This quest will take place over a period of twenty in game years. In general each year represents between 3-4 updates and revolves around managing some event or crises. These events can be purely personal such as your heir turning out to actually not wanting to be the heir, all the way to 'Hell has invaded and the living envy the dead'.
With each event, you will be presented by your Imperial Council and other affiliates with solutions to the problem. These solutions will typically be organized into five themes based on the elements of the Emerald Empire. Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Void. There is no perfect solutions and even good ones come with the chance of failure.
In general:
Air options focus on diplomacy or subterfuge
Earth options focus on legal and Infrastructure based solutions
Fire options focus on military or inventive solutions
Water options focus on mercantile or medical solutions
Void focuses on magical or spiritual solutions.
This is why each option comes with costs, these costs are not gold or resources. Rather they are opportunity and opinion. All eyes in the Empire are on Toturi IV, and each clan will have a preferred solution to a problem. Choosing a solution they do not like will inevitably lessen their opinion of you. While choosing one they do like, will make them more positively inclined towards the Emperor. The measure of this like or dislike is covered more fully in the 'Clan Rating Section'
In addition to the associated costs, there's also the chance of failure. Once an option is picked, the QM rolls a number of d10s equal to the elemental rank of whichever elemental option was picked and the Associated Councillor Skill Rank. So picking an Air option would use the Air Elemental Rank and the Air Councillor's Skill rank.
These dice explode on roll of 10 and may explode any number of times, provided it continues to land on 10.
After the dice are rolled, a number of dice equal to the Elemental Rank is kept.
So as an example if Air=3 Skill=3. 6d10 is rolled= 7,1,4,3,8,6. The three highest dice are 7, 8 and 6 so those are kept, and the rest are discarded. Giving a final result of 21.
The result of this roll is then compared to the difficulty of the option proposed. (This is included in the initial presentation of the options) If the result meets or exceeds this difficulty then your choice worked. If it fails, well that means you have to try something else and deal with the fallout of your failure
Elemental Ranks are based on the Emperor who will slowly grow into the roll. Skill ranks are provided by the Councillors you choose.
However, these ranks are not static, pick one type of option over and over, and naturally the Empire gets better at using that form of problem solving. The number of choices needed to increase an elemental rank is equal to the elemental rank*4. This does not count pass or failures, only the number of choices made.
So in math
(4*Current Elemental Rank) of Elemental Options=Elemental Rank Upgrade
As a practical example
If the Fire Elemental Rank was 2. You would need 8 Fire Actions, to level the Fire Elemental Action to 3. To level it to 4 you would need 12 more fire actions, and so on.
Skill Ranks have a different growth curve. Like Elemental Ranks they grow by choosing an element that's associated with that Councillor. The formula for their growth, is 2*Current Skill Rank. However, only successful actions count towards their growth.
So in math
(2*Current Skill Rank) of Successful Elemental options=Skill Rank upgrade
As a Practical Example.
Air Councillor has a skill of 3. He (She) will need 6 successful Air actions to get a skill of 4. The Councillor will then need 8 successful Air actions to get a skill of 5.
Skills come with masteries, at rank 3, 5, and 7 a character will get the following masteries: +2k0/Free raise/+0k1. Characters apply their rank 3 mastery depending on the option being right for their trait. (Traits are small tags that differ counsellors for each other. In general they should be self explanatory.) Balanced characters gain a blanket +1k0 to their actions instead of 2k0.
Imperial Council
No man is an island, and the Emperor does not rule alone, but through a picked body of people who provide both information and challenges. They also contribute to the Element Rank of the Emperor. There are five main council positions, and three others that only come into play during certain crises. The main positions are all associated with a general element. These Positions are:
Emerald Champion:This councillor is in charge of the Law and the maintenance of the realm. Thus the associated Element for this position is (Earth)
Imperial Advisor: This councillor is in charge of the courts and managing the various political maneuverings of the Empire. Thus the associated element is (Air)
Jade Champion: This councillor is responsible for the spiritual health and well being of the Empire. Thus the associated element is (Void)
Imperial Treasurer: This councillor is responsible for ensuring taxation and money flows through the realm. Thus the associated element is (Water)
Shogun: This councillor commands the military might of the Empire, at the direction of the Emperor of course. Thus the associated element is (Fire)
While the Champion positions are typically chosen by tournament. (Meaning the QM will roll to decide who you get) The other positions are by appointment, and you will have options to choose from. These choices will have a general character outline, what elemental rank they benefit, and which Clans want them to have the position.
