GM Koan's 4E Legend of the Five Rings Recruitment


Recruitment

1 to 50 of 89 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | next > last >>

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Hello and konbanwa!

This is the recruitment thread for my mini-campaign, titled "Mirror, Mirror".

Theme:
Mirror, Mirror is a horror-themed adventure. The theme is "when you look for secrets, be ready for what you find." Knowledge gives the heroes a chance -- but they will not survive the court without wits, resolve, and skill.

Setting Considerations:
It is set in the early 1120's, in the midst of the Lion-Crane War and directly before the Scorpion Coup. The PCs (for a to be determined reason) are sent to Winter Court in Kyuden Hida, the dread fortress of the Crab Clan.

The main clans represented in this adventure would be in order of prevalence: Crab, Phoenix, Lion, Scorpion, and Unicorn. The Mantis are not yet a major clan and the relationship between Crane and Crab are strained by a diplomatic snafu and the latter's burgeoning friendship with the Lion. The enigmatic Dragon are on the opposite end of the empire and rarely send diplomats so far south.

Crab, Phoenix, Lion, Scorpion, and Unicorn samurai will make the most sense here. Crane, Dragon, and Minor Clan samurai require a special reason to be present at Kyuden Hida's Winter Court. Ronin and Brotherhood monks even more so.

Character Creation:
Players should follow the guidelines of the Core rulebook of Legend of the Five Rings 4th Edition in the creation of their characters, with a few caveats.

1. Characters begin with 205 XP to spend. Ideally, this will place you into the 3rd Insight Rank.

2. A character's skill rank cannot exceed their current Insight Rank +3.

3. A reason for the party to know one another will be developed post character creation. Glory and Status ranks will be determined there.

Finally, I heartily recommend the use of L5RCM in the construction of characters. It is easy to download and use, just be sure to download the data packs for the Core Rulebook and any splash book you might want to use.

Sample Character:
There was some push-back regarding the use of pre-built characters for this game, but I will post one here regardless. This is what I expect in an L5R character. Feel free to use the format. If you are interested in playing a pre-built character let me know.

NAME: Daidoji Kame
CLAN: Crane
SCHOOL: Daidoji and Shiba Bushi
RANK: 3 (Daidoji 2, Shiba 1)
Age: 22 Sex: Female Height: 5'3"
Description: Stiff, dyed hair usually braided, sturdily built, soft but slightly rough voice.

FIRE 4 (Agility 4; Reflexes 4
AIR 2 (Intelligence 4; Awareness 2)
EARTH 2 Willpower 3; Stamina 2
WATER 3 (Perception 3; Strength 3)
VOID 3
GLORY 3.6
HONOR 4.1
INSIGHT 180

INITIATIVE 7k4
TN TO BE HIT: 25 (35 in armor)
Armor Reduction: 5

Health/Wounds x2

Healthy (+0) 17
Nicked (+0) 25
Grazed (+2) 33
Hurt (+7) 41
Injured (+12) 49
Crippled (+17) 57
Down (+37) 65
Out 73

TECHNIQUES

The Force of Honor: Bonus of your Honor Rank minus 4 to your Wounds at each Wound Rank. Additionally, you get +1k0 to all attack rolls while in Attack Stance.

The Shield of Faith: When you perform Guard Manuever, the benefits last for an additional Round. Additionally, the Armor TN bonus of the Guard Maneuver is increased by 5.

The Way of the Phoenix: When spending a Void Point to gain +1k1 on a roll, you may instead spend 2 Void Points to gain +2k2. You may Guard as a free action, but your target only adds +5 to his Armor TN instead of +10.

ADVANTAGES

Multiple Schools, Strength of the Earth, Balance

DISADVANTAGES

Idealistic, Obligation: Isawa Ryoji (major obligation)

SKILLS
Athletics 3
Battle 2
Courtier 1
Defense 5
Etiquette 2
Horsemanship 1
Iaijutsu 3
Investigation 1
Kenjutsu (katana) 3
Kyujutsu 2
Lore: Bushido 2
Lore: Shadowlands 2
Lore: Theology (Shintao) 2
Meditation 2
Sincerity 2
Spears 4
Tea Ceremony 2

EQUIPMENT
Fine yari, fine katana, fine wakizashi, fine pony, yumi and 20 ya, fine heavy armor (no movement penalty), helm, traveling pack, two
stylin' kimonos, fine boken, aiguchi, and nageyari. Scrolls of the Diamond Sutra of Shinsei, a blank scroll, writing implements, 2 koku

Think not that you are in the wrong place. Ask why it could be right.
—Tao of Shinsei

HISTORY

Your Family

You would never speak ill of your honored mother and father. Your Shiba mother died giving birth to you; there was no shugenja present. For years, your father tried to pretend she was still there. "What would your mother say?" he would ask, and remind you that at the end of your life you will see her in Jigoku and have to account for your actions.

You listened for your mother, and prayed to her, and she was in your thoughts when you swore to serve the Clan at your gempukku. You begged your father for an entire summer to let you become a bushi, because it was the most noble profession.

Then you went to the Daidoji school and found out differently. The daimyo hid his face like a Scorpion. They taught that honor would drive you...but the first time you saw action, you were told that because you were outnumbered, you would trap honorable opponents in a pitch-filled gorge and shoot the survivors. When it was over, you requested a transfer out. Your mother would not approve of such a school; perhaps her own would be better.

Then You Found the Tao

At the Shiba school, your sensei started you with a blank scroll. "Write down everything you know," she said. You thought it was some kind of trick, and wrote that down.

"Not what you think," she smiled, "what you know." And with that, your education began again. "This scroll is blank," she said. "See its potential. It can contain anything, mean anything, and at the same time, it is only paper. You have writing on you, but that does not mean you cannot be blank if you must."

Truly Shinsei was the wisest man in history. No bushi can find his true strength without understanding Void. When you were asked to guard Inquisitor Isawa Ryoji, you knew that this was your calling: protecting the man who searched for evil in the heart of Rokugan.

It is humbling to be in the presence of one so blessed by the elements. He has assured you often of the rightness of your duty. It shames you to admit it, but you feel pride in that praise. You have been called upon to defend your charge from oni and maho—as well as ronin and other magistrates who do not appreciate his position—and you must admit an enjoyment of your skills out of place with your humble position.

The other bushi in his service—Kitsu Kikuzo and Hiruma Yasuji—have proven loyal and far more capable than you. Though they claim not to care for the Tao, it is obvious in their confidence that they feel it inside. Ide Masafumi, the smooth, graceful emissary who joined you after Ryoji saved his family from a maho-tsukai, was tragically unfamiliar with the way of the Fortunes when you met, but you have spent long hours together trying for a better understanding of the universe.

You were a little nervous when Ryoji said the maho expert Yogo Sumiko would be traveling with you...not that you listen to rumors, but Scorpion are widely said to be treacherous. Fortunately, your fears were unfounded, but you sensed something unresolved in her chi before you left for training. Perhaps when you meet again this winter, you can help her find peace.

Your Assignment

People have said you're "innocent," and that at Winter Court you'll see "the real way of the world," You're not sure what they mean, but it sounds great. You want to see the world. You want to become wiser. Everyone else is so much more sure of themselves. There is so much to learn before you are truly worthy of the trust placed in you.

Though the Crab court is a little intimidating, you are pleased to be among so many Phoenixes. Surely they have much to teach, and the famed honesty of the Crab will make certain this winter court has no
problems.

WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OTHERS

Ide Masafumi: At first you were overwhelmed by this well-traveled man who was so very sure of himself. Without an understanding of The Way, he should have been wracked with confusion and guilt. Hopefully, your conversations have done him some small bit of good. It shames you that twice you have had impure thoughts about him. But he is married now, and you find that you are truly glad for his happiness.

Hiruma Yasuji: You don't understand what drives him. He has no family, doesn't know his daimyo, doesn't study the Tao, and expects death in his duty. But still, he keeps going. He doesn't look for deeper meaning and he kills the unrighteous with frightening fury. Yet he doesn't seem to be a bad person. You must meditate on this further.

Isawa Ryoji: It is humbling to have been entrusted with his care. While his personal arrogance is a little off-putting, it is not for you to judge his character, but support his mission. Besides, Isawa Tadaka and many others who have studied the Celestial Order far longer than you speak highly of him. They are wise.

Kitsu Kikuzo: When you first met, he judged you on the color of your kimono, not the strength of your character, and he actually said Shintao and bushido were mutually exclusive. You were scared while debating him, but it turned into a comparison of Akodo's and Shinsei's teachings, and you learned that there were many more values that you shared than that divided you. While the shortsightedness of his family has marred him, his soul is in the right place. He'll do fine.

Yogo Sumiko: She's the daughter your father wishes he had. Even born into the Yogo family, she somehow manages to maintain all the womanly virtues. You wish you could be as demure and polite, but you are a samurai-ko, and your training is not for the court.

OTHERS YOU KNOW AT COURT

Yasuki Kurako: Well...you'd never, um, mention it, but it's surprising that Kisada-sama trusts a Yasuki to run his court. Sensei always said they were treacherous commoners who sold out samurai like double-dealing criminals.

Shiba Noboru: Bodyguard of Hiruma Kage's intended bride. He was several years ahead of you at the Shiba school.

