[EXTENDING THE [ADVENTURE ‘Court of Sons an cacellen source of Inspiration fr GMs ‘who wish play . cout the rex ofthe ‘winter Court andthe downloadable content for Winter's Embrace Indes another ploy ‘CHANGING THE YEAR ‘OFTHE ADVENTURE ‘Game masters should adjust the date ofthe adventure osu their ‘campaign, With some ‘changes, the adventure an easily be set at any point in Rokugan’s past ‘orf, WINTER'S EMBRACE Winter's Embrace Winters Embraceis an adventure forthe Legend ofthe Five Rings Roleplaying Game, Players should not read material past this point. Over the course ofthis adventure the player Characters must navigate the dangerous political curents of ‘he Winter Cour at Kyéden Daj, lest they find thernsolves ‘rapped in the whipool of competing political schemes of ‘the traditional Crane Clan the unconventional Mantis Clan, and the allies and enemies of both. The reputations of both clans are at stake, as is the identity ofthe future Empress. It is strongly recommended that the game master read through Winter’ Embrace in its entirety to become familiar with the cast and storylines before running it ADVENTURE BACKGROUND (GM ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT) “The year is 1122 of the lswa Calendar. It has been two {yeas since a terble tsunami struck Crane lands, anc one: ‘year since a massive typhoon hit the southern coast. The ‘once high-and mighty Crane have begun to fee! the pain ‘of two successive failed harvests, although based upon the beauty and marvels on dsplay at this years Winter Court, 2 guest could scarcely guess the Crane had fallen on hard times. For the Crane, iis imperative that they continue to seem unaffected. IFthe Crane Clan falters, the Lion Clan is wating to swoop in and reclaim the Osari Plains and the cy ‘of Toshi Ranbo, which have been contested for generations. ‘To that end, the Lion Clan seeks to dive @ wedge ‘between its enemy—the Crene—and the Mantis. The Crane ‘and Mantis have strained relations—the Crane suspect the ‘Mantis are behind several pirate attacks on their coast, while ‘he Mantis are frustrated with the Cranes traditionalism. The lon’ koma family, namely Ambassador koma Ujak, knows the Lion Clan can benefit fom inflaming tensions between _ the Crane and Mantis Clans. To foster hestites, an koma The Mantis hope to seize the stage at to put forward one af their own forthe ADVENTURE Oven, Springs for sowing, summers or waging war harvest, and winters fe politics, While va! orimpossible, the samurai ofRokugan winterin ‘easles and contiue their poltical gamesmanc, less provincial and family caimyé host winter co stronghold to honor their vials and ensure Ata winter cour, oil business is conducted sv and betothals are announced, woaties are nego. disputes are resolved. The tue Winter Cour, honeve place wherever the Emperor attends, and each yea ferent palace is selected forthe honor. This yea, Daj hosts His imperial Majesty and his retin celebrate the recent ascension of Doj Hota to theee Gane Clan Champion. More in-depth information on th. Winter Court can be found on page 18 in Courts ofS This adventure represents a two-week span of tme during the monthsong proceedings, and only ove » the many schemes being played out. Ifthe GM wishes torun a full Winter Cour, this could be used as an dluctory intrigue forthe player characters leaving many mote plots to unravel after the conclusion of Winters Embrace. If GMs wish to add in an additional sor Ine to this adventure, they can find a free, downloadable supplement entitled The Scroll or the Blode at hp www fantasyflightgames.com/en/legend-of-the-ve fings-roleplaying-game/ to expand upon the intrigue of the Winter Cour. The adventure begins with an invitation to tea wth the venerable Kakite Ryoku, a courtier of the Crane Ryoku humbly requests that the PCs determine why and how the Mantis were invited to the Winter Cour, as they were not on the original quest ist as far as sho Knows, Ifthe PCs do this for her—and track down she invitation used to invite the Mantis—they will cury ‘great respect with the Crane Clan, and Ryoky wil owe ‘each PC or their daimyo a favor. As they conduct their investigation, the PCs must decide whom they can ust and whom they should avoid. in the process, the PCs are forced to balance the fine arts of negotiation, sub- ‘erfuge, and even potentially comance. thei o that of determining the future Empress that cou further tei ation tobecone 3 ‘Mantis put forth their own candidate for the Magami. At the same tie, Kaka 10 secure the betrthal of Doj Chives.WINTER'S EMBRACE THe ADVENTURE STRUCTURE EMERALD INVITATIONS. ROMANCE AND PLAYERS ieee nce ees ee “The adventure is divcled up into two weeks of in-game | passion te This advriw presets cpporniin fr Ca | tine. A uch gue tothe mah evra ech day ona et ‘eng29e in romantic relationships with NPCs | be found asa fre download at waufantasyfightgames, | te mse frs of Before ply begin the GM shoud guge each | _comvenegendoshe fveringeleplnyinggame. Car | Me ar en Player’ interest in roleplaying a romantic relation= tain days feature an intrigue or challenge for the PCs to | Smineys mmber of ship by asking directly whether they wou be | overcome, while ther deysare quieter allowing the ply- | fran io dra interested indoing so during this adventue.Only | ero pursue eade and lationship in ther own fashion. | ower thy wish Do playersiwho express clarinterest shoud be pre- | ‘The group can make use of downtime activites in com | Sete. th carat Em SSIs ceretniy leer thascierng |< Sinton with roratve cones ve dental (ma page 246 | “a Chnrin Sins eee ee chance cles oc nore wlorewtn on contin | Ue een wi areunsureochestantshouldnotbe presed. | Scenes. Each day or st of days also includes side events | Fhe Rings exianer “The GM should be sue to emphasize thatthe | forthe PCs to witness and rumors forthe PCs uncover. | Game pesaty Blverscanchangethekmind atanytereferany |] Howoves.GM should fal eo toremove, dd or merge_| ‘omer ch mat Teason, and without needing to supply a reason days as it fitsinto the rhythm of their group. ‘pris ieee tothe GMorgroup. The GM should checkin with daring the eve Piya vio pusung coups wnyoter | CHARACTER GoALs session to make sure they are still interested, okay ae eee. atberan tices with the tone ofthe ovrctip tt wble ang Whla Winters Embrace ha plenty ofintige, the sakes faveg tin Additonal eM srcakl acer | _ tewhen the PCsare drawn into theplt because oftheir Fas ith he oreie sce fthoy ee canta, | Pesonal interests and clans goale—and he prospect of Sucvihiomanebonjolepigcervctse | Kt Ryoks taking ce of tose mater fo them. Ech «aie romance being weployed atthe bie. | ayer should work with the GM to choose one of the cusswih the goup ihe GM stoddroteoume | Serbesed galled under thir lars delegation ee eee eee es cence renee | The Dalagntions of the Winter Cour The Oslegstons able ih ping rane spots Hone of | 12 {e Wires Cour’ on page 3 rough “ioral teres agree pumac an NEC rnaneay, | Delegations” on page 7, ovat one based on thei Gecucnnte tepmermdeadactwm | Sserernhjdandgit These gealscanatobessedio. | wren ane ctnacadilconrbecanice, | Pueneompleatonsiwe pepe 3Pintecoreriebock | aussinets Pee te iran tthe atke sence eral reams tele nares he Ov Sed enin | - ea ee ai ealerere e Delegations to | secre fem reasat cre ty Sd ie ope ares ante aay (He Witter Court | iid. a asroup, the player and GM shuld replaced with platonic friendships to avoid any joni ple: OR ployer discomfort, especialy if any payers ace | A.dslegaton isa colecion of samurai sent tothe Winter_| wanto py cop Experiencing dacomfor om being atthe table | Cour to represent the wishes of he can champion and | sr orcompttine where a romance scene i taking place. their lan asa whole. In cases where the clan champion is | Same a Gare notin atendinceautory conduct bunessonbshall_| fect pi te the ‘of the clan has been delegated to these individuals they re able tornake and break promises, sign treaties, declare | 10a consensus before Hotaru, to the Emperors heic The areable tornake promises, ig Sac i ferysuggerion thatthe Manis ae yng to bevoth Lady dul and arange mariages without fet having wo wite | eT cam Matas the aown panceis scandalous, sncethetola of _totheirchampontoreceve permision While the delege- | Sethe game he P= Empress is considered far above their station. The PCscan_fonspresent unified front, they are often intemally divid- | may become amagorists So ced regarding what should be done and prioritized. {orone note nd may expose the Mantis! ambitions to the court and hurt Soreeinis ‘their contender during the Kabuki production of The Tale Delegations to the Winter Court typically comprise one | Senne (Sr or ihe tae Ee nied eats eer ee FE aa et cate up the _vesand unc vio wok btind sans Dalton | trem arte eo dae haa ae ee ret tea ct i pres roaiel Iona ‘mind that each family in a can has atleast two to thee caly makeup players and they come second cousin to Dojownership of fic parcel of lanc vig: suiethgtetouse’t | 3 cory, the fords ofthat ond are likey pe vith parc | eagaton, Monks may be induced in 2 delegation WinTER COURT jpcrommedatons are provided the delegations in mae tse i Fantastic Gardens. of pe Cone Guns ho po part of ors Boe = nr an = erro. —co metho be bry Fatal on pare howe ad walies ad furs Guesthouses 3 THE CRAB CL The Cral ‘Ae attacks on the Wall increase in nents, jade, and warric precious. The Crab’s even more precious. ‘quantity of koku would be a boon: 20, 00 would help the long way, bu They have lite to spare in exc thee samurai to grasp the importance of t Possible individual goels for Cra The personal battie stand | of your ancestors fll into the hand | during a border skirmish between t | Daidoji farniies. Your lord refuses to | lou esures etatng the stand eee eee ion at they can} life until the stands @ The River of Gold, which runs beween scons, disproportionately affecting the C whieh lack any wetlands to absort the extra fall. The Crab shugenja are too busy | the danger at the Wal, soit falls to you te | the Crane's Asahina to help quell the ar | ther Crabs how to soothe the spirt kami, either by direct interver THE CRANE CLAN HOST Atheclon hosting the court at kyiiden Do, the has the largest delegation, with an entire palace of ser and quards at their disposal. Ostensibly, t Vide a comfortable pla th sts, while att athe decatepaomancon aes ragnt banuty of thr gardens ney, Primary goal is to preserve the they ae infra in Rekugo’ ples 210 mporant aie forthe cerhave, despite ther falingforunes. This year the Cranehave ‘only 50,000 koku to trade for aiances and other boons, ‘whichis las than half their usual supply, Possible incvidual goals for Crane characters: @ You seek to share your an withthe rest of Rokugan and eam fame f 1 for yourself and your school. Your lord has given you permission to petition another clan forthe chance to perform in its cours in the next year Doji Chiyos, apprentice to Kakita Ryoku, must ‘make a good impression at this Winter Court in ‘order to be considered for a high position in the Forbidden City. Wherever possible, she must be putin a position to succeed and capture the notice of important Imperial dignitaries, THE DRAGON CLAN DELEGATION ‘The winters have grown longer and harder, and there are fewer people in the Dragon lands to cutvate the fields ‘What the dan needs most this year is rice: 10,000 koku's worth to feed its samurai, or 30,000 total to feed the pess- fants as wel. In exchange, the Dragon can accept students to the Mirumoto and Kitsukl schools, and they can spare 2 few Mirumoto-trained yojimbd and monks of the Togashi WINTER'S EMBRACE A QUICK GUIDE TO THE MAIN ACTORS ‘Asahina Takako: Daughter ofthe Asshina family daimyo, up-and-coming artifice, and pres ‘overseeing the co pation (page 20) Daj Chiyoe: Secand cousin to Daj Hotar candidate for betratha to the coun price, ‘apprenticed to Kata Ryoku (page 30) Doli Hatsuhina: Deputy seneschal of Kyiden Do bites rte, Otomo Koryusais exlover aj Shigeru: Crane Clan ci who moonlight asthe legendary Lady Shik, cur rently slate to stain the role of Doj Mioko in The Tile ofthe Fishermans Daughter page 30 tkoma Rumiko: Famed Kabuki actor cast as the island spirit in The Tale ofthe Fisherman's Daughter, and secretly an tkoma Shadow shi rnabi of the Lion Clan and forger of the Mantis invitation page 26) Kakita Ryokur: Legendary courtier and we the farmed novel Winter, stl heavy invoh Rokugani politics (page 25) Lady Magami: Nicos of Yortomo and candidate or and performer |e oe ‘our the GM ean ice the res or bonds ‘described 0 ge 13601 ‘ouncef ton. tla re downlod Sb conten stale | fase Legend ofthe | ites one sehr | imo thc Witercoue | shi sapement | cata bensesin Semi a dcson | arcu mess war or Pea tctrecna | |e Miya Satooi: Imperial Herald witha hidden ager | | DO" ee Beata acho ors on) Boeken inrectinanc Tattooed Order to serve ina court for year Possible individual goals for Dragon characters © AtKyliden Doj, the Crane Clan has in their pos. session a fan whose silk was made from the robes bf great prophet and is sid to possess miracu- fous healing abilities. You, o someone you know, ‘could be fully healed ofa lasting injury if they ‘could be touched by this legendary nemurana. ‘You, or one of your relations, needs to find @ spouse—preferably one of lower status with Ikoma attempted to bribe and exlover of Dej Hetsuhina (290 28) Susano-o no lzen: Tusted captain in the Mantis) ‘toc Fleet and one of Lady Magami retainers (poge 29), Lord Yoritomo: Mantis Clan Champion and leader of the Storm Fleet, as well as Lady Magami’s uncle (page 31) many children from a previous marriage. The Dragon Clan desperately needs more samurai to protect its borders. Possible individual goals for Imperial characters @ Otomo Koryussi—a dilchoad frend of your lord or THE IMPERIAL FAMILI IES telative—is distracted, longing for his former fian- a SS a ‘ke, DojiHatsuhina, They vl both be in attendance “The Imperial contingent pursues the same agenda thet See he aa nana Trani does dueng Wher Cours: to keep the Great ere rention focused on each other so that no clon cre ato poee a teat to the Hote tne and to dele Bee re ent la vat corte | 00 Mya Caromening i 9 De eaaaethe Imperial families favorably. The Inperals must rap collection inal of Rokugan Copies ofthe ‘and possibly oly—opportunity to help them patch ‘things up, reurite as lovers, or move on play the game of appearing exclusive enough thet their ‘dan’s historical maps ofthe Osar Plains would itention seems special, while tthe same time remaining be invaluable in resolving the dispute between approachable. For the most par, they get t9 enjoy the the Lion and the Crane over this region. You entertainments ofthe host clan as well as the goodwill of are asked to acquire copies of those maps and : the clans seeking to curry favor with the Emperor. ‘ensure their authenticity. che. oeWINTER'S EMBRACE oromo's flagship, th Biter Wind voit pavidual goals for Mantis characters sine THe MAP THE LION CLAN DELEGATION Possible indi idual 9 ; i va ne of your exw oF relations wes mistakenly Ree] Wilacownnntrgrnimmectrnth | © Onin rc! theca ose Imaerstattman |G Cre, eg dow, Arig cn tO arrested in ceils situsen Dats | on tirtckfoot—or beter yet Fe hurt boi Inport you recive pardon a ther smniartline: | Ve ctor company fhe Wire Court So Paha eatin be eckednthe mei ce | ars Gan Chapin Acro Ari. te pat Se Gungeons—or worse, Nomburnepaeraa | fort cantorega bw of et arb there ve Mantis seek to establish an embassy along regan they te Th Seca | area cnteeatcre | * hideumeemntret crn ie Ceremitts | yl op atnoting sacl nte meant Me eer ow aur nde oymorcensypio | re seckng 40,000 kok to supply te war efor sey re oman Lonel Shore Cy sei ihe Port That Never Sleeps are prime loca- Possible individual goals for characters tions for this outpost Tn fe dens ‘@ After an embarrassing incident, your lord has recornmended the end ofthe Winter Court as the time to embark on a musha shugyd—a warriors journey to restore your honor, and the omens ‘gree, This may be your chance to visita part of Rakugan you've never visited before, of beyond the Sand Road, the lands of Spice and Sik, or the bounaless seas, However, receiving permission ‘complete the joumey through another cans land requles negotiations during ths Winter Court @ The peasants of the Crane have taken to fishing in the Lake of Sorcows, which shares a border “with the Lion Clan and js sometimes haunted by the spirits ofthe nearby Red Lake, This sactlege cannot be borne silently, and the Crane mast forbid their vassals from continuing to disturb the sacred waters. The Lion Clan would gladly ‘take stewardship of the lake shore villages to censure these peasants are properly supplied, so ‘thay no longer need to fish for themselves. THE PHOENIX CLAN DELEGATION 10 learn whether other clans have The Phoenix wish * lances of the kami been suffering from elemental imbal: tuithout alerting the others to the imbalances affecting Phoenix lands, (Sometimes, the Isawa shugenja have een unable to commune with the kami of one ele- rent, while the kami of another element have respons 24 forcefully and violently) The Phoenix usuelly have surplus koku to trade, but this yea, it's seeking 10 reise 20,000 koku to restore its shrines in an attempt to plo- cate the disquieted kami. The more it can raise, the ‘grander the renovations can be. Possible individual goals for Phoenix characters: © Your immediate family has safeguarded a small gemiike egg for generations. Recently the i: descent shell has begun to shine like sunlight reflecting off waves. You have been tasked with ‘communing with the spirt within the eag and then taking it to hatch beneath the watchful (gaze of the statue of Suitengu, the Fortune of the Sea, at the sunken Sea-King's Palace, but ‘such a place is taboo to samurai from outside the Crane Clan, _ THE MANTIS CLAN DELEGATION “The Manis want o be considered equal in status to the Great Clans and tobe recognized fr their contributions to the Empire. Inthe pursuit ofthis goa, Yeritomo attempting to install a Mants as Empress, but the only of the delegation who know ths are Lady | © a Bi Sinto-o zen. (PCs belonging to the ot be pry to Yor Ina recent fire at a shrine to Kaze-no-Kami the Fortune of the Wind, rae scrolls fom the fourth century were lost and must be replaced. The Crane's Asahina family should have copies, a8 its founder was Isawa Asahina, a Phoenix Maste™ of Airin the fourth century. However, like most -shugenja families, the Asahina are reluctant ‘© Jet others into ther libraries—much ess to allow them to transcribe copies.THE SCORPION CLAN DELEGATION Newly ascendant in the Forbidden City, the Scorp. fon are interested in maintaining and expa influence, and Winter Cour leled opportunity to do. memory, the ter oor the fst time in Bing an hes more surplus to ofr in trade and lft than even the Crone: 40,0 hot's worth Benides brokering allanes, the Scorn primary purpotes at the Winter Gout ae 1 gather nel Genco (especialy bases or lace arto ati iyo counter any immediate teas to thet poll hegemony—such as a rse in Crane Clan fortunes, Possible individual goals for characters © One of your elatives wishes ta make a bold fashion statement in the coming year. They have asked you to obtain a unique robe ta: lored by the sile weavers of the Mantis Clan, but they do not have enough personal funds to cover the expence. @ Kakita Ryoku has been laid low, but she must not be allowed to rise to prominence in the Imperial Court again. You must prevent her from achieving any public success, and thwart her private schemes as well ‘The Darkest TIMELINE If the GM feels that a more forceful hook is needed to bring together a disparate party, or fa darker tone for the adventure is desired, the GM might substitute Kakita Ryoku with Bayushi Kachiko. In this version of the Winter Cour, either the PCs must full a favor their lord owes to Kachiko, or they or their lord are being blackmailed by Kachiko. If the PCs are all Scorpion, then they can be pursuing their normal duty. Kachiko still wants to discover how and why the Mantis were invited, but armed with that knowledge, she asks the PCs to support Lady Magami against Doji Chiyoe. Surely a backwater girl willbe easier to manipulate that someone who has benefited from Kakita Ryoku's tute- Jage—and Ryoku’s connections. She also wants Maga ‘mi to know the Scorpion can help her. WINTER'S EMBRACE THE UNICORN CLAN DELEGATION The Unicom seek les and, mote importantly, accop- | tis drt can tance of their ways. Unicom khans are tired of being | downloaded fr fe tweated like i itsders, especialy when their hordes ans could easly defeat many of the armios fielded by the ‘other Great Clans, At the same time, the Unicorn Clan has suffered too-hot summers and too-cold winters for, many years now, and although great wealth pours into Khanbulak from the west, 20,000 extra koku’s worth of ‘grain would help ensure the heath oftheir stable hends and herds. The Unicom delagation has 20,000 koku's | ravors FROM wort of kaues fom the ony Kingdoms and beyond | aera ROMY available to trade, including wool, ealcoes, and sslpe- ter (used for presersing food on the Sand Road and, less commonly, in alchemical experiments) : waa © Youtorone of your cose ends) stheMlegk- | algae eps | Mrdsouronths gone youlevetoatond | adsense Winter Court to ty to gain your parents recog: th your nition —and forge a renewed aliance family. Work with the GM to pick an appropriate NPC to serve as an estranged parent or reste 3 new NPC to add to @ Great Clan delegation. | she doesnt ha | outa emphasize that INFORMAL DELEGATIONS a PC does not belong to one of the aforementioned delegations but has nonetheless been invited to the Winter Cour, they might be pursuing one of the following goals © Your sensei was traveling in Crane Clan teritory | when they want missing. You seek permission to conduct an