L5R: Summer Comes In Crimson

L5R: Summer Comes In Crimson
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A samurai ventures from their home to discover themselves and make sense of an Empire castigated by catastrophe after catastrophe.

You are Bayushi Tenyu, a Scorpion samurai that has been cast out of the clan due to unfortunate events outside of their control. You long for true, genuine love, but for now you must use your out-of-the-box skills, recreational piracy, and connection to the family of your former liege to find the missing princess Hantei Amira.

This is a Legend of the Five Rings quest, and it will use the 5th edition mechanics.


We set this quest in the Crimson Gold Agonies podcast version of the setting, which builds upon the material previously published by Fantasy Flight Games. The quest will be as friendly as possible for those not familiar with L5R: I consider nothing canon that has not been integrated as part of the quest; no familiarity with the lore is required. Spoiled below are more details for those that want to look under the hood.


The rough timeline of the 5th edition roleplaying game is the same until 1122, where the Crimson Gold Agonies and our deviation start. There are three major differences, however:

The Emerald Lands have suffered escalating environmental disasters. The most recent was an unusual confluence of desert winds, causing a series of storms and deluges that was called "the Great Hail". This led to devastation across the Western empire, whose full consequences are still unknown.

The Emerald Champion, the Empire's "prime minister" has recently died, and no replacement has been appointed. A conspiracy of high-ranking noble loyalists, radicals worried about the stability of the Empire and willing to do anything to assure a peaceful transition of power between the current ruler and their heir orchestrated their assassination.

There have been at least three iterations of the Moth clan. The latest iteration, the Kaikoka, was one of many noble stewards of the unruly River of Gold. Dreamwalkers and an odd lot, they were destroyed during a terrible storm and flood during the Great Hail. Their holdings have been up for grabs ever since, with an Autonomous Administrative Zone emerging to manage the River of Gold interim.


Legend of the Five Rings has many interpretations and can be many things. While most of it will be open as it befits the quest format, there will be the following expectations I'm laying as QM - and the main reason I'm sticking to the interpretation of L5R done by Crimson Gold Agonies.


This is a more fantastic version of the game. The game draws inspiration from many cultures across a long span of history. It tries to take a more fantastical approach to the setting, treating its inspiration the same way other games do for saxonic, hegemonic, "Western" cultures. Our concept of samurai is to their historical equivalents what the concept of paladin is to the companions of Charlemagne. As in, barely related beyond superficial similarity.

Because I don't want to and the show this quest is based on has proven you don't need any of these to have a Legend of the Five Rings experience, these forms of prejudice have no place in this quest or any tangential material or discussion:

sexism
ableism
genocide
transphobia
homophobia
racialization of the other
supremacist portrayals of history/reality (ex: white, Han, Yamato, etc)
Orientalism, specially to cover up for all the above.
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    • StrigaRosa

    StrigaRosa

    Priestess of Proserfina
    Location
    Fields of Asphodel
    Pronouns
    Any/All
    It is Summer 1223.


    The Emerald Lands have not recovered from the Great Tsunami three years ago or the Great Hail the previous Winter. By misfortune and want, the River of Gold has become essential for the future of the Empire; it is now controlled by the most baffling thing: an autonomous administrative zone, where its nobles answer to nobody but the Imperial families. An Imperial heir has been missing and to everyone's confusion, the Emperor has not appointed a new Emerald Champion and everyone is waiting for what is going to be the next crisis.

    As the land itself seems to turn against the nobility, we enter the season of war ahead of the looming crisis. Skirmishes erupt across the Empire, and it is in this tense climate that you are called to serve.

    The Emerald Lands are partitioned in massive independent holdings, managed by ancestral noble clans. Which clan owns you?


    [ ] Crab
    The Crab remains captive of the Carpenter Wall, forced to fight an endless war against the Shadowlands in the most awkward and inefficient way just because it has become a symbol - and the only way the rest of the Empire can support this endeavour. Recently, they have turned their massive fleets towards the rivers and coasts of the other empire, filling the void left by the Crane. They have used this claim to put political pressure as they expand their fisheries and manufactories, some of the nastiest places to work in the Emerald Lands.

