What: Emperor Edition Pre-Release 2 (Decks)
Where: Game Wizard Store
When: Sunday, February 19th, 2012 @ Noon
Cost: TBA
Format: Sealed

Alright, this is starting to get weird. Another week were I try to continue my series on the Dark Dragons and another thing happens to make me delay the post. Fortunately this event is a good one. It all began at around 3:30 in the morning last Saturday. Kakita Senka sent me a text message as I was about to go to sleep. Normally I would have just ignored it until the morning but when someone tells you that they love you and to read the fiction that just came out curiosity definitely wins out. The third of the fictions in this latest Scenes from the Empire was titled “Bittersweet” and it was set in Miryoku no Shima. Our home and my entry for our Name a Holding event last November. For those of you not in the know, “Miryoku no Shima” is a rough Japanese translation of “Island of Enchantment” which is Puerto Rico’s nickname. Yep, Miryoku no Shima is Puerto Rico. We officially got our little island into the world of Legend of the Five Rings! How this happened is a story that deserves to be told and now that we have this official indication that it has been accepted I can do so.

The true credit for the origins of the name go to our own Yokubo Tensei who came up with the name. He came up with a bounty for this name for the tournament. Strangely enough the finals were Senka and myself and we went outside the store to see if we would play the final or see if we could find some storyline common ground that we could go for. Senka had a definate name in mind for the Holding. I won’t share what it is here in case another little thing we did get accepted. I went into the tournament without any real hopes of winning. So true was this that when the end came I knew I wanted to name the holding after Hitomi but I did not have a name in mind. Kitsuki Phelios came out to help us out with this. We were all excited not just because a card was about to be named in Puerto Rico but because we could sense an interesting storyline was about to be developed.

After some negotiations it became clear that neither one of us would get out Plan A but then we began to consider a Plan B. We remembered Miryoku no Shima and realized that we both liked the idea of it. We talked for a very long time and none of the conversation had to do with prizes or anything of substance. It was all about our goals and dreams when it came to the story and the game. Fortunately, we found we had one in common when it came to Miryoku no Shima. In the end Senka was gracious enough to have me be the winner since I have never had an opportunity to win a big tournament before and we all agreed that this new land should come into being by the acts of the Dragon and Crane. We ironed out some remaining minor details and sealed everything with a shot of jack Daniels. I don’t drink alcohol but I could not resist the request. We were all so happy that for the first time of the island we had a story driven ending to a tournament.

The next day I gave myself the task to write a letter to Shawn Carman detailing what happened and making my formal request. I let the others read the letter first to make sure that I had accurately demonstrated everything and, when everyone told me they were happy with it, I sent it out. I heard nothing back from Shawn and we were getting a little worried about Miryoku no Shima since it took some time for the “Name A” tournament thread to be updated. The fiction came as a total surprise to us. We would have been happy with just a mentioned but to be made the battleground of the rivalry from the South American and Asian Championships was an honor we did not expect. It is a little ironic that an island which represent what can be accomplished when Dragon and Crane work together is also the scene for what will be a great rivalry between the two clans.

With all due respect to the winners of those two tournaments, we of the Legion of the Coqui consider this to be our fiction. Just a few years ago the idea of having anything like a Kotei or the like in our island was an impossibility, something we joked about but never truly thought it could happen. Now our island is immortalized in L5R. How things have changed. Everyone in our group should be very proud of this. As I write this it dawns on me that one day Miryoku no Shima will be officially be out in an expansion and my name will be printed on its side meaning that I will be immortalized as well, forever liked to our island. As a lover of history I find that a very humbling fact. Thanks to Senka for allowing me this honor, thanks to Tensei and Isawa Kitsune for working hard on having these tournaments, thanks to our entire local playgroup for being great friends and challenging players, and thanks to Shawn and the story team for allowing us a story cookie along with our holding. Now, there is only one thing left to be said…

SAMURAI OF THE LEGION OF THE COQUI!

FOR THE GLORY OF MIRYOKU NO SHIMA!

UTZ!

BANZAI!

Here we go to my continuing look at the clans in Emperor Edition. Please feel free to discuss or comment on anything I say.

Crane – Emperor Edition is a time of great possibility but also greater risk for the Crane clan. Their status in the courts of the land is the clearest sign of this. The Scorpion took a strong hit due to the Destroyers so the Crane are in great shape to fully reestablish their traditional dominion over the courts. In the past this would have been enough for the Crane but Emperor Edition changes things. Now they have new competition for the dominion over the courts. The Mantis and Crab are using their economic might to their advantages in the courts and the traditionally isolationist Dragon are also beginning to exert more influence with their Kitsuki magistrates. In the courts, in economics, and in the blade the Crane continue to be a dominant force but how will they deal with new rivals? Will they seek alliances or war?

