So a player (Matsu Berserker) wants to become the Emerald Champion as their ninjo. I totally love this. It's almost impossible to resolve unless the campaign goes on for a long time but it will create interesting intermediate plot hooks nonetheless.

I'm trying to think of some common "routes to success" in Rokugani society. Let's say in our world, if a kid wants to be a the president, he/she will probably go to a good prep school, then a prestigious university, probably as a lawyer, economist, etc. build up a network of politicians and business owners, etc.

What do you think are some of the routes to success if a Rokugani wants to become the Emerald Champion? I think going through the rank of the Emerald Magistrates might be one or becoming an esteemed Daimyo in one's own clan could be another. But I'm not so familiar with the existing lore of previous Emerald Champions and the necessary process through which one is chosen.

Appreciate the help!

Becoming an Emerald Champion is not tough in Rokugan: you sign in for the championship, beat all contestants, and *bang* you are the Emerald Champion. IIRC anyone can sign in, beating people in duels is usually the hard part because the rooster tends to be pretty harsh, but the real problem is not earning the title but keeping it. The character might be able to gain backing by merit, especially as a Lion Clan samurai, but aiming that high as a simple retainer is extraordinary ambitious and might come off as dishonorable, so I think the first thing the character must work on is how to present his/her goal without looking like a shameless eager beaver.

In theory you win the tournament of duels. So a big part of becoming the Emerald Champion is becoming a "monster" at Duels so you can beat all other "contestants." ... but in Rokugani it's never that easy. Some additional complications and consequences for the player.

One: you have to learn about the passing of the old Emerald Champion and respond in time to get to the Tournament. This is not a high bar. But there are situations where this isn't a freebie either. But being posted to the far corners of the Wall, a remote mountain in the Dragon lands, or the badlands of the Unicorn territory could potentially make this an issue. There is also the possibility that you could be stuck somewhere with a duty that is not easily set aside so you can travel. Or even you could have a superior who could refuse to let put down the duties you are assigned to travel... As a consequence the player should probably resent and resist assignments that carry them to Timbuktu, or tie them down for long stretches of time with important ceremonial duties.

Two: you have to be an acceptable candidate. In theory anyone can apply. But in practice it seems like the competitors are always the bigger names and the best one offer from the clans. Someone who comes out of nowhere is jumping the line of the elite of their own clan. So our Matsu has to command enough respect in the Lion that they let him compete and don't order him to stand down in favor of some young studly Akodo or Ikoma. In short he's got to be recognized as one of the best of the Lions. As a consequence the Matsu should problem be chasing any chance for glory awards.

Three: you have to survive the obstacles, mind games, and traps put up by the Crane and the Scorpion (and to a lesser extent, the other clans) that will take place during the tournament but outside the duels. The more they dislike you, the more effort you can expect them to put into this. If the Imperial Families don't like you for some reason then you can expect the Ottomo to join in the "fun" as well. As a consequence, while chasing glory awards, you also need to either avoid making personal enemies (and permanently burning bridges) or be good enough at intrigue scenes to handle what's thrown at you.

So putting those three things together what do i think a plausible "life road" looks like?

Your Matsu character needs duties where they can succeed publicly. And gloriously. The traditional place for a Lion to do this is in battle. If the time line permits, this Matsu should be trying to get to the front line of the fighting at Toshi Ranbo or the skirmishes with the Unicorn. If not the character should be hot to find a border they can skirmish on and territory they can conspicuously & gloriously help annex (without the appearance of dishonorable conduct!).From there, the player probably needs to step up from the common samurai by earning a title. Clan/Imperial Magistrate is a good platform because it lets you travel freely, network with the powerful, and look for trouble (& glory!). Advisor or Gunso or even Yojimbo to the right kind of Lord (a powerful one, hip deep in conflicts) can also be desirable and excellent service might help you gain the title of Daimyo (more glory!). If you make your way as a successful daimyo who can handle intrigues and you are a monster at dueling, then you are in striking distance of competing to become Emerald Champion.

Hope those thoughts are useful to you

On ‎9‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 1:56 AM, Void Crane said:

If you make your way as a successful daimyo who can handle intrigues and you are a monster at dueling, then you are in striking distance of competing to become Emerald Champion.

The handling intrigues is another bit that's important. Remember that whilst winning the Emerald Tournament is a swordsmanship contest, presumably if they're fixated on becoming Emerald Champion, they want to be a good Emerald Champion?

The ideal Emerald Champion needs to be good at resolving conflicts, and be trusted by the various clans (including their own) to be impartial, honourable, and if possible to somehow find solutions where everyone involved can 'claim victory'. In theory a massively clan-partisan champion could win the tournament, and act improperly for the post using it to further their clan's own agenda, but every other clan and the imperial families would swiftly start refusing to work with them properly, and it's the Emperor's personal authority they'd be misusing. Such an individual would probably end up a social outcast and/or assassinated very quickly, despite their status.

As a good observation; how would they feel about serving in the Emerald Magistrature? It's not by any means 'required' (Akodo Toturi didn't before becoming champion, and there's no suggestion Doji Satsume did) but it would go some way to show the samurai has the 'right attitude'. The same could be said of serving a term in the Imperial Legions (which is a multi-clan entity which the Emerald Champion commands) or serving in a clan entity which serves Rokugan as a whole or directly protects Imperial holdings or family members (like the Crane Empress Guard).

But yes, at a level likely to appear within a campaign, it basically involved (a) being good enough with a blade to win the Emerald Tournament, (b) being socially and politically influential enough that someone able to do so is prepared to sponsor you, and (c) avoiding being in a position where you can't travel to attend what's basically a once-in-a-lifetime event.

As a GM I would also start thinking about who this Matsu is going to have to eventually face off against. So they can meet and interact with them before the “big day.” I think you would want someone else favored by the Lion or Matsu Champion. Someone you have to prove you are better than ...maybe just to be allowed to compete. If the Lion champion orders you to assist “Akodo Yuki” at the EC tournament your PCs daylight between Ninjo and Giri will go sky high. Call that the in-clan rival. Probably you need an “Enemy” as well. Someone the PC has clashed with before. Even better if their clan is at odds with the Lion (Crane, Mantis, Scorpion & Unicorn all stand out here). And maybe a third person who has sometimes been an ally of the PC(s) in the past. But now stands firmly in the way of reaching the EC. Hopefully the PC feels at least a little bittersweet about defeating someone who has been a respected ally in the past.

You might also want to think about how you want to force choices between duty and desire. For example an investigation potentially involves a master swordsman who is a Ronin. The PC natural flow of events might require the Ronin to be thrown under a bus to keep everything flowing smoothly. At the same time, maybe if the PC finds a way to save that NPC they put them in their debt and benefit from instruction in their fighting style...

Thanks guys I love these replies. Together they provide a very comprehensive perspective. I'll dwell on them a little and come up with something for my player. Cheers!