The Way of the Crane will be out soon, but we thought we would give you a preview of the Artisan class by including two of the sub-classes in the Herald. These new classes can stand alone, or be used as helpful NPCs for your campaign.

Kakita artisans can be found in all parts of the Empire. From Jesters to Storytellers, they are the forest creators of art and literature in Rokugan. It can be argued that the most famous graduates of the Kakita Academy are certainly the students of the art of the sword the famous Kakita lajitsu Masters, detailed in the first book of the Legend of the Five Rings RPG series.

The Kakita Academy teaches a variety of subjects, including the famous Iaijutsu duelists. Both of the artisans listed below as well as the lajutsu masters listed in the basic RPG are considered students of the Kakita Academy. The Crane consider the mastery of the sword to be like any other art. A duelist and a storyteller are considered with the same respect and admiration for their mastery of their respective arts Further Artisans, such as Acrobats, Poets, and Noh/Kabuki Actors, as well as their maya and abiliUes, will be available in the upcoming source book, Way of the Crane.

Kakita artisans (other than students of the laijutsu school) are neither a bushi nor a shugenja class, but are similar to the ise zumi detailed in the Way of the Dragon sourcebook. They do not have 'techniques,' per se, nor do they gain spells as a shugenja might. Artisans gain nu~ya abilities, as defined below, for each rank they rise within their school Characters made with the Kakita bushi school do not gain any of the maya abilities outlined below, nor can they choose to take an artisan maya in place of their normal school rank. Further, an Artisan has the school rank as defined by their insight, not by the number of maya which they have mastered in an art.

For example, Kakita Miyagi, a well-known Crane Clan Zoenka, might be a rank four Artisan, with the maya: Zoenka 1, 2 & 3, and Origami 1. Or, he might have mastered Zoenka 1 & 2, Poetry 1 and Origami 1; or Zoenka 1 & 2, and Poetry 1 & 2. ln any of these three cases, Kakita Miyagi is still considered a School Rank 4 character, and any rolls needing School Rank will consider him at the 4th level of ability. If an Artisan gains all three maya abilities from one specialization, they are considered to be a Master of that art.

When an Artisan begins at Rank 1, they gain the first maya ability of their specialization. When an artisan wishes to learn another maya they must return home after gaining enough insight to have acquired another School Rank, and entreat their Master to teach them further. Alternately, they may choose to learn the Rank 1 maya of another art, and will automatically gain the relevant skill. If the Artisan wishes to gain more expertise, however, they must purchase further levels in that skill.

Unless otherwise specified in the descriptions, each maya takes five minutes to perform. Art is a delicate matter, and requires the correct implements, creativity, and concentration.

Benefit: +1 Intelligence Skills: Courtier; Etiquette; Any one artistic skill (choice determined by the artisan's first school rank); Calligraphy; Lore: Myth and Legend; Any one High Skill Beginning Honor: 3, plus 5 boxes

The specializations are listed below in the following format: Art: The actual type of work for which the maya is a focus, and a brie' description of the art and its applications within society. Rank One (through Three): What the maya does, its effect and how it is used. Also, any limitations and drawbacks, if any, of the ability. In order to utilize the maya ability, the character must make a performance roll Intelligence + Skill and keeping Intelligence. Unless otherwise specified, all mayas last a number of hours equal to the artisan's school rank, and can be performed a number of times per day equal to the artisan's school rank.

The Target Number of the specific action which the character is attempting to perform will be determined by the Game Master, and the artisan may make a number of raises equal to their skill rank These raises may be used to increase the duration, accuracy, or other property of the artisan ability, as approved by the GM in each situation.

New Skills: Cooking, Gardening

These skills are designed to be used by Kakita artisans. However, it is not unreasonable for any character to have working knowledge of an art. These skills grant basic knowledge of how to perform the skill and what purposes the skill has in cultured situations. For example, a character with the Cooking skill would have a knowledge of food preparation, simple herbology and medicines, and a character with the Gardening skill would have knowledge of botany, herbal remedies and crops, as well as the ability to recognize plants These skills are considered High skills.

"Are you a bushi? - student
"No. I'm just the Cook"- Daidoji Seigaru

Ryorishi

Rokugani cooks are more than mere culinary specialists - they have full knowledge of herbs, flora and the uses of unusual spices. They are skilled not only in the preparation of food, but in the creation of antidotes and the detection of poisons.. Often, because of this unique position, they are a type of between-world figure, both samurai and house servant The greatest ryonshi in Rokugan have also been the greatest herbalists with their knowledge of remedies which cause sleep, healing, or even death, all with natural ingredients. A good Ryorishi can recognize poisons and toxins easily, allowing the noble whom he serves to rest in peace - as long as the chef is loyal.

Rank one: At this rank, the ryorishi is competent in most natural, herbal medicines, and can identify herbs and their uses on a successful skill roll. With a successful maya roll, they can create herbal medicines and minor toxins. Some examples include:

Medicine. heals 1 die of wound ranks with a daily application

Sleeping potion causes drowsiness,( -1 Awareness) for 1-3 hours.

Smokebomb a concoction of brightly burning herbs which burn with a massive amount of smoke and foul-smelling fumes.

