Yogo Shidachi (HB-FL)
"A prophecy buried beneath Kyuden Bayushi was the cause of the Scorpion’s
betrayal. "The greatest among you will cause the Empire to fall," it said, and
Shoju, our Champion, listened. We had no choice."
-I.I
Tunnel System (HB-FL)
"Through the walls and beneath the city's tall gates the Scorpion
came, weapons ready to shed Imperial blood."
-I.II
Force of Will (HB-FL)
"'You have my blessing to do whatever is necessary my trusted friend,' the Emperor
smiled. Then as Shoju drew his sword, the court erupted into chaos."
-I.III
The Fair Voice of Lies (HB-FL)
"When they claimed the Emerald Throne, the Scorpion slaughtered the Imperial Court,
killing the poets, the ambassadors... and the Emperor himself."
-I.IV
Toturi is Drugged (HB-FL)
"'Hatsuko...,' The Lion Champion whispered as he fell, 'Why...?' 'Oh, my lord,' she
wept, 'you will never know.'
-I.V
Extortion (HB-FL)
"Around the walls of Otosan Uchi, the Scorpion fought six full clans. But without
Toturi, our armies were no more than children squabbling over a lost toy. Without the
General of the Lion, the Scorpion victory was assured."
-I.VI
False Alliance (HB-FL)
"Outside the gates of the city, all of the clans assembled against the Scorpion...
all, save the Crab. No one knew where Hida Kisada would stand, and his choice would decide
the fate of the Empire."
-I.VII
Another Time (HB-FL)
"From far across the battlefield, a Dragon maiden stared at the Crab hero with
white-hot anger. He would pay for the slaughter of her brother. Not today, perhaps, but
soon." -I.VIII
Hida Tsuru (HB-FL)
"When the Crab raised their tetsubo against the Scorpion usurpers, their shout could
be heard throughout Rokugan. Ah, that was our hour of glory-- The Seven Days of Courage,
outside the Emperor's walls."
-I.IX
Matsu Toshiro (HB-FL)
"Toturi returned, leading us to glory and destroying the traitors on the Throne. Yet
his ambition led to his downfall and the destruction of the House of Akodo. As for Tsuko,
she was only too happy to carry out the Young Hantei's demand."
-I.X
The First Scroll is Opened (HB-FL)
"The Scorpion have been defeated, and the city is in the hands of the Lion," the
soldier cried. "Our Lord Shoju is dead!" "Dead...,' murmured Junzo.
"Then it is time for our final revenge."
-II.I
Bayushi Dozan (HB-FL)
"Hantei XXXIX, the Young Prince, declared that the Scorpion were to be destroyed, as
the Akodo house was to be hunted. Thus, the Emperor cursed his enemies... and rewarded his
greatest friends."
-II.II
The Final Breath (HB-FL)
"The Young Hantei's was weak, fresh from his rapid gempukku. "Bayushi
Kachiko," he commanded, "will become my wife. Thus ends forever the line of
Bayushi the Traitor."
-II.III
Tomb of Jade (HB-FL)
"The armies of the Scorpion were destroyed by the Crane, their names stripped. Yet
another force began to move beneath the surface of the Empire, a power over one thousand
years old."
-II.IV
Plans Within Plans (HB-FL)
"Two years passed after the great Scorpion Coup-- two years of deception and revenge.
At last, the Kharmic Wheel spun again as plague broke out across the land, and the Emperor
began to sicken from its poison."
-II.V
Shiba Shingo (HB-FL)
"The Five Masters, leaders of the Phoenix, felt the tremor of an ancient enemy in the
wind of the Empire. One scroll had already been opened -- and three more lay in Phoenix
hands."
-II.VI
Bad Kharma (HB-FL)
"The Lion and the Crane, always bitter enemies, saw open war at last. The Emperor,
sick and weary, could do nothing to stop them. The hatred between Matsu Tsuko and Doji
Hoturi could only be quenched by blood."
-II.VII
Familiar Surroundings (HB-FL)
"In the palace of Otosan Uchi, the Scorpion seductress worked her poisons with care,
that none would know the true power behind the Emperor's proclamations or his mysterious
ailment."
