To Fantasy Flight Games and all the L5R players out there...

I'm making this post so that we the players can share our favorite memories over the years. I don't know what FFG expected when they purchased L5R from AEG, but they picked up a pretty awesome community to go with it. It's my hope that folks posting their memories on this thread can help FFG understand what this game means to us. Because of the unique story line interaction between the players, design and story teams, we all consider ourselves the samurai, shugenja, ninja, monks, onis, horselords of the L5R setting. We've fought and suffered to save the Empire from Fu-Leng, the Darkness, Spirits, invasions, blood speakers, kolats and so much more.

My best personal L5R memory has to be the Eye of the Needle tournament. It was the only big story line tournament I ever won. I traveled up there with my friends Jason and Mike. Jason had taught me how to play L5R and Mike was one of the dudes in our playgroup. I was playing corrupt scorpion blitz (like I always do) and Jason was playing a Daidoji Switch honor deck. Mike played Dragon. It was a really good tournament and I made it into the finals. My opponent for those finals was none other than Jason Rosander. My former master. It was very much a "Star Wars" moment, when the student became the Master. Jason even put on a Darth Vader helmet. However, I soundly defeated in a 2 out of 3 battle. This was such a cool thing to happen and almost felt like fate. But it wasn't. It was a testament to the hard work we had put into the game for several years. In the end, this is the card that guy made because of the tournament.

In another twist, since I was playing corrupt, Rich Wulf, had her husband Soshi Eiji betray the scorpion, but he ultimately died redeeming his name with the clan.

While I've had a lot of other great memories with L5R, this one really sticks out because of who I played in the finals. L5R isn't just a game. It's a family. FFG, please take notice. You just got a lot of new family members.

Thanks for listening.

With Love,

Laz.

In the end, this is the card that guy made because of the tournament. showimage.jpg

In another twist, since I was playing corrupt, Rich Wulf, had her husband Soshi Eiji betray the scorpion, but he ultimately died redeeming his name with the clan.

Thanks for listening.

With Love,

Laz.

Are you kidding me? YOU are the player I have to thanks for that sweet piece of work . My longest living PC in a L5R campaing was BASED on Eiji

Awesome, both of you (Mr Wulf and you) have my thanks .

(Crosspost, mostly so it's somewhere FFG can see it if they choose to. Sorry for anyone who is seeing this twice.)

I was Bayushi Kwanchai.

I waited in line for hours for the LARP when the game came back in Gold Edition. When I finally got to the desk for characters, there were two unaligned left. I begged Rich Wulf for a Scorpion to play, and told him I was willing to play any character, “Even Kwanchai,” I said. He raised an eyebrow, and five minutes later I had a character sheet with a 1 in every ring, a brash disadvantage, and Bitter Lies Technique. They handed me a piece of paper with my objective which said “Make the Dark Sword of Bitter Lies technique famous.” I was ecstatic.

Soshi Tishi was our team leader. His objective was to make sure that Nothing Bad Happened™. To that end I was assigned Shosuro Aroru as my personal babysitter and set free into the world. I made a good friend in Bayushi Kamnan, and when Aroru got bored and wandered off I noticed Yasuki Hachi walking by. (His objective was to avoid any and all challenges that might weaken his claim as Emerald Champion).

I sidled up to him, and in a quiet voice asked “Daidoji Hachi, a moment of your time?”

“Of course, Kwanchai-san.” He replied, slightly annoyed that I got his name wrong and didn’t use an honorific.

“You know that we never faced each other in the Test of the Emerald Champion,” I began.

“Yes, I remember.”

“Well… BE PREPARED TO FACE THE DARK SWORD OF BITTER LIES!”

The room stopped. Conversations brokering alliances were immediately dropped. Skull-masked Tishi was in my face ordering me to stand down. The Cranes were in a defensive ring around Hachi. The story team was laughing hysterically. It was chaos. It was glorious.

After that I attended another LARP, this time in full costume with mask. My mission that time was to found a school for my technique. When the next RPG book came out, the Bitter Lies Dojo was listed, along with a single line referencing my attempted rematch with Hachi.

This was my tiny mark on L5R. The mask still hangs on my wall next to the original art by Michael Phillippi. If you’re ever on the balcony of the Imperial Palace and hear maniacal laughter, it’s just me- errrr Kwanchai- fighting in Gaki-do.

