The art of creating a scenario for commercial publication is not easy to master. Authors using a particular setting, such as L5R's Rokugan, must walk a careful line between being true to that setting and being accessible to as many different gaming groups as possible. They must make sure that, whatever the makeup of a gaming group, all of the players will have something to do. And, there is always the question of how much to script the adventure. Too much, and the players will feel that their PCs made no difference to events. Too little, and you do not have a scenario, although you may have a fine sourcebook or a detailed adventure seed.
The five scenarios in the two products below have a number of interesting strengths and weaknesses. Both focus on a particular aspect of Rokugan: Midnight's Blood deals with powerful and evil magic, while Code of Bushido considers questions of honor.
Midnight's Blood
by Jim Monroe ("A Plague Upon Your Lands") and John R. Phythyon, Jr. ("The Lost Sord of Doji Yasurugi") with additional writing by Ree Soebee ("A Plaugue Upon Your Lands")
Alderac Entertainment Group
48 pages, saddle stapled
$9.95
Midnight Blood has two scenarios which are part of the "High Magic" series. The reader is informed that the scenarios are designed "to be played after Twilight Honor". I am annoyed by the presumption that I will
a. Play out every single published adventure
b. Follow a set order in so doing
Fortunately, as far as I can tell, it is not essential to have played out these scenarios to use Midnight Blood.
In the first scenario, "A Plague Upon Your Lands," the PCs must learn the cause of a mysterious plague. Their first stop will be a library in a city ruled by the afflicted Phoenix. En route to the city, there is a good chance that one or more of the PCs will catch the plague. The city's shuggenja will know at once if this has happened and will, quite sensibly, refuse admittance to any suffering from the plague. Plague victims must wait outside while their comrades try to learn what caused the plague. This would not be a problem if the author had something for them to do, but he doesn't. Worse still, members of the Crab and Scorpion clans will not be allowed into the Phoenix clan's library to help with the research. Again, there is nothing for the excluded PCs to do. It is entirely possible that there will be no PCs allowed to help with the research. The author does not seem to realize this, for no suggestions are provided about how to handle this possibility. Even the less than satisfying dodge of having an NPC learn the truth and inform the PCs of their next step is not suggested.
To stop the plague, the PCs must destroy a being who may well prove too much for them to handle. As they set out to do that, the adventure improves because everyone is involved.
The scenario supplies the means to end the plague, but it is far from certain that the PCs will succeed. It is possible that the lands of the Phoenix clan will be demolished, and an outpost of the Shadowlands appear in their backyard. There is no inevitable ending; the fate of the Phoenix is in the PCs' hands. The timeline of events AEG has carefully waiting in the wings can be thoroughly derailed.
Indeed, GMs should think very carefully before running the scenario. Due to the true nature of the plague, the PCs may be too far gone to stop it and defeat its creator. The things they are most likely to do are also most likely to lead to disaster. Do not run this scenario unless you and your players are willing to deal with the consequences of total failure.
The second scenario, "The Lost Sword of Doji Yasurugi," deals with intrigue and horror surrounding a magical sword. It's the better of the two scenarios in Midnight Blood, but it too has problems.
It presumes successful completion of the first scenario. While this is no more essential than completing Twilight Honor, it is no less annoying that the author presumes that this will be the case. I, for one, am more likely to run this than the other one. It feels less sketchy, and there is more for the PCs to do.
Where the problems with the first scenario are primarily in the beginning, the problem of this is primarily in the end. The PCs are sent to investigate pirate activity and discover that an ancient sword must be returned to ghosts. At least, if they are on the ball, they discover it. As in the previous scenario, the author allows for the possibility of failure, although it is less likely here.
There is a fair amount of consideration given to evoking a mood of horror. It occurs to me that one factor of horror is that one is unable to do anything. This can work well in a book or movie, but it is not something I recommend doing is an RPG. Neither players nor their PCs should be reduced to helpless spectators, unable to influence the action. When I want to be just a spectator, I read a book or go to a movie.
At the climax of the scenario, the PCs are probably attempting to return the sword to its ghostly guardians. However smart the PCs are, whatever they do, they cannot get the attention of the ghosts and they cannot return the sword. The ghosts will slaughter the crew of the PCs' ship until the time comes that when author is ready for ghosts to see and take the sword. This moment has no connection to anything the PCs do. It is dependent on the presence of a particular NPC, making me wonder how the PCs are supposed to survive if she has been killed earlier in the scenario.
One other nit: At one point, the author suggests that the PC might tell an NPC that more evidence is needed before they can act against the Crane Clan. However, in Rokugan, testimony is more important than evidence.
Production values are high, layout is clean, and the artwork, as usual, is well drawn and appropriate. AEG continues the welcome trend of gathering thumbnail sketches of the major NPCs at the end of the book. I think AEG is the first company to do this; Chaosium has long since supplied thumbnail sketches, but I don't think they've ever gotten in the habit of gathering them into couple of easily photocopyable pages.
***
Code of Bushido
by Ree Soesbee, Rob Vaux, John Wick, and Pat Kapera, with additional material by Greg Stolze and Scott Gearin
Alderac Entertainment Group
48 pages, saddle stapled
$9.95
Reviewed by Lisa Padol
This product consists of three linked scenarios focusing on the dilemma of choosing between the honorable and the correct course of action. It also includes a few pages of information on the Mantis clan and a detached cover that includes maps and pictures of the NPCs. I haven't decided if I like this or not. It is useful, but it also means that the scenario booklet is not protected by a strong cover.
Honor is an essential part of Rokugan. It is the theme of the three scenarios, and the second and third are quite good. The first has serious weaknesses, and, unfortunately, much of what happens in the next two builds on it.
In the first adventure, one or more of the PCs must deliver spell scrolls to an important competition sponsored by the Phoenix clan. The other PCs are traveling to the competition, so it makes sense for everyone to travel together. A long journey is a perfectly legitimate way of getting a variety of characters together, even if the PCs don't already know each other.
So, PCs may be travelling to guard the scrolls, to compete in a tournament for the scrolls, or to indulge in political intrigue. This last may involve courting one no less prestigious than the emperor's niece. This is a good variety of motives, although the authors should not be so certain that there will be two unmarried male PCs in the group.
The set up is good, providing a great deal of flexibility and freedom. Alas, both of these elements are lost when a group of bandits attacks: "No matter what happens," say the authors on page 11, the bandits escape with the scrolls.
"No matter what happens." These words are out of place in scenarios. The odds are rigged against the PCs: there are many attackers who now the turf better than the PCs. There is a very powerful and competent NPC shuggenja. The PCs are extremely unlikely to keep possession of the scrolls. That is fine. But, if the PCs somehow manage to succeed against all odds, then, by golly, they deserve to be allowed to derail the bandits' plans.
Unfortunately, the bandits' plans are the authors', and the authors have refused to do their job and come up with a back-up plan to keep events on track. But okay. My expectations may be unreasonably high. I will allow the authors one case of "No matter what happens." It's the mcguffin to make the plot happen.
So, the scrolls are gone. The PCs head on to the festival anyway, and--
Wait a minute. My players insist that their PCs want to pursue the bandits.
Nope, can't do that. The other bushi want to report to the PCs' employer first and the merchants don't want to stick around. And the PCs sent to court the emperor's niece are eager to proceed. So--
But your gaming group doesn't have any suitors. And the suitors in mine have decided to stay with their comrades, despite their daimyo's wishes. Now, -I- would allow his, and hit the suitor PCs with consequences later. Their daimyos will not be pleased, and they will have lost valuable courting time. But the scenario does not allow for this.
Okay, your players say. Send the bushi and merchants ahead, and our PCs will track down the bandits. Okay, my players say, we'll give you a hand. The PCs sent to guard the scrolls will convince their suitor comrades to go on ahead, with the NPCs, and they'll chase the bandits on their own. In both cases, NPC back can arrive at a dramatically appropriate moment.
But no. That's not allowed. In this group of scenarios focusing on difficult choices, the PCs are not being given a choice, nor are the players. They must proceed.
So, everyone heads to the site of the competition--
Uh-oh. One of my players has announced that her PC, deprived of an opportunity to redeem her honor, will commit seppuku. This is perfectly in character, as I understand Rokugan. But, this too, is not allowed. "No matter what happens," all of the PCs must proceed to the site of the competition without troubling the bandits further. What's the problem? After all, the reader is assured, it'll be easy to locate the bandits later.
Well, I've talked my players into going along with this, even the one who thinks her PC should commit seppuku, even though I find myself in agreement with her. The ones in charge of guarding the mcguffin report to their employer, who cautions them to tell no one and sends them out to retrieve the scrolls.
A bushi working for their employer now tracks down the -other- PCs, the ones courting the emperor's niece or preparing for the competition, and they head out to retrieve the scrolls. So--
The players in my group who have PCs who are supposed to court the emperor's niece decide to ignore the bushi. But, we are informed, she will not take "No" or "Go to the Shadowlands!" for an answer. So, off they go to retrieve the scrolls--
But what's this? One of the PCs courting the niece has challenged the bushi to a duel. Think about it. You have been informed that your PC must ignore the stolen scrolls. It was not his job to either protect or retrieve them. Now the PC is approached by a remarkably rude bushi in a society that values politeness and refinement. He is told to ignore his daimyo's instructions to court the emperor's niece for the good of the clan to help someone else's daimyo. This someone else is rude, boorish, and will not take "No" for an answer. What else would you do?
If you are a clever Scorpion, you might try blackmail, instead of murder. After all, the bushi's daimyo wants everything kept quiet so that the Phoenix will not know anything is amiss. If the bushi persists in annoying him, the Scorpion warns, he will make sure that the entire festival knows about the theft of the scrolls. She and her daimyo have far more to lose than he does. Surely, that will send the bushi packing.
But the authors do not seem to have considered these possibilities, and have no advice for GMs whose players have, other than the by now overused "No matter what happens." No matter what happens, all of the PCs will accompany the bushi to retrieve the scrolls.
At this point, the players whose PCs are courting the emperor's niece are quite irate. "Why," they demand, "did you force our PCs to abandon the pursuit of the scrolls for a mission you insisted was more important to them and to their clan only to turn around and force them to abandon this mission to chase the very scrolls we wanted them to chase half an hour ago?" And, indeed, it is a good question. There is plenty for the courting PCs to do while the ones hired to guard the strolls retrieve them, or there should be. It would not be hard for the authors to create small incidents, as they do in the second scenario.
However, my players, good sports that they are, head off to track down the bandits. What they discover is a village full of ronin who will return the scrolls if the PCs agree to convince the Phoenix sponsoring the tournament to allow their shuggenja to enter it. The authors are aware that the PCs might try to fight, in which case, if they kill anyone, they will probably get slaughtered. (The "probably" part is mine.) They don't seem to think there is any middle ground between a slaughter and agreeing to the terms, but I don't have a serious problem with this. If the PCs don't fight, they will probably agree to try, at least, since it really is not their decision to make, and it is the only realistic chance they have of getting the scrolls back.
The daimyo who hired some or all of the PCs agrees, but stresses that no one must know that the ronin have the scrolls, especially the Phoenix. But the daimyo is not the one who makes the decision; the Phoenix are. The authors explain that the Phoenix simply "do not consider [the ronin shuggenja] worthy of competition. Period." Now, while the PCs cannot mention the scrolls, the Phoenix may, nevertheless, agree to let the ronin compete "If presented with a credible argument." The authors, however, give absolutely no indication of what the Phoenix would consider a credible argument. Some examples are needed.