-II.VIII
Court Jester (HB-FL)
"'Silly Lion, Silly Lion, Always screaming for his Glory!' With a swift cut from
Tsuko's sword, the little Crane was silent. 'One less voice to trouble the Emperor's Ear,'
Tsuko whispered."
-II.IX
Stance of the Mountain (HB-FL)
"From the high cliffs to the north, the Dragon Champion watched as the tapestry
unfolded before him. 'At last,' Yokuni whispered, vanishing into the wind, 'my brother
comes.'
-II.X
Wetlands (HB-FL)
"Black Toturi, now ronin, wandered the lands of the Empire. His house destroyed, his
family name forgotten, he began to see the truth in the ancient prophecy. 'When the last
Akodo falls, so falls the last Hantei.'
-III.I
Setsuban Festival (HB-FL)
"Plague swept the lands of the Empire, killing crops and slaughtering villages.
Though the heimin celebrated the Seven Fortunes, only the Kami of disease seemed to hear
their prayers."
-III.II
A Stout Heart (HB-FL)
"'Very well," Kisada rumbled, hating himself for it, 'take our words to your
dark Master. We will serve his cause... if he serves ours.' The man bowed and vanished in
a wisp of noxious smoke."
-III.III
Dragon's Teeth (HB-FL)
"The Unicorn raced across the land unchecked, their stunning speed lending them
victory against the Crab. But at the beginning of the wars, they had not yet found their
purpose."
-III.IV
The Kaiu Walls (HB-FL)
"High above the Shadowlands the Great Wall of Kaiu stretches, holding back the Horde.
Yet this night something moves outside the wall... and Kuni Yori has gone to greet
it." -Hida Yakamo, III.V
Shiba Kyo (HB-FL)
"In the Phoenix lands, the power of the Dark Scrolls called to the Elemental Masters,
and only one -- Isawa Tadaka -- was willing to pay their price. Gathering the hidden
scrolls was a simple task."
-III.VI
Skeletal Archers (HB-FL)
"Deep in the Shadowlands, the faint stirrings of a corrupt power turned the bodies of
the dead into armies, and a Dark Moto led them. While the clans fought battles among
themselves, the Shadowlands watched and waited."
-III.VII
Asahina Tomo (HB-FL)
"At last, the Crab armies and their Shadowlands allies assaulted Daidoji Uji's armies
at Kyuden Doji, heart of the Crane lands. Though Toshimoko and Hoturi beseeched an
uncaring Emperor, the palace was razed to the ground by Hida troops."
-III.VIII
Tomb of Iuchiban (HB-FL)
"Deep in the fields and forest of the empire, three powerful tombs have rested for
centuries. When the Clan Wars shook the earth, a spirit was awakened within them-- a
spirit that would feast on the blood for years to come."
-III.IX
Sanctified Ground (HB-FL)
"'Not here,' Tomo whispered, the power of the sacred temples flowing through him.
'There will be no war on Asahina ground.' With that, the Crab advance halted, and the
peaceful lands of the Crane were spared.
-III.X
Horsebowmen (HB-FL)
"To the south of the Unicorn provinces stand the great forests of Shinomen. As the
patrols of the Iuchi passed them, they were shocked to be greeted by a sound from within--
a hunting horn unsounded for a thousand years."
-IV.I
Master Painter (HB-FL)
"The tattooed men of the dragon, ise zumi loyal to their Champion, Yokuni, came down
from their mountains. In one breath, they swore fealty to Black Toturi and carried with
them the words of their enigmatic lord."
-IV.II
Shadowlands Sickness (HB-FL)
"The plague that struck the Empire turns the populace into twisted visages, and soon
they rise from their deaths in mockery of life, screaming Fu Leng's vengeance upon the
world."
-IV.III
Soshi Taoshi (AD-FL)
"One scroll was
opened on the day Shoju died; the others collected among the Phoenix, Lion and Scorpion.
The only question: who would be the second to break the bonds of the Dark Pact?"
