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It was a month after the harvest season and the grass was brittle and crisp. The
fire took to it voraciously and the whole camp was alight in what seemed like
moments. Time is an odd thing when one stands in the heat of battle, when steel is
in hand and the blood boils with battle rage. The mind loses the ability to
comprehend time, as though the fires of action destroy the capacity for thought. A
Crab soldier, one of many, lay amidst the flames and grasped at the wound in his
side. Even over the scent of burning grass all around him he could still smell the
metallic tang of his own blood as it flowed between his fingers. Nearby a tent post
collapsed, its fabric fluttering in the wind as it dissolved into ashes carried
away by the breeze. So bright were the flames that the feeble light of the moon
could not convince him it was night. The Crab supposed a campfire had been
scattered in the raid and set the fields aflame, quickly eclipsing the invader�s
own destructive capacity. As he lay dying time seemed to grow long and slow, in
contrast to the blur of combat. He felt almost at leisure to contemplate the beauty
of the fire that danced around him� and to consider the fire of life that dimmed
within him. Bushido allowed no regrets, and he had none. He had been given the
chance to serve the Jade Throne and he had been up to the task. Ten men had fallen
to his blade. If every samurai was capable of the same feat, the Empire should
never know fear. Surely his ancestors awaited him with open arms. As the light
before his eyes dimmed at last, he wondered briefly what had become of his
commander. Hida Kaike, Chui of the Crab Reserve Army, rode through the night, the
fear of dishonor hanging over him like a ghost. He had expected the bandits to be
nothing more than thugs, but instead they had ambushed his men and inflicted a
massacre. Now he fled ignominiously, riding under the cloak of night toward Maisuna
Shiro. If he could reach it alive, perhaps his men would not have died in vain. The
raiders had shown their hand, and the deadly tactics they displayed identified
their disgraced leader. Kaike�s horse crested a hill and he wheeled it around to
look back at the fire that lit up the night. Good men had died this night, died in
futility. He was as culpable as the raiders who cut them down in the dark. �There
will be justice. My life belongs to you who await vengeance in Meido.� All the way
to Maisuna Shiro, the fire shone like a sun that would not set. It was a month
after the harvest season and the grass was brittle and crisp. The fire took to it
voraciously and the whole camp was alight in what seemed like moments.
6
The Book of Fire InTroducTIon
What Is This Book?
This book, like its predecessors The Book of Air and The Book of Earth, views the
Empire through the prism of a specific Element � in this case, the Element of Fire,
examining how it influences everything from fighting styles to social interaction
to magic and mysticism. The chapters in this sourcebook comprise the following:
ChapTer one: The fires of War This chapter deals with the aspects of war and combat
that are associated with Fire and the principle martial and military themes of Fire
� primarily swordsmanship, which is discussed in-depth, as well as the world of
knifeoriented combat and the aggressive martial traditions associated with it.
There is also an extensive examination of the life of the front-line warrior in
Rokugani armies. Finally, the chapter contains a discussion of Hitsu-do, the
martial art most closely associated with Fire.. ChapTer TWo: The fires of MagiC
This chapter discusses those groups of shugenja in Rokugan who pay special
attention to the Element of Fire. Rokugani magic is intimately connected to the
Elements and their divergent natures, and this chapter considers the Fire aspects
of the magical arts. It also includes an extensive review of the use and value of
the major Fire spells and a detailed discussion of the Fire kami themselves, their
nature and behavior, and their interactions with the other Elements. Finally, the
chapter includes a discussion of taryu-jiai, the shugenja�s way of magical dueling,
an act whose aggression and fury are deeply evocative of the Element of Fire.
ChapTer Three: The fires of peaCe This chapter examines the world of court and
politics through the lens of Fire. Politics can often be driven by careful
intellectual study and clever plotting � behaviors centered on the Rokugani
understanding of Fire. Also, Fire is the Element of scholarship, artistic
creativity, and intensive (or even obsessive) study, all of which are associated
with the world of court and politics. This chapter discusses the Fire-based courtly
and scholarly methods of the Lion, the Phoenix, and the Otomo, among others. It
also offers descriptions of several prominent castles in the Empire whose courts
are Fire-dominated and of the Empire�s most prominent libraries. ChapTer four: The
fires WiThin This chapter examines those orders of the Brotherhood of Shinsei whose
teachings and methods are oriented toward the Element of Fire. This includes both
prominent orders already mechanically depicted in the L5R 4th Edition RPG and some
lesser-known monastic orders not previously mentioned. The chapter concludes with a
discussion of the common usages of the major Fire Kiho.
ChapTer five: a World of fire This chapter deals with a host of different aspects
of Fire, both mundane and supernatural, in the lives of the Rokugani. Topics
include the volcanoes of Rokugan, natural disasters associated with Fire, Fire-
oriented arts and crafts such as poetry, swordsmithing, and glassblowing, natural
and otherworldly beings connected to this Element, and the major nemuranai
(awakened magical artifacts) associated with both the Element of Fire and the arts
that are most closely related to it. ChapTer six: The hundred sTanCes dojo The
final chapter in this book offers a complete campaign setting, a remote dojo
dedicated to the study of the ways of swordsmanship above all else. Like the other
campaigns presented in earlier books of the Elemental series, the Dojo is designed
as a �semi-generic� setting that can easily be located to whatever part of the
Empire the GM might desire. The chapter also includes several story hooks and an
outline for a large-scale adventure set within the Dojo. appendix: neW MeChaniCs
The Appendix includes a variety of new game mechanics for the L5R 4th Edition RPG,
including many new Paths, two new Monk Orders, an array of new Fire spells and Fire
Kiho, and stats for several new Fire-oriented creatures.
Symbolism of Fire
Rokugani philosophy is full of duality, finding deep meaning within things that
appear simple on the surface. The Fortunes each have their wrathful and benevolent
aspects, and poets have written volumes on the hidden wisdom in things as basic as
grass waving in the wind. These viewpoints are found strongly expressed in how the
Empire sees the Element of Fire. It is destructive, but grants life-sustaining
heat. It is singular and mindless at first glance, but the hidden depths and
movements of Fire and their countless applications do not escape the notice of the
wise. In fact, while destruction is the most obvious aspect of Fire, the Element
also represents the ideas of change, energy, motion, and illumination. Change
�Through fire comes death, and through fire comes rebirth.� - Isawa Hochiu,
Master of Fire Fire destroys, but it is rarely something final. Death and
destruction are all part of the great cycle, after all, and the Celestial Order
ushers in something new to take the place of what has been removed. This does not
mean nature simply grows back unchanged � mortal will is a part of the cycle, and
it is accepted that sometimes destruction
7
must be used purposefully to ready the path for something new. The symbol of the
Clan of the Phoenix embodies this aspect of ordered change perfectly, for the
phoenix is repeatedly born anew as part of its cycle, shedding that which is old
and decaying in place of something young and fresh. In the tradition-bound society
of Rokugan, this philosophy is often forgotten� but not by the truly pious and
wise. This aspect of Elemental Fire also shows there is order to life even when the
universe may seem like nothing but uncaring chaos. A great wildfire may burn down a
forest, but this leaves the ground fertile for stronger trees and renewed growth.
Those who understand well the lesson of change know how to look for harmony in
chaos, opportunity in loss. They learn one of the greatest lessons of all:
everything within the great Kharmic Wheel must move and become new. Most Rokugani
understand that material attachments cannot last forever, but this lesson extends
to the immaterial as well. energy �Fire represents power, violence, and
inspiration. I will burn briefly, but brightly, leaving light long after I am
gone.� � Isawa Sawao Life and structure are important, but useless without
the will to do something. Fire represents the surging force that drives life in all
its myriad forms. However, this energy is not infinite; the Element of Fire teaches
us that a wild raging fire may burn brightly, but only for a few moments. Thus,
somewhat ironically, the nature of Fire can teach the wisdom of patience and a
conservative approach. Much like Fire itself, an individual�s energy can be applied
carefully or recklessly depending on the situation. But without carefully tending
the source of this energy, a mortal�s actions and plans can fall short from
exhaustion, or worse, run rampant and uncontrolled.
This aspect of Elemental Fire teaches that one must be mindful of resources and
limitations. This is a valuable lesson when working with Fire itself, as one must
apply the correct sort of fuel and the correct amount of Air to use it properly. A
cook would destroy his work in the heat of a smith�s forge, and a smith would see a
cook�s fire as a mere inadequate pittance. So, too, must one understand the time
and place when one should expend limited energy, and how much to apply. DestruCtion
�Witness the unparalleled purity of fire. All that is corrupt is consumed in its
embrace. Let me share it with you.� � Isawa Ochiai, Master of Fire The most
obvious application of Fire is also the most feared and misunderstood. As noted
above, destruction is not always pointless and mindless� but it certainly can be.
