Character Generation - Kumo Clan

[Marullus]

I dunno if my Health is a bit low, but again, not expecting to be in the fights. Hope I roll well on the 1d6... (I'll roll once I'm finalized).

Health is usually just hit points, except in your case for one strange exception... the range of your blowgun is Health x the number of lengths assembled.

...I guess Health measures lung capacity.

[ffilz]

I dunno if my Health is a bit low, but again, not expecting to be in the fights. Hope I roll well on the 1d6... (I'll roll once I'm finalized).

Health is usually just hit points, except in your case for one strange exception... the range of your blowgun is Health x the number of lengths assembled.

...I guess Health measures lung capacity.

Oh, interesting. Well, with an 11, range is decent even with just one length and plenty for indoors, and three lengths is plenty of range for most outdoor situations. And thanks to the higher STR, he can easily have three blowgun segments.

And it's not like the extra 4 HP from the original Health of 15 was going to make much difference in combat. He wasn't going to be doing anything after a solid hit anyway.

[Marullus]

By the way, I haven't seen anything from Rex or Grognardsw about the bonus presents. In case I wasn't clear, all PCs get those, including yours.

Rex - looks like he isn't giving free armor. Silenced partial Ninja armor for AC 4+level is available as a bonus gift.

Grognardsw - you're the guy actually using a ninjato... and a +1 sword is pretty darn sweet.

...that's my suggestions.

[jemmus]

Yes, free armor is one of the choices. Players can choose Partial, Standard, or Complete, taking into account their Strength and encumbrance considerations.

All other items for equipping a character must be bought with the coins rolled on the initial money table. The clan doesn't provide agents with unlimited equipment, rations, etc. Each agent has a finite amount of resources from the clan's pool, and he/she must soundly and strategically decide how to use them.

Also, please see the upcoming Campaign Setting thread for a couple of new house rules ninja gimmicks:
-Smoking Powder
-Moon Behind Clouds Lantern

[Marullus]

All other items for equipping a character must be bought with the coins rolled on the initial money table. The clan doesn't provide agents with unlimited equipment, rations, etc. Each agent has a finite amount of resources from the clan's pool, and he/she must soundly and strategically decide how to use them.

Oh, sorry about that guys. I thought we were doing a communal clan thing and I skipped those directions in the steps outlined here.

Roll: Starting coin:
[4d3] gp [4d6] sp [4d6×10] cp

Starting armor:
Everyone gets ninja suits, not armor (except for buying it or the bonus above).

Partial 20 lbs, AC 4 -- 15gp, silenced 30gp
-Standard 30 lbs, AC 6 - 20gp, silenced 40gp
-Complete 40 lbs, AC 7 - 25gp, silenced 50gp


Starting weapons:

INITIAL GOODS: Ninjato and scabbard; a weapon for each chosen Bugei *; Ninja suit; 2D5 + Rank Factor of Task Points to acquire
Gimmicks.

* The character may choose one weapon whose use is covered by the Bugei, if any are. Ninja may choose a Gimmick weapon or the
ordinary type but not both. If a pair of weapons is required, he will receive them unless they duplicate a single weapon for another
Bugei. Thus, A Samurai who chooses Ni-To-Kenjutsu will receive no weapons for that Skill, since he already has the Dai-sho for being
Samurai. Shurikenjutsu allows the character 1D6 shuriken and Yari-nage-jutsu allows 1D3 javelins of either type. Remember that some
Bugei do not use weapons (as Jujutsu), while others enhance or modify weapon use (as laijutsu), and thus gain the character no
more weapons.

Normally you would roll for sword quality, but special rule for Ninjato is that doesn’t apply. They only way to get a +1 sword is with this bonus offer and it is functionally unique.

As Eta Ninja, no chance of horses.

[Rex]

I was going to up spd, but is armor better?

[Marullus]

Well, that's a personal choice.

3 speed will raise your save by 1 and give you +1 to your movement allowance.

The silenced partial armor gives you +3 AC over the rest of us in Ninja garb (yours fits underneath). So, that is an extra -3 penalty on any attack on you, or a 15% chance less likely to hit you. If you are going to end up shooting from rooftops, you are probably more likely to get return fire that the others hiding/running away.
...you could buy it later, but 30gp is gard to come by.

[Rex]

I think I will stick with my Spd choice. First answer and all.

[Marullus]

Jemmus, with coin/items being a thing, are you allowing sell back of starting gear like last campaign?

The two PCs not taking the ninjato would get 100sp and 20 task points to redistribute.

