Writ of the Wilds: The Song of the Dragonfly
2021 / 11 / 12
By: Alexis Dykema
“It has been near a year since I stepped foot in the territory of the Dragonfly Clan. The first month was the most frustrating, as I did not understand why I was being forced to wait so long for an audience with the Agasha. I had arrived here only to seek a guide through the winding mountain paths, yet no guide was provided to me. The hosts were gentle and generous, but their talent for changing the subject of conversation or coming up with elaborate reasons for the delay became tiring quickly. I played more games of go in those first months than I had in the entire thirty years of life before arriving here. But the Dragonfly have a way of soothing even the angriest of samurai, and those who could not be soothed simply left – either back to their homes or into the pass alone, though they would always return within a handful of days, tired and confused. I felt compelled to write this short letter not to lament my waiting, but to celebrate my patience – I have been informed not an hour ago that my time to travel through the pass and meet with the Agasha has finally arrived. I look forward to completing my task and returning home to you.”
– Asahina Natsumi
For some supplements, choosing a minor clan to highlight is difficult because there are so many already established clans, and many more that could be created. For Writ of the Wilds, the choice was easy, because the Dragon Clan relies on the patience and tact of the Dragonfly to manage the ebb and flow of travelers seeking to enter the Dragon’s lands through the mountains. Without the Dragonfly, those seeking to connect with the Dragon would surely become lost or worse, and the Dragon would become even more isolated from the rest of Rokugan.
Acting as arbiters between the Dragon and the rest of the Empire, the Dragonfly pride themselves on their social graces and immense capacity for patience and de-escalation. Many ornery samurai find themselves in the Halls of Waiting, pacing and working themselves up over the often-unexpected length of their stay. Few know that the reason for the delays is not even known by the Dragonfly themselves – they simply follow the list they are provided by the Dragon of those who are invited to make the journey.
In this supplement of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game, players are given access to the Dragonfly Grace of the Spirits school that encompass the Dragonfly’s seemingly infinite capacity for demurring and social redirection. As a courtier and shugenja mix, these tenacious mediators call upon the capricious Air kami to dance with their words and charm even the most irritated samurai. The Dragonfly Minor Clan and the Tonbo family options are added for those interested in playing the Grace of the Spirits school, or for those who wish to make their own Dragonfly school using the guidance provided in Path of Waves.
Characters playing as Dragonfly or Dragon Clan members may find some of the new advantages and disadvantages particularly flavorful, such as the Knowledgeable Wilderness Guide distinction. New samurai heritages also offer more options for players to expand their character’s story, such as having an ancestor that was an innovative medical inventor or having a relative being renowned for their earnest and complete pursuit of individual enlightenment.
New Mechanic Highlight: Illnesses and New Titles
Five new conditions representing various illnesses and diseases that PCs may encounter (or contract) have been provided for game masters to use. From Fire Rash to a severe Coughing Illness or a particularly contagious outbreak of Gut Sickness, GMs can use these conditions to highlight the rough circumstances in which many Rokugani live. Whether a rural village is experiencing fast-spreading cases of Oozing Sore disease and the village elder has begged the PCs for help, or a local lord’s child is suffering from increasingly concerning spells of dizziness, GMs have many options to use physical illnesses to spur the players and their characters into action.
In addition to new conditions, this volume includes four new titles: Awakened Soul, Forester, Temple Abbot, and Yōkai Hunter. An Awakened Soul can only exist if a game master finds it narratively appropriate, as it represents the passing of skills through multiple lifetimes. The inspiration for this title came from the Togashi Tattooed Monks, perhaps some of the best-known seekers of reincarnation and spiritual enlightenment.
In recent years, Aconyte editions have been responsible for developing novels in the great and rich universes from Asmodee. So why not continue to travel in these marvelous worlds from your bed at night before sleeping, or during the lunch break?
Several collections find their inspiration in universes existing in our role-playing games, from Legend of the Five Rings to worlds developed in GENESYS, such as Descent, Keyforge or Twilight Imperium.
With this title comes new available techniques, such as the Trance of Past Lives. This Rank 4 ritual is only available to those who are monks. This ability encourages collaboration between the player and game master, as the PC selects a place, object, or past life and attempts to recollect something related to that target to help them in their current situation. This type of dynamic ability requires a lot of cooperation, but the results can leave the player feeling more involved in the developing narrative.
That’s all for now, but we will return with more exciting information on Writ of the Wilds. Next time, let’s talk about some of the techniques the monks of the Dragon Clan use to defeat their foes! Keep an eye out for more information on this website and on our social media.
A Must Have Book: Writ of the Wilds is an excellent addition to the Legend of the Five Rings collection for players, game masters, and those who are excited to see the beautiful new art included in the book.
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