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City of Empty Dreams

A One-Round Mid-Rank Adventure for Heroes of Rokugan (Champions of the Sapphire Throne)

by Rob Hobart

Revised for 3eR, October 5th, 2008 The Pheonix elemental council enlists your assistance in a journey to a site of legendary power. A vision of the future may reveal unexpected truths. LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS is a registered trademark of Alderac Entertainment Group. Scenario detail copyright 2008 by the author and Alderac Entertainment Group. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This scenario is intended for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without permission.

A four-hour time block has been allocated for playing this game. The actual playing time should be about three and a half hours. It is a good idea to ask each player to put a name tag in front of him or her. The tag should have the player's name at the bottom, and the character's name, race, and gender at the top. This makes it easier for the players to keep track of who is playing which character. The players are free to use the game rules to learn about equipment and weapons their characters are carrying. Some of the text in this scenario is written so that you may present it as written to the players, while other text is for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in bold italics. It is strongly recommended that you paraphrase the player text, instead of reading it aloud, as some of the text is general and must be adapted to the specific situation or to actions of the player characters.

GM's Information THIS SCENARIO SHOULD NOT BE RUN COLD! Please read the scenario thoroughly before attempting to run it. This adventure is a Mid-Rank adventure, and should only be played by Insight Rank 2 through 4 characters. Characters of Insight Rank 5 or higher will be too powerful for the challenges presented here. Insight Rank 1 characters may play, but should be warned that this scenario’s challenges may be too great for them. All bulleted information is just that, pure information. Feed it to the players through an NPC when appropriate. Sometimes, reading it straight just doesn’t sound right. Remember that family names come before personal names. Akodo Toturi is from the Akodo family and his personal name is Toturi. A note on commerce in Rokugan: Samurai are not supposed to care about worldly possessions, especially money. A samurai pays a commoner as if the money is meaningless, a concession to the commoner’s silly needs. Between samurai, the exchange of money and merchandise is an exchange of “gifts.” Glory and Honor Awards and Penalties This adventure contains suggested Glory and Honor awards (and penalties) for dealing with the challenges presented herein. However, at times the players may

take extra actions which the GM judges worthy of additional reward – or punishment. The following may be considered as guidelines: • Performing an act of selfless, sacrificial loyalty to

one’s daimyo or clan: +1 point of Honor. • Abiding by the tenets of bushido when one could

gain an obvious advantage from breaking them: +1 point of Honor.

• Betraying or disobeying your duty, Clan, or family: lose 1-10 points of Honor and Glory, and possibly Status, depending on the severity of the failure. Gain the same amount of Infamy.

• Crying out in pain when injured: lose one point each of Honor and Glory.

• Using sneaky, underhanded, or treacherous methods when at an Honor rank higher than zero: lose 1-5 points of Honor. If caught, also gain 1-5 points of Infamy.

• Using poison: lose 1-10 points of Honor, depending on the circumstances (there is always an Honor loss for using poison). If caught, also gain the same amount of Infamy.

• Performing a socially acceptable public act of extreme courage and skill: +1 point of Glory.

• Drunk, insulting, or otherwise ill-mannered in public: lose 1-5 points of Glory. For extreme abuses, also gain an equivalent amount of Infamy.

• Playing entire adventure without doing anything of note: lose 1 point of Glory (this cannot reduce Glory Rank below Insight Rank).

• Made ronin: Status drops to zero. Adjusting for Party Strength This is a Mid-Rank adventure, and thus can involve parties of varying capabilities. The encounters have been optimized for a party of average Rank 3. Although most of the challenges here are role-play oriented and thus not terribly dependent on party strength, a few changes can be made to adjust the adventure difficulty for high-end parties, as follows: Low End Party (average Insight Rank is closer to 2 than to 3): • Akima has Earth and Air of 4, TN to be Hit of 26,

and Insight Rank 5. High End Party (average Insight Rank is closer to 4 than to 3): • Akima has Fire, Earth, and Air of 6, Defense of 7,

and TN to be Hit of 44.


Adventure Summary and Background

Isawa Akima, the supposed Mistress of Void, is actually a man and a member of a small, malignant cult called the Sons of Destiny. His successful infiltration of the Elemental Council is the cult’s greatest achievement, but one which has also threatened it with exposure. Akima has spent his time within the Elemental Council seeking to root out the mystical “secrets of godhood” which the cult believes can be found in the Phoenix Clan’s library of magical knowledge. However, the results have been frustrating at best. Contrary to what the cult believes, the Phoenix Clan is not hiding some great metaphysical secret that can grant divinity. Further, Akima’s attempts to manipulate Phoenix policy have begun to draw the attention of the rest of the Elemental Council and even the Clan Champion, and he fears his true nature may soon be exposed. Recently, Akima has uncovered information on a strange, mystical place, the so-called City of Empty Dreams, supposedly located off the shore of the Phoenix lands. According to the records and legends, within the City all time co-exists, so any knowledge can be found. Akima believes this sacred place offers the hope of finally learning the deepest secrets of reality, the secrets which are the obsession of the Sons of Destiny. Unfortunately, growing suspicion within the ranks of the Elemental Council has forced Akima to take escorts along for the journey to the mysterious City. In an effort to diminish the Council’s ability to watch over “her,” Akima has insisted on enlisting some of these escorts from outside the Phoenix Clan, calling in political and personal favors to enroll them. The PCs are these escorts, tasked with protecting (and in a few cases, watching) Akima for “her” hazardous journey. Once they reach the City, the PCs will have the opportunity to learn some profound and dangerous truths, and to uncover and destroy the false Mistress of Void. They will also face a personal struggle to hold onto their own sanity in the face of the power of the City of Empty Dreams.

Introduction The cliffs of Phoenix lands reverberate with the crash of waves, and the Sun glitters on the white wave-tops of the great eastern sea, once known as the Umi Amaterasu. Above the cliffs loom the irregular

outlines of Shiro Shiba, orange tiles gleaming. The seat of the Shiba family is known for being all but impenetrable to enemy attack, and looking at the vast, maze-like array of walls, sub-towers, gates, and side-passages that surround the central keep, you cannot disagree. At the moment, however, your attention is focused on the tents and pavilions pitched on a grassy field between the castle and the sea-side cliffs. It is there you have been summoned. Non-Phoenix PCs have been summoned here due to an exchange of favors between Clans and factions. Phoenix PCs have been specifically summoned by the command of the Elemental Council, although they do not know for what reason they are needed. Ronin PCs have been told there is work waiting for them at Shiro Shiba. As the PCs approach the pavilions, they see there are a large number of Phoenix samurai awaiting them, both bushi and shugenja. At the center of the crowd, clearly the focus of all attention, is what appears to be a slim, shapely woman in her twenties. She wears a black silk mask which covers her entire face (including her eyes), but is otherwise dressed in the orange and red robes of a Phoenix shugenja-ko. A pair of silver pendants with the Phoenix mon hang from her obi (belt), and she carries a beautifully carved ivory fan, also inscribed with the Phoenix mon. • All PCs can roll Intelligence/Lore: Heraldry at

TN 20, or Lore: Phoenix or Lore: Shugenja at TN 15, to recognize this woman as Isawa Akima, the Mistress of Void. If they have previously played the adventure “Bloom of the White Orchid,” their TNs are reduced by 10.

• PCs who specifically look to see if anyone else of

note is present at this gathering can roll Perception/Lore: Heraldry at TN 25 or Lore: Phoenix at TN 30 to realize that Shiba Ninto, the Phoenix Clan Champion, is also present in the crowd, though he is hanging back behind other samurai and clearly is not trying to draw attention to himself. He is a middle-aged man with a quiet air and an unremarkable face.

