Rainy Days are here again - Another L5R 4e Campaign?

[Rain Yupa]

While there was some intermingling between Legend of the Five Rings and Dungeons and Dragons, L5R does in fact have its own system - one I find superior to any D&D edition. The 4th edition is the current/latest edition, but it has still been out for a while so there's still plenty of material to pull from.

However, one thing about the system is you really only need the core book. Yes, there's other playable options to play, but for the most part the other books are 'feats' and 'prestige classes', to compare apples to oranges.

It's very easy to make two samurai of the same exact clan, family and school ('race' and 'class') completely different. smile  

[PupSage]

Rain Yupa

While there was some intermingling between Legend of the Five Rings and Dungeons and Dragons, L5R does in fact have its own system - one I find superior to any D&D edition. The 4th edition is the current/latest edition, but it has still been out for a while so there's still plenty of material to pull from.

However, one thing about the system is you really only need the core book. Yes, there's other playable options to play, but for the most part the other books are 'feats' and 'prestige classes', to compare apples to oranges.

It's very easy to make two samurai of the same exact clan, family and school ('race' and 'class') completely different. smile

Yeah, I did some research today, not a lot that I found, but seems a little like world of darkness, which is my favorite system ever.  

[Paidi tou Selini]

Plainsfox

#2) Kitsuki Himura
A duelist and yojimbo who had a penchant for silly haikus. When Iweko was much younger, Himura performed a duel that saved her life and her career.

Bardic duelist? This totally has my vote. And totally my charrie's father, if the idea passes.  

[Plainsfox]

I'll try to expand it into a full proposal then.

Clan: Dragon (Run of the mill, as far as honor goes. It's equally possible for them to do high honor and low honor things...as they wish.)

School: Bushi (although it can be modified to either courtier or shugenja as wished)

Kitsuki Himura was once a young duelist of the Dragon clan in the latter part of the 12th century. Himura tried to lighten the burden of his fellow family members and charges by making the silliest and either most groan inducing or laugh inducing haikus he could imagine. During one winter court, a Mantis braggart sought to sully the reputation of Iweko Miaka. Himura offered his blade in defense of the young girl before he even knew what he was doing. In a similar flash of instinct, Himura cut down the Mantis braggart in an honorable duel before all the assembled courtiers. The young Kitsuki earned his family a favor from the Empress and her family that they would honor to the best of their abilities.

Himura kept this favor for many years. His desires were that of a typical samurai. To serve his lord to the best of his abilities. It was only during his long service in the colonies that he found a glimmer of something more. There was an island off the coast of the ruined Ivory Kingdom named the Blessing of the Sun by the first Rokugan explorers. The desire to protect this place passed down throughout his family and when word was given that the Dragon clan was going to give this island to the Mantis, Himura's daughter Haruka remembered the favor given to her father and plead her case before the Emperor. The Emperor acquiesced to the favor and bestowed upon her the family name of Himura in honor of her father.


Edit: Lots of edits making things work ><  

[Rain Yupa]

A rough timeline I'm working with, based on actual metaplot.

• Kitsuki Iweko became Daimyo of the Kitsuki family in 1167.
  
• Kitsuki Iweko won the Celestial Tournament in 1170, ascending to the position of Divine Empress, beginning a new royal family and the Iweko dynasty.
  
• Iweko married Akodo Setai in 1171.
  
• The Destroyer War lasts from 1171-1173, ending with the death of Fu Leng and Kali-Ma, and Daigotsu ascends to the position of Master of Jigoku. The Spider Clan becomes a Great Clan.
  
• ~1175, Iweko Seiken, son and first child of Iweko, is born.
  
• ~1178, Iweko Shibatsu, son and second child of Iweko, is born. He is fostered to the Spider Clan, as part of an arrangement.
  
• ~1181, Iweko Miaka, daughter and third child of Iweko, is born.
  
