Well, most of the time we followed Sirrocco's and primemountain's lead because they knew the setting and rules best, but in general you're right, yeah. It's one of the issues with playing a quest rather than a tabletop game.Also, it's worth noting that we were trying to play a scorpion by committee. The quest format is not really the most suited one for long term planning, plotting or careful intrigue without quite the guiding hand from there QM.
In Thunder's Echo (Legend of the Five Rings Quest)
My only problem is the interval between the killing and what happened after. I think that if the two had been posted together we wouldn't be seeing so much complains.
Yes this is a very brutal world, yes we did get blindsided, but if we had seem something of the aftermath people wouldn't be so adverse to the results.
I don't know the universe that well and only got a glimpse that our death wasn't in vain after a couple of pages...
But it was a good game while it lasted and I would like to play another in this world, set some time after this one, to see what changed.
Yes this is a very brutal world, yes we did get blindsided, but if we had seem something of the aftermath people wouldn't be so adverse to the results.
I don't know the universe that well and only got a glimpse that our death wasn't in vain after a couple of pages...
But it was a good game while it lasted and I would like to play another in this world, set some time after this one, to see what changed.
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- Location
- Leeds
@Maugan Ra Important question that no one has asked yet.
Will you be starting a new quest to replace this one or just focusing on the existing two?
Will you be starting a new quest to replace this one or just focusing on the existing two?
We knew that the Nothing infiltrators were incredibly dangerous in combat, that they were willing to act (moderately) openly, and that they could pretend to be random people.
One of the consequences of that - one we entirely missed, but one we had warning for - was that ending up in a duel with one was going to be disastrous, and that once we'd fucked them up the way we did we needed to never duel anyone we weren't sure wasn't an infiltrator.
I don't blame Maugen Ra for not spelling that out for us explicitly; it's entirely on us that, when considering who'd be interested in setting us up for a duel and who might back the Mantis, the Nothing simply wasn't brought up. We just... stopped considering the ways they might take a second shot at us or what else they might do other than "be hunted down, once we'd talked to the right people."
Almost-sure death was going to be behind a lot of options, at that point.
- Location
- United States
Honestly, given how these quests generally go, I actually think that this was better than the alternative of going full paranoia. That is, assuming we did "standard SV paranoia" I'm fairly sure that we'd become ridiculously obsessed with that particular plot of the nothing and either assume everything had to do with it or downright ignore all that didn't.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
It bears repeating - this is a better end by far than most quests get, and if it hadn't ended like this, it probably would have choked and faded. I don't think that we necessarily played poorly... but we *did* play risky, in a variety of ways. In L5R, that's essentially a way of saying "I understand that I may die at almost any time. I'm hoping to gain everything I can and maybe get lucky and live." Still, it's not poor play... and we were rewarded in accordance with the plays we made.
This wasn't a bad end. It was just an abrupt one.
This wasn't a bad end. It was just an abrupt one.
Epilogue
- Location
- London, England
Epilogue
On the Second Day of the Rat, in the year 1130 of the Isawa Calendar, a young samurai of the Scorpion Clan met his end.
His name was Soshi Naoto. The son of two Magistrates, he was seconded to the famed war-hero Bayushi Kimoko for the Winter Court at Shiro Matsu, a decision that would cost both of them their lives. Those who knew of him spoke of an intelligent, studious young man with a surprising degree of compassion for those of lower birth and great loyalty to those above - exactly as a samurai should be.
He was slain in a duel by a monster wearing the face of Utaku Seo, a battle maiden of the Unicorn Clan. Later, some would speculate that the creature intended it's role in the death to go unnoticed - that it would slay the young Scorpion in the guise of a Unicorn, and allow the consequences for the deed to fall on the rest of the Clan. The theory was later strengthened by the discovery of the real Utaku Seo, drugged into unconsciousness and hidden in a small storage chamber underneath the castle itself. If she were to be discovered dead in some unfortunate fashion, blame would naturally fall on the remaining Scorpion in the delegation, and the work of the Clan of Secrets would come entirely undone.
