1

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 Table of Contents
The Phoenix Clan ������������������������������������������������������� 4
Phoenix Overview ��������������������������������������������������������������������������4
The Phoenix’ View of Other Clans �������������������������������������������������4
Phoenix Clan Families �������������������������������������������������������������������5
Agasha Family  �������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Asako Family  ����������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Isawa Family  ����������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Shiba Family  ����������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Phoenix Vassal Families ����������������������������������������������������������������5
Atsumaru family ������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Chukan family ���������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Iga family �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Izaku family �������������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Koganshi family �������������������������������������������������������������������������6
Nani family ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������6
Nasu family �������������������������������������������������������������������������������6
Nenryo family ����������������������������������������������������������������������������6
Sesai family �������������������������������������������������������������������������������6
Shingon family ���������������������������������������������������������������������������6
Sodona family ���������������������������������������������������������������������������7
Isawa [Phoenix] (20 XP) ����������������������������������������������������������49
Isawa Akuma [Phoenix] (10 XP) ����������������������������������������������49
Isawa Chuda ]Phoenix] (15 XP)  ���������������������������������������������49
Isawa Nimuro ]Phoenix] (5 XP)  ����������������������������������������������49
Isawa Norikazu ]Phoenix] (20 XP, Monk/Shugenja only)   ������50
Isawa Tadaka ]Phoenix] (10 XP, Shugenja only)   �������������������50
Isawa Takao [Phoenix] (15 XP) �����������������������������������������������50
Kitsu Taiko [Phoenix] (20 XP) ��������������������������������������������������50
Naka Kaeteru [Phoenix] (25 XP) ���������������������������������������������50
Shiba [Phoenix] (15 XP) ����������������������������������������������������������50
Shiba Chikai ]Phoenix] (15 XP)  ����������������������������������������������51
Shiba Gaijushiko [Phoenix] (15 XP)   ��������������������������������������51
Shiba Kaigen [Phoenix] (15 XP)  ���������������������������������������������51
Shiba Konyo ]Phoenix] (10 XP)  ����������������������������������������������51
Shiba Kyo ]Phoenix] (20 XP)  ��������������������������������������������������51
Shiba Murayasu ]Phoenix] (15 XP)  ����������������������������������������52
Shiba Sakazu ]Phoenix] (10 XP)  ��������������������������������������������52
Shiba Tetsu ]Phoenix] (10 XP)  �����������������������������������������������52
Shiba Toriko [Phoenix] (10 XP) �����������������������������������������������52

Phoenix Basic Schools ���������������������������������������������� 7

Basic Schools with the [Universal] Tag ������������������������������������������7
Agasha Esoteric (Shugenja) ����������������������������������������������������������7
Asako Henshin (Monk) �������������������������������������������������������������������7
Asako Loremaster (Courtier) ����������������������������������������������������������8
Isawa Elementalist (Shugenja) ������������������������������������������������������8
Kinenhi [Universal] �������������������������������������������������������������������������8
Shiba Guardian (Bushi) ������������������������������������������������������������������9
Shiba Maker (Artisan) ��������������������������������������������������������������������9
Phoenix Paths ����������������������������������������������������������� 18
What Are Paths ����������������������������������������������������������������������������18
Acolyte of Snow [Shugenja] ���������������������������������������������������������18
Agasha Alchemist [Shugenja] ������������������������������������������������������19
Asako Mediator [Courtier] ������������������������������������������������������������20
Asako Savant [Courtier] ���������������������������������������������������������������21
Asako Intellectual [Courtier] ���������������������������������������������������������22
Elemental Legion [Bushi] �������������������������������������������������������������23
Inferno Guard [Shugenja] �������������������������������������������������������������24
Isawa Spell-Duelist [Shugenja] ����������������������������������������������������25
Isawa Temple Guardian [Shugenja] ���������������������������������������������26
Isawa Tensai [Shugenja] ��������������������������������������������������������������27
Kawaru Sage [Shugenja] �������������������������������������������������������������28
Mist Legion [Shugenja] ����������������������������������������������������������������29
Nameless One [Shugenja] �����������������������������������������������������������30
Provincial Guard [Bushi] ��������������������������������������������������������������31
Sesai Ninja [Ninja] ������������������������������������������������������������������������32
Shiba Advisor [Courtier] ���������������������������������������������������������������33
Shiba Arbitrator [Courtier] ������������������������������������������������������������34
Shiba Armorsmith [Artisan] ���������������������������������������������������������35
Shiba Blade-Scholar [Bushi] �������������������������������������������������������36
Shiba Illusionist [Shugenja] ����������������������������������������������������������37
Shiba Naginata Duelist [Bushi] ����������������������������������������������������38
Shiba Yojimbo [Bushi] ������������������������������������������������������������������39
Sisters of the Sacred Light [Shugenja]  ����������������������������������������40
Advanced Schools ��������������������������������������������������� 41
What Are Advanced Schools ��������������������������������������������������������41
Asako Inquisitors [Monk] ��������������������������������������������������������������41
Brotherhood of Heaven’s Wing [Bushi] ����������������������������������������42
Dragon Channelers [Shugenja] ����������������������������������������������������43
Elemental Guard [Shugenja] ��������������������������������������������������������44
Order of the Bent Knee [Courtier] ������������������������������������������������45
Shiba Elite Guard [Bushi] �������������������������������������������������������������46
Phoenix Ancestors ��������������������������������������������������� 48
What are Ancestors ����������������������������������������������������������������������48
Ancestors �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������48
Agasha Fujita ]Phoenix] (15 XP)  ��������������������������������������������48
Agasha Hanujito ]Phoenix] (10 XP)   ���������������������������������������48
Asako [Phoenix] (15 XP) ���������������������������������������������������������48
Asako Hanasaku [Phoenix] (25 XP) ����������������������������������������48
Asako Ingen [Phoenix] (20 XP) �����������������������������������������������48
Asako Ishio ]Phoenix] (20 XP)  �����������������������������������������������49
Asako Sagoten ]Phoenix] (10 XP)  ������������������������������������������49

3
 The Phoenix Clan
Phoenix Overview
“Speak to the Kami and know the World”

The mere existence of the Mantis Clan as a Great Clan of

Rokugan gives credence to the words of Shinsei: “Fortune
favors the mortal man,” The Mantis were born from Hida
Kaimetsu-Uo, son of Hida Osano-Wo and a Matsu woman.
Kaimetsu-Uo was not chosen as his father’s heir, and so
carved a land of his own out of the Islands of Silk and Spice
off the Empire’s coast. There he and his followers became the
first Minor Clan (although their claim to be the first would be
contested by the Fox Clan). Centuries later during the Clan War,
the Mantis played an essential role in defending the Empire
from the Shadowlands, and when the Clan Champion Yoritomo
demanded the right to stand among the Great Clan Champions
as an equal, they granted him that right, later reinforced by
Imperial decree. Since that time, the Mantis have struggled to
prove to everyone, including perhaps themselves, that they are
truly worthy of the mantle of a Great Clan, and to fulfill their duty
patrolling the seas of Rokugan with their vast fleet of Kobune
(ships).
The samurai who serve the Mantis Clan are etremely diverse The Phoenix’ View of Other Clans
in their philosophies, due primarily to each individual family Crab: An existence that consists solely of war erodes the
having once comprised a separate Minor Clan before their soul. If they would but embrace the wisdom of the Tao, it would
consolidation into the Mantis Clan. Generally, however, most change everything.
subscribe to the philosophies of the Yoritomo family, either out Crane: Like us, they avoid war at all costs, but all too
of loyalty or duty - or at least appear to do so. The Mantis, for often they allow petty politics to influence their decisions. Our
the most part, believe destiny is theirs for the taking. The very honored cousins have a path yet to walk.
fact that the clan has ascended to the ranks of the Great Clans Dragon: Our closest allies share much of our devotion,
is proof in their minds that this is a valid belief, and they see no although their methods are strange. Too much empashis on
reason to stop. There is no obstacle that cannot be overcome, finding a different path means the true path is lost.
no enemy that cannot be defeated, and no goal that cannot be Lion: Why must there always be war? We all exist under a
acheieved. A Mantis enemy is a deadly thing simply because mandate of peace, yet that is the one Imperial decree the Lion
he will never stop trying to defeat you until he wins or dies - in seem to conviently forget.
which case his brothers will take up the quest in his place. Mantis: Upstarts and braggarts. There is no place in a
The Yoritomo are the unquestioned masters of the mantis civilized Empire for those who do not comprehend the natural
Clan, and a more self-assured and ambitious family would be order of things. That the shugenja among their ranks are of
difficult to find. Some believe their outrageous behavior is a such power is an anomaly, nothing more.
result of self-doubt, stemming from the fact that they are the only Scorpion: Nothing can be accomplished with such ridiculous
ruling family without a Kami of their own to call their progenitor, deceptions. They fool themselves with their shadow games, but
but even that changed recently, and saying such to one of them they amount to nothing in the long run.
would result in explosive anger at the very least. The Tsuruchi, Unicorn: They are uncouth and distasteful, but they
perhaps the greatest archers in the Empire, are quiet and understand many foreign forms of magic that should be
resourceful, while the Moshi are more conservative and the carefully studied. Treat them with respect and perhaps they will
behavior of their comrades something of an embarrassment. share the invaulable knowledge they possess..
Their loyalty and devotion to the Tao is unquestionable however. Minor Clans: Of little significancem but for this very reason,
Very recently, the Kitsune became the fourth family to join the deserving of our protection as long as they recognize their
clan, and serve the Yoritomo as scouts and priests, matching jumble place. The abuse they have often suffered at the hands
their unique talents with the Moshi in that regard. of more arrogant and militaristic Great Clans is shameful. Is it
No clan has holdings as diverse and scattered as the Mantis not always the duty of samurai to care for those less powerful?.
Clan. Their primary holding is the island chain known as the
Islands of Silk and Spice, southeast of the Empire. The Yoritomo
have held these islands for centures, and reaped the reward of
their exotic plants, spices, and abundant fishing. The tsuruchi,
Moshi, and Kitsune families have holdings on the mainland,
primarily mountainous, but they do include the Kitsune Mori
forest, well known for its quality wood. Although the subordinate
families control an amoutn of land roughly equal to the total of
the islands, the resources there are scarecer, and the majority
of the clan’s wealth comes from the Isles.

4
Phoenix Clan Families
• Wound Threshold: 9 + Fire
• Strain Threshold: 11 + Air
• Starting XP: 90
• Starting Skills: Knowledge (Lore) 1
• Way of the Phoenix: Once per session, your character
may spend a Story Point as an incidental. If they do so, during
the next skill check they make during that turn, your character
removes b from the check equal to their Fire.
With regard to the subject of shugenja, the consensus
of an entire Empire is that the Phoenix possess both the
largest number of shugenja and most powerful of them. The
descendants of the Tribe of Isawa and those who have sworn
allegiance to them command mystical power unlike anything
seen in the other Clans, and the followers of the Kami Shiba
have sworn to protect them for all time, no matter the cost.
Agasha Family
An Agasha character starts with 1 rank in either Craft or
Knoweldge (Tao).
Once a family of the Dragon Clan, the Agasha abandoned
their Togashi masters when they felt the Dragon abandoned
their duties to the Empire. The Phoenix have proven much
more amenable to their unique brand of magic. The Agasha
are highly experimental and curious, always pushing the
boundaries of what is known and what can be safely attempted
when dealing with magic.
Asako Family
An Asako character starts with 1 rank in either Discipline or
Negotiation.
The quiet, reclusive Asako are a very monastic family, living
scholarly and ascetic lives more befitting the Brotherhood of
Shinsei than a family of samurai. They comprise the majority of
the Phoenix Clan’s courtiers, and the entirety of the mysterious
Henshin monks. Asako are contemplative and inquisitive, but
generally without ambition other than to serve and learn.
Isawa Family
An Isawa character starts with 1 rank in either Discipline or
Invocation.
The Isawa truly rule the Phoenix Clan, despite the presence
of a Shiba Clan Champion. They are unquestionably the most
knowledgeable, most powerful, and most numerous shugenja
family in the Empire. Unfortunately, this has made them
arrogant as well, and many Isawa constantly struggle against
their own shortcomings.
Shiba Family
A Shiba character starts with 1 rank in either Craft or
Knowledge (Lore).
The Shiba are among the most scholarly and least aggressive of all
bushi families. They serve the Clan and the Isawa without complaint
or consideration for themselves. Although they prefer peace and
compassion, the Shiba will not retreat from a battle once the Phoenix
have committed themselves to an engagement.
Phoenix Vassal Families
While the main families are the ones that others will
associate with the Phoenix Clan, there are vassal families that
serve them, and are appointed to a specific role. In service
of that role, members of that family are instead focused on a
specific skill, and will recieve a rank in that skill instead of the
one associated with their patron family.
Atsumaru family
The  Atsumaru family  was a  vassal family  in service to
the Agasha family of the Phoenix Clan.
An Atsumaru character starts with 1 rank in Melee - Light.
The Atsumaru family was small even by standards of vassal
families. Their line began centuries ago with early members
of the  Agasha family  who studied  kagaku. The brilliant but
reclusive  Agasha Nakune  was one of the first  Dragon  to
experiment with the strange blend of magic and science that
would one day produce the crafts of  mizugusuri  and kagaku
(Magical Elixirs). It was not a perfect practice, and Nakune’s
failures meant that he was eternally searching for the proper
combination of components for his strange concoctions.
Lands 
After the  Agasha defection  they gave up the woodlands
that had been their home for centuries, and created a new one
their own, Atsumaru Mori, a growing orchard outside the village
of Atsumaru Mura.
Membership of the Atsumaru 
The Atsumaru family was very close knit, never numbering
more than about a dozen The name was limited to the ruling
descendant of Kadokawa, his or her spouse and their children.
Whenever leadership was passed to a new  daimyo, that
daimyo’s siblings had the option of swearing fealty, but they
were never entitled to pass their name on to their children.
Chukan family
The Chukan family was a vassal family of the Asako.
A Chukan character starts with 1 rank in Calligraphy.
Task 
In the year 112, the Asako Daimyo Asako Chukan began the
enormous task of standardizing the filing system for the records
of the Asako temples. By  119, he had perfected his method
and had applied it to virtually every Phoenix library. The system
placed major records in the larger temples. Smaller temples
nearby could request any records they needed by petitioning
the larger regional temple. Spells and research were much
easier to exchange between the various temples thanks to
Chukan’s research. 
Iga family
The Iga family was a minor vassal family of the Shiba, formed
by  ji-samurai. The nefarious  Iga Suru, most known as  Jama
Suru, was it most renowned member. 
A Suguru character starts with 1 rank in Vigilance.
Duty
The Iga form most of the duelists of the Phoenix Clan. They
prefer to use knowledge, rather than insight, to size up their
rival, and to strike him down.
Izaku family
The Izaku family is a vassal of both the Tamori family of the
Dragon clan, and of the Agasha family of the Phoenix clan.
An Izaku character starts with 1 rank in Knowledge (Tao).
Founding
A relative young family, the  Izaku  were formed in the
aftermath of the  Clan War. During that epic conflict, the
evil  shugenja  Yogo Junzo  destroyed many of the learning
centers of the Phoenix while seeking the  Black Scrolls, and
destroyed the temples of Shinsei. After the war, the forces of
the Phoenix Clan and Dragon Clan scholars held hand in hand
to recover as much knowledge as possible. A small library came
under construction in  Heibeisu, at the center of Dragon and
5
Phoenix lands and was chosen to house this knowledge. This
humble Izaku Library suddenly became the greatest repository
of magical knowledge in the Empire.  the Nasu in his own family, the Shiba. The Nasu kept their
Created from the union of an Asako and Agasha (who were
not yet Phoenix) and Asako agreed to share the resources of
the library so that both the Dragon and Phoenix might benefit.  located in Honored Treaty City.  They remained in their duties,
Between Two Clans 
Currently, the Izaku were sworn vassals of both the Agasha
and the  Tamori  families. After the  War Against Shadow, the
aging Asako Miruko petitioned the Izaku to the Imperial Court to
be considered a  vassal family  to both Agasha and Tamori in
honor of their pledge to serve both Clans when she and Agasha
Tsuru married. Some found this very strange, but both clans
valued the Izaku too highly to abandon them, for to let go of the
Izaku meant only one thing: conceding defeat and accepting
the one who kept the Izaku the victor. 
Koganshi family
The  Koganshi family  was a  vassal family  of the  Shiba
family of the Phoenix Clan.
A Koganshi character starts with 1 rank in Craft.
Duties 
The  Koganshi  were a  Juhin-Kenzoku, a quartermaster
or forgery family, of the Phoenix Clan. They were famous
for the beauty of their armour, which were prized throughout
the  Empire. The intricate embellishments, radiant colours
and beautiful adornments allowed each of their suits to be
considered as a work of art. Nonetheless, Koganshi armour
was fully functional as no aspect of defense was sacrificed for
beauty.  Centuries ago,  Shiba Sesai, a formidable Shiba warrior,
Nani family
The Nani family was a vassal family of the Asako.
A Nani character starts with 1 rank in Knowledge (Tao).
Duty 
The main purpose of the family was to lead those henshin who
followed a False Path to the true Path of Man. Publicly, the Nani
were known as historians who roamed the  Empire  recording
tales for the Imperial Libraries.  power. This family had not the status of vassal family due to its
Founder  organised as one of them. The Council of Five and the Shiba
The first of their line was the henshin  Asako Nani, who
accompanied  Asako  during her travels to heal and to learn
the true nature of the Path of Man. When he learned of the
path, he speculated that he could outshine Lady Asako and
his ancestors by following it. Unfortunately, he walked a false
path and that led him to madness. Lady Asako pitied the
henshin and she took care of Nani and guided him through
attaining enlightenment, healing his madness and leading him
to the real path. In return, Nani vowed to Lady Asako to help
those who had strayed to find the true path. 
Lands 
Lady Asako brought Nani and his followers to a secluded
glade in the northernmost Phoenix lands, near where the Castle
of the Faithful Bride would eventually be built.
Nasu family
The Nasu family was a vassal family of the Shiba.
A Nasu character starts with 1 rank in Government.
Gozoku  tracking and cataloguing Nemuranai.
Originally created by the first  Gozoku  as a new  Imperial
family  in  393, they oversaw the bureaucratic needs of
the Empire.  They outranked the rest of the Imperial Families,
a family of powerful bureaucrats who forced everyone else to
submit to their whims and manipulations. 
6
Vassal family 
When in 435 the Gozoku was broken Shiba Gaijushiko hid
distance from the other families of the Phoenix, the Nasu tended
to marry fellow Shiba. The Nasu estates, Kankei Seiden, were
but limited to the Shiba family. 
Training 
The vast majority of Nasu attended the  Asako
Loremaster  School, the  Shiba Guardian  school, or even on
occasion the Doji Courtier school.
Nenryo family
The Nenryo family was a vassal family of the Shiba.
A Nasu character starts with 1 rank in Negotations.
Duty
The mountains of the Phoenix are rich in silver, but without
the knowledge of the Nenryo it is highly unlikely that the Phoenix
would profit from this resource. The Nenryo are the merchant
vassal family of the Shiba, maintaining trade routes to the lands
of all the clans.
Sesai family
The Sesai family was a secretive vassal family of the Shiba.
A Sesai character starts with 1 rank in Melee - Light.
Founding 
served as yojimbo to the Elemental Masters. In his travels he
realized that the Isawa, whom the Shiba had sworn to protect,
were at constant risk from those jealous of their power. If the
Isawa would fall, the Shiba would be defenseless against the
superior military power of the other Great Clans. Sesai trained
his children, nephews and nieces to protect the Isawa at all
costs, even at the cost of the Shiba’s honor. 
Assassins 
In the years since, his descendants established a tradition
of serving the Isawa by preemptively eliminating treats to their
secrecy (they operated like the  Scorpionninja), but they were
Daimyo had not knowledge of the Sesai or their activities.  The
Sesai brought the new recruits to their fortress in the Mountains
of Regret, trained, sent back home resuming their duties until
the head of the Sesai called them into action. 
Shingon family
The Shingon family was a vassal family of the Isawa.
A Shingon character starts with 1 rank in Divination.
The  Shingon family  was created by the son of  Asako
Shingon after he joined the Isawa family during his gempukku,
in memory of his father’s sacrifice, who crafted the Elemental
Nemuranai at cost of his life. His capital was Shiro Shingon. 
Becoming Isawa family vassal 
The Shingon obtained access to the Elemental Nemuranai
during a short period, gaining a much better understanding of
relic magic, sharing the knowledge with the Phoenix. The Isawa
family granted the vassal family status with the responsibility of
 
