With darkness all about him, Bayushi Shoju slid the sword in his hands into its saya and put it aside. Moments later, a figure moved in the shadows and took it from the room. "Guard it well," Shoju whispered. The shadow did not respond as it disappeared.
Then, with a quiet deliberate motion, he took a different katana and slid it into the folds of his obi. It fit well in the silk belt, as if it had found its final resting place. Shoju nearly smiled at the thought. "You, spawn of darkness and blood, will be my companion on this mad quest." Shoju thought he felt the sword tremble on his hip. He was no superstitous peasant, but he knew better than to discard the thoughts that went racing through his head.
A moment later, a guard stepped into the room. He fell to his knees and put his palms and forehead to the floor. "Bayushi-sama," he said, addressing his lord with deep respect.
"What news do you bring me?" Shoju asked.
"All is ready. We are prepared. Your armies are hidden by the shugenja’s magics. The shadows are in place."
Shoju nodded. "Very good. We will leave within the hour." The guard bowed again and ran from the room, leaving Shoju alone again with the darkness.
***
Many miles away, another lord of another Clan sat in the darkness . . . but not alone. The sake that he sipped was hot and the night air was cool. He smiled as the door slid aside and the vision of beauty slipped inside.
"Hatsuko," he whispered.
"Toturi-sama," she replied.
She knelt on the other side of the feast she had prepared, her eyes shining in the darkness. He put down his empty cup and she poured him more.
"Why do you not come closer," the samurai asked.
Toturi saw her blush in the dim light. "You must be patient, Toturi-sama."
His laugh was louder than it should have been; the sake had already begun to work on his will. "You sound like my sensei," he said.
She nodded and said nothing, but watched him drink.
Suddenly, his eyes flashed.
His fingers dropped the sake cup.
He tried to stand, to draw his katana, but his body moved like a broken puppet.
"You -" he managed to stammer through cold, numb lips.
She nodded and said nothing, but watched him fall.
***
"It is done," the shadows whispered to him. Shoju turned and looked into the shifting light and darkness.
"You are certain?" he asked.
"The Emperor’s general has fallen. He is no longer a factor."
Shoju nodded and looked back at the map of the Empire.
"Then everything is ready," he said, going over his calculations one last time.
"Our greatest concern was the Lion. Their Champion is dead and the Matsu samurai-ko is too concerned with proving her honor against the Crane. When they learn of our actions, it will be too late. We will be within the capital and they will have to storm Otosan Uchi’s enchanted walls. Tsuko will never accept Hoturi’s aid, and when the Crane learns of his father’s death, he will go whimpering back to his mother."
Shoju turned his eyes northward.
"The Phoenix are of no concern. The walls will keep them at bay. And that is if they even decide to attack. The pacifistic fools will sit behind their own walls and pray to the Fortunes for deliverance."
Shoju then put his finger on the Dragon keeps.
"Our arrangements for the Dragon are complete?" he asked.
"Yes, my lord," the darkness replied. "There is only one road to Mirumoto castle, and our assassins await any messengers the Clans may send."
"Good," he nodded and turned to the northwest. "It will take the Unicorn three days to ride to Otosan Uchi, and when they arrive, we will have already fortified and they will be exhausted."
"What of the Crab?" the shadow asked.
"Shoju took a deep breath, "Kisada," he said. "Even if he does send an army, he will be far too distracted by the Shadowlands to send anything of worth. Besides, a show of strength is all he is concerned with. He knows the Hantei are weak. As long I do not interfere with his duty to the Empire, he will not care who sits on the Emerald Throne."
"And who will sit on the the throne when all this is done?" the shadow asked.
Shoju stood silent, still staring at the map, his mind filled with the final words of the prophecy: The last Hantei will be the doom of Rokugan.
Quietly, he shook his head. "I do not know, my brother. I do not know."
***
A step back through history brings us here: to the Scorpion Clan Coup. Why did Bayushi Shoju revolt against the Emperor? Why did he think he could stand against the combined might of the other six Great Clans? You will learn the answers to these questions - and discover a few surprises - as we tell the story of the Scorpion Clan Coup.
