The Kotei in Nuremberg is upon us, and you all can decide about the fate of the Mantis. Besides all the glorious loot you can plunder, your choices will also have an impact on the story of Sanctuary.
Wow, only two weeks left before we all meet once more in person on the battlefield of Nuremberg.
The Story Prize
The Mantis followed the Empress’s fleet with the intent to plunder the mystical land that awaited her and leave to enjoy their new-found wealth. But the Isle of Mists does not give up her secrets easily: the Mantis have found themselves trapped behind that shielding curtain, and without the resources and preparation enjoyed by the other clans.
Caught by the ensnaring scent of the Flower of Contentment found in the Barren Swamps where they took refuge, the Mantis have only recently managed to break free. And when they did so, they realized that they could starve here, surrounded by plenty.
The winning clan will get to decide the Fate of the Mantis. They may have pity on these pirates and offer them resources from their own precious stores, potentially winning an ally and standing for the virtue of Compassion. Or they may allow the Mantis to suffer the consequences of their own actions and stripping from them some of the treasures they have unjustly earned, standing for the virtue of a well-earned Justice.
The samurai of the clans will decide.
Kakita Kaori
Enter the Tourney Grounds
We have already opened the tournament on Tourney Grounds (former Lotus Pavilion) and we will allow you to register yourself for the tournament. In addition—to smoothen the tournament flow and reduce waiting times (and work for us)—,you will be able to report your pairings with your smartphone.
Please sign up via the link below and register at least with your clan now, you can re-register with proper stronghold and role before the tournament. We only need the clan affiliations to prepare your loot packs in advance. 🙂
Please send us the links to your decks (EmeraldDB) until Friday before the Kotei, June 23.
Tournament Structure – Day 1
We’re currently 31 Samurai that will enter the tournament on Saturday (hopefully a 32nd or more will still register until then), which means we will play a Swiss tournament over five rounds. Everyone with a record of 4-1 or 5-0 will qualify for the Top Cut on the second day. Every clan that does not qualify for the Top Cut, will have a clan challenger: the best player of that clan will also qualify for the Top Cut.
A match will end after 65 minutes or if any one player wins before the timer runs out. After 65 minutes, each player is given the opportunity to gracefully concede to their opponent (starting with the first player). If no one concedes, the players will play for another 10 minutes. If there is a winner within those ten minutes, they will be awarded with 10 points, the loser with 0 points (because they did not concede when given the chance). If there is still no winner after those 10 minutes, they will count their total points: 2 points per broken province (max 6 points), 2 points if more honourable, 1 point if in possession of the Imperial Favour. The winner will be rewarded with 6 points (modified win), the loser with 0 points (modified loss).
Tournament Structure – Day 2
We will have the Top Cut tournament, which will be decided via single elimination rounds (three or four rounds, depending on the number of challengers).
In parallel to the top cut, we will have the Tournament of the Second Chance, where everyone else is allowed to enter. This tournament will consist of four rounds of Swiss, with the winner(s) determined based on the final standings of the tournament.
Bonus: There will also be an L5R Cube Draft that is prepared by one of the community members. Everyone who will participate will receive a special Emerald Legacy and Nuremberg themed draft pack as a token of remembrance. Participation is limited to 8 players. If you participate in the draft, you cannot participate in any of the other events, as this will take most of the day.
A Word on Legality
Ancient Secrets will be legal for the Kotei. We know that you still cannot purchase it (we still lack a decent amount of art, unfortunately), but you can download the cards here and print them yourself. Just slide them into the sleeve in front of another card.
We will bring packs of Restoration of Balance and Through the Mists for those of you who stated that they need some (or will state that they need some, should you register now or until the Kotei).
One More Thing
We don’t have a Vision Pro to announce, but something equally special: Kakita Kaori will travel from the United States to Nuremberg, and she is offering to be a Game Master for a session of 5E L5R pen and paper RPG. Should enough people be interested in this, we will have a session on Sunday. Please create a level 1 character beforehand and get in touch with Kaori on Discord. In addition, Kaori will tell us various tales of L5R in the evening(s): Old AEG stories, real life events that happened around the game, and much more. Thank you so much, Kaori!
And that’s it for today. Should you have any more questions, ask them on Discord or here in the comments. And if you have not registered yet, go ahead and do it!
