Howdy!

I run an online, chat-based, persistent L5R game using the L5R Open Beta (5E) system.

We currently have one (1) opening for a player. If you might be interested in playing, please read on.

What's the elevator pitch? This game is:

• Text-based . Gameplay takes place on a dedicated website and resembles a scrolling text-based game (e.g. a MUSH) with added bells and whistles like character portraits.
• Primarily player-driven . Most gameplay occurs between players without GM involvement. Players are expected to engage each other as the subjects and objects of desires, intrigues, and ambitions. While characters will have some external motivations (e.g. from their Clans and other organization), this game is fundamentally about the player characters (PCs).
• Court-based . Not all characters are expected to be courtiers, but all characters are expected to participate in court. Characters who are more adventure-oriented will have opportunities to participate in combat, but those opportunities will be the exception, not the rule.
• GMed with a light touch. The ratio of players to GMs is approximately 10:1, which both ensures that the game is player-driven and limits the scope of what GMs can accomplish.
• Active play, not play by post. Scenes begin and end at discrete times (i.e. scenes are not open-ended across multiple days) and involve players who are actively participating. Each day that passes in the real world is also a day that passes in Rokugan, and scenes may not occur except on the present day (i.e. scenes may not be played during the past or future).
• Players are expected to play roughly 4 hours per week , but may choose to play less or more as their schedules allow.

Setting: the game's first arc focuses on an order from the Chancellery: to implement a civil service system in Rokugan to funnel more samurai into the Imperial Bureaucracy -- and to create an opportunity for exceptional heimin to be elevated into the buke. The game is set in Toshi Tenjikobutan, a small, wealthy city two days outside Otosan Uchi. The city is held by the Yanagi, an Otomo vassal family whose daimyo has been appointed Persimmon Minister: the person in charge of shaping the Imperial Examination. The Persimmon Minister has, in turn, elected to solicit input on this Examination from the Great Clans. And since the Great Clans are all suspicious of this idea, they've sent courtiers who are freshly off their gempukku or who are otherwise expendable to the Persimmon Minister's Winter Court: the player characters.

Character Creation: as outlined in the L5R Open Beta corebook. All PCs start with 12 XP, plus 3 XP per week played since the game began in mid-November 2017. There are house rules for creating characters with Schools that are not yet published; as those Schools are published, they'll be overwritten by the official material.

Experience Points: XP is awarded both during GMed scenes and automatically during independent play. Characters can expect to earn roughly 4 XP per week.

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Who are we looking for? This game is for mature, respectful, cooperative players who are interested in courtly intrigue and thoughtful role-playing. The game has a zero tolerance safe space policy, so players should expect to bring their most consider, empathetic selves. Players from marginalized groups, including women and LGTBQ+ folks, are encouraged to apply, and will find this game aggressively protects and promotes their interests. The player slot we're opening up to the beta community is the first slot open to someone without a direct personal relationship with one of the GMs or a founding player, so that player is likely to receive extra scrutiny at first to ensure they integrate well with the community.

What Clans/Schools are open? See below.

Interested? For more information or to apply, please send me a direct message through this site.

A couple samples of gameplay (GM present at each, and you can see the dice roller's output in the second).

This sounds like something I would be interested in. I would be interested in playing a Mirumoto Bushi if possible.

As a woman in the LGBTQ+ community, I am happy to have a game that protects my interests!

I am interested in the game as well. Though depending on the time frame I may not be in able to join. Still this gives me a chance to tryout the Beta any way.

Good morning! We have just opened one slot in this game. Please read the original post for information about the game.

Two updates:

• We are currently looking for a character to play a Doji Diplomat. The player in question will need to be motivated and politically savvy.
• Since the original post, the Imperial Examination has been proposed and will be implemented soon. The new player's character will need, as either their Ninjo or Giri, to have some version of "Sit the Imperial Examination and achieve a posting in the Imperial Bureaucracy."

If you're interested, please PM me. Thanks!