Welcome to the 2012 Kotei page.

Here you will find all the information you need regarding the Age of Exploration: important information on the season, schedule, prizes and results. So bookmark this page until the end of June to keep track of the shaping of the Colonies as it is decided by you, the players!

Important Note: Choices will be awarded on a first reported, first served basis. Please make sure you submit 2 choices (primary and secondary) to the Kotei TO with your win  (in location and also resource chosen) to avoid delays in taking your victory into account.

Story Introduction

The samurai hacked away at the thick, grasping vegetation that dared to bar his path, snarling in frustration at how long it took to travel so short a distance in this accursed realm. He stopped to rest for a moment, his sword arm throbbing, his face drenched in perspiration. He tugged at the clay bottle he kept at his belt and was dismayed at how little water remained within it. He had not seen a stream or river in several hours, and the thought of having to retrace his steps to replenish his water filled him with despair.

As he drank the last of his water, the samurai looked down at his katana with an overwhelming feeling of sorrow and regret. To see his grandfather’s blade sullied by vegetation and wood was nearly enough to make him weep, but he could not succumb to such weakness. He had carried a parangu when his journey had first started, but it had been destroyed in his travels long ago. He wished now that he had purchased more than one at the outset of his trip; the blades of such things were so inferior that they could not handle the climate or the stress of such heavy use. Even his katana required regular, extensive maintenance to ensure that the climate did not affect it in the same way. Such a thing would be an unacceptable tragedy.

The samurai sipped away the last drop of moisture from within the bottle and replaced it at his belt. As he was looking down to lash it in his obi properly, a glint of something on the horizon caught in the corner of his eye. Frowning, the bottle forgotten, the samurai renewed his efforts at hacking through the vines and branches, churning forward through the damp soil at fast as he could manage. He continued for what seemed like an eternity, but each time he began to lose heart he would catch a glimpse of something, another glint of light off of something reflective or a patch of strange color through the wind-blown leaves. It was just enough to keep him going, and keep going he did. For hours, he continued forging a rough path through the jealous landscape, until finally he emerged on a small rise that overlooked a jungle valley.

There! At the other side of the valley, almost reclaimed by the jungle, there was a building of some sort. It was enormous, large enough that even in all the years since the Ivory Kingdoms were destroyed, it had not yet disappeared utterly, although clearly it had been ravaged by time. When had human eyes last looked upon it? What secrets and riches might be contained within its depths? He was not sure, but he knew that his clan would benefit from them greatly, and he would honor his ancestors. Perhaps his grandfather’s spirit might even forgive him for the slight he had offered to his blade.

So great was his joy at discovering this hidden trove of influence that it almost ended the samurai’s life. A serpent stirred in the brush and sprang for him. He recognized the sound at the last possible second and stepped back, mindful that it might be a poisonous bite. What he was not prepared for was the sight of the thing that sprang for him. It was a serpent, to be sure, but twice as thick as a man’s leg, and with a distended maw that held more fangs than he could count. Surely such a thing could be natural, but must be one of the foul, supernatural abominations that could be found throughout the countryside, perhaps as a lingering memory of the Destroyer’s murder of this once great nation.

The samurai readied his blade and adopted a cautious stance. The serpent was winding through the brush, circling around to strike again, and he would be ready. Somewhere behind him, though, he heard another rustling, and then off to the left, and to the right, and all around. There were at least a half dozen of the things, perhaps more. And they all wanted his blood.

“Come on then!” he snarled at them. “Come and get me!”

Tournament Schedule

Important Information on the Season

For nearly two decades, the samurai of Rokugan have labored under terrible conditions to try and bring order to the former Ivory Kingdoms, a region now known simply as the Imperial Colonies. After more than 20 years of diligent effort, a portion of that distant land has been properly civilized and brought under the rule of the Emerald Empire, but a great deal of work remains, and the dangers to those seeking to fulfill the Empress’s will are significant. For the entirety of the Colonies’ existence, the duty of exploring and bringing the wilderness to heel has been that of the Spider and Mantis clans. Until now.

