SHISHI-O
CHAPTER 3
Shishi-O was the katana of the celebrated samurai Yorimasa, who earned it as reward for slaying a demon dwelling within his emperor’s palace. The origins of the weapon remain a mystery, but rumors suggest a court mage or a nature spirit forged it. Tales of the sword tell of the great strength and ferocity it bestows upon its wielder, and some stories hint the blade gave its owners dominion over beasts and birds, or even the ability to transform into a lion to do battle. (DC 15) In the twilight of his life, Yorimasa witnessed a terrible event. The emperor to whom the aging samurai had been a loyal servant died, and a new sovereign took the throne. The new emperor was a spiteful, heartless LEGACY RITUALS man, a tyrant who sought to crush all beneath his Three rituals are required to unlock all the abilities of Shishi-O. heel. Yorimasa, who had been a great hero since his Prayer for the Valiant Soul: youth, took up the famed Shishi-O and gathered his You must travel to the bridge retainers to fight the wicked emperor’s forces. The of Uji and offer a ritual outnumbered rebels inevitably met their Shishi-O was made for a prayer honoring Yorimaends at the bridge of Uji, where Yorimasa mysterious lord of the Beastlands sa’s spirit. This prayer and his companions made a valiant stand. but found service in the protection of humanity Yorimasa, maimed and unable to face death takes a day to perform. Cost: 2,000 gp. Feat Granted: Least in combat, fell on his own sword before he could be captured. One of the venerable samurai’s Legacy (Shishi-O).
Illus. by W. England
HISTORY
ITEMS OF LEGACY
Shishi-O, the “Sword of Lions,” is a marvelously crafted katana with a blade of bright, immaculate steel and a gold tsuba (guard) worked to resemble a pair of male lions circling the blade. The hilt is ivory inlaid with more gold, all wrapped in purple silk and capped with a golden lion’s head bearing amethyst eyes and ruby teeth. Nonlegacy Game Statistics: +1 katana; Cost 2,535 gp. Katanas have the same game statistics as bastard swords. The blade’s roar grants you a +2 circumstance bonus on any Intimidate check made during the same round you draw the sword. Omen: Whenever the blade is drawn, this lion’s head lets out a mighty roar that can be heard for approximately a quarter of a mile. You can attempt a DC 15 Will save to compel the sword not to roar.
loyal retainers decapitated him. That noble person, whose name is now lost to time, then threw the head and Shishi-O into the river, so the emperor’s lackeys could not claim the celebrated weapon, nor parade Yorimasa’s head through the streets. (DC 18; Prayer for the Valiant Soul) Many centuries ago, when the illustrious samurai Yorimasa was at the height of his power, a demon came to dwell in the palace of the emperor. This malign spirit made life miserable for the household servants and courtiers. Finally, the emperor could stand it no longer. He sent for the bravest warriors in the empire to come to his palace and slay the fiend. Of all those summoned, only Yorimasa answered the emperor’s call. Armed with nothing but his katana, he entered the wing of the palace where the demon laired and killed it with one swift stroke. As a reward for this great deed, Yorimasa was granted a parcel of land to rule in the emperor’s name, one of the emperor’s loveliest courtesans, and the mighty katana Shishi-O. (DC 25; Cutting Jigoku) Unknown to most mortals, including Yorimasa, Shishi-O was forged in the Beastlands in the realm of Karasuthra, the domain of the night-hunters. Its maker is a leonal named Loric, who fashioned the sword as a gift to the mysterious entity known as the Lion General. After the katana was complete, but before Loric could bestow his offering upon the Lion General, a mischievous celestial magpie stole the Shishi-O and flitted away, singing merrily about how she tricked the great warrior Loric and stole his sword. Loric hounded the magpie for days without surcease, but the massive leonal could not follow the thieving bird through the tiny portals and hidden paths she took. Eventually, the magpie grew bored with Shishi-O and dropped it on the Material Plane. It was found by a loyal samurai and brought to the emperor as a gift. (DC 31; Rite of Contrition ritual)
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