The Situational Positions are
Dowager Empress (Varies, typically Earth)
Empress (Varies, typically Water)
Kizoku (Spy Master) (Air)
Topaz Champion (Varies, typically Fire)
Imperial Heir (Varies, typically void)
Turquoise Champion (Air or Void)
Amethyst Champion (Air or Earth)
While these are important, (particular the Empresses and the Heir) They will substitute in only when an event warrants it. As before Champion positions are obtained by tournament, but you may choose the others. Although Imperial Heir will default to your nearest living blood relative until, such a time as you have multiple children.
Clan Ratings
This brings us to the Third major mechanic of the game. Clan ratings.
Clan Ratings are given to each clan and updated at the end of the year with the score card. This rating determines how much the Clan likes you or dislikes you. This scale goes from 0-100. With higher numbers being better. In general you can think of it like this
100: The best Emperor ever and we love him
90: The Emperor is truly benevolent towards us
80: The Emperor has been very good to us
70: The Emperor is a trusted ally of the clan
60: The Emperor is a decent friend
50: The Emperor is to be respected, no more no less.
40: The Emperor has ruled somewhat against what we like
30: The Emperor is not our friend, but not a hated enemy either
20: The Emperor is against us, this must be stopped.
10: The Emperor is our enemy
0: The Emperor has to be stopped
If the Clan rating goes to zero, it will do something drastic, although what that is varies from clan to clan, it is never positive for Toturi IV. There are certain things such as appointing a Clan Member to your Imperial Advisors, or arranging a marriage between the Toturi and a Clan that can hard lock a Clan Rating for a number of years. Meaning that until those years are up, that Clan will never have a Clan Rating lower than what it is hard locked to. However, breaking a marriage or firing an Advisor has the opposite effect. When making this choice, you will be told how long and to what rating the Clan is hard locked.
Foreign Power Mechanics
The wide world beyond the Emerald Empire will not stay silent forever. When it comes to the Imperial doorstep, it must be dealt with one way or another, the wish to go into isolation may be strong, but not always practical. With this mind, other Empires have three ratings.
Opinion Rating which works more or less along the same scale as that of the Clans (100 is good, 0 is bad)
Military Rating, a measure of military ability compared to the Emerald Empire.
Economic Rating, a measure of relative wealth compared to the Emerald Empire
This is along a five point scale Going from weakest to strongest
Pitiable: This Empire barely even has an economy or a military
Poor: This Empire is feeling cash strapped or has few armies, but it survives for now
Average: Neither especially better or worse compared to the Emerald Empire
Strong: Doing better than the Empire but not unbelievably so.
Incredible: Much stronger than the Emerald Empire in a very potent way.
Dynasty Mechanics
When I the QM call for a pregnancy roll, a player may then do the following:
Roll a d10. If you get a 9 or higher, a child is made. You gain a +1 bonus for each 3 month period you try to make a child. (So if you tried for a year to get a kid, by the end you'd have a +4 to the roll)
If you roll a 10, reroll, if it lands on another 10 its twins.
If a child is made roll another d10. Evens it's a boy, odds its a girl. (In the case of twins repeat this)
Shugenja potential will be rolled by me when your child is born.
Example
FunkEdgemaster sees my request for a roll
He rolls 1d10 and gets 9 (So one child)
He then rolls another 1d10 and gets 5 (Thus it's a girl)
FunkEdgemaster is then done rolling.
