Skills
Commerce
This is obviously a merchant skill. It allows for the buying and selling of goods for one’s lord for the purpose of gaining profit as well as knowledge of extended mathematics. Most samurai will not deal with this skill.....in public. In private clan matters, having a knowledge of this skill is useful, as it goes nicely with...
Govern
This is a high skill for samurai. It allows for the buying and selling of needed goods in order to properly maintain lands and armies for one’s lord. It is not shameful for a samurai to know this skill, and is often required by hatamoto, karo and military commanders alike.
Coinage & Rice
First a samurai must become accustomed to the coinage of the empire, and have a basic grasp of what each coin represents. Coinage is important, as samurai and peasants cannot simply run around carrying dozens or hundreds of bushels of rice around everywhere to pay for things.
Rice is the economic standard of Rokguan. Rice is a labor intensive food that keeps peasants too busy growing it to foment rebellions, taking five peasants per season per koku grown, who are fed millet and not rice, excepting special occasions and bountiful years. Samurai stipends and values of all objects are based on the koku. The koku is also used as a measurement of weight.
Coinage is minted on a standard, with each clan minting their own coinage with permission from the Imperial Treasurer’s office, minted at the end of the harvest season. Coins are only “worth” their value with the clan that minted them (Imperially minted coins are accepted in all clans). Clans are honor-bound to accept coinage minted in their lands and must exchange them for rice if requested. Merchants and daimyo can exchange coins, typically charging a 1% standard transaction fee.
Koku – One koku is enough rice to feed one person for one year at a sustenance level existence. Koku are typically divided into five equal bags of rice, each worth one bu. The koku is approximately 278.3 liters of rice weighing 150kg (330 lbs) in weight.
Zeni – The most basic coin is a round copper coin one sun (1 inch) in diameter with a hole in the middle. One zeni represents enough sustenance-level food to feed one person for a day (read as a bowl of rice and some pickled vegetables, or twice as much in millet). Zeni are typically strung in groups of 100 or 1000 coins for ease of carrying and for moderate purchases.
Monme-ita – The monme-ita is a small rectangular coin of silver weighing one monme (3.75 grams). One monme-ita represents enough food to feed one person for one month.
Ichibukin – The ichibukin, or simply bu, represents enough food to feed one man for roughly 2 ½ months (6 weeks).
Chogin- the chogin is a moderate sized silver coin 3 sun (3.75 inches) in length weight. Typically used by traders and middle ranking samurai for large purchases. It is worth one koku of rice.
Bu-Shoban: the bu-shoban is a smaller gold coin used by upper ranked samurai and higher end merchants trading in Koku values. It's value is the same as the chogin..
Ni-bu: as the name might suggest it is a coin worth 2 Bu-shoban in value.
Ryo – The ryo represents 4 koku of rice. The ryo is a gold coin 2 sun (2.5 inches) in length and weighing 16.5 grams. Typically a ryo will be cast in an alloy of 85% gold with 15% silver, to make it more durable. Ryo can be stacked in groups of 25 or 50 and wrapped in heavy paper sealed with wax and a seal to mark where it was bundled.
Oban – The oban is a more rare coin, typically minted to commemorate an important event, or simply for Large cash transfers (ie taxes). One oban is worth 40 ryo.
1 oban = 40 ryo 1 bu = 200 zeni 1 monme-ita = 83 zeni 1 ryo = 4 Chogin
1 ryo = 4 Bu-shoban 1 ryo = 12 monme-ita 1 ryo = 1,000 zeni 1 ryo = 2 Ni-Bu
Large amounts of money can be carried in specially designed wooden boxes called senryobaku (box of 1,000 ryo) and buryobaku (box of 500 ryo).
Income & Stipends
Income and stipends are figured on a seasonal basis, with each season lasting for six months. Samurai were given a stipend rated in koku per season to represent their value to their lord. For instance, a samurai in a post that gets a stipend of 100 ryo per season is said to be “worth 100 koku”. This designation does not take into consideration any other income gained through merchant work or other sources, and when taxes come due, it is up to the samurai to honorably record such income for tax assessment.