[jemmus]

Yes, sellback is OK. After initial purchases, money won't need to be tracked. The clan will be paid well for a successful mission, and it is fairly generous with its resources to successful agents. But not so much as to spoil them and let them get soft. The clan considers thoughtful and strategic resources management a big part of ninjutsu. They live in a hidden mountain village where about everything has to be ported in, including staples such as rice. Even if money is currently plentiful, on hand resources are pretty much always limited.

[Marullus]

Yes, sellback is OK.

So Rex and Ffilz both get +100sp and 20 Ninja Gimmicks for not keeping their Ninjato blade. (Really the only thing this applies to.)

After initial purchases, money won't need to be tracked.

So, the need here then is that we convert the initial coin into non-monetary resources before game start, then manage those responsibly.

You automatically have all weapons you're trained in (see above).

Roll: Starting coin:
[4d3] gp [4d6] sp [4d6×10] cp

4 to 12gp isn't enough to buy things that cost gp. (Armor starts at 15gp). Convert everything else to silver for convenience of tracking - 1gp = 12sp. 30cp = 1sp.

Horses might be possible:
Riding: Cost 200s; Weight 1000; Class A
War: Cost 500s; Weight 1200; Class A
Work: Cost 100s; Weight 1200; Class B

Pretty much all the equipment on pages 53-54 is a trivial cost - buy whatever you want. Also buy herbal cures on page 51.

Then the main middle-cost item is poisons. I'm not sure how to price them... it is on page 52. For coating ninja darts and weapons, you want Lightning Injected Poisons. Paralytic lessens the Speed attribute. Narcotic lessens the Strength attribute. Disabling adds Distractions.

Edit to add:
Also note, you can spend more money to have something you buy be Good (x2 cost) or Superior (x5 cost) quality. If you're figuring out how to spend your coin, this is also an option. The effect of this is discretionary and unexplained, except that for clothing it affects how many years before the clothing wears out and for swords it has specific combat bonuses (but is specifically excluded from the ninjato sword, except for Jemmus' two year gift). I

[Rex]

Coin [4d3]=10 gp [4d6]=15 sp [4d6x10]=13x10=130 cp

100sp (Ninjato)
10gp x 12sp/gp = 120sp
15sp
130cp / 30cp/sp = 4sp and 10cp
100sp + 120sp + 15sp + 4sp = 239sp and 10cp

239sp
10cp

It looks like I can afford the 15gp (180sp) armor.

[Marullus]

You can - but it is not silenced. That costs double.

If the armor is not silenced, it subtracts its Armor Class number from
any Ninjutsu rolls the Ninja must make while wearing the armor.

[Rex]

Dam, no armor then.

[Marullus]

Equipping Kaida
I'm going to write this out as I work through it and figure it out for myself.

Initial gear:

INITIAL GOODS: stout staff (Bo); a weapon for Bugei.*

Eta:
Average Peasant Garb
Average Winter Garb

Sell back:
Besides "wizards lean on a staff" I don't know why they get a Bo that they aren't skilled with and can't use. This sells back for 5cp.

Shugenja get only one Bugei total, for which she trained in kyotetsu-shoge (a non-bonus skill). She therefore begins with one of the knife/chain combo weapons.

Roll coin:
[4d3]=6 gold [4d6]=20 silver [4d6x10]=11x10=110 copper
6*12 = 72
(110+5)/30 = 3sp, 25cp
72+20+3= 95sp, 25cp

Buy normal equipment, p. 52-53

First, ninjas get a set of Ninja Garb, but she doesn't and needs to buy it. I realized we need to specify color and might need to maintain multiple sets in our wardrobes at the camp.

NINJA GARB: see Appendix 2 for full explanation. Note that
Ninja garb counts as being padded for winter.
Cost: 10s (to Ninja only) Weight: 4 Class: not pertinent

Code: Select all

D. NINJA GARB Task Value: 10. Task Turn. 1 day.
Skill: Gimmickry Weight: 4. Cost: 10s.
Ninja Garb functioned to aid the Ninja in concealing himself at
night. It was normally a reddish black in color. Ninja armor could be
worn beneath it.
The Garb was reversible. One side is normally the black while the
other is either a specific color or a generalized suit of clothes suitable
for disguising the Ninja as one of his "ways of going."
Colors Environment
Black Night
White Snow
Green Live vegetation
Brown Earth
Gray Rock faces
When the Ninja is hiding in an environment the correct color will
add 1 to his Ninjutsu roll. An incorrect color will subtract 2, such as
wearing black in a snow storm.