Second example
DanceMagicFlame sees my request for a roll, now the playerbase has been voted previously to try for a child but failed, so they currently have a +1 bonus
She rolls a 1d10 and gets 8, with the +1 that equals to 9 and that means that a pregnancy happens
She rolls another 1d10 and gets 4 (thus it's a boy)
DanceMagicFlame is done rolling
Third Example
WolfWindNinja sees my request for a roll. As before the playerbase has voted to try for a child
She rolls a d10 and gets 9, the +1 turns it into a 10
She then rolls another d10 and gets 10 again, this means you have twins on the way.
She then rolls a d10 for each child getting 2 and 8, so it's twin girls.
WolfWindNinja is done rolling
(Source Seung Chang Hong)
Tsuruchi Etsuko/ Favours: Reform
Earth Skill: 3
Personality: Originally a bounty hunter by trade. She was known as one of the best hunters in the northern half of the Empire with a startlingly ability to find anyone and the pin them to ground with a well placed barrage of arrows. Revealed as a skill warrior, she tends to follow the new forms of society believing that just as each spring brings renewal and change, so must each dynasty. An honest soul, her cheerful demeanor belies the fearsome reputation she has gained.
Shogun
Hida Ginchiyo
Fire Skill: 5 Favour: Defence
Personality: Born of a common Hida couple. Ginchiyo forced herself through the ranks on sheer drive and skill. Intensely focused and loyal, she has spent time training with the famed Kaiu and Akodo when it comes to defending ground. One of the early success stories of the Toturi Legion reforms. Ginchiyo is determined not only to repay the Toturi back but carve out the Shogun position for good.
Jade Champion Champion
Horiuchi Shem-Zhe
Void Skill 3. Favours: Reform
Personality, a quiet young man with a tremendous gift in the kami and true genius for blending the ways of Meishodo or name magic with the more traditional elemental magic. That said he has for several years served as Moto Chagatai's personal problem solver in matters regarding magic, and done well for himself. A pacifist at heart, he wishes to find a way to prevent more orphans in the Empire, while at the same time protecting everyone. To that end he has become a skilled shugenja and well versed in matters of theology and investigation.
Imperial Advisor
Doji Yuriko
Skill 4 Diplomacy
At twenty five summers, Yuriko is stepping into the role of Imperial Advisor largely on the strength of her mediation between the Phoenix, Crane and Scorpion a few years ago which drew the notice of Kitsuki Akane, who quietly recruited her into the Imperial Bureaucracy and set her a number of tasks, largely working to contain cracks in the Minor Clan Alliance to the benefit of the Empire as well as soothing tempers as the legion was expanded. While young she has a wealth of contacts and an infectious charm that sees her making inroads everywhere, her favourite tactic is to use art to draw people together. Preferring deflection and circumspection to blunt directness she is often taking advice on the best method going forward.
Imperial Treasurer
Yasuki Chitose
Skill 4: Growth
The young great grand niece of Yasuki Taka, Chitose graduated her gempukku a few years ago. And quickly found herself overseeing a large portion of Sundan Mizu province for the Yasuki by dint of her talent for finding other like herself who were young and eager to prove their worth and cultivating them. Through this she created a sophisticated network of villages and cities who would supply her and her lords well in the War of Stolen Fortresses, being the key reason that the Crab simply didn't stall out due to the loss of their main supply base. Talented she would duel another young prodigy in the Daidoji economically for several months.
A gifted people person who makes deep connections, it's known that she tends to favour a slow and steady approach to things.
Imperial Commissioner
Togashi Shiko Air 4, Balanced
It is rare for the Togashi to involve themselves in the political process of anything, rarer still for them to actually excel at it. Shiko despite her name appears to most as a very soft if perplexing woman who is fond of jokes and riddles, in many ways she is too open, too obvious for many to consider her a canny manipulator.
