A number of much-awaited characters return.

Also, a Hatamoto choice which I feel wil be of great import.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2020/7/15/beneath-the-light-of-jade/

Quote

“I told you, my student. It was bound to happen someday.”

Well, Robert Denton III, I'd say you've created a succesful cliffhanger. Hats off.

Oh man, oh man, oh man. This is big.

Although, question, how are we getting hatamotos if we aren't having tournaments?

Also, interesting seeing non-Crabs being so friendly with a nezumi.

Finally we are back to this side of the story. Hope it won't take half a year to get back to it again.

So fantastic. Asako Tsuki pulls through, despite all odds, and gets to Tadaka & Yori before it’s too late.

Save 2 souls from the Taint, Vote Humility!

1 hour ago, shineyorkboy said:

Oh man, oh man, oh man. This is big.

Although, question, how are we getting hatamotos if we aren't having tournaments?

Also, interesting seeing non-Crabs being so friendly with a nezumi.

WE already have Hatamoto's from the previous season (per the current hall of heroes) and they had previously announced that Hatamoto status that was supposed to expire will be extended indefinitely (likely until the new tourney season can be started up again).

It suck s for those of us who have missed out on chances to qualify over the last few months, but hopefully they figure out some way to extend a similar option to the wider community (like say restarting the Imperial Assembly hint hint ) in the near future

So my current best girl list:

Kudaka (sassy pirate girl for the win) --> Linmei (equally sassy pirate girl just had less screen time) --> Spike --> Fuu & Umi (and yes they are one choice).

Quote

The nezumi constantly corrected her attempts, suggesting that she “release the right musk” alongside each syllable.

....I love nezumi.

2 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

....I love nezumi.

Then you'll love the Crab novella, in which the nezumi are really prominent (yes, never miss a chance to plug your book).

Phoenix getting to be heroic, awesome Nezumi (because Nezumi are always awesome), major plot development, Tadaka starting to realize just where he has allowed himself to be led...

God I love it when we get a yarn from ol' Spooky.

Compared to the setting in the previous editions, would you say that FFG's Kuni Yori (and I suppose that also Tadaka) seems to be more self-aware of the corruption inflicted on him by his studies of the Shadowlands?

51 minutes ago, Agrivar said:

Compared to the setting in the previous editions, would you say that FFG's Kuni Yori (and I suppose that also Tadaka) seems to be more self-aware of the corruption inflicted on him by his studies of the Shadowlands?

This definitely seems less like hubristic bland assurance than they can handle it and more of a, "this is the price we pay for the war we fight" vibe.

EDIT: I mean, old lore Yori was a pretty two-dimensional villain for a decent chunk of his existence.

4 hours ago, Agrivar said:

Compared to the setting in the previous editions, would you say that FFG's Kuni Yori (and I suppose that also Tadaka) seems to be more self-aware of the corruption inflicted on him by his studies of the Shadowlands?

Well the original Yori was retroactively being influenced by the spirit of Iuchiban, so there was arguably no hope for him, while that doesn't seem to be the case with this version. Overall the Kuni have been well aware that they risk their souls in the pursuit of their studies but historically, despite the high percentage of them that succumb to the Taint, the knowledge they've gained has been worth the price.

Tadaka seems like more of a dangerous combination of naivete and arrogance combined with a less than trustworthy instructor. Hopefully this will serve as a wake up call for him but we'll see.

1 hour ago, shineyorkboy said:

Well the original Yori was retroactively being influenced by the spirit of Iuchiban, so there was arguably no hope for him, while that doesn't seem to be the case with this version. Overall the Kuni have been well aware that they risk their souls in the pursuit of their studies but historically, despite the high percentage of them that succumb to the Taint, the knowledge they've gained has been worth the price.

Tadaka seems like more of a dangerous combination of naivete and arrogance combined with a less than trustworthy instructor. Hopefully this will serve as a wake up call for him but we'll see.

WE also have to consider that Yori's corruption was baked into the setting at launch in the old game. He was the one who had convinced Kisada to use the Shadowlands to subjugate the Empire and unite the clans under one banner to turn their full might back on the Shadowlands. So the retcon's were more to explain how the usually "uncorruptable" Kuni daimyo had fallen that far.

Which is very much contrasted by knowing that virtually every daimyo of the Kuni has become tainted this time round.

