After choosing a family for the character the player may choose to roll on the Heritage Tables to see what sort of lineage the character has. The player may roll up to three times on the tables, but each has a cost of 1 Character Point.
Heritage Table 1
1-2
Dishonorable Past. Roll on Heritage Table 2.
3-5
Undistinguished Past. No Benefits or Penalties.
6-9
Distinguished Past. Roll on Heritage Table 3.
10
Mixed Blessings. Roll on Heritage Table 4.
Heritage Table 2 - Dishonorable Past
1-2
Traitor! A distant ancestor betrayed a daimyo of your clan. Gain the Black Sheep disadvantage (but no points for it).
3-4
Coward! An ancestor failed to prove their worth in battle and ran. Begin game with 0 glory, and you must earn 20 glory points to reach rank 1.
5-6
Shameful Birth. Your mother was a diplomat to another clan, and she became pregnant with you while there. You are considered a deep shame to your clan, and your mother committed seppuku shortly after your birth. Begin the game with 0 glory, and you were cast out of the clan becoming a Crane ClanRonin.
7-8
Vow! Your family has an ancient vow to complete. The character may not reach rank 3 until this vow has been completed.
9-10
Ruined! Yuor family lost everything. You begin the game with nothing, no family (ronin), no money. Only the clothes on your back and beginning items (all of Poor quality).
Two minor clans attack eachother, and the Crane attempt to mediate. The Crane were forced to intervene after assassins killed many of the Fox Clan. Gain Lore: Ninja at rank 1, gain 1 glory rank and a minor enemy in the Fox Clan.
The Crane intervened between the Lion and the Phoenix Clans, resulting in Isawa Asahina attacking the Crane. Gain a Major Ally in either the Lion or the Phoenix.
When Crane forces were forced to abandon Shiro no Yojin. Gain a minor enemy in the Lion Clan and the advantage: Higher Purpose (retake Shiro no Yojin).
Table 3B - Famous Romance
Step One: roll 2d10 to determine the clan of the person involved with your ancestor.
Step Two: roll 2d10 for the outcome of the affair.
01-70
Romantic Affair
01-15
Summer Affair. Gain Minor Ally within the lover's clan.
16-30
Winter Affair. Gain Minor Ally within the lover's clan and 5 points of glory.
31-55
Marriage! Gain 1 glory rank and a Major Ally within the lover's clan.
56-70
Affair kept secret. Gain Minor Ally and Minor Enemy within the lover's clan.
71-100
Tragic Affair
01-15
Unrequited Love. Gain Minor Enemy from the lover's clan.
16-30
Influential Rival. No effect.
31-55
Messy Affair. Both lovers committed seppuku, and the character was raised by a distant relative. Change family name (i.e. from Doji to Kakita or Daidoji to Doji etc.)
56-70
Lover killed. Gain Major Enemy from the lover's clan, and your family will see it as your duty to avenge the blood feud.
Table 3C - Heroic Deed
1-2
Ancestor saved Daimyo from assassination. Gain Lore:Ninja rank 1 and 5 points of Glory.
3-4
depending on what the character is:
Shugenja:
Ancestor researched a spell. Gain a Air Spell as an innate ability.
Bushi:
Ancestor famous for sword technique. Gain 1 free raise for iaijutsu once per day.
Artisan:
Ancestor was a master of two arts. Gain a skill and a maya with that skill that can be used once per day. If the charater later gains the second maya for that skill they gain full access to the first maya also.
5-6
Ancestor defeated a swordsman in a duel. Gain a fine quality katana and 5 points of glory.
7-8
Ancestor rescued a kidnapped relative. Gain Major Ally from the Crane Clan and 3 points of glory.
9-10
Ancesotr single handedly turned back a rally during a siege. Gain Battle +1 and 3 points of glory.
Any result on this table also requires another roll on the Heritage Table 5 - Gifts, found below.
1-4
Killed in a Duel
5-9
Killed in Battle. Roll on table 3A - Famous Battle and once more on the following table.
1-2
Killed protecting general. Gain 1 glory rank and a Major Ally from an appropriate clan.
3
Killed charging and breaking enemy lines. Gain 1 glory rank and a Minor Ally from your family.
4-5
Rode out and shouted insults at opposing army, then died later. Gain 1 glory rank.
6
Died defending an ambassador. Gain 1 glory rank and Gain a favor from the Doji Courtier favor table.
7
Challenged the enemy general, but was killed. Gain 1.5 glory ranks.
8
Carried the Clan banner into battle. Gain 1.7 glory ranks..
9
Stole the enemy banner. Gain 2 glory ranks.
10
Saved a comrade by dragging them from behind enemy lines. Gain 1 glory rank and a Major Ally from an appropriate Clan.
10
Seppuku. Gain 5 points of glory.
Heritage Table 4 - Mixed Blessing
1-2
Family is renowned for cleverness. Gain 1 honor rank and a minor enemy in a clan of the GM's choice.
3-4
An ancestor killed a powerful enemy of the Clan. Gain 1 glory rank and a major enemy of a clan of the GM's choice. Also gain Lore:Clan skill of the chosen clan and be cursed to alway drop the highest dice when fighting members of that clan.
5-7
Inherited a Nemuranai. Ability unknown, but must always carry it with you.
8-9
Last of a once-noble family. Gain 3 glory points.
10
Family secret. Family refuse to talk about it. Unusal things happen around you, and you don't understand. The circumstances around your birth are unknown to you, and you never even knew your mother.
Heritage Table 5 - Gifts
01-15
1-10 koku (1d10)
16-35
2-20 koku (2d10)
36-50
Gain a minor fetish (tsangusuri), Roll on Heritage Table 6 below.
51-75
4-40 koku (4d10)
76-80
Been made governor of a small bit of land. Gain 1 glory rank and earn a revenue of 1-10 koku a year (1d10). 3 months of the year must be spent tending the estate.
81-100
Been made hatamoto to a daimyo of the clan. Gain 1 honor rank and an obligation to attend your lord once every three months.
Heritage Table 6 - Asahina Fetishes and Minor Magics
01-10
Incense of Concentration. Use when meditating for 15 minutes to recieve 2 spent void points back. (only works for shugenja)
11-25
Brooch of Plenty. Nourishes the user fully for one day. Useable once every other day.
Makeup Kit. Adds an extra rolled dice to any disguise/impersonation rols.
66-69
Bone Key. Can open any door even if locked or magically sealed. Physical traps are ignored but magical ones are triggered.
70-76
Feather of the Crane. When used, the character's weight it reduced by 10 %, but he also takes 3 times the normal damage he would suffer. These effects last 1 hour.
77-79
Acorn of Visions. Renders user comatose for an hour when eaten, in which time the user will gain visions of any subject meditated upon prior to eating the nut.
80-89
Tortoise Shell. Grants protection from ranged attacks for ten combat rounds.
90-97
White Sheaf of Grain. Heals 2d10 damage from a single person. The person healed must be touched with the Sheaf.
98-100
Black Fan. Invokes awe and fear of the user. When using the fan the character adds 2d10 temporary glory points to their glory for the next hour.