Jade

From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings

Jade is a precious stone varying in color from milky white, various shades of red, light green to dark green. In Rokugan the green variety is found almost exclusively with most mines being located in the western and southern Crab lands. The stone posses innate resistances to the corruptive Shadowlands Taint, it can temporary shield a wearer from being corrupted, it can be crushed and placed into an open wound to help fight infection from taint, and it can be infused in weaponry to inflict more damage with a blow.

The Rokugan theology teaches that jade was created by the tears of Lady Sun, Amaterasu. It is seen as an element apart, representing good and purity and is opposed to Obsidian, representing evil and vice. The opposition of the two is seen as the central balance of Ningen-do. As the other elements, Jade is personified by a dragon, the Jade Dragon, which became the new Sun in 1170.

Jade has been a staple item of the Crab Clan armies since its nature was discovered. Since the Battle of Oblivion's Gate the Empire has experienced a dangerous shortage of jade, its use is now heavily restricted, and it has become exceptionally difficult to acquire in Crab lands, and even more so everywhere else. ^{[citation needed]}

Jade is a very strong stone, comparable to quartz. After prolonged exposure to taint however it loses its color and strength, becoming oily, soft, and black. When jade is corrupted, it actually begins to spread the Taint instead of protecting against the taint. This fact is often used by Shadowlands creatures who use the corrupted jade to spread their Taint to others. ^[1]

The stone when used for protection is cut into narrow segments, only a few inches in length, called "fingers". One finger of jade can protect a traveller in the Shadowlands from the Taint for one week. Once this time is up and the finger has absorbed as much corruptive power as it can, the traveller's own will and health fights the taint, and the jade crumbles. Hiruma scouts seem to have a way of making their jade fingers last longer, though the reason for this is known only to them. ^{[citation needed]}

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