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Post by evilgingerdm on Jun 10, 2013 10:19:40 GMT -8
In my L5r Lion game, we had two Players with Ronin Characters, a Former Mantis, and Former Dragon. At the Start of the adventures, they were hired on as Ronin for some extra hands. As the story progressed, they (being PCs and all) were present at a Large battle to protect the Damiyo that Hired them, and Helped slay an Ogre Oni.
I've decided that since the Vassel family lost alot of their Samurai, and they showed Great Courage in the face of Danger, they will be offered a Spot in the Lion Vassal Family.
My question is, does this kinda thing actually happen? Or would they continue to be Ronin in service to the Lion clan? How does that effect them Mechanicly? Should they have to spend XP to buy-off their Ronin Dis-ad? Naturally, they won't be able to progess in their old schools from the Dragon and Mantis clans, when they reach an Insight rank 2, would they pick a Lion school, or one of the Ronin ones listed in the core book/ enemies of the empire?
Any help is much welcomed. Thanks, Josh
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SirGuido
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Post by SirGuido on Jun 10, 2013 10:53:27 GMT -8
Being a ronin is a pretty big deal. They are very much mistrusted and looked down upon, even more so than Scorpion. Its is the general feeling that being a ronin means you are dishonorable, despite the fact that most ronin are in their situation due to no actions of their own at all. It is -NOT- general practice for a clan to pick up any appreciable number of samurai via converting ronin. The only clan that does it often is the Crab with their 20 Goblin Winter test. Otherwise, the ronin would have to show some pretty damn big deal thing in order for them to be "worthy" of clanhood.
Which school they go into is up to you. Since its a vassal family, perhaps their host family won't accept them into the clan school, so they go to a ronin school.
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Post by The Northman on Jun 10, 2013 13:08:42 GMT -8
I played a ronin once. I was lucky enough to be playing with a GM who understood the setting and how it effects ronin characters. I was unlucky enough to be playing a ronin in this game. To echo what SG said, it's awfully tough to get a permanent spot in the clan. Doubly so for Lion, Crane, or (surprisingly to some) scorpion. Dragon and Crab have built-in mechanisms. Just being a good soldier shouldn't be enough, and I really think it's important to the setting that they take all the heaps of shit that go along with the cool factor of being masterless. Usually that honor is reserved for people who directly save the lives of the daimyo's family, for example, or the descendants of a ronin who gives his life in great service to the clan. And yes, even if they're in service of the Lion clan they wouldn't be allowed to attend their bushi school. Even if they become clan members it's not a guarantee, and they'll need the multiple schools ad regardless.
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Post by evilgingerdm on Jun 10, 2013 13:27:48 GMT -8
Well, they were involved in the saving of the Damiyo and his Wife, so maybe I didn't screw up too bad after all. Honestly, i expected the last session to end this story arc, and have the Players make up their own characters, since they've all been playing pre-gens I created.
Another question I wasn't exactly clear on, Families and schools within a clan. Do the Akodo only attend the Akodo Bushi school, or could an Akodo family member attend the Matsu Berzerker school, if that fits their personallity more. the Different school advantage read that it was supposed to be for attending a school from another Clan. IE a matsu attending the Hida Bushi school. The Vassel Family I used was the Katai (akodo vassel family) from Great Clans, but I made each one from a Different Lion school, to showcase how teh schools Differ from each other.
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Post by The Northman on Jun 10, 2013 13:36:59 GMT -8
It's most common to attend your family's school, but it's only considered 'different schools' if you go outside clan. Obviously for non-bushi their options are more limited, so they'll attend whatever family's school trains their character type.
Also, it can sometimes be harder for clan ronin to be accepted back into another clan than true ronin - reason being you've already proven that you're capable of shaming a clan, as opposed to being the product of illegitimate birth, for example.
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Post by SirGuido on Jun 10, 2013 14:44:42 GMT -8
Yeah what he said.
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Post by evilgingerdm on Jun 10, 2013 18:32:04 GMT -8
I might let it slide at this point, the players didn't chose to make ronin characters, nd i only made the ronin because i ran out of lion schools for poss players ( i've got like 8 total players, but they rotate in and out), and I wanted to show off some of the other clans. one of the players really likes archers, so thats where the mantis came from. I also had a Lion Samurai with the different schools ad. who trained with the Hida, because that player likes big bruisers.
