Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AgentBlue 01-30-07, 08:35 PM	Hi, this weekend, we are starting a new campaign based in Oriental Adventures. I know where my character is going mechanic wise, but I am struggling about his background. He is a LN fighter that is going to super specialize in the spiked chain. I thought about making him have the physical skills to excel at the samurai class (and statically, he does) but he didn't have the wisdom or couth for the diplomatic portions of the classic samurai. For those of you familiar with OA and Rokugan, he is from the Crab family. My DM likes to have the backgrounds so he can find things in your past that come back and haunt you. I don't really mind this, sometimes I even really enjoy it, but I didn't want to do the cliche "he was the younger brother and his older brother 'died' so he went off to avenge his brother". Like I said, I know that I would like to come up with something original, or at least more original than most cliche's, but I can't think of anything for him to have done. Any help would be apprieciated. And like I said, the campaign doesn't start till Saturday, so hopefully, I can work with you guys/gals to come up with something pretty cool!
DarthDave 01-30-07, 10:16 PM	Question: What samurai used a spiked chain? Is this more flavorful or more optimization? Since most samurai used katanas and venerated honor (see the Knight class for a code of conduct similar to a traditional samurai, especially when taking down an opponent). The Crab Clan is all about honor and the Shadowlands. Perhaps he spent time along the Wall on patrol, and fought too many evil Swordmakers. Additionally, he may have even touched a cursed sword, and cannot fathom of doing so again- hence, the spiked chain and fighting creatures from a distance. Maybe he will challenge a traditional foe in normal combat, but all beasties get the wrath of his chain and nasty trip effects. Perhaps he was knocked down by a Shadowlands beast, and now he seeks to avenge this dishonor by doing it to others.
AgentBlue 01-30-07, 10:33 PM	Well, like I said, in OA, the only class that can use the katana is the samurai. So since he is basically a wash-out of his sensei, he had to pick another weapon. I suppose that if I wanted it to have a more OA flavor, I could go for the karusi-gama (sp), but I like the spiked chain a little bit better mechanic wise, while it's still close enough to make some kind of sense. I guess that I left out the part about the code of honor. That's my bad. I imagined him being able to follow most of bushido, even the compassion for enemies part, just not the tea-ceremony part. Or maybe the noble part. My group is VERY into just about anything oriental, and so we get into some of the more obscure parts of Rogukan. I picked the Crab clan because I like the idea that it's them that defends most against the Shadowlands. I suppose that the logical choice for this is that he worked along the wall and maybe made a few minor incursions into the actual lands. I thought I'd make my own minor family that is part of the Crab, just for my own personal tastes.
DarthDave 01-30-07, 10:35 PM	Can you pick up the Crusader class? This would be AWESOME for the Crab!
AgentBlue 01-30-07, 10:39 PM	I've seriously been considering changing his class from fighter to warblade. I like the crusader, but I don't like the crusader. The plus side is that this DM is in love with ToB, and he would love for me to play either a warblade or MAYBE a crusader. Out of the two, I think I would go more for the warblade.
DarthDave 01-30-07, 11:13 PM	Warblade is very fun & flavorful, too. I am worried about your lack of social skills and the Cha-heavy focus ideas of the Warblade and/or Crusader. I am uncertain of how the Warblade will work with the spiked chain (giggle). :D
Elemental_Elf 01-31-07, 02:14 AM	Perhaps while on a raid deep in the Shadowlands, your team was beset by powerful enemies. As the battle progressed you lost your Katana; an enemy wielding a Katana killed a comrade of yours. During the battle you didn't think much of it, until after the fight, when you discovered the foul deed was perpetrated by your own sword. As repentance for your dishonor you carried the tainted blade and your comrade back to the nearest fortress. You then swore never to use your or any one else's Katana in battle ever again. Further you dedicated yourself to the one weapon your comrade had with him - a Spike Chain - and with every slash, every tear you avenge your comrade's death as well as your dishonor.
AgentBlue 01-31-07, 07:18 PM	Ok, while I like the ideas presented above, I have come up with a background. Here it is, and instead of offering ideas for the bulk of the story, now maybe you all can help add in any smaller details. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Akiana was a child at the beginning of the current Clan war between the Crab and the Crane, and was captured during one of the Crane’s disgraceful and honorless raids on the houses of the Crab. He was in one of these houses, and taken hostage, along with his parents. He never knew what happened to his parents, but he was taken from his ancestral home for many of his younger years. Because of this, he finds it hard to stay in one place for long and develop any major attachments. He is afraid that if he makes any close friends or loved ones, they will do him nothing but be a burden and a grievance when they die. All he respects is strength. Be that physical, magical, or diplomatic. If you are weak, you are a burden. In his youth, he wasn’t rescued by anyone from his clan. He was mostly forgotten about since he was from such a minor family, the Hatake. As such, he was left many years in the deep dark depths of the Crane’s dungeons. This is shown today as his dislike and anxiety over being in dark enclosed spaces for a long period of time. When he was 15, he decided that he had enough of his self-pity and hopelessness. He swore that if no one would come for him, then he was going to get himself out of prison. Since he only had the clothes on his back, and the chains that bound him, he would have to do with only these to earn his freedom. He trained himself to use his former bindings as weapons, and vowed to strike back at any who oppressed and ruled unjustly. Akiana was found shortly after he escaped by a wondering samurai of the Crab family. He took Akiana under his wing and soon, he became a father figure to Akiana. He soon took to calling the samurai “Sensei”, even though he wasn’t really in training. Akiana’s attitude slowly came from doing as he pleased to follow a discipline. He soon found that he wanted to follow bushido, as his sensei did. Akiana soon became very comfortable doing this and things were looking well for the duo. Then, at the battle of <>, his master was greatly injured. He knew every breath he took was bringing him to the other side. He took Akiana to his side, and told him what he had to do. Akiana somberly prepared the shrine where the event would take place. The samurai committed seppuku, and then Akiana performed the final act, cutting off the samurai’s head in one fluid motion. Now, Akiana works along the Wall, defending the rest of Rokugan against the Taint of the Shadowlands. He never truly felt comfortable using a blade, so he still wields the chain, and finds comfort that a weapon can be so loose and chaotic for most people, and he can bend the chain exactly to his will and make it do just as he wants. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I intentionally left the name of the master open. I suppose I could name him, and there's no particular reason I didn't, I just think it's cool that he "trained" under a nameless master. The story makes since to me, but if it seems there's a break in the continuity, the last three paragraphs I thought up seperately. Any ideas/comments are welcome! Thanks!