Legend of the Five Rings

Ahh . . . role-playing. Honestly, I don't get why there aren't more female players. We're totally bred to role-play. We're handed barbies, dolls, and toys, and expected to sit and make up stories on the fly with our best gal pals. The only thing guys do differently? They usually add imaginary weapons and real life dice to the mix, along with character sheets, of course. But really, I love to role-play.

And, I'm shocked to say that I finally have a game I love more than Cyberpunk 2020, which loses its cool with every passing year drawing closer to 2020 in real life. :} Legend of the Five Rings! I thought I would hate it, thought it would be too complicated or macho, but I love the roll and keep system (is it similar to Star Wars? I can't recall for sure . . .), and I love samurai, and I love honor, and I love my character, and I LOVE the story that Jesse is GMing! Honestly, I don't know why I don't dream about it. You'd think that I would, but I don't. Not at all. In fact, I had a weird dream about being in LONDON of all places most recently.

Anyway, I think the thing that separates this game from others is probably so perfectly innate that most people wouldn't even recognize it. D&D had categories for types of people, but they all tended to not get along with one another. Rokugan, the world of L5R, has several clans, and then individual families within the clans, to fit any profile! Any person who loves to role-play could find a place for themselves in Rokugan, from being an underdog ronin, to being an imperial princess, to being a fierce warrior, to being a meek scholar . . . It's fantasmic! I LOVE IT!!

So, as my hobbies come and go, I have given up on the Kitty Island Magazine, which saw no participation after grueling months of doing it all on my own (too much work for no participation), I have instead taken it upon myself to edit L5R (it's actually a project I started a long time ago when I was still distancing myself from the game, but Jesse loved it). There are glaring errors, and so many that one would think that they didn't even bother with an editor. Not only that, but the way that they decided subjects go together made no sense. It's random, flying back and forth in the book, so I'm making it more sensical and increasing the index's population to make things even more easy to find. MWA HA HA! Not only that, but I'm compiling the main 3rd edition source book with the other books we own . . . even though new things are coming out all the time! :D~ Yes, yes, the carpal tunnel does hurt, but that is how much I love this game. And, the more I do it, the more I love the game.

Actually, because my wrists hurt so much, I took a break and am now going back through Tonbo Hoshi's logs (my Dragonfly clan character; minor clan, romantic underdog type - LOVE IT) and creating a database for important things that she would remember that sometimes slip a player's mind. You know, those critical moments when your heart flutters, or those moments when you just want to smack someone, but you don't, because you're a samurai-ko and that's not the bushido way. :} The database is great, detailing tidbits and referencing back to the logs. Oh, yes. There are logs because we choose to play online (even though we're in the same room, feet away from one another) so that the computer can record it for us. Those are the kind of nerds that we are. Or, at least, that I am.

Sometimes, I worry that Jesse will think that he's created a monster, especially when we have so little free time anymore. I GM for him for Cyberpunk 2020, and now he GM's for me, for L5R. We also spend a great deal of time watching Gilmore Girls. We're about to finish season 2. That show is fabulously funny, and unique.

I can't imagine ever not watching great DVDs like this with Jesse, or playing role-playing games. I think those people who brush it off as being nerdy are really missing out! And, you know, role-playing is a bit complicated and takes time to learn the systems to play them smoothly (let me tell you, there were growing pains starting L5R, mostly caused by their glaring errors and unpathed book), but it's one of the most exciting things I can imagine. Even though I like those DVDs, I don't get watching TV all the time when I can play the main character, even if it is for only a couple hours a week. It's an irreplacable experience, and it allows you to see something from someone else's perspective. It's as miraculous as music, to me. Beautiful. I'm so glad my fiance is the type of guy who loves this stuff as much as I do. :)

Okay! Raving OVER! I can't wait to role-play again! EEEEE!