Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Even before their oath of fealty to the Ki-Rin Clan so many centuries ago, the Moto were a fierce warrior tribe. As is
common amongst such peoples, they enjoyed entertainments meant to inflame the emotions of the audience. To
this end, the women of the Moto (whether born into the family, or won in raids) developed a tantalizing dance that
combined feminine sensuality with the dangers of swordplay. Though relatively unknown within the Empire as a
whole, the sword dancers of the Moto still exist, passing down their techniques from mother to daughter (and,
occasionally, to daughters-in-law).
Known as Kommu in modern Rokugan (where sword dancers will often call upon Uzume, the Fortune of Dancing,
to grant them a greater level of acceptance), this dance was originally known as Raks al sayf in the Burning Sands,
where it is still performed in its more traditional forms. Sword dancers traditionally wear loose and revealing silken
garments when performing, but due to the Rokugani customs against showing too much of ones skin, these
garments are exchanged for more socially acceptable (though still extravagant) kimonos when performing before
non-Unicorn audiences.
Since the Unicorn Clan's return to Rokugan, the sword dancers have not lost their touch for using their performance
to inflame the passions of warriors, but they have adapted some of their techniques to be effective on both the
battlefield and in the tents of the Khans.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Horsemanship, Kenjutsu (Scimitar), Perform: Dance, Temptation (Seduction), any one
Skill.
Honor: 3.5
Outfit: Extravagant Clothing, Traditional Dancers Clothing and Jewelry, Scimitar, Wakizashi, Traveling Pack, 10
koku.
Techniques
Rank 1: Steel Gleams, Silk Cuts
The sword style of the sword dancers is a beautiful blend of graceful art and viciously effective killing techniques.
You gain a +2k0 bonus on Perform: Dance Skill rolls when wielding a scimitar or otherwise using a scimitar as part
of your performance. Whenever you succeed on a Perform: Dance Skill roll, you gain one point of Glory, plus an
additional point of Glory for each Raise you called on the roll. Unlike many other Artisans, Moto Sword Dancers do
not shy away from engaging in combat. You gain a bonus to damage rolls with a scimitar equal to your ranks in the
Perform: Dance Skill, and if you are not wearing armor of any kind, you may calculate your Armor TN using your
Fire Ring instead of your Reflexes Trait.
Since the beginnings of the Empire, Samurai have been engaging in personal combat with spirits, oni and undead,
but more than any other opponent, they fight each other. Over the centuries each clan and their various families
have developed numerous fighting techniques, each jealously guarded from their enemies and allies alike. Not
surprisingly however, the Samurai were not the only group to develop combat techniques. From every major city to
the lowliest village, men fight each other for money, glory, revenge, and for fun. While these brawlers do not have
any real dojo, they do learn tricks to combat, simple bits of know-how to give an edge in a fight.
Over the past few generations however, there has arisen a new sort of unofficial fighting tradition. Wandering
monks and ronin, unaffiliated with any school, clan, or temple, who possess uncommon skill. They are the Order of
the First Pulse. Initiates of the Order of the First Pulse find enlightenment in the first moments of a fight, when blood
rushes, steel is drawn, and lives hang in the balance. They train to strike first in a fight, saying that if you wait longer
than one heartbeat to make an attack then you've already lost.
Though they have no true temple or dojo, the Order of the First Pulse passes on its teachings from master to
student through a manual entitled Seven and Sixty Techniques of Deadly Breath. Each manual is hand written, and
includes numerous additions and revisions made by those who possessed it in the past, though the core
techniques are always taught in their original form.
The Oder of the First Pulse is an unaligned order of warrior monks, revering neither the Fortunes nor the Tao of
Shinsei, though this is not due to any philosophical differences. Most Initiates of the Order simply revel in finding
their own path, without worrying about what spiritual powers may be watching them from the Heavens.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Investigation, Jiujutsu (Improvised Weapons), Meditation, any one Bugei or Low
Skill.
Honor: 3.5
Outfit: Robes, any one weapon, Copy of Seven and Sixty Techniques of Deadly Breath, Traveling Pack, 3 koku.
Techniques
Rank 1: First Pulse, Last Breath
Initiates of the First Pulse react to danger with reflexes honed from surviving years of street brawls and ambushes.
You gain a bonus on Initiative rolls equal to twice your School Rank. On the first Round of a Skirmish, you gain a
+1k0 bonus on your melee attack rolls.
