Setting

Setting:

My intention is to remain true to the setting, which means that there are social and political influences that are, in some ways, antagonists or challenges in themselves. 

I may also be incorporating aspects from Yodotai (the greek empire), Merenae (Spanish), Thrane (British), Senpet (Egyptian empire), and Ivory Kingdom (Indian Empire). There will also likely be Gaijin from an American Frontier area. There is also a Chinese Empire that is very similar to Rokugan in many ways, but exists in a separate geographical area with other families and schools. Of course, any of these people in Rokugan are gaijin. 

Skills: Rokugan is a "civilized" country. Calligraphy, Poetry, games such as "Shogi" and "Go" as well as the other high skills, are prized socially, and (perhaps unfairly) skill in these is often used as a judgement of people. Gaijin have a joke: Outside Rokugan, the most important weaponmaker is the one who can build the best weapon, but Inside Rokugan, it's the man who can write the best poem about iron. While this is an exaggeration, there is a nugget of truth here. There are many who have become obsessed with art forms as a measurement of insight and religious value, and as such, having these skills will become important in game. Imagine going to a party at the country club without having any knowledge of golf, current affairs, or a stock portfolio to speak of. You will have a very difficult time bonding with the important people.

Duels: Challenging someone to a duel due to insult is meant for people of equal station. People above your station are allowed to insult you, and you are expected (socially) to suffer such insults. They suffer no honor loss for rejecting your duel in most circumstances, as they cannot be bothered with every low level grievance. People below your station who insult you can be immediately punished accordingly, no need to "prove" your "rightness" to them.

Minor Families: Samurai may exist with different last names of those listed in the books. They are generally considered "Minor Families". For example, the crab clan might have a family that isn't listed in the book under the listed families. These families probably have very minor holdings and probably report to one of the families listed. Likewise there might be other minor clans than referred to in the books. These are still samurai, and probably don't have their own dojos or techniques. This is to create a larger world with more characters in it. 

Society and Ronin: Ronin are people, but disgraced people. Imagine people today viewing a homeless person asking for money. "Get a job" is tantamount to "Get a Family". A Ronin generally has no duel recourse.

Society and Monks: Monks are "without family", similar to Ronin, but it's generally accepted that Monks have done this for some higher purpose. Many are not seen to possess any political advantages, as they don't represent a family. As such, they are unlikely to be invited to parties, or to be spoken to by higher ranking Samurai, not out of disdain, but more out of "What could I possibly need from you?"

Society and Gaijin: Gaijin have a strange relationship. Peasants are fascinated with them, and also afraid of them- mainly because the samurai class and those in power distrust them so much. Many that travel in Rokugan do so under the direct protection of a samurai lord. While this is not always the case, it's true often enough that it's probably not a good idea to go harassing one if you see them. They are a rare sight in any case. Legally they could be seen as invaders or spies if they were not under a lord's protection, but you'd be surprised how often a Gaijin could just hang out in peasant establishments and never be noticed by a samurai in the first place, much less be troublesome enough to be questioned by one. However, if one becomes a problem, they are treated as less than peasants. They often have knowledge of unusual technology, magic systems, or lore that makes them valuable enough to not simply harass.

Society and Peasants (Eta): Peasants are usually at social functions- as servants. They are not to initiate conversation, and everyone is their better. That being said, killing peasants is still a capital crime. People, even peasants, require training, and it would be similar to killing a Unicorn's favorite horse, or a specially trained falcon. 

Society and Geisha:  "Guysha" or male geisha exist in Rokugani culture. In a world with equal genders of samurai, there are also male geisha who cater to a female samurai's need for companionship. Some Guysha also give companionship or fill a courtesan role to male samurai or lords, not (necessarily) in a homosexual way.

Hokan are a separate style of male geisha known to cater to male samurai, and often fill in at court in a role similar to a jester or advisor to a lord, despite being a peasant, more so than as a courtesan. They may also tell off-color jokes or perform erotic skits, being (as a non samurai) able to get away with less honorable but nonetheless entertaining humor. However, they must be careful. They are under their lords protection and expected to "roast" or lightly insult guests in a funny manner, but disapproval from their lord might end up costing them their head.

All geisha are considered under the protection of a samurai lord, whether they attend to them directly in court, or operate in tea houses under the a lord's general protection. An attack on a geisha is tantamount to an attack on a lord.

Notable Characters

Rin- A peasant merchant of great renown. Rin has no family, but has built a large company for the shipping and sale of goods. He employs a small army of Ashigaru and Ronin that would not be able to threaten a major clan, but could quite well defend against any force worth sending to disrupt him. Because he deals with all the major clans and most of the minor ones, disruption of his business ventures would be very unprofitable to many important people. While this might not outright warrant retaliation from these people, it would certainly warrant discouragement, and they might look the other way if some samurai were injured or killed by his men in "self defense". He holds no "official" or legislative protection, but his own security forces (Known as the Rin Men) are typically enough to protect his interests. Not being a member of the samurai class, he is uniquely able to become quite involved in commerce, handle "dirty" materials (like animal meat or dead bodies), and is not bound strictly by interpretations of bushido.

The Cult of the Singular Kami- A gaijin had come to the country a few years back and was preaching about a singular kami called Om, the greatest of all Kami and creator of all the world. He was to be executed for blasphemy, but he killed himself by setting himself on fire to demonstrate his faith. His faith has moved some of the peasants and eta, and this has become an increasingly troublesome cult that is becoming violent towards temples. They have operated in the shadows and have sought to undermine the celestial order.

Kitsuki Iso- A dragon magistrate who has written the highly controversial treatise known as "The Testimony of the World" and it's follow up "Confession by Clues". Testimony of the World suggests that the world itself ranks in the celestial order above all samurai but below the Emperor and the Kami. He suggests that evidence gathered in criminal investigations can be used as the "World's" testimony, and that such evidence should allow lower ranking magisters to accuse higher ranking people of crimes, rather than requiring a higher level magister to make the accusation. Confession by Clues suggests that the confession required by law before punishing a criminal need not be verbal or written, but he uses a slippery slope from Yes/No nodding or hand signals to be considered confessions, and at the end of the slope suggests that the very act of leaving evidence to be found constitutes as a sort of written and pantomimed confession on the part of the criminal, and urges magistrates to use these confessions in order to dispense justice to wrong doers. Both of these works have gained high acclaim, and also harsh criticism from people of the various clans. Being so divisive, "Iso" has been used as a slang term amongst courtiers to refer to anyone being divisive.

Doji Shunko- Considered to be the greatest poet alive in Rokugon, and perhaps that was ever alive. Rumors of his eloquence are legendary- it is said that his poem read during the funeral of a princess caused the Kami themselves to weep, creating a three day rain in the capital. He has become ever reclusive, and he has not been seen in court for years, but every now and then a new poem is discovered and it is considered to be a masterpiece by all who experience it.

Kakita Anzai and his daughter, Kakita Yuya: Anzai is considered to be an unbeatable duelist due in part to his special Kata he developed over years of practice which breaks the flow of the normal duel. He immediately calls for "Strike" with no attempt to focus, and his Kata allows him to attempt a counterstrike, disarming the attacker, and cutting him with his own blade whilst in the air. He has demonstrated this at various show duels. The only one he ever taught this technique to was his daughter Yuya, who was kidnapped and presumed killed by bandits at a young age. At the summer court last year, a group of samurais engaged in a hunting and gift contest, uncovered the bandits and attempted to bring the head of the bandit leader to Kakita Anzai as a gift- however they discovered that he had been raising Kakita Yuya as his own, and learned of her heritage due to her use of the unique dueling skill. She was brought back to her family as the "gift" for the contest, which has been spoken of as a legendary event by courtiers ever since.

The Tiger Clan: This minor clan has been tasked with clearing taint from the realm. Their shugenja has been tasked from the Emperor himself to seek out ways of cleansing taint and have been given authority to act as seen fit. They typically do not work as Jade Magistrates, but moreso as scholars, though they do maintain several prisons for those that practice taint magic, and individuals harboring taint are often given to them for experimentation rather than outright killed. The other clans have somewhat of an uneasy relationship with the Tiger Clan, respecting their work, but worried that they might be accused of taint or corruption, and taken without trial or confession by them. While there aren't any known examples of people simply disappearing, they have been known to take tainted people away. Some of their Bushi have been known to explore the land looking for magical artifacts to help detect and protect against taint for the good of the empire, and they have been granted special permission to explore other lands in search of such magic. In their travels they have learned magical spells and rituals outside of what is normal in Rokugan. They are financed by the empire, and do not have much in the way of commerce or large land holdings themselves. PCs are not eligible for the Tiger Clan.

The Wolf Pack: Not a clan, per se, though it might be more appropriate to a Ronin family if anything. There are some samurai that have claimed to be members of a "clan" called the Wolf Pack. They use the term pack to distinguish themselves from a clan, and they have been rumored to invite peasants into their ranks as equals. Some have likened them to a large organized bandit group. They don't have any holdings, and they engage in commerce. They are said to be fierce warriors, though they have also been known to fight dishonorably, attacking from ambush or at night while their enemies are sleeping. Anyone suspected of being a member of the Wolf pack should be captured and questioned, though if live capture is not reasonable, killing them as you would a bandit is appropriate- if you can.

