The Unseen Servant forums

Ah, thanks. So three for Minoru then.

Marullus wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2023 8:28 pm

The Ninja may select one disguise for his repertoire for every 4
points of his BCS, or fraction thereof. Therefore, with a BCS of 1 to
4, he has mastered one disguise. He may choose a second for his
arsenal when his BCS is 5 to 8, a third at 9 to 12, a fourth at 13 to 16,
and the fifth at 17 or more.

It has to work this way otherwise someone with BCS 1-3 would have no disguises...

jemmus wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2023 2:00 am https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCSX0BWQKc8 "Saizo of the Mists 5 (Shinobi no Mono: Kirigakure no Saizo) for free on Youtube. The ultimate 50s and 60s ninja film series, as far I know. And possibly the only one. I haven't seen this one yet, I'm on movie 4. That one has it all. Hensu-jutsu stroll through the city's drinking district as a regular guy. Detects enemy ninja doing the same following. Escapes....

Wow

If I get a disguise I’ll go with fisherman since that would be familiar , and his uncle and he fished a lot when younger

Grognardsw wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2023 10:34 pm If I get a disguise I’ll go with fisherman since that would be familiar , and his uncle and he fished a lot when younger

Fuma and Jinsei get 2 disguises, Minato and Kaida get 3. Stats

Marullus wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2023 8:34 pm I am unsure what points of decision we are looking for.

Here's what I have for the plan so far.
-Agreement to take the mountain route.
-Jinsei proposed avoiding a direct invasion by night, and instead getting to know the merchant Tanaka Jinsei's habits first. Possibly by posing as gardeners and getting hired.
-Kaida proposed posing as a merchant or wandering priest.

Fuma could go fish merchant and hunter so he has a reason to carry his bow.

jemmus wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2023 7:08 pm You don't have to pick one from the rules, you can propose an original one. Yes, a fish merchant would also make sense.

I would choose one from each social strata for Kaida if we can be original.

A wandering priest

Wandering Priest: The Ninja can reel off theological jargon and will
be able to hold up his end of a theological dispute. Of course, any
attempt to perform priestly magic will fail, although the Ninja can go
through the motions of trying to use occult power believably.

A merchant (of fish or from "another province")

Merchant: The Ninja can haggle with the best of them and is able to
quote market conditions fluently. The arrogance of the merchant
class is accurately portrayed.

A Buke daughter
Has the manners to pass amongst the Buke class, to serve tea, to fake cultured upbringing of fine arts, etc.

Is that acceptable?

Edit: both Peasant and Merchant are Heimin; I dropped the peasant. Being a wandering priest is more appropriate for her and gives her more infiltration opportunity. She also will have a bonus at it, since she CAN actually perform magical healing.

Yes, those are reasonable roles.

I'm out of town on a phone for my daughter's college graduation. I'll post the random encounter distance, a chart of PCs' and NPC's Base Action Phases, and the oni's action tomorrow evening, or maybe sooner.

Sorry ffilz, we're not leaving you behind while you're on vacation. I just to post while I had it all rounded up and together and keep things moving from the GM side. We're all PBP vets, we can handle it along the way. No hurry.

(After many miles on the road through many provinces along the way, pursued by enemy ninja, by a campfire at night).
Akane (shyly): Kirigakure ("Hiding the Mists")-sama. Perhaps you don't love me because I was a prostitute.
Saizo: No! ("Different/wrong!") I should not fall in love with you.
Akane (leans forward, expectantly): Why?! Why can't you fall in love?
Saizo (stoically, campfire flames flickering) A ninja is born in the darkness and dies in the dark. We hang in there and never fall in love. We don't marry either.
Saizo (flames flicker. Saizo looks fondly down at Akane and strokes her hair. Then rises and casually walks around to check out the silent woods around the campfire. Dammit, Saizo! Be more careful this time!).
Bad stalking ninja (out in the woods leaping silently from branch to ground, silently peeking around tree trunks, signing to each other with hand signs, fists around hilts....
-Saizo of the Mists 4

(The brave and noble lord about to die in a hopelessly besieged and surrounded castle has summoned Saizo).
"Saizo!"
"Hai, you summoned me, Lord!
"Get out now! Use the secret tunnel under the castle."
"Escape? Why?"
"Now I can fight like a man for the first time. And it is because of your efforts! I, Yukimura, thank you. But you were only hired to to spy on Ieyasu's movements. Not to die with the Toyotomi. Escape by the secret tunnel now!"
"I must refuse your command!"
[Turns] "What?"
"As ninja, we were told not to have human emotions, and taught to be like animals. In my spirit I cannot live and die like an animal. I want to die like a human being man."
[Lord Yukimura is startled and suddenly turn and approached the kneeling ninja] "Saizo...!"

Just in case it helps round out the scene for your PCs' role in Nippon.

I am visiting my Mom for her 88th birthday this weekend and will be off line. Back late Sunday or early Monday. Have a great weekend everyone!

Happy birthday Mom! See you next week Rex.

Thanks jemmus!

Just checking it to say we'll proceed when we know whether Marullus wants to revise Kaida's most recent action. He mentioned to us that he's traveling this week.

Grognardsw wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 9:51 pm Jinsei wondered at the significance of the evening crowing cock that Reed mentioned. Did that bad cock omen cancel the good cock omen, essentially cock blocking each other?

Sorry for the delay posting. For what I do, this week is like the week of April 15 for tax preparers. But it will be over today (whether I'm done or not).

I just learned that shugenja is another name for yamabushi ("one who prostrates oneself in the mountains). Yamabushi are one of the archetypical characters of Japanese history. I've mentioned them before, as one of the favorite disguises of ninja. They're mountain ascetics who practice a kind of shamanistic blend of Shinto and Buddhism. So now at least we know what a shugenja should look like.

Cool pictures.