Clan of Origin: Ki-Rin
Dojo: None

Description: When Moto Tsume led his infamous cavalry charge into the Shadowlands, resulting in the loss and corruption of most of his forces (including Tsume, himself), he did not go alone. Onshigawa Akira, daimyo of the Onshigawa Family, rode with him, leading the vast majority of his subjects and retainers into Hell. While the Moto forces led the charge, the Onshigawa held back, raining arrows down on their opponents. Unfortunately, this left them vulnerable to a surprise attack from behind by a massive force of goblins, ogres, and an oni or two. Nearly the entire force was captured and eventually succumbed to the Shadowlands taint; Akira was able to lead his brother and their sons in breaking through the lines and returning to the remnants of the main Moto force as it limped home.

The story doesn’t end there, however. Shamed by his blind obedience to the vainglorious Moto Tsume, Akira committed seppuku and his brother Otani assumed control of what was left of the Family. For many years, the Onshigawa teetered on the verge of extinction and/or Imperial dismissal; only Otani’s shrewd (and stubborn) political machinations kept them alive. To maintain favor in the Emperor’s eyes, Otani recruited and trained an elite fighting force: the White Guard, archenemies of Fu Leng’s Black Guard, still led by Moto Tsume. Over the generations, the Onshigawa Family slowly began to regain its former status, and the ranks of the White Guard grew, not only by expansion with Rokugan’s borders, but by launching commando raids into the Shadowlands, capturing corrupted Onshigawa warriors, and returning to safety where their prisoners could be cleansed of the Shadowlands taint and rejoin their former Family. The battle continues to rage between the Black Guard of Fu Leng and the Onshigawa Family’s White Guard, and while they are grossly outnumbered, the Onshigawa forces maintain an edge due to their leaders’ command of small unit tactics and strategy.

The Onshigawa Fighting Style, practiced by both the Black Guard and the White Guard, consists primarily of mounted archers trained to strike quickly, immobilize an enemy, and retreat with their prisoner to be sanctified/corrupted. While the Black Guard serves as Fu Leng’s elite fighting force and often engages their enemies, the White Guard maintains a low profile, content to slowly build their forces in preparation for another assault on the Shadowlands (though this is several generations away from coming to fruition). Onshigawa warriors make use of a daikyu with standard arrows, though flesh-cutter arrows are sometimes used if the warrior is anticipating doing battle with unarmored opponents such as goblins or shugenja. Unlike most Rokugani archers, who practice archery based on instinct and intuition (i.e., rolling Wits + Attack), the Onshigawa style teaches its students to aim, permitting them to roll Finesse + Attack for their Attack Rolls.

Because the Onshigawa style utilizes the rare aiming technique, however, they must hesitate a moment before firing to draw a bead on their target. This hesitation lets opponents know that an attack is forthcoming, and provides an opportunity for a counter attack which may disrupt the archer’s aim.

Basic Curriculum: Archery, Rider
Knacks: Charge, Exploit Weakness (Onshigawa), Horse Archery, Pin (Archery), Trick Shot

New Swordsman Knack: Horse Archery. This replaces the Attack (Bow) Knack when firing a bow from horseback. This is the same as the Horse Archery Knack found in the Archery Skill, but it is considered a Basic Knack for students of the Onshigawa style.

New Swordsman Knack: Trick Shot. For each Rank of Trick Shot, you subtract five from any penalties to your shot (range, cover, etc.). Trick Shot cannot lower your TN below the base Target Number to be hit. For example, if a target has a TN to be hit of 15, plus 15 for modifiers, an archer with Rank of five in Trick Shot would negate all 15 points of modifiers, but he would not lower the base TN to be hit (15). This is the same as the Trick Shot Knack found in the Archery Skill, but it is considered a Basic Knack for students of the Onshigawa style.

Apprentice: Students of the Onshigawa style are trained to strike fast in order to eliminate an opponent before he becomes a threat. While he is mounted, the Apprentice may add three times his Mastery Level in Onshigawa to his Initiative Total.

The Onshigawa Style has a dojo in the Family’s lands; however, because the senseis at the dojo rotate in and out frequently as they are sent on raids, reassigned, or simply killed. As a result, an Apprentice of Onshigawa receives a free Rank in the Swordsman Knack of his choice rather than any static bonus.

Journeyman: At this level, Onshigawa warriors learn to channel their inner strength (or, among the Black Guard, their corruption) into ferocity when facing an enemy. During any combat Scene, a member of the White Guard may add Reputation Dice as Unkept Dice (+1k0) to any attack roll or Active Defense roll. In the case of the Black Guard, they may instead add their Shadowlands Taint Dice as Unkept Dice to attack or Active Defense rolls.

Master: Members of the Black Guard, discover that their corrupted forms are nearly impervious to injury, and may continue fighting at their peak well after other men would fall. Similarly, White Guardsmen find that their purity of focus lends them incredible resilience. Masters of Onshigawa do not suffer any penalties for being Injured, and can function at full capacity until they are Knocked Out.