Destruction itself is a neutral thing, and like many forces of nature it is
uncaring and without an agenda. In this way, Elemental Fire�s destruction is much
like a dispassionate magistrate or unbiased historian, caring only for duty,
function, and little (if anything) else. Such single-minded devotion to a cause is
not always a good thing, though. Samurai overcome by obsessions, by a thirst for
vengeance or a lust for coin, may compromise their Honor and their place in the
Celestial Order. This aspect of Elemental Fire also reminds one that sometimes,
things really are as simple as they appear. The destruction Fire leaves in its wake
is not selective and it has no particular plan in mind. Though the world is a
complex place full of hidden mysteries and riddles, sometimes it is just as well to
accept something for its basic nature and act accordingly. Motion �Fire is the
Element of laughter; forget that and you are doomed.� � Togashi Shintao Water is
the Element of movement, but movement is different from simple motion. The concept
of motion in relation to the Element of Fire is not a serene or guided movement,
but rather the feeling that something cannot remain settled and steady. For good or
for ill, Fire cannot simply exist. It must burn, consuming further and further into
its source of fuel, all the while dancing and flickering. In its raw uncontrolled
form, Fire can be pure chaos, moving in patterns none can define or comprehend.
While this idea of chaos is antithetical to most Rokugani thinking, it is important
to understand it as a force in the universe. This aspect of Elemental Fire is not
always negative, however. Motivation and purpose often require one to constantly
pursue a goal or move toward some ultimate end. Sometimes, a samurai must embrace
this concept of motion rather than remaining still and allowing the world to close
in on
energy, a mortal�s actions and plans can fall short from exhaustion, or worse, run
rampant and uncontrolled. �Fire is the Element of laughter; forget that and you are
doomed.� � Togashi Shintao Water is the Element of movement, but movement is
different from simple motion. The concept of motion in relation to the Element of
Fire is not a serene or guided movement, but rather the feeling that something
none can define or comprehend. While this idea of chaos is antithetical to most
Rokugani thinking, it is important to understand it as a force in the universe.
This aspect of Elemental Fire is not always negative, however. Motivation and
purpose often require one to constantly pursue a goal or move toward some ultimate
end. Sometimes, a samurai must embrace this concept of motion rather than remaining
still and allowing the world to close in on
8
him. While stillness and serenity are to be appreciated, samurai always recognize
they are also people of action and active thought. illuMination �Fire speaks to me.
What will it say to you?� � Isawa Koiso, Master of Fire The idea of illumination
through Fire is both metaphorical and literal. The Element of Fire inspires
scholarship and understanding, but it also gives off literal light to pierce
darkness. Metaphorically, Fire�s illumination emphasizes learning something
previously hidden or finding inspiration in a new way of thinking never previously
recognized. The rush of mental energies as one finds and embraces new knowledge, or
when inspiration leaps almost unbidden into the mind, can be seen as the power of
Fire burning away the darkness of ignorance, lighting a path where one could not be
seen before. This aspect of Elemental Fire teaches that the purpose of knowledge is
to dispel ignorance and untruth, just as a flame�s light dispels the shadows.
Impure thoughts, incomplete understanding, or blind stumbling towards unknown goals
using unknown means all speak of someone who has a poor understanding of the
Element of Fire. When a single candle is lit in the darkness, it seems much
brighter than if it had been lit on a clear summer�s day � so too is it with a mind
which has lain in ignorance and then suddenly grasps upon some truth or
enlightenment.
Fire & Skills
The Element of Fire controls a person�s physical and mental dexterity, and is thus
tied to a great many useful Skills to all walks of life. Courtiers, generals,
scholars, and those who pursue the arts of entertainment must all draw on a deep
intellectual understanding of their various crafts. Naturally, a lack of physical
coordination can cause a great deal of shame and hardship not just for warriors but
for any who wish to appear graceful and composed. High Skills
Fire plays a major role in many different arts and highminded pursuits in Rokugan.
As the Element that drives intelligence, inspiration, and grace, it embodies much
of what noble samurai society holds in high esteem. A samurai with a high Fire will
often be seen as witty and elegant, both in the courts and to his enemies � making
him a formidable foe or worthy ally by reputation alone. Calligraphy: Like many
things in Rokugan, the art of calligraphy can be understood on more than just one
level. On its surface, the ability to create written communication in a skilled way
is simply evidence of excellent education and background. Just like a bushi with
poor form in his strike will be seen as pitiable at best, a samurai who uses
sloppy and uncontrolled movements with a brush will not make a good impression on
others. While few schools place great emphasis on the art of calligraphy, nearly
all appreciate it is something that will reflect on a samurai and thus, by
extension, on his family and ancestral teaching. On another level, however, the
skill is used to convey subtle meaning that is lost on the uninitiated. The number
of characters per line, particular variations of certain strokes, spacing between
kanji, and the like � all of these can show an emphasis, insult, or a poetic
expression that transcends the simple idea of kanji as characters to indicate ideas
or objects. The writing of a true master of calligraphy is often considered a
treasure to be preserved for posterity, or passed as gifts to others. Divination:
Though magical phenomena are often the province of shugenja and monks, the universe
moves in patterns and gives signals that can be read and understood by those who
are trained. Much like how a cloud�s pattern can indicate rain or wind, the
arrangement of the stars or the patterns of specially prepared coins or sticks can
detect these patterns in life. The mortal world is affected in ways both subtle and
obvious by the various Spirit Realms, their inhabitants, and even the actions of
mortals themselves. These attentions and actions create energies that in turn can
affect the positions of the stars or the movements of kawaru coins and similar
items. It is important to note that despite this, divination is not a science. The
wheels of fate and opportunity are constantly in motion, symbols can be read
incorrectly or obscured, and understanding can be limited by the bounds of mortal
comprehension. For all of these reasons, only a few samurai are willing to bring
great attention to their scholarly pursuit of divination. While the art is
considered noble and spiritual, those who have their interpretations disproven
often suffer a negative reputation, either as a charlatan or as one the Heavens
have chosen to ignore. Games: Not all games rely on mental acumen, and for that
matter not all clans and families put much stock in the pursuit of the game of
letters. Likewise many believe sadane is a despicable thing to engage in, and as
for gambling games such as Fortunes and Winds... well, not everyone is a Crab or
Mantis. However, games of strategy and foresight � primarily Go and Shogi � are
considered to be demonstrations of a keen mind, and are the favored pas
High Skills High Skills
9
times of generals and other leaders. Many fictional tales in Rokugan are
accentuated through the symbolic undertone of an ongoing game of Go. Those who are
masters of such games are seen as brilliant, not to be trifled with. On the other
side of the Fire spectrum, kemari is a game typically associated with those of
great dexterity and agility. Most popular among the Unicorn and Mantis, kemari�s
popularity grows and ebbs with each political season. In certain courts kemari can
even become a way to show off one�s physical prowess without causing a fight or
seeming to brag. Lore: Though Rokugan is an Empire dominated by conflicts of all
kinds, few are willing to discount the worth of a well-studied sage. Even clans who
are focused on military conquest value the pursuit of knowledge in many forms. The
Lion Clan, the pinnacle of the Empire�s organized military structure, takes great
pains to ensure each generation gains the knowledge of all who came before. Even
the most brutish Crab puts his faith in the knowledge of the past � information
that might save his life when he is faced with the alien threats of the
Shadowlands. Of course, certain subjects are more highly prized than others. A
well-known expert on military tactics or law has obvious and great worth, whereas
an expert on gardening will be far less revered. This is not to say, however, that
obscure topics and less-prized information cannot be used to great advantage. Many
court settings or negotiations have been turned on their head by an unexpected
comment from a well-read samurai which none could answer. A samurai owns every word
he speaks, after all, so all must be careful not to appear foolish or ignorant. For
this reason among others, the study of knowledge is considered honorable on its
own, and becoming a renowned authority on a particular topic can often lead to
great prestige and honor. Medicine: Samurai are devoted to the concept of
cleanliness and purity, so it is no wonder that the art of medicine is regarded
highly throughout Rokugan. While shugenja are able to dispel both supernatural and
mundane afflictions through their prayers and rituals, they are also rare. Thus
those with the intelligence to grasp the advanced concepts of medicine are greatly
prized. Most samurai warriors have a rudimentary understanding of how to bind
wounds and avoid obvious sources of infection, but few know the deeper secrets of
this art. Understanding the difference between a mundane disease and a mystical
affliction is also prized knowledge. While not many who understand the healing arts
spend a great deal of time learning to discern between the two, someone who
actually knows how to treat a normal fever will at least understand when there is
something unnatural at work. Without this distinction, peasants and ignorant
samurai often ascribe divine motives to the most simple of illnesses, resorting to
prayers or rituals to banish a supposed evil influence that is not even there.
Perform: Nearly anyone can be taught how to pick up a musical instrument or take
the basic steps of a dance. However, the skill and coordination required to truly
master these arts is possessed by only a few. In
Rokugan, instrumental performance is not simply a matter of playing a song, but
also of moving one�s arms and hands in highly ritualized ways while manipulating
the instrument. Much as with Calligraphy, described above, the slightest difference
in movement or tonal emphasis can deliver a message, subtle or obvious, to the
audience. Conversely, a poorly-executed sweep of the arm or the inability to
maintain the proper movements is the sign of a poor student. It is worth noting
that the performance arts maintain an unusual place in the social order of Rokugan.
