Character Generation

[ffilz]

That’s a convincing argument for round to nearest if it’s not mentioned. The confusing bit is actually more places mention round to nearest explicitly...

[jemmus]

Nice PC, Marullus. So now we have at least one member of the party with brains, culture and literacy. The other three so far are two jock ronin bushi and a yakuza. From what I'm seeing, it seems like having a shugenja or gakusho able to do Exorcism in a party is pretty important. There are a lot of ghosts and bad spirits in parts of Nippon.

[Marullus]

I think my three day crash course in this arcane tome of a rulebook are paying off. I think I understand most of the systems involved in making this character. Last thing today, trying to develop status. Please let me know if this looks right and acceptable.

On: 15
(Medium-rank Samurai is 30, divided in half for becoming Shugenja)

Personal Status: 25
(20 points for being medium rank, 5 points for being Level 1, no points for having 50 On.)

Group Status: Satake Clan - 25
(20 points for being a Senior Member [the heir, since her brother died] and 5 points for favor of the Patriarch, because she's taken a blood oath to restore the family honor after the shame of accusations against her brother.)
Status Factor: .8
(Samurai clans are .6 to 1, she's medium, split it for .8)
Status in Society: 20, BCS: 4
(25 personal status X .8 factor, 20 points.)

When we encounter someone, my understanding is that we start with that BCS 4, then modify from there based on page 24. The options include "spontanious use of a social art: quote from the classics" (BCS: 12), and I assume Rhetoric (BCS: 18), but that seems to work differently in examples. The Effect Level of that roll (or both rolls, added in a scene?) add to the Status BCS above.

...is that right?

I added a second group for her per her backstory, but I expect it only to come up for internal-only school roleplay when she goes back to study.
Group Status: Hanafubuki Retreat (Magic School) - 15
(0 points for being a Member, up to 10 Personal Status apply, +5 points for the favor of Sensei-Fuji)
This establishes where she was learning her Arts before being recalled by her family.

[Enoch]

I've updated the Google doc, but I realized I never posted my character:

Eiji (player - Enoch)
Eiji’s family has served the Enryaku-ji temple for generations as gravediggers, earning a better living than typical for hinin due to the generosity of the temple and the monks who resided there. As a child, however, Eiji had the temerity to question a young monk performing a burial ceremony about some details of Buddhist theology. Rather than run him off, the monk appeared impressed with the boy’s insightful questions, and began tutoring him in Buddhist philosophy and teachings.
As soon as he was allowed, Eiji took the saffron robes of a novice monk, devoting himself to study and meditation. Though he is not sure of his destiny, the other monks found him better suited to invoking the Buddhas and performing burial rites than he was to actually digging the grave. Nonetheless, he carries with him a monk’s spade as much as a reminder of his past as for fending off wildlife and burying the unfortunate dead he finds in his travels. He's accompanied by a dog, Jīva, who he befriended on the road.

[Enoch]

I'm looking at books, and they are really expensive (37.5 gold on average, ranging up to 120 gold on the high end). Would it be possible to drop a gold or so (or more; my monk doesn't have much use for material possessions) on a scroll of sutras (with no mechanical effect) that were gifted to him by the temple before he left? I really like the idea of my character carrying around a scroll of holy teachings he can't read (because they'd be in kanji, and eta aren't taught the kanji) and bugging the high-ranking shugenja he's tagging along behind to teach him.

[ffilz]

I'm looking at books, and they are really expensive (37.5 gold on average, ranging up to 120 gold on the high end). Would it be possible to drop a gold or so (or more; my monk doesn't have much use for material possessions) on a scroll of sutras (with no mechanical effect) that were gifted to him by the temple before he left? I really like the idea of my character carrying around a scroll of holy teachings he can't read (because they'd be in kanji, and eta aren't taught the kanji) and bugging the high-ranking shugenja he's tagging along behind to teach him.

Not sure where you are getting that price for books and scrolls.