Kaida will buy Ninja Garb in Black, Green, and Gray (assuming urban cities are stone and not brown-dirt). She maintains these along with normal peasant clothes and peasant winter clothes, hoping it helps her fit in with her clanmates at least by appearance.
-30sp

-2cp - belt pouch (holds 4lbs)
-7cp - geta (wooden sandals)
-2cp - kasa (straw hat)
-5cp - mino (straw raincoat)
-10cp - water bottle
= 26cp... so I subtract 1sp and end up with 29cp.

Bandages, doctor's kit, flint and steel, lantern and oil, etc might be needed by others, but she relies on her magical capabilities for these.
...also, rope is affordable, but heavy. She can't really carry it.

She doesn't need consumable arrows, shuriken, or other weapon items and can't afford armor. She has 64sp, 29cp left.

So, what would the daughter-of-a-dragon shugenja need in the mountain camp home? Shugenja read; I'd want her to have a small library containing all the reference materials she (or her father) have been able to gather on the esoteric writings about dragons and such. Also, she has a dog she loves that guards her private sanctuary room and its library.
The guard dog costs 5sp.
Books are a bit variable.

Code: Select all

Books: Cost Variable; Weight 1 to 3; Class A
These can be on numerous subjects. Reference materials, used in
building a library as described under Tasks, section 1123.0, cost
2D6 gold pieces per "point" of value, and a given book, either a scroll
or pages pressed between wooden boards, contains 1D10 points.
Price on specific books will be set by the Gamesmaster according to
the value of the contents or their rarity for collectors.
...
1124.0 ENHANCEMENTS TO TASK POINTS
Reference Works
A library on a given subject will enhance Tasks in that subject's
area. This is restricted to Tasks in the Fine Arts, magical or mystical
research, etc. A library may hold up to 99 "points" of knowledge and
is used like a related Skill. That is, the libarary's"score" divided by 20
determines the bonus to the Task Points. Libraries consist of classic
texts on the subject at hand, which can be valuable treasure. A given
book or scroll has 1D10 "points" on its subject. A scroll bought on
the open market costs 1D6 gold pieces in an A class city. Complete
libraries on a given subject are thus quite expensive.

So, every 20 points of a library gives a +1 bonus to the BCS/effect number of downtime actions related to the library's subject area (in Kaida's case, learning to master the magic her draconic heritage) to a maximum bonus of +5.

Each book had 1d10 points in it and costs 2d6gp per point when generating books found for sale.
...even using the minimum value of 2gp/point, Kaida could convert her remaining 59sp into 4 Points worth of scrolls. This leaves her with 11sp, 29cp, if that method works for Jemmus. A 4pt library has no mechanical benefit at all (as 20 points are required for the first +1 BCS) but having a few scrolls and a dog serves her roleplay.

She has a personal IC goal of stealing/acquiring new written texts to feed her library while on jobs.

The other alternative is that she could buy poisons. She can coat the blade of her kyotetsu-shoge, though doing so is a lot less efficient that coating blowgun darts or shuriken. She won't bother with that.

...

I pored over the poison rules until they made sense. For the use of others, the poison information is:

• Normal poison is Fast poison. The victim saves against it once each Detailed Turn. For double the cost you can get Lightning poison, where the victim saves each phase of each detailed turn. Poison to coat darts or weapons has to be the Injected type.
• You can also get Slow poison for assassination jobs - slow poisons can take minutes to days, and don't work in detailed time. Non-injected poisons are half the costs below (like a slow poison that is ingested in their food, or contact poison on their bedding) where inhaled poisons are x2.5 more. Everything below is for Fast Injected poisons.
• The level of a poison is the number of points damage it does each failed save. Each time-period, the victim makes a Health Save. If he passes he takes no damage and it reduces the level of the poison by 1. When the poison level is reduced to 0, it is over. If he fails the save, he takes the level in damage (see below for types) and retests again at the next time-period.
• Fast Lethal Injected Poisons cost 20sp X Level. They reduce the current Health Attribute. When Health reaches 0, they get a final save to see if they go into a coma or die.
• Fast Paralytic Injected Poisons cost 25sp X Level. They reduce the current Speed Attribute. At 0, they are paralyzed.
• Fast Narcotic Injected Poisons cost 10sp X Level. They reduce the current Strength Attribute. At 0, they pass out for 1d3 hours per remaining level of the poison.
• Fast Disabling Injected Poisons cost 5sp X Level. The level of the poison is the number of Distractions suffered (cumulatively). They lower the BCS of the victims actions that turn. When the number of distractions exceeds their Will score, they can't act at all due to disorientation.

So, at 5-25sp for a level 1 fast poison or 10-50sp for a level 1 lightning poison, it is possible to purchase with starting coin. But a victim only needs to succeed on one save in order to end the progressive decline (recovery is another matter requiring healers and time). Level 2 and level 3 poisons have significantly more effect but multiply the cost by the level.

