1 hour ago, Manchu said:

Careful there, if you falsely equate amateurs and professionals you will soon argue the Phoenix Clan out of relevance.

What was that? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of Kakita Yoshi’s amateur hour performance at politics...

32 minutes ago, Manchu said:

I'm not convinced it is so simple. Crab suffers from a martyr complex. It's a bit like seeing every problem as a nail when you only have a hammer. They force every issue into one of trading great personal sacrifice for averting total disaster. Must everything be so dramatic? Perhaps this is the psychological consequence of building your worldview around a wall. Even in this story, we see how a Crab bushi jumps to the melodramatic claim that she must murder innocent peasants only to relieve herself of that alleged responsibility immediately, on a rather nonsensical premise.

Plus pirates shouldn't pretend they are doing any noble service to the Empire by lining their pockets with stolen property as part of an ambition of unparalleled selfishness.

You're right its not like they've seen time after time over the last 1000 years that everything that comes in contact with the taint eventually contracts it and becomes more and more susceptible to the influence of Jigoku. If only there was some resource that could request that would protect them from that effect

All I know is that I geeked out a little bit when I saw Miki. I still remember playing a Dark Paragon deck built around him and being able to declare multiple attacks in one turn. Just straight up Spider highroll nonsense.

I'm really hoping we see a legit Shadowlands fiction sometime soon.

7 minutes ago, Ishi Tonu said:

I'm really hoping we see a legit Shadowlands fiction sometime soon.

Maybe once they get someone with a name...

I nominate dog-mempo lady.

10 minutes ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

Maybe once they get someone with a name...

I nominate dog-mempo lady.

I'm calling her Altered-Sarnai

I'm kind of hoping they gender bendered Moto Tsume......

Or I'd really like a second story to pick up with the final battle between her and the Crab. Then the DML takes off her mempo to reveal she is Tomonatsu.

To be fair to Yoshi, from the Crane perspective if the Crab really need these supplies then they're in no position to retaliate over having been denied. So the Crane get to give off the perception that they're still politically relevant without any short-term consequences.

And this is the time period when the Scorpion routinely suggested that the reason we built the Wall so high is so no one can see how little there is on the other side of it. So there probably won't be any long-term consequences either for all they know.

Plus, if the Emperor wanted the Crab to receive supplies he wouldn't have had Yoshi meet with Taka in the first place.

6 hours ago, Ishi Tonu said:

I'm really hoping we see a legit Shadowlands fiction sometime soon.

No offense intended, I just hope it isn't from the perspective of a Goblin.

30 minutes ago, HirumaShigure said:

No offense intended, I just hope it isn't from the perspective of a Goblin.

The Mighty Pokku takes offense!



"Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your cow!"

The Lost have infiltrated the Empire. It's only a matter of time till the Crane country side is plagued by Yogo Junzo's... I mean... wandering herds of undead. Shiro Kuni is not such a large detour from Midakai Province for a band of mounted samurai looking for an audience with a certain Crab Clan daimyo. Then, Asahina lands are just a hop, skip, and a jump from there.

Speaking of goblins- if Yoritomo wants to be part of a great clan, all he has to do is bring 20 Goblin heads over to Kyuden Hida!

"I am my best 20 Goblin heads!"

Sorry cousins, I couldn't resist fanning the flames!

I really enjoyed this story. I am pleased to see stories from the peasants' perspectives and how they interact with samurai. The Yasuki bad mofo was a good choice too, showing a non-traditional Crab taking a traditional course but not *liking* it. I read out the line about bushido making samurai into monsters to my RPG group this week. I think it perfectly encapsulates some of the struggles my players are having between the high ideals of bushido and being human. More of this please to break up the Ran-style drama.

I agree about the portrayal of the Yasuki magistrate. That was a great character. It was nice to see a fiction that showed:

1.) The samurai of the great clans can be more than just their stereotypical portrayals. Here we see a Yasuki shown as a sword wielding badass, and one who was too sentimental or compassionate to fulfill her duty and kill the villagers. Instead she opted to sacrifice herself to let them get away. She was very much at odds with what you would expect from a Crab and a Yasuki. That was great.

3.) We get a very good look at the division between commoner and samurai. The villagers only refer to the magistrate as Yasuki-sama. They are terrified of her even though she has a soft spot for them (considering her relationship with Katsuo). They clearly felt at any moment the katanas could come out and they all could be put to death for something as small as sneaking barley to brew shochu. I really liked this as an introductory story for the peasant's perspective in the new continuity.

3.) The Lost aren't just blood thirsty madmen. I really liked the portrayal of the "eye-collector". Can't wait to see more of that. The Lost should feel like this so I can't wait to see more from them.

20 hours ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

And between Ikoma bards and historians, Shiba artisans and Asako librarians, Kaiu craftsmen, Agasha artisans, Shosuro playwrights and actors, the Crane are superfluous to that noble end!

KYUDEN DOJI DELENDA EST!

(Hm.... is this why we don;t see many Crane mons in the lore section around here? Come on, bluebirds, defend your clan I'm always going to hate! )

Unlike some squawking avians (perhaps if you weren't on fire?) the noble Crane prefers to remain above the petty squabbles of the less civilized. I can understand your confusion, though. Many amongst the Clans can produce art, but it is the Crane who are artful . The Mantis may splash about on stolen treasures, but they cannot steal grace. The Lion may bray across the plains, but falls silent at a single perfect cut.

Lions do not "bray."

11 hours ago, shineyorkboy said:

Plus, if Kachiko wanted the Crab to receive supplies she wouldn't have had Yoshi meet with Taka in the first place.

