Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 gamerprinter Feb 18, 2009 2:36:18	Hello, I'm developing a new setting over on the Cartographers' Guild based on a feudal Japan-like setting in a very dark flavor, almost akin to Ravenloft. Although there are some elements of OA, its really not the same thing. Although I do like the story driven nature of AEG's L5R, I really hate Rokugan for many, many reasons. At the heart of it is the fact that Rokugan is a land-locked nation, more akin to China than Japan. I think one of the main reasons that Japan developed its unique culture is because it was an island nation with very limited resources. Rokugan defies that by its very nature. My setting is called the Empire of Asahi, which is governed by the Fukuhara Bakufu (aka the Taira Shogunate.) The current emperor is a three year old child known as Antoku, whose power is maintained by the Regent/Shogun. Both the emperor and his shogun are undead, as are most of the Imperial Court. Both, in fact are historical figures from Japan, members of the losing side of the Genpei War 1180 - 1185 AD. In my setting they were cursed in life, and now perform the same duties they had in life, but in a very much altered Japan-esque environment. This only means I have to develop my own system. One of the main first differences with my setting versus other published settings is the following... Religion and the Caste System: Most gaming systems for Japanese settings, including L5R and Oriental Adventures feature the mythology of the Shinto system, as it is polythiestic with its own heroes and monsters - good tropes to work with in a fantasy environment. However, I am going to emphasize Buddhism and its Wheel of Life construct in defining both religion and the caste system in the Empire of Asahi. Rather than calling it Buddhism (because it is a respected active religion) I am currently calling it "Zao", a kind of conjunction of "Zen" and "Tao". Under the Wheel of Life construct, your thoughts and actions in this life will determine where you will reincarnate in the next life. The six realms of the Wheel of Life include: heaven, asuras (realm of jealousy), human realm (here and now), animal realm, the hungry ghost realm, and Hell. Each of these realms are defined by certain sins or character flaws that take you there in death. The true goal of Buddhism is to break from this construct and seek salvation through the dispossessing of the sins, needs, desires and instincts of life and achieving a state of perfection, the absence of materialism, or Nirvana. In Buddhism, when you die, if you haven't achieved Nirvana, you reincarnate in one of the six realms of the construct of the Wheel of Life. Rather than being different planes of existence (as in the Buddhist philosophy) the social caste system of Asahi: emperor/nobility, samurai, farmers/priests, merchants, and the bottom or untouchable caste are each defined by one of the realms of the Wheel of Life. Thus the construct is the empire, and all realms of the construct exist in Asahi, primarily in the form of the caste system. When you die, you will be reborn in one of the six castes of the construct. Heaven, the realm of pride, complacency and intoxication is the noble caste, thus those who have the precepts of pride, complacency and intoxication in this life will grant you into the Noble Caste in your next life. The Imperial Court and the Provincial Daimyos (ruling clans) are both the nobility caste and the heaven realm. Note most of the nobility of Asahi are undead, its not the Heaven you're thinking of... Asuras, the realm of jealousy, resentment and ambition, characterized by endless strife and war to achieve success. This is the samurai caste, from the Shogun to the lowest retainer serving a lord. The Human realm characterized by desire, freedom of choice and dissatisfaction comprises the bulk of Asahi society - the farmers, fishers and artisans and the priests caste. The Hungry Ghost realm is defined by greed, insatiable cravings and addictions exists as the Merchant Caste, which also includes entertainers, yakuza and prostitutes. The two other realms of the Wheel of Life, fall outside normal Asahi society, but still within the island empire. The Animal realm characterized by ignorance and domination of instinctual needs (sex, food, territory...) are barbarians and Animals of the wilderness. The animal barbarians of Asahi are shape-changers, called the Hengeyokai. They actually have the largest territories not controlled by the emperor, but are not a cohesive territory, rather any extensive tracts of wilderness throughout the empire - mountain ranges, woodland tracts, inaccessable coasts, etc. The untouchables or bottom caste are very much considered non-human by the upper classes so they technically fall under the Animal realm. The last realm of the Wheel of Life is Hell, defined by rage, torment and despair, this is the Underworld, the realms of the Oni or demon people. This is the only metaphysical, other planar existence in the religion of Zao and life in Asahi. Theologians could consider it the Ethereal Plane, as it coexists with Asahi, but just slightly out of sync breachable only through dark sorcery. This means that each realm is not a separate province, plane of existence or defined geographic region, (except for two) but rather coexists throughout the land defined in your social placement. Which also means, you're not a peasant farmer because of your parentage, but because of things you did in your previous life. The Empire of Asahi is Heaven, Hell and the material world in one. Final note, the goal of Buddhism is achieving Nirvana. However, this means breaking away from the Wheel of Life Construct, leaving material things behind. This is counter to the existence of the Asahi Empire, which is the construct put into reality. While priests are tolerated as healers, teachers, raisers of orphans, caretakers for the poor, and calmers for the masses, those priests who follow the true path to Nirvana and guide those to finding that path are enemies of the state - identified, sought and executed by Imperial decree, enforced by the Shogunate. "Nirvana is something that should be kept in a box and hidden away, for it is the pin pulled that will end the construct of Asahi." spoken by the Shogun Taira no Kiyomori to the imperial court on its founding day, 1000 years ago. (Kiyomori is still the Shogun to this day as he is a Death Knight in reality.) _______________________ This is only about two days worth of development, though some of the ideas are much older, ideas I've shelved over the years that have been resurrected in the Empire of Asahi. I'm liking this setting very much already. Thoughts? GP
#2 gamerprinter Feb 18, 2009 11:41:17	The reason I posted this here is to get critiques and comments on this setting idea. 1. Is the idea of incorporating Buddhist thought, especially the Wheel of Life construct too strange or convoluted to work in a game setting? 2. Is this just reinventing the wheel again, by coming up with yet another campaign setting in a fantasy flavored Japan? 3. Is deviating from OA and Rokugan, too much for the average D&Der? Although I definitely plan to use this setting for my own gaming group, the thought of trying to publish this is on my mind - is this a valid pursuit, given this alternative to feudal Japan? GP