Shadowlands PDF

SHADOWLANDS
Enter the Lands of Evil

South of Rokugan lies the foul Shadowlands,
the home of horrid demons and unnatural
creatures. Centuries ago, the Crab Clan built
the huge Kaiu Wall to contain these threats,
but each day sees new assaults. Without
samurai of courage and honor to defend
against the threats of the Shadowlands, the
Emerald Empire would surely fall.
Shadowlands explores these dark realms
and the tainted creatures that fester
SHADOWLANDS
within, as well as the samurai who do
battle against them at the Wall or beyond.
In this sourcebook for the Legend of the
Five Rings Roleplaying Game, you will
find a wealth of information for gaming in
the Shadowlands as well as in Crab Clan
territories, including:
$$ Tales of the Shadowlands and its many
vile denizens and locations such as the
Festering Pit of Fu Leng, plus those of
the Crab Clan and the Kaiu Wall itself.
$$ Rules for the Falcon Minor Clan, plus
new schools, weapons, techniques, and
weapon patterns designed to thwart the
evils of the Shadowlands. Players also
gain new mahō techniques, should they
dare to use such forbidden blood magic
rites to gain power.
$$ GM Support including tips for running
Shadowlands-themed adventures, rules
for generating unique, demonic oni, and
guidance on using corruption in games.
Shadowlands
The Essential Guide to the
Dominion of Fu Leng
Peter Holland (order #18525021)
Credits
EXPANSION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Tim Huckelbery with Max Brooke
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Robert Denton III, EA Dunn, Lisa Farrell, Jordan Goldfarb,
Rob Hobart, D. G. Laderoute, Jason Marker, and James Spahn
EDITING Dixie Cochran
Christine Crabb and David Johnson

PROOFREADING
RPG MANAGER Sam Gregor-Stewart
LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS STORY REVIEW Tyler Parrott
EXPANSION GRAPHIC DESIGN Scott Nicely with Evan Simonet and Michael Silsby
GRAPHIC DESIGN COORDINATOR Joseph D. Olson
GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Christopher Hosch
FRONT COVER ART Mathias Kollros

BACK COVER ART Max Bedulenko
INTERIOR ART
Apterus, Steve Argyle, Drew Baker, Francesca Baerald, Max Bedulenko, Noah Bradley,
Sergio Camarena, Calvin Chua, Mauro Dal Bo, Nele Diel, Derk D. Edgell, John Anthony Di Giovanni,
Jason Engle, Tony Foti, Anthony Francisco, Filipe Gaona, Kevin Zamir Goeke, Gong Studios, Hai Hoang,
Lin Hsiang, Aurelien Hubert, Ursula Murray Husted, Wenn Juni, MuYoung Kim, Pavel Kolomeyets,
Diego Gisbert Llorens, Damien Mammoliti, Aaron Miller, Niten, Ben Peck, Polar Engine, Paolo Puggioni,
Bram Sels, Yudong Shen, Preston Stone, Shawn Ignatius Tan, Isuardi Therianto, Tropa Entertainment,
Halil Ural, Brian Valenzuela, Le Vuong, Haibin Wu, and Matt Zeilinger
ART DIRECTION Andy Christensen
MANAGING ART DIRECTOR Melissa Shetler
QUALITY ASSURANCE Andrew Janeba and Zach Tewalthomas
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT Jason Glawe and Dylan Tierney
VISUAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brian Schomburg
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER John Franz-Wichlacz
SENIOR MANAGER OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Chris Gerber
EXECUTIVE GAME DESIGNER Corey Konieczka
PUBLISHER Andrew Navaro
PLAYTESTERS
Michael Bernabo, Gavin Duffy, Emeric Dwyer, Julien Escalier, Cole Hanton, Ian Houlihan,
Romain Labrot, Evangelen Lee, François Martinez, Ryan Miner, Russel Needham,
James O’Connor, and Brandon Perdue
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Table of Contents
5 Welcome to 105 New Armor

the Shadowlands 106 Personal Effects
108 Signature Scrolls
109 Item Patterns
6 CHAPTER 1
Dark Histories 110 Artifacts of Jigoku
112 Blessed Treasures
7 The Shadowlands 114 New Techniques
35 Daylight Castle 116 Mahō
41 The Nezumi
49 The Crab Clan 122 CHAPTER 3
50 Families of the Crab Out of the Shadows
66 The Wall 123 Running Shadowlands Games
76 Patrolling the Shadowlands 128 New Titles
130 Spending Opportunity in
80 CHAPTER 2
Honor Against Demons Shadowlands Games
132 Corruption
81 The Falcon Clan 134 Oni Generation
88 New Schools 142 Tenets of Bushidō: Courage
96 Shadowlands Advantages and Disadvantages 144 New Demeanors and NPC Templates
101 New Samurai Heritages
102 New Weapons

9th Day of the Month of Shiba, 1117, somewhere four days’ march into the Shadowlands
Hiruma Gakuto shielded his eyes from the piercing Kiyosue slammed his tetsubō into the dirt inches
sun and squinted at the riverbed. “We’ve been here from Gakuto’s face. Ritsuko’s jaw clenched at the result-
before,” he muttered. ing dust cloud. Had Kiyosue slipped even a bit…
A hard smack. Gakuto sprawled in the dust, Hida “Are you all cowards?” the Hida demanded. “Since
Kiyosue glaring down at him with a red palm. when did the Crab cower at darkness? I’ll go in alone if
Kuni Ritsuko winced but said nothing. I must, and you can tell the Great Bear that you aban-
“Idiot!” Kiyosue hissed at the scout. “You have giv- doned the hunt for the oni at his doorstep!”
en our location away!” Gakuto made to speak, but Ritsuko interrupted, her
Gakuto’s welt traced a red line down his face. decision clear if not easy.
“We’re going in circles!” he protested. “I’ll follow,” she said. Ignoring Gakuto’s stunned
“It’s an illusion, you dumb goat!” barked Kiyosue. face, she approached the commander.
“You really trust what you see out here?!” Kiyosue grunted. “See? The Kuni knows—”
Gakuto rubbed his eyes. Only wind stirring shriv- Pale light poured from her fingers as Kiyosue was
eled grass. No riverbed. No river. engulfed in green flame. His body fell just as the last
Kiyosue grunted in disgust. “Whelps.” prayer left Ritsuko’s lips.
Ritsuko silently watched her commander as he The clearing resounded with swords leaving
turned, fidgeting absently with the jade finger around sheaths. But then a cough from the fallen Hida. Then
his neck. He’s never done that before, she thought. another. And then.
Has the Shadowlands finally gotten to him? It was as if a pyre had been lit inside Kiyosue’s gap-
She waited until the others followed him away from ing mouth. Formless black curtains poured out. From
the clearing. Then, she knelt beside Gakuto and lifted the smoke, something lunged, bony legs outstretched,
a bandage to wipe his face. reaching for Ritsuko’s throat.
He flinched. Inched away. Avoided her eyes. A ward was already in her hands. Its scream was like
They were all like that. She was a Kuni, a walking shattering glass.
shroud, her face kabuki-painted to fool the demons. Silence. Ritsuko drew back. “It’s gone.” She smiled in
Only the brute spared her more than a glance. The oth- spite of herself. That was easier than she’d anticipated.
ers kept her at arm’s length. The others rushed past to their fallen commander.
She was used to it. Serves him right, came a thought. He didn’t deserve to
“Hold still,” came her steady voice. She dabbed at lead, behaving like that.
his cut and readied a salve. “He’ll live,” she said. “The Shadow Oni needs a liv-
“It is nothing,” he said. He stared where the river- ing host, a mind to fill with hubris and vice.”
bed had been. “Just a scratch.” “H-how did you know?” Gakuto managed.
“You know what a mere scratch can do out here.” “His jade finger,” she replied, cutting it free from
He swallowed. the commander’s neck. “It’s actually malachite.”
Before, they looked at her with fear and suspicion.
Now, their eyes glittered with admiration. Respect.
You’re their leader now, another thought came
They found the cave before long. It was little more than unbidden. And you’ll be a better leader than that
a partially covered hole, like something a giant trap- drunken brute ever was.
door spider would have dug. Ritsuko sandwiched a rat A cold realization fell over her.
femur in her palms, whispered a prayer, then tossed it. Gakuto bowed. “You are now in charge, Kuni-sama.
It pointed into the dark opening. What are your orders?”
“This is the lair,” she whispered. Ritsuko thrust out her hands. “Chain me to the
Kiyosue readied his tetsubō. “Light some torches. tree,” she said, “and get another Kuni.”
We’re going in.” It didn’t speak again until the last scout was gone.
It was Gakuto who dared speak, bowing. “Hida- Its voice scraped the inside of her skull like an iron nail.
sama, we should smoke it out, if it is home! Let us gath- Foolish girl, it said, I could have made you great.
er some grass. We can fight it in the light.” “Foolish demon,” she whispered with steel in her
voice, “I will make you dead.”

INTR O DU CTIO N
Welcome to the Shadowlands Adventure Seeds

RUMORS AND
LEGENDS
To the south of Rokugan lies the Shadowlands. Creat- Throughout this book, you’ll find sidebars like Throughout this book,
ed when the Dark Kami fell to Rokugan and descend- you’ll find sidebars
this one presenting adventure seeds for GMs.
presenting just a few of
ed into the underworld of Jigoku, it is a nightmarish If you’re a player, you might want to avoid the tales in circulation
place of demons and monsters. All of Rokugan stands reading these, as doing so could spoil things about a particular loca-
against it, but none as much as the Crab Clan. While should your GM adopt the ideas! If you’re a tion or group. As a GM,
the rest of the Emerald Empire politely schemes in GM, you can expand on these seeds to create you might use these for
courtly dramas, the Crab stand resolute against the inspiration when PCs
fully fledged adventures, take bits and piec-
inquire about any local
greatest threat to Rokugan. es, or simply use them for inspiration. gossip or anecdotal
reports. Following up
What’s In This Book? 一 Hook The hook provides the context for
starting the adventure and introduces the
on such rumors could
even form the basis for
Shadowlands is a guide to the dread realms of Fu important NPCs. We also provide a suggest- an adventure.
Leng, where corruption and evil thrive in place of honed way to involve the PCs in events, which
As with all tales, it is
or and courage. In it, players find information on this you can tailor to fit your campaign. not always clear which
region as well as Crab lands and the great Kaiu Wall are true and which are
二 Rising Action In the next part of an
that divides the Shadowlands from Rokugan. With new false. We’ve left it up to
adventure seed, we briefly describe the you to determine which
schools, techniques, weapons, and more to aid them, most likely way for events to escalate, further are which. Of course,
PCs can fight the Tainted creatures and other terrors embroiling the PCs and raising the stakes. even the most outland-
that would destroy the Emerald Empire. ish stories might have a
This book is divided into three chapters: 三 Climax Finally we offer a likely climax grain of truth.
for the adventure, whether that is a decisive
Chapter 1 encounter with an NPC or a difficult choice
the PCs must make. By this point, the events
Dark Histories explores the Shadowlands and features of the adventure are likely to have taken
several of the infamous locations including the Fester- unexpected turns based on the PCs’ actions,
ing Pit of Fu Leng and Daylight Castle as well as the and you should feel free to modify the climax
vile denizens that can be found at each. It then cov- or resolve matters in whatever way fits the
ers the clan which acts as the bulwark against this evil: ongoing adventure.
the Crab, including its families and lands. Lastly, the
chapter covers the Wall itself and the brave patrols that
explore and investigate the Shadowlands. concerning roleplaying corruption, new ways to spend
Opportunity in the Shadowlands, and additional NPC
Chapter 2 demeanors and templates for creating characters
themed for Crab and Shadowlands adventures. Lastly,
Honor Against Demons introduces the ghost-hunters
there are rules for crafting unique new oni to terrorize
of the Falcon Minor Clan, along with rules for creating
and devour the Empire—unless there are samurai
player characters from this clan. It includes other new
courageous enough to stop them.
player options such as schools, weapons, armor, and
techniques, plus patterns to create customized items
to better protect the Empire. There are new advantages
and disadvantages relating to the Shadowlands
and, for those who dare, there is guidance for
using mahō and new techniques for employing
such dread blood magic.
Chapter 3
Out of the Shadows offers game master advice
for running games set in the Shadowlands,
especially using the horror themes which
define this setting. It includes guidance

1
CHAPTER
Dark
Histories
Hida Sanae propped her jade-studded tetsubō against
the rampart and looked out to the horizon. The bleak
landscape shimmered and shifted, a barren hill now,
after an eye-blink, a stand of twisted, gnarled trees.
The bushi curled her lip. Such was the Shadowlands—a

place of lies. Lies and horror and death. From here, high
on the Wall, it was everywhere. Behind was her home
and Empire, but before her was nothing but horror.
And something else. Something was moving, far in

the distance. Moving in ways that hurt her eyes to view.
Shouts went up along the Wall, and she could see signal
arrows rising into the air while huge drums pounded out
battle orders. It was time, yet again, to defend Rokugan.

CHAPTER 1: DAR K HIST O R IES
The Shadowlands
When the Kami finally fell from the Celestial Heav-
ens, eight of them plunged into Ningen-dō, the Realm
of Mortals, and became the leaders of the new Emer-
South of the Emerald Empire sprawls the vile realm ald Empire. They engaged in combat to determine
known as the Shadowlands. Spawned at the dawn of who would be Emperor, and Hantei won. However,
the Empire by the fall from the Heavens of the evil when Fu Leng fell, religious doctrine explains that his
Kami, Fu Leng, the Shadowlands is the ultimate antith- resentment for his siblings was a beacon for the malev-
esis of Rokugan—a profane place of corruption, death, olent powers of Jigoku, the Realm of Evil. Fu Leng
and destruction. It is a land steeped in vile power that was pulled away from the other Kami as he fell. On
emanates from Jigoku, the Realm of Evil, and its horri- a new trajectory, he eventually struck Ningen-dō, but
fying denizens have a single-minded purpose: to sub- he smashed through its substance, tearing open a hole
jugate and destroy the Empire, and then the rest of the between the Mortal Realm and Jigoku. He kept fall-
Mortal Realm of Ningen-dō. ing, finally coming to rest deep in the Realm of Evil.
Because it has played such a pivotal role in the his- In his wake, corrupting power oozed from the hole he
tory of the Empire, it is important to understand the had sundered, relentlessly afflicting the Mortal Realm
Shadowlands—how it came into being, its essential around it with a malign contamination.
nature, and the profoundly existential threat it poses. Soon, the lands surrounding the vile portal—now
known as the Festering Pit of Fu Leng—became cor-
Origin and History rupted and steeped in evil. All of the things living
in them were either destroyed or twisted into foul,
Once, what is now the Shadowlands was a lush and unnatural forms, while the water, the air, and even the
fertile land, free of even a hint of corruption. This is land itself were stricken by the emanations from the
how the nezumi recall it, at least, in stories of their Festering Pit. Worse, monstrous things crawled out
ancestors, whose cities flourished in that region before of Jigoku and into the Mortal Realm. The lands south
the arrival of Fu Leng. Rokugani scholars debate how of the nascent Emerald Empire were infused with the
much of this is true and how much is fantasy, at least evil influence of Jigoku, a spiritual malady known as
to the extent that any believe the rat people at all, the Taint. In a few short years, they became a blighted
for most Rokugani view them as bestial and primitive. nightmare realm where humans refused to tread. As for
Still, all generally agree that, at one time, what is now the nezumi, their stories tell of grand cities shattered
the Shadowlands was much like any other part of the and a vast civilization reduced to scattered bands of
Mortal Realm. survivors in a hostile and hellish land.
The Fall of the Kami The First War

At that time, the seeds of celestial catastrophe were It may be that the malign powers in Jigoku sought
already being sown. In the Heavens, strife erupted to enslave Fu Leng, but he was a divine being. This
among the Kami, the children of Lady Sun and Lord allowed him power over Jigoku in turn, resulting in a
Moon. Much of it originated with the Kami known as Fu malevolent and supremely dangerous symbiosis that
Leng. Fu Leng was the second best at all things among threatened not just the newly born Empire, but the
his siblings. He was strong, but Hida was stronger; he entire Mortal Realm.
was wise, but Togashi was wiser; and so on it went with At first, the burgeoning Empire found itself con-
each of his siblings. Envy grew in Fu Leng’s heart; it tending only with occasional attacks by mysterious
became resentment, and then hatred. creatures skulking out of unexplored southern lands.
Lord Hida and the Crab Clan warriors under his com-
mand noted these raids and began to organize a
defense so that the followers of the Kami could be
safe. As the raids had no central command structure,
however, they were nothing more than irritations to a
warrior of Hida’s stature and the other great champions
of old.

C H APT E R 1 : DAR K H I S T O R I E S
Then, Fu Leng unexpectedly arrived at Hantei’s pal-

ace in Otosan Uchi and demanded his opportunity to
Shadowlands
compete for the rule of Rokugan. Despite the reassur-
ances of his siblings, especially Shinjo, who had always Terrain Qualities
been closest to him, Fu Leng raged that he had been
Terrain in the Shadowlands should always be
left for dead, and that he was owed his opportunity to
off-putting, ranging from horrifically bleak
also prove his prowess in single combat. In his hateful
and dark to disturbingly beautiful and entic-
speech, the other Kami came to believe that Jigoku had
ing. Much of it should have the Dangerous,
corrupted his soul, and that he could not be given the
Entangling, and Obscuring qualities. Often it
rule over Rokugan. Nevertheless, Hantei acquiesced.
can be Imbalanced as well.
Hantei named Togashi as his champion for the duel
More terribly, all terrain in the Shadow-
against Fu Leng, and Togashi named all of Rokugan as
lands has the Defiled quality. At the GM’s dis-
his weapon. Thus, the fallen Kami returned to the Fes-
cretion, some areas can be especially corrupt-
tering Pit and unleashed his hordes upon the Empire.
ed and increase the TN of checks non-Tainted
For three years, the forces of Jigoku—now organized
characters make to resist Defiled effects by 1.
under Fu Leng’s leadership—laid siege to Rokugan.
This conflict, known as the First War, saw the Empire
progressively driven back as the Shadowlands expand-
ed, engulfing ever more of its southern lands in corrup- in the Shadowlands in a new campaign of terror against
tion and horror. By the year 42, the Empire faced defeat. the Empire? And what of the Black Scrolls? Some have
It was then that Shinsei, the Little Teacher, told been linked to great catastrophes in Rokugan's history,
the Kami there was a desperate hope: mortal heroes while the rest have vanished to the ages, lost or hidden
known as Thunders, selected from among their follow- away that they might be kept from mortal hands.
ers, could face Fu Leng and determine the outcome of
the war. On the so-called Day of Thunder, these Seven The Nature of the
Thunders traveled into the heart of the Shadowlands
and defeated Fu Leng. Shosuro returned from the bat-
Shadowlands
tle with twelve Black Scrolls and a dire warning that To understand the nature of the Shadowlands, it is
they must never be opened. necessary to understand the nature of the corrupting
force that underpins and, ultimately, drives all that
exist there. This force is known as the Taint of Jigoku
After the Thunder
or, more commonly, simply the Taint.
Without Fu Leng’s will to guide them, the hordes fell The few Rokugani scholars who have dared to study
into chaos. The corruption slowed, and the armies were the Taint—mostly the Kuni family of the Crab—have
reduced to an undisciplined threat for the next six cen- determined what the Taint is not. It is not a substance.
turies. In the year 716, a monstrous oni known as the It has no physical presence of its own. What the Taint
Maw bound countless lesser horrors to its will, formed is, however, is much less certain. It seems to emanate
vast legions once again, and unleashed a coordinated from Jigoku, mainly through the Festering Pit, as a
attack upon the Empire. The lands of the Hiruma family spiritual affliction similar to a disease. This is its most
of the Crab Clan were overrun by monsters and twisted egregious effect: it corrupts mortals, rendering their
as the corruption of the earth spread once again, and the souls evil within and their bodies mutated without.
Empire faced existential peril a second time. Through tru- There seems to be no cure; the corruption of the Taint
ly heroic measures, the Crab were able to stop this mas- on a mortal can be slowed or even temporarily halted,
sive incursion and destroy the Maw, ending the threat. but there is no means known by which it can be wholly
Although Hiruma lands now fall within the Shadow- undone. The Taint also has a corrupting influence on
lands, the Crab prevented its creatures from advancing the elements and the land itself. It can contaminate the
any further through the construction of the mighty for- land, the air above it, the water on and within it, and
tification known as the Kaiu Kabe, the Carpenter Wall. the plants and beasts that live upon it. It can even work
Moreover, after the defeat of the Maw, the spread of its insidious influence on inanimate objects, such as
the Shadowlands ceased, and the mighty oni’s lieuten- buildings, weapons, and other items and implements,
ants fell into disarray, making wild attacks against the by corrupting the spirits within them.
Wall or striking at each other in petty bids to consoli- It is against this background—of the Taint and
date power. Still, an unspoken fear echoes deep within its pervasive and implacable invasion of the mortal
the clan’s psyche—is there another being such as the realm—that the following sections describe the nature
Maw out there, ready to reunite the horrors that dwell of the Shadowlands.

The most dreadful form of elemental corruption is

The Shadowlands that of the Tainted spirits known as kansen, or corrupt-
Itself as an Enemy ed kami. It is through the perversion of these elemental

spirits that the elements are most afflicted by the Taint.
This is a subject of intense study by the Kuni, as kan-
While it may be tempting to pile on the hor-
sen are a danger to anyone who calls upon the kami,
rific effects described here, a GM should
such as shugenja. Kansen are particularly reviled, as
be cautious about overdoing it and making
Rokugani peoples consider the spirits divine and their
the Shadowlands too dire an enemy. Unless
corruption a particularly profane effect of the Taint.
it specifically suits their particular story to
turn the environment itself into an ongoing
nightmare, it is best to choose a few strange
The Land
effects and describe them to the players.
Sometimes, the Taint could simply man- Whether it is because of the corruption of the kami,
ifest in small, purely narrative ways, like the a more direct and nightmarish effect of the Taint on
flickering of shadows in the corner of one’s the substance of the place, or both, the landscape in
eye or whispering voices others cannot hear. the Shadowlands is a twisted perversion of itself. The
Occasionally, one of these effects could trig- scenery changes—sometimes obviously, writhing and
ger appropriate checks and threaten to harm reshaping itself into new landforms as one watches,
the PCs. This should probably be done spar- and sometimes subtly, such as a path slowly twisting
ingly: forcing the players to deal with poten- itself to lead towards hazardous terrain. Those familiar
tially damaging situations tends to slow the with the phenomenon, such as Crab scouts, can still
game down and may even cause the unnat- find it disturbing; to those newly exposed to it, this
ural Shadowlands to become mundane can be terrifying and utterly disorienting. There seems
through repetition. to be no natural pattern to the changes. Rather, they
The bottom line is that while the Shadow- almost appear to be intentionally as confusing and dis-
lands should always be portrayed as danger- tressing as possible, as though guided by the malign
ous and aberrant, its landscape should gen- will of Fu Leng.
erally not be the constant focus of an adven- The land can also be immediately and directly dan-
ture. What happens to the PCs here is more gerous. Pits and sinkholes can suddenly open beneath
important: how they face the challenges and a traveler; ground that appears flat and dry can swallow
to what lengths they are willing to go in order feet in sucking mud; rocks can suddenly come crashing
to achieve their goals and assigned duties. down along slopes that appear too shallow to pose
The focus, as always, should remain firmly on such a threat. Seasoned travelers in the Shadowlands
the PCs and their story. know to remain supremely vigilant, even if nothing
obviously dangerous looms nearby.
The Corrupted Elements The Air
The Taint is so horrific that it is capable of afflicting the Like the land, the air in the Shadowlands tends to be
elements themselves. This is particularly the case in as inimical as possible, given the circumstances. If one
the Shadowlands, where the intensity of this elemental seeks to travel quickly or labors hard to climb, then the
corruption increases with proximity to the Festering Pit. air is sultry and hot. If one needs to see into the dis-
Conversely, the effect diminishes away from the Fester- tance, then ominous mists rise, obscuring things more
ing Pit, continuing beyond the Shadowlands. The Kuni than a short distance away. When seeking shelter, tor-
family’s studies suggest that the Shadowlands spread rential rain or sudden, intense cold descends. The rain
when the horrors of Fu Leng congregate in numbers— is not always water: Hiruma scouts have reported that
or when wicked rituals are used to blight the land. The in the Shadowlands, downpours are often shot through
lands of the Hiruma became Tainted as the Maw’s forces with worms, blood, and chunks of viscera. Boiling
spread over them. The Wastelands of the Kuni represent water, acid, or venom might even fall from above. In
something of an aberration, however, as the region was extreme cases, clouds of soporific or even poisonous
subsequently cleansed of the Taint, but only by driv- vapors envelop travelers, causing them to halluci-
ing out all spiritual presences from the area, killing the nate, collapse in sleep, or become so ill as to perish
land itself. between steps.
10

The Water Plant and Animal Life THE LOST
As the Crab know, water in the Shadowlands is never Like the land, air, and water, plant and animal life in the There are more than mere
safe. Not only is it hazardous to drink, but it is perilous Shadowlands are twisted into foul and often dangerous plants and animal threats
even to come into contact with it. In most cases, this forms. Trees, bushes, and even grasses may be stunted in the Shadowlands.
is obvious, as streams and pools often appear slimy or Corrupted and Tainted
or malformed, or appear dead even as they continue
creatures abound, from
sludgy, or glisten with an oily sheen. The water usually to grow. Conversely, they may be growing grossly out goblins to oni. Perhaps
reeks of decay, sulfur, or caustic substances that burn of control, like cancerous tumors of greenery. Moss, the most dangerous,
the eyes and throat. Deeper into the Shadowlands, lichen, and fungus form slimy, sickly overgrowths, while though, are the Lost.
Crab scouts report that what should be water is some- bloated mushrooms and toadstools burst into clouds The Lost are those
times replaced by blood, bile, or even more terrible of acrid spores if disturbed, sometimes causing hor- humans who have fallen
fluids. That said, water that appears clear and uncon- rific infections in those exposed to them. In all cases, to the Taint and now
taminated is often the most dangerous. A cautionary plants in the Shadowlands are dangerous, with barbed reside permanently in the
tale among the Hiruma tells of a scout whose own Shadowlands. Many are
thorns, razor-edged leaves, or any of a wide variety of
powerful samurai, such
supply of water had run out; driven by frantic thirst, toxic or corrosive secretions. as the Dark Moto, while
he rejoiced when he found what looked like a clean, The Taint similarly distorts animal life in the Shad- some of the others could
cold pool among some rocks. He desperately began owlands. Insects tend to swarm aggressively, pinch- be mahō practitioners
to drink…only to realize, too late, that it was actually a who worship Fu Leng to
ing, biting, and stinging with sharp pincers, powerful
gain power.
powerful and corrosive acid. mandibles, or venomous barbs. Some of them swell
into oversized monstrosities instead. Crab scouts com- Encountering the Lost is
always a terrible experi-
monly speak of spiders, centipedes, and flesh-boring
ence for samurai of the
worms as long as a person’s forearm. Empire. Not only are the
Lost deadly combatants,
but they also represent
one of the horrible fates
that could befall even the
most loyal of Imperial
servants.
11

Big Stink
It is said that long ago, when Daylight Castle fell The Crab promptly gathered a large force to
to the Shadowlands, a lesser Hiruma fortress also eradicate the creatures; they could not reclaim the
fell to evil. This was the Haikyo sano Kappa, which land, but they could at least cleanse it of goblins.
is not mourned to the same degree as the lost It was a difficult campaign, but they left behind an
Hiruma home. Though this castle had great tac- empty city when they returned to the Wall.
tical value, few pressed to reclaim it then. Time This did not last long. Only a season later, oth-
passed, and given other pressing concerns, it was er scouts reported the city infested again, filled
almost forgotten. Years later, when Hiruma scouts with even more goblins. Though it was late in the
arrived to assess its status, they were astounded year, a second Crab force was dispatched and put
by what it had become. it to the torch. Early the following year, though, it
There, where once had stood the proud and was once more infested and the stench even more
strong Kappa fortress, was now a place of ruins powerful. The cycle repeated multiple times over
infested with countless goblins. The vile creatures the following years, but slowly it became appar-
had transformed it into a twisted city, complete ent that the goblins in Big Stink were far less of
with crude markets and congested streets. Hov- a menace than other Shadowlands dangers that
els had sprouted up haphazardly like foul mush- were menacing the Wall and beyond.
rooms, overflowing with goblins. The scouts could Today, Big Stink is somewhat ignored. Occa-
discern the markings of multiple goblin warbands, sionally, Crab bushi are assigned to become part
somehow coexisting without erupting into battle. of the next cleansing force as punishment. Only
Captured goblins revealed their city’s new the Kuni keep a close watch on the city and its
name: Big Stink. It was certainly accurate given the denizens, studying goblin society and seeking tac-
intense odor from the concentrated goblins, one tics to better deal with them in the Shadowlands
which could be detected many miles away. and elsewhere in Rokugan.
Birds and mammals, on the other hand, are

extremely rare. Presumably this is because unless they Regions of the
have mutated into aggressive and dangerous forms— Shadowlands
birds that have become feathered masses of talons and
While it is possible that the denizens of the Shadow-
beaks, or rabbits that have grow huge, tearing fangs—
lands have subdivided their territory into something
they simply became prey. Fish and other aquatic life, in
similar to Imperial provinces, most Rokugani have no
the meantime, seem to thrive in horrifying ways, filling
knowledge of such demarcations. To the Empire, the
the waterways of the Shadowlands with gnashing teeth
Shadowlands is essentially a single place, an undivided
and tentacles that seek to grab, pull, and drown their
realm of corruption and horror. That said, those who
quarry in the dark, fathomless depths.
study the Shadowlands do recognize there are sub-
Closer to the Festering Pit, scouts report having
regions within it, distinguished by the intensity of the
seen even stranger and more disturbing creatures—
Taint as well by geography.
cryptic, misshapen things sporting armored legs, ser-
rated claws, or entangling limbs—that either combine
traits of other creatures in bizarre ways or have no Near the Wall
recognizable attributes from the Mortal Realm at all. To the Crab, “near the Wall” is the semiformal designa-
The Kuni speculate that these are things that scuttled tion for a specific part of the Shadowlands. It consists,
and skulked out of Jigoku through the Festering Pit, of two parts: “Wall-Sight” and “Three Days' March.”
never meant to exist in Ningen-dō. Many are small, or The strip of land within sight of the Wall is simply
human-sized at their largest. Some, though, may be known as “Wall-Sight.” The extent of Wall-Sight var-
truly massive. Sailors who have ventured near the Sea ies; in any given place, it extends from the base of the
of Shadows sometimes babble frantically about crea- Wall to the horizon as seen from the top of it. This is
tures the size of islands whose ponderous movements the least-Tainted part of the Shadowlands, and the
threaten to capsize even the largest vessels. Crab consider it to be relatively safe unless an attack
12

is imminent or underway. Most others would see it as
quite horrifying, of course, for the ground near the Wall
is always soaked with blood and littered with unnatural
bones. The Crab note that the Taint from the Shadow-
lands largely fades just before reaching the Wall, indicat-
ing to them that the Wall is a spiritual barrier as well as a
symbolic embodiment of the defiant spirit of their clan.
The wider strip of land known to the Crab as “Three
Days' March” extends from the limit of In-Sight to a Few who made
point three days’ journey from the Wall. Geographical- the effort survived, and
ly, this is a much more diffuse area, given that travelers none were unscathed.
move at different rates depending on their intent and The most notable expe-
burdens, as well as the weather and shifting terrain of dition was that of the Seven
the Shadowlands. This doesn’t seem to matter, though. Thunders as they ventured into the Shad-
Over the centuries, the Crab have learned that while owlands to face Fu Leng. It is believed they traveled
the effects of the Taint intensify and the number of almost as far as the Festering Pit to confront the Dark
Shadowlands creatures seen increases—making Three Kami in his keep. Only Shosuro and Shinsei returned
Days' March itself hazardous—past the third day of from the Day of Thunder, so the account is somewhat
travel, the danger increases dramatically. unclear, beyond conveying that reaching Fu Leng’s
The reason for this is not clear. The Kuni speculate keep involved great trial. This vividly illustrates just
that it may be related to the fact that the Hiruma lands how dangerous the Deep Shadowlands can be, that
at their widest encompass about three days of travel such mighty heroes as the Thunders found it difficult to
from the Kaiu Wall. Since they have been incorporat- enter and survive these areas.
ed into the Shadowlands for only about four hundred Despite the Deep Shadowlands’ largely impene-
years, the power of the Taint within them may not have trable nature, hints of some of its places and features
been able to build up to the same extent. Still, the have filtered forward through the centuries. Lakes of
effects of the Taint are the same in areas of Three Days blood, massive volcanoes, and strange, unnatural
March that weren’t originally part of the Hiruma lands. structures resembling blasphemous temples or tombs
Speculation on this phenomenon continues. are all said to be found in this nightmare realm. How
much of this is true is unknown; what is clear is that two
The Deep Shadowlands subregions are commonly recognized as existing in the
Deep Shadowlands—the Festering Pit of Fu Leng and
Beyond Three-Days' March is what the Crab recognize the Haunted Jungles.
only as the Deep Shadowlands. Here, the corruptive The Festering Pit is the portal between Ningen-dō
power of the Taint increases in a dramatic way, its effects and Jigoku created when Fu Leng crashed through the
seeming to intensify with each step. Early in the Empire’s Mortal Realm and into the Realm of Evil. In that sense,
history, the Crab made it is an existential wound in creation through which the
attempts to enter this hor- malign influence of the Taint impinges on the mortal
rific realm to find world. Aside from the Thunders, there have been very
and destroy the few known expeditions to the Festering Pit—and even
wellspring of fewer that returned. It can only be speculated that it is
the Taint. a fundamentally horrific place, where the raw stuff of
Jigoku is exposed to the Mortal Realm. It is likely that
the elements are so badly corrupted here that the land
and air are entirely mutable and inimical to life, or at
least life that isn’t itself an embodiment of the Taint,
such as the demonic oni.
13

TAINTED RUMORS
A further point regarding the Festering Pit is worthy Intervening Regions
of note. According to the recollection of the nezumi, Fu
I heard that if you pry a Leng smashed through a great city inhabited by their A number of notable locations rest uneasily between
stone from the Wall and ancestors when he fell, destroying it and subsequently the Shadowlands and the uncorrupted lands of the
take it into the Shadow- Empire. These can be considered transitional, being
causing that civilization to fall into ruin. This may be
lands, it protects just like
apocryphal, however; just a distortion of barely remem- wholly part of neither region.
a finger of jade.
bered stories passed from generation to generation.
A friend said she saw $$ The Plains above Evil: The Heigen yori ue
Far beyond the Festering Pit (from the perspective
something rise up out of ni Warui, or Plains above Evil, are a broad
the waters off the coast of Rokugan) sprawl the Haunted Jungles. This would
expanse of barren wilderness separated from
of the Shadowlands and represent “the other side” of the Shadowlands, pos-
the vast woodlands of the Shinomen Mori, and
drag a huge warship sibly bordering the distant Ivory Kingdoms. Little is
under the waves. the Empire beyond it by the northern range
known about these corrupted lands, aside from brief
of the Twilight Mountains. They border the
If you cover your ears at and sporadic accounts that filter into the Empire from
Shadowlands to the west and southwest, and
night in the Shadowlands, gaijin travelers. One can only imagine what nightmar-
you can hear the voice the Crab lands to the south. The Plains are not,
ish effects the Taint has on thick, verdant lands teem-
of the creature that is as far as the Crab can discern, rife with Taint;
ing with life, many instances of which were already
coming to kill you. in fact, Shadowlands creatures generally avoid
supremely dangerous.
Something else burns in them. Still, their bleak, dry grasslands dotted
the sky above the Shad- with enigmatic ruins are inhospitable to the
owlands, something that The Sea of Shadows Rokugani. Attempts have been made to settle
hates us as much as Lady and the Thorn Coast them, but crops failed, sources of water dried
Amaterasu loves us.
On its eastern and southern sides, the Shadowlands up, and disease and other misfortunes afflict-
A group of Hiruma told ed the would-be settlers. The Kuni speculate
borders the sea. These Tainted waters earned the name
me that they found a
the Sea of Shadows: a vast swath plagued by sudden that there is some unknown involvement of
twisted court in the
Shadowlands where Lost and destructive storms, long spells of eerie calm, and the Taint. As there has yet been no success in
courtiers craft elaborate endless banks of thick, cold fog. Sometimes the water dealing with the matter, the Plains above Evil
intrigues to corrupt
itself becomes a deadly foe, suddenly boiling, freezing remain empty and forbidding.
magistrates and others
who enforce the Emperor's into jagged ice, or clinging to the sides of ships as it
Laws. congeals into blood, sludge, or corrosive acid.
If these threats weren’t enough to persuade the
Empire’s ships to avoid the Sea of Shadows, the mon-
strous creatures that dwell within it certainly would be.
Those who are brave enough to dare its dark waters—
and survive—report glimpsing, just beneath the sur-
face, the passage of gigantic, scaled things many times
larger than kobune ships, huge masses of writhing
tentacles, or swarms of glowing eyes. There are even
more sporadic reports of especially horrifying and oth-
erworldly encounters, such as with the Skull Tide—a
literal tsunami of chattering, biting skulls many leagues
across, which consumes everything in its path.
The shoreland bordering the Sea of Shadows, known
as the Thorn Coast, is like the interior of the Shadow-
lands in character, except that it is much more rugged
and mountainous. The Crab have deployed koutetsu-
kan—stout but ponderous ships protected with iron
armor and jade—on expeditions to investigate both
the Sea of Shadows and the Thorn Coast. Sailors who
survived the effort have said that the corrupted coastal
lands are almost impossible to traverse, as the already
significant dangers inherent to any mountainous region
have been horrifically magnified by the Taint.
14

The Kuni Wastelands: Once Tainted by a

Gashadokuro
$$
Shadowlands incursion, the Kuni Wastelands,

which are on the Rokugani side of the Wall, MINION CONFLICT RANK:  14  0
were later cleansed of the Taint. The process,
A Gashadokuro is an enormous skeleton composed of
however, left them dead in an elemental sense,
the melded bones of the unburied dead, said to be as
effectively devoid of life.
much as fifteen times the height of a human. Early in
$$ The Shadowlands Marshes: In 815, a vast the Empire’s history, before strict provisions were made
army of monsters attempted to force passage to recover, cremate, and properly dispose of all human
into Rokugan through the immense forest of remains, gashadokuro would arise at the sites of bat-
the Shinomen Mori. Some mysterious and tles and rampage until they were destroyed. They are
ancient power within the forest stopped and now very rare, thankfully. Occasionally, a gashadokuro
ultimately destroyed the raiders, but a sodden is found prowling the Shadowlands, a remnant, per-
region within the woodlands became Tainted haps, of the ancient past conflict. Time does not seem
in the process. Whatever power destroyed to have lessen such a creature’s prodigious strength,
the invaders appears to have contained the however, and Crab patrols generally give it a wide
Tainted area, limiting it to a small but persistent berth until they can gather sufficient forces to attack.
corrupted region known as the Shadowlands
Marshes. Unfortunately, the exact location of
the Shadowlands Marshes isn’t known (or it is 6 2
ENDURANCE
20 FOCUS
6
possible they may drift within the forest), mean- COMPOSURE
∞ VIGILANCE
2
ing that any expedition into the Shinomen is at 2 2 4 +2, –2
risk of stumbling into them. DEMEANOR - AGGRESSIVE
ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 5 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 1 TRADE 0

Creatures of the
Shadowlands
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Massive Stature: Easily Distracted:

The most common Shadowlands creatures, such as  Martial; Physical  Social; Interpersonal
goblins, skeletons, and zombies, are described begin-
FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR

ning on page 318 of the core rulebook. These are the
monstrosities most likely to be encountered, particular-

Claws and Teeth: Range 0–2, Damage 7, Deadliness
ly in significant numbers. However, they are just a few
7, Unholy
of the many types of creatures samurai could confront
in the Shadowlands, some of them quite bizarre and all Gear (equipped): Bone plating (Physical 3, Unholy),
of them extremely dangerous. rotted flesh and clothing

ABILITIES
MASSIVE BONES
A gashadokuro is an Otherworldly, Tainted being of
silhouette 5. The first time it would be defeated due
to suffering damage each scene, it ignores that dam-
age and its bone plating is destroyed instead.

Kyōrinrin
MINION CONFLICT RANK:  3  2
Illustrative of the Taint’s ability to corrupt nearly
anything, a kyōrinrin is a being composed of scrolls,
origami, or essentially anything else made of paper.
Given their nature, they may not appear particularly
dangerous. This is deceptive, however, as the power
motivating kyōrinrin is a strong one, and they can
bind, blind, or even smother their foes. The paper
that composes them can be torn or burned, but they
Harionago are tenacious and continue to attack, usually until they
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  4  3 are completely destroyed.
Harionago appear as beautiful women with long, flow-

ing hair. Unfortunately, their hair is tipped with poison- 2 3
ENDURANCE
6 FOCUS
4
ous, barbed thorns that can quickly ensnare and kill a COMPOSURE
10 VIGILANCE
3
human, whom they then consume. Nevertheless, they
3 1 1 +2, –2
would be relatively easy to avoid, if not for a cunning
DEMEANOR - SHREWD
ability to disguise themselves as lost Crab scouts or
other travelers. They then attempt to get close to an ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 1 TRADE 0
intended quarry, ideally isolating them from any com-
panions before attacking. Occasionally, these beings
infiltrate the Empire, making them a possible threat Subtle Appearance: Fear of Fire:
even far inside the Kaiu Wall.  Martial; Physical  Social; Mental

SOCIETAL PERSONAL FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR
00 HONOR 16

ENDURANCE
1 3 Smothering Papers: Range 0–1, Damage 4, Deadli-

05 GLORY COMPOSURE
10 ness 4, Snaring, Unholy
2 2 Gear (equipped): Shifting layers of paper (Physical 6,
00 STATUS 1 FOCUS
9 Supernatural 6, Unholy)
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - SHREWD
VIGILANCE
3

ABILITIES
MASSES OF PAPER


A kyōrinrin is an Otherworldly, Tainted being of silhou-

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES ette 3. When a kyōrinrin defends against fire damage

Expert in Disguise: Impatience: (such as from a Fire invocation, kihō, or a flame), its
 Social; Interpersonal  Social; Mental resistance counts as 0. When a kyōrinrin makes a

successful Attack action check, it may spend  

FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR as follows:
Barbed Hair: Range 0–2, Damage 3, Deadliness 6,  +: The target begins to suffocate (see page
Snaring, Unholy 269 of the core rulebook). After a character suffers
strife and fatigue at the start of their turn from suf-
Gear: Variety of robes and other clothes suitable for
focating this way, the character may make a TN 3
posing as Rokugani citizens, small knife

Fitness check (Fire 2, Earth 5) to break free and

ABILITIES breath normally.
ENTANGLING TRESSES
A harionago is an Otherworldly, Tainted being. When
a harionago deals damage to an Immobilized target,
it ignores 2 points of the target’s physical resistance
(to a minimum of 0).
16

Penanggalan
ABILITIES MONSTERS IN THE
EMERALD EMPIRE
FEASTER OF BLOOD
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  6  3
A penanggalan is an Otherworldly, Tainted being. The Shadowlands are
Penanggalan outwardly appear to be normal humans. While bodiless, it is silhouette 0; while wearing a not the only place that
Indeed, during the day, they go about their business in body, it is silhouette 2. When a penanggalan inflicts horrific creatures can
Rokugan as farmers, artisans, or even samurai. Patrols be found in Rokugan.
a critical strike on its target, it removes fatigue from Some of these beings
in the Shadowlands sometimes encounter them posing itself equal to the severity (after the check to resist). are Tainted creatures
as lost merchants or scouts. At night, however, they Optionally, the GM may choose 0–2 mahō (see page such as penanggalan,
reveal their true nature: their head and internal organs 224 of the core rulebook and page 118 of this book) that slip out of the
detach from their body and become capable of flying Shadowlands through
that a penanggalan can perform; add 1 to this charac-
about. In this horrific form, they seek out their victims, cunning or force. Oth-
ter’s combat rank for each mahō chosen this way. ers have been stranded
usually individuals who are isolated or alone. after major incursions
When they attack, they do so swiftly, strangling Ravenous Shadowlands Ogre have been driven back.
their victims with their dangling viscera and then However, not all of
draining them of their blood. Because their entrails ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  7  1 these creatures are the
become engorged, they have difficulty squeezing Ogres are huge, violent creatures from the Shadowlands vile servants of Fu Leng.
themselves back into the shell of their body, so they Tribes of mountain gob-
that can also be found north of the Wall. Once intelli-
lins, ogres that wander
spend several days digesting their meal, soaking gent beings, long ago they were twisted into little more the high peaks, restless
themselves in vinegar to speed the process. They take than beasts that live only to kill and devour anything spirits on abandoned
great care to hide their bodies away until their food is they can catch. battlefields, and even
completely consumed; many believe this is because if ancient and demonic
SOCIETAL PERSONAL beings that lurk within
the penanggalan’s body is destroyed in the meantime,
forbidding swamps—all
the creature itself will weaken and die. Because pen- 0 HONOR ENDURANCE
17 of the can be found
anggalan thrive on secrecy, one is unlikely to attack a 4 1 lurking at the outskirts
party of samurai unless it can arrange for one of them 5 GLORY COMPOSURE
7 of civilization.
to be alone and takes them by surprise. If confronted,
2 3
penanggalan are likely to flee, but they are fierce 0 STATUS 1 FOCUS
4 Many of these are
not Tainted, but just
fighters if cornered. Some are even capable of using because they are not
mahō, making them truly dangerous opponents.
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - GRUFF
VIGILANCE
2 in the thrall of the
Fallen Kami does not
mean they cannot be

SOCIETAL PERSONAL ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 0 TRADE 1

dangerous (nor do
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
16

most Rokugani take

3 4
the time to discern the
08 GLORY COMPOSURE
10 Single-Minded: Always Hungry: difference). If the GM
2 5  Social; Interpersonal  Martial; Mental wishes to present such
00 STATUS 2 FOCUS
9 a being in their story

FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR as an adversary, they

VIGILANCE
3 can remove the Tainted

+2, –2 Huge Club or Tree Trunk: Range 1–2, Damage 8,

DEMEANOR - SHREWD trait from the relevant

Deadliness 2 NPC profile.

Gear (equipped): Numerous hides (Physical 2)


ABILITIES
Flying Horror: Vulnerable While Eating: RAGE OF THE BEAST

 Martial; Physical  Martial; Physical

A ravenous Shadowlands ogre is a Tainted being of
FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR silhouette 4. When the ogre suffers a critical strike, it
becomes Enraged. Whenever it inflicts a critical strike,

Tentacle Entrails: Range 0–2, Damage 5, Deadliness the target suffers the Prone condition in addition to all
6, Snaring, Unholy other results of the critical strike.
Gear (equipped): Body shell (Physical 3 while the
body is worn)

17

Revenant
ABILITIES
POWERFUL SERVANT
A revenant is an Otherworldly, Tainted being. It may
A revenant is a powerful undead servant, a creature issue orders to undead creatures if they were created
that retains some intelligence and knowledge from its by the same mahō-tsukai (see page 118). Undead
former life. If the mahō-tsukai who creates it wishes, creatures under its orders ignore their disadvantages
they can supply a revenant with an onikage mount and count as having the Revenant’s assistance on all
(see page 23) and even a group of animated Scholar, Social, and Trade checks they make. At the
dead that are ordered to obey the revenant’s com- GM’s discretion, a revenant might be armed with a
mand. Such revenants can act as champions for the different weapon or even heavier armor.
mahō-tsukai, but the practitioner should be certain of
the revenant’s loyalty before bestowing such power.
Tsumunagi
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
14
4 2 Also known as “blood eels,” these foul creatures are
05 GLORY COMPOSURE
∞ found in ponds and waterways throughout the Shad-
2 3 owlands. They latch onto their prey with wickedly
00 STATUS 1 FOCUS
5 barbed hooks, bite exposed flesh with their jagged
teeth, and proceed to drain the unfortunate victim’s
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - ASSERTIVE
VIGILANCE
2 blood with the aid of saliva that prevents coagulation.


2 1
ENDURANCE
4 FOCUS
3

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES COMPOSURE
6 VIGILANCE
1
Undead Gunsō: Self-Knowledge: 1 0 2 +2, –2
 Social; Interpersonal  Social; Mental DEMEANOR - AGGRESSIVE

FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 1 TRADE 1
Heavy Masakari: Range 0–1, Damage 4/5, Deadli-

ness 4/6, Mundane
Gear (equipped): Rusted armor (Physical 2)




ABILITIES SHADOWY RUMORS
Slippery: Thirst for Blood: FUSED CORPSES There is a tree in the

 Martial; Physical  Martial; Physical An undead horror is an Otherworldly, Tainted being Shadowlands that can

suck the soul from your

of silhouette 3. Unless defeated by damage from a
body if your blood drips
Sacred source, its component corpses separate and

on its exposed roots.

Biting Teeth: Range 0, Damage 4, Deadliness 3, arise as three undamaged zombie peasants (see page
There is a fire that dances
Razor-Edged, Unholy 321 of the core rulebook).

endlessly that can burn
Gear (equipped): Slimy skin (Physical 1) the Taint out of your
Wanyūdō flesh—but you cannot
make a sound while it
ABILITIES

ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  4  2 does so, lest the flames

leap into your throat and
TWISTING LEECH A wanyūdō has the bizarre form of the flaming wheel kill you.
A tsumunagi is a Tainted being of silhouette 1. When of an oxcart, with a screaming human head for its
There is a shrine in a val-
making an Attack action check, a tsumunagi may hub. It rolls with preternatural speed across virtually ley where what remains
spend   to attach itself to the target. The target any terrain, including water, attempting to wrench of the humans who lived
suffers the Bleeding condition, and cannot remove this the soul from any mortal being it encounters. Each here before Fu Leng’s fall
now chant supplications
condition while the tsumunagi is attached. Any char- is said to be the tortured ghost of someone who
to the Dark Kami.
acter at range 0–1 may make a TN 3 Medicine check was an oppressive tyrant while alive. It is a terrify-
(Air 2, Earth 5) to remove the tsumunagi, reducing ing foe, especially when encountered outside of There is a cave beyond the
Pit filled with crystal that
the TN by 1 if they use a flame to scorch the creature the Shadowlands.
the goblins have collected.
off; if they succeed, it is removed; if they fail, the victim
SOCIETAL PERSONAL There is a sea of quick-
suffers a critical strike with severity 7 plus their shortfall.
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
16 sand six days’ march
Undead Horror 3 2 away where a gleaming

city that doesn’t appear
05 GLORY COMPOSURE
10
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  5  0 2 4 to house humans or even
nezumi rises from the
00 STATUS 2 FOCUS
9 silken sands during each
Formed from unholy assemblages of multiple corps- full moon.
es, undead horrors are one of the most terrifying +2, –2
VIGILANCE
3 There is a high plateau
creatures to be found in the Shadowlands. Even
where powerful revenants
more unsettling, these huge monstrosities are said to

ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 3 TRADE 0 who have somehow man-

have been seen in Rokugan during the dark days of
aged to kill their masters

Iuchiban’s Bloodspeakers—and perhaps some linger
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES gather and scheme.
in defiled wells or forgotten caverns. All-Terrain Wheel: Painful Form: There is a small, clear
 Martial; Physical  Social; Physical pool just beyond Three
5 1
ENDURANCE
18 FOCUS
3

Days' March that acts
as a mirror. Your own
COMPOSURE
∞ VIGILANCE
2 reflection, though, shows

Crushing Fire: Range 0, Damage 4, Deadliness 4, a mutated face, grinning

1 1 3 +2, –1 Unholy with hunger and indicat-
DEMEANOR - HUNGRY ing how you will fall to
Gear (equipped): Wooden form (Physical 3, the Taint.
ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 0 TRADE 0 Supernatural 1)

ABILITIES

Undead Flesh: Mindless: FIERY SOULTAKER

 Martial; Physical  Social; Mental A wanyūdō is an Otherworldly, Tainted being of
silhouette 2. When making an Attack action check,


the wanyūdō may spend   to inflict the Burning

Rotted Fists and Teeth: Range 0, Damage 6, Deadli- condition on its target. Characters who perish while
ness 3, Unholy at range 0 of a wanyūdō have their souls dragged to

Jigoku. The ramifications of this terrible outcome are

Gear (equipped): Decaying flesh (Physical 3) at the GM’s discretions, such as that they cannot be
reincarnated until they are rescued.
19

Fallen The tall and proud trees have small barbs running
along the bark like fangs, many glistening with a dark,
Chrysanthemum Lake oily residue, for they are not true cherry trees. Entan-
gling vines run up the trunks, and vicious grubs burrow
Far beyond the protective stone of the Wall, there is
into the surrounding ground. The smell grows stronger,
said to be a most wondrous vista. Serene and peaceful,
into an unforgettable stench. The flowers leave a rich,
it includes a beautiful lake that is even more a marvel
blood-red stain on everything they touch; even a few
given the despoiled nature of the Shadowlands. For
petals can contaminate a large swath of grass to give the
lost scouts or warriors seeking respite from ravenous
illusion of a mass of blossoms. What might look like the
predators, it appears a blessing. What they soon real-
setting sun reflecting on the lake is the actual hue of the
ize, however, is that the blessing is actually a curse, for
water, for the falling petals share their deep crimson col-
they have stumbled upon Fallen Chrysanthemum Lake.
or as they bleed into the water like a beheaded samurai.
Even worse, the blossoms themselves carry the
Waters of Death Taint. The lake, filled with ages of dissolved blossoms,
The lake appears quite idyllic at first glance. Flower- is more terrible still as its effects are not apparent at
ing cherry trees line the shores, their blossoms slow- first. It is only perhaps a day later when those foolish
ly drifting down like gentle clouds. Soft breezes waft enough to touch or dare drink from it notice their vision
the sweet-smelling air to and fro. A village filled with turning red as their limbs grow numb and their blood
mounted samurai lies along the far shore. There is a thickens into gelatinous strands.
stillness here that contrasts with the brutal violence Like all things within the Shadowlands, the Taint
and screams that seem to fill the wretched desolation infuses everything in this otherwise picturesque loca-
elsewhere. Then, as one grows nearer and studies the tion. Even if someone avoids contact, merely breathing
setting closer, the lake unveils its true nature. the air near the lake over a prolonged period allows its
fumes to enter their body, thus corrupting their flesh.
Blossoms that fall nearby are also hazardous for rea-
sons Kuni scholars do not fathom.

