House of the Jade Lantern

Faces of Rokugan

There are many faces in the vast and legendary history of the Emerald Empire. Many forces are at work; many interests at hand.

The NPCs below are or were featured in the author’s house campaign. Specific details are left out at this time to minimize the amount of damage control for Storytellers who might be planing the same or similar fare.

The Crab Clan

Gunso-sensei Basho – Gunso-sensei Basho presents a small figure, somewhat stooped like a Rokugani farmer. His hair is pulled into a traditional samurai topknot, and he appears to be well past his age of retirement. Basho has not served “active duty” in some time, having “retired” to the Wall to “advise” the troops. In truth, Basho continues to do what Basho has done since a very early age: he trains Tage soldiers for combat. Additionally, Basho has trained many of the Tage’s elite. “Gunso-sensei” is a self-bestowed title – one which most Tage know without question…

“Your spear is wrong, Tage-sama…correct it before some oni corrects you!“
“Hai sensei!“
“Sensei? Do I look like I own a ryu (school) to you, samurai-sama?“
“No. Gunso-sensei Basho!“

The Tortoise Clan

Tento Matoe – Daimyo of the Tortoise Clan, Matoe-sama is a short, stocky man with a simple, rough look enhanced by his coarse silk kimono and simple style. His left eye is covered by an embroidered path, but he is known to be an expert swordsman and a methodical tactician.

Tento Rengejo – The son of Matoe-sama, Tento Rengejo oversees the northern province of the Tortoise Clan lands. Rengejo has penned several powerful haikus praising Bushido and valor in battle.

Dage Yoshihide – Shugenja to the Tortoise Daimyo. A cryptic, wizened little man who defends himself with a heavy bo staff and his powerful scrolls.

The Sparrow Clan

Suzume Chitoku – Daimyo of the Sparrow Clan, Suzume is a veteran general and tactician. He demands much of his samurai and more of his heimin. Chitoku-sama is widely respected among the Lion.

Suzume Kaishu – Younger brother to Chitoku-sama, Kaishu governs the southmost province of Sparrow Lands from Shiro no Sansharro (“Iron Wing Castle”). Kaishu is known to be an aggressive, desirous and – fatally so – inattentive. Kaishu-sama was given the opportunity to commit seppuku, and therefore redeem himself. It is to the further shame of the Sparrow that Kaishu instead turned traitor and supported the Ant Bandits for reasons which have yet to be revealed. He was finally put to death by Kituske Shuzento and Mirumoto Kunto.

The Mantis Clan

Ko Mein Ko – A merchant of some reputation, Ko Mein Ko holds the Mantis equivalent of chief karo to the Ko family daimyo. Ko Mein Ko is an insightful man in his late thirties. He maintains a fairly robust physique, standing a lithe but firm 5’5″. Typically dressed in fine, lightweight silks of greens and yellows, with reds and golds as highlights, Ko Mein Ko represents the Mantis well in dealing with other Rokugani. Ko Mein Ko maintains several estates, including a lavish compund high above Yama Ue No Ho Ni Umi Mura (Mountains Above Ocean Village) and a sleek pleasure barge (Chung Szu Ao, or Loyal Silk Tortoise” )for river travel. Additionally, Ko Mein Ko oversees the operation of several merchant vessels, including river and sea junks, with the captains reporting directly to him.

“Ko” – Ko is a simple manservant and domo to the Ko family. He uses no name other than that of the family he serves to show his total and complete devotion. At a medium height, Ko’s typical manner of dress is a single flowing robe of an exotic jungle silk, dyed a light tea green. The robe features a stiff, straight collar, and Ko wears a matching tea green brimless cap. Ko wears a medium length “Fu Manchu” beard and long mustache, and has a habit of tucking his arms crosswise, hidden inside the large green sleeves.

The Phoenix

Asako Fuhijo – Daimyo of Aoijiro Oku Shiro and Seioku-sanmyaku, Fuhijo-sama grew ill and pale, his sleep and health sapped by the invisible intruder known only as “the Eyes”. Asako Fuhijo survived due to the timely intervention of a group of Imperial Magistrates.

Asako Kumpei – Shugenja to the Phoenix daimyo Asako Fuhijo, Kumpei-san is baffled by the obviously sorcerous intruder. The salvation of his lord and master seems beyond the means of his magic.

Asako Hidemisa – Like his daimyo, Hidemisa-san – general to Asako Fuhijo – fears for what may happen to the Province should the daimyo or the Pale Oak grow worse.

Independents

Not all masterless men are Ronin, and not all those who have masters serve the Clans. Here, then, are those whose agendas are a bit off from the rest.

“Grandfather” Green Eyes – A small, cryptic little monk. Green Eyes is named so for his dancing, deep, bright green eyes – or seemingly so. He dresses in a rough green kimono of some course material, and wears a large straw hat. A small iron pot hangs by it’s handle from the top of his pole, although it is more often seen over a fire boiling rice. Green Eyes also has a strange green dragon-like tattoo twining about his forearm, just below his elbow. The few who see this mark assume the monk to be Ise Zumi, though Green Eyes himself has never confirmed nor denied this. A sparse, long beard scraggles down from his wizened face, and many who meet him take to calling him “Grandfather” of their own volition.

The Gray Man – Tall and bone thin, the self-proclaimed Gray Man served a dark, nameless master. While the Gray Man did not reek of the Shadowlands, his bent was obviously to evil, although a strange, morally ambiguous evil it seemed to be. Able to appear and leave in a seeping, twisting cloud of gray smoke, the Gray Man dressed his emaciated frame in grayish robe of simple cloth. On most occasions, he held his arms out far from his body, gesturing frequently with broad sweeps and arm twists. Odd blackish-red kanji appeared on each palm – always changing to present a dark koan to any who face him. The kanji seemed to highlight his words, and always he spoke of death, the Kharmic Wheel, the plight and eventual revenge of the heimin upon the samurai. While he had a high position among the leaders of the Mountain Uprising, the Gray Man denied being the true leader.

Scorpion Clan

Bayushi Kobo – A nearly emaciated mand, short of stature, Kobo wraps himself in a kimono that seems to be made for a man much larger than he. As one might expect, he is almost painfully polite, and always quite helpful. Bayushi Kobo attended to some discussions in the lands of the Dragon, at the House of the Plum Garden.

Bayushi Ryu – A quiet, thin man, Ryu-san says little. His eyes, however, seem to take in everything. He acts as yojimbo (bodyguard) to Kobo-sama, the senior courtier.