What follows is a snippet from a play-by-post I was involved with until recently; I love the character I played - a fourteen year old Akodo of "questionable" lineage (her father was a samurai and her mother a heimin) who was adopted and raised by her honourable and beloved uncle-turned-father, Akodo Shigeru, only to elevated to the position of Emerald Magistrate during the events leading up to the Clan War - and can't wait to remake her using FFG's 5th Edition rules.

(For those interested, I often listened to the song "Aishuu" from Genji Monogatari Sennenki whilst I wrote for Sayuri - it's her theme song, after all! Link: Aishuu )

In the following post, Sayuri has just finished her education on how to become an Emerald Magistrate. Her first appointment is to the City of Lies, where she and some other young Magistrates are tasked with replacing their murdered predecessor.

Forgive the length, and feel free to add your own for me to read!

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The deer that weds
The autumn bush clover
They say
Sires a single fawn
And this fawn of mine
This lone girl
Sets off on a journey
Grass for her pillow

With a gentleness that bordered on melancholy, the nightingale began its song. Those gathered allowed their chatter to cease respectfully, their attentions stolen by the bird's music, and the bitter, and sudden, wind that it arrived upon.

Roused from her reverie by the enthralling tune, Akodo Sayuri turned her jade-coloured eyes eastwards. It was not often that she was witness to such sounds, though she remembered a time when her mother, Yoki, had described them to her in detail. Such memories surfaced less and less now, but remained potent in their ability to twist her heart.

About the room, people stirred, roused by the cold. A ji-samurai, his discomfort more openly worn, rose to his feet and approached the irori; he nursed it eagerly, his lips quaking ever-so-slightly as the chill infiltrated his clothing, seeking flesh. He was a young man, if his soft features were anything to go by, but several years older, at least, than Sayuri, who considered him with quiet interest.

'His inexperience is as clear as light on water,' mused the Akodo inwardly. And it was true: any member of the Lion clan with more than a few months of service behind them learned quickly to tolerate, or even utilise, unfavourable conditions, environmental or otherwise. Sayuri's sensei, Akodo Ichiro, had been a particularly firm believer in the philosophy that samurai had to embrace the adverse in order to realise their full potential, and had been more than willing to enforce that philosophy in his teachings; were Akodo Ichiro-sensei there now, she could only imagine what he would have to say to the young and shivering ji-samurai. The thought brought a pleasant, yet unexpected, smile to Sayuri's lips.

Memories of the old sensei reminded the samurai-ko of her home in the northern edge of the Key-ryu province, with its wood and paper walls and sloped, tile roof. She thought of the garden, resplendent and tranquil, and her favourite maple tree beneath which she sometimes sat. And, inevitably, she thought of Shigeru, of his dark hair and soft eyes. She thought of the way in which he watched her, proud and loving, despite the wildness that she had displayed before her enrolment in Akodo Ichiro's school. Thoughts of her father were always bittersweet; she forced them aside, lest they compromise her On.

Seeking distraction, Sayuri looked to the other occupants of the waystation's lounge. Most were ji-samurai who had been stationed there, to defend in the event of bandit attacks, but only a few bore that responsibility well: whilst they did not complain about it openly, their discomfort was ill-hidden upon their faces, and the manner in which some fidgeted was uncouth enough to earn scornful looks from even their own peers. Had it been common knowledge that Sayuri was an Emerald Magistrate rather than a simple Akodo samurai-ko, they might have comported themselves better; as it was, she was purposefully absent her badges of office, and she saw little value in correcting their misconceptions about her status.

Unsurprisingly, talk within the lounge turned towards the current state of affairs between the Lion and Crane clans. Sayuri listened, but did not contribute, instead turning her jade eyes from face to face as each participant offered his or her opinion or thoughts. Personally, Sayuri knew only as much about the current tensions as she had heard from others: her training at Shiro Yogasha, followed by her eager return to Ken-ryu, had left her little time to consider the facts of such intrigues; then came the thawing of the snows, and when the roads were clear enough to travel she was forced to begin her journey south to Ryoko Owari. Thus far, she had covered considerable ground, but even so she felt an uneasiness coil within her: an appointment in the City of Lies, particularly a first appointment, rarely boded well for a foreign samurai. It was, if rumour were to be believed, a domain where a rigid adherence to bushido got one killed, and where guile and subterfuge were commendable traits.

Even as Sayuri's thoughts drifted towards her destination and purpose there, talk of the ongoing tensions between the Crane and Lion clans continued around her. Then, quite suddenly, a ji-samurai, made bold by sake, turned to address her directly. His tone was respectful, but his eyes betrayed his eagerness for discourse. "Akodo-sama," he began, "do you think it will come to war? The Crane give us insult-"

The room had become silent, stunned by the ji-samurai's breach of etiquette - all save one, another soldier, who turned to the speaker and sharply snapped, "You forget yourself and your place!" Immediately, the more sober ji-samurai turned sharply to Sayuri and bowed deeply, adding sincerely, "I apologise, Akodo-sama, for the rudeness shown you. Sake has made him bold and foolish."

Realising his mistake, the offending ji-samurai's eyes went wide and he threw himself upon the ground before Sayuri, his composure vanishing as he began to cry loudly. "Forgive me, Akodo-sama! I am truly sorry for such a dishonourable display. I promise I will show you the proper respect!"

