Legend of the Five Rings : Twin Realm of the If

**Legend of the Five Rings : Twin Realm of the If** is a Story Arc of the the Exteria Multiverse. It takes place in Rokugan and centrally follows the perspective of Spider exiles Tohkatsu Daigotsu, Hoji Daigotsu and Boshi Daigotsu. It is a sequel to Legend of the Five Rings : Fates and Fortunes.

## Main Arc

### Chapter 1 Eerie Displacement

Tohkatsu, Hoji and Boshi, three members of the Spider Clan, wake up in the midst of Rokugan. As they attempt to make sense of what happened to them, they quickly gather from bands of peasants, then from ronin Ginjo, that the Spider Clan no longer exists, leaving them to believe that they are stranded in an alternate version of Rokugan. This is enough for Tohkatsu to take the lead, claiming that he will then, in fact, forge his own clan in this new world.

Led by Tohkatsu, the band, recruiting Ginjo by their side, investigates nearby woods for traces of corruption, defeating a massive Tainted boar. In the process, they meet up with purifier Mitsuru Kitsune and bounty hunter Futaba Tsuruchi, leading them to realize that the Mantis clan is no more as well, with the Wasp and Fox being independant. After forming this troupe, Tohkatsu elects to enter Scorpion territory, hoping to find political approval among them.

What the group finds instead is Kuroma Shosuro, a polite yet ruthless courtier that manages to entrap the group within the Scorpion clan, accusing them of ties with Bloodspeaker - necromancer - Iuchiban and organizing their execution. The group only escapes with the support of Chiho Bayushi, a courtier Tohkatsu seemingly seduced, although the latter doubts the Scorpion would so easily find themselves defeated.

### Interlude 1 : Minor Deliberations

Meanwhile, a few Minor Clans gather in neutral territory, reunited by the initiative of the Kitsu Daimyo and Riaruko Kitsuki, who believe one of said Clans to be infiltrated by a Bloodspeaker. The discussion goes on, but as each Clan representative goes on to sleep, they discover that the Kitsu Daimyo has been assassinated in his sleep. Zakuro Heichi of the fallen Boar clan and ronin Tomoe Yamainu must quickly investigate to avoid execution.

Tomoe's talent with the Kami - a rare gift for an untrained warrior - and Zakuro's innate instinct as a hunter allow them to see through the minor illusions that would accuse Pyrrha Suzume of being the culprit. They instead discover brutish Tiger Zabu Yotsu to be Iuchiban's pawn, sent to steal a powerful artifact hidden there, the Blade of the Tiger. Despite killing him, they only manage to prove that he was innocent of the Daimyo's death, and that the latter was killed with another, similar artifact, by an unknown, distant culprit.

### Chapter 2 : Escape and Ascend

Tohkatsu's group, after their escape, quickly evades Scorpion patrols and finds a refuge amidst the mountains of the Monkey minor clan. There, they encounter and recruit Saruhana Toku, a supernaturally talented warrior and wielder of a powerful artifact, which was mysteriously stolen. When searching for this artifact, they discover that it was taken to the south of Rokugan, and follow suit. On their way, they also recruit drunken, exiled monk Fumiko Hoshi.

On their way, they stumble upon Crane grounds, and in the Asahina castle, the Daimyo has fallen sick. With the help of Daimyo's daughter Fuyuko Asahina, Tohkatsu manages to access his chambers, and secretely using his forbidden blood arts, manages to heal him. He thus earns the Crane's support for this miraculous healing, and asks of them to help them meet with the Emperor, to formally request his own Minor Clan. The Daimyo, however grateful, warns that Tohkatsu and his companions will have to prove themselves again.

Tohkatsu learns from the Crane that Furiamaru Isawa, his wife from the previous Rokugan, has managed to follow him to this world, alongside Spider courtier Rakuen, and that they have managed to seize control of the Phoenix. He elects to join them by boat, in order to gain the sponsorship of one more clan, but his boat is instead attacked by pirates, led by the fierce Setsuka Moshi. Tohkatsu can barely defeat her by calling upon the power of his corruption, which makes him collapse as he wins.

