Treacherous Terrain

A One-Round Introductory-Rank Adventure for Heroes of Rokugan (Champions of the Sapphire Throne)

by Rob Hobart

Revised for 3eR, October 5th, 2008 An Asako Inquisitor asks your assistance in escorting his niece back to the Phoenix lands. The trip may prove more problematical than it first appears. LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS is a registered trademark of Alderac Entertainment Group. Scenario detail copyright 2005, 2008 by the author and Alderac Entertainment Group. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This scenario is intended for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without permission.

A four-hour time block has been allocated for playing this game. The actual playing time should be about three and a half hours. It is a good idea to ask each player to put a name tag in front of him or her. The tag should have the player's name at the bottom, and the character's name, race, and gender at the top. This makes it easier for the players to keep track of who is playing which character. The players are free to use the game rules to learn about equipment and weapons their characters are carrying. Some of the text in this scenario is written so that you may present it as written to the players, while other text is for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in bold italics. It is strongly recommended that you paraphrase the player text, instead of reading it aloud, as some of the text is general and must be adapted to the specific situation or to actions of the player characters.

GM's Information THIS SCENARIO SHOULD NOT BE RUN COLD! Please read the scenario thoroughly before attempting to run it. This adventure is an Introductory adventure, and should only be played by Rank 1 characters. All bulleted information is just that, pure information. Feed it to the players through an NPC when appropriate. Sometimes, reading it straight just doesn’t sound right. Remember that family names come before personal names. Akodo Toturi is from the Akodo family and his personal name is Toturi. A note on commerce in Rokugan: Samurai are not supposed to care about worldly possessions, especially money. A samurai pays a commoner as if the money is meaningless, a concession to the commoner’s silly needs. Between samurai, the exchange of money and merchandise is an exchange of “gifts.” Glory and Honor Awards and Penalties This adventure contains suggested Glory and Honor awards (and penalties) for dealing with the challenges presented herein. However, at times the players may take extra actions which the GM judges worthy of additional reward – or punishment. The following may be considered as guidelines:

• Performing an act of selfless, sacrificial loyalty to one’s daimyo or clan: +1 point of Honor.

• Abiding by the tenets of bushido when there is no gain in doing so and one could gain an obvious advantage by breaking them: +1 point of Honor.

• Betraying or disobeying your duty, Clan, or family: lose 1-10 points of Honor and Glory, and possibly Status, depending on the severity of the failure. Gain the same amount of Infamy.

• Crying out in pain when injured: lose one point each of Honor and Glory.

• Using sneaky, underhanded, or treacherous methods when at an Honor rank higher than zero: lose 1-5 points of Honor. If caught, also gain 1-5 points of Infamy.

• Using Low skills: lose a number of points of Honor equal to the Rank of the skill. Note that there are exceptions to this rule, and the GM can lower the penalty for members of inherently dishonorable Clans such as Scorpions.

• Performing a socially acceptable public act of extreme courage and skill: +1 point of Glory.

• Drunk, insulting, or otherwise ill-mannered in public: lose 1-5 points of Glory. For extreme abuses, also gain an equivalent amount of Infamy.

• Playing entire adventure without doing anything of note: lose 1 point of Glory.

• Made ronin: Status removed.

Adventure Summary and Background

This scenario presents the PCs with a deceptively simply task: escorting a Phoenix shugenja-ko back to her home in Phoenix lands. However, there is more to this than first appears. The young Phoenix is the target of three foes: a Scorpion agent who intends to steal the letter she is carrying, a frustrated suitor who intends to kidnap her and force a marriage, and a vengeful Maho-Tsukai whose lover was killed by her master. The PCs will have to run the gauntlet of all three enemies in order to deliver her safely to Pale Oak Castle.

Introduction: Village of the Reinstated Hero

This scenario begins in early spring, the season of the sakura (cherry) blossoms. The PCs are in the Village of the Reinstated Hero (Mura Sano Eiyu ni Suru), a minor city in the Ikoma territories. Home to about 1,200 people, the town is famed for a shrine to Duty which honors a long-ago hero, Ikoma Teidei, for whom the village itself is likewise named. The PCs are here

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on a pilgrimage to the Shrine, which is considered one of the more holy sites in Lion lands – even Scorpions pay their respects here, showing public veneration for the ideal of Duty. The famed Shrine of Duty is actually rather small, a simple pagoda surrounded by a tiny garden and a stone-paved path. Residential houses are located to either side, and the noise and bustle of urban life is clearly audible, but the modest street which leads to the Shrine is kept clear and scrupulously clean. A single monk sweeps the path around the Shrine and hands out incense sticks to you as you approach. It will be mid-afternoon when the PCs arrive. The PCs may or may not have chosen to attend the Shrine together, depending on which Clans they belong to and whether any of them know each other. Most likely they have each arrived separately, and the dictates of chance and the Fortunes have brought them to the Shrine at the same time. Regardless, they witness the following scene: Two Phoenix, dressed in orange and red robes, are standing before the Shrine, praying and laying sticks of incense before the statue of Ikoma Teidei. One is an older man with thinning hair, lean and weathered, a shugenja’s scroll-satchel at his hip. He leans on a well-used walking stick. The other Phoenix is a young woman, probably only a couple of years past her gempukku, her hair tied back in a maiden’s foxtail. As you approach, you can hear that the two are having a low-voiced conversation. Although they keep their voices down, it is clear that they are having a disagreement. Besides the two Phoenix, there are a few other devotees at the Shrine. A pair of elegant Crane noblemen pray ostentatiously, accompanied by servants holding parasols to shade them from the afternoon sun. A Scorpion bushi stands quietly to one side, murmuring prayers from beneath a wooden mempo (mask). The other three attendees will spend some time praying and making offerings, while the PCs make their own devotions and interact with the Phoenix (see below). The Cranes depart before the encounter is over, while the Scorpion lingers afterward for better than half an hour. Snoopy PCs can try to listen in on the conversation between the two Phoenix by rolling Perception/Investigation (Notice) at TN 15. They pick up that the young woman is named Ryoko (her

elder refers to her as “Ryoko-chan”) and the older man (“Kato-sensei”) is concerned about her safety. PCs who roll Intelligence/Lore (Heraldry) at TN 15 will notice that both are members of the Asako family, with the older man wearing the school mon of the Isawa shugenja, while the young woman is an Asako courtier. TN 20 will also notice that both of them wear the insignia of the Inquisitors. Phoenix Clan PCs and Witch-Hunters get a Free Raise on these rolls. Speaking with Asako Kato Presumably, the PCs will ignore the spectacle and pay their respects at the Shrine. The two Phoenix continue their heated low-voiced conversation. Finally, with an exasperated snort, the older man turns to the PCs and bows low. “My deep apologies for interrupting your devotions, samurai-samas. Might I trouble you for a few moments of conversation?” Presumably the PCs will agree. The older man introduces himself as “Asako Kato, Acolyte of Air, of the Order of Inquisitors serving Lord Asako Heishi.” (Phoenix and Imperial PCs will know that Asako Heishi is the Master of Air and the Jade Champion. Other PCs will know this if they roll Intelligence/Lore: Shugenja at TN 15.) He introduces the young woman as “Asako Ryoko, my niece and apprentice in the Order.” He will ask the PCs for their names and greets all of them respectfully. Even ronin will get a polite acknowledgment. Once names have been exchanged, Kato explains his situation: “I have reports on my recent investigations which I must send to Lord Heishi-sama. However, I have also received a summons to the City of the Rich Frog to investigate an incident there. My apprentice has offered to carry my reports back to Lord Heishi-sama in Phoenix lands, but,” he heaves a sigh, while the young woman tries to hide an embarrassed glower, “I do not believe it would be safe for her to travel alone.” Kato will not directly ask the PCs to escort Ryoko – he will explain the situation and hope that the PCs make the offer themselves, thereby allowing him to save face. A PC who rolls Intelligence/Etiquette at TN 10 will realize this is what is happening. Once someone makes the offer, Kato will be clearly relieved, and agrees quickly. “That would be quite helpful, samurai-samas. I would be indebted to you for such assistance.”