Character Creation and Edge Cases

I will attempt to keep as simple as possible:

45 Character Points

• Disadvantages: No more than 10 points can be achieved via Disadvantages. (As per the base rules). Taking more disadvantages does not give extra points. These are not offset by Advantages, you may only get 10 points total (not 10 points + advantage buy off).
• Heritage: Everyone must take 1 heritage table roll. This will be done by me at the first session. You may purchase the other 2 rolls normally, please let me know if you intend to do so- they will also be rolled first session. A negative result should result in some good role-play. 
• Ronin: If you chose to be Ronin, please describe the circumstances around your Ronin Status. Ronin may not take improved status advantages. 
• Status: Any increase of status will imply coming from a respected family or having important contacts. You will not be starting out with any authority positions, and having a higher status number does not mean you are necessarily "in charge". It might mean, for example, your cousin is a magistrate, so people tend to respect you a bit more in case you tell on them. 
• Monks: I will allow Monks. A school monk (such as Dragon Tattooed man) are normal. Full monks may not multiclass into other classes and may not be a multi-class from other classes. Monks may not take improved glory or status advantages. 
• Levelling Up: You automatically gain your insight rank when relevant, but do not automatically gain access to your next school technique. If you are reasonably somewhere where you can take some time to study with a mentor, great. Otherwise you might need to wait to gain the next technique. Also, if you end up getting disowned or have certain disadvantages, you might not be able to reasonably get trained and may end up being better with Ronin Schools. 
• Courtiers: Bushi and Shugjenga will have big roles to play, but based on other campaings, this might feel more geared towards Courtiers- but that's because courtiers tended to have nothing to do in most campaigns. They are meant to be viable. 
• Common Sense: In case it needs to be said... you are human. You are samurai. You are not secretly peasants or shapechanged naga or something. You are not a tainted blood magic user. You can choose to play any kind of glory, honor type, though the world and characters will react appropriately. You should probably not have a hatred for clans the other PCs belong to. 

I really intend to try to focus on the world and role-play. Having the most powerful character doesn't necessarily translate into being the best or most effective character. Also, some social disadvanages might have hidden perks that get revealed during the game. 

Gender Preference: Some advantages or disadvantages are relevant to "people who are attracted to you." Each PC should have a gender and a gender preference. Being Bisexual/Asexual is a disadvantage or advantage.

Disadvantage: Bisexual (1 point): You are attracted to both genders and thus anyone with the relevant abilities can take advantage of a lustful disadvantage or a bonus based on their own advantages.
Advantage: Asexual (1 point): You are completely uninterested in sexuality. If you must have sex to produce an heir, the process is not pleasurable, and if a male, it might be impossible. No one gains any special advantages for being considered attractive, and you cannot get any lustful disadvantages.

Advantage: Androgenous (2 points): You are generally attractive to both genders despite their sexual preference. Perhaps you are a man with a very feminine look, or a woman with powerful features. In any case, both genders tend to find you attractive, allowing you to take advantage of such advantages more frequently.
Disadvantage: Unattractive (1 point): You are unattractive. You get -1k0 to social skill rolls (an extra -1dk1 on any seduction rolls), and may not take advantage of any ability that requires people to "be attracted to you."

Just because you are of the correct gender generally doesn't mean people are attracted to you, and just because you didn't take dangerous beauty doesn't mean they aren't. (Though dangerous beauty is a good way to ensure that most people who could be, are). People can become attracted to you based on your reputation (glory, honor, status) or your use of high skills (poetry, artisan, acting, deceit[seduction]). Different people might have different things they are attracted to and using these skills can be ways of gaining use of the relevant advantages.

Reputation: Your reputation (glory, honor, status) may fluctuate. The campaign will probably not gear well to someone seeking to maximize them. Being embarrassed in public might lower your glory, and you may be put in situations where the honorable thing may not be the "morally right" thing to do. Status might be gained or lost during the campaign. Please do not take it personally or make a character who cannot function when there are losses to these things.

Backstory:

The characters backstories should be simple, and every advantage and disadvantage should fit into your backstory. It's okay to have enemies and allies, favors, etc- but don't expect that every other mission will fit directly into resolution of something from your backstory. Also, how much could you really have accomplished as a 13 year old who hasn't completed your Gempukku? 

The PCs have recently completed their Gempukku. As such they are all 14 years old. Keep this in mind when developing your backstory, as it may be difficult to justify some crazy concepts. Any status increases you take as advantages will not translate to positions of actual authority, but might be based on you being close to someone in a position of power.

With a bit of hand-waiving, the 14 year old characters will be treated in all ways like modern 18 year old adults. They are of marrying age, and will be assumed to be fully physically developed.

Progression:

Progression will likely be slow, as this will be my first time running, but I will be making attempts to involve matters of court, war, and magic in fairly equal measure. I will try to make sure there is always something the Bushi, Courtier, and Shugenja can be doing. (Monks might be able to fill either role based on their build).


(PLEASE SEE SETTING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES)