The New Winds

A thousand years ago, the Ki-Rin Clan rode out of Rokugan, seeking to discover enemies hiding beyond the Emerald Empire’s borders. Their journey was arduous, and they found many strange and powerful threats. In defeating each one, the clan learned, changing its fighting styles, magical practices, and even philosophy. To survive, it was forced to adapt— and overcome. After eight centuries of wandering, the Clan of the Wind returned to the Empire as the Unicorn Clan. They wear fur, speak foreign tongues, and wield strange weapons. Although they still revere the Kami Shinjo, they have drifted far from the traditions and ways of the Emerald Empire.

Shinjo’s descendants are known for their skill as riders, skirmishers, and messengers, and many are trained in foreign fighting techniques or schools of philosophy. People expect them to be worldly and gregarious, if perhaps a bit rough around the edges in polite Rokugani society, given that many members of the clan spend much of their lives ranging across the wilds in Unicorn lands and beyond.

The Unicorn Clan values novelty and flexibility of tradition in a way that other clans do not. Members of the Unicorn Clan tend to be very receptive to new ideas and cultural elements without fearing the loss or erosion of their own, for they preserved a consistent culture throughout their long centuries of journeying. However, the Unicorn are driven by an ambition that is not easy to quell, and those seen as lacking in drive are often pushed out by more aggressive members of the clan

Unicorn Families
Ide: +1 Perception
The Ide tirelessly serve as diplomats, couriers, and merchants across Rokugan. While they are Unicorn through and through, the Ide have learned to blend their foreign customs with the traditions of the Empire to better treat with their cousins. The Ide work to radiate calm and competence, seeking to build alliances and friendships throughout the Empire.

Iuchi: +1 Intelligence
The Iuchi are a priestly family, whose practices stretch back to the time before the Unicorn returned to Rokugan. Iuchi shugenja practice a unique form of sorcery known as meishōdō, the art of using talismans and names to manipulate the spirits. Their history makes them more open to exploring different mystical paths than are those bound by centuries of tradition.

Moto: +1 Agility
The Moto are considered to be the least civilized of the Unicorn families by the standards of the Empire. From
their stocky builds and the heavy beards of their men, to their style of dress, the Moto seem foreign and strange to Rokugani samurai. Indeed, the Moto have no use for the soft trappings of what some call civilization; they are nomadic warriors seeking the next battle, and they embrace that harsh life. While their heritage and culture are often questioned in Rokugan, their bravery is not.

Shinjo: +1 Reflexes
The Shinjo are the core of the Unicorn, the clan of explorers who followed their Kami, Shinjo, into the dangerous world beyond the Empire. This love of discovery has not left the Shinjo, and they travel widely when they can. They administrate and lead the Unicorn, working to keep all of the parts of the clan yoked together. Master equestrians and scouts, the Shinjo pursue peace, but never flinch from the prospect of war.

Utaku: +1 Stamina
No other Unicorn family has so deeply and spiritually embraced Bushidō as the Utaku, who embody it in their elite Battle Maidens, the Shiotome. The matriarchal Utaku allow only their women to ride to war; the Utaku men serve afoot as infantry and in the stables and households, making them unusual among their own clan. There is no finer heavy cavalry in the Empire than the Battle Maidens, and no finer equerries than Utaku men.

Unicorn Schools
In a holdover from the Unicorn’s days journeying the Burning Sands and beyond, every Unicorn child learns to ride, pack, and travel to where they are needed most at a moment’s notice. More than other schools, Unicorn dōjō are innovative in the development of their techniques and receptive to borrowing methods and equipment from other cultures. They do not take pride in upholding tradition so much as they value forging their own traditions to best serve their clan.

Ide Trader School [Courtier]
-Ide Emissary, Core Rulebook, Replace Rank 2 with Ide Trader, Great Clans
The ever-friendly face of the Unicorn is the Ide. Ide Traders always attempt to solve problems with negotiation first and foremost, as they know any business dealings between friends and equals forge bonds as strong as steel. While some of the other clans think of the Ide as soft, none can point to when they were able to take advantage of this perceived weakness. The Ide Traders ignore insults and politely welcome compliments in equal measure. They have a vast knowledge of cultures, both Rokugani and foreign, which allows them to tailor their dealings with precision.

