TEXT: The Mantis Clan
  Rules for playing characters from the Islands of Spice and Silk
  
  Credits
   
  EXPANSION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 
  Max Brooke
   
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  Sam Stewart
   
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  2
  THE MANTIS CL AN
  
  For hours, the Shimakage had crept up on the plodding 
  merchant ship out of Earthquake Fish Bay. She kept on 
  a course that didn’t quite parallel the Crab vessel, and 
  kept her sails reefed just so, conveniently keeping any 
  symbols on the cloth hidden from sight. To the merchant 
  ship, the Shimakage must have appeared as just another 
  trading vessel heading for the Islands of Silk and Spice.
  “Are you enjoying yourself?” Kai asked as he 
  leaned up against the ship’s gunnels.
  Hanging off over the blue-green foam, a single 
  firm grip on the stays the only thing keeping her from 
  plunging into the depths, Shio glanced back from the 
  horizon with the guileless expression of a child. “What-
  ever do you mean, Kai-san?”
  Kai snorted. “Come on, Captain. I’ve been watch-
  ing you work ever so casually to windward of that 
  kabutogani there all morning,” he nodded dismissively 
  towards the Crab ship on the horizon. 
  Shio gave the other vessel another look, then 
  pulled herself aboard with a casual tug on the stays. 
  She landed firm-footed and slightly crouched on the 
  heaving deck, then straightened into the bow-legged 
  swagger natural to any true sailor. Ignoring Kai, she 
  walked to the edge of the quarterdeck. The rest of the 
  Shimakage stretched out before her, and she gave it, 
  and her crew, a casual once-over. “I’m just taking us 
  where the winds are.”
  “We practically have Tamon breathing down our 
  necks now,” Kai said. “Any further north, and we’ll miss 
  Toshi Inazuma by a league or more.”
  “As if my navigator would let that happen,” Shio 
  chuckled. “I’d wager you could tell me how many li to 
  Otosan Uchi, if I asked.”
  “It isn’t seemly for a captain to take money from 
  her crew.”
  The two stood in comradely silence for a long 
  moment. Then Kai spoke again. “You know that Yorito-
  mo has forbidden us from raiding Crab ships.” 
  Shio nodded. “I was at the assembly last month, as 
  were you.”  
  “Something about a plan of his. ‘Be free to pluck 
  any Cranes you find on open water,’ he said. ‘But leave 
  the Crab be. Now is not the right moment to make 
  them into enemies.’”
  “I do remember him saying something of the sort.” 
  “And yet, here we are. With a fat merchant ship to 
  our lee, and us in the perfect position to swoop down 
  on them with the wind at our backs.” 
  Still not looking Kai in the eye, Shio walked back 
  toward the solid pine beam of the Shimakage‘s til-
  ler. The sailor operating it saw her coming and relin-
  quished control with a short but respectful bow. The 
  captain put her hands on the tiller, feeling the minute 
  vibrations of the ship and the waves through the wood.
  “Kai-san, did I ever tell you about growing up in the 
  City of Lightning?”
  “A few times, Captain.”
  “When I was a child,” Shio continued, “My aunt 
  brought home some sweet honey candies from her 
  adventures to the South. Oh, how I wanted one! But 
  my aunt insisted that they be saved for a special occa-
  sion. ‘Think of how good they will taste,’ she would say, 
  'if you enjoy them at the perfect moment.’” 
  Shio leaned against the tiller, gazing at the horizon 
  with unfocused eyes. “So one morning, I went into 
  the kitchen and asked, again, for a candy. And when 
  my aunt, bless her memory, began to lecture me on 
  patience, I snatched one from the box and fled.”
  Her eyes snapped back down to meet Kai, and a 
  broad grin split her face. 
  “I don’t know if that was the ‘perfect moment.’ But 
  it tasted pretty damn good to me.” 
  Shio shoved hard on the tiller, and the Shimakage 
  heeled over sharply, the square prow digging deep 
  into the waves before breaking through the crest in a 
  shower of blue-green spray. The wind caught the bat-
  tened sails and filled them with a sudden crack, the 
  great green Mantis mon proudly emblazoned on the 
  straining canvas for all to see. The crew rose from their 
  stations, eyes fixed upon their captain.
  The navigator shook his head, but the smile on his 
  face matched his captain’s. He raised his voice. “Sailors 
  of the Shimakage! To arms! We have a prize to take!” 
  
