Tournament of the

Topaz Champion
A One-Round Introductory Adventure for Heroes of
Rokugan (Champions of the Sapphire Throne)

by Rob Hobart
Revised for 3eR, October 2008

Promising young samurai from across the Empire are invited each year to participate in a gempukku tournament in
Crane lands, where the finest competitor will be named Topaz Champion by the Emperor himself. You are honored
to be a part of this fine tradition… and failure before the Son of Heaven would be unthinkable.

LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS is a registered trademark of Alderac Entertainment Group.

Scenario detail copyright 2005, 2008 by the author and Alderac Entertainment Group. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED. This scenario is intended for tournament use only and may not be
reproduced without permission.
A four-hour time block has been allocated for playing
this game. The actual playing time should be about three
and a half hours.
It is a good idea to ask each player to put a name tag
in front of him or her. The tag should have the player's
name at the bottom, and the character's name, race, and
gender at the top. This makes it easier for the players to
keep track of who is playing which character.
The players are free to use the game rules to learn
about equipment and weapons their characters are
carrying.
Some of the text in this scenario is written so that
you may present it as written to the players, while other
text is for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in
bold italics. It is strongly recommended that you
paraphrase the player text, instead of reading it aloud, as
some of the text is general and must be adapted to the
specific situation or to actions of the player characters.
GM's Information
THIS SCENARIO SHOULD NOT BE RUN COLD!
Please read the scenario thoroughly before attempting
to run it.
This adventure is an Introductory adventure, and should
only be played by Rank 1 characters, preferably
characters who have not previously played any other
adventures.
All bulleted information is just that, pure information.
Feed it to the players through an NPC when
appropriate. Sometimes, reading it straight just doesn’t
sound right.
Remember that family names come before personal
names. Akodo Toturi is from the Akodo family and his
personal name is Toturi.
A note on commerce in Rokugan: Samurai are not
supposed to care about worldly possessions, especially
money. A samurai pays a commoner as if the money is
meaningless, a concession to the commoner’s silly
needs. Between samurai, the exchange of money and
merchandise is an exchange of “gifts.”
CREDIT WHERE it is DUE: This adventure is based
on the “Topaz Championship” adventures published by
Alderac, both the original by Andrew Heckt and
Edward Bolme (published in 1997) and the revised
version by Shawn Carman (published in 2005).
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Glory and Honor Awards and
Penalties
This adventure contains suggested Glory and Honor
awards (and penalties) for dealing with the challenges
presented herein. However, at times the players may
take extra actions which the GM judges worthy of
additional reward – or punishment. The following may
be considered as guidelines:
• Performing an act of selfless, sacrificial loyalty to
one’s daimyo or clan: +1 point of Honor.
• Abiding by the tenets of bushido when one could
gain an obvious advantage from breaking them: +1
point of Honor.
• Betraying or disobeying your duty, Clan, or family:
lose 1-10 points of Honor and Glory, and possibly
Status, depending on the severity of the failure.
Gain the same amount of Infamy.
• Crying out in pain when injured: lose one point
each of Honor and Glory.
• Using sneaky, underhanded, or treacherous
methods when at an Honor rank higher than zero:
lose 1-5 points of Honor. If caught, also gain 1-5
points of Infamy.
• Using poison: lose 1-10 points of Honor,
depending on the circumstances (there is always an
Honor loss for using poison). If caught, also gain
the same amount of Infamy.
• Performing a socially acceptable public act of
extreme courage and skill: +1 point of Glory.
• Drunk, insulting, or otherwise ill-mannered in
public: lose 1-5 points of Glory. For extreme
abuses, also gain an equivalent amount of Infamy.
• Playing entire adventure without doing anything of
note: lose 1 point of Glory.
• Made ronin: Status removed.
Adventure Summary and
Background
The PCs are young samurai who are about to be tested
before undergoing their gempukku ceremony,
signifying their status as adult samurai. This is a very
important rite of passage for samurai, showing that they
are adults and worthy of serving their Clans and
Families.
The vast majority of samurai in Rokugan regard the
Topaz Championship as the most prestigious gempukku
ceremony in the Empire. The ceremony is open to any
who wish to attend, but the Great Clans tend to be very
selective in determining who represents them at the
Championship. To permit just anyone to enter the
contest would risk embarrassment, and no Great Clan
Page 2
would risk such a thing in front of their Crane hosts.
Minor Clan samurai and ronin candidates require a
Great Clan sponsor to be admitted to the competition.
The Topaz Championship has been held in the Kakita
town of Tsuma for centuries, at one of the largest dojo
for the Kakita Dueling Academy.
Upon arriving in Tsuma, the PCs will have a day to
prepare for the competition, explore the city, and meet
the major and minor NPCs who are present. Once the
contest begins, the PCs will witness several strange and
difficult incidents, some of them disrupting the
competition itself.
Introduction: Arrival in
Tsuma
It is spring of the year 1499 of the Imperial Calendar,
the sixteenth year of the reign of Toturi XII, the
Joyous Prince, also known as the Sapphire Emperor.
A fresh spring breeze carries the scent of cherry
blossoms to you from a nearby orchard. To the south,
just visible on the horizon, is the splendid tower of
Shiro Sano Kakita, the ancient seat of the Kakita
family. Ahead of you is the village of Tsuma, a
modest-sized city located next to a minor river, and
home to one of the major dojos for the Kakita Dueling
Academy. Here you will compete in the Topaz
Championship, the most famous gempukku ceremony
in the land. Here you will show yourselves worthy of
bearing the title “samurai.”
Tsuma is a modest city of about 1,500 people –
essentially a very large village. Located in the peaceful
Crane lands, it has neither walls nor a military garrison.
There are no formal embassies maintained by other
clans, since most only have business within the city
once per year. The largest structure in the village is the
Kakita Dueling Academy, a sizable compound of
buildings and gardens, linked under a shared roof and
protected by a high stone wall… the only fortification
in Tsuma.
The PCs arrive in Tsuma by land, as do most of the
other attendees and competitors – the road is crowded
with samurai, both mounted and on foot, as well as
noblewomen in palanquins. Crane magistrates patrol
the roads carefully, and the PCs are stopped at least
once to show their travel papers.
Since there is no castle in Tsuma, most of the visitors
must stay at the popular and prestigious House of the
Laughing Carp, which offers free housing to all
contestants in the Topaz Championship (see below).
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Status of the PCs
All of the PCs are here to compete in the Topaz
Championship. Since the Championship is also a
gempukku ceremony, it can be assumed that none of
the PCs have gone through one yet – although they
have been granted their swords in order to participate in
the competition, they are not yet considered “adults”
and their functional Status is zero until they complete
their gempukku and are acknowledged as full-fledged
members of their Clans.
Crab bushi and shugenja PCs are an exception to this –
in Crab tradition, they complete their gempukku by
going into the Shadowlands and returning with the head
of a monster. It can be assumed that any such Crab
PCs have already done this, and have been sent here
afterward (like Hida Chorotaku) simply to compete and
represent their Clan well.
Ronin PCs can choose whether to have already
completed a private gempukku (in which case they are
simply here in search of glory and reputation) or not (in
which case they must succeed in the Tournament in
order to complete it). Also, ronin players should
choose which Clan their character has managed to
wangle into sponsoring their admission to the
tournament.
What’s in Tsuma?
Some contestants will have little interest in the city
beyond the contest. Others, however, may wish to
explore. The following locations within the city may be
of interest to the PCs:
The House of the Laughing Carp: A venerable
and notable tea house and inn, the House of the
Laughing Carp offers free room and board to all
contestants in the Topaz Championship, and the PCs
will be staying here along with all of the NPC
contestants except Matsu Nimoro (who stays with his
father in the Dueling Academy). The house is typically
busy in the evenings, particularly so during the
Championship, and sees a wide range of patrons. Food
and drink here are of excellent quality.
Poisoned Water Sake House: Down the street
from the Laughing Carp, this tastelessly named
business is a small brewery and sake house. It is
frequented mainly by ronin during the off-season, but
grows crowded and popular during the Topaz
Championship. The house sake made here is sold in
small, black clay bottles and is famed for its potency.
The Crab and Mantis contestants spend much of their
Page 3
time here, even on the first evening when the other
visitors are still finding their feet.
Foreign Curiosities: A Unicorn-owned shop which
sells a variety of strange gaijin goods. Its selection has
grown considerably in the last half-century as the
Empire has relaxed the prohibitions on importing such
things. PCs seeking the exotic or bizarre can find it
here. (Gunpowder and other foreign weapons are of
course still unavailable.)
Arrival of the Imperial Party
On the evening that the PCs arrive in Tsuma, a large
mounted party will ride into the village, escorted by a
half-dozen Imperial Guardsmen: the Emperor and his
entourage. All of the local samurai and contestants
gather in the streets to bow and greet the Son of
Heaven.
Toturi XII is still a handsome and vigorous man, only
a few gray streaks in his hair betraying that he is
approaching the age of forty. He smiles politely to the
bowing crowds as he strides forward. Walking behind
him are his two eldest sons, the twins Hatsu and
Kobashi, sporting the mons of the Crane and Lion
schools where they have been fostered. Between the
two handsome young men is their youngest sister, six-
year-old Toturi Chisa, whose birth took the life of her
mother after twelve fertile years. More than one
maiden in the audience flutters her fan and sighs at
the sight of the two handsome young men protecting
their innocent youngest sister.
Following closely behind the Emperor is Miya
Shikan, the Imperial Herald, who will serve as master
of ceremonies for the tournament. Shikan’s pale,
narrow face and clean-shaven scalp make him look
almost monastic, he his gaze is sharp and faintly
disapproving as he acknowledges the bows of the
crowd.