The most prestigious and successful members of the Eyes of Nanashi, those who are secretly called the Voice of
Nanashi by certain members of the organization, are colloquially known as the Masters of Games. These men and
women are responsible for overseeing the social agenda that permeates Nanashi Mura (Anonymous Village) and
retaining the city's peaceful and prosperous atmosphere. They specialize in deception and redirection, and their
duties include manipulating events in the village's gambling houses so that the patrons remain content, yet lose a
sufficient amount of money to fund the village's ongoing activities.
This School is designated as a Ronin Courtier School. Although the following Technique is specifically designed to
represent the courtiers that serve the village of Nanashi Mura, there is no reason that it cannot be used to represent
other ronin who have learned to survive on their own or with small groups of others.
Technique
Rank 1: To Master the Game
You have learned that odds and probability extends well beyond games of chance and into the realm of politics. By
carefully observing and anticipating the actions of others, you can gain keen insight into your opponents' intentions.
Choose a single Games Skill in which you possess Ranks. You gain a bonus equal to your Ranks in that Skill on all
Contested Social Skill rolls you make. You also gain a bonus to your Initiative rolls equal to half your Ranks in your
chosen Games Skill.
Benefit: +1 Strength
Skills: Sincerity (Deceit), Defense, Hunting, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu (Katana), Intimidation, any one Bugei or Low Skill.
Honor: 2.0
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any one weapon, Traveling Pack, 3 koku.
Techniques
Rank 1: Strength
The Obsidian Duelist is taught to rely on his strength and physical power to overwhelm his opponents. When you
are in a duel, you may roll Iaijutsu/ Strength or Iaijutsu/ Taint (if you possess a Taint Rank) instead of Iaijutsu/ Void
on your Focus Roll. Additionally, you may may perform the Knockdown Maneuver for 1 less Raise than normal.
Rank 2: Insight
The Obsidian Duelists are taught to feed on their opponents' pain to enhance the force of their own blows. When
attacking a wounded opponent, you keep additional dice equal to half the number of Wound Levels your opponent
is currently suffering from. You can gain a maximum number of additional kept dice from this Technique equal to
your School Rank or Taint Rank (if you possess a Taint Rank), whichever is higher.
Rank 3: Determination
The Obsidian Duelist has learned to make exceptionally vicious attacks. When attacking with a Samurai keyword
weapon, you may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.
For the sake of preserving an awesome Technique, as well as maintaining game balance.
Ronin warriors are what most people in the Empire think of when someone mentions the word "ronin". They are
wandering fighters with little respect for finesse or subtlety, preferring to act with brutal and simplistic attacks. While
many ronin warriors are forced to turn to banditry to survive, not all choose this life. Many sign on to serve the Great
Clans in their skirmishes in the hopes of making a name for themselves and being offered a chance at swearing
fealty.
Techniques
Ronin Duelist
3rd ed. Update
The image of the wandering duelist of uncommon and unexpected skill is a popular one in the empire, often
appearing in plays and pillow books. They have the potential to cut quite the dramatic figure as they use their
swords to carve out an existence. They are known to set up open challenges to any and all comers in the hopes of
winning not only glory, but money and perhaps even employment from showing off their skill. A select few have
even been known to offer their services as a champion in duels when the challenged party has no yojimbo to duel
in his stead.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Wind Technique
Speed is necessary for a ronin to survive. You gain a bonus on all Initiative rolls equal to twice your Awareness Trait
Rank.
Ronin Yojimbo
3rd ed. Update
The ronin who follows the path of the yojimbo is rare indeed. While it is one of the surest methods of finding
employment, it can also be one of the quickest ways into a grave. Those who truly follow the way of the yojimbo are
often individuals with a deep respect for all life, or who feel that their own life can be better spent by ensuring the
long life of another.
Techniques
Unfortunately, ronin assassins are more prevalent than many in the Empire would like to admit. As it stands, many
ronin find that accepting assassination contracts is a surprisingly effective way to make a living. It seems that
people, from the lowliest eta to the most honorable of samurai, are always making enemies willing to pay to have
them killed.
Techniques
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: any 1 Artisan Skill, Intimidation (Control), any 1 Perform Skill, Sincerity (deceit), Temptation (Seduction), any
1 Games or Low skill.
Honor: 1.5
Outfit: Extravagant Clothing, Wakizashi, Art and Performance Supplies, Traveling Pack, 4 Koku.
