"Lady Tsuko, fearsome daimyō of the Matsu, I greet you,” the rōnin declared, his tone oily as his thin dark hair and white-touched mustache. “I am Kujira, master of the Warriors of the Boar, and I have two gifts for you today."

–Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, The Fate of Flames

Rokugan, the world of Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, is full of honor and intrigue, and the Organized Play for Legend of the Five Rings provides you, the players, with many opportunities to alter its course.

Soon, the game's World Champion will be appointed Shogun, and this Shogun will face a terrible choice—whether the Lion and the Crane will continue their conflict by following the path of duty or that of justice.

This decision emerges immediately from the new story, The Fate of Flames (pdf, 1.1 MB), but is also informed by Her Father's Daughter (pdf, 2.5 MB) and The Price of War (pdf, 2.4 MB), as well as A Season of War, which appears in the Learn to Play rulebook (pdf, 5.4 MB).

Honor and Intrigue

The Shogun's choice will not be the first choice to impact the world of Rokugan and the direction of Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. In fact, players have already had a profound effect upon its trajectory—although, in many cases, the ripples may travel many leagues before they reach the shores…

Already, since the game's release, you've seen that the Dragon Clan won the Emperor's favor at Gen Con's Kiku Matsuri preview event. As a result, they will be hosting the Emperor's Winter Court during the World Championships, and you'll find the tournament grounds emblazoned with prominent displays of the Dragon Clan's colors and mon.

Similarly, we have seen dozens of players elevated to the rank of Hatamoto, claiming the honor by serving their clans on the field of battle. These Hatamotos already revealed their wisdom when facing a difficult story choice at the Kiku Matsuri: would they allow the Unicorn Clan to continue the use of meishōdō, its mysterious name magic, or would they take the Phoenix Clan's advice and ban the practice?

The Hatamotos presented their decision to the Emperor, and he agreed to allow the Unicorn Clan to continue practicing meishōdō. However, the Emperor also requested the Unicorn Clan's assistance in teaching the use of meishōdō to his Hidden Guard. They cannot refuse their ruler's command, but complying will require the sacrifice of more than just secrets.

Now, we find yet another difficult story choice making its way to Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. The Crane and the Lion have long been inching down a path toward war—both resolute in their ancestral claims on Toshi Ranbo and the Osari Plains. The events of this new story, The Fate of Flames (pdf, 1.1 MB), will bring their tensions to a single, pivotal moment of crisis.

What will come of their conflicts? Which tenet of Bushidō will guide their way? Only the Shogun will decide, and the game will be forever shaped by his or her wisdom—determining whether the two Great Clans weigh duty over justice.

Provide Your Counsel

Only one person will steer the Lion and the Crane through this time of trial—the Shogun.

But for all of you who will not be Shogun, you can still offer your counsel. Go to our site, download the fiction, and read it. Weigh the difficult choice before you. Then head to our community forums and to our Twitter feed (#L5RLCG) and offer your counsel. Should the Shogun elect to pursue the path of #duty or #justice?

What will the Shogun decide? You may win the title and make the choice for yourself. Or you can follow the action via Twitter and our live stream on Twitch. Stay tuned!