the influence of Chaos except to avoid it at all costs. If the Willpower roll
has failed the individual gains 0.1 points of Chaos and gains an additional 0.1
once every month. The following stages of infection apply for Chaos points.

0.1-1.0 Chaos: The individual has begun to exhibit small signs of physical
change. Their personality begins to crumble and their temper is far lesser
than normal. Characters with this rank of Chaos are treated as having the
Brash disadvantage but may also harness the whimsical nature of Chaos at a
price. Once per game they may gain an additional 0.1 Chaos to re-roll any
roll and keep the higher of the two results.

1.1-2.0 Chaos: As the Chaos takes root in the very soul of the individual
their appearance continues to degenerate and their personality becomes
more unpredictable. Character with this rank of Chaos are treated as having
the additional disadvantages of Contrary and Disturbing Countenance. Yet
the Chaos is not without it's gifts and grants the player an additional re-roll
per game.
2.1-3.0 Chaos: At this stage in the Chaos's cycle the mind is all but gone.
Hardly anything of their original personality exists and the transformation of
hair and eyes is almost complete at this stage. No additional penalties are
invoked at this stage. The Chaos within you has grown to the point where
others afflicted in the same manner can recognize you for what you are and
will not attack you unless you attack them first.

3.1+ Chaos: When the Chaos point reach this level the character loses
themselves to the Chaos entirely and is reborn as a Rank 1 Chaos Knight.

Players should be aware that those of the Church and the Elemental Knights
will attack anyone they believe to be touched by Pandemonium immediately
and to the death. People may attempt to see the sparks of Chaos within your
eyes and words with an Investigation/Perception roll vs your
Sincerity/Awareness. You gain a +5 TN penalty to your roll for every full
Rank of Chaos you possess.

Advantage/Disadvantage and Skill Changes

Certain Advantages and Disadvantages will not function for Aidespar
characters. Here is a list of said items as well as some that only require
minor changes.

Cannot Work as Written: Blood of Osano-Wo, Dark Paragon, Friend of the

Brotherhood, Inari's Blessing, Paragon, Sacred Weapon, Sacrosanct, Seven
Fortune's Blessing, Cast Out, Consumed, Dishonored, Disbeliever, Failure of
Bushido, Forced Retirement, Hostage, Lord Moon's Curse, Momoku, Seven
Fortune's Curse

All Advantages and Disadvantages: Aidespar characters do not get discounts

or have to pay extra points. Replace Honor with Valour and Glory with
Dignity. Replace all instances of Kami and other otherworldly stuff with "The
Light". Use Lore (Knightly Valours) instead of Lore (Bushido).

Absolute Direction: Does not work within any area touched by Pandemonium.
Crab Hands: Renamed Shifting Styles. (Until I think of a better name)
Different School: Renamed Foreign Sensei, applies only to Rokugani schools as
every Aidespar school is avaliable regardless of starting family. Worth 7
points instead of 5 due to difficulty in finding a sensei.
Forbidden Knowledge: Examples for Aidespar are: Pandemonium and Sorcery.
Gaijin Gear: Includes Rokugani items.
Heart of Vengeance: Applies to Archfiends, Chaos Knights, Foreigners, or
members of a specific household.
Ishiken-Do: Renamed Inheritor of the Light. Grants the player the Affinity for
Light Spells along with the ability to cast them.
Large: Example height now 6'3" to 6'7"

Bad Fortune: No Moto or Yogo curses.

Gaijin Name: Now includes Rokugani names.
Idealistic: Applies more to a personal Code of Valour than Bushido.
Infamous: Drops your Dignity down to 0. Worth 6 points as a Dignity of 0 will
hurt quite badly in Aidespar.
Shadowlands Taint: Renamed Pandemonium's Touch. Gives 0.1 Chaos points.
Worth 5 points due to Chaos points having no way to avoid accumulation.

The Skill Kyujutsu is replaced by the Skill Archery, which functions

mechanically the same.

The Perform Skill now includes the following Sub-types: Harp, Pan Flute,
Ocarina, Organ, Trombone, Vielle (Fiddle).

The Games Skill now includes the following Sub-types: Backgammon, Chess,
Hammer-Toss, Horseshoes, Knucklebones (Dice Game), Rugby.

Courtier Skills learned from one nation suffer a +20 TN penalty when used in
a foreign court due to a natural lack of the cultures everyday standards. This
penalty is removed if one has spent more than 5 years attending a foreign
court regularly.

Status in Aidespar
The following is a list of examples regarding Status and the place of the
individual in Aidespar society.

Rank 0-0.9: If one has fallen so far down in status it is usually assumed they
have done something horrible to deserve it and have no place in proper
society. Members of the Status Rank usually include the traitors, the
hardened criminals, the blasphemers, or invading foreigners.
Rank 1-1.9: Within the lower tiers of Status lie your everyday common man
and their immediate superiors. Although still considered commoners or
peasants, these people who work out in the fields or in the cities every day
as part of their lives mostly fill out this rank of status. The higher end of this
rank being reserved for upstanding citizens or well known small shop
owners.

Rank 2-2.9: This rank of Status marks the beginning of the tall ladder
leading up to high society. Here you begin to see more important people in
society appear. Squires in Training to become Elemental Knights or inductees
to the Church appear in this rank. Young children of high ranking families
also wield this level of influence along with more important commoners such
as a powerful merchant lord or local magistrate. (PCs starting as Rank 0
Squire or Inductee characters begin with a Status of 2).

Rank 3-4.9: Here the gap begins to widen and more gaps can be seen
between people of similar station. Local town or city governors work within
this rank. Noble men and women freshly starting their adult lives often
occupy this rank of Status; and when an individual graduates from Squire to
Elemental Knight or from inductee to Church Inquisitor they inherit this
Status as well. (PCs generated as either Knights, Church members, or as part
of the Nobility begin with a Status of 3)

Ranks 5-7.9: Towards the middle and upper ends of the Status ladder you'll
find very few commoners unless they are servants underneath higher lords
and ladies working as their closest servants. This rank encompasses all the
lower to mid ranking nobility and contains members of the Knights and
Church who have occupied positions of great importance. (Such as Captain
of a small squad of knights, or a revered Bishop leading their own Church
branch.)

Rank 8-8.9: Only the true elite of Aidespar grace this upper step of Status.
Here lies the most powerful and wealth of lords and ladies, while only the
Church's Leader and Masters of each Elemental Knight academy hold these
grounds.

Rank 9-9.9: There is only one individual in all of Aidespar who can have a
status of 9-9.9, and that is the hero of the people: The Knight of Light.
Because this hero has only appeared once in Aidespar's history, this is not a
position often filled; if ever during an individual's lifetime.

Rank 10: The King (or Queen) of Aidespar is the highest ranking individual
within the entire social system. Even the legendary Knight of Light concedes
to the ruler's judgement. However since the fall of King Paladin V there has
not been any soul bold (or foolish) enough to claim ancestral right over the
throne. Even those aware of their heritage are reluctant to even consider
the thought, for ruling over the current state of Aidespar would come at a
very hefty cost...

Rokugan Versus Aidespar

Honor against Valour: One of the initial hurdles any mixing of Samurai
and Knights is going to incur is the philosophical differences of both groups.
There is some common ground between the two that can be explored. Both
the principles of Honor and Valour express a desire to do what is best for
one's country. They both express a sense of duty that one has as well as the
importance of one's given word. Yet this is where the common ground ends
and both sides begin to tread in unfamiliar (and perhaps unwanted)
territory.

A very important difference between the two sides is to whom each faction
serves. Samurai are concerned with upholding the greater good for their
clans and Empire. They put the clan's needs before their own or other
individuals and the Empire's needs before all else. Knights on the other hand
stoutly believe that it is the well being of each individual that contributes to
the greater good of the Kingdom. Knights work for the most part as
independent individuals and will often perform their services to either
protect the common man or to follow their self-sense of justice.

This sense of Commonality vs Individualism will often cause tension between

the two factions. At the very least you can expect many a heated debate
between a Samurai and a Knight over the morality over any given situation
where this theme presents itself. Another major example of this comes from
their views about failure. If a Samurai fails an important duty given to him
or shames his charge, he is expected to commit seppuku to atone for this
and restore his Honor. The Knights on the other hand believe that if one fails
then it is the responsibility of that individual to redeem his Valour through
great acts or pledges of servitude to the ones he or she failed. The art of
seppuku would be considered to be a horrifying act and a great waste of a
warrior's potential. It is not unlikely that a Knight witnessing a seppuku
might attempt to intervene.

Other quarrels between the two sides over Honor versus Valour are sure to
pop up, but to conclude let's compare the two sides on a scale to provide a
reference for how likely the two sides are to get along.

Worst Relation
Spider/Tainted Samurai
Honor Rank 10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Best Relation
Valour Rank 10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Chaos Knight
Worst Relation
Those between the two most likely to get along are the Ronin and the more
valourous Knights. The lower honor Samurai have a stronger sense of
individualism that meshes more easily with the Knight's views of Valour. As
the Samurai's Honor increases and the Knight's Valour decreases this gap
widens. At the higher ends of the spectrum are what each side considers to
be the worst possible view of each other.

A 10 Honor Samurai might be willing to sacrifice a village of small chidren

and kittens if his Emperor told him it would save Rokugan, a crime no Knight
would dare forgive. Such rigid adherence to Bushido makes it virtually
impossible for relations between the two groups.

Conversely a 0 Valour Knight is a man without any sort of moral compass or

sense of justice that does what he wants, when he wants, regardless of
consequence. Such a Knight is the embodiment of every Rokugani stereotype
about Gaijin: A wild barbarian without any sense of refinement of
intelligence.

At the far ends of the spectrum are the Samurai and Knights whose direct
relations are beyond possible. To the Knights the Spider/Tainted Samurai
represent a disloyalty to one's comrades that the worst of all sins. Due to
the dire nature of the Archfiend invasion the Knights treat loyalty to one's
countrymen as a vow above all else, as any inside attack would cause
Aidespar to soon crumble. So the Spider/Tainted's attempts to collapse the
Empire from within paint them as the worst kind of villain to the Knights.

The Chaos Knights are to Rokugani the stuff that their gaijin nightmares are
made of. With all the negative viewpoints of a 0 Valour Knight, Chaos
Knights also represent to Samurai two things a gaijin should never have:
Power and Unpredictability.

Shugenja in Aidespar: With the ban upon the arcane arts in Aidespar, a
Rokugani Shugenja might unwittingly find themselves in a dire situation
rather quickly. With their strange language praying to an unknown and
unseen force to produce elemental magic, a Shugenja will quickly stand out
to anyone from Aidespar. If seen by performing such magic by the Knights
they might be arrested or executed on the spot for performing these illegal
arts.

If found by the Church however they will be quickly taken in from the prying
eyes of the Knights and peasantry to have it explained to them the present
circumstances in Aidespar as well as to inquire into their powers. The
concept of the Kami will not settle well with the Church's theology but in
the end those higher up in the Church's ranks will come to the conclusion
that the Kami are just another representation of the Light (and that
Rokugani are too far separated from their own history to recognize this).

If Shugenja are going to cast in public without drawing suspicion to

themselves they need to do one of two things. The first is simply to cast the
spell with the Stealth Emphasis and without a scroll. The other is to learn
from the Church the prayers they invoke to use their magic and integrate
that into their own chants to disguise what they are really doing (this
requires 1 Raise on the Spell Casting roll due to the difficulty of praying to
the Kami in Rokugani while uttering a few louder key words in Aidesparian).

Families of Aidespar
All families in Aidespar can trace their linage back to one of four great
ancestors who helped found their country and survived to pass on their
legacy. While the families might be more genetically diverse now then at
Aidespar's origin it is still customary to take your ancestor's name as your
families own, and some traits of the ancestors are still shared with those
who proudly bear their name.

Dantes: +1 Willpower
Those descending from the Dantes are known for being part of a proud and
willful family. Dantes are usually stout traditionalists who not only strongly
believe in the values of the past but have the mental fortitude to back up
those beliefs. Traditionally Dantes family members have served in military
positions or harsh work environments where a steady head is needed to
succeed.

Richelieu: +1 Perception
Ancestor Richelieu was the forefather to the cruel Sorcerer King Hazeldurn.
No other holds this past blight against the Richelieus, but the family itself
does best to forget this past and keep it from ever being mentioned in
public. Like the Sorcerer King however, Richelieus are very keen on their
surroundings and are often the first people to notice weaknesses in both
things and people.

Medici: +1 Intelligence
Medici was the only family amongst the original four ancestors to see the
value of the arts and sciences. Their love of knowledge has spread
throughout the generations and is still largely intact today. The Medici are
usually quiet and contemplative, but are hardly pacifistic by any means and
have alternate means of defending their honor. It is often said amongst the
other families that they would rather face each other's swords than a
Medici's tongue.

Villefort: +1 Awareness
Even from the start of Aidespar as a civilization the Villefort were the
self-proclaimed watchmen of their brothers. Villeforts are often raised on
stories of justice and great heroism, which works well with their natural
ability to notice their surroundings and hunt down injustices. Much to the
delight of some and the irritation of others, the Villeforts are infamous for
churning out just as many vigilantes as they do valourous knights.

Schools of Aidespar

Knight of the Earth [Knight]

Like the Earth itself the Knights of Earth are renown for being unmoving,
unbreakable, and stoic in the face of unspeakable perils. Clad in the
heaviest of armors and wielding weapons nearly as large as your average
Aidesparian; it is little wonder why most forces would seek to turn aside and
retreat then to face an Knight of Earth in direct conflict. Yet of all the
Elemental Knights the Knights of Earth are perhaps the most peaceful
branch. Often a Knight of Earth does not become involved in a direct
confrontation unless there is no other alternative. Many times they'll seek to
either talk down a situation or intimidate one side into capitulating. But
when forced to fight they do not back down, and they do not stop until their
task is completed.

Benefit: +1 Stamina
Skills: Lore (Oaths and Vows), Intimidation, Defense, Horsemanship, Heavy
Weapons, Medicine, Hunting
Valour: 5.5
Outfit: Full-Plate, Ceremonial Clothing, any 1 Heavy Weapon, Knight's Steed,
Traveling Pack, 5 Dolats

Techniques
Rank One: Gift of the Earth
The body of a Knight of Earth has been condition to endure the pressures
and constrictions of heavy weight. As a result the Knights of Earth are able
to don incredibly heavy armor and wield their massive weapons with an
unusual amount of precision. You may wear Full-Plate armor with none of
the typical penalties normally applied. Also you gain a +1K0 bonus to all
attack rolls made with Heavy Weapons and your Intimidation rolls.

Rank Two: The Ever Enduring Rock

It is true that a man can topple the greatest mountain with only his bare
hands, yet it is also true that such a task would take a lifetime to complete.
The same philosophy applies to an individual seeking to topple one of the
Knights of Earth. For the Knights of Earth are just as enduring and stubborn
as the mountains. You may treat your Wound Ranks as though the Earth
Multiplier were one rank higher. (I.E: If your game uses your Earth Ring x 2
to calculate wounds, you would now calculate your wounds at Earth Ring x 3
with this Technique.)

Rank Three: Thundering Avalanche

Not only is the Earth known for it's properties of endurance but it also
creates a force of destruction nearly rivaling that of Fire once it is set in
motion. Once a boulder begins its downhill journey, it is the only thing that
decides when it stops. Anything in it's path is left in ruins. You may calculate
the damage you deal with Heavy Weapons as if your Strength trait were 1.5
times higher than normal.(rounded down) (I.E A Knight of Earth with a
Strength of 4 would calculate damage as if his Strength were a 6 with this
Technique.) In additional you may roll an additional number of dice equal to
your School Rank on any Fear check.

Rank Four: Earthen Retort

While the Earth may not be as swift as the Wind, fluid as Water, or fierce as
Fire, it still has a way of getting things done in it's own due time. You may
now make attacks with Knight and Heavy Weapons as Simple Actions, instead
of as Complex Actions.

Rank Five: Roar of the Earth's Fury

Fire may spring up anywhere and consume all it touches, but without fuel it
burns out into cinders. Water may wash away all foolish enough to stand
before it, but the wise are beyond it's grasp. Air may wear away even the
eternal, but it is too capricious to focus on such a task. When the Earth roars
with its internal rage, the very world quakes and nothing can ignore its
wrath. The Knights of Earth have learned to contain their rage like the Earth
and release it in one furious burst that causes lesser men to faith on the
spot. You may spend a Light Point to unleash a bestial roar that travels 20 ft
x your Earth Ring. Anyone within the path of the shock wave (deafness and
plugging your ears does not grant immunity) treats you as though you have a
Fear Rating equal to your Earth Ring for 5 rounds.

Knight of the Fire [Knight]

As is expected after being blessed by the element of Fire, the Elemental

Knights of this discipline are hot-headed, aggressive, and very effective at
cutting a swath through their enemies. It is a common saying by the Knights
of Fire that if you have time to breath, you have time to take another swing
at your enemy. Their fighting style consists of fighting with two weapons and
focusing more of offensive tactics than defensive ones. It is said the true
masters of flame can fight with the largest of weapons single-handedly
without missing a beat.

Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Lore (Oaths and Vows), Sincerity, Athletics, Horsemanship,
Swordsmanship, Fencing, any 1 weapon skill
Valour: 4.5
Outfit: Brigandine or Half-Plate, Ceremonial Clothing, Bastard Sword, any 1
weapon, Knight's Steed, Traveling Pack, 3 Dolats

Techniques
Rank One: Double Handed Strike
Those who wish to fight with two weapons must first learn to overcome the
balance issues striking with two blades presents. Only once this hurdle has
been surpassed can one begin to learn how to strike with both blade. You
may reduce the TN penalty for wielding an off-hand weapon by an amount
equal to your School Rank x 2.

Rank Two: My Strike is my Shield

While the two weapon fighting style the Knights of Fire teach encourages
direct attacks, this does not mean they completely abandon all sense of self.
A master of two weapon fighting learns to position their blades to deflect
oncoming attacks while still going in for the kill. While wielding two
weapons, you gain a bonus to their Armor TN equal to your Insight Rank x 3
(replacing the normal Insight Rank bonus).

Rank Three: Twin-Headed Strike

Once the basics of balance and stance are learned, then the Knights of Fire
can begin using their second weapon in a more offensive manner. You may
make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action so long as your
first attack is with your primary weapon and your second is with your
off-hand weapon.

Rank Four: Sparking Strike

Now that the basics of two weapon wielding have been mastered the Knights
of Fire may begin learning how to hone their strikes. Aggression is the key to
their style, for a Knight of Fire stops moving only once the battle is over.
Regardless of the victor. When assuming Full Attack stance, you may either
gain +2K1 to your attack rolls while reducing the Armor TN penalty to -1 or
gain +2K2 plus your Fire Ring to your attack rolls. If you choose the +2K2
bonus the Armor TN penalty for Full Attack stance increases to -15.

Rank Five: Fire's Double Cleaving Edge

Only once a Knight of Fire has perfected their balance, stance, attack, and
mentality can they truly unleash the raw power of Fire into their skills. A
perfected Knight of Fire is not only skilled in both of his weapons for
individual attacks, but also in using both of those weapons to strike their foe
at once. As long as the you are wielding two weapons, you may attack with
both their primary weapon and their off-hand weapon at once as a Simple
Action. When this technique is used, the off-hand weapon only deals half
damage (rounded down). Damage rolls are done individually for the primary
and off-hand weapon.

Knight of the Water [Knight]

Those who follow the ways of Water believe in the insight to see through the
world's many lies and flexibility to accept the constant change happening
around oneself. The keen observations of the Knights of Water make them
not only a dangerous foe to face on the battlefield, but have led towards
their primary role as envoys to other nations. If one word sums up an
Elemental Knight of Water it would be: balance. Their fighting style
incorporates a shield along with their weapon and often they practice the
social arts with equal emphasis to their combat prowess. Both on and off the
battlefield a Knight of Water is never to be underestimated.

Benefit: +1 Strength
Skills: Lore (Oaths and Vows), Horsemanship, Defense, Spears, Courtier,
Investigation, Meditation
Valour: 6.0
Outfit: Brigandine or Half-Plate, any 1 Spear, Wooden Shield, Ceremonial
Clothing, Knight's Steed, Traveling Pack, 4 Dolats

Techniques
Rank One: A Serene Rhythm
The Knight of Water's philosophy of balance and insight applies to both their
views of combat and daily interactions off the battlefield. It is those who
understand this art that begin the path into Water's enlightenment. You may
use a Shield without incurring any of the normal off-hand TN penalties. Also
you may use your Perception in place of your Awareness for all Social Skills.

Rank Two: Water is Patient

Only the fool looks upon the still waters of the ocean and says to himself "I
see no threat therefore it is safe.". Water is a cunning and patient element
that can wait for years or decades before unleashing its fury upon the
shores. The Knights of Water have adapted this into a defensive tactic that
relies on waiting for the opponent to come to you. You may add your Water
Ring x 3 to your Armor TN against any opponent that is higher than you in
the initiative order. Additionally you may roll and extra number of dice
equal to your Water Ring on all Defense rolls.

Rank Three: The Rushing Tides

Just as the high tide rushes in to engulf the land so does the Knight of Water
devour his opponent with a flurry of precise strikes. You may make attacks
as a Simple Action with Knight and Spear weapons instead of a Complex
Action as normal.