Which is perhaps why she is, as she smoothly but quietly worked in the background of the Foreign ministry overseeing a thousand minor details while ensuring that others could work to their utmost, it was she who first spotted the heresy, she who figured out that the Zanji had jade, and she who wrote the first tract against their faith. Always just out of sight, Shiko like many Togashi favours a balanced approach to the outsiders, it is folly to turn them completely away, it is equally folly to invite them in. She seems to have a particular fondness for the few remnants of the Yobanjin that survived Toturi Sezaru's Last Sacrifice
Otomo Kotaro
Air Skill 3
Favor: Balance
Young protege of the legendary Otomo daimyo, Hoketuhime. Kotaro has become a spy master in the Otomo, having adapted traditional Otomo methods to the new lack of resources, he is capable of both offensive spy operations and defensive. Although it is unrecorded for obvious reasons. Some suspect that he is the man behind the continued unrest that the Lion face within their own ranks, but nothing has been proven. What is known is that under his direction Toshi Ranbo has found itself cleansed of a number of conspiracies. From a personal level, he employs a cool but broad charm, always willing to endure an insult to repay it, and perhaps most importantly, is utterly loyal to the Imperial Throne.
Akodo Takeshi
Your younger brother and newly ascended champion of the Lion. While the bonds of family are strong indeed. Long training by the Matsu, Akodo, Ikoma and Kitsu have instilled the Akodo adage of 'Every Lion is my brother' quiet strongly.
Empress
Toturi no Matsu Kana
Skill 3 (Void)
The newly chosen Empress, Kana comes to throne several years after the deceased Empress Toturi Kaname. Dedicated to the Empire and her husband, the young woman seeks to make up with pure willpower and guts what she lacks in particular refinement. A gifted priestess of the kami she's known for using her gifts to help whoever needs it. Time will tell if she can begin to approach the place of the former Empress
Heir
Toturi Minoru, your daughter had originally intended to school at the famed Kakita Academy under the master artisan Doji Aoshi, currently best friends with another Doji and a precocious scamp. Having decided to fulfill a promise, she's currently in the mysterious Kawa forest with her friend learning from a Kenku instead, one wonders where she got her reckless behavior.
Daughter
Toturi Yuina, your second daughter and Ishiken, it almost seems like she knows you already some days. A sleepy teenager, her white hair has whispers of her great uncle's famed talent with the mystical void magic. She currently travels along the Southern Coasts and Isles of Silk and Spice. Considered a full Ishi now, she's not as powerful as the famed Sezaru, but far more stable.
Concubine
Shosuro Ayumi
Relationship: Love
Air 3
History: The granddaughter of exiles to the Burning Sands, Ayumi was trained in the courtly ways of the Bayushi and show exceptional skill for it at a young age. Melding this with the physical training of her birth family she became a potent and active force in a number of minor courts. When it came time for the Empire to move against the Burning Sands, she volunteered, going into the deserts to learn and collect information for the Empire. It was her skills that saw the discovery of the Golem Factory, and she now is offered again, a woman with exception abilities and understanding of the Burning Sands. For several years she served as Hisao's eyes and ears to the outside world. After a disastrous attack on the Imperial Advisor was framed on the Scorpion she prepared herself to die, when Hisao instead put all his faith and trust in her, Ayumi began in turn to fall for him. This she kept secret for several years until a sin sword compelled her to confess. In the aftermath she became the Emperor's first and so far only concubine.
The Twins: Kouya and Kaya
Your adorable twins toddlers by your Concubine Shosuro Ayumi.
While young, Kouya and Kaiya are a handful going by the noise they make. Very close to each other they're very athletic. Still quite young it remains to be seen who they'll grow into but it seems likely that they will be bushi of some sort.
Foreign Powers
Yodotai
Head of State: Leonid Heraclius
Envoy: Angelos Cyril
Opinion: 0 (At War)
Military: Impressive
Economy: Poor
Senpet
Head of State: Tiu CXXV
Envoy: Ahmes of Lurant
Opinion 40
Military: Average
Economy: Strong
Pelmyrians
Head of State: Tsar Vladimir the Iron Fisted
Envoy: Bogadana the Golden
Opinion: 40
Military: Average
Economy: Poor
Naga Tribes
Head of State: High Lord Qatol
Envoy: Dashmar the Ambassador
Opinion: 60
Military: Strong
Economy: Weak
Ivory Kingdoms
Head of State: Padishah Purugupta
Envoy: Kavita of House Zaman
Opinion 40
Military Power: Strong
Economic Power: Strong
Zanj
Head of State: Liberator Abenet Yessuf
Envoy: None
Opinion: 20
Military: Impressive
Economy: Average
Okay that's enough to call it. Emerald Champion it is.
