The Anneda family is a vassal family of the Kakita, perhaps even their biggest vassal. It has its own school that specializes in animal companions . But different than regular animal companions, those companions called Mokugami can learn a few kata's (within reasonable bounds). Any Artisan can learn this new technique that lets them obtain a Mokugami. Google Samurai Dog , Samurai Frog or check some of the images in this article https://www.crunchyroll.com/en-gb/anime-news/2013/09/02-1/classic-video-game-character-woodblock-artist-presents-edo-superstar-kickstarter and you get a picture what those Mokugami's are capable of becoming.

Here is a preview of the school (why is the forum file limit so low!)

The complete PDF file can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G2ZT3mCC4uFC9u8LX0ZBUALyj3gNlKfO/view?usp=sharing

Within the linked document is the Anneda Falling Blossom School , Ritual technique: Craft Mokugami , creature profile for a Mountain Toad and the profile for the digging oni called Iwakuni . Even if you do not plan on using this homebrew school, the technique and creature profiles may still be of interest to you. The school uses only techniques from the Core Book.

The Anneda School and family can be used in your campaign as I have tried to design it such that it may be used (and hopefully you will) by others. So if you are looking for a school that gives you a ninja or samurai acting animal companions, then please take a look at this school (animal gear not included 😉 ).

17 hours ago, Kiso said:

interesting enough in the beta version they aren't mentioned (because they are at that point a vassal of the Isawa?))

Partly. Partly they just had a very restricted number of schools and families - note that the Mirumoto Niten School - one of the two most famous sword schools in the setting - wasn't in the first issue of the beta either, and the Mantis Clan had no schools at all.

Also - thanks for uploading the technique images!

So...looking at the school and the background, they're essenitally....what?...gardeners? tree doctors? (with ikebana and the arts being a huge thing with the Kakita, that's not a slur, by the way).

If so, you might want to look at Kakita Mototada, Gardener, an NPC on page 40 of Courts of Stone. for inspiration.

I'd suggest they'd be more like artisan/bushi than courtier/bushi. What's the feel you're going for with the school?

My thoughts:

Rings

So....Water makes sense for adapt/maintain. Earth is unusual for a courtier but not for a double-tagged courtier/bushi (like the Kakita duellist).

Skills

It feels relatively rare for a bushi-tagged school not to have access to fitness. Again, this is more a commentary on not being entirely clear what this is a school of .

Honour

This lines up with the Kaito school, which as a vassal family school it should do.

Techniques Available

Yeah, well, fine. Aside from the tiny number of schools who have free technique class access to Ninjitsu, Shujenga and Monks, this is basically the standard three every school gets.

Starting Techniques

So....is there a particular reason they have Rising Blade? I get that they're a Kakita vassal family, but if Kakita vassals wanted to study the noble art of inserting pointy bits of metal into people not wearing blue, I'd assume they do it at the Kakita school. Vassal family schools feel like they should cover stuff noticably different to the family's primary focus (much like the clan families provide 'supporting services' to the ruling family; like giving Doji courtiers Kakita yojimbo).

Also, you've basically given them the kakita school starting techniques plus an extra option, which is a bad starting point to work from if you don't want to create 'Kakita Plus'.

School Ability

So reroll 1+ dice theoretically every turn feels really powerful. I get (I hope!) it's locked to techniques which require an action to use (if so, you might want to add a note to that effect) but in theory that's still a reroll every turn. For the sake of a stupid argument, imagine a samurai in water stance using rising blade and then using prepare to sheath the blade every turn.

More importantly, it feels incredibly flexible; if it's useable on any kata and any shuji, in any type of scene, you've got a character who can throw down effectively in duels, intrigues, mass battles and skirmishes. Most school techniques are tied to either a single skill type, scene type or other setting restriction. Also, narratively speaking, why does the samurai get rerolls with Rising Blade and Flowing Water Strike, but not with a 'generic' Strike action?

Starting Gear

Wakizashi and Katana can just be written "Daisho".

A vassal family samurai is unlikely to have an attendant - they're more likely to be the attendant for high-ranking non-vassal samurai.

Curriculum

Rank 1

So.... the 'format' fits; you've got one skills group, 1 'ranked' technique group, 2 specific techniques, and 3 specific skills.

The skill setup is wrong: Meditation is a martial skill and hence covered by the skill group.

Crescent Moon Style is an interesting choice - it feels like a bodyguard/battlefield technique; again underlying the question of what the school is . Also, I'd have expected an emphasis on action techniques where Flowing With The Leaves can be used, rather than techniques, where (I assume) it can't

Assess strengths is a fair enough choice, though obviously it's in Courts of Stone and hence only useable for a player with access to that book.

Rank 2

Again, command is a social skill.

