[Boar]

Under the shadow of a tree, a grandmother sings for the children around:

Hundreds years ago lived a man, called Sachiban,
He was old and poor, sick and blind, useless and short,
A fisherman in the land of the Phoenix clan.
However he was pious, prayed fortunes and kami.
When the good Emperor Hantei came with his high court,
To pray Isora, repel storms and tsunami,
He was there too, burning incense all by the port.

To take the noble to the sea, a barge came in,
For it would sail to one sandbar to place offerings.
When the court embarked, the festival could begin.
Although still blind old Sachiban watched them all go.
By the sandbar they left rice, fruits and many things.
Right on the spot Shinsei appeared to the old crow.
No longer blind, he looked around and saw a fin.

Old Sachiban was sure of that: a whale it was.
At once he ran reached the port's bell and rang it loud.
His feeble arms, raised the alarm without a pause.
The whale raised, slammed, but missed the barge now out of reach.
Because Sachiban had saved his life Hantei vowed,
To give the valorous man the shore, reef and beach.
But the Emperor waited before speaking aloud.


She hesitates for a second and pauses. "Oh, and the rest has been lost to the ages, sons. I can't remember the lyrcis. But I know the story! The good Emperor Hantei waited too much, and before reaching the port, courtiers' lies and rants had changed his mind. He was generous, but the court didn't share his virtue."

The grandmother coughs and goes on.

"He thus proclaimed, influenced by his entourage, that when the 1000th whale crosses the strait, Sachiban will be granted the privilege of founding the Whale Clan. A decree was written on the spot that bears the Imperial seal...

However as you all know well, sons, whales are rare. The one is Sachiban's song was perhaps the first in centuries!
Fortunately in the good Emperor's entourage was a benevolent shisha of the Miya family. He felt sympathy for Sachiban and remained in the village long after the departure of the court, and after him his son, and the son of this son, up to this day. You know, it is the old man in the strange tea pavilion built on the beach. Do you know his duty? He is counting whales, as was doing his father before him, and his grandfather, and his whole lineage since Sachiban. And believe it or not, the 1000th crossed the strait in the morning!"

The children gathered around the grandmother couldn't imagine the repercussions...

About the game

Overview

This game is a Legend of the 5 Rings detailing the story of the descendants of Sachiban, you will get to play the heroes in a tale about the rise of the Whale clan. You will face the many dangers in Rokugan and you will have to navigate the both social and physical dangers if you want your new clan to actually become more than a footnote in history or worse... failure to act upon the Emperor’s decree would not only result in the offer’s retraction, but an incomparable loss of honor as well, for all involved.

About the GMs

GM crew

There will be three of us in this.

Yinbrother: Master of the rules. He is the one that makes sure that the other two GM's don't screw over the rules. He will also play a character and as such will have no knowledge of the game story. He is also the one that will look the players over the shoulder mechanical wise. Ask him if you are ever in doubt about the rules.

Boar: Master of the plot and half the NPC's. He's the guy you have to bribe to become the next Emperor. Also, he has played this game for 12 years and has a great and deep knowledge of the setting and the story. Ask him if in doubt of anything story related.

Karrth: Not really master of anything. I'm the guy that have to make sure YOU enjoy this game and as such it's me you have to take a hold of if you think that something is wrong with the storytelling of this game. I have an understanding of the setting and the rules but not as great as Boar or Yinbrother so I might be able to help you but if not we can always direct the question to the Plot master or the Rules master.

Additional information

The rise of a clan

After rescuing the Emperor Sachiban, even though old and feeble, became the a tool in the political mill. He married a second time, to a young woman whose name have been forgotten, and the two had many children. Some of their descendants, capable ashigaru and budoka, in different eras, often in times of war when opportunities for such thinsg arise, eventually sworn fealty to several clans, while peasant concubines sharing the bloodline gave birth to several samurai heirs throughout the empire.

What this means is that you can pick any clan and start out as part of that clan.

When an Imperial decree creates a new clan it also establishes a new samurai family as well. When the game begins, the Miya family will be studying their records, in search of Sachiban's rightful heir, and be close to announce who that person is.
It might as well come out into the open now that the GM's have agreed that no one player will (at the start of the game anyway) be daimyo of the clan. It would simply give said player way to much power over the others in the game, by simply pulling ranks. However, odds are the Miya eventually designated a PC's brother, sister or cousin (always older) as the Whale clan daimyo.

As it is usual, the new clan’s daimyo and his immediate family will automatically become members of this family, and the daimyo will typically offer fealty to his closest and most trusted friends and followers (even from different clans). This will establish the ruling body of the family and a number of those who bear the name through fealty. To this main body will of course be added some "lesser" descendants of Sachiban scattered across the clans.

Because we will be working to create ties among the PCs between selection and kick-off (hopefully making you have links to the ruling branch of the newborn clan), and because "lesser" descendants might be found by the Miya in any clan (and offered the possibility to join) we trust most of you will be able to join the newborn clan these ways. However other routes exist, that should be considered exceptions rather than the rule: a PC could eventually become the bride of a member of the Whale clan (even a PC) for a wedding to take place in game at a later time, a PC could be a ronin looking for a clan to begin with or a clan black sheep in search of a new home. Finally, for those of you who don't dig the whole new clan aspect of the game (which will only be one aspect of it, albeit an overarching plot), and want to retain their clan colors and continue advancing in their clan, but still be involved with the rest of the party, you have the possibility to be an ambassador of you clan to the Whale, or be put at the Whale's disposal for a set amount of time (in years) in exchange for a trade agreement, or be lent to the Whale by a willing foreign daimyo because of your particular domain of expertise that could really help the newborn clan taking off. At last, a PC could be hostage of the Whale clan while his/her clan holds an hostage of the Whale (note that being an hostage requires tight political roleplay: please only choose this option if you're familiar with hostages in such a setting).