YOUR DAISHO

Kesshin ("Determination") is the name of your katana. It is 337 years old, and has been banged up and re-polished by Kakita
swordsmiths until its nicks simply became the metal's "grain" again. The saya is a nice mahogany engraved with thorn bushes, thistles, and a butterfly. The tsuba is of five sea creatures, and the hilt's pin-caps silver representations of Lady Doji.

Kan-on ("Gratitude") is its companion. It is in much better shape, and its hilt-pins are arranged to be used right-handed.

Bakushinchi ("Core of the Explosion") is the yari your Daidoji sensei gave to you. It has ray-skin handle wraps; you prefer it not slide around in your grip.

I won't put a date on the start of the campaign yet, but I'd expect sometime next week. Let's see how many characters we get first.

I'll try and answer any questions here!

Sovereign Court

Konbawa!

I've created a character but I had no expectation of the XP you planned, and built a Shinjo Bushi with the standard 40 points.

I also was waiting to hear more about the campaign before committing to further background detail.

I'll update the character accordingly. He'll go through the Shinjo Scout path, and probably have been sent to the Crab lands to cross-train with the Hiruma (not to the point of taking multiple schools, however)

(The 4th ed incarnation of the Shinjo Bushi school is on page 31 of Emerald Empire.. I'm presuming that'll still be the stats to use despite this campaign being set before Yokatsu's... disgrace.)

Question: I planned to declare my "gaijin gear" advantage to be a yodotai helmet. Mainly for the snazzies, but the advantage doesn't give any rules of thumb for what a non-weapon might bring, mechanically. Would it be within the bounds of reason to say that as a 5 point advantage, I'm buying a point or two of armor TN or reduction, as well as the bling?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

When creating characters, it's important to plan for the NPCs you'll be encountering at Winter Court. Below is a list of potential NPCs for you to have pre-existing relationships with, in descending order of importance:

Known Throughout the Empire (Glory 9.0 - 8.0):

Hida Kisada: The Great Bear. Daimyo of the Hida family. Daimyo and Champion of the Crab. The largest man in the Emerald Empire, he started killing when he was five years old and hasn't stopped since. No one, man or Oni, has ever injured him and lived. Always wears full battledress to court. A warrior with little patience insubordinance, cowardice, or relaxation. Has been known to publicly spank samurai that talk back to him.

Hiruma Kage: Hiruma Family Daimyo. A dead-eyes berserker and Crab general who had to be physically dragged out of Hiruma Castle a few years ago when he tried to retake it. Rumor around court is that he intends to marry a Phoenix maiden; which is good news, since he is the last heir of the Hiruma line.

People to Be Seen With (Glory 7.9-6.5):

Asako Wataru: Phoenix Emerald Magistrate here to sanction all interclan marriages Kisada approves this winter. He also has the blessing of Shiba Ujimitsu and the Council of Five to marry off any other Phoenix here if there is a suitable match made.

Asako Kuhime: Wataru's daughter and Isawa Mutsuye's friend. She is sixteen, and this is her second Winter Court. She has attended no formal school, but has brought herself honor with ink paintings, dance, tea ceremonies, and embroidery. Her dedication to her arts shows great resolve; she might have been capable of anything if properly educated.

Bayushi Tatsukoro: The leader of the Scorpion contingent, he was glorious enough to get to a major court, but only just. Irritable with his placement, he has taken up the practice of wearing armor (and a metal-barred mempo) around the court to impress the Crab. He is itching for a duel, since winning one would be the fastest way to convince Kisada that he is a genuine, serious bushi. His wife, Bayushi Kazeko, rarely leaves her room, preferring scrolls to company.

Isawa Akiko: A thirteen-year-old, wide-eyed girl who's never been near a real bushi before, let alone three thousand at Winter Court. She has two modes when talking to heroic samurai: murmuring and letting out a few vowels, or blurting out every feeling and bizarre small detail about her life, "except the bit about the carp pond and the exploding Togashi."

Isawa Hikaru: A landed, wealthy noble and first cousin to Shiba Ujimitsu, Hikaru can arrange for a number of Phoenix shugenja to aid the Crab's overtaxed Kuni, give forth a dowry of thousands of koku worth of lumber, fish, pearls and enamels, and
he's a trained shugenja, mostly out of tradition. His wife Otsu is here as well, and they seem close by Rokugani standards; they sometimes touch in public.

Isawa Mutsuye: Kage's intended, she is a noblewoman of seventeen. She has not attended a formal school, for her father feared it might inevitably entangle her in politics. Her older sisters, Yoko and Reihime, attended the Doji courtier school, and her father still owes the Crane favors. She is a devout scholar of Shintao and Rokugani history, and is perhaps a little shallow.

Matsu Bushime:Glorious commander of a brief Matsu-Daidoji war and Matsu bushi, Bushime is the leader of the Lion contingent at Kyuden Hida's Winter Court. She is rather cheerful that the Crane aren't here this year and conveys these emotions through her husband Kenichi, an Ikoma bard. Bushime is looking to arrange a number of political marriages at court, including for her bodyguards: Matsu Hitomi, Matsu Hiroko, and Matsu Chizu.

Kaiu Takakana: Karo of Kyuden Hida, he is responsible for keeping court secure. He controls access to Kisada, and when the Shadowlands attacks, an unfortunate reality of life on the Wall, he controls who gets rice and jade and who does not. When no one else is meeting with Kisada, Takakana is. He is all too aware that courtiers do not panic well. He is unmarried.

Shinjo O-Shimo: Liaison between the Hiruma Scout School and the Shinjo Bushi School. O-Shimo is organized, methodical, and knows a great deal about the law. She is a bushi nearing forty, and has a husband and six children (fifteen through three) running about the castle in many different directions at any time.

Yasuki Kurako: Daughter of the Yasuki who arranged Kisada's marriage, Kurako usually hosts court at the Razor of the Dawn castle for Unicorn and Lion visitors (where her husband Uchibe is now). She's been brought here to put a pleasant face on the castle. Kurako is easily flustered, and desperate not to mess up in front of Kisada, because she's heard about (shudder) The Penalty for Failure.

The Common Herd (Glory 5.0-1.1):
Bayushi Masayari: Kage's nakodo. Hida Kisada stuck this courtier with a few hard-drinking Yasuki and told them to let him out in the spring. His wife, Bayushi Shihito, is busy with her Ide lover, of whom he is aware. There are perhaps fifteen Scorpion guards at the castle, all of whom have been assigned beefy Crab shadows.

Hiruma Ryoichi: Ryoichi is an accomplished scout, but his Glory suffered when he broke his family katana and started using peasant weapons. He works as a messenger between Hiruma Kage and his father, Hiruma Yoshi.

Ide Toshimitsu: A diplomat, Toshimitsu is past his heyday and content to have a little fun rather than gouge the Crab in leather deals the way he once did. His wife, Bassaiko, though a little aged, still catches the ear with her cultivated Ide accent.

Ide Keiyomi: Toshimitsu's daughter is sixteen and thinks she is far wilder than she actually is. While versed in political manipulation, she has never experienced it.

Kuni Taira: A Tainted, creepy shugenja who likes to discuss troll anatomy and selective uses of obsidian with his friend Yogo Shigeru.

Shiba Noboru:Isawa Mutsuye's bodyguard, a self-effacing bushi who credits his sensei rather than himself for any accomplishments. He guarded Mutsuye's two older sisters until they were married, and seeks a recommendation from her father to find a cushier job in Phoenix lands. He has never been in a duel.

Shosuro Shiko: A Scorpion Courtier who was disgraced by Yogo Shigeru and ended up in Kyuden Hida. She loves to be the center of attention, and cares little for her reputation, drinking sake and sharing venomous put-downs with anyone who can stand chatting with her.

Yogo Shigeru: A Yogo shugenja with the combined misfortune of his family curse, the Taint, and being personally repellent. However, the fault is not solely Fate's. There's a reason Rokugani noblewomen are not left alone with men, and it's people like Shigeru. He watches women from the corner of the room, waiting until they approach to smile and ask for favors in a grating, deadpan voice. He tests defenses with "accidental" touching, and sees how far he can go before they scream. Fortunately, he is anemic, easily fought off, and his Sincerity needs work. His thick veil covers the sores of his chin, neck, and shoulder, and he can often be found dissecting trolls with Kuni Taira.

Everybody Else:
About Three Thousand Crab Bushi, whose typical dress is unwashed kimono under full heavy armor, two swords, and an iron-studded club. The worst of these is Hida Sachiko, a foul-mouthed, gleeful Wall Crab so thick that if someone told her there were rice balls on the other side of the Kaiu Kabe, she'd go looking for them. While capable of reason, she has the troublesome combination of dangerous beauty, poor etiquette, and an enormous hammer.

About Fifty Crabs On Good Behavior, shaved down, unarmored, and taught to speak. A number of these are Kuni shugenja, and while a few provide friendlier faces than a metal mempo, some ten or more have the Taint.

About Fifty Matsu, in Bushime's retinue, a glut of samurai-ko and samurai in bright gold, who look totally unafraid of any Crab. Among them are Matsu Ryuha, Matsu Shunji, Matsu Sohei, and Matsu Suneo: eligible, single Lions
who are courteous, obedient, and praying not to get married to Hida Sachiko.

About Fifty Phoenix, primarily the families of the Isawa and Asako, their servants, and Shiba bushi retainers. There are no more shugenja; they had more prestigious courts to attend.

