The Inside Scoop on Gaming

About 2 weeks before my current campaign oof L5R was to start I decided to plunk down $30 on this boxed set, why? I don't know I thought it might be an interesting stop over on the party's way to Kyuden Seppun, but Iwas wrong. And after scrapping my campaign notes I found one of the most interesting environments to place a campaign. Ryoko Owari, the city of lies.

Inside this rather stout box are 3 books (one for players, one for GMs and the neighborhood descriptions book) ach book is very well written (greg Stoltze is a very matter of fact author, but far from aboring read.) and the art (while primarilly servicable gives you a good idea of NPC identities, as well as locations. Also included are 2 maps (rokugan in color and Ryoko Owari in black and white) also included is a journal of Ashikada Naritoki the former Emerald Magistrate of Ryoko Owari, which can give players all sorts of insight to the many goings on that lead to his death.

The books are expertly cross referenced giving you a very full view of the city and it's interconnection of people, locations and general information. the players book gives you a ton of stories from many varied sources on the city from famous travelouge of Rokugan to more infamous and Scandalous plays. which helps to really set the toen for the city.

The GM's book is much more matter of fact turning the rumors and perceptions in the player book into the hard facts the GM can use to craft his world. it also Includes to mini campaigns (Yemon's Legacy and the Opium war.) the primary campaign ideas hinge on your players becpoming the emerald Magistrate (which is a great place to start a new campaign) but the richness of the city could easilly be used without this plot hook.

The third book Gives the GM a better detailed look at the individual neighborhoods of Ryoko Owari as well as local rumor mills and acventure hooks, making it a quick and dirty guide for GM's looking to start something in a small part of this scorpion controled major port!

The biggest problem I had with this product was that it did rely on the idea that you already owned clanbooks Scorpion and Unicorn. They mention alot about the families that don't appear the core rulebook and they assume that you know about them (a small note or booklet about these families would have been useful!)

To be honest $30 is a pretty good deal for the detail that you get in this city I feel like even after the first module I could run an entire campaign for the next year without having the players even leave the region of Ryoko Owari.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

City of Lies
Author: Greg Stoltze Category: game Company/Publisher: Alderac Entertainment Inc Line: Legend of the Five Rings Cost: 29.95 Page count: 246 SKU: 3004 Playtest Review by Jamie Herbert on 04/19/00. Genre tags: Fantasy Asian/Far_East	About 2 weeks before my current campaign oof L5R was to start I decided to plunk down $30 on this boxed set, why? I don't know I thought it might be an interesting stop over on the party's way to Kyuden Seppun, but Iwas wrong. And after scrapping my campaign notes I found one of the most interesting environments to place a campaign. Ryoko Owari, the city of lies. Inside this rather stout box are 3 books (one for players, one for GMs and the neighborhood descriptions book) ach book is very well written (greg Stoltze is a very matter of fact author, but far from aboring read.) and the art (while primarilly servicable gives you a good idea of NPC identities, as well as locations. Also included are 2 maps (rokugan in color and Ryoko Owari in black and white) also included is a journal of Ashikada Naritoki the former Emerald Magistrate of Ryoko Owari, which can give players all sorts of insight to the many goings on that lead to his death. The books are expertly cross referenced giving you a very full view of the city and it's interconnection of people, locations and general information. the players book gives you a ton of stories from many varied sources on the city from famous travelouge of Rokugan to more infamous and Scandalous plays. which helps to really set the toen for the city. The GM's book is much more matter of fact turning the rumors and perceptions in the player book into the hard facts the GM can use to craft his world. it also Includes to mini campaigns (Yemon's Legacy and the Opium war.) the primary campaign ideas hinge on your players becpoming the emerald Magistrate (which is a great place to start a new campaign) but the richness of the city could easilly be used without this plot hook. The third book Gives the GM a better detailed look at the individual neighborhoods of Ryoko Owari as well as local rumor mills and acventure hooks, making it a quick and dirty guide for GM's looking to start something in a small part of this scorpion controled major port! The biggest problem I had with this product was that it did rely on the idea that you already owned clanbooks Scorpion and Unicorn. They mention alot about the families that don't appear the core rulebook and they assume that you know about them (a small note or booklet about these families would have been useful!) To be honest $30 is a pretty good deal for the detail that you get in this city I feel like even after the first module I could run an entire campaign for the next year without having the players even leave the region of Ryoko Owari. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

City of Lies