Once the PCs arrive, Isawa Akima greets them, speaking in a powerful and melodious voice. Despite her opaque black silk mask, she seems to see everything around her with no difficulty. “Greetings, samurai-sans! Thank you for answering our clan’s request for help. I am Isawa Akima, Mistress of the Void. I am undertaking an important task on behalf of the Phoenix Clan and, indeed, the entire Empire,


and I trust you will be able and willing to help me. May I have your names?” Once the PCs have taken the opportunity to introduce themselves, Akima explains herself further. “The Empire confronts a time of turmoil and tragedy. The death of our beloved Emperor’s eldest sons last year is only the worst of the many unfortunate omens we have seen in recent times. It is the duty of the Phoenix Clan to see to the peace and spiritual health of the Empire, and to that end, I have determined to undertake a quest, one of great importance. Tell me, samurai-sans, have you ever heard of the City of Empty Dreams?” Allow the PCs to roll Intelligence/Theology or Lore: Shugenja at TN 25, or Lore: History or Lore: Spirit Realms at TN 30, to recognize the reference. PCs who make this roll will know that supposedly, the City of Empty Dreams is one of five strange, mystical cities which appeared in Ningen-do in the aftermath of the War Against the Darkness in the early 11th Century. Supposedly, the cities came from Yomi, and were brought into the mortal world to save them from the power of the Lying Darkness. Each city has an elemental association, and the City of Empty Dreams was matched with Void. Legend asserts the city is located somewhere in the waters off the Phoenix coast. If none of the PCs know the story behind the city, Akima will turn to one of the other Phoenix present. “Asako-san, perhaps you can explain?” The man who answers is Asako Wasureru, a historian and a fellow member of the Sons of Destiny. He is a man in his early forties with a drooping moustache and an absent-minded air, often coming across as forgetful and slightly foolish. (In reality, of course, he is a fanatical follower of the Sons of Destiny.) PCs may have met him before in the adventure “Compassion.” He will explain the history of the city as outlined above. Regardless, once her question has been answered, Akima resumes her speech. “A few people have visited the city, including several of my predecessors in the office of Master of Void. According to the records they left behind, within the city all times merge into one, allowing the gifted to see the future. In this time of uncertainty, knowledge of the Empire’s future could be critical to the fate of all. Therefore, I have decided to seek out this City of Empty Dreams and the wisdom that can be found there.” She pauses for a moment, then continues, “My colleagues in the Elemental Council, in their wisdom, feel I should have escorts during this journey, since it may carry

unexpected hazards. You, samurai-sans, have been honored with the task of being my escorts.” • Any PCs who roll Awareness/Investigation at TN

25 can sense that Akima would prefer to undertake her journey without the PCs.

“We will also be accompanied by the honorable scholar Asako Wasureru, so that he can record this historic quest. In the morning, we take ship for the journey, but tonight, we shall celebrate this momentous occasion with all due honor and decorum. Permit me to offer you all the hospitality of Shiro Shiba for this evening, samurai-sans.”

Part One: Phoenix Hospitality

With her presentation finished, Akima retires inside one of the tents outside Shiro Shiba, leaving the PCs free to socialize with the other samurai who are present. Meanwhile servants begin bringing out food and drink, setting several long tables for the evening meal. The PCs will have a few hours to socialize before, during, and after the meal. Socializing With the Phoenix The PCs are treated by the Phoenix as guests of honor – they are, after all, accompanying the Mistress of Void on an important and potentially dangerous quest. All of the samurai here treat the PCs with a deference above their normal station. However, any PC who rolls Awareness/Courtier (Gossip) at TN 20 will pick up a subtle undercurrent to the tone of conversation – there is clearly some uneasiness among the Phoenix about this mission. If the PCs ask for more details about this mission, about Isawa Akima, or about the City of Empty Dreams, the general response will be politely vague and uninformative: “Isawa Akima-sama’s quest is surely a most noble goal, samurai-sama,” or “The legendary city has never been visited in our lifetimes, samurai-sama, but I am sure it contains the secrets she speaks of.” If the PCs make a serious effort to get more information, they must roll Awareness/Courtier (Gossip) at TN 25 to milk useful information out of the Phoenix courtiers. With a success, they catch rumors that the rest of the Elemental Council is actually not happy with Akima undertaking this mission, and forced her to bring along outsiders as a way of ensuring her actions would be under observation.


All of the people here are Phoenix except for a handful of courtiers from other nearby Clans – the Lion, Crane, Dragon, Mantis, and Tortoise. The Mantis emissary, Yoritomo Kado, is a portly gentleman in his late thirties with a cheerful mien and bushy side-whiskers – however, he is being studiously cold-shouldered by all the Phoenix, due to poor relations following the exposure of a Mantis-run smuggling operation in the City of Remembrance last month. If any of the PCs are willing to speak with him, he will be downright frantic in his eagerness to converse, and given the chance, he will lament at length the unfairness of his being punished for the mis-deeds of a corrupt merchant “who wasn’t even in Phoenix lands!” The courtiers from other Clans clearly don’t think much of the Mistress of Void’s mission, but they will avoid saying or suggesting anything in the presence of Phoenix samurai. If speaking privately with PCs who they regard as sympathetic, they will generally take the view that this is either a publicity stunt by the Phoenix Clan (the Mantis, Crane, and Dragon view) or, at best, a misguided attempt to “help” by meddling in the affairs of the rest of the Empire (the Lion and Tortoise view). If the PCs are looking for other gossip or current news, they can learn the following: • The notorious Scorpion samurai-ko Shosuro Sora

has recently been in Phoenix lands, and claimed another victim in a duel: Shiba Nakago, the captain of the guard at Michita Yasumi (Hopeful Rest City). No-one is sure what possessed Sora to challenge him, and most attribute it to madness or sinister, dishonorable motives. A few suggest this was actually some sort of Scorpion assassination, although none have any explanation for why the Scorpion would want a relatively obscure Phoenix soldier dead. (As a side note, any PC who has an Obligation to duel Shiba Nakago may now erase that from the character sheet.)

• There is some discussion of the Crab-Scorpion

war. The latest news is that Crab troops have reached the Hare lands and are besieging Shiro Usagi. The Scorpion have appointed a new general to command the defense, a man named Bayushi Tenkai. PCs who roll Intelligence/Lore: Battle or Lore: Heraldry at TN 25 recognize him as a senior hatamoto of the Clan Champion, Bayushi Tomaru.

• There are rumors that the Tortoise Clan is pushing back against the Mantis Clan by trying to break the Mantis monopoly on trade with the Ivory Kingdoms. Whether the Emperor will permit a further expansion of the already burgeoning trade with the gaijin remains to be seen, however. The Phoenix are clearly uneasy with further gaijin trade and contact, and comment worriedly that the Empire’s culture is becoming “corrupted” by foreign influence.

A Meeting With the Phoenix Champion After dinner, Phoenix PCs (only) will receive a quiet request to attend one of Shiro Shiba’s interior gardens. A servant leads the PCs through the maze-like array of walls, dojos, barracks, and towers which form the outer ring of Shiro Shiba’s defenses. Eventually the PCs come to a small garden of raked gravel and carefully trimmed shrubs, surrounding a koi pond in which huge pale carp glisten under the moonlight. Standing next to the koi pond, tossing bread-crumbs onto the surface of the water, is Shiba Ninto. The Phoenix Champion bows politely to the PCs and engages in small-talk, inquiring after their health and welfare. He will display an uncanny knowledge of their personal lives and affairs, and will inquire in a friendly manner about marriages, personal quests, and other such matters. He will always be very respectful and soft-spoken, and his comments should not be structured in a way to cause offense. Once Ninto has fulfilled the needs of propriety and etiquette, he will explain the true reason for his meeting with the PCs. “This quest of the lady Akima is a noble one, to be sure. However, I have developed certain… concerns… about lady Akima’s policies in recent months. It is the duty of the Shiba to serve and protect the Isawa, but there are times when that duty means, must mean, protecting the Isawa from their own mistakes. This is why I have insisted that lady Akima be escorted by other samurai.” “From you, who serve the Phoenix Clan as I do, I must ask an additional favor. I ask you to watch the lady Akima carefully during this quest, and to intervene if you believe she has become something harmful to the welfare and honor of the Phoenix Clan or the Empire.” Ninto will not elaborate on what he means by his request, but if a Shiba (only) PC speaks with him privately and asks for more clarification of the


situation, he will explain as follows: “In recent months, there have been certain… oddities… in our Clan’s policies and diplomatic choices whenever the lady Akima was involved. I would not presume to suspect treachery from the Mistress of Void, but it seems certain that her judgment on recent matters has been… dubious. It seems unwise for her to undertake a quest of this significance without supervision of some kind.” Departure The next morning, Isawa Akima and Asako Wasureru await the PCs at the edge of the cliffs. A set of ropes tied to wooden stakes lays out the route of a path that switchbacks down the rugged cliff-side to the narrow beach below, where a kobune with sails of Phoenix orange awaits. A narrow, swaying wooden plank bridges the gap from rocky shore to ship’s deck. Isawa Akima will glide down the narrow, jagged path to the boat without so much as a mis-step. Asako Wasureru is clearly much more uncomfortable, clutching the cliff-face and cautiously working his way down step by step. The PCs can descend in whatever manner suits them best – there is normally no need to make a skill roll, but if a PC suffers from especial clumsiness or a disadvantage like Lame or Missing Limb, the GM can call for an Agility/Athletics (Climbing) roll at TN 20. A failed roll means the PC falls, but Isawa Akima will use her power to catch the falling PC with the Air spirits and lower the hapless unfortunate to the deck of the ship. The PC loses 1 point of Glory for being publicly saved by the Mistress of Void. The Phoenix ship is named the Restful Wave, and its captain is a short, plump merchant named Omura. He smokes a long, thin pipe of ashwood and scolds his crew in a high, nasally voice. His relationship with the crew is seemingly adversarial, with much slinging of insults back and forth, but observant PCs will note that the crew never actually refuses an order, and Omura seems to know his business as far as running a ship. Isawa Akima will retire to her quarters in the back of the ship. Any Imperial PCs, and any other PCs of Status 4.0 or better, will likewise be given quarters below-decks in the ship’s limited number of cabins. Asako Wasureru and the rest of the PCs will be expected to sleep either with the crew (in below-decks hammocks) or on the deck itself. They can rig blankets or other shelters if they wish.

The crew throws their backs into their oars, and the kobune moves away from the shore quickly, the cliffs of the Phoenix coast dwindling away until, within an hour, land is only a faint dark smudge on the western horizon.

Part Two: Hazards of the Journey

Captain Omura does not know where the City of Empty Dreams is located – no-one does. His instructions are to sail back and forth on the waters west of the Phoenix Coast, hoping to spot the legendary city. Isawa Akima spends much of her time in her cabin, meditating and seeking the guidance of the spirits. Periodically she comes on deck and points Omura in a particular direction, where she senses some accumulation of spiritual power, but these instructions do not seem to produce results, at least not for the first couple of days. Any shugenja PC can try to help guide the ship to the City of Empty Dreams by meditating and seeking for sources of spiritual power in the area. This will be a Void/Meditation roll at TN 25, and can be done once per day. Each success gives the PC a faint hint of power in a different direction, but by making several of these over the course of the next few days, the PCs can speed the process of locating the island. Shugenja who Commune with the Air and Water spirits will not be able to get useful directions – the spirits do not know the location of the City, which is outside of normal reality. However, a shugenja who can Commune with Void spirits (e.g. a shugenja with Ishiken-do) can gain a hint of the city’s location, similar to a successful meditation attempt. Again, this can be done once per day. Normally, it will take Isawa Akima five days to pin down the location of the fabled city. However, the PCs can accelerate this process by making Meditation rolls or Communing with Void spirits, as outlined above. Every three successes which the PCs achieve in this manner shorten the searching time by one day (to a minimum of two days). At the end of each day’s sailing, the Restful Wave will retreat to shallow coastal waters and drop anchor, seeking the safety of the coast against the storms which frequently afflict the Umi Amaterasu.


Events and Hazards During the Search The journey to the City of Empty Dreams will not be without incident. The following events will take place as the PCs and Akima sail the ocean: Day One: The weather is clear for most of the day, but grows somewhat cloudy and windy toward sunset. The PCs occasionally glimpse other kobune on the waters, most of them displaying Mantis colors, and for about an hour in mid-afternoon the island of Broken Wave City is visible on the southern horizon. At one point, one of the Mantis vessels will sail close enough for the crew to shout across. “What’s a Phoenix doing so far from shore?” they bellow. Omura answers, “Looking for your mother, you pirates!” which is greeted with hoots of laughter by the Mantis sailors. That evening, when the ship drops anchor, the crew gathers at the foredeck to play Fortunes and Winds, tossing the dice while they shovel rice and fish into their mouths from their meal-bowls. PCs who join the crew can roll Awareness/Games: Fortunes & Winds against the crew – the typical crewman has a roll of 5k2, and the best player, a toothless, cackling older man named Ginza, has a roll of 7k3. Akima, Wasureru, and presumably most or all of the PCs eat on the stern, well away from the smelly charcoal brazier the crew uses to cook. During this first evening, Isawa Akima will seem somewhat subdued – clearly she hoped to find the City quickly – and if any of the PCs are shugenja, monks, Henshin, or Tattooed Men, she will tentatively suggest they might help her in trying to locate the place tomorrow. Day Two: During the second day, the sky becomes cloudy and gray, and the water turns choppier. There are fewer ships visible on the water and, by midafternoon, the Restful Wave is alone on the water. When the ship drops anchor for the night, the northern sky is dark and the PCs can hear the distant rumble of thunder. Omura is clearly uneasy with the weather, and orders the ship to drop an extra anchor against the worsening weather. Dinner that evening is brief and subdued, the crew lacking enthusiasm for their dice games. That night, a storm comes through, accompanied by rain, high winds, and heavy seas. Omura’s precautions prove themselves sufficient, and nothing untoward befalls the ship. However, PCs who are unaccustomed

to sleeping in a rocking, pitching ship (basically anyone who is not a Mantis or a merchant) must roll Raw Willpower at TN 20 be able to sleep – otherwise they will be at a +5 TN penalty to all actions the next day, as their weariness makes it difficult for them to focus. Day Three: The third day dawns with the storm having faded out into a thin, steady drizzle of rain. The sky is a dense, featureless gray, seeming to press down on the PCs’ heads from above. The weather is still poor, with high waves, but Akima insists that the Restful Wave put back to sea, over Omura’s objections. The rain continues intermittently throughout the day, and the sea is rough, the ship pitching and heaving on choppy waves. In the early morning (before the ship reaches the City, if the PCs’ efforts enabled it to find the place today), a high wind briefly drives in on the ship, turning the steady rain into a sideways spray that painfully stings the faces of anyone on deck. The crew mutter and grumble as they lean into their sails, straining to keep the ship steady as it plows through the waves. At this point, call for Perception/Divination rolls (TN 20) from any PCs who are on deck. With a success, they glimpse a brief break in the clouds overhead. In the churning masses of the gray clouds, their uniformity broken by the shift in the wind, can be seen a huge face, looking down on the ship with a scowl of disapproval. The image is glimpsed only for a moment, after which the clouds smooth back out to a featureless gray canopy. • A PC who rolls Intelligence/Theology (Fortunes)

at TN 20 can identify this cloud-image as Fukurokujin, Fortune of Wisdom. Although his angry expression implies the disfavor of the Heavens, there is not sufficient information for the PCs to tell whether his hostility is directed at them, their quest, or the Empire more generally.

• The crew will not notice the vision on their own

(they are busy with the oars) but Omura will see it from the tiller. He will turn pale and tighten his grip on the tiller, but says nothing. If the PCs mention the omen, or point it out, the crew will crane their necks around and catch a glimpse of it, leading to a cascade of murmurs and alarmed mutterings, gripping of lucky charms, etc. Omura will berate the crew, chastising them for their fear, while shooting the PCs a dirty look.

• If the PCs mention the vision to Isawa Akima, she

will declare the Fortune must be angry at their


inability to find the City. “I cannot believe the Heavens would disapprove of our seeking the wisdom to protect the Empire.” A roll of Perception/Investigation (Interrogation) at TN 25 will suggest that this is a rationalization rather than a sincere attempt to understand the omen.

Later in the day, the weather grows rougher, and visibility drops as the rain intensifies and the clouds grow darker. Asako Wasureru retreats belowdecks, clearly sea-sick. As the weather seems to drift toward a storm once more, Omura will ask the PCs to go to Akima’s cabin and request her permission to return to shore early. Convincing Akima to turn back will not be easy. She will insist the mission is important and that they cannot afford to waste any time. However, any PC who role-plays a strong appeal and rolls Awareness/Etiquette (Sincerity) at TN 25 can convince her to order the ship to turn back to shore. Alternatively, a PC can ignore her authority and order Omura to turn back – Omura will accept this, but the PC in question will be berated for cowardice, lack of dedication, and insolence by Akima when she emerges from her cabin later, costing the PC 2 points of Glory. • If the PCs manage to get the ship safely returned to

drop anchor, the storm arrives two hours before sunset. The ship is tossed on the waves, but the anchors hold, and the storm blows through by midnight.

