>>52474763
>>52458586
>As the Lion withdrew Toshiro and I went and found the others.
>We found them staging an impromptu Shibari session, with the Karo as the star of the show.
>Kitsuki-san was just requesting the use of a few very specific Eta.
>Ren was there.
>There was something almost comical about the boy wearing a full suit of armor.
>Cerimonial, of course. No way the Crane Lord would actually fight.
>But I could see that it would indeed keep him fairly safe from stray arrows.
>My respect for Kakita Ren shot up several notches. It's not often a pampered lord, born into the Kuge, knows how much his mere presence on the field can bolster the morale of his troops.
>Why Tenkai? Why did you betray father like that? Betray me?
>Tenkai just sat there, tied up in the manner befitting the worst sort of criminal, rather than a Karo.
>Ren stared for a moment.
>Then composed himself, donning once again the mantel of Lordship
>You mean that you will need the toturers, Kitsuki-san, yes? You will have them.
>Just remember, I must have his confession on what he did to Father.
>You will, my Lord. I promise.
>Take him away.
>In Rokugan once enough testimony has been gathered to ascertain a persons's guilt, they must then confess to their crime before they can be punished.
>Any means may be taken to illicit the confession.
>We already know they are guilty, after all.
>Samurai, however, do not conduct the torture themselves. It is an unclean business.
>So the handle the actual application of pain until the guilty party admits their crime.
>I knelt down next to Tenkai, and looked him in the eyes.
>You see that elegant looking gentleman over there?
>I nodded to Toshiro.
>You know he's a Shugenja? He's got some magic that I've seen him use to bring back form the brink of death.
>You're gonna have a good time.
>Toshiro grinned.
>I'll get the rats.
>I grinned as well.
>So I have to get the wasabi this time?
>Yeah.

>>52474770
>>52474763

Woohoo, more Crab gooodness!

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>>52474763

>>52474763
>we were bluffing.
>Naomi was a much, much better healer than Toshiro.
>And didn't I just say Samurai do not commit torture themselves?
>But Crab do a lot of things Samurai aren't supposed to.
>We were betting on the false perceptions of Crabs being brutes no better than the Ogres they fought to lend credence our little game.
>Niether Toshiro, nor myself, had any idea how you might torture someone with rats and wasabi.
>But neither did the Crane.
>His imagination did the work for us.
>He broke down then and there, blubbering like a little girl.
>I found it much more satifisying to break him with a few well placed words, then to allow him to stoicly endure the torture of a few Eta for a bit.
>And besides, we needed infomation of the rest of his cell; every second we wasted with him was another they had to attempt to escape us.
>He coughed it all up.
>Tenkai was the only Samurai in the cell in this city.
>He had several peasant servants as his subordinates, they doubled as a spy network.
>Nothing occured in the palace, or city for that matter, that he did not know about.
>The former Lord Kakita Hosokawa had grown suspicious of his Karo of late.
>Hosokawa had realized the implications of some of the edicts that Tenkai had proposed. >Tenkai decided to kill him before Hosokawa learned the truth.
>Tenkai WAS a bloodspeaker.
>And he did have monthly meetings with other bloodspeakers from the surrounding areas.
>They were Samurai, he knew that much.
>But not who they were, where they lived. >Everyone wore masks and used fake names.
>These meetings were run by one man everyone knew not to cross. It was he that set up the meeting between Tenkai and Matsu Banjaku.
>As far as Tenkai knew, Matsu Banjaku was just a tool they had made use of. Banjaku had no idea the nest of vipers he had fallen in with.

So we have disloyal Lions who don't know they're being disloyal and will thus we impossible to reason with
great

>>52475078
>We were able to round up the servants easily enough. Including the Eta Tenkai had used to reanimate Hosokawa's body.
>Oh, and the cook himself added the poison to the Lord's sushi.
>Though the cook was just a patsy. Bribed with large sum of money.
>which the Karo simply took back once the cook was executed (on his suggestion, of course)
>We ransacked Tenkai's room, finding his maho scrolls. We burned them all.
>Tenkai and all his followers were all executed
>crimes as heinous as his did not allow for the option of Seppuku.
>Tenkai screamed and pleaded as they lashed him to the cross.
>It was quite pathetic.
>Naomi could not bear this part of her duty as a Jade Magistrate, so Toshiro oversaw it all in her stead.
>The rest of us made polite excuses about her health.
>No one questioned it.
>As we made ready to leave, the Daidoji came to see us off.
>The young Lord is quite busy, and so unable to see you off himself
>But he wishes to convey his gratitude to you for all that you have done for us.
>I do as well. You did not have to stay when the Lion attacked. If not for your actions, Tenkai's plot would have succeeded.
>Know that should you ever require anything, the Lord will do all in his power to see that you get it.
>We all exchanged surprised glances
>The favor of one so highly placed could go a very long way indeed. We would need to be careful not to squander it.
>We set off, still in pursuit of any customers who had possibly been tainted by the bog hags, but now knowing we had to be on the lookout for bloodspeaker cells all over the area.
>The Mantis spoke up about that.
>Anyone else find it odd that we went years without dealing with tainted things and maho, and now suddenly they're crawling out of the woodwork.
>The Monkey rolled over a stone on the side of the path.
>Grubs swarmed underneath it.
>You'd be amazed what you can find if you just look under a few rocks.
>I closed my eyes and refused to believe the Monkey had just been wise on purpose.

>>52475312
Sort of. Akodo, Kami and founder of the Lion Clan, wrote the book on strategy. Called Akodo's Leadership (Basicly it's just The Art of War under a different name)

But a Hantei emperor, I forget which, declared the work heretical. Because it talked about deception in warfare, lying is dishonarable, and Akodo was an honorable samurai.

That's how you end up with this odd disconnect between what everyone THINKS Lion generals are like, and what most really ARE like.

Many are very rigid, and the only strategy they really employ is FLOW LIKE WATER! (Outnumber them and swarm)

However, higher and higher ranked Lion are allowed to read secret copies of leadership, ones that haven't been abridged to hell and back. The champion gets the full text.

So it's not all THAT uncommon for a high ranking Lion to do the kinds of things Banjaku did. Like Akodo said: protracted war serves no one. Banjaku just fell in with the wrong crowd.

That said, being duped into a crime is still dishonorable, and shamefull. Not so bad as committing one, but the sheer severity of associating with a Maho Tsukai means that Banjaku will likely commit seppuku to cleanse the shame.

>>52475482
Huh. Well, I guess that's something. It kinda seemed like Lions were deliberately dumb so they could be the 8 int fighter and give Crane a chance, but I don't actually know anything about the setting.

>>52475482
The more I hear about the setting, the more I feel compelled to read up on it. Are there any books in particular that hit upon the important points of the lore and setting? What is a good starting point?

The only downside I can see to actually playing this is I have a slight aversion to playing "justice MUST be dealt without hesitation" characters. But I guess that just comes from playing an honorable samurai, unless you are like Naomi in this story and have a party willing to do the dirty work for you.

>>52475482
I was talking less about Lion being honorable, and more to do with them being loyal to the point of stupidity.

Like, remember the Thousand Years of Darkness alt-history setting? Remember when The Emperor was possessed by Fu-Leng that one Lion said that just because the Emperor is satan doesn't mean you get to be disloyal?
Yeah

>>52475602
>I have a slight aversion to playing "justice MUST be dealt without hesitation" characters
Play a Scorpion. Justice will be done at some point in the future, when it is most apt and most brutal.

>>52475377
>We next arrived at a town called Sweet Sake Village.
>And were treated to quite a scene as soon as we entered.
>an eta was pulling a cart with a half dozen bodies wrapped in straw mats.
>Ashigaru escorted him.
>Not yoriki, but full blow peasant soldiers in armor.
>The Monkey asked a nearby ricecake monger what was going on.
>More people killed in the pillow district.
>The Monkey had a nack for putting peasants at ease. They often spoke to him quite plainly.
>Pillow district?
>Yeah, you know. Pillow district.
>The ricecake monger made a lewd gesture.
>Ah.
>Three days now, a few die every night.
>The magistrate is tearing her hair out in frustration!
>You can see she's called in Ahsigaru from the Lord to help patrol the streets.
>I see. Thanks. Two please.
>HAI! Right away great samurai!
>Naomi shook her head sadly, then clapped her hands in prayer.
>When she had finished she eplained
>I was praying that our first clues that something is amiss stop being bodies.
>I said a little prayer of my own, that my Hana-chan's heart never grow accustomed to death.
>We headed to the local Magistrates office.
>Another Doji, she looked at us in surprise.
>Naomi spoke up
>I am Hida Naomi, this is Kuni Toshiro, and our Yojimbo and Yoriki.
>She and Toshiro showed their chops
>We are Jade Magistrates.
>I am Doji Megumi, What buisiness do Jade Magistrates have with me?
>This is a... delicate subject. May we speak privately?
>Of course.
>Tatsuki poured tea while Naomi explained why we were there.
>We uncovered a coven of Bog Hags not far from here.
>BOG HAGS?!
>They are real?
>Hai, very.
>These Bog Hags had taken the skins of several geisha.
>The Doji's eyes said she did not like where this was going.
>The were, in fact running a Geisha house.
>It may be possible, then, that they spread the taint to some of their unknowing customes.
>So we traveling to warn nearby towns and cities to be on the lookout for possibly tainted individuals coming in.

>>52475703
Yeah, Honor can be wierd like that. L5R is a game about samurai drama, where doing the right thing and doing the smart thing often conflict. Sometimes the right thing, the smart thing, and the honorable thing are ALL different things as well, just to really twist the knife.

But yeah, Lion are known for being the most rigid of the high Honor Clans. And Roku was one of those kind.

>>52476036
>Naomi-san, you said these people would not know they had been tainted yet?
>Hai. So you may speak with the monks of the area. They have already been made aware of the situation and are prepared to revive those who may have been tainted.
>Toshiro spoke up.
>There is a simple test to discover taint. Simply touch a piece of jade to the bare skin of a person. Jade will burn those who have been corrupted by Jigoku.
>The Doji nodded.
>I see. I will make arrangements at once. An outbreak of taint is the last thing I need.
>Toshiro spoke again.
>About that.
>The deaths are occuring in the 'pillow district'?
>The Doji looked up sharply, then nodded again.
>We think your problem there may be related to ours.
>What do you mean, Kuni Toshiro-san?
>Toshiro coughed.
>To be blunt: A samurai contracts the taint visiting geisha in one city, enters another city and succumbs to it while visiting other geisha... or engaging in lower pursuits.
>The Doji pursed her lips and considered Toshiro's words.
>Then you intend to investigate these killings?
>We do.
>You have been, blunt Allow me to do the same.
>Thank you. I will take all the help I can at this point. I have been unable to find any witnesses. It seems everyone who sees the killer dies.
>I sent Yoriki to patrol the district the second night. 5 of them died.
>I was forced to ask for Ashigaru.
>I do not like having armed soldiers patrolling the streets of my city.
>Naomi nodded.
>I understand Doji Megumi-san. Rest assured, my Yoriki here is quite talented.
>Naomi indicated Kitsuki-san
>even if this matter turns out to be unrelated to our mandate as Jade Magistrates, I have no doubt we will find something of use to you.
>Now, can you recommend an inn?
>We got settled into our rooms then sat down to discuss our course of action.
>I started it.
>The simplest plan would be to join in the patrols at night, don't you think?
>The Mantis objected.
>Would rather not take on that killer without knowing anything about it.

>>52476523
>The Monkey spoke up.
>What's one tainted letch gonna be able to do to us anyway?
>Toshiro answered him.
>It may be more than one.
>I thought the taint spread slowly?
>On it's own yes. But the weak willed or foolish may choose to use the power of Jigoku, speeding the process up quite rapidly.
>I knew what Toshiro was thinking.
>The Shadowlands Madmen.
>When most people think of those consumed by the taint, if they think of them at all, they imagine monstrous warriors and impossibly beautiful courtiers.
>But for every person who gains great power from the taint, many more are reduced to little more than slavering beasts.
>They wander in packs, attacking anything that moves, heading towards the shadowlands until they are destroyed.
>Those that make it to the shadowlands often become food for the larger and more powerfull denizens of that place.
>We hadn't reached that point, just yet though.
>A pack of madmen would have been found and destroyed already.
>But it was well within the realm of possibility.
>The Monkey spoke again.
>But Megumi-sama already investigated. No witnesses, no clues.
>Toshiro and I exchanged glances.
>He nodded.
>we stood.
>We're going to go look into something.
>Wait here until we get back.
>Ishigaki-kun?
>Don't ask. Please.
>We went to the magistrates.
>I aproached Doji Megumi
>We just thought of something we need to check. Do you have someplace where you keep the bodies until their families come to claim them?
>Megumi betrayed no distaste at the subject.
>Yes.
>She was also unwilling to speak about it more than absolutely necessary.
>Good.
>It is possible for the taint to enter a body through wounds. We would like to make sure this has not happened.
>Doji Megumi nodded and pointed to where the bodies where kept.
>Toshiro and I entered the small building.
>The bodies were there, wrapped up in tatami.
>I closed the door and turned my back. Watching for anyone coming, and giving Toshiro his privacy.
>He got out his tools.

>>52477069
>Dead flesh is taboo in Rokugan
>Touching it, even accidentally, taints ones soul.
>You must then undergo ritual purification as quickly as possible. If you die unclean, you will be reborn as an Eta.
>A warrior covered head to toe in the blood of their enemies is not tainted, per se.
>Though you must cleanse yourself after the battle, you have covered yourself in glory, and Samurai are warriors, after all.
>In their effort to understand the nature of our Clan's eternal foe, the Kuni have developed some unsavory techniques.
>They have learned how to investigate dead bodies, to see how they work, and to learn what killed them. In this way they help the Kaiu prepare more effective weapons, and the rest of us to develop techniques to kill quickly and efficiently.
>They call it 'Autopsy'
>There are no secrets among the Crab. Secrets are for Scorpion and Oni.
>But there are some things even we will not speak openly about.
>Ever.
>Toshiro performed his autopsy.
>He returned the body to it's resting place.
>I accompanied him to a temple where he purified himself, then a bathhouse without saying a word.
>Once we had finished bathing he spoke.
>They were torn with claws, not weapons.
>But none of those wounds were tainted.
>In fact, the claw wounds were not fatal.
>I'm not certain what killed them.
>As we made our way back to the inn, the streets cleared for us.
>Since he had bathed, Toshiro's face was on full display.
>I had a nasty scar on my face, in the shape of an X. The lines met above my nose, between my eyes.
>Toshiro's face was a twisted mess, almost a lump of raw meat. The Oni that did that to him spit acid.
>I scowled at the disrespect shown to my friend as people hurried away from him.
>We returned to the inn so he could reapply his face paint.
>Because Toshiro was nothing if not polite.