### Interlude 2 : A Major Council

Meanwhile, due to the Asahina Daimyo's influence, representative of Major Clans gather in Castle Isawa, to discuss of recent events, namely the death of the Kitsu Daimyo and Tohkatsu's ascension. Among them, Sumiko Ikoma, hand of the Ikoma Daimyo, assumes a position of power, due to the Ikoma having recently become the leading Lion family, and opposes herself to Tohkatsu's projects. The arrival of imperial Orihime Seppun, however, quickly changes the tone of the discussion, as she has come to reclaim one of Hantei's artifacts, a parchment that allows for astral projection.

However, a few minutes after, the parchment is stolen, prompting Orihime to claim a state of urgence. The same night, an Imperial official is assassinated by Tsukiko Isawa during the latter's sleep, Furiamaru's apprentice, while Yuki Ide, sister to daimyo Aki Ide tied to an ancient curse from a yuki-onna, suddenly succumbs to the curse, threatening to die as well. Furiamaru is forced to resort to blood magic, a forbidden and highly criminal art, to save her life.

**Chiho Shosuro** -seemingly Chiho's twin sister, member of the Scorpion Delegation- however uses power of another Artifact, a ring that allows to erase presences and memories, to conceal Furiamaru's actions. She then drops the ring, allowing investigator Maimi Kitsuki to deduce the same ring was used to steal the parchment and use it to affect Tsukiko and Yuki. She then finds and executes the culprit, a Shinjo magistrate who was the one to bring the ring. Orihime takes custody of the ring and parchment, and leaves the Kyuden.

### Chapter 3 : Swim on Dark Tides

Tohkatsu manages to overcome the next stage of his corruption, his body and mind changed, but still determined - his willpower attracting the attention of one of Fu Leng's daughters, the powerful Lady Shutendoji, who offers to train him in the secret arts of the Maho-Bujin, the dark warriors. At the same time, Boshi collapses, her body seemingly unable to sustain herself, and only the Void Dragon's influence manages to save her, restoring her body.

Tohkatsu learns from Hoji that she and Boshi were once the same individual, that the Spider split in two in an experiment on the body and soul, and that Boshi, as an artificial being, only had half a Soul in her. He then goes on to heal Setsuka, learning that she fought out of desperation, to gain enough resources to reclaim the insular land of the Mantis Minor Clan, which fell prey to the Naga, an ordinarily peaceful race. Tohkatsu agrees to help her.

When arriving to the Mantis islands, they quickly realize something is amiss, as the land has been deeply Tainted. Tohkatsu and Boshi advance on the territory, as scouts, while the rest of his group meets with Anata, a Naga princess with a mysterious bond with the Sun, who tells them that the Naga has barely survived the destruction of their own lands, and have attacked the Mantis out of desperation. At the same time, Tohkatsu and Boshi are captured and caged.

### Interlude 3 : The Islands' Past

Anata reminisces on the events that resulted in said catastrophe, years ago. A long time ago, Setsuka and her daughter Kuleru lived in Mantis territory, peaceful and calm, with Kuleru befriending naga Hinata. One day, Hinata rescued three women from drowning - swordmaster Amy from a distant, eastern continent, Djabite from an unknown South, and Shadia of the Burning Sands, nursing them back to life.

Hinata's genuine desire to help these humans despite the Naga's reluctance resulted in a political schism among them, and when Amy, Shadia and Djabite learn of this conflict and attempt to warn Hinata of the danger, they discover her corpse. One of the Naga's highest-ranked advisors attempts to frame Amy and Shadia. At the same time, Taint swarms the island from Hinata's corpse, forcing the Naga to abandon the island. Water swallows Amy, Djabite and Kuleru as they flee from the island, as Shadia chooses to remain alongside Hinata's body, despite both hostile Naga and the taint.

Soon after, it is shown that Kuleru has survived, landed in Lion territory, and was taken in by Teresa Akodo, a Lion bushi, and taken the name Ikoma. When Teresa was Tainted as the result of a fight with a mahotsukai, Kuleru followed her into exile. In the present, Teresa and Kuleru are still alive and fighting Iuchiban's forces. Iuchiban, however, has arranged for this, and uses an occult ritual to fully corrupt Teresa, turning her into something similar to an **Akutenshi**, forcing her into imprisonment, with Kuleru watching over her.

### Chapter 4 : Relentless Ambition

With the help from Hinata, seemingly resurrected as an Akutenshi, Tohkatsu escapes the naga's prison, and travels to the Naga's homeland, where he and Boshi use their talent to shut down the rampant Taint by sealing it away, using a dark mirror which Tohkatsu shatters afterwards. On this island, they also meet with Hibiki, a woman devoured by the Darkness, who stole Saruhana's weapon, and seems to hold Tohkatsu in deep hatred.

Tohkatsu returns to Setsuka's ship, and asks of her to come with him as things settle and the Naga are able to return to their homeland. Setsuka agrees to bring Tohkatsu to the Phoenix, where he reunites with Furiamaru and meets Shahai Iuchi, a talented Mahotsukai who shares a kharmic tie with him. In Castle Isawa, he also meets with Sumiko, who challenges his authority and ambitions, and Kuroma, seemingly a visitor, who tells Tohkatsu the story of the demise of the Yogo Family at the hands of traitor Amaya Yogo.

He also learns of the presence of mad monk Kokujin in Dragon mountains, and thus heads north towards the Dragon clan. Despite an ambush by the minions of the Lying Darkness, the clan survives, although Tohkatsu bore grievous wounds as the result of taking the brunt of the assault. After resting in a castle of the Togashi order, Tohkatsu notices Fumiko has disappeared, and when he, still bedridden, sends his clan to investigate, Futaba is captured as well.

### Interlude 4 : The Killer's Despair

Amaya Yogo was once a prodigy of the Yogo Family, who was one day asked by her Daimyo to seemingly destroy all traces of her own clan. The reason, as he told her, was to assassinate Iuchiban, as she sought to exterminate the Yogo herself, and killing them in her stead would allow to infiltrate her ranks. Cursed to kill those she loved, Amaya accepted without question, and slaughtered her willing clan, becoming a monster to the eyes of Rokugan, before using her actions to feign loyalty to Iuchiban.

As Iuchiban's main enforcer, Amaya was tasked with overwatching her experiments, and was also sent away to forcibly bring Kokujin to her ranks. She stormed Dragon mountains and confronted the mad monk, who seemed amused by her journey and dismissed her demands. When Hibiki appeared alongside Kokujin, seemingly as a colleague, she took Amaya's side however, and Kokujin relented. On their way, they were confronted by part of the Puma, whom Amaya neutralized easily, with Kokujin kidnapping Futaba.

Back to Iuchiban's ranks, Amaya keeps feigning loyalty, yet Iuchiban calls her out on it, before telling her that she never intended to kill the Yogo, and that Amaya was tricked by the manipulations of someone else, who exploited the true nature of her curse. Broken by this revelation, Amaya attempts to commit suicide, and is barely stopped by Hibiki, who only asks of her to remain by her side, and to take revenge on the sinister schemer that destroyed both of their lives.

### Chapter 5 : Unicorns and Darkness

Tohkatsu does not take well to Futaba being captured, and despite his wounds not being closed and Hoji and Boshi trying to slow him down, dashes towards Kokujin's place, where he discovers an unconsious Fumiko, learning that she was herself one of Kokujin's experiments. He is also able to track Kokujin for a time, guiding his band towards the Unicorn clan, where he meets with wandering medic and mahotsukai-hunter Ageha "Agehana" Hanagiri.

However, as he reaches Shiro Ide, Tohkatsu collapses from the overwhelming Taint, besieged by visions of Shutendoji being tortured. He only wakes up with Ageha's treatment, to fend off Hinata, now fully under the control of Fu Leng, attempts to kill him in his sleep. In Shiro Ide, Tohkatsu quickly discovers that from daimyos Aki and Yuki, and expert mage Asuka Iuchi, that the place has been cursed by Bloodspeakers, most of its members having fallen ill.

The clan investigates and uncovers a mysterious, nameless Shiba artisan being responsible for the state of the castle, and banishes her influence. In exchange for this miracle, Tohkatsu asks of the Unicorn's support in becoming a Clan, and uses a local servant, Sakura, as a vessel to rescue Shutendoji from her father's torture, before quickly leaving to track Kokujin again, Ageha electing to accompany him. However, at the same time, Shahai, disliking the reputation she gained among Clan members, leaves to join Iuchiban's side.

### Interlude 5 : The Scorpions' Den

A few years ago, Idate Soshi and Kokoro Bayushi, as well as Megumi Yogo, were welcomed to a banquet organized after several tensions between the different Scorpion families. Many young children had disappeared, one of which **Kara Shosuro** - Kuroma's sister - has been found, shocked into silence and feverish. Meanwhile, Scorpion families kept pushing the blame onto each other for the kidnappings. The banquet, an attempt to defuse tensions, proved itself to be fruitless when word of the Yogo massacre begins spreading out.

Alongside mysterious phoenix Ayumi Isawa, who seems to know more about it that she can tell, Idate, Kokoro and Megumi investigate, and discover that Kara has been split in two individuals through dark rituals, using both Taint and the Nothing. The culprit are in fact the Yogo, who dabbled in arts far too dark for them, as a collaboration with the mysterious Ikoma Daimyo. The latter appears and attempts to hide the truth by trapping the Scorpions inside the research chambers and flooding it, but Ayumi, revealing herself as Iuchiban, protects them with a powerful, undisclosed spell.

### Chapter 6 : The Puma Rises and Falls

With the help of horses from the Utaku family, guided by Linh Utaku, Tohkatsu's clan manages to reach a massive, abandoned palace known as Black Silk Castle, in neutral territory. Tohkatsu claims possession of the castle, dubbing it Shiro Nomizaki, the future home of the Puma. However, the castle is inhabited - by Kokujin himself, who has parted ways with Iuchiban and was now waiting for Tohkatsu, joyfully guiding him towards Iuchiban's hideout.

There, Tohkatsu retrieves Futaba, reunites with Shahai, and confronts Iuchiban, but learns her past as Ayumi, sister to Furiamaru. Iuchiban explains that this world's version of Tohkatsu, **Daichi Ikoma**, succumbed to the Nothing and became a sinister schemer, the Ikoma Daimyo, responsible for most events that transpired - the fall of the Yogo, the disappearance of this world's Furiamaru, the death of the Kitsu daimyo, and much more. Tohkatsu swears to stop him.

At that moment, a message from the Imperial City is sent to Tohkatsu, asking of them to come in order to acknowledge them as a Clan. Meanwhile, Hoji is haunted by dreams of Daichi, who offers to revive Hoji's mother Kaname Shosuro in exchange for her stabbing Tohkatsu, but she refuses. Thus, Tohkatsu and the rest of the Clan, now dubbed the Puma, journey to the Imperial City and receive the greatest honors from the empire. But at this very moment, Daichi strikes, using the body of Kaname to stab Tohkatsu with a dagger infused with his Soul, stealing Tohkatsu's body and everyone's memories of him.

### Interlude 6 : Secrets of Another Path

Meanwhile, Teresa has been freed from her imprisonment by Daichi, who notices her potential. In fact, Iuchiban's rites allowed to turn Teresa into a free-willed Akutenshi, granting her the power of Hell's champions without losing her Soul. As such, Teresa's immense powers have become an asset for Daichi, and he sent her away to defeat powerful, Tainted beasts, twelve Harbingers of Jigoku sent to reclaim Hantei's weapons, which she does, accompanied by Kuleru still.