A samurai gets a stipend of money equal to ((Starting koku + Wealth rank) x Status Rank) + Glory Rank = seasonal income in ryo.
Remember to keep all fractions as silver (Bu). This is paid out twice a year, once in spring before debts are due and the summer wars begin, and once in late fall at harvest time. Additional pay based on terrific bonuses, gifts, Imperial Salary, Family pay, Clan pay, and holdings are usually applied after all the multipliers as a flat increase.
For example: a Rank 3 Doji courtier with Wealth 3, Status 2.5 and Glory 4.5 would get 49 ryo and 3 bu twice a year (15 starting koku + Wealth 3, * 2.5 Status, +4.5 Glory), plus any additional income from Social Position; if she happens to be a Doji family magistrate she gets an additional 50 ryo per season.
Another example: a Rank 1 Akodo bushi, Status 1.0 and Glory 1.0 (a new character) would get 9 ryo per season (3 starting koku * 1.0 Status + 1.0 Glory + 5 as a Hohei).
Samurai are paid based on their status rank:
-
Ji-samurai (minor clans, hired ronin and ashigaru) are paid directly in rice equal to their koku value. They must then barter or sell part of this rice to have money to purchase other necessities.
-
Samurai of the bonge caste (usually Status 1.0 to 6.9) will usually be paid in enough rice to feed their family and retainers, and the remainder of their stipend in coinage. They may then take their coins to the granaries of their clan and trade them in for rice as they need it.
-
Samurai of the kuge caste (usually Status 7.0 or greater) are typically paid entirely in coinage due to the large stipends they draw. The kuge control the rice stores and can access them as needed.
Taxes
Taxes are collected and paid at the end of each season. Taxes are usually paid in koku of rice, although taxes may also be paid in jade, steel and other precious commodities. How this all works, from the bottom up:
-
Peasants do not have the right to govern land on their own, and hand over 100% of their rice harvest to the samurai governing their farm.
-
The samurai governing the individual farms hands over 40-50% of this harvest, and in turn his stipend is paid out of this amount. A samurai might oversee as many as a half dozen farms in this manner.
-
The provincial governor collects the rice from the samurai under their command, and pay approximately 40-50% of this rice to their family daimyo. Of the remainder, he must pay out his retainers.
-
The family daimyo collects the rice from the provincial governors and pays 40-50% of this to the clan daimyo.
-
The clan daimyo collects the rice from the family daimyo and pays 40-50% of this to the imperial tax collector to be stored in the imperial granaries.
So, just how much rice is this? The largest rice producing clan is the Crane (before recent events that is). On a good year, the Crane produce over one million koku of rice per season. Other clans produce from 300,000 to 600,000 koku of rice per season.
Aside from the usual taxes, all clans are required to tithe 33% of any jade production to the imperial coffers to be supplied to the Crab.
Clan Trade
The current roster of major trade goods for each of the clans is as follows:
Crab
Import: jade, rice
Export: steel, raw iron, stone
Crane
Import: exotic foodstuffs, raw materials
Export: fine goods, rice
Dragon
Import: foodstuffs, fine goods
Export: steel, raw iron, paper, gold, minerals
Lion
Import: raw materials, seafood
Export: copper
Mantis
Import: raw materials
Export: silk, spices, citrus fruit, pearls, exotic seafood
Phoenix
Import: exotic goods
Export: silver, lumber
Scorpion
Import: raw materials
Export: information
Unicorn
Import: finished goods
Export: exotic goods, horses
Loans
From time to time, a samurai needs cash beyond his means, perhaps to get a gift for someone important. Merchants are often willing to lend samurai money with an interest rate of 10% per year. Many samurai chafe at the idea, but honor compels them to make good on their word, lest their family name be maligned.
Status Rank & Benefit
Being of higher social standing within the empire grants many benefits, such as increase in stipend and more political or military power.
