Style and the Flower (Doji Shinnosuke QA)

[Doji Shinnosuke]

I wish I'd had more zap in me to stay at a higher activity level this game (too many people I wanted to meet but didn't! even more people I wanted to do more scenes with but didn't! scenes I should have finished but didn't!). January is a bit tough, I guess, though I'm still glad to have had this just now since it created an incentive to do something with my internet time that wasn't doomscrolling.

I've also really loved playing Shinnosuke and want to thank everyone who let me bounce him (or his dog) and his extremely niche interests off your character. I'm only sorry I didn't elegantly flirt with more of you! (Pansexual loverboy character sadly kneecapped by belonging to a player who's bad at speed dating IC, tale as old as time...) He came out more or less as I imagined him except for that. I'm also so happy I finally got to stage a Noh play in an L5R game, and everyone who took part in that were such good sports, thank you!

I have no idea if he'll fit in any subsequent games, but regardless, he's not really a secretive guy, so happy to answer questions about him. I don't really dig filling out surveys, but anything specific, ask away!

[Shiba Ryusei]

Please Fill Out Form Questions Brick through Seven, and submit them in triplicate...

1. Did Shinnosuke change much from concept to execution?

2. Biggest curveball the game threw you?

3. Biggest curveball Shinnosuke threw you?

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

5. Biggest missed opportunity?

6. Favorite part of the play?

[Fukurokujin]

I hear you on the doomscrolling.

[Agasha Yuna]

I elsewhere answered that you were the character I most wished I'd had a chance to do more RP with. Great character!

And the Noh play was hands down one of the coolest moments of the game. Loved it! Loved how well organized it was and all the detail you put into it. Brilliant!

[Soshi Eiji]

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?

[Kitsu Sayomi]

Such a fan of Shinnosuke! <3 Even bigger fan of Haku!

Very glad you ended up playing, even if you were busy. Always a pleasure to share a game with you.

Did you plan to put on any more plays than the first one?
How often did loverboy end up spending some quality time with the sumoka?
Did Shinnosuke look to get hitched this season, or was he hoping to escape that this go around?

[Daidoji Ryu]

What does the future hold for Haku?

[Doji Shinnosuke]

Favorite part of the play?

I don't think I could pick one moment, really--what I ended up liking best and being proudest of was how it all came together and went pretty smoothly. (I don't mean everyone passed their rolls, but the thing felt coherent as a whole.) I was pleased to have managed to put together something with the general structure and at least a little bit of the storytelling flavor of a "real" Noh-Kyogen performance, while getting it to fit within the fantasy setting and the game format and finding roles for everyone who expressed interest.

I spent quite a while working out which plays from the traditional repertoire would be best to steal for the purpose, and that was pretty fun as well.

As for things that surprised me or didn't go to plan, see above. As I mentioned, the only thing that didn't quite land on the page as fully as it formed in my head was that I am a shyer flirt and a slower romantic mover than the character, so he didn't get to have as many adventures in courtly love as he might have. But that's dependent on what other players feel like, too, so who knows.

Shin fulfilled his personal ambitions (perform stuff, get famous, make friends) and was willing to be a good soldier on the court stuff and the Empr@ topic but wasn't passionately, personally invested in them. He has Contrary, which was handy for poking myself to get involved anyway and not stay too much on the sidelines in court. But though his player was surprised at the lack of resolution for the court, Shin will roll with it.

[Doji Shinnosuke]

I elsewhere answered that you were the character I most wished I'd had a chance to do more RP with. Great character!

And the Noh play was hands down one of the coolest moments of the game. Loved it! Loved how well organized it was and all the detail you put into it. Brilliant!

Thank you! I was really proud of how it turned out, and happy everyone went along with the details even when they involved borrowed plot styles/elements that are a bit different from 'modern' ideas of storytelling. Exploring stuff like that is one of the pleasures of games like L5R for me. And thanks also for being part of the show!

[Doji Shinnosuke]

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?

Hmm. I think they could have got a lot of mileage out of dishing on various other court gossip and people at court. Maybe over dinner or something. Or, if early enough, Shin could have tried to talk Eiji into joining the play project--I'd be curious to see how that would have turned out.

[Doji Shinnosuke]

What does the future hold for Haku?

Dinner on time and a nice warm bed, hopefully.


He'll come on the tour of Scorpion lands, so Toichi will have to be extra careful on walks that he doesn't chew on any plants in the flower gardens, but new admirers may await him.

[Soshi Eiji]

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?

Hmm. I think they could have got a lot of mileage out of dishing on various other court gossip and people at court. Maybe over dinner or something. Or, if early enough, Shin could have tried to talk Eiji into joining the play project--I'd be curious to see how that would have turned out.

I did consider it. But then I was like "Well, I don't have any ranks in acting, and this is the Imperial Winter Court." and players were like, "You could spend xp before hand to buy acting!" And then I was like "Hmm, well, I'm not sure if it's completely kosher for my faux-Scorpion self to sign up for a Crane play." And, isn't this the player who knows a lot about noh? Y'know the one who pointed out which plays weren't proper Noh in my games? And while I conssidered that, time advanced.

[Kuni Shiori]

I could have sworn I made mention of this somewhere but I'll say it here, so that I don't forget: Thank you very much for proposing, planning and making the play happen! It was very fun seeing everything happen together with the intermission bits.

I can totally understand the romance bit when it comes to games. Shyness is most definitely a thing when it comes to some ideas, which I can relate with Shiori on that front too.

[Doji Shinnosuke]

Did you plan to put on any more plays than the first one?

I only ever meant to do one. Gotta leave the fans wanting more. Or more seriously, I'd be afraid multiple ad-hoc events of the exact same type might lead to player burnout. I also actually put a fair bit into choosing the plays and organizing it so it wouldn't (I hoped) be too much faff for anyone else or run over the end of the IC day. It was fun, but I knew I probably wouldn't have the time to do it twice in one game. I would do it again in a flash if Shinnosuke returns for another game in which it would be appropriate, though. Or maybe even as a GM event in some hazy future, who knows?

How often did loverboy end up spending some quality time with the sumoka?

Only once! A proper courtly affair needs some build-up, after all. Thanks to Cearnach for indulging Shinnosuke's over-enthusiasm. I'm sure further discreet poems will be sent by mail.

Did Shinnosuke look to get hitched this season, or was he hoping to escape that this go around?

I was neutral on it as a player, and he was neutral too. If he'd really clicked with another PC, or if we'd needed an extra body for a treaty, I was ready to volunteer him as a Crane bridegroom, but we actually went without betrothing any PCs in the end (though we did marry off pretty much the entirety of the single NPCs in the delegation). He still came with a reason to take an interest in the matchmaking RP, since I'd grabbed the House name of one of the Doji NPCs on the marriage candidate list and made her his cousin. He is now the next on the "to be wed" list in his generation of House Tanaka, though.

As I mentioned upthread, the original version of Shinnosuke in my head is rather a flirt and would probably hope to find a spouse who was comfortable with at least an occasional courtly romance on the side. I know many players lean toward the ideal of romantic exclusivity for their PCs (usually, so do I), so that's something I would have been cautious about and really wanted to communicate well OOC if events/my activity levels had pointed to a potential betrothal with player character. Either that or some character development would have to happen in a new direction!

[Doji Shinnosuke]

I did consider it. But then I was like "Well, I don't have any ranks in acting, and this is the Imperial Winter Court." and players were like, "You could spend xp before hand to buy acting!" And then I was like "Hmm, well, I'm not sure if it's completely kosher for my faux-Scorpion self to sign up for a Crane play." And, isn't this the player who knows a lot about noh? Y'know the one who pointed out which plays weren't proper Noh in my games? And while I conssidered that, time advanced.

*shakes fist* I'll get you next time!

One of the things I was hoping to do with this character was learn more/share some niche nerd stuff while making it feel accessible to other people--I'll keep working on that, I guess!

[Asahina Hoshiko]

Thanks for hanging out for 'adventures in Meido'. Medium always feels rather non-interactive with players, so having a chance to debrief with someone after was handy, and meant I got to introduce Shinn and Shintaro, which was amusing. Also general thanks for being part of Team Crane.

The play was a fantastic addition to the draw-lot in PbP tradition, and this version was far less stressful for someone with limited posting time. Everyone got to have a little limelight without having to actually craft a play on the fly. Just a really lovely structure to work with.

Did Shinn ever get his debt taken care of? Will there be nasty folks showing up at his door soon?

[Doji Shinnosuke]

I could have sworn I made mention of this somewhere but I'll say it here, so that I don't forget: Thank you very much for proposing, planning and making the play happen! It was very fun seeing everything happen together with the intermission bits.

I can totally understand the romance bit when it comes to games. Shyness is most definitely a thing when it comes to some ideas, which I can relate with Shiori on that front too.

You're welcome! I can honestly say that Shiori's was the most uniquely delightful part of the performance. I'm really really glad you volunteered her.

Yeah, I've enjoyed my IC romances when they do happen, but Shin isn't even my first character who could theoretically have had a lot more game if they'd been played by someone more outgoing.

[Doji Shinnosuke]

Thanks for hanging out for 'adventures in Meido'. Medium always feels rather non-interactive with players, so having a chance to debrief with someone after was handy, and meant I got to introduce Shinn and Shintaro, which was amusing. Also general thanks for being part of Team Crane.

The play was a fantastic addition to the draw-lot in PbP tradition, and this version was far less stressful for someone with limited posting time. Everyone got to have a little limelight without having to actually craft a play on the fly. Just a really lovely structure to work with.

Did Shinn ever get his debt taken care of? Will there be nasty folks showing up at his door soon?

I quite enjoyed being a Medium sidekick, honestly! Shinnosuke isn't the type of character who would be frustrated by not being able to go along, so as a player I could just kick back and enjoy reacting and spectating (and dog-posting). Although gods help everyone if Hoshiko's body had actually become possessed or something while she was journeying, because I'm not sure there was much he could have done about it except... well, I guess Ryu and Sae were probably asleep down the hall and could have been screamed-for.

Shin did not redeem himself financially--he remains indebted to some mysterious shady Daidoji and/or their business partners. Sakkaku must have decided this is right and proper, because he failed a fairly safe roll at the start of the event that could have won him a wealthy patron. So he leaves court ridiculously famous but not more financially secure. I'm sure this can't possibly cause him any problems on his future tour of Scorpion lands.