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>>52477342
Two in the morning. Good night everyone. Saturday evenings are my weekly /tg/ game night. Last week forever GM was feeling unwell, and the game got postponed, but as far as I know we're on schedule for tomorrow, so I'll about getting some more posted in the early afternoon.

>>52477396
Fortunes bless you, crab-anon.

>>52477396
What game are y'all playing?

>>52477396
Goodnight, thank you, and please pass our enthusiasm for your story on to your group.

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Still working on these.
My irl has fallen apart this week, but so far, so archived.

The other anon was working on a collection as well.

>>52474763
Huzzah!

>>52479161
Thank you, Library anon.

Here's an archived link to the previous thread
http://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/52364366/

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>>52477532
We're currently engaged in a game of Warhamer Fantasy (Fantasy Flight edition with all the cards and tokens and crap) all dorf party.

I'm playing a Slayer who took his oath because he got so drunk he mistook the thanes son for the thane's daughter and hit on him/her/it.

To be fair to Thorgrim, the thane's son is a little bitch.

>>52477342
>We returned to the others. Toshiro told them what he knew
>The victims were killed with claws, not blades. However none of their injuries should have been fatal so the killer, or killers claws must have some dark power. Be mindful of this when we confront them.
>The Mantis coked his head.
>How did you figure that out?
>Toshiro ignored him
>Hey, I asked you how you know that!
>I looked at the Mantis and shook my head.
>He glanced back and forth between me and Toshiro, then looked at Naomi. But when he saw she was just as confused he let it drop.
>No, I could not tell even Naomi.
>In the first place, it was not my place to speak of it. It was Toshiro's.
>In the second, Naomi had not been born a Crab. She could never understand just how far we would go to succeed.
>To a proper Samurai, failure is unacceptable. Most Samurai who fail in some important task will commit seppuku in shame.
>To a proper samurai, death and failure are not the same thing, however.
>While Matsu Roku had failed to take the Crane palace, all the Lion samurai who died did so with honor. They went before their ancestors in glory, not shame.
>Crabs cannot afford to think like that.
>We have no choice BUT to succeed.
>The consequences should we fail are to dire.
>All else must be sacrificed in the name of victory, so that the empire may know peace for just one more day.
>This is why I was acutally quite pleased we had become Jade Magistrates.
>We would have many oportiunites to adress the things that might have managed slip past my Clan.
>Kitsuki-san coughed to clear the tension from the air.
>Very well then. You said you do not for certain what killed them Toshiro-sama, but do you have some suspicion as to the nature of the power?
>Perhaps some measures we can take to safeguard ourselves?
>Toshiro considered this.
>They did seem low on blood, but that could just be from the wounds leaking as the bodies were handled. I can't say for certain if that's what happened.

>>52482396
>The Monkey ticked off the list on his fingers.
>Sneaky fucks
>Claws
>Maybe drains blood
>Anything else?
>Toshiro shook his head.
>Tatsuki surpised us by speaking up.
>you guys do this sort of thing all the time? Fighting monsters like this?
>uh, great samurai.
>Fortunatley for her, Kitsuki-san was the only one who might have objected to her adressing samurai out of turn. Toshiro and I were not ones to stand on propriety to begin with, Naomi too kind, the Monkey was just oblivious to the difference in station, and the Mantis seemed to truly enjoy her company.
>So Kitsuki-san ignored the breach of etiqute as the Mantis answered.
>Yeah. We're samurai, after all. We're supposed to make sure our farmers can grow our food in peace.
>Tatsuki stared. I think it was safe to say she saw samurai in a new light.
>We all made ready to go out on patrol that evening.
>Kituski-san suggested we look around the pillow district first, to get familiar with the streets, so we could respond quickly no matter where the killer struck.
>I worried about taking Naomi to such a place, but she insisted she would be fine.
>So off to look around then.
>The pillow district was, as far as red lantern areas go, very low class.
>Opium addicts and drunkards lay sprawled about openly and without shame.
>Women and men, some terribly unatractive, hawked their bodies to everyone who passed by.
>These were common whores, not geisha.
>And everywhere you cared to look street thugs stood about in groups or sauntered down the street, getting a wide berth from the others.
>As expected from the lands of the Crane, Sweet Sake Village had a real problem with vice and people of low character.
>It seemed the best Doji Megumi could manage was to keep it contained to a single district.
>The toughs who had previously owned the street made way for us however.
>Though I could feel hostile stares from the side streets and alleyways.

>>52482669

>So they would not pick a fight openly with saumrai.
>Wise.
>If they did that, there would no doubt be swift and harsh retribution.
>However, the prickling between my shoulders warned me that if they thought they could kill us without being being seen, they would.
>We shouldn't move alone in this place. I can feel their killing intent.
>Kitsuki-san agreed.
>I had noticed that myself. The people here seem quite resentful of Samurai.
>The Monkey looked around.
>I wonder why? I'll try and find out.
>He approached a random whore
>Who gave a scared yelp and retreated inside her whorehouse before he could so much as open his mouth.
>So even the Moneky's relaxed attitude that I had seen put many peasants at ease did not work here.
>Toshiro's eyes narrowed.
>This animosity is not natural.
>He was right. While we, as samurai, understood that one did not go about wasting one's Lords recources without good reason most peasants knew only that Samurai were to be obeyed without question. If a Samurai were to forget the possible consequences of his actions, or if he should find some reason he deemed suitable, he could go so far as to kill them and there was nothing they could do to stop him.
>Hence the excessive bowing and scraping most samurai got whenever they had need to address a peasant.
>This situation could, form time to time lead to animosity and even open rebellion from the lower classes.
>Since this was the case, attitudes like we were seeing here should have been punished harshly until proper conduct was restored.
>What had happened here?
>Naomi stopped abruptly.
>Toshiro-san, do you feel that?
>Toshiro stopped, cocked his head.
>he grunted.
>the two of them produced scrolls and began to pray.
>We looked on, puzzeled.
>They finished their prayers, looked at one another and nodded.
>There is a spiritual imbalance here.
>I blinked.
>So what does that mean?
>Another realm is exerting influence on Ningen-do. One that normally should not.

>>52482954
>Toshiro spoke up.
>It is NOT Jigoku, I am certain of that.
>But beyond that...
>Naomi spoke quietly.
>I would not be srupised if it is Toshigoku, given the bloodlust in the air.
>I looked at her in surprise. Naomi was no bushi, the killing intent that permeated battlefields would be utterly alien to her.
>Hai, even I can sense it.
>Water is the element of clarity, after all.
>The Mantis spoke up.
>What about Gaki-do?
Toshiro answered.
>Gaki-do is the realm of the Hungry dead. >Desire, not bloodlust, rules that place.
>Okay.
>We finished our scouting and returned to the inn to eat before our nighttime patrol.

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>>52483118
had to cut that one short, the gang is on their way over now. Looking forward to reading your speculations. Last thread there was anon who called it correctly on the poison sushi.

>>52479161
Doing Gods work, Librarianon.

Could you repost part 1? Pretty sure it was in the last thread, but it ended up closing before I realized I should save these.

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>>52483196

>>52483312
Aha, much appreciated!

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>>52483312
That was the screencap of the full first thread.

This was the first part of the highly legible series, barely begun.

>>52483439
Take your time, we've got the first mega caps for now.

Art cannot be rushed.

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>this whole storytime

Man, sometimes I wish I could have such a classic L5R adventure with my group.

>>52484358
You have a group at least.

Bump for Hida !
Page 10 is the Wall!

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Well I suppose now is a good time to return.

Cheers to the other libranianon who is making the masterwork screencaps.

I've started getting the raw source text into a single document, eventually I'll probably put it into a google doc.

As is usual, make your requests. Choose wisely.

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>>52488527
Bumping with crab.

>>52488527
Nightmare Dwarf

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>>52489218

>>52488527
Poker with a Ghost sounds like I one I haven't heard before.

>>52488527
I have never heard of the Dire Whale or of The Boobs are Alive

So go with ever one is more thread appropriate.

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>>52489565
They played poker all right. With a deck of many things.

>>52489660
Also fine choices. Will post shortly.

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>>52489660
This story is a fair alternative to a random fade to black sequence.

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>>52489660

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>>52488527
I'm a Dorf man, gimme all your dorfs. Also, have a stupid anecdote.

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>>52491226
As you wish, anon.

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>>52492073

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>>52492089

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>>52492131

bump for the night

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These are taking far longer to make than I previously anticipated.
But most of the delay is a radical decrease in the amount of time I have to do them.

I will persevere.

>>52494859
Be as unyielding as the Great Carpenter Wall.

>>52494942
>Be as unyielding as the Great Carpenter Wall.
I will yield only results.

>>52483118
>I belive we should split up on our patrol
>Kitsuki-san sipped his tea as everyone considered his suggestion.
>I didn't like the idea, and I said as much.
>I don't know if that's a good idea. We all saw it, how those peasants wanted to kill us. If we split up they might even try it.
>I am aware Ishigaki-san. However, moving in one large group decreases the odds of finding the killer, or killers.
>Toshiro voiced agreement with Kitsuki-san.
>He simply patted his twisted leg.
>Pillow district is a bit big.
>I looked to, of all people, the Mantis for some support.
>He was never fond of great risks
>Kitsuki-san has a point. And it's just peasants. Even if they tried something, how big a threat could they be.
>Naomi?
>Everyone please bear in mind the spiritual imbalance. I believe that those peasants are not like that normally.
>I had thought she would be against spliting up because the peasants may try something. Naomi hated killing. But in the end she chose to trust everyone would show restraint.
>Well that's it then. I was the lone dissenter.
>Monkey and Mantis formed one group. They were the stealthiest in our party.
>I was worried about the Mantis being able to stay quiet in that heavy armor, but he assured us he could manage it.
>Toshiro said he would pair off with Kitsuki-san.
>Naomi and I made our way along the eastern part of the Pillow district, Toshiro and Kitsuki-san took the center, with the Mantis and Monkey in the west.
>The Ahsigaru were also sent in.
>Everyone had Yumi with them, and humming bulb arrows.
>At night, the pillow district was even worse.
>The light from the red lanterns made everyone's face seem distorted, evil.
>I saw more than few faces leering at Naomi hungrily.
>She put a hand on my arm.
>It is the imbalance. It has grown stronger now, even you can see the effects.
>I glanced at her.
>While I had gotten a bit jumpy, wondering which threat to address first, Naomi was absolutely calm.

>>52496322
>Hey, can this imbalance affect US?
>If we are exposed for too long, yes. But I do not believe we will need to worry about that.
>It is different for these people; they live and work here.
>Another thought struck me.
>Hey, the taint of Jigoku is permanent...
>Some may bear this mark forever, yes. But I am certain it's effects will weaken if we address it.
>Adress it? We aren't even sure which realm it is we're dealing with yet.
>It is related to the unnatural attitudes in this place though. I suspect it is the true cause of the killings.
>Couldn't it be the other way around? The killing bringing the imbalance into being?
>We have seen many killings, dealt with many murderers in the past Ishigaki-kun. How many imbalances have we seen like this?
>I nodded. Okay.
>We were Jade Magistrates. Our mandate was to see to the spiritual well being of Rokugan.
>Most times that meant hunting maho-tsukai and tainted creatures.
>But this was another aspect of our duty.
>Lustful moans and carnal noises wafted out from the building we were walking past.
>Lewd shadows danced on the rice paper.
>Naomi gripped my arm a little tighter.
>I knew her well enough to know she was blushing at that, though the red light made it harder to see.
>FWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH
>A humming bulb shot into the sky.
>From the west.
>Naomi got out a scroll, said a quick prayer.
>The two of us moved, sped along by the Water Kami.

>>52496484
>We overtook Toshiro and Kitsuki-san.
>Naomi passed the blessing of the Water Kami on to them as well.
>Even with their help, Toshiro was unable to thumpdrag at a pace with us. He waved us on.
>Kituski-san shouted.
>Do not wait up for us; go, go!
>I nodded, and took off at full speed.
>Only to be surpised as my wife overtook me.
>Oh, that's right. She's a tensai. Despite her small frame and sickly nature she was much beloved by the water kami.
>It dawned on me then that my Hana-chan, with her mastery of her own water, may be able to lift me over head while I was wearing my armor.
>Naomi rounded a corner, stopped short. >Stared.
>I caught up with her.
>The Mantis and Monkey were backed up against a low fence brandishing their weapons.
>Surrounded by a semi circle of a half dozen whores in various states of undress.
>The mocking laughter at the sight died in my throat as the women all threw back their heads and shrieked.
>No human could make a sound like that.
>misty vapours poured out their mouths, noses and eyes.
>And took the shape of women, clad in white, features twisted unnaturally.
>The women collapsed into crumpled heaps.
>Ghosts then. Vengeful spirits possesd the bodies of people, used them to kill. That was how our killers surprised their victims, why there never any witnesses.
>I dove at one, striking at it with my tetsubo.
>The mist swirled around my weapon, but I felt an impact.
>The ghost shrieked as I wounded it.
>That was all I needed to know.
>ISHIGAKI!
>Naomi yelled at me.
>THOSE ARE NOT YOREI! THEY ARE GAKI!
>what?
>From behind me I heard the Mantis.
>Oh. Oh shit.
>The Gaki ignored me, even the one I had struck only hissed before turning away.
>They floated over to the Mantis and Monkey.
>They ignored the Monkey.
>All six tore into the Mantis.
>He covered himself as best he could, fending off most.
>But one got through to strike him in the back.
>It's fingers went through his armor as though it did not exist.

What is the difference between yorei and gaki?

