The Kanube & the Kanube Bushi School

By Soshi Mikano, with Shiba Ryu

In all of the history of Rokugan prior to the Clan War, the armies of the Dragon had marched into Rokugan a total of four times. During the Clan War, that changed drastically as Togashi Yokuni placed the Mirumoto armies under the control of Toturi, the Black Lion. In one year, the Dragon saw more conflict than they had in the thousand years prior. Needless to say, this affected some of the Mirumoto more deeply than others.

Mirumoto Kanube was one of the samurai affected deeply by the conflicts. In the heart of the war, Kanube began to develop his own philosophy -- that the focus and meditation taught by his family were a means, not an end. The end that Kanube desired was rage, and he eventually achieved a frightening style of fighting that blended a rage becoming a Hida Berserker with the focused concentration of the Mirumoto.

After the Clan War, Hitomi saw the benefit of Kanube's ways and felt that his teachings could help her with her plans of control of the Dragon Clan. She granted him his own vassal family among the Mirumoto and allowed him to teach his ways to others. Kanube's violent and aggressive techniques have never truly caught on among his more enlightened brethren, so his family remains very small.

New Vassal Family: the Kanube

Mon: A dragon curled around a mountain.
Kanube Family Bonus: +1 Stamina

New School: Kanube Bushi

The Kanube use a two-sword technique similar to that of the Mirumoto. However, while the Mirumoto use their skill and presence of mind to fight their opponents, the Kanube use their aggressiveness and strength. War hardens all involved, and war has truly hardened the Kanube. Born of war and breed in battle, the Kanube are the Dragon troops that no one thinks exist, until they meet them face to face.

Kanube Bushi School

Benefit: +1 Agility
Starting Honor: 1 plus 5 boxes
Skills: Athletics, Battle, Intimidation, Katana, Kenjutsu, Meditation, and two Bugei skills
Starting Outfit: (All average quality) Katana, Wakizashi, light or heavy armor, traveling pack, Kimono, any 1 weapon, 4 koku

Techniques:

Rank 1 - Two not One
Like the Mirumoto, the Kanube use two swords while in battle, however they do not use them for defense. While they block with one sword, they strike with the other, when their opponent is unable to properly defend. Any time a Kanube using his full Diasho is targeted and missed by a melee attack, the Kanube Bushi immediately causes a number of wounds to his opponent equal to the Kanube’s school rank. This is applicable during a full defense.

Rank 2 - All or Nothing
The Kanube is so in tune with his aggressiveness that he may spend all of his Void points on a single action while in battle. However, the Kanube can no longer spend only one Void point during battle; he must either spend no Void points of all of his Void points. There is no in between for the Kanube Bushi. The Kanube still spends Void points normally outside battle. This also does nto apply during practice, contests, arranged duels, or any other martial excercise outside of an actual battle.

Rank 3 - Live or Die
The Kanube Bushi are stubborn even unto death. The Kanube Bushi may ignore the Down and Out wound levels, replacing them with +20. However, once the Bushi is dead, there is no hope of reviving him.

Rank 4 - More than Less
The Kanube at this rank are so consumed by their aggressiveness that they make two attacks per melee

Rank 5 - Heal and Wound
The Kanube Bushi has become one with his rage, and every time he inflicts pain on an opponent it fills him with life. Every time the Bushi inflicts wounds on an opponent he heals a number of wounds equal to his earth.