All eyes turned to Sayuri, who was watching the two ji-samurai with an impassive mask. Her jade eyes flickered from one man to the other. Inwardly, and at the farthest edge of her mind, there lay a part of her that had entirely overlooked the insult; the rest of her felt only minor irritation at the young man's lack of tact. Had the soldier spoken so brazenly to a samurai with a less forgiving heart than she, his question might have been answered with steel rather than words. Fortunately, the young bushi was not so quick to anger.

To the surprise of all present, Sayuri's answer was soft and quiet, yet it carried the length of the room with ease. Neither ji-samurai rose from their deep bows, but both listened intently; the rest remained silent, watching with interest. "'War is inevitable, like a spring fog,'" she began, quoting Akodo's Leadership with clear reverence. "'It creeps in from the sea and slowly covers the country in a cold, white shroud. It dissipates in time, but once it is gone, the land is never the same.'

"You are forgiven," added Sayuri. Both ji-samurai rose, their relief clear, but the more intoxicated soldier dropped his gaze in shame when he found the young samurai-ko's jade eyes upon him. "Do not be so eager for war. It will come, as it always does - that is one of the few certainties of life."

Offering a slight bow to the room - which was returned deeply and immediately by all present - Sayuri rose to her feet. All eyes followed her with deep interest as she turned from the chamber; she was remembered long after she had gone.

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It was called the "Road Once Hidden", though the meaning behind the name was lost to Sayuri. Once upon it, she had begun navigating the lands of the Scorpion, leaving her beloved ancestral lands behind in her wake. Whether due to her lack of familiarity with her new environment, or because she simply did not wish to delay any further than was absolutely necessary, the young samurai-ko heightened her pace through these foreign lands, moving as quickly as her pony could handle, and for as long as she could before the sun leapt beyond the nape of the distant skyline.

When the morning came that Ryoko Owari crept into view on the horizon, Sayuri was at once stunned, both by its sheer size, and by the feeling of immense unease that pervaded her heart at its mere viewing. Even from beyond the walls she could hear the thriving inner-city life, as heimin and other citizenry enacted their business over the loud and incessant bleating of the city's heart. Sayuri listened to the blurring mesh of voices and calls and instruments as she approached the Gate of Increasing Fortune (a name both ironic and ominous, to her mind), her badges of office adorned and her travel papers held out, ready to be checked and authenticated. The eyes of the men-at-arms widened and then dropped low, avoiding contact with her own, as one Thunder Guard rushed off to find the Commander, Sayuri's travel papers in hand. This he did as his peers began clearing foot-traffic from the front of the Gate of Increasing Fortune; bystanders and travellers, urged onwards or away by the guard, kept their gaze averted as they hurried on, leaving Sayuri and her pony otherwise alone to wait.

For near to half-an-hour, the Thunder Guards maintained their vigil, forcing away any onlookers who strayed too near, though in truth none dared to approach the young Lion. Whispers circulated through the area of her identity, and all gazes were averted anytime Sayuri glanced in their direction. She could not hear their exact words, but she could surmise the meaning behind their gossip: they were getting a Lion Emerald Magistrate. Having a Scorpion would suggest the Fortunes were smiling upon them; now a Lion was at their gates, and the locals wondered - though they wondered quietly - how this might play out.

At last the crowd parted, and Sayuri's jade eyes fell upon an approaching man in red and black, who was himself surrounded by a group of well-armed bushi, each bearing the Bayushi mon. As they drew closer, she could see the token mask the leader wore, one of a skeletal scorpion resting atop his head with ivory appendages reaching down the sides of his face. The mask did nothing to hide his visage, which was young and quite handsome. The Bayushi at his sides parted as he neared the young samurai-ko, allowing the leader - who she assumed to be Shosuro Jocho, Commander of the Thunder Guard, and son of Governor Shosuro Hyobu - to step forth. In his hand, she could see her travel papers.

Jocho stopped a few strides from her. He was taller than she was by a hand, his lithe build stronger than it looked being her guess. His brown eyes took her in for just a moment before he bowed slowly at the waist - a gesture Sayuri immediately returned in kind. Like the cogs of a wheel, his men, to a one, bowed, as well, though they dropped to their knees and pressed their faces almost to the ground. All around them, onlookers did the same, dropping in respect to her. Jocho rose a second later, meeting her eyes once again with his own, a friendly smile adorned. The bushi and crowd remained down.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Emerald Magistrate Akodo Sayuri-san. I am Shosuro Jocho, Commander of the Thunder Guard. Governor Shosuro Hyobu-sama sends her warmest regards. She has instructed me to guide you through our beautiful city to the Magistrate Residence in the Noble's Quarter. You are the second of your fellow Emerald Magistrates to arrive. We expect the others at any time. It would be an honour to walk with you on this glorious day, and answer any questions you may have about Ryoko Owari Toshi, Akodo Sayuri-san."

As Jocho finished, his retinue rose to their feet, as did the locals all around them. The bushi lined up immediately to form a honour guard around the pair while the locals quickly went about their business. All the while, Jocho smiled. When they were ready, he gestured towards the south. "If you would allow me, Akodo Sayuri-san," he said.

