Character Generation

[jemmus]

Sorry for the wait and thanks for your patience all, here's my char finalized and ready to go. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lmBgnX ... sp=sharing I missed that Samwell's excellent Excel sheets incorporated all kinds of sections of the calculations, etc. from the Bushido PDF. Archived for future campaigns...

I could find the armor weight information in the rules. Have you guys seen them?

[Samwell Turleton]

Armor weight is in the section that defines what type of armor is at each AC value on page 56

I assume things change around on the character sheets frequently enough that the percentile rolls will all need to be updated. That is partly why I felt it was important to set up the spreadsheet.

[jemmus]

Got it, thanks Samwell. On the Excel sheet, should the character's level be added to the Attribute Saving Throws (p.2 of the rules)?

Frank, should we post character backstories? Or do you want to let the character's learn each other's stories along the way?

[ffilz]

Got it, thanks Samwell. On the Excel sheet, should the character's level be added to the Attribute Saving Throws (p.2 of the rules)?

Frank, should we post character backstories? Or do you want to let the character's learn each other's stories along the way?

You didn't properly share your sheet, I sent a request for access.

Go ahead and post backgrounds.

And hey, if this sharing of the Excel sheet works in Google Sheets, let's have everyone have their character sheet in that form. You can make space for background and stuff.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1am90n2 ... sp=sharing

You could also add a short summary of your character to this Google Doc so we have a common place to look at for the most important stuff, plus keeping track of rumors and information known by the players.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WzA ... sp=sharing

Since you all can edit it, you can always add things.

Frank

[Samwell Turleton]

I didn't catch that saving throw bonus - I will look into it and yes it would need to be added!

[jemmus]

Kamine no Toshizo (player – jemmus)
Toshizo’s family were once high rank samurai in mountainous Shinano Province. But his father’s and uncle’s lord gambled and backed the wrong side in a complicated conflict about succession of a regent for the Emperor. The new regent named them and their lord “rebels,” stripped away their land titles, and awarded the land to his supporters. The once-proud Kamine clan and all of its samurai retainers became landless ronin.

Toshizo remembers the day his family and some former retainers, now also ronin, left the land for Shinano’s capital town of Matsumoto. They were allowed to take all of their portable or mobile possessions-- money, artworks, fine ceramics, armor, weapons, kimono, and horses. The peasants of their fief watched the departure from along the road. Some wept. But some made a show of doing stage whispers behind their hands and nodding knowingly. Some openly threw out taunts and catcalls. His father Toshikuni and the former samurai proceeded tautly and with perfect discipline, as if headed to a military call to arms from the lord. His mother Shino carried herself stoically and decorously. Pure samurai at heart, Toshizo never saw her shed a tear or let an anxious face show since they suddenly became ronin.

In the town, the family moved into a dilapidated how on a muddy alley. New, clean tatami mat flooring was put in, and the family’s horses were gone. Replacing some roof beams was done and re-thatching the roof leaking roof was started, and the artworks disappeared. Toshizo and his father worked alongside sweating workmen in their fundoshi loincloths for the re-thatching. Toshizo was sad to see his father doing manual labor, but Toshikuni said, “Toshizo, a bushi does whatever needs to be done, and he works until it is done well. Learning to thatch a roof and learning a bugei are no different. A bushi works and works, over and over, until he can do the work with skill.” The old house was made habitable, but the old water-stained shoji sliding screens separating the rooms of the house were never replaced.

Toshikuni sent Toshizo to train in the dojo of a local ni-to-jutsu sensei and one of an iaido sensei. Toshizo wanted to learn sojutsu instead, to have a bushi’s classic set of bugei—bajutsu, kyujutsu, kenjutsu, and sojutsu. Toshikuni said, “Toshizo-kun. We live in a town now. A yari is a long weapon, good for outdoors. But to live and support your wife and children, you’ll have to work as a policeman or a bodyguard. That might be mostly indoor combat. Shorter weapons are better for that. You can study yari as you become an older, experienced bushi.”

Weeks passed, and Toshikuni got work not as a policeman or yojimbo bodyguard, but as a humble warehouse night watchman. Often his co-watchmen were his former samurai retainers, all of them now working for a few coppers per day. Toshizo continued going to the dojos for his training, and he noticed that his mother’s kimonos also gradually disappeared. Toshizo knew that they were sold to pay for his training. Along the way, white rice and fish and vegetables for meals became more just rice and miso soup.

