City of Lies - L5R 4E
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Early in the eleventh century, Rokugan faced a threat it thought had long since passed. The Lost gaijin Garen Hawthorne had returned at the head of the Shadow Fleet, a massive collection of Rokugani and gaijin ships that had been corrupted by the Shadowland Taint. Determined to conquer Rokugan once and for all, he launched a surprise invasion from the Sea of Shadows that left the Empire reeling. The Great Clans banded together and counterattacked, but after almost two years of fighting, the Shadow Fleet's surprise strike and subsequent naval superiority left them struggling. In a desperate battle that would ultimately determine the fate of the Empire, the Shadow Fleet -- which had already devastated the Great Clan fleets -- was suddenly engaged by the Mantis Clan. Expecting no serious resistance from a minor clan, the Lost were unprepared for the ferocity of the island-bound samurai. The combined might of the Mantis bushi and shugenja crippled the Shadow Fleet and bought the Great Clans enough time to rally and destroy the invading forces. In repayment for the instrumental part they played in ending the threat to the Empire, the Mantis were elevated to Great Clan status.
That was almost one hundred years ago...
Now, Rokugan is in a state of relative peace. The Great Clans have finally managed to recover from the devastation brought on by the Invasion of the Shadow Fleet and returned to their prior strength. The sense of camaraderie borne of war and shared suffering has begun to fade as once again the Clans begin to strive against each other. All the while, another threat builds its strength in the shadows unbeknownst to the Empire, conspiring and plotting to bring down its hated foes...
City of Lies is an upcoming MU* based on the 4th Edition Legends of the Five Rings ruleset. Set in Ryoko Owari, players will have the opportunity to create members of (nearly) every strata of society, from the lowly Bonge, the various peasants and commoners of Rokugan, to the noble Samurai, the lords and warriors of the Empire. In the City of Lies and Stories, honor and dishonor walk hand-in-hand as no clan can afford to ignore the second largest city in the Empire. However, the opium trade stains the reputation of many, and the Lying Darkness is not without its agents. Meanwhile, the vast and mysterious Shinomen Forest lies just west of Ryoko Owari, tempting many to explore its uncharted depths despite the numerous risks.
Staff will regularly offer overarching metaplot, while player plots will not only be supported but encouraged. PCs will lead their clans -- at least locally -- in both political and combat roles as well. NPCs may fill out leadership positions at first, but ultimately we want players to take their spots and help guide the story. City of Lies is set in an alternate timeline, and though it starts at the beginning of the 12th Century, it exists outside of the canon series of events. Players and their characters will by no means be limited to following 'the script' -- many events that happen in the canon timeline likely will never come to pass in ours, and others may occur earlier or later and in drastically altered forms. Even then, the PCs will always have the power to decide how to face any threats that risk the safety and prosperity of Rokugan.
City of Lies uses @Faraday's wonderful Ares code and at the moment CG is about halfway finished with the most complex parts already in place. I plan to open to Alpha shortly after the most vital aspects of the game are finished, with the intention of progressing into a beta and then full open as more features are added. Currently however, we desperately need Staff. We'd like to get a few general Staff to handle jobs, the web portal, and the like, as well as a theme Staffer or two to help manage metaplot stuff. Even if the idea of being a full-time staffer isn't your cup of tea, we would still greatly appreciate anyone willing to donate their time to help get the grid in place or populate theme files before we open.
In the meantime we have an official Discord Server just like all the cool, hip new games here: https://discord.gg/pRe2bVJ
