L5R Storytime thread: I see a red Stonewall and I want it painted black edition

>Naomi in the center, the largest
d'aww

Of course she is. She is the flower that blooms in the heart of our Stonewall

>Though I tried, I could not move
>I was too tired
>Too tired to even

Don't you dare die on me now Ishigaki-san!

>Too tired to even

>>A zombie had crawled up to me, and sank it's tallons into my calf

This worries me.

>Bleeding from a bite on her arm, panting heavily, but still very much alive

As does this.

>Though I tried, I could not move
>I was too tired
>Too tired to even

This does too. He's tainted, isn't he?

I believe you can acquire a LITTLE taint without suffering the Taint. Something like "So long as it's less than half you Earth, you are fine."

This is to keep people (Namely dedicated Crabs) from gutting themselves after each bought with the undead. Most of these things grant 1-2 points out of the 10 needed per taint rank, sometimes with little to no ability to save, but unless you are really careless, or fight something that is in essence a taint elemental, you aren't going to be branded for the Damned legion after your first trip into the shadowlands.

You need 10 Taint points to acquire the first Taint Rank. As long as your Taint Rank is less then one, you're not considered tainted by any effects. In fact, this level of Taint is completely undetectable.
Taint is also resisted by Earth rolls, and Ishigaki-san seems to have high Earth.
So I have hope.

well, this has taken a turn for the interesting

definitely been an emotional journey for me, I must admit

time to really get my ass into 5th gear if i want to finish while these threads are still relevant

youtube.com/watch?v=gWkTR4S25ro

Any amount of taint is still taint. Over a long enough timeline it will spread. It's just until then, as you said, it's undetectable.

So, while we wait for storytime to resume, I've got a question for you:
which monk order is the best for you?
Mechanical benefits aside, as a huge Crab fan, I'd say my favorite are the order of Osano-wo and the order of Tengoku's Fist.
What about you?

>The Ruby Champion was hesitant in letting me leave before my training was properly over
>So I was allowed to do so under the condition I come back as quickly as possible
>Thus, I set off to Kyuden Seppun, where a ship waited to take me to Second City
>A grand ship, the Iron Crysanthemum, captained by Yoritomo Matsuo
>One of the first ships of the new Imperial Navy
>Not bound to any one of the Clans, but directly to the Imperial Throne, much like the Imperial Legions
>While waiting on the docks to boar, I note a few other dignitaries that would be joining me
>A couple of Doji courtiers, no doubt to help boost our presence at court
>A Kitsuki called Mazamitsu, and an Utaku called Kimiono
>And a Dragon monk with Doji-white hair...
>"Togashi-san, a pleasure to see you in good health!"
>We bow
>"You as well, Kakita-san. I hope your training in the Ruby Dojo have been less stressful than my travels with my new sensei
>Who knew those of higher status had so much to do?"
>"The people with that status, no doubt"
>"Of course
>Looks like the ship is now ready for us"
>As we board, we hear a familiar voice, bellowing commands to the sailors
>We turn to see the first mate of this vessel is none other than Daidoji-san
>The Heavens must have arranged for us to rejoin before arriving in Second City
>Or, more likely, someone with certain strings to pull in court
>The story of our heroics, with certain unsavory elements redacted, had been spread far and wide in the Empire
>The two Doji definitely recognized me from that while already on the dock
>And were gossiping with the other two courtiers about these celebrities they were traveling with
>I was glad that we were all given our own bunks for this journey
>If only that they would not see how unwell I can be at sea
>I caught up with my former companions, marveling at our sudden fame, and wondering all the interesting things that might happen at Summer Court

This saga has been my greatest exposure to L5R, so forgive what might be a dumb question:

What's the likelihood of the other surviving Crabs (including Ishigaki) getting in trouble for having drunk the Jade Petal tea? IIRC others have mentioned that it's a highly-restricted substance, and the fact that they didn't know strikes me as being one of those things that the law doesn't care about, only that they've had some. Is this going to bite them in the ass once the screaming stops?

>What's the likelihood of the other surviving Crabs (including Ishigaki) getting in trouble for having drunk the Jade Petal tea?

