The Final Frontier

So now I'm going to talk about the last chapter in Imperial Histories II. This one is titled Empire of the Emerald Stars. As you can guess from the name of the chapter and the picture to the right this is a setting about Rokugan in space. This is pretty much the far end where one can take their game.

I also find it amusing since back during the 15th anniversary of L5R, Todd Rowland said that if L5R made it to it's 20th anniversary he would take them to the moon. A bit early but glad it's here.

So the timeline picks up roughly in the year 2765. Not every possible change is listed in the timeline, it more or less serves as a sign post of the major things that lead up to space travel for Rokugan.. The Phoenix are the ones to pretty much discover other planets and thus play heavily in the race for the stars, even going so far as to design radiant energy weapons and armor. Radiant energy is a process that allows for the awakening of an objects spirit. This isn't a full awakening but it's enough to give items a new energy aura. This energy is used for armor, katana's, ship hulls etc etc. The use of radiant energy though keeps melee combat an important part of fighting since having shields limits the overall effectiveness of blasters. It also helps that the daisho is still a mark of ones station and thus samurai still carry them to prove they are samurai.

Space itself is an interesting place. Many planets are representations of one of the many realms. It's alien inhabitants creatures native to those realms. Just imagine it, an entire world that could be dedicated to 1000 Years of Darkness. Chilling. :)

So much as how the clans carved up Rokugan (and latter their entire planet) the clans carve up space settling entire regions of space. The book goes on to describe several key worlds for each of the clans. My favorite being a planet controlled by the Lion that does everything as if the year was 1171 as opposed to 2765.

So what mechanics are in the chapter? Well it starts off with a few pointers and guidelines for updating a standard L5R game to this new setting, after all it would take an entire book to update everything. Because Rokugan is still a tradition bound society most of the schools remain unchanged themselves. What makes things different is instead of adding in a bunch of new basic schools the weapon tags changed on ranged weapons so that they work with the same basic techniques that a katana might. So that's 4 weapons added plus an additional 4 or so new skills that reflect traveling among the stars.

So what would you do in an Emerald Empire among the stars?

Heresy of the Five Rings

So Imperial Histories II is making it's way out. It should be out in most locations by the 29th of April. But while we wait on the book to make it's big splash everywhere I thought I'd take a moment to talk about my favorite chapters from the book.

The first up is Chapter 4, Heresy of the Five Rings. So what makes this chapter good? Well it's the first time we explore a theological conflict in Rokugan. This chapter, combined with the information later presented in the Age of Exploration is excellent for anyone who wants a conflict that is more than just politics as usual.

So what happens? Well the year is 510 I.C. (Isawa Calender). Gorinno grows in popularity as he begins preaching about the imbalance of the current age. The solution for him, is simple and elegant; there are to many clans. Since there are five elements there must be a clan that represents each element. However there are six clans (the Unicorn haven't returned yet) and having this extra clan is creating a spiritual imbalance in the empire that is spilling over into conflict for Rokugan.  The only way to fix this is to remove one of the great clans.

This problem is made all the more dangerous for the clans because Gorinno has the ear of the emperor. And with that kind of power he can take a simple philosophy and turn it into a reality. And this is where the conflict starts for the clans involved. I'd tell you which clans are which elements and which clans get proposed into being removed and how, but I have to leave you with something to read right?

Of course this isn't the only way to use the setting. In the current story arc Fudo is making a return and spreading through out the colonies. So it is very possible for this time period to instead be about the original conflict between Fudo and the Empire itself. Or you could take what's presented and move it to the Colonies as Fudo makes it's return.

What I enjoyed most while reading the chapter though was the use of the Brotherhood. I'm not a major monk fan mind you, but I do love some good kung fu. Using monks as the center piece for conflict is something that I haven't seen too often in Rokugan. I know there are a fair number of monk fans out there so this kind of conflict is ideal for them. The Brotherhood, after all  isn't in 100% agreement with Gorinno's idea's. Therefore it is very possible to run the entire game as a conflict between the various Orders of the Brotherhood.

And of course there are new mechanics. The Order of the Five Rings is a new monk path works on seeking and capitalizing on the imbalances of your opponent  There is also a new ronin path called The Hawk Purist. This is a level 1 ronin path that capitalizes on being a member of the Hawk Clan. What's the Hawk Clan .... well ..... ;)

Powder Blue Shogun

One of the more interesting turning points for the L5R story was when the Crane clan champion Doji Domotai was told about the infamous Daidoji Harriers. For those who weren't around back in the day, the Daidoji Harriers went around and sacrificed their honor for the good of the Crane clan by using gaijin pepper and sabotage to gain battlefield advantages.  The were the Crane clans dirty little secret since they did something that was fundamentally against the Emperor's wishes. So in a nutshell .... powder blue ninja's.

Now Domotai had been trained as a Matsu when she was young. So she had the unyielding honor of a Lion. When the lord of the Daidoji, one Daidoji Kikaze, informed her of the use of the Harriers Domotai was outraged and demanded they be disbanded. This was one of many hard life choices for Kikaze. The Harriers caused no small amount of trouble for the Crane, being the source of war between the Crane and the Dragon and .... well .... their explosives going off during Moto Chagatai's invasion of Toshi Ranbo.

So what would it take to bring them back and why? Well the why is easy, I liked them and I think they make a nice counter point. In the same fashion that I think the Lion Shadows make a nice counter point. Not a big group mind you but just enough to make a difference every once in awhile. I've recently undertaken introducing L5R to some new players and so I wanted to bring them into a shadow war and who better to use than Harriers vs Shinobi.

The year is 1171 and Iweko has just ascended to the throne. For over a year now Shosuro Jimen, the Emerald Champion, and Kakita Noritoshi, best duelist in the empire and Kakita daimyo, have been engaging in a shadow war over the fact that the Crane had Harriers. This is yet another cost that the Harriers have wrought against the Crane. Enter the new Shogun, Daidoji Kikaze. Iweko instates him as her new Shogun to garner favor with the Crane and to gain their support as she begins her reign. And it is shortly after becoming the new Shogun that Kikaze is approached by one Kakita Noritoshi. Noritoshi has been "off the grid" as he engaged in a smear campaign against Jimen. Meanwhile Jimen has been sending shadowy agents against the Kakita in general and Noritoshi in particular. This feud is Kikaze's fault as far as Noritoshi is concerned and it is time that the Daidoji bring something to the table to make up for all the trouble that has been caused.

Noritoshi is, by this point, a deeply broken man. He has become an ends justifies the means and while he can not ask Domotai to go back on her decree he can ask Kikaze to do something about it. Kikaze meanwhile has always struck me as a character who would carry a large amount of guilt over his families actions and thus would be willing to do anything to make up for it. This includes reinstating the Harriers not as Crane, but as a special forces unit for the use of the Shogun. Transferring what few Harriers remained after the purge into the Shogun's army, Kikaze enters a shadowy war between two colossal figures.

So into this war of red vs blue I will toss a new group of players fresh to L5R. Charged with having to balance the honor of the Crane verus battling a man who corrupts the lands most important political office and willing to hold nothing back.

For Noritoshi this is a chance at vengeance. For Kikaze this is a chance at redemption.

Preparing for Winter Court

It's been over a years since I've last had the chance to sit down and write an article. With Winter Court III: The Hangover around the corner though I felt now was a good time to do a new article. I think this will be the first in a series of things I'd like to say about Winter Court. So stay tuned for more. And if any other Winter Court vet has some sage words to share, drop me a line and I'll post them here.

I've had the benefit of playing in one Winter Court and also GMing another Winter Court. What I express is my personal opinion based on my observations of the games thus far. So with out further adieu prepare to lose three months of your life. Say good bye to your loved ones. Put the family pet up in an animal and get yourself a Hulu or Netflix account.

Patience:

I think this is one of the first and key things to enjoying Winter Court. While people will devout a lot of time to playing in Winter Court life itself doesn't stand still. Many of us will still have family obligations, and jobs and homework. Add in the factor of time zones and well ....

So sitting there and refreshing the forum every 10 minutes is likely to lead you to burn out and have a rather unfun experience  Instead I recommend, patience. People will post when they have time to. Some scenes will move by swiftly, but not all scenes. As a matter of fact it is only the largest of scenes that seem to move with any real speed.

There is of course a difference between giving people proper time and someone who is just dragging a scene out. But in general most people will be reasonably swift in their responses  And few things in the game occur at such a break neck speed that an instant answer from a player or a GM is going to make or break things.

A tie in to patience is

Pacing: 

Another factor that I observed that leads to burnout is trying to do to much. Especially in the beginning  Now this doesn't mean not to get objectives and things done in a reasonable amount of time (it is a headache to have to approve treaties all at the last second for instance), it does mean to not feel rushed. You don't need to be in ever scene to have an influence. Sometimes a handful of scenes done with the right people will go further than a bunch of scenes done with everyone.

When you start on Day 1 you don't have to hit the road hard and running. A lot of people pre game seem to worry about not getting everyone together pre game to do some planning and to figure things out. You'll have plenty of time to get things moving.

My recommendation for your first week. Say hi. Spend your time getting to know people. Start building towards your goals, but focus on just getting used to being in the city.

In the past I've noticed that players want to rush and hurry and get all sorts of things done right away. Day 1 seems like a mad rush to be the first to complete all their goals. But to be honest, you have a fair amount of time to complete your goals. So taking awhile to get into the swing of the game, will benefit you more in the long run.

