Legend of the Five Rings RPG: Beginner Game

It is an era of sudden change and upheaval in Rokugan. Mortal schemes, natural calamities, and celestial turmoil alike have disrupted the political, military, and spiritual equilibrium of the land. Long-simmering rivalries and fresh betrayals ripple through the courts and on the battlefield. The Chrysanthemum Throne is beset by threats from without and within, and the honor of the seven Great Clans shall be put to the test. Who among the clans will prove strong enough to guide Rokugan in these tumultuous times? Will their names be lifted up beside those of the honored ancestors, or will they fall among the ranks of the empire’s most infamous villains? 

In Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying, players take on the roles of samurai from the seven Great Clans serving their lords across Rokugan, a rich and complex setting based on a fantastical and romanticized version of feudal Japan (while also taking inspiration from other East Asian myths, literature, and history). Characters are warriors, courtiers, priests, and monks defending their lord’s interests while upholding the Code of Bushidō, a code that demands samurai ignore their own desires in favor of justice, loyalty, and honor. 

What lines will your character cross at their lord’s order? What desires will your character sacrifice to uphold their ideals? Adventures in Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying take their cues from eastern storytelling, which valorizes individuals sacrificing themselves to maintain societal harmony, as opposed to western narratives that reward heroes for defying society. However, ideals and human emotions cannot easily be put aside even by the greatest of samurai, and this inner conflict drives the drama of Legend of the Five Rings.