  The Mantis Minor Clan
  Ring Increase: +1 Water
  Skill Increases: +1 Seafaring
  Status: 25
  The Mantis minor clan are a group of rugged sailors, 
  having grown from a loose alliance of merchants, rōnin, 
  and castoff members of the Great Clans to a massive 
  organization that operates along Rokugan’s coastline. 
  While the Crane Clan has historically been one of the 
  Mantis’ major clients, recent political turmoil has pushed 
  them apart, and the Mantis have sought allies elsewhere 
  in the Empire. They sail from mainland ports to the Isles 
  of Silk and Spice and beyond, and rival the Unicorn Clan 
  in their exposure to foreign cultures. Having risen from 
  less than the Great Clans, they are not so quick to look 
  down upon those of lower station—but humble origins 
  do nothing to quell the ambitions of their dashing and 
  piratical leader, Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo.
  The Families of the Fleet
  Ring Increase: +1 Fire or +1 Water
  Skill Increases: +1 Commerce, +1 Survival
  Glory: 36 
  Starting Wealth: 7 koku
  For complicated historical reasons, the Mantis do not 
  have a family name. Its samurai all belong to the Man-
  tis Clan fleet, however, and so they take their names 
  from the kobune ships they sail with. Tsuraikaze no 
  Kudaka (Kudaka of the Bitter Wind) or Susano-o no 
  Hitoshi (Hitoshi of the Susano-o) are how they style 
  themselves, changing their names as they sign on with 
  different crews. Those Mantis who stay on land are 
  known by the port where they live, such as Kinushima 
  no Miaka or Tokigogachu no Tōya.
  THE MANTIS CLAN
  There are many minor 
  clans in Rokugan, but 
  perhaps the most 
  famous—or certainly 
  the most infamous, 
  if you are in Crane 
  lands—are the Mantis.
  Players who wish to 
  build a Mantis character 
  can do so using the 
  clan, family, and schools 
  provided here. The 
  Worldly Rōnin school 
  on page 87 of the core 
  rulebook is also a good 
  school for a Mantis 
  character, especially 
  one who joined the clan 
  later in life.
  At the GM’s discretion, 
  a Mantis character 
  could alternately study 
  at a Great Clan school, 
  or a character from a 
  Great Clan could fall 
  in with these motley 
  seafarers. As with any 
  character extending 
  beyond their clan’s 
  teachings, the GM has 
  final say over whether 
  a particular concept 
  is appropriate for the 
  story being told.
  What does your 
  character knoW?
  All Mantis Clan characters have a greater 
  awareness of the following topics:
   
  $
  You have a general awareness of the 
  politics of Crane and Crab lands, as well 
  as ports many Mantis call home, such as 
  Tempest Island and Thunder Dragon Bay.
   
  $
  You know many basic facts of life about 
  lands accessible by sea, such as the 
  Isles of Silk and Spice, as well as foreign 
  lands like the Ivory Kingdoms.
   
  $
  You know at least some words from for-
  eign languages such as Ivindi, Myantu, 
  and Portuga, and might even be fluent.
   
  $
  You know how to make yourself use-
  ful aboard a ship, and are used to 
  shipboard life.
  What does Bushidō 
  mean to your clan?
  The Mantis believe that everyone must prove 
  themself—higher station of birth carries certain 
  benefits, but comes with an expectation that 
  an individual will achieve greater heights to 
  match. Even the lowliest member of the clan 
  can advance if they serve exceptionally. Cour-
  age (Yu) holds a special place for the Mantis.
  Most members have ancestors who were 
  born as commoners or fell from grace, so the 
  Mantis is more tolerant of foibles than other 
  clans. The Bushidō tenet of Honor (Meiyo) is 
  less important to members of the Mantis Clan.
  See page 301 of the core rulebook for 
  more information on how these can affect 
  your honor and glory.
  4
  
  Storm Fleet Sailor School [Bushi]
  Life on the seas between and beyond the Isles of Silk 
  and Spice has made the Mantis Clan practical. Its sailors 
  know most true fights do not take place in a dōjō, but in 
  wild ambushes and on the rocking decks of kobune. A 
  sailor must know when to push their luck—and when to 
  settle for what they have. Opportunists to the core, the 
  warriors of the Mantis Storm Fleet eschew no weapon, 
  push every advantage, and yield only to the rolling sea.
  Rings: +1 Fire, +1 Water
  Starting Skills (choose five): +1 Commerce, +1 Fitness, 
  +1 Games, +1 Labor, +1 Martial Arts [Melee],  
  +1 Martial Arts [Ranged], +1 Seafaring
  Honor: 35
  Techniques Available: Kata (), Rituals (), Shūji ()
  Starting Techniques:
   
  $
  Kata: = Pelting Hail Style
   
  $
  Shūji (choose one): All in Jest, Stirring  
  the Embers
  Sailor’s Fortune (School Ability): Once per round 
  when making a Trade skill check, if you are not Com-
  promised, you may receive a number of strife up to 
  your school rank to reroll that many rolled dice.
  Starting Outfit: Sailor’s garb, wakizashi (short sword), 
  knife, any two weapons of rarity 6 or lower, yumi (bow), 
  quiver of arrows, traveling pack, rope (twenty feet), 
  gambling set (cards or dice), fishing rod and line.
  ADVANCE
  TYPE
  RANK 1
  Trade Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Fitness
  Skill
  Games
  Skill
  Martial Arts [Ranged]
  Skill
  Rank 1 Kata 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Skulk 
   
  Technique
  Shallow Waters 
  
  Technique
  RANK 2
  Martial Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Commerce
  Skill
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Survival
  Skill
  Rank 1–2 Fire Shūji 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Flowing Water Strike 
  