>>52496808
>I saw thick red bands just beneath the semi transparant skin of the Gaki. The red slid up the gaki's fingers, arm, to the place where it's heart should be.
>Toshiro said that the victims had been low on blood.
>The Monkey turned and began to hack wildly at the Gaki, trying to drive them off of the Mantis
>Naomi could not reach him, surrounded as he was.
>So I rushed in, swinging my tetsubo in wide arcs, trying to knock one or two aside.
>I managed to do so, and the Manits broke out from the pack moving to Naomi.
>Quickly she worked her magic, healing him.
>The Gaki persued him, save the one I knocked down. It vanished.
>The hell?
>Dodging about the Mantis managed to avoid getting surrounded.
>Get these damn things OFF OF ME!
>The Monkey answered
>We're trying! Hold still so we can reach them!
>Are you INSANE?! I'm not going to just stand around while they suck up all my blood!
>Naomi had drawn another scroll.
>Toshiro and Kitsuki-san arrived then.
>Naomi says they're gaki!
>Toshiro nodded.
>He pointed at me, and a tetusbo made of earth, with spikes of jade rose up from the ground before me.
>I tossed aside my mundane one, grasping the magic one, and slammed it down into one of the Gaki.
>It did not part the misty form of the Gaki as my other weapon had, but rather tore a chunk of the mist away.
>The Gaki howled in rage.
>Much better.
>As the Mantis weaved about defending himself, the Monkey and Kitsuki-san combined their efforts to injure another one.
>Once more, they all attacked the Mantis. And then another passed through the wall of a house, and stabbed its hands into his back again.
>Once more, I saw the Mantis' blood flow up the creatures arms and into it's heart.
>I battered one aside with all my might.
>And then Naomi yelled to us.
>MOVE!
>We dove aside as she unleashed a torrent of water, bowling over the rest of the Gaki.
>Toshiro pointed again, and the Monkey's katana burst into fire.
>We fell upon the gaki, I think we killed two, or three.

>>52496900
The gaki are damned souls from the "punish the guilty" hell (gaki-do) who want to OMNOMNOMNOMN your soul. Think something akin to spiritual Tyranids, minus the Hivemind.
The yorei are only the soul that never left Ningen-do, because of an unfinished buisness/vengence. They are still to be juged in Meido, unlike the gaki.
Go check the 4e edition core rulebook for more info.

>>52496900
A yorei is a ghost, it's the spirit of a dead person who has lingered on in Nigen-do (the realm of humans) instead of going to be judged by Ema-O.

A gaki is the spirit of a human who had great desire in life. To shed their negative kharma so they can be reborn Gaki exist to consume unlearn things, some have to spend years literally eating shit. They're kind of like spiritual vacuum cleaners. Different types of Gaki consume different types of things. These ones feed on blood.

>>52497131
>I couldn't be certain how many we disptached because they all disappeared at once, even ones I knew we did not strike.
>We all pulled in to a circle, back to back looking around for where they would come from next.
>Damn. Where did they go?
>what the hell Mantis? Why are they after you?
>How the hell should I know?
>You knew! As soon as Naomi said they were Gaki you freaked out!
>Now is really not the time! Shit... how many more are there?!
>And then...
>Nothing happened.
>Silence. Just Silence.
>Slowly, the normal background hum of the pillow district reasserted itself.
>As the flames on the Moneky's blade died down, we allowed ourselves to relax.
>Well, we got two at least. Maybe three.
>No, we didn't Ishigaki-san.
>I looked at Kitsuki-san in surpise.
>Gaki are immortal. They are spirts of the dead, already judged and cleansing themselves before their rebirth. You cannot destroy a soul.
>Why the surprised look? I never forget anything, and I have read many texts on diverse subjects.
>it simply does not come up often, as we have experts on many subjects of import to our work.
>So we can't kill them? Then what do we do, ask them to go somewhere else?
>Naomi spoke up.
>If their spirt forms are disrupted they will return to Gaki-do. They would not be able to return and cause more trouble then. Normally, anyway.
>I arched an eyebrow.
>The imbalance, Ishigaki-kun. Somewhere in this district is a place where Gaki-do and Ningen-do overlap. A place that should not exist.
>Kitsuki-san nodded. Those were Shozai-Gaki, were they not, Naomi?
>Hai.
>Then we are looking for a place where great desire lead to a crime, and much blood was spilled?
>That would be a reasonable guess, yes.
>Then let's get some rest for now. We can investigate where they are coming from in the morning.
>I for one, have no disire to face those things again without being at full strength. That would just be foolish.

>>52497584
Going to break for a bit here. Getting hungry.

The Gaki-do in this tory gave me an idea.

Maho (blood magic) is tied to Jigoku.

Shugenja magic is tied to the 5 elements, Ningen-do and asks kami (typical spirits of Ningen-do not Lord Sun and various high up fortunes from Tengoku) politely for help.

There are a multitude of priests who worship various fortunes that live in Tengoku and ask them for help. However, while the denizens of Tengoku do give various blessings they tend not to be as straightforward as spells.

Also, there are various priests that worship non-Tengoku fortunes such as Emma-o, Ryoshun and the Lords of Death. These particular ones I mentioned come from Meido. Also, I have the feeling that gods of Meido wouldn't smile on summoning up ghosts from Meido to do your bidding.

Ancestor worship is very widespread in Rokugan and there are lots of people who seek blessings from their ancestors in Yomi although it is again not as straightforward as Shugenja magic. Various ancestor spirits sometimes do come up from Yomi to aid people in times of need although one never is so rude as to try to summon them.

Naga and Nezumi seem to have a strong connection with Yume-do (the realms of dreams) and seem to have their own forms of magic associated with it.

This leaves open Gaki-do, Toshigoku, Chikushudo, Maigo no Musha and Sakkaku as unexplored places to draw power from.

Gaki-do and Toshigoku are probably as bad as Jigoku to draw power from and asking Sakkaku for help is probably just probably going to end up with you being tricked.

An evil mage using evil power from Gaki-do and Toshigoku could make for a good story. A trickster being using trickster magic from Sakkaku could make for an interesting encounter although I don't think it'd make for a great BBEG. I think that a group that worshipped totem animals from Chikushudo could be interesting. I'm not really sure how to tie Maigo no Musha into a story.

>>52497784
Maigo no Musha is just Meido-lite. It doesn't even have an agenda like Meido does. It's just a waiting room.

Also, the Kitsune who went mortal (And therefore the Kitsune shugenja school) draw power from Chikushudo.

>>52497896
>Also, the Kitsune who went mortal
oh god what

>>52498063
Foxwife, yo.
The mortal realm has a very strong jealousy. Any spirit that gets too involved in mortal affairs or sticks around for too long becomes mortal.

>>52498142
Of course, when they inevitably die, spirits that have gone mortal get to go down the expedited line where Emma-O rubber stamps them back to their proper spirit realm.
And half-spirits are just normal humans with very minor quirks. Someone with a kitsune for a mom would be a normal human, possibly with a Chikushudo related advantage, or Inner Gift: Animal Empathy or something like that.

Bump

bump.

File: Caber Tossing Terminators.png (178 KB, 921x593)

178 KB PNG

When I notice this thread is low I'll bump with a greentext. Starting with some 40k ones.

>>52497584
>When we got back to the inn I pressed the Mantis.
>Alright, why did those things only chase you?
>I DON'T KNOW.
>I stared at him.
>I mean, I don't know why. My parents just told me that the Shugenja that attended my birth said that Gaki-do hated me or something.
>The Monkey chimed in from where he sat.
>He was dual wielding a pair of steamed meat buns, and didn't even have the decency to swallow before speaking.
>So what you're saying is you're the juciest bit of Gaki bait we've got right now?
>Ugh, I know you were raised on a farm but seriously Monkey! MANNERS.
>He swallowed hard and glared sullenly at me.
>What? I get hungry after a fight...
>He want back to stuffing his face.
>Can you three be serious? You're taking this too lightly.
>In response to his chastisement I stared Kitsuki-san in the eyes until he dropped his gaze.
>I am not, Kitsuki-san.
>There is a place where Gaki-do has entered Ningen-do.
>That is a concern for Shugenja.
>The gaki will try to stop the shugenja from closing the hole.
>That is a concern for me.
>I can hurt the gaki with my tetsubo.
>I do not need to know anything else.
>That is all true, Ishigaki-san, but the Gaki have spiritual bodies. Your armor is no defense against them.
>And I suppose you think a Shikome cannot fight without her horse as well?
>I was being rude, and I knew it. But I did not like my commitment being questioned.
>Ishigaki-kun, how are does our supply of Jade powder fare?
>The question caught me off gaurd.
>Uh...enough for a single mid seized oni, or several spawn, why?
>The spiritual bodies of the Gaki are more easily disrupted by the three sacred substances. Obviously they are not as resilient as Oni, however jade powder could help to disperse them more quickly.
>I see, then we're going to need to get some more jade, Naomi.

>>52505244
Always remember, ladies and gentlemen: If you're gonna take "Cursed by the Realm: Gaki-Do," your DM is gonna make you fight Gaki at least once. Make sure you play this to your advantage, not your disadvantage.

>>52505244
>I was in a strange position socially.
>Once married, a wife's rank is set to just below her husbands.
>However, only shugenja could be full fledged Jade Magistrates.
>So, while I never bothered with honorifics for my wife, or my best friend (save for the most formal of occasions) the fact remained that they both outranked me now.
>Naomi however, seemed to appreciate I did not refer to her as -sama unless absolutely necessary.
>The Mantis dowened his cup of sake in one gulp. That was his fourth.
>One question. How EXACTLY are we going to find this hole? You aren't planning on having me walk around and wait to get attacked by Gaki, are you?
>Of course not, Mantis-san. We will ask.
>huh?
>Something great enough to create a bridge between Gaki-do and Nigen-do would be a very noticeable event. A distasteful one few would wish to speak of openly, but one that would still be remembered.
>oh.
>I was awakened in the middle of the night by Naomi.
>She was sitting up in bed, coughing violently. Blood was oozing out from between the fingers covering her mouth.
>I held her up waiting for the fit to pass.
>It did not.
>She was coughing so hard tears were forming in her eyes.
>I wrapped her up in a blanket to preserve her modesty and threw open the door. I carried her outside to the fresh air.
>It seemed to help; her coughing slowed, then subsided.
>I got her clean water to rinse the blood from her mouth with, and set to work brewing her medicine.
>As I waited for the water to boil, I got a cloth, soaked it in water as cold as I could find, and washed her burning flesh.
>She was limp in my arms, eyes fluttering.
>It was all she could do to remain conscious.
>When her medicine was done, I blew on the tea to cool it, the held it gently to her lips.
>She sucked weakly on it, then swallowed painfully.
>I know it's hard Naomi, but please, you must drink it all.
>She nodded and did her best.
>She finished her medicine.
>I sat beside her, awake, the rest of the night.

>>52505591
>Once married, a wife's rank is set to just below her husbands.
Technically, a higher ranked wife would still be higher ranked. Generally, whoever marries out of their original family is set to just below the rank of whoever stays in their original family, as a member of their new family. Nothing actually keeps them at that rank if they can get promotions though.

>>52505764
>>52505687
You're right but women still tend to be married out and up though so what he said is really just more common and the point is that it's odd as a manly man to be outranked by your gentle loving wife.

>>52505591
>I did not leave the room in the morning. Naomi's breathing had been steady, but shallow all night.
>I heard the door slide open a crack.
>Then it shut.
>After a moment it opened again and Toshiro came in.
>He looked at me, then Naomi.
>He grunted.
>It wasn't until I took her outside that she stopped coughing. She's been like that all night.
>He nodded.
>Took hold of the blanket
>He paused and looked at me
>You've attended the birth of both my children Toshiro. Go ahead.
>I really did have no idea why he was being so considerate.
>He pulled the blanket down and examined Naomi. Placed his head on her chest to hear her heart and breathing. Pulled down her lips and peered into her mouth, checked her eyes.
>Through it all she barley moved, and made no sound.
>It had been a long time since Naomi had been so sick. Not since she was still carrying Daiko.
>I could tell that her life was not in immediate danger, but I had no idea how bad off she really was.
>Toshiro pulled out some scrolls. Said several prayers.
>I did not see any change, but I thought her breathing sounded just a bit smoother.
>Ishigaki-san, she will be fine. Tatsuki can look after her. We must go. I am counting on you to keep the Gaki off me while I close the tear.
>I looked up at him, confused.
>You never call me -san.
>You never look at me the way you are now.
>What are you talking about?
>Toshiro bared some of his wakizahi, showed me my reflection in the steel.
>My face was twisted with a rage I didn't realize I felt.
>It was only then I realized how furious I was.
>My Hana-chan was in pain, her life in danger.
>I wanted to hurt those responsible. Even if that meant storming into heaven and throttling Jurojin himself.
>It was a cold rage, unlike any I had felt before.
>I did not like it.
>shaking my head to clear away my blasphemous thoughts, I stood up.

>>52505946
>Toshiro looked closely at me.
>You love her.
>of coursse I do.
>You wish to live a long life with her. Have many children, many more grandchildren?
>Is that so wrong?
>Desire is a sin, Ishigaki. Gaki-do is the realm of desire.
>What do you...oh.
>He nodded.
>Shit.
>I should have woken him right away, but Gaki-do had influenced my desire, made me possessive to the point of obsession.
>The one who had put Naomi in danger...
>was me.
>Toshiro saw the realization cross my face.
>Good. be more careful about that, baka.
>Focus on your duty. Clear your mind of all else. That will protect you.
>Right.
>And so we asked around. It was Monkey who got the answer we were looking for.
>An old man, back bent, legs twisted with age.
>he looked like he could die at any moment.
>And he knew it.
>It was a couple months ago. Some Crane samurai came into town, went down to the pillow district.
>They had large chest with them.
>Word quicly got out they were spending coin like it was nothing. Opium, sake, shochu, women, men.
>The old man laughed. The samurai ordered everything on the menu, then had them add new things to the menu so they could order those as well.
>Magistrate didn't like it one bit. She's pretty straight laced, dosen't like the pillow district. But the Lord said leave it be, and so she does.
>He chuckled again.
>You know, great samurai, it is a great thing to know you are dying. I've never felt so free in my life.
>I suppose, you who live your lives for war, know this feeling well.
>I'm impressed at your restraint. There are so many things I would say, would do, if my body were not so decrepit.
>I guess that is why I am still a peasant, and you are samurai.
>He had no way of knowing, but his words shamed me.
>He leaned in and placed his hand beside his mouth, as though he were going to whisper something that should not be said too loudly.
>Then he said it too loudly.
>But then orders came in for our Magistrate.
>The gold those samurai had?
>They stole it

>>52505946
To be fair to Ishigaki, the gods in L5R are kinda assholes; wanting to kill Jurojin or the Celestial Dragon or any of the other ones is a perfectly rational thing to feel.

HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER:

>Lightning Ball : Age of a New Empire
CHapter 1: THe return of Kuja the Almighty!
me: ok guys the 5 of u r going in2 a dungeon
pally: im use derect evil
clr: mm im gonna ready an heal on action wounds spell for when 1st person is hurt
rog: im stealth
fiter: i move and strike!
wiz: i cast magic missil

OK but what happened next will leave you so fucking shocked u might shit urself so spoiler alert this will trigger u:

when them fighter boys hitted the badguy from the videogame an cutscene happened and the wizard and cleric D I E D because it was a magic poison gas that only hurts them FINGER WIGGLER types
>but the paladin
FUCK YOU paladins are not magic theyre just stupid cocksuckers who bleiev in first aid theyre lITerally boyscouts

>GIANT ENEMY CRAB<
Then suddenly, unexpectedly, without warning, a GIANT ENEMY CRAB appeared and then we rolled iniatiator
>17
>swing my spell great axe of revolving light into the crab weakpont and cast "SECRET OF THE STEEL" and it make him battle scar points™ illuminate so well that party they can see the glowing weakpoints that u attack for Massive Dammage
>ROGUE USED STEALTH
>ROGUE GAINS INVISIBLE
but then when i was asked what the crab did...
// *33* \\ *7* // *21* \\ *18* // *14* !!!
it dropped the fighter so hard,
so fast,
so suddenly,
his ass left a smoldering crayter wher him legs was standing when his up per boty got demcapfenstrated in quarter (2 part)
"SHIT" said his magesty (xXxGanddAlfxXx used self resurect)
"I will use my awesome power..." and he shoot lightning
CRAB SHELL DEFLECT BREAK! the franklin badge deflected the electricity and wizardchan's eyes popped out of his eyesockets when he went "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" and spurted
??? Post ending in 5 decide what happen next on this awesome action packed anime table top text based rpg playing game?? ???

>>52506297
>>52506322
Have you ever read something, and been confused whether they had a stroke while writing it, or if you're having a stroke while reading it?

File: kill it with fire.jpg (92 KB, 625x391)

92 KB JPG

>>52506297
>>52506322

>>52506173
>Now, it was just a coincidence they came here.
>As I heard from one of the Yoriki, Megumi-sama only got word that a shipment of money had been stolen by bandits, and to keep an eye out for suspicous ronin.
>ronin! hah! When all along some of the lords own retainers robbed him!
>Kitsuki-san's hand twitched a bit. He was quite displeased at the old man's blatant disrespect.
>I thought it was as funny as the old man did.
>Crane weren't quite as greedy as Mantis, but that was only because they had no rivals as the richest clan before the Mantis rose to power.
>They were still getting used to the idea of having to compete seriously for wealth.
>But our pretty magistrate figured it out right away. So she went to arrest those traitors!
>Do you know what happened?
>We shook our heads.
>She found nothing!
>Oh the samurai were there all right.
>In an empty house. With no money.
>She looked all over, had the Yoriki tear the place apart!
>But to no avail. She's ashamed of that to this very day.
>And the Samurai just disappeared.
>The monkey thanked the old man, as the rest of us got Kitsuki-san away from him.
>He'll be stone dead in a moment, just leave it for Ema-O.
>We then spoke to the Magistrate. Kitsuki-san handled it, delicately.
>He explained what we had learned, and asked Doji Megumi where she had found the Samurai.
>With her directions we headed into the pillow district Hopefully for final time.
>There, tucked away in a back alleyway, was a rotting house
>The sakura tree in the front garden was dead, the rope holding the bucket in the well snapped.
>Yes, it's here. This close there is no mistaking it.
>The Monkey scratched his head. How did we miss this the first time through, anyway?
>I shrugged. It dosen't matter now does it?
>Powder your weapon. We need to be ready for when they come.
>Toshiro, how long will the ritual take?
>As long it takes.
>Great. Got it. Thanks.
>Kitsuki-san, Mantis, Monkey and I took up positions around Toshiro.

>>52506404
I think your fine, looks like goonspeak to me.

>>52506624
>Hey, Toshiro-san
>Toshiro-san!
>The sun is starting to set, what the hell is taking so long?
>The tear is resisting, Stop distracting me.
>Is there anything we can do to speed things up?!
>I don't know, I'm not an expert on the spirit realms! I only know about Jigoku, and then it's just the things that come out of it!
>Whoa!
>What is it Monkey?
>There's a freakishly large number of cockroaches coming out of that run down house over there!
>Kitsuki-san yelled, IT'S THE GAKI!
>the roaches became smoke, smoke became humanoid forms.
>Gaki rushed at us.
>With our weapons powdered, we were able to dispatch them with realitve ease. The Mantis covered himself up, while the rest of us struck them down.
>Kitsuki-san showed his skill quite well. It was official now, I was the worst in our group with a sword.
>Unless you counted Naomi and Toshiro, but since they did not wear a full daisho, I didn't.
>But then the gaki came out of the house, again.
>More? asked the Monkey
>No, the same ones! answered the Kitsuki.
>They are immortal! They'll keep coming until the ritual is complete!
>Toshiro?
>Working on it!
>fuck.
>I've got an idea!
>I smashed one aside and ran inside.
>I cold hear the others fighitng outside.
>GOT ONE! yelled the Monkey.
>Okay, now where...
>A blood red flash came from a room on my left.
>I ran in, smashed my tetsubo into the Gaki, It vanished after the second blow.
>The red glow again. Up from the tatami mat.
>What
>The gaki rose up from the ground.
>I pulled back the mat. Mantis was going to have to be ready for this one.
>But as I uncovered the staircase that Megumi's Yoriki had missed, the gaki surprised me.
>It turned and struck at me.
>It's claws passed right trough my armor, and I my body grow cold as my blood passed up it's arm.
>I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DID IN THERE BUT KEEP IT UP! THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT.
>Oh great. They're all coming here now.
>THERE'S A SECRET BASMENT!

>>52506977
>I spun my tetsubo in a defensive arc, warding off as many attacks as I could.
>I couldn't stop them all, however.
>The Mantis and Kitsuki-san came in, I pointed to the stairs.
>I've got this, go!
>As they headed down the Gaki turned again.
>Don't know why we didn't see that coming.
>We fought a runing battle, down the stairs and into the basement.
>Where the bodies were.
>almost twenty skeletons were hidden here.
>Six of them wore mouldering blue robes, and had daisho.
>Kitsuki-san looked at them, made another logic leap.
>He yelled to the Gaki. I UNDERSTAND! You were murdered to protect the secret of where the gold was hidden, weren't you?
>The Gaki paused.
>Huh?
>Gaki aren't Yorei.
>No, they are not. But sometimes Gaki still remember a bit of who they are. Sometimes it's only a faint echo the Gaki themselves aren't even aware of.
>These Gaki, their desire for vengance tore this hole, I think. That's why the Crane were the first to die.
>We backed out, warily. The gaki followed us. Silent.
>Almost exptant.
>Now what?
>I think we should find the gold.
>It wasn't down there.
>I know.
>What are the odds of there being TWO secret rooms the Yoriki missed?
>Slim, I'd say.
>Then where...?
>The Mantis grunted.
>I know!
>He ran off.
>We followed.
>He was quickly wrapping a cloth around a humming bulb arrow.
>Then he soaked it in lamp oil.
>Lit it.
>And dropped it down the well.
>We looked.
>I saw a faint yellow glimmer before the light went out.
>When we looked up, the Gaki were gone.
>Toshiro?
>Finished it about the time you yelled.
>So, you could have just killed them one last time, I guess.
>But I suppose this works too.
>Gaki are not Yorei. They have no atachments to their old lives.
>But sometimes, just sometimes, a soul carries a bond or desire so strong it will persist even after death.
>I often told Naomi I would love in this life and the next.
>I wondered if I would become a gaki when I died.

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>>52507308
G'night everybody.
Someone find that one guys IP and call an ambulance, I'm worried about him.

>>52507326
Till next time, based crab-anon.

Bumping with a reference point

>>52333187

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>>52506297
Bump for someone getting this anon medical help.

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For those of you curious, the original thread and screencap took up 3.75 high quality screencaps.

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And I'm on to the second thread now.

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Bump for best faction

>>52512525
who're they?

>>52513430
They're the Kolat: a secret conspiracy drawing members from all levels of Rokugan's social order. Formed over 1000 years ago, they believe that the "benevolent" influence of Tengoku (heaven) is just as bad as the corrupting influence of Jigoku (taint/hell), and that neither should have any place in mortal affairs. In this regard, they're not necesarily wrong; every single tradgedy in the plot can be traced back to Gods being assholes.
In particular, the Kolat consider the rule of the Samurai and the Emperor to be illegitimate, since they rule by merit of being descendent of the 7 Kami.
They work in secret to oppose the influence of other realms on Nineng-Do through deception and intrigue. But, because the plot doesn't want to get derailed, they mostly just worm themselves into positions of power, waiting for "when the time is right."

>>52513569
Radical, cross-clan Atheist cult. Got it.

Kinda neat.

>>52513622
radical, cross clan atheist HFY ninja cult.

>>52513635
So when will the time be right? Is there anything specific, or just vague and portentous goals as they plot and scheme? Maybe waiting for the stars to align?

>>52513666
The time was already right; the War Against the Lying Darkness was happening, and the Kolat decided to do away with secrecy and help Rokugan deal with the Lying Darkness with a co-ordinated attack using Crystal weapons. They were instrumental in the war, and it's likely that Rokugan wouldn't have survived without them.

After the War, the Kolat basically got all its goals. The threat to mankind was defeated. The emperor was no longer a Hantei, but a Toturi, who's rule was not legitimized by divine heritage. The sun and moon themselves were killed, and were replaced by ascended humans; the two most powerful gods in existence were born mortals. Sure, they were still assholes, but they were asshole humans, so that's an improvement.
Most importantly, the Age of Myth ended, and the Age of Man began. This was a change to the spirit of mankind; where ascension to divinity was always a possibility in the past, it was now a hell of a lot easier in this age.

And then a few years later, literally all of this got undone. The Spider were given Great Clan status. The once-mortal Sun and Moon lost their jobs and were kicked out of heaven, replaced by the Jade and Obsidian Dragons. In fact, all the mortals who had ever ascended and became gods were kicked out of Heaven (except for Kaimetsu-Uo, but only because his Dragon grandmother offered her job to him). The Toturi dynasty was replaced by the Iweko dynasty (which ruled by merit of being chosen by the new Sun and Moon). The Age of Man reverted back to the Age of Myth. Also, they weren't secret anymore, their secret temple was destroyed, and they were made the weakest they've ever been since their inception 1000 years earlier.

So yeah, that's how most Did Nothing Wrong faction in the game got fucked by the plot.

>>52513830
Gdi, John Wick.

This is the play dirty guy, right?

>>52513830
What do the spider and great clan status have to do with this getting undone?

>>52514863
Spider clan revere Fu-Leng; their end goal is to spread the dominance of Fu-Leng Jigoku over Nineg-Do, the spread of the taint to every human being, the destruction of the empire, and a whole bunch of other evil shit.

They don't even try to hide it, either.

>>52514910
Oh, I got them conflated with scorpion.
So great clan?

>>52514972
Yup. They have equal legal rights as the Phoenix or Dragon or any of the others.

LEGACY OF THE MOON: THE STEEL SWAN

>Chapter 2: Horus Showdown in Little Tokyo<

It all began over ten thousand years ago when I sealed that great white bitch reta respulsa in the celestial throne with my wiccan magick. She had been a naughty girl and im punishing her for using her magic to make the good people fall down and not get up because she was secretly evil at the time and I didntk now we were dating and i was like "u have a nice ass" and she was like "thanks :D" and *honk honk*

BUT THEN....
Ten thousand year pass and then the door opened and mario and princess peached and louigi and yosher and bowsan fighted the evil shade that appear to try to destroy the world and be anchuent and ressurect WHICH THEY DID They beat him and but it was too late
"AAAH AFTER TENT THOUS AND YEARS IM FREE" she (rita) said, "TIME TO CONKER EARTH!"

Heroes from across the land fighting valiantly but dont stop her now she was having a good time (having a good time) and after all her beauty rest her CHA score was so. fucking. high. that her sorceres powers were like on the moon...

Someone? Anyone? Can Hear Me?

***

Master Chief received an echo in space.
That call... it's the sound of a distress beacon.
Like a baby in danger, it was the babys cry.
Mastadon Chief putted on his power armer and got him a battle gun (ak47 was his favorite for non stop warfare) and jetted himself out into space. As he hurtled thru the gravity less environnent he saw the ship it looked like a giant bottle... the bottle ship. he was goingg there to pacisfy the problem and calm the baby down. But him wasnt go alone, duke nukem was well on his way to the gas station to get gas for his jeep and then when he went to pizza hut he got a large pepperroni and chease and he also got a 2 ltr fanta orange because it was his favorite when he served in the navy.

master champ saw the pizza and axed duke if him can have some and duke looked at him, put on his 2nd set of son glasses and said

cum get sum

>>52515050
Hey stroke-anon. Nice to see you're allive.

Just wanted to tell you that this shitpost is much better than the first, since it actually has legible spelling.

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bump

>>52513830
>The emperor was no longer a Hantei, but a Toturi, who's rule was not legitimized by divine heritage.

People tend to forget that Toturi did have divine heritage: he was a direct descendant of Akodo, the dude who did not win the First Celestial Tournament only because Hantei cheated. You could say that the throne was Akodo's all along, he only needed a ballsy descendant to take it.

>>52516306
The Hantei dynasty ruled because they were the descendant of a god, and just happened to be awesome. This Toturi dynasty ruled because they were awesome, and just happened to be descendant of a god.
That's a bigger difference Then you might first think.

