GianniVacca
Mongoose
I'm still looking forward to Land of the Samurai though 
How's Land of the Samurai?
- Thread starter danbuter
- Start date
MongooseCharlie
Mongoose
As previously stated... on numerous occasions... the whole problem with history is that none of us were there to witness it. Sources are ALWAYS biased. Because of this we can only look at all of the available sources, and then make an educated assumption based on them.
Samurai is a well researched work of Fiction, that Loz and myself worked very hard on. We have never claimed it to be Non-Fiction, even though it is based solely on historical research along with RQ game mechanics.
I would also like to say that wikipedia can be written/edited by anyone with a computer and so I am afraid that I do not class it as a cast iron source for anything.
Unfortunately (as I am a major history buff this fact really grinds my gears), no one will ever know anything for certain...except possibly David Tennant.
Fortunately the majority have rationalised in this way and are thoroughly enjoying the game... as I hope you will too.
Samurai is a well researched work of Fiction, that Loz and myself worked very hard on. We have never claimed it to be Non-Fiction, even though it is based solely on historical research along with RQ game mechanics.
I would also like to say that wikipedia can be written/edited by anyone with a computer and so I am afraid that I do not class it as a cast iron source for anything.
Unfortunately (as I am a major history buff this fact really grinds my gears), no one will ever know anything for certain...except possibly David Tennant.
Fortunately the majority have rationalised in this way and are thoroughly enjoying the game... as I hope you will too.
OldMongooseFordy
Administrator
Sorry to break it to you Charlie, but David Tennant is not a real Time Lord. As everyone knows, the real Time Lord was Tom Baker!
Fordy said:
You'll be saying next that Pierce Brosnan is not the real Bond. . .
OldMongooseFordy
Administrator
Daniel Craig is the real Bond, and everyone knows it. Pierce Brosnan would have looked simply ridiculous walking out of the sea in those tight trunks. And no... I do NOT have a man-crush or anything.
MongooseCharlie
Mongoose
I wouldn't blame you for the man crush... is accepted where Daniel Craig is concerned!
And as for David Tennant... sorry Fordy but if you know anything about women you'll know that to us he is definitely the only time lord!!
And as for David Tennant... sorry Fordy but if you know anything about women you'll know that to us he is definitely the only time lord!!
OldMongooseFordy
Administrator
I do NOT have a man crush!
And as everyone knows, I do indeed know nothing about women.
And as everyone knows, I do indeed know nothing about women.
GianniVacca said:
According to your links, Man'yôgana are kanji used to write japanese phonetically, not a distinct set of characters.
I think I will use the rules as written, but with Man'yôgana instead of Hiragana, and hiragana and katakana as scripts with the same difficulty level.
I quite like the look of the book, certainly looks a little more polished that the old GW Land of Ninja I still got.
One question though, noticed under the list of capital crimes on the 5th page of the preveiw the practice of sorcery. Is the rules governing this branch of magic same as in the Deluxe RQ book or is it an adaptation like in Sláine?
One question though, noticed under the list of capital crimes on the 5th page of the preveiw the practice of sorcery. Is the rules governing this branch of magic same as in the Deluxe RQ book or is it an adaptation like in Sláine?
Loz
Mongoose
Rictus said:
Its the same as Deluxe RQ.
The edict making sorcery a capital crime actually happened; it wasn't made-up for the game, but it certainly inspired the way sorcerers have been treated in LotS. I see them as a mixture of evil, bitter, dabbling hermits summoning Dai Oni from Hell, and the misunderstood students of esoterica who probably got pilloried by the growing Buddhist temples who were securing an important power-base for themselves within the Imperial Court.
Thanks Loz -
Actually, that was sort of similar to the way it was played it in several RQ/Land of Ninja sessions years ago, sort of a branch of magic considered to be 'untouchable' if you will by the Buke/Kuge castes of the later era, and considered somewhat 'impure' due to the proclovities of some sorcerous practices.
If you were caught practicing it you were either shunned or suffered a shameful execution.
Actually, that was sort of similar to the way it was played it in several RQ/Land of Ninja sessions years ago, sort of a branch of magic considered to be 'untouchable' if you will by the Buke/Kuge castes of the later era, and considered somewhat 'impure' due to the proclovities of some sorcerous practices.
If you were caught practicing it you were either shunned or suffered a shameful execution.
I've just recieved Land of the Samurai and at first glance it looks good.
I've just got a couple of questions:
1. On page 24 under language and literacy it seems to imply that katakana, hiragana and kanji are languages as well as alphabets and on page 38 under character generation an advanced skill is given as Language (Japanese). Does this mean that Japanese, Chinese (etc), katakana, hiragana and kanji are all separate language skills or are the latter literacy skills? (I could just be being a bit thick!)
2. Yabusame is listed as an advanced skill on page 51 but seems to be lumped in with the combat skills under samurai on page 45. Would I be right in assuming it is an advanced skill?