About Fifty Unicorn, under Shinjo O-Shimo's command. They are primarily here to help Kisada forget the border disputes being argued at the Razor of the Dawn Castle. O-Shimo knows this is critical to go from a cease-fire to genuine peace; if she can get Hiruma Kage to take charge of overseeing it, half the negotiating is already done.

I know this is a lot of information to absorb, but I'm hoping that this is a kick-ass game. :)

More specific details on the state of the Clans should be up tomorrow.


First off, fantastic job on the setting info, brings everything to mind wonderfully for splicing with background etc!

Right, I'm off to do some writing, that sample character was awesome :)

Scarab Sages

Looks great!

I currently have two ideas bouncing around in my head:

A Mirumoto Taoist Swordsman who is either a Hostage or Obligated (or both?) and sent to this court under the control of another PC. I have a vague idea of how a Dragon would fit in, but he only really works if the party is mostly made up of Clans that are typical of this area. He's sort of an outside, moderate, perspective.

A Hida Bushi who is about as stereotypical a Crab as you're going to find. At least on the surface...and maybe even a few layers in. :)

There's a bit more in my head about both, but that's what I have time for this morning. I'll come back with more after work!


Very good I will work on my guys tonight, I though I had him on my PC at home, guess not.

Dark Archive

ohayo!

are scorpions welcome??? ok read the initial post.

will try to submit a concept that's consistent with the planned game.


205?! Oh dear LORD! Well... Looks like I can mesh a couple of things then... Alright, it seems we have at least one bushi, and a fellow Scorpion! Should I take the courtier, or shall I take the ninja?

Dark Archive

play what you like, sukrai. m going with a shugenja (but one who can use a sword).

Scarab Sages

I've settled on a Crab Bushi. Quiet and down to earth. I have a feeling that he'll be quite different from the other submissions in that regard. I'll have more background, personality and stats coming along.

I'd like to take Lost Love as a lost brother, perhaps? Unless there's a more interesting NPC (though they'd have to be dead now) to have such a connection to? I'm also thinking Obligated. Which may be the reason he's having to "babysit" a bunch of outsiders to the Court? :)

Sovereign Court

Ok, my Unicorn horse archer is ready for submission!

Shinjo Nagasawa:
NAME: Shinjo Nagasawa
CLAN: Unicorn
SCHOOL: Shinjo Bushi
RANK: 3 (Shinjo Scout Path for rank 2)
Age: 25 Sex: Male Height: 5'8"
Description: Corded build overshadowed by a lanky, lithe frame. When not covered by an ostentatious steel and crimson gaijin helm, his shoulder-length hair is worn loose and free. His fashions usually skew towards disgusting for non-Unicorns; heavy leather riding boots and a mantle of decorative animal pelts over a utilitarian and rugged clothing is his norm. On formal occasions, he believes that liberal applications of perfume is sufficient to mask the inevitable, permeating smell of leather and horse in his courtly attire.

FIRE 3 (Agility 4)
AIR 3 (Reflexes 4)
EARTH 2 (Stamina 3)
WATER 3
VOID 4
GLORY/STATUS: TBD
HONOR 4.5
INSIGHT 185

INITIATIVE 7k4
TN TO BE HIT: 25 (28? in armor)
Armor Reduction: 1?

Health/Wounds x2
Healthy (+0) 10
Nicked (+3) 14
Grazed (+5) 18
Hurt (+10) 22
Injured (+15) 26
Crippled (+20) 30
Down (+40) 34
Out 38

TECHNIQUES
Way of the Ki-Rin: When spending a Void Point for 1k1 on a School Skill, you may add your rank in Horsemanship to the total. This cannot be used in the Center stance.
The Swift Soul: You may use your Stealth skill while on horseback. You are considered to have the Way of the Land advantage no matter where you are. Finally, you gain +1k0 to all attack rolls while mounted.
The Four Winds Strike: You make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding weapons that possess the Samurai keyword. If you are fighting while mounted, you may also attack as a Simple Action when wielding a bow.

ADVANTAGES
Ally (Hiruma Ryoichi), Gaijin Gear (Yodotai Centurion’s Helmet), Quick, Wealth 2

DISADVANTAGES
Bitter Betrothal (Utaku Nari), True Love (Utaku Saki, Nari’s twin sister), Doubt (Stealth)

SKILLS
*Athletics 2
Animal Handling 2
Battle 2
*Defense 3
Etiquette 1
*Horsemanship 5
Hunting 3
Investigation 2
*Kenjutsu 3
*Kyujutsu (Dai-Kyu) 5
Lore: Crab Clan 2
Lore: Gaijin Cultures 1
Perform: Dance 1
*Stealth 3

*=School Skills

EQUIPMENT
Ashigaru Armor, Daisho, Sturdy Clothing, Dai-Kyu (Quiver with 10 armor piercers, 10 willow leafs), survival knife, Unicorn Riding Horse, Travelling Pack: (Daisho Stand, Flint and Tinder, Perfume, Small Hand Mirror, Spare Kimono and Sandals, Makeup Kit, Exotic Spices, Pillow Book (Memoirs of an Opium Eater), Small Tent, Coin Purse). Fine Kimono of last Winter Court’s Fashion (complete with Peaked Cap, Hakama, and Haori)
14 koku (less the cost of the fancy digs)

HISTORY

Air
We are the people of the wind!
—Traditional Shinjo Invocation

Nagasawa is the third son in a cadet branch of the House of Shinjo that has not produced a notable hero since the end of the exodus and the epic Battle of White Shore Plain. Being a minor scion of a minor bloodline had no effect on the grandeur of his childhood aspirations. He devoured the tales of the accomplishments of his ancestors, always imagining himself as being the hero who will restore such glories to his line.

As he grew old enough to begin his training, he came to resent his older brothers and to his shame came to hope that the Unicorn Clan would finally find itself embroiled in a proper war once again; not for the chance of glory but that his older brothers might perish in it and he could claim the right to wield the katana of the bloodline’s sole hero.

Water

That General is skillful in attack whos opponent does not know where to defend.
-Shinjo Maku, Master Sensei of the Shinjo Dojo

As it happened, the Clan enjoyed peace and he would not be elevated by default to heir to the bloodline, such as it was. Childishly selfish notions of glory were banished by the senseis of the Shinjo Dojo. His early mastery of horse and bow steered him away from the chargers and heavy cavalry he idolized since childhood. Instead the Shinjo senseis would train him for a very different, and far less glorious form of combat. He was trained to become a practitioner of a uniquely Unicorn hit-and-run style of combat born from experiences fighting gaijin “guerrillas” and “kommandos” that was blended with more recently observed tactics from the Daidoji and Hiruma, as well as harder lessons learned from Scorpion Saboteurs.

He took well to the training, particularly since he would be more likely to see combat than those bushi staffing the glorious heavy cavalry legions with little to do outside of open war. The only aspect of his training in which he did not excel was skulking and ambushing. It required a certain mindset to reconcile the demands of duty that compromise honor, and he felt that attacking enemies before either side had a chance to brag about lineages and accomplishments would not give him honorable victories from which he could gain glory.

Still, he managed to complete his Gempukku satisfactorily but without distinction. That did not keep him from choosing, as the first bushi in many generations, to borrow his bloodline’s most celebrated name, Nagasawa. His eldest brother elected not to pass down their grandfather’s katana in light of this, and instead allowed the Clan to provide him a new blade. “It is fitting, younger brother” he said, “that since you wish so badly to rewrite our family tale of decline that you have a fresh blade untarnished by our failure to do so.”

Earth

After climbing a great hill, one finds there are many more hills to climb.
-Shinsei

Shinjo Nagasawa’s initial duties were to patrol outside the Unicorn frontier, and cut his teeth on gaijin troublemakers roaming too close to the Empire. There he met with success against scattered bandits and raiders, and these few victories led to his promotion to lead a squadron of light cavalry. This recognition reignited delusions of grandeur and he began to chafe for reassignment back inside the Empire for action against more worthy foes.

After having once again become cocky and overconfident, his squadron identified a long-range reconnaissance patrol of Yodotai soldiery deep in the Burning Sands. Rather than falling back to report such an ominous portent, he led an immediate attack in hopes of claiming a coup for his career. Although he survived the encounter, and even slew the commanding Centurion and claimed his helmet as a trophy, his outnumbered and lighter force was repulsed with heavy casualties.

After this “glorious defeat” he was reassigned under Shinjo O-Shimo’s command to crosstrain with the Hiruma corps of Scouts. There, it was hoped, the Crab would find a way where the Shinjo Senseis had failed to get through to Nagasawa that fulfilling one’s Duty is at least as important as preserving one’s Honor.

Shinjo O-Shimo’s first assessment of the hotspur was that if he could not be properly re-educated (and she had her doubts he could), perhaps the best way he could serve the Clan would be in a retired role. Early on she asked Bayushi Masayari, the nakodo to which she had immediate access, to find an eligible Shiotome lacking in confidence that would be well paired with a career-climber of an ambitious husband to impel her to fulfil her potential.

Contrary to her expectations however, Shinjo Nagasawa’s eyes were opened through his friendship with Hiruma Ryoichi as fellow trainees under harsh Crab sensei. In that uncomplaining bushi, Nagasawa saw what he came to view as a paragon of humility. Nagasawa was finally ready to learn to be a servant of his Clan rather than a proponent of his own glory, even if he couldn’t completely surrender to duty as did the example of his Crab brethren.