On his 16th birthday, Toshizo’s father Toshikuni and mother Shino had a party for him. They had white rice, dried salmon flakes, roasted sparrows, cucumbers pickled with mint leaves, and eggs and mushrooms steamed in pottery teacups. Mother Shino, worn and smaller than before, but still full of courage, said, “Toshizo-kun, congratulations! You’re an adult now.” A tear slipped her eye. “You’ve been brave, little son. I’m sorry, we don’t have a birthday present to give you.” She looked to Toshikuni, and more tears slipped. Toshizo knew this was his coming of age day and time to be a free adult. Still, he had to hold back tears. Mom, for the first time ever, you’re crying….

Toshikuni cleared his throat and quietly intervened. “Toshizo-kun. Here is your inheritance. The title for a horse, as repayment for a loan to Makihara no Saburo in the village of Neno in Hida Province. He’ll pay if he can, he’s a good man. Take this scroll with his stamp and give him Toshikuni’s greetings.

And these three bags of coins. The little one has some gold, the middle one has some silver, the big one coppers. Be careful and don’t fight bandits for them. Money is dirty, let it go if you have to. You can always get more. And in the chest, a partial suit of o-yoroi armor.

Go to Hida and get your horse. And get a job as a policeman or yojimbo. If you can’t, and you’re not married with a wife and children that need you, go on a sword quest and perfect yourself! Come back, son, perfected, or at least stronger and wiser. You are a true Kamine."

Toshizo was amazed that his parents had saved an inheritance for him, through all the years of frugality and penury. Though they were now exiled ronin, they truly still had the discipline of samurai. Young Toshizo set off for Hida, found the village of Neno, and got his horse. He is now on the road. He could go back to Matsumoto, but since he has received his inheritance, he would feel foolish going back to live as child in his parents' house. He hopes the gods will grant him good fortune and he will chance across a means of earning a livelihood along the way.

[ffilz]

How are folks coming along? Is anyone stalled on anything? I see the sheet for jemmus's Toshizo

Samwell, how are you coming along?

[Samwell Turleton]

I need to write some background but the image I posted is where I am settling on the character’s numbers and gear.

I am inspired and intimidated by Jemmus’ character background!

[ffilz]

I need to write some background but the image I posted is where I am settling on the character’s numbers and gear.

Sorry, I'm being dense, which image?

[Samwell Turleton]

I pasted it into the beginning of this thread (post #5) It is a snapshot of the google sheet/character sheet. I can also share it around to our e-mail addresses.

[ffilz]

I pasted it into the beginning of this thread (post #5) It is a snapshot of the google sheet/character sheet. I can also share it around to our e-mail addresses.

Ah, ok. If you share the Google Sheet then we (or I if you just want to share with me) can see your up to date sheet as things progress.

We might be getting one more player so I'll give a few days before we start, if you want to at least start some background that aims you at Hida province I'll be able to get things rolling soon.

[Faanku]

Hi everyone. I'm working on a character now, probably something non-bushi for a bit of variety, but the book's pretty heavy reading compared to L5R.

[ffilz]

Hi everyone. I'm working on a character now, probably something non-bushi for a bit of variety, but the book's pretty heavy reading compared to L5R.

Yes, it is a bit dense... Good old FGU...

[jemmus]

I need to write some background but the image I posted is where I am settling on the character’s numbers and gear.

I am inspired and intimidated by Jemmus’ character background!

LOL. I'm a samurai history nerd. That was kind of an easy story to lift from history.

Agreed, the rulebook is kind of dense. Faanku, the Excel sheet Samwell made may and posted here may help you kind of visualize and organize the concepts. It's set up for bushi, but I think some of the calculations it does would apply to other classes.

[ffilz]

It might be a lot to learn, but a Shugenja or Gakusho would be cool to have in the group.

[Faanku]

Shugenja was my first idea, but I'm halfway through a yazuka forger.
Is there any benefit at all to rolling a lower rank on the birth table? Seems like you miss out on a lot of HP and language bonuses with nothing positive.

[ffilz]

Shugenja was my first idea, but I'm halfway through a yazuka forger.
Is there any benefit at all to rolling a lower rank on the birth table? Seems like you miss out on a lot of HP and language bonuses with nothing positive.

If you're unhappy with the result on the birth table, reroll one time. If you're still unhappy, let's chat...

[Faanku]

I'll take it, but I was just wondering if I was missing something

[ffilz]

I'll take it, but I was just wondering if I was missing something

It's just old an school RPG...

[ffilz]

I pasted it into the beginning of this thread (post #5) It is a snapshot of the google sheet/character sheet. I can also share it around to our e-mail addresses.

Could you put a shareable link to the Google Sheet on the Google Doc? That will help me find it and keep things in one place.