Secrets of the Empire (RPG)

Secrets of the Empire Cover

Secrets of the Empire explores the Minor Clans, ronin, the Brotherhood of Shinsei, and the Imperial families. It presents information concerning these groups, including an exhaustive list of Rokugan's Minor Clans, the political intrigue of the Imperial families, and much more detail on the workings of the Empire's wave men and the Brotherhood of Shinsei, and the Spirit Realms. It was released on July 2013.

Credits

• Written by: Kevin Blake, Marie Brennan, Shawn Carman, Robert Denton, Robert Hobart, Kim Hosmer, Dave Laderoute, Maxime Lemaire, Seth Mason, Monjoni Osso, Ryan Reese, Thomas Willoughby
• Edited by: Robert Hobart
• Art Director: Shawn Carman & Robert Hobart
• Cover Design: Robert Denton
• Cover Artist: Veronica V. Jones
• Layout: Robert Denton
• Original Graphic Design: Edge Entertainment
• Artists: Aaron Acevedo, Christopher Appel, Steve Argyle, Matthew S. Armstrong, Drew Baker, beet, Steven Belledin, Noah Bradley, Theresa Brandon, Heather Bruton, Manuel Calderon, Sergio Camarena, Mike Capprotti, Brent Chumley, Storn A. Cook, Ed Cox, Jose Cua, Max Degen, John Donahue, Lino Drieghe, Pam Eklund, Randy Elliott, Jason Engle, Shen Fei, Sam Flegal, Felipe Gaona, Anthony Grabski, Ancor Gil Hernandez, Hector Herrera, Andy Hepworth, Jeff Himmelman, Jon Hodgson, David Horne, Lisa Hunt, Llyn Hunter, Janine Johnston, Jaime Jones, Jason Juta, Michael Komarck, Heather Kreiter, Greg Lambrakis, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, Iordanis Lazaridis, Alayna Lemmer, April Lee, Eric Lofgren, Asier Martinez Lopez, Jorge Matar, Thomas Manning, Britt Martin, Patrick McEvoy, Dieter Miller, Jake Murray, Justin Norman, William O'Connor, Andrew Olson, Glen Osterberger, Chris Ostrowski, Immar Palomera, Ben Peck, Joshua Pinkas, Eric Polak, Mark Poole, Erich Schreiner, Adam Schumpert, Chris Seaman, Jazz Siy, Lee Smith, Florian Stitz, Nikolay Stoyanov, Imaginary Friends Studios, Gong Studios, A.C. Swedberg, Julien Tainmont-Pierrat, Mario Wibisono, Brad Williams, Jarreau Wimberly, Matt Zeilinger
• Artists - Uncredited: Doug Kovacs, Eric David Anderson, Adam Denton, Paul (Prof.) Herbert, MuYoung Kim, Oliver Specht, Rebekah Norris, Tim Gerstmar, Diego Gisbert Llorens, Angga Satriohadi, Jeff Hill, Slawomir Maniak, Thomas Denmark, Anthony Hightower, Mike Jackson, Malcolm McClinton
• Production Manager: David Lepore
• Senior Brand Manager: Todd Rowland
• Chief Executive Officer: John Zinser
• Playtesters: Team 1 (Dave Smith, Patrick Chen, Aien Elmi, Jason Kang, Ki Chang Kim, Roger Liang, Arthur Nguyen); Team 4 (Becca Hobart, Kevin Blake, Todd Stites, Daniel Briscoe); Team 6 (Timar Long, Erykah Fasset, Chad Kirby, Mike Brodu, Maxime Lemaire, Ray Rupp); Team 7 (Jason Shafer, Nathan Shafer, Matt Strout, Liza Strout, Joe White, Terry Moore, Eric Newlin); Team 8 (Edward Reynolds, Brebouillet Mathieu, David Whitney, Richard Whitney, Stuart Biggs, Robert Knight); Team 8b (Michael Hill, Shane Pheeney, Chaedy Ritherdon, Tarl Cowly); Team 8c (Thomas Atwood, Ryan Castilla, Henry Joiner, Brandon Woodmen); Team 17 (Tom Lewis, Jamie Kipp, Gavin O’Hearn, Shawn MacLean, John Taylor); Team 18 (Dave Laderoute, Mike Clark, Chris Talarico, Chris Masdea, Lee Vollum, Richard Hewitt, Bill Hrenchuck); Team 19 (Charles Caswell, Vincent Stantion, Eddie Sweeden, Chuck Sweeden, Justin Cross, Fox Whitworth); Team 20 (Matt Tyler, Timothy Hill, Stephen Mumford, Matthew Linkswiler, Paul Casagrande, Robert Zapf); Team 21 (James Freeman-Harris, Sarah Koz, David Wright, James Mosingo); Team 22 (Scott Shepard, Dawn Dalton, Andrew Doud, Justin Davidson, Jon Huskey, Trista Lillis); Team 23 (James Wagner, Kevin Pason, Ryan Bataglia, Chris Foster, Jim Friedman, Jason Whiston, Phil Jenicek, Dan Sulin, Izzy Lombardi-Friedman); Team 24 (Tony Love, Kassandra Mullin, Brian Tieken, Kimberly Wajer-Scott, Phillip Scott, Nicholas Love, Jerry Fleenor, Patrick Williams) Jim Friedman, Izzy Friedman, Jay Becknell, Mandy Spice, Daniel Slater

Table of Contents (page 2)

Kuronada

Introduction (page 6)

• Fiction with Seppun Munenori and his son visiting Dragonfly lands.
• What is this Book?

Chapter One: The Way of the Minor Clans (page 8)

• Fiction with Suzume Honto defending his lands from a Scorpion invasion, and the timely arrival of of Wasp and Fox forces.
• What are Minor Clans?
• Creating a Minor Clan
  • The Lost Minor Clans
• The Badger Clan
  • Fiction with Ichiro Kohiro defending the Path of Woe from the Army of Fire.
  • The History of the Badger Clan
    • The Founding of the Badger
    • Ten Centuries of Quiet
    • The Rise of Hideo no Oni
    • Rebuilding
    • The War of Dark Fire and Modern Times
  • Lands of the Badger
    • Life in the Mountains
    • The Path of Woe
  • Fortresses of the Badger
    • Shiro Ichiro
    • The Fortress of Teeth
    • The Scowl
    • The Shrine of Ryoshun
  • Vassal Families
  • Badger Customs and Traditions
• The Bat Clan
  • Fiction with Komori Maku rescuing lost samurai in the jungles of the Colonies.
  • The History of the Bat Clan
  • Lands of the Bat Clan
    • Kyuden Komori
    • Lost Traveler Village
  • Bat Clan Vassal Families
  • Customs and Traditions of the Bat Clan
• The Boar Clan
  • Fiction with Hida Kenzen and his son Hida Ichiro traveling the Twilight Mountains.
  • The History of the Boar Clan
  • The Destruction of the Boar
  • The Lands of the Boar Clan
    • Shiro Heichi
  • Customs of the Boar Clan
• The Dragonfly Clan
  • Fiction with Matsu Usao being stuck by the Dragonfly in his request of an audience with Mirumoto Taguchi.
  • The History of the Dragonfly
    • The Battle of Kyuden Tonbo
    • Yakutsu's Revenge
    • The Dragon Emissaries
  • The Dragonfly Lands
    • Kyuden Tonbo
  • Vassals Families of the Dragonfly
  • Customs and Traditions

Ujina Saionji

• The Hare Clan
  • Fiction with Ujina Tsuda capturing the bandit gang led by Tsubaki.
  • The Tale of the Bloodspeaker Siege
  • History of the Hare Clan
    • Siege of Shiro Usagi
    • Restoring the Hare
    • The Ujina family and the Modern Hare
  • Lands of the Hare Clan
    • Shiro Usagi
    • Kudo
    • Meidochi
  • Customs of the Hare

Usagi Heiji

• The Monkey Clan
  • Fiction with Toku Torao sacrificing herself to destroy a bandit gang.
  • History of the Monkey Clan
  • Lands of the Monkey Clan
    • Toku Torid-e
    • Shinden Fuzake
  • Vassals Families of the Monkey
  • Customs of the Monkey Clan

Oriole Katana

• The Oriole Clan
  • Fiction with Toku Torao sacrificing herself to destroy a bandit gang.
  • The History of the Oriole Clan
    • Vassals of the Emperor
    • Born from Darkness: The Founding of the Oriole
    • The Oriole's Plumage
  • The Lands of the Tsi
    • Tsi Uchi
    • Kyuden Tsi
    • The Ruins of Otosan Uchi
    • East Hub Village Estates
    • West Hub Village Estates
  • Oriole Clan Customs

Morito Inoue

• The Ox Clan
  • Fiction with Morito Tsuchide and her quest for tracking down a gang leader named Chiriyo.
  • The History of the Ox Clan
  • The Lands of the Ox Clan
    • Shiro Morito
    • Red Horn Village
    • The Western Keep
    • Mountain's Bounty Village
  • Vassal Families of the Ox
  • Customs of the Ox Clan

Ox Sentry

• The Sparrow Clan
  • Fiction with Seppun Iyboshi and his suitor Suzume Kayo.
  • The History of the Sparrow
    • The Suzume
    • The Twelfth Century: Alliances
    • The Spider Infiltration
  • The Lands of the Sparrow Clan
    • Kyuden Suzume
    • The Plains of the Golden Sun
  • Vassal Families of the Sparrow
  • Life in the Valley
• The Tortoise Clan
  • Fiction with Doji Toru and his beloved Matsu Shiko, who asked Kasuga Yaniko forged documents to endorse their marriage.
  • The History of the Tortoise Clan
    • The True Role of the Tortoise
  • The Lands of the Tortoise Clan
    • Otosan Uchi
    • Distant Turtle City
    • Kaya Mori
    • Kameyama Jima
  • Vassal Families of the Tortoise
  • Nature and Customs of the Tortoise

Chapter Two: The Imperial Families (page 104)

Hantei

• Fiction with Otomo Koji and his political maneuvers in the Ministry of Protocols.
• The History of the Imperial Families
• The Hantei Family
  • Hantei Succession and Other Conventions
  • The Hantei and Shinseism
  • The Imperial Mon
• The Toturi Family
  • The Children of Toturi I
  • The End of the Toturi Dynasty
  • The Legacy of the Toturi Dynasty
• The Iweko Family
  • The Future of the Iweko Dynasty
• The Seppun Family
  • Protectors of the Emperor
  • Advocates of Shinseism
  • Seppun Vassal Families

Toturi Tsudao

• The Otomo Family
  • The Serpents in the Garden
  • Other Roles of the Otomo
  • The Imperial Bureaucracy
    • The Ministry of Exchange
    • The Ministry of Service
    • The Ministry of Territories
    • The Ministry of Justice
    • The Ministry of Martial Levies
    • The Imperial Archives
    • The Ministry of Proclamations and Protocols
  • The Otomo in History
  • Otomo Vassal Families
• The Miya Family
  • The Imperial Heralds
  • Other Duties of the Miya
  • Miya's Blessing
  • Miya Vassal Families

Chapter Three: The Way of the Ronin (page 125)

Tamahime

• Fiction with the ronin Uesho during the gempukku of his daughter Nari.
• Wave-Men Through Rokugan's History
  • Sun Tao
  • Tsunetomo's Watch
  • The Kaeru family and the City of the Rich Frog
  • The Yotsu family
  • Nanashi Mura

Toturi's Battle Standard

• • Toturi's Army
    • Ronin in the Reign of Toturi I
  • Tamago and the Legion of Two Thousand
• Notable Ronin Factions
  • The Thousand
  • The Disciples of Sun Tao
  • The Wolf Legion
  • The Legion of Two Thousand
  • The Order of Isashi
  • The Order of the Five Weapons

Junji

• The Clans and Wave-Men
  • Rural Ronin
  • Urban Ronin
  • The Warrior's Way
  • The Forgotten Coin: the Fu

Chapter Four: The Brotherhood of Shinsei (page 152)