This isn't your GM's game:

What I mean by that is that Winter Court is a slightly different beast than other games you've played in, both online and offline. It is likely best not to walk into the game with a lot of preconceived notions about how it should be run.

In the past this has tripped a lot of people up. However much like when you move to a new city or start a new gaming group with a new set of players and a new GM, this game too must be approached with an open mind and a willingness to try things their way.

The Staff is your FRIEND :)

I'm not a GM this year, but I was one last year. And one of the things that made the game a bit harder was the belief that the GM's were out to get people. Or rather certain GM's were. The staff is there to help and they aren't out to get anyone. A lot of problems with other players can be avoided if you come to them as friends and allies.

Have Realistic Expectations:

This is my final piece of advice for the night but one I feel to be the most important. Have a set of realistic expectations. While Winter Court offers you the chance to change the game in new and exciting ways some things are going to be harder to change than others. You're going to be very disappointed with the game if your goal takes your clan or the empire in radically different directions.

Rokugan is a land with 1000 years of tradition on its side. Yes we are here to make a difference, but some things just won't change during the course of one court.

Therefore it is important when considering your own personal goals to make sure that they are realistic in their expectations. If you're ever unsure of if your goals are going be on the far side of realistic then I recommend talking to the GM's. They won't stop you from going forward with your plans, but they can advice you on if it looks like it would be something that has a smaller chance of being realized.

Of course things are different this time around with everything being done made canon unless the ST say otherwise, but if you work with a realistic set of expectations then you decrease the odds of an ST veto :).

And on that note I will close this article. Until next time.

The Truth

The Truth

By
Dace

Rokugani law is an interesting beast. But before I get into the bulk of this conversation I think we should watch this video.



There is a lot about Rokugan we can walk away from watching that scene. And not just Scorpion players, or Crab players or even Lion players, Jack speaks to several elements that are thematic to L5R in a matter of a few minutes. But what we are going to walk away with today is the point that Rokugani don’t want the truth.

Now this is partially true. They do after all value Honesty, but the tenet of Honesty is not the same thing as being truthful and a guileful person can uphold Honesty without being 100% truthful. That’s why Rokugani worry so much about their On, they desire in some regards to hide the truth.

Thus Rokugani law isn’t about the truth. Well not in a straightforward Perry Mason, Law and Order or CSI kind of way. That’s not to say that games run on the idea of getting to the bottom of it all and finding out who really did it and thus punish them is wrong. I love a good mystery, and that kind of adventure has its place in a game. It’s the Kitsuki’s strong point and it makes them the king in a magistrate game.
However that’s just a tiny fraction of how Rokugani law works. After all the Kitsuki method is considered a joke by most clans.

Ultimately what Rokugani want from their law is accountability. A crime was committed and someone has to pay. Honor demands it. Because Rokugan is a land where honor is stronger than steel it is assumed that the guilty party will be found out. Because the honorable thing to do once confronted with the fact that you committed a crime is to admit it and to ask for seppuku. Honor is the reason why someone can’t be punished for a crime till they confess to it. The honorable mans guilt will eventually weigh him down enough that he will give in and seek redemption. That or he gives into the torture.

In either case because honor is such a central key to how law is prosecuted in Rokugan, things like Investigation skills or techniques become secondary to the individuals with in the setting. Good magistrates get the job done because honor will guide them to the right person and honor will cause said person to admit his guilt.

Now the reality is far far worse and more bleak than that. People lie and cheat and abuse the system all the time. Innocent samurai get accused and are convicted of crimes. But even the possibility of a wrongfully prosecuted case has hope. Rokugani believe in karma after all and if a magistrate knowingly convicts the wrong person then he’ll get his in the end. There is also the possibility that the wronged samurai’s spirit will find a way to get revenge from beyond the grave. After all spirits and ancestors influence Rokugani life and getting ones family to clear your name is right up the alley for their beliefs.

The wonderful thing about this though is that it opens up more avenues for rp. Being a magistrate after all is as much a matter of political ties as it is a matter of skill. And because it’s not an evidentiary based system it gives both players and GM’s wiggle room on how to be a good magistrate.

You’re not required to have more ranks in Investigation than the Kitsuki to be good at being a magistrate. You can approach the magistrate game in your own unique way based on how you see law in Rokugan.

Do you want to trade favors to catch the “right” crook? Do you want to blackmail the guilty or the innocent? Or someone close to an innocent or guilty person? Do you see it as a means to more power and prestige? Do you want to right the wrongs of society? Avenge a family slight?