• ~1197, Iweko Miaka is married off into a Great Clan, losing her status as Imperial Princess.
  
• 1198, Iweko Shibatsu returns to the Imperial City.
  
• 1199, Iweko I goes into seclusion to contemplate which of her sons will be her heir.

While Iweko I can rule for a bit longer (she is still aging, but not as quickly as a normal mortal would), but I suspect she is no longer Empress by the time your Minor Clan is created. Either Shibatsu or Seiken have become Iweko II, probably sometime between 1200 and 1210.

I have a timeline in my head of what happens from 1200 on, but I won't impose any of it unless any decisions you make do not directly affect the going-ons of the Imperial Family. I'll share it if it does ever come to that.

So when the game begins (est 1250, but I can see it as early as 1230 if need be), keep in mind that Iweko is probably no longer Empress - that is, unless you guys need her to be until a certain year.

The point of putting it decades after the 'present' in the metaplot, is to have a clean slate. You are raised in a Minor Clan, with understandings of the ways of the samurai, but the politics of the entire Empire will be new to you once exposed to it, which is going to be your first Winter Court as envoys. 3nodding

You will either be REALLY little, or born soon after, the Minor Clan was created. smile So the Minor Clan will have to be around for a little bit until you pass your Gempukku, at least. I'd bet on a 20-year anniversary for your yet-undecided Clan smile  

[Raganui Minamoto]

I'm beginning to think of a poetic bushi founder as interesting.

As for style of game, I could do any, though if we do more spiritual... hey Rain, would Togashi Monks (the dragon monks) be allowed, cause that'd be what I would like to run if we were doing the more spiritual type of thing.  

[Rain Yupa]

What will be "allowed" depends heavily on what kind of Minor Clan you guys create, honestly.

Like, if it was a mirror of the Badger Clan, probably not, because they aren't known for their spirituality. That kind of stuff.

What your founder did, and where he came from, will strongly influence your options to begin with. I can't even begin to guess what that may be.

Know, that there are regular Monk options as well, and they aren't to be scoffed at.  

[PupSage]

Dragon seems like the popular choice.

Personally I would rather play a courtier or shugenja than a bushi, but thats me.  

[Paidi tou Selini]

Nothing to say we have to have a role-exclusive minor clan. We wouldn't have a dedicated school anyway, right? Courtiers will practically be a necessity, especially for starting out.

Rain Yupa

They will effectively be the "second generation", so your parents will still come from assorted other clans, giving an illusion of a mixed-party group.

Case in point, we don't even need to all be from the same clan. Your characters' parents could easily have been attracted to this cause from somewhere else.  

[Rain Yupa]

Ms. Selini's got it right smile

But concerning a preference from Raga earlier, it still depends on who the minor clan is. A daimyo most likely wouldn't let a sensai of one of their schools leave so easily, since they have a rather important duty. So you won't have unlimited access to any school in your clan. As far as Bushi and Courtiers go, your parents can probably teach you the "basics", but nothing above Rank 1. They'd have to curry favors with their old clans to hook you up - probably best represented with the Different School advantage. But then, it's even limited.

For example, if your Minor Clan stems from a Lion samurai with Lion values, you would not be able to Different School into a Scorpion or Crane clans.

Shugenja and Monks (Tattooed, Henshin) will be trickier. Those aren't easily handed down without a proper instructor, so your options will be limited even further by that if you wanted to go down those routes. Different School advantage, and a Major (possibly Minor) Obligation disadvantage would be in your future, quite possibly.

Nothing is set in stone right now though, until everything else is first. So some of this information may change.  

[Rain Yupa]

So is Kitsuki Haruka, Dragon Clan duelist, going to be the founder of your Minor Clan? Or does someone wish to propose another option?  

[Plainsfox]

*votes "Aye"*

Would be pretty awkward if I voted no, eh?  

[Paidi tou Selini]

Still has my vote~  

[PupSage]

Sure