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You have no idea how much their marketing wished they had.
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Aug 28, 2016 06:22
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When I heard about a murder ostensibly involving vampire LARPers, I braced for another panic.
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Aug 28, 2016 06:24
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Doresh posted:Can you imagine the shenanigans that would've ensued if they'd started their business during the Satanic Panic?
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Aug 28, 2016 07:03
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Doresh posted:Can you imagine the shenanigans that would've ensued if they'd started their business during the Satanic Panic? They take the heat off of D&D and onto themselves and the world and industry are a better place for it? 
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Aug 28, 2016 07:05
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Bieeardo posted:When I heard about a murder ostensibly involving vampire LARPers, I braced for another panic. It's a different time than back then. German tabloid press tries this all the time with manga and anime whenever a murder involves obvious otaku (aka it happened like twice this decade or so). These attempts thankfully never take off as their target audiecne doesn't give a drat about animu, but it gave us batshit insane stuff like blaming a murder victim because he cross-dressed once for a joke picture o_O Though a similar campaign did succeed a couple years ago when two psychopathic FF7-fans caused Final Fantasy to be the evilest thing ever since Doom and Counter-Strike for a couple weeks. We're pretty fixated on video games, is all I'm saying. Thankfully we seem to have kinda mellowed out thanks to the wonders of international terrorism. Asimo posted:I can't, since White Wolf can only exist in any form vaguely recognizable to us by being sprung fully formed from the 90's urban fantasy and horrible RPG design zeitgeists, much the same way Athena burst from Zeus' brow. Then let me rephrase that: What if the Satanic Panic was still going on in the 90's? Now that's an idea for a game right there. Kavak posted:They take the heat off of D&D and onto themselves and the world and industry are a better place for it? Man, now I want to travel back in time to create this glorious timeline. Doresh fucked around with this message at 08:19 on Aug 28, 2016 |
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Aug 28, 2016 08:15
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Man Germany is still really right wing
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Aug 28, 2016 08:43
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wiegieman posted:Man Germany is still really right wing It's mostly a mix of paranoia, hysteria and envy/greed. I mean, when Fukushima happend, a lot of people bought iodide pills like crazy, and our government pulled a 180 on their energy policy so fast you could hear their necks snap. And then people just shrug when they hear that some of our neighbors have near-ancient nuclear power plants right at our border. It's weird. Doresh fucked around with this message at 09:09 on Aug 28, 2016 |
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Aug 28, 2016 09:04
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Humbug Scoolbus posted:You meant Mantis right? Yes, Mantis is one of the clans that brings the largest temptation of straying from the Crab, the True Path. (Still. Second best clan. Their founding story being a Crab samurai going "Hey, look, you guys are cool and all, but I don't quite agree with everything, so... I'm ditching. We cool?" is pretty great, especially in the context of so many petty blood feuds.) The bits on Crab Honor remind me a tiny bit of Lone Wolf And Cub, which probably isn't a coincidence given the zeitgeist when L5R was being written. The commitment to this one big, suicidal matter of honor means they don't give a gently caress about the standard rules of what you do and what you don't. Of course, Itto was a Ronin with nothing but the cash in his pockets, the clothes on his back, the sword at his side, his son, and a baby carriage with more weapons than some third world countries, so there wasn't much people could do to screw him over beyond just trying to kill him, and that... didn't tend to work out. Meanwhile, the Crab have to maintain a position in society, and that is not made easier when your diplomats just drop their balls on the table, belch, and ask the Emperor if he has a problem.
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Aug 28, 2016 09:04
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Is the Mantis Clan known for its medical knowledge and/or its toboggan technology?
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Aug 28, 2016 13:09
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Doresh posted:It's a different time than back then. German tabloid press tries this all the time with manga and anime whenever a murder involves obvious otaku (aka it happened like twice this decade or so). These attempts thankfully never take off as their target audiecne doesn't give a drat about animu, but it gave us batshit insane stuff like blaming a murder victim because he cross-dressed once for a joke picture o_O You have to be careful with some of that, because it was found out recently that the whole anime panic in Britain during the '90s was started by Manga Video UK going out and contacting the Daily Mail and the Sun and telling about all these sick, venal foreign cartoons with monster rape and blood and gore that they were publishing (which they left off that last bit) to the most conservative and sensationalist people out there, who of course ate this poo poo up. Doresh posted:Then let me rephrase that: What if the Satanic Panic was still going on in the 90's? Now that's an idea for a game right there. I'll straight up tell what would have happened because it happened in my house before I became an adult in the mid-'90s: The D&D brand and fantasy genre would be completely poisoned, but RPGs would probably survive by cutting away from it and going toward superheroes or science fiction. I'd imagine a R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk would be a much bigger thing instead of competing with D&D overall and "D&D with cyberpunk" Shadowrun, as would Buck Rogers XXVc and Gamma World, etc. As a personal anecdote, I had to hide my SSI D&D computer games and TSR rulebooks and get a grilling from my parents, but I never had to hide Cyberpunk or Wasteland or those SSI Buck Rogers games, despite that I can pick up a gun or do drugs or catch an STD from a hooker that I could replicate much more easily than I could cast a fireball or magic missile. I had friends who grew up in similar restrictive households or environments like Christian schools, where D&D was verboten so they got really interested in Villains & Vigilantes or Twilight 2000 or something.
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Aug 28, 2016 15:32
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Adnachiel posted:*horrible, horrible words* Please?
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Aug 28, 2016 15:39
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Simian_Prime posted:Is the Mantis Clan known for its medical knowledge and/or its toboggan technology? Nope. Piracy and collecting minor clans.
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Aug 28, 2016 15:49
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Young Freud posted:I'll straight up tell what would have happened because it happened in my house before I became an adult in the mid-'90s: The D&D brand and fantasy genre would be completely poisoned, but RPGs would probably survive by cutting away from it and going toward superheroes or science fiction. Kind of like what happened with the comics industry, when the Code essentially canceled all of those lurid weird tales and true crime books. There's some talk of early capes publishers being involved with that too, to draw that Manga Video UK stunt into it.