    [ ] Crane
    The Crane continues to dominate most of the Imperial institutions, influence most artistic trends and hold the breadbasket of the Emerald Lands. However, the devastation of the Great Tsunami has caused them to abandon many that served them - samurai and peasants alike - to poverty and ruined farmland. The Crane is recovering their wealth, thorough it has involved some financial innovations, such as supporting the strange developments of the River of Gold. Against all odds, they are not at war with the Crab or Lion this Summer.

    [ ] Dragon
    The Dragon is more independent than most clans, rarely leaving their remote holdings. This has changed over the last years, the cynical remarking that with the threat of famine, people are more unlikely to provide the food exports they rely so much on. The Dragon would say they are worried about the changes across the Emerald Lands and are preparing for some greater upheaval; they seek to be doing so by expanding alliances and cooperation between families of various clans, and managing smaller holdings from the Isles of Spice and Silk to the City of Remembrance.

    [ ] Lion
    The Lion pride themselves in their military prowess, absurd numbers and stewardship of the land. They have exploited the last three years of Crane weakness to forge a secret alliance with the Scorpion and together take Crane holdings piecemeal. It is with great surprise that the Lion has allied with their rivals of the Phoenix clan, uniting the leadership of both clans in marriage; they even made an uneasy peace with the Unicorn. The original plan of the Lion seemed to be an invasion and occupation of the River of Gold, but for baffling reasons, the Lion and the Scorpion instead declared war on each other. The Crane cannot breathe in relief: an alliance of Crab and Lion nobles have been skirmishing through their lands; not even in peace there will be peace.

    [ ] Minor Clan
    While major clans dominate the Emerald Lands, there are hundreds of minor clans that manage remote holdings and/or provide very specific services to the Empire; their existence is protected by the Legions and Will of the Emperor. The fleet families of the Mantis have become just as bold as the Crab, taking control of the coast and selling their services as mercenaries. Three minor clans have joined the autonomous zone of the River of Gold: the Hare, the Falcon and the Fox; while the effects of this are yet to be seen, it allows these three clans to meet their major peers on equal footing. This turn of fortune came at the cost of the eradication of the Moth Clan, and the Firefly Clan seems to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

    [ ] Phoenix Clan
    The Phoenix Clan stand out as being a minority of the Emerald Lands that could endure and thrive under the hegemony of the Hantei, Doji and Seppun culture. They have done so by safeguarding their culture, maintaining their strong connections to the spirits of the land, creating institutions whose cruelty rivaled those of their overlords. A traditional people, the Clan usually stand alongside the Scorpion and Crane at court, keeping a check on the power of the Lion. This has changed with the current alliance with the Lion, as relations have cooled with the Scorpion. The Phoenix suspects something has been wrong with the Emerald Lands, and fear their connections to its biggest victims so far would put them at risk and impair their ability to address the crisis. This may have been too late; the spirits have turned against the Phoenix and grand masters of the magical arts have been murdered during what should have been safe communions.

    [ ] Scorpion Clan
    Things have not been going well with the Scorpion. The City of Lies, the biggest city of the Emerald Lands, was flattened by the Great Hail. Most of their wealth crops have either been devastated or had to be converted to subsistence farming; they received the Imperial Blessing, but that too came with strings, forcing more and more of its nobles and administrations to align closer to the interests of the Imperial families. As if things could have not have worsened, their plans to claim Crane farmland by coordinating an invasion with the Lion was ruined to the point the Lion declared war on them! This has put the Scorpion's back against the wall, as they cannot intrigue their way out of this conflict and the looming economic collapse; the Clan has set their target on taking control of the institutions of the empire, using the Emerald Championship and Imperial Legions to secure the means of its own survival.

    [ ] Unicorn Clan
    No other clan is like the Unicorn. Not only are they the most heterodox group within the Empire, they seem to have integrated thousands of different cultures. They may be a "clan", and be sworn to serve the Emperor, but the Unicorn is the overlord of an amount of tributaries that is literally beyond the imagination of the other inhabitants of the Emerald Lands. As friendly and generous as the Unicorn are, others cannot but wonder if they can afford to be so because of their power and strength. Frequent misunderstandings have led to war with the Crab and Lion, but the Unicorn have somehow been at peace this Summer. This only means they going to affect the ongoing crisis in the most unexpected of ways.
     
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    • Oooh haven't had an L5R quest since 5E released, possible exceptions of the 4E ones that continued ticking along aside.
    [X] Phoenix Clan.
     
    Character Creation: Family
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    • Vote Tally : L5R: Summer Comes In Crimson Mature - Fantasy | Sufficient Velocity [Posts: 2-18]
    ##### NetTally 3.1.4

    [X] Scorpion Clan
    No. of Votes: 7
    [X] useofstrike32
    [X] Brainbow
    [x] Kiriel
    [x] KreenWarrior
    [X] LotusPocus
    [x] Nevill
    [X] Walker

    [X] Unicorn Clan
    No. of Votes: 6
    [X] Void Stalker
    [X] Blademaster
    [X] Brainbow
    [X] Doomed Wombat
    [X] Hoppylo
    [X] .Slaking.LV.Max.

    [X] Dragon
    No. of Votes: 4
    [X] Doomed Wombat
    [X] Burned_Cookie
    [X] KreenWarrior
    [X] .Slaking.LV.Max.

    [X] Minor Clan
    No. of Votes: 2
    [X] No7sHere
    [X] Andrei1234

    [X] Phoenix Clan
    No. of Votes: 2
    [X] Brainbow
    [X] Dark as Silver

    [X] Crab
    No. of Votes: 1
    [x] KreenWarrior

    [X] Crab Clan
    No. of Votes: 1
    [X] Andrei1234

    [X] Dragon Clan
    No. of Votes: 1
    [X] gman391

    [X] Lion Clan
    No. of Votes: 1
    [X] Andrei1234


    Total No. of Voters: 17

    Things have not been going well with the Scorpion.

    Weeks of storms and hail have caused floods and fires across their lands, culminating with the destruction of most of Ryori Owari - the City of Lies, the biggest city on the Emerald Lands.
    Using their extensive political capital, the Scorpion could secure the Imperial Blessing - the disaster relief fund managed by the august families of the Throne - and the support from the Emerald Office - the institution tasked with wielding judicial, executive and legislative power on behalf of the Emperor - and their Imperial Legions. This reconstruction may have been costlier than the hail.

    The City of Lies is becoming a copy of the coastal cities of the dominant culture, to fit the tastes and views of those responsible. Their laborers are contracted volunteers and religious orders; the ruined roads and unnavigable River of Gold had killed the service and manufactures. This has caused a displacement of the massive urban population to satellite cities and towns, where they only add to their misery.

    The Scorpion lands were never rich, but they had become a haven to many of the cultures and ethnicities that were made non-actors by the dominance of Heaven. The Scorpion took steward of them as they took their land, integrated some cultural trappings, but mostly, let them be - as long as they were compliant subjects. The Scorpion sated want and need - and established control - through wealth crops and luxury commodities; as more people return to the fields to feed themselves, those of lower caste that were empowered and made accomplices of their control will make their dissent known.

    Thing is, they are no longer dealing with the Scorpion, but the Imperial representatives that now occupy their lands.

    Even as the culture, if not the people, of the Scorpion lands are at risk, war has come to their mountains. The Lion have occupied many holdings of the Seikitsu Mountains, and their push is being slowed by brutal and miserable combat in cave systems and goat trails. There is no genuine cause for this other than the offended ego of the Lion Clan Champion; this war seems to be something we will have to endure the whole Summer.
    No matter your family, one thing weighs heavily on your mind: survival. What efforts have your kin made to ensure that?

