D&D 5E PH(B) Soldier Background (Art is new)

[variant]

The biggest question that arises about this picture for me is, why would a samurai be on the page of the soldier background? A samurai would be a noble.

 

[jadrax]

But if you are running away due to a failed morale check or fear save, then it what way is it true of you that "you can stare down a hell hound without flinching"?

As far as I can tell, PC's do not have to make morale check or fear save when fighting hell hounds. But if you had that personality trait and did have to make one, yes I would say you had passed automatically.

Mind, you probably want to take Proficiency in the Intimidate skill to really embody the trait.

 

[The Hitcher]

But if you are running away due to a failed morale check or fear save, then it what way is it true of you that "you can stare down a hell hound without flinching"?

I've no idea if Hellhounds cause fear saves or not. But I'd say anyone with this Trait who bravely/foolishly followed through on it (and managed not to run, whether by choice or via a good roll), should be getting Inspiration.

 

[Azgulor]

If the hair makes it impossible to wear the helmet, then I don't think any samurai would have worn them. Long hair was part of the samurai station, so the helmets had to be designed to account for it. It didn't matter if they were male or female.

My post could have been clearer, I suppose, but what I meant was that the hair rod and whatever the decorations in her hair are would make it impossible to wear the helmet.

As has also been pointed out, I would expect also expect a samurai to be a noble but I can hand-wave that away. The rest of it, not so much.

 

[Ruzak]

Is it reasonable that when she takes her helmet off she puts her hair up to get it out of her way?

 

[The Hitcher]

My post could have been clearer, I suppose, but what I meant was that the hair rod and whatever the decorations in her hair are would make it impossible to wear the helmet.

As has also been pointed out, I would expect also expect a samurai to be a noble but I can hand-wave that away. The rest of it, not so much.

Serious narrative inconsistencies if her helmet won't fit!

I know, I know ... it's a magic hairpin that grows to whatever size looks good in art! Or, or ... it's a weapon that she throws in her opponent's eye before she puts the helmet on!

(What? How can you truly be bothered by anything as insignificant as that?)

 

[SavageCole]

Asia, well certainly Japan, if anything, had less of a "courtly women never fight" deal than the West, historically. I mean, the Naginata was considered a woman's weapon for a reason, and women were trained to fight with it, in Feudal Japan, for example.

To be fair, the concept of women warriors in Japanese feudal culture is way outside of the ideal courtly norm for women. There are a few very spectacular counter-examples of onna-bugeisha, but the overwhelmingly predominant place of a Japanese noble woman was not on the battle field. So, I'm not sure my earlier post is completely invalid.

I will grant you that Asian history and period literature probably includes more examples of female warriors than feudal European history. But it would be stretching things to say an armored, sword-wielding female warrior in Japan wasn't extremely rare.

 

[wedgeski]

(What? How can you truly be bothered by anything as insignificant as that?)

You must be new.

 

[The Hitcher]

You must be new.

Not as new as you might think. I just quit in disgust a lot

 

[Thaumaturge]

Or maybe just every page that they've previewed for us.

I'm sure that's the case, hence "seemingly".

Thaumaturge.