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Lion invade Crane lands.; Kent's L5R Campaign
Topic Started: Apr 26 2011, 10:41 AM (191 Views)
Sovolis
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A brief overview of my campaign. (I hope to have a more in-depth overview written soon)

At the begining of the campaign season the Lion invaded the Crane. It started with the Lion occupying kyudens and villages they have always preceived to be ancestrial lands of thiers. It has since turned into all out invasion. With the plague maw dividing the Crane's attention they have been losing a lot of ground. What's worse is that the Crane's best diplomat/negotiator has gone missing. There are only a few weeks left of the Campaign season before Winter Court starts. This is the last opportunety for the Crane to slow the tide and allow thier courtiers to regain what they have lost.

Standard character creation rules apply with a few exceptions:

1) Crane clan characters. If you want to make a non-Crane character you are going to have to convince me why and how it will fit into my campaigne and my Rokugan worldview; as Christian has with his concept. Like with Christian; this will require give and take in brainstorming sessions to iron out the wrinkles.

2) Everyone is required to take 3 points worth of disadvantages and have it written into thier background story. I will not allow players to take disadvantage "A" that may or may not effect the character without a background demonstrating how/why the disadvantage is necessary.

3) There are certain limitations on alternate paths that replace insight rank 1 techniques. If you are considering one of these alternate paths contact me first. As a "rule of thumb"; if you are considering something from the Book of Water from the core rulebook, ask me first.

4) Answer the "20 questions" from the character creation section of the book and/or write several paragraphs of background story. I have a pretty rigid worldview of Rokugan, so your background will probably conflict with this, but I will offer suggestions to alter the background to better fit into my campaign. Christian can testify that this is a relatively painless process. In fact, I feel that together Christian and I made his background deeper and more intriging.

I feel these concepts are reasonable and will make the game more enjoyable in the end.

The first weekend Christian will available to play is May 7th. I hope to be ready to have the first session by this time.
Edited by Mercules, May 2 2011, 09:07 AM.
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Sovolis
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Spring, 1191

I have marched many leagues in very little time. I did not think I would know the exhastion of military life so soon after my gempukku. Our Gunso informs us that we will not stop until we are at the northern portion of the border with the Crane. My blade yearns to taste the flesh of the Crane. The rest of the young men share this desire. There is much talk of glories won at the end of our blades. I hope to make my ancestors proud.

Spring, 1191

We have crossed the border into Crane lands. There was little resisance. We sacked a farming village emptying it's storehouses of rice. We were instructed to do little damage to the village itself and to only take the stored rice. I am unsure of the tactical wisdom of these orders. Does Ryuzo-sama not intend to occupy these lands? Does he wish for the Crane to re-occupy the village after we have left? There must be a reason he wishes the peasants to continue farming and producing, yet he does not wish them to produce for the Lion. There are rumors that the Crane are trying to use thier political influence to stop this invasion. Cowards! They abandon thier villages and hide behind thier words. We should march on Kyuden Doji burning every village along the way. See how thier words help them when our swords are at thier throats.

Late Spring, 1191

We have not stayed in one place for long. We constantly move south along the border sacking farming villages and emptying thier storehouses. Villages of rice, apples, and other food stuffs. Our wagons fill up with Crane food and turn west into Lion lands just to be replaced with more empty wagons. Maybe this is what Ryuzo-sama had in mind. Feed this army on the food of the enemy. I can only imagine that there is a much more glorious battle yet to come. Resistance has increased; Diadoji mostly. There is talk that the Crane are forced to deal with us militarily. Doji Tomoda is apparently missing.

Early Summer, 1191

We have turned back into Lion lands. We march south. Rumor is that Ryuzo-sama is making preparations to lay seige to Kosaten Shiro. If we can break the back of the Daidoji the Crane will fall.

Mid-Summer, 1191

Kosaten Shiro is ready to fall. We have seiged the shiro for many weeks with no sign that they wish to meet us on the battlefield; as is honorable. The Crane are nothing but dogs. I don't know why we have not put an end to thier dishonor sooner.

Late Summer, 1191

We are shamed in our defeat at Kosaten Shiro! How did Daidoji Hirotoro march that many men north from Kyuden Doji without our scouts noticing? We had them outnumbered and they still managed to break the seige. If it was not for the Daidoji the Crane would be destroyed for sure. Only the Daidoji are worthy of honor.

Late Summer, 1191

We are occupying a mining village on the southern portion of the border with the Crane. It appears that Ryuzo-sama will not be detered by a single defeat. Word has it that many Crane villages in the region are now occupied by Lion forces. It is also said that the peasants in these villages, like this one here, were marched north and west into Lion lands with peasants from Lion lands being marched in to replace them. It seems I will probably be spending the winter here.

~From the war diary of Akodo Nataka
Edited by Sovolis, May 3 2011, 09:26 PM.
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Sovolis
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I don't know if this changes anything in anyone back story, but I changed the date.
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The sun was low on the western horizon as Akodo Haru walked toward the command tent that had been hastily erected. When he reached the entrance to the tent he stopped to look to the north. The fire that had raged all afternoon had finally been brought under control, but still burned in a large wheat field. The orange glow produced the illusion of two sunsets this evening. Haru ducked his head and entered the tent.

Standing on the other side of a table in the center of the room stood Akodo Ryuzo, the shireikan in charge of this army. He was young for a shireikan; perhaps ten years Haru's junior. He rose through the ranks of Lion samurai with surprising speed. Of course the sodon-senzo present at the time of his birth sensed that Akodo himself had taken an interest in Ryuzo; to what end is unknown. Leading up to his gempukku he was the most promising student at the Akodo War College. Many Lion samurai believed that if it wasn't for his betrothal to a Matsu that he would have eventually risen to become clan champion. For a moment Haru felt pity for Ryuzo; no Akodo wanted to become a Matsu.

Haru stepped forward into the tent and bowed before his superior officer. "Ryuzo-sama, the fire is under control but the wheat field to the north is lost. A third of the supply wagons are either lost or were destroyed in the fire. Most of the supplies lost were foodstuffs, and a few of the heimen noticed several samurai drive a number of the wagons south along the road. I suspect sabotage."

Ryuzo's face went grim; a very subtle change that Haru barely noticed. "How certain are you that this was sabotage, Haru-san? The Crane have avoided such tactics since the Harriers were disbanded."

"The heimen are certain they saw a Crane bushi riding one of the wagons south. They say there were a priest and another bushi with him? We suspect the other bushi was Crane as well; however the heimen cannot be certain. The heimen also say that two of our own bushi gave chase. We have confirmed that two of our bushi are indeed missing. I have dispatched a squad to search for them along the road."

Ryuzo's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps Kakaze-san has reinstated the Harriers without Domotai's knowledge. We may be able to use this information to our advantage." Haru flinched at the last. He did not understand how that information could be used to the Lions' advantage. Ryuzo ignored his subordinate's display of weakness. "Have the reinforcements arrived yet?"

"Hai, sama, three thousand men arrived a few hours ago. I put my chui to work directing them to help with the fire."

Ryuzo gestured to a map on the table. "The loss of supplies has forced my hand. This map shows our current troop deployments. With the addition of the three thousand men that arrived today we have three legions here in this village. We are forced to take a risk if we want to recover from our defeat at Kosaten Shiro. I will be forced to winter a legion here or risk losing this village and it's ore without a fight."

"If the Crane weren't so cowardly, hiding behind the walls of Kosaten Shiro, we could easily crush the garrison. How do you intend to draw them out?" Haru spat the words out in pure disgust; not hiding his displeasure of the Crane from his shireikan. Akodo Haru has despised the Crane since his son was killed in a duel with one. The duel was legal so no blood feud was declared, but Haru has waited 13 years for his revenge.

"We will not be marching on Kosaten Shiro." Ryuzo said in a stern voice. His eyes burned with an ambition that Haru had often seen in young samurai. "Our scouts have informed us that Jonan has brought in its rice crop and drained the rice paddies in preparation of winter. They have also informed us that the village holds a garrison of five hundred Daidoji. In the morning you will march fifteen hundred troops to take that village. We need that rice if we are to survive the winter. In three days I will march the rest of the troops to take this village to the north. It's a big risk, but if we are successful we will be in a position to strike at Kosaten Shiro from three sides when spring arrives."

"Hai, sama, we will make our ancestors proud." Haru stood with a final nod of agreement to his shireikan and retreated from the tent. It was dark by the time Haru exited the tent and started toward the center of the camp. The orange glow to the north was much more subtle now, evidence that the fire was almost out. Haru quickened his step; there was much to be done if he was going to get his troops marching at first light.

Left alone in the tent Ryuzo turned to the shoji screen setup in the corner. "Hachiro-san" he said in a hushed voice. The man that appeared from behind the shoji screen and bowed before Ryuzo was obviously not a lion, but the daisho tucked into the back of his obe indicated that he was a samurai. He wore black hakama pants and a grey kimono that did not bear a mon. He also wore a mempo covering the lower part of his face. "I have a task for you."
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