investigation in those lands, and possibly seek the help ofthe local magistrate in finding them—or the nemuranai they possessed. @ You (or one of your comrades) seek to begin or continue your studies at another clan’ school. ‘You must prove yourself worthy of the clan's teachings, or puttin your debt, to gain an invi- tation to train atts dB.WINTER'S EMBRACE at T: Stonns Roll Ashore Inthe fst act of the adventure, the PCs are tasked with finding out who invited the Mantis to the Emperors Court at Kyiden Doj. However, very few people know how the invitation got sent, and those who do want f2 keep the truth hidden. Ifthe PCs fal they wil lose the'r nr Embae | designed vote played ne wiser Cour bo ‘Ch soul fil ee eo remove, ad oe mest eyed eet ten opto hp a their standing with Kakits Rok nee opportunity to raise their standing Aowforiceror. | 3g the Crane Clan. As the PCs begin to navigate the political eurents ofthe Winter Cour, they find them ‘elves swept into an even grater intigue than the con- |, Sovran ofthe Marti arenas cour | et DAY 1: A TEA CEREMONY exh Happenings a | Courter flrs Iso espa the dae Ce shld fe) ‘feet or many oot FIT FOR AN EMPRESS “The PCs have received a formal imitation to 2 midday ‘tea ceremony with the vanerable writer and legendary courtier Kakita Ryoku, Such an invitation isan henor in frainccotin | Seotia aaihe Ps me vets oy beg maior | ee gnand by oexurer of high ator Wine nef nn tdvornre! ech PCrecivesclet During the evening eal, amet % ter that bears Kakta Ryoku's porsonal chop at the bot- tom, identifying her as ts sender (see Kakita Ryoku's Letter sidebar) I desired, the GM can modify the frst paragraph ta suit the PC recipient, The GM may wish to Feference their previous adventures and current goals, ig Stathers al eaid—omouees tt ‘Asahin Taal’ nears ‘tht in ord he We wil ies te et te | any ae eoagee oo uso a re | escorts hoe ee erie lor ech have a chance to narrate what their character does to prepare, but this should not be treated as a full-blown sdovmtime activity. poe comptin He esl aping poets to er the competion ad toprol Dat “for loot Teanouse Decor Pagina Sate oc remark upon he sigfance of the decorators nthe teste, A Peco dons Gita rere pit {over the be a Model Gv ebectve fe age ‘Geran who stn th pang yang TIN 2 Cale choc 0 tern tt depict Lot Driers eed hrs tht Een tony ether ATW 2 Ctr check eve ht he sxtntheacoverepeseteentrercen thelang Cf oo Er 8. tty Bol eee 2 TN 1 Aesth check org the tea ins The rast nih ented chi Ighathe tea nto hens Be mpetetons KAKITA RYOKU’S LETTER Fate leaves blanket the ground The Tong, Despite the cold, this seas grow the chance to forge new frien Z wish to serve you a simple bowl of tea in Fe ting nthe trdon of ad 0 iat Sy loang frend 0 recevn Jam a shou on th toon yo sa eeePioga at the Hour ol he How mics art the enclosed map tes the Ramble teahous. My apprentice, evyu inthe guns chiyos, wil ‘loss. The ceremony is 2 grveling, three-hour ritual of manners, but if done correctly it can also lead the pat ipants 16 realize deep insights about themselves It abo resents on opportunity fr the PCs to ty to learn more ‘bout Ryoku through shaj and the expenditure of x "At the end of this encounter, Ryoku gives the PCs the tasks of figuring out why and hou the Mantis Cian was invited to the Winter Court and of acquiring the physical invitation. The PCs have three primary avenves ff investigation to pursue: 1) they may try to befriend Or blackmail the Mantis Clan delegation to get them to reveal what happened; 2) they may try to gain move insights from their Crane Clan hosts to learn how th Crane accommodated the Mantis after fining out that ithad been invited; or 3} they may ask the Imperial He ‘ald or another Imperial bureaucrat why the Mantis were invited, Ths last option is the most direct, buts also the most dificult because of the high status of those in the Imperial bureaucracy, ARRIVING AT THE FLOATING TEAHOUSE As punctualiy is of the utmost importance for these Sots of ceremonies, the PCs must forfeit & honor fo ‘ative late a PC forsakes personal pursuits to attend the ceremony, they are awarded 3 honor fr their ut ness. Read or paraphrase the following aloud ‘Ava distance, the teahouse seems to be fleating °” @ small pond. Ifyou did not know better, you could hhave mistaken the gentle snowibanks for the cow# of Heaven itself. A worn, wooden bridge ache! Between the shore and the foyer. A gentle bcw® ‘blows, bringing with it the crisp, pure scent of fost ‘Across the gardens, you catch a glimpse ofan ort® alanquin, and a figure in a many-layered kimonoThe chaji formal tea ceremony) shares some similares with the chakai(informal tea ceremony), but the chai three hhourslong and includes a full meal. Before the ritual begins, the PCs are escorted to the teahouse by a freshly minted ‘courtier named Doji Chiyoe. Characters hang from the ‘Grane Clan recognize her as Doji Hotans second cousin— ‘and because of the tragedy of Doji Satsumes death, Ciy °c is second in line to becoming clan champion ater Doj Kuwanan. i the GM has set this Winter Court time period and Dj Satsume is stil alive, Chiyoe is instead third in ne after Doji Hotaru and Doji Kuwanan, ‘Once she has led them across the bridge, Chiyoe assists them by offering water to cleanse theirmouths anc ha ‘and also their souls—much in the same way putfcation performed atshrines. She bows and invites the PCs to enter the teahouse before taking her leave, Once the PCs are all inside, the intrigue can begin (see Running the Tea Cere- ‘mony below). Read or paraphrase the following alous na diferent ‘The fire in the sunken hearth in the center of the teahouse is a welcome sight: Hanging in the alcove to your right is a delicate scroll depicting a misty island and a solitary fisherman's boat, In the same falcove, an ikebana display featuring aster flowers is a gentle reminder of spring prescribed place, the set have faint lines of g our eye—the cera tracing through then RUNNING THE TEA CEREMONY This scene can be handled 2 three rounds (or four ifthere are three or fewer ACSW g selecting a social Depending on the char s, they might in Sample jos 254 through 256 of the cra) hoose the Be a Model Guest the PCs who are actively participa ‘objective they wish to complete cers’ previous adventures or current goal choose one of the £0 Social Objectives. 0” P29) rulebook, They may also < social objective, which is unique cal objectives detailed ro this Be a Mopet Guest Kekita Ryoku is one of the most highly jers in the service of embarrass themselves remark upon the misstep. jn front of her, RyOKU does: 'A player who ci oP tate their target at the beans °F "2 objective must state their tg! a Sneounter For example, a PC may wish 19 $C other than themself makes a good impression that uns for an intrigue that WINTER'S EMBRA A character ean main composure and avoid is: {grace by accumulating Iy the PC must not became Compromi mpattion is bright and crisp, dusting of snowfall. Any °Cs to assist Takako join her at the shrine to awn rations and Performances ). Otherwise, the PCs do not need to arrive ‘Gardens until ater that morning, giving perform one downtime activity before the Docins in The Contest on page 15:PCs who ae participating inthe Game ofLetters each them to meet with the letter writer at the competit 3 ee eS ptorinney ay Cie pret NEC they belo te onrcaponcn fr the PC does nat approach any NPCS or sth wrong NPC urs rebuied the luarentereve tually approaches ther. If the PC ends up missing the rendezvous, the etter writer sends them a uisappointed a dsappointa letter, which awaits them in their quarters! PREPARATIONS AND PERFORMANCES PCs vino offered to help Takako prepare may assist with the mundane aspects of the ceremony, including clesning and decorating the pavilion in the Fantastic Garciens, by making a TN 2 Labor check (Earth 1, Fire 3), The competition begins wth an opening prayer and sacred dance performed by Asahina Takako to awa and thank the lake spirit. Player characters who are wl ing to dance alongside her in honor of the lake spirit vyay attempta TN 3 Performance check (Water 2, Fire 4), Shugenja PCs may spend s x: on the Performance check to receive the lake spirits blessing for thei eamesiness even if they did not succeed he lake spirits blessing allows them to importune one Water invocation without making an offering as long as they remain on the grounds of Kyiden Doji, where the lake 189 in the co book for information about importuning invocations.) ifthe PCs succeed at either check, they are granted ‘an audience with Asahina Takako and Miya Satoshi spirit holds power. (See pag after the competition, along with the winners and runnersup. See The After Party on pas' THe Contest toa point on the ze a blonkt, callgyaphy se miele awa them, They have an hour to con dich time the kami of the lake cups of sake to them ta prove tham wih symbole isp jon. See the Running the Competition on page cating the cont a of the only been talked about up unt mere information about ad Man: Surprising every pesrance tis Clan quest who hi row. Thisis Lady Magar, Yortomo’s ne {to the conn pr out to be offered—in se Her appearance at the Winter Court is her debut into society, She woets 2 colortl multi-layered kimono in the istnctve style ofthe Islands of Spice and Sik, and she appears to all 2 vision of topical summer set in stark nizast to the muted tones ofthe winty garden RUNNING THE COMPETITION The GM may wish to run the comps with each of the PCs who are actively engaging with thers selecting @ social objective they wish te plete, Depending on 2 character's goals or previous feof the social objec ‘adventures, they might choos tives detailed in Sample Social Objectives, on page= 254 through 256 of the core rulebook. If they are participating in theWINTER'S EMBRACE a fn , eS pent post eues an undersaning of sana word ‘expansive know iy to find new descr tnoave together maitiple layers ofr Seem whose meaning sis the hearts of steners truth about the universe, competition, they also have the option of pursuing the Win the Postry Competition objective, detaled below ‘The intrigue ast five rounds. jedge of other poems to allude to, creat tive word combinations, subtlety to reaning, and sensitivity toaaha tee roveae a deeper Poetry is one of the most highly regarded arts in the Activation: As a Scheme action, YX" maymaken TN 2 Com Ee tera nT eee A bende > pealonchecktocompcm aparisfa poem, Host apes ‘cranial for courtiers looking 1 subtly send 2 polticsl the poembas parca element and approsc 2 lows ‘message or court aromatic interest, Lady Doji—feund- Nearer arate eS rth Pll pn ‘Win the Poetry Competition Greatest pacts and son followa thatthe Crane would | @ leasing Moter (Water, Cherm (Social Approach eee ig ieee © Novel Ideas (Fire, Invent [Artisan Approach) WaaT DOES IV TAKE vo Compuere? | © Layered Meanings (A, Refine Arison Approach) ‘© Deep Resonance (Void, Attune [Artisan Approach) Atthe end ofthe ith