The story will be in three parts. The first part tells of his attempt to gain control of the capital and of his strategies to keep the other six Clans at bay. The second part tells of the battles for control over Otosan Uchi, and the third part tells of the fall of the Scorpion Clan and of the Lion Champion, Akodo Toturi.
For those of you who are familiar with the world of Rokugan, don’t assume you already know all the answers. History is written by the victor, after all, and the Scorpions took more than a few secrets with them to the grave.
Kachiko watched as the Emperor slid deeper into the sickness that had befallen him. The scents of incense were thick in the room from the holy men that prayed to the Gods of Fortune, but she knew it would take more than prayer to save the dying Lord. Wise men from across the Empire -- the shugenja -- pored over their ancient scrolls of wisdom, but so far, none of their spells could break the Great Lord’s fever. Already news was arriving from every Province, telling of the six Clans moving against each other. It was only days ago that the Emperor’s Emerald Champion had fallen and until a new Champion could be chosen, the Clans would be free from enforcement of the Laws of the Land. While some Clans would cling to the Provinces they already controlled, others would be acting quickly to snatch up the Provinces that were vulnerable to attack.
The thunder of samurai riding into battle was commonplace. Fields were aflame with the ravages of war, and word of the ninja moving among the shadows was in the air. It was a time of distant thunder, and distant thunder always warns of present danger.
The Emperor’s coughing resumed in earnest and Kachiko leaned in close to whisper in his ear and touch his trembling hand. It would not be very much longer that the plague would claim his life. So often the wise men marveled at the Lady’s courage, being so close to the Emperor at the hour of his greatest weakness.
Kachiko looked at the wise men and smiled so delicately. "They believe you are dying of the plague, but we know differently, don’t we my Lord?" The Emperor could do nothing but tremble under her tender touch, knowing that dark forces were moving against the six Clans and he was helpless to hinder it.
For five millennia, the Clans of the Empire of Rokugan have been stalwart supporters of the Dynasty of the Hantei Emperors. The Empire has grown strong and mighty under his wise leadership.
Many races thrive within Rokugan, including the mysterious Naga of the deep forests, the Ogres of the mountains and many small goblinoid races who inhabit the edges of the Empire, the Shadowlands. Beyond the Imperial borders there are lands still unexplored, filled with barbaric races with strange and incomprehensible lifestyles.
Rokugan has a strong culture, based on the philosophy of the Five Rings, a belief that the forces of the five Elements -- Earth, Air, Fire, Water and the Void -- are the basis for all life, thought and action. Many scholars spend their entire lives trying to understand the complex interactions between the Elements.
Now, rumors fly from the capitol bearing terrible news. A plague has decimated the Imperial Family. Bodies litter the streets. The greatest healers of the Empire have failed to save the lives of those who have been infected, thought they have finally stopped the spread of the illness. Many of their number fill the burial pits as well.
The Emperor lingers at the edge of the Void, struggling to survive long enough to name his successor. He seeks one who will unify the Empire through martial power, through general acclaim, or through enlightenment of the spirit.
The populace fears civil war and the chaos which will follow. Each Clan works behind the scenes to see one of their own named to the Emerald Throne, but internal factions have proven to be an insurmountable distraction. The ancient rivalries between the forces of light and darkness divide brother from sister, Clan from Clan.
It is a time for strong leaders. It is a time for elemental magic, biting steel and deeds of honor. It is a time for Legends!
The vast chamber was silent and still. She was alone. Her footfalls led her to the Emerald Throne of the Hantei Dynasty and she looked upon the carving that showed the sun goddess and the first Emperor and the fissure that separated the two. Shadows fell across the image, making the crack seem deeper that it was, or perhaps the shadows revealed its true depth.
