Character Generation

[ffilz]

we routinely killed ... Shugenja ... when we discovered them.

Damn, this really isn't Rokugan.

Doesn't mean we have to play that way. That was just that groups understanding.

Let's take this discussion over to a new thread. I've sort of started it off.

Frank

[jmacatty]

I found this link which may interest you guys;

https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/e ... -names.php

[jemmus]

I found this link which may interest you guys;

https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/e ... -names.php

Nice! Here's some historical background in case anyone is interested. It doesn't really matter, because Bushido is set in Nippon, not historical Japan.
-In Heian Japan, only nobles and samurai had surnames. People from other castes only had a given name.
-A surname came from the name of the place the noble's or samurai's family historically owned. Like medieval European nobles' names.
-During the Heian period, no ("of") was between the given name and surname. For example, Minamoto no Yoriitomo ("Yoriitomo of Minamoto"). Again, just like European nobles' names ("de Tocqueville," "von Richthofen").
-Later on in history, the no was dropped. So Uesugi Kenshin instead of Uesugi no Kenshin.
-During the Heian period, samurai would announce their pedigree (father's and ancestors' names and their notable accomplishments) before going into battle against a foe.
-I don't know if ronin were allowed to use their samurai surname. I'd guess that they wouldn't be so bold as to introduce themselves to strangers with the family surname.

Just some background information, in case it adds some flavor. Don't at all mean to tell people how to they should name their characters. As GM said, this is Bushido's Nippon, not historical Japan.

[ffilz]

I found this link which may interest you guys;

https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/e ... -names.php

Nice! Here's some historical background in case anyone is interested. It doesn't really matter, because Bushido is set in Nippon, not historical Japan.
-In Heian Japan, only nobles and samurai had surnames. People from other castes only had a given name.
-A surname came from the name of the place the noble's or samurai's family historically owned. Like medieval European nobles' names.
-During the Heian period, no ("of") was between the given name and surname. For example, Minamoto no Yoriitomo ("Yoriitomo of Minamoto"). Again, just like European nobles' names ("de Tocqueville," "von Richthofen").
-Later on in history, the no was dropped. So Uesugi Kenshin instead of Uesugi no Kenshin.
-During the Heian period, samurai would announce their pedigree (father's and ancestors' names and their notable accomplishments) before going into battle against a foe.
-I don't know if ronin were allowed to use their samurai surname. I'd guess that they wouldn't be so bold as to introduce themselves to strangers with the family surname.

Just some background information, in case it adds some flavor. Don't at all mean to tell people how to they should name their characters. As GM said, this is Bushido's Nippon, not historical Japan.

Thanks for this. I appreciate this kind of detail. I won't insist everyone use realistic names but it does help set the tone. With a more heroic/fantasy feel, I'm ok if a lower caste character claims a family name or some other second name as an attempt to project themselves into importance. Of course traditionalists will sneer at such use or even be so offended as to strike such an insolent person down.

Frank

[ffilz]

BTW, I moved most of the rules discussion to the Rules Q&A thread.

[ffilz]

Ok, I've had a once over of the characters, but really haven't absorbed them, still quite a lot to absorb.

I think we still have some confusion on skills...

First, let's not worry about FIS yet since no one has started any training.

Second, each skill has a score from 0-99. If it's a starting skill, the skill description has a forumula to compute the starting score.

Next, each skill has a Raw BCS equal to score / 5 round down @round(score/5, 0) in the spreadsheet.

Lastly, any skill that is a Bonus skill for the character has an Adjusted BCS of Raw BCS + Level

Any bonus skill that is not a starting skill has a Raw BCS of 0, but an Adjusted BCS of Level

If we can rearrange the spreadsheet to have three columns score, raw BCS, and adjusted BCS that might be nice, though you could just keep the score on the calculations page.

Note that as you start training in skills, the score will increase.

Note that per 1052.5 Initial Skills, training skills other than the initial skills will start with a Score of 0.

[ffilz]

Ok, we have characters and thoughts on how to include the Yakuza, could everyone write at least a couple sentences of background, at least where you came from and what brought you to Hida province if you're not from Hida. Then I can dole out some rumors and get things started.

[jmacatty]

A not so young Ronin, has taken on the name Ha, in a rather grandiose, hopeful manner. Ha is from a small town in Hida province recently having his entire family killed in a flood. He has decided to travel Nippon, looking for the No-dachi his grandfather lost in a duel many years ago. It is identifiable by the inscription in the blade. He really has no hope of finding this, but needs something to keep him going considering his families loss of On and life over the past decade. He doesn't talk about his life much, but he will explain to any who will listen of his desire to become a master of blades; and his eventual dream of opening a school to teach the blade.

[jmacatty]

I've never prepared any kind of back story before, so let me know how acceptable this is.

[ffilz]

A not so young Ronin, has taken on the name Ha, in a rather grandiose, hopeful manner. Ha is from a small town in Hida province recently having his entire family killed in a flood. He has decided to travel Nippon, looking for the No-dachi his grandfather lost in a duel many years ago. It is identifiable by the inscription in the blade. He really has no hope of finding this, but needs something to keep him going considering his families loss of On and life over the past decade. He doesn't talk about his life much, but he will explain to any who will listen of his desire to become a master of blades; and his eventual dream of opening a school to teach the blade.

Nice. That's a great example of a minimal back story that helps place the character and indicate some motivation for "adventuring" while leaving things wide open.

Toshizo's background is longer, but still very open.

[jemmus]

I got a little carried away with Toshizo, it's almost a short story rather than a backstory. I'll revise my shorter blurb about Toshizo so that it has a condensed backstory (more like Ha's). I'll also work on adding a third column BCS column to may char sheet.
[Edit: Raw BCS column added to my char sheet. Easy-- Just the attribute score /5.]

[Samwell Turleton]

I could probably use some help placing my character's back story geographically. Sorry to be so absent - I think trying to place a story in a historical context froze my progress.

I am envisioning a member of a private army for a lower status daimyo. Amano Souta predominantly has been employed to protect the movement of rice through territorial lands. He received a generous inheritance, a suit of heavy samurai armor and coin, that he knows deserves his respect. He aspires to cultivate some knowledge in the arts to live up to the expectation of the status that that samurai armor represents. Ultimately, he feels he may just want some land of his own. He is really just starting out in life and in this private army - so the world is open to him and he doesn't really have fully realized plans.

[ffilz]

I could probably use some help placing my character's back story geographically. Sorry to be so absent - I think trying to place a story in a historical context froze my progress.

I am envisioning a member of a private army for a lower status daimyo. Amano Souta predominantly has been employed to protect the movement of rice through territorial lands. He received a generous inheritance, a suit of heavy samurai armor and coin, that he knows deserves his respect. He aspires to cultivate some knowledge in the arts to live up to the expectation of the status that that samurai armor represents. Ultimately, he feels he may just want some land of his own. He is really just starting out in life and in this private army - so the world is open to him and he doesn't really have fully realized plans.

If you want to be from Hida province, there is a level 1 castle on the road to Takayama from Toyama which would be the major route for rice to be brought into the province. On more modern maps, there are some rice paddies around Takayama and down-river, but not necessarily enough to supply the city.

Others may have more thoughts to add.

[Samwell Turleton]

Lands around Takayama seem great to me.

[ffilz]

Maybe not everyone noticed, I have started a new thread for meeting in an inn...

You may want to subscribe to the forum so you get notification of new threads, as well as subscribe to each thread.

[Marullus]

Thanks for the invite, Frank. I added a backstory to the google doc (copied here) and am working on the character sheet as I crash-course the Bushido rules and game system. I'm not sure about actual geography, so I researched a real-world middle-rank Samurai family and used their real info. Replace in-character as necessary. I left hooks for: What her brother was accused of, who she is seeking to avenge it, how her mentor (elder Master Fuji) ties to the mountain storylines, etc. I still have more of the book to read before I figure out exactly how the magic system works and which of one of the five disciplines she knows.

Character Sheet https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fnBcPS ... p=drivesdk
Shugenja, middle rank Samurai, strong in Wit and Will, she is otherwise slight of form and delicately feminine. 20 years old. Highly educated, unparalleled in all forms of literacy, excellent on horseback, skilled in strategy, and able to fight with tantojutsu. She proudly carries her katana and wakizashi for the honor of her family.

Taka Satake (player - Marullus)

The Satake Clan are middle status Samurai family descended from from Minamoto Clan and serving as provincial deputy (shugo) of Hitachi Province. Taka was the eldest daughter, followed by Daichi, her brother. Both were raised as proud Buke to the family name, Daichi following Bushi traditions as dutiful son and Taka finding more joy in written knowledge, finding tutelage under the elder Master Fuji. Taka learned many fine arts and found a gift for the esoteric as well, free to dabble in the arcane without the pressures that her brother assumed.
That was, until Daichi got dishonored in a scandal and was slain trying to prove his name. The accusations alone brought shame to the family and the death of her brother brought Taka back from her life of seclusion. The weight of her family now falling upon her, she has vowed to find and prove the truth, erasing the shame upon her family, and restoring the honor to her dead brother’s name by avenging upon his unjust accusers.
Carrying the family honor, she inherited that which would have otherwise been her brothers - Kenji his warhorse, his Dai-Sho (average quality inherited Katana and Wakazashi), and samurai armor bearing the Satake crest (Partial Heavy Samurai Armor, AC 5). Though she was trained in swordsmanship she is ill-equipped to use the actual heavy blades and is not strong enough to bear the armor for real battle, but she carries them for the status and honor that they are meant to convey. In truth, she is more adept at the female art of Tantojutsu, and carries a knife for when trouble requires force.
Taka is a true Satake Samurai, carrying forward through pure force of will and determination where her slight form otherwise would leave her at a deficit. She’s the best of her peers with Bajutsu on horseback and adept at the strategy of war through logn training in Senjo-Jutsu. Few would face her in a battle of rhetoric and hope to persevere, but she likewise shows great skill in the required arts of the Tea Ceremony and in reading others through wise divination. (She is skilled in one school of magic, not yet chosen. Still learning the system.)

[ffilz]

Thanks for the invite, Frank. I added a backstory to the google doc (copied here) and am working on the character sheet as I crash-course the Bushido rules and game system. I'm not sure about actual geography, so I researched a real-world middle-rank Samurai family and used their real info. Replace in-character as necessary. I left hooks for: What her brother was accused of, who she is seeking to avenge it, how her mentor (elder Master Fuji) ties to the mountain storylines, etc. I still have more of the book to read before I figure out exactly how the magic system works and which of one of the five disciplines she knows.

Character Sheet https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fnBcPS ... p=drivesdk
Shugenja, middle rank Samurai, strong in Wit and Will, she is otherwise slight of form and delicately feminine. 20 years old. Highly educated, unparalleled in all forms of literacy, excellent on horseback, skilled in strategy, and able to fight with tantojutsu. She proudly carries her katana and wakizashi for the honor of her family.

Taka Satake (player - Marullus)

The Satake Clan are middle status Samurai family descended from from Minamoto Clan and serving as provincial deputy (shugo) of Hitachi Province. Taka was the eldest daughter, followed by Daichi, her brother. Both were raised as proud Buke to the family name, Daichi following Bushi traditions as dutiful son and Taka finding more joy in written knowledge, finding tutelage under the elder Master Fuji. Taka learned many fine arts and found a gift for the esoteric as well, free to dabble in the arcane without the pressures that her brother assumed.
That was, until Daichi got dishonored in a scandal and was slain trying to prove his name. The accusations alone brought shame to the family and the death of her brother brought Taka back from her life of seclusion. The weight of her family now falling upon her, she has vowed to find and prove the truth, erasing the shame upon her family, and restoring the honor to her dead brother’s name by avenging upon his unjust accusers.
Carrying the family honor, she inherited that which would have otherwise been her brothers - Kenji his warhorse, his Dai-Sho (average quality inherited Katana and Wakazashi), and samurai armor bearing the Satake crest (Partial Heavy Samurai Armor, AC 5). Though she was trained in swordsmanship she is ill-equipped to use the actual heavy blades and is not strong enough to bear the armor for real battle, but she carries them for the status and honor that they are meant to convey. In truth, she is more adept at the female art of Tantojutsu, and carries a knife for when trouble requires force.
Taka is a true Satake Samurai, carrying forward through pure force of will and determination where her slight form otherwise would leave her at a deficit. She’s the best of her peers with Bajutsu on horseback and adept at the strategy of war through logn training in Senjo-Jutsu. Few would face her in a battle of rhetoric and hope to persevere, but she likewise shows great skill in the required arts of the Tea Ceremony and in reading others through wise divination. (She is skilled in one school of magic, not yet chosen. Still learning the system.)

Wonderful character. I will think about how to make those ties, and if any of the other players have thoughts also, feel free to chime in.

Welcome aboard.

[Enoch]

How does rounding work in chargen? I know some sections specify rounding down, such as calculating BAP and BCS, and other specify rounding to the nearest whole number (such as calculating crits.

In most other places, it's not specified. In particular:

• MNA: it's listed as Speed/10. Would a Speed 9 give you 1 action/Detailed Turn, or does that come out as a 0 (and thus 1 action every other DT)?
• BMA
• Healing Rate
• Brawling/Climbing/Leaping/Magic/Swimming

[ffilz]

Everyone should take a look at the errata https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-6yBtS ... sp=sharing to make sure they aren't missing anything.

I'm going to assume that if rounding is not mentioned, it is round down.

Does anyone else have any other thoughts?

[Marullus]

It explicitly says that Skills round down. I assume for other calculations (like calculated abilities) it rounds normally because it lacks that declaration.

For example, MNA is critical. An MNA of 0 means you act every other round, an MNA of 1 lets you act each round. If it is rounding normally, a Speed of 4 is MNA 0. If you are rounding down, then a Speed 9 is MNA 0.

For non-Bushi, that matters a lot. we have half the bonus points on our attributes and none apply to physical stats. 10 is supposed to be average (implying normal distribution possible above AND below), not a minimum, and erasing all the gradation between 1 and 9 hurts.