The_Shaman
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Posts posted by The_Shaman
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I was about to comment that there was one instance of a peasant with a sword, but you did make that one caveat
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The Seven Samurai is an apt illustration, good call! In that case, though, the peasants took weapons that weren't theirs and disturbed the honorable dead samurai for personal gain. I can definitely see this being an issue for the more idealistic ronin - it just ain't right!
At the same time, though, in a war I find it hard to imagine that the armor and weapons would just be left lying there - if nothing else, samurai don't want thieves and peasants getting their hands on it. Instead, I expect that commoners taken by the winning army as support personnel would be sent to secure the gear of the fallen and round up the bodies for cremation.-The gear of their own samurai would be purified and returned to their families. Presumably that of the enemies will be taken as trophy or returned after the war (possibly "ransomed" or in mutual exchanges). At any rate, they cannot just leave it there.
This is what made me curious what the situation would be in this skirmish. In this case, it is a bandit attack with some ronin who threw in their lot with the bandits - definitely not honorable foes and they have no famiies to return the gear to. There is also a samurai in charge who represents the clan and can make an official decision. So in that case, what happens to the weapons? The samurai warden will not allow them to just disappear (or at least will try to). I would expect the "rightful owner" is the clan that owns these lands and he will try to make sure they end up there. In a situation with regular samurai, that would be that. However, how much leeway do you think they have in case, say, he decides to gift some of that gear to one of those that helped in the fight? It is the clan's property, but he is the clan representative.
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Thanks for the answer!
I can definitely see any ronin who look like Dragon samurai material and want to join being considered for adoption (or marriage, there was a recent war and quite a few samurai have been ... made eligible). However, I think the Dragon are looking for a certain kind of Samurai for their ranks and not every PC would be a good match.
Generally, would the village warden immediately claim all of the bandits' gear as property of the clan , and how big of a deal would you see the swords being in this case? Would a jisamurai as the warden have the authority to allow the ronin to take something or even gift them something for their valiant fighting in defense of the clan's holdings and people?
My initial idea is that he won't care too much for any spears, axes, bows etc but will probably make sure that all swords are missing and not give any out, though I'm not sure. The PCs haven't expressed any interest yet, but I suppose that for a ronin a "spare" daisho or just a wakizashi could be a Very Big Deal.
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Hi, I am running a somewhat informal 4E game set in the 1130s. I have a small party of ronin and monks trekking who ended up helping to defend an out-of-the way village in the southern Dragon lands (Kitsuki territory) from a group of bandits led by a few ronin. I am not sure if the players appreciated the irony, but either way there are now some thirty dead bandits and three ronin. The PCs gave the village advanced warning and acquitted themselves well in the defense, so they have secured their own shelter for the upcoming winter (it is late autumn and that played a big role in why the bandits wanted to attack). The jisamurai warden is the only Dragon representative and this late in the autumn, no patrols are expected until spring.
So, at this point the local burakumin (actually the village is fairly small and I'm not sure it would have any, but let's say it does) will dispose of the bodies. However, I expect that the local jisamurai will want them to gather and present all the serviceable weapons and armor, as well as the ronin's swords. The question is, what do you think would happen to them? I expect any light armor or spears that are fit for ashigaru will either be stored in his house to be used if the villagers should be mustered or handed over to the dragon armories. Yet the swords are a more interesting case, since they are the mark of a samurai. I expect the ronin will be allowed to help themselves to any "lesser" gear (things get lost) but what happens with the three daisho? I would expect that any captured samurai weapons would belong to the clan, yet on the other hand I am not sure the clan would care for the weapons of bandits and murderers, except maybe as waste to be reforged. I know the Dragon clan is short on samurai, but I'm not sure if it is short on weapons. Meanwhile, I can see a ronin being quite interested in acquiring a second pair of swords - less for their monetary value (still conceivable) and more because it's an extra pair of swords for their family - an extra pair they can gift to a sibling or another child.
Also, how big of a deal would that be to the local junior Kitsuki magistrate who learns about it next spring? Would s/he want to make sure all weapons and gear are accounted for or would they not care much about that and focus on the issue of the bandits.