With a gentle, beautiful smile, Sayuri inclined her head. Her words were - as always, once issued - soft yet clear. "I would be honoured at your company, Shosuro Jocho-san." With her consent, the entourage passed beyond the Gate of Increasing Fortune, which welcomed the samurai-ko with the faintest of wooden creaks. She entered with silent reluctance.

Beyond the gate lay the Merchant's Quarter: one of the largest of the city's districts, and an area weeping with music, merchant cries, talk, and the subtle blend of perfume and human sweat. Directly ahead and around her, spotted beyond her honour guard, were a wealth of tradesmen, merchants, heimin and samurai, moving and weaving about in a perpetual state of semi-organised chaos. So dense was the sea of bodies ahead that Sayuri could not have navigated it easily without the formidable shield of bodies that marched alongside her.

Keeping a close watch on her surroundings, Sayuri pressed through the tide of people, making westwards along the central road. Heimin were careful to avoid her gaze as she glanced about, and many stopped to bow when forced into close proximity with her escort, but for the most part she was able to navigate without interruption. Before long, she found herself standing at the threshold of Daikoku's Garden: a bisected area split between austere and pristine rock garden, and a vibrant and colourful flower garden cut and filled with poppies. On the side of the former, monks tended to the presentation; on the latter, locals nurtured the flowers with a deep concentration. Sayuri watched both groups with open curiosity, but forced herself onwards after only a brief pause - knowing that Jocho was watching her attentively - this time headed southwards along the Fields of Gold.

With the Temple of Daikoku and Temple of the Sun towering over her from the east, Sayuri and the Scorpion samurai continued on towards the Pious Gate, which opened immediately when the Thunder Guard there spied their Commander. They bowed low as the retinue moved past. Beyond them, the group walked in the shadow of the great Shosuro Palace and its beautiful, irrational design, and on towards the Magistrate Residence, which was, by comparison, somewhat sterile in appearance, though still imposing. A quick, appraising stare convinced Sayuri that it was built to withstand a military siege - and could do so, perhaps, if forced to. It was at the threshold of this building that the Bayushi formation halted and then parted, and Jocho turned to face Sayuri directly.

"I will return to escort you and your fellow Magistrates to an audience with Governor Shosuro Hyobu-sama when all have arrived," said Jocho, still wearing that handsome and disarming smile. "Until then, Akodo Sayuri-san, I hope you find the Residence affords you a comfortable stay."

"I thank you for your company, Shosuro Jocho-san," Sayuri replied. "And I look forward to expressing my gratitude to Governor Shosuro Hyobu-sama personally, at her convenience." She and Jocho exchanged bows then, and the Thunder Guard dropped low in respectful parting; then they were gone, swept away back into the beating heart of the City of Lies, colours among colours. Sayuri looked after them for a long time, her long, silken hair dancing gracefully with the breeze at her waist; then, with fluid purpose, she turned soundlessly into the Residence.

If Sayuri had been surprised by anything else in Ryoko Owari, it was eclipsed by what awaited her within her allocated domain: though uniform in its solid, almost barren, outward appearance, the Residence was a cluster of different styles and influences on the inside. Moving from chamber to chamber, she noticed immediately various fixtures or designs that suited different Great Clans, including the Lion, Unicorn, and Crane. It was unusual to her, seeing such stark contrasts so close to one another, though she could not bring herself to call the effect displeasing.

Carried on steps as quiet as her own, Shosuro Hitomaro appeared in the entrance chamber just as she returned to it, and immediately the two Magistrates bowed to one another. Their smiles were polite, yet more sincere than those that had been shared by the Governor's son not minutes before. "A pleasure again Akodo Sayuri-san," said the Scorpion, rising. "I hope your travels were fair and the weather favourable."

"Thank you, Shosuro Hitomaro-san. My journey was an enjoyable one, as I hope your own was." They considered one another briefly then, before retiring further into the Residence. Hitomaro was not a particularly striking man, particularly when compared to one such as Shosuro Jocho, but Sayuri found his company to be far more comfortable. Well, as comfortable as sharing the company of a Scorpion could be.

Much much shorter, but I have an L5R anecdote to share.

I was running a campaign wherein the Iweko Dynasty had ended under the reign of the insane Iweko V. However, to keep the Empire from falling apart, a conspiracy of the Clan Champions who knew (The Phoenix, the Scorpion, the Dragon, and the Crane) decided to grab a Dragon Samurai child, and make him the "lost heir" of the Iweko.

It had been 50 years since, and the spiritual ramifications were bad. Also, the conspiracy was now going to war with itself.

Anyways, the clues to the conspiracy had lead the PCs to an abandoned city in the heart of the Phoenix lands, where Iweko V and his followers had committed mass suicide (to ascend into the Celestial Heavens as their purity was too much for the world). The Phoenix, basically, had a dead man's watch patrolling the place, with samurai who had given up their lives for service, knowing they could never leave and their families believing they were dead. The PCs were about to be discovered when the party's nominal leader (who was trained as a sohei, despite being the spare heir to a Great Clan championship, and usually traveled about as just a monk) when out to speak with the guard who was about to stumble upon them.

The "monk" spoke with the guard, who pointed out that the monk should not have been there. It was a polite, and philosophical conversation, before one of the other party members failed a Stealth roll, and the guard noticed them. As the guard was about to raise the alarm, the monk lifted his hand to stop him, uttering one of the most badass, pre-fight lines I have ever heard at an L5R table.

"Remember, friend. Regret is a sin."

The guard paused, considered, and nodded to the monk. "Thank you, brother." And then raised the alarm, and died without regret.

Awesome! Anyone else feel like sharing?

It's been quite a while for me, but one of my more interesting moments was playing an extraordinarily incompetent Hida Bushi.

My first two characters in the game had died, so the party had already earned experience and I was given the same amount to build up my third. I made a Fourth Legionnaire gunso, Hida Bushi. In his first (second?) session, he got married to a Shosuro and became Shosuro Hiroyachi. Shortly thereafter, the party gets assigned to combat bandit patrols outside some city or another; they were all Emerald Magistrates, save for Hiroyachi who was their legion-muscle support.

I spent the next two or three battles missing literally EVERY attack roll. I had spent a few points to have a budoka retainer, and he was doing more in combat. Even the shugenja was killing people with his katana, and here I am, whipping a tetsubo or dai tsuchi around with a 7k4 to hit, and nothing.

So he decided to just scare the heck out of people. Went into major debt with his new family to get a set of heavy armor with mempo, designed to mimic Emma-O, with a little illusionary hellfire flouish from his wife (she was an air/illusionist shugenja). He was already trained in intimidate, and boy could my dice explode on those rolls. So he just would confront these bandits, draw his weapon, and identify himself as an oni seeking redemption in death, bound in service to Emma-O, and that he was their to usher their souls to Oblivion's Gate.

I gained sooooo many disadvantages for it, Cursed by the Realm, Unlucky, etc., but dip me in honey if he didn't become more effective. Finally one bandit succeeds Willpower against my intimidate. He goes full attack against me, misses. I grab the dice, use the free raises, and roll.

My highest die was a 3. The GM takes pity, uses unlucky.

I think I rolled a 6 on one die, but the rest were terrible. First attack roll in sessions, and I whiffed -again-.

I swore off ever playing a combat character again.

Related: I created a Kakita Duelist once who lost every Iaijutsu duel.

He was a combat monster, though. Always rolled well on battle and melee, but just abyssmal in duels. It's like my luck tells me "no you can't play the character the way you conceived him. Sorry you made a backstory."

I very rarely play a combative character. Sayuri was my first attempt at one, and even she is more of a strategist than a melee combatant (though she was still formidable, particularly given her meagre age).

Another post from me, in the hopes of encouraging more people to share! I'm happy to also provide my character's backstory and stats, if anyone's interested.
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Within the Residence, and in the company of her fellow samurai, Akodo Sayuri waited. There was a subtle, patient tension in the air, one that was scarcely betrayed on the faces of each Emerald Magistrate as they settled into the expected routine of civil discussion and polite inquiries. About them, the city continued to thrive with its ambient noise and persistent, enticing rhythm; and at night, lights mounted the skyline to the north, radiating from the Licensed Quarter, giving the star-strewn canvas above an almost bloody-hue that stirred the anxiety in Sayuri's heart.

The arrival of the Crane Magistrate, Doji Taizo, only served to emphasise for Sayuri the danger of her current predicament. Though the two samurai greeted one another courteously, and with the same familiarity borne from their time training together at Shiro Yogasha, neither one could forget the current tensions felt between their Clans. That they refrained from sharing such outward friction, or from mentioning the current state of affairs back home, was commendable, and likely a welcome relief to the servants who moved silently about the Residence. It could not have been easy for them, Sayuri once mused, being forced into close proximity with samurai of standing - men and women in a stressful appointment who, certainly, could ****** their lives away on an emotion-induced whim.

'Or perhaps they would welcome evidence of aggression between such newly-appointed Magistrates,' Sayuri later mused, as she lay her head down upon her futon at the day's end. Perhaps some would see the benefit in accommodating those whose passions can be so easily stirred. Sayuri closed her eyes, breathed in deeply, and then released. She allowed herself one final thought before letting the comforting embrace of sleep claim her: 'I must not be so predictable, so easily swayed.'

To the surprise of the household servants, Sayuri was about the Residence before half their number had properly stirred, and before any one of them had begun on the first of their chores. More confusing to them was that plenty of their own tasks for the morning had been completed, and with the young Magistrate ready and attired suitably for the morning ahead. They apologised, begged her to leave such menial work to them in the future, but Sayuri waved them away. Within the depths of her own mind, she heard the voice of Shigeru clearly, and it quoted for her the wisdom of Akodo's Leadership: "Rise in the morning before your servants and have half their duties done before they have even bathed. Men follow the example of those they admire." His voice, imagined though it was, stirred her heart and she allowed herself the smallest of smiles.

When she was worried, or felt out of her depth, Sayuri often thought of her father. At this particular time, she remembered him sat before the garden at Ken-ryu, his gaze to the east, and his hands rough from a morning of labouring in the depths of the house. His servants had professed their wishes that he allow them to perform such inferior works themselves just as the servants of the Residence had begged Sayuri, but Shigeru had offered the same response. When his daughter had asked him then why he burdened himself with a such chores, he had offered a short, humoured chuckle, and said, "Sayuri, remember this: keep servants if you must, but only if you must. If there are repairs to be done on the house, make them. If there are rooms to be cleaned, clean them. Idleness is an enemy, and it is always best for a samurai to understand a thing before he asks another to do it for him." The young girl had bowed to his wisdom then, and promised to remember.

Before long, the last of their number, Agasha Kahoru, arrived at the Residence, escorted by the Thunder Guard and given a farewell of great respect. The Shugenja offered warm greetings to the Lion, Crane, and Scorpion upon entering the building, her mismatched eyes journeying from face to face as she shared bows and smiles. The servants, for their part, kept their gazes downcast, as much to hide their discomfort at the samurai's evident affliction as to show respect. Sayuri noticed, but said nothing: she knew the suspicious hearts of the heimin intimately, and could not fault them for falling victim to their fears now. Once, long, long ago, Sayuri had found a five-legged hare in the thicket, and showed her friends; their revulsion had been a surprise to her then, and her mother's fury and lethal response to the animal had shocked her into tears. To this day, she still couldn't muster the passion needed to hate the unusual - not even one whose mere presence could invite evil spirits.

With the Shugenja in attendance, tea was prepared and the Magistrates retired to a comfortable chamber, where they could engage in conversation. Doji Taizo, in particular, seemed perfectly at ease, speaking with each of his peers in turn - sharing witty and intelligent discourse with Shosuro Hitomaro, and theological discussions with Agasha Kahoru. Once or twice, parchment was called for and the two would trade origami with one another: an exchange which both Sayuri and Hitomaro watched with interest. The young Lion had not often tried to sculpt animals from paper, her sensei having not been fond of the practise, but she admired the dexterity of the folding, and the beauty of the final products. She smiled once or twice.

Sayuri and Taizo shared a fondness for the written word, and each offered wisdom from their ancestral scrolls when asked. Neither tried to outshine the other, and the exchange of insight was a pleasant one; for her part, Sayuri admired a samurai who not only knew their Clan's ancestral texts, but recognised and understood the wisdom behind them - something which the Crane courtier was clearly capable of doing.

The next morning, after Sayuri had woken and attended her chores, a runner arrived at the Residence, bringing word that an honour guard would arrive at the Hour of the Dragon to escort them to their first meeting with Governor Shosuro Hyobu. Immediately the servants became more animate and excited, moving about the building with a silent speed that astounded Sayuri. At the polite insistence of an older servant, Sayuri undressed and donned instead her finest clothing; the silken fabric felt heavy against her porcelain skin, damp from its recent cleansing. The Lion's hair, which reached down past her waist, was bound up into a maiden's foxtail, allowing full view of her jade green eyes and youthful features. Once or twice, the heimin attending her was caught glancing at her face; she apologised each time, admitting that the Magistrate's beauty was difficult to ignore. Caught between surprise and mild annoyance, Sayuri offered no response.

Once prepared, the samurai-ko joined her fellow Magistrates, and partook of the prepared rice, fish, and vegetable dishes. Sayuri forced herself to eat, despite her lack of appetite, and took great care to hide her growing discomfort from her peers - and from the servants who waited on them. She spoke little about the impending meeting, preferring instead to listen to Doji Taizo, whose composure seemed unstressed and enviable. He smiled often.

When the Hour of the Hare ended and the Hour of the Dragon began, a loud, singular knock echoed from the front door of the Residence. Gathered together, the Emerald Magistrates stepped outside, and were greeted by the sight of the same Scorpion honour guard that had escorted each of them previously. The group's leader, removing himself from the body of his men, approached and dropped to his knees before them, his forehead mating with the ground. "Honorable Emerald Magistrate-samas, it is our great honour to escort you to meet with Governor Shosuro Hyobu-sama. We shall depart at your leisure, Honorable Emerald Magistrate-samas."

Offering a bow that conveyed both greeting and appropriate respect, Sayuri considered the guard briefly before braving the heart of their diamond formation escort array. They were trained and capable, she noticed, though that was hardly a surprise. She wondered, though, whether such a display of prowess was being made to assure them of their respectable positions - or to remind them what the Governor could muster at a moment's notice. Sayuri surmised it to be the latter; she sheathed her arms into the depths of her long, reaching sleeves in order to keep them as far away from the comforting grip of her katana as she could.

As they began to walk onwards towards the distant Palace, the samurai-ko's thoughts turned to the simple, yet elegant, box that she had stowed neatly within her obi; she wondered, not for the first time, how such a simple gift might be received by the Governor, particularly when compared to those readied by the other Magistrates. Gift-giving was not a custom she was intimately familiar with, at least not beyond the basic essentials - among the Lion, the ability to provide a thoughtful token was not as highly praised as discipline and skill with the sword. Absently, Sayuri glanced towards Hitomaro, and envied his advantage.

In the near distance, the Shosuro Palace loomed. Built atop a small hill, its already impressive size cast a much grander illusion, and the erratic design was made visible to many passing denizens of the city. Sayuri considered it for a long moment as their honour guard led them closer, though she was careful to keep her expression neutral, impassive, like one who was accustomed to such sights, and who had seen plenty more formidable structures in her lifetime, short though it was. Her jade eyes retained a respectful keening, however, and she made a point of matching the pacing of the Thunder Guard, rather than trying to guide their procession herself.

Beyond the walls and singular entrance to the Palace, the Magistrates' honour guard diminished in size: nineteen of their number splintered off, leaving behind their senior member. He led them onwards, through a myriad of chambers forged in confusing, almost alien, designs. Alone among them, Shosuro Hitomaro seemed comfortable, his eyes betraying a familiarity with the Palace's styling that reminded Sayuri just how little alike they truly were. His mask hid much of his face from her; she wondered whether he'd give anything away even without it.

After what seemed like an unnaturally long time, the five entered a larger room, one furnished by a miniature throne and numerous, cushioned pillows, all arrayed before it. Immediately to their left, and just before the entrance, wooden racks were dotted in neat lines, empty and wanton. Doji Taizo removed his wakizashi, and seemed about to urge the others to follow his lead, but Sayuri had already lifted her daisho from her obi, and placed both carefully and dutifully upon an empty perch. When the others were similarly relieved of their weapons, the Magistrates stepped into the room proper, all whilst under the analytical gaze of the small woman seated upon the throne. Adorned in crimson and black, and masked by a black veil and open fan, Shosuro Hyobu was a woman of formidable countenance, primarily because so little about her could be discerned with confidence. She continued to watch them as they halted their approach, waiting on the arrival of Shosuro Jocho, who had moved to meet them at the chamber's threshold. He bowed to them after their Thunder Guard guide had departed, and Sayuri returned the gesture respectfully. She noted, however, that his bow was not deeper than their own, as etiquette demanded, though she made no mention of it.

"You honour us with your presence, Emerald Magistrate-samas. It is my pleasure to guide you on the final steps to meet our beloved Governor-sama. On a more personal note, it is refreshing to see all of you together at last. I look forward to working with you to make Ryoko Owari Toshi the shining gem of the Empire."

"It is Governor Shosuro-sama who honours us," Sayuri returned politely, her jade eyes gleaming. "Ryoko Owari Toshi is an exceptional city."

The compliment offered by Akodo Sayuri was echoed by Doji Taizo, whose air of calm purpose continued to permeate his every word and action. The young Lion samurai-ko considered him politely as he conversed with Jocho - who, she noticed, offered clear pride at the compliments given - and did her level best to refrain from impolitely appraising the formidable older woman at the chamber's end.

It was Agasha Kahoru's silence, however, that helped to reign Sayuri back into herself: the Phoenix had portrayed herself to be affable and communicative; the sudden withdrawal was unexpected. Still, Jocho gave no indication that her lack of compliment was taken poorly, and instead he offered instruction on their approach of the Governor.

Moving slowly forwards as a unified body, the Magistrates and their escort approached. Sayuri kept her eyes level and away from the Governor, as was proper, and her attentions upon the various screens about the room. There were no visible guards - and their absence suggested much about the woman they were to meet. Perhaps, Sayuri considered quickly, it was a subtle statement that she did not fear them or their authority? The samurai-ko doubted immediately that the Governor was attempting to show trust: a woman of her stature wouldn't require such, nor would she attempt to seduce it from them so immediately. Very likely, then, she was a woman accustomed to keeping her might and resources disguised, masked, hidden. So subtle a gesture seemed to declare, "Here was a woman who could not be predicted." To her considerable surprise, Sayuri found herself inspired, though her expression remained politely impassive.

When Jocho halted his approach, he stepped forwards and began speaking; Sayuri did not dare to meet the eyes of the woman at her fore, but already she could feel the intensity of her stare, moving from face to face, mon to mon, stance to stance. "Governor Shosuro Hyobu-sama, it is my honor to introduce to you the Emerald Magistrate-samas assigned to protect Ryoko Owari Toshi. They are here to assume their duties and are reporting in. If I may, Governor Shosuro Hyobu-sama?"

Slowly, purposefully, Shosuro Hyobu nodded, prompting Jocho to continue. "From the Crane clan, may I present to you Doji Taizo-sama, Emerald Magistrate and Courtier; from the Lion clan, Akodo Sayuri-sama, Emerald Magistrate and Bushi; from the Scorpion clan, Shosuro Hitomaro, Emerald Magistrate and Bushi; and from the Phoenix, Agasha Kahoru, Emerald Magistrate and Shugenja."

Introduced first, Doji Taizo stepped forwards and deliberately dropped into a deep, respectful bow; to Sayuri's further surprise, the bow that Hyobu returned betrayed a formality that the samurai-ko was not expecting. When Taizo ascended to his feet, he lifted a small, palm-sized box from his hakama, and began speaking clearly and pleasantly. "Most honourable Governor Shosuro Hyobu-sama, it is my deepest honour to finally meet you. When I was told that I would stationed here and before I left my home, I went to the gardens of my family. We have a series of sakura, cherry blossoms, that grow along a specific path leading to the shrine of my family. More than a century ago, Bayushi Kodano honoured my ancestor with a seedling from his own gardens, and those trees are the result of this gift. It would honour me greatly if you would accept this seedling, given by a former Governor of this very city, as a reminder of past honours and a desire to remain united in the protection and prosperity of this great city."