Mutations arise from these instances that seem to

reflect the vile nature of the trees. Skin turning hard Legends of the Lake
and inflexible, eyes dripping crimson tears, and bony
protrusions from the skull and joints are said to be com-
mon results of acquiring the Taint after exposure to the $$ One samurai claimed that when she
lake. More horrifically, it is said that if anyone so Tainted extinguished a burning branch in the
decides to end their life, their body melts into a pool of lake, the waters cried and a gout of
blood that, slowly and inexorably, makes its way back steam roared in fury, burning her face.
to the lake to spend eternity in the crimson waters. $$ Once a boastful scout threw a rock into
the lake, only for a wave to arise and
The Rise of the Dark Moto pull him in. When the wave returned his
corpse, his bones were missing.
Most of the Crab hold that Fallen Chrysanthemum
Lake rests far inside the Shadowlands, and those who $$ Two hundred years ago, the Oni of
have managed to survive the experience claim it was Feathers stole a powerful nemuranai,
a seemingly endless trek to return to the Wall. As with the great hammer Soulbreaker, from
many places within this corrupted expanse, however, the hero Kaiu Kyosuke, and cast it into
every attempt to map its exact location seems doomed the lake. The hammer, said to be the
to failure, as either human senses cannot function only weapon capable of felling this oni,
properly the farther one goes into the Shadowlands, or lies there still—miraculously uncorrupt-
more troublesomely, the lake shifts its position within ed, as if to tempt any foolish enough to
this twisted land. One group seems always able to find brave the Tainted depths.
the lake, however: the Dark Moto. $$ Once a brave Kaiu attempted to chop
The Dark Moto, who date from shortly after the down the nearby trees to end the
Unicorn Clan’s sudden reappearance early in the ninth plague of blossoms, only for hundreds
century, are the result of one of the most courageous of flowers to fall on them in a huge
but foolish deeds in history. The Moto family, descended crimson mound. When all the flowers
from the nomadic Ujik tribe that joined the Unicorn when were swept away, their body was gone.
the clan was in gaijin lands, saw the horrors of the Shad-
owlands as they roared through it and past the Wall. A
decade after their arrival in Rokugan, their daimyō, Moto
Tsume, declared that he and the greatest of his warriors along with their onikage steeds and large numbers of
would ride forth to do what the Crab Clan could not: attending slaves. Their ill-treated unfortunates must be
end the threat of the Shadowlands once and forever. replenished often; the Dark Moto seem to be eternal-
His monumental hubris would be the end not only ly vigorous in their Tainted forms, but those they take
of him but of all who loyally followed him. None of his captive soon become decrepit and perish.
vast force would survive, or at least survive as the humans It is here that the Dark Moto train endlessly, making
they once were. To this day, no one knows exactly what them perhaps the most dangerous of the many threats
happened to them, only that none of the Moto returned. to the Emerald Empire that exist in the Shadowlands.
Soon after, though, Hiruma scouts spoke of Moto in In combat, they display a fighting cohesion that most
the Shadowlands riding demonic steeds. These Moto other Shadowlands beings lack. The ageless Dark
were clearly and fully corrupted with the Taint but still Moto also retain much of their Ujik culture and weap-
fought with the discipline of true samurai. Tsume himself onry, including the hunting skills that allowed mounted
was sighted on occasion, leading his fallen troops with Ujik to encircle and take down huge herds of creatures
perfect precision while wielding horrifying powers. The or groups of humans. They remain loyal to their daimyō
Crab realized they now faced a new enemy across the and firmly believe it is they who are the True Moto.
Wall, one unlike any other. For centuries now, the Dark Moto, and especially
their immortal leader, have conducted a campaign of
Home of the Dark Moto terror against the Empire. Sharp-eyed watchers on the
Wall have claimed to have seen the Second Wind’s own
Tsume became enchanted with the beauty and dead- tattered banner in raiding parties striking at the Wall. If
liness of Fallen Chrysanthemum Lake and constructed Tsume himself truly rides to war against Rokugan, the
an equally pleasing village known as Thundering Tide situation has truly grown as dire as the dourest of Kuni
Keep along a bank. He and his Dark Moto reside there, prognosticators claim.
21

Adventure Seed:

No Central Body: Impulse Attacker:

fallen at the Lake  Martial; Physical  Martial; Mental


一 Hook While in the Shadowlands, the PCs
are captured in battle or awoken in the night to Tangling Vines: Range 0–2, Damage 3, Deadliness 2,
find themselves hopelessly outnumbered by Snaring, Unholy
Dark Moto. They are taken as captives to Thun-
dering Tide Keep, where they are placed with Gear (equipped): Outer husk (Physical 3)
enslaved and tortured captives, many of whom
ABILITIES
are samurai. All the captives show advanced
signs of the Taint—indicating what the PCs’ CONCEALED CONSTRICTOR

future holds should they fail to escape.
A fudoshi is a Tainted being of silhouette 3. Charac-
二 Rising Action An opportunity arises for ters count their vigilance as half its normal value for
a daring escape, as most of the Dark Moto the purposes of noticing a fudoshi or when it uses the
are away on a goblin hunt. The PCs can free Snaring quality of its tangling vines weapon.
themselves (and perhaps try to burn the vil-
lage), but this forces some hard decisions Dark Moto Bushi
concerning what to do about the slaves. Their
advanced corruption means that getting them ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  8  4
across the Wall will be very difficult but leaving The warriors who followed Moto Tsume into the
them here only empowers the Dark Moto. Shadowlands are now as horrid as their surroundings.
Their forms are as corrupted as their souls, having tak-
三 Climax Do the PCs aid the slaves in com-
en on aspects of spiked bone or diseased skin, and
mitting seppuku, or kill them themselves,
their armor can be as misshapen as their flesh. They
knowing they may arise as zombies? Do they
fight with disciplined order and powerful kata, some
smuggle them back to Rokugan and risk the
still using their ancestral Ujik weapons. Worse, having
Taint spreading? Or do they take them to the
fallen completely to the Taint despite their honor and
Kuni Wardens, guaranteeing their safety—but
courage, the Dark Moto are terrible reminders that no
forever stripping them of their freedom? As in
one is immune to such a fate.
many aspects of samurai life, all choices are
hard, and all have grave consequences. SOCIETAL PERSONAL
22 HONOR ENDURANCE
12
3 2
Fudoshi 08 GLORY COMPOSURE
12
3 3
MINION CONFLICT RANK:  3  0 00 STATUS 2 FOCUS
5
Many of the older trees near the lake are entwined with
these masses of entangling vines, which also appear in
+2, –2
VIGILANCE
3
other Shadowlands locations along with other foliage
or in patches along the ground. They appear sessile, ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 5 SCHOLAR 1 SOCIAL 3 TRADE 2
but when disturbed they suddenly leap out to ensnare

and envelop their prey. The crushing death that follows

is long and torturous. Ageless Warrior: Corrupted Visage:

 Martial; Mental  Social; Interpersonal
ENDURANCE
10 FOCUS
3

3 1
COMPOSURE
∞ VIGILANCE
2 Ujik Lance: Range 1–2, Damage 5, Deadliness 5,
2 0 2 +2, –2
Prepare, Wargear (can only be used while mounted)
DEMEANOR - AGGRESSIVE Gear (equipped): Corrupted armor (Physical 2,
Supernatural 1, Unholy), katana or scimitar, horsebow

and quiver, Dark Moto onikage steed (see page 23)

22


ABILITIES Onikage
ANCIENT RIDER
A Dark Moto bushi is an Otherworldly, Tainted being.
Just as humans who die in the Shadowlands can attract
When making an Attack action while on horseback, a
kansen and arise as mindless zombies, so can their
Dark Moto bushi may spend  + to move 1 range
steeds. Formed from the remains of lesser horses,
band per   spent this way after resolving the action.
onikage are more bones than flesh, yet they can still
effectively carry riders into battle.
Moto Tsume
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  12  8 2 1
ENDURANCE
10 FOCUS
3
The pride of Moto Tsume, the leader of the Dark Moto,
led to a disastrous fall. He and his forces were utter-
COMPOSURE
∞ VIGILANCE
2
ly defeated and corrupted in the Shadowlands, but
2 1 3 +2, –2
DEMEANOR - FIERCE
he remains his warriors’ leader hundreds of years lat-
er. Now a being swelled with terrible power, Tsume ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 0 TRADE 1
ensures his warriors continually train and develop their
martial skills, for he knows there will soon come a time ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

when the Dark Moto shall be fully unleashed against Tireless: Hard to Control:
the Emerald Empire.  Martial; Physical  Martial; Mental

SOCIETAL PERSONAL FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR
12 20

HONOR ENDURANCE
5 4 Teeth and Hooves: Range 0–1, Damage 4, Deadli-

18 GLORY COMPOSURE
18 ness 3, Unholy
4 5 Gear (equipped): Corrupted hide and armor (Physi-
00 STATUS 3 FOCUS
9

cal 2, Supernatural 1, Unholy), riding tack

+2, –2
VIGILANCE
4 ABILITIES

UNNATURAL STEED


An onikage is an Otherworldly, Tainted being of sil-


houette 3. It can be ridden by any human-sized (sil-

Ageless Tactician: Shameful Failure: houette 2 or lower) rider, using the Mounts and Rid-
 Martial; Mental  Social; Interpersonal ing rules from page 326 of the core rulebook. Unless
the rider is Tainted, though, an onikage will attempt to


throw the rider and then attack them.

Scimitar of the Moto: Range 1, Damage 6, Deadli-
ness 5, Ceremonial, Durable, Razor-Edged, Unholy
Dark Moto Onikage
Gear (equipped): Corrupted daimyō armor (Physical
3, Supernatural 2, Unholy), Horsebow and quiver, Dark Moto onikage are elite demonic mounts
wakizashi, Kyōfu (his Dark Moto onikage steed) formed from the Unicorn steeds of the Moto.
Like their riders, they are corrupted and terrible

ABILITIES
in appearance, with reptilian hides and crimson

MASTER OF TACTICS AND TERROR eyes. These steeds use the profile for onikage,
Moto Tsume is an Otherworldly, Tainted being who adding the following additional ability:
may use any of the abilities of a Dark Moto. When DEADLY STEED
making a Tactics check, Tsume may spend + to If the rider is a Dark Moto, when making an
inflict 1 strife on each enemy in the scene (or 1 panic Attack action check, the rider may spend 
on each enemy army in a mass battle) per  spent to have their mount lash out with its teeth and
this way. During their turn, whenever non-Dark Moto hooves, inflicting 5 damage with the Unholy
characters would normally gain strife while in a scene quality on a character at range 0–1.
with Tsume, they gain that much plus 1.
23

False Lantern Grove surrender their jade and submit to the Shadowlands
Taint. While most of the samurai who have crossed
The False Lantern Grove is an apparent oasis of spiri- paths with this oni refused its sermons and lost their
tual purity in these fell lands. The sorcery of its keeper heads for “blaspheming” against Fu Leng, some few
allows it to masquerade as a shrine kept safe by the kami saw its terrible power and succumbed to its offers,
during the night, when the inviting glow of its paper lan- casting away their jade instead of their lives and join-
terns draws in the foolish and the desperate. Under the ing the ranks of the Lost. Those who have fallen in this
blessed light of Lady Sun, however, its truth is revealed: way maintain a twisted parody of their old religion, and
the “lanterns” are the hanging skulls of those who have sometimes they return to the grove to receive the oni’s
fallen victim to the oni who dwells within. blessing again, as if it were an honored monk.
History of the False As Different as Night and Day

Lantern Grove The False Lantern Grove cannot be seen in its entirety
The grove is not well-known to the Crab, and only a at any one time, for it appears differently by the light of
few rumors of its existence having made their way to the sun and of the moon. At night, without the bless-
the Wall. The first report that might refer to it dates ed illumination of Lady Sun to cast away illusions, it
from two centuries ago, when a patrol reported hav- appears as a thicket full of beautifully blossoming trees.
ing encountered a fearsome oni who slew many of its
number, only to retreat toward a shining light in the
distance when the tide of battle began to turn. The
much-reduced group dared not pursue the oni far,
but their most daring scout made it far enough
after the creature to see a number of
hanging lanterns amid a copse of
trees. The next force to travel past the
reported grove found nothing, how-
ever, and the story was dismissed
as an illusion the oni conjured to
cover its escape. Over time, similar
encounters were reported across the
Shadowlands, although rarely near
each other in distance or time, making
it difficult for the Crab to be certain
of the threat they face. The clan’s
scribes and shugenja regularly pore
over reports of the strange threats
found south of the Wall to try to
determine patterns, but the frag-
mentary accounts that make their
way out are of little help in solving
this strange mystery.
What the Crab do not know
is that there is but one False Lan-
tern Grove, hidden by the twisting
landscape of the Shadowlands. It
was fashioned as a shrine to the
glory of Fu Leng and Jigoku
by a devoted lesser oni. The
oni fancies itself a pious
shrine keeper and treats all
who approach as honored
guests—until they refuse to

Legends of PCs in The Grove

the Lanterns PCs who encounter the Grove in its guise
at night and wish to examine the illusion for
signs of the Taint must perform a check using
$$ A Hida samurai recently returned from
a skill the GM deems appropriate to the meth-
leading a patrol that saw welcoming
od of investigation, such as a TN 1 Theology
lights in the distance at night and heard
(Air) check to examine the prayer strips on
the sound of shrine bells. He ordered
the shrine or a TN 3 Survival (Water) check
them to turn away immediately, con-
to examine the trees for concealed corrup-
vinced that anything that appeared
tion. However, this likely alerts the oni to the
wholesome in the Shadowlands had to
PCs’ presence. It appears in its human guise
be a trap.
and attempts to subvert them unless they are
$$ A young Hiruma scout encountered exceptionally cautious in their approach (such
what appeared to be a monk wan- as through a TN 3 Fitness [Air] or Tactics [Air]
dering alone in the Shadowlands. He check). If the PCs are incautious enough to
assumed the monk to be an illusion or rest in the grove, the oni inevitably discovers
one of the Lost, and so he attacked, them and attempts either to engage any lone
but the monk fled before him, weeping. sentries or to secretly steal their jade supplies
Now he fears he may have condemned while they sleep.
an innocent man to die in the Shad- If the PCs come across the grove during
owlands and hopes others can find his the day, no checks are necessary to recognize
body and bring it back for proper rites. it for what it truly is, as the horror of the grove
$$ Lanterns have been seen moving across is on full display. However, closely approach-
the Shadowlands, visible in the dark ing or entering the grove is likely to wake
from a great distance. As they pass, the slumbering oni beneath it unless the PCs
patrols sometimes go missing. successfully perform a TN 2 Fitness (Air) or
Tactics (Air) check as they approach. If the
$$ A patrol stumbled across a grove of
oni is awoken during the day it is unlikely
withered trees hung with skulls and
to attempt its normal conniving tactics, and
assumed that a band of Lost was
instead seeks to claim the skulls of any intrud-
making its base in the area. The patrol
ers to add to its depraved collection.
returned for reinforcements to deal
with the fallen samurai, not knowing of
the oni who was sleeping beneath their A visitor who happens across the grove by day sees
feet that day. a much different sight. Under the revelations of sun-
light, the trees are shown to be withered and dead,
blackened with rot and the Shadowlands Taint. Hang-
Each tree appears to have its tallest branches hung ing from their decrepit branches are not lanterns, but
with paper lanterns that shine in the darkness of the skulls. Out of their eye sockets, the skulls cast light from
night. The trees surround a simple but elegant pagoda candles that burn with an unnatural flame. Only the
hung with prayer strips beseeching the spirits for their pagoda in the center of the grove appears unchanged,
blessing. However, a samurai or learned individual who for it truly is as it seems: an exquisitely crafted mon-
has a chance to examine the prayer strips more close- ument to spiritual devotion. However, daylight also
ly may realize that they do not beseech the kami, but reveals the trapdoor beneath the pagoda that leads
subtly invoke the kansen in their place, and that they into the oni’s foul den, in which it slumbers when it
praise not Hantei or his siblings, but Fu Leng. believes no guests are forthcoming and pens its blas-
Unfortunately, the oni caretaker of the shrine is rare- phemous prayers in the blood of its victims.
ly far from the pagoda, and its attempts to monopo- In these hours, the oni’s true form is revealed: that of
lize the attention of any visitors to prevent such real- a thickly muscled monster with a bluish hide and curv-
izations. At night, it adopts the guise of an unarmed ing horns crowning its head. This form also becomes
Rokugani monk, using illusions to conceal its obsidian apparent when it strays from the shrine or becomes
cleaver as a walking stick. enraged with any who dare question its wisdom.
25

Skull-Cleaving Oni
Whereas most oni seek dominion, the skull-cleaving
oni believes in Fu Leng’s inherent authority and divinity
in a twisted reflection of Rokugani veneration of the
Dark Kami’s siblings. As such, it prefers to prosely-
tize its faith to others and try to win them over to the
service of Fu Leng. Of course, being an oni, its ideas The vines remain until a character interrupts the oni's
of persuasion do not always match Rokugani norms. chant by inflicting the Dazed, Disoriented, or Silenced
While it may debate theology or argue for the benefits condition on the oni (or killing it), returning the foliage
of embracing the Taint if given the chance, it also tries to normal.
more forceful means of persuasion. Those who let their
guard down may have jade stolen from them so that
the Taint seeps in whether willingly accepted or not,
Adventure Seed:
Far From the Tree
or the oni may offer a defeated foe one last chance
to “repent” before claiming their skull. Ultimately, the
skull-cleaving oni doesn’t care if its converts are sincere
in their worship, as long as they offer it. 一 Hook Hida Osamu, a young samurai
newly appointed to command, led a patrol
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
into the Shadowlands and encountered the
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
18 False Lantern Grove, where most of his patrol
4 3 was slain by his incautious leadership. The
05 GLORY COMPOSURE
16
4 5 sole survivor returned to bear word of the
00 STATUS 3 FOCUS
8 encounter, and now Osamu’s father, Hida
Hisao, hopes to free his son’s remains from
,+1, –2
DEMEANOR - DETACHED
VIGILANCE
4 defilement by the oni. He charges the PCs
with finding the skull-cleaving oni so that
proper funerary rites can be conducted for its


returned collection of victims.

二 Rising Action If the survivor kept enough

Unholy Strength: Desperate for Converts: of his wits about him to report on the illusions
 Martial; Physical  Social; Interpersonal surrounding the grove, the PCs can approach

without fear of being deceived by the oni.


However, he may have been so traumatized

Obsidian Cleaver: Range 1–2, Damage 7, Deadliness by the encounter that getting anything more
5/7, Durable, Razor-Edged, Unholy than a vague location is impossible, meaning
the PCs must follow in the footsteps of Hida
Gear (equipped): Demonic hide (Physical 4, Super-
Osamu and seek out the grove without know-
natural 4), tattered robes

ing its secrets.
ABILITIES
三 Climax When the PCs arrive at the grove,

UNHOLY SHRINE GUARDIAN they must confront the oni, possibly in its
The skull-cleaving oni is a Tainted, Otherworldly being guise as a monk if they arrive at night, and
of silhouette 3. At night, its appearance changes to then retrieve the remains of the Hida officer
that of a placid monk of silhouette 2, and its cleaver to and anyone else they can identify. Depend-
that of a walking stick. The oni may dismiss the illusion ing on how the encounter plays out, this may
at any time, and it always does so before engaging mean the group splits up so that one half can
in combat. Characters can make a TN 4 Theology sneak off with the remains while the other dis-
check (Water 3, Earth 5) to see through this false tracts the oni, encouraging it to pontificate on
appearance. Once per scene as a Support action, the its faith or facing it in battle to see if the grove
oni may chant to summon and control 6 fudoshi vines gains new skulls or loses old ones.
(see page 22) that act at Initiative 1 each round.
26

The Festering Near the Festering Pit, the power of the Taint
intensifies, oni wander freely, and even the blessed
Pit of Fu Leng protection of jade falters. To approach the Pit is to
approach Jigoku itself. As terrible and malign as the
Although the geography of the Shadowlands is fluid
Shadowlands are as a whole, there is nowhere in all of
and mutable, it can nevertheless be said to have a cen-
Ningen-dō as terrible as the environs around Fu Leng’s
ter. The dark heart of this terrible realm is the Festering
descent. On the rare occasions the Crab have cause to
Pit of Fu Leng, the ancient site where the fall of the
send scouts near the Pit, they do not expect them to
Dark Kami tore a hole in the mortal world and opened
return, hoping only that they will accomplish whatever
a doorway into the hellish realm of Jigoku. It is from the
urgent mission draws them forth before succumbing to
Festering Pit that the malevolent power of the Shadow-
the Taint. The rare few who do return become some of
lands originates, flowing into the mortal world in waves
the Crab Clan’s most venerated heroes—assuming the
of corruption. While the Shadowlands Taint spreads in
Kuni find them to be who and what they claim to be.
many ways, it is the Festering Pit that is its ultimate and
original source.
History of the Festering Pit
The story of the Pit is a story unlike any in Rokugan, for it
The Pit and the Taint is not a story of Rokugan and its people. It is a tale of the
oni, and only the most fragmentary details are known
When a character approaches the Festering to mortals. Not even the Kuni know what occurred in
Pit, the effects of the Taint are vastly amplified. Jigoku before Fu Leng’s arrival, but it is clear that since
Even a character with jade gains the Afflict- the descent and torment of the Dark Kami and his sub-
ed condition on a ring of the GM’s choice for sequent rise to power in that realm, the oni have turned
every twelve hours they spend there. When all their attention toward Ningen-dō and Rokugan.
of the character’s rings are suffering from the According to ancient legends, it was this attention
Afflicted condition, each day one ring of the that led to the first expansions of the Shadowlands
GM’s choice gains the Shadowlands Taint dis- from around the Festering Pit, as Fu Leng’s acolytes
advantage instead. and servants boiled forth from its depths to conquer
Characters who already have the Shad- the Mortal Realm. The Day of Thunder halted the
owlands Taint disadvantage hear the cajoling spread for a time, as did the rise of the Carpenter Wall
voices of the oni in their mind and feel the after that, but the oni are always hungry. In the depths
weight of corruption pressing down on them of the Pit, they wait still, the boldest of them venturing
at all times, gaining 1 strife every six hours forth to lead assaults against the Wall or to answer the
they spend there, and an additional strife at call of mahō-tsukai seeking power.
the end of every conflict scene. If a Tainted
character unmasks in the wastes near the Pit, Jigoku Unleashed
their unmasking must incorporate the horrific
conditions of their amplified corruption, driv- As terrible as the Shadowlands are, the Festering Pit
ing them to acts they normally would not con- is worse. The sky above the Pit is alternately red with
sider even when Compromised. fire or black with smoke, and blood is more likely to
Even the protection of jade is less sure fall from the clouds above it than rain. The Pit itself
near the Pit. As characters approach the Fes- yawns hundreds of yards wide, a gaping maw lined
tering Pit, jade begins to fail sooner; enough with jagged rocks and shards of obsidian, boring down
to provide protect for a full day is used up through the belly of the world. It is said the lower
in mere hours of travel. The exact details of reaches of the Pit roil with an inchoate sea of bile and
this increased corruption are left to the GM, filth from which constantly crawl newly formed mon-
but it should grow worse the closer characters strosities. Were a visitor somehow able to fight their
approach to the Festering Pit. At the mouth way past the hordes of Lost samurai, oni, and stranger
of the Pit, the amount of jade needed to pro- things that dwell around the lip of the Festering Pit and
tect a character is likely beyond their ability descend safely into this nightmarish froth, it is believed
to carry. they would arrive in Jigoku itself. No one in Rokugan’s
history has been foolish enough to attempt to test this
theory, and even the bravest samurai give the Pit as
wide a berth as possible.
27

Obsidian Bone Oni

Legends of ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  11  3
the Pit Fragments of one of the most massive horrors of
Jigoku, obsidian bone oni are rarely seen far from the
$$ It is said that long ago, Crab bushi Festering Pit. Legend has it that not long after the
pursued a band of Lost to the very lip creation of the Festering Pit, a monster of inestimable
of the Pit. There was only one survivor. size attempted to force its way through into the Mortal
Recently, a worried Yasuki scholar dis- Realm, but the effort shattered the being, sundering it
covered that in each generation of the into lesser horrors. Even these beasts were too large
survivor’s descendants, one has gone and horrific to maintain a presence in Ningen-dō, and
missing on a mission near the Pit. so cunning servitors of Fu Leng drove massive spikes of
Pit-forged obsidian into the bodies of these monsters.
$$ Reports occasionally surface of the
These obsidian bones sustain the oni, but at a terrible
Lost traveling to or from the Pit in large
price: the flames of Jigoku burn constantly within their
numbers and at great speed, as if ener-
bodies, driving them to new heights of desperation
gized by it. When near it, they fight
and cruelty. Due to their shortsighted nature, they rare-
with a terrible fervor. Over the years,
ly approach the Wall, but sometimes warlords of the
some scouts have begun wondering if
Lost or other oni enslave obsidian bone oni to make
the Pit resembles some sort of foul par-
them part of their armies.
ody of a holy site or shrine for the Lost,
their journeys standing in for pilgrimag- SOCIETAL PERSONAL
es of sorts.
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
22
$$ Sometimes the arrival of a particularly 6 3
mighty and terrible oni from out of 04 GLORY COMPOSURE
18
the Pit can be noted from far away, as
3 5
flames rise into the dark skies of the 00 STATUS 3 FOCUS
8
Shadowlands. Some say these signs
have been seen far from the direction
+1, –2
DEMEANOR - ENRAGED
VIGILANCE
3
of the Festering Pit—perhaps even

outside the Shadowlands. Surely oni
cannot enter the Mortal Realm from ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

anywhere else but the Pit, can they?

Pit-Fueled Strength: Constant Pain:

 Martial; Spiritual  Martial; Physical

And yet, to say that the wastes around the Pit are FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR
safer and more hospitable than the Festering Pit itself

qualifies as truth only by the barest of technicalities. Obsidian Claws: Range 0–2, Damage 7, Deadliness 6,
For miles around, the land is cracked and broken, with Razor-Edged, Unholy
sharp rocks and deep fissures lining every possible Gear (equipped): Bone layers (Physical 4,
path. Foul oozes and pools of ichor fill many such crev- Supernatural 5)
ices, while others serve as lairs to the fiercest monsters
ABILITIES
to crawl from the Pit. The very winds across the wastes
are said to be the breath of Fu Leng, and the voices of BURNING BONES FROM THE PIT
countless oni can be heard echoing past at all times. An obsidian bone oni is a Tainted, Otherworldly being
of silhouette 5. Once per round when a character
makes an Attack check against it, the attacker may
spend   in the following manner:
 : The oni’s pain becomes too intense, and
infuriates the creature. Increase the TN of
its next Attack action check by 1, and
increase the deadliness of its
claws by 1.
28

Pit-Forged Obsidian Adventure Seed:

Among the most terrible manifestations of
From the Pit
the Taint near the Festering Pit is the appear-
一 Hook Crab scouts recently reported
ance of Pit-forged obsidian. It is an unusual-
encountering a group of Lost samurai armed
ly strong material, leading some of the Lost
with terrible obsidian weapons. The PCs are
and even some oni to forge weapons from it.
to join the survivors of the band of scouts to
However, it is most notable for the potency
track down the Lost and confirm the source of
of the Taint within it, for it burns to the touch
their weaponry—and, if possible, stop them
with the very fires of Jigoku.
from harvesting more.
Pattern: 二 Rising Action The PCs and the scouts

Pit-Forged Obsidian must track the Lost as the fallen samurai head
toward the Festering Pit. Soon they must
A Tainted character with access to raw Pit- decide whether to redouble their pace and
forged obsidian and a source of evil lore can catch the Lost or attempt to stretch their jade
learn to craft items from it using the rules for far enough to make it to the Pit.
patterns (see page 109).
An item produced with Pit-forged obsidi- 三 Climax The PCs must confront Lost
an gains +1 damage, +1 deadliness, and the armed with weapons of Pit-forged obsid-
Unholy quality. Additionally, while in posses- ian, doing so while either exhausted from
sion of such an item, a character increases the their forced march or while approaching the
TN of their Fitness and Meditation checks to Festering Pit. What’s more, the Lost’s lead-
prevent the Afflicted condition (see p. 271 of er appears to bear the mon of a Kaiu engi-
the Core Rulebook) from conferring the Shad- neer thought long dead—one with extensive
owlands Taint disadvantage by 2 (to TN 6). knowledge of the Wall. The PCs must decide
XP Cost: 4 Rarity Modifier: +4 whether to try to defeat the Lost deep in the
Shadowlands, to rush back to the Crab and
warn them of the threat, or to try some other
cunning tactic that might distract or damage
the operations of these Tainted samurai.

The Forgotten Legends of

Tomb of Fu Leng the Tomb
Deep within the Shadowlands lies an utterly inhuman
building. The architecture of this ancient structure
is alien, with impossible angles no mortal can fully $$ Nothing human could have built the
comprehend. Its purpose is infuriatingly unclear. Its Tomb, but its origins are unclear. Some
aura of doom and decay has given rise to the belief Kuni theorize it was built by the nezumi
it is a tomb, but no one has found evidence or written before the fall of Fu Leng. The nezumi,
records to prove anyone is buried there. Some leg- for their part, say their Rememberers
ends hold that the Black Scrolls contain the sundered have no accounts of this edifice.
body of Fu Leng—his bones, his breath, his skin, his $$ It is no tomb, but a doorway between
eyes, and other animating parts. Theologians have realms, releasing the hungry dead into
long argued over whether the Fallen Kami’s soul was Ningen-dō.
banished back to Jigoku, split among the scrolls, or
$$ The Dark Kami himself built this as a
trapped in Ningen-dō, the Mortal Realm. What the
another, secret entrance to Jigoku, the
Tomb actually contains is a haunting question with no
Realm of Evil.
comforting answers, for evil creatures throng about it
and no mortal has returned from it sane. $$ There is a source of great power hidden
Once in known history, scouts attempted to claim inside, something that grants accursed
the Tomb in hopes of using it as a stronghold deep in priests their desires, something a great
the Shadowlands. Under Hiruma Kosami, a legendary mahō-tsukai could harness and control.
Crab renowned for his bold tactics and dauntless lead-
ership, twelve brave Hiruma scouts entered the Tomb
to drive out whatever evil lurked there. They were nev- A Window between Worlds
er seen again, and the Crab have avoided it since. Now
only a desperate or ignorant samurai would attempt to The area around the tomb is seemingly devoid of life.
take refuge from the dangers of the Shadowlands in Despite its damp ground, even Tainted weeds cannot
such a place. take root. Each step taken toward the tomb leaves an
imprint that fills with water, and in a certain light, these
puddles offer glimpses of a very different landscape:
the gnarled branches of dead trees, cliffs of blood-red
stone, or a black, starless sky. Gaki, or hungry ghosts,
infest the air from twilight to sunrise, and all man-
ner of vile demons and creatures come and go,
attracted by the power of the place but appar-
ently repelled by something, too.
Wicked priests of Fu Leng use the tomb
as a temple, performing depraved rituals and
vicious sacrifices to receive favor from kansen,
oni, and even the Dark Kami himself. They build
altars and shrines outside and erect tent-like
structures to sleep in, hoping to gain
prophetic nightmares. They also leave
grisly offerings hanging from the
walls or on metal spikes pushed into
the boggy ground. These odd acces-
sories are made of bones, rusted metal,
and shards of obsidian knotted togeth-
er, and they rattle when the wind rises.
Every night, some disappear while
others materialize, whether Fu
Leng’s priests appear or not.

Beyond the Threshold The Obsidian Flower

Some scouts describe the tomb as an enormous struc- ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  10  14
ture expelling putrid air from a gaping doorway, inside
Called many names across the ages—the Obsidian Flow-
which burning eyes peer out from the dark. Others
er, the High Priest of Fu Leng, the Demon Bride—this
describe a squat mound sporting a mass of hornlike
ancient entity was once a human. Whispers say she was
protuberances on the roof, with pillars leaning at odd
born to a powerful lineage in the third century of the
angles inside. Many recount sensing a malefic pres-
Empire, and witnessed firsthand the callous turns of the
ence, which augurs interpret as the cacophonous whis-
court. Wretched cruelties befell people around her in
pering of innumerate kansen that promise the power of
service of nothing more than petty human ambition, and
mahō to anyone who can hear them.
she grew to believe Rokugan’s ruling caste was incurably
corrupt—and that the founding Kami had forsaken their
Goblin Accursed Priest followers. Her desire became nothing less than to sweep
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  2  3 the table clean. She stole a Black Scroll from the Yogo fam-
ily and journeyed into the Shadowlands. There, she used
Goblins, or bakemono, usually only have power in num-
the unspeakable knowledge within the scroll to become
bers. Those singular goblins who achieve great power
a twisted, demonic conduit. Now, within the Tomb, she
for themselves often do so by calling on the favor of Fu
waits and plans, whispering to Fu Leng as she slowly shifts
Leng, especially in order to become priests of their foul
pieces across the vast board of time. Over centuries, she
Kami. As accursed priests, they command cowering min-
has maneuvered humans into positions where their frail-
ions, but they know that one day they may be betrayed
ties might someday bring about the end of the Empire.
and sacrificed, just as they did to rise to their position.
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
2 2
ENDURANCE
8 FOCUS
4 10 HONOR ENDURANCE
12
2 6
COMPOSURE
8 VIGILANCE
3 01 GLORY COMPOSURE
20
2 4 2 2 5
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - COWARDLY 00 STATUS 3 FOCUS
7
ARTISAN 1 MARTIAL 1 SCHOLAR 2 SOCIAL 1 TRADE 2 +1, –1
DEMEANOR - CALCULATING
VIGILANCE
4



Whispers of Fu Leng: Cowardice:
 Scholar; Mental  Martial; Social
Ancient Cunning: Long View:


 Scholar; Interpersonal  Social; Mental

Ritual Dagger: Range 0, Damage 2, Deadliness 4,


Concealable, Razor-Edged, Unholy
Claws: Range 0–1, Damage 4, Deadliness 8, Razor-

Gear (equipped): Defiled priestly robes (Physical 1,
Edged, Unholy

Supernatural 2, Unholy)
Gear (equipped): Ethereal clothing (Physical 3,

ABILITIES Supernatural 5)

FAVORED OF FU LENG
ABILITIES
A goblin accursed priest is a Tainted being of silhou- THROUGH TAINTED GLASS

ette 1 who reduces the TN of Command checks they The Obsidian Flower is an Otherworldly, Tainted
make targeting goblins by 1. Once per scene, they being. Each time PCs face the Obsidian Flower, choose
may call on Fu Leng’s favor to change any die result two different Shadowlands Powers (see page 137) for
containing  to a result containing . The GM can her. Once per scene as an Attack and Scheme action, the
choose 1–3 mahō (see page 224 of the core rulebook Obsidian Flower may summon a dark reflection of each
or page 118 of this book) that the goblin accursed PC. This reflection uses the same profile as the character,
priest can perform. Add 1 to this character’s combat cannot perform Attack or Scheme actions targeting any
rank for each mahō chosen this way. character other the PC it mirrors, and has the same Shad-
owlands Powers as the Obsidian Flower.
31

Crab Gaki
These ghostly samurai remember only the sense of
duty from their life, the need to follow orders, and
the pride achieved by victory. They hunger for these
things and have been waiting near the tomb for the
opportunity to prove themselves. The last order these
gaki remember was to drive evil into the Tomb, so they
attack all who approach. Travelers who wear the Crab
mon and are sufficiently brave may be able to pass, but
once they find the horrors awaiting them, may regret
their action.
Adventure Seed: SOCIETAL PERSONAL
Crab from the Tomb 00 HONOR ENDURANCE

8
2 3
一 Hook 09 GLORY COMPOSURE
6
As the PCs journey through the
2 2
Shadowlands, they unknowingly pass close to
00 STATUS 3 FOCUS
5
the Forgotten Tomb. Suddenly, a pair of Crab
gaki attack them, trying to drive them inside. +1, –2
VIGILANCE
2
The closer the PCs get to the Tomb, the more
gaki join the attempt. One, who bears the


Crab mon on his faded armor, appears to
lead the group. The gaki only attack samurai ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
not from the Crab Clan at first, but they will

Insubstantial Form: Hot-Tempered:

fight anyone, even Crab, who attack them.
 Martial; Physical  Social; Mental
二 Rising Action The gaki don’t follow the

PCs into the Tomb but rather wait at the
entrance to prevent their escape. The PCs are Ghostly Tetsubō: Range 1–2, Damage 7, Deadliness
free to explore and find weapons, armor, and 3, deals supernatural damage
ceremonial items made of obsidian (which
Gear (equipped): Spectral armor (Physical and
possess the Unholy quality, per page 214
Supernatural 5)
of the core rulebook). If the PCs explore for
too long, they risk becoming gaki-like them-

ABILITIES
selves. They experience dark thoughts, evil UNDYING DUTY
desires, or strange visions. All hear the whis-
A Crab scout gaki is an Otherworldly, Tainted being.
pered laughter of the kansen in the tomb,
As a former Crab, it always seeks to defend its chosen
letting them know they share the fate of the
location unless a living Crab can convince it otherwise
gaki outside.
(a TN 4 Command or Courtesy check). For every
三 Climax If the PCs reach the inner sanc- kept  result a Crab scout gaki makes in a check, it
tum, they find the armored skeletal remains also gains 1 strife. Should it unmask, it must spend its
of Crab samurai, including one who was obvi- next turn attacking the nearest living character.
ously the gunsō in charge of a patrol unit. If
they discern the significance of the armor, the
PCs could wear it and escape by posing as a
higher ranking Crab samurai.
32

The Lost Library Legends of

From a distance, the Lost Library appears as a large
spike on the horizon, hazy and indistinct in the murky
the Library
Shadowlands fog. Up close, it is a tower of black stone,
rough and jagged to the touch, that rises so straight
$$ The tower is filled with Tainted shiki-
and tall that the spiked roof disappears into the sky. No gami (see page 115) that have killed
one knows who gathered this profane collection deep their creators and seek those foolish
in the Shadowlands, but for mahō-tsukai, it is a treasure enough to carry them into Rokugan.
trove. Lining the inside walls are curved shelves stuffed $$ Soon after the Isawa destroy a book of
with crumbling tomes and ancient scrolls, some in lan- mahō, it re-forms in the tower.
guages no Rokugani scholar could identify. $$ Renowned scholar Kuni Toriko is said
Many of those who pursue wicked lore have made
to have visited the tower. She denies
the journey to this library—as have a few brave or fool-
it, but always with a hint of fear in her
ish souls who seek to understand it. Rumors among
voice—as if she dreads to say more.
the Kuni whisper of scrolls so brimming with accursed
knowledge that their ink spills from their pages, crawl-
ing into the eyes of would-be researchers, and of
ancient sorcerers lost amidst the vast labyrinth, their Forgotten Origins
foul curiosity pulling them ever deeper into the
maze. The original collector is unknown, be The Kuni family has compiled records of library sightings,
they sorcerer, demon, or being as old and but these often conflict. The earliest records describe a
alien as the tower itself. Some say that much smaller tower and so are generally regarded as
the collector is the tower itself, the unreliable. The history taught to Kuni students, their
true collection is not books, interest piqued at the thought of this source of power,
but scholars. is that the tower was built before the fall of Fu Leng and
the creation of the Shadowlands. It was a magnificent
repository, until corruption spread through
the landscape and the books within
the library rewrote themselves, texts
transforming just as those carried
near the library are said to do.
A Haunted Tower
The tower has no visible entrances,
but it has windows high up the walls,
just below the roofline. The uneven
walls are climbable, but a fall from even
halfway up would result in certain death.
Even getting close enough to the tower to
climb is a challenge, since a tangle of lurid
green brambles grow around its base.
Tunnels below the tower lead to a hidden
entrance, but it is easy to get lost in this dark,
cramped maze. They are home to vermin
and small Shadowlands creatures. Some-
times, text can be seen scrawled on
the wall or floor, possibly leaked from
nearby books. These words appear
suddenly and unexpectedly, and
they always cause unsettling
emotions in those who attempt
to read them.
33

Possessed Tomes
Within the tower, the walls are lined with books, scrolls, Wakizashi: Range 0–1, Damage 3, Deadliness 5/7,
and piles of parchment, and if there are doors or Ceremonial, Concealable, Razor-Edged
stairs, the texts conceal them. Items often fall from the
Gear (equipped): Faded robes (Physical 1,
shelves as if leaping for attention, landing with pag-
Supernatural 3)
es open to particularly corrupting passages. Whether
possessed by kansen or somehow animated by the

ABILITIES
power of the words within, some of the books in the CALL OF THE KANSEN
Lost Library seem to have achieved something akin to A fallen scholar is a Tainted being. While in the Lost
sentience. Their only goal seems to be to share their Library, they count the TN of all Scholar skill checks
knowledge, either by compelling a visitor to read them they make as 1. The GM may choose 0–3 mahō (see
or by escaping to find unsuspecting readers elsewhere. page 224 of the core rulebook or page 118 of this
Some painfully adhere to any hand that touches them, book) that a fallen scholar can perform. Add 1 to this
forcing unwilling readers to leave an imprint of skin or character’s combat rank for each mahō technique cho-
else carry the book indefinitely. Others latch onto an sen this way.
unwary hand, crushing fingers between pages. Some
texts draw attention by some subtler means, whisper-
ing promises of knowledge and power.
Adventure Seed:
Fallen Scholar Hungry to Learn
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  2  6 一 Hook While within Crab lands or pos-
No one knows how many fallen scholars walk amidst sibly even on the Wall, an aged scholar
the endless stacks of books, scrolls, and other inscribed named Kuni Ryoji asks the PCs if they have
works in the Lost Library. It is rare to see the same one seen Kuni Kagekatsu, a student of his who
more than once, and their appearance is as unsettling had espoused using any power, no matter
as their environment. Some wear garb not seen since its source, to fight Fu Leng and his followers.
the First Wall was constructed or speak languages only Ryoji fears that she went alone into the Shad-
gaijin would recognize. The knowledge the kansen owlands, seeking the Lost Library. He asks the
offered drew them down this path, and the promised PCs to aid his efforts to rescue her from Fu
secrets within the Lost Library became their obsession. Leng’s influence.
Whether to gather personal power or to learn more
二 Rising Action Ryoji points them in what
about their enemies in the Shadowlands in order to
he believes to be the right direction, and they
better combat their evil, they rarely appreciate any who
eventually find the library’s tunnel entrance: a
would disturb their studies.
visible natural doorway in a rocky outcrop. The
SOCIETAL PERSONAL PCs can either attempt to navigate the tunnels
continue toward the library aboveground or
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
14
4 3 risk the climb to the windows above.
06 GLORY COMPOSURE
14 三 Climax Kagekatsu, now a fallen schol-
3 3 ar, is in the top room. She tries to persuade
00 STATUS 2 FOCUS
6 the PCs that the books’ power could purify
+1,+1, –2 VIGILANCE
3 the Shadowlands, ending the threat it pos-
DEMEANOR - DETACHED es, and she believes the PCs have no right

to stop her. If Ryoji is present, he reveals he


was using the PCs to find the library, and he
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES begins using mahō to drive everyone away
so he can acquire exclusive use of its knowl-

Expert Liar: Devotion to Books:

edge. The PCs may need to ally themselves
 Social; Interpersonal  Scholar; Mental with Kagekatsu to stop Ryoji, but this alliance

surely cannot last long.

Daylight Castle A Glorious Early History

Daylight Castle became a linchpin in the First Wall, a
For over four hundred years, Daylight Castle—also center of command and logistics for the Crab defens-
known as Shiro Hiruma, or Hiruma Castle—has been es. Although small and unadorned by Rokugani stan-
a sinister beacon shining from the Shadowlands, a dards, it was nonetheless a powerful fortress in its own
constant reminder to the Crab of their greatest failure. right. For centuries, it served as the core of the Crab
Once, it was the heart of the clan’s defenses against the defensive efforts against the encroaching corruption of
Shadowlands. In the eighth century, however, it fell to the Shadowlands.
the Shadowlands, and it remains mired there still. In 314, a powerful army of horrors, facilitated by the
treachery of a Kuni shugenja named Kaigen, attacked
The History of Daylight Castle. Only the timely intervention of a group
Daylight Castle
of nezumi, convinced to help by the bravery of a young
scout named Hiruma Kazumi, saved it from disaster.
In the earliest days of the Empire, Hantei, the first This impromptu alliance marked the beginning of a
Emperor, ordered his brother Hida to defend against friendship between the Crab—the Hiruma, in particu-
incursions from the vile realm known as the Shadow- lar—and the nezumi that has lasted to this day.
lands. Hida and his followers created the “First Wall,” a In 375, Daylight Castle was again attacked, this
belt of fortifications—watchtowers, palisades, and bul- time by a force led by a powerful monster known as
warks—designed to block attacks from the forces of Fu Usu no Oni. While the oni had the castle under siege,
Leng. Foremost among Hida’s followers was Hiruma, a most of the Shadowlands force pushed on, plunging
skilled hunter and scout. Hiruma and his own followers deeper into the Empire. Finally, a Crab army reinforced
proved so adept at preventing, detecting, and defeat- with the Imperial Legions, which the Emperor himself
ing attacks from the Shadowlands that Hida elevated led, defeated Usu no Oni and its horde at the gates
Hiruma’s family in status within the Crab. In the heart of Kyūden Hida. The joint Crab-Imperial force then
of the lands granted to him, he established the Hiruma marched on to Daylight Castle.
family’s seat of power, a powerful edifice that became
known as Daylight Castle.

The Crab Clan Champion and the Emperor expect-

Important Locations
ed to find Hiruma Castle in ruins; they were surprised
to see it not just intact, but still engaging a large army and Features
of foes. The castle was soon relieved, with the Crab While it was never as large or elaborate as the ancestral
Champion declaring that, had the defenders of Day- family castles of the other Great Clans, Daylight Cas-
light Castle not mounted such a stubborn resistance, tle was, nonetheless, an imposing structure, exuding a
Usu no Oni’s offensive may not have been stopped. sense of grim strength and purpose.
A Fall into Darkness Surroundings

Daylight Castle’s long years of glory were not to last. Before its fall, Daylight Castle sat, in the manner typi-
The First Wall, while formidable, lacked the integrated, cal of Rokugani castles, amid a thriving sprawl of farms
contiguous defense of the later Carpenter Wall. In 716, and villages. Unlike typical Rokugani villages, most of
the monstrous oni lord now known only as the Maw these focused on defense, Many were small fortifica-
assembled an army of a size and power not seen since tions in their own right, surrounded by stout palisades
the time of the First War against Fu Leng. Under the and overlooked by watchtowers.
Maw’s cunning leadership, this horde revealed the First While the First Wall stood against threats from the
Wall’s shortcomings. Fortress after fortress fell to the Shadowlands, farms and villages near the castle would
unrelenting offensive. On Last Stand Plain, the bulk of be overrun and razed, only to be built again. When
the Hiruma army was lost to the Maw’s forces. the Maw attacked, however, the Hiruma lands became
At that point, the only major fortification standing corrupted by the Taint of Jigoku. The once-fertile lands
between the Maw’s horde and the rest of the Crab around Daylight Castle withered, becoming bleak and
lands and the Empire beyond was Daylight Castle. The barren, the hard earth riven by great fissures or punctu-
defenders grimly prepared for a long siege, compla- ated by pools of brackish water and pits of sucking, tar-
cently believing that the conflict would play out as it ry muck. Those who venture close to the castle some-
had every previous time. However, the Maw employed times find poignant remnants of the once-vigorous
demonic allies to corrupt and reanimate the corps- hinterland around it: fragments of pottery, rusted farm
es of the fallen. Each defender who fell immediately tools, even the battered remains of children’s toys.
rose again as a new attacker. The battle rapidly turned Such sad scraps only underscore the ongoing tragedy
against the Hiruma, until only a handful remained. It is that is the fallen Hiruma Castle.
said that these final defenders were somehow saved
from the awful fate of their comrades, but Daylight
General Layout
Castle finally fell. Triumphant, the vast army of mon-
sters raged on, farther into the Empire. Most Rokugani castles combine the attributes of a for-
Mounting a desperate defense, the Crab finally tification with a variety of nonmilitary functions: polit-
stopped the Maw and its army at the River of the Last ical courts, elaborate gardens, and elegant, stylized
Stand, defeating them in what would become known architecture. As Daylight Castle was on the front line of
as the Battle of the Cresting Wave. This time, however, the war against Fu Leng’s numberless minions, for the
there would be no triumphant relief of the troops at most part its construction is stark and functional.
Daylight Castle. The castle, along with all of the Hiruma The layout of the castle is straightforward. The out-
lands, was swallowed by the Shadowlands and now lies ermost feature is the large and imposing curtain wall,
outside the Empire, beyond the Carpenter Wall. or maru, now mostly slumped into ruin. This encloses
The Hiruma would not rest while their ancestral a series of inner subdivisions, which are themselves
home lay in the clutches of demons. As the family separated by lesser walls and gates, also now largely
recovered from its grievous losses, they launched the in ruins. The innermost maru, known as the honmaru,
first of numerous attempts to reclaim Daylight Castle. encloses the four-story keep, known as a tenshukaku.
In 747, and again in 819, Hiruma forces did manage Still largely intact, the tenshukaku is surrounded by the
to retake the castle. In both cases, their victories were derelict remains of smaller buildings, including ware-
brief, measured only in weeks, before the ruined for- houses, smithies, and stables. Finally, the walls incor-
tress was reclaimed by the Shadowlands. The Hiruma porate a series of watchtowers, or yagura, of varying
remain determined, however, to one day drive the size, all in crumbling disrepair.
corruption from their ancestral seat of power. Until
that day, it remains a locus of evil power and a lasting
reminder of bitter defeat for the Crab Clan.
36

Mask of the Oni Legends of

The adventure Mask of the Oni, a separate
the Castle
but companion piece to this book, is large-
ly set in Daylight Castle. It offers a particular $$ There are extensive tunnels underneath
version of the various horrors that infest the the castle. Some claim that a huge, bur-
castle. However, a GM who runs Mask of the rowing worm creates them and devours
Oni should feel free to draw inspiration from anyone it finds.
the material presented here to modify the $$ A Hiruma scholar of the occult is certain
adventure. Keeping the castle adaptable and
that a powerful goblin priest has an
personalized in this manner not only supports
unholy shrine here and seeks to create
multiple campaigns but can allow for repeat-
a new gateway to Jigoku.
ed visits during a single campaign, each
being very different from the last. $$ Hidden in the castle is a secret armory
filled with jade and crystal weapons
that have never been wielded.
A Place of Horror $$ When Tainted Hiruma perish, they are

reborn in the castle as revenants.
Those brave enough to make the arduous journey to
Daylight Castle find the castle generally conforms to
$$ The castle shows everyone an intimate,
the description above—but only generally. individual manifestation of horror and
The reality is far more horrific. Four centuries of evil. It could be the shattered sword
immersion in the corrupt energies of the Shadowlands of a dishonored ancestor; a statue or
have permeated Daylight Castle with terrifying evil. painting of a lost love weeping misera-
The castle seems to possess a malign will of its own, bly or glaring at them with hatred; one
shaping its horror according to those forced to expe- of their own, terrified children being
rience it. It can be as disturbingly inconstant as the carried off into the darkness by some-
Shadowlands itself, with individual rooms and corridors thing monstrous; or themselves, dying
appearing and then vanishing or changing shape. Even alone and forgotten in some dark,
this pales in comparison to the very personal malig- dismal place.
nance Daylight Castle imposes on those who enter it.
There are as many tales of what lies within the castle
as there are stones in the Wall. Many concern the loca-
tions of fabled creatures such as the Siren, the Watcher,
$$ Several of the larger rooms are strewn with
and the Wounded Bushi. Here are but a few of them, garbage and noisome filth, the air thick with a
some based on ancient scrolls depicting the castle’s rank, bestial stink. Some speculate this is the
original layout, some based on historical passages barracks of a pack of Shadowlands creatures.
about events at the castle, and some based on reports $$ The daimyō’s chambers, located at the top of
from those few who survived their time there: the keep, are the most heavily Tainted area
of the castle. This is an insult against the very
$$ The dōjō, where Crab warriors trained to hone heart of Hiruma ancestral power.
their martial skills, is located adjacent to the
keep. During the final battle, many Crab fell
$$ The headless stone statue that seems to guard
there, along with their enemies, and their the front entrance sometimes appears to groan
bones are said to rise to combat any who and shift, as if it might come to life one night.
would enter their lair. $$ One room contains a huge mass of roiling flesh
$$ A gloomy staircase leading to the keep’s lower pulsating within, unable to escape but eager to
levels may actually be a massive gullet or may capture the unwary to add to its bulk.
lead into a labyrinthine network of huge tun- $$ There are numerous hidden tunnels under the
nels dug beneath the castle by…something. castle, long believed to be overrun with goblins
The scout who related this tale died soon after but now home to hordes of outcast nezumi.
escaping, her having blood turned to bile.
37

A Glimmer of Light The castle also appears to be the focus of a com-

plex and shifting political jostling among various evil
A flame of hope does flicker from Daylight Castle. Can- factions exist in the Shadowlands. Scouts have noted
dle Temple, in the main keep, houses a shrine to the that the creatures in and around the castle frequently
Fortunes—particularly Osano-wo, Fortune of Fire and change. Sometimes, it is infested by swarming goblins.
Thunder—and more generally to Tengoku, the Celes- At other times, massive ogres prowl among its ruined
tial Heavens. Corruption has utterly failed to penetrate stonework, or Lost samurai guard its crumbling bat-
this holy place. The few courageous souls who have tlements. On one occasion, a patrol witnessed what
dared enter the castle report that this small oasis of appeared to be a ferocious battle between factions of
righteousness remains a sanctuary to this day, inviolate terrible monsters over the ruins. Sometimes, scouts see
and secure against effects of the Shadowlands. no apparent evidence of the place being inhabited at
all. Even so, one Hiruma patrol claimed that the seem-
The Importance of ingly abandoned ruin exuded such an intense aura of
Daylight Castle terror and dread from something lurking within that
even those brave warriors had to withdraw.
Daylight Castle is important in two fundamental ways:
first, in terms of the role it plays in the Shadowlands, A Place of Burning Shame
and second, in terms of its importance to the Crab.
There is no place or thing in the Emerald Empire that
A Hub of Terror represents the shame of failure more acutely than
Daylight Castle—especially for the Crab Clan, and
Though in ruins, the castle is still an imposing fortress even more so for the Hiruma family. But the omi-
and one relatively near the Wall, making it useful as a nous significance of the corrupted fortress extends
staging ground for attacks against the Empire. Its posi- beyond the Crab, being an expression of failure for
tion, though, is as shifting as its contents; the castle the entire Empire.
rarely is where ancient maps would indicate it should For eleven centuries, creatures from the Shadow-
be. Scholars debate whether the castle moves across lands have plagued Rokugan, inflicting tremendous
the Shadowlands like some beast or the land tricks harm and loss. But the Empire has always eventual-
travelers as part of the suffering it inflicts. ly prevailed, reclaiming land that was lost even while
somberly commemorating the bravery and sacrifice of
those who stood against these corrupted foes. Day-
light Castle is different. Despite repeated attempts
to reclaim it, the castle remains stubbornly mired in
the evil and horror of Fu Leng’s minions. It mocks the
Empire, the Crab, and the Hiruma, daring them to try
yet again to retake it, risking the lives and souls of
more loyal samurai in the process.
But the Crab, and the Empire, will not relent. The
existence of Candle Temple, a small beacon of purity,
offers hope that Daylight Castle could, perhaps, be
reclaimed and purified. Some even say the structure
may be a test of faith for the Empire, a trial whose
significance lies not in overcoming it, but rather in
continuing the attempt to do so.
Denizens of The Castle

It is possible to encounter virtually any sort of crea-
ture in Daylight Castle, especially goblins, lesser oni,
and other monsters. There are several notable ones,
however, that seem repeatedly drawn to the place
or perhaps make it their home. They were named by
the Crab; whatever their actual names may be are
generally unknown.

