Just now, Ishi Tonu said:

Maybe you're right......I wonder if I asked him to sacrifice a son.........

Hopefully he can resist this time.?

Traditional banners are best ?

3 hours ago, Kuni Katsuyoshi said:

*GROAN*

I almost missed it because I was still floored by 'I'm happy'.

No one expects the Gunichi Goodwill Festival.

Which makes it a PERFECT time to channel one's blood ties to the Bayushi...

8 minutes ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

No one expects the Gunichi Goodwill Festival.

Which makes it a PERFECT time to channel one's blood ties to the Bayushi...

Are you getting a frowny mask??

I'm glad you liked the first Phoenix fiction. I hope it bodes well for the future ?

Anyone else getting bored with clan champions dying or being dead at the start of a story? I hope this is the last of the dead champion for at least a year and they develop the remaining ones. They missed an opportunity to explore some characters that were barely known in the previous fiction.

As for the story, I like the ending but felt most of it just moved at too slow of a pace.

I think they are starting with several of the Champions dying just to show two things:

#1- This is a new continuity. Beginning of a new era.

#2- It shows that Rokugan is in a turmoil and change is afoot.

Really sets it up for some potentially great storylines.

51 minutes ago, TechnoGolem said:

Anyone else getting bored with clan champions dying or being dead at the start of a story? I hope this is the last of the dead champion for at least a year and they develop the remaining ones. They missed an opportunity to explore some characters that were barely known in the previous fiction.

As for the story, I like the ending but felt most of it just moved at too slow of a pace.

idk - I think it has to do with 1) known names, and 2) ever green core set.

Hotaru make a bit of a splash as it was both a gender swap, and skipping the actual first champion in lore, but I still think it wasn't very surprising. Not many Crane players lament the loss of Satsume (that I'm aware of.) Hoturi was more recognized as the face of the clan. Everything we needed to know about Satsume was said in the little we read about him. 1) He was already passed his prime, 2) he was an abusive husband and father, 3) he was emerald champion but still wouldn't give up the clan champion title, 4) he died. Basically there was little room for him to grow or effect the storyline, and making him evergreen wouldn't make sense passed the first set anyway.

I don't think anyone was surprised by Arasou's death, and Toturi's quick ascension as champion. Even without reading it, I would have imagined it because Toturi is iconic in his position as the new champion. Even in the original fiction Arasou was little more than a place holder for a greater Toturi story arc. If you were surprised by this, then you're new to the game. There isn't anything wrong with being new, but you won't be missing anything as Toturi is destined to have a great story arc no matter what. If you still don't like him, then Matsu Tsuko will likely give you more satisfaction as she doesn't just represent the same character type as Arasou, but also can hate Toturi with you.

Ujimitsu was a bit of a surprise. I wouldn't have expected it except that we had the leak of artwork and card for Tsukune. The thing that is odd about the Phoenix champion swap is that Ujimitsu could have been a blank slate. There wouldn't have been any expectations because most people were likely dissatisfied with his original story anyway. I think this one was the biggest surprised, but its also the least to bother with. Satsume could have at least played a villain to some of the story arc as an overbearing and controlling, boardering abusive character but just as Ujimitsu is a blank slate in the pros, he's also a blank slate in the cons. Skipping over him for the more developed Tsukune was likely a decision to help streamline the story as Ujimitsu would have just been an empty place holder ... in an ever green set.

I doubt any other champions would get swapped. It is *possible* that Shoju dies and Kachiko rises for similar reasons to both Ujimitsu and Satsume... Except that the clan war novel really painted a solid picture of this character and gave him life that neither Satsume or Ujimitsu had. Shoju does have a following and potential, where I don't think Arasou, Ujimitsu or Satsume would really be missed that much :\

We'll see

Overall (and I say this as a Phoenix player and fan,) while I on the whole enjoyed the Dragon fiction better, this was pretty good.