Well, at the 2d6 gold per point, you could purchase an average cost scroll that's good for 1 point for 7 gold. If you want to spend less than that, it will be a somewhat worn scroll. On p.66 books are only 1d6 gold with no reference to per-point. I'm also fine if you want a scroll that isn't worth any points at whatever price you want to pay for it.

[Enoch]

I'm looking at books, and they are really expensive (37.5 gold on average, ranging up to 120 gold on the high end). Would it be possible to drop a gold or so (or more; my monk doesn't have much use for material possessions) on a scroll of sutras (with no mechanical effect) that were gifted to him by the temple before he left? I really like the idea of my character carrying around a scroll of holy teachings he can't read (because they'd be in kanji, and eta aren't taught the kanji) and bugging the high-ranking shugenja he's tagging along behind to teach him.

Not sure where you are getting that price for books and scrolls.

Well, at the 2d6 gold per point, you could purchase an average cost scroll that's good for 1 point for 7 gold. If you want to spend less than that, it will be a somewhat worn scroll. On p.66 books are only 1d6 gold with no reference to per-point. I'm also fine if you want a scroll that isn't worth any points at whatever price you want to pay for it.

I was pulling it from page 53: books (as used in building a library, which is the only price set provided) cost 2d6 gold pieces per point of value; a given book (scroll or pages pressed between wooden boards), contains 1d10 points. I used 7 as the average of 2d6 and 5.5 as the average of 1d10. (I was also looking at it late at night while under a lot of stress; it didn't occur to me that if I wanted a book I didn't have to buy a random book.)

I will definitely buy a 1-point book of Buddhist philosophy I totally can't read because it's in Kanji!

[Marullus]

As we continue forward and characters grow and advance, lets use this thread as a running log of character changes. I'd like us to have an audit trail we can go back to when we're confused, even if the google sheets hold the most recent versions.

[Marullus]

Yea, I still need to update Taka's sheet with the suggested skill changes...

What were they again?

Dropping Chinese Classics and Divination. (She's now less about the I Ching and quoting the strategist Sun Tzu)
Taking Herbalism and Tea Ceremony. (Learned from her mentor, Kiyomaru, known for his unique tea magic.)

Herbalist: "Tenyaku" is the pharmaceutical science of Nippon. The
herbalist can compound both poisons and cures, almost always
from vegetable bases. Simpler drugs can be administered by
anybody to good effect, while others must be given with proper use
of Igaku or Tenyaku to have any effect. Drugs are discussed in
section 1095.5.
BONUS: Gakusho, NPC "Doctor."
INITIAL SKILL SCORE: 2 x Wit.

Tea Ceremony
The "Cha-no-yu." or Tea Ceremony, simply stated, is an austere
social ritual built around the making and serving of a cup of tea. But
every action is invested with a dignity that far transcends the brewing
of a refreshing draught. Participants in the Cha-no-yu free their
minds from the demands of the outside world. In the clean, bare
confines of the "Cha-shitsu," a small pavilion or special room
dedicated to the tea ceremony, the guests join in a special
communion of spirit with their host, the Tea Master, leaving
refreshed in body and mind.
In the game, a character may gain On by demonstrating his grace
and inner tranquillity ("Wa") by his proper performance of Cha-No-
Yu. He can increase his effective Status when trying to influence a
guest by adding his Effect Number for the ceremony to the Status
score. Of course, the Gamesmaster will have to adjudicate when
such an act is feasible in the overall flow of the campaign. One
cannot, for example, set up the Tea Ceremony in the midst of a
melee.
BONUS: Buke (Samurai or Ronin).
INITIAL SKILL SCORE: Wit + Will + Deftness.

For Bugei, she currently has the strategy bugei, which you are looking to replace with another option (unless you choose to have her still be strategy-minded.) She already has tantojutsu (knife) which is the only weapon she can wield with her strength, and skill with katana (which is too heavy to use) and horsemanship (at which she excels as an art).

