State of the Empire, Week 2

An Account of the Divine Empress’ Subjects during This Time of War

The third week of the Month of the Tiger, year 1171

Most Divine Empress,

 This time of tumult is perhaps greater than any I can recall. Never have I seen such incredible movement of forces throughout the Empire. Even during the times of a vacant throne, there was not such chaos. My heralds have worked tirelessly, exhausting entire stables’ worth of steeds and driving themselves to the point of collapse, but none have requested relief. I have never been prouder of my family’s service to the throne.

 A number of matters of grave concern have taken place this past week, and I feel they merit careful consideration. However, it has always been my philosophy that the honorable actions of samurai should be given precedence, and for that reason it is my great privilege to inform you of the valor and virtue of your servants.

 Despite the tremendous hardships facing the Phoenix in their own lands, the ongoing struggle of the Scorpion to control the outbreak of plague within their provinces has resulted in the Master of Air bringing a force of magistrates under her command to the Scorpion’s western border in an attempt to stymie the spread of the plague. Some have wondered why the Phoenix would not first have aided the Crane, but of course the Isawa have been attempting to assist the Crane in that regard for some time. Additionally it appears that the combination of the plague and the threat of the Destroyers growing ever closer to the Scorpion’s southern border has appealed to the Phoenix Clan’s sense of altruism, which is a welcome sight to this servant of the throne.

 The war in the south has stretched the resources of many clans nearly to the breaking point, but recent massive flooding in Earthquake Fish Bay has proven that the tenet of compassion is not lost, even on the most severe of your most humble servants. When the floodwaters threatened several towns and even the people of Clear Water Village, the awesome power of the Storm Riders, under the direction of Moshi Sayoko, were moved in by the Mantis Champion to mitigate the worst effects of the weather, giving the forces of the Hiruma family time to evacuate the most important individuals and holdings. Some valuable commodities were lost to the flooding, but the swift work of the Mantis and Crab prevented a vastly worse situation, one that could have significantly impacted the war on the southern front, from unfolding.

 In my last report I addressed in no uncertain terms the contempt with which I hold those who would prey upon your humble servants in a time of war. The bandit force operating in the southwestern region of the Empire appears to have been dealt a terrible blow by the forces of the Lion and the subsequent discovery of an attack by the so-called Spider Clan.

  I had thought the group destroyed, but it seems otherwise. Apparently a tattooed monk of the Dragon Clan, one my herald identified as Togashi Shintaro, tracked and located the larger force in the unaligned lands between the Crane and Scorpion holdings. There, an allied force of Crane and Dragon, led by Daidoji Kikaze and a decorated officer from the Imperial Legions named Mirumoto Ishino, whom I have not met, trapped the bandits in upon the plains and destroyed them. My heralds report that Kikaze-sama ordered the remains burned to ensure that there could be no reanimation, given the heavy plague infestation in that region. I do not know if this is the end of their predations upon the Empire or not, for there maybe more of them, but it is my hope that the loyal clans of the Empress have meted out your most righteous justice upon them.

 Were it not for my absolute faith in the endorsement of your reign by the Celestial Heavens, Divine One, I would find the rash of natural disasters plaguing the Empire of enormous concern. The plague itself is of course a calamity of the first order, and the flash floods I described earlier are of lesser but still significant concern. A recent earthquake near Seikitsu Pass caused significant damage to the region and could impede the movement of supplies and forces from the Unicorn lands to the southern front. Keenly aware of the need for proper supply and logistics, the Lion immediately moved a small force into the region, a force under the command of an officer named Akodo Kurogane. The Scorpion have lent assistance as well, as they are fully aware that if the southern front continues to fall back, the war will reach their doorstep. I personally find the strange bonds created by the war comforting, although I regret that it has required such devastation to make the Great Clans overlook their long-standing grievances. The Scorpion, working alongside with the Lion? The growing bond between the Crab and Scorpion as they try to find a means to fight the Destroyers? It does my heart good to see such things grow between the clans. Perhaps, when this war is over… but I will not put it to words yet. I do not wish to invite ill will with my presumption.

 By far the most disturbing incident that took place this week, my lady, is one that one of my most trusted subordinates witnessed. The account is so strange that, should it have come from any other, I would doubt its veracity. However, Miya Anzai is, to my mind, above reproach, and I have no choice but to assume that what witnessed is true. She relayed an account of the Unicorn Clan’s scout stables at the northern edge of the Shinomen Mori. Wildfires, perhaps caused by a lightning strike ravaged the dry plains near the region, and could potentially have burned the forest to the ground, depriving the legendary Shinjo Scouts of their steeds. Because of the conflict, the stables were lightly staffed despite the large number of mares and their foals stationed there. The Unicorn fought to resist the blaze, and were bolstered by the arrival of a unit of Khol Regulars, but even then, Anzai reports, it seemed the stables would be lost.

 It was then that the Spider emerged from the forest.

 At first, Anzai feared that a battle was imminent, but to her shock, the Spider combated the fire alongside the Unicorn. We of course know that the Unicorn and Spider were allies prior to your ascension and the edicts against the Spider, but Anzai reports that the Unicorn were completely surprised by their arrival, so it appears that there is no crime on their part. I have very carefully read the account of the Spider’s forces, and while the Moto Black Guard was eradicated from the mortal realm before I was born, I found myself chilled by the similarities between Anzai’s reports and the descriptions I have read in the historical accounts. I am troubled by it even still.