Flowing Water Strike is a good choice for a kata. I'm still unconvinced by the school ability's balance; at this point you're getting essentially a 'free' advantage on every kata and shuji check.

Rank 3

Fine

Rank 4

Unusual to have no preferential access techniques in a rank (except rank 5, obviously)

Rank 5

Again, command is a social skill.

Mastery Ability

I'm less worried about the mastery ability than I am about the school ability, since all mastery abilities are broken as heck (that's kind of the point of them). A once-per-session increasing the number of kept dice without being able to increase the number of rolled dice doesn't sound too bad. It's basically restricted to Crimson Leaves, Soaring Slice, Iaijutsu cuts, and Trip The Leg, anyway. I'm less sure about the shuji impact, though.

Also, does this give you 2 strife "for every kept dice", or "for every additional dice kept in this manner"? Taking strife equal to double your earth ring as a surcharge for using this ability seems a bit harsh.

In our story the Anneda family became some what experts in maintaining cherry blossoms, hunting down and destroying oni-like creatures that feed on those cherry blossoms. I guess they could fill the role of "tree doctors" in Rokugan, with a specialty for cherry blossoms and "evil" creatures feeding on the live essence of them. Thanks for the suggestions, I have incorporated most of them. I couldn't find any rank 5 kata I'm happy with to replace Crashing Wave Style, so for now it will be Striking as Void. The hardest part in designing a school curriculum for me seems to be the school ability and rank 6 ability, a different school/rank 6 ability suggestion is welcome.

7 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Also, you've basically given them the kakita school starting techniques plus an extra option, which is a bad starting point to work from if you don't want to create 'Kakita Plus'.

I had chosen techniques I felt were fitting, I should've double checked, thanks for pointing that out.

Some more symbols

18 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

I'd suggest they'd be more like artisan/bushi than courtier/bushi. What's the feel you're going for with the school?

Watching Japanology episode on cherry blossoms, the artisan tag may be more interesting too. The Anneda family could be renown for their plates and thee cups made from cherry blossom bark. They are also known for their delicacy involving the cherry blossom leaves such as sakura mochi.

9 hours ago, Kiso said:

In our story the Anneda family became some what experts in maintaining cherry blossoms

Fine. I would suggest that labour, survival and/or aesthetics should be a big thing.

10 hours ago, Kiso said:

hunting down and destroying oni-like creatures that feed on those cherry blossoms.

That would suggest martial skills and theology.

I would suggest the following hierarchy of skills in the curriculum at the relevant ranks:

1. Survival/Labour (can you interact with the wild without disturbing it, keep an ailing blossom tree alive, and make functional items from cherry tree wood and cherries)
2. Aesthetics (having kept a grove alive, can you make it pretty, and craft more beautiful items from the wood and fruit you take)
3. Martial Arts Melee/ Theology (can you defend the trees from supernatural threats)
4. Meditation (are you 'one' with the spirits of your now-perfect blossom grove)
5. Command (can you plan and instruct others in doing the same)

21 minutes ago, Kiso said:

Watching Japanology episode on cherry blossoms, the artisan tag may be more interesting too

Definitely. I'd say Artisan/Bushi makes sense for what you're describing. They're basically a 'guard of sacred groves' type character, if I understand you right.

10 hours ago, Kiso said:

The hardest part in designing a school curriculum for me seems to be the school ability and rank 6 ability, a different school/rank 6 ability suggestion is welcome.

Agreed. A key element is making the school ability 'fit' the narrative role of the school rather than just "they are better at everything", which I fear you've done in both attempts.

I get that what the Anneda do, but how do they do it? Don't worry about rules; what does 'flowing with the leaves' actually mean to you, narratively? If I was facing an unknown crane samurai, what about the way they fight would identify them as a Falling Blossom-taught swordsman?

My thoughts (once you have your answer to the above question).

On 11/26/2019 at 1:57 PM, Magnus Grendel said:

A vassal family samurai is unlikely to have an attendant - they're more likely to be the attendant for high-ranking non-vassal samurai.

I wonder, wouldn't it depend how that family became vassals? If a ronin/peasant family became vassals then I agree. But in this case they are still (blood related) Kakita samurai, only now within the clan they go by a different last name and have started a specialization which wasn't seen within the clan. If the daimyo and his family would forfeit status to enjoy this "honour", why would he agree to accepted this offer in the first place, staying Kakita is much better then. The head of the Kakita family wouldn't surely put his family members in this awkward situation. Or maybe I need a lesson in Rokugani clan hierarchy, cause that would sound for the Anneda family more like a punishment then a promotion.

An individual Anneda may or may not be subordinate to a specific Kakita, but as a rule vassal families are of lower status.

The original Kakita Anneda wouldn't have gone down in status - because they'd have gone from "non-specific member of a clan family" (eighth cousin sixteen times removed or something) to daimyo of a vassal family - equivalent to the higher-ranking members of the Kakita (who are also Kakita Yoshi's direct vassals, like Kakita Toshimoko).

