The Book of Water

The Book of Water Cover

The Book of Water explores the Water element. The Book of Water is the fourth in a series of elemental sourcebooks for the Legend of the Five Rings Role-playing Game, books that explore the themes of the five elemental Rings. It was released on March 2014.

Credits

• Written by: Robert Hobart, Shawn Carman, Seth Mason, Robert Denton, Ryan Reese, Maxime Lemaire, Marie Brennan, Kevin Blake, Daniel Briscoe, Chris Hand, Monjoni Osso
• Edited by: Robert Hobart
• Art Director: Robert Hobart
• Cover Design: Robert Denton
• Cover Art: Matt Zeilinger
• Layout: Robert Denton
• Original Graphic Design: Edge Entertainment
• Artists: A.C. Swedberg, Alayna Lemmer, Alex Tooth, Andy Hepworth, Beth Trott, Brent Chumley, Carlos NCT, Charles Urbach, Chris Ostrowski, Chris Pritchard, Conceptopolis, Corene Werhane, David Horne, Drew Baker, Edwin David, Felipe Gaona, Florian Stitz, Franz Vohwinkel, Gemma Tegelaers, Glen Osterberger, Gong Studios, Heather V. Kreiter, Hector Herrera, Isuardi Therianto, Janine Johnston, Jason Behnke, Jason Engle, Jason Juta, Jazz Siy, Jeff Hill, John Donahue, Joshua Pinkas, Lake Hurwitz, Manuel Calderon, Mark Poole, Matthew S. Armstrong, Matthew Starbuck, Matt Zeilinger, Mateusz Ozminski, Maximilian Degen, Michael Kaluta, Nikolay Stoyanov, Patrick Reinemann, Richard Garcia, Sergio Camarena, Shen Fei, Steve Argyle, Tony Foti, William O'Connor
• Artists - Uncredited: Storn Cook, Diego Gisbert Llorens, Albert Tavira, Stu Barnes, Jeff Carlisle, Thomas Denmark, Randy Elliot, Amandine Labarre, Christopher Appel, Raymond Guastadnes, Ted Pendergraft, Erich Schreiner
• Production Manager: David Lepore
• Senior Brand Manager: Todd Rowland
• Chief Executive Officer: John Zinser
• Design Team: Shawn Carman, Robert Hobart
• 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, Brebouillet Mathieu, David Whitney, Richard Whitney, Stuart Biggs, Robert Knight); Team 8b (Michael Hill, Shane Pheeney, Chaedy Ritherdon, Tarl Cowly); 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 Hrenchuck); Team 19 (Charles Caswell, Vincent Stantion, 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); 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 Williams) Jim Friedman, Izzy Friedman, Jay Becknell, Mandy Spice

Table of Contents

Introduction (page 6)

Ide Okinomi

• Fiction with Yoritomo Hiroshi and his elder brother.
• What Is In This Book?
• Symbolism of Water
• Water & Skills
• Water Advantages & Disadvantages
  • Advantages
  • Disadvantages
• The Attack Stance
• Creating New Water-Based Mechanics

Chapter One: The Tides of War (Page 19)

Parangu

• Fiction with the monk Donu and the peasant Jiro in the Colonies.
• The Martial Paths of Water
  • Steel Flowing as Water: Chain Weapons
    • The Kyoketsu-shogi
    • The Manrikikusari
    • The Longxu Hook (Dragon Beard Hook)
    • The Rope Dart
  • Masters of Chain Weapons
  • Wood Moving Like Water: Staves
    • The Bo Staff
    • The Jo Staff
    • The Tonfa
    • The Machi-Kanshisha
    • The Sang Kauw
    • The Nunchaku
    • The Three Section Staff (Sansetsukon)
  • Masters of Staves
  • Dirty Water: Peasant Weapons
    • The Kama
    • The Parangu
    • The Kumade
    • The Sai and Jitte
    • The Tonfa and Nunchaku
    • The Pitchfork
    • The Torch
  • Masters of Peasant Weapons
• Mizu-Do: The Martial Art of Water
  • Mizu-Do Practices
• Waves of War: A Brief History of Rokugani Naval Combat
  • Rokugani Naval Strategy
  • Piracy
  • Notable Rokugani Navies

Chapter Two: The Tides of Magic (Page 43)

Divination Bowl

• Fiction with Kitsune Gennosuke and Moshi Tsujiko, students of Tempest Island under the care of sensei Yoritomo Tasei.
• Water as the Element of Healing
  • The Isawa family
    • The Acolytes of Snow
  • The Asako family
  • The Kuni family
    • The Kuni Battle-Healers
• Water as the Element of Movement
  • The Iuchi family
    • The Iuchi Horse Lords
  • The Kitsu family
    • The Disciples of the River
  • The Yoritomo family
    • The Storm Riders
    • The Orochi Riders
• Water as the Element of Divination
  • The Tonbo family
    • The Phoenix Kawaru Sages
• Rokugani Astrology
  • The Seppun Astrologers
• Notable Uses of Water spells
• Secrets in the Tide: The Nature of Water Kami
  • Communing With the Water Kami
  • Enticing the Water Kami
  • Water Kami and Other Spirits
  • Water and Elemental Imbalances
  • Medicine in Rokugan

Chapter Three: The Tides of Court (Page 75)

