Ghosting the World of Dreams (Yūrei's Q&A)

[Yūrei]

If folks have any questions or remarks around the World of Dreams' hungriest ronin, this is the thread for you. I will also (briefly) touch on what my goals were on building the character and how I think it played out.

Originally, there were three core concepts for Yūrei, two thematic and one mechanical.

(A) Play a character who contrary to most of my L5R preferences, operates largely outside of honour or even most societal conventions. This was a bit of a departure from my usual and it felt very strange at times to be playing what felt like a non L5Ry character in a L5Rish setting. I think it was successful in parts but I'm not sure whether Yūrei fully clicked for me.

(B) Play a character who's a bad guy but not a bad guy. I think this was a bit more successful. Trying to threat that line of someone who does commit crimes but who isn't necessarily evil or amoral is usually enjoyable. I'm not sure where fencing mostly legal designer drugs falls on that, but otherwise it was a fun and not overly complicated angle to explore. Much crime was done.

(C) Test out a fairly simple jack of all trades build. Yūrei had a very well rounded and broad skill set, not excelling in anything but being able to contribute to most events, heists and combats. I appreciated the ability to at least be able to have a chance when throwing dice, and I've never regretted earth 3 on a character. I'd probably run the same build again if I had the choice.

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Overall I had an enjoyable time thanks to all the players who took the time to RP with me. Yūrei ended up chatting to a pretty broad swath of characters and I appreciate the time and effort people put into those scenes. It was also good fun to think how her character might develop after she found out the truth about her family, and what that might mean for her moving forward. Sometimes, your parents are just trees.

I don't think she will be reprized, but who can say what might happen in a future banner? For now she's got an otokodate to run and probably a change to organising the crime rather than committing it. She's been shot enough to have her fill.

[Hato]

So how did Yurei fall into the ronin life anyways?

[Yūrei]

So how did Yurei fall into the ronin life anyways?

Yūrei trained as a Shosuro infiltrator like her mom and dad and had just graduated from the academy when they disappeared and the Clan kicked her out onto the street without an explanation. She spent about 6 years looking for the truth and building herself back up and it turned out her parents had been part of a group trying to bring shadow brands back, and so both ended up in the Grove.

It was a sad ending but also a meaningful one, and it mean she could start looking forward. Big thanks to Boogie for working with me on it

[Hotaru Sakura]

Will post some meaningful stuff later,but for now, thanks for sll the iteractions! You added a ton of depth to Sakura's background.

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

Thanks for teaming up with Sakura as the crazy kids in Tsuyo's vicinity who really cemented her mothering/eccentric auntie vibes. Yurei was a neat character, and that backstory developing as it did was really interesting to watch.

Are there things you'd have liked to develop more, but heisting got in the way?

Would Yurei have accepted fealty as heist payment? Or were you ooc (or she ic) focused on the Otokodate of your own?

[Yūrei]

Will post some meaningful stuff later,but for now, thanks for sll the iteractions! You added a ton of depth to Sakura's background.

And thanks right back at you! I had a blast with all our scenes, having a BFF really helped round out Yūrei as well and made her feel much more a resident of the world. I'm glad they were such great partners in crime.

Thanks for teaming up with Sakura as the crazy kids in Tsuyo's vicinity who really cemented her mothering/eccentric auntie vibes. Yurei was a neat character, and that backstory developing as it did was really interesting to watch.

Are there things you'd have liked to develop more, but heisting got in the way?

Would Yurei have accepted fealty as heist payment? Or were you ooc (or she ic) focused on the Otokodate of your own?

I think it could have been interesting to look a little more into her family and a little more into her relationship with the Scorpion post revelation. After all, what they did was justified! Heisting was very busy, particularly towards the end of the game and it definitely felt like it cut into the RP a lot.

She was certainly considering fealty, and I think all the various options might have led her down very different paths, any of which might have worked. Unicorn you got the wonder, the adventure, starting afresh on an exotic planet with strange samurai. Lion she's in the military, maybe ends up a bit more focused, a bit grimmer. Scorpion is back in the Clan and now that's complicated! And Imperial she'd have been moving stratospherically up in the world and would have had to relearn how to be a proper clanner. Ultimately, OOC the goal was an Otokodate and you can't have both!

[Boogiepop]

Thank you for joining us for Banner once more and bringing in the food monster that was Yurei! Also, very glad that you enjoyed the mysterious truth about her parents being unveiled! As you can see, that had a ripple effect in other places. Yurei was indirectly tied to other people!

How did the discovery affect Yurei, subtle or otherwise?

[Utaku Yesugen]

From what I saw, I'd say she fit your design philosophy quite well!

I'm sad that I didn't interact with her more. With how arrogant Yesugen was, do you think Yuurei would become frustrated? Is she simply used to it? Use it to her advantage?

[Usagi Rei]

Oh, Yurei. A treasure, and you were a delight to write with as always.

Did you have any big surprises with her over the course of the game?

[Yūrei]

Thank you for joining us for Banner once more and bringing in the food monster that was Yurei! Also, very glad that you enjoyed the mysterious truth about her parents being unveiled! As you can see, that had a ripple effect in other places. Yurei was indirectly tied to other people!

How did the discovery affect Yurei, subtle or otherwise?

I think it freed her a little from her past. The not knowing why was holding her back, so finding out what went down, even if it was dark, was liberating. Now she can properly mourn her parents, and maybe some trees in the grove burn down, who knows?

From what I saw, I'd say she fit your design philosophy quite well!

I'm sad that I didn't interact with her more. With how arrogant Yesugen was, do you think Yuurei would become frustrated? Is she simply used to it? Use it to her advantage?

More Yesugen and dirty ronin could have been fun! I think Yūrei would have tried to use it to her advantage, she's well experienced in trying to suck up to Clanners, usually for food.

Oh, Yurei. A treasure, and you were a delight to write with as always.

Did you have any big surprises with her over the course of the game?

Right back at yah thanks for the many good scenes! I think one big surprise was how many friends she ended up with, both from her backstory and newly made over the campaign. She ended up quite the social butterfly!

[Utaku Yesugen]

It does seem like Yuurei is quite adept at rolling with the punches. As for food, it probably wouldn't have been good with just Yesugen... she'd order Yuurei something purely for nutritional value! After all, Yuurei is poor, dirty, malnourished...

[Susumu Yakumo]

Yurei was just the cutest! Agh, how much I wish Yakumo could've just adopted her as her pet-ronin to bring along on tour. (you've no idea how much she seriously considered it)

Was Yurei's sweetness and cute behaviour genuine or an evil ploy to get the better of these dumb samurai she could then possibly scam? xD

[Yūrei]

It does seem like Yuurei is quite adept at rolling with the punches. As for food, it probably wouldn't have been good with just Yesugen... she'd order Yuurei something purely for nutritional value! After all, Yuurei is poor, dirty, malnourished...

:O the worst kind of food of all, health food!

Yurei was just the cutest! Agh, how much I wish Yakumo could've just adopted her as her pet-ronin to bring along on tour. (you've no idea how much she seriously considered it)

Was Yurei's sweetness and cute behaviour genuine or an evil ploy to get the better of these dumb samurai she could then possibly scam? xD

Yurei is genuinely a mega-fan of Yakumo, so that was all very real. Usually if Yurei is trying to scam a Clanner she just straight up tells them she's hungry and makes her eyes big, and that tends to work a surprising amount of the time XD Thanks for the fun scene and making her day!