Agasha Fujita (FS)
"Each morning we are born again. It is what we do today that matters."
Asako Kaushen (FS)
"Your hand sheds the blood of mortals, but out arrows reach for a higher
soul."
Asako Sagoten (FS)
"I warned of the Scorpion a thousand years ago, Father, but you did not
listen. Now, I must return and put things right, or your failure will forever
curse the Empire."
Balyzn Rafiq (FS)
"The right to kill is the privilege of the strong."
Bayushi Aramasu (FS)
"She betrayed you, Father. She left us both, and now her head will stand in
Traitor's Grove."
Bayushi Aramoro (FS)
"Never."
Bayushi Muraisan (FS)
Descended from the lost line of Goju, some Scorpion believe they can control the
will of the Shadow. . . but even the strong can feel the call of darkness and
the night.
Dakosho (FS)
"All that is left in this world is death. Even you cannot save me
now." The Shosuro lowered his mask, and his eyes blurred into dark patches
of nothing. "Farewell, my lady. Remember me."
Djahab (FS)
"The path existed for a thousand midnights, but only at the end can we
understand where it has led."
Doji Chomei (FS)
"The Fox will make excellent allies, my lord," Chomei smiled.
Hanoshi (FS)
"I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the cornerstones of the
world."
Hida Rohiteki (FS)
Tsuru looked down at his daughter. "Your death may come today. Are you
ready to face it?" "I was ready with the first breath I took,"
she replied. "I was born a Crab."
Ide Buodin (FS)
He learned much fighting the Lion - knowledge that may save his clan when the
Dark Moto come.
Ikoma Gunjin (FS)
"An army marches into the Shadowlands. To those who go, I salute you. To
both Crab and Lion who remain, I swear to die by your side."
- from Gunjin's Pride, vol. I
Isawa Toiko (FS)
"I do not need to hear my ancestor's voice to know what to do with you,
Mantis."
Jian (FS)
"Virtue comes only after you have lost the way."
- Yodin
Kaiu Endo (FS)
"Destruction is only the first step of creation, Hida-sama, and I have
always been in favor of making something new."
Kakita Ichiro (FS)
"No, brother. If you do not kill him, I will."
Kitsu (FS)
"Come to me, Huiyuan, and together, we shall give the Lion strength."
Kitsu Gongsun (FS)
"There is no other choice for those who fell. We have sworn our path to
Shadow, Crane. They wish to end the world; we intend to end the kami. Either
way, we will all be free; those who do not follow us will still thank us, in the
end."
Kitsu Huiyuan (FS)
In your darkest hour, the ancestors shall rise for war, and you must be ready to
hear from them all.
Kitsune Shudo (FS)
"May the alliance last forever," Shudo said, yet behind his words, he
hid a cunning smile.
Kitsune Tsuke (FS)
"Come with me, my friend. Do you want to live forever?"
Kumo (FS)
"It has gorged itself upon the hatred of a thousand Crane and the flesh of
the last Hantei. Even a spider knows better than to bite the hand that
feeds."
- Hida Rohiteki
Mara (FS)
"When the final days come and the Naga sleep forever, what will happen to
us, Daini, my love?"
Matsu Suhada (FS)
He stood by the Emperor's side when the flames tore the world apart. The
hoofbeats of the Unicorn were close behind, but the faceless Emerald Legions
were closer. "Take him now," Suhada shouted to Kaede, "and pray
to the Fortunes for my soul!"
Mirumoto Songui (FS)
"When this war began, the Dragon thought they could fight alone, hidden in
a web of secrets and riddles. Now, the world around us is dying, and we struggle
to unweave the web we have made."
Mirumoto Sukune (FS)
"When enemies charge, let them go by."
Mirumoto Watanubo (FS)
The gate is open, and the spirits scream, but some few forms emerge from shadow,
their ancient swords weaving tales of heroes. The past has come forward to save
the future.
Mirumoto Yuyake (FS)
"I fight for my clan and my empire, but my heart is with my son. It is the
future that we serve."
Miya Yuritogen (FS)
"How long is a life?" the student asked the Master. "One
breath," was the reply.
- From the True Tao
Mohai (FS)
"His eyes were stone, his laughter shook the earth, and his fingers
shattered iron and steel. He needed no army, my troops fled in terror at the
sound of his name."
- Mirumoto Taki
Moto Notu (FS)
"Nothing can save you from your own fear."
