I thought I'd stop lurking around here and start posting.  And what's a better way than with an Actual Play thread!

I'm running a Legend of the Five Rings game over the internet using the game forums at RolePlaying Online (//www.rpol.net).  My players are some friend from church.  I wanted to run the game face to face, but situations prevented that.  So it was either play on the 'net or don't play at all.  I choose the former.

Some Game Info:
We're using 3rd edition L5R.  All of us are CCG players, although we all started relatively late (Lotus arc).  I played the RPG first, while my players came from the CCG.  Our game is set at the start of the Gold CCG arc, also known as the Four Winds era.  I decided to use the updated intro adventure, 'The Topaz Championship', to kick off the campaign.

Players:
I have a unique situation.  I'm a novice GM.  Of my three players, only one has roleplayed before (my brother).  And that was only for a few one on one sessions.  So it's kinda 'the blind leading the blind'.  Fortunately, we've only stumbled into fun.

So like I said above, I have three players.  They are:
Mirumoto Keroro - Mirumoto Bushi
Hida Zaraki - Hida Bushi
Isawa Akemaru - Isawa Fire Shugenja

I'll be posting my first game recap once I sort the forum posts into a coherent narrative.  Any comments or suggestions would be welcome.

And here's the first game recap.  It covers the first night of the adventure.  I've saved a text dump of the actual game posts and posted them here.
//www.springycord.com/l5r/logs.html


Test of the Topaz Championship

The sun rises on the small town of Tsuma.  The spring wind scatters sakura
petals through the air.  Normally, Tsuma is a small town in the Kakita
provinces.  But once a year, it hosts the prestigious Topaz Championship.
Samurai from across the empire arrive in Tsuma to take part in the tournament.
Already, peasants are making the preparations, setting up pavilions and stands
for the various events.  The main street in lined with flags bearing each of the
Great Clans mons as well as the Imperial Chrysanthemum.

Already, the participants are arriving.  The tournament starts the next day...

The many samurai being to gather at the House of the Laughing Carp, a large inn in Tsuma.  Isawa Akemaru, tired from a long journey, arrives and makes himself comfortable in the common room.  Mirumoto Keroro, accompained by a group of Mirumoto bushi, makes his presence known by starting a sake drinking content among his companions.  Finally, Hida Zaraki arrives late and settles in for the night.

As the night grows closer, an arguement breaks out between two rival samurai.  Mirumoto Otakan and Kakita Shino discussion of kenjustu theory becomes heated.  Kakita Shino issues a challenge to the Dragon samurai, trying to provoke him to action.  Mirumoto Keroro attempts to dissuade his fellow Dragon, noting that such an duel would be unsanctioned and could bear harsh penalties.  Isawa Akemaru tries to egg the Dragon on, insulting the Crane's ability.  Hida Zaraki simply wants action and presses for the duel.  Outnumbered 4 to 2, Mirumoto Otakan accepts the duel.

At this, most of the samurai head to bed.  Mirumoto Keroro is stopped by the ronin Hazu.  Hazu has fallen for the Dragon shugenja Tamori Gojinka and wishes to win her favor.  He can only do so if he can bring her eight items, one for each Great Clan.  Hazu asks for Keroro's assistance in his quest.  Keroro agrees.

Isawa Akemaru is "ambushed" in his room by his two fellow Phoenix competitors.  After a quick conversation, Akemaru retires for the night.