Imperial Herald #15, Legend of the Five Rings History
Time of the Void - 1997 Origins Award-Winning Best TCG Expansion
The armies of the clans gathered together at last to fight Fu Lend and teh Shadowlands Horde, now firmly entrenched behind the walls of Otosan Uchi. As the winter gave way to spring, teh Empire prepared itself for one last battle. Hanging in the balance: the fate of the entire world.
TsukoÕs sacrifice had shown some of the Lion where their true path lay, but many of their number chose to obey their oaths, an allegiance they did not like but would fulfill nonetheless, and defend the imperial palace against ToturiÕs Army and the Thunders. To them, oath was a bond, never to be broken.
The Hooded Ronin was revealed asthe descendant of Shinsei. ShinseiÕs unbroken line had preserved secrets of the battle against Fu Leng and of the thousand-year cycle that was ending. With the aid of Togashi Yokuni, the Hooded Ronin located and brought together all seven reincarnated Thunders.
The Naga fought and destroyed a sizable portion of the Shadowlands Horde on the outskirts of the capital using bows, their own pearl magic, and tactical guidance provided by Mirumoto Daini, a Dragon samurai sent by Toturi to the Naga years before.
The Elemental Masters fought aggainst the insane Isawa Tsuke in a brutal series of magical battles. TsukeÕs brutal firestorms removed many of th ePhoenix shugenja from the assault on the capital and killed most of them. In the end, Tsuke was destroyed by Shiba Ujimitsu, the Phoenix daimyo, who died in the conflict. Of the Elemental Masters, only Tadaka lived - and Kaede, who remained missing.
Hida Yakamo faced the oni who bore his name, and a terrific battle ensued. Yakamo brutally struck the oni, but the spray of its corrupt blood temporarily blinded him. As the oniÕs weapon rose for a killing blow, Mirumoto Hitomi slayed the creature, saving her hated nemesis, if only for the day.
Just before the dayÕs battle began, the mercenary daimyo Yoritomo met with the Seven Thunders at the war council. This time, instead of kneeling, he only demanded recognition as a Major Clan daimyo from Toturi and the Seven Thunders. YakamoÕs laughs saved this tense moment, and YoritomoÕs demand was granted - for if he helped save the day, he would have earned it, and if the day was lost, the title would be pointless.
The Unicorn battle maidens rode down Yogo JunzoÕs horde, killing the undead creatures Junzo commanded. Otaku Kamoko killed Junzo herself by trampling him with her mighty steed.
At the gates of the palace, teh pro-Empire Lion fought the pro-Emperor Lion in a battle that quickly degenerated into a melee, with Lion killing Lion without thought to allegiance or goal. Toturi rode into the midst of the fray at the head of his troops, sword held high, and for a moment the chaotic Lion forces paused, waiting for an order - any order. Toturi wheeled his steed around and cried, ÒFor Matsu Tsuko and for Rokugan!Ó and pointed his sword at the gates of Otosan Uchi. Thus he stopped the intra-clan battle and averted the total self-destruction of his former clan.
As the field of battle was at last won, the Seven Thunders, Togashi Yokuni, and the Hooded Ronin proceeded into the palace to hunt down and destroy Fu Leng.
In the throne room, Togashi Yokuni revealed that he was in fact Togashi, one of the original Kami who fell to earth and founded the Empire, and therefore brother to Fu Leng. Fu Leng mortally wounded Togashi, but before Togashi died, Mirumoto Hitomi, the Dragon Thunder, plunged her Obsidian Hand into YokuniÕs chest and pulled forth his heart. She crushed it, taking its power as her own, and from the shriveled heart she pulled out the Twelfth Black Scroll, hidden in TogashiÕs heart for a thousand years.
Fu Leng laughed to see the Twelfth Black Scroll, since opening it would make him fully manifest in the world. But as Hitomi opened the scroll, the Hooded Ronin took great delight in informing Fu Leng that while he was now fully free, he was also one with the body he had possessed - and thus mortal.
At the end of the great battle that ensued, Toturi and Hoturi killed Fu Leng with a simultaneous strike of their ancestral swords, carrying the day.
Countless people died on that day. The dead included Doji Hoturi, Togashi, Yogo Junzo, four of the five Elemental masters, and thousands of clan samurai and ronin of greater or lesser repute.