A Rokugan Campaign, Chapter 1: Embrace of Maho

[Tuerny]

Hello, I have started a new weekly Rokugan d20 campaign with enthusiastic players. At least one of them will be regularly writing a campaign journal. Forgive the shortness of the charachter descriptions, I am still waiting for the charachters to send me their backgrounds.
Also I do not have the Isawa's name yet.

These are the charachters:
Asako Inoshi (Phoenix human male inkyo 2): The elder of two brothers and a trainee of the Asako Inquisitors, he along with his younger brother, Segashi, have been sent to the household of Bayushi Dochiri to curry the favor of the Scorpion in case the Lion are forced to withdraw their aid because of the attacks of the shadowlands creatures on their land. Played by Aaaron.

Asako Segashi (Phoenix human male monk 2): The younger of the two brothers, Asako Segashi is a simple man, serving the Asako and his damiyo in preperation for his exploration of the depths of the secrets his family possesses. Played by Adam.

Bayushi Kamisori (Scorpion human female courtier 1/ninja 1): The second older child of Bayushi Dochiri (by a few minutes over her brother Bayushi Ogami), Kamisori is beautiful, charming, and deadly. She currently serves with her brother as a Scorpion Magistrate, learning the laws of the Empire and the Scorpion in preperation for her eventual arrival at the great courts of the Empire.

Bayushi Ogami (Scorpion human male samurai 2): The younger (by a few minutes) brother of Bayushi Kamisori, and the son of Bayushi Dochiri, Bayushi Ogami is a skilled, focused, and passionless Bayushi samurai. Dedicated to serving the Scorpion (and his sister) above all other things Bayushi is like a coiled serpent, prepared to strike in clean, efficent, and deadly skill at any time.

Isawa Yokundo (Phoenix human male air shugenja 2): One of the Acoloytes of the Air, Isawa Yokundo is among the most promising shugenja of his generation. His skill in dealing with the air kami is telling, as is his access to one of the greatest secrets of the Phoenix: Void Magic. Isawa Yokundo, however, is also consumed by one thing that could lead to his eventual fall. A greed for magical secrets. He has already learned the pure blood magic of the Phoenix, but he wants more. He looks upon the other clans and the secrets they possess and can't help but be drawn to them. Wouldn't they be better off in the hands of the Phoenix in general, and him in particular?

Shiba Kanseko (Phoenix human female samurai 1, inkyo 1): Isawa Yokundo's yojimbo. Shiba Kanseko retired to a monastary after her parent's dishonored themselves and their family. In shame Shiba Kanseko retired to a monastary. Recently, the Shiba damiyo granted Kanseko the ability to erase the dishonor on herself and her family by faithfully and skillfully serving as the yojimbo of Isawa Yokundo. Kanseko agreed, and has taken up her daisho again, seeking to restore herself before the eyes of her ancestors.

 

[Tuerny]

Adventure 1, Session 1: The Court of Bayushi Dochiri

The Scrolls of Asako Inoshi, Inquisitor of the Divine Brotherhood

The first day of Sun, 1158

This morning seemed like most others. I awoke and, after performing my morning rituals, was summoned to the Audience Chamber of Ibinjan-sami. To my surprise, my brother Segashi was also in attendance. As I had not seen my brother in some time, I was curious as to what would have brought him to the Temple of the Divine Brotherhood.

After honoring Ibinjan-sami, he told us of the recent attempts by the Dragon to court the favor of the Scorpion. He said that he was sending us to serve the Scorpion clan in attempt to have them see the wisdom of joining the Phoenix and Lion. We were to set off for the city of Beiden and offer ourselves to the daimyo, Bayushi Dochiri. He wished us the favor of the Fortunes and warned us of the deceptions of the Scorpion.

Our mission brings to mind the saying from the Tao,
“Petting a scorpion with a compassionate hand only gets you a sting.”


Ninth day of Sun, 1158

The journey to Morikage was pleasant, if uneventful. This being Spring, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. My brother seems to have developed some distaste for their lovely scent.
We stayed at a cousin’s in Shiro Shiba for a day while waiting for the Aji Kuron to sail. The Captain, Natoshi, was an able enough man and we sailed without any delays for eight days. On the eighth day, we arrived at Koeru and it was there that I was left with little doubt about the differences of the Scorpion. Shinsei teaches acceptance of all, but the lands of the Scorpion were not a place of acceptance.

My first impression was of a place of sadness. The masks worn by all; the quiet purpose they seemed to have-from samurai to bonge; the suspicion that abounded. I knew that my training as an Inquisitor would be tested fully.
After only a few minutes of wandering about, we approached by a group of Bayushi. They were sent to escort us to Beiden. We set off without delay and the journey of many days passed quickly and solemnly.


Twenty-third day of Sun, 1158

“Kharma and shadow follow us all.”
Shinsei

Our arrival in Beiden was a mixture of wonder and questions. The city seemed to be built upon itself-crowded, aged, dirty. We were swiftly borne through the city to the kyuden - This is the Bayushi kyuden of the Spring and Summer. Everyone we met or passed gazed at us with-Curiosity? Contempt? Amusement? I could not tell.