Now while the tournaments are essentially run without your interference. (Preferences are of course noted, and will come up, but they don't influence the out comes) That's not very interactive, so in lieu of me just rolling a lot of dice, I decided to try this experiment. I'm going to show you the tournament brackets, and give a short summary for the character along with their clan. Then up to twelve players, may roll for one of the candidates.
The rules are pretty simple, you can only claim one candidate. You roll 3d10 for each match. These three d10's will be compared against the other candidate's roll. If two of your three dice are bigger than two of their dice, that means your candidate wins and advances to the finals. In the event of a tie reroll. (Dice are rerolled via the more options button after you post, make sure to label who you are rolling for!)
So as an example..
The bracket says that the Unicorn and Scorpion face off first in the tournament
Utaku Tama (played by Randnomae123) rolls 3d10 and gets 5, 1, 9
Shosuro Jimen (played by Dangerzone43) rolls 3d10 and gets 6,2, 4.
9>6
5>4
So Tama wins the match and goes to the next round. We then do the whole thing over again until we get a winner.
Due to the Crane rigging the system the Crane candidate gets a +1 to their rolls.
Now the Brackets
Round 1:
Utaku Tama vs Akodo Shigetoshi
Suzume Rei vs Usagi Kenshin
Shosuro Jimen vs Kaiu Hirayuki
Shiba Masumi vs Utagawa
Round 2:
Tsuruchi Kaya vs winner of Unicorn/Lion match
Kakita Noritoshi vs winner of Sparrow/Hare match
Seppun Yusuke vs winner of Scorpion/Crab match
Mirumoto Shin vs winner of Phoenix/Miya Sponsered match
(You may note that the Round two contestants get an initial bye, this was because of how 12 contestants works out. The Semifinals and Finals will be updated as time goes along)
Candidates
Crab: Kaiu Hirayuki is a mountain of a man but surprisingly well spoken in spite of that, although a substitute for Hiruma Todai, he has more than proved his worth so far.
Crane: Kakita Noritoshi is the current head of the Kakita family (something he intends to hand off to his wife if he wins), a quintessential Kakita, his master of iaijutsu and the arts is unquestioned and is considered a strong favourite to win.
Dragon: Mirumoto Shin is something of an oddity in this tournament, a follower of the unorthodox Taoist swordsman sect, his skill with words leaves something to be desired, but his skill in investigation and battle more than make up for it.
Lion: Akodo Shigetoshi, once considered the favourite to succeed the aged Akodo Ginawa, the birth of an heir set him on a new path. A brilliant tactician and administrator, he has managed the Lion magistrates for several years.
Mantis: Tsuruchi Kaya, a now experience magistrate who cut his teeth on hunting down ronin left over from the tumult of the Four Winds era, he is a skilled investigator and courtier, although on the older side of things.
Phoenix: Shiba Masumi, a younger candidate she has spent much of her formative years running down and cleansing the Phoenix lands of bandits and other criminals. Adept in combat and investigation, she has a strange affectation of Dragon tattoos.
Scorpion: Shosuro Jimen is a brilliant politician, and quite skilled at understanding criminals. Whether this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen.
Unicorn: Utaku Tama blends the purity of the Utaku Battle Maidens with the ferocity of the Moto and is all the stronger for it. Skilled in swordsmanship, and somewhat experienced hunting down foes from her scouting career, she's considered a close friend of Moto Chagatai.
Sparrow: Suzume Rei, although adopted into the clan after her ronin mother was found dead, Suzume Rei has proven something of a young prodigy in the Suzume school of combat, and now seeks to make her name on the grandest stage there is.
Hare: Usagi Kenshin, a somewhat older magistrate that has served as troubleshooter for many Minor Clans, he seeks to win less for himself and more to show the Empire that the Hare have regained their strength.
Miya Sponsored: Utagawa is the ronin leader of the elite 'Legion of Two Thousand' a skilled duellist and leader, she was persuaded to compete after her young protege Tamago successfully led the Legion against the mad ronin lord Karatsu.