  Technique
  = Osano-wo’s Boast 
  
  Technique
  RANK 3
  Social Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Martial Arts [Melee]
  Skill
  Martial Arts [Ranged]
  Skill
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Rank 1–3 Water Shūji 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Bravado 
  
  Technique
  Heartpiercing Strike 
  
  Technique
  RANK 4
  Trade Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Command
  Skill
  Martial Arts [Ranged]
  Skill
  Tactics
  Skill
  Rank 1–4 Kata 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Buoyant Arrival 
  
  Technique
  Crashing Wave Style 
  
  Technique
  RANK 5
  Martial Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Commerce
  Skills
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Sentiment
  Skill
  Rank 1–5 Kata 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  Rouse the Soul 
  
  Technique
  Sear the Wound 
  
  Technique
  RANK 6
  Storm Lord’s Gambit (Mastery Ability): You 
  may receive 1 additional strife to use your 
  Sailor’s Fortune ability on any check instead 
  of only a Trade skill check.
  ADVANCE
  TYPE
  RANK 1
  Trade Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Fitness
  Skill
  Games
  Skill
  Martial Arts [Ranged]
  Skill
  Rank 1 Kata 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Skulk 
   
  Technique
  Shallow Waters 
  
  Technique
  RANK 2
  Martial Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Commerce
  Skill
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Survival
  Skill
  Rank 1–2 Fire Shūji 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Flowing Water Strike 
  
  Technique
  = Osano-wo’s Boast 
  
  Technique
  RANK 3
  Social Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Martial Arts [Melee]
  Skill
  Martial Arts [Ranged]
  Skill
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Rank 1–3 Water Shūji 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Bravado 
  
  Technique
  Heartpiercing Strike 
  
  Technique
  RANK 4
  Trade Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Command
  Skill
  Martial Arts [Ranged]
  Skill
  Tactics
  Skill
  Rank 1–4 Kata 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Buoyant Arrival 
  
  Technique
  Crashing Wave Style 
  
  Technique
  RANK 5
  Martial Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Commerce
  Skills
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Sentiment
  Skill
  Rank 1–5 Kata 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  Rouse the Soul 
  
  Technique
  Sear the Wound 
  
  Technique
  RANK 6
  Storm Lord’s Gambit (Mastery Ability): You 
  may receive 1 additional strife to use your 
  Sailor’s Fortune ability on any check instead 
  of only a Trade skill check.
  THE MANTIS CL AN
  NEW TECHNIQUES
  Osano-wo’s Boast is 
  a new technique that 
  can be found on page 
  7 of this document 
  (indicated by bold).
  
  Storm Fleet Tide Seer [Shugenja]
  The tenkinja are priests of the tide, trained in the ways 
  of reading the sea and appeasing the kami of wave and 
  storm. These seers have served the Mantis Clan for 
  generations, and without their blessing at the outset of 
  a journey, even the most seasoned of Mantis sailors are 
  uneasy to take to the open ocean. As with most Mantis 
  traditions, the tenkinja have no formal center of learn-
  ing, instead training individual apprentices during their 
  journeys and periodically congregating in the Isles of 
  Silk and Spice to share the wisdom they have attained.
  Rings: +1 Air, +1 Water
  Starting Skills (choose three): +1 Commerce, 
  +1 Fitness, +1 Games, +1 Labor, +1 Martial Arts 
  [Melee], +1 Seafaring, +1 Theology
  Honor: 40
  Techniques Available: Air and Water Invocations (),  
  Rituals (), Shūji ()
  Starting Techniques:
   
  $
  Invocations: Dominion of Suijin, Tempest of Air
   
  $
  Invocations (choose one): Bō of Water, Path to 
  Inner Peace, Yari of Air
   
  $
  Rituals: Commune with the Spirits, Divination
  Eye of the Storm (School Ability): When an invocation 
  technique you perform would affect "each character" 
  or "each other character" at a specified range, you 
  may exclude a number of characters up to your school 
  rank from all effects of the invocation except for spir-
  itual backlash (see page 190 of the core rulebook).
  Starting Outfit: Sailor’s garb, wakizashi 
  (short sword), knife, any one weap-
  on of rarity 6 or lower, traveling 
  pack, divination set (cards, 
  shells, or dice).
  ADVANCE
  TYPE
  RANK 1
  Scholar Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Fitness
  Skill
  Labor
  Skill
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Rank 1 Water Shūji 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Summon Fog 
  
  Technique
  Reflections of P’an Ku 
  
  Technique
  RANK 2
  Trade Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Fitness
  Skill
  Tactics
  Skill
  Theology
  Skill
  Rank 1–2 Air Invocations     
  Tech. Grp.
  = Hand of the Tides 
  
  Technique
  Call upon the Wind 
  
  Technique
  RANK 3
  Scholar Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Performance
  Skill
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Survival
  Skill
  Rank 1–3 Rituals 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Fury of Osano-wo 
  