 Once the fire was dealt with Anzai reports that the situation between the two clans degraded quickly. It seems that the leaders of the Spider forces were two former Unicorn, and although I have been unable to verify it, some among the Unicorn in attendance were overheard to whisper that one of them was the brother of the Khan, a man named Chaozhu that many apparently thought dead. I have instructed Anzai not to speak of this, and I know that she can be trusted.

 More disturbing than the account of the former Unicorn is that there was one among the Spider, a man named Atsuro, who seemed to speak to the kami, but not in the manner of a traditional shugenja. Anzai insists that he commanded them rather than invoked them, and that the act of his magic left the area feeling cold and empty. She could not explain it further, and I have not asked her to. I know how such things can upset the young. There were also reports of small creatures from the forest carrying off the bodies of those horses that were killed in the fire. The word “Gakku” was mentioned. I currently have my staff attempting to discover any mention of this in our records, for it is not a creature with which I am familiar.

 I remain your humble servant.

 Miya Shoin, Imperial Herald

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The State of the Empire

An Account of the Divine Empress’ Subjects’ Activities during This Time of War

The Second Week of the Month of the Tiger, year 1171

My most divine Empress,

At your request, I have spent considerable time over the past ten days compiling as many reports as have been received in an attempt to gain some measure of idea what the status of your loyal subjects is at this point in time. I know that reports come in to the Imperial City at a steady pace, but these are from a variety of sources and can often be in conflict with one another over even events of significant importance. Toward this end, to gain as impartial a measure of the Empire’s status as possible, I am depending solely upon the eyewitness accounts of my own Miya heralds. If this in any way displeases you, Divine One, I will of course use whatever means you prefer. I hope that you will agree this is likely our most accurate available information, however.

I suppose it goes without saying that the battles in the northern and southern reaches of the Empire are at present our most pressing concerns. The renewed Army of Fire presses in the north, but slowly. The Dragon and Phoenix are still recovering from the previous war last year, and we can but thank the Heavens that the toll your armies took upon the Army of Fire was so great that now our enemies must move carefully. It would seem they have can no longer spare forces for the insane suicide assaults that hurt the Dragon and Phoenix so badly before. At the insistence of the Dragon officers with whom my herald conferred during his time in the north, I am to report that the Badger and Ox clans have both contributed as much as possible to the effort to stymie the Army of Fire as well. The Ox emerged from the first war remarkably intact, but the Badger have suffered greatly, and are able to contribute very little. Still, what they have, they send, and they have not requested Imperial aid. They are a hardy people, and I think it is this trait that bonds them so with the Dragon Clan during this time of strife.

Notable incidents that have recently taken place in the north are largely related to the continued insertion of the Dark Oracle of Fire’s forces into the Empire. Two larger groups attempted to circumvent the northern clans’ blockade this week. One managed to slip past the sparse guards and reach the Dragon Heart Plain, but Ox scouts detected them and informed the Phoenix. My herald reports that the Champion herself removed the unit known as the Legion of Flame and risked leaving the Phoenix border weakened to intercept and destroy these gaijin before they could reach the Empire’s interior. I praise the Fortunes that Tsukimi-sama and her men were able to return to the Phoenix front before the Dark Oracle could capitalize upon their absence!

A large scouting force of the Army of Fire pushed forward into the central Dragon lands, but were successfully caught in pincer attack by two relatively young Mirumoto officers, Mirumoto Bokusui, and Mirumoto Hojatsu. Reports indicate that the southern half of the Dragon forces, led by Bokusui after his superior fell in battle, was aided by a number of sohei monks not of the Togashi order. In fact, my herald reports that Bokusui allowed the sohei to commandeer the supplies of the fallen gaijin for their own use, which appears to have been a point of contention between the two Dragon officers. Although not of superior rank, it seems that Hojatsu took great issue with Bokusui’s actions in this regard, and my herald feared for a moment that the victory might be spoiled by a duel. Thankfully, that did not occur. I currently have a herald dispatched to the Brotherhood of Shinsei to determine what exactly the purpose of this exchange of supplies was, but I will likely not hear back from Tanari for at least a few weeks.

The southern front continues to be some of the fiercest fighting that I have seen in my lifetime, despite the horrible conflicts I have already witnessed. Some among my younger heralds who have traveled to the southern front have been horribly traumatized by the sight of the war being waged, and while they remain dutiful, I am deeply troubled by how detrimental the war may be to the samurai fighting it, if my heralds could be so affected so quickly. Now that the Destroyers have pushed farther into the Empire, it seems that they are more willing to send splinter units in an attempt to penetrate the interior, rather than the unified assault that they have been waging up until this point. My agents returned with information concerning military units from the Destroyers that have attempted to gain entrance to as yet unoccupied regions. One was halted by a truly fearsome Crab detachment known as Amoro’s Legion, a group that my herald insisted was the only thing in the mortal realm that he fears more than the gajin demons he witnessed among the Destroyers. The other was intercepted by an elite unit of Tsuruchi archers led by Tsuruchi Nobumoto himself. I am told that Nobumoto-sama is advised by a vassal of the Imperial Treasurer, a man named Yoritomo Tatsuhiko. I do not know what interest your distinguished Treasurer has in such a conflict, but fortunately such matters are not for a simple herald such as myself.

I would be greatly comforted if I could but report that while these terrible battles are being waged, the central Empire is at peace. Unfortunately, my Empress, I cannot do so, for the Empire is troubled throughout. The continued spread of the plague that has vexed Rokugan so badly remains unchecked, and is of particular concern in the lands of the Crane and Scorpion clans. Both are taking extreme measures to control the spread within their lands, and it is my hope that, once they have done so, they will secure their borders to ensure the infection does not spread further.