For the GM you can test a player’s resolve. Is he going to back down to political pressure? Is he going to accuse people regardless of whether or not they actually did it? How long can someone with high status protect themselves from the law? Are the PC’s going to build a group of allies to help take down a well placed criminal? Is an ugly truth that does more damage to one’s family, clan the Empire worth punishing the guilty?

It’s a rich field that opens up the more and more one considers that Rokugani law ultimately cares about accountability than it does truth. That it makes a very large assumption that honor will win out in the end. And it gives characters who aren’t Kitsuki more to do than being back up dancers :)

Naked Steel 5

This is a bit late. School and all :(. But Naked Steels has been up for awhile. Anyone who hasn't checked it out should. You can find it here.

Shawn gives us another sneak peak into mechanics of Imperial Histories and the Book of Air. Though I'm far more interested in what he shows us of the prize winning setting that will be apart of Imperial Histories. Great stuff.

Kokujin Tattoo's

Kokujin Tattoo's
By

Okuma

Hello everyone,

Dace asked me to tell you a bit about the Order of Kokujin tattoos, since the family is now available with the release of Great Clans. Mechanically, players should consider tattooed monk and order of the spider monk schools to create characters from this family.

I would go myself for an order of the spider monk 3 then multi school in the tattooed monk : Kokujin didn’t had as much power in his blood neither as much quantities as the Togashi (since he was the only one providing, while they were a couple providing for the Togashi). As such, his students had to prove themselves through his Dark Lotus sect training before being granted any tattoos. In truth, most of the original members of the Order of Kokujin had ranks in other schools before joining and were granted tattoos to enforce loyalty through the Shadowlands power Blood domination but those who joined his Dark Lotus sect (after Kokujin joined with Daigotsu) had to undergo many trials before being granted tattoos.

Now that we cleared the question of which school to use, let’s see about the tattoos in question. I would use quotes from the story The Mad Dragon by Shawn Carman ( http://www.kazenoshiro.com/kazenoshiro/8/h8e02p25.php ) to illustrate the tattoos in question. Those tattoos will have the same mechanical effects, but much darker visual effects. A good thing to throw your players off-balance wondering what those tattoos do !

Matsuo unleashed a devastating cone of frost from his mouth. The cone washed over Kokujin, who disappeared in the blinding sheet of white. The cone gave way to a hissing cloud of steam, however, and Kokujin re-emerged, his body wreathed in red fire, a tattoo of a boiling pit of pitch blazing on his shoulder.

So our first tattoo is the boiling pit of pitch. One of the most visual tattoo ever described, covering the whole body in red fire, his effect is protection. I would use the Crab tattoo, who provide reduction, to simulate this tattoo.

Kokujin's fists grew like stone as the tattoo of obsidian on his back surged with power.

An martial art tattoo, this one can easily be duplicated by the Blaze tattoo.

A Tsuburu no Oni tattoo crawled up Kokujin's back, and the mad monk leaned forward and bellowed. It was a riotous sound, accompanied by a tempest of unbelievably foul-smelling wind. Matsuo was lifted from the ground and dashed against the cavern wall.

An interesting effect for this tattoo : the creation of a cone of wind. Difficult to really imitate that with another tattoo, but you can get it close with the Dragon tattoo. The main difference is going to be in the way damage is dealt (wind instead of fire, which can have different effects regarding to some protection, most likely spells) and the DR of the spell. As a fire-damage tattoo, the Dragon tattoo uses the fire ring. As a wind-damage tattoo, I would use the air ring for the damage rating of this tattoo.

the form of a brilliant white dragon on his chest. The tattoo had not been there only seconds before, and as he rose, Matsuo unleashed a devastating cone of frost from his mouth

Following on my suggestion on making a Dragon tattoo using the air ring, here is a normal Togashi tattoo : the frost dragon tattoo. The Frost Dragon is the wrathful aspect of the fortune Inari, and punishes those who offended him by icing their rice paddies. The Frost Dragon tattoo creates the same effect as the Dragon tattoo, but with frost instead of fire. Using the same basic idea as for the Tsuburu no oni tattoo, the Frost Dragon tattoo would use the water ring for his damage rating instead of fire but works otherwise like the Dragon Tattoo.

Shikibu no Oni tattoo: this tattoo show a representation of the oni lord that stole the bodies of the dead.

A tattoo who isn’t actually described directly in the stories, from the bits of description I assumed it was Shikibu no oni and that the tattoo allowed healing abilities. A dark twist, I would use the Phoenix tattoo to simulate it. The visual of the deadly oni lord moving from one body to another would be quite a scary tattoo.

Here we go, I hope those few lines helped you with ideas about how to turn your Togashi tattoos into scary Kokujin tattoos with little rule changes. There is a lot of possibilities ( Kyoso for Wind, Akuma for Blaze, Yakamo for bamboo…) now open, just take a list of scary shadowlands monsters and you are set to go.