Dance and instrumental arts are learned by the lower castes as well as samurai, and
these two groups must be careful to maintain the regular social order regardless of
the actual difference in their skills. Extremely talented and skilled geisha
performers, for example, will often be much better with flute, samisen, or dance
than most samurai. However, it is understood that it is the geisha�s place to excel
at these arts... unless a samurai wishes to assert superiority. In this case, if
the samurai is not in fact superior, the geisha may be expected to make excuses for
the samurai. (�The echo in my shabby entertaining hall must be distorting your
performance.�) However, the samurai may be judged harshly by his peers for
attempting to show off and being upstaged. Spellcraft: Though shugenja have no
personal power � they are simply beseeching the elemental kami to act on their
behalf � some of a shugenja�s power stems from several inborn traits: the stamina
to commune with the kami and conduct prayers, the clarity of mind and soul needed
to speak to the spirits, and the keen mind it takes to truly understand them. While
a samurai born with the shugenja�s talent of speaking with the spirits does not
need to be exceptionally bright to use such a gift, nearly all of the notable
shugenja in the Empire�s history have been not merely powerful but also intelligent
and clever. In fact, a shugenja�s power is almost directly tied to his ability to
beseech the kami in clever and proper ways. Shugenja prayers are usually taught to
them in a very formal manner, rigidly repeated exactly the same way each time in
order to reliably produce the desired effect. Shugenja who wish to alter their
prayers and invoke different methods of aid from the kami are playing with forces
that do not fully understand human concepts of communication and intent. Thus a
brilliant mind is generally required to create new prayers or to invoke the kami
without already knowing the proper way to beseech their intervention. Failing to
entreat the spirits correctly can lead to indifference or immaterial effects... at
best. Truly botched efforts may cause the confused spirits to aid in ways the
shugenja did not envision, or anger them into retribution against the shugenja.
Bugei Skills
Though some schools of combat emphasize pure destructive power over agility and
balanced movement, all bushi strive to make accurate and clean strikes with their
weapons. A bushi with a great deal of agility becomes a terror on the battlefield,
making fast attacks with practiced movements that have a precision and grace which
can both awe and intimidate onlookers. Bugei Skills
10
Horsemanship: Access to horses for travel and war is one of the defining traits of
the noble caste. Though horses are not as important as one�s swords, the proper
care and use of a horse is said to show a great deal about a samurai to those who
care to notice. Since samurai are expected to be the best and brightest of all
mortal men and women, looking clumsy or unskilled when riding can lead to many
social problems. Although any unskilled samurai can usually manage to mount and
ride a horse, the lack of expertise becomes evident immediately and painfully.
Although fighting from horseback is an important aspect of this skill, it is
certainly not its sole application. Even the best-trained horses still require a
competent rider to issue commands for every sort of activity. A samurai uses this
skill to make his horse trot, parade, halt, or gallop on command, whether for his
own use or for the viewing of others. A GM may also use a roll with Horsemanship to
impress others with how well a samurai comports himself while riding. Jiujutsu:
Practical warriors from many different backgrounds appreciate that one�s hands and
feet are the only weapons truly available at all times. A well-developed sense of
coordination lends itself well to this martial art, which takes advantage of a
wider range of movements and potential attack opportunities when compared to many
conventional weapon skills. The actual application of jiujutsu is as varied as its
practitioners. The different Emphases of the skill reveal something about the
combatant themselves � some study for the ability to destroy their enemies with
their bare hands, while others see a sensible option for subduing opponents without
mortally wounding them. A samurai who wishes to study an Emphasis of Jiujutsu that
does not conform to the philosophy of his clan or school will need to justify such
a course of action. Weapons: The ability to use a weapon effectively is one of the
most basic responsibilities of a samurai. Even courtiers and shugenja are expected
to know how to properly hold a wakizashi, the symbol of their Honor. Different
weapons take on various kinds of symbolism in the highly ritualistic society of
Rokugan, and great (or little skill) in certain weapons is said to reflect on the
person in question. Even for warrior traditions that emphasize power over accuracy
� such as in the Moto and Hida families � learning the various techniques required
to deliver forceful blows demands a certain level of physical grace.
Combatants with a high Agility will, of course, do better with unfamiliar weapons
than those with a lower Agility. However, the lack of training in the weapon�s use
will still be clearly evident. Additionally, familiarity with using a weapon often
involves learning how it is constructed and how to tell the difference between a
quality weapon and shoddy workmanship. Though this is not the same as being able to
truly appraise an item through the Commerce skill, such basic knowledge can still
recognize a finely folded blade or a well-balanced tetsubo. Merchant Skills
Applying a bright mind to skills usually left to the merchants among the lower
castes can be something of a gamble for many samurai. However, one thing is clear
to any who have the slightest understanding of these subjects: they are not for the
slow-witted. Mishandling money or making mistakes in trade can cause great problems
for one�s clan as well as oneself. Commerce: Knowledge of commerce and trade is
something the vast majority of samurai avoid, preferring to let such coarse
activity be handled by their lower caste servants. However, like many things in the
Empire, a samurai can turn distasteful (but not dishonorable) behavior into a
laudable reputation when applied correctly. Although the ebb and flow of trade is
in many ways associated with Water, the quick wit and complex calculations required
to truly master the ways of Commerce are very much within the domain of Fire.
Although a samurai who displays such mastery is generally considered to be somewhat
morally questionable, if that samurai is able to turn his pursuit to the advantage
of his lord and clan he will suddenly be recognized as a great asset. Even the
extremely traditional Lion know an army can only go so far without supplies.
Because so few samurai engage in matters of trade, it is relatively easy to set
oneself up as an authority in the field, for good or ill. Having a reputation for
being able to manage finances, whether one�s own or one�s daimyo�s, will earn the
envy of many... and possibly even their interest. Moreover, effective use of
commerce includes the higher concepts of mathematics, which have little impact on
the day-to-day lives of the nobility but are considered to be the province of a
bright mind. Scholarly families such as the Asako and Kitsuki find such topics
fascinating, regardless of their perhaps unsavory applications. Merchant Skills
11
Engineering: Though most artisanal and commercial pursuits can arguably be seen as
either honorable or distasteful depending on their application, Engineering is
universally appreciated by all samurai. Castles, palaces, fortresses, towers, and
other buildings and fortifications are the largest and most obvious signs of true
civilization, something the samurai pride themselves on creating and maintaining. A
lord with a poorly-constructed stronghold or inhabiting a palace that seems badly
built will be viewed as a samurai with low standards. Of course, learning to build
sturdy and beautiful structures is no simple task. Understanding the concepts of
weight distribution, material strengths, construction, and even simply drawing up
the plans are all things beyond the vast majority of Rokugani. Indeed, this is one
of the few pursuits where a samurai will openly admit a lack of expertise without
embarrassment, since no lord wants to make a truly gifted engineer think his skills
are not required. And while Engineering is not a useful skill in many situations, a
trained engineer is able to gain many favors in exchange for his knowledge.
Sailing: Like Commerce, Sailing is associated with both Water � the Element of
movement � and Fire � the Element of knowledge. Also like Commerce, Sailing has a
somewhat mixed reputation in Rokugan, one that often precludes honorable samurai
from attempting to study it. The vasy majority of samurai live in land-locked areas
and have no need to understand the relatively complex arts of navigating and
piloting a boat. On top of that, sailing is most frequently highlighted in stories
of pirate raiders or the Mantis Clan � a clan that has something of a sullied
reputation when it comes to �proper� behavior. For these reasons, many simply avoid
discussion or study of the subject at all. Naturally, this leads most samurai to
underestimate both the intelligence and physical coordination it takes to handle a
boat. Many overconfident Phoenix, Crab, and Crane samurai have been lost at sea for
thinking it is a simple enough matter to point one�s boat in a particular direction
and keep moving. Sailing is, of course, not inherently dishonorable or underhanded,
and a samurai who is a competent sailor and has a strong reputation as a man of
honor can become a treasure to his clan. Low Skills
A keen mind is seen as a gift by the Fortunes, so turning such a blessing towards
dishonorable behavior is the mark of a worthless soul in the eyes of samurai.
Despite that, there are many who will employ any advantage to further their own
goals or those of their lords. It cannot be denied that for those who possess grace
or intellect, the arts of lying, misdirection, and subterfuge come naturally.
