Legend of the Five Rings – Kasumi Neko, Cat Clan Samurai

The Cat Clan plays a very minor role in Rokugan; it’s tiny, obscure, has no major school of its own, and mostly operates under cover. Their general role is to appear as the mysterious shadowy figure who passes on some important information to the more active and combative types – such as most PC’s. They [...]

RPG Design – The Common Humanity

   This question was directed towards the Village Heroes series – but it deserves a more general answer. “Why are all of these characters human?”    Well…    The vast majority of RPG’s focus on humans – and most of the ones that don’t actually focus on humans focus on almost-humans with a few quirks or [...]

Latest Material Index

   It’s once again time to get the latest material index updated and to transfer the material from the old one to the main index tabs at the top of the page. If you want the very latest material, it may be necessary to either scroll down or consult the “Recent Posts” listing-widget on the [...]

Ninsei’s Secret Diaries – Legion Edition

   Here we have a special excerpt from Ninsei’s Secret Diaries – complicated by the fact that now there are not only the Lunar and Solar-oriented versions of Ninsei, but also a set of dream-duplicates with differing elemental orientations and Solar Ninsei has recombined with what was left of a badly damaged version of Lunar [...]

Federation-Apocalypse Session 86b – Binding Words

   Behind them, Gelman had given up the pursuit for long enough to call Mr Leland and let him know what Marty had dragged his company into…    However ironic it was that – out of all the things Marty had actually done – it was something that had happened behind his back that was [...]

Latest Material Index

   It’s once again time to get the latest material index updated and to transfer the material from the old one to the main index tabs at the top of the page. If you want the very latest material, it may be necessary to either scroll down or consult the “Recent Posts” listing-widget on the [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – The Timeless Wanderer Bushi School

   Next up we have a player-submitted school for Legend of the Five Rings - albeit with the usual selection of mechanical tweaks and a bit more description.    The Path of the Timeless Wanderer is long – and perhaps truly without end. Once one has set forth upon the way, only in death will a [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – The Thunderbolt Blade Bushi School

   Today it’s the Thunderbolt Blade Bushi School (sometimes known as the “Hand of Bayushi” School) for Legend of the Five Rings.    Darkness is everywhere. Beneath the ground, beyond the stars, hidden within the light, and lurking in the hearts of men. None can escape it.    The blade pierces darkness. One with it, [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – Reflexive Spells

   Reflexive Spells can be used without taking an action – or even during someone else’s action. It’s a part of their design. Sadly, this means that they’re invariably pretty weak. They must be taken as innate powers with no casting roll required, and so only free raises may be used with them. They’re most [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – Mudra

   Mudra are mystical gestures and postures which focus and channel the trickle of chi that anyone can tap via meditation. They require a meditation skill level of at least three times the level of the effect being used – and most require both hands, sitting still, and several minutes of meditation to activate, although [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – Sagmahi Kashti Madrase (Old Yodatai Divine Bushi School)

   With all the wild powers of the seas and salt waters arrayed against them, the Yodatai Empire is limited to those places to which it’s legions can march. A tidal estuary, a narrow strait, an island a mile or so offshore – or an are of shoreline within reach of a storm waves and [...]

Legend of the Five Rings: The Sparrow Clan Calligraphy School

   Here we have another specialist school for Legend of the Five Rings – in this case, an artistically-focused school from the Sparrow Clan. For the purposes of the Sparrow, however, it is a very, very, practical school indeed. The etiquette of Rokugan requires the constant giving of presents, and the meager lands of the [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – The Merenae Morgantha “Courtier” (“Ninja”) School

   The origins of the Morgantha school are long lost: in accordance with the requirements of it’s first technique, it has been passed on to forsaken or adventurous youngsters, to wanderers, and to rogues, without any serious restriction – to the extent that it is one of the few Merenae schools to have a “standard” [...]

Legend of the Five Rings: Hosfera Madrase (Old Yodatai Divine Bushi School)

   Once, the gods of the Yodatai appreciated heroes, and visits from them. In the beginning they set up Mons Midil, the Mountain of Heaven, as a stairway for heroes to climb; any mortal who could manage to climb twelve miles (the last three through a realm of little air where most magic could not [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – Demographics of Rokugan

   The demographics of Rokugan seem to have been relatively static for many centuries; while there apparently have been occasional massive disasters, the population seems to quickly rebound to about the same level. There’s no serious mention of the clans opening new territories or falling back from old ones except on the Shadowlands front. Ergo, [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – The City of Jewels Evil Grand Vizier Courtier School

   The City of Jewels, across what used to be the Burning Sands, is ruled by a Sultan – as are several more cities up and down the Vetirus and Torath rivers.    And what Sultan would feel secure without his Evil Grand Vizier? There are things which must be done to keep a government [...]

Legend of the Five Rings – The Walking Dream Courtier (Nezumi) School

   At the core of Yume-Do lies the Maelstrom. It is known by many names, and in many worlds. It is the Ginnungagap, the Sepiroth of Daath, the Gungawa point, and the Well of Worlds. It is the point where the timeless infinite is refracted into past and future, reality and phantasm, and all worlds [...]

L5R – Fox Clan Temple Administrator Courtier School

   Today it’s another school for Legend of the Five Rings – in this case a relatively non-adventuresome school, the Fox Clan Temple Administrator Courtier School. It doesn’t produce mighty heroes or subtle courtiers. It just makes sure that they’ve got the information they need to act on, good advice, and a secure home to [...]

Latest Material Index

   Updated July 28    It’s once again time to get the latest material index updated and to transfer the material from the old one to the main index tabs. If you want the very latest material, it may be necessary to either scroll down or consult the “Recent Posts” listing-widget on the lower right [...]

L5R, The Ivory Kingdoms Dheramada School

   Here we have another one of the Ivory Kingdoms schools for Legend of the Five Rings – in this case a school that serves equally well for scholars and assassins.    Some eighteen hundred years ago in the Ivory Kingdoms, the Deva Harijitender concluded that one of the great advantages of the Rakasha lay [...]