• Bayushi Distracter [Courtier]

The Scorpion Clan often approaches court, like war, as a domain where misdirection and confusion are its most potent allies. Although the Bayushi Courtier School focuses primarily on blackmail as its favored weapon, the school’s sensei also teach specialized techniques in spreading false information. The more rumors and confused gossip suffuse a court, the easier it is for the Masters of Secrets to prevail.

Replaces: Bayushi Courtier 3

Requirements: Sincerity (Deceit) 3

Technique: Smoke Screen - The Distracter specializes in spreading false information in order to confuse and disrupt his opponents. When in conversation with another individual, you may roll Sincerity (Deceit) / Awareness against the target’s Investigation / Awareness to inflict misinformation on a specific topic. (If the target possesses a directly relevant Lore skill, he may substitute Lore / Intelligence for the Investigation roll.) If successful, the target’s future discussions of that topic are weakened by his false information; he must call a Raise for no effect any time he makes a Social Roll involving that topic. You may call Raises on the Contested Roll to increase the number of non-effect Raises the target must call.

If the target fails to call the Raises (or is unable to call them due to insufficient Void Rank) he is considered to automatically fail the Social Skill Roll. At the GM’s option, a character who calls the Raises and then fails his Social Skill Roll due solely to those Raises may embarrass himself in public due to his display of false information, resulting in a loss of 1-5 points of Glory (depending on the importance of the topic). The effects of this Technique last one week, and it cannot target the same person within the same week.

• Shosuro Defilers [Courtier]

The Defilers are an elite group within the Scorpion who specialize in the destruction of reputations, skillfully spreading lies and calumnies against their opponents, often lies backed with just enough truth to make them effective. They tend to be prominent figures whose vicious tongues earn them many enemies, and their tactics can sometimes rebound back on them - especially if the target of their words has a better dueling champion than they do. However, a true Defiler is more than ready to give his life in return for shattering the name, honor, and repute of an enemy of the Scorpion.

Replaces: Bayushi Courtier 3 or Shosuro Actor 3

Requirements: Sincerity (Deceit) 3, Glory Rank 3.0 or better

Technique: Shameless Slander - The Defilers forsake blackmail and manipulation in favor of smearing and destroying their foes. If you slander someone in court, either directly or indirectly, you may roll Sincerity (Deceit) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower; if you are able to base your slander on a real secret or disgrace involving the target, you gain a +1k1 bonus to the roll (GM's discretion). If you succeed in the roll, the target is humiliated and disgraced, losing a number of points of Honor and gaining a number of points of Infamy equal to your current Glory Rank. If he does not promptly and effectively answer your slander (GM's discretion, but in general the victim should have to make a concerted effort within the first week after he has been targeted), he also loses 1 Rank of Devotion from all of his Allies. The Defiler's attacks are not without rank. If you lose the Contested Roll, your blatant insults degrade your own reputation, lowering your Glory by 3 points. This technique cannot target the same person more than once per month.

• Isawa Temple Guardian [Shugenja]

Countless temples and holy sites throughout the Emerald Empire have benefited fromt he 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.

Replaces: Isawa Shugenja 3

Requirements: Earth 4, Lore: Theology 3

Technique: Never This Sacred Ground Shall Fall - The Temple Guardians of the Isawa family are well known for the power they bring to bear against all who threaten the holy places of the Empire. When defending a sacred location such as a shrine, temple, or monastery, you gain a Free Raise on all Earth spells. In addition, when defending a sacred location you may spend one Void Point (as a Free Action) when casting any Earth spell that inflicts damage in order to grant it the Jade keyword.

• 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 to eager to bear.

Replaces: Isawa Shugenja 2

Requirements: Lore: Elements 3, Spellcraft 3

Technique: Embrace the Elements - There are those among the Phoenix whose chi is so strongly attuned to the essence of a single Element that they are able to accomplish incredible things by studying that Element to the exclusion of others. You gain an additional Affinity in any one Element for which you already possess an Affinity. You gain a Deficiency in all other Elements. For example, if you are a Rank 1 Isawa with an affinity for Fire, when you advance to this Technique, you will be a Rank 2 shugenja capable of casting Mastery Level 4 Fire spells, but only Mastery Level 1 spells of all other Elements.

• The 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.

Replaces: Isawa Shugenja 3

Requires: Fire 3, Battle (Mass Battle) 3, Fire affinity.

Technique: Menacing Flames - Members of the Inferno Guard learn how to employ certain Fire spells to maximize the apparent threat they represent to opponents. When casting any Fire spell that does not list “One Target Creature” or “One Target Individual” as its Area of Effect, you may either spend a Void Point or expend an additional Spell Slot to give the spell an additional effect of Fear X, where X is the Mastery Level of the spell.