The Siren The Watcher

ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  7  8 ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  10  4
The Siren is an insidious, shapeshifting creature, The Watcher is usually encountered at a high vantage
thought to be an especially vile kansen and capable of point in Daylight Castle. Kuni occult scholars believe it
assuming various forms. These guises can include that to be an low form of oni, but there is much disagree-
of a dying samurai, a lost scout, or someone else who ment on the topic. It resembles a man in a tattered
appears harmless and in need of aid. Its true nature is kimono, but its pale flesh is punctuated by dozens of
to delay and confuse its targets, to more egregiously eyes that blink in waves that ripple across its body.
expose them to the corruption of the Shadowlands. Because these many eyes can apparently see, it is
If the Siren's true nature is revealed, it devolves to a almost impossible to take the Watcher by surprise.
greyish form, and it tries to flee farther into the castle It attacks its prey in an especially horrifying way: the
to await new visitors. eye sockets in the standard location on its face appear
empty and black, but they can gape wide, revealing
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
themselves to be wickedly fanged mouths. These bite
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
14 at its opponents’ eyes; if successful, not only does it
3 4 gouge out its victim’s eyes, blinding them, but new
03 GLORY COMPOSURE
14 eyes appear on the Watcher’s body.
4 4
00 STATUS 4 FOCUS
8 SOCIETAL PERSONAL
+2, –2 VIGILANCE

16
DEMEANOR - BEGUILING 4 3
02 GLORY COMPOSURE
18
5 4


00 STATUS 3 FOCUS
7
VIGILANCE
4

Dangerous Allure: Never Satisfied:

+2, –2
DEMEANOR - SHREWD
 Social; Interpersonal  Social; Mental

Raking Claws: Range 0, Damage 4, Deadliness 6,
Unholy Always Watchful: Phobia of Fire:

 Martial; Mental  Social; Mental
Gear (equipped): Shifting garb (Physical 2, Supernat-
ural 3, Unholy)

ABILITIES Biting Eyes: Range 0, Damage 5, Deadliness 8,
CORRUPTING GUISES Razor-Edged, Unholy
The Siren is an Otherworldly, Tainted being. At the Gear (equipped): Tattered robes (Physical 1,
end of each round, each other character at range 0–1 Supernatural 2)
gains the Afflicted condition. Once per scene, it may

ABILITIES
make a TN 1 Sentiment (Air) check to take the form

of a friendly, nonthreatening person who would not ETERNALLY VIGILANT

seem out of place in its current location. Characters The Watcher is an Otherworldly, Tainted being that
may attempt to see through this by making a TN always uses its focus value for Initiative checks. When
4 Sentiment check (Void 2) or a TN 5 Meditation it inflicts a Permanent Injury on a target, that target is
check (Void 3). always assigned the Lost Eye disadvantage, and the
Watcher removes 5 fatigue from itself (as well as grow-
ing a new eye on its body).
39

The Wounded Bushi
Adventure Seed:
Assumed to be some type of undead creature or oni, The Lost Hunter
the Wounded Bushi is usually encountered in the
armory or the dōjō. It appears as a large and powerful 一 Hook At the Kaiu Wall or while traveling
warrior in heavy samurai armor so battered and spat- in the Shadowlands, Crab scouts tell the PCs
tered with blood that its heraldry, if any, is obscured. that a Falcon Clan Phantom Hunter (see page
Visible through gaps in the armor is flesh riddled with 94), thought to be lost to the Shadowlands,
festering sores and infections. Worse, the various parts has found refuge in Daylight Castle. If they
of its body are mismatched, as it is an amalgam of seg- are using Candle Temple as a sanctuary, the
ments from multiple bodies. When encountered, it is Falcon may still be alive and uncorrupted.
invariably missing a hand or arm; its furious attacks are The PCs are the only ones in a position to res-
clearly intended to sever and steal the missing limb cue them quickly.
from its opponent. If defeated, the Wounded Bushi
二 Rising Action The PCs arrive only to
collapses into a pile of disarticulated limbs. Eventually,
find that Candle Temple is empty. They do,
however, it manifests again, plaguing future visitors.
however, find clues that the Phantom Hunter
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
is somewhere in the castle: freshly bloodied
bandages, a discarded finger of jade that
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
14
4 2 is now almost totally corrupted, and arrows
clearly of Falcon manufacture.
03 GLORY COMPOSURE
18
5 3 三 Climax The PCs find the Phantom Hunt-
00 STATUS 2 FOCUS
5 er, only to learn that they are already corrupt-
ed and dramatically empowered by the Taint
+2, –2
VIGILANCE
4 (they can be represented by the wicked mahō-

tsukai profile on page 318 of the core rule-

ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 5 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 2 TRADE 2 book). Alternatively, they could actually be
the Siren. In any case, they have Shadow-

lands allies, such as goblins or Tainted samu-

Unholy Stamina: Lost Arm: rai (these can be created by using the Tainted
 Martial; Mental  Martial; Physical template from page 144 on samurai NPCs of
the GM’s choice). The PCs now must decide if


the situation is so dire that they must retreat,

Debased Katana: Range 1, Damage 4, Deadliness at the cost of some of their honor and glo-
5/7, Durable, Razor-Edged, Unholy ry. Alternatively, the PCs may decide to fight
Gear (equipped): Blood-soaked armor (Physical 4, on regardless, striving to end the threat to
Supernatural 4, Unholy) potential future victims of this foul scheme.

ABILITIES
DESPERATE FOR NEW VITALITY

The Wounded Bushi is an Otherworldly, Tainted
being. When it makes an Attack action check, it may
spend  to cause the target to enter a Void stance.
Whenever it severs a character’s limb (such as via a
Maiming Blow critical strike), it attaches the limb to
its body. This removes 4 fatigue from the Wounded
Bushi and possibly the Lost Arm disadvantage as well,
depending on the limb.
40

The Nezumi Yesterday

The nezumi Rememberers tell of a golden age, when
The nezumi are ratlike humanoids whose culture existed their city was a center of learning and culture ruled by a
long before the fall of Fu Leng. The Dark Kami’s violent monarch and council, the nezumi were peaceful among
descent destroyed the civilization their ancestors had themselves, and their army kept other races at bay. Their
built, and the creation of the Shadowlands turned their philosophers and poets filled a great library with wisdom
homeland hostile. Unable to flee into human lands, the the likes of which Rokugan has never achieved. Their
survivors have created a new society of nomadic groups city was a marvel, and their culture superior to all others.
that move from place to place to survive. Then, a falling mountain crashed through their city,
While many Rokugani consider the nezumi yet sending it to Yume-dō, the Realm of Dreams. In an
more mythological monsters of the Shadowlands, Crab instant, untold nezumi perished. Evil leaked into the
samurai know better. Hiruma scouts foster communica- world, and corruption spread across their lands, with-
tion with nezumi to acquire knowledge of dangerous ering fields and transforming beings into vile beasts—
and distant areas of the Shadowlands, and the Kaiu all except the nezumi, who alone proved incorruptible,
family relies on the Third Whisker tribe that lives under their steadfast morals and intellect granting immunity
the Wall to aid in its defense. Crab peasants encourage from the Taint. At least, this is the tale Rememberers tell,
nezumi to settle nearby, leaving offerings of food in the as their sacred task is to ensure the nezumi never forget
belief that nezumi help keep malignant forces at bay. their past, in the hope that one day, they might build a
Nezumi put the well-being of family and tribe new society that matches that of their ancestors.
before individual needs, and though their manners
are quite different from Rokugani ideals, they are not
"monstrous savages" as some believe. Most tribes
Physiology
have their own ethics and rules, practices that don't Furred, with clawed feet and hands, ratlike noses, and
hinder their survival in the harsh landscape of the long tails, even nezumi who walk upright and wear
Shadowlands—a code the practical Crab bushi can scavenged samurai armor cannot pass for human. They
respect. Most importantly, the nezumi hate the Tainted average roughly four feet in height, but this varies wild-
beasts of the Shadowlands. Goblins, ogres, oni, and ly between tribes, as does fur color, style of dress and
other creatures slaughter them piercings, and whether members prefer to
mercilessly, and the nezumi walk on two or four feet.
have not forgotten what
Fu Leng took from them
when he fell.

Nezumi live three or four years on average. Their

impressive rate of reproduction keeps up the numbers,
and Rememberers, Dreamers, and tribal leaders often
Fire Rat Skin Village
live a decade or more. Whether this is through some While many Crab view the nezumi as some-
inherent physiological trait among their elite or they thing between uneasy allies and tolerated
have developed a way to extend their natural lifespan, enemies, there are accounts of attacks from
it ensures the tribes maintain their identities and his- ravenous, vicious nezumi against remote
tories consistently over many generations. The nezumi Crab homes and caravans. Similarly, there
tradition of oral histories is universal among the tribes, are other tales of regions where vile humans
and Rememberers teach pups through stories, so they welcome nezumi only to capture and extermi-
learn as quickly as they grow. nate them. Most of these have little basis in
fact or remain very isolated incidents.
Untainted There are disturbing rumors, however,
that, while never proven, are even more trou-
The dogma of the Remembers states that, unlike
bling. One particularly horrid anecdote insists
humans, nezumi have few hidden evil impulses onto
there is a village whose human inhabitants
which the Taint can anchor, making Tainted nezumi
skin any unfortunate nezumi they find, often
extremely rare. However, whether their fortitude is truly
while still alive. The villagers wear the treated
a matter of moral fiber or simply a quirk of their phys-
skins, believing this to offer protection against
iology is debated by both nezumi and Crab scholars.
the Taint, and even fashion the leather into
The nature of the nezumi resistance to the Taint is
the exteriors of their tent-like houses. For the
a mystery many Kuni scholars attempt to solve. Before
nezumi, such a place would be more terrible
the nezumi had allies among the Rokugani, they were
than any endless pit or blood-red lake.
considered vermin at best and monsters at worst.
To this day, no such village has been dis-
Nezumi caught scavenging in human settlements were
covered. Some believe these tales are the
passed to the Kuni family for terrible experiments. The
work of cults out to poison relations between
Kuni have never shared details of their abhorrent inves-
the Crab and nezumi. Some families, espe-
tigations but assert that while they learned much from
cially the Hiruma, worry how easily they
nezumi bodies, they never had reason to believe their
spread throughout their clan, an indication
subjects were intelligent.
that there many still distrust and even hate
Now that the Crab have an uneasy alliance with the
the nezumi. The nezumi, for their part, some-
nezumi, the Kuni lack a steady supply of subjects. How-
times carefully check the scent of the leathers
ever, Kuni scholars sometimes venture into the Shad-
that some humans wear and keep a careful
owlands in search of nezumi corpses. Stories of Kuni
eye out when entering human habitations.
wardens seizing live subjects (or creating corpses) for
study arise from time to time. Some are certainly true,
for in every age there are horrible fanatics among the
Crab who would trade any number of human lives for The abilities of Dreamers can include the following:
these secrets, to say nothing of the lives of nezumi. $$ Dreamwalking allows Dreamers to communi-
Nezumi Magic
cate with each other as well as with the resi-
dents of Yume-dō. It also lets them visit dreams
Dreamers are the closest thing nezumi have to shugen- of other creatures and people to learn, commu-
ja, but they function differently. Dreamers are attuned nicate, inflict nightmares, or even assert some
to Yume-dō, the Realm of Dreams. They commune limited control over them.
with both Transcendents, the nezumi ancestors who $$ Dreamshaping allows Dreamers to divine and
dwell there, and with dream spirits known as baku. The change the identities of things within Yume-dō.
former offer guidance and wisdom, which is usually The spiritual ramifications of such change can
vague and difficult to interpret. The latter lead Dream- be permanent. While Dreamers cannot change
ers through the invisible barriers between dreams, the physical form of something or someone,
granting them access to the dreams of other nezumi, it is possible to alter a destiny. This is usual-
animals, people, and even divine beings. As the Taint ly used to aid allies, but there are stories of
does not spread through dreams, there are scholars selfish Dreamers who steal destinies for them-
who question whether it is these abilities that grant selves, shortening the lives of others to extend
their race resistance to corruption. their own.
42

$$ Dreamseeking allows Dreamers to enter into The Third Whisker

Yume-dō bodily, find someone immersed
in a dream, and return to the Mortal Realm The Third Whisker is a small but important tribe of
through their dream, effectively tunneling nezumi that largely makes its home underneath the
through Yume-dō and being pulled out at Kaiu Wall. Small both in number and physical size, its
the other dreamer’s location. Normally, they members are quick to flee and hide if spotted. Though
can only make this leap across realms if the it is rare among their kind, they wear little or no deco-
other dreamer grants them permission to exit ration, and they often appear in clothes or armor their
through their dream—at which point, awak- Crab neighbors have discarded or “lost” (once the
ening pulls both back into Ningen-dō. Use of nezumi have suitably altered them to fit their forms).
this ability can be quite taxing, but has allowed The Kaiu tolerate their presence, as when the Wall
Dreamers to escape otherwise-certain death on comes under attack, the tribe protects its home with a
many occasions. However, failure to make con- ferocity the Crab samurai can only admire.
tact—or convince the dreamer to assist them The leader of the Third Whisker is also its Dreamer,
in returning to the Mortal Realm—can leave and several members of the tribe are both their off-
a Dreamer stranded in Yume-dō with no clear spring and apprentices. The tribe also boasts two fully
path by which to return. fledged Rememberers and has more in training. Unlike
some groups of nezumi who look primarily to the future
of their civilization, this group considers the continua-
Dangerous nezumi tion of its ancestors’ history and arts to be as import-
ant as the survival of its species. Other tribes that find
Most nezumi keep their distance from humans, but themselves without a Dreamer or Rememberer come
some isolated, warlike tribes consider humans the ene- to the Third Whisker to bargain for a replacement,
my. These nezumi are hardened by constant clashes often providing an accomplished warrior in exchange.
with Tainted monsters and remain bitter that Rokugan
did not offer aid or comfort to their ancestors in their
great time of need. Fortunately for humans, these vio-
lent tribes live in the distant, most dangerous parts of
the Shadowlands, and encounters with them are rare.
It is more common to encounter uncivilized nezu-
mi, those who grew up without the nurturing guidance
of a tribe; and outcast nezumi, banished for misdeeds
against their people and condemned to an unforgiving,
solitary life on the outskirts of their society. Either type
might be found wandering in the Shadowlands wastes.
Despite what the Rememberers may say, some nezumi
are still very cunning, wicked, or desperate individuals.
More dangerous than these are those Dreamers who
have been consumed by ambition and seek greater
power, no matter the cost.
Nezumi Tribes
The nezumi identify themselves by their tribes, which
are usually their extended family. Loyalty is paramount,
and betrayers are not granted the mercy shown to out-
cast nezumi. In fact, this is the one crime most tribes
punish by death, and there are written accounts of such
occurring. The nezumi take no satisfaction in execu-
tion, and ensure the end is swift and painless.

Third Whisker Dreamer

renegade dreamer
Many legendary Dreamers often come from the Third A Dreamer who has forsaken the well-being
Whisker, and nezumi look upon even their apprentic- of their tribe and works only for personal
es with awe. These Dreamers sometimes serve other benefit is extremely dangerous. Their talents
tribes. Unfortunately, their pride may prevent them can extend their life indefinitely, as they steal
from integrating, and their peculiar habits, such as destinies via Yume-dō. This leaves victims
spending hours dreamdwelling, set them apart. Third like sleepwalkers, void of purpose or mem-
Whiskers live near Shiro Kaiu, and their Dreamers ory—a nezumi’s nightmare, since they con-
observe the dreams of their human neighbors. They sider history so important. If such a Dreamer
are fascinated by the rituals and invocations of shugen- is killed, the death releases stolen destinies
ja, and they spy on them, making off with robes, texts, back into Yume-dō. These might eventual-
or magical items unattended even for a moment. Any ly return to their original owners if no other
Dreamer wearing ill-fitting shugenja robes is likely to Dreamer intercepts them. The Dreamer can
be of the Third Whisker. also induce vivid hallucinations in an individ-
ual, though the effort drains the Dreamer for
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
a time.
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
12 A Renegade Dreamer has an obsidian
3 3 dagger (Range 0, Damage 2, Deadliness 4,
08 GLORY COMPOSURE
12
3 3 Concealable, Razor-Edged, Unholy) as its
weapon, and it uses the Nezumi Dreamer
00 STATUS 4 FOCUS
6 profile with these abilities instead:
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - AMBITIOUS
VIGILANCE
3 STEALER OF FATES
A Renegade Dreamer is a being of silhouette
1 who can never gain the Afflicted condi-


tion or the Shadowlands Taint disadvantage.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Once per scene, a Renegade Dreamer can
Mystical Insight: Arrogance: make a Theology (Void) check to snip away
 Scholar; Spiritual  Martial; Interpersonal at the destiny of a target at range 2. The TN

of the check is equal to the target’s Void Ring.

FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR If the check is successful, the target loses 1
Void point and gains the Disoriented condi-
Nezumi Blade: Range 0–1, Damage 3, Deadliness 3
tion. If the Renegade Dreamer is killed, the
Gear (equipped): Stolen robes (Physical 2, Supernat- target regains the Void point.
ural 2), several Rokugani and nezumi scrolls

DARK ILLUSIONS
ABILITIES As a Scheme and Support action, a Renegade
DREAMSHAPER Dreamer may make a Theology (Air) check
to plant a nightmare into the mind of a target
A Third Whisker Dreamer is a being of silhouette 1
at range 0–2. The TN of the check is equal
who can never gain the Afflicted condition or the
to the target’s vigilance. If they succeed, the
Shadowlands Taint disadvantage. Once per scene, the
target is plagued by nightmares: they cannot
Third Whisker Dreamer can make a Theology (Void)
remove fatigue or strife until they succeed at
check to improve the destiny of a target at range 2.
a TN 3 Meditation check (Fire 2, Earth 5) as
The TN of the check is equal to the target’s Void Ring.
a downtime activity.
If the check is successful, the target gains 1 Void point.
44

Cracked Bone Warrior

"Scholarly Views" ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  4  1
An extract from A Personal History of Rokugan, An accomplished warrior from a warrior tribe, this nezu-
author unknown mi is not only large enough to look down on the aver-
Concerning these creatures, whether we call age bushi, but they are also able to hold their own in
them gesshuirui, shojin, or nezumi, it amounts a fight. Such warriors train hard from birth, so that an
to the same thing. They are vermin, unclean adult warrior can perform physical feats impossible for
creatures that thrive in the Shadowlands, pil- nezumi of more peaceful tribes. These include the abil-
lage our battlegrounds, and steal from the ities not only to strike with a tail but sometimes to use
most vulnerable. Though they appear resis- that tail to wield a weapon as well. Cracked Bone war-
tant to the Taint themselves, they spread its riors typically sport many piercings, wounds, and scars.
corruption wherever they go. My grandfather They are quick to fight and fearless when they do.
passed along horrible accounts of them eat-
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
ing their dead as well as our own. I myself
came across one under the Wall, dripping 00 HONOR ENDURANCE
12
with blood and undoubtedly busy undermin- 3 2
ing our defenses. The dead goblins at its feet 09 GLORY COMPOSURE
10
were obviously its allies. It scurried away as
3 3
I approached, showing its cowardly nature. I
00 STATUS 2 FOCUS
5
need not waste more ink on this matter; we +2, –2
VIGILANCE
3
simply cannot allow their kind to take root
within the Empire. We must drive them back

into the Shadowlands, where they belong.

Battle Hardened: Arrogance:

The Cracked Bone  Martial; Mental

 Social; Interpersonal
The Cracked Bone are stronger and larger than most

nezumi, some reaching upwards of five feet in height.

Katana: Range 1, Damage 4, Deadliness 5/7, Cere-
They carry weapons retrieved from fallen bushi or
monial, Razor-Edged
fashioned from whatever materials they can get their
paws on: daggers and spears made of wood, bone, Gear (equipped): Small yumi (Range 2–3, Damage
or stone—even obsidian. They pierce their ears, nos- 4, Deadliness 3), quiver, nezumi armor (Physical 2,
es, and tails, adorning themselves with carved decora- Supernatural 1, Wargear)

tions of the same materials. They also wear scavenged

ABILITIES
armor, and they consider any garment that doesn’t
TRIBAL WARRIOR
offer protection in battle pointless.
These nezumi are not actively hostile to the A Cracked Bone warrior is a being of silhouette 2 who
Rokugani scouts they encounter on neutral ground, but can never gain the Afflicted condition or the Shad-
they fight to protect their territory. They expect intrud- owlands Taint disadvantage. While making an Attack
ers to heed the scents they leave marking boundaries, action check against a target at range 0–1, a Cracked
and so more than one scout has lost their life due to a Bone warrior may spend   to lash their foe with
cultural misunderstanding. The warriors of the Cracked their tail, inflicting 3 physical damage and causing
Bone demonstrate none of the survival instinct com- their target to suffer the Immobilized condition. Addi-
mon to most nezumi, but rather actively seek battle tionally, once per scene when an enemy succeeds on
against Shadowlands creatures to prove themselves an Attack action check targeting another nezumi at
worthy. Their young must bloody their claws to range 0–1, a Cracked Bone Warrior may intervene,
achieve adulthood, in a ceremony not dissimilar to the becoming the target of the action instead.
Rokugani gempuku. Their leader holds their position
by virtue of their martial skill, and when they grow too
old to defeat all challengers, a victorious warrior kills
them and takes their place.
45

The Burnt Paws Burnt Paws Rememberer

According to the Rememberers of the Burnt Paws, ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  1  4
their people come from a bellicose tribe known as the
While the Burnt Paws are, by large, extremely hesitant
Ghost Paws. Fierce warriors who preferred stealing
to engage in violence, their Rememberers tell tales of
from the Crab rather than scavenging through Shad-
the warriors from whom they descend. Perhaps that
owlands filth, the Ghost Paws grew fond of the bet-
is why these Rememberers conceal weapons in their
ter things. This proved to be their downfall when the
robes. The senior Burnt Paws Rememberer wears a
tribe traveled beyond the Wall to raid a town in which
patchwork robe fashioned by the first Rememberer of
they hoped to find fine clothes, trinkets, and other
the tribe. Each new Rememberer fixes and adds to the
unnecessary items. Unlike the usual peasant villages
garment, and each piece is painstakingly embroidered
they preyed upon, though, this town contained veter-
with any new legendary deeds of the tribe. The Burnt
an bushi. The Ghost Paws defeated as many as they
Paws consider this garment sacred, perhaps even
could, but the samurai drove them into an empty stor-
supernatural, though none dare speak about its sup-
age building and shut them in. The samurai set fire to
posed properties, or of what might befall the tribe if
the building, and the only nezumi who escaped were
it were lost.
those who fled over the burning wood as the walls col-
lapsed, burning their paws. SOCIETAL PERSONAL
Whether the story is true or not—and no Crab
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
8
records verify it—the Burnt Paws are a cowardly tribe by 2 4
their own admission. They avoid conflicts of all kinds, 03 GLORY COMPOSURE
10
fleeing other tribes and scout patrols as readily as they 3 2
do bands of wandering goblins. Remembering their 00 STATUS 2 FOCUS
6
past mistakes, they do not yearn for what they cannot
have. They eat Shadowlands weeds and insects, sleep
,+1, –2
DEMEANOR - DETACHED
VIGILANCE
3
in deep burrows, and wear discarded scraps of cloth.
Yet, their Rememberer is said to know where the armor ARTISAN 2 MARTIAL 0 SCHOLAR 3 SOCIAL 2 TRADE 2
and weapons of the Ghost Paws lie hidden, as the time

may come when the tribe must become warriors again.
Ready to Run: Lost in the Past:

 Martial; Physical  Social; Interpersonal

The Tattered Ear


Looted Knife: Range 0, Damage 2, Deadliness 4,

Most nezumi tribes live in the Shadowlands, Concealable, Mundane
but tales are told of a tribe that managed to Gear (equipped): Rememberer’s robes (Physical 1,
flee unseen through human lands and now Supernatural 2, Ceremonial)
lives hidden somewhere within the vast,

ABILITIES
enchanted Shinomen Forest. The nezumi con-
sider the Shinomen a utopia, a home without KEEPER OF HISTORY
threat of Shadowlands creatures or human A Burnt Paws Rememberer is a being of silhouette
intervention. Nezumi whisper about the Tat- 1 who can never gain the Afflicted condition or the
tered Ear and the progress it must make with- Shadowlands Taint disadvantage. Whenever a charac-
out such considerations. Perhaps they even ter in a scene with the Rememberer makes a Scholar
build cities among the trees, and one day will skill check involving the Shadowlands, the character
send troops of leaf-wearing warriors to lead may spend  to have the Remembrancer relate some-
their cousins out of the Shadowlands. thing tangentially useful, such as where additional
components for a medicine just applied can be found,
or how long ago their tribe managed to defeat an oni
similar to the one threatening the group currently.
46

Nezumi Life Rat Tales

Many nezumi villages consist of a combination of
temporary dwellings and permanent burrows. Out
$$ Our Rememberers keep lists of names,
of necessity, villages do not stay in any one place for
carved in secret caves, where no human
long; nezumi pack up and move on when sources of
will find them. Every pup of every tribe
food grow scarce, at the first sign of danger, or due
is recorded somewhere, for the day we
to a Dreamer’s warning. However, most tribes regu-
reclaim former glories and rebuild our
larly return to the same locations, where they already
libraries and archives.
burrowed out escape tunnels and storage spaces and
know the terrain. Scouts check for unwanted squatters $$ Some of us are brave, and some of us
before the tribe arrives, and they seek out new loca- are not, but none of us are stupid. If we
tions to replace old sites they no longer deem safe. cannot win a fight, we run, and so we
live to tell our tales.
Nezumi Pup $$ The greatest among us never die but
ascend to Yume-dō as Transcendents.
They are guided there by living Dream-
Nezumi pups begin life helpless, blind, and hairless. ers or by the Transcendents who passed
They develop quickly, emerging after two weeks to join before them. Their wisdom is never lost.
older pups in training, foraging, and listening to stories.
They are inquisitive and playful but know from scent
markers where they can safely explore. Pups only wan- activity, a character may observe a nezumi pup's playful
der away in extreme circumstances. Fear usually drives antics and remove 3 strife. A character who targets a
a pup back to a parent or other adult, but if its home nezumi pup with an Attack action receives 5 strife.
suffers a disaster or is attacked, a pup obeys the instinct
to flee. Unless found by its own or a friendly tribe, such
pups either perish or become outcast nezumi.
A Gathering of Nomads
A tribe and its village are essentially the same thing. If a
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
tribe becomes too small to function as a village, mem-
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
4 bers find another depleted tribe to join and create a
1 1 new tribe. Conversely, when a tribe grows too large,
05 GLORY COMPOSURE
4
1 2 it splits into two or three new ones. It is impossible to
00 STATUS 1 FOCUS
3 know how many tribes exist at any one time, as there
are many scattered across the Shadowlands.
+1, –2
DEMEANOR - CURIOUS
VIGILANCE
1 All tribes have a leader, but in some this is the
greatest warrior, while in others, it is a gifted Dreamer

or wizened Rememberer. Most tribes require lookouts,


scouts, and scavengers, as well as warriors for defense
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES when they cannot flee, but these roles shift and change
depending on the tribe’s needs. Most nezumi can scout

Unnoticed: Defenseless:
and scavenge, and even the youngest fight to protect
 Martial; Physical  Martial; Physical

the tribe when necessary.

Teeth and Claws: Range 0, Damage 1, Deadliness 2
Gear (equipped): Fur (Physical 1)

ABILITIES
INQUISITIVE
A nezumi pup is a being of silhouette 0 who can never
gain the Afflicted condition or the Shadowlands Taint
disadvantage. Their curiosity means they might be found
almost anywhere in the Shadowlands, such as curled
up in a backpack or behind a tent flap. As a downtime

A Temporary Home
The territories of some tribes include ruins, which the Instinctive Behavior: Always Hungry:
nezumi invariably consider to be the remains of their  Martial; Physical  Martial; Mental
lost civilization. Such locations are popular places for


tribes to set up camp, even if a ruin has a doorway
built for creatures three times their size or it features Claws and Teeth: Range 0, Damage 2, Deadliness 3
headless statues with serpentine features. Among
Gear (equipped): Fur (Physical 1), several haunches
the stone, a tribe erects its tents, clever constructs
of raw meat
of bone and leather. These protect the tribe’s fires
from the unpredictable winds and serve as shelter for ABILITIES
scouts and lookouts, who maintain their vigilance abo- FEROCIOUS DEFENDER
veground while other nezumi sleep in burrows in the
An outcast nezumi is a being of silhouette 1 who can
earth beneath them.
never gain the Afflicted condition or the Shadowlands
Every such location has escape tunnels, which are
Taint disadvantage. When it is the target of an Attack
cleared as necessary when a tribe returns. Otherwise
action check, it may receive 1 strife to remove  from
villages vary among tribes; some tribes favor large bur-
the attacker’s check result.
rows where they can raise their families in safety under-
ground, while others feel safer working and training on
the ground above so they cannot be trapped. Some
tribes build their leader, Rememberer, or Dreamer a
Adventure Seed: Last
grander burrow away from the rest of the tribe, while of the Long Claws
some tribes sleep all together in a single room.
一 Hook While in the Shadowlands, the PCs
Outcast Nezumi encounter a nezumi who challenges them to
a duel, hoping to win rations. A six-foot-tall
warrior with thick black fur, she is called Three
These nezumi survive by instinct, running on four paws Knives, as she wields a knife with her tail as
and eating anything they find, including rotting carcass- well as in each hand. She offers her Crab
es. Their solitary life in the Shadowlands leaves them armor as a prize if defeated. If asked how she
unable to communicate even with other nezumi. They came by it, she explains she once befriend-
recognize scent signals to keep away, so they rarely ed a Tainted scout called Hiruma Yuki. Yuki
bother the tribes, but consider any Rokugani either as fought alongside her until she dueled and
an enemy or potential food. Without the advantages of killed him, saving him from becoming a mon-
civilized nezumi, they are usually a threat only to a lone ster. He bequeathed his armor to her, and she
scout or group of wounded samurai. Occasionally, they has worn it since.
band together to hunt, but once the prey runs out they
inevitably turn on each other. 二 Rising Action Three Knives is the last
survivor of the Long Claws, a warrior tribe
SOCIETAL PERSONAL that was once part of the Cracked Bone. If the
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
10 PCs ask what became of her tribe, she tells
2 1 them about the pack of outcast nezumi who
03 GLORY COMPOSURE
8 killed them. She won’t pursue the wild nezu-
2 3 mi for vengeance, as she pities them, but she
00 STATUS 1 FOCUS
4 admits they are moving in the direction of the
Wall and may threaten Crab patrols.
+2, –2 VIGILANCE
2
DEMEANOR - FERAL 三 Climax The PCs could persuade Three
Knives to help if they are on a mission in the


Shadowlands or could offer to help her find
another tribe. If they decide to attack the out-
cast nezumi, however, she tries to stop them.
48

The Crab Clan
The southwest of Rokugan is an eternal battlefield,
soaked in the blood of the Crab Clan. Since the descent
of the Kami Hida to the Mortal Realm, his descendants
and followers have been waging war against enemies
beyond the Empire and within. Maps of their territory
are marked with scars—swaths of land amputated or
left half-dead, all stitched together by the mighty Car-
penter Wall. Everyone within their borders has adapt-
ed to continuous violence. Noble and commoner alike
wake each morning wondering if this day will be their
last, unsure if their end will come by demonic claws or
the swift strike of a honed blade.
Victories are often the products of several calcu- the Guest House
lated defeats. Sacrifice ensured the Crab’s continued
existence, but it also shrank their borders and left one Every Crab town, no matter how small or
of their noble families homeless. In the eighth century, impoverished, has a small house or hut set
the oni lord known as the Maw led a massive Shad- aside for guests. Visitors often remark on
owlands army against the Crab. It overtook the lands them, especially to note that they rarely
of the Hiruma, and to this day they have not been seem to be in use—the Crab instead usual-
reclaimed. The Hiruma’s patience wanes with each year ly bring visitors into their own homes. Most
as they long for their revenge. visitors simply assume the empty dwellings
Centuries later, the Crab suffered another tragedy are another odd feature of this odd clan and
at the hands of a mysterious oni that appeared under forget the matter upon returning to their own
the clan’s very feet. Dōkutsu no Majo twisted earth lands. The truth is much more disturbing and
kami into burrowing kansen and targeted the Kuni pragmatic, like many Crab customs.
lands to tap into the family’s strong spiritual energy. One feature of all of these houses, no
The resulting tunnels allowed Shadowlands invaders matter their location, is that they have a slid-
to flood beneath the Crab, leading to subterranean ing beam to lock the door, but it is placed on
battles through the haunted, twisting chasms. After the the outside. Most of these dwellings are also
blow from a Kaiu’s ōtsuchi smeared Dōkutsu no Majo’s of a sturdier construction than normal.
head against a cave wall, the battle was won—but the These houses are specifically designed for
war was far from over. Efforts to purge the vast net- those who arrive unexpectedly, and especial-
work of tunnels and the kansen within left these Kuni ly so at night. No Crab would ever turn an
lands spiritually desolate, and it is whispered that unfortunate traveler away, but hospitality has
wicked shadows still cling to the darkest corners. On to be tempered with suspicion. The Tainted
the surface, this wracked land is now known as the might return, unaware of or refusing to admit
Kuni Wastelands. their terrible nature, and could emerge as
The Crab’s southeastern border is in constant flux. zombies or worse in the morning. Every Crab
When the Yasuki family broke from the Crane to join has heard a dozen variants of a tale in which
the Crab Clan, they brought not only their mercantile a family welcomed back a group of cousins
prowess but also their enmity for the Crane. Disputes they had not seen for years. The next day, all
with the Crane over property rights and forged deeds that was left were gnawed bones and a thick
and proclamations, as well as outright violence, cause trail of blood leading into a nearby forest.
Crab villages to shift ownership far too often. Any time Thus, the tradition evolved to put up
the Yasuki reap success from their ventures, the Crane travelers in guest houses (at least for the first
find some way to call their methods into question. night). A visitor might find it odd or perhaps
discourteous, but the Crab are perfectly fine
to exchange this for safety and containment
of the Shadowlands.
49

Families of the Crab Defend the Wall!

The Crab Clan is a well-oiled machine, each family What most would take as a simple game for
serving as an irreplaceable component. The Kaiu serve Hida children actually acts as a powerful train-
as the clan’s foundation with their ingenuity and fore- ing tool for the family. It is quite simple: on
sight. The Hiruma are the Crab’s eyes, relaying critical the top of a hill, a line of children waits with
information, while the Kuni are a hungry repository of linked arms as their friends attempt to scale
knowledge. The clan’s lifeblood—the food and funds the slope and break through them. If the
necessary for the war effort—is provided by the mer- line breaks, the invading children are chased
cantile Yasuki. And finally, guiding it all is the Crab until caught and driven back down the hill.
Clan’s heart, the courageous Hida. Together, their Defenders must act quickly to catch them,
bond is as impenetrable as the Carpenter Wall. though, before other invaders exploit the
Above all, the Crab embody courage. Shadowlands gaps in the line.
beasts and rivals alike dread confrontations with its There is no strict victory condition for
samurai, albeit for different reasons. The same courage either side. Games generally continue until
that allows the Crab to dominate a battlefield allows everyone collapses with exhaustion or is too
them to storm through social constructs. When cour- injured to continue, for even in their youth,
tesy or tradition hinders efficiency, the Crab boldly the Hida believe in playing hard. Some
oppose convention. Members of the Crab are sure of games last all day, crowds of parents and
themselves and their one mission: to protect Rokugan other onlookers cheering the children on and
by any means necessary. wagering on the outcome. Seeing the chil-
dren displaying strength is especially reward-
Hida ing for veterans, who know that when they fall
in battle, there will be a new generation of
The Kami Hida was the strongest of his kin, but for years,
Hida to replace them.
he put little stock in wisdom when the strength of his
arm could serve him. In the series of tests to determine
who would rule the Empire, Hida was defeated by his
sibling’s wits. The Kami felt weak for the first time in his Understanding the Hida requires one to join them
existence. As he bemoaned his failure, a passing monk on the Kaiu Wall. In brief, nearly unnoticeable moments,
remarked that identifying one’s weakness is a form boisterous Hida bushi fall silent, their eyes focused on
of strength. Hida took the stranger’s words to heart a dark memory. Born and raised warriors to combat
and spent the following years mastering strategy. His the foulest creatures in existence, the Hida are still not
descendants continue Hida’s legacy in their pursuit of immune to grief. They manage their pain through black
tactical prowess. Success, whether it’s in battle or per- humor, drunken wrestling, and a frank acceptance of the
sonal growth, is often hidden behind painful defeats. world’s horrors. Honesty allows the Hida to face their
Facing these sacrifices requires courage, and the Hida enemies. Courage allows the Hida to destroy them. But
have no shortage of that. no amount of desensitization can prepare anyone for
the inhuman brutality of the Shadowlands.
Reputation and Values Loved ones in the Shadowlands don’t just die;
instead, their corpses claw back toward the Wall, dis-
If they could, it is said, Hida bushi would deal with gob- figured by the Taint. There is a constant fear of pen-
lins and courtiers in a similar fashion: with swift brutali- anggalan and other monstrosities impersonating com-
ty. All Crab live to carry out the Kami Hida’s war against rades. The sky above the Shadowlands is never wel-
the Shadowlands. Any other task is an imposition, and come, either grim charcoal or burning red but never
the Hida are not afraid to say as much. The pampered soft blue. Darkness and cold rain often accompany the
nobles of other clans find Hida manners almost as Hida during their endless patrols. To be a Hida is to live
shocking as a tetsubō to the back of the skull. Aghast without comfort. It should come as no surprise, there-
allies and enemies alike have reflexively challenged fore, that their tempers flare when the very people they
Hida members to duels, only to be dismissed as yet live to protect fail to show any gratitude.
another waste of time. The Hida are therefore consid-
ered impolite brutes.
50

Culture and Traditions aside for more effective innovations. Bushi cannot risk HIDA RUMORS
turning their attention from the Shadowlands, so they
A Yasuki merchant or Kaiu engineer may say that a keep their rituals short and on a flexible schedule. The opium won’t be com-
warrior is as only as good as their weapon, but a Hida Every garrison has its own songs and routines, and gar- ing this month—someone
would argue that a true warrior is still deadly unarmed raided the smuggler’s
risons regularly engage in friendly competitions. The
caravan. The Fortress of
and stumbling drunk. Those born Hida must prove they Hida live in the now. They do not waste time pining the Forgotten is sure to
have honed their body before they earn a weapon. for lost heroes like their counterparts in the Lion Clan. explode, and soon.
Children are often taught the forms of Kobo Ichi-Kai
A stranger in green
Jiujutsu, a type of hand-to-hand combat that focuses
Current Concerns and yellow is gathering
on disabling foes at the joints, controlling their momen- warriors for a raid beyond
tum, and constantly delivering damage. Prospective The Shadowlands are rising. Frequent assaults against the Wall, but won’t say
bushi engage in brutal kobo matches against impos- the Carpenter Wall have left the Crab starved for why—only that it’s vital
sible odds. Winning is not the goal. Hida students are resources. With the Imperial Court ignoring their to the Empire. They could
be Imperial, but why the
conditioned to accept small defeats in order to secure requests for aid, the Crab have limited options. The
secretive manner?
larger victories. Crane Clan’s ill will toward the Yasuki is threatening
The Hida hone more than their bodies. A tactical to divert staff and resources from the front line. Some The Skull of the Maw
is dripping with blood.
mind shaped by theory and experience is more dan- Crab Clan leaders see an alliance with the Crane-
Fresh blood. Each night
gerous than the sharpest blade. Young Hida practice hating Scorpion as a tempting option, but this would there is more, regardless
tactics through sessions of Go and Sōogi, and many alienate one of the Crab’s closest allies, the Phoenix. of how often it’s cleaned.
of their childhood games operate like military drills. The ambitious Kuni Yori strenuously objects to this pro-
At their various dōjō, Hida spend as much time read- posed alliance, greatly preferring access to the spiritual
ing military theory as they do physically training. Tests rites and secrets of the Phoenix’s Asako family to those
are frequently performed in mock war rooms where of the Scorpion’s Yogo family. But the fact remains that
everyone crouches around a map covered in minia- the Yasuki cannot handle the Crane by themselves and
ture armies. Given its grim task, the Hida family cannot something must be done.
afford to cast aside anyone, and it teaches that all must Tensions between the Lion and all of their neighbors
serve according to their own strengths. For example, threaten to involve the Crab. The Lion may call on their
Daimyō Kisada’s physically weak son, Hida Sukune, has assistance to fight the Unicorn, or the Crab may need to
earned great renown as a tactician and strategist. How- choose sides if the Lion assault the Phoenix. Hida Kisa-
ever, the ideal Hida is a paragon of both physical and da has tasked his people with the following objectives:
mental excellence. discover new ways to kill the monsters of the Shadow-
Like all families in Rokugan, the Hida have a great lands, reclaim the lost knowledge of the Hiruma, estab-
many traditions; some of these date from the founding lish new trade routes, design more effective weapons,
of the Emerald Empire, or so the Hida claim. Unlike avoid conflict with other clans, and find out what is
other families, though, the Hida rarely make their tra- causing the surge of activity within the Shadowlands.
ditions into obsessions. Festivals are pleasant distrac-
tions, but nothing more. Heirloom weapons that can The Lands of the Hida
no longer function as well as newer creations are set
The rolling farmlands of the Kaiu family stretch into the
horizon, nestling along the protective Carpenter Wall
until they gradually grow more rocky and dry. Once the
rice paddies grow rare and the ground becomes marred
with the crushing footfalls of repeated marches, one
has entered Hida lands. The harsh landscape reflects
the attitude of its ruling family. Outsiders—even, and
perhaps especially, those representing the other Great
Clans—are regarded with suspicion and met
with varying degrees of hostility. Visi-
tors are seen as a needless disruption
unless they have come to commit
their swords to the cause (in which
51

case, even gaijin mercenaries are welcome). Even the

commoners lack respect for travelers from other parts of
Adventure Seed:
the Empire—and seem even to revere the Hida family
more than the Emperor himself. True Intents
Whether samurai or commoner, almost everyone in
the region has a nightmarish story of a hungry mon- 一 Hook The Carpenter Wall has been
ster in the night, a bloody mist that stole away dozens breached. An oni stands upon a low peak
of villagers, or another horror more unspeakable still. of the Twilight Mountains, commanding its
Some of these stories draw to a close tragically, but forces forward but not taking the lead itself.
many end with the arrival of Hida samurai who drive Despite the chaos, some of the junior Hida
back the night once again—ensuring people live to tell officers find the oni’s behavior suspect. It
their harrowing tale, and their faith in their protectors appears to be taunting the Hida, having left
stronger than ever. As disparate as the Crab’s five fam- itself exposed to a direct assault as its forces
ilies are, they unanimously trust the Hida’s tried and strike forward.
tested leadership. As the saying goes, there are few
二 Rising Action PCs who are swept into
places along the Carpenter Wall as safe as standing
the battle overhear the Hida soldiers hypoth-
behind a Hida.
esize that this assault is a distraction. Their
gunsō, Hida Dairoku, is hungry for the glory
Hida Palace he would win by slaying an oni and will not
Kyūden Hida is easily the most fortified castle in listen. The soldiers believe that the true tar-
Rokugan. Its thick stone walls tower over 180 feet high, get could be a nearby mine that recently dis-
their rough surfaces lined the latest Kaiu defensive war played invaluable jade deposits.
machines. Giant gates partition the outer walls into a 三 Climax Breaking formation to check on
series of kill zones intended to corral invaders. Pulsing the mine will evoke the gunsō’s ire. However,
through the air are the beats of taiko drums directing traveling there will confirm the soldiers’ sus-
the marches of practicing troops. Nearly everyone picions—a subterranean ritual to destroy the
wears heavy armor, looking not unlike literal crabs as jade is underway. If Dairoku is humbled, he
they move across the dark stone ramparts. may offer to aid the PCs in the future as rec-
The most striking feature of this palace is mount- ompense for his actions.
ed above its main entrance—the skull of the Maw. It
grins threateningly out at the Shadowlands with rows
of razor-sharp teeth. The interior of the palace is aus- power; others in an effort to quell the burns that war
tere, its only decorations being the banners of the Crab has seared onto their soul. Still others find this state
families. Within these halls, adventurers can seek per- without seeking it, born to battle rage or kindling it as
mission from Hida Kisada to enter the Shadowlands. life on the Wall heaps horror after horror upon them.
However, visitors should beware: the Hida are notori- The Fortress of the Forgotten houses an ascetic
ously uncooperative and hate glory seekers. order. But unlike monks, who seek peace and enlight-
enment, the berserkers who reside within seek the
Fortress of the Forgotten solace that can only come from the destruction of
their enemies. These warriors arrive for a variety of rea-
The Crab appear to thrive amid violence, but they are sons—some because they have been broken by war,
only human. Death and grief eventually chip away at some because they seek power to wreak vengeance,
anyone’s resolve, and when some Crab find their limit, and some because they are too dangerous to their
they suddenly snap and become erratically destructive. comrades to serve in a conventional unit when the fury
It is said that the only way to stop such a warrior’s wrath takes them. Within the halls of the fortress, there is little
once it has been roused is to decapitate them, yet sto- conversation, just silent focus on becoming an emo-
ries are told of headless warriors getting in a few hits tionless weapon. Many inhabitants are Hiruma who
before tumbling to the ground. To achieve this berserk- have journeyed so long in the Shadowlands that even
er state deliberately, some Crab warriors spend months when they leave it, it never truly leaves them. Others
in meditation, slowly numbing their base instinct for are Hida, Kaiu, Kuni, or even rōnin who seek solace in
survival, often with the aid of alcohol and opium. Some shedding the blood of foes after horrific experiences
seek it so that they can achieve greater heights of while fighting to defend Rokugan.
52

The Hida and the Wall FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR

The Hida are ever-present on the Carpenter Wall, and Tetsubō: Range 1–2, Damage 7, Deadliness 3, Cum-
many of the family's major landmarks can be found bersome, Durable, Wargear
along the Wall's length. As such, nearly anyone trav-
Gear (equipped): Ō-yoroi armor (Physical 6 [3 if suf-
eling Hida lands will come into contact with the struc-
fering the Disoriented, Dazed, or Immobilized condi-
ture at least once. Stretches supported by fortresses
tion], Ceremonial, Cumbersome, Wargear), wakizashi
like Hida Palace are infrequently targeted, no matter
the state of other battles elsewhere. However, isolated

ABILITIES
regions between strongholds are in constant danger, DEFENDER OF THE WALL

and passing travelers may find themselves pulled into
As a Hida, Kotoe ignores the Cumbersome quality of
a battle.
any armor she wears or weapons she uses. When she
makes an Attack action check, she may spend  in
Hida Kotoe, Stout Warrior the following way:
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  3  2 Earth  +: Kotoe pushes the target of the attack 1
Kotoe has served at the Wall for many years. Long range band per   spent this way in a direction of
ago, her fellow Hida nicknamed her “Thirteenth Tow- her choice. If it collides with an object, it suffers dam-
er” both for her steadfast nature and her height. When age as if it had fallen the distance it moved.
outfitted in heavy ō-yoroi armor and her huge family
tetsubō, she is indeed a towering figure, and many
Hiruma returning from scouting missions claim they
Hiruma
can spot her on the parapets from many miles away. When the Kami Hida claimed the western mountains, he
She can often be found where the fighting is the thick- challenged his followers to prove that they were strong
est, especially wherever the Wall has suffered a breach. enough to stand beside him. Three stepped forward.
Legend has it she singlehandedly held off waves of The very first was Hiruma, the hunter. Together, the trio
goblins who had burrowed under the Wall until their embarked on a quest to slay Hajimeno Tatakai no Oni.
blood made the tunnel too slippery for them to climb Hiruma was instrumental in its demise, not only tracking
out—at which point she grimly waded in and killed and baiting the beast, but also delivering the killing blow.
the rest. Kotoe comes from a long line of warriors, all Since then, the Hiruma have been the right hand of the
of whom only fell after killing so many creatures that Hida. They serve as scouts, messengers, and spies. With-
paths had to be made through the piles of corpses to out them, the Crab would be without its senses.
reach their bodies. She wishes nothing more than to HIRUMA RUMORS
end her days in the same manner; given her strength Reputation and Values A merchant notes that
and prowess in battle, though, that day may be a long many items said to have
time coming. The Hiruma are not well-known outside of the Crab
come from Daylight
lands. Visitors may note differences from the Hida; for Castle have been offered
SOCIETAL PERSONAL instance, their lithe frames and light armor. Otherwise, at the market recently,
as though someone has
55 HONOR ENDURANCE
12 Hiruma are too quiet and quick for travelers to get
4 2 a prolonged impression. Besides those who join the successfully looted our
ancestral home!
50 GLORY COMPOSURE
16 Fortress of the Forgotten, Hiruma rarely linger in one
4 2 place. Wherever they stay, they are passing guests. The Crane are somehow
39 STATUS 1 FOCUS
4 The Hiruma live in silent shame. While the Hida behind the efforts to keep
us from launching a full
wear their emotions on their sleeves, the Hiruma are
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - GRUFF
VIGILANCE
3 cold and brooding. Both families are known to have
assault and regaining our
lost lands.
volatile tempers, but the Hiruma snap so viciously that
Some other families

ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 4 SCHOLAR 2 SOCIAL 1 TRADE 1 it often catches people by surprise. are refusing to undergo
Much of a Hiruma’s life is spent in waiting—wait-

proper inspection and


ing days in purifying meditation, waiting weeks for cleansing procedures

Large Stature: Slow Moving: their bodies to recover from venturing into the Shad- when returning from the
Shadowlands. Why?
 Martial; Physical  Martial; Physical owlands, and waiting generations for their lands to be
reclaimed. Eventually, most exhaust their patience. It

is little surprise that many Hiruma choose to leave the

Mortal Realm by launching themselves into hopeless
battle after hopeless battle.
53

Adventure Seed:
One Final Mission
一 Hook The PCs come across, or are invit-
ed to join, a secret group of Tainted Hiruma
who are fanatically dedicated to reclaiming
their lands before they fall to corruption.
二 Rising Action The small group includes
a shugenja who now uses mahō and who
claims to know a way to bind or destroy Taint-
ed creatures and cleanse corrupted territory.
They group plans to leave soon and asks the
PCs for aid in stealing enough jade to sup-
port the mission. Although they might fail,
they believe they deserve one last attempt to
retake their homeland after all their service,
especially for the sake of other families.
三 Climax The PCs can aid in the theft so
that the Hiruma can end their lives in honor-
able battle, but this means the loss of jade
that could be used in other missions. The
Tainted Hiruma might be further corrupted
Culture and Traditions and become Lost, another possible draw-
back. Still, perhaps any risk is acceptable in
Until the legacy of the Hiruma is recovered, they can- attempting to regain land from Fu Leng...
not start anew. They live in an empty space between
their past and future where there is no glory—just a
duty to persist until they are made whole again. Those
Current Concerns
born to the Hiruma stand to inherit no farmlands, no
castles, no scrolls of ancient knowledge, no artifacts of The Hiruma need to restore their name through the
mythic provenance, for all of these were lost along with reconquest of their ancestral lands. Until that glorious
their lands. day, they can find some satisfaction in the recovery of
Without a formal dōjō, Hiruma learn from their artifacts. Antiquarians sometimes come into posses-
immediate family. Hiruma children are trained to hunt sion of Hiruma scrolls and weapons, but more often
as soon as they can walk. Most become skilled hunt- than not, these objects are forgeries. The Hiruma’s
ers before adolescence and are allowed to spend days greatest hope for recovering their history is sealed in
alone in the wild honing their survival skills. Many con- their homeland.
fused peasants have mistakenly tried to help someone There are rumors that the Candle Temple in Day-
they thought was a lost child, only to end up groveling light Castle has resisted the befouling infection of the
before nobility. A Hiruma’s training focuses on surviv- Shadowlands. If true, there is little doubt that it con-
al, stealth, and speed. After trapping a Shadowlands tains preserved relics. However, the castle is crawling
beast for their gempuku, a Hiruma may serve behind with Shadowlands creatures. Even if a person were to
enemy lines as a raider and scout, or beyond the Wall enter the temple sanctum, they would need to conduct
as a messenger. a search undetected and risk the destruction of recov-
Hiruma work closely with Kuni Wardens, who ered objects during their return. Hida Kisada has yet
monitor them for the Taint. Preparing to traverse the to see a proposed mission into Candle Temple that he
Shadowlands is a lengthy process. Before crossing the finds tactically sound. The Hiruma argue that the activ-
border, wards must be painted on a scout’s skin. After ity at the border might mean Candle Temple is now
returning, the scout spends as much as four weeks sparsely defended, but Kisada believes it is the Hiruma
undertaking strenuous purifying rites at one of the who are at risk of being spread too thin by vainglori-
shrines of cleansing scattered throughout Kuni lands. ous efforts. There has been talk within the family about
54

defying their Clan Champion’s orders and embarking ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

on a mission anyway—for victory would be too grand

a success even for the stoic Hida Kisada to deny, and Careful Planner: Live to Kill:
failure would spell certain death.  Martial; Mental  Social; Interpersonal

The Landless

Yari: Range 2, Damage 5, Deadliness 3, Wargear

Beyond the Wall, in the foothills of the Twilight Moun- Gear (equipped): Ashigaru armor (Physical 3,
tains, Daylight Castle waits. Shadowlands beasts crawl Wargear), yumi and quiver, knife, traveling pack,
through its halls, defiling the majestic fortress. Claw finger of jade
marks scar the stone. Bones litter the floor. All is dark
and putrid. According to the tales, though, within is

ABILITIES
Candle Temple, radiating with a divine light. It is a shin- CAREFUL OBSERVER

ing beacon calling out to the family it honors. Under Izumi counts his vigilance as 6 for purposes of notic-
its guardianship, the last surviving remnants of Hiruma ing hidden Shadowlands creatures, jade decay, and
history wait to be reclaimed. evidence of Taint in a character (including himself).
To speak of the Hiruma holdings is a grave insult. For Decrease the TN of Survival skill checks Izumi makes
centuries, the Hiruma have been without a home, their while in the Shadowlands by 1.
territories having become part of the Shadowlands.
Hiruma often stalk the battlements along the Wall,
gazing to the south at the lands that were once theirs.
Kaiu
Anger and longing fill their souls, and each knows what The second to accept Kami Hida’s challenge, it is said,
the others feel without the need for words. One day, was the blacksmith Kaiu. As his companions prepared to
they silently whisper. One day. face Hajimeno Tatakai no Oni, Kaiu set to work crafting KAIU RUMORS
the weapon that would bring bout the oni’s demise—

There is a huge stockpile
Hiruma Izumi, Cautious Scout Chikara. Kaiu’s forge is in operation to this very day, act- of captured gaijin
ing as the heart of Kaiu Castle. Kaiu’s spirit has contin- weapons to the north in
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  2  2 ued throughout the generations, giving rise not only to some village called Slow
Izumi’s family was one of many whose homes were tak- master smiths, but also to inventors and engineers. The Tide Harbor. The Emperor
refuses to allow us to
en by monsters, and like all Hiruma, he lives only to see Kaiu strike down the legions of Jigoku without invok- inspect them. Why are we
those homes retaken one day. That day is not today, ing the kami or ancient knowledge. They embody the being kept from ways to
probably won’t be tomorrow, and likely won’t hap- potential of Rokugan—as they call it, the future. improve our defenses?
pen until after he becomes ashes. Until then, though,
Someone is stealing the
Izumi does his part, venturing into the Shadowlands Reputation and Values jade we must have for
frequently and not returning until there is one fewer experiments to forge
oni, ogre, or other vile creature to befoul his ancestral The Crab Clan has many detractors, but few criti- new weapons. I think it’s
cisms are hurled at the Kaiu. At worst, bitter outsiders Yasuki out to make some
lands. His actions are careful and precise, and he vigi-
believe that the talented Kaiu are wasted making war fast koku.
lantly watches his jade while across the Wall. The only
thing worse than the monsters of the Shadowlands, he machines—that their time would be better spent con- There exists a special
structing music boxes and tiny dancing automatons, hammer that imbues jade
knows, would be to become one of them himself.
or at least noble and refined weapons, like bows and into anything it forges.
It got lost in the Shadow-
SOCIETAL PERSONAL swords. But like all Crab, the Kaiu are unwavering in lands, but if only we could
38 HONOR ENDURANCE
12 their dedication to keeping Rokugan safe. find it...
4 3 Before the Yasuki became the clan’s ambassadors,
34 GLORY COMPOSURE
14 the Kaiu handled diplomacy. They were not trained
3 2 courtiers knowledgeable in the intricacies of polite
34 STATUS 2 FOCUS
6 society, but their gifts were the stuff of legend, and
their courtiers were at least trained to be personable.
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - CAUTIOUS
VIGILANCE
3 Even now, Kaiu tend to be soft-spoken and even tem-

pered. Through rational words, they can soothe even

ARTISAN 1 MARTIAL 2 SCHOLAR 1 SOCIAL 2 TRADE 3 the most irate of Hida. Their stability forms the foun-
dation of the entire Crab Clan. Without their selfless

support, the clan would fall. But behind these calm

demeanors is a group of minds bursting with creative
55

energy and invention. Rare Kaiu individuals resent

being limited to war-related pursuits. Luckily for them,
Adventure
Seed: Progress
the Kaiu generally consider any technical tinkering an
opportunity for discovery. Their schools are dedicated
to fostering creativity and invention. When students cannot wait
indulge in music boxes and toys, the complex internal
mechanisms frequently lead to new and useful innova-
一 Hook A sudden crisis of dwindling jade
tions. Too much frivolity is eventually discouraged, but
supplies is pushing the Crab to desperation.
the Kaiu are open-minded.
New weapons must be devised to combat
As the Hiruma search for their past and the Hida
the Shadowlands. There are Crane accounts
confront the present, the Kaiu have their eyes on the
of a naval battle with a gaijin ship that
future. Foresight is a key trait of any skillful Kaiu. When
sprayed jets of liquid flame. This incendiary
planning traps and fortifications, they must first envi-
fluid only ignited after exposure to the air
sion every possible angle of assault. They must stay
and bound like tar to whatever it struck. The
several steps ahead of ally and enemy alike. There is
horrific deaths of the Crane sailors motivated
a saying among the Crab that if a Kaiu must quit the
the Emperor to ban any attempt to procure or
battlefield, defeat is on the way. The Kaiu’s talent for
replicate the weapon.
calculating outcomes is almost prophetic.
二 Rising Action As much as the Crab
Culture and Traditions would like to see the Crane engulfed in
flames, they agree that turning such a weap-
Creativity cannot be contained. The Kaiu, therefore, on on humans would be repugnant. However,
provide many avenues by which inventive minds may they disagree that it should be banned out-
grow. If the traditional route of smithing is too limiting, right. Many members of the Kaiu Engineer
one can design traps or ballistae. A young Kaiu who School would give anything for the formula of
is more interested in the foundational components of the flaming fluid or the physical device.
metallurgy may specialize in geology or alchemy. Those
三 Climax PCs embarking on this quest
who don’t want to tinker in a workshop can create
grand structures as architects or fight on the front line must avoid the Crane and work with pirates
as combat engineers. There is no other family within or the Mantis. They must also accept the risk
the Crab that allows such diversity. Each field of study of introducing this weapon into Rokugan.
has its masters and students, as well as sequential tests If details of its design fall into the wrong
one must pass to progress. Talent is celebrated, and hands, it could lead to many atrocities on
the underperforming are seen as buds that have not the battlefield.
yet fully bloomed.
Throughout the year, the Kaiu organize events
that encourage the intermingling of diverse skill sets. enemy hands. It was combat engineers who defeated
These meetings result in much successful collaboration the subterranean invasion of Dōkutsu no Majo. They
among Kaiu masters and even members of other clans. shaped the land through ingenuity and were able to
Despite Hida Kisada’s notoriously low opinion of the crush, drown, and smoke out the oni’s army. Most of
Dragon Clan, the Kaiu regularly correspond with Aga- Jigoku’s agents have historically been thwarted by
sha alchemists, and their combined knowledge of met- powerful shugenja, but the Kaiu proved that human
allurgy has improved the ancient techniques of both ingenuity can be equally effective.
families. The Kaiu’s modest curiosity tends to endear
them to intellectuals from most clans. Even Kakita Current Concerns
swordsmiths have a pleasant (and useful) time convers-
Jade supplies are dwindling. The Kuni are attempt-
ing with the Kaiu when the opportunity arises.
ing to diminish the negative effects of obsidian but
The most common Kaiu specialization is that of the
have yet to find a solution. If the situation does not
combat engineer. These samurai are not only talent-
improve, the Kaiu will need to find a new way to pierce
ed bushi, but also architects, strategists, and resource
the armored hides of Shadowlands beasts. As a last
managers. Combat engineers shape battlefields
resort, they may need to build up the Wall even higher.
before conflict even arises. They dig trenches, sap
If this weren’t enough, the Kaiu often find themselves
walls, construct battlements, build bridges, and demol-
playing the role of unwilling mediators. The Hida and
ish abandoned Kaiu devices so they do not fall into
56

Hiruma bicker about the reclamation of Hiruma arti- All of this wonder seems taken for granted by the
facts in the Shadowlands, and Kuni Yori fears that the bustling engineering students, whose pockets overflow
Crab’s friendship with the Phoenix’s Asako family is with scales, templates, and rolls of schematic-covered
threatened by the Yasuki who seek aid from the Scor- parchment. Their quiet discussions fill the wide rooms
pion. Further, the Lion insist that the Crab join them in with a soft hum, creating a contemplative atmosphere.
combating the Unicorn. The Crab have had no love of Outside, everything is much louder. Prototype war
the Unicorn since their tumultuous return to Rokugan engines line the Carpenter Wall and unleash destruc-
several centuries ago, but neither do they wish to start tion on the Twilight Mountains beyond. There are
another war on a new front, wasting valuable lives nooks along the walkway where teachers and their
against merely human enemies. pupils can duck in case of a machine’s failure. In the
last few centuries, this section of the Wall has taken
The Lands of the Kaiu more damage from faulty student designs than from
ravening beasts or twisted armies. Not even the most
Before the Yasuki joined the Crab Clan’s ranks, the dim-witted of goblins would venture close to Carpen-
Kaiu were considered the most hospitable family of ter Castle of its own accord.
the Crab. Their provinces are pastoral and calm. Com- Within the castle’s large courtyard, the legend-
moners farm safely behind the Kaiu’s meticulously ary forge of the original Kaiu is still in operation. It is
maintained sections of the Carpenter Wall. The only frequented by the family daimyō, Kaiu Shihobu, who
interruption of the peaceful ambiance comes with the helps students with a contagious enthusiasm. The
occasional, if noisy, testing of new war engines. Even bellows are pumped along to cheerful songs and the
then, the Kaiu’s citizens find comfort in hearing the heavy clangs of the hammers.
family’s siege engines smashing hills into bits.
Most visitors to the Kaiu lands are either traders Golden Carp Marketplace
avoiding Shinomen Forest on their way to various
mountain passes or warriors in search of masterwork The Golden Carp Marketplace lies at the base of
Kaiu weapons. More than any other smiths in Rokugan, Higashino shiro no kao, the Kaiu family’s Face of the
the Kaiu excel at inlaying jade. Their creations are the East Castle. There, the Unicorn and Crab mingle
bane of monsters. Without jade, even the greatest despite their history of conflict. The Kaiu are careful to
samurai of the current era could not challenge the most extinguish any outbreaks of hostility. While many Hida
dreadful of the Shadowlands’ inhabitants. incite confrontations, Kuni intrusively snoop, and Hiru-
ma skulk about, the forward-thinking Kaiu are vividly
Carpenter Castle aware that the Crab cannot afford another war along
their borders. They play the part of flustered media-
Life along the Carpenter Wall is dangerous, but the Kaiu tors, which is well outside of their comfort zone.
consider it a valuable learning opportunity. Shiro Kaiu,
known as the Carpenter Castle, predates and adjoins
the Wall. Within its seamless stone facade, master
smiths and engineers build the Crab Clan’s future.
The interior of Carpenter Castle is
almost entirely mechanized. It has
platforms that rise and lower
via groups of clever pul-
leys and counterweights,
gear-propelled conveyor
belts made of reed mats,
a complex alarm system,
lever-operated gates. In
the entrance hall stands a
famous music box boast-
ing a wide selection of
twinkling songs.

OVERHEARD AT
THE GOLDEN CARP... SOCIETAL PERSONAL
43 HONOR ENDURANCE
10
“...someone has an old 3 2
Hiruma scroll for sale.
40 GLORY COMPOSURE
12
Could be something from 2 4
Daylight Castle, or
a new map.” 30 STATUS 2 FOCUS
4
“...I heard there’s a Uni-
Amid this tension, criminals conduct their busi-
+2, –2
VIGILANCE
3
corn, new in town, who
says he has word of an ness unnoticed, or even encouraged when it results
ancient Kaiu katana.” in access to critical supplies that would otherwise be ARTISAN 3 MARTIAL 2 SCHOLAR 1 SOCIAL 0 TRADE 3
unavailable. The constant flow of merchants allows

“...that’s her, the mer- ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

chant with a stockpile of illegal items to slip through the Golden Carp Market-

jade she’s selling for place with ease. A handful of mahō-sniffing Kuni Witch Clever Thinker: Bluntness:
only twice the normal  Artisan; Mental  Social; Interpersonal
Hunters are regular visitors, but mere smuggling hardly
price.”
concerns them when the fate of the realm is at stake. FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR
“...there’s a Witch Hunter Smugglers employ looters to pick over Crab battle-

going around the area

fields like buzzards, recovering and selling Kaiu mas- Hammer: Range 0–1, Damage 5/7, Deadliness 2,
looking for leads on some- Mundane
one called ‘Whisper.’” terpieces and family heirlooms as if they were common
trinkets. A samurai looking to outfit themself with Kaiu Gear (equipped): Traveling clothes (Physical 2, Dura-
weapons can either purchase them at this market or ble, Mundane, Subtle), oyumi and quiver, assorted

seek them via even less legitimate means. Obtaining tools, scrolls of various weapon designs, calligraphy set
rare artifacts could provide travelers with a number of
ABILITIES
advantages depending on the origins of the items.

The Golden Carp Marketplace is loud, crowded, EXPERT REPAIRS

and chaotic. Few permanent structures exist, and they As a downtime activity, Kaiu Suzue may attempt to
are all old and ill managed. Tents and Unicorn yurts remove the Damaged or Destroyed quality from a
make up the majority of merchants’ places of business, number of items by making a TN 1 Artisan (Earth)
and outside them, displays of easily toppled goods skill check. If she succeeds, she repairs 1 item, plus
make up a maze. Criminals hide dug-out pits beneath additional 1 item per bonus success. She may spend
rugs and chests to conceal illegal goods.  to add the Durable quality to any item she success-
fully repairs this way. If she is unable to repair an item,
Kaiu Suzue, she can usually tell its owner what they will need to do
Clever Engineer to repair it—but lacks rare supplies or specific exper-
tise. The item’s owner receives 1 strife, but the TN of
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  2  3 the next check a character makes to repair the item is
The Kaiu are renowned for their engineering, and reduced by 1.
Suzue hopes to be as famous (or at least as respect-
ed) as her great-grandmother Kaiu Asami. Suzue sees
little hope for this currently, as she is assigned to
Kuni
repairing damaged weaponry, including massive war The third person to accept the Kami Hida’s challenge
machines brought down from the Wall to her workshop, in the tale was a shugenja clad in somber robes. Kuni
far behind the action. The work is, for the most part, was an ambitious scholar dedicated to the pursuit of
tedious but essential. Suzue spends much of her time knowledge. Through his invocations, Hajimeno Tatakai
designing new weapons, often calling on wild tales no Oni was ensnared in an elemental vortex, allowing
of gaijin armaments for inspiration, and some of her Hiruma to land the killing blow. Kuni’s descendants
refinements have made it to live testing in combat. Any continue his experimental investigations of the Shad-
groups passing through her area are sure to catch her owlands. They risk their minds and souls by probing
attention, especially if they are headed to (or across) into the evil forces of Jigoku.
the Wall. She often makes the time to do repairs or
make improvements to their weaponry in exchange for
reports on how well her devices are faring.
58

Reputation and Values
Beyond the Crab’s borders, the Kuni are feared and
distrusted. Rumors abound of their corruption and
shameful willingness to dissect the dead. Religious
leaders of other clans claim that the Kuni irreverent-
ly manipulate kami, and that their experimentations
involving the Taint are reckless. Most outsiders have
only experienced the Kuni through encounters with
Witch Hunters, an elite order within the family dedicat-
ed to the absolute extermination of mahō-tsukai and
other practitioners of twisted sorcery. These agents of
the Kuni collect like buzzards around the faintest rumor
of mahō use within Rokugan’s borders. Their presence
is viewed as an ill omen.
Although not all Kuni are inducted into this tradi-
tion, many find its reputation useful. Indeed, after the
desolation of their lands, many Kuni have taken to the
ancient Witch Hunter tradition of wearing imposing,
theatrical face paint. While Witch Hunters generally do
this to confuse and disorient demonic entities and evil
spirits, other Kuni who wear the face paint frequently
do so simply to instill awe and terror in outsiders. Fear Culture and Traditions
gives them power, which they can put to use doing
what the Crab do best: protecting Rokugan. As sinister The Kuni are quick to learn from their mistakes. When
as the Kuni appear and terrible as some of their meth- the armies of Dōkutsu no Majo devoured their lands,
ods may be, they do not aspire to villainy. Directly com- their central library in Kuni Castle was almost lost. Had
bating the dread inhabitants of the Shadowlands, the its contents not been evacuated, the Kuni could have
Kuni insist, requires them to get their hands dirty. They gone the way of the Hiruma. Heeding this lesson, the
bear the dishonor of handling the dead and of being Kuni divided the library between its branch families,
reviled, but their discoveries save hundreds of lives. ensuring that it could not be lost in a single strike.
Kuni shugenja bring hope when they join their clan- The Kuni are entirely decentralized, and they do not
mates upon the Wall. As the Kaiu look to the future, the have a single school or shrine. This not only protects
Hida live in the present, and the Hiruma long for the their research but quarantines any failed experiments.
past, the Kuni see everything and beyond. The Purifier and Warden schools are not academies
Witch Hunters are generally the most fanatical so much as traditions taught by a diffuse network of
among the Kuni. The Purifier and Warden schools teach masters. Each student is individually trained by expe-
their students how to destroy Shadowlands creatures rienced family members, and many small groups live
and vanquish mahō users, but these are but two tasks in isolation within humble huts. Other teachers travel
among many. To any who become a Witch Hunter, it is across Rokugan, taking in new students as they go
a calling. Other Kuni are tend to be more cerebral, and and sending accomplished acolytes out to pursue
some are even quite withdrawn, preferring the compa- rumors of new Shadowlands monstrosities, lost relics,
ny of ancient scrolls and preserved specimens to other or ancient secrets.
people. Many Kuni follow the example set by their cur- Dōkutsu no Majo’s invasion shaped the Kuni’s life-
rent daimyō, Kuni Yori, who is terse, methodical, and style forever when the attack poisoned their home with
bitingly sarcastic—as well as a bit socially inept. Kuni Taint. The family had no choice but to purge all spiritual
spend much of their lives in isolation along with only energy from their land, leaving it desolate. To this day,
a handful of close family members. Exposure to other a method of complete restoration has yet to be dis-
clans can result in alarming culture shock. Fortunately covered, and still-unknown tunnels weave through the
for the Kuni, most people find them too menacing or underground network left behind, providing havens in
mystifying to identify the cause of their behavior. which shadowy creatures are said to lurk. A temporary
solution has come in the form of hundreds of small
shrines. These structures lure kami and direct them
through Kuni lands like a form of spiritual irrigation.
59

KUNI RUMORS
Each Kuni residence contains a shrine, and many The Lands of the Kuni
more dot the landscape. The Kuni Wastelands are still
The Dragon are secretly plagued by twisted beasts, and therefore, it is essential Several hundred years ago, something began to grow
hiding Tainted monks that a traveling shugenja has quick access to a shrine and fester underneath the territories of the Kuni. Plants
from us—that’s why they withered, water became foul, and shugenja lost con-
at all times.
have so many secluded
The Kuni are frequently criticized for their attitude tact with the kami. The Kuni began to evacuate and
monasteries.
toward the supernatural. They view spirits as tools cleared out their invaluable libraries just before hordes
I heard that a presenta- of Shadowlands creatures clawed out of the ground.
whose invocation is purely practical. Shrines are erect-
tion on Unicorn meishōdō
ed to harness power, not to act as a place of worship. This subterranean army was tunneling into the heart
was canceled at this
year’s gathering. What Everything the Kuni study they approach with emotion- of Rokugan, led by an oni named Dōkutsu no Majo.
are these gaijin equestri- al detachment to prevent developing biases. There is The oni’s defeat came due to the ingenuity of the Kaiu.
ans trying to keep hidden a joke—that many Kuni themselves tell—that if one Combat engineers diverted aquifers, collapsed tun-
from us? nels, and invented brutal traps and machines. Once
of the founding Kami approached a Kuni shugenja,
This season’s harvest of instead of averting their eyes in reverence, they would the last of Dōkutsu no Majo’s spawn was slain, the Kuni
jade petal leaves is very fetch a parchment and start taking notes. went to work purging the Taint from their lands.
poor. Not everyone may As a result, they were left with a desolate region
Accusations concerning Kuni recklessness are both
get their tea, and we may
true and misleading. The Kuni take great risks but work devoid of spiritual energy: the Kuni Wastelands.
need to provide a more
permanent solution to hard to mitigate them at every turn. Every day, they Beneath the area are countless tunnels, chasms, and
their Tainted condition. apply Kabuki-style paint to mask their faces from evil crevasses; driving the minions of Fu Leng from this nest
spirits. In the presence of living Shadowlands spec- of horrors has proven an insurmountable task. The Kuni
imens, they use false names, and they obsessively have reclaimed most of the tunnels near their castle,
cleanse themselves with purified water. Even seem- transforming them into useful passages, but many for-
ingly simplistic Kuni huts are constructed according to gotten corners and hidden passages are said to con-
astrological geometries and are covered in wards. Kuni tain horrors of bygone centuries.
are diligent in their preparations for dealing with the
Adventure Seed:
Taint, and they consider laziness in this regard a crime.
Current Concerns tainted testimony

Every Kuni is engaged in their own project. Some go
in search of specimens, relics, ancient texts, and smug- 一 Hook While on the road, the PCs come
gled Unicorn talismans. They rarely concern themselves across a Witch Hunter who asks for their aid in
with politics, but recent deals with the Scorpion risk capturing a Tainted Hida who escaped while
upsetting the Phoenix. Asako Inquisitors are among the being treated for wounds she had suffered in
few people in Rokugan who trust the Kuni’s methods. the Shadowlands. She had awoken in a rage
However, Inquisitors follow strict codes of ethics, while and ran off shouting for vengeance.
the Kuni believe that the ends justify the means. The 二 Rising Action After tracking the samurai
Scorpion’s Black Watch usually shares this mindset, but across wilderness areas, they find her holding
that is where the similarities end. The goal of the Black a crossbow on three bound samurai on the
Watch is to punish practitioners of mahō, and these ground. The Hida demands justice, claiming
Scorpions are more executioners than researchers. the three deliberately allowed her to become
Because Kuni mystics tend to operate with little Tainted while she was wounded in battle, all
oversight, some have forged personal connections with to cover up their own cowardice. The trio
the Black Watch despite the warnings of Kuni Yori. This deny this, asking how anyone can trust the
can make members of Black Watch unwelcome guests word of one who is Tainted.
in the Crab lands, as can the Scorpion habit of snooping
about without permission. Said encounters rarely result 三 Climax The Witch Hunter cares little for
in violence—or at least, violence is rarely reported. the Hida’s story and wants only to execute her
Of the four original Crab families, the Kuni have the as Tainted. The Hida swears she will surren-
hardest time interacting with the socially vibrant Yasu- der peacefully as long as she and the trio are
ki. Now that the Yasuki are courting the Scorpion, the returned to the Wall so that their cowardice
Kuni’s unease toward them has evolved into spite over can be exposed. Does pragmatism demand
the risk of losing a traditional alliance with the Phoenix. the Hida be executed, or should the PCs aid
in her quest for honor to be restored?
60

Secrets of the Kuni

Schools in Rokugan jealously guard their secret Sadly, it is almost unheard of for outsiders to
techniques and share their lore only to those accept this standing offer. Most Rokugani hold
selected to attend. This ensures that only those such knowledge as taboo, given that it involves
chosen to learn their secrets do so, and thus also the Taint and physical interactions with Shadow-
helps ensure the schools retain better control over lands creatures. Students are expected to partici-
their specialties. pate in studies of these beasts, including vivisec-
This is not the way of the Kuni Purifier or War- tions and dissections. Few students can escape
den schools. Their members are open, often even the social stigma of association with such matters
eager, to pass on their learning, including scrolls or overcome their personal repulsion toward such
of lore, mystical techniques, and special rituals teachings. Even worse, it is no secret that such
that any other school would fight dearly to keep studies greatly increase the chances of contracting
secure. In the view of the Kuni, the more who the Taint. The Kuni still strive desperately to gain
learn of the Shadowlands, the more who can fight more students. Within the Purifier and Warden tra-
against the monsters that crash against the Wall ditions, the question of whether they might begin
each day. Keeping useful information secret only recruiting peasants who display the proper spiritu-
weakens the Empire against its most horrific of al aptitude is an extremely contentious issue. Giv-
foes. Both schools accept applicants from across en the diffuse nature of the clan’s structure, some
Rokugan, provided that they have the aptitudes masters are said to have quietly done so—without
and fortitude required. the overt permission of their daimyō.
Kuni Castle Visitors who are allowed to explore the castle’s

depths enter a nightmarish realm. Half-dead monsters
Every Crab castle is a near-impenetrable fortress, and
lie drugged in cages, sometimes already partially dis-
the comparatively small Kuni Castle is no exception.
sected. Jade, tinged black with Taint, dangles from
The squat building would be silent if its central loca-
the ceiling like insect cocoons, and sitting in carved
tion didn’t make it a perfect staging area for troops.
shelves within the rough rock walls are hundreds of
Barracks filled with loud bushi surround the castle, but
scrolls. There is no clear system of organization. Kuni
rarely, if ever, do they go in. The dark halls are near-
archivists, pale from years spent away from sunlight,
ly abandoned save for a few archivists. The castle
must be consulted if one wishes to find anything, for
appears to be completely empty, for the Kuni labora-
only they know the library’s full contents.
tories and library are hidden underground. Outsiders
are not permitted to browse the Kuni’s research, with
The Barracks of the Damned
the exception of collaborating Asako Inquisitors and
concerned magistrates. The Kuni are rarely described as compassionate, but
However, once a year at the winter solstice, the they are some of the few people in Rokugan to take
castle hosts the Kuni Symposium. Witch Hunters return pity on victims of the Taint. Anyone can contract the
from their country-wide trek to join their family and a sinister infection: the rich or poor, young or old, wise
few select guests from other clans, and other mystics or foolish, samurai or heimin. The Kuni’s own founder
who have emerged from their lairs. The event is filled fell to the sickness. Exposure to the befouling touch of
with displays of anatomical charts, preserved body Fu Leng is a near inevitability in the Crab lands, and
parts, translations of texts from faraway lands or ancient the Kuni are dedicated to finding a cure. That being
ruins, crystals, amulets, and revised systems of wards. said, any contagion must be quarantined, and not
The macabre display is shocking to outsiders, but for every patient enjoys being locked away. It is for this
the Kuni this event doubles as a joyous family reunion. purpose that the Kuni Wardens maintain the Barracks
Most Kuni spend their year conducting research in iso- of the Damned.
lation. This is their annual chance to socialize, and they
eagerly do so. Between presentations, the Kuni unfurl
their signature wit and fill the dark halls with darker
laughter. For most guests, this only makes the sympo-
sium more disturbing.
61

The Barracks of the Damned is part barracks, as its

name states, but also a hospital, a research facility, and SOCIETAL PERSONAL
a prison. The deeper one descends into this place, the

79 HONOR ENDURANCE
16
more the ruinous work of Fu Leng is evident. While 4 1
many Crab samurai contract the Taint and continue to 66 GLORY COMPOSURE
14
serve, the corruption inevitably grows over time, and 3 4
at a certain point, continuing to live in common society 40 STATUS 3 FOCUS
5
becomes impossible. The infected might suffer terrible
mutations, bouts of unpredictable behavior, or the evil
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - SUSPICIOUS
VIGILANCE
2
dreams of Fu Leng pervading their minds. Patients who
become sufficiently Tainted are quarantined for their ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 4 SCHOLAR 4 SOCIAL 1 TRADE 0
own protection and that of those around them.

Quarantined patients are sometimes allowed to
fight for the Crab to the end of their service, but that Sixth Sense: Slowing Down:
opportunity is far from guaranteed—for the Kuni are  Scholar; Spiritual  Martial; Physical
loath to relinquish such valuable subjects, let alone


allow them to venture into the Shadowlands, where

the lure of Fu Leng can be irresistible. They are more Naginata: Range 2, Damage 6, Deadliness 6, Cum-
likely to spend their remaining days in meditation and bersome, Razor-Edged, Wargear
in the laboratories of Kuni who hope to use their foul Gear (equipped): Sanctified robes (Physical 1, Super-
fate to serve a greater good. Those who are part of natural 3), wakizashi, makeup kit, satchel filled with
promising research are not allowed to commit seppuku scrolls and supplies for rituals, traveling pack
lest potential knowledge about treating or containing
ABILITIES
the Taint be lost. The Kuni treat their patients with a
cautious detachment; they wish to help their charges FURY OF THE WITCH HUNTER
live as humans to their end, but the keepers of this The first time a character in the scene performs a
grim edifice see too many pass through their walls to mahō technique or other blasphemous act, Kuni Hatsu
become attached. Bedside manner is rarely their forte. suffers the Enraged condition and gains 1 Void point.
Kuni Hatsu, Yasuki

Legendary Witch Hunter
The core curriculums of the Crab schools created by
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  4  4 Hida, Hiruma, Kuni, and Kaiu lack one crucial trait—
Hatsu has served as a Witch Hunter for many long charm—and any clan that fails to appeal at the Imperial
years and has long since lost track of the Tainted indi- Court is at a distinct disadvantage. Political minutiae,
viduals and mahō practitioners he uncovered in his posturing, and gossip offend the honest Crab. How-
travels across Rokugan. Almost as countless are the ever, they are more willing than other clans to admit
apprentices he took in for training; that many are still that money is important. Long ago, having few valu-
active speaks highly of his teaching techniques as well. able exports or political favors owed to them, the Crab
His years are finally catching up with him, though, and needed to acquire members with financial expertise.
he now spends most of his time near the Wall watching The Yasuki came to their rescue. After defecting from
those who return from the Shadowlands for any signs the Crane, the Yasuki gifted the Crab with their mer-
of Taint or other corruption. He is also adept at scruti- cantile savvy. Without their aid, constant assault by the
nizing those from other clans who wish to travel across horrors that dwell in the Shadowlands would surely
the Wall, for he knows the lure of the corrupted lands deplete the Crab’s resources until their bellies became
is irresistible to those who are befouled. When Hatsu as empty as their quivers.
detects such horrid evidence, it is as if decades peel
away from his body, and his strength is as it was for his
gempuku. His fury is unstoppable if his targets refuse
his commands to submit to imprisonment (or worse).
His wizened body always pays a heavy toll after each
battle, but that is a small price to pay in this war.
62

Reputation and Values Not all wars are fought with armies. The Yasuki and YASUKI RUMORS
the Daidoji Crane are locked in silent conflict, and their
The Crane would have everyone believe the Yasuki weapons are sabotage and subterfuge. The Yasuki call Vandals are disgracing
are a collection of dishonorable criminals. They accuse upon the Hida for support when their plans go awry, the shrines dedicated
the Yasuki of greed, duplicity, and blatant support of to Yasuki Kiringu, the
but more than any other Crab family, the Yasuki strive
daimyō who joined us
pirates and smugglers. Few people accept these exag- to be self-sufficient. They believe they owe the Crab to the Crab. The Crane
gerations unquestioningly, but popular opinion charac- a great favor for accepting them and fear becoming are surely behind this, so
terizes the Yasuki as typical Crane with an added layer a burden. The Crane, though, are unwilling to let the why do we wait to get
of dishonesty. Yasuki go their way. It was once a rite of passage for revenge?
The Yasuki mesh well with the Crab due to their Yasuki youths to pick fights with their former clan, but A new group is trying to
grounded realism. Gold runs the Empire, and to pre- now all of the pestering is perpetrated by the Crane. offload goods at Friendly
tend it does not is delusional at best, dishonest at Yasuki merchants are some of the finest in Rokugan, Traveler Village, but no
worst. The Yasuki expertly play the game of politics one knows who is backing
and their daimyō, Yasuki Taka, is known to many by his
them. Some of their items
while remaining keenly pragmatic. Like master Go play- epithet, the Merchant King. The Yasuki rarely deal in appear foreign—the
ers, they secure trade deals, orchestrate contracts, and inferior products and carefully screen their merchan- Unicorn could be behind
siphon business from the Crane into the Crab’s pockets. dise for forgeries. Trust is the backbone of their every this, but why?
The Yasuki engage in social niceties but drop the act deal. When not trading, the Yasuki engage in smug- Yasuki Taka, our daimyō,
when it no longer suits them. This may appear manipu- gling. The Lion Clan is always in the market for weap- sometimes dresses as a
lative, but the Yasuki would argue that their motives are ons; however, supplying this demand risks angering humble traveler to inspect
more transparent than those of the pretentious Crane. our markets and listen
the targets of their aggression. Too overtly supporting
in. If you’re planning on
Business associates appreciate the Yasuki’s frank and the Lion could lead to flareups with the Unicorn or keeping a deal a secret,
casual manner. The family’s support of ill-reputed mer- cause the Phoenix to sever their alliance. make sure absolutely no
chants is often charitable in nature, giving criminals a one is nearby!
second chance to become lawful citizens. A Yasuki say-
Current Concerns
ing states that loyalty is second only to gold in value.
In sowing good faith, even among those blacklisted by The Yasuki do everything in their power not to bur-
society, they are growing a network of allies. den the Crab. So far, they have managed their rival-
ry with the Crane on their own, but in doing so, they
Culture and Traditions have employed rōnin and other disreputable associ-
ates. Many of these outsiders have grown comfortable
To say that the Crab Clan is not preoccupied with art in Yasuki lands, benefiting from mutually profitable
is perhaps an understatement, but the Yasuki make arrangements with the ruling family and helping them
up for this deficit to a near-excessive degree. The acquire key supplies. Unfortunately, tolerance for a cer-
courtiers from the Yasuki’s academies are some of the tain amount of crime has led criminal organizations to
most cultured, multitalented individuals to grace the become bold within their lands.
high courts. They carry an edgy mystique due to their
rebellious history, which is enhanced by the Crane’s
condemnation. The Yasuki invite artists, famous musi-
cians, brewers, and theatrical companies, to
settle within their luxurious ocean-side
towns. Through the creation of entertain-
ment monopolies, the Yasuki guarantee
that fans will patronize their establish-
ments. All are welcome in the
lands of the Yasuki. Except,
of course, members of
the Crane Clan.

The Yasuki have employed
rōnin, pirates, and other
rough individuals to han-
dle their former clan. These
dealings have left the Yasuki with
dangerous debts—debts they are
willing to settle with violence, if they must.
Friendly Traveler Village

It isn’t difficult to spot a criminal in Friendly
Traveler Village, but not for the reasons one
might expect. They are smug and rich, and
they believe that their dishonest work has final-
ly paid off. The Yasuki owe them a life of luxury,
they think, and they are living it. Every time a paid-off
crook drunkenly brags about their exploits, the Crane
somehow catch wind, and magistrates arrive to hound
Yasuki bureaucrats and traders. The Yasuki detest that
this vulnerability has grown under their nose, and they
are striving to clean house before it becomes a liability
The Yasuki are struggling to reestablish control over to the Crab Clan Champion, Hida Kisada, and his goals.
trade within their lands while maintaining their footing Friendly Traveler Village is rightly called the sake
against the Crane. Recently, furtive representatives of capital of Rokugan. Nearly every building is a brew-
the Bayushi family have approached, offering their aid. ery, each with its own special brews and promotions.
In exchange, they want access to the Yasuki’s mercantile The local theaters appeal to a low-culture crowd, per-
network and the smuggling routes they still control. This forming crude comedies and music that is easy to sing
may cause the opium trade to flood into the Crab lands. along to. Giggling geisha charm visitors into empty-
Battle-worn Crab soldiers already rely heavily on alco- ing their pockets, somehow able to stay chipper in
hol to ease their scarred minds and could become easy the haze of fermented breath. At night, the village is
targets for such an addictive substance. Furthermore, lit with hundreds of paper lanterns, leading drunks to
forging an alliance with the Scorpion might endanger their beds or at least to a comfortable patch of grass. It
relations with the Phoenix, and Kuni Yori is outspoken is not inconceivable that a person might stumble into
in his resistance to this plan. The Yasuki dread defying the sea or drink themself to death. The Yasuki insist all
such a frightening core family, but they cannot sufficient- of their establishments are safe, but they can hardly
ly serve the Crab with the Crane’s disruptions. protect people from themselves. Accidents happen at
Friendly Traveler Village—frequently.
The Lands of the Yasuki
The Crab are the first to admit that hospitality is sorely
Yasuki Estates
lacking within their borders, but the Yasuki do their best The cliffside estates of the Yasuki are masterpieces of
to reverse such impressions. They have transformed architecture. Also known as the Black Crane Estates,
the sleepy fishing villages of Earthquake Fish Bay into they elegantly nestle into the rock face like nesting
exuberant centers of entertainment and commerce. seabirds, safe and comfortable above the gently lap-
It is their mission to fund the Crab’s war against the ping seas overlooking Earthquake Fish Bay. Below,
Shadowlands, and they work to accomplish this goal by long grids of docks harbor a fleet of merchant ships.
any means necessary. Unfortunately for the Yasuki, they Visitors disembarking their vessels traverse the pale
have judgmental neighbors. Four hundred years after maple planks to a winding road. Rickshaws and kago
the fall of Fu Leng, the Yasuki violently fractured from litters await honored guests to transport them to the
the Crane Clan and were warmly accepted by the dip- estates. Everyone else must walk and cross multiple,
lomatically disinclined Crab. The bad blood between impressively polite checkpoints. There are rarely any
the two clans boils to this day, and the Yasuki are des- arrests, but those suspected of concealing their Crane
perate not to let the Crane distract from the front. affiliation may be quietly escorted to a secret location.
64

Merchants flock to the Yasuki Estates, as do treasure leaves a pouch filled with her observations in a special THE WAVE WALL
seekers. Many rare items pass through Yasuki hands, hiding place after her children are asleep. She has no
after all. The Yasuki also deal in information; if they do idea who picks it up, but the koku that replaces it cer- Few know that there is
not have what someone wants, they likely know some- tainly helps her business. another wall defend-
ing the Empire from
one who does. They are more than willing to give dis-
SOCIETAL PERSONAL the Shadowlands and
counts to friends of the Crab. A visitor carrying a friend- other threats, one that is
ly endorsement from a Hida is a rare surprise, and the 20 HONOR ENDURANCE
8 located in Yasuki lands.
Yasuki are always quick to welcome such individuals 3 2 Located at the Crab port
with the greatest generosity. To someone without this 22 GLORY COMPOSURE
12 of Clear Water Village at
advantage, however, the Yasuki are cunning, thrifty
3 1 the mouth of the River
hagglers. Their deals are rarely fair, and even wise trad-
28 STATUS 2 FOCUS
3 of Gold, the Kaiu Wave
Wall stands firm against
ers are often played for fools by the Yasuki. +2, –2
VIGILANCE
3 threats from the sea.
Or at least that is the

Yasuki Narumi, official reason for this


Observant Merchant
wall. All within Yasuki
lands know that it is
there primarily to defend

Famously Honest: Dark Secret: against the Crane, who
Narumi runs a small series of stalls in Friendly Traveler seek to recapture the
 Social; Interpersonal  Social; Interpersonal
Village. She has a good reputation in the region for
heavily fortified trading
the quality of wares and the expansive breadth of her FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR port. Losing this location
would devastate the Crab

offerings. Most days see her energetically negotiating

Wakizashi: Range 0–1, Damage 3, Deadliness 5/7, Clan, which relies on it
prices on goods, something she appears to genuinely for many of its imports
Ceremonial, Razor-Edged
enjoy. Her colorful garb and cheerful voice herald her from the north and from
arrival seemingly from out of nowhere, and some won- Gear (equipped): Traveling clothes (Physical 2, Dura- the Mantis.
der how she gets any actual sales done between long ble, Mundane, Subtle), pouches of coins, assorted
conversations with customers. While many of her com- scrolls and papers, basic calligraphy set
petitors dabble in smuggling and petty crime, Narumi

ABILITIES
relies instead on excellent service and solid connec-

BARGAINS WITH A PRICE

tions with traders from across the Emerald Empire and
When a character purchases or otherwise acquires an
beyond. Many gaijin hired to fight along the Wall go
item at Narumi’s stalls, reduce the rarity of the item
out of their way to visit when possible, eager for a
by half (rounding up), to a minimum of 1. A character
taste of their homeland and gossip. Narumi records all
must forfeit glory equal to the rarity reduction to ben-
she hears from everyone each night, and once a week
efit from this service.
Adventure Seed: the dance of

the white and black crane
一 Hook While visiting the Yasuki Estates or Earthquake Fish Bay, the PCs are approached by a shabbily
dressed, incredibly nosy individual. If the PCs are in search of something or someone (or looking for
information), he says he knows what they need and that he can help them in their quest.
二 Rising Action If the PCs believe him and are amenable to a deal, the man reveals that he is Yasuki
Hironori, a wealthy official who works under the Yasuki daimyō, Yasuki Taka. He delivers on his promise
if they agree to help him locate Crane spies. Traders are being strong-armed into taking their goods
elsewhere, and Hironori is sure he can smell the floral stink of Crane Daidoji. Since the PCs are not regu-
lars here, Hironori believes they are perfectly suited, as their actions won’t be traced back to the Yasuki.
三 Climax Tracking the Crane agents down won’t be too difficult, as they stand out a bit here. When
the Crane agents are discovered, they try to manipulate the PCs with a counter offer. If the PCs refuse
them, a fight ensues. Neither side wants the other to discover its true backers. However, if the PCs
accept this proposal, they find themselves needing to aid in the Crane agents’ escape.
65

The Wall The First Wall

The original “Wall” was not really a wall at all. Rather,
The Kaiu Kabe, also known as the Carpenter Wall—or, after the Day of Thunder in the year 42, the first Emper-
more commonly, just the Wall—extends from the Sea or, Hantei I, commanded that a defensive bulwark be
of the Sun Goddess in the east to the Plains above Evil, built between the young Empire and the Shadowlands
near the southern margin of the Shinomen Forest in to the south. The forces of the Dark Kami, Fu Leng, had
the west. It is by far the Empire’s largest edifice, its vast already attacked the Empire many times and had come
walls, massive battlements, and soaring watchtowers close to overrunning it more than once. After Fu Leng’s
girding Rokugan’s southern border, the first and final defeat on the Day of Thunder, the malign will driving
line of defense against the depredations of the Shad- the Shadowlands hordes faltered, at last giving the
owlands. Its story is more than a thousand years in the Empire an opportunity to see to its ongoing defense.
telling, chapter after grim chapter of courage, duty, and Hantei I gave the task of constructing a great defensive
sacrifice. It is for good reason that its stones are said to work to his brother, the Kami Hida.
be mortared in place with the blood of fallen Crab. Hida, together with his followers in the Crab Clan,
built a defensive line along the southern mar-
gin of what were, at the time, the lands of
the Hiruma. It consisted of a series of pali-
sades, bulwarks, and fortresses, the largest
of which was Shiro Hiruma, or Daylight
Castle, the linchpin of this new
defensive line. It wasn’t, however,
a contiguous structure, but rather
individual strongpoints arranged
such that each one could be seen
by two (or more, in some cases) oth-
ers. Each was garrisoned and well
provisioned with supplies, the strat-
egy being that if one was surround-
ed and besieged by Shadowlands
forces, it could hold out while Crab
armies elsewhere were marshaled
and deployed to counterattack.
It was, therefore, a fluid type of
defense, relying on maneuver
and layers of defensive works
to slow, contain, and ultimately
destroy its attackers.

For over six hundred years, this sufficed to protect

the Empire from the sporadic and uncoordinated attacks
out of the Shadowlands. In 716, however, a powerful oni
The Maw
lord now known only as the Maw assembled a massive Oni lords stand apart from other oni, being
army and led it in a cataclysmic assault against the Crab far mightier and more willful. Moreover, they
defenses. They quickly began to crumble, threatening bear the name of whatever foolish mortal sur-
to leave the Empire open to a tide of corruption. rendered their identity in exchange for fleet-
ing power, giving them a lasting link to the
The Kaiu Kabe Mortal Realm. The oni lord known as the Maw
is such a being.
One by one, the Shadowlands army overwhelmed the
It undoubtedly had a name, but that has
fortifications guarding the Hiruma lands. This was no
been lost to time. This did not prevent it from
mindless horde winning only through sheer numbers
plaguing the Empire, however. It emerged
and ferocity. Under the Maw’s sinister leadership, the
from the deep Shadowlands as a massive
evil forces struck here, fell back there, and feinted
creature of vast power and malign will. Fol-
somewhere else, keeping the Crab forces off-balance
lowing it marched an army of a size and feroc-
and unable to mount a concerted defense. A siege
ity not seen since the days of Fu Leng. This
enveloped Shiro Hiruma itself, eventually causing the
was no mindless horde flinging itself wildly
fall of even that great fortress. The Shadowlands army
against the Empire. The Maw led its forces
pressed forward, driving the Crab back, until all of the
with a ruthless cunning that easily matched
Hiruma lands were lost to the vile invasion.
that of any human general before or since.
From Desperation, Hope

With the fall of the Hiruma lands, only a miracle, it Over the coming months and years, the Kaiu Kabe
seemed, could save the Empire. was extended along the Seigo River, now known as the
And a miracle there was. As the Crab desperate- River of the Last Stand. A series of stone watchtow-
ly formed a final defensive line along the Seigo River, ers were constructed; these were then connected by
a shugenja named Kuni Osaku importuned the water curtain walls, which were reinforced in turn by more
kami to raise the river in a massive flood. So great was towers and strongpoints. Barely twenty years after the
the torrent that the Maw’s army was halted, unable to Battle of the Cresting Wave, the Kaiu Kabe became
proceed any farther. Seizing the opportunity, the Crab much as it is today: a contiguous, fortified belt extend-
Champion, Hida Banuken, ordered the Crab to begin ing along most of the Empire’s southern border. Spo-
construction of durable defensive work along the river’s radic incursions sometimes breach the Wall, but only
eastern bank. For seventy-three days the Crab labored briefly before being driven back. Otherwise, for the
feverishly, while Osaku maintained her invocation. On past four centuries, the Carpenter Wall has withstood
the seventy-fourth day, Osaku’s strength finally failed, every attempt the Shadowlands has made to defeat it,
and she died. As the flood receded, the Maw drove keeping the Empire defended against the evil minions
its army forward, only to slam headlong into a mighty of Fu Leng.
wall—the Wall, or at least the core of what would
become the vast Kaiu Kabe. The Crab immediately The Architecture of the Wall
counterattacked the stalled and confused horde. The
clash, which came to be known as the Battle of the In the broadest sense, the Wall is just that: a continu-
Cresting Wave, saw the Maw slain and consigned back ous wall of stone many days’ travel from end to end,
to the underworld, its great army routed and scattered. that forms a physical barrier against incursion into the
Empire from the south. If it was merely that, however, it
A New Wall would be a fragile defense, far too long to defend effec-
tively and vulnerable to local, catastrophic failure that
A palpable sense of relief swept across the Empire would allow Shadowlands forces to rampage through.
as the Maw’s offensive was broken. Among the Crab, Instead, the Wall is really a complex and cunning array
however, relief was tempered by deep concern. Since of defenses, incorporating powerful strongpoints,
the Maw’s attack was a complete surprise, there were redundant means of protection, and sophisticated sys-
likely other such creatures lurking in the Shadowlands, tems for command, control, and communications.
preparing to launch other offensives. So, while the
Empire rejoiced, the Crab went to work.
67

Each of the Kaiu Towers houses a powerful garrison
From the Journals that defends not only the tower itself, but also the adja-
cent sections of the Kaiu Kabe. Each Kaiu Tower is con-
of Kaiu Shuichi sidered equivalent to a legion of troops, irrespective of
the actual strength of its garrison, and is commanded
I have just spoken with a delegation of Lion by a taisa, or captain.
who are viewing the Kaiu Kabe near the
Watchtower of Deadly Claws. They marvel at Watchtowers
the complexity of the Wall, at its many com-
ponents and complex organization. Their Interspersed along the Wall between the Kaiu Tow-
leader, an Akodo, admits that he had always ers are a multitude of smaller watchtowers. Each of
believed the Wall to be just that: a wall, noth- these is garrisoned by a company led by a taisa; lesser
ing more. Would that more Rokugani could watchtowers contain squads commanded by a gunsō
understand this, that the Crab do not simply (sergeant). A group of three to five watchtowers, often
stand as brutes, shoulder to shoulder upon a called a Great Watch, has one of these commanders
long line of inert stone, waiting to beat back (normally a senior taisa) as its overall commander, who
the Shadowlands. They do not credit us with reports to the nearest Kaiu Tower.
subtlety or cleverness or cunning works. Per- Each watchtower is a formidable strongpoint, usu-
haps if all samurai spent time upon the Wall, ally equipped with siege engines and other weapon-
they would understand this truth. ry, somewhat like a scaled-down tower. As their name
implies, however, their primary purpose is surveillance
and warning. Accordingly, they are equipped with a vari-
The Kaiu Towers ety of signaling equipment. They are neither designed
nor provisioned to withstand a protracted siege, being
Foremost among the strongpoints are the twelve Kaiu expected to hold for only a few days at most.
Towers. The southeasternmost of these is designated Watchtowers are officially designated based on the
the First Tower; they are then successively numbered Tower to their south and east. For example, the first
to the Twelfth Tower, which overlooks the Plains above watchtower west and north of the Fourth Kaiu Tower
Evil to the far northwest. The Kaiu Towers are powerful is the First of the Fourth Watchtower; the next along is
fortifications in their own right, each similar to a shiro, the Second of the Fourth Watchtower, and so on. Few
or castle, that might stand over an entire town else- use these names, though, as most watchtowers also
where in the Empire. have more poetic names, given them by bushi who
Each tower is laid out in essentially the same way, grew attached to the fortifications they were ordered
with a stout outer stone wall, enclosing number of to defend with their lives.
courtyards, connected by strong gates. An enemy that
breaches the outer stone maru is contained in a court- Curtain Walls
yard and subject to attack from the surrounding ones,
making each of these into a killing zone. The innermost The curtain walls that connect the watchtowers and the
maru contains the tenshukaku, or keep, which is the last Kaiu Towers are what most Rokugani envision when
line of defense for a tower. The keep is itself a formi- they think of “the Wall.” These are, indeed, imposing
dable fortress, well provisioned in order to withstand a structures—from fifty to one hundred feet tall, up to
lengthy siege. Smaller yagura provide additional strong- twenty feet thick and extending deep into the bedrock.
points. Massive gates allow large forces to exit a tower Rokugani generally imagine these massive walls being
to charge enemies as well. constantly lined with Crab troops; they likewise believe
All of the Kaiu Towers are well equipped with pow- that, should a curtain wall ever be breached, the
erful siege engines such as ballistae and catapults, as Empire would be in imminent peril of being overrun.
well as multitudes of daikyū (long bows) above the Wall This is not true, however. While the Crab do,
and hankyū (short bows) lower on the Wall or behind indeed, make a determined effort to hold threatened
murder holes. Complex systems of gears, winches, and sections of the curtain wall, they know that a single,
ropes move supplies and ammunition vertically and linear defense is simply too fragile to be reliable.
horizontally to ensure each area stays fully equipped. Accordingly, the main purpose of the curtain wall is to
delay attackers, giving the Crab time to marshal and
maneuver forces behind the Wall, in order to block and
destroy incursions when they do occur.
68

Tunnels
The weakest point in any defensive work is a passage
through it, such as a gate. Each of the Kaiu Towers
incorporates a massive and heavily defended gate;
there are rumored to be other, smaller gates surrepti-
tiously located in strategic locations, but the Crab care-
fully avoid confirming or denying this. However, the
deployment of large forces into the Shadowlands,
which would require access through such gates,
is rare. To allow for the much more frequent
access by smaller forces, such as patrols
and scouting parties, elaborate systems of
tunnels are constructed to allow passage
under the Wall’s defenses.
Some of these tunnels are dug for spe-
cific purposes and collapsed when they
are no longer needed. Other, more per-
manent tunnel complexes are protected
by cunning and deadly traps, small parties
of dedicated defenders, or even just their
twisting, labyrinthine nature. The nezumi
(as described on page 40), who are pro-
digious diggers and commonly allied with
the Crab, are instrumental in assisting in the
construction and maintenance of these vital
underground passages.
Garrisons
The sheer size of the Wall means garri-
soning at full strength along its length
is impossible, so large cadres are
maintained at the Kaiu Towers, with
smaller forces stationed at inter-
vening watchtowers. Unless an
attack is imminent or underway,
most sections of the curtain wall
are only patrolled at irregular and
unpredictable intervals. The bulk
of Crab forces are stationed
behind the Wall, encamped
at places such as Carpenter
Castle, the Fortress of the For-
gotten, Shiro Kuni, or Kyūden
Hida. This allows them to
quickly deploy to reinforce sec-
tions of the Wall or block and
destroy incursions that breach
it. Additionally, a small portion of
the Wall’s garrison operates on the
Shadowlands side.

Early warning of impending attacks is vital, so the Communications along the Wall
Hiruma in particular conduct regular scouting mis-
Implicit in the above is the role of efficient and effective
sions in the Shadowlands, braving the horrors of that
communications. Sophisticated systems of warning
cursed place to detect gathering and approaching
and communications are maintained along the Wall,
hordes, giving their comrades precious time to prepare
and between the Wall and the forces stationed behind
for attacks.
it. These include fleet-footed messengers; acoustic
The implication, of course, is that the Crab maintain
methods like signal arrows, drums, and horns; and
a military stance unlike that of any other clan. Inside
visual methods such as signal fires and smoke arrows.
the Empire, armies are normally marshaled for relative-
Using encoded signals, even complex messages can
ly predictable campaigns conducted during the late
be passed quickly across long distances.
spring, summer, and early fall, and they stand down in
other times. The Crab have no such luxury. Their enemy
is wholly given to waging war at any time, regardless Life on the Wall
of weather or season. As a result, the Crab maintain a Life on the Wall, or in the armies stationed behind it,
permanently mustered fighting force. is difficult, stressful, and dangerous in a way that most
There are two other important facts about the Wall’s Rokugani really can’t appreciate without experiencing
garrison. First, the Crab maintain a much higher pro- it themselves. Their enemies never relent, so the Crab
portion of samurai relative to ashigaru—heimin peas- forces must live in a state of constant readiness, forever
ant levies—in their armies, compared to other clans. poised to launch themselves against foes that personi-
While ashigaru make up the bulk of armies fielded by fy mind-blasting horror.
the Great Clans for battle with one another, they are Accordingly, while Crab are on Wall duty, discipline
largely unsuited for combat against the horrific oppo- among them is enforced to a degree most would con-
nents attacking from the Shadowlands; they simply sider ruthless. There is simply no time or opportunity
lack the training and motivation for such dire combat. to do anything other than remain forever vigilant and
Second, and conversely, the Crab deploy far greater instantly ready to repel the next attack.
numbers of hinin “untouchables” in their forces. Com- For at least one week out of every four, howev-
monly known as the “Mudcrows,” these hinin levies er—and perhaps two, in times of particular quiet in
labor not only after battles, but also during them, to the Shadowlands—the defenders are rotated. They
remove the wounded and the dead. This is to ensure are either moved into a “depth” position behind the
that fallen Crab warriors do not rise as new undead Wall or, very infrequently, briefly paused from their
foes, attacking their fellow warriors while the battle still duty. It is on these rare occasions that the Crab amply
rages. Although provided with light ashigaru armor to demonstrate a desire to just live for the moment, in a
protect them, losses among the Mudcrows are usually way most Rokugani samurai would find unseemly. They
severe. Many of those who survive end up becoming get drunk; play games such as Fortunes and Winds (a
Tainted from handling Shadowlands fallen, leading to popular dice game), moksha patam (a board game
the unfortunate but necessary reality that more must imported from the Ivory Kingdoms), and draw-lot plays
be executed after the battle is over. (a social game of portraying adopted characters); and
often engage in a particularly popular Crab pastime:
brawling amongst themselves.
70

This isn’t to say that life among those who don’t

serve on the front lines of this war—people who sup-
port those deployed on the Wall but are not deployed
From the Journals
there themselves—is less important. Those stationed of Kaiu Shuichi
in depth positions have essential work to do as well.
They are constantly involved in drills and training, both I find myself at the Watchtower of Thunderous
to keep their own skills honed and to help improve Blows…or what was once that strongpoint
and refine the skills of their comrades-in-arms, wheth- but is now just a ruin. Whatever abomination
er fellow samurai or ashigaru. They maintain weapons, attacked this place was a dire thing, able, it
armor, and equipment, and they oversee repairs and seems, to consume the very stone with highly
improvements to the Wall itself. Those on the Wall corrosive emanations of some sort. Once the
require daily deliveries of food, munitions, and other bodies are removed by the Mudcrows, we will
supplies, for the Wall is only as strong as those who set about rebuilding it. This is another truth
defend it. Supporting these needs, as well as tending the Empire does not understand. The Wall is
to the wounded and providing security behind the not “finished.” It will never be “finished.” It is
Wall against devious infiltrations and other threats from a living thing, devoted to preserving its clan
within, are as vital as duties on the battlements. and Empire, so it deserves the respect owed
A Crab samurai’s most important task, of course, is to any loyal servant of Rokugan.
to remain constantly ready to be deployed to support
the Wall’s defense or to block and destroy incursions
that manage to break through the Wall. Defense on the blades are quite deadly but are easily damaged or bro-
Wall relies on depth, and the Crab stationed behind ken. A blunt tetsubō, on the other hand, can withstand
it swarm to repel any breaches before they spread. constant impacts and still fell an ogre with its next
Samurai from other clans are often surprised by how blow. Most samurai on the Wall employ tetsubō and
quickly a group of Crab samurai stationed behind the similar weapons, along with polearms such as naginata
Kaiu Kabe can go from raucous gaming and brawl- and yari that keep foes from getting too close. Bowfire
ing to cold, deadly purpose when the alarms sound, is also a common tactic; approaching enemies usually
announcing an attack from the Shadowlands. see the sky darkened with masses of arrows.
Towers and watchtowers both feature huge siege
Combat on the Wall weapons, devices powerful enough to topple even the
largest oni. Many of these weapons are unique, either
No two attacks from the Shadowlands are the same. due to the many repairs and improvements made over
One may consist of a ravenous swarm of goblins that time, or as the result of a Kaiu engineer’s brilliant but
fling themselves at the defenses with wild abandon. singular design. Some even feature embellishments
The next may be a horde of undead shambling forward drawn from gaijin mercenaries who recall similar weap-
in eerie silence, and the next an incursion by shape- ons in their distant homelands.
shifting oni seeking to infiltrate the defenses and attack
them from within. Ultimately, the nature of the Shadow-
Early Warning
lands is such that attacks are predictable only in their
unpredictability, and in the immutable fact that they Intelligence and early warning is vital to ensure an
threaten not just the lives of the Crab defenders, but attack is not just spotted, but noticed in time to mount
also their sanity and the very purity of their souls. a prepared and effective defense. The Crab also recog-
To deal with these myriad horrors, the Crab have, nize that, despite the courage and best efforts of their
over the centuries, developed a sophisticated and flex- scouting patrols, attackers sometimes reach the Wall
ible system of defending against attacks of virtually any undetected. For this reason, a variety of additional ear-
size or type. Each attack is met according to its particu- ly warning measures are incorporated along the Wall,
lar nature, meaning that the Crab approach to defense including much more heavily armed patrols operating
must be adaptable. within sight of the Wall and lookouts posted upon it.
The primary role of these patrols and lookouts is still to
Weaponry provide as much warning as possible about an attack.
They won’t hesitate to fight if necessary, but in general,
The Crab have always seemed to favor heavy, durable they avoid decisive engagement and withdraw to the
weapons, and many believe it could be due to the con- Wall in order to bolster its defenses.
stant battles they face. Katana and other keen-edged
71

$$ As the enemy nears, ranged weapons crews

Rumors on the Wall open fire. Catapults and other siege weapons
are fired first, and survivors are targeted by
archers. When the attackers reach the Wall,
$$ A wild-eyed Hida deployed to a minor defenders drop rocks or pour boiling oil or
garrison to the far north insists they molten lead on them. If shugenja are present,
heard that the Lost have illusion magic they may call upon the elemental kami for
now, granted to them by a Scorpion additional assistance.
who snuck across the Wall. $$ Any enemy that attempts to scale the Wall is
$$ The Kaiu will never admit it, but there met on the battlements by squads of Crab
are so many tunnels beneath the bushi, often reinforced by Kuni shugenja.
stretch between the Fifth and Sixth $$ In the meantime, Crab forces summoned from
Towers that those portions of the Wall
nearby watchtowers, the nearest Kaiu Towers,
could collapse at any time.
or reserves behind the Wall converge on the
$$ Everyone knows the Watchtower of the point of attack. The most senior commander
Crashing Wave is an unlucky posting. present directs some of these troops to rein-
It’s infested with gaki and other malign force the watchtowers and the battlements
spirits who haunt anyone on night duty. on the curtain wall. The rest are maintained
$$ Don’t tell anyone, but there is a gam- behind, but close to, the Wall either to pro-
bling den running to the rear of the vide additional reinforcements or to block and
Eleventh Tower in an old supply shack. destroy any enemy that manages to penetrate.
Bring a jug of sake for admittance. $$ Should the attack be an especially large one,
substantial forces may be deployed from the
reserves and made ready to engage in a large
battle, in case the Wall suffers a major breach.
Initial Responses
As soon as the defenders on the Wall are made aware
of an imminent attack, a warning is propagated along Investigations on the Wall
the Wall using the various signaling methods avail- Even given the highly disciplined nature of those who
able. The commander of the watchtower nearest to the serve at the Wall, it should be no surprise that crime
attack assesses the situation and directs an immediate and corruption are as prevalent there as they are any-
response. This could be a defense using only immedi- where else in the Emerald Empire. What is worse is that
ately available troops and resources if this is deemed the Wall’s proximity to the evil of Fu Leng makes each
sufficient. If not, then the commander relays a call for investigation even more important. A murder could be
reinforcements. The overriding principle is to meet each a simple if horrible event—or it could be part of a cult
attack with the smallest force necessary to defeat it. sacrifice, a way to cover up evidence of the Taint, or
Whatever initial force is committed by the Crab, it the work of a corrupted killer roaming the Wall. Each
generally deals with each attack the same way: murder lessens the fighting effectiveness of the Wall’s
defenders, something that threatens all of Rokugan,
$$ If scouts detected an imminent attack, they try
making each murder also a crime against the Empire.
to keep the approaching menace under obser-
Outside officials such as Emerald Magistrates often
vation, using courier parties shuttling back
are assigned to such investigations, as their separation
and forth between the scouts and the Wall to
from the local units allows them a relatively unbiased
report information.
view of the situation. Using external personnel also
$$ If larger Crab forces are deployed nearby in means that local commanders need not allocate any of
the Shadowlands, they may seek to harass the their personnel to such duties; as important as investiga-
attackers, delaying them and causing attrition. tions are, keeping the Wall in readiness is far more vital.
$$ Once within sight of the Wall, the scouts with- Though they would likely not admit it, officers on the
draw. Larger forces may continue to engage, Wall know that some outside investigators have superior
but they normally also withdraw rather than skills in such matters and might welcome their arrival.
risk being caught between the attackers and
the Wall.
72

Investigators must watch their step at the Wall. Those

who serve there might not appreciate outsiders poking SOCIETAL PERSONAL
around, no matter how necessary. (An investigator who

66 HONOR ENDURANCE
18
impresses the locals with their martial or medical skills 5 2
can improve relations tremendously, though.) Further, 88 GLORY COMPOSURE
18
more than once, a crime has been solved only when the 4 4
criminal targeted the external investigators as victims. 58 STATUS 3 FOCUS
6
Thefts and even murder at the Wall are sometimes
committed in the name of what the perpetrator and
+2, –2
VIGILANCE
3
many others view as the greater good. For instance,
jade desperately needed by one garrison might be sto- ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 5 SCHOLAR 3 SOCIAL 3 TRADE 3
len from an overstocked garrison that is not releasing

its excess. A troublesome or incompetent bushi who
is a menace to fellow warriors might be permanently Famously Lucky: Delusions of Grandeur:

removed. Bringing such matters to an end that is in  Social; Interpersonal  Mental; Interpersonal
Rokugan’s best interests might require subtle tactics,


blackmail, placing blame elsewhere, or even looking

the other way altogether if it keeps the war against the Family Ōtsuchi: Range 1, Damage 8, Deadliness 4,
Shadowlands from faltering. Ceremonial, Cumbersome, Wargear
The Shadowlands, of course, loom over all investiga- Gear (equipped): Lacquered armor (Physical 4, Cere-
tions. Supernatural causes can never be ruled out, and monial, Cumbersome, Wargear), wakizashi, tessen
the Taint is an ever-present concern even on and behind
ABILITIES
the Wall. A mundane murder suspect could be a dis-
guised Shadowlands creature, or a collection of scrolls VISIBLE VICTORIES

might contain mahō rituals that can corrupt anyone who As a Hida, Etsuji ignores the Cumbersome quality of
reads them into betraying their clan and Emperor. Some his armor and weapons. When Etsuji is part of a group
investigations may even require trips beyond the Wall, that defeats Otherworldly or Tainted beings, if the
should a suspect’s trail lead to the south. group’s members would gain glory from the action,
they gain that amount plus 3.
Hida Etsuji,
Watchtower Commander
Etsuji has served on the Wall for six years, and for two
of them he has been commander of the Watch-
tower of the Iron Hammer (also known as the
Second of the First Watchtower). Etsuji feels he
has served long enough as commander there
and is eager to continue his rise in rank. One
spectacular military victory should make
that happen, so he is actively watching for
any opportunity to arrive. Failing that,
he may be tempted to arrange for an
opportunity to occur, just so that the
right people see him in glorious battle.

Hida Nanako, Garrison Taisa

From the Journals
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  3
Like many taisa, Nanako gained her position as com-
 3
of Kaiu Shuichi
mander through family status, rather than battlefield Today, as I inspected the Watchtower of Eter-
proficiency, and she is painfully aware of that fact. She nal Stone, drums signaling an attack sounded
oversees the prestigious First Garrison of the Watch- along the Wall against the Fifth Tower, just
tower of the Emerald Dawn (more formally known as visible on a distant ridge. I only just visited
the Third of the Fourth Watchtower) which is stationed there yesterday, drinking some very pass-
along the midpoint of the Wall. While she is a powerful able shōchū with the gunsō in command,
fighter and as strong as any Crab, she lacks experience a stout young Hida with an unusually quick
in leading troops. She has made many mistakes since wit. As I watched, a brief flurry of dazzling
taking command, but few have been serious, and with signals flashed from the distant tower, from
each one she learns, so they aren’t repeated. Nanako an experimental sun-mirror the gunsō had
knows her mother, who is still renowned as one of the been proud to show me. They abruptly halt-
finest tower commanders in history, arranged for her ed, though, leading me to believe that such
appointment, and she hopes that her mother won’t mirrors are—as I observed during my visit—
one day feel her actions were in error. simply too fragile for this sort of use. Now, the
Fifth of the Sixth fires signal flares to describe
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
the course of the battle. So far, they claim to
70 HONOR ENDURANCE
14 be holding their own, and I am encouraged. I
3 2 must admit that I dread the blue flare declar-
53 GLORY COMPOSURE
10
2 4 ing that the watchtower is being overrun, as I
38 STATUS 2 FOCUS
6 have been hoping to share more shōchū with
the young Hida on my return journey.
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - UNCERTAIN
VIGILANCE
2


Hida Masuo, Wall Gunsō


Quick Reflexes: Inexperienced Leader: Masuo is a huge man with sun-baked skin and a thick
 Martial; Physical  Martial; Interpersonal black mane. He has intensely glaring, dark eyes, and
when his mouth emerges from his turbulent beard it is


surprisingly wide. His barrel chest helps him boom his

Jade-Studded Tetsubō: Range 1–2, Damage 7, Dead- every word. Even out of battle, he is bone-shakingly
liness 3, Cumbersome, Durable, Sacred, Wargear

loud. Friends and rivals alike joke that Masuo can be

Gear (equipped): Plated armor (Physical 5, Cumber- heard coming from at least a province away. Masuo
some, Durable, Wargear), wakizashi was recently promoted to gunsō, but all of his victories
have been achieved through brute force rather than
ABILITIES

superior tactics. He has been lucky so far, but sooner or

LEARNING QUICKLY later, his cockiness will catch up with him.
As a Hida, Nanako ignores the Cumbersome quality
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
of her armor and weapons. After Nanako fails a Tactics
check, she gains 1 Void point and decreases the TN of 44 HONOR ENDURANCE
16
her next Attack action check by 1.
4 1
61 GLORY COMPOSURE
12
2 4
32 STATUS 1 FOCUS
5
+2, –2
VIGILANCE
2


74

The Ride of
the Unicorn
Perhaps the greatest failure in the history of
the Carpenter Wall took place in the year 815,
when a thundering horde of riders stormed
across the Shadowlands and breached the
Crab defenses. Though the Crab bushi sta-
tioned along the northern edge of the Wall
were equipped with all manner of siege weap-
onry, they had never faced the speed and
power of Unicorn warhorses or the destructive
force of their meishōdō magic. Adventure Seed:
The Unicorn routed the Crab infantry,
crossed near Razor of the Dawn Castle, and Wall Repairs
from there rapidly penetrated deeper into
Rokugan. The Crab learned from the hum- 一 Hook A patrol reports that a remote sec-
bling defeat and strengthened their tactics tion of the Wall has been damaged, possibly
against such foes. This would prove useful in during a recent attack. The PCs are tasked
coming years, as they would once again face with inspecting the damage; Kaiu engineers
dangerously skilled riders and mounts: the at the site say repairs will take more than sev-
Dark Moto. en days.
Perhaps even more importantly, the Crab
二 Rising Action A fresh patrol just arriving
also strengthened their patrol system. Should
says a second wave of Shadowlands crea-
another attack come out of the Shadowlands,
tures is on its way. PCs can help fend off the
this time they will be ready.
attacks, assist in patching up the breach, lead
raids outside the Wall to deplete enemy forc-
es, or find another way to help. The PCs may
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES be certain this repair needs to be done, but
the watchtower commander thinks it’s not

Large Stature: Momoku:

immediately needed and that they should
 Martial; Physical  Martial; Spiritual
instead join the defensive troops.

三 Climax The PCs must repair the Wall

Tekkan: Range 1–2, Damage 4/6, Deadliness 3, Cum- before the second wave arrives and rampag-
bersome (if 1-handed), Durable, Mundane es through the weak area. The PCs may try to
negotiate or convince the commander to get
Gear (equipped): Lacquered armor (Physical 4,
the necessary repairs done. They might also
Ceremonial, Cumbersome, Wargear), kabutowari,
pass through the Wall to inspect the weak
wakizashi, large jug half-filled with sake

area themselves (though others may want to

ABILITIES keep that from happening). They might divert
LOUD workers to perform the repairs or use their
own abilities to patch up the damage. Dis-
As a Hida, Masuo ignores the Cumbersome quality
obeying the commander, though, could have
of his armor and weapons. Masuo gains 1 strife at the
serious repercussions.
end of each of his turns if he had to remain quiet or
act in a subtle manner during that turn. After unmask-
ing when there are enemies nearby, he suffers the
Enraged condition and immediately moves 1 range
band toward his foes.
75

Patrolling the Shadowlands Last Words

Duty on the Wall is but one part of the war against Overheard below the Second Tower, near the
the Shadowlands. Long ago, the Crab learned that Tunnel of Lost Dreams
defending the Wall is not enough, and that the war also “We leave shortly. Some of you are on your
requires offensive tactics. As result, they began send- first patrol. You will follow my commands in
ing scouting parties beyond the Wall—perhaps the all things. Do not question; do not ask. If you
most dangerous of duties the Crab could imagine. At are looking for glory, look elsewhere. Where
first, the patrols’ goal was to watch for the movements we go, there is no glory. There is only honor.
of their inhuman enemies and report back when they “We do not seek battle today. We seek
detected massing threats. As time passed, patrols took information. If we fight, we fight together.
on additional duties and became a formalized part of Attack as I direct, follow your training, and
Wall operations. remember there are fates worse than dying.
Traditionally, the Hiruma provide a great many of “Check your supplies once more. Where
the personnel for regular patrols, as few can rival the we go, there is nothing we can eat or drink,
their scouts’ expertise in navigating the Shadowlands. no matter how tempting it appears. Everyone
Other families also contribute samurai to missions, hold up your fingers. Green. Good. Watch
especially when specialization in certain fields are your jade; watch the jade of everyone else.
required. For this reason, Kaiu engineers, Hida war- “We leave now. We leave the Wall, but we
riors, Kuni Witch Hunters, and even Toritaka Phantom take it with us. We are strong. We are Crab!”
Hunters are not uncommon. Samurai from clans farther
north may lend their expertise as needed, or even lead
their own patrols in rare situations.

Patrol Missions Patrol Durations SHINSEI'S LAST HOPE
Missions into the Shadowlands are never taken light- Most patrols last only a single night and are short- There is a small village
ly. To travel beyond the Wall is to venture into lands range missions to inspect for looming dangers that on Earthquake Fish Bay
could attack within days. On this type of patrol, many that has resisted the Taint
where the very environment is corrupting and lethal. for centuries even though
No mission is ever routine, and those who survive soon Crab had their first opportunity to witness the horrors
it lies within that foul
gain a haunted, paranoid look in their eyes: the look of the Shadowlands firsthand and learned to better domain.
of someone who never trusts a shadowed room or a prepare for longer missions. Longer missions can last
Some claim the village's
silent grove. multiple days or weeks, requiring more provisions and
freedom from the Taint
The most common types of missions are those sometimes resupply missions to replenish provisions is due to the words of
designed to gather information. These patrols are gen- and personnel lost or killed. Such patrols also require Shinsei, who long ago
erally lightly armed and designed for stealthy move- additional jade, which is perhaps the most precious said it would remain so as
resource of all. long as the Crab defended
ment. Members of these patrols are selected not only the fertile valley in which
for their skills in silence and perception, but also for it is located. Others point
skills in remembering and recording their findings. Patrol Camps to the massive stone wall
Such information might concern assemblies of goblins covered with glowing jade
Most camps in the Shadowlands are pitched and tak- that surrounds the village.
or other creatures, new structures or foul shrines, or
en down each day and are thus light and easily trans-
unusual tracks or signs of new creatures nearby. Unless The Crab use this heavily
portable. Longer-duration missions might establish a defended location to stage
situations that demand action arise, these patrols gen-
base camp in an easily defensible location from which their Twenty Goblin
erally return with blades undrawn—something that is
shorter trips can be launched. Regardless of the type Winters, whereby rōnin
often a source of friction among younger members who return with the
of camp, sentries are set throughout the night, often
eager for glory. heads of twenty goblins
in pairs, and often during the day as well. Unlike other
Some patrols take part in battle or battle prepara- gain a place in the Crab
camps, those on watch not only guard against external Clan. Possibly of greater
tions. These might range ahead of Crab armies march-
threats, but also keep an eye on each other for signs of importance, though, is
ing to attack Shadowlands forces before they can that the village serves as
corruption and the Taint.
reach the Wall, supporting these armies with harassing a base for Hiruma and
attacks, or even making assassination attempts against other Crab scouts to un-
enemy leaders such as mahō practitioners. When the
Patrol Tools dertake missions into the
Shadowlands. Few speak
Crab determine their foes are ready to attack the Wall, In addition to packing standard traveling supplies such of the village, though, due
patrols can prepare forward defenses such as by set- as tents, lanterns, and the like, those who travel into to its location within the
ting pit traps and clearing fields to provide better van- the Shadowlands tend to bring very specific items for realm of Fu Leng.
tages for archers and siege engineers. their missions. The most important, of course, is one
Perhaps the most dangerous patrols are those or more fingers of jade; all Crab know that to forget
focusing on retrieval. Missions they undertake might or lose this is a death sentence, or worse. Provisions
include tracking down priceless relics of the Hiruma or are also essential for even the shortest missions, as it
other families whose lands were lost to the evil of Fu is extraordinarily rare to discover anything in the Shad-
Leng. Other missions might launch at the direction of owlands that can be safely consumed. Supplies for
the Kuni, to gather new samples of Tainted beasts for medical treatment and protection rituals are also nec-
vivisection and study. In a rescue, a common mission essary, and many patrols pack smoke arrows and other
type, a patrol is sent to locate samurai who were cap- means of communication. Combustible oils are favored
tured or are late in returning. Bringing them back is both for starting fires and cremating bodies. Lastly,
vital, lest they fall fully to the Taint. Often a rescue is many also bring along prayer lockets, family amulets,
too late, and the patrol must decide if recovering the or small personal gifts as ways of remembering those
bodies is possible or if they must cremate them in the they leave behind and for whom they are fighting.
field, for to leave bodies behind is to face new zombies
another day.
77

Returning from Hiruma Motoko, Patrol Leader

the Shadowlands ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  7  3
Perhaps the most important part of any patrol mission Though advancing in age, Motoko is still perhaps the
is a thorough inspection upon return. Even a journey finest patrol leader along the Wall. He is legendary
of a few hours runs the risk of contracting the Taint, no for bringing all his people back from each mission in
matter how green the jade. These inspections check the Shadowlands, even if not all have returned alive
for any signs of physical corruption, such as odd bruis- or escaped the Taint. His hair may be thinning and
es, bleeding sores, skin discolorations, and the like. grey, but his aim is still true, and he feels he still has
Wounds are assiduously inspected and cleaned or, if a few good years left before an oni catches him. He
necessary, cauterized. Inspectors also scrutinize cloth- tends to keep to himself, politely declining almost all
ing, weapons, and anything else brought back to ensure social events. Very few are aware of what he does when
no blood, tissue, or other parts of Tainted creatures or alone, for Motoko is secretly one of the finest origami
terrain remain on them. Kuni Witch Hunters and others artists in the region; even visiting Crane have remarked
inspect for spiritual corruption, which could come about on the excellence of this unknown poet of paper.
simply from viewing and experiencing the horrors of the
Shadowlands. These inspections are mandatory, and SOCIETAL PERSONAL
any samurai who refuses or seeks to avoid them quickly

47 HONOR ENDURANCE
14
faces drawn bows and readied katana. 4 2
62 GLORY COMPOSURE
14
3 3
Adventure Seed: 36 STATUS 2 FOCUS
5
Tainted Provisions +2, –2
DEMEANOR - GRUFF
VIGILANCE
3
一 Hook

The player characters are accom- ARTISAN 4 MARTIAL 5 SCHOLAR 2 SOCIAL 2 TRADE 4
panying a patrol into the Shadowlands on a
mission to find an ancient jade tetsubō lost
in an earlier battle or another relic a family Jurōjin’s Blessing: Cynicism:

daimyō or other important official desperate-  Martial; Spiritual  Social; Interpersonal
ly wishes to recover.


二 Rising Action Several days into the jour-

Oyumi: Range 2–5, Damage 7, Deadliness 3, Prepare,

ney, the PCs discover their supplies are infest-
Wargear
ed with tiny grubs, insects, fungi, or other cor-
ruption. Worryingly, it is only their own sup- Gear (equipped): Ashigaru armor (Physical 3,
plies that are ruined. This could be the work Wargear), katana, wakizashi, quiver, hand-drawn
of someone on the patrol team or of whoever maps, traveling pack, finger of jade. Should the situa-
prepared their supplies before they left. tion require it, Motoko and his patrol can be mounted
on horseback; in this case, he carries a daikyū (Range
三 Climax Most patrol members suggest
3–5, Damage 6, Deadliness 4, Wargear) instead of
returning, but the patrol leader thinks they
his oyumi.
can redistribute the supplies and still reach
their destination, as delays might mean the

ABILITIES
item could be lost forever. Even if the PCs ALWAYS FINDS A WAY
press on, who can they trust now? Turning
Once per scene while in the Shadowlands, Motoko
back might mean failure, thus rewarding who-
can spent 1 Void point to discover a hidden escape
ever sabotaged their packs. Going forward
route out of a hopeless battle. The way is never easy,
may lead to worse threats that could cause
however, and every other character who is with him
the deaths of the patrol members. The sabo-
suffers 4 strife and 2 fatigue in the process.
tage could become the start of an investiga-
tion that uncovers a conspiracy designed to
shame the official who launched the mission.
78

Rumors from Patrols

$$ A Hiruma swears she came across a splen- $$ A patrol once became hopelessly lost when
did, uncorrupted tree in a thick copse not far they came across an oasis of purity deep
from the Eighth Tower. The branches were in the Shadowlands. The water was clean,
covered with prayer ribbons, and the scout and they were so filled with energy they
added her own. Later, she was shocked to returned to the Wall within the day. Retrac-
discover a ripe plum in her pack—just the ing their steps, though, proved impossible.
thing she had been wishing for earlier! $$ There are lucky pieces of jade that never
$$ The gigantic, twisted peaks deep within the go black. The moment you examine one,
Shadowlands are visible from the parapets though, it loses its power, so you have to
of the Wall, and some appear almost to keep it well hidden even from yourself.
reach the Celestial Heavens. One patrol $$ Patrols that leave a uncorrupted finger of
insisted they climbed to the top of one and jade behind at their destination in the Shad-
saw above them a long rope ladder dan- owlands always return free of the Taint.
gling not far above their heads.

2
CHAPTER
Honor
Against
Demons
All along the Wall, the Crab readied
themselves for battle, their actions
smooth and practiced from daily
drills. Additional troops in thick
armor took up positions as gear-
driven platforms brought
stacks of ammunition up
from internal depots
built into the Wall.
Hida Sanae
could hear shouts
from the nearby
Watchtower as the gunners readied their siege
weapons. Shugenja were also making their initial
efforts, beseeching the kami for support against the
creatures that would befoul the land with the Taint.
Soon the sky would be filled with huge ballistae bolts,
hurled stones, and blasts of elemental fury.
Sanae looked over the Wall’s parapet. A strange,

swirling black haze masked the southern horizon. She
set her kabuto firmly on her head, buckling the chin
strap in place. Her voice echoed along the ramparts.
“Make ready!”

CHAPTER 2: HO NO R AG AINST DEMO NS
The Falcon Clan Yotogi and the Lady Mazoku

Yotogi led the Toritaka family in this quest, and the Fal-
Rokugan is a land filled with wonders, but it is also a con became practitioners of the art of detecting and
land filled with threats. Almost every samurai knows banishing those spirits who would do harm. The family
of the dangers beyond the Wall, for example. Ancient gained a reputation for perceiving what others could
and often menacing entities also lurk within Rokugan’s not sense, perhaps due to an inherited trait originally
bounds, though many dismiss them as mere children’s caused by proximity to the haunted valley and forest
tales or superstitions. Among these beings are menaces nearby or the assistance of their shiryō, or ancestral
from the spirit realms, from ghosts driven by their end- spirits. As Yotogi and his followers began to codify
less hunger to stalking specters that predate the dawn their methods and organize training for new hunters,
of humanity. Such creatures lurk in the shadows, in those someone came to aid him: someone who could see his
patches of shade that seem not merely empty of light innate abilities to track and fight the supernatural and
but filled with darkness. They are as nightmares made his skill in properly applying those abilities.
manifest, terrifying spirits eager to prey on the living. She never revealed her name to Yotogi or to his
Those who can perceive these spectral entities successors. What she did reveal were a great many
know that they infest all of Rokugan in seemingly end- techniques useful for hunting and banishing yūrei and
less numbers. It is the sworn duty of the Falcon Clan, other baleful spirits, techniques that made evident she
a Minor Clan to the north of Crab lands, to face these had exceptional insight into these spirits’ nature and
spiritual predators. It is the Falcon who hear the wailing weaknesses. She became known as Lady Mazoku for
cries in the night, who can see the ghastly forms that her almost casual-familiarity with the practices of the
have no business existing on the Mortal Realm. The mazoku, the custodians who watch over the gaki and
Falcon do more than just battle with yūrei and similar other corrupted souls in Meido. “Many gaki escape
ghostly threats, however. They also seek to understand from that realm,” she said, “As it has become so crowd-
them, and to use that knowledge to better protect the ed that the mazoku cannot police all of its inhabitants.”
Emerald Empire. Lady Mazoku visited the Falcon many times, but
never stayed for very long. Her information, while nev-
The Founding er specific or overly detailed, would often lead them

to new hauntings and offer ways to deal with them.
Many hundreds of years ago, or so the Falcon teach Afterward, she would vanish, often for decades, before
their children, a father in Toritaka province gave his returning again. Her face, voice, and mannerisms were
life to protect the visiting Emperor’s chief advisor from all so unremarkable that it was impossible to tell if the
assassins. Such was the man’s bravery that the Emperor same person visited each time.
granted his son the right to form a clan, the Falcon Her identity has never been discovered, but she has
Clan, in his village and surrounding lands. For any oth- been an essential part of the Falcon ever since, even to
er individual, the story might have ended there, with the current day. Some of the clan assume she passed
the formation of another small clan that would prob- down her role to her children and grandchildren, and
ably fade away after a few generations or become would rather not contemplate the logical alternative.
absorbed into a Great Clan. The knowledge she possesses strongly suggests that
The son, whose name was Yotogi, was insistent on she is not of the Mortal Realm. Some members of the
learning more about the assassins who killed his father. clan suspect that she may be one of the mazoku. If this
He investigated and found they were only peasants, is true, it would explain why she is so eager to train
but had been possessed by evil, otherworldly beings. the Falcon to hunt escaped spirits and return them to
Yotogi called to his father’s spirit for aid in understand- Meido. It would also mean the Falcon have a powerful
ing what could have caused this to come about. He and dangerous ally in their duties.
meditated for months, and his people began to won-
der if he had abandoned them. Finally, he emerged.
Through his meditation, he learned something of
Lands of the Falcon
the Spirit Realms but, he said “there are not enough Toritaka Province, the home of the Falcon Clan, lies
names” for his new knowledge. along the northern border of the Crab lands and the
Learning about the Spirit Realms became the Fal- western edges of Shinomen Forest. Nearby mountains
con’s new mission. They would be vigilant against the give way to numerous hillsides, and woodlands give
malign ghosts, but also seek understanding of them. the region an appearance of peaceful serenity. Those
Even now, centuries later, the wisest know there is still who live here know better, though, for it is a land where
much to learn about the spirits. the Spirit Realms draw very close to the Mortal Realm.
81

C H APT E R 2 : H O N O R A G AI N S T DEMO NS
The Falcon know it to be a particularly haunted across Rokugan, except for the extensive series of
FALCON RUMORS
region. To reside here is to share the land with all manner mews set off of the castle’s main keep. It is here that the
Whispers are heard in of supernatural beings. For the Falcon, it is part of every- clan’s famous aviaries reside, home to many dozens of
the forests saying that day life and the backbone of their duty to the Empire. highly-trained eagles, hawks, and—of course—falcons.
a great war is coming,
It is unknown whether the Toritaka family has some
originating not from the
Shadowlands but from Valley of the Spirits instinctual bond with these birds, like their preternatural
Otosan Uchi itself. ability to sense spirits, or developed their connection
The wide area between mountains and forest is com- with them after adopting the name for their new clan.
Falcon bushi assigned to monly known as the Valley of the Spirits, even by those
defending against bandits The clan often uses its falconers on scouting missions,
who have no idea about its true nature. Although few drawing on the strong connection between bushi and
say that the Hare are
becoming more aggres- could stand to live here for long, the Toritaka families raptor to survey far afield for possible threats. Such is
sive and blatant in their learned to exist alongside and amongst the shades of the renown of these falconers that other clans often seek
attacks, as if they know the dead. The spirits are part of life there, whether they them out to join their own patrols. These clans compen-
the Crab are too busy to
are of betrayed samurai demanding vengeance or com- sate the Falcon Clan handsomely in gold and supplies.
aid the Toritaka.
mon gaki obsessed with sating their endless hungers.
Everyone knows that
Lady Mazoku doesn’t
It is a life most in Rokugan could never imagine and
forms the basis for many aspects of Toritaka customs.
Hunting Ghosts
really care for the Falcon
or honor, and acts only Almost all facets of daily life have some link to the Like the Crab, the Falcon are usually pragmatic in their
for her own secret goals. spirits, and everyone takes great care not to upset or battles against their foes. There is little that is forbid-
That’s why she has been disturb them. Falcon samurai make meditation a vital den if it achieves desired results. This can even include
unseen for so long. part of their training regimens, to seek greater under- trafficking with spirits—sometimes as a means to great-
I heard of a shugenja who standing of the supernatural around them. Visitors er understanding, and sometimes as a weapon against
saw too deep one day, and are reminded (sometimes in ways that lack expected other ghosts who threaten the living.
ran away before the Coun- politeness) of the local customs concerning the unseen Unlike the Crab, who are quite satisfied with the
cil could claim him. You
all around them. Most travelers either learn to respect destruction of any Shadowlands creatures they encoun-
can still hear his screams
in the forest at night, those customs quickly or suffer a poor time in the valley. ter, the Falcon seek out insight into those they hunt.
when darkness comes. One well-known custom is one that the residents Such awareness of the plight of the spirits, they find, can
perform each night. Just as the sun sets, they light improve the chances of the Falcon returning them to
hundreds of huge lanterns and watch-fires around the their proper home (whether through violence or persua-
boundary of the province. The bright fires form a ring sion). When violence is necessary, though, Falcon samu-
of lights against the darkness, and many have called rai are second to none in dealing with spiritual threats.
it one of the most beautiful sights in all of Rokugan. Though primarily concerned with their province and the
No one knows when the ritual began; some claim Lady surrounding dangers near the Wall or to the east in Shi-
Mazoku originated it centuries ago, or that the Torita- nomen Forest, they may be called far away to deal with
ka families started it long before the formation of the hauntings elsewhere in the Emerald Empire. The bushi
Clan. However, all stories about it say that should the dispatched to deal with these far-away threats live lonely
Toritaka fail in enacting it, even for a single night, the and risk-filed lives far away from any others who might
spirits lurking outside their province will eagerly rush in understand what it is like to combat malign ghosts and
and devour them all. their unnatural hungers. However, the Falcon pride
Another ritual commonly practiced by the local themselves in being equal to the task.
inhabitants is to leave offerings to appease the spirits
outside the valley. Peasants set out morsels of food, The Council of Twilight
small, well-fashioned carvings, and other gifts along
the edges of the valley, often near the Shinomen Forest The few Falcons who do live to a venerable age usually
where many angry spirits reside. The villagers know that retire to an unassuming monastery in the valley. The
no matter how terrible the spirits in the valley might be, valley is dotted with many monasteries and temples,
there are far worse beings lurking in the forest. and there is nothing to set this particular monastery
apart. For the Falcon, though, it is perhaps their most
important spiritual location. This is where the Council
Castle of the Falcon of Twilight convenes.
At the center of the valley is the Castle of the Falcon, The Council is a living repository of wisdom for the
Shiro Toritaka. It is the ancestral home of the Toritaka clan and has a strong hand in guiding its activities. Its
family and, like the family itself, is small and modest. origins are lost in time, but perhaps came about as a
There is little to differentiate it from other minor castles means for samurai still actively combating the foul spirits
82

of the valley and beyond to gain advice from those who

have lived through the struggle. While the Council pro- Allies and Rivalries
vides valuable advice in spiritual matters, it also has the Given the Falcon Clan’s proximity to the Crab and
grim task of dealing with those Falcon who delve too these clans’ common duty to combat the supernatural
deeply into the spiritual realm during their meditations. threats against the Empire, it is no wonder they are
Falcon samurai do more than just hunt spirits— strong allies. More importantly, they both recognize
they also seek to understand them. For many, this is the strengths and expertise of the other.
done through meditation and reflection. Such activi- The Crab do battle with the creatures that emerge
ties offer great benefits, but in such a haunted land, from Jigoku, pouring forth from the Festering Pit like
they can have horrible consequences. Sometimes, some pestilent tide of corruption. The Falcon also deal
they can offer both. with otherworldly beings, but their foes are the ghosts
It happens with little warning: a patch of shadow in and spirits who escape into the Mortal Realm. The two
which the darkness suddenly deepens, or a corner the clans’ enemies often ally, especially as Shadowlands
fire’s light refuses to touch. The samurai stares into forces call upon gaki and other predatory ghosts. The
the black depths and learns something utterly terrify- Crab rely upon the Falcon to deal with the threats a tet-
ing and true, something that leaves them screaming subō or crossbow bolt cannot easily end, and the Fal-
and shaking uncontrollably. con in turn trust the Crab to stave off physical dangers.
Such Falcon are taken to the Council, which con-
venes behind closed doors. What happens to these The Falcon and the Kuni
samurai is unknown, but it is said the Council is some-
how able to pry the hard-won knowledge from them That is not to say there aren’t areas of friction between
and thus enhance the strength of the clan and its hunt- the two clans and their approaches. Though Witch
ers. All that is known for certain is that the interior of Hunters primarily battle against mahō-tsukai and the
the Council’s chamber is filled with lanterns, and their Taint, they do not shy away from eliminating malign
light is powerful enough to shine through the joints in spirits when they are found. Many Kuni see the efforts
the walls like the sun itself. of the Falcon as suspect, given that they do not simply
Of late, however, the Council has become uneasy, seek to eradicate their ghostly foes. Attempts to seek
for one of its unofficial but valued members has been understanding are doomed to failure in the view of
missing for some time. Lady Mazoku has not been those Witch Hunters. Shadowlands creatures, includ-
seen for several generations, and some of the young- ing spirits, must be destroyed.
er members cannot remember her presence. A few More traditional Kuni also worry about the Falcon’s
even wonder if she is but a myth from the Falcon’s willingness to use unorthodox methods. Toritaka Phan-
founding. The eldest members worry she may have tom Hunters of the Falcon Clan are known to make
abandoned the Falcon, or worse, perished. deals with minor malign spirits in order to better track
and counter more dangerous ones. Kuni Purifiers, who
also battle ghosts, distrust such radical methods.
So far, the disagreements rarely end with swords
being drawn—mostly as neither side wishes to imperil
the close ties between the clans. That doesn’t stop
many Kuni from carefully watching the Toritaka for any
signs of possession or those practices deemed truly
heretical. Should any Falcon dare use mahō, for exam-
ple, the duty of the Witch Hunters is clear.

The Falcon and the Hare

The Falcon have also had disputes with other clans,
Adventure Seed: the
most notably the Hare. The Hare, a Minor Clan like the Circle is Broken
Falcon, has lands along the opposite side of the Shi-
nomen, near the southern edge of the haunted forest. 一 Hook As the PCs are traveling near the
Despite the distance (and the treacherous woodland) borders of the Valley of Spirits, hot on the
between them, the two clans have a lengthy history trail of their quarry, they hear loud cries of
of enmity. This is largely the result of periodic bandit anguish ahead. One of the lanterns along the
attacks against the Falcon. The clan is loath to assign border has been toppled and destroyed, and
their limited number of bushi to deal with such threats, a group of Toritaka peasants beg them for aid
as the spirits require their full attention. in creating a new lantern, or at least a power-
Many Toritaka hold the Hare responsible for aiding ful blaze that can last the night. They have but
these attacks, but the accusations are mostly kept to a few hours to do so before the sun sets over
whispers. The only thing worse than bandits, after all, the mountains.
would be an actual war with another clan. For their part,
the Hare claim no responsibility, and some wonder if 二 Rising Action The PCs may be unaware
the neighboring Scorpion Clan could be playing a role of the Toritaka customs concerning the circle
in the hostilities as a way to keep the Hare and the of light and press on in their hunt. If so, as
Falcon from gaining power, or to draw Great Clans they depart, they feel the spirits around them,
into a war as they support opposite sides. hungry to enter the valley once darkness falls,
and they are pushed back.
三 Climax The PCs can aid in gathering
wood or help the peasants to start a fire. They
may also split their forces to fight off the spir-
its while generating a sufficiently large fire. If
the PCs are not equipped to battle ghosts, a
Toritaka Phantom Hunter arrives on the scene
and helps them. The Falcon can also call on
other spirits for aid—which the PCs may not
view as proper behavior.
Toritaka Hatsue, the Yotogi

The lineage of Yotogi remains strong for the clan, and
his successors have made his name synonymous with
clan daimyō. Like their founder, each Yotogi has a
preternatural awareness of spirits. The current
Yotogi, Toritaka Hatsue, has ruled the Falcon
for a dozen years. She has successfully dealt
with many hauntings in the Shinomen as
well as performing a dangerous banishment
in a nearby Lion castle. Lately, though, she
is spending more and more time in medita-
tion, and many worry that one day she will
see something too powerful and terrible for
her mind to bear.

SOCIETAL PERSONAL SOCIETAL PERSONAL
60 HONOR ENDURANCE
14
4 4 4 5
70 GLORY COMPOSURE
16
4 3 4 3
58 STATUS 4 FOCUS
7 65 STATUS 5 FOCUS
9
,+1, –1
DEMEANOR - DETACHED
VIGILANCE
4 +2, –2
VIGILANCE
5

ARTISAN 2 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 4 SOCIAL 3 TRADE 1 ARTISAN 3 MARTIAL 4 SCHOLAR 5 SOCIAL 4 TRADE 0

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Sense for the Spirits: Close to the Edge: Gaki-dō Knowledge: Desperate for Aid:
 Martial; Spiritual  Social; Spiritual  Social; Interpersonal  Social; Interpersonal

FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR

Katana: Range 1, Damage 4, Deadliness 5/7, Cere- Unearthly Limbs: Range 0–2, Damage 7, Deadliness
monial, Razor-Edged 4, Sacred, Snaring
Gear (equipped): Sanctified robes (Physical 1, Super- Gear (equipped): Ghostly form (Physical 10, Super-
natural 3, Ceremonial), scrolls, supplies for rituals, natural 10), numerous scrolls pertaining to Gaki-dō
wakizashi law and individual gaki

ABILITIES
ABILITIES
PENETRATING SIGHT MAGISTRATE OF GAKI-DŌ

As a descendant of the first Falcon daimyō, Hatsue A mazoku is an Otherworldly being, though it appears
can discern Otherworldly beings such as gaki and as a normal samurai. It doubles its vigilance when
always recognize any such beings that attempt to detecting Otherworldly or Tainted beings, mahō use,
disguise themselves as human or otherwise mundane. or kansen activity. When a mazoku unmasks, everyone
This does not, however, mean she always feels it is in who can see it suffers 6 strife as its form shifts into
the best interest of the Falcon or the being involved inhuman shapes before settling as it composes itself.
to reveal this to those around her.
Mazoku Lady Mazoku

ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  7  9 This mysterious being appears as an elegant
woman wearing robes of a style not seen for
Just as there are hierarchies and bureaucracies in the
many centuries. She uses the Mazoku profile
Mortal Realm of Ningen-dō, so there are ones in the
with the following changes and new ability:
Spirit Realms. The realm of Gaki-dō, where gaki and
Skill Groups: +1 Scholar, +1 Social
other hungry spirits are sent from Meido after being
Gear (equipped): Ancient Falcon Katana
found wanting, is filled with administers and other offi-
(Range 1, Damage 4, Deadliness 5/7, Cere-
cials who oversee the realm on the behalf of Emma-o,
monial, Razor-Edged, Sacred)
the Fortune of Death. Mazoku serve a vital role as mag-
istrates and guards within Gaki-dō, but the sheer num- VETERAN GAKI HUNTER
ber of spirits there utterly overwhelms any attempt to Many centuries operating in Ningen-dō means
properly keep them contained. Many gaki escape Gaki- Lady Mazoku has honor 70, glory 70, and com-
dō to haunt Rokugan, especially in areas where the two posure 20. Once per scene, should a PC suffi-
realms draw near, such as where violent battles, terri- ciently impress her with devotion to the cause
ble murders, and other blood-soaked horrors occurred. of capturing and containing malign spirits, she
Hunting down and returning these troublesome spirits may impart to the PC some of her wisdom
to Gaki-dō is nearly impossible for the mazoku, which concerning this subject. The PC lowers the TN
is why they sometimes work with Phantom Hunters to of their checks targeting such spirits by 1 for
jointly accomplish their common mission. the remainder of the session.
85

Toritaka Dairoku, Council ARTISAN 2 MARTIAL 2 SCHOLAR 4 SOCIAL 3 TRADE 0
of Twilight Member


ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  2  7 Hidden Realizations: Terrifying Knowledge:

Like all Council of Twilight members, Dairoku has  Social; Interpersonal  Social; Mental
witnessed terrors that would drive lesser samurai


over the edge, and they possess terrible secrets of
the Spirit Realm that few could hold without scream- Wakizashi: Range 0–1, Damage 3, Deadliness 5/7,
ing the knowledge to the skies. In their case, it came Ceremonial, Razor-Edged
about while simply meditating on the nature of dust
Gear (equipped): Ancient robes (Physical 1,
motes dancing in a sunbeam. Though of advanced
Supernatural 2)
age, Dairoku still possess a strong vitality despite the
mind-wrenching event. Their days of direct conflict

ABILITIES
with the phantoms and ghosts might be long behind THOUGHT THE UNTHINKABLE
them now, but they know their current service is more
Once per scene, Dairoku may make a Performance
vital to the Falcon than it would have been otherwise.
(Void) skill check targeting a character at range 0–2
SOCIETAL PERSONAL to impart only a fraction of their learnings. If the check
is successful, that character recovers 1 Void point but
60 HONOR ENDURANCE
12
3 3 reduces their composure value by 2 until they get a
night of restful sleep.
55 GLORY COMPOSURE
12
3 3
45 STATUS 4 FOCUS
6
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - SERENE
VIGILANCE
3


Falcon Clan What does your

Player Characters character know?
Players who wish to build a Falcon Clan character can
do so using the clan and family information provided All Falcon Clan characters have a greater
here. At the GM’s discretion, a Falcon character could awareness of the following topics:
study at a Great Clan school, or a character from a
Great Clan could fall in with these grim spirit hunters. $$ You have a strong grasp of the poli-
The rules for one of the most iconic schools of the tics within the Falcon land of Toritaka
Falcon, the Toritaka Phantom Hunter School, can be Province, as well as general information
found on page 94. As with any character extend- concerning the Crab Clan.
ing beyond their clan’s teachings, such as be part of a $$ You know much about the Shinomen
school outside of their clan, the GM has final say over Forest and the dangers that lurk within.
whether a particular concept is appropriate for the sto-
$$ You have a strong familiarity with yūrei
ry being told.
and may have even had firsthand
experiences with one or more of them.
The Falcon Minor Clan
$$ You may know one or more terrifying
Ring Increase: +1 Void secrets gained through meditation.
Skill Increase: +1 Theology
Status: 26
What Does Bushidō
Mean to Your Clan?
While the Crab guard the Emerald Empire from the ter-
rors that seek to destroy the Wall and invade Rokugan,
the Falcon guard against more subtle threats: the
The Falcon have studied what results from
malign creatures from the Spirit Realms. Ghosts and
lives that do not follow Bushidō and see this
similar dangers can occur anywhere, so the Falcon
every time they face ravenous gaki or other
must remain ever watchful. This holds especially true in
foul spirits. This is what comes of lives that are
the nearby Shinomen Forest, perhaps the most haunt-
without honor, so the Falcon feel they know
ed region in all of the Emerald Empire. Though most of
better than any how important this tenet of
the Great Clans ignore or dismiss their work, samurai
Bushidō truly is. For this reason, Honor (Mei-
of the Falcon Clan know what lurks just out of sight in
yo) holds a special place for the Falcon
every dark room or obscured copse.
The Falcon have little time for the nice-
ties of courtly life or such trivialities as poet-
The Toritaka Family ry. They rarely care to develop skills in these
Ring Increase: +1 Earth or +1 Water areas, but they also know that it may result
Skill Increases: +1 Survival, +1 Meditation in dishonorable behavior. To avoid this, they
Glory: 35 Starting Wealth: 3 koku instead simply refrain from such settings as
The Toritaka are the foremost family of the Falcon, and much as possible, much in the same way a
most outsiders are likely unaware there are any others. perfect defense is to simply not be present
Most are large and stocky, reflecting their shared heri- for an attack. Thus, the Bushidō tenet of
tage with the nearby Hida, but unlike Hida, the Torita- Courtesy (Rei) is less important to members
ka are typically quiet and reserved. Many believe them of the Falcon Clan.
distant and cold, but the Toritaka view themselves as See page 301 of the core rulebook for
focused and calm, ready to stand between Mortal and more information on how these can affect
Spirit Realms. They know emotion can often lead to your honor and glory.
turbulence between the two, and so hold that only
by controlling their own passions can they effectively
understand, mediate, and if necessary, eliminate the
dangers yūrei can bring to the living.
87

ADVANCE TYPE
NEW TECHNIQUES
INTRODUCED IN
THIS BOOK
New Schools Scholar Skills
Command
Skl. Grp.
Skill
The following are new schools that PCs can select as Martial Arts [Melee] Skill
RANK 1
Most of the techniques
part of character creation. Meditation Skill
listed in the school
profiles described in Rank 1 Fire Invocations  Tech. Grp.
the following pages Asako Inquisitor School
Threshold Barrier  Technique
are covered in the core
[Courtier, Shugenja]
rulebook in Chapter 4.
Weight of Duty  Technique
Those shown in bold,
Unlike the horrors of the Shadowlands, mahō can arise
such as Essence of Jade, Social Skills Skl. Grp.
are new techniques anywhere and can exist in any location as a hidden cor-
not found in the core ruption. To root out and combat this, the Asako Inquis- Government Skill
rulebook. These are itors were formed in the third century. Originally, they Meditation Skill
RANK 2
covered later in this concentrated on their own clan, to purge the Phoenix of
chapter on pages Theology Skill
any who would engage in such foul practices, but over
114–115. Rank 1–2 Air Invocations  Tech. Grp.
time, their remit widened to include all of the Emerald
Empire. This has brought Asako Inquisitors, who answer = Essence of Jade  Technique
only to their clan’s Council of Five and the Emperor, into = Open Hand Style  Technique
conflict at times with people of the Kuni Purifier School.
Martial Skills Skl. Grp.
Rings: +1 Fire, +1 Void
Starting Skills (choose three): +1 Courtesy, +1 Martial Medicine Skill
Arts [Melee], +1 Martial Arts [Unarmed], +1 Medita- Performance Skill
RANK 3
tion, +1 Performance, +1 Theology Theology Skill
Honor: 35
Rank 1–3 Earth Invocations  Tech. Grp.
Techniques Available: Invocations (), Rituals (),
= Regal Bearing  Technique
Shūji ()
Starting Techniques: Touchstone of Courage  Technique
$$ Rituals: Cleansing Rite, Commune with the Spir- Scholar Skills Skl. Grp.
its, Divination Courtesy Skill
$$ Shūji: Cadence, Truth Burns through Lies Martial Arts [Melee] Skill
RANK 4
Traces of Passage (School Ability): Once per scene Survival Skill

as a Support action, you may scry to detect any super- Rank 1–4 Water Invocations  Tech. Grp.
natural abilities used at range 0–3 in the last day (such = The Soul’s Blade  Technique
as invocations, mahō, and kihō). Reduce the TN of
Bravado  Technique
your checks to investigate this phenomenon by your
school rank. Social Skills Skl. Grp.
Starting Outfit: Traveling clothes, sanctified robes, Composition Skill
daishō (any one sword of rarity 7 or lower and Skulduggery Skill
RANK 5
wakizashi), scroll satchel, traveling pack.

Tactics Skill
Rank 1–5 Fire Invocations  Tech. Grp.
= Striking as Void  Technique
Rouse the Soul  Technique
Resilient Readiness (Mastery Ability):

When you make a check to investigate a
supernatural phenomenon, you may spend
RANK 6
 as follows:
+: Increase your resistance against that
phenomenon (such as a specific invocation,
kihō, mahō, or NPC ability) by an amount
equal to the  you spend this way. This effect
persists until the end of the scene.

ADVANCE TYPE
Kakita Swordsmith School Artisan Skills Skl. Grp.
[Artisan, Courtier]
Courtesy Skill
Like all institutions of the Crane, the Kakita Swordsmith Culture Skill
RANK 1
School emphasizes perfection and excellence. The
Martial Arts [Melee] Skill
blades they forge are renowned across Rokugan as the
finest that can be made; some duelists wait long years Rank 1 Kata  Tech. Grp.
for the opportunity to have one of these blades crafted = Blessing of Steel  Technique
for their use. Very rarely, a venerable swordsmith will Well of Desire  Technique
take on a promising youth as an apprentice, though
Scholar Skills Skl. Grp.
most apprentices spend decades before they are hon-
ored as “proficient.” Aesthetics Skill
Rings: +1 Air, +1 Fire Meditation Skill
RANK 2
Starting Skills (choose five): +1 Aesthetics, +1 Martial
Smithing Skill
Arts [Melee], +1 Courtesy, +1 Culture, +1 Sentiment,
+1 Smithing, +1 Theology Rank 1–2 Rituals  Tech. Grp.
Honor: 55 = Ebb and Flow  Technique
Techniques Available: Kata (), Rituals (), Shūji () Tributaries of Trade  Technique
Starting Techniques:
$$ Kata (choose one): Soaring Slice, Striking as Sentiment Skill
Air, Striking as Fire Smithing Skill
RANK 3
$$ Shūji: = Artisan’s Appraisal Theology Skill

= Rank 1–4 Air Shūji  Tech. Grp.
Patterns: Kakita Pattern. You can apply this item pat-
tern (see page 109) to any bladed weapon you craft. All Arts are One  Technique
Sacred Art of Steel (School Ability): Once per game Dazzling Performance  Technique
session when you make a check to craft, improve, or
Artisan Skills Skl. Grp.
maintain a weapon, you may add a number of kept 
set to  results equal to your school rank. Courtesy Skill
Starting Outfit: Traveling clothes, ceremonial clothes, Martial Arts [Melee] Skill
RANK 4
daishō (a personally crafted katana with Kakita pattern

Performance Skill
[see page 109] and wakizashi), smithing hammer,
traveling pack, an attendant (see page 64 of the core Rank 1–4 Kata  Tech. Grp.
rulebook) or Rokugani pony (see page 326 of the = Soul Sunder  Technique
core rulebook). Bravado  Technique
Aesthetics Skill
Design Skill
RANK 5
Smithing Skill
Rank 1–5 Fire Shūji  Tech. Grp.
Buoyant Arrival  Technique
Striking as Void  Technique
Ashidaka’s Method (Mastery Ability): When

RANK 6
you create a new weapon, you may apply

two different patterns that you know to it
(instead of one).
89

ADVANCE TYPE
Kitsu Medic School [Artisan, Bushi] Scholar Skills Skl. Grp.
Though the Kitsu family is known more for its shugen- Fitness Skill
ja samurai, the students of the Kitsu Medic School are Martial Arts [Melee] Skill
RANK 1
also of note. They are skilled in the martial arts, but
Survival Skill
their primary vocation is healing. As such, they are an
important part of any Lion army going into battle. The Rank 1 Kata  Tech. Grp.
warrior skills of Kitsu Medics mean they can be at the Commune with the Spirits  Technique
forefront of the fighting, killing foes as well as tending
Honest Assessment  Technique
to their clan’s wounded.
Rings: +1 Earth, +1 Water Martial Skills Skl. Grp.
Starting Skills (choose five): +1 Command, +1 Fitness, Medicine Skill
+1 Martial Arts [Melee], +1 Martial Arts [Unarmed], Survival Skill
RANK 2
+1 Medicine, +1 Sentiment, +1 Survival
Theology Skill
Honor: 44
Techniques Available: Kata (), Rituals (), Shūji () Rank 1–2 Earth Shūji  Tech. Grp.
Starting Techniques: = Flowing Water Strike  Technique
Rushing Avalanche Style  Technique
$$ Kata (choose one): = Crescent Moon Style,
Striking as Earth, Striking as Water Artisan Skills Skl. Grp.
$$ Rituals (choose one): Cleansing Rite, Martial Arts [Melee] Skill

Threshold Barrier Martial Arts [Unarmed] Skill
RANK 3
$$ Shūji: Stonewall Tactics Medicine Skill
Rank 1–3 Kata  Tech. Grp.
Field Medicine (School Ability): When you perform a
= Iron in the Mountains Style  Technique
Medicine check to remove fatigue or a condition from
a friendly character, that character removes additional Touchstone of Courage  Technique
fatigue up to your school rank. Scholar Skills Skl. Grp.
Starting Outfit: Traveling clothes, ashigaru armor,
Command Skill
daishō (katana and wakizashi), satchel of medicinal
supplies, traveling pack. Fitness Skill
RANK 4
Survival Skill
= Rank 1–5 Water Shūji  Tech. Grp.
A Samurai’s Fate  Technique
Crashing Wave Style  Technique
Courtesy Skill
Medicine Skill
RANK 5
Sentiment Skill
Sear the Wound  Technique
Healer’s Hands (Mastery Ability): When you

RANK 6
make a check to remove a condition from

another character, you may receive 2 fatigue
to treat the TN as 1.

ADVANCE TYPE

Kuni Warden School [Monk]
Martial Arts [Melee] Skill A number of Kuni who lack the aptitude to become
Martial Arts [Unarmed] Skill
shugenja are trained in the tradition of the Kuni War-
RANK 1
dens. These grim monks maintain the Barracks of the

Meditation Skill
Damned, a massive hospital, laboratory, and prison
= Rank 1 Kata  Tech. Grp. that is also their temple. Experts at subduing Tainted
Courtier’s Resolve  Technique humans and overcoming sorcery, even without weap-
ons, many serve at or near the Wall, but some War-
The Body Is an Anvil  Technique
dens occasionally make their way into the wider world.
Martial Skills Skl. Grp. The order sometimes sends its agents to “tend to the
Performance Skill spiritual needs” of those who have been exposed to
Sentiment Skill the corruption of Fu Leng. This can include offering the
RANK 2
mercy of death, should their charge be fully consumed

Theology Skill
by the Taint.
Rank 1–2 Fire Kihō  Tech. Grp. Rings: +1 Fire, +1 Void
= Crimson Leaves Strike  Technique Starting Skills (choose four): +1 Command, +1 Mar-
= Coiling Serpent Style  Technique
tial Arts [Melee], +1 Martial Arts [Unarmed], +1 Medi-
tation, +1 Performance, +1 Theology
Social Skills Skl. Grp.
Honor: 34
Fitness Skill Techniques Available: Kihō (), Rituals (), Shūji ()
Martial Arts [Unarmed] Skill Starting Techniques:
RANK 3
Theology Skill $$ Kihō (choose one): Cleansing Spirit, Flame Fist

Rank 1–3 Earth Kihō  Tech. Grp. $$ Rituals (choose one): Cleansing Rite,
= Thunderclap Strike  Technique Threshold Barrier
Rallying Cry  Technique $$ Shūji: Truth Burns through Lies
Suppressing Blows (School Ability): When you per-
Command Skill
form an Attack action check using Martial Arts [Melee]
Government Skill or Martial Arts [Unarmed], you may spend  as follows:
RANK 4
Skulduggery Skill +: One character per  spent this way who is in range
of the weapon you used suffers the Silenced condition.
Rank 1–4 Void Shūji  Tech. Grp.
You can spend a maximum number of  this way up to
Bravado  Technique your school rank.
Death Touch  Technique Starting Outfit: Sanctified robes, concealed armor,
Scholar Skills Skl. Grp. daishō (kabutowari and wakizashi), calligraphy kit,
traveling pack.
Fitness Skill
RANK 5
Meditation Skill
Rank 1–5 Void Kihō  Tech. Grp.
Sear the Wound  Technique
Sacred Fist (Mastery Ability): All of

your kihō gain the following additional
RANK 6
burst effect:
If you have 3 or more bonus successes, your
unarmed attack profiles gain the Sacred qual-
ity until the end of your next turn.

ADVANCE TYPE
Mirumoto Taoist Blade Martial Skills Skl. Grp.
School [Bushi, Monk]
Labor Skill
As the name suggests, the monks of the Mirumoto Tao- Survival Skill
RANK 1
ist Blade School make study of swordplay an integral
Theology Skill
part of their quest for Enlightenment. Such are their
skills that their blades act as if part of their bodies, strik- Rank 1 Kata  Tech. Grp.
ing as easily as fists would do for others. Their isolated = Crescent Moon Style  Technique
monastery and dōjō is nestled deep within northern Ki Protection  Technique
mountains within Dragon lands, and it is extraordinarily
rare for them to host visitors. Most Rokugani who wit-
ness their skills do so when one of these monks departs Fitness Skill
to walk the Emerald Empire in search of new insights Martial Arts [Melee] Skill
RANK 2
and possibly even new lessons in the blade.
Meditation Skill
Rings: +1 Void, +1 Water
Rank 1–2 Water Kihō  Tech. Grp.
Starting Skills (choose four): +1 Labor, +1 Martial Arts
[Melee], +1 Martial Arts [Unarmed], +1 Meditation, = Flowing Water Strike  Technique
+1 Survival, +1 Theology Iaijutsu Cut: Crossing Blade  Technique
Honor: 48
Techniques Available: Kata (), Kihō (), Rituals ()
Starting Techniques: Medicine Skill
Survival Skill
RANK 3
$$ Kata (choose two): = Iaijutsu Cut: Rising Blade,
Theology Skill
Soaring Slice, Striking as Water
Rank 1–3 Earth Kihō  Tech. Grp.
$$ Kihō: Water Fist
Crimson Leaves Strike  Technique
Sharpened Ki (School Ability): Your kihō that affect Still the Elements  Technique
your unarmed attack profiles also apply to weapons
you wield in a one-handed grip. When you succeed
on a check to activate a kihō that affects your unarmed Composition Skill
attack profiles or a weapon you wield in a one-handed Martial Ats [Unarmed] Skill
RANK 4
grip, add bonus successes equal to your school rank.

Meditation Skill
Starting Outfit: Traveling clothes, daishō (any one
Rank 1–4 Void Kihō  Tech. Grp.
sword of rarity 7 or lower and wakizashi), traveling pack.
Crashing Wave Style  Technique
Labor Skill
Sentiment Skill
RANK 5
Theology Skill
Touch the Void Dragon  Technique
Way of the Edgeless Sword  Technique
The Effortless Path (Mastery Ability): When

making a check to active a kihō, you may
RANK 6
spend  as follows:
: If you succeed on this check, after you
activate the kihō, you may perform a Strike
action with a weapon you have readied in a
one-handed grip.

ADVANCE TYPE

Moto Avenger School [Shugenja]
Command Skill The Moto revere life, death, and the passage between
Martial Arts [Melee] Skill the two. Life comes from the meeting of earth and
RANK 1
sky as the rain falls to the plains; at death, the two are
Survival Skill
divided, for the body returns to the soil while the spirit
Rank 1 Rituals  Tech. Grp. returns to the sky. Moto spiritualists work to guide spir-
= Bind the Shadow  Technique its to their proper place, that they may return to the
eternal cycle, keeping the cosmos in balance. Howev-
Caress of Earth  Technique
er, some beings defy the cycle through heresies such as
Martial Skills Skl. Grp. undeath—and Moto Avengers are specialists trained to
Culture Skill rectify such perversions of the natural order. The many
Medicine Skill Moto who have became Tainted within the Shadow-
RANK 2
lands have drawn Avengers from the distant corners of

Theology Skill
the Moto lands, that they might destroy these abom-
Rank 1–2 Air Invocations  Tech. Grp. inations and free the spirits of their fallen comrades.
= Essence of Jade  Technique Rings: +1 Air, +1 Earth
= Touchstone of Courage  Technique Starting Skills (choose three): +1 Courtesy, +1 Cul-
ture, +1 Martial Arts [Melee], +1 Sentiment, +1 Surviv-
Trade Skills Skl. Grp.
al, +1 Theology
Courtesy Skill Honor: 44
Martial Arts [Melee] Skill Techniques Available: Air and Earth Invocations (),
RANK 3
Rituals (), Shūji ()

Tactics Skill
Rank 1–3 Earth Shūji  Tech. Grp.
= Earthquake  Technique $$ Invocations: Grasp of Earth, Tempest of Air
Earth Becomes Sky  Technique $$ Shūji: Ancestry Unearthed, Honest Assessment

Social Skills Skl. Grp. Hands of Earth and Sky (School Ability): When you
Medicine Skill perform an invocation that targets at least one other
Sentiment Skill character, if you succeed, you may nourish or drain:
RANK 4
If you nourish, you may receive fatigue up to your

Theology Skill
school rank. One target removes fatigue equal to the
Rank 1–4 Earth Invocations  Tech. Grp. amount you received.
Rise, Air  Technique If you drain, you may remove an amount of fatigue
Wolf’s Proposal  Technique from yourself up to your school rank. One target
receives fatigue equal to the amount you removed.
Starting Outfit: Traveling clothes, ashigaru armor,
Martial Arts [Melee] Skill wakizashi, scroll satchel, finger of jade, traveling pack.
Performance Skill
RANK 5
Survival Skill
Rank 1–5 Air Invocations  Tech. Grp.
Tomb of Jade  Technique
Empathic Transfer (Mastery Ability): When

you nourish, you may remove one condition
RANK 6
the target is suffering by transferring it to

yourself. When you drain, you may remove
one condition you are suffering by transfer-
ring it to one of your targets.

ADVANCE TYPE
Toritaka Phantom Hunter Scholar Skills Skl. Grp.
School [Shugenja]
Courtesy Skill
From the days of the Falcon Clan founder, Toritaka Martial Arts [Melee] Skill
RANK 1
Yotogi, Toritaka Phantom Hunters have sought out gaki
Survival Skill
and other malign supernatural beings, a task that is
often unfortunately easy, given the clan’s proximity to Rank 1 Air Invocations  Tech. Grp.
the haunted Shinomen Forest and the corrupted Shad- Bō of Water  Technique
owlands. Phantom Hunters often act in concert with Threshold Barrier  Technique
Crab Clan warriors, using their legendary abilities to
detect supernatural threats that others, even the skilled
bushi stationed on the Wall, cannot perceive. Culture Skill
Rings: +1 Air, +1 Water Sentiment Skill
RANK 2
Starting Skills (choose three): +1 Culture, +1 Govern-
Theology Skill
ment, +1 Martial Arts [Melee], +1 Sentiment, +1 Sur-
Rank 1–2 Water Shuji  Tech. Grp.
vival, +1 Theology
Honor: 40 = Essence of Jade  Technique
Techniques Available: Invocations (), Rituals (), Striking as Air  Technique
Shūji ()
Government Skill
$$ Invocations: By the Light of Lord Moon Martial Arts [Melee] Skill
RANK 3
$$ Rituals: Cleansing Rite, Commune with the Sentiment Skill
Spirits, = Tea Ceremony
Rank 1–3 Water Invocations  Tech. Grp.
$$ Shūji: Courtier’s Resolve = Rise, Water  Technique
Eyes of Yotogi (School Ability): Otherworldly beings = Crescent Moon Style  Technique
treat your vigilance as being increased by your school Trade Skills Skl. Grp.
rank. When you make a check to search for Other-
worldly beings, or make an Initiative check in a conflict
against them, if you succeed, add bonus successes Performance Skill
RANK 4
equal to your school rank. Theology Skill

Starting Outfit: Traveling clothes, sanctified Rank 1–4 Air Invocations  Tech. Grp.
robes, daishō (katana and wakizashi), scroll satchel,
= Rouse the Soul  Technique
traveling pack.
= Soul Sunder  Technique
Command Skill
Courtesy Skill
RANK 5
Survival Skill
Rank 1–5 Air Shūji  Tech. Grp.
= Flowing Water Cut  Technique
Wrath of Kaze-no-Kami  Technique
Yotogi’s Piercing Gaze (Mastery Ability):

You can perceive beings that are normally
RANK 6
invisible to human sight, such as spirits

and characters concealed by supernatural
abilities. When you deal damage to an Oth-
erwordly being, you ignore an amount of its
resistance up to your ranks in Meditation.

ADVANCE TYPE
Artisan Skills Skl. Grp. Yogo Preserver School [Shugenja]

Culture Skill Like all Scorpion, Yogo Preservers view their duty to the
Martial Arts [Melee] Skill Emperor as being beyond the considerations of honor.
RANK 1
Theirs is a special task, bound to the cursed destiny of

Theology Skill
the original Yogo—protecting shrines that contain arti-
Rank 1 Fire Invocations  Tech. Grp. facts best lost to history, such as the Black Scrolls. Using
Cloak of Night  Technique their paper servants called shikigami, these somber indi-
Reflections of P’an Ku  Technique viduals poison, murder, and thieve—in the name of stav-
ing off the darkness that threatens all Rokugan.
Rings: +1 Fire, +1 Void
Aesthetics Skill Starting Skills (choose three): +1 Aesthetics, +1 Cour-
Courtesy Skill tesy, +1 Martial Arts [Melee], +1 Sentiment, +1 Skul-
RANK 2
duggery, +1 Theology
Skulduggery Skill
Honor: 38
Rank 1–2 Air Invocations  Tech. Grp. Techniques Available: Invocations (), Rituals (),
= Hands of the Tides  Technique Shūji ()
= Skulk  Technique Starting Techniques:
Trade Skills Skl. Grp. $$ Invocations: By the Light of the Lord Moon,
Government Skill = Embrace of Kenro-Ji-Jin, Yari of Air
Smithing Skill $$ Rituals: = Craft Shikigami, Threshold Barrier

RANK 3
Theology Skill
Warded Shikigami (School Ability): You can have a
Rank 1–3 Fire Invocations  Tech. Grp. number of additional shikigami (see page 115) up to
Vapor of Nightmares  Technique your school rank. Once per scene, after you perform an
= Wings of the Phoenix  Technique action, you may instruct one of your shikigami to perform
an action, for which it benefits from your assistance.
Starting Outfit: Traveling clothes, sanctified robes,
Martial Arts [Melee] Skill concealed armor, wakizashi, bō (staff), traveling pack.
Performance Skill
RANK 4
Sentiment Skill
Rank 1–4 Air Invocations  Tech. Grp.
Silencing Stroke  Technique
Suijin’s Embrace  Technique
Artisan Skills Skl. Grp.
Culture Skill
Government Skill
RANK 5
Theology Skill
Rank 1–5 Fire Invocations  Tech. Grp.
Ever-Changing Waves  Technique
Tomb of Jade  Technique
Kingdom of Paper and Ink (Mastery Abili-

ty): When one of your shikigami performs an
RANK 6
action, it may spend  as follows:

+: Another one of your shikigami at range
0–3 of you may perform an action. Increase
the  cost of this ability by  for each of
your shikigami that has acted this turn.

Shadowlands Advantages Friend of the Nezumi (Water)

I loyally report all of the secret tunnels detected in my
and Disadvantages patrols under the Wall, and the many goblins and other
creatures slain inside them. My gunsō praises my work.
I do not mention who helps me find them, who
Those who follow their duty to stand against the crea-
helps me kill their occupants. They saved me on a
tures of the Shadowlands tend to acquire character
patrol long ago, and I saved them on another. There
changes to both their personality and physical forms.
are no lies, and there is no need for anyone to know.
While the new advantages and disadvantages that fol-
They keep my secrets, and I keep theirs.
low are often linked to service on the Wall and beyond, –from the personal journal of Hida Gakuto
they can also be used for samurai in other lands where
tales of oni and nezumi are more childhood stories Type: Interpersonal
than serious threats. Effects: The following apply to a character with the
Friend of the Nezumi distinction:
Specific Distinctions $$ Somehow you earned the respect and admira-
These distinctions follow the same format as those in tion of the nezumi, and you count them among
Chapter 2 of the core rulebook. your closest allies. You are an honorary member
of a specific nezumi tribe, able to enter their
Dead Eyes (Earth) warrens freely and enjoy the hospitality of their
people. You speak their language at a basic
Hida Fumiko led the young samurai along the parapets
level, understand their culture and customs,
near the Third Tower, pointing out the best locations
and may ask their leaders for favors.
for defenses. It had all been part of their earlier train-
ing, but there was no such thing as too much prepara- $$ When performing a check to interact with nezu-
tion in Fumiko’s opinion. She looked down the stone- mi or one that relates to your status with them
work that formed the walkway along that part of the (such as a Courtesy [Water] check with a nezumi
Wall and gestured to a tall Crab standing more like a to help locate a secret tunnel near the Wall or a
statue than a human. “You see him?” she asked. She Performance [Water] check to convince a tribe to
continued without waiting. “That’s Hiroki. Never runs follow your lead), you may reroll up to two dice.
from anything, no matter what comes over the side.”
She paused. “Don’t bother talking to him. He died
a long time ago. One day, his body will realize that.” Light Sleeper (Water)
“You see these scars?” she asked. He nodded respect-
Type: Mental fully at the Hiruma. It looked like someone had run a rake
Effects: The following apply to a character with the down her face—then repeated the action several times.
Dead Eyes distinction: “This is what you get when you dare slumber here.
Everyone else died that night.” She closed her eyes for
$$ After what of you’ve seen, the world holds no
a moment, then opened them abruptly, startling him.
true dread for you any more. While you are not
“You rest your guard, you die.” She looked closely at
immune to stress or fear, during battle you go
him. “You learn to stay awake, even when you sleep.
“dead in the eyes,” allowing you to act uncloud-
Or you join the rest of my old patrol.”
ed by terror, emotion, sentiment, or hesitation
even while Compromised (though you still suffer
the negative mechanical effects of this state). Type: Physical
You are also more dour at other times, and Effects: The following apply to a character with the
struggle to find pleasure in many of life’s joys. Light Sleeper distinction:
$$ When performing a check that relies on avoid- $$ You rouse from sleep very easily, a trick con-
ing fear or exuberant emotions (such as a Med- sidered essential in hostile territory. You are
itation [Earth] check to avoid running screaming trained to awaken before danger arrives, sleep
from a monstrous oni or a Sentiment [Earth] with your weapons ready, and pretend to be in
check to avoid being caught up in a raucous a deep sleep to lure enemies closer. You can
crowd), you may reroll up to two dice. go from a deep sleep to fully alert and fighting
in the blink of an eye.
96

$$ When performing a check that calls on rap- $$ You were wounded by an oni, and while the
idly recovering from sleep (such as a Survival scar isn’t Tainted (or perhaps even isn’t visible
[Water] check to detect a threatening sound anymore), it causes you to suffer from terrible
while dozing or a Fitness [Water] check to react nightmares.
even when someone else is standing watch), $$ When you make a check that involves your
you may reroll up to two dice. wound (such as a Fitness [Earth] check to get a
good night’s sleep while in the Shadowlands or
Specific Passions a Meditation [Earth] check to refrain from crying

out in pain while near an oni), you must choose
This passion follows the same format as those in Chap- and reroll two dice showing  or  results.
ter 2 of the core rulebook. After resolving the check, if you failed, you gain
1 Void point.
Creatures (Fire)
Doji Kaagi leaned forward eagerly as the wizened Lost Name (Void)
scout’s words faded into the air. “Tell me more, please,”
Kuni Kazu sat in contemplation. She closed her eyes
he asked. “How many horns did the beast have, and
and calmed her heart. Sleep had been difficult of late,
was it really taller than a pagoda?”
and she knew it would not improve while traveling.
Kazu knew why, but that didn’t help. She also knew she
Type: Mental
could never tell anyone of it or seek outside aid. This
Effects: The following apply to a character with the
was her own personal demon, she thought, almost with
Creatures passion:
a laugh—a laugh she knew would turn to screams if she
$$ You are fascinated by strange creatures, mon- allowed it to happen.
sters, bakemono, and other such oddities. Kazu could hear it now, soft whispers in her head.
You can easily identify such creatures and She could even see the letters of its words carved into
know them by heart. Tales of monsters and the blackness behind her eyelids. With each day, the
local horror folklore transfix you, and you are voice grew louder, the letters brighter. One day, she
always eager to build your wealth of monster would hear only its voice, see only those letters. Or she
lore further. would destroy it as she had so many other dangers.
And that day, she knew, was coming soon.
$$ After performing a check to study or hear tales
of odd creatures (such as a Culture [Fire] check
Type: Spiritual
to wonder about new creatures or a Perfor-
mance [Fire] check to entice someone to offer
Lost Name adversity:
you a tale of encounters with Shadowlands
monsters), you remove 3 strife. $$ Your name is no longer your own, and it now
belongs to an oni. Perhaps it was stolen from
Specific Adversities you, taken in a moment of weakness. Or

perhaps you gave it willingly in exchange for
These adversities follow the same format as those in fell power. But now the oni knows your every
Chapter 2 of the core rulebook secret, hears your every thought, and can see
the world through your eyes. You are both
Demon Wound (Earth) bonded now, and it will surely end you if you
cannot sever the connection.
It burns. Even after I stabbed it and it collapsed onto
me, its last, fetid breaths entering my ear. Even after $$ When you make a check that involves personal
the scars faded to thin, almost invisible lines. Each convictions (such as a Meditation [Void] check
night, each patrol, it comes back like boiling oil drip- as part of your quest for Enlightenment or a
ping onto my flesh. Survival [Void] check to create a spiritually har-
It may be dead, but it lives in my skin. monious rock garden), you must choose and
reroll two dice showing  or  results. After
Type: Spiritual, Scar resolving the check, if you failed, you gain 1
Effects: The following apply to a character with the Void point.
Demon Wound adversity:
97

Specific Anxieties Tomorrow it would all be cleared to make way for a

new dōjō, something actually useful. Shion picked up
These anxieties follow the same format as those in one of the purple petals, then snorted and dropped it
Chapter 2 of the core rulebook to the ground.
Fallen Ancestor (Void) Type: Mental

“This is unacceptable.” The powerful samurai stood, Obtuse anxiety:
almost posing, as the last sunlight filtered through into
Kaiu Namio’s room. “You are a pitiful excuse for a Crab, $$ Try as you may, you just cannot enjoy art, poet-
let alone a Kaiu. Your works collapse. Your weapons ry, music, or other such needless frivolities.
fail.” Namio had heard it all before. Endlessly. All his Subtlety is lost on you, beauty is something you
life. His cheeks burned in shame. don’t comprehend, art is a waste of resources,
The figure turned, and the light shifted as it passed and anything but the purely functional is mean-
through its clothing. “You know what you need to do to ingless in your eyes. Your dour presence can be
regain honor for yourself and your family. Our family.” overwhelming in social settings, and you gen-
It beckoned to a pile of papers. “All of my records are erally forget social niceties unless reminded.
there. All I have learned of the ways others were too $$ After performing a check to analyze or react
stubborn to accept. You need but use them, and the to the emotions of others (such as a Design
power I possessed will be yours.” [Air] check to compliment someone’s garb or
Namio reached for one and began to read. a Sentiment (Air) to decode a double meaning
in someone else’s speech), you receive 3 strife.
Type: Spiritual, Interpersonal If this is the first time this has occurred this
Effects: The following apply to a character with the scene, gain 1 Void point.
Fallen Ancestor anxiety:
Your ancestor fell to Jigoku’s seductive call,

$$
Reformed Mahō-Tsukai (Water)
giving their name to an oni or committing a
terrible atrocity. Now their spirit calls to you I remember my past. It was always filled with heat.
from Jigoku’s maw, tempting you into following Flames roared in my eyes, blood dripped from my
them down the same dark path. knives, the air itself burned as things not of the Mortal
Realm did my bidding.
$$ After performing a check that involves the
I know my present. It is simple, isolated, penitent.
spirits or your family history (such as a Theol-
I see those who died at my hand when I look across
ogy [Void] check to perform a family ritual or
the fields, their eyes piercing my soul with each hate-
a Sentiment [Void] check to show mercy to a
ful stare. I hear whispers in the night, plots from those
wounded opponent), you receive 3 strife. If this
who sacrificed at my side but now
is the first time this has occurred this scene,
want only to carve me as we
gain 1 Void point.
once did to our captives.
I can feel tendrils of
Obtuse (Air)
Hida Shion looked out over the field, filled with plants.
Flowers, actually, more than she’d ever seen before. It
was spring, and suddenly flowers were everywhere. Even
here, just north of the Wall, there were flowers.
Children ran among them, playing. Couples made
their way through them slowly, enjoying the fragrances
and smiling at the life all around them.
98

power seeking me out, Witch Hunters and others who Shadowlands Taint
can never forgive what I was or accept I have changed. [Kansen Whispers] (Air)
I do not believe I have a future in this life. Perhaps,
after many hundreds of passages around the Celestial “I was called to examine the sleeping Hiruma, who
Wheel, I may be allowed to reincarnate as a human returned several weeks ago from a long patrol. She was
again. Perhaps. loudly crying out in opposition to something, an argu-
ment of which we could hear only one side. Such was
Type: Interpersonal her fervor that it took several of her comrades to hold
Effects: The following apply to a character with the her down, and her face was wet with tears and sweat.
Reformed Mahō-Tsukai adversity: Nearly an hour later, she collapsed, nodding her head.
“The next I heard of her was when a visiting Crane
$$ Once you were a mahō-tsukai who wielded took offense at her words. Both died soon after.”
dreadful blood magics under the tutelage of –The Obsidian Journal
the Bloodspeakers or your own occult study.
But that was then. You have since seen the Type: Curse, Mental
error of your ways and live a life of atonement. Effects: The following apply to a character with the
You’ve done everything you can to bury your Shadowlands Taint [Kansen Whispers] (Air) adversity:
past, but a bell cannot be unrung, and now
and again it still catches up with you. The con- $$ You are a Tainted being. The kansen speak to
sequences of the atrocities you committed still you each night, filling your dreams with secrets
find you out, oni you summoned still seek you, of Rokugani history concerning betrayals, fool-
and the tsukai with whom you once consorted ish decisions, and many, many lies. Each morn-
will stop at nothing to silence you. We cannot ing, you awaken filled with anger at your soci-
outrun our shadows; sooner or later, you known ety, but can you never remember the details of
that yours will claim their due. If the details of the revealed knowledge.
this your terrible past life become public, your $$ When you make a check to use subtlety in your
glory value decreases dramatically, as if you communications (such as a Courtesy [Air] check
had lost staked glory (by 30 to 40). Your status to convey a double-meaning in court or a Com-
value also decreases considerably by the same position [Air] check refine your letter declining
amount, as if you had lost staked status. an important invitation), you must choose and
$$ After performing a check that reminds you of reroll two dice showing  or  results. After
your former life (such as a Courtesy [Water] resolving the check, if you failed, you gain 1
check to speak pleasantly with a priest or reli- Void point.
gious scholar or a Meditation [Water] check to
calm yourself when witnessing the aftermath of
a blood magic sacrifice), you receive 3 strife. If Shadowlands Taint
this is the first time this has occurred this scene, [Distorted Limbs] (Earth)
gain 1 Void point. “We on the Wall watch to the south, but not enough of
us watch each other. My fellow Kuni do this for those
New Shadowlands known to be Tainted, especially those in the Barracks

of the Damned, but this is a task all of us must take on.
Taint Disadvantages I chastise myself as well as our clan in this.
“The only sign was when his weapons fell and
The following are new alternatives to the Shadowlands
struck the parapet stones. We could only gasp as he
Taint disadvantages offered on page 127 of the core
leapt over the side and crawled, limbs akimbo like a
rulebook. When a character receives their second, third,
spider, headfirst down the Wall to disappear into the
fourth, or fifth Shadowlands Taint disadvantage, then
darkness at the bottom.”
at the GM’s discretion, they may choose one of these –The Obsidian Journal
instead of the standard version of the disadvantage for
that ring. These can also provide ideas for creating new
Type: Curse, Physical
disadvantages along the same lines, perhaps even spe-
cific ones based on a PC’s particular idiosyncrasies or
Shadowlands Taint [Distorted Limbs] (Earth) adversity:
background.
99

$$ You are a Tainted being. One or more of your Type: Curse, Physical, Spiritual
limbs or digits grew longer but became less Effects: The following apply to a character with the Shad-
powerful. You are able to reach things in narrow owlands Taint [One with the Darkness] (Void) adversity:
gaps and can climb faster than normal.
$$ You are a Tainted being. When fully covered by
$$ When you make a check that calls on your shadows or in an unlit location, you cannot be
physical prowess (such as a Fitness [Earth] detected. You are also able to conceal nonphysi-
check to survive a fall or a Labor [Earth] check cal effects of the Taint from any detection.
to exert yourself in the field), you must choose
and reroll two dice showing  or  results. $$ When you make a check to intuit meaning
After resolving the check, if you failed, you gain (such as a Courtesy [Void] check to seek a
1 Void point. hidden threat in a message or a Survival [Void]
check to sense what crops will grow best next
season), you must choose and reroll two dice
Shadowlands Taint showing  or  results. After resolving the
[Unnatural Skin] (Fire) check, if you failed, you gain 1 Void point.
“Long before I set out past the Wall, I had a friend. A

good one. We had our gempuku the same day. We Shadowlands Taint [Blasphemous
were Crab, we knew of the Taint, and we knew of our Appetites] (Water)
duty should it appear in us.
“He went missing in for weeks. When I broke into “I can feel it. Stronger now, stronger than yesterday.
his hovel, I found only a huddled mass of pale, gristly Soon it will be stronger than I am.
flesh, shot through with thick chitin. It took me long “I see those around me and cannot see anything
minutes to find the head and remove it.” about them. Their faces are obscured, and their voices
–The Obsidian Journal muffled, as if under a cloth. All are as puppets…except
the wounded. Their torn flesh. Their bloodied limbs.
Type: Curse, Physical Only long meditation can clear my head, and I fear one
Effects: The following apply to a character with the day that will not be enough. I must end it, before it
Shadowlands Taint [Unnatural Skin] (Fire) adversity: ends me.”
–The Obsidian Journal
$$ You are a Tainted being. Your skin is leathery and
thick and may even take on the coloration of a Type: Curse, Mental, Spiritual
corpse. Your skin is treated as concealed armor Effects: The following apply to a character with the Shad-
(see page 237 of the core rulebook). owlands Taint [Blasphemous Appetites] (Water) adversity:
$$ When you make a check requiring rapid move- $$ You are a Tainted being. Your appearance now
ments (such as a Fitness [Fire] check to vault over includes fetid breath, bleeding gums, and jag-
a falling log or a Martial Arts [Unarmed] [Fire] ged, discolored teeth. You have a near uncon-
check to strike swiftly), you must choose and reroll trollable hunger for raw meat: the bloodier, the
two dice showing  or  results. After resolving better. You aren’t particular over the species
the check, if you failed, you gain 1 Void point. and may even devour carrion or small chunks
of obsidian if especially ravenous. Once sated
with such delights, you remove all strife.
Shadowlands Taint [One
with the Darkness] (Void) $$ When you make a check to notice details about
those you care about (such as a Sentiment
“The report was simple: one of the patrol had simply van- [Water] check to detect the emotional state of
ished in the night. No signs of struggle, no cries for help. a friend or a Medicine [Water] check to deter-
Only what remained of a jade finger, now a puddle of mine their physical state), you must choose and
dark tar. Why its owner did not report this days earlier, reroll two dice showing  or  results. After
when the patrol could have safely returned, is unknown. resolving the check, if you failed, you gain 1
“Others of the patrol were lost on the way back, Void point.
the butchery displayed horrible in the extreme. What
is worse is that two peasants in a nearby village were
found today. The same claw marks marred their flesh.”
–The Obsidian Journal
100

New Samurai Heritages

Table 2–1: New Samurai Heritages represents these
backgrounds when creating a new samurai PC who has
ancestral connections with the Crab Clan or to Shad-
A variety of unique heritages arise from having a blood- owlands. This table can be used instead of Table 2–1:
line derived—at least in part—from the Crab. This is Samurai Heritages on page 96 of the core rulebook,
true even for non-Crab characters, who may bear Crab and is used in the same manner.
blood because of the marriage of members of that clan
into their family lineage. There are also more sinister
heritages that might apply, thanks to the influence of
the Shadowlands and the Taint of Jigoku.
Table 2–1: New Samurai Heritages

ROLL RESULT MODIFIERS OTHER EFFECTS
Blood and Mortar: You can unequivocally You gain the Blessed Lineage advantage (see page
trace your lineage back to the earliest days 103 of the core rulebook) This can be assigned in excess
Increase your
1 of the Kaiu Wall. It is said that the blood of of the normal limitations on disadvantages at character
status by 3.
your family is mixed with the mortar hold- creation. While on the Wall, your glory rank is treated
ing together the first stones of the Wall. a1 higher.
Infamous Builder: One of your distant

ancestors designed and built a fortification
Decrease Roll a ten-sided die again to determine a skill to aid in
or weapon that failed at a crucial moment.
2–3 your glory restoring your ancestor’s name (1–3: Government, 4–6:
Many samurai perished as a result, and
by 5. Labor, 7–10: Smithing); gain +1 rank in that skill.
your ancestor’s name is still cursed to
this day.
Lost in the Darkness: One of your ances-

tors vanished in the Shadowlands. Rumors Increase your Roll a ten-sided die again to determine a skill to aid
dog your family that your ancestor simply honor by 5 in learning of your ancestor’s fate (1–3: Culture, 4–6:
4–5 fled out of cowardice…or that they even and decrease Survival, 7–10: Theology); gain +1 rank in that skill.
came to embrace corruption as one of the your glory Additionally, your ancestor might still be alive, in the
fallen samurai known as the Lost. One day by 5. Shadowlands...waiting.
you vow to learn the truth of the matter.
Vengeance for the Fallen: Your ancestor You gain the Haunting (Void) adversity (see page 122
fought many battles against the Shad- of the core rulebook). This can be assigned in excess
owlands, and finally fell while facing an of the normal limitations on disadvantages at character
Increase your
6–7 immensely powerful oni. Your ancestor calls creation. Roll a ten-sided die again to determine a Martial
honor by 5.
to you to find and destroy the vile creature skill (1–3: Fitness, 4–5: Martial Arts [Melee], 6–7: Martial
responsible for their death, for only then Arts [Ranged], 8: Martial Arts [Unarmed], 9: Tactics, 10:
can they find true peace in the afterlife. Meditation); gain +1 rank in that skill.
Twenty Goblin Thief: The Crab periodi-

cally announce a “Twenty Goblin Winter,”
during which rōnin who return with the
Decrease Roll a ten-sided die again to determine a skill to aid in
heads of twenty goblins are accepted as
8–9 your glory learning of your ancestor’s fate (1–3: Culture, 4–6: Skul-
members of the Crab Clan. One of your
by 3. duggery, 7–10: Theology); gain +1 rank in that skill.
ancestors is said to have stolen heads from
another rōnin and claimed the heads as
their own.
Tainted Blood: Your ancestor is rumored

to have flouted Imperial law and hidden
You gain the Fallen Ancestor disadvantage (see 98).
their Taint. Worse, you worry that perhaps Decrease
Choose one of your character’s rings; you may reduce
10 your bloodline is also corrupted, and a foul your status
the value of that ring by 1 to increase the value of your
influence still lurks deep in your being— by 3.
Void Ring by 1 (this still cannot raise it above 3).
and that it influences you in subtle and
insidious ways.
101

New Weapons Tekkan

More a solid truncheon than an actual sword, the tek-
Crab warriors tend to favor large, two-handed weapons kan—the name translates roughly to “iron pipe”—is
and powerful crossbows to tackle the terrible creatures a single-piece, cast-iron weapon used to crack open
of the Shadowlands. In addition, they have adopted armor and battle creatures immune to slashing weap-
a handful of foreign weapons from gaijin mercenaries ons. Roughly five feet long, the tekkan resembles
hired to shore up sections of the Wall over the years. a primitive nodachi in size and shape. It has a long,
curved “blade” with a rectangular cross section and a
Swords two-handed hilt with a small crossguard.
While the Crab are famous for their use of heavy and
blunted weapons, they are still Rokugani and therefore
Hammers and Axes
hold the sword up as the ultimate weapon. As Rokugan’s premier military engineers, members of
the Crab Clan tend to carry weapons that started their
lives as tools. A warrior can never be when monsters of
Flyssa
the Shadowlands will attack, and every Crab knows that
The flyssa is a gaijin weapon that foreign mercenaries a stout hammer can break open armor or shatter a bony
introduced to the Crab. Similar to the nodachi in use carapace just as easily as driving a spike into a plank.
and construction, the flyssa has a long blade tapering
to a deadly point, a sizeable hilt, and no crossguard. Genno
While relatively thin, the blade has a broad belly like a
scimitar’s and it flares near the hilt to provide a bit of The genno is a massive, long-handled hammer used
protection to the wielder’s hand. for demolition and construction. Essentially a scaled-
While making an Attack action check using a flyssa, up artisan’s hammer, it consists of a square or octag-
you may spend  as follows: onal steel head mounted on a long ironwood haft
 +: Ignore 1 point of your target’s physical resis- around four feet long. The head is made from relatively
tance per   spent this way. soft steel and has two hardened striking surfaces: one
flat, the other slightly convex or crowned. The flat head
is used for basic hammering, chiseling, and demolition.
Kabutowari
The crowned surface is used for driving spikes and nails
Similar to the tekkan, the kabutowari is a blunt, cast- flush with surfaces and other work that requires a more
iron sword the Crab use in their defense of the Wall. focused power.
Developed from the humble jitte, the “skull breaker” When you perform an Attack action check with this
is the size and shape of a wakizashi. It has a curved, weapon, you may spend  as follows:
blunt blade with a rectangular cross section, a small  : If you succeed but your target reduces the
cast crossguard, and like the jitte, a sizeable hook cast damage of this Attack action to 0, they suffer the
into the back of the blade near the crossguard. Often Dazed and Prone conditions.
carried as a backup weapon by Crab samurai and ashi-
garu, it is used more to pry apart armor or chitin plates Tsuruhashi
than to slash or stab foes.
The humble tsuruhashi is one of many tools repur-
posed as a weapon by the Crab. Based on the com-
mon miner’s pickax, this ax features a forged-steel
head mounted to a solid wooden haft. Roughly the
length of a katana, the tsuruhashi’s head features two
striking ends—a flat blade and a sharp point. While it is
commonly used in construction and demolition, many
Crab ashigaru and even some clan samurai use the
tsuruhashi in battle to deadly effect. The blade head
can pry apart armor, while the pointed head easily
pierces it, and both cause grievous wounds thanks to
the leverage provided by the long handle.

When you perform an Attack action check with this When performing an Attack action check with this
weapon, you may spend  as follows: weapon, you may spend  as follows:
 : If you succeed but your target reduces the  : After performing the Attack action, immedi-
damage of this Attack action to 0, their armor gains the ately prepare this weapon for use again.
Damaged quality and they suffer the Bleeding condition.
Storm Bow
Bows and Crossbows The strange and wondrous storm bow is a recent addi-
The Crab use ranged weapons primarily to defend tion to the Crab arsenal. Designed by Crab engineers
positions along the Wall. To that end, the Crab have to tackle groups of massed enemies, this large and
developed numerous heavy crossbows and specialty awkward weapon fires a cloud of vicious darts with one
weapons that use mechanical principles to improve per- pull of the trigger. Overall, it resembles a larger, bulkier
formance against the evils lurking in the Shadowlands. Kaiu no oyumi.
Unfortunately, the ability to strike many targets at
Doom Crossbow once comes with numerous drawbacks. The weapon is
extremely front-heavy thanks to the firing mechanism.
This massive and powerful crossbow is a middle step In addition, it has a shorter range than a typical cross-
between the common oyumi and the ballista siege bow, and its darts are less lethal than standard bolts.
weapon. A little over three feet in length, it has a stur- When performing an attack action check with this
dy ironwood stock and long bow limbs made of steel. weapon, you may spend  as follows:
A doom crossbow fires long ironwood bolts about : Each character at range 0–1 of your initial target
as thick as an average Rokugani’s thumb, which are also becomes a target of this attack.
typically tipped with a barbed, armor-piercing head.
Thanks to the size and the strength of the steel limbs,
it requires a special detachable, hand-cranked windlass
Shields
to cock it. The weapon’s power allows its deadly bolts The use of shields is rare in Rokugan. Those that do
to punch through metal plates, armor, and the thick, exist in the Empire are made of either hardened wood
scaly hides of oni with ease. or metal and decorated with clan mon and other sym-
Despite its fantastic destructive potential, a doom bols of the samurai who wield them. Shields are most
crossbow has a number of serious drawbacks. It is commonly found among the Crab, who use them occa-
quite heavy and requires uncommon strength to use. sionally and, more often, give them to ashigaru, who
It is also quite hard to aim at nearby targets. However, tend to pair them with either crossbows or polearms.
when its user is fighting on the Wall, these issues can A character can only wield one shield at a time.
be lessened by securing the crossbow into a stand, and
become fair trade-offs for a weapon that can potential- Sode
ly drop a raging ogre with one shot.
When you perform an Attack action with a doom A throwback to an earlier age of armor making, sode
crossbow that inflicts a critical strike, increase the are rarely seen outside of Crab lands. These medium-
severity by the silhouette of the target. sized shields first appeared on Rokugan’s battlefields
centuries ago and soon were considered a standard
part of a warrior’s armor. Made of hide, iron, and
Kaiu no Oyumi steel plate, sode attach to the wearer’s shoulders and
Developed within the last century by Kaiu engineers, extend to the elbows. They provide excellent coverage
this large, bulky weapon is essentially a rapid-fire oyu- and allow a mounted samurai to keep their hands free
mi. The Kaiu no oyumi consists of a heavy oyumi with while still receiving the benefits of a shield. Use of sode
a large box attached to the top of the stock. The box has fallen off over the past few decades, but some
contains a magazine of bolts and a cocking mechanism tradition-minded Crab warriors wear them when fight-
that, with a single pull, draws the string, loads a bolt, ing on the Wall or patrolling the Shadowlands, espe-
and readies the mechanism to fire. While they are few cially when wearing heavy, old-fashioned ō-yoroi armor.
in number due to their relative mechanical complexi- A set of sode do not require free hands to wield, but
ty compared with the standard oyumi, they have prov- cannot be wielded with another shield. While wielding
en very valuable in extended engagements on the Wall, readied sode, treat your physical resistance as 1 higher
allowing small numbers of soldiers to face down numer- when reducing damage from projectile attacks (such as
ically superior foes while awaiting reinforcements. Martial Arts [Ranged] checks).
103

Table 2—1: Weapons

NAME SKILL RNG DMG DLS GRIPS QUALITIES RARITY PRICE
SWORDS
1-hand: –
Flyssa [Melee] 1 4 4 Wargear 8 15 koku
2-hand: Razor-Edged
Kabutowari [Melee] 0–1 3 3 1-hand: – Durable, Snaring 7 6 koku
1-hand: Cumbersome
Tekkan [Melee] 1–2 4 3 Durable, Wargear 8 50 koku
2-hand: Damage +2
HAMMERS AND AXES
1-hand: –
Genno [Melee] 0–1 3 3 Durable, Mundane 5 1 koku
2-hand: Damage +4
1-hand: Cumbersome
Tsuruhashi [Melee] 1 4 3 Mundane 4 5 bu
2-hand: Deadliness +2
BOWS AND CROSSBOWS
Doom Cumbersome,
[Ranged] 3–5 8 6 2-hand: – 10 80 koku
Crossbow Prepare, Wargear
Kaiu no Cumbersome,
[Ranged] 2–5 7 3 2-hand: – 8 60 koku
Oyumi Prepare, Wargear
Cumbersome,
Storm Bow [Ranged] 1–4 4 3 2-hand: – 9 60 koku
Prepare, Wargear
SHIELDS
Sode [Melee] 0 1 1 Shoulder: – Durable, Wargear 8 8 koku
Cumbersome,
Large Shield [Melee] 0 3 2 1-hand: – 8 10 koku
Durable, Wargear
Cumbersome,
Small Shield [Melee] 0 2 2 1-hand: – 8 6 koku
Durable, Wargear
SIEGE WEAPONS
Ballista [Ranged] 3–5 14 8 2-hand: – Durable, Prepare (2) 7 60 koku
O-Gata
[Ranged] 4–5 16 6 2-hand: – Durable, Prepare (2) 7 120 koku
Dohou
Large Shield Small Shield

Large shields, also called body shields, are a common Roughly the size and shape of a sode, small shields are
sight among Crab ashigaru on the Wall. Typically used the most common type of shield the Crab (and some
in conjunction with polearms, they provide incredi- Unicorn mounted forces) use. Usually made of iron or
ble protection from both melee and ranged attacks. steel, small shields are carried in one hand by a stur-
Roughly the size of an average Rokugani, a typical dy handle. They are typically square or rectangular
body shield is made from hardwoods reinforced with and often feature spikes, scalloped edges, engraving,
steel and covered in leather. embossed images, and other embellishments. Small
While you have a readied large shield, treat your shields are often used by skirmishers patrolling the
physical resistance as 6. Shadowlands or by lightly armed ashigaru. They pro-
As a Movement and Support action, if you have vide respectable coverage without weighing down the
a shield readied, you may increase the TN of Attack user overmuch.
action checks made targeting you by 2. This persists
until the start of your next turn.
104

While you have a readied small
shield, treat your physical resistance as 5.
As a Movement and Support action,
if you have a shield readied, you may
increase the TN of Attack action checks
made targeting you by 1. This persists
until the start of your next turn
Siege Weapons
Along with their defense of the Wall,
the Crab are famous for being extreme-
ly talented at the fine art of the siege.
While other clans often refrain from
using destructive force against castles
and cities, Crab warriors attack fortifica-
tions with relish.
Longer Preparation: A siege weap-
on modifies the Prepare quality with an
(X) value. This means you must use X
number of Support actions instead of 1
to prepare it. Note that multiple char-
acters at range 0 of the weapon can
undertake this Support action.
Ballista
Used as both a siege weapon and a defensive weap- New Armor
on to ward off creatures along the Wall, the ballista is
It is common knowledge that the Crab love armor—
a crossbow writ large. Mounted on a tilting, swiveling
and the heavier, the better. Their long service on the
frame and operated by a crew of two or three, the
Wall and their experiences with dangerous Shadow-
ballista is made primarily of wood, with metal fittings
lands creatures has made Crab warriors appreciate a
and accents. It fires massive bolts nearly four feet long
sturdy suit of armor more than warriors of other clans.
and four inches across and performs extremely well
against heavily armored enemies and flying creatures.
A skilled, well-equipped crew can keep up a wither- Ō-yoroi
ing rate of fire and can provide pinpoint support fire or Ō-yoroi—also known as great armor or Wall armor—is
deny an area with equal ease. the heaviest armor worn by Crab samurai, and possibly
Damage inflicted with a ballista ignores 4 points of the heaviest armor in Rokugan. These are huge, boxy,
physical resistance. often ornate suits used by high-ranking Crab officers
and powerful samurai assigned to Wall duty. The armor
O-Gata Dohou features all the components of lighter, lesser armor, but
on a grander scale. Massive sode cover the wearer’s
The o-gata dohou (literally, “stone-throwing machine”)
arms nearly to the wrist, thick iron plates and countless
uses mechanical principles to fling heavy stones, flam-
steel scales are laced together then lacquered to pro-
ing balls of pitch, scrap, corpses, or anything else
vide unparalleled protection, and outsized crests dec-
handy over long distances. Mounted on wheels and
orate the conical helmets with their monstrous masks.
served by a crew of up to six depending on the size,
All this protection and glory comes at a price,
the o-gata dohou is used primarily in siege warfare to
however. Since these suits were designed to serve on
batter fortifications and destroy buildings. The Crab
the Wall, nearly all their protection is focused on the
also use it as an antidemon and antipersonnel weapon
wearer’s front.
to fling sanctified stones or flaming projectiles at fiends
While you wear ō-yoroi, if are suffering the Disori-
from the Shadowlands that are attacking the Wall.
ented, Dazed, or Immobilized condition, treat your
physical resistance as 3 as your foes can strike at your
lightly armored back.
105

Table 2–2: Armor

NAME R. VALUES QUALITIES RARITY PRICE
Ō-yoroi Physical 6 Cumbersome, Resplendent, Wargear 8 60 koku

Tatami Gusoku Physical 3 Wargear (while equipped) 4 7 koku
Tosei-Gusoku Physical 4 Cumbersome, Durable, Wargear 8 50 koku
Tatami Gusoku Tosei-Gusoku

Tatami gusoku is a type of lightweight “folding” armor Tosei-gusoku is a new style of protection recently devel-
worn by Crab scouts and skirmishers. A typical suit con- oped by Crab armorers. Vaguely resembling a suit of
sists of an armored jacket called a tatami katabira and gaijin armor, a tosei-gusoku uses large, contoured steel
a folding helmet called a tatami kabuto. Other bits of plates laced together and worn over a chain or ring-
armor, particularly gauntlets, leg armor, and different mail coat. Plated gauntlets, iron greaves, a kabuto-like
helmets can also be worn with the suit. The tatami kat- helmet, and a four-piece haidate of laced steel plates
abira consists of dozens of karuta: square and rectangu- completes the suit. Thanks to the shape of the plates
lar metal plates of various sizes stitched together with and the clever use of hinges and laces, a tosei-gusoku
chainmail and sewn to a thick cloth or leather backing. provides better defense against ranged weapons than
Both the jacket and helmet can be folded up and easily more common suits of armor.
stored for travel or hidden away in an emergency. Despite the utility and improved protection a
tosei-gusoku offers, it remains unpopular among Crab
samurai. Due to its deviance from normal traditions of
armor making and the fact that it tends to be drab and
utilitarian rather than lovingly deco-
rated like most armor, many more
traditional-minded samurai con-
sider this suit fit only for ashigaru,
rōnin, and samurai of a poor lord.
While wearing tosei-gusoku,
treat your physical resistance as 2
higher when reducing damage from
projectile attacks (such as Martial
Arts [Ranged] checks).
Personal Effects
Those going into the Shadowlands
know that weapons alone are not
enough to make for a successful
mission. Veterans often bring spe-
cial items that help ensure they can
better survive in this vile setting, for
to die before actual battle would
be shameful.
Climbing Kit
The warriors of the Crab Clan do a
not-insignificant amount of climb-
ing, and so the climbing kit is an
important part of many samurai’s

military gear. It typically includes a few coils of rope, Spyglass

a small hammer, an iron chisel, powdered chalk, and a
handful of spikes, pitons, and other climbing ephem- Spyglasses are wondrous devices brought to the Crab
era. In addition, some climbers add special spiked lands by foreign mercenaries. At their most basic, spy-
bands that slip over their hands and feet for extra grip. glasses are long brass tubes full of polished glass lens-
(Cost: 2 bu. Rarity: 3.) es. Some are heavy enough to require a tripod for use,
while others are collapsible and small enough to fit in
Engineer’s Kit a pouch or pocket. No matter their size, all spyglasses
do the same thing: make objects far away easier to see.
These kits provide an architect, civil engineer, siege While rare and expensive, these items are gaining pop-
engineer, or builder with a set of basic tools for sur- ularity among Crab officers and scouts.
veying and building. These tool kits typically include A common spyglass allows a user to see small items
measuring and surveying tools, rolls of parchment for with great clarity and detail at up to range 5. Larger
making plans, various drafting implements, and an versions can let the user see clearly to range 6, while
assortment of carpenters’ and masons’ tools. (Cost: 3 smaller versions may only be useful out to range 4.
bu. Rarity: 3.) What a spyglass can and cannot see is ultimately left to
the game master’s discretion. (Cost: 2 koku. Rarity: 5.)
Sapper’s Kit
A sapper’s kit includes basic tools to help sappers and
Taketaba
miners in their work undermining and destroying forti- Taketaba are covered mobile platforms designed to
fications. It typically includes a small shovel, small pick- give archers and crossbow users cover on the battle-
ax, flint and steel for lighting fires, a bucket, a small field. While they vary in size and construction depend-
amount of pitch, a coil of rope or chain, and an assort- ing on their use and the materials at hand, a common
ment of other common building tools used in demoli- taketaba is a wheeled platform large enough for sev-
tions. (Cost: 1 bu. Rarity: 3.) eral warriors armed with bows or crossbows. The front
of the platform is covered in thick planks or bundles of
Smithy’s Kit bamboo. (Cost: 4 bu. Rarity: 4.)
This kit is necessarily larger and more complex infinitely

less portable than smaller kits like those used by sap-
Tate
pers and bowyers. It includes a variety of metalwork- Tate are a type of large, semiportable protection used
ing tools, specialty tools for weapon or armor making by warriors in the field. They are extremely simple
depending on the user’s specialty, a small anvil, a por- affairs consisting of a few thick wooden planks nailed
table forge, a crucible, and numerous hammers, tongs, together and painted or engraved with a clan or army’s
pliers, and blacksmithing tools. livery. They are carried into battle and set up by prop-
A smithy’s kit is Cumbersome and has a silhouette of ping a support plank behind them at an angle. Once
1. (Cost: 3 bu. Rarity: 3.) set, tate provide ample cover for archers, crossbow
wielders, and other warriors who need respite from fly-
Smoke Arrows ing arrows and debris. A set of tate provides cover for
one individual, but multiple tate can be set to provide
Smoke arrows, also called smoking-bulbs arrows, cover for larger groups.
are modified humming-bulb arrows created by Crab A character can set up a tate as a Support action.
armorers for signaling. They are tipped with a perforat- Once set, increase the TN of all Attack action checks with
ed, egg-shaped head filled with a mixture of alchemi- projectiles (such as Martial Arts [Ranged] checks) target-
cal substances that, when jostled, emit a thin cloud of ing a character behind it by 2. (Cost: 3 bu. Rarity: 3.)
smoke in a variety of colors depending on the specif-
ic mixture. Archers can fire these arrows high into the
air, using the smoke trails to signal other units up and
down the Wall. Depending on the smoke color, they
can indicate breaches of varying severity, calls for rein-
forcements, or that victory was achieved.
Smoke arrows modify a bow’s profile as follows:
Damage –2, Deadliness –2. (Cost: 3 bu. Rarity: 4.)
107

Signature Scrolls Hasegawa’s Denial

Ugawari Hasegawa was a famous Crab shugenja who
Every scroll that a school entrusts to its pupils contains discovered a way to enhance his offensive scrolls and
sacred knowledge, much of it unique to that school. control the movement of demons on the battlefield.
Further, each shugenja expands their mystical practic- He was known for being able to herd oni around during
es and keeps their own records. Thus, a novice can- combat, leading them into traps and killing zones
not simply go to a library and acquire the lore of the with a few well-placed blasts of magic. At the end of
greatest shugenja of generations past. But they might a long and successful life, Hasegawa finally recorded
be entrusted with (or “liberate”) a scroll of an ancient his secrets for posterity so that future shugenja could
master that unveils new cosmic secrets, granting their use his techniques in defense of the Wall and the
invocations new effects. Crab Clan.
If a shugenja who meets the prerequisites acquires Prerequisites: Crab Clan shugenja, school rank 3
“LIBERATED”
a signature scroll, they can learn its secrets by spend- XP Cost to gain use of scroll: 3 XP
KNOWLEDGE
ing the listed XP. New Effects: After the shugenja successfully uses an
At the GM’s discretion, invocation to smite a target, the area at range 0–3
if a character gets a of the target becomes Dangerous terrain for Taint-
scroll for which they do Ichi’s Second Sight
ed beings. This effect persists until the start of your
not meet the prerequi-
sites, they still might Ages ago, there lived a Witch Hunter named Kuni Ichi next turn.
be able to learn its who was legendary for his ability to spot mahō-tsukai,
secrets—though doing hidden demons, and Tainted individuals. As he aged, Maikara’s Rebuke
so could make powerful however, Ichi’s eyes grew milky, and his sight began
foes for them if they are Yasuki Maikara was a wandering shugenja famous for
to fade. Not one to take this lying down, Ichi devel-
not careful to conceal
oped an enhancement to requests to the kami for aid her fearlessness, her passion, and the strength of her
their new knowledge!
in divination that allowed him to see infernal presences devotion. She often disappeared for weeks at a time
despite his failing eyesight. into the Shadowlands in search of particularly danger-
Prerequisites: Witch Hunter, Crab Clan ous oni. While she sometimes traveled with a rōnin
XP Cost to gain use of scroll: 3 XP companion named Shintaro, she mostly traveled alone
New Effects: After the shugenja successfully uses an with only her fervor to protect her. During one of her
invocation to scry, any Supernatural or Tainted beings longer forays among the oni, Maikara developed a way
they perceive as part of the invocation glow faintly with to augment her calls to the kami even in these kansen-
an aura visible to the shugenja, even through smoke, infested regions. These enhancements had some
mist, fog, or obscured vision. surprising and often explosive effects creatures from
Jigoku, and she made sure she spread her techniques
far and wide before she disappeared into the Shadow-
lands forever at the ripe old age of 120.
Prerequisites: Shugenja
XP Cost to gain use of scroll: 3 XP
New Effects: After the shugenja successfully
uses a Fire invocation to smite a target, that
target treats the next attack targeting them
as having the Sacred quality. This effect
persists until the end of the scene.

