Samurai Character Creation

1. Statistics

Starting character statistics are determined by the same means presented in King Arthur Pendragon.  Note that when creating a buke character Size presumes the average height, weight, and general dimensions among the Japanese of the period.

 

2. Culture, Religion & Region

Culture in feudal Japan was considerably more homogenous than that represented in Arthurian Britain, but some distinct differences were certainly notable.

 

The Cultures of Feudal Japan

 

·         Heike The Heike seat of power revolved around the imperial court in Kyoto, which continued to exert an influence of elegance and elaborateness long after the rise and dominance of the buke class. Heike culture is commonly associated with the western regions of Honshu.

·         Genji The eastern provinces are the source of much of the Imperial military might, the true power in Japan. From their homelands in the east, the Genji's unadorned sense of pragmatism swept the kuge aside, bringing the buke to power.

·         Heian-kyō The proper name for Kyoto, the capitol city of the imperial government, and home to the imperial court still dominated by the effete, aristocratic families, such as the infamous Fujiwara.

·         Emishi are an indigenous people of Japan, commonly associated with the Ainu of the far north.  Once found throughout northeastern Honshu, they have been constantly pushed farther and farther north.

 

2a. Cultural Modifier

 

 

Cultural Modifiers

Culture	Statistic	Trait Modifiers
Emishi	+1 SIZ -1 DEX +2 CON -2 APP	+1 Cruel, +2 Energetic, +1 Pious, +2 Suspicious
Genji	+1 STR +2 CON	+1 Energetic, +2 Fatalistic, +2 Proud, +2 Valorous
Heike	+1 APP +1 DEX +1 CON	+1 Ambitious, +1 Cautious, +2 Proud, +2 Worldly
Heian-kyō	+1 DEX +2 APP	+2 Ambitious, +2 Deceitful, +2 Lazy, +2 Worldly

 

 

Minimum/Maximum Cultural Statistics

Culture	SIZ	DEX	STR	CON	APP
Emishi	9/19	5/17	5/18	5/20	5/17
Genji	8/18	5/18	5/19	5/20	5/18
Heike	8/18	5/19	5/18	5/19	5/19
Heian-kyō	8/18	5/19	5/18	5/18	5/20

 

 

2b. Derived Statistics

 

Total Hit Points        (CON+SIZ)

Unconscious            Total Hit Points/4

Movement Rate       (STR+DEX)/10

Damage                  (STR+SIZ)/6

Healing Rate            (CON+STR)/10

 

2c. Religion

 

Religious Virtues & Bonuses

Religion	Religious Virtues	Religious Bonus
Buddhist	Chaste, Merciful, Humble, Pious, Temperate	+/- 3 on Passion or Trait rolls
Shinto	Chaste, Generous, Sincere, Temperate, Worldly	+/- 3 on either Aging roll or Family roll during Winter Phase

 

 

Religious Bonus

If all Religious Virtues have values of 16 or higher, your character is eligible for a Religious Bonus as a benefit of exemplifying devout faith.  Write a "YES" next to Religious Bonus on your character sheet.  A Religious Bonus awards your samurai 100 Kao annually, as well as providing a specific benefit to the character's Statistics.  Your character maintains this bonus as long as all Religious Virtues remain at 16 or higher.

 

 

3. Family

 

3a. Father's Class

 

Father's Class

d20	Father's Class	Son's Starting Benefits and Equipment
01	Daimyo	32 Skill Points, Heraldry +2, Intrigue +2, Reishiki +2, Senjojutsu +2, Kenjutsu +2, Sojutsu +2, Proud +1d3, Giri (Lord) +6, Meiyo +3, Valorous +1d3; 4 Luck rolls; 350+6d6 Glory, Outfit 4
02-03	Hatamoto	30 Skill Points, Proud +1, Valorous +3, Giri ((Lord) +5, Meiyo +1d3; 3 Luck rolls; 250+6d6 Glory; Outfit 3
04-06	Gokenin	30 Skill Points, Valorous +2; Giri (Lord) +4, Meiyo +1; 1 Luck roll; 250+6d6 Glory; Outfit 3
07-13	Samurai	26 Skill Points, Valorous +1, Giri (Lord) +3, Meiyo +1; 1 Luck roll; 250+6d6 Glory; Outfit 2
14-18	Jizamurai	26 Skill Points, Energetic +1d3, Giri (Lord) +1d2, Meiyo +1; 1 Luck roll; 200+6d6 Glory; Outfit 2
19	Ronin	20 Skill Points, Kenjutsu +3, any other Weapon +3, Humble +1d3-1,  2 Luck rolls; 100+6d6 Glory; Outfit 1
20	Ashigaru	20 Skill Points, Sojutsu +3, Energetic +1d3, Modest +1d3, Giri (Lord) +3; 1 Luck roll; 6d6 Glory; Ashigaru's Outfit

 

 

3b. Starting Outfit

 

Starting Outfits

Outfit	Includes
Ashigaru's Outfit	Ashigaru Armor (6 Points); Katana or Wakizashi; Yari; Clothing
Outfit 1	Impoverished Samurai Armor (6 Points); Katana and Wakizashi; any 1 other Weapon; Clothing
Outfit 2	Standard Samurai Armor (10 Points); 2 Horses; Katana and Wakizashi; Tanto; Yari or Naginata; Yumi; Clothing
Outfit 3	Upper Samurai Armor (12 Points); 4 Horses; Katana and Wakizashi; 2 Tanto; 2 Yari or Naginata; 2 Yumi; any 1 other Weapon; Fine Clothing; Money; 1 Retainer
Outfit 4	Daimyo Armor (14 Points); 6 Horses; Katana and Wakizashi; 2 Tanto; 2 Yari or Naginata; 2 Yumi; any 1 other Weapon; Fine Clothing; Money; 2 Retainers

 

Ashigaru Armor:

Low Samurai Armor:

Standard Samurai Armor:

Upper Samurai Armor:

Daimyo Armor:

 

3c. Luck

d20	Benefit
1	Money
2	Money
3	Money
4	Money
5	Family Heirloom:  Sacred Relic
6	Family Heirloom:  Ancient Sword
7	Family Heirloom:
8	Family Heirloom:  Decorated Horse Tack
9	Family Heirloom:
10	Family Heirloom:
11	Family Heirloom:
12	Family Heirloom:  Beautiful Musical Instrument
13	Your father died gloriously; +100 Glory
14	You are descended from royalty 1d6 generations ago; +150 Glory
15	1d6 Healing Potions, heals 1d6 Damage.  Priceless.
16
17	A magnificent horse
18-19	Upgrade your Outfit by 1
20	Roll twice more

 

 

 

3d. Son Number

 

Primogeniture, or the right of inheritance of the eldest, and usually the first male child, predominates in feudal Japan.  It is therefore quite important to know where you stand with regard to your brethren, at least with regard to birth order. Roll 1d6 and record this number – this is the son number of your character.

 

4. Traits

Traits are dualistic elements of personality.  A trait and its opposite both exist in every individual.  They define a person's feelings and tendencies.

 

Chaste / Lustful

Cautious / Reckless

·Energetic / Lazy

·Fatalistic / Ambitious

Generous / Selfish

·Just / Arbitrary

Merciful / Cruel

Pious / Worldly

·Proud / Humble

·Sincere / Deceitful

Temperate / Indulgent

Trusting / Suspicious

·Valorous / Cowardly

 

Generating Traits

For every trait pair, choose a "left hand" or "right hand" trait, roll 3d6, and apply any modifiers indicated from Cultural Modifiers or Father's Class.  The maximum value for a starting trait is 19, and the minimum value is 1.  Each pair of opposed traits must add up to 20, so to find the starting value for the opposed trait, simply subtract the previously obtained trait value from 20.  Circle any trait with a value of 16 or higher, as it will be considered notable and will earn your character Kao.

 

4a. Religious Bonus

 

4b. Bushido Bonus

The Traits that exemplify the code of Bushido are Energetic, Fatalistic, Just, Proud, Sincere, and Valorous, noted by a bullet ("•") on the Traits list above.  If the sum value of all six traits equals 80 or more, your character receives a +3 Bushido Damage Bonus.  Unlike the +3 Chivalric Armor that Arthurian knights receive, which represents a sort of spiritual protection for the truest knights, the + 3 Bushido Damage Bonus represents a samurai's total commitment to the way of war.  Rather than shielding himself from the inevitable cause and effect of battle, he focuses himself upon engaging and defeating his opponent.  The Bushido Bonus also grants 100 Kao every year that your character maintains a total of 80 or higher for his total Bushido Traits.

 

5. Passions

 

Giri

Gimu

Meiyo

 

Starting Passions

Starting Passion	Value	Directed
Giri (Lord or Lady)	2d6+6	to one superior person
Giri (Family)	2d6+6	to parents, ancestors, siblings, children, descendants, in-laws
Giri (Self)	3d6	to one's own name and reputation
Meiyo	3d6	to others and one's self

 

Note:  Among the samurai, loyalty to one's family supersedes one's love for those same people.  Thus, unlike King Arthur Pendragon, your character will begin the game with a Passion that reflects that overriding sense of duty, rather than affection.

 

6. Name

In feudal Japan, loyalty and obligation to family takes precedence over personal ambition.  As such, Japanese names, like those from most Asian cultures, feature the family name first and then the personal name.

 

7. Skills

  

Skill	Emishi	Genji	Heike	Heian-kyō
Adventure Skills
Act (Noh, Kabuki) (G)	0	0	0	0
Astronomy	2	0	1	1
Awareness	10	5	5	5
Boat	1	2	2	0
Calligraphy	0	1	3	4
Cha-no-yu (tea ceremony)	0	1	3	4
Falconry	3	3	2	2
First Aid	5	5	2	2
Folklore	5	2	2	2
Game (Go, shogi, etc.)	2	3	2	2
Hunting	5	2	2	2
Heraldry (O)	0	3	3	5
Igaku (Chirurgery)	5	0	0	5
Industry	0	0	0	0
Intrigue	0	2	3	5
Orate (G)	1	2	3	4
Play (biwa, drum, flute, koto, shamisen, etc.)	2	2	3	3
Poetry (haiku, waka)	0	1	3	4
Read	0	1	1	4
Recognise (O)	2	3	2	2
Reishiki (Courtesy) (G)	0	3	5	8
Religion	3	1	1	2
Singing	2	2	2	2
Stewardship	2	2	2	2
Swimming	5	2	2	2
Combat Skills
Senjojutsu (Battle)	3	4	3	1
Jobajutsu (Lance, bow or sword from horse)	4	5	3	3
Bajutsu (Ride)	4	5	3	3
Kenjutsu (Sword)	5	7	7	4
Tantojutsu (knife)	5	4	4	7
Iaijutsu (quick draw and sheathing)	0	1	1	1
Kyujutsu (archery)	5	7	7	4
Sojutsu (spear, including the yari and naginata)	7	4	5	2
Suiei (swimming in armor)	0	0	0	0

 

8. Experience Before Play

First apply Skill bonuses from your character's Father's Class and Family Characteristic to your character's Beginning Cultural Skills.  Afterwards, you may age your character a number of years to gain more experience before beginning your adventures.  Most beginning samurai are encouraged to start at age 21.

 

8a. Apply Father's Class Skill Modifiers

Some Father's Class benefits are positive Skill Modifiers to specific skills.  Apply Skill Modifiers to the specific skill indicated.  Keep a note of these modifiers in a margin for now.

 

8b. Family Characteristic

Choose a Family Characteristic.  Underline this skill on your Character Sheet, and add the bonus to the starting skill value.  Your character will eventually pass this characteristic on to his or her own children, both male and female.

 

Family Characteristic

+5 Bajutsu

+10 Singing

+10 Acting

+5 Awareness

+5 Hunting

+5 Igaku

+10 Industry

+10 Recognise

+5 Intrigue

+10 Swimming (+5 Sueijutsu)

+10 Orate

+15 Play (All)

+15 Poetry

+15 Calligraphy

+10 Sado

+10 Gaming

 

8c. Apply Skill Points

Apply Skill Points indicated by your character's Father's Class.  Each point raises a skill by one and can be applied to improve any skill, as long as you do not increase a skill above 15.  Also, you can not increase any skill that at this point has a value of zero.

 

8d. Genbuku – Coming of Age

Your character is now 15 years of age.

 

For each year beyond the age of 15 that your character attends ryu in preparation to become a samurai, you may choose any three of the following benefits:

 

·         +1 to any Statistic

·         +1 to any Trait

·         +1 to any Passion

·         +1 to any Skill with a value of 15+

·         +1d6 to any Skill(s) with a value between 1 and 14

 

9. Accepting the Role of Samurai

 

9a. Your Liege

 

9b. Starting Kao

Rather than the Glory earned and sought by the knights of King Arthur Pendragon, the feudal Japanese recognised Kao, which translates variably as "honor" or "face." In essence, Kao is a concept that encompasses the notions of respectability, reputation, notoriety, fame, and glory.  It is one of the most enduring achievements to be gained in this game.

 

9c. Kao Bonuses