Sleepless Nights

This adventure is designed to run as an Interactive, in essence a LARP (Live Action

Role-Playing) event, in which the players portray their characters directly for much of the
time. The total event should, if possible, be run in a five-hour time slot to give the
players the maximum time to accomplish their goals. Running longer than five hours is
generally counter-productive, due to fatigue.

Restrictions on Player Actions

During the Interactive, all players and judges should observe the following restrictions
and guidelines in order to ensure that the event runs smoothly. A hand-out sheet has been
proved for the judges to ensure that all players know these rules.

• No Touching. Touching in public is a major Rokugani taboo, and should be

observed in play. Any player who willingly touches another automatically loses a
point of Honor. Repeated offenses can result in the expulsion of the player from
the Interactive.

• Resolving Events. Players should seek, whenever possible, to resolve their

interactions through role-play rather than by rolling dice. If a player absolutely
wishes to perform an action that requires rolling dice, s/he should seek out one of
the event judges to have their action adjudicated.

• If you say it, they hear it. If players do not want other players to overhear their
words, they should act appropriately – e.g. hide their mouths, speak in low voices,
go into the next room, etc.

• Treaty limitations. PCs are only empowered to negotiate the specific items on
their Clan objective sheets. They can propose other treaties or agreements to their
superiors, but it is the discretion of the Campaign Admin whether any such
agreements go forward.

• You are your character. All statements and actions are considered to be “in
character” unless specifically stated otherwise.

• Status does not always equal Authority. High-Status player-characters only

have authority over other members of their family – they cannot give direct orders
to characters from different families in their Clan, although their position still
entitles them to respect and deference.

Judges
It is recommended that there should be two judges for the Interactive, a “chief judge” and
a “secondary judge.” In addition, there are two other NPCs who should be played by
persons who the judges can trust to handle the roles properly.
The chief judge and the secondary judge should play the roles of O-Doji Koneko, the
Crane Clan Matron, and her son, Doji Sarutomo, the Crane Clan Champion and daimyo
of the Doji family. These two NPCs are the hosts of the celebration which the PCs are
attending, and massively outrank all the PCs at the Interactive. However, they are also
involved in the main plot of the Interactive (as outline below), which will somewhat limit
their ability to influence the outcome of the Interactive’s two main political decisions.

These two judges will also be in charge of monitoring the overall Interactive, and of
resolving any specific actions or plots which the players may put in motion. Finally, at
the end of the Interactive, these judges should total up the vote of the players on each of
the two political issues being decided, and compile any special results of each Clan’s
negotiations and agreements.

The first NPC is Doji Mikuko, the goryo (vengeful ghost) of Doji Sarutomo’s first wife.
While seemingly just another Crane attending the celebration, she is actually here to
curse Sarutomo’s current wife and to subtly sabotage the Clan’s diplomacy. Her
behavior should eventually prompt the players to approach O-Doji Koneko and try to
resolve the crisis in the leadership of the Crane Clan. Since Mikuko is vital to the plot of
the Interactive, she should be entrusted to a player who can handle a complex and
challenging role.

The second NPC is Maeda Kenshu, a wave-man and minor military genius who is trying
to put together an independent ronin army. Kenshu’s role here is simply to recruit ronin
PCs into his army, providing them with a patron and a role to play in the future politics
and wars of the Empire. In contrast to Mikuko, Kenshu’s role is fairly simple and
straightforward. As a ronin, of course, he will have to guard himself around Clan
samurai, who can easily challenge him if he offends them.

Getting Ready
This Interactive takes place in Kyuden Doji, where the PCs have been invited to join the
Crane Clan in celebrating the marriage of Daidoji Kowaru, daimyo of the Daidoji family,
to the Imperial princess Toturi Yukihime. The marriage itself is taking place in the
Imperial City, but the Crane are hosting celebrations in all of their strongholds, great and
minor, and the PCs have been lucky enough to get invited to the one held in Kyuden
Doji, the seat of Crane power.

At the beginning of the Interactive, all players should be given a copy of the Rules for the
Interactive sheet, of the “Favors and How to Use Them” sheet, and the Objectives Sheet
for their Clan or faction. They should also be given the appropriate number of Favor
tokens, as outlined below.

Favor Distribution
At the start of play, Favor tokens are given out to each Clan delegation. The GMs can
use colored glass beads, dice, tokens, or even cards from the L5R CCG to represent these
tokens. Each character from a Clan or Imperial delegation should receive one Favor
token from their faction (e.g Crab PCs should get Crab Favors). Characters with Status
of 4.0 or better get two tokens. The two major NPCs get the following number of tokens:

• O-Doji Koneko: 10
• Doji Sarutomo: 3

Starting Play
Once the players have had time to review their objective sheets, the judges should signify
the start of the Interactive. The preferred method of doing this (in order to maximize the
sense of atmosphere) should be to turn out the normal lights and then begin lighting the
room with more “Rokugani” light sources such as candles or, if the fire codes will not
permit that, with small “imitation paper lanterns” that use electricity (these are available
from many Asian supply stores). These small, isolated lights will simulate the
atmosphere of a Rokugani castle at night.

The reason for this sudden darkness and lighting of lanterns is that a solar eclipse has
struck, an hour before sunset, just as the guests are arriving at Kyuden Doji. As these
“lanterns” are lit and distributed around the room, O-Doji Koneko should enter, followed
by her son Sarutomo. (These should also provide an opportunity for Mikuko to infiltrate
the Crane contingent.) Koneko apologizes of behalf of her servants for the sudden
darkness. “The Sun and Moon have come together this evening to show their favor on
us, and so night has fallen earlier than expected,” she says. She welcomes the PCs to
Kyuden Doji for this celebration of Daidoji Kowaru’s wedding. She adds that this is a
double celebration, since her son Sarutomo’s wife, Akane, is expected to give birth
within the next two weeks. “The future of the Doji family will soon be secure,” she
proclaims with evident satisfaction. “Surely this evening eclipse is an auspicious sign
of the Heavens’ blessing on the Crane Clan and the Empire.”

Once these announcements have been made and the lanterns are lit, the Interactive proper
begins, and the PCs are free to interact with each other and with the NPCs.

The Plot: Sarutomo’s Secret

The central plot of “Sleepless Nights” focuses on the dark secret of the Doji family’s
ruling line. Eleven years ago, Doji Sarutomo murdered his first wife, Doji Mikuko, when
she mocked his childish pretensions to heroism. Aside from a few servants, the only
person who knows the truth about this incident is O-Doji Koneko herself, who discovered
him standing over the body. Unable to face the prospect of executing her only son and
heir, she conspired with Sarutomo to cover up the crime, promulgating the story that
Mikuko died in childbirth. This shameful and hideous secret has poisoned both of their
lives, reducing Sarutomo to an angry, helpless dependent while Koneko is perpetually
haunted by the realization that her only failure is her criminal son.

Mikuko has haunted Kyuden Doji as a goryo (vengeful ghost), and when Sarutomo
married again, she cursed his second wife to die in childbirth, the very death which they
had falsely claimed for her. Now, Mikuko intends to do the same to his third wife, the
former Kitsuki named Akane. However, as the years have passed her thirst for
vengeance has grown to the point where she is now also unable to resist subtly
sabotaging the Clan’s negotiations and diplomacy. Her wrath is such that she cannot help
but try to destroy everything Koneko and Sarutomo work for, even though she still thinks
of herself as a “loyal Crane.” This more open behavior on her part will allow the PCs the
chance to realize what is happening and, perhaps, to finally exorcise the poison at the
heart of the Doji family.