round, each ofthe contestants will have secumulated a number of momentum points. Th® Yay may choose an approach you have already suc- contestant with the highest total number of momentum cgeded at, but the effects of doing so are not cum pointsis the winner, with the secand- and thic-highest ative (cae below). scorers boing considered runners-up. Iftherearetes tR© effecte fyou succeed, record your store forthe aspect character with the highest status wins, with lory BSNS ofthe poem you were working on, which is one momen- Used asthe next tiebreaker if necessany In Rekugan.the 44m point, plus one for every two bonus successes caliber and reputation ofthe person writing the Poem —eyond the fist. If you have already scored for that eeepc iat ely Cet peer aspect of the poem, you must choose which of the two scores you want to keep (the scores are not cumulative). Waar Is Actteven ny CompLerinc It? ‘APC .who manages to win the poetry competition receives. ScorinG THE CONTEST Bile ss Bess ane along, and third plae® The folowing chart shows various NPCs’ momentum tees 2 lo The winerand an nner ate 352 cin foreath aspect ofthe poe Atte endo teh Intec! to tho after par. aly lof he contestant, a ee es nr ttl ests he sum of __ fae erste» poem wth aaty esl tothe number! tn score forthe aspect of the poem they completed. | __ momentum pein they scored, alongwith any other qual tatus and glory values are needed to compare the ae HED eel oteha vs Dther Skill Examples oc4) performance against Doji Chiyoe's vt Lay 192+ ‘of ¥r0n page 329 ‘core rulebook). ad oat am In addition to the Intrigue Actions listed on page {) py ne Be pee ey 42) ond Moger’s 257 of hecorericbookthePshave one ctheracion Mee mg Me ars th oe eee aes e GM may remove characters from the compe- es eau Comneene Es tion of eplace them with a PC denied NPCs who are removed should remain inthe scene as spectators. sila ‘Additionally, the GM should tabulate results for any tly deep and mesing poem, ditional NPCs thy wish to include inthe compe- h ofc ements tareny A. ‘en The GM may also raise or lover the scores oami and Doji Chiyoe shine, although y need not take first and second place, ne Tre AFTER Party ‘tthe end ofthe competion alight picnic is laid out for everyone in attendance auithed thomsehes by assing Tako rpacang he Sp tee ne compton hy a ted Beste mavtiniwnin toe ‘option to bring along the other PCs as quests. The afterparty provides the fst esl oppaunty question Miya Satoshi regarding the invitation of the Mantis Cin tao provides en apponuniy forthe PCs tobe ntrochiced to Lady Magar provided se placed inthe competition. Lady Mago brings Yortome ond Susene-ono en with bert the afterparty as guess The Emperor end his roel vein se Being hosted Ian even sore exclusive pevilon, with such digntar ies a Doi otra, Bayush Kehio, Kaka yok, and Ryjolu's apprentice, Doj Chios. What the Imperial Herald Knows The Imperial Herald, Miya Satoshi is also serving role of Master of Coremonies for this Wintor Cour rale, he was the person in charge of sending invitations ‘on behalf ofthe hosts, pursuant to the Emperor’ wishes. In buth, he did not send a letter to the Mantis, but he vill ie to save face, claiming that of course the Mantis Were invited. PCs of a lower status than Satoshi cannot challenge his word without forfeiting 10 honor and glory Ifthe PCs attempt to scrutinize him, they can tell he seems to be holding something back Ifthe PCs mana to trade favors with the Herald or otherwise cajole or threaten him, he finaly admits thatthe Mantis were not ‘but they were added to the guestlist racy received originally invited, ata later date after the Imperial bureauc @ letter from Yoritomno indicating his acceptance of “an iivitation,” lt does not matter now, he adds, as the Emperor is happy to have them at his cour. DARKEST TIMELINE Ifthe PCs are working on behalf of Kachiko instead of Ryoku, then they are invited to a luncheon with Kactiko ‘and Otomo Sorai, the Otomo family daimyo. The scene funs the same, except that Kachiko reveals that Ryokt wil fee it necessary to secure the betrothal now. Kachi kos main tactic is to delay—Magami needs more time t0 shine before the Mantis will be able to secure her place, \thich gives the Scorpion plenty of me to more formally ‘offer theirasctanc. In the meantime, the PCs must con= trve to put Chiyoe inthe role of Moko inthe upcoming play andi make her look foolishly unsuitable. THe TRUE ALLEGIANCES oF Miva Sarosi {A different Imperial Herald may not have been so forgiving as to accommodate the Mantis Clan after receiving an unexpected latter of acceptance. Satoshi would have been within is rights to reply and inform them of their ercor, but he chose not to, risking the jperors wrath in the process. The reason stems from Miya Satoshi's membership in for a farreach- ing conspiracy group known as the Kolat. As a Kolat member, he has sympathias for those who earn them selves status, as opposed to deriving it from the Heay. tens. In fac, the Miya are descended from a moral, rot a Kami, and while past Miya daimyé have been Glad to serve the Hantai, Satoshi has become isi lusioned, He oparates under the alias "Mester Chry- santhemum” to monitor and subvert the government. ‘when he can. However, he realizes thathe is playing a Tong game that requires him to delegitimize the rule of the Hantei—he cannot simply kill them DAY 6: DOWNTIME Once again, the PCs have a day without anything planned for them in advance, leaving them free to pur fue their own interests. They can perform three down time activities, gain exchanging downtime activities for narrative stenes on a one-for-one basis, the PCs make plans to visit the Mantis on this day, the GM should refer to the events detailed in Day 7: A Not-So-Subtle Warn- ing, Ifthe second letter has not yet been sent to PC. {gee Day 2: The Game of Letters on page 11), then it arrives on the morning of the sixth day. Di you the ipa comes backs Imperial Adie” the Gf xen the ps | romper tage Di ou ear abt he confontatio eveen | Iwo characters deter mindy the GU ar | epoca”vari DAY 7: A NOT-SO- SUBTLE WARNING Regardless of whether the PCs were able to success fully find out the truth behing the invitation sent tothe Mantis, a mysterious later arrives for the PCs on the morning of the seventh day. Read or paraphrase the fallowing aloud: ion, abandon If you value your safety and repu your current line of inquiry. We are watching By now, the PCs should suspect the authenticity of the invitation and seek to acquire it. They may choose either to ty to vst the Mantis Clan’s guesthouse out side of the Fantastic Gardens of the Crane or to make a trp tothe ship The Bitter Wind, docked inthe castle town harbor Whichever location they wish to investi ‘gat, the forged invitation shoul be there to help fur ther the plot and drama. Ifthe FCs split up, iis located ‘on the ship. The PCs may try to surreptitiously get their hands on the invitation (see Sneaking Their Way to the Invitation on page 18), or they can simply talk their way into seeing it (see Talking Their Way to the. Invitation on page 19). If there are any Mantis Clan, PCs in the party, the surreptitious route is simple—they have free access to their own quarters 18 SNEAKING THEIR Wav To THE INVITATION PCs trying to sneak their way into the Mantis del getion’'s guesthouse find themselves faced with 2 tvofold challenge. The Crane Clan provides security forall the guesthouses in the gardens, on top of the Mantis Clans servants and guards who are consta ly minding the foyer to receive quests or send them away. Slipping past the posted guards requires a suc cessful TN 4 Skulduggery check, but the TN can reduced if other PCs attempt ta distract the guards. PC can evade servants’ notice ifthay u besides the front door, but movin hos i around the guest ogures aN 3 Skalduggery check Maris? ihe Petry to sneak thew one the ship fore fran The Mort srs theship dort consder trespasser rel tet, ad toy spend the rights cing and galing They vil Ssion ther mot heir decthand to keep wach oe the sungvay, anderen then, te deci 2 ating tres dene, wheter ts ona He es oF repang ropes and meting. Sipping pss Seca and tang the Sp regis» TN2Skuldggery check Fem toe evacna he of th other sor is a rltvly cary mater Ns PC my boael he ship without muchbinging the companions may prove dicts the Man tis are skeptical of stangers on their ships, Any ehech required are subject tothe GM's discretion, : erTiNG CauGHT ifthe PCs are caught bya Mants semuraiorse ‘oF Yoritomo is summoned and tri Pec ies tointmidte the Pex into revealing everything they know by threatening ss ddecose thei shameful behavior tothe rest ofthe ecu, ifthe PCs are caughtby the Crane Can guards, they ars escorted back to their rooms. Klita Ryoku sends them Bleter the nextday warning them tobe caret TaLkine THEIR Way TO THE INVITATION ifthe PCs have beon fostering fiendthip or» lation ship wat [er rant Marx lan characte, then they nay be able to request hat he show them the tation A eee heey ie Pe the docupar Wier tanse ciate cheney ceerconcs and tl Schemes are akeody underwo. There litle chance that the Monts wil bo boing expel fom the court now [this point Lord Yortomo might suspect the invtation ws forged, bt the Emperor welcomed the Minor Clan tegurlon, and His peril Majesty's word lw 50 lnthontictyis fro concern tothe Mants, See alse What Susano-o no lzen Knows on page 13, the FCs hav tnthod a chance to discuss mates wth him yet. Sti, even thoy havea ood rlaonship wth eo oF another Monts smut hes wan ofthe PCS intentions in king to see tho letter The PCs can ears his tstby ling fim tre tah: that KaktaRyoku wants to know how and tity the Mantis were invited to the cour. nis case en Godly procuces shelter. ten fit surprised at Ryokut acing, but he does womy what i means for his dans Thances at securing the trade deal andthe beth ine believes the PCs ae sympatrtc him and his ela and can gi assurancesfom thom thatthe lot fring wor backo yok, herequests thee. Spatial Jy Reneeds hap with Kabuk pay depicting the legend of the ft Emperors courtship of Daj Wick The ply ue tobe pertnedin sda’ tive, Lady She sslatedto Sar freee of Miko, but the Mantis desperately want Lady Magar to have tat role instead. Requesing Lad Shike wre heraif fom the poston wil be exemay cut chef notevioly hard to nd and has aot to gain form the performance, However, Daj Shigory the dretor the production and casting, may’ bbe able to relay a message. It srop to the PCs to venga way 10 repace Sie wh Magani—ten doestthavemuchadvice 08 Sey Pcs might realize that they can agree fens cofler even if they stil plan on working for yok, 5 thsafiods them an upnled cares 1 onthe tis and discern more about their matives, Sincere PCs might be curious about the Mi ‘genuinely want ta help the unde ws. Scare | yarrennes court clan, The choice is up tothe players, but sither decision comes with heavy consequences for them personally and for their clan. For extra