It is possibly because of their actions in containing the disease, or perhaps because of the tragic but absolutely necessary fate of the Horiuchi family, that the Unicorn have been forced to deal with a small scale uprising of the lower castes within their own lands. From what my herald has told me, it seems that the people feared that the appearance of the plague in their village would result in the entire village being ruthlessly sacrificed, and they fought to prevent such a fate. Unfortunately in doing so it seems they brought such a fate to pass, as the Khan had not choice but to sanction the village for treason as well as disease. I fear it will not be the last such tragedy.

There appear to be those within the Empire who are attempting to exploit the current situation to their own advantage, as nauseating as such an act might be. With the Lion forces so heavily deployed in the south, a large force of bandits attempted to raid one of the clan’s storehouses along their western border. Unfortunately for the filth, a single Matsu samurai-ko named Mari, along with a dozen Ikoma guardsmen, proved more than equal to the task of eradicating more than two dozen bandits. What troubles me even more than such predation, however, is the indication Mari-san discovered that there was a much larger force of bandits preparing for a potential raid into the Crab villages near the front line, where they believed they could easily acquire large amounts of military supplies. Mari-san and one of my heralds took a force to intercept these individuals near the Shinomen, but discovered the entire force of bandits slaughtered to a man. The individual that the Lion believe was the bandit lord had a war banner driven through his chest and was left to die slowly on the field of battle. The banner bore the mon of the Spider Clan. I do not know what you wish to come of this information, but Matsu Mari has sworn her patrol to silence upon pain of death, and I have reassigned the herald involved into historical research so that he might not pass on the information, even if inadvertently. I await your command in this matter, my Empress.

This is the account of the Empire in the second year of the reign of Empress Iweko I, the Divine Child of Heaven, noted by her loyal and unworthy subject Miya Shoin, the Imperial Herald of Rokugan.

Battle On All Fronts

By Brian Yoon

Edited by Fred Wan

Part One: The Drums of War Pound On

            The noise rumbled with such intensity it seemed to be felt rather than heard. It echoed through Shiro Kuni, sounding like a thousand feet stamping in unison. Chunks of the broken fortification shattered down into the courtyard with lethal force. Immediately, soldiers broke formation to dodge them, and those who were slow to react were crushed without mercy. Seconds later, the sound began once more, and in the distance another inhuman mound of muscle and bone and cartilage hurtled into the air.

            Hida Otoya turned and gestured frantically to one of his companions. Horiuchi Nobane galloped across the yard and gave the old Crab a quick nod. Both commanders winced and covered their heads as the boulder crashed into the Shiro Kuni wall. They could see the army of Destroyers pressing toward the holes left in the building. “Otoya-san!” Nobane shouted. “We need to stop… whatever that is!”

            Otoya pointed through the hole in the wall of Shiro Kuni to the hills in the distance. Nobane squinted and could barely make out the sight of some gargantuan creature. “My scouts tell me that creature is expelling a part of itself through its back. Our retreat tunnels are prepared, but we can’t use them if that thing crushes them in his random strikes! We can’t survive if the creature continues that barrage!”

            Nobane’s gaze followed Otoya’s finger. Nobane paled when he saw exactly how many Destroyers and demons stood between them. “I have the greatest chance of getting that far alive. The Unicorn will destroy that abomination,” the Unicorn said.

            “We’ll try to hold our line as long as we can,” Otoya said grimly. “The Fortunes be with you, friend.”

            Nobane nodded and gave a shaky smile. “And if they are not, Otoya-san, we shall ride swifter than any trouble could ever follow!” He spurred his steed forward and returned to his troops.

            It was time for Otoya to make good on his word. The old warrior raised his fan and gestured the bulk of the Crab forces forward. He paused and looked to gain a measure of his troops’ morale before charging them into battle. They seemed resigned as they faced impossible numbers, yet Otoya could not spot fear in the eyes of any man standing in line.

            “Defenders!” Otoya called out. “The history of our people and the vast knowledge of the Kuni are at stake. Our allies the Unicorn will charge out onto the battlefield to strike at the heart of the enemy, if only they have a chance to leave this castle. Who shall carve out an opening?”

            Every Crab’s voice roared in unison and Otoya pointed at the closest unit. “The rest of you, defend the broken walls! Open the gates!”

            The lieutenant of the Third Legion whooped in delight and urged his men toward Shiro Kuni’s gates. The gates slowly creaked open and revealed the endless horde that waited to crack open the Rokugani defenses. The Third Legion charged, smashing into the front line of Destroyers with relish. Their reckless assault overwhelmed the foreign demons, who had expected an army cowed by the constant barrage. Unprepared for the unrestrained power of the Third Legion, the Destroyers faltered for a moment. In that time, Nobane and his men galloped out of the fortress.

            The sound of another of the creature’s deadly projectiles reached Otoya’s ears, and he whistled tunelessly.

            “This will be painful,” Otoya murmured to no one.

* * * * *

            “Did we not already fight this war,” Shiba Sotatsu said to himself.

            He stood on the hills above a minor fortification near Shiro Shiba, his Legion of Stone arrayed all around him. They stretched out as wide as they could and stared north at the approaching horde. The burning men were walking closer, and the flames of their bodies seemed to mimic another sun on the ground. He squinted.