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Asako Ryoko will clearly be put out at the implication that she cannot protect herself, but will not embarrass her uncle or herself by protesting in the presence of others. If any of the PCs are ronin and drop hints about payment, Kato will offer each of them 2 koku (along with the promise that Ryoko can pay for their food and lodging during the trip). Agreement Assuming at least some of the PCs agree to escort Asako Ryoko, her uncle will explain that he is departing in the morning, and both he and his niece are spending the night at a local inn, the House of the Jade Tiger. He will ask the PCs to stay at the inn as well, so that all can leave fresh with the sunrise. He will also provide the following additional information: • Their lord, Asako Heishi, is currently in Pale Oak

Castle in western Asako lands. It is his home castle and he resides there every year from spring until autumn, leaving once or twice to visit the Imperial capital and deliver reports to the Emperor.

• Kato can supply travel papers for Ryoko and the

PCs, if they need them. (Obviously, if any of the PCs are Emerald or Jade Magistrates, they can supply their own papers.)

Scene One: The House of the Jade Tiger

This is a respectable middle-quality Inn, two stories high, with a stable, garden, bathhouse, and other standard amenities. A wooden post in front of the main door mounts a small stone statue of a tiger, painted jade green. The innkeeper is happy for the patronage of samurai and bustles about serving them and seeing to their needs. The inn’s common room is warm and well-lit, a welcome contrast to the chill spring air outside. The room is crowded with other samurai and ronin, along with the usual assortment of merchants and other commoners. The samurai guests are, unsurprisingly, almost all Lions, but you can also see a pair of elegant Crane noblemen with a small entourage of servants and sycophants. (These are the same ones the PCs saw at the Shrine, if anyone asks) At another table, a man in the colors of the Unicorn sits with some ronin, while at a third table you see a shugenja wearing

Dragon green with rainbow colors on the edging of his kimono. (Dragon PCs will automatically recognize that the shugenja is a member of the Tonbo family. Other PCs can do the same by rolling Intelligence/Lore: Heraldry at TN 10.) The samurai here are almost all of higher Status than the PCs, and will politely ignore them unless the PCs make a point of introducing themselves. Whenever the PCs first enter the common room for dinner, have them roll Awareness/Investigation at TN 15. With a success, they notice that Asako Ryoko glances at the Dragon shugenja, grimaces slightly, and looks pointedly away. Conversation with the Inquisitors The PCs will be free to converse further with the two Inquisitors once they are at the Inn. (The GM should consult their description in Appendix #1: NPCs for general guidelines on how to characterize them.) Some PCs may be curious about Kato and Ryoko’s recent investigations. Kato will explain that they have been looking into possible Bloodspeaker cults in the central Empire (Lion and Crane lands). He claims they found much “suspicious activity,” but does not name any specifics, pointing out politely that such important information is for his lord Asako Heishi. PCs who ask about Kato’s past investigations, or about the general activities of the Bloodspeaker Cult, will be treated to a lengthy lecture on the cult cell which he discovered five years ago in the village of San no Mura in the Kintani Valley. The cell had eight members, and Kato discovered it when he investigated oddities in the apparent drowning death of a local samurai. “The body had lain in the water for some days before its discovery, but the local magistrate still noticed odd cuts on the arms, and asked my assistance. It was the blessing of the Fortunes that I happened to be just across the border in Phoenix lands at the time. Once we began investigating in earnest, it was only a matter of time until we unraveled the cult.” He is clearly quite proud of this achievement, and will make a point of noting that his lord Asako Heishi personally praised his efforts. If the PCs ask why Kato does not believe it would be safe for Ryoko to travel alone, he looks surprised. “Surely, samurai-sama, you would not expect a young woman to travel the Empire without an escort.” Ryoko looks slightly impatient but does not contradict her elder.

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If the PCs specifically ask why Kato is going to the City of the Rich Frog, he will explain that he knows one of the magistrates there, named Ikoma (Kaeru) Oteki, and received a note from him saying that a local murder might have cult significance. Kato is eager to pursue the matter, and seems confident that Oteki is not steering him wrong. “The Empire is far too complacent about the threat which the Bloodspeakers still pose. Happily, lord Asako Heishi-sama won the Jade Tournament, ensuring that one who understands the danger is in charge of investigating it.” If a PC speaks separately with Ryoko at any point about the Inquisitors’ investigations, she will attempt to support her uncle, saying that they discovered much suspicious and disturbing activity. However, if a PC works to gain her trust and presses her for details (without openly attacking or slandering her uncle), and rolls Awareness/Courtier (Manipulation) at TN 20, she will reluctantly confess that they really did not discover anything interesting: “There were some embittered peasants, and a few odd superstitions, but nothing that resembled the descriptions I have read of Bloodspeaker activity. My uncle did uncover a true Bloodspeaker cell several years ago, in the northern Lion lands, and I fear it has made him liable to see cultists everywhere.” If any PC asks Ryoko about her reaction to the Dragon shugenja, she frowns and says only, “That is a personal matter.” However, if the PCs have been getting along well with her uncle Kato, he will remark (to her quiet embarrassment) that the man in question, Tonbo Ukiya, has made an unsuccessful appeal for her hand in marriage. “Of course our family does not consider a match with a minor Tonbo to be a good choice.” Tonbo Ukiya Some of the PCs may decide to watch or speak with the Dragon shugenja, especially if they noticed Asako Ryoko’s reaction to him. Ukiya is a slim man (except for a slight pot-belly), with lanky limbs and a receding chin. His hair is tied back in a loose ponytail. • If they observe Ukiya, they can see that he watches

Ryoko closely, with a very intent expression. He tries not to make his observation too open, but lacks the subtlety to succeed – anyone who observes him can tell what he is doing.

• If they speak with him, Ukiya is polite but distant, except to fellow Dragons, with which he is moderately friendly. He claims to be on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Jurojin in Phoenix lands. (If a PC suggests he is taking a somewhat roundabout route to the Shrine, he will take offense, claiming that they are calling him a fool.)

• If any PCs ask him about Ryoko or his relationship

with her, he will become quiet and slightly strained, and insists that it is none of their business. He will only confess more to a sympathetic fellow Dragon. To them, he will sadly admit that he made a strong petition for Asako Ryoko’s hand in marriage, but her family rejected it. “We are a fine match, I cannot understand why her family refuses to see it. The Agasha or the Isawa must have poisoned their minds against me.”

