A topic from AEG's L5R CCG Rules forum, copied for Oracle of the Void from a copy of the forum saved in October 2015, so pages it didn't save are missing. Players' names are left out; the rules officials are named. Rulings are as they stood on these dates; later rulings, the rulebooks and the Rules Archive may differ.
A player, 20 May 2008
If my opponent controls a Moto Chagatai exp 5 who has not used his trait this phase, would i gain 2 honor if I activate a Governor's Court, even if he chooses to bow a unicorn clan personality?
Text:
Moto Chagatai: Unicorn Clan • Clan Champion • Samurai • Tactician • Cavalry • The Khan • Experienced 5 • Unique • Loyal Before the first time each phase that another player's card's effect bows a Unicorn Clan Personality at Chagatai's location: Negate the bowing. Battle: Target one or two Personalities opposing Chagatai. The enemy leader may move one or both home. If one or both still oppose Chagatai, the enemy leader must choose one of the targets (even at home), who is destroyed.
Governor's COurt: Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold. Political Open: Even if this card is bowed, bow this card or one of your target Courtiers: Choose another player. He may bow one of his Personalities. If he did not bow a Personality, gain 2 Honor.
Thanks
Alex Jones (rules official), 20 May 2008
If my opponent controls a Moto Chagatai exp 5 who has not used his trait this phase, would i gain 2 honor if I activate a Governor's Court, even if he chooses to bow a unicorn clan personality?
Text:
Moto Chagatai: Unicorn Clan • Clan Champion • Samurai • Tactician • Cavalry • The Khan • Experienced 5 • Unique • Loyal Before the first time each phase that another player's card's effect bows a Unicorn Clan Personality at Chagatai's location: Negate the bowing. Battle: Target one or two Personalities opposing Chagatai. The enemy leader may move one or both home. If one or both still oppose Chagatai, the enemy leader must choose one of the targets (even at home), who is destroyed.
Governor's COurt: Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold. Political Open: Even if this card is bowed, bow this card or one of your target Courtiers: Choose another player. He may bow one of his Personalities. If he did not bow a Personality, gain 2 Honor.
Thanks
If the bowing is negated, he didn't bow a personality, so you gain 2 honour.
A player, 17 March 2009
Regarding this: http://alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=68251&p=880620&hilit=governor%27s+court#p880620
Is the Moto Chagatai Exp. 5's controller allowed to bow a unicorn personality despite the fact that Chagatai's trait has not yet been used?
Zen Faulkes (rules official), 17 March 2009
Is the Moto Chagatai Exp. 5's controller allowed to bow a unicorn personality despite the fact that Chagatai's trait has not yet been used?
No.
http://rules.l5r.com/Card_features#Traits: "Traits that are triggered when paying a Gold cost, and whose effects produce Gold, do not have to be triggered when any given Gold cost is paid; they are optional. All other effects of triggered traits are not optional – they must happen if the trigger occurs." (Emphasis added.)