Fortune of Steel Worship 
Since the ascension of Tsi Xing Guo as the Fortune of Steel,
the Shingon began to venerate him. 
Understanding of the Raw Material 
 The Shingon gained a vast knowledge of the different
properties of  jade,  crystal,  obsidian  and steel. Since
the Scorpion’ return from the Burning Sands they were intrigued
by the Ashalan crysteel
Sodona family
The Sodona family was a vassal family of the Shiba.
A Sesai character starts with 1 rank in Stealth.
Founding  Traveling Pack, 5 koku
After the  Return of the Ki-Rin  in the year  815  a significant
number of small battles took place between the  Great Clans.
During one such encounter, the  Lion  forces led by  Matsu
Turun  ambushed and killed the  Phoenix Clan Champion  and
his family as they were traveling to  Otosan Uchi. The
succeeding  daimyo,  Shiba Toriiko, refused to mount a
counteroffensive, and even invited Turun to the funeral of her
predecessor, who refused. In the year 821 her yojimbo Shiba
Sodona  was granted the Sodona vassal family, which was
charged with the defense of the Shiba to prevent such tragedies
from occurring again. The Overwatch Tower was the ancestral
home of the family, and Sodona’s Grave a place to honor their
founder. 
Duty  Asako Henshin (Monk)
The Sodona family defended the Shiba from enemies
in the shadows, as the  Kolat,  Bloodspeakers, or the
various  bandits  that plagued the  Empire, without becoming
assassins themselves. The Sodona were very close in purpose
and deeds to the ninja, but more acceptable to the public. Most
Sodona were assigned charges as yojimbo.  monastic group of courtiers and historians within the Asako,
Phoenix Basic Schools
A samurai from one of the Clans, Great or Minor, will usually
enlist in one of his Clan’s Basic Schools to receive the base
training he needs to fulfill his role. Each Basic School teaches
you the unique set of techniques that form the essence of your
job as a member of that School.
The Agasha served the Dragon Clan, but defected to the
Phoenix, to continue their research. They are a powerful
Shugenja family. The Asako are loremasters and monks, and
their temples amass lore the way others might amass wealth.
The Isawa are the foremost Shugenja family, renowned across
the Empire for their single-minded approach to magic. And
the Shiba serve as both the shield and the sword of the Clan,
defending them all, yet keeping it spiritual with their crafts.
But this only represents the basic training. As you gain more
experience, and wish to expand your horizons, you have more
options available to you. You can specialize in an Alternate
Path, or go on to study in one of the prestigious dojo to study
an Advanced School.
Basic Schools with the [Universal] Tag
Each of the Great Clans, and even the Brotherhood of
Shinsei have had over a thousand years to create their own
unique martial art style. One that encapsulates their unique
philosophy, and that can be taught to any of their members,
regardless of Career.
When you take this, it counts as an in-Career Specialization
for all purposes. If you take this at character creation, you still
have to choose a Career that it will belong to, and that will be
your basic Career.
Agasha Esoteric (Shugenja)
During their centuries of service to the Dragon Clan, the
Agasha pursued many unconventional paths of magic, pursuits
which were carried out with the full resources and endorsement
of the Agasha Shugenja School. In addition to their alchemical
interests, the Agasha have always had an interest in the creation
of spells that invoked kami of multiple element simultaneously.
Among the Phoenix the Agasha have been given leave to
pursue this area of study as far as they wish and they have
made tremendous strides in the area of multi-elemental spells.
Bonus Career Skills: Calligraphy, any one Artisan Skill,
Invocation, Knowledge (Tao)
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Spell Scroll,
Affinity/Deficiency: Fire / Water
Unique Talents
Elements of All Things
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When casting a spell, you may spend a Destiny Point to use
a different Ring of your choosing rather than the appropriate
Ring for that spell. You also gain a on any Conjure spell.
There are few groups in the Emerald Empire as enigmatic
and poorly understood as the monastic Asako sect known as
the Henshin. Even among the Phoenix, very few outside the
Asako family have any real understanding of the Henshin’s
ways. Most Rokugani believe the Henshin are merely a
although their strange behaviors do distinguish them from other
Asako and suggest they possess some manner of mystical or
supernatural talent. Unfortunately, that recognition does little to
assist in understanding the Henshin’s ways.
The Henshin follow the Path of Man as revealed by Shiba
to Asako. By developing perfect unity with the universe, tricking
the Elements and learning their secrets, the Henshin can attain
absolute perfection of the soul, which in turn grants divinity. The
Henshin are essentially monks of a sort, and as apprentices
they are known as michibuku. Once they have learned the
secrets of the Path of Man, they are inducted into the ranks
of the secretive fushihai, the true masters of the Henshin
order. The fushihai hold deep knowledge of the universe and
are essentially immortal, able to live far beyond the normal
mortal span. Some among the fushihai ascend to the Celestial
Heavens upon their mortal death, becoming minor Fortunes
and validating the Path of Man.
Bonus Career Skills: Brawl, Discipline, Knowledge (Tao),
Ritual
Honor: 5.5
Outfit: Robes, Bo, Spell Scroll, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
Unique Talents
The Four Mysteries
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
You may spend 2 Strain as a Maneuver, to increase or
decrease your rating in a Ring by 1. You may also attempt to
use this on another, but that will require a contested Discipline /
Earth roll. This does not affect any derivative value of the Ring
and only applies to rolls using that Ring.
Using this lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Void
Ring.
The Riddle of Earth
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
As a Maneuver, you may spend 2 Strain, gaining immunity to
Disease, Poison, Staggered, and Disoriented. Using this lasts
for a number of rounds equal to your Void Ring.
7
 The Riddle of Air
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
As a Maneuver, you may spend 2 Strain, gaining the ability
to roll Discipline / Air against the difficulty of any illusion spell
you perceive. If you succeed, then you pierce the illusion. Using
this lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Void Ring.
The Riddle of Fire
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
You may spend 2 Strain as an Action to increase the damage
of your Brawl attacks by your Fire Ring. Using this last for a
number of rounds equal to your Void Ring.
The Riddle of Water
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
You may spend 2 Strain as an Incidental to be able to do 2
Maneuvers per round without paying Strain every round, and
gaining the ability to spend 2 more Strain per round, to be able
to do 3 Maneuvers.. Using this last for a number of rounds
equal to your Void Ring.
Asako Loremaster (Courtier)
The Asako are monastic and scholarly by nature, and
nowhere is this more evident than in the courtier tradition they
maintain on behalf of the Phoenix Clan. Their training consists
of extensive studies in a large number of subjects, some of
which may be chosen by the students themselves. A broad
knowledge base gives the Asako a frame of reference from
which to examine any new data or situation, and allows them
great insight into the social situations of court. The Loremasters
specialize in scholarly pursuits, and use those as a means of
succeeding in social situations. Asako courtiers use Lore Skills
to augment their Social Skills, gaining influence and success in
court through their learned natures.
Bonus Career Skills: Discipline, Knowledge (Tao),
Knowledge (Lore), Government
Honor: 6.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack,
5 koku
Unique Talents
Temple of the Soul
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You gain a on all Knowledge checks, and whenever you
spend a Destiny Point on a Charm check, you upgrade the
check twice, instead of once.
From the Ashes
Activation: Active
Ranked: No
After spending at least one day observing the events in a
particular court, you can roll Knowledge (Lore) / Water at a
Hard difficulty. On success you gain b on all your Social skill
rolls in that court, for the next two days. (This effect can be
re-activated with another skill roll when it expires – it is not
necessary to spend additional days observing so long as you
remain in the same court.)
Voice of the Universe
Activation: Active
Ranked: No
You may spend an hour conversing with friend or ally and
then roll Knowledge (Lore) / Earth at Hard difficulty. With a
success, that ally may add bb to the total of any Social Skill
Rolls he makes within the next twenty-four hours. You may
spend aa to affect one (and only one) additional ally, provided
that ally also participates in the conversation. (This cannot be
8
used on the same person again until its effect expires.)
Invincible Mind
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Any time you fail a Contested Social Skill Roll to resist
someone trying to influence your emotions, opinions, or
behavior, you may re-roll using Fire as the Ring for the second
roll in place of whichever Ring was originally required. You must
keep the results of the second roll. This cannot be used to resist
Fear.
Wisdom of the Ages
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Any time you are rolling a Knowledge Skill including for your
other School Techniques, you gain aaaa to the total of
the roll.
Isawa Elementalist (Shugenja)
The Isawa are the greatest shugenja in the Empire, and
while the family would never claim this openly, the behavior of
those who have trained in their prestigious School bears this
out. Fortunately, most others recognize the truth of it as well and
accept it with varying degrees of resentment or resignation. The
Isawa are nearly twice as large as the next largest shugenja
family in the Empire. Indeed, there are so many among their
ranks that they are nearly the size of a typical bushi family. That
so many among them are born with the gift to speak to the
kami has allowed the family to diversify into numerous areas of
magical specialization, but the core of their power has always
been the Isawa Shugenja School. It is literally the oldest School
of its kind in Rokugan, and the Isawa have been struggling to
master the secrets of the universe for more than one thousand
years. The Isawa Shugenja has no particular specialization, but
instead are constructed around the premise of being the finest
at spell-casting in general. Their ability to choose an Affinity
without a corresponding Deficiency, and their unrestricted
Free Raise on all Spell Casting Rolls of their Affinity, make
them extremely competent and the equal of virtually any other
shugenja character.
Bonus Career Skills: Calligraphy, Discipline, Invocation,
Knowledge (Tao)
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Spell Scroll,
Traveling Pack, 5 koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Isawa shugenja may select an element
of their choosing, including Void, as their Affinity. They do not
have a Deficiency.
Unique Talents
Isawa’s Gift
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You gain a on all Invocation Rolls for spells of the element
which you chose as your Affinity.
Kinenhi [Universal]
Shiba was a kami of peace and wisdom. Nearly every legend
about him speaks of how he retained the serenity of Tengoku
even after his fall to the earth. He had the humility required to
kneel to Isawa, and he had the presence of mind to see the
need to unify the disparate families into a coherent clan. 
What is much more rarely discussed is Shiba’s martial
prowess. He was a brilliantly skilled and resourceful swords
man, and rarely lost a battle. However, he was never talented
at unarmed combat. When Shiba went to the Shadowlands
searching for the Seven Thunders, he was amazed to witness
the unarmed combat style Shinsei lised against the Horde
Though Shiba died during the battle his memories lived on in
Shiba Tsuzaki, his successor.  Void Points and specialize in the protection of others, allowing
Surprisingly enough to most who are familiar with Phoenix
philosophies, Kinenbi’s movements are those of a hard style,
dealing with quick blows and power rather than relying on
sweeping throws and locks. In addition, defensive maneuvers
tend to rely on hard blocks over more graceful maneuvers.
Meditation and focus are also important, and though it is an
aggressive art, students are cautioned to use it only in self-
defense. The art is a contradiction to some, a powerful weapon
used only by men of peace. 
Kinenhi is a Phoenix martial art, and as such is far more
concerned with the reasons why something is done than that
they are done, Kinenhi concentrates on the mastery of kata
as a way to achieve the mindset necessity for battle, complex
maneuvers are practiced until they can be performed as an
instinctive reaction to in attack. There are five core precepts,
each one considered the first, showing that they are each as
important as the one before them.  gain a on the roll. In addition, once per turn you may use the
• One, Strive for Perfection of Character 
• One, Guard the Path of Truth
• One, Strive to Excel in the Art  Activation: Active (Incidental)
• One, Follow the Way of Courtesy  Ranked: No
• One, Avoid Violence  On your turn, you may designate one target within Short
Bonus Career Skills: Athletics, Brawl, Discipline, Resilience
Honor: 3.5
Outfit: Robes, Traveling Pack, 4 Koku
Unique Talents
Force Meets Force
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You gain +2 Defense while unarmed.
Exploding Fist
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
If you inflict a Critical Roll, you may spend a Destiny Point as
an Incidental, to add your Fire to the damage.
Strike of the Phoenix
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You may reduce your Defense before making an attack roll.
If you do, your attacks gain +2 damage per 1 Defense you
reduce till your next turn.
Two Wings Ignite
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your unarmed attacks gain the Linked 2 quality.
Thunder of the Phoenix
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your unarmed attacks gain the Concussive 2 quality.
Shiba Guardian (Bushi)
The Shiba Bushi are well known as a relatively peaceful group
at least as bushi are concerned. Their training emphasizes a
number of non-martial skills in addition to the traditional weapons
training, which has led to a reputation as warrior scholar in some
circles. A Shiba bushi considers all options before committing to
combat, searching for any possible alternative other than the
loss of life. If those a Shiba protect are threatened, however,
or if combat is an inevitability, he attacks swiftly and without
reservation, committing himself fully to the act until it is done.
Those who mistake the desire of a Shiba bushi to preserve life
for an inability to take it are woefully unprepared to face them
on the battlefield. The Shiba Techniques optimize the use of
Shiba bushi to more than adequately fill their common role as
yojimbo. The also possess an affinity for the use of polearms,
and can excel at dueling if properly tailored.
Bonus Career Skills: Discipline, Knowledge (Tao), Melee –
Light, Melee - Heavy
Honor: 5.5
Outfit: Yoroi Armor, Clothing, Daisho, any 1 weapon,
Traveling Pack, 5 koku
Unique Talents
Way of the Phoenix
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When spending a Destiny Point to enhance a roll, you also
Guard Maneuver to defend someone else, as an incidental.
Dancing with the Elements
range. The target gains b on all spellcasting rolls he makes,
and opponents gain b to cast spells against him. In addition,
whenever you are the target of a spell, you may spend 2 Strain
as an incidental to increase or decrease the difficulty of the spell
by 1.
One with the Void
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Once per session, when a Destiny Point is spent to upgrade
your difficulty, you may upgrade your own roll for free. This can
be used even if you already spent a Destiny Point to upgrade
your roll.
Move with the World
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When using Polearms, Spears, or a weapon with the Samurai
keyword, your attacks gain the Linked 2 quality.
Touch of the Void
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Whenever you spend a Destiny Point to augment a roll, you
may also spend 5 Strain to double the benefits.
Shiba Maker (Artisan)
Although they lack the stylish presence of the Kakita Artisans,
the quiet and unassuming artisan tradition in the Shiba family
has been a mainstay in Rokugan’s world of art for generations.
Some find it curious that the stoic Shiba would produce such
a significant number of artists, but those who have spent time
among the Shiba on the battlefield understand that even their
most stalwart bushi have within them a quiet serenity that mirrors
the creative genius in the greatest of artisans. In contrast to the
Crane approach to art, which sees their creations as part of
the clan’s larger dedication to excellence in culture and politics,
the Shiba artistic tradition is based almost solely on the need
to capture and express beauty in as pure a form as possible.
Kakita artists always want an audience; Shiba artists do not
need one.
That being said, the Phoenix Clan as a whole recognizes
the value of art in forging alliances and long-term friendships,
and the clan’s representatives in the courts do not hesitate to
take advantage of the artistic gifts of their Shiba brethren.
Bonus Career Skills: Any Two Artisan skill, Government,
Knowledge (Lore),
9
 Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, tools necessary to practice your
chosen specialty, Traveling Pack, 5 Koku.

Unique Talents
Soul of Brilliance
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Select one Artisan skill when you take this Talent. Whenever
you spend a Destiny Point to enhance a roll of this skill, you
upgrade it twice.

The Way of Sincerity

Activation: Active
Ranked: No
Once per Month, you may make an Artisan skill / Fire roll
against an Average difficulty. On a success, choose one target,
and your social skill rolls against the target gain b, for a number
of weeks equal to your Void.
For every aa you spend on the roll, you can choose one
more target to be affected.

The Art Speaks

Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Choose one Artisan Skill. When you are called upon to make
a Social Skill Roll, you may spend 2 Strain to use your Ranks
in the Artisan Skill in place of whatever Social Skill is called for.
There may be social situations where this Talent is not
applicable; when in doubt, the GM has the final say.

Bounty of the Craft

Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Once per day you may make an Artisan Skill Roll / Fire
against Daunting difficulty. If successful, you and a number of
other people up to your s who are present at the time regain
all Strain. This ritualized presentation of your craft requires at
least fifteen minutes to complete. This Talent cannot be used in
the Shadowlands.

The Touch of Destiny

Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When your work is on display in court or in the home of
a lord, whenever one or more of your party is present, they
gain one extra Destiny Point. If you are present, you gain two
additional Destiny Points instead, and you may choose to deny
the benefit of this Talent to any in attendance.
This works just once per day.

10

Career Skills - Calligraphy, Discipline, Invocation, Knowledge (Lore), Knowledge (Spirit Realms), Knowledge (Tao),
Perception, Ritual.
Bonus Career Skills – Calligraphy, any one Artisan Skill, Invocation, Knowledge (Tao).
Affinity/Deficiency – Fire/Water.
Signature Spell
Chooe a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 5
Bonded Implement
Choose one magical
implement your character
owns when taking this talent.
Your character becomes
bonded to this implement, and
no other person may use it.
Your character may attempt to
summon it by making a Hard
(ddd) Magic Skill check.
Cost: 10
Mad Inventor
Once per session, your
character may use this talent
to make a Craft or Engineering
check to attempt to cobble
together the functional
equivalent of any item using
spare parts or salvage.
Cost: 15
Overchannel
When casting a spell, you may
select a number of additional
effect in (d) up to their ranks
in Overchannel. The effect
must be limited to single (d)
effects. The character gains
Cost: 5
tt per (d) added in this
way rather than increase the
difficulty of the check.
Cost: 20
Dedication
Each rank of Dedication
increases one of your
character’s characteristics by
one. This talent cannot
increase a characteristic
above 6.
Cost: 25
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 5
Overchannel
When casting a spell, you may
select a number of additional
effect in (d) up to their ranks
in Overchannel. The effect
must be limited to single (d)
effects. The character gains
Cost: 5
tt per (d) added in this
way rather than increase the
difficulty of the check.
Cost: 10
Creative Design
As part of a successful crafting
check, your character may
also apply a result equivalent
to spending a number of a
equal to their ranks in Creative
Design. The GM may then
apply a result equivalent to the
same number of t.
Cost: 15
Elementalist
(Improved)
You gain abilities based on
your Affinity Ring.
Cost: 20
Bouncing Spell
When your character fails a
spell casting skill check that
targets another character or
NPC, may spend x or
aaa to immediately reroll
the attempted spell with a new
target.
Cost: 25
Elements of All
Things
When casting a spell, you may
spend a Destiny Point to use a
different Ring of your choosing
rather than the appropriate
Ring for that spell. You also
gain a on any Conjure spell.
Cost: 5
Elementalist
Whenever your character
casts an Attack spell of your
Affinity Ring, you always add
an effect to the spell without
increasing the difficulty.
Fire (Fire), Ice (Water), Impact
(Earth), Lightning (Air),
Piercing (Void).
Cost: 10
Lingering Spell
Spend a Story Point and you
may make concentration
maneuver as an incidental.
Cost: 15
Familiar
You gained a Kami as a
familiar. Once per round, you
may use a maneuver, and as
long as it is in short range, it
will give b to all magic
checks. This range increases
with ranks in Familiar.
Cost: 20
Signature Spell
Chooe a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 25
Active
Passive
Ranked
Component Casting
Sacrifice a physical object
thematically appropriate to a
spell you cast, to gain b.
Cost: 5
Creative Design
As part of a successful crafting
check, your character may
also apply a result equivalent
to spending a number of a
equal to their ranks in Creative
Design. The GM may then
apply a result equivalent to the
same number of t.
Cost: 10
Signature Spell
Chooe a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 15
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 20
Jury Rigged
Choose one weapon, armor,
or other item and give it a
permanent improvement while
it remains in use.
Cost: 25
11

Career Skills - Athletics, Calligraphy, Discipline, Brawl, Knowledge (Tao), Ritual, Resilience and Vigilance.
Bonus Career Skills – Brawl, Discipline, Knowledge (Tao), Ritual
The Four
Mysteries
As a maneuver, spend 2
Strain, to increase or decrease
your Ring by 1. You may also
attempt to use this on another,
that will require a contested
Discipline / Earth roll.
Using this lasts for a number
of rounds equal to your Void
Ring.
Cost: 5
The Riddle of Earth
As a Maneuver, you may
spend 2 Strain, gaining
immunity to Disease, Poison,
Staggered, and Disoriented.
Using this lasts for a number
of rounds equal to your Void
Ring.
Cost: 10
Combat Veteran
Add b to Brawl and Discipline
checks.
Cost: 15
Signature Spell
Chooe a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 20
Dedication
Each rank of Dedication
increases one of your
character’s characteristics by
one. This talent cannot
increase a characteristic
above 6.
Cost: 25
12
Proper Upbringing
May suffer strain up to ranks in
Proper Upbringing to add an
equal number of a to social
skill checks made in polite
company.
Cost: 5
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 10
The Riddle of Air
As a Maneuver, you may
spend 2 Strain, allowing you to
roll Discipline / Air against the
difficulty of any illusion spell
you perceive. If you succeed,
then you pierce the illusion.
Using this lasts for a number
of rounds equal to your Void
Ring.
Cost: 15
Stunning Blow
(ImproveD)
When dealing strain damage
with Melee or Brawl checks,
may spend x to stagger
target for 1 round per x.
Cost: 20
The Riddle of Water
May spend 2 Strain as an
Incidental to be able to do 2
Maneuvers per round without
paying Strain, and gaining the
ability to spend 2 Strain per
round, to be able to do 3
Maneuvers.. Using this last for
a number of rounds equal to
your Void Ring.
Cost: 25
Stunning Blow
While making Melee checks,
may inflict damage as strain
instead of wounds. This does
not ignore soak.
Cost: 5
Signature Spell
Chooe a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 10
Parry
When hit by a Melee attack,
suffer 3 strain to reduce
damage by 2 plus ranks in
Parry.
Cost: 15
The Riddle of Fire
You may spend 2 Strain as an
Action to increase the damage
of your Brawl attacks by your
Fire Ring. Using this last for a
number of rounds equal to
your Void Ring.
Cost: 20
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 25
Active
Passive
Ranked
Parry
When hit by a Melee attack,
suffer 3 strain to reduce
damage by 2 plus ranks in
Parry.
Cost: 5
Unarmed Parry
May Parry while unarmed.
Reduce strain cost to Parry
while unarmed by 1 (to a
minimum of 1).
Cost: 10
Skilled Teacher
Before an ally within short
range makes a skill check, if it
has fewer ranks in that skill
than you, you may suffer strain
up to ranks in Skilled Teacher
to add an equal number of s
to the ally’s check.
Cost: 15
Intense Focus
Perform an Intense Focus
maneuver; suffer 1 strain and
upgrade the ability of the next
skill check once.
Cost: 20
Parry
When hit by a Melee attack,
suffer 3 strain to reduce
damage by 2 plus ranks in
Parry.
Cost: 25

