New Magic Item – Jade Oroboros

“I may die but I will not fall!” cried the priest, dropping to his knees as the dark magic crushed the life from him.

“We shall see,” cackled the foul blood wizard and began a chant to animate the poor man’s body.  As the body swayed and began to stand, the jade bracelet flared with magical fire.  Within seconds, the priests body was consumed with holy fire, leaving nothing but ash behind.

One Magic item, two systems, first off, Legend of the Five Rings (4th edition):

Jade (or Chuda) Oroboros

These exquisite bracelets are made of delicately carved jade in the form of an oroboros (a snake eating its own tail).  Each one is specifically made for each member of the Chuda shugenja school from a piece of jade that has been with that person since birth (or since they joined the Chuda school).

L5R Thoughts – the Snake Clan

As I have mentioned, the minor clans fill an important role in the Empire of Rokugan filling odd but useful niches and making the Empire a more interesting and complex place.

One of these is the Snake Clan, which was founded by Isawa Chuda who had saved the Emperor from assassination by a blood cult headed by one of the Imperial Magistrates.  The new Chuda Family and the Snake Clan were tasked with rooting out blood cults and defending the Empire (and the Emperor) from such mystical threats.  In canon, the Snake clan become corrupted and possessed by a great evil.  The entire clan is wiped out except for a handful of blood wizards by the Phoenix, these survivor remember their name and eventually become the shugenja family of the Spider Clan.

Not so in my Rokugan.