"The first steps have been taken, sweet Mother Sun," she whispered. "Already, one of your chosen has fallen. I have wounded one of your Seven Thunders." There was the slight sound of laughter in her voice. "I cast him down from the light of your favor. He is nothing." Her fingers caressed the lion head engraved in the throne. "The next fall will be even more delicious than the Crane’s"
She spun about, the folds of her kimono folding all about her and she fell into the arms of the Emerald Throne. Only the darkness heard her laughter. She spoke, "Aramoro?"
The darkness answered. "Yes, my Lady?"
The lids of her eyes gently closed. "Kisada has made his alliance with the dark lands?"
The darkness answered again, "Yes, my Lady."
She smiled. "Excellent."
"But there is other news that troubles me."
She snuggled into the Throne, her eyes closed and her smile unfaltering. "Yes, what is it"
"Lord Toturi is leading an army of Dragon samurai."
"We knew that Aramoro. You have not told me anything new."
"He brings with him the armies of the Naga."
Her back straightened and her eyes flashed open. "Naga?"
"Aye, my Lady."
Thunder rolled in the distance as the darkness waited her commands. Her eyes seemed lost for a moment, but then she regained command of her thoughts. "Panic will not serve us well at this hour," she said. Then, she regarded the darkness once again. "Tell Lord Kisada. Suggest to the Great Bear that Yakamo would serve us well in this situation. I am sure he will come to the same conclusion."
"Yes, my Lady." The darkness was silent again.
"Naga?" she whispered. "Indeed, the situation has changed." But then she remembered the young Dragon samurai-maiden who had only recently left the palace and she smiled. "A small surprise for you from me, Lord Togashi," she said. "I only wish I could see under that mask or yours when you see how much she has changed." It took all of Kachiko’s will not to fill the room with victorious laughter.
Four months have passed since the storms of war came to Rokugan. Already the face of the Empire has changed. The peaceful fields of flowing green have become wastelands of scorched earth, soaked in the blood of fallen samurai. As if the days were not dark enough, news of the treachery of Doji Hoturi have spread like wildfire through the empire. The Crane Lord led an army of madmen against his own Clan at the Battle of Kakita Castle, and if it was not for the armies of Phoenix, Unicorn and Dragon (led by Shiba Tsukune, Otaku Kamoko and the ronin, Toturi), the Crane would have been destroyed. The Crab armies were forced to retreat from their sanctuary at Beiden Pass back into their own Provinces. Hida Sukune has faced defeat after defeat from the fallen Lion Champion Toturi, and now he returns home to face his angry father, the Great Bear Hida Kisada, while the Unicorn hold Beiden Pass, the crossroads of the Empire.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Clan have discovered that the forbidden Black Scrolls have been opened. Dark prophecies surround the opening of the Scrolls, and while the Phoenix Clan await the return of their Master of Earth from his investigations in the Shadowlands, they wonder what evil force may have been released with the opening of the Scrolls.
The Emperor falls deeper and deeper into a death-like trance as the remnants of the Scorpion Clan form a dark plan of revenge in the Imperial Palace. The six Clans throw military might at each other while the Scorpion grows stronger, as if they were taking the very life from the slowly dying Hantei.
And far to the West of the Empire, Mirumoto Daini has returned. Two months ago, the ronin Toturi sent him out to seek assistance against the growing armies of the Shadowlands creatures, and he returned with an army -- an army of Naga. The legendary serpent folk have come to the Empire for a single purpose: to put an end to the Clan War, for if Rokugan will not unite to fight the rising evil of the Shadowlands, they know that both Empires will be destroyed.
But Lion armies are on the edge of Crane Lands, waiting for the command to strike, and the Unicorns know it is only a matter of time before one of their comrades tries to gain control of Beiden Pass. Now, more than ever, the time has come for action. The time of distant thunder is over. A dark shadow has been cast over the Empire, and only unity will be able to stop it.
Kachiko’s eyes were fixed on the horizon where the sinking sun bled its crimson color over the countryside, the only sound in the room the steady breath of the body that lay sleeping behind her in the silken covers. She looked across the fields of her husband’s Empire, remembering the events that had led her to the alliance she was forced to make, and the actions of the man who forced her to make them.