Whatever the creature's intent, though, it did not come to pass. In those last, fateful moments of his life, Naoto was able to wound the beast with an iaijutsu strike of superb quality, forcibly revealing the oily smoke that ran through it's veins in place of blood. Thus was the corruption revealed, and the lies of the monster made plain to all the samurai of the court. Thus were the schemes of the Lying Darkness undone by it's own hubris, and a single perfect strike.
Later, the story would say that it was Matsu Ketsui who struck the fatal blow upon the shadow-creature, burning with a righteous rage so bright and terrible as to be almost visible. Other stories contend it was the remaining Unicorn who slew the foe, outraged by such an insult against their line. Either way the immediate threat was ended, and in the process a much more dire one uncovered. Yogo Hanzo and Asako Tani stepped forwards with what they knew of the threat, and between them they managed to convince the other samurai present of the need for action.
By order of the Matsu Daimyo, messages were sent out far and wide, delivered by hand and by the magic of the kami to every major court in Rokugan. They spoke of faceless assassins and shape-shifting infiltrators, of schemes and plots and the need for unflinching vigilance. They spoke of an enemy wrapped in shadows, one who sought to fracture the Empire into a hundred warring powers, and they spoke well indeed.
All across Rokugan, other plots were uncovered, other infiltrators identified and exposed. Wars were cut short before they could begin, and more than a few blood feuds were brought suddenly to an end - including quite a few legitimate ones binding parties now presented with an honorable way out. When the shadow moved against the Emperor later in the same winter, it found Toturi forewarned and armed with a blade of purest crystal, and attempts to blame the attack on the Scorpion Clan were easily turned back against it by well briefed courtiers from the Clan of Lies.
In the end, the War Against the Darkness never took place. Thwarted at every turn, the Nothing abandoned it's schemes and faded away into the furthest reaches of the world. There it would wait, persisting with the malevolent patience that had seen it endure since the birth of the world itself, until a better opportunity could be found. It would try again, of course, many years from now... but that is a story for another time.
As for the Toturi Dynasty... it endured. The Emperor used the opportunity presented by the Darkness to remind his Clans of the need for peace and unity, of the possibility that what seemed to be a righteous cause for war might instead simply be the machinations of another. In honour of their fallen warrior, he appointed the Scorpion Clan as his guardians against the shadow, charging them to learn all they could about this threat and ward against it. They would be his Underhand, the ones who walked in darkness to protect the Empire from all else that dwelled there. It was a duty that the Scorpion were more than happy to accept, and it is one they would hold to for centuries to come.
And as for everyone else...
Where are they now?
Yogo Hanzo found himself in an unusual place after the death of two lords and the revelation of the creature responsible. As the only openly-acknowledged samurai of the Scorpion Clan remaining in Shiro Matsu he became the ambassador by default, and he moved swiftly the capitalize on the positive reputation his Clan held at that time. Few could deny his need for urgency in discussing and finalizing the numerous agreements and trade pacts he made - after all, who could say he would not fall in turn like his predecessors? With the strength of such urgency and the advice of Shosuro Hideki, he secured strong agreements for the Scorpion among many of the other attendees present and was able to build upon the foundations that Naoto laid down.
Eventually he returned to his Clan and Family, and while his bloodline still forbade him from ever gaining significant political power he still went on to have a long and successful career as a hunter of monsters.
Shosuro Hideki stayed out of the light as much as possible during the remainder of the Winter Court, as befitting the nature of his Family and School. He did manage to provide some advice to Hanzo regarding trade deals, but otherwise his efforts remained focused upon surviving and making sure that the last of the Shadow's influence was fully expunged.
After the court he returned to his Clan, and was summoned before Bayushi Kachiko. The Champion had received Naoto's letter, and recognized in his words the reflection of the darkness that had long dwelled within the Shosuro (her birth family). She bestowed upon Hideki a knife of purest crystal, and bade him to cut out the lingering taint of the shadow from within their Clan. This endeavour would be worthy of an entire saga, but it is one that would consume the rest of his life... and that of his young protege, the peasant girl named Wren.
Ikoma Genji kept his promise. After the Court was over the Scorpion Clan were invited to establish a permanent embassy within Shiro Matsu, from where their Magistrates and Bushi could better coordinate with the Lion Clan in future operations. This, combined with the Daimyo's own fondness for Bayushi Kimoko, would lead to a most unlikely alliance between the two Clans in years to come.