• Jade Magistrate [Any]

The Jade Champion combats criminals who abuse the arcane, and his magistrates enforce his will. The Jade Magistrates are trained to recognize these crimes and quickly dispense justice. These warriors mainly hunt maho-tsukai and Bloodspeakers, all those who perform profane magic within the Empire’s borders.

Replaces: Any Bushi, Courtier, or Shugenja School, Rank 4

Requirements: Lore: Law 3, Spellcraft 3, must receive an appointment as Jade Magistrate before this Path can be entered

Technique: Scent of the Kami - A servant of the Jade Champion is a master at deciphering the mysteries of the kami. You may make a Perception / Spellcraft Skill Roll to identify any spells cast in an area during the past forty-eight hours. The TN for this roll is equal to the basic TN to cast the spell in question (which is to say its Mastery Level x 5, plus 5).

• Doji Apologist [Courtier]

Even the most honorable samurai may occasionally commit an error of etiquette or make a misstep in a conversation. The Apologists are a group within the Doji Courtier School who are trained specifically to cover for the errors of less-polished comrades and allies, both within and without the clan. After all, a samurai who has been saved from embarrassment is one who may listen with a friendly ear to other things the Doji have to say.

Replaces: Doji Courtier 4

Requirements: Etiquette (Courtesy) 5

Technique: All Is Forgiven - The Apologists can smooth over incidents that would ordinarily disgrace other samurai. You can erase the damage done by a Minor Breach of Etiquette (including any associated Glory or Status loss) with a Social Skill Roll of Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness at TN 25. You may reduce a Major Breach of Etiquette to a Minor Breach by successfully calling 2 Raises on this roll. With 5 Raises, you can reduce a Blasphemous Breach of Etiquette to a Major Breach - subject to the GM’s permission (some violations are simply too severe to be mitigated). The Apologist must act promptly in order to resolve an incident before its consequences become set in stone. In general, a Minor Breach can only be repaired within a number of hours equal to twice your Insight Rank, while a Major Breach must be repaired within that many minutes, and a Blasphemous Breach must be mitigated immediately after it takes place. (The GM may adjust these times if it seems appropriate to the specific circumstances.)

GM’s Note: The Apologist can only cover for the errors of others, not for himself. The GM may choose to reduce the Honor loss for a breach of etiquette that has been mitigated, to represent the character recovering a sense of moral worth through the mitigation of the error, but the character should always lose at least 1 point of Honor.

• Doji Innocents [Courtier]

The tradition of the Innocents focuses on upholding Honesty even in the nasty world of politics, avoiding falsehood at all costs and calling on the strength of their honor to lend their words weight.

Replaces: Doji Courtier 3

Requirements: Honor Rank 5.0 or better, Sincerity (Honesty) 4

Technique: The Power of Innocence - The Innocents forgo the traditional Crane method of building favor networks through gifts and favors. Instead, they win allies by speaking the truth in all cases. In any situation in which the Crane could gain advantage or protect their interests by lying or concealing the truth from a specific person, the Innocent may choose instead to tell that person the truth, then roll Sincerity (Honesty) / Awareness against the target's Investigation (Interrogation) / Perception. With a success, the target realizes what the Crane has just done and is deeply impressed by the Innocent's devotion to honor and truth. With the GM's permission, the Innocent gains the target as an Ally with 1 point of Devotion. This Technique may be used multiple times on the same target, with each success increasing Devotion by 1 (to a maximum of 4 points); however, it cannot target the same person more than once per month. Any time an Innocent knowingly tells a lie, he loses 2 points of Honor (over and above any other circumstantial Honor loss that might apply) and is unable to use his Technique for a period of one month.

• Ikoma Historians [Courtier]

The Ikoma Historians are a specialized sub-group within the Ikoma courtly schools, recruiting students from both the Omoidasu and the Lion’s Shadow. They are an elite group within the family, charged with supervising the Empire’s official histories, and regard their duties as a sacred trust. They frequently make use of their access to the secrets of the Empire’s history to protect both Imperial and Lion interests, and most of the members of the hidden Ikoma-Shosuro alliance are drawn from their ranks.

Replaces: Ikoma Bard 3, Ikoma Lion’s Shadow 3

Requires: Lore: History 5

Technique: The Past and the Present - The Ikoma Historians are tasked with comprehensively recording the official histories of the Empire - and also with concealing inconvenient aspects of that history. You are expected to always be ready to record the events around you, and as such you are trained to memorize and perfectly recall anything worthy of inclusion in the historical records. When you take this Path, you acquire the Advantage Forbidden Knowledge (Empire’s True History). You gain a Free Raise on all Calligraphy rolls and you may roll Lore: History / Intelligence at TN 25 to accurately recount any incident you have witnessed and any story you have heard, down to the smallest detail - including details you may have missed at the time.

