Storyline Events - GenCon SoCal 2006: Souls of Steel

A Storyline Event for the Legend of the Five Rings CCG

According to the mythology of Rokugan, a samurai’s soul is contained within the katana he carries on his hip, just as the wakizashi holds his honor. The katana is said to carry the soul of every man that has ever carried it, and over time they come to represent the essence of the family line that carries it. The most fortunate carry the blade their grandfather carried, but for most that is not possible. Thus it is that each generation, hundreds of new blades are forged to be passed down to the grandchildren that cannot carry their ancestor’s weapons. It is no wonder that the sword has become so important in the philosophy of samurai culture.

But what of a sword that has a greater purpose than simple combat?

Following the death of Rosoku, a number of exquisite blades appeared in the Empire. Ten were crafted as the parting gift of Tsi Xing Guo, the Fortune of Steel. These blades were given to the Keeper of Five Elements, Asahina Sekawa, and intended to be wielded by heroes to carve a new destiny for themselves. Sekawa disseminated the blades among the clans, where heroes have indeed taken them up and made them their own. The Crab blade Kettei was carried by the valiant Hida Daizu for a short time before he relinquished it to accept a personal weapon from Hida Kisada. The Dragon blade Yogen was likewise carried by the samurai Mirutmoto Ryosaki for a time before she took up the blade of her fallen father, Doji Reju.

The blades of the Fortune of Steel were not the only blades given to the Empire, however.

After the death of the prophet Rosoku, descendant of Shinsei, the fate of the Empire was altered. A short time later, a blade appeared in the throne room of the Imperial Palace while it was unoccupied. The Seppun who guard the palace have been unable to determine how the blade appeared within the chamber, and the Hidden Guard have decreed that the blade resonates with the influence of Tengoku, the Celestial Heavens. After a time of consideration, the Emperor granted the blade to his Emerald Champion, that it might find its way into the hands of his most loyal and lawful servants. The story of these blades, both those created by the Fortunes and those by parties unknown, has yet to be told.

Until now.

The highest placing player in each faction shall select the character that carries the blade created for their faction by the Fortune of Steel. The character must be a living personality currently aligned with the faction in question. The winner of the tournament may also determine the character who wields the Lotus Blade, a mysterious katana of considerable power that is as yet poorly understood. The tournament winner may choose to select any living, non-unique personality to bear the blade or, if they prefer, they may instead name a new character that shall carry it. In both cases, the final choice is subject to approval by the Story Team.