Career Skills - Calligraphy, Charm, Deception, Government, Knowledge (Lore), Negotiation, Melee – Light, and one of the
following: Arts, Games, Perform, Tea Ceremony.
Bonus Career Skills – Discipline, Knowledge (Tao), Knowledge (Lore), Government.
Clever Retort
Once per encounter, may use
this talent to add automatic
tt to another character’s
social skill check.
Cost: 5
Nobody’s Fool
May upgrade difficulty of
incoming Charm, Coercion, or
Deception checks once per
rank of Nobody's Fool.
Cost: 10
Researcher
On a successful Knowledge
check, character and allies
gain automatic a per Cost:
rank of
5 Cost: 15
Researcher on checks to act
on those facts until the end of
his next turn.
Cost: 15
Invincible Mind
Any time you fail a Contested
Social Skill Roll to resist
someone trying to influence
you, you may re-roll using Fire
as the Ring for the second roll
in place of whichever Ring
was originally required.
Cost: 20
Master Instructor
Once per round, suffer 2 strain
to allow an ally within short
range to count as having the
same number of ranks in
Discipline as your character
for the next Discipline check
the ally makes.
Cost: 25
Temple of the Soul
You gain a on all Knowledge
checks, and whenever you
spend a Destiny Point on a
Charm check, you upgrade the
check twice, instead of once.
Cost: 5
Know it All
Once per session, perfectly
recall an important fact
previously learned as if a
Story Point had been spent.
Cost: 10
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Respected
When first acquired, choose
one social group. The
character downgrades the
difficulty of checks to interact
with members of that social
group a number of times equal
to his ranks in Respected.
Cost: 20
Wisdom of the
Ages
Any time you are rolling a
Knowledge Skill including for
your other School Techniques,
you gain aaaa to the
total of the roll.
Cost: 25
Proper Upbringing
May suffer strain up to ranks in
Proper Upbringing to add an
equal number of a to social
skill checks made in polite
company.
Cost: 5
From the Ashes
After spending at least one
day observing the events in a
particular court, you can roll
Knowledge (Lore) / Water at a
Hard (ddd) difficulty. On
success you gain b on all
your Social skill rolls in that
court, for the next two days.
Cost: 10
Voice of the
Universe
You may spend an hour
conversing with ally and then
roll Knowledge (Lore) / Earth
at Hard (ddd) difficulty. With
a success, that ally adds bb
to any Social Skill Rolls for the
next twenty-four hours. You
may spend aa to affect one
(and only one) additional ally
Cost: 15
Thorough
Assessment
Once per session, take a
Thorough Assessment action:
make a Hard (ddd)
Knowledge check to gain b
equal to s that can be
distributed during the
encounter.
Cost: 20
Dedication
Each rank of Dedication
increases one of your
character’s characteristics by
one. This talent cannot
increase a characteristic
above 6.
Cost: 25
Active
Passive
Ranked
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 5
Respected
When first acquired, choose
one social group. The
character downgrades the
difficulty of checks to interact
with members of that social
group a number of times equal
to his ranks in Respected.
Cost: 10
Interjection
After another character makes
a social check, suffer 3 strain
to take an interjection
incidental make an Average
(dd) Vigilance check to add
s or f equal to s, and a or
t equal to a to the check.
Cost: 15
Researcher
On a successful Knowledge
check, character and allies
gain automatic a per Cost:
rank of
5
Researcher on checks to act
on those facts until the end of
his next turn.
Cost: 20
Can’t We Talk
About This?
Make an opposed Charm or
Deception versus Discipline
check targeting a single
non-nemesis adversary within
medium range. If the check
succeeds, the target cannot
perform hostile actions against
your character until the end of
their next turn.
Cost: 25
13

Career Skills - Calligraphy, Discipline, Invocation, Knowledge (Lore), Knowledge (Spirit Realms), Knowledge (Tao),
Perception, Ritual.
Bonus Career Skills – Calligraphy, Discipline, Invocation, Knowledge (Tao).
Affinity/Deficiency – Any one Ring/None
Familiar
You gained a Kami as a
familiar. Once per round, you
may use a maneuver, and as
long as it is in short range, it
will give b to all magic
checks. This range increases
with ranks in Familiar.
Cost: 5
Brillinat Casting
May spend a Destiny Point to
add a number of a equal to
your ranks in Knowledge
(Lore), to an Invocation roll.
Cost: 10
Second Wind
Once per encounter, your
character may use this talent
to heal an amount of strain
equal to their ranks in Second
Wind.
Cost: 15
Masterful Casting
When casting a spell, you may
spend x to activate up to
three different qualities or spell
effects that require a or x.
Cost: 20
Heroic Will
When you purchase this talent
for your character, choose two
Rings. You may spend a Story
Point to have your character
ignore the effects of all Critical
Injuries on any skill checks
using those two characteristics
until the end of the current
encounter.
Cost: 25
14
Signature Spell
Chooe a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 5
Respected
When first acquired, choose
one social group. The
character downgrades the
difficulty of checks to interact
with members of that social
group a number of times equal
to his ranks in Respected.
Cost: 10
Overchannel
When casting a spell, you may
select a number of additional
effect in (d) up to their ranks
in Overchannel. The effect
must be limited to single (d)
effects. The character gains
Cost: 5
tt per (d) added in this
way rather than increase the
difficulty of the check.
Cost: 15
Second Wind
Once per encounter, your
character may use this talent
to heal an amount of strain
equal to their ranks in Second
Wind.
Cost: 20
Dedication
Each rank of Dedication
increases one of your
character’s characteristics by
one. This talent cannot
increase a characteristic
above 6.
Cost: 25
Overchannel
When casting a spell, you may
select a number of additional
effect in (d) up to their ranks
in Overchannel. The effect
must be limited to single (d)
effects. The character gains
Cost: 5
tt per (d) added in this
way rather than increase the
difficulty of the check.
Cost: 5
Bonded Implement
Choose one magical
implement your character
owns when taking this talent.
Your character becomes
bonded to this implement, and
no other person may use it.
Your character may attempt to
summon it by making a Hard
(ddd) Magic Skill check.
Cost: 10
Signature Spell
Chooe a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 15
Hard Headed
When staggered or
disoriented, perform the Hard
Headed action; make a
Daunting (dddd) Discipline
check to remove status.
Difficulty reduced per rank of
Hard Headed.
Cost: 20
Intense Focus
Perform an Intense Focus
maneuver; suffer 1 strain and
upgrade the ability of the next
skill check once.
Cost: 25
Active
Passive
Ranked
Isawa’s Gift
You gain a on all Invocation
checks for your Affinity Ring.
Cost: 5
Hard Headed
When staggered or
disoriented, perform the Hard
Headed action; make a
Daunting (dddd) Discipline
check to remove status.
Difficulty reduced per rank of
Hard Headed.
Cost: 10
Familiar
You gained a Kami as a
familiar. Once per round, you
may use a maneuver, and as
long as it is in short range, it
will give b to all magic
checks. This range increases
with ranks in Familiar.
Cost: 15
Respected
When first acquired, choose
one social group. The
character downgrades the
difficulty of checks to interact
with members of that social
group a number of times equal
to his ranks in Respected.
Cost: 20
Signature Spell
Chooe a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 25
 Active

Bonus Career Skills – Athletics, Brawl, Discipline, Resilience Passive

Passive

Ranked

Toughness Force Meets Force Iron Body Parry

Gain +2 wound threshold You gain +2 Defense while Remove b per rank of Iron
unarmed. Body from Athletics and
Cost: 5 Cost: 5 Resilience checks. Reduce the
critical rating of unarmed
attacks by 1 per rank of Iron
Body
Cost: 5
When hit by a Melee attack,
suffer 3 strain to reduce
damage by 2 plus ranks in
Parry.
Cost: 5

Lethal Blows Unarmed Parry Exploding Fist Feral Strength

Add +10 per rank of Lethal
Blows to any Critical Injury
results inflicted on opponents.
Cost: 10
May Parry while unarmed.
Reduce strain cost to Parry
while unarmed by 1 (to a
minimum of 1).
Cost: 10
If you inflict a Critical Roll, you
may spend a Destiny Point as
an Incidental, to add your Fire
to the damage.
Cost: 10
Add 1 damage per rank of
Feral Strength to one hit of
successful attack made using
Brawl or Melee skills.
Cost: 10

Strike of the
Grit Parry Enduring
Phoenix
You may reduce your Defense Gain +1 strain threshold When hit by a Melee attack, Each rank of Enduring
before making an attack roll. If suffer 3 strain to reduce increases your character’s
you do, your attacks gain +2 Cost: 15 damage by 2 plus ranks in soak value by one.
damage per 1 Defense you Parry.
reduce till your next turn. Cost: 15 Cost: 15
Cost: 15

Iron Body Two Wings Ignite Feral Strength Toughness

Remove b per rank of Iron
Body from Athletics and
Resilience checks. Reduce the
critical rating of unarmed
attacks by 1 per rank of Iron
Body
Cost: 20
Your unarmed attacks gain the
Linked 2 quality.
Cost: 20
Add 1 damage per rank of Gain +2 wound threshold
Feral Strength to one hit of
successful attack made using Cost: 20
Brawl or Melee skills.
Cost: 20

Thunder of the
Dedication Enduring Parry (Improved)
Phoenix
Each rank of Dedication Your unarmed attacks gain the Each rank of Enduring When parrying a hit that
increases one of your Concussive 2 quality. increases your character’s generated y or ttt, may
character’s characteristics by Cost: 25 soak value by one. hit attacker once with Melee or
one. This talent cannot Brawl weapon (dealing base
increase a characteristic Cost: 25 damage) after original attack
above 6. resolves.
Cost: 25 Cost: 25

15

Career Skills - Athletics, Battle, Government, Coercion, Resilience, one of the following: Vigilance, Perception, Survival,
and two of the following: Horsemanship, Brawl, Sailing, Melee– Light, Melee– Heavy, or Ranged.
Bonus Career Skills – Discipline, Knowledge (Tao), Melee – Light, Melee - Heavy
Body Guard
Once per round, may suffer a
number of strain no greater
than ranks in Body Guard.
Upgrade the difficulty to hit
that ally an equal number of
times, till the end of your next
turn.
Cost: 5
Prime Positions
When you or an ally in short
range takes cover, increase
soak against ranged attacks
by 1 per rank of Prime
Positions until he leaves that
cover.
Cost: 10
Toughness
Gain +2 wound threshold
Cost: 15
Deflect Spell
When you are hit by a magic
based combat check, you may
suffer 3 strain to reduce the
damage of the hit by two plus
ranks in Deflect Spell. This
talent can only be used once
per hit.
Cost: 20
Zealous Fire
Each time your Game Master
spends a Destiny point, your
character heals 2 strain.
Cost: 25
16
Way of the Phoenix
When spending a Destiny
Point to enhance a roll, you
also gain a on the roll. In
addition, once per turn you
may use the Guard Maneuver
to defend someone else, as an
incidental.
Cost: 5
Body Guard
Once per round, may suffer a
number of strain no greater
than ranks in Body Guard.
Upgrade the difficulty to hit
that ally an equal number of
times, till the end of your next
turn.
Cost: 10
Body Guard
(Improved)
Once per session, when an
ally protected by the Body
Guard maneuver suffers a hit,
suffer the hit instead.
Cost: 15
Move with the World
When using Polearms,
Spears, or a weapon with the
Samurai keyword, your attacks
gain the Linked 2 quality.
Cost: 20
Body Guard
(Supreme)
The Body Guard maneuver
may protect a number of
engaged characters up to
ranks in Resilience.
Cost: 25
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 5
Dancing with
the Elements
On your turn, one target within
Short range gains b on all
spellcasting rolls he makes,
and opponents gain b to cast
spells at him. In addition,
whenever you are the target of
a spell, you may spend 2
Strain as an incidental to
increase or decrease the
difficulty of the spell by 1.
Cost: 10
One with the
Void
Once per session, when a
Destiny Point is spent to
upgrade your difficulty, you
may upgrade your own roll for
free. This can be used even if
you already spent a Destiny
Point to upgrade your roll.
Cost: 15
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 20
Touch of the
Void
Whenever you spend a
Destiny Point to augment a
roll, you may also spend 5
Strain to double the benefits.
Cost: 25
Active
Passive
Ranked
Toughness
Gain +2 wound threshold
Cost: 5
Deflect Spell
When you are hit by a magic
based combat check, you may
suffer 3 strain to reduce the
damage of the hit by two plus
ranks in Deflect Spell. This
talent can only be used once
per hit.
Cost: 10
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 15
Heroic Recovery
Once per encounter, you may
spend one Story Point to heal
strain equal to your Air.
Cost: 20
Dedication
Each rank of Dedication
increases one of your
character’s characteristics by
one. This talent cannot
increase a characteristic
above 6.
Cost: 25

Career Skills - Calligraphy, Charm, Games, Negotiation, Tea Ceremony, Melee - Light, and two of the following: Arts, Craft,
Engineering, and Perform.
Bonus Career Skills – Any Two Artisan skill, Government, Knowledge (Lore),
Know Somebody
Once per session, when
attempting to purchase a
legally available item, reduce
its rarity by 1 per rank of Know
Somebody.
Cost: 5
Heroic Recovery
Once per encounter, you may
spend one Story Point to heal
strain equal to your Air.
Cost: 10
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 15
Jury Rigged
Choose one weapon, armor,
or other item and give it a
permanent improvement while
it remains in use.
Cost: 20
Dedication
Each rank of Dedication
increases one of your
character’s characteristics by
one. This talent cannot
increase a characteristic
above 6.
Cost: 25
Soul of Brilliance
Select one Artisan skill when
you take this Talent. Whenever
you spend a Destiny Point to
enhance a roll of this skill, you
upgrade it twice.
Cost: 5
Knack For It
Remove bb from all Craft
checks.
Cost: 10
The Art Speaks
Choose one Artisan Skill.
When you need to make a
Social Skill Roll, you may
spend 2 Strain to use your
Ranks in the Artisan Skill
instead.
Cost: 15
Museum Worthy
Once per session, take
Museum Worthy action, make
a Hard (ddd) Knowledge
check to ascertain information
regarding a relic, ruin, or piece
of history.
Cost: 20
The Touch of
Destiny
When your work is on display
for someone of your party to
see, they gain a Destiny Point.
If you are present, gain two
Destiny Points instead, and
you may choose to deny the
benefit of this Talent to any in
attendance.
Cost: 25
Tinkerer
May add one Hard Point to a
number of items equal to
ranks in Tinkerer. Each item
may only be modified once.
Cost: 5
The Way of Sincerity
Once per month, may make
an Average (dd) difficulty
Artisan skill / Fire roll. On
success, choose a target, and
gain b to your social skill rolls
against him. Spend aa to
add another target.
Cost: 10
Utility Belt
Spend a Destiny Point to take
a Utility Belt incidental;
produce an undocumented
item (max. 1 encumbrance) or
weapon (with Limited Ammo
One quality) from a tool belt or
a satchel.
Cost: 15
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 20
Just Kidding!
Once per round as an
incidental spend 1 Story Point
to ignore y generated on a
social check by the character
or any ally in short range.
Cost: 25
Active
Passive
Ranked
Grit
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 5
Known Schematic
Once per session, may
perform the Known Schematic
maneuver; make a Hard
(ddd) Knowledge
(Geography) check. Success
grants familiarity with a
building or ship's design.
Cost: 10
Jury Rigged
Choose one weapon, armor,
or other item and give it a
permanent improvement while
it remains in use.
Cost: 15
Bounty of the Craft
Once per day make a
Daunting (dddd)Artisan
Skill Roll / Fire. On success,
you and a number of people
up to your s who are present
regain all Strain.
Cost: 20
Tinkerer
May add one Hard Point to a
number of items equal to
ranks in Tinkerer. Each item
may only be modified once.
Cost: 25
17
 Phoenix Paths
These are not fully-fledged schools, but they serve as a way
to highlight some of the focus that the clan puts on specialized
teachings, so that its samurai can better serve it in their various
capacities.
While some of these may be similar to path or schools found
in other Clans, they approach it with a different prespective.
Acolyte of Snow [Shugenja]
Founded by a third-century Isawa shugenja who was
fascinated by the legends of the Yuki no Onna (Snow Maiden),
the Acolytes develop magic built around snow and ice, modifying
spells from Water and Earth to fit their needs.
Requirements: Water 3, Knowledge (Spirit Realms) 3,
Water Affinity, Isawa’s Gift and Brilliant Casting.
Bonus Career Skill: Survival

Unique Talents
What Are Paths
A Path is a lesser training track that you can recieve, if you
stand up to the requirements, that will give you unique tools to
The Maiden’s Icy Grasp
Activation: Passive
further your Clan’s work. This will allow you to do things others Ranked: No When casting Water spells, you may use Earth
of your Basic School will be unable to duplicate. effects, except for Jade, as if they were Water effects, at a cost
Being seleceted to study in a Dojo for an Alternate Path is of 1 extra strain.
considered a great favor by the sensei of Basic Schools, and
will reflect well on the student’s family and teachers.
Because studying a Path is not severely restrictive, you may
study more than one Path, as long as you fulfill the requirements
for all.
In addition to fulfilling the requirements, the student must
also spend 10 XP, to unlock the Path.

Active
Requirements: Water 3, Knowledge (Spirit Realms) 3, Water Affinity, Isawa’s Gift and
Brilliant Casting. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Survival.
Ranked

The Maiden’s Signature Spell Brace

Icy Grasp
When casting Water spells,
you may use Earth effects,
except for Jade, as if they
were Water effects, at a cost
of 1 extra strain.
Cost: 15
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 15
Hard-Boiled
When recovering strain after
an encounter, may spend a
up to ranks in Hard-Boiled to
recover 1 wound per a spent.
Cost: 16
As a maneuver, the character
may Brace himself. Remove
b per rank of Brace from the
next skill check based on
changing conditions, inclement
weather, unstable surfaces,
zero gravity, heavy gravity, or
other disruptive physical
obstacles that would make a
skill check more difficult.

Cost: 15

Brace Blooded Familiar Elementalist

As a maneuver, the character
may Brace himself. Remove
b per rank of Brace from the
next skill check based on
changing conditions, inclement
weather, unstable surfaces,
zero gravity, heavy gravity, or
other disruptive physical
obstacles that would make a
skill check more difficult.
Add b per rank of Blooded to
all checks to resist or recover
from poisons, venoms, or
toxins. Reduce duration of
ongoing poisons by 1 round
per rank of Blooded to a
minimum of 1.
Cost: 20
You gained a Kami as a Gain one of the Attack spell
familiar. Once per round, you effects related to your Affinity
may use a maneuver, and as without increasing difficulty.
long as it is in short range, it Cost: 20
will give b to all magic
checks. This range increases
with ranks in Familiar.
Cost: 20

Cost: 20
18
Agasha Alchemist [Shugenja]
The Atsumaru are a lesser known vassal of the Agasha family
who have deliberately avoided the attention of outsiders ever
since their family joined the Phoenix Clan. These individuals
have continued their studies of the alchemical formulae and
techniques from their time with the Dragon Clan (and which the
Tamori family has continued in that clan). The Atsumaru are
known for their skill at producing potions and other alchemical
items that contain the essence of their magic, as well as for
their skill at transposing and combining different Elements for
maximum effect.

Requirements: Fire 3, Invocation 3, Elements of All Things,

Creative Design
Bonus Career Skill: Craft

Unique Talent
Fury of the Elements
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When casting an Attack spell with one target, you may
instead place it into a bottle ward. The spell doesn’t take effect
until you activate it (as an action) by throwing it on a target,
using Invocation/Ring as an attack and spending 2 strain. From
that moment on, the spell will activate.
You may have a number of bottled spells up to your Fire ring.
A bottled spell that has been damaged or destroyed, loses all
power.

Active
Requirements: Fire 3, Invocation 3, Elements of All Things, Creative Design
Bonus Career Skill: Craft Passive

Ranked

Fury of the Explosive Casting Inventor Shape Spell

Elements
When casting an Attack spell
with one target, you may
instead place it into a bottle
ward.
You may have a number of
bottled spells up to your Fire
ring.
Cost: 15
When casting an Attack spell,
the Blast quality is twice your
character’s ranks in
Knowledge. In addition, you
may spend one Destiny Point
to trigger the spell’s Blast
quality, instead of spending a
(even if the attack misses).
Cost: 15
When constructing new items
or modifying attachements,
add b or remove b per rank
of Inventor.
Cost: 15
When casting a spell with the
Blast quality spend a to
exclude 1 target that would be
affected by the explosion, up
to ranks in Shape Spell.
Cost: 15

Go Without Shape Spell Signature Spell Inventor

Once per session, count as
having the right tools for the
job when performing the next
skill check this turn.
Cost: 20
When casting a spell with the
Blast quality spend a to
exclude 1 target that would be
affected by the explosion, up
to ranks in Shape Spell.
Cost: 20
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
When constructing new items
or modifying attachements,
add b or remove b per rank
of Inventor.
Cost: 20

Cost: 20

19
Asako Intellectual [Courtier]
In every generation there are a few members of the Asako
school who display the “Mind of Fire,” a tremendous natural
talent for memory and an intuitive grasp of how to apply
connections between different fields of study in ways nobody
else could have imagined. These individuals are trained in the
special dojo of the Intellectuals, where their gifts are honed for
both scholarly research and courtly service.

Requirements: Fire 4, Vigilance 3, Two of the following:

Temple of the Soul, From the Ashes, The Four Mysteries, The
Riddle of Earth
Bonus Career Skill: Vigiliance or Knowledge (Lore)

Unique Talent
The Hidden Patterns
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
If you have spent at least one day observing the patterns
within a court or other social setting, you may roll Vigilance /
Fire at Hard (ddd) difficulty to detect and understand the
hidden patterns underlying others’ behavior and goals. Rivals
and enemies cannot benefit from b on Social Skill Rolls against
you and cannot spend Destiny Points on Social Skill Rolls
against you for the next 24 hours. You may spend aaa to
share the benefits of your insight with a friend or ally.

Active
Requirements: Fire 4, Vigilance 3, Two of the following: Temple of the Soul, From the Ashes, The
Four Mysteries, The Riddle of Earth. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Vigilance or Knowledge (Lore)
Ranked

The Hidden Researcher Flash of Insight Researcher

Patterns
After spending a day in a
social setting, make Vigilance
/ Fire at Hard (ddd) difficulty
to prevent opponents from
using b against you, and
they cannot use Destiny
Points for 24 hours.
You may spend aaa to
extend this to a friend or ally.
On a successful Knowledge
check, character and allies
gain automatic a per rank of
Researcher on checks to act
on those facts until the end of
his next turn.
Cost: 15
When you roll x on a
knowledge skill check, roll
bb and add the results to the
check, in addition to spending
the x as usual.
Cost: 15
On a successful Knowledge
check, character and allies
gain automatic a per rank of
Researcher on checks to act
on those facts until the end of
his next turn.
Cost: 15

Cost: 15

Know the Enemy
May use an appropriate
Knowledge skill when making
checks to determine initiative.
Cost: 20
Careful Planning
Once per session, may
introduce a "fact" into the
narrative as if a Story Point
had been spent.
Cost: 20
Seen a Lot
Valuable Facts
of Things
Once per session, perform a Whenever your character fails
Valuable Facts action: make a Knowledge check, they may
an Average (dd) Knowledge spend aaa to roll the
check. If successful, add x to check again during their next
one ally's skill check during turn.
the encounter. Cost: 20
Cost: 20

20
Asako Mediator [Courtier]
Few among the Phoenix champion the cause of pacifism as
devoutly as the specially trained Mediators, a near monastic
order dedicated to the cause of peace above all. They believe
that few if any conflicts are beyond peaceful resolution and seek
to bring opposing parties to a harmonious accord whenever
possible.

Requirements: Water 3, Charm 3, 2 Unique Talents from

the Asako Henshin, Asako Loremaster or Shiba Guardian
Special: Members of the Mediators must swear an oath
never to initiate violence against their fellow Rokugani. Violating
this oath should entail a major loss of both Glory and Honor
(roughly equivalent to a Blasphemous Breach of Etiquette) and
will also result in expulsion from the Mediators organization.
Bonus Career Skill: Charm or Discipline

Unique Talent
Stand Down
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Any time you are in a situation where samurai are preparing
to enter into formal hostilities (examples would include a
challenge to a duel, a declaration of Blood Feud, or even a
declaration of war), you may approach either or both parties
and attempt to persuade them not to follow through. This is
a Contested Roll of your Charm / Water against their Charm/
Coercion/Deception / Earth. With a success, that party in the
conflict will agree to back down, and your mediation prevents
them from suffering any loss of Glory for doing so.
In some cases, the scope or severity of a quarrel will be
such that it is not possible for a Mediator to actually prevent the
conflict. In this case, a successful roll will merely delay the onset
of hostilities by a reasonable amount of time (as determined
by the GM). In general, the larger the scale of the conflict, the
longer the delay – thus a duel might only be delayed for a day
or two, while a war might be delayed as much as a month.

Active
Requirements: Water 3, Charm 3, 2 Unique Talents from the Asako Henshin, Asako
Loremaster or Shiba Guardian. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Charm or Discipline.
Ranked

Stand Down Sense Emotions Knack For It Smooth Talker

When trying to stop hostilities,
you may make a Contested
Roll of your Charm / Water
against their Charm, Coercion
or Deception / Earth. With a
success, that party in the
conflict will agree to back
down, and prevents any loss
of Glory for doing so.
Cost: 15
Add b to all Charm, Coercion,
and Deception checks.
Cost: 15
Remove bb from all Charm When first acquired choose 1
checks. skill; Charm, Coercion,
Deception, or Negotiation.
Cost: 15
When making checks with that
skill spend x to gain
additional s equal to ranks in
Smooth Talker.
Cost: 15

Smooth Talker Congenial Proper Upbringing Let’s Talk This Over

When first acquired choose 1
skill; Charm, Coercion,
Deception, or Negotiation.
When making checks with that
skill spend x to gain
additional s equal to ranks in
Smooth Talker.
Cost: 20
May suffer a number of strain
up to ranks in Congenial to
downgrade difficulty of Charm
or Negotiation checks or
upgrade difficulty when
targeted by Charm or
Negotiation checks by an
equal number.
Cost: 20
May suffer strain up to ranks in
Proper Upbringing to add an
equal number of a to social
skill checks made in polite
company.
Cost: 20
Once per game session,
before a combat encounter,
make a Daunting (dddd)
Charm check. If successful,
the combat encounter instead
becomes a social encounter.
Cost: 20

21
Asako Savant [Courtier]
In addition to its purpose as a center of diplomacy, or
perhaps because of it, Nikesake is a noted center of education
within the Phoenix provinces as well. The so-called Blue Tiled
Room within the city is highly specialized, having extensive
tomes concerning philosophy gathered from all across the
Empire and beyond. Many courtiers stationed within the city for
long periods of time, particularly among the Asako, consider the
pursuit of philosophy an entertaining pastime, and spend many
hours within the library poring over the various tomes. Fluency
in one school or another of philosophy is considered something
of an achievement, and the courtiers who frequent the library
enjoy having elaborate debates among themselves, frequently
changing the school of thought from which they are debating
in mid-argument or even multiple times during the course of a
single debate. Scholarly courtiers of other clans, particularly the
Crane, are welcome to join in these debates, but few ever find
the pastime quite as entertaining as the Asako seem to. While
the avid pursuit of philosophy is largely a diversion among the
denizens of Nikesake, the lords of the Phoenix are familiar with
their pursuits and have had occasion to call upon them when
insight into certain other families and clans is required.

Requirements: Fire 3, Charm 3, Government 2, Temple of

the Soul, From the Ashes
Bonus Career Skill: Coercion

Unique Talent
The Winds of Rhetoric
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You gain s on all contested Government Skill Rolls.

Active
Requirements: Fire 3, Charm 3, Government 2, Temple of the Soul, From the Ashes.
Bonus Career Skill: Coercion Passive

Ranked

The Winds of
Rhetoric Scathing Tirade
You gain s on all contested
Government Skill Rolls. Make an Average (dd)
Coercion check. For each s
Cost: 15 generated, one enemy within
short range suffers 1 strain.
For each a, one enemy
affected by Scathing Tirade
suffers 1 additional strain.
Cost: 15
Interjection
After another character makes
a social check, suffer 3 strain
to take an interjection
incidental make an Average
(dd) Vigilance check to add
s or f equal to s, and a or
t equal to a to the check.
Cost: 15
Scathing Tirade
(Improved)
Enemies affected by your
character’s Scathing Tirade
add b to all skill checks they
make for a number of rounds
equal to your character’s
ranks in Coercion.
Cost: 15

Plausible
Clever Retort Twisted Words Nobody’s Fool
Deniability
Take a Plausible Deniability When an incoming social
Once per encounter, may use May upgrade difficulty of
action makes a Hard (ddd) check generates tt or y,
this talent to add automatic incoming Charm, Coercion, or
Coercion check to convince may suffer 1 strain as an
tt to another character’s Deception checks once per
one bystander equal to your incidental to inflict strain equal
social skill check. rank of Nobody's Fool.
Fire to depart quietly. to ranks in Coercion on
Cost: 20 speaker. Cost: 20
Cost: 20 Cost: 20

22
Elemental Legion [Bushi]
The most unique and potent force within the Phoenix armies
is unquestionably the Element Guard, a set of small and highly
specialized units consisting primarily of potent Isawa-trained
shugenja who specialize in battle. These individuals are capable
of battlefield-shaking magic, but they cannot and do not take
the field on their own. For each of the Elemental Guard units
there exists a highly trained legion from the Shiba family that
is uniquely prepared to take the field alongside their shugenja
brethren. The Hurricane Initiates are accompanied by the
Legion of Wind, the Avalanche Guard by the Legion of Stone,
the Firestorm Legion by the Legion of Flame, and Tsunami
Legion by the Legion of the Wave. Each of these accompanying
legions are staffed with bushi who have received exhaustive
training from both shugenja and members of the Brotherhood
in how to properly align their spirits with the Element of their
guiding force, allowing them to draw strength from the forces
unleashed by their shugenja comrades.

Requirements: Appropriate Ring 4, Knowledge (Tao) 3,

Way of the Phoenix, Dancing with the Elements.
Bonus Career Skill: Vigilance

Unique Talent
Strength of the Five
Activation: Active (Out-of-Turn Incidental)
Ranked: No
When an allied Shugenja casts a spell that matches your
Legion, you may take an Out-of-Turn incidental to grant yourself
the following power, based on the Ring of your Legion:
Air: Increase your Defense by your Air against one hit.
Earth: Increase your Soak by your Earth against one hit.
Fire: Increase your ranks in a skill by half your Fire for one
roll.
Water: Make a number of initiative rolls equal to your Water,
adding a like number of PC slots.

Active
Requirements: Appropriate Ring 4, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Way of the Phoenix, Dancing
with the Elements. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Vigilance
Ranked

Strength of the Rapid Reaction Justice of the Coordinated Assault

Five
When an allied Shugenja
casts a spell of your Ring, take
an Out-of-Turn incidental to
grant yourself a power, based
on the Ring of your Legion.
Cost: 15
Suffer a number of strain to
add an equal number of s to
initiative checks. Strain
suffered cannot exceed ranks
in Rapid Reaction.
Cost: 15
Citadel
Once per session. on your
turn, you may suffer 3 strain to
add damage equal to your
ranks in Discipline to one hit of
a successful melee attack.
Cost: 15
Once per turn, have a number
of Engaged allies equal to
your ranks in Battle add a to
all combat checks they make
until the end of your next turn.
The range increases by one
band per rank of Coordinated
Assault beyond the first.

Cost: 15

Coordinated Assault Magic Resistance Rapid Reaction Comrades in Arms

Once per turn, have a number
of Engaged allies equal to
your ranks in Battle add a to
all combat checks they make
until the end of your next turn.
The range increases by one
band per rank of Coordinated
Assault beyond the first.
Add b to checks to target you
with a spell. or add b to check
to resist a spell.
Cost: 20
Suffer a number of strain to
add an equal number of s to
initiative checks. Strain
suffered cannot exceed ranks
in Rapid Reaction.
Cost: 20
Once per encounter, make a
Hard (ddd) Discipline
Check. A succes grants you ,
and one ally per s within
medium range +1 to defense
for the encounter.
Cost: 20

Cost: 20

23
Inferno Guard [Shugenja]
The Elemental Legions of the Phoenix Clan are a legend
even among the Empire’s military traditions. The Firestorm
Legion and their attendants in the Legion of Flame are the most
aggressive of the Elemental Legions, ever on the forefront of
any battle in which they are part of the Phoenix forces. Despite
their overwhelmingly aggressive tactics, however, even the
vaunted Firestorm Legion must give some attention to defense,
and that is the purpose of the Inferno Guard. They defend
positions by creating walls of fire, they protect by immolating
archery fire from the sky, and they obscure by filling the skies
with thick plumes of smoke.

Requirements: Fire 4, Battle 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3,

Invocation 3, Fire Affinity, Isawa’s Gift, Overchannel x2.
Bonus Career Skill: Coercion

Unique Talent
Menacing Flames
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When casting Fire spells that affect more than one target,
you may increase the difficulty of the spell by 1, to add Fear
2 effect. This can be added up to 3 times, to a max of Fear 5.

Active
Requirements: Fire 4, Battle 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Invocation 3, Fire Affinity, Isawa’s Gift,
Overchannel x2. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Coercion.
Ranked

Menacing Flames Signature Spell Fearsome Threaten

When casting Fire spells that
affect more than one target,
you may increase the difficulty
of the spell by 1, to add Fear 2
effect. This can be added up to
3 times, to a max of Fear 5.
Cost: 15
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 15
When an adversary becomes
engaged with the character,
you may force the adversary
to make a fear check, with the
difficulty equal to your ranks in
Fearsome.
Cost: 5
After an adversary within short
range deals damage to one of
your allies, you may suffer 3
strain to inflict a number of
strain on the adversary equal
to your ranks in Coercion. The
range ncreases by one band
per rank of Threaten beyond
the first.
Cost: 15

Fearsome Threaten Familiar Elementalist

When an adversary becomes
engaged with the character,
you may force the adversary
to make a fear check, with the
difficulty equal to your ranks in
Fearsome.
Cost: 5
After an adversary within short
range deals damage to one of
your allies, you may suffer 3
strain to inflict a number of
strain on the adversary equal
to your ranks in Coercion. The
range ncreases by one band
per rank of Threaten beyond
the first.
Cost: 15
You gained a Kami as a Gain one of the Attack spell
familiar. Once per round, you effects related to your Affinity
may use a maneuver, and as without increasing difficulty.
long as it is in short range, it Cost: 20
will give b to all magic
checks. This range increases
with ranks in Familiar.
Cost: 20

24
Isawa Spell-Duelist [Shugenja]
Shugenja who study at the Isawa Taryu-jiai Academy learn
all the intricacies of the ancient tradition from which the dojo
takes its name. They also delve into the mysteries of the Void
in ways few of their brethren would dare explore, and thus they
are referred to as Masters of the Void. While they perfect their
spells, these shugenja also gain the ability to resist the harmful
effects of the magic of their peers. Only samurai who have
studied in the Isawa Shugenja School arc admitted into this
exclusive dojo.

Requirements: Any two Rings at 4, Discipline 4, Invocation

4, Knowledge (Tao) 4, Knowledge (Lore) 3, Isawa’s Gift,
Overchannel x2, Masterful Casting.
Bonus Career Skill: Resilience

Unique Talent
Master the Void
Activation: Active (Out-of-Turn Incidental)
Ranked: No
When being the target of spells, you may spend 2 Strain to
upgrade the difficulty of the spell.

Active
Requirements: Any two Rings at 4, Discipline 4, Invocation 4, Knowledge (Tao) 4, Knowledge
(Lore) 3, Isawa’s Gift, Overchannel x2, Masterful Casting. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Resilience.
Ranked
Knoweldge
Master the Void Grit Deflect Spell
Specialization
When being the target of Gain +1 strain threshold When making checks with When you are hit by a magic
spells, you may spend 2 Strain Knowldge (Tao) spend x to based combat check, you may
to upgrade the difficulty of the Cost: 20 gain additional s equal to suffer 3 strain to reduce the
spell. ranks in Knowledge damage of the hit by two plus
Specialization. ranks in Deflect Spell. This
Cost: 20 talent can only be used once
Cost: 20
per hit.
Cost: 20

Knoweldge
Deflect Spell Grit Flash of Insight
Specialization
When making checks with When you are hit by a magic Gain +1 strain threshold When you roll x on a
Knowldge (Tao) spend x to based combat check, you may knowledge skill check, roll
gain additional s equal to suffer 3 strain to reduce the Cost: 25 bb and add the results to the
ranks in Knowledge damage of the hit by two plus check, in addition to spending
Specialization. ranks in Deflect Spell. This the x as usual.
talent can only be used once Cost: 25
Cost: 25
per hit.
Cost: 25

25
Isawa Temple Guardian [Shugenja]
Countless temples and holy sites throughout the Emerald
Empire have benefited from the protection of the Isawa
Temple Guardians over the centuries. Indeed, as a group they
are welcome in the lands of virtually every clan and family in
Rokugan. Although their expertise is only rarely needed, when
it does come into play the results tend to be memorable. There
are many tales of a single Temple Guardian turning the tide
during an unexpected attack.

Requirements: Earth 4, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Isawa’s Gift,

Brilliant Casting.
Bonus Career Skill: Resilience

Unique Talent
This Sacred Ground
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When acting in defense of a sacred location, such as
a shrine, temple, or monastery, you gain b on your Earth
Invocation spells. In addition, you may add the Jade effect to
such spells without increasing the difficulty.

Active
Requirements: Earth 4, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Isawa’s Gift, Brilliant Casting.
Bonus Career Skill: Resilience. Passive

Ranked

This Sacred Ground Signature Spell Hard Headed Reflexive Barrier

When acting in defense of a
sacred location, add b on
Earth Invocation spells. In
addition, you may add the
Jade effect to such spells
without increasing the
difficulty.
Cost: 15
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 15
When staggered or
disoriented, perform the Hard
Headed action; make a
Daunting (dddd) Discipline
check to remove status.
Difficulty reduced per rank of
Hard Headed.
Cost: 15
Once per session, when your
character is targeted by an
attack, you may cast Barrier
as an out of turn incidental.
Cost: 15

Hard Headed Nobody’s Fool Familiar Elementalist

When staggered or
disoriented, perform the Hard
Headed action; make a
Daunting (dddd) Discipline
check to remove status.
Difficulty reduced per rank of
Hard Headed.
Cost: 20
May upgrade difficulty of
incoming Charm, Coercion, or
Deception checks once per
rank of Nobody's Fool.
Cost: 20
You gained a Kami as a Gain one of the Attack spell
familiar. Once per round, you effects related to your Affinity
may use a maneuver, and as without increasing difficulty.
long as it is in short range, it Cost: 20
will give b to all magic
checks. This range increases
with ranks in Familiar.
Cost: 20

26
Isawa Tensai [Shugenja]
The Isawa are the undisputed masters of elemental magic
among the Great Clans. This prestigious family produces the
most shugenja by far, and puts them through rigorous training
to maintain high standards. The Tensai stand out as exceptional
prodigies even among the Isawa. Instead of a general study of
the kami, the Tensai focuses his attentions on a single Element.
His command of the kami grows to an astounding level, as the
kami seem to sing and dance at his call. Unfortunately, his
single-mindedness comes at a high cost. It seems to be one
the Tensai are only too eager to bear.

Requirements: Invocation 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3, , Isawa’s

Gift.
Bonus Career Skill: Tea Ceremony

Unique Talent
Embrace the Elements
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You gain an additional Affinity in any one Element for which
you already possess an Affinity. You gain a Deficiency in all
other Elements.

Active
Requirements: (Affinity Ring) 3, Void 3, Invocation 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Isawa’s Gift
Bonus Career Skill: Resilience Passive

Ranked

Embrace the Ensorcelled Signature Spell Signature Spell

Elements
You gain double Affinity to your Once per encounter, may add
Affinity Ring, and a Deficiency a to the result of their next
in all others. social skill check. Additionally,
this has a passive narrative
Cost: 10
effect; your character’s
appearance is subtly
enhanced by their magic.
Cost: 10
(Improved)
Choose one signature spell.
When your character casts
that signature spell, reduce
the difficulty of the check by
two, instead of one.
Cost: 10
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 10

Signature Spell Confidence Ensorcelled Familiar

Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 15
May decrease difficulty of
Discipline checks to avoid fear
by 1 per rank of Confidence, to
a minimum of Easy (d).
Cost: 15
(Improved)
When using the Ensocelled
talent, add sa, instead of
a. Additionally, your
appearance is now noticeably
changed by your magic.
Cost: 15
(Improved)
May suffer 2 strain and make
an Easy (d) Magic Skill
check; on success, use
Familiar’s senses for a round,
may suffer 1 strain per round
to extend duration. In addition,
when the Familiar uses the
Assist maneuver, the Assist
maneuver provides bb.
Cost: 15

27
Kawaru Sage [Shugenja]
This small sect of shugenja studies and refines the ancient
kawaru texts and methods, offering guidance and divination to
all who might need it. To these shugenja the ways of kawaru
are a sacred art, a gift from the Fortunes, and they often blend
the kawaru methods with actual divination magic to get more
precise results. They like to wear robes embroidered with the
kawaru hexagrams. Kawaru Sages occasionally gain fame as
court diviners, although they more often toil in obscurity.

Requirements: Void 3, Divination 3, Guided by Fate (Tonbo

Seer), or any Phoenix Shugenja unique talent.
Bonus Career Skill: Divination or Discipline

Unique Talents
The Veil of the Future
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
The Kawaru Sages have mastered the art of reading the
sixty-four hexagrams of kawaru in order to divine what will
happen in the near future, enhancing their forecasts with the
aid of the kami of Water. At the beginning of each day, you may
spend one hour in meditation and make a Divination / Water
skill Roll, at a basic difficulty of Average. If successful, you gain
a number of a equal to your Water ring. You may spend these
on any Invocation rolls made during the rest of the day. Unused
a are lost at nightfall.