  Technique
  Osano-wo’s Boast 
  
  Technique
  RANK 4
  Trade Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Command
  Skill
  Games
  Skill
  Theology
  Skill
  Rank 1–4 Water Invocations   
  Tech. Grp.
  = Wrath of Kaze-no-Kami    
  Technique
  Rise, Water 
  
  Technique
  RANK 5
  Scholar Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Courtesy
  Skills
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Survival
  Skill
  Rank 1–5 Void Shūji 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  Ever-Changing Waves 
  
  Technique
  Rise, Air 
  
  Technique
  RANK 6
  Storm Surge (Mastery Ability): When you 
  perform an invocation that smites one or 
  more targets, treat each target’s supernatural 
  resistance as 1 lower per kept  symbol on 
  the check.
  ADVANCE
  TYPE
  RANK 1
  Scholar Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Fitness
  Skill
  Labor
  Skill
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Rank 1 Water Shūji 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Summon Fog 
  
  Technique
  Reflections of P’an Ku 
  
  Technique
  RANK 2
  Trade Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Fitness
  Skill
  Tactics
  Skill
  Theology
  Skill
  Rank 1–2 Air Invocations     
  Tech. Grp.
  = Hand of the Tides 
  
  Technique
  Call upon the Wind 
  
  Technique
  RANK 3
  Scholar Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Performance
  Skill
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Survival
  Skill
  Rank 1–3 Rituals 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  = Fury of Osano-wo 
  
  Technique
  Osano-wo’s Boast 
  
  Technique
  RANK 4
  Trade Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Command
  Skill
  Games
  Skill
  Theology
  Skill
  Rank 1–4 Water Invocations   
  Tech. Grp.
  = Wrath of Kaze-no-Kami    
  Technique
  Rise, Water 
  
  Technique
  RANK 5
  Scholar Skills
  Skl. Grp.
  Courtesy
  Skills
  Seafaring
  Skill
  Survival
  Skill
  Rank 1–5 Void Shūji 
  
  Tech. Grp.
  Ever-Changing Waves 
  
  Technique
  Rise, Air 
  
  Technique
  RANK 6
  Storm Surge (Mastery Ability): When you 
  perform an invocation that smites one or 
  more targets, treat each target’s supernatural 
  resistance as 1 lower per kept  symbol on 
  the check.
  THE MANTIS CL AN
  
  Mantis Techniques
  Osano-wo’s Boast 
   (Mantis) Rank 3
  Like their fabled founder, members of the Mantis Clan 
  often boast of their future glory, to strengthen their own 
  resolve and drive their comrades to greater heights.
  Activation: Once per game session as a Support 
  action, you may make a TN 2 Command or Perfor-
  mance (Fire) check to boast of a deed you will attempt.
  Effects: If you succeed, increase your composure and 
  your endurance by 3. This effect persists until the end 
  of the scene or until you complete the deed of which 
  you boasted. At the end of the scene, if you have not 
  completed the deed, suffer 3 fatigue and 3 strife.
  If you succeed or fail, after you perform this action, 
  any other character in the scene who knows this tech-
  nique may immediately perform this action (if they 
  have not done so already).
  Mantis Advantages 
  and Disadvantages
  Blood of Osano-Wo 
  (Fire) [Distinction]
  The thunder roared in the distance, and the Kabutomushi 
  shook upon the waves. Miya Natsume huddled against 
  the mast, furiously sketching even as the beating rains 
  drew close. He knew that he had to capture this moment, 
  as the captain challenged the storm. Kabutomushi no 
  Kiba's laughter boomed across the deck, and Natsume 
  murmured another prayer for himself.
  Types: Mental, Spiritual
  Effects: The following apply to you:
   
  $
  The Fortune of Storms grants you boldness and 
  a desire not easily satisfied. You cannot be killed 
  by storms (such as by lightning or going over-
  board in a tempest). If you would die this way, 
  you instead wake up later in a place of the GM’s 
  choice, miraculously safe and with 0 Void points.
   
  $
  When performing a check for which you need 
  to take a great risk (such as a Games [Fire] 
  check to wager the game on a single gambit or 
  a Seafaring [Fire] check to chart a route through 
  a deadly region) you may reroll up to two dice.
  Sea Legs (Water) [Distinction]
  Hanako slapped the recruit on the shoulder as the new 
  sailor retched over the side of the kobune. 
  “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the rocking of the 
  waves. The food never gets any better, though.”
  Types: Physical
  Effects: The following apply to you:
   
  $
  You never get seasick, and can maintain your 
  balance easily on a rocking ship. You always feel 
  slightly disconcerted on stable ground, however.
   
  $
  When performing a check for which you need 
  stay balanced on a shifting surface (such as a 
  Martial Arts [Ranged] [Water] check to make a 
  bow shot during a boarding attack or Seafar-
  ing [Water] check to adjust the sails during a 
  storm), you may reroll up to two dice.
  KnotWork (Air) [Passion]
  A sailor’s knots differ from those used by a priest to 
  tie consecrated cords, but each holds a kind of prayer.
  Types: Mental
  Effects: The following apply to you:
   
  $
  You can identify and tie dozens of different 
  knots, and know their appropriate uses and the 
  meanings each one carries.
   