In a shocking display of disregard for her predecessor’s policies, the new Imperial Governor of the Colonies has opened the entire land to exploration and claim by all of the Great Clans as well as the Minor Clan Alliance. Many are horrified by this, recognizing the potential for death and destruction as those grossly unprepared for the dangers they face rush into the unknown lands. Many more, however, are eager to lay claim to the riches that lay as yet unclaimed throughout the entire region.

This Kotei season, the winners of each individual tournament will have a decision to make. The prizes available to them are the vast resources and mysteries of the former Ivory Kingdoms, but the dangers are those things now unleashed in the aftermath of that great nation’s demise. The winner of an event’s CCG tournament will select in which district his clan stakes a claim, as well as the hero making that claim (a legal, non unique Personality from his Clan), and may select from the list (listed below) what treasure or mystery is of most interest to him. However, there are other matters to consider. Each of the five districts into which the Colonies are divided have varying levels of productivity, from mildly productive holdings in the Empty Plains and the region known as New Rokugan, to the moderately productive regions of the Ivory Coast and the Frontier, all the way to the significantly productive holdings of the Unknown Lands. But each also has a risk of complications. Only New Rokugan is free from such concerns, while the Empty Plains and the Ivory Coast have mild complications, the Frontier has moderate complications, and the Unknown Lands have complications of a most severe nature. Will the winner choose a safe treasure and avoid the risk of disaster, or will he risk it all for the greatest prizes to be found in the Colonies? Only the winner can make this choice.

Additionally, when the CCG winner chooses the prize to which his clan will lay claim, the winner of each event’s Honor Contest will determine the name for this prize. So, for example, if a CCG winner decides that Hida  Bushotsu claimed the Eternal Oasis in the Empty Plains in the name of the Crab Clan, the winner of the Honor event could choose to name it O-Ushi’s Haven or something similar. In this way, the winners of the events at each individual Kotei tournament are encouraged to work together to develop the themes of each individual clan.

 The 2012 Kotei season is an opportunity for players of L5R to truly shape the face of the Colonies, a setting which will have a major impact on the story of L5R over the course of the next two arcs, and potentially much longer. The potential rewards for each of the clans are great, but the dangers are significant as well, and it falls to the players to decide how the Colonies as a whole will be mapped out. Clans that consolidate their holdings will find that they have a strong power base in the conflicts to come, while clans that are scattered may have more difficulty if their enemies come for them…

District 1: The Empty Plains

The Empty Plains is the name given to the region of the Colonies that separates it from the vast northern wasteland. It makes up the northwestern region of the Colonies and exists in a narrow strip. It is largely devoid of features and is prone to extreme weather, including deadly dust storms from the north and frequent, extreme thunderstorms.

Productivity: Moderate
Complication: Mild
Available Resources: 

• Enigmatic Temple Untouched by Time – Artur Szymala – Dragon – Kitsuki Nubane – Zembu’s Retreat – D1-9 – Kotei Bielsko-Biala, Poland
• Long Lost Caravan from Medinaat-al-Salaam
• Glassworks
• Scholarly Gaijin Hermit – Marcus Finger – Lion – Ikoma Tsukasa – The Cliffs of Lady Doji – D1-2 – Kotei Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• Stable (Camel)
• Lost Tome of Shaharazad
• Enslaved Djinn – Jorge Garcia – Lion – Kitsu Sorano – Yasuko’s Memorial – D1-1 – Kotei Barcelona, Spain
• Eternal Oasis
• Font of Lantern Oil
• Clay Soldiers Defending a Tomb

District 2: New Rokugan

This is the most heavily domesticated and safest region of the Colonies, where the Second City and most of the previously existing, established holdings are located. There are no complications in this district, other than the possibility of getting a holding surrounded by your enemies.

Productivity: Mild
Complications: None
Available Resources: 

• Imperial Explorers Dojo
• Silkworks
• Minor Vein of Jade
• Stable (Gaijin Horse)
• Stable (Elephant)
• Dueling Grounds – David Beke – Dragon – Kitsuki Horume – Master Jinn-Kuen’s Dojo – D2-1 – Kotei Budapest, Hungary 
• Colonial Herald Outpost
• Ivory Magistrate Outpost – Mark-Anthony Fouche – Unicorn – Utaku Mai – The Tranquil Gardens of Kachiko – D2-6 – Kotei Pretoria, South Africa
• Farmland (Extensive)
• Farmland (Exotic)
• Guard Station against the Eastern Jungle
• Mine (Diamonds) – Juan Palomo – Crab – Nijugun – Plains of the Pincer Alliance – D2-15 – Kotei Granada, Spain
• Mine (Gold)
• Fudoist Temple
• Lakeside Estates

District 3: The Ivory Coast

The smallest of the districts is the mountainous coastline to the south, stretching from the primary Mantis holding of Kalani’s Landing back east until you reach the unsafe regions associated with the Shadowlands. Due to its relatively small size, there are few holdings available here.