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Aug 28, 2016 16:01
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Young Freud posted:I'll straight up tell what would have happened because it happened in my house before I became an adult in the mid-'90s: The D&D brand and fantasy genre would be completely poisoned, but RPGs would probably survive by cutting away from it and going toward superheroes or science fiction. I'd imagine a R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk would be a much bigger thing instead of competing with D&D overall and "D&D with cyberpunk" Shadowrun, as would Buck Rogers XXVc and Gamma World, etc. As a personal anecdote, I had to hide my SSI D&D computer games and TSR rulebooks and get a grilling from my parents, but I never had to hide Cyberpunk or Wasteland or those SSI Buck Rogers games, despite that I can pick up a gun or do drugs or catch an STD from a hooker that I could replicate much more easily than I could cast a fireball or magic missile. I had friends who grew up in similar restrictive households or environments like Christian schools, where D&D was verboten so they got really interested in Villains & Vigilantes or Twilight 2000 or something. If Satanic Panic still had momentum when White Wolf started, I bet that WW would just have doubled down on all the horrific elements. But something like Vampire never would have happened if not for the Satanic Panic, because the consequence of that was that D&D excised any moral ambiguity. It was a hole in the market that allowed White Wolf to thrive.
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Aug 28, 2016 16:01
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Simian_Prime posted:Is the Mantis Clan known for its medical knowledge and/or its toboggan technology? No, but they've made some incredible advances in oversized prophylactic manufacturing.
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Aug 28, 2016 16:10
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Young Freud posted:As a personal anecdote, I had to hide my SSI D&D computer games and TSR rulebooks and get a grilling from my parents, but I never had to hide Cyberpunk or Wasteland or those SSI Buck Rogers games, despite that I can pick up a gun or do drugs or catch an STD from a hooker that I could replicate much more easily than I could cast a fireball or magic missile. I had friends who grew up in similar restrictive households or environments like Christian schools, where D&D was verboten so they got really interested in Villains & Vigilantes or Twilight 2000 or something. Yeah, similarly, if you want to know how I got into Palladium and not AD&D, this was it. Not that my upbringing was oppressively Christian, but my mother was swayed by the 60 Minutes article and the notion of behavior modification and "fantasy-prone personalities". But I was allowed to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Ninjas & Superspies or Heroes Unlimited because they were "closer" to reality. In like Zinn posted:On top of all the incest and rape, there was that name Sascha kind of prominent there, please tell me that White Wolf didn't include The Vykos in their porno book. :iamafag:
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Aug 28, 2016 16:45
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Young Freud posted:I'll straight up tell what would have happened because it happened in my house before I became an adult in the mid-'90s: The D&D brand and fantasy genre would be completely poisoned, but RPGs would probably survive by cutting away from it and going toward superheroes or science fiction. I'd imagine a R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk would be a much bigger thing instead of competing with D&D overall and "D&D with cyberpunk" Shadowrun, as would Buck Rogers XXVc and Gamma World, etc. As a personal anecdote, I had to hide my SSI D&D computer games and TSR rulebooks and get a grilling from my parents, but I never had to hide Cyberpunk or Wasteland or those SSI Buck Rogers games, despite that I can pick up a gun or do drugs or catch an STD from a hooker that I could replicate much more easily than I could cast a fireball or magic missile. I had friends who grew up in similar restrictive households or environments like Christian schools, where D&D was verboten so they got really interested in Villains & Vigilantes or Twilight 2000 or something. I can kinda feel your pain. My mother demanded to see Advent Children with her own eyes when she found out I owned a copy. You know, to see if it was really the most evil thing of all time because our media was aware enough that the Aerith death scene existed in FF7, but was also ignorant enough to just assume it was some kind of fictional snuff scene or something. Those were certainly interesting times. (Oh well, at least she's not interesting in my Elfen Lied and Berserk manga collection XD) Did I mention that at no point during this FF panic did they ever explain that FF consists of multiple games? And what kind of games they are? They also of course never showed any scenes from FF7 because that game looks like arse nowadays. You can tell they were really starting to grasp at straws when Reno of all people was painted as a school shooting enabler because he at one point during the game ordered his goons to... kill the good guys! Bottom line: I surprised we didn't have a hentai panic yet. That seems to be a pretty easy target if you ask me. Doresh fucked around with this message at 19:40 on Aug 28, 2016 |
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Aug 28, 2016 19:34
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Alien Rope Burn posted:
Oh dio maiale, well what can I expect from old WW?