>>52513904
Nah, that storyline can be laid entirely at the feet of the CCG dev team. L5R was a CCG first, then when the money started coming in they made the rpg and tabletop minis game called Clan War. Clan War didn't last long, though.

But L5R RPG has, until fourth ed, been beholden to the plot of the CCG, which went full retard about the time the Race for the Throne shit went down. The reason 4th ED is so widely regarded as best ED is because it doesn't have a pre-assumed time period like all the other editions.

>>52517574
>The Hantei dynasty ruled because they were the descendant of a god, and just happened to be awesome

The real reason for the scorpion clan coup was the revelation that Rokugan had been run by a line of pervert emperors for 1000 years.

>>52517574

Hantei became Emperor because he was awesome enough to challenge his dad and cut him up for good. He also happened to be mommy's favorite, and that was pretty much all. Hantei II was also awesome but everything after that went straight to the pooper.

Similarly, Toturi became Emperor because he was awesome, then Toturi II was seemingly up to follow the family tradition of being awesome, but she died and Toturi III went full retard. The only difference is that the Torui did not have 1k years to go full Hantei.

>>52507308
>we stayed another week in town.
>Naomi was still too weak to leave the inn, much less resume travel.
>Ishigaki-kun, could you bring me a bowl of water, please?
>Of course.
>The wider, the better.
>When I brought back the bowl Naomi asked me to help her sit up, then began to whisper softly.
>Shapes began to form in the water, and I could see our home.
>The image shifted, and there were Daiko and Tetsute.
>The little troublemakers were playing with thier nanny. The same way they would play with me.
>That is, they were trying to climb up her and then topple her over.
>Whenever they did something clever I would fall over. I wanted to let them know they were on the right track, even if they didn't really have the strength to topple me yet.
>Their nanny was currently on the floor, Tetsute had wrapped himself around her head, and Daiko was bouncing triumphantly on her stomach.
>I smiled, pleased at my children's ferocity.
>Crab children play games with names Strong Wall, and Find the Oni.
>They don't realize it, but they are already training for the day they will take up their duty
>I glanced over at Naomi. She was smiling as well.
>They are very strong, for being so young. Neh, Ishigaki-kun?
>A Hida bushi and a Water Tensai were bound to make strong children. It's not surprising.
>She leaned in to me.
>You are right I suppose. Perhaps we should go home soon.
>Homesick?
>She peered up at me.
>I am thinking we will need to hire a new nanny.
>We shared a chuckle together and watched our children terrorize their nanny until the spell ended.
>Later on, the Monkey accosted me.
>Hey, Ishigaki! I wanna get a gift for my boy.
>Okay.
>So come on!
>Uh, what?
>Come on! You've got a kids already you should be good at this right?
>I had no idea if I was or not, but he clearly wasn't going to let this go.
>I shrugged and joined him.

>>52518429
>So what do you bring your kids when you get time to head home?
>Jade. Sutras to ward off evil spirits. Charms to help them go big and strong.
>The Monkey stared at me.
>C'mon Ishigaki! Even I know you don't make things like that into gifts! Gifts are supposed to be rare, and useless! If you give someone something they actually need you're saying their Lord can't provide for them, right?
>I don't know.
>You don't?
>I never have any money to spare on gifts, so I never paid any attention to the etiquette. I jut get my children things I think they need when the Yasuki comes by the barracks.
>Huh. Okay. Then how about for Naomi? What kinds of things to you get her?
>Intimacy.
>No way I was going to elaborate further for the Monkey.
>He looked at me, then blew out a sigh.
>Are you trying to be unhelpful?
>No.
>But Naomi is not your Hime-san, and Tetsute is not Tokichiro, and you don't live where I do.
>Oh, what about this silk? You think the pattern will look good on Hime-san?
>I closed my eyes, tried to remember what she looked like.
>Yeah, it will.
>Great! I'll take this, please.
>The Monkey casualy dumped a pile of Koku on the floor and began counting to pay the shopkeeper.
>Monkey, has your stipend increased?
>I don't know, but Hime-san is letting me have a bigger allowence. I'm up to seven koku a month!
>I picked my jaw back up off the floor. That was a shitton of money.
>I had grown more aware of the value of money since marrying.
>I had been made aware that this happened to all Saumurai after marriage.
>Where once you had food and a place to sleep in the barracks, once you were married it was expected that you would maintain a house, and staff it with many servants.
>Though it was Naomi who handled the fine details, I at least understood the broad strokes.
>Enough to know that my plain house and single nanny would make me something of a laughing stock, were it to be known.

>>52518908
So what DID Monkey do to recieve bigger allowance? Or was that just Hime-san's way of keeping him away from her by giving him positive encouragmenet to stay away?

>>52519196
I'm guessing "monkey has a big dick and/or is good in bed."

>>52518908
>The Monkey then stopped off at a bookstore
>Which surpised me greatly. I had never seen the Monkey with a text before.
>He looked around, as confused as I would expect him to be, before seemingly grabbing one at random.
>This one, please.
>He paid and we returned to the inn.
>I went to check on Naomi.
>She was awake, sitting up and even sipping a cup of broth.
>My apetitie is returning, as you can see Ishigaki-kun.
>I sat down behind her, and she leaned back.
>I am sorry, my love. For worrying you so.
>It's not your fault, Naomi. It's Jurojin's.
>Ishigaki!
>She turned to bop me on the nose.
>It is not as though Jurojin wishes to be cruel! There must be balance in all things!
>For every person on whom a Fortune bestows their favor, another must bear their curse, surely you know this?
>So you're saying the reason I'm ugly is because you're pretty?
>You are not ugly, Ishigaki-kun.
>I am a little bit, though. Most people flinch when they see my face for the first time.
>Most people are fools. They cannot see you as I do. They do not know you as I do.
>Keep swelling my head up like that and I'll have a hard time fitting out the door.
>It is the duty of a wife to swell her husbands head from time to time.
>Ohhh naughty girl.
>What? No... I didn't mean...ah!
>I grinned as Naomi's cheeks flushed.
>She could be bold at times but there was no changing her innocent nature.
>There was a loud coughing from outside the door.
>Naomi sat up straighter, away from me.
>Public displays like what we had been doing were impolite, and though none of our friends were truly bothered by it, Naomi preferred to comport herself properly.
>The door opened, and the Monkey came in.
>Um, how're ya feeling Naomi-sama?
>Much better now, Monkey-san. I must apologize for holding everyone up like this.
>Huh? No you don't have to apologize for anything Naomi-sama! In fact that's why I'm here. Um, anyway. Here.
>He knelt down and slid the book he had bought earlier toward Naomi.

>>52519196
Hime-san is actually a genius when it comes to money. Monkey has no clue that he's now filthy rich because his wife has expanded his families holdings considerably. Since he's a bit thick, she doesn't trouble him with any of the details.

>>52519657
That's the impression I get. Throw money at him so he doesn't ask and doesn't have to come home.

>>52519657
>What is this? I cannot possibly accept take a gift from so dear a friend.
>Oh, you really wanna do that thing, Naomi-sama?
Okay, um. I got this for you because we all love you. You know that right? I mean, not romantically or anything (nervous glance my way) but you know. None of us would be if it weren't for you.
>I am just a Water Tenasi. It is expected that I heal the injured. Besides which, many of you have been hurt protecting me. You owe me nothing.
>I don't care if I owe you or not. I wouldn't have Hime-san or my son today if it weren't for you.
>Very well, thank you Monkey-san.
>She glanced down at the gift.
>This... is a pillow book.
>Ummmm.... yeah?
>Monkey's. Just no sense of right and wrong.
>Pillow books were stories of romance and love, most popular among the housewives of Rokugan.
>For obvious reasons no one really spoke about.
>Since I had watched him buy it, I knew there was no deeper meaning in giving my wife a pillow book.
>I may have punched anyone else doing so.
>I wondered if that was the real reason he wanted me to come along on his little shopping trip today.

>>52519909
So, mantis are merchants, crane courtiers, crab soldiers, lion dumb soldiers. What's monkey, again?

>>52520301
Non-importants.

>>52520301
Monkey are a minor clan; they don't get their own archetype
But to answer your question, Monkeys are a hybrid between DETERMINATION and peasants.

The first Monkey was this awesome guy called Toku. Read more about him here
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Toku

>>52520301
shonen protagonists

Bump for shonen protagonists.

>>52521557
So do crane have any redeeming features?

>>52523183
Cranes win duels, even on motorcycles.

>>52523573
It sounds like, for anything remotely practical, you want any other clan.

>>52523183
Literally none

>>52523573
Mirumoto > Kakita

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>>52523183
Luxury without being merchants, honorable duels, ridiculous amounts of etiquette, and white haired waifus. They're courteous and proper and believe that their manner of success is just as important for Rokugan as more militant or mystical approaches, and in my experience with the RPG it's clear they're often right. It's a great opportunity to subvert those expectations and be like the wife from pic related too. The Crane also had a lot of sneaky shit going on and their harriers at least were probably some of the most practical warriors for that regard.

>>52524412
>without being merchants
>Believing the Daidoji meme
The Crane dip their beaks in the scummiest ponds to catch their fish.

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>>52519909
>>This... is a pillow book.
Goddammit, Monkey. If this was another kind of story, Naomi would probably scream "HENTAI NO BAKA!" and smack him with a mallet.

>>52524616
I mean the point is that when other clans do shit that's shady or uncouth they call it practicality. The crane have the same kind of pretenses but they deny it on technicalities like being merchant patrons rather than merchants, or that as individuals they didn't know the shady shit was going on since it's compartmentalized.

Have fun calling Daidoji a meme when you fall onto punji sticks or get blown up by illegal gaijin powder traps. You can't deflect a blade you don't see coming either.

>>52525170
>implying I won't have my own Gaijin Pepper weapons firing from my definetely-not-pirate ships
Only an idiot fights fair. Only an asshole claims to be clean when fighting dirty.

>>52525234
Have fun being nice and good alone being ganged up on by assholes then.

Bump for Cranes.

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>>52475377
>>I closed my eyes and refused to believe the Monkey had just been wise on purpose.
Fucking incredible.

THE NEVERWINTER CHEDDAR COMPANY

>Chapter Three<

"stfu" i told her
"ur a fukn scrub u stupid pieas of shit fuk yu get out of mi guild" i screeched, smashing the kick command on her account as fast and as hard as I could
She had betrayed us. The last thing my best friend saw was the flash of light from the end of her laser blaster 71X P++ (Enhance: Accuracy) and he ragequit so hard after dying that he uninstalled the game.
I was displeased. She begged me, "lol u mad u mad bitch boy i didnt want to be in ur shity guild neway"
I called her a cunt and spat on her. She challenged me to a duel.

SAMUARI SHOGUN BATTLE:

The sunwas setting .the duel would start when the shadows cast from the lincon tower finally reached the coin in the middle betwixt us. She had her hand just above her armament, my hand hovered over the Power Word: Stun button on my action bar.
3....2....1....
POWSHING!!! I took a shot to the shoulder, but i managed to stun her. She would be disabled for at least another two or three minutes, at my mercy.
"Well u stupid bich looks like u fuked up. im gona dew(tm) what u did 2 my friend 2 ur fuckin fase, which is rape it becus u r a fukin hor and u rap3e d him and mae him uninstaled"
SO i smashed my coke into her vajimmy so hard she was like "OOH... OOOH>>>>" and i broke herm pelfis and then went to her face and skol fuck so hard her teeth went pop out and she cry and beg for mercy and I said

"U
"R"

"A WHOR"
then i spat on her and decapitated her for 8 damage and then coup de graced her with her own blasty gatt in the face for 39184 damage killing her 1 shot instantly from 99% HP to 0. she fucking screamed when her realize i stole all her gear too LOL

but ... my friend will not be aveng. this cant go on.
I charter a flyt on the next space port dock and i'd need to go to the shourrce to stop her. i was going to go to

LONDON
O
N
D
O
N

>>52527523
I'm on the edge of my seat. What happens next?

>>52519909
>I heard the telltale tumpdrag of Toshiro coming up to the door.
>I opened it before he could.
>he held up an empty sake cup
>I cocked my head at him. I didn't really want to leave Naomi's side.
>What is it, Ishigaki-kun?
>Just Toshiro. Dosen't want to drink alone.
>So go with him.
>But...
>You are a being a worry wort.
>I am fine Ishigaki-kun, truly.
>Tatsuki peeked out from behind Toshiro.
>I can stay with her, if you're worried, Ishigaki-sama.
>Alright, you win. Let's go get drunk then.
>Yosh.
>Toshiro and I headed out.
>When we got there, I was surprised to see the Mantis waiting for us.
>I glanced at Toshiro, saw the smirk on his face.
>He planned this.
>It was too late to back out now, though.
>Fine, I could be civil when I had to be.
>Hey.
>Hey.
>Toshiro handled the first pour.
>We drank our Sake.
>I took the next pour.
>How's Naomi?
>fine.
>How's Tatsuki?
>FIne.
>How's your foot?
>It hurts.
>We drank.
>Nice, civil, riveting conversation.
>Mantis took the next pour.
>I inspected my Sake closely.
>Pffft. If I wanted to kill you I'd just hack you up with my kama.
>We drank.
>Toshiro poured.
>That's assuming you were trying to kill me. Pillow district isn't far from here. Maybe you're just trying to drug me.
>We drank.
>The hell you on about? I've got Tatsuki for that. I don't need your hideous ass.
>I poured.
>So you're saying you'd consider it, if you didn't buy yourself a woman?
>We drank.
>Nah. Never.
>Mantis poured.
>Toshiro spoke up, breaking the little jabs the Mantis and I were taking at each other.
>So, what are you going to do with her anyway?
>The Mantis glared at Toshiro.
>Knocked back his sake in one gulp.
>make her my concubine. If she'll go for it.
>I finished my own cup to hide my surprise.
>You really like her, don't you?
>Toshiro poured.
>No, you dolt. I love her. I'd marry her if I could.
>I wasn't sure how to answer that, so I just drank.
>The others followed my lead.