In any case, your PCs have gotten the ronin into the competition, and are maintaining friendly relations with his village and with the annoying bushi --
My players are skeptical about this. The bushi was rude to them, and then insisted they accede to the demands of unwashed ronin. As for the ronin, why would they want to keep in touch? Well, it makes the next two scenarios more likely to go the way the author wants.
Frankly, I'd suggest either loosening up or cutting most of the first scenario. Either let the PCs break it -- let them track down the bandits early. So what? They'll get the same proposal they'd get an hour later, and perhaps some of them will get a tongue lashing from their daimyo. Or let them split up, and let the suitors do some wooing. Why not? Let them ignore the bushi, or better yet, let her ignore them.
Or, start the scenario with some or all of the PCs being covertly -- and politely -- approached. The scrolls have been stolen by bandits. Would the PCs lend some discreet aid? Players do not like having the GM treat their PCs like they are idiots most of the time; this allows them to be generous.
The second scenario is convoluted, so read it carefully. You will find that it rewards the effort. Here is where the PCs are actually confronted with a difficult moral decision. Their decision will shape events, no mistake about it.
Remember the emperor's niece? Folks are wooing her at Winter Court of the Phoenix (which assumes they did well in the first scenario, but let that pass). This includes one of the PCs' daimyos. An NPC daimyo is provided for GMs who have no interest in creating one, but the authors make it clear that GMs who do have a suitable daimyo NPC can substitute him. Amid courtly games and intrigue, a samurai insults the honor of the emperor's niece and is challenged to a duel by the PC's daimyo. The next day, the suitor is dead, and the daimyo is the logical suspect.
Here, unlike "The Lost Sword of Doji Yasurugi," the authors are aware of what has been established concerning Rokugani justice. Testimony, not evidence, is the key. Appearances are more important than reality.
Presuming the PCs learn the truth, they must decide whether to let the daimyo die for a murder he did not commit, or dishonor the emperor's niece, by proving that one of her maids did it. Complicating matters, the daimyo has informed at least one of the PCs that he would gladly die to protect the emperor's niece.
In the final scenario, the emperor's niece has been kidnapped, presumably whether or not she is dishonored in the second scenario. This leads to a confrontation with the leader of the ronin village from the first scenario. Here, matters become extremely convoluted: The emperor's niece is actually the illegitimate daughter of the daimyo who hired the PCs in the first scenario. The leader of the village is his former karo, who refused to commit seppuku to keep the daimyo's secret, feeling that his sworn word should be good enough. The emperor's niece was kidnapped by the leader's second in command, who wants a return to the good old days of lawlessness.
The PCs are likely to figure this out, although the scenario does allow for them to fail. The emperor's niece may wind up dead if they aren't careful. If she survives, she immediately re-writes history, Rokugani style. Do the PCs accept her version of events or do they attempt to bring the truth to light?
The sensible thing to do is to accept the woman's version of events, but the authors seem to hope that the PCs will not be sensible. Certainly, they have taken that possibility into account, rather than assuming that the PCs will follow one and only one course of action. If the PCs champion truth, they are set up for dishonor, high tragedy, or both.
The final tragic twist, however, depends on one of the PCs returning the attraction of the bushi from the first scenario. As written, that is the scenario with the greatest problems. For GMs willing to ignore the scenario or work around the problems, the second and third are exactly what the authors promised: scenarios where the PCs must make difficult decisions about honor where there are no easy answers.
In addition to the three scenarios, there is a brief overview of the Mantis Clan. Presumably, it will be incorporated in The Way of the Minor Clans. It is interesting material, but not connected to the scenarios.
***
These are two mixed bags. Code of Bushido has two very strong scenarios, but the opener railroads well beyond the bounds of sanity or necessity. The first scenario in Midnight Blood risks having very bored players in the beginning, although the scenario improves half way through. Be prepared for the PCs to fail completely. The second scenario is well done, but the climax is written to maximize PC helplessness and player frustration. With some work, all of the scenarios can be playable. I prefer Code of Bushido because it has a greater emphasis on intrigue and role-playing than on combat, although there are opportunities for combat in both scenario packs.
Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)