In her peripheral, Sayuri noted the stillness of the Governor. When she spoke after a moment, her voice was deeper than expected, but pleasant. "Emerald Magistrate Doji Taizo-san, I fear I must decline, as such a gift would put the lovely sakura already within the city to shame, hailing from the Doji gardens, some of the most beautiful I have ever witnessed."

Like practised serpents, the two courtiers glided about one another with their elegant and fluid speech. Sayuri felt her stomach tighten as she listened to their easy discourse: she was never a child of the courts, and there was a time not so many years ago when even basic levels of etiquette evaded her understanding. Practise, and patience, had done wonders with her temperament, but despite that she had never felt less ready in all of her young life.

"I would consider it an insult if you did not visit once it reaches full bloom so that we may all have some tea and enjoy the beauty of your gift together, Doji Taizo-san," the Governor finished, offering a smooth-textured hand out for the Crane to deposit his gift. This he did fluidly and, after bowing deeply, he fell back into line alongside Sayuri and his peers.

It was her turn.

Steeling herself with a simple, imperceptible inhale, Sayuri moved forwards with her usual gentle, feminine grace; once halted, she descended to her knees and calmly pressed her forehead to the floor. Unhurried, the bushi sat upright, then returned to her feet. A small, pale hand slipped into her obi and took from its silken sheath a simple, ornate box. She offered it outwards, and finally lifted her gaze to the Governor, who she found to be studying her with masked interest.

"Governor Shosuro-dono, it is my great honour to meet you, and to be welcomed into Ryoko Owari Toshi." Very slightly, Sayuri lifted the box higher between her cupped hands, bringing it to the level of her eye. "When I was a child, my honoured father would often read to me passages from a book he prized like almost no other. This book, he once told me, had helped to guide him with a subtle, yet irrefutable wisdom that served him greatly during his lifetime." With a single, fluid rotation of her left hand, Sayuri opened the box to Hyobu: it was a very small volume, though thick in depth, and titled simply: Cunning. "Written by the wise Shosuro Himeko within this very city, it has taught me a great deal, and I would see it returned with my deepest thanks to the place of its birth. I would be honoured if you would accept it."

The Governor gave little away, even as she listened intently, her gaze never leaving Sayuri. Finally, she spoke, her voice again pleasant, in order to refuse the gift, as etiquette demanded. Back and forth went their insistence until the third offering, at which point the older woman held aloft her smooth hand; Sayuri stepped forwards after closing the box, and placed it delicately upon her palm. Retreating unhurriedly, she bowed deeply, and then returned to her place in line.

*is currently on year 17 of running as a Legend of the Five Rings GM*

I'm currently running a minor clan campaign in the Naishou Province setting with a few spins of my own, most notably a hidden city in the northern part of the province, and rather nasty influence from the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and The Realm of Animals.

But I digress, my players trope include a Kitsune Shugenja, a Komori Shugenja, a pair of home brew minor clan bushi (Tora Clan bushi of the Matsu Spear School, A Shugenja of that clan) and one Bushi/Shinobi from the local Matsudaira clan (they have a fortress in the local forest and they periodically have to fight off swarms of Kumo, giving them a edge something like the Crab, but different).

The players had been assigned to the province as it had recently lost it's governor due to old age, but they had found out after several sessions that it had only recently come up on the Imperial radar, which is a bit perplexing as the place had been running quietly and taxes had been getting paid, and only recently had started running into problems with banditry, which had drawn the imperial attention. And so the Imperial City had sent a Miya peacekeeper to sort things out before The Lion, Crane and Scorpion decided to fight over the place and screw things up. And so they are representatives of their clans in court under the local Tortoise representive, who has been fairly direct in wanting to increase her influence and power, sending them off on errands and other missions to increase her power, and help them make names for themselves. My players have been savvy enough, and lucky enough on roles to come out largely successful in their various missions, making their patron very happy, and drawing the notice of The Major Clans with not as of yet unfreindly eyes, but they have noted that the players are capable.

Accomplishments of note from the players:

The big one: The Resurrection (or at least healing) of the Water Dragon (Ōwatatsumi-no-kami), which has been a long metagame arc for the world I've been running after a long running fight with various supernatural forces and cultists within the Hidden city I created, which the players found out much later was the actual first imperial Capitol that had been forgotten, much like the province. The reason for this was the Water Dragon during the First Day of Thunder had been badly wounded and had gone to the province to rest and heal but the wounds had been severe, and had a created a spell to be ignored while she rested, but it was a bit more powerful that she had intended. After a fair amount of in game time research and figuring out just what they had come across, they players had assembled a ritual to help resurrect her. The carnage was severe as one of the characters got killed defending of one of the shugenja casting the ritual, but the end result was that Ōwatatsumi-no-kami was given enough power to finish healing herself mostly. she made short work of the opposition, but was still weak enough to be harmed by mortal instruments. So she called to heavens. And the Thunder Dragon answered in all of his Wrath. Out of this, the players got the blessing of the water dragon and occasional bits of indirect help that they do no know that they needed.

They have been running up against a fairly competent criminal cartel called The Red Scorpion that has been cornering the market on healing herbs, notably ginger, driving up prices and causing social tension as medicine has been hard to get among the lower classes. In the course of this, the players have become aware of actual Shinobi (not Lying Darkness) operating in the province for hire, the ruthlessness of the Yakuza gangs and some merchant patrons, as well as some of the reason for banditry.