Unmasking Mikuko
One of the goals for this Interactive should be for some of the PCs to figure out who and
what Mikuko truly is. There are a number of ways this can be done, but the most obvious
involves PCs with the ability to sense spirits or ghosts – such PCs will be able to
recognize Mikuko as a ghost.

Aside from that, Mikuko will also engage in certain behaviors that can give away her
nature:

• The candles will sometimes go out when she is near them (this can be done by
having the player sneakily blow out or turn off the lights). She will wear a long
garment which conceals her feet – Rokugani ghosts often lack feet, and she is no
exception.
• She will tend to shy away from PCs with a close connection to the spirit world –
Tattooed Men, Kitsu shugenja, members of the Fox Clan or the Komouri family,
Moto Death Priests, and any PC with an Inner Gift or other ability that senses
otherworldly beings. If she is forced to spend time conversing with such PCs, she
will become increasingly fidgety and uneasy, and will finally make up an excuse
to flee their presence.
• She will bitterly mock anyone who speaks of the value of honor or the pleasures
of love. As far as Mikuko is concerned, Honor is a delusion and Love is a cruel
trick played by the Fortunes.
• Finally, she will be oddly ignorant of the last ten years of political events in the
Empire – her knowledge ends with the moment of her death.

Whether or not the PCs realize that Mikuko is a ghost, however, they should become
aware that she is having a negative impact on the Crane Clan’s diplomatic efforts.

If any PCs ask Mikuko why she is behaving in such a negative and disruptive manner,
she will be confused and will try to deny that she is doing anything to harm the Crane
Clan. However, she will not be able to resist slandering and insulting both Koneko and
Sarutomo behind their backs, and she will also not be able to help but make veiled threats
against Sarutomo’s wife Akane. (“It is so tragic that his previous two wives perished in
childbirth – surely he will not be so unfortunate as to suffer a third such terrible loss?”) It
should be noted, however, that she will never directly approach Koneko or Sarutomo, and
will swiftly relocate herself if either of them come near her.
Rumors About Akane
Around the mid-point of the Interactive, the judges should approach any PCs who are
rumormongers or gossips, and inform them of rumors that Doji Akane has fallen
suddenly ill, threatening not only her health but also that of her child. Sarutomo and
Koneko will both do their best to laugh off or otherwise quash these rumors, but the
players should be able to tell that they are actually quite worried.

If any PC mentions these rumors around Mikuko, she will not claim responsibility, but
will subtly gloat about the well-deserved pain awaiting Sarutomo and Koneko if Akane
dies in childbirth. “Perhaps Lord Sarutomo-sama truly is cursed. I wonder what he could
have done to earn such ill fortune?”

The PCs should hopefully be able to put two and two together, and figure out the
connection between Mikuko and the trouble with Akane.

Resolving the Haunting

Once the PCs start to figure out that Mikuko is a ghost, they may try undertaking various
sorts of supernatural measures against her, such as performing exorcism/purification
rituals. These methods will cause her irritation, and may cause her to temporarily leave
an area, but they will not seriously disable her – she is tied too deeply to Kyuden Doji to
be driven out by such simple rituals. Furthermore, she will be highly irritated by such
attempts, and will make a point of trying to sabotage the diplomacy of the PCs who
participate.

• If any PC directly suggests that Mikuko is a ghost, accuses her of being an evil
spirit, or otherwise makes supernatural allegations against her, she will respond
with outrage. “I am a monster, an evil spirit? You call me evil, when the true
villainy festers in the very heart of our Clan? How dare you, samurai!”

• If a PC specifically asks her what can bring her peace, she will be non-plussed,
but finally says, “Sins must be punished. The killer must pay the price for his
deeds.” She will not elaborate on this, and if a PC asks who “the killer” is, she
snorts: “Let him tell you himself, the coward!”

In order to resolve the problem of Mikuko, Crane PCs will have to approach the Crane
leaders (Sarutomo and/or Koneko) and ask about the problems with Mikuko.

• If they approach Sarutomo, he will try to dismiss and avoid the whole matter,
pretending that he doesn’t understand the problem. He will promise to deal with
the problem but will not actually do so.

• If the PCs approach O-Doji Koneko, she will initially try to avoid the problem,
but will slowly and reluctantly begin to listen as the problem becomes more acute.
She will drop hints suggesting she knows what is going on and is deeply
conflicted about it.
Ultimately, the PCs must convince O-Doji Koneko to take action. She will be very
reluctant to do so (since this will mean condemning her son), so the PCs will have to
make strong, eloquent appeals to both the success of the Clan (which Mikuko is
undermining) and the importance of Honor. The judges must decide whether they
succeed, but in general, a sustained effort should succeed.

End: Sarutomo’s Fate

If Koneko is ultimately persuaded to take action, she will confront Sarutomo in the
presence of other Cranes (though not of anyone else) and tells him the time has come to
face up to his deeds. Sarutomo should protest a bit but, once Koneko openly confesses to
the crime she witnessed, he will have no choice but to accept his guilt – not even the
Crane Champion can deny an accusation from his own mother.

Sarutomo will have no choice but to confess his crime and commit seppuku. Koneko will
attempt to spare the Clan the worst of this by arranging a private ceremony witnessed
only by the Crane. Doji Mikuko will be among the witnesses, and once Sarutomo is
dead, she will make a brief speech of grief and forgiveness, lifting her curse, and depart
for the Realm of Meido to await judgment. In this case, Koneko will shave her head and
retire to a monastery. Doji Akane will recover, delivers her son safely, and acts as regent
over the Doji family, while the role of Clan Champion passes to Kakita Saburashi until
the child of Sarutomo and Akane is old enough to take power.

If Koneko is not ultimately convinced to take action, Sarutomo will continue to ignore
Mikuko’s haunting, and the Clan will remain under her curse. Doji Akane dies, taking
her unborn son with her.

Concluding the Interactive

At the end of the interactive, the judges should record the votes of the attending players
on the two major issues being negotiated here – the choice of which Clan will build the
Shrine to the Fortune of Peace, and the question of whether or not the Clans will petition
the Emperor to appoint a new Chancellor. Each Clan/Imperial PC gets one vote on each
issue, and these votes may be influenced with Favor tokens (as outlined in the sheet on
“Favors and How to Use Them”). Ronin, including Clan/Imperial PCs undergoing
musha shugyo, do not get a vote. Koneko and (if he survives) Sarutomo cannot be
influenced by Favor tokens – they will vote according to their personal preferences.

The total vote on each of these two issues (numbers of votes for each faction, not just
winners and losers) should be recorded and forwarded promptly to the Campaign Admin
at [email protected].

Once the vote is completed, the chief judge should allow the players to make any public
proclamations or announcements. During this time, the judges should present the letter
from Hida Gojiro (the Crab Clan Champion) to the Cran delegation for them to read out
loud.
Finally, the chief judge should compile and report any other potential agreements or
treaties which the PCs may be offering to their superiors.