Turquoise Court

• Fiction with Yoritomo Utemaro and Yoritomo Yashinko
• The Courtly Philosophy of Water
• Courtly Organizations of Water
  • The Masters of the Coin
  • The Scales of the Carp
  • Kitsuki's Eye
  • Ide Caravan Master
  • The Kasuga Smuggler
• The Courts of Water
  • Yasuki Yashiki
  • Great Day Castle
  • Kyuden Tonbo
• The Art and Practice of Divination
  • Omens
  • Spot Divination
    • Kawaru
    • The Leaf Reading
• Astrology

Chapter Four: The Fires Within (Page 93)

Suana Dojo

• Fiction with Asako Sanjiro and his yojimbo Shiba Onshin.
• Monastic Orders of Water
  • The Temple of Osano-Wo
  • The Order of Jurojin's Blessing
  • The Shrine of Heaven's Mirror
  • The Way of the Wandering Seed
  • The Strength of Water
• The Keeper of Water
  • The Book of Water

Chapter Five: The World of Water (Page 105)

• Fiction with Doji Kanashimi, who threw herself to the waters near the Lady's Rest.
• The Natural World of Water
  • The Sea (Umi)
  • Rivers (Kawa)
  • Lakes (Mizu-Umi)
  • The Anger of Water: Drought, Flooding, Tsunami, and Taifun
• Water in the World of Men
  • Rokugani Seacraft
  • The Art of Sake Brewing
  • Creatures and Otherworldly Beings of Water: Denizens of the Heavens
    • The Elemental Dragon of Water
    • Suitengu, Fortune of the Sea
    • Haruhiko and Hamanari
    • Hachiman, Fortune of Battle
    • Other Fortunes of Water
    • Ryu of Water
  • Supernatural Beings Associated with Water
    • Kappa
    • Ningyo
    • Orochi
    • Hinotama
    • Nure-Onna, the Wet Woman
  • Tainted Creatures of Water
    • Skull Tide
    • Swamp Goblins
    • Sanshu Denki
    • Bog Hag
    • Sea Trolls
    • Mizu no Oni
    • Oyuchi no Kansen
  • Mundane Creatures of Water
    • Eels (Unagi and Anago)
    • Heikegani
    • Sting Ray
    • Turtle and Tortoise (Kame and Rikugame)
    • Whales Kujira
  • A Legendary Creature of Water: Yamato no Orochi
• Nemuranai of Water
  • The Gifts of Water Hammer City
    • Kaiu Otoge's Sparrow
    • Thunder's Taiko
    • The Master's Go Set
    • Amulet of Amaterasu
    • Atsuke's Hammer
    • The Saddle of Water

Chapter Six: The Eternal Danger Islands (Page 137)

• Fiction in Hantei's Point, with the discovery of a massacre of several Rokugani.
• The History of the Eternal Danger Islands
  • The Naga's expansion
  • The Black Teardrop
  • The War with the Darkness
  • The Bridge Rises
• The Eternal Danger Islands (Eien no Kiken Shouto)
• Notable Locations on the Eternal Danger Islands
  • The Fortune's Favor Bridge
  • The Island of Hantei's Point
    • The City: Shiro no Raiden
    • The City: Celestial District
    • The City: The Inn of Last Light
    • The City: The Thousand Leaves
  • The Bay of Promise
  • The Screaming Springs
  • Umi-Bozu's Teeth
  • Hitokori no Shima
  • Naga's Rest
• The Clans and the Eternal Danger Islands
  • The Great Clans
  • The Shadowlands
  • The Nothing
  • The Kolat
• Notable Personalities on the Islands
  • Kuni Zanayo
  • Doji Ueshiba
  • Togashi Tajiri
  • Matsu Tadaka
  • Yoritomo Haruko
  • Asako Hiiromi
  • Shosuro Atari
  • Moto Kesshite
  • Daigotsu Toshiro
  • Miya Onako
  • Brother Daisetsu
  • Aireiko
  • The Adkarst
• Adventures in the Eternal Danger Islands

Appendix: New Mechanics (Page 175)

Tankoji

• Chapter One: Tides of War
  • New Weapons
  • Player's Option: Dramatic Chain and Staff Action
  • New Alternate Paths
    • Student of the Cliff's Edge
    • The Scorpion's Tail
  • New Kata
  • The Way of Mizu-do: Student of Mizu-Do
• Chapter Two: Tides of Magic
  • New Advantage: Battle Healing
  • New Shugenja Paths
    • Disciples of the River
    • Acolytes of Snow
    • Kawaru Sages
    • Seppun Astrologers
  • New Water Spells
• Chapter Three: Tides of Court
  • New Alternate Paths
    • The Daidoji Spymasters
    • Kitsuki's Eye
    • The Scales of the Carp
• Chapter Four: The Tides Within
  • New Monk Schools and Paths
    • The Order of Jurojin's Blessing
    • The Servants of Mercy
    • The Shrine of Heaven's Mirror
  • New Water Kiho: Staff kiho
  • New Tattoo: The Wave tattoo
• Chapter Five: The World of Water
  • New Supernatural Creatures
    • Hinotama
    • Nure-Onna, the Wet Woman
  • New Legendary Creature of Water
    • Yamato no Orochi
  • New Shadowlands Creatures
    • Elemental Terrors of Water (Mizu no Oni)
    • Lesser Terror of Water (Oyuchi no Kansen)
  • New Mundane Animals
    • Eel (Den Unagi)
    • Sting Ray
    • Whales (Kujira)
    • Killer Whale ("Blackfish")