There's lots of little stuff going on here, which I like. The subtle nod to Tsukune's Akodo training, elemental council politics, something with the death of her brother, Shiba Tetsu a rival now?, etc. etc. I'm interested in seeing what gets developed from this.

It sounds like they might be setting up a "multiple suitor" sort of plot with Tsukune, what with Sukazu casting glances at her and Tadaka apparently already assuming they were going to get married. Does Shiba Kanjiro show up eventually? Who knows?

The person who told us the apprentice took the blame was Tsuke... hm... I know it's just Old5R prejudice, but the whole thing seems a bit suspicious to me. Did Tsuke cause some mischief and make his apprentice the fall guy / pressure him into taking the blame?

Also, yay for Shiba-focused fictions, though I do feel bad for the Asako family as there were zero Asako's.

Sad that Ujimitsu is dead, but I get the feeling he'll show up in more fictions as cool-ghost-body Obi Wan Ujimitsu, and I'm okay with that. I'm curious how he died ("before his time.")

Actually, I don't know, this fiction might have been better than the Dragon. I'm undecided.

3 minutes ago, Suzume Tomonori said:

Sad that Ujimitsu is dead, but I get the feeling he'll show up in more fictions as cool-ghost-body Obi Wan Ujimitsu, and I'm okay with that. I'm curious how he died ("before his time.")

Great point - I didn't think about it, but Ujimitsu could still get some screen time.

All this tsukune talk has gotten me hungry, though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukune

Also, as a recovering katana-nerd, the reference to how Ofushikai's curve is less pronounced than modern Rokugani swords styles was kind of a cool touch.

Actually, the "evergreen" legality of the champs explains a lot-

Toturi, Shoju, Tsukune, Revised and More Sympathetic Kisada, and "Yokuni" are all pretty emblematic, not so much for where their clans began in the original story (well, Yokuni...) as of what their clans came to mean by the end of AEG's run. Hotaru is a bit less so, but:

1. Kyuden Doji delenda est.

2. The Crane must be purged by fire.

3. She definitely encompasses the pressures of "perfection" as an ideal. In that sense, she's iconic in a way the likes of Doji Domotai never quite pulled off.

I'm very curious to meet Shinjo Altansarnai now, 'cause I think she'll be an interesting snapshot of what the Unicorn under FFG will be- compassionate Children of Shinjo or wrathful Horde of the Khan...

1 hour ago, Suzume Tomonori said:

Also, as a recovering katana-nerd, the reference to how Ofushikai's curve is less pronounced than modern Rokugani swords styles was kind of a cool touch.

Actually, I imagine the sword lacked a curve at all, as it predates the Agasha smithing technique that resulted in the curved katana.
I think the sword looks much more similar to a chinese Jian than anything curved.

Needed more Isawa Akuma.

20 minutes ago, Bayushi Tsubaki said:

Actually, I imagine the sword lacked a curve at all, as it predates the Agasha smithing technique that resulted in the curved katana.
I think the sword looks much more similar to a chinese Jian than anything curved.

I think that might have been what the author was aiming at, but this line using the qualifier "drastic":

Quote

"The ancient sword lacked the drastic curve of a true katana and the benefits of modern smithing,"

made me wonder if the intention was to say it is a straight blade or a curved (but not drastically so) blade.

I wasn't aware that it was the Agasha that were credited with adding the curves to Rokugani katana, but I suppose it makes sense now that you mention it. The references to smithing techniques and sword styles changing over time is a cool thing to add as a detail.

I was going to write a thing pondering the relative experience levels of the champions and what that may or may not mean going forward.

Then I lost a minute or so just looking into the eyes of Shiba Tsukunes absolutely *sublime* artwork and here I am.

Seriously.

So with that nonsense shared, yeah, Lion, Crane and Phoenix all have fresh champs, Kisada -and probably Shoju- sit firmly as old guard that are so experienced they're wondering how their clans will cope with their inevitable deaths, Dragon is a man in his prime, and I'm guessing the Unicorn champ is gonna be new to the game as well but I know nothing of that.