Fire

Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Doubt that the sun doth move.
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.
-some Gaijin poet

Nagasawa had finally had the epiphany of accepting that that he will never be a famed tai-sa of the glorious Shinjo Chargers, yet through his abilities and training he may instead serve his family and Clan in other ways. However, Bayushi Masayari finally came through on Shinjo O-Shimo’s request: he had found a suitable Battle Maiden to match with Nagasawa. The families had already agreed, and there was nothing for Nagasawa to do in the matter but take leave to attend his miai in the Utaku Provinces to formally meet his intended: Utaku Nari.

There, capricious fate intervened to complicate Nagasawa’s finally straight and true path. For outside the castle, he was accosted by a Battle Maiden who inspected his travelling papers. Utaku Saki was not only Nari’s twin sister, but contained all the mischief of the pair combined. She impersonated her sister and seduced Nagasawa, telling him that the Shiotome are “expected to retire, marry, and have children… but not necessarily in that order.” Completely smitten and believing Saki to be Nari, Nagasawa willingly went along with her secret plan “spend the night” in a nearby ryokan together and to not tell anyone they had already met before their miai.

Of course, Saki remained out of sight at the solemn ceremony while Nagasawa smiled intimately at an utterly confused Nari. His betrothed became equal parts horrified and outraged when Saki finally made her appearance, having realized what her sister and Nagasawa had done. Barely able to keep her composure, she endured the betrothal ceremony without shaming Nagasawa for his indiscretion. Not for his sake, but for her unwed and (allegedly) chaste sister’s. Despite keeping his secret and agreeing to the match, Nagasawa’s fiancée has an unadulterated loathing for his stupidity, indiscretion, and/or both.

After his return to the Hiruma Dojo as an ineligible bachelor to resume training, he was astonished to begin to receive correspondence from Utaku Saki. She professes that she loves him, and while he’s not sure if she continues to play with him, he’s come to realize he does indeed love her.

Void

Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.
-Another Gaijin Poet

Not long after beginning to progress to the point that he could instruct Hiruma in tactics as well as be instructed, it was announced that Shinjo O-Shimo would be travelling to Kyuden Hida for Winter Court.

Nagasawa, buoyed by his recent successes, was ready to accept the news as an opportunity rather than the ominous portent perceived by so many other bushi at the Dojo. He made a point to introduce himself to Ide Toshimitsu via correspondence to cultivate a mentor for courtly activities. Having heard of Nagasawa’s recent impoved reputation from Shinjo O-Shimo, Toshimitsu was willing to provide tips and advice to the inquisitive and enthusiastic young bushi.

Despite Ide Toshimitsu’s advice, Nagasawa is not really sure what to expect from Winter Court. He optimistically looks forward to bringing credit upon Shinjo O-Shimo, the Shinjo Family, and the Unicorn Clan at the impending Winter Court.

Weapons
Anbishon (“Ambition”) is the name of his Katana. At least, informally, to his brothers and cousins who remember Nagasawa’s arrogant desire to single-handedly “correct” his bloodline’s place in House Shinjo. Nagasawa has not yet come to feel that he’s deserved to provide a permanent name for the blade.

Although the blade recently forged and does not yet have a notable history, the master swordsmiths at Kyuden Shinjo created a sword worthy of a legacy. The seven-layered blade’s hamon is artfully formed into the waves of the Water Dragon, to honor Nagasawa’s cadet branch of the family’s lands being on the shores of Mizu-umi Ryo. The tsuba, a gift from Hiruma Ryoichi, is a Crab and Ki Rin depicted back to back to face their foes together, and is constructed of solid Kaiu Steel and is said to be unbreakable.

Kenkyo (“Humility”) is the matched wakizashi. Constructed at the same time by the same Shinjo swordsmiths. Nagasawa has decided that unlike his katana, his wakizashi could not go without a name. Although he initially named this sword Unmei (“Destiny”) he decided that name was no longer appropriate. Both swords have matching tortoiseshell veneer saya, lacquered to enhance the natural beauty of the material and otherwise unadorned.

Tsubasa no Shi (“Winged Death”) is Nagasawa’s Dai-Kyu. Also ostentatiously named in the early days of his career, this great bow has a core of wood from secret Unicorn groves of the gaijin “Yu” trees. This material is unknown in the rest of Rokugan, but serves gaijin and Unicorn archers exceptionally well regardless. The bow is lacquered black but elaborately corded with bright red and orange dyed horsehair.

Baraq: Not a weapon, but no Unicorn is complete without mention of his steed. Baraq is palomino coloration and named in honor of a legendary flying steed from gaijin myth. The saddle is noteworthy for having its clasps and buckles wrapped in oiled cloth, and the tack lacks ornamentation customary to Unicorn bushi, especially hotspurs like Nagasawa. He has found that silenced and subdued riding gear suits his training and duties as a scout.

A few thoughts:

I'm not sure how horrible an idea it is to leave the Earth ring at 2 with what you have in mind for the campaign. I felt it fit appropriately with the quick, wiry kind of character that is otherwise built. Plus, he's supposed to be an archer and massacre things from outside retaliatory reach! However, I do fully anticipate that we'll see shadowlands nasties and if an earth ring of 2 is just unwise, I'll lower agility to pay for upping Willpower to at least get some thicker wound ranks.

Ally: Going off what you said, I figured 3 was a good price for Hiruma Ryoichi (1 for position, 2 for devotion)

Bitter Betrothal & True Love: Naturally, I'm ok with switching some names around to fit with NPCs or PCs. I do really like the idea of the two being twins, however, and ask that part remains. Of course, the nature of Saki's true feelings for Nagasawa are up to you as well.

Gaijin Gear: I'm hoping you'll allow the helmet to provide some TN or reduction.

Wealth: I'm going to let you tell me how expensive the snazzy (but last year's fashion) court clothes are going to be, and I'll then deduct my koku accordingly. They were probably purchased through Yasuki Kurako, I'd imagine.


I'll try and have my character up tomorrow. Or at least the general parts of it. I'm thinking courtier at this point, just to give us one who can fill that purpose.


State of the Clans

Crab Clan:
This era is one of unusual, one might even say unprecedented, tranquility for the Crab Clan... and the Crab despise
it utterly. The Shadowlands are never truly quiet, not in the manner that other Great Clans believe, but even the Crab cannot deny that during this era that dark realm is vastly less active than at any time in recent memory. The so-called Battle of Twilight’s Honor and the raids that preceded it are probably the only periods of significant conflict amid entire decades of relative quiet. Boredom is not an enemy the Crab have had to fight a great deal since the erection of the Great Carpenter Wall, and it is not an enemy they are well-suited to fight under any circumstances.

Although it goes unnoticed to many, the events behind the Battle of Twilight’s Honor are a significant warning of the changes being wrought upon the Crab by the tedium and ennui of this era. One faction within the clan looks at the period of inactivity and sees an opportunity to strike. They mistakenly believe the strength of the Shadowlands is ebbing and its inactivity represents a weakness that can be exploited to destroy their immortal enemies once and for all. This faction, best represented by the head of the Kuni family, Kuni Yori, begin to delve into the dark secrets better left alone. Their hope is to gain insight into their enemy, using their strengths against them and destroying them utterly. Unfortunately, those who meddle in such things are all too often forever changed by them, and the effect on some of them is more immediate and pronounced. The man who betrayed the Crab at the Battle of Twilight’s Honor was one such individual, and he is destined not be the last.

There is another faction within the Crab, however, which does not consider the activity of the Shadowlands to be a divine sign of imminent victory. Instead, they find the time allowed them for reflection has only increased their resentment and disgust with the Empire as a whole. With time to actually examine the clans, families, and institutions they have protected for more than a thousand years, these Crab find the Empire as a whole unworthy of their protection. In particular, they perceive the Emperor Hantei XXXVIII as weak and ineffective, relying on the strength of others while possessing virtually no redeeming qualities of his own—at least as perceived in a traditional Crab mindset. The most prominent member of this faction within the clan is none other than the Clan Champion, the legendary Great Bear, Hida Kisada.

Crane Clan:
This era is one of prosperity and political domination for the Crane, unsurprising given their customary record of success during times of peace. The Emerald Champion is a Crane and serves as one of the Emperor’s most trusted advisors and closest friends. The clan dominates the political landscape throughout this time period, but they are not without rivals in that regard. The Otomo, ever jealous of the Crane’s perceived superiority, pettily undermine them whenever an opportunity arises, and the Scorpion Clan also enjoys a period of significant success with Bayushi Shoju’s status as the Emperor’s most trusted friend and his wife Kachiko
serving as Imperial Advisor.

Despite their seemingly flawless exterior, all is not well within the Crane ranks. The Emerald Champion and Clan Champion Doji Satsume is bitterly estranged from his eldest son, the Doji family daimyo Doji Hoturi. Satsume (and for that matter a great many others) regard Hoturi as a thoughtless playboy who gives little consideration to his duties or the wishes of his father. These allegations are not without merit, but Satsume is hardly blameless in the matter. Satsume’s youngest child Shizue serves with distinction in the courts (although her physical disability limits her abilities somewhat) and his middle son Kuwanan serves valiantly with the Lion Clan (an arrangement to which he is ideally suited), but the entire clan feels the reverberations of his bitter relationship with his eldest son..