Most likely none. It is illegal to possess unregulated supply, not just drink it, and this tea came from Touka's supply. Ishigaki himself had none, so nothing to accuse him off.
Plus his current actions show that he definitely was not in the loop of Touka's plans. So at worst they'll test him for taint after Touka's blend effect wears off to be absolutely sure, but it's unlikely they will hold anything else against him in that regard.

>which monk order is the best for you?
Firm favourite in the setting is the Order of Kaimetsu-Uo, though I do like the early info for Osano-wo monks, what with their ten years of initiation to join the order and not allowing magistrates to arrest a monk without first passing through the same ordeals.

>huge Crab fan
>favorite is not Order of the Stone Crab

>One rumour I overheard from the Doji courtiers was that the famous duelist brothers Kakita Shinichi and Kakita Daitsu
>The were already the reason why Seiken-sama decided his as of yet unborn child would study in the Kakita Dueling Academy
>I cannot help but hope that they might teach me a thing or two that one as young as me has yet to learn of the art of dueling
>Another rumour would be that Kakita Iwari, the famous jester, would also be making an appearance
>This idle chatter turned out to be the only distraction we had while on a relatively uneventful journey
>Finally, we arrive in Second City, with ample time before the Summer Court would begin
>Tsuruchi-san greets us on the docks, now a proper Ivory Magistrate
>Offers to host us for a private dinner, at the Mantis Embassy
>He was staying there, and could easily get one of the smaller court rooms to host us
>It turns out to be a pleasant event, catching up and reminiscing
>Truly, the calm before the storm
>It already felt like this would be the last time we'd all meet in such private, intimate circumstances
>Was Summer Court really going to be such an impactful event in our lives?
>What am I thinking?
>Of course it will, especially for me
>Cranes live for court
>My legend has sprouted, and this would merely be an opportunity to solidify it
>The following days, we stay at each of our clans embassies, preparing ourselves
>Special, beautiful kimonos are made for us, more extravagant than any of us has ever had the chance to wear
>Mine carrying distinct jasmine floral patterns embroidered into it
>I look like the very epitome of a Crane now
>As befits me
>Our host, Doji Tatsuki, offers myself and Daidoji-san the aid of some lowly courtiers, to act as helpers in such a high-stakes court environment
>Given our backgrounds, we were most likely not prepared for something as grand as the Summer Court itself
>Daidoji-san gladly accepts the aid, being more of a bushi than anything else
>I decline

>I decline

We know how it will end...

l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Order_of_the_Stone_Crab

Restoh yuh famiry's honuh, user.

>Were all dead from seppuku or shameful executions in a month's time
Seems like worst order to me.

>The only problem is that Otomo Suikihime, governor of Second City, has made a request
>That, as honoured guests of the Court, we are to remain together as much as possible, without any other courtiers, for the first two days of the 7 day Summer Court
>Suikihime-sama wants to show off the band of heroes that has gathered at her court
>This would make it a bit more difficult for the others, since they seem not to have paid that much attention regarding etiquette and courtier training
>Bushi are made for the battlefield, and monks care less than they should for such strict rules
>I would have to shield them from any that would come at them in the first few days of Court
>Feeling more confident thanks to my new kimono, I made it clear that it would be an easy task for me
>While preparing, we were told on how we are to approach the other clans, if at all
>Because of their in who they supported for heirs, the Crane and Scorpion had formed a tenuous alliance after the progressives failed in raising Iweko Shibatsu as the next heir to the throne
>Mostly in order to ensure both our clans would have the most power in the Court, which the Otomo family was currently attempting to undermine
>As for the Mantis, despite our recent colonial war, our alliance among the progressives before Seiken-sama's designation as heir brought us closer, so now we are to help form a proper alliance between our clans
>Similarly, we were to bring in closer ties to the Spider Clan
>I was not very fond of that idea, but the welfare of my clan was more important than my own prejudice
>And my time with Daigotsu Hotoke had had an influence on me
>The Cranes are currently on friendly terms with the Phoenix, so we are to curry and return favors with them, should the opportunity arise
>We were currently on neutral terms with the Unicorn, and the status quo there could be maintained