• If the PCs do not convince Akima (or are unwilling

to override her), the storm hits while the ship is still on the open water. The Restful Wave is tossed like a cork as the waves rise and the sky darkens to almost black. Omura orders the sail taken down and most of the oars pulled in, and struggles to keep the ship turned into the wind. Each PC who stays on deck must roll Agility/Athletics at TN 20 to avoid being knocked overboard, as waves crash across the deck and winds howl continually. PCs who think of tying themselves to the boat get two Free Raises on their roll. If the PCs tie themselves together, hold hands, or otherwise work together, they can make a Combined Roll to not fall in the water.

• If a PC does fall in the sea, see GM’s Aid #2:

Drowning PCs, for details of how to resolve the situation.

Regardless of whether the ship gets caught in the storm or not, it avoids being sunk, and after midnight the

storm blows itself out. Drizzle and light wind continue, however, until morning. Day Four: The weather is still drizzling and windy in the morning. If the PCs find the City this day, it happens about an hour after dawn, while the rain is still falling. Otherwise, after about two hours, the rain stops and the cloud cover breaks up, allowing the Sun to shine on the Restful Wave for the first time in two days. The fourth day goes by largely without incident, but in late afternoon, the weather begins to worsen again. As another wave of clouds sweeps in and the water acquires whitecaps, allow all the PCs to make a Raw Perception roll at TN 20 to notice a strange ship on the horizon, a ship with three masts covered in strange, curved sails. Any PC who has played the adventures “Devoured by the Sea” or “Legacy of My Ancestors” will recognize this as a Thranish ship. Other PCs can recognize it with a roll of Intelligence/Lore: Gaijin at TN 25. The ship seems to be heading southwest, probably bound for Otosan Uchi. Toward evening, as the weather again worsens, Omura will turn the ship back toward land – Akima does not object to this after the previous day’s experience. Although the wind remains high, there is initially no rainfall this evening, and Omura and the crew stay out on deck after dropping anchor, playing dice, smoking pipes, and chatting as they watch the waves toss. PCs may join them or not, as they wish. About an hour after sunset, however, the wind picks up sharply and rain begins slashing down once more, accompanied by intermittent lightning. The crew retreat below decks, grumbling and muttering, and climb into their hammocks to sleep. If any of the PCs remain on deck after the crew retires, an hour of game-time later any of them who are awake can roll Raw Perception at TN 15. If they are sleeping, the roll is Raw Awareness at TN 25. With a success, they look up (or awaken from a sense of danger) just in time for a lightning flash to illuminate the monstrous form of the Thranish ship bearing down on them, apparently driven by the storm. • If the PCs immediately sound the alarm and work

on getting Omura and the crew on deck, the captain orders the anchor-lines cut and the Restful Wave manages to barely clear the oncoming gaijin vessel.

• If the PCs try to move the Restful Wave

themselves, they will first have to either lift the anchors (Strength/Athletics at TN 25) or cut them


(Agility/Kenjutsu at TN 15). They can then either try to man the oars (this will take at least four successful rolls, which can be either Strength/Athletics rolls at TN 20 or Strength/Craft: Sailing rolls at TN 15). Alternatively, the PCs can try to raise the sail and use that to move the ship – this will require two Strength/Athletics rolls or Strength/Craft: Sailing rolls at TN 20, followed by one Intelligence/Craft: Sailing roll at TN 20. No matter which option the PCs take, they have a total of six rounds to move the ship before the Thranish vessel collides with them.

• A shugenja PC may be able to use magic to either

move the Restful Wave or deflect the gaijin vessel. The GM must adjudicate such efforts, but in general, only Air or Water spells which produce powerful effects can work. (For example, Tempest of Air can work if it is cast by a shugenja with extremely high Air.)

• If the Restful Wave successfully dodges, the

Thranish vessel passes close by, and the PCs can see the struggling forms of gaijin sailors in their strange garments, battling to regain control of their vessel.

If the Restful Wave collides with the gaijin vessel, the whole ship shudders and lurches sideways and the much larger Thranish ship shoulders it out of the way. The Wave’s anchors tear loose with ugly splintering noises , the mast snaps off from the shock, and water surges into the hold through ruptured seams. Any PCs who are on deck when this happens (whether awake or asleep) must roll Agility/Athletics at TN 20 or be thrown into the sea – see Appendix #2 for details of what happens to them. Omura will put the crew to work bailing out the hold, stuffing rags into the sprung seams, and working the oars to keep the Restful Wave close to shore. His strenuous efforts prevent the ship from foundering, and by morning the weather has once more subsided to a slow drizzle of rain. The Fifth Day: Once dawn comes, Omura will insist the ship turn back toward Shiro Shiba: “With the highest of respect, Isawa-sama, we can’t be expected to risk another night on the waters in our condition.” Akima will insist that the ship spend one more day searching the open waters for the sea – if they have not found the City by evening, they will return to Shiro Shiba for rest and repairs. Omura grumblingly agrees to this demand.

If the City has not been found up to this point, the Restful Wave will stumble across it about an hour after dawn, while the drizzling rain is still falling. Speaking with Akima During this lengthy sea voyage, the PCs may be able to create an opportunity to speak with Isawa Akima at greater length, typically during the evening meals. If so, she will converse politely but in a somewhat remote and detached manner, on the following subjects: • The City of Empty Dreams: Akima is clearly

fascinated by the city and will converse on it at some length. Supposedly, all times coexist within the city, and those who visit it and discover its secrets can see both the past and the future. “Shiba Ningen, who was Master of Void in the time of the Four Winds, supposedly visited the City more than once, and the insights he achieved there made him one of the most powerful shugenja in the history of the Empire.”

• Akima will not say specifically why she wants to

visit the City, other than to simply enhance her knowledge and understanding of the ways of the Kami. However, if the PCs ask about her concerns over the fate of the Empire, she will suggest that Rokugan is at a crucial turning point: “Rokugan can follow the path to greatness, or it can sink into ignominy. The wisdom to be found in the City of Empty Dreams may well be the difference.”

• If any of the PCs say or imply anything that

suggests distrust in Akima, or that suggests the rest of the Phoenix Clan does not agree with her or trust her, she will be coldly insulted. “You should consider yourself honored to accompany me on such a vital mission, samurai-san, but instead you insult me with such repugnant suggestions.”

• If the PCs try to discuss other matters of the

Empire with Akima, such as the Crab-Scorpion-Hare war, she will answer briefly and according to general “Phoenix Clan doctrine,” that is, supporting the cause of peace and enlightenment, and criticizing those Clans and leaders who are causing strife and violence.

• PCs who roll Awareness/Investigation

(Interrogation) at TN 25 while speaking with Akima during the voyage will get the sense that she is concealing something – that her motives for


finding the City are more complex and personal than she is letting on.

• If any PCs mention the Sons of Destiny to Akima,

she will profess ignorance and disinterest. If they explain the nature of the cult, she makes a faint shrug, and her voice sounds bored. “Such a tiny group is hardly a threat to the Empire. There are many worse things to be concerned about.” PCs who roll Perception/Investigation (Interrogation) at TN 30 suspect she knows more about the Sons than she is saying, but she will never say or do anything to actually reveal this.

Lifting Curses Some PCs who are afflicted with curses (such as the curse from “Kharmic Vengeance”) may seek Akima’s assistance in lifting them. If they do, she will listen to their plight with apparent sympathy, but will point out that invoking the level of power needed to lift such a curse is not trivial. “You will be in my debt if I do this favor for you, samurai-san. Do you understand?” If the PC accepts and agrees, Akima will lift the curse (destroying the cert), but the PC will be placed under a 10-point Obligation to her. Speaking with Asako Wasureru Akima’s minion will firmly play the role of a somewhat absent-minded scholar who is deeply honored to be accompanying the great Isawa Akima to seek out the legendary City of Empty Dreams. He will pretend disinterest in other matters, especially politics and current events – as a scholar of religion and enlightenment, he has no time for the wars and political crises of the present day. If any of the PCs make any sort of accusations, direct or implied, against Wasureru as a result of their experiences in the adventure “Compassion,” he will firmly and rather querulously reject their suspicions. “Outrageous! I am a respected scholar of the Phoenix! The lady Akima will hear of your improper behavior!” Akima will scold the PCs for their insults to her assistant, costing them 1 point of Glory. However, any PC who wins an Opposed Roll of Perception/Investigation (Interrogation) against Wasureru’s Awareness/Deceit (Lying) can tell that he is actually concealing knowledge of these matters.