• Benefit: +1 Awareness
• Skills: Calligraphy, Commerce, Courtier, Etiquette (Conversation), Horsemanship, Sincerity (Honesty), any one High or Perform skill
• Honor: 5.5
• Outfit: Extravagant Clothing, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, 10 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: The Heart Speaks
  In any situation in which you might inadvertently give offense, whether through accident or ignorance (such as being unware of a daimyo's hostility to a particular subject of conversation), you may roll Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness at TN 20 to avoid doing so. You gain a Free Raise when rolling Sincerity (Honest), but any time you roll Sincerity (Deceit), your TN is increased by +5.
• Rank 2: Brisk Economy
  You cannot lose Honor or Glory for using the Commerce skill in public. You may attempt to persuade someone to become a new mercantile partner for your clan by rolling Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness with a bonus to the roll equal to double your Commerce Skill Rank. For persuading a commoner the suggested TN is 25, increased by the GM as appropriate if the target is hostile. Persuading a samurai requires a Contested Roll against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower, with the target gaining a bonus equal to double his Commerce Skill Rank. (Some samurai targets may gain additional bonus or even be immune to this Technique doe to unshakable loyalties - the GM has the final say in such manners.) If you succeed in the roll, the target agrees to become a part of your network of connections and commercial assets. You may immediately gain the target as a free Ally with 1 point of Devotion.
• Rank 3: The Heart Listens
  You may attempt to sway someone's attitude toward you in a positive direction. This requires spending at least 10 minutes in conversation, after which you may make a Contested Roll of your Sincerity (Honesty) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. With a success, you shift their attitude toward you in a positive direction. (A hostile individual will become more neutral, an undecided individual will become friendly, etc.) If you make at least two successful Raises on this roll, the target will regard you as an Ally for the remainder of this day (subject to GM approval).
  This technique cannot be used on Sworn Enemies, and the GM is the final arbiter on whether it functions against unusual targets such as nonhuman creatures.
• Rank 4: Answering The Heart
  When using your Rank Two and Rank Three techniques, you may roll additional unkept dice equal to your School Rank.
• Rank 5: The Immovable Hand of Peace
  You may spend a Void Point to make a Contested Roll of your Sincerity (Honesty) / Awareness against a target individual's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. If you win the roll, the target cannot take any hostile action against you (physical, social, or magical) for a number of hours equal to twice your School Rank, as long as your likewise refrain from hostility against that person. This Technique does not work agaisnt those with an Honor Rank less than 2.0 or who possess no Honor Rank (animals, oni, etc).

Iuchi Meishōdō Master School [Shugenja, Artisan]
-Horiuchi Shugenja, Great Clans
The Unicorn understanding of magic and the spirits has been greatly influenced by their years exploring outside the Empire, and the making of magical talismans remains the focus of their craft, meishōdō. The Iuchi Meishōdō Masters’ magic is unique among Rokugan’s shugenja; using words of power taught to them by foreign sorcerers, they bind the spirits into talismans, which can then be gifted to others to use. Their heritage makes the Iuchi one of most open-minded of the shugenja families.

• Benefit: +1 Stamina
• Skills: Calligraphy, Craft: Meishodo, Defense, Lore: Theology, Mediation, Spellcraft (Spell Research), any 1 High or Bugei Skill
• Honor: 4.5
• Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Knife, Scroll/Amulet Satchel, Traveling Pack, 6 created Meishodo talismans. 4 koku
• Affinity/Deficiency: Earth/Air
• Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Water, and 1 Fire

Techniques

• Rank 1: Mysteries of Meishodo
  You do not cast spells as normal. Instead, you may create a magical amulet by making a successful roll of Craft: Meishodo/Ring, using the Ring for the desired spell. The TN of this roll is equal to 15 plus 5 x the spell's Mastery Level. Creating a meishodo requires a number of hours equal to the spell's Mastery Level. If the roll is successful, you create a small charm imbued with the prayer to the kami that will cast the chosen spell. Each meishodo stores only one spell, and is used in place of the scroll normally required to cast the spell. Casting a spell through a meishodo requires only one Complex Action, regardless of the Mastery Level of the spell. You do not have to make a Spell Casting Roll to cast the spell, but the spell cannot gain any benefits from Raises (not even Free Raises). You expend a spell slot as normal. You may only create meishodo from spells of a Mastery Level equal or less than your Shugenja School Rank, Plus affinities and deficiencies. Other shugenja may use your meishodo if they are proficient in meishodo magic (e.g. trained in this school).

Moto Avenger School [Shugenja]
-Moto Death Priest, Imperial Histories
The Moto revere life, death, and the passage between the two. Life comes from the meeting of earth and sky as the rain falls to the plains; at death, the two are divided, for the body returns to the soil while the spirit returns to the sky. Moto spiritualists work to guide spirits to their proper place, that they may return to the eternal cycle, keeping the cosmos in balance. However, some beings defy the cycle through heresies such as undeath—and Moto Avengers are specialists trained to rectify such perversions of the natural order. The many Moto who have became Tainted within the Shadowlands have drawn Avengers from the distant corners of the Moto lands, that they might destroy these abominations and free the spirits of their fallen comrades.