Thanks for the help guys.
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Post by The Northman on Jun 11, 2013 4:17:22 GMT -8
In the future, hostages work well to introduce different clans, or characters who have married into whatever your majority clan is. Not meaning to knock your current game, just giving you some options because being a Ronin really, really, really sucks. To the point where the points you get in return aren't nearly enough to make up for the social disadvantages. Mushishugo (sp?) is also an option - it's very common for young samurai to take a year away from their clan and travel as ronin to see the world, with the expectation that they'll return and be welcomed back after that time.
Always remember the death before dishonor tenet - if you're ronin you did something so bad that you weren't allowed to kill yourself and weren't executed because those punishments were too good for you. They aren't to be trusted, and are as much a religious abomination as they are social outcasts.
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Post by SirGuido on Jun 11, 2013 5:26:51 GMT -8
I might let it slide at this point, the players didn't chose to make ronin characters, nd i only made the ronin because i ran out of lion schools for poss players ( i've got like 8 total players, but they rotate in and out), and I wanted to show off some of the other clans. one of the players really likes archers, so thats where the mantis came from. I also had a Lion Samurai with the different schools ad. who trained with the Hida, because that player likes big bruisers. Thanks for the help guys. Not for nuthin... but the Akodo Bushi school makes for an UhMAYYYzing archer.(Being able to ignore armor as an archer is pretty bad ass.) Mushishugo (sp?) is also an option - it's very common for young samurai to take a year away from their clan and travel as ronin to see the world, with the expectation that they'll return and be welcomed back after that time. Musha Shugyo Its the name of the fan magazine I wrote and edited for, so I should remember how to spell it!
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Post by evilgingerdm on Jun 11, 2013 5:40:32 GMT -8
No offense taken, this is my first attempt at an L5R game, so the advice is very welcomed. My group was concerned about playing it, becuase they ahd played an earlier edition, and didn't like how deadly it was ( being used to playing D&D w/ all the hitpoints ever), But they are enjoying it, as its a nice change of pace from the typical D&D style games.
Thanks again for the help.
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Post by SirGuido on Jun 11, 2013 7:04:29 GMT -8
Anytime.
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Post by The Northman on Jun 11, 2013 7:11:41 GMT -8
No offense taken, this is my first attempt at an L5R game, so the advice is very welcomed. My group was concerned about playing it, becuase they ahd played an earlier edition, and didn't like how deadly it was ( being used to playing D&D w/ all the hitpoints ever), But they are enjoying it, as its a nice change of pace from the typical D&D style games. Thanks again for the help. That's definitely a jarring difference for players from more traditional systems. I think it's necessary to help enforce the setting and culture, though. It's not the wild west - combat has immediate and usually deadly consequences.
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Post by SirGuido on Jun 11, 2013 7:27:05 GMT -8
No offense taken, this is my first attempt at an L5R game, so the advice is very welcomed. My group was concerned about playing it, becuase they ahd played an earlier edition, and didn't like how deadly it was ( being used to playing D&D w/ all the hitpoints ever), But they are enjoying it, as its a nice change of pace from the typical D&D style games. Thanks again for the help. That's definitely a jarring difference for players from more traditional systems. I think it's necessary to help enforce the setting and culture, though. It's not the wild west - combat has immediate and usually deadly consequences. Considering that in the most recent session of my Actual Play I had to use a advantage he had and say that the attack took Shiba Kojiro to 1 point from dead instead of dead dead in their first real skirmish? Yeah... deadly.
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Post by D.T. Pints on Jun 11, 2013 13:39:53 GMT -8
Waaaaaht?!?! I see! I see! I go away for two sessions and all the sudden the katanas come out.
Oh man now I gotta hear this! What did that sneaky wrench thrower stumble into ?
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Post by The Northman on Jun 11, 2013 13:54:26 GMT -8
It's a very realistic and visceral reaction for new players who are also playing new samurai. The stories about duels and battles are usually very sanitized (even the bloody ones are pretty - Battle of Red Snow?) and the ease at which those 3-foot razor blades will kill and maim is pretty shocking.
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