The Book of Air

Book of Air Cover

The Book of Air is the first in a series of sourcebooks for the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game, the Elemental Series, each of which focuses on one of the five iconic rings that give the game its name. The Book of Air explores the many different aspects of Air in the setting, including the many activities and endeavors samurai attempt that are tied to the Air ring. It was released on May 2012.

Credits

• Written by: Shawn Carman, Robert Hobart, Brian Yoon, Kevin Blake, Dave Laderoute, Max Lemaire, Seth Mason, and Ryan Reese
• Edited by: Rob Hobart, Todd Rowland
• Art Director: Todd Rowland
• Cover Design: Hal Mangold
• Cover Artist: Mario Wibisono
• Layout: Hal Mangold
• Original Graphic Design: Edge Entertainment
• Artists: Christopher Appel, Steve Argyle, Gonzalo Ordonez Arias, Mathew S. Armstrong, Daren Bader, Drew Baker, Jason Behnke, Tom Biondolillo, Leonardo Borazio, beet, Manuel Calderon, Mike Capprotti, Paul Carrick, Miguel Coimbra, Conceptopolis, Audry Corman, Ed Cox, Edwin David, Molly Denmark, Thomas Denmark, Randy Elliot, Steve Ellis, Jason Engle, Anthony Francisco, Carl Frank, Randy Gallegos, Joachim Gmoser, Gong Studios, Anthony Grabski, Troy Graham, Andrew Hepworth, Jeff Himmelman, Quinton Hoover, David Horne, Aurelien Hubert, IFS, Paul Prof Herbert, Jonathan Hunt, Llyn Hunter, Hugh Jamieson, Michael Kaluta, Michel Koch, Michael Komarck, Heather Kreiter, Amandine Labarre, Stephanie Law, April Lee, Monika Livingston, Eric Lofgren, Anson Maddocks, Slawomir Maniak, Thomas Manning, Britt Martin, David Martin, Malcolm McClinton, Patrick McEvoy, Peter Mohrbacher, William O'Connor, Glen Osterberger, Jim Pavelec, Ben Peck, Ramon Perez, Eric Polak, Mark Poole, Angga Satriohadi, Erich Schreiner, Chris Seaman, Douglas Shuler, Steve Snyder, Ron Spencer, Florian Stitz, Beth Trott, Charles Urbach, Luis Vasquez, Diana Vick, Franz Vohwinkel, Byron Wackwitz, Corene Werhane, Mario Wibisono, Matt Wilson, Jarreau Wimberly, Wackwitz & Daily
• Artists - uncredited: Storn A. Cook, Brent Chumley, Val Mayerik, Anna Christenson, Tony Foti, Andy Hepworth, Greg Lambrakis, Julie Dillon, Jeff Himmelman, Christine Griffin, Iordanis Lazaridis, Mark Maxwell, Jon Hodgson, Luis Nuñez de Castro Torres, Albert Tavira, Craig Maher, Noah Bradley, Max Degen, Chris Pritchard, Wen Juinn, Diego Gisbert Llorens, Brandon Leach, Lee Smith, Eric Williams, Aaron Acevedo
• Production Manager: David Lepore.
• Senior Brand Manager: Todd Rowland.
• Chief Executive Officer: John Zinser.
• Head Playtester: Brian Bates
• Playtesters: Team 1 (Dave Smith, Patrick Chen, Aien Elmi, Jason Kang, Ki Chang Kim, Roger Liang, Arthur Nguyen); Team 4 (Becca Hobart, Kevin Blake, Todd Stites, Daniel Briscoe); Team 6 (Timar Long, Erykah Fasset, Chad Kirby, Mike Brodu, Maxime Lemaire, Ray Rupp); Team 7 (Jason Shafer, Nathan Shafer, Matt Strout, Liza Strout, Joe White, Terry Moore, Eric Newlin); Team 8 (Edward Reynolds, Mathieu Brebouillet, David Whitney, Richard Whitney, Stuart Biggs, Robert Knight); Team 8b (Michael Hill, Phil Pheeny, Shane Pheeney, Chaedy Ritherdon, Tarl Cowley); Team 8c (Thomas Atwood, Ryan Castilla, Henry Joiner, Brandon Woodmen); Team 17 (Tom Lewis, Jamie Kipp, Gavin O’Hearn, Shawn MacLean, John Taylor); Team 18 (Dave Laderoute, Mike Clark, Chris Talarico, Chris Masdea, Lee Vollum, Richard Hewitt, Bill Hrenchuk); Team 19 (Charles Caswell, Vincent Stanton, Eddie Sweeden, Chuck Sweeden, Justin Cross, Fox Whitworth); Team 20 (Matt Tyler, Timothy Hill, Stephen Mumford, Matthew Linkswiler, Paul Casagrande, Robert Zapf); Team 21 (James Freeman-Harris, Sarah Koz, David Wright, James Mosingo); Team 22 (Scott Shepard, Dawn Dalton, Andrew Doud, Justin Davidson, Jon Huskey, Trista Lillis, Tim Murphy); Team 23 (James Wagner, Kevin Pason, Ryan Bataglia, Chris Foster, Jim Friedman, Jason Whiston, Phil Jenicek, Dan Sulin, Izzy Lombardi-Friedman); Team 24 (Tony Love, Kassandra Mullin, Brian Tieken, Kimberly Wajer-Scott, Phillip Scott, Nicholas Love, Jerry Fleenor, Patrick Wiliams)