            At least, he told himself silently, they were only facing the burning legion. The Phoenix healers had yet to find a cure for the plague that swept across the empire, but their efforts had blunted the worst of it so far. He didn’t know if he could fight the forces of the Dark Oracle and zombies at once without losing his life, his sanity, or both.

            “Sotatsu-san?” his aide asked him, interrupting his reveries. “Will you give the order to charge?”

            He turned to the warrior. Sotatsu was suddenly struck by how young the boy seemed to be. How had they recruited such a youth to the elite numbers of the Legion of Stone, he wondered? Had the stresses of war already forced them to dig into their reserves?

            He suddenly realized he was standing there, staring without answering. A slight flush reached his cheeks. “No,” he answered gruffly. “Send the order to dig in to our positions. We must hold them here long enough for our allies to get into position.”

            The boy bowed. Before he could turn and relay the order, Sotatsu quickly stopped him.

            “Send the order to show them the present,” Sotatsu said.

            Moments later, the standard bearer lifted the large Phoenix banner. It unfurled in the swift wind and brazenly displayed its contents to the entire battlefield. The reaction was slow but explosive. A few minutes passed, then a low guttural howl began to emanate from the opposing force. Sotatsu smiled joylessly. The banner had been created by those who trained in Yobanjin dialects and languages. He had been told the flag was a rather harsh indictment on the Yobanjin race, parentage, and their detestable leader. It had certainly provoked a response.

            The Yobanjin broke any resemblance of formation and charged across the field. They screamed and howled like animals as they sprinted, waving flaming weapons and hands in front of them. The incensed Yobanjin stampeded each other in their eagerness to rip Sotatsu from limb to limb. Sotatsu was glad to see the plan was working, but a stampeding herd held a great deal of force behind it. Could the Phoenix stop them in their tracks, he wondered?

            “Yes,” Sotatsu said. A few of the bushi around looked at him in surprise.

            “YES!” he roared. “We are the Legion of Stone! Their lives will end here!”

            His men cheered. The next instant, the Yobanjin crashed into them and there was no more time for thought. The fighting stretched on, vicious and brutal. Men burnt to their bones and crumbled down the line. Another bushi would quickly take his place. They were too well trained to break, but the Yobanjin horde was slowly grinding them under the weight of their numbers.

            Sotatsu held despair in his heart when he looked up and saw them across the hills. The wind picked up into a howling gust, and the Firestorm Legion crashed into the Yobanjin rear forces.

Part Two: The Trap is Sprung

            A cold wind blew over the village, wafting forth a swirl of dust and what seemed to be an aura of despair to the approaching band. Mirumoto Satobe squinted and raised his hands to protect his eyes from the wind. It looked like any other village but he wasn’t so sure it was the case.

            “Satobe-sama, do you think we’ll find another empty village?” Kitsuki Ketto asked hesitantly.

            Satobe’s face remained smooth and clear of emotion, but the man frowned inwardly. His actions in the War of Dark Fire had earned him another measure of respect among the Mirumoto, not to mention a rise in station. He now had several dozen soldiers under his command to patrol the border between the Mirumoto provinces and the Lion lands. Of late, he found he was more often dealing with the plague problems that had sprung up within the lands than any illegal incursions into the land.

            “I hope not, Ketto, but we must be prepared for whatever we may find,” Satobe responded. His solemn answer elicited determined nods around his band of young bushi, and Satobe felt a spark of pride deep within him. His men, as he had grown to think of them in recent months, had been young warriors barely out of their gempukku ceremony when they had joined his squad. Each man and woman had seen horrors and dangers beyond imagining under Satobe’s command, yet none broke under the pressure. Instead, they had grown into hardened veterans.

            “Where do you think the villagers have fled?” Mirumoto Tannomiru asked. The young man bit his lip and began to chew. It was a bad habit the young man had yet to fix.

            “Three villages, all desolate,” Mirumoto Yukari mused quietly, running her fingers nervously over the silken bindings on the hilt of her katana. “There’s something wrong, of course-”

            “Something that’s likely to get us all killed,” Tannomiru muttered under his breath.

            “-but there’s no sign of any conspiracy or greater power,” Yukari continued without pause. “We should remain optimistic until we hear something that tells us otherwise.”

            “Perhaps you are right, Yukari-san,” Satobe said, “but we must be ready for anything. Fall in.”

            At the finality in his voice, the young bushi immediately cut off their banter. Satobe took lead without comment and the rest fell in behind him. There was nothing that would suggest danger for his men. This town was completely devoid of people, though the village had once held sixty peasants among its borders. There was nothing that hinted at their fate.

            Still, despite the tranquility, something intangible seemed to tug at the corner of his mind. Over the past few weeks, he had learned to trust his instincts. He stopped in the middle of the village square and slowly scanned the area. He could see nothing that would have roused his suspicions. There were small mounds of dirt that looked as if they had not been disturbed for weeks. There was nothing, yet…

            Satobe drew his blades in one smooth motion. The sound was echoed tenfold as his squad followed suit.

            “Stand ready,” Satobe whispered.

            Everything fell into chaos as soon as the words left his lips. Dozens of gray, lifeless hands clawed out of the ground everywhere around the Dragon. The ground shook and erupted as countless bodies rose out of their hiding places. The undead held no expressions on their rotten faces, but Satobe could swear they looked… hungry.

            “A trap!” Tannomiru shrieked.

            “Focus!” Satobe bellowed. He took a moment to turn back to face his young troops. They were all scared. “Trust your schooling and do not lose your center. Nothing can defeat you if you remain true samurai!”

