Secrets of the Rich Frog

“This city was just a village, once. A bare handful of rude homes, scattered along the banks of the junction. Then came the Great Clans, and they raised up a city from the mud. Not a great city, but an important one. A vital one.”
– Miya Tetsua, Governor of the City of the Rich Frog 

The City of the Rich Frog is one of the most vital river ports in all of Rokugan, as it is located at the junction of two major rivers and three Great Clans’ domains. Despite being neutral territory according to official imperial records, the Dragon, Lion, and Unicorn clans have all claimed a city district for their own. The sole exception is the governor’s manor, located on an island at the center of the river junction, from whence the governor’s agents collect taxes and issue tariffs on behalf of the Emperor himself. 

In what is seen by many as an unusual arrangement, the city governor relies on rōnin deputies instead of clan samurai to ensure that law and order is maintained in the city. As there is no shortage of conflict to be found there, several generations of rōnin have been able to serve the governor and their magistrates. They have claimed the family name Kaeru for themselves over the years, and they accept capable warriors and administrators into their ranks no matter their past. For it takes talented swordsmen and bureaucrats to survive in a city that, even at its most peaceful, is a powder keg. 

The City of the Rich Frog serves as the lush backdrop to several of the Daidoji Shin mysteries from Aconyte Books. In the first book, Poison River, Shin finds himself tasked as the Crane Clan’s trade envoy in the City of the Rich Frog, but he soon uncovers an intriguing conspiracy that threatens the brittle peace between the competing clans. In The Flower Path, the amateur detective turned theater impresario oversees the reopening of the city’s famous Foxfire Theater, but even as the performance begins, the new lead actress is found dead backstage – and everyone in the venue is a potential suspect. In the most recent book featuring Shin, Three Oaths, the debonair samurai once again finds himself investigating a mystery, but this time under the cover of wedding planning in the district held by the Lion Clan.  

The city is also featured in the setting sourcebook for Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying, Emerald Empire, where you can read more about the city’s history, its districts, and its inhabitants. In addition to the City of the Rich Frog, the sourcebook explores the places and people of Rokugan, from small villages of fisherfolk to mighty daimyō in their castles, to deep primordial forests and the spirits that dwell within. 

Finally, you can find the City of the Rich Frog as well as the other major ports and cities of the Emerald Empire by purchasing the Map of Rokugan Fine Art Print from Dark Horse Direct. This beautiful collector’s piece is 18-inches wide by 24-inches tall with gold foil stamping for the Legend of the Five Rings logo. Limited to just 300 units, this hand-numbered lithograph is embossed with the Dark Horse Direct seal of exclusivity. Display domains of the Great Clans in your home or office and pre-order today!