The New Winds

At the dawn of the Empire, after the Kami had fallen from the Celestial Heavens, they found themselves plunged into a mortal world rife with cruelty and war. The Kami Doji—sister of Hantei, the first Emperor— resolved to bring order to this savage realm. The embodiment of elegance and grace, Doji walked among the earthly peoples, calming them in the way fair weather calms a storm-tossed sea. Any Crane will gladly speak of how from her, humans learned writing so they could record their achievements, politics to govern their affairs, economics and commerce to manage their wealth, and art and culture to lift them from their lives of misery. Those she touched the most became her devoted followers, the first samurai of the Crane Clan. Since that time, the Crane have become both the poets and the poetry of the Empire, at once the swordsmiths and the duelists wielding the smiths’ blades. In every aspect of their lives, the Crane strive for mastery in all things, an ideal that the other clans can only hope to emulate

The Crane Clan represents the pinnacle of refinement in Rokugan, and its members are known for their elegance, grace, and mastery of social customs. People expect them to be well-spoken, subtle in the extreme, and unfailingly polite.

Crane Families:
Asahina: +1 Intelligence
The Asahina seek harmony and peace in all things, embodying a philosophy of compassion and pacifism that sets them apart even from their fellow Crane. Through art and prayer, they seek to calm and soothe the world around them and spread peace and accord throughout the Empire. The Asahina know that only through sacrifice can true peace be purchased, and it is a price they will pay to foster a better Empire.

Daidoji: +1 Stamina
The Daidoji are practical and hardworking Crane who compose the core of the clan’s standing military. Devoted to serving their clan, the Daidoji are its under-appreciated foundation—from the Iron Warriors who comprise the foundation of the Crane Clan’s armies, to the wary yōjimbō protecting the courtiers of the Doji, to the Daidoji Trading Council responsible for providing the raw materials and wealth for Crane arts. The selfless efforts of the Daidoji are fundamental to the defense of the Crane and the advancement of its goals.

Doji: +1 Awareness
The descendants of the Kami Doji have embodied the courtly arts and refined culture of the Empire since its dawn. No major court is complete without its contingent of Doji spreading art, friendship, and—until very recently—generous gifts. For courtly news and rumor, the Doji communication network is unrivaled. This network aids the Doji in keeping ahead of their rivals as much as their mastery of etiquette and art does. Rare are those who can afford to offend the Doji; rarer still are those who do so more than once.

Kakita: +1 Agility
While the Doji seek excellence in all things, the Kakita tend to focus on a single skill, which they strive to master thoroughly. Whether this skill is the art of the sword or of the brush, they pursue it with a singular focus. The graceful Kakita usually exhibit the beauty of the Crane in a more athletic manner than do their Doji cousins. They are renowned as some of the finest duelists in the Empire, and graduates from their academy defend the honor of the Crane with sharp finality.

Crane Schools:
Asahina Artificer School [Shugenja, Artisan]
-Asahina Shugenja, Core Rulebook. Add Craft to the list of spells you gain a free raise on.
Art and religion intertwine for the Asahina, for to them, faith, beauty, and peace are all aspects of the same truth. The Asahina take any opportunity to teach their philosophy and try to improve harmony in the Empire. Their focus on the creation of beautiful things is simply another aspect of their attempt to spread art and peace throughout Rokugan. Many a conflict has been defused by an Asahina religious ritual that presented a peaceful path forward. The Asahina do their utmost to live their pacifistic ideals in a world fraught with conflict. It is arduous, but they persevere, secure in their beliefs

• Benefit: +1 Awareness
• Skills: Any one Artisan Skill, Calligraphy (Cipher), Etiquette, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft, any one High Skill
• Honor: 6.5
• Outfit Robes, Bo, Wakizashi, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 10 koku
• Affinity/Deficiency: Air/Fire
• Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, 3 Air, 2 Water, 1 Earth

Techniques

• Rank 1: The Soul's Grace
  You may spend a Void Point to reduce the total of all opponents' damage rolls infliced within 20' of you by 0k1 for a number of rounds equal to your School Rank. (Using this techniue again before its duration expires "Resets" the duration but does not increase the damage penalty.) You also gain a free Raise on any spell with the Craft or Defense Keywords, but you must choose which one at character creation.