>>52529334
>As I poured, Toshiro spoke again.
>So, why can't you? Is it just the class difference?
>I'm already married.
>I sputtered a bit as my sake went down the wrong pipe.
>You okay over there, big guy? Too much to handle?
>I'm fine. fine. Can drink you under the table any day of the week.
>Bullshit.
>Mantis poured.
>When did you even get married?
>Before we all met.
>I never knew that.
>You never asked.
>We drank.
>Whose pour is it?
>Toshiro's I think.
>He poured.
>Well, you never offer up anything about yourself. I figured you wanted to keep to yourself.
>We drank.
>I never spoke up because YOU don't like me. Pour the drinks you bastard.
>I did.
>I spilled some.
>We drank.
>Where the hell did you get that idea?
>It's written all over your stupid face.
>The Mantis poured. He spilled too.
>When you fuckin walked in here, the second you saw me you wanted to leave!
>We drank.
>Well, if you were a proper samurai you wouldn't want to be seen with a koku fucker either!
>Toshiro poured.
>The fuck is that supposed to mean?
>we drank. I slammed my cup down and poured.
>Your a merchant, pretending to be a Samurai.
>your whole fuckin clan is obsesed with money.
>You're wose'n fuckin Cranes!
>We drank.
>You ever seen a Crane fight like me?
>I've seen drunken panda's fight like you, but never anything you could mistake for a samurai.
>Mantis poured.
>Where the hell did you see a drunk panada?!
>Shinomen Mori.
>We drank.
>All kinds of freaky shit in there.
>Whose pour?
>Toshiro spoke.
>I'll get it. I can't remember either.
>He poured.
>We drank.
>You're full of shit. You never seen a drunk panada!
>I poured.
>you're right. But I have seen a drunk bug.
>Where?
>We drank.
>In front of me
>Oh FUCK YOU.
>He poured.
>Buy me dinner first.
>We drank.
>THAT IS ENOUGH.
>Another Samurai. A Crane, by his hair, came over to our table.
>You are being very rude and distrubing the other guests. I must insist you take you leave.
>FUCK OFF
>The mantis and I responded in unison.

>>52529523
>We looked at each other in surprise.
>Grins spread across our faces.
>he looked so stupid, swaying all drunkenly while just sitting there.
>Toshiro poured himself a cup and drank it in one gulp.
>as the mantis and both stood up and punched the Crane in his too pretty face.
>And the fight was on.
>The Mantis was one hell of a brawler.
>Everything he could get his hands on became a weapon.
>And he seemed quite comfortable weaving around and barely keeping his balance.
>I swear he avoided more blows to dumb luck and his own lurching than to any real skill.
>I, on the other hand, planted my feet firmly on the ground and hit anything that came within arms reach.
>I'm sure some of them hit me a few times, but I hardly felt it. Might have had something to do with them having the muscle devolpment of a four year old girl.
>I said as much, and they took exception to that.
>Two of them went for my legs, and managed to take me down.
>The Mantis picked up a table and knocked them off me.
>Good thinking!
>I know right!
>Toshiro poured himself another drink.
>Then broke the empty sake bottle over the head of one of the samurai trying to get up.
>Several minutes later, the brawl was over.
>The Crab/Mantis alliance had conquered this drinking establishment.
>Then the magistrate showed up.
>Toshiro apologized to the Doji and paid the fine, then promised to get us both back to inn.
>It took a while, either I or the Mantis kept trying to wander off in search of more alcohol.
>And we both had to stop to puke at least once.
>The Mantis looked up at me after he finished one such bout.
>How in the hell is that Kuni friend of yours not drunk like us?
>Toshiro overheard him, and answered.
>My leg is hollow. I keep it all in there.
>He said this with a perfectly straight face.

Good stuff.

Bump for drunk brawls with your nakama.

>>52529523
>>52529704
Bonding is one of the loveliest things to happen in RPGs.

Bumpping for bonding over punching Cranes in the face.

>>52535003
It's like he's reading the comments and wilting what I want to hear.

STICKWORLD : AN ORDER OF THE STICK FAN FICTION
>Chapter Four<
Roy was minding his own business polishing his sword when varsivus walked in and said like 28 pages of dialog. roy responded with a short essay and by short i mean it drug the fucking comic out for two and a half months while rich burfew remained an arrogant piece of shit who still hasnt delivered his cuckstarter rewards despite spending all that jewgold on stupid shit. anyway

Roy: V u r the gr8est wizard quit bbeing emo al thos ppl u killed u got xp rite?
V: no
Roy: whaaaaaaaaat?

and then rich borfalot was approached by thunt the creator of the im sad comic and thoogie said "RICHY BOY I GOT A GREAT I DEA I QUIT" and he quit making comic but dident cus he still need to make money and him was like rich they still havent dleivered all the shit people gave them money to do but thont x richie otp crossover anime fanfiction:

Roy sees minamax and go "hey ur a fighthead like me right"
mingo says to him in reply: "i cannot talk i traded away my int score to hit shit with a sord harder"
v and the dwarf from the goblink comic they talked but then i remembered that in thunts world the dwarf is now crayola fuckin model magic and v was like "UH - NO"
but then the goblins came and they were like "LOVE US WERE NOT BAD GUYS WERE GOOD GOBLINS :D" and belkar s t a b b e d them in the face and the eye and the throat and the chest and the lung and the spleen and the spine and the gut and the knee and everywhere else and gotted all the xp but then yellow goblin went "IM GOOD GUY" and hitted bolk with the axe but rifch berfew was offended so he made belkar beom an vampire and drink the blood and then thunt said "NO IT HURTS LIKE A SICKNESS" and then he had a guro fetish and cut everyone up and rich and thunt had hot steaming azn sex on the beach but u cant see it cuz its blocked in ur country by viacom

bump

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I've never been interested in L5R, but after reading this story and then the wiki for lore, I have my curiosity peaked. How does the community see the Tattooed Monks? And are they mechanically viable in the RPG?

>>52539680
Yeah, the tattooed monks are cool. If you want to know which Tattoos are optimal, be ware that the Dragon Tattoo is (unfortunately) only good in specific builds, and the Ki-Rin Tattoo is always good to have. If you want general optimization, then the only advice I can really offer you is to get your Earth ring to at least 3 if you're gonna be in combat, otherwise wound penalties will fucking ruin you.

>>52540302
What build is the dragon tattoo good in? Just curious as I would love to play a dragon tattoo for when I get a chance to play.
Also what advice would you have for a GM who was inspired by these threads to get the books and run a game for his group. I have a party of two and we all new to the setting and system.

>>52540614
Basically, in builds specifically focussed on being a badass with fire breath. You'd need an Fire of 4 (maybe 3) for it to be effective damage, plus the Ki-Rin tattoo to re-roll crummy damage rolls, plus an Earth of 3 or more for the health you're gonna be losing. It's almost impossible to do at character creation.

>>52540767
I see, also, would you happen to have any GM advice for someone new to the setting inspired by this thread and introducing his players to the game in a two player game?

>>52541352
L5R is a lot like 40K in that you, as the GM, really have to know the setting well. In particular, you need to know all the little BS details about Rokugan's society and etiquette; I cannot stress this enough.
Besides that, just make sure you prepare your notes and maps and stats and shit ahead of time; you know, basic DM stuff.

>>52541352
If you can find PDF's of the Way of [Clan] first ed books you wont really find better for getting the fluff of any Clan just right. Combine Way of [Clan] with the elemental books from 4ed and Sword and Fan and you've got pretty much everything you need to have deep RP in your L5R game.

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>>52542323
>find PDF's of the Way of [Clan] first ed books

Since anons seem to be helping out here, is there a particular build for a good monkey bushings?

Been reading a little, and while the idea of playing a glorified peasant seems fun, their description of not being the best at anything sounds like it would be very easy to become unhelpful to a group.

>>52543592
Bushi. Stupid autocorrect

>>52543592
>>52543689
This isn't true; Monkey's are awesome. Toku Bushi is one of the best generalist Schools in the game, and their Rank 1 Technique is just the best. You can build them however you want. Therefore, I'm gonna just give you some general optimization advice.

Always take 10 points of disadvantage. Always. The extra points are invaluable, especially if they raise your Insight rank a lot.
Personally, I like giving all my non-shugenja characters Courtier 3 and Ettiquette 3; this makes them decent at social stuff, and is a very efficient way to boost your insight. Buying a handful of skills at rank one also accomplishes this. Don't do this if you're low on points, unless it lets you reach Rank 2 in your school, in which case do that.

When building your Toku Bushi, you're gonna want to raise your Agility to 3. I highly suggest that you raise your Intelligence to 3 as well, although this isn't mandatory if you don't have the points.
You're gonna want to have at least 1 rank in combat skills that you're less likely to use but might one day need, like Iaijutsu and Juijitsu. Defense also, but you might want to raise that to 2.
Assuming you're gonna be fighting with a katana (which I'm just assuming you are), you're gonna want to have at LEAST 3 ranks in Kenjutsu. If you don't have more than 3, something has gone horribly wrong. The ideal to have is 7, since that boosts your damage; it's rarely worth it to go beyond 7 in Kenjutsu. An Emphasis for katanas is also helpful, especially at higher skill ranks.

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story bump

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Old thread's already on sup/tg/, good work Crabanon.

Also, bump.

>>52544391
For those of us with no idea what this system is like, what does any of this mean? How does the system stack up against PF, 5e, FATE, or 40krpgs?

>>52546707
It's the roll/keep system (if you've ever played Dungeons the Draggoning, it's the system that game used). When you roll dice, you roll [skill + attribute] d10, and keep the [attribute] highest d10. Dice that land on 10 explode.

Personally, I consider the roll/keep system to be superior to PF, 5e, and Fate, since all of those systems are fucking awful. I would say it's about equivalent to 40K RPG system.

>>52529704

>I woke up, the light in the room stinging my eyes.
>why is it so bright
>Oh, Naomi had every window in the room open
>the dull thudding in my head became a fierce pounding as I tried to sit up.
>Good morning, Ishigaki-kun. Would you like some breakfast?
>Naomi cracked a raw egg and mixed it up into a bowl of rice, then shoved it right under my nose.
>yo-ulp. You're doing this on purpose.
>Whatever do you mean, Ishigaki-kun?
>She daintily ate some rice.
>Oh, this is very good. Are you sure you do not want some?
>She offered me the bowl again.
>right under my nose.
>I lurched to my feet and got outside in time.
>Mantis-san was already there.
>he wipped his mouth and grinned at me.
>Taught those little girls how to fight, didn't we?
>I grinned back.
>Yeah.
>Though I think Naomi is upset with me.
>Kitsuki-san apeared in the mouth of the alleyway.
>Of course she's upset with you. Both of you idiots made a real mess last night. You're retainers of Jade Magistrates! You should have some consideration for your position.
>Now she's going to have to reprimand you publicly for your shameful behavior last night!
>Mantis-san and I exhcanged glances.
>Then burst out laughing.
>And what do you find so funny?
>Kitsuki-san's confusion only made us laugh harder.
>thumpdrag
>thumpdrag
>thumpdrag
>The situation has already been handled Kitsuki-san. I paid the fine.
>But, their actions...!
>I was there with them, did you not know that?
>Ishigaki and mantis-san are as much my subordinates as Naomi's, and I will not reprimand them.
>For the love of the Fortunes, WHY?
>They won.
>We left Kitsuki-san there, his mouth working like a fish out of water.
>We sat in the common room, nursing cups of tea along with our hangovers.
>Naomi came and joined us.
>She looked between me and Mantis-san a few times.
>Then at Toshiro.
>You planned this.
>Toshiro sipped his tea.
>I didn't plan on this hangover being so bad, no.

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>>52547352
>They won.
Why does Osano-Wo have the best clans?

>>52547352
>Naomi sat down with just a slight huff.
>That is not what I meant and you know it.
>I spoke up.
>Sometimes, Naomi too much sake is actually a good thing.
>Too much sake is the go to excuse for when you slip up and breach etiquette.
>From an emotional outburst to bad table manners, if you do something wrong you apologize and blame it on too much sake.
>It doesn't mitigate your shame, and it only works on minor things, but most people will accept your apology and not bring it up again.
>After all, everyone has had too much sake at least once or twice.
>A runner came up with a letter for Mantis-san.
>He read it. Then went pale.
>I looked at him.
>What is it?
>My wife. Says there's trouble and I need to come home right away.
>Naomi asked if his wife had elaborated on it.
>Just a name. Kenzan.
>He practically spat the name.
>Who is this Kenzan?
>MY problem. I'll deal with it.
>I put a hand on Mantis-san's shoulder.
>He may be your problem, but you our OUR problem.
>Naomi and Toshiro nodded.
>I'll go wake up the Monkey.
>And that was how we found ourselves on a ship headed to the Islands of Spice and Silk.
>along the way we pressed for information on Kenzan.
>Mantis-san opened up more quickly than usual.
>Mantis-san had, in the past, captained a small kobune.
>It was how he got his start, and ended up with a favorable marriage.
>Kenzan had been his navigator, for a time.
>Knezan, however was far from reliable.
>He was not a drunkard, or addict or anything of that sort.
>On the water, he was a fine navigator, one of the best Mantis-san had ever worked with.
>However, Kenzan did have a problem with gambling. A very big problem.
>When a full two dozen Mantis samurai stormed onto his boat, beating any who tried to stop them unconscious and taking his cargo to pay back Kenzan's gambling debts, Mantis-san threw Kenzan off the boat.
>Literally.

>>52547718
I'm all for friendship and shows of camraderie, but didn't y'all have a job you were on?

I suppose it's within the purview of a Jade Magistrate to go "ayy we need our team at full effectiveness, let's make sure Mantis' family woes go nice and quick"?

>>52547811
What job? They've already dealt with the Gaki issue

>>52547835
idk, I thought that was just shit they ran into on the way to whatever they were sent for out here, but maybe I'm just forgetting. I've been following this since thursday or something.

>>52547718
>Mantis-san complained to his lord, who complained to the lord Kenzan owed.
>Who responded that the Captain is responsible for the conduct of his crew and refused to give back the cargo.
>Mantis-san's Lord did not want to force the issue, since it was his retainers weakness that led to this mess.
>So Mantis-san's lord settled for casting Kenzan out of the clan for making him look bad.
>Kenzan blamed Mantis-san for being a made a Ronin, and swore vengeance.
>That's the last I heard of the bastard, until today.
>I expected his gambling to catch up to him, leaving him floating face down in a river somewhere, before he could cause any trouble.
>I thought you said you didn't know anyone who could have been THEM?
>Kenzan's a bastard, but he's no Maho-Tuskai.
>I leaned over the side of boat, checking Kitsuki-san's face to see if he was still concious.
>He was.
>He was a green as his Haori, but he was still awake.
>I wouldn't do to let him pass out and fall over board, after all.
>How long till we get there, do you think?
>If the weather holds, another two days.
>Kitsuki-san managed to make his vomiting sound especially distressed at that.
>And then the fog bank that seemed to come up from nowhere enveloped us.
>Somehow, I knew this was the Monkey's fault.

>>52547811
Imperial grade magistrates are generally self-managed. If they fuck around during an investigation, there's not really any oversight, because their immediate boss is the Emerald or Jade Champion, and those guys are very busy in the Emperor's Court or with their own personal projects the vast majority of the time.

>>52547921
Cool. I suppose they make a good basis for 'adventuring party' because of that?

>>52546624
Holy shit.

>>52547571
Because he's the Fortune of Fire and Thunder. He was conceived when the litteral Dragon of Thunder showed up in the form of a human woman in front of Hida, stark naked, in the middle of a thunderstorm, and said I am the Dragon of Thunder, and I love you.

He's such a badass that when the Fortunes kicked all the once mortal fortunes out, he stayed. Ostensibly because his father was a kami and his mother a dragon so he was pretty well endowed with divine heritage, but really it was because no one wanted to pick a fight with him.

>>52547881
We'd been spreading word that it may have been possible that unkowingly tainted people were moving around, trying to create a dragnet to catch them. We pretty much had at this point. As Jade Magistrates we could go pretty much wherever the hell we wanted to looking for signs of spiritual corruption. We wouldn't have any Imperial Authority over dealing with Mantis woes, but we could still help.

>>52547948
It is the default yes, gives you excuses to get a multi-clan party togother, lets them wander the length and breadth of the Empire, and gets to introduce Samurai Drama when a situation crops up that pits their loyalty to thier clan against their loyalty to the Empire and their station.

>>52548101
Having decide between help your family, clan, and/or empire is a genuine horribly hard decision. In reality the nature of man and authority is complicated, even more so when Clan and Empire have both have their own celestial authorities and your ancestors are also judging you. I commit sudoku.

>>52547891
>The ship lurched as we collided with something.
>From where I was I managed to grab Kitsuki-san and keep him from falling over.
>I pulled him aboard, dumping him unceremoniously to the deck, as I went to check on Naomi.
>I am fine Ishigaki-kun, just a small bump.
>then I heard a cry
>Which turned very quickly into a gurgle
>I turned to see a man pulling a tanto out of one of the sailors.
>How a man at sea got that dirty I will never know.
>I missed my chance to ask, since I cracked his eggs with my tetsubo and shoved him over the side.
>All around us, Pirates swarmed onto the deck.
>I backed Naomi up into a corner and swatted anything that came near, as she gave me strength and speed with her magic.
>I could barely make out Toshiro and the Monkey fighting side by side, defending Kitsuki-san who was still feeling the effects of his seasickness.
>Mantis-san was in his element, he stode the deck with confidence, his kama were a blur as they scythed through necks, bodies and legs.
>Then a blast of water slammed into Toshiro, the Monkey and Kitsuki-san.
>The mist parted, revealing the whole deck again.
>The captain was laying on the deck, bleeding
>Over him stood a shugneja, with a bloody tipped trident.
>Toshiro and the Monkey kept their feet, but Kituski-san was knocked clean off the boat.
>Monkey dove in after him without hesitation.
>Crazy Monkey.
>Toshiro was in a tough spot. He could fight quite well with his tetsubo, but most of his Earth magic was for dealing with the taint. He had Fire for more mundane foes.
>Only, we were on boat.
>a big, wooden, boat.
>I batted aside another pirate, unwilling to leave Naomi's side.
>KENZAN!
>Mantis-san rushed out of nowhere, swinging on the shugenja.
>That then, must be Kenzan. From navigator to ronin to pirate.
>Quite the fall.
>Kenzan's eyes widened in surprise to see Mantis-san.
>He spun his trident as he backed away,
>Kenzan spoke
>It has been to long you bastard! I'll have your head now!

>>52548722
Once again it's late and my vision blurs. I should be able to resume a more regular posting routine tomorrow so this thread isn't all bumps.

>>52548761
We'll be waiting, crab-anon.

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>>52546707
For a little more depth the build anon has lain out is what we in the bis call powergaming. It's intended to wring the most power out of the least expenditure of exp possible with an eye towards ranking up fast. Not the most RP thing to do but that's really my personal preference shining through, as it's all legit.

So let's break it down:
Rank 1 Technique is:
+1k0 to rolls with a T(areget)N(umber) of 25+
&
Wound Penalties are reduced by an amount equal to your Willpower plus double your School Rank.

TN 25 is 52% success for someone rolling 6k3, which is about what you'd expect for things a Rank 1 samurai is good at. So 25 is, roughly speaking, medium samurai difficulty for a task and getting to roll an extra dice on ANY such task is really good.
This Wound Penalties reduction is about the best form of fighting harder for longer in the game. It's super good.

The '10 points of disadvantages' means taking a collection of disadvantages at character creation that give a total of 10 exp. Specifically 10 because it's recommend to make this the maximum exp a character can get from disadvantages. Specifically to stop people taking a huge bunch of them and minmaxing.

Courtier and Etiquette are the social offence and defence skills respectively and it's never bad to have them. Rank 3 is specified because many skills offer mastery abilities at certain ranks (3/5/7). For most it gives you a little more omf out of the skill. But for these two both offer a mastery of +3 Insight at rank 3.

>>52549674
So WTF is Insight? It's a totalling of your characters experience and the method of increasing your Insight Rank to learn new techniques.
It's calculated as (Rings x10 + all Skill Ranks + Anything else) and you rank up at 150/175/200/225 and so on. Most new characters end up in the 115-130 range depending on how you spent your points.

Now a little more on Rings. They each represent a mental and physical attribute a thus:
Air - Reflexes/Awareness
Earth - Stamina/Willpower
Fire - Agility/Intelligence
Water - Strength/Perception
Void - Void is only the one stat. It's everything and nothing. Very woo.

Broken down further:
Air - Ranged attacks and not getting hit/Social interactions
Earth - Resist being tired+illness+poison/Resist fear+mind woo+temptations (Your Earth Ring also determines how many wounds you have.)
Fire - Hitting things+physical presision/Knowing things
Water - Hurting things+almost all physical activity/Perceiving the world around you (Your Water Ring also determines you fast you can move. This' why a Water Tensei is fast and strong.)
Void - Meditation and woo things. Also gives Void points why you can spend to make yourself better at rolls and a couple of other things. Some advanced Techniques require void points to activate.

Now it's important to note that each attribute that makes up a Ring is raised separately (from their base of 2) and the Ring itself is equal to the lower of the two attributes. So you can dump heaps of exp into raising up an attribute really high and be great at using it, but that won't help you Rank up. e.g. Someone with Agility 5/Intelligence 2 has a Fire Ring of 2. They'd be great at stabbing you in the face but would still only be getting 20 Insight form their Fire Ring.
Shugenja also use their Ring when casting spells so they tend to have balanced attributes where a bushi or courtier might specialise.

>>52549786

All of that ties into the last bit of advice on getting a spread of skills.
All Skills and Attributes cost an exponential amount to increase up the Ranks.
Skills cost exp equal to the Rank you're buying so 1>2>3>4>5 costs 1/2/3/4/5 exp totalling 1/3/6/10/15.
Attributes cost x4 the Rank you're buying so 2>3>4>5 is 12/16/20/24 exp totalling 12/28/48/72.
The Void Ring costs x6 the Rank you're buying. 2>3>4 is 12/18 exp totalling 12/30

Skills go from 0 to 10 and let you roll more dice when using them.
Attributes go from 1-10 with samurai starting at 2 in each. They let you roll and keep more dice when using them.

So when I say that my first character, an Air Shugenja, started with 3 Air and ended up with 6 you know I played that character for a fucking long time.

Anyway back to the Monkey Bushi. By buying a bunch of skills at Rank 1 you get the most efficient exp spent to Insight gained and because of the bonus to TN 25 rolls you're getting more out of those off skills when you really need them.

So to wrap up: What this Anon has suggested will make you a fighty samurai who won't be to total chump at talking right out of the gate and push you as close to Rank 2 as you can reasonably be. Not how I tend to build my characters, but it works.

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>>52549887
Oh and before I forget a little more on skills and attributes in a fluffier way.

All samurai schools start you off with 7 skills. Usually as 5/6 set Rank 1 skills and then choosing 1 or 2 from the skills groups. Rarely a school will have a skill at Rank 2. Anyway these skill rank are the minimum requirement to pass the tests and be allowed to move on. You also have to have all the School skills if you're being a snowflake and changing into a new school post character creation, still gotta pass those tests yo!

As far as the ranks go Rank 1 is competent, Rank 3 is skilled, Rank 5 is good enough to teach in a Great Clan's dojos, Rank 7 is Mastery, Rank 8+ is wtf levels of good at it.
This is also why you can't start the game with a skill higher than 4. The sensei's can't teach what they don't know!

As for Rings Samurai start with their Rings at 2 because they're just so fucking special. All other humans (read: peasants and eta) get to start at 1 because they aren't as good.
5 is roughly considered the human maximum. To go beyond is to start being more in tune with that Element than humanity. Sorta.
8 is about the highest Ring you'll ever see officially and that's a privilege reserved for those like Hida himself, who had 8 Earth. Hida could have walked up to a mountain and started headbutting it and the mountain would have given up and broken before Hida did.
If you somehow managed to achieve 10 in a Ring then your character is so in tune with that element that element that they achieve enlightenment and basically win at everything forever, due to being enlightened.

And here, have this pic of Best Antichrist.

>>52549974
>you can't start the game with a skill higher than 4
really?

>>52550811
It makes sense in context with the post. 5 and up is where you are on par or beyond your teachers and all they knew. Makes sense to leave space to let a character really grow by design, especially for such an rp centric feeling system

>>52550811
Well yes. Unless you've got some famous teacher there (which you don't, who do you think you are, an imperial?), and even if you do, most of their skills are going to be at 5. You can't teach things you don't know.

Also mechanically a character starts with 40 exp to spend and can get up to 10 more from disadvantages. So that's 40-50 exp to spend on skills, attributes and advantages. Don't forget that attributes start at 2 and cost 12 exp to increase to 3. To take a skill to 4 is already spending 10 of that. A quarter of your base allowance for +4k0 on /one/ skill. It's a steep investment that can leave you unable to act in vital situations because you didn't train yourself more widely. I mean being a prodigy of swordplay isn't going to help you if you insult a Lord with a shoddy gift. Samurai have a lot expected of them and sometimes your party won't be able to cover your ass.

Keep in mind also that a Rank 1 PC is typically a samurai not long from their gempuku (a combination graduation from school and coming into adulthood ceremony) and thusly somewhere between 12-16 depending on Clan and School. Such characters just don't have the time to learn to be the best there ever was.

>>52551097
What if I played a School-less True Ronin? Then could I have a skill of 5 or higher, since I'm self-taught?

>>52551310
Hahahaha no. Good thinking, but sadly not.
Because ronin suck and the dev team hates them.
Also because you're self taught and how the hell is a 14 year old going to swing a sword at peasants enough times to match a respected sensei of the major clans in technical sword skill?

>>52551364
Ronin don't start at 14. I don't have a school, so I don't necessarily have to start right after my Gempeku. Maybe I'm 18 or something, and have spent my youth killing real enemies while pampered clan samurai like you were fighting with wooden swords.

>>52551415
Well there's an argument there to not be a raw character and get some bonus exp. But on the other hand if we go by the thematic of it I'd say it's a much better fit for such a character to have a higher agility rather than 5 kenjutsu. Kenjutsu is 'Technical Sword Skill' which is something, as a true schooless ronin, you have no choice but to work out for yourself which would be really bloody hard. And Kenjutsu 5 represents a level of skill that just seems inappropriate for such an individual.
Ultimately the rules say no and if you want and exception that's something to take up with your DM. If it where me? I'd be saying no, unless you can up with a really good story for why a ronin who's never been taught a proper stance in their life has such huge skill. if you could come up with a good enough story well...

>>52506297
This should be added to the annals of /tg/ as the next Cernel Jonson story.

>>52549674
>what we in the bis call powergaming
He asked for optimization, so I gave him optimization.

>>52551626
Yes? I'm not saying you didn't.
If it seemed like I was being negative then I apologise, that's my preference for RP based building for new characters. There's nothing wrong with anything you said and it's all logical good stuff for a Monkey. I'm just the sort who prefers to make some flavourful base and grow into that broader competency over time.

>>52551657
Okay, sorry.
Personally, I like going at it the other way. Having restrictions is often better than boundless freedom when writing stories/characters, so I put the restriction of my character being effective whenever I roll up a new character.

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>>52551709
Yeah that's fair enough

>>52524412
Bump for white-haired waifus

>>52544391
Thank you for answering my questions! I'm honestly glad to hear that I was wrong about the Monkey being suboptimal.

>>52549674
>>52549786
>>52549887
>>52549974
And thank you for going more in depth about what those mechanics actually are as well as the fluff.

If you don't mind another question, what other things does void as a ring do for a samurai? I can definitely see how the other rings relate to being effective in a fight, but void somewhat appropriately seems quite nebulous and vague.

Also, as far as characters go, I tend to be more rp focused. However I don't like being a burden to my group in the process.

>>52552341
Void gives you Void Points. Void Points are basically fate points, only they can't be burned to survive like in other games.
Void Points are incredibly useful in combat for Bushi, as they can (among other things) increase attack rolls, and damage rolls with a katana. This is because L5R wound penalties will fucking ruin your day, so getting the first strong hit against an opponent will raise their wound penalties and make them unable to kill you.
The more wounded you are, the less you can kill you opponent, the less wounded they become, and the more they can wound you. This is colloquially known in the L5R playerbase as the Death Spiral.

As for what the Void ring does other than void points, that's a little tricky. If you're gonna be doing Iaijutsu, Void is an important trait there. Also, if you're a Shugenja, high Void is the fucking best, since Void spell-slots can be used for anything.