The 'bulk' of what's now the Anneda family will have come from promotions in turn - low ranking Kakita and crane ji-samurai that Kakita Anneda offered a higher status place in the new Anneda no Kakita vassal family.

I've updated the thread with a new School Ability and Mastery Ability, with careful thinking these fit more with The way of the Anneda.
I also want to thank Magnus Grendel for all the pointers and helping me for thinking critically about the Anneda's family purpose and how to form the right curriculum.

On ‎11‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 7:09 PM, Kiso said:

Purifying Nature (School Ability): You can feel when plant live has been disturbed by the actions of otherworldly beings. Once per scene when you make a check targeting otherworldly being from silhouette 0-1 that destroys plant live, you may decrease the TN of that check by 1.

I don't think any school ability doesn' t use the school rank in some way; quite a few abilities that reduce TN reduce the TN by your school rank.

This may have become a bit too specific since it now only affects playing whack-a-mole with 'blossom oni'

1 hour ago, Magnus Grendel said:

I don't think any school ability doesn' t use the school rank in some way; quite a few abilities that reduce TN reduce the TN by your school rank.

Fair enough, changed decrease the TN of that check by 1 to decrease the TN of that check by up to your school rank .

1 hour ago, Magnus Grendel said:

This may have become a bit too specific since it now only affects playing whack-a-mole with 'blossom oni'

Changed that destroys plant live to that negatively affects plant live for better clarification. In a way it is narrow, but in another way it is wide. Many Otherworldly beings could be categorized as harming plant live, but it will depend on the setting and GM+player interpretation how wide they want to cast this net. So while the target of the ability may be narrow, its uses on that target is wide, any check will do.

Some time has past and I have been thinking about improving this homebrew school. Hopefully it is now fun enough that people would like to us it for themselves. Rather than seeing it only being used in my campaign. 😅

----------[copy of the current version (4.1)]------------

The Anneda family is a vassal to the Kakita family. After a Kakita daimyo (Kakita Anneda) of a small province which is known for its many cherry blossoms, was able to stop the rapid dying of cherry blossom trees in his province, he and his family was honoured with becoming a vassal family. They are now experts in hunting down and exterminate oni-like creatures called Iwakunai that feed on the live essence of trees, with cherry blossom being their favourite. Under his leadership he created the Falling Blossom School to train samurai in maintaining trees, especially the cherry blossom tree and exterminate the Iwakunai. The Anneda family is renown for their plates and thee cups made from cherry blossom tree bark. Also for gorgeous bonsai trees and their animate wooden animals. The family have compared to other samurai families a huge number of bonsai master, some of the most famous bonsai trees have outlasted the Anneda bonsai master for four generations. Their land is known for their delicacy involving the cherry blossom leaves such as sakura mochi.

To play as an Anneda samurai choose, Crane clan -> Kakita family -> Anneda Falling Blossom School.

Anneda Falling Blossom School , [Artisan, Bushi]

Rings: +1 Water, +1 Void
Starting Skills: (choose five): +1 Aesthetics , +1 Fitness, +1 Martial [Melee], +1 Medicine, +1 Theology, +1 Courtesy, +1 Labor
Honor: 45
Techniques available: Kata ( ), Rituals ( ), Shuji ( )
Starting Techniques:

Kata : Warrior's Resolve

Ritual : Commune with the Spirits

Shuji (Choose 1) : Stonewall Tactics, Well of Desire, Shallow Waters

Anneda's Gift (School Ability): You are trained to find small trees fit for becoming bonsai trees. As a downtime activity, if you have access to the forest or mountain area, you may gather one small tree fit for becoming a bonsai tree. The bonsai tree (item) has rarity equal to your school rank and value of twice the rarity in koku. This item is ideal for gift giving or showing ones artisan skills.

Starting Outfit: Ceremonial clothes, traveling clothes, daisho, traveling pack, Tree Maintenance Kit, (at the GM's discretion) an attendant or Rokugani pony.

School Curriculum:
Rank 1:
Martial Skills
Command
Labor
Survival
Rank 1 Kata
Iaijustsu Cut: Rising Blade
Craft Mokugami

Rank 2:
Social Skills
Aesthetics
Martial Art [Melee]
Meditation
Rank 1-2 Kata
Flowing Water Strike
Ebb and Flow

Rank 3:
Martial Skills
Culture
Theology
Courtesy
Earth 1-3 Shuji
Hidden in Smoke
Battle in the Mind

Rank 4:
Scholar Skills
Aesthetics
Tactics
Courtesy
Rank 1-4 Water Shuji
Soul Sunder
The Ties that Bind

Rank 5:
Social Skills
Composition
Martial [Melee]
Theology
Rank 1-5 Kata
Buoyant Arrival
The Immovable Hand of Peace

Rank 6:
An unrefusable gift (Mastery Ability): Once per session, you may spend one void point to let the other person accept your bonsai gift, no matter what their personal or their clans opinion is about you or your clan.