Beyond such personality conflicts, however, the Crane Clan’s most significant issue during this era is the steady increase of hostilities with its neighbor to the west, the Lion Clan. The two clans have never been allies and the ancient feud between Matsu and Kakita has made them frequent enemies, as if eternally continuing the original clash at the first Test of the Emerald Champion. After a thousand years and more, the Matsu family still seems unable to forgive Kakita’s perceived terrible insult… and to be fair, the Kakita seem unable to refrain from bringing it up in court at least once a season. For much of history the Lion have had other matters to distract them, but in this placid era there is only the Crane and their longstanding “insult” to the Lion’s honor. The Crane leadership is somewhat divided on the issue, as it is in so many other things. Satsume recognizes the Lion conflict as a potential problem but places great faith in his own status as Emerald Champion to mitigate the threat. His trusted vassals Kakita Yoshi and Daidoji Uji, daimyo of their respective families, share his sense of confidence but for different reasons. Yoshi is certain the Crane can emerge victorious from any potential conflict by manipulating the courts (assuming that the Lion are bold enough to actually attack), while Uji believes the Lion are so overconfident in their military abilities that they can be defeated with the use of unconventional tactics—a field in which he excels.

Dragon Clan:
As in most past eras, the Dragon in this time take very little direct action in the rest of the Empire. This is of course due to the influence of their Champion, the enigmatic Togashi, in this time going by the name Togashi Yokuni. The ancient Kami is keenly aware of the coming conflict and the impending resurgence of Fu Leng, and seeks to maintain his clan’s forces in readiness for that future war. This does not mean he is idle, however; far from it. Yokuni actively opposes the ongoing attempts by the Kolat conspiracy to gain a foothold within the Dragon Clan, and periodically strikes out against other Kolat agents as well (albeit in an unpredictable pattern that makes no sense to the Kolat itself). Yokuni is also instrumental behind the scenes in the events of the Battle of Twilight’s Honor, compelling a group of samurai to travel to the Kaiu Wall and take part in the battle, ensuring they are able to stop the traitor who threatens the entire Crab defensive effort.

One crucial event that takes place within the clan during this period is the infamous duel between Mirumoto Satsu, eldest son of the Mirumoto family daimyo, and Hida Yakamo, eldest son of the Crab Clan Champion. The duel ends in Satsu’s death, and leads his younger sister Hitomi to pursue a lifelong vendetta against Yakamo.

This era also sees the rise of two men who will come to characterize all that is good and all that is evil about the Dragon Clan. A young monastic acolyte named Soh is recruited to join the Togashi order and becomes the ise zumi named Togashi Mitsu. Despite his youth, Mitsu quickly becomes known as a force for good in the Empire and an example to all who wish to follow the path of enlightenment. He is a contemporary of a very different man, Togashi Kokujin, a charismatic and impassioned ise zumi who holds great influence within the tattooed order despite being ignorant of its true origins. When he learns the truth behind Togashi and the monks who bear his name, Kokujin’s mind breaks and he succumbs to Enlightened Madness, fleeing the Dragon lands. Although he is not heard from for some time, those who do encounter him attest to his growing insanity.

Lion Clan:
As the Pre-Coup era begins, the Lion are at perhaps the greatest point of frustration in their history. Centuries without a true war, centuries with nothing more than handfuls of all-too-brief skirmishes, has left the clan with fully staffed armies, a massive war machine waiting for a conflict that can quench the fires in their bellies. Unfortunately, there seems to be is little on the horizon for them to anticipate. Their frustration and anger only grows with each passing year. The situation is made worse by the death of Clan Champion Akodo Arasou at Toshi Ranbo, where the small scope of the battle—little more than a glorified skirmish—allows the Crane to ambush and kill Arasou.

Unquestionably the death of Arasou is the most significant event of this era in the eyes of the Lion Clan. Arasou is unanimously respected and admired by all families and factions within the clan, and his death is a devastating blow. His replacement by his long-absent younger brother Akodo Toturi is like water that freezes in the cracks of a rock, shattering it. Toturi’s brilliance as a leader is dulled in the eyes of the clan by his moderate political leanings, his friendship with Doji Hoturi, and his dispassionate demeanor. In the eyes of the Lion families, he is all that is negative about the Akodo family, whereas his brother possessed all that family’s positive blessings and more.

It is perhaps no surprise that in this environment of unspent military resources and frustrated hostility the Lion have no
shortage of immediate enemies. Foremost among them, of course, are the Crane, always the clan’s most persistent and hated rivals and regarded with especial bitterness in this time due to the fighting over Toshi Ranbo. Cooperation between the two clans has occasionally taken place in past eras, but in living memory the Lion have seen nothing but strife and conflict with the Emperor’s Left Hand. Toshi Ranbo is unquestionably the most significant factor in current hostilities; the city has changed hands countless times over the centuries, never in the possession of one clan or the other for more than a generation at a time. During the immediate decade before the Clan Coup, Toshi Ranbo is in the possession of the Crane Clan, an insult that the battle-hungry Lion find unacceptable. The clan constantly builds up forces on the Crane border, training and drilling them for a hoped-for war that will reacquire the city, and thus constantly irritating the Crane. The resulting barbs, insults, and political manipulation in court only makes the Lion even more devoted to reclaiming the city.

The conflict with the Crane is not without outside encouragement, although the Lion are largely blind to that fact. The Scorpion, bearing a grudge against the Matsu for an insult offered one hundred years previously, are eager to see the two enemies go to war, a situation which will incidentally offer considerable benefit to the Clan of Secrets. Throughout this entire era the Scorpion stoke the fires of Lion anger, painting the Crane as even more arrogant and passive-aggressive than they would otherwise appear. Their actions make a likely war into a certainty.

Phoenix Clan:
This period is generally one of prosperity and success for the Phoenix Clan, with a few exceptions. The clan has had no significant enemies or conflicts for many years, allowing it to build up its resources and institutions with relatively little interruption. This is not to say the Phoenix do not occasionally encounter setbacks or difficulties, of course; this era begins with a major disgrace for the clan when the Champion, Shiba Burisagi, dies in a lethal duel ordered by the Emperor himself. This unprecedented action is an enormous shame for the entire Shiba family, and creates considerable difficulties for the subsequent Champion, Shiba Ujimitsu. The tragedy further undermines the role of the Shiba family within the clan, cementing the stranglehold the Isawa possess on leadership of the Phoenix Clan. The Isawa are not without their own difficulties, however, as the rise of the magically-spawned plague known as the Darkfever and the forced abdication of Master of Earth Isawa Rujo both cast doubt on their claims of superiority in the area of magical prowess.

The greatest difficulty for the Phoenix during this era is one they fail utterly to recognize: hubris. The long period of prosperity and security has allowed the most powerful members of the Isawa family, particularly the members of the Council of Elemental Masters, to grow complacent and assured of their own wisdom and superiority. The Masters have forgotten many of the important lessons learned in previous centuries, when hostilities with other clans were more frequent and painful. In broad terms, they have become convinced they really are as powerful as everyone believes, and therefore they are best suited to deal with any and all dangerous supernatural threats within the Empire. This philosophy is harmful enough on its own, but in addition to believing themselves worthy the Phoenix also regard all others as unworthy. Thus when the explorations and research of Isawa Tadaka, the young prodigy shugenja who unexpectedly replaces Rujo as Master of Earth, suggest the Shadowlands may be up to something strange, many in the Council begin considering trying to explore the dark wisdom within the three Black Scrolls they acquired from the Scorpion Clan centuries ago.

At the same time, the appearance of the tragic shugenja called the Nameless One—the former Isawa Ujina—and the strange apprentices who gather around him. These individuals, their souls touched by a darkness in ways that no one understands, are a mystery no one within the clan is able to decipher, and the enigma troubles the clan’s scholars greatly. Between this and the disappearance of Asako Oyo, which reveals dangerous secrets at the heart of the Asako family, the clan is divided by a number of troubling issues that seem to have no apparent solution.

Scorpion Clan:
This era is a time of unusual prosperity for the Scorpion Clan. At the beginning of the twelfth century the Scorpion enjoy tremendous good fortune and favor, as Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Shoju is one of the Emperor’s favored vassals. This only improves over the course of the decade, as Shoju not only becomes the Emperor’s close personal friend and most trusted ally but his wife Kachiko is also appointed as Imperial Advisor.

In addition to the Emperor’s favor, the Empire’s recent relative peace has given rise to an abundance of energy and hostility among the other Great Clans, creating many openings for the Clan of Secrets. Manipulating their enemies against one another is a relatively simple matter in this era, and the Scorpion are eager to ensure the other clans are diverted from their own endeavors by turning them against one another.

Unfortunately, although they are not aware of it, this era takes its toll upon the Scorpion as well. More Scorpion than ever before succumb to the influence of an insidious presence at the heart of the clan, the Lying Darkness, for the shadow brands that the Soshi and Shosuro use to enhance the abilities of their greatest agents slowly turned minds and hearts away from the interests of the clan and toward the as-yet-unrevealed plots of the Nothing. No Scorpion truly realize this is happening, and indeed only a tiny handful of the Soshi and Shosuro are even aware of the Nothing.