Productivity: Moderate
Complications: Mild
Available Resources: 

• Sheltered Cove – Case Kiyonaga – Mantis – Yoritomo Kanaye – Kage’s Rest – D3-1 – Kotei Portland, OR, USA
• Pearl Bed – Daniel Chlebowczyk – Crab – Kuni Shinoda – Mountain’s Shadow Refuge – D3-2 – Kotei Melbourne, Australia
• Gaijin Shipwreck – Case Kiyonaga – Mantis – Yoritomo Tarao – The Kamis’ Fall – D3-3 – Kotei Ontario, CA, USA
• Fishing Village
• Allied Shojo

District 4: The Frontier

This is the region that has seen the most significant exploration over the past decade, primarily by the Mantis and Spider clans. The region is mapped, but not tamed, and many terrible dangers remain there to threaten those clans pushing forward.

Productivity: Significant
Complications: Moderate
Available Resources: 

• Stable (Elephants) – Matt Demand – Dragon – Kitsuki Horume – Kasuga Estates – D4-9 – Kotei Tucson, AZ, USA
• Stable (Exotic) – Bruno Hoffmann – Scorpion – Bayushi Tsimaru – Stable of Crimson and Azure Pincers – D4-7 – Kotei Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Ruins of the Singh Raja – Andrew Ornatov – Mantis – Yoritomo Singh – Junzo’s Final Betrayal – D4-12 – Kotei Tacoma, WA, USA
• Hidden Storage House of House Rafiq – Jon Palmer – Crab – Yasuki Dokansuto – Seven Tanuki Grove – D4-8 – Kotei Sterling, VA, USA
• Cache of Kshatriya Artifacts – Kevin Kennedy – Phoenix – Shiba Sansesuke – Resting Place of the Last Wish – D4-4 – Kotei Knoxville, TN, USA
• Red Hunger’s Fang – Kamil Pakowski – Crab – Kaiu Nakano – Kempy’s Hunting Trophy - D4-10 – Kotei Szczecin, Poland
• Ruined Library – AJ Valle – Unicorn - Shinjo Tae-hyun – Yasuyo’s Final Lesson – D4-6 – Kotei South Sioux City, NE, USA
• Fallen Temple – Quek Fu Jin – Dragon - Mirumoto Katagi – Durian King Cove - D4-13 – Kotei Selangor, Malaysia
• Evidence of Non-human Life in the Colonies – Dimitris Giannakis – Phoenix – Asako Kaitoko - The Pillars of Tadaka’s Thunderous Soul - D4-14 – Kotei Athens, Greece
• Mercenary Headquarters – Michael Dickinson – Scorpion - Bayushi Kahoku – Boyoh’s Cultists – D4-11 – Kotei Sheffield, UK
• Maps of the Northern Territories
• Lair of a Slumbering Ashalan – Noah Luckiesh – Scorpion – Shosuro Tanzaki – Lair of the Crystal Wind – D4-2 – Kotei Minneapolis, MN, USA
• The Tomb of a Doomseeker
• Settlement of Jackal Refugees
• Spawn of Vritra

District 5: The Unknown Lands

This is the greatest prize of all, and home to perhaps the greatest dangers the samurai of the Colonies might ever know. Terrible secrets are lost in this area, into which only a handful of Spider and Mantis have ever traveled.

Productivity: Significant
Complications: Severe
Available Resources: 

• Ruins of the Ivory Palace – Alex Nagelvoort – Dragon - Mirumoto Kojinrue – Aramoro’s Redemption – D5-14 – Kotei Chicago, IL, USA
• The Last Village – Doug Dee – Dragon – Tsai-Tsu – Tsuruchi Zeshin’s Gift – D5-2 – Kotei Lafayette, LA, USA
• Stable (Supernatural) – Case Kiyonaga – Mantis – Tsuruchi Etsui – The Spawning Pool - D5-15 – Kotei Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Lost Blade of the Maharaja – Josh Griffis – Crab – Hida Yamadera – The Feeding Hills of the Shojo – D5-11 – Kotei Feeding Hills, MA, USA
• Shard of the Great Death’s Bones – Khlobystov Alexander – Dragon - Tamori Kazushige – The City of Pen-Zyu – D5-1 – Kotei Moscow, Russia
• Buried Temple (Partially Intact) - Alex Iartsev – Lion – Akodo Makotai – Temple of a Forgotten God – D5-3 – Kotei Buenos Aires, Argentina, USA
• Herd of Docile Beastmen Destroyers – Alex Nagelvoort – Dragon – Togashi Sakata – Sozen’s Legacy – D5-13 – Kotei Evansville, IN, USA
• Gigantic Golem Awaiting Activation – Trevor Valentine – Crab - Hida Daizu – Umiushi Springs – D5-6 – Kotei Orlando, FL, USA
• Lost Fortress of the Ebonite Templars – Victor Bazan – Crab – Hiruma Nikaru – Moto Chieno’s Den – D5-12 – Kotei Madrid, Spain
• A Vast Field of Crystal Outcroppings - Daniel Jacobson – Crab – Kaiu Onizuka – Benika’s Tears – D5-9 – Kotei Las Vegas, NV, USA
• The Tower of a Khadi - Dave Russell – Scorpion - Bayushi Kahoku – The House of Boyoh - D5-10 – Kotei Dublin, Ireland
• The Tomb of Sun Tao – Kostas Adamopoulos – Lion – Matsu Hachiro – Plains of Whispered Melancholy – D5-4 – Kotei Rennes, France
• Pool of True Divination – James Donnithorne-tait – Isawa Shunsuko – Mirror of the Twins – D5-7 – Kotei Atlanta, GA, USA
• Spirit Portal of Unknown Affiliation – Aaron Barto – Lion – Kitsu Kagako - The Cliffs of Pekkle’s Laughter – D5-5 – Kotei Atlantic City, NJ, USA
• The Den of the Seventy Thieves – Jay Coad – Scorpion - Bayushi Waru – The Forest of Lies - D5-8 – Kotei Brisbane, Australia

There are as many prizes in each District as there are delimited zones on the second map presented above, so choose prize and placement wisely with your victories!

Prizes offered

The winner of each Kotei Tournament will earn the following:

• the right to select an empty zone in the Colonies map and claim it for the Clan he played at the tournament. His Clan Mon will appear in that zone and he will be able to select any still-available resource from the district in which the zone is and claim it as well. He will also be able to choose a non Champion (or Elemental Master) Personality to accomplish the feat, with Story Team approval.
• an in-story celebration of his victory with the tale of his chosen hero exploring that zone and claiming what lays inside. This story will be published on the AEG website.
• a copy of that story sent to him as a certificate of his victory at that event.
• a card in a future expansion. Due to the large number of Kotei tournaments, the card type celebrating the victory will be dependent on Design’s needs.
• an AEG Online Store certificate.
• a seed for the Main Event of GenCon and World Championships (in Barcelona) 2012. This seed will allow him not to participate in the qualifiers for the Main Event.

The winner of the Honor Event at each Kotei will earn the following:

•  the right to name the zone in which the hero picked by the CCG winner accomplished his feat. This name will be subject to Story Team approval and we strongly advise both winners to discuss the naming at the event proper to avoid issues.
• an in-story celebration of his victory with the tale of the hero chosen at his Kotei exploring the zone the Honor Event winner named and claiming what lays inside. This story will be published on the AEG website.
• a copy of that story sent to him as a certificate of his victory at the event.
• an AEG Online Store certificate.

The Top Four players of the Tournament will all receive an exclusive Imperial Favor Ivory Token.

Finally, the top of Clans will receive Full-bleed versions of their Clan Champion and Strongholds.

Important Note: Choices will be awarded on a first reported, first served basis. Please make sure you submit 2 choices (primary and secondary) to the Kotei TO with your win  (in location and also resource chosen) to avoid delays in taking your victory into account.