Item Patterns
resin are typically heavily engraved with ornate designs
into which the resin is poured. As the item is exposed
to Shadowlands Taint, the jade slowly turns to muck,
Not all weapons and armor are created equally. A kata- requiring another application of the resin. While it
na forged by a novice swordsmith is typically of low- seems inconvenient to some, Shirogane jade inlay has
er quality than one forged by a master, and different protected the lives and souls of many Crab warriors.
schools or techniques might favor one weapon feature Weapons and armor designed for Shirogane jade
over another. inlay gain the Sacred quality. Armor so altered loses 1
There are two methods for gaining an item with point of physical resistance, and weapons lose 1 point
one of these patterns. The first is for your character of deadliness. Should the item become Damaged, the
to apprentice themself to a master to learn the means jade is chipped away as well and must be reapplied.
of crafting a new weapon with the desired pattern; When this happens, the item loses the Sacred quality
this requires the PC to win the master’s trust within until a smith applies more jade resin by making a TN
the story of the game, then spend the XP to learn the 3 Smithing (Earth) check as a downtime activity. This
pattern. The other method is to requisition, purchase, process consumes one finger of jade per attempt.
or find an existing item with the pattern. The price is XP Cost: 3 Rarity Modifier: +2
the same, but rarity is altered by the pattern’s listed
rarity modifier. Uchema’s Technique
Uchema’s technique is a style of armorsmithing used
Kakita Pattern to produce specialty armor for scouts and siege engi-
Kakita swordsmiths are known across Rokugan for their neers. A suit of armor made using Uchema’s technique
finely crafted weapons. While hardly one sword in a can be anything from a simple suit of ashigaru armor to
generation is deemed worth to bear the name “Kaki- a splendid, heavy suit of ō-yoroi. With careful tailoring
ta blade,” all of their works have an exquisitely sharp and clever use of lacing and straps, an armorsmith can
edge with no sacrifice to the weapon’s sturdiness. use the technique to make a suit of armor more flexible
A bladed weapon produced in the Kakita Pattern and easier to wear. A warrior wearing a suit made with
gains +1 deadliness. Uchema’s technique can run, climb, bend, leap, and
XP Cost: 6 Rarity Modifier: +4 otherwise move as if they were wearing simple clothing
rather than bulky armor.
Kenzō Blade A suit of armor made using Uchema’s technique
loses the Cumbersome quality and loses 1 point of
The Kenzō smithy is one of the premier smithies in physical resistance.
the Crane lands. Founded centuries ago by Ashidaka XP Cost: 4 Rarity Modifier: +3
Kenzō, this smithy produces wondrous dueling weap-
ons for the Kakita family. Indeed, Kenzō blades—
Yasunori Steel
nearly every weapon that has come out of the Kenzō
smithy has been a sword of one kind or another—are Decades ago, Kenru Yasunori, a Crab swordsmith,
considered to be among the finest dueling weapons developed a new steel alloy while tinkering in his forge.
in Rokugan. Kenzō blades are both beautiful and Quite by accident, they discovered that a mix of vari-
extremely deadly. ous ores and refined metals made a steel that is both
A weapon produced in the Kenzō smithy gains +1 lightweight and strong but lacks the beauty of tradi-
deadliness, –1 damage, and the Resplendent quality. tional Rokugani steel. Soon they began creating mas-
XP Cost: 8 Rarity Modifier: +5 sive two-handed swords and axes for use in defending
the Wall. Yasunori steel weapons are popular among
Shirogane Jade Inlay Crab samurai who appreciate a sturdy, well-made
blade and care little for aesthetics.
Kuni Shirogane was a weaponsmith renowned for his A weapon made from Yasunori steel loses the Cere-
beautiful and deadly weapons. During his long career, monial, Cumbersome, and Resplendent qualities (and
Shirogane developed a process to make a jade-infused can never gain any of these). It gains the Durable qual-
resin that could be applied to suitably crafted weap- ity; if the weapon already has the Durable quality, it
ons and armor to protect an individual against the ter- gains +1 deadliness instead.
rors of the Shadowlands. Items forged to use this jade XP Cost: 5 Rarity Modifier: +4
109

is virtuous, even if “good” comes from their
actions, resorting to a vile act will curse the
item. One such instance was the deposing
of Hantei XVI, the Steel Chrysanthemum, a
tyrant of an Emperor who nearly destroyed
Rokugan with his sadistic greed and para-
noia. Even though slaying him freed the land
and saved the Empire, felling a Son of Heaven
brought down the direst of curses upon the sword.
Carrying the Burden

Cursed objects affect their users in numerous, inescap-
able ways. The most subtle is also the most dangerous:
cursed objects affect the personality and emotional
state of the wielder. They may grow paranoid and dis-
trustful, or ambitious and reckless, or bloodthirsty, or
Artifacts of Jigoku
obsessed with revenge, or even enslaved by their own
desires. The shift is slight at first but grows more severe
every time the item is drawn. Eventually the wield-
Rokugani culture venerates ancestral belongings. Pre- er’s personality changes completely. Such enthralled
served artifacts are passed down from generation to warriors ultimately self-destruct, and then the item is
generation. However, there are objects for which this passed to another unsuspecting victim for the horrid
tradition is dangerous. All things cast a shadow; if an cycle to continue.
artifact can be blessed, then it can be cursed as well. Those cursed items that are bound to the power
Jigoku—such as those listed in this volume—are espe-
Cursed Lineages cially pernicious. Every time such a Tainted object is

used, kansen flock invisibly to the wielder, tempting
Within every object rests a latent spirit. This spirit is them to greater and greater acts of wickedness and
made of two parts: the shen, or benevolent side, and destruction. The symptoms worsen over time, and are
the kuei, the malevolent. For most objects, the spir- relieved only when the wielder obeys their Tainted
it remains dormant, these aspects never realized. But item. Attempts to cast out the item cause the owner
when an object drowns in the foul deeds of its wielder or to grow sick and desperate—most end up seeking the
the corrupting touch of Jigoku, the item’s kuei awakens. item again eventually, if they survive the wracking pain
There are a number of ways this can happen. Impure of separation.
materials and methods can create unholy works—when Destroying cursed items releases their spirits into the
Asahina Yanjiden unknowingly used Bloodspeaker rites world, creating foul entities, new curses, or other unpre-
taught to him by the disguised Iuchiban, he forged dictable evils. Thus, when these items are identified,
the infamous Bloodswords that went on to a carve a they are usually hidden and kept under constant protec-
tale of woe. However, even impure thoughts are said tion. It is a terrible burden, one carried by entire blood-
to be able to befoul a creation. The creator’s mindset lines, but containing the evil is worth any personal cost.
affects the item, so the smith fills their heart with neg- Legends exist of heroes whose virtuous deeds ulti-
ative emotion as they hammer the steel, ensuring it mately redeemed cursed artifacts, awakening the shen
awakens angry. and silencing the kuei forever. But these instances are
The kuei can also awaken when it is used by an rare, and foolhardy samurai who believe themselves
already Tainted being. An oni’s touch is often enough greater than a cursed artifact have done more harm in
to corrupt an item’s essence, and the Lost of the Shad- the Empire’s history than good.
owlands gradually Taint carried possessions. Awaken-
ing items are like impressionable children, influenced The Penalty for Power
invisibly by their wielder.
Finally, an item’s kuei awakens when it is used in an Carrying or using a cursed item warps the character’s
act so profane as to shame all involved. In this case, the personality. Their composure is reduced by 2. Addi-
intentions of the wielder do not matter. Even if the user tionally, they can only unmask using the Unmasking
Form associated with the cursed item.
110

Concealed Horrors the dog fan. These trinkets can change their wearer
into their depicted animal and back again, but each
SHADOWLANDS
ITEMS IN CAMPAIGNS
Just as the virtuous forge items to combat evil, so do time, the user suffers gradually more Taint, until they
servants of evil create objects that are like beacons to are trapped in a monstrous version of their animal A Shadowlands item
can be a compelling
Jigoku. Many appear indistinguishable from everyday form, unable to change back.
focal point for a
objects: a Tainted hairpin, a hand mirror with cursed Effects: Each henge-okurimono depicts an animal (all campaign. In literature,
runes hidden behind the polished glass, or a pillow of which can be found on page 325 of the core rule- cursed objects are often
book whose words are written in obsidian ink. Such is book). Once per game session as a Support action, you metaphors for human
may use a henge-okurimono to curse and augment your vices, like greed, lust,
their insidious purpose, for one does not realize they
or anger. Giving in
are aiding Jigoku until it is too late. body, transforming it into that of the animal depicted in
provides an immediate
the artwork. While in this form, you use its ring values, gain but creates escalat-
The Anvil of Despair derived attributes, abilities, and advantages with the ing problems.
physical or social type, but you use your own skill ranks
When an item’s curse
Among the foulest artifacts to exist in Rokugan, the and advantages with the mental or spiritual types. This is revealed, the GM
Anvil of Despair is also one of the most infamous. Its effect persists until you choose to end it or are ren- should make the “rules”
creator, Agasha Ryuden, used iron extracted from oni dered unconscious, at which point your form reverts to of the curse explicit.
blood and sacrificed the entire Boar Clan to give it Cursed items provide
its original state and you suffer the Afflicted condition.
a significant boon, and
birth. Any item forged on this anvil awakens cursed and Do not remove any fatigue or strife you suffered in the the narrative should
malicious, eventually corrupting its wielder. It played alternate form when you return to your original; if this feature adequate
an invisible hand in shaping Rokugan’s history, and causes your fatigue to exceed your endurance (or your temptations to use it.
none can say how many evil blades have been ham- strife to exceed your composure when it did not in your Maybe the item offers
mered into being on its cursed back. a convenient solution
alternate form, you suffer a critical strike with severity
to a complex problem
Effects: The Anvil requires a proper sacrifice for mahō 5 (or you become Compromised, in the case of strife). or provides something
(see p. 224 of the core rulebook) each time you wish to Unmasking Form: Panicked Retreat a character wants or
perform a Smithing check using it. Any weapon forged needs. Do the players
accept the potential
on the Anvil of Despair gains +2 deadliness and the The Porcelain Mask of Fu Leng consequences of using
Unholy quality.
this item? Can the
Unmasking Form: Honor’s Challenge As it is described only in thirdhand accounts of Sho-
downsides be mitigated
suro’s final words, it is not certain that the Porcelain for ultimate benefit?
The Black Pearls of Fu Leng Mask of Fu Leng even exists. It is said that when Maybe just this once...
donned, the mask seals itself to the wearer’s face,
When a particularly pure pearl or gemstone is exposed detaching only after death. It can change its visage to
to the Taint, it easily picks up spiritual impurities. After any face the user imagines, and through its eyes, the
being heavily exposed to corruption, especially by mask reveals horrors normally hidden to mortals. If this
direct contact with the power of the Shadowlands, artifact does exist, then surely its foolish owners were
such a treasure becomes twisted and treacherous. lost to what nightmares the mask reveals.
Mahō users can offer these Black Pearls of Fu Leng to Effects: Once you don the mask, it cannot be removed
attract swarms of malicious kansen from miles around. until your death (or another exceptional event), and
Effects: While wielding a Black Pearl of Fu Leng, you you are assigned one Shadowlands Taint disadvantage
may use mahō without making a proper sacrifice (see of the GM’s choice.
page 224 of the core rulebook). When you perform a While wearing the mask, as a Support action, you
check to activate a mahō technique without a proper may augment yourself, shifting the mask into an illusion
sacrifice, add two kept  dice showing   results. of any face you wish to present; any other character
Unmasking Form: Bend Principles must make a TN 4 Sentiment check (Earth 5, Fire 2)
to find a flaw in your facade. This effect persists until
The Henge-Okurimono you are rendered unconscious or will it to end.
While wearing the mask, as a Scheme action, you
Created by a mahō-tsukai, the cursed “shape-shifting
may scry for supernatural presences, causing them to
gifts” are seemingly mundane household items, each
glow with sickly purple light that only you can perceive.
depicting a different animal: the hawk hairpins, the sil-
This effect persists until the end of the scene.
ver origami cat, the wolf kimono, the boar sandals, and
Unmasking Form: Expose an Opening
111

Blessed Treasures The Impermanence

Most blessed treasures are nemuranai—awakened of Jade and Obsidian
items that to level the playing field when confronting
All Crab know what happens to jade in the
the evils of the Shadowlands (see page 307 of the core
presence of the Taint: it slowly turns from
rulebook). Others are items and concoctions that use
vivid emerald to soft, black sludge. In the
jade or obsidian in their makeup. All blessed items
Shadowlands, this process appears barely
should be rare and hard to come by, and especially in
noticeable close to the Wall, but as a person
the case of weapons, samurai must prove themselves
carrying jade moves deeper into that cor-
worthy to wield them. After all, if a samurai falls while
rupted land, the deterioration becomes fast-
wielding such an item against the minions of Fu Leng,
er with each league traveled. The blackness
it could be lost forever!
might first appear where the jade touched a
Using Jade and Obsidian

Tainted creature, from within like a cancerous
growth, or as a network of fine lines that grow
While many objects use jade and obsidian in these thicker each day. Legends say that jade near
materials’ unaltered forms (such as the fingers of jade the Festering Pit is consumed so rapidly that
issued as basic provisions for patrols into the Shadow- the progression can be witnessed like the sun
lands), some artisans craft jade and obsidian into items setting into darkness.
of greater potency. Even simple additions of these Some scholars, such as Kuni shugenja,
blessed materials to weapons can turn common katana study these remains, seeking out any useful
into powerful forces against Tainted beings. properties they might contain. Most samurai,
One common tactic is coating a weapon in oil and though, merely dispose of the material as
then dipping it in powdered jade. This bestows jade they would dirt clinging to their sandals.
properties onto ordinary weapons, albeit temporarily. What few know is that obsidian also per-
This can be done with obsidian powder as well to sim- ishes, though in this case, it is from exposure
ilar effect, but because obsidian is connected to Lord to sacred lands. It most commonly transforms
Moon and known to attract negative emotions, most into black smoke that drifts away into the air,
are loath to resort to it. but its effects upon those who wield it may
Another method is affixing written blessings to the last a lifetime.
weapon or ammunition, especially arrows. Selections As these materials, especially jade, dissi-
from the Lotus Sūtra, which are believed to be too pure pate based on exposure, game masters are
for oni to endure, are commonly used for this purpose, encouraged to use them as a way to build
as are Fortunist writings, especially excerpts from the tension within the Shadowlands. The main
Sun Goddess’s doctrine. means that jade should be corrupted is by
protecting its bearer from the Afflicted con-
Treasures of the Crab dition (see the Sacred quality on page 241 of
the core rulebook). Therefore, having the PCs
The following are but a sample of items from Crab lore make checks to avoid becoming Afflicted just
that are part of that clan’s struggle against the denizens before a particularly powerful monster or hor-
of the Shadowlands and the effects of the Taint—or rific sight appears can ratchet up the tension
that others use to further their own desires for power. in the same way as heavy footsteps or a dra-
matic scream in a horror story
The Jade Cups of Taira
Most of the disgraced rōnin Taira’s creations are lost
Awakened Item: The Cups of Taira are a nemuranai.
and forgotten, but his jade cups are still remembered.
As such, they have the Durable and Sacred qualities.
These appear as ordinary sake cups, but upon closer
inspection, their interior is almost invisibly lined with $$ Quirk: The cups glow when Otherworldly crea-
white jade. It is not known how many Taira made, but tures are nearby (at range 0–3, if relevant).
now and again, one appears in a market or among a
daimyō’s prized possessions.
$$ Sealed Invocation: Once per scene, you may
perform the Jurojin’s Balm invocation using
your Medicine skill.
112

Jade Petal Tea Obsidian Ink

One of the only medicines known to combat the Taint, Obsidian inksticks, which contain pulverized obsidian
jade petal tea is not a true tea, but instead a tincture in addition to the usual ingredients, are insidiously
made from rice shōchū and a special flower known as visually identical to ordinary inksticks. When mixed with
a jade lotus. These flowers are grown in Crab lands water on an inkstone, the resulting obsidian ink tem-
using water infused with jade powder, resulting in edi- porarily bestows the spiritual properties of obsidian on
ble petals containing the jade’s spiritual properties. any scroll, canvas, or other surface. But when blood is
The considerable time and expense involved makes used instead of water, the resulting ink attracts kansen
jade petal tea a rare medicine. When consumed, and imbues mahō rituals with even greater power.
grants temporary resistance to the Shadowlands Taint Effects: When preparing an a ward containing an invo-
and suppresses its effects. cation (see Prepared Invocations on page 190 of the
Kuni Wardens carefully control production and distri- core rulebook), if you use obsidian ink, you may receive
bution of the tea and maintain records of all in the Emer- up to 3 strife to add that many kept  showing  results.
ald Empire to whom they provide it to. This is done both Additionally, you may use this ink mixed with blood
to monitor its effects on those suffering from the Taint to prepare a ward containing a mahō technique as if it
and to ensure there are no Tainted individuals outside of were an invocation. If you do, you may suffer up to 3
their records. There are frequent attempts to steal tea strife to add that many kept  showing   results.
supplies, and the Kuni are ruthless in tracking down
and punishing anyone caught with illicit quantities.
Effects: After you consume jade petal tea,
remove the Afflicted condition.
Additionally, you ignore all of your
Shadowlands Taint disadvantages. This
effect persists until you suffer the Afflicted
condition, or for one week in narrative time
(whichever comes first).
Kishu: The Oni-

Cutting Sword
To prove their worthiness, Hida tasked
Hiruma, Kuni, and Kaiu with the destruc-
tion of Hajimeno Tatakai no Oni. To this
end, Kaiu created Kishu, known col-
loquially as the “Oni-Cutting Sword.”
Designed for a left-handed warrior, the
iron of this ancient tachi is blended with
powdered jade. It cuts through oni armor,
no matter how thick. Kishu has been lost
in the Shadowlands, some believe it still
sleeps in fallen Daylight Castle.
Awakened Weapon: Kishu is a chokotō.
As a nemuranai, it has +2 deadliness
and the Sacred and Durable qualities.
$$ Quirk: Kishu only cuts when

wielded in the left hand.
$$ Sealed Invocation: It has the Bind
the Shadow invocation sealed
within it, which the wielder may
perform once per session using
Martial Arts [Melee].

New Techniques
Activation: As a downtime activity, you may make a
TN 2 Smithing check using any ring to undertake the
maintenance of your weapons and armor.
The following are new techniques that can aid samurai Effects: If you succeed, apply one of the following
in Tainted lands as well as in secret-filled courts. based on the ring you used:
Earth Invocation $$
$$
Air: Increase the deadliness of a weapon by 1.
Earth: Remove the Damaged quality from the
The following new Invocation is useful when traveling item. If it did not have the Damaged quality, it
in the Shadowlands. gains the Durable quality.
$$ Fire: The item gains one quality that it could
Essence of Jade Rank 3
logically possess. The GM is the final arbiter of
In the Light of Yomi (Ancestral), Consecration of the Sev- what quality can be added this way, and they
en (Fortunist), The Wheel that Repels Demons (Foreign) should inform the player of whether an option
is possible before their character undertakes
The shugenja takes a pinch of jade powder and sprin-
this downtime activity.
kles it in a pentagram symbolizing harmony of the Five
Elements on the world, recalling the spirits of the land $$ Water: Increase the base damage of a weap-
to their rightful place to provide a bulwark against the on by 1 and decrease its deadliness by 1, or
forces of evil. increase the supernatural resistance of a set of
Activation: As a Support action, you may make a TN armor by 1 and reduce its physical resistance
3 Theology (Earth) check targeting one position at by 1.
range 0–2. $$ Void: Reduce the TN of the next check the
Effects: If you succeed, you purify the area and remove character makes with this weapon by 1.
the Defiled terrain quality from an area that extends a
number of range bands around the target position equal Only one of these effects can be applied to an item.
to your Earth Ring. This effect persists for one round, Any effect applied this way persists until the end of the
plus additional rounds equal to your bonus successes. next scene in which the item is used.
New Opportunities Craft Shikigami (Shugenja) Rank 2

: This effect persists until the end of the scene It is a minor thing for mystical adepts to create these
instead. small creatures, often from paper but sometimes from
 : While the effect persists, the terrain gains the other materials. They can take almost any form, and as
Hallowed (Earth) terrain quality. such they can offer much amusement in courts as they
: While the effect persists, each Tainted being in the caper about or even fly through the air. Surely, no one
affected area increases the TN of all checks they make would ever think to use them to sneak into secured
to resist effects by 2. rooms or secretly add poison to a lord’s sake. Surely.
: You may choose a character instead of a position. Activation: As a downtime activity using a consecrated
The cleansed area follows that character. vessel of silhouette 0 or smaller, you may make an Arti-
: While the effect persists, all damage inflicted in this san skill (Void) check to create a shikigami (see page
area has the Sacred quality. 115). You choose the TN of the check (minimum 1).
Effects: If you succeed, choose a number of invoca-
Rituals tions that you know up to the TN of the check. Record
the selected invocations and create a unique name for
These rituals can be used to craft weapons ideal for the shikigami. While the shikigami exists, the chosen
combat or create small creatures useful for carrying out invocations are sealed within it—you cannot use them,
secretive missions. but the shikigami can. You can have up to one shiki-
gami at a time. When the shikigami’s physical form is
Blessing of Steel (Artisan) Rank 2 destroyed, its essence returns to you; you can re-create
it by making a new physical form for it in the manner
The sword is the soul of the samurai, and proper main-
of making a new shikigami, but it retains its memories
tenance of one’s ancestral wargear is not just an import-
and personality.
ant physical act, but also a sacred rite in its own regard.
114

The shikigami is intelligent, can communicate with

you, and generally obeys your orders. It can perform Animal Shikigami
any invocations you have sealed within it as an action,
using your ranks in Composition and its ring value for
by Element
the skill check. Shikigami are often crafted from paper or
other common materials, but they can also
Shikigami be fashioned out of dirt, loose bits of metal,
liquids, or even small flames. They generally
take the shape of small, ghostly figures with
These small creatures can be created through relatively humanoid forms, though they can have ani-
simple rituals that tie the newly constructed beings to mal traits or forms as the shugenja desires.
their creator. Paper is commonly used, allowing them Depending on the sorts of invocations used
to be folded flat and rest inside books, or even flutter to animate a shikigami, some common
about on butterfly wings. Shikigami follow the direc- forms are:
tions of their creator (for the most part) and can per-
form simple tasks or remember conversations. $$ Air: Birds, butterflies, bats, moths
$$ Water: Fish, frogs, salamanders
1 1
ENDURANCE
4 FOCUS
2 $$ Fire: Dragonflies, fireflies, centipedes
COMPOSURE
4 VIGILANCE
1 $$ Earth: Mice, rats, spiders
1 1 1 +2, –2
DEMEANOR - FIERCE

RESTRICTED ACTION

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES During a conflict, if a shikigami and the ritualist who
created it are both present, the shikigami does not take
Tireless: Rebellious:
its own turn. During the shugenja’s turn, it can move up
 Martial; Physical  Martial; Mental

to 1 range band. As a Support action, the ritualist may

FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR have the shikigami perform an action with their assis-
tance (see page 26 of the core rulebook).
Cutting Edges: Range 0, Damage 1, Deadliness 2
New Opportunities

Gear (equipped): None
: Choose one of your advantages and one of your

ABILITIES

disadvantages. Add these to the shikigami.

IMBUED WITH POWER : Instead of appearing as the item or material from
The more powerful the invocations invested into a shi- which it was created, the shikigami has a different form
kigami, the higher its associated ring values become. of your choosing of the same silhouette.
If a shikigami is invested with one or more invocations +: Increase the silhouette of the shikigami by 1 per
of a particular element (Air, Earth, Fire, Water, or Void),  spent this way.
it treats that ring value as equal to the highest among +: Choose one skill. The shikigami possesses a num-
the school rank prerequisites of those invocations. ber of ranks in this skill equal to the  spent this way.
Example: A shikigami invested with a rank 2 Air You may activate this multiple times for different skills.
invocation, a rank 1 Earth invocation, and a rank 3 +: Increase the shikigami’s endurance or composure
Water invocation would have ring values of Air 2, Earth by 2 per  spent this way.
1, Fire 1, Water 3, Void 1.
LIVING INVOCATION
Once per scene as an action, a shikigami may perform
one invocation invested in it without making a check.
It counts as having 2 bonus successes and  .
115

Mahō Forbidden Texts

Anyone can perform blood-fueled incantations to the To prevent the use of mahō within the Empire,
corrupt kami known as kansen. Frustrated samurai the Isawa destroy any suspect book or scroll.
might use mahō to gain power the kami deny them, This makes finding forbidden texts difficult.
and downtrodden peasants might use it right wrongs There are other ways of learning mahō incan-
when pleas to Fortunes go unanswered. The cost of tations, however. Mahō-tsukai sometimes
such power is the mind, life, even soul of the practi- take on apprentices, for instance, who both
tioner, but the desperate or ignorant overlook this cost. serve the mahō-tsukai and learn from them.
Some believe they can tap into the power of mahō Anyone who hears the whispers of kansen
without becoming corrupted, using it for good. Even if can learn incantations from these vile spirits,
this were possible, mahō is considered the worst kind who lure people into service with promises
of blasphemy. of great power. Trained shugenja may resist,
The abundance of kansen in the Shadowlands but the untrained are more susceptible and
means mahō is both easier and more dangerous there should avoid venturing into the Shadowlands
than elsewhere. It is easy to attract swarms of kansen without a more knowledgeable guide.
or summon the wrong demon, and the Taint is inescap-
able. Those who use mahō there gain an advantage
but also succumb to the Taint at an advanced rate.
The Blood Price The Ultimate Sacrifice

Any samurai knows that neither blood nor life is the
Kansen require a sacrifice of fresh blood. Depending ultimate sacrifice. A mahō-tsukai forfeits honor and
on the ritual, this may mean a mere drop, or enough soul for their foul craft. However, especially for samu-
to drain a body dry. Most kansen crave human blood, rai fighting in the Shadowlands, there might be times
and mahō-tsukai who substitute animal blood usually when forsaking personal honor could win a victory
regret it. This may be why there are no known nezumi for the family or fulfill a duty for the clan. A shugenja
practitioners. The practitioner’s own blood signifies a defending the Wall may feel justified using mahō to
personal sacrifice, and mahō-tsukai quickly learn where drive back a demonic assault if it saves the Empire.
to make cuts that bleed freely without causing perma- Even if their first use of mahō is minor and does not
nent damage. Those studying under the watchful eye result in the Taint, a user tastes a power that tempts
of a more experienced practitioner learn basic anato- them until they succumb again. Most samurai only
my. Only an untutored mahō-tsukai would risk the use resort to mahō in the direst of circumstances, if at
of their hand by cutting their palm or leave scars on all, knowing there is no going back. Afterward, they
their wrist where a Witch Hunter might see them. watch themselves for signs evil is taking hold and fall
Some kansen prefer the blood of high-born samu- upon their own swords rather than become servants
rai, powerful shugenja, or enlightened monks, or that of Jigoku. However, there are also users deluded
from a specific family or clan. The right sacrifice attracts enough to believe they are bending evil forces to their
more powerful spirits and renders invocations more bidding, while in reality, they are slipping under Fu
potent. Scouts found alone in the Shadowlands, lost Leng’s control.
travelers, and overly trusting samurai are all potential
sacrifices. To arrange a sacrifice for a demanding kan-
sen, a mahō-tsukai may perform many smaller sacri-
Demonic Summonings
fices and rituals that help them set up the final victim Attracting the attention of an oni is a simple process,
and remove any yōjimbō or other obstacles. By the especially within the Shadowlands, where it can hap-
time the objective is achieved, the mahō-tsukai will pen by accident. Controlling the oni is the difficulty.
have entreated many kansen, spilled much blood, and The summoner can strike a bargain to inflict the oni
become heavily Tainted. upon a victim, but oni want more than blood, and spe-
cific requirements vary between oni of different levels
and types.
116

An accomplished mahō-tsukai learns the desires To Call Demons from Jigoku

of the oni first and has something ready to bargain
with, but they also ensure that the demon’s needs The nameless oni who enter Ningen-dō through the
are aligned with their own. A practitioner who wants Festering Pit cannot remain in the Mortal Realm for long.
revenge on an old rival who joined a monastery might Summoning is required to make use of an oni anywhere
summon an oni that delights corrupting monks, for else in the Shadowlands or beyond. This is achieved
instance. If acquiring political power is the goal, they through an incantation accompanied by blood sacrifice
might summon one that specializes in manipulating to incite a kansen to drag the oni from Jigoku. This
minds and overthrowing authority. allows even a nameless oni to stay in Ningen-dō long
All unnamed oni desire a name, since this allows enough for it to perform an action for the summoner.
them to take form in Ningen-dō. A mahō-tsukai who If it escapes the summoner’s control, it wreaks as much
grants their own name to an oni is tied to it forever, havoc as it can before it is drawn back into Jigoku. If
an exchange that both enslaves and empowers the a named oni escapes, it rampages unchecked through
practitioner. The two essentially become one, in a near- Ningen-dō until defeated. This is rare, but even a sin-
unbreakable pact. A named oni is more powerful than gle such oni causes unimaginable chaos.
an unnamed one, and it is far more dangerous, as it can
roam the Empire at will. Example Demons
The abilities of oni are vast, destructive, and difficult
The variety of oni in the Shadowlands is immense and
to control. Many practitioners who attempt to control
inexhaustible as each is a unique creature. Following
an oni are tricked, forced to give up their name, or
are a few that a mahō-tsukai may summon and set to
simply destroyed. Since most practitioners are already
some malevolent task, using the Accursed Summoning
deeply steeped in corruption, they act heedless of the
mahō technique on page 118. See the Oni Genera-
dangers. Some, believing themselves strong enough
tion section on page 134 to create and unleash more.
to bend the demon to their will, even summon a pow-
The Shadow Oni is a demon that hides in
erful oni who already possess name and form.
shadows and reflections, revealing the dark
side of anyone it encounters and gradual-
ly turning them into their worst selves. It
wants name and form, and a skilled mahō-
tsukai might promise such gifts but find a way
to withhold them indefinitely. Given form, it
becomes a shadowlike warrior that no barrier
can keep out, insubstantial until it grasps a vic-
tim’s own weapon and strikes.
The Oni of Desire renders a victim’s repressed
desires and ambitions so powerful that no ascet-
ic monk could control them. It affects each victim
differently, feeding on their longing for what they
desire the most. It will gladly serve a mahō-tsukai
targeting monks or highborn samurai, enjoying
their frustration and inevitable weakness. Given
form, it appears as a geisha, befriending victims and
persuading them they deserve all they desire, then
reveling in their downfall.
The Parasitic Oni announces its presence by
buzzing like a locust in the practitioner’s mind. It
infects anyone the mahō-tsukai wishes, entering
through the victim’s ear and slowly consuming
them from the inside out, driving them beyond
the edge before eventually killing them.
It wants name and form. Given form, it
appears as a swarm of locusts, which could
infect a whole castle or town. It is extremely
difficult to contain and control.
117

Renjiro no Oni stole the name of a shugenja who Bind the Undead Rank 2
came to the Shadowlands to conduct experiments.
The mahō-tsukai draws on the power of Jigoku to
Renjiro believed that through a combination of ritual
extend their will over the animated dead (such as
and surgery, he could cure the Taint. His vain efforts
skeletons or zombies). These undead then act as the
resulted in his own affliction and possession by an oni
mahō-tsukai commands, mimicking gestures or fol-
attracted to his invasive methods. Now, Renjiro no Oni
lowing simple instructions. They can attack a target or
is a robed monstrosity of muscle and grey matter seek-
follow the mahō-tsukai like a squad of troops follows
ing Tainted subjects. Its human face offers redemp-
their leader. A smaller number of undead allows the
tion, but then it turns its head and reveals its demonic
practitioner greater control, and a single undead being
visage, which extends a drill-like tongue to suck the
can act naturally enough to infiltrate a town or castle,
brains from its victims.
if the practitioner remains nearby and sustains the
New Mahō Techniques necessary concentration.

Activation: As a Scheme action, you may make a TN 2
The following techniques are designed to supplement Theology (Fire) check targeting a number of undead
those in the core rulebook on page 224, allowing char- creatures up to your Earth Ring at range 0–4. You can
acters to embrace the power of mahō. They follow the only choose undead creatures with combat rank 3 or
same rules for proper sacrifices and requisites for learn- lower this way.
ing mahō as described there as well. Fortunately, the Effects: If you succeed, you bind each target to your
Shadowlands boasts kansen eager to whisper to those will. They can now act only under your control, via sim-
who can hear, mahō-tsukai requiring apprentices, and ple voice commands. You can issue straightforward
the vile texts of the Lost Library. commands with your allocated five words per turn, or
you can issue more complex commands if you dedicate
Accursed Summoning Rank 1 your action to giving a command. If you are killed or
become Unconscious due to a critical strike, all bound
Description: The mahō-tsukai spills blood and recites undead under your control cease to function, slumping
a foul prayer to summon a chosen oni and bind it to to the ground as inanimate corpses.
their will. The oni appears caught in an invisible prison, Whether you succeed or fail, an area encompassing
unable to act except at the summoner’s direction. 1 range band around each target’s position gains the
XP Cost: 3 Defiled terrain quality.
Activation: As a downtime activity action, you may
make a Theology (Void) check with TN equal to the New Opportunities
oni’s Intrigue rank.
Effects: If you succeed, you summon the desired oni  : One undead creature you choose becomes a rev-
and bind it to your will, unable to act without your con- enant (see page 18) in addition to becoming bound.
sent. +: Treat the maximum range of the technique as 1
If you fail, you summon the desired oni (or a differ- higher per  spent this way.
ent one, at the GM’s discretion) but it breaks free of +: Treat the maximum combat rank of an undead
your control and curses you, causing you to suffer the creature you can bind as 1 higher per  spent this way.
Afflicted condition. If you bind an intelligent undead creature this way and
If you have 3 or more kept  results, the summoned later lose control of it, it reverts to its own goals instead
oni scries and learns your name. of becoming inanimate.
New Opportunities: Commune with Evil Rank 1

+: The sight of the oni instills primal terror in any The practitioner detects any malevolent supernatural
onlookers. Each character who can see the oni and is entities in the area, senses their desires, and makes a
within range 3 suffers a number of strife equal to  bargain for an unholy blessing.
spent this way. Activation: As a downtime activity action, you may
 : The oni instills a Shadowlands Taint disadvantage make a TN 1 Theology (Void) check.
of your choice upon anyone within a range equal to Effects: If you succeed, you scry for the presence of
the number of your rings with the Shadowlands Taint any Otherworldly or Tainted beings at range 0–6.
disadvantage attached.
118

Entreat the Shadow Steed Rank 2

Using Mahō in The mahō-tsukai compels the kansen to fetch a suit-
the Shadowlands able mount. The onikage rises from the ground as a
skeletal mount, or an undead horse with decaying flesh
When resolving a check to perform mahō comes galloping across the Shadowlands.
in the Shadowlands, the character always Activation: As a Support action, you may make a TN
counts as having assistance—from Fu Leng 2 Theology (Earth) check. This technique can be used
himself! This means they roll one additional only in the Shadowlands, or near a place where the
 for the check and may keep one additional corpse of a horse might be found, such as an ancient
die. Fu Leng has no advantages the character or recent battlefield.
may apply, though, and refuses to suffer strife Effects: If you succeed, you summon an onikage (see
to negate  on the character’s check. The page 23) and bind it to your will. It obeys your com-
mahō may still receive assistance from other mands, allowing you to ride it as per the Mounts and
characters as the GM deems suitable. Riding rules on page 326 of the core rulebook. It reacts
violently if others try to ride it.
New Opportunities
New Opportunities
 : The equine creature retains enough flesh to pass
: If there are any such beings, they accept your offer- as a living horse; characters with vigilance 3 or lower do
ing, and they augment you with an unholy blessing that not notice its undead status.
increases the value of the ring you used for the check   : Other characters whom you designate can also
by 1. You can only have one unholy blessing at a time, ride the onikage.
and it persists until the end of the scene.  +: Summon one additional onikage per   spent
  +: If you receive an unholy blessing, it tempo- this way.
rarily increases the ring’s value by an additional 1 per
   spent this way. Fiend’s Retreat Rank 3
+: If you receive an unholy blessing, it persists for 1
additional round per  spent this way. This technique allows its user to exchange positions
with an unsuspecting character, leaving them to meet a
Dark Reflection Rank 1 miserable end. The blade descends, but the sorcerer’s
flesh twists like wax and melts to foul muck, revealing
The mahō-tsukai must obtain an obsidian mirror, pool of some unfortunate whom the mahō-tsukai left to meet
Tainted water, or other corrupted reflective surface. By the judgment they so richly deserve.
appealing to kansen, the practitioner makes the object Activation: Once per scene, as an Attack and Move-
becomes a divinatory tool for a time. The practitioner ment action or as an out-of-turn action when you are
can receive visual answers to questions or spy on a per- targeted by an attack, you may make a Theology (Air)
son or area. Kansen are willing to play this “game,” but check targeting one character at range 2–3. The target
the accuracy of images may not be reliable. must be Incapacitated or a minion NPC, and the TN of
Activation: As a Support action, you may make a TN 2 the check is equal to the target’s vigilance.
Theology (Water) check targeting a person, object, or Effects: If you succeed, you curse the target, forcing
location you have encountered before. them to exchange physical locations with you. The
Effects: If you succeed, you scry upon a chosen person target becomes the target of any attacks that were
or location. However, the image is distorted: one minor targeting you.
detail within it, of the GM’s choosing, is always incorrect,
reflecting instead the fears or desires of the mahō-tsukai. New Opportunities
New Opportunities +: Choose one additional character at range 0–1 to

move and one additional target per  spent this way.
  : You bind the kansen within the object per- : Increase the maximum range by 1 per  spent
manently. The object gains the Unholy quality and this way.
retains its divinatory properties after the initial use. As
a Support action, a character may give the object an
offering of blood to show the chosen object, person,
or location again.
119

Shape the Flesh Rank 4 Activation: As an Attack and Intrigue action, you may
make a Theology (Air) check targeting one Other-
The mahō-tsukai transforms their body, taking on a
worldly being at range 0–1. The TN of this check is
demonic aspect. Ragged wings or a glistening cara-
equal to the target’s vigilance and is reduced by 2 if the
pace sprouts from their flesh, or their form flows like
target is also a Tainted being.
befouled water, extending unnaturally. They might
Effects: If you succeed, you bind the spirit inside an
even fade into living shadow, becoming a creature of
object of silhouette 1 or less at range 0–2. If the being
pure obscurity that shrugs off even the holiest of talis-
you bound is Tainted, the object gains the Unholy quality.
mans and prayers.
If you fail, the spirit curses you, and you suffer the
Activation: As a Support action, you may make a TN 4
Afflicted condition.
Theology check.
Effects: If you succeed, you augment and curse your-
New Opportunities
self in one of the following ways, depending on the
ring you used: : The object gains one other quality of your choice
from the following list: Concealable, Durable, Resplen-
$$ Talons and Fangs (Fire): The damage and
dent, Subtle.
deadliness of your Unarmed profile become 6,
: As an action, the holder of the object may release
and it gains the Unholy quality.
the bound being to importune one mahō (or invoca-
$$ Thick Hide (Earth): Your physical resistance tion, if you have bound an elemental spirit) without
becomes 7. paying the usual costs or making the usual TN adjust-
$$ Wings (Air): You gain flight; you can move ments (see Importune Invocations on page 189 and
vertically and ignore the negative effects Importune Mahō on page 225 of the core rulebook).
of terrain.
Spread Corruption Rank 2
$$ Malleable Form (Water): The maximum range
of your unarmed and melee attacks becomes 3. The practitioner channels their inner corruption into
$$ Shadowy Form (Void): Your supernatu- their skin, so that their touch becomes contagious.
ral resistance becomes 7. You count as an Anyone or anything they touch is assailed by the foul
Otherworldly being. influence of the Shadowlands, which seeks any gap in
their spiritual fortitude that it can grasp.
Activation: As a Support action, you may make a TN 2
New Opportunities Theology (Fire) check.
Effects: If you succeed, you augment your touch with
 : Once before the end of the scene, as an action, a corrupting influence. Anyone whose skin you touch
you may perform this technique again with a different (such as with an unarmed attack) is cursed, and they
ring and maintain both effects. must resist with a TN 4 Fitness or Meditation check
(Earth 2, Fire 5) or suffer fatigue equal to their shortfall
Spiritual Shackles Rank 1
and the Afflicted condition. This effect persists until the
end of the scene.
Mahō-tsukai deal constantly with powerful, dangerous
beings, and those who live long enough learn that
New Opportunities
kansen can only be trusted to be untrustworthy—but
deceit can be repaid in kind. Other spirits might also  : After you touch someone, the effect is delayed
seek to wreak vengeance upon mahō-tsukai, from the for three rounds, or about a minute in narrative time.
hungering ghosts called gaki to wrathful ancestor spir- : While this effect persists, any ground you walk on
its, and it pays to have protection against such beings. becomes Defiled terrain (see Terrain on page 267 of
The mahō-tsukai uses trickery and sheer will on a kan- the core rulebook).
sen or other spirit, sealing it within an object.  : Increase the severity of any critical strike you
inflict with your unarmed attack profiles by 2 for each
of your rings with the Shadowlands Taint disadvantage.
120

Sword of Blood Rank 2 Twisted Summons Rank 3

The mahō-tsukai draws blood from an open wound, The mahō-tsukai calls forth an abomination from
the vital fluid swirling up to their outstretched palm and Jigoku, giving it a temporary cage of flesh from which
congealing into a deadly weapon. to wreak carnage upon the Mortal Realm. The being
Activation: As a Support action, you may make a TN that comes forth is a fused horror, an agglomeration of
2 Theology (Water) check. Performing this technique multiple corpses twisted into unnatural form.
requires a source of blood, such as a corpse or near- Activation: As an Intrigue and Support action, you may
by foe with the Bleeding condition. If the mahō-tsukai make a TN 3 Theology (Earth) check to call upon a
uses their own blood, they receive 3 fatigue. foul spirit to target a number of corpses at range 0–2,
Effects: If you succeed, you summon a weapon of your reshaping them into an abominable body for its use.
choosing made of blood. It has the Unholy quality (see Effects: If you succeed, you summon an Undead Hor-
page 241 of the core rulebook). ror (see page 19) and bind it to your will. However,
the summoned creature is one not easily kept shack-
New Opportunities led; if you become Compromised or Incapacitated, it
breaks the binding and sets off on its own to devour
: You may summon a pair of identical weapons the living and absorb the dead.
instead of a single weapon. Whether you succeed or fail, an area at range 0–2
: At the end of each of your turns, you may transform of your target becomes Defiled terrain.
the weapon into a different weapon.
 : You may immediately perform a Strike action New Opportunities
using the weapon you summoned.
 : After you inflict a critical strike on another char- +: The Undead Horror absorbs up to two addition-
acter with this weapon, remove fatigue from yourself al corpses at range 0–2 for each  spent this way.
equal to the severity of the critical strike (after the Increase its endurance by 2 for each corpse it absorbs.
check to resist). For every five corpses the monster absorbs this way,
increase its silhouette by 1.

3
CHAPTER
Out
of the
Shadows
Hida Sanae raised her tetsubō to a ready
position. Her comrades around her along
the Wall did the same. There were no
words spoken. They all knew what was
coming. They all knew what they had
to do.
The wave poured towards them,

seething and pulsating like a mass of
worms. Arrows darkened the skies and
slowed the advance, but then a gigantic
form rose from the tide. Sanae’s eyes
widened as the monstrous creature grew to
its full height. It was horror of protruding
bone, razored talons, and gigantic tusks.
Its eyes—and there were far too many
of them—burned with crimson flames,
and its terrible roar filled the air like
summer thunder.
Oni, she thought. Demon from

Jigoku. She looked to her left and her
right, and was heartened to see each
warrior standing tall. The creature
was soon covered with ballista bolts,
yet continued to advance. It would
be at the Wall in moments.
“Courage!” Sanae bellowed, and

as one the Crab around her answered.
Then the oni was upon them and the
fighting began.

CHAPT ER 3: O U T O F T HE SHADO W S
Running
Games with Low Shadowlands Intensity
Despite their best efforts, it isn’t possible for the Crab to
Shadowlands Games entirely prevent horrors from slipping into the Empire.
Individual or small groups of Shadowlands creatures
are still able to infiltrate by bypassing the Wall and
Setting a Legend of the Five Rings roleplaying game skulking into the Empire from the west, through or near
or campaign in the Shadowlands, or even making its the Shinomen Mori. Some of these monstrosities have
dread presence felt in a game, offers unique and inter- even developed abilities and attributes to facilitate
esting opportunities for play. To do it effectively, how- their infiltration. Bog-hags, penanggalan, and shape-
ever, can be demanding. Simply replacing clan samu- shifting oni are able to conceal themselves as ordinary
rai, rōnin, commoners, and various other “typical” Rokugani, only revealing themselves when they wish
opponents normally encountered in the Empire with to strike.
Shadowlands monsters will certainly present the play- Some servants of Fu Leng can even originate within
ers with some new challenges. If this is as far as a GM the Empire. Samurai and commoners alike can become
goes, though, it doesn’t exploit the true value offered mahō-tsukai, practitioners of foul blood magic. They
by the Shadowlands: the opportunity to include some tend to carry out their evil schemes in secret, mean-
significant elements of horror in the game. The fol- ing that they could be essentially anyone, anywhere
lowing sections highlight what the inclusion of the in Rokugan.
Shadowlands in a campaign can offer and how to take What characterizes all of these sorts of foes is that
advantage of these things. they are individuals suited to specific, one-time encoun-
ters or relatively brief side quests. Confrontations with
Horror Themes them can certainly inform the larger campaign, but gen-
in Rokugan erally in a low Shadowlands intensity game, the main
action is not about the Shadowlands. In these sorts
Legend of the Five Rings has a richly detailed setting— of games, other supernatural beings not related to
the Emerald Empire of Rokugan—and GMs should draw Fu Leng such as ghosts and yokai could also provide
upon this to help their games feel unique. The player elements of horror.
characters encounter plot elements from honor-driven
conflicts with samurai from the Great Clans to shadowy
battles against the schemes of criminal conspiracies.
The supernatural is very much part of the setting, but
Including Horror
it is often in the background of the events of the plot. Perhaps an even more fundamental ques-
Hurling the PCs into the Shadowlands can take the tion a GM should consider is if they want to
story in a much more disturbing direction. The Shad- include horror or horrific elements in their
owlands is an excellent venue for horror elements, but game at all. Many people are drawn to Leg-
horror in roleplaying games works best if both the GM end of the Five Rings for its “samurai drama”:
and players are interested in engaging with it. honorable conflict and sacrifice, political
When contemplating including Shadowlands ele- scheming, and all the other myriad elements
ments in a game, the following questions are very that make roleplaying in the Emerald Empire
helpful to consider: the unique experience it is. It is quite possible
that some of these players will not appreci-
$$ What proportion of scenes in the campaign ate the addition of horror elements; they may
should be spent on supernatural horror rather find them off-putting or even upsetting. A
than other activities? GM should be certain that their players will
$$ What form should the supernatural horror find the inclusion of frightening Shadowlands
elements take? creatures and events an enjoyable experi-
ence. They may not mind battling unnatural
creatures if their presentation is more orient-
How Much Shadowlands? ed toward action than horror, for example. If
the GM isn’t sure, they are strongly recom-
To help answer this question, it is useful to consid-
mended to discuss it with their players is
er the role of Shadowlands games in three general
comfortable during the game.
categories of game play types: low, mid, and high
Shadowlands intensity.
123

C H APT E R 3 : O UT O F T H E S H ADO W S
MIXING INTENSITY
Games with Mid Shadowlands Intensity appear to be, an atmosphere of paranoia can be fos-
tered. For example, assume the PCs are delegates to a
In a mid intensity game, Shadowlands elements play a
While the low, mid, and Winter Court that became snowed in. An NPC delegate
high intensities present- more central role, but much of the game still revolves
is found apparently several days dead—except the PCs
ed here are mutually around the more “traditional” aspects of roleplaying in
spoke to the NPC that very morning. It appears that a
exclusive for a single the Emerald Empire. Shadowlands horrors are general-
game session, they are shapeshifter of some sort is loose in the court, and now
ly greater in number or more organized, presenting the
not mutually exclusive the PCs aren’t sure who is actually whom. This sort of
as parts of a campaign. PCs with a more significant threat.
paranoia can fuel a tense and exciting game as the PCs
Various levels could co- An example of a mid-level game would be one that
struggle to uncover and deal with the impostor.
exist during the course involves a cult led by one or more mahō-tsukai. Now,
of a campaign, one instead of a single character wielding evil magic, there
leading into another. Creeping Dread
may be several, who may in turn have allies, follow-
For example, encounter- ers, and minions. Samurai and commoners alike can An atmosphere of mounting dread is an excellent way
ing a lone mahō-tsukai be drawn in by the terrible temptations of power. The of exploiting the disturbing and sinister nature of the
(a low intensity game)
mahō-tsukai also may be able to call upon more pow- Shadowlands. The Shadowlands terrain itself, with its
could lead to the PCs
uncovering a large and erful Shadowlands creatures, such as undead or oni, to shifting landforms and perils lurking in every corner,
powerful cult (a mid do their bidding. should make journeys through this region tense and
intensity game). Once nerve-wracking. Offered hints and suggestions of hor-
the PCs destroy the
cult, its leader could
Games with High Shadowlands Intensity ror and danger can keep the tension high as the PCs
escape and flee to the worry about what lies beyond that next barren hill, or
In this type of game, the bulk or even all of the sto-
Shadowlands, inducing that shadowed doorway from which they heard fur-
the PCs to chase them ry action revolves around Shadowlands elements and
tive whispers or perhaps a child’s unsettling laughter.
until they meet a final may even take place in the Shadowlands itself. The PCs
In order to create and maintain a meaningful sense of
confrontation some- may find themselves on or near the Wall, facing the
where deep within the dread, it is essential that there occasionally be an actu-
prospect of a full-scale attack by Shadowlands forces;
domains of Fu Leng (a al threat, but the ultimate goal is to convince the play-
high intensity game). indeed, a following section deals with this situation
ers that menace surrounds them and that the further
specifically. They may instead find themselves ventur-
they venture, the more imminent danger becomes.
ing into the Shadowlands, exposed to the full horror of
Jigoku's corruption.
Visceral Horror
Alternatively, the PCs could be forced to deal with
a Tainted location inside the Empire, such as the foul Visceral horror is just that: the sudden discovery of
marshes in the Shinomen Mori or another location of a bloody, gory scene of slaughter, or an unexpected
the GM’s design. For example, an incursion by an army attack by a terrifying monster. In some ways, though,
of monsters might overrun a village, town, or castle, or this is actually the weakest type of horror, particularly if
the actions of a powerful cult might transform a serene it is used too often. Too-frequent exposure to sudden
temple into a place of terror and death. frights and egregious gore diminishes their impact,
so this should be reserved for specific and important
Which Horror Elements? scenes in the story. An obvious such instance would be
the climax, when the PCs come face to face with the
Just as the extent of horror elements in a game or
awful reality of a mahō-tsukai’s ultimate ritual, or with a
campaign can be divided into categories, so can the
monstrous oni that threatens to consume not just their
nature of Fu Leng’s corruptive presence. There are
physical bodies, but also their very souls.
three broad categories that describe what sort of effect
the Shadowlands elements are intended to have on the
game and, by extension, its players. These are para-
Putting It All Together
noia, creeping dread, and visceral horror. Each level of intensity can be combined with different
horror elements to create a unique feel. While a low
Paranoia intensity game is certainly suited to an atmosphere of
paranoia, it can rapidly spiral into stark, visceral horror.
One of the defining characteristics of the Shadowlands
Using the example of the PCs trapped in an isolated
is its secretive nature. As noted above, some creatures
Winter Court with a shapeshifter, once the creature is
are able to convincingly impersonate nearly anyone
found and cornered, it could be revealed as a vicious,
they encounter. By creating situations in which the
horrifying oni. Likewise, a mid intensity game can easi-
PCs are unsure whether someone is actually who they
ly incorporate a sense of creeping dread: for instance,
124

the PCs, investigating an apparently unremarkable vil- One answer to this is to simply disallow it. The GM COMBINING THE TYPES
lage, could find clues that something is terribly amiss. could specify that PCs—even Tainted ones—simply
Eventually, they may begin to suspect that a blasphe- don’t have access to the evil lore required to allow Like the intensity levels
mous cult is conducting human sacrifices, and that all them to use mahō. This helps reinforce a more heroic of Shadowlands horror,
the various types of
of the villagers may be involved. The PCs could then tone for the game, but it does remove a potentially
horror can be com-
find themselves outnumbered, with darkness falling interesting element from the game. bined. For instance, the
and a long, empty road ahead of them leading to the If the GM is going to allow PCs to use mahō, they PCs could be traversing
nearest source of help. should consider the effect it will have on the story. the Shadowlands,
By remaining mindful of the intensity and horror Foremost among them is the effect on the PC or PCs experiencing a growing
sense of paranoia as
elements they want in their story, a GM can offer a ris- in question. The use of mahō is manifestly illegal in
they approach an evil
ing and falling tempo of fear as the players progress, Rokugan, no matter how good the intentions of the shrine. As they enter,
giving them a truly memorable experience—one wor- one using it. Openly using mahō is an invitation to they are stunned to
thy of the full, dreadful potential of the Shadowlands! Emerald Magistrates, or even other loyal samurai, to see one of their own
number is already
take action that could certainly include killing the mahō
Player Characters
there, bound to an
user. Moreover, even if the PC doesn’t get caught using altar amidst the blood-
and Mahō mahō, the requirements of blood sacrifice and conceal-

ing this power will almost certainly lead to situations
soaked remains of
earlier sacrifices. They
where the character must forfeit honor to continue to desperately claim to
For all the fun and excitement that introducing the
have been taken prison-
Shadowlands into a game can offer, there is a risk. wield this power.
er the day before—so
Blood magic, or mahō, which is a fundamental aspect Further, these powers frequently lead to conflicts the PCs must decide
of Shadowlands power—particularly with respect to between PCs. A group could collectively decide to which one is real and
mortal humans—is potentially just as available for the tacitly approve of their colleague’s use of evil mag- which is the impostor.
Even as they wrestle
PCs’ use as it is for their adversaries. As described in ic, perhaps by looking the other way, or they could
with this dilemma, a
this book as well as the core rulebook, the only require- even decide to all embrace it and effectively become fierce roar announces
ments to become a practitioner of mahō are that the a “coven” of mahō-tsukai. This would result in a very the appearance of a
character in question has access to some appropriate different game, with the PCs effectively playing villains powerful oni bent on
(or at least antiheroes). If this works in the context of their destruction…
form of evil lore. There are a variety of ways these
things can come about during the course of a cam- the campaign, then that’s fine. Again, though, the PCs
paign once a GM decides to introduce the Shadow- should have to forfeit honor to take such actions.
lands as an element of their game. This means that a
GM needs to consider whether they want to allow PCs
to be able to use mahō and what the implications for
the game are if they do.

If the other PCs do not accept their comrade’s use

Portraying the of mahō, however, one or more PCs might decide
Shadowlands
that their colleague’s actions are inexcusable, and
attempt to arrest or even attack their ally. While this
sort of in-party conflict can be fun for some groups,
GMs should always attempt to portray time in
other groups might prefer to play with less tension. The
the Shadowlands as an unsettling experience,
potential for conflict between PCs should be carefully
one that grows even worse the farther char-
considered by the entire group.
acters journey past the Wall. Nights might be
Finally, because mahō involves blood sacrifice, it is
utterly silent, absent of even the comforting
important to consider the real-world views of players. A
sounds of crickets, only to be punctuated
character engaged in mahō should be cautioned not to
with horrible screams in the distance or child-
exceed the group’s tolerance for graphic descriptions
ish giggles that feel all too nearby. The PCs
of violence and gore. A frank and respectful discussion
might come across areas filled with the stench
among the group is highly recommended before any
of rotting meat or spilled blood even though
player starts their PC down the path of using mahō.
they are completely clear of such materials.
Sunlight from above could be rippling or
diminished without a cloud in the sky. Days On the Wall and Beyond
might seem to last forever, and nights only A question that may arise while planning a game set
a few hours, or the reverse. Even walking near, on, or beyond the Kaiu Kabe is why would a sit-
through plain fields might be laborious, as if uation involving the Shadowlands happen in the first
the ground is reluctant to release their feet. place? The Wall is a massive fortification designed to
With each new day, things should become protect the Empire from the Shadowlands; it is not a
even more disturbing and difficult, fraying casual destination for curious samurai. The Crab rig-
tempers and keeping PCs on edge. Most orously control who has access to the Wall, because
importantly, each visit into the Shadowlands it is a profoundly dangerous place for those unfamiliar
should be a unique experience: there should with it—and that includes almost all non-Crab samurai.
never be a “standard” or “normal” passage Allowing samurai who aren’t properly trained or pre-
through the Shadowlands. pared onto the Wall not only puts those samurai at seri-
ous risk, it also risks the lives of Crab samurai who are
bound to protect them. Accordingly, unless a samurai
has a specific reason or duty that would takes to the
Wall, they are simply not welcome there.
This is doubly true when it comes to providing
access to the Shadowlands. Unless they try to sail
through the Sea of Shadows or detour far to the west
through the Shinomen Mori or across the Plains above
Evil, those who want to enter the Shadowlands need
Crab permission. The tunnels that pass beneath the
Wall are specifically designed to thwart those not inti-
mately familiar with them, after all.

Nevertheless, there are bona fide reasons for the If the PCs object to this treatment, they’re likely
Crab to allow PCs on or even through the Wall and into to earn nothing but more contempt. The Crab gener-
the Shadowlands, all of which can be used as part of ally believe, after all, that the Empire simply doesn’t
ongoing campaigns or as the basis for a new adven- understand or appreciate their sacred duty of pro-
tures. Examples include: tecting Rokugan. Accordingly, they have little time
for the niceties that characterize interactions among
$$ The PCs are carrying out an important mission samurai elsewhere.
with Imperial sanction or the approval of the If the PCs are actually assigned to the Wall or to a
Crab Clan leadership. They possess documents related task such as a patrolling in the Shadowlands,
specifying this, which not only grants them then their Crab colleagues are even less forgiving. The
access or passage, but also gains them assis- PCs are not only subject to the same harsh discipline
tance from the Crab for their mission. Potential as any Crab samurai, but also find themselves under
missions could include pursuing a quarry into intense scrutiny. Here, clever words and the glory of
the Shadowlands, retrieving something of val- past accomplishments carry little weight. Only if they
ue, or gathering information or Tainted speci- carry out their duties well, with great courage and a clear
mens for study. willingness to sacrifice themselves if the circumstances
$$ The PCs are assigned to duty on the Wall. demand it, can they earn the respect of the Crab.
While it is rare, samurai from other clans do
sometimes receive such assignments, usually as Dealing with the Lost
a part of a larger treaty or agreement between
Despite the horrific nature of the Shadowlands, there
their clan and the Crab. Alternatively, samurai
are many humans—or those who were once human—
who somehow wronged the Crab Clan through
who have fallen to under the sway of Fu Leng. These
their words or deeds could be assigned to
Tainted individuals are collectively known as the Lost,
the Wall as a form of punishment or restitu-
and there are many ways they can be brought into
tion. In either case, the PCs are treated like
Shadowlands adventures.
any new Crab samurai assigned to the Wall,
The most frequent tactic, of course, is to use them
which means they are rigorously trained and
as enemies, often powerful ones at that. Dark Moto
drilled and expected to participate fully in the
are powerful warriors on par with the greatest bushi of
Wall’s defense.
Rokugan, and mahō users who have escaped to the
$$ Young PCs are assigned to the Wall, or even Shadowlands can be deadly foes in this kansen-infested
sent into the Shadowlands, as part of their territory. With so many unnatural creatures to draw on,
gempuku ceremony. This is especially true GMs can utilize human adversaries whom the PCs can
for students of Sunda Mizu Dōjō, the oldest converse and engage in intrigues with as a change of
dōjō of the Crab Clan and where many of its pace from what could feel like endless combats.
samurai train. Sunda Mizu Dōjō does, on occa- While many of the Lost serve Fu Leng knowingly, oth-
sion, accept young would-be samurai from ers are fully under his sway but believe they are still serv-
other clans. ing their own purposes, or even that of their lord. The
$$ Rōnin PCs are participating in a Twenty Goblin line between self-delusion and the convictions of Taint-
Winter and are permitted entry into the Shad- ed warriors like the Damned (see page 128) is inten-
owlands to gather the twenty goblin heads tionally murky. A Tainted guide who believes they main-
required to become Crab samurai. tain self-control might be a powerful ally in the Shadow-
lands—but the PCs should never be completely sure if
they are able to resist the snares of Fu Leng or merely
Dealing with the Crab believe themself free of the Fallen Kami’s schemes.
Depending on how a GM wants to present them,
No matter their reason for being at the Wall or enter-
these samurai could be tragic warriors who seek only
ing the Shadowlands, PCs have to deal with the Crab.
a proper death against Fu Leng’s minions and desire
When on duty, Crab samurai tend to be extremely vigi-
the PCs’ aid in their quest. Others might be one step
lant and focused on their tasks. They have little time for
from treachery, and the slightest insult from a PC could
or interest in acting as tour guides for visiting samurai.
be enough to spur them into battle or betrayal. Most
When portraying them as NPCs, the GM should keep
importantly, they act as constant reminders of what the
in mind that Crab tend to be blunt and to the point,
PCs’ fate might be should they drop their guard or for-
with a brusque attitude that often borders on rudeness.
get for an instant the awful nature of the Shadowlands.
127

New Titles Harvester

Even those among the Crab who are most fervently
Few would choose to enter the Shadowlands of their devoted to destroying the creatures of the Shadow-
own volition, but those who do often develop specific lands recognize value in obtaining specimens—both
types of expertise that make them valuable in the wider living and dead—for study by anatomists and other
war against Fu Leng’s minions. These new titles follow scholars. Harvesters are samurai skilled in traversing
the rules described on page 305 of the core rulebook. and surviving the Shadowlands, who also undertake
the profoundly dangerous task of collecting and return-
The Damned ing such specimens for research. Unsurprisingly, Har-
vesters are most commonly found among the Hiruma.
One of the tragic realities faced by the Crab is that Individuals or small groups of Harvesters hunt and trap
death isn’t necessarily the worst outcome of confront- smaller Tainted creatures; occasionally, larger groups of
ing the Shadowlands. Even if they survive battle rel- Harvesters, often supported by detachments of Crab
atively unscathed physically, many become afflicted bushi and Kuni shugenja, set out to collect bigger (and
with the Taint of Jigoku. For most Rokugani, becoming correspondingly more dangerous) monstrosities.
Tainted is so abhorrent that even seppuku seems pref- Assigned By: Hiruma or Kuni officials.
erable to the slow, creeping corruption that twists their Status Award: +10 (to a maximum of 45)
body and imperils their soul. However, some samurai XP to Completion: 20
have duties they cannot so easily abandon. As such, Capture Evil (Title Ability): Reduce the TN of your Sur-
the Crab allow the Tainted to serve, eventually moving vival checks to track down a Tainted being by 1. When
those too suffused with the essence of Fu Leng to the you inflict a critical strike on a Tainted being, you may
Damned, a legion based in a fortress located close to spend  as follows:
the Wall—the so-called Barracks of the Damned. The  : The target suffers the Dazed, Disoriented, or
existence of the Damned is not exactly a secret, but Immobilized condition.
neither are the Crab quick to speak of them, particu-
larly to outsiders. Harvester
Assigned By: Kuni daimyō or other officials. Note that
ADVANCE TYPE
you must possess at least one Shadowlands Taint dis-
advantage to receive this title. Martial Skills Skl. Grp.
Status Award: –20 (to a maximum of 30) Smithing Skill
XP to Completion: 20
Survival Skill
Immediate Effects: Gain the Ferocity disadvantage.
TITLE
Tainted Warrior (Title Ability): Increase the TN of all your Theology Skill
non-Command Social skill checks by 1, and reduce the = Rank 1–2 Kata  Tech. Grp.
TN of all your Martial Arts [Any] skill checks targeting = Rank 1–2 Rituals  Technique
Tainted beings by 1 (to a minimum of 1). Non-Tainted
= Skulk  Technique
beings receive 1 strife whenever they make a Social
skill check targeting you.
The Damned Twenty-Goblin Crab

At one time, the character was a rōnin, eking out a
ADVANCE TYPE
meager existence on the fringes of Rokugani society
Martial Skills Skl. Grp. with no lord to provide for them. Now, however, they
Medicine Skill are an accepted member of the Hida family of the Crab
after completing a harrowing Twenty Goblin Winter. By
Survival Skill
slaying and bringing back the heads of twenty goblins
TITLE
Theology Skill from the Shadowlands, they earned a place among

= Rank 1–2 Kata  Tech. Grp. the Crab. As far as their comrades are concerned, they
= Heartpiercing Strike  Technique have always been one of the Crab—even if they can’t
forget the long, bitter days of being cursed and reviled
= Rallying Cry  Technique
by “proper” samurai of the Empire as an honorless
rōnin dog.
128

Assigned By: Hida daimyō or other officials. accept anyone with the skills needed (shugenja pri-
Status Award: +15 (to a minimum of 30 and a maxi- marily, but rarely, other mystics or experienced hunters
mum of 40), officially become samurai and member of of mahō-tsukai), in recent years, only members of the
Crab Clan. Crab Clan have sought out this solemn duty. Most are
XP to Completion: 20 from the Kuni Purifier School. Witch Hunters operate
Goblin Killer (Title Ability): When making a Martial with little oversight, each doing what they deem nec-
Arts [Any] check targeting a goblin, you may spend  essary to defend Rokugan against these threats. Any
as follows: Witch Hunter can elevate another to the task, though
+: Each other goblin at range 0–2 of your target few do so unless their apprentice has proven themself
receives 1 strife per  that you spend this way. time and again, and faced horrors that would shatter
any soul still harboring doubts or uncertainties.
Twenty-Goblin Crab Assigned By: Another Witch Hunter.
ADVANCE TYPE Status Award: +10 (to a minimum of 30)
XP to Completion: 45
Martial Skills Skl. Grp. Bane of Sorcerers (Title Ability): When you make a
Social Skills Skl. Grp. check to resist the effects of a mahō technique, you
Culture Skill may spend  as follows:
: Reduce the TN of your next check targeting the mahō
TITLE
Government Skill
practitioner who performed it by 1 per  spent this way.
= Rank 1–2 Kata  Tech. Grp.  : If you succeed on the check to resist, the mahō prac-
= Thunderclap Strike  Technique titioner receives strife equal to your ranks in Theology.
= Stonewall Tactics  Technique Witch Hunter
ADVANCE TYPE
Witch Hunter Martial Skills Skl. Grp.
Because of the diffuse structure of the family, the Kuni Scholar Skills Skl. Grp.
are known as much for their order of Witch Hunters as Command Skill
TITLE
they are for their schools. Garbed in dark robes and

Skulduggery Skill
daubed with imposing makeup to hide their faces
= Rank 1–4 Kata  Tech. Grp.
from evil spirits, the members of this group seek out
mahō-tsukai and any who dare to practice the foul art of = Rank 1–5 Rituals  Tech. Grp.
mahō within Rokugan. While the Kuni would generally = Honest Assessment  Technique

Spending Opportunity
in Shadowlands Games
The threat of the Shadowlands requires brave and stal-
wart samurai to step up to the challenge of facing it,
seizing any weapon they can in the hope of pushing Opportunity amidst
back the Taint. Whether driven by the honor of their Corruption
clan, devotion to Rokugan as a whole, or a more prag-
Table 3–2: Spending Opportunity against Tainted
matic approach to survival, samurai facing Tainted dan-
Threats, on page 131, details a selection of ways to
gers need every advantage they can find.
spend  on checks in a game when the characters con-
GMs running Shadowlands-focused games may use
front Tainted threats outside of the Shadowlands, such
the following tables to allow players additional means
as while pursuing secretive mahō-tsukai. One option is
of spending  in their games, or as inspiration for new
presented for checks of each ring, although at the GM’s
options of their devising. Options are included for
discretion, an option may be applied to checks using
games focused on the Shadowlands, for games focused
other rings where appropriate or used as the basis for
on dealing with the threat of the Taint elsewhere in
a new idea for spending .
Rokugan, and even for Tainted characters, including
PCs with the Shadowlands Taint disadvantage.
Tainted Opportunities
Opportunity in the Table 3–3: Spending Opportunity While Tainted,
Shadowlands on page 131, details a selection of ways to spend 
on checks made by Tainted characters. These options
Table 3–1: Spending Opportunity in the Shadow- might be used by Tainted foes of the PCs or even by
lands details a selection of ways to spend  on checks PCs who are themselves Tainted. One option is pre-
while in the Shadowlands. One option is presented for sented for checks of each ring, although at the GM’s
checks of each ring, although at the GM’s discretion, an discretion, an option may be applied to checks using
option may be applied to checks using other rings or other rings where appropriate or used as the basis for
used as the basis for a new idea for spending . a new idea for spending .
Table 3–1: Spending Opportunity in the Shadowlands

COST OPPORTUNITY
You detect a subtle sign in your environment that lets you get your bearings, such as a
Air stream that runs slightly less Tainted than the environment around it or the growths on the
+ twisted trees that point toward the Festering Pit. This landmark helps guide you for one
scene, plus one additional scene in the Shadowlands per  spent this way.
Your resolute nature steels you against the unstable environment of the Shadowlands. You
Earth
count your vigilance as 1 higher the next time you seek to notice or avoid a hazardous situa-

tion or creature.
You spur your comrades on with pleasing encouragement or biting criticism. One other char-
Fire
acter in the scene per  you spend this way reduces their next TN to resist physical hardship
+
or the influence of the Shadowlands by 1.
By luck or careful scavenging, you are able to find a useful item not yet corrupted by the
Water
Shadowlands. Such items have a maximum rarity of 3, plus 1 for each additional   spent.
 +
The GM should modify this depending on the exact nature of the item as well.
Though Jigoku’s power weighs heavily upon them, you are undeterred. By drawing on mem-
Void
ories of the un-Tainted lands north of the wall, you can keep yourself focused and ignore all

 results on your next check.
130

Table 3–2: Spending Opportunity Against Tainted Threats

COST OPPORTUNITY
Confronted with the horrors of the Taint, you remain alert and able to discern a weakness in
Air
your foe. Reduce the TN of your next check made to oppose or harm a Tainted character by

1, as you examine the threat before you and formulate an appropriate response.
You are able to weather such terrible things as the revelation of a secret mahō-tsukai or the
Earth
summoning of an oni. The next time you suffer strife this scene, you suffer 2 fewer strife, to a

minimum of 0.
The righteous fury you display can cow even the most terrible of Tainted fiends. Each Taint-
Fire
ed being in the scene gains 1 strife, plus 1 additional strife for every   spent. If you are
+
unaware if another character is Tainted, the GM should record this strife secretly.
You adapt yourself to better fight the corrupted power before you. Once before the end of
Water current the game session you may either reduce the TN of a check to resist a Tainted power,
 such as a mahō technique, assailing you by 1 or increase the TN of another character’s check
to target or affect you with such a power by 1.
Void If the character spends  , they discern that the kami have fled, as well as the type of dis-
  or turbance (mahō, kansen, or similar). If the character spends   , they can also determine
 the total combat  threat rating of all Tainted beings that caused the kami to flee.
Table 3–3: Spending Opportunity While Tainted

COST OPPORTUNITY
Your newfound cunning is able to redirect attention away from you, potentially concealing
Air
your Tainted nature or letting you avoid scrutiny. The TN of the next check made to scrutinize

you or your actions is increased by 1.
No mortal concern can slow you, as you already endure worse than most can even imagine.
Earth
For the rest of the scene, whenever you suffer fatigue reduce the value suffered by 2, to a

minimum of 0.
The furious power of Jigoku flows through you, granting you unnatural might. Add 1 kept
Fire
showing a  result to the next Martial Arts check you make. This effect persists until the start

of their next turn.
You briefly become fluid in mind or body, shaking off disorientation or even injury. You
Water
remove one of the following conditions: Dazed, Disoriented, Immobilized, Intoxicated,

Lightly Wounded, or Prone.
The unnatural insights of the kansen voice themselves wordlessly to you, granting knowledge
Void you could not possibly have known otherwise. You learn something relevant to the current
+ situation, appropriate in scope to the number of  spent. For each  spent in this way, you
receive 1 strife due to the unnatural means by which you gained this knowledge.
131

Corruption Corruption
Samurai in Rokugan face all manner of threats on a and the Crab
daily basis, from the mere physical dangers of combat
to deeply difficult trials of their honor and duty. These Many clans view becoming Tainted as a stain
threats, they believe, can all be faced and defeated upon their honor and that of their family.
through sufficient courage and skill. There is one threat For them, a samurai suffering from the Taint
they can never defeat, however. At best, they can try is to be pitied and erased from their histo-
to protect themselves against it. This threat is the Taint, ry. Many Crab, however, view it as a proud
the result of the corruption that comes from Jigoku, symbol of their endless conflict against the
insidious enough to destroy even the most courageous Shadowlands. It marks them as a true samu-
and skilled of samurai. rai warrior, one who fought firsthand against
This is a hard fact for all who are aware of the Shad- the terrors in the South. Operating on the
owlands and its nature. Many samurai try to push such Wall, patrolling in the Shadowlands, and even
thoughts away and treat the Taint as something that studying the Taint all come with the risk of
happens only to the unprepared or inept. Ignoring supernatural contamination, and for a Crab
the implacability of the Taint, however, can only lead to shy away from the risk is to fail in their duty
to a terrible fate, for only unending vigilance toward to clan and Emperor.
this enemy can hope to provide defense against it. Even though there is no recovery from
Even the Crab, who recognize the Taint is a very real the Taint, the Crab view it more as a grievous
danger and ward against it to degrees no other clan battle wound than a mark of shame. Unlike
would contemplate, can still become Tainted. To suf- other clans, the Crab know full well what it
fer from the Taint is more than just the horrible mental means for those who are corrupted this way,
and physical changes it forces upon an individual—it is and they would never waste a Tainted samu-
knowing that one’s very soul is being corrupted. How rai with reclusion. Many Tainted Crab join the
one deals with this is perhaps the truest indication of a ranks of the Damned, seeking an honorable
samurai’s spirit. end in battle before they fully fall to their cor-
ruption and become a threat to the Empire.
The Nature of Even the Crab know that any who suffer from
the Taint cannot be fully trusted, though, so
Corruption they ensure Kuni Wardens watch over them
at all times.
The greatest source of corruption is the Shadowlands,
and the Festering Pit of Fu Leng is the location of great-
est potency. This is, after all, the rupture between the
Mortal Realm and Jigoku, the font of unspeakable evil can never be completely stilled. Jade petal tea is most
emerging into the world. The possibility of corruption frequently used to slow the Taint within a person. Some
exists throughout Rokugan, however, not just in the believe that meditation is also effective, though this is
Shadowlands. It is true, of course, that the threat of the hard to verify or deny rigorously.
Taint is greatest in the South, but mahō practitioners As with many aspects of the Taint, there is no firm
and Tainted objects have no borders and thus can understanding of how the progression occurs. For
spread corruption elsewhere. Even beyond the bounds many, its effects flow from minor behavioral shifts to
of Rokugan, there are tales of sinister powers that seem minor physical ones, such as thickened nails or odd
to match the stories of the Taint. skin rashes. As the Taint deepens, the changes become
Jade is the most effective way to ward against cor- more pronounced, including violent personality chang-
ruption, and thus is a part of all expeditions into the es, physical mutations, and even the manifestation of
Shadowlands. As jade protects its wearer, however, it is vile powers rightly forbidden to all in Rokugan.
slowly expended. Unprotected exposure always carries No matter what is done to quell it, eventually the
the risk of corruption, and from that point on, the sub- Taint consumes entirely, and the afflicted falls to Fu
ject walks on the precipice of shadow. Leng’s domination. This is perhaps one of the worst
Corruption only deepens with time, like a foul weed aspects of the Taint, for many a fully corrupted samurai
burrowing and extending itself through the infected believes they have control over themself when in actu-
body. Its growth can only be reduced, however, and ality, the Dark Kami guides their every action.
132

Roleplaying the afflicted condition

The Afflicted condition (see page 271 of the core $$ You feel tired all the time, but you don’t
rulebook) can represent the first signs of corrup- remember the horrific visions each night
tion, possibly leading to gaining the Shadowlands that keep you from fully resting.
Taint. It can also reflect a haunting by a vengeful $$ The smell of cooked food makes
spirit that weakens a character’s resolve, or anoth- you nauseated.
er supernatural plague that might make them
tempted by Fu Leng’s whispers. $$ Your eyes appear lighter than normal and
For Shadowlands-themed campaigns, having you continually complain that the sun is too
the PCs constantly worried that those around bright, even on overcast days.
them are Tainted can lead to interesting situations. $$ Animals become upset when you are near,
Wondering if the tired Hiruma scout leading the barking or hissing at you even in the dark.
group toward Daylight Castle is hiding a secret $$ You delight in rash behavior and never feel
allegiance to the Dark Kami, for example, can turn
a decision needs to be thought out before
a stop to rest into accusations of Taint.
you act on it.
GMs are encouraged to try out some of these
subtler signs of corruption to offer additional rep- $$ You notice clumps of hair in your bedding
resentations of this state in their NPCs, especially each morning, but you can never detect any
when running Shadowlands campaigns. Players actually missing from your body.
can similarly do the same for their PCs with the $$ Jade feels unpleasantly greasy or prickly
Afflicted condition. Players are also invited to cre- when you handle it. You really don’t like it
ate new behaviors that are more customized to touching your skin.
their character and their character's background.
$$ You sometimes find yourself intentionally
$$ You are perpetually unlucky in games defying social conventions or questioning
of chance. their importance.
Corruption Comes to All Not all, though, fear or avoid corruption; some
actively embrace it as part of their path to power. Mahō
As too many samurai sadly learn, there is no escape practitioners become stronger as they grow more
from corruption save death. The Taint can take root Tainted, and they may seek out the Taint even though
in anyone, and it can make plants, animals, and even it brings them closer to death. Some Crab researchers
the land turn foul. The very spirits of Rokugan, the venture deep into the Shadowlands, seeking greater
kami, can become corrupted into kansen, who seem understanding, while knowing they are doomed to
attracted to Tainted beings and may accelerate the become Tainted themselves.
spread of corruption within. Even the extreme resis- One thing that has been established is that the cor-
tance to the Taint of the nezumi may not be infallible, ruption of the Taint is almost always linked to super-
though ancient and dubious Kuni records and whispers natural circumstances, such as exposure to Tainted
among nezumi Rememberers are the only evidence of objects, contact with oni or other supernatural crea-
such occurrences. tures under Fu Leng’s power, or the incantations of
Tainted Crab samurai are watched closely by the Tainted individuals. It is highly unlikely that people who
Kuni Wardens for signs of worsening conditions. Late perform merely terrible acts such as betraying their
stages of Fu Leng’s corruption can even become con- daimyō or poisoning a rival village become Tainted
tagious, through the blood or the defilement of the without the aid of the supernatural. Rokugan might
terrain around the person. In Crab lands, the Kuni certainly judge them as evil and deserving of pun-
family studies these effects tirelessly. In other places ishment, but they have not fallen to the power of Fu
in Rokugan, it is extremely rare for the Taint to prog- Leng—at least, not yet.
ress this far, except in mahō-tsukai who carefully hide
their corruption.
133

Oni Generation
Cruel Talons: Range 0–1, Damage 5, Deadliness 4,

GMs interested in creating their own custom foes for Unholy
their Legend of the Five Rings campaigns can use the Gear (equipped): Demonic hide (Physical 2, Spiritual
following rules to develop new oni with which to pop- 2, Unholy)
ulate the Shadowlands in their games. The rules in this
ABILITIES
section include a variety of base profiles with which to
start, as well as sample supernatural powers for oni TRICKERY OF JIGOKU

antagonists. Additionally, some guidelines on how to A vile trickster oni is a Tainted, Otherworldly being of
use oni in games are included to help GMs make them silhouette 2. It may purchase up to two of the Shad-
compelling and horrifying antagonists. owlands powers beginning on page 137.
Hierarchy of Oni
When creating an oni antagonist, the GM should first
select a profile from one of the following options.
Each oni is truly a unique being—but within the mortal
realm, oni are capable of splitting into multiple forms
to act in several places simultaneously. Lesser oni rep-
resent small shards of an oni’s soul, and are the weak-
est. Next are powerful oni, which are quite potent and
possess a more substantial array of tricks and abilities,
but still might have 1-2 other forms active. Finally, oni
lords are complete beings—the full entity, with all its
dread powers—and can threaten even the most pow-
erful groups of samurai.
Vile Trickster (Lesser Oni)

Though small and weak by the standards of the oni,
these foul shards are no less dangerous for their lack of
physical prowess. This profile represents oni that focus
on misdirection, deceit, and subtle corruption instead
of raw power.
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
12
2 4
06 GLORY COMPOSURE
14
3 3
00 STATUS 3 FOCUS
8
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - SHREWD
VIGILANCE
4



Unholy Might: Sickening Visage:

 Martial; Physical,  Social; Interpersonal
Spiritual

134

Savage Brute (Lesser Oni) Hellish Sorcerer

ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  10  3 (Powerful Oni)
This profile represents an oni that is physically mighty ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  8  10
but lacks the malign intellect and drive that character- The power of oni with this profile does not lie in their
ize its more insidious cousins. Most oni with this profile physical might, although they do not lack for sheer
are only interested in inflicting pain and violence and strength. Instead, this profile is for oni that have the
are easily used as pawns by mahō-tsukai or their own power to tap into the Taint to power dangerous magic
more powerful kin. rivaling the most depraved mahō-tsukai. With this dark
power backed up by their natural prowess, a hellish
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
sorcerer is a dangerous threat even among the spawn
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
18 of Jigoku.
4 2
03 GLORY COMPOSURE
12 SOCIETAL PERSONAL
2 5
00 STATUS 2 FOCUS
20
5 4
VIGILANCE
18
+1, –1
DEMEANOR - NEAR FERAL
4 5
00 STATUS 4 FOCUS
9

+2, –2
DEMEANOR - CAPRICIOUS
VIGILANCE
4

Unholy Might: Sickening Visage:


 Martial; Physical,  Social; Interpersonal
Spiritual
Devious Cunning: Sickening Visage:


 Scholar; Spiritual  Social; Interpersonal

Corrupted Tetsubō: Range 1–2, Damage 8, Deadli-

ness 3, Durable, Unholy
Bone Naginata: Range 2, Damage 6, Deadliness 7,

Gear (equipped): Thick demonic hide (Physical 3,
Durable, Razor-Edged, Unholy
Gear (equipped): Thick demonic hide (Physical 3,

ABILITIES

SAVAGERY OF JIGOKU
ABILITIES
A savage brute oni is a Tainted, Otherworldly being of

silhouette 4. It may purchase up to two of the Shad- SORCERY OF JIGOKU

owlands powers beginning on page 137, except for A hellish sorcerer oni is a Tainted, Otherworldly being
Captivating Voice, Human Mask, Illusion Master, or of silhouette 3. It automatically possesses the Tainted
Scent of Weakness. Sorcery Shadowlands power, and it may purchase up to
two additional Shadowlands powers from those begin-
ner on page 137.
135

Monstrous Warrior Warlord of Jigoku

(Powerful Oni) (Powerful Oni)
ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  12  4 ADVERSARY CONFLICT RANK:  14  10
The raw power of this profile is appropriate for a wide The mightiest of oni can be represented with this pro-
variety of deadly oni antagonists. Such foes tend toward file, including those oni who have gained power from a
unsubtle displays of force, but they are fully capable of name stolen from or granted by a past summoner. Such
cunning and devious tactics when appropriate. a fiend can be a serious threat even to a large group of
experienced samurai, and is is likely to massacre those
SOCIETAL PERSONAL
who approach it without proper caution.
00 HONOR ENDURANCE
22
5 3 SOCIETAL PERSONAL
06 GLORY COMPOSURE
24
3 6 6 4
00 STATUS 3 FOCUS
20
4 6
+2, –2
DEMEANOR - AGGRESSIVE
VIGILANCE
3 00 STATUS 4 FOCUS
10
+2, –2 VIGILANCE
4


DEMEANOR - ARROGANT


Unholy Strength: Sickening Visage:

 Martial; Physical  Social; Interpersonal
Aura of Terror: Sickening Visage:


 Social; Spiritual  Social; Interpersonal

Massive Ax: Range 1–2, Damage 10, Deadliness 7,


Durable, Razor-Edged, Unholy
Massive Claws: Range 1–2, Damage 9, Deadliness 8,

Gear (equipped): Demonic hide and scavenged
Razor-Edged, Unholy
armor (Physical 4, Supernatural 3, Unholy)

Gear (equipped): Demonic hide and Pit-forged

ABILITIES
armor (Physical 5, Supernatural 5, Unholy)

MONSTER OF JIGOKU
ABILITIES
A monstrous warrior oni is a Tainted, Otherworldly

being of silhouette 4. It may purchase up to four Shad- LORD OF JIGOKU

owlands powers from those beginning on page 137. A warlord oni of Jigoku is a Tainted, Otherworldly
being of silhouette 5. It may purchase up to five Shad-
owlands powers from those beginning on page 137.
STOLEN NAME
An oni that was summoned by a mahō-tsukai and giv-
en a name (or stole a name) gains tremendous power.
Should the GM decide to have an oni possess a name,
increase each of its rings by 1. The oni may also pur-
chase up to two additional Shadowlands powers from
those beginning on page 137.
136

Shadowlands Powers Some powers can be purchased multiple times,
usually for a lesser cumulative effect. If a power has
The otherworldly powers of the oni are strange and an “Additional Ranks” entry, purchasing it another time
varied, as their demonic proclivities take many differ- (again applying the changes to the oni’s threat rating)
ent forms. Listed on the following pages are example also confers these effects.
powers, featuring some of the more common tricks
and talents oni tend to wield, as well as some that are
designed to provide interesting and unique antag-
Bony Carapace +2
onists for players. These powers are by no means a The oni is covered in thick hide, bony plates, or some
comprehensive list of the capabilities of every kind of other form of natural armor beyond even the substan-
oni, but they can still provide a wide array of antago- tial protection typical of its kind.
nists or help inspire GMs to design their own unique Restrictions: Cannot be selected with Serpentine Speed.
Shadowlands powers. First Rank: Increase the oni's physical resistance by 2
Each Shadowlands Power has a value in combat and its supernatural resistance by 1.
() or intrigue () threat rating (some can have Additional Ranks: Increase the oni's physical resis-
both), listed alongside its name. Add these to the oni’s tance by 1.
threat values when creating an oni with new powers,
then apply the changes listed under the “First Rank” Captivating Voice +2
entry to the oni’s profile.
Powers can also have restrictions, which prevent Some oni speak with honeyed voices at odds with their
them from being taken alongside other Shadowlands hideous appearance, giving them the ability to cajole
powers. If a power has restrictions, they are listed in the and coerce even stalwart samurai with their words.
“Restrictions” entry.
137

First Rank: As a Scheme action, the oni may attempt

to influence the mind of a listener by making a Social
(Fire) check with a TN equal to the target's vigilance.
If the oni succeeds, the target suffers 1 strife, plus 1
strife for every 2 bonus successes. If the oni is aware
of the target's ninjō, it adds 4 bonus successes to the
check if it succeeds. A character who becomes com-
promised in this manner must spend 1 Void point or
immediately unmask.
Additional Ranks: Reduce the TN of the check by 1 (to
a minimum of 0).
Oni Fragment
Dark Puppet +2, +2
By some vile art, the oni is able to act as if it is many
This profile represents the detached eye, hand, or
in number. Splitting their form in this manner usually
tongue of an oni with the Foul Separation power. Cer-
weakens them, but some can bend a suitable sub-
tain elements of this profile are limited to a fragment of
stitute to their will, striking through their shadow or
the appropriate type, as noted within.
another sinister proxy.
First Rank: Once per scene, the oni may perform a sec-
ond action at Initiative 0. 2 2
ENDURANCE
8 FOCUS
4
Additional Ranks: The oni may use this power one addi-
tion time per scene. It can only use it once per round.
COMPOSURE
8 VIGILANCE
2
2 2 2
DEMEANOR - AS ONI
Foul Separation +1, +1
Beyond the ability to manifest as numerous lesser ver-
sions of themselves, some oni exhibit the even more ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
disturbing power to tear out their own organs or limbs

Terrible Grip (Hand): Dulled Senses (Hand):

to serve as puppets for their will, allowing them to see,
 Social; Interpersonal  Martial; Physical
act, or speak at a distance. The scuttling claw of an oni
can serve as a secretive assassin, its tongue could utter Keen Sight (Eye): Weak (Eye):
terrifying secrets of Jigoku or whisper lies to a samurai  Martial; Physical  Martial; Physical
to tempt them into betraying their comrades, and its Persuasive Voice (Tongue): Sensitive Flesh (Tongue):
floating eye might be able to spy on foes who would  Social; Interpersonal  Martial; Physical

spot the massive demon were it to approach.

First Rank: When purchasing this power, the GM must
select a body part the oni can remove, typically an eye, Demonic Claw (Hand only): Range 0, Damage 6,
hand, or tongue. The oni may tear this element of its Deadliness 4, Unholy
body out or reattach it freely, but it reduces its endur- Gear (equipped): Demonic flesh (Physical 1, Spiritual
ance by 5 and all of its rings by 1 while the body part 1, Unholy)
remains separate. The body part then acts separately
from the oni, possessed of all of the oni’s senses and

ABILITIES
awareness and directed by its will, using the oni frag-

ment profile presented here. Any critical strike inflicted SEGMENT OF JIGOKU
destroys the fragment, although the oni can regrow a An oni fragment is an Otherworldly, Tainted being
body part destroyed in this way over a single month. of silhouette 0. It may use any Shadowlands powers
Second Rank: Choose 1 additional body part that the appropriate to its form, so an oni’s tongue might
oni can split off. speak with a Captivating Voice, while an oni with
envenomed claws may have the Shadowlands Venom
power apply to its claws’ attacks while its hand is sep-
arated. If the fragment is an eye, add 1 to its Air Ring;
if a hand, add 1 to its Fire Ring; and if a tongue add 1
to its Water Ring.
138

Human Mask +4 The illusions the oni creates have no substance and
cannot directly physically harm anyone, but they can
The most cunning of oni sometimes transform them- speak if the oni wishes it, or conceal details such as
selves into human guise. Though imperfect, these deadfalls or other dangers. Touching an illusion reveals
disguises are often capable of fooling the unwary and its falsehood but does not end its effects unless the
allow the oni to close with a victim or to bypass a foolish illusion is brought into contact with jade. Characters
sentry. Closer scrutiny often reveals the truth, however, who have reason to suspect an illusion can attempt to
as even the cleverest of oni won’t follow (or compre- see through it or reveal it with a TN 3 check using a skill
hend) the tenets of Bushidō properly. Less cunning oni, the GM deems appropriate.
with little or no understanding of how to act human,
behave in bizarre fashions that even gaijin would notice
Obsidian Jaws +4
as not falling within Rokugani norms.
First Rank: As a Scheme action, oni with this power The hideous visages of some oni are further marred by
can weave an illusion of Tainted sorcery to change massive jaws filled with teeth of obsidian shards.
its apparent nature. It may only initiate this illusion First Rank: The oni gains the following unarmed attack
while unseen by others. While under the illusion, the profile: Obsidian Bite (Range 0, Damage 4, Deadliness
oni appears to be a normal human unafflicted by the 8, Razor-Edged, Unholy).
Taint, its silhouette is reduced to 2, and it is unaffected Additional Ranks: After the oni inflicts a critical strike
by its Sickening Visage disadvantage. However, some using this profile, it removes 2 fatigue per additional
element of the oni’s inhuman nature remains, allowing rank purchased.
careful observers to note something wrong by per-
forming a TN 4 Medicine (Air) or Theology (Earth) Scent of Weakness +3
check. Outside of the Shadowlands, the oni’s illusions
are harder to maintain, reducing the TN of the check The secret desires of a samurai’s heart are as playthings
to 3. Success reveals the horn carefully hidden in hair, to an oni, who may be able to see hidden weakness as
the fire in the oni’s eyes, or some other tell that reveals if written in burning letters on the samurai’s face or to
it as an inhuman monster. The oni may dismiss the illu- smell the wants and needs the samurai keeps hidden
sion as a Support action and typically does so before as clearly as wafting perfume.
engaging in combat. First Rank: As a Scheme Action, the oni may make a
Social (Air) check targeting one character in the scene
with a TN equal to the target's vigilance. Success
Illusion Master +3, +3
reveals the target’s ninjō to the oni, including contextu-
The treachery of oni knows no bounds, and some oni al details. For example, an oni using this power against
have learned vile magics that can deceive the sens- a character with a ninjō of secret love would learn not
es and mind into perceiving that which is not there. only about this hidden desire, but also whom the char-
By means of this sorcery, these oni are able to call up acter longs for, what their love looks like, and similar
phantasms of lost family to torment samurai, to cloak information as the GM deems appropriate. This does
their movements in impenetrable shadow, or to appear not in and of itself grant the oni power over the target,
to be more numerous and terrible than they truly are. but may help the oni in other ways, such as empow-
First Rank: Oni with this power can call forth illusions ering the Captivating Voice power (see page 137) or
of objects, people, and creatures as a Support action. enabling it to further a secret scheme. Characters who
Once created, an illusion remains for the duration of have their secrets exposed to the oni in this way have
the scene, continuing to act in accordance with the no way of knowing the extent of what it learned.
oni’s will. The oni may maintain illusions with total sil- Additional Ranks: Reduce the TN of the check by 1 (to
houette no greater than 8, with two silhouette 0 illu- a minimum of 0).
sions counting as a single point of silhouette. There-
fore, the oni could create the illusion of two ogres
(silhouette 4 each), or it could make itself appear to
be even larger (increasing its apparent silhouette by
1), wielding a sword the size of a tall human (silhouette
2), and preceded by a pack of five Tainted hounds (sil-
houette 1 each).
139

Serpentine Speed +2 The acquisition and wielding of power is the ulti-
mate goal of most oni, and they use their cruelty and
Oni with this power are preternaturally swift, capable of raw power as tools toward that end. However, the oni
reacting and moving with blinding speed. The impos- have no interest in building kingdoms or establishing
sible grace of a massive and powerful oni has been the dynasties. Theirs is a love of power for its own sake, not
downfall of many skilled samurai. to use for any other purpose.
Restrictions: Cannot be selected with Bony Carapace. While all oni share similar goals in broad strokes,
First Rank: Increase the oni's focus attribute by 2 and their exact plans and aspirations may vary. For exam-
decrease the TN of Fitness checks it makes by 1 (to a ple, the skull-cleaving oni (from page 26) seeks to
minimum of 0). curry the favor of the Dark Kami by establishing a faith
Additional Ranks: Increase the oni's focus attribute by among the Lost devoted to its worship, while obsidian
an additional 2. bone oni (on page 28) only wish to spread pain to
all they encounter. Some oni might be fascinated with
Shadowlands Venom +4 corrupting Rokugani shugenja and monks into seeking
forbidden lore, while others might delight in stalking
The oni’s weapons or attacks carry the threat of dead-
the dreams of their prey before devouring their bodies.
ly venom, smeared on a weapon or injected by its
Using oni as characters in a Legend of the Five
claws or bite.
Rings campaign allows the GM to create potent and
First Rank: After the oni inflicts the Bleeding condition
memorable villains. Oni gleefully perform atrocities
on a target, that target also suffers the Lightly Wound-
and seek the ruin of all that a loyal samurai holds dear,
ed condition for one ring of the oni's choice.
while having the power to back up their cruelty and
Additional Ranks: Increase the TN of checks to resist
challenge even the toughest groups of PCs. However,
critical strikes inflicted by this oni by 1.
encounters with oni should be about more than just
pulling out the biggest weapons the PCs can find and
Tainted Sorcery +5, +5 stopping a slaughter. The GM should consider what
Some of the most fearsome oni wield powerful Taint- the oni want in any given situation and direct their vile
ed sorcery akin to mahō, cowing the kansen into sub- entertainments and actions toward those goals. Keep-
mission or drawing on the power of Jigoku instead of ing the goals of the oni in mind helps prevent them
enticing the corrupted spirits with blood offerings. from becoming one-note or mundane encounters and
First Rank: An oni with this power gains up to three serves to further magnify the horror that samurai feel
mahō techniques, chosen from pages 224–225 of the upon encountering them.
core rulebook and from pages 118–121 of this book. When creating or using an oni NPC, the GM should
When using these powers, the oni never suffers spiritu- try to think of a unique hook for that oni, keeping
al backlash, nor does it take damage for channeling the the broader strokes of their demonic nature in mind.
techniques. For the purposes of using mahō, all five of If the GM is using the Oni Generation Rules starting
the oni’s rings count as having the Shadowlands Taint on page 134, the choice of profile and Shadowlands
disadvantage attached. powers can help inspire ideas. A vile trickster oni with
Additional Ranks: The oni may be given 2 additional the Human Mask and Captivating Voice powers is
mahō techniques. unlikely to be interested in butchering random villag-
ers when it could be luring innocents into the Shadow-
Twisted Goals lands, while a hellish sorcerer oni whose shadow serves
as a Dark Puppet might be interested in influencing
There is more to the mind of an oni than a lust for bat- and corrupting others with its magic. Other, similarly
tle. Oni are cruel and brutal creatures, but they also predetermined elements of an oni’s appearance in the
have their own twisted goals and motivations that drive campaign can help define its motivation. If the GM
them. The oni of Jigoku are deeply bound to the Fallen knows they want an oni to be terrorizing a mountain
Kami Fu Leng, and they share his appetite for conquest village in the Dragon provinces when the PCs arrive,
and dominion. The breach from Jigoku gives them a then thinking about how it got there and why it is so
new realm into which they can spread their horrors. interested in the village are both good starting points.
140

The following motivations are options for GMs to
use for oni in their games, either as presented or to
vary as appropriate for their personal use:
$$ The oni enjoys luring mortals into the wilder- $$ Capable of playing a longer game than most,
ness to be attacked by Tainted animals but the oni has been posing as a human for years
prefers not to get involved in killing them itself. now, deep in Rokugani society. It attempts to
Instead, it savors their fear from the shadows. ingratiate itself with figures of local influence,
$$ Nothing is sweeter to this oni than the anguish and it dreams of insinuating itself into the high
of mortal grief, so it enjoys creeping into courts of the land.
Rokugani settlements and arranging for tragic $$ Although the oni delights in slaughter, its
“accidents” to occur. defeat at the hands of a valiant samurai cen-
$$ The oni has a hated rival amongst its own turies ago taught it the value of subtlety. Now,
kin! To humiliate or harm this other oni, it is it stalks isolated areas and preys on those
not above using human pawns, seeing them who will not be missed, all the while dream-
as pieces in a greater game than mortals ing of an elaborate revenge on the samu-
can imagine. rai’s descendants.
141

Tenets of Bushidō: Courage Defining Courage

Courage is to completely disregard consequences in
Six of the seven Bushidō virtues pertain to external favor of righteous action. It therefore unites the other
qualities, how a warrior relates to others or society. Bushidō tenets. To show Courtesy to one’s victorious
Only one relates purely to the samurai: Yū, or Courage. enemy, to offer one’s own life in protest with Sincerity,
While it is the virtue most embraced by the Crab Clan, to heed Duty to the point of completely surrendering
all clans recognize its importance and seek to cultivate one’s own agency: these things all require Courage.
it in their samurai. After all, without Courage, none of Without it, there is no Bushidō.
the other virtues are possible. The GM should recognize and reward courageous
action during games. But that leads to a question:
when is a player character acting courageously?
Not all courageous acts need life-or-death stakes
or take place on a battlefield. Courage takes many
forms. There are essentially two components to cou-
rageous action: the disregard of fear or consequence,
and virtuous action.
Three Feet from Danger

A samurai is always willing to die. But there are worse
things to lose than one’s life. Most samurai would rath-
er die than lose their reputation, the respect of others,
or the menboku, or face, of the clan. So how many risk
these things to do what is right?
Courage means acting in spite of what one has to
lose. If one stands to lose nothing, then action doesn’t
require courage. One does not avoid the consequenc-
es, nor even attempt to mitigate them. Indeed, it never
occurs to the courageous to avoid consequence at all.
Thoughtlessly, they give everything, then accept what-
ever comes next. When a PC acts without regard to the
dangers, fully knowing and then enduring the conse-
quences, they are exemplifying Courage.
Bravery Is not Courage

Bravery and Courage are not the same. Bravery is
merely acting in spite of fear. Courage means not only
being brave, but also doing what is right. To quote a
saying attributed to a real-world philosopher (Con-
fucius), “Perceiving what is right, and doing it not,
argues lack of courage.”
Integrity defines courageous action. Fighting a
horde of skeletal warriors is brave, but distracting them
so the town can evacuate is courageous. Delivering a
report that damages one’s reputation is brave, but gen-
uinely offering seppuku afterward is courageous.
This distinction may seem trivial, but it can help
tell the GM when to award honor. Bravery is second
nature in roleplaying games, to the point where cow-
ardly action rarely occurs to the players. Courage,
though, means putting something precious at risk

to do what is right. It means defying commands that

order the burning of an innocent village. It means Trifling Breaches
entrusting your beloved’s fate to their yōjimbō instead and Small Sacrifices
of abandoning your post. When the player chooses
In the Legend of the Five Rings core rulebook, there
the righteous action over the easier path, they are
are guidelines for gaining honor for virtuous deeds, as
exemplifying Courage.
well as for forfeiting honor to act disgracefully. Howev-
Courage and Bushidō

er, minor acts can affect one’s honor as well. A samurai
ideally adheres to Bushidō in all aspects of their life,
As mentioned, Courage is Bushidō’s binding virtue. It and many small demonstrations eventually add up.
takes Courage to see the other virtues through. Righ- What follows are optional additions to Tables 7–1:
teousness is especially important to Courage; action is Honor and Glory Forfeits/Awards on page 300 and
only courageous when it is also righteous. Courage is the examples related to Courage on pages 301–302 of
also a byproduct of Honor. Honor is the virtue of know- the core rulebook.
ing oneself and holding to one’s own personal truth.
This enables one to be courageous. If Courage is the Trifling Breaches
water, Honor is the well.
When a character wishes to commit a breach of Cour-
Bushidō is complex. Sometimes Courage conflicts
age that is judged to be lower than a minor breach,
with the other tenets. It requires Courage to defy a
they must first forfeit 1 honor.
Duty one knows is wrong, such as an order to kill an
Examples of trifling breaches of Courage:
enemy daimyō’s child. It requires Courage to cast aside
Compassion to execute luckless peasants who have $$ Allowing fear for someone else’s well-being to
may been exposed to the Shadowlands Taint. Even influence your actions.
something as simple as an apology to a rival can be
$$ Concealing your identity in battle.
a violation of Honor. When Bushidō is wrong, it takes
Courage to recognize it. $$ Avoiding a conflict when you are in the right.
$$ Saving yourself when risking yourself would
Making Courage have advanced your lord’s goals.
Your Hook
Courage can be a powerful quality to use in encoun- Small Sacrifices
ters, especially as a means for PCs to demonstrate their
adherence to this tenet and the value they place in it. When a character makes a sacrifice in the name of
NPCs might also display exceptional Courage or fail- Courage, but it is judged to be lower than a minor sac-
ures of the same to allow the PCs to examine their own rifice, they are awarded 1 honor.
beliefs and their strength in them. Examples of small sacrifices of Courage:
As with most roleplaying in the Emerald Empire, $$ Accepting a challenge from an enemy of
there should rarely be easy solutions a character fac-
unknown skill.
es issues of courage. Ideally, it should not be easy for
the PCs to detect that this tenet is highlighted. It may $$ Enduring a minor public humiliation to right
evolve organically in an encounter, quite unexpected a wrong.
as the players take things into unplanned areas. GMs, $$ Publicly attempting something in which you
especially when Crab samurai are involved, should be have no skill in order to serve your lord.
ready to use these situations as they occur. Courage
$$ Refusing to back down when faced with
could then become a strong theme for an adventure. A
superior forces.
single instance in which Courage is shown (or is avoid-
ed) can drive the narrative deeper into the impact of
Bushidō in the PCs and even create conflicts between
this tenet and others. Above all, GMs should watch for
displays of Courage when they fit into a PC’s view of
this tenet and reward their actions appropriately.
143

New Demeanors and Crab Clan Samurai

This template can be used with any clan samurai profile.
NPC Templates Conflict Rank: Combat +2

Ring: +1 Earth
Skills: +1 Martial and Trade skills
Game masters should always call on the wide assort-
Advantages (add/replace 0–2): Expert Haggler (Water)
ment of NPCs from the Legend of the Five Rings core
[Social; Interpersonal], Large Stature (Earth) [Martial;
rulebook when creating adventures, but tales set in the
Physical], Makes Things Work (Water) [Artisan; Physical],
Shadowlands and nearby lands call out for more flavor
Veteran of the Shadowlands (Water) [Martial; Physical]
in the selected characters. Such characters are likely
Disadvantages (add/replace 0–2): Wall Weary (Earth)
to be of the Crab Clan, possibly crewing the Wall or
[Social; Interpersonal], Bluntness (Air) [Social; Interper-
scouting for the dangers looming to the south. They
sonal], Ends Justify the Means (Void) [Scholar; Mental]
could also hail from the mysterious Falcon Clan when
Techniques (add 0–2): Kata (), Rituals ()
threats from vile spirits arise. They might even be mem-
Demeanor (replace 1): Courageous, Gruff, Shrewd
bers of the Damned, those unfortunates suffering from
Equipment: Replace katana with tetsubō
Shadowlands Taint but seeking out an honorable death
fighting against the Dark Kami and his minions.
This section provides GMs with a new demeanor
Falcon Clan Samurai
and new NPC templates for fashioning such characters, This template can be used with any clan samurai profile.
using the NPC profiles from the core rulebook and oth- Conflict Rank: Combat +1
er supplements as their basis. These tools take NPCs Ring: +1 Void
without an assigned clan and make them into Crab Skills: +2 Scholar skills
samurai and other characters more suited to adven- Advantages (add/replace 0–2): Knowledge of Gaki
tures along the Wall and beyond, thus making them (Void) [Scholar; Mental], Probing Sight (Water) [Martial;
more fitting for these areas. Physical], Sense for the Spirits (Void) [Martial; Spiritual]
Disadvantages (add/replace 0–2): Disdain for Courtly
New Demeanor: Matters (Air) [Social; Interpersonal], Close to the Edge
Courageous (Void) [Social; Spiritual], Deals with Spirits (Fire) [Social;

Interpersonal]
The following new demeanor is designed to reflect a Techniques (add 0–2): Incantations (), Rituals ()
personality often found in Crab Clan members and in Demeanor (replace 1): Detached, Gruff
other samurai who value the tenet of Yū above all oth-
ers. Such characters do not hesitate to overcome their Tainted
fear and act correctly, no matter the consequences.
Courageous works in the same manner as the other This template can be used with any clan samurai profile
demeanors on page 310 of the core rulebook. as well as the trained ashigaru and skillful rōnin pro-
Social Skill Check TN Modifiers: Air +2, Earth –2 files. It can be used to create fallen samurai such as the
Common Way of Unmasking: Angry Dismay Damned and the Lost.
The NPC loudly complains about the cowardice of Conflict Rank: Combat +2
others around them, especially concerning their lack Ring: +1 Earth
of concern of Shadowlands threats and a lack of enthu- Skills: +1 Martial skills, –1 Social skills (to minimum of 0)
siasm for going to the Wall to better serve the Empire. Advantages (add/replace 0–2): Accepts the End
(Void) [Social; Mental], Knows the Enemy (Earth) [Schol-
New NPC Templates ar; Mental], Veteran of the Shadowlands (Water) [Mar-
tial; Physical]
The following new NPC templates allow GMs to turn Disadvantages (add/replace 1–2): Shadowlands Taint
generic NPC profiles into ones the PCs might more (Any) [varies]
commonly encounter in Crab lands or the Shadow- Other Disadvantages (add/replace 0–2): Quick to Rage
lands. Each works the same as the templates in the (Air) [Martial; Mental], Distrust of Kuni (Water) [Social;
core rulebook on page 311, but also includes types Interpersonal], any disadvantage with the Mental type
of applicable NPCs. Sadly for all in Rokugan, the Taint Demeanor (replace 1): Assertive, Detached, Gruff
can strike almost anyone, so there are few chances the
Tainted template might be inapplicable.
144

SHADOWLANDS
Enter the Lands of Evil
South of Rokugan lies the foul Shadowlands,
the home of horrid demons and unnatural
creatures. Centuries ago, the Crab Clan built
the huge Kaiu Wall to contain these threats,
but each day sees new assaults. Without
samurai of courage and honor to defend
against the threats of the Shadowlands, the
Emerald Empire would surely fall.
Shadowlands explores these dark realms
and the tainted creatures that fester
SHADOWLANDS
within, as well as the samurai who do
battle against them at the Wall or beyond.
In this sourcebook for the Legend of the
Five Rings Roleplaying Game, you will
find a wealth of information for gaming in
the Shadowlands as well as in Crab Clan
territories, including:
$$ Tales of the Shadowlands and its many
vile denizens and locations such as the
Festering Pit of Fu Leng, plus those of
the Crab Clan and the Kaiu Wall itself.
$$ Rules for the Falcon Minor Clan, plus
new schools, weapons, techniques, and
weapon patterns designed to thwart the
evils of the Shadowlands. Players also
gain new mahō techniques, should they
dare to use such forbidden blood magic
rites to gain power.
$$ GM Support including tips for running
Shadowlands-themed adventures, rules
for generating unique, demonic oni, and
guidance on using corruption in games.
Shadowlands
The Essential Guide to the
Dominion of Fu Leng

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SHADOWLANDS

Enter the Lands of Evil

EDITING Dixie Cochran

Christine Crabb and David Johnson

RPG MANAGER Sam Gregor-Stewart

LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS STORY REVIEW Tyler Parrott

GRAPHIC DESIGN COORDINATOR Joseph D. Olson

GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Christopher Hosch

FRONT COVER ART Mathias Kollros

ART DIRECTION Andy Christensen

MANAGING ART DIRECTOR Melissa Shetler

QUALITY ASSURANCE Andrew Janeba and Zach Tewalthomas

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT Jason Glawe and Dylan Tierney

VISUAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brian Schomburg

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER John Franz-Wichlacz

SENIOR MANAGER OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Chris Gerber

EXECUTIVE GAME DESIGNER Corey Konieczka

PUBLISHER Andrew Navaro

FANTASY Fantasy Flight Games

Peter Holland (order #18525021)

5 Welcome to 105 New Armor

Peter Holland (order #18525021)

Peter Holland (order #18525021)

Welcome to the Shadowlands Adventure Seeds

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The bushi curled her lip. Such was the Shadowlands—a

And something else. Something was moving, far in

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The Fall of the Kami The First War

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Then, Fu Leng unexpectedly arrived at Hantei’s pal-

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The most dreadful form of elemental corruption is

Itself as an Enemy ed kami. It is through the perversion of these elemental

The Corrupted Elements The Air

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The Water Plant and Animal Life THE LOST

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Birds and mammals, on the other hand, are

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Peter Holland (order #18525021)

Peter Holland (order #18525021)

The Kuni Wastelands: Once Tainted by a

Shadowlands incursion, the Kuni Wastelands,

ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 5 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 1 TRADE 0

Massive Stature: Easily Distracted:

FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR

monstrosities most likely to be encountered, particular-

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Harionago appear as beautiful women with long, flow-

SOCIETAL PERSONAL FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR

1 3 Smothering Papers: Range 0–1, Damage 4, Deadli-

ARTISAN 2 MARTIAL 2 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 2 TRADE 1

A kyōrinrin is an Otherworldly, Tainted being of silhou-

successful Attack action check, it may spend  

Fitness check (Fire 2, Earth 5) to break free and

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SOCIETAL PERSONAL ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 0 TRADE 1

most Rokugani take