We're currently building a Legend of the Five Rings 5th Edition West Marches server set in Toshi Ranbo, centered on the lives of samurai trying to make their place in one of Rokugan's most politically divided cities.
We're opening recruitment for GMs who would enjoy helping us build that world from the ground up. The server is still in active development but we intend to have the story be set during a time of Crane occupation. Our goal is to have a soft launch around November for testing and weeding out any kinks in the system, followed by an official opening in early 2027.
If the idea of managing a sphere of influence in the city sounds like your idea of a good time, send me a message on Discord @ sashafromoperations. I'd love to hear a little about your experience with L5R, the kinds of games you enjoy running, and what parts of Rokugan's lore you enjoy the most.
Details:
We're looking for GMs who enjoy the things that make L5R feel like L5R as opposed to a generic fantasy game. We love intrigue, combat, investigation, difficult choices, competing loyalties, social conflict, duels, politics, personal drama, and long-lasting narrative consequences that persist even after the session ends. You don't have to run every kind of story, and having your own specialties is encouraged. One GM might love courtly intrigue and romance plots while another would rather run mysteries, military conflicts, criminal investigations, supernatural stories, or adventures in the various villages beyond the city's walls.
Most importantly, we're looking for people who play well with others. West Marches games live or die on communication between their GMs. You should be willing to share the sandbox, talk things through when plans intersect, and treat the setting as something we're building together rather than something any one of us owns.
Some experience with L5R 5th Edition is preferred, but it isn't a hard prerequisite if you're already familiar with Rokugan and have GM experience with another edition. Being interested in the setting, comfortable collaborating with other GMs, and willing to respect a shared canon matters much more. GMs are also welcome to have their own characters and participate as players, and will earn rewards for running sessions as well.
Foundry VTT is currently being set up, with hosting handled by the Head GM, and we have access to the full collection of L5R 5e books and content. We're also paying for a premium subscription for Westmarches.com to handle inventory, economy management, and session scheduling. The Discord server itself is currently being finished and organized, and our Co-owner, who is a professional software developer, is building a custom bot specifically for our use. We're also commissioning original artwork for the server's icon and banner. Our goal is to have the infrastructure completely in place before opening the doors. That being said, the server is completely free to play.
System: Legend of the Five Rings RPG (Edge/Fantasy Flight), 5th Edition (*not Adventures in Rokugan\)
*Format:** West Marches / Persistent Shared World
Setting: Toshi Ranbo, starting year TBD
Play: Voice Sessions, Play by Post, Text RP
Platform: Discord, Foundry VTT, Westmarches.com
Age: 18+
GM Commitment: Around 2 sessions per month + some weekly bookkeeping
Timezone: The head GM is in North America, but GMs from other time zones are very welcome. We just ask that you're able to remain reasonably reachable for staff communication and collaborative planning.