The Glade 4.0

A few months ago I made this thread. It's sat for a bit while ideas have percolated.

I've been trying to think of how I would like to run the game. I'm using the roll & keep rules rather than the d20 rules, as there are a number of core mechanics that are handled awkwardly in d20. The flip side is that the base system does not lend itself well to a play-by-post game. In the L5R roll & keep system, you perform particularly difficult actions be declaring raises, however you do not benefit from raises unless you call them before you roll.

Think of it like this. In D&D, you threaten a critical hit on a natural 20, and then make a confirmation roll. If you do not roll a natural 20, you have a regular hit. You will threaten a critical hit 5% of the time you attack. Legend of the Five Rings does not work that way. You may score critical hits every time you swing. Prior to the attack roll, you declare a certain number of raises, let's say two. You now need to make a roll that has its difficulty increased by 10 (5 per raise). So if you needed a 15 to hit your opponent, you now need a 25. If you roll a 20, you miss. You do not hit, and you do not hit with one raise. You miss. If you roll a 30, you do not hit with three raises. You hit with the two that you called prior to the roll. It works a lot like power attack, except that raises can do more than add damage, and you can make raises on just about any roll.

Obviously, there is an incentive to roll first, find out how many raises you would have, and then simply wait to post the roll. Furthermore, non-D&D play-by-post games don't seem to work out very well in general. One could bring up Star Wars, but with the exception of one game, that has simply been space D&D.

I am not opposed to running this as a pbp, but there are bound to be significant delays given the nature of the game and the mechanics of raises. I will also be checking timestamps on rolls, Scorpion characters most especially.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

Much of what I'm about to relate can be found in the third edition D&D Oriental Adventures book, which is complete and total ***, but is at least something most of you have easy access to. The d20 Rokugan Campaign Setting book offers an account that's much more true to the setting, as it was actually written by people involved with the Legend of the Five Rings license.

In the time before man, the world was populated by other, stranger races who are all but gone today. In these early times, Lord Moon chased Lady Sun around the world for she was beautiful and he had fallen in love with her. One day, Lord Onnotangu happened to catch Lady Amaterasu, causing the world to become black as night in the middle of the day. During the first eclipse, ten children were conceived: Hantei, Hida, Doji, Togashi, Akodo, Shiba, Bayushi, Shinjo, and two others whose names are lost.

Lord Onnotangu soon grew jealous, as Lady Amaterasu would love her children more than she would ever love him, and swallowed his children one by one. Lady Sun wept for her children, and fed Lord Moon poisoned sake with each child he consumed. When the time came for him to eat his last child, Lord Moon was so addled that he was tricked into swallowing a stone instead, and so Hantei was spared. Lord Moon then fell asleep, and Hantei was trained as a warrior by the Celestial Dragons. When Lord Onnotangu awoke, he found his son fully grown and ready for battle. Their battle was fierce, and shook the Celestial Heavens, but in the end Hantei cut open his father and his brothers and sisters tumbled out - all but one, for the first child to be swallowed had been in Lord Moon's stomach so long that he had died.

As the children of the Sun and Moon tumbled out of their father's belly, they fell out of Tengoku. Enraged, Lord Moon grabbed his youngest son, determined that not all would escape him, but Hantei severed Lord Moon's hand with a mighty blow from his sword. The youngest child grabbed at Hantei's kimono as he fell, pulling his brother along with him, and so did the nine Kami fall to the earth. Lady Amaterasu wept as blood was spilled and her children were lost to her. From the tears of Lady Sun and the blood of Lord Moon sprung man.

The Kami landed near a place known today as Seppun Hill, all but the ninth who landed far to the south at the center of what was then the Nezumi homeland. His fall split the earth, causing him to land in Jigoku and allowing the realm of evil to bleed into the mortal realm of Ningen-do, creating the Shadowlands. The Kami believed him dead, like their brother who died in Lord Moon's stomach, and chose not to speak their names out of respect. As the Kami explored the mortal world, they agreed that mankind needed their protection and guidance. Each of them felt they were best suited to rule, and so began a great tournament on the site of their fall to the earth.

Hida, the strongest of the Kami, was the first to fall, defeated by the speed and skill of his sister, Shinjo. Bayushi tricked Shinjo and defeated her, but his twin brother Shiba, the wisest of the Kami, saw through his deceptions. Doji's elegance and grace defeated Shiba, but she fell before the might and courage of Akodo. Akodo fought and nearly slew his brother Hantei, when a ray of sunlight glinted off Hantei's blade and blinded him. It was then that Akodo realized that Hantei's skill was superior to his own, but that Hantei was willing to die before he would spill his brother's blood. Humbled, Akodo conceded their duel and Hantei became the first emperor of Rokugan. Togashi did not fight, for he already knew the outcome.

Also present at the Tournament of the Kami was a little monk known only as Shinsei, who spoke with each of the Kami after their defeat. Shiba in particular took an interest in Shinsei, memorizing his words and transcribing them so that all might one day know the Tao of Shinsei.

Under Hantei's rule, the Emerald Empire flourished. Beautiful Lady Doji gifted the people of Rokugan with culture, elegance, and law. The Great Clans began to form and Rokugan prospered. Their peace would be short-lived, for their ninth brother one day appeared in Hantei's court. He was twisted by his time and Jigoku, and would be known to mankind only as Fu Leng. The Dark Lord was hateful for being excluded from the tournament, and demanding his right to duel his brother for rulership of Rokugan. So began the first great War Against the Shadowlands. The battles were fierce, and Hantei himself was woudned. The Kami returned to Otosan Uchi to plan and decide their course of action, when Shinsei would reappear before them.

Shinsei insisted that mortal man must defeat Fu Leng. His idea seemed preposterous to the Kami, for how could mere mortals stand against the might of a god in the depths of his stronghold? According to the Little Teacher, "Fortune favors the mortal man," and so he convinced Hantei to accept his plan. the Seven Thunders were chosen, one from each of the Great Clans: Hida Atarasi, Doji Konishiko, Mirumoto, Matsu, Isawa, Shosuro, and Otaku. They journeyed into the depths of the Shadowlands with Shinsei and fought Fu Leng in what is now known as the Day of Thunder.

The battle was fierce, but in the end, Isawa bound Fu Leng's soul in the twelve Black Scrolls. They were hounded in their escape from the Shadowlands by the First Oni, and fell one by one. Warned of their danger by Isawa's students, and concerned that Shinsei not become lost to the Shadowlands, Shiba journeyed into the Shadowlands to look for them. Shiba arrived in time to save Shosuro and Shinsei, and slay the First Oni, but died of his wounds shortly upon returning to Rokugan.

When Shosuro returned carrying the Black Scrolls, Bayushi claimed their protection as his duty to his brother. Shinjo left Rokugan so that the people of the Emerald Empire might learn of any other outside threats. Akodo remained near Otosan Uchi to defend the emperor. Hida went south to become a mighty wall against the Shadowlands. A thousand years of peace began for the Emerald Empire.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

Any PCs will be ronin traitors who's parents followed Toturi's army during the Clan War, and escaped to the Islands of Silk and Spice after Glorious Hantei XXXIX's Day of Darkness, or newly risen Akodo following Toturi's bastard. This will limit the families and schools available. Tomorrow I will post a comprehensive listing of the Clans and families that are represented.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

Awesome

While the majority of the Crab was either Tainted or slain, many of them escaped with Toturi's Army. Hida Yakamo, the Crab Champion and Thunder was among them. All Crab families and schools are available.

After the death of Hoturi the Heartless, Daidoji Uji truly is the last Crane. As such, only the Daidoji family is available. Until such a time as Kyuden Doji and Shiro sano Kakita are recaptured, or the ruins of Shinden Asahina are recovered, the Kakita bushi, Doji courtier, and Asahina shugenja schools are lost.

Aside from ronin, the Dragon made up the bulk of Toturi's Army. All Dragon families and schools have survived, despite the Togashi family being consumed by the Lying Darkness. Togashi Hoshi is still alive, and capable of creating the ink the tattoo new Ise Zumi.

The Lion have always been the shield of the Emperor, and did not hesitate to swear fealty to Glorious Hantei XXXIX. Only the Akodo family, reborn through the naming of the Lying Darkness and led by Toturi's son Kaneka, is available. Both the Akodo and Toturi bushi schools are available, though the Toturi school would need to be updated from third edition rules.

The Mantis have never been granted Great Clan status in this timeline. Nonetheless, they are alive and well. All Mantis families and schools are available. Several of the minor Clans listed in the Book of Water are also available as part of the Mantis alliance.

The Phoenix suffered terrible losses during the aftermath of the Clan War. The Agasha family and their shugenja school survived, as they were part of the Dragon Clan during this time, and the events that caused the Agasha to leave the Dragon would not have happened in this timeline. The Asako family was destroyed. The Shiba and Isawa families have survived, but only barely, through any children of Tsukune and Tadaka. The Shiba bushi and Isawa shugenja schools are fully intact, as Tadaka has recognized the dire need for the Isawa teachings to continue. Shiba Tsukune has likewise seen to the training of yojimbo for Tadaka's students.

The Scorpion were officially banished from Rokugan prior to the Clan War. They are well accustomed to operating in the shadows, and have continued on just fine. All Scorpion families and schools will be available.

The Unicorn still exist, but where Toturi's Army fled to the east, the Unicorn went west. None of the Unicorn families and schools are available.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

I'll take a stab at Akodo, Shigeru, a Lion Clan, Akodo Bushi tactician in training. A follower of Toturi's eldest son.

Okay, I now have two people with characters.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.