Whatever the case, in the early stages of the games, most/all players will have to RP the moments when they are informed of the clan birth, offered the choice to join, and when they negotiate their leave (which motivation? which terms? will they keep ties enough to continue attending the former clan's dojo? will they have to find another schooling... although unlikely within the Whale clan which will take a dozen year to establish a fighting tradition... perhaps seeking out higher-Rank Ronin Paths when increasing in Insight Rank?).

All in all, don't make big plans within your clan of birth that won't be politically sustainable when you swear fealty to a third party.

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The apps

Applications are to be posted IN THIS THREAD, one post and one character per applicant. The thread you are currently reading, contrary to the game forum over there, is the place for your questions and our answers.

Before applying, be sure to check the homebrews HERE where you may find interesting options for your characters, and the additional or modified rules we will be using.

If you're looking for additional reading on the setting, HERE is the way to go.

Applications

All applications must contain the following:
Name: The name the PC go by
Physical description: How does he/she looks, what's the typical outfit, what does it tells of him/herself and so forth
Personality: The good and the bad traits, his/her view on religion or bushido, where does his/her loyalty go and so forth
Backstory: What is the PC's past which may or may not have an impact on his/her present and future
Relatives, friends, allies and enemies: The ties he/she has
Advantages write up: A talk on the advantages - how do they affect the PC, how did he/she got them
Disadvantages write up: A talk on the disadvantages - how do they affect the PC, how did he/she got them

Then a small meta questionnaire:

• Will you want to join the new Whale clan? If yes, how (in case you have a preference) -see some options in the other spoiler box?
• How do you imagine the transition from your current clan to the new one (if applicable)?
• Which position or kind of job would you like to assume in (or by) the Whale clan?

Finally, please answer these questions on YOU:

• How comfortable are you with the rules and setting?
• What do you like in L5R and what do you don't like?
• What do you expect for this game?

Character creation guidelines

XP: 85 Total
Max Trait Rank: 4
Max Skill Rank: 5
Max Advantages: 20 points
Please keep characters within rank 2 and not up to 3.

Well rounded characters will be looked upon favorably, one-trick poneys and glass canon (very good at a single task and very fragile in all other departments) much less. PCs grabbing easy insight through a wide spread of rank 1 skills will be frowned upon.

Use the below character sheet, quote this post and copy it so it keeps the same format. Any portions that don't apply can be deleted, ie, if you don't cast spells, it doesn't need to have a section.

Sheets should be made in the following format:

Name:
School/Rank:
Insight:
Honor:
Glory:
Infamy:
Status:
Armor TN:
Reduction:
Initiative:
Wound Thresholds:Healthy/Nicked/Grazed/Hurt/Injured/Crippled/Down/Out

Air:
Reflex:
Awareness:
Earth:
Stamina:
Willpower:
Fire:
Agility:
Intelligence:
Water:
Strength:
Perception:
Void:

Skills:
Format:
Skill Name- Macro skill picked if it applies (Emphasis): Rank and actual dice roll (xkx and dice format) (dice format for emphasis).
Mastery X: Effect
Example assuming Intelligence: 3 -
Medicine (First-Aid): 5 (8k3 8d10e^3) (8d10er1^3)
Mastery 5: Whatever the mastery is.

High Skills:
Acting(Awa):
Artisan(Awa):
Calligraphy(Int):
Courtier(Awa):
Divination(Int):
Etiquette(Awa):
Games-Pick(Varies):
Investigation(Per):
Lore-Pick(Int):
Medicine(Int):
Meditation(Void):
Perform-Pick(Varies):
Sincerity(Awa):
Spellcraft(Int):
Tea Ceremony(Void):

Bugei Skills:
Athletics(Str):
Battle(Per):
Defense(Ref):
Horsmanship(Agi):
Hunting(Per):
Iaijutsu(Ref):
Jiujutsu(Agi):
Chain Weapons(Agi):
Heavy Weapons(Str):
Kenjutsu(Agi):
Knives(Agi):
Kyujutsu(Ref):
Ninjutsu(Agi/Ref):
Polearms(Agi):
Spears(Agi):
Staves(Agi):
War Fan(Agi):

Merchant Skills:
Animal Handling(awa):
Commerce(Int):
Craft-Pick(Varies):
Engineering(Int):
Sailing(Agi/Int):

Low Skills:
Forgery(Agi):
Intimidation(Awa):
Sleight of Hand(Agi):
Stealth(Agi):
Temptation(Awa):

Techniques:
Name:
School/Rank:
Effect:

Spells:
Name:
Ring/Mastery:
Range:
Area of Effect:
Duration:
Raises:
Effect:

Kiho:
Name:
Ring/Mastery:
Type:
Effect:

Kata:
Name:
Ring/Mastery:
Effect:

Advantages:
Name(Cost)
Mechanical Effect

Disadvantages:
Name(Cost)
Mechanical Effect

Other Info:
Family/Bonus:
School/Bonus:
Anything else not listed above goes here.

XP Expenditures: