The Mantis Clan
Abertura
The Mantis Clan
Rules for playing characters from the Islands of Spice and Silk
Credits
EXPANSION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Max Brooke
FICTION Sam Stewart
EDITING Christine Crabb
PROOFREADING Tim Huckelbery
GRAPHIC DESIGN Joe Olsen and Michael Silsby
GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Christopher Hosch
COVER ART Agri Karuniawan
INTERIOR ART Aurlien Hubert, Antonio José Manzanedo,
Adam Schumpert, Le Vuong
ART DIRECTION Crystal Chang and Andy Christensen
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT Jason Glawe and Dylan Tierney
VISUAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brian Schomburg
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER John Franz-Whichlacz
SENIOR MANAGER OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Chris Gerber
EXECUTIVE GAME DESIGNER Corey Konieczka
HEAD OF STUDIO Andrew Navaro
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For hours, the Shimakage had crept up on the plodding merchant ship out of Earthquake Fish Bay. She kept on a course that didn’t quite parallel the Crab vessel, and kept her sails reefed just so, conveniently keeping any symbols on the cloth hidden from sight. To the merchant ship, the Shimakage must have appeared as just another trading vessel heading for the Islands of Silk and Spice.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Kai asked as he leaned up against the ship’s gunnels.
Hanging off over the blue-green foam, a single firm grip on the stays the only thing keeping her from plunging into the depths, Shio glanced back from the horizon with the guileless expression of a child. “Whatever do you mean, Kai-san?”
Kai snorted. “Come on, Captain. I’ve been watching you work ever so casually to windward of that kabutogani there all morning,” he nodded dismissively towards the Crab ship on the horizon.
Shio gave the other vessel another look, then pulled herself aboard with a casual tug on the stays. She landed firm-footed and slightly crouched on the heaving deck, then straightened into the bow-legged swagger natural to any true sailor. Ignoring Kai, she walked to the edge of the quarterdeck. The rest of the Shimakage stretched out before her, and she gave it, and her crew, a casual once-over. “I’m just taking us where the winds are.”
“We practically have Tamon breathing down our necks now,” Kai said. “Any further north, and we’ll miss Toshi Inazuma by a league or more.”
“As if my navigator would let that happen,” Shio chuckled. “I’d wager you could tell me how many li to Otosan Uchi, if I asked.”
“It isn’t seemly for a captain to take money from her crew.”
The two stood in comradely silence for a long moment. Then Kai spoke again. “You know that Yoritomo has forbidden us from raiding Crab ships.”
Shio nodded. “I was at the assembly last month, as were you.”
“Something about a plan of his. ‘Be free to pluck any Cranes you find on open water,’ he said. ‘But leave the Crab be. Now is not the right moment to make them into enemies.’”
“I do remember him saying something of the sort.” “And yet, here we are. With a fat merchant ship to our lee, and us in the perfect position to swoop down on them with the wind at our backs.”
Still not looking Kai in the eye, Shio walked back toward the solid pine beam of the Shimakage‘s tiller. The sailor operating it saw her coming and relinquished control with a short but respectful bow. The captain put her hands on the tiller, feeling the minute vibrations of the ship and the waves through the wood.
“Kai-san, did I ever tell you about growing up in the City of Lightning?”
“A few times, Captain.” “When I was a child,” Shio continued, “My aunt brought home some sweet honey candies from her adventures to the South. Oh, how I wanted one! But my aunt insisted that they be saved for a special occasion. ‘Think of how good they will taste,’ she would say, 'if you enjoy them at the perfect moment.’”
Shio leaned against the tiller, gazing at the horizon with unfocused eyes. “So one morning, I went into the kitchen and asked, again, for a candy. And when my aunt, bless her memory, began to lecture me on patience, I snatched one from the box and fled.”
Her eyes snapped back down to meet Kai, and a broad grin split her face.
“I don’t know if that was the ‘perfect moment.’ But it tasted pretty damn good to me.”
Shio shoved hard on the tiller, and the Shimakage heeled over sharply, the square prow digging deep into the waves before breaking through the crest in a shower of blue-green spray. The wind caught the battened sails and filled them with a sudden crack, the great green Mantis mon proudly emblazoned on the straining canvas for all to see. The crew rose from their stations, eyes fixed upon their captain.
The navigator shook his head, but the smile on his face matched his captain’s. He raised his voice. “Sailors of the Shimakage! To arms! We have a prize to take!”
WHAT DOES YOUR CHARACTER KNOW?
The Mantis Minor Clan
Ring Increase: +1 Water
Skill Increases: +1 Seafaring
Status: 25 The Mantis minor clan are a group of rugged sailors, having grown from a loose alliance of merchants, rōnin, and castoff members of the Great Clans to a massive organization that operates along Rokugan’s coastline. While the Crane Clan has historically been one of the Mantis’ major clients, recent political turmoil has pushed them apart, and the Mantis have sought allies elsewhere in the Empire. They sail from mainland ports to the Isles of Silk and Spice and beyond, and rival the Unicorn Clan in their exposure to foreign cultures. Having risen from less than the Great Clans, they are not so quick to look down upon those of lower station—but humble origins do nothing to quell the ambitions of their dashing and piratical leader, Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo.
The Families of the Fleet
Ring Increase: +1 Fire or +1 Water
Skill Increases: +1 Commerce, +1 Survival
What does your character know?
All Mantis Clan characters have a greater awareness of the following topics:
You have a general awareness of the politics of Crane and Crab lands, as well as ports many Mantis call home, such as Tempest Island and Thunder Dragon Bay.
You know many basic facts of life about lands accessible by sea, such as the Isles of Silk and Spice, as well as foreign lands like the Ivory Kingdoms.
You know at least some words from foreign languages such as Ivindi, Myantu, and Portuga, and might even be fluent.
You know how to make yourself useful aboard a ship, and are used to shipboard life.
What Does Bushidō Mean to Your Clan?
The Mantis believe that everyone must prove themself—higher station of birth carries certain benefits, but comes with an expectation that an individual will achieve greater heights to match. Even the lowliest member of the clan can advance if they serve exceptionally. Courage (Yu) holds a special place for the Mantis.
Most members have ancestors who were born as commoners or fell from grace, so the Mantis is more tolerant of foibles than other clans. The Bushidō tenet of Honor (Meiyo) is less important to members of the Mantis Clan.
See page 301 of the core rulebook for more information on how these can affect your honor and glory.
THE MANTIS CLAN
There are many minor clans in Rokugan, but perhaps the most famous—or certainly the most infamous, if you are in Crane lands—are the Mantis.
Players who wish to build a Mantis character can do so using the clan, family, and schools provided here. The Worldly Rōnin school on page 87 of the core rulebook is also a good school for a Mantis character, especially one who joined the clan
later in life.
At the GM’s discretion, a Mantis character could alternately study at a Great Clan school, or a character from a Great Clan could fall in with these motley seafarers. As with any character extending beyond their clan’s teachings, the GM has final say over whether a particular concept is appropriate for the
story being told.
| ADVANCE | TYPE |
|---|---|
| RANK 1 | |
| Trade Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Fitness | Skill |
| Games | Skill |
| Martial Arts [Ranged] | Skill |
| Rank 1 Kata | Tech. Grp. |
| Skulk | Technique |
| Shallow Waters | Technique |
| RANK 2 | |
| Martial Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Commerce | Skill |
| Seafaring | Skill |
| Survival | Skill |
| Rank 1–2 Fire Shūji | Tech. Grp. |
| Flowing Water Strike | Technique |
| Osano-wo’s Boast | Technique |
| RANK 3 | |
| Social Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Martial Arts [Melee] | Skill |
| Martial Arts [Ranged] | Skill |
| Seafaring | Skill |
| Rank 1–3 Water Shūji | Tech. Grp. |
| Bravado | Technique |
| Heartpiercing Strike | Technique |
| RANK 4 | |
| Trade Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Command | Skill |
| Martial Arts [Ranged] | Skill |
| Tactics | Skill |
| Rank 1–4 Kata | Tech. Grp. |
| Buoyant Arrival | Technique |
| Crashing Wave Style | Technique |
| RANK 5 | |
| Martial Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Commerce | Skills |
| Seafaring | Skill |
| Sentiment | Skill |
| Rank 1–5 Kata | Tech. Grp. |
| Rouse the Soul | Technique |
| Sear the Wound | Technique |
RANK 6
Storm Lord’s Gambit (Mastery Ability): You may receive 1 additional strife to use your Sailor’s Fortune ability on any check instead of only a Trade skill check.
Storm Fleet Sailor School [Bushi]
Life on the seas between and beyond the Isles of Silk and Spice has made the Mantis Clan practical. Its sailors know most true fights do not take place in a dōjō, but in wild ambushes and on the rocking decks of kobune. A sailor must know when to push their luck—and when to settle for what they have. Opportunists to the core, the warriors of the Mantis Storm Fleet eschew no weapon, push every advantage, and yield only to the rolling sea.
Rings: +1 Fire, +1 Water
Starting Skills (choose five): +1 Commerce, +1 Fitness, +1 Games, +1 Labor, +1 Martial Arts [Melee], +1 Martial Arts [Ranged], +1 Seafaring
Honor: 35
Techniques Available: Kata (), Rituals (), Shūji ()
Starting Techniques:
Kata: Pelting Hail Style
Shūji (choose one): All in Jest, Stirring the Embers
Sailor’s Fortune (School Ability): Once per round when making a Trade skill check, if you are not Compromised, you may receive a number of strife up to your school rank to reroll that many rolled dice.
Starting Outfit: Sailor’s garb, wakizashi (short sword), knife, any two weapons of rarity 6 or lower, yumi (bow), quiver of arrows, traveling pack, rope (twenty feet), gambling set (cards or dice), fishing rod and line.
NEW TECHNIQUES
Osano-wo’s Boast is a new technique that can be found on page 7 of this document (indicated by bold).
Storm Fleet Tide Seer [Shugenja]
The tenkinja are priests of the tide, trained in the ways of reading the sea and appeasing the kami of wave and storm. These seers have served the Mantis Clan for generations, and without their blessing at the outset of a journey, even the most seasoned of Mantis sailors are uneasy to take to the open ocean. As with most Mantis traditions, the tenkinja have no formal center of learning, instead training individual apprentices during their journeys and periodically congregating in the Isles of Silk and Spice to share the wisdom they have attained.
Rings: +1 Air, +1 Water
Starting Skills (choose three): +1 Commerce, +1 Fitness, +1 Games, +1 Labor, +1 Martial Arts [Melee], +1 Seafaring, +1 Theology
Honor: 40
Techniques Available: Air and Water Invocations (), Rituals (), Shūji ()
Starting Techniques:
Invocations: Dominion of Suijin, Tempest of Air
Invocations (choose one): Bo of Water, Path to Inner Peace, Yari of Air
Rituals: Commune with the Spirits, Divination
Eye of the Storm (School Ability): When an invocation technique you perform would affect "each character" or "each other character" at a specified range, you may exclude a number of characters up to your school rank from all effects of the invocation except for spiritual backlash (see page 190 of the core rulebook).
Starting Outfit: Sailor’s garb, wakizashi
(short sword), knife, any one weapon of rarity 6 or lower, traveling pack, divination set (cards,
shells, or dice).
| ADVANCE | TYPE |
|---|---|
| RANK 1 | |
| Scholar Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Fitness | Skill |
| Labor | Skill |
| Seafaring | Skill |
| Rank 1 Water Shūji | Tech. Grp. |
| Summon Fog | Technique |
| Reflections of P’an Ku | Technique |
| RANK 2 | |
| Trade Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Fitness | Skill |
| Tactics | Skill |
| Theology | Skill |
| Rank 1–2 Air Invocations | Tech. Grp. |
| Hand of the Tides | Technique |
| Call upon the Wind | Technique |
| RANK 3 | |
| Scholar Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Performance | Skill |
| Seafaring | Skill |
| Survival | Skill |
| Rank 1–3 Rituals | Tech. Grp. |
| Fury of Osano-wo | Technique |
| Osano-wo’s Boast | Technique |
| RANK 4 | |
| Trade Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Command | Skill |
| Games | Skill |
| Theology | Skill |
| Rank 1–4 Water Invocations | Tech. Grp. |
| Wrath of Kaze-no-Kami | Technique |
| Rise, Water | Technique |
| RANK 5 | |
| Scholar Skills | Skl. Grp. |
| Courtesy | Skills |
| Seafaring | Skill |
| Survival | Skill |
| Rank 1–5 Void Shūji | Tech. Grp. |
| Ever-Changing Waves | Technique |
| Rise, Air | Technique |
RANK 6
Storm Surge (Mastery Ability): When you perform an invocation that smites one or more targets, treat each target’s supernatural resistance as 1 lower per kept symbol on the check.
Mantis Techniques
Like their fabled founder, members of the Mantis Clan often boast of their future glory, to strengthen their own resolve and drive their comrades to greater heights.
Activation: Once per game session as a Support action, you may make a TN 2 Command or Performance (Fire) check to boast of a deed you will attempt.
Effects: If you succeed, increase your composure and your endurance by 3. This effect persists until the end of the scene or until you complete the deed of which you boasted. At the end of the scene, if you have not completed the deed, suffer 3 fatigue and 3 strife.
If you succeed or fail, after you perform this action, any other character in the scene who knows this technique may immediately perform this action (if they have not done so already).
Mantis Advantages and Disadvantages
Blood of Osano-wo (Fire) [Distinction]
The thunder roared in the distance, and the Kabutomushi shook upon the waves. Miya Natsume huddled against the mast, furiously sketching even as the beating rains drew close. He knew that he had to capture this moment, as the captain challenged the storm. Kabutomushi no Kiba's laughter boomed across the deck, and Natsume murmured another prayer for himself.
Types: Mental, Spiritual
Effects: The following apply to you:
$ The Fortune of Storms grants you boldness and a desire not easily satisfied. You cannot be killed by storms (such as by lightning or going overboard in a tempest). If you would die this way, you instead wake up later in a place of the GM’s choice, miraculously safe and with 0 Void points.
When performing a check for which you need to take a great risk (such as a Games [Fire] check to wager the game on a single gambit or a Seafaring [Fire] check to chart a route through a deadly region) you may reroll up to two dice.
Sea Legs (Water) [Distinction]
Hanako slapped the recruit on the shoulder as the new sailor retched over the side of the kobune.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the rocking of the waves. The food never gets any better, though.”
Types: Physical
Effects: The following apply to you:
You never get seasick, and can maintain your balance easily on a rocking ship. You always feel slightly disconcerted on stable ground, however.
When performing a check for which you need stay balanced on a shifting surface (such as a Martial Arts [Ranged] [Water] check to make a bow shot during a boarding attack or Seafaring [Water] check to adjust the sails during a storm), you may reroll up to two dice.
Knotwork (Air) [Passion]
A sailor’s knots differ from those used by a priest to tie consecrated cords, but each holds a kind of prayer.
Types: Mental
Effects: The following apply to you:
You can identify and tie dozens of different knots, and know their appropriate uses and the meanings each one carries.
After performing a check to interact with a knot (such as a Design [Air] check to add a decorative knot to your garb or a Seafaring [Air] check to secure your vessel’s rigging), you remove 3 strife.
Sailor’s Tongue (Air) [Adversity]
“Err, maybe forget you heard that last bit about the oar and the octopus, eh Doji-san?”
Types: Mental, Interpersonal
Effects: The following apply to you:
Your speech is often punctuated by a combative tone or idioms that others find difficult to understand or even vulgar.
When performing a check to speak politely (such as a Courtesy [Air] check to pay a compliment at court or a Culture [Air] check to know if something is rude to discuss), you must choose and reroll two dice containing or . After resolving the check, if you failed, you gain 1 Void point.
WHO CAN SELECT THESE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES?
These advantages and disadvantages are written to be especially useful for Mantis characters. However, at the GM’s discretion, any character may select these advantages or disadvantages if they are suitable to their character concept.
Mantis Equipment
The Isles of Silk and Spice have a diverse culture and a wide range of fighting styles, and the Mantis bring many influences from this region to their own way of doing battle. This can make them unpredictable foes for traditionalist samurai whose training has focused on the battlefield weapons and armor of Rokugan.
Mantis Weapons
Unlike many clans, the Mantis Clan pushes its individual members to prove themselves by standing out rather than meeting a specific, exacting standard. Among its warriors, this means encouraging students to experiment with many weapons until they find a distinctive fighting style that suits their nature and role.
Butterfly Sword
Short, slashing blades often designed with hooks above the guard, these blades are extremely versatile—easily concealed on one’s person, offensively and defensively potent, and useful as a tool. Often wielded in pairs and usually custom-made for an individual wielder, butterfly swords are a favorite of many Mantis sailors.
Eku
An eku is a weaponized oar, wielded as a polearm. Like the smith’s hammer or the farmer’s hoe, it likely came into being as a tool and was turned to violent purpose when seafarers came under attack and needed something with which to defend themselves. Heavier than a staff and harder to wield, the eku is a surprisingly dangerous weapon, best used for sweeping attacks. Mantis sailors tell of similar weapons made of wood or even whale-bone wielded by warriors of other seafaring cultures they have encountered.
Table 1–1: Mantis Weapons
Sai
A sai is a forked weapon that appears in many places and may be an ancestor of the jitte. Unicorn travelers have even reported seeing such weapons in the Ivory Kingdoms, and some archives in Rokugan from ancient days contain drawings of similar designs. The sai is commonly used in the Isles of Silk and Spice, wielded as a pair and usually blunted at the tips to allow a warrior to trap, control, punch, and jab to subdue a foe.
While you have a pair of sai readied, reduce the you must spend to activate their Snaring quality by 1.
Tinbe-Rochin
A tinbe-rochin is actually two weapons wielded as a pair: a short spear (the tinbe) and a small shield (the rochin), both excellent for close quarters or the rolling deck of a ship. The haft of the tinbe is cut short, and the head is often shaped to accommodate both stabbing and slashing motions. The rochin can be made of many different materials, including wood or turtle shell, and is generally used to deflect rather than block with full force. If executed properly, this allows the wielder to open their opponent to a killing strike with the tinbe.
A rochin is a shield, and a character can only wield one shield at a time. As a Movement and Support action, p. 9 if you have a rochin readied, you may increase the TN of the next Attack action check made targeting you by 1 and decrease the TN of your next Attack action check using a tinbe by 1. This effect persists until the end of your next turn.
| NAME | SKILL RNG DMG | DLS GRIPS | QUALITIES | RARITY PRICE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWORDS | |||||||
| Butterfly Sword | [Melee] | 0–1 | 3 | 5 | 1-hand: – Concealable, Snaring 6 | 10 koku | |
| HAND WEAPONS | |||||||
| Sai | [Melee] | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1-hand: – Concealable, Snaring 6 | 2 koku | |
| Tonfa | [Melee] | 0–1 | 3 | 3 | 1-hand: – Concealable, Durable 5 | 4 koku | |
| POLEARMS | |||||||
| Eku | [Melee] | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2-hand: – Cumbersome, Durable, Mundane | 5 | 3 koku |
| Tinbe | [Melee] | 0–1 | 3 | 5 | 1-hand: – – | 6 | 15 koku |
| SHIELDS | |||||||
| Rochin | [Melee] | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1-hand: – Durable | 6 | 25 koku |
Tonfa
Another ancient design of uncertain origins, the tonfa is a thick stock attached at a 90-degree angle to a handle that allows it to spin freely. An incredibly versatile defensive weapon, a tonfa can be used to reinforce blocks and launch blisteringly fast short circular attacks. Tonfa are often wielded in pairs, or alongside an open hand.
As a Movement and Support action, if you have a tonfa readied, you may increase the TN of the next Attack action check targeting you by 1 and decrease the TN of your next Attack action check using a tonfa by 1. This effect persists until the end of your next turn.
Mantis Armor
Some Mantis wear heavy armor like any other samurai even in shipboard battles—to go overboard in the chaos of battle is often a death sentence whether or not one is wearing armor. On the other hand, space is ever at a premium aboard a ship, so many Mantis sailors prefer light armor or inventive solutions that provide them protection without requiring space for storage or hindering their movement on the deck or in the water.
Sailor’s Garb
Mantis sailors generally dress in practical clothes made of sturdy, resilient cloth that will not fall apart when soaked by the sea or baked by the sun. These clothes are also generally easy to repair, even aboard a ship where supplies are often very scare.
Reduce the TN of checks to repair or maintain sailor’s garb by 1.
Shark Leather Armor
While the flesh of beasts is considered unclean by some traditionalist samurai, leather can also be harvested from fish such as sharks and rays. Rokugani swords often incorporate this leather in their grip, and through special treatment, it can be used to make lightweight armor, especially if reinforced with wood or metal bands. Leather does little to deflect oncoming attacks, but it is hard to pierce, protecting the wearer against telling blows. Many Mantis samurai who can afford it favor its light weight and striking looks.
Table 1–2: Mantis Armor
When you succeed at a check to resist a critical strike while wearing this armor, add two bonus successes.