In addition to supernatural threats, there are other all too human threats that endanger the Scorpion. Although the Scorpion have benefited greatly from the boredom and complacency of other clans, the same issues present problems for them as well. Many young among their ranks are arrogant and overconfident, eager to prove Scorpion superiority. This easy arrogance could potentially lead to the Clan's ruin in the future.

Unicorn Clan:
This period of peace and prosperity is not a particular boon to the Unicorn Clan. Despite having returned to the Empire more than two centuries earlier, the Unicorn are still not wholly welcome, and with no external conflicts to distract them the other Great Clans often focus a portion of their ire on the descendants of the Ki-Rin. All too many samurai continue to regard them as outsiders, which is especially exasperating to the clan because of the simple fact that by this time every one of them—and indeed their grandparents and great-grandparents—has been born within the Empire’s borders. The Clan of the Ki-Rin is accustomed to overcoming external threats and triumphing despite all odds, but xenophobia remains one threat that its mighty cavalry cannot overcome. Secretly and sinisterly, the lords of the Unicorn do not consider this a disadvantage, but rather a potent opportunity. This era is a major period of expansion for the Kolat conspiracy’s ongoing infiltration of the Unicorn Clan.

In this era the compassionate nature of Lady Shinjo is publicly held up by all Unicorn as an ideal to emulate every day. For some this is indeed a genuine representation of their desire to be like the founding Kami. For the Kolat, this superficial loyalty to Shinjo’s ideals is a useful means of subtly undermining the rigid caste system of the Empire, weakening the fundamental aspects of Rokugani
civilization that the Kolat despise as creations of the original Kami.

This era also represents the beginning of the modern Unicorn magistrate phenomenon. At the urging of both the genuine followers of Lady Shinjo as well as the Kolat infiltrators, the Shinjo family begins training more and more of its youths as magistrates, sending them to serve throughout the Unicorn provinces and encouraging more senior and experienced magistrates to seek posts into the ranks of the Emerald Magistrates and the Imperial Legions. The true Unicorn regard this as an opportunity to come into contact with more of their Rokugani kinsmen, to convince them the Unicorn are not so different, and to create a network of allies throughout the Empire.
The Kolat regard it as an opportunity to gain influence in other organizations, accumulate valuable information, and spread their subversive ideology through the Empire.

Minor Clans:
Although they do not know it, in this era the Minor Clans exist on a razor’s edge between extinction and greatness. The Empire’s recent centuries of peace are not a beneficial thing for the Minor Clans, generally speaking; although the Great Clans’ skirmishes with each other seem small and trivial to them, when they conflict with a Minor Clan the scale of the encounter suddenly changes. Although an ancient Imperial proclamation officially prohibits the Great Clans from waging war against the Minor Clans, over the centuries the Great Clans have found many ways to work around this restriction and to make these tiny clans into easy targets for venting their militant frustrations.

Although the Imperial law has prevented the Minor Clans from being wholly eradicated, they suffer heavily from conflicts which the rest of the Empire barely notices. Even for those Minor Clans who do not suffer overt military oppression during this era, agreements and alliances with the Great Clans are easily forgotten or rewritten at the convenience of those Great Clans, with corresponding misery and bitterness. The Mantis are one of the few Minor Clans that prospers unreservedly in this time period, mainly due to their huge navy and extensive trade networks. The Tortoise also fare well, but this is due primarily to their location in the Imperial City and their technical status as direct vassals of the Emperor, which protects them from the hostility of the Great Clans. Likewise the Dragonfly Clan continues to benefit from the unwavering (if dispassionate) support of the Dragon Clan. Aside from these three, the Minor Clans find this era a struggle for survival on a season-to-season basis, much as they have for centuries.

However, it is from this very struggle that the seeds of greatness begin to sprout during this era. The Three Man Alliance—banding together the three Minor Clans whose provinces border on the Scorpion holdings, the Wasp, Sparrow, and Fox—is seen as trivial at the time, but in truth it has tremendous ramifications for decades to follow. The creation of the Alliance fires the imagination of Yoritomo, the ambitious Mantis Clan Champion, and he immediately begins looking for clans who might be willing to form a similar alliance with the Mantis. To have seen three Minor Clans bloody the nose of a Great Clan, even if only superficially, is an occasion of such celebration to Yoritomo that he does not even notice how nervous the idea makes the other Minor Clan lords. To the other daimyo, a greater consideration is that the Great Clans might now look upon the Minor Clans as slightly more of a threat than before.

Average samurai from the Minor Clans during this era are generally poor but are relatively free of the burdensome political problems which assail their Great Clan counterparts. With the exception of the Three Man Alliance and the Hare, none of the Minor Clans face direct military conflict. The samurai of the Three Man Alliance are elated at the prestige and attention their victory has garnered and hope it will gain them allies against any future Scorpion aggression. Of course, they are quite well aware— especially after what befalls the Hare—that they defeated a relatively minor task force, and a true Scorpion army could likely eradicate all three Minor Clans with little difficulty.

The Imperial Families:
In many ways this period represents the heyday of the Imperial families. Hantei XXXVIII is not a particularly powerful Emperor, but neither is he weak, and he maintains extremely close ties with the Lion, Crane, and Scorpion Clans to ensure the stability of his reign. Only the Crab and perhaps the Mantis consider him weak. Hida Kisada, the Crab Champion, makes no real attempt to keep his views a secret, while Yoritomo of the Mantis is a bit more discreet. The Emperor and his Otomo vassals are aware of the Crab’s disdain but dismiss it, certain in the knowledge that the Crab are too busy defending the Wall to cause trouble. Besides, the Crane, Lion, and Scorpion would never permit open rebellion against their Emperor.

As is often the case after the Gozoku era, the Otomo are the most active Imperial family during this period. The long peace has ensured they have much to do in their secret duty of turning the Great Clans against one another. Although they have not been directly involved in the fomenting of hostilities between the Lion and the Crane, they take no steps to prevent it either, for it is very much in their interests to have two such powerful clans at one
another’s throats. After so many years of pitting different clans against one another, it has become more difficult for the Otomo to find suitable foes to match against one another without stretching credulity unnecessarily. Some of them have begun looking more closely at the Dragon as a possible target of their machinations, although others consider such an idea questionable at best.

The Seppun continue to fulfill their duties as they have for more than one thousand years. However, the kidnapping of the Empress a decade before is very much in the forefront of their collective consciousness. The lords of the family are in something of a conflict with Doji Satsume, the Emerald Champion, who tends to hold the average Seppun in low regard. Over recent years, many Seppun have undergone tours of duty within the Imperial Legions, and the demanding Satsume has not always been pleased with the level of their training when they enroll. Regardless, the Seppun are a highly respected and well-organized group and their loyalty and devotion give the Emperor a tremendous sense of security for himself and his family… perhaps too much so.

The Miya are as they have always been: loyal servants of the Emperor who bring his word to the people. The lengthy peace and lack of significant difficulties throughout the Empire have seen them become increasingly bureaucratic in their duties, issuing minor corrections and addendums to decrees mostly authored by the Otomo rather than the Emperor. This has diminished the prestige of the family in the eyes of many samurai and even some among the common populace. This causes some dismay among the leaders of the family, who are generally very attentive to the atmosphere of Rokugan’s lower classes.

@deusvalt: I'll say that the helmet would give you an additional point of Armor TN and reduction. I'm not overly concerned about the amount of koku spent on characters. Keep it reasonable and I won't object to your character having a fashionable closet.

Also, an Earth Ring of 2 is really pushing it. Mirror, Mirror is very dangerous.

I'm excited to see what everybody comes up with!

Sovereign Court

GM Olmek wrote:
... an Earth Ring of 2 is really pushing it. Mirror, Mirror is very dangerous.

With that advice, I'll propose to swap Nagasawa's Intelligence and Willpower stats, in effect trading Fire and Earth ring values. It doesn't effect points spent or insight, but probably moves his survivability into more of an acceptable minimum threshhold for a bushi in an insight rank 3 campaign.

His background doesn't really suggest particular smarts, and I'm sure Utaku Nari would argue the opposite is actually the case. Meanwhile, he never truly blossomed until training with the Crab, and if their ways were what was successful it makes sense to say he's been "toughened up" under their tutelage. So swapping those values actually seems to make better sense given the background I created, anyway.


I played LtR a good deal in the 3E days, and I loved the eligance of the roll/keep system. I'd be up to play, but I'd have to review the information on the changes to 4E. Is there something akin to an SRD for 4E?

Sovereign Court

The free RPG day adventure for 4th edition has quickstart rules in it, and is (as the name suggests) free.

Dark Archive

GM, Pls. advise on which files to download. Thanks ;-)


Disclaimer: I'm new to the L5R RPG. But I used the recommended program for creating my character, so hopefully there aren't any errors in it. Although I haven't really bought gear for him passed his swords and a bow.