Active
Requirements: Void 3, Divination 3, Guided by Fate (Tonbo Seer), or any Phoenix Shugenja
unique talent. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Divination or Discipline.
Ranked

The Veil of the Rapid Reaction Intuitive Casting Second Chances

Future
At the beginning of each day, Suffer a number of strain to Add b to a spell casting skill Once per encounter choose a
make a Divination / Water skill add an equal number of s to check when you’re the first PC number of positive dice equal
Roll, at a basic difficulty of initiative checks. Strain to act in the current encounter. to ranks in Second Chances
Average (dd). On success, suffered cannot exceed ranks and reroll them.
gain a number of a equal to in Rapid Reaction. Cost: 10
Cost: 10
your Water ring. thsat you may
Cost: 10
add to any Invocation rolls
made during the day.
Cost: 10

Intuitive Casting Second Chances Touch of Fate Vision of the Future

Add b to a spell casting skill
check when you’re the first PC
to act in the current encounter.
Cost: 15
Once per encounter choose a
number of positive dice equal
to ranks in Second Chances
and reroll them.
Cost: 15
Once per session, add bb to Once per session, after
any 1 check. successfully casting a spell,
Cost: 15
you may spend aa or x to
add one additional effect to the
cast spell, which would
normally have increased the
difficulty by 1.
Cost: 15

28
Mist Legion [Shugenja]
The Phoenix Clan is home to the Elemental Guard, a set of
four elite military units staffed by shugenja specializing in those
Elements. Within the Hurricane Initiates, the Legion focused on
Air, is a secretive group called the Mist Legion which focuses
on using illusions on the battlefield. Although their existence is
seldom officially acknowledged, they can be recognized by a
small gray cloud worked into the school mon on their kimono.
Although they are trained for the battlefield, these shugenja are
not solely warriors, and in non-battle situations many of them
use their abilities to create massive temporary works of art.

Requirements: Air 4, Deception 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3,

Invocation 3, Air Affinity, Isawa’s Gift, Overchannel x2.
Bonus Career Skill: Deception

Unique Talent
The World is a Canvas
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per Session, may cast an Air Shape Area or Illusion
spell without it costing Strain.

Active
Requirements: Air 4, Deception 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Invocation 3, Air Affinity,
Isawa’s Gift, Overchannel x2. Passive
Bonus Career Skills: Deception.
Ranked

The World is a Signature Spell Distracting Master of Illusion

Canvas
Once per Session, may cast
an Air Shape Area or Illusion
spell without it costing Strain.
Cost: 15
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 15
Behavior
Make a Distracting Behavior
maneuver and suffer strain no
greater than Water. Until the
beginning of next turn, equal
number of engaged NPC's
suffer t on checks. Range
increases with additional
ranks.
Cost: 15
After a successful Illusion
spell check, spend a Destiny
Point to make the illusion last
until the end of the encounter,
without concentrating, and no
need to remain within the
spell’s range. Spend two
Destiny Points to it last until
the end of the session instead.
Cost: 15

Distracting Fear the Shadows Familiar Elementalist

Behavior
Make a Distracting Behavior
maneuver and suffer strain no
greater than Water. Until the
beginning of next turn, equal
number of engaged NPC's
suffer t on checks. Range
increases with additional
ranks.
Cost: 20
Once per session, may make
a Hard (ddd) Deception
check to force a single minion
group or rival to flee the
encounter.
Cost: 20
You gained a Kami as a Gain one of the Attack spell
familiar. Once per round, you effects related to your Affinity
may use a maneuver, and as without increasing difficulty.
long as it is in short range, it Cost: 20
will give b to all magic
checks. This range increases
with ranks in Familiar.
Cost: 20

29
 Requirements: Void 4, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Invocation 3,
Nameless One [Shugenja] Void Affinity, Isawa’s Gift, Brilliant Casting
The existence of the individuals called the Nameless Ones Bonus Career Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden)
was at once both a great boon for the Phoenix and a terrible
curse, for those who were doomed to become Nameless Ones
were in many ways lost forever to their family and clan. The Unique Talent
process by which a Nameless One was created was very poorly
understood, and to the clan’s perceptions it seemed to happen Darkness Undone
through the enigmatic intervention of the Void itself, moving to Activation: Active (incidental)
protect those capable of interacting with it. Perhaps two dozen Ranked: No
Nameless Ones were identified throughout the clan’s history, When casting a spell that targets an opponent with
starting with Isawa Ujina in the late eleventh century, so the Shadowlands Taint, you may spend 1 extra Strain to reduce his
Phoenix had very little opportunity to study the phenomenon. Soak by 2. The reduced Soak lasts until the opponent’s next
A Nameless One is created when an ishiken, one of those turn. You may not spend more Strain than your Void.
rare individuals capable of communing with the Void, is
corrupted by some form of spiritual contamination. The most Crsytalized Void
common such malady, of course, is the Shadowlands Taint, Activation: Active (incidental)
but the first of the Nameless Ones was created by the Lying Ranked: No
Darkness. Regardless, on some occasions when an ishiken When casting a Void spell, you may add the Jade effect, at
becomes corrupted, the Void itself purges the corruption from a cost of 1 extra Strain.
their body and spirit. This is an incredibly traumatic occurrence;
sometimes it happens at the instant of corruption, while on other
occasions it takes place over an extended period sometime
after the contamination occurs.
Regardless of when it happens, the purification is horrifically
scarring, severely altering the individual’s physical appearance
and mental faculties. Grotesque deformities are inevitable; this
always includes severe scarring but sometimes extends much
farther, even to the loss of limbs or facial features. Mentally, the
Nameless Ones are changed as well, commonly suffering from
amnesia, mental fugue, or loss of identity (hence their name).
A precious few have retained some semblance of their identity
after this, most notably Isawa Ujina himself, but this is extremely
rare and apparently limited to the most powerful of ishiken.
The boon of the Nameless Ones, if there can be said to be a
positive side to such a traumatic loss, is that they are consumed
with an all-encompassing hatred of the Shadowlands in all its
forms. Even more significantly, however, the magic of these
individuals becomes an incredibly potent weapon against
the Shadowlands. For this reason as well as due to the great
reverence the Phoenix have for all life, the Nameless Ones
were permitted to continue to serve the clan in whatever
capacity they could.

Active
Requirements: Void 4, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Invocation 3, Void Affinity, Isawa’s Gift, Brilliant
Casting. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden).
Ranked

Darkness Undone
When casting a spell against
an opponent with Taint, may
spend 1 extra Strain to reduce
his Soak by 2 until his next
turn. You may not spend more
Strain than your Void.
Cost: 15
Flash of Insight
When you roll x on a
knowledge skill check, roll
bb and add the results to the
check, in addition to spending
the x as usual.
Cost: 15
Forbidden
Knowledge
Once per session, suffer strain
up to ranks in Knowledge
(Tao) to increase your ranks in
Knowledge by an equal
number for the purpose of
determining the strength of
additional effects for the next
spell cast during that round.
Cost: 15
Mage Hunter
When targeted by a successful
curse spell, perform the Mage
Hunter action; make a
Daunting (dddd) Discipline
check to remove status.
Difficulty reduced per rank of
Mage Hunter.
Cost: 15

Life or Death Crystalized Void

Life or Death
When your character suffers
wounds equal to half of their
wound threshold or greater,
add b to all combat checks
they make.
Cost: 20
Know the Enemy
May use an appropriate
Knowledge skill when making
checks to determine initiative.
Cost: 20
(Improved)
When you suffer wounds When casting a Void spell, you
may add the Jade effect, at a
equal to half your Wound
Threshold or more, upgrade f cost of 1 extra Strain.
all combat checks once. Cost: 20
Cost: 20

30
Provincial Guard [Bushi]
Once known as the Sapphire Legion, the Provincial Guard
is a unit of distinction among the Phoenix Clan, well known
for its defense of the sacred City of Treaties, Nikesake. The
legion was founded hundreds of years ago, and named for
the accord reached between the Phoenix and Crane clans, an
accord further reinforced in later years by the marriage of Isawa
Asahina to the daughter of the Crane Champion, resulting in the
creation of the Asahina family. The legion’s name is taken from
the color of the gemstone in question, a tribute to the colors of
their allies among the Crane. In recent generations, however,
the creation of an elite unit called the Legion of the Sapphire
Chrysanthemum within the hierarchy of the Imperial families,
who were ignorant of the Phoenix unit’s existence, has created
something of a predicament for the Phoenix clan. They cannot
continue to refer to their unit as the Sapphire Legion for fear
of confusing them with the Imperial group of a similar name,
and so the group has become known simply as the Provincial
Guard, an admittedly somewhat bland name that manages to
preserve both the unit’s intent as well as its integrity. Members of
the Provincial Guard are well known for their courtly tendencies
and are trained in matters of etiquette in addition to their normal
duties as sentries and yojimbo. Perhaps Ironically, the Shiba
who train within Nikesake have found that the two aspects of
their training are actually quite similar, and mutually beneficial.

Requirements: Water 3, Government 2, Discipline 2, Way

of the phoenix
Bonus Career Skill: Charm

Unique Talent
Maintaining the Peace
Activation: Active (incidental)
Ranked: No
When using the Guarded Stance maneuver, you may spend
a Destiny Point to add half your ranks in Government to your
Defense.

Active
Requirements: Water 3, Government 2, Discipline 2, Way of the Phoenix.
Bonus Career Skill: Charm. Passive

Ranked

Maintaining
the Peace
When using the Guarded
Stance maneuver, you may
spend a Destiny Point to add
half your ranks in Government
to your Defense.
Cost: 10
Proper Upbringing
May suffer strain up to ranks in
Proper Upbringing to add an
equal number of a to social
skill checks made in polite
company.
Cost: 10
Disarming Smile
Take the Disarming Smile
action; succeed at an opposed
Charm check against a target
within short range to lower all
defenses of the target by
ranks in Disarming Smile until
the end of the encounter.
Cost: 10
Proper Upbringing
May suffer strain up to ranks in
Proper Upbringing to add an
equal number of a to social
skill checks made in polite
company.
Cost: 10

Stunning Blow
While making Melee checks,
may inflict damage as strain
instead of wounds. This does
not ignore soak.
Cost: 15
Congenial
May suffer a number of strain
up to ranks in Congenial to
downgrade difficulty of Charm
or Negotiation checks or
upgrade difficulty when
targeted by Charm or
Negotiation checks by an
equal number.
Cost: 15
Disarm
May spend x or aa with a
successful Brawl or Melee
check to disarm opponent.
Cost: 15
Stunning Blow
(Improved)
When dealing strain damage
with Melee or Brawl checks,
may spend x to stagger
target for 1 round per x.
Cost: 15

31
Sesai Predator [Ninja]
More than any other group of ninja, the Sesai often turn
their talents toward the battlefield. Sabotage, infiltration, and
assassination are some of the tools they use to give the Phoenix
army a secret edge. The irony is that if anything strange happens
during a battle, enemies will far more readily blame the vast
magical power of the Isawa rather than any supposed order of
ninja. Recruiting entirely from the Shiba, mostly from the Sesai
vassal family, and operating in lands constantly watched over
through magical means, the Sesai have developed elaborate
written codes to communicate with each other, and often wear
customized armor which allows them to recognize each other
at a glance, allowing for quick cooperation on the battlefield.

Requirements: Air 3, Stealth 3, Skullduggery 2,

Unremarkable.
Bonus Career Skill: Streetwise

Unique Talent
Anything for the Phoenix
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
In a combat, you gain b on your stealth and Skullduggery
rolls, and a on all attack rolls made by surprise. When performing
dishonorable acts on behalf of the Phoenix Clan, you lose half
the normal amount of Honor (rounded up).

Active
Requirements: Air 3, Stealth 3, Skullduggery 2, Unremarkable.
Bonus Career Skill: Streetwise Passive

Ranked

Anything for
Disorient Rapid Reaction Lethal Blows
the Phoenix
In a combat, you gain b on After hitting with combat Suffer a number of strain to Add +10 per rank of Lethal
your stealth and Skullduggery check, may spend aa to add an equal number of s to Blows to any Critical Injury
rolls, and a on surprise disorient target for number of initiative checks. Strain results inflicted on opponents.
attacks. rounds equal to ranks in suffered cannot exceed ranks
Disorient. in Rapid Reaction. Cost: 10
Cost: 10
Cost: 10 Cost: 10

Rapid Reaction Lethal Blows Quick Strike Deadly Strike

Suffer a number of strain to
add an equal number of s to
initiative checks. Strain
suffered cannot exceed ranks
in Rapid Reaction.
Cost: 15
Add +10 per rank of Lethal
Blows to any Critical Injury
results inflicted on opponents.
Cost: 15
Add b for each rank of Quick
Strike to any combat checks
against targets that have not
acted yet this encounter.
Cost: 15
Add damage equal to ranks in
Melee - Light to one hit of
successful attack made using
that skill. Can be used once
per session.
Cost: 15

32
Shiba Advisor [Courtier]
Some Shiba choose to train with the Asako in order to
become scholarly historians of war and conflict, a path of study
which the Asako family normally frowns upon. These Shiba
are able to view contemporary battles and campaigns through
the dispassionate eye of history, allowing them to offer potent
counsel to their fellow Shiba during times of war. When the
Phoenix must fight, every Shiba general makes sure he has an
Advisor on his command staff.

Requirements: Battle 3, Knowledge (Lore) 3, Temple of the

Soul, From the Ashes.
Special Requirement: This path is only open to characters
from the Shiba family.
Bonus Career Skill: Battle

Unique Talent
Lessons Never Forgotten
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
The Advisors have the ability to call on their scholarly
knowledge of war to enhance their army’s chances of success.
Prior to your side undertaking a military task or duty (such as a
patrol, a scouting mission, an attack on an enemy, or a hunt for
bandits), you may review the plans for the task and apply the
wisdom of history. You make a daunting (dddd) Knowledge
(Lore) / Fire check. With success, you are able to give advice
which increases the chances of success on the mission. One
allied bushi on the mission gains a single Rank of Luck for
the duration of the mission (if unused it disappears at the end
of the mission). You may spend aa to bestow the Luck on
additional allies (but not on yourself), to a maximum number of
allies equal to your Fire.

Active
Requirements: Battle 3, Knowledge (Lore) 3, Temple of the Soul, From the Ashes.
Bonus Career Skill: Battle Passive

Ranked

Lessons Never Command

Forgotten
|Make a Daunting (dddd)
Knowledge (Lore) / Fire check.
With success, one allied bushi
on the mission gains a single
Rank of Luck. You may spend
aa to bestow the Luck on
additional allies (except
yourself), up to your Fire.
Cost: 15
Field Commander
Make an Average (dd) Battle
check. If successful, a number
of allies equal to your Fire
may immediately suffer 1
strain to perform one
maneuver (out of turn).
Cost: 15
Valuable Facts
Once per session, perform a
Valuable Facts action: make
an Average (dd) Knowledge
check. If successful, add x to
one ally's skill check during
the encounter.
Cost: 15
Add b per rank of Command
when making Battle or
Government checks. Affected
targets add b to Discipline
checks for next 24 hours.
Cost: 15

Formation Field Commander

Formation Tactics
Make a Hard (ddd) Battle
check. If successful, a number
of allies within short range
equal to s generated, have
the difficulty of attacks against
them is upgraded once until
the end of your character's
next turn.
Cost: 20
Command
Add b per rank of Command
when making Battle or
Government checks. Affected
targets add b to Discipline
checks for next 24 hours.
Cost: 20
Tactics (Improved)
Reduce the difficulty of
Formation Tactics to average.
Spend x or aaaaa to
have the effect last until the
end of the encounter.
Cost: 20
(Improved))
When using the Field
Commander talent, you affect
a number of allies equal to
twice your Fire. In addition,
you may spend x to allow
one ally to suffer 1 strain to
perform an action, instead of a
maneuver.
Cost: 20

33
Shiba Arbitrator [Courtier]
While the Phoenix are well considered to be the most
pacifistic Clans, that does not mean that they are necessarily
polite and peaceful. The feud between the Asako and Isawa
families is rooted in the very beginnings of history, and the
two families have spent most of the time since bickering with
each other, leaving only the Shiba to mediate between the two
in an attempt to keep their Clan from falling apart in prideful
arrogance. It is a testament to the skills of the Shiba mediators
that the Phoenix continue to endure, despite any internal
conflict that may rise.

Requirements: Water 3, Charm 2, Government 2,

Knowledge (Tao) 2, Way of the Phoenix or Soul of Brilliance.
Bonus Career Skill: Government or Knowledge (Tao)

Unique Talents
Harmony of the Elements
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
After talking to two or more people who have a conflict,
for at least a minute, you may make a Government / Water
roll opposed by Air / Government of each involved party.
On success against both parties, you have come up with a
compromise that seems fair to them. If only one side sees it as
fair, then either side may refuse to the deal. Otherwise, refusing
the deal is a Major Breech of Etiquette, and results in loss of
Honor.

Active
Requirements: Water 3, Charm 2, Government 2, Knowledge (Tao) 2, Way of the Phoenix or
Soul of Brilliance. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Government or Knowledge (Tao)
Ranked

Harmony of the Respected Commanding Respected

Elements
Make a Government / Water
roll opposed by Government /
Airof each involved party. On
success, you have come up
with a compromise that seems
fair to them. Otherwise,
refusing the deal is a Major
Breech of Etiquette, and
results in loss of Honor.
Cost: 15
Cost: 10
When first acquired, choose
one social group. The
character downgrades the
difficulty of checks to interact
with members of that social
group a number of times equal
to his ranks in Respected.
Cost: 10
Presence
Once per session, may take
Commanding Presence action;
make an opposed Cool vs.
Discipline check to force target
to leave the encounter.
Cost: 15
Cost: 10
When first acquired, choose
one social group. The
character downgrades the
difficulty of checks to interact
with members of that social
group a number of times equal
to his ranks in Respected.
Cost: 10

Inspiring Rhetoric Grit Knack For It Let’s Talk This Over

Make an Average (dd) Battle
check. For each s the check
generates, one ally within
short range heals one strain.
For each a, one ally
benefiting from Inspiring
Rhetoric heals one additional
Cost: 15
strain
Cost: 10
Gain +1 strain threshold Remove bb from all
Government checks.
Cost: 15
Cost: 10
Once per game session,
before a combat encounter,
make a Daunting (dddd)
Charm check. If successful,
the combat encounter instead
becomes a social encounter.
Cost: 25

34
Shiba Armorsmith [Artisan]
The love of Shiba have for scholarly pursuits and the arts
is an oddity among bushi families in Rokugan, so much so
that many other bushi families look upon them with a mixture
of confusion and distaste. Many Shiba pursue some manner
of artistic endeavor, although they usually prefer those of a
scholarly nature, such as poetry or writing. Some, however,
embrace both sides of their family's nature and take up the
path of the armorsmith, crafting the famous armor of the
Phoenix Clan. These are both beautiful artistic creations and
instruments of defense for what the Shiba regard as the tragic
inevitability of war.

Requirements: Fire 3, Craft 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3), Way of

the Phoenix, Soul of Brilliance or Tinkerer.
Bonus Career Skill: Craft or Resilience

Unique Talents
Brilliant Steel
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You gain aa to Craft rolls to make armors, and gain +1 Soak
while wearing armor.

Active
Requirements: Fire 3, Craft 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3), Way of the Phoenix, Soul of Brilliance or
Tinkerer. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Craft or Resilience
Ranked

Brilliant Steel
You gain aa to Craft rolls to
make armors, and gain +1
Soak while wearing armor.
Cost: 10
Armor Master
Tinkerer Eye For Detail
(Improved)
When wearing armor with a May add one Hard Point to a May suffer strain up to ranks of
soak value of 2 or higher, number of items equal to Eye For Detail to convert that
increase defense by 1. ranks in Tinkerer. Each item many s to a.
may only be modified once.
Cost: 10 Cost: 10
Cost: 10

Armor Master
When wearing armor, increase
total soak value by 1.
Cost: 15
Eye For Detail Jury Rigged
May suffer strain up to ranks of Choose one weapon, armor,
Eye For Detail to convert that or other item and give it a
many s to a. permanent improvement while
it remains in use.
Cost: 15
Cost: 15
Armor Master
(Supreme)
Once per round, after suffering
a Critical Injury, suffer 3 Strain
to take the Armor Master
incidental. Reduce the Critical
Injury result by 10 per point of
his soak, to a minimum of 1
Cost: 15

35
Shiba Blade-Scholar [Bushi]
Drawing on their Intellect, rather than their awareness, the
Shiba Blade-Scholars have learned to strike in an intelligent
manner, and to size up their opponent’s weak points with
knowledge rather than insight.

Requirements: Fire 3, Any Knowledge Skill 3, Melee - Light

2, Vigilance 2, Way of the Phoenix
Bonus Career Skill: Vigilance

Unique Talent
Mind, Body, and Soul
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You may use your Fire instead of your Void when dueling.
You also add +1 to damage when wielding a Samurai weapon.