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Aug 28, 2016 20:45
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Doresh posted:(Oh well, at least she's not interesting in my Elfen Lied and Berserk manga collection XD)
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Aug 28, 2016 21:12
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Terrible Opinions posted:The strongest indicator of poor parentage. Nah, I just found it funny how this manga can go from zany hijinks to blood and body parts everywhere in like a page or so. Oh, and I also own Hellsing. Even volume 4 which is blacklisted for some reason (guess little Timmy didn't manage to hide it properly from mum or something). Was just on the shelf in the bookstore. I guess some trainee was secretly fighting the system. Doresh fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Aug 28, 2016 |
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Aug 28, 2016 22:17
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Legend of the Five Rings First Edition Way of the Crane: Denny Cranes  The "Grinning" part is sarcasm, see. Also this is the face of your boss in the common Emerald Magistrates game. Important NPC time! We start with Doji Satsume, who is the Crane Clan Champion as well as the Emerald Champion himself. One of the best swordsmen in the Empire, trained with both the Daidoji and the Kakita, and the epitome of honor. He is hard and uncompromising, what with having to deal with the Lion and the Scorpion. He was a quiet child when growing up, and as a youth he served with the Daidoji in the frontline against the Lion, personally slaying the Ikoma daimyo at the age of sixteen. Ever since then, he's had the hatred of the Lion but he has never looked back. He is a personal friend of the Emperor, who he met while training together at the Kakita iaijutsu school. At the age of 21, he defeated his own father for the position of Emerald Champion, and he has served the Hantei ever since. He used to be able to handle both the Champion and Doji daimyo duties, but he's had to rely on his son Hoturi for the latter post due to the recent strife, and he fears for his clan's future given his son's frivolity. He has a bad scar that he got defending the Emperor from ninja; the Scorpion nicknamed him "Grinning Crane" behind his back and privately curse the ninja's incompetence. He is just over forty years old but won't retire until he is sure his Clan is in good hands. He fell in love with his now late wife and arranged the marriage himself, and though she did not return the love she did her duty, bearing her two kids (Hoturi and Kuwanan) as well as adopting his niece Shizue after Satsume's brother died. He still misses his wife. Outwardly he respects both his sons, but privately criticizes Hoturi for his womanizing and sometimes he regrets Kuwanan is not the eldest son. Kakita Bushi 5, pretty good stats, and a Honor of 5 which makes him the most honorable NPC statted yet. A Fire of 8, too, and Lost Love (Doji Teinko, his wife) because he's not all steel.  He has an annoying posh Brit accent in my head. Doji Hoturi is the Doji daimyo and eldest son of Satsume. He has a ready laugh, a bright smile, and is eager to be everyone's friend. He is quick to laugh and smile with his companions and only seems to be reserved with those who don't know him or those who he is trying to impress. This helps him appear as cool and controlled as his father in social functions. His father rarely had time to spare for him as he was growing up, so he spent more time with his mother and his sensei, Kakita Toshimoko. When she died, he informed his father that he wanted to become an artisan like her; Satsume laughed and punched him in the face before curtly informing him he was being enrolled on the Kakita iaijutsu school next day. In time, Hoturi became Toshimoko's best student, and during his schooling he met Akodo Toturi, his childhood friend. Both were outcasts, separated from their fathers, and found they had much in common. Their friendship has grown and he's spent a lot of time with the Lion, which Toshimoko approves of in hopes that this leads to lasting peace between their families. Hoturi is known to be a ladies' man and there are rumors of romances with everyone from Isawa Kaeda to Horiuchi Shoan. He can be very manipulative when he wants. Since his marriage, however, he's dialed down on his womanizing - he's never been disloyal to his wife. He enjoys geisha company still, just not their company. He hasn't spoken with the only woman that could make him disloyal in years. There are rumors that his marriage was arranged by Satsume to chain down his son, and his self-esteem is continuously crushed by Dad's criticisms. He really wants Satsume to be proud of him, but he just doesn't have his somber attitude. Kakita Bushi 4, with a Honor of (4.1) 5 and a note to see the description of his wife. Mysterious! Also has a Kharmic Tie to Bayushi Kachiko, because come on.  Kuwanan bro don't make the pepe face Doji Kuwanan is Satsume's second son. He's the image of their father as much as Hoturi is the image of their mother. Shorter than him, stocky, with forceful gestures and a low voice. His humor is more earthy, he is less readable and a lot less easygoing. He is not as strikingly handsome as Hoturi, but he is rugged and muscular. When he was twelve, Satsume sent him to study with Akodo Toturi. He learned strategy, tactics and preparedness from the Lion, but also found a love of war. He loved the thrill of victory, the feeling of challenging another's blade, to see how wars were won first-hand. When he returned, he begged Satsume to enter other bushi schools in Rokugan: his father agreed, and he has trained with the Daidoji and then with Hida Yakamo and Hida O-Ushi's own sensei in Crab lands. He also learned to hate, deeply. He trained with a young Lion named Matsu Hiroru who made his life hell, going as far as "accidentally" breaking his arm in mock combat. Kuwanan knew the blow was intentional but could do nothing more than accept the profuse apologies. When they achieved their gempukku, Kuwanan was betrothed to a Phoenix girl, Shiba Nosuriko. Shortly before their wedding day, the girl hanged herself in her quarters leaving no note or reason. Kuwanan blamed Hiroru for this and found that the Matsu had vanished never to heard again; he has vowed to make him pay for the death of his fiancee. Kuwanan now lives with the Crab, still following their ways: he's yet to master the first rank of the Hida school but his sensei says he's got promise, and Satsume let him know that he should live the life he wanted for himself and never to regret that he isn't the heir. Kuwanan never has. Akodo Bushi 1/Daidoji Bushi 2/Hida Bushi 1, so I guess he's got that first rank after all! Still 15-odd points of actually getting his Rank 4, though. Also has Lost Love (Isawa Nosuriko) because editing is for lesser games.  