Moto Toyotomi (FS)
"If the Moto ever marched to Rokugan's heart, the Empire would learn the
meaning of the word 'fear.'"
Ninja Shadow-Walker (FS)
"Come, my children. We have work to do."
Oni no Okura (FS)
"Take my hand, brave soul."
Oskuda (FS)
"A good carpenter will not throw away wood; a good general will never
abandon a soldier."
Otaku Xieng Chi (FS)
"Only you can save us, Xieng Chi. End what we have become."
- the last words of Otaku Tetsuko, Kolat
Purusha (FS)
"The swiftest strike is performed without mind. It comes from the Akasha,
and it alone can save us."
Ryosei (FS)
Even the greatest mountains are made of small stones.
Shasyahkar (FS)
"What are you afraid of, Crab?" the Naga hissed. "I will show you
the way."
Shiba Gensui (FS)
"He rode with a legion of warriors, and no force in the Empire could stop
him. Now was the time to fulfill the debt of their victory."
- from Footsteps of Flame, vol. III
Togashi Jodome (FS)
"If we must give our lives, then let us give them in the name of
honor."
Toritaka Kitao (FS)
He has spent his life hunting the man who murdered his family, but the blood of
the dead can tell no secrets. Only one name rings in his memory: Kaushen.
Ujina Tomo (FS)
"Our clan may be small, but we will leap and we will run, and we will draw
the Shadow into our snare!"
Yoritomo Okan (FS)
"Do not concern yourself, Tsukune-sama. Karma will catch him soon
enough."
- Shiba Gensui
Yotsu Sabieru (FS)
The children of the ronin Yotsu have not forgotten their father's last oath.
Corrupted Dojo (FS)
"Sometimes the greatest victory is also the most precious loss."
- from The True Tao
House of Contracts (FS)
"Learn to let go, and you will find freedom within yourself."
- from The True Tao
Pitfall (FS)
"You build the trap, Crab-Crab, and I will bring the Crane."
- Hiruma Rik'tik'tichek
Provision Storehouse (FS)
"The soldiers dig at the base of Seven Thunders Mountain as if to clear
ancient Shinomen Pass. The Seikitsu Mountains tremble with their labor, and the
soldiers' hands are covered in blood."
- Hizuka
Shipping Lanes (FS)
"Gold is the last refuge of a coward."
- Matsu Morishigi
Shokansuru (FS)
Feydn looked at the chanting ruhmal. He would make a fine meal for the oni
before their long journey home.
Shrine of the Dragon Champion (FS)
"Where have you gone, Togashi, my eldest brother? Why did you leave no
wisdom for me?"
- Ryoshun
Akui Cliffs (FS)
"Bring them here, Morishigi, and the cliffs will do the rest."
- Kitsu Motso
Bridge to Jigoku (FS)
"Darkness is our enemy, and we must tear it apart with the light of a
thousand stars."
- Hitomi
Campsite (FS)
"We have learned all we need to know about the Shadow," the Unicorn
told me, raising a crystal sword from beneath his barbarian furs. "It can
bleed."
Fields of the Dead (FS)
"Deep in the Shadowlands, there are places where the dead do not rot and do
not rise. The bodies litter the ground with staring eyes as their souls scream
in endless pain and their broken limbs flail and shudder. If we do not wish to
join them, Kitsu-sama, then we must go around."
- Hiruma Yugure
Heimin Village (FS)
"The Kolat stole the Tao to keep it from the Shadow. Now it is my task to
return it, but I carry only half the burden. The other half belongs to another
messenger..."
- Daidoji Rekai
Road of Dust (FS)
"The palace was said to be abandoned-the perfect hiding place for Emperor
and ronin alike. From the darkness, the ronin's wakizashi shone with a foul, red
light, and he plunged it into the Emperor's chest. I do not know what happened
next, but the ronin screamed as if his heart were breaking."
- Sanjuro
Shi-Khan Wastelands (FS)
Fire shone from Karasu's mask, and a look of fear crossed Yori's face. "I
do not fear you, sorcerer, and that will be your undoing."
- from The Vedic's Tale, vol. I
Sleeping Lake (FS)
No pain. No tears. No regrets.
Cross-Clan Wedding (FS)
"An Isawa and his Kakita bride dueled to win a victory of honor, but both
had long ago lost their hearts."
- Doji Shizue
Dark Energies Run Red (FS)
"The temples are stained with shadow, their arches covered in filth. The
elements have come to take their own vengeance and call upon the debts of
blood."
- Moshi Wakiza
Emissary of the Ivory Kingdom (FS)
"Ill fortunes arrive only when the door has been left open for them. Good
fortune knocks, and is too often turned away."
- from The True Tao
Far From the Empire (FS)
"Over the pass, where the wind ends, there you will find the Shadow. That
is where the world ends and death begins. It is a place, honorable daimyo, that
you will never see."
- Togashi Mitsu
Final Words (FS)
"I have not come because you summoned me. I have come because it is time
for the Phoenix to be reborn." Her sword flashed once, and the ancient
table of the Five Masters shattered. "Let it be remade," the Shiba
champion said, "with room enough for six."
Honorable Sacrifice (FS)
"I have escaped you," the Kitsuki smiled, and then his eyes were
empty.
Kachiko Calls to Thunder (FS)
"There can be only one Scorpion Thunder, only one Bride to Bayushi. At the
Lake of Dreams, I will set the trap, and at his side, Shosuro, we shall see if
our own Shadow can be defeated."
Kachiko's Promise (FS)
"I will always be with you."
- Bayushi Kachiko
Mine Cave-In (FS)
"The earth is rent to save the blood of our captors. We shall ensure that
they remember."
- Kakera, Zokujin spirit-speaker
Return of Myth (FS)
"One by one, each star in the Celestial Heavens awakened, following the
light of a golden colt."
Return of the True Champion (FS)
"There is only one chance to save the Empire, and it will take both of our
swords. Goju is waiting beyond the Fields of the Dead, and the Emerald Champion
must face him." Toshimoko extended his hand toward his son, never seeing
the knife that had been raised behind his shoulder.
Triumphant Victory (FS)
"Have you lost Shiro no Yojin?" Kuwanan stood in the courtyard of the
captured Lion palace. Uji's wakizashi froze. "No, my lord," the
general stammered. "Then put away your sword. Your life is worth more than
my pride."
Yoritomo Refuses the Throne (FS)
"To Jigoku with kami and their commands. I will never be Shinjo's
pawn."
-
Yoritomo
Ambush Strategist (FS)
"When you gamble for your life, be certain that both sides of the coin are
the same."
- Mukami
Crab Cavalry (FS)
"Ride with Tsuru," she commanded, but he refused. His place, and his
heart, was with her.
Decoy (FS)
"As the nighthaunt's claws dropped the duplicate, Kage said softly to the
Phoenix, 'We have the same enemy.'"
- from Footsteps of Flame, vol. I
Emerald Magistrates (FS)
The last faithful guardian fights, praying that he can die with honor.
Hurricane Initiates (FS)
The Mantis troops were broken, driven before them like the wind, to the sea...
but of Aramasu, Yoritomo's adopted son, there was no trace at all.
Kaiu Siege Engine (FS)
Zunguri, the Hiruma daimyo, laughed. "Now we show them what we have
learned."
Oni no Megada (FS)
"You are finished!" the samurai shouted, letting his arrow fly.
"No, Crab," the Oni snarled, snapping the shaft in two, "this is
only the beginning."
Spectral Guide (FS)
"One arrow, Tsuruchi. There is only one chance."
Yabanjin Sorcerer (FS)
"'Where is the Emperor?' I asked, looking at the pool of spreading blood.
Kaede's face was cold and white as she said, 'Toturi is dying, and the Shadow
fights to steal his soul. If the Darkness is not destroyed, the Empire will die
with its lord.' In the corner, a ronin wept, and his blade hung limply in his
hand.
Ancestors Posses the Living (FS)
"'Surrender!' Uji commanded The Lion had no choice; at last, the palace was
ours."
- Daidoji Karasu
Ascendance (FS)
"Care for them." She stood before him and lowered her obsidian hand.
She whispered once more as her form shimmered away. "I will be
watching." The Champion of the Dragon smiled into the silence. "I
know."
Assuming the Championship (FS)
"You lead them now, Yojiro-sama. They will need people such as you."
- Bayushi Kachiko
Bloodstained Rage (FS)
"The Kami stammered through the gate into my arms, and I heard Ginawa's
yell. 'At last,' Ginawa said. 'At last!'"
Command of the Kami (FS)
"There are no more Hantei to take my brother's throne, and the burden must
not gall to those who betrayed him. Take the throne, Yoritomo, and I will guide
your reign."
- Shinjo
Crisis in Command (FS)
"In the end, the Lion will stand divided. One will guard the path, one will
journey into the Shadow, and both will bow to another name."
- from The Scrolls of Norikazu
Crow Tattoo (FS)
"His name is Togashi Yoshune, my son."
- Togashi Hoshi
Defeat the Reserves (FS)
"The Ninja smiled at me, pointing a finger of blood. 'Fight, samurai, and
we shall see where your courage lies.'"
Divided Loyalties (FS)
Though divided, they still stand as family, and as family, they choose to die.
Elemental Attunement (FS)
The shugenja lifted his bloodstained hands, "What have we done?"
Fearsome Strength (FS)
"Now is the time to attack. Without their wall, the Crab will have only
their fear to comfort them-and their fear shall give us strength."
- Moto Tsume
Gift of the Emperor (FS)
"Give me rule over the Scorpion lands, below the bloody waters of Mizu-Umi
no Fuko."
- Bayushi Aramoro
Harsh Lessons (FS)
"Wisdom comes with wounds, Turi. If the path is easy, it is the wrong
one."
- Matsu Ketsui
Hidden From the Empire (FS)
"Never underestimate a Crane's last secret."
- Isawa Hochiu
Kolat Assistance (FS)
"You need gold for your armies, Shiba-sama. And when the Mantis are
destroyed, we will show you a path further south..."
- from Footsteps of Flame, vol. II
Last Refuge (FS)
"Gripping the bloody wakizashi, the ronin fled to the empty Phoenix lands.
He could not have known what he would find there, or what destiny Ambition would
bring."
- from The Last Days of the Emperor, vol.
II
Last Words (FS)
"The Fox will not be dishonored by my actions, Lady Ryosei. Not this
day."
- Fox ambassador
Mismanaged Troops (FS)
"The general is in complete command... but we cannot find the
general."
- Hushu, ashigaru
My Life For Yours (FS)
"The Burning Words were true, Yori. But, you will never see them come to
pass."
- Iuchi Karasu
Never Yield (FS)
The ninja moved like the wind, slicing through the samurai and laughing.
"You cannot defeat me," Shosuro whispered as the last one fell,
"I am the Shadow."
One Last Battle (FS)
"A thousand shall march through the Shadowlands to the very gates of Jigoku."
- from The Tale of Kisada's Heirs, vol. I
Pestilence (FS)
"The Shadow retreats beneath a sky that swells with blood, but the war is
not yet finished. An empty throne stands in Otosan Uchi and soon it will rule an
empty empire."
- Miya Yuritogen
Relief (FS)
A tremendous flame-and the shadow writhed and fell. As Rekkai lowered her sword,
Dorai called from the steps of the temple. "Master Kage sends his regards,
my lady."
Remember What You Have Seen (FS)
"One day, your grandchildren will remember that you were here when the
Scorpion marched against the Shadow. So pay attention, heimin, and spread the
tale."
- Bayushi Hisa
Remember Your Oath (FS)
The Unicorn slashed the Emperor's guard, watching in horror as faces ran like
the wax of a candle.
Run For Your Life (FS)
As horse and rider fell, the precious scrolls scattered across the cliff,
falling toward the sea.
Sharpest Blade (FS)
He listens to their fantastic tale of the oni who saved their lives and wonders
if honor can overcome a Lion's shame.
Shifting Ground (FS)
Where the ninja fight, the ground shakes and twists, throwing off its true form
and becoming as faceless as the minions of the Darkness.
Single Combat (FS)
"Behind a mempo, any face can hide-even yours, samurai."
- Ninja Shadow-Walker
Soul's Sacrifice (FS)
Kamoko shattered the tsukai's trinket with a single blow, leaving Shahai in a
pool of blood. Inside her mind, an oni's voice whispered, and there was still a
darker bargain to keep.
Spirit of the Bright Eye (FS)
The Qatol and the Oseuth are the twin eyes of The One: Pale and Bright, known
and unknown.
Spreading the Shadow (FS)
"You are no more than clay in my fist, to be molded and discarded as I
say." Adorai smiled, and the Darkness swallowed him. "I am the first
Goju, and I am the Shadow's Master."