Fixed that for you... because she, not the Emperor, was the one who orchestrated that magnificently unproductive meeting.

2 hours ago, Doji Hyōkin said:

Unlike some squawking avians (perhaps if you weren't on fire?) the noble Crane prefers to remain above the petty squabbles of the less civilized. I can understand your confusion, though. Many amongst the Clans can produce art, but it is the Crane who are artful . The Mantis may splash about on stolen treasures, but they cannot steal grace. The Lion may bray across the plains, but falls silent at a single perfect cut.

... Yeah, not seeing a reason they need to continue to exist, sorry...

Clearly, we need to make a bigger tsunami the next time we screw up meddling with forces beyond our comprehension.

2 hours ago, Doji Hyōkin said:

Unlike some squawking avians (perhaps if you weren't on fire?) the noble Crane prefers to remain above the petty squabbles of the less civilized. I can understand your confusion, though. Many amongst the Clans can produce art, but it is the Crane who are artful . The Mantis may splash about on stolen treasures, but they cannot steal grace. The Lion may bray across the plains, but falls silent at a single perfect cut.

It is very telling that you loudest birds are usually the least productive. Deeds not Words are what make a true Samurai.

As to your grace how well does it serve you when the cost for your years of arrogance and preening comes due. Your single perfect cut is but a pebble in the stream, creating minor ripple as it falls before it is swallowed by the torrent and disappears to never be seen again.

A lone Kitsuki, standing in the background, despairing at the fall of Rokugan before his very eyes.

8 minutes ago, Saibot said:

A longe Kitsuki, standing in the background, despairing at the fall of Rokugan before his very eyes.

And in typical Dragon fashion, not doing anything about it! ?

...

So, we've got Lost incursions, no jade, the Crab are burning their farming villages to save them, peasants getting a good look at the system falling apart around them- and that's just in this fiction? Yessir, rough times are-a-comin'.

On 7/13/2018 at 2:41 PM, Schmoozies said:

It is very telling that you loudest birds are usually the least productive. Deeds not Words are what make a true Samurai.

As to your grace how well does it serve you when the cost for your years of arrogance and preening comes due. Your single perfect cut is but a pebble in the stream, creating minor ripple as it falls before it is swallowed by the torrent and disappears to never be seen again.

Disappears to never be seen again? Silly Mantis. The culture of Rokugan is the legacy of the Lady Doji. If every Crane were to perish (likely at the aforementioned Phoenix meddling) the Rokugan that came after would still be ours. We have shaped how you dress, how you speak at court, how you write. The life of every samurai that aspires to be less brutish than the meanest of the Crab fits a mould shaped by Crane arts. Every blade drawn in an iaijutsu duel does so in the shadow of Kakita. To deny the Crane is to deny the heritage of the Empire.

On 7/13/2018 at 3:11 PM, Shiba Gunichi said:

And in typical Dragon fashion, not doing anything about it! ?

...

So, we've got Lost incursions, no jade, the Crab are burning their farming villages to save them, peasants getting a good look at the system falling apart around them- and that's just in this fiction? Yessir, rough times are-a-comin'.

Oh my yes. Even without a specific drive at a Clan Coup or a Second Day of Thunder, things are gonna get baaaaaaad.

9 hours ago, Doji Hyōkin said:

Disappears to never be seen again? Silly Mantis. The culture of Rokugan is the legacy of the Lady Doji. If every Crane were to perish (likely at the aforementioned Phoenix meddling) the Rokugan that came after would still be ours. We have shaped how you dress, how you speak at court, how you write. The life of every samurai that aspires to be less brutish than the meanest of the Crab fits a mould shaped by Crane arts. Every blade drawn in an iaijutsu duel does so in the shadow of Kakita. To deny the Crane is to deny the heritage of the Empire.

So you’re saying the Crane have fulfilled their purpose and are now superfluous?

How nice! I agree!

On 7/13/2018 at 4:35 PM, Shiba Gunichi said:

Fixed that for you... because she, not the Emperor, was the one who orchestrated that magnificently unproductive meeting.

The Emperor ok'd the meeting so he is ultimately responsible.

4 hours ago, shineyorkboy said:

The Emperor ok'd the meeting so he is ultimately responsible.

The Emperor wanted to say yes, until Kachiko rattled off a bunch of reasons why it wasn't going to happen and after "the politician in her saw an opportunity," said, "hey, have Yoshi be the bearer of bad news!" as a means of keeping him out of her way with a meeting she knows he has zero interest in (were Yoshi not a fool, he might have seen an opportunity there, but I digress).

The Emperor responds with an affirmative, then segues into a comment that he's used to losing his games of Go to Shoju before moving to squash Kachiko's plans to have Aramoro named to the Emerald Championship. Suffice to say, he feels the rails the Scorpion are trying to keep him on pretty keenly.

So while I agree that the Emperor maybe could have prevented the meeting, he certainly didn't instigate it- that was allllll Kachiko.

12 hours ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

So you’re saying the Crane have fulfilled their purpose and are now superfluous?

How nice! I agree!

Surely the honorable Phoenix is not suggesting that there is nothing more to learn, that the strive for perfection and the pursuit of excellence should end? That would explain why there has been no answer forthcoming in response to these terrible rumours of an elemental imbalance in your lands. Though, I admit, I am no shugenja and the mysteries are beyond me. Perhaps the Asahina could offer some assistance.

Listen, Bluebird, we’re doing a fine job of establishing the conditions for our own demise without the Asahina’s help! Leave blowing up the Phoenix to the Phoenix!