dramatic tec Lady Megami coud interrupt the meeting and svaety ape eamest, compliments the igi, She seems geruinaly on any accomplishments they've been able to achieve during the adventure 80 fa and wishes ther in ther uture endeavors ‘So Ir Is Wait ‘The handwriting onthe forged invitation matches that of a8 the mystrious letter the PCs received eafier in the day. It appears that whaever invited the Mantis Clan is also the entity invested in preventing the PCs from locating the letter, More importantly, there are imperfections in the seal ofthe Imperial Heald used to notaize the doc- | guyjons svaRLNG Lument, which any PCs with ranks na courtier school can scorn. Kakta Ryoka or another high-status character can alo identify the falsehood ofthe seal Mipnicut RENDEzvous ‘While the PCs are on their way back om their excursion, ‘oF during thei wavels any night after they receive the threatening letter, they are ambushed by a shinobi. Iko- 4 ma Rurike shadows the PC caring the invitation to take it out oftheir possession and destroy it. Ino PCs pos- 03s the invitation, Rumiko still means tofighten them by ‘attacking them in order to keep them fom investigating further Though she does not want t kill the PCs, the is wing 10d them harm in the pursuit of her goal cart ov res "APC with vigilance of S pots the shinobi fllow- | st ie Matis i ing them after she breaks away from the group she was, blending in with, A PC with 2 viglance of 4 senses the shinobi presence once she is within renge 1 ofthe PC. ‘A PC with a vigilance of 3 notices that the forgery is missing within a moment or two ofits being taken-—the ‘Shinobi is within range 2 ofthe PC. APC wit a vigilance of 2 orless does not natice the loss ofthe invitation unt the shinobi is at ange 3 from the PCs. koma Rumiko8 prafle can be found on page 26. f ‘a skimish erupts, Rumiko es not to kl the PCs, ut ath- te 10 incapacitate them long enough for her to fee. fhe PCs are not defeated, they can reveal the shinobi s identity ‘Ruriko will ty to take her own life rather than confess 10 hat she has done. Only if the PCs assure her they are ‘working against the Crane will he permit herself to live, {Rurmiko's death makes it easier forthe PCs to place Mag- lamin the role of Mioko—Lady Shik i far more suited to ‘ake up Rumiko's role asthe spit of theiland than Mag- mii, allowing Magar to fil in as Mioko. See page 21 for mere information about the Kabuki play)ender harcrer houses elim pro owns when hei not ithe pen oy Seng a ta Se, Shether ponouns are resins nd its fo Pectin ect iter ight for tine ets ord range | eterna Meg's the a Seems aut ha ‘Stk an tnd eck | ihe! Tat hy ay She refises to rebearse ith eet ofthe cas * "Wear the usao-0 so zen opproaie Lay ‘Shite and pettines her losgive the role of lla fo Lady Mogami. Can ou belie his nerve? What on ast WINTER'S EMBRACE Aa TI: the tale of the Fisherman's Daugitter Depending onwhat the PCs achieved in thot eck of ‘heodertue hey meyhove uncovered wabahind the Mart! njtaion an ther conent moves. The PCS hove ate le cysto ryt wap nes gh Reto te port boconer mot kat yok I H/ trough ts unersand they the Mas oe kr inven ad Magar st ever Cour 0 toa becomes Suming Magn to underine the Man {6 ater te seu the betta No matt whether the Pes ae wth yok abet hr reltons between the Crave and Mate il bo sores fora generation, DAY 8: IMPRESSING THE IMPERIALS (Bien cena «dro ha BCL aria of suit re rene temp toy a aed patare cnn il oft Pa i 2 ee ee Sieh rab ll ee ek fom Pains piece pee se ee edievend ee Su REN alice oth De geet ee onca Ds seas ttle Cran eg ecaieencnae PEO Gisela dears A chs ind ec ae ene co Bee ne te i al tl tes aoe ieeseeren te Seo ee ee Ere paitary a aefe ee» alc i ae ae erie Rea purntig crear gol the Pes Fao topored to fy Yo Mat pe sear Mase HENS ce tai, fa nat kien SOR ea ohaane ag ces rales ern eta Sagi ov cal ites acs Wecooe i dG ge is pec, fe ot ctemaes ag tan tee Feed Sete leet cece the Mantis over Ryoku, whom he regards fondly. Ryoku go a See Stig a ae aan RA Mah FERESA oldie, econ Parte tishein es ac ee ereger ee i aio ee ae an not available for use during tis intrigue. : afer tha luncheon, Kata Ryoku has 2 new bia @ with Doji Shig See Could thoy arange vith Doj en take the leading role of Mioko. (aay Mega eng Kabul Pe ee the Emperor’ chief impress reduction? Since th the production, M: mance will be imprest Saver nd purposes thi looks Te Rycks war help Magami, but there's an unde : Magami up, but set her up to fal DAY 9: LEADING ROLES AND PLEADING SOULS tet roles Ly Sik ith Mager ara vepteng ply The PCs sould opps ea ae Na tae agg to request a change in the cast. Like Rumiko, Shigen Spends mostofis ime in the theater, practicing his ovn performances, directing the rehearsals, and teac ftudents the art of acting. Shigeru is known for boing ferent appearances and genders and can look quite diferent dificult to spot because he shifts between from day to day. However, any of the stage hands or ther actors can direct the PCS to him without dific Ifikome Rurniko is dead or has stepped down fom t role of the sland spirt, then Lady Shike is frced to play tha ‘ole, leavng the role of Micko open for Magar’ to take [At the PCS suggestion, Magar can be offcaly installed as the replacement Mioko Alternatively, the PCE devised another way fr Magar to ascend to that If they explain to Shigers that the swap is in Kak 42 Roku’ interest, the director is open to potential passing along the request to Lady Shike, but he is stil hesitant, explaining thot "Lady Shike js a lady of pe and the chance to perform in a leading role before the Emperor isa tremendous honor." The PCs wil need to do more than just namedrop Ryoku: they must ofer a compelling reason or succeed ata TN 3 Courtesy check (Gr both at the GM's discretion). If koma Ruriko i til alive and sympathetic toward the PCs, she is happy support them in pleading their case, which reduces the TN by 1. I the PCs reveal that they are acting inthe Mantis Clans interests, Shigeru flatly refuses, cng hs ‘reative authority over the casting ThEPCS might be able to tell that Shigeru and hike ae the same person by uncovering Shigeru's motivation © ‘emain in the role of Moko}, or by studying one of Shige 1S practice performances over the course of the day he shares much in common with what is known af Lady Sh be Signature style). If instead questioned outright, Shige 1 deflects by saying that he is an admirer of Lady Shik, nothing more. Ifthe PCs can discem that Shigers is Ladyhike, trough shij 0 expenditure, to.desvoy Lady Shike's mysique by reveaing that she net Shigeru are the same person. Ifthe PCs make ths tress they automatically succeed at convincing Shigeru to cox OL Ee ead Mere cadet nee Riaesrigcnd le gerlerfli would seemnoneaienl eine ey can thresten basis ofa threat; the threat here is to Lady Shike’s aura of mmysten, which Shigers is heavily invested in maintaining them with bringing Magami in right can learn the pa vay 30 thot sh the tres deja nove lt Glo Gajperormance, Ac ths pot, the FCs hove ch Pte eles cer lays omsse ts Noon Pere been pacing one can sarong Rr ellen ar shoriy Leto hop eae aloes ticbahe fas bean cas he Pra ee eta verdes ebcrone Vege Miami cele tha ah tana Hcne, Coury, Ber aetintes tc fre 10 Nowe for tet oof ea ee et esther se thurfn PIL her ecu (le cf ko, re rcs Mecvaried 5 honor for ter efor DAYs 10-11: DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES (Once again, the PCs have time to put Ryoku's plan into motion or aid and abet the Mantis Clan. They can pursue three downtime activities per day, agsin Gxchanging downtime activities for narrative scenes fon a one-for-one basis. WINTER'S EMBRACE DAY 12: THE TALE OF THE FISHERMAN’S DAUGHTER The Tale of the Ficherman’s Daughters famous N6 play that recounts the legend o bride. Fortis Winter Cour, a kogak’ version of tobe presented, meaning that this is @ how the fst Hantel met his are interpreta tion ofthe play and may nevarbs performed again. The ly ics, costumes, characters, and plot may vary compare the original work and inthis case, its boing transla the Kabuki syle, Futher, Winter Court attendees ae wel come to patiipat. tis thanks to the plays designation as ak thatthe player characters and others may manipu late the play tory to sway the Emperor one way or another: ra Lady Magemi’s humble beginnings @ non-issue, in the sare way that the common-born Daj Mioko proved more authentic than llth other ladies ben paraded before the Hantei at court? Or does the play emphasize the facts that Mioko an her family belong to the Dof and that Miokos son Genji would marry Doji Oborezukyo, thus establishing the tradition of the Imperial ine mixing withthe Doj? The play follows the general structure of the tale, as described inthe sidebar The First Empress on page 22. leis up to the PCs in consultation with Doj Shiger, koma Rumiko, and Lady Magami to decide how the tale dfs, if all, fom the original plot. At the very leas, tis play is alifeent because it makes the spt of the island a chara: tex The spit isa literary desice that allows Miokos internal monologue to be spoken as dialogue instead. The island spirit isa wy, experienced old woman who simultaneously twarns Mioko ageins the foly of love but encourages her to followrher heart, if "this beggar’ has Indeed von it over Ifthe PCs have actively worked toward helping N ami play Mioko well, she makes 2 good impression on the gudience and the Emperor in particular. if the PCs have sabotaged her efforts or made a point of letting hor succeed or fail on he own merits, the performance Tomes off as fat oF worse: embarrassing. If Magami‘Ate pn. Apart othe of yer, tig teach oe sts oe Ste os ui pine rs har ota rt, os eh nt er seh yb an anos have io ‘he sod atte ‘tern tou sth peformane afoot, (7 ogont torte ne | peoomanes herdigace ecames ged aman the court tender uote ir res hot ae ee yi terface to be Come he tre Empre. pega id we te tomes with spec late ht Noga the ‘encaration ef on eared owt eae | ‘anc agin. She Becomes ‘he dring fh ter Gur and eveyone is oping ort ae “pond ine wth er ie io ting WINTER'S EMBRACE dows wel, orf Lady Shike performs the role of Micke as intended, the Emperor stays to the conclusion o the play f Magami does poorly, the Imperial contin~ _gent does not stay forthe entire performance ‘The PCs are assumed to attend as audience mem bers, with or without NPC quests at their option. Some PCs may have decided to take supporting Toles in the production in order to help Mager along or undermine her performance, The reaction lof theie quests depends on whether thelr clan of Per onal goals are being fulfilled by the performance, ‘The reaction of the Crane and Mantis Clan wil be bore out in the following day. See Day 13: A Ques: thon of Honor on the right pAy 13: A QUESTION OF HONO) Th 1 ley hve buen chalenge = forma oj Shigers into casting Magami atthe lst minute, 5 THE FIRST EMPRESS Inthe coy days ofthe Empire, Hentelno Kami was in search of «bride. He would not wed any of hie sib lings, though they wee of equal satus, and so had to look among the mortal populace for a suitable wife His sister, Lady Do, ettempte to find the best young women inthe Empire, but to no aval. None of her selections were able to mpress His Imperial Maesy. “he samuraiof the Doj family stout oad the leslerand searched for someone suitable to mary ther Emperor At ne hing lage, they found noone eligible o bring back to the court However, Daj Miko, dighter of local sherman who had been adopted into the Crane Clan, had been sant aay to 3 neaby island to oop her from belng taken away. Such washer voice and kindness that she could sing the very fh cf the ocean toher side, nc her ath was made wealthy by he catch that she brought to his boat. He vould rot lose his vethood and his daughterto a faroff noblemen, Emperor or no The Emperor spent his day in solitude, fol fr hs lack ofa companion. Eventually, he ventured forth among the Grae lands wth his retainers anode to the open seo, The Hants heard a song borne lof on the ocean breeze, and he wasnstant enchanted ‘When he returned othe ishing vilage, he commanded the sallors to take him tothe island in search of the sons source. Finding no singe the Emperor asked afer the voce that seemed to come fom on lanl “itis naught but the wind blowing though the coral," Micka father replied, When her fates retuned o Mioko that evening, she inure ast the identity ofthe man In his boat with him, to which the feheonan ‘replied thatthe passenger was but a beggar : Moko hed akeady ale in love vith the handsome young "beggar" ppt bird, she prayed to Amaterasu that the goddess would deliver the reached the Hantel andhe read the poem, he declare hate woul knew who had sent the poem, and agtet search went out aera siden wo has witten these words—her alone will mary, {and tying a halk to the foot of her the poem to the beggar. When the bird idimany its writer. Yer, none of his samurai 5 the lands. The Emperor declared, “The in all the lands of Rokugan.” her ae revealed thatthe herman hd ld hr he rant the lend here the cor sang enero tn Recognising the “begga”is RyokuS influence that she can summon Tos the master sensci of the Kakita Dusting Accutron? ‘courage needed to face such a superior foc, * eee Pie case ee om duel staged in the center of the Fantastic Gardons A Tokako blesses the duel ring, then oversees the procecdhn ne ‘tp ensure thatthe fights conducted faith. zene rote eo, Se eee ete ee secs face actos, wren DAY 14: THEIR DAY IN COURT ‘The final day in this advanture offers a chance for the consequences of the previous days to play out. player gets to choose an NPC or PC with whom they can Share final scone as this chapter in the Winter Cour doses. In order from lowest glory to highest glory, the players take turns choosing a setting and circumstance for revisiting the relationship or rivalry. [Any PCs who achieved a goal that greatly benefits heir cian orlore—such as winning a favor from Kaka Ryoku—is warded 6 glory. In addition, the PCs gain the folowing distinctions or adverts based on thetrallegiances {© Ifthe PCs went trough with Ryoku plot to lay the Mantis io, they sour relationships between the Crane and Mantis forthe foreseeable future. the Mantis are aware of the PCs! roe in their shame, the PCs eam the Soom of The Mentis Clan] (eter) adversity ee page 127 ofthe core rulebook) The Ps gain the Ally Kaki Ryoku] Wate? and Support (ofthe Kekita Family] Water cstnctons foe pages 101 and 110 ofthe care rulebook, respectively) @ Ifthe PCs tried to undermine Kakita Ryoku and she became aware of it, then she wil attempt to destroy the PCs’ reputation and cast them out of the court as s00n as she is able. They gain the ‘Swom Enemy [Kakita Ryoku] (Earth) and Scor of [The Kaka Family) (Water) adversities eee pages 129 and 127 of the core rulebook, respective) © ithe PCs ended up allying with koma Rumiko and preserving her secret, they gain the Ally {koma Rurniko] (Water and Support of [The lo ma Family] (Water) distinctions (see pages "01 land 110 of the core rulebook, respectively © the Ps fale tony the Mat ow or chore not to hunt te Minor lan they Aly ads Magar te tines ee page 101 of the z ik} ve See lee inte ga he Sporto The Mats Ca] : (ini dtc oe page Deft carne book The lane Genser frberloa offence etaa eee sa rsh ee greets | noses oon apie he Loni the tones come, Moreons aon betwen the Crone and Moni rescued boon the Cane ae rere Mant fotos, nl they foo fie ins Cans ess to scene str tus The Crone wil so at tng to keop the Man {om father cing tse Depending on whether Lady Magami performed may be willing his son, Nothing well in her rola as Mioko, the Empe to consider her as a potential bride js announced publicly at ths time, but d be explored by the group in subsequent Winter Court ‘adventures, or further along in thelr campsign CTigsinesnon With the curtain closing on this chapter of the Winter Court, the GM should reward each player for thie char acters actions and successes | @ 4XxP:Disgracing or elevating the actor cast as Mio- oii The Tole ofthe Fisherman's Daughter © 2X? Replacing Lady Shike with another actor for the part of Mioko 23The bro of Hate sets ad ‘fino sey ranges the iene ge Pam sa sr air ent othe tia he ba gsd as paper see She pli aactos ner tng toe oe yon fd ree HATSUBINA atu sae 2 layne the peo. Toe and she happy totoy withthe he fuse 0 set er revenge agaist Kors Hany ofthe save spi ih starsor lon shel sake «posto pracing thee romanen ont fer omer betrothed ssinchas posible, strategic stoing ages so tht el Wak inj ass gets close cur she sore than apoyo nore he AC completely. thei papose vig Beenie ean potetally et ry aad bey an vate her out oor erent poston, ithe though omarion WINTER'S EMBRACE © 2XP: Uncovering the identity of the Mantis invitation forger © 2XP: Acquiring a copy of the Mantis Clan init tion, whether they had it stolen from them or not 2XP: Uncovering the Mantis plot to many Lady Magami othe cow prince belore Day & 2X: Placing inthe poetry competition 2X: Capturing the shinobi 1 XP: Campating in the poetry competition 1 XP: Participating inthe performance of The Tale ofthe Fisherman's Daughter “XP: Wrting at last three laters 9 par of the Game of Letters (repeatable) Appendix A: Von Player Characters “The hosts and guest ofthe Wintr Court are the core ofthis adventure, as most ofthe scenes in Winters Embrace are socially oriented, and much oftheinvestgatoniscondiucted bybefionding o courting the diferent characters. nthe fol- lewing section, the GM can find the backarounds, profiles, and motivations ofthe major charactors inthis adventure, 35. ‘wel 8 descriptions of some ofthe supporting characters. DOJI HATSUHINA Hatsuhina is a courtier who has been passed over, not ‘once, but several times. She was previously betrothed to ‘Otomo Karyutal, but their betrothal was undercut by the ‘Scorpion Clan ding ts meteoric risen influence. Having ‘expected to spend her ifein the Imperial capital of Otosan ch, she has been forced to grapple with a reality she had never anticipated at Kyiden Doji, her chidhood home, ‘Shei bitter nd does litle to hide the fact. More than that, she wants ta ruin Konusais chances of appiness with any- cone elseif she cannot have him, no one can. Since he ‘could not preserve their betrothal she wil seo toitthat he fails at all of his pusuits in the Imperial bureaucracy. Most ofall, she wants to ensnare a better catch than Konyusai ‘was and flaunt iin his face to remind him of what he lost ‘when he lethergo, They could have been a power couple, ‘once. Now, she is resolved to make him suffer as she has. Hatsuhina may pursue a superficial relationship with one of ‘the PCs to punish and humiliate her erste lover Default Location: The most likely place for the PCs to find Hatsuhina is in the main court chamber, where she is seeing to the needs of the guests and helping itect them to the day's activities or entertainments, fe cONFUCT AY NK: ES2 FHateuhina has become as manipulative as the very Sco oe clan she hates. Beautiful and stkngly tall, she wears er long wit har lose during the day, but by night itis Siyled with extravagant hapeces to match her omste and robe, Her piercing brown eyes are tinged ols that can be used to ADV ostentatious warc swith malice, She soes people as to Jive her purposes and then be discarded as need fava penchant for alcoha, gambling, and other excesses, nhich che greedily partakesin when she isn't serving the humiliating role as deputy 10a seneschal who is younger— and less politically nimble—than she is. The parties she throws and outings she arranges are legendary, but atthe tend ofthe day, the relationships she forms with others are as superficial as her kindness, She 7 sae 3) wen 10 {eos couPasite 40) ‘Sake Connoisseur: Vindictive: © Social; Material, Mental @ Social; Mental Karmie Tie (Keryusail: © Merial, Social: Inter personal, Spiritual Whispers of Failure: @ Secial interpersonal, Infamy i Range 0-1, Damage 3, Deadiness 5/7, Ceremonial, Razor-Edged Gear (equipped): Ceremonial clothes (Physical 1, Cer ‘emonial,Resplendent), personal chop Gear (other): Caligraphy set, pillow book ‘Once per scene when making a check to persuade or influence someone, Hatsuhina may add two kept et to siresults Activation: When Hatsuhina makes a Social skil (Air) check to spread a rumor, she may spend gin the following way: Air 3st: Increase the TN of any check to trace the rumor back to Hatsuhina by 2 per st spent this way.KAKITA RYOKU ae Se Pete eters incus sees ef eenete oe ey Se aaa eri ieiieiite cnc his Imperial Advisor. Before that, she served in the impo cise rece arn tenty years. She is known for her mastery of diplomas, MMOH EE bcodiscoscrcen tee Natta sre tor tar ene aly marca teicen BF irecttere mete etek ee ee ded Salsa vas ae coene hap eccrine reget Ste capes vo tanie wen Pere pee entbing vat ne coencsnce Fe i eciyeoeay, rane Bie olosee te Gere ture Da ae pe of power wna can Bo Oe covasetaterivoctorne Be Oe ike ect raw eve ctr gree aes creioe taxher Baile poe ity place oe he Fo Pe isa pation she rarasic Gorden ct BSE Tastes goes tows pooty wr roe at By teransieton Gioversane—___CONFUCTRANK: SPS [dy Ryoku is a complicated woman wiose age hes only trade her more elegant and dignified. On the one hand, the stves for perfect politeness and protocol in every thing, having studied as an artisan and served as courier inthe Emperors own court for many, mary years. On the ather hand, she is of such high status and glory that she can extentily say whatever she pleases, and no one can Gaisay her without looking a fool, Her speech i laced sith euphemisms she knows jstthe words tos to avoid (nse, but she also dips into a contemptuous tone hen the feels its truly warranted. Avoiding any hint of conde- seansion, she prefers 10 “kilwith Kindness” andiswillng to Ialp the PCs gain access to people an places hey woud ‘there not have the status to reach. nounnce : cowosse 19) mas wun 