The New Winds

When creating a Ronin pick one of the following three options.

Option #1: Peasant
You are a peasant who has somehow managed to find yourself a daisho and imitate the samurai caste.

• Gains no family bonus or School; gains an additional 25 Experience Points during character creation
• Must purchase the Disadvantage Social Disadvantage: Ronin and Dark Secret: Peasant
• Starting Honor: 2.5
• Outfit: Ashigaru or Light Armor, Tattered Clothing, Daisho, Traveling Pack
• Must seek out Ronin schools when increasing in Insight Rank (You do not need the Multiple Schools advantage for this). If you are somehow given a Clan, you may then take clan schools (by using Multiple schools)

Option #2: Clan Ronin
You are a Great Clan Samurai who has either been Roninized, or is on a Musha Shuyo

• Created as normal for a clan-affiliated samurai
• Must purchase the Disadvantage Social Disadvantage: Ronin
• May not gain additional ranks in starting School
• Must seek out Ronin or Gaijin schools when increasing in Insight Rank (You do not need the Multiple Schools advantage for this) unless you are on Musha Shuyo, at which point you return to your original clan school.

Option #3: True Ronin
You are a Ronin, who has been a Ronin from birth.

• Select a True Ronin Background.
• Must purchase the Disadvantage Social Disadvantage: Ronin
• Begin with one Ronin School
• Must seek out Ronin schools when increasing in Insight Rank (You do not need the Multiple Schools advantage for this). If you are somehow given a Clan, you may then take clan schools (by using Multiple schools)

True Ronin Backgrounds:
Urban Region
Cities are places where trade flourishes, cultures meet, and many different types of people mix and mingle. Some city dwellers love the press of bodies, the clamor of the marketplace, and the cacophony of conversation, debate, and rumormongering. Others only see humanity packed into boxes; the stink of blood, sweat, and tears; and rampant crime. The prospect of wealth in urban areas draws a steady supply of labor but also spurs on the abuse and marginalization of that labor. Folk stories warn of the decadence and immorality of the cities—and only some of these are false. Nevertheless, as industry grows, merchants, scholars, thieves, soldiers, sailors, and laborers continue to flock to cities to mingle, work, and trade. To city folk, their home brings to them commerce and ideas of varying worth from across Rokugan and the rest of the world. This eclectic and exciting environment may foster the spread of heretical ideals. Change comes slowly to Rokugan, but the cities usually spark that change. The sedate, seasonal pace of the farmlands shifts to one of daily hubbub in urban settings. For agrarian people, those who live in the cities appear as alien and strange as any spirit

+1 Awareness

what does your character know?
All residents of urban regions have a greater awareness of the following topics:

• You have a general awareness of the political climate within your city of origin. You can name major families, prominent merchants, and other leaders in the city as well as their respective positions and allegiances.
• You know the layout and local residents in the neighborhood where you grew up or where you live now, along with any unusual features, shortcuts, or hidden wonders in your chosen area of the city.
• You have knowledge of the impact of crime, poverty, or political unrest that you have experienced in your city during your lifetime.
• Due to the cosmopolitan culture of cities, you have made many connections during your time in your city. You personally have a family member, friend, or business associate who has traveled abroad or knows about political or business dealings in another land.
• You have moderate knowledge of some form of crime or legitimate trade related to the industry or commerce of your city.

Rural Farmland Region
Though many may think the city is the embodiment of civilization, rural farmland tends to better reflect the organizing power of people and governments. Whether tilling the fields of gentle plains or clearing forests to make use of nutrient-rich soil, a flat, even field represents the taming of the wilds. Food is the core of any prosperous civilization, and without fertile land entire empires quickly crumble. Food is a force that can both unify and stratify people; all must eat, but the luxury of exotic spices, fruits, or vegetables sets the wealthy apart. Poets exalt the serenity of the quiet countryside, the whisper of grass and grain in the wind, and the tranquility of hard work tilling the soil. Some governmental officials move to rural areas for the peace and quiet. Some even think themselves rustic despite their servants and elegant mansions. This tranquility is sometimes temporary, however: armies may march across fields and plains, destroying grass and crops, churning these symbols of civilization into broken sod. If a natural disaster tears through such isolated countryside, roads become impassable, crops fail, and the land becomes wild. The farmers suffer the most when wars, disasters, and governmental neglect destroy their livelihood. Farmers tame the land and carry the weight of civilization on their backs. They keenly understand the balance between nature and humanity.