• Any PC who rolls Awareness/Investigation

(Interrogation) at TN 15 can tell that Ukiya is much more emotionally involved in this matter than he lets on.

• Ukiya is utterly resistant to the charms of other

females, even accomplished seductresses – his infatuation with Ryoko does not allow him to even consider involvement with others.

The Other NPCs Some PCs may wish to speak with the other guests at the Inn, out of curiosity or due to Clan loyalties. • The two Crane noblemen are brothers, named

Doji Torusawa and Doji Matsuro. They are wealthy landed gentry, and are in the middle of touring the Empire to visit all of its famous and well-reputed shrines. Each of them is accompanied by an array of servants and assistants, as well as a Daidoji bodyguard (each) and several beautiful concubines. These Cranes will be extremely arrogant, condescending, and supercilious toward any PC who has less Status than their own of 2.9.

• The Unicorn magistrate, Shinjo Tamaji, is an

earnest and eager young man who is on his way back to Unicorn lands from the Imperial Capital. He has a deep distrust of Scorpions, and given the chance he will lecture other PCs about Scorpion involvement in various crime cartels and yakuza gangs around the Empire. He spends the evening speaking with any available ronin, trying to pump

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them for information on crime networks, opium dens, and other underworld doings.

• The various Lions are all bushi, a mixture of

Ikoma, Matsu, and Akodo (with the Ikoma in the majority). They are very much typical Lions, full of honor and boldness, but none of them are especially noteworthy or memorable.

Scene Two: On the Road to Oiku

The next morning, Asako Kato will bid his niece goodbye, thanks the PCs again for their help, and hands them a set of travel papers authorizing them to accompany Asako Ryoko to Pale Oak Castle, by way of the villages of Oiku and Toi Koku. This done, he departs west toward the City of the Rich Frog, walking briskly with the aid of his stick. • If the PCs keep an eye out for Tonbo Ukiya, he

leaves very early in the morning (an hour before they do), on a sturdy Rokugani pony, and also takes the eastern road (which is consistent with his claim to be traveling to the Shrine of Jurojin). He pushes his mount hard and outpaces the PCs quickly.

Asako Ryoko will wish to immediately set out in the opposite direction, heading east on the Ever Vigilant Road toward Oiku Village. (This is also the route toward the Imperial Capital, although the PCs’ route will bypass that). She, like her uncle, is traveling on foot and has no skill with horsemanship – if any PCs suggest hiring mounts, she will tartly observe that she has no interest in acquiring saddle-sores. As noted in Appendix #1, Ryoko will mostly be polite and superficially friendly to all well-mannered and civilized PCs. Toward rude, crude, or slovenly PCs, she will be cold and distant, offering only the minimum of speech and cooperation needed to get through the journey successfully. PCs who wish to befriend Ryoko and earn her trust will need to be honorable, well-mannered, and refrain from any romantic or physical overtures (her experiences with Ukiya have left her thoroughly distrustful of male passions). She will be intrinsically more likely to trust female PCs, especially if they show sympathy for the problem of being pursued by an unwanted suitor.

To Oiku Village From the Village of the Reinstated Hero, the PCs will be traveling east on the Ever Vigilant Road toward the village of Oiku, a trip which takes four days. These are the Lion lands, and the road is well-patrolled and quite safe. The minor villages along the road are small and strictly regulated, their lands carefully cultivated and the peasants hard at work from dawn to dusk. Minor castles, garrisons, and watch-stations ensure that no unauthorized travel or questionable behavior is tolerated. The PCs will be treated politely so long as they show their travel papers and do not openly antagonize the Lion. Imperial PCs and Emerald/Jade Magistrates will be treated with respect and deference. Two days after the PCs and Asako Ryoko begin their trip, they will pass through the town of Rugashi, a trading crossroads in the heart of Kitsu and Akodo lands. It is a bustling and prosperous place with over 2,000 inhabitants, and Lion wardens and magistrates keep a close eye on the place. The PCs will spend the night here without incident. However, the next morning on their way out of the town, they meet an interesting traveling companion. Hitomi Fuguki Squatting next to the road is a muscular, bare-chested man dressed in a dusty, tattered hakama of green cloth. His tanned skin is covered with scars, some of them rather fresh, and strange tattoos coil across his torso. He looks up with a broad smile as you approach. “Well met, friends! Are you sharing my road?” This is Hitomi Fuguki, a crazed kikage zumi initiate. Fuguki has a unique tattoo, the Blowfish, which gives him the ability to read minds but has also driven him quite mad. He will chat pleasantly with the PCs, showing an unsettling knowledge of their thoughts, plans, and intentions, and occasionally throwing in a random remark or non-sequitor (“the road is listening to us, but the birds swim in the rain”). He is quite friendly and inquisitive, but lacks a sense of normal social and personal boundaries, and his staring eyes and wide smile can be quite unsettling. • If the PCs try to shake off Fuguki, or avoid telling

him where they are going, he grins happily. “Oh, I’m going there too!” he proclaims, apropos of nothing.

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• If the PCs specifically ask why Fuguki is here, or what he is doing, he looks thoroughly confused. “I am living. Aren’t I? Or are we all dead already?”

• Fuguki will occasionally say something very

perceptive, showing deep insight into the PCs. However, this should be rare, and interspersed with overwhelming nonsense.

Fuguki will insist on tagging along with the PCs for the remainder of the adventure, embarrassing them, intruding himself into their discussions in bizarre and obnoxious ways, and so forth. He will also manage to disappear or become helpless whenever there is trouble (thanks to his ability to read minds), a tendency which the PCs may find quite suspicious. Arrival at Oiku Oiku is a large walled town with about 1,000 residents. There is no true castle, but the Lion have built a sizable fortified military barracks outside the town, housing over 5,000 troops for the defense of the Imperial Capital to the east. The local daimyo, Akodo Yasoji, resides in a rather spartan “palace” (basically a large residential building) inside the town itself. Oiku is basically a military town, and a Lion one at that – there is little here of interest, and most travelers spend only a single night before moving on. Ryoko plans to take the northern road (the Path of Changing Hands) toward the village of Toi Koku, thereby bypassing the heavy congestion and excessive security around the Imperial Capital to the east. There are several Inns for the PCs to choose from in Oiku, but little in the way of entertainment. (Of course, with Hitomi Fuguki tagging along, the PCs may find themselves too entertained already!) “Kakita Umasu” Wherever the PCs choose to spend the night in Oiku, soon after they arrive, the following scene occurs: A light spring rain is falling, and a chill breeze carries it inside as a somewhat damp-looking Crane hurries into the Inn, shaking his umbrella. He is handsome and well-built, with long white hair held back in a ponytail. He shakes the damp out of his kimono and calls for hot sake in a slightly plaintive voice. If any of the PCs are Cranes, Imperials, or attractive females, the new arrival will make a point of introducing himself. He claims to be Kakita Umasu, an artisan specializing in ikebana (flower arranging). He

is actually Shosuro Kotone, a Shosuro Actress and male impersonator, tasked with stealing the letter which Asako Ryoko is carrying. “Umasu” will play the role of a charming, handsome, slightly superficial Crane courtier, traveling north to the Dragon lands for a festival. He complains about bad weather, about inferior quality Inns, and about the general unpleasantness of traveling. (“My pony is simply covered in mud, its only the mercy of the Fortunes that spared my kimono from the same fate!”) “He” will casually flirt with attractive females (including Asako Ryoko) but will be careful not to push things too far, and quickly backs off from anyone who reacts to his attentions coldly (as Ryoko does) or with too much eagerness (since “he” is actually female). If none of the PCs are Dragons, “Umasu” also makes supercilious comments about Hitomi Fuguki’s eccentricity, and complains sotto voce about the austerity and “lack of culture” he is expecting in the Dragon lands. It is likely that many of the PCs will find “Kakita Umasu” a contemptible figure, a noxious and weak courtier who embodies the worst aspects of the Crane Clan. This is, in fact, Shosuro Kotone’s plan, so that the PCs will relax around her. It is unlikely that the PCs will have any reason or motivation to be suspicious of “Umasu,” and Kotone will be careful not to do or say anything which might arouse their suspicions. She will travel with the PCs from here to Toi Koku, but if the PCs seem hostile, ill-mannered, or paranoid, she will pretend to do so begrudgingly. (“Umasu” will hold himself apart from them, complaining about having to share the road with such thugs, and generally play the contemptuous courtier.) Ukiya Makes an Appeal After the PCs have had a chance to interact with “Kakita Umasu” (and preferably for the Scorpion to insinuate herself into their good graces), their evening is interrupted once more: A gust of cold drizzly air blows into the common room as another man comes through the door: a thin, long-limbed man with a weak chin and a slight pot-belly, his kimono and hair wet and lank from the rain. It is Tonbo Ukiya, and he looks around the room with a frantic, harried expression. His face is flushed and it is difficult to tell whether the drops trickling down his

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brow are sweat or rain. He spots your table and a relieved expression crosses his face as he hurries over. “Lady Asako-sama! I am relieved you are well – I thought perhaps this weather had stranded you on the road.” Ryoko will try to be as cold and non-responsive as possible while remaining within the bounds of etiquette. Ukiya will strain to start a conversation, and includes the PCs in his efforts. (“Has the road been safe so far? No troubles, I hope?”) Eventually, Ukiya will nerve himself up and pull a (slightly damp) folded letter out of his kimono. “Lady Asako-sama, I have… that is… I wish to present to you once more my petition for your hand in marriage. I… my daimyo would be most pleased by such a harmonious match… it would help improve relations between the Clans…” Asako Ryoko will cut in to coldly remark that her family has already rejected his offer. Ukiya, however, refuses to accept this rejection, and becomes more and more frantic, babbling, raising his voice, and eventually trying to shove his letter into her hands. Hopefully a PC will intervene to stop him and end this embarrassing spectacle. (Fuguki watches the whole scene with fascination, while “Kakita Umasu” averts his eyes and pointedly starts a conversation with someone else.) Otherwise, Ukiya will continue until Ryoko finally loses patience and slaps him. Regardless of whether Ryoko or a PC puts a halt to Ukiya’s behavior, he will flush and clenches his fists, trembling with humiliation, before abruptly storming out of the Inn. If a PC follows him, they will find that he is staying at another Inn elsewhere in the town – he immediately “checks out” and rides out of town in the middle of the night, heading north. PCs who helped Ryoko deal with this problem will improve their relationship with her considerably, especially if they managed to cut it short before the spectacle became too severe. Sympathetic PCs can persuade her to explain more about the problem with Ukiya: “He has been besotted with me ever since he attended Winter Court in our lands. It is a terrible match, his family is low-ranking even for the Tonbo, but he refuses to accept it. Even if he was of sufficient rank, I would never consent to a marriage with such a fool, unable to keep his face.”

Surveillance While the PCs are enduring this series of visitors and incidents, allow any of them who are not in the thick of things to roll Perception/Investigation at TN 25. With a success, they suspect that one of the merchants in the common room seems to be eyeing their group furtively. He is a short, tubby fellow in his late thirties or early forties, with a bald head and prominent cheek-whiskers. If the PCs approach or confront this merchant, he will try to deny any interest in them (false). He calls himself “Toru” and claims to be a vassal of the Daidoji family (true). He rolls Awareness/Deceit of 6k3 against PC Opposed rolls of Awareness/Investigation to detect his truthfulness. If the PCs become aggressive or threatening, he will flee, hiding in the night-darkened, rainy streets of Oiku. His Agility/Stealth roll to hide is also 6k3. If the PCs actually restrain Toru or otherwise try to force him to tell them the truth, he will bluff and stonewall, protesting his innocence and claiming that his lord and patron in the Daidoji family, Daidoji Ekimanju, will be displeased that he has met with such mistreatment. (PCs who roll Intelligence/Commerce or Intelligence/Lore: Heraldry at TN 15 will recognize Ekimanju as a prominent “merchant prince,” among the wealthiest and most influential men in the Daidoji family.) Unless the PCs have a way to detect Taint (he has Taint of 1.6), they will not have any evidence against him, and he will eventually appeal to the local authorities if the PCs abuse him egregiously. If the PCs check into what Toru actually does as a merchant, they will discover that he has a small two-wheeled cart full of iron pots and kettles, pulled by a sturdy pony. He displays the Daidoji mon on the cart and carries travel papers authorizing him to trade throughout Lion, Crane, Phoenix, and Dragon lands. As merchants go, he is fairly small-time, although still wealthier than any peasant. Toru is actually a Bloodspeaker, the sole survivor of Asako Kato’s famous successful investigation in San no Mura several years ago. He is hoping to avenge himself on Kato by murdering his precious niece, and has been guided here by the assistance of a friendly kansen (evil spirit).

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Scene Three: On the Road to Toi Koku

The next day, the PCs and Ryoko head north toward Toi Koku via the Path of Changing Hands. Any PC who rolls Intelligence/Lore: History at TN 10 will know that the name derives from history’s frequent clashes between the Lion and Dragon, resulting in the inter-Clan border shifting north and south frequently. They find themselves sharing the road with both the slightly-crazed Hitomi Fuguki and the charming/irritating “Kakita Umasu.” Several merchants are on the road as well, both caravans and “solo” merchants such as Toru and his rattletrap two-wheeled cart. Lion couriers gallop past every few hours. As the day progresses, the plodding merchants fall behind, and the PCs will pass several more caravans over the course of the day. If the PCs keep an eye out for Toru, they will see him slowly falling farther behind them as the day goes on. If they stop for a rest or meal, he catches up somewhat but then stops as well, staying well short of their group. Tonbo Ukiya Keeps Watch Ukiya has studied several places on the road in order to be able to scrye them with the spell Reflecting Pool and spy on his true love. He will do this four times during the day, as he obsesses over Ryoko and nerves himself up for an attempt to kidnap her. However, unless the PCs have an unusual advantage (such as an Inner Gift that detects magic), they will not be aware of this. The Bridge of Lion’s Might Late on the first day, the road known as the Path of Changing Hands approaches a major bridge over the Drowned Merchant River: Ahead of you, the green landscape is split by the broad, dark course of the Drowned Merchant River. The road ascends a long earthen levee to a huge, imposing wooden bridge, forty feet wide, which crosses the river on a series of thick wooden posts. Near the center of the river, the bridge turns into an arch, vaulting across an eighty-foot span where the water is deepest. As you watch, a kobune ship passes beneath the arch, oars beating steadily as it makes its way upstream. PCs who roll Intelligence/Lore (History) at TN 10 will know that the Lion built this bridge, the Bridge of

