Courage and Despair

Origins 2005

 

by Rich Wulf

 

A Blood Hunt has consumed the Empire, and in its wake the foul cultists who once served the madman Iuchiban have fled to the shadows whence they came. In this time of victory, many dark and terrible things long thought lost have risen to the light. Among these is an artifact of legend, a thing spoken of only in fearful whispers.

 

The Anvil of Despair.

 

Long believed lost or destroyed, its location is known only to a few. These forsaken souls already search for the anvil, but during the Emperor’s Blood Hunt, the paths of these seekers and the Imperial Legions will cross.

 

The faction played by the winner of this tournament will recover the Anvil of Despair, but they will also discover a fearful truth. The Anvil cannot be destroyed, and any attempt to do so invariably brings destruction down upon those who try.

 

If the winner’s deck is corrupt or Tainted, then the winning faction will continue to use the Anvil of Despair, producing powerful Tainted weapons for the use if their bushi. If the winning deck is pure, then the winning faction will find a way to counter this, the darkest of all Yajinden’s creations. The Anvil will be purified, becoming the Anvil of Courage, and will be used to craft weapons that rival the legendary Bloodswords – weapons of honor and courage rather than corruption.

 

 

Challenge Booth – Ox & Monkey – The Legacy of Morito and Toku

 

 

Eight Great Clans rule the Empire of Rokugan, but these are not all the samurai who serve the Emperor. There are eight Minor Clans as well, each fulfilling a specific purpose in the Celestial Order. All but two of these Minor Clans have family names, the Ox, founded by the cruel and ambitious Morito, and the Monkey, founded by the legendary hero, Toku. Perhaps no two clans exist that are more different from one another, but both serve the Emperor in their own manner.

 

In recognition of the heroic Toku, the Monkey will soon be rewarded the Toku family name. Wary of neglecting one Minor Clan where the others all have been shown favor, the Emperor has decreed that the Ox will also be granted the Morito name. Before these clans may do so, however, tradition must be upheld. These clans must name a Great Clan sponsor in the Imperial Court to officially present their glorious deeds before the Emperor. Such an act will forge bonds of loyalty between these clans that will endure for ages to come.

 

The winner of this Challenge Booth will be allowed to decide which of these clans will become his ally. The Monkey serve as the Emperor's magistrates, noble and heroic defenders of bushido. The Ox clan are mysterious and unpredictable mercenaries, cunning horseman who guard their secrets well. The second highest placing Great Clan will sponsor the remaining clan, Ox or Monkey.

 

If Shadowlands or Nezumi win, the winner still chooses a clan for his faction to forge a secret alliance with, but they are instead sponsored by the highest placing Great Clan (in which case the highest placing Great Clan sponsors both clans).