            “You do not stand alone, brave warriors!” a voice shouted from across the village. Satobe and his squadron looked in the direction to see two bare-chested men on the other side of the zombie horde. Judging by the bizarre inscriptions upon their flesh, Satobe hoped that they were ise zumi. Satobe had heard that Togashi Chunoken and Togashi Wirro were in the area. He had no idea why, nor did he care.

            The young warriors took heart and strengthened their resolve, but the moans of their countless enemies would soon drown out the memory of his speech from their minds.

* * * * *

            Shiba Raiden ran as fast as he could and quickly scanned the battlefield. The Destroyers had penetrated the defenses and pressed relentlessly forward. They now fought at the courtyard of the castle itself, but the Crab forces seemed to have no intent to give another inch. He desperately wanted to join the battle, but his orders were more important. Finally, he spotted Otoya and his retinue as they smashed all who dared approach the armory. Raiden nimbly made his way through the chaos to the Crab commander.

            “The forces are overwhelming, Otoya-sama,” he shouted over the din. “My leader Rae-sama is prepared to cut the ritual short and begin evacuation procedures!”

            Otoya swept a forearm over his shoulder, brushing blood and sweat away from his eyes. He stepped back from the front lines, and the Hida Elite Guard pushed forward to cover his absence. “Have you finished transporting the Kuni documents?” he demanded.

            “Only half,” Raiden replied morosely. “The Kuni library is smaller than that of most shugenja families I have seen, but still large enough to prove problematic. The loss of so much knowledge is regrettable but unavoidable! We will lose more than thirty shugenja in one strike if we are caught undefended by the enemy horde!”
            Otoya grimaced. “We will hold them at bay, Raiden. Tell Rae to stand his ground and finish the ritual.”

            Raiden hesitated. “It will likely take another hour of complete concentration to finish transporting all of the scrolls, Otoya-sama. We must retreat.”

            “An hour? You shall have it,” Otoya replied.

            Raiden still did not move from his place. “You can’t stand another fifteen minutes against this horde, let alone an hour. I do not mean to disparage your troops, Otoya-sama, and I have utmost respect for Crab tenacity—”

            “You shall have your hour!” Otoya thundered. He pushed forward past Raiden, nearly bowling him over. “If you have such respect for our skills,” Otoya shouted over his shoulder, “then do me the courtesy of showing me some! We will buy you the time!”

            Otoya charged into the heart of battle without waiting for a response and disappeared into the press of bodies. Raiden winced, turned, and ran toward the inner sanctum of the fortress.

            He wondered if he would ever see the old man alive again.

Part Three: Death in Service is its Own Reward

            Isawa Kokuten, commander of the Firestorm Legion, walked through the remnants of battle, his steps as serene as the ringing tones of the monastery bell. His cloak fluttered in the wind and Sotatsu could swear he could see the kami blinking and dancing on the edges of the cloth. He bowed deeply to the shugenja as soon as he was near. Kokuten only nodded.

            “Your unorthodox plan seems to have worked, Sotatsu,” Kokuten said. “To a degree.”

            “It is one of the principles written in Akodo’s great work, Kokuten-sama,” Sotatsu answered. “I believe the Crab Clan is well versed in the technique. I believe they refer to it as hammer and anvil.”

            “How fitting,” Kokuten mused. “A fire hammer forging on an earthen anvil.”

            “Yes, Kokuten-sama,” Sotatsu said.

            “Of course, I referred to our working together, Sotatsu,” Kokuten continued. He sniffed. “A great portion of the Legion of Flame went south to aid the Crab, so we could hardly have defeated the Befouled Fire Oracle’s men on our own.”

            “The Legion of Stone was available to lend our strength,” Sotatsu said. “We shattered them, Kokuten-sama. It was an unmitigated success.”

            “Perhaps in your eyes,” Kokuten said sharply. “I lost nearly seven members of the Firestorm Legion. Perhaps you are satisfied with your losses, but the Legion of Flame would have died to a man before they would let a priest of the fire kami perish in battle.”

            “Their forces stretched beyond the horizon,” Sotatsu protested. “I myself suffered great casualties. You-”

            Kokuten waved the complaint off without listening. “No matter. The Phoenix has earned another victory. That is all that matters. Of course, we must press onward with our victories.”

            “We must bring an end to this threat,” he continued, his eyes taking a predatory gleam. “The Dark Oracle of Fire must die.”

* * * * *

            Satobe’s fingers unclenched of their own accord and his katana dropped to the ground with a clatter. A large trail of blood flowed down his arm, trickled down his fingers and slowly dripped to the ground. Satobe coughed and squatted down to his haunches. The mystery of the missing villagers seemed to have been solved, he mused, and his exhausted thoughts seemed to crawl by his consciousness. A shadow crossed his vision, and Satobe looked up. Tannomiru’s arm hung crookedly below his armor and he was missing his helm.

            Tannomiru bowed deeply. “The… creatures have been contained, Satobe-sama,” he said, his voice choked with pain.

            Satobe surveyed the aftermaths of the battle. “At what cost?” he murmured. Fourteen of the sixteen warriors in his unit lay dead around him, with dozens of mutilated corpses around them. The survivors Tannomiru and Yukai were barely in better shape; their eyes were glassy with pain and shock at the sheer horror of the day’s events. Wirro leaned over with his hands on his knees and breathed deeply, bleeding the exertion of the day out from him. His former frenzy of energy seemed to have disappeared. Chunoken clutched his arm and stood motionless, his head cocked in a perpetual gesture of puzzlement.