Otomo Sponsored: Seppun Yusuke, a man who has long administered justice in the name of the Seppun amongst the far flung holdings of the Imperial families, he comes from a long line of law men...and was reportedly born quoting Imperial Law
AN: Technically speaking if you go back to the 2007 records each clan sent 3 people (including the gorram Spider) and the MCA sent 2 and yeah it was a lot of people. In the interest of only having four rounds (Which seems to be a good cut off point to me) I've done a preliminary round to eliminate about 12 of those shugenja ahead of time. Ironically as in rl, the Spider agent got spanked out in the first round, but so did the Imperial.
As with the Emerald Champion the rules are fairly simple. People pick one candidate and roll 3d10 for them and compare each dice against their opponent from highest to lowest. The person who has the most higher numbers wins.
Ex Isawa Bob rolls 1,8, 5 and Kitsune Kate rolls 2, 9 and 4
So 9 4 2 versus 8, 5 1
9>8
4<5
2>1
Thus Bob wins.
Round 1:
Agasha Tomioko vs Kuni Daigo
5,4, 1 vs 7,7, 4
Winner: Kuni Daigo
Komori Junsaku vs Tamori Wotan
7, 5, 3 vs 10, 7 4
Winner: Tamori Wotan
Asahina Beniha vs Shosuro Atesharu
6,4,4 vs 10, 8, 4
Winner: Shosuro Atesharu
Horiuchi Shem-Zhe vs Yogo Rieko
9, 8, 3 vs 5, 1, 1
Winner: Horiuchi Shem-Zhe
Isawa Kimi vs Kuni Kiyoshi
10,8, 1 vs 10, 7, 1
Winner: Isawa Kimi
Moto Yong-Tai vs Kitsu Ineko
7,4,3 vs 10, 6, 4
Winner: Kitsu Ineko
Moshi Sayako vs Kuni Ochiyo
8,8, 5 vs 9,8,7
Winner: Kuni Ochiyo
Asahina Nizomi vs Kitsu Katsuko
7, 6, 1 vs 8, 4, 3
Winner: Kitsu Katsuko
Round 2:
Kuni Daigo vs Tamori Wotan
7, 6, 6 vs 10, 7, 6
Winner: Tamori Wotan
Horiuchi Shem-Zhe vs Shosuro Atesharu
10, 7, 4 vs 6,6, 1
Winner: Horiuchi Shem-Zhe
Isawa Kimi vs Kitsu Ineko
7,3,2 vs 8,7,4
Winner: Kitsu Ineko
Kuni Ochiyo vs Kitsu Katsuko
10, 3, 4 vs 10, 5, 4
Winner: Kitsu Katsuko
SEMI FINALS
Tamori Wotan vs Horiuchi Shen-Zhe
8,7,2 vs 10,6, 1
Winner: Horiuchi Shen-Zhe
Kitsu Ineko vs Kitsu Katsuko
10, 8, 1 vs
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Since there are so many candidates this time around, I've put them in a spoiler so that its easier to scroll past if you don't care.
Agasha Tomioko: A stern no nonsense water shugenja favoured by the Master of Fire, she brings a wealth of experience to the role having commanded the Fifth Imperial Legion for years
Asahina Beniha: Young student of Asahina Handen, nephew to the last Emerald Champion. Beniha is known as skilled politician and mistress of the air kami, she is an odd choice but has stood this far without incident
Asahina Nizomi: Son of the last Grand Master of the Elements, Nizomi is considered by most to be brash and untested, but few can deny the immense power this Fire Shugenja wields, even if he himself does.
Horiuchi Shem-zhen: Daimyo of the small nascent Horiuchi family, Shem-zhen is a humble man but master of the secretive gaijin techniques that Horiuchi Shoan recovered and developed into its own style. It is said he's not a bad hand at earth magic either
Isawa Kimi: Master of the Void, this woman has reached the prime of her power and is well respect for that. Although not truly the equal of Isawa Sezaru or Asahina Sekawa in the Void, she brings stability and a finesse that neither of them truly mastered.