Forgery: Since Rokugan tends to view documentation as effectively the same as
testimony, falsifying such things is extremely dishonorable� but can achieve great
advantages when done correctly. The primary difficulties of forging documents come
from both familiarity with the
items in question and the steady hand required to copy accurately. Though false
travel papers may stand up to passing scrutiny from those not particularly familiar
with the daimyo or functionary who granted them, botching the style or form of the
writing can easily betray its falsity. It is worth noting that forgery is not
limited to official papers and decrees. Being able to pass off your own work as a
piece by a famous artist can give great advantages in court or when trying to win
favors with a particular samurai. Forging personal seals can be quite useful as
well, but is much more complicated than forging a document, since one needs a copy
of the seal itself for best effect � seeing only the seal�s print or stamp can lead
to an incomplete idea of what the actual face of the seal looks like, drawing the
attention of those who know better. Sleight of Hand: Agile hands are not useful
solely for combat. Subtle and swift movements of the fingers and hands can perform
small actions that go unnoticed to all but the most dedicated observers. Obviously,
the most direct application of this skill is theft and concealment (often in
tandem), which requires a light deft touch to avoid drawing attention. Clumsy
attempts at this may gain the person his goal (such as snatching an item), but the
movements will betray that something is going on. Sleight of hand, strangely
enough, can also be used for less dishonorable purposes. The entertaining tricks of
prestidigitation, or simply showing off the agility of one�s fingers, can make for
interesting displays of skill or amusing forms of light art. Also, concealing an
item need not always be wrong � for example, hiding an important missive from a
commander is an understandable part of a samurai�s duty. Likewise, a shugenja or
courtier escaping from enemy capture is another use of this skill that is not
directly dishonorable, though the strict social rules of a captive�s behavior might
create problems of honor. Stealth: Though Rokugan is dominated by concepts of
honor, fair play, and direct conflict, in reality stealth and concealment have
their place in all levels of samurai life. A scout or messenger is required to move
swiftly and often undetected. Guards investigating disturbances try to draw as
little attention to themselves as possible. Thus like most things in the Empire,
the judgment of the act itself is often strongly influenced by the situation
surrounding it. Samurai who are able to tell the difference between these
situations and make the most of their skills while not crossing the line into
dishonorable behavior are dangerous and effective men and women. Of course, the
majority of those who employ this skill do so for reasons honorable samurai would
never consider. Ambushing an unaware opponent away from the battlefield is
considered a direct violation of many aspects of Bushido. Similarly, in the courts
being able to sneak around a corner and listen in on rivals can grant advantages
for those who have little concern for their honor. A shugenja can even take
advantage of a dextrous and agile nature to beseech the spirits quietly and subtly
� melding dishonorable subterfuge with their holy gift. For many, this sort of
dishonorable activity is judged even more harshly than an assassin moving in the
night.
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As she approached the High House of Light, Togashi Minami�s breath became heavier,
the stinging cold air of the mountains worsening her fatigue. Still, when she
reached top of the stairs and the massive gates of the palace, she could not help
but smile. She had been away for more than fifteen years, yet the High House of
Light remained the same. A monk sat in the middle of the main courtyard,
meditating, seemingly oblivious to those around him. �Hikaru-san,� she said, �you
were here when I left, in this exact spot. How odd is it to find you in the same
spot when I return.� The monk opened his eyes. �Not odd at all,� he said. �I
meditate here every day.� �But when did you return to the High House of Light?�
�Return? I never left our home.� Minami blinked. �You told me we would both go on a
journey! I traveled the whole Empire in search of knowledge and enlightenment. I
thought you were going to do the same.� �So did I,� Hikaru replied. �I�ve been on a
journey ever since you left. Only mine didn�t take my body any farther than here.�
Minami sighed. �Hikaru-san, I understand the journey of the soul� believe me, I do.
I meditated almost every day during my travels. But there is a world out there
which is more splendid and more astonishing than anything hidden in the corners of
our own mind. It has so many lessons to teach us.�
Welcome to the Atlas of Rokugan
Welcome to the Atlas of Rokugan. This is a project which has been long in the
making. Maps have been published for the Legend of the Five Rings RPG before � maps
of castles and provinces, maps of the Empire itself � but they are scattered across
dozens of books published over the course of nearly twenty years. For anyone coming
into the world of L5R today, tracking down these scattered maps can be a nightmare;
the game has been crying out for a single book which would compile all of this
information into one place.
�Does it?� Togashi Hikaru cocked his head to one side. �Tell me more about this
world of yours.� �I have seen all the provinces of our clan,� Minami said eagerly.
�I have seen how other samurai follow our ways without forsaking their status. I
have prayed with the shugenja of the Phoenix Clan, imploring the Fortunes with
words older than the Empire itself. I have seen the beauty of the Crane lands,
where a single snowflake is a more valued treasure than gold. I have sailed the
ocean to reach the Mantis isles, a place so full of life it seems as if the soil
itself is growing. I have stood with the Crab on the Wall, contemplating the
darkness which threatens to swallow us all. I have learned of deception from the
Scorpion, who know all truth is illusion. I have seen the mighty armies of the
Lion, where samurai abandon themselves to a cause greater than themselves. I have
listened to the Unicorn tell their tales of lands even farther away, the lands of
the gaijin. I have worked the land itself side by side with peasants, for whom
clans and families are as distant as clouds in the skies.� Hikaru smiled warmly.
�Thank you, Minami-san. You may tell me more of these experiences later, if you
wish. However� do you know what is over there?� He pointed to a distant corner of
the great palace�s courtyard, shadowed by the surrounding temples. �I do not,�
Minami answered. �Me neither. Shall we find out together?�
As if that were not enough, the maps and their associated descriptions were made at
different times and by different creatives teams working on different editions of
the L5R RPG. Inevitably, all manner of inconsistencies and outright mistakes have
crept into the depiction of the Empire�s lands and strongholds. What happened to
Shiro Gisu or Garden Under Shadow City, both described in the first edition of the
L5R RPG and never mentioned since? Why did the Valley of the Centipede move
hundreds of miles between the first edition of the game and the second edition?
Where are Toshi Aitate and the lands of the Monkey Clan? Now, at last, all
questions will be answered and all discrepancies resolved. The Atlas of Rokugan has
been a monumental project, as much a labor of love as a commercial work; we�ve
poured our hearts and souls into it. We hope it shows in the finished product. Now,
like Minami and Hikaru� shall we find out what is over there?
6
The Atlas of Rokugan INTRODUCTION
The Map of Rokugan Included with this tome is a map of Rokugan, granting us a
bird�s-eye view of the Empire. This map is very similar to how a map made by an
Imperial Cartographer might look. It includes all of the lands of the Great and
Minor Clans, important landmarks like cities and major towns, and could be a very
useful tool in the hands of both players and GMs. But exactly how accurate is this
map? Rokugan is a land where appearances are often valued over truth and accuracy.
After all, truth is a subjective thing in Rokugani culture, and the precepts of
honor and saving face are guiding principles to social interaction. This cultural
attitude influences their cartography to varying degrees, and in many cases, the
appearance of the map, and what it implies, is held in equal regard to its
accuracy. They focus on the conveyance of relative information and impressions of
appearance instead of a literal representation. For instance, it is common practice
in Rokugani Cartography to draw certain, �more important� locations as bigger than
other, �less important� places, in spite of actual size difference. After all, no
one would dare to imply that the keep of the humble Kitsune Family is more
important than that of the Shinjo, even if Shiro Kitsune was technically larger.
Thus, the bigger the locations appear on the map, the more important they are
considered by the map-makers. In some cases, a location might appear to be
gargantuan, taking perhaps a day or more to traverse. In actuality, these keeps and
cities are much smaller than they appear on the map, but their size has been
depicted as larger in order to appease their lords and avoid unintended slights to
honor. Furthermore, the technology available to Rokugani Cartographers is somewhat
limited, which can sometimes result in errors. Imperial Cartographers rely upon
triangulation methods and applying grids to surveyed lands to create approximate
distances, methods that, while accurate, are not enough to create �perfect� maps.
Many Rokugani Cartographers estimate distances based on how long it takes them to
travel from one location to another, approximating one day�s travel to covering a
distance of 17,500 ken (20 miles), on flat ground. This often leads to
discrepancies, at no fault of the cartographer. Of course, the Great Clans also
keep up-to-date maps of their own lands. For purposes of tax collection, border
disputes, and saving face, every Great Clan employs cartographers to survey their
lands. However, in times of war, accurate maps are considered liabilities. If an
accurate map of one�s own lands fell into the hands of an enemy clan, then that
knowledge could be exploited. For this reason, maps made by the Great Clans are
often made �accurate enough� to be relied upon, showing general proximities but not
accurate distances, so that they are not terribly helpful to enemies or those
unfamiliar with the terrain. Indeed, many clans purposefully include errors on
their maps to discourage invaders. The maps of the Great Clans also vary based on
what each clan values. Lion maps might only include militarily important
information, being completely devoid of their own farmlands. Crane maps might be
valued as artistic pieces, depicting clouds to create a sense of vastness in lands
that are perhaps not so vast. Much of how the Clans see the world are revealed in
these maps. The downside to this practice is that many Imperial Maps are
constructed from maps surrendered by the Great Clans, leaving Imperial
Cartographers to scratch their heads and try to fit them together. Naturally, they
would not slight the honor of a clan by implying that their maps are inaccurate or
wrong. Instead, they try to fit the information together as best they can. The map
included with this book is intended to be as accurate as possible, a useful tool
for GMs and players. But it is not flawless. Many locations are relative instead of
literal. However, it should be suitable for most purposes. Do note that the map is
not complete. Not appearing on the map are countless minor farming and trade
villages, small ports, streams, estuaries, and other such locations. GMs are
encouraged to populate their vision of Rokugan as they deem fit.
7
The Atlas of Rokugan INTRODUCTION
10
Chapter OneLANDS OF THE CRAB CLAN
CHAPTER ONE
The lands Hida and his followers claimed at the dawn of the Empire are not by any
means the most beautiful in Rokugan, nor are they the most fertile or resource-
rich. Hida did not choose these lands for their value but for their proximity to
the Shadowlands. As a result, the lands of the Crab are a hodgepodge of terrains
and conditions, with the only unifying factor being their inhabitants. For that
matter, the people of the Crab may seem outwardly to be as much a jumble of
contrasts as their lands, for every family and every group is different. But all
are focused on a single goal: the defense of the Empire. The peasants of the Crab
are a hearty breed, often larger and tougher than the peasants of other clans, and
while they are extremely respectful of samurai they are not always as deferential
to their Crab lords as might be expected. This is because they view themselves as
junior partners in the clan�s great struggle against the forces of Jigoku. Indeed,
the peasants of the Crab are unique position in Empire in that their lords
encourage them to learn to fight and defend themselves with the implements they use
to farm. There have been several times in the history of the Crab that a battle
with the Shadowlands was won because peasants turned out to fight and managed to
distract or flank an enemy force.
Taken as a whole, the lands of the Crab are not particularly fertile. There are
portions of the lands where productive farming is indeed possible, but in many
provinces the villages are barely able to grow enough to sustain themselves. One
food the Crab do have in plenty is fish, thanks to their proximity to Earthquake
Fish Bay, and much of the food eaten by the Crab armies is dried or pickled fish.
However, since the Crab field one of the largest armies in the Empire � rivaled in
size only by the Lion � they face a perpetual food deficit. The Yasuki make up for
this deficit through shrewd commercial dealings with the other clans. The principle
Crab export is iron � the mines in Crab lands, especially in the Wall Above the
Ocean Mountains, produce an abundance of fine quality iron ore. Moreover, since the
Kaiu are able to forge that ore into magnificent steel, the export value of the
metal is even higher than it might be otherwise. For their part, the Yasuki
themselves export a variety of other goods both practical and luxurious, especially
sake, which the Crab brew in abundance.
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ExcErpt from �thE DiffErEncE in our honor,� by SuSumu GEnjo (scrIbe for The chIef
assIsTanT To The head of The seppun lIbrarIes) Years have gone by and held me
captive in these solid walls of words and honor. Rare is the day in which I do not
read another tragic story of loss, some sacred accounting of life given for a
higher purpose or a greater goal. Rarer still are those moments when I pause to
reflect on the vast wealth of information, of history, which I have been granted.
Words on the page speak of tremendous ideals� and the one thing I have learned in
reading them all? It is impossible to understand honor through a scroll. I
specialize in the study of honor, of Bushido and its many philosophies and
interpretations. And of Shourido, that newly-named but ancient way of thought. I am
a scholar of the soul of humanity. And I have this to say: Bushido is not the only
path to purity. There are those who will tell you the way of the Kami Akodo is the
sole code by which a samurai can live. I, and a hundredthousand stories of the
past, must humbly disagree. Bushido IS a path of honor, yes. But Bushido is also a
complex contradiction, a maze of words which confuses the mind and throws the soul
into inner turmoil and second-guessing. Bushido is not clear. Bushido is not
simple. And Bushido, on its own, is not pure.
Shourido
year 24 c Helped by the cunning of a woman named Yasuki, Kakita is able to complete
the tasks given him by Doji. She marries him gladly. In thanks for Yasuki�s
assistance Kakita offers her and her sons a place within the Crane Clan.
year 25 c Shiba convinces the sorcerer Isawa to say his tribe is part of the
Phoenix Clan so they may stay peacefully within the Empire.
year 26 c Hantei marries Doji Mioko.
year 30 c A woman named Asako, a skilled healer, comes to the attention of Shiba.
She and her husband Yogo join the Phoenix Clan.
year 31 c Otaku and her husband Ide join Shinjo�s Ki-Rin Clan. Days of Darkness:
The War Against Fu Leng (years 33 to 42)
The task of building an Empire was going smoothly until the Lost Kami Fu Leng, He
Who Must Not Be Named, invaded the Empire and unleashed the horror of the First
War. The Crab were the first to notice Fu Leng�s threat. They had begun building
what is now Kyuden Hida in the south when their scouts noticed more and more
twisted, dangerous creatures traveling the land. Soon they encountered the first
attack waves of Tainted creatures, led by a strange and terrible figure who called
himself Fu Leng. Due to the battle prowess of Hida and his half-mortal son Hida
Atarasi the Crab were able to drive the creatures back, but that was only a brief
respite; soon the invaders
returned in far greater numbers, spilling into the fledgling Empire and
slaughtering all in their path. Even worse, the Kami realized the being called Fu
Leng was actually their missing brother, who they had believed lost forever after
he fell far away from the rest of them. For the next ten years Fu Leng led the
creatures of the Shadowlands in an endless, relentless series of attacks on the
Empire. They destroyed hundreds of villages and towns. Tens of thousands died and
thousands more were swallowed by the Taint. It was during this dark time that
Hantei ordered everything that could be a threat to the Empire be killed, a decree
which would later result in the Lion Clan virtually exterminating the prehumen race
known as the kitsu (although Akodo eventually made amends for that tragic mistake).
The Kami fought against the Shadowlands invasion with all their might, and their
followers paid a bitter price in lives and pain. Nor did the Kami themselves escape
unscathed. Akodo lost an eye in the fighting (earning him his later title of Akodo
One-Eye), and Hantei himself was grievously wounded in battle in the year 42. That
year saw the climax of the First War as Fu Leng�s forces launched a final push into
the heart of the Empire. Although the Rokugani and their rulers fought with
unswerving fervor, they were outmatched, and not even the superior tactics of Akodo
or the raw strength of Hida could save them. There were simply too many of the
terrible Shadowlands creatures, and they perpetually supplemented their own forces
with Rokugan�s dead. It was then that the Little Teacher Shinsei requested an
audience with Hantei, claiming he knew of a way to save the Empire. The story of
Shinsei and the Seven Thunders has been told many times, but real details are few.
It is known that Shinsei spoke with the Emperor for an entire night, and their
conversation�recorded by Shiba�became the basis of the sacred Tao. Afterward
Shinsei traveled through the Empire collecting the heroes who became the Seven
Thunders�sometimes with the cooperation of their lords among the Kami, sometimes
without it. Details are sparse about what actually happened during the Day of
Thunder itself. What is known is that the Thunders�Hida Atarasi, Isawa, Otaku,
Matsu, Shosuro, Mirumoto, and Doji Konishiko�ventured into the Shad
Ikoma on the Founding of the Empire
You might ask yourself, where was I during all this? A good question! You see, I
had a falling out with the leader of my tribe when I was a young man, so after that
time I wandered the lands, fighting when I needed to, drinking as much as I could,
and loving any woman who would let me. Like the Empire I was without direction or
purpose. I knew I was fighting for something, but I didn�t know what. Then one day
I met Lord Akodo and he gave me purpose. I imagine that is how it was for most of
the people who met the Kami in those early years. They gave us something we didn�t
know we were missing. To be sure, not everyone wanted order. There were many tribes
that enjoyed the chaos; it allowed them to prey on those weaker than themselves. We
rescued a good number of tribes from extinction at the hands of others. Those we
saved were very grateful, of course. (Kurako�s note: Ikoma describes the ladies of
many tribal villages he and the Lion saved from hostile neighbors. I have omitted
these details for brevity.) Some of the hostile tribes banded together and attacked
the Kami and their followers. Well, that usually didn�t go well for them. They
could not stand against the divine power of the Kami or the skills of we who
followed them. I picked up a few more scars in those years! Usually the aggressors
ended up with their tribes destroyed or driven out of the land, and those who
remained swore fealty to the Kami, recognizing they were gods who could protect
them better than their former masters. I think a few dozen tribes fled the Empire
altogether, mostly to the north, although an unfortunate few went to the south. No
doubt they became the zombies and other foul Tainted creatures we had to fight
later, during the First War.
Fu Leng (years 33 to 42)
15
The dawn Of empireChapter One
owlands alongside Shinsei. There they faced and defeated Fu Leng, somehow trapping
his soul within twelve black scrolls. Only Shosuro and Shinsei returned to the
Empire, and even they only made it back because Shiba went seeking them and died
protecting them from the First Oni.
Year 33 c Fu Leng attacks the Empire in force, beginning the First War.
year 35 c Akodo loses an eye in battle.
Year 36 c Yogo is cursed during a battle with Fu Leng�s forces. Bayushi recruits
him into the Scorpion Clan.
year 42 c Hantei is wounded in battle. c The Day of Thunder; defeat of Fu Leng.