Items
Tree Maintenance Kit
Tools that allow the owner of bonsai trees to maintain their collection, as well as performing garden activities in leisure times. Some skilled samurai are able to use those tools to restore health back into plants, even those at the brink of dying. The kit contains small objects such as a trowel, clippers, gardening fork, plant pot, bucket, knife. Often the samurai who owns this kit lets a servant carry it for them, when they are on the road. (Cost: 4 bu and rarity 1.)

Wooden Animal (toy)
Made by many artisans across Rokugan, some splendid pieces even end up in the collections of the nobles But most wooden animals are made for children toys. Some ronins from the Anneda family are famous in the towns and cities for creating shows where the animals come to 'life'. The animal is created often from a single piece of wood, some peasants can craft them from thick branches. (Cost 10 zeni - 4 bu, rarity 1, quality varies between artisans and silhouettes 0.)

Bonsai Tree
It takes years before a specimen can become a bonsai tree, some tree even survive their creators. Masters in bonsai can create trees that will life for generations if taking cared for properly. The bonsai tree is often found in the courts, it is an art were the courtiers can train towards perfection, it symbolizes nature and the aging process of life. (General cost 4 koku, rarity 2.)

Specific distinctions
Purifying Nature (Earth) (Anneda school students only)
The Iwakunai, the Children of the oni Bubara are again running ramped through our province. Soldiers, we can expect no help from others. We much defeat them here before our beloved empire suffers the same fate . - Daimyo Anneda Renji
Types : Physical, Spiritual
You can sense when plant live has been disturbed by the actions of otherworldly beings.
Once per scene when you make a meditation, theology or survival [Earth] check targeting otherworldly being directly or the trail of its involvements, after the creature has negatively affected plant life, you may reroll up to two dice.

Technique, Ritual
Craft Mokugami (Anneda school students only) Rank 1
The Anneda samurai may not have the gift of communicating with the kami, but the study of the natural harmony has brought this family the gift of infusing essence of an earth kami into our Wooden Animals. Thus installing life into a Wooden Animal temporary. This technique provides the family a kind of defend against the Iwakunai
Activation: As a downtime activity using one Wooden Animal item, you may make a TN 2 Theology skill (Earth) check to bring the Wooden Animal to life.
Effect: If you succeed you bring the Wooden Animal to life temporary. The life remains in the Animal until the end of the session. The Animal can only handle simple commands and only by its creator. Only one Animal may live at a time.

Creature
Mokugami
A toy for some, a tool for distractions for others. While the poor may use the Mokugami to put on an entertaining show to make a little coin. This wooden creature reminds most people of their childhood fantasies when they see it. Mokugami that manage to kill Iwakunai's are later destroyed, because of the possible stains of the taint left behind.
Conflict rank: battle 1, social 1.
Rings: Earth 2, Fire 1, Water 1, Air 1, Void 1.
Endurance 6, Composure 4, Focus 2, Vigilance 1.
Skills: Artisan 0, Martial 1, Scholar 0, Social 1, Trade 0.
Advantages: +1 Earth, Physical.
Disadvantages: -2 Fire, Physical.
Weapons: Body slam, Range 0, Damage 4, Deadliness 2.
Gear: (Physical 2, Spiritual 1).
Silhouette 0.
Ability: Can follow simple commands from its creator. They are semi-self aware, allowing them to preform the commands even if they cannot see of hear their creator directly.

Iwakunai
Often called the Children of Bubara, they are small oni creatures mainly found in the province controlled by Anneda family. They dug tunnels beneath tree so that they may feast on the trees roots. Their favoured tree are the cherry blossom.
Conflict rank: battle 1, social 1.
Rings: Earth 2, Fire 3, Water 1, Air 2, Void 1.
Endurance 3, Composure 4, Focus 5, Vigilance 1.
Skills: Artisan 0, Martial 1, Scholar 0, Social 0, Trade 1.
Advantages: +1 Earth, Physical. +1 Water, Physical.
Disadvantages: -2 Earth, Spiritual.
Weapons: Claws, Range 1, Damage 4, Deadliness 2.
Gear: (Physical 2, Spiritual 2, Unholy).
Silhouette 0.
Ability: +: it can attack again another creature or person in the skirmish, attacking it with the same dice results.

Since reading the PoW book, I have been eager to rebuild this school from the ground up! The first iteration was a school of oni catching gardeners and the second a courtier with a bonsai hobby. But this iteration fits better what the family represented in my campaign story, as they now have a special way to obtain animal companions. Please read the first post, as it has all the new information + PDF.