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9 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:Reminds me of the Conflagration of Doom spell back in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.
"As this is such a violent and powerful conjuration, all Wizards within a 5-mile radius are aware of the disturbance in the Aether this spell causes. Bright Order Battle Wizards will often seek out those using this spell in a careless way, to talk about demarcation in a pointed fashion."
I think they had something like that for every "ultimate" spell in 2E WFRP . Then again, considering how magic works in WFRP and that many pinnacle spells require a lot of power drawn, there was a good reason for that.
Sure, shugenja in Rokugan are far more respected and basically talk to the gods and spirits, but there are some things that you don't do lightly.
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On 10/27/2020 at 9:53 AM, Magnus Grendel said:Unlikely - the 'historical claim' to Unicorn lands is explicitely a Matsu one. But you never know.
Definitely. After all, the issue with the Unicorn was a centuries old legal dispute the historians and cartographers keep whinging about, whilst the issue with the Crane is that Tsume no Doji Retsu stormed Toshi Ranbo only few years ago and massacred the Goseki no Matsu family to the last man, woman and child.
Arasou was very much a lead-from-the-front-honour-and-glory-huzzah! sort of commander so it's hardly surprising he wanted to deal with the latter rather than the former.
Actually, wouldn't the last part make him more willing to take on another warrior clan like the Unicorn, rather than the Crane where the outcome of the war may well be decided in court? I cannot remember just who mentioned it, but I think I came across an opinion in 4th that some of the older Lions are happy the clan actually has a serious rival rather than just minor clans to bully or the crane or scorpion, who would much retaliate with intrigue rather than on the battlefield. It struck me as a very interesting perspective.
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Right, for me the mistakes in negotiating the marriage terms were too egregious. The "we don't know the norms" doesn't fly after several hundred years, and considering the status of who is being married and the political implications you'd expect both sides to be going over the terms with a fine-toothed comb. I was also a bit nonnplussed at the lions trying a rather obvious ploy - weren't they supposedly the honorable ones? - but the Ikoma can be pretty cunning on the down low.
Even for an "idiot ball" moment it seemed a bit too much, to the point it is immersion-breaking. What's next, a great clan bushi not having heard that you're not supposed to touch another samurai's swords without permission?
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45 minutes ago, Diogo Salazar said:I know right?
I find this particular “tricked by different customs” too far fetched and idiotic.
It probably made sense two and a half centuries ago, but after ten generations of courtiers, they probably would have picked up enough basic marriage customs, yeah. It sounded like a stupid "gotcha" from the Lions that shouldn't have worked.
I admit, it wasn't my favorite lore piece. I wasn't too impressed by the Phoenix in that story either.
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Was there some mentions of what happened BEFORE Curved Blades? The main premise sounded rather far-fetched. The Unicorn is marrying a clan champion away into a lower-ranking nobleAND giving off a dowry for a rather nebulous promise of peace. The Unicorn have been in Rokugan for "just" a few centuries for their diplomats to be blindsided by that. That sounds like they lost a war, but they don't seem to be too wary of starting one.
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Interesting, I hadn't seen anything on the topic. I noticed that the English version featured a lot of The Great Clans quotes, so I though the basics of the 4E diplomacy held unless something in 5E specifically conflicted them. The Crab and Unicorns are both seen as somewhat unusual and barbaric by most.
Naturally, viewpoints can vary across the clans. There are likely Crabs still annoyed about the 9th century incident, just as there are possibly others who have far more recent issues with the Crane and have less than zero interest in joining a fight alongside the Lions who seem more interested in throwing their weight around rather than helping them fight the war that actually matters.
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Right, in the previous timeline they had initially cursed the Moto for abandoning them, but a Moto hero (I do not remember which one at the moment) was able to propitiate them and arrange for them to "join" the Rokugani system by working for Emma-O and being recognized as fortunes.