Behind the Emperor’s party come two other large
groups, the leaders of the Lion and Crane with their
retinues:
The Lion daimyo and Emerald Champion, Matsu
Hoketsaku, is a powerful-looking man in his mid-
thirties, moving with the energy of a warrior even in
these peaceful times. He is accompanied by a young
man of thirteen years or so, who you realize must be
his son and heir, Matsu Nimoro, named for the famed
hero from the reign of Toturi III. Also with them is a
lean, hard-faced older man with thinning hair and
prominent cheekbones.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
A roll of Intelligence/Lore: Heraldry at TN 10 will
recognize the lean older man as Akodo Gintaku, the
Akodo family daimyo. PCs who pay attention to the
two Matsu can roll Perception/Lore: Heraldry at TN
15 to notice that Matsu Nimoro does not yet have a
school mon. This implies he has not yet completed his
gempukku… which further implies that he is almost
certainly a fellow contestant in the Topaz
Championship.
Alongside the Lions, the handsome Crane Champion,
Doji Sarutomo, smiles charmingly but with a slightly
distracted air as he follows the Emperor. He is
accompanied by an elderly woman whose tottering
pace is supported by both a cane and a pair of young
handmaidens. This can be none other than the
legendary O-Doji Koneko, the Crane Clan matron,
widow of the previous Champion.
Have the PCs roll Raw Perception at TN 20. With a
success, they overhear someone muttering “here comes
the old ghoul” as O-Doji Koneko hobbles past. A PC
who looks back immediately will see the Mantis
contestant, Yoritomo Kagetora, sharing a chuckle with
a crowd of Crab bushi. If any PC tries to confront him,
Kagetora will deny saying it, and the Crab will back
him up with grins and nudges. PCs who pursue this
matter too far will find themselves creating a public
spectacle, possibly drawing a rebuke from someone of
higher Status.
After the honored guests have arrived, they are
welcomed by Kakita Saburashi, the daimyo of the
Kakita family and one of the senior sensei at the
Dueling Academy. Saburashi is a grim, stern-looking
man in his early forties, with white-dyed hair in a
severe samurai topknot. Any Crane PC, and any other
PC who rolls a suitable Intelligence/Lore skill (such as
Lore: History or Lore: Crane Clan) at TN 10 will
know that Saburashi is universally acknowledged as the
finest duelist in the Empire, and earned a peculiar sort
of fame a decade ago when he won the Tournament of
the Emerald Champion but refused to take the office,
claiming his skills were not worthy of it.
Saburashi gives a brief speech welcoming the
contestants, and reminding them how honored they are
to have the Emperor in attendance. “This is only the
third time in his reign that the Son of Heaven has
graced the Topaz Championship with his presence.
Let us make it one worthy of his gaze.”
Page 4
Meeting the Contestants
The PCs will have several chances to meet their fellow
Topaz contestants, both NPCs and PCs. All of the
contestants (except Matsu Nimoro) will be staying in
the Laughing Carp Inn along with the PCs. The more
prominent NPCs will not visit the Inn yet, nor will
Matsu Nimoro stay there. (The Emperor’s two sons
will grace it with their presence on the next evening.)
The GM should use “Appendix #1: Contestants” and
“Appendix #2: Other NPCs” as guidelines for playing
the various NPCs.
The number of NPC contestants is designed to ensure
that there is an even number of total contestants. If the
number of PCs is odd (5 or 7), add Tonbo Kenshiro to
the list of NPC competitors.
The first evening, before the tournament begins, should
be devoted to role-play and introducing the characters
to each other (intrigue and trouble will not begin until
the second evening). In particular, Bayushi Tenmaku
will make a point of socializing with all the contestants
in order to seek out targets for his future blackmail and
seduction efforts.
What’s in the Tournament?
Some PCs may attempt to seek out information on what
sort of competitions await them on the morrow.
Bayushi Tenmaku can helpfully offer this information,
or the PCs can find it out on their own by asking
around and rolling Awareness/Courtier (Gossip) at
TN 20.
Either way, the PCs can learn that the first day of the
tournament will feature sumai, heraldry, athletics,
horsemanship and mounted combat, and a discussion
on the elements of law, etiquette, and the code of
bushido. (Sumai is generally considered among the
Championship’s most difficult tests, as few sensei place
as great an emphasis on that skill as they once did.) For
the second day, the competitions will test weapon
skills, poetry, courtier skills, go, and hunting. It is said
to be the most grueling day, as the weapon and hunting
tests are lengthy and exhausting. Also, the hunting
competition is different from the others, since it
requires contestants to work together in small teams to
accomplish their goal. Finally, the tournament will
conclude on the third day with the Topaz
Championship itself, an iaijutsu dueling competition.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Part One: First Day of the
Topaz Championship
The Topaz Championship is a three-day competition
that tests young samurai in almost all the skills they are
expected to know. Points are awarded to those who
receive the highest marks in each contest, and the
competitor who achieves the most points overall is
declared the Topaz Champion (and, if a PC, will
receive the “Topaz Champion” cert).
Individual competitions during the Championship
usually take either the form of a match, wherein two
contestants compete directly with one another, or tests,
in which elder samurai ask questions of the contestant.
Each successful competition completed awards a single
point – for the matches, this means only the winner,
while for the tests all the competitors can potentially
win a point.
A competitor must attain a total of five points to “pass”
and complete their gempukku. (See “Conclusion” for
more details.) The highest total number of points will
determine who is named Topaz Champion.
The first day of the Topaz Championship contains tests
of sumai, heraldry, athletics, horsemanship, and a
discussion on the elements of law, etiquette, and the
code of bushido.
Choosing Competitors
At the beginning of any contest which is in “match”
format, Miya Shikan will step forward and draw small
ceramic tiles from an exquisitely crafted vase. Each tile
has the chop of a single contestant on it, and Shikan
draws two at a time to determine who will face each
other. For the “test” competitions, Shikan draws the
tiles to determine in what order the contestants will be
tested.
If possible and time allows, the GM should choose the
competitors in the same way, by using slips of paper
(Handout #1 is designed for this purpose). Otherwise,
roll a die or simply choose pairings.
First Competition: Sumai
Primary Roll: Agility/Jiujitsu (Wrestling)
The sumai match is held in the main training ground of
the Kakita Academy, on a large ring of hard-packed
bare earth. Competitors are stripped down to hakama
and gi (shirt and pants), and all weapons are forbidden.
The contest is judged by Matsu Hoketsaku, the Lion
Page 5
Champion, who was himself known as a sumai wrestler both speed and athletic coordination. The course
in his youth. consists of three major obstacles separated by lengthy
runs. Two contestants race against each other, trying to
For each match, the contestants roll Initiative and then finish first.
try to engage in a Grapple, as per the L5R rules for
Grappling (page 179 of the 3rd Edition Revised To reflect the progress of the competitors through the
rulebook). The contestant who can maintain a Grapple course, the GM should use tokens or check-marks.
against their opponent for three consecutive rounds is Each Raise a competitor makes on a successful skill
the winner. Contestants can also win by inflicting roll awards one token, and each failed skill roll
enough damage to force their opponent to concede subtracts one token. At the end of the course, the
(which is the approach Hida Chorotaku will take, higher total of tokens wins the race. If the racers are
successfully if he is up against an NPC), but this will still tied at the end, they should make an Opposed Roll
meet with strong disapproval from the audience, and of Stamina/Athletics (Running) to squeeze out that
results in the gain of 2 points of Infamy. A Crane last burst of speed.
shugenja will be quickly summoned to heal the injured
competitor. Course Start: Stamina/Athletics (Running) roll, TN
10.
Second Competition: Heraldry
Obstacle 1: The first obstacle is a narrow wooden
Primary Roll: Intelligence/Lore (Heraldry) bridge crossing a wide, muddy-bottomed stream bed.
Crossing the narrow bridge requires an
Each contestant will be brought individually before
Agility/Athletics roll, TN 10. Only one contestant may
Miya Shikan. The Imperial Herald’s eyes bore into the
cross at a time, although they may be close behind one
contestants as he orders them to identify a mon or chop.
another. A contestant who fails the Athletics/Agility
Five are presented, each more difficult than the last,
roll falls into the mud (losing two tokens), and must
and a contestant must successfully identify four of the
make a Raw Agility roll, TN 15, to escape – otherwise
five in order to pass the test:
the racer is trapped in the mud and automatically loses.
Contestants who wish to force one another into the
TN Example
mud while on the bridge must make an Opposed Raw
The mon of a Great Clan (Shikan always
Agility roll. The winner has forced his opponent off
5 chooses a different Clan than the PC’s own
the bridge, although this is a dishonorable act (lose 1
Clan)
point of Honor and gain 1 point of Infamy).
The mon of a Great Clan family (again not from
10
the PC’s Clan, if any)
Running: Stamina/Athletics (Running) roll, TN 15.
The mon of a Minor Clan (again, never the same
15 as the PC’s own Clan, and also excluding any
Obstacle 2: A large wooden wall blocks the path,
Minor Clan closely allied with the PC’s Clan)
reaching a full 15 feet into the air. The racers must
The mon of a vassal family serving a Great Clan
20 climb over the wall, using handholds on its crude
(not from the PC’s own Clan)
wooden construction. This requires an
The mon/chop of an individual samurai (in
Agility/Athletics (Climbing) roll, TN 15.
honor of the attendees, these will all be the chops
25
or mons of guests at the tournament, such as the
Final Sprint: Stamina/Athletics (Running) roll, TN
Emperor’s sons and the Clan Champions)
20.
Among the NPC competitors, the weakest
Unsurprisingly, the best competitors in this match are
performances come from Hida Chorotaku, Kakita Toru,
the more athletic bushi, such as Hida Chorotaku, Doji
and Moto Tsuto, while strong performances are offered
Keitomaru, the two Lions, Yoritomo Kagetora, and
by Matsu Nimoro, Doji Keitomaru, Bayushi Tenmaku,
Moto Tsuto. The worst performances are from Isawa
and (unexpectedly) the two ronin.
Tsutakito and Shosuro Morito, neither of whom has the
“wind” to see the competition through.
Third Competition: Athletics
Primary Roll: Various (see below) Fourth Competition: Horsemanship
Primary Roll: Various (see below)
The famous athletics competition is a foot-race and
obstacle course, requiring the contestants to display