This art style is really rough. Doji Ameiko was born to peasants that left her on the steps of a temple in Fox lands, and she was raised by the Fox's nobility. It was better to free a slave's child than condemning a born samurai, the Fox daimyo said. She was sent to the Kakita Academy to study the arts, and her poise and grace were such that she became the sole apprentice of a famous playwright, Kakita Shoju. From him he learned Noh drama, dance and poetry, and played many famous roles. She is arguably the most beautiful woman of her generation, even compared to Bayushi Kachiko. She's always felt at home in the forest and routinely spent hours in the woods away from the Fox palace or the Academy, claiming to her worried tutors that she was never alone. Many young men came from all over Rokugan seeking her hand, and her Clan allowed her to choose as she wished for the sake of her happiness, but she only had eyes for young Doji Hoturi. However, he paid little attention to the pale young maiden. She was even sent with a troupe to Phoenix lands to see if she caught the heart of their Clan Champion, Shiba Ujimitsu, but it didn't take. When her marriage to Hoturi was announced the noble circles were taken by surprise: Ameiko was little more than a commoner, for all of her noble training and manners, and many scorned her. The Scorpion daimyo didn't even attend the wedding, because his wife had suddenly fallen ill. Ameiko has taken her husband's name and now lives in the Doji palace, training for her responsibilities as the daimyo's wife. She is the perfect adoring young wife, and though the rumor of Satsume arranging the marriage is still strong it seems that Hoturi falls more for his wife every day. She still loves going into the woods, and her unassuming personality changes radically when in nature. Animals love her and come to hear her sing. Hoturi laughs and calls her his "pet fox," and Ameiko merely smiles. Kakita Artisan 4 needing like 70+ points to get to the appropriate Rank, and she has Higher Purpose as a Disadvantage for some reason. Her Higher Purpose is being the Foxwife to Doji Hoturi. She's a friggin' Kitsune! Nothing on what's going on with Hoturi's Honor, though, but she also has a Honor of 5.  Spoilers: Shizue is to Soesbee what Doji Shizue is the only child of Satsume's younger brother, who was killed in a skirmish with the Crab. Her mother died days after her birth. Satsume's wife, Teinko, raised her and she is considered a sister to the two Doji boys. She was born with a crippled foot ("twisted in the mouth of Fu Leng," Satsume says) but she's never let that get to her spirit. She is not a great beauty, but she is lovely, quick to smile and with a silvery laugh. She moves with grace in spite of her disability, and remembers some of what Teinko taught her about dancing. She has a gift for storytelling and there are those who say she is the reincarnation of Kakita Kiyamori, Kakita's own twin sister. Even gruff Satsume has praised her ability, but only in private when he thinks no one is listening  Shizue is gentle and seems content with her peaceful life, and bears no remorse for the death of her parents: she trusts the Tao to show her the way.. But she is more than a pretty face: Satsume told Kakita Yoshi to train her as a spy as well as a courtier, skilled in political negotiation and finding out secrets. Her stories contain coded information passed between Yoshi, Satsume and Hoturi. She is small but with one of the greatest intellects in the Empire, able to memorize manuscripts at a glance and breaking codes. She has proven herself most useful to the Clan in this role and Yoshi says she'll make a great addition to the Crane's ambassadors when she's older. As far as other Clans are concerned, Shizue is nothing more that a goodwill ambassador with a sunny disposition. Kakita Artisan 3 (Storytelling 2/Poetry 1) with a Kharmic Tie to Matsu Hiroru that she doesn't know about yet and Knife 2   Creepy eyes. Kakita Yoshi is the daimyo of the Kakita family. He is one of the most powerful men in the Empire, even though he's sworn never to drawn a sword. His power comes from the courts: he holds great influence within the Crane and controls debts of honor and favor from daimyo of all the Clans. He has no control over the Kakita military, however, leaving that to Kakita Toshimoko, who left him the daimyo position because it was too demanding and restrictive. Yoshi has no knowledge of kenjutsu and has never drawn steel against an opponent. In fact, he is forbidden to do so. A long time ago, the Kakita invited a ronin shugenja of great renown, the Master of the Elements, to their palace. The shugenja was late for days, then weeks and months, and the Kakita thought he would never arrive and closed the castle gates that they held open to him - with such bad timing that the shugenja arrived to have the gates closed right in front of him. Incensed, the shugenja cursed the castle: a child born in it who drew a blade would bring ruin over the Kakita house. The Kakita have gotten around the curse since then by throwing the gates open when a child is about to be born in the palace, but Yoshi was born during a Lion siege. Because of the curse, he has a decree placed on him that forbids him from ever drawing steel. He serves as the Emperor's aide and personal advisor, as well as Imperial Liaison to the houses of Rokugan. Even those who dislike the Crane risk themselves when speaking ill of Yoshi, because any man in their employ might be his friend. He's the guy that can get you anything, and has enough friends to make it worthwhile. Doji Courtier 5, lots of social skills and Major Allies from literally all Clans. Also an Air of 7, so good luck stabbing him.  Later that night he went to the geisha house and left with his fundoshi on his head. Kakita Toshimoko, the Gray Crane, is the Master of the Kakita Academy. He often laughs, is usually found with a drink, and is rarely serious. His humor is known across the Empire, as well as his skill with the sword - in fact, the only time he seems serious at all is when engaged in a duel. He has been sensei to the current Emperor and now to his son. Toshimoko used to be the typical hotblooded samurai, but the years have mellowed him out. His name comes from his father, Kakita Toshimo. Everyone remarked on how much he resembled him in looks and temper, so when his gempukku came up he added the feminine -ko to Toshimo and became "Toshimo-ko" or Little Toshimo (augh, faux-Japanese) He is notably taller than his peers, with dark blue eyes and gray hair worn in an unruly braid. His favorite expression is "You'll not regret it" and he never does: he fills his hours with wine, women and beautiful things. When he's not training students, he's in a geisha's arms or singing with a beggar along the road. When he was young, he was part of the Fox-Hare war, where he ended up killing the Fox daimyo in a duel under accusations that his wooing of the daimyo's daughter had not been serious and many deaths could have been averted. The daughter, Kitsune Ryoden, refused to talk to Toshimoko after he killed her father, and many years later she came in full battle regalia to a Crane festival demanding her right to avenge her father. Toshimoko once again fought duel he didn't want to fight for honor's sake, but his anger at her brashness was stronger than his love for just a second and he took her head off. He immediately asked to commit seppuku, but the Crane Champion forbade it: Toshimoko had acted with honor, after all. He has been like a grandfather to the three Doji children (he was Teinko's brother) and is especially close to Doji Hoturi. Kakita Bushi 5 with a Fire of 7, a Void of 8, and an Iaijutsu of 6, meaning that he will gently caress your poo poo up.  