Something was wrong with the Emerald Empire. No-one wanted to admit it, but the unprecedented drought and famine had brought even the most well-stocked Clans to the edge of starvation. Something had to be done to ensure everyone’s survival.
Shugenja and oracles from across the Empire were brought to Otosan Uchi, where Emperor Hantei XX convened a great summit, lead by the wise Elemental Council, masters of the elements and favored of the kami.
“The worlds are in imbalance,” they ultimately decreed. “That which is, is not as it should be. The kami are lost, directionless, and without harmony. Without peace in the heavens, the world will die.”
The Famine is a spiritual and religious campaign for Legend of the Five Rings, designed to explore the close ties Rokugani culture has with the spirit world, myth, and the truth behind all things. Set in the seventh-century, the Empire is reeling from a multi-year crop failure and wise, spiritual advisors have divined the reason for, if not the specifics why, the world’s lack of balance.
PCs will represent a magical- and spiritually-aligned group of investigators tasked with discovering, and then solving, the cause of the kami’s imbalance. The campaign focuses on the role of shugenja and religion in Rokugan, the unacknowledged importance of the peasant classes, and places and entities that are not wholly of the earth.
The campaign will be using the 4th edition ruleset, with slight modifications to to account for the historical setting. Shugenja, Monks, and spiritually-minded Bushi character concepts are well-encouraged, as much of the campaign will take place away from the fancy courts of high society. Party cohesion is essential, as the group will be working toward the noble goal of saving all of Rokugan from the suffocating malaise that has gripped kami from Earthquake Bay to the Twilight Mountains.
The chronicle is designed to last two real-world years, or roughly 90 sessions, and most characters are assumed to reach high Rank 4 or low Rank 5 in that time. This time-line can be adjusted to suit player preference. Foes include malevolent spirts, those who would use the societal chaos for their own benefit, ancient beings, and more pervasive, subtle temptations.
Recommended PC Clans: Phoenix, Crane, Scorpion, Dragon, Non-Aligned
Recommended Skills: Lore: Spirit Realms, Meditation, Lore: Theology, Etiquette, Divination, Lore: Elements, Defense, Spellcraft
Recommended Party Size: 4-5