Techniques
A note on temporary Disadvantages from Shadowed Web Techniques- Many of the Disadvantages that can be
inflicted with these Techniques make no sense at first glance. How can someone "gain" a dependent just from
watching someone dance, or viewing a flower arrangement? The point of these Disadvantages are to represent
temporary mental illnesses and hallucinations. The character believes them to be true, and will act accordingly. For
some, this might mean having a completely imaginary child as a dependent, or simply thinking that someone else
needs your constant care and attention, or even that another persons child is your own. In the end, it's up to the
player and the GM as to how they want to handle these Techniques, but one should always shoot for having fun.
Toturi Bushi School
3rd ed. Update
Updated from its original appearance in The Four Winds p183. This school is still preserved within the Imperial
families, and is available to them without needing to take the Different School Advantage.
Benefit: +1 Perception
Skills: Battle (Mass Combat), Defense, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu (Katana), Spears, War Fans, any 1 Skill.
Honor: 5.5
Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Yari, any 2 weapons, Light or Heavy armor, Horse (Rokugani pony), 10 Koku.
Techniques
TECHNIQUES
RANK 1: VOW OF THE PEACOCK
The Kujaku are known for their honorable stewardship of the regal birds whose name they bear. When performing
the Guard Maneuver you may add your School Rank plus one to the Armor TN of your target, in addition to the
normal benefits of the maneuver. Additionally, you have learned that a seductive glance can be just as effective as
a swift sword, and gain a +1k0 bonus on your Temptation(Seduction) rolls.
TECHNIQUES
RANK 1: DEEDS OF THE PEACOCK
Those who are fortunate enough to earn a place in this highly selective group have learned to wield the power of
their position in conjunction with the disregard most of the Empire pays their deeds.
If during a contested social roll, your Status is higher than your opponent and your Glory is lower than your
opponent, add twice your rank in Animal Handling to the result of your roll.
In the years since the Mantis Clan absorbed the Kitsune, the now Great Clan family has struggled to find a place for
themselves in their new clan. While they are mostly left to their own devices in their forest home, their duties now
are far greater than they ever were in the Kitsune's days of simply being a Minor Clan.
To this end, the Kitsune decided to turn their efforts toward forming a courtier school. Since their founding the
Kitsune has been a family of shugenja, and those without the gift of speaking with the kami (or the animal spirits of
Chikushudo) were sent away to train as bushi or rangers. But as the family with the closest ties to nature, they
easily found something inherent in nature that all men possess: The need for sex.
In Rokugani legends, fox spirits are viewed not just at tricksters, but as tempters and beguilers of men. The Kitsune
family Vixens excel at playing both roles, subtly turning their presence into a necessity for their Yoritomo brethren to
ruthlessly exploit.
Although the school is still small, the lords of the Mantis are quite pleased with the performances of the Vixens thus
far, and the soft, subdued techniques of the Vixens perfectly counterbalance the relentless browbeating of Yoritomo
courtiers.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Calligraphy, Etiquette (Conversation), Hunting, Meditation, Perform (choose one), Temptation (Seduction),
any one High or Merchant Skill.
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Extravagant Clothing, Wakizashi, Calligraphy Set, Makeup Kit, Traveling Pack, 10 Koku.
Techniques
Rank 1: Gaze of the Fox
The Vixen knows who she may most easily entice simply by looking at how people react to her. You instantly know
if anybody you are engaged in conversation with has the Lechery Disadvantage. Temptation (Seduction) is not
considered a Low Skill for you. Any time you use Temptation (Seduction) in a beautiful or aesthetically pleasing
natural environment (such as a forest, by a river, or even in a large garden), you keep additional dice equal to your
School Rank.
A note on gender inequality: The term "Vixen" is the proper name of a female fox, and also used to describe a
woman of a quarrelsome nature. In modern slang, "vixen" is also used to describe a flirtatious or sexy woman. For
the purposes of this school, I opted to go with the two fun definitions (a female fox, and a flirtatious woman).
Also note, that due to linguistic limitations (a male fox is called a "Dog" or a "Tod" and just doesn't have the same
level of imagery) this whole school is written from a feminine gender. This doesn't mean that male members of the
Kitsune family can't be trained in this school. They just need to have a fun and creative (or bland and utterly boring)
name, cuz "vixen" just doesn't sound right when used on a guy
Generic Schools, like ronin schools, are less powerful that the School Techniques of the Great Clans, and represent
a more intuitive learning of abilities. Unlike ronin schools, however, Generic Schools still benefit from having a
sensei or two, a dojo to practice in, the support of a Minor Clan, and do not require the expenditure of XP to learn
the Techniques.