Tournament of the Topaz Champion Page 6

Much like the athletics competition, this contest is a
match between two competitors, riding horses through
a course, attacking targets with melee and archery, and
finishing as quickly as possible. The mechanics of this
competition are the same as for the athletics race – the
competitors earning tokens for making Raises on their
rolls, and losing tokens by failing rolls.
The contestants are supplied with horses (high-quality
Rokugani ponies) and weapons if they do not already
have them in their outfit.
Action Roll TN
Ride the course to the first Agility/Horsemanship 5
target
Strike the target from Agility/Kenjutsu or 10
horseback (use sword or Agility/Polearm
naginata)
Ride to the second target area Agility/Horsemanship 5
While riding, fire an arrow at Reflexes/Kyujutsu 15
target
Return to the start line Agility/Horsemanship 10
Contestants who do not have at least one Rank in
Horsemanship will not be able to make the attack rolls,
and are thus very likely to lose this portion of the
competition unless they are facing an equally
inexperienced opponent.
As one might expect, Moto Tsuto dominates this
contest, although the Lions and Cranes also do well.
The Crab, Dragon, Phoenix, Scorpion, and ronin
competitors all do poorly, as does Yoritomo Kagetora.
Law, Etiquette, & Bushido
Primary Rolls: Intelligence/Lore (Law or Bushido)
and Intelligence/Etiquette
The Imperial Herald again serves as judge to this
contest, after a discussion with the other high-ranking
guests. (PCs who roll Perception/Investigation
(Notice) at TN 15 realize that Shikan expected the
Crane to officiate this contest, but both the Clan
Champion and Kakita Saburashi were oddly unwilling
to do so. Akodo Gintaku did want to judge the contest,
but Shikan cold-shoulders him.)
Shikan questions each contestant privately regarding
matters of Imperial law, appropriate social behavior,
and knowledge of a samurai’s code of conduct. Most
of these questions are simple, and can be answered with
an appropriate Intelligence/Skill roll (Lore: Law,
Lore: Bushido, or Etiquette). PCs who role-play well
can get a Free Raise on their rolls.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Each contestant is asked a series of questions covering
basic knowledge of Rokugani customs. The GM
should use one question per PC, based on the following
list (with appropriate skills listed after each):
• “Who owns the land of the Empire?” All land is
owned by the Emperor, who permits his Clans to
govern it in his name. (Law TN 10)
• “What does the law require for dealing with the
dead?” After death, a samurai’s body must be
cremated. In this way, his soul ascends to face
judgment and his body can never be defiled by
blasphemous black magic. (Law TN 10)
• “How are a samurai’s crimes punished?” Samurai
found guilty of serious crimes may be allowed by
their lord to commit seppuku, a ritual suicide that
cleanses their family’s honor upon their death.
Other crimes may result in the samurai being cast
out as a ronin, or more severely, executed without
honor. (Law TN 15)
• “What is the proper etiquette for accepting a gift?”
A gift must be refused twice before it is accepted,
or else you show that you believed the first offer
was insincere. (Etiquette TN 10)
• “How should one deal with matters of commerce?”
Matters of commerce are distasteful to a samurai,
and should only be discussed if doing so is to the
benefit of both one’s family and clan. (Etiquette
TN 10)
• “How does one acknowledge those of the same or
superior station?” Bow to someone of equal social
standing. Kneel to those of superior standing. If
someone of equal standing has superior rank, then
you must bow deeply to them. (Etiquette TN 10)
• “How should a samurai treat those of lower
classes?” A samurai shows compassion and mercy
to those beneath him, because only the weak must
prove their power by dominating others. (Bushido
TN 10)
• “How must a samurai treat his name?” A samurai
bears the name of his ancestors, and must live a life
of honor so that the name can be returned to them
without blemishes upon his death. (Bushido TN
10)
Page 7
• “What is the significance of a samurai’s blades?”
The katana is a samurai’s soul, and his wakizashi is
his honor. To allow shame to come to one’s blades
by unclean or dishonorable acts is to stain one’s
soul. (Bushido TN 15)
• “How does a samurai face death?” A samurai’s
heart is filled with courage. He has no fear of
death, for to die in the service of one’s lord is the
greatest fate a samurai can hope for. (Bushido TN
10)
Most of the Clan competitors do reasonably well in this
category, although a few are exceptional (the two
Kakita, for example, and Matsu Nimoro). The ronin
Kenji also unexpectedly does well. Weak
performances come from the usual suspects (the Hida,
the Yoritomo, the Moto, and the ronin Maeda) but also
from Matsu Chigitsu, who is tripped up by his ronin
background.
Part Two: Incidents on the
First Night
After the contestants finish the first day’s competitions,
they return to the House of the Laughing Carp for an
evening of celebration, talk, drinking, and (for the more
serious) practice and meditation. With many samurai
in a small city that offers little for them to do,
interesting things are bound to happen, especially when
some of the high-ranking guests visit the Inn, notably
the Emperor’s two sons. There are several possible
events and encounters which the PCs may experience
this evening.
The Challenge: Tamori Ryuko and
Isawa Tsutakito
Tamori Ryuko will spend much of the evening goading
Isawa Tsutakito, making comments that the “peaceful
Phoenix” have no business competing in this
tournament, that if they wanted to send a shugenja who
knew how to fight they should have sent an Agasha,
that it took “stealing” a family from the Dragon for
them to learn how to fight, and so forth. Ryuko wants
a duel, to prove that a “mere Isawa Air shugenja” has
no business pretending to know the way of the sword.
Tsutakito tries to ignore her at first, especially since an
illegal duel could jeopardize his place in the
tournament, but Ryuko will eventually goad him into
accepting a secret duel in the garden behind the
Laughing Carp.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
If any PCs try to enter this conversation, Ryuko will do
her best to ignore them and focus her attention on
Tsutakito – unless some of them are Isawa as well, in
which case she will also begin needling them. Clever
and articulate PCs may be able to defuse Ryuko and
force her to abandon her efforts – this will require
skillful and persistent role-play.
It is more probable that eventually, either a PC or
Tsutakito will accept the duel. Although the duel is
“secret,” Tsutakito will ask any Phoenix PCs to be
witnesses, and Ryuko will likewise ask any Dragon
PCs to observe. Smart PCs will realize that since this is
not a sanctioned duel, there may be serious problems
for the participants, especially if one of them is injured
– the duel is to first blood, but Ryuko is clearly driven
by her passions, and Tsutakito will also be in danger of
losing his temper.
PCs who intervene to stop the duel, or at least ensure
that it does not injure anyone, will need to role-play an
effective appeal to the duelists, urging them to think of
their honor and control themselves, and roll a suitable
social skill, most likely Awareness/Etiquette
(Sincerity) or Awareness/Courtier (Manipulation), at
TN 15.
If no PCs intervene, Ryuko and Tsutakito will duel, and
both will be injured, Tsutakito seriously. He will try to
conceal the injury the next day, but unless a friendly PC
is able to heal him at least 10 Wounds, he will be
forced to withdraw from the tournament immediately
after the Weapons competition. Ryuko remains in the
competition, but much hostile gossip circulates around
her and her reputation is badly damaged.
If Ryuko fights a PC, the GM should run it as a normal
duel to first blood… but Ryuko will keep high dice on
damage, and spends Void as well. Her goal is to
wound the PC as seriously as possible.
PCs who witness the duel without preventing it will
each gain 1 point of Infamy, and if Isawa Tsutakito is
injured, they gain him as a Sworn Enemy. PCs who
participate in the duel gain 5 points of Infamy (and lose
1 point of Honor if their Honor is 3.0 or higher). If the
PCs manage to prevent the duel, or heal Tsutakito
afterward, they gain a Favor with the Phoenix Clan.
The Drinking Contest
Hida Chorotaku has been accompanied to the Topaz
Championship by a half-dozen of his fellows from the
Crab Clan. During the evening, they will take over the
Poisoned Water sake house and begin a boisterous
Page 8
drinking contest, roping in Yoritomo Kagetora and,
surprisingly, Kakita Toru, as well as any PCs they can
browbeat into joining them.
Once the drinking contest is underway, the Crab will
not allow anyone to leave until they pass out – which,
with Crab stamina, means they will be here until the
wee hours of the morning, becoming progressively
louder and more belligerent as time passes and the rows
of empty bottles grow longer. Kakita Toru will pass
out about halfway through the evening. Yoritomo
Kagetora proves to be more resilient, and lasts out the
evening, singing and carousing with the toughest of the
Crab.
PCs who actually want to try to “win” the drinking
contest will need to make a series of Raw Stamina
rolls at TNs of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and finally 30. (A
failed roll means the PC passes out.) A PC who
actually manages to “win” the drinking contest will lose
1 point of Glory but gains a 1-point Ally (0 points
Influence, 1 point Devotion) in the Hida family. A PC
who passes out drunk loses 3 points of Glory and gains
1 point of Infamy.
• A PC who speaks in a friendly way with the
drunken Kakita Toru during this evening will hear
the Crane mumbling about his unrequited passion
for Kakita Amiko. A dishonorable PC can choose
to take Blackmail against Toru, although such an
action costs 1 point of Honor.
• PCs who want to escape the drinking contest
before it is over must find a way to do so without
antagonizing the drunken and belligerent Crabs.
(“What? You’re too good to drink with us? Don’t
have the stomach for it?”) This is a pure role-
playing challenge – PCs who cannot come up with
a way of soothing the Crab will be beaten to a
pulp, showing up at the competition the next day
with a Rank of Wounds and prominent bruises and
black eyes (lose 2 points of Glory).
The Scorpion Maneuvers
Bayushi Tenmaku will begin his campaign of
accumulating blackmail material in earnest this
evening.
• If he has targeted a female PC for seduction, he
will converse with her at some length, attempting
to worm his way into her confidence. He will
pretend to be whatever will get him a sympathetic
ear, depending on how he judges his target – most
likely an honorable “junshin” Scorpion unhappy
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
with his Clan, but he can also play a
straightforward “duty is everything” samurai, a
witty courtier, or a sinister-sexy “bad boy.”
• If no female PC target is available, he will instead
circulate around the town, trying to pick up
damaging information on the other PCs and NPCs.
He will certainly witness the duel with Tamori
Ryuko (if it happens) as well as any embarrassing
incidents elsewhere, such as a PC passing out in
the Crab drinking contest, a female having an affair
with one of the Emperor’s sons, or a male PC
consorting with Maeda Oroko.
Sibling Rivalry
Toturi Hatsu and Toturi Kobashi, the Emperor’s twin
sons, will visit the Inn this evening, socializing and
(moderately) drinking with those competitors who are
not dragged away by the Crab. The brothers are for the
most part honorable and cheerful young men, obviously
close friends, and will chat amiably with the low-
ranking samurai, offering friendly advice and making
half-joking wagers on the matches tomorrow.
However, they will also indulge their one weakness –
women. The two brothers will choose one female PC
or NPC and begin competing to attract her favor and
attention. They will choose a female PC if a remotely
attractive one is available (and not already monopolized
by Bayushi Tenmaku) – otherwise they will choose
Tamori Ryuko.
The brothers will offer poems, compliments, and other
such inducements to the chosen female, while jokingly
putting each other down (“my unfortunate simple-
minded brother can only think of flowers while gazing
upon you, but surely the Heavens themselves would be
blessed by your presence”). The purpose of this
“competition” is for one of the brothers to win the
young woman’s favor and attention – actually seducing
her is not necessary, although neither brother will turn
down a chance for an illicit night of passion. (If
Tamori Ryuko is the target of the brothers’
competition, regardless of whether or not she fights a
duel with Isawa Tsutakito, she does indeed end up
spending the night with Toturi Hatsu, the Crane-trained
brother.)
• A female PC who succumbs to passion with one of
the Emperor’s sons will gain 5 points of Glory and
a Favor from the Imperial Families, but loses 3
points of Honor and gains a Dark Secret (and will
also be the target of Blackmail by Tenmaku).
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• A PC who is aware that a fellow competitor did
such a thing with one of the Emperor’s sons can
choose to take Blackmail on that competitor – this
costs the PC 1 point of Honor.
• Bayushi Tenmaku will certainly learn about any
samurai-ko who violates her oath of chastity with
the Emperor’s son.
Frustrated Love
Maeda Oroko is attracted to the ronin Kenji, but he
refuses to pay attention to her, instead sitting in a
corner of the Inn and brooding over his dreams of
vengeance. Oroko, angry and frustrated at her apparent
rejection, will instead turn her attentions to a suitably
attractive male PC (she prefers slim to bulky and
handsome to rugged). Being a ronin, Oroko will be
fairly open in her come-ons, and is not above making a
Seduction attempt – an Opposed roll of her
Awareness/Deceit (Seduction) against the PC’s
Awareness/Etiquette – to try to get the PC into her
arms.
A PC who spends the night with Oroko will lose 2
points of Honor and gains a Dark Secret (fathered an
illegitimate child).
The Missing Lion
Matsu Chigitsu intends to sabotage the Weapons
contest (the first contest in the morning) in an effort to
bring down his hated enemy Isawa Tsutakito. He
knows Tsutakito fights with the yari, so he will secretly
replace the competition’s blunted yari with weapons
that appear safe but are actually dangerous.
Chigitsu will keep away from most of the drinking and
socializing, and retires early in the evening. PCs who
have paid attention to him, or tried to befriend him, can
roll Raw Awareness at TN 15 to get a sense of
decision and purpose from him.
If a PC, for whatever reason, happens to be up in the
hour immediately before dawn, s/he can roll Raw
Perception at TN 15 to notice Chigitsu leaving the Inn.
A PC who follows Chigitsu will have to make an
Opposed Roll of Agility/Stealth (Sneaking) against
Chigitsu’s Perception/Investigation (Notice) – if they
fail, he will notice them and will pretend to merely be
out for a walk. (In this case he will not be able to
sabotage the Weapons competition.)
Chigitsu will slip into the tournament area and replace
the padded yari with real weapons, then returns to the
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Inn. PCs who see him do this can, if they choose,
switch the weapons back (or warn the Crane that the
weapons have been switched). They can also choose to
do nothing and gain Blackmail on Chigitsu (and lose 1
point of Honor).
Part Three: Day Two of
the Topaz Championship
The second and most grueling day of the competition
involves tests in weapon skill, poetry, courtier skills,
go, and hunting.
Fifth Competition: Weapons
Primary Roll: Agility/Weapon Skill
Other than the Iaijutsu tournament that ends the
Championship, the weapons test is the most anticipated
and most prestigious of the individual contests. The
weapons tournament is held on an open field outside
the village, surrounded by gentle slopes. A large and
cheerful crowd gathers to watch, the town and the
Kakita Academy alike almost emptying as samurai and
commoners gather to witness the event.
There is quite a bit of surreptitious gambling on the
outcome, especially among the commoners. As the
tournament gets underway, the atmosphere gradually
lightens as the results of each match are met with gasps,
murmurs, applause – and the rustling, clinking
exchange of money.
The contestants are allowed to choose any weapon they
wish from a large number of specially prepared, non-
lethal padded weapons. These include katana,
wakizashi, no-dachi, tetsubo, naginata, nage-yari, yari,
tanto, ono, and dai tsuchi.
• No ranged weapons or “dishonorable” ninja
weapons are included, but to accommodate the
Unicorn and Mantis (with both of whom the Crane
are interested in improving their relations) some
padded scimitars and peasant weapons have been
included.
• Combatants who have armor will be allowed to
wear it for this contest.
The Emperor’s two sons serve as the judges of this
contest, and watch closely while making comments to
each other – in low voices, but still audible to many in
the audience. They are completely unbiased, but their
innocent remarks on poor-quality contestants are likely
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to inadvertently cause the targets of their disapproval to
lose 1 or 2 points of Glory.
The blunted weapons in this competition have DR 0k1,
and the competitors are expected to fight until one of
them surrenders, usually when they are disarmed or
unable to stand. Honorable competitors do not try to
cripple or kill in this contest (although the Mantis and
Crab NPC competitors have trouble remembering this
in the heat of battle), and a samurai who kills someone
in this contest will certainly acquire a large amount of
Infamy, as well as losing Honor. After the contest is
over, all wounded combatants are healed by Kakita
Saburashi’s court shugenja.
Matsu Chigitsu has probably sabotaged this contest in
an effort to bring down his hated enemy Isawa
Tsutakito (see Part Two earlier). Unless a PC detected
and prevented his plans, all the blunted yari in the
contest have been replaced with more potent weapons,
which have a DR of 1k2 instead of 0k1. If a PC does
not discover this first, Tsutakito will realize the truth
when he strikes for the first time, keeping high dice
(since he assumes the blow cannot kill). This could
potentially kill or cripple his opponent, depending on
who he is facing. A shocked Tsutakito will offer to
commit seppuku for his deed, but the Crane will
quickly conclude that he was not at fault. Any PC who
rolls Perception/Investigation (Notice) at TN 20 will
see a brief look of disappointment on the face of Matsu
Chigitsu when the Crane spare Tsutakito. (They can
also spot this if they prevented the sabotage and the
contest proceeds normally.) See Part Four
“Consequences of the Weapons Contest” for follow-up
on this matter.
Aside from this possible disaster, all of the NPC
contestants are able to acquit themselves honorably in
this competition. Some stand out from the crowd –
Hida Chorotaku and Matsu Nimoro in particular. Doji
Keitomaru, while clearly in his element here, winds up
trying too hard and collapsing under the strain, losing
ignominiously (if need be, the GM should keep low
dice to simulate this). PCs who roll Raw Awareness at
TN 15 notice that Keitomaru keeps shooting glances at
one of the Crane courtiers in the audience. A PC who
rolls Raw Intelligence at TN 10 realizes the courtier
was not there for the first day’s competition. See Part
Four “Father and Son” for further development of this
plotline.
Sixth Competition: Poetry
Primary Roll: Awareness/Storytelling (Poetry)
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
This contest is simple but challenging – two contestants
are given a topic on which they must compose a poem.
Typical topics would include the various virtues of
bushido (courage, compassion, courtesy, etc), the
Fortunes and Kamis, famous heroes and ancestors,
great moments in history, nature and animals, and so
forth.
Haiku is the normal format, the traditional 5-7-5
syllable poem of Rokugan. PCs can choose to compose
more exotic poems, but must make Raises to
compensate for the negative reaction which such
formats will attract. The superior poem (as represented
by the skill roll) is the winner. However, some
additional factors apply:
• The poems are judged by Doji Sarutomo. PCs who
try to get a read on his preferences can roll Raw
Awareness at TN 20 to realize that, unusually for a
Crane, he prefers poems on heroic and military
topics. A poem which uses or exploits such topics
will get a Free Raise – two Free Raises if the PC
finds a clever way of working such themes into a
non-violent topic such as nature or the spirits.
• A player who actually composes a poem gets a
Free Raise on the skill roll.
As one might expect, the best NPC performance in this
competition comes from Tamori Ryuko, followed by
the Kakita and Scorpion competitors. The worst
offerings, also predictably, are from Hida Chorotaku,
Matsu Chigitsu, and Maeda Oroko. Yoritomo Kagetora
and Kenji the ronin, while not top-level, both perform
better than expected.
Seventh Competition: Go
Primary Roll: Awareness/Games (Go)
Another traditional contest, pitting paired contestants
against each other in Rokugan’s most ancient and
revered game of strategy. The contest is judged by
Akodo Gintaku and O-Doji Koneko. The Akodo
daimyo mostly observes in silence, his eyes narrowing
when he spots an especially strong or weak move.
Koneko’s ancient, rheumy eyes seem to miss nothing,
and she makes loud and scathing comments on poor
play (lose 2 to 3 points of Glory for having Koneko
criticize your play).
The competitors make Opposed rolls, and the winner of
the roll wins the match. Hida Chorotaku does better
than expected in this competition, showing that there is
more to him than a crude warrior, while more
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predictable excellence comes from Matsu Nimoro,
Tamori Ryuko, the two Kakita, and the two Scorpions.
Doji Keitomaru starts out strongly but chokes in the
endgame. The worst performances come from
Yoritomo Kagetora (who has never played Go), Isawa
Tsutakito, Matsu Chigitsu, and Maeda Oroko.
Eighth Competition: Courtier
Primary Roll: Awareness/Courtier
This contest also is judged by the formidable O-Doji
Koneko, fresh from the Go contest, and by Miya
Shikan. Two contestants are brought before the judges
and given a subject to debate, while the judges observe
their discussion and take stock of the points they make.
There are no real rules to this contest, and no time
limit. At the end of the discussion, the contestants make
an Opposed skill roll to determine the winner.
If the GM is pressed for time, this competition should
be handled with simple die-rolls. However, if time
permits, it is preferable to run this through role-play:
• If two PCs face each other in this contest, the GM
should have them debate each other in role-play,
and award them Free Raises or TN penalties based
on how well, or how poorly, they speak.
• If a PC faces an NPC, the GM should role-play a
brief discussion with the PC, and again award
bonuses or penalties based on quality of role-play
and argument.
Suitable debate topics may include the following:
• Where does a samurai’s loyalty ultimately lie: with
the Emperor or the Empire?
• Which tenet of bushido is the most important?
• What is the most important aspect of spirituality:
the Tao, the Fortunes, or one’s ancestors?
This competition is rightly feared by many bushi who
have neglected the social and academic sides of their
educations. The Crab, Lion, and ronin competitors are
clearly uneasy going into this competition, and both
Hida Chorotaku and Matsu Chigitsu make thorough
fools of themselves. Surprisingly, Yoritomo Kagetora
proves to be adept in courtly ways – a benefit of his
years spent with the Scorpion Clan.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Ninth Competition: Hunting
Primary Roll: Perception/Hunting (others required as
necessary)
Hunting is the most complex contest, and the last one
of the second day. It is introduced by Miya Shikan,
who explains that the contestants must seek out and
retrieve the eggs of the famous Tsu Fish, a much-
admired delicacy. Shikan adds portentously that in
former times, this hunt was performed by individual
contestants, but since the beginning of the Toturi
dynasty it has been a team competition. Shikan implies
strongly that this is due to the deep desire of the
Emperor for peace and harmony between the Clans.
(Actually, it is due to the increasing rarity of Tsu Fish.)
The contestants are organized into teams, each team
numbering three. For the sake of speedy play, the GM
should place the PCs into teams together, rather than
randomly selecting their teammates. Each team must
successfully recover at least one Tsu Fish egg. One
point is awarded to each team member for this, and an
additional point is awarded to the members of the first
team to return successfully.
If there are “leftover” competitors, Shikan will create
one or two teams of four members.
The teams have two hours to successfully retrieve the
eggs, and the Tsu Fish breeding area is located in the
mud of a riverbank two miles away. A
Stamina/Athletics roll at TN 15 will get the
contestants there in half an hour, otherwise it takes 40
minutes. Once there, the PCs will need to search the
muddy, reed-choked bank of the river for the breeding
area of the Tsu Fish. Each search attempt takes 10
minutes and requires a Perception/Hunting (Survival)
roll at TN 15. A total of five successful rolls (between
all the members of the team) are needed to locate the
eggs:
Resting on a muddy riverbank are the distinctive
puffy, spiny bodies of Tsu Fish, famous for being able
to leave the water for extended periods of time. They
look almost as though they are sunning themselves.
Floating in the mud near them are several clusters of
pale, glistening eggs, the size of frog’s eyes.
The fastest NPC team – consisting of Matsu Nimoro,
Kakita Toru, and Moto Tsuto – will bring back the eggs
in one hour and forty minutes. If the fastest PC team is
tied with them, whichever PC is carrying the eggs will
need to make an Opposed Roll of Athletics/Stamina
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(Running) against Nimoro in order to beat him to the
finish line.
Chigitsu Attacks Tsutakito
During this contest, if Isawa Tsutakito is still in the
tournament, Matsu Chigitsu will confront him while he
is searching the swampy, reed-choked bank of the river.
A PC will notice this by rolling
Perception/Investigation (Notice) at TN 25 (TN 20 if
the PC is trying to keep an eye on either of these
individuals, or is watching for anything strange or
suspicious). Chigitsu faces Tsutakito amid the
shoulder-high reeds, snarling that he has sworn
vengeance against the Isawa’s bloodline, and drawing
his sword. Tsutakito has only his wakizashi (he left his
yari and scroll satchel behind, as being inappropriate in
such a competition) and will try to back out of the
confrontation, pleading that he does not understand
Chigitsu’s quarrel with him.
PCs can intervene and force a halt to this incident.
Chigitsu will snarlingly back down if others interrupt,
promising “we will settle this matter later.” Otherwise,
Chigitsu will eventually draw his blade and cut down
the Isawa, leaving the body to be discovered later. PCs
who witness this and do not either intervene or
immediately report to higher authority will have to
decide whether to take Blackmail on Chigitsu or keep
quiet and acquire a Dark Secret (losing 1 point of
Honor either way). See Part Four for additional
consequences of this event.
Part Four: Guests of the
Kakita (The Second
Evening)
On the evening after the second day of the competition,
all the contestants are invited to the Kakita Dueling
Academy to spend an evening in the company of its
students and sensei – as well as its high-ranking guests,
including the Emperor himself. This is a great honor
for such lowly samurai, of course, and the PCs should
feel properly gratified for such an opportunity.
Dinner is a highly formal affair, held in the main hall of
the Academy, with the Emperor, his family, Miya
Shikan, and the Clan Champions isolated at their own
table at the head of the room. During this dinner, any
PC who specifically pays attention to what the other
contestants are doing can roll Raw Perception at TN
20 to notice that the ronin Kenji, while he is keeping
his head lowered over his meal, is keeping his gaze
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
fixed sidelong on the Lion Clan Champion at the head
table.
Afterward, however, a slightly more informal tone
prevails, with the guests circulating around the room
and conversing. During this time each contestant, in
turn, goes forward to offer prostration and veneration to
the Emperor, closely watched by Matsu Hoketsaku.
The guests also take this fortunate opportunity to tour
the Dueling Academy grounds, visiting the dojos with
their long lists of famous students, as well as the
beautiful gardens and shrines which surround the
facility. (Those seeking privacy quickly gravitate to the
gardens, with their sparse lighting and dark corners.)
During this time, the following plot elements will
occur:
Father and Son
A prominent Crane courtier, Doji Sokoji, has joined the
other guests for dinner. This man is the father of one of
the contestants, Doji Keitomaru, and his presence in the
audience during the day threw the young man into a
panic.
Keitomaru is the “black sheep” of his family, a
swordsman among courtiers, and is desperate to win the
iaijutsu contest in order to prove himself to his father.
During the evening, he is clearly in deep distress and
will carefully avoid going near his father.
If any non-Scorpion PC speaks to him in a sympathetic
manner and rolls Awareness/Etiquette (Sincerity) at
TN 15 or Awareness/Courtier (Manipulation) at TN
15 (depending on their approach), Keitomaru will break
down and pour out his fears – that failure here will
prove his family right about his choice of school, and
may lead to his own dishonor and even exile. He will
mutter about finding some way, any way, to win – and
looks speculatively at the Scorpions present. A PC
who makes a well role-played effort to “buck up”
Keitomaru can convince him to follow the path of
Honor.
If no PC offers this encouragement, Keitomaru will
approach Bayushi Tenmaku and Shosuro Morito (and
any Scorpion PCs), trying delicately to suggest some
way in which his victory might be assured in exchange
for some future favor. PCs who could not convince
Keitomaru to behave honorably can still keep him from
making arrangements by “heading him off” or
otherwise preventing him from getting a private
moment with the Scorpions.
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If Keitomaru does make contact with the Scorpions,
they will agree to “take a fall” if they face Keitomaru in
the dueling contest, and to use any Blackmail they may
have developed to force other competitors into doing
the same.
Consequences of the Weapons
Contest
Much gossip will circulate around the Academy about
the sharpened yari which appeared in the Weapons
contest. The Crane have been unable to determine who
was responsible for this, and there is uneasy speculation
that someone may be trying to sabotage the
Tournament. A roll of Intelligence/Lore (History) at
TN 20 will recall that the Tournament was sabotaged
once before, during the reign of Toturi III.
PCs who are aware of Matsu Chigitsu’s involvement
may choose to expose him, or to Blackmail him, as they
wish.
Consequences of the Hunting
Contest
Unless a PC interrupted, Matsu Chigitsu will have
killed Isawa Tsutakito during the Hunting contest. The
body is discovered by Crane bushi about an hour after
the competition concludes, and news of the discovery
will begin to circulate during the dinner at the Dueling
Academy. The Crane will clearly be engaged in
“damage control,” since they are facing a potentially
very embarrassing situation: the death of a contestant
from another Clan while under their protection. It is
quickly announced that the Topaz Championship will
conclude as scheduled tomorrow, while Crane troops
are dispatched to seek the “bandit” who murdered
Tsutakito.
If a PC witnessed the crime and said nothing, that PC
now possesses either a Dark Secret, or a devastating
Blackmail on Matsu Chigitsu. Bayushi Tenmaku is
also aware of what happened (he watched without
revealing himself) and will certainly use this
information to blackmail both Chigitsu and any PC who
has the Dark Secret. (PCs who are blackmailing
Chigitsu themselves will not be targeted by Tenmaku,
who finds their ruthlessness refreshing.)
If the PCs publicly expose or accuse Chigitsu, he will
be arrested by the Crane authorities. The incident is
hugely embarrassing to the Lion Clan, and all Lion PCs
lose 1 point of Glory from the backlash.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
If one or more PCs managed to intervene and prevent
the murder of Tsutakito (by forcing Chigitsu to back
down), the young ronin-turned-Lion will make a point
of trying to slander and insult those PCs throughout the
evening, and will regard them as Sworn Enemies
thereafter. If any PCs respond aggressively to such
insults, Chigitsu may try to browbeat them into an
illegal duel. This will have consequences for the
participants similar to the Ryuko-Tsutakito duel from
the previous night.
The Scorpion Stings!
If Bayushi Tenmaku made any headway with a female
PC on the previous evening, he will now attempt to
complete his mission by subtly propositioning the PC (a
Seduction attempt). The GM should conduct some
suitable role-play, attempting to maneuver the PC into
expressing interest (or at least not open rejection). At
that point, Tenmaku will make an Opposed Roll of his
Awareness/Deceit (Seduction) against the PC’s
Awareness/Etiquette. (As always, a PC can make an
Honor Test as a back-up.) A PC who fails the roll is
overcome by passion and spends a night of illicit
indulgence with Bayushi Tenmaku – losing a number
of points of Honor equal to their current Honor Rank,
and gaining the Dark Secret disadvantage. Although
Tenmaku will be in position to Blackmail this PC, he
will not do so immediately unless this offers an
opportunity to help Doji Keitomaru (see above).
Part Five: Death of the
Lion Champion
During the evening at the Kakita Dueling Academy,
one major metaplot event will take place. Late in the
evening, as many of the other plotlines are resolving,
the ronin Kenji approaches the Lion Champion, Matsu
Hoketsaku, bowing low and speaking in a low voice. A
PC can notice this by rolling Perception/Investigation
(Notice) at TN 15. After a few brief words, Hoketsaku
nods apologies to the other high-ranking NPCs and
follows the ronin into the darkened Academy gardens.
Aside from the PCs, the only one who seems to pay
attention to this is the Akodo daimyo, Akodo Gintaku.
He follows them after a few minutes, with a slightly
speculative expression on his face.
The Murder
Kenji has deceived the Matsu daimyo, claiming that a
Lion courier is waiting for him in the gardens with an
important message. Once he is in the garden,
Hoketsaku will look around impatiently, demanding of
Page 14
the ronin, “Well, where is he?” The answer comes
when Kenji draws a poisoned knife and strikes,
shouting, “This is for the Tsume family and Shiro
Kyotei, Lion dog!”
Any PCs who were watching this can, of course, rush
up to deal with Kenji, or try to help the Lion Champion.
Akodo Gintaku will also charge forward, uttering an
ear-splitting kiai shout, and cuts down Kenji with a
single devastating blow. This will certainly attract the
attention of the others in the Academy, and a crowd
rushes out into the gardens to see Gintaku cut down the
ronin (who meets his death with a defiant snarl).
It will not be possible to save the Matsu daimyo, who
dies in convulsions, foaming at the mouth. The Crane
send for their shugenja, but they arrive too late.
Aftermath
Chaos and confusion erupt in the aftermath, with the
furious Lion hurling accusations of collusion between
the Crane and the self-confessed Tsume ronin. The
PCs will see O-Doji Koneko in the center of the storm,
gesturing sharply with her fan as she directs the Crane
courtiers back and forth. By contrast, her son Doji
Sarutomo, the Clan Champion, seems bewildered and
lost. Meanwhile, the Akodo daimyo Gintaku takes
control of the Lion side, urging the young Matsu
Nimoro to leave immediately, along with all the Lion
competitors. Miya Shikan hurries about, eyes blazing,
as he tries to rescue the situation.
Clever PCs may think to ask how Kenji was able to
attend the Topaz Championship, since all ronin
competitors must have sponsorship from a Clan. Once
the Crane are reminded of this question, they will look
through their records and determine that Kenji was, in
fact, sponsored by the daimyo of the Seizuka, an Akodo
vassal family. This takes the heart out of the Lions’
rage, and Akodo Gintaku is forced to promise the
seppuku of the unfortunate daimyo for allowing such
an untrustworthy character to attend the Championship.
The Lion reluctantly agree to remain, but Matsu
Nimoro withdraws from the tournament – as the heir to
the Clan Champion, he is no longer free to indulge in
such personal competitions.
If none of the PCs think of this solution, Miya Shikan
will eventually come up with it on his own, and the
crisis will be resolved by morning (in time for the
iaijutsu tournament).
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Consequences for Ronin PCs
Ronin PCs will be carefully questioned by the Doji
magistrates to learn their connection, if any, to Kenji.
If any of the ronin PCs claim the Tsume name, or can
be connected to it, they will be arrested and charged as
co-conspirators. Such PCs will spend several very
uncomfortable days being intensively questioned and
tortured by the Crane (missing the end of the Topaz
Championship). They must roll Raw Willpower at TN
10 to avoid “cracking” and confessing to the crime (in
which case they are executed). Otherwise, the Crane
finally conclude they were not involved and release
them.
Part Six: The Topaz
Championship, Day Three
The third and final day of the competition has but a
single contest: the iaijutsu tournament, the highlight of
the event. Given the number of possible points in the
tournament, by this time it is generally obvious which
contestants will achieve their gempukku. However, the
iaijutsu tournament awards a significantly higher
number of points than the other contests, and can
radically alter the standings of the competitors. It is rare
for the winner of the iaijutsu competition not to be
declared the overall Topaz Champion.
In the past, shugenja competitors often bowed out of
this competition, since few of them were trained for it.
However, in recent years, the Tournament has tended to
attract more “militant” and martially-inclined shugenja,
and it is now considered somewhat disappointing for
any competitor to skip this part of the tournament –
such PCs will lose 1 point of Glory, although they
suffer no loss of Honor.
The iaijutsu tournament, like the weapons tournament,
is held on an open field outside the village, surrounded
by gentle slopes, and once again a large crowd gathers
to watch. The crowd is less boisterous than before,
however – the death of the Lion Clan Champion has
left a pall over the whole event.
Despite the somber tone, there is still quite a bit of
surreptitious gambling on the outcome, especially
among the commoners. As the tournament gets
underway, the atmosphere gradually lightens as the
results of the matches accumulate. Observant PCs will
notice Miya Shikan’s face is compressed into an angry
scowl throughout the competition – he disapproves of
the glorification of dueling, and is still fuming over the
disaster from the night before.
Page 15
The tournament consists of a series of iaijutsu duels,
fought to first blood, and using bokken (wooden
swords, 0k2). Use the standard Iaijutsu dueling rules
from the L5R 3rd Edition Revised Rulebook (page
180). The judge for this contest is Kakita Saburashi,
the sensei of the Dueling Academy, who personally
calls the beginning of each match.
The contestants are paired off by Miya Shikan in the
usual manner, and fight in single elimination matches,
with the victors proceeding to the next level until only
two remain. If at any point exactly three contestants
remain, the two with the highest total of points for the
overall competition advance to the final match.
Every victory in the iaijutsu tournament is worth two
points. The overall winner also receives one additional
point.
Doji Keitomaru’s Performance
If one or more of the PCs managed to talk Doji
Keitomaru into abandoning his dishonorable approach
to the Scorpion, he will perform up to his full potential
in the iaijutsu tournament (spending his Void, among
other things), and is rewarded with a small smile and
applause from his father. The PCs who helped him stay
honorable gain him as a 3-point Ally (1 point Influence,
2 points Devotion).
If the PCs did not stop Keitomaru from approaching the
Scorpions, both Bayushi Tenmaku and Shosuro Morito
will “take a fall” if they are matched against him, and
Tenmaku will use any Blackmail he has acquired to
force other competitors to do the same. Keitomaru
does well in the tournament, and gains the approval of
his father, but dishonors himself. Any non-Scorpion
PCs who are blackmailed into helping with this
arrangement lose 1 point of Honor. (If they refuse, the
Scorpion dishonor them with gossip and slander,
causing them to gain a full Rank of Infamy.) Scorpion
PCs who help Keitomaru do well in the tournament
gain Blackmail against him.
Other Notable Performances
Kakita Amiko is absolutely determined to win this part
of the competition, in order to show her devotion and
love to her sensei, Kakita Saburashi. (For his part,
Saburashi is oblivious to her obsession, and judges her
matches with the same remote disinterest as the others.)
Amiko will defeat any NPCs she faces in the
tournament, and is coolly gracious in victory. If a PC
beats her, however, she will be coldly furious, and that
PC gains her as a Sworn Enemy.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Hida Chorotaku proves to be quite unsuited to Iaijutsu
dueling, but shrugs off his defeat with a laugh – he
considers his performance in the Weapons competition
to be a far more important measure of his worth.
Conclusion
With the completion of the iaijutsu tournament, the
Tournament of the Topaz Champion is over. The GM
should determine who has won.
Determining the Winner
The GM should use Handout #2 (Tournament Points)
to keep track of the score for the PCs and NPCs in the
Topaz Championship.
• Points are listed on Handout #2 for the
performance of the various NPCs in the three non-
match competitions (Heraldry,
Law/Etiquette/Bushido, and Hunting). Note that
Matsu Nimoro, Kakita Toru, and Moto Tsuto will
earn an extra point each if a PC team does not beat
their time in the Hunting competition.
• For the match-format competitions, if a PC is
facing a fellow PC or an NPC, the skill rolls should
be made as normal, with any role-play modifiers
listed under the specific competition.
EXCEPTION: Doji Keitomaru should keep low
dice in the Weapons and Go competitions to reflect
his collapse of nerve.
• If two NPCs are pitted against each other in a
match, in the interest of timeliness the GM should
choose a winner based on the competitors’ stats
and the nature of the particular match, as well as
the guidelines to their performances listed under
the individual competitions (e.g. Hida Chorotaku
will lose in the Courtier competition).
At the end of the Topaz Championship, compare the
total points to see who is the overall champion of the
tournament.
The Emperor himself congratulates the winner of the
tournament: “Behold the Topaz Champion! Let this
samurai’s skill, honor, and dedication serve as an
inspiration to all the Empire!” The crowd applauds as
the Emperor places a silk sash around the neck of the
victorious young samurai. If the Champion is a PC,
s/he gains a full Rank of Glory and a half-rank (5
points) of Status, as well as the “Topaz Champion”
cert.
Page 16
After the Champion has been named, each competitor
who succeeded in accumulating at least 5 points over
the course of the Tournament is allowed to complete
his or her gempukku ceremony. This is considered a
great honor, since the gempukku is witnessed by the
Emperor himself. All PCs who complete their
gempukku here gain 2 points of Glory.

If any PCs fail to get the minimum 5 points needed,

they are not allowed to complete their gempukku. It
can be assumed that they will do so once they return to
their own dojo, but failing to pass the minimum
threshold of performance required by the Topaz
Championship is damaging to their reputation – they
lose 4 points of Glory.

The Topaz Championship is over, but there is a

lingering sense of unease as the attendees depart, led by
the funeral procession of the Lion Clan daimyo and
Emerald Champion. The death of such a prominent
member of the Empire will surely have repercussions.

The End

Rewards for Completing

the Adventure
At the end of the scenario, any PCs with Shadowlands
Taint must make a Simple Earth roll with a TN of 5 +
(5 x Taint Rank). If the roll is failed, the PC acquires
one additional point of Taint.

Experience Points
Playing through the adventure: 2 XP
Good role-playing: +1 XP
PC passes gempukku: +1 XP

Total Possible Experience: 4 XP

Awards and Penalties

The Topaz Champion gains the cert and also gets one
rank of Glory and half a rank of Status.
All other PCs who pass their gempukku at the Topaz
Championship gain 2 points of Glory.
PCs who fail to pass their gempukku lose 4 points of
Glory.

Tournament of the Topaz Champion Page 17

 Appendix #1: Topaz Contestants
The following NPCs are contestants in the Topaz Championship. Like the PCs, they are all young samurai who
have either not yet passed their gempukku, or have just done so. All of them will be staying at the Laughing Carp
Inn. The NPCs are listed in Clan order, followed by ronin. Tonbo Kenshiro is optional and should only be used if
there is an odd number of PCs (5 or 7) at the start of the adventure.
Hida Chorotaku – A bluff, brash, large, archetypal
Crab. Chorotaku has actually already passed his
gempukku – he brought back the head of a minor Oni
from the Shadowlands – and as a reward for that
accomplishment he is here with the task of
representing the Crab Clan in the Topaz
Championship. Chorotaku conforms very much to
all the Crab clichés: loud, crude, bullying, ill-
mannered, and brutishly strong. He is accompanied
by a swarm of his Crab brothers here to cheer him
on.
FIRE 2 AIR 2
Agility 3
EARTH 3 WATER 2
Strength 4
VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 14 (24 in heavy armor)
School/Rank: Hida Bushi 1
Rank One: Add Earth ring to the total of all
melee attack and damage rolls.
Ignore TN penalties for Heavy Armor
for all skills except Stealth.
Honor/Glory/Status: 1.5/1.0/1.0
Skills: Athletics 2, Battle (Shadowlands) 1, Defense
2, Games 1, Heavy Weapons (Tetsubo) 2, Hunting
(Survival) 1, Iaijutsu 1, Jiujutsu (Wrestling) 2,
Kenjutsu 1, Kyujutsu 1, Lore (Shadowlands) 1
Advantages/Disadvantages: Bishamon’s Blessing,
Large, Strength of the Earth (rank 1)/Brash,
Compulsion (sake, 2 points)
Equipment: Kimono, heavy armor, daisho set,
tetsubo
Doji Keitomaru – A moderately handsome young
man with the traditional white hair of the Crane.
Doji Keitomaru is the younger son of a prominent
Doji courtier, Doji Sokoji, whose family have
followed the path of courtly excellence for many
generations. Keitomaru, however, is trained as a
swordsman, and hopes to become a magistrate,
perhaps even an Emerald Magistrate. His family
disapproves of his path, and he feels a powerful need
to prove himself. This is his chance, and he will do
whatever it takes to make a name for himself. The
arrival of his father to watch the second day of the
competition will throw him into a panic.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
FIRE 3 AIR 2
EARTH 2 WATER 2
Perception 3
VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 18 (23 in light armor)
School/Rank: Doji Magistrate 1
Rank One: TN to be Hit is always
increased by twice his Perception
rank.
Honor/Glory/Status: 2.5/1.0/na
Skills: Athletics 2, Defense 1, Etiquette 1, Games 1,
Horsemanship 1, Hunting (Tracking) 1, Iaijutsu 2,
Investigation (Interrogation) 1, Kenjutsu 2, Kyujutsu
2, Lore: Heraldry 1, Lore: Law 2
Advantages/Disadvantages: Wealthy/Driven (to
win the tournament)
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set
Kakita Amiko – A very beautiful, calm, coldly self-
controlled young woman who, unlike many Crane,
chooses to leave her hair its natural black. Amiko is
a personal student of Kakita Saburashi, the family
daimyo and revered sensei, and is here with the
expectation of victory. She is infatuated with her
teacher and daimyo (who has never married), and
rebuffs any and all romantic overtures from others.
She will consider it an affront against her sensei if
she loses, especially in the Iaijutsu competition.
FIRE 3 AIR 2
Reflexes 3
EARTH 2 WATER 2
VOID 3
TN to be Hit: 15 (20 in light armor)
School/Rank: Kakita Bushi 1
Rank One: Add twice her Iaijutsu skill to
all initiative rolls. May use Iaijutsu
skill in place of Kenjutsu, and may
Focus one additional time in an
Iaijutsu duel
Honor/Glory/Status: 2.9/1.5/na
Page 18
Skills: Athletics 1, Courtier 1, Games 1, Etiquette 2,
Horsemanship 1, Iaijutsu 3, Kenjutsu (katana) 2,
Kyujutsu 1, Lore: Bushido 1, Lore: Heraldry 1, Lore:
History 1
Mastery Abilities: May Focus an additional time in
an Iaijutsu duel.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Dangerous Beauty,
Great Potential (Iaijutsu)/Driven (to impress
Saburashi), Overconfident, True Love (Kakita
Saburashi)
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set
Kakita Toru – A rather ordinary young man who
tries to impress with carefully-coiffed white hair and
elegant dress. Toru is another student of the Kakita
school, and a rival to Amiko, toward whom he also
feels a deep and compelling lust. She generally treats
him with distance and reserve, and Toru obsesses
over her endlessly, trying to catch her eye and win
her admiration.
FIRE 3 AIR 2
Reflexes 3
EARTH 2 WATER 2
VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 15 (20 in light armor)
School/Rank: Kakita Bushi 1
Rank One: Add twice his Iaijutsu skill to
all initiative rolls. May use Iaijutsu
skill in place of Kenjutsu, and may
Focus one additional time in an
Iaijutsu duel
Honor/Glory/Status: 2.3/1.0/na
Skills: Athletics 1, Courtier 1, Games 1, Etiquette 2,
Horsemanship 1, Iaijutsu 2, Kenjutsu (katana) 1,
Kyujutsu 1, Lore: History 1
Advantages/Disadvantages: Luck (rank 1)/True
Love (Kakita Amiko)
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set
Tamori Ryuko – A fierce, hawk-faced young
woman who wears a kimono and hakama rather than
shugenja’s robes, and carries a daisho set. Although
Ryuko is indeed a shugenja, in the true Dragon
tradition she is also trained with the sword, and has a
militant and aggressive attitude. Like most of her
family, she feels a rivalry to the Phoenix Clan (due to
their absorption of the Agasha family centuries ago),
and will make a point of setting herself against Isawa
Tsutakito, as well as any Phoenix PCs who attend the
tournament. Also like many Dragons, she is a skilled
poet, and often recites brief compositions before
entering the various competitions.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
FIRE 2 AIR 2
Agility 3 Reflexes 3
EARTH 3 WATER 2
VOID 3
TN to be Hit: 23
School/Rank: Tamori Shugenja 1
Tamori Technique: Affinity to Earth,
Deficiency to Water. Always adds
twice her Earth to her TN to be Hit.
May spend a Void point to add this
same bonus again to herself or one
other character for a number of
rounds equal to Insight +1. (Need
not spend Void to enhance another
character who is a Dragon.)
Honor/Glory/Status: 2.5/1.0/na
Skills: Athletics 1, Courtier 1, Deceit 1, Defense 1,
Divination, Etiquette 1, Games 2, Iaijutsu 1, Kenjutsu
1, Medicine (Wound Treatment) 1, Lore: Shugenja 1,
Meditation 1, Spellcraft 1, Storytelling (Poetry) 2,
Theology 1
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, Counterspell,
(Earth 1) Fires From the Forge, Force of Will, (Earth
2) The Mountain’s Feet, (Fire 1) Fires of Purity,
Katana of Fire, (Air 1) Tempest of Air.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Quick/Contrary
Equipment: Kimono, daisho set, scroll satchel
Tonbo Kenshiro (optional) – Kenshiro’s
pleasant, rounded face and unremarkable physique,
combined with a soft-spoken and moderate tone,
make him seem harmless and humble. However,
Kenshiro is actually quite militant, a Mirumoto-
trained swordsman who aspires to be one of the
Empire’s greatest duelists. He considers Lions to be
his enemies, due to the destruction of the Dragonfly
Clan at their hands two generations ago. His soft-
spoken tone will gradually dissolve in the presence of
Lions, potentially leading to a confrontation with
Lion PCs.
FIRE 2 AIR 2
Agility 3 Reflexes 3
EARTH 2 WATER 2
Perception 3
VOID 3
TN to be Hit: 23 (28 in light armor)
School/Rank: Mirumoto Bushi 1
Rank One: When fighting with katana and
wakizashi together, adds 5 + School
Page 19
 Rank to his TN to be Hit. May
substitute Kenjutsu for Iaijutsu at any
time. Adds Fire Ring to all attack
rolls.
Honor/Glory: 2.5/1.0/na
Skills: Athletics 1, Defense 1, Etiquette 1, Iaijutsu 1,
Kenjutsu (katana) 2, Kyujutsu 2, Lore: Shugenja 1,
Meditation 1, Storytelling 1, Theology 1.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Bland, Heart of
Vengeance (Lion)
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set
Matsu Nimoro, son of the Clan Champion – A
handsome and fit young man of 13, in excellent
shape and with a keen eye and noble heart. He
should impress all the PCs as a fine young man,
albeit somewhat inexperienced and anxious to please
his father.
FIRE 2 AIR 2
Agility 3 Reflexes 3
EARTH 2 WATER 2
Willpower 3 Strength 3
VOID 3
TN to be Hit: 17 (22 in light armor)
School/Rank: Akodo Bushi 1
Rank One: Ignore armor or gain a Free
Raise when attacking. Gain a Free
Raise on first melee attack, or against
any opponent who declared a Raise
against him since his last turn. Add
Water to total of rolls for Damage
and for Opposed Battle rolls.
Honor/Glory/Status: 3.8/2.0/6.0
Skills: Athletics 2, Battle (Mass Combat) 1, Defense
1, Etiquette 1, Games (Go) 2, Horsemanship 1,
Iaijutsu 2, Kenjutsu 2, Kyujutsu 2, Lore: History 2,
Spears 1, Storytelling 1
Advantages/Disadvantages: Benten’s Blessing,
Death Trance, Social Position (heir to the Clan
Champion), Tactician, Wealthy/Frail Mind, Idealistic
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set
Matsu Chigitsu (elevated ronin) – A thin,
hollow-cheeked man in his late teens, older than any
of the other contestants. Chigitsu is a ronin who
earned admission to the Clan for valiant service on
the Lion Clan’s western frontier, rooting bandits out
of the foothills of the Spine of the World Mountains.
This ceremony is a “delayed gempukku” for him, a
chance to prove he truly belongs in the Lion Clan
(and to make up for never participating in the
famously tough Matsu gempukku). He has pledged
to commit seppuku if he does not succeed.
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Unfortunately, Chigitsu has a past – his father was a
Phoenix who was Forgotten after being framed by a
political rival in his Clan. As a result, Chigitsu is
determined to bring down Isawa Tsutakito, the son of
his rival, even if this fatally disrupts the tournament
itself.
FIRE 2 AIR 3
Agility 3 Reflexes 4
EARTH 3 WATER 3
VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 22 (27 in light armor)
School/Rank: Ronin Warrior 1/Matsu Berserker 1
Ronin Rank One: If he is the declared
target of an attack, he gains +1k1 to
either his attack or his damage roll
against that opponent (must choose
attack or damage at the beginning of
each round).
Matsu Rank One: Add Honor rank to all
damage rolls. Gain Free Raises (for
damage only) equal to School Rank
when in Full Attack posture.
Honor/Glory/Status: 1.5/2.1/1.0
Skills: Athletics 2, Battle 1, Deceit 1, Defense 1,
Hunting 2, Iaijutsu 1, Investigation (Notice) 1,
Jiujutsu 1, Kenjutsu (katana) 2, Kyujutsu 1, Lore:
Heraldry 2, Lore: History 1, Stealth (Sneaking) 2.
Kata: Striking as Wind (roll two additional dice on
all Initiative rolls, but one fewer die on attack and
damage rolls).
Advantages/Disadvantages: Crafty, Fleet, Multiple
Schools, Luck (rank 2), Strength of the Earth (rank
1), Way of the Land (Lion lands)/Dark Secret (father
was Forgotten), Momoku, Sworn Enemy (Isawa
family)
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set
Yoritomo Kagetora – A slightly pudgy fellow
with muscle-corded forearms, a sailor’s tattoos, and a
disarming grin. He also has a formidable drinking
capacity and a risqué sense of humor. Kagetora
spends most of his time hanging out and drinking
with the Crab, but also gets along well with
Scorpions, and is personal friends with Bayushi
Tenmaku. Kagetora was one of the hostages
exchanged between the Scorpion and Mantis Clans
during the crisis seven years ago, and spent four
years living among the Scorpion. He does not resent
the experience, and his personality and skills are a
balance between the rough-and-ready practicality of
the Mantis and the cleverness and subtlety of the
Scorpion.
Page 20
 FIRE 2 AIR 2
Agility 3 Reflexes 3
EARTH 2 WATER 3
Stamina 3
VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 19 (24 in light armor)
School/Rank: Yoritomo Bushi 1
Rank One: Suffers no penalties for off-
hand fighting or for using a small
weapon in his off-hand. May ignore
TN penalties for uneven footing if
they are less than his School Rank x
5. Opponents gain no advantage
against him from flanking or higher
ground. May add his Water to all
damage rolls.
Honor/Glory/Status: 1.2/1.0/na
Skills: Athletics 2, Battle 1, Courtier 2, Commerce 2,
Craft (sailing) 2, Defense 2, Etiquette 1, Hunting 1,
Iaijutsu 1, Kenjutsu 1, Peasant Weapons (kama) 2,
Storytelling 2
Advantages/Disadvantages: Allies (Scorpion Clan),
Ambidextrous, Fleet/Greedy, Hostage
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set, pair of
kama
Isawa Tsutakito – A slim, almost skeletal young
man with a sunken chest, pale skin, a low hollow
voice and deep-set eyes with a slightly “spooky” look
to them. Tsutakito is an Air shugenja who has also
studied the ways of battle, very unusual for the
Phoenix, and the main reason for his being assigned
to the Topaz Championship. Tsutakito is well-
educated, able to converse on a variety of intellectual
subjects, but is also eerily swift and agile, able to
make a sword or yari dance like a living thing. He is
somewhat inept in social situations, since despite his
education he tends to be slightly oblivious to the
subtleties of the Rokugani courts, and likes to drone
on about subjects that interest him.
FIRE 3 AIR 3
EARTH 2 WATER 2
Willpower 3
VOID 3
TN to be Hit: 17
School/Rank: Isawa Shugenja 1
Isawa Technique: Affinity to Air, no
Deficiency. Spend as many Void
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
points as desired on spellcasting, and
Void spent for Air counts double.
Honor/Glory/Status: 2.5/1.0/na
Skills: Calligraphy 1, Courtier 1, Defense 1,
Etiquette 1, Iaijutsu 2, Kenjutsu 2, Lore: Bushido 1,
Meditation 2, Spellcraft (Elemental Knowledge: Air),
Spears 3, Theology 1.
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, Counterspell,
(Air 1) Nature’s Touch, Wind-Born Slumbers, (Air 2)
Call Upon the Wind, (Fire 1) Biting Steel, Extinguish,
(Water 1) Reversal of Fortunes.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Blessing of the
Elements (Air), Crab Hands/Benten’s Curse
Equipment: Robes and kimono, scroll satchel,
daisho set, yari
Bayushi Tenmaku – A handsome, athletic young
Scorpion bushi with a ready smile, smooth wit, and
charming voice. Tenmaku has actually already
completed his gempukku, and has been sent here
with orders to accumulate blackmail and influence
over other contestants (who are supposed to be the
most promising young samurai of their Clan, and
therefore the most likely targets). He is completely
ruthless and utterly without scruple, but also is quite
skilled at posing as a non-villainous Scorpion who is
wounded by the reputation of his Clan.
FIRE 3 AIR 3
EARTH 2 WATER 2
VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 17 (22 in light armor)
School/Rank: Bayushi Bushi 1
Rank One: Roll additional Initiative dice
equal to School Rank. Enemies
cannot use Combat Reflexes to trade
initiative with him. Adds +5 to his
TN to be Hit against opponents with
lower Initiative.
Honor/Glory/Status: 1.1/1.0/1.0
Skills: Athletics 1, Courtier (Political Maneuvering)
2, Deceit (Lying, Seduction) 3, Defense 1, Etiquette
1, Forgery 1, Games 1 (Go), Iaijutsu 2, Investigation
(Notice) 2, Kenjutsu 2, Kyujutsu 1, Lore: History 1.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Crafty, Heartless,
Voice
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set
Shosuro Morito – This quiet young man is actually
a Shosuro actor who has been sent here as a test of
his skills at infiltration and deception. He plays the
Page 21
role of a straightforward, loyal Scorpion bushi who
believes in his Clan but is not especially sneaky or
underhanded personally. PCs who watch him
fighting or exercising will notice that his fighting
style is unusually formal and relies heavily on kata
and set stances – a legacy of his original training as a
stage performer.
FIRE 2 AIR 3
Intelligence 3 Awareness 4
EARTH 2 WATER 2
Perception 3
VOID 3
TN to be Hit: 18 (23 in light armor)
School/Rank: Shosuro Actor 2
Rank One: Roll extra dice equal to School
Rank on Acting rolls and when
attempting to persuade someone with
a Social Skill. Add Air Ring to TN to
be Hit.
Rank Two: Free Raises equal to School
Rank on the Knives skill. Add Fire
Ring to Initiative. When attacking an
unaware opponent, your Raises are
unlimited.
Honor/Glory/Status: 1.1/1.0/1.0
Skills: Acting (Disguise, Kabuki) 4, Athletics 1,
Courtier 2, Etiquette 2, Games 1, Iaijutsu 1, Kenjutsu
2, Kyujutsu 1, Lore: History 1, Meditation 3,
Theology 1.
Mastery Abilities: Can disguise himself as a
member of another Clan, profession, or social caste,
and can imitate a woman’s voice.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Clear Thinker,
Quick/Dark Secret
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set
Moto Tsuto – A squat, bandy-legged man with dark
skin and long, flourishing moustaches. Tsuto’s short
stature is something of a sore point for him,
especially since outside of his own lands he can’t
compensate for it by riding a horse. As a result, he
behaves in an exaggeratedly masculine fashion, often
ostentatiously and boorishly boasting of his martial
skills, his horsemanship, and his alleged female
conquests. Although skilled as a warrior, he tends to
“over-promise” on his skills, leading to frequent
embarrassments and losses of face.
FIRE 2 AIR 2
Agility 3
EARTH 2 WATER 2
Tournament of the Topaz Champion
Willpower 3 Strength 3
VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 12 (22 in heavy armor)
School/Rank: Moto Bushi 1
Rank One: May wield a non-polearm two-
handed weapon in one hand, and rolls
an extra die for damage when doing
so. When mounted or making a Full
Attack, rolls two additional dice for
attack. Add Earth to total of damage
rolls.
Honor/Glory/Status: 2.1/1.0/na
Skills: Athletics 2, Defense 1, Heavy Weapons 2,
Horsemanship 3, Hunting 2, Jiujutsu 1, Kenjutsu
(Scimitar) 2, Lore: Horses 1, Storytelling 1.
Mastery Abilities: May use Full Attack and Full
Defense while mounted.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Bishamon’s Blessing,
Death Trance, Quick Healer/Benten’s Curse,
Overconfident, Small
Equipment: Kimono, heavy armor, Unicorn
warhorse, daisho set (scimitar in place of katana),
ono
Maeda Oroko – A young woman in her late teens,
with an impish smile and sparkling eyes. Her skin is
tanned and roughened by outdoor life, and her hair is
cropped short and tied back in a short pigtail. Oroko
is a descendent of Takuhito, one of the original
founders of the Maeda ronin family. The Unicorn
Clan, which acts as patrons of the Maeda, has
sponsored her participation in the Topaz
Championship. She has a taste for slim and
“dangerous” men, and will make an unsuccessful
pass at Kenji.
FIRE 2 AIR 2
Reflexes 3
EARTH 3 WATER 2
Perception 3
VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 21 (27 in light armor)
School/Rank: Maeda Brotherhood Technique
New Path: Adds her rank in Hunting to her
TN to be Hit at all times. When
attacking a criminal or lawbreaker,
rolls additional unkept dice equal to
her Honor rank.
Honor/Glory/Status: 2.5/1.0/na
Skills: Athletics 1, Defense 2, Hunting (Tracking) 2,
Jiujutsu 1, Kenjutsu (Katana) 2, Kyujutsu 2, Lore:
Heraldry 1.
Page 22
Advantages/Disadvantages: Allies (Unicorn Clan),
Benten’s Blessing, Strength of the Earth (rank
1)/Social Disadvantage (ronin)
Equipment: Kimono, light armor, daisho set.

