HE3 as a set, though, is great. It's kind of hard to write about the good things right now, since I am very irritated about the continued problems with HE. There is a lot of really great art. I'm very jealous of the Monks who all look great! Kuni Yori is actually scary to look at-- I don't think I'll ever use him, just because he is very unsettling [art is by Anson Maddocks, BTW]. If the Dragons have redeemed themselves at GenCon, from looking at Kazaq and Kokujin, I'd say they have a loooong way to go. Hoshi Maseru is probably my favorite piece of art in HE3.

• Kachiko and Asami Dolls: The Asami doll was given as a bounty at GenCon, but Nik Olah <motorfudge@hotmail.com> will be auctioning off the Kachiko with her hand painted face and handmade kimono.

• Ryan Dancey on the left, Dave Williams on the right
• Ryan modeling one of the breast plates given to the clan Motsuken at GenCon...you can see the jealousy in Dave's eyes. ;)
• Ree's feet...I just post 'em, folks. ;)

• The Grey Crane (I told you so :)
• Shiryo no Kisada
• Togashi Hoshi experienced

Gift of the Dragon's Claw-the Age of Myth is over, and the Dragons are returning to their centuries-old contemplation. Before they leave, however, they opened the way for a gift of epic proportion: a naginata, it's shining blade carved from the claw of the Immortal Dragons, that their souls would not forever leave the Empire. Who has found this gift, and to whom was it given?

• Peter Cheng: Anecdotes, play report
• Dave Williams: Clan ratios in finals
• Zen Faulkes: Yet more cool info, including 7th Sea tidbits. Heh, I see Upeer signed Zen's shirt, "CLEAR!"
• Paul A. Crosthwaite: More cool info

• Yogo Ono: People at the Con, no more "Leaks!" :(

• Cathy Buksar: Early Report
• Jimmy Repine: Final 32 break down.
• Bujin: Honorable Dragon and GenCon info.
• Terry Madden: Crane info and a finals deck listing.
• John Lorenzsonn: Play report and a finals Crane deck listing.

• The cards are, for the most part, very similar, with personalities, followers, items, etc... They operate similarly, but without the aspect of honor.
• The card layout is similar. You have four City Sections (like provinces) you have to protect.
• Instead of Rings you have Story Cards. There can be many story cards, but they are like Rings: you must perform some feat to play them, then they give you a benefit.

• There is one deck, and all cards are played out of your hand, not your city sections. All cards have fate values.
• Play alternates between players like Doomtown.
• You win when you A.) Destroy all your opponent's city sections. B.) Play 5 points of stories. Each Story has a variable point value. C.) Run your opponents out of water.
• There are two costs to most cards: copper (gold) and water.
• Water is not easily produced. You start with water based on your choice of city sections.
• There are two battle segments: Day Attacks, which is attacking your opponents' city walls to destroy them and the water they contain, and Night Raids, in which you steal your opponents water for yourself.
• In Day Attacks, there is not a Winner/Loser like in L5R. A person bows to engage for his Strength [Force] as a battle action. The opponent must absorb the damage by destroying cards, water, or City Sections.
• Duels are done with thrust/parry plays. I thrust a card face down. You parry with a card. If you do not parry exactly the same fate value as I thrusted, you take the difference in Ka [Chi] damage. If you survived, it's your turn to thrust. Continue until dead. Ka is restored after the duel.