Lion’s Might, about thirty years ago to facilitate moving troops between their core territories and their new northern conquests, especially the trade center of Toi Koku. The bridge has also improved trade in this part of the Empire, since merchants no longer need to arrange for boats or ferries to cross the river. A pair of Lion ashigaru (peasant spearmen) and a commoner tax assessor (carrying a badge of authority from the Lion Wardens) stand at the approaches to the bridge. They stop any merchants who cross, assessing a toll based on the value of their goods. Samurai, of course, are allowed to pass unmolested, and both ashigaru and clerk offer deep, respectful bows as the PCs and their eccentric companions pass. • If any PCs think to ask whether the bridge guards

saw a Dragon shugenja pass by, they will nod agreeably. “Yes, indeed, samurai-sama, about two hours ago.” If the PCs ask for a description, it matches Tonbo Ukiya.

• If the PCs are keeping an eye on the merchant

Toru, they will see that the toll collector stops him and begins looking through his wagon, assessing the value of what he carries. This will still be happening when the confrontation occurs with Tonbo Ukiya (see “Love Will Not Be Denied!” below).

Love Will Not Be Denied! Tonbo Ukiya has spent the whole day fuming about his humiliating rejection the night before, obsessively scrying on Ryoko and convincing himself that she will accept his attentions if he can just sweep her away from everyone else. He is waiting on the far side of the bridge (concealed by the central arch) and is watching the near side with Reflecting Pool. As the PCs are beginning to climb the central arch of the bridge, Ukiya makes his move. He begins by casting Summon Fog, shrouding the bridge in thick gray clouds. Then he casts Call Upon the Wind to enable himself to fly slowly through the air. He spends three rounds flying through the fog toward the PCs. On the third round he casts Wind-Born Slumbers on Ryoko and one PC (whoever is closest to her), spending a Void point and Raising a total of four times (once for an additional target, once to increase the resistance TN, and twice to increase the TN penalty to +10). He then picks up the dazed Ryoko and attempts to fly back across the bridge, which will take three more rounds.

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Obviously, the PCs will try to stop this. The GM should consider the following in adjudicating any PC efforts: • The summoned fog will make it very difficult to

tell what is happening. PCs can overhear the flying Ukiya casting Wind-Born Slumbers by rolling Raw Perception at TN 15, but trying to hit him with ranged attacks or spells through the fog will entail a major penalty (+20 TN to ranged attacks, and a corresponding four Raises for spell-casting).

• Actually spotting Ukiya grabbing Ryoko will be

difficult – even if a PC is standing within ten feet of Ryoko, that PC will need to roll Perception/Investigation at TN 10 to spot Ukiya as he drops out of the air and scoops her up. (A PC actually standing right next to her, touching her, etc., does not need to roll.) PCs standing within twenty feet will need to make the same roll at TN 20. Farther than twenty feet, the PCs will not be able to see anything, although if they specify they are listening or scanning the air above them the GM can allow a roll at TN 30.

• The fog can be dispersed quickly with a spell such

as Tempest of Air. Also, casting By the Light of Lady Moon will allow them to see Ukiya as he swoops through the fog. Casting Sense could also detect the presence of the spirits which Ukiya is controlling. Creative PCs may be able to deal with the fog in more physical ways, such as flapping cloaks to blow it away.

• If any shugenja PCs are watching Ryoko closely,

and overhear Ukiya’s chanting, they may have a chance to Counterspell the Wind-Born Slumbers spell which Ukiya throws on her. The GM will have to adjudicate such situations.

• PCs who spot Ukiya can attempt to physically

prevent him from carrying Ryoko away. Holding her down will require a Strength/Athletics roll at TN 20. If multiple PCs try, up to three of them can grab her and make a Cooperative Roll.

• Tempest of Air or a similar spell can disrupt

Ukiya’s flight, slowing him down or forcing him away.

• Alternatively, they can try to attack Ukiya, which

will require the use of polearms or archery (since he is hovering overhead). A polearm attack will be

at +5 TN penalty due to the poor visibility. An archery or other ranged attack will be at +10 TN penalty. Once he flies away, of course, he will be beyond the reach of a polearm, and archery will be back to a +20 penalty as before.

If Ukiya does manage to get Ryoko into the air, he will fly back across the bridge and will cast Wall of Water to block the bridge behind him, slowing the PCs’ pursuit. Getting Across the Bridge One or more PCs try to charge across the bridge, either when Ukiya first casts Summon Fog or later when he is taking Ryoko away. It will take two rounds of running, or four rounds at normal movement, to get across the bridge (and out of the fog). This can potentially put the PCs in a position to ambush Ukiya when he emerges from the fog carrying Ryoko. Getting through the Wall of Water physically is difficult, requiring a Raw Fire roll at a TN of (Ukiya’s Water x Rank 3). A failed roll traps the PC in the wall, where s/he takes a cumulative 1k1 damage per round (1k1 on round one, 2k2 on round two, etc). PCs may repeat the Fire roll to escape each round. PCs who try to reach in from outside and help must make a Fire roll of their own to avoid being trapped in the Wall as well. Alternatively, shugenja PCs could get over the Wall with flying magic, or use spells such as Hands of Clay to pass around it on the outer surface of the bridge. Athletic PCs could likewise climb over the outside of the bridge to circumvent the Wall of Water, rolling Agility/Athletics at TN 15. A failed roll drops the PC into the river (2k2 damage, and the PC must roll Stamina/Athletics at TN 15 to swim safely to shore). Ukiya’s Tactics and Goals Ukiya wants to “spirit away” Ryoko. If he is able to get her away from the PCs, he will load her onto his pony, mount up himself, and ride away, if possible casting Wave-Born Speed on his mount. Mounted PCs can pursue and catch Ukiya by making a Contested Roll of Agility/Horsemanship, but if he manages to cast Wave-Born Speed they will need to beat him by three Raises. Clever PCs may be able to come up with other ways of chasing him down or stopping him. Otherwise he will escape. Ukiya will do his best to defeat any PCs who are interfering with him, but he is not insane or murderous, and will try to use non-violent or low-violence methods (such as Tempest of Air, Wind-Born Slumbers, Earth’s

