Wait... if the Islands of Spice and Silk are destroyed, does it mean that the Bat Clan is also wiped out?

Also, why didn't the Mantis remnants seek refugee at the Wasp/Centipede? Or at their considerable colonial holdings?

I'm torn about the Phoenix story that's being crafted. On one hand I wonder if its accurate to the Phoenix mentality, but as a potential Phoenix player in WC5, I have to say it opens up a lot (A LOT!) of doors for RP and tragedy. And as we all know tragedy is what makes samurai drama.

On one hand I wonder if its accurate to the Phoenix mentality

It's a wee bit excessive, but given the nature of the Council's portrayal to date,it could be argued that it's just turning their flaws up to 11.

I do know, based upon some back-channel scuttlebutt, that things COULD have gotten this bad if the Path votes system had continued and the playerbase had gone this route.

Wait... if the Islands of Spice and Silk are destroyed, does it mean that the Bat Clan is also wiped out?

They did a have a small settlement at the Colonies, Lost Traveler Village. Hopefully the writers will not forget that.

Also, why didn't the Mantis remnants seek refugee at the Wasp/Centipede? Or at their considerable colonial holdings?

Exactly my thoughts...

On one hand I wonder if its accurate to the Phoenix mentality,

Well, they aren't summoning Oni or getting Tainted as usual, but I guess it is close enough .

Well, the Mantis haters are going to love this.... (Did all non-Mantis players hate our onyx choices that much?)

Also, why didn't the Mantis remnants seek refugee at the Wasp/Centipede? Or at their considerable colonial holdings?

My reading of it is that this is a port thing. The Moshi Lands are way up a cliff and not what anyone would consider a proper anchorage. And sailing beat up ships to the Colonies would be a last resort. That part of the story at least makes sense.

On the plus side, this timeline overall is still more coherent than the storyline for Emperor....

I think it has less to do with the Mantis making weird choices as it does to give the Crane something to do. They have done almost nothing in this post-Onyx timeline.

And there's another update!

I'm looking forward to this, I'll have to really think about what I want to try and run now.

So this WC will consist of open warfare on the Crab?

ok

So winter Court will deal will killing all the mantis for their crime of killing the Fire Dragon.

Hey, the Crane did their part... and the Phoenix... kind of.

True the phoenix enslaved the Dragon but the Crane actually only wanted to free him, which is a noble and rightfull goal. The mantis changed the plan and killed him out of fear and weakness.

In the end they comitted the crime not the other clans so they need to be punsihed.

I dunno, the Mantis killing the Fire Dragon is bad, but the Phoenix presuming to enslave a true Dragon of Tengoku and order it about is arguably worse.

Desperate times result in desperate actions. I don´t see a problem with forcing a realm to help you that was never helpfull at all despite paying your respect and devfotion to it. Nah I like what the phoenix did because the best way to get what you need is to take it

and if they avoid to help the phoenix the phoenix has the right to help himself. And btw only cause one clan did something wrong does not say that a different clan can alsodo something wrong. So killing the fire dragon is still killing the fire dragon and should end

with a dead Yoritomo family.

Because that's so much more Shourido than Bushido. I mean, taking by force what you think is yours? How different is this from what Kanpeki did?

Because this is what samurais do.

Anger for high prices? Kill the merchants.

Want the control of the throne? Start a civil war.

Want became Shogun? Start a civil war.

Want the control of a province? Start a civil war.

Hate for the gaijin? Start a civil war.

Desperate times result in desperate actions.

The desperate actions of the Phoenix always, without exception, only make things worse. There is a massive difference between a desperate but reasonable action and a desperate and stupid action.

The status quo is king.

No clan will or can be killed. You can start a war and are no doubt encouraged to do so since if everyone lives completely at peace there is nothing for samurai to do, you can shift the borders and take over a city, but under no circumstance will any great clan be allowed to be killed off.

if everyone lives completely at peace there is nothing for samurai to do

Well, as a caste that has complete monopoly over high education and thus literally all intellectual pursuits, this statement as-is might be objectively wrong. The correct sentence would be "if everyone lives completely at peace there is nothing for the bushi to do" - and this is still at least partially wrong because you have to maintain that peace somehow and you would need plenty of quality muscle (=bushi) for that.

if everyone lives completely at peace there is nothing for samurai to do

Well, as a caste that has complete monopoly over high education and thus literally all intellectual pursuits, this statement as-is might be objectively wrong. The correct sentence would be "if everyone lives completely at peace there is nothing for the bushi to do" - and this is still at least partially wrong because you have to maintain that peace somehow and you would need plenty of quality muscle (=bushi) for that.

Okay, let me put this another way....

The entire game this setting is based in deals with warfare. There has never been a L5R storyline that dealt with tax collecting, gain harvesting, resource allocation and construction. Every storyline requires some sort of warfare-- someone against someone-- otherwise there is no plotline for player to engage with.

I mean, can you tell me how an L5R game revolving around peace would work? Players actually cooperating cross-faction to build up cities, advance technology, feed the hungry and actually work towards Rokugan prospering? Do you really think any players would actually engage in those goals?

I mean, can you tell me how an L5R game revolving around peace would work? Players actually cooperating cross-faction to build up cities, advance technology, feed the hungry and actually work towards Rokugan prospering? Do you really think any players would actually engage in those goals?

Of course! Even if there is no war, you can have conflict all over, like dealing with crime, participating in all sorts of political maneuvering, chasing some enlightenment, solving private matters, doing exploration, or just having wacky adventures and plunge headlong into the world.

Okay, let me put this another way....

The entire game this setting is based in deals with warfare. There has never been a L5R storyline that dealt with tax collecting, gain harvesting, resource allocation and construction. Every storyline requires some sort of warfare-- someone against someone-- otherwise there is no plotline for player to engage with.

I mean, can you tell me how an L5R game revolving around peace would work? Players actually cooperating cross-faction to build up cities, advance technology, feed the hungry and actually work towards Rokugan prospering? Do you really think any players would actually engage in those goals?

You know, you just gave me inspiration for a campaign. With backrooms deals and stabbing the entire way up.

Okay, caught up....I think.

So - and this is as a Phoenix player - I can honestly say I have never seen a better reason to have Tengoku completely and utterly destroy the Phoenix, with every man, woman, and child with the blood of Isawa wiped from Rokugan. They are definitely the villains thus far, and that's in a world where the Shadowlands is taking over.

Speaking of caught up... Another update!