"Toturi." She whispered the name with a voice edged with hate and venom. "Only you, Toturi. The rest of them are driven by pride. Only you understand the purity of honor."
She took a deep breath, the cool evening air slipping through her teeth. Then she smiled. "But you have provided me with something I did not have before. Now I have what I need to take the Lion’s heart into my hand, and I shall squeeze it until the Lady Matsu begs me to let it go." She coiled her fingers into a fist as her eyelids dropped and her voice dropped to a slight whisper. "And then I will have you too, Toturi. You will be mine, body and soul."
Kachiko heard a stirring behind her and she turned from the sunset, letting the crimson light fall about her silhouette. She let her gaze fall across the figure in her bed and her smile turned to milk and honey. "You are awake," she said. "Very good my Lord. I have much to tell you."
"I have much to tell you," the man answered.
She stepped across the floor, her footsteps making no sound against the nightingale floor. "The first thing we must speak of is the revelation of your true allegiance."
He nodded. "Of course."
She reached the edge of the bed and put her hands on either side of his legs. "You and yours have long been associated with my Clan."
"Only by rumor," he answered.
"Soon, all rumors will be confirmed."
She drew closer and he reached up to caress her cheek. "Yes," she whispered. "And the Lion Clan will learn why it is unwise to tempt the wrath of the Scorpion..."
"And the Kolat," he said, his breath soft against her cheek.
"And the Kolat," she echoed. As he wrapped his arms around her, she thought of the two Lions again and she laughed. Soon, she thought. I cannot crush their armies so I will crush their hearts.
It has been nearly a year since the beginning of the war for the Emerald Throne and there is no end in sight. The Lion army, under the leadership of Matsu Tsuke, continues its relentless attack upon the Crane, and with only an army of Phoenix samurai defending Doji Palace, all seems lost for the commander Shiba Tsukune and the family of the fallen Champion. The Unicorn have continued to hold Beiden Pass, preventing any and all armies from moving through the crossroads of the Empire, while the army of Hida Yakamo holds off the ronin Toturi and his motley band of samurai. Little does Toturi know that an army of Shadowlands creatures and madmen are awaiting him in the hills just to the north of Crab Territory. They wait for the Great Bear, Hida Kisada, to advance on the ronin’s army, thus trapping Toturi between three might forces, all bent on his destruction.
But far to the west, Mirumoto Daini brings back an army of the mysterious race of serpent folk known as the Naga. They will be the deciding factor in the battle that will be fought at the doorstep of the indomitable Crab provinces.
And in the Shadowlands, the corrupt and insane Yogo Junzo continues his quest to recover all twelve of the Black Scrolls. He has cast away all previous allegiances to kin and Clan. Now he is devoted solely to a dark master whose name is only whispered by those who remember and mumbled on the lips of the dead men who march in his dark army.
A black aura of dooms hangs over the heads of those who would save the crumbling Empire, but the darkest day is yet to come.
And it is closer than you think.
The rain was cold on her skin, but the shivering in her bones was not from the rain. She looked up to the Imperial Palace where only an hour ago her plan for revenge had been crushed like a paper boat on a coral reef. The night wind blew her black hair across her eyes, stinging them shut. All she could hear was the wild wail of the wind, the steady rhythm of the rain and the rapid beat of her frantic heart.
But then, a voice surrounded her, a voice like the thunder that resounded about the Plains of Otosan Uchi. "I told you that it would come to this, Lady," the voice said.
Her eyes flashed open. She knew the voice, remembered it as if she had first heard it in a dream. Its resonance struck deep inside her and she pulled her ruined kimono tight about her body. She heard his form moving above her as lithe as a serpent, but she kept her eyes turned away from him. She did not want anyone to see the fear in her eyes, not now.
"T-to hell with you and your prophecy," she stammered at the voice in the darkness. "Toturi’s army is on the march. I will go there and join with the fallen Lion. He will have much to gain from what I have learned tonight."