5) ____WInTeR’s EMBRACE Famously Successful: | Broken Hearted: © Sexi mtepersona,_| @ Socal Mental Whispers of Treachery @ Social; interpersonal, Iefomy Love of Storyteli ling © arisan; Mental Wekizashis ange 0-1, Dama Ceremonial, Razor-Edged Gear (equipped): Ceremonial clothes (Physical 1, Ce ‘emonial, Resplendend, personal chop Gear (other}: Plow book, calligraphy set, omamori (a word against vengeful spre) given to Ryaku by Emperor Hantei XXXVI Ea EBB AND FLOW 3, Deadlines 5/7, Activation: Asa Scheme or Suppor action, yok may make a Courtesy (Water), Command (Watet), or Games (Water check geting ne character. The TN of this check sequal to the targets viglance. Effects: Fyoku succeeds (and chose Scheme action she may choose one ofthe targets acvontages that she knows, and whenever apis invert. Tis effoct per st ntl she end ofthe sane yoky succaeds ord ‘hose Suppor action, she may choose one ofthe t= iets dsadvartage se knows and, whenever it apples, invert it Tis elect persis unt he end ofthe scone LHAVE MET YOUR UKE BEFORE __ ‘When performing Scheme action, Ryoks may spend inthe folovng way | sLonmite get ii or ot oa sire oan toge or disadvantage | $9 Leam the targets curent goal inti scene SPEAKING INSILENCE Bi ‘Ones per scan when making a check to peru orn ree emeane,Ryoks may ad ve kep let 10 EVERYTHING TELLS A STORY _ When performing an Artisan sl check, yok may ped one kept sett an est. sua cern ee "A QUESTION OF LINEAGE “AQuESTION OF LINEA ano Pa hve myc peng oP My we ars is okt yuan 2 eM or KON pero he Ep ew gp econ dese 7 gm ON cee Pt ku ad He te i eae oleae, The ae consulting with a source oF gene maybe dc och ponte seg ght wer eee and lg empire act oF wh He oe Tes ig ewer vcs WR Slee Soci wet | sateteceire Smo ee —— ei esa chcnnates Sessieprrith | Sse amet | esetsrih er pe Incision ps of Toma Raho wants someone tapes Ter tle a poi fer She happy aire ‘ad daly eh anyone se pres mariage Des er seca ish ai fof aspouse mtertng ter ans How Setar wines = she ke maya toa secret marige ora, in which ether pay shnowledgs the oer public: She may even sages tate Pre tre and jin er woupe sramonkoracoe WINTER’ EMBRACE IKOMA RUMIKO Rumiko is complicated woman who sacks out the si Blcty—end veracty—of humor As an tkoma Bord, she is happy to cany ths hardehips and express he emotion tet eas Kobe that oF therest ofher clon cannot, She has gain bi actor who is abl ta tke on any roe, ho peasant, her, supernatural eny or anything in between. {As a shinobi trained But this, tis just anot in the Lion's koma Shadow Sel tothe Wi ure the Lion's plan is kept safe and secre, 1, she has been sont or Court toe 1 leo t help thwart the Crane whenever is abeoltely daha the opportunity arises, Toth, ‘ed, no matter how fvolous she appears onthe suface If she senses the PCs ae wiling totum against Katte eding her additional Ryoku, she enlists thei help in information concerning the Crane Clans plots In the upcoming Kabul’ rendition of The Tale of the Fisherman's Daughter, Rumiko is sated to ponray the spirit ofthe island, an old women who wears an iconic white headpiece of wid flowing hair called shirogashi +a When the maiden Dai Mioko isolated and has no ‘one totum to ut the kami ofthe isles, the sprtof the island makes herself known, and offers no shortage of ‘marriage advice. (Rumiko herself is also happy to offer Unsolicited counsel concerning matrimony) Default Location: The most likely place forthe PCS tofind Rumiko in the theater, where she rehearses her role and helps others prepare to present the Kabuki play The Tale of the Ficherman's Daughter. ADVERSARY NFUCTRANK: EES Gregarious, playful and knd, Rumiko is ostensibly an ko ‘ma Bard who caries the whole ofthe Lon Clans emotion inher hear. She has a striking countenance, stout limbs, and a deep voice that can cary even over the din of 2 ‘00m. She wears her brown hair loose in a side ponytal, ‘wth layers that crt around her round checks and ears. As an actos she can adopt any emotion or personality at vil Yet, she comas across as genuine ner feelings, and she avoids potential dupicty whenever she can help it. Her rales as bard and shinobi are different enough that she an maintain both personae eflortiessy = ‘xtuonce 40) leoa coma 12 | 35 50 mas G @+1.6+1.02 vue g Dark Secret pa Wo Syn seo the Teste @ sect Matra cone Mental Bids for Honor ees @ social; Metal Unparalleled Wit: © Social Interperso kiseru: Range 0, Damage 2, Deadliness 2, Concealable, Mundane Knife: Range 0, Damage 2, Deacliness 4/6, able, Mundane, Razor Edged Wakizashi: Range 0-1, Oamage 3, Deadline Ceremonial, Razor Edged cealable}, 10 doses of fre biter po play The Tale ofthe Fisherman's Dat HEART OF THE LION ‘Once per scene, after Rumiko performs a Social skill ‘check targeting one or more characters, she may agi- tate or console © Ifshe agitates, she transfers strife up to 10 strife from herself to her targets (divided among thes as she chooses) © if she consoles, she transfers up to 10 s from h targets (divided amang them a she choose) to herself Noxious cLouD ‘Activation: As an Attack action, Rumiko may use two doses of any single poison and make a TN 2 Medicine (Ain check targeting each other character at range 0-2. Effects f Rumiko succeeds, each target suffers 3 phys ical damage, ignoring their resistance, This damage counts 3s being inflicted by a weapon envenomed with the poison she chose (see page 244 of the core rulebook) Air Move 1 range bend, | Ales: Unt the end of the scene, the area at ange | -2becomes Obscuring and Dangerous terrain VICTORY BEFORE HONOR Once per scene when performing a check, Rumiko may Stake up to 5 henorto re-oll a number of dice equal © twice the amount of honor staked. For each re-alled lle result that does not contain 3 @ or 6, she forfeits fone staked honor.MIYA SATOSHI eo Sa ed eet iremeties the cron neo ee help but fxate on the Emperor's shortcomings, ny Pe ec fobies teiving oat te ee Pg fitdilharcing on bieay ee Bee fe ctecincedis Nabsiaa cs hee, this has affacted his interactions with the Great Clana Be aieralineces tee mame Be tacttion peoa7) Be Me aa tots vino tam svn RR Siena wiser. ee eb citicuriar Vesvora Ths mesyterce ede ele arse lento ns ce tar PE aiken ine,sort os sonny once erie eked i presee, seen tary Pe art able Ne urd ins rere Kary ie to Nic high vas, a Bs lla that Koren Woe bt eels lis ofc ta acca tre Wn Feet irs ol is eareWincer Cour 0 dona Pe eierrea Mrtale! te cual snl ‘efecine Fee Seale dicing she blame Sin Hire Miya Pca hetborKelattympstles cr are Kat eae ier nr secret raves cecing tor Teenie rch che aco they ee able and to Bdievst among the dans, This sls meas roping rte Mantain lad te make Lady Maga Eres Srulelp tow te etre Empreinte Hafele Leeatin: The mest Hel place for the PCS foie sates isin the imparial questioue, asthe Hor i erinary serves the Emperor When he st soving the fncton as Masar of Ceverorie, he is desing Wahi ossl backlog of bureaucratic corespondence gorau conrucrean E35 Mio Soto is general antagonistic toward sur of ‘the Great Clans, and he seeks to sow strife as surely a5. ary Oromo fry member Ostensibly tis ist ensue Imperial power, but in truth, he ‘does it to make the Impe- tial line seem weak and ineffectual. Satoshi knows how to pley the political game and is adept at maintaining TPhesances Fetypicly woarshislongblack brown hat Fra cinpl ponytl and prefers to appear clean-shaven His stark eyebrows are often ‘ll that is needed to cual his disapproval or disinterest, even if his average heigh cloesn't especially inspire confidence or far eal __WINTER'S EMBRACE 3 | sarosirs rans ‘ou 4.4 oe ewint 4)| | morte ee a) ag} | eee €2.02 saa | ase & a i Ear ofthetmpwrer [Detect Cees eee © Social; Mental “THE KOLAT CONSPIRACY ao | iispiee Kea sii dating Fat eooagan et tl al eer bow 0 Themiphe a the Hen ‘othe contented lore oe eng e ythose de Seen rom od. The roups eto overtiow he ants Dyan Slo and to ale Gan Attsdker Serie ocien check Saiochimeycause | Se eemaaey them to receive 5 sti civiLity FOREMOST Satoshi's War Fans: Range 0-1, Damage 5, Deadlnoss 4, Ceremonial, Concealable, Resplendent Wakizashi: Range 0-1, Damage 3, Deadliness 5/7, Ceremonial, Ravor Edged Gear (equipped impessl robes Physical 1, Superman ral, Ceremonial, Resplenden, sro cases Rae VOICE OF THEEMPEROR (Once per round, ater a character at range 0-4 succeeds pie saboteurs and ‘ea eas cross —— | the sme mie and ‘Activation: Asa Scheme action, Satoshi may make 2 | pethapscvenbeyont ‘Command or Courtesy (Earth) check targeting one character to claim protection for an individual of his hoice by right of honor. The TN ofthe check is equal to the targets vigilance Effects: f Satoshi succeeds, the target must forfeit 4 ono, plus per bonus success, end suffer thot much ire ta perfarm an Atack ox Scheme action against | the protected individual. This effect persists un the nck of the scene, or until the target performs an Attack for Scheme action. Earth sev: Choose one additonal target with vig Ianee lower than or equal to Satoshi's frst target's vigjiance pers spent this Wa Among the Koes most tere weapons are thaleoper agent, tho may operate under tn assmed ent or ser ven denies, Coleting information ndawaing the lt more severe deeds. For thei ces eos, especial the ssn tion ad oration of | prominent inert | il oem xpd ‘wou sey weaken the | pie and caus reat | bam ogo. 2WINTER’ MBRACE _romsarsuerms OTOMO KORYUSAI Jarmarsizatiys | Otorno Koryusai is overworked and has ineficent erm tga | resources to do good jab within the imperial bureau soins ai of 9 with widens | "9. Moreover, his sypeior-—such as Miya Satoshi— Intesar xed ith | re happy to blame him for anything thet goes aor, This ‘etiwatantadwee! | ison top ofthe humiliation hehad to endure after beak sihembasedimags: | ing offhis engagement with Doj Hatsuhina, his tue love ‘and confidant. Since his wedding to Bayushi Miku, Konjusai has succumbed to cynicism and sorow. He wants more than anything ta keep Hatsuhina clase, to ‘confide his hopes and fears to her. Gut Hatsuhina will hhave none oft forshe is too prideful to be merely afov- ff, not when she was meant tobe his equal in marriage. mmcmsroman ma Kory wou ce aything to win Hasuhina beck, but erwalissieady | he knows itis impossible. He will approach any Crane, Taresaptiimety | Phoenix or Unicom Pes hopes oteting Ur ath smamvtnns | poruncing Hatin to reconter on wal sry 9Co eects opts eripatscio a pan atewchsemie | Default Location: The mot hay pace forthe PCs Bgetiarconvate | to nc Koyuslism an avioneechombern ie pe. © “ircermonabeis | 1284 Konan a ane Fe al upstate, wh ho recohes heniGuls whe va ea. tc nce cgctonor tors siete oi eosin bt eetencee, toiicpin cate | AEST tuoreveta | AMESARY ___covnRN: 53 6_ ence | Kovusniveaishn Dedham th High run of cot cinta | funclonay and spors a delcately mnicred goatee teint | Mi angular fco hatches al Ite foe, end lang fngrs have te ook ofa muscirs—er master callraphers He hasbeen through a eat del and Z ead caries the