Table of Contents

Introduction (page 6)

Satoshi's Dual Warfans

• Fiction with the duelists Kakita Saburashi and Mirumoto Kanjo.
• What Is In This Book?
• Air Themed Gaming: Improvisation

Chapter One: Winds of War (Page 10)

• Fiction with Daidoji Kirasi and the bandit once known as Kakita Hojaro.
• Air and the Ways of War
  • The Crane Clan
  • The Scorpion Clan
  • The Other Clans
• Iaijutsu: The Definitive Fighting Art of Air

Kitsuki Tsuboko

• • The History of Iaijutsu
  • Famous Duels
  • Iaijutsu Training
  • The Art of the Duel
• Air and the Way of Kyujutsu
  • The History of Archery in Rokugan
  • Notable Instances of Archery in Rokugani History
  • A Discussion of Rokugani Archery
  • Uses of Archery in the Empire
  • Rokugani Archery Aficionados
• Air and the Way of Yarijutsu
  • History of the Spear in Rokugan
  • The Art of Yarijutsu
  • Devotees of the Way of the Spear
  • Ashigaru and the Spear
• Air and Unarmed Combat: The Way of Kaze-do
  • The History of Kaze-do
  • What is the Art of Kaze Do?
• Air and Free-Form Action Role-Playing

Chapter Two: Winds of the Courts (Page 46)

Moshi Amika

• Fiction with Shosuro Chihiro at the Silken Smile Theater
• The Philosophy of Air in the Courts
• Political Organizations of the Air
• Courts of the Air
  • Kyuden Doji
  • Shiro no Shosuro
  • Pale Oak Castle
  • Kyuden Komori
  • Kyuden Seppun
• The Gamemaster's Toolbox: Court Scenarios
  • Court and Non-Player Characters (NPCs)
  • Mannerisms In and Out of Court
  • Scheming and Indirect Goals

Chapter Three: Winds of Magic (Page 70)

Chi Strike

• Fiction with the Phoenix Clan Champion Shiba Kosaka at Shiro Sousei, anbd the the tale of twins Isawa Oriko and Isawa Ishi
• The Ways of Air Magic
  • The Asahina of the Crane Clan
  • The Moshi of the Mantis Clan
  • The Isawa and Shiba of the Phoenix Clan
  • The Soshi of the Scorpion Clan
  • The Iuchi Travelers of the Unicorn Clan
  • The Komori of the Bat Clan
• Air and the Art of Illusion
  • The Asahina Artisans
  • The Shiba Illusionists
  • The Mist Legion (Hurricane Initiates)
  • The Soshi Deceivers
  • Notable Uses of Illusion Spells
• Communication Mystical Groups of the Air
  • The Kitsu Spirit Legion
  • Notable Uses of Communicative Spells
• Revelatory Mystical Groups of the Air
  • The Sisters of Sacred Light
  • Asahina Mappers of the Heart
  • Notable Uses of Revalatory Spells
• Secrets on the Wind: The Nature of the Air Kami
• Air and Elemental Imbalances
  • Air Imbalances in Creatures
  • Air Imbalances in Objects
• The Air Kami
  • Communing with Air Kami
  • Enticing Air Kami
  • Air Kami and Other Spirits