Daidoji Iron Warrior School [Bushi]
-Daidoji Iron Warrior, Core Rulebook. Replace Rank 3 with Crane Elite Spearmen, Strongholds of the Empire
The warriors from the Daidoji dōjō form the core of their clan’s small standing army. They are highly trained heavy infantry who can hold the line and delay the advance of any foe. Many enemies have broken on the unwavering spears and iron discipline of the Daidoji Iron Warriors. When there are no wars to fight, many are assigned as protectors of Crane castles or as yōjimbō (bodyguards) to traveling Crane courtiers. Their watchfulness and solidarity have prevented countless heated moments from getting out of hand, though it is said that most Daidoji prefer the honesty of the battlefield.

• Benefit: +1 Agility
• Skills: Battle, Defense 2, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu (Katana), Kyujutsu, any one Skill
• Honor: 6.5
• Outfit: Light or Heavy Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Heavy Weapon or Polearm, Traveling Pack, 10 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1:The Force of Honor
  You gain a bonus of your Honor Rank (rounded down) minus 4 to your Wounds at each Wound Rank, to a minimum bonus of one. (Thus at Honor Rank 6.5, you gain a bonus of 2 Wounds to each Wound Rank.) Additionally, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls while in the Attack Stance.
• Rank 2: The Shield of Faith
  When you perform the Guard Maneuver, the benefits last for an additional Round. Additionally, the Armor TN bonus of the Guard Maneuver is increased by 5. (This bonus applies to both your Armor TN and your target's Armor TN - thus, you suffer not TN penalty when Guarding, and your target gains a bonus of +15 to his Armor TN instead of +10.)
• Rank 3: Talons of the Daidoji
  When using a spear to attack an opponent, if you strike an opponent who has not yet acted this round, he must make two Raises to successfully attack you for the remainder of this Round.
• Rank 4: Vigilance of Mind
  You may spend a Void Point during the Reactions Stage to target an opponent who has attempted to strike at either you or the target of your Guard Maneuver during the Round. You gain a bonus of +2k1 to the total of all attack and damage rolls against that opponent during the next Round.
• Rank 5: To Tread on the Sword
  You may spend two Void Points as a Free Action when someone declares an action against the target of your Guard Maneuver. You become the target of the action instead (if it would be a legal action - GM's discretion in questionable instances). You also gain one Free Action that you may use immediately for the sole purpose of moving toward the target of your Guard Maneuver. If you cannot reach your target, this Technique has no effect.

Daidoji Spymaster School [Courtier, Shinobi]
-Doji Courtier, Core Rulebook. Change School Skills to: Calligraphy, Courtier (Manipulation), Investigation, Forgery, Etiquette, Stealth, and any one Artisan or Perform skill. Replace rank 3 with Daidoji Spymaster, Book of Water, Replace rank 4 and 5 with Daidoji Scout, The Great Clans.
Seen as nothing more than simple bureaucrats, clerks, or scribes (even to most members of their own clan), the Daidoji Spymasters operate as intelligence gathering agents who report directly to the Daidoji daimyō. They monitor other clan representatives, infiltrate organizations, kidnap potential threats for interrogation, and steal private documents—all to gather valuable information on their opponents’ plans. A Daidoji Spymaster moves about the court with as much charm as any Doji Diplomat, but where the Doji form alliances and curry favors, the Daidoji look for vulnerabilities.

• Benefit: +1 Perception
• Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier (Manipulation), Investigation, Forgery, Intimidation, Stealth, and any one Artisan or Perform skill
• Honor: 6.5
• Outfit: Ashigaru Armor, Extravagant Clothing, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, 10 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: The Soul of Honor
  So long as you maintain your Honor Rank at 6.0 or better, you gain a Free Raise on all Courtier, Sincerity, and Etiquette rolls. Also, by conversing with another person for a few minutes, you can make a Contested Roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness to learn whether they are in need of any favors or assistance (such as needing travel papers to reach another province, for example).
• Rank 2: Speaking in Silence
  You can roll Courtier / Intelligence at TN 15 to communicate simple ideas and instructions (things like "distract them," "this favors us," or "Intercept that person") with any other Crane who is trained in the Doji Courtier School or who has at least 5 Ranks in the Courtier Skill. More complex ideas can be conveyed with Raises, although there is an upper limit (set by the GM) on how complicated Cadence can become.
• Rank 3: Truth In Shadows
  You gain the Spy Network Advantage for no points; if you already possess this Advantage, you may use it twice as often. You gain a +2k0 bonus to Stealth, Investigation, and Temptation rolls. When you use Low Skills or otherwise perform moderately dishonorable actions on behalf of the Crane Clan, you lose half the normal amount of Honor, rounded up (you still lose normal amounts of Honor for actions which are not for the Crane and for truly heinous actions like murder, betrayal, or blasphemy).
• Rank 4: Scouring the Shadows
  When attacking an unaware opponent you gain a bonus of +2k0 to your attack roll.
• Rank 5:Cunning of the Daidoji
  During a skirmish, you may spend a Void Point as a Free Action to attempt a deadly precision strike on your next attack (this may be done with a melee or a ranged attack, but cannot be done more than once in the same Turn). Any Maneuvers called on this attack require 1 less Raise (to a minimum of 1 Raise), and if you successfully hit you gain a bonus of +1k1 to your Damage roll. Furthermore, if your opponent is unaware of you, your Raises on this attack are not limited by your Void.

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Doji Bureaucrat School [Courtier]
-Doji Courtier, Core Rulebook, replace rank 3 with Otomo Bureaucrat, Book of Earth, Replace rank 4 with Imperial Observer, Sword and Fan. Replace Rank 5 with Imperial Scion, Rank 1, Emerald Empire
The Crane Clan’s Doji Bureaucrats are formidable negotiators and researchers capable of understanding complex systems of commerce, bureaucracy, and the esoteric laws that govern them. They scrutinize covertly obtained journals, ledgers, and private missives to maintain their mastery of history and culture. Their familiarity with Rokugani law allows them to better navigate the complexities of the Imperial Court while turning the intricacies of the law against their rivals in other clans. More so than members of any other school, Doji Bureaucrats have close relationships with the Imperial families, and they can use those relationships to amplify their authority in intrigues. Whereas Doji Diplomats use their charm and interpersonal savvy to earn the assistance of other courtiers, Doji Bureaucrats use their extensive knowledge base to outmaneuver opponents in intellectual debate.

• Benefit:+1 Intelligence
• Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier (Rhetoric), Etiquette (Bureaucracy), Lore: Law, Sincerity, Tea Ceremony, and any one Artisan or Perform Skill.
• Honor: 6.5
• Outfit: Extravagant Clothing, Wakizashi, Scrolls of Imperial Laws, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, 10 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: The Soul of Honor
  So long as you maintain your Honor Rank at 6.0 or better, you gain a Free Raise on all Courtier, Sincerity, and Etiquette rolls. Also, by conversing with another person for a few minutes, you can make a Contested Roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness to learn whether they are in need of any favors or assistance (such as needing travel papers to reach another province, for example).
• Rank 2: Speaking in Silence
  You can roll Courtier / Intelligence at TN 15 to communicate simple ideas and instructions (things like "distract them," "this favors us," or "Intercept that person") with any other Crane who is trained in the Doji Courtier School or who has at least 5 Ranks in the Courtier Skill. More complex ideas can be conveyed with Raises, although there is an upper limit (set by the GM) on how complicated Cadence can become.
• Rank 3: Imperial Scrutiny
  Any time another samurai is trying to accomplish something in the courts (building an alliance, negotiating a treaty, making a trade deal, requesting a favor from the Throne, etc), you may employ the intricacies of the Imperial bureaucracy to delay him. This may take up to several hours to carry out, and is represented mechanically by a Contested Roll of Etiquette (Bureaucracy) / Willpower; if you spend a Void Point on this roll, you gain +2k2 instead of the usual +1k1. If you win the Contested Roll, the samurai cannot make any progress toward his goal for the next two weeks, no matter what he does.
• Rank 4:Pierce the Fog of War
  When reporting on the events or conduct of a war, you are considered to have the Sacrosanct Advantage. In your report you may choose to praise or damn a commander on either side. This is a Sincerity / Awareness Roll at a TN of 5 x the Glory Rank of the commander. With a success, you may increase or decrease that commander’s Glory by 1 Rank. By calling Raises on this roll, you may instead inflict or remove Infamy on the commander, at the rate of a half-Rank plus an additional half-Rank per Raise. No individual may be affected by this Technique more than once for each battle you report.
• Rank 5: The Awe of the Throne
  Any time you are called upon to make a Skill Roll, or to use your Glory or Honor rank, you may spend a Void Point to instead substitute your Status Rank

Doji Diplomat School [Courtier]
-Doji Courtier, Core Rulebook
No one plays the game of court better than the Crane—after all, their clan wrote the rules. The Doji Diplomats choreograph the courtly dance of favors exchanged, gifts given, and the right people invited to private gatherings. The Doji are always on the leading edge of fashion and culture, and Doji Diplomats need never use an unkind word: their silence speaks volumes, and a simple gesture says even more. Their networks of favors, gifts, and invitations allow them to weigh the ebb and flow of the social side of the Empire and adjust the scales to their benefit.

• Benefit: +1 Awareness
• Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier (Manipulation), Etiquette (Courtesy), Perform: Storytelling, Sincerity, Tea Ceremony, any one Artisan or Perform skill
• Honor: 6.5
• Outfit: Extravagant Clothing, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, 10 koku

Techniques

• • Rank 1: The Soul of Honor
    So long as you maintain your Honor Rank at 6.0 or better, you gain a Free Raise on all Courtier, Sincerity, and Etiquette rolls. Also, by conversing with another person for a few minutes, you can make a Contested Roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness to learn whether they are in need of any favors or assistance (such as needing travel papers to reach another province, for example).
  • Rank 2: Speaking in Silence
    You can roll Courtier / Intelligence at TN 15 to communicate simple ideas and instructions (things like "distract them," "this favors us," or "Intercept that person") with any other Crane who is trained in the Doji Courtier School or who has at least 5 Ranks in the Courtier Skill. More complex ideas can be conveyed with Raises, although there is an upper limit (set by the GM) on how complicated Cadence can become.
  • Rank 3:The Perfect Gift
    Any time you are in court or in an urban area, you can roll Courtier / Awareness at TN 20 to come up with a suitable gift or a helpful political favor for someone else. By calling Raises on this roll, you can acquire a rarer or more potent gift or favor. If such a gift or favor is accepted, you may immediately take that person as an Ally with 1-point Devotion, without XP cost (subject to the GM's permission).
  • Rank 4: Voice of Honor
    In any debate or argument, you may make a Contested Roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Awareness. If you win the roll, the opponent is forced to concede that his position conflicts with the demands of Honor and Bushido, and if he persists in that position he will commit a breach of etiquette. (It is the GM's discretion, based on the circumstances, as to whether it is a minor or major breach.)
  • Rank 5: The Gift of the Lady
    By conversing with someone for a few minutes, you may make a Contested Roll of Courtier (Manipulation) / Awareness against the target's Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. If the target is an Ally, you gain a bonus of +5k0 to the total of this roll. With a success, you shift the target's emotions in a favorable direction, persuading them to listen to your advice and counsel. The GM is the final arbiter but in general, the target will go along with anything you suggest which does not conflict with his basic loyalties.

Kakita Duelist School [Bushi, Artisan]
-Kakita Bushi, Core Rulebook. Replace rank 4 with Kenzenshin, Rank 1, Core Rulebook
The Kakita Duelist School emphasizes “one strike, one kill,” seeking for its students to master the one perfect strike performed in an iaijutsu duel. For the Kakita Duelists, such is the pinnacle of all martial skills. While other martial skills are not neglected, neither are they the focus of the Kakita Dueling Academy in Tsuma. Although some might critique such single-minded dedication, the Kakita Duelists are the best in the Empire. Their skill with the katana in this arena complements the Doji mastery of court, and reinforces the Crane hold on the political flow of the Empire.

• Benefit: +1 Reflexes
• Skills: Etiquette, Iaijutsu (Focus), Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Sincerity, Tea Ceremony, any one Bugei or High Skill
• Honor: 6.5
• Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, 10 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: The Way of the Crane
  You add twice your Iaijutsu Skill to all Initiative rolls. You gain a bonus of +1k1 plus your School Rank to the total of all attack and Focus rolls while assuming the Center Stance. This bonus also applies during the Combat Round following one in which you assume the Center Stance.
• Rank 2: Speed of Lightning
  You gain a bonus of +2k0 to the total of all attack rolls against those with lower Initiative than your own.
• Rank 3: First and Last Strike
  You may Strike first in a duel if you win the Iaijutsu/Void roll by a difference of 3 or higher. You gain a Free Raise on your Strike for each additional margin of 3 instead of 5.
• Rank 4: Drawing the Void
  If you are in the Center Stance, you add an additional +10 to your Armor TN.
• Rank 5: Strike With No Thought
  You may take one Simple Action per Turn while assuming the Center Stance. You gain the benefits of Center Stance while you assume the stance instead of the following Turn, and you may remain in the Center Stance as many consecutive Turns as desired. The Simple Action you take can be a Move Action (bypassing the normal restriction of the Center Stance).

Kakita Swordsmith School [Artisan, Courtier]
-Kakita Artisan, Great Clans.
Like all institutions of the Crane, the Kakita Swordsmith School emphasizes perfection and excellence. The blades they forge are renowned across Rokugan as the finest that can be made; some duelists wait long years for the opportunity to have one of these blades crafted for their use. Very rarely, a venerable swordsmith will take on a promising youth as an apprentice, though most apprentices spend decades before they are honored as “proficient.”

• Benefit: +1 Intelligence
• Skills: Kenjutsu, Sincerity, Artisan: Weaponsmith (Swords), Games: Sadane, Etiquette, any 2 skills chosen from the following list: Acting, Artisan (Gardening, Ikebana, Origami, Painting, Poetry, or Sculpture), Perform (Dance, Oratory, Puppeteer, Song, Storytelling, or any musical instrument). Artisan: Weaponsmith counts as the 3rd chosen skill for purposes of your school techniques.
• Honor: 5.5
• Outfit:Court Robes, Beautiful Clothing, Wakizashi, Art supplies, Fan, Smithing supplies, Traveling Pack, 10 koku

Techniques

• Rank 1: Soul of the Artisan
  Select one of the three chosen School Skills (Acting, an Artisan Skill, or a Perform Skill) as the focus of your artistic training. This becomes your 'chosen art'. When making skill rolls with your chosen art, you gain a +2k0 bonus and your Raises are not limited by your Void.
  
  Any time you are using Games: Sadane to criticize someone else's art or performance, you gain a Free Raise on your Skill Roll.
• Rank 2: The Souls Dream
  When presenting a public performance or display of your chosen art, you may make a Contested Social Roll of (chosen art) / Awareness against Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower of the audience members. Those audience members who fail their rolls are profoundly swayed and their emotions shift in a direction you desire - becoming friendlier, more hostile, calmer, or whatever other emotional shift your art is designed to evoke. This emotional shift normally lasts a number of hours equal to your Insight Rank.
• Rank 3: Free the Spirit
  You may select a second of your three chosen School Skills as a chosen art, and all Technique bonuses and effects which applied to your first chosen art now applies to it as well. The bonus to your chosen art skill rolls increases to +2k1
• Rank 4:Undying Name
  You may create a piece of art referring to another person by rolling (chosen art) / Awareness at a TN equal to 20 plus 5 x their Glory Rank. With a success, you may either increase (if your art is complimentary) or decrease (if it is critical) their Glory by up to 5 points, plus an additional 5 points for every Raise you make on the roll. You may call two additional Raises to inflict a gain of Infamy on the target instead of a Glory change.
• Rank 5: A Gift Beyond Price
  Once per month, you may give a gift of your chosen art to someone from another clan or faction. Make a Contested Social Roll of your (chosen art) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. (The GM may aware Free Raises to you or the target of this technique based on the type and subject of the art and the attitudes and beliefs of the target - some people are easier to sway than others.) With a success, you permanently alter their attitude toward your clan/faction in a favorable direction. With a failure, the target becomes aware of your attempt to manipulate his emotions, and his attitude toward your clan/faction permanently shifts in a hostile direction.

What Does Your Character Know?

All Crane Clan characters have a greater awareness of the following topics:

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

You know about the general state of political affairs between the clans.

You know proper etiquette and protocol in the Imperial Capital.

You have a working knowledge of the high arts and the great masters of old (at least, among the Crane, for who else truly warrants note?).

What Does Bushidō Mean To Your Clan?
Courtesy is of deep importance to you, as your clan’s political power rests upon propriety and the idea of others respecting their proper place—and your own. While many members of the Crane Clan are deeply brave, Courage in excess can lead to foolhardiness. Cool heads must prevail, and sometimes that means avoiding a fight altogether.