Sailors’ Equipment
Shipboard living teaches members of the Mantis Clan to value their tools, but also to minimize their possessions as much as possible, for additional keepsakes mean less cargo. The following are a few items that members of the Mantis Clan often find indispensable on their nautical journeys.
Astrolabe
Rokugani scholars have long studied the sky and the movement of celestial bodies, and their records date back to the start of the Empire, but the refined use of this information for navigation has been refined even further in other lands. Traders who encounter vessels from the Qamarist Caliphate often go to great lengths to acquire the navigation devices called astrolabes, or star-takers. Developed using advanced mathematics to identify and precisely note the position of celestial bodies in the sky, these devices are costly to acquire— but invaluable to any sea captain who ventures into waters uncharted. (Cost: 30 koku. Rarity: 10.)
Fishing Rod and Line
On long voyages or while moored at far-flung ports, fishing is not only a profitable activity, but also a way to pass the time in quiet contemplation. As such, many members of the Mantis Clan carry a fishing rod, and spend their spare time tying or cutting lures. So popular a pastime is fishing that an old story claims the iconic, sickle-shaped kama was first picked up by a curious Mantis captain who mistook it for a fishhook. (Cost: 1 bu. Rarity: 1.)
Taraibune
Sometimes called “tub boats,” taraibune are small, barrel-shaped, circular vessels five to six feet in diameter, designed for one operator who steers by oar. Sturdy and cheap to build, they serve as additional vessels for families in many fishing villages across Rokugan, and as single-person landing craft aboard some Mantis vessels. (Cost: 1 koku. Rarity: 4.)
| NAME | R. VALUES | QUALITIES | RARITY PRICE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sailor’s Garb | Physical 1 | Durable, Mundane | 2 | 1 bu |
| Shark Leather Armor Physical 2 | Resplendent | 7 | 12 koku |
Aquatic NPCs
The following are several NPCs that are useful for stories about the Mantis Clan and other nautical adventures.
EEL
Eels are long, slippery fish. Scavengers or predators, they can be aggressive if provoked, but generally prefer to hide within crevasses, striking at smaller prey when the time is right. Eel is a popular food in Rokugan.
1
1
1
3 4 2
+2,
–2
DEMEANOR - SKITTISH
1
ENDURANCE
COMPOSURE
FOCUS
VIGILANCE
| ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 0 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 0 | TRADE 0 |
|---|---|
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
Slippery:
Martial; Physical
Easily Baited:
Interpersonal; Mental
FAVORED WEAPONS
Razor Teeth: Range 0, Damage 2, Deadliness 4
ABILITIES
SWARMING HUNTER
An eel is a silhouette 1 aquatic animal. When making an Attack action check with assistance, an eel may spend as follows:
+: One character other than the target at range 0–2 suffers 2 physical damage. This can be activated a number of times per round equal to the number of eels assisting with the check.
OCTOPUS
One of the strangest creatures of the sea, the octopus is remarkably intelligent, capable of changing its skin color and even texture to blend into its environment and getting into or out of nearly any enclosure. These creatures are short-lived, but their curiosity and cunning is legendary. Ranging in size from tiny specimens to behemoths nearly as large as a person, their strangeness makes them the subject of fascination for humans. Octopus is also a delicacy in coastal Rokugan.
1
3
1
3 6 6
+2,
–2
DEMEANOR - CURIOUS
3
ENDURANCE
COMPOSURE
FOCUS
VIGILANCE
| ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 1 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 0 | TRADE 0 |
|---|---|
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
Flexibility of Form:
Martial, Trade; Physical
Easily Startled:
Martial; Mental
FAVORED WEAPONS
Sharp Beak: Range 0, Damage 1, Deadliness 4, Razor-edged
Arms: Range 0, Damage 3, Deadliness 2, Snaring
ABILITIES
MASTER OF DISGUISE
An octopus is a silhouette 1 aquatic animal. When performing a check, an octopus may spend as follows:
+: The octopus disguises itself in its environment, causing each character with vigilance lower than or equal to the spent this way to lose sight of it.
SHARK
The triangle fin of a shark cutting through the waves sends chills down many a sailor’s spine. Despite the fear they evoke, even large sharks rarely hunt humans. By contrast, shark fishing is common, and hunting a shark is a rite of passage in the Isles of Silk and Spice.
2
2
3
12 9 8
+2,
–2
DEMEANOR - INTIMIDATING
2
ENDURANCE
COMPOSURE
FOCUS
VIGILANCE
| ARTISAN 0 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 0 SOCIAL 0 | TRADE 0 |
|---|---|
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
Blood Tracker:
Trade; Mental
Sinuous Power:
Martial; Physical
Feeding Frenzy:
Trade; Mental
FAVORED WEAPONS
Bite: Range 0, Damage 6, Deadliness 6, Razor-edged
OTHER SEA CREATURES
The eel profile could also be used for other large fish, and the shark could be used for a carnivorous whale or similar animal. Increasing (or decreasing) the endurance and silhouette and ring values of these creatures can also allow you to make larger (or smaller) specimens.
Aquatic animals and beings generally cannot move on land (and those that can, such as the octopus, ningyo, and sea troll, treat all dry land as Dangerous
terrain).
ABILITIES
APEX HUNTER OF THE SEAS
A shark is a silhouette 3 aquatic animal. Increase the deadliness of its bite against a Bleeding target by 4.
BLOOD IN THE WATER
As an Attack and Movement action, a shark may make a TN 2 Fitness (Water) check to slam a target at range 0–1. If it succeeds, the target suffers the Dazed condition, and must resist with a TN 3 Fitness check (Earth 2, Fire 5) or suffer the Bleeding condition.
NINGYO
To most Rokugani, the idea of a city beneath the waves, filled with piscine folk called ningyo, seems nothing more than a fanciful tale—a myth of ancient days. The Kami Shiba was said to have visited such a place during his mythic journeys, but if such a place exists, it has been forgotten. Sailors claim to have seen ningyo; in their stories, sometimes ningyo are friendly despite their predatory appearance—and other times they are merciless hunters.
| SOCIETAL | PERSONAL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 7 12 | 12 06 | 6 |
| HONOR | ENDURANCE | ||
| 1 3 4 | 2 2 | ||
| GLORY | COMPOSURE | ||
| STATUS | FOCUS |
VIGILANCE
+2,
–2
DEMEANOR - CURIOUS
2
| ARTISAN 1 MARTIAL 1 SCHOLAR 2 SOCIAL 3 | TRADE 2 |
|---|---|
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
Natural Swimmer:
Martial; Physical
Distrustful of Humans:
Social; Interpersonal
FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR
Coral-tipped Spear: Range 1, Damage 5, Deadliness 4, Ceremonial, Durable
Gear (Equipped): Shark leather armor (Physical 2), handful of valuable shells, etched bones.
ABILITIES
AQUATIC HUMANOID
A ningyo is an aquatic being of silhouette 2.
DRAG UNDER
Activation: When making an attack action check, a ningyo may spend as follows:
Water +: The ningyo attempt to drag one of its targets with vigilance lower than or equal to the <OP> spent this way beneath the waves. If it succeeds, the target must resist with a TN 3 Fitness check (Earth 1, Fire 4) or be pulled 1 range band under water and begin to suffocate (see p. 269 of the core rulebook).
SEA TROLL
Trolls are ancient and mysterious beings—intelligent but often belligerent, wise but often short-tempered. Whether sea trolls are the same species as their landborne cousins or merely superficially similar in the manner of humans and ningyo remains a topic of debate by those few scholars who even believe they exist.
| SOCIETAL | PERSONAL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 14 10 | 9 05 | 4 |
| HONOR | ENDURANCE | ||
| GLORY | COMPOSURE | ||
| 3 2 5 | 4 4 | ||
| STATUS | FOCUS |
VIGILANCE
+2,
–2
DEMEANOR - COVETOUS
3
| ARTISAN 1 MARTIAL 3 SCHOLAR 3 SOCIAL 1 | TRADE 1 |
|---|---|
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
Insatiable Appetite:
Social; Physical
Surprisingly Stealthy:
Martial; Physical
FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR
Rending Grip: Range 1, Damage 4, Deadliness 6
Gear (Equipped): Rough hide (Physical 2, Supernatural 2), collection of detritus
ABILITIES
ANCIENT AND POWERFUL
A sea troll is an aquatic Otherworldly being of silhouette 4.
MYSTICAL DIFFUSION
While a sea troll is fully submerged in the water, its supernatural resistance is 8.
