Post by cassusaevum on Oct 29, 2018 9:26:32 GMT -5
Setting
Legend of the Five Rings is based (very loosely) on a mishmash of the Sengoku period in Japan and several aspects of feudal China. The setting is somewhat lower magic than a traditional D&D game, with very little focus placed on acquiring loot or magic doodads or whatever. Magic certainly exists, as do a wide variety of monsters and fantastical creatures, but it is not unusual for a character to end a game of L5R with the same equipment and kit that they started with.
Game Type
We’ll be playing what I think of as a “Common Circumstances” campaign. In general, a group of samurai from different clans acting together to achieve a common goal would be unusual, at least outside of the auspices of the Emerald Magistrates (the most common type of campaign, which involves each party member being a sort of “independent investigator” for the Emperor… I don’t enjoy this type of campaign as it’s very episodic and misses out, in my opinion, on some of the best of what L5R has to offer). What is not unusual is to have samurai from various clans coming together because of a set of shared circumstances. For example:
The idea is to let the characters get to know one another and form bonds of trust and loyalty. While I will be presenting the situations to set this up, it does depend on some level of buy-in from you guys – you have to want to come together as a party in the metagame sense. In other words, it would be very beneficial to the longevity of the game if you find reasons to like one another, despite your clan/family/school differences. Again, I’ll be setting up circumstances in such a way as to make that easier.
Game Themes
The most basic theme of L5R (and Fantasy Flights has leaned into this hard) is the struggle between being the ideal Samurai and being someone with human emotions. The game has always been about the push and pull between Status, Honor, and Glory. The easiest way to think of these is:
This idea of internal struggle permeates through all the game themes, and the current version of the game has also added the struggle between Duty (giri) and Desire (ninjo). This is the kind of game where you will often have to make choices and there will be very few black and white options. For example, during the course of play, your character may end up betrothed to someone you hate right at the moment that your true love has declared his/her feelings for you. Do you do your duty and wed as your clan says, or go against their wishes to follow your desire? There will be consequences either way…
Story Elements
You may have already guessed that the story elements of the game will be a little different from a standard fantasy RPG. Politics within the Empire will play a large part in the game. While there will certainly be forays into things like dealing with monsters or exploring strange places, the main thrust of the game will be more about what’s going on between and within the various clans. Think more a very polite Game of Thrones rather than Middle Earth and you’ll be on the right track. This does not, in any form or fashion, mean a “no combat” or even “low combat” game. There will likely be less combat than, say, a typical D&D game, but I enjoy big set-piece battles far too much to not have them. So keep both your wits and katanas sharp!
You may find yourself working at cross purposes to some of your fellow players. That’s okay! Not only is it perfectly fine to have different political goals than your friends, it adds to the notion of internal struggle that is central to L5R games. Two things though: unless I’ve specifically set up a situation (say, two opposing armies facing off with players on both sides or a duel – not to the death – of honor that only the players can answer) please keep the conflict political rather than armed and remember that the idea is that your characters are friends. By the time any of this comes up, they should have forged bonds that can withstand a little political disagreement (even if, in Rokugan, that might mean anything up to and including all-out war). Every samurai understands doing their duty and would not count a friend as amiss in doing theirs even if that meant they were set at odds.
Mean GM Restrictions
Okay, not really, but there are a few provisos for character creation that I’d like everyone to adhere to:
Legend of the Five Rings is based (very loosely) on a mishmash of the Sengoku period in Japan and several aspects of feudal China. The setting is somewhat lower magic than a traditional D&D game, with very little focus placed on acquiring loot or magic doodads or whatever. Magic certainly exists, as do a wide variety of monsters and fantastical creatures, but it is not unusual for a character to end a game of L5R with the same equipment and kit that they started with.
Game Type
We’ll be playing what I think of as a “Common Circumstances” campaign. In general, a group of samurai from different clans acting together to achieve a common goal would be unusual, at least outside of the auspices of the Emerald Magistrates (the most common type of campaign, which involves each party member being a sort of “independent investigator” for the Emperor… I don’t enjoy this type of campaign as it’s very episodic and misses out, in my opinion, on some of the best of what L5R has to offer). What is not unusual is to have samurai from various clans coming together because of a set of shared circumstances. For example:
- Invited to one of the many Courts that take place throughout the year
- Doing a tour of duty on the Wall
- Attending a prominent festival or religious ceremony
- Clan alliances
- Etc…
The idea is to let the characters get to know one another and form bonds of trust and loyalty. While I will be presenting the situations to set this up, it does depend on some level of buy-in from you guys – you have to want to come together as a party in the metagame sense. In other words, it would be very beneficial to the longevity of the game if you find reasons to like one another, despite your clan/family/school differences. Again, I’ll be setting up circumstances in such a way as to make that easier.
Game Themes
The most basic theme of L5R (and Fantasy Flights has leaned into this hard) is the struggle between being the ideal Samurai and being someone with human emotions. The game has always been about the push and pull between Status, Honor, and Glory. The easiest way to think of these is:
- Status – your external rank within the world (how “noble” are you and how much influence do you wield?)
- Honor – how you see yourself (how truly do you think you hold to the Samurai ideals?)
- Glory – how others see you (how does society view you?)
This idea of internal struggle permeates through all the game themes, and the current version of the game has also added the struggle between Duty (giri) and Desire (ninjo). This is the kind of game where you will often have to make choices and there will be very few black and white options. For example, during the course of play, your character may end up betrothed to someone you hate right at the moment that your true love has declared his/her feelings for you. Do you do your duty and wed as your clan says, or go against their wishes to follow your desire? There will be consequences either way…
Story Elements
You may have already guessed that the story elements of the game will be a little different from a standard fantasy RPG. Politics within the Empire will play a large part in the game. While there will certainly be forays into things like dealing with monsters or exploring strange places, the main thrust of the game will be more about what’s going on between and within the various clans. Think more a very polite Game of Thrones rather than Middle Earth and you’ll be on the right track. This does not, in any form or fashion, mean a “no combat” or even “low combat” game. There will likely be less combat than, say, a typical D&D game, but I enjoy big set-piece battles far too much to not have them. So keep both your wits and katanas sharp!
You may find yourself working at cross purposes to some of your fellow players. That’s okay! Not only is it perfectly fine to have different political goals than your friends, it adds to the notion of internal struggle that is central to L5R games. Two things though: unless I’ve specifically set up a situation (say, two opposing armies facing off with players on both sides or a duel – not to the death – of honor that only the players can answer) please keep the conflict political rather than armed and remember that the idea is that your characters are friends. By the time any of this comes up, they should have forged bonds that can withstand a little political disagreement (even if, in Rokugan, that might mean anything up to and including all-out war). Every samurai understands doing their duty and would not count a friend as amiss in doing theirs even if that meant they were set at odds.
Mean GM Restrictions
Okay, not really, but there are a few provisos for character creation that I’d like everyone to adhere to:
- Everyone must be a young adult (around 17-22 years of age). This is entirely to help set up the initial adventure as you will all be undertaking your gempukku (the ceremony by which you become an adult within Rokugani society) and from there you will all be more or less on equal social footing (and thus, more likely to be invited to the same kinds of things/have the same kinds of duties)
- Everyone must have a unique school (the basic makeup of a character is Clan/Family/School) with your clan determining access to families and also to the schools that you can attend). Julie has already laid claim to the Shoshoro Infiltrator School of the Scorpion Clan.
- Because Monks are most often retired samurai (thus breaking the first bullet point), I’d prefer no monks. If you’re absolutely crushed by the idea of not playing a monk, we can talk about and find a way to make it fit, but it will complicate things.
