OOC Chat

[Togashi Satsuki]

I just have to wonder how full these libraries are, even after fifteen years.

Probably not very much, as it is reliant on individuals filling them. The library project is a long-term investment before it pays off, but so far, at least in Great Falls (Saru lands), Saruko uses it primarly as a location for teaching.

Yeah, parchment takes a long time to make. But it also lasts for-frickin-ever in comparison to paper.

If it doesn't get eaten, yeah.

Lots of stuff likes to eat it, though.

It shouldn't taste so good if it don't want to get eaten!

[Otomo Gusai]

It shouldn't taste so good if it don't want to get eaten!

Not just true of parchment...

*fingerguns*

[Doji Misaki]

Yeah, parchment takes a long time to make. But it also lasts for-frickin-ever in comparison to paper.

I am not sure if Rokugan at this point would take to parchment, considering its made of animal-hide... *thinking* Maybe a question for the GMs when they're around again?

One of the things for a Traveling Pack is "parchment & charcoal", so they must have something they call parchment at least. All it really says in the book is "cheaper alternative to brush and ink".

[Makime Ayano]

It shouldn't taste so good if it don't want to get eaten!

Not just true of parchment...

*fingerguns*

It's going to be a very, very long winter...

[Togashi Satsuki]

Yeah, parchment takes a long time to make. But it also lasts for-frickin-ever in comparison to paper.

I am not sure if Rokugan at this point would take to parchment, considering its made of animal-hide... *thinking* Maybe a question for the GMs when they're around again?

One of the things for a Traveling Pack is "parchment & charcoal", so they must have something they call parchment at least. All it really says in the book is "cheaper alternative to brush and ink".

If it is real parchment, then yeah, it is waaaay pricier than paper.

I assume that the book is using a plant-based parchment, like papyrus, but that would work very poorly in a humid environment like most Rokugan. Personally, I chalk it up to a lot of writers (L5R's and fantasy-writers) not being too knowledgable about what parchment is apart from the parchment-paper you can get in craft & hobby stores in modern times (or parchment paper that is used in baking).


EDIT: On the topic of the libraries since that was mentioned earlier, I would guess that a majority of what each library contains at this point is what each local samurai responsible for the library (like Saruko being responsible for the library in Saru lands) is personally writing, or commissioning people to write.

[Otomo Gusai]

It's going to be a very, very long winter...

I'm happy to help keep people warm...

[Makime Ayano]

Yeah, parchment takes a long time to make. But it also lasts for-frickin-ever in comparison to paper.

I am not sure if Rokugan at this point would take to parchment, considering its made of animal-hide... *thinking* Maybe a question for the GMs when they're around again?

One of the things for a Traveling Pack is "parchment & charcoal", so they must have something they call parchment at least. All it really says in the book is "cheaper alternative to brush and ink".

If it is real parchment, then yeah, it is waaaay pricier than paper.

I assume that the book is using a plant-based parchment, like papyrus, but that would work very poorly in a humid environment like most Rokugan. Personally, I chalk it up to a lot of writers (L5R's and fantasy-writers) not being too knowledgable about what parchment is apart from the parchment-paper you can get in craft & hobby stores in modern times (or parchment paper that is used in baking).


EDIT: On the topic of the libraries since that was mentioned earlier, I would guess that a majority of what each library contains at this point is what each local samurai responsible for the library (like Saruko being responsible for the library in Saru lands) is personally writing, or commissioning people to write.

You can read anything you want as long as it is Leadership

[Jiyo Sora]

We've already established (in the last game) that ideas of what is and isn't "unclean" are going to vary a bit.

Weirdly, I think the heavy Ayakashi influence at the Imperial Court is more likely to argue against the use of animal hide than the will of the Kami at this stage But without paper, and WITH libraries as an established thing... I think parchment is being tolerated for the time being.

Lemme check something...

Nope. No comment on what Kinyoubi's scrolls were made of in the last game.

Except that I mentioned vellum at one point.

EDIT: On the topic of the libraries since that was mentioned earlier, I would guess that a majority of what each library contains at this point is what each local samurai responsible for the library (like Saruko being responsible for the library in Saru lands) is personally writing, or commissioning people to write.

Sora's initial plans when he pitched the idea to Hantei also have provision for a scroll detailing the philosophy of each Kami.

At one scroll per Kami, I'd say each branch (since there's really just one per Clan and he central one in the Imperial City) probably has a copy of each.

But yeah, right now, they're probably more about teaching people than about having craploads of stuff written down. So, like, a local scribe's list of characters to help people learn to read and write and the one scroll per Kami are probably the only universal constants. Maybe the Tao of Shinsei, since that got written down during the timeskip.

[Hantei Kinsen]

We're kind of going from level 2 to 3 in Maslow's Pyramid and people are trying to jump to the 5th level already. That's admirable, if not naive.

[Togashi Satsuki]

We've already established (in the last game) that ideas of what is and isn't "unclean" are going to vary a bit.