weight of to many somows on Nis shoulders. He continues to serve and fll is duties as best he can, but the whole exercise seems hollow with- ‘ut Hatsuhia at his side. Sensitive PCs can tll that he is broken andi in desperate need af someone who can "tel that iste is il wort iving—that he can nd A ea ait oh) Eee as a (e262, as mt ureaucrate Expertise: | Cla @stroi Monel | @ Soci; Monta Insensitive: Kormie Tie (Hatsuhina: © Mortal, Social Inter personel, Spiritual @ Social; interpersonal Wakizashi: Range 0-1, Damage 3, Deadlines 5/7 Ceremonial, Razor Edged Gear (equipped): Imperial robes (Physical 1, Supernat- ural 1, Ceremonial, Resplendent), personal chop, scroll cases, unfinished poem (secretly to Hatsuhina) ‘Activation: When making a Socal kl (ire) check targeting one or more characters, Keryssi may spend S nthe flowing vay: | Fire st: One target gains the Dazed condition per Stapent the way Fires e+: One target gains the Enraged condition per Sh spent this way.sUSANO-O NO IZEN gens the captain ofthe Storm Fleet ship the Susano-o Hi yas solected 2 part of the delegation to Kyicen aj ue this free protectveness of Lady Megumi 6 Daten he admires greatly for her subto and seleonc fen stenath If yOjimbo were used by tho Mantis Clan, awould come close to being that for Magami Inu of me poffical tiles, he isher good fiend and her achocae She eshore.lzn s also highly trusted by Lord Yortome, th ales him leeway to conduct pots in the name thine Mantis Clan. ifhe perceives any Mantis sympathies rong the PCs, he wil seck their aid in supporting Lacy Hagar before during, and after her debut. Default Location: The most likely place for the PCs to ind en isin the Mantis Clan guesthouse, whore he spends his days assisting Lady Magam or receiving vis tbs who wish 4 negotiate withthe Mantis Clan SusANo-o No IZEN 20 CONFLICT RANK: EX 6 Fei Karle a slocin atertace oc ee arcstactanescipeonc, Be iarar (albeudlci Rvs amd In sono roar of hc, tia dota hao We Ft aie lncter tissu bat a nr ta ercamcae cron herve reese eriealy mel oie Mamita ccrovergeeop? ance wich ro trove tte oil Wirt Cour tends oct 4, 35 wr 5a" ~ courosuie 44 bs = 5 vent 3 G12,©+1,0-2 noe Faso Disdain for Authority: © Social Interpersonal Inferiority Complex: @ Social; Mental WINTER'S EMBRACE Tonfa: 3 Zen’ LerTans fange 0-1, Damage 3, Deadlines able, Durable Bee Deal 3, Conceal BG: Range 1-2, Damage 6, Deadliness 2, Mundane Wakizashi: Range 0-1, Da image 3, Desdliness 5/7, Ceremonial, RazorEdged ‘hicks mpl ei soonties bd in si Gear (equippedi: Ashigaru armor (Physical 3, Wargear) be STRIKING AS WATER ‘Activation: When lzen make a Martial Arts (Melee, Ranged, or Unarmed] (Water) check, ha may spend St in the folowing wy: snsthns ee row member jn tim on isi ands theodore Sshentreepecaly ifthe ew member | bs sis among timang bes open coach he would rer the eons Between the Mans Can and another dn rest rms He il tempt ‘ocomince is potent | Soweto mary ino the Mant regres of thr sats promiing | soinpresve wedding Water sr lon's target treat their physical esi tance as 1 lower per ss spent this way. Ths effect | persists until the end of hie next turn. SPINNING BLADES STYLE ‘Activation: When lzen makes a Martial Arts [Melee] ‘or Martial Arts [Unarmed check, ihe has a second readied weapon he did not use forthe attack, he may spend skin the following way | | Shans Stal aorope cali dnage ‘iia the form of ships, inecacon about ade | res, or mas7 seeks nob the der bec the barony ofthe an Shel ab inert in mage ond wl "otha chive and lady Maga ae tying forbetata ake | ‘Sow pce Acraty "ay beable o come aM bu Do cae sich nota. WINTER'S EM SECONDARY CHARACTERS The following characters are less in 0 the hing plot or are less likely to PCs interact with in order to ach they do net have full prafiles Asanina TAKAKO ‘As the daughter ofthe Asshina dainy plished artiicer in her own right, Takako ‘member ofthe hastng Crane Clan, Mar a5 one of the chief priests overseeing religous ies doting the Winter Cour, including the its that place before the poetry competition onthe ith ois gente soul am. She aves 10 da paragon of p represent the harmony ofthe kam and the elements in her works and words. She holds out hope that the co: flct between the Crane and Lion can be resolved without further bloodshed) and she makes sure to teat ll f the ‘other guests with the utmost courtesy anc respect-—even those who are enemies of he clan IF needed, use the Scholarly Shugenia prof page 314 ofthe cove rulebook Doyt Curvor_ The besutifl, gentle Boj Chiyoe is highty versed in traditional terature, culture, and governance, 35 would bofit potential Empress. Asa highly placed member of the Daj family—and close in age to the c she has been groomed sit accepts it as her duty to her clan. As @ result, che has lived a highly sheltered life and has not felt any of the hardships that have come in the wake of the tsunami. She is naive and unconsciously insensitive to the plight ‘of peasants—they areas foreign to her as most Imper: als would be to former, Nevertheless, she is concerned for ther spintual state CChiyoeis devoutly religious, and! she would be glad to Join the Brotherhood of Shinsel asa nun if she does not marry well Unbeknownst to har family, Chiyoe has been ‘exposed to some ofthe philosophies ofthe Perfect Land Sect, under the guise of extreme compassion, through her travels to local monasteries. Chiyoe believes that li morals deserve courtesy and mercy, fom the loulist ant the noblest Emperor and that one day, Shinse will return to save the faithful As such, Chiyoe is especially iterested in seeking out monks and other theologians to lscuss cosmology, Enlightenment, and the salvation of the meek through faith in the Little Teacher If needed, use the Seasoned Courtier profile on page 313 of the core rulebook with the Spiritualist tem- plate, except her status is $5 and her glory is 49, Doyt SHiGERU/LADY SHIKe Daj Shige is a renowned performer in his vn righ oi ee secret persona as the inimitable Lady Shik the eae charactor in ll manner of cra os wth his hu forming, Shigers ives i the Mats fay former member Lady Stike’s mysterious i and fame; to receive 2 letter from the factth coupa Ske is slated to portray the fisherm Mioko, in the upcoming Kabuki play. Doj Shigeru is the Girectorand isin charge of casting for the production the Seasoned Courtier profile on tity is part of her alu is sure to be talked about at cour. Lady ans daughter, Doj W needed, use page 213 ofthe cove rulebook with the Artist template Lapy Macamr AAltiough the Mantis Clan is known for their rebuke of adtion, Lady Mager’ understands the politcal games most Rokugani play. She is surprisingly demure woman raised on the lland of Spice and Silk, surprising considering that she was evan more sup 3 rally groomed for her eurent role as potential Empre In truth, she was a very sickly child, and she was onl recently healed through the interven fie spit lan, While most of her family spent their ives at sea, Magami learned ta help oversee Yeritomo's household in Gotei City. Whan she wasn't too il, she mads her way through the Mantis Clans extensive |i rom a volcanic island—at great cost to the rary of foreign txts, which has made her fluent in not just foreign lan ‘quages, but foreign literature, customs, and legends. In the three years since she recovered, she's also learned to.gut fish and sail a small boat on her own he decision to offer her hand in mariage is 08 recent 3s the “imitation” the Mantis Clan received from the Emperor—i Is one of Yoritomas impulsive and ambitious designs. iF Magami becomes betrothed to ‘the Heit she will work with the Unicom Clan to open Rokugan’s borders and establish embassies in the maior civilizations to the south and west. If nesded, use the Seasoned Courtier profile on Page 313 of the core rulebook with the Sage template except her status is 65 and her glory is 44,E Manns Cuan ‘oun as the Son of Storms, Lord Yor he | i een forward to the horizon. Yoritome is among the only ere EXPANSION DESIGNAND Alexis Dykema \yHeTiG ANDADDITIONAL Katrina Ostrander EomNe Sarah Sadler PROOFREADING Christine Crabb yanncinc nrc rkapuCER Sam GregorStewart LEcENDOFTHEFIVERINGS Tyler Parcot SronvaeVIEW Max Brooke EAPANSIONGRAPHIC DESIGN Scott Nicely ‘and Michael Silsby ‘enaniuc DESIGN COORDINATOR Joseph D. Olson CGRAPMC DESIGN MANAGER Christopher Hosch moxrcoven ant Mathias Kollios faxccover art Jokubas Uogintas InTeRIOR ART Francesca Bacrald, Lukas Banes, Marius Soto, ‘Joshua aires, Sergio Camarena Bernabe, Goravan Studio, Mauro Dal Bo, Felipe Gaona, jeg Gisber* Llorens, Ray Greaves, Brock Grossman, Tin Hsiang, Pavel Kolomeyets, Jorge Mata, “Carlos Palma Cruchaga, Polar Engine, Yudong Shen, Kathryn Steele, Tropa Entertainment, “Jokubas Uogintas, Le Yuong FANTASY PLIGHT GAMES Games, Legend ofthe Five Rng Fantasy Fight Gomes ISBN: 978-1-63344 Vee dowloads, nd 2 wor Fantasy Credits she Lsklogo ae rte FG logo ae eared a 360.0 Product Code: LSRO? bout the word of Rokugan, the Legend ser 10 _WINTER'S EMBRACE : Lissa fagami debuts at i banat cs atthe pocty competion, he spendsthe | Ohaus Scheme mesergicearmumdecgen | torent ere Sood of Rokugan ashe can. the PCs manage to | Sn dancer ot scopetuihinwacaynecsmicaicas | utente the ou Si he riaton ne presinhafolowens | eae, mabe Best ofl, he knowshow to naa punchline. | eae ee ee es a ote | eters Gi poe 35 of he eo toa wh tempest col {Get altos, Good sk ‘nr 1RecrON Jeff Lee Johnson awacincartomecror Tony Bradt ‘qunuryassuRance Andrew Janeba {Coorbination and Zach Tewalthomas PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT Jason Glawe and Dylan Tierney UisuaLeneariveninecron Brian Schomburg John Franz Wichlace (Chris Gerber eee moje ose acurecanroescnce Cory Rorocha Andrew Nave Nico Barden, Max roe, Bai! Lovet Ca ‘MiP Tse ar ela im Hockloey ise! ure Casey Kipp ‘heel (irene, Mehul eens, Notinew Newnan, Aton Rexford Sih, ‘Thao Reel ore Shaan Math lr Fantasy Fight Games 11995 West County Road 82 Roseville, MN 55113, USA ine FE lgo ave traders of Fntay Fight Games rakes of Feta Fight Gomes. Printed in Chine ofthe Five Rings Roleplaying Game ie, ine lepleying- Game le quis sus ol JnxGames.com/en/L98Par heen Tre Les [re ee WINTER’S EMBRACE eR at ea Pee eae enced Peanut ent ore) peer eee ero) Evan e ane td pearen S og thick of a devious scheme. Ryoku sets the group to uncover the ‘truth behind how cae ee eee eg Clan, and his gang of scoundrels secured a coveted imitation. And, more importantly, ere ed [eee teen ne niec Sot eee eee of Kyiiden Doji with Winter's Embrace. ote eee hazards of court politics, though there is Skea et tees out and the players get closer to the truth, they find a whispered word can kill as eens Winter’s Embrace includes: SE ee Seer ts Cree tne SN eens depicting the lands of the Crane and Mantis Clans, as well as the elegant cs ead the Crane. a Rc eerste heroes and villains of your adventures eset anes i 9 WV i aS Sa Fai Dicer ea AL Ape ae cin ron parr J oy — Peo