Rank Four: Hidden Kindness

While the Water may appear to be a cold and cunning element in truth it has
a softer, nurturing side to it. Those who have pledged themselves to serving
this element will come to understand this in time and accept the blessings
that Water gives her children. Once per day you may make a
Meditation/Perception roll as a Complex Action against a TN equal to half
the number of Wounds you are suffering. If you succeed you immediately
healed a number of Wounds equal to the amount your roll exceeded the TN
by.

Rank Five: Water Always Wins

Water is a wise element that never moves without purpose or knowledge of
its effects. Because of its deep self-understanding it can also perceive the
actions of those surrounding it and react accordingly. A true Knight of Water
has the ability to read a situation in a matter of seconds and determine a
course of action that will hurt his opponents in the worst way possible.
During a skirmish you may make a Perception/Investigation Roll with a TN
equal to 10 X the number of opponents you are targeting. This is the only
action you may take this round. If you succeed the following happens:
-Your initiative is altered so that you move immediately before anyone you
targeted with this Technique next combat round.
-You are allowed to know the exact moves the targets are going to perform
this round and against who they are being taken.
-You gain a Free Raise for any action taken against any of the targets for this
round only.

Knight of the Wind [Knight]

There's only one thing constant about a Knight of the Wind and that being
that they come and go much like the wind itself. Those taking up the sword
under the Wind's banner are usually the most laid back and capricious of all
the Elemental Knights. While they share a same strong sense of justice and
valour like the Knights of Fire; the Knights of the Wind aren't as quick to
anger and more often take situations very lightly. This does not cheapen
their skills though, as there are none as skilled with a Saber in the entire
Kingdom of Aidespar. They may seem like good-natured buffoons at times,
but provoke a Knight of the Wind at your own peril.

Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Lore (Oaths and Vows), Horsemanship, Fencing, Swordsmanship,
Etiquette, Athletics, Slight of Hand
Valour: 5.0
Outfit: Brigandine, Rapier or Short Sword, Ceremonial Clothing, Knight's
Steed, Traveling Pack, 2 Dolats
Techniques
Rank One: Graceful Cross-Breeze
While not as durable or damaging as their other Elemental Knight brethren,
the Knights of the Wind learn the lessons of speed and grace from their
patron element. Not only are they light on their feet because of this, but
they also pick up a sort of playful charm much like that of a spring breeze.
You may treat your Water Ring as two ranks higher when determining the
distance of your Move Actions. Also you Add your Air Ring to the total of all
Social Skill Rolls.

Rank Two: Rolling Hurricane

While the Wind can cause damage where ever it goes, it hardly stays in one
place for long. The true power for the wind comes from its ability to pierce
as it moves, ensuring a widespread path of destruction behind it. The
Knights of the Wind apply this idea into their strikes and seldom stay in the
same place for long. You may gain an additional +1K1 to your attack rolls
with Sabers if you have taken your full Free Move Action before making your
attack.

Rank Three: Wind's Swift Strikes

The Wind's quickness is something to be feared and respected, for the
blessing it gives those who serve it allow them a lithe agility not many can
match. You may now make attacks as Simple Actions rather than Complex
Actions with Saber Weapons.

Rank Four: Fast as the Wind Itself

If there's one idealistic, if not childish, dream that Knights of the Wind share
it's the desire to one day be able to outrun the wind itself. Never satisfied
with their current abilities, a Knight of the Wind will often refine his speed
through many days of practice until the time in which he is forced to retire
his blade. You may add half of your Athletics Skill (rounded down) in kept
dice to your Initiative Rolls. (I.E: An Athletics Skill of 7 would give you an
additional +3K0 to Initiative).

Rank Five: Spiraling Twister

Knights of the Wind are not as aggressive as the Fire counterparts, as
well-rounded as their Water counterparts, or as enduring as their Earth
counterparts. They know that speed is their only ally but for a Knight of the
Wind this is a matter to be proud of. Speed is their true ally and their
ultimate strength. Those who scoff the speed of a true Knight of the Wind
will be in for a very alarming lesson. In battle you may perform the Extra
Attack maneuver for only three raises against an opponent who has a lower
initiative than you.

Church Inquisitor [Sorcerer]

Those who form the Church's Inquisitorial Squad are those who have
inherited the talents of the ancient Sorcerers. Inquisitors use these blessings
to go out into the world in the name of The Light so that the Archfiend
scourge might be eliminated from this world. They consist of many types of
individuals from the aloof wanders to the highly ambitious and devout
pastors. But regardless of personality or heraldry they all share the common
goal of purifying Aidespar of Chaos' influence while hiding their true nature
under their holy garb.

Benefit: +1 to any Trait

Skills: Lore (The Light), Lore (Archfiends), Spellcraft, Temptation,
Divination, Stealth, any 1 High Skill
Valour: 3.0
Outfit: Priest's Robes, Ceremonial Clothing, Holy Tome, Symbol of the
Church, Mule or Donkey, Traveling Pack, 8 Dolats
Affinity/Deficiency: Church Inquisitors may chose any element, except
Light, as their Affinity and any element as their Deficiency.

Technique: Blessing of the Light- Those who have learned to manipulate

the elements from the Church have been taught how to channel their spells
without overexerting their own capacities. You gain an additional number of
spell slots for the element you have an Affinity with equal to your Insight
Rank. (If you take the Advantage, Inheritor of the Light, this does not apply
to Light Spells.)

Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, 2 Spells from your chosen Affinity, 2

Spells from a Second Element, 2 Spells from a Third Element, and 1 Spell
from any Element of your choosing you have the ability to cast.

Noble Scion [Courtier]

Those who tread the treacherous waters of Aidespar's courts are often those
belonging to the Nobility. The Scions are often trained in all the arts of
conversations, from social niceties to all forms of verbal manipulation. In
order to survive a gathering of one's peers, a Noble Scion must be able to
adapt to any social situation and as such study every aspect of courtly life,
including the dueling arts of Valour and Dignity. The primary strength of a
Noble Scion however is not his words, not his tricks, but his Status. Position
is everything to a Noble and those of lesser station will bear the brunt of
their words with far less resistance then one of equal or higher station.

Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Courtier, Etiquette, Fencing or Jousting, Games (any), Intimidation,
Investigation, Sincerity, any one skill.
Valour: 2.0
Outfit: 2 sets of Extravagant Clothing, Fine Ceremonial Attire, 30 Dolats

Techniques
Rank One: Privileged Position
A Noble Scion by nature of their upbringing has far more political clout than
any other member of Aidesparian Society. Noble Scions begin with an
additional full rank of Status. Additionally your TN on any Social Skill check
against a target of lower Status than you is reduced by 5.

Rank Two: Eyes on the Prize

One of the most important lessons a Noble Scion learns is how to distinguish
between those who can advance their own ambitions and those seeking to
take advantage of them. You can roll an opposed Courtier/Awareness check
against anyone you have spent more than 5 minutes of conversation with to
attempt to determine any hidden meaning behind their words. You gain an
additional +1K0 to this roll for every full rank of Status you exceed your
opponent by.

Rank Three: Survival of the Fittest

While many courtly debates are solved through an extended exchange of
words, there are times where words go too far and one as to defend oneself
with either sword or lance. Your Fencing or Jousting skill (depending on
which you selected) now gains a bonus of +1K0 on all opposed checks. You
gain an additional +0K1 against any opponent with lower Status than you.

Rank Four: Perceived Superiority

One of the commonly shared traits amongst the Noble Scions in court is a
shared sense of perceived superiority. While what exactly makes them
superior to all others varies from person to person; but if an "inferiority" is
perceived in others the Noble Scion almost instinctively becomes more
overbearing and efficient in their verbal arguments. Chose two of the
following keywords: Physical, Mental, Social, Spiritual. You may spend a
Light Point in order to activate this technique. On any social check against
someone possessing Disadvantages with your selected Keywords your
opponent must make at least one Raise for no effect in order for the roll to
succeed. In addition, if the opponent is of lower Status than you they roll
once less die on the opposing roll.

Rank Five: Position is Everything

In Aidespar's courts those who have survived the gauntlet of social
challenges being thrown at them on a day to day basis have come to
command such skill in the art of words that those below them respect it
without question. You gain an additional +2K0 to all of your Social skills. On
any opposed roll with your Social skills against an opponent of lower status
you gain an additional +0K1.

Church Inquisitor [Monk]

While the Church may do its best to reign in any viable source of magical
talent under its wings; there are still instances of powerful sorcerers who
either cannot control their powers or blatantly misuse them. For situations
like this were negotiation is impossible the Church calls in those from its
Inquisitorial Squad do deal with such rogue magics. Trained using techniques
derived from a page of Light's Will these monks of the Church of Light are
one of the only fighting forces in the world who specialize in withstanding
and neutralizing sorcery.

Benefit: +1 Light
Skills: Intimidation, Investigation, Lore: Sorcery, Meditation, Jiujutsu,
Spellcraft, any one Skill
Valour: 4.0
Outfit: Monk's Robes, Ceremonial Clothing, Bo Staff, Symbol of the Church,
Traveling Pack, 3 Dolats

Techniques

Rank One: Expanding the Soul

In order to fight against the forces of Sorcery in Aidespar the Church
Inquisitors must first learn to become aware of the forces they deal with. By
allowing themselves to gain this understanding they can both sense Sorcery
as it is created and shield themselves against it with greater efficiency.
Whenever any spell is cast within up to 100 ft. X your School Rank you are
able to detect it and discern the general location from where it was cast
(this cannot tell you what spell was cast or who specifically cast it).
Additionally any spell cast against you has its TN to cast raised by your
School Rank x 3. (This stacks with any other form of Magic Resistance your
character may have.)

Rank Two: Parting the Mist

As the Inquisitors gain a better understanding of the forces they face; they
begin to unravel the methods in which Sorcery works. In doing so they can
piece together the hidden traces left behind by such magic in order to
determine in what way the elements were manipulated. When you are
within the general location of a cast spell as determined by Expanding the
Soul; you may make a Spellcraft/Intelligence roll against the TN required to
originally cast the spell. If you succeed you learn exactly what spell was
cast, it's effects, and any raises made on it and their effects. You also gain
+1K0 to any attack and damage roll with the Jiujutsu skill; this is increased
to +1K1 against any school with the Sorcery tag or against Sorceric
Creations.

Rank Three: Spiritual Shielding

The Inquisitors know that regardless of how prepared you are that it is
impossible to entirely stop the forces of Sorcery from working against you.
When this happens all you can do is brace yourself and endure the powerful
forces brought to bear. You gain Reduction equal to your Earth Ring x 3; this
Reduction does not stack with other sources of Reduction and works only
against Spells or any other source of magical damage.

Rank Four: The Fist of Man

Despite the strong threat that untamed sorcery can represent the Church
Inquisitors are taught the basic less that, with the aide of the Light, the fist
of man can strike down any threat brought to bear against it. You may now
make attacks as Simple Actions when you are unarmed or with any weapon
using the Staves skill.

Rank Five: Extinguishing the Source

Even the most powerful Sorcerers fear the Church's Inquisitorial squad
because of their penultimate technique. Utilizing the lessons taught to them
from the Light's Will about sorcery the Inquisitors are able to completely
sever a Sorcerer's ability to cast spells for a short time. As a Complex Action
you may make a single attack against any school using the Sorcerer tag,
dealing damage as normal. If your attack hits you may immediately spend
two Light Points. The next spell the target attempts to cast will fail
automatically.

Paths and Advanced Schools

Designer Note: The Chaos Knights are intended more as NPCs then PCs and
the Knight of Light should be a campaign goal rather than a random
addition. You may do otherwise but doing so may create a power imbalance
within the party as these are intentionally designed to be powerful.

Advanced Schools
Chaos Knight [Knight]

The Chaos born from the realm of Pandemonium is wild and unpredictable,
yet there are those that draw power from this source at great risk. The
Chaos is not an easy power to master; for those that are unprepared are
consumed by its insanity and are reborn as hollow shells of their former life.
However there are those with the sheer will and determination to harness
the Chaos and make its power bend to their whims. Such individuals are the
true face of the Chaos Knights and a power unrivaled by any of any mere
mortal man.

Requirements:
*Skills: Lore: Pandemonium 5
*Other: Must have at least 0.5 Chaos Points and willingly embraced the
changes overcoming their body and soul.
*Special: If you gain in excess of 3.1 Chaos Points without mastering this
Path you are reborn as a Rank 1 Chaos Knight under GM control. (Losing all
school techniques gained up to that point.)

Techniques
Rank 1: Unpredictable Intervention
One immediate benefit the Chaos offers those who dare to tame it is a
seemingly sentient force of unpredictability that protects the Chaos Knights.
Those who have fought the Chaos Knights in combat and survived describe it
as an unholy curse that can cause the greatest catastrophes to befall even
the mightiest warriors. A number of times per day equal to your School
Rank, you may force an opponent to re-roll any opposed roll against you,
keeping the second roll regardless of it being better or worse.

Rank 2: The Black Light of Pandemonium

It is said that those who are greatly touched by the influence of
Pandemonium's Chaos are enshrouded by a dark aura that glows faintly with
a black light. This light acts as a source of power for the Chaos Knights
which they may use to strike their enemies from afar. You may, as a Complex
Action, harness the power of the black light into a bolt of energy rolling and
keeping a number of die for damage equal to your School Rank+Chaos Rank;
up to a maximum range of 50 feet.

Rank 3: Order Born From Chaos

Those who have learned to master the Chaos within their souls before it
consumes them entirely are granted a magnificent gift of untold value: the
eternal protect of their very soul. A master of Chaos no longer has to fear
the power he wields; for it is now the Chaos who fears him and heeds his
every command. Upon reaching in excess of 3.1 Chaos Points you are no
longer subjected to a forced rebirth and may keep all your previously
learned School Techniques. In addition you may use your Chaos Rank instead
of your Light Ring for determining your maximum number of Raises and the
number of Light Points you have.

Paths

Knight of Light [Knight]

In the days Sorcerer King Hazeldurn the world was without hope for the
future. Despite the best efforts of the Elemental Knights and the sorcerers
who rebelled against Hazeldurn his power seemed infinite and everlasting.
This all changed when the champion blessed by the Light came forth and
challenge the Sorcerer King to a final battle. The Light's hero claimed victory
in the end and thus was born the legendary legacy of the Knight of Light.
The Knight of Light has only appeared once within Aidespar's history, yet the
tales and legends claim this divine warrior will return whenever needed to
protect the kingdom's people against a great evil. So far in the war against
the Archfiends the Knight of Light has yet to make an appearance, but many
whisper rumors that the holy knight has already returned to the world in a
new body; waiting for the right time to awaken...

Technique Rank: 5
Replaces: Any Rank 5 school technique.
Requirements: Air 4, Earth 4, Fire 4, Water 4, Light 5
Technique: Holy Power of the Light
While certainly a powerful warrior on his own merits, the original Knight of
Light was famous for his apparent connection to the Light. The Light would
bestow the hero with its boundless wisdom and bless him with its divine
power. You may commune directly with the Light itself at any time after 5
minutes of uninterrupted meditation. Once you have connected with the
Light you may ask it any question and the Light will give you a completely
honest and true answer (although the answer is often cryptic in nature and
the solution to any task will never be easy). Also you may spend any number
of Light points to enhance a roll. Any Light point spend on a die
enhancement against an Archfiend or Chaos Knight bestows a bonus of +2K1
instead of the normal +1K1. In addition you are immune to all forms of
Chaos and any Chaos Points you have are removed permanently.

Knight Errants
In Aidespar there are a group of Knights who do not pledge loyalty to any
one faction in particular. Sometimes refered grudgingly as "sellswords" these
Knight Errants either fight for their own purposes or under the banner of the
highest bidder. Knight Errants can come from any social class, so it is not
uncommon to see both peasants and nobles working together in groups of
Knight Errants. Treat Knight Errants in a similar manner to Clan Ronin. They
use the same rules for character creation except they start with the School
listed below. They must either join an Elemental Knight School or seek out
the teacher for a higher rank Knight Errant path at higher Insight Ranks.

Valour's Calling [Knight]

The Valour's Calling school represents the skills and abilities of anyone who
has decided to follow their own path down the road of Valour. Because their
limited training most Valour's Calling students end up with the same general
abilities, although their individual skills can vary to a limited extent. Others
who take the Valour's Calling school might simply be seeking to improve the
fundamentals of their training in an attempt to perfect the basics before
moving onto more advanced techniques.

Technique Rank: 1
Benefit: +1 to any Trait
Skills: Archery, Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Swordsmanship, any one Bugei
Skill, any one Low Skill
Valour: 2.0
Outfit: Brigandine Armor, any 2 weapons, Sturdy Clothing, Traveling Pack, 3
Dolats
Technique: Learning the Fundamentals- Those of the Valour's Calling school
have learned not only how to master the basics of their training, but also
how to keep themselves alive no matter what it takes. You may use any Low
Skill without Valour loss. Also you gain a bonus of +1K0 to all your School
Skills.

Longbow Master [Scout]

In Aidespar virtually every Knight is trained by the sword or learns some

manner of swordplay during their learning experiences. However some
Knights have learned the value of the Longbow and swear to it almost more
fervently than others do to their blades. At the cost of traditional swordplay
skills a Longbow Master instead learns to take out enemies before they can
even get anywhere near melee range. While some might question if there is
any Valour to be had behind this style of fighting; its effectiveness ensures
there will be no shortage of demand for those who have mastered it.

Technique Rank: 1
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Archery 2, Defense, Hunting, Investigation, Stealth, any one Skill.
Valour: 3.0
Outfit: Brigandine Armor, Longbow, Sturdy Clothing, Traveling Pack, 4 Dolats
Technique: Valour's Flight- The Longbow Master's training forsakes
traditional skill with the sword in exchange for skills with their trademark
weapon a typical Knight would never learn. The range from which you may
attack with your Longbow is increased by 150'. In addition attacks you make
with your Longbow ignore up 2 points of Reduction.

Heavy Infantry Knight [Knight]

While the Knights of Earth are some of the most renown and feared
heavy-armor Knights in Aidespar; they are not the only ones who have
adopted the philosophy of high defense combat. Those of the Heavy Infantry
Knights have learned to make the most out of the armor they wear and can
be an imposing force on any battlefield. They may not be able to hit as hard
as other Knights or be nearly as mobile; but you'd be hard pressed to find
another Infantry Knight that can take the beatings they do on a regular
basis.

Technique Rank: 1
Benefit: +1 Stamina
Skills: Battle, Defense 2, Meditation, Swordsmanship, any one Bugei skill,
any one High skill.
Valour: 3.5
Outfit: Any 1 Armor, any 1 Weapon, Sturdy Clothing, Traveling Pack, 3 Dolats
Technique: Stronger Than Steel- The Heavy Infantry Knight's secret to power
comes from their ability to maximize the potential of any armor they wear;
transforming them into unstoppable juggernauts. You may increase the
Armor TN of any Armor you wear by +3 and increase it's Reduction by 1.
Additionally you add your Insight Rank in rolled dice to any Stamina Rolls to
avoid exhaustion from heavier armor usage.

Duelist Knight [Knight]

In Aidespar the art of social combat is a vastly popular sport where Knights
seeking to make a name for themselves can rise to fame or fall into
obscurity in the blink of an eye. However just as there is no shortage of
young men and women who would vie for fame (or for traditional
Valour/Dignity) there is no end to the demand for Knights who excess at the
Dueling Arts. The Duelist Knights are those who've trained specifically for
these styles of combat and are some of the most infamous fighters in
Aidespar.

Technique Rank: 1
Benefit: +1 Reflexes or Agility
Skills: Battle, Fencing, Investigation, Jousting, Storytelling, any one Bugei
skill, any one Skill.
Valour: 2.5
Outfit: Brigandine Armor or Half-Plate Armor, any 1 Weapons, Specialized
Jousting Spear and Fencing Saber, Sturdy Clothing, Traveling Pack, 1 Dolats
Technique: Master of the Games- The Duelist Knight specializes in the forms
of social combat that govern all of high society's arguments; typically serving
as chosen champions by Nobles who cannot compete for themselves. You
gain a Free Raise that may be used for any one Jousting or Fencing roll per
game. Additionally you gain or lose twice as much Dignity or Honor from
Jousting and Fencing matches.

Shield Knight [Knight]

Although shields are not an unfamiliar part of any Knight's arsenal not many
Knights elect to use them; favoring heavier weaponry or multiple blades.
Even of those who do use them many of that number have only a passing
knowledge of the shield's potential. The Shield Knights are a group of
individuals who have mastered the shield not only as a defensive piece of
armor but as a viable offensive weapon as well. Whether the Shield Knight is
using one or two of their favored weapons, they can be an unusually
versatile opponent that not many foes have an immediate answer for.

Technique Rank: 1
Benefit: +1 Strength
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Jiujutsu 2, Investigation, any one Bugei skill, any
one High skill.
Valour: 2.0
Outfit: Brigandine Armor, any 1 Weapon, any 1 Shield, Sturdy Clothing,
Traveling Pack, 2 Dolats
Technique: Bashing Brandisher- The Shield Knight uses an unconventional
tactic by typically fighting with his shield rather than any other weapon. You
may now wear a Shield in each hand without incurring any off-hand
penalties. In addition, you may treat any Shield as an Improvised Weapon
that deals 2K2 damage.

Aidesparian Jester [Courtier]

Despite the high stakes natures of Aidespar's social scene there is also room
at a Court for entertainment. Almost as important as the hard-nosed tactics
of the Nobles are the light-hearted yet dangerous skills of the Aidesparian
Jester. Primarily they serve to entertain fellow Courtiers at important
gatherings and lighten the general mood; making for a smoother negotiation
process as nothing can lower one's social defenses than a good laugh.
However underneath the clownish exterior is a sharp, cutting wit that can
lead to great embarrassment and shame to any unprepared fool who walks
into a Jester's social jab.

Technique Rank: 1
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Acting, Courtier, Investigation, Perform, Sincerity, any one High skill,
any one Low skill.
Valour: 2.5
Outfit: Court Robes, Jester's Outfit, Traveling Pack, 6 Dolats
Technique: Biting Sarcasm- The Aidesparian Jester brings with him to any
court the traditional aspects theater; comedy and tragedy. When your social
actions cause someone to lose points of either Dignity or Glory, they lose
double that amount. Additionally you may add your Insight Rank in rolled
dice to any Perform Skill.

Noble Ambassador [Courtier]

Unlike Rokugan, Aidespar does not maintain an isolationist policy when it

comes to dealing with foreign nations. Due to the geography of Aidespar
foreign delegations have happened very often. However with the current
advances of the Archfiend armies their importance has taken a sudden turn
as those amongst the various factions all agree that allies will be required to
win this war. Noble Ambassadors are often trained specifically to cater to a
particular group or nation; however their skills in general allow them to
more easily interact with foreigners than their other Courtier counterparts.

Technique Rank: 1
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Commerce, Courtier, Etiquette, Investigation, Lore (Foreign Courts),
Sincerity, any one High skill.
Valour: 4.0
Outfit: Ambassador's Clothing, Fine Court Robes, Traveling Pack, 10 Dolats
(can be split into different currencies)
Technique: Diplomatic Prowess- A Noble Ambassador's specialities in dealing
with other nations is often called upon for important delegations in a variety
of locations. Your Social Skills may be used normally in any court setting,
regardless of cultural differences. Additionally you gain a +1K0 to any Social
Skill used when dealing with foreign Courtiers.

New Rules

Aidesparian Weapons and Armor

Armor
Aidesparian Armor is primarily made from various metal alloys with only the
lighter weight Brigandine being made from heavy leather and bits of chain
mail. The armor philosophy of Aidespar warriors is not to evade a blow but
rather to withstand it so that a counterattack might be launched
immediately without the need for constant maneuvering. Aidesparian Armor
tends to be extremely hot and discomforting to wear, so this and other
reasons often it is only donned right before combat (see Customs and
Rituals).

Brigandine Armor
Essentially Brigandine Armor is a cloth garment, typically leather, lined with
small sections of mail or steel secured directly onto the fabric. Typically
Brigandine only covers the chest of a warrior's body, this does not provide
much stopping power but does not greatly hamper the wearer's ability to
move quickly and dodge with their own skill. Special Modifications can be
made to extend the coverage area at additional costs.
Bonus to Armor TN: +5
Reduction: 2
Special Rules: Brigandine Armor imposes a +5 TN penalty to Athletics rolls
upon the wearer. If a called shot is made to the Arms or Legs of the Wearer
then the Armor TN is not applied during that strike. 10 Dolats may be spent
for Arm coverings for the Brigandine, negating the Called Shot: Arms penalty
and adding +1 Armor TN to the Brigandine. 15 Dolats may be spent to add
leg coverings to the Brigandine, negating the Called Shot: Legs penalty and
added +1 Reduction to the Brigandine. (Characters skilled as a Blacksmith
must still pay at least half the cost of the modifications in materials.)
Price: 5 Dolats

Half-Plate Armor
Half-Plate Armor is the standard choice of equipment for many of the
Elemental Knights and various adventurers in Aidespar. This solid steel armor
encompasses the upper body region and defends the entire body except for
the lower legs. While it might not be entirely comfortable or mobile this
armor provides exceptional defense against any direct attacks its wearer
would have to endure.
Bonus to Armor TN: +7
Reduction: 6
Special Rules: Wearing Half-Plate Armor increases the TN of all Agility and
Reflexes Rolls by 5. If Half-Plate is worn for more than a number of hours
equal to the wearer's Earth Ring, they must make a Stamina Roll equal to
the number of hours worn x 5 or else they pass out from heat exhaustion.
Price: 30 Dolats

Full-Plate Armor
Some might call it awkward or unwieldy. Others might be discouraged by the
price or the sheer physical effort it takes just to wear it and move. But bar
none Full-Plate Armor is simply the best protection avaliable in Aidespar.
This metal behemoth is a full suit of steel plating that covers the wearer
from head to toe and withstand blows from even the heaviest of weapons.
However the physical requirements and constraints prevent it from being
commonly used.
Bonus to Armor TN: +5
Reduction: 10
Special Rules: Wearing Full-Plate Armor incurs the same TN penalties of
Half-Plate Armor as well as decreasing the wearer's Water Ring by 1 for the
purposes of calculating movement (this can cause it to hit 0). A Strength and
Stamina of 4 is required to even be able to move normally in Full-Plate. The
same rules for heat exhaustion apply to Full-Plate, however Stamina Rolls
occur after 1 hour of wear and the TN is the number of hours worn x 10.
Price: 75 Dolats

Shields
Shields in Aidespar are large circular plates with a grip handle on the
backside used to deflect attacks rather than directly withstand them.
Wielding a Shield incurs standard penalty for wielding a Weapon in each
hand without conveying any of the normal benefits for doing so. While using
a Shield that hand may not be used to attack with any weapons without first
dropping the Shield. Shields may be used as Improvised Weapons via
Jiujutsu, dealing 1K1 damage.

Wooden Shield
Wooden Shields are made from the hardest trees in Aidespar and are usually
strengthened to ensure they can withstand blows even from the metal
implements that cut down the tree to begin with.
Bonus to Armor TN: +5
Reduction: 1
Special Rules: If more than 40 points of damage is dealt in a single attack
with a Called Shot: Shield (2 Raises) the Wooden Shield will break.
Price: 10 Dolats

Steel Shield
Steel Shields are heavier than their wooden counterparts and a bit harder to
fight with due to this weight. However they are far more durable and can
withstand far more punishment. Many consider this trade off worth the
hassle.
Bonus to Armor TN: +7
Reduction: 3
Special Rules: Your Water Ring is considered 1 less for purposes of
calculating movement while wielding a Steel Shield (to a minimum of 1).
Price: 25 Dolats

Heavy Weapons
Aidesparian Heavy Weapons are truly a sight to behold as they are usually
the length of a man's torso at least and as long as his body at most. Heavy
Weapons require two hands to wield properly and invoke a cumulative TN
Penalty of +5 if held in a single hand while striking. (Meaning holding two
Heavy Weapons single handedly creates a +10 penalty.) These weapons are
not commonly used due to their quirks and production costs.

Double Axe
A 3 foot steel shaft which bridges the gap between two large double-edged
axe blades comprises the Double Axe. Despite its size and weight this
weapon's proper use it similar to that of a dance as one much twirl the
weapon or dance around its motion to avoid being cut while dealing damage
with both ends.
Keywords: Large
DR: 0K4
Special Rules: A Double Axe may not be wielded with one hand under any
circumstances. Using this weapon treated as if you had a weapon in each
hand for the purpose of using the Two Weapon Fighting rules. (It also
functions with the Knight of Fire's Rank 5 technique.)
Price: 20 Dolats

Grand Mace
With a rod as long as a man's arm and a massive orb as big as his skull, the
Grand Mace is the ultimate crushing weapon in all of Aidespar's arsenal. A
master of the Grand Mace can even place sizable dents in Full-Plate Armor
or a solid stone wall if given a clear shot to do so.
Keywords: Large
DR: 2K3
Special Rules: The Grand Mace deals double damage to all inanimate
objects such as walls, doors, or statues. This bonus does not apply to any
armor or weapons if they are currently being worn.
Price: 15 Dolats

Seibore
This 6 foot long sword creates a massive gust of wind when properly swung
in a cleaving motion due to its sheer size. Proud traditionalists claim the
Seibore is the weapon that any Elemental Knight should master if he or she
wishes to claim themselves a true Knight.
Keywords: Large, Knight
DR: 1K4
Special Rules: The Seibore is a massive weapon that is not mastered easily.
A Strength of 3 is required to simply pick up and swing the weapon with a +5
TN penalty to their attacks. This penalty is negated if the wielder has a
Strength of 5 or higher.
Price: 30 Dolats

Saber Weapons
These slashing and piercing blades are the bread and butter of Aidespar's
society. Even if they are seldom used you will often see an Elemental Knight
carrying around a Bastard Sword as symbol of his place in society. Rapiers
are popular weapons amongst the lords and ladies due to their use in duels
of Valour. And Short Swords are so common and easy to master that it is a
typical self defense weapon for anyone wishing to travel to stave off bandits
(although the bandits do like them too).

Bastard Sword
This 4 foot sword is easily the most balanced and versatile weapon in any
arsenal. The first Elemental Knights used these weapons to combat the
forces of the Sorcerer King and it has been tradition ever since for a Knight
to seek out one of his own even if he has not the skill to use it properly.
Keywords: Medium, Knight
DR: 3K2
Special Rules: When wielded by an Elemental Knight, you may spend only
one Light point to increase the damage dealt by a Bastard Sword by 1K1.
Price: 10 Dolats

Rapier
While similar in length to the Bastard Sword, the Rapier is a much narrower
blade that is designed more for piercing thrust attacks that broad slashing
strokes. This is the only weapon used in duels of Valour so those who
regularly interact with the nobility become familiar with its uses fair quickly.
Keywords: Medium, Noble
DR: 1K2
Special Rules: Due to its design Rapiers are more easily turned by heavier
metal armor and receive a +5 TN penalty to attacks made against opponents
wearing Half or Full-Plate (or any other defensive exoskeleton like these
things) but receive a -5 TN Bonus to attacks against opponents wearing little
to no metal armor.
Price: 8 Dolats

Short Sword
Ranging anywhere from 1.5 to 2 feet in length, these blades are the perfect
starting point for anyone wishing to learn the ways of the sword. They're
easily made, simple to learn yet difficult to master, and offer a wide array
of options most Aidesparian weapons lack.
Keywords: Small
DR: 2K2
Special Rules: A short sword may be thrown up to 20 feet as a ranged
weapon.
Price: 5 Dolats

Spear Weapons
Spear Weapons represent the more unusual and unorthadox style of
weaponry found in Aidespar. While Spears are not completely obscure due to
their use in Jousting tournaments, they are not commonly found on the
normal battlefield. They are trickier to use and not as straight forward as
most weapons but many find their unusual traits make up for the steeper
learning curve.

Heavy Lance
These elongated weapons are similar to the type found within Rokugan's
borders. However Heavy Lances employ a metal shaft and consist of a thick
cylinder near the shaft that narrows into a sharp tip at the end of the
weapon. Due to this design they are more durable than their counterparts
and do not break under stress, but in exchange they are not as damaging.
Keywords: Large
DR: 2K2
Special Rules: Heavy Lances deal more damage if a charging momentum is
put behind the blow. If you attack with a Heavy Lance from horseback the
weapon deals 3K3 damage instead.
Price: 12 Dolats

Guisarme
A Guisarme is your typical spear by design but with a small twist. There is a
curved pruning hook on the spear tip itself that can be used for catching
unprepared opponents off guard. While this hook might prevent the weapon
from piercing as deeply as a normal spear, it makes up for this by providing
an excellent way to dismount a charging horseman.
Keywords: Medium
DR: 0K2
Special Rules: The Guisarme may be used to initiate and maintain a grapple.
You gain a Free Raise on Grapple checks with this weapon if your opponent is
mounted.
Price: 8 Dolats
Scythe
Originally used as a farming implement, it was discovered that the Scythe
could be refined into a terrifying weapon that could dismember opponents
with disturbing efficiency. This weapon, while seeing use amongst the
Elemental Knights, is actually the favored weapon of the Chaos Knights; and
they truly bring out this weapon's devastating potential.
Keywords: Medium
DR: 0K3
Special Rules: The Scythe rolls an extra die of damage when used for the
Called Shot maneuver.
Price: 13 Dolats

New Skills

High Skills:
Fencing (Reflexes)
Sub-types: None.
Emphasis: Leading, Cut, Lunge, Thrust, Prime, Seconde, Tierce
Description: When an individuals Valour is brought into question in Aidespar
the tradition of a Fencing Duel is used to determine the truth of the matter.
Typically Fencing Duels are performed by those ranking amongst the mid to
upper class and are a private affair. For Fencing is a test of one individual's
skill against another; with no distractions from spectators to divert the
duel's focus. Those who wish to master fencing must not only be quick to
take the first action (known as Leading) but must also have a good grasp of
Fencing's many styles. A poorly chosen stance in the face of a wise opponent
often leads to quick ending matches, where as duelists capable of reading
their opponent can fence for hours on end.

Rank 3: During a Fencing Duel, the character gains a Free Raise against any
Disarming attempts.
Rank 5: During a Fencing Duel, the character gains an additional +1K0 on his
Fencing (Leading)/Light rolls.
Rank 7: The character may chose one of the offensive and one of the
defensive stances assumed in a Fencing Duel. The character gains an
additional +0K1 to rolls made in those stances.
Jousting (Agility)
Sub-types: None.
Emphasis: Tilting, Grandstanding, Positioning
Description: Matters of Dignity are usually disputed with a quick banter of
insults between the parties concerned until one side is shamed too much to
respond. However sometimes these bouts of words escalate to a point where
nothing more can be said in the face of such powerful taunts. It is at these
times that man and woman alike mount their steeds and face off in a duel of
Jousting to settle the score. Those proficient in Jousting seek to remove
their opponent from their horse as soon as possible (known as Tilting), but
often efficiency is dropped for a flashier match. This is either because one
party wishes to greatly humiliate the other, or the Joust is just one of many
tournaments held by the nobility for entertainment and political gain.

Rank 3: You may add +1K0 to any Horsemanship roll made during a Jousting
Duel.
Rank 5: The character gains a Free Raise for the purpose of Called Shots
during a Jousting Duel.
Rank 7: During a Jousting Duel, the character is considered to have 2
additional points of Reduction.

Bugei Skills:
Archery (Reflexes)
Notes: This skill functions exactly the same as the Kyujutsu skill, however
the only ranged weapon that works with Archery is the Longbow.
Mechanically the Longbow functions exactly the same as the Yumi with
similar arrow types.

Swordsmanship (Agility)
Sub-types: Weapon Skill
Emphasis: Bastard Sword, Rapier, Short Sword
Description: Swordsmanship refers to the set of skills one learns in Aidespar
when mastering the Saber style weapons. Although favored by certain groups
of the Elemental Knights and nobility it is not unusual to find peasants with
some small skill in Swordsmanship. As one of the most flexible and deep
fighting styles in Aidespar, Swordsmanship is truly easy to learn but hard to
master. Those who command the blade with unparalleled skill are often held
in high regard by their peers.
Rank 3: A Saber may be readied as a Free Action rather than a Simple Action
Rank 5: Opponents with a Reduction rating have their rating reduced by 1
when attacked with a Saber.
Rank 7: The character's Status is treated as 1 Rank higher amongst Elemental
Knights and members of the nobility.

Merchant Skills:

Low Skills:
Alchemy (Intelligence)
Sub-types: Artisan Skill
Emphasis: Potion Making, Transmutation
Description: The highly frowned upon art of Alchemy is a relatively new skill
amongst those with the time to devote to learning it. Through its uses one
can manipulate different chemicals and natural elements to produce
anything from different flavored wines to medicines capable of curing the
most virulent diseases. A skilled alchemist can create up to 3 lbs of potions
with a variety of effects (GM discretion). Also they perform the art of
transmutation on any object of up to 3 pound or less. Transmutation changes
one element into the form of another so long as the second form is similar to
the first. (GM Discretion; You could change sand into glass but not water into
steel for example, normally.)

Rank 3: Your Potion Crafting TNs are lowered by 5.

Rank 5: The amount of Potion you can create or material you may now
Transmute is limited to any object up to 10 pounds or less.
Rank 7: You may now perform "Legendary Alchemy".

Crafting Rules:

Alchemy actions are divided into four ranks.

Basic:

Basic Alchemy involves creating simple potions with similar base material to
the final product or transmuting a material into something similar to its base
form. Examples- Using juice to make wine is a basic potion. Changing oak
wood into pine wood is a basic transmutation.

Performing a Basic Alchemy action requires 1 Met worth of material for

every 1 lbs of potion or transmutation. The TN for success is equal to 1 x the
number of lbs you are attempting to transmute and requires 10 minutes per
1 lbs to complete. (At GMs discretion you may gather the materials needed
to perform a Basic Alchemy action at no cost.) Raises may be taken to
reduce the crafting time by 5 minutes per Raise.

Moderate:

Moderate Alchemy involves creating more complex potions, simple potions

with a dissimilar base material, or transmuting a material into something
slightly different than its base form. Examples- Medicine is a more complex
potion. Using water to make wine is a dissimilar base material. Changing oak
wood into a chair is a moderate transmutation.

Performing a Moderate Alchemy action requires 1 Laral worth of material for

every 1 lbs of potion or transmutation. The TN for success is equal to 5 x the
number of lbs you are attempting to transmute and requires 1 hour per 1 lbs
to complete. (At GM discretion you may gather the materials needed to
perform a Moderate Alchemy action at no cost.) Raises may be taken to
reduce the crafting time by 30 minutes per Raise.

Advanced:

Advanced Alchemy involves changing the nature of complex potions to make

them more powerful or have additional effects; or transmuting a material
into something quite different from its base form. Examples- Making a
medicine more potent or adding a unique flavor to a food item is an
advanced potion. Changing oak wood into a steel sword is an advanced
transmutation.

Performing an Advanced Alchemy action requires 1 Dolat worth if material

for every 1 lbs of potion or transmutation. The TN for success is equal to 10
x the number of lbs you are attempting to transmute and requires 2 hours
per 1 lbs to complete. (At GM discretion you may gather the materials
needed to perform an Advanced Alchemy action at half cost. Additionally
GMs may grant Free Raises on the roll if high quality materials are used or
excessive time is spent performing the Advanced Alchemy action.) Raises
may be taken to reduce the crafting time by 1 hour.

Legendary:

Legendary Alchemy involves making potions of extreme potency or

transmuting a material into something of an entirely different form.
Legendary Alchemy can only be formed by a character with 7 Ranks or more
in Alchemy. Examples- Recipes to create potions that can cure powerful
diseases or restore a few years of youth are Legendary potions. Changing
water into steel is a Legendary transmutation.

Performing a Legendary Alchemy action requires 5 Dolats worth of material

for every 1 lbs of potion or transmutation. The TN for success is equal to 20
x the number of lbs you are attempting to transmute and requires 5 hours
per 1 lbs to complete. (At GM discretion you may gather the materials
needed to perform a Legendary Alchemy action at half cost. Additionally
GMs may grant Free Raises on the roll if the highest possibly quality
materials are used or excessive time is spent researching and performing the
Legendary Alchemy action.) Raises may not be taken to reduce the crafting
time.

Advantages

Descendant of Paladin (4 Points): Your bloodline is connected to the last

daughter of King Paladin V and as such the blood of the Knight of Light flows
through your veins. You begin the game with +1 Light instead of your normal
family trait bonus. However true knowledge of your heritage has been lost
to time and kept hidden in long forgotten records, so your family name is
still that of one of the major households of Aidespar.

Favored by the Arcana (Varies): One of the thirteen friendly Arcana has
shown favor towards you and granted you with a blessing few share. Those
blessed by the Arcana in this manner usually carry a birthmark somewhere
on their body in a shape resembling the that Arcana.

*The Fool (4 Points): See Ebisu's Blessing.

*The Magician (5 Points): See Dark Paragon- Perfection.
*The Priestess (5 Points): See Dark Paragon- Insight
*The Empress (3 Points): See Dangerous Beauty. Dangerous Beauty may be
taken along with this Advantage with the same effect gained twice.
*The Emperor (5 Points): See Dark Paragon- Control.
*The Hierophant (4 Points): See Fukurokujin's Blessing.
*The Lovers (4 Points): See Benten's Blessing.
*The Chariot (7 Points): See Paragon- Honor.
*The Justice (5 Points): See Dark Paragon- Knowledge.
*The Hermit (7 Points): See Paragon- Compassion.
*The Fortune (4 Points): See Daikoku's Blessing.
*The Strength (5 Points): See Dark Paragon- Will.
*The Hanged Man (7 Points): See Paragon- Duty.

Power Grasp (6 Points, 4 for Knights of Earth and Fire): Through many long
days of painful training both physically and mentally you have fashioned
your hands into powerful tools that can withstand abnormal amounts of
stress and strain. You no longer invoke a TN penalty for holding Heavy
Weapons with one hand. Additionally you gain a Free Raise to Athletics
(Climbing) Rolls.

Disadvantages

Cursed by the Arcana (Varies): One of the fourteen Arcana has seen fit to
mark you with a dire curse that will follow you until death.. Those cursed by
the Arcana in this manner usually carry a birthmark somewhere on their
body in a shape resembling the that Arcana like those who are blessed. Only
the "cursed" mark is in the reverse position.

*The Fool (3 Points): See Ebisu's Curse.

*The Magician (5 Points): See Consumed- Perfection.
*The Priestess (4 Points): See Consumed- Insight
*The Empress (3 Points): See Disturbing Countenance. Disturbing
Countenance may be taken along with this Advantage with the same effect
gained twice.
*The Emperor (4 Points): See Consumed- Control.
*The Hierophant (3 Points): See Fukurokujin's Curse.
*The Lovers (3 Points): See Benten's Curse.
*The Chariot (3 Points): See Failure of Bushido- Honor.
*The Justice (4 Points): See Consumed- Knowledge.
*The Hermit (3 Points): See Failure of Bushido- Compassion.
*The Fortune (3 Points): See Daikoku's Curse.
*The Strength (4 Points): See Consumed- Will.
*The Hanged Man (6 Points): See Failure of Bushido- Duty.
*The Death (8 Points): See Momoku.

Duels of Dignity and Valour in Aidespar

Much like in Rokugan there are certain insults that cannot be resolved by
words alone. If an individual insults you in such a manner you have a right to
challenge them to one on one combat depending on the nature of the insult.
An insult towards your Dignity (topics include things like your heritage, your
manners, ect.) are settled by a Jousting contest. Insults directed towards
your Valour (topics your courage, breaking an oath, ect.) are settled by a
Fencing duel.

Jousting
Jousting is a competition of skill and courage performed by two individuals
with horses and lances. The two involved in the Joust mount their steeds
and face each other at opposide ends of a dividing rail. Then they charge
towards each other and attempt to knock each other off their horse without
falling off themselves. The last one on his horse is declared the winner. In
Jousting combatants use Armor that is more ornamental than defensive, as
it is more of a way to show off to the crowd and a boast of one's own skills
(the more ornamental the armor the more confident the wearer is in his own
prowess). A Jousting Lance is specially designed for these competitions, it
deals 3K2 damage but breaks after a single attack is made. It is not unusual
to go through multiple lances in a single Jousting match. Jousts are very
public duels and often draw large crowds to see the outcome.

Below are the mechanics for a Jousting match:

1. Once the combatants are positions across from each other on the rail they
may attempt an opposed Intimidation/Awareness Roll to get the crowd on
their side. The winner gains the support of the crowd and it boosts their
morale, giving their opponent a +5 TN penalty to any future opposed rolls.
This stage is optional and more Brash opponents may fore go this stage in
order to settle the fight quickly. (This also applies to Jousts with higher
stakes, as this type of showboating is stereotypically for younger knights and
lords looking for their five minutes of fame.)

2. Then after the Jousters charge towards each other they must make an
opposed Horsemanship/Perception Roll to position their bodies and horses
and just the right angle for the strike and subsequent dodge. The Jouster
with the higher roll gains a Free Raise to the opposed Jousting Roll. If one
Jouster rolls more than 15 less than their opponent, they get a +5 TN
penalty to the opposed Jousting Roll.

3. When the two Jousters meet in the middle of the rail an opposed
Jousting/Agility check is made to strike their opponent. What happens next
depending on the total of the roll and the difference between the two rolls.
Raises may be made to increase damage.

If both Jousters roll less than 10 = Both Jouster miss and immediately lose
0.1 Dignity.

If the total roll exceeds 10 and is higher than their opponent by a difference
greater than 11 but less than 20 = The winning Jouster strikes a grazing hit,
dealing half damage (rounded down)

If the total roll exceeds 10 and is higher than their opponent by a difference
less than 30 = The winning Jouster strikes a direct hit, dealing normal
damage.

If the total roll exceeds 10 and is higher than their opponent by a difference
of 30 or greater = The winning Jouster strikes a devastating blow, dealing
double damage.

If the total roll exceeds 10 but the total difference is 10 or less = Both
Jousters strike each other at the same time, dealing normal damage.

4. If a Jouster has been dealt damage in the previous step, they must make
a Horsemanship/Strength check with a TN equal to the Damage Dealt. Any
Jouster at Down or Out Wound Levels automatically fails this check. If the
check is failed they fall off their horse and lose the Joust. If the check is
made then both opponents line up again and repeats steps 1-4 until a winner
is determined.

5. The winner of a Joust is considered to have his name cleared of any insult
and gains 0.1 Dignity points x the Insight Rank of his opponent. The loser of
the Joust loses anywhere from 0.1 to a Full Rank of Dignity depending on the
insult and the skill of his opponent at GM discretion.

Fencing
A Fencing competition makes use of the Rapier weapon and is typically a
test of skill to see who is more skilled in the weapon's finer applications.
Duels between Rapiers are fast-paced sword fights where the goal so much
isn't to outright strike your opponent down, but to remain engaged in
blade-to-blade combat and use your skill and finesse to turn their blade
while striking with your own. Because of this Fencing is a more complicated
art of fighting than any other method of combat in Aidespar and as such has
a method of tactics that can be employed to win. Once a match has begun it
doesn't end until one side cries out for mercy or is killed in the match.
Depending on the nature of the insult that prompted the duel, killing your
opponent even though they cry for mercy is completely acceptable (however
if you do so over a slight insult you may be looked down upon as cruel or
petty).

Below are the mechanics for a Fencing match:

1. Both combatants make a Fencing/Light roll in order to determine

Initiative. The winner may chose to assume the role of the Attacker or the
Defender.

2. In a Fencing match the determination of who gets damaged depends on

the players roles and their rolls. First the Attacker and Defender chose their
Stances in secret (given to the GM by note or by whispering). These Stances
determine who has the advantage for the strike part of the duel. Below are
the list of Stances and how they compare to each other.

Attack: Cut, Lunge, Thrust

Defense: Prime, Seconde, Tierce
Comparison of Cut Stance: +0 to Attacker's Roll vs Prime, +5 to Attacker's
Roll vs Seconde, +5 to Defender's Roll vs Tierce.
Comparison of Lunge Stance: +5 to Defender's Roll vs Prime, +0 to Attacker's
Roll vs Seconde, +5 to Attacker's Roll vs Tierce.
Comparion of Thrust Stance: +5 to Attacker's Roll vs Prime, +5 to Defender's
Roll vs Seconde, +0 to Attacker's Roll vs Tierce.

Other factors such as High and Low terrain, Rough terrain, ect may be
applied at GM discretion.

3. Once the modifiers have been determined, both players make an opposed
Fencing/Reflexes Roll and the outcome is determined by the die difference.
Raises can be made for flashier moves or more skillful displays (along with
standard maneuvers).

If neither roll exceed each other by 10 or more: No damage is dealt as the

opponents parry each other perfectly. The Attacker and Defender roles are
exchanged.

Attacker wins by 10 or more: The Attacker over comes the Defender's parries
then deals normal damage + 3 x the number of rounds they have been in the
Attacking position and remains in the Attacker role for another turn.

Defender wins by 10 or more: The Defender manages to turn the Attacker

and may either counter attack, dealing extra damage equal to their rank in
the Fencing skill, or they may choose to not deal damage and exchange the
Attacker and Defender roles.

4. Once a victor has been determined the winner receives Valour points
equal to their opponent's Insight Rank. The loser loses Valour points equal to
their opponent's Insight Rank x 2. Additional points may be gained or lost if
one side has managed total control of the match or has performed some
spectacular feats of prowess.

Creatures of Aidespar
1. The Legions of Pandemonium

Archfiends

While the lessons taught by the Church detail the Archfiends as enemies of
the Light who seek to devour this world and turn it into an extension of their
own, nothing describes them in any great detail aside from vague
description and motivations. Most information about the Archfiends has been
gathered only since the war with them began and those reports tend to be
exaggerated or incomplete. However some solid facts about the Archfiend
menace have emerged over the years.

It is known that the Archfiends primarily consist of a virtually endless army

of shock troops referred to as the "Legion Soldiers". These represent the
weakest of the Archfiend's army but more than make up for it with their
sheer numbers and unrelenting determination to crush all who stand before
them. This army is led by a specific group of "elites" amongst the Archfiends
that are said to be nightmarish versions of the pieces used in the popular
Aidesparian game of Chess. Whether or not these Archfiends have always
had this form or they simply adopted it as some form of psychological
warfare is unknown. These more advance Archfiends rarely seem to leave
the realm of Pandemonium as their powers are unable to fully manifest in
any area untouched by the Chaos' influence. However they have been
recorded to appear during critical battles, particularly during the fall of
Golgangi.

In general the Archfiends all appear to have some ties to their home realm
of Pandemonium as those who survive battle report strange phenomenon
even in skirmishes outside of Chaos-influenced ground. Sometimes swords
are mysteriously bent before touching an Archfiend's body, or arrows will
decide to change direction once in flight. Some refer to it as a curse, some
refer to it as a special "power" these creatures possess, but none can deny
that some mysterious force works to constantly create havock on the
battlefield in favor of the Archfiend invaders.

With a few exceptions, nearly all Archfiends have a relatively human shape.
Their most notable features come from their physical builds. Most
Archfiends are covered in a skeletal armor much like that of a human body,
only with certain sections enlarged and distorted to provide coverage like
typical metal armor. The parts that aren't covered expose a fleshy substance
similar to muscles and tendons; typically red, blue, or green in color.
However regardless of whether this flesh or bone is struck the entire body of
an Archfiend is very resistant to any form of damage. All Archfiend's have
glowing red eyes that cannot be dimmed under any circumstances, this
makes it virtually impossible for them to ambush a wary opponent.

New Special Ability: Archfiend's Barrier

Having been born of the very founding energies of Pandemonium the very
unpredictable nature of that realm runs through every drop of their blood.
This unique tie to Pandemonium grants the Archfiends their most
devastating power; a barrier made from Chaos itself. Invisible to any form of
sight, this barrier manipulates the very fabric of reality at random and can
cause any form of attack against an Archfiend to fail no matter how
carefully aimed or skillfully executed. An Archfiend does not even need to
be aware of an attack for the Barrier to function.

On any Archfiend the Archfiend's Barrier will be listed under their Special
Abilities along with a number. For example: Archfiend's Barrier (1). When
any form of attack or spell is made against this creature, the player must
first roll a single d10. If the number rolled is equal to or less than the
number listed the attack/spell immediately fails by Pandemonium's
influence.

The Barrier may be strengthened or weakened depending upon where the

Archfiend is located. Archfiends on normal ground have a Barrier number as
listed. If the Archfiend is located within ground that has been claimed by
Pandemonium, it's Barrier number increases by 1. If it is located within
Pandemonium itself, this number increases by two. If the Archfiend is in a
church or another similar site that has been sanctified by the Light as Holy
Ground the Barrier number decreases by 1.

Because of this creatures can have an Archfiend Barrier (0). Meaning the
Barrier has no effect unless it is somewhere under Pandemonium's influence.
Other Special Abilities may raise the Barrier number (such as the Unhallowed
Bishop) however these Special Abilities are not cumulative.
Legion Soldier

One of the first amongst the ranks of Archfiends to emerge from the portal
to Pandemonium, the Legion Soldier is the rank and file units amongst their
numbers. While not as powerful as any of their higher Archfiend brethren
the Legion Soldiers make up for this in sheer numbers. The records of the
war with the Archfiends state that thousands of them marched upon
Aidespar during the first wave and despite numerous victories at the
defensive front line their numbers keep replenishing after ever battle. Some
theorize that there is no end to the number of Legion Soldiers in existence;
and that they will continue to advance endlessly so long as the path to
Aidespar lies open to them.

Those who have fought against the Legion Soldiers describe them as being
exactly alike down to the very notches on their bone armor. Most of a Legion
Soldier's body is exposed, revealing a purple flesh-like substance formed into
densly packed muscle tissue. The only armored parts of the Legion Soldier
are patched of bone-like armor in the form of greaves, gauntlets, and
pauldrons. Some say the heads are armored as well, covered by an also bony
helmet with small horns curving back along the Soldier's head; yet this is
debated as Legion Soldiers, like other Archfiends, have an unusual biological
trait. Their bones (typically in the chest, spine, and ribs) actually protrude
through the flesh and are had enough to provide additional protection. As
such it is uncertain whether this "helmet" is true bone or bone armor. It is
also noted that the Legion Soldiers are the only archfiends to possess solid
golden eyes, similar to the infection trait of humans who are consumed by
Pandemonium and transformed into Chaos Knights. Many Chaos Knights fear
that the Legion Soldier is what they will ultimately become.

Air: 2
Earth: 3
Fire: 3
Water: 3
Initiative: 4K3
Attack: Claws 7K3 (Single)
Damage: 5K2
Armor TN: 25
Reduction: 5
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Archfiend's Barrier (0)

*Swift

Vile Pawn

At first glance one might mistake the Vile Pawn for the lowest member of
the Archfiends. Compared to the Legion Soldier it is typically 1-2 feet
shorter and possesses a stockier, yet less muscular build. The exposed bone
trait of the Archfiend's biology presents its true nature here; as the dark
grey bone covers the creature almost entirely; shaped much like a suit of
armor (even forming a shield built into its very arm). The only exposed
points of their crimson-purple flesh are along its upper legs, upper arms,
"lungs", and throat. Like all Archfiends though these are not weak points,
but simply a quirk of the creature's natural state.

The Vile Pawn's exposed flesh along the arms, legs, and neck though hold a
unique trait that makes the Vile Pawn far more deadly than the Legion
Soldier. The fleshy sections of those limbs can stretch out and support the
Vile Pawn's full weight at distances of up to three times their normal length.
Many a terrified Knight has returned from the front lines with stories of
these creatures suddenly being able to manifest this ability and simply walk
over barricades or climb up steep fortress walls with relative ease. In terms
of numbers the Vile Pawn appears far less often than Legion Soldiers, but
often enough to be called a "common" member of the Archfiend echelon (it
is estimated they appear once for every twenty five Legion Soldiers). While
holding a position of slightly more prominence than the Legion Soldier, the
Vile Pawn has never been seen giving out orders and appears to simply obey
directives given to it by the Archfiend leaders.

Air: 3
Earth: 3
Fire: 3
Water: 3
Initiative: 5K3
Attack: Claws 8K3 (Simple) or Bite 7K3 (Complex)
Damage: 6K3 or 4K4
Armor TN: 25
Reduction: 5
Wounds:16: +5; 32: +10; 48 +15; 72: Dead.

*Archfiend's Barrier (1)

*Swift
*Unnatural Extension: A Vile Pawn's limbs and neck are able to stretch out
unusual distances while still being connected to the main body. Actions with
its Claw may be made up to 15' away and actions with its Bite up to 5'. This
Extension may be used to practically triple its height and reach, allowing the
Vile Pawn to reach up and climb higher ledges.

Desecrating Rook

Truly unique in appearance amongst the Archfiends is the bane of all

unprotected infantry, the Desecrating Rook. One of the largest recorded
Archfiends, the Rook stands at approximately 20 feet in height and is shaped
like a castle tower completely covered in the typical bone-like exoskeleton;
long and cylindrical. Along six sides of this "tower" are six long armored
tendrils with massive hooks at each end that the Rook uses to propel itself
forward. It is also said it can use these tendrils in unison to launch itself
several meters into the air, coming down with nothing short of devastating
force. In the center of the tower body is a large skull-like face with a
massive "grin" from all the exposed teeth and jaw line. Several fleshy
smaller tendrils with similar hooks grow alongside this face like a beard; and
it is theorized that when a main tendril is severed or damaged beyond use it
can grow one of these lesser tendrils to full size for a replacement. Atop the
tower's top lays an arrangement of ten individual claws growing out of its
"head"; adorning the tower's topside like a crown.

The purpose of the Desecrating Rook in battle is two fold. In larger groups of
Archfiends it often acts as their form of siege weaponry as its uncanny speed
and ability to propel itself large distances via air allows it to flatter both
troops and fortifications without much effort. The second purpose is similar
in purpose to a field medic, although it rarely does this except for the more
powerful Archfiends in the command chain. When such an Archfiend falls on
the battlefield Desecrating Rooks have been observed leaping onto the
corpse and taking it within their own body; ignoring any other threat on the
field of battle to do so. Once the corpse has been absorbed the Rook
typically screams out in agony for several seconds before the Archfiend it
absorbed bursts forth from underneath it; freshly revived. Like the Vile Pawn
the Desecrating Rook appears to serve more as a higher level grunt as it has
never been observed commanding any Archfiends. Their total number is
uncertain as Desecrating Rooks typically only appear during larger sieges or
alongside higher-level Archfiends.

Air: 2
Earth: 5
Fire: 3
Water: 2
Initiative: 3K2
Attack: (See Special Abilities)
Damage: -
Armor TN: 30
Reduction: 8
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Archfiend's Barrier (1)

*Crushing Leap: The Desecrating Rook may use its many legs to launch itself
into the air and land on any foe within 50'. This is a Complex action with 6K3
as the attack roll. If the attack hits the player takes 8K3 damage and is
treated as being Grappled with the Desecrating Rook in control. A Grapple
check may be made the following round but for every round the Rook
remains in control and does not move the Player takes 3K3 damage from
being crushing under the Desecrating Rook's weight.
*Sacrificial Restoration: As a Complex action the Desecrating Rook may
engulf the body of a fallen Archfiend and encase it within its own body. For
one full round it may energize the fallen Archfiend with it's own life energy
and release the Archfiend at the end of the round restored to full health. A
successful restoration deals damage to the Desecrating Rook equal to the
restored Archfiend's Barrier Number x 15.
*Swift

Unhallowed Bishop

Sometimes referred to humorlessly as the "dark preachers" of the

Archfiends; the Unhallowed Bishops are a powerful support unit that can
turn the tides of battle for any Archfiend group by its presence alone. The
nickname given to it by the front line forces originates from two aspects
about the Unhallowed Bishop: Its unique appearance and its equally original
abilities. This Archfiend chooses often to wear a long cloak draped from its
neck much like a priest's robe; in effect shielding the body from the torso
below from sight. In general the Unhallowed Bishops are no taller than a
typical man; yet they retain the typical exo-skeletal structure common to
most Archfiends, although their muscular tissue is sickly green in coloration.
All reports of them detail a unique "crown" shaped appendage seemingly
grown from the creature's own cranial skeleton; resembling that of a head
pastor's Mitre (ceremonial headgear). The final telling symbol of this
creature is a long staff it bears, with an unknown skull mounted at the top.

While the sight of the creature can be nauseating to the most devout of
Light-worshipers, the most terrifying aspect of the Unhallowed Bishop is not
its appearance, but its aforementioned power. Often on the battlefield an
Unhallowed Bishop (rarely is there any more than one at any given battle,
two at most have ever been reported at a singular skirmish) begins chanting
and waving its staff around like a priest on a tirade. Once this ceremony of
sorts begins the Unhallowed Bishop starts glowing a soft, pulsating red.
When this happens the natural effects of the Archfiend's Barrier become
more prevalent. Even the Legion Soldiers who seem to not possess a natural
barrier of their own suddenly manifest one once the Unhallowed Bishop
begins to chant. This action might best be described as a "battle prayer"; but
the thought of these creatures praying is considered blasphemous at best by
the Church.

Air: 4
Earth: 2
Fire: 3
Water: 3
Initiative: 6K4
Attack: Staff 6K3 (Complex)
Damage: 3K3
Armor TN: 20
Reduction: 4
Wounds: 12: +5; 24: +10; 36: Dead.
*Archfiend's Barrier (2)
*Barrier Amplification: The Unhallowed Bishop has a natural power that
automatically empowers any Archfiend's Barrier up to 50' away from the
Unhallowed Bishop. Any Archfiend within range has their Barrier Number
increase by 1 (including the Unhallowed Bishop). The Unhallowed Bishop can
take a Complex Action to increase the range of this ability to 150' and to
increase the Barrier Number by 2; however it cannot take a move action if it
does so.
*Swift

Shadowed Knight of Darkness

Considered one of the elites amongst the Archfiends, the Shadowed Knight
of Darkness lives up to its name in appearance. The bone structure of the
Shadowed Knight appears to be an evolved form similar to that of the Vile
Pawn, complete with a bone shield built into the arm. However the bone
around the body is formed into a set of half-plate armor very ornate in
detail but no less functional than the real thing. It's primary form of attack
is a Bastard Sword literally growing out of the Shadowed Knight's right arm
from the elbow joint.

Unlike any other Archfiend however the Shadowed Knight is almost human in
appearance. The external bone around the face is shaped as such that one
might think a sculptor tried to chisel out the appearance of a human skull. In
addition the Shadowed Knights also have hair growing out of this skull like a
normal individual and are capable of mimicking normal speech patterns with
the only "tell" being an unusually deep voice. Although the Shadowed Knights
are almost always guarding the highest ranks of Archfiends, there have been
instances where one has donned a hooded robe and infiltrated human
settlements in order to assassinate key figures.

Air: 4
Earth: 4
Fire: 5
Water: 4
Initiative: 5K4
Attack: 7K5 Bastard Sword (Simple)
Damage: 7K3
Armor TN: 25
Reduction: 8
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Archfiend's Barrier (2)

*Swift

Infernal Queen of Wrath

Compared to the other members of the Archfiend's numbers the Infernal

Queen of Wrath may not immediately seem like a dire threat. Their body is
far more streamlined like an hourglass; with limbs that seem almost fragile
due to their thinness. However to underestimate the Queen is a mistake that
will quickly lead to a swift death. Typically the Infernal Queen is garbed
almost entirely in a purple robe and like the Shadowed Knight she too has
hair; only long, wiry, and similarly purple. The bone structure around her
shoulders has grown out into regally designed pauldrons and the skull
actually extends out to for a "mock crown" in matched black and purple
colors.

In combat the Infernal Queen can hold her own with most Archfiends using
the serrated tips of her fingers as claws. Normally she prefers to stay out of
single combat though as her primary strength is not physical combat. The
true power of the Infernal Queen comes from her ability to significantly
boost the abilities of any other Archfiend within the immediate area. Even
the lowly Legion Soldier can become a nightmarish foe under the right
circumstances with the Queen's blessing.

Air: 4
Earth: 3
Fire: 3
Water: 3
Initiative: 7K4
Attack: 8K3 Claws (Complex)
Damage: 6K3
Armor TN: 20
Reduction: 5
Wounds: 20: +5; 40: +10; 60: +15; 80: Dead

*Archfiend's Barrier (3)

*Queen's Blessing: As a Complex action an Infernal Queen of Wrath may
target any Archfiend creature up to 100' away. On their next action they gain
a number of extra rolled dice to any Attack or Damage roll equal to their
Barrier Number.
*Swift

Genocidal King of Terror

Towering over any of the other Archfiends; the Genocidal King of Terror
stands nearly 10 feet tall with a massive width generated by the layers of
thick bone armor on its body in Brigandine style. Any part not covered in
armor reveals the standard Archfiend style muscle; which bugles up in
unnatural amounts. Like the Infernal Queen the King of Terror's bone
structure sports a vast crown colored orange like the muscle tissue. However
unique to the King of Terror is a set of massive black wings it can use to take
flight at swift speeds.

Two things allow the Genocidal King of Terror live up to its title; the first
being it's primary weapon, a Seibore. Unlike typical Seibores the King of
Terror's is approximately 7 feet in length and is quite a bit thicker, including
an armored backside to give more weight behind the swings. When swung
the King of Terror's Seibore has been known to cut down dozens of men in
one stroke; although this number is only an estimate because the corpses
left behind were extremely mangled and dismembered in several areas.

The second power elaborates upon the "Genocidal" part of the title as the
King of Terror draws power for its greatest attack by annihilating its own
troops. It is theorized that the King of Terror is able to suck out all the
powers of Pandemonium from the body of any Archfiend and maintain it
within its body temporarily. Shortly after absorbing an Archfiend in this
manner the King of Terror can produce a golden beam of light highlighted
with black lightning along the beam emanating from its hand. This beam is
said to be incredibly destructive depending on which Archfiend has been
absorbed. It is theorized that if one King of Terror was able to absorb
another; the resulting beam could reduce a mountain into ash.
Air: 4
Earth: 5
Fire: 4
Water: 5
Initiative: 6K4
Attack: 8K4 Seibore (Simple)
Damage: 6K4
Armor TN: 30
Reduction: 10
Wounds: 12: +5; 64: +10; 96: +15; 124: Dead.

*Archfiend's Barrier (4)

*Checkmate: A Genocidal King of Terror may touch any Archfiend Creature as
a Free Action and kill them instantly, taking their energy into his own body.
The following round this energy (as a Complex action) manifests as a beam
of emerald light coming from the Genocidal King of Terror's hand, striking up
to two players up to 200' away. The damage Checkmate deals rolls and keeps
dice equal to the absorbed Archfiend's Barrier Number x 2.
*Flight: A Genocidal King of Terror may use his wings to take flight and move
while flying as normal.
*Swift

2. Sorceric Creations

Clockwork Replicants

During the eras of Aidespar when Sorcery was not forbidden many sorcerers
would often spend their time conducting experiments with their magic in
attempts to improve upon society. Many marvelous and wonderful inventions
were created during this time period; with the Clockwork Creations of one
sorcerer originally being counted amongst them. Before the proper tools and
techniques were created to do so, Aidespar relied heavily on its sorcerers to
perform tasks of great "physical" labor with their magics. They were able to
do so but such tasks often tired out the sorcerers quickly, and trying to
organize several casters to simultaneously work for larger tasks often proved
to have many problems of its own. A solution was needed for the problem of
providing a workforce easily able to do labour beyond human standards
without disrupting villages and towns due to their monstrous appearance or
excessive power (the primary issue with using golems for the work).

The solution came in the form of Clockwork Replicants; a glorious merger

between the forces of elemental magic and human engineering. Using the
same clockwork technology to power clocks and similar machines of the
time; the original creator managed to forge specialized gears out of the
Earth, to give the machine the strength and endurance to work from the
heart of Fire, the ability to move endlessly and methodically from Water,
and the ability to speak and emulate human behaviors from Air. These new
creations proved capable of doing the work ordinary humans could not, all
while maintaining a human-like appearance and mannerisms that allowed
them to interact easily in human society. Originally the Clockwork Replicants
worked perfect until a large group of them were ordered to excavate a mine
for raw materials in the western mountains. Several days went by after the
first team was sent out with no returning units or reports from the dig site.
The majority of the few dozen existing Replicants were sent out to
investigate and like the ones before they failed to report in. Finally a group
of sorcerers and workers went out to investigate for themselves.

Deep within the mine shafts they discovered all the Clockwork Replicants
standing inactively around a large chunk of glowing Moonstone. No matter
what the sorcerers tried they could not get the Replicants to respond so they
worked for over a day and night to extract seven Replicants out of the mine
and sealed it off, counting the other defective Replicants as lost causes;
proceeding then to return the seven salvaged Replicants back to their
laboratory for study. That evening in the lab while the sorcerers prepared to
understand what happened to their creations the Replicants suddenly came
back to life and slaughtered all the sorcerer's present. Utilizing their latent
Air magic, the Replicants managed to have three of their number take on
the exact appearance of the deceased sorcerers. No one in the local village
noticed the change, and the Replicants were able to easily walk amongst
society and snatch vulnerable targets; allowing their other four brethren to
don human personas. Together the seven Replicants took on the dual roles of
searching for humans to replace while building more of themselves in the
workshop. Eventually a child accidentally knocked over a pile of heavy tools
onto a Replicant in the market, exposing the true clockwork body
underneath the magical illusion.
Chased by the local militia (who had been slowly receiving reports of friends
and love ones exhibiting slightly unusual behavior) the Replicant retreated
back into the workshop where the door was soon sealed and unbreachable.
The militia set fire to the workshop and watched vigilantly as it burned
down into ashes. Although the ruins were searched thoroughly, no trace of
the Replicants were found as they had long vanished through a secret
passage into the night. No one knows exactly how many Replicants exist
currently or what their ultimate goal is. Every so often a Replicant hive will
be discovered when their snatching process goes wrong and they are starting
to develop different "evolutions" that are more suited for battle than
replacing. All that is known is that they still exist out there; waiting and
watching for the right opportunity to strike.

Clockwork Assimilator

Clockwork Assimilators are the original design of Clockwork Replicant that

was created nearly 1000 years ago in circa 213 AL. These are the Replicants
that hold a human-type design and are more suited for social infiltration
than physical combat; although their amplified strength allows them to
defend themselves if required to. Clockwork Assimilators come in two grads:
Low Grade and High Grade.

Low Grade Assimilators are those who have not been properly maintained
for long periods of time (as the alchemical materials required to maintain
their bodies are hard to come by ever since the ban on Sorcery) or have
been hastily constructed in order to bolster a colony's functioning numbers.
They are capible of taking on the form of any human it has observed; but
cannot absorb the entirely of its target's memories and often displays quirks
the person it replaces never had (such as verbal ticks or odd behavioral
patterns).

High Grade Assimilators are those who have been fortunate to have proper
maintenance of their magical components or have been freshly constructed
with proper procedure. Not only can a these Assimilators don their target's
appearance, but they can perfect absorb their memories and mimic their
targets natural state with virtually no odd quirks displayed. Their combat
abilities are far superior compared to their Low Grade counterparts, but
they will still avoid direct combat if at all possible.

It is also rumored by those who have knowledge of the Assimilators that the
original 7 that survived the events in the western mountains still exist and
are some of the most powerful amongst all the Clockwork Replicators.

Low Grade
Air: 2
Earth: 3
Fire: 3
Water: 2
Initiative: 4K2
Attack: Fist 6K3 (Complex)
Damage: 2K2
Armor TN: 20
Reduction: 5
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Assimilation, Inferior: A Low Grade Clockwork Assimilator can copy the

physical appearance of any human being it touches as a Complex Action. The
physical disguise is perfect in appearance; however only the basic imprint of
the target's memory is transferred over. It remembers names, places, and
dates but not "trivial" things; such as birthdays or first kisses. Any physical
damage to the Assimilator removes the illusion in the area damaged;
revealing the clockwork machinery underneath until the Assimilator can use
this ability again. Once an Assimilator is reduced to under 50% of its Wounds,
it may not use this ability until repaired.
*Vulnerability, Moonstone: When exposed to Moonstone of Grades I-III the
Clockwork Assimilator will begin to have problems functioning normally.
They will roll -1K0 dice per grade of Moonstone up to 20' away from their
bodies. If the Assimilator is within 100' or less of Grade IV or higher
Moonstone it will cease to function entirely.

High Grade
Air: 3
Earth: 3
Fire: 3
Water: 4
Initiative: 5K2
Attack: Fist 7K3 (Simple)
Damage: 5K2
Armor TN: 25
Reduction: 7
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Assimilation, Superior: A High Grade Clockwork Assimilator can copy the

physical appearance of any human being it touches as a Complex Action. The
physical disguise is perfect in appearance; and it is able to completely copy
over the memories and behaviors of its target. If at least 15 points of
damage are dealt to the Assimilator it removes the illusion in the area
damaged; revealing the clockwork machinery underneath until the
Assimilator can use this ability again. Once an Assimilator is reduced to
under 50% of its Wounds, it may not use this ability until repaired.
*Vulnerability, Moonstone: When exposed to Moonstone of Grades II-III the
Clockwork Assimilator will begin to have problems functioning normally.
They will roll -1K0 dice per grade of Moonstone up to 20' away from their
bodies. If the Assimilator is within 100' or less of Grade IV or higher
Moonstone it will cease to function entirely.

Original Model (The First Seven)

Air: 4
Earth: 4
Fire: 4
Water: 5
Initiative: 6K4
Attack: Fist 8K4 (Simple)
Damage: 6K3
Armor TN: 30
Reduction: 10
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Assimilation, Perfect: The Original Assimilators can copy the physical

appearance of any human being it touches (or spends 5 minutes observing)
as a Simple Action. The physical disguise is perfect in appearance; and it is
able to completely copy over the memories and behaviors of its target down
to the finest detail. Even when suffering under the effects of Grade III
Moonstone the Assimilator can still maintain the illusion without fail. If at
least 30 points of damage are dealt to the Assimilator it removes the illusion
in the area damaged; revealing the clockwork machinery underneath until
the Assimilator can use this ability again. Once an Assimilator is reduced to
under 50% of its Wounds, it may not use this ability until repaired.
*Self-Repair: An Original Assimilator is able to repair itself of any damage by
focusing the Water and Earth magics within its body to remake damaged
parts. As a Complex Action the Assimilator may heal 2K2 wounds.
*Vulnerability, Moonstone: When exposed to Grade III Moonstone the
Clockwork Assimilator will begin to have problems functioning normally.
They will roll -1K0 dice per grade of Moonstone up to 10' away from their
bodies. If the Assimilator is within 100' or less of Grade IV or higher
Moonstone it will cease to function entirely.

Clockwork Knight

While a typical Clockwork Assimilator can be a viable threat in itself; they

are not able to stand up to the rigors of direct combat on a regular basis.
For situations that call for a more enduring model the Clockwork Replicants
produce a model dubbed the Clockwork Knight. This variation of the
Replicant inhabits a suit of modified full plate armor with sections around
the elbows and knees removed entirely. This is to allow room for the larger
cogs used for powerful sweeps of the limbs.
As such a Clockwork Knight is incapable of performing the same roles as an
Assimilator. One look is all that is needed to spot the mechanical parts
sticking out and the gemstone eyes glowing within the helm. The inability to
infiltrate is made up for by the sheer combat power the Knight is able to
produce. Most Clockwork Knights attack in fluid but robotic motions;
utilizing a set of basic techniques based on the weapon they were created to
handle. However there is a set of specialized Clockwork Knights that are
able to emulate the many styles of fighting found in Aidespar; and these
Knights make for incredibly lethal adversaries.

Standard C-Knight

Air: 3
Earth: 4
Fire: 3
Agility: 4
Water: 2
Strength: 4
Initiative: 4K3
Attack: *Any Weapon* 5K4 (Complex)
Damage: - (Use the damage rating for the weapon chosen)
Armor TN: 20
Reduction: 7
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Fear 2
*Self-Repair: Clockwork Knights heal a number of Wounds per round equal to
their Earth Ring.
*Vulnerability, Moonstone: When exposed to Moonstone of Grades II-III the
Clockwork Assimilator will begin to have problems functioning normally.
They will roll -1K0 dice per grade of Moonstone up to 20' away from their
bodies. If the Assimilator is within 100' or less of Grade IV or higher
Moonstone it will cease to function entirely.

Superior C-Knight

Air: 3
Reflexes: 4
Earth: 5
Fire: 4
Water: 3
Strength: 4
Initiative: 6K4
Attack: *Any Weapon* 5K4 (Simple)
Damage: - (Use the damage rating for the weapon chosen)
Armor TN: 25
Reduction: 10
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Emulation: A Superior Knight may utilize the Rank 1 Technique of any school
with the [Knight] keyword.
*Fear 3
*Self-Repair: Clockwork Knights heal a number of Wounds per round equal to
their Earth Ring.
*Vulnerability, Moonstone: When exposed to Moonstone of Grades II-III the
Clockwork Assimilator will begin to have problems functioning normally.
They will roll -1K0 dice per grade of Moonstone up to 20' away from their
bodies. If the Assimilator is within 100' or less of Grade IV or higher
Moonstone it will cease to function entirely.

Golem

In the early days of sorcery before the creation of the Clockwork Replicants
the ability to create a physical body from the elements was crude and
unrefined. Only those greatly skilled in the element of Earth could
manipulate the sheer scale of rock and metal to create a body sturdy enough
to bind the Light's power. These creations were simply known as Golems;
towering, humanoid figures of earth useful for tasks requiring far more
strength than even a whole village of people could muster.

However strength was the only real advantage these Golems had over their
later replacements. The magic used to create the Golem's body taxed the
Sorcerers' bodies and left little room for any refinement beyond superficial
customization; as a result, Golems are not sentient beings. Rather they are
only capable of understanding a set of basic commands and carrying them
out until the command is revoked or replaced by their creator. As a final
result when Clockwork Replicants came to be; many Sorcerers either
destroyed their Golems or placed them on guard duty over their more
secretive workshops. It is not uncommon for an unwary traveler to
inadvertently invoke a Golem's wrath; as they are still following their guard
duty command to this day and seem to be unaffected by the passage of
time.

Air: 2
Earth: 5
Fire: 3
Water: 3
Strength: 6
Initiative: 3K2
Attack: Fist 7K3 (Complex)
Damage: 6K3
Armor TN: 15
Reduction: 10
Wounds: 32: +5; 64: +10; 96: +16; 124: Down (See: Reconstruction)
Skills: Jiujutsu 4

*Absolute Obedience: A Golem will not take any action unless given a
pre-specified command to do so by the one who created it or someone
sharing the bloodline of the creator. Multiple commands may be give to
follow in order; however the commands must be simple in nature. (A Golem
can not understand "Put that rock down gently and slightly to the right." but
it can understand "Put that rock down there.")
If a Golem has been commanded to guard a specific area, it will only attack
if attacked first or someone comes within 50' of the area. The Golem will
continue to attack until brought to Down status of if the intruder moves
more than 200' away from the guarded area. The Golem will pursue further
if attacks continue; even from outside that radius.
*Huge
*Reconstruction: Inside each Golem is a fragment of the Light used to
animate the construct; as a side effect this makes a Golem practically
immortal to the passage of time and physical damage. When enough damage
is done to bring a Golem into Down state, its body will crumble into large
pieces of rock. The Golem will slowly heal itself of all damage at a rate of
10 Wounds per hour and will reform into its original state once it regains half
its total Wounds. This effect can only be stopped by exposing the Golem's
core stone (Identifiable with a Spellcraft check) to a shard of Grade II or
higher Moonstone.

3. The Undead of Aidespar

Dullahan
Dullahan are fully plated suits of armor that are possessed by the spirits of
deceased Knights with a strong attachment to the mortal world. These
spirits are unique in that their head is not attached to their body. Some have
lost it entirely while most prefer to carry it in one of their arms. They often
haunt sites near where they died and are known to be extremely capricious.
Nobler Dullahans might try to convince passing travelers to help them move
on to rejoin the Light, while others have been known to raid villages on
nothing more than a random whim while slaughtering anyone that crosses its
path.

Often riding upon a dark horse, the Dullahan's severed head is said to have
the most fiendish of grins and there is nothing in all of Aidespar that can
impede its advance. Any form of barrier or locked door automatically opens
when a Dullahan approaches and they are practically immortal. The only
way to truly rid yourself of a Dullahan is to help it pass on peacefully.
Dullahan are often seen in the company of lesser spirit creatures called Will
o Wisps. It is theorized these spirits are kept around as the sole form of
company a Dullahan will tolerate.

Air: 2
Earth: 4
Fire: 3
Water: 3
Initiative: 4K2
Attack: Sword 6K3 (Complex)
Damage: 7K2
Armor TN: 25
Reduction: 8
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Fear 2
*Immortality: Dullahan cannot actually be killed. If they are ever reduced to
the Dead Wound Rank they vanish from the mortal realm and reappear in
the spot they were slain the very next night.
*Spirit
*Summon Allies: A Dullahan may, as a Complex Action, summon 2 Will o
Wisps to join it in combat the following round.
*Unstoppable: No form of barrier, either mundane or magical, can prevent a
Dullahan's movement. Any lock will unlock itself, barrier will self-collapse,
or magic will dissolve before the Dullahan's approach.

Reanimates
The multiple Sorcerery Wars during Aidespar’s formative years might have
ended centuries ago; but they left a mark on the land that has endured for
centuries and may last until the end of time itself. The vast quantities of
arcane energies used in their many experiments and creations had the
unintended side effect of creating “Ether hotspots”. These hotspots wrecked
the elemental balance around their centers and serve as vortexes that draw
in all form of spiritual matter before spitting it back out in a mangled mess.
As an end result a unique brand of undead will pop up from time to time in
Aidespar: The Reanimates.

These corpses rise from the dead like typical zombies; however the possess
special powers based upon the type of hotspot their souls were dragged
through after initially leaving the body. Presently there are four variations of
Reanimate known to exist. Metal Reanimates occur when someone dies in
the presence of iron or steel that has been corrupted by the Ether; usually
from their armor or weaponry. They tend to be coating in a liquid metal
substance that makes them virtually impervious to most forms of damage.
Toxic Reanimates come forth from the various diseases or poisons that have
been affected by a vortex. Any patch of land they pass over is blighted for
several generations and physically touching one can result in a very painful
death. Ice and Fire Reanimates require death through their respectively
named elements near or in a hotspot. Normally they tend to have the innate
ability to control their respective elements and create them in environments
where it would not naturally occur.

Air: 0 (Toxic Reanimates: 3)

Reflexes: 1
Earth: 3 (Metal Reanimates: 5)
Fire: 0 (Fire Reanimates: 4)
Agility: 2
Water: 1 (Ice Reanimates: 4)
Strength: 3
Initiative: 3K2 (Toxic Reanimates: 6K3)
Attack: Fist 4K2 (Complex) (Fire Reanimates: 6K4, Simple)
Damage: Fist: 3K1 (Ice Reanimates: 4K2)
Armor TN: 15 (Toxic Reanimates: 20)
Reduction: 5 (Metal Reanimates: 10)
Wounds: 72: Dead

*Ether Surge: As a Complex Action Reanimates can bring forth the residual
ether leftover from their creation to utilize special powers unique to each
type of Reanimate.
-Metal Reanimates can produce inch long razor sharp needles over their
entire body; dealing 3K3 damage to anyone grappling them and increasing
their Fist damage by 1K1 for five rounds.
-Toxic Reanimates exude a sickly yellow cloud in a 10 ft. radius centered on
them. Anyone caught within this cloud is treated has having come into
contact with every disease all at once (use the Poison rules for Dripping
Poison, Fire Biter, and Night Milk) and must make the proper saves to avoid
infection.
-Fire Reanimates can cause any one target to spontaneously combust into
flames, even if they are completely covered in non-combustible material.
The target immediately takes 3K3 damage and must make a Reflex TN of 15
in order to put out the flames or suffer the damage again next round until
they make the TN.
-Ice Reanimates produce a solid orb of ice which flies towards any target up
to 50 ft. away. Upon impact it shatters into multiple sharp fragments and
deals 2K2 damage; ignoring all Reduction.
*Fear 3
*Undead

Will o Wisp
Many stores tell of strange orbs of light floating around in graveyards and
other sites of conflict throughout Aidespar. These descriptions detail these
orbs as being anywhere from red, to blue, to green. Yet they all tell the
same story about them being enshrouded in an other worldly aura and
blazing with a cold fire. Will o Wisps are the spirits of humans who lost their
way on the path to rejoin with the Light. With no guidance they roam
Aidespar freely at night until they find a place to become attached to. Once
such a place is located the Will o Wisp will occupy that area indefinitely and
will very aggressively attack any intruder it perceives as a threat to its
sanctuary. For reasons unknown Will o Wisps will commonly become
attached to Dullahan as if there were some sense of kindred spirit between
the two.