Weirdly, I think the heavy Ayakashi influence at the Imperial Court is more likely to argue against the use of animal hide than the will of the Kami at this stage But without paper, and WITH libraries as an established thing... I think parchment is being tolerated for the time being.

Lemme check something...

Nope. No comment on what Kinyoubi's scrolls were made of in the last game.

Except that I mentioned vellum at one point.

Sora's initial plans when he pitched the idea to Hantei also have provision for a scroll detailing the philosophy of each Kami.

At one scroll per Kami, I'd say each branch (since there's really just one per Clan and he central one in the Imperial City) probably has a copy of each.

But yeah, right now, they're probably more about teaching people than about having craploads of stuff written down. So, like, a local scribe's list of characters to help people learn to read and write and the one scroll per Kami are probably the only universal constants. Maybe the Tao of Shinsei, since that got written down during the timeskip.

Good point about the Ayakashi. They weren't vegetarians, and weren't adverse to fur/leather, but I could see them being against raising animals merely to be used for parchment. So it will be interesting to see how that develops. Canary has mentioned on Discord that the Kami are mostly abstaining from meat - Doji and Hantei because they're fancypants, Shiba and Togashi because of spiritual reasons.

So there might be a mix of influences in establishing what is clean/unclean.


Didn't know about Sora asking the all the Kami to contribute their philosophies to the library, though that one might be hard to see all of them contribute, I think. Some of them are more secretive, and some might be more "if they want to learn, they can come and learn".

We're kind of going from level 2 to 3 in Maslow's Pyramid and people are trying to jump to the 5th level already. That's admirable, if not naive.

Yes.

Some cheating can happen because "divine guidance from actual gods" though.

Sadly though, looking at all civilizations, nations require breaking lots of backs to build.

[Jiyo Sora]

Good point about the Ayakashi. They weren't vegetarians, and weren't adverse to fur/leather, but I could see them being against raising animals merely to be used for parchment. So it will be interesting to see how that develops.

It may have been modern GM conflation of paper and parchment, but Sora did have a vision involving paper at one point.

Didn't know about Sora asking the all the Kami to contribute their philosophies to the library, though that one might be hard to see all of them contribute, I think. Some of them are more secretive, and some might be more "if they want to learn, they can come and learn".

He asked Saruko to lean on her hubby about it, but I strongly suspect that Togashi sent a blank scroll, and Bayushi probably sent a recipe for fish soup.

Sadly though, looking at all civilizations, nations require breaking lots of backs to build.

Yep, something Sora the idealist is never going to really be at peace with, even thought he culture he came from was way, way worse about how people got treated (if you weren't Hikaru, you were a pansy to be killed if you trespassed, raided if need be, and never, ever respected)

[Doji Hikaru]

Bayushi probably sent a recipe for fish soup.

Hey, that's not nothing!

[Togashi Satsuki]

I know it's easy to fall into thinking about what we as players know about how Rokugan's caste society and how it will look like in its final form, but I think it's best approached with the thought that the Kami (being paragons of honor and being virtuous) most likely are promoting a division of responsibilities to see humanity prosper with a view that is ultimately very idealistic (because the Kami/Tengoku are the ideals), and not because "mwahahaha now I'm king of the hill!".

And that the Rokugan we know from canon is the one that is "corrupted" by humanity being unable to live up to the ideals of the Kami (stronger divisions, mobility between castes being unobtainable outside of reincarnation, absolute authority of the Buke and Kuge).

He asked Saruko to lean on her hubby about it, but I strongly suspect that Togashi sent a blank scroll, and Bayushi probably sent a recipe for fish soup.

Togashi does as he does.

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Bamboo and silk (竹帛) were apparently the main medium of writing before paper was invented. It's likely short texts that are not destined to be kept are still written on bamboo sticks.

[Hantei Kinsen]

Yep, something Sora the idealist is never going to really be at peace with, even thought he culture he came from was way, way worse about how people got treated (if you weren't Hikaru, you were a pansy to be killed if you trespassed, raided if need be, and never, ever respected)

I get so amused when previous Hikaru brag about their harsh upbringings when they forget they're talking to previous Noriaki. =P

[Jiyo Sora]

Yep, something Sora the idealist is never going to really be at peace with, even thought he culture he came from was way, way worse about how people got treated (if you weren't Hikaru, you were a pansy to be killed if you trespassed, raided if need be, and never, ever respected)

I get so amused when previous Hikaru brag about their harsh upbringings when they forget they're talking to previous Noriaki. =P

Well, Sora's backstory involved killing more than a few Noriaki, so he didn't think much of them

Really, both tribes were pretty awful in their ways... the Noriaki made a better army, the Hikaru made more persistent jackass holdouts.

[Hantei Kinsen]

Well, Sora's backstory involved killing more than a few Noriaki, so he didn't think much of them

Only 1 Noriaki killed this side. It was more than enough, though, to dislike them.

[Doji Dojihime]

We simply live by the ideals of Doji and Shiba, and that of my father to build a better world.

[Wu Zhe]

Except that some saw the corruption looming in the distance

[Doji Dojihime]

Except that some saw the corruption looming in the distance

So then what is the better way to build a civilized world?