Active
Requirements: Fire 3, Any Knowledge Skill 3, Melee - Light 2, Vigilance 2, Way of the
Phoenix. Passive
Bonus Career Skill: Vigilance.
Ranked

Mind, Body & Soul Duelist Intense Focus Lethal Blows

You may use your Fire instead
of your Void when dueling. You
also add +1 to damage when
wielding a Samurai weapon.
Cost: 10
Add b to melee combat
checks while engaged with a
single opponent. And adds b
to melee combat checks while
engaged with three or more
opponents.
Cost: 10
Perform an Intense Focus
maneuver; suffer 1 strain and
upgrade the ability of the next
skill check once.
Cost: 10
Add +10 per rank of Lethal
Blows to any Critical Injury
results inflicted on opponents.
Cost: 10

Iaijutsu Training
The first time during an
encounter that your character
draws a Melee weapon,
increase the weapon’s
damage by 2 for the remainder
of the turn.
Cost: 15
Thorough
Quick Draw Lethal Blows
Assessment
Once per round, draw or Add +10 per rank of Lethal Once per session, take a
holster an easily accessible Blows to any Critical Injury Thorough Assessment action:
weapon or item as an results inflicted on opponents. make a Hard (ddd)
incidental. Knowledge check to gain b
Cost: 15 equal to s that can be
Cost: 15
distributed during the
encounter.
Cost: 15

36
Shiba Illusionist [Shugenja]
Founded by the unconventional shugenja Shiba Tsuna, the
Illusionists use Air Magic to delight and entertain, following
their founder's dictum that there is no sound the Air kami like
more than the laughter of children. They are regarded with
some hostility by the Isawa, who believe their use of the kami
is frivolous, but after the disgrace of Tsuna's rival the Isawa
have avoided any direct attack on the organization, preferring
to simply ignore it as much as possible.

Requirements: Air 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Perform 2, Isawa’s

Gift or Soul of Brilliance.
Special Requirement: Those who have Isawa’s Gift must
possess an affinity for Air. Those who have Soul of Brilliance
must choose an Affinity to Air, and a Deficiency in all other
Rings. Those with Isawa’s Gift must take Illusion as one of your
spells, and can never take Attack as one of your spells.
Bonus Career Skill: Perform

Unique Talent
The Tejina’s Art
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your Air Illusion spells gain aa to their spellcasting. Those
with Soul of Brilliance, may use Perform to cast Illusion and
Utility spells,

Active
Requirements: Air 3, Knowledge (Tao) 3, Perform 2, Isawa’s Gift or Soul of Brilliance.
Bonus Career Skill: Perform Passive

Ranked

The Tejina’s Art
Your Air Illusion spells gain aa
to their spellcasting. Those
with Soul of Brilliance, may
use Perform to cast Illusion
and Utility spells,
Cost: 10
Encouraging
Performance
You may make an Average
(dd) Perform check. For
each s the check generates,
one ally within medium range
adds b to their next skill
check. For each a, one ally
benefiting from Encouraging
Song heals 1 strain.
Cost: 10
Signature Spell Natural Performer
Choose a signature spell, Once per session, may re-roll
consisting of a particular any 1 Charm or Perform
magic action and a specific set check.
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their Cost: 10
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 10

Signature Spell Bonded Implement Distracting Master of Illusion

Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 15
Choose one magical
implement your character
owns when taking this talent.
Your character becomes
bonded to this implement, and
no other person may use it.
Your character may attempt to
summon it by making a Hard
(ddd) Magic Skill check.
Cost: 15
Behavior
Make a Distracting Behavior
maneuver and suffer strain no
greater than Water. Until the
beginning of next turn, equal
number of engaged NPC's
suffer t on checks. Range
increases with additional
ranks.
Cost: 15
After a successful Illusion
spell check, spend a Destiny
Point to make the illusion last
until the end of the encounter,
without concentrating, and no
need to remain within the
spell’s range. Spend two
Destiny Points to it last until
the end of the session instead.
Cost: 15

37
Shiba Naginata Duelist [Bushi]
Phoenix warriors are known to favor the naginata more than
their counterparts in the other Great Clans. except for perhaps
the Unicorn. Down through the ages. this unusual degree of
ease with the weapon has manifested itself in a form of dueling
practiced only by the Phoenix. naginata-kaiwa. A fair number
of Phoenix bushi give naginata-kaiwa a try during their warrior
training. with a few studying it intensively for a short period
of time. The most promising among these students are often
commissioned into the elite Order of Heaven's Wing.

Requirements: Fire 3, Melee - Heavy 2, Knowledge (Tao)

3, One with the Void.
Bonus Career Skill: Resilience

Unique Talents
One with the Strike
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When spending a Destiny Point on a Melee – Heavy roll
when using a Naginata, double the benefits.

Active
Requirements: Fire 3, Melee - Heavy 2, Knowledge (Tao) 3, One with the Void.
Bonus Career Skills: Resilience. Passive

Ranked

One with the Strike Burly Center of Being Feral Strength

When spending a Destiny
Point on a Melee – Heavy roll
when using a Naginata,
double the benefits.
Cost: 10
Reduce any wielded weapon's
Cumbersome quality and
Encumbrance rating by a
number equal to ranks in Burly
to a minimum of 1.
Cost: 10
May perform a Center of Being
maneuver. Until the beginning
of your next turn, whenever a
melee attack targeting you, the
critical rating of the enemy's
weapon counts as 1 higher per
rank of Center of Being.
Cost: 10
Add 1 damage per rank of
Feral Strength to one hit of
successful attack made using
Brawl or Melee skills.
Cost: 10

Extended Reach Feral Strength Resist Disarm Center of Being

Suffer 1 strain to attack an
opponent in Short Range with
a two-handed melee weapon.
Cost: 15
Add 1 damage per rank of
Feral Strength to one hit of
successful attack made using
Brawl or Melee skills.
Cost: 15
(Improved)
Suffer 2 strain to avoid being Suffer 1 Strain to use a Center
disarmed or have weapon of Being maneuver as an
damaged or destroyed. incidental.
Cost: 15
Cost: 15

38
Shiba Yojimbo [Bushi]
Shiba bent the knee to man and swore to follow the Isawa
family at the inception of the Phoenix Clan. Throughout
Rokugan's history, the Shiba family has acted as the defenders
of the Isawa shugenja against anything that may stand against
them. The Shiba take this duty seriously and many have
devoted their entire lives to this goal. The Shiba Yojimbo is the
epitome of the family's ideal; he will die before he allows harm
to his charge.

Requirements: Fire 3, Athletics 2, Knowledge (Tao) 3),

Bodyguard (Improved), Honor Rank 5.0+
Bonus Career Skill: Athletics

Unique Talents
Shiba’s Sacrifice
Activation: Active (Out-of-Turn Incidental)
Ranked: No
At the start of any skirmish, you may designate one ally as
your main charge for that skirmish. Any time your main charge
is hit by a physical or a targeted (non-area-affect) damage-
causing spell, if you are within short range, you may make an
Athletics / Fire roll at Hard (ddd) difficulty. With a success,
you take the damage instead of your charge. You may spend a
Destiny Point to reduce the damage by your Fire.

Active
Requirements: Fire 3, Athletics 2, Knowledge (Tao) 3), Bodyguard (Improved), Honor Rank 5.0+.
Bonus Career Skills: Athletics. Passive

Ranked

Shiba’s Sacrifice Grit Parry Parry

Designate one ally as your Gain +1 strain threshold When hit by a Melee attack, When hit by a Melee attack,
main charge. Any time he is hit suffer 3 strain to reduce suffer 3 strain to reduce
by an attack, within Short Cost: 20 damage by 2 plus ranks in damage by 2 plus ranks in
range, make an Athletics / Fire Parry. Parry.
roll at Hard (ddd) difficulty. Cost: 20 Cost: 25
With a success, take the
damage instead. May spend a
Destiny Point to reduce the
damage by your Fire.
Cost: 20

Parry Deflect Spell Grit Parry (Improved)

When hit by a Melee attack,
suffer 3 strain to reduce
damage by 2 plus ranks in
Parry.
Cost: 25
When you are hit by a magic
based combat check, you may
suffer 3 strain to reduce the
damage of the hit by two plus
ranks in Deflect Spell. This
talent can only be used once
per hit.
Cost: 25
Gain +1 strain threshold
Cost: 25
When parrying a hit that
generated y or ttt, may
hit attacker once with Melee or
Brawl weapon (dealing base
damage) after original attack
resolves.
Cost: 25

39
Sisters of the Sacred Light [Shugenja]
Founded in the years immediately after the creation of the
Centipede Clan, the Sisters of the Sacred Light were originally
created to deal with infestations of mischievous spirits. Although
founded by the Centipede, they recruit women from several
clans, and those women are expected to forsake their former
loyalties in order to follow the path of purity and wisdom which
the Sisters teach. They dress in the traditional garb of a temple
priestess (a red hakama and white gi), bereft of all markings
save for a single clan mon to indicate their ancestry.

Requirements: One of the following Talents: Favor of the

Sun, The Soul’s Grace, or Isawa’s Gift.
Bonus Career Skill: Vigilance

Unique Talents
Light Banishes Lies
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When casting Dispel on an Illusion spell, the difficulty is reduced
by 1.

Active
Requirements: One of the following Talents: Favor of the Sun, The Soul’s Grace, or
Isawa’s Gift. Passive
Career Skill: Vigilance
Ranked

Light Banishes Lies Proper Upbringing Prepared Spell Proper Upbringing

When casting Dispel on an
Illusion spell, the difficulty is
reduced by 1.
Cost: 10
May suffer strain up to ranks in
Proper Upbringing to add an
equal number of a to social
skill checks made in polite
company.
Cost: 10
Once per session, your
character may make a skill
check to cast a spell without
suffering strain.
Cost: 10
May suffer strain up to ranks in
Proper Upbringing to add an
equal number of a to social
skill checks made in polite
company.
Cost: 10

Heightened Nobody’s Fool Unrelenting Nobody’s Fool

Awarenss
Allies within short range of
your character add b to their
Perception and Vigilance
checks. Allies engaged with
your character add bb
instead.
Cost: 15
May upgrade difficulty of
incoming Charm, Coercion, or
Deception checks once per
rank of Nobody's Fool.
Cost: 15
Skeptic
When targeted by a Deception
check, you automatically add
f to the check equal to ranks
in Vigilance.
Cost: 15
May upgrade difficulty of
incoming Charm, Coercion, or
Deception checks once per
rank of Nobody's Fool.
Cost: 15

40
 Advanced Schools
What Are Advanced Schools
Advanced Schools represent elite dojo withn the Clans
that are not accessible by all young samurai. Whereas Basic
Schools teach thousands every year, an Advanced School
might accept only a few dozen students per year, each one
hand-selected by the master sensei of that dojo. These groups
are extremely prestigious, and to have a student selected to
attend such a dojo is a great honor for his fmaily, as well as for
the sensei who prepared him so well for such a task.
Each Advanced School has three Unique Talents that are
traditionally more specialized and more powerful that Basic
School Unique Talents, albeit more narrow in focus. To gain
entry, you must fulfill the requirements, which are harsher than
those for an Altenate Path. The character must demonstrate his
prowess and impress not only his own sensei, but the master
sensei of the elite dojo.
Due to the harsh requirements and the specific position
of the organization that each Advanced School represents,
a character may only ever enter one of them. In addition to
possessing the Requirements, the character must pay 25 XP.
Asako Inquisitors [Monk]
The Asako are generally regarded as a peaceful and serene
family, the very picture of the pacifistic Phoenix. For the most
part this is an accurate picture of the family and their philosophy,
but there are those who stand apart from it. The Asako are the
primary force behind the Inquisitors, the Phoenix order devoted
to eradicating the corrupt and blasphemous from within the
ranks of the Empire’s shugenja. It is a mission they embrace
completely and enact at any cost. The order has existed
since the Empire’s earliest days, long before the creation of
the Jade Magistrates, and organization that fulfills much the
same purpose. The Inquisitors sometimes work in cooperation
with the Kuni Witch Hunters and have even had a few limited
contacts with the Yogo family’s secretive Kuroiban.
The Asako Inquisitors do not concern themselves exclusively
with maho or Shadowlands corruption, although these crimes
are among their most frequent targets. They also investigate
gaijin magic and any religious groups with heretical beliefs,
such as the Bloodspeaker Cult. Members of the Inquisitor order
are selected primarily from the ranks of Phoenix Shugenja,
but many bushi serve with them and a few Henshin and
Brotherhood Monks have been inducted as well. Those who
are inducted into the order and take the necessary vows of duty
and secrecy are granted a stylized tattoo of an eye, the symbol
of the order, somewhere on their body. The back of the hand is
the most common location.

Active
Requirements - oid 4, Any two other Rings 3, Knowledge (Lore) 4, Knowledge (Tao) 5, Dedication talent, one of the
following: Isawa’s Gift, Move with the World, The Riddle of Fire. Passive
Bonus Career Skills - Discipline, Vigilance.
Ranked

Eye of the Inquisitor Mage Hunter Magic Resistance Deflect Spell

Take an action to prepare a
disruption of magic for a
specific opponent. When that
opponent tries to cast a spell,
its difficulty is automatically
upgraded once.
Cost: 20
When targeted by a successful
curse spell, perform the Mage
Hunter action; make a
Daunting (dddd) Discipline
check to remove status.
Difficulty reduced per rank of
Mage Hunter.
Cost: 20
Add b to checks to target you
with a spell. or add b to check
to resist a spell.
Cost: 20
When you are hit by a magic
based combat check, you may
suffer 3 strain to reduce the
damage of the hit by two plus
ranks in Deflect Spell. This
talent can only be used once
per hit.
Cost: 20

Magic Resistance Deflect Spell The Trials of Jade Challenge!

Add b to checks to target you
with a spell. or add b to check
to resist a spell.
Cost: 25
When you are hit by a magic
based combat check, you may
suffer 3 strain to reduce the
damage of the hit by two plus
ranks in Deflect Spell. This
talent can only be used once
per hit.
Cost: 25
Your spells automatically gain
the Jade quality, regardless of
Ring. When making physical
attacks, gain the Linked 2, or
increase Linked quality by 1,
when used against opponents
who violated the Empire’s
laws regarding magic.
Cost: 25
Once per encounter, you may
choose a number of
adversaries within Short range
up to ranks in Challenge!.
These adversaries add b to
combat checks targeting you
and bb to combat checks
targeting other characters.
Cost: 25

Challenge!
Once per encounter, you may
choose a number of
adversaries within Short range
up to ranks in Challenge!.
These adversaries add b to
combat checks targeting you
and bb to combat checks
targeting other characters.
Cost: 30
Sense Advantage Mage Hunter
Once per session, add bb to When targeted by a successful
any 1 NPC’s check. curse spell, perform the Mage
Cost: 30
Hunter action; make a
Daunting (dddd) Discipline
check to remove status.
Difficulty reduced per rank of
Mage Hunter.
Cost: 30
Conviction of
Purity
When preparing a disruption of
magic, from Eye of the
Inquisitor, it now only takes a
maneuver to use, and it also
adds f to the spellcaster’s
roll.
Cost: 30

41
 Requirements: Void 4, Any two other Rings 3, Knowledge
(Lore) 4, Knowledge (Tao) 5, Dedication talent, one of the
following: Isawa’s Gift, Move with the World, The Riddle of Fire.
Special Requirements: Cannot be Tainted or be a
Bloodspeaker.
Bonus Career Skills: Vigilance, Discipline
Unique Talents
Eye of the Inquisitor
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
You may take an action to prepare a disruption of magic for
a specific opponent. When that opponent tries to cast a spell,
its difficulty is automatically upgraded once.
The Trials of Jade
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When casting spells, they automatically gain the Jade
quality, regardless of their Ring. When making physical attacks,
they either gain the Linked 2, or increase their Linked quality by
1, when used against opponents who you know has violated
the Empire’s laws regarding the legal forms of magic.
Conviction of Purity
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When preparing a disruption of magic, from Eye of the
Inquisitor, it now only takes a maneuver to use, and it also adds
f to the spellcaster’s roll.
Brotherhood of Heaven’s Wing [Bushi]
Though the Phoenix clan is not known for martial prowess,
some, if possessed of the correct blend of spiritual fortitude
and martial skills, may join the Brotherhood of Heaven’s Wing.
While not as renowned as other clans’ elite units, the warriors
of Heaven’s wing have their own unique gifts.
Heaven’s Wing is an ancient, proud, and somewhat secretive
group dedicated to the cause of personal excellence through
brotherhood. The members of Heaven’s Wing encourage one
another to greatness, and tolerate no weakness or failure
among their numbers. During its long history, Heaven’s Wing
has never admitted any female members, a fact that many
perfectly capable Phoenix samurai-ko look upon with a certain
amount of resentment.
Requirements: Fire 5, Void 4, Discipline 4, Melee - Light
5, Melee – Heavy 5, Knowledge (Tao) 4, Tea Ceremony 4,
Dedication talent, Way of the Phoenix, Dancing with the
Elements, One with the Void, Move with the World, Touch of
the Void.
Bonus Career Skills: Resilience, Vigilance

Active
Requirements - Fire 5, Void 4, Discipline 4, Melee - Light 5, Melee – Heavy 5, Knowledge (Tao) 4, Tea Ceremony 4,
Dedication talent, Way of the Phoenix, Dancing with the Elements, One with the Void, Move with the World, Touch of the Passive
Void.
Bonus Career Skills - Resilience, Vigilance.
Ranked

Mark of Heaven Valuable Facts Inspiring Rhetoric Formation Tactics

You gain the ability to heal 1 Once per session, perform a
Wound every hour. Valuable Facts action: make
an Average (dd) Knowledge
Cost: 20 check. If successful, add x to
one ally's skill check during
the encounter.
Cost: 20
Make an Average (dd) Battle
check. For each s the check
generates, one ally within
short range heals one strain.
For each a, one ally
benefiting from Inspiring
Rhetoric heals one additional
Cost: 15
strain
Cost: 20
Make a Hard (ddd) Battle
check. If successful, a number
of allies within short range
equal to s generated, have
the difficulty of attacks against
them is upgraded once until
the end of your character's
next turn.
Cost: 20

Encouraing Words
After an engaged ally fails a
check, may suffer 1 strain to
assist that ally's next check
this encounter as an out of
turn incidental.
Cost: 25
Inspiring Rhetoric
Targeted Firepower Way of the World
(Improved)
When using the Inspiring Once per session, make a Gain +1 Defense. This may let
Rhetoric talent, allies affected Hard (ddd) Knowledge you go to 5 Defense.
by it add b to all skill checks check. On success, for the
they make for a number of encounter, allies within Short Cost: 25
rounds equal to your range add a number of a to
character’s ranks in Battle. attacks against the target
equal to s generated on the
Cost: 25 Cost: 15
check.
Cost: 25

Inspiring Formation Inspiring Rhetoric Wing of Glory

Leadership
Make a Hard (ddd) Battle
check. If successful, a number
of allies up to your Fire within
Short range add s to their
next skill check.
Tactics (Improved)
Reduce the difficulty of
Formation Tactics to average.
Spend x or aaaaa to
have the effect last until the
end of the encounter.
(Supreme)
May choose to suffer 1 strain You may spend a Destiny
to use Inspiring Rhetoric as a Point to gain the Linked 3
maneuver. quality with your Naginata.
Cost: 30 Cost: 30

Cost: 30 Cost: 30

42
 Unique Talents spells of a Dragon Channeler are visually distinct from those
cast by other shugenja.
Mark of Heaven
Activation: Passive Requirements: Any one Ring 5, Any two other Rings
Ranked: No 4, Discipline 5, Invocation 5, Knowledge (Tao) 4, Dedication
You gain the ability to heal 1 Wound every hour. talent, Isawa’s Gift or Elements of All Things
Special Requirements: You must be either personally
chosen by the Elemental Dragons or personally trained by an
existing Dragon Channeler.
Way of the World Bonus Career Skills: Resilience, Coercion
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Gain +1 Defense. This may let you go to 5 Defense. Unique Talents
Beseech the Dragons
Wing of Glory Activation: Passive
Activation: Active (Incidental) Ranked: No
Ranked: No You lose all your Affinities and Deficiencies and gain an
You may spend a Destiny Point to gain the Linked 3 quality ‘Affinity’ for Dragon Spells. If you cast a spell that isn’t a Dragon
with your Naginata. Spell, or one that isn’t a Signature Spell of yours, you must pay
4 Strain instead of 2 to cast it. You gain one of the listed Dragon
Spells as a Signature Spell.
Dragon Channelers [Shugenja] Once you’ve cast a Dragon Spell, you must meditate for two
hours to regain the use of it, and cannot cast it again until you
Founded by Agasha Miyoshi, the Dragon Channelers are
do.
an elite order of shugenja who are able to directly channel
the power of the Celestial Dragons. This not only grants them
access to new and unique abilities but also affects the way Dragon Spell
in which all the kami answer their prayers; even the “normal” Activation: Passive

Active
Requirements: Any one Ring 5, Any two other Rings 4, Discipline 5, Invocation 5, Knowledge (Tao) 4, Dedication talent,
Isawa’s Gift or Elements of All Things Passive
Bonus Career Skills: Coercion, Resilience.
Ranked

Beseech the
Dragon Spell Fearsome Dragon Spell
Dragons
You lose all Affinities and You gain one additional When an adversary becomes You gain one additional
Deficiencies and gain an Dragon Spell. engaged with the character, Dragon Spell.
‘Affinity’ for Dragon Spells. You you may force the adversary
gain one of the listed Dragon Cost: 20 to make a fear check, with the Cost: 20
Spells as a Signature Spell. difficulty equal to your ranks in
Fearsome.
Cost: 20
Cost: 20

Dragon Spell Fearsome Dragon Spell Hard Headed

You gain one additional When an adversary becomes You gain one additional When staggered or
Dragon Spell. engaged with the character, Dragon Spell. disoriented, perform the Hard
you may force the adversary Headed action; make a
Cost: 25 to make a fear check, with the Cost: 25 Daunting (dddd) Discipline
difficulty equal to your ranks in check to remove status.
Fearsome. Difficulty reduced per rank of
Hard Headed.
Cost: 25
Cost: 25

