I've been playing L5R casually for about 18 years. I am cautiously optimistic about the sale and look forward to seeing how L5R evolves under FFG's stewardship. One of the many things I was wondering, and I am sure no one knows, is how extensive the L5R IP was. Does the sale include the world outside of Rokugan, such as the Burning Sands and Ivory Kingdoms? I assume so. The possibilities of including those into L5R or even independent branded games in some form is certainly intriguing.

Since the colonies are mentioned, it is clear that the Ivory Kingdoms are almost certain still a part of the game, and the Burning Sands are surely so as well. But I doubt we will see anything soon on the Burning Sands, since FFG has to get first a L5R game of the ground, and they can decide later upon how they use that.

Oh I got a feeling they will use the colonies in a later expansion. Its just too tempting to pass up a setting like that. I would say the Colonies weren't used to their full effect back in Emperor.

To put it figuratively: Its like Emperor Edition was part of a large Kabuki Play.

No need to worry about the grey area about colonization or those who would really fight the empire.

Colonies were a really wasted opportunity. One of problems with military conflict in Rokugan is that it's hard to introduce permanent consequences of losing it - families getting wiped is too hardcore, losing Iconic Quintessential Lands is too hardcore and antagonizes the playerbase, and generally, you must tread carefully, because by somehow changing borders too much (imagine, for example, Lion eating half of the Crane) you put brand's integrity at the stake.

Colonies had none of these problems. You could introduce conflict about it and make stakes real - losing lands, losing influence...even being wiped out all together from Colonies! It wouldn't create backlash as big as doing something in iconic Rokugan. You wouldn't put something that "is a birthright" and "belongs" to the Clan at stake; it's one thing to not GAIN territories in Colonies due to losing a war, and LOSE your homeland.

Sadly, this potential was wasted utterly.

Colonies were a really wasted opportunity. One of problems with military conflict in Rokugan is that it's hard to introduce permanent consequences of losing it - families getting wiped is too hardcore, losing Iconic Quintessential Lands is too hardcore and antagonizes the playerbase, and generally, you must tread carefully, because by somehow changing borders too much (imagine, for example, Lion eating half of the Crane) you put brand's integrity at the stake.

Colonies had none of these problems. You could introduce conflict about it and make stakes real - losing lands, losing influence...even being wiped out all together from Colonies! It wouldn't create backlash as big as doing something in iconic Rokugan. You wouldn't put something that "is a birthright" and "belongs" to the Clan at stake; it's one thing to not GAIN territories in Colonies due to losing a war, and LOSE your homeland.

Sadly, this potential was wasted utterly.

I kinda agree. My expectation was that each clan would have a toe in the Colonies, and the MO would be that clan X attack clan Y in the colonies, takes an objective, and then when clan Y tries to retaliate in Rokugan they run into politics. Which leads to resentment and escalation in both settings.

I would say the Colonies weren't used to their full effect back in Emperor.

Was anything?

Greetings from the Sands, Evil-Smelling Brother-in-Law of a Camel!

The burning sands and the gaijin have always been mismanaged, especially the colonies.

The rokugani colonize an entire kingdom and no one seems to care ?? WTF !