Way of the Thief

Way of the Thief Cover

Way of the Thief is a Second Edition sourcebook for Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game including mechanics for the Second Edition as well as the d20 version of the RPG. It details Rokugani criminal organizations and a guide to creating villainous player characters. It was published in 2004.

Credits

• Writing: Shawn Carman, Jed Carleton, Rob Dake, Chris Hand, Kim Hosmer, Seth Mason, Aaron Medwin, Fred Wan, Rich Wulf, Brian Yoon
• Editor: Katie Yates
• Additional Editing: D.J. Trindle
• Creative Director: Mark Jelfo
• Art Director: jim pinto
• Graphic Designer: Mario Rivas
• Cover Artist: Christopher Appel
• Interior Artists: Cris Dornaus
• Typesetter: Mario Rivas
• Chief of Operations: Maureen Yates
• Brand Manager: Raymond Lau
• Production Manager: Mary Valles
• Layout and Graphic Design based on work by: Cynthia Fliege & Dawn Murin
• Playtesters: Mikel Burns, Ryan Carman, Jacobe Callahan, Jed Carleton, Jacob Cheatham, Andy Cowell, Robert Dake, Joel Parker Kinstle, Chris Lesinsky, Paul Meador, Dan Moenster, Christopher Osborn, Marc Quintard, Matthew Schenck, Sam Sheddan, Cynthia Steward, Louis Veal

Table of Contents

Introduction (Page 4)

Emerald Magistrate

• Fiction "Way of Thieves": with the magistrate Bayushi Adachi blackmailing Ide Haranobu, a merchant patron at Ryoko Owari
• The Darker Side of Honor
• Officers of the Law
  • Peasant enforcers
  • Clan Magistrates
  • Emerald Magistrates
  • Jade Magistrates
• Crime and Punishment
• New Mechanics

Chapter One: The Kolat (Page 11)

• Fiction with Toki, a peasant servant of Akodo Seisi, and Kyuwa, a member of the kolat conspiracy
• History of the Kolat
• The Ten Sects
• Kolat Operations

The new Chrysanthemum Sect

• Kolat Strongholds
  • Shiro Morito and the Hidden Temple
  • House of the New Dawn

Chapter Two: Smuggling Cartels (Page 21)

Black Lotus Smuggler

• Fiction with Doji Shinji and his Doji Magistrate sensei, Doji Ryoma
• A History of Smuggling
  • The First Cartels
  • The Unicorn Clan's Return
  • The Clan War
  • The War of Spirits
  • The Four Winds Era
  • Modern Day
• Smuggling in Rokugan
• Smuggling Cartels
  • The Black Lotus Cartel
    • The Clear Water Trading House
  • Suitengu's Children
    • Suitengu's Throne
• New Mechanics
  • The Black Lotus Cartel
    • Black Lotus Initiate
    • Black Lotus Brother
    • Black Lotus Master
    • New Path: Black Lotus Smuggler
  • Suitengu's Children
    • New Technique: Child of Suitengu

Chapter Three: Pirates (Page 33)

Sanada, Pirate Lord

• Fiction with Hiruma Tensin, Seppun Jurobei, chasing the pirates of the Serpents of Sanada
• A Brief History of Piracy
  • The Rolling Waves
  • The Serpents of Sanada
  • The Red Dawn
• Pirate Stronghold
  • The Village of Chibasu
  • Jagged Teeth Cavern
• New Mechanics
  • Ancestors
    • Yamasaki: Vengeful Spirit
    • Nakano: Noble Heart
  • New Advantages
  • New Disadvantages
  • New Techniques
  • New Items
    • Bell of Detection
    • Pendant of Farseeing
    • Fune Bo

Chapter Four: Bandits (Page 49)

Ide Nominari, the new Bandit Lord

• From the reports of Ide Nominari, Imperial Magistrate in winter 1162
• A Brief History of Bandit Activity in Rokugan
• Bandit Hideouts
  • Yugoro's Lair
    • Yugoro's Hordes
    • Ide Nominari, the New Bandit Lord
  • The Forgotten Library
    • The Forgotten Sons
• Bandit Ancestors
  • Hamuko: Kiss of the Wind
• Nemuranai
  • The Katana of the Bandit Lord

Chapter Five: The City of Lies (Page 61)

• Fiction with Doji Satori, Shinjo Turong, and Kitsuki Chizaru investigated the murdered of Asako Yaro
• The City's History
• Current Status
  • Conflicts
    • Scorpion vs. Unicorn
    • Magistrates vs. Cartels
    • Thunder Guard vs. Firemen Gangs
• Odds & Ends
• New Mechanics
  • New Advantages
  • New Path: The Thunder Guard

Chapter Six: The City of the Rich Frog (Page 73)

• Fiction with Matsu Omane chasing Khol Raiders led by Moto Izumi through the streets of the City of the Rich Frog
• The City's History
  • Background
  • The Kaeru join the Lion
  • The Unicorn invade
  • The Dragon invade
• Current Status
• Odds & Ends
  • The Badger Clan
  • Ikoma Hasaku
  • The Kaeru vassal family
  • The Machi-Kanshisha school

Appendices (Page 83)

• Fiction with magistrate Shinjo Yushiro visiting a meeting of several crimelords of Ryoko Owari, such as Takeda and One-Eyed Ieyoshi, while investigating the murders of three other crimelords by unknown assailants
• The Magistrate Campaign
• Defenders of Justice
• Appendix Two: Underwold Heritage Tables