Legend of the Five Rings (L5R) is a set of games set in Rokugan, a land of heroic samurai, mystical shugenja, and fearsome creatures from the Shadowlands. It started in 1995 as a collectible card game (CCG) with a new twist: each new set of cards changed the world, as the cards told the story of the Clan War that ravaged Rokugan. Although the shape of the two-year story arc was roughed out during the original all-night design meeting in February 1995, it left scope for variation so that the game's players could have an effect on that story.

The game stayed remarkably true to its initial vision: a high-fantasy samurai epic, exploring the theme of honor against the backdrop of sweeping battles and lightning fast iaijutsu duels. The players exceeded our wildest expectations: we put control of major story threads in their hands, and they treated them with as much reverence as we could have given them ourselves. L5R fans are legendary for their honor, sportsmanship, fair play, and eagerness to help out new players.