Social Rank Income/season Suggested Perks
Ashigaru 1 ryo
Hohei 5 ryo
Nikutai 7 ryo
Gunso 10 ryo Suggested to take the Gunso path
Family Magistrate 10 ryo
Chui 30 ryo
Clan Magistrate 50 ryo
Taisa 100 ryo +10 Governor station points, +10 Warlord station points
Koshogumi 100 ryo
Hatamoto 250 ryo Suggested to take the Hatamoto path
Shireikan 300 ryo +15 Governor station points, +15 Warlord station points
Imperial Magistrate 400 ryo
Emerald/Jade Magistrate 500 ryo Suggested to enter appropriate school
Rikugunshokan 1000 ryo +25 Governor station points, +30 Warlord station points
Councilors 1000 ryo +25 Ambassador station points
Daimyo 5000+ ryo *
* At this point, station points are unnecessary since a daimyo has the resources of a family or clan to draw upon, but may be recorded to prevent excessive drain on the clan’s resources.
Koshogumi - individuals attached to a daimyo’s entourage
Councilors - bugyo, tairo or karo
Military Officers
-
Military commanders of taisa rank will be given land (Inheritance: Governorship) and will automatically gain a small keep (5-10 points) from the Station: City charts.
-
Military commanders of shireikan rank will be given land as per taisa, and will automatically gain a kyuden (15-30 points) from the Station: City charts.
-
Military commanders of rikugunshokan rank will be given land as per taisa, and will automatically gain a kyuden (15-30 points) and 2-5 smaller keeps (5-10 points) from the Station: City charts.
Social Positions
Not all samurai wish to remain as a simple retainer. Some have ambition or ability to serve their clan with greater power. So, what does a samurai need in order to attain such positions?
Social Position Ranks* Requirements
Family Magistrate 0-1 Investigation 2, Lore: Law 2
Clan Magistrate 1-2 Investigation 3, Lore: Law 3
Emerald/Jade Magistrate (entry) 2+ Investigation 3, Lore: Law 3
Emerald/Jade Magistrate (ranked) 3-4 Investigation 4, Lore: Law 4
Imperial Magistrate 2-3 Investigation 3, Lore: Law 3
Amethyst Champion attendant 2+ Commerce 3, Honor 2.0+
Ruby Dojo sensei (lesser) 3+ Instruction 5, Weapon Skill 4+
Military Rank: Nikutai 1 Battle 2, Weapon Skill 2+
Military Rank: Gunso 2 Battle 3, Weapon Skill 3+
Military Rank: Chui 3-4 Battle 4, Weapon Skill 4+
Military Rank: Taisa 4-5 Battle 5, Weapon Skill 5+
Military Rank: Shireikan 5-6 Battle 6, Weapon Skill 5+
Military Rank: Rikugunshokan 7 Battle 7, Weapon Skill 5+
Commander (Imperial Legion) 6-7 Battle 6, Weapon Skill 5+
Imperial Family (buke) 0-1 Miya, Otomo, Seppun, Shoju, Hantei
Imperial Family (kuge) 1-2 Miya, Otomo, Seppun, Shoju, Hantei
Imperial Court ambassador 3-4 Courtier 5, Etiquette 4
-
Ranks of Social Position advantage
An Example of new costs for L5R. All costs are for average equipment. Standard L5R multipliers still apply
Let's start out with a standard Bushi's wear . Let's assume our bushi is a traveller.
Normal Mens Kimono: 4 monme-ita
Womans Kimono: 10 monme-ita (lets not even go into court fashions of several layers)
Sandels: 10 zeni
Hakama (trousers): 2 monme-ita for cloth, 4 for silk
Haori (Formal Jacket): 50 zeni for cloth, 1monme-ita, 10 zeni for silk
Tabi: 10 zeni
Loin Cloth 6 zeni
Sleeve Tieing Cord 12 Zeni
A slightly higher class Bushi might pop 4 mon for a umbrella for when travelling.
Now this is just your average traveling Bushi who has the presence of mind to look presentable