            Satobe rose to his feet and brushed the dust off his armor with his left hand. “Thank you for your assistance, Wirro-san, Chunoken-san,” he called out. “We would have been overwhelmed without your presence.”

            Wirro turned to Satobe and slowly smiled. Chunoken did not seem to move or respond in any way. Satobe thought he could see the man shiver, ever so slightly.

            “Perhaps it has been of use to you, Satobe-san, but I must wonder. I cannot seem to leave my life of blood and death behind. Is my soul unable to find tranquility, even among these pristine peaks? Am I doomed to live a life of war and battle for the rest of my lives, however often the kharmic wheel turns?”

            Satobe blinked and could not come to any answer. Wirro turned to the other ise zumi. “Chunoken tells me that I worry too much. He tells me Fire burns within my soul and I must find ways for me to release that energy back in to the world. Some days, he tells me that I will give to those around me until-”

            Wirro’s speech was cut off by the sound of Tannomiru’s scream. The younger samurai was on his knees, writhing in pain, as Chunoken pulled on his shattered arm. Desperately, Tannomiru cried out as he finally pulled free from the ise zumi’s grasp, shock and fatigue combining to leave him helpless on the ground. Chunoken turned to face Satobe and opened his eyes. Satobe could see that Chunoken shared the same blank look he had seen in the plague zombies. Absently, he realized that there was little difference from calm ise zumi’s normal face.

            “Chunoken-san,” Satobe said. His fingers clenched the hilt of his wakizashi, and yet he hesitated.

            “No,” Wirro said quietly. He rose to his feet and spat blood out of his mouth. His hands balled into fists, and he stood lightly on the balls of his feet. “That is no longer Togashi Chunoken.”

            It snarled. Its cheeks stretched and split as its jaw extended beyond human limits. The creature’s ruined mouth stretched in a gesture that resembled a grotesque smile. Satobe drew his wakizashi with his left hand and limped forward, holding the blade in front of him in a defensive stance. The fatigue in his mind burned away as he prepared to finish the job in front of him.

            The warrior and the monk stood side to side as Chunoken’s plague-ridden corpse lumbered forward. Its gaze turned from one man to the next. It could find no pity in their eyes.

* * * * *

            Nobane leaned in close to Lobai and hugged his neck. Faster, Nobane urged, and relayed the thought to his horse with familiar caresses on his neck. His faithful steed seemed to answer by increasing his already breakneck speed. It seemed almost miraculous that his troops kept up with his pace. The small Unicorn band of veteran warriors sped across the edges of the battlefield, skirting large Destroyer troops that attempted to catch up to Nobane’s men with no success. The hectic gallop seemed to take forever, but soon the Unicorn evaded their followers and began to approach their target monstrosity at a slower pace. Nobane knew that time was of the essence, but he could ask no more of his noble horse without killing him and leaving himself stranded in enemy territory.

            Nobane could see the creature in detail as they approached. It was even more disgusting at close range. The creature squatted on massive hind legs, its forelimbs small and atrophied. The creature constantly snarled, its drool dripping out in front of it in a wide stream of thick, viscous fluid.

            Suddenly, the creature lifted from its reclined position and leaned close to the ground. With one awkward stance, the monster swiped his claws in the drool and flung it into the air. Its skeletal back opened up and launched forth another grotesque ball of flesh and bone. The ball, now covered in the drool, passed over the group and flew toward the castle. As it spun through the air, it began to catch on fire.

            Nobane turned to his closest companion with wide eyes. “Kota-”

            Iuchi Kota nodded. “I see it,” he said abruptly. “I can ask the kami to light that fluid, but I need to get closer. And I need time – there are few kami in the lands of the Kuni.”

            Nobane gestured to the rest of his men and spurred his horse forward. Lobai immediately answered with another burst of speed. “We shall give you the time!” he shouted back, raised his spear, and shouted a battle cry at the top of his lungs.

            The creature turned its head to its side, as if perplexed by the Unicorn charge. However, it certainly seemed to understand danger. It flung its forelimb toward the approaching cavalry, and its claws seemed to break off toward them at a dangerous speed. The Unicorn scattered to avoid the projectiles, then wheeled back toward the creature. Nobane screamed insults at the top of his lungs, though he certainly knew the creature could not understand. All that mattered was that the monster would not spot the danger before it was too late.

            They continued to dart in and out of the demon’s reach, provoking its attacks only to dodge back to safety. It would have almost be considered sport, yet Nobane’s feelings were muted by the many riders dying to its surprise assaults. Sweat glistened on his forehead as time stretched on and on. The creature swung out with its long tail, sweeping both man and rider under its powerful strike. Two Unicorn died in an instant, before they could even recognize they had failed.

            Green flames erupted at the creature’s feet. The flames, infused with the power of jade caught on the inflammatory fluid and erupted into an inferno. The monster screamed in rage, then exploded in flames. Nobane ducked, and when he looked up it was gone.

            Nobane breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and turned back to face his shugenja. The sigh caught in his throat and the smile froze.

            The walls were crushed in. The central spire was burning. An unholy light glowed from the courtyard, and the sound of human wails reached his ears.

            Shiro Kuni was dying.

            They were too late.

Discuss the events of this fiction in our Story Forum!

The Plague War – the Kotei portion of the Empire’s Glory MegaGame - has started.
Now is the time to look ahead at the rest of the MegaGame and especially at the ways for non CCG players to earn Points for their Clans and the Empire.