[jemmus]

The way I remember the rules, only swords come in various degrees of quality (including Poor, -1). I allowed the ninjato to be +1, because swords aren't especially powerful weapons. But I hesitate to let other weapons have pluses, at this point at least. There could be some effects that are hard to foresee. The designers made 2E after extensive experience with 1E, and it's a pretty intricate, well thought out, and elegant system, so I'm inclined not to overly modify the RAW.

It's now early spring and there's not much snow on the ground in the lower areas. So green and gray for the reversible side are probably good choices for action in both towns and woods.

FYI, the bonus gift armor is the silent version.

Some info about Japanese (actually Chinese) dragons for Kaida's library collection.
-They aren't evil, greedy, or particularly malevolent. They're magical and have great knowledge and wisdom. But they're so much wiser and more power than humans that they generally disdain the weak, ignorant creatures. They navigate in the kakuri-yo ("the hidden world" of spiritualism and magic.
-They live in the sea and sometimes rise up and fly through sky.
-Their souls are contained in great, perfect pearls, which the must carry in their talons. A dragon who is separated from its pearl perishes. Or becomes lost in the kakuri-yo, dimly yearning for and seeking for its pearl?
-In Bushido terms, they can be considered kami spirits/numina. Very powerful, intelligent, mystical, and mysterious ones. In Nippon, there are many Shinto shrines devoted to local nature kami. But as far as anyone knows, none devoted to mysterious, unknowable, divinely intelligent and knowledgeable dragons.

[Marullus]

The way I remember the rules, only swords come in various degrees of quality (including Poor, -1). I allowed the ninjato to be +1, because swords aren't especially powerful weapons. But I hesitate to let other weapons have pluses, at this point at least.

Correct - the qualities are for gear. Only swords have them among weapons or armor. But except for clothing, quality has no defined effect. It says to work out what "better" means with the GM. So, superior quality doctor's kit, or superior quality rope, etc. Not sure we want to do anything with it. Just being comprehensive.

So green and gray for the reversible side are probably good choices for action in both towns and woods.

Oh, right! I forgot the reversable part. Let's say -
black/green
black/grey
white/brown

...assuming that dirt and snow would predominant winter modes and that black in a snow environment is always bad. Otherwise, we'll do black/white and skip brown.

[ffilz]

Minoru completion and outfitting:

(young)

(nice)

(30)





Plus 100 sp from selling back the ninjato

Is 84 + 100 + 11 + 5 silver = 200 silver

I'll be back this evening to add the actual purchases to this post...

Hmm, not quite enough silver to outfit AND have a horse, but not sure a horse makes sense anyway...

Average Peasant Garb (weight 1)
Average Winter Garb (weight 2)
Ninja garb (weight 4)
Bo (weight 6)
X? Shuriken (1 free) (weight .25 each)
3-segment Blowgun (weight 3) (9 gimmick points)
Climbing Pole (Shinobi-kumade) (weight 5) (15 gimmick points) - surprisingly this saves 1 lb on weight for my bo - and adds a lethal damage option...
5 Darts (Fukiya) (weight .05 each, .25 total) (1 gimmick points)
1 Firepot (Doka) (weight 1) (5 task points)

Weight so far (assuming winter) 16.5 (includes the 1 shuriken, climbing pole instead of bo)

Gear purchases
4 shuriken (4s) (weight 1 - up to 17.5)
Flint & Steel (10c) (weight neg.)
2 Furokshi (2c) (weight neg.)
Geta (7c) (weight 1) - for use when traveling as a shinto pilgrim - easily kicked off if combat ensues to reduce encumbrance in a fight
* Makeup kit (10s) (weight 4)
Straw hat (2c) (weight neg.)
* 4 days Food for travelers (8c) (weight 2)
* Water Bottle (10c) (weight 1)
Straw raincoat (5c) (weight 2)
Extra suits of ninja garb (10s) (weight 4) - not sure what of these I should get, sounds like in addition to color options are disguises

I think some poisons are in order.

* These items will be carried in a furokshi that will be stashed before entering an target location.

With BCS 9, Minoru is eligible for 3 disguises from Hensu-jutsu): Wandering Priest, Travelling Entertainer, Merchant

More work to be done...

[jemmus]

Cool! Frank, please add your char's Health score to the 5 HP roll. You had me scared there about the fragility of ninja PCs. Alright, we're getting there. ::thumbs up!::

[ffilz]

Cool! Frank, please add your char's Health score to the 5 HP roll. You had me scared there about the fragility of ninja PCs. Alright, we're getting there. ::thumbs up!::

I had already done that. Updated the post with some purchases.