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Stagnation, Grasp of Earth, or the aforementioned Wall of Water) to hold off the PCs. If a PC is seriously injured, he will not try to “finish off” the unfortunate, instead taking the chance to flee. Likewise, if Ryoko herself is injured, he will stop the kidnap attempt in order to treat her injuries. If Ukiya is seriously injured, he will abandon his kidnapping attempt and flee, if possible using a second casting of Summon Fog to conceal himself, and employing Call Upon the Wind again if it seems best. The Bloodspeaker Strikes! During the PCs’ struggle with Ukiya, Toru the Bloodspeaker will decide to finally take action: he uses the maho spell Harvest of Death to murder the two ashigaru, then knifes the tax collector and drinks his blood to empower himself. Since the bridge is shrouded in fog, it is quite unlikely the PCs will notice this unless one or more of them has retreated back to the start of the bridge. Toru will enter the combat once the PCs have thwarted or seriously impeded Ukiya’s kidnap attempt. If Ukiya actually manages to carry out the kidnap of Ryoko successfully, Toru will flee with his merchant cart, hoping to catch Ryoko later (and leaving the corpses of his three victims to mystify the PCs). More likely, the PCs will manage to either defeat Ukiya outright or badly delay him. At that point, they will be interrupted by the sudden appearance of Toru looming out of the fog: The portly merchant’s flesh seems to have swollen against his skin, bulging with muscles that twitch and spasm unnaturally. A deep cut in one arm spills blood, running down to the hand which clutches a blood-soaked knife. More blood is smeared and splattered across his mouth and neck, and the whiskers on his cheeks stick out spikily red. His eyes bulge out of his face, red veins twining across them, and pink froth spills from between his clenched teeth. Toru will try to reach Ryoko and murder her. Since she is still afflicted by Wind-Born Slumbers, she will not be able to defend herself very effectively – it will be up to the PCs to protect her. The Bloodspeaker will preferentially attack with his knife and hand-to-hand (Knives and Jiujutsu skills), taking advantage of the unnatural speed and strength he has gained from his Shadowlands Gift Power of Blood. His Shadowlands Gifts allow him to see clearly in the

fog, as well as through any other visual obstructions, and he will take advantage of this ruthlessly. Also, if he manages to get Ryoko or a PC into a Grapple, he will cut the victim’s throat and use the blood to power a casting of his maho spell. (He will not otherwise cast spells, since he has already wounded himself to kill the ashigaru.) Needless to say, once he enters the fight Toru will neither retreat nor surrender. Actions of the NPCs Hitomi Fuguki will not take part in this battle, and in fact will seem to find Ukiya’s actions quite funny, laughing with a slightly hysterical edge, and making bizarre statements that have a vague, ironic relationship to what is happening. Once the Bloodspeaker attacks, however, Fuguki will drop to the ground and curl into a ball, clutching his head and moaning, until the combat is over. “Kakita Umasu” will continue to play the role of the weak courtier, shocked and bewildered by these strange and frightening events. However, he will keep an eye out for a chance to steal Ryoko’s letter during the confusion. Possible chances for him to do so could include: • If the PCs are holding onto Ryoko, trying to keep

her from being carried away, “Umasu” will help out, grabbing hold of her and visibly straining himself. During this time he will slip a hand into her traveling pack, requiring an Opposed roll of his Agility/Sleight-of-Hand (Pick Pockets) against the PCs’ Perception/Investigation (Notice).

• If there is an opportunity for him to be briefly

alone with Ryoko (for example, if Ukiya puts her down to deal with the other PCs, or when the Bloodspeaker attack distracts everyone), he will likewise take her letter. It is unlikely that any PCs will have a chance to notice this unless they are next to him, in which case they can make an Opposed roll as above.

If “Umasu” does succeed in taking the letter, he will play the “shocked courtier” after the battle, proclaiming that he can no longer share the road with people who attract such violent and uncivilized situations, and rides away, spurring his horse for maximum speed. (If the PCs do not immediately take action to stop him, he will escape.) If, on the other hand, he does not get a chance to take the letter, he will continue to travel with them,

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proclaiming that such adventures are “thrilling, so different from the courts!” If “Umasu” is caught taking the letter, Kotone will try to bluff, claiming that the PCs misunderstood her actions. Given her high skills in Deceit, this may succeed. If it does not, she will suddenly throw down a smoke bomb, leap out of her Crane garment (leaving it to slowly crumple down) and leap into the river in her “ninja pajamas,” swimming away rapidly under the water and using her blowgun to catch an occasional breath. Given her skills, it is highly unlikely that the PCs can catch her. Aftermath and Consequences If the PCs actually manage to disable or capture Ukiya, he will “come back to himself” and realize that he has broken the law, lost his face, and put himself into serious trouble. Given the chance, he will plead with the PCs and Ryoko for a chance to return home, rededicate himself to the spirits, and restore his honor. The obvious alternative – having him arrested for assault and attempted kidnapping – will most likely result in his being reduced to ronin or possibly executed. Ryoko herself, while disgusted with Ukiya, is not bloodthirsty and will be willing to give him another chance. Stern and uncompromising PCs, however, may prefer to have him arrested, or even browbeat him into committing seppuku to atone for his dishonorable acts. In his current mental condition this will not be too difficult, needing only a well role-played appeal and a roll of either Awareness/Etiquette (Sincerity) at TN 15, or (if the PCs are taking a more forceful approach) Willpower/Deceit (Intimidation) at TN 15. If Toru is somehow captured alive, he will defiantly confess his crimes, snarling hatred at Ryoko, her uncle Kato, the samurai caste, and the Celestial Order.

Scene Four: A Night at Toi Koku

A day after their encounter at the Bridge of Lion’s Might, the PCs reach Toi Koku. Hitomi Fuguki will still be accompanying them (unless the PCs drove him away), and “Kakita Imasu” will still be present if he was unable to steal Ryoko’s letter at the bridge. Toi Koku lies in the middle of broad, heavily-cultivated plains. The town is obviously prosperous, sprawling up and down the roads, spreading like mold

along the arteries of trade. As you draw closer, you can see a large open-air marketplace on the edge of the town, with a dozen or more merchant caravans parked there and their personnel mingling and haggling eagerly. On the far side of the town, a sturdy five-story castle rises from a low hill, flying the Lion colors. Toi Koku is now a major trade center, as well as a key point in the Lion defenses for their northern territorial acquisitions. A Lion patrol will intercept the PCs as they approach the town, reviewing their travel papers and inquiring about the circumstances and safety of their journey. (They will listen with interest if the PCs describe any incidents at the bridge, and promise to issue arrest warrants where required.) The PCs will be free to choose an Inn to stay at for the night – there are a half-dozen different ones in the prosperous town. The Madness of Fuguki Hitomi Fuguki’s unstable mind has been further fragmented by contact with the Bloodspeaker Toru. Soon after the PCs arrive at their chosen Inn, Fuguki will begin to act quite erratically, making odd, aggressive, and ill-mannered remarks in place of his usual non-sequitors. He also begins stuffing himself with food and drink (including sake, which he has avoided up until this point), grabbing it from in front of the PCs and other guests. The other guests at the Inn (including “Kakita Umasu” if he is still here) will do their best to ignore this grotesque spectacle, clearly hoping that someone will take the initiative and put a stop to the tattooed man’s behavior. Once the PCs have gotten properly concerned about Fuguki (or tried to calm him down), he will launch into a sudden verbal attack on the Celestial Order, condemning samurai as “parasites” who live on the “blood of the peasants” and excuse their crimes with the “myth of bushido.” He will condemn the PCs and all other samurai in the most vicious and relentless way. Also, since he can read minds, Fuguki will specifically attack any PCs whose own background or actions fail to live up to the ideals of bushido. How this encounter resolves depends on how the PCs respond to Fuguki’s behavior: • If they react with immediate violence, such as by

drawing a sword, Fuguki will physically attack

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them while simultaneously condemning them for their cowardice: “You cannot defend your false system except by killing those who condemn it!”

• If the PCs react aggressively or angrily, but

without immediate violence, Fuguki will continue to escalate his arguments and insults, becoming more and more belligerent and threatening, until the PCs change their approach or react with violence.

• If the PCs try to respond to Fuguki’s arguments

calmly and honorably, and are able to offer what the GM judges to be effective responses to his verbal assaults, they can roll Awareness/Etiquette (Sincerity) at TN 20. With a success, Fuguki suddenly calms down.

Ryoko will stay out of the whole matter, shrinking back onto her chair and dodging any violence that comes near. She has been shaken and cowed by the recent experiences with Ukiya and Toru, and is more than willing to let the PCs take the lead. A Fight? If the PCs get into a combat with Fuguki, he will fight viciously and unfairly. A favorite technique will be to Grapple either a PC or an innocent commoner, and then use them as a shield against attacks from the others. He will also exploit the Inn’s layout and furnishings, hiding behind the bar, using chairs and tables to trip or block the PCs, and so forth. • If a fight does occur, and “Kakita Umasu” is still

with the party, the false Crane will make one last attempt to steal Ryoko’s letter, lurking near her and waiting for a moment when they both have to dodge a flying piece of furniture (or a flying PC). At that point she slips a hand into Ryoko’s traveling pack. This requires an Opposed roll of Kotone’s Agility/Sleight-of-Hand (Pick Pockets) against the PCs’ Perception/Investigation (Notice), but unless a PC is specifically watching “Umasu” or Ryoko, she will get two Free Raises on the roll.

Aftermath for Fuguki If Fuguki is physically restrained or defeated, or if the PCs manage to calm him down with a debate (as described above), he suddenly calms down and seems to forget about everything which just happened. “That was not me,” he declares. “I am myself, and the me who was me here is not the me of myself, but another

me.” He will not apologize for his actions: “How can I apologize for the deeds of another? I did those things, not I.” The PCs can call for the local Lion authorities to arrest Fuguki if they wish. The Lion will be happy to do so, but Fuguki does not go quietly, and is ultimately beaten down and hauled away in a bloody pulp. The Lion have him executed for attacking their magistrates. If the PCs are more understanding, Fuguki departs the next morning, heading for Dragon lands. He thanks the PCs happily and sincerely for sharing their journey and experiences with him, and promises to remember their names. All PCs get Ally: Hitomi Fuguki. The Fate of “Kakita Umasu” Whether or not Shosuro Kotone finally managed to steal the letter, she will finally have to leave the next morning, since “Kakita Umasu” is on his way to Dragon lands for a festival. She plays the departure in whatever way seems appropriate, given how the PCs have related to “Umasu” up to this point. If Kotone is discovered in the theft attempt, she will (as usual) attempt to bluff and claim the PCs misunderstood her actions. If that does not work, she again makes a “ninja exit,” throwing down a smoke bomb, abandoning her Crane outfit, and fleeing into the darkness outside the Inn. Given her Stealth and Athletics skills, the PCs almost certainly cannot track her.

Conclusion: On to Pale Oak Castle

After the PCs leave Toi Koku, they will find their road is finally free of fellow-travelers – one way or the other, both “Kakita Umasu” and Hitomi Fuguki have departed. They and Asako Ryoko have the road to themselves, and the remainder of their journey passes peacefully and without incident. If the PCs both protected Ryoko and her letter, she will be more relaxed and friendly with them, and may even show a slight interest in attractive, honorable male PCs who have avoided antagonizing her. If they protected her, but the letter was stolen, she is much colder and more distant with them, although she still expresses gratitude for their keeping her out of Ukiya’s hands. The PCs arrive at Pale Oak Castle after another twelve days’ travel, and Ryoko delivers her report to the Jade

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Champion. The PCs themselves will not be allowed to meet with him, but an underling will deliver a brief message thanking them for their assistance. All PCs gain +2 Glory, and if they protected both Ryoko and the letter, they also gain a Favor with the Asako Family. (PCs who are themselves of the Asako family do not gain a Favor, but instead gain +1 Status.)

Rewards for Completing the Adventure

At the end of the scenario, any PCs with Shadowlands Taint must make a Simple Earth roll with a TN of 5 + (5 x Taint Rank). If the roll is failed, the PC acquires one additional point of Taint. Experience Points Playing through the adventure: 2 XP Good role-playing: 1 XP PCs prevent letter from being stolen 1 XP Ryoko reaches destination safely 1 XP Total Possible Experience: 5 XP Other Awards/Penalties PCs who successfully escort Asako Ryoko to Pale Oak Castle gain +2 Glory, and if they protected both Ryoko and the letter, they also gain a Favor with the Asako Family. PCs who are themselves of the Asako family do not gain a Favor, but instead gain +1 Status. PCs who saved Hitomi Fugiki from perishing in his madness gain him as an Ally.

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Appendix #1: NPCs Asako Kato, Middle-Aged Inquisitor Kato is an older man in his mid-forties, thin and worn. His hair is thinning and he travels with the help of a well-used walking stick. Despite this, he possesses a certain elemental vigor and force of will, as well as the dignity and experience of age. Kato is a devoted follower of Asako Heishi, the Master of Air and Jade Champion, and shares his superior’s obsession with the Bloodspeaker Cult, defying the general attitude in the Empire that the Bloodspeakers are no longer a serious threat. His reputation was boosted greatly by his discovery of a small cult cell in San no Mura, and he has spent the years since trying to replicate that feat. Kato is a polite and friendly man, but suffers from a tendency to be somewhat talkative and over-enthusiastic about his duties as an Inquisitor, often “talking up” minor incidents or investigations to fit with his own notions of their importance. He is also over-protective of his niece, Ryoko, and arranged for her to be his apprentice so he could watch over her. Asako Ryoko, Apprentice Inquisitor Kato’s niece is an attractive young woman of 16, trained as an Asako courtier. In most respects she is mature for her years, polite and well-spoken, with a restrained and cautious attitude. However, she is less skilled than an older samurai at hiding her real feelings, which occasionally shown through the façade. In particular, she feels a certain impatience with her uncle’s over-protective attitudes, as well as a suspicion that his intense search for Bloodspeakers is a bit overblown and obsessive. She has also recently developed a certain distrust of young men, due in large part to the relentless courtship efforts of Tonbo Ukiya. A male PC who wishes to earn her trust would be well-advised to avoid anything romantic or flirtatious (such gambits will be met with cold reserve), and instead concentrate on treating her with respect and dignity. Ryoko will mostly be polite and superficially friendly to all well-mannered and civilized PCs. Toward rude, crude, or slovenly PCs, she will be cold and distant, offering only the minimum of speech and cooperation needed to get through the journey successfully. She will be intrinsically more likely to trust female PCs, especially if they show sympathy for the problem of being pursued by an unwanted suitor.

FIRE 2 AIR 2

Awareness 3

EARTH 2 WATER 2 Willpower 3 Perception 3

VOID 2 TN to be Hit: 10 School/Rank: Asako Courtier 1 Rank One: When making an Opposed Social Roll which she did not initiate, rolls one additional die per

School Rank. Honor/Glory/Status: 3.5/1.0/2.0 Skills: Courtier (Political Maneuvering) 1, Etiquette 2, Lore: History (Bloodspeakers) 2, Investigation 1, Kenjutsu 1, Medicine 2, Meditation 2, Tea Ceremony 1, Theology 2. Advantages/Disadvantages: Social Position (Inquisitor), Equipment: Wakizashi, tanto, traveling kimono, sandals, travel pack. Tonbo Ukiya, Obsessed Suitor Tonbo Ukiya is a slim man (except for a slight pot-belly), with lanky limbs and a receding chin. His hair is tied back in a loose ponytail. He was once an honorable and self-controlled young man, and a promising shugenja, but he has been nearly unhinged by his obsessive love for Asako Ryoko. Ukiya has lost his honor and his self-control, and is prepared to do anything to “win” his true love’s affections.

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FIRE 2 AIR 4 Intelligence 3

EARTH 3 WATER 4 Stamina 4 Perception 5

VOID 4 TN to be Hit: 24 School/Rank: Tonbo Shugenja 4 Technique: Affinity to Earth, Deficiency to Fire. Gains a free Raise on all Social Skill rolls. Gains the

spell Reflections of Pan Ku as an Innate Ability. Honor/Glory/Status: 1.8/1.0/1.0 Skills: Horsemanship 2, Calligraphy 2, Courtier 2, Defense 2, Etiquette (Sincerity) 2, Investigation 3, Jiujutsu 1, Kenjutsu 1, Lore (Heraldry) 2, Lore (Shugenja) 3, Meditation (Zanji) 1, Spears 1, Spellcraft (Elemental Knowledge: Air) 4, Stealth 1, Theology 3. Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, Counterspell, (Air 1) By the Light of Lady Moon, Tempest of Air, Wind-Born Slumbers, (Air 2) Call Upon the Wind, (Air 3) Summon Fog, (Earth 1) Earth’s Stagnation, (Earth 2) Grasp of Earth, (Water 1) Path to Inner Peace, Reflections of Pan Ku, Reversal of Fortunes, (Water 2) Reflective Pool, Wave-Born Speed, (Water 3) Regrow the Wound, (Water 4) Wall of Water. Advantages/ Disadvantages: Blessing of the Elements (Air), Luck (rank 1)/Driven (to win the hand of Asako Ryoko), True Love (Asako Ryoko). Equipment: Wakizashi, kimono and sandals, scroll satchel, travel pack, steed (Rokugani pony). Shosuro Kotone, Shosuro Actress (Disguised as “Kakita Umasu,” weak courtier)

FIRE 2 AIR 3 Intelligence 3

Awareness 4

EARTH 2 WATER 3 Willpower 3

VOID 4 TN to be Hit: 19 School/Rank: Shosuro Actor 3 Honor/Glory/Status: 0.8/1.0/1.3 Skills: Acting (Disguise, Mimicry) 5, Athletics 1, Courtier 2, Defense 2, Etiquette (Sincerity) 2, Kenjutsu 2, Kyujutsu 1, Lore: History 2, Meditation 3, Sleight-of-Hand (Pick Pockets) 3, Stealth 2, Theology 1. Mastery Abilities: Can disguise herself as a member of another Clan, profession, gender, or social caste, and can imitate a specific person’s voice. Advantages/Disadvantages: Clear Thinker/Dark Secret Equipment: Kimono, wakizashi, traveling pack, 6 koku. Hitomi Fuguki, Crazed Kikage Zumi

FIRE 3 AIR 3

Reflexes 4

EARTH 3 WATER 3

VOID 4 TN to be Hit: 24 School/Rank: Three Orders Monk 2

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Honor/Glory/Status: 1.2/1.4/1.5 Skills: Artisan (several) 1, Athletics 2, Commerce 1, Deceit 1, Defense 2, Etiquette 1, Games 1, Hunting 1, Jiujutsu 4, Lore (many) 1, Meditation (Void Recovery) 3, Theology 2, Shintao 2, Stealth (Sneaking) 2. Mastery Abilities: Roll an extra die for damage in unarmed combat. Tattoos (may be used a number of times per day equal to Insight Rank, except where otherwise noted): Avalanche (spend two Void points to increase Strength by 2 for a number of rounds equal to his Earth Ring, after which he is exhausted and +5 to all rolls until he rests for at least 20 minutes), Bellflower (substitute Void for any Trait for a number of rounds equal to Insight Rank), Blowfish (unique – allows him to read minds at all times, but has driven him insane), Crab (gain Carapace equal to Insight +1 for a number of rounds equal to 2 x Insight, may be used a number of times per day equal to Void Ring). Advantages/Disadvantages: Enlightened Madness (Blowfish tattoo) Equipment: Clothing and sandals, string of 3 koku in 1-zeni coins Tsuro, Vengeful Maho-Tsukai

FIRE 2 AIR 3 Agility 3 (4)

(Reflexes 5)

EARTH 3 (4) WATER 2 (Strength 4)

VOID 2 [Tsuro starts the combat having taken 10 Wounds from casting his maho spell.] Shadowlands Taint Rank: 2.5 TN to be Hit: 17 (27) School/Rank: None (commoner) Honor/Glory/Status: 0/0/0 Skills: Craft (pots and pans) 3, Commerce 2, Deceit (Lying) 3, Defense 1, Lore: Maho 4, Jiujutsu 3, Knives 3, Stealth 3. Spells: (Maho 5) Harvest of Death (L5R Rulebook, page 271 basic rulebook, page 287 revised rulebook) Shadowlands Gifts: Blood Power – by drinking human blood, he can enhance his physical abilities for a number of minutes equal to his Earth x 5. The statistics listed in parentheses represent his capabilities when unnaturally enhanced in this way. Eyes of Jigoku – He can see clearly in the dark, as well as through fog, smoke, and other visual obscurement. His eyes glow with a pale blue light when he uses this ability. Advantages/Disadvantages: Allies (Daidoji Ekimanju)/Dark Secret (Bloodspeaker), Social Disadvantage (heimin) Equipment: Tanto, clothing, merchant’s cart and pony

Maho Spells Heroes of Rokugan uses a slightly modified version of the optional “maho for everyone” rules from Secrets of the Shadowlands. These rules function as follows: Maho spells are cast by rolling dice equal to the caster’s (Ring + Lore: Maho), and keeping dice equal to the caster’s Ring (in this case, Earth). The TN to cast the spell is equal to (10 + 5 x Mastery Rank) and the caster must spill Wounds in blood (their own or another’s) equal to twice the spell’s Mastery level. The caster gains a number of points of Taint equal to the difference between the TN and the actual roll. Casting time is equal to the spell’s Mastery level in rounds. This can be reduced with Raises, just like normal magic. Casters may take Free Raises for each additional amount of blood (equal to twice the Mastery level) which they spill.

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