Part Three: A City of Visions

Regardless of which day Akima and the PCs find the City of Empty Dreams, the experience is the same. The Restful Wind is making its way through rain and drizzle, seeing nothing unusual in any direction, when suddenly Akima rushes onto the deck. “It is close, very close,” she tells Omura. “Hold your course!” The rain and mist roll away to either side like shoji screens pulling back, and you see what appears to be a city of high towers and strange, blue-white stone. The architecture seems to be a mixture of Rokugani and something completely, utterly other. The city appears to be resting on a flat island which is only slightly elevated above the churning waves of the sea, and a low but broad stone wall surrounds it on all sides. Several piers extend through the wall, offering access. Although the waves continue to toss and the thin, drizzly rain lashes everyone’s faces, the ship is able to tie up at one of the stone piers without undue difficulty. The crew peers out at the still, silent, seemingly empty city with superstitious dread, and after a few minutes Omura will hawk, spit, and then announce: “Well, here you are, samurai-samas. Enjoy your stay. We’ll await you here.” • Isawa Akima will not argue the point – her black-

covered face remains pointed at the city, and indeed she shows no sign of even hearing the captain’s somewhat disrespectful words. Asako Wasureru will give the captain an angry glare but will not say anything aloud.

• If any PCs take offense at Omura’s words or

attitude, he will bow but stands his ground. “With the greatest respect, samurai-samas, my ship and crew were hired to bring you to this island and then home again. Nothing was said about actually entering this accursed place. We’re staying here.” If the PCs try to press the issue, Akima will irritably gesture for an end to the argument.

Effects of the City of Empty Dreams The city is a place not quite of this world – it is a creation of the Void, manifesting the power of what might have been, what is, what will be, and what can be. As such, it does not obey the normal “rules” of Rokugan and especially of Rokugani magic.


The normal elemental kami do exist within the city, but due to its strange nature, they do not respond well to the prayers of shugenja. All normal spells of the four basic Elements cast within the City have their spellcasting TN increased by 10. However, if a PC shugenja casts a Void spell, not only is the TN normal, but the PC gains two Free Raises. Furthermore, the city is intimately tied to the Void, and PCs who call upon the Void directly (by spending a Void point) will produce a random effect, as determined from the following table: 1-2: No effect – the Void does not respond, although the Void Point is still expended. 3-6: Normal effect. 7-9: Enhanced effect – the Void point produces twice the normal effect, if this can be done. For example, if it is used to enhance a roll it adds +2k2 instead of +1k1. If it is used to reduce damage it negates 20 Wounds instead of 10. Obviously, some uses of Void (such as spending a Void to be able to act when Down) cannot realistically be “doubled.” The GM should exercise good judgment. 10: Time distortion. The Void point functions normally, but after rolling out the action or event for which the PC spent the Void point, time “rewinds” and the roll must be made again. Normally, the second result must be taken. However, if the PC involved can make a Void/Meditation (Zanji) roll at TN 25, he can briefly impose his will on reality and choose which of the two results will become “real.” Exploring the City The City is empty of life – there are no people here, no animals, not even birds or insects. The streets and buildings are pristine, clean to the point of sterility. Although their interiors seem vaguely like Rokugani dwellings, they lack any kind of furnishing or other indications of life – PCs who explore the buildings find themselves wandering through empty, featureless rooms whose paper walls and polished wooden floors seem to close in on them. Sounds echo strangely in the City of Empty Dreams – the PCs find themselves hearing their own voices as much as a minute or two after they speak, and occasionally hear the echo of their own footsteps before they even make them. Streams of clear, crystalline water flow through the city, running in channels of polished gray stone. The water seems to flow from the center of the city, winding outward between the buildings and eventually

spilling over the edge into the ocean. Low arched bridges cross the streams throughout the city. • PCs who look down into the water and see their

reflections will see themselves in either a younger or older form, at the GM’s choice. Older versions seen in the water should generally reflect a difficult and potentially tragic future – e.g. scars, haggard faces, gray hairs, etc.

• The water itself is pure and clean, quite refreshing

to anyone who drinks it. A PC who drinks the water feels invigorated and healthful, although no game effects take place.

The Central Dome At the center of the city, visible up each of its long streets, is a great domed structure, quite unlike anything seen in normal Rokugani architecture. PCs who have visited Unicorn cities or the Burning Sands can see a vague resemblance between the dome and the round-topped buildings favored in foreign lands, but this dome is vastly larger than any they have seen or imagined, and its top is perfectly smooth instead of ending in a peak. Akima is clearly drawn to the dome. Any shugenja PC, and any other PCs with the ability to sense the kami, will be able to roll Raw Awareness at TN 10 to sense a huge concentration of spirits and magical energy within the dome. As the PCs approach the dome, they can see that there are numerous archways in its walls, through which flow the streams which wind out into the city. On each of the four compass directions, a great open archway leads into the interior of the dome. The air within is gray-white and blurry, as though the dome is filled with fog. Akima will stride briskly toward the dome. “This is the place,” she says softly. “Here we will find the wisdom we have sought for so long.” She will not explain these words, nor will she pause to wait or argue with the PCs. Asako Wasureru will hurry after her, anxiously fidgeting and looking positively exultant. Inside the Dome The dome is the central focus of the power of the Void that suffuses the city. The interior of the dome is a vast three-dimensional maze of walls, stairs, and small chambers, all constructed of thin, smooth pieces of a strange creamy-pale stone. The air within the place is strangely hazy, although there is no actual fog – rather,


it is as though the world itself is slightly out of focus inside the dome. Streams of water fall and flow through the entire place, running through channels of the same pale stone, feeding the many streams which flow out of the dome. The entire place is suffused with the sound of running and falling water. Within the dome, the power of the Void is greatly intensified, and time is distorted further than outside. Any Void point spent inside the dome must roll on the same chart as before, but the die roll is modified by +1. Furthermore, a number of strange and eerie incidents will take place while Akima and the PCs are exploring the dome: • Time-slowdown: For a few moments, as the PCs

are ascending or descending a staircase, time seems to slow – their voices become distorted, everyone slows down, and it feels as though they are moving through syrup. This effect lasts for a few seconds.

• Time-overlap: The PCs see themselves in the

distance, going up or down a staircase or turning a corner. This is a disturbing moment, and inflicts a Fear 2 (TN 10) test on the PCs.

• Voices of the Past: The PCs hear voices in the

distance, from an indeterminate source – they echo through the foggy corridors and staircases as though coming from several directions at once. The voices are reprising a conversation from the past of one of the PCs – this should be chosen by the GM, but should be a conversation of personal, emotional significance to the PC involved. Depending on the exact contents, this could result in a loss of Glory or an Infamy gain for the PC involved – other PCs might also be able to take Blackmail from this knowledge. Also, if the PC in question responds with anger or some other emotional outburst, a loss of Honor (1 to 5 points, depending on how shamefully the PC loses control) is also appropriate.

There is no obvious pattern to the layout inside the dome – not only do the stairs, corridors, and rooms seem to have an entirely random pattern, but they seem to change behind the PCs, so that retracing their steps is impossible. If the PCs are trying to find some kind of pattern to the interior structure of the dome, they can roll Intelligence/Investigation at TN 30 to deduce that the place seems to be designed to channel them toward the upper center of the dome. Likewise, a shugenja PC (or

other spiritually sensitive PC) who rolls Void/Meditation at TN 30 can sense the greatest concentration of spiritual power in the upper center of the dome. • Akima will eventually realize this if none of the

PCs do so. “The center, the power of this place lies there,” she says urgently. “That is where we must go. Wasureru-kun, attend!”

The Void Guardian Eventually, the PCs will find their way to the center of the dome, either on their own or by following Akima’s lead. Once they begin consciously working to locate the center, they quickly discover a wider staircase that ascends at a steep grade to a large archway closed by a Rokugani-style sliding door. The two panels of the door are faintly luminescent, as though the pale creamy stone is radiating some inner energy. Standing in front of the door is the Guardian: he appears to be a tall samurai in full armor, including a ferocious war-mempo that covers his face. He rests his crossed gauntleted hands on a tetsubo which stands before him. From the bottom of the stairs, it is difficult for the PCs to tell whether this figure is actually a man or merely a statue – however, if a shugenja attempts to Sense Void, the samurai will sense as a very powerful Void spirit. If the PCs approach this being, a hollow, echoing voice sounds from behind the mempo: “The heart of Empty Dreams lies before you, mortals. The secrets of all things, past and present, the heart of time itself. Tell me why I should allow you passage to this sacred place?” Akima responds with a gesture and a murmured prayer. The spirit shatters, tetsubo and pieces of armor tumbling down the stairs to rattle past the PCs’ feet. There is no visible body inside, no blood or any other sign of someone who might have inhabited it. However, all of the PCs hear a strange keening sound, a noise of outrage and fury. Shugenja PCs feel a sense of sudden oppression, as though the spirits have become hostile. A shugenja who casts Sense Void immediately after this incident will find no Void spirit within the shattered armor, but a cluster of powerful Void spirits all around the area. • PCs who wonder which spell Akima used can roll

Intelligence/Spellcraft at TN 20 to identify it as Shatter.


