Hey guys! After reading a bunch of lore on the villains you all suggested, I was wondering, what are some of your favorite one on one duels throughout Rokugan's history? Some are very thematically interesting while others are just slugfest's but I wanted to hear your opinions!

There are a number of famous duels that I remember, but I think these two are the best -

• Bayushi Shoju v Akodo Toturi - AEG Timeline, Scorpion Clan Coup. The fate of the Empire literally balanced on a steel blade.
• Isawa Tadaka v Isawa Rujo - Both timelines. I think the only time we've seen a Shugenja duel written up in the fiction. It's awesome.

Close runners up include Hida Yakamo v various different people and Hitomi v the Moon.

Well.. This is alternate Canon rather than "history", (so I'm interpreting the question as the games history, rather than the current world's history.)

Moto Chagatai v. The world

First Chagatai kills the Imperial family and then he runs across the Shogun (Kaneka) and the two men duel. Kaneka is about to strike the winning blow when he's distracted by Hantei Sezeru and Moto Chagatai ends up killing Kaneka. The Fire dragon is summoned and "strikes down" Chagatai, not killing him but forcing him into submission. One year later (culturally significant in Rokugan), the lion clan champion challenges Moto Chagatai to a duel while assaulting Shiro Moto in revenge of the Unicorn having burned down Kyuden Ikoma while riding to the capital. Moto Chagatai wins the duel, but allows himself to die from his wounds in order to save his clan from further revenge attempts.

Of course, the most famous duels in Rokugani history would be the three duels between Mirumoto and Kakita (they each win a duel. in the final duel Kakita kills Mirumoto before succumbing to his wounds.. Kakaita declares the duel a tie.)

Then there's the series of duels between the Kami while deciding who will become emperor.

Possibly part of the duel to become emperor is the duel between Togashi and Fu Leng, in which Fu leng chose as his weapon all the foul creatures of the shadowlands, and Togashi chooses all of Rokugan. (the exact quotes escape me at the moment), but that duel is still being played out today.

Maybe not as well known..

Moto Tsume v. Otaku Kamoko (Tsume kills Kamoko, releasing the demon Kyoso no Oni, who destroys Moto Tsume.)

Moto Chagatai v. Moto Tsume in the land of the dead.. This is actually while Chagatai is still a young man and is not the Khan of the Unicorn, but once again proves how awesome Chagatai is.

Fu Leng v. Otaku on the day of Thunder.. Isawa is performing the ritual to bind Fu Leng's soul so Fu leng is about to cut him down, but Otaku jumps in the way to challenge Fu Leng. She is quickly stabbed, but grabs Fu Leng's spear and spits in his face, preventing him from cutting down Isawa. Otaku was the first Thunder to die.

weirdly, I'm having trouble thinking of examples of meaningful duels involving Kakita duelists.

4 hours ago, Black_Rabbit_Inle said:

weirdly, I'm having trouble thinking of examples of meaningful duels involving Kakita duelists.

Kakita vs Matsu.

Matsu is being her usual congenial self until Kakita schools her and behaves as she was behaving. Matsu paramount of self-awareness and humility she was, gets pissy Kakita didn't trat her the way she deserved in his victory, thus kicking a thousand year long blood feud.

Kakita and Hojatsu two duels. The first neither struck knowing both would die.

The second, Kakita cut down Hojatsu, and then mortally wounded fell upon Hojatsu's blade so that the sword could fullfil it's duty towards her master.