"No." The voice was steady and calm. "He knows. Toturi knows his part in destiny ... as you do, Lady."
She shook her head, the pain in her side growing steadily. "No. No, I cannot. There is nothing left..."
"You know what you must do," the voice interrupted. "You must return to the palace. The Emperor’s body is weakened from your poisons. You must continue to keep it so. If you do not, all will be lost. You are needed, Lady. And you are wise enough to know not to try to deny destiny."
She was still for a long time, but then, slowly, she nodded. "I do."
"It is as I told you before. You are to play a greater part in all of this than you know. Perhaps the greatest part. And there are others."
She blinked away the rain in her eyes. "Six others?"
"No," the voice said as she felt the presence fading into the rain. "There are seven. Do not forget that the descendant of Shinsei walks among us as well."
And with that, the voice was gone. Despite what the voice had told her, she did not move, did not dare move. "But I must," she whispered to herself, her voice only barely audible over the wind and thunder. She looked up at the palace one more time, and remembered what she had seen. She shuddered, but then she steadied herself, remembering the reason why she was here at the palace. As delicate as a kiss, a single name passed through her lips as she felt the strength return to her as if it had never left.
She stood in the rain and began the long walk back to the Imperial Palace. The lights burned brightly there, and a maniacal laughter could be heard ringing through the halls. It was the Emperor’s voice, but the laughter was not his.
The laughter belonged to something older.
For a year now, war has held Rokugan in its grip, and one look at the once-green fields of the Emerald Empire can tell you it has taken its toll. Lawlessness has claimed the land as peasants cower in their cottages for fear of wandering bandits who no longer need worry about the Emperor’s justice. Instead of trying to restore the Hantei Dynasty, the Clans decided to turn on themselves, fighting over a prize that was never theirs.
And now, the Empire must pay the price for their lack of vigilance.
One by one over the last year, all but two of the Black Scrolls have been opened, and as their magic has been released, so was released the evil soul that was trapped within them. When the first scroll was opened, the evil found a home in the poisoned body of a dying Emperor. As each scroll’s seal was broken, the force within the Emperor ate away at the dying man’s mind. Finally, there was nothing left within the body but its true master. While the seven Clans of Rokugan still struggle against each other to gain the Emerald Throne, their prize now belongs to the source of the Shadowlands: the dark lord, Fu Leng.
Aramoro stepped into the still room from the night, cold rain dripping down into his armor against his skin. Across the room, a single figure stood, occasionally silhouetted in a flash of lightning as it streaked across the black sky. Thunder followed soon after, rumbling over the rafters of the ancient home of the Hantei family.
As soon as he saw the figure, he fell to his knees and placed his long, slender blade at his side with a single silent motion. "My Lady," he whispered, his breath hinting at the exhaustion that wracked his frozen muscles. "I bring you news."
Another flash descended, but the shadows clung to her, revealing nothing to him. He could smell the perfume of her hair drifting across the room, but he heard no sound from her, save for the single "Yes?" that hung in the air many moments after it was spoken.
"I followed Akiyoshi, as you commanded." She did not respond; he continued. "Your suspicions were correct. She has been to see the ronin."
"Where else would she go?"
Aramoro continued, feeling the bitterness of her words seep into his skin. "Much have I learned, my Lady. Yoritomo’s ambassador was there, as well as a representative from the Brotherhood."
She nodded. "Junzo is looking for the descendants," she whispered. "That is why the Brotherhood is there. Yoritomo is there because he is as opportunistic as a crow spying a shiny bauble."
"There is no alliance between them, my Lady. The Clans refuse to acknowledge his claim. Yoritomo swears the Alliance will fight to prove their worth."
"And destroy the Empire in doing so." Again Kachiko shook her head. "It is just as Yokuni said. All of his prophecies are coming to pass."
"My Lady," Aramoro whispered. "There is more. The Lady Tsuko..."
Kachiko spun on her heel, her kimono whipping about her. "You have news?"