Matsu Ginwei found his time at Winter Court an excellent lesson in humility, one that he took to heart. He petitioned his Daimyo to be the one to carry Naoto and Kimoko's swords back to their family, and Ketsui eventually granted his request.
Yasuki Mia lost out in matters of courtly influence after it was revealed that an enemy of the Empire had almost succeeded in manipulating her to its ends without being detected. As a Crab she took that extremely poorly, and eventually committed seppuku over it. Before she left the court, however, she was able to negotiate strong ties with the Scorpion by writing a formal letter of recommendation for Yogo Hanzo to use in his negotiations with the Kuni witch hunters.
Daidoji Chen returned to his Clan a bitter and driven man, burning with hate towards the shadows that had claimed his clan-mates and then his ally. His quest for vengeance was a long and bloody one, and when it eventually claimed his life, he went to the grave laughing with sword in hand.
Mirumoto Masaru played little role in the rest of the drama at Shiro Matsu. As is the way of his Clan, he simply watched, and then returned to the mountains to share what he had learned with the rest of his Clan. He was eventually ordered to commit seppuku after suggesting that Hitomi be tested with Crystal, just to be sure, though the consequences of that suggestion went far beyond his own life...
Yoritomo Harike returned to his Clan in disgrace, having utterly failed to make a good name for the Mantis among the rest of the court or even achieve any favorable trade deals. He ultimately requested and was granted the right of seppuku.
Asako Tani recalled the words that her friend had spoken to her just before his demise, about dreams of thunder and heroism. She eventually ended up publishing the story of that Winter Court, which was then translated into a play and several other artistic formats.
Ide Taka was one of the premier voices calling for peace between the Clans in the aftermath of the incident, and was largely responsible for the lack of any bad blood between his Clan, the Mantis, Phoenix and Lion. He spent much of his life traveling the Empire and continuing to preach peace and unity in opposition to the Shadow, which ultimately got him quietly assassinated (though not successfully replaced).
Finally, Otomo Kairyu went back to Otosan Uchi with a new appreciation for the work of the Scorpion, and a new doubt regarding his own family's constant desire to keep the Clans turned against one another. He worked closely with the Emperor and the rest of his family to counter the work of the Shadow in Rokugan, and while the Otomo were far too set in their ways to ever easily change, he did manage to moderate their anti-Clan biases to some extent.
QM's note
Whew. Finished at last.
So, as I mentioned before outside of the thread-marked updates, the main reason for the sudden and perhaps rather unsatisfactory end to this Quest was a rather severe case of 'too many plots'. I couldn't keep track of everything, kept tripping over myself, and in the end wound up paralyzed and unable to write updates for weeks or months at a time. Eventually I decided to bring the resolution of the Shadow infiltrator side-plot forwards, in the theory that either you would kill it and end its machinations, or that you would be killed by it and end the Quest entirely.
Several dice rolls later, and the second result came into play. Naoto dies, but in the process manages to prevent a war between the Clans and expose a dangerous new threat to the Empire, one which has considerable impact on the future timeline. A true samurai to the very end.
My own writer's block aside, this has been a very enjoyable quest for me to run. I absolutely loved reading all of the ongoing discussions and analysis of various plot hooks and motivations, and writing Naoto's own thoughts and feelings as a result of those updates was surprisingly fun. I'd like to thank all of my readers and voters who helped to make the Quest as interesting and engaging as it was, and once again apologize for not being able to keep track of everything and bringing it all to an end so sharply.
If you enjoyed playing in the L5R setting, I'm also starting up a second Quest in that vein, entitled Empire of the Emerald Stars, which is a larger-scale Clan management Quest set in the far future of Rokugan. Feel free to check it out.
Otherwise, go with the Fortunes, reader-san, and may your ancestors smile upon you.
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GilliamYaeger
M'crazy.
I have to say, that was absolutely a perfect way for Naoto to go out, all things considered. And hey, the dream of thunder ended up being relevant to the ending, since the boosts from it let Naoto be just fast enough to deal the blow that completely changed the course of history.
mothematics
How wide is the concept of "you"?