Rank two: A second rank ryorishi can identify and create more potent substances. They may cause major changes in the bodys metabolic processes. These non-magical potions have a rather slow onset time, often taking ten minutes or more to take effect, but they can speed the metabolic rate, sharpen the senses, or cause the recipient to answer questions truthfully. Examples include:

General Antidote: Slows the progress of an unknown poison. This is designed to give the Ryorishi the time he will need to discover the actual poison which has been used, and create an antidote for it.

Sleeping draught If someone ingests this tasteless powder, they will be overcome by a wave of sleepiness within 10 times their Earth in minutes. Within twice this allotted time, the person who has taken the substance falls into a deep sleep for a number of hours equal to the artisan's school rank.

Truth serum: This substance will make the person who ingests it unable to speak a lie for a number of minutes equal to 10 x the artisan's school rank. A quick acting, potent drug, the effect will be obvious to the person who has ingested the powder, and the drug often leaves its imbiber with a foul taste in their mouth and a hint of nausea for as long as a day after the incident.

Paranoia elixir Within minutes of ingesting this liquid, the imbiber will begin to experience feelings of paranoia and nervousness. This drug can affect their reaction rate, slowing it to 1/2 of normal

Rank three: At this rank, the ryorishi can make a maya roll to create and identify natural poisons and toxins, both ingested and touch-based, and can create antidotes for all natural poisons with which the artisan is familiar. Note - this is not the full (Scorpion) ability to create toxins and elaborate poisons - this is merely a creation of organic substances which have adverse effects on the human body. These poisons are often weaker than alchemical concoctions, but are harder to identify. Gamemasters should keep in mind that poisons are not only extremely dishonorable, they are also extremely difficult to make. A Ryorishi is not a murderer, and they are not killers-for-hire. They are Artists, whose purpose rests in the honorable fulflllment of their duties. A few examples are:

Weariness After touching something coated with this substanoe, the recipient must roll of a number of dice equal to their Stamina against a target number of 20, or one ring other than Void (chosen by the maker of the substance) drops to 1 for a number of hours equal to the artisan's school rank This toxin takes 10 minutes to be fully active in the recipient's system.

Nausea If someone eats this substance, they must make a simple Stamina roll versus a target number of 20, or lose a number of wound ranks equal to the artisan's school rank. This effect cannot kill, but can incapacitate.. This toxin takes as long as 5 minutes to become fully active in the recipient's system, and lasts a number of days equal to school rank.

"Can you break a board with your hand?" - student
"Don't know. Never been attacked by tree." - Kakita Miyagi

Zoenka

Gardens in Rokugan are carefully cultivated, often requiring hours of intensive labor over many seasons. They are designed as small incarnations of the world, and display nature on a small scale. Moss, bamboo groves, maple trees and small streams are incorporated into the features of a garden, as well as flowering shrubs, wisteria and cherry trees. Groupings of rocks are a basic element of Rokugani gardens, representing mountains and often found at the center of the landscape. Arching bridges and carved stone lanterns provide touches of civilization within the boundaries of nature. Dripping fountains of water through bamboo pipes pour into pieces of bamboo called shishidoshi which move up and down as they fill and empty, striking against rocks with a rhythmic, soothing noise. Such intricate touches are the mark of a master zoenka. Strolling gardens are often built around teahouses and in the view of tremendous mountains or other natural features. Such gardens increase the beauty of the simple tea ceremony, and provide a certain solitude which is rare in the heavily populated cities of Rokugan.

Rank one: Zoenka have the ability to create simple sand gardens (kare sansui) in the bare earth, forming patterns of serenity and insight. Characters can meditate on these impromptu gardens for a half hour to regain all spent Void. The garden requires sand, some small rocks, and a few rounds of shaping. Such meditation will only affect an individual once per day. This does not require any skill role on either the artisan's part, or those using the garden.

Rank two: The zoenka has gained the ability to understand the nature of plants, and can meditate in order to speak freely with them. The preparation of this maya takes about a half hour, and the plant will have limited understanding of what has occurred in its area It can relay visual and sensory information: "Three men passed this way a short time ago. One was wearing blue" Or, "A woman in a white kimono sits beneath my branches every day when the sun is at its height" Plants have no ability to affect their surroundings, they cannot be bargained with, and they generally don't care too much about the human world. Once a zoenka has performed this maya on a single plant, he will be able to speak to that plant thereafter with a Intelligence + Skill roll TN 20, so long as he is within five feet of the plant.

Rank three: When the zoenka achieves Mastery of his art, he has the ability to travel within the plants themselves, passing from one to another as though no dislance separated the two Both Plants must be at least the size of the zoenka and he must make an Intelligence + Skdl roll TN 45, he gets a -5 to the target number for each month he has spent tending the plant he is traveling to (Minimum TN15) The gardener can only use this ability to pass between plants with which he is familiar - that is, both plants must have been tended for at least one week. A failed roll means that the Zoenka has failed, and cannot attempt this ability again for three days. Even when successful, he can perform this maya only once every three days, and the maya will only allow the Zoenka to travel between plants, with a minimum of clothing and items.

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