These are primarely intended to e used to flesh out characters from Minor Clans who do not attend their Clan's
main School, but may be taken by a Great Clan samurai by way of the Different School Advantage.
Generic Bushi
Not every bushi in the empire has learned at the main dojo of a clan some are not good enough by birth, others
not able to come to the dojo or have other hindrances but, nonetheless, they are samurai, followers bushido, and
are taught to use their abilities to the benefit of their home, family, town or clan.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Defense, Etiquette, Lore: Bushido, Lore: Heraldry, Kenjutsu (Katana), Kyujutsu or Polearms, any one non-
Low skill.
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any one weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
TECHNIQUES
RANK 1: WAY OF THE BUSHI - You add your school rank as a bonus to any Skill Rolls with your seven School
Skills.
RANK 2: THE COVER OF THE PEOPLE - While defending innocents or those below you in the Celestial Heirarchy,
you gain a +1k0 bonus on all skill rolls for the duration of the skirmish.
RANK 3: FOLLOWER OF THE BUSHIDO - Every time you use your honor to defend yourself (i.e. - when rolling to
resist Intimidation, Temptation, or a Fear Effect, or when making an Honor Roll in place of Defense or Etiquette),
your Honor Rank is considered to be two Ranks higher than it actually is.
RANK 4: THE ADEPT STRIKES TWICE - You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of as a Complex
Action with weapons which have the samurai keyword.
RANK 5: TRUSTED AIDE - The bushi is stalwart in his mind and action. You gain the Irreproachable Advantage. If
you already possess this advantage, the bonus provided by it is increased to +2k1. While within 20 feet of your
liege or any official charge, you halve any wound penalties and count the out Wound Rank as an additional
down Wound Rank.
Generic Shugenja
Not every shugenja in the empire has learned at the main temple of a clan some are not good enough by birth,
others not able to come to the temple or have other hindrances but, nonetheless, they are samurai, follow the
bushido and are taught to use their abilities to the benefit of their home, family, town or clan.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Defense, Etiquette, Lore: Bushido, Lore: Heraldry, Lore: Shugenja, Spellcraft, any one High skill.
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
Affinity/Deficiency: none
TECHNIQUE
WAY OF THE SHUGENJA - You add your School Rank as bonus to any Skill Rolls with your seven School Skills,
as well as to your Spellcasting rolls.
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, one of every usable element (so four spells or five if being ishiken)
Generic Courtier
Not every courtier in the empire has learned at the main dojo of a clan some are not good enough by birth, others
not able to come to the dojo or have other hindrances but, nonetheless, they are samurai, follow the bushido and
are taught to use their abilities to the benefit of their home, family, town or clan.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Courtier, Etiquette, Lore: Bushido, Lore: Heraldry, Sincerity, Tea Ceremony, any one High skill.
Honor: 5.5
Outfit: Sensible Clothing, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
TECHNIQUES
RANK 1: WAY OF THE COURTIER - You add your school rank as bonus to any Skill Rolls with your seven School
Skills.
RANK 2: VANGUARD OF THE CLAN - You add your school rank as bonus to all Courtier, Etiquette and Sincerity
Skill rolls. This bonus stacks with your Rank 1 Technique. Additionally, if you make an Honor Roll and fail, you lose
only five points of honor instead of a full rank.
RANK 3: SMALL STEPS - Due to not being from an elite school of a great clan, the Courtier is completely
underestimated. You gain a +3k0 bonus to any Contested Social Skill roll against someone with higher status.
RANK 4: FIRST DEFENDER - The courtier is agile in his mind. You gain the Irreproachable Advantage. If you
already possess this Advantage, the bonus provided is increased to +2k0. Additionally, you may double your Honor
Rank when rolling to resist any attempts to influence you with the Intimidation or Temptation Skills.
RANK 5: TRUE MINISTER - You gain five bonus points to increase or acquire any Social Advantages. When you
make a Social Skill or Merchant Skill roll for the purpose of defending, helping or supporting your own holdings, or
those of your lord or Clan, you gain a bonus of +3k0 to that roll.