>Similarly, the Lion were on neutral terms with us, but if they got in our way, we should treat them as a threat
>Recent actions in court have also made the Dragon a minor threat, to be attacked in court, as one does in court, if the opportunity presents itself
>Given our relation with Togashi-san, though, that would hopefully be avoided for us
>As for the Crab, well, court was the one battlefield they were ill suited for, so we might as well ignore them
>Our main objective as Cranes was to cut down the influence of the Otomo family on the courts of Rokugan
>As well as any others of the Imperial families that were helping the Otomo
>They had become greedy, practically trying to usurp our position as the Right Hand of the Emperor
>We could not let this stand, we had to show the Crane Clan was innately superior in all matters of court
>Knowing that the Scorpion would help us meant we had our backs clear, for now
>The Imperial families would be reminded that we serve not them, but the Emperor

pic related, a small graphic our GM gave us to more easily illustrate the inter-clan relations in 1200 summer court (green lines are alliances or friendships, and red lines are war, both political and military, though I did just notice no lines between crane and scorpion or crane and imperial, considering what me and Daidoji-san were told)

oh, and the "feeling more confident thanks to my new kimono" was because one of the houserules our GM uses is that the more expensive the kimono, it could give extra dice rolled to a social skill like courtier or etiquette (i think every 3 or 4 koku beyound base price gave +1k0, to basically simulate the influence fine clothing can have on both you and others)
and we were lent each a kimono that we could spread 5 rolled dice into those social skills
mine was +2k0 etiquette, +2k0 courtier, and +1k0 sincerity
This, as well as the low courtier NPC (court meatshields, basically gave a similarly small bonus to courtier and etiquette) were supposed to make it easier for us to survive the Summer Court, filled with R5 characters while we barely passed R3 just before we arrived

>Crap

Noticed that also. Figure that the Crab didn't send any Yasuki.

>Figure that the Crab didn't send any Yasuki
they did, that's just my Crane arrogance showing

want to stay in character for this, after all

that being said, Daikakita-san didn't have any run-ins with the Crab
Now that I think about it, nobody did, they just weren't very active this Summer Court, at least with regards to the party

>Finally, the first day arrives
>Most of the day isn't actually part of the Summer Court itself, allowing us some final hours of preparation
>In the evening, a grand opening of the court is held, at the great courtyard of the Imperial Palace
>Suikihime-sama herself holding a grand speech, speaking of court as a great battlefield, before declaring the Summer Court officially started
>A great feast was held, many foods from both home and the Colonies
>I made sure to keep myself to traditional meals, most of the unfamiliar was not really for me
>As the evening went on, and some few representatives of various clans had come to greet us out of formality, my troupe ended up facing Daigotsu Hotoke
>"Daigotsu-no-kimi, a pleasure to see you again
>I am glad to see all is well with you"
>We bow
>"And I am glad to see you all in good health
>The time spent with your four has definitely enriched my life
>As such, on behalf of myself and Kitsune Yoshioka-san, I would like to extend an invitation to our wedding
>It will be held on the day after the Summer Court is over, so I hope I can see you all one last time before we leave"
>"I think I speak for all of us when I say that it would be an honour and a pleasure to be there
>You have shown to me that the Spider can go against what everyone thinks of them, and be a truly honorable samurai
>If you or Kitsune-san have ever need of my aid, I promise that it will be granted swiftly and without hesitation"
>My orders regarding the Spider had been clear, after all
>"That... is a bit unexpected. But I thank you nonetheless for it, Kakita-san
>And offer the same in return, of course"
>Making such a statement in public seemed to have its intended effect, seeing as the courtiers witnessing this started their own murmurs
>Prejudice against the Spider was strong, and an honourable Crane pledging his aid to one he claims honourable would no doubt be on quite a few people's mind

Small note: I did the picture on paper, and Daidoji made the paint version, where slight mistakes happend, such as Unicorn and Scorpion being on bad terms and the Crap* spelling error.
Researching all that to stay in sync with the lore was a real pita...

At low levels, the check for it to spread on it's own is measured in months and nearly impossible for someone with good Earth to fail. Seeds of darkness are nothing for the average Crab.

That's assuming the taint tests your resolve when you are at your strongest, rather than when you are at your weakest. Jigoku is rarely so forbearing.

Taint spreading internally is a regular occurrence. It is constant, but very, very slow at the lowest level.
Mechanically, it's a very low TN Earth roll every once in a great while. Even with just 2 Earth, the chance of resisting is high.