+1 Stamina

what does your character know?
All residents of rural farmland regions have a greater awareness of the following topics:

• You have general knowledge of the political climate within your region. You can name major families, prosperous local farmers, and important government officials to whom your family or local community reports.
• You grew up hearing stories from your parents, grandparents, and greatgrandparents of major political upheavals or forces that moved through your region and can relate either detailed or exaggerated accounts of any notable events that may have taken place in your family members’ lifetimes.
• You are aware of past and predicted harvest times, the timing of the seasons, and any peculiar weather phenomena in your region. You are also keenly aware of the impact of any events (political or otherwise) that interfere with your community’s livelihood: the harvest.
• You have inherited a strong oral tradition and can sing or recite folk songs or stories passed down from your ancestors.
• You have a working knowledge of agricultural practices and how to make a living in your region.
• You are largely unaware of larger political movements and concerns, and your cultural awareness is mostly confined to your local community.

Sea, River, or Lake Region
The sea, the source of salt and fish but also storms, provides and takes away in equal measure. Wise fishers respect the power of the waves and the devastating effects of floods. Tempestuous, unpredictable, dangerous. Understandable, life-giving, nourishing. All these things are true of the water, and anyone who has spent a substantial amount of time near it knows this. Rivers and lakes may often be placid, but their power for good and ill must still be appreciated. They can overflow and flood, and they can drown people. Rivers and lakes can facilitate transportation, serve as navigational markers, and of course provide fresh water and fish. Architects and builders utilize water wheels and dams to harness water’s power without depleting it. Water has strong ties to trade and travel. Fishers, sailors, and merchants transport their wares on the water. Rivers act as arteries for the circulation of society, passing goods, news, and people up and down, bringing life and vitality to every place they touch.

+1 Perception

what does your character know?
All residents of a sea, river, or lake region have a greater awareness of the following topics:

• You have a general awareness of the politics of cities and strongholds connected by the trade routes along your river or body of water. You can name major merchants, family heads, and significant leaders in these areas, and you know their respective positions and allegiances.
• You either have experience with, or have heard stories of, the extreme destructive power of water and the devastation wrought by storms, floods, and violent natural and unnatural phenomena that comes from living so close to water. Conversely, you are also aware of the advantages (both social and material) that come from harnessing the power of water.
• Your life near the waves has taught you how to prepare for floods and hurricanes, and how to travel on the water, whether by swimming, piloting watercraft, or other means.
• You know stories of heroes or antagonists who either prevailed over, or succumbed to, the local waters of your region, and their significance.
• You are familiar with folk songs and tales passed down in your local community, particularly those that portray the spiritual and natural hazards of the water, and can recite at least one from memory.
• You have exposure to cultural customs from distant regions that trade with your people.

Forest Region
Forests are wildernesses, some with trees more ancient than Rokugan itself. In some forests, reality blends and shifts, and spirits whisper to one another in the murk. If one enters a forest unprepared, it is only a matter of time before such a person succumbs to either the whims of the spirits or the will of the wilds. Verdant and lush, forests resound with the melody of birdcalls, rustling leaves, and creaking wood as ancient trees settle into the soil. A wise person learns to live with the wild, perhaps even tame it a little, but they always absorb a bit of that wildness into themselves. In turn, the forests draw outcasts: bandits, hermits, and whole villages that wish to be left out of battles between warring nobles. These people develop their own idiosyncratic cultural practices, esoteric rituals, and even words, all influenced by the might of nature. Travelers often claim that trolls, tengu, or strange human-sized serpents still live in the forests. While “civilized” city folk scoff at these stories, those who live among the trees know better.