New Basic School: Yogo Malefactor [Monk] -Original Creation-
The Yogo family garners little trust outside of the Scorpion Clan, and even within the Clan they are regarded with a
touch of wariness. This leaves them with the time and space they need to pursue a variety of activities, chief among
them being research into curses (namely, their own). Over the generations, this research has opened the door to a
new and little understood realm of study. Simply called "Hirogeru", meaning "widen", the Techniques developed by
the Malefactors of the Yogo family allow them to impart a small fraction of their family curse into the area and
people around them.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Investigation, Jiujutsu, Kenjutsu, Lore: Curses, any one Lore Skill, Meditation, any one Skill.
Honor: 2.5
Outfit: Rugged Clothing, Daisho, Knife, Traveling Pack, 3 koku.
Techniques
Rank 1: Luck of the Damned
Any monk or shugenja in the Empire knows that there is balance in all things. The Malefactor knows this to be true,
even with things as potent as curses, but even luck is not without its risks. You gain one free Rank of the Luck
Advantage (maximum four Ranks), and whenever you re-roll a roll (whether from the Luck Advantage or another
ability) you add a bonus of +1k1 to the second roll.. However, whenever you use Luck to re-roll a roll, you and all
other creatures within 10 feet of you suffer a -0k1 penalty to all rolls made on the following Round. If you suffer from
the Yogo Curse, this penalty increases to -1k1 for all creatures other than you. This penalty counts as a curse.
The Yogo family garners little trust outside of the Scorpion Clan, and even within the Clan they are regarded with a
touch of wariness. This leaves them with the time and space they need to pursue a variety of activities, chief among
them being research into curses (namely, their own). Over the generations, this research has opened the door to a
new and little understood realm of study. Differing from the Malefactors in several ways, the Sin-eaters gain power
from drawing curses into themselves and redirecting those curses at new targets.
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Skills: Calligraphy (Cipher), Etiquette, Lore: Curses, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft, Stealth, any one High or Low Skill.
Honor: 1.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 3 Koku.
Affinity/ Deficiency: Yogo Sin-eaters do not have an elemental Affinity or Deficiency. Instead, they have an Affinity
for all non-Void spells with the Curse keyword, and a Deficiency for all spells with the Defense or Craft keywords.
They may treat certain spells as having the Wards keywordsee below.
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, 3 Wards spells, 3 other spells (may not be Void spells).
Technique: Dread Escalation
Sineaters draw curses out of people, places, and objects. This is a valuable talent, one that many in the Empire are
willing to pay outrageous prices for. What is little known however, is that drawing out a curse does not break it. The
curse must be placed into a vessel of some sort or else it will take root in the Sin-eater herself. Once per day, you
may spend a Void Point and make a Spellcasting Skill roll (as though casting a Curse Spell) against a TN set by the
GM (no lower than 25) to remove a curse from another person. This requires a special ritual that takes 1 hour to
perform. This ritual must be performed again sometime within the next 24 hours to place that curse into another
object of person, or else it takes root in the caster.
You also gain a number of Free Raises on all Spellcasting rolls made to cast Curse spells equal to the number of
curses you suffer from (Including the Yogo Curse).
Curse Spells
The following spells are considered to have the Curse Keyword for Yogo Sin-eaters.
Earth: Earth's Stagnation, Grasp of Earth, The Wolf's Mercy, Tomb of Jade, Strike at the Roots.
Fire: The Fires That Cleanse, Disrupt the Aura, Haze of Battle, Death of Flame, Everburning Rage.
Other spells may be added to this list at the discretion of the GM.
New Brotherhood School: Order of the Wooden Blade [Monk] -Original Creation-
Inspired by the L5R CCG Follower
The Order of the Wooden Blade is a small sect of the Brotherhood of Shinsei, but they are popular for retiring
samurai, particularly for Crane and Dragon bushi. Seeking enlightenment through meditation and swordplay, the
Order of the Wooden Blade is unique in that all of its members are skilled in the arts of kenjutsu and iaijutsu
(although as seekers of peace and enlightenment, they prefer to call their skills kendo and iaido, symbolizing that
they practice the arts as a tool to reach enlightenment.)
Devotion: Shintao
Benefit: +1 Void
Honor: 4.5
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Jiujutsu, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Kenjutsu or Iaijutsu, any one Skill
Outfit: In addition to the normal outfit of a Brotherhood monk, a member of the Order of the Wooden Blade begins
play with a bokken or shinai.