Air: 2
Earth: 1
Fire: 4
Water: 3
Attack: -
Damage: -
Armor TN: 10
Reduction: -
Wounds: 5: Dead

*Fiery Aura: Anyone who moves with 5' of a Will o Wisp during combat
suffers 1K1 wounds (re-rolled every round they remain in or re-enter the
aura) from a field of intense heat centered around the Will o Wisp's body.
*Invulnerability, Superior: Will o Wisps only take one point of damage
regardless of what the source of damage is.
*Spirit Fire: A Will o Wisp, as a Complex Action, may channel a bolt of fire
the same color as its body towards an opponent. The opponent takes 2K2
damage and has to roll a Willpower TN 10 or they else become Dazed.
*Swift
*Undead

4. Spiritual and Elemental Creatures

Asrai
Sometimes referred to as the "Daughters of the Undine"; the Asrai are a race
of unique female shapeshifters that live primarily in the waters south of
Aidespar. Another common name for them is "The Maidens of the Ice
Barrier". Back during Aidespar's creation the Undine and Asrai created the
massive glaciers that comprise the Grand Ice Barrier blocking most
water-front access into the country to prevent against sea-bound threats.
Anyone attempting to cross through these waters typically fall prey to this
creation but those than manage to pierce through the outer layers often
encounter the Asrai; who are known to test the spirits and powers of those
seeking passage and/or look for tributes of respect. Those that manage to
please the Asrai are given safe passage through the Grand Ice Barrier and
are treated with reverence; those that fail this test of character are either
left to inevitably crash into the unforgiving ice or are assaulted by the Asrai
themselves depending on the nature of the disrespect given.

The Asrai are a race of Shapeshifters, typically preferring to maintain a

hybrid form. Their upper torsos are described as being that of a maiden with
skin and hair paler than the moon with eyes reflecting the oceans they call
home. The lower body is comprised entirely of a dolphin's tail fin; much like
the descriptions of "Mermaids" within child's folk stories. Asrai have the
option of changing either into a pure dolphin form or a pure human form.
Very rarely will Asrai interact with humans face to face but they have been
known to venture into human cities only on cold winter nights with a
brightly lit moon. People who've actually touched an Asrai describe their
skin as being inhumanely cold to the touch, with the sensation not leaving
the point of contact for many days afterward. In general Asrai are a playful,
if not slightly combative race; as they have been known to engage in light
combat with those who've already proven themselves for no reason other
than temporary entertainment.

Air: 2
Earth: 2
Fire: 3
Water: 4
Initiative: 5K2
Attack: Spears or Sabers 7K3 (Complex)
Damage: 4K3
Armor TN: 20
Reduction: 5
Wounds: 16: +5 32: +10; 48: Dead

*Ice Manipulation: So long as an Asrai is within 200' of any substantial

amount of ice they can call upon it to form as a weapon of their choice
within their hand as a Simple Action.
*Shapeshifting: An Asrai may shift between their three forms (Dolphin,
Human, Hybrid) as a Complex Action.
*Vulnerability, Fire: Asrai take an additional +2K0 dice from any damage deal
from a source of Fire.

Glastig

In the forests where Sylph prefer to roam on nights when their invisibility
fails sometimes a tree branch will scrape off a tiny bit of their wings. This
scraping is absorbed by the tree and in time creates a supernatural creature
known as a Glastig. When the metamorphosis is complete the Glastig
transforms from a tree into a pale green humanoid figure with only the
barest outline of a human face. With the powers of Air flowing through it,
the Glastig can shapeshift into any human design it wishes to; however the
disguise will always have telling features from its original body. (Green eyes,
nails, hair, lips, ect.)

Glastig often remain deep in the forests from which they were born and
protect the sacred areas rich in natural magic from those who would try to
abuse it, or harm the forest in general. However sometimes Glastig will use
their powers of transformation to lure in lone travelers on quite forest roads
and converse with them. The purpose of this is two-fold; to gain some
entertainment and to judge the person. If the human succeeds in either
proving to be of good character or is able to entertain the Glastig they will
often find the Glastig's person gone the next day, but will often feel a sense
of welcoming by the forest and hence forth never be lost in it or in danger
from any natural elements within its borders. However those of impure
heart or those who bore the Glastig have had their twisted corpses
discovered dangling from roadside trees, as a warning to anyone who may
dare to enter.

Air: 4
Earth: 2
Fire: 3
Water: 2
Initiative: 5K4
Attack: -
Damage: -
Armor TN: 25
Reduction: 5
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Captivating Allure: A Glastig gains additional dice equal to her Air Ring on
all Social Rolls against any individual within the boundaries of her forest.
*Forest Armory: Glastigs do not have any natural attacks (although they may
use any weapons they happen upon as though they had 1 rank in the
relevant skill). Instead they prefer to use the forest itself as their primary
offensive weapon. As a Complex Action Glastigs may command a nearby tree
to supernaturally strike at any target within reach with a limb; rolling 5K3 to
hit and causing 3K3 damage. Also as a Complex Action Glastigs may summon
a vine from the earth to bind and choke their foes. The vines have 4K4 to hit
and grapple automatically upon striking. They are treated as having a
Strength of 4, Agility of 3, and Jiujutsu of 2. Anyone grappled by the vines
takes 2K2 damage each round from being choked and exposure to the thorns
along them. The vines are destroyed after 15 Wounds are dealt or upon
receiving any Fire-based damage.
*Shapeshifter: A Glastig may assume any human appearance she desires. This
form of disguise hides her supernatural form perfectly and cannot be
detected, even with magic. The only weakness in the disguise is the
excessive amount of green present (an unusually brilliant shade of green).
*Swift

Gnome

Unlike any of the other original four mythical races of Aidespar; the Gnome
continue to live in plain sight and in great number. The reason no one has
noticed is because the Gnome command a form that many would not think
twice to look at; an ordinary rock. Gnome exist in the mortal world as lumps
of rock the size of a grown man's fist and do not display any supernatural
features unless they chose to do so. A Gnome can manipulate their rock to
roll along the ground, give it facial features when it wishes to speak, or even
change its size ranging from a tiny pebble to a massive boulder.

When it comes to the affairs of the world the Gnome choose to simply let it
pass them by rather than get involved unless absolutely necessary. So
apathetic are they to human affairs that some of the larger ones even allow
themselves to be shaped into stone bricks or statues. This may be however
to give them easier access to their favorite way to pass the rare time when
they are not slumbering in dormancy; driving people crazy. A bored Gnome is
likely to find an unfortunate human and perform harmless tricks for the
ultimate purpose of making the human either breakdown or run away in
terror. One example of this is when a Gnome has been turned into a stone
statue, it will relocate itself when unobserved to a position the owner did
not leave it in. It will continue to do this daily; gradually choosing more
insane and unlikely places to turn up.

Air: 1
Awareness: 3
Earth: 6
Fire: 3
Water: 3
Initiative: 2K1
Attack: -
Damage: -
Armor TN: 10
Reduction: 10
Wounds: Human-type Wound Ranks

*Earth Mastery: Gnome may cast any Earth Spell as though they were a Rank
4 Shugenja with an Afficiency for Water. (The most ancient and powerful of
Sylph may be treated as Rank 5.)
*Dormancy: Gnomes can place themselves into a deep slumber that lasts for
many hours, days, weeks, or even years. While they are in this state Gnome
are treated as objects and gain an additional 10 Reduction against all forms
of damage. They cannot take any action and are not aware of their
surroundings in this state.
*Invulnerability, Partial: Gnome are Invulnerable to all forms of Air-based
damage and Air Spells.
*Spirit
*Vulnerability: Gnome have a natural weakness against the element of
Water. Any Water spell cast against them gains a Free Raise.

Hödekin

When one of the most ancient and powerful of the Gnome race decided to
take a century long nap he buried deep into earth to ensure he was not
disturbed; so deep that other Gnomes passed on the legend that he reached
the center of the world. While he slept those many years amongst the rock
and magma his power seeped out slowly and merged with the elements.
Slowly it made its way to the surface above and after many decades it
reached the top. When that combination of rock, lava, and magic surfaced it
came forth in the form of a squat, humanoid, lizard like body that humans
came to call "Hodekins".

Hodekins are a simple race with simple desires, more like animals if not for
their unique beginnings. They prefer to live deep in the sides of hills or
mountains in extensive tunnels dug by community groups of typically 20-30.
Normally they live peacefully in their dark caverns and have little to do with
humanity. However when settlements are build near their tunnels problems
can occur in great number. Hodekins are carnivorous and prefer to obtain
food from the easiest source; as such human farm animals or even family
pets can wind up as meals for a Hodekin hunting party. Throw into the mix
an obsession the species has with shiny objects (like rare metal or or
gemstones) and Hodekin/Human skirmishes are bound to happen.

Air: 3
Reflexes: 4
Earth: 4
Fire: 2
Agility: 4
Water: 2
Initiative: 6K3
Attack: Stone Axes 6K4 (Complex)
Damage: 3K3
Armor TN: 25
Reduction: 7
Wounds: 16: +5 32: +10; 48: Dead

*Earth Mover: Hodekins are incredibly fast diggers and can almost appear to
dive through the earth as though it were water when digging. They can move
up to twice their Water Ring through the earth as a Complex action.
*Night Sight: Due to the environment in which they live, Hodekins are able
to see through any form of darkness (natural or supernatural) and take no
penalties from it.
*Obsession: Their obsession with shiny objects is so intense that a Hodekin
will lose focus even during a crisis if such an object is within their line of
sight. Any time a shiny object is within view of a Hodekin it takes a -1K0
penalty to any roll.

Pyrohippos

Born of the first Salamander; the Pyrohippos is a special creature that

wanders the boundaries between the mortal realm and the realm of the
spirits. The Pyrohippos is a black haired steed with a mane of flame and fire
coming from it's tail and hooves. It exhales fire while neighing and has a
glowing red chest with clearly displays an intensely burning flame within the
beast that can illuminate even supernatural darkness.

Traditionally the Pyrohippos can be see in areas where the boundaries

between realms are weak; as it watches over these locations to prevent
wayward souls from sliding between or unaware humans from falling
through. Like the Aidesparian Horses the Pyrohippos is unusually intelligent
and is capable of determining intentions by studying it's target. It is not
possible to "tame" a Pyrohippos for riding; rather the steed will very rarely
chose a being to align itself with for a temporary partnership (usually lasting
5-10 years). Literally anything from a human, to a Chaos Knight, to even
Dullahans and Archfiends can be chosen on the Pyrohippos' whim.

Air: 2
Reflexes: 3
Earth: 4
Fire: 3
Agility: 4
Water: 3
Strength: 6
Initiative: 4K3
Attack: Kick 4K3 (Simple) or Trample 6K4 (Complex)
Damage: Kick 6K3, Trample 6K4
Armor TN: 20
Reduction: 5
Wounds: 16: +5; 32: +10; 48: +15; 64: Dead

*All-Terrain Travel: A Pyrohippos can walk on any substance as though it

were solid ground. This includes bodies of water or the air itself.
*Fiery Aura: As a Free Action a Pyrohippos may activate or deactivate an
aura of light blue flames that deals 1K1 damage per round to anything within
10 ft. The rider is immune to this damage.
*Huge
*Swift 2

Salamander

It is said that the Salamander were the first of the original four mythical
races of Aidespar to come into existence; born from the flame forged in the
heart of the world. Salamander take the form of large red-skinned lizards
that can easily dwarf a small horse. Even when submerged in water
Salamander emit a blue flame that constantly heats up the air around it; but
does not burn or sear anything it touches unless the Salamander wills it to
do so.

Salamander prefer resting in the warmer pockets of earth; typically in hot

springs or thermal vents connected to deep underground lava streams. Those
who are lucky enough to encounter a Salamander will typically be treated
with indifference. Salamander have no real liking of humanity, nor any true
disliking either. They simply treat humans much like humans treat wild
animals; paying attention only is one provokes an attack or something
special catches their interest. However if provoked a Salamander will raze
the earth to cinders in pursuit of the offender; chasing them only a set
distance from their resting place and attacking anytime the aggressor
returns.

Air: 3
Earth: 3
Fire: 5
Water: 2
Initiative: 4K3
Attack: Bite 6K3
Damage: 3K2
Armor TN: 15
Reduction: 5
Wounds: 16: +5; 32: +10; 48: +15; 64: Dead

*Fiery Aura: As a Free Action a Salamander may activate or deactivate an

aura of light blue flames that deals 1K1 damage per round to anything within
10 ft.
*Fire Master: Salamander may case any Fire Spell as though they were a
Rank 3 Shugenja with an affinity for Fire. (The most ancient and powerful of
the Salamander may be treated as 4.)
*Invulnerability, Partial: Salamander are Invulnerable to all forms of
Water-based damage and Water spells.
*Spirit
*Vulnerability: Salamander have a natural weakness against the element of
Earth. Any Earth Spell cast against them gains a Free Raise.

Sylph

When the original four mythical races of Aidespar came into existence
legend has it the Sylph immediately used their mastery of the Air to hide
their presence from the world; being instantly frightened of the other three.
Ever since then the Sylph have always stayed hidden from the vision of every
other creature whenever possible. Although there are two exceptions to
this. The first is the rare instance that an individual is born that can either
see through the Sylph's illusions. The second is during the climax of every
full moon the Sylph become completely visible for one hour.

Despite being created from the element of Air the Sylph can be incredible
single minded and stubborn when they want to be. Once a Sylph has made
up its mind about something or someone it can be virtually impossible to
change it; and due to their nomadic habits they are usually gone before such
opinions can be of any consequence. It is very rare for a Sylph to remain in
the same region for more than a day unless something has captured its
interest; and then it can be fascinated for months or even years. The few
fortunate enough to see a Sylph's true form describe it as a softly glowing
green light with traces of silver translucent wings on either side. It is
theorized that the Sylph might have an actual physical body hidden by their
aura of light; shielded from sight unconsciously by their naturally excessive
shy demeanor.

Air: 5
Earth: 1
Willpower: 4
Fire: 3
Water: 2
Initiative: 6K5
Attack: -
Damage: -
Armor TN: 30
Reduction: 5
Wounds: 4: +5; 8: +10; 16: +15; 32: Dead
*Air Mastery: Sylph may cast any Air Spell as though they were a Rank 4
Shugenja with an Afficiency for Water. (The most ancient and powerful of
Sylph may be treated as Rank 5.)
*Invisibility, Superior: Sylph are completely invisible and cannot be the
target of any attacks or spells unless an Awareness roll (TN 30) is made to
catch a brief glance of their aura; and even then Spells and attacks receive
a +15 TN penalty to hit (this penalty is negated if any supernatural effect
allows you to see Invisible creatures). This ability is negated for one hour
during the height of the Full Moon.
*Invulnerability, Partial: Sylph are Invulnerable to all forms of Earth-based
damage and Earth Spells.
*Spirit
*Vulnerability: Sylph have a natural weakness against the element of Fire.
Any Fire spell cast against them gains a Free Raise.

Undine

Of the original four mythical races of Aidespar, the Undine are said to be the
most beautiful yet also the most dangerous; much like the element of Water
they command. Often Undine are describe as taking the form of blue
skinned, beautiful yet unnaturally thin women; clad typically in gowns or
armor made of foggy ice and with sapphire hair that flows gracefully like a
calm river. They generally prefer to avoid humans as Undine do not let go of
grievances easily (as such many of them have not forgiven humanity for the
crimes of the Sorcerer King). In fact it is said that a slighted Undine can hold
a grudge for centuries, passing the blame down from father to son across as
many generations as it takes for an offering of forgiveness to be given.

As Aidespar's living manifestation of water Undine very rarely leave their

homes, which are usually in hidden lakes or deep underneath the ocean.
Every so often though a curious (or vengeful) Undine will leave the confines
of their home to go explore the world around them and see for themselves
what the local humans are like. Those who are lucky enough to make friends
with an Undine may become privy to some of their secrets over their
mastery of Water, but only the most gracious and polite individuals will be
chosen for this gift. It is of note that a few ancient folk tales speak of a few
Undine every few centuries choosing a particularly worthy human to give
their hearts to. It is said the children from these births possess magnificent
powers, superior to that even of their Undine mother. However such children
have never been officially recorded and most believe this to be nothing
more than a flight of fantasy for fools and storytellers.

Air: 3
Earth: 2
Fire: 2
Water: 4
Initiative: 5K3
Attack: -
Damage: -
Armor TN: 20
Reduction: 8
Wounds: 8: +5; 16: +10; 25: +15; 36: Dead

*Invulnerability, Partial: Undine are Invulnerable to all forms of Fire-based

damage and Fire Spells.
*Spirit
*Water Mastery: Undine may cast any Water Spell as though they were a
Rank 4 Shugenja with an Afficiency for Water. (The most ancient and
powerful of Undine may be treated as Rank 5.)
*Vulnerability: Undine have a natural weakness against the element of Air.
Any Air spell cast against them gains a Free Raise.

5. Animals of Aidespar

Donkey

While the Horse is the common choice of steed amongst the Knights and
Nobles of Aidespar, the Church prefers to use a comparatively modest form
of beast; the Donkey. Donkeys are smaller steeds, no larger than 3/4th's the
size of a horse and typically about 1/2 the size or less; typically sporting hair
in shades of grey or brown. What they lack for in size the Donkey makes up
for in carrying capacity and general endurance. A Donkey, if forced to, can a
cargo load nearly its own size and requires far less feed than a horse; also
able to eat foliage that a horse wouldn't even touch.
However the Donkey has two primary downsides as a steed. The first is its
temperament. Donkeys can typically be cooperative and gentle; but if one
decides it's time for a break neither flood nor fire will make it stand any
quicker than it wants to. Also many an unwary rider have found themselves
on the wrong end of a Donkey bite trying to berate their stubborn steeds.
The other comes in the form of the Donkey's form of communication; a loud,
grating sound referred to as "braying". This noise can startle, and sometimes
frighten, anyone who is not expecting it or has never been exposed to a
Donkey before. Even those used to the sound can find it annoying and highly
distracting. So loud is the braying that people have reported hearing a bray
from over three miles away, making the Donkey a poor animal for covert
movement.

Air: 2
Earth: 4
Willpower: 5
Fire: 2
Agility: 3
Water: 3
Strength: 5
Initiative: 3K2
Attack: Kick 3K3 (Complex) or Bite 3K3 (Complex)
Damage: Kick 5K3, Bite 3K3
Armor TN: 15
Reduction: 5
Wounds: 16: +5; 32: +10; 48: +15; 64: Dead

*Annoying Bray: Whenever a Donkey begins braying it will continue to do so

for 3-5 rounds at GM discretion. Anyone within 100' of the Donkey who is
unaware of it or has never encountered one before is subject to a Fear 1
effect. Anyone else receives -1K0 to all rolls util the braying has ceased.
*Powerful Kick: Donkeys gain a Free Raise when using the Knockdown
maneuver.
*Swift

Horse, Aidesparian Riding Steed

Compared to the mighty steeds the Battle Maidens of Rokugan use the
Aidesparian Horse may not seem immediately impressive by direct
comparison. Physically they similar to a Unicorn Riding Horse but slightly
lankier and more streamlined. However the most telling features of an
Aidesparian Riding Steed is their elegant appearance and a stunning
intellect. Aidesparian Horses are sights to behold as from the way their main
lays naturally and their graceful trot would lead one to believe they are
creatures from the realms of fiction.

Yet the one advantage Aidesparian Horses hold above any other breed is a
superior intelligence and ability to perceive that allows them to properly
react to situations even without direct orders. In battle Aidesparian Horses
are extraordinarily calm regardless of the situation and have been known to
come to the aide of their riders exactly when needed. However this higher
level of intellect makes Aidesparian Horses rather temperamental and
choosy about who rides them. Aidesparian Riding Steeds will automatically
take movement and attack actions in battle (even performing maneuvers
such as Knock Downs or Feints) as it best sees fit unless otherwise
instructed. If an Aidesparian Riding Steed does not like an individual (for any
number of reasons) it will do anything in its power to discomfort or remove
the rider should an attempt be made. (GM Discretion: Any sort of Animal
Handling, Athletic, or Horsemanship check may be performed at random
when the animal decides to "test" its rider). If the rider is able to stay on
and stick with his mount for a week; the horse will give in and accept them.

Air: 2
Reflexes: 3
Earth: 3
Willpower: 4
Fire: 3
Intelligence: 5
Water: 3
Strength: 4
Initiative: 3K3
Attack: Kick 4K3 (Complex)
Damage: 4K2
Armor TN: 15
Reduction: 3
Wounds: 12: +5; 24: +10; 36: +15; 48: Dead
Skills: Hunting (Tracking) 4, Jiujutsu 1
Advantages: Favored by the Arcana (The Lovers)

*Elegant Appearance: Anyone riding a well-groomed Aidesparian Horse gains

a +1K0 to any social roll while within 5ft. of their mount.
*Huge
*Swift 2

Treasures of Aidespar
Elemental Crystals (Liths)

A unique phenomenon of magic and nature occurs only within the realms of
Aidespar. Originally discovered in the year 240 AL; a deposit of colored
crystals was uncovered by a group of nomadic farmers. Through
experimentation they found that these crystals were capable of manifesting
the various forces of nature depending upon their color and size. Blue
Crystals are called Aqualiths and govern Water. Red Crystals are called
Pyroliths and govern Fire. Golden Crystals are called Terraliths and govern
Earth. Green Crystals are called Aeroliths and govern Air. During the era of
sorcery studies were done on these crystals and eventually Alchemists were
able to create more refined versions of those found in nature; however the
knowledge of how this process worked was lost during the aftermath of the
war with Sorceror King Hazeldurn.

