Samurai
The Samurai are the militaristic retainers of noble clans who are sent to lead armies as officers or keep the peace between the people. They themselves are often part of the nobility too, holding high prestige, land of their own, and having special privileges not given to any other social class.
Bushidō
Although not all Samurai follow similar values, many are taught basic, but difficult, ways to conduct themselves as a warrior and noble. These shared values have often been refered to as “The Eight Virtues of Bushidō”
- Justice (義 gi): Reflect on what is fair and uphold yourself to upstanding moral character.
- Courage (勇 yū): Decipher what is right and wrong and have the strength to act upon it.
- Compassion (慈悲 jihi): Manifest love and sympathy through patience and ensure you see the world from the perspective of another.
- Respect (礼 rei): To collaborate with another person, politeness must be employed, keeping in mind their own experiences and feelings.
- Integrity (誠 makoto): Live with honestly and sincerity.
- Honour (名誉 meiyo): Uphold your sense of self worth and live by the highest code of conduct acknowledging your moral responsibilities.
- Loyalty (忠義 chūgi): Stay true to yourself and when fealty is given, this must not be abandoned even under difficult circumstances.
- Self-Control (自制 jisei): Regulate your emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptation and impulse.
Samurai Clan
These warriors were usually associated with a clan and their lord, and were trained as officers in military tactics and grand strategy. Choose from the list below or work with your Gamemaster to determine which clan your character belongs to.
Clan Examples
| d12 | Clan | d12 | Clan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abe | 7 | Otomo |
| 2 | Fujiwara | 8 | Soga |
| 3 | Minamoto | 9 | Sugawara |
| 4 | Mononobe | 10 | Tachibana |
| 5 | Nakatomi | 11 | Taira |
| 6 | Oda | 12 | Tokugawa |
Feature: Just and Trusted Nobility
Due to your noble status, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are welcomed by nobles and treated with the utmost respect. You can easily secure an audience with a local noble if you need to, especially those of allied clans.
Additionally, commoners assume you have the right to be wherever you are and will make every effort to accommodate you to avoid your displeasure. They will also come to you to settle local disputes, relying on your switft and fair judgement.
Equipment
A set of fine clothes with your clan symbol stitched into the back, a tanto (small knife) and sheath engraved with your clan symbol, a set of tools (one of your choice with which you are proficient), and a purse containing 25 gp.
In addition, you recieve one of the following Samurai Mementos.
Samurai Mementos
| d12 | Clan |
|---|---|
| 1 | A wakizashi (shortsword) and sheath engraved with your clan symbol. |
| 2 | A bokken (wooden sword) from your years of studying the way of the sword. |
| 3 | A missive from your lord. |
| 4 | A visible scar or wound from a previous battle or duel. |
| 5 | A broken sword from a lost battle or given to you by your master or family member. |
| 7 | A tea set that has been passed down from your family. |
| 8 | A book containing proverbs, theology, and life lessons. |
| 9 | A shattered mask of an animal, demon, or dragon that was broken while defending your family from bandits. |
| 10 | A musical instrument you played as a child. |
| 11 | An omamori (a simple charm) you keep for luck and protection. |
| 12 | Reroll (For now) |
Variant: Ronin
As a ronin you are a wandering warrior without a master. Some ronin choose to not follow a master, rather roaming the countryside to help those in need. Most however either broke an oath to their master, broke the law, or their master perished because the ronin’s own failure to protect them. Either way, you wander the land, continuing to uphold your ideals and bonds, letting the failures of yourself or others become the master of your destiny.
Feature: Wandering Warrior
The combination of your katana and wakizashi hold great weight wherever you go. Though you have lost your master, those who recognize your clan emblem emblazoned on your blades will recognize your clan, some may act favorably while others may be hostile to your intentions. A ronin can often find jobs that would not have been offered to others. When looking for jobs or collecting information from individuals, people who recognize your clan emblem may be more willing to trust you with information and even jobs that they would not trust to let other adventurers handle. Others however will treat you with distrust, demanding proof of your true character or even attempting to turn you in to the local authorities.
Suggested Character Options
Suggested Attribute Score Increase
Samurai are known for their great wisdom, as well as their intelligence on the battlefield and their ability to speak and interact with those under their charge.
Select +1 to your Wisdom and +1 to either your Wisdom, Intellgence or Charisma when building a standard Samurai.
Suggested Proficiencies
The following proficiencies are suggestions to get you started when creating a Samurai character.
Weapons: Samurai train in many different weapons. However, they most prominiately use Blades, Bows and Polearms.
Skills: History, Insight, or Persuasion.
Tools: Samurai are not only battlefield warriors, but also artists, poets, and musicians. Calligrapher’s Supplies, Painter’s Supplies, Musical Instruments, and Gaming Sets all fall under what a Samurai might learn on thier days of rest.
Language: Samurai often need to be the intercessors between people. Consider taking an additional Language or two.
Suggested Talents
The following Talents are suggestions to get you started when creating a Samurai character.
Talent Trees: Fighter and Monk offer options for your quintisensial Samurai, putting focus on Noble Warrior and Kensei respectively. However Bard, Paladin, and Ranger can also add great options for a Samurai.
Combat Talents: Alert, Blinding Agility, or Quick Reflexes.
Fighting Styles Trees: Defence, Mounted, Sentinel, Sharpshooter, and Versatile are all excellent Fighting Styles and Masteries for a Samurai.
General Talents: Exalted Awareness, Inspiring Leader, and Observant.
Skill Talents: Charming Persona, Empathic, Loremaster, Perceptive.
Tool Talents: None.
Weapon Talents: Blade Specialist and (should add a bow specialist).