The Design Team has handed over the next expansion to Legend of the Five Rings, which will be titied Crimson & Jade. The first three expansions, Shadowlands, Forbidden Knowledge and Anvil of Despair are still available in many stores, though quantities are limited. Crimson & Jade will be released in April. It will consist of about 150 cards, and will appear in both booster packs and new Stronghold decks. Crimson & Jade also marks the introduction of two new factions in the struggle for control of the Emerald Empire.

During the desperate last stand of Daidoji Uji and the Crane Clan samurai in the valley of the Asahina Temples, the Crane Clan Champion, Doji Hoturi, opened the coffers of the Crane to recruit, train and equip legions of mercenary samurai from the minor Clans of the Empire. This action has enabled the Mantis Clan, long known for their unconventional standards of warfare and honor, to emerge as a powerful new force in the Empire. The Mantis do not expect to be able to rule the Empire - they do not seek the throne, but they now have the political and military strength to demand a role in the selection of the next Dynasty. In game terms, if the Mantis achieve victory, they will elevate themselves to Great Clan status and.become leaders in the Imperial Assembly.

Since the founding of the Empire, various sects of Monks have venerated and studied the Tao of Shinsei, seeking wisdom in the ancient writings. During that dark hour when Fu Leng took possession of the body of the last Hantei Emperor, messengers traveled from one secluded monastery to the next. For the first time in the history of the Empire, the Monks have decided to take direct adUon to carry out the will of Shinsei. They stand unalterably opposed to the evil of the Dark One, and will stop at nothing to purge his vile essence from the world. The Monks do not seek to place one of their own on the throne, but they do insist that they play a role in the selection of the next Emperor. In game terms, when the Monks are victorious, they have convinced the Great Clans to heed their counsel and their wisdom in the selection of the next Dynasty.

There are also other forces at work within the Empire that will have a long lasting impact on the game. We have received a constant stream of letters, faxes and email over the past months urging us to provide information on what the future of the game will be. The most exciUng announcement that we can make at this point is that there will be a new miniseries L5R expansion scheduled for the end of 1997.

This miniseries, tentatively titled "The Scorpion Clan Coup," will take place before the existing storyline and will cover in depth the events which lead up to the Clan War. This will give players an opportunity to see younger versions of familiar personalities, like Akodo Toturi the famous Lion Clan Champion, and an opportunity to see why the Scorpion Clan was powerful enough to believe they could take the throne by force. The miniseries is scheduled to release with new cards in three 50 to 75 card installments in October, November and December. Our plans also call for additional L5R expansion products in 1998 and beyond, and work is progressing on a new story arc and a completely new game that will feature characters from the cunent storyline adventuring in a strange new land.

Also look for the exciting new L5R Role Playing Game, published by the Alderac Entertainment Group under license from Five Rings Publishing Group. The first RPG products will be on store shelves in April, with additional releases monthly.

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