+1 Willpower

what does your character know?
All residents of a forest region have a greater awareness of the following topics:

• You have a general awareness of the politics and border disputes that affect your region. You know the names of major nobles, family heads, and other leaders, and you are aware of their respective positions and allegiances.
• You are aware of any legends and stories, of spirits or otherwise, that are popular or seem dangerous in your region.
• Your experience navigating dense foliage and shrouded terrain has given you basic instincts that help you avoid getting lost and to find your way again in wilderness circumstances.
• You are able to forage, and you possess basic knowledge of hunting techniques, which helps you survive in the forest. You know how to prepare what you find and hunt for consumption.
• You value the power and terror of the deep undergrowth and have a healthy respect for the dangers of your region due to either first- or secondhand experience of these hazards.
• You have working knowledge of animal behaviors and are familiar with the local wildlife of your region.

Mountain Region
In the mountains, the peaks reach to the Heavens, and the air is thin and cold. Artists have captured the purity of these lands with stark lines and minimalist detail, illustrating their beauty and detachment from the rest of the world. Though scholars see the mountains as a boundary between the sky and earth or as a wall dividing Rokugan, they often ignore the truth that they act as both a barrier and a door. This environment is perfect for monks and those seeking Enlightenment. Supplicants travel the harsh summit paths, casting off distractions such as love and companionship, civilization and luxury, and money and violence. The austere lands demand fierce independence, exposing repressed weaknesses and revealing surprising strengths. The responsibility for failures here lies completely in the supplicant, and if death claims them, at least they are closer to the gods. Yet plenty of people have no time for such impractical, wasteful aims. Villagers and hunters, the hardiest of people, can make a harsh but honest living even in the mountains. Generations have lived here, passing on the knowledge of how to survive and thrive. Lest one pity their existence, one should remember that these people enjoy a freedom from the Great Clans and worldly cares unlike anyone else in Rokugan.

+1 Void. you must take the Touched by the Void Disadvantage. This does not grant any bonus XP.

what does your character know?
All mountain region residents have a greater awareness of the following topics:

• You have a general awareness of the politics of your region. You can name major nobles, family heads, and other leaders, and you know their respective positions and allegiances.
• Having lived in the mountains in your early life, you know major trails and pilgrimage routes, either from traveling them yourself or from hearing from others who take them. You also possess an understanding of the convictions and tenets of nearby monasteries from the pilgrims and adherents who travel along these routes.
• You have a unique understanding of the demands of living in such an extreme environment and have learned how to survive and secure food and water for yourself by foraging, hunting, or both. You have experience traversing your region and thus can handle similar terrain. You are also familiar with how to navigate steep slopes in extreme weather conditions.
• You are able to identify the names of peaks and features of the mountains and valleys of your region, and you can recall associated myths, tales, or firsthand accounts relating to them.

Haunted Region
Brooding skies smother the land, and jagged peaks cut the Heavens. Unfamiliar animals and plants, changed by or escaped from Jigoku, assault the eyes with strange colors, textures, and movements. Even lands east of the Kaiu Wall look, feel, and smell slightly off: a little bitter and sour. Such lands, effected by the Taint or otherwise desecrated by foul acts, may be most common near the Wall, but other such places dot the landscape in Rokugan and beyond its borders. The Yodha of the Ivory Kingdoms know the vile creations of the Taint all too well as they vigilantly guard the border between the Ghostlands and their gleaming cities. When dealing with Tainted earth, creatures, and objects, peasants and rōnin have little protection. Even well-equipped samurai can fall victim to the evils of Jigoku, so those even less familiar with its dangers and lack necessary precautions like jade, must constantly be on the lookout for the soul-threatening, creeping imbalance. But the Taint isn’t the only spiritual concern in the Empire. Scattered all throughout Rokugan the effects of ghosts, kansen, and desecrated places can be felt. Hungry spirits may be trapped in the realm of mortals, or they might wander in from the unregulated slums of idō. Spiritually corrupted, haunted, or otherwise staining places can exist all over the Empire, and those who hail from regions with such hazards may view the world as a much more dangerous place.