Anyone possessing an Elemental Crystal has access to following abilities

based on the type of Crystal they possess. Activating an Elemental Crystal's
abilities is a Complex Action.

Small Elemental Crystal (roughly finger sized): May use the Crystal to cast a
"Summon" spell for the element the Crystal is attuned to as if they were an
Insight Rank 1 Shugenja.

Medium Elemental Crystal (roughly fist sized): May use the Crystal to cast a
"Summon" or "Sense" spell for the element the Crystal is attuned to as if they
were an Insight Rank 2 Shugenja.
Large Elemental Crystal (roughly dagger sized): May use the Crystal to cast a
"Summon", "Sense", or "Commune" spell for the element the Crystal is
attuned to as if they were an Insight Rank 3 Shugenja.

Refined Elemental Crystal (various sizes and shapes): May use the Crystal
with the same abilities as a Large Elemental Crystal as an Insight Rank 4
Shungeja. In addition, at GM discretion, the Crystal may be able to cast a
single Rank 1 Spell of the element it is attuned to.

Excalidurge
A favorite pastime for any entertainer throughout the land of Aidespar is to
spin a song about heroic Knights of old. These tales often describe their
deeds, their words; and most commonly the great weapons that served
beside them. One could almost say the weapon of a Knight is held with as
high regard as the Knight himself once immortalized in song. To this end you
would think that songs about the renown Knight of Light, Paladin, would
include many long verses about the weapon he used to slaughter the
Sorcerer King Hazeldurn. It is true that Paladin's weapon is immortalized in
song; so much in fact that it has practically an entire song to itself. Yet this
is not a song sung for the masses' entertainment or even for a heroism
inspiring tale. But no, the Ballad of the Forlorn Sword: Excalidurge is a
somber melody told in times of reverence; for its contents hold the story of
what many consider to be Aidespar's greatest lost hero.

Originally the sword wielded by Paladin was called (by the Knight himself as
a child) Exalibur, after the sword in one of Paladin's favorite stories. Despite
this youthful imagining the name persisted for the sword and became its
inherited birthright upon slaying the Sorcerer King. From then on the blade
was passed from father to son, with the future King Paladins inheriting it.
Rumors spread about the blade possessing mystical powers said to split the
heavens themselves, or that it was forged directly from the Light itself;
although the greatest amount of power the blade ever manifested in its time
was an immunity to aging. For Exalibur ever rusted or wore despite centuries
of use across multiple owners. The last to hold the blade in its true form was
King Paladin V, and he was using the sword during his battle with the
Elemental Knights and the Church. Many originally said the blade had simply
vanished upon the King's defeat, yet this would be proven wrong in the year
833.
A bold scouting party ventured forth deep into Pandemonium tainted
territory in hopes of breaching the old capitol and retrieving many lost
symbols of the deceased kings. Their hopes were to bring these back to the
people and use them to raise the spirits of the frightened and weary masses.
However upon entering Paladin Castle the group discovered to their
surprised a sword very similar to Exaclibur hovering aloft in the courtyard.
Yet something was amiss, for the Chaos energy that commonly flickered
through the very air and ground that Pandemonium had tainted was
unusually gathered around the sword; seeming to flow in and out of it like
water. In addition the hilt of the sword had transformed into a darker, edgier
version of its previous incarnation with the blade itself consisting of a solid
silver metal that seemed to ripple if stared at for too long.

Against better judgement several of the Knights tried to retrieve the sword,
but many of them could not even grasp the hilt without being flung aside by
some unseen force. Even those that could grab the blade could not hold on
for long; describing their experience as the sword seeming to twist and
thrust in directions of its own volition in an attempt to defy the wielders
wishes. One Knight, who (unknown to the party) had been greatly corrupted
by the Chaos during their expedition managed to grasp the blade and to the
shock of all present; hold it without issue. The Knights cheered for their
comrade's accomplishment and began the return home with their findings.
Along the way they soon discovered the recovered sword was not entirely
the same blade that King Paladin had once wielded; for this blade displayed
many powerful and frightening abilities.

The first and most chilling was that, upon swinging the blade, an jointly
demonic and melodic sound would seem to come from the air the sword
sliced. Those who did not run away in fear from the sound described it as
though someone were singing a beautiful song while being gutted with a
knife all at once without missing a beat. The second noted power was that
the sword was unaffected by the mysterious powers of the Archfiends; for
during their many attacks the sword had been able to turn their assaults and
cut through them without the powers of Chaos being able to interfere. Yet
this is where the story turns tragic, as not far from the border the Knight
wielding the sword became consumed by the Chaos entirely and an
exceptionally bloody fight ensued. Of the returning party 35 of the 50 men
were slaughtered by the newly turned Chaos Knight before he could be
killed; the screams of the dying men resounding in chorus with the blade's
unholy cries.

Upon the wielder's death the sword began hovering in mid-air again, the
survivors describing the long emerald on the sword's base as staring right at
each of them; daring any man of them to come forward and attempt to
command its frightful powers once again. When none dared to try, the blade
hovered off back into the tainted lands and vanished. The story of those
survivors is now passed on in song as the Ballad of the Forlorn Sword; a
warning to those who fight against the Archfiends both experienced and
fresh of the other hidden dangers in those lands. And the new name those
songs bestowed upon the altered blade of Paladin, was Excalidurge.

The sword Excalidurge functions as a semi-sentient Seibore. It is unable to

speak or communicate; but it voluntarily moves through the lands cursed by
Pandemonium; seeking a wielder it deems worthy to use its powers. Anyone
attempting to take hold of the sword Excalidurge must succeed in a Strength
TN 20 roll or else the sword violently wrests itself away from their hold,
dealing 3K3 damage in the process. This TN is reduced by 5 for every full
rank of Chaos points the attempter possesses. Even if the TN is successfully
made, this TN is repeated every time Excalidurge is used during an attack
action until it accepts the owner as its own. Excalidurge has the following
special abilities:

*Whenever Excalidurge is used successfully for an attack, the swinging

motion causes the sword to issue out a terrifying melody that quivers the
soul of any who hear it. Attack with Excalidurge is considered to generate a
Fear 2 effect.
*Excalidurge is steeped in the energy of Pandemonium itself from such long
proximity to the portal created by the Archfiend invasion; as such it
naturally negates the effect of any rank of the special: Archfiend's Barrier.

The requirements for mastering Excalidurge come at a high price as the

sword will not except anyone except those who have mastered both the
aspects of Light and Shadow within their soul. Excalidurge will consider its
wielder to be its true master only if that individual possesses a Light Ring of
5 and has reached 3.1 points of Chaos without having taken a single rank in
the Chaos Knight school. Mastery of Excalidurge bestows the additional
special abilities:

*Mastering Excalidurge will prevent the normal effects of reaching 3.1 Chaos
to occur and prevent the gaining of any additional Chaos points.
*Excalidurge will now deal an additional number of rolled dice in damage
equal to half your Light Ring (rounded down).

Light’s Will
In the moments before the Light fully split into its three aspects it recorded
everything about the world as it happened and as it would be into a singular
tome; with the intention of warning the people of this third world against
upsetting the balance of Order and Chaos lest everything be destroyed yet
again. However the book did not survive the creation of the world intact.
The power binding the words to the pages kept the book from being
completely destroyed; but each individual page was torn asunder and cast
across the entirety of Aidespar.

Each page contains a different part of the Light’s knowledge which can be
split into three categories, with eleven pages each. The “History” pages
contain the precisely detailed history of Aidespar; from its formation across
eight pages up to future events yet to happen in two and the days of its
demise on the final page. Pages from the “Elements” section details the
working mechanics of the third world; referring to the balance of the
natural elements and how to draw power from them. Each page reveals the
secrets behind the Elemental Knights, the branching lists of Spells, the
Knight of Light, and a page supposedly detailing something known as the
“Knights of the Arcana”. The final section “Realms” details the “truths” of
the world as a whole. The creation of the first and second world, the
Shadow, the Daemos, and the other hidden powers of darkness and light part
of the world’s cosmology.

History Pages: Anyone possessing a page from the History section of Light’s
Will is instantly filled with the knowledge of every single event that
happened/will happen during that time period. Anytime a Lore roll is
needed for information that happened during that period; the owner of that
page automatically succeeds (including any number of Raises that might’ve
been required for obscure knowledge). However for every page that is read
a total of 15 years of the owner’s memories will be erased to make room for
this knowledge. (These years do not have to be concurrent. An owner of a
History Page can forget six months from one year, five days from another,
ect.)

Elements Pages: Anyone possessing a page from the Elements section of

Light’s Will is either granted access to an Elemental Knight’s school
techniques without having to take the Multiple Schools Advantage or learns
up to 10 additional spells they do not already know from an Element they do
not have a Deficiency in. An Elements Pages also will grant access to the
Knight of Light technique even if you do not meet the requirements. The
Knights of Arcana page is presently lost and unobtainable. An owner of an
Elements Page has the element related to the page they own destabilized by
the overwhelming knowledge (I.E: An owner of the Knights of Fire page has
their Fire Ring destabilized.) As such they suffer a +10 TN penalty to any raw
Ring rolls with that Ring.

Realms Pages: Anyone possessing a page from the Realms section of Light’s
Will becomes instantly privy to every bit of knowledge on a “truth”. Be it
the Shadow, or the multiple worlds, or the existence of the trinity of aspects
after the Light’s death, ect. This knowledge shatters a preconceived notion
that shakes the fundamental beliefs of any Aidesparian. The owner of a
Realms Page must immediately make a Willpower Roll with a TN of 30 or else
go permanently insane from the revelation granted by the page.

Should the entire tome of Light’s Will be reassembled the owner of that
tome would gain access to all the benefits of every History, Element, and
Realm page without any of the typical penalties.

Moonstone
In Aidespar exists a legend nearly as old as the country itself called "The
Night of the 21 Stars". The legend itself exists today as little more than an
old folk tale commonly retold through multiple songs, each with different
variations about the exact time, place, and person who recorded the event.
What each version of "The Night of the 21 Stars" does share however is a tale
where the full moon suddenly seemed to explode in a flash of light one
evening. In the wake of that flare several large shooting stars were
witnessed falling to the earth below. While there were many smaller stars
that fell, the song speaks of 21 lights that were brighter than the rest;
shining with an unearthly glow that illuminated the sky long after the
impacted with the ground.

Those who were bold enough to go searching after the sun rose mostly came
home empty handed. But a fortunate few found small craters where within
lie a small chunk of crystalline rock similar in color and composition to the
mineral quartz, only smoothed to perfect from its heavenly fall. Enough of
these gems emerged over time and were given the name "Moonstone" as
many who witnessed The Night of the 21 Stars believed the moon to be their
point of origin. Aside from looking beautiful, the Moonstone proved to have
no special properties at the time and was eventually considered a worthless
chunk of stone; only fit to be gathered by folklore scholars and people
obsessed with anything related to the moon.
However the Moonstone holds within it secret powers that are beginning to
emerge now that Pandemonium has made itself manifest in this world. Like
many have theorized, the Moonstone gems have indeed originated from the
Moon; for it is the physical manifestation of the Balance in this world
(unknown to anyone). When the world was created by the division of the
Light into its three forms, the Moon manifested above the Earth and spare
pieces of it broke off and fell onto the landmasses below; almost entirely in
Aidespar (attracted to the land bless and cursed by both the Order and the
Chaos). When the Balance's intervention in the world becomes necessary,
the Moonstone's powers come to fruition.

Moonstone has one main purpose once active: To absorb the powers of both
the Order and the Chaos. The extent of this power is related to both the size
and quality of the Moonstone. Below is a list describing what the different
classifications of Moonstone are and their respective powers.

Class I: This classification of Moonstone comes in many shapes and sizes,

from as small as a pebble to as large as a man's head. It different from later
classes of Moonstone in that it appears as a white, glassy rock without any
transparency. This class of Moonstone is the most common, but also the
weakest type. Anyone possessing a piece of Class I Moonstone of any size is
granted the following protections:
*Magic of any kind cast against you has the TN to successfully cast the spell
raised by 5.
*If you gain a point of Chaos, the Moonstone absorbs the point and takes it
instead of you.

Class I Moonstone shatters and turns into a white sand upon successfully
protecting you against 1 Spell or 0.1 Chaos.

Class II: This classification of Moonstone has only been known to appear in
the form of gemstones 3-6 inches in diameter. This version of Moonstone is
partially transparent and unlike Class I Moonstone comes in a dark purple
coloration. Not as common than Class I Moonstone, Class II occurs
approximately in one out of every four pieces of Moonstone collected.
Anyone possessing a piece of Class II Moonstone is granted the following
protections:
*Magic of any kind cast against you has the TN to successfully cast the spell
raised by 5.
*If you gain a point of Chaos, the Moonstone absorbs the point and takes it
instead of you.

Class II Moonstone shatters and turns into a white sand upon successfully
protecting you against 2 Spells or 0.2 Chaos. Class II Moonstone may be
grafted onto any weapon. The weapon it is grafted on to will now ignore up
to 1 Rank of the Special Ability: Archfiend's Barrier. (This does not stack with
multiple Moonstones.)

Class III: This classification of Moonstone only comes in sizes large enough to
forge pendants and amulets out of. Class III Moonstone is a completely
transparent purple gem that contains a softly glowing blue center. Most
consider this to be the rarest form of Moonstone, as only 60 pieces have ever
been recorded to exist in the entire country. Anyone possessing a piece of
Class III Moonstone is granted the following protections:
*Magic of any kind cast against you has the TN to successfully cast the spell
raised by 10.
*If you gain a point of Chaos, the Moonstone absorbs the point and takes it
instead of you.

Class III Moonstone has never been known to shatter, however upon
successfully protecting you against 3 spells or 0.4 Chaos; the blue glow
subsides and the Moonstone does not function again until the next full moon.
Class III Moonstone may be grafted onto any weapon. The weapon it is
grafted on to will now ignore up to 2 Ranks of the Special Ability: Archfiend's
Barrier. (This does not stack with multiple Moonstones. Class III's bonus
overrides Class II's.)

Class IV: Although it has been reported but never proven, it is said that a
Class IV variety of Moonstone does exist. Those that have claimed to see it
describe Class IV as possessing the same appearance as Class III, however the
Moonstone is reported to be boulder sized (anywhere from 4ft to 7ft in
diameter) and being unnaturally heavy. However the few who have claimed
to see Class IV were never able to lead anyone back to the site of their
discovery to prove its existence. Class IV Moonstone has the following
properties:
*Magic of any kind cast within a 300' radius has the TN to successfully cast
the spell raised by 20.
*Pandemonium's influence cannot come within 2000' of Class IV Moonstone,
therefore no threat of infection exists within that distance.
*Archfiends within 300' of Class IV Moonstone lose 2 Ranks of their
Archfiend's Barrier; this can stack with Moonstone grafted onto weaponry.

Class IV Moonstone never shatters or loses its power, no matter how many
spells or Chaos points are absorbed. Class IV Moonstone cannot be chipped
or destroyed via conventional weaponry.

Class V: While many have debated about it throughout the ages, none are
truly aware of the existence of Class V Moonstone. These are the original 21
Stars that fell to earth from the moon that fateful night. They bear similar
appearance to Class III Moonstone, only the blue light within burns like a
shrunken star and the gemstone itself could dwarf a dozen horses stacked
together. These Moonstones lay hidden in obscure and distant places all
within Aidespar's border; just waiting for someone to discover them or for
fate to call for their true purpose. Class V Moonstone has the following
properties:
*Magic of any kind within a 1000' radius has the TN to successfully cast the
spell raised by 20. No Magic can be cast within any location directly touched
by the Moonstone's glow.
*Pandemonium's influence cannot come within 5 miles of Class V Moonstone.
If Pandemonic energy even approaches the 5 mile mark it can be seen
twisting and writhing in the air from the indirect contact.
*Archfiends within 1000' of Class V Moonstone lose any ability to utilize their
Archfiend's Barrier.

Class V Moonstone never shatters or loses its power, no matter how many
spells or Chaos points are absorbed. Class V Moonstone cannot be chipped or
destroyed via conventional weaponry.

New Rokugani Material

Minor Clans and Rokugani Factions

Red Velvet Faction

Founding
When the civilizations of Aidespar and Rokugan first encountered other the
Empress deemed all dealings with them to be kept secret. The war with the
Destroyers had already greatly weakened the morale of the publish and
distrust of everything gajin had hit an all time high. However as the two
groups began to interact more and negotiations began the inevitable
happened. News of the Aidespar Gaijin leaked out of the Empress' court and
slowly began to trickle its way across Rokugan.

While many samurai faithfully stood by the Empress' decision and trusted in
her judgement to let these strange foreigners into their lands; there were
several amongst the samurai caste who clung tightly to their traditional
values. These samurai detested these new invaders and saw them as no
better than the gaijin filth that had invaded Rokugan from the Shadowlands.
As those of like mind became more dissatisfied with the gaijin presense a
group began to form hidden from the public eye.

This group of samurai deemed that any gaijin presence in Rokugani lands
was a treat of the highest caliber and they swore to purge the threat by
force. Secretly they gathered more and more to their ranks, primarily by
spreading propaganda that the Empress had become ensnared by gaijin
sorcery and they were soon to take over the throne using her as their
puppet. Eventually their numbers swelled to the point where they could be
covert operations as a serious threat to the Aidesparian visitors.

The Red Velvets use any knowledge obtainable about gaijin and their
customs to infiltrate and assassinate their leaders without raising any
suspicion. They have already installed several operatives in Aidespar and the
Empress' court willing to execute an unwary gaijin at first opportunity. Their
symbol is that of the now absorbed Wasp clan, only reversed and colored
with a crimson and black pattern.

Red Velvet Assassin (Ninja)

The ranks of the Red Velvet Assassins are lined with those who have studied
target gaijin cultures and all its intricacies. They use the gaijin's own
cultural flaws to infiltrate, cause trouble amongst the chains of command,
and eliminate high profile targets. What make the Red Velvet truly
dangerous are their abilities in gaijin cultural etiquette are matched quite
equally by their skills in subterfuge and assassination.

Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Acting, Athletics, Courtier, Craft (Poison), Lore (Gaijin Culture),
Ninjutsu, Stealth, any one Skill
Honor: 1.0
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, and one weapon, Daisho, Bow or Knife,
Traveling Pack, 3 Koku, 3 Dolats

Techniques
Rank One: The Buzzing Nest
A Red Velvet Assassin treats a gaijin's court like a buzzing nest of wasps. One
simply does not approach it with a stick, beat upon it, and expect to get
away without several painful stings. You suffer no penalties for using your
Courtier Skills in a foreign court. Also you are treated as always having one
rank in any weapon skill from a gaijin nation.

Rank Two: A Silent, Burning Sting

Once within reach of a target it is all but over for those marked by the Red
Velvet Assassin. Their strikes are not only quiet and precise; but their
talents in poisons ensure a wound that will burn and boil painfully. You may
roll an additional +1K1 to your Stealth rolls. Additionally all your poisons
have their Heal TN raised by your School Rank x 2.

Rank Three: A Wasp Sting Twice

Although the assassins of the Red Velvet are taught to take out an enemy
with one blow whenever possible, there are times that a more enduring foe
can take multiple strikes to bring down. When attacking from ambush you
may make a melee or ranged attack as a Simple Action.
Rank Four: Deceitful Wings
There are times where direct elimination is not the optimal way to bring
down a gaijin. Using their own customs and faults can be just as effective, if
not more so when used in the correct manner. After spending 5 or more
minutes in conversation with someone you may make an opposed
Courtier(Manipulation)/Awareness against an opponent's
Etiquette(Conversation)/Awareness. If successful the opponent must make 1
Raise for no effect or their Social Skills automatically fail for the next hour.
You may call 2 Raises to increase the amount of Raises your opponent must
make by 1.

Rank Five: Red Velvet's Toxin

When stung by a red velvet the venom it injects causes a burning sensation
from the contact point that increases over time. Eventually the victim feels
like their very blood has been set aflame. Those of the Red Velvet Assassins
have perfected a poison that emulates this effect to a more lethal degree.
You may now craft the Pulsing Flame poison.

Pulsing Flame
Using a combination of special herbs gathered from the corners of Rokugan
and Aidespar with a bit of Shugenja magic worked into the vial used to store
it; Pulsing Flame toxin directly attacks the victim's inner Fire and uses it
against them. The victim's inner Fire becomes active and overpowers his
other elements. This causes an imbalance which eventually physicalizes as
boiling blood and burning flesh unless treated.

Effects: Upon introduction to the skin this poison causes a mild burning
sensation, almost as though one had been poked with a red hot needle. For
the next 60 seconds this burning sensation will gradually increase until it
feels like the victim has a blazing fire where the contact point occurred. The
pain will the cease until one hour later when the victim's Fire increases and
causes their blood to slowly boil. The victim takes damage in rolled and kept
die equal to their Fire Ring. This damage recurs every hour unless the poison
is cured. Healing spells cast upon a victim of Pulsing Flame only regain half
the amount of wounds healed.

Craft TN: 30
Heal TN: 35

Sakura Clan

Motto
My dancing is considered the finest of the refined arts; while my fighting is
called the pinacle of discipline. My greatest secret is that these two things
are not separate skills.

Foundation
When the nation of Aidespar became a group of individuals the Empress
considered to be worthy of a potential alliance, she pondered how to
introduce Aidespar to the rich cultural history of Rokugan without
overwhelming them with too many new things at once. Sending over
representatives from each clan would only flood the gaijin with too much
history and inner quarrel, presenting the image that Rokugan was weak and
divided by ancient rivalries. However sending just one or a few people from
each faction might give the Aidesparians a biased view of Rokugan that
would be quickly shattered once they spend time in their potential ally's
lands.