Chapter Four: Winds of Enlightenment (Page 94)

Enlightenment

• Fiction with Kaiu Harui, Isawa Kiko and her monk advisor Mio
• Air and the Monastic Traditions
  • The Order of the Wind (Kaze-no-kami)
  • The Four Temples Monks
  • The Order of the Wind's Grace
  • Fukurokujin's Eyes
• The Keeper of Air
  • The Book of Air

Chapter Five: The World of Air (Page 104)

Seiko

• Fiction with the siblings Onji and Jiro, hearing the tales of their great-grandmother, about her brother Takeo, and a prideful Tsuru spirit who killed Konatsu in a duel
• Air in the Natural World
  • Air as the ‘Breath of Life’
  • Air as the Agent of Weather
  • Environmental Effects of Weather
• Air as a Tool of Man
  • Sailing
  • Smelting and Forging
  • Kites
  • Paper Constructs
• Music: The Voice of the Air
  • Types of Musical Instruments
  • Playing Instruments
• Creatures and Otherworldly Beings of Air
  • Fortunes Associated with Air
  • Other Supernatural Beings Associated with Air
  • Mundane Creatures of Air
• Nemuranai of Air
  • Yari of Air
  • Fan of Command
  • Fan of the Grand Master
  • Kaede's Fan
  • The Imperial Standard
  • Ancestral Standards of the Great Clans
  • Tapestry of Air
  • Incense of Concentration
  • Meiwaku Fans
  • A Gaijin Item of Air: The Flying Carpet
  • Veil of Deception
  • The Shakuhachi of Air
  • Takehiko's Kite
  • Aiko's Pinwheels
• Winds of Creation: Air and New Game Mechanics
  • Air Spells
  • Air Nemuranai
  • Air Kata
  • Air Schools and Techniques

Chapter Six: Winds of Adventure (Page 132)

Emma-O

• Fiction with Ikoma Kazue and Suzume Hin at Kyuden Kurogane-Hana, during the arrival of the famous ronin duelist Hisao
• A Setting for Adventure
• The History of Kyuden Kurogane-Hana
  • Origins of a Palace: The Iron Flower Changes Its Shade
  • Kyuden Kurogane-Hana Today
• Notable Locations at Kyuden Kurogane-Hana
  • Exterior
  • The Main Keep, Seto Palace
  • Emma-O no Shinden
• Friends and Enemies: Inhabitants of Kyuden Kurogane-Hana
• Tales of Kyuden Kurogane-Hana

Appendix: New Mechanics (Page 171)

Togashi Jomei

• Chapter One: Winds of War
  • Bushi Paths
    • The Asahina Archers
    • Crab Defenders
    • The Hiruma Snipers
    • The Falcon's Strike
    • Tsuruchi Master Bowmen
    • Saigo's Blades
    • Unicorn Yomanri Archer
    • The Taoist Archers
    • Kaze-do Fighter
  • New Air Kata
    • North Wind Style
    • South Wind Style
  • New Rules Options: Called Shots in Archery
• Chapter Two: Winds of Court
  • Courtier Paths
    • The Doji Innocents
    • The Daidoji Trading Council
    • The Shosuro Defilers
    • The Hand of Peace
    • The Dark Whisper
    • The Silken Promises Geisha
    • The Master of Games
• Chapter Three: Winds of Magic
  • Shugenja Paths
    • The Asahina Artisans
    • The Kitsu Spirit Legion
    • The Mist Legion
    • The Shiba Illusionists
    • The Soshi Deceivers
    • The Sisters of the Sacred Light
  • New Air Spells
• Chapter Four: Winds of Enlightenment

Spin the Kharmic Wheel

• • New Internal Air Kiho
  • New Martial Air Kiho
  • New Mystical Air Kiho
  • New Monk Schools
  • New Air-Themed Ise Zumi Tattoos
  • Mechanical Option: Merged Tattoos
• Chapter Five: The World of Air
  • Greater Elemental Terror of Air: Kaze no Oni
  • Lesser Elemental Terror of Air: Yosuchi no Oni
  • Nue
  • Tsuru, Spirit of Chikushudo
  • Wyrms