Another question, which might be better answered in the beta rules or even the BB rule book, but I haven't had time to do more than skim them: The hunting challenge mentions that monks and shugenja are strictly forbidden to spill blood or handle corpses, to the point where they can't even go catch a squirrel, apparently. So how does that play out in, you know, fights? There's already one potentially lethal fight in the beginner adventure, and others that could lead to "spilled blood" (allowing that there's room for interpretation on what exactly that means). I imagine in the course of a typical campaign such matters would come up pretty often as well. And yeah, the monk forsaking his vows at a crucial juncture can make for some awesome RP drama, but him otherwise not contributing to PC battles might bring about a lot of less-awesome meta drama. (Or maybe there's plenty of non-violent ways for these types to contribute in a combat situation, and I'm just not aware of them; I've only really been able to read the adventure at this point, and I want to ask questions as they occur to me so I won't forget.)
Beginners Game questions and clarifications
2 hours ago, persondude said:Another question, which might be better answered in the beta rules or even the BB rule book, but I haven't had time to do more than skim them: The hunting challenge mentions that monks and shugenja are strictly forbidden to spill blood or handle corpses, to the point where they can't even go catch a squirrel, apparently. So how does that play out in, you know, fights? There's already one potentially lethal fight in the beginner adventure, and others that could lead to "spilled blood" (allowing that there's room for interpretation on what exactly that means). I imagine in the course of a typical campaign such matters would come up pretty often as well. And yeah, the monk forsaking his vows at a crucial juncture can make for some awesome RP drama, but him otherwise not contributing to PC battles might bring about a lot of less-awesome meta drama. (Or maybe there's plenty of non-violent ways for these types to contribute in a combat situation, and I'm just not aware of them; I've only really been able to read the adventure at this point, and I want to ask questions as they occur to me so I won't forget.)
Based upon prior editions...
Some shugenja take various vows of pacifism. Shed no blood is one potential such, and an exemplar.
Some monks also take highly restrictive vows. All shinseist monks vow the following: no [land] meat (fish allowed), Avoid killing for any reason, avoid violence, remain celibate, avoid gluttony and drunkenness, not to defile holy places (any of them). (1E: Way of Shinsei , p. 21)
We know Togashi have no problem shedding blood - but only when doing so for good reasons. The Clan War brought them out in numbers - as battlefield units, no less. But to prove one's adulthood? Not a worthy reason. (My togashi player went out, found, and lured a live rabbit to his arms. He walked back with said rabbit, and adopted it as a pet.... Survival, Void, TN 4.)
On the other hand there are monks like the Sohei of Osano-Wo, who practice combat as a veneration, and have been known to wander the land looking for trouble.
10 hours ago, persondude said:The hunting challenge mentions that monks and shugenja are strictly forbidden to spill blood or handle corpses, to the point where they can't even go catch a squirrel, apparently. So how does that play out in, you know, fights? There's already one potentially lethal fight in the beginner adventure, and others that could lead to "spilled blood" (allowing that there's room for interpretation on what exactly that means).
Fire spells cauterize the wounds they deal. Burn 'em all, no worries about the vow!
15 hours ago, Tonbo Karasu said:On the other hand there are monks like the Sohei of Osano-Wo, who practice combat as a veneration, and have been known to wander the land looking for trouble.
Which is why I used the weasel word, "some"...
For shugenja it's a matter of spiritual cleanliness. Blood dirties the spirit. The spirit can be cleansed from this with proper rites, but it's not worth it for a competition. When honor is on the line, however, it can be worth spilling a little blood and spending some time in prayer and meditation.
12 hours ago, deraforia said:For shugenja it's a matter of spiritual cleanliness. Blood dirties the spirit. The spirit can be cleansed from this with proper rites, but it's not worth it for a competition. When honor is on the line, however, it can be worth spilling a little blood and spending some time in prayer and meditation.
And then these nice spirits come by and offer you power after spilling the blood. They are perfectly happy to help you! Just need more blood.
35 minutes ago, Mirith said:And then these nice spirits come by and offer you power after spilling the blood. They are perfectly happy to help you! Just need more blood.
Ah, so you're one of them
Isawa Shugenja
Maho-Tsukai, I see...
54 minutes ago, Hida Jitenno said:Ah, so you're one of them
Isawa ShugenjaMaho-Tsukai, I see...
I am crab like you. I just like to know my enemies.
50 minutes ago, Mirith said:I am crab like you. I just like to know my enemies.
That's fair, then.
On 9/5/2018 at 2:33 PM, PiebeatsCake said:How have folks felt about having Bayushi Kyo in the party? It seems like there might be conflicting goals due to Kyo's allegiance to the scorpion clan, who support the actions of Bayushi Sugai in the story. The character folio seems to imply that Kyo puts clan loyalty ahead of that to the other PCs, so how should things lead to Kyo becoming an Emerald Magistrate?
He can change things a lot for the party, but it can be really cool if done well. Spoilers ahead for how it went down with my group.
So our Kyo was our best roleplayer's character, and managed to get along really well with the other PCs. As the plot went along they became all-in Hitoshi sympathizers, and Kyo really stoked the flames of discontent against the Crane referees' clear bias against the poor kid. He convinced them this must be happening a lot in these Championships, and so he made them consider Sugai might well have been cheated last time, especially as the current champion spoke nothing against the evident corruption of the proceedings.
They really wanted to "kingmake" Hitoshi the new Champion to spite and weaken the corrupt authorities; they wanted to defeat the opposition in the final tournament while deliberately losing to him. But of course the matchup schedule "forced" the Riku-Hitoshi duel, which screwed their plans. The swapped sword thing only added injury to insult, and so they were in a pretty dark mood when the pursuit of Sugai scene happened. Here Kyo convinced the group that the incriminating circumstances against Sugai seemed too obvious and convenient for the Crane, and they just dropped the pursuit at the bridge and went back (after a pretty extensive OOC conversation on whether they, as not yet samurai, had the legal duty to take the side of the Topaz Champion over the presumptive word of another samurai; as the lore didn't go into detail on whether the position entailed special law enforcement authority or a specific right to commandeer warriors of another Great Clan, they concluded their characters would not consider themselves duty-bound beyond a reasonable doubt). I docked them a few Honor points for thinking along such subversive, conspiratorial lines, but they still stuck to the decision.
So they went back to the "bad ending" where Yuikimi and Riku are dead, but they were actually really happy with their breadth of agency and the way the outcomes reflected their favoured course of action. Hitoshi made it to his gempuku, the Crane were utterly shamed, and Kyo even convinced them to let the Scorpion NPC win the Championship as the cherry on top/final screw you.
They had a lot of fun "defying the system". Sure, they'll run into trouble if they stick to that mindset in this setting, but I think this was a one-off case of collective pique.
So yeah getting back to the original question, Kyo may seem at odds with the "natural" course of the adventure, but never underestimate the players' desire or ability to deviate from what's expected of them, especially when it's too obvious...
On 9/29/2018 at 2:58 PM, BoneyMan said:(after a pretty extensive OOC conversation on whether they, as not yet samurai, had the legal duty to take the side of the Topaz Champion over the presumptive word of another samurai; as the lore didn't go into detail on whether the position entailed special law enforcement authority or a specific right to commandeer warriors of another Great Clan, they concluded their characters would not consider themselves duty-bound beyond a reasonable doubt)
I know its a little late, but the Topaz Champion doesn't really have any special authority. They just get to parade around for a year raking in the glory for being the "best of the best" in their year of gempuku. It makes them a political football for the year they are champion and seats them with heightened expectations afterwards.
On 10/1/2018 at 10:43 AM, ExplodingJoe said:
I know its a little late, but the Topaz Champion doesn't really have any special authority. They just get to parade around for a year raking in the glory for being the "best of the best" in their year of gempuku. It makes them a political football for the year they are champion and seats them with heightened expectations afterwards.
Yeah, that's what we figured. Probably still trumped Sugai in status and hence authority, but not so much that they'd be obligated to take her side.
The high profile nature and access to the other champions creates a very unofficial role for the Topaz champion - the way for anonymous low-ranking samurai to get needed information to the other champions without going through their daimyō, and for the champions to send a non-hidebound samurai to "look into things" without raising hackles much, as they have no actual authority.
I fixed my GM Sheet for the tournament, adding hunting. I'm also including a sheet with slips to be cut out for the players to record their results. Useful for one-offs and conventions.
4 minutes ago, bsmith23 said:
I think Bayushi Mei Lin is tied in the front-runner position with Yasuki Jun in the Go competition. I don't have it in front of me right now so I could be wrong.
2 minutes ago, ElSuave said:I think Bayushi Mei Lin is tied in the front-runner position with Yasuki Jun in the Go competition. I don't have it in front of me right now so I could be wrong.
If so, Ill check and try to fix tonight.
3 hours ago, ElSuave said:I think Bayushi Mei Lin is tied in the front-runner position with Yasuki Jun in the Go competition. I don't have it in front of me right now so I could be wrong.
Jun wins "after a close match with Bayushi Mei Lin." It's the only match where a second place or specific pairing is referenced.
And for those who would like the handy dandy chart on how many points overall each competitor receives, I have attached this spreadsheet.
Thanks sndwurks.
Another version of the total scoring table over at RPGGeek (first spoiler box):
https://rpggeek.com/thread/2071967/post-play-review-follow-my-pre-play-review-thread2
Edited by scottomailMy plan this week is to redo the pregens with the core rules. Has anyone else looked into this yet?
My group finished the adventure and Togashi Yoshi ended up as the new Topaz Champion. So now I don't know what he should get as reward. An armor and katana is nothing a monk can really use. Any suggestion what a monk champion could get?
1 hour ago, Toppe said:My group finished the adventure and Togashi Yoshi ended up as the new Topaz Champion. So now I don't know what he should get as reward. An armor and katana is nothing a monk can really use. Any suggestion what a monk champion could get?
The armour and sword are the regalia of the Topaz Champion. If Togashi Yoshi chooses not to wear them, fair enough (I'm sure Sumiko will keep them safe at the Emerald Fortress unless he feels an overwhelming need to act 'in character' at some point), but this is a ceremonial symbol of your position, not a prize with a 'cash equivalent'.