Technique: Essence of the Sword
You gain a bonus to all Kenjutsu and Iaijutsu Skill rolls equal to your Ranks in the Meditation Skill. You lose this
bonus if you are wielding any sword other than a bokken or shinai. Additionally, you may utilize (Atemi) Kiho with a
bokken or shinai, rolling Kenjutsu instead of Jiujutsu.
New Basic School: Shiba Kamisai (Bushi/Monk) -Original Creation-
Mechanics inspired by LBS 4th. ed. PDF
In the final years of the 12th century, as the Great Clans pushed farther and farther into the Ivory Kingdoms, the
Phoenix reaped the benefits of new insights into ancient (and borderline forbidden) knowledge.
One of these secrets was that through intense meditation and spiritual training, akin to that which monks of the
Brotherhood of Shinsei endure, even those who cannot speak with the kami can still influence them, if only in a
limited fashion.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Defense, Meditation, Lore: Elements, Investigation, any one Skill.
Honor: 5.5
Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, Light Armor or Heavy Armor, Daisho, any one Weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku.
Techniques
Rank 1: Voice of the Elements
Kamisai do not have the ability to speak to the kami like shugenja, but they can hear their whispers. You add your
Lore: Elements Skill Rank to the benefit gained from assuming the Center Stance and to your Armor TN while in the
Center Stance. You gain a +2k0 bonus to all rolls involving finding something hidden or concealed, and against
effects (mundane or magical) which would alter or mislead your perceptions.
The Moto of the Burning Sands are a nomadic culture - by necessity more than by choice. Still affected by the
Ra'Shari's dark history, they are unwelcome in most cities across the desert, and are actively hunted by the Senpet
Legions. The Khadi delight in capturing them and penning them in the Jandaq slave caravans with the remnants of
other cultures they have subjugated. The house of Dahab offer bounties on their heads, and hire armies to protect
their merchant caravans, which turned even the most pacifistic tribes of the Ivory Kingdoms against them. Within
their own homeland, the Clan of the Ki-Rin have no allies to call upon, and lose as many of their children to hunger
as to the knife.
But adversity has been the Moto's greatest teacher. Every child of the clan is taught from birth to survive in the
harsh wastes, with or without tools of civilization. They are shown how to train and ride the famed stallions of the
desert, and how to use them in war. And they are taught how to protect themselves from the predators that hunt
them - both human and otherwise.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Archery (Horse Archery), Horsemanship, Hunting, Swordsmanship, Lore: Burning Sands, Stealth, any one
Combat Skill.
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, Heavy Armor, Bow and 20 arrows, Scimitar, Wakizashi, any two weapons, Gaijin Riding
Horse, Traveling Pack, any combination of 10 total koku and copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: Under Cover of Night
Ki-Rin Moto are trained to use shadows and the cover of night to move about without being detected. They are also
given their first chronicle - their own passage in the continuing verbal tradition that the Moto keep to Shinjo upon
her return. You never suffer any penalties to Stealth Skill rolls from wearing armor, and may make Stealth Skill rolls
while on horseback. Additionally, select one of your School Skills as your Chronicle (what you are currently famous
for among your clan). You gain a free Emphasis in this Skill, which does not count against your normal maximum,
and a +1k0 bonus on all rolls involving this Skill.
In the Burning Sands, the Qabal are arguably the most learned and powerful group of Sahir, with traditions dating
back hundreds, or even thousands, of years. While the Qabal openly relies on their own magic and political
leverage for defense, they secretly train their own private force of defenders.
The Dervishes are trained in the defense of the members of the Qabal and their academies while maintaining a
minimal presence. They take this duty very seriously, for they know that the secrets housed within the academies of
the Qabal can lead to the ruination of whole nations if misused.
This inherent danger is also what leads the Dervishes to their second duty. The Dervishes are magi-slayers,
assassins of sahir, and murderers of any who possesses the gift of magic without the discipline to use it for the
betterment of all men.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Polearms (Khadja), Swordsmanship, Lore: Qabal, Stealth, any one Combat Skill.
Integrity: 5.5
Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, Light or Heavy Armor, Khadja, any one Weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: Mirage Heart
Dervishes spin and weave, flickering in and out of their opponents reach like heat waves. You gain a +1k0 bonus to
attack and Defense Skill rolls when you are wielding a Polearm. This bonus increases to +1k1 while you are
defending a member or property of the Qabal. The TN's of any spells targeting you are increased by +5.
