Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.

These are the times that try men's souls. Never has there been a greater need for the Jade Hand. Daigotsu stands at our gates, not as an enemy, but as a wolf in sheep's clothing. He has convinced parts of the empire of his good intentions. The Crab, according to our scouts, have already fallen under his spell. The Unicorn may fall soon. The Emperor is lost, and we don't know if he will survive the coming conflagration. The Empire needs men and women such as you, to stand against the darkness. To draw a line in the sand, and say 'No more. Thou shalt not pass.' This is where we stop giving in. This is where we make our stand.

This is our hour. The Jade Hand will ride, and justice will ride with us.

And those who stand against us will be burned from the Empire, like the cancer they are, by the fury of our righteousness.

We will not fail. Who will join me?

*answering his brethen's call, a Dragon samurai reappears. There is no need for words, the fierce determination in his eyes is more than enough to know where his heart lies.*

You know I'm in.

This is our darkest hour.

This is the hour where our star will shine brightest.

This day, we fight.

I may not be Jade Hand, but have no doubt I will do all I can to hold back the sad Corruption that is spreading across our Empire. I refuse to let the Shadowlands or those who ally with them to control our Empire!

A long unseen familiar face to some now enters the court of the Jade Hand.

Greeting,

Some of you know me and some of you simply know my reputations.

For the rest, I am Doji Tsukaede: nephew of Kakita Tetsuko who chronicled the journey of the Tears of the Emperor that were gifted to the Crab to cleanse the undead Hida Amoro. I am a samurai and a courtier, a rules lawyer and founder of the Jourei Bengoshi. I am the Champion of the Doji Jotaro is Zanny movement. I have fought against the taint my entire life and know that salvation will never be found though its dark seductions.

Jigoku, though the Shadowlands taint, wishes for nothing but the control of the Celestial Order. It taints pawns into doing it bidding and is a cunning and patient force of malevolence. Many falsely believe that destruction will only come in the form of an overwhelming Shadowlands military victory that corrupts or destroys. They are wrong. The Maw, Junzo, Yori, Akuma, Kyoso, Daigotsu even Iuchiban were and still are all pawns of its control. Each believed that conquering the empire and destroying it was they way to bring about an era of darkness. They were all wrong.

The taint is the most seductive when you are weak as well as when you are strong. When the clans unite against the Shadowlands and win, they because complacent and fight a foe just as terrible: their own fears, desires and regrets. The same forces that created the Shuiten Doji draw men into the clutches of Jigoku.

This you all know.

What you may not know is that the taint does not just infect Ningen-do though battle (via the CCG), but through words and individual choice (via the RPG).

Lost are appearing to remain in control (rules for the Lost as PCs) more often leading to the fallacy that they can be allowed into the Empire without Fear.

Daigotsu has asked for his own clan and to live with the Empire instead of against it created a false sense of lack of Desire on his part.

The taint is becoming more and more easily to call upon (easier access to shadowands power and taint scores) with less apparent drawback (less severe physical and mental symptoms compared to previous editions of the RPG) and is more easily removed (via many techniques that reduce the gains and spells and kiho like Peace of the Kami and Rest my Brother that can completely remove the taint from a individual repeatedly) also practitioners to more readily call upon the taint allowing practitioners of maho to falsely believe that the can use it without Regret.

Now a new threat comes forth: Shourido. These Dark Virtues finally give me a name to put on the behaviors and actions of many contemporaries who value victory over service.

“Shourido is a philosophy created and encouraged by the Shadowlands. Ultimately, it (Shourido) will not result in end results that are hostile to Shadowlands objectives--although it will not always actively promote them.” –Unicorn Marketteer <Fred Wan>

These Dark Virtues have manifested though tactics (of players and character build in the RPG) of ambush, assassination and street fight of many (particular RPG players) to gain false advantage and ensuring a false sense of victory.

Because these Dark virtues do not draw upon Jigoku, many believe that they are not corrupt. Fear, Desire and Regret do not call upon Jigoku, but they are just as destructive and serve its goals well.

I have strived hard against such behaviors in my duties as head of the Jourei Bengoshi (rules lawyers). I strive to find ways to help other serve without relying on victory itself as a measure and to create and train samurai to succeed without calling upon the taint and dark forces or the Lying Darkness, Kolat or Gozoku.

It is not just the court (RPG) where this needs to be done. Help other find ways of successfully serving that do not use the dark forces. These dark forces will tempt you when you are desperate, but they will also tempt you when you think you can safely call upon them. The Dark Virtues not drawing fro Jigoku makes them far more dangerous then if they were. Jigoku is a cunning force indeed and many on the path on enlightenment have already fallen into being pawns.

I will continue as I always have; not by simply spreading the word, but by helping others not need to draw upon the darkness. Do as I have (helping to make builds that do use dishonor as a method of victory). Help others to not need to draw upon these dark virtues to succeed (by making strong decks that that don’t use dark virtues or the taint).

If the Empire feels safe from the taint, they will fall to it. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Though I strongly agree with the spirit of Tsukaede's post, I'm still trying to decide if Tsukaede just called me and my clan evil or not.

Of course you're evil. Embrace it.

I'll be with you Shosei. I'm just not sure what colour kimono I'll be wearing.

Whatever color you chose, you'll be welcome.

Where SOME lay down their arms, the Unicorn never shall. Let faith in the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang guide you, and we will not falter.

The Khan does not lead you astray. Follow him to rightousness.

I accept the answer to the call Shosei-sama and swear fealty to the Jade Hand. I Angry Crab, Master of Rokugan will offer my services to the Jade Hand Council as an Enforcer punishing ALL who dare as much as to make ANY kind of alliance with the horde. May I do this with the Council's blessing. JADE HAND PREVAIL!!!

Where's Gandalf/Tokei when you need him?

I'm still here. I just don't check in as often as I should. After all, I'm Unicorn trained, so I'm prone to wandering.

Seriously though, the Empire is in serious trouble. The Emperor might soon be dead. The Lost are trying to become a Great Clan. The Phoenix are starting to show their Tainty side again. The Crane are about to start cranking out Evilswords. You'd almost think they snuck Dark Lotus in after all. Either way, the Jade Hand is needed more than ever. In our Purity, we must be strong for the Empire to survive!

*bows*

Always ready to serve. I'll stand beside you brothers...

For Rokugan!

First, we are needed more than ever.
Second, Hazame-san, your are our kind of evil. Not the tainty kind!

Shimazu-sama, Togeriso-sama, Teri-sama, Taiq-sama and Himoto-sama, you have been pillars of virtue within the Legion.

Hotei-san, Yotogi-san, Tadaka-san, Yamakori-san and Angry-san, you have been pillars for strength within the Legion.

To the rest of the Legionaires, continue your faithful service.

To the newest of the Legion, Welcome, be prepared for a long hard fight and being denigrated at every turn. The cause is superior.

Last and definitely not least, Shosei-sama, you above all others has kept us alive and strong. Your dedication is beyond reproach. Domo Arigato!