  $
  After performing a check to interact with a knot 
  (such as a Design [Air] check to add a decorative 
  knot to your garb or a Seafaring [Air] check to 
  secure your vessel’s rigging), you remove 3 strife.
  Sailor’s Tongue (Air) [Adversity]
  “Err, maybe forget you heard that last bit about the oar 
  and the octopus, eh Doji-san?”
  Types: Mental, Interpersonal
  Effects: The following apply to you:
   
  $
  Your speech is often punctuated by a combative 
  tone or idioms that others find difficult to under-
  stand or even vulgar.
   
  $
  When performing a check to speak politely (such 
  as a Courtesy [Air] check to pay a compliment at 
  court or a Culture [Air] check to know if some-
  thing is rude to discuss), you must choose and 
  reroll two dice containing  or . After resolving 
  the check, if you failed, you gain 1 Void point.
  7
  THE MANTIS CL AN
  WHO CAN SELECT 
  THESE ADVANTAGES 
  AND DISADVANTAGES?
  These advantages and 
  disadvantages are 
  written to be especially 
  useful for Mantis 
  characters. However, at 
  the GM’s discretion, any 
  character may select 
  these advantages or 
  disadvantages if they 
  are suitable to their 
  character concept.
  
  Mantis Equipment
  The Isles of Silk and Spice have a diverse culture and 
  a wide range of fighting styles, and the Mantis bring 
  many influences from this region to their own way of 
  doing battle. This can make them unpredictable foes 
  for traditionalist samurai whose training has focused on 
  the battlefield weapons and armor of Rokugan.
  mantis Weapons
  Unlike many clans, the Mantis Clan pushes its individu-
  al members to prove themselves by standing out rather 
  than meeting a specific, exacting standard. Among its 
  warriors, this means encouraging students to experi-
  ment with many weapons until they find a distinctive 
  fighting style that suits their nature and role.
  Butterfly SWord
  Short, slashing blades often designed with hooks above 
  the guard, these blades are extremely versatile—easily 
  concealed on one’s person, offensively and defensively 
  potent, and useful as a tool. Often wielded in pairs and 
  usually custom-made for an individual wielder, butterfly 
  swords are a favorite of many Mantis sailors.
  Eku
  An eku is a weaponized oar, wielded as a polearm. Like 
  the smith’s hammer or the farmer’s hoe, it likely came 
  into being as a tool and was turned to violent pur-
  pose when seafarers came under attack and needed 
  something with which to defend themselves. Heavier 
  than a staff and harder to wield, the eku is a surprising-
  ly dangerous weapon, best used for sweeping attacks. 
  Mantis sailors tell of similar weapons made of wood or 
  even whale-bone wielded by warriors of other seafar-
  ing cultures they have encountered.
  Sai
  A sai is a forked weapon that appears in many places 
  and may be an ancestor of the jitte. Unicorn travelers 
  have even reported seeing such weapons in the Ivory 
  Kingdoms, and some archives in Rokugan from ancient 
  days contain drawings of similar designs. The sai is 
  commonly used in the Isles of Silk and Spice, wielded 
  as a pair and usually blunted at the tips to allow a war-
  rior to trap, control, punch, and jab to subdue a foe.
  While you have a pair of sai readied, reduce the  
  you must spend to activate their Snaring quality by 1.
  TinBe-Rochin
  A tinbe-rochin is actually two weapons wielded as a 
  pair: a short spear (the tinbe) and a small shield (the 
  rochin), both excellent for close quarters or the rolling 
  deck of a ship. The haft of the tinbe is cut short, and the 
  head is often shaped to accommodate both stabbing 
  and slashing motions. The rochin can be made of many 
  different materials, including wood or turtle shell, and 
  is generally used to deflect rather than block with full 
  force. If executed properly, this allows the wielder to 
  open their opponent to a killing strike with the tinbe.
  A rochin is a shield, and a character can only wield 
  one shield at a time. As a Movement and Support 
  Table 1–1: Mantis Weapons
  NAME
  SKILL
  RNG
  DMG
  DLS
  GRIPS
  QUALITIES
  RARITY
  PRICE
  SWORDS
  Butterfly 
  Sword
  [Melee]
  0–1
  3
  5
  1-hand: –
  Concealable, Snaring
  6
  10 koku
  HAND WEAPONS
  Sai
  [Melee]
  0
  2
  2
  1-hand: –
  Concealable, Snaring
  6
  2 koku
  Tonfa
  [Melee]
  0–1
  3
  3
  1-hand: –
  Concealable, Durable
  5
  4 koku
  POLEARMS
  Eku
  [Melee]
  2
  6
  4
  2-hand: –
  Cumbersome,  
  Durable, Mundane
  5
  3 koku
  Tinbe
  [Melee]
  0–1
  3
  5
  1-hand: –
  –
  6
  15 koku
  SHIELDS
  Rochin
  [Melee]
  0
  2
  2
  1-hand: –
  Durable
  6
  25 koku
  Table 1–1: Mantis Weapons
  NAME
  SKILL
  RNG
  DMG
  DLS
  GRIPS
  QUALITIES
  RARITY
  PRICE
  SWORDS
  Butterfly 
  Sword
  [Melee]
  0–1
  3
  5
  1-hand: –
  Concealable, Snaring
  6
  10 koku
  HAND WEAPONS
  Sai
  [Melee]
  0
  2
  2
  1-hand: –
  Concealable, Snaring
  6
  2 koku
  Tonfa
  [Melee]
  0–1
  3
  3
  1-hand: –
  Concealable, Durable
  5
  4 koku
  POLEARMS
  Eku
  [Melee]
  2
  6
  4
  2-hand: –
  Cumbersome,  
  Durable, Mundane
  5
  3 koku
  Tinbe
  [Melee]
  0–1
  3
  5
  1-hand: –
  –
  6
  15 koku
  SHIELDS
  Rochin
  [Melee]
  0
  2
  2
  1-hand: –
  Durable
  6
  25 koku
  8
  MANTIS EQUIPMENT
  
  action, if you have a rochin readied, you may increase 
  the TN of the next Attack action check made target-
  ing you by 1 and decrease the TN of your next Attack 
  action check using a tinbe by 1. This effect persists until 
  the end of your next turn.
  Tonfa
  Another ancient design of uncertain origins, the tonfa is 
  a thick stock attached at a 90-degree angle to a handle 
  that allows it to spin freely. An incredibly versatile defen-
  sive weapon, a tonfa can be used to reinforce blocks 
  and launch blisteringly fast short circular attacks. Tonfa 
  are often wielded in pairs, or alongside an open hand.
  As a Movement and Support action, if you have 
  a tonfa readied, you may increase the TN of the next 
  Attack action check targeting you by 1 and decrease the 
  TN of your next Attack action check using a tonfa by 1. 
  This effect persists until the end of your next turn.
  mantis armor
  Some Mantis wear heavy armor like any other samurai 
  even in shipboard battles—to go overboard in the cha-
  os of battle is often a death sentence whether or not 
  one is wearing armor. On the other hand, space is ever 
  at a premium aboard a ship, so many Mantis sailors 
  prefer light armor or inventive solutions that provide 
  them protection without requiring space for storage or 
  hindering their movement on the deck or in the water.
  Sailor’s GarB
  Mantis sailors generally dress in practical clothes made 
  of sturdy, resilient cloth that will not fall apart when 
  soaked by the sea or baked by the sun. These clothes 
  are also generally easy to repair, even aboard a ship 
  where supplies are often very scare.
  Reduce the TN of checks to repair or maintain sail-
  or’s garb by 1.
  Shark Leather Armor
  While the flesh of beasts is considered unclean by some 
  traditionalist samurai, leather can also be harvested 
  from fish such as sharks and rays. Rokugani swords often 
  incorporate this leather in their grip, and through spe-
  cial treatment, it can be used to make lightweight armor, 
  especially if reinforced with wood or metal bands. Leath-
  er does little to deflect oncoming attacks, but it is hard 
  to pierce, protecting the wearer against telling blows. 
  Many Mantis samurai who can afford it favor its light 
  weight and striking looks.
  When you succeed at a check to resist a critical strike 
  while wearing this armor, add two bonus successes.
  sailors’ equipment
  Shipboard living teaches members of the Mantis Clan 
  to value their tools, but also to minimize their posses-
  sions as much as possible, for additional keepsakes 
  mean less cargo. The following are a few items that 
  members of the Mantis Clan often find indispensable 
  on their nautical journeys.
  AstrolaBe
  Rokugani scholars have long studied the sky and the 
  movement of celestial bodies, and their records date 
  back to the start of the Empire, but the refined use of 
  this information for navigation has been refined even 
  further in other lands. Traders who encounter vessels 
  from the Qamarist Caliphate often go to great lengths 
  to acquire the navigation devices called astrolabes, or 
  star-takers. Developed using advanced mathematics 
  to identify and precisely note the position of celestial 
  bodies in the sky, these devices are costly to acquire—
  but invaluable to any sea captain who ventures into 
  waters uncharted. (Cost: 30 koku. Rarity: 10.)
  Fishing Rod and Line
  On long voyages or while moored at far-flung ports, fish-
  ing is not only a profitable activity, but also a way to pass 
  the time in quiet contemplation. As such, many members 
  of the Mantis Clan carry a fishing rod, and spend their 
  spare time tying or cutting lures. So popular a pastime is 
  fishing that an old story claims the iconic, sickle-shaped 
  kama was first picked up by a curious Mantis captain who 
  mistook it for a fishhook. (Cost: 1 bu. Rarity: 1.)
  TaraiBune
  Sometimes called “tub boats,” taraibune are small, 
  barrel-shaped, circular vessels five to six feet in diame-
  ter, designed for one operator who steers by oar. Stur-
  dy and cheap to build, they serve as additional vessels 
  for families in many fishing villages across Rokugan, 
  and as single-person landing craft aboard some Mantis 
  vessels. (Cost: 1 koku. Rarity: 4.)
  Table 1–2: Mantis Armor
  NAME
  R. VALUES
  QUALITIES
  RARITY
  PRICE
  Sailor’s Garb
  Physical 1
  Durable, Mundane
  2
  1 bu
  Shark Leather Armor
  Physical 2
  Resplendent
  7
  12 koku
  Table 1–2: Mantis Armor
  NAME
  R. VALUES
  QUALITIES
  RARITY
  PRICE
  Sailor’s Garb
  Physical 1
  Durable, Mundane
  2
  1 bu
  Shark Leather Armor
  Physical 2
  Resplendent
  7
  12 koku
  MANTIS EQUIPMENT
  
  Aquatic NPCs
  The following are several NPCs that are useful for stories 
  about the Mantis Clan and other nautical adventures.
  EEL
  EEL
   MINION 
  CONFLICT RANK:  1 
   0
  Eels are long, slippery fish. Scavengers or predators, 
  they can be aggressive if provoked, but generally pre-
  fer to hide within crevasses, striking at smaller prey 
  when the time is right. Eel is a popular food in Rokugan.
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  2
  +2, –2
  DEMEANOR - SKITTISH
  1
  ENDURANCE
  COMPOSURE
  FOCUS
  VIGILANCE
  ARTISAN 0
  ARTISAN 0
  MARTIAL 0
  MARTIAL 0
  SCHOLAR 0
  SCHOLAR 0
  SOCIAL 0
  SOCIAL 0
  TRADE 0
  TRADE 0
   
  ADVANTAGES
  DISADVANTAGES
   
  Slippery: 
   Martial; Physical
  Easily Baited: 
   Interpersonal; Mental
   
  FAVORED WEAPONS
   
  Razor Teeth: Range 0, Damage 2, Deadliness 4
   
  ABILITIES
   
  SWARMING HUNTER
  An eel is a silhouette 1 aquatic animal. When making 
  an Attack action check with assistance, an eel may 
  spend  as follows:
  +: One character other than the target at range 
  0–2 suffers 2 physical damage. This  can be ac-
  tivated a number of times per round equal to the 
  number of eels assisting with the check.
  OCTOPUS
  OCTOPUS
   MINION 
  CONFLICT RANK:  3 
   1
  One of the strangest creatures of the sea, the octo-
  pus is remarkably intelligent, capable of changing its 
  skin color and even texture to blend into its environ-
  ment and getting into or out of nearly any enclosure. 
  These creatures are short-lived, but their curiosity and 
  cunning is legendary. Ranging in size from tiny speci-
  mens to behemoths nearly as large as a person, their 
  strangeness makes them the subject of fascination for 
  humans. Octopus is also a delicacy in coastal Rokugan. 
  1
  1
  3
  3
  3
  3
  6
  6
  +2, –2
  DEMEANOR - CURIOUS
  3
  ENDURANCE
  COMPOSURE
  FOCUS
  VIGILANCE
  ARTISAN 0
  ARTISAN 0
  MARTIAL 1
  MARTIAL 1
  SCHOLAR 0
  SCHOLAR 0
  SOCIAL 0
  SOCIAL 0
  TRADE 0
  TRADE 0
   
  ADVANTAGES
  DISADVANTAGES
   
  Flexibility of Form: 
   Martial, Trade; Physical
  Easily Startled: 
   Martial; Mental
   
  FAVORED WEAPONS
   
  Sharp Beak: Range 0, Damage 1, Deadliness 4,  
  Razor-edged
  Arms: Range 0, Damage 3, Deadliness 2, Snaring
   
  ABILITIES
   
  MASTER OF DISGUISE
  An octopus is a silhouette 1 aquatic animal. When per-
  forming a check, an octopus may spend  as follows:
  +: The octopus disguises itself in its environment, 
  causing each character with vigilance lower than or 
  equal to the  spent this way to lose sight of it.
  SHARK
  SHARK
   MINION 
  CONFLICT RANK:  7 
   0
  The triangle fin of a shark cutting through the waves 
  sends chills down many a sailor’s spine. Despite the 
  fear they evoke, even large sharks rarely hunt humans. 
  By contrast, shark fishing is common, and hunting a 
  shark is a rite of passage in the Isles of Silk and Spice.
  2
  3
  2
  4
  4
  12
  9
  8
  +2, –2
  DEMEANOR - INTIMIDATING
  2
  ENDURANCE
  COMPOSURE
  FOCUS
  VIGILANCE
  ARTISAN 0
  ARTISAN 0
  MARTIAL 3
  MARTIAL 3
  SCHOLAR 0
  SCHOLAR 0
  SOCIAL 0
  SOCIAL 0
  TRADE 0
  TRADE 0
   
  ADVANTAGES
  DISADVANTAGES
   
  Blood Tracker: 
   Trade; Mental
  Sinuous Power: 
   Martial; Physical
  Feeding Frenzy: 
   Trade; Mental
   
  FAVORED WEAPONS
   
  Bite: Range 0, Damage 6, Deadliness 6, Razor-edged
   
  10
  AQUATIC NPCS
  OTHER SEA CREATURES
  The eel profile could 
  also be used for other 
  large fish, and the shark 
  could be used for a car-
  nivorous whale or sim-
  ilar animal. Increasing 
  (or decreasing) the en-
  durance and silhouette 
  and ring values of these 
  creatures can also allow 
  you to make larger (or 
  smaller) specimens.
  Aquatic animals and 
  beings generally cannot 
  move on land (and 
  those that can, such as 
  the octopus, ningyo, 
  and sea troll, treat all 
  dry land as Dangerous 
  terrain).
  
  ABILITIES
   
  APEX HUNTER OF THE SEAS
  A shark is a silhouette 3 aquatic animal. Increase the 
  deadliness of its bite against a Bleeding target by 4.
  BLOOD IN THE WATER
  As an Attack and Movement action, a shark may make 
  a TN 2 Fitness (Water) check to slam a target at 
  range 0–1. If it succeeds, the target suffers the Dazed 
  condition, and must resist with a TN 3 Fitness check 
  (Earth 2, Fire 5) or suffer the Bleeding condition.
  NINGYO
  NINGYO
   ADVERSARY 
  CONFLICT RANK:  4 
   5
  To most Rokugani, the idea of a city beneath the waves, 
  filled with piscine folk called ningyo, seems nothing more 
  than a fanciful tale—a myth of ancient days. The Kami Shi-
  ba was said to have visited such a place during his mythic 
  journeys, but if such a place exists, it has been forgotten. 
  Sailors claim to have seen ningyo; in their stories, some-
  times ningyo are friendly despite their predatory appear-
  ance—and other times they are merciless hunters.
  40
  7
  12
  12
  06
  6
  +2, –2
  DEMEANOR - CURIOUS
  2
  HONOR
  ENDURANCE
  GLORY
  COMPOSURE
  STATUS
  FOCUS
  VIGILANCE
  PERSONAL
  SOCIETAL
  1
  3
  4
  2
  2
   
  ARTISAN 1
  ARTISAN 1
  MARTIAL 1
  MARTIAL 1
  SCHOLAR 2
  SCHOLAR 2
  SOCIAL 3
  SOCIAL 3
  TRADE 2
  TRADE 2
   
  ADVANTAGES
  DISADVANTAGES
   
  Natural Swimmer: 
   Martial; Physical
  Distrustful of Humans: 
   Social; Interpersonal
   
  FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR
   
  Coral-tipped Spear: Range 1, Damage 5, Deadliness 4, 
  Ceremonial, Durable
  Gear (Equipped): Shark leather armor (Physical 2), 
  handful of valuable shells, etched bones.
   
  ABILITIES
   
  AQUATIC HUMANOID
  A ningyo is an aquatic being of silhouette 2.
  DRAG UNDER
  Activation: When making an attack action check, a 
  ningyo may spend  as follows:
  Water +: The ningyo attempt to drag one of its tar-
  gets with vigilance lower than or equal to the  spent 
  this way beneath the waves. If it succeeds, the target 
  must resist with a TN 3 Fitness check (Earth 1, Fire 4) 
  or be pulled 1 range band under water and begin to 
  suffocate (see p. 269 of the core rulebook).
  SEA TROLL
  SEA TROLL
   ADVERSARY 
  CONFLICT RANK:  7 
   4
  Trolls are ancient and mysterious beings—intelligent 
  but often belligerent, wise but often short-tempered. 
  Whether sea trolls are the same species as their land-
  borne cousins or merely superficially similar in the man-
  ner of humans and ningyo remains a topic of debate by 
  those few scholars who even believe they exist.
  25
  14
  10
  9
  05
  4
  +2, –2
  DEMEANOR - COVETOUS
  3
  HONOR
  ENDURANCE
  GLORY
  COMPOSURE
  STATUS
  FOCUS
  VIGILANCE
  PERSONAL
  SOCIETAL
  3
  2
  5
  4
  4
   
  ARTISAN 1
  ARTISAN 1
  MARTIAL 3
  MARTIAL 3
  SCHOLAR 3
  SCHOLAR 3
  SOCIAL 1
  SOCIAL 1
  TRADE 1
  TRADE 1
   
  ADVANTAGES
  DISADVANTAGES
   
  Surprisingly Stealthy: 
   Martial; Physical
  Insatiable Appetite: 
   Social; Physical
   
  FAVORED WEAPONS & GEAR
   
  Rending Grip: Range 1, Damage 4, Deadliness 6
  Gear (Equipped): Rough hide (Physical 2, Supernatu-
  ral 2), collection of detritus
   
  ABILITIES
   
  ANCIENT AND POWERFUL
  A sea troll is an aquatic Otherworldly being of 
  silhouette 4.
  MYSTICAL DIFFUSION
  While a sea troll is fully submerged in the water, its 
  supernatural resistance is 8.
  11
  AQUATIC NPCS
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Legend of the Five Rings (d20) [multi]/5th Edition/L5R 5e - The Mantis Clan.pdf