Is he like... sitting on a throne, or something? What the hell. Asahina Tamako is the daimyo of the Asahina family. He holds his position because of a sign of the gods rather than birth. A seventh son of a seventh son, he was left outside in his crib as a baby by a negligent maid; when she returned, a crow was on the crib, looking down at him. The maid cried, but the crow simply set its beak down and touched the baby's face, then flew away. Ever since then, it's said that Shinsei guides Tamako's steps. He is a man of peace that has dedicated his life to spiritual and magical study. His ability to create magic items is unparalleled, and his occasional flashes of insight can be eerie. Even though he is middle-aged, his eyes are already narrowed and his skin is wrinkled and wan. He sometimes appears unconcerned and detached from reality, but it's just that his thoughts are taken up by the contemplation of powerful magic. He keeps his school open to outside influence despite his reclusiveness due to Doji pressure and "visions" that he believes come from Shinsei. His poor health keeps him in the Asahina temples, and though he's never traveled he has written extensively to the Isawa library searching for precious books. From this correspondence he has gained his only true friend, a shugenja called Isawa Tomo. Asahina Shugenja 5, under Insight by some twenty points, and also with a note that he probably has any possible magic fetish or talisman at any time due to his position.  MORTAL KOMBAAAAAT Daidoji Uji is the daimyo of the Daidoji family. He is the only child of the previous Daidoji daimyo, and one of the most exemplary students of the Daidoji school. Dark and brooding, he's never let his hair grow out or dyed it. He has a dark complexion, black hair and deep brown eyes. He rarely wears his armor, but he is deadly on the battlefield, and has proven his skill as a general time and again. He speaks rarely and with a soft voice, his eyes never twinkle, he never smiles, he has a Scorpion-like mask that he wears on the battlefield, look he just ain't cute okay. He has no interest in court life and no personal desire to be involved in politics: he just cares about battle and trade. He travels the Crane lands, assessing the military preparedness of their strongholds and preparing strategies against any possibility. Uji is trained in trade sabotage, smuggling, and infiltrating enemy economies to stifle their supplies. He relishes those things as some would relish the death of a hated enemy. He harbors a great respect for the Crab, and studied warcraft for a year under Hida Kisada himself. He hangs out with the Great Bear and his son Yakamo when he visits the Crab lands, and while it can't be said that he is in love with Hida O-Ushi he certainly holds great admiration and respect for her and always makes time to spar with Kisada's daughter. This friendship has not quelled his hatred of the Yasuki, however, and he is always trying to push Taka and his traitor family towards their downfall and the Daidoji's revenge. Until that day, he's got a lot of things to deal with. He spends a lot of time studying gaijin tactics. Some say that he is too concerned about them, but if he is obsessed it is not known to what extent. Daidoji Bodyguard 4, just a little short of Insight, with Fascination (Gaijin) and the skills Gaijin Culture 2, Lore: Gaijin Warfare 3 and "Sai-bore" Technique (Gaijin Weapon) 2. "Sai-bore"? Ancestors! Lady Doji is there, of course. It's said that after the war, she visited all of her brothers regularly until they passed on, and when she was turned away from the Dragon lands with the naming of a new daimyo she returned home to let the waves claim her (dick move, Togashi) For 6 points, the character is considered to have 1 point in all High skills (they must still pay for the first rank to get the second one if they want it) Doji Hotei was a Crane Champion that lost his mind when his wife died, leaving the position to his younger brother and running off with only two samurai retainers in tow. He claimed that his wife had sent him on a great quest, and he challenged trees to duels and held court before doves at the beach. His deeds were forgotten and he became the object of ridicule, until many years later he resurfaced in the middle of a battle that the Crane was about to lose to the Lion, saving the Kakita palace. Doji Hotei died with his two aged retainers next to him, and a shrine was erected to his memory. For 4 points, the character is affected by a minor yet debilitating mental illness that will surface at some point of their lives, but in return they can spend a Void Point to ignore all wound penalties for one round. Doji Taehime was the Crane ambassador to the Scorpion court, and her skill at discovering falsehoods and uncovering plots was legendary. It's claimed that she held many of the most cherished secrets of the Scorpion daimyo and that the two were secretly lovers; when she died, many of those secrets ended up in an iron box buried somewhere beneath the walls of the Kakita palace, because she would not betray the one that was her host for so many years. For 5 points, characters can roll and keep (Void) dice in Persuasion, Etiquette or Manipulation rolls, but they may never reveal all that they know about a subject. Kakita Rensei was a famous Daidoji bushi known for his ruthlessness and bloodlust. It's said that in one battle, his sword cut through a man on horseback and continued to cleave the horse in two. It's said that after Shiro no Yojin fell, he went off to challenge the Lion Champion to a duel: he never appeared again, and the Champion disappeared three months later. For 2 points, damage dealt by the character cannot be reduced or ignored in any fashion - dodges and parries are good, but no abilities that negate damage. Holy poo poo. Kakita Wayozu was the first Mistress of the Kakita Academy, and though not a student of the sword she spent hours in the dojo learning both bushido and the gentler arts of the school. A war with the Crab changed her life forever: she sent her iaijutsu students to back up the Daidoji forces and watched the Hida warriors cut them down. Finally, the Kakita forces retreated and she gathered artists from the school for a final stand on a bridge: they weaved a realm of fantasy from their own imagination, and sacrificing their own bodies they made the Hida invaders vanish without a trace inside the fantasy world. All that was left was a book written in a language unknown in Rokugan. For 8 points, a character may once a day spend two points and use any Rank 1 maya, rolling their straight Fire and only keeping one die if they don't have the skill. Kakita, the man with the plan, costs a whopping 15 points. The character may reroll any roll a number of times per day equal to their Void, but in place of the initial skill they must use their Iaijutsu skill. They also gain +10 to their TN to be hit in combat (duels included) if defending the Emperor, the Hantei line or the Doji noble family. The drawback is that the Matsu haven't forgotten the slight, and the whole Lion Clan will hate the character and seek to make their life hell (but only the Matsu will act without provocation against them) Asahina Yajinden was an Asahina shugenja that was tempted into becoming Iuchiban's greatest lieutenant. Some people say he never died and escaped to haunt the world until Iuchiban returns. For 3 points, the character gets a Free Raise for the creation of any fetish or magic item, but their TN to be seduced is reduced in 10. Daidoji Yurei was born on the battlefield as the Crane fled Shiro no Yojin and rose to become the family daimyo and one of Rokugan's most feared generals. It was rumored that he was possessed by the ghosts of all the dead of that battlefield, and he held an uncompromising hatred of the Lion. For 2 points, characters may roll and keep their Fire in bonus dice when making the Perception + Battle roll to see who is winning in mass battle. Daidoji Masashigi was the CRAB NEVER 4GET guy. For 7 points, the character gets a Major Ally in the Crab and their TN to be hit increases by +3 with each Wound Level they lose. Rensei is such a no-brainer, holy crap. Sample PCs!  