-IV.IV
Sake Works (AD-FL)
"Raise a glass, a toast of sweet sake, to those
who have already died. The imperial family, gone, and the Shining Prince is only one
breath from Jigoku. Fortunes save us from these desperate times."
-Kanbe, IV.V
Ashlim (AD-FL)
"Strange creatures, the mythical Naga, rose from the forests and screamed in unknown
tongues. Mirumoto Daini was sent to parlay with the odd beasts, and only he knew where
their alliance would lead."
-IV.VI
Stand Firm (AD-FL)
"Beneath the shadows the Scorpion gathered, waiting for their chance to strike.
Hidden behind masks of stealth and poison, the Bayushi rallied behind their Lady of
Lies."
-IV.VII
Goblin Wizard (AD-FL)
"Stand-stand when the big armored ones go by. Soon-soon we cross the wall, and then
they'll see. Then they'll know."
-Kappuksu, IV.VIII
Hida Sukune (AD-FL)
"I will never know what caused our lord to stumble in his duty, nor what dark pact
his son made with Yori. I only know that we were ordered to stand aside and open the gates
of the Kaiu Wall, and on the same day, Yakamo's lost hand was replaced with a claw of
corruption."
-IV.IX
Ningyo (AD-FL)
"One after another the Black Scrolls were opened, and the wars increased. Soon even
the purity of Naga pearls could not wash away the stains of blood."
-IV.X
As the Shadow Falls (AD-FL)
"As the Dragon marched south under the command of the Black Ronin, a terrible
darkness fell across the land. Another scroll had been opened, and Junzo's madness spread,
covering the land in despair."
-V.I
Plague Zombies (AD-FL)
"'Take them,' Kisada told his son, 'and defend Beiden Pass with your life.' The Great
Bear watched as Tsukune (sic) marched northward, knowing not that would never see his son
again. "
-V.II
Bridged Pass (AD-FL)
"To one side of the pass, Hida Tsukune, son of Kisada, noticed an arched bridge of
stone. "There," he said. "There we will make our stand against the Dragon
for the future of the Empire!"
-V.III
Inner Fire (AD-FL)
"Uona... my sister...," Tadaka whispered, blood pouring from his eyes as his
form shifted and changed uncontrollably. "It is more than we ever could have guessed.
The Black Scrolls are Fu Leng incarnate."
-V.IV
Trading Grounds (AD-FL)
"The Dragon marched into the pass, their scouts reporting a massive Crab army to the
south. "They will not parlay," Toturi was told, but he already knew the battle's
outcome."
-V.V
Suspended Terrain (AD-FL)
"The Dragon and the Unicorn joined forces just at the pass, and the battle was joined
at dawn. Poor Tsukune (sic) -- he was a brilliant youth, but compared to Toturi's
experience, he was destined to fail."
-V.VI
Beiden Pass (AD-FL)
"It was only a matter of hours before Sukune was pushed back, his troops destroyed.
Awaiting him as he returned: the forces of his brother Yakamo and a terrible price for his
failure."
-V.VII
Troops from the Woods (AD-FL)
"Daini and his Naga joined Toturi for the second battle, at the southern edge of the
pass. As the evening fell, they saw a terrible sight above Yakamo's armies: the standard
of the Dark God, and from it hung the body of Hida Sukune."
-V.VIII
The Fire from Within (AD-FL)
"Yakamo!" Hitomi screamed, the wind whipping her rage, "for the life of my
brother!" The Crab turned, his face scarred with derision, and raised his tetsubo.
-V.IX
The Arrow Knows the Way (AD-FL)
"Seeking to destroy the invading Shadowlands, the Naga marched toward the undefended
Lion provinces, forcing Tsuko to draw her troops away from the destruction of the
Crane".
-V.X
Chi Strike (AD-FL)
"One blow from his tetsubo, and the Dragon maiden fell. "I remember you
now," Yakamo snarled as his claw descended. "You own me a hand, little
girl."
-VI.I
Dragon Sword is Broken (AD-FL)
"After the battle, the swords of the fallen were collected. Among them, the shattered
remnants of the Dragon Ancestral Katana lay in a puddle of blood, but Hitomi was nowhere
to be found."
-VI.II
Goblin Berserkers (AD-FL)
"Now with Crab friends, we have all land-green land, rich land, land for spoiling...
until the Oni come."
- Chieftain Ropputu, just before being eaten by Oni no Akuma, VI.III
Lessons from the Past (AD-FL)
"He had no name and no family. He came from the east, a hood obscuring his features,
but his soul was as pure as his ancestor's had been long ago."
-Tetsuya, VI.IV
To Avenge Our Ancestors (AD-FL)
"Toturi led the Dragon to the south, but the Unicorn stayed at Beiden Pass. Only when
the Hooded Ronin spoke to their leader, Kamoko, did they relax their hold and allow
passage to the north once more."
-VI.V
Sympathetic Energies (AD-FL)
"The Emerald Champion, defender of the Emperor, was to be chosen, and a tournament
was held. Among the ten who challenged stood one woman -- Hitmoi, with a hand of black
glass and the favor of Bayushi Kachiko."
-VI.VI
Disfavored (AD-FL)
"While the tournament outside gathered the court's attentions, the Crane Champion was
captured, held in a prison cell deep beneath the palace. 'Now you taste the sweetness of
revenge,' whispered Kachiko."
-VI.VII
Plains of the Emerald Champion (AD-FL)
"One after another the challengers were forced to submit before Hitomi's new-found
might. At last, only two remained on the field of battle -- the Dragon maiden and a weary,
wounded Grey Crane."
-VI.VIII
The Festering Pit of Fu Leng (AD-FL)
"As the eighth scroll opened, something was feed from its prison deep within the
Shadowlands -- the soul of a forgotten god."
-VI.IX
Fatal Mistake (AD-FL)
"The Sun glistened on Hitomi's obsidian hand as she faced Toshimoko. "Yield, old
one, and I will be merciful." Across the field, the Crane only smiled and Raised his
sword."
-VI.X
Kakita Ichiro (AD-FL)
"There were whispers, of course, but we did not believe them. Hoturi captured,
drugged, and bound by Scorpion hands? A lie, and a Lion rumor."
-VII.I
Disharmony (AD-FL)
"Ssh, Hoturi. Rest." Her voice was silken poison, and the Egg glowed -- black
magic in her hands. "There will be plenty of time to scream later."
-VII.II [There appear to be two cards listed as VII.II.]
Corrupt Gold Mines (AD-FL)
"Hitomi returned to the Dragon mountains after her defeat by the swordsmanship of the
Grey Crane. Her hand stained her conscience, but Yokuni seemed to understand its
price."
-VII.II [There appear to be two cards listed as VII.II.]
Political Distraction (AD-FL)
"Masked as the Champion of the Crane, the minion of the Egg left
to join the Lion-Crane wars with a host of warriors. Kachiko watched with a gleam in her
eyes as the False Hoturi marched, madness on his face."
-VII.IV
Togashi Jodome (AD-FL)
"The first we knew of the Emperor's change was the horrible darkness that overtook
the palace. In the chambers of the Hantei, a strange shriek rang out... than all was
silent."
-VII.V
Pikemen (AD-FL)
"Slowly, as the Phoenix continued to unleash their new magic, their bodies became
tainted by the Black Scrolls… and in the Shadowlands, Junzo's hollow voice rang
out."
-VII.VI
Shadowlands Madmen (FS-FL)
"They came from the north, covered in the stench of corruption. The attack
was sudden, but the worst part was the face of their leader -- our own Doji
Hoturi, madness in his eyes."
- Kakita Yoshi, VII.VII
Shioda (FS-FL)
"In the halls of the Lion, a terrible death: Akodo Kage, the last of the
Akodo, was found with a dagger through his heart. Yet in the darkness, a word
was whispered: Kolat..."
-VII.VIII
Warrior Monks (FS-FL)
For the Tao they marched, as Fu Leng threw his strongest minions against their
temples. Once, the brotherhood sought only peace, but now they fought for their
true master: Shinsei.
-VII.IX
Night Battle (FS-FL)
Deep in the Shadowlands, tremendous Oni rose from the Festering Pit, marching
toward Rokugan. Amid the crushing sounds of their advance, the horrible chanting
of Junzo rang out.
-VII.X
Ranbe (FS-FL)
Yoritomo called a meeting of the lesser clans - the Fox, the Centipede, the Wasp
- all to join with him in this fight. If the Great Clans could not end their
fighting for the Emerald Throne, then by the Fortunes, we would!
-VIII.I
The Price of War (FS-FL)
"The Ancestral Sword of the Lion... yes, I have seen it. it lies in the
palace of the Emperor, safe from thieves that once took it from the Akodo.
Strange, how Empress Kachiko covets it so."
- Kemmei, VIII.II
Peasant Levies (FS-FL)
"The Emerald Champion has always fought for the people, but in these
troubled times, even Toshimoko's keen sword cannot save us. Only Toturi and his
band of ronin hold salvation from the Emperor's tainted hand."
- Mikio, VIII.III
Fu Leng's Steeds (FS-FL)
"The Moto rose from the Shadowlands, remnants of their once-living state.
"Come to us," they called, but our _daimyo_ fought them. In the end my
father died from their black touch, a victim of our past."
- Moto Soro, VIII.IV
Kemmei (FS-FL)
Whispers came throughout the land, of the rise of the fallen Scorpion
Champion and his attempt to carry his wife, Kachiko, into the land of the dead.
Had it not been for Tasu's swift blades, the Lady of the Scorpion would have
been forever lost.
-VIII.V
Shabura (FS-FL)
"These humans fight one another while a fallen god usurps their throne and
destroys their lands. They are fools, and yet do not see it. We will show them
how the Shadowlands die, if we must kill them all to do it."
-VIII.VI
Robes of Shinsei (FS-FL)
In the middle of the night a samurai in battered armor came bearing the wounded
Crane Champion in his arms. He said his name was "Akioshi" (sic)
but when Toturi first saw him, he called the samurai by another name.
-VIII.VII
Sunken City (FS-FL)
Across the land the Naga grew more and more plentiful, spreading like a plague
of snakes. In the depths of the oceans their cities awoke, and their minions
came to fight the Dark God.
-VIII.VIII
Koichi (FS-FL)
We serve the One, the Tao that was foretold by Shinsei a thousand years ago. Now
the child of that line has come forth, and we are ready to fight at his command.
Only thus can Fu Leng's evil be stopped.
-VIII.IX
Disenlightenment (FS-FL)
"The Emperor is no longer a man -- he is the god of corruption, the ninth
Kami, Fu Leng incarnate. It is our duty to rid Rokugan of this threat and to
restore the throne to one who can rule with strength."
-Hida Kisada, VIII.X
Master of the Tea Ceremony (FS-FL)
In the palace of Otosan Uchi, zombies walked where men once stood and the
coutiers of Crane and Phoenix were thrown into the prisons below the city. Fu
Leng controlled the Emerald Throne, and Kachiko's plans turned to dust.
-IX.I
The Face of Fear (FS-FL)
Though Uji and the Crane had been forced to withdraw, Kakita Palace was not
destroyed by the armies of the False Hoturi. When our Champion came to fight
them, we found the palace in rags - ruined, but not destroyed.
-IX.II
Shinjo Sadato (FS-FL)
Otaku Kamoko led us to Toturi's side with the news that the Crab had stormed the
Imperial Palace and the Lion had opened the tenth scroll. As fires lit the
heavens in the north, the mighty army began to turn.
-IX.III
Blood of Midnight (FS-FL)
Kisada raised his forces in a massive midnight attack against the tainted
Emperor, calling for his son to stand by him. Though they fought bravely, they
failed, and Kisada was taken from the palace, the Emperor's sword buried in his
side.
-IX.IV
Goblin War Standard (FS-FL)
"Around the Hantei palace the goblins march, their banners covered with
blood. One could only guess at what horrors lay inside." - Iuchi Daiyu,
-IX.V
Bend Like A Reed (FS-FL)
When the Crab attacked the throne, Matsu Tsuko and her Lions were ready. At the
last moment, a command from the Emperor forced tsuko to stand aside and watch as
her armies died.