:bows: Thank you for that. I love that it became a school.

Mine was a very simple, basic memory, but it's the best one I have. I attended my first Kotei in Ft. Worth Tx a long while (I forget the year, but it was after the Day of Thunder) and it was run by a small little group of local players. We managed to get enough to fill the lower basement "Meeting room" of a hotel. Eric (last name I forget) was a Crab player and the TO. He said that the only way he would allow anyone to play is if they did the chant loud enough to be heard down the hall. Sure enough, when he said "Utz!" in a typical gunso voice, we all said "Banzai" three times. He would then bow and let us play. After a few minutes, the hotel manager came down and said he had gotten complaints from people in the lobby and the next floor up about the noise. Afterwards, I went out with a few of the guys I barely knew but made friends with there (one guy was mysteriously keyed into the,at the time secret cabal of L5R insiders) and we went out for Sushi, which was the first time I ever had it. They bought me my first California roll and jug of sake. I've now become a sushi devouring fiend because of it (and still looking for a place that serves the perfect daikon). I also began learning more about Japan.

Soshi Kiyo! Fond and bitter memories of that card. I remember attending the prerelease tournament for that set. I was so hoping I would pull her. I opened my first pack and there she was! Than I opened my second, and wow a foil version! My third pack another foil! "Fine at least I have the starter" I thought. I opened it and pulled a spell and another kiyo! Looked to the last rare and another foil Kiyo! So I got my wish, luckily I enjoyed her ability so much she wound up in the 4 scorpion decks I had running at the time. Thanks for the card and memory.

Hi, folks. I just posted this on Facebook, but I thought I would crosspost it here. To FFG staff and mods, hi. I'm one of the old men of L5R. I have been playing this game for almost 20 years, which is literally half my life. I have won a few tournaments, gone to GenCon to play in the world championships a number of times, and am the former admin and mod for the Castle of the Swift Sword , the official Lion Clan forum fan site. I am also a founding member of Team RUN (Rokugan's Underhanded Ninjas), with my buddies Case, Paul, and Dan. Whose house? RUN's house.

While I am very sad to see it leaving the CCG world, I am cautiously optimistic for its relaunch as an LCG through Fantasy Flight as I have enjoyed a number of FFG games over the last few years. I can only parrot what others have said here insomuch as you have inherited a fabulous fanbase with a rich history. I can honestly say I have developed dozens of lasting friendships because of this game, and I certainly hope you understand the kind of fanaticism the players have toward the game, their clans, and Eastern history in general.

I can't pinpoint one single event as my favorite over 20 years, so I'm going to toss out this list (which is subject to change):

-Driving from Denver to Phoenix for the 2001 Phoenix Kotei with the Denver crew . There were mad Elk up in there. And Ultimate Cheese. And my first Top 16 with Lion.

-Team RunCon in Denver with Case, Dan, Paul, and DJ Black Lion spinning tunes. Storyline prize was the Fortress of Thunder.
-Cincinnati Kotei in 2007 with James (think chicken suit) where I made it to Top 8 and out-politicked the Emerald Champion, Jim, for the political prize.
-Denver Kotei. All of them.
-Having the honor of raising money for 3 different charitable organizations while running the Mile High Master of Bushido at said Denver Kotei.
-Winning the Duel draft event at GenCon 2008, getting my name on a card ( Akodo Seiichi XP ) for the first time.
-Winning a local name a card event at Jason Keen 's place and getting my daughter a card ( Matsu Nishijo ).
-Lead writer Shawn C. lobbying for me ( Kusamoto! ) as a card in the game, getting it, and then letting me give him the flavor text. Spoiler alert: I was awesome.
-Being a Castle of the Swift Sword mod and later admin (yeah, didn't end the way I wanted, but it was still an honor).
-7th in the world in 2010, and Top Lion.
-My many epic battles against Angry Crab in South Sioux City, Kansas City, Denver, and elsewhere. Most memorable was my Deathseekers vs. his Berserkers. More blood was spilled in 30 minutes than in the entire Korean War.
-All the people I have met, drank with, embarrassed, and somehow remained friends with along the way.

...

Changing my vote.

Story is super-duper important.

Put these people in charge.

I have neither played the cardgame or the RPG, but for me, my best memory of L5R is standing as a kid in the bookstore and seeing this cool cover with a bad-ass white haired samurai on it. It turned out to be the book of the Crane in the clan war series. I bought it and was instantly hooked by this cool asian fantasy setting. As soon as I was done with the book I went back to the store and bought the rest of the series, and started reading in the correct order this time This was about 15 years ago, I think. So I have to thank Doji Hoturi for a lot of good memories!

I fondly remember the Banzai shouts from GCUK I attended, and the face of the MtG players waiting to enter their tournament area ;p

I fondly remember the start of the Race for the Throne. I will not dwell in how in ended, but back when it started I was one of the most vocal of players in the Scorpion forums about it.

I vividly remember taking part in any and all activies I could muster, just to remember some examples:

- I bought the airplane tickets for the Top Scorpion player of my country to go to Brazil to play.

- I folded like 100 mini origami scorpions. *

- My girlfriend (now wife) and I flew to Argentina to play a Kotei and win a couple of points.

- Creating an account in everysingle clan forum to check for possible alliances and/or oportunities and checking them daily.

- Trying (unsucesfully) to form an alliance with the Unicorn and Phoenix players.

- Trying (unsucesfully) to form an alliance with the Crab players.

- Helping our Dragon allies to rally and participate in the Race (just at the Start, they got to their feet quick enough).

Special mention too for the first time I flew to another country to play. The Rosario L5R community was awesome .

* I saved the picture of all the Origami sent to AEG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vr3o2hfqmciq7a3/1000scorpion.jpg?dl=0

I fondly remember the start of the Race for the Throne. I will not dwell in how in ended, but back when it started I was one of the most vocal of players in the Scorpion forums about it.

I vividly remember taking part in any and all activies I could muster, just to remember some examples:

- I bought the airplane tickets for the Top Scorpion player of my country to go to Brazil to play.

- I folded like 100 mini origami scorpions. *

- My girlfriend (now wife) and I flew to Argentina to play a Kotei and win a couple of points.

- Creating an account in everysingle clan forum to check for possible alliances and/or oportunities and checking them daily.

- Trying (unsucesfully) to form an alliance with the Unicorn and Phoenix players.

- Trying (unsucesfully) to form an alliance with the Crab players.

- Helping our Dragon allies to rally and participate in the Race (just at the Start, they got to their feet quick enough).

Special mention too for the first time I flew to another country to play. The Rosario L5R community was awesome .

* I saved the picture of all the Origami sent to AEG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vr3o2hfqmciq7a3/1000scorpion.jpg?dl=0

I love the one origami frog! That's brilliant!

Hi Narumo!

Hi there! , Gosh all I see are notable Scorpions, I wish I had won at least one kotei xD.

Hi there! , Gosh all I see are notable Scorpions, I wish I had won at least one kotei xD.

Pfft, I never did better than 3-2 in any formal event. Kotei winners were the exception, not the rule!

Hi there! , Gosh all I see are notable Scorpions, I wish I had won at least one kotei xD.

Pfft, I never did better than 3-2 in any formal event. Kotei winners were the exception, not the rule!

That may be, but still, I can't believe I am posting in the same topic with Kiyo/Eiji and Kwanchai 'winners' , also Kaze . Now Walbert arrive (he is/Was a Scorpion that won like, 5 or 7 of the 11 Koteis in which I participated and an incredible amount of other tourneys) or eFe (another Scorpion that won almost every prize available) I would be almost overwhelmed xD.

Hi there! , Gosh all I see are notable Scorpions, I wish I had won at least one kotei xD.

Pfft, I never did better than 3-2 in any formal event. Kotei winners were the exception, not the rule!

By definition, even!

Hi there! , Gosh all I see are notable Scorpions, I wish I had won at least one kotei xD.

Pfft, I never did better than 3-2 in any formal event. Kotei winners were the exception, not the rule!

That may be, but still, I can't believe I am posting in the same topic with Kiyo/Eiji and Kwanchai 'winners' , also Kaze . Now Walbert arrive (he is/Was a Scorpion that won like, 5 or 7 of the 11 Koteis in which I participated and an incredible amount of other tourneys) or eFe (another Scorpion that won almost every prize available) I would be almost overwhelmed xD.

This is Kwanchai's mask that I wore to the LARP next to the original art for the first two versions of Kwanchai. Just in case people find it fun.