Jewels of the Empire

The term Jewels of the Empire was used to refer to the six most powerful servants of the Emperor of Rokugan, each of whom was known as a Champion and was associated with a specific gem, including the emerald, jade, topaz, ruby, amethyst and turquoise, thus giving rise to the term. Each Champion had a specific task to fulfill in the Empire, and the Champion was usually (although not always) chosen through a tournament that was designed to produce a winner who was the most skilled practicioner of a certain art vital to the Empire's administration.

The Champions

• The Emerald Champion, currently Utaku Ji-Yun.
  • The Emerald Champion was the leader of the Empire's Emerald Magistrates and the yojimbo or bodyguard of the Emperor.

• The Jade Champion, currently Asahina Nanae.
  • The Jade Champion was charged with overseeing the use of all magic in the Empire. The Jade Champion was the leader of the Empire's Jade Magistrates. The Jade Champion was always the foremost hunter of maho-tsukai, the foul practicioners of blood magic, in the Empire.

• The Topaz Champion, currently Kaiu Onizuka.
  • The Topaz Champion was the holder of a mostly prestigious title with no actual responsibility. It was granted to the winner of the Topaz Championship, the yearly gempukku tournament considered to be the most prestigious in the Empire.

• The Ruby Champion, currently Tsuruchi Nobukatsu.
  • The Ruby Champion was the Sensei to the Emerald Magistrates, teaching them kenjutsu, the art of the sword, and the dictates of Imperial Law.

• The Amethyst Champion, currently Yoritomo Minori
  • The Amethyst Champion was charged with protecting the gaijin magical item known as the Crown of the Amethyst Champion and distributing its blessings to the people of the Empire. The Crown brought its possessor extraordinary glory and wealth, which the Amethyst Champion was expected to use to better the lives of the Empire's people. The Crown was lost once more.

• The Turquoise Champion, currently Doji Tatsuki
  • The Turquoise Champion was expected to sponsor art and beauty throughout the Empire in whatever manner suited to the artisan in question, then relinquish the position to another artist judged the best in Rokugan after a year.

• The Pearl Champion.
  • The Pearl Champion was responsible for maintaining relations and familiarity with the Naga and their activities within the Empire.

Yearly championships

In 1172 the Empress Iweko I proclaimed that all of the Jeweled Championships would hold on an annual basis. The current Champions would not be stepped down, but the winners would get the opportunity to be added to the ranks of the Jeweled Champions, adding valuable assets in their organizations.

Dark Champions

In addition to the five Champions, Daigotsu, the former Dark Lord of the Shadowlands and current Master of Jigoku, the Realm of Evil, created the position of the Obsidian Champion, the Lost's equivalent of Rokugan's Emerald Champion. The position of Obsidian Champion is vacant after the death of Daigotsu Hotako.

In 1170, Daigotsu created the position of Onyx Champion. The Onyx Champion would act as the foremost priest of Fu Leng and as the chief shugenja of the Spider Clan, answerable to only the Spider Clan Champion and the Obsidian Champion. The first Onyx Champion was Isawa Fosuta. The current Onyx Champion is  Yogo Ameiko.

Following the Spider Clan's joining with the Empire as a Great Clan these positions were stations of the Shadowlands alone.

References

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