"Hai. She was at the ronin’s camp."
She moved across the room as the lightning struck behind her. Aramoro fell completely prostrate, not certain if the chill in his bones was from the rain or his Lady’s icy stare. "Tell me, ninja," she said.
"She was there, my Lady." Aramoro’s eyes focused on the wood panels inches from his nose. "She begged him to return, to reclaim the mantle, but..."
The thunder crashed, the paper panels and wooden beams of the house shuddering as the ninja continued whispering to her. When he was done, he remained prostrate and silent. Kachiko paused for a moment, then turned back to the window. For a moment, she swore she saw a shadow there, but in the span of a breath, it was gone.
"It is all true," she whispered. "All true."
She turned back to the ninja, her face shifting in the shadows. All the darkness had left her eyes. When she lifted Aramoro’s chin with her fingertips, he could see them gleaming like the lightning in the window behind him. With her lips only a breath away from him, she said "My beloved husband’s brother. You swore you would protect me and follow my every wish, my every command without question?"
Aramoro nodded. "Aye, my Lady. You know I did."
"Then I have only one command left to give you, my devoted Aramoro." She looked into his eyes, knowing his response perhaps even before he did. "I want you to leave me."
"...My Lady?"
"Without question, Aramoro. Remember? Leave me now. Join the others. Our army must be ready when the moment is right." She saw the confusion in his eyes and she smiled, and at that moment, she realized it was the first true smile since the war had begun. "I cannot have you standing between me and my destiny. Go. Now."
Aramoro nodded and stood and she stood with him. She looked up at the ninja as his full height dwarfed her own. "May the Fortunes watch you, my Lady." As swiftly and silently as he had arrived, he was gone. Leaving her alone with the rain, the darkness and the thunder.
For nearly two years, the battle for Rokugan’s throne has ravaged the Emerald Empire. For many, the war seems to be lost already. The dark lord Fu Leng sits on the throne, possessing the body of the Empire’s rightful ruler, the young Hantei.
But not all have given up hope. In their researches of the Black Scrolls that once imprisoned Fu Leng, the Phoenix have decoded an ancient prophecy. The Black Scrolls tell of a time when the ancestors of the Seven Thunders (the mortals who bound Fu Leng a thousand years ago) will return to do battle with their ancient enemy one last time. These Thunders will be brought together by a descendent of Shinsei, the man whose wisdom taught Rokugan the philosophy of the Five Rings.
As the prophecy begins to unfold, Fu Leng has sent out his general Yogo Junzo to hunt down the Thunders and Shinsei before they can gather their resources. Junzo took his master’s orders to heart, destroying temple after temple, looking for Shinsei’s hiding place. The Brotherhood of Shinsei -- the monastic order that keeps the shrines and temples -- are the targets of Junzo’s attacks. However, the Brotherhood has proven to be a bit more of a resourceful enemy than Junzo counted on.
Meanwhile, the minor clans of Rokugan have seized what they see as an opportunity. While the great Clans fight amongst each other, the minor clans have joined together under the banner of Yoritomo of the Mantis Clan. They hope to prove this by doing what the great Clans have not been able to do: unite the Empire against the Shadowlands.
But even the efforts of the Yoritomo Alliance may be too late. Already, Fu Leng’s armies march across Rokugan, killing and corrupting as they go. Those who fall before them are turned into mindless rotting corpses, marching with their dark master’s name on their numb lips.
The Clans have realized their errors. Even now, they begin to join together in an effort to stop Fu Leng. But his armies march on, gaining victory after victory. And even heroes grow weary...
For a thousand years, the capital city of Rokugan, Otosan Uchi, has been the home of the Hantei Dynasty.
Those days are over.
The shadows draped her like a comforting cloak, and she remained as close to them as her training would allow. The dead men that walked the halls would devour her if they could find her, but their minds were dull and she evaded them easily. She was commanded not to wander after nightfall, but Kachiko was a Bayushi after all, and the Bayushi were never very good at obeying orders.