At that level, it's unlikely that Jigoku is aware of the tiny spread of taint. There's just not enough traction for anything more than passive spread, which is no guarantee of anything. Someone who got a couple points of taint as a child might only gain a few more over their entire life from the passive spread.
It's when you reach the higher ranks that it starts to become an active threat that drills through you every single day until you can't resist.

>As the feast went on, we met with a few of the other clans, come to congratulate and laud us over our accomplishments
>Trivial formality, acknowledging what we had done for the Empire, but still
>It felt good to be praised like this
>My ambitions had brought me this far, so some reward as simple as this was of welcome
>The first day ended rather quickly, being only this opening ceremony and feast
>Tomorrow would be the first challenge

>The next day starts similarly to the Summer Court, with Suikihime-sama declaring it open for the day
>As much as I, like any Crane, live for the Court, with the exception of certain Iron Cranes
>I did not appreciate being put in place as a centrepiece
>Practically unmoving from my companions, there for Suikihime-sama to display us like our actions had been in her name
>Still, my face would remain unmoved until I could move about Court and act as a proper Crane, and actually be able to contribute properly
>Not long after the small daily opening ceremony, Suikihime-sama bids we approach, as she sits on the governor's throne, overseeing the Grand Courtroom of the Governor's Palace
>We prostrate ourselves before her, and she bids us rise
>"I would like to thank you all in person for the service you have rendered unto our Empire
>You truly are heroes, deserving of every honour that comes to you in this here Summer Court of mine
>I hope you will enjoy your stay here in Second City again"
>Before any of the others manage to put their foots in their mouths
>"We are but humble servants of the Empire
>There is no need for such high praise
>All we did was in service to the Emperor
>And the Law
>And Fortunes willing, we will continue to do so"
>She smiles
>"You may be humble servants of the Emperor and the Law, but you are deserving of praise
>And I do wish to praise you
>So take it, and go forth
>Show this room of court how real heroes behave themselves"

It's a monthly occurrence at Seed rank. No word of when in each month. Jigoku abides by no clock.
>Someone who got a couple points of taint as a child might only gain a few more over their entire life from the passive spread.
If they live a life of strict piety and moral purity, sure. Your version otherwise is just pulling the teeth and claws out of the taint.

>This does too. He's tainted, isn't he?
I'm sure Ishigaki is fine. He still had his finger of jade, and while he described it as sizzling and beginning to blacken when he dipped it in the blood, he didn't describe it as being completely corrupted.

Other folks on the other hand...

And what's the TN on that monthly check? I don't have the book to hand, but I know it is easily passed. Arbitrarily making it stronger than it should be is no good. Seeds of darkness are only a problem for Earth deficient and/or cursed people.

If they live a life of strict purity, they get a small bonus to resist. Just having a strong Earth is by far the best defence against the taint.

and by strong earth you mean 4 or more?

How about 3?

No, I mean 2. Seeds of darkness have a TN of 5, once per month. Someone rolling 2k2 has a 94% chance of success. Someone with 3k3 has a >99% chance of success. Jade petal tea is a further 2k2, and strict purity nets you 1k0 to 3k0. Earth 2 is enough the vast majority of the time, and Earth 3 is nearly a guarantee.

3 is honestly the bare minimum for bushings, given how lethal the game is. For those like Crab, who consistently encounter the Taunt, 4 is the lowest your Earth should be.

That's only for Seeds of Darkness though. Once you get a full rank of taint, the TN is high enough that Earth 2 is not going to cut it alone, and even Earth 3 only has a 92% success rate. Earth 4 can handle it with a >99% chance.

>It's a monthly occurrence at Seed rank. No word of when in each month. Jigoku abides by no clock.

Good thing it still abides to schedule by not doing this more than once per month, eh.
>And what's the TN on that monthly check?
10

10 is the TN when you have an entire (detectable) rank of taint. When you only have a few points, it's 5.

Damn spell check. Meant "bushi" and "Taint".

Even better.

The slow and easily resisted growth of taint isn't the problem. The problem is the *spread* of taint. Being injured by a tainted being is a TN 15 every time. Beatable, but there is a chance of not resisting.

youtu.be/4cPHKku21Ms

>Show this room of court how real heroes behave themselves
I got a bad feeling about this.

Are you aware that's not a monk order, but a bushi alternate path for samurai followers of Stone Crab?
I for one love the Order of Heroes, I find their concept hilarious, retarded and a just a tiny bit awesome.

Hello all, feel free to join the L5R Discord!

Permanent invite link >> discord.gg/nvVX9Wb

It's got RP,
It's got CCG/LCG/RPG discussion,
It's got LFG channels,

Join our Discord, Choose a Clan!

Calling it now, its gonna turn into Crab discord with a few Monkey buddies and a single Crane.

>Discord

You'd be surprised, Crab is third place for clan rank in the server based on population.

Too many scorpions & Spiders for that

>Spiders
eww

Page 10 bump. Is um... Ishigaki died, right? This... this is the end? I... hoped for a tiny bit of closure.

Did he drop any good loot?

>If ever there was a way to show how one of the great court events can swing back and forth
>Today was the day to show it
>Not only were we forced to stay together, practically at the centre of the Grand Courtroom
>By Suikihime-sama's irrefutable request, of course
>We had to endure every single little admirer that chose to come up to us
>And it painted a massive target on us for any that didn't have our best interest at heart
>I could not wait for this day to be over
>Tomorrow I could move freely within the court, do as I please
>Find my moment to shine like any Crane should
>Unfortunately, time does not move at the pace I wish it
>One of those small admirers that did annoy me somewhat more than the others was a little monk
>Of some small, insignificant and relatively unknown order
>Still managed to get here, despite that
>What did she say her name was?
>Kuchiko?
>I barely paid attention, since all of hers went to Togashi-san
>Wishing to speak in private at her earliest convenience
>No doubt some incredibly spiritually deep conversation that would go right over my head
>The law, history, bushido, now those were things I could talk about at length
>This... Kuchiko took her leave early enough, as I saw a group of Phoenix approach us
>Led by a man I barely recognize from not having seen him in far too long
>Isawa Kinen, father of Isawa Kitao
>My would-be stepfather
>Oh no
>Was he going to blame me for not being able to save his daughter?
>Was he going to shame me for being the cause of her curse of neverwaking sleep?
>I steeled my will as we bowed in greeting
>"Kakita-san I have something quite important to say, regarding your betrothal to my daughter, Isawa Kitao"
>Was he going to disgrace me, cancelling the betrothal because of my incompetence?
>My face did not show the turmoil within
>I must remember to thank my old sensei for his lessons
>"Isawa-san, please, speak freely
>I trust my companions, they may hear anything I will"
>I'm glad they didn't leave

we are reading hida ishigaki`s journal, writen by him. no he didnt die.

oh, and just so you know
my GM tended to use a lot of carded characters, so, other than the obvious ones like Isawa Kinen here, if a name seems familiar, like Kuchiko here, it's because it is

since most of us were not too familiar with the setting outside of the core 4e rulebook, that meant a lot of interesting secrets

Me? Once we got started, I devoured the lore like any self-respecting lorenerd, so i knew most of the shitty stuff he was going to lay down on us

And I enjoyed every second of it

Plus, he knows and trusts me enough not to metagame, so there's that as well

Dude, he fought three days straight without rest-not even meditation. He likely passed out.

>"I wanted to thank you, Kakita-san, for everything you have done for my family"
>What
>"Personally slaying my daughters kidnapper
>Leading the investigation into undoing whatever curse afflicts both her and much of the Empire
>You are a paragon of justice among us"
>I did not quite expect this
>"Given your recent, and well-deserved, glory
>And given the condition of my dear daughter Kitao
>And that she has no sisters of marriageable age
>Well...
>It would simply not do for a hero as yourself not to leave a legacy
>And my family is currently ill suited for that for you
>I promise that we will harbor no ill will if you choose to break the betrothal"
>That... was unexpected
>Betrothals were rarely broken, and even more rarely without some fallout
>This seemed more like a fantasy rather than reality
>"Isawa-san, thank you for... this offer
>But I ask that you give me time to consider
>It is not a decision to take lightly
>As I'm sure it was not a light decision to give me this offer
>Please, if you will, allow me a few days"
>Isawa Kinen bowed in gratitude as he and his entourage left
>That went better than expected
>Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after a-
>Wait
>Is that
>No
>Otomo Setsuko
>A short, vile little man
>Former contestant of the Topaz Championship
>That I beat every time we faced off
>As I recall, he did not enjoy my company by the end of that
>And now he's wandering over to us, with a smug Otomo smile
>No wonder Crane and Scorpion teamed up against them