I wonder if there is a significance there. But I do feel at least half confident that while Kisada and Shoju are alive any major interclan wars in the near future won't see the Crab and Scorpion involved in them...

I doubt Shoju is "old." Established might be a better word.
Kisada is the old one.

13 hours ago, Ishi Tonu said:

Step one: win in bed

Step two: eat the loser

Step three: brag about your prowess as a lover........it's not like they can argue with you while they are digesting in your stomach.

What's the problem again?

Isn't that the (praying) Mantis method of love-making?

12 hours ago, Kuni Katsuyoshi said:

-TETSUBO IN FACE!!-

You couldn't handle the Great ?. Oni Boy ?

Tetsubo - apply directly to the forehead.
Tetsubo - apply directly to the forehead.
Tetsubo - apply directly to the forehead.
Tetsubo - apply directly to the forehead.

Tsukune's art is my favorite art piece in the core so far. I'm wondering though, is she meant to be wielding Ofushikai in that picture? It's a great looking sword. It's not exactly what I was picturing in my head for Ofushikai since I was expecting a straighter blade, but maybe the perspective is throwing me off.

I'm also curious as to how Ujimitsu died. I'm guessing it was nothing scandalous since no one seemed too concerned about it. Tuskune's description of him in life compared to the vision she received from the sword suggests he was quite old at the time of his death. I do like the idea of Ujimitsu being Tsukune's Obi Wan. That does set up a fun dynamic.

I'm hoping we get some Crab/Phoenix stories with Tadaka. I think that would be a lot of fun.

44 minutes ago, twinstarbmc said:

Isn't that the (praying) Mantis method of love-making?

Only the female mantis

21 hours ago, Eugene Earnshaw said:

Now that was a great clan fiction.

It was which just makes me more depressed for the terrible Lion Fiction. Sigh. However this one was interesting, allude to a few possible issues introduce a few major characters. And get a bit of insight into the new Clan Champion.

I'm surprised that, after combing through the posts to date, I haven't really noticed many people pointing out the similarities between the deaths of Satsume and Ujimitsu. Granted, we have very little information on either, but the circumstances of both are mysterious, to say the least, and apparently equally abrupt. While Satsume wasn't exactly young, his death did come seemingly with little prelude (to our knowledge, he wasn't ailing for some time) and it is stated in this fiction that Ujimitsu was too young to die (though what by, who knows). I'm not necessarily saying the two are related, but it seems like a fairly major coincidence.

Ya know, I hope Spooky drops by and mentions what was in his mind's eye for Ofushikai, after considering the fiction for a while now.
Mostly because katana certainly aren't "drastically" curved at all... So I kinda wanna know his mind's eye image of a Katana too.

6 minutes ago, Zetsubou said:

I'm surprised that, after combing through the posts to date, I haven't really noticed many people pointing out the similarities between the deaths of Satsume and Ujimitsu. Granted, we have very little information on either, but the circumstances of both are mysterious, to say the least, and apparently equally abrupt. While Satsume wasn't exactly young, his death did come seemingly with little prelude (to our knowledge, he wasn't ailing for some time) and it is stated in this fiction that Ujimitsu was too young to die (though what by, who knows). I'm not necessarily saying the two are related, but it seems like a fairly major coincidence.

Hotaru is trying to kill off all the Champions to weaken the Clans and pave the way for the Crane Clan Coup!

7 minutes ago, Zetsubou said:

I'm surprised that, after combing through the posts to date, I haven't really noticed many people pointing out the similarities between the deaths of Satsume and Ujimitsu. Granted, we have very little information on either, but the circumstances of both are mysterious, to say the least, and apparently equally abrupt. While Satsume wasn't exactly young, his death did come seemingly with little prelude (to our knowledge, he wasn't ailing for some time) and it is stated in this fiction that Ujimitsu was too young to die (though what by, who knows). I'm not necessarily saying the two are related, but it seems like a fairly major coincidence.

Well, they're both characters that were alive at this date in the prior storyline...