I can't wait to get playing and probably will base a campaign around the work of the kibiishi-cho, oryoshi and tsuibushi as it this seems a good way to integrate historical and fantasy type adventures.
So thanks again for the chance to game in such an interesting period.
DWP
I've just got a couple of questions:
1. On page 24 under language and literacy it seems to imply that katakana, hiragana and kanji are languages as well as alphabets and on page 38 under character generation an advanced skill is given as Language (Japanese). Does this mean that Japanese, Chinese (etc), katakana, hiragana and kanji are all separate language skills or are the latter literacy skills? (I could just be being a bit thick!)
2. Yabusame is listed as an advanced skill on page 51 but seems to be lumped in with the combat skills under samurai on page 45. Would I be right in assuming it is an advanced skill?
I can't wait to get playing and probably will base a campaign around the work of the kibiishi-cho, oryoshi and tsuibushi as it this seems a good way to integrate historical and fantasy type adventures.
So thanks again for the chance to game in such an interesting period.
DWP
Loz
Mongoose
Yes, kanji, katakana and hiragana are alphabets, but you're not being thick, I could have made this more explicit in the skill description. You speak Japanese, but the kind of alphabet you use (and can read) is dependent on the nature of the discourse and your social standing.
Yes, its an advanced skill, but you'll find that only samurai practice it. And, taking Yabusame offers an On benefit, too, as in the Heian period samurai were masters of the 'Way of the Horse and Bow'.
You're welcome - and thank you for the feedback!
Where is Land of the Samurai?
My local Games Shop doesn't have it on their lists for this week and we are well into May.
Am I going to have to wait until Tentacles and risk the wrath of Mrs Soltakss or will I be able to slip a copy into my bag beforehand?
I am really looking forward to the settings based in Mythical/Legendary/Alternate Earth and expected to have it in my hands by now.
My local Games Shop doesn't have it on their lists for this week and we are well into May.
Am I going to have to wait until Tentacles and risk the wrath of Mrs Soltakss or will I be able to slip a copy into my bag beforehand?
I am really looking forward to the settings based in Mythical/Legendary/Alternate Earth and expected to have it in my hands by now.
Nickbergquist
Mongoose
Well, I have Land of Samurai....
It's a gorgeous book, and speaking as someone who has the following qualifiers:
1. I am casually armchair-interested in Japanese feudal history (i.e. I can tell you who Nobunaga is, what the 47 samurai were all about, and I've read Musashi in the unabridged edition)
2. I know katanas are cool but wouldn't speculate too much on their usefulness outside of what I've read, lacking any first-hand knowledge (even though my wife came pre-packed with a No-daichi, katana, wakicashi and a few other funny weapons in her collection)
3. I have owned Bushido, Land of the Rising Sun, GURPS Japan, The varous D20 Japan books, and a couple other Asian sourcebooks of variable length and quality.
Using those three criteria, I can say this much about LotS:
1. The LotS seems pretty cool to me, and does a better than average job of mapping out its specific era of play and how to do it. There are some lengthy lists of feudal families and their alliances that struck me as "list overload" without enough associated data to help decided how best to use them, however.
2. I dunno, I think that katanas are fictionally super-weapons and that's good enough for me.....not much I can say on this....
3. LotS is a much better book than most of the other Japan RPGs I own(ed) and does one thing almost all of the others (except Bushido) failed to do: make me actually want to play a historical feudal Japanese campaign! That's saying a lot....very, very few other sourcebooks come this close to merging the historical setting with the fun factor or a well-written and tightly focused sourcebook.
It's a gorgeous book, and speaking as someone who has the following qualifiers:
1. I am casually armchair-interested in Japanese feudal history (i.e. I can tell you who Nobunaga is, what the 47 samurai were all about, and I've read Musashi in the unabridged edition)
2. I know katanas are cool but wouldn't speculate too much on their usefulness outside of what I've read, lacking any first-hand knowledge (even though my wife came pre-packed with a No-daichi, katana, wakicashi and a few other funny weapons in her collection)
3. I have owned Bushido, Land of the Rising Sun, GURPS Japan, The varous D20 Japan books, and a couple other Asian sourcebooks of variable length and quality.
Using those three criteria, I can say this much about LotS:
1. The LotS seems pretty cool to me, and does a better than average job of mapping out its specific era of play and how to do it. There are some lengthy lists of feudal families and their alliances that struck me as "list overload" without enough associated data to help decided how best to use them, however.
2. I dunno, I think that katanas are fictionally super-weapons and that's good enough for me.....not much I can say on this....
3. LotS is a much better book than most of the other Japan RPGs I own(ed) and does one thing almost all of the others (except Bushido) failed to do: make me actually want to play a historical feudal Japanese campaign! That's saying a lot....very, very few other sourcebooks come this close to merging the historical setting with the fun factor or a well-written and tightly focused sourcebook.