Kenji, concealed Tsume family ronin – A thin,

feverish young man with deeply sunken eyes and
poor-quality equipment… except for a high-quality
katana, a legacy of his family. Kenji is a Tsume
family ronin, but keeps his name concealed here,
especially from other Tsume. He is here to murder
the Lion Clan Champion, and managed to convince
an Akodo vassal family to sponsor him so he could
attend. He will be distinctly anti-social, brooding
and avoiding contact with the other contestants, and
rebuffing Oroko’s romantic overtures.
FIRE 2 AIR 2
Agility 3 Reflexes 3

EARTH 2 WATER 2
Willpower 3

VOID 2
TN to be Hit: 19 (22 in poor-quality light armor)
School/Rank: Ronin Duelist 1
Rank One: Add twice your Agility to total
of all Initiative rolls.
Honor/Glory/Status: 1.3/1.0/na
Skills: Athletics 2, Deceit (Lying), Defense 2,
Hunting 1, Iaijutsu 2, Jiujtutsu 1, Kenjutsu (Katana)
2, Kyujutsu 1, Lore: Bushido 1, Lore: Heraldry 2,
Sleight-of-Hand (Conceal) 3, Stealth (Sneaking) 2.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Ally (sponsor), Crafty,
Heart of Vengeance (Lion), Quick/Antisocial, Driven
(vengeance against Lion), Social Disadvantage
(ronin)
Equipment: Kimono, light armor (poor quality),
poor quality wakizashi, fine katana (+1 Iaijutsu skill
when striking first in a duel), poisoned tanto in
concealed sleeve-sheath.

Tournament of the Topaz Champion Page 23

 Appendix #2: Important Non-Competitor NPCs
This section contains NPCs who are not part of the Topaz Championship, but with whom the PCs might still have
interactions during the adventure:

O-Doji Koneko, the Crane Clan Matron

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

Doji Sarutomo, Crane Clan Champion

Koneko’s son is a handsome, charming man in his early thirties, with youthful features and a distracted air. He
dislikes the responsibilities and courtly duties of being Clan Champion, and secretly longs to be a heroic
swordsman. Still, he knows enough to get by in most situations, and his mother ensures that he is never allowed to
screw up too badly.
Role-Play: Sarutomo is charming, well-spoken, and highly educated, but intellectually lazy and slightly dim – the
Rokugani equivalent of a British upper-class twit.

Kakita Saburashi, Family Daimyo and Sensei

Saburashi is the daimyo of the Kakita, but spends most of his time in the Dueling Academy, where he is the senior
sensei. A grim, stern-looking man in his early forties, with white-dyed hair in a severe samurai topknot. He is
universally acknowledged as the finest duelist in the Empire… except by himself and the ghost of his great-uncle.
He has never married, and his cousins are jostling each other to be named heir.
Role-Play: Saburashi is a humorless, deadly serious man, driven to near dementia by his lifelong futile quest to
perfect his swordsmanship and achieve the “Divine Strike.” He thinks of nothing but swordsmanship, and when he
is forced to deal with something else he is irritable, distracted, and ineffectual.

Matsu Hoketsaku, Champion of the Lion and Emerald Champion

A powerful-looking man in his mid-thirties, vigorous and intelligent. Hoketsaku is the latest in a recent line of
skilled Matsu who have served as Champions of the Lion Clan, and he has also fulfilled the duties of the Emerald
Champion with honor and solid competence. He loves his son, but as a true Lion never shows such weak feelings
to others.

Akodo Gintaku, daimyo of the Akodo family

The Akodo daimyo is a fierce, driven man in his mid-thirties, with a narrow, pale, hawk-like face, prominent
cheekbones, and dark, piercing eyes. Gintaku is determined to restore the Akodo family to a preeminent place in
the Lion Clan, and bitterly resents the dominance of the Matsu. However, he is careful not to show any public
emotion on either topic.

Miya Shikan, Imperial Herald

The daimyo of the Miya family is a slim, severe, coldly handsome man in his early forties, with a clean-shaven
scalp and face. He has never married, pouring his whole being into his quest for peace throughout the Empire, a
quest for which he is willing to do anything – anything at all. He has brokered numerous treaties and agreements,
many of them quite convoluted, over the last fifteen years.
Role-Play: Shikan is a driven man, determined to maintain peace in the Empire no matter what the cost, and
obsessed with the evil, suffering, and horrors of war. Given the chance, he always delivers lectures on how the
“glory” of war is meaningless to suffering peasants.

Toturi XII, the Joyous Prince, the Sapphire Emperor

The Emperor is a handsome man in his forties, still showing the vigor and good looks of his youth, but with a faint
aura of distance and sadness about him. He still mourns his wife, seven years after her death, and has refused to

Tournament of the Topaz Champion Page 24

take any concubines since then. He cares deeply about his Empire and his subjects, but is also quite remote, even
from his own court, and allows the Imperial Court and the various high officials to run the Empire for him.

Toturi Hatsu and Toturi Kobashi, the twin eldest sons of Emperor Toturi XII
These two are fit, handsome young men, twenty years of age, and nearly identical in appearance except for the
different colors they dye their hair (Crane white for Hatsu, Lion gold for Kobashi). They have been fostered to the
Crane (Hatsu) and the Lion (Kobashi) since the age of 13, as part of a plan by the Imperial Herald to bring the two
Hands of the Emperor closer to the throne. The brothers are honorable and cheerful young men, and are obviously
close friends. They do suffer from one shared weakness – women.

Tournament of the Topaz Champion Page 25

Player Handout #1: Chits for Selecting Matches

Hida Chorotaku Shosuro Morito

Doji Keitomaru Moto Tsuto

Kakita Amiko Maeda Oroko

Kakita Toru Kenji

Tamori Ryuko Player #1

Tonbo Kenshiro Player #2

Matsu Nimoro Player #3

Matsu Chigitsu Player #4

Yoritomo Kagetora Player #5

Isawa Tsutakito Player #6

Bayushi Tenmaku Player #7

Tournament of the Topaz Champion Page 26

Player Handout #2: Scoring for the Topaz Championship
Points are listed for the performance of these NPCs in the three non-match competitions (Heraldry,
Law/Etiquette/Bushido, and Hunting). Note that Matsu Nimoro, Kakita Toru, and Moto Tsuto will earn an extra
point each if a PC team does not beat their time in the Hunting competition.

Hida Chorotaku: 1

Doji Keitomaru: 1

Kakita Amiko: 2

Kakita Toru: 2

Tamori Ryuko: 1

Tonbo Kenshiro: 1

Matsu Nimoro (withdraws): 3

Matsu Chigitsu: 1

Yoritomo Kagetora: 1

Isawa Tsutakito: 1

Bayushi Tenmaku: 2

Shosuro Morito: 1

Moto Tsuto: 1

Maeda Oroko: 2

Kenji (killed): 2

Tournament of the Topaz Champion Page 27