>"Ah, Kakita-san, what a... pleasure to see you here
>I did not expect someone like you to end up in THE Summer Court"
>This is not going to be easy, is it
>Well, he better be able to take as good as he gives
>"Otomo-san, it has been too long
>When was it the last time we faced like this?
>Oh, I remember, the sumai challenge of the Topaz Championship"
>My victory over him then should be a stinging reminder
>"Yes, it was some time ago
>Though I can't imagine a Crane like you would get his kimono dirty, despite all the stories I've heard
>Must be why you are with these other 3 heroes"
>Did he just seriously imply what I think he implied?
>"Then you should have paid more attention earlier
>Did you not hear Suikihime-sama herself praise us as true heroes?"
>Setsuko just smiled
>"Well, heroes as honorable as you all will surely no doubt be fine if I had a word in more private with Kakita-san"
>"Otomo-san, anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of my companions"
>The others bowed and went a few paces away
>Were they really that intimidated by him, of all people?
>Never before had I felt so betrayed
>"Well, I'm glad to see your friends know what is good for them
>And I do hope you will as well, Kakita-san"
>"You have your privacy, Otomo-san
>What is it you wish to speak to me?"
>"Well, as you may be aware, things aren't going so well between my family and your Clan
>And I've no doubt they plan to use you as a pawn against me
>But, you of all people must surely be honorable enough not to go against an Imperial family?"
>Did he just question my honor?
>MY HONOR?
>I remember sensei's teachings, how to calm myself before my hot blood acts too quickly
>"My loyalty lies with the Emperor and the Empire, Otomo-san"
>"Good. That is all I wanted to hear"
>Damn it
>I should've known better, but I did exactly what he wanted
>With a bow, still wearing that smug smile, he leaves, and the others come back
>"Friend of yours?"
>I glare at Tsuruchi-san

>closer ties to the Spider Clan
u wut

>Arbitrarily making it stronger than it should be is no good.
Who said anything about making it stronger? I just apply it when you're at your weakest. Wounds, inebriation, spiritual impurity, moral impropriety. Good times.

it's the whole progressive alliance thing where the mantis, crane, unicorn and scorpion tried to get shibatsu as designated heir

GM said that basically, because of that alliance, and because Crane were at a point they needed allies with more military strength than political, spider and mantis were the best two choices, since the alliance basically dissolved after Seiken was proclaimed heir

it's easier to set up alliances with people you're closer to

also, spider were at war with lions and crabs, and if a crane can fuck over a lion, he'll take that chance, because let's face it, they'll never really get along

Mind you, this was before Kanpeki went apeshit and conquered the Empire because story team

Most of those things do not negatively affect your automatic Earth roll.

Shit I missed like four threads. Thank god for archives.

>mantis, crane, unicorn and scorpion tried to get shibatsu as designated heir

This your GM's divergence? The WC4 Progressive Alliance was Crane,Unicorn, Mantis and Spider.

thy trips doth lie
l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Progressive
scorpions started out supporting seiken, and did so publicly, until 1199 the progressive alliance was publicly founded (note that the wiki page for the Traditionalist faction says the same of who the Scorpion sided with, although the alliance between scorpion and crane in our game was based on the common enemy of the Otomo, not the dissolved progressive alliance)

Spider weren't technically part of that alliance because Kanpeki didn't want Shibatsu on the throne, he wanted himself

granted, it's been ages since those particular sessions, and i've been plugging the holes in my memory with the wiki, which hasn't always been completely up to date, from what i've noticed (never mind the various articles written in broken english), so any particular error that pops up you'll have to chalk up to that

That's what you think.

The only one of those that would affect it negatively are wound penalties.
But since its a roll, someone can spend a void point to basically ignore that penalty on their once a month roll.