What I would like to see: Rokugan is open to more new influences in the last 50 years than it had in most of its history combined. We have had two new major clans form and the opening of vast new territories to the Empire all of which will bring their own influences to commerce, art, and the meaning of a samurai. As the leaders in culture the Crane have a tough decision as to which of these influences to accept and which to declare unacceptable. For example, lets say a Crane samurai-ko suddenly decides to adopt a gaijin name for her gempukku. In the past versions of the RPG that has always been viewed as a disadvantage, something that is looked down upon by the Empire. Would the Crane now accept that name due to the new gaijin holdings or would they still reject it?

Lion – The Lion clan’s status as right hand of the Emperor and greatest military clan in the Empire has never been more at risk as it is during Emperor Edition. They were hit hard by the plague, the war, and its aftermath. Many of their best samurai were lost and although they died with honor it will take time for them to fully recover. Meanwhile their northern rivals the Unicorn left the War against the Destroyers in much better shape and is now even developing its own tacticians to counter the Lion. As the Lions get closer to their ancestors and use their guidance more to determine the clan’s success will they begin having a greater influence over them? The Lion’s theme of Ancestors is the one that I believe has the most potential for interesting story lines. For example, all those Lions that choose seppuku over the Empress’ decision to allow the Spider in as a clan are now Ancestors. What if they are spreading discord in the Heavens among the other Lion Ancestors? How would the Kitsu deal with a grown Lion rejection of what Iweko did in the Heavens?

What I would like to see: I believe that another “Spirit Wars” might become possible with the Lions channeling their ancestors but this time in the Heavens. Say, for example, Unicron ancestors in the Heavens tire of the Lion Ancestors continuing to influence the Lion against the Unicorn so they declare an attack against them in the Heavens.

Phoenix - Phoenix has always been the clan of knowledge and is in a great position especially as it is one of the three northern clans who fared well in the War of the Destroyers. This search of knowledge is tied to a deep curiosity that clan has, however, that same curiosity of the Phoenix is traditionally what has always gotten them in trouble. They see a scroll and they immediately want to open it. After many, many years they finally have seem to learned that maho = bad but now they will have a fresh temptation for them. Gaijin lands bring knowledge of gaijin magic that the Phoenix could never openly study before. This should lead to a new round of tough decisions for them with fresh new consequences should they pick the bad ones.

What I would like to see: The Phoenix Henshin theme could cause interesting situations with the Realm of the Dead. After all, I am sure that neither of the Lords of that Domain would be particularly thrilled if the Phoenix start abusing that ability. I think it would be interesting to see a Realm and a Clan have issues, perhaps involving the Unicorn.

Hope everyone enjoyed this one. The next article in the series will be The Horsey and the Crabby.

However, this repeat occurrence is beginning to make me wonder if there is a Dark Dragon curse affecting me. I guess we will see what happens next week I have to post that series but, for now, I am very grateful that Ree decided to keep Hitomi and the Dragon clan from going evil as who knows what might have happened to me if I had been cursed all these past years!

My apologies for the wait everyone! I hope everyone understands.

What: Emperor Edition Pre-release 1 (boosters)
Where: Game Wizard Store
When: Sunday, January 29th, 2012 @ Noon
Cost: $25
Format: Booster Draft

Due to the delayed release date for Emperor Edition, AEG has decided to allow players to print proxies to play in what have been called the Kolat Edition.

Until Match 19th, L5R players may print specially marked Kolat Edition proxies to include them in their decks for official Kolat Edition Tournaments.

Last week, Alderac release the full Kolat Edition proxies in PDF on their official site [Mirror], and now they have also released a printable pre-built deck for each Clan.

Get more information by downloading the The Free Decks Flyer [Mirror].

What pre-built decks are included?
Crab Clan Berserkers [Mirror]
Crane Clan Honor Dueling [Mirror]
Dragon Clan Military Dueling [Mirror]
Lion Clan Tacticians [Mirror]
Mantis Clan Scouts [Mirror]
Phoenix Clan Military Shugenja [Mirror]
Scorpion Clan Ninja [Mirror]
Spider Clan Commanders [Mirror]
Unicorn Clan Commanders [Mirror]

Spread the voice.

Welcome to my first post that is inspired by a request from the Coqui Community. Yoritomo Toshiro wrote:

“After thinking about this, forgetting and then just now remembering this thread. I think if there’s something I would really like to see is someones view on the way the Great Clans are heading.”

Well, Toshiro, I will be honoring your request with my views of all the clans going into Emperor Edition. I do so with the warning that I have always been a firm Dragon player. My knowledge of the other clans and their dealings is that of an outsider so I will not pretend to be an expert. Still, if this posts begins discussions on this matter then it will be valuable. I will be establishing what I see for each clan going into Emperor Edition as well as what I would like to see happen. I invite the players of these clans to respond to this post and add in your own perceptions and opinion to this question.

I will be dividing my analysis into parts. In honor of Toshiro I will begin with the three Great Clans represented by bugs: the Mantis, Scorpion, and Spider.

Mantis – With the Empire expanding overseas the importance of the Mantis clan becomes even greater. There has not been a gaijin invasion from the seas in a very long time but now that Rokugan is opening up it is a very real possibility which will become the responsibility of the Mantis. Trade is about to receive the greatest change in the history of the Empire with these new markets that are being opened up and the Mantis figure to be in the fore front of clans looking to expand their fortunes. We could be looking at an all out economic war the scale of which the Empire has never seen before. Will the Mantis be victorious?

     What I would like to see: Three words: Giant Freaking Monster. I would love to see a previously unknown giant monster rise from the ocean and challenge the Mantis and the rest of the empire with its sheer power. Yes, I want to see Godzilla in Rokugan!

Scorpion -The Scorpion’s biggest concern is the new Festering Pit they have in their territories. This is not only a problem because of the obvious Shadowlands issues but also because it attracts the attention of the rest of the Empire. The distrust people have of this clan is only bound to get greater as whispers spread of maybe the Taint getting dominion over them. The alliance with the Crab is an interesting one because of its newness but also very necessary for the Scorpions and one has to figure that fact that they are now dependent on another clan has to bother them a little bit. Will this alliance grow or fail epically? Having a sociopath as a leader will not help in that although, I have to admit, it is awesome. Finally, the Crane figure to want to take advantage of the Scorpion’s weakness by strengthening their hold on the courts. The Scorpion thus find themselves facing great danger at every turn. This clan, however, tends to thrive in tough situations.

     What I would like to see: The Scorpion need to learn how to swim. They have a big, tainted, hole in their lands and right now they are dependent on the Crab in dealing with it. I doubt the Scorpion will be happy with this arrangement for long and they will begin trying to gain the knowledge and leverage they need to be able to fully protect themselves from the new Festering Pit without the help of anyone else. During this process of learning, however, one would assume that some Scorpion will be fully taken by the lure of the taint. I would like to see some of these lost Scorpion return one of the classic villains in L5R history for a second round against the Empire. I would like to see the return of Yogo Junzo.

Spider – The Spider represent the biggest question mark in the new Empire as they represent the newest clan. The central question they face is how to balance their Shadowlands past with the present. The margin by which the Spider became a clan was a very slim one and one has to wonder just how much support to truly be a clan of the Empire will there be. This new nature creates a bit of an identity crisis for the Spider in that their one solid job, to conquer in Iweko’s name, is one that is done outside their Empire. Their role inside the Empire is still very much in question. As a Dragon player I know first hand that an identity crisis is not something that is easily resolved. Will the Spider flounder like the Dragon from one failed concept to another or will they be able to seize their destiny and carve out a place for themselves? Going to be an interesting could of years for the Spider.

     What I would like to see: Sending the tainted Spider to go out and conquer in the name of Rokugan is a very short sighted decision by Iweko which has great potential of backfiring on the Empire. The first impression that a lot of these new lands will have of Rokugan will be the tainted conquerors of the Spider and this initial contact will surely have a negative impact on future relations between Rokugan and these other people. This creates the potential for some very interesting decisions that the Spider and the other clans of the Empire will need to make when dealing with their holdings outside Rokugan. I would like to see these politics become a real part of the game.

Please feel free to discuss!

In two weeks: The Kitty and the Birds

]]> http://voices.coquilegion.org/2012/01/emperor-edition-clans-of-the-empire-part-i-the-bugs/feed/ 0 http://voices.coquilegion.org/2012/01/he-age-of-the-dark-dragons-hitomis-evil/ http://voices.coquilegion.org/2012/01/he-age-of-the-dark-dragons-hitomis-evil/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:43:46 +0000 Hitomi Shujyo http://2.189 Hitomi stood on the walls of the structure once known as Kyuden Togashi looking down at the work being done. Her monks busily removed all traces of Togashi from the structure. From this moment on it would be known as Kyuden Hitomi, a new name for a new order and a new purpose. Those that remained had taken her name and her goals, those that had refused had left days ago. Those who stubbornly tried to protect the Togashi artifacts were currently being thrown into a funeral pyre. The scene brought a smile upon her face as she symbolically rid herself of the influence of Togashi while beginning her vengeance against him at the same time. His bastard son had escaped but she was confident she would soon be holding his heart in her obsidian hand.

Her gaze turned toward her right as she saw Kokujin walk towards her. His face demonstrated great satisfaction of what was being done. While most feared or ignored her he had enough daring to attempt to manipulate her during her confused state. Such daring made him useful to her although she would need to educate him that she would no longer be manipulated.

“Kokujin, it is time to take me to the location you promised.” She said sternly.

Happy new year everyone! I hope the Year of the (Dark) Dragon is a great one! We continue on with our study of the Age of the Dark Dragons with a look at the lady of the hour herself, Hitomi.

The point where everything changes in this alternate Hidden Emperor lies within the mind of Hitomi. According to Ree, the Dark Dragon Hitomi was destined to be one of the big villains in the Hidden Emperor saga and likely “Final Boss” in video game terms. She was going to go beyond the influences of Togashi, the Obsidian Hand, and Kokujin and establish her own goals, her own ambition. The removal of the Togashi order at the beginning of the story clearly demonstrated the direction she was going and now we will be developing an idea as to where she would have ended up. Perhaps the best way to understand the differences in her mind would be to compare her to the other evil Hitomi, the one from the One Thousand Years of Darkness set.

The main difference between that has to be taken into account between two Hitomi’s is that the 1KYOD Hitomi never absorbed Togashi’s power. This makes the 1KYOD Hitomi not have the difficulties that the DD Hitomi had since that one only had one ancient power influencing her mind while the DD Hitomi had to deal with both the Obsidian Hand and Togashi in her mind which easily explains how she could be influenced by someone like Kokujin. Perhaps this calmer mind is what leads 1KYOD Hitomi to be a relatively quiet figure in that storyline. She just stayed in the Dragon Mountains and watched until Yakamo decided to visit and they killed each other in battle which is kind of an anti-climactic end to that figure considering that all of the events in that story were directly her fault. It was her choice not to remove the 12^th Black Scroll that gave Fu Leng his victory. The DDHE would not just simply sit back and watch. She would be active. Perhaps the presence of influences of Togashi and the Obsidian Hand countered each other and allowed her exert herself over both.

So, why did Hitomi turn evil in this version of Hidden Emperor? Ree did not tell me the specific reasoning but I believe the answer can be found in 1KYOD Hitomi’s decision. Her decision not to remove the 12^th Black Scroll was an act of defiance, betraying the fact that she knew she was being made to suffer by Togashi. All her life Hitomi had been a pawn of fate and made to suffer from it. She had her happy life torn from her along with her beloved older brother. She had to suffer a fruitless vendetta against a man she would never be allowed to kill. She never married, never had an opportunity to continue on her line due to that obsession. Finally, and perhaps worse of all she was sentence to bear the hand of an ancient evil. All of this was placed upon her by her own Champion. In a perfect world a samurai would silently take all those hits knowing it was her duty to do so and the Dark Dragon Hitomi did not fail her duty like her 1KYOD counterpart did. However, at the end, she was left totally alone, her mind an internal battlefield between the influence of the Obsidian Hand and of Togashi’s spirit, a cruel reward for someone who had sacrificed all for the Empire. It is not difficult to see how someone would turn evil. With her duty completed she would have the vengeance to all of those who had wronged her.

The Man who ended her happy life…

The Empire who had used and ridiculed her…

The Kami who sacrificed her…

The Heavens who used her…

Her anger focused her mind into retribution and conquest which allowed her to rise above the voices in her head and influences around her into making her own decisions. What would these decisions be? They begin in the place where the Sun and Moon actually set foot on the Earth.

It is clear that any good GM must spend hours preparing the adventure and researching the background. He must be ready to answer any question the players might come up with, and be ready to react to whatever unexpected decision his players throw at him.  Improvisation is important in every game, of course, but the game master must have a clear grasp of what is going to happen in an adventure so that he can give the right answers. If the players are to be given a choice of left or right, the GM must know what awaits them on each option, and what are the stats of the enemies they will be facing. This would not only make the GM’s life easier, but will also provide a cohesive world to the players, allowing the game to advance in a speedy way, since there will be no need for the GM to randomly roll on a table or look through a 150+ page book for the right enemy. Yes, there is no doubt that a good GM must be prepared.

And so, I have a confession to make, and I hope my players forgive me…

I am the worst GM ever.

Seriously, I am. I cannot remember the last time I took some time to prepare for an adventure. Yes, I take some time to read the books I’m using (usually 15 to 30 minutes before the adventure) and I have a myriad of possible long term goals for my campaigns; but 90% of the time I have no idea what is going to happen in the next 2 or 3 hours of game play (and of the remaining 10%, I’m wrong more than half the time). In other words, I am almost never prepared.

However, in the past few years of Game Mastering, I have come to realize that I enjoy being unprepared.  I revel in the constant uncertainty of not knowing what is to happen next. In a way, I enjoy being a player in my own game. I do not know how many times my players have realized that I am making things up as I go; but somehow, even as bad a GM as I am, they seem to be enjoying themselves… No harm no foul, right?

Now, I will never suggest you share the path of bad GMing with me (seriously, don’t, its better for your health if you are a prepared GM, trust me); but I thought that perhaps my experience could be useful to you. You know in the very unlikely chance that you end up unprepared one day.

If you end up in a situation in which you have no idea what adventure to use; these little tricks might help you hide how bad a GM you truly are:

• Always know what your are doing, especially if you have no idea what you are doing. It is important that your players never realize that you are making the story as you go. While some players might not care, you are bound to find one who have read an article about being a good GM once. So, whatever you do, never tell them you forgot to prepare the adventure. Start in the most recent scenario, and go with the flow.
• Always know your background story. If you are GMing a story-rich game like Legend of the Five Rings, it is most probable that you have read many stories and have a good understanding of the background. But, if your expertise is the Crab Clan, by the Kami, don’t improvise an adventure in the frozen mountains of the Dragon Clan. Stick to what you know, and you will be ok whenever the players ask you something.
• Always know your players. You already made one of the worst mistakes a GM could make by not being prepared; the very least you can do is have your players enjoy the adventure; so make sure they do what they enjoy doing.
• Name your Cities/NPCs. Since you are making up the story, there is no telling if that random NPC will become a major NPC in the near future, so always name them, and have the players write down their names. That way, the players will feel like they are truly part of a larger scheme; after all, the Prepared GM would not have given a name to a random NPC unless he has plans for him or his family…. right?
• Never roll on a random encounter table. They are truly useless. Not only do they tell your players you are not prepared, but they also do not help you come up with a story. Fighting a random zombie in a game of Caves and Reptiles might be a common occurrence, but in Rokugan there must be a reason for them to be there.
• Keep it simple. A complex story is great for an ongoing adventure, but unless you want the day in which you became a bad GM to affect the rest of your days, don’t over do it. The existence of a group of untainted trolls south of Unicorn lands could be an exciting adventure; but it will haunt you for the rest of the campaign. Instead, select an enemy that makes sense in the story as it is going. A random group of bandits could be easy to explain, but an Isawa Inquisitor, a Bitter Lies Swordsman and a Zombie working together will prove very difficult. (Of course a very bad GM could come up with an obscenely complex situation that would end up needing a complete made-up campaign to explain… not that I have done that before.)
• Keep the effect localized. If the party kills a random bandit group’s leader, they’ll get a few glory points and go on with their lives. So once you return to your regularly scheduled Good GM adventure, you can safely forget this day. If that bandit happens to be the next in line for the Otomo daimyoship… prepare for a few more weeks of being a bad GM.
• Always be prepared. That’s right, if you are going to be a bad GM and not prepare an adventure, you must be sure that you are ready to come up with one. Make sure you have all the books you are going to need and make sure you know (or have access to) the stats of all the enemies your players will face. It might sound contradictory, but believe me, its the only way it can work. As a bad GM, your mantra should always be: “I might be unprepared, but I am always ready to be a GM“.

Comments? Suggestions? Want to share your bad GM days? feel free to leave a message.

]]> http://voices.coquilegion.org/2011/12/the-case-of-the-unprepared-gm/feed/ 0 http://voices.coquilegion.org/2011/12/oni-no-real-life-aka-change-of-plans/ http://voices.coquilegion.org/2011/12/oni-no-real-life-aka-change-of-plans/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:16:35 +0000 Hitomi Shujyo http://2.150 Whose bright idea was it to have the second week of my analysis of the alternate history of Hidden Emperor be my finals week where I need to correct everything and turn in final grades!? Oh wait… that would be me. Damn. Well, I have had absolutely no time to sleep let alone finish my post this week so I will need to move it up to next week. Sorry about this everyone. I will get back to Evil Hitomi next week when things quiet down a lot.

Real life… the great scourge of the realms of fantasy.