Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pierson Mar 14, 2010 22:10:04	So, this campaign is essentially based in feudal Japan (as far as city and province names go). It just makes it easier to begin the World Building process. Class Representations Cleric Priests, Sohei Fighter Samurai, Ashigaru, Ronin Paladin Samurai, Noble Caste Bushi, Sohei Ranger Samurai, Ronin Rogue Ninja Warlock Mikkyo Priests, Onmyouji Warlord Samurai Generals, Noble Caste Bushi Wizard Shugenja Ardent Battlemind Monk Aikidoka, Budoka, Karateka, Jujutsuka, Udun Psion Runepriest Seeker Yamabushi Race Representations Dragonborn Worshippers of a Dragon God, rumor has it they were once human fishermen in a village to the north. Drawves The founders of forging techniques, they are said to have originally inhabited the forests, but with the competition from the humans, they began living in the mountains. Eladrin Race in tune with nature, made humans aware of the existence of the Kami and thought to have brought about the understanding of Qi theory used in Spells by Wizards Elves Distant relatives of the Eladrin from the sourthern-most tip of the land. Not as in-tune with the kami, they taught the humans the way of nature. First ones to cohabitate with humans. Half-Elves The off-spring of both Elves and Humans. Halflings The socialite creepers who merged their way into the societies of every other race, living lifestyles ranging from nomadic to stagnant, they are found virtually everywhere. Humans The last group of people to develop among the races, they have leeched off of every other race, yet at the same time uniting them with a common sense of existence. Tieflings Foreigners to the land, having developed from the continent, they tell tales of a damned existence and an Evil God on the mainland. Brought the Mikkyo religion and Onmyoudo. Githzerai Foreigners to the land from another plane. The foundations of most martial arts schools trace their way back to a plane-wandering Githzerai who made his way into the Empire. Minotaurs Foreigners to the land from another continent. They are few in number and live in a small settlement. They are shunned by most other races. Shardminds Thought of as living testaments to the