Interest check (l5r, details inside)

[Lithos]

Bumped, as this is still a huge craving - something I would really love to write.

Greetings everyone.

I am looking for potential female writing partner that would know Legend of the Five Rings setting. I detail some things briefly here but knowledge of the world and its various families would be huge plus for keeping things interesting.

There should be no need for actual usage of game system. If and when we use system, it would be the non D20 system, original D10 one. But I am mostly interested in your knowledge of the world and its history, not finesse of dice rolling.

Story would be that of my long time character from the pen and paper game. The setting itself is rather odd. Time when it happens is before time of void when hantei is still in power. Time when Crane and Lion clans started to drag to their war that erupted later, so setting is around 1118, when dark times for empire that would later escalate to the Scorpion Coup at 1123 began.

I will introduce characters very briefly, I can give more info about setting and characters alike if you PM me.

Kakita Yasumori

Son to the herald of the emerald champion, Kakita Itsuki. He is younger son of his family, chosen to keep up its military heritage while his brother focuses entirely in courtiery / politics. Was sent to study art of war to Lion Lands with Ikoma family for twelve years at age of 8. He was taken in for studies as repayment for debt of honor. Due to various events after him returning back to his family, he ended up acting as Imperial Magistrate at Ryoko Owari Toshi. After three years to his service there, he was moved to act as Advisor for Imperial Guard.

Yasumori is traditional Kakita Duelist. His studies at Lion lands concerned mostly military leadership. His sense of Bushido and in a way also his swordsmanship has influences from both Crane and Lion schools, a thing that both families tend to frown upon.

Like many from his family line, he is rather Frail physically. He stands at about 5'3" tall and has rather frail complexion. He has long hair, that he keeps in its natural black colour when tracveling, and dyed Silvery grey when conducting official business. He is Exellent dueslist, but only mediocre courtier / military leader. He is far from perfect, has his physical and mental weaknesses but he does the best he can to serve the empire and do his duty for the emperor.

Matsu Akiko:

Her more detailed background is yours to make, I can only give very general info about her. Matsu bushi from Lion clan. As her family often is, strong willed, strong bodied, agressive. Around 6' tall. Served at Lion clan military, is honourable Samurai-Ko and was sent to Ikoma family to learn Military Tactics to be able to serve her family better.

Most of the matsu family take after some traits of its legendary founder. I attach here description of the original Matsu, she was kinda strange girl :p

"Matsu was the most hot-headed and arrogant woman in Rokugan. This reputation is only surpassed by her legendary fury on the battle field. Her wrath was visited with such intensity that few survived. She was a loyal servant of the Kami Akodo and the founder of the Matsu family who do their best to live up to her name."

Or as well known member of her family said:

"Her strength, her will, can never be equaled.
-Matsu Kenji"

Some events briefly:

Yasumori and Akiko met during their years at Ikoma school. It started as friendship and at some point turned to romantic interest. After Yasumori returned to crane lands things became very difficult due to quickly diminishing clan relations. Times when they were able to meet were mostly court outings that were few and far between (when they both managed to arrange themselves as some notable family members guard). They managed to also meet few times by traveling to eachothers family home and assigning a formal challenge for Duel (they were able to spend hour or two together to talk when both were still in shape to talk after the duel). Things like these were their only ways to keep in touch for few years. Later Akiko was sent to lead unit of Imperial guard (decision by her family to save her from repricussions of power struggle after Akodo Arasou, lion Champion at the time and fiancee to Matsu Tsuko died).

Crane clan felt worried that the Lion would get too much power inside Imperial Guard, and wanted to send their own man as new unit leaders military advisor. Doji Satsume, Emerald Champion at the time knew of Yasumori's personal history, both with the Lion and with Akiko and owed him a personal favour. He offered Yasumori chance to take the advisor position as repayment of this debt, and he accepted.

More about the game:

I might be interested in game that would explore their friendship, its turning to romantic interest, and perhaps developement of this after the events that I shortly described earlier. If there is anyone interested, by all means contact me and I can tell you more about the characters and such. I am also not in hurry with this, so can wait for a long time before starting a game if needed.

This would definitely not be fast moving thing affection wise. Kakita and Matsu families have much deeper running feud than Crane and Lion in general. This has to do with rather ill fated first meeting that founders of these families had. I will repeat this story here, should be at least fun read:

"At the dawn of the Empire the first Hantei held a tournament to decide who would become his bodyguard. Matsu entered, and many believed that she would win. However, a man from the northern provinces named Kakita also attended, and no man to could match his skill, and he bowed to each opponent after their defeat. Eventually even Matsu fell before him, but he did not bow this time. Matsu roared at the insult, but Kakita merely told her he did not show her respect because she had not shown any of her other opponents any. This insult is what caused the enmity and blood feud between the Matsu family and Kakita family for centuries."

[Lithos]

Addendum: Some idea of the will power of the character

In this story, you would be playing Matsu bushi. The family is Matriarchal instead of Patriarchal and a lot more harsh and unforgiving than most others. So no weak willed and pretty princess types, your character has passed coming to age ceremony like this when she has been around 16:

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In the Matsu family, the gempukku ceremony is not a time of celebration and joy, like in other families in Rokugan, but one of trial. The Matsu gempukku is the time when a samurai must prove her worth to the family and clan, rather than a time to be acknowledged for her previous accomplishments. Like other traditions of the Matsu, their gempukku ceremony is harsh, rigid, and unforgiving, but it is also a great honor, for those who survive can count themselves among the greatest warriors the Empire has to offer.

The gempukku is a series of tests, each designed to showcase and test a particular part of the samurai's character. The initial tests are intellectual or martial in focus, and are said to be the easiest to pass. They often involve reciting passages of Akodo's Leadership from memory and demonstrating a working knowledge of at least twenty weapons. Other tests may include the quartering of pomegranates before they hit the ground or some other means of testing the samurai's skill with a katana.

To test the samurai's endurance, she is struck repeatedly -- up to 400 times -- with a bamboo rod. Although these blows will cause no permenant damage, they are incredibly painful and drain the reciever's stamina. The Matsu is expected to remain concious and upright throughout every blow. Failure results in dishonor and seppuku.

The next test involves the samurai's wisdom, patience, and her ability to set aside her own earthly desires for the good of the Lion Clan. She is placed in a room surrounded by plates of steaming food, wherein she must fast for three days. At the end of these three days, she is given a bowl of gruel, which she must completely consume and lick clean, all the while surrounded by delicious meals. In doing so she shows she will never take from the Lion more than she is due.

The final test is often regarded as the most harsh. A white-hot poker shaped in the Matsu crest is pressed into the samurai's skin, forever branding them a Matsu. Although the process only lasts a few seconds, the pain lingers on, and expressing any discomfort will result in the samurai being forced to commit seppuku.

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That should give some idea of the strenght of character that is needed.

[Lithos]

Bumping cause I would really want to play this through some time.