Starting July 2010, and until the end of the MegaGame, the community as a whole will be able to affect the course of the MegaGame through longstanding efforts. Individual performance of players will not matter, Clan performance will.
As such, all Clans will be rewarded in Honor points, in descending order of their performance in that effort. For instance, the Clan that performed the best would get 9 points, and the Clan that performed theworst would get 1 point.

Individual player performance will also be rewarded through 6 1-month long contests. Much like the previous MegaGame, those contests will reward creativity, knowledge, spirit and dedication.
Rewards in Honor points will go to the players individually, regardless of their Clan Affiliation, so there is no guarantee all Clans will receive points over the course of those events.

Additional information on each of those, and possibly other non-CCG contests will be unveiled at a later time.

United, the Empire will prevail. Divided, it will crumble.
The L5R MegaGame Team

Over the course of the MegaGame, the Clans of Rokugan and the Empire itself have the opportunity to earn Honor and Glory points through a wide array of events in order to cure the Plague that affects the land and fend off the armies of Kali-Ma.

Glory Points are earned through Tournament play, barring rare exceptions.
Honor Points are earned through Winter Court, the Kotei MegaGame, and the various events that will happen in the after Kotei season (an annoucement will be forthcoming regarding those).

Discuss the announcement of the Points targets in our Forums

The Map:
The Map has 69 provinces, each having a code name associated to them. Provinces marked as P1 etc… are called Other Provinces. Provinces not marked as P1 etc… are called Home Provinces. Each Clan in the Game has 3 Home Provinces, which use the usual nomenclature for the Clans (CB for Crab, CN for Crane, DG for Dragon, LN for Lion, MN for Mantis, PX for Phoenix, SC for Scorpion, SP for Spider and UN for Unicorn).

Resource Points:

In order to move and engage/resolve Threats, each Clan will be given a set amount of Resource Points every Turn. That number can be increased (see following table). If your Clan has Resources Points left at the end of a turn, they carry over to the next Turn.

Note: The Attendance Number is secret but is based on IA memberships of each Clan.

Engagement Status of a Unit is active for the entire Turn at that location (2 weeks), so a Unit that moved on the first week of a given turn and engaged a Threat will remain engaged to that same Threat if it’s still on the Map the following week. The Engagement Cost is noted on each Threat card.

Moving Units around the map uses Resource Points. Here’s a table summarizing those costs:

Clan Units:

Each Clan has 2 units, each marked by the Clan symbol they are attached to. They each start in a Home Province. Each Unit has a Military and Influence Value associated to it in the MegaGame, as far as completing Threats go.

Clicking on a Unit Icon will reveal its name and commander. Below is a table summarizing the Clan Units, their value (Clan Special Abilities have already been included in the respective values) and their respective commander.

Threats:

The different threats the Empire has to face in this time of turmoil are represented by Icons on the Map. Every week, the Map will see Threats disappear (as they are resolved or not), and every 2 weeks, new Threats will appear. The Map update will happen every Tuesday.

There are 4 different Icons:

A Flame: it represents the troops of the Army of Dark Fire.

An Elephant: it represents the troops of the Destroyers.

A Kanji that reads Plague: it represents the Plague outbursts throughout the Empire.

A Kanji that reads Danger: it represents all the other Threats.

Clicking on a Threat Icon will open a window that will give you the following information on the Threat, in the form of an Event Card in L5R:

Name: Name of the Threat.

Art: Type of Threat - Clan Heartland art (see art above on the right) means the Reward points can go to the Clan or to the Empire; For the Empire art (see art above on the left) means the Reward points have to be given to the Empire.

Engagement Cost: how many Resource points are required for your Unit to participate in trying to defeat the Threat (by meeting the Resolution Target Number).

Resolution Target Number: how many total points of each Military and Influence are needed to defeat the Threat.

Rewards: number of points defeating the Threat grants to the Clan or the Empire.

Special: can indicate the duration of the Threat or any special effect it may have.

Quite a few Threats over the course of the MegaGame will require joined efforts by the Clans to defeat (ie. multiple Units to engage the Threat at the same time and have the combined necessary values to defeat it).

Player Interaction:

All interactions with the Units, Threats and Map will be done through a Poll System using the Imperial Assembly Interface. Each week, Players will vote on how Clan Units interact with the Threats, through 4 Clan Specific polls.

They will appear on the Imperial Assembly Interface every Thursday at 8AM PST and will last till the following Sunday 12PM PST. Every Poll will be resolved by “largest choice made wins”. The Polls are:

Unit Selection: determine which of your 2 Units you want to move for the week.

Movement: determine where you want to move your selected Unit.

Engagement: determine if your selected Unit will engage a Threat this turn.

Resolution: determine in case a Clan Heartland Threat is defeated by your selected Unit whether you want to keep the Reward for your Clan of give it to the Empire (or to Jigoku in case of the Spider).

Kotei Tournaments

There are 57 Kotei Tournaments in 2010. Each Kotei has a Main Tournament that will grant Glory Points and a Kotei Honor Event that will grant Honor Points.

Every Kotei has been assigned 2 Clans that the winner of the Main Tournament and the Honor Event can decide to give points to, as an alternative to giving points to the Empire or keeping them for their own Clan. The name of the 2 Clans will be revealed by the TO of the Kotei at the beginning of the Tournament.

Kotei results will have to be submitted by email by the TO, no later than the Sunday of their tournament 12PM PST. To do so, they will fill in a form that will be sent to him/her through email.