The solution came to the Empress while watching an evening performance

by a renoun performer named "Sakura", who had helped calm the turbulence
over Rokugan with her graceful performances that seemed to transcend
physical description. Sakura not only happened to be an elegant dancer, but
also a fierce samurai-ko who integrated her dancing techniques into her
swordplay for a dangerous combination. Confident that this was the correct
front to present to Aidespar, the Empress charged Sakura with founding a
small Minor Clan specifically devoted to replicating her art and serving as
Cultural Ambassador to the overseas gaijin. Within a few short years the new
clan champion Sakura Tsuki led her small group overseas and now serves her
role faithfully within the walls of Aidespar's Castle of the Four Lords.

The Sakura Clan has no direct lands of its own, save for that the Nobles of
Aidespar have granted them as diplomats of the Empress. Their skills in both
sword and cultural performances serve to create a bridge of understanding
between the two cultures that words alone could not hope to create. While
they spend a majority of their time within court demonstrating the finer
points of Rokugani culture, they are not beyond getting their hands dirty and
serving alongside the Knights or Church in depending the homeland of their
potential allies.

Geography & Economy

While an official Minor Clan of Rokugan's Empire, the Sakura Clan do not
have any native lands to call their own. Instead they exist as permanent
ambassadors to Aidespar and as such claim their few embassies as their "clan
lands". While most prefer to reside within these makeshift quarters the more
adventurous members of the Sakura Clan have managed to purchase a small
partition of land several miles north of the Temple of Water. Here they have
built a small , yet constantly expanding village and share this domain with
many local Aidesparians; making it the melting pot for the two cultures.

The village has two names depending on whom you ask. If you ask a
Rokugani they'll refer to it as "Iweko no Mura" after the Empress who allowed
the expedition to take place; while the Aidesparian's call it "Sakura's Villa"
after the Clan Champion who founded it. Either name can be used and
anyone from those cultures will know where you are inquiring about. The
village serves many purposes for the Sakura Clan functioning as a center of
trade for intercultural exchange and as a cultural experience. Those wishing
to travel between countries will often visit this village first because the two
cultures interact on a more casual level and are more used to accidental
social missteps that may happen because of the differences between groups.

Due to their distance the Sakura Clan has a hard time receiving direct funds
from the Empire. Instead the Sakura Clan makes their living by acting as an
economic broker of sorts between Aidespar and Rokugan. Rokugani traders
who brave the trip often fence their good through the Sakura Clan, who has
a better understanding on who wants what items and who will pay the most.
In return they also have better connections to gain rare Aidesparian goods to
send back with the traders to sell to the more eccentric Rokugani. This
service usually generates a good cut for the Sakura Clan to subsist on as it
generates both Aidesparian and Rokugani currency. Because of this unique
position the Sakura Clan also is the group to go to if you want to exchange
currency between the two nations; as they have established a set trade rate
within their village's boundaries.
Demography
Although living on another country far away the Sakura Clan has a pretty
standard demographic for a Minor Clan. The members of the Sakura Clan are
mostly 21-35 years old with the ungempukued and the retired samurai
making up a minority of the population. However there are two key
difference between the Sakura Clan's demographics and a typical Minor
Clan's. First is that the "retired" samurai often do not go into a monastery or
anything like that. They actively help their clan by passing on their unique
artistic or athletic skills onto the next generation by teaching anyone who
comes to them; ensuring that the Sakura Clan's cultural heritage is spread as
far as possible.
The second difference comes from their genetic make up. While almost
entirely of Rokugani decent, there are those of the clan who have fallen in
love with and married Aidesparians. This has led to some children being born
that are half Aidesparian/half Rokugani. The Clan Champion has estimated
that perhaps within one or two generations the Sakura Clan will be made up
predominantly of mixed blood children.

Customs
Rather than forming a truly unique set of customs of their own, the Sakura
Clan both adapts some of the general customs of Rokugan (their high arts,
standard manners, ceremonies, ect) and takes on a complete
"non-traditional" stance. Meaning that they allow themselves not to be tied
down to any one set of customs so they can adapt to the foreign culture as
easily as possible. In fact they will publicly eschew the more disturbing
customs and perform those in private, away from any foreign eyes (such as
Seppuku).

However their lack of internal customs has allowed them time to master and
perfect the ones they do practice. Sakura Clan members are all known from
being almost mechanical in their performances of things such as tea
ceremonies or poetry readings; having honed these arts almost into a
performance level so other cultures can observe and learn from these
experiences.

Unlike other Rokugani Clans though, the Sakura are completely open to
experiencing foreign customs and sometimes will adapt a few of them into
their own lifestyle to better blend into the culture. One of the greater
examples of this can be seen in person to person interaction in the form of
physical contact. Physical contact is not seen as a problem in Aidespar like it
is in Rokugan and the Sakura have adapted this into their daily standards.

Families

The Sakura Family: +1 Awareness

The Sakura Family is a group devoted to the pursuit and refinement of
Rokugan's cultural arts. As such they are raised from birth to perfect a
performance skill and taught in the ways of reading and manipulating an
audience.

Schools, Paths, and Dojos

Sakura Bushi School [Bushi]

Amongst Samurai there are those who have seen the performing arts and
scoffed at them. For a proud warrior something as simple as dancing to be
frivolous and a waste of time that could be spent further training one's body.
However the Sakura Clan has integrated the art of dance into the core of
their fighting style. The graceful movements one must perfect through
rigorous training often translates into fluid body motion that can just as
easily carry a sword strike through to an unprepared enemy.

Along with this unnatural grace the Sakura Bushi are quite light on their feet
and quick on the battlefield. Some would argue they could even match the
Hare in a footrace. Their real talent however comes from the skills needed
to read an audience's emotions and reactions to a performance. This skill
allows a Sakura Bushi to read their opponent and judge what their next
move might be or how to make them expose a weakness.

Benefit: +1 Perception
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Investigation, Kenjutsu, Perform (Dancing),
Perform (Any), any 1 Social Skill.
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Ornate Kimono, Wakizashi, Traveling Pack, 8 Koku

Techniques
Rank One: Opening Steps
The Sakura fighting style lends itself to irregular movements that many
samurai are not trained to follow without difficulty. You may add your
Perform (Dancing) skill to your Armor TN during the turn in which you have
performed a Feint Maneuver.

Rank Two: Quick Legs, Light Feet

Practicing the art of dancing along the art of the sword increases both the
body's speed and reaction time. You may add +1K1 to your initiative rolls.
Additionally your Water Ring is considered 1 higher for purposes of how far
you can move with Move actions.

Rank Three: Whirling Dervish

Those who practice the art of dance are taught to watch their fellow
performers moves as well as their own; this lesson helps the Sakura Bushi
fight against those physically stronger than themselves. Performing the
Knockdown Maneuver requires one less Raise. Additionally you may use your
Awareness in place of your Strength for Combat Maneuvers.

Rank Four: Rushing Towards the Climax

Through constant practice and determination, the Sakura Bushi will hone
their skills to near perfection. Your attacks with unarmed strikes, knives, or
Samurai-keyword weapons are considered Simple Actions.

Rank Five: Final Performance

Dancing and swordplay make for a very unpredictable and lethal
combination when the two styles have been perfectly blended. Those caught
in the Sakura Bushi's final dance will likely not survive to see the last steps.
Any opponent that has been successfully attacked by a Sakura Bushi is
considered Dazed until one round after they have not suffered any damage
from your attack. You may make Raises to increase the TN to overcome the
Dazed status during the Reaction Stage by +5 for every two Raises.

Shark Clan

Motto
Hohojirozame? Those who travel our shores wish they were still the most
dangerous creature in these waters.
Founding
The discovery of the nation of Aidespar led to the call for two plans to be
put into motion. The first being a diplomatic mission to ascertain the powers
and abilities of the new gaijin. The other being a call for a military buffer
between Aidespar and Rokugan, serving as both an early warning system and
a first strike unit should the gaijin prove to be as dishonorable as many
feared. With the discovery of the newly christened Iweko Archipelago
between the two nations a group of samurai was needed to colonize and
construct a front line military base designed to stop gaijin attack forces at
all costs. The leader for this task was given to a brash ronin named Aoizame.
True to the creature he was named after, Aoizame was a man who chased
down his prey and ravaged it without any mercy. Aoizame was also known
quite well for his hatred of gaijin, having lost his home village to assaults
from the Yobanjin and many men during his efforts against the cultists of
Kali-Ma. When Aoizame was presented with option to take on this
monumental task, he accepted quite readily. Before setting out to construct
this new base Aoizame first took time making some very important decisions
such as selection of the samurai to take with him. Only the roughest and
hardiest samurai were selected to join what would be known as the Shark
Clan. The other important move Aoizame made was to forge a close alliance
with the Mantis and the Tortoise.

Once preparations were made the Shark Clan set out across the ocean with
the aid of the Mantis and soon began building a new home on the Iweko
Archepelego. Due large in part to the plentiful natural resources the Shark
were able to construct a port city fairly quickly, additionally aided by supply
runs by the Mantis and Tortoise. Since the construction of Aoizame no
Kuchisaki the Shark have spread out over the islands, building various watch
towers while constantly fortifying their own offensive and defensive
capabilities. Presently their current project is the construction of a fleet of
swift ships capable of darting out to attack before returning to port before a
counter offensive can be launched.

Geography & Economy

The Shark Clan inhabit a cluster of 8 islands known as the Iweko Archipelago
located several hundred miles northwest of Rokugan and approximately 100
miles south of Aidespar's Grand Ice Barrier. Their home city of Aoizame no
Kuchisaki resides on the largest island, which is in turn surrounded by the
other seven, smaller islands which range from 2-5 miles away from each
other. Sea travel to Aoizame no Kuchisaki is notoriously difficult. The close
proxiemty of the smaller islands generate constantly shifting currents and
several walls of coral reef grow under the surrounding waters. An
unprepared sailor can easily sink their ship long before reaching the city's
ports, so all but the most experienced sailors wait just outside of the
archipelago until a Shark Clan representative arrives to lead them into port.
Weather around the Iweko Archipelago is usually tropic all year long with
rainy seasons lasting typically for the last three months of the year. During
these times typhoons can sometimes engulf the area, making travel to or
from them all but impossible. All of the islands share the same
environmental traits; typically heavily forested by tropic plants with very
little change in elevation. Only the central island has a noticeable mountain,
which can be climbed up and down from in less than a day.
The economy for the Shark Clan is relatively stable despite being so far from
their homeland. Resources on the Iweko Archipelago are plentiful and often
many rare spices, materials, and animals are found here that none in
Rokugan have ever experienced before. Between the Mantis and the Tortoise
anything the Shark need can typically be traded for; with the Shark
sometimes gaining a little Koku in the process. This Koku is typically saved
up for times the Shark need to purchase extra supplies for expansion, or for
their less than legal purchases.

In an attempt to keep up with their original purpose of being able to act as

an offensive force against the gaijin Aoizame has adopted the theory of
fighting fire with fire. As such the Shark often use their connections with the
Tortoise to smuggle in gaijin weapons and implements to further bolster
their position. Typically these purchases are paid for with excess Koku from
supply trading or in exchange for some of the unique plant life that makes
for potent poisons or drugs. Their biggest export is a small, red flower than
can be ground into a red powder much like opium, only more potent. On the
mainland this new drug is known as "Firecracker Powder".

Demography
Those of the original Shark Clan were hand picked by Aoizame himself.
Typically these individuals were young samurai, many fresh out of gempuku
age who had yet to determine their lot in life yet were brash, eager, but also
tough enough in both mind and body to withstand the rigors of island life.
Due to the dangerous nature of the place they reside this demography has
not changed at all. Shark Clan samurai grow up fast and typically die young
in the line of duty. Travel between the islands in taxing and the dangers
existing both in the water and on land can end the unprepared man or
woman's life in a heartbeat.

Customs
In part due to their exotic location and in part due to an obsession with
survival, the Shark Clan has developed a series of odd customs pervading
every part of their life, starting even at child birth. The sea is extremely
important to the Shark as their daily life involves constant interaction with
it, as such new born children are taken to the sea soon after birth and are
escorted into the water to form a spiritual bond with it. Once the child is
old enough to walk, swimming lessons become a regular part of every day
training and exercise. Because of the close proximity of the other islands
most Shark see it as a waste to use boats and so they swim from island to
island when they want to travel anywhere. A Shark who cannot swim is likely
to spend a life in humiliation, so most parents are extremely adamant about
teaching their children as early as possible to master swimming.

Another custom unique to the Shark has primarily to do with their diet. The
climate of the Iweko Archipelago is not well suited for growing rice and only
a limited amount can be imported in, as the Shark have other things higher
on the priority list to import from Rokugan. As such the Shark have taken to
eating whatever is readily avaliable to them, which is often fresh meat from
the local wildlife. While options such as fruit and fish are available the time
and energy it takes to gather these semi-limited resources is not worth it
when compared to the short time in which a group of Shark samurai can
hunt down a few wild beasts to feed several families for days. Some of the
more prominent items on a Shark's daily menu include wild boar, giant
constrictors, and oxen.

A final custom of note is the Shark's ritual of gempuku comes with an

additional level of challenge. Those wishing to prove themselves "truly"
worthy of the Shark Clan's symbol are taken out to deeper waters and given
only two things before they dive in: A knife and a rotting fish head. The fish
head attracts a local shark (sometimes more than one) which the young
samurai must fight and kill. If he succeeds the dead shark's skin and teeth is
then woven into an obi for their kimono as proof of their worthiness of the
Shark's image.

War
While the Shark have not been involved in any wars as of yet; their entire
clan was founded on the principle that at any moment they may be called
upon to be the first to wage war upon Aidespar. As such they are always on
alert and have adapted some unusual tactics that most Rokugani would
deem dishonorable, if not outright unforgivable.

Because the Shark do not have a vast navy like the Mantis they have settled
on adopting certain gaijin weaponry from other nations to make up for this;
as the Shark generally despise the gaijin themselves but not their
technology. Hidden in carefully selected locations across the archepelego
are several well maintained canons. The Shark have imported these from
what remained of the Thrane and Methrane cultures via the Tortoise; and
they are specially designed to be hidden completely on short notice should
any of the more honorable clans from the Empire visit.

Additionally, the Shark have been experimenting with a new form of navel
warfare. In addition to the vast natural defenses of the Iweko Archipelago
the Shark have reinforced their island with inventions Aoizame calls
"Bakuretsu Saya" (Exploding Pods). These contraptions are wooden spheres
made from imported bamboo then filled with gaijin powder and another
substance discovered on the islands that generated a lesser explosion when
sharply impacted. In theory whenever an invading ship bumps into one of
these it will explode violently, severely damaging the offending vessel. The
Shark have deployed several of these in their harbors for testing but the
prototypes still have issues; as quite often a heavy wave or an unfortunately
curious shark has set one off prematurely.

Families

Aoizame Family (Trait Bonus: +1 Stamina)

A strong mind is needed to endure island life, but an even tougher body is
required to survive it. Those of the Aoizame family have adapted to the
hardships their environment constantly throws at them. As a result they
tend to literally be more "thick-skinned" than most samurai and can shrug off
physical assaults more easily. Their physical prowess is most notable in their
ability to swim for many miles at a time without stopping, despite being
pulled in every direction by the local ocean currents.

Schools, Paths & Dojos

Aoizame Berzerker School [Bushi]

Those of the Aoizame Berzerker School look to the shark as the inspiration
for their fighting style. Once they've made the first blow they go into an
unrelenting rage, not stopping until that target has dropped. Striking back
against an Aoizame Berzerker only incites them to attack more intensely; for
once they've "tasted" their opponent's blood they want more and more of it.
Even the infamous Hida Berzerkers are hesitant to provoke an Aoizame
Berzerker into their full frenzied state.
Benefit: +1 Strength
Skills: Animal Handling, Athletics (Swimming), Defense, Hunting, Knives,
Sailing, any one Bugei skill.
Honor: 1.0
Outfit: Ashigaru or Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any 2 weapons,
Traveling Pack, 1 Koku.

Techniques
Rank 1: First Bite
As one bite is all a shark needs to unlock their feeding frenzy instincts; one
strike is all an Aoizame Berzerker needs to focus on their opponent
relentlessly. For every Wound Rank below Healthy you presently suffer, you
may add +1K0 to your damage rolls. Additionally your Water Ring is
considered 1 higher for purposes of calculating movement while swimming.

Rank 2: Rip and Tear

When a shark strikes out at its opponent it does so without caring what part
it gets; but it makes sure to completely eviscerate whatever is does catch
between its jaws. Upon a successful attack and after damage is calculated
you may spend a Void Point. Roll a single d10 that will not explode. A
number of wounds (up to the maximum amount of damage inflicted) equal
to the number rolled cannot be healed by any magical means. If these
wounds are not healed within one day, they become Permanent Wounds.
Rank 3: Blood Fueled Appetite
A shark's greatest motivation is the smell of its victim's blood. One drop can
motivate a shark into a demonic uproar, a gallon can nearly drive it insane
with lustful hunger. You may now ignore a number of your target's Reduction
point up to an amount equal to their present Wound Rank during an attack.
(Example: An opponent at the Grazed Wound Rank would have 2 points of
Reduction Negated, Hurt 3, Injured 4, ect.) Additionally you may add your
School Rank in rolled dice on any Hunting roll.

Rank 4: Second Taste

Once a shark has taken that first bite of its prey it is guaranteed to come
back for another. You may make attacks with Knives or weapons with the
Samurai keyword as Simple Actions.

Rank 5: Killing Bite

Though it may play with its food and taste several times to make sure it's
the right meal, eventually the shark will close in and deliver one final, fatal
blow; no matter how injured it may be. After immediately hitting the Down
or Out Wound Rank you may spent two Void Points. By doing so you may
deliver one final attack as a Complex Action ignoring all Wound Penalties,
Armor Penalties, and treating your Strength Trait as double for the attack.

New Weapons

Henteko
Born from a combination of Aidespar blacksmithing techniques and Rokugani
tradition, Henteko are a new breed of weapon that some say combines the
best of both worlds, while more traditional samurai look on in sheer horror
at the "strange" combination. Regardless of personal stance about the morals
of wielding these weapons, no one can deny they prove themselves to be
unique assets on the battle field. Henteko are rare to find in any
blacksmith's shop and often have to be custom ordered for the user.

Hooksword (Kenjutsu)
The Hooksword is a unique specimen of a weapon that proves itself to be
highly versatile in any circumstance. The weapon itself consists a set of
back-edged blades curved into a J. These blades are set into a pair of
crescent shaped guards. This allows for both an offensive and defensive
weapon that can slash, entangle, and also guard against glancing blows.
Keywords: Medium, Gaijin
DR: 2K1
Special Rules: The Hooksword may be used to initiate and maintain a
grapple. In addition it provides a bonus +5 to the users TN to be Hit.
Price: 40 Koku or Dolats

Ring Blade (Chain Weapon)

The Ring Blade is an unusual beast that many Rokugani find hard to
comprehend. It is a pair of large metal circles, not unlike Aidesparian
shields. However this circular weapon is hollowed out in the middle, leaving
a large ring with three evenly spaced blades protruding from its
circumference. While it may cut like a sword and sit like a shield, those who
have mastered it often compare its battle movements to that of a chain
weapon.
Keywords: Large, Gaijin
DR: 2K3
Special Rules: The Ring Blade may be thrown as a ranged weapon up to a
maximum distance of 20'.
Price: 55 Koku or Dolats.

Talon Gauntlet (Jiujutsu)

The martial art of Jiujutsu has not flourished in Aidespar like it has in
Rokugan. Needless to say those who have traveled to Aidespar and
performed martial art exhibitions can attract quite a wide range of
interests. One of those interests was a bold blacksmith who found a way to
enhance the damage generated by a Jiujutsu strike without encumbering the
wielder. The result was a light metal gauntlet locked around the wrist with
three metal claws extending about 2' long past the edge. This weapon can
cause terrible slashing damage in the hands of a skilled Jiujutsu fighter.
Keywords: Small, Gaijin, Unarmed
DR: 0K3
Special Rules: While wielding a Talon Gauntlet, the user is considered
unarmed for all Jiujutsu bonuses and other abilities that require the user to
be unarmed.
Price: 25 Koku or Dolats
Furugasa (Staves/Spears)
Even amongst the Henteko the Furugasa is a unique specimen. The Furugasa
is parasol attached to a long steel rod that has had all the cloth and paper
replaced with loose steel mesh while still remaining functional as a parasol.
As a result the Furugasa can be used in two completely unique styles
depending on it's current configuration. With the parasol closed the weapon
becomes a heavy staff that can be used to bash an opponent with it's
weight. However once the parasol is opened the weapon functions more like
a spear with the steel mesh acting as a shield for the bearer. Because of this
different skills are required to use the weapon depending on if it is closed
(Staves) or open (Spears). Opening or closing a Furugasa is a Free Action.
Keywords: Medium, Gaijin
DR: 1K3/1K1
Special Rules: When the Furugasa is in the "open" configuration, it provides
an additional +2 Armor TN to the wielder and 2 points of Reduction.
Furugasa may be outfited with a spike on the parasol's tip for an additional
20 Koku/Dolates added onto the base cost to increase the weapon's DR by
+1K0.
Price: 35 Koku or Dolats