-IX.VI
Mountain of the Seven Thunders (FS-FL)
Before the great mountain, the Hooded Ronin spoke. "Seven mortals were
chosen to fight Fu Leng, a thousand years ago, and seven must walk with me now
into the palace of the Emperor."
-IX.VII
Shagara (FS-FL)
"Yakamo of the Crab brought his armies to join ours, and where his great
claw had once been, a hand of jade now shone.With such courage as his, the
humans may yet win the war."
-IX.VIII
Burning Your Essence (FS-FL)
Doji Hoturi strode into the army of madmen, the sword of his father in his hand.
He met with the Minion of the Egg, and when it was finished, only the true
Champion stood before the Crane.
-IX.IX
Secluded Ravine (FS-FL)
In a quiet ravine near the ronin armies, Matsu Tsuko knelt before Toturi, once
her hated rival. "The armies of the Lion stand divide, broken. They cannot
fight against the Evil One, for their oath swears them to the Emerald
Throne."
-IX.X
Trade Route (FS-FL)
"Tsuko fought for the Emperor, served the Emperor, and died for the
Emperor. Her sacrifce was according to a code that had failed her and her clan.
Lion fought Lion on the fields of the Emperor's palace."
- Toturi, X.I
Oni no Kamu (FS-FL)
Yoritomo stood before the Champions of the Seven Clans. "My army will fight
for you, if you recognize our claim. If not, we shall attack you and die. We
would rather die on our feet than continue to serve."
-X.II
Shiba Katsuda
On the parapets of Isawa Castle, the Masters rained fire down upon their tainted
clan.One had gone mad, and two died with him to stop his wrath. Another was
taken to join the Thunders, and the fifth... of the fifth we do not know.
-X.III
The Twelve Ronin (FS-FL)
The Lion, once unified by honor, began to fight among themselves - for the
Emperor, or for the Empire? As they did, a mighty voice was heard on the field:
"For Tsuko, and for the Empire!" With his cry, Toturi rallied the
Lion, and they turned to fight the Dark God as one.
-X.IV
Bonds of Darkness (FS-FL)
Kachiko opened the gates of the palace as the war raged outside, and the Seven
Thunders entered. Hoturi, Toturi, Kamoko, Hitomi, Tadaka, Yakamo, and Kachiko
stood together beside the descendent of Shinsei, prepared to face Fu Leng at
last.
-X.V
Corrupted Ground (FS-FL)
As the Thunders stood in the throne room, Togashi Yokuni removed his ancient
mask. "Fight me, Fu Leng!" he cried, and the two Kami warred - a
battle that ended with Yokuni at his brother's feet.
-X.VI
Stifling Wind (FS-FL)
"In the corner, Hitomi plunged an obsidian hand into Togashi's chest,
drawing out his heart - and the twelth black scroll. As Togashi had wished, she
opened it, and foul laughter echoed throughout the empty palace.["]
-X.VII
Brothers of Thunder (FS-FL)
"Fools!" Fu Leng cried. "With the opening of the last scroll,
I am fully free!" "Yes," Shinsei's son whispered. "And once
fully free, you are fully mortal... and can die."
-X.VIII
Shahadet's Legion (FS-FL)
The Thunders fought valiantly, but they were no match for Fu Leng's power.
At the end, Hoturi and Toturi stood alone against the beast. Toturi raised his
ancestral blade and felt an unseen hand guide it - and Fu Leng was destroyed
once more.
-X.IX
The Celestial Pattern (FS-FL)
After the Day of Thunder, three bodies were burned on pyres. Hoturi, Togashi,
Tadaka - heroes of an age that will never be forgotten. May their sacrifices
continue to inspire us in the Age of Man.
-X.X
Thank you to Andy Cowell, Zen Faulkes, Andy Heckt, Jessica Beaven, Philippe Duchon, Donovan Willett, Matt Farney, Rob Harris, Mitch Teague, and James Anderson.