Results will help the MegaGame Team update the map and the individual Clan scores before players can vote for Army movement.

It will also help the Story Team add the Kotei Results to the Kotei Fiction at the end of the following week.

Here’s a table summarizing the earnings from Kotei Tournaments, as far as Honor and Glory go

This kit contains the Event Storyline (see below), Booster Draft Packs, and a Promotional Participation Card. Quantities were based on your Stronghold Store Level at the time of shipping. If you have any questions regarding running a draft event, please see the Alternate Format Rules at rules.l5r.com. Please note that Flashback cards are not legal for Draft play unless they are Celestial Edition legal.

In an Empire besieged upon two sides by enemies from foreign lands, and ravaged from within by a terrible plague, the security of Rokugan is the foremost concern of the Divine Empress and her servants among the Great Clans. With patrols from the Army of Fire having been seen attacking the Crab lines from the rear on the southern front, and isolated reports of individual Destroyers being found far from the front lines in the south, concern regarding enemies afoot within the Empire itself has been mounting among the Emperor’s Chosen. The Shogun has commanded that the passes through the Spine of the World Mountains be secured against the possibility of enemy troop movement, ensuring that both battles be conducted in isolation without the possibility of further enemy collaboration.

The faction claiming the most victories in this event will determine the clan affiliation of the young hero chosen from the Imperial Legions to command the forces sent to secure the Iuchi, Seikitsu, and Shamate passes through the Spine of the World Mountains. Such an important duty will surely herald a meteoric rise through the ranks for any hero chosen for such a task.

All reports must be submitted online at: http://www.l5r.com/event-report/
deadline to report is April 19th, 2010

Among the Jeweled Champions, the Emerald and Jade Champions are lifetime appointments determined by the results of massive tournaments. The Amethyst Championship is likewise a lifetime appointment, although that position is filled at the discretion of the Imperial families, who select the most prominent courtier of a generation. The Ruby Champion is selected by the Emerald Champion from a number of applicants, and serves at the Emerald Champion’s discretion. The Topaz Champion is the most gifted young samurai of a generation, selected at a grueling gempukku tournament and serving for a period of one year.

Or at least, this is how it has been until now.

The Divine Empress, in her infinite wisdom, recognizes the difficulty that samurai possess in refraining from war with their enemies. Is it not the duty and nature of a samurai to seek war? In light of this, the Child of Heaven has ordered the Emerald, Jade, Amethyst, and Ruby Champions to hold their respective tournaments on an annual basis, not to replace the Champions, but to give the samurai of the Empire an outlet for their competitive natures, and to provide opportunities for advancement. Each year, each of the Champions (save the Topaz) will hold a tournament of the sort normally used to fill the position, and the winner of these tournaments will become favored vassals of the Champions. The Jade Champion, for example, will oversee the Jade Championship each year, and from that tournament the winner shall join the Jade Champion as one of his advisors and agents in use throughout the Empire. In this manner, the Empress fosters positive outlets for inter-clan rivalries and encourages cooperation between the clans.

In addition to these positions, based upon her desire to continue sponsoring the sophistication and refinement so often neglected among the samurai caste, the Empress has created a new position, the Turquoise Champion, to be determined on an annual basis in a competition to identify the greatest artisan in the Empire. The Turquoise Champion, once identified, will have one year to sponsor art and beauty throughout the land in whatever manner suited to the artisan in question, then surrender his title to his successor the following year, although an individual Champion is free to defend his position in the competition as he sees fit.

As is so often the case, the Lost mirror their pure counterparts in the Empire with tournaments of their own. The insidious Obsidian Champion, greatest warrior and champion of Shourido, and the malevolent Onyx Champion, the most powerful of all the Lost’s blood sorcerers, likewise have been commanded by their dark lord Daigotsu to hold an annual tournament. Unlike the Empire, however, the Obsidian Champion and Onyx Champion hold their tournaments to see if it is possible to defend their title and retain their position. All among the Lost who hunger for power and influence are free to try and take the positions by force, if they so desire.

The Jeweled Championships have been a part of L5R since the first Emerald Championship in 1996. This year we are expanding the Jeweled Championships into an 8 Premier Event series. These events will be run all over the Globe, giving fans all over the world a chance to have a huge impact over the L5R storyline. Today we are excited to announce the locations for the 2010 Jeweled Events. As more specific information becomes available we will keep you updated.

The Amethyst Championships
Location:  Greece
TO: Manolis Trahiotis <mantrah@hotmail.com>
Date: July 2010

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The Turquoise Championship
Location:  Neutral Grounds, Philippines
TO:  Des Tan
Date:  August 2010

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The Ruby Championships
Location:  TBA (announcement in March)
TO: TBA
Date: TBA

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The Emerald Championships
Location:  Sacramento, California
TO:  Bryan Reese <breese@alderac.com>
Date:  October 2nd, 2010

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The Obsidian Championships
Location:  Feeding Hills, Massachusetts
TO: Eric Devlin <SmokeSignals@bbq-brethren.net>
Date:  October 2010

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The Onyx Championships
Location:  Santiago, Chile
TO:  Mario Luncumilla <bayushi_shite@hotmail.com>
Date:  November 2010

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The Jade Championships
Location:  Spain
TO:  Pablo Rojo <projo@millenniumdist.com>
Date:  December 2010

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The Topaz Championship
Location:  Chicago Illinois
TO:  Mike Colson <mcolson@alderac.com>
Date:  January 1st, 2011