Sumi:  Usagi Yojimbo is a comic that started in the mid-eighties featuring a rabbit swordsman in feudal Japan.  It was one of the early furry influences as well as one of the early non-child or humor oriented comics.

Sakura:  I'm glad it occurred to someone else too ^_^

A rabbit swordsman? Okay, so it didn't really matter that you went there, the L5R people went there first naming a family of the Hare Clan Usagi.

*nods*

My most obvious experience with this: in one game I'm in, I had to take over a previous player's character. So I took several days to pour over the story, absorbed lots of information, and came to some rather dramatic conclusions.

Fast forward to today: now I don't have a clue what's going on.

Things slowed down, and it's been so long since the original "burst" ... the writing's clear, I've just lost context for some reason.

Hello everyone. I'm a new player in the game, and also I'm a fairly new player to L5R so I'm sry if I make any mistakes. I hope to have fun role playing with everyone.

Oh and I'm sorry about the introduction of my character in the game. I'm not very good at introducing characters yet.

 That's alright... if you get on and sort yourself a picture and a description on your character, I can find out who and what you are, and we can come up with a reason you'd be where you are talking to me. Off-hand though, I do remember that the NPC's I'm with had a few friends that might well come along on our wild and whacky adventures.

 That might help.

 Otherwise, welcome aboard. ^_^

actually, Daidoji Tomoe just introduced you two--if in a rather roundabout and awkward way.

Tomoe and her brother Yukito are a couple of Daidoji samurai who (along with a few other samurai) are looking to make a name for themselves (or die trying) in the upcoming battle.  I figured they'd be a good group to hook Michio up with before the fun starts ^_^

 Okay, then as soon as Michio gets enough of a description up that I can work out whether I should bow, nod or kowtow... and perhaps even work out what they might be by it, I'll reply like a shot. ^_^

 Ahhhh, I see what you mean, now that I go back to look at the thread!
This message was last edited by the player at 13:14, Tue 09 Mar 2010.

Hi all,

first of all, I would like to apologize for my lack of posting for the last few weeks.  I'm a teacher and we just finished conference week (the less said about that, the better), meaning that my free time (which had been taken up by writing reports) has now increased.  So thank you all for bearing with me and my hectic work schedule.  I'll get something up for everyone by tomorrow.

thanks for your patience,
Trystero

I'm sensing a lack of enthusiasm for this portion of the plot ^_^ which is okay, I was using it sort of as a transition into the combat heavy battle for Toshi Ranbo

so our options are:
1) continue as we are with the preparations for the battle
2) shift straight to the battle (with some OOC discussion regarding what roles you'll each be playing)
3) skip entirely to the next storyline (I'll only consider this option if Kedo and Sakura are in agreement, since they're the ones who've been involved in this since the beginning)

 I can't speak for the others of course, but I'm enjoying myself - then, with Kedo's positively unnatural good luck, I would be. ^_^

 Kedo needs two more days to visit two more swordsmiths and then he's about ready for the big battle, but that can as readily be done in an aside as on-screen, but I would like to at least handle a little of the skirmishing and the like, since we've been building up to it.

 I have no idea what the next storyline actually is of course, but Kedo will be involved if it takes him somewhere noted for good iron ore or unusually pure charcoal or hell, almost any other suitable source of swordsmithing inspiration. At some point I might even have him go looking for a Tengu, just to round it all out.
 After all, when(if) he actually forges a katana to the standards he needs to meet, he'll be out of the campaign, so I'd best put it off for as long as possible. ^_^

I've been pretty much enjoying myself too, though I've been off by myself so much that I wasn't sure of the overall plot outside the tournament and wasn't really certain about that.

Life is kinda busy right now, so the slow pace has rather suited me, but I'm in your hands, and will keep up with whatever storyline you want to pursue as much as I am able.

*grins* Actually, Kedo is a latecomer ... He only joined us as we were sneaking through Lion lands.

I expect Sakura to be rather bored during the upcoming battle, but I'm good with whatever.

So, I take it that the peace mission failed.

I still need to see what happens in my thread -- We walk on a razor's edge -- but it can be done OOC easily enough.

Kenshin:  it didn't fail, it just didn't succeed in its entirety.  Part of the result depends on what happens next in your thread.  The problem is that an army is like a machine, even if some parts stop moving, other parts will keep moving--and there are two armies.  The one at your location may or may not attack--depending on how things go (things are leaning towards not, for the moment) but the other one is still going to move at the prearranged time.

Now, assuming the Scorpion and Mantis arrive before they hit the walls of Toshi Ranbo (and you're successful with the Lion), you may have enough numbers to convince them to turn around without a fight.

Even if they don't arrive before the Lion, you'll still have enough numbers once they arrive to defeat them either in a traditional siege (if they haven't breached the walls) or in urban fighting (if they have but haven't yet secured the city).

Things will get dicey if you can't convince the unnamed Lion commander not to go, but victory will still be possible if the urban fighting goes well.

Everyone:  well, if everyone is good, then we'll continue ^_^
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:09, Tue 23 Mar 2010.

 And though I do say so myself, the Crane do have a stonker of a battle-plan for the defence of the city, which is basically going to be an early mid-fantasy Stalingrad.

 How well that pans out against one of the finest military forces in the world however... Well, we'll see. ^_^

I'm holding off on Kedo's thread (sorry Kedo, you get no love ^_^) because I've got a couple of PCs who'd like to be introduced and Kedo's the the most accessible for them

 Kaze. The last two P.C.'s you introduced into my thread vanished without a trace in two posts each... When are you going to learn that I'm just cursed. ^_^

O ye of little faith. ;)

(I do sympathize, and I'll try not to vanish on you. :) )

Also, hello, everyone!

I'd try not to vanish either if we got in the same thread. I have a nasty tendency recently to get isolated off on my own in games anyway.

 Hello Reiko!

 And I hope not Tsuruchi - but so far the only person with any staying power around Kedo has been Sakura. Poor girl. ^_^

I look at that the other way around -- the only one of Sakura's companions to stick around is Kedo, and even he left her! (Kumi is still here, of course, but she hasn't been around long enough for the curse to take effect.)

;p

I'm sorry, I'm still here...lost, but here. The Curse of the Nameless Shadow has not affected me...yet.

 I sure hope Michio's staring at the main bunch and not watching Kedo bathe... That would be kind of creepy. Try talking to them Mr Monk, I've prodded the GM into giving them characterful things to say before now. ^_^

 As I understand it from context Moshi, there's a small bathing room that's an adjunct to the Dojo the scene we're in is taking place at. Earlier in the week Kedo found an old friend in the city who now teaches Crane youths swordsmanship, and it's at his school that Kedo and some of the teachers students are talking - plus one monk and one Shugenja.