• If any PCs question Akima’s action, she dismisses them. “The wisdom to be found here is vital to the Empire. Should I allow some mere spirit to obstruct us?”

• Asako Wasureru will scuttle after Akima, clearly

accepting her decision. If any PCs question him about this, he mutters, “We cannot question the Master of Void.” Smart PCs may notice his subtle slip of the tongue – referring to the “Master” of Void rather than the “Mistress.” He will refuse to admit this if called on it: “You must be mistaken, samurai-san.”

• It is possible that some PCs, especially Phoenix

PCs, may try to intervene directly in Akima’s actions at this point. She will demand that such PCs back down, invoking her power as a member of the Elemental Council to the fullest. “Who are you to question my actions, samurai-kun? I am the Mistress of Void. Stand aside and keep to your proper place.” A PC who rolls Raw Awareness at TN 10 can tell that she is willing to escalate to force if the PCs try to stop her. At this point, if the PCs fight, they almost certainly lose – Akima is at full capability – but, on the other hand, she will try to maintain her position and authority by employing non-lethal spells such as Wind-Borne Slumbers.

• If a violent confrontation does occur, Akima will

call on any PCs who are Obligated to her (due to her lifting curses on them) to fight on her behalf. A PC who fails to fulfill this Obligation here should lose a large amount of Honor (at least half a Rank) and gain a Rank of Infamy (Bad Reputation: Unreliable).

At the top of the stairs, Akima makes another gesture and whispers a prayer, and the sliding doors slam open, propelled by Air spirits. She strides through into the inner sanctum of the City of Empty Dreams. The Inner Sanctum Beyond the doors is a long, low hallway, the floor inlaid with tiled patterns, numerous smooth pillars supporting a ceiling with a peculiar arched and vaulted design. There is another set of doors at the far end of the hall. The numerous channels of water originate here from what appears to be a broad pool whose two-foot-high rim is made of the same creamy stone as the rest of the dome. A soft off-white light shimmers from within the waters, seeming to coruscate through all the colors of the rainbow without ever losing its essentially

colorless nature. The room is silent except for the soft chuckling of the water, and a profound sense of peace and serenity suffuses the entire chamber. Footsteps on the stone floor echo weirdly, the sound seeming to come back from several directions at once. Akima will stride directly to the pool and leans forward, resting hands on the polished stone lip, apparently staring intently down into the water. Asako Wasureru hovers behind her, watching anxiously. It is up to the PCs what they wish to do at this point. • If a PC spends a Void point in this room, the die-

roll to determine the special effect of Void has a +2 modifier (thus it is impossible to get no result from a Void point here).

• Any shugenja, monk, or otherwise spiritually

sensitive PC can roll Raw Void at TN 10 to sense an immensely powerful focus of Void spirits within the pool of water.

• A PC who casts Sense for any element will be able

to detect an overwhelming number of elemental spirits of all kinds in this place, with Void by far the most common.

• A PC who casts any kind of Void spell here,

including Sense Void and Commune Void, will be overwhelmed by the power and intensity of the Void spirits here. The PC must roll Willpower/Meditation at TN 25 or be stunned and reduced to a near-coma by the voices of the Void, this condition lasting until the PC either takes physical damage (snapping them out of their Void-induced trance) or the PC manages to make a successful Willpower/Meditation roll at TN 25 (one attempt per round).

• The Void spirits here possess almost every secret

of the universe, and can answer almost any question truthfully… if the PC can offer a suitably potent secret in return.

• Any PC who sees the power and effects of this

room and rolls Intelligence/Lore: Shugenja at TN 20, Intelligence/Spellcraft at TN 25, or Intelligence/Theology at TN 30 will suspect that what they are seeing and experiencing in this room is not truly “real” – that the pool, water, and other effects are simply the way their inadequate mortal senses perceive a place which is almost purely of the Void.


Visions in the Pool Isawa Akima will be intent on looking into the pool, trying to enter into a communion with the immense Void power found within. If a PC does the same, allow that PC to roll Void/Meditation at TN 20. With a failure, the PC sees nothing but shifting and flickering lights. With a success, however, the PC sees two visions: • The first vision is an image from the PC’s past – a

critical moment or turning point in his/her personal history. Examples would include the moment when the PC suffered a Lost Love, the moment the PC became Driven or gained a Sworn Enemy, etc. The GM should choose an event which is of great personal significance to the PC but which does not affect larger historical events in Rokugan (e.g. events such as the death of the Emperor’s twin sons are out of bounds). The PC senses the possibility of somehow directly affecting the course of fate and destiny in this event. If the PC attempts to intervene in the past in this manner, s/he loses 5 points of Honor. In return, the PC can make a roll of Willpower/Meditation at TN 30 to try to control and change destiny. A successful roll allows the PC to remove one appropriate Disadvantage associated with the pivotal event.

• The second vision takes place as soon as the PC

either tries to change the past or chooses not to. The PC sees an image of the Imperial capital, Toshi Ranbo. The city is burning, flames roaring up from numerous districts, the walls shattered and broken as though by siege weapons. The scene is apparently at night, but the PC can make out the banners of samurai armies as they swarm up the shattered sides of the city’s walls. Flames shoot through the darkness and the PC can hear the blood-chilling screams of dying men. For a moment the PC is certain of hearing his/her own voice, though whether shouting a war-cry or screaming with death is impossible to tell. The vision fades away before the PC has a chance to make out who is attacking or defending the city.

Part Four: Confrontation The climax of the adventure begins after any PCs have had the chance to look into the pool and see their visions. At that point, Isawa Akima will suffer the effects of her meddling with the powers of the City of Empty Dreams:

Suddenly Isawa Akima recoils from the pool, uttering a hoarse shout. Glowing multicolored light flares around her, seemingly rising up from the water of the pool. The light seems to rip and tear at her hair and garments, like angry hands, and the black silk mask on her face shreds away in the moments before she flings up her hands and tumbles backward to the ground. The light subsides as Akima sits up dazedly. You realize the Mistress of Void’s face, while narrow and shapely, is nevertheless distinctly a man’s face. As Akima looks around, lifting one hand to touch a bare face, you all distinctly hear a conversation echoing through the chamber. “This place, this City, holds the wisdom we need to fulfill our true destinies,” says a voice which you recognize as Isawa Akima, albeit with a strange tone. “This will be the path to ultimate victory for the Sons of Destiny! All of us shall become gods, greater than the false Fortunes, and the fools of the Empire shall bow down and beg us to lead them into paradise.” At this point, “Akima” will panic – his secret has been exposed. He will stop speaking in his false feminine voice, instead adopting a frantically high-pitched, almost squealing male voice. “No! You cannot know, no one can know! You must die!” Asako Wasureru, who has been standing in confusion up to this point, will immediately move to try to Grapple one of the PCs, shouting, “I’ve got this one, Akima-sama!” Presumably, at this point the PCs will be rolling Initiative. Smart PCs will be running for their lives – they are dealing with a high-ranking Void shugenja, after all. However, the fight is not as one-sided as it may appear – the angry reaction of the City of Empty Dreams has badly disrupted Akima’s chi, and initially he will not be able to use his full power. • Akima will not have the mental focus to always

choose the most optimal spell. The GM should roll on the “Akima Spell Table” in Appendix #2 to determine which spell he chooses.

• Due to his confused mental state, Akima will have

to call one extra Raise to be able to cast any Void spell. This is in addition to the +10 TN penalty for casting a non-Void spell within the City.

• Akima is not focused enough to Master-Cast any

spells, so his spell slots will become progressively depleted during any battles.

• Any time he spends a Void point, it will

automatically trigger a time-distortion effect which


he cannot control. PCs will be able to make Void/Meditation (Zanji) rolls at TN 30 to take control of these time distortions in the same manner as their own time distortions.

Wasureru will do his best to support Akima – although he lacks much in the way of combat ability, he will try to Grapple or otherwise impede the PCs in order to facilitate Akima’s efforts. He is a fanatic and is not afraid to die, but he is not suicidal and will try to stay alive if he can. If the PCs try to talk or negotiate with Akima or Wasureru, it proves a futile effort. The two Sons of Destiny are unreasoning madmen, determined to silence these samurai who have learned their secret. Akima will continue to rant at the PCs in his high-pitched, hysterical voice, demanding that these “insolent mortals” stop struggling and die. If any of the PCs are under Obligation to Akima, he will try to invoke this now to force them to support him and keep his secret. Under the circumstances, such PCs can justifiably break their word, but they should still lose some Honor (suggested penalty is a number of points of Honor equal to their current Honor Rank) as they forsake their Obligation. If the PCs flee the inner sanctum (quite a likely choice, given who they are facing), he will pursue, shrieking for the PCs to “stop running, come back and face me!” If the PCs go out the same way they came in, they may well pass the Void Guardian as it is reassembling itself (see below). The Guardian Returns The Void Guardian – the samurai armor from the entrance – will re-form itself during the first two rounds of the PCs’ fight with Akima: the pieces of armor pull themselves together and reassemble, the Guardian’s final move being to lean down, pick up its war-mempo, and placing it over the black vacancy of its face. That done, it hefts its tetsubo and tromps into the inner sanctum to confront Akima. • If the PCs flee out of the far side of the sanctum,

they will not see the Guardian initially – the far exit is another identical staircase, but there is not a second Guardian there. Thus, they may be unaware of the Guardian’s presence until they encounter it elsewhere.

Once the Guardian is active, it will pursue Isawa Akima relentlessly through the dome, attempting to destroy

this blasphemer. It will not deliberately target the PCs or Asako Wasureru, but it will fight them to the best of its ability if they attack it or try to intervene with its attack on Akima. If they break off and retreat, it will ignore them and resume its pursuit of Akima. No matter what happens, the Void Guardian will not pursue beyond the dome, even if the PCs attack it. Escaping the Dome It is quite possible that some groups of PCs may stand their ground and fight Akima toe-to-toe, especially once the Guardian shows up to help. However, given the typical capabilities of the PCs relative to an extremely powerful shugenja, it is more likely the PCs will flee the sanctum, attempting to escape the crazed Akima and make it back to the Restful Wave. The first obstacle the PCs will face will be the maze of the dome’s foggy, ever-shifting interior. In order to navigate this maze, the PCs will have to make a series of rolls with either Intelligence/Investigation or Intelligence/Hunting (Trailblazing) at TN 25. This should be resolved as follows: • Each time a PC attempts to navigate the maze,

have that PC roll and resolve the outcome of that roll before allowing any other PCs to make attempts of their own.

• Each time a PC fails a roll, they encounter Akima

again. They will have to deal with him for two rounds before the Guardian appears, trudging around a corner, buying the PCs another chance to flee.

• Each time a PC succeeds in a roll, the party is able

to make it somewhat closer to the outer edges of the dome, while avoiding Akima. They can hear his high-pitched, semi-insane voice echoing through the dome as he demands the PCs come back, rants about the true faith of the Sons of Destiny, and gibbers about “this cursed armor” when the Guardian finds him again. Occasionally the dome shudders and trembles as his magic is unleashed.

If the PCs succeed in making a total of four successful rolls, they reach one of the four entrances to the dome. Defeating Akima It is possible that the PCs and the Guardian may be able to defeat Akima in their initial conflict within the inner


sanctum. More likely, the PCs will initially flee and will then battle Akima several times as they retreat through the dome. • Each time the PCs encounter Akima, he is down 8

Wounds from wherever his Wound total was when they last met, he has expended one spell slot from either Fire, Air, or Void, and he has spent one additional Void point.

• If the PCs actually reach the exit while Akima is

still alive, he will come staggering up behind them, accompanied by Wasureru (unless the historian was killed by the PCs earlier – if he was only wounded, Akima has healed him). Akima waves his hands at the PCs, bleating, “wait, fools!” as the Guardian tromps remorselessly around a corner behind him. Akima is again down 8 more Wounds, another spell-slot, and another Void point.

• At this point, the PCs can either stay and fight the

final battle in the company of the Guardian, or flee to the ship. If they flee, Wasureru flees with them – Akima stays behind and fights the Guardian one last time.

Conclusions Once the PCs get out of the dome, they can easily return to the Restful Wave, and Omura will be more than happy to cast off and sail back to Shiro Shiba. If Asako Wasureru made it out alive (which will definitely happen, unless the PCs deliberately kill him) he will flee back to the ship with the PCs. Akima, one way or the other, will not leave the City of Empty Dreams. • It is possible that once Akima is defeated, some

PCs may wish to return to the inner sanctum and see more visions. This will be impossible – the dome will not allow them to find the room again.

• If the PCs actually defeat Akima within the

sanctum itself, any PCs who have not yet tried to experience a vision can do so. Any PCs who have already tried cannot make a second attempt. Once the PCs leave the sanctum, they cannot return.

The Reward of the Guardian If the PCs are present when Akima is finally killed, the Guardian will walk slowly over to them, still clutching its tetsubo. If the PCs attack pre-emptively, it will fight back to the best of its ability, and will continue to re-

form and pursue them until they find their way out of the dome. If, as is more likely, the PCs refrain from violence, the Guardian will observe them for a long moment, and then bows in a gesture of respect. Having made its gesture of respect, the Guardian reaches up and removes its mask (revealing a black void behind it). It presents this mask to the PC with the highest Void. If there is a tie, it uses Honor to break the tie. “You have proven yourselves samurai of enlightenment and honor. Take this, for you shall need it in future.” A PC who refuses twice will earn the Guardian’s respect, and gain +1 point of Honor. The Guardian will make the ritual second and third presentations. The GM can devise its answers according to the manner of the PC’s refusal, but the Guardian should always speak of the dangerous future ahead and of the importance of honor. If the PC mentions that the Guardian needs the mempo for itself, they can hear humor in its response: “The Void will provide.” Give the successful PC the “Void Mempo” cert. Dealing with Wasureru If the PCs bring Wasureru back alive, he will break down and confess completely. He identifies himself as a member of the cult known as the Sons of Destiny.

• The Sons believe that all mortals have the power to become gods, and that the Fortunes are merely mortals who achieved this, and are therefore not worthy to be worshipped. “The secrets of Godhood have been hidden by them, to keep others from learning, but occasionally mortals do manage to achieve it. But if they did not hide the secrets, ALL of us could be Gods!”

• He identifies “Isawa Akima” as actually being

one of the cult leaders, a man named “Isawa Koitsu.” “His infiltration of the Elemental Council was our greatest success – we were certain the secrets of godhood would soon be ours, especially after he learned of the City of Empty Dreams! But now all is ruined.”

• He is very insistent that the Sons do not

practice maho, and reacts with fury and horror to the suggestion that their religion could be inspired by Fu Leng or Jigoku.


Reporting to the Phoenix Once the PCs make it back to the mainland of the Empire, they will meet again with Shiba Ninto, who requests a full report of everything that happened. He listens gravely, and seems only modestly surprised at their revelations about “Isawa Akima” and the Sons of Destiny. “I have suspected for some time that Akima had secret motivations. Much is now made clear. We shall cleanse this foolish cult from the land.” If the PCs brought back a Void Mempo, Ninto asks to see it. He turns the item over in his hands, nodding to himself, and then hands it back to the PC. “This may prove as much a curse as a blessing to you,” he says. “But for good or ill, it is yours to bear. Do so with Honor.” The PCs are thanked for their efforts on behalf of the Phoenix Clan. All of them gain a Favor with the Shiba family and +5 points of Glory for their involvement in unmasking the false Mistress of Void. In addition, Phoenix Clan PCs gain +5 points of Status if their current Status is 4.5 or less.

Rewards for Completing the Adventure

At the end of the scenario, any PCs with Shadowlands Taint must make a Simple Earth roll with a TN of 5 + (5 x Taint Rank). If the roll is failed, the PC acquires one additional point of Taint. Experience Points Playing through the adventure: 1 XP Good role-playing: +1 XP PCs escaped the City of Empty Dreams: +1 XP PCs defeated Akima (and got the mempo) +1 XP Total Possible Experience: 4 XP Other Awards/Penalties If the PCs report back on Akima’s true nature to the Phoenix, all of them gain a Favor with the Shiba family and +5 points of Glory. In addition, Phoenix Clan PCs gain +5 points of Status if their current Status is 4.5 or less. If the PCs defeated Akima, the Guardian awards the Void Mempo cert to the PC with the highest Void ring (ties go to the PC with the highest Honor).


Appendix: NPCs Asako Wasureru, Courtier and Son of Destiny A man in his early forties with a drooping moustache and an absent-minded air, often coming across as forgetful and slightly foolish. In actuality, he is a fanatic follower of the Sons of Destiny, and is here to try to assist Isawa Akima in any way he can.

FIRE 2 AIR 2 Intelligence 4

Awareness 4

EARTH 2 WATER 2 Willpower 3 Perception 3

VOID 3 TN to be Hit: 14 School/Rank: Asako Courtier 2 Honor/Status/Glory/Infamy: 0.6/2.0/1.5/1.0 Skills: Acting 4, Courtier 3, Deceit (Lying) 4, Defense 2, Etiquette 3, Jiujutsu 1, Kenjutsu 1, Knives 2, Lore (History) 3, Lore (Sons of Destiny) 3, Theology 4. Mastery Abilities: Adds +5 to the total of any Contested Social Roll he makes. Advantages/Disadvantages: Allies (Sons of Destiny), Apparent Honor (rank 2) Equipment: Kimono, sandals, traveling pack, tanto, 3 koku. Isawa Akima/Isawa Koitsu, “Mistress of Void,” Female Impersonator, and Son of Destiny Akima always has a variety of magical protections in place – he has a Silent Waters spell in place at all times, and carries three powerful Asahina fetishes (the two silver obi beads and the ivory fan) on his person as well. Due to his pre-cast Silent Waters, he has one Water spell-slot used up.

• Silent Waters: If he suffers 10 or more Wounds at one time, triggers Path to Inner Peace on himself with two Raises.

• Fetish #1 (silver obi bead): Contains the spell Aura of Flame. The fetish will activate the moment someone swings at Akima with a melee weapon, instantly triggering the spell before the weapon hits.

• Fetish #2 (silver obi bead): Contains the spell Armor of the Emperor. This fetish will trigger if he suffers 20 or more Wounds at one time, casting the spell on himself.

• Fetish #3 (carved ivory fan): If he is reduced to Down or lower Wound Rank, triggers Rise From the Ashes on himself. This will restore his Wounds and spell slots, but will not restore his Void points or sanity – the wrath of the City of Empty Dreams cannot be reversed by a mere spell.

When the party reaches the dome in the City of Empty Dreams, Akima will subtly cast Kharmic Intent on Wasureru, gaining access to his Void points (Wasureru will not dare to spend Akima’s points).

FIRE 5 AIR 5

EARTH 5 WATER 3 Perception 4

VOID 8 TN to be Hit: 37 School/Rank: Isawa Shugenja (Void) 6 Technique: May spend as many Void points as desired when casting a spell. Void points used on

spells in his Affinity count double. Affinity to Void. No Deficiency.


Honor/Status/Glory: 0.3/8.5/6.5 Skills: Acting 6, Calligraphy (Clan Cipher, Sons of Destiny Cipher) 5, Commerce 2, Courtier 4, Deceit 7, Defense 6, Divination 4, Etiquette 4, Forgery 4, Hunting 2, Investigation 5, Kenjutsu 1, Knives 1, Lore: Heraldry 3, Lore: History 4, Lore: Sons of Destiny 9, Lore: Shugenja 4, Meditation (Void Recovery) 6, Spellcraft (Elemental Knowledge: Void) 7, Storytelling 3, Tea Ceremony 4, Theology 7. Mastery Abilities: May disguise self as a person of other gender. May enter Full Defense when Initiative is rolled. Adds +5 to total of Contested Social Rolls. Adds Spellcraft Skill Ranks to total of all spellcasting rolls. Free Raise on spellcasting and when using all skills at Rank 5 or higher. Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, Counterspell, Importune, Banish, (Air 1) Cloak of Night, Way of Deception, Wind-Borne Slumbers, (Air 2) Benten’s Touch, Call Upon the Wind, Secrets on the Wind, (Air 3) Forgotten Murmurs, Wisdom of the Kami, (Air 5) Slayer’s Knives, (Earth 1) Earth’s Stagnation, Jade Strike, (Earth 2) Grasp of Earth, Walk Without Passing, (Earth 3) Earth’s Protection, (Earth 4) Armor of the Emperor, Shatter, (Fire 1) Burst, Extinguish, Fury of Osano-Wo, (Fire 2) Fires From Within, Speed of Flame, (Fire 3) Burn the Mind, (Fire 4) Death of Flame, (Void 1) Sense Void, Drawing the Void, (Void 2) Essence of Void, (Void 3) Kharmic Intent, Moment of Clarity, (Void 4) Void Strike, (Void 5) Void Suppression, (Void 6) Rise From the Ashes, (Water 1) Path to Inner Peace, Reflections of Pan Ku, Sympathetic Energies, (Water 2) Reflective Pool, Regrow the Wound, Wisdom and Clarity, (Water 3) Silent Waters, Walking Upon the Waves. Advantages/Disadvantages: Allies (many), Crafty, Dangerous Beauty, Forbidden Knowledge, Ishiken-do, Perceived Honor (rank 3), Social Position (Elemental Council), Voice/Dark Secret (female impersonator, Son of Destiny), Driven (achieve the goals of the Sons of Destiny), Forsaken, Overconfident Equipment: Wakizashi, tanto, kimono and sandals, scroll satchel, traveling pack, 4 koku. Akima’s Spell Selection Chart Once Akima/Koitsu is exposed to the power at the heart of the City of Empty Dreams, his mind will be too shattered to allow him to choose his spells optimally. When he is confronting the PCs, roll on the following chart to determine which spell he will cast. He will always cast the spell he chooses to the best effect possible, such as by taking Raises for extra targets or improved effect. 1: Wind-Borne Slumbers 2-3: Shatter 4: Fury of Osano-Wo 5-6: Fires From Within 7: Void Suppression 8: Slayer’s Knives 9: Earth’s Stagnation 10: GM’s choice The Void Guardian

FIRE 2 AIR 2 Agility 4

Reflexes 4

EARTH 4 WATER 2 Strength 5

VOID 9 TN to be Hit: 30 (20 if an attack can ignore armor) Attacks: 8k4 Damage: 6k3 (the Void Guardian’s tetsubo ignores all Carapace, armor, Invulnerability, and magical protections

such as Armor of the Emperor) Carapace Armor: 5 Wounds: 60: Destroyed. Special Abilities: Regeneration (heals 5 Wounds per round), Indestructibility (even if reduced to Dead, reforms itself at full strength in 1-10 minutes), Omniscience (cannot be deceived with illusions)


GM’s Aid: Drowning If the PCs are knocked overboard, either during the storm or when hit by the Thrane ship, the GM should use these rules for resolving their fate. PCs in the water will have to try to stay afloat by rolling Stamina/Athletics (Swimming) at TN 15. The roll must be made every minute. Every ten minutes, the TN to tread water goes up by 5. Failure means they sink and will probably begin to drown (drowning causes 1k1 damage on the first round and 2k2 each subsequent round until rescued). • A PC in danger of drowning can try to hold his/her breath. This requires a Raw Stamina roll each round, at

TN 15 on the first round and 5 higher each subsequent round. • A PC who has fallen overboard, but is not drowning, can try to swim back to the ship by making a total of three

successful Strength/Athletics (Swimming) rolls at TN 20 before failing three times. Each attempt takes one minute. If the PC fails three times before succeeding three times, the PC’s strength gives out. The PC can go back to treading water, but the TN to tread water increases by 5.

• PCs who have fallen into the water can be rescued by throwing them a rope within four minutes. (Raw Agility

at TN 10 to get the rope to them.) A drowning PC can try to focus enough to grab a rope by rolling Raw Willpower at TN 20. After four minutes, the waves have carried them far enough that a rope cannot reach them.

• Alternatively, other PCs can throw an oar or other piece of wood for the swimming PC to cling to. This must

be done within two minutes and the PC throwing the wooden object must roll Raw Agility at TN 20. A PC can cling to a piece of wood for any length of time, but after ten minutes the storm will sweep the PC away and finding him/her will be almost impossible without magical assistance.

• A bold PC may decide to dive into the water to save another PC who is drowning. The TN for swimming back

to the ship while towing/helping another PC is increased by 5 (by 10 if the helpless PC is Large).


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