Background
The Sengoku Campaign (as indicated by the name) is set in early
16th Century Japan - during the Sengoku-Jiddai, or Age of War. This
is before the arrival of Portugese traders, so effective firearms are
unknown. The country is split into many warring provinces, each ruled
by a great Daimyo or coalition of Daimyo. The Emperor lives in Kyoto,
the old capital, but is basically helpless to prevent the wars and
bloodfeuds that wrack the country. He is protected or held prisoner
(depending on your point of view) by the Muromachi Bakufu (or miltary
government) - the most powerful force in Japan. More information on
Muromachi-era Japan can be found on the Background
page.
For this game we have used the wonderfully flexible HERO
roleplaying system on which more can be found here.
This is martial arts movie ancient Japan, so all the standard
powers from the Hero rulesbook and UMA are available where justified.
For instance, missile deflection can be bought as Yadome-jitsu or the
art of arrow cutting, and superleap (up to twice the amount given by
the character's STR) is permissible, and so on). Unhistorical licence
will be allowed to characters who want to build martial artists, so
don't worry that Karate (or much else for that matter) wasn't readily
available in this era. The two sword fighting skill is available also
for characters who really want to obtain it (see house rules below)
even though it really dates to the late Tokugawa period. Finally,
characters are in no doubt that magic really works, and that Kami and
Bakemono are everywhere. This may or may not be true, so don't skimp
your sacrifices when you pass a shrine!
House rules
We will be using my standard house rules for character creation
and play in Sengoku, since they plug a few holes in the rules, add a
few more character options, and some new rules. You can find all of
those here.
There are also a couple of extra points:
Two-sword fighting style is available in two forms. The first is a
defensive style used by many samurai, and which is basically the
"Off-hand" skill from UMA - it gives you +1 DCV in HTH combat when
using the wakazashi in the off hand, and costs 2 points. The second
is a full fledged fighting style and allows attacks with either
weapon against either one or two opponents. It costs 5 points and
gives the character the ability to make attacks with appropriate
weapons (two katanas, katana and wakazashi, wakazashi and tanto)
against either two opponents at -1 to hit, or a single attack against
one opponent. A single attack that succeeds by two or more, hits the
opponent once with each weapon.
Since in Japan at this time horses were pretty much exclusively
the property of samurai, the distinction between riding horses and
war-horses is a bit blurred. Most samurai horses use the Stat.s for
the light warhorse from the Hero system Bestiary and are assumed to
have some combat training.
There is also a fairly complete list of Japanese armour
and an extended list of oriental weapons,
available to players.
Character-building
PCs are all expected to be retainers, allies or relatives of the
Arai Clan, a small family but of fairly
long and distinguished lineage centered about the town of Ariki
on the northern coast of Honshu. You don't have to be samurai - any
retainer is OK, and rulers maintained spies, diplomats, healers,
diviners and so forth. Beyond that, the building of the PCs is pretty
much as standard Hero system rules with the following notes.
There are no "package deals" as such. However the "skill
enhancers" normally available (Well-connected, Scholar, Linguist,
etc) will be supplemented by professional skill enhancers. These
include (but are not limited to) Bushi, Gambler, Merchant, Priest,
Yamahoshi, Shugenza, Ninja, Courtier, Sailor, etc. What this means is
that any knowledge skills or professional skills that are appropriate
to the character's chosen profession can be purchased for -1 off the
cost. Skills still cost a minimum of 1 point, but for this you get an
11- roll rather than an 8- and two points gets you an attribute-based
roll. What constitutes an appropriate skill is (of course) up to the
GM, but is usually pretty obvious. Professional skill enhancers do
not apply to the purchase of named skills such as Climbing, Stealth,
Survival, etc, or to skill levels. Professional skill enhancers cost
3 points each.
Characters start as minor heroes - 75 points plus 50 points of
disadvantages. Don't expect to be Toshiro Mifune at starting level!
If you survive, maybe... All equipment - weapons, armour, mounts and
so on, are provided free. All characters must take the disadvantage
Normal Characteristic Maxima at 0 points.