Shurikenjutsu - throwing shuriken (class skill for Shugenja) and uses Will
Atemi-Waza or jujutsu - unarmed martial arts
Hayagakejutsu - gives a bugei based on Will (which is good) to allow her higher daily movement, so she's not the slowest group member.
Karumijutsu - Specialized Climbing and Leaping, based on Will attribute.

[ffilz]

OK, swapped out skills, took Shurikenjutsu which gives her a ranged weapon, and is the skill to throw Tanto. I don't think I need the Diviner's Scrolls anymore? Added purchase of some Shuriken. The character sheet tab now indicates the gear she has with.

[jemmus]

Have a day off today so not wasting any time starting work on a new PC.
[1d100]=74 Die roll is on Toshizo's die rolls record. (Don't have a name for the new char yet, wanted to know the birth info first).
Artisan, Middle Rank. Initial On 6, money dice 2.
Want a bushi, but don't know if this can can afford to buy armor.
Karma - +1 for dying in combat, I believe. Will use it to increase an attribute score by 1.

[Marullus]

Before you start rolling a new PC, I wanted to make sure you saw my post on the Rules Q&A. Specifically...

And at 1st level PCs don't have any at all. They have to survive to 2nd level to have the option of permanently spending Ki to get to unconscious.

You have your level in Ki, so all first level characters have 1 Ki.

Now that I posted the update, I can also say this is immediately relevant. Both Toshizo and Kobi are currently dead (though Kobi doesn't know it yet) - if we implement this rule, they can both survive unconscious and we continue Toshizo's story. (Or you can decide to still let Toshizo die and roll a different Bushi with Karma if you're dissatisfied with Toshizo's story. For my vote, I want to see more Toshizo.)

Now... if we don't approve this rule, or if you choose to let Toshizo die, then I will let you spend your 1 Ki point for 1 detailed turn of action before you collapse. That lets you hit for 3hp (you already rolled) and write your own dramatic death scene (which I think is appropriate, anyway.)

If we agree on the house rule, then you can spend your 1 permanent Ki point and Toshizo is unconscious, not dead. As I said above... For my vote, I want to see more Toshizo. There was a lot of thought and RP in him that I don't think is finished.

[Marullus]

*bump*
Okay, we all officially agree on the house rule.

Jemmus:

• do you want to spend the permanent Ki point (you had only 1, this will take you to zero until level 2) and have Toshizo be unconscious but alive?
• or, do you want to spend the temporary Ki point to have hit for 3hp with your last attack (i.e. remaining active a turn), then use Karma to roll an ew PC?

[jemmus]

This is a hard call. But since GM has said that he'd like Toshizo to continue as a character, the balance is tilted toward spending the permanent Ki point for Toshizo to go to unconscious. (But if we have a TPK, it will take some GM wizardry to keep any of the PCs in the game. )

[Samwell Turleton]

Amano Souta_Full.jpg (94.14 KiB) Viewed 1001 times

Here is a character portrait for Amano Souta

[jemmus]

Nice! Is that your original artwork?

By the way, you're of course very welcome to join our other Bushido game if you'd ever like to. viewforum.php?f=1094 Current party:
1 high rank heimin gakusho (ffilz)
1 low rank ronin bushi (marullus)
2 high rank samurai bushi (jmacatty)

[Samwell Turleton]

It is my drawing - I sketched it out the other day looking through some old photos of men and women in historical photographs and some others wearing mino straw capes.

I am interested in joining the other game as well but will need to work my way around to it. I would be happy to chat with you about setting up a character.

[ffilz]

It is my drawing - I sketched it out the other day looking through some old photos of men and women in historical photographs and some others wearing mino straw capes.

I am interested in joining the other game as well but will need to work my way around to it. I would be happy to chat with you about setting up a character.

Nice drawing. Here's a case for sub-forum specific avatars... The avatar matching the character would make posts easier to read...

[Samwell Turleton]

That is an interesting idea. I would take advantage of setting up different avatar images for the games that I am in.

[jemmus]

Correction:
1 high rank heimin middle rank merchant gakusho (ffilz)
1 low rank ronin bushi (marullus)
2 high rank samurai bushi (jmacatty)