Kitsu Ineko: All the Kitsu can call forth the ancestors. Few indeed can claim to have communicated with the founding kami themselves as Ineko has. This potent water shugenja has already forged a legend by helping the Phoenix recover the blade of Shiba, no doubt her skill would make her excellent at finding hidden things.
Kitsu Katsuko: Daimyo of the Kitsu family, and arguably the most skilled spirit caller in the Empire. She made her name defeating the Scorpion shugenja Soshi Tsibaru a man of some renown when she was only sixteen years old. No doubt her experience will be her greatest asset.
Komori Jusaku: Champion of the Bat Clan, this man has proven himself to be the equal of the Isawa with regard to the air kami, and the own techniques of the Komori. Relatively frail, he greatly relies on his skill and gifts to overcome problems
Kuni Daigo: A young harsh Earth shugenja and witch hunter. Daigo made his name by being one of the few survivors of the March of Kyofu which saw the entire Legion of the Damned lost with only three coming back with reports of victory.
Kuni Kiyoshi: Daimyo of the Kuni and mastermind behind the Bloodspeaker purge that took place after the Rain of blood. This powerful earth shugenja is new to his position and many suspect that he intends to win it in the name of his former daimyo.
Kuni Ochiyo: A middle aged Earth Shugenja who is a well known advocate of a Crab and Unicorn alliance. This woman has been behind the recovery of the Kuni family since the perilous events of Daigotsu's Assault on the Carpenter Wall
Moshi Sayako: Mistress of Tempest Island and a powerful storm caller in her own right. Sayako made her name in the War of Fire and Thunder, before showing her true resolve fighting to rescue Toturi III at the Battle of the Tomb, despite nearly succeeding in the end she proved too wounded to continue and only Toturi III's sacrifice saw free the army that came to rescue him.
Moto Yong-Tai : Arguably the strongest Death Priestess in Rokugan, Yong-Tai has been amongst those who secretly defended the Imperial Family from all threats in the Hidden Guard. While devoted to her gods, there is no doubt that her mastery over the Earth is enough to even give the Kuni and Isawa pause.
Shosuro Atesharu: An Air shugenja famed for his use of large scale illusions to enhance his plays, Atesharu comes from humble origins, being born during the Scorpion Exile to the Burning Sands. That said he is known to be ruthless and a cunning duelist.
Tamori Wotan: One of the few true masters of the rebuilt Tamori School, Wotan is famed for his aggressive style, skill at arms, and quiet willingness to set literally everything on fire to solve his problem. His most notable feat was to hold the line against the main Crane assault on Shiro Kitsuki...by himself and succeeding in turning the back thanks to his mastery of fire and earth.
Yogo Reiko: A kind woman who seems to get along with everyone in spite of her origins...and a true genius at hunting down maho and other threats, she's famed for her ability to walk into the strongest Bloodspeaker cults and walk out unscathed with a smile. Most don't ask questions.
That actually brings up a good point, which I haven't really had a way to work into the narrative, and honestly didn't want to go down and decide which each candidate's leanings were ahead of time. But like the other councillors, the Jeweled Champions have a preference for how problems are solved. In their case it relates to law and tradition so they use the same axis.
Expansion focused samurai want to use Rokugani systems as they are and stretch definitions or expand them in order to handle problems, they're more likely to revive something old than try anything new.
Kakita Noritoshi favours Expansion
Reformer focused samurai don't see any particular part of Rokugani culture as truly sacrosanct, if to solve a problem an old law must be changed or done away with, they'll do that. They prefer to use innovative solutions for new problems and are likely to create new positions to look after things.
Horiuchi Shem-Zhe favours reform.
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Second part of this is to codify the rewards thing. I'm not demanding anyone make omake or do long in depth analysis posts, or informational posts. However if you do put that in and I think it's something good that contributes to the thread, I'll toss a free raise your way.
However caveats as there must be caveats to avoid the whole 'we have 20 raises on everything' potential problem.
You must assign a free raise to an element ahead of time, and you can only spend 2 free raises on a single roll. You can have more, but only two will be used at most for any one roll.
(Source 
