The Left Hand's Path - Crane Story Paths

[Kakita Kasukaru]

TBH, I love all our themes (courtiers/artisans, duellists, magistrates and even scouts). And I fear that this (the CCG themes) will not eventually be decided by us but, of course, by the Design Team. And it is probably already done, since the card production cycle is way more than 6 month.

[Doji Josh]

My inclinations are as follows....

Option 3
Option 1
A 4th option
Never option 2.

[Daidoji Maseru]

I still strongly support the first option. It is the most honorable and it allows the Crane to truly be heroes in their own story. Doing traditional Crane thinking does not necessarily work in this situation: How can we honorably use favors of the Emperor and his court if the Emperor is corrupt? How can we rely on alliances with other clans if they have their own agendas? I am 1005 allying with others, but this voting process is going to be in many steps, I would like to see where the other clans are going before committing to any alliances. I have just submitted my own path 4 option which utilizes aspects of both option 1 and option 3 in the most Crane way possible. It allows for the Crane armies to fight with honor and rally other clans to the cause as well as our courtiers and artists to cultivate the culture of Rokugan away from the fighting. It does however carry the negative aspects of both paths so it will not be easy, but something tells me that survival in Onyx edition will not be easy regardless of which path we take.

[Kakita Shiro]

After much contemplation, I have finally come down on the side of Path 1, To Do What We Must. Crane warfare, by necessity, is different from that of the Lion or the Crab and can still incorporate the use of the tools for which we are best known. The risks inherent in Path 3 mean that we stand to lose too much both in standing with the other clans and in skilled artisans, to say nothing of irreplaceable works of art. Path 2 risks our souls for the chance that our institutions manage to avoid being corrupted, which is too high a price for the uncertainty of the path.

As was stated many times in Winter Court, the Empire is strongest when the Left and the Right work in concert. We must stand beside the rest of the Empire and ensure a swift end to Kanpeki's Onyx Empire. This is the surest path to saving the things we love, though it may come at a terrible price in blood and treasure. The time for concerning ourselves with rebuilding will come, as there is a season for all things. We must ensure that there is something worth rebuilding first.

[Kakita Takata]

I really want Crane to still have the Artist keyword. If Choice 1 is picked i want Warrior Poets who Rap Battle people to death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IhTNiEboVQ

[Doji Yoshi]

Yay! Shiro is on board with option 1.
Although I'm curious as to why more Crane aren't on board with option 1. One of my favorite characters was Tanitsu. Tanitsu was a Crane with promise. He was friends with all of the 4 winds, he had many favors and was secretly promised to Tsudao. He was very good in court. And yet when the Courtier was with the former Empress and Chagatai was approaching he knew what must be done, and died fighting. He even left a death poem. Even Tanitsu was wise enough to know that politics was not an option to stop power hungry men.
The way of life of the Empire is not under threat. It's physical things, artwork, gardens, books..things. Things can be replaced. It's sad if any are lost, but characters.. PEOPLE are more important than things. Saving them should take priority.

A zombie apocalypse approaches and people would rather save their things than their brothers? Sounds selfish to me.

Philosophically speaking, I don't think in a worst case scenario that Crane would belly up and focus on saving the things. In WW2 Dusseldorf was destroyed. Tons of artwork was destroyed. Napoleon called Dusseldorf little Paris after passing through based on its artwork alone. And yet it needed to be destroyed to stop a war. Even a pacifist such as Albert Einstein would do what he must.

[Asahina Ro-Kuma]

[Daidoji Reiji]

Yes, and most of the Daidoji are warriors and soldiers. Are we going to let them stand to the side, or do what they have been trained to do? When war comes to our lands, and the lands of our allies, will we do nothing?

I don't see why we can't let the bushi fight and the courtiers politic. The two are not mutually exclusive.

[Asahina Ro-Kuma]

I agree actually. I think that all options are too broad for the diversity of the clan. So we can send scouts to fight, shugenja to protect, and the courtiers can save the art. But thats best case scenario. We all win with that option. But we still have to be losing something. What's the risk?

[Daidoji Maseru]