L5R: Alternate Progression

The Emerald Champion is the defender of the Empire, leading the Emerald Magistrates and protecting the Emperor directly and by commanding the Imperial armies. The Emerald Champion's authority exceeds even that of the Great Clan Champions.

• Replaces: Any
• Requirements: Bushi only, must be appointed
• Technique: The Emperor's Hand. You get +1k1 on all High and Bugei Skill Rolls, and another +1k0 on all your School Skills. You get bonus Void Points each day equal to your highest Ring. These extra points may be granted to any one subordinate or ally in line of sight for any appropriate roll, as a Free Action once per Round. You may not use them yourself.

Emerald Magistrates impose Imperial Law upon the land, their jurisdiction boundless and their authority second only to the Emerald Champion and the Emperor himself. These positions are coveted, and the subject of much politics and bribery.

• Replaces: Any Bushi, Courtier, or Shugenja School Rank 4
• Requirements: Investigation 3, Lore: Law 3, must be appointed
• Special: Members of the Imperial families may ignore one Skill Rank requirement
• Technique: Honor Is My Shield. You gain Reduction equal to half your Honor Rank (rounded up), cumulative with other sources.
• Note: If the character is from a School that makes attacks Simple Actions at Rank 4, a generous GM may opt to let this Path be taken at Rank 3 or Rank 5 instead.

The Imperial Regions consist of the best samurai of the clans, directly serving the Emperor. Appointment to the Imperial Legions is a great honor.

• Replaces: Any Bushi School Rank 2
• Requirements: Glory 2+, must be appointed
• Technique: Strength of the Empire. When fighting alongside other members of the Imperial Legions, or Emerald or Jade Magistrates, when you spend a Void Point to enhance a roll you get a bonus to the total equal to the number of allied legionnaires and/or magistrates within 25'.

The Jade Champion serves the Empire by fighting against evil magic and its practitioners, primarily the Bloodspeakers and other maho-tsukai. The greatest shugenja in the Empire is selected for this position. They command the Jade Magistrates as their agents.

• Replaces: Any
• Requirements: Shugenja only, must be appointed
• Technique: The Emperor's Will. You gain a Free Raise on all Spell Casting Rolls. You gain another Free Raise on Spell Casting Rolls when confronting opponents using outlawed magic (maho, yobanjin shamanism, gaijin sorcery, etc.) or who possess corrupt supernatural abilities (Shadowlands Taint, corruption by the Lying Darkness, etc.).

The Jade Legion are the elite troops of the Jade Champion. Their actions against the Empire's enemies often take place in secret, earning them no glory—but all the more honor. They are trained to fight alongside shugenja, and to armor their souls against corruption.

• Replaces: Any Bushi or Shugenja School Rank 2
• Requirements: Glory 2+, must be appointed
• Technique: Purity in Purpose & Deed. If your Honor Rank is higher than your opponent's, you can add the difference to all attack and damage rolls against them. Creatures and opponents with no Honor Rank are considered to have Honor Rank 0.

The Jade Champion commands the Jade Magistrates, who hunt maho-tsukai and other outlawed magic.

• Replaces: Any Bushi, Courtier, or Shugenja School Rank 4
• Requirements: Lore: Law 3, Spellcraft 3, must be appointed
• Special: Members of the Imperial families may ignore one Skill Rank requirement
• Technique: Scent of the Kami. You can make a Spellcraft/PER Skill Roll to identify any spells cast in an area in the past 48 hours. The TN is equal to the basic TN to cast the spell (5 + Mastery Level ×5).

The Topaz Championship is a genpukku ceremony held every spring in the village of Tsuma in the Kakita Provinces. Contestants from all the Great Clans, minor clans, and even ronin with sponsors among the former, compete in tests—including composing haiku and Iaijutsu duels. The winner receives the Topaz Armor and a golden kabuto.

• Replaces: Any
• Requirements: Must win the Topaz Championship
• Technique: Soul of Promise. When you advance in Insight Rank and into this path, you gain the Technique it would normally replace. You also gain bonus Void Points per day equal to your highest Ring, which may only be used to enhance your School Skill Rolls.

The techniques of Togashi Kaze have been passed on through the Brotherhood of Shinsei and among peasants and ronin.

• Technique Rank: 2
• Replaces: Any Rank 2 (normally only Brotherhood Monks or peasants, but at the GM's option, Tattooed Men or Ronin who find a teacher may take this Path)
• Requirements: Jiujutsu (Kaze-do) 3
• Technique: The Way of Air. When you fight unarmed, any opponent attacking you with a melee weapon suffers -Xk0 (X = your Air). This penalty can apply to a number of opponents in one Round equal to your Insight Rank.

Hitsu-do is an offensive martial art focusing on speed and power, committing all of one's power into kicks and punches.

• Technique Rank: 2
• Replaces: Any Brotherhood Monk 2, Kuni Witch-Hunter 2, Asako Henshin 2
• Requirements: Jiujutsu (Hitsu-do) 4, Fire 3, access to a Hitsu-do dojo
• Technique: The Way of Fire. When making an unarmed attack, you may opt to call on your inner fire: you suffer your Fire ×2 Wounds (any penalties are applied after the attack is resolved), and raise the base DR of your unarmed attack from 0k1 to 0kX (X = your Fire). This does not stack with the Hands of Stone Advantage. This is considered a Mystical Kiho. Your Fire is considered 1 Rank higher for the purpose of learning Fire Kiho.

Mizu-do is a Crane martial art that was originally created for stage performance, a defensive soft style that uses the enemy's strenth against them. It uses locks and throws to neutralize an opponent and end a fight swiftly.

• Technique Rank: 3
• Replaces: Any non-martial Brotherhood Monk 3, Doji Courtier 3, Kakita Artisan 3, Asahina Shugenja 3
• Requirements: Jiujutsu (Mizu-do) 4, Water 3, access to a Mizu-do sensei
• Technique: The Way of Water. When performing a Grapple, you use your opponent's STR in place of your own. While in the Defense or Full Defense Stance, when a melee attack misses you, you can immediately take a Free Action to spend a Void Point and make a Jiujutsu (Mizu-do)/opponent's STR Roll (TN = opponent's attack roll). On a success, you immediately Throw the opponent or take control of a Grapple against them.

The Silken Promises is a secretive geisha organization whose members employ their skills to influence important customers. They are officially sponsored by the Scorpion Clan.

• Technique Rank: 3
• Requirements: Acting 3, three Perform Skills 3; must be a geisha admitted into the Silken Promises
• Technique: Dance of Silk. You can try to change someone's attitudes with a suitable artistic performance and making a Contested Roll of Perform/AWA (or Acting/AWA if appropriate) against their Etiquette (Courtesy)/WIL. With a success, you lure them into the attitude or choice you want. At the GM's option, you may also make them an Ally with Devotion 1. This is not mind control, and is subject to the GM's judgement. You cannot target the same person more than once per month.