Note: The following notes are for GM eyes only, or for people who don't plan on playing Rokugan 2000 for the rpg and are just interested in some background information on Asahina Munashi. That being said, here is everything you ever wished to know about the Master of the Fantastic Gardens....

Asahina Munashi
Dojicorp's Master of the Fantastic Gardens

EARTH: 5 (Willpower: 6)
WATER: 3(Perception: 6)
FIRE: 4 (Intelligence: 5)
AIR: 6
VOID: 4
TAINT: 4.8

SCHOOL/RANK: Asahina Shugenja 5

Skills: Etiquette 3, Meditation 3, Shintao 4, Computer 2, Lore - Maho 5, Lore - Shadowlands 4, Business 5, Advanced Medicine 3, Torture 3, Gardening 4, Herbalism 4, Lore - Oni 5, Lore - Religion 4, History 3, Tsangusuri 5, Intimidation 2, Political Maneuvering 3, Sincerity 2, Spellcraft 4, Tea Ceremony 2

HONOR: 3.5
GLORY: 8.3 (Asahina Family Daimyo)

A note about Munashi's Honor: With the amount of evil deeds and corruption that the Master of Fantastic Gardens has behind him, it may be difficult to believe he can still maintain an honor of 3.5. Well, he has. In discussions of the L5R RPG, there are two major schools of thought on how honor functions. 1.) It's an internal barometer of how honorable the character thinks he is behaving, relative to those around him. 2.) It is how honorable the character perceives his actions to be. Munashi's honor fulfills both of these requirements. He not only believes that his activities are pure and noble, but anyone who finds out the truth about him seldom lives long enough to tell anyone about it.

ADVANTAGES: Allies (Doji Meda, Kashrak, Tsuruchi Kyo, The Stormbreaker, etc....), Clear Thinker, Technophile, Heart of Vengeance (Crane), Heartless, Social Position (Asahina Daimyo, Master of the Fantastic Gardens), Voice, Ancestor: Asahina Yajinden (see below)
DISADVANTAGES: Dark Secret, Paranoid (X4, just assume just about anyone Munashi meets to be on his "list"), Insensitive, "Missing" Eye (treat as the Missing Eye disadvantage as long as the eyepatch is worn)
TAINT SYMPTOMS: Deformed Eye (left, glows red and yellow), Gaunt (he wears loose, flowing robes to conceal his stick-thin arms and legs and his withered ribcage), Premature Aging (he has the energy and strength of a forty year old man, but looks almost seventy), Occasional Murderous Impulses (thus far, he's kept these confined to the security of his Garden)

Spells: (spells marked with * are innate abilities)
Spells from books beside the original RPG rulebook are marked with abbreviations to indicate their source. Abbreviations stand for: WotCr-Way of the Crane, GMS-Game Master Screen, WtW-Walking the Way. If these books are not available, substitute whatever magic you deem fit.)
Sense, Commune, Summon, Counterspell
Fire Spells: Fist of Osano-wo, Amaterasu's Blessing, *Wings of Fire, Eyes of the Phoenix (WtW)
Water Spells: Reflections of Pan-ku, Calm Mind, Reflective Pool, Path to Inner Peace, *Ties that Bind, Torrential Rain, Heart of Nature, Curse of the Jackal (WtW), *Wall of Bamboo (WtW)
Earth Spells: Calling the Elements, Elemental Ward, Hands of Juroin, Jade Strike, Immortal Steel, Grounding Energy (WtW), Whispers of the Land (WtW), Oni Warding (WtW), Summon Oni (GMS), Animate the Dead (GMS), Dark Divination (GMS)
Air Spells: Benten's Touch, Command the Mind, Know the Mind, Essence of Air, Mists of Illusion, Cloak of Night, Tempest of Air, Quiescence of Air, Whispering Winds, Nature's Touch, Castle of Air (WtW), Binding (WotCr)

Paraphernalia:
The following items are carried upon Munashi's person nearly at all times: Excellent Quality Tanto (w/ Immortal Steel cast upon it, inflicts 3k4 damage), Cellular Telephone, Remote Control (explained later), Dojicorp Credit Card (with effectively no credit limit), Pouch of Tsangusuri - includes, but not limited to, at least one of each of the following Crane Tsangusuri: Incense of Concentration (regain 2 Void in 15 minutes), Bone Key (unlocks any door, once), Tortoise Shell (protects from ranged attacks for 10 rounds), White Sheaf of Grain (heals 2d10 damage, carries several of these), Obsidian Goblin (special, see below)

New Crane Tsangusuri
Obsidian Goblin - This item is a tiny goblin statue carved of pure obsidian, nearly an inch tall. When clutched in one fist during the casting of a maho spell the statue bleeds freely, dripping a black ichor over the holder's hand and arm. As the statue melts into this substance, it also absorbs points of the Shadowlands Taint that the spell otherwise would have caused. Only one point of Taint is gained for any spell. The only drawbacks are: 1.) Every time the character achieves a full rank of Taint, his penalties are immediate and severe, though not always physically obvious. Munashi, for example, has been driven quite mad by using the Goblins. 2.) The Goblin requires a sacrifice. An unwilling victim (human, nezumi, zokujin, or other intelligent, non-Tainted creature) must be slain and smeared with the goblin's ichor within 24 hours, or the character will immediately receive all of the points of Shadowlands Taint that the Goblin had absorbed. Note that only Asahina Munashi knows how to create these (he invented them) so other characters will not realize their significance or function.

New Crane Ancestor
Asahina Yajinden (4 points) Asahina Yajinden was the infamous creator of the Bloodswords, a Crane maho-tsukai who served his master Iuchiban in seven different lifetimes. Despite Yajinden's constant efforts to achieve mortality, his spirit was eventually destroyed by mortal heroes and sent screaming to Jigoku. Of course, all this means as that now he dwells among the ancestors, and can give his descendants guidance as well as any other shiryo. Yajinden's descendants are skilled maho-tsukai. The Target Number for any maho spell they cast is lowered by 5. In addition, any individual that has abilities which allow them to sense the Shadowlands Taint (Witch Hunters, certain shugenja, etc) is immediately sensed when they approach within sixty feet of the character. By making a Perception check with a TN of 15, they can pinpoint the location of creature with those abilities, even if they are invisible or otherwise concealed.

New Oni
Oni no Pekkle (Diamond Empire Version)

EARTH: 1
WATER: 7
FIRE: 2
AIR: 1 (Awareness: 7)

Rolls When Attacking: 3k2
Rolls For Damage: 7k1 (bare hands)
TN to Hit: 5 (see below)
Armor: 3
Wounds: 20 : Dead

Special Abilties:
Invulnerability: Oni no Pekkle cannot be harmed by anything of the world of man. This includes jade, crystal, obsidian, and most magic. Only possessions of the original kami themselves, the elemental dragons, or any item that physically came from Yoma or Jigoku (like a weapon made out of a dead oni) can harm a Pekkle. Any spell with the name of a fortune or kami in its title will inflict 1/2 damage upon a Pekkle.

Honor: For reasons not even Asahina Munashi understands, any spell or reaction that depends upon a targets Honor affects and is affected by a Pekkle as if it had 3 Honor.

Pekkles are mischievious little oni that resemble small children. It is not immediately obvious whether a Pekkle is a girl or boy; most are very androgynous. They are mischevious little creatures, pulling the same sorts of pranks that small children would. They can speak, but usually prefer not to, spending much of their time giggling and repeating their name "Pekkle" over and over to unsettle their potential opponents.

In combat, Pekkles are utterly fearless and bloodthirsty opponents. They know that they are invulnerable and are thus not afraid to risk injury. Fortunately, they are very small creatures. An attack that would inflict more than 15 damage will knock them backwards or cause them to fall prone, and a Strength roll of 10 or more can lift one. (Be careful lifting them though; their next action will most likely be to grab the character's arm and break it.) If, by any chance, a character is actually capable of hurting a Pekkle, then things are quite different. A single Pekkle will flee in terror. Multiple Pekkles become enraged, directing all of their attention into destroying the offending character, even if Munashi himself commands them otherwise.

Munashi is a powerful man, to say the least. He is a tall, thin man who appears to be in his late sixties. He wears a snowy white eyepatch over his left eye that hangs without any visible means of support, made of heat-reactive Dojicorp materials. He moves very slowly and speaks very carefully, never making any judgments or leaping to conclusions without great forethought. He is rarely seen outside of the Fantastic Gardens of Dojicorp, always tending to some ancient tree or preparing some religious ritual or other. Most Cranes consider him a wise, if eccentric old man. If any of them knew his true story, if the veneer of beauty that covered the rotten core of his gardens was ever wiped away, things would be very different indeed.

Asahina Munashi's past is a complex one. Forty years ago, he was born the eldest son of the Asahina daimyo. A bright young lad, he began to show aptitude for both magic and technology when he was as young as six years old. He also had a tendency for cruelty, and often perpetrated sinister pranks upon those who mocked or looked down upon him. Once, a Matsu boy visiting the school laughed at the skinny little Asahina and punched Munashi in the eye. Munashi pretended to be afraid, but later he laced the Lion's rice with hot pepper. It had seemed an innocent enough prank, and Munashi was allowed off the hook with only a stern scolding.

However, Munashi had known full well how intense the Matsu's allergies to the pepper were, and as the boy's throat became swollen shut and the paramedics began the tracheotomy, Munashi laughed quietly to himself.

A few days after this event, Munashi was walking home from school when a tall man in a black coat stepped into the street before him. The man's gaze was fierce; his face was twisted with horrible scars. Munashi was not afraid. He felt somehow as if he had known this man, and had been waiting to meet him.

"You're growing up, Munashi," the man said. "You're growing up fast."

"Yes," Munashi said, waiting for the man to say more.

"I'm proud of you, boy," he replied. "But you will have to restrain your urges. An angry man may gain vengeance upon one person, but a patient man will bring the Empire to its knees. Do you understand me, Munashi?"

"Yes, I understand," Munashi replied. "Who are you?"

"I am Ishak," the man replied. "I am the Corruptor."

Munashi's eyes grew wide. "Yogo Ishak?" he said.

The man smiled. "Are you afraid? I do not have much love for Cranes, you know. As you probably know, it is the fault of your Crane descendants that I was dispatched to the Shadowlands on patrol in the first place. It was there that I became what I am now. I am a monster that will never die, that will never stop until Rokugan lies in ashes."

Munashi shook his head. "From the stories I've heard about you, I thought you'd be larger."

Ishak laughed out loud, and lay a single withered hand upon the boy's shoulder. "You must hurry, little Munashi," he said. "You do not wish to be late for school."

"My classes are over for the day," Munashi said with a laugh.

"No," Ishak replied. "Your classes are only beginning. Today, you meet your new teacher."

That was the first day Asahina Munashi ever visited Downtown, and though he was shocked at what he saw, again he was not afraid. Munashi began sneaking into the corrupt sectors of Otosan Uchi every day, through the secret passages Yogo Ishak had shown him. Every morning he learned the magic and technologies of the Asahina. Every night he learned the teachings of his dark new master, the creature called Kashrak.

The sinister naga was pleased to find such a clever student in the young Munashi, but he was suspicious of the boy's sudden eagerness to explore the world of maho. As Munashi arrived in the sewers one day three years later, Kashrak confronted him with his suspicions.

"Munashi," he said. "I wish to ask you a question."

"Yes, Kashrak-sama," Munashi said respectfully.

"I present to you a path to hell," the naga said. "Why do you walk it so eagerly? Why do you encourage your own corruption?" The naga sat back and waited for the answer. He expected Munashi to be gathering evidence against Downtown, or perhaps seeking a way to take over the area for his own. Twenty goblin archers in the shadows waited for the naga's signal.

"I wish for my father to be proud of me," Munashi said simply."

"Your father?" Kashrak spat. "You're doing this for a Crane?"

"My father is not a Crane," Munashi said. "My father is Yogo Ishak."

Kashrak grinned. He did not know how the boy had reasoned it out. It was unimportant. It was a satisfactory enough reason. He continued the boy's training.

At the age of fifteen, Asahina Munashi summoned his first oni. It was a small oni, and Kashrak was about to order Munashi to banish it once more as soon as he saw the pathetic thing. Munashi hesitated, and the little creature pleaded with him to let it remain. Its name, apparently, was Pekkle. It was the spawn of a minor oni lord, whose name had been forgotten in the mists of time. It's spawn were seldom summoned, and were thought by most maho-tsukai to be nigh useless. Munashi, however, saw potential in the creature. It was small, and could pass for a human child. With a little more power, it could be seriously underestimated. Munashi focused his studies upon finding ways to strengthen the little oni, and his experiments were a success.

Even Kashrak was surprised at Oni no Pekkle's new abilities. The little creature was invulnerable, even to jade, magic, and other typical weaknesses of oni. It had also become immensely strong. The demon spirit which had dispatched the spawn from Jigoku was so pleased by Munashi's work that it immediately created six more of the creatures and sent them to Rokugan to be enhanced by the Crane.

"Well, now you have a small army," Kashrak hissed in glee. "What will you do now, Munashi?" In a bizarre way, the old naga had become very close to Munashi over the last several years, and enjoyed hearing the products of the lad's sinister imagination.

"I plan to go kill the Master of the Fantastic Gardens," Munashi said. "I plan to make him pay for what the Crane did to my real father."

"Vengeance?" Kashrak said, a bit disappointed. "You would do this for vengeance, in the name of a father you've only met once?"

"That's just my excuse," Munashi said with a laugh. "I want Dojicorp, and the Gardens are the first step."

Again, Kashrak smiled. He couldn't have hoped for a better student. That night, the Master of the Fantastic Gardens was found mysteriously strangled in his bed, a look of unspeakable horror frozen upon his face. The next day, Munashi was appointed in his father's place. He threw himself into his new responsibilities with relish, learning all that he could about Dojicorp's wonderful gardens. In the meantime, he began to work his magic upon the place, slowly twisting it to his will. It was about this time that he first met the young Doji Meda. Meda was the son of the Crane daimyo, bright but uncertain of his future. Munashi made friends with the boy immediately, and began twisting him to his will as well...