However, I am not sure this is still the case in fluff. One of the 5E fluff pieces, "Rule from Horseback" indicates that some Moto still venerate them in this continuity. Moto Chagatai thinks of something as an omen from the Lords of Death. An Ujik shamaness from a vassal family to theirs is even more upfront:
"I serve the Lords of Death,” she snapped. “Nothing I do is for your benefit, Moto Chagatai.” The family name was a reminder: Khojin’s mother was no Moto, no kin to him. Ujin Hogelun came from one of the lesser Ujik families. They were nominal vassals to the Moto, although in the free-spirited Unicorn Clan, such bonds of vassalage were mainly theoretical."
Plus, the same story features Moto Chagatai's sister having a household including two husbands and another wife - something unthinkable to most of Rokugan. It is likely that the other Moto in the hinterlands have adopted little of the traditional Rokugani culture or left their traditional religion wholly behind.
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As far as I am aware, the Crab and Unicorn are generally on fairly amicable terms. Yes, the Dark Moto incident was a big issue, but it is also the Moto's greatest shame and one they would die to get rid of (and many do). In the meantime, the Unicorn have mended fences and tend to give the Crab a fair bit of respect. Both clans tend to be seen as somewhat of outsiders among Rokugan's high society (which iirc causes a fair bit of friction between the Unicorn and Crane courtiers, despite the good start of their relationship). After all, the Crane embody Rokugan's mainstream culture, which the Unicorn challenges.
I do not know how much of the 4E clan stereotypes were changed in 5E, but in the the 4E core book, in the "clan view" section for the crab has them talk about the Unicorn as the closest allies among the major clans, while the Unicorns are mentioned to appreciate the Crab's lack of prejudice against them. -
14 hours ago, Black_Rabbit_Inle said:First in answer to the initial question, Kolat are certainly a thing now. Whether they continue to have the same origins or goals isn't exactly known. In previous editions, the Kolat weren't like communists or socialists at all.. they weren't really seeking governmental or economic change.. rather, they were trying to fight the Kami and their influence in the world. I'm not sure whether they were trying to fight all "gods on earth" (in which case they probably would have gone after other empires also.), or if they were more reacting to Shinjo's display of power while the Ki-rin were out exploring.
Ok, I should have clarified, I meant the 19th centuries as an anti-establishment conspiracy with some idealistic goals (and plenty of opportunists), rather than the established movements and "state socialism" of the mid-20th century. That said, there was an idea of equality in their beliefs, though obviously not all wanted to take it all the way. And let's be frank, Rokugan is heavily classist and this is backed by "divine decree"- even if the books, for obvious reasons, try to shy away from it.
Shinjo's reaction was quite understandable, especially considering she went through quite a lot of nasty stuff because of the Kolat
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On 3/3/2020 at 5:14 PM, neilcell said:I agree. Replacing one set of tyrants with an entirely new set. I see many similarities between the Kolat's ideology and Maximilien Robespierre. Hardly progress.
In 4E them as somewhat more organized late 19th-early 20th century communists, except less "misfits" and closer to the boogeymen people believed they were. Slightly toned down, I think this could work for 5th.
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Hmm I remember earlier editions throwing army numbers of over 100,000 for the great clans - iirc the Dragon, who are known to be relatively low on population, were mentioned to be able to mobilize up to 200,000 people. Granted, that no doubt included ashigaru and all manner of supporting units. To me, Rokugan seemed closer to China than Japan in terms of geography.
This article argues for a population of roughly 26 million based on area, population density, and others. Mind you, this is somewhat lower than the population of Edo-period Japan, over a greater territory and a lot more of it suitable to irrigation.
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On 1/28/2020 at 12:25 AM, Lindhrive said:Which is why librarians in Rokugan must have excellent handwriting skills!
Well, of course. If for no other reason, it would not do to displease the fortune of calligraphy!
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Definitely check the Imperial histories from 4th edition., they have some interesting historical episodes. The three-way alliance that almost succeeded in making the emperor and Asahime's rebellion were both interesting episodes. Hantei XVI, the Steel Chrysanthemum, is also a character with some potential.
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Another option that might work for some groups is tugging at familial connections and favors owed. Marriages and favors often cross clan lines, and sometimes they provide a junior samurai with a reason to go somewhere else and hep someone not of the clan. For example, what if Ide Sayo's uncle married into the Scorpion and now asks his sister, Sayo's mother, for a favor - perhaps his niece could be so kind to visit her cousins, who have heard so much of her exploits, and maybe have a chat with uncle who has a small issue he'd like her help with? Trading favors is a big part of a courtier's game, and sometimes the services of a (junior, usually) clan member are part of the deal. After all, the clans are not at war at present, so sometimes a samurai can serve their lord by aiding an ally - not to mention earning a name for themselves beyond the clan's boundaries.
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It is interesting that the core book gives some benchmarks, and seems to think 30 is okay for proven retainers, with 50 being the benchmark of heroes. For me, 0-10 is good for new samurai mostly fresh from their gempukku, 30-50 is where people with some experience under their belt but no incredible feats (yet) go, and anything higher is serious samurai business.
For me, the important part is tailoring the narrative to the power level. A game where a couple of young samurai do surprising things and forge friendships or rivalries, making a name for themselves can be perfectly good with starting characters.
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Ohh, you're right. Thanks!
I still think that going with the adoptive samurai family would be a better fit in most games, at least mechanically, unless you're looking for a bit of extra challenge. Thematically, it also makes some sense if it's a starting character: if you managed to get adopted, you are now part of the clan and they should make sure your skills are up to date and you are not an embarrassment.
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On 11/7/2019 at 12:00 PM, Harzerkatze said:I just use the german-japanese online dictionary to find names for NPCs. Good thing the players haven't figured it out yet, a few of the names are rather telling (the NPC secretly worshiping a spider god is named Shoshi Kumo, for example).
Ah, the Warhammer Fantasy school of character naming 😋.
I tend to go through a list of Japanese names, unless I'm working with a family with a different influence like the Unicorn families (especially the Moto), and look for a meaning that I find thematic or, well, cool-sounding.
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On 10/9/2019 at 7:41 PM, ChuiSaoul said:Whene you make a PC with the adopted peasent trait do you give him is adopted familly ability or the peasent familly. Cause familly stats are supposed to represent the way you were raised and stuff. So if you were adopted as an adult, you were raised as a peasent right ? So peasent familly trait ?
Pardon my thread necromancy, but for all it's worth, here's my two cents: in the case of a peasant would go with the adopted family for mechanical reasons - this is where he/she learned to be a samurai. I don't think we have stats for peasants, or non-samurai monks for that matter. I interpret the family stats for the great clans to be applicable only for the samurai, not the commoners or hi-nin in their lands.
In the case of a samurai, the birth family would be more appropriate. In a way, it is not like marrying into a clan: you have a new clan and lord/lady to serve, but you are still you. The exception is if they were adopted very early on and were essentially raised among their new clan.
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Hi, I was arguing with a player in my game just how the salvation shield works. In "Into the Storm," it is stated that the device "generates a silent, invisible field of roughly one square metre,projecting outward half a metre. "
As I understand that, it projects a fixed "shield" in one direction,not an omnidirectional screen.In which case, it cannot defend from attacks from all angles at the same time. How should that work mechanically - does the field not function against, say,an enemy attacking a character from the rear and should a character use a reaction to realign the shield to protect a different angle?
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My big problem with DE is that by the last lore I am aware of (which is from around the time of their 5E codex) staying in realspace really accelerates their soul-draining, and thus the rate they need to replenish it. This is why they usually don't stay in realspace much. Now, with a rogue trader, sometimes you have long treks in between things, and due to the vagaries of the warp you can have warp transitions that take months - during which any minor disturbance on board can lead to a disaster. Having a DE on board during that time is among the worst ideas you can have. This is a distinctly dark eldar problem, and a pretty **** big one.
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Was it mentioned anywhere just who produces those weapons? One idea that was tracked was to visit the forgeworld and inducing the production of a few extra parts - although I have a hard time seeing that happen,as I expect those forge worlds would be extremely well regimented.
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Bandits, Swords and Property Rights
in Lore Discussion
Posted · Edited by The_Shaman
I agree, but in this case the jisamurai has added status in that he is the "warden" of the village (I do not remember what the official name of the title was). They are already invested with some authority and expected to, among other things, represent the clan and organize the defense.