All PCs who participate in the Interactive earn 2 XP and 1 point of Glory. Other Honor,
Glory, and Infamy awards may also be made, and the discretion of the judges.
 Crab Clan
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: Although we would certainly appreciate the gifts which would
accompany this shrine, our Clan Champion has little regard for this new Fortune, and has
suggested that “mewling Cranes or weak Phoenix” would be better hosts. Accordingly,
we should lend our support on this matter in a way calculated to enhance our strength in
other areas. In particular, we should seek to use our support here in order to get other
Clans to back our stand against the Hare and their Scorpion backers.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: We certainly support breaking the political monopoly of Miya Shikan,
but we are quite wary of allowing a new Chancellor who would probably be a Scorpion,
Crane, or other enemy of ours. We would be willing to vote for a new Chancellor only
with an iron-clad guarantee that the office would go to a Unicorn, a Crab, or possibly a
Mantis.

Clan Goal: The Hare have insulted us repeatedly. They asked our help with creating a
shugenja school, but then behind our back invited the Phoenix and Scorpion to assist
them as well. The Phoenix, weaklings that they are, backed off when we protested their
interference. The Scorpion, however, continue to meddle, seeking to turn the Hare into
their agents to impinge on our proper sphere of influence. We will not tolerate this any
longer.

Therefore, we must seek to split the Scorpion and Hare away from all other Clans and
disrupt all their alliances, to ensure they cannot bring any other strength against us. In
particular, we should seek to force the Crane to support us by threatening to break the
non-aggression pact they forced on us last fall.

We must also seek to continue prying the Mantis away from their friendship with the
Scorpion, especially by offering them trade concessions with the Yasuki.
 Crane Clan
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: We would certainly enjoy winning the honor of hosting this new Shrine,
for this would reinforce the tide of political victories which we have won over the last
year. However, other options may be more advantageous to us. For example, we could
try to offer it to the Phoenix as a way of prying them away from their misguided alliance
to the Lion. Or, we can ensure that it goes to one of our allies, either the Dragon or the
Unicorn. We should pursue whichever of these courses seems most advantageous to us.
We should also seek to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Lion, Crab, or
Scorpion – or the Phoenix if they remain allied to the Lion.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: We certainly would like to see the office of Chancellor restored, but only
if it does not fall into the hands of the Scorpion, since this would undo much of our
political gains from the past year. We should maneuver to arrange a public commitment
that the new Chancellor will not be a Scorpion. Here again, we can use our support for a
specific Clan candidate to try to pry the Phoenix away from the Lion, or to reinforce our
alliances with the Dragon or Unicorn. A Lion, Mantis, or Crab Chancellor, ironically,
would not be a serious blow to us, since we are confident of our ability to manipulate
them.

Clan Goal: We have heard rumors that our Dragon allies raided the Badger lands this
spring. Although their desire for vengeance against the Badger is understandable, we
must work to ensure this act does not do them too much political damage – Shikan’s
faction will doubtless seek to punish the Dragon, and other opportunists such as the Lion
will join with them to weaken our allies. We must be prepared to block these efforts.
 Dragon Clan: All Families
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: The Dragon Clan is not committed to the ideal of peace at this time – our
bitter defeat from forty years ago must be avenged with blood. However, we are also a
Clan known for our piety and enlightenment, and winning this prize would go far toward
strengthening our weak political and economic position in the Empire. Whether or not
we can win the right to build this shrine, we should see to it that it does not fall into the
hands of our enemies, especially the Lion.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: We are not opposed to restoring the office of the Chancellor, but much
would depend on who was appointed to the office. A Lion or Shikan-loyalist Chancellor
would be utterly unacceptable, while a Crab or Mantis Chancellor, while more suitable,
would probably lack the political skills to stand against Miya Shikan effectively. In such
cases it might be better to leave the office unfilled.
 Dragon Clan: Mirumoto/Tonbo/Tamori (addendum)
Family Goal: Our spring raid against the Badger Clan has won back our honor after the
murder of our sensei two years ago. Now we must work to lay the groundwork for the
next step, a war of vengeance against the Lion. This will require strengthening our
alliances with the Crane, the Unicorn, and the Scorpion, and also driving wedges between
the Lion and their allies among the Crab and Phoenix. We will also need to ensure the
Imperial families are weakened so that Miya Shikan cannot continue to obstruct us. This
will mean not only ensuring the appointment of a new Chancellor, but also making sure
the office goes to someone who can be counted on to support our war-making efforts.
 Dragon Clan: Kitsuki (addendum)
Family Goal: After our Clan’s spring raid against the Badger Clan, it will be important
to protect our Clan’s diplomatic relations from further aggressive intentions by the
Mirumoto, Tonbo, and Tamori. In particular, we should try to work around them to
improve our current bad relations with the Phoenix Clan, and to reduce our Clan’s
dependency on alliance with the Scorpion. To that end, we should work with the Crane
to try to pry the Phoenix away from their alliance to the Lion. Manipulating the voting
for the Shrine, and influencing which Clan can hold the office of Chancellor, will both be
excellent tools for convincing the Phoenix to abandon the Lion for us.
 Lion Clan
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: We see little value in a “Fortune of Peace” in an Empire built and
sustained by the courage of warriors. Nevertheless, the Son of Heaven has spoken and
we shall obey. As the Emperor’s Right Hand, guardians of Rokugan against all enemies,
it is our proper place to host this shrine – and, of course, we should not allow our enemies
in the Crane, Dragon, Unicorn, or Scorpion to control it. If we cannot win this honor for
ourselves, we should direct it to our allies in the Phoenix Clan, so that their allegiance to
us will be solidified.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: We certainly agree that Imperial Herald Miya Shikan’s power is too
great, and should be counter-balanced properly by other offices such as the Chancellor.
However, we are wary of allowing the power of the Chancellor’s office to fall into the
hands of a Clan like the Crane or Scorpion, which would use it as a club against us.
Likewise, while our allies in the Phoenix are honorable, they would likely use the power
of the Chancellor’s office to continue to prevent war, which would not be in our interest.
Therefore we must be wary when approaching this issue. A Chancellor from one of the
militant Clans, such as the Unicorn or the Crab or even our enemies in the Dragon, would
be to our benefit.

Clan Goal: We have caught rumors that the Dragon Clan recently raided the Badger
lands, the first breach of Shikan’s truce in twenty years. We should try to use this to
drive a wedge between the Dragon and the Crane, while at the same time preparing
ourselves for the larger wars which are sure to come now that the long truce has begun to
fray. In particular, we must work to ensure that our enemies do not drive away our allies
in the Phoenix and Crab, and we should try to disrupt the Crane-Unicorn-Dragon alliance
in any way we can.
 Mantis Clan
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: We have been among the firmest supporters of Miya Shikan’s peace-
making efforts. What better choice than us to host this shrine? This would not only
prove the oft-doubted piety of the Mantis Clan but would also be a suitable loss of face to
all the warmongering Clans on the mainland who choose strife and pride over peace and
prosperity. And if the gifts and benefits of hosting this Shrine further enhance our
commercial dominance of the Empire, so much the better.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: Unlike our Scorpion friends, we do not see any especial value in
appointing a new Chancellor – the Empire has done quite well without one for the last
five years. Still, we might be willing to accept the appointment of a Chancellor if we
could be confident the office would be filled by a samurai who opposes war – a Mantis,
perhaps a Phoenix, one of the Minor Clans (but not Tiger or Tortoise), or a Shikan-
loyalist Imperial. Otherwise, we must regretfully oppose this.
 Minor Clans: Tortoise and Tiger
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: We would certainly advocate that this Shrine should go to one of the
Minor Clans, since it is we who place the highest value on peace within the Empire.
Given our unfortunate reputation, we are unlikely to win this honor for ourselves, but
perhaps we can steer the award to the Fox or the Monkey Clans. Alternatively, the
Phoenix would be acceptable, especially if this could be used to split them from the
warlike Lion. We must definitely not allow the Mantis to win this prize, since they are
already too powerful for our liking.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: This is a transparent attempt to weaken Miya Shikan’s power, and we
should oppose it at all costs. Only if we gain an iron-clad assurance of a peace-lover
getting appointed to this office will we support a new Chancellor.
 Minor Clans: Badger
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: After being victimized this spring by the unjust vengeance of the
Dragon, we are in no position to build any shrine, but we certainly support the ideals of
the new Fortune. We should seek to ensure that the violent Dragon do not win this prize,
and if possible, steer it to one of their enemies – the Phoenix or the Lion.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: A Chancellor will only be a good idea if he can reinforce Shikan’s truce
and prevent us from suffering further misery at the hands of the Dragon. This means we
cannot accept a Dragon Chancellor, obviously, but it also means we must oppose a
Unicorn, Crab, or Lion Chancellor. The Crane are a dubious choice as well – they seem
intent on building a military alliance with the Dragon. Still, perhaps if we draw enough
attention to the Dragon aggression against us, the Crane will be forced to forsake their
alliance. If not, a Phoenix or Imperial Chancellor would be acceptable, or possibly a
Scorpion or Mantis.

Clan Goal: The Dragon raided us this spring, apparently with the tacit consent of the
Unicorn Clan. We must strive to punish them for this, and bring both Imperial wrath and
the enmity of other Clans down on their heads. Truly making them suffer for their deeds
may well prove beyond our resources, but anything we can do to hurt or weaken the
Dragon, and any Clan which backs the Dragon, we should do.
 Minor Clans: Fox, Monkey, Ox, Sparrow
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: We are unlikely to win this prize, and will most likely have no choice but
to sell our vote for whatever influence we can win. Of course, if we do manage to
somehow gain the honor of hosting the Shrine of Peace, it would be a huge benefit to our
humble Clan.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: The Minor Clans are always the first to suffer when times of war come to
the Empire, and the rumors of a Dragon raid against the Badger are an ominous warning
of what may lie in the future. Therefore, we should only support the appointment of a
new Chancellor if the favored candidate is one who can be counted on to maintain Miya
Shikan’s truce and harshly punish any Clan which breaks it.
 Minor Clans: Hare
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: Winning this shrine would be a major step on our ongoing quest to
enhance our position within the Empire and build a shugenja school. A shrine to a major
new Fortune would prove our piety and religious devotion beyond all doubt. It would
also make it far more difficult for the Crab to continue harassing us.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: The Scorpion are our strongest bulwark against the ongoing bullying of
the Crab Clan. Unlike the Phoenix, the Scorpion are right next door, and can intervene
quickly if the Crab are actually so foolish as to threaten us with force. Therefore we
should support the Scorpion firmly on their goal of appointing a new Chancellor. A
Scorpion Chancellor, or for that matter a Phoenix, Mantis, Imperial, or even Crane
Chancellor, can be expected to firmly block any Crab aggression.

Clan Goal: The Crab continue to bully and pressure us over our refusal to rely solely on
their aid to create our new shugenja school. Enough is enough – we are not a Crab
vassal, however much they might wish it. Therefore, we must work to not only cement
our relations with the Scorpion, but also to improve our relations with other Crab
enemies, such as the Crane and the Sparrow, and to drive wedges between the Crab and
those who might aid them, such as the Lion and Mantis.
 Phoenix Clan
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: As the most pious and peace-loving Clan in the Empire, we are the
natural and proper choice to host this shrine, and after the drought and famine of last year
our people badly need the aid which Shikan-sama has promised. We must bend all of our
efforts toward ensuring that our Clan wins the right to build this shrine. The Lion can
probably be counted on to aid us, but their enemies will likely try to steer

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: Although we agree that it is improper for the office of Chancellor to
remain vacant for so long, the Scorpion have proven themselves our enemies, and we
cannot help but suspect that if they win the office, they will use it to further abuse their
power. Nor can we trust the Imperials, the Unicorn, or the Scorpion allies in the Mantis
and Dragon Clans to administer this position justly. Therefore we will only support the
appointment of a new Chancellor if it is a Phoenix, Lion, or Minor Clan samurai who is
to hold the office.

Clan Goal: Last fall, when our Clan faced hunger, an alliance of other Clans refused to
aid us unless we forsook our alliance with the Lion. They were willing to let our peasants
starve for the sake of their political maneuvers and their quest to start an advantageous
war with the Lion. We have not forgotten this. Nor have we forgotten that the Lion
chose to share half of their food with us, even at the cost of deep hardship to themselves.
We will not forsake the Lion now, and we will demand the greatest of apologies and
reparations from the Clans who stood against us – especially the Scorpion, the Mantis,
the Dragon, and the Imperial families. The betrayal of the Imperials especially rankles,
for we have been among the firmest supporters of Shikan’s peace.

We have heard rumors that the Dragon have recently raided the lands of the Badger. This
breach of the peace should give us political ammunition to use against the Dragon and
their misguided allies.
 Scorpion Clan
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: The Scorpion Clan would not presume to name itself as the proper host
of this shrine, although if it is offered to us we will not refuse. However, from a political
standpoint, it may be better to use this shrine as a weapon to encourage rivalry and strife
among the other Clans. An environment of conflict works to our benefit, and the more
rivalries and violence there is in the Empire, the more opportunities there will be for us.
Therefore, we should make promises on every side to encourage all the Clans to be at
each others’ throats over the right to host this shrine – all while maintaining the public
image that we ourselves favor peace. Our only real goal here should be to keep the shrine
out of the hands of our immediate political rivals – the Crane – and our likely enemies –
the Crab.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: Although the other Clans will believe that we are proposing this in order
to take the office of Chancellor for ourselves, this is not actually the case – our true goal
is simply to restore the office, so that someone can counteract the pernicious influence of
Miya Shikan on the Empire. Therefore, our only goal here should be to ensure that the
new Chancellor is not a Shikan loyalist. Beyond that, we have no concern, and we will
be perfectly willing to make public pronouncements renouncing any intention of seeking
a Scorpion samurai for the office.