During that time, Tomoe and Zakuro have chosen to travel together, joined by Pyrrha. Tricked by Daichi into retrieving Hantei Weapons for him, they journey through Rokugan, defeating several Tainted enemies, warnings of a war to come. Pyrrha shows herself greatly protective of Tomoe, and eventually reveals that she is not from Rokugan, but has come from a distant future, using a powerful artifact to watch over Tomoe and prevent her death.

The group eventually has to confront a powerful Otomo diplomat, who reveals herself to be Obsidian, a powerful Oni. They prove no match for her powers, and Tomoe would have indeed perished if Pyrrha did not use her full power to stop her, succumbing to a dark seed within her in the process. Tomoe and Zakuro chase after her, but without any success as she seemingly disappears from Rokugan.

At the same time, now that Fu Leng is fully incarnated, she prepares an assault on Rokugan, making a contract with Nicol Bolas to borrow his armies and learn his necromantic secrets. Shadia, now known as "Jade" and having become Fu Leng's most trusted champion, chases after Pyrrha and manages to extract the Seed of Torment from her - too late for Pyrrha, as the Seed has succeeded in creating a dark duplicate of the Seed of Acedia - using it to bolster Fu Leng's forces.

### Chapter 7 : As Darkness Creeps In

Tohkatsu, now Daichi, is quickly taken into custody as Rokugan's emperor - revealed to be Orihime herself in disguise - understands something is off. Interrogated, Daichi admits to have schemed and committed many atrocities to reclaim the right to exist again, but asks to survive long enough to put an end to Fu Leng's plans as the latter attempts to invade the Human Realm. As he is granted that right, Daichi prepares for battle, using the weapons he gathered.

Furiamaru - who succeeded in protecting her memories of Tohkatsu - apparently commits suicide when understanding what happened, leaving a confused Tsukiko in her stead. Rakuen starts acting as well, guiding Hoji, now Daimyo of the Puma, into preparing defenses for the final battle. Tomoe and Zakuro, guided by Kokujin, also join the Puma castle for the final battle, as well as Kokoro and Megumi as well as Amy, who have been rescued and underwent Iuchiban's ritual transformation. When Jigoku attacks, all that remains of Rokugan is united.

Black Silk castle is under assault, leaving the united forces of the Puma to fend off against the assault, but is eventually breached. Part of the Puma rushes to the Imperial City to protect him, managing to seal away Fu Leng for a time, but become powerless when she unleashes the power of the Seed to call a Black Sun's Zenith and plunge the world into nightmare. The remaining forces of the Puma attempt to slow docn the assault on the castle, but when Oni Krysta comes, find themselves outnumbered.

### Interlude 7 : Lone Cat's Purgatory

Tohkatsu has not fully been erased though, and part of his essence remained scattered through the Spirit Realms. Wandering inside his own past, Tohkatsu discovers that Daichi was tricked by the Lying Darkness and was erased from existence, forced to scheme in the shadows to reclaim a body and keep existing. He also learn that Hibiki is his own sister from this Timeline, having succumbed to the Nothing's pull, and vows to rescue her, willing himself back into existence.

With help from Kokujin, Tohkatsu manages to travel through the Realms, even as a disembodied spirit, defeating the beasts of **Toshigoku**, then briefly encountering Furiamaru in **Gaki-do**, traveling alongside her to **Jigoku** itself to rescue Iuchiban, who died meanwhile. In Jigoku, Tohkatsu embraces the core of the realm, becoming another **Dark Lord**. Finally, Tohkatsu enters Chikushudo and is tested by Mitsuru's mother, Kitsune deity Inari, receiving her approval and blessing.