One final note. Characters will accumulate Karma (tracked by the
GM) depending on how they act. Good Karma will result in a new
character with an increased number of starting points, when a current
character becomes deceased or retires. It can also (sometimes) be
expended to improve a living character's fortunes. Bad Karma will
result in extra disadvantages being inherited by a new character, for
which no points are given. It might also sometimes affect the fortune
of a living character, in which case it is also used up.
Character Types
Samurai Characters
Samurai (even Ronin) must buy "Perk: Samurai" at 3 points. This
lets you carry weapons freely, gives you the right to two swords, the
expectation of a certain amount of respect from the peasants (and the
right to execute unruly ones), hospitality from your peers and so on.
It's pretty good value, so I wouldn't grouse about it. For Hero games
mavens, "Perk: samurai" is costed as being equivalent to "Perk: Low
Justice" which is basically what it seems equivalent to. Treating it
as "Perk: licence to kill" is not only prohibitively expensive at
this points level but also fairly misleading since the use of
kirisutogomen was closely hedged about by tradition and law - and it
certainly didn't apply to anyone of higher status than heimen.
Samurai PCs can also pay 2 extra points for "Perk: Member of the
Lower Nobility", which basically means you are a member of some
ruling clan, with all the extra privileges that implies.
Alternatively, you may buy "Perk: Member of the Aristocracy for 5
more points, with increased prestige and influence. In either case,
PCs will be junior members of their respective clan, and during the
Age of War, these connections can be a liabilty as well as an
aid.
Samurai PCs must have the following skills:
FAM: swords, bows and spears (female samurai can get by with Tanto
and Naginata)
Riding
KS: Upper class society (this is not the same as the High Society
skill, which is the ability to be at ease in polite society - this is
just the basic knowlege of how to address a superior, what is and is
not appropriate behaviour and so on. If you want to buy High Society
instead, you don't need this KS)
These skills don't have to be much good, you just need to have
them to at least the FAM level. If you are not to be thought a dirty
backwoods swordswinger, literacy and at least two culture type skills
are a good idea - Calligraphy, Painting, Tea ceremony, Impromptu
poetry composition, Flute playing or Musician, etc etc.
A list of occupations for cultured gentlefolk can be found
here.
While not required, limitations reflecting the Samurai ideal -
Devotion to your Lord, Loyalty to the Clan, Fearlessness, Code of
Bushido, etc, are encouraged
Courtier characters
Courtier PCs must have the following skills:
High Society
KS: political alliances
Chinese language (at least 2 points)
Literacy (costs 1 point)
A good smattering of other cultural skills and some Area Knowlege
skills is a sensible idea as well to complement any skills of deceit.
As described above under Samurai characters, courtier characters can
buy the Nobility Perks. A courtier may also be a Samurai, in which
case the required skills must be purchased.
While not required, limitations reflecting the courtly ideal -
Pursuit of aesthetic principles, Abhorrance of crudity, etc are
encouraged
Priest Characters
Priest PCs must have the following skills:
PS: Priest
KS: Buddhism or KS: Shinto (or both)
KS: Sutras or KS: Rituals
Characters who are novices or Bonzes need not buy PS: Priest.
Yamabushi (fighting priests) must buy at least one weapons FAM
appropriate to their temple, or martial arts.
While not required, limitations reflecting the priestly ideal -
Devotion to the temple, Spreading the influence of your religion, etc
are encouraged
Other character types are more diverse and thus are less likely to
have required skills or Perks. One thing that should be mentioned -
players who wish to play a Shugenza (magic-using) character should
contact me. This is not a class or career-path as such. Courtiers,
ninja, priests or samurai can all be shugenza, while the archetypical
wizened old man who makes his living by magic is also possible. While
theoretically allowed, magic carries heavy penalties in its use, and
the powers available are heavily restricted. Magic use is neither
common, easy or safe and carries the risk of serious karmic damage.
Nonetheless, rules for magic-using characters are posted here.