Here's my Akodo bushi

Crunch:

Given Name: Takaji
Clan: Lion
Family: Akodo
School Akodo Bushi School
Rank: 3
Insight: 191
Age: 21
Sex: Male
Height: 5'6"
Appearance: Dyed blonde hair, often disheveled. Clean shaven. Somewhat soft-spoken (mostly so that he can make people jump when he suddenly raises his voice)

Earth 3 (Stamina 3; Willpower 3)
Air 3 (Reflexes 3; Awareness 3)
Water 4 (Strength 4; Perception 4)
Fire 3 (Agility 4; Intelligence 3)
Void 3
Honor 6

Init: 6k3
TN to be hit: 20 (25 in armor)
Reduction: 3

Health/Wounds (x2)
Healthy (+0) 15
Nicked (+3) 21
Grazed (+5) 27
Hurt (+10) 33
Injured (+15) 39
Crippled (+20) 45
Down (+40) 51
Out 57

Skills
Etiquette 3
Lore (Hisotry) 1
Kenjutsu 6
Kyujutsu 2
Defense 5
Sincerity 3
Battle 5
Iaijutsu 3

Advantages
Balance (2pts): You possess an inherent calm and serenity that others have difficulty overcoming when attempting to antagonize or taunt you, and that strengthens you when your honor is tested. When adding your Honor Rank to the total of any roll made to resist Intimidation or Temptation, you add an additional +1k0 to the roll as well.

Precise Memory (3pts): You have an incredible ability to recall exactly things you have seen or heard. In any situation where you need to re- member something exactly the way it was, whether the word- ing of something you read or the details of a person’s physical appearance, you add a bonus of +1k1 to your Intelligence Trait Roll.

Wary (3pts): You are constantly on alert, al- ways looking out for the unexpected. When rolling Investigation (Notice) / Perception against Stealth (Ambush) / Agility to detect an ambush, you add +1k1 to your roll.

Disadvantages
Idealistic (3pts): You adhere closely to the code of Bushido, perhaps too closely, and you have a hopelessly naïve view of the world and how things work. You have impossible standards that not even the most heroic individual could hope to meet, much less you. Whenever you lose Honor, the loss is in- creased by 1 point. This Disadvantage is worth 3 points to Lion characters.

Maybe to Matsu Bushime for allowing him to come with?
Obligation (3pts/minor): There is someone to whom you are indebted or for whom you must fulfill some significant duty. The nature of this debt can vary considerably, but when it comes due, nothing else matters. You must honor it, even if it leads to your ruination. The first level of this Disadvantage is a relatively minor matter that nevertheless demands your full attention. The second level represents a major, significant obligation that could potentially damage your family’s standing if you do not devote considerable time and resources to fulfilling it.

Techniques
The Way of the Lion: Bushi of the Akodo School hone their fury until it is as pre- cise as a blade. You may either ignore the portion of an opponent’s Armor TN derived from Armor, or gain a Free Raise when attacking. (You do not ignore Reduction from the Armor while choosing the first option.) Also, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls on your first melee attack against an opponent in a skirmish, or against any opponent who has declared a Raise on an attack against you since your last turn. You add only a total of 1k0 for an enemy who Raised against you, no matter how many times they actually Raised.

Strength of Purity: Akodo-trained warriors are known for their dedication to bushido, and take a fierce satisfaction in defeating dishonor- able foes. During a skirmish you may add your Honor Rank to the total of any single roll during your Turn. You may not increase damage rolls in this fashion, nor can you do this while assuming the Center Stance.

Strength of my Ancestors: The Akodo bushi attacks twice, once for himself and once for his ancestors. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while using weapons with the Samurai keyword.

Fluff:

Family
Takaji is the second son of Yoshiro and Akiko. His elder brother Katsuro is a bushi of the Matsu school. Katsuro is loud and brash, falling into the stereotype of both his Clan and his school, and due to the similarity in their appearance, many often assume the less well known younger brother is as well. As such, it's not unusual for Takaji to find himself part of what he's heard a few Crane refer to as "Lion Baiting," where they attempt to anger him into behaving in a shameful manner. Unfortunately for the Cranes, Takaji is not as easy to anger as his brother and takes great pleasure in frustrating them. He sometimes wishes he were good enough with words to turn the tables, but that seems to be a talent best left to his younger sister.

Takaji's parents have started looking into an arranged marriage for him, a process that Takaji seems mostly indifferent to. He seems far more interested in practicing his swordsmanship and tactics. However, occassionaly when he sees the Lion's Pride practicing, he daydreams about what it'd be like to marry another bushi who shares his interests. He dismisses these as idle fancies though, figuring he'll wind up married to some fairly low level courtier. But he thinks as long as she can take care of his household, he'll be happy enough.

Dream
Takaji wishes to be part of a truly great war. Although he finds it unfortunate that most likely this will take place with the Crane, not because he likes them, but because he wishes to be part of something all clans will talk about for centuries to come, and he thinks this is most likely with some outside threat (probably from the Shadowlands). He wishes to see all* the clans united under the tactical brilliance of the Lion to defeat a great foe.

*The Crane, Scorpion, and Dragon are left out of this vision because Takaji believes they have nothing to offer to this fight. The Crane are expert duelists, but duels aren't going to happen in the midst of a war. Politics are certainly unnecessary, further excluding both the Crane and Scorpion. And the Dragon never really leave their mountains.

Even though he doesn't realistically think there's likely to be an incursion from outside of Rokugan, Takaji still lept at the chance to visit Crab lands. He figures the best he's going to get is the (probably exaggerated) stories of the samurai who have served on the wall, but you never really know. And really, he's spent far too much time recently in Lion lands. Whatever's to be found at Winter Court has got to be more interesting (or at least different) than sitting at home in meeting with one potential suitor or another or prowling along the Lion-Crane border to growl at those on the other side.

Current Motivation
Takaji is frustrated by his lack of true battle experience. Thus far he has only managed to be in a few very minor skirmishes and a lot of fairly uneventful patrols and escorts. The generals constantly speak of war with the Crane, but the longer the near-peace stretches, the further away it seems. Takaji keeps his frustration fairly well hidden though. At least compared to many of the other young Lions around him. His frustrations are exacerbated by the stories he hears of his brother getting into "real" skirmishes. A small part of him fears that war will break out while he's away in Crab lands. But a larger part worries that he'll soon go mad if he doesn't get away for a while. Or that the war will last long enough that he'll never see anything of the Shadowlands of legend.

Weapons
Kiba ("Fang"): Takaji's katana. His brother received the family's main daisho leaving Takaji with the secondary pair. Too young to have any real history behind it in their current time of peace, the sword has a beautiful pearl engraving of a roaring lion on its hilt with a relatively simple golden tsuba.

Tsume ("Claw"): Takaji's wakizashi. Very similar in appearance to its partner, this sword instead depicts a rampant lion.


Rigor Rictus wrote:
I played LtR a good deal in the 3E days, and I loved the eligance of the roll/keep system. I'd be up to play, but I'd have to review the information on the changes to 4E. Is there something akin to an SRD for 4E?

Deusvalt has it right. The Free RPG Quickstart stuff is the easiest way to look at the updated rules.

Anon A Mouse wrote:
Maybe to Matsu Bushime for allowing him to come with?

The character looks good, but I'm not sure if that's a strong enough reason to take on an Obligation (Winter Court at Kyuden Hida is often considered the least prestigious of the major clan courts). A good example of a minor Obligation is serving as a yojimbo.

Radavel wrote:
GM, Pls. advise on which files to download. Thanks ;-)

Do you mean which data packs for the character generator?

Dark Archive

yes sir.

i would like help on picking the most comprehensive and up-to-date data packs.

btw, what are your thoughts on soshi deceivers?


Radavel wrote:

yes sir.

i would like help on picking the most comprehensive and up-to-date data packs.

btw, what are your thoughts on soshi deceivers?

The generator stopped getting support for new books, but those are the up to date files.

As for the Soshi Deceiver, I don't have my books at work so I'll have to check it out at home.


Okay, I hate to do this to you guys, especially the couple of you that provided finished characters.

I ran across an L5R campaign that I really want to run. More than Mirror, Mirror. The problem is that you guys would start at Rank 1, like normal, and it takes place in the year 1499, so later than the canon storyline. The couple of you that made characters would have to drop them back down to Rank 1 and tweak their backstories slightly.

Trust me, it will be worth it.

Champions of the Sapphire Throne:
This is an alternate future for Rokugan, one where the Toturi dynasty does not end with the death of Toturi III, but reigns for three-hundred years.

The central themes include the dangers of ambition and dishonor, the
impact of mortal sins on the Celestial balance, and the problem of a traditionalist society confronting its first steps toward modernization and toward joining the larger world outside its borders.

But more than that, it's the first setting that I've seen that lets the PCs be the real impetus of the shifting world around them. So many places in L5R history have the major players already established. Not so here. Plus, there are a kajllion modules to run, so it makes my life easier. :)

If you guys still would prefer Mirror, Mirror, I can run that. But Champions of the Sapphire Throne just really excited me. Especially when I see the potential of the setting. Let me know either way!


I'm biased since I am still thinking about my character and so have less to lose, but I'll say what I said before - excited GMs are the best GMs. I'd encourage you to run what you want to run as I imagine people will have more fun if you are having fun. But that's just one voice in the crowd.

Can you tell us a bit about the kinds of characters that would be appropriate for Champions of the Sapphire Throne?

Sovereign Court

GM Koan wrote:
...The central themes include the dangers of ambition and dishonor...

Sounds almost like the character I made is an even better fit for Sapphire Throne than Mirror, Mirror. I don't see that the background would need to significantly change beyond trading some NPC names out and explaining how he gets to (wherever) rather than Kyuden Hida.

I still have his original 40 point buy build, so I think he's golden for whichever campaign you settle on.


Sorry guys was home sick yesterday and didn't make it to a Computer. So will have character up tonight or tomorrow sorry for the delay


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Tourach wrote:
Can you tell us a bit about the kinds of characters that would be appropriate for Champions of the Sapphire Throne?

Sure. I'll have that up later today. I just wanted to see if people were interested in playing that before I typed something up. :)

deusvalt wrote:
...explaining how he gets to (wherever) rather than Kyuden Hida.

If we do Champions of the Sapphire Throne, it would be the Topaz Championship.


I am definitely interested for something different. :)

I'll have to check my books and see what come up with...


@Anon a mouse: your numbers are crazy off. Sills or Rings can't be above 4 to start you have to skills at 5. Void 3 is 18xp, lets say your clan and school rasied the same ring so one of them is at a 3 and that was water, to then make one a 4 would be 16xp so both would be 32xp Not sure what you did but starting is 40xp + a max of 10xp in disadvantages.


I'm still interested. And let's face it, with less things to choose, I'm less likely to do/pick something stupid. ;P


Ashe wrote:
your numbers are crazy off. Sills or Rings can't be above 4 to start you have to skills at 5. Void 3 is 18xp, lets say your clan and school rasied the same ring so one of them is at a 3 and that was water, to then make one a 4 would be 16xp so both would be 32xp Not sure what you did but starting is 40xp + a max of 10xp in disadvantages.

I haven't delved into the math of his character too deeply, but my initial character guidelines did say that characters started with 205 xp.

Sovereign Court

GM Koan wrote:


If we do Champions of the Sapphire Throne, it would be the Topaz Championship.

That made me groan a little. It would be my 3rd or 4th visit to Tsuma in my L5R RPG career. I'll be honest; I'm more excited about seeing a Winter Court in Crab lands. There's a ton of fertile ground there even before considering horrible monsters are probably going to show up.

But, don't take that as a harsher statement than it was intended. I'm perfectly willing to play Sapphire Thone, I just have a preference for Mirror Mirror. But I agree with Tourach: playing under an excited, motivated GM is better than not. (Tho, *hint* *hint*, if you have the time I suppose you could run two simultaneous PbP campaigns? :)

And knowing that Sapphire Throne starts with our Gempukkus, my background for Nagasawa the Shinjo Horsebowman would have to actually be more reworked than I anticipated. It'd be just as easy to make a new character entirely (especially at rank 1) and that's what I think I'll do in the event you decide on Sapphire Throne.


oh, I missed the 205 xp, I didn't do the math either but it was clear it wasn't 40xp :) Good to know thanks GM


1 person marked this as a favorite.
deusvalt wrote:
Tho, *hint* *hint*, if you have the time I suppose you could run two simultaneous PbP campaigns? :)

I think the best option would be to just convert Mirror, Mirror (which is basically just a large adventure) into part of CotST.


Hopefully my character's not too far off since I did use the character generator program (although parts of its UI were not super obvious, so I may have messed something up). If we end up with the higher level one, I'll go back and manually check the math. If we do the lower level one, I'll double check the math before posting the updated character.

Sovereign Court

Well, the Topaz Championship has a surprising number of Unicorn alumni, but no Utaku among them. Yet.

I might give in to the urge to make a Battle Maiden (only narrowly averted in the first place when I made the Horsebowman) for this campaign.

Or I might go out on a limb and do something besides Unicorn entirely My other go-to is a Bayushi, but sounds like we already have would-be Scorpions. So I'll have to contemplate and see what strikes me.

Can you give us an idea of what sort of party balance between roles (and Clans, if relevant) you're aiming for in Sapphire Throne?

Scarab Sages

I have to admit, I'm biased because I finished writing up my character last night and a lot of work goes into making an IR-3 character. :)

But I also liked the idea of the Winter Court in Crab lands. I'm down for either, but as with deusvult, I'll just make a completely new character as the one I wrote won't make much sense scaling backwards. (He'll be a lot younger, for one, and won't have gone through what makes him who he is yet.) I'll also say that I was super-excited not to start out at IR-1, if only because I think characters get much more fun at IR-2 to IR-3.

On the other hand, I'm with Tourach in that excited GMs are the best GMs!


Hello! I hope it's not too late to get in on this. I've always been interested in the L5R setting and play a campaign in it. I don't have much experience with the system as a whole(created one character for a campaign that never got going but that's about it).

Still, if it's not full up, I'd like to throw my hat into the ring :)

Dark Archive

topaz championship during champions of sapphire throne era sounds promising.

Sovereign Court

Question about the Sapphire Throne storyline:

Would the Toturi Dynasty never having fallen preclude the circumstances that led Chagatai to restore the Shi-Tien-Yen-Wang? If I don't play a Battle Maiden for that campaign, I'm really liking the idea of a Moto Death Priest.


deusvult wrote:
Would the Toturi Dynasty never having fallen preclude the circumstances that led Chagatai to restore the Shi-Tien-Yen-Wang? If I don't play a Battle Maiden for that campaign, I'm really liking the idea of a Moto Death Priest.

From what I understand about the fluff, Chagatai only struck a bargain with Shi-Tien-Yen-Wang so that the Moto would never worry about their spirits being stolen. I think it's completely separate from the events surrounding the Toturi dynasty, so I'll say they're just fine.

Working on a state of the clans and character guidelines right now.

Eleven players have expressed interest in playing so far. I only want to run with six, so I suppose we'll do a recruitment.

Scarab Sages

I have to admit that with the large change, and the amount of time spent on my previous character, I'm finding it difficult to work on a character idea suitable to the new direction. (I realize that as I hadn't posted the character, the amount of work wasn't obvious!) With that said, there are a lot of people interested, so I'm sure you'll be fine.

But, I will continue to try to find my muse and work on it. :)


aptinuviel wrote:

I have to admit that with the large change, and the amount of time spent on my previous character, I'm finding it difficult to work on a character idea suitable to the new direction. With that said, there are a lot of people interested, so I'm sure you'll be fine.

But, I will continue to try to find my muse and work on it. :)

Are you bowing out? We still have at least a week until this gets off the ground. That's plenty of time to get some inspiration. :)

Scarab Sages

Oh no, I'll try to think of something! I was just noting that if you were still taking preferences, I'm still leaning towards "Mirror, Mirror". Or at least a higher IR starting game in a different setting. I, as deusvault, am no stranger to the Sapphire Throne. :)

But, if it's definite that we're doing that, I'll keep working towards an idea. I'm sure something will come. I only wanted to note that my preference shouldn't sway you as you have plenty of other players available.


Sorry for being so late, I've been crazy busy and I am trying to nail down a new job IRL. Hopefully I can get it done by this weekend and have a character set up for you all! Sorry again!

Dark Archive

with a tournament play, we'd go with IR 1 right instead of 3?


Actually, I'm going to just stick with Mirror, Mirror for the time being. Please continue making samurai as I have described above (205 xp).

Sorry for the brief GM ADD. :)


In that case, here's what I have so far of Hida Yuo. His weaponry remains unnamed, but that will change tomorrow when I've worked on him a bit more. Also, I have a vague idea of what and who I want his Obligation to, but I wanted to hold off on making it more concrete before input as well as seeing other characters it could possibly be connected to.

As for the core concept: Hida Yuo is a quiet Crab and I hope, fits into a horror themed game quite well. My intent is for him to be strong and tough. He's surprisingly bright, but not brilliant and shouldn't overshadow a Courtier or even other Bushi built for that sort of thing. He's also surprisingly good in a duel. My intent there is to make him good enough to surprise people, but not so good as he'd be the equal to another character built around Dueling.

As expected of a Crab, he hits hard and he can take a hit. He has a surprising amount of minor skills, but he shouldn't stand out in anything else. I've also made him a little older with the intent for him to be a little wiser, or at least less headstrong. sort of a normalizing voice for the group. Caution and Patience are his watchwords. Oftentimes a little too much.

(The Avatar is also subject to change. I'm just trying to find the perfect one.)

Dark Archive

GM Koan wrote:

Actually, I'm going to just stick with Mirror, Mirror for the time being. Please continue making samurai as I have described above (205 xp).

Sorry for the brief GM ADD. :)

With this clarification, I'd stick with my original idea of making a sword wielding shugenja but since there's not Tamori family yet during this time, i'd use some other family.

cheers ;-)

Sovereign Court

GM Koan wrote:

Actually, I'm going to just stick with Mirror, Mirror for the time being. Please continue making samurai as I have described above (205 xp).

Sorry for the brief GM ADD. :)

Heh, I know that feeling. I have a mechwarrior campaign that I'm going to run "any day now" that I started putting together.. in 2001.

Since you've decided, my character is ready to go and posted upthread. It may have been lost in the shuffle but crunchwise, I'll make one minor alteration to swap his Willpower and Intelligence end up swapping Fire 3/Earth 2 for Fire 2/Earth 3.


I manually did the math for XP, and I seem to be 1 point over. >_< So I'm dropping the Precise Memory advantage (3 points) and getting 1 rank in both Lore (Heraldry) and Investigation.

I'm also planning on elaborating on my Obligation, but currently I have a headache, so hopefully I'll get that in tomorrow or Friday.

1 to 50 of 89 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | next > last >>
Community / Forums / Online Campaigns / Recruitment / GM Koan's 4E Legend of the Five Rings Recruitment All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.