The Way of Five Rings
At the dawn of civilization, when humanity looked to understand the surrounding creation, the greatest philosophers determined that the world was composed of the five elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and the Void that holds the other elements together. These elements, also called rings, were represented in the sacred spirits of the land and the natural world, but also in society and the human psyche. Air is the weather and the wind, the invisible and the innuendo, and the swiftness of a bird of prey. Earth is stone, wood, and metal, as well as a donkey’s stubbornness and a tortoise’s patience. Fire is the gentle warmth of the sun or the rage of a wildfire, but also the spark of innovation, the passion of devotion, and the ferocity of a wildcat. Water is an octopus’s adaptability and flexibility; it takes the shape of its container, be it a puddle, river, or endless sea. Void is the emptiness
of the night sky or nirvana, at once present and transcendent.
Sensei across Kiga teach samurai-in-training to observe and express these different elements in all that they do. In Kiga, characters are defined by their strength in different elements. This strength is represented mechanically with a set of magical rings carried by all samurai, each representing one of the elements and showing that a samurai has completed their gempukku ceremony.
In every task they undertake, they must choose an elemental approach, and the suitability of one approach over another can give them the edge they need or diminish their chance of succeeding.