Post/Author/DateTime	Post
khyron1144 03-17-07, 01:58 AM	Let me start by admitting my ignorance in matters of 3.x Oriental Adventures rules. Hardback rulebooks are expensive. I am somewhat familiar with 1e Oriental Adventures though and it has had some impact on my homebrew setting, but it is one of those areas that needs a lot more development. I saw the movies thread and looked about three pages back without seeing a literary equivalent. Here's what I think is cool, please tell me what you like: Philosophy Confucious Speaks A comic book version of The Analects by one of China's leading cartoonists. The Essential Tao A translation of The Tao Te Ching by Thomas Cleary that also includes some brief selections from The Inner Teachings of Chuang-tsu (tell me I got that right) The Tao of Pooh, The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff A book on Taoism for Westerners and probably what turned me on to Taoism in the first place. The Dhamapadda The speaches of the Buddha. History and Folk Stories Tales of Old Japan collected by A. B. Mitford Contains the story of the forty-seven ronin. Other Stuff on Culture and Religion The Masks of God 3: Oriental Mythology by Joseph Cambell. Prof. Campbell was one of the best when it came to explaining religion and mythology and the intertwining of the two. Less than Historically Accurate, but Fun The Essential Iron Fist The first twenty or so appearances of Iron Fist in a telephonebook-size black and white reprint collection. Anybody who can't find gaming inspiration in something this fun is not someone I want to play with. Across The Nighitngale Floor It takes place in, as far as I could tell, a fictional country with fictional people and fictional history and the plot involves near magical martial arts stuff, but it does convey a good feel for an Oriental Adventures world. Usagi Yojimbo The rabbit bodyguard actual is pretty high up there for cultural authenticity, but it's still a novel in comics form featuring anthropomorphic animals. Stuff For Other RPGs Mystic China For Palladium's Ninja's and Superspies and funny as well as insightful. Full of cultural authenticity alongside cheesy kung fu movie silliness. Kindred of The East For White Wolf's Vampire: the Masquerade. Everything you ever wanted to know about vampires from outside the European tradition.
Ranger REG 03-17-07, 08:03 PM	Sengoku RPG from Gold Rush Games.
calronmoonflower 03-17-07, 08:44 PM	Journey to the West
madmonk 03-17-07, 11:44 PM	Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Outlaws of the Marsh, they are the classics. For rpg books, I agree with REG about Sengoku, and also would add the Cathay book for 7th sea (very ugly and sloppy mechanics but the fluff is ultramega awesome, specially for people not acquainted with the east). Any novel by Louis Cha like The book and sword (google it for the free first chapter in the translator's homepage, or buy it from amazon). It is a very refreshing experience to read a kung fu novel!
Lord Gwydion 03-19-07, 08:29 AM	Well, it looks like the older threads on this got pruned. Luckily, theblindman had asked me for a list of resources in a PM, and I've still got my reply to him to cut and paste! (plus add in what I've picked up since then) Lao Tsu: Tao Te Ching Sun Tzu: The Art of War Confucius: The Analects Sam Hamill (translator): The Sound of Water: Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Other Poets Miyamoto Musashi: A Book of Five Rings E.T.C Werner: Myths and Legends of China Pu Songling: Strange Tales of Liaozhai A.B. Mitford (Lord Redesdale): Tales of Old Japan Jeong In-Seob: Folk Tales from Korea The Taiheiki: A Chronicle of Medieval Japan Carter J. Eckert et.al.: Korea Old and New: a History Shi Nai'an: Outlaws of the Marsh Luo Guangzhong: Three Kingdoms Wu Cheng'en: Journey to the West Conrad Totman: Japan Before Perry: A Short History George Sansom: A History of Japan (3 volumes) Charles Benn: China's Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty JaHyun Kim Haboush and Martina Deuchler: [I]Culture and the State in Late Choson Korea Marco Polo: The Travels W.J. Wilkins: Hindu Mythology John Man: Genghis Khan: Life, Death and Resurrection
narukagami 03-19-07, 10:30 AM	Just about everything by Stephen Turnbull.
HidaAkira 03-20-07, 04:37 AM	Yoshikawa Eiji: Musashi quintet. Great books about the arguably greatest Japanese swordsman. Khyron mentioned "Across the Nightengale Floor" Lian Hearn: Tales of the Otori (Across the nightengale floor, Grass for his pillow, *something or other* moon) Sort of like a less annoying Naruto