Your sword is hosed, guy, you don't get to be smug. The Kakita Iaijutsu Duelist is the finest student ever to come from the Kakita dueling school. He's certain of it. It's time to take his skills to the other Clans and show them what they're up against! After all, in one of his proudest moments - one that he recounts often - he defeated a visiting Lion sensei, and ever since then people are saying he's the next Kakita Toshimoko. He went off to see the world and get into duels after graduating, and then he found her: a lovely Asako maiden. She was married to an old Dragon, someone who didn't deserve her! He sought any reason to duel the Dragon, they squared off... and his katana broke. He was forced to admit defeat to the laughing Dragon, who told him to come back "when his steel does not bend against the forge." He's so going to come back, yeah. The Dragon has his pride, his honor, and the woman destined to be his wife! She's worth any cost! Right? Kakita Bushi, all Rings at 2 including Void which is a little worrying for a duel-focused character but he's got the Agility and Reflexes to be dangerous. Also True Love, Insensitive and Vain.  Let's face it, he is Scorpion fodder. The Doji Courtier was raised in a quiet home, without childhood trauma or anything like that. His family loved him, and they managed to get him into the Doji courtier school, where he expected to score a quiet minor diplomat post and live out his life. Until he was assigned to a famous magistrate in Scorpion lands. The errands, daily interviews with nobles and delicate manipulations were quickly getting to his nerves, but the magistrate insisted on his staying - he was one of the few men he could trust. One night, the magistrate showed up, gave him a fan, and told him never to mention any of this again; next morning, the magistrate was dead, and the PC had to take his place until someone could relieve him. Now he's back in Crane lands, but he knows the Scorpion haven't forgotten, and he doesn't know what to do with the fan. Doji Courtier of course, Air at 3 and Awareness at 4, and Mizu-Do 2 just in case. Also an Inheritance (Fan) at just 1 point and a Scorpion Bushi as a minor Enemy!  Kickass. The father of the Daidoji Bushi was a Daidoji, and her mother was a fierce Crab. From his subtle espionage and her forthright strength, she was born. Neither of them cared if she was a proper lady, and when someone was rude enough to ask which of them she liked best at her gempukku, she said "both." She excelled at counter-espionage, and in her first major solo mission spying on the Akodo she managed to stop an assassination attempt on a visiting Crane dignitary. She delivered swift revenge on the culprit, but something went wrong. When she went back home, her parents were dead, the only clue an unmarked tanto - the same tanto she had used to finish off the Akodo assassin. On that day, she cut her long white hair, cursed the Lion and swore to avenge her parents' deaths.  Daidoji Bushi with Honor at 3 due to that Rank 1, decent stats. She also has a no-dachi as her primary weapon for extra killy. Look man, just stop hanging out in dark dungeons. The Asahina Shugenja hears his voice at night. His dreams are haunted with blood and death. It's not proper for an Asahina shugenja to know such things, but he tells him of all the ways to kill a man, all the ways to inflict pain and anguish. It's not right, but he can't help but listen to him. That him is none other than Yajinden! His talent with nemuranai is remarkable, but he feels the kuei rise with every fetish and item he creates. The evil spirit longs for release, but he constantly denies it. Others of the school fear him, whispering behind his back. They're jealous. His unkempt appearance might have forced his teachers to keep him out of sight. Is he even a Crane, they wonder? He knows he is. He's a Crane. He is Asahina. And he must not kill, not because of morality, but because of the survival of his own soul. Asahina Shugenja, decent enough stats, he has Light Armor for some reason - and Yajinden as his Ancestor. Also Lore (Maho)   She's cute! Hope nothing happens to her The Kakita Artisan just graduated last month. She is sure she can have talent if she tries hard enough. She's never been in love, never risked her life, never seen evil. She's just too young to be jaded. She's never been very confident in her abilities, though others say she is very skilled. It just doesn't come to her as easy as her peers, and art has always been a struggle to her. She always tries to keep someone on back-up when people rely on her, which leads to her current distress: one day, she was joined in the gardens by a noblewoman of the Unicorn who complimented her technique and talked to her at length. Next day, she was informed that the very high-ranking Unicorn requested to be her patron, and summoned her to Unicorn lands! She could hardly refuse such a 'honor' from a woman in her position. Now she prepares herself for her journey, and she has been taught the secret cadence of the Crane, "just in case." She knows there are deeper reasons, and she only hopes to be able to deal with what her patron and her house expect of her. She just hopes her new traveling companions won't mind having her along. A Rank 1 Painter Artisan, with only her Mizu-Do and Light Armor keeping her alive in combat. Also she Can't Lie! Next: flip the Crab on its back. Traveller fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Aug 29, 2016 |
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Aug 28, 2016 23:06
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Traveller posted:Kakita Yoshi is the daimyo of the Kakita family. He is one of the most powerful men in the Empire, even though he's sworn never to drawn a sword. His power comes from the courts: he holds great influence within the Crane and controls debts of honor and favor from daimyo of all the Clans. He has no control over the Kakita military, however, leaving that to Kakita Toshimoko, who left him the daimyo position because it was too demanding and restrictive. Yoshi has no knowledge of kenjutsu and has never drawn steel against an opponent. In fact, he is forbidden to do so. A long time ago, the Kakita invited a ronin shugenja of great renown, the Master of the Elements, to their palace. The shugenja was late for days, then weeks and months, and the Kakita thought he would never arrive and closed the castle gates that they held open to him - with such bad timing that the shugenja arrived to have the gates closed right in front of him. Incensed, the shugenja cursed the castle: a child born in it who drew a blade would bring ruin over the Kakita house. The Kakita have gotten around the curse since then by throwing the gates open when a child is about to be born in the palace, but Yoshi was born during a Lion siege. Because of the curse, he has a decree placed on him that forbids him from ever drawing steel. This is fine as lone as he doesn't use a scabbard. Carry a spear, Or have his bodyguard hand him an already drawn katana.
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Aug 28, 2016 23:20
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To be fair, we'll later seee Mizu-Do is busted as gently caress and more than lets a Courtier or Artisan compete with a bushi, though the Artisan listed here doesn't have enough Reflexes to make good use of it.
