The Chrysanthemum War (character suggestions sought)

[Barwickian]

I'm putting together a short-form Sengoku-period campaign for a couple of experienced players with moderate Hero experience and an indeterminate number of noobs.

 

I'll be running it with a pool of pregen characters which players will pick up and play as required (more details on the campaign and the style of play I'll be using for it are on my blog here, and a map for it is here).

 

It's a somewhat experimental style of play, and I've not tried anything like it before.

 

I've a lot of characters to generate over the next few weeks, and I know I'll need additional input in order to avoid making them too samey.

 

I'm looking at three basic types of character (with a fourth type optional).

 

1) The samurai (competent normals, 100pts) 5-6 characters required

The default mission-runners - decent warriors (some swordsmen, some archers). Each should have a distinguishing feature, a speciality and easily roleplayable complications. All will have a Duty.

 

2) The hakamoto (competent normals, 100pts) 5-6 characters required

The daimyo's advisory council. Older men. Some may go on specialist missions. Thinking of a general, a diplomat, a treasurer. What other types might be on a daimyo's most-trusted list? All will have a Duty or similar Loyalty complication.

 

3) The heroes (standard heroes, 175pts) 5-6 characters required

Hero characters can be acquired (and become playable) through success in missions - ie, recruiting them will be a quest. So far I'm thinking of a kensei (swordmaster), a Zen archer, a yamabushi, a ninja (I may discard this idea). If we go for fantasy elements, then a mahotsukai (sorcerer) may also be an option. Any other ideas?

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for cool ways to distinguish these characters - or any other comments on the cmpaign idea/style of play?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: The Chrysanthemum War (character suggestions sought)

 

You may find the following extensive web resources helpful to your campaign.

 

Complete HERO Fifth Edition web sourcebook for adventuring in this era of feudal Japan:

http://web.archive.org/web/20080106121337/http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Castle/9529/Gaming_stuff/Sengoku/sengoku_front_page.html

 

A more mythic/magical approach to gaming in this setting, including spells, Package Deals and optional rules (using HERO Fourth Edition):

http://members.tripod.com/~hawk_wind/hero/rissun.html

 

Note: the links to the first site are occasionally cranky, as it's an archive of the original website which is now down. Don't stop trying if you get odd error messages the first time you click on a link. (The "Impatient?" link on the first page is particularly helpful.)

[Barwickian]

Re: The Chrysanthemum War (character suggestions sought)

 

Thanks. That's deifnitely worth putting up with Wayback's crankiness for.

[Markdoc]

Re: The Chrysanthemum War (character suggestions sought)

 

You don't need to put up with any crankiness - drop me a PM with your email address and I'll mail you the entire campaign in .pdf format. I made it into two files - one for the campaign with all the background, maps and scenarios and one just for the NPCs

 

cheers, Mark

[Shadowsoul]

Re: The Chrysanthemum War (character suggestions sought)

 

Let's see. Here are a few ideas for samurai.

 

I'm not familiar with the Duty Limitation, as I don't have 6E. I assume that loyalty to the Daimyo will be the duty of most characters.

 

Yoshitsune. Samurai are supposed to spend time meditating on their own deaths in battle. But Yoshitsune takes it a step further; he is in love with death, having sworn to die in battle or by his own hand. Yoshitsune constantly composes poems and songs about his impending brutal dismemberment and can be found after a battle, soliloquising over the fallen and the fact that he will soon join them. Nonetheless, he is a fine swordsman and so his allies tolerate his quirks.

 

Muneharu. A giant of a man noted for his skill with bows. Muneharu dislikes horses, (saying that they are not strong enough to bear him), and prefers to fight on foot when he can, however, having been born on a coastal island he is familiar with boats of all kinds. Muneharu loves to gamble and has come close to losing even his armour in games of chance, therefore the Daimyo has made him swear not to handle money at all.

 

Hideyori. Hideyori comes from a poor family and so spent a lot of his formative years hunting. He is a good tracker and can move sneakily when he wants to. Although Hideyori cannot fire arrows as far as Muneharu can he is a better rider and skilled in yabusame. In contrast to Muneharu, Hideyori is quite money grabbing as samurai go, though for good reasons, he sends his stipend as well as all the loot he gains to his family.

 

Shingoro. The self-proclaimed ‘Bane of Maidens’; Shingoro's smile is said to have broken more hearts than his sword has taken heads. Aside from his beauty, Shingoro has a talent for persuasion, negotiation and barefaced lying which has often seen him accompanying the Daimyo’s ambassador on diplomatic missions. Unfortunately Shingoro is sometimes more interested in pursuing women than in getting the job done.

 

Kiyomasa. A hot-headed young samurai covered in battle scars despite his tender years. He’s the fastest sword amongst the Daimyo’s guards but his temper is just as quick and often gets him into trouble.

 

As for Hakamoto.

 

You could have a monk to advise on philosophy and spiritual matters and to negotiate with nearby temples.

 

The treasurer could actually be a woman, perhaps a concubine whom the Daimyo trusts.

 

The general could be especially loyal because he was once an ashigaru and the Daimyo raised him to the samurai class, or he could be the Daimyo’s brother and have a bit of a rivalry with his lord.

 

If the clan has a navy then one of the Hakamoto could be an admiral.

 

As for heroes.

 

A master of karate, perhaps one who has sworn to collect the swords of his defeated opponents in order to prove that a warrior should only rely on his own body.

 

A martial artist from China or Korea.

 

A legendary hunter belonging to the Ainu people of Ezo, (Hokkaido), who was exiled by his tribe for some unknown crime.

 

A geisha widely believed to be the most beautiful woman in Japan and an expert musician and entertainer. She could serve as a spy or diplomat or simply as inspiration.

[Barwickian]

Re: The Chrysanthemum War (character suggestions sought)

 

Let's see. Here are a few ideas for samurai.

 

These are great ideas. Thank you.