Clan Goal: The Crab have adopted a policy of threatening and bullying their Minor
Clan neighbors, especially the Hare. We should subtly encourage this by privately
offering our full support and protection to the Hare, so that they will stand firm against
the Crab. Under their new leader Hida Gojiro, the Crab are sure to break the Empire’s
twenty-year truce, and an era of war and chaos is an era which will favor our Clan’s goals
and plans.
 Unicorn Clan
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: Although we have little regard for the ideals of Miya Shikan, it would be
amusing to win this shrine for ourselves, simply to humiliate Shikan and his foolish
ideals. Satisfying as that would be, though, it may be more in our interest to steer this
reward to another Clan which seeks to break Shikan’s truce – such as the Dragon, Crab,
or Lion. It might also be useful to steer it to the Crane, who are not exactly warlike
themselves but certainly can be expected to push the Lion and Crab toward war.
Conversely, we should work to keep this shrine out of the hands of those whose ideals
would be reinforced by it – the Mantis, Phoenix, or Minor Clans.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: We do wish to see Miya Shikan’s monopoly on Imperial power

weakened, however, we must be cautious not to appear too eager, especially since this
was proposed by the Scorpion, with whom we are maintaining the appearance of
hostility. Therefore we should pose as a Clan which opposes any increase in Scorpion
power. Privately, however, we should work to ensure that the restoration of Chancellor
will not put the office in the hands of any pacifistic faction such as the Phoenix, the
Shikan-loyal Imperials, or the Mantis. We will support any other appointment – and yes,
that will include the Lion or the Scorpion, for either one would encourage the eruption of
war and conflict within the Empire.

Clan Goal: Our purpose as always is to strengthen ourselves while spreading conflict,
division, and confusion among our enemies. In this regard, we should seek to undermine
all peace-making efforts and covertly encourage the Crab and Dragon in their aggressive
stances toward their neighbors.
 Imperial Families
The Shrine of Peace: At the last New Year’s Festival, the Emperor proclaimed his
revered ancestor Toturi VI, “the Pious,” to be the new Fortune of Peace, Yasuragi. The
Emperor has commanded that a great shrine be built to honor this new Fortune.
Whichever Clan is willing to undertake the effort and expense of constructing this shrine
will certainly gain great favor in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. Furthermore, the
Imperial Herald Miya Shikan has publicly pledged great gifts of food, wealth, and other
aid to whichever Clan agrees to build the shrine. The value of such gifts might even
exceed the cost of constructing the shrine itself.

Our Position: The Imperial Herald has stated his preference for this shrine to be built in
the lands of a Clan which accepts the value of peace and tranquility within the Empire.
The Phoenix, the Mantis, and the Minor Clans seem the best choices, although we could
perhaps accept the Crane or the Scorpion if they tailor their policies and statements in
such a way as to prove their devotion to peace – this would be especially important in the
case of the Crane, given their open alliances with the warmongering Dragon and Unicorn
Clans.

The Office of Chancellor: The Scorpion have been arguing for over a year that the
Emperor should appoint a new Chancellor to help manage the Imperial Court. They have
now decided to advance a petition for this purpose, and are seeking to gain as much
support as possible for this goal.

Our Position: We have received conflicting directives on this matter. Miya Shikan has
stated his firm opposition to this Scorpion initiative, which he claims is a covert effort to
undermine the Empire’s peace. The Seppun and Otomo daimyo have not expressed
views on the matter, but Otomo Kazuma, the Otomo daimyo’s uncle, has not only
publicly supported the appointment of a new Chancellor but has proposed himself as a
worthy candidate to hold the office. In the face of such conflicting positions, you will
have to rely on your own Honor and judgment to decide which position to support.

Clan Goal: There are many rumors that the Dragon have engaged in a punitive mission
against the Badger Clan – probably with the tacit consent of the Unicorn Clan, given that
any such raid would have to pass through Unicorn territory. We must punish both of
these Great Clans for damaging the sanctity of the truce which Miya Shikan has labored
to maintain for so long.
Rules of the Interactive
During the Interactive, all players and judges should observe the following restrictions
and guidelines in order to ensure that the event runs smoothly.

• No Touching. Touching in public is a major Rokugani taboo, and should be

observed in play. Any player who willingly touches another automatically loses a
point of Honor. Repeated offenses can result in the expulsion of the player from
the Interactive.

• Resolving Events. Players should seek, whenever possible, to resolve their

interactions through role-play rather than by rolling dice. If a player absolutely
wishes to perform an action that requires rolling dice, s/he should seek out one of
the event judges to have their action adjudicated.

• If you say it, they hear it. If players do not want other players to overhear their
words, they should act appropriately – e.g. hide their mouths, speak in low voices,
go into the next room, etc.

• Treaty limitations. PCs are only empowered to negotiate the specific items on
their Clan objective sheets. They can propose other treaties or agreements to their
superiors, but it is the discretion of the Campaign Admin whether any such
agreements go forward.

• You are your character. All statements and actions are considered to be “in
character” unless specifically stated otherwise.

• Status does not always equal Authority. High-Status player-characters only

have authority over other members of their family – they cannot give direct orders
to characters from different families in their Clan, although their position still
entitles them to respect and deference.
 Favors and Gifts: How to Use Them
During this interactive, each member of a Clan delegation receives one or more Favor
tokens to use in support of their diplomatic activities. These represent offering the
promise of future political assistance to persuade a samurai from another faction to
support you on a specific issue (typically one of the major issues listed on the Clan
objective sheets, which are voted on at the end of the Interactive). You may offer one of
your Favors to another character at any time, but must make clear what issue you are
asking them to support when you do so. (Example: “Ah, honorable Crane, surely you can
see that the Lion candidate would be the preferable choice. I can count on your support, I
hope?” – offering favor.)

When someone offers you a Favor, you do not have to accept. However, refusing is
mildly rude, and costs you 2 points of Glory. If you lose 10 or more points of Glory in
this way, you gain 1 point of Honor for every 10 Glory points (rounded up) you lose.

IMPORTANT EXCEPTION: A character who is two or more Ranks of Status above

you can refuse your offer of a Favor without penalty.

If a character accepts a Favor, they are placed under an Obligation to the Clan which
gave them the Favor. This Obligation requires them to vote in the manner that Clan
desires on that one issue at the Interactive.

If a character fails to fulfill their Obligation at the end of the Interactive, they have
dishonored themselves by failing to keep their word as a samurai. They lose the Favor,
lose five points (half a Rank) of Honor – a full Rank if their Honor is 4.0 or higher – and
gain Bad Reputation: Untrustworthy, with an associated gain of Infamy.

Special Cases
Ronin characters do not get a vote in deciding the major events at the Interactive, so
buying them with Favors is unlikely to be useful.

Favors cannot influence high-ranking NPCs such as Family Daimyo and Clan
Champions.

Trading Favors
Once a character has a Favor, they do not have to keep it. They can choose to trade or
gift it to another character. Such personal trades/gifts do NOT create Obligations, nor do
they lift the Obligation on the original character.
 The Empire in 1502 – twenty-first year of the reign of Toturi XII.

Rokugan has enjoyed a long period of peace. The Shadowlands has not been a threat for nearly a century,
since the last so-called “Dark Lord” perished, and the Spider Clan is an ancient shame erased from the
official Imperial histories. Within the Empire itself, the last major war happened over forty years ago – the
War of Bleeding Flowers, which pitted the Lion against the Dragon and Crane. (The Lion won, destroying
the Tsume vassal family and crippling the Dragonfly Clan, which was subsequently absorbed by the
Dragon.) In the last twenty-one years there have been no wars at all, due to the relentless campaign of the
notoriously anti-war Imperial Herald, Miya Shikan.

