Oriental Adventure, (Anyone)

[greymon]

The Hyuga Empire

Is a proud and honor-bound society that has existed for over a thousand years. Samurai warriors make up it's army. Shinto ninja's run atop rooftops assassinating targets. Monks are Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon master martial artists. Spirits and The Tainted are everywhere. Astrology, mythology, supernatural, politics, and the art of war are all weaved in a spiritual tapestry. This new bastard-son Emperor has his work cut out for him keeping it all intact.


A strong personality and roleplaying abilities means a lot more to me than dice rolling. This dungeon master doesn't believe in transparency, all the dice rolls will remain hidden to you. This will almost always play to your favor. You come up with something interesting or flavor-riffic I won't let numbers get in your way.

Classes

Samurai
Shaman
Shugenji
Sohei
Wu Jen
Monk
Fighter
Ranger
Rogue
Barbarian

This is required reading for all who wish to understand the background of Hyuga, and what roles each class plays. You are free and encouraged to stray and build off of these backgrounds.

www.scribd.com/doc/52453703/Oriental-Class-Flavor?secret_password=w8uynavqhc0h6ltw70o

It is mandatory that you are multiclassed to show versatility and an open mind.

Races

Human - Make up 99% of the Hyugan Empire.
Spiritfolk - Creatures who are very humanlike in appearance, often taller and slender. While most do not involve themselves in politics, they are often seen as royal astrologists and advisors. They are very attuned to the spirit realm. Spiritfolk are seen as most sensitive to the spiritual aura of those around them, oftentimes being able to sense a would be agressor just by looking in his eyes.


MAP





A brief breakdown of this badboy.

Yamato: Capital city of Hyuga, houses mostly the noble-caste and government officials. While not technically a "forbidden city", the cost of living makes it so for everyone not born lucky.

Jijinto: Largest city of Hyuga, but hardly a crowning jewel. Crime is rampant and there's a live and well underground. If you like hustle and bustle you'll love it here.

Tonogasha: A large city known for it's culture. Exotic dancers, fire breathers, snake tamers, sword eaters-it's all here.

Genfu: The old capital of Hyuga. Back when Hyuga was just a tribe of dirt poor fishermen. The place has seen better days, overfishing has hurt the place a lot. Plenty of old temples, the real old ones dedicated to elements are museum attractions to those so inclined.

Gato: This is in the Dry Basin area. Basically the rice basket for all of Hyuga. Although a history of droughts has hurt them severly. Where a massive concentration of Kondo natives live (think Native Americans only...japanesy). Riots and revolutions are put down every so often.

Kattike: Home of the number one tourist attraction in Hyuga, the Kattike hot springs. If a hot springs episode was to go down, it would go down here.

Shima Barracks: Easternmost military fortification dedicated to preventing a landbased attack into the Capital lands and supporting eastern settlements. Unfortunately a bunch of evil spirits and harsh cold conditions makes the pioneer route a road less travelled.


Roleplaying Caveats

You have to have done something recently that put you in good standing with the Empire. Either something everyone knows about or that only a handful know. Maybe you have recent rumors surrounding your skill, or your code of honor which hides under a questionable exterior. Get creative. Other than that go wild and crazy kids with your backgrounds. You start out at level 3. Don't bother writing up a character sheet.

[TragicAce]

Name: Junko
Class: Fighter / Samurai
Race, Age: Human, 20

Personality:
Earnest- First and foremost, Junko always takes the honorable path no matter how much more difficult it may be. Deceit is simply not in her repertoire.
Impatient- A sign of any inexperienced samurai, she is quick to action and has little patience for those who hold her back.
Chastiser- Junko holds high expectations for herself and all those around her. If you fail to live up to those expectations, she will let you know about it.

Background:
Born to a military commander of moderate rank, Junko spent most of her youth in Yamato alongside her three older brothers. Of the four of them only she showed any natural talent with the blade, so her father offered her lessons at a well-established school. She jumped at the opportunity, and while she was but a young girl showed great progress. When her mother died of sickness the day before the tournament, Junko opted to fight in the tournament instead of attending the funeral.

This act drew the ire of her brothers, but Junko achieved first prize for her age and even managed to best boys five years her senior—much to their dismay. As Junko grew older her father’s favoritism for her only grew, and he made sure she saw all the right people to ensure a well-established future as a commander herself one day.

That day would have to come without her father present. Her older brothers-now men-placed all their failures on their father and his favorite child. In an act of vengeance, the three slew their father with Junko’s own sword, in an effort to defame her. Junko was fortunate to have an alibi, as she was attending a tea ceremony with a cousin of the Emperor himself. When a beggar stepped forward claiming to have seen the brothers flee the scene of the murder, justice was served.

Junko witnessed each of their beheadings; her greatest regret was not being granted permission to chop them herself.

[Eva]

Name: Suzu

Class(es): Wu Jen 1/Shaman 2



Personality:
Curious- Suzu has a strong interest in all things spiritual, magical, and interesting. Even mundane affairs, like the trivial questions her customers ask her, easily catch Suzu's interest. She is not the type to dismiss anything at first glance.
Paranoid- Always on the lookout for people who would do her harm, Suzu has learned to be on her guard. To most, she is an eccentric old woman with mild spiritual connection. Suzu has never willingly told another person of her magical abilities. While many people have stepped into her home, not a one knows of her true power.
Deceitful- Suzu sees no problem with lying, even when it's used against her. She believes that everyone is entitled to say what they want and don't want to say; someone misleading her only angers in her in that she's upset with herself for being fooled, if she finds out at all.

Background:
Kondo by birth, Suzu's parents raised her in Gato. From an early age, her grandfather taught her how to commune with the spirits, and she had a natural gift for it. By the time Suzu was a teenager, her grandfather also began to give her lessons in the forgotten arcane lore, which would lead to her being labelled a Wu Jen. Unfortunately, this combination of spirit communing and unlawful magic did little to protect their family from the riots that enveloped Gato often. Suzu's parents, siblings, and grandmother were all caught in the crossfire, with only herself and her grandfather escaping to Jijinto.

Suzu's grandfather taught her all he knew, acting as her mentor in the arts of the Wu Jen, but leaving her to her own devices when dealing with spirits. He died when Suzu had barely passed her twentieth year, leaving her without a master. Believing herself more capable of spirit communing, Suzu focused on her shaman training and left her Wu Jen abilities to the side.

Many decades passed with Suzu doing little to attract attention to herself. She knew that her past as a practitioner of Wu Jen would not endear her to authorities or her neighbors. So she acted as a friendly elderly woman to her community, offering safe harbor and advice to those who needed, all the while looking for someone suitable to pass her knowledge to.

Unfortunately, her neighbors had their suspicions of her grew with each passing year. Though they had no evidence, they spread words about her, whispering and discussing what rituals she practiced in her small wooden home. Her charities and friendliness were quickly forgotten, and Suzu was more on guard than ever. Word of a spirit-talker with ancient knowledge and secret rituals quickly spread, and many came to Suzu's home to harass her with their problems and needs. Some attempted to deface her home, but whatever they did to it was undone within a day.

So the tenuous peace that existed between Suzu and her community for over fifty years was broken, and she lives on guard against attempted attacks. Still she seeks her apprentice, an elusive soul who can themselves pass down her knowledge.