Mere days ago, Bayushi Shoju had been the rightful regent to the entire Empire—bestowed that honor and responsibility by his own Emperor who trusted him with the safekeeping of their beloved Rokugan. How quickly that Imperial edict had turned to ash in the fires of conspiracy.
   –Mari Murdock, “The Villain’s Mask”

Conspiracy and intrigue have gripped Otosan Uchi. Bayushi Shoju has conspired to open the Black Scroll and inscribed the name of Ikoma Ujiaki within. Now in hiding, how will Shoju reckon with the consequences of his choices? Has he fallen too far to fulfill his duty to Rokugan?

Read the next chapter of the Tempatations cycle’s story with "The Villain's Mask" (4 MB), a new Legend of the Five Rings short story by Mari Murdock.

Important note: The stories and conflicts between the clans in Legend of the Five Rings are a key part of the lore surrounding of the game and have been building to this fiction's events within the overarching storyline. As with all our Legend of the Five Rings stories, this is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Look for more Legend of the Five Rings fiction on our website in coming weeks!