Benefit: +1 Strength
Skills: Brawling, Intimidation, Knives, Stealth, Lore: Underworld, any two Skills.
Integrity: 2.5
Outfit: Partial Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Knife, any one Weapon, Traveling Pack, 3 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: Predator of the Alleys
Alley Thugs know how to strike like the crocodile of the rivers, hitting hard and preventing their prey for escaping.
When attempting the Knockdown Maneuver you gain +1k0 to the Attack Roll. Your penalties for fighting in poor
visibility conditions and in areas of difficult terrain are halved, rounded down.
Rank 5: No Witnesses
Once per Skirmish, you may spend a Void Point to add +4k1 to a single attack and damage roll.
Scholar (Diplomat)
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Calligraphy, Etiquette, Perform: Storytelling, any four Lore Skills.
Integrity: 4.5
Outfit: Normal Clothing, Knife, Scrolls and Ink, Traveling Pack, 3 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: A Man of Knowledge
A man of knowledge knows how to use his knowledge in any situation to support himself. You gain a Free Raise on
Lore Skills. You gain a bonus equal to the number of Lore Skills you possess to all Etiquette and Perform:
Storytelling Skill rolls.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Athletics, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, Lore: Underworld, any three Skills.
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Simple Clothing, Knife, Traveling Pack, 3 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: Master of the Streets
In Medinaat al-Salaam, a thief lives and dies by his skills and his knowledge of the city. You gain a +1k0 bonus to
Sleight of Hand and Athletics Skill rolls. Choose a quarter of Medinaat al-Salaam; when in that quarter, you roll an
additional +1k0 on Athletics, Stealth, and Lore: Underworld Skill rolls.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Skills: Spellcraft (Spell Research), Defense, Lore: Shadowlands, Lore: Shourido, Calligraphy, any one Low Skill,
any one Skill
Honor: 3.0
Outfit: Fine Robes, any 1 Weapon, Wakizashi, Traveling Pack, Scroll Satchel, 5 Koku.
Affinity/Deficiency: Fire/Water
The art of dancing is one of the most commonly known traits of the Ra'Shari, and one of the most respected skills
among their people. It also helps the Ra'Shari in diplomatic situations, as any nomad with a knife could be a warrior,
just as any wearing something flashy could be dancer or a trader. But the best dancers, the ones that the Ra'Shari
only put out in front when they really need things to go their way, are the Beguilers.
For the Beguilers, dance is not simply an art or a way to earn a few coin, but a pathway into the innermost desires
of themselves and their audience.
Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Etiquette, Lore: Burning Sands, Perform: Dance, Temptation, any one Skill.
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Flashy Clothing, any one Weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Soul Of The Universe
Many performers claim that music is the ultimate expression of the spirit. Beguilers know that this is close to the
truth. Music is only the key, helping the uninitiated into throwing away their inhibitions so that they can dance! You
gain a +2k0 bonus on all Perform: Dance Skill rolls. If you have any sort of skilled musical accompaniment to your
dance, this bonus increases to +3k1, and your Raises on such rolls are not limited in any way. Additionally, you gain
a bonus on all Courtier, Etiquette, and Temptation Skill rolls equal to your Reputation Rank.
In the decades following the Mantis Clan's first major foray into the lands of the former Ivory Kingdoms, they have
been eager to adopt and modify the fighting techniques of the surviving natives, even having gone so far as to allow
some of the gaijin of the Kshatriya to swear fealty. One interesting fighting art that the Mantis have adopted is a
brutal and bloody unarmed combat style called Mavya Boraan, approximately translating as "Ancient Binding" in the
language of the Ivory Kingdoms.
Mavya Boraan Fighters utilize their entire body as a weapon, lashing out with viscous punches and kicks, but the
hallmark trait of the style is how practitioners also use elbows, knees, and even head-butts to great effect. Although
Mavya Boraan fighters are currently most well known for their exhibition matches, they do not shy away from true
warfare, and will leap into the fray without hesitation, often utilizing an unconventional weapon called the Kaad
Cheuk, or "rope gloves", which can tear flesh as easily as any sword.
Benefit: +1 Strength
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hand-to-Hand (Kaad Cheuk) 2, Lore: Theology (Ivory Kingdoms), Meditation, any one
Skill.