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Aug 28, 2016 23:24
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In like Zinn posted:On top of all the incest and rape, there was that name Sascha kind of prominent there, please tell me that White Wolf didn't include The Vykos in their porno book. I'm sorry.  Part 7: Vampiric Bejeweled Dick Goblin Back at Becca’s apartment, in Chapter Nine, David has managed to finish banging the headless corpse without passing out and is banging Isabel as a reward. As you can imagine, his mind is already spinning with the possibilities that being part of the secret world of vampires could afford him. quote:He only knew that in the last few hours, the world as he knew it had been transformed, revealing to him a world he knew his father fervently believed in, but which he'd often scoffed at as the fantasy of the deranged and superstitious. A world that left him both terrified and elated, one with almost limitless potential for evil and for power. It takes a special kind of person to learn about something and go “how can I use this to do evil?” One that I’m not sure actually exists. quote:[Isabel] certainly looked alive, thought David. Her thick auburn hair, strands of it still caked with blood, swung wildly around her head. Her skin, which was pale to the point of translucency, gave off a luminous sheen. Silk stippled in moonlight. For David, the fact that it was also streaked with blood did nothing to detract from her macabre allure. One thing I’ve noticed is that you can tell when Taylor is into a scene while she’s writing it and when she isn’t. The former tend to go on for longer and are more descriptive. This is one of them. The scene with David in the bar was not. Nor was the fairly dry Lucita/Victoria scene. But that’s kind of a given since there was no sex in that one. The part at the end of this chapter just fades to black, if you're curious. They finish up and Isabel gives him a limp blowjob, telling him that he has to keep his strength up to meet his master. They’ve heard that David is a vain, selfish shitbag, which angers him. She plays with herself as she continues, her voice becoming darker as she says that everyone he knows is just jealous because he’s so pretty and knows that they're all hypocrites. quote:Isabel's face was changing, the features rearranging themselves from those of a woman who was merely beautiful to one whose pallid symmetry was so perfect as to resemble an exquisitely crafted death mask. With a languid smile, she brought her fingers back to her mouth. Since David had no way of knowing that her skin was flavorless, that her body could produce no sexual discharge, he assumed that she was licking off the taste of herself, relishing the flavor of her oval office. So either blood took the place of lube and vaginal fluids during their little tryst, David keeps a bottle of Astroglide on him at all times, or that was the driest, most uncomfortable sex ever. David grabs her and demands that she tell him who she is. She says that the better question would be what she is. quote:From behind him, a woman's soft, melodic voice chimed in, "Yes, David, ask. Ask it what it is." Up until I read this book, I didn’t realize that there was a somewhat female equivalent to sucking your own dick. So… thanks, I guess, Eternal Hearts… quote:And before him, the creature he had thought was Isabel now transforming into something else -- a hideous male-female thing. Its skin was chitinous and armored, its lidless eyes were slitted and insectile. Where lavishly curled eyelashes had been now shone rows of glittering hooks. Its eyes were pierced, the pupils outlined with tiny hooks adorned with gems and feathers. Rings hung from skin flaps on breasts and belly. Between its legs, pierced testicles-to-foreskin with what looked like fishing hooks, jutted an enormous penis. Surprise! He was loving Sascha Vykos! I hope the guy who reviewed this on Amazon and gushed over Isabel didn’t mind this little bait-and-switch. David does, and is both disgusted at Sascha’s appearance and the notion that the both of them are bisexual, which Isabel mentions. quote:"David, you disappoint me," said Isabel. She gave a soft, throaty laugh. "Don't look so shocked. You go both ways. That's something else that you and Sascha Vykos have in common." Well, to be fair to David, it’s not every day that you see the woman you’re loving turn into a vampiric bejeweled dick goblin. Sascha demands that Isabel take another look at the decapitated head. She tells Sascha to piss off and not talk to her so rudely. Sascha throws the head at David and demands that he confirm that the head is Becca’s. Terrified, he says that it isn’t. It’s Francine’s. Sascha throws a hissy fit, throwing Isabel against the wall along with the head. quote:"You! You didn't even bother to find out what the bitch looked like or if anyone else lived here with her! Now the police will be involved, and the Vargas whore will know that she's in danger. Now that you've hosed things up, it's going to be more difficult." Sascha threatens to murder the poo poo out of David multiple times over. David insists that he can get both Becca and Emmet. But Sascha ain’t hearing any of it and says that it can just as well do it itself. And then Sascha rapes David. Because porn book. quote:It exhaled a dead, reeking breath into David's face and flung him back onto the bed as though he were a doll. Before he could get up, it straddled him, engorged cock wagging in his face. “The first thing, David, is I'm going to break you. From what I've seen so far, that won't take much. Then, if you regain consciousness soon enough, I'll tell you what you're going to do for us." There’s a really awful joke I can make to that. By the way, say goodbye to Isabel. She’s only in these two chapters. Yes, her entire purpose in this book was to just be in a creepy sex scene. Chapter 10 takes us back to Jean Locklear/Rapunzel. You remember her, right? From Chapter One? She’s still working her way out of the dirt. To entertain herself between digging sessions, she fantasizes. quote:In life, Rapunzel had entertained herself with an active fantasy life as much as drugs and sex. Now, in such a state of total sensory stimulation. A pyrotechnic porn show, rich with sounds and colors and laser lights, orchestrated itself in her brain. Body memories so vivid that her dead synapses shivered with phantom orgasms passed through her like electric current, emotions and sensations inundated her life cells. Most of the rest of the chapter is the chatlog between her and her sire, a man who goes by the username “Dracon”, that led to this mess. If the username and the mention of Vykos being a habitual “cyber-pervert” in the last chapter didn’t tip you off, yeah, it’s Sascha. This is what Sascha does in its spare time when it’s not doing research. In the conversations leading up to that night, she portrayed herself as an overweight mother of four who spent her days eating, cutting herself, having suicidal thoughts, and masturbating (when her husband isn’t hanging her up on hooks in the laundry room). “Dracon” claimed to be a tall blond-haired, violet-eyed ad exec with multiple Porsches, which she didn’t believe at all. She tells him about her cutting. He isn’t impressed and tells her to  . She says that she imagined a lover doing it to her, and the conversation turns briefly to suicide by snu-snu. Dracon claims to be both disturbed and aroused by the idea.quote:[Rapunzel] You mean you wouldn't want to ram your cock into a woman while the life slowly drains out of her?!!! The rest of the conversation is mostly just dumb pointless sex talk meant to meet a word quota until this part. quote:[Rapunzel] So tell me, Dracon, do you believe suicide is a sin? Rapunzel’s intrigued, but Dracon doesn’t believe she’s really up for him actually torturing and killing her, since she’s hanging out on the Internet and not dark alleys waiting for someone to come along and mess with her. But she insists. Eventually, he relents after being given her permission to give her “the most thrilling, most exquisitely orgasmic of demises that [her] perverted little heart could ever desire.” By now, you're probably wondering why Jean/Rapunzel’s subplot was even included at all since her chapters have been completely divorced from the main plot so far. Let me assure you, there is a specific reason why she’s here. And it is really, really dumb. Adnachiel fucked around with this message at 02:43 on Aug 29, 2016 |
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Aug 28, 2016 23:40
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Some people have flashbacks to the time they trained in Japan under a cruel master when they're buried alive, finding the strength and means to get out of their grave. Other people just remember when an internet fuckbuddy with an OC Do Not Steal persona didn't believe they were actually a suicidal self-destructive soccer mom. Maybe she should have tried stalking that senator again so we wouldn't have to hear any of this crap. Also that is by far peak 90s lovely LGBT Weirdness to have your sex partner be a shapeshifter who lies to you about who they are and when they're done playing mind games with you they gently caress you in the rear end against your will.