Adventure hooks involving Munashi:

Babysitting
Challenge: Something is causing an awful lot of damage in the upper levels of Dojicorp. Whatever it is doesn't show up on security cameras and the guards are having an awful time trying to track it down. The characters are called in as independent consultants to track down the problem.
Focus: The characters arrive to find a berserk Pekkle oni, randomly tearing things apart. Even if they can find a way to neutralize the creature, that's when the real problems begin...
Strike: The oni was summoned improperly, and managed to escape the Fantastic Gardens. Munashi tampered with building security and gave the guards shoddy orders so they wouldn't be able to keep track of it. After all, he doesn't want his fellow Cranes to know what's going on in Dojicorp. It was he that decided to use out-of-house assistance to deal with the oni... Easily disposable out-of-house help.

Shopping Trip
Challenge: A Crab Seeker has stumbled upon a rather large shipment of Shosuro microcircuitry being shipped into the area. Knowing that the microcircuitry can be used to create all variety of tetsukansen items, he hires the characters to help him put a stop to it.
Focus: A brutal fight between the characters and maho-tsukai smugglers erupts in a run-down building scheduled for demolition. As the brawl concludes, the proprietors of the area show up - a group of Dojicorp Daidoji guards. As it is their property that the pcs have destroyed, they ask them to remain there until they are advised how to respond. (The guards are polite, but they outnumber the characters three to one.)
Strike: Before long, Munashi issues orders to the guards. As the fight erupted on Dojicorp property, the tetsukansen items are now Dojicorp property (to dispose with properly, of course). He claims that the pcs (even the Seeker) can't be trusted to properly handle what is now "a Dojicorp problem." The characters are escorted away, but left with no end of questions about why Munashi wanted the circuitry.

Lost in the Gardens
Challenge: One of the characters is suddenly approached by a ghost, an angry spirit of a friend or relative that demands vengeance.
Focus: If the character attempts to communicate, it becomes obvious that the ghost is not angry at the character. It was recently murdered, and wants the character (who is the only one who can see or hear it, of course) to avenge it. The ghost is even so kind as to point out where it was killed before it vanishes.
Strike: Of course, the site of its death was the Fantastic Gardens, and Munashi (on one of his less lucid days) is the killer. To make matters worse, the character's friends corpse is now buried somewhere in the garden as a zombie seed.

Munashi can be a very tricky character to use. Not only is he at his best when his involvement is concealed, but he's a mighty powerful maho-tsukai with an endless bag of trick to throw against pcs. He'll almost never be caught outside the Garden where the pcs can get at him easily, and the Garden itself is a gigantic deathtrap. Here are some of the common tactics and obstacles that the pcs will run up against if they start a brawl in the Fantastic Gardens:

1. Dojicorp Security - Munashi is irreproachable, after all. He'd never do the terrible things the pcs suggest. If at all possible, he'll keep his hands clean and simply summon a band of Daidoji guards to deal with the pcs properly. Then again, some days Munashi's voices begin speaking to him and he just has to deal with matters himself...

2. Pekkle - There's always a Pekkle or two protecting Munashi. At the first sign of danger, Munashi typically retreats to cast his spells from a safe distance and lets his oni spawn handle things.

3. Beasts - The Gardens have more to feature than just trees and beautiful birds. Nearly a dozen tame, fully grown lions wander the garden (a subtle thumb of the nose to Dojicorp's rival clan). These lions are normally kept utterly docile by Munashi and the other (non-maho-tsukai) shugenja who work in the gardens. In times of need, however, Munashi activates his Nature's Touch spells and *all* the lions will come running. (Sadly, he can't use the lions and Pekkle simultaneously. The lions are afraid of the little demons.)

4. Spells - Some of Munashi's favorite spells to use in the Garden are the following: Torrential Rain, Wall of Bamboo, Call Upon the Elements, Grounding Energy, and Mists of Illusion. The lush natural environment of the Gardens has been cultivated with kami that eagerly anticipate the casting of these particular spells, and thus Munashi receives two free raises when casting any of them within the Gardens. (An Elemental Ward spell cancels this affect, something a Spellcraft roll with TN of 15 can quickly determine.

5. Zombies - Sometimes, just sometimes, people killed with an Obsidian Goblin just don't stay dead. It's such a bother, but Munashi makes good use of the fact. There are Zombies buried here and there and everywhere in the Gardens. With a small remote control that Munashi carries in his pocket, he can set off light explosive charges to allow these zombies to dig themselves out of the earth, whereupon they begin attacking any living creature they see (except, of course, Munashi).

6. Friends - Even if the pcs can take Munashi down, or prove to the world what a terrible person he is, remember: he's not alone. Behind him is Kashrak, Yogo Ishak, and even the Stormbreaker himself. A simple adventure hook could end up getting the pcs into a world of trouble. But isn't that what games like this are all about?