Tricked (FS)
"Oh, but Hiruma-sama, of course you can use a solid gold tetsubo in the
Shadowlands. Think of how its light will shine to frighten your enemies."
- Ide Tadaji
Venerable Stature (FS)
"I am old, but I am not dead. So long as I have breath in y soul, I will
serve my clan."
White Shore Plain (FS)
"Leave these lands or die, Unicorn. We are the Lion, born from a thousand
years of warriors and honorable people. We serve the Emperor, and we will guard
his throne."
- Kitsu Motso
Feeding on Flesh (FS)
"Mine."
Know the Evil (FS)
"What does it matter? When we have destroyed them, then we can determine
which is which."
- Tausha
Maintain Balance (FS)
"This Darkness and its minions will not cease its battle, Rekai. Mortals
must do what gods would not. We must give the Shadow a name."
- Takao
Pearl Magic (FS)
A thousand shadows stood before them, and Yakamo's army paused. "Leave them
to me, my Qatol," the Shasyahkar hissed. "I shall stop them."
Proud Heritage (FS)
The Moto have not forgotten their greatest shame.
Stepping Between the Cracks (FS)
"Through a portal of fire, Kaede drew the Emperor away to an abandoned
palace where he could be healed. As the portal closed, the Shadow howled in
fury."
- from The Last Days of the Emperor, vol.
I
Blade of Kaiu (FS)
"I cannot fight beside them, Yakamo-sama. The Naga betrayed us and attacked
our empire." Nezu knelt before his Master and bowed his head. "Then
fight beside me," was the Crab's only reply.
Burden of the Word (FS)
"... One chance to make the world listen."
- Otaku Kamoko
Grandfather's Jaw (FS)
"We were born from blood, and to blood we shall return."
- Grandfather's last words
Masamune Katana (FS)
"A blade is the soul of its maker, soft or hard, cold or hot. Any darkness
is reflected in the sheen of steel; any imperfection turns the blade brittle and
shatters in the depths of the soul. How stands your soul, Toshiken, my son? How
bitter is your blade if it draws your father's blood?"
- Kakita Toshimoko
Ninja-to (FS)
"I swore to repay you for the death of my Master with the death of your
own, but my gift is not finished, Ginawa. There is still one more death for you
to see, one more innocent man, one more lord who will die before the game is
ended."
- Ninja Shadow-Walker
Sanctified Blade (FS)
"Stand by me, Toshiken, and we ill both put our past behind us. You are my
son, and I am your father. All else is blood on water, easily washed away."
- Kakita Toshimoko, Endshadows, vol. IV
Scrolls of Norikazu (FS)
"The Sun and the Moon must die; the throne itself will be consumed. From
the flames, a lost Emperor will be returned."
- from The Scrolls of Norikazu
Skirmisher's Pike (FS)
"No, no, my Ikoma friend." The Ashalan thrust viciously into the
Goju's heart. "Like this."
Sword of the Sun (FS)
"A new champion, a new sword. This is the dawn of an age; let it begin with
a new alliance."
- Bayushi Goshiu
Spells
Blood and Darkness (FS)
"This time, Shinjo, you will die."
- Jama Suru
Capturing the Soul (FS)
"The Warrior of the Pale Eye raises his hands, and two figures were trapped
forever..."
- from The Vedic's Tale, vol. II
Eternal Darkness (FS)
"I saw my mother's face shred, my father's soul swallowed by Shadow. Jigoku
itself is being destroyed, and with it, all the Empire ever was or could
become."
- Kitsu Huiyuan
Miya's Sasumata (FS)
The Emperor's voice is the first of many weapons.
Ryoshun's First Gift (FS)
"For a thousand years, he has been the keeper of the gates to Jigoku. Kaede
guided us to him, and if the Empire has a hope for the future, it is with the
Tenth Kami."
- Matsu Hiroru
Shinobi Corruption (FS)
All throughout the Empire, maho turns to Shadow, leaving only wasted, empty
lands.
The Dark Moto Sensei (FS)
Life is pain, samurai, life is betrayal."
Kitsu Sensei (FS)
"Remember your house, remember your honor, but remember your duty above all
else."
Satsume Sensei (FS)
"Honor lives not in the heart, nor the eye, nor the children who bear your
name. It lives in your deeds."
Seppun Sensei (FS)
"Follow the Emperor, and follow the Tao. In one, you will find the
other."
Taka Sensei (FS)
"You must have koku to make koku."