From sprawling coastline estates to towering fortresses, Rokugani castles are centers of power for the clans that control them. Beyond acting as military strongholds, these beacons of Imperial culture act as the battlegrounds for clashes of political discourse, where the fate of the empire may be decided by a mere handful of courtiers. Here, nobles spin their intrigues, hiding treachery behind a smile as they plot to destroy their enemies with a well-placed lie, a cunning alliance, or spies, shinobi, and assassins in every shadow. Now, as the world of Rokugan continues to open before you in the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game, you have the chance to put your wits and diplomacy to the test like never before.
In the first section of this sourcebook, you are introduced to the varied Imperial strongholds that stand scattered across Rokugan. Here, you will find instructions for building your own architectural marvel, as well as sample castles that highlight the unique priorities of each clan. For example, the Dragon Clan’s Shiro Kitsuki guards the one easy path through the mountains with gatehouses filled with puzzles and traps to train Dragon cadets and confound attackers, while the Phoenix Clan’s Kyūden Asako is dedicated to healing and comfort, encompassing hot springs with an ancient, but lovingly restored castle where scholarship thrives.
Beyond the castles themselves, this section also provides more information on the Crane Clan than ever before, examining their lands and traditions and granting you deeper insight into the diplomatic skills that have elevated them to the position of Left Hand of the Emperor. By learning from these masters of the court, you can take control of the political landscape, and ensure that the status of your clan is secure as you shape the future of the Emerald Empire to your design.
Unity and Division
The second section of Courts of Stone focuses on the new player options found in the sourcebook. Among these you will find new player schools and techniques, including rhetorical shūji, stealthy ninjutsu, and courtly rituals. It also introduces the warriors and courtiers of a new minor faction to the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game, the Deer Clan.
The Deer Clan serves the Empire as a guardian of balance. Through divine vision, they uncover the threads of futures yet to come, and through artful stealth, they weave or sever these ties to ensure that order is maintained. They can tie alliances between the Great Clans or unravel them as soon as any one faction becomes too powerful. Through subtle manipulation, the Deer Clan seek to preserve power balances, and this means that at times, the weak must rise and the mighty must fall. With the rules included in Courts of Stone, you can create your own characters hailing from this clan, acting indirectly to tip the scales of Fate as you see fit. While to the rest of the world you may appear meek or placid, only a fool would underestimate the power of small suggestion planted in the right ear.
The Winter Court
The liveliest time for political discourse and intrigue comes when the rest of the world is asleep. The winters of Rokugan bathe its landscape in a sea of snow, hampering agriculture, trade, and travel. While farmers and merchants take refuge from the cold in their homes, the aristocrats take part in the time-honored tradition of the Winter Court. Here, anything is possible as tensions between political power-players reach an all-time high. You may engage in daring duels, mysterious exploration, or tense investigation, all tied up in the schemes of the social elite.
Game Masters find the tools to unite the settings and characters of Courts of Stone into their own Winter Court scenario, as well as invaluable advice for running games of political intrigue and espionage, in the third section of the sourcebook, Games of Discourse. This section details new ways to spend experience and engage players with courts filled with memorable characters in intrigue-driven campaigns. With new rules for governing and resolving bonds, your characters will be able to forge deeper relationships than ever before, creating the perfect environment for players to discover their own true natures as loyalties are forged, tested, and betrayed.
If you want to try your hand at an adventure in this setting curated by Fantasy Flight Games, be sure to check out Winter’s Embrace, the pre-made companion adventure for Courts of Stone! In this adventure, an invitation to tea with a legendary member of the Crane Clan thrusts you into the thick of a devious scheme, where you must discover how certain members of the Mantis Clan secured an invitation to the exclusive event, and, more importantly, why they are there. Whether you choose to embark on this mission or one of your own creation, mystery and adventure are sure to await you in the Courts of Stone!
Wars of Words
Find your purpose and place in the world of Rokugan. Explore the castles of the Great Clans, navigate the courts with care, and shape the future of the Emerald Empire with the strength of your wits!