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Chapter 8: Non-Player Characters
Chapter 8: Non-Player Characters
Seasoned Courtier (Adversary)
While some conflicts are settled on the fields of battle, the vast majority 
of strikes and feints between the Great Clans of Rokugan take place at 
court. The clans that control the ear of the Emperor enjoy vast favor, and 
all clans rely upon their courtiers to advance their agendas, orchestrate 
alliances through marriages and pacts of allegiance, and undermine their 
foes’ reputations and positions. While courtiers are rarely as skilled in 
personal combat as bushi, they are no less deadly. People live and die by 
their words as much as by the swords of bushi.
EARTH
RESILIENCE
COMPOSURE
FOCUS
VIGILANCE
PHYSICAL 
RESISTANCES
SUPERNATURAL
RESISTANCES
FIRE
AIR
WATER
VOID
2
2
3
6
6
1
12
2
0
4
2
Conflict Rank: Combat 1, Intrigue 5
Skills: Social 3, Artisan 3, Scholar 2
Advantages: Unfailing Politeness (Air) [Social; Interpersonal], Wealth 
and Resources (Water) [Trade; Material]
Disadvantages: Sheltered from War (Fire) [Martial; Mental]
Demeanor: Shrewd (Fire –2, Water +2)
Typical Outburst: Expose a Weakness
Honor: 60   Glory: 50  
Status: 39
Abilities: Prey on the Unready (When making a Social skill check target-
ing a Dazed character, reduce the TN by 1.)
Gear (equipped): Wakizashi (Range 0–1, Damage 4, Deadliness 5/7, 
Ceremonial, Concealable, Razor-edged), extravagant robes (Physical 1, 
Ceremonial), calligraphy set, tea set.
Techniques
All in Jest
Activation: When you make a Commerce (Water), Courtesy (Water), or 
Performance (Water) check, you may spend  in the following way:
•  Water +: Regain 1 glory the courtier forfeit for saying something 
rude or for appealing to your target’s base desires (greed, lust, laziness, 
etc.) per  spent this way (see Forfeiting Honor, Glory, or Status, on 
page 22).
Fanning the Flames
Activation: When making a Social skill (Fire) check targeting one or 
more characters, the courtier may spend  in the following way:
•  Fire +: One target gains the Dazed condition per  spent this way.
Scholarly Shugenja (Adversary)
The elite priests of the samurai class, shugenja are trained by secretive 
schools within each of the Great Clans and some Minor Clans. Every 
shugenja is privy to secrets unknown even to the vast majority of priests 
and other clergy across the Empire, and each school works hard to hide 
the full extent of its mystic knowledge from the others, lest they find 
weaknesses or ways to use it for themselves. As a result, these insular 
groups are fiercely competitive with one another, and each calls to the 
kami in a unique way, whether with words of ancient power, through 
alchemical concoctions or woven enchantments, or even by the interces-
sion of ancestral spirits.
EARTH
RESILIENCE
COMPOSURE
FOCUS
VIGILANCE
PHYSICAL 
RESISTANCES
SUPERNATURAL
RESISTANCES
FIRE
AIR
WATER
VOID
3
3
3
10
6
1
12
3
3
3
2
Conflict Rank: Combat 4, Intrigue 3
Skills: Scholar 3, Social 2 or Artisan 2, Marital 1
Advantages: Mystical Insight (Void) [Scholar; Spiritual]
Disadvantages: Sheltered Scholar (Earth) [Martial; Physical, Mental] 
Demeanor: Ambitious (Air –2, Fire +2)
Typical Outburst: Compromise 
Honor: 55 
Glory: 60  
Status: 39
Abilities: Elemental Alignment and Deficiency (Choose one element 
(other than Void); the shugenja gains the “Elemental Alignment [Scholar; 
Spiritual]” advantage for that ring, empowering their invocations using 
that element. Then, choose a different element (other than Void); the 
shugenja gains the “Elemental Deficiency [Scholar; Spiritual]” disadvan-
tage for that ring, interfering with their invocations using that element.)
Disciple of Secret Lore (Choose zero to five additional invocations (see 
page 116) and zero to three additional rituals (see page 132) that this 
shugenja can perform. Add 1 to this character’s combat rank for each 
invocation of rank 3 or higher chosen this way.)
Gear (equipped): Wakizashi (Range 0–1, Damage 4, Deadliness 5/7, Cer-
emonial, Concealable, Razor-edged), sanctified robes (Physical 1, Super-
natural 3, Ceremonial), scroll satchel, pack of offerings.
Techniques
The Fires from Within
Activation: As an Attack action, the shugenja may make a TN 3 Theol-
ogy (Fire) check targeting up to three characters at range 1–3.
Effects: If the shugenja succeeds, each target suffers supernatural damage 
equal to the shugenja’s bonus successes plus 3.
Opportunities:
•• 
+: Choose 1 additional target 1 per  spent this way.
•• 
+: Treat the maximum range of this technique as 1 higher per  
spent this way.
Path to Inner Peace
Activation: As a Support action, the shugenja may make a TN 2 Theol-
ogy (Water) check to target a character at range 0–2.
Effects: If the shugenja succeeds, each target heals wounds equal to 3 plus 
the shugenja’s bonus successes.
Each target cannot be affected by the Path to Inner Peace invocation 
again until the end of the scene.
Opportunities:
•• 
+: Choose 1 additional target 1 per  spent this way.

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