Is up.

https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/df/44/df443ae6-73d6-453b-a73f-f90375797015/l5r_to-the-south_part2compressed.pdf

And there was much rejoicing by certain parts of the fandom.

Looks like there might a part III...

I called it. Shame I have to wait two weeks for the conclusion.

Hopefully this means I can get a neutral card for them soon. Maybe even in the Imperial Cycle.

The article says that this part is the conclusion to Part I, implying there isn't a Part III. Despite the cliffhanger...

There is no Part III. This plot will continue in a separate fiction -- not sure when that's scheduled for.

10 minutes ago, Kinzen said:

There is no Part III. This plot will continue in a separate fiction -- not sure when that's scheduled for.

Good work, but unfortunate that we will have to wait!

I feel like how FFG is breaking up the story is a little confusing and disjointed though (I assume this is under their creative control as to the order to release the fiction). I'm guessing you've written most of these stories already, or at least have a good idea, but given the whole 2 weeks in between, it feels odd. It would make sense if we were reading this as one whole novel, where characters 1 and 2 are doing their thing, then meanwhile in the next chapter characters 3 and 4 do their thing, and eventually it all comes together. Or at least I think we are all hoping that some of these stories and/or characters will come together eventually (I am at least).

41 minutes ago, TroutNinja said:

And there was much rejoicing by certain parts of the fandom.

Naga are okay - its the Spider we don't care for lol.

4 minutes ago, shosuko said:

Naga are okay - its the Spider we don't care for lol.

Naga were the least weird of the non-human factions. At least to me.

19 minutes ago, Mirith said:

Naga were the least weird of the non-human factions. At least to me.

Interesting. I found the Shadowlands to be the least weird since they are actually part of the story of Rokugan and can't be looked at as something tacked on.

If you took the Naga and the Ratlings totally out of the game's story, nothing really changes. Take the Shadowlands away and you lose so much.

21 minutes ago, Mirith said:

Naga were the least weird of the non-human factions. At least to me.

That means that the Kitsune Family are still in the running for number one, right? Right?

....

Naga are 15 ft tall?

2 minutes ago, Eisenmerc said:

Naga are 15 ft tall?

Long, not tall.

The Naga are cool, but they definitely work best as an NPC oddity rather than a faction. A bit like the Yodotai, or the Ivory Kingdoms.

14 minutes ago, Eisenmerc said:

Naga are 15 ft tall?

Some are quite a bit more than that. They are snake like, so "tall" and "long" are a bit conflated when considering their posture. Constrictor Naga can be quite long and / or quite tall if in a more erect posture.

52 minutes ago, Kakita Shiro said:

Interesting. I found the Shadowlands to be the least weird since they are actually part of the story of Rokugan and can't be looked at as something tacked on.

If you took the Naga and the Ratlings totally out of the game's story, nothing really changes. Take the Shadowlands away and you lose so much.

I agree completely, and for whatever reason, maybe because they were so integral to the story, I didn't really consider them "another faction" as much as "The enemy". Really my criteria for this (ignoring shadowlands) is which I could take the most seriously. Everything else just kinda makes me giggle when something serious comes up with their story.

.....the large snake-like creature turned towards the two intruders, extending it's closed fist toward the bushi as it spoke. "SSSSSSSSup!? Fisssssst Bump?"

Can't say I ever liked the Naga, or any of the beast races. Not only is the entire concept of Naga in Rokugan a bastardization of Hindu mythology, but they don't really serve any specific purpose. They smack of the old DnD style "throw in some more monsters because more is better".

I went to look up what a hibagon was. I am strangely pleased by the idea of Japanese bigfoot hiding in the Shinomen.

And there's Naga too, I suppose.

Like last story, this felt a bit clipped. It was short, but that isn't always a problem. Still, it felt missing because we don't seem to reach any resolutions. None of the characters faces any real dilemmas or obstacles, just a mission carried out in a straightforward fashion. Nothing really drew me to any of the characters - no quirks or memorable characteristics. If they don't appear again, there's nothing here I'll remember, just "the story where they first found the Naga."

Sorry, but both parts felt like marking time. There's nothing wrong, nothing to dislike, but there's also nothing there to like either.

Woo! Bring back my snakes!

I honestly didn't expect to see them come back in New5R, but I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm not holding my breath on a playable faction just yet, but I'm hopeful.

1 hour ago, agarrett said:

Like last story, this felt a bit clipped. It was short, but that isn't always a problem. Still, it felt missing because we don't seem to reach any resolutions. None of the characters faces any real dilemmas or obstacles, just a mission carried out in a straightforward fashion. Nothing really drew me to any of the characters - no quirks or memorable characteristics. If they don't appear again, there's nothing here I'll remember, just "the story where they first found the Naga."

Sorry, but both parts felt like marking time. There's nothing wrong, nothing to dislike, but there's also nothing there to like either.

Yeah. It just seemed like a long way of saying, "We are including Naga!"

Sneaky Sneks Slithering South to the Shadowlands.

I tried all S's...it didn't workssssss.

6 hours ago, theGricks said:

Sneaky Sneks Slithering South to the Shadowlands.

I tried all S's...it didn't workssssss.

Slowly and surreptitiously.

Was hoping the Naga wouldn't make it into the LCG but I was expecting them to show up eventually. I'm hoping they end up as little more than semi-intelligent shadowlands creatures. They've always felt out of place to me.

Overall the fiction was enjoyable despite introducing an element I never liked. Maybe they will do something different and get me to like them this time.

10 hours ago, agarrett said:

Nothing really drew me to any of the characters - no quirks or memorable characteristics.

I had to think about what "hatchet-faced" meant. So um, yeah, that is something...