Thank you to everyone who contributed to Windrise, in particular our two GMs Cearnach and GBE. Running a game of any size is a tremendous effort and its clear a lot of prep work was done for the campaign.

It's been a long time since the community has had a chance to play a standard L5R 4E game and I know a lot of folks were very excited for that.

I enjoyed Sae quite a lot, but running a very high honour character at the imperial winter court can be a bit stifling, so I think my next PC wherever it is will cut loose a bit more.

I was also very fortunate to have a great team in the Crane and I really appreciated the comradery, enthusiasm and can-do spirit of everyone there, so thank you all.

Please let me know if I can answer any questions.

Please Fill Out Form Questions Umami through Damp, and submit them in triplicate...

1. Did Sae change much from concept to execution?

2. Biggest curveball the game threw you?

3. Biggest curveball Sae threw you?

4. PC you missed interacting with that you wish Sae had logged some time with?

5. Team Tomaru, it seems! How did Sae arrive at that determination?

6. Biggest missed opportunity?

7. I love the cute PJs, and so did everyone else. Any other fun dimensions to Sae we might have missed?

Thank you for playing!

Why the fish?

Shiba Ryusei wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 8:48 pm

Please Fill Out Form Questions Umami through Damp, and submit them in triplicate...

1. Did Sae change much from concept to execution?

2. Biggest curveball the game threw you?

3. Biggest curveball Sae threw you?

4. PC you missed interacting with that you wish Sae had logged some time with?

5. Team Tomaru, it seems! How did Sae arrive at that determination?

6. Biggest missed opportunity?

7. I love the cute PJs, and so did everyone else. Any other fun dimensions to Sae we might have missed?

1. Not so much I think, she was pretty consistent from conception to execution.

2. Probably the finale I would say.

3. I think I would have enjoyed cutting loose more. I've played more ultra high honour ultra proper characters in laxer scenarios and I think the contrast worked better there.

4. Probably everyone I didn't get to meet with in the second half of the game when real life-no-oni struck.

5. Tomaru recognised a problem and then proposed a solution. Neither were super well defined but both Sae and I like supporting folks with opinions and goals.

6. I'd have liked to participate in a combat, Sae was built to be an absolute monster in a fight, but its Winter Court so you're not expecting fighting in the streets.

7. Comfy and fabulous pyjamas are key. I'd say I would have like to show more of Sae's protective/altruistic side. If you're in trouble and you're in the right Sae would step between you and pretty much any danger.

Fukurokujin wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 8:57 pm

Thank you for playing!

Why the fish?

Thank you for running Tomaru!

For the fish I needed a proposal that was serious enough to be appropriate at the court, but so boring nobody would be bothered to make it an issue. Fish is a major commodity in Rokugan and Sae's home is on a major river, she could talk at length about the matter, get influence on the board to fill that gap and then head off without it causing a stir.

It's funny, I thought you said 'fishing' because Doji Noriko did a fishing scene, and that you had jumped ship on supporting Tomaru.

I'm glad you were still team Tomaru to the end!

Agasha Yuna wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 9:55 pm

It's funny, I thought you said 'fishing' because Doji Noriko did a fishing scene, and that you had jumped ship on supporting Tomaru.

I'm glad you were still team Tomaru to the end!

Crane are water birds, we like to fish.

#tomarurideordie

I was a bit thrown by the final day, so figured with what was happening a fishing tournament was as as good a non-violent way of settling things as any.

Daidoji Sae wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 10:01 pm

Agasha Yuna wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 9:55 pm

It's funny, I thought you said 'fishing' because Doji Noriko did a fishing scene, and that you had jumped ship on supporting Tomaru.

I'm glad you were still team Tomaru to the end!

Crane are water birds, we like to fish.

#tomarurideordie

I was a bit thrown by the final day, so figured with what was happening a fishing tournament was as as good a non-violent way of settling things as any.

Just make sure all your court point got donated!

#tomarurideordie

Yeah, I was thrown too. And shocked people made fun of lots as a method of letting Heaven select. That's a common practice in religious societies.

Does Sae seriously doubt that duels settled by champions is a poor way to guage Heavens will, or were you just looking for a hole in my proposal to get to your fishing tournament?

Soshi Eiji wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 10:07 pm

Does Sae seriously doubt that duels settled by champions is a poor way to guage Heavens will, or were you just looking for a hole in my proposal to get to your fishing tournament?

Sae feels the empire is about to plunge into a civil war because of the inexplicable decision to not pick a successor.

Given the sheer absurdity of the situation, fishing was as good as any.

But yes, she does feel that the idea of a duelling tournament between two courtiers, a shugenja and two bushi would have caused problems.

Director's Cut Question: Think back on the game as a whole. If you could go back, and add just one more scene with our characters in it, what would it be? What are they doing/talking about?

Soshi Eiji wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 10:54 pm

Director's Cut Question: Think back on the game as a whole. If you could go back, and add just one more scene with our characters in it, what would it be? What are they doing/talking about?

I think a scene showcasing how Eiji actually is a pretty honourable samurai much to Sae's surprise, would have been fun. Something about different approaches with the same honourable ends, maybe they have to use their very different skillsets to achieve some goal neither could do solo?

Daidoji Sae wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 10:56 pm

I think a scene showcasing how Eiji actually is a pretty honourable samurai much to Sae's surprise, would have been fun. Something about different approaches with the same honourable ends, maybe they have to use their very different skillsets to achieve some goal neither could do solo?

That does sound pretty cool. You're a spiffy rper, but I just didn't have any reason to go running to an emerald magistrate. I did consider trying to get you to investigate the dead Scorpion delegate through spreading a rumor, but I failed the rumor roll

Soshi Eiji wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 12, 2025 11:01 pm

That does sound pretty cool. You're a spiffy rper, but I just didn't have any reason to go running to an emerald magistrate. I did consider trying to get you to investigate the dead Scorpion delegate through spreading a rumor, but I failed the rumor roll

Right back at yah

Sakkaku definitely played some games this winter court, and Sae was definitely a part of a few investigations, I'm sure she would have been interested on chasing one more.

Thanks for playing with me this game. Always a pleasure!

What made you decide on playing an Emerald Magistrate?
Do you feel like you missed out on some parts of the game by having a character that was already engaged to be married?
Did Sae follow up on Sayomi's message about Ryunosuke having most likely become a murderer?

Kitsu Sayomi wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2025 3:02 am

Thanks for playing with me this game. Always a pleasure!

What made you decide on playing an Emerald Magistrate?
Do you feel like you missed out on some parts of the game by having a character that was already engaged to be married?
Did Sae follow up on Sayomi's message about Ryunosuke having most likely become a murderer?

Likewise, I enjoyed our short buddy cop mission, Sayomi has the makings of a true honourable investigator!

Often with social PvP games I like to play someone high status so I can if necessary just ignore any duel bullying or shenanigans. Thankfully I didn't see this at Windrise. I also liked the idea of being an emerald magistrate so I could be a bit removed from the somewhat relentless and not always pleasant inter-clan politics and instead focus on other stuff (this did not work).

I do feel like I missed out on some of the classic relationship/romance stuff by being engaged. It wasn't the original intent but a requested mechanical change shortly before game start.

Sae certainly would have spread the word to look for murder ronin son. She's disappointed that he ended up (apparently) killing an innocent after all that work to save him. But he's gone for now.

One more of these before bed. I'll have to catch the rest as work allows. Story of the entire game.

Thanks for the pregame connection when you needed a betrothal. XD "um...yes, there's a cousin that works." When's the wedding!

Sorry work and my generally slow composing style choked our threads a bit. Enjoyed getting bits of Sae's history. Her previously married life sounded pretty idyllic. Will she be bringing her new wife to the capitol, or have her assignments got her finding a different home base?

Expect some dog print themed wedding linens.

Asahina Hoshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2025 7:27 am

One more of these before bed. I'll have to catch the rest as work allows. Story of the entire game.

Thanks for the pregame connection when you needed a betrothal. XD "um...yes, there's a cousin that works." When's the wedding!

Sorry work and my generally slow composing style choked our threads a bit. Enjoyed getting bits of Sae's history. Her previously married life sounded pretty idyllic. Will she be bringing her new wife to the capitol, or have her assignments got her finding a different home base?

Expect some dog print themed wedding linens.

I really enjoyed our threads, and I was pretty slow on my end! Thank you for providing the cousin

I think she'd be keen for her new wife to be with her in the capital (or maybe somewhere safer depending on what goes down). Family has to look after one another.

Hoshiko will of course be need to officiate the wedding and there will be dog print for everyone! I just need to think of some cute matching stuff for the couple.

Hello, cousin!

Just wanted to say that I loved the dynamic, and how easily it came to us. I guess we've known each other for a while OOC, but it felt like these characters really did have a long established history.

Daidoji Ryu wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2025 2:23 pm

Hello, cousin!

Just wanted to say that I loved the dynamic, and how easily it came to us. I guess we've known each other for a while OOC, but it felt like these characters really did have a long established history.

It's always a pleasure! And I 100% agree it felt very natural. Ryu bringing that actual investigate ability to the table XD