+1 Intelligence

what does your character know?
All residents of haunted regions have a greater awareness of the following topics:

• You have a general awareness of the politics of your region, and you can name major nobles, family heads, and other leaders in your area. You know their respective positions and allegiances.
• Your exposure to the everyday evils of the Taint or another haunted place has numbed you to the strange and the supernatural. Firsthand or secondhand experiences of loss and decay have given you a hard-bitten edge, or at the very least relentless pragmatism when faced with the evils from beyond the Wall.
• You have a general knowledge of either farming, mining, or another marketable technique, based on where you were raised.
• You are familiar with the signs of either the Taint or hauntings, and can identify such effects much earlier than others can.

Ronin Schools:
Artisan of the Roads [Artisan]
-New School, created from scratch
Those that travel outside of the high society of Rokugan know that there is so much more to art than expensive materials and fleeting trends. Artisans of the road are adept at scrounging up suitable materials in almost any circumstance, using their surroundings as inspiration to create inventive and visually interesting pieces of art from everyday items, substances, and the nature that lives around them. They are also skilled at convincing and befriending peasants, which is necessary for both acquiring supplies on a tight budget and also finding customers to fund the next artistic endeavor.

• Benefit: +1 Awareness
• Skills: Commerce, Etiquette, Sincerity, Any 3 Artisan Skills, Hunting
• Honor: 3.0
• Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Art Supplies, Traveling Pack, 1 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: - Resourceful Artistry
  Once per game session, you may scavenge supplies for your craft worth an amount of koku equal to your school rank. This might include finding plants to make paints, wood for carvings, horsehair for brushes, or convincing peasants to give you parchment, ink, or other supplies.
  
  When working with natural materials such as wood, stone, or whatever can be found in nature, you gain +1k0 on any Artisan or Craft Skill Roll.

Mystic of the Mountain [Monk, Courtier] [/b]
-New School, created from scratch
Some travel simply for the joy of it. Those that wish to free their hearts from the jealousy that comes from coveting the positions of the higher castes may choose the path of the sage of the mountain. These individuals care more for the journey than the destination and make sure to dole out as many nuggets of wisdom as they can. Those that walk the winding path of the storyteller are just as content sitting around a fire with strangers as they are sharing a drink with friends. But they know much more than stories; these wandering monks are capable of exerting deadly force on those who would attack their allies, their time on the road spent on the practice of unarmed martial arts and storytelling in equal measure.

• Benefit: +1 Agility
• Skills: Perform: Storytelling, Any 2 Lore skills, Defense, Etiquette, Sincerity, Juijutsu
• Honor: 4.0
• Outfit: Monk robes, Wakizashi, Traveling Pack, 5 Zeni

Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  You gain one free Kiho. When you are fighting unarmed, any opponent attacking you or a target you are guarding with a melee weapon suffers a penalty of -Xk0 to his attacking Skill Roll, where X equals half your ranks in Perform: Storytelling, rounded down. This penalty cannot apply to more opponents within the same Round than your Insight Rank.

The Wandering Blade [Bushi]
-New School, Created from Scratch
The rōnin’s path is a difficult one each day is a struggle for survival. For some, the road becomes their mantra. They walk the way of the gleaming blade, the glint of the arrow, the approach of steady resolve. These warriors have honed their skill in their preferred style and have become adept at protecting what they have, for fate has seen fit to bestow them very little but their weapon and their ferocity in battle. While wielding their signature weapon, the power and skill of these fearsome combatants rival the training of even the samurai of the Great Clans.

• Benefit: +1 Strength
• Skills: Any 1 Weapon Skill (Pick Weapon Emphasis) at rank 2, Athletics, Defense, Battle, Sincerity, Any 1 Skill
• Honor: 3.5
• Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Any 1 Weapon, Traveling Pack, 1 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  Choose a signature weapon (or unarmed). When using said weapon, gain +1k0 to attack rolls. Additionally, when you perform a maneuver with said weapon, reduce the number of raises required to perform the maneuver by 1 (to a minimum of 1)

Student of the Talon [Bushi, Shinobi]
-New School, created from scratch
Those that follow the art of the talon are adept at landing critical blows from a distance with spears, bows, or other ranged weapons. The distance and precision with which they strike is reminiscent of a viper’s bite, rapid and deadly. This art is most common among hunters who have spent much of their lives quietly taking down prey to feed their families, or rōnin that either took a fancy to the dance of spears or the distance of a bow in their former lives, or those who have lost their sword and have little choice but to learn a new method of making a livelihood on the fringes of society.

• Benefit: +1 Reflexes
• Skills: Athletics, Hunting, 1 Weapon Skill, Kyujutsu, Sincerity, Stealth, Any 1 non High skill
• Honor: 3.0
• Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, Wakizashi, 1 weapon (Spear, Polearm, Stave, or Bow), Traveling Pack, 1 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  When you are using spears, polearms, staves, or bows, if any of your damage dice explode, gain a bonus +x to your final damage, where X is equal to your ranks in the weapon skill used.

Treasure Hunter [Courtier, Bushi]
-New School, created from scratch
Rokugan is a land filled with a rich and ancient history dating back before the fall of the divine Kami. Before Hantei and his siblings blessed the people with the tools to build an Empire, myriad old species existed across the hills, valleys, rivers, coasts, and mountains. Rōnin, peasants, and gaijin alike sometimes dedicate their lives to hunting down the treasures these and others have left behind, though they rarely turn their noses up at new treasures, either. Those that walk this path are usually roguish smooth talkers, adept at dodging in and out of dangerous situations as if they were simply taking a stroll through a garden. With a talent for quick thinking and a discerning eye, treasure hunters are able to travel the lands seeking untold riches from the ancient past and the dangerous present.

• Benefit: +1 Perception
• Skills: Investigation, Hunting, Courtier, Commerce, Kenjutsu, Athletics, Any 1 skill
• Honor: 2.5
• Outfit: Sturdy Clothing, 50ft rope, Daisho, Traveling Pack, 3 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  When making an investigation roll to notice traps or spot an ambush, you gain a bonus of +1k1 to your roll. You reduce all falling damage you rake by -xk0, where X is equal to your insight rank.

School of Leaves [Shinobi, Courtier]
-New school, created from scratch
Some outsiders have faded away from the judgmental eye of a culture that seeks only to look down upon them. Those that are sick of being treated as social pariahs may become precisely what society deems them to be: untrustworthy outcasts who slink about the shadows, preying on those who would scoff at their presence. Those that follow the school of leaves excel at sowing chaos wherever they go, lying in wait for the perfect opportunity to strike at those who would look at them with contempt, whether with a blade, a bow, or a carefully crafted word.

• Benefit: +1 Agility
• Skills: Athletics, Stealth, Acting, Kenjutsu, Ninjutsu, Sincerity (Deceit), Any 1 Low skill
• Honor: 2.5
• Outfit: Dark clothing, daisho, any 1 ninjutsu weapon or 5 shuriken, traveling pack, 1 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  You gain a +1k0 bonus to any School Skill roll made against a member of the samurai caste. Attack rolls only gain this bonus if you are attacking from a hidden position.

Voice of the Wilds [Shugenja, Courtier]
-Self Taught Shugenja
When identified, those with the ability to call upon the kami that are not born into the samurai class are sometimes taken to be raised as one, their low birth typically being considered as a small mistake in the cosmic scheme of things. However, some latent talents manifest later, or in ways that are harder to discern, and so their relationship with the kami is usually strange. These shugenja have received no formal training but have developed a knack for quickly building positive relationships with the kami around them. Their tendency to be more in tune with nature allows a Voice of the Wilds character to request powerful aid in advance, though they lack the discipline to call upon kami suddenly without first building a rapport. Though these strange shugenja can learn specific invocations over time, they typically find formal study difficult.

• Benefit: +1 Willpower
• Skills: Athletics, Hunting, Meditation, Spellcraft, any three non-High Skills
• Honor: 4.0
• Outfit: Sturdy Robes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, Scroll Satchel, 5 bu
• Affinity/Deficiency: You may choose any one non-Void Element in which to have an Affinity. You automatically gain a Deficiency in the opposing Element (Fire opposes Water, Air opposes Earth) and in any one other Element of your choice.
• Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, and any five spells you can cast (no spells may be in Elements for which you have a Deficiency).

Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  When you spend a Void Point on a Spellcasting Roll, you add +2k2 instead of +1k1. Unfortunately, you do not automatically gain additional spells when you advance in Rank; you must seek them out on your own.

Worldly Rōnin Path [Bushi, Courtier]
-Generic Ronin Rank 1, change benefit to Willpower
Individuals may come to walk the rōnin’s path for many reasons. These “wave men” adrift upon the sea of fate may be former clan samurai fallen from grace, unlucky samurai whose master was killed or demoted, or even children born to samurai parents out of wedlock or under other contentious circumstances. Many do not have a formal sensei anymore—if they ever did—and so the world itself is their teacher. As they must adapt to survive, many rōnin rely on a particular skill to make their way in the world, whether that be as mercenaries, as traveling merchants or performers, or as guides or guardians for specific roads, rivers, or mountain passes.

• Benefit: +1 Willpower
• Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Intimidation, Kenjutsu, Knives, any one Weapon Skill
• Honor: 4.5
• Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, 1 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  When you are suffering TN penalties due to Wounds, you may make an Earth Roll (ignoring Wound TN penalties) during the Reactions Stage of each Round, with a TN equal to 5 + 5x the number of Wound Ranks you are currently suffering. If the roll is successful, you may ignore the effects of your Wound penalties until the next Reactions Stage. This Technique does not work once you reach the Down or Out Wound Ranks.

Kolat Saboteur Conspiracy [Shinobi]
-New School, created from scratch
Kolat Saboteurs are known in the Empire’s criminal underworld as some of the best assassins available for hire. In truth, these infiltrators and sleeper agents are devoted members of the Kolat, a secretive and subversive affiliation of sects devoted to ending Rokugani reverence of the Celestial Heavens, and establishing humanity as its own ruler. The earnings from these criminal activities provide a significant and largely untraceable income stream for the cell leader. Kolat Saboteurs pursue many different ends for different sects, but their overarching agenda is to bring about the “age of humanity.” A saboteur's true purpose is to undertake missions for the Kolat, as instructed by their handler—another individual within their branch of the conspiracy whose identity may or may not be known to the saboteur, as many members of the sect live under a cover identity.

• Benefit: +1 Awareness
• Skills: Sincerity (Deceit), Forgery, Stealth, Acting, Kenjutsu, Ninjutsu, Any 1 Skill
• Honor: 0.5
• Outfit: Sturdy clothing, Daisho, Traveling Pack, 5 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  You must take the Dark Secret: Kolat disadvantage. You gain the Forbidden Knowledge: Kolat advantage.
  
  Once per game session, you may reveal that an NPC in that scene is the target of your current assignment. The GM then decides what your assignment entails, such as sabotaging the target’s current activities, framing them for a crime, killing them, or even making sure they survive to play their part in a long and sinister plot. Until the end of the session, when you make a skill check targeting the chosen NPC, you may reroll a number of dice up to your school rank.

Mercenary Ninja Training [Shinobi]
-New School, created from scratch
Without family, honor, or remorse, Mercenary Ninja move without a trace to ply their lethal trade in search of fortune. Consisting of highly skilled commoners and former Great Clan shinobi, they exist as disposable and deniable assets lying in wait among the shadows of Rokugan. Daimyō and nobles purchase the loyalty of Mercenary Ninja to have them kill and steal with ruthless efficiency—for unlike shinobi who serve the Great Clans, they serve only their own interests. When not otherwise engaged, Mercenary Ninja generally live simple lives. No formal schools exist for such lawless individuals, but some Mercenary Ninja train under a mentor, while others create their own cadres

[*]Benefit: +1 Agility
[*]Skills: Athletics, Stealth, Acting, Kenjutsu, Ninjutsu, Sincerity (Deceit), Any 1 Low skill
[*]Honor: 0.0
[*]Outfit: Dark clothing, daisho, any 1 ninjutsu weapon or 5 shuriken, traveling pack, 1 koku
[/list]
Techniques

• Rank 1: -
  When you perform a check to hide, move stealthily, or deceive others as to your true identity, any Void point you use to increase the roll instead grants +3k1. You are considered an outlaw in the eyes of the empire, and if you are ever captured, you will be executed without question.