After the First War: Building the Empire
After the defeat of Fu Leng at the Day of Thunder, his Shadowlands armies collapsed
and the Empire swiftly drove them back, restoring the borders and cleansing the
land. Rokugan entered a time of peace, rebuilding from the horrors of the First War
and establishing the structures and customs of future civilization. Complete peace
did not come at once, of course; there were still some rogue tribes that fought
against the followers of the Kami, and the scattered remnants of the Shadowlands
armies continued to plague the Empire�s remote corners for years. Moreover, the
Emperor�s command to destroy all inhuman creatures within Rokugan led to an ongoing
Lion campaign against the kitsu race, a near-extermination that only ended when
Akodo realized his error and brought the last five kitsu into his clan.
owlands alongside Shinsei. There they faced and defeated Fu Leng, somehow trapping
his soul within twelve black
Fu Leng�s Challenge
Certain legends of dubious repute claim Fu Leng did not simply launch an invasion
without warning. Instead, he appeared suddenly in the court of Otosan Uchi, wearing
a mask of porcelain, and confronted his siblings. He condemned them as cowards and
demanded they face him and fight for the throne of Rokugan. Togashi, who had stood
apart from the original tournament, answered the challenge. �Pick a weapon,
brother,� Fu Leng snarled. �This time you will learn what I know about destiny.�
Togashi answered, �You ask my weapon. I choose all that lives in Rokugan.� This
tale is not found in any official history of Rokugan. It is repeated only in
stories and plays... and among the Lost.
Building the Empire
16
Chapter OneThe dawn Of empire
Who Was Shinsei?
Who was the Little Teacher? Even in his own era very little was known about
Shinsei, and in later times all manner of tales circulated around him and his true
nature. It is claimed within the Brotherhood that before he became enlightened
Shinsei spent time with another early teacher, a woman named Sakura who sought out
the truth of the universe, but whether he gained wisdom from her or merely was
inspired by her efforts is a mystery. A few things are known with certainty about
Shinsei. He was a mortal man, he was enlightened, he fathered children who remained
within the ranks of the Brotherhood of Shinsei, and he left the Empire soon after
the Day of Thunder. (Some who have traveled to the Burning Sands claim Shinsei may
have been the man called �Mekham� who helped build civilization in the city of
Medinaat el-Salaam.) Beyond that, he is an enigma, and no information on his
parentage has ever surfaced. Some legends suggest he was more than just a mortal,
that the Thunder Dragon made him and his various descendants responsible for
guiding heroes to their destiny. Other tales speculate he may have been a kenku who
wished to guide humanity (it is undeniable that the kenku race seem to have an
affinity to Shinsei�s teachings). Most Rokugani, however, believe Shinsei was
nothing more than a supremely wise man, the first to gain enlightenment. Ultimately
it is up to the GM to decide exactly who or what Shinsei was. Whatever his secrets,
Shinsei was a crucial force behind the survival and success of the Empire of
Rokugan.
With the war over, the Emperor gave each of the clans an official duty to the
Empire. This solidified and deepened the roles they had already been playing, and
established the pattern of their existence for the foreseeable future. The clans
quickly settled into their new roles and built new castles and towns in their
lands, establishing the early outlines of the Empire�s interior borders. Three
years later, after receiving permission from Hantei, Shinjo and most of her
followers left the Empire to explore the surrounding lands. They would be gone for
eight centuries. A small remnant of the Ki-Rin Clan remained behind, holding
Shinjo�s lands for her promised return. Later that same year, Hantei died. Most
accounts agree he never recovered from his wounds received in the First War, but a
few others claim he simply ascended back into the Heavens. Either way, he was
replaced by his eldest son Hantei Genji, whose long reign as Emperor Hantei II was
so magnificent that he became known forever as the Shining Prince. The future of
the Empire looked as bright as its ruler�s glorious court.
notaBle events after tHe first War year 42 c �Soshi� joins the Scorpion Clan,
founding the family which bears her name. She is actually Shosuro under another
name. Officially, Shosuro dies this year from wounds suffered during the Day of
Thunder.
year 43 c Hiruma, Kaiu, and Kuni defeat the monstrous Hatsu Suru no Oni and are
given permission to form their own families within the Crab Clan. c The Soul of
Shiba appears in the Phoenix Clan, bestowing its power on his son Shiba Tsuzaki. It
also reveals the Path of Man to the lady Asako, who founds the mystical henshin
order.
year 44 c Akodo makes amends for wiping out virtually every one of the kitsu by
bringing the final five of
17
the creatures into his clan, marrying them to his daughters. They form the Kitsu
family. c The youngest son of Kakita and Doji, Doji Hayaku, travels to the
Shadowlands to search for his missing sister Konishiko, the Crane Thunder.
year 45 c Shinjo and most of her followers depart to explore the lands outside
the Empire. c Hantei dies, finally succumbing to wounds suffered during the battles
with Fu Leng�s forces.
year 46 c Hantei Genji, the Shining Prince, is crowned Emperor Hantei II. His
younger brother Yamato gives up the Hantei name and swears fealty to the Otomo,
beginning a tradition which will endure to the end of the Hantei Daynasty. c Doji
Hayaku returns from the Shadowlands with his hair turned white and his voice lost
to a grievous wound. He bears his sister�s sword, Shukujo. He is proclaimed the
first of the Daidoji, defenders of the Crane. c Kakita duels Mirumoto�s son
Hojatsu on the battlefield of an inter-clan skirmish. Hojatsu dies, but Kakita is
lethally wounded and kills himself by falling on Hojatsu�s sword.
year 48 c Hida Osano-Wo, son of Hida and the Thunder Dragon, is born.
year 59 c Soshi/Shosuro disappears from Scorpion lands. In actuality, she travels
to Dragon lands and pleads with Togashi to save her from the Shadow corruption
which is consuming her. Sensing that Shosuro still has a destiny to fulfill,
Togashi imprisons her in a tomb of crystal.
year 63 c Hida passes leadership of the Crab to his son Osano-Wo. Hida lives for
many more decades, but no longer takes any part in ruling his clan.
The Death of Hantei
The official histories of the Ikoma record that Hantei survived several years after
his injury in the First War. According to them, the first Emperor spent those years
showing his son how to reign over the now peaceful Empire. Then one day he simply
vanished in a cloud of smoke and sunlight, returning to his original home in the
Celestial Heavens. However, there is another version of Hantei�s death, rendered
most famously in the play �Death of the First Hantei� by Shosuro Furayari. In this
version, Hantei�s wounds bring him down within a few months of the Day of Thunder.
Doji, Bayushi, and Akodo stand at their brother�s bedside, tending his wounds until
he succumbs. In his final hours, Hantei asks if he is going to die, and confesses
his fear that his soul will be alone. Doji tries to comfort him with gentle words,
promising he may yet recover. It is Bayushi who tells Hantei the harsh truth: �Yes,
Hantei-sama. You are going to die, and you are going to be alone. But one day, we
will come after, to be by your side again.� Hearing these words, Hantei closes his
eyes and faces his death with peace. It is left up to individual GMs as to whether
this story is actually true in their version of Rokugan.
Alternate Paths: The Kami Eternal
The perceptive reader will notice that while the Kami can die, none of them ever
perish from old age. Although their complete divinity is lost the moment they fall
to the earth, the Kami retain many aspects of their Celestial nature. They can die
of injury or illness, but they do not age�indeed, when Shinjo finally returns to
the Empire in the twelfth century she is physically unchanged from her original
appearance. Thus, it is entirely possible that if Hantei had not been severely
wounded in the First War he could have served as Emperor for centuries. An Empire
ruled forever by an immortal semi-divine lord would look very different from the
Rokugan we know. Many of the catastrophes, wars, external threats, and political
struggles which Rokugan faced in later centuries would be averted by the continuing
reign of Hantei. On the other hand, an eternal Emperor would provoke growing
resentment from mortal subjects who felt alienated from his rule, not to mention
his disenfranchised and powerless descendents. The Kolat conspiracy would probably
find it quite easy to win recruits in such an Empire. Likewise if Iuchiban or
someone like him appeared from the ranks of the Otomo he would be able to recruit
followers much more readily and could well provoke a full-scale civil war rather
than a brief but dangerous uprising.
18
year 65 c Hida Osano-Wo marries a prominent Matsu. She bears him a son named
Kaimetsu-Uo. Unfortunately, a peasant woman also bears Osano-Wo a son in the same
year.
year 80 c Osano-Wo names his half-commoner son Kenzan as his heir. Kaimetsu-Uo,
his mother, and their followers leave Crab lands and found what he calls the Mantis
Clan on the Islands of Silk and Spice. The Mantis are not officially recognized as
a Minor Clan until the fifth century.
year 83 c Bayushi disappears, leaving behind only a note reading, �I have lost
her forever.� Legends claim his soul can thereafter be occasionally seen in the
waters of a lake hidden in caverns deep beneath Kyuden Bayushi.
year 88 c Shortly before his death, Otomo Yamato (Emperor Genji�s younger
brother) publishes the Divine Branch, an esoteric collection of myths and legends
dealing with the relationship between the Kami (especially Hantei himself) and the
Sun Goddess Amaterasu.
Year 90 c The Lion Clan take over the former lands of the Ki-Rin, crushing the
remaining followers of Shinjo who dwell there. Emperor Hantei Genji gives the
former Ki-Rin new lands in the south and proclaims they are now the Fox Clan, the
first Minor Clan in the Empire. He also issues a proclamation forbidding full-scale
warfare of Great Clans against Minor Clans.
year 97 c Hida Osano-Wo is murdered; the assassin flees to Phoenix lands.
Kaimetsu-Uo travels to the Phoenix lands seeking vengeance, and calls upon his
father at the gates of Kyuden Isawa. In answer a bolt of lightning destroys the
gate, aweing the Phoenix into surrender. Soon after, Hantei Genji declares Osano-Wo
the Fortune of Fire and Thunder.
year 99 c Akodo encounters a force of what appear to be dangerous Shadowlands
creatures (actually tsuno) traveling north to threaten the rest of the Empire. He
lures them into Seikitsu Pass and then releases the last spark of his own divinity
to collapse the pass, destroying the hostile force at the cost of his own life.
year 101 c Togashi officially �dies� and is replaced by his son. In reality, he
has merely changed his name and continues to rule the Dragon Clan.
year 102 c Lady Doji learns of Togashi�s death and believes herself alone save
for her brutish brother Hida. She stands on the headlands above Kyuden Doji and
allows the sea to take her away.
The Great Clans at the Dawn of the Empire
At the beginning of Rokugan�s history the Great Clans were small and their nature
and roles were still very much in flux. Although each of the founding Kami was
ultimately given a specific task by Hantei, those tasks were not yet defined. What
did it mean to be the Left Hand of the Emperor? Thus many of the duties which in
modern Rokugan are specifically associated with one clan were performed by multiple
clans at the dawn of the Empire, with varying degrees of success. Until the First
War many of the clans were very mobile. They followed their Kami as he or she
traveled around the Empire. Hantei assigned each Kami a section of the Empire to
civilize and colonize but these regions were enormous and there were few
settlements within them. Permanent or fortified towns were rare, although a few
major strongholds did begin construction during this time, most notably Kyuden Hida
and of course Otosan Uchi itself. Essentially, though, many of the clans were
little more than roving war bands that gathered individual tribes beneath their
banners; only the Dragon and the Crane were largely stationary from their origins.
After the First War the clans began to settle into their true and enduring forms.
As peace and prosperity replaced war, castles and cities were built and fortified
all across Rokugan and the Empire became a true civilization. The Crab Clan
Hida chose his followers for strength and led them south to face the strongest
enemies they could find. The proximity of the dangerous and decadent Kingdom of the
Trolls made the south a dangerous place and the human tribesmen there were hardy
and strong, greatly to Hida�s liking. Although the Crab Clan had not been
officially proclaimed as the defenders of the Empire�s southern border, they
nevertheless formed a buffer between Rokugan and trolls,
19
ogres, nezumi, and other strange creatures who lived in the south. Those who were
sworn to the personal service of Hida were the strongest and toughest of the
tribesmen he encountered in his travels. Often he would defeat a tribe and then
offer to allow their strongest warriors to swear personal fealty to him. Sometimes
they would only do so after a contest of strength, which Hida inevitably won. The
strength of the Crab provided vital help to the Empire when Fu Leng invaded a few
years later, but Hida was angry that even his great might and the courage of his
formidable followers could not withstand the Shadowlands assault. After the Day of
Thunder, Hida swore to battle the Shadowlands until Lord Moon and Lady Sun fell out
of the sky. When Hantei heard this vow he charged Hida with protecting the Empire
from further attacks. �Our safety is on your shoulders, brother, for only you are
mighty enough to bear its weight,� he proclaimed. Hida traveled back to the south,
driving out the Shadowlands creatures who had overrun those lands and building
castles and fortifications to prevent their return. The other three original
families of the Crab�the Kaiu, Hiruma, and Kuni�came into being soon after Hida�s
return to the south. The Kami asked for the best of his followers to step forward
and help him fulfill his sacred duty to Hantei. Three men stepped forward: Hiruma,
Kaiu, and Kuni. When Hida asked them what they had done to be worthy of his trust,
each said they had done nothing. Hida tasked them with defeating the demon Hatsu
Suru no Oni, a lieutenant of Fu Leng whose touch brought unending pain. The three
Crab ventured into the Shadowlands, where Kaiu set up a makeshift forge and crafted
a weapon that could defeat the creature. Hiruma stalked the sur
rounding area, locating their prey and determining how the terrain could be used to
defeat it. Kuni studied the records of the shugenja who had fought Fu Leng�s
creatures during the war. He devised a plan to trap and defeat the demon, and
together the three men managed to lure Hatsu Suru no Oni into the trap and slay it.
When they returned to Hida each gave the other credit for the victory. Hida was
impressed and granted each of them the right to create a family based around their
respective strengths. The early followers of Hiruma were both scouts and warriors,
relying on speed and agility to defeat their foes. Early on, Hiruma also
concentrated on teaching his followers archery, although this never became a
primary focus when experience showed it was difficult to carry enough arrows into
the Shadowlands during lengthy scouting expeditions. Kaiu drew his early followers
from the ranks of the craftsmen and builders who were helping construct the castles
and fortifications in the lands of the Crab. Kaiu chose them personally based on
their skills and intelligence, making sure to cover every sort of skill he believed
would be important even if it wasn�t immediately necessary. The Kuni during the
Dawn of the Empire were a very small family. Few among those who followed Hida
could utilize magic, and they were often the castoffs from other magical
traditions. Many were antisocial misfits, but Kuni looked into each of their hearts
and saw their true value. He assigned each one research close to their hearts. A
few of the more cerebral and inquisitive warriors of the Crab joined Kuni as well,
assisting him in his �research� trips into the Shadowlands. The martial techniques
they learned for defeating the creatures of the Shadowlands would eventually form
the basis of the Witch Hunter school centuries later. The Crane Clan
Lady Doji spent much of this era at her brother Hantei�s side, establishing the
traditions, protocols, and procedures that formed the basis for the government and
courts of Rokugan. While she did spend some time traveling, most of her followers
came to her, drawn by her legendary beauty, poise, and elegance. Kakita himself was
the most famous of these, of course, and his eventual marriage to Doji is
considered by many Crane to mark the true founding of their clan. Kakita was a
simple warrior from a small northern tribe who believed speed and accuracy were
more important in war
20
fare than mere strength. When the Emperor proposed his Tournament of the Emerald
Champion, Kakita entered without the sponsorship of a Kami or clan. He defeated all
of his opponents swiftly and with grace, bowing respectfully to each after he beat
them. In the finals, however, he faced Matsu, who had humiliated her opponents
throughout the tournament. Kakita defeated her swiftly and deliberately refused her
the courtesy he had offered to his other foes. The battle started the great feud
between the Lion and Crane, which would continue for over a thousand years. The
Crane Clan formed four of its five families during this era. The Doji and Kakita
were both forged from the children of the clan�s founding Kami and her husband,
with different samurai swearing fealty to each branch according to their skills and
loyalties. Those who followed Kakita were generally swordsmen who favored his swift
and deadly style, both in personal combat and in warfare. Toward the end of the
Dawn of the Empire era, Kakita�s dueling style developed into the Empire�s standard
format for resolving conflicts of honor or law. The Yasuki were founded from the
family and allies of the wise and cunning woman who aided Kakita during his quest
to marry Doji; in reward, Kakita married his sister to Yasuki�s eldest son and
granted the family status as vassals of the Crane. Yasuki had many contacts
throughout the burgeoning Empire and used them to begin building up the wealth of
her new clan. Her children traveled through Rokugan, arranging trade routes and
mercantile contracts, recruiting more Yasuki into their growing family. Those who
followed Yasuki were usually shrewd traders, though many were also skilled
warriors�the trade routes during this early time were very dangerous. There were no
established patrols or border wardens, and bandits and other more dangerous threats
were common. Ultimately, it was the shrewd and industrious Yasuki who made it
possible for the Empire to fight an extended war against the forces of Fu Leng.
Their trade routes and resources fed and armed military forces across the entire
Empire. The Daidoji were founded by Doji Hayaku, the youngest son of Doji and
Kakita, after the First War. He retrieved his sister Doji Konishiko�s sword from
the Shadowlands, a long and grueling quest that left him with a nasty scar across
his throat and stark white hair. His mother proclaimed him Daidoji (�defender of
the Doji�) and he was given leave to create his own family to protect the Crane
Clan. The long-standing Crane tradition of bleaching their hair white began as a
tribute to Hayaku�s courage, spreading from his own family to the rest of the clan.
The Daidoji in those early years were a very small family and often drew recruits
from those warriors who just weren�t quite fast enough to master the Kakita style.