She slipped by the wandering dead and slid aside a hidden panel that led into a pitch black room. she dared not light even a candle. It mattered little. She stood still for a moment, allowing the room’s darkness to sink into her eyes. Then, she moved to the loose floorboard and moved it aside and lifted the silk package that lay within.
The sounds of the shambling creatures outside startled her for a moment, but only for a moment. She held her breath and waited for the shadows to move away. Even from here, she could smell their rotting flesh. She had to bite her lip when she saw a portion of the shadow drop away and heard the fleshy plop hit the wooden floor.
When she was certain she was alone again, she peeled away the silk wrapping, revealing to her fingers the cool, smooth surface of a black glass mirror. She set the silk aside and caressed its surface with her fingertips.
She brought it close to her lips and whispered, “It is I, daughter of secrets. Your mistress and servant.”
As her words fell on the black glass, the mirror began to flow with a dark light. Kachiko looked about to make certain no one - or no thing - saw the growing dark aura.
The mirror whispered to her. She listened and obeyed, for there are times when even a Bayushi must obey. The short knife was hidden in the folds of her kimono. She ran the blade oh-so-delicately across her palm, biting her lop to keep herself from making a sound. Three drops of blood spilled into the mirror and they seemed to burn as they touched the obsidian, flashing in the darkness.
“I need to see the past,” she whispered to the mirror.
The obsidian mirror’s black color swirled into a kaleidoscope of colors and flashes a Kachiko wrapped her palm with the cotton she brought from her room, but her eyes never left the mirror’s flashing images.
“All of this is my fault,” she said softly. “It was my poison that made the Emperor weak. I allowed the Black Scrolls to be found. Now, the Dark One possesses his body and these foul things walk the corridors of the Imperial Palace. I need to see the beginning. There must be something that I have forgotten.”
And in the matter of minutes, two years passed. Two years through the face of an obsidian mirror...
Two years ago, the Empire of Rokugan was at peace. A youthful, but naive Emperor sat on the Emerald Throne and the six Great Clans served his will without question. The treacherous Scorpion Clan had been crushed for their insolent attempt at a coup, and to end the Bayushi line, the Emperor killed their champion and married his wife Kachiko.
Soon afterward, a mysterious plague began to strike down the peasantry of the Empire. The plague spread quickly, and soon, the Emperor himself fell to the sickness. Not even the sorcery of Rokugan’s most powerful shugenja could break his fever. Then, the Emperor’s chief magistrate - the Emerald Champion - was found dead in his home, his ear bubbling with poison.
The Emperor had no heir. His hold on life was slipping by the day. The rumblings of war began to creep across Rokugan’s peaceful countryside. Each Clan prepared for war, and in the Imperial Palace, Bayushi Kachiko watched the Clans who crushed her family move against each other through her obsidian mirror while she prepared the next dose of poison for her paralyzed husband...
Kachiko walked down the ancient corridor, her footfalls making no sound, leaving no wake of disturbed dust behind her. When she reached the end of the hall, she stopped and stood still, her eyes closing, her fists clenched.
“If there are fewer than seven,” she whispered, her words echoing around her in the small corridor, “all is lost.”
The she turned left, to the stones of the wall. She counted three stones from the gate along the bottom and four stones up. She twisted and pulled until the latch gave way and the concealed panel slid aside. Then she pushed against the two heavy doors, amazed at how easily they opened for her. The night wind swept into the corridor, and for a moment, she was blinded by the swirling dust. When her vision cleared, she saw them and smiled.
“Welcome to Otosan Uchi,” she said, her voice ringing in the air.
They rushed in, and she saw that one of them was covered with blood. Two Phoenix maidens gently put him on the floor as his blood spilled into the dust.
“What...?” Kachiko began.
“Be silent, mother of lies!” shouted the older maiden.
Kachiko’s eyes grew narrow, but a warm hand fell on her shoulder. She turned and saw the ronin. “He clings to life by a thread. Take care.”