The Players have made some....questionable alliances. Most notably with the local Jorogumo (prostitute spider or bird spiders) colony. They've also become paranoid as they have seen the bird spiders everywhere. They've also found out about the Matsudaira's alliance with them. The Matsudaira leave them alone and provide the Matsudaira information, the Jorogumo get to feed on bandits and cover up the mess. and it's worked so far.....

12 hours ago, TheWanderingJewels said:

Jorogumo (prostitute spider or bird spiders)

This reminds me when a (low honor) party I was part of decided to spend some quality time in a brothel. The Hida Brawler of course ended up with a Jorogumo and the creature revealed herself as soon as they were left alone. The player had a maximum in-character question ("Can I still f- her?") then easily subdued the Jorogumo. He couldn't (first because the Jorogumo was knocked out in spider form, and then because she was unwilling to transform back into a normal woman) and the owner did not refund his money so he crashed the place and I think he burned it to ash too. This finally convinced the Jorogumo that she had messed with the wrong guy and she gave our Hida what he wanted. After a small argument, we let her go because we had no qualms with her. Much later this Jorogumo showed up again to sell assets to our actual enemy, namely two dozen super-powerful spider-monster-things, the products of her fling with our Hida. That was a tough fight but the Jorogumo and her children were all slain... or not because the Hida gained a Dark Secret we could never figure out.

The group was participating in the Topaz Championship(I converted 1E to beta). The Hida bushi was enjoying some sake in a Scorpion owned Sake house in Tsuma with a fellow Hida. As they were leaving, he noticed one of the serving girls left a note under the bottle. It had the word "help!" scrawled on it. The Hida left but vowed to return, as his personal desire was that to punish those who abuse their power.

The Hida returned after the tournament and requested a meeting with the owner of the Sake house. He then asked the Bayushi what he wanted for the serving girls release. The Bayushi's 10 koku offer was a bit high, so the Hida began intimidating the man. He settled on 5 koku and a small favor. A somewhat well established gang of bandits in Scorpion Clan territory had caused him some trouble a while back and needed to be punished.

In a village south of Beiden, with the group located, the players began asking around about these bandits. A man in a sake house offered information for a price. Again, the Hida intimidated, warning him of the consequences for refusing. The man ran but was caught buy the rest of the players waiting outside. The Hida bearhugged the man, breaking bones, and was eventually given information of the whereabouts of 3 gambling dens belonging to the bandits known as the Forest Killers, a well known and particularly problematic Juzimai(gang) in the Unicorn, Scorpion, Crab, and Shinomen Forest areas.

They decided to crash the party of one of the dens, ultimately killing 4 gang members and hanging a badly beaten gang leader from a tree by his foot. They left notes basically a calling card for those who knew they crossed the Sake House owner in Tsuma.

They returned and freed the geisha, who asked for an escort back to her home in Beiden. Turns out she was a spy, who would later claim her family had disappeared and ask to serve the Hida as a personal assistant. During the Topaz Championship, the players had became too savvy about the plots of Bayushi Sugai and were identified as persons of interest. When the Hida was spotted in the Sake house the plan was set into motion to spy on them. This would later develop further when the players became involved in a Lion/Scorpion/Hare Clan struggle that developed out of a "fake kolat" cell led by a former member of the kolat and was being contained by the Akodo family by using the players because of their distance(nobody was Lion Clan) and unaffiliated status.

Loving all these stories.

Back in 2nd ed, I think, we had an Isawa who just couldn't find the perfect gift, despite his best efforts.

When visiting Toshi Ranbo, he went to the artisan's district and bought a beautiful idol of Bishamon, carved from the previous set of gates. It was only after presenting it as a gift to an Akodo later in the campaign that he realised that these were the gates that the Crane had breached when taking the city from the Lion.

Another time, they were being magistrates in Ryoko Owari, and had been invited to a party held by the local Bayushi family. Our Isawa had heard that these Bayushi had a hand in the river trade, so brought along a miniature river barge with him. Less than a week ago, the same magistrate had stopped and searched a boat, and thrown the entire cargo of illegal opium overboard. Guess who ran that opium trade...

Since I'm on a roll, the same player in a different campaign gave a gift of a pomegranate to an ancient ghost, whom many considered to be Eve.

Nota character I played, but a group I GMed that were up to a bunch of shenanigans.

4th ed.

They were in Fox lands. Local Lord has a bunch of people over to celebrate a wedding between PC, courtier, and his right hand man.

Other PC, bushi, nestles in with Lord, making himself a trusted ally. Everyone in the group makes sure to undermine right hand man and glorify Bushi. Lord is slowly buying it.

During dinner with representatives from most Clans, Crane delegate starts trying to be cool. Courtier gives throw-away retort. Crane tries to be tougher and argument ensues. Courtier manages to piss off Crane, then leverages the trust they gained with the Lord to make the Crane completely lose face and leave.

This argument at a dinner party led to an entire metaplot of a crane general starting a minor war with the Mantis.

Does it surprise anyone that the PCs was all-scorpions?

TL;DR Scorpion PC start war between Mantis and Crane because throwaway-line at a dinner party.