As Hoji and Boshi attempt to overpower Krysta, they are helped by Daichi, and manage to defeat the Oni. When the battle is done, however, Tohkatsu's disembodied spirit manifests into Ningen-do, challenging Daichi to reclaim his own body. After an arduous battle, Tohkatsu and Daichi merge, becoming one, and everyone's memories of Tohkatsu are restored. Tohkatsu reclaims his title as Puma Daimyo and challenges Fu Leng, riding alongside those who stayed in Black Silk Castle to protect the Imperial City.

### Chapter 8 : A Bad Sun Rises

As the Black Sun appears, Fu Leng becomes gigantic in size and absorbs most of the imperial palace. Kokoro and Megumi, facing the enemy hordes, can do nothing but cast a powerful illusion to protect the palace from undead hordes. Zakuro and Tomoe, who were fighting against a corrupted Pyrrha, are swallowed by the darkness, prompting Cheshire denizen Mortimer Thule to interfere and travel to the insides of the deity, teaming up with Zakuro and Tomoe to save Pyrrha, and eventually sacrificing himself to absorb the darkness within her, banishing the Seed - which is then reclaimed by Bolas as payment for his meddling.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Puma approach the gigantic deity, fighting enemy hordes in the process. On his way, Tohkatsu, knowing that Furiamaru is currently making a pact with the Celestial Dragon, makes a pact with the Lying Darkness for this world's Furiamaru to merge with the other one, in exchange for a place in his future Clan. The group manages rescue Mortimer before the Taint completely consumes him, then reach Fu Leng, whom they manage to overpower.

However, as she falls, Jade absorbs the Seed from within her and fights in her stead, using her immense magical power and excellent compatibility with the Seed to pose a terrifying threat. When he is defeated in turn, she merges with Fu Leng's body and becomes an unstoppable aberration, that even Tohkatsu, Kara and Orihime with her ancestral weapons cannot match. Only then does Furiamaru arrive, bestowing the grace of the Dragons upon the fighters, allowing them to defeat Fu Leng, and putting an end to Jigoku's hopes of conquest.

## Characters

### Crab Clan

* Teresa Akodo
* Kiwa Hida
* Kuni Daimyo

### Dragon Clan

* Fumiko Hoshi
* Kokujin
* Maimi Kitsuki
* Riaruko Kitsuki

### Lion Clan

* Daichi Ikoma
* Hibiki Ikoma
* Kuleru Ikoma
* Sumiko Ikoma
* Yoko Matsu
* Kitsu Daimyo

### Phoenix Clan

* Furiamaru Isawa
* Tsukiko Isawa
* The Nameless Shiba
* Chidori Shiba

### Scorpion Clan

* Amaya Yogo
* Megumi Yogo
* Chiho Bayushi
* Kokoro Bayushi
* Kaname Shosuro
* Idate Soshi
* Kuroma Shosuro

### Spider Clan/Puma Clan

* Tohkatsu Daigotsu
* Hoji Daigotsu
* Boshi Daigotsu
* Rakuen

### Unicorn Clan

* Aki Ide
* Yuki Ide
* Asuka Iuchi
* Sakura Ide
* Shahai Iuchi
* Linh Utaku
* Xiang Utaku

### Minor Clans

* Zakuro Heichi
* Tsuruchi
* Mitsuru Kitsune
* Inari
* Futaba Tsuruchi
* Saruhana Toku
* Ageha Hanagiri
* Setsuka Moshi
* Tsi Yorimichi
* Sota Toku
* Zabu Yotsu

### Unaligned

* Kokujin
* Ginjo
* Tomoe Yamainu
* Anata Amaterasu
* Ayumi Isawa
* Kotomaru
* Pyrrha Nikos
* Mortimer Thule
* Sumigan
* Amy

### Shadowlands

* Hinata Onnotangu
* Shadia
* Lady Shutendoji
* Ivory
* Obsidian
* Krysta

## Trivia

* This Storyline is partly inspired by Legend of the Five Rings's Fifth Edition, which rewrites the Fourth Edition into a world where the Spider never existed and the Mantis is still Minor.