She shook her head. “No. This is not right. It must be only us. Only the seven and...”
“...and Shinsei,” whispered a cloaked figure from the shadow. Kachiko’s eyes widened and his own gleamed in the darkness.
“...and Shinsei,” she mumbled.
The hooded figure stepped forward. “She is right,” he said to the two Phoenix maidens. “You must leave him. We must walk alone, or we violate our destiny.”
“NO!” the older maiden screamed, tears running down her eyes, but the younger took her hand.
She cannot have seen more than ten seasons, Kachiko thought as she watched her gently pull the older maiden to her knees. “Tsukune, we must leave him now. Leave him with the Thunders.”
“Leave him with her!” Tsukune cried, pointing at Kachiko.
“We also leave him with Shinsei and the others. We all play our parts, Tsukune. We have played ours. Now it is their time. Let him go.”
Tsukune nodded and stood, adjusting the swords in her obi. She let the girl turn her away, but she took one last look at the wounded Phoenix Thunder and then looked at Kachiko. “All of this is your fault, Scorpion. All of it. I swear, lady of lies, if you live and he dies, I will teach you about revenge.”
Then the Thunders stood alone with Shinsei. Again.
There was a long stretch of silence as the Crane and the Crab lifted the shugenja to his feet. The Jade of the Crab’s hand lit the room as it came close to the corrupt Master, who winced from its light.
“Let me,” said the Unicorn.
“No, let me.” Kachiko took the weight of the wounded Phoenix onto her shoulders. He whispered from under his mask, “Do not listen to Tsukune. She is a samurai, a little too brash and a little too courageous.”
“She is a woman in love, Tadaka-san,” Kachiko replied. “I know precisely how dangerous she can be.”
“So do I,” said the Crane as he helped her hold up the wounded Phoenix. Kachiko’s gaze dropped to the floor.
Shinsei walked before them in the dust-filled darkness. He turned to the entrance and smiled under his cowl. “Ah, I was wondering when you were going to arrive.” The slick black flight of a crow flashed over the Thunders’ heads and landed on Shinsei’s shoulder.
“Now we are ready.”
Shinsei and his crow, Kachiko thought, all the childhood stories of the two cunning tricksters coming back to her from the past. She looked around and saw their eyes and knew the others were thinking the same. Then her eyes fell on a hand of black glass, and her smile was lost.
I will pay for my crimes tonight, she thought. Then she felt the wet cough of the Phoenix, and shuddered. Perhaps we will all pay.
From ahead she heard a distant laughter. The all stopped. All but Shinsei. His stride never broke. His crow called to them from his shoulder, urging them on.
“I am not afraid,” whispered the Unicorn.
“We are all afraid, battle maiden,” the Lion whispered as he stepped forward, following Shinsei and his crow. “But so is the thing that waits for us.”
The Thunders moved on, following Shinsei through the darkness. From up ahead, she heard the crow caw again.
The last time the Thunders walked with Shinsei, she thought, only the Scorpion returned.
She spoke aloud. “Not this time.” All the Thunders looked at her, but she kept her eyes forward, following the man with the crow, as they walked deeper into the darkness.
For two years, it has been building. Finally the storm has broken.
All the prophecies have come to pass. One Clan - the Phoenix - has fallen. Abuse of the dark powers made available to them has corrupted the entire Clan until only two remain. Another Clan - the Crab - has been redeemed. Having turned their back on the power of the Shadowlands, they are now led by the son of the Great Bear, Hida Yakamo. His jade hand is a symbol of their renewed strength and devotion to the Empire.
Now all that remains is the final test. Seven heroes, led by the hooded descendant of Shinsei, must face the darkest of all evils; Fu Leng. These “Seven Thunders” are Rokugan’s last hope. If they fail here, all of Rokugan will be plunged into an eternity of darkness. This is the moment thousands of L5R fans have been waiting for. For two years we have watched the story unfold, and at GenCon ‘97 the fate of the Emerald Empire will be decided.
Once and for all.