Hard Headed Dragon Spell Fearsome Dragon Spell

When staggered or
disoriented, perform the Hard
Headed action; make a
Daunting (dddd) Discipline
check to remove status.
Difficulty reduced per rank of
Hard Headed.
Cost: 30
You gain one additional When an adversary becomes You gain one additional
Dragon Spell. engaged with the character, Dragon Spell.
you may force the adversary
Cost: 30 to make a fear check, with the Cost: 30
difficulty equal to your ranks in
Fearsome.
Cost: 30

43
 Ranked: No Formidable (ccddd)
You gain one additional Dragon Spell. This may be taken
multiple times, each time, it adds a different Dragon Spell. Protection of the Earth Dragon (Earth)
For 10 rounds you increase your Soak by 5, and are immune
to the Pierce quality.
Dragon Spells Formidable (ddddd)
Courage of the Thunder Dragon (Air, Fire) Tranquility of the Water Dragon (Water)
For one hour, you are immune to Fear, and all your Rings are You are completely healed of all Wounds, poisons, and
considered to be one higher. diseases. And for five rounds, you may spend an Action to
Formidable (ddddd) touch a person, and give them the same blessing.
Formidable (ddddd)
Ferocity of the Fire Dragon (Fire)
For 5 rounds, anyone you attack in elee, or who attacks you Whim of the Air Dragon (Air)
in melee, takes additional damage equal to your Fire. Soak is For one hour, you gain b to all Social skill rolls, and you can
only half as effective against this damage. fly at three times the speed.
Formidable (ddddd) Formidable (ddddd)
Mystery of the Void Dragon (Void)
For 10 rounds you gain the Fear 5 effect to anyone who
sees you. In addition, you gain 1 free Destiny Point, and all your Elemental Guard [Shugenja]
melee attacks gain the Jade quality. The Elements that form the world are as different and unique
Formidable (ddddd) as the people who inhabit the Empire. It is inevitable that
shugenja feel a closer kinship to the personality of the kami of
Perfection of the Celestial Dragon (All) one aspect of nature. These priests join one of the units of the
For one hour, to a maximum of times equal to your lowest Elemental Guard, four separate schools that focus on each of
Ring +5, you may automatically succeed on a Skill Roll or Spell the four main Elements.
Casting Roll with aaaaa. Unlike other Shugenja, this is a military unit that is expected

Active
Requirements: Affinity Ring 5, Invocation 5, Knowledge (Tao) 5, Resilience 3, Dedication talent, Isawa’s Gift or Elements of
All Things. Passive
Bonus Career Skills: Coercion, Resilience.
Ranked

Name of the Ensorcelled Signature Spell

Elements
Spend a Destiny Point to
increase your Soak by your
Affinity Ring This is a visual
effect, that lasts for 1 round.
Cost: 20
Elementalist
Gain one of the Attack spell
effects related to your Affinity
without increasing difficulty.
Cost: 20
Once per encounter, may add
a to the result of their next
social skill check. Additionally,
this has a passive narrative
effect; your character’s
appearance is subtly
enhanced by their magic.
Cost: 20
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 20

Signature Spell Elementalist Touch of the Ensorcelled

Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 25
(Improved)
Gain an ability related to your
Affinity.
Air - Cannot be Disoriented,
and limited flight.
Earth - Cannot be Knocked
Prone, or Staggered.
Fire - Immunity to fire, and to
the Burn quality.
Water - Breathe underwater,
and cannot be Immobilized.
Elements (Improved)
Spells of your Affinity Ring When using the Ensocelled
cost a base of 1 Strain instead talent, add sa, instead of
of 2. a. Additionally, your
appearance is now noticeably
Cost: 25
changed by your magic.
Cost: 25

Cost: 25

Elementalist Ensorcelled Signature Spell Shape of the

(Supreme)
When casting Augment or
Barrier spells, you may allow
those affected to gain the
same benefit you have from
Improved Elementalist, for the
spell’s duration.
Cost: 30
(Supreme)
Once per session, force all
enemies within medium range
to make a Hard (ddd)
Discipline check. If they fail,
they must move away from
you and they suffer 5 strain,
plus 1 additional strain per s.
Cost: 30
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 30
Elements
Select one Signature Spell of
your Affinity Ring. You may
cast that spell as a maneuver
a number of times per day
equal to your Affinity Ring.
Cost: 30

44
to see battle ins ervice to the Phoenix, and has been used on cast that spell as a maneuver a number of times per day equal
various occasions when the Phoenix had to send troops. to your Affinity Ring.

Requirements: Affinity Ring 5, Invocation 5, Knowledge

(Tao) 5, Resilience 3, Dedication talent, Isawa’s Gift or Elements
of All Things Order of the Bent Knee [Courtier]
Bonus Career Skills: Coercion, Resilience. For a Shiba Yojimbo, few things are as tragic as outliving their
charges/ Being entrusted with the care of an Isawa Shugenja is
a great honor, and those yojimbo who fail to protect their wards
Unique Talents often seppuku. However, some yojimbo choose not to, or are
denied the opportunity to atone. Live is difficult for them, as they
Name of the Elements are often bereft of purpose – few Shgenja desire a yojimbo who
Activation: Active (Incidental) is known to have failed.
Ranked: No One such yojimbo was Shiba Raigen, who served as
You may spend a Destiny Point to increase your Soak by your yojimbo to Isawa Osugi, who was vaunted to be a future
Affinity Ring This is a visual effect, as your Affinity surrounds Elemental Master. When Emperor Toturi, under control of
you to defend you. This lasts for 1 round. the Lying Darkness, executed Osugi as a Kolat, Raigen was
shocked. Certain she had done nothing wrong, Raigen became
Touch of the Elements deteremined to discover the full story behind her murder (as he
Activation: Passive saw it). He piled evidence upon evidence, but even when it was
Ranked: No revealed that the Empror was controlled by the Lying Darkness,
Spells of your Affinity Ring cost a base of 1 Strain instead the court and historians were unwilling to contradict the edict of
of 2. an Emperor.
Eventually he formed a school to teach his students how to
Shape of the Elements defend the Isawa from the consequences of their actions, and
Activation: Passive from the dangers of the Court.
Ranked: No This isn’t the most prestigious school of the Phoenix, but is
Select one Signature Spell of your Affinity Ring. You may greatly respected within the Shiba family. They work to guard

Active
Requirements: Air 4, Earth 4, Deception 4, Government 4, Melee - Light 5, Perception 5, Stealth 4, Dedication talent, Way of the
Phoenix, Dancing with the Elements, One with the Void, Move with the World, Touch of the Void. Passive
Bonus Career Skills: Deception, Government.

Ranked

Anticipate the Strike Clever Retort Deceptive Taunt Interjection

In social situations, when
trying to persuade someone to
believe something to protect
the reputation of yourself, or
your charge, add bb.
Cost: 20
Once per encounter, may use
this talent to add automatic
tt to another character’s
social skill check.
Cost: 20
Once per session, may make
Deceptive Taunt action. Make
opposed Deception check. If
successful, one adversary
must attack the character
during adversary's next turn.
Cost: 20
After another character makes
a social check, suffer 3 strain
to take an interjection
incidental make an Average
(dd) Vigilance check to add
s or f equal to s, and a or
t equal to a to the check.
Cost: 20

Just Kidding! Intercept the Strike Grit In the Know

Once per round as an
incidental spend 1 Story Point
to ignore y generated on a
social check by the character
or any ally in short range.
Cost: 25
When persuading someone to Gain +1 strain threshold Once per session, make an
refrain from taking an action, opposed Deception vs
add aa. Cost: 25 Vigilance check with the
Cost: 10 difficulty downgraded a
Cost: 25
number of times equal to your
ranks in Deception to have a
target NPC believe specific
false intelligence.

Cost: 25

Discredit Grit Bad Press Prevent the Strike

Once per encounter, take the
Discredit action, make a Hard
(ddd) Deception check to
upgrade the difficulty of one
character's social checks
once, plus once for every
aa, until the end of the
encounter.
Cost: 30
Gain +1 strain threshold Once per session, choose an While in combat, you may
organization and make a Hard assign a number of b equal to
Cost: 30 (dddd) Deception check. your Air, to any opponents in
On success, organization Engaged range.
members have their strain
Cost: 30
thresholds reduced by 1, plus
1 per sss, until the end of
the session.
Cost: 30

45
the socially inept or controversially engaged members of the
Clan.
Requirements: Air 4, Earth 4, Deception 4, Government 4,
Melee - Light 5, Perception 5, Stealth 4, Dedication talent, Way
of the Phoenix, Dancing with the Elements, One with the Void,
Move with the World, Touch of the Void.
Bonus Career Skills: Deception, Government
Unique Talents
Anticipate the Strike
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
In social situations, when you’re trying to persuade someone
to believe a fact or point to protect the reputation of yourself, or
your charge, add bb.
Intercept the Strike
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When persuading someone to refrain from taking an action,
add aa. This stacks with Anticipate the Strike when you’re
using a fact to deter someone from taking an action.
Prevent the Strike
Activation: Active (Out-of-turn incidental)
Ranked: No
While in combat, you may assign a number of b equal to
your Air, to any opponents in Engaged range.
Shiba Elite Guard [Bushi]
Though many even among their own clan consider the Shiba
Elite guard nothing more than glorified Yojimbo, the Shiba Elite
have a warrior tradition as strong as any other. Although they
specialize in preserving the lives of those under their charge,
they hardly see this as a duty to be scorned. They embrace
their role as protectors of the Isawa, and seldom allow any
under their care to come to harm.
While all Great Clans have an Elite Guard unit, the Shiba’s
close knolwedge of Tao allows them to fully embrace it’s
teachings, and makes them closer to Monks, allowing them to
use their knowledge to actually cast spells as a monk would.
This remains a closely guarded secret, from the other Great
Clans, but the Brotherhood is well aware of this, though with the
good relations between the Brotherhood and the Phoenix Clan,
they see it as a proof that studying the Tao can bring others to
Enlightenment.
Requirements: Fire 5, Void 4, Melee - Light 5, Knowledge
(Tao) 5, Dedication talent, Way of the Phoenix, Dancing with
the Elements, One with the Void, Move with the World, Touch
of the Void.

Active
Requirements: Fire 5, Void 4, Melee - Light 5, Knowledge (Tao) 5, Dedication talent, Way of the Phoenix, Dancing with the
Elements, One with the Void, Move with the World, Touch of the Void. Passive
Bonus Career Skills: Ritual, Vigilance.
Ranked

Shiba’s Strength Challenge! Signature Spell Reflexive Barrier

As long as you take the Guard
maneuver, or have someone
designated as a Main Charge,
within Short Range, add your
Soak to theirs.
Cost: 20
Once per encounter, you may
choose a number of
adversaries within Short range
up to ranks in Challenge!.
These adversaries add b to
combat checks targeting you
and bb to combat checks
targeting other characters.
Cost: 20
Choose a signature spell,
consisting of a particular
magic action and a specific set
of one or more effects. When
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 20
Once per session, when your
character is targeted by an
attack, you may cast Barrier
as an out of turn incidental.
Cost: 20

Battle Casting Retribution Searing Eyes Challenge!

When wearing armor, do not
add b to spell casting rolls.
Cost: 25
Once per round when an ally
within medium range is
attacked, you may spend one
Story Point to use this talent to
automatically hit that enemy
once with a weapon your
character is wielding.
Cost: 25
You gain bb to all checks to Once per encounter, you may
discern illusions. choose a number of
adversaries within Short range
Cost: 25
up to ranks in Challenge!.
These adversaries add b to
combat checks targeting you
and bb to combat checks
targeting other characters.
Cost: 25

Challenge! Signature Spell My Duty is

Once per encounter, you may
choose a number of
adversaries within Short range
up to ranks in Challenge!.
These adversaries add b to
combat checks targeting you
and bb to combat checks
targeting other characters.
Cost: 30
Intense Focus
my Ritual
Perform an Intense Focus Choose a signature spell, You gain bb to all Ritual
maneuver; suffer 1 strain and consisting of a particular rolls.
upgrade the ability of the next magic action and a specific set
Cost: 30
skill check once. of one or more effects. When
Cost: 30
your character casts their
signature spell, reduce the
difficulty of the check by one.
Cost: 30

46
 Bonus Career Skills: Ritual, Vigilance

Unique Talents
Shiba’s Strength
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
As long as you take the Guard maneuver, or have someone
designated as a Main Charge, and they are within Short Range,
that person adds your Soak to theirs.

Searing Eyes
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You gain bb to all checks to discern illusions.

My Duty is my Ritual
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You gain bb to all Ritual rolls.

47
 Phoenix Ancestors
What are Ancestors
Some of those who have gone before are eleveated, after
their death, to a position of revered ancestor. This is reserved
only to those heroes who have gone to dwell in Yomi. These
people continue, even after death, to guide and advise their
descedants, at least those they find worthy enough,
An Ancestor will only advise someone from the same Clan/
faction. Even if you claim a direct blood descent from them, but
are not part of their clan/faction, they will not aid you.
If an ancestor has graced you with his advice and guidance,
you are expected, in return, to offer veneration and daily
devotions to that ancestor.
No matter how great of a Destiny awaits you, no more than
one Ancestor will ever guide you. Further, if you somehow lose
the favor of an ancestor, you can never replace it with another.
Your failing will be known in Yomi, and no other Ancestor will
approach you, no matter how noble your later deeds.
Ancestors
Agasha Fujita (15 XP)  from aiding you, and you gain b to all Social Skill rolls made
Agasha Fujita was one of the first Agasha to pass his
gempukku after the family’s defection to the Phoenix. Early on
in life, it was clear that Fujita had a very strong connection to
the air kami. This was rare for an Agasha, who were typically
closer to the fire kami than any others. When he couldn’t be
found at the dojo near Kyuden Agasha, Fujita’s instructors
could look into the sky and find the young shugеnja darting
among the clouds.
It was during the War of Spirits that Fujita found his true
calling. When the Phoenix were forced into helping Hantei
XVI, their units often lost many yojimbo in tough skirmishes.
Agasha Fujita found that he had a natural affinity for the art of
kenjutsu and began to teach young bushi to wield a blade when
there was no one else left to protect the Phoenix shugеnja in
battle. Fujita’s training regimen included an understanding of
how a shugеnja could augment a samurai’s abilities and how to
spot those enhancements. He trained many well-known Shiba
samurai before their gempukku, including Tsukune’s son Shiba
Aikune and the current Voice of the Masters, Shiba Yoma.
Agasha Fujita was killed in one of the final battles leading
up to the Devastation of Beiden Pass while trying to protect
another young shugеnja, Isawa Nakamuro. The air kami
mourned Fujita’s death, but part of his power lives on in his
descendants.
The descendants of Agasha Fujita share their ancestor’s
familiarity with the blade. They are always considered one rank
higher when using Melee - Light (even if they do not have any
ranks in either skill). In addition, they may expend 2 Strain to
add aa to all attacks with the katana for a number of rounds
equal to their Air ring.
Agasha Hanujito (10 XP)  upgrade on all rolls involving Medicine, Poison, Herbalism, and
A little over four hundred years ago, the reappearance of
Iuchiban and his Bloodspeakers drew the attention of every
shugеnja in Rokugan, especially those of the Dragon. Agasha
Hanujito was shireikan to the Mirumoto general who helped
win the now-famous Battle of the Sleeping River. Thanks to the
wisdom of both General Mirumoto Gojanuwan and Hanujito,
the Dragon forces at the battle were properly prepared to fight
Iuchiban’s blood zombies. The combined might of the Clans
of Rokugan defeated Iuchiban that day and locked him away
forever.
48
Hanujito had watched over the Dragon Clan’s Agasha for
the three hundred and fifty years after his death. Their recent
defection to the Phoenix angered this usually passive spirit and
sent nightmares rippling through the minds of his descendants.
Hanujito visited Agasha Gennai in his dreams and demanded
to know why the new Phoenix daimyo had become a traitor
to his clan. Gennai explained what had happened to Hitomi
and her personal vendetta against the Moon. Hanujito was
still displeased with Gennai’s actions, but understood the
hard choice that the Agasha had made. Despite his belief that
his descendants have made a poor choice, Hanujito refuses
to abandon those who carry his family name. When visiting
his Phoenix descendants, he is surly and disagreeable, but
dispenses wisdom that has not waned with the passing of time.
You are blessed with the wisdom of Agasha Hanujito, hero
of the Battle of The Sleeping River. You may add aa to any
Knowledge skill roll, but take t on any Perception skill roll.
Asako (15 XP)
Shiba’s favored follower, Asako, learned the secrets of
humanity’s limitless potential from her lord, and founded the
mystic order known as the henshin. She treasured friendship
above all things, but for this very reason felt the pain of betrayal
more deeply and keenly than any other. While Asako guides
your steps, others find you a charming ally and a true friend.
Any of your allies gain s to all check made to dissuade them
against someone with whom you are an Ally.
However, if an Ally ever betrays you, you automatically gain
s to all combat rolls against them.
Demands: Asako requires you to treat your friends with
the same devotion you expect of them. If you ever betray or
abandon a friend, Asako will forsake you.
Asako Hanasaku (25 XP)
Asako Hanasaku discovered much of what now fills the
Asako libraries. His eclectic, almost esoteric research classified
him as dishonorable and aberrant, but the good work Hanasaku
performed on his own body changed the very nature of study
for the Asako. Poisons, plants, fish, eggs, inks, blood, oils,
and spices were ingested, scraped into the skin or otherwise
consumed by Hanasaku in order to discern their properties.
His knack for understanding anything was a blessing to the
Phoenix and the rest of Rokugan, as a very unfamiliar world
was being explored.
Hanasaku died while testing a rare, mold-colored poison -
afterwards known as Jin-Hana Saku poison. With a tiny drop
on his tongue his body convulsed, and then his left arm went
numb. As he recalled it to a scribe, he said, ‘It tastes sour, like
old rice milk.’ With his research complete, he drank a bit of
sake to clean his mouth. Moments later, the body of Hanasaku
collapsed, and fell to the ground. He never woke.
The samurai with Hanasaku as an ancestor is cursed with
the unquenchable desire to know what everything is. Anything
undiscovered or unknown to the Asako is a new frontier to be
tested. An Earth roll against a Hard difficulty is necessary to
resist the allure of trying anything new. However, Hanasaku’s
knowledge of the bizarre gives the samurai an automatic
all Knowledge rolls involving strange events and information.
Asako Ingen (20 XP)
Asako Ingen was the pioneer responsible for discovering and
refining the initial ventures into the aspects of the Gift resulting
in the Fushihai (immortals). though most Asako do not realize
this. He had been obsessed with the Path since he was first
accepted into the Henshin Academy over eight hundred years
ago. Convinced that the Riddles were only the beginning of
something far greater, he embarked on a lifetimes-long journey
to unravel their intricate puzzle.
At the end of his life, Ingen finally managed to lay the
groundwork for the modern view of the Path, but died of old
age before it could be completely realized. His last words were
reportedly “I would be as a god!” Some 32 years later, another
great Asako thinker, Reisha, became enraptured with the idea
of solving the Path’s pattern. Although he showed incredible
acumen with the higher dynamics, his promise was nipped in
the bud when he was killed during a surprise Crane attack. His
last words, as well, were said to be “I would be as a god!”
Six hundred years ago, yet another Asako, known as
Beiwa, made productive inroads into the field of research.
This time, he was successful. The gates to the next level of
humanity’s existence were flung open, and Beiwa stepped
through He freely gave his insights to the Asako family, and
directed formally the portion of the Academy dedicated to the
Final Mystery for almost four hundred years. He died under
mysterious circumstances in the year 779. (Many believe it was
the result of poison.) His last words were “I would be as a god!”
No one has reported those words among the Asako since
that day.
Those with Ingen as an Ancestor are considered to be 1 dot
higher in their Rings, for all purposes when using Ritual.
Asako Ishio (20 XP)  Dark Realm of Fu Leng. No one would ever see Isawa Akuma
The young Asako Ishio had little affinity for the elements,
but was instead a talented drummer. In his youth he directed
impressive taiko drum performances for daimyo from all
families of the Phoenix. When the Clan War erupted, Ishio
turned his talent to a more practical use -- ritual drums had
long kept restless spirits at bay, and the strength of Ishio’s chi
confounded and dazed the armies of the Shadowlands.
Asako Ishio died on the second Day of Thunder shortly
before the defeat of Fu Leng. His remains were found largely
intact — a rarity on that day of grisly combat. Ishio was found
dead beside his drums, drumsticks clutched in both hands.
After playing without rest for several days, he had died of
exhaustion. The look on his face was one of great pride, and
he is remembered among the honored heroes of the Phoenix.
You are unaffected by fear effects generated by Shadowlands
creatures and maho. If you play a steady rhythm on a drum, all
those who can hear the drum may use your Perform skill check
in place of their Discipline roll to resist fear, or any opposed rolls
to resist mental control.
Asako Sagoten (10 XP)  that his own wife and son were maho-tsukai. He retired to a
The child of Asako and Yogo, Sagoten is one of the most
controversial ancestors of the Asako family. Early in life, he
was a great hero. He fought against Fu Leng and aided in the
creation of Isawa’s Last Wish. Later in life, he became central
to the feud between the Asako and the Isawa. Using the Last
Wish, he destroyed Kyuden Akiko and himself. The story of
Sagoten is often related to young Asako as a warning about the
dangers of unbalanced emotions.
The story of Sagoten is also used to show the way of change
and the growth of the soul. During the War of Spirits, Sagoten
returned to Rokugan changed by his time in the realms of
the dead. When Hantei XVI attempted to force him to reveal
the secrets of the Last Wish, Sagoten escaped and used the
Last Wish’s power to protect it from the agents of the Steel
Chrysanthemum before committing seppuku and finding peace
in Yomi.
Each day, you may select a certain goal that can reasonably
be achieved that day (GM’s discretion). When making any roll
that would further your pursuit of that goal, you receive a. This
goal may not be as broad as “fighting,” for example, but can be
focused to attack rolls against a specific opponent. Likewise,
something as broad as “Diplomacy” is not acceptable, but
“convincing Doji Tanitsu to accept a peace treaty with our clan”
would be fine.
Isawa (20 XP)
The man known as Isawa was unquestionably the greatest
shugenja in Rokugan, perhaps in the world, at the time the Kami
fell to earth. His power over the Elements was of such potency
that Shiba, a son of the Heavens, bent knee and pledged to
protect Isawa’s line for all time in order to gain his aid against
Fu Leng. Those who are honored with Isawa’s guidance gain
b on all Invocation rolls and gain 1 additional Specialized spell.
Demands: Isawa was a proud man who believed his family’s
magic superior to all others. He abandons you if you ever lose
a magical or scholarly competition with someone who is not
themselves of the Isawa family.
Isawa Akuma (10 XP)
Centuries ago, the shugеnja known as Isawa Akuma sought
to discover the secrets of identity. He spent years studying
within the Kuni and Imperial Libraries, went to the Kitsuki for
advice, and even spent time at the Kaiu Wall, observing the
dark legions of the Shadowlands.
Eventually, he discovered that his goal would be out of reach
within the known Empire. He prepared for weeks, and then -
despite the fervent warnings of the Crab - ventured into the
again.
He was convinced that the knowledge he desired rested
in those creatures, and with the abundance of them beyond
the wall, he hoped one of them might have it. He did find his
answers, but only after an Oni whose power and cunning he
had underestimated taught it to him. The Oni stole his name,
stripping him of exactly what he had been seeking all those
years.
Those choosing Akuma as an Ancestor gain b to their Void
Ring rolls when combating Oni, but are also stigmatized as a
result of his fall, and their Social skill rolls are automatically
upgraded when dealing with other samurai.
Isawa Chuda (15 XP) 
Though his name is reviled for its association with the fallen
Snake Clan, Isawa Chuda was a just and honorable man. His
father was secretly a maho-tsukai, a dark secret that drove
Chuda to hunt down shugеnja who dared draw upon the power
of corruption. Despite Chuda’s best efforts to stamp out the Taint
of maho, he eventually lost his will to fight when he discovered
monastery to die in obscurity, long before his clan joined with
the shuten doji and destroyed themselves.
You gain a in combat against all creatures with the
Shadowlands Taint. Once per session, you inflict extra Wounds
equal to your Fire against any creatures who have used maho
against you or injured you in combat.
Isawa Nimuro (5 XP) 
Though Isawa Nimuro was not renowned as a great warrior,
he nonetheless has earned his place in Rokugani history. He
was a contemporary of Sun Tao, and had the honor of hosting
the general during his stay with the Phoenix Clan. Nimuro
learned much from Sun Tao, and though he was not a warlike
man he applied those lessons in a typical Phoenix manner.
Nimuro invented the game of Go, the complex strategy
game enjoyed to this day throughout the Empire.
The Golden Lion of Toshi Ranbo, Matsu Nimuro, took
Nimuro as his gempukku name to honor one of his father’s
greatest ancestors.
When making Battle & Perception checks, you may add a
on your rolls a number of times per session equal to your Void.
49
 Isawa Norikazu (20 XP, Monk/Shugenja only)  Kitsu Taiko (20 XP)
Though he was considered mad, Isawa Norikazu was one
of the greatest prophets of the Phoenix Clan. His predictions
allowed the Isawa to prepare for the terrible days of the War
Against the Darkness, at the end of which he became the Oracle
of Fire. Sadly, despite the normal longevity of the Oracles, the
same malady that caused his madness eventually took his life.
His duties as Oracle passed on to his brother, Mitori.
You often have visions of the future. By meditating for one
hour, you may make a Void / Divination roll with a difficulty set
by the GM (default difficulty is Average, but increases for more
critical information) to receive a vision of the past, present, or
future. Specific information revealed is always left to the GM’s
discretion, but the higher the difficulty, the clearer and more
helpful the visions will be. If you fail your initial roll, you gain
one of the following Disadvantages (chosen by the GM) —
Bad Health, Benten’s Curse, Can’t Lie, Compulsion, Contrary,
Driven, Frail Mind, Gullible, Insensitive, Jealousy, Phobia, or
Weakness. This Disadvantage is permanent, and usually
relates in some way to the nature of the divination. A character
attempting to find information about the Dark Oracle of Fire, for
instance, may develop an intense phobia of fire if he fails. You
may have one Disadvantage caused by this spell removed, per
month, by a successful Water / Invocation spell with a Daunting
difficulty.
Isawa Tadaka (10 XP, Shugenja only)  Phoenix lands and become the next Master of Fire.
Isawa Tadaka is one of the most beloved and respected
heroes of all time, even outside the Phoenix Clan. He was the
second man to bear the burden of serving as the Phoenix Clan
Thunder. He unlocked the Black Scrolls’ mysteries at the cost
of his own corruption, and yet rose above his own corruption to
destroy the mad Isawa Tsuke and battle Fu Leng.
To many Isawa, Tadaka represented everything the Phoenix
aspired to be. He was willing to sacrifice himself for the greater
good. Though he valued peace and understanding above all,
he did not shy away from battle when it became necessary.
Though the wisdom he brought the Phoenix caused the deaths
of many Isawa, Fu Leng could not have been defeated without
his sacrifice.
You gain a when casting Earth magic. You add b when
casting any spell against a Shadowlands creature.
Isawa Takao (15 XP)
The spirit of Isawa Takao is a fierce impetuous force that
guides the hand of his descendants and impels their actions.
The brash nature of this spirit is what led him to his death some
500 years ago. Isawa Takao was an amazing Master of Fire. At
his peak of power, he had far exceeded the expectations of his
many senseis. At the age of 21, he was the Master of Fire and
was deciding the course of events for the Isawa. The remaining
Masters of the Elements found his methods rash and immature,
but his station afforded him some leeway.
When Takao was 24 he sought to prove the might of the
Oracle of Fire and challenged him to a duel. He swore his
powers would command and dominate the Chosen in ways
none had known before. When the time came, a giant tower of
fire rose from the earth, and licked at the sky.
The fires could be seen for miles, and for many, many
moments, Isawa Takao watched it dance. It seemed as if the
Oracle of Fire were caught in a trance. And then suddenly
Takao stepped forward into the fire and was consumed by it;
quickly it disappeared into nothing. The world fell silent as the
Master of Fire was no more.
Anyone taking Isawa Takao as ancestor treat their Fire ring
as one higher for the purpose of casting Fire spells. But they
suffer b on all Social checks.
50
Kitsu Taiko was an unassuming babe of peasant birth. A
strong child, he learned to walk and caper before his peers could
crawl. When Taiko was very young, his house was attacked by
brigands who slaughtered his family. The brigands planned to
steal the household’s money and goods, and sell the young boy
to a laborer as an apprentice. The young Taiko had other ideas.
In the midst of the attack, he called forth the spirits of long-dead
fires. When he was found, Taiko sat alone amidst a blackened
pile of rubble. The Kitsu who found him say they were guided
by the spirit of a fire-like, lion-maned beast whose ghostly eyes
spoke of centuries of wisdom. Taiko was taken to Shiro sano
Ken Hayai immediately, and placed in their care. When he was
accepted into the school of the Kitsu, he was only four years
old. Taiko had an amazing affinity for the school of Fire, and
although his Kitsu blood was too weak to do much more than
hear an occasional spirit, he soon grew to prominence as one
of the most deadly shugеnja in the Empire.
His ability was the deciding factor in many of the foremost
battles of his day, and he made numerous innovations to the
knowledge and spellcraft of Fire magic.
Taiko believed in confronting problems with force, and
destroying obstacles rather than seeking ways to avoid them.
Any problems with the enemy, he would say, should be resolved
by killing them all, and then asking the Kitsu to interrogate their
souls in Jigoku. No other answer would satisfy him. When he
retired from the Emperor’s service, he was invited to travel to
Taiko accepted, and was released from his duties to the Lion
clan. Although he died a Phoenix, his heart was with the Kitsu,
and his descendants are still found among both clans.
Only a shugеnja character of the Lion or the Phoenix can
purchase this ancestor. The shugеnja may choose an element,
and they are considered to be well loved by the kami of that
element. Attempts to commune, summon or sense spirits of that
element will be met with friendship. and the character counts
his Ring as one higher when casting spells of that element
Naka Kaeteru (25 XP)
The man called Kaeteru lived when the Empire was young.
His thirst for knowledge led him to wander the Empire as a
monk, learning all he could and passing it on to others who
wished to learn as well. Although it was never his intention, he
gathered many followers and students and became known as a
great teacher. Eventually he was invited to the Phoenix lands so
they might learn from him as well. Due to his incredible wisdom
and experience, Kaeteru was named the first Grandmaster of
the Elements by the Phoenix, and awarded the spiritual title of
Naka.
The first Grandmaster of the Elements spent much of his
life in simple contemplation of the Elements. If you are honored
with his guidance, his enlightened insights allow you to make
an Average Discipline / Fire roll to recover Strain equal to the
successes gained, once per combat.
Demands: Kaeteru was detached from mortal concerns
and will abandon any descendent who becomes too involved
in worldly matters. This may be represented mechanically by
your character acquiring more than 3 Skill Ranks in any Artisan,
Low, or Social skill. Role-play can and should impact this as
well, and the GM should adjudicate whether a character with
Kaeteru’s guidance is involving himself too deeply in worldly
affairs such as politics or money.
Shiba (15 XP)
Known for his wisdom, perception, and foresight, Shiba
served the Isawa faithfully in life, and wrote down the Tao,
which became the foundation of the Empire’s religion. When
he perished in the Shadowlands, he found a way to pass on
his knowledge to his descendants, ensuring the Phoenix would
always be well-led by the Soul of Shiba. However, he also
sometimes chooses individual Phoenix samurai to benefit from
his guidance. Those who are watched over by Shiba gain b
to all Knowledge rolls and may add 1 Defense. If you enter a
skirmish alongside a member of the Isawa family, you may, as
an incidental, give them the 1 Defense,
Demands: Shiba requires that you maintain both a high
honor and an absolute, unswerving dedication to fulfilling his
oath to the Isawa. If your Honor Rank ever drops below 4.0, he
will abandon you. He will also abandon you if you ever willingly
disobey a higher-ranking Isawa, or if you ever voluntarily leave
a skirmish while an Isawa ally remains behind.
Shiba Chikai (15 XP)  even if he has already performed his two maneuvers for the
Born to the third generation following Shiba’s death,
Shiba Chikai was famous for her absolute devotion to duty.
Even among the Shiba, her discipline and compassion were
legendary. She was offered positions of great rank and prestige
on many occasions, but always declined, claiming that her only
desire was to fulfill the duty her ancestor swore to the Isawa.
In time, Chikai’s valor and selflessness gained her a position
as yojimbo to the Master of Water, the most powerful man
within the Phoenix Clan at that time. The Master was smitten
with Chikai, but she rebuffed every advance. Eventually, he
became antagonistic toward her, even verbally abusing her in
public. Chikai endured her treatment stoically while continuing
to fulfill her duties.
After years of faithful service, Shiba Chikai and the Master of
Water were traveling from Kyuden Isawa to Otosan Uchi when
they were attacked by a band of assassins. The Master was
badly wounded, and Chikai sent him on while she stayed and
delayed their attackers. The Master barely survived, healed
by the herbalists of a nearby village, but Chikai did not. She
perished in battle, taking all ten of the assassins with her into
death. The Master of Water was so distraught over her death
that he retired to a monastery shortly thereafter.  As a descendant of Konyo, you gain a on your attack roll
Descendants of Shiba Chikai share her peerless devotion
to those under their protection. When defending another, the
descendant may add bb to the one he defends with each
Guard maneuver.
Shiba Gaijushiko (15 XP)  An unknown hero of the Scorpion Clan Coup, Shiba Kyo
Gaijushiko’s story is a strange one. According to Phoenix
records, he was nothing more than the Imperial Scribe, but
those who know history remember that he was much, much
more. At one point, he led the gozoku triad that controlled the
reigns of Hantei Fujiwa and Hantei Kusada. He survived the
usurpation of his power by Doji Raigu. He survived the downfall
of the gozoku itself, finding a position in Hantei Yugozohime’s
court by betraying his former comrades. He was a ruthless,
cold, treacherous man but he was quite adept at surviving
despite all odds, and lived to a ripe, bitter old age.
Those who have him as an ancestor gain s on all Contested
Social Rolls.
Shiba Kaigen (15 XP)  city in the year 1123. When his commanding officer needed
Shiba Kaigen stood alone at a focal point of the Phoenix’s
history. He had been ordered to guard a mountain pass just
north of Otosan Uchi when an invading Lion force attempted
to charge into Phoenix lands. If the Lion had been able to
reach the opposite side of the pass, the Phoenix might have
been taken unaware. Without previous warning, the Phoenix
would not have had a unified front against the Lion, and might
certainly have been destroyed. The courage of all the Shiba
line changed that destiny. Kaegen and his men held the pass
and fought the Lion while a message was sent to the Isawa. He
used unorthodox strategy, and integrated the power of the kami
into their defense, saving the pass at the cost of their lives.
Only a bushi may take Kaigen as an ancestor, for the warrior
spirit which lies on in his descendants will accept no less.
Those who do take the One Man Alone (his title in the ancestral
records) are proud of their forefather’s death, and ready to
emulate it if ever the time should come.
Because Kaegen was able to perform his feat through his
knowledge of spellcraft, descendants of Kaigen are allowed to
spend one year within the halls of the Isawa academy, learning
much about spells, magic and the kami. This knowledge
gives the bushi a greater aptitude for using spells in battle,
understanding the destructive potential of shugеnja, and
bringing the elemental spirits to supplement his own strength in
combat. If a shugеnja within Engaged range spends a Destiny
point, the descendant of Kaigen may gain an extra maneuver,
round.
Shiba Konyo (10 XP) 
In life, Konyo was known as the “Fire Maiden” for her brash,
Matsu-like attitude. The Phoenix scorned her unorthodox
instinctive fighting style, as she disdained the fighting styles
taught by the traditionalist Shiba bushi dojo. Despite being the
black sheep of her family, she brought them honor when she
was awarded a post in the Imperial Legions.
During the first uprising of luchiban, she led a unit of
Legionnaires to the graveyard where Iuchiban’s forces were
being raised through foul maho. During the battle, she was
struck with a curse of blood rage by one of luchiban’s tsukai.
She fell upon her unit and destroyed them to a man, wounding
her trusted lieutenant — a favored nephew of the Hantei -
before she drew upon enough inner strength to turn her sword
on herself.
The Emperor was furious with her actions and blamed her
for his nephew’s injury despite the maho. For that crime, Konyo
was stricken from the histories.
whenever you spend a Destiny point on an attack roll. This
effect applies only once per attack roll, and only when using
Fire.
Shiba Kyo (20 XP) 
is celebrated by a small number of Phoenix warriors who
recognize his contributions to the clan. Kyo began life as
a samurai from a very poor family. They wanted for little, for
their lord ensured that the entire family was sheltered and fed,
but they had little in the way of luxury items. Kyo spent his
childhood hunting through the forest to supplement his family’s
meager belongings: his mother wove clothes from materials he
would gather, and his father fletched arrows for the children to
practice their kyujutsu. Kyo became a master at moving silently
and remaining hidden at a young age.
Kyo’s service to the Shiba family was unremarkable for
most of his adult life. He served honorably and well, but without
distinction. His unit was one of the first to arrive outside Otosan
Uchi after the forces of Bayushi Shoju seized control of the
intelligence about what was going on inside, Kyo volunteered.
He made several stealthy trips inside the city, gathering
vital information about the Scorpion’s defenses and troop
movements. On his final mission, he returned to deliver last-
minute information about the Scorpion moving their forces back
toward the Forbidden City, then perished from his wounds.
Those who know of his life and his sacrifice revere Shiba
Kyo as a paragon of duty. Kyo considered himself an extension
of his lord’s will, serving him as might a hand or pair of eyes.
The spiritual descendants of Kyo strive only to prove equal to
their ancestor’s example.
The descendants of Shiba Kyo share their ancestor’s
51
innate connection with others, and can extend their senses
to that of another. Descendants of Kyo automatically gain the
Kharmic Tie advantage at the 15 XP level, although they may
pay additional points to increase this value. Furthermore, the
descendant may spend 2 Strain, or a Destiny point, to allow the
individual with whom they are bonded to experience something
of their circumstances. This may be done a number of times per
day equal to their Water. The information gained by the other
individual is not specific. For example, a descendant who is
being attacked by bandits, has fallen into a ravine, or is being
mauled by a tiger would all yield the same result: the bonded
individual would get a sense that his friend was in danger.
Shiba Murayasu 15 XP)  share his affinity for the spirit realms or his utter devotion to
Shiba Murayasu was born to a Phoenix father and a
wealthy Otomo mother. He spent his youth traveling between
the Imperial Gardens at Otosan Uchi and the dojo at Kyuden
Shiba. His days of training as a bushi showed a quiet brilliance.
His simple explanations and natural examples of the essence
of Shiba swordsmanship earned him a place as a junior sensei,
and his steady growth in the art of the sword never faltered. At
the age of 26 he became one of the youngest full sensei the
school has ever known.
When Hantei XVI met his tragic end, his son (a childhood
friend of Murayasu) ascended the throne. Hantei XVII
requested that Murayasu return and teach at the Seppun dojo.
Thus did Shiba Murayasu become the sensei of one of the few
ruling Hantei to be trained outside of the Kakita Academy. In
fact, Hantei XVII (though married to a Doji) fell in love with one
of Murayasu’s cousins, and broke tradition a second time to
be buried in Phoenix lands upon his death. The burial ground,
known as Pale Oak Plain, is a popular site for lovers.
Characters touched by Murayasu’s spirit possess his
remarkable calmness, both in combat and everyday life.
The character’s difficulty to hit anyone who has declared an
attack on him that round (including duels) is reduced by 1.
The character also always takes the last PC initiative slot. This
balanced demeanor has a price, however. The character may
never use Fire to make attacks.
because of a beautiful snow maiden who saved him from certain
death. For the remainder of his life, Tetsu was the perfect bushi,
mastering every aspect of his training and devoting himself fully
to his duties. In the years following the War of Spirits, Shiba
Tetsu claimed that it was time for him to fulfill his destiny. He
disappeared into the Mori Isawa and never returned. Some say
that he met his fate by ending some great menace that dwelled
within the forest. Others believe that he somehow stabilized the
spirit portal within the woods, preventing a terrible rift between
the realms and Ningen-do from developing. Still others suggest
that both are true. None can say for certain.
Whatever his mortal fate, Shiba Tetsu now dwells within
Yomi alongside his own ancestor Shiba Kaigen, the Realm of
Blessed Ancestors. From there, his spirit looks over those who
duty.
Denizens of the Spirit Realms are always positively
predisposed toward the descendants of Shiba Tetsu. Such
beings never begin an encounter hostile toward the character
unless the character has wronged them in some way. In
addition, the character gains aaa per day that may be used
in any social situation with denizens of the Spirit Realms. This
includes creatures and beings from all the Spirit Realms except
for Jigoku, Gaki-do, and Toshigoku.
Shiba Toriko (10 XP)
When Shiba Toriiko was young, her beloved aunt became
the Oracle of the Wind. The child, not knowing what that might
mean begged her to do a “trick” The Oracle laid her hands
on the girl and looked into the wind. Her expression soured.
“What is it, Tama-san?” “To know the future is to deny hope.”
“There is always hope for peace,” the girl solemnly intoned. The
Oracle smiled. “Grow strong. One day you will save peace.”
Shiba Toriiko, Champion of the Phoenix, died at the hands of
a Crane swordsman, defending peace. Her life is immortalized
in ‘Worlds In Her Eyes’ the epic poem by the once-Crane poet
Gosano.
Those who take Shiba Toriko as an ancestor gain 4 wounds,
whenever they are attacked while trying to prevent strife.

Shiba Sakazu (10 XP) 

In  922  the Phoenix attacked a  monastery, a community of
retired Ishiken and Isawa Shugenja that was attacked by Maho-
tsukai. The magic of the Isawa failed, and flames sprang from
the walls, killing many bushi. A direct assault of warriors also
was a failure, their corpses burned too quickly to climb. Another
day they tried to sail on kites from the trees, and tunnel through
the earth, but they were torn apart by the wind or died under
the collapsed earth. Even praying to the Fortunes did not work
Sakazu guessed the spells did not protect the Maho-tsukai
against that which was no threat, so he removed his  armor
and clothes. Naked, alone and emptied of thought he crossed
the fire wall unharmed, disappearing between the burning
stones. Since then no one had seen anyone enter or leave the
monastery, which was lost forever, but the land and elements
recovered.
Though no one knows how Sakazu met his end, his
descendants have inherited his confidence in their abilities
to prevail even when naked, alone and emptied of thought.
Characters with Sakazu as an Ancestor gain aa on all bare
handed attacks.

Shiba Tetsu (10 XP) 

A difficult, unhappy child, Shiba Tetsu was changed forever
when he ran away from his teachers at the Shiba bushi school.
Tetsu fled into Mori Isawa and disappeared. He was gone an
entire night during the dead of winter, and no one expected him
to survive. He did, however, and insisted that his survival was

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