Honor: 3.5
Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, Rope Gloves (Kaad Cheuk), Traveling Pack, 5 koku.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Art Of Eight Limbs
Mavya Boraan Fighters use every part of their bodies as weapons, leaving their opponent clueless as to where their
next attack might come from. You gain a bonus to your Unarmed attack rolls equal to your Athletics Skill Rank. You
may perform Combat Maneuvers for 1 less Raise when fighting unarmed.
"War, for all its pageantry, is a poor showcase for the skills of an individual soldier. It is the playground of kings and
generals and tacticians, with each of the rank-and-file contributing little, no matter how talented. To truly put a
warriors mettle to the test, we must look elsewhere; to the great arenas, where man is pitted against man- or
sometimes beast- with naught but the steel in his hand and the wits in his head to aid him. And what a glorious
display it is. How privileged we are to witness this culmination of the fighting arts!"
-Unknown Yodotai Scholar.
Far from the dojos of Rokugan, where eager students absorb the wisdom of their ancestors in the form of ancient
techniques, an entirely different class of warriors is being born. Most of them are not even allowed to know who
their ancestors were, and the training they receive is crude and haphazard at best. And yet they fight, and win,
because to not do so means death.
All of the larger Yodotai cities contain at least one gladiatorial arena, home to the multitude of slaves and convicts
who spill blood and have it spilled for the entertainment of the crowd. The ones who have not yet proven
themselves are fed just enough to keep them on their feet, and watched carefully by their masters for any sign of
rebellion. It is a true nightmare, and yet, for a few, there is still hope for escape.
Rarely, a gladiator manages to survive long enough to learn the ways of the arena, and through understanding it,
master them. They watch scores of their fellows die, and learn from their mistakes. They have been broken down
and reforged into something else. Something pure and deadly. Something with unique insight into the ways of
combat. Such veterans sometimes manage to win their freedom, or attract the attention of wealthy patrons who
purchase them for work as soldiers or bodyguards. Others manage to overpower their jailers and flee. Either way,
the harsh lessons of the arena can escape its confines and prove their worth in other settings.
Rather than being an organized school as the Clans would understand the term, these techniques represent
instruction by one who has survived the Yodotai gladiator pits. Some ex-gladiators form street gangs or mercenary
armies and train their followers, while others only walk the path of the teacher once age begins to catch up to them.
Within Rokugan, a character is most likely to have picked it up from a school operating out of the gaijin district at
Outsider Keep.
Training in this style, while less hellish than actually being a gladiator, is still incredibly harsh. Students are
expected to endure long fasts in the wilderness, sword-fight while holding a massive chunk of stone in their offhand,
and similar trials. Those who have survived it say that it's as much about frustration and desperation as it is about
memorizing maneuvers, and places an emphasis on bizarre tactics such as throwing melee weapons and trapping
your opponent in a net.
Benefit: +1 Stamina
Skills: Athletics (Throwing), Hunting, Defense, Intimidation, Any one Weapon Skill, Any two Skills.
Integrity: 3.5
Outfit: Light or heavy armor, any two weapons, shield, basic net, traveling pack, 2 Koku or equivalent.
Techniques
RANK ONE: ABOVE ALL ELSE, SURVIVE
The first lesson of the arena is to put whatever you can get your hands on between yourself and your opponent.
You receive no penalty of any kind as a result of carrying a non-weapon object (such as a shield or net) in your off-
hand. You add +0k1 to the Damage Roll of any attack made with Athletics (Throwing), and you may throw any
Small or Medium weapon as you would a wakizashi (up to 20 feet).
The Soku family is a small and nearly unknown Imperial family. Largely controlled by the Otomo, the Soku exist for
one purpose: to produce the finest women in the Empire. While many Soku are made available for the Emperors
pleasure, many more are married off by the Otomo to influential lords of the Great Clans.
Family Benefit: +1 Agility
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Skills: Courtier, Divination (Astrology), Etiquette, Stealth, Temptation (Seduction), Knives or Ninjutsu, any one High
or Low Skill.
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Luxurious Clothing, Wakizashi, any two small Weapons, Traveling Pack, 10 Koku.
TECHNIQUES
Rank 1: Way of the Concubine
The Imperial Concubines of the Soku family are trained in the finest points of womanhood nearly from birth, and by
ancient Imperial decree, are blessed by numerous Fortunes. You gain a Free Raise on all Social Skill rolls, Stealth
rolls, and attack rolls made with small weapons. All High Skills are considered to be School Skills for you, even if
you learn them later in your career.