The Empire has also enjoyed great prosperity, thanks in part to an expansion of trade with the gaijin
peoples. In particular, the Thrane kingdom has established an extensive trade with Rokugan, and now
maintains an ambassador in the capital. Until recently, this trade was monopolized by the Tortoise Clan,
but two years ago the Mantis (who also control trade with the Ivory Kingdoms) persuaded the Emperor to
break the Tortoise monopoly.

Crab Clan: The Crab enjoy unusually high military strength, due to the weakness of the Shadowlands and
their continuing custom of holding Twenty Goblin Winters every few years (they had another last year).
Due to the current peace, however, they have not gained any political edge from their high military
strength. They were spared from the effects of last year’s drought/famine by the generosity of the Crane
Clan. During the 20 Goblin Winter, their Clan Champion died and was succeeded by his son, Hida Gojiro,
“the Beast.” They are currently fostering the Emperor’s youngest son, Kobe.
Good Relations: Lion (loose political alliance), Mantis (trade agreement)
Neutral Relations: Unicorn, Dragon, Phoenix, Crane (non-aggression pact in return for Crane gift of food
last year – however, Yasuki issues and other problems simmer beneath the surface)
Poor Relations: Scorpion (traditional Crab hostility, plus Scorpion support for the Hare), Hare (issues over
Hare attempt to develop shugenja school and greatly improved relations with the Scorpion)

Crane Clan: Over twenty years ago, the Crane Champion died in an epidemic. Since then, the Clan have
been ably guided by his widow, Doji Koneko, called “O-Doji” due to her great political skills.
Unfortunately, since her son Doji Sarutomo became Clan Champion ten years ago, most of her efforts have
gone into counteracting his frequent errors. The Clan’s traditional economic dominance has also been
eroded by the gaijin trade. They fostered the Emperor’s son Toturi Hatsu, and more recently arranged the
betrothal of the Emperor’s eldest daughter Yukihime to Daidoji Kowaru, the Daidoji family daimyo.
Good Relations: Dragon, Unicorn (defensive military pact)
Neutral Relations: Crab (non-aggression pact in return for Crane gift of food last year – however, Yasuki
issues and other problems simmer beneath the surface), Phoenix, Mantis
Poor Relations: Lion (enmity from War of Bleeding Flowers), Scorpion (political power rivalry)

Dragon Clan: The Clan Champion, Togashi Imasu, has made no effort to lead the Clan since his
ascension three decades ago, and the Clan’s families have each followed their own paths. In addition, the
tattooed men fissured back into the Togashi, Hoshi, and Hitomi soon after he took power. There are
rumors that the Dragon raided the Badger lands this spring, in retaliation for the murder of one of their
sensei two years ago.
Good Relations: Crane and Unicorn (defensive military pact), Scorpion Clan (loose alliance, despite
opposition from Kitsuki family)
Neutral Relations: Mantis, Crab, Phoenix (attempts to improve relations with the Phoenix have been
stymied by the Tamori family)
Poor Relations: Lion (enmity from War of Bleeding Flowers), Badger Clan (raid due to death of a Dragon
sensei last year)

Lion Clan: The Lion have enjoyed a strong position for the last several decades, due to Miya Shikan’s
peace effectively “freezing” their military gains from the War of Bleeding Flowers. However, two years
ago their Clan Champion was assassinated by a Tsume ronin, leaving the Clan in the hands of a fifteen-
year-old youth, Matsu Nimoro. They fostered the Emperor’s son Toturi Kobashi, one of the twins whose
funeral this is. The Lion suffered during the drought last year, and shared some of their insufficient food
with the Phoenix Clan.
Good Relations: Crab (loose alliance), Phoenix (alliance)
Neutral Relations: Mantis
Poor Relations: Crane (enmity from War of Bleeding Flowers), Dragon (enmity from War of Bleeding
Flowers), Scorpion (traditional hostility), Unicorn (traditional distrust of “gaijin barbarians”).

Mantis Clan: Of all the Clans, the Mantis have benefited the most from Miya Shikan’s peace, which has
left them free to pursue trade and wealth to the exclusion of all else. Their only recent brush with war was
a crisis with the Scorpion nine years ago, but it ultimately resulted in greatly improved relations with the
Scorpion. The Mantis have fostered one of the Emperor’s sons, Toturi Hizatoru. Last year they broke the
Tortoise monopoly on trade with the Thrane.
Good Relations: Crab (trade agreement), Scorpion (friendship)
Neutral Relations: Crane, Dragon, Lion, Phoenix, Unicorn
Poor Relations: Tortoise/Tiger (trade enmity due Thrane trade)

Phoenix Clan: The Phoenix Clan’s policies are currently dominated by the Jade Champion, Asako
Heishi, who is notorious for his obsession with hunting down the all-but-extinct Bloodspeaker Cult. Much
of the rest of the Empire looks down on him, and his Clan, for their obsession with this obsolete threat.
The Clan suffered badly during the drought/famine last year, although aid from the Lion averted the worst
consequences.
Good Relations: Lion (alliance)
Neutral Relations: Crab, Crane, Dragon (attempts by some Dragons to improve relations have been
blocked by the Tamori family), Unicorn
Poor Relations: Scorpion (blocked Phoenix attempts to gain food aid last year)

Scorpion Clan: The Scorpion have enjoyed an era of significant political influence, due to the Emperor’s
late wife having been a Shosuro. Although this has declined since her death, they remain more powerful
politically than their traditional rivals, the Crane. Their only recent brush with war was a crisis with the
Mantis nine years ago, but it ultimately resulted in greatly improved relations with the Mantis Clan. The
Scorpion have fostered one of the Emperor’s younger daughters, Toturi Hisako.
Good Relations: Mantis (loose alliance), Dragon (friendship)
Neutral Relations: Unicorn
Poor Relations: Crab (traditional suspicion), Crane (political rivalry), Lion (traditional suspicion), Phoenix
(blocked food aid to try to drive them away from the Lion)

Unicorn Clan: The Unicorn are unhappy with the long-standing truce enforced by Miya Shikan, and their
Clan Champion, Moto Temujin, has openly voiced his contempt for the Imperial Herald in the past. The
Unicorn enjoy great wealth from their trade with the Senpet peoples, but are politically weak, and long for
a return of war to the Empire.
Good Relations: Crane (defensive alliance)
Neutral Relations: Crab, Dragon, Mantis, Phoenix
Poor Relations: Lion (traditional hostility), Scorpion (traditional hostility)

Minor Clans: The Minor Clan Alliance is long gone. The Fox Clan have regained their independence
from the Mantis. The Bat Clan, however, has been absorbed by the Mantis, and the Dragonfly Clan is now
part of the Dragon. The Tortoise Clan and its ally, the Tiger (former Yotsu family) have great wealth and
influence due to their control of the Thrane trade, although their monopoly was broken by the Mantis last
year. The Badger recently suffered a raid from the Dragon. The Hare Clan have been seeking aid to start
their own shugenja school, but conflicting demands from the Crab and Scorpion have led to growing
hostility with the Crab.

Imperials: The Imperials are dominated by Miya Shikan, the Miya family daimyo and Imperial Herald.
The Seppun daimyo is an ineffectual bureaucrat, while the Otomo daimyo is a recluse. However, the uncle
of the Otomo daimyo has recently been taking steps to counteract Shikan’s power. The offices of
Chancellor and Imperial Advisor still exist, but have been empty since their last occupants died and retired,
respectively.
• Kitsuki Jiro – Emerald Champion. New to his office, and known as arrogant and mercurial.
• Asako Heishi – Jade Champion. Suffers a poor reputation due to his obsession with the
Bloodspeakers.
 Doji Sarutomo, Crane Clan Champion
School: Kakita Bushi 2
Status: 9.0.
Characteristics: Narcissistic, shallow, overconfident, bitter (toward his mother),
immature, superficially honorable.

Doji Sarutomo has spent his whole life struggling to break free of his mother… and of
himself. In his secret heart of hearts, Sarutomo knows he is not a good man – that in fact
he is weak, sinful, and haunted by past crimes. But he never admits this to himself.
Instead, he pretends that he is a hero, and wallows in stories and fantasies about the great
heroes of the Crane Clan’s past. He dreams of leading the Crane Clan to glory in a great
war, like ancient heroes such as Doji Hoturi and Doji Domotai.

Sarutomo knows his mother does not trust him, that she thinks he is weak and
incompetent. He is determined to prove otherwise, to escape from beneath her shadow
and become the true ruler of the Crane Clan.

Sarutomo hates the Scorpion Clan, and doesn’t care who knows it. They have dominated
the courts for a generation, and it is time for the Crane Clan to reclaim its true position as
the leaders in the court. Anything Sarutomo can do to hurt the Scorpion, he will do.

The Secret
The central plot of “Sleepless Nights” focuses on the dark secret of the Doji family’s
ruling line. Eleven years ago, Doji Sarutomo murdered his first wife, Doji Mikuko, when
she mocked his childish pretensions to heroism. Aside from a few servants, the only
person who knows the truth about this incident is O-Doji Koneko herself, who discovered
him standing over the body. Unable to face the prospect of executing her only son and
heir, she conspired with Sarutomo to cover up the crime, promulgating the story that
Mikuko died in childbirth. This shameful and hideous secret has poisoned both of their
lives, reducing Sarutomo to an angry, helpless dependent while Koneko is perpetually
haunted by the realization that her only failure is her criminal son.

In fact, Kyuden Doji is haunted by the goryo (vengeful ghost) of Mikuko, who will be
present at this Interactive. She will be attempting to subtly (and not-so-subtly) disrupt
and undermine the Crane Clan’s goals. Sarutomo will try to ignore this as much as
possible, and if PCs bring it to his attention, he will try to dismiss and avoid the whole
matter, pretending that he doesn’t understand the problem. He will promise to deal with
the problem but will not actually do so.

Around the mid-point of the Interactive, the GMs should begin spreading rumors (via
PCs who are rumormongers or gossips) that Sarutomo’s current wife, Doji Akane, has
fallen suddenly ill, threatening not only her health but also that of her soon-to-be-born
child. Sarutomo and Koneko will both do their best to laugh off or otherwise quash these
rumors, but the players should be able to tell that they are actually quite worried.
Ultimately, the outcome of this storyline will depend on whether the PCs talk O-Doji
Koneko into resolving the haunting by forcing Sarutomo to publicly admit his crime and
commit seppuku. If he does this, Mukiko’s vengeful spirit will be laid to rest and Doji
Akane (and her unborn son, the heir to the Crane Clan) will be saved. If the PCs do not
convince Koneko, Sarutomo will continue to live his lie, Mikuko’s spirit will continue to
haunt Kyuden Doji… and Mikuko’s curse will kill Akane and her child, leaving
Sarutomo 0-for-3 in the brides department.
 O-Doji Koneko, Crane Clan Matron
School: Doji Courtier 5/Master of Sadane
Status: 8.0
Characteristics: Bitter, caustic, viperfish, cranky, sickly (coughs a lot), ill-tempered,
judgmental, intelligent, well-educated, politically skillful.

O-Doji Koneko is the elderly mother of the current Clan Champion, and widow of the
previous Champion – she served as regent for fifteen years while her son matured, and is
still the “power behind the throne” in the Crane Clan. She is a decrepit old woman,
elaborately made up and dressed, her gray-white hair tied back in an elaborate
arrangement. Her eyes are rheumy, her swollen face sags unevenly, and her mouth
contains only a few stubs of teeth. Despite her outwardly frail appearance, Koneko is
very sharp and perceptive. She has a viperish tongue and an acidic temper, and exploits
the deference owed to age to indulge both.

Koneko is a courtier of incredible skill and talent, but she is haunted by the knowledge
that she has failed at the most important thing in her life – raising her son. She knows
beyond all doubt that Doji Sarutomo is a weak, ineffectual, sinful, and dangerous man,
and that the Clan may well be doomed by his leadership. However, she cannot bring
herself to condemn her only son, and does not know what else to do than to try to
minimize the damage he does to the Clan. This burden has made her even more bitter,
sour, and snarling than age and ill health might have done.

Koneko’s goal here is to simultaneously pursue the Clan’s political goals as effectively as
possible, while preventing her son from screwing things up with his misguided meddling.
In particular, she fears that her son is spoiling for a war to prove his “heroism,” and will
do whatever she can to block any attempt to drive the Crane into war with the Lion, Crab,
or anyone else.

The Secret
The central plot of “Sleepless Nights” focuses on the dark secret of the Doji family’s
ruling line. Eleven years ago, Doji Sarutomo murdered his first wife, Doji Mikuko, when
she mocked his childish pretensions to heroism. Aside from a few servants, the only
person who knows the truth about this incident is O-Doji Koneko herself, who discovered
him standing over the body. Unable to face the prospect of executing her only son and
heir, she conspired with Sarutomo to cover up the crime, promulgating the story that
Mikuko died in childbirth. This shameful and hideous secret has poisoned both of their
lives, reducing Sarutomo to an angry, helpless dependent while Koneko is perpetually
haunted by the realization that her only failure is her criminal son.

In fact, Kyuden Doji is haunted by the goryo (vengeful ghost) of Mikuko, who will be
present at this Interactive. She will be attempting to subtly (and not-so-subtly) disrupt
and undermine the Crane Clan’s goals. Koneko will initially try to ignore this as much as
possible, and if PCs bring it to her attention, she will at first try to dismiss or ignore the
problem. However, if the PCs persist, she will eventually approach Mikuko and confirm
her identity.

Around the mid-point of the Interactive, the GMs should begin spreading rumors (via
PCs who are rumormongers or gossips) that Sarutomo’s current wife, Doji Akane, has
fallen suddenly ill, threatening not only her health but also that of her soon-to-be-born
child. Sarutomo and Koneko will both do their best to laugh off or otherwise quash these
rumors, but the players should be able to tell that they are actually quite worried.

Ultimately, the outcome of this storyline will depend on whether the PCs talk O-Doji
Koneko into resolving the haunting by forcing Sarutomo to publicly admit his crime and
commit seppuku. She will not want to do this but if it becomes clear the Mikuko’s
vengeance cannot be averted, the PCs can convince her by citing the higher importance
of the Crane Clan and her duty to the Clan. If she confronts Sarutomo and forces him to
commit seppuku, Mikuko’s vengeful spirit will be laid to rest and Doji Akane (and her
unborn son, the heir to the Crane Clan) will be saved. If the PCs do not convince
Koneko, Sarutomo will continue to live his lie, Mikuko’s spirit will continue to haunt
Kyuden Doji… and Mikuko’s curse will kill Akane and her child, leaving Sarutomo 0-
for-3 in the brides department.
 Doji Mikuko, Crane Clan Ghost
School: Doji Courtier 3
Status: Effectively 4.0
Characteristics: Bitter, vengeful, beautiful, clever, well-spoken, compulsive.

Doji Mikuko is the goryo (vengeful ghost) of Doji Sarutomo’s first wife. While
seemingly just another Crane attending the celebration, she is actually here to kill
Sarutomo’s current wife (via a curse) and to subtly sabotage the Clan’s diplomacy. Her
behavior should eventually prompt the players to approach O-Doji Koneko and try to
resolve the crisis in the leadership of the Crane Clan.

The central plot of “Sleepless Nights” focuses on the dark secret of the Doji family’s
ruling line. Eleven years ago, Doji Sarutomo murdered his first wife, Doji Mukiko, when
she mocked his childish pretensions to heroism. Aside from a few servants, the only
person who knows the truth about this incident is O-Doji Koneko herself, who discovered
him standing over the body. Unable to face the prospect of executing her only son and
heir, she conspired with Sarutomo to cover up the crime, promulgating the story that
Mukiko died in childbirth. This shameful and hideous secret has poisoned both of their
lives, reducing Sarutomo to an angry, helpless dependent while Koneko is perpetually
haunted by the realization that her only failure is her criminal son.

Mikuko has haunted Kyuden Doji ever since as a goryo (vengeful ghost). When
Sarutomo married again, she cursed his second wife to die in childbirth, the very death
they falsely claimed for her. Now, Mikuko intends to do the same to his third wife, the
former Kitsuki named Akane. However, as the years have passed her thirst for
vengeance has grown to the point where she is now also unable to resist subtly
sabotaging the Clan’s negotiations and diplomacy. Her wrath is such she cannot help but
try to destroy everything Koneko and Sarutomo work for, even though she still thinks of
herself as a “loyal Crane.” This more open behavior on her part will allow the PCs the
chance to realize what is happening and, perhaps, to finally exorcise the poison at the
heart of the Doji family.

Determining Her Nature

If any PCs ask Mikuko why she is behaving in such a negative and disruptive manner,
she will be confused and will try to deny that she is doing anything to harm the Crane
Clan. However, she will not be able to resist slandering and insulting both Koneko and
Sarutomo behind their backs, and she will also not be able to help but make veiled threats
against Sarutomo’s wife Akane. (“It is so tragic that his previous two wives perished in
childbirth – surely he will not be so unfortunate as to suffer a third such terrible loss?”) It
should be noted, however, that she will never directly approach Koneko or Sarutomo, and
will tend to swiftly relocate herself if either of them come near her.

Mikuko will also engage in certain behaviors that can give away her nature:
 • The candles will sometimes go out when she is near them (this can be done by
having the player sneakily blow out or turn off the lights). She will wear a long
garment which conceals her feet – Rokugani ghosts often lack feet, and she is no
exception.
• She will tend to shy away from PCs with a close connection to the spirit world –
Tattooed Men, Kitsu shugenja, members of the Fox Clan or the Komouri family,
Moto Death Priests, and any PC with an Inner Gift or other ability that senses
otherworldly beings. If she is forced to spend time conversing with such PCs, she
will become increasingly fidgety and uneasy, and will finally make up an excuse
to flee their presence.
• She will bitterly mock anyone who speaks of the value of honor or the pleasures
of love. As far as Mikuko is concerned, Honor is a delusion and Love is a cruel
trick played by the Fortunes.
• Finally, she will be oddly ignorant of the last ten years of political events in the
Empire – her knowledge ends with the moment of her death.

Rumors About Akane

Around the mid-point of the Interactive, the judges will spread rumors (via PCs who are
rumormongers or gossips) that Doji Akane has fallen suddenly ill, threatening not only
her health but also that of her child. If any PC mentions these rumors around Mikuko,
she will not claim responsibility, but will subtly gloat about the well-deserved pain
awaiting Sarutomo and Koneko if Akane dies in childbirth. “Perhaps Lord Sarutomo-
sama truly is cursed. I wonder what he could have done to earn such ill fortune?”

Dealing With a Ghost

Once the PCs start to figure out Mikuko is a ghost, they may try undertaking various sorts
of supernatural measures against her, such as performing exorcism/purification rituals.
These methods will cause her irritation, and may cause her to temporarily leave an area,
but they will not seriously disable her – she is tied too deeply to Kyuden Doji to be driven
out by such simple rituals. Furthermore, she will be highly irritated by such attempts, and
will make a point of trying to sabotage the diplomacy of the PCs who participate.

• If any PC directly suggests that Mikuko is a ghost, accuses her of being an evil
spirit, or otherwise makes supernatural allegations against her, she will respond
with outrage. “I am a monster, an evil spirit? You call me evil, when the true
villainy festers in the very heart of our Clan? How dare you, samurai!”

• If a PC specifically asks her what can bring her peace, she will be non-plussed,
but finally says, “Sins must be punished. The killer must pay the price for his
deeds.” She will not elaborate on this, and if a PC asks who “the killer” is, she
snorts: “Let him tell you himself, the coward!”

Resolving the Situation

Ultimately, in order for Mikuko to be appeased and set at rest, Doji Sarutomo will have to
confess his sins and commit seppuku. If this happens, Mikuko will find peace, and will
depart to the Realm of Meido for judgment. Her curse will be lifted and Doji Akane will
survive, giving birth normally.

If this happens, Mikuko will make a brief speech expressing sorrow and forgiveness
before vanishing.
 Maeda Kenshu, Ronin Solider
School: Gaze of Sun Tao/Ronin Warrior 3
Status: n/a (Glory 4.0)
Characteristics: Serious, intelligent, thoughtful, self-controlled, ambitious, gifted.

Maeda Kenshu is a wave-man and minor military genius. He was born into the Maeda
family but felt he had a higher calling than merely serving as a caravan guard and local
protector. After two years wandering the Empire, he discovered a scroll containing some
of the lost writings of the legendary ronin general Sun Tao. After reading them, Kenshu
became convinced that a great era of war was fast approaching, an era when wave-men
could stand up and change the Empire’s fate, much as in the Clan War. He set out to
create his own military force, “Kenshu’s Legion,” to seek glory and victory in the coming
time of violence.

Kenshu’s role here is simply to recruit ronin PCs into his army, providing them with a
patron and a role to play in the future politics and wars of the Empire. He has a total of
five “Kenshu’s Army” certs which he can hand out to ronin who meet his standards.
Kenshu is not looking for samurai who are on Musha Shugyo – he is specifically seeking
out true wave-men who have nowhere else to go. He is looking for both shugenja and
bushi, although bushi take priority. Given the chance, he will attempt to enhance the
appeal of his organization by pointing out that Akuma, the famous ronin who fought in
the Emerald Tournament two years ago, is one of his recruits.
The Crab Letter

The Crab proclaim they have had enough of the arrogance

and deceit of the Hare Clan! We will no longer tolerate this
contemptible behavior on the part of a mere Minor Clan, and
they will pay in blood for their intransigence and insult!

If the treacherous Scorpion stand with the Hare, they too

will pay the price on the battlefield, and they will rue the day
they chose to stand against the might of the Crab!

Hida Gojiro, Clan Champion