8 hours ago, Tonbo Karasu said:

Which is very much contrasted by knowing that virtually every daimyo of the Kuni has become tainted this time round.

Assuming we take Yori at his word. He could just be saying that to manipulate Tadaka.

3 hours ago, shineyorkboy said:

Assuming we take Yori at his word. He could just be saying that to manipulate Tadaka.

Eh... I think baking in a history of daimyo corruption that hasn't kept the family itself from failing in its duty is far more interesting than Yori just lying to try to sell Tadaka on a path he doesn't need much coaxing to walk on his own...

It also ties into Kuni Nakanu's story, which, after all, goes way, way back in the Empire's history. Yeah in the old lore the Crab despised him, but he would still be a foundational Kuni.

4 hours ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

Eh... I think baking in a history of daimyo corruption that hasn't kept the family itself from failing in its duty is far more interesting than Yori just lying to try to sell Tadaka on a path he doesn't need much coaxing to walk on his own...

Indeed. Much like the Barracks of the Damned, having irrevocably contracted the taint =/= suddenly worshipping Fu Leng and plotting to destroy the Empire. The one ultimately leads to the other but the whole point of the Kuni is to manage the process (hence why the Damned are isolated and used, rather than just summarily executed). It's no great shock they apply that philosophy to themselves.

It gives Yori far more of a philosophical leg to stand on - from the pragmatic Crab perspective, anyway. Phoenix, being mostly traditionalists and all "spiritual harmony and stuff" (Tadaka notably aside) would never entertain the concept. It's basically very similar to the argument the Scorpion use - " you'd said your honour demands you sacrifice 'anything' to serve the Empire, why wouldn't that include your honour itself? "

3 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Indeed. Much like the Barracks of the Damned, having irrevocably contracted the taint =/= suddenly worshipping Fu Leng and plotting to destroy the Empire. The one ultimately leads to the other but the whole point of the Kuni is to manage the process (hence why the Damned are isolated and used, rather than just summarily executed). It's no great shock they apply that philosophy to themselves.

It gives Yori far more of a philosophical leg to stand on - from the pragmatic Crab perspective, anyway. Phoenix, being mostly traditionalists and all "spiritual harmony and stuff" (Tadaka notably aside) would never entertain the concept. It's basically very similar to the argument the Scorpion use - " you'd said your honour demands you sacrifice 'anything' to serve the Empire, why wouldn't that include your honour itself? "

That's a great quote; did you come up with that yourself?

The core of pragmatism is what makes the Scorpion & the Crab natural allies. Both have mandates that demand losing as much of themselves as is necessary to get the job done.

Interestingly, as keepers of the Empire’s history, cultural traditions, and spiritual practices respectively, the Lion, Crane and Phoenix should get along, but they’re marred by the Lion-Crane rivalry with the Phoenix caught in the middle.

53 minutes ago, Doji Hyōkin said:

Interestingly, as keepers of the Empire’s history, cultural traditions, and spiritual practices respectively, the Lion, Crane and Phoenix should get along, but they’re marred by the Lion-Crane rivalry with the Phoenix caught in the middle.

There are several "should get alongs" that often seem to fall flat.

The Phoenix and the Crab have responsibilities that overlap, even if the Crab are more, er, kinetic about it.

The Lion and the Unicorn are both reasonably responsible for stomping on human threats from outside of Rokugan and could be absurdly effective in tandem, but then you've got the ol' culture clash.

The Crane and the Lion have no particularly rational reason (from the reader's perspective) to hate on each other much more than they do anyone else (and ****, in the old lore, they even figured that out themselves, eventually )

1 hour ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

There are several "should get alongs" that often seem to fall flat.

The big one for me is that a Unicorn/Mantis alliance seems obvious. They deal with basically non-overlapping international trade and are both on the periphery of political power, the Unicorn for their outsider status and the Mantis for their Minor clan. Combined, they might be wealthier than the Crane and able to fight the Lion toe to toe.

2 hours ago, Shiba Gunichi said:

The Crane and the Lion have no particularly rational reason (from the reader's perspective) to hate on each other much more than they do anyone else (and ****, in the old lore, they even figured that out themselves, eventually )

Honestly this is more of a Matsu vs Kakita hatred rather Lion vs Crane, with the caveat that Crane families are tight while the Lion families never come across as such.