>The only one of those that would affect it negatively are wound penalties.
>Living a life of strict piety, meditation, and moral and physical purity can also make it easier to resist the Taint’s growth, awarding anywhere from a +1k0 to a +3k0 bonus to the Earth rolls, at the GM’s discretion.
GM's discretion is that doing the exact opposite of what gets you a bonus will get you a penalty.

>But since its a roll, someone can spend a void point to basically ignore that penalty on their once a month roll.
Assuming the PC has a free void point at the time.

>GM's discretion is that doing the exact opposite of what gets you a bonus will get you a penalty.
That's some nice homerules you got there, but its not actually how the system works.

Sure thing, bub. Brush up on your sudoku after reconsidering what 'GM discretion' means.

It says literally nothing about penalties, only bonuses. You are using houserules. That's fine and dandy, Rokugan your way and all that. But its not actually how the system works.

Apparently you're willing to just go around in circles indefinitely. Good luck with that.

Bumping bump with bumps
Not sagin or shitposting,
Haiku bumping bump

So, I want to get some friends into L5R 4e. However, I need to get them to learn the lore as well, and they are the kind of people who don't really like to read lore; they enjoy learning it as they go.

I've got their interest piqued, mostly through talking to them about the game and relaying the stories I see in here. What should I try to get them into next: reading the Core Rulebook, or figuring out which Clan sounds coolest to them and finding the 1E book for that clan?

Make them read Emerald Empire instead, then the Core Book. It's a good primer. The 1e books are only useful if you, as the GM, plan to use 1e era fluff. It's not super different, but it's different enough that making players read it and then running based mostly on 4e fluff will be a nasty disconnect.

Started reading Emerald Empire to see if it would be a good idea to use that instead, and I defintely agree with you now. Much better for getting people to understand the world and how to think like those who grew up in it.

Scorpions, as always, like to make things unnecessarily complicated. I was an avid follower of the events at that time, but when preparing for the campaign, it sure caused me some headaches.
Bloody Scorpion clan and their love for turning coats.

One of the things I most hated about Emperor/Ivory was the brand pretty much bolting the Scorpion onto the Crab with the Festering Pit.

It was a bit overdone, but the playerbase loved it and one of the more interesting shortstories resulted of it, where Crab and Scorpion clan champs have a "honest"* talk. *as honest as a Scorpion can be...
So, what was initially a heavy handed alliance resulted in a lot of happy people.
L5R story writers were always bad at writing politics anyway.

The alliance was fine. It was more that the Scorpion got treated as an extension of the Crab sometimes rather than them being allied with the Crab by necessity.

Bit of a newbie here looking to learn more about the setting. Are there any particular books that talk about the world?

Because for most of these threads I assumed everything that wasn't the empire lands was shadow lands, like the empire was the last untainted bastion or whatever. But then I heard mentions of foreign colonies and gaijiin lands.

Core is enough in my opinion, if the first three chapters (Books of Air, Earth and Fire) are read through properly
It's enough info there to get a good grasp of the setting, the mechanics, without going into the more complicated or the more minute and less significant stuff
Of course, if you wanna run the game, you have to read throught the rest
For more in depth info, check out Emerald Empire, great overview of more purely lore than Core
If you wanna go into specific periods, such as the ones including the Colonies or not, Imperial Histories is a must, also has some interesting alternate histories and timelines such as Togashi, not Hantei, becoming emperor, the second day of thunder failing, and the one I'd really love to play at some point: Rokugan IN SPACE!
IF you're looking for something specific, there's l5r.wikia.com that has basically everything from old-canon, 1st to 4th edition RPG and Clan War to Onyx edition CCG, everything lore, and some statblocks, either for generic monsters or important named characters
kazenoshiro.com is a repository of all fictions, use that to basically see the setting in action, and if you're running, let it inspire the story you're writing (and trust me, you'll want to spend a lot of time prepping the story if you wanna run L5R)

All other splatbooks are not needed, but can be useful for building both PCs and NPCs if you want to go for something specific

If you wanna run or play the game, keep it simple and stick to the Core book, maybe read Emerald Empire on the side

And if it's gonna be your first time, do the Topaz Championship, it's a pretty safe environment for the players to learn the importance of all the different skills and having a wide range of them, and experience the lethality of the combat without risking anything

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bretty accurate

Gonna have to check it out later for sure!

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