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Aug 29, 2016 00:13
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I'm not even reading the posts anymore and I'm still repelled by what I get secondhand from the posts around them.
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Aug 29, 2016 00:54
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Traveller posted:
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Aug 29, 2016 01:06
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Zereth posted:You do this a lot in this character's bit. And only this character's bit. Are there revelations later about Ameiko or is Rokugan just a lot more accepting of this sort of thing than I thought it was? I don't know what happened there, but as far as I know she's cis! 
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Aug 29, 2016 01:16
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Traveller posted:I don't know what happened there, but as far as I know she's cis!  then I guess!
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Aug 29, 2016 01:21
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wiegieman posted:I'm not even reading the posts anymore and I'm still repelled by what I get secondhand from the posts around them. 
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Aug 29, 2016 01:43
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Traveller posted:I don't know what happened there, but as far as I know she's cis! It's a Wick game. I expect his answer to "I made my character, he's a samurai. He's also gay" would be "You bring dishonor upon your entire clan and are ordered to commit seppuku by the daimyo."
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Aug 29, 2016 03:30
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Zereth posted:
Cythereal posted:It's a Wick game. I expect his answer to "I made my character, he's a samurai. He's also gay" would be "You bring dishonor upon your entire clan and are ordered to commit seppuku by the daimyo." I mean, the mistake was mine, I don't know why I was writing the wrong pronouns. Sometimes I get that when I'm doing effortposts. Ameiko is consistently identified as "she" and "her" in her writeup. On gay samurai matters, there is in fact a secondary NPC in City of Lies that is homosexual and keeps it a secret. The thing is, in Rokugan there is much less of a stigma around homosexuality compared to our modern (mid-late '90s) world. The only real reason he keeps it a secret is because he is a Scorpion and should have at least one secret because otherwise he is every bit the honest businessman he appears to be, and he laughs at the wild rumors around him like he's a sinister mastermind in a forbidden relationship with his sister.
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Aug 29, 2016 03:41
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Traveller posted:I mean, the mistake was mine, I don't know why I was writing the wrong pronouns. Sometimes I get that when I'm doing effortposts. Ameiko is consistently identified as "she" and "her" in her writeup. That is like the first cool Scorpion idea I've ever heard.
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Aug 29, 2016 03:46
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Night10194 posted:That is like the first cool Scorpion idea I've ever heard. City of Lies is actually full of cool Scorpions and other cool people. Greg Stolze's main contribution to L5R, IIRC.
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Aug 29, 2016 03:48
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Traveller posted:City of Lies is actually full of cool Scorpions and other cool people. Greg Stolze's main contribution to L5R, IIRC. Stolze. That explains it! He is the anti-Wick.
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Aug 29, 2016 03:54
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wiegieman posted:I'm not even reading the posts anymore and I'm still repelled by what I get secondhand from the posts around them. Does that have anything to do with how I'm covering it? Or is it just the subject matter is too much?
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Aug 29, 2016 04:46
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Traveller posted:I mean, the mistake was mine, I don't know why I was writing the wrong pronouns. Sometimes I get that when I'm doing effortposts. Ameiko is consistently identified as "she" and "her" in her writeup. That surprises me. I would have thought Wick would be all over "You can be gay, but it's a huge dishonor on your family and ancestors" thing, which as far as I know is a big deal in a lot of east Asian cultures today and historically.
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Aug 29, 2016 04:50
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Traveller posted:On gay samurai matters, there is in fact a secondary NPC in City of Lies that is homosexual and keeps it a secret. The thing is, in Rokugan there is much less of a stigma around homosexuality compared to our modern (mid-late '90s) world. The only real reason he keeps it a secret is because he is a Scorpion and should have at least one secret because otherwise he is every bit the honest businessman he appears to be, and he laughs at the wild rumors around him like he's a sinister mastermind in a forbidden relationship with his sister. That's actually a little surprising, after something I quoted way back in the L5R thread: John Wick posted:The problem of breaking the rules. Even Steve Jackson is hesitant about putting sexually explicit material in his GURPS books. It’s a decision I can completely understand. After all, at AEG, my boss – John Zinser – made it simple and clear: No Sex. No Pregnancy. No Babies. Of course, we broke that rule a couple times, but every time we did (okay, not every time) I told him about it, explained why it was necessary and he either agreed or disagreed. "Not every time." 
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Aug 29, 2016 04:56
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Adnachiel posted:Does that have anything to do with how I'm covering it? Or is it just the subject matter is too much?
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Aug 29, 2016 05:14
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Alien Rope Burn posted:That's actually a little surprising, after something I quoted way back in the L5R thread: City of Lies is very atypical compared to other L5R products. Admittedly the adventure it comes with is pretty railroady (though still not to the extent of, say, Code of Bushido) but it's from such an early period of the game that the vision of society that it presents is markedly different from what the line would eventually end up with. Though every other L5R book throws geisha and implied sex (with pregnancy, even) at you so I don't know where he's coming from, unless people had to ask explicit permission for every "your ancestor had an affair" result in the heritage tables and so on. Then again, I've heard rumors of Wick actively trying to erase Stolze's contributions to the line, but I guess we're in the realm of hearsay at that point.
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Aug 29, 2016 05:26
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