>>52552519
>If you're gonna be doing Iaijutsu, Void is an important trait there.
I thought that would be being a crane and/or water?

>>52552341
>void somewhat appropriately seems quite nebulous and vague
Yeah pretty much. That's void's shtick well and truly. It's also pretty in arguably the most powerful of the elements. Sadly void spells are dull and op.
But that's not what you asked!
Most of what void does is provide characters with a pool of void points equal to their Ring.
This pool refreshes primarily with rest but meditation and a couple of other rarer things can also gain a character void points.
But what do they do? Well these things, ripped straight from the core book:
Gain a bonus of +1k1 to a Skill, Trait, Ring, or Spell Casting roll (the Void Point expenditure must be declared prior to the roll being made). Damage Rolls may not be enhanced in this manner. (Unless it's a katana because those are just the ///best///, ya hear!)
This is probably the most common and useful usage of void points. Really need something to work? Void points got your +1k1 right here.

Temporarily increase his rank in a Skill from 0 to 1, avoiding Unskilled Roll penalties.
This is probably the next most common usage, spoofing skills. This gives you +1k0 as if you actually had the skill but more importantly let's your 10s explode that you'd otherwise miss for not actually know what you're doing.

Reduce the amount of Wounds suffered from one source of damage by 10 (this must be done immediately after the damage total is announced).
As >>52552519 said, wound penalties are bad and get you killed. Also someone with 2 Earth has only 38 wounds before death and the second half of those have big wound penalties on them.

>>52552539
Nope. Void is the element of inner wisdom and tranquility and shit like that, not Water.

>>52552561

Increase his Armor TN by 10 for one round. This is done at the beginning of the combat Round.
Don't get hit and you don't take wounds.

Exchange his Initiative Score with one willing target for the remainder of the current skirmish. This is done at the beginning of the combat Round. Only one of the two characters needs to spend a Void for this effect to take place.
Increase his Initiative Score by 10 for the duration of the current skirmish. This is done at the beginning of the combat Round.
I've never actually seen someone use these. They aren't bad, just kinda forgettable to my group.

As >>52552519 also said Void is used for duelling. Although how differs on what edition you're playing. I personally prefer 3E for my duels.
The Crane's Kakita Bushi (and any other duelling school) have School Techniques that make them better at duelling, but neglecting your void is bad for any duellist.
And Void is also great for Shugenja because yes, Void slots can be used for any other spell. Shugenja get spell slots per day equal to their ring. Also that 1k1 bonus is really helpful in making the harder rolls to cast empowered versions of spells.

The Rings are all associated with a theme. Air is avoidance, earth is endurance, fire is precision, water is movement and Void is oneness.
Spending a void point is, fluff-wise, the character having a sudden instant of clarity as they act. Some momentary touch of enlightenment.

>>52552561
>>52552681
Oh and I forgot there's also some techniques like I mentioned earlier that need void points to use. Typically those are 4th or 5th rank techs, that is to say the last techniques taught by a school.

There is also Kiho! And oft forgotten group of mystical techniques used by monks. They can do all sorts of strange things and are a little bit like internal spells, in that it's the person themselves doing the mystical thing and not some Kami they asked properly.
Kiho can also be activated by making meditation rolls which use, you guessed it, the Void Ring.

So I just ran my first session of L5R
Characters
Utaku disbeliever with a dim view of priests
Kitsu shugenja with hair trigger temper and akado blade.
> start with them duelling after they get drunk on sake and get into an argument due to the diametrically opposed world views.
> Kitsu surprisingly wins duel and knocks utaku out.
>heals her back up to full, tells her she owes him one and the next morning they find that they have to work together as emerald magistrates.
Was fun but I don't think we will continue as the players are unfamiliar with the setting which detracts from the game quite a bit.

>>52553109
Might I suggest trying either Hero's of Rokugan 2 or 3?
They're excellent collections of connected mods that cover a wide variety of themes and topics.
Perhaps best of all is that they both start with a Tournament mod that intoduces a lot of the aspects of Rokugan.
http://heroes-of-rokugan.com/HoR2/scenarios.html
http://www.heroes-of-rokugan.net/index.php?page=PriorCampaigns

More screencaps to come tonight, crab-god willing

>>52553109
Don't give up yet, its been one session.
The required reading list to get a good grasp on the inns and outs of Rokugan is fuckhuge. Crabhuge even. First, don't be afraid to get some detail wrong, and don't be afraid to go "guys, I was wrong it really works like this" Trust me, every GM that has run L5R has had moments where they screwed up some formal procedure or another.

To help your players into the game, you could strongly suggest your players have at LEAST one rank in Etiquette, Lore: Law, Lore: Bushido and Lore: [thier chars] clan. Then have them make reflexive rolls when shit their unfamilier with crops up, TN 5 for how to say hello properly, increasing the less often a char would have encountered a situation before. Ease them into this world, be their training wheels.

And if they balk at spending points on non optimal skills so they can be beter at RP, you can rip a scene from the very first published adventure, in the back of the first ed core book. NPC kills someone, and PC's and few friendly NPC's know it, but can't prove it, not with Rokugan's testimony only evidence anyway. Have NPC blurt out what everyone is thinking. Then, becuase NPC just accused a person of a capitol crime which they cannot prove, the killer chalanges NPC to a duel to resolve the mater. Remember, what a Samurai says is legally true unless multiple people of the same rank or someone of higher rank says otherwise. Think A Few Good Men, and how Jack Nicholsons character was protected by his own rank.

If two Samurai of equal rank assert things that cannot be true at the same time (I didn't kill him, But he's the killer!) a deul is the proper way to settle the matter. First blood for trivial things, but accusations of murder? Someone is going to die.

So back to the example scene. Killer and NPC that said what your party was thinking face off. NPC dies. PC's now understand how important it is to know how to behave properly.

THUNDERSTRIKE! THE BATTLE FOR SANFORD OUTPOST

>Chapter 5 of the Videogame Mercenaries Tales<

...
Sanford and Son were working in the garage trying to come up with their latest hair-brained scheme to steal money and food from the white man. Sanford said "I'm an old niggo, the kind of black guy who don't take no for an answer because he don't ask questions, just takes what he damn well pleases because the color of my skin lets me be as entitled as I want." and then Son replied "But pappy, what happens if we really do need to do something with our lives?"

Sanford looked into Sons deep coal black eyes and replied, "Sonny, when the white man makes us get a job is the day I will shoot all the cops and make them pigs pay." So Son agreed and they went and loaded up them battle guns and proceeded to get into the stolen car outside and drive it over their trash filled lawn and out onto the high way while listening to spook music as loudly as they could. The two of them went and sailed off into the sunset to knock over a convienence store, just as their black fathers before them had done (but never shown them - afrikkan rights dictate that the fathers must abandon their children at a young age, and the sons learn how to act through genetic memory).
***

The captain lay in his quarters, naked, exhausted from the last fight. A knock tapped on his door and he wearily glanced over to the doorway to see it opening. "I thought i told u to wait until i say to come on " the captain started, pausing when he realized who it is. "Oh. Lucky, it's you."
Lucky's billowing red hair lay gently at his side, stepping out from the windy deck into the captains quarters. He didnt say anything, no, he didn't need to say anything at all. Captain knew why lucky was here, and lucky knew everything was going to be okay.

Now that our heroes are introduced, what happens when universes collide?
Find out soon!

>>52548722
>As Kenzan and Mantis-san squared off, preparing to clash with one another, a pirate on their ship blew a horn.
>Kenzan looked up
>Already?! Shit.
>He leveled his trident at Mantis-san
>We'll settle this another time! Jaa ne!
>as Mantis-san swung at him, Kenzan leaped over the side of the boat.
>And landed on the water.
>and ran to his ship.
>on top of the water.
>A hand appeared on the rail of the boat beside me.
>I looked over, Monkey was hauling himself up a rope with Kitsuki-san slung over his shoulder.
>Little help here? He's heavier than he looks!
>I grabbed Monkey's hand and hauled them both in.
>And then the water between our boats burst up
>the water rained down.
>Off of the head of a giant snake.
>It opened it's mouth as it's head swept from side to side, looking at both ships.
>Inside I could see fangs as long as a man.
>it hissed.
>um. I don't think it likes us.
>got a real knack for stating the obvious Monkey, you know that?
>Ishigaki-kun, that's an Orochi!
>Aren't Orochi smart?
>Very.
>So we can talk to it?
>The Orochi slammed its bulk against both ships, still hissing, still looking around.
>He does not seem to be in the mood.
>Mantis-san took charge, shouting orders to get the ship clear.
>The saliors lept to obey.
>WE'RE TAKING ON WATER!
>Mantis-san grabed the nearest man.
>Where's the carpenter?
>The sailor pointed to a body laying on the deck, throat cut ear to ear.
>Okay, you're the new carpenter. Get down there
>He gave the man a shove.
>Mantis-san then looked at me and Monkey.
>Plugging a hole water is pouring in from takes a lot of strength, and I've got my hands full up here!
>Got it. Let's go Monkey.
>Naomi-sama, this ship needs to move faster, and it needs to stop taking on water. The latter is a bit more important though.
>I do not think I can hold back the entire sea but I will do what I can.

>>52555988
>Mantis-san was right about plugging the hole.
>It took everything I had, with Monkey and another sailor on either side, to get the boards in place so the new carpenter could nail them in place.
>That Orochi tore a pretty big hole, by the time we got it plugged I was standing in knee deep water.
>Naomi pulled out a scroll and started to pray.
>Then, the water moved.
>All of it.
>It flowed up the stiars, swirling around Naomi's legs, onto the deck, and back over the side into the sea.
>The last little tendril of water, wrapped around Naomi, stretched out quite thin. Almost as if it didn't want to let go of her.
>She smilled at it.
>Thank you, my friends.
>Then it let go, and the water was gone.
>Water still leaked in from around the edges of the patch, but it was slow.
>Hey, Naomi can you do something about that, too?
>She shook her head.
>I could cetainly ask the water Kami to stop coming in, but there are so many out there, and we're moving past so many... I am but a drop in the endless ocean. I am sorry.
>Don't worry about it, Naomi-sama!
>The carpenter gestured to the patch.
>This will keep the worst of it out until we can make better repairs.
>The carpenter left a few men to keep an eye on the patch and to occasionally toss out buckets of water, then went up on deck to let Mantis-san know the state of things.
>We all went with.
>Mantis-san nodded. Pointed over the side.
>In the distance I could see a dark shape.
>An island.
>We'll need to beach the boat to make a watertight seal on the patch.
>As we got close, we could see the jagged rocks that ringed the island.
>It was tense sailing, the Mantis on the tiller with crewmen looking over the sides of the boat, yelling to him how much clearance he had.
>But somehow we got through the ring of rocks
>Naomi spoke to the water kami once more, and the water beneath us surged up, and eased us onto the beach.
>She smilled at us.
>Asking the kami for a quick favor, however, is well within my ability.

>>52556495
>Once ashore, we got off the boat, and Mantis-san inspected the damage from the outside with his carpenter.
>There were several places where the boards had been rubbed thin by the Orochi, aside from the hole it had punched.
>Mantis-san rubbed his chin.
>day, day and half at least.
>Need to slap some sealant on the patch, keep it from leaking. And that needs time to dry.
>We're not far from the Mantis Islands though, so we should be able to make it.
>Kitsuki-san, no longer green, spoke up
>There is a mist beginning to rise. Depending on how long it lasts we may be here longer.
>We looked around. Sure enough the mist was rising. Fast.
>Too fast.
>Shit!
>It was Mantis-san.
>He got back aboard the boat, yelled for the navigator.
>He came back out with some maps and charts.
>...and we were here, last time you checked our position?
>Yes, I'm sure of it.
>FUCK.
>I folded my arms.
>Bad news then?
>Yeah. We're on the Isle of Mists.
>The other sailors around came to dead stop and stared at Mantis-san.
>Monkey glanced around.
>What's the 'Isle of Mists'?
>A legend. Or at least, it's supposed to be.
>There's a part of the sea between the Crane coast and the Isles of Spice and Silk that have a thick mist all the time.
>Been that way since forever.
>easy to get lost in mist that thick; ships get lost in that area all the time.
>Some old sailors would say there's an island in the center of the mists.
>A cursed island, where the mist comes from.
>Mantis-san looked down. Stamped his foot.
>Guess it's real though.
>He looked up.
>Hey! Get back to work you louts! Anyone not working on repairs, get a camp set up!
>And calm down! We know why ships get lost now! They don't know about the rocks, don't see them in the mist, and sink!
>But we've got a navigator AND a water tensai with us! We'll be able to come back alive!
>Think about how many drinks this story will be worth once we get home!
>That put some life back into the sailors, and they sprang to work.

bump for that MISTerious island.

>>52557226
I can see it now, this is going to turn into a Scooby-Doo side story.

>>52559403
>Ishigaki is Fred
>Naomi is Daphne
>Kitsuki and/or Toshiro are Velma
>Mantis is Shaggy
>Monkey is Scooby
it all makes sense now

Google gives me nothing, so either my google-fu is weaker than I thought or this is some kind of homebrew.

>>52559587
Wrong thread?
If not, this stuff is Legend of the Five Rings

>>52474763
Thanks to Crab-anon I've been wanting to get into L5R as well, and one of my DM friends is interested as well. What's the easiest way to get a hold of the latest edition's pdf?

>>52560382
http://www.mediafire.com/folder/c7tfqff9sqp71/L5R
different anon here,i remebered to bookmark a DDL awhile back

>>52560585
Thanks anon.

>>52560585
The 4th ed pdf got removed.

>>52560767
looks like its all been taken down, dang

>>52560751
>>52560767
>>52560823
https://mega.nz/#F!KI00XCZA!sFV9L2S77bld5vzEmw5-vg!OMlxFBoA

Any tips on getting into L5R? I have a group of friends who have just started playing DnD several months ago, and they aren't opposed to trying new systems. Is it noob-friendly? Seems like it works best if you're into the lore, and I know those fucks won't do any reading at all beforehand even if I tell them to.

>>52562310
>Is it noob-friendly
Not really. The mechanics are simple enough, but you have to know the lore or you're fucked.
Train them off DnD with a different game. I reccomend Mutants and Masterminds, since it's still D20 (but good) and it can be used for more than just capeshit.