• Benefit: +1 Willpower
• Skills: Athletics, Horsemanship, Hunting, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft, any 1 Skill
• Honor: 3.5
• Outfit: Sturdy Traveling Clothing, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, Horse (Unicorn Steed), 5 koku
• Affinity/Deficiency: Earth/Air
• Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Fire, and 1 Water

Techniques

• Rank 1: Blessings of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang
  As a Simple Action you may sacrifice a spell slot and target one enemy (within a maximum range equal to your School Rank x 100 feet). Make a Contested Willpower Roll against that opponent. If you are successful, the target may not benefit from exploding dice or from Advantages that allow him to re-roll a roll. This effect lasts for a number of Rounds equal to your School Rank. You gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Travel keyword.

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Moto Conqueror School [Bushi]
-Moto Bushi, Core Rulebook. Replace Rank 3 with Moto Fanatic, Great Clans
While most Unicorn dōjō focus on swift and complex techniques, the martial style of the Moto Conquerer favors straightforward, unrelenting force. They fight loudly, use sweeping movements, and wield weapons many Rokugani do not recognize. As a result, few samurai know how to react to the Moto style, let alone defend against it. Other clans consider the Moto to be barbarians, and the horde uses this to their advantage. If the Empire will not make an effort to understand the Moto’s ways, then how can they stand against them?

• Benefit: +1 Strength
• Skills: Athletics, Defense, Horsemanship, Hunting, Kenjutsu (Scimitar), any one Bugei Skill, any one Skill
• Honor: 3.5
• Outfit: Riding or Heavy Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Heavy Weapon or Polearm, Traveling Pack, Horse (Unicorn riding horse), 10 koku, any one weapon

Techniques

• Rank 1: The Way of the Unicorn
  You may wield any two-handed weapon with one hand (except for bows). You gain a bonus of +1k0 to damage rolls while mounted, using a scimitar, or while using a two-handed melee weapon (these bonuses do not stack). Scimitars have the Samurai keyword for you.
• Rank 2: Shinsei's Smile
  You take advantage of your opponent's weakened state, gaining a bonus to your attack rolls equal to half of his Wound Rank TN penalties, rounded down. For example, if your opponent is unhurt and in the Healthy Wound Rank, you do not gain a bonus. If your opponent is in the Crippled Wound Rank, you gain a bonus of +10 to the total of attack rolls.
• Rank 3: Reckless Abandon
  If you are in the Full Attack Stance, you may spend a Void Point as a Simple Action to activate this Technique. You gain Reduction equal to your School Rank so long as your remain in the Full Attack Stance.
• Rank 4: The Charge of Madness
  Once per skirmish, if you successfully bring a target down to the Out Wound Level, you may immediately make an additional attack as a Free Action. This attack may not target the same target as the attack that activated Technique. You may not make Raises on this attack.
• Rank 5: Moto Cannot Yield
  While mounted or while assuming the Full Attack Stance you keep an additional number of damage dice equal to half your strength, rounded down. You only gain this bonus while wielding a two-handed weapon or a weapon with the Samurai keyword.

Shinjo Outrider School [Bushi, Courtier]
-Shinjo Bushi, Emerald Empire. Replace Rank 3 with Shinjo Scout, Core Rulebook
The core of the Unicorn military, the Shinjo Outriders emphasize speed and flexibility. All Shinjo Outriders learn the art of reconnaissance and how to get the most out of their horses. No samurai is more mobile than a mounted Shinjo Outrider. Their preferred weapon is the Shinjo horsebow, which they use with great accuracy even while riding at a gallop. Trained to live off the land, the Shinjo Outriders thoroughly learn the terrain of each potential battlefield before having to fight over it.

• Benefit: +1 Agility
• Skills: Athletics, Defense, Horsemanship 2, Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, any 1 Skill
• Honor: 4.5
• Outfit: Ashigaru or Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Bow, Knife, Traveling Pack, Horse, 10 Koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: The Way of the Ki-Rin
  When spending a Void Point to add +1k1 to any School Skill Roll, you may also add your Horsemanship to the total. This bonus cannot be used while in the Center Stance.
• Rank 2: Dance of the Blade
  When you are in the Full Defense Stance and an opponent succeeds with an attack roll that targets you, you may immediately take a Free Action to make a Contested Agility Roll against that opponent. If successful, the attack misses instead. This may be done a number of times per Round equal to your School Rank.
• Rank 3: The Swift Soul
  You may use the Stealth Skill while on horseback. You are considered to have the Way of the Land Advantage no matter where you are. Finally, you gain +1k0 to all attack rolls while Mounted.
• Rank 4: Spirit of the Blade Unleashed
  When you are in the Defense or Full Defense Stances and an opponent makes a melee attack targeting you, after the attack resolves you may immediately take a Free Action to make one melee attack against that opponent. This causes you to immediately assume the Attack Stance. This Technique may be used a number of times per skirmish equal to your School Rank, but may only be used once per Round.
• Rank 5: Dancing with the Fortunes
  During a skirmish, when mounted, when you wish to spend a Void Point you may make a Void Ring Roll (TN 20) as a Free Action. If the Ring Roll is successful, you gain the mechanical benefit of having spent the Void Point without actually spending it. (This does not actually create a bonus Void Point, it simply generates the mechanical effects of spending one.) If the roll fails, you spend the Void Point as normal. You may only use this Technique a number of times per skirmish equal to the number of Void Points you had at the start of the skirmish.
  You may utilize this Technique when on foot as well, but the TN of the Void Ring Roll increases to 30.

Utaku Battle Maiden School [Bushi]
-Utaku Battle Maiden, Core Rulebook. Replace Rank 3 with Calm Heart Duelist, Strongholds of the Empire. Only women can join this school.
The most traditional and prestigious of the Unicorn Clan’s schools, the Shiotome, or “Battle Maidens,” are revered as legendary cavalry. The dōjō only accepts women who carry the Utaku name, and even then prospective students must meet stringent standards of prowess and honor. This is the only school in the Empire that teaches the secrets required to tame the powerful Utaku steeds, massive warhorses that refuse all other riders. In battle, graceful, continuous movements mark their style, as does their unnerving serenity. Even when charging into the fray, Battle Maidens often move in utter silence.

• Benefit: +1 Reflexes
• Skills: Battle, Defense, Horsemanship 2, Kenjutsu, Sincerity, any one High or Bugei Skill
• Honor: 6.5
• Outfit: Light or Riding Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, Horse (Utaku Warhorse), 10 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: Riding in Harmony
  You gain a bonus equal to your Honor Rank to one attack per Round. While mounted, you may instead choose to apply to bonus to one damage roll if you choose. You gain a bonus equal to your Honor Rank to the total of all Horsemanship rolls.
• Rank 2: The Void of War
  During Stage 1 of any Combat Round, you may add 5 to either your Initiative Score or your Armor TN. This bonus lasts until you use this Technique again or the skirmish ends.
• Rank 3: The Calm Heart Conquers
  You gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of any Iaijutsu Skill Roll when you are not striking to kill your opponent, whether in a duel to first blood or a skirmish.
• Rank 4: Wind Never Stops
  While mounted, you may overrun the enemy spending a Void Point. You may take a Simple Action to charge the enemy and attack him at the end of your movement. (Both the movement and the attack take the same Simple Action. If you are mounted, this Action uses the movement rate of your steed.) If this attack succeeds, you gain a bonus of +2k1 to the total of all damage rolls this Turn.
• Rank 5: Otaku's Blessing
  At the beginning of your Turn, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to activate this Technique. You add your Honor Rank to all damage rolls and Bugei Skill Rolls this Turn. This bonus stacks with those from Riding in Harmony.

What Does Your Character Know?
All Unicorn Clan characters have a greater awareness of the following topics:

You have a general awareness of the politics within Unicorn lands. You can name major family heads and other leaders, and you know their respective positions and allegiances.

You know many basic facts of life about foreign lands, particularly the Burning Sands, the Ivory Kingdoms, and beyond, even if you have not journeyed there yourself.

You know at least some foreign words from numerous languages, such as Nehiri, Ivindi, Myantu, and Portuga, and might fluently speak one of these or even a language wholly unknown in the Emerald Empire.

You know the basics of mounted combat tactics, along with various other aspects of the proper handling and care of horses.

What Does Bushidō Mean To Your Clan?
Compassion is the most significant tenet of Bushidō to the Unicorn Clan, for mutual understanding and cooperation was the key to the clan’s survival during its long journey across the wider world. On this journey, members of the Unicorn Clan met many people with a wide variety of beliefs, cultures, and values, and they became far more accustomed to coexistence with strange outsiders than are most Great Clan samurai. The Unicorn Clan has had several centuries to acclimate to the Emerald Empire, to which it has returned, but the customs and culture they adopted during their travels remain a powerful force within the clan. These customs often clash with the Rokugani concept of Courtesy, and the Unicorn’s seeming dismissal of Rokugani politeness is one of the most contentious ways in which Shinjo’s clan differs from those of her siblings.