Shinsei

• Fiction with Shinjo Itigawa seeking wisdom from the monk Koryu.
• The History of the Brotherhood of Shinsei
  • The Tale of Someisa
  • The Gozoku Era
  • The Five Rings Heresy
  • The Steel Chrysanthemum
  • The Great Famine
  • The Redemption of Hantei XXII
  • Fighting the Bloodspeaker
  • The Emperor Monk
  • The Battle of Thunder Plain
  • The Hooded Ronin
  • The Conflicts with Hitomi
  • The New Tao
  • Rosoku

Rosoku

• Organization and Hierarchy of the Brotherhood
  • The Origin of Sects in the Brotherhood
  • Who Becomes a Monk?
  • The Life of a Monk
  • Koans
• Major Sects of the Brotherhood
  • Shintao
  • Fortunist
  • Lotus
  • Questioners
  • The Shingon/Shinmaki Sect
• The Major Brotherhood Orders
  • The Four Temples
  • The Shrine of the Seven Thunders
  • The Temple of Kaimetsu-uo
  • The Temple of Osano-Wo
  • The Temple of the Thousand Fortunes

Wandering Monk

• The Lesser Brotherhood Orders
  • The Acolytes of the Incorruptible
  • Autumn Leaf Temple
  • The Barefoot Brethren
  • The Followers of the Way
  • The Order of Heroes
  • The Order of Peaceful Repose
  • Penitents of the Empty Hand
  • Pure Song Shrine
  • Rising Earth Temple
  • Scholars of the First Dawn
  • Shrine of the Sacred Emperors
  • The Silent Ones
  • The Sons of the Moon
  • The Temple of the Five-Fold Balance
• Heresy in Rokugan
  • The Anshin sect and the Cult of Lord Moon
  • The Order of the Five Rings
  • Fudo
  • The Order of the Spider
  • The Order of Venom

Chapter Five: The Spirit Realms (page 182)

Eye of the Needle

• Fiction with Kitsu Mokuna communing with his ancestor Soli Tendo.
• The Nature of the Spirit Realms
  • Travel Between Realms
  • Control and Jealousy
• Chikushudo, the Realms of Animals
• Gaki-do, the Realm of the Hungry Dead
  • Amaterasu's Furnace

Jigoku

• Jigoku, the Realm of Evil
  • Jigoku after Daigotsu's Ascension
  • The Dark Fortunes
• Maigo no Musha, the Realm of the Thwarted Destiny
• Meido, the Realm of Waiting
  • Meido and the Five Ancient Races
• Sakkaku, the Realm of Mischief
• Tengoku, the Celestial Heavens
  • Tengoku during the Age of Man
• Toshigoku, the Realm of Slaughter
• Yomi, the Realm of the Blessed Ancestors
  • The Blessed Guard
• Yume-do, the Realm of Dreams
  • Yumeji, a Detailed Look

Appendix (page 228)

Fushicho

• New Heritage Tables
  • Minor Clans Heritage Table
  • Brotherhood of Shinsei Heritage Table
  • Ronin Heritage Tables
  • Imperial Families Heritage Tables
• New Game Mechanics
  • New Ronin Mechanics
    • Generic Ronin
  • New Spell: Dart of Void
  • New Minor Clan Mechanics
    • The Ichiro Pass Wardens
    • The Dragonfly Advisor
    • The Fuzake Shugenja School
    • The Ox Clan Vigilant
    • The Suzume Storytellers
    • The Tortoise Killers
  • New Weapon: The Sling
  • GM's Toolbox: Alternate Weapon-Forging Rules
  • New Imperial Families Mechanics
    • Satoshi's Legacy
    • The Seppun Hidden Guard
  • New Brotherhood of Shinsei Mechanics
  • New Ancestors
    • Otomo
    • Seppun
    • Miya
    • Ichiro Fureheshu
    • Komori Iongi
    • Hida Heichi
    • Tonbo Kuyuden
    • Usagi Reichin
    • Toku
    • Tsi
    • Morito Garin
    • Doji Suzume
    • Agasha Kasuga
    • Sun Tao
    • Chiroru
    • Miyuko
    • Chiroru
    • Sakura
    • Mizumoto
    • Togashi Kaze