- Location
- the bottom of a coffee cup
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I gotta say, I'm pretty happy that way back when my vote for Naoto is the one that went through. Been one hell of a ride.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
Even in death, there's nothing quite as satisfying and being told "Oh by the way, you completely fucked over your enemy's plans."
- Location
- Moon-Station
We died a samurais (and scorpions) noble death. Albeit we are all sad it is over, we thoroughly screwed over the enemy. In hindsight, we could have been more careful, but, as a scorpion, we did -fantastically- well.
- Location
- Washington
On a more petty level there's a certain smugness in "and almost everyone that so much as inconvenienced you ultimately committed seppuku."
Pity the Yuki Onna drained our Honor or we'd have died the Honorable Scorpion.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
On the other hand, she traded us the secret of crystal for it, so....
Sell yourself as well as you can for the Clan. That is the path of loyalty.
'Nobody does revenge like a Scorpion.'
Although it appears Daidoji Chen merely took that as a challenge. Notbad.jpg
Although, uh... The Epilogue was so fascinating. I mean, just seeing all the ways we ended up affecting everybody else's lives -- wow, that was cool.
No, really, I'm looking at the brief blurbs of what happened to each of the characters and going "Oh that's cool, I actually want to see that!" at almost all of them. Heck, Matsu Ginwei's few sentences make me go "Huh, that looks like an interesting character origin story... I wonder where he would have gone from there." No, really; it does look like this was an "young samurai greatly affected by an early event in his young life; ends up changing his life."
The butterflies that Mirumoto Masaru would have caused. Just think of what bombshells his action might have caused?
Hell, Otomo Kairyu's story seems like an entire (and interesting) intrigue and politics filled story of its own! Same for Shosuro Hideki and Wren. Like, any future characters of the Otomo or Shosuro would now have a ready-made plotline for them to focus on. That's pretty cool as far as plot hooks for characters go, you know?
And I was surprised and impressed Yogo Hanzo was able to move as quickly and manage things as well as he did. Good for him. Thanks to him and Yasuki Mia, the Scorpion was able to form some connections and deals with not just one Clan but two. Him not getting much authority is sad but understandable. Though it's a bit funny to consider how he would have had a lot of authority and influence in the court for a while -- heh, that probably made a lot of people (including Hanzo himself probably!) sweat heavily when they heard of that!
Toturi remains a genius with a plan, eh?
- Location
- Earth
We died helping save an Emperor and countless others across Rokugan. It was a proper death for a samurai and one of the finest any Scorpion has ever had. Soshi Naoto joins countless other Scopions immortalized plays, but in his story, the Scorpions are Champions of Rokugan.
I can see the announcements:"A true tale about the Clan of Lies and it's hidden sacrifices."
Ladies and Gentelmen,our good QM, it has been an honor. Maugan Ra, that was beautiful. Well done sir. Bloody well done.
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Ando Owen
Yandere Illya is watching you.
- Location
- Montpellier
I have lurked in this quest for a while, and I must say that the end happened abruptly.
However, I consider this reaction a failing of mine and not of the story. We are repeatedly said that Rokugan is a dangerous place, where courts are as deadly as any battlefield. I stepped into the trap of "We are the main character, of course we have plot armour." I should have been prepared the second I saw we accepted the challenge.
Cherry on the top, we had been forewarned. The result of the duel between the Kakita and the Matsu was unexpected, and the favorite waifu of that period was forced to commit seppuku. That's just not done in an universe with plot armor. Draw your sword without expecting your own demise and you shall be the one to bite the dust.
Therefore, I consider the end a satisfying conclusion, with a literally clear cut final battle. Congratulations @Maugan Ra to have given a good ending to your story.
However, I consider this reaction a failing of mine and not of the story. We are repeatedly said that Rokugan is a dangerous place, where courts are as deadly as any battlefield. I stepped into the trap of "We are the main character, of course we have plot armour." I should have been prepared the second I saw we accepted the challenge.
Cherry on the top, we had been forewarned. The result of the duel between the Kakita and the Matsu was unexpected, and the favorite waifu of that period was forced to commit seppuku. That's just not done in an universe with plot armor. Draw your sword without expecting your own demise and you shall be the one to bite the dust.
Therefore, I consider the end a satisfying conclusion, with a literally clear cut final battle. Congratulations @Maugan Ra to have given a good ending to your story.