L5r - The Premise

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The Topaz Championship:
The Topaz Championship is the most prestigious gempukku ceremony in Rokugan. It is held every spring in the Month of the Serpent in the village of Tsuma in the Kakita Provinces of the Crane Clan. Contestants from all of the Great Clans, as well as those from minor clans or ronin who have a sponsor among the Great Clans or Imperial Families, competed in diverse skill tests that ranged from composing haiku to Iaijutsu duels. Bushi tend to dominate the quite martial contest.The winner is traditionally gifted with a golden kabuto, a prestigious set of Topaz Armor and the right to call themselves the Topaz Champion until the following Spring.

This year a number of people who were on their way to compete when they were hit by a landslide. Now fate has given you a once in a lifetime opportunity to prove your worth before the Emperor and the whole of Rokugan.

Will you rise to meet the challenge or die in shame?

The prizes:
In addition to whatever honours their own clans grant. The Winner of the overall Championship and the winner of the Iajiutsu contest have the potential to win more than mere money and prestige.

The overall winner is gifted with a suit of Topaz decorated armour and the title of Topaz Champion for the whole year. It is also customary for the host to grant any one request by the Champion within reason. As this years host is the Emperor, he can grant almost anything. However it should be noted, that the Emperor can just as easily punish arrogant champions who show a lack of respect through their greed.

However in the past Emperors have granted pardons to family members who were cast out, prestigious appointments as Imperial Magistrates, lordship over Imperial lands, allowed people to marry above their normal station, provided letters of introduction to schools that normally do not allow other clans and invitations to prestigious courts where they can rub shoulders with the rich and powerful of Rokugan.

Winners of the Iaijutsu contest are generally gifted with a request, just as the Topaz Champion would be and a sword made by the Jeweled Smith, the Emperors own armourer and one of the finest craftspeople in the world. Each blade is made to the individual specifications of the champion and incorporates their unique style. If one person wins both the Iaijutsu and the overall Championship then they are almost invariably taken as an apprentice to the Emerald Champion (The Emperors personal Champion and leader of his armies) and personally mentored by them in the arts of the sword.

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