Daidoji Hayaku spent the rest of his life developing the family�s own fighting
techniques, devising the first two ranks of what became the Daidoji Iron Warrior
school; the rest of the
techniques were created in later centuries as the Daidoji evolved into the true
martial arm of the Crane. The birth of the Asahina family still lay many years in
the future, and during the Dawn of the Empire era there were almost no shugenja
among the Crane. The Dragon Clan
Togashi was in many ways the most disconnected of the Kami from the mortal realm.
When his brothers and sisters set off to gather followers, he retreated to the
mountains, the closest he could get to the Heavens and still remain in Ningen-do.
He possessed the gift of foresight and knew followers would come to him, so he did
not seek them out. Later Rokugani claimed only those worthy of following Togashi
were able to find him in the mountains. Regardless, those who ventured to seek
Togashi were allowed to join his Dragon Clan. Like his siblings, Togashi allowed
some of those who sought his wisdom to swear fealty directly to him and take the
Togashi name, but the exact origins of the monastic order known as Ise Zumi are
obscure. They first appeared in the rest of the Empire after the First War began in
the year 33, causing some historians to speculate that they represented an attempt
by the Kami to project some of his own power into the outside world to fight Fu
Leng. As with so much else involving Togashi, the truth is shrouded in mystery. Not
all of Togashi�s followers took his name, however. Two of his earliest devotees
actually followed him into the mountains. One was Mirumoto, a tall and rather
unattractive man with large hands who had trained himself to fight in an unorthodox
manner, wielding two swords at once. The other was Agasha, a small unassuming woman
able to hear the voices of the spirits, who fervently believed peace was the answer
to all of mortal man�s woes. Together with Togashi they erected a temple to
Amaterasu and a castle The Dragon Clan
21
to protect it, and there they received those who ventured into the mountains.
Mirumoto was a controversial man, sometimes derided as a thug or a bully; his
unusual swordfighting style drew criticism from the Crane and led to a feud with
the Kakita. He was already an adult when he met Togashi and when he turned forty he
chose to become a monk, shaving his head and even giving up his swords. Some years
later he encountered a group of assassins at a river crossing; he used an oar as an
improvised bokken and killed them all. Realizing his quest for nonviolence was
doomed, he took up his swords again and later became the Dragon Thunder. Well
before Mirumoto�s death his adopted son Miru
moto Hojatsu had embraced and continued his traditions of swordsmanship,
intensifying the family rivalry with the Crane. This eventually led to Hojatsu�s
famous lethal duel with Kakita in the year 46. Agasha was a very different person
from Mirumoto, an avowed pacifist filled with a boundless curiosity about the
natural world. Her magical gifts were considerable, and the family she founded was
one of the few groups of shugenja in the Dawn of the Empire who could rival the
skills of the Isawa. Agasha remained a dedicated pacifist throughout her long life,
despite nearly dying when she was kidnapped by roving goblins. She was also noted
for her deep understanding of the natural world and detailed studies of animals and
plants. Centuries later, her notebooks would give birth to the techniques of
alchemy. The Ki-Rin Clan (Unicorn)
In the Dawn of the Empire Shinjo emulated her siblings and traveled around the new
Empire, gathering followers. Travelers and explorers flocked to her banner. Shinjo
welcomed all of them; she was among the most compassionate of the Kami, rivaled
only by Shiba. In fact, she even felt compassion for her fallen brother Fu Leng and
made an unsuccessful attempt to make peace with him. The two most notable of
Shinjo�s early followers were a married couple, Ide and Otaku. Despite their
marriage the two mortals were very different from one another. Otaku was quiet and
soft spoken, to the point that many believed she could not speak at all. Her silent
assurance and undeniable martial prowess led other young women to emulate her,
forming the beginnings of the Battle Maiden tradition. Otaku taught them women
could have their own strength, not dependant on a husband or family, and molded
them into a formidable fighting force. They were not yet the mighty cavalry of the
family�s future, however; they rode only Rokugani ponies and had saddles without
stirrups, forcing them to frequently dismount and fight on foot. Otaku�s husband
Ide was gregarious and socially adept, making friends easily. The Kami sent him to
try to bargain with the barbarian tribes to the north (the ancestors of the
Yobanjin), trying to get them to join the Ki-Rin Clan. They refused, but the fact
that Ide returned to the Empire alive is a testament to his diplomatic prowess. He
had fewer followers than his wife, but their negotiating skills were quite
important to the nascent clan, making certain the Ki-Rin could travel throughout
the Empire without difficulty. Otaku died at the Day of Thunder, and rule of the
family she founded passed to her daughter Otaku Shiko. Ide continued to lead his
own family and served Shinjo for many more years, accompanying her on her journey
into the Burning Sands.
to protect it, and there
moto Hojatsu had embraced and continued his traditions of swordsmanship,
intensifying the
led to Hojatsu�s famous lethal duel with Kakita
Mirumoto, an avowed pacifist filled with a
family she founded was one of the few groups of shugenja in the Dawn of the Empire
who
long life, despite nearly dying when she was kidnapped by roving goblins. She was
also noted for her deep understanding of the natural world and detailed studies of
animals and plants. Cen turies later, her notebooks would give birth to the
techniques of alchemy. The Ki-Rin Clan (Unicorn)
An Unconventional Campaign: Journeys of the Ki-Rin
This chapter is dedicated primarily to depicting conditions inside Rokugan during
the Dawn of the Empire. Consequently, the Ki-Rin play a relatively small role, with
most of them departing soon after the Day of Thunder. However, a GM seeking a more
unusual game experience may find it interesting to run a campaign in which the PCs
are Ki-Rin samurai accompanying Shinjo in her early journeys across the Burning
Sands. The adventures of the Ki-Rin in the gaijin lands have been described at some
length in Chapter Eight of the L5R 4th Edition supplement The Great Clans.
The Ki-Rin Clan (Unicorn) The Ki-Rin Clan (Unicorn)
22
It was also in the aftermath of the Day of Thunder that Shinjo acquired her third
famous follower, Iuchi. An inquisitive and courageous young shugenja, Iuchi
accompanied Shinjo in her journey and eventually would pioneer unusual magical
practices such as Meishodo. The Lion Clan
Akodo was the most proactive of the Kami in his gathering of followers. He actively
sought out the best warriors and leaders from every tribe he encountered. Soon
people lined up to try to become one of Akodo�s samurai; indeed the very term
�samurai� seems to have been pioneered by Akodo to describe his followers. However,
the warriors Akodo trusted the most were those who did not step forward to be
considered, but rather those who wanted nothing to do with him, who initially
thought Akodo was a bully and a blowhard. Akodo respected not only their courage
and strength but also their determination to live according to the tenets of their
own honor, no matter what the consequences. Foremost among these followers, of
course, were Ikoma and Matsu. Ikoma was already an older man when he met Akodo; the
story of their first encounter is described in Chapter Four of the L5R 4th Edition
supplement The Great Clans. Ikoma had wandered the lands of Rokugan for many years,
fighting numerous enemies and telling stories of his exploits. He traveled at
Akodo�s side for decades more, long past the age when most mortals of his era would
have died, watching the great events of his time and telling stories about them (in
which he often figured prominently). He attracted like-minded followers, founding
a family which became the historians and storytellers of the Lion Clan. Although
they were not yet officially recognized as the Empire�s principle historians (a
role which would solidify in the second and third centuries), they quickly became
famous as heralds and historians, recounting the great tales of the Kami to eager
audiences. During this era the Ikoma were also far more likely to be warriors than
their later descendents, due to the influence of their founder�s martial ways. The
relationship between Matsu and Akodo was a tempestuous one, a mixture of both
attraction and rivalry, and is likewise described in The Great Clans. She was a
violent woman in her youth, often raiding other tribes and killing anyone who stood
in her path, but by the time she met Akodo she had realized there was nothing
fulfilling about a life of murder. She fled her original tribe and settled in a
small village where she taught the populace how to use weapons to defend
themselves. Matsu�s followers were some of the greatest warriors in the land, and
when she swore fealty to Akodo they
became the shock troops of the Lion Clan. Matsu famously remarked of her soldiers,
�Strategy is fine as long as we get to drown our opponents in their own blood.� The
warriors of Matsu were primarily men, but she recruited female warriors as well,
forming them into a personal honor guard�the origins of the modern Lion�s Pride.
The family�s tradition of requiring men who marry Matsu women to take the Matsu
name also found its origins in this era with Matsu�s own marriage. The third Lion
family, the Kitsu, did not come into being until after the First War when Akodo
belatedly realized the cat-like creatures he was hunting and destroying were not
Shadowlands monsters. The five remaining kitsu took human form and married Akodo�s
daughters, joining the Lion Clan. The new Kitsu family was of course quite small:
five shapeshifted men and their human wives. The few other Lion samurai with the
gift of speaking to the kami also swore fealty to the Kitsu, but it still took many
years for the family to grow to any significant size. The early Kitsu generally
kept to themselves, exploring the spirit realms and watching over the newly
constructed Hall of Ancestors. It would be centuries before the rest of the Empire
paid them any heed. The

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