    [] Bayushi family, the clan rulers
    The Bayushi have focused on fulfilling their obligations to their vassals, from distributing food and stipends to making the greatest sacrifices in the war against the Lion, giving the other families time to adapt. However, this has impaired their ability to govern the clan, letting the Imperials act on their own and hoping their influence over the Throne will keep them in check. Furthermore, the reliance on Bayushi farmlands also means that if the Lion breaks through, the Scorpion may never recover. The Bayushi have been doing everything they can to manipulate Imperial institutions, including their latest creation, the River of Gold autonomous administrative zone.

    [] Shosuro family, artisans and spies
    No people has suffered the most from the Great Hail than Shosuro's, between the destruction/Otosanfication of Ryori Owari, the damage to their lands and the collapse of the opium trade. Many unique cultural artifacts have been lost or destroyed, minorities displaced and the entire medicine supply of the western Emerald Lands has been compromised. The Shosuro have tried to discreetly seize medical assets from the late Moth clan, but were thwarted by shocking events. They are growing increasingly desperate, entertaining some wild schemes. The latest involves the Unicorn: the Shosuro would assist them in avoiding the Imperial restrictions on how many goods and food they may receive from their tributary-empire by marking those as produced in Shosuro lands. A risky treacherous under any other circumstances, but almost impossible with Emerald Officers everywhere in Scorpion lands!

    [] Soshi family, priests and magistrates
    The lands of the Soshi were the only ones spared by the Great Hail, and even the war fought in the neighbouring lands was kept away from its rocky hills and thick forests. The Soshi has received the highest share of refugees, but this is a temporary solution at best. The Soshi priests have been tasked with unveiling the secrets of the Great Hail, having come up with some terrifying theories: they have heard enough about events in Phoenix and Crab lands to believe some great change is coming, and the Scorpion just happened to be in the way this time. Supported by the findings of their kin, Soshi magistrates study the current situation, how other families are coping and what happened to the Crane over the last three years to prepare for a future where such catastrophes and disasters become the norm - and the transformations the Scorpion and the Empire need to go through if they are to hold their control over the Emerald Lands.

    [] Yogo family, stalwart cursed protectors
    The Yogo marshlands flooded and remain this way even as Summer beckons, as they focus efforts in other locations; if not for the Lion war, the situation in Yogo lands may have been overlooked entirely. The Yogo suffer their duty stoically, enduring the Great Hail as they see this as an attack on the Scorpion; someone or something was to blame and they will end them. They make sure their way of life - and secrets - is protected, as an unusual number of outsider nobles prance around Scorpion lands. With most of the fighting happening within their lands, the Yogo have focused on their protection; most of their people are dedicated to protecting the small city of Beiden. While the Scorpion holds the city, the Lion will be kept within the mountain passes; if Beiden falls, the weakened Scorpion cannot contain the invasion.

    [] No family, the people from the waves
    The urban character of the Scorpion lands and laissez-faire attitude to lower caste governance meant they had nor need - or could support - as many landed agrarian nobility as clans of similar size and influence. With their wealth, pragmatism and influence, the Scorpion are some of the best patrons of wandering nobility and warrior bands; their lack of qualms about getting them into trouble while denying any involvement also makes them the worst patrons. Still, the number of wave-folk in service to the Scorpion can rival one of their established vassal families; this has not changed with the Great Hail.
    What has changed, however, is the nature of those warriors without liege, as the tragedies that befell the Crane happen all over again. As floods claimed lands, lords could not fulfill their obligations and lieges had to let go of many that swore fealty to them. Many loyal samurai had to choose between their families starving or sever their vows. Even worse, an embarrassing amount of samurai have been made hostages in war and their lieges and family could not ransom them. Caught between these conflicting obligations, they had to cast them out to protect their lives and the interests of the clan. This resulted in many former Scorpions, that had given up their name but remained loyal to the Scorpion - but are bound to have a conflicted and messy relationship with their kin and former liege.
    And of course, there are those that will tell you they have no liege or family name for reasons of their own.

    We will know our family Wednesday 1300 GMT

     
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