Treebore
First Post
You may see this posted on other RPG boards:
I am pasting something from the L5R forums that I posted about my current L5R game. It is a result of a discussion about Honor and the honor guidelines in the L5R rule book.
Ahyhow, after i posted this, it got me to thinking of all the reasons I have stuck with, and loving to play, RPG's over the years.
So this post now reflects my biggest reason for loving RPG's, and after reading it I invite you to share your reasons for liking/loving RPG's.
"I had players who went into the Shadowlands. They happened to go in when I had the City of the Lost setting up for a HUGE offensive against Rokugan. The Shugenja risked casting a spell to tell the Crab Clan Champion about the preparations (she had met with him several times, so "knows him"). They then went on to the city. While on their way the Scorpion Bayushi used his incredibly high acting skill to disguise himself to talk toe a "lost Samurai". Through this conversation he found out the the City of the Lost had been reduced to skeleton defenses of only 500.
So they continued on, using Stealth, they snuck over the wall of bones into thecity. They spent a week hiding and scouting out the city. They then committed horribly dishonorable acts. They assassinated "lost" samurai in their sleep. Snuck up and killed them at the gates. Set off 10 huge fire bombs in warehouses filled with very flammable stuff.
With what they did to the city watches and the "fire brigades" the fire got completely out of control and the city burned, killing many (think the city of Dresden in WW2).
Their honor went to severe negatives, because even though they knew what they were doing was the right thing to do, they were doing it in incredibly dishonorable ways. They murdered many people through their actions. Granted, they were "lost", but they used to be people of Rokugan.
So the party became "infamous" for what they did until they went before the Empress (yes, my L5R version has an Emperess, not an Emperor, until she remarries).
Then the Empress absolved them of their dishonorable acts and gave them back their honor, and gave them more. Their Honor, and Glory, went through the roof.
So even though my players were really depressed about losing their honor, it paid off. You should have seen their faces when the Empress absolved them of their dishonor. They were expecting to be ordered to commit seppuku. So they really felt what it was like to go from the bottom of the pit lows, and sweep back up to the top of their society.
It was great drama. Great enough that my players were yelling and slapping each other on the back, even hugs were exchanged by a couple of them.
So I am completely sold on the honor system as presented in the book. I may have used it wrong, but the ends definitely justified what I did. My players will talk about this game for the rest of their lives.
Since its my wife and 3 kids, this means a 100 times more to me than it would with just a "normal group". My kids will remember the fun they had with their mom and dad with RPG's for as long as they live. They will talk to each other about that "awesome L5R adventure" dad ran for them way back when. They will probably talk about it when I die, and many times afterwards.
Yeah, I am completely sold on a system that helped me give such a happy memory to my kids."
So this is my most recent reason to love RPG's. What are yours?
I am pasting something from the L5R forums that I posted about my current L5R game. It is a result of a discussion about Honor and the honor guidelines in the L5R rule book.
Ahyhow, after i posted this, it got me to thinking of all the reasons I have stuck with, and loving to play, RPG's over the years.
So this post now reflects my biggest reason for loving RPG's, and after reading it I invite you to share your reasons for liking/loving RPG's.
"I had players who went into the Shadowlands. They happened to go in when I had the City of the Lost setting up for a HUGE offensive against Rokugan. The Shugenja risked casting a spell to tell the Crab Clan Champion about the preparations (she had met with him several times, so "knows him"). They then went on to the city. While on their way the Scorpion Bayushi used his incredibly high acting skill to disguise himself to talk toe a "lost Samurai". Through this conversation he found out the the City of the Lost had been reduced to skeleton defenses of only 500.
So they continued on, using Stealth, they snuck over the wall of bones into thecity. They spent a week hiding and scouting out the city. They then committed horribly dishonorable acts. They assassinated "lost" samurai in their sleep. Snuck up and killed them at the gates. Set off 10 huge fire bombs in warehouses filled with very flammable stuff.
With what they did to the city watches and the "fire brigades" the fire got completely out of control and the city burned, killing many (think the city of Dresden in WW2).
Their honor went to severe negatives, because even though they knew what they were doing was the right thing to do, they were doing it in incredibly dishonorable ways. They murdered many people through their actions. Granted, they were "lost", but they used to be people of Rokugan.
So the party became "infamous" for what they did until they went before the Empress (yes, my L5R version has an Emperess, not an Emperor, until she remarries).
Then the Empress absolved them of their dishonorable acts and gave them back their honor, and gave them more. Their Honor, and Glory, went through the roof.
So even though my players were really depressed about losing their honor, it paid off. You should have seen their faces when the Empress absolved them of their dishonor. They were expecting to be ordered to commit seppuku. So they really felt what it was like to go from the bottom of the pit lows, and sweep back up to the top of their society.
It was great drama. Great enough that my players were yelling and slapping each other on the back, even hugs were exchanged by a couple of them.
So I am completely sold on the honor system as presented in the book. I may have used it wrong, but the ends definitely justified what I did. My players will talk about this game for the rest of their lives.
Since its my wife and 3 kids, this means a 100 times more to me than it would with just a "normal group". My kids will remember the fun they had with their mom and dad with RPG's for as long as they live. They will talk to each other about that "awesome L5R adventure" dad ran for them way back when. They will probably talk about it when I die, and many times afterwards.
Yeah, I am completely sold on a system that helped me give such a happy memory to my kids."
So this is my most recent reason to love RPG's. What are yours?