Upon our arrival, we were introduced to Bayushi Dochiri. He greeted us and asked of our journey. After exchanging gifts, we offered our services to the Scorpion clan. He graciously accepted and then introduced us to his son and two daughters- Ogami, Kamisuri and Iushi. Ogami is samurai-powerful and a man of few words. Kamisuri and Iushi are courtiers-Kamirsuri of exceptional beauty and elegance. After exchanging gifts, we were escorted to our room to prepare for the evening’s festivities.

Oh, I almost forgot. I do not know what possessed me, but when Bayushi-sami told of the haiku contest that evening, I spoke of my brother’s talent in the art. Now, I do not know if Segashi had learned the art of haiku since last we saw one another, but I felt he was up to the challenge. More so than I…



“A diversion is just that and nothing more.”
Shinsei

The evening began with courtly talk; although I am somewhat learned in the area, I felt as if I was being examined throughout the evening. There were two other guests aside from my brother and I-Doji Kiniri, a samurai of the Crane; and Shosuro Betujiku, another Scorpion courtier. I believe there is some history between Shosuro-san and Bayushi Kamisuri as the two engaged in a not-so-friendly sadane that left Bayushi-san quite angry.

A kabuki troupe performed the “Tales of the Scorpion” for the assembled guests. The troupe was very skilled - However, I do not recall the tale being told with the Scorpion being the obvious victor in each case. Perhaps my recollection of the tale is faulty.
The dinner was quite magnificent. The haiku competition was most pleasing; Bayushi Kamisuri proved to be quite skilled in haiku-much more so than Segashi or I. I offer her piece so that the reader may experience the joy of her skill:

<insert haiku here>

Asako Inoshi
The Twenty-fourth day of Sun, 1158


GM's note: This was a very good first session for the campaign. It was a little rough at first as two of the player's had never been played in Rokugan before, but by the time they arrived at Beiden it had gotten much better.
I was particularly pleased by the interplay between Bayushi Ogami and the Phoenix. After seeing Inoshi's playing up of the skills of his brother while his brother appeared vaguely bewildered, he went and comissioned a haiku for them to use. When he presented it to them they refused it entirely (and even approached being unintentionally insulting at times). Ogami replied to this by hiring a kabuki troop for the dinner part that night to play the previously mentioned Tales of the Scorpion.
The player himself went through and told a portion of the tale, including the one that related directly to the event at hand: the Phoenix's refusal of the Scorpion gift. It was classic.
Also of note was the Scorpion PCs making their first enemy. Bayushi Kamisori won the poetry contest, so Shosuro Betujiko challanged her to a sedane contest. Betujiko proceeded to use her abilities to send Kamisori into a rage and force her to use her lowest ability scores for the contest of skills. Kamisori proceeded to lose poorly and embarass herself. Ogami did not take this well. He challanged her to a game and when she sent off her first insult he leaned over and attempted to intimidate her. I decided to resolve this with an opposed intimidation check. Betujiko rolled a 1. So Ogami was able to successfully intimidate a charachter many levels higher then himself. She was last seen leaving with Dogi Kiniri..... It will be interesting to see how this develops.

 

[Tokiwong]

Good Stuff

Looks good I l like the journal style... used it myself for another storhour I am apart, but all in all I like. Rokugan stories coming out of the woodwork... Sweeeeeeet...

 

[Tuerny]

Yeah, I am actually not writing this though, Inoshi's player Aaron is. The Isawa is also going to be adding his own journal soon on a trial run basis. I am thinking of adding my own journals to the mix for a more omniscent story-telling feel but I am not sure I have the time....

We play again tonight and the PCs will get to investigate to investigate a missing iron shipment and find out why this chapter is called what it is called.

Rokugan good. :-D

Jesse Dean

 

[Black Omega]

I like the journal style, though it's harder to use when the GM is doing the writing, than when a player is. Unless you have an NPC henchman following them around. Nice job,keep upthe good work.

A couple of things.

Audience Chamber of Ibinjan-sami

This should probably be Ibinjan-sama. Assuming he's trying to say Lord Ibinjan.

How did you do the contests? Just standard opposed skill checks? And what effect did the intimidation effect have on the Sedane contest? Did it cause a penalty or something?

 

[Tuerny]

Yes that should be -sama not -sami.
Its an error in the journal.
I will fix it.

As for the contests, for the poetry contest I actually had all of the PCs write out a poem and read them for it and accompany those poems by a Perform(Poetry) check.

The sedane check I just resolve by flat skill checks as neither I nor Mary were really up for resolving it some other way.

The intimidation took place outside of the regular sedane exchange and effectively ended it.

 

[Tuerny]

Well, I ran the second session with the player who was missing the first session and he really did not like all the culture and customs that went along with Rokugan. Rather than drop him as a player the rest of the group decided to switch settings.
::sighs::
Hopefully I will have a story hour in the new setting soon.

 

[Black Omega]

Sorry to hear it didn't work out. You could always try to win them over to a Crab campaign. Alot of fighting,light on social nicities, and plenty of tainted monsters.

 

[Tokiwong]

Sorry to hear that man, I really am... Rokugan is my favorite setting by far... too bad... it sounds like you were going to have a good time.

 

[Tuerny]

Yeah, so was I.
Hopefully Arcanis will turn out ok.
I really doubt I could get them to play even a Crab game though.
Besides I would rather run a culturually rich game in another setting than a culturally bereft one in Rokugan


Jesse Dean