• Ikoma Orator [Courtier]

Although all traditional Ikoma are trained as battlecriers, inspiring their fellow Lion on the field by recounting the deeds of their ancestors, some in the clan have found ways to adapt such methods for the courts. The Lion historians credit the first Orator as Ikoma Tasuki, a skilled courtier from the time of the Gozoku, whose intense speeches on behalf of the Empress Yugozohime were instrumental in cementing her power and convincing many former Gozoku from the Crane and Phoenix to retire or commit seppuku. After his fortieth birthday, Tasuki was permitted to start a dojo and teach his speech-making methods to other Ikoma.

Replaces: Ikoma Bard 3

Requires: Sincerity 4, Lore: Bushido 3, Perform: Oratory 4

Technique: The Voice of Bushido - The Orators use their speechmaking powers to draw attention to the honor of their side and the dishonor of their foes. You must give a speech (suggested of at least five minutes’ length) before a court or similar audience to activate this Technique. If you are targeting an ally with the speech, you roll Perform: Oratory / Awareness at TN 30. If you are targeting an enemy, you either make the same roll (if the enemy does not respond), or make a Contested Social Roll of your Perform: Oratory / Awareness against his Sincerity / Awareness (if he does respond).

A successful speech for an ally grants that ally one of the Paragon of Bushido Advantages for one week, while a successful speech against an enemy inflicts one of the Failure of Bushido Disadvantages on that enemy for one week. (If the enemy character has the corresponding Paragon of Bushido Advantage, you instead deny the use of that Advantage for one week.) You cannot affect the same person with this Technique twice in the same month. GM’s Options: GMs who wish to add more depth to the Ikoma Orator’s abilities may choose to let the target’s onor, Glory, and Infamy affect the rolls required to use the Voice of Bushido technique. When targeting an ally, the TN to bestow the Advantage is reduced by the target’s Honor Rank and Glory Rank, but increased by his Infamy Rank (if any). When targeting an enemy, the reverse applies - Honor and Glory increase the TN, while Infamy reduces it.

• Ikoma Scrapper [Bushi]

It is sometimes forgotten that Ikoma was not only a storyteller but also a rather vicious hand-to-hand fighter. In modern times, much of Ikoma’s less-reputable legacy is found in the obscure Lion’s Shadow school, but the Lion Clan also maintains a more public and honorable dojo which teaches a simple hand-to-hand technique inspired by Ikoma’s legacy.

Replaces: Akodo Bushi 4, Matsu Berserker 4, Ikoma Lion’s Shadow 4, Ikoma Bard 4

Requires: Strength 4, Jiujutsu 5

Technique: Every Scar Has a Name - The Scrapper learns that so long as he can call on the same courage and ruthlessness as Ikoma himself, he is never truly unarmed. You may attack as a Simple Action with unarmed strikes and improvised weapons (if you did not already have the ability to do so). Your vicious attacks can disorient and terrify your opponents. Once per skirmish, if you strike unarmed or with an improvised weapon, you may call two Raises to make your attack inflict a Fear effect on the target, with a Rank equal to your Insight Rank.

• Yasuki Extortionist [Courtier]

Some among the Yasuki, mainly in the Crab but also sometimes in the Crane, eschew their family's more conventional mercantile pursuits in favor of the practice of moneylending. Although this is considered especially disreputable activity for a samurai, it can also be hugely profitable - there are always both commoners and samurai who need additional funds, and the concept of paying interest is so strange to them that they usually do not realize how badly the Yasuki are taking advantage of them.

Replaces: Yasuki Courtier 4

Requirements: Willpower 4, Commerce 4, Intimidation 5

Technique: Do Me a Favor - The Extortionists specialize in rooting out the financial weaknesses of potential customers and then pressuring them into calling on Yasuki assistance. If you have supplied something your target needs, whether money or material goods (this coudl be achieved through role-play and/or by using the Yasuki Rank 1 and Rank 3 Techniques), you may make a Contested Social Roll of your Intimidation (Control) / Willpower against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. With a success, they find the arrangement has left them deeply in debt to you. You may either inflict an Obligation on that person (if the GM judges they have the ability to pay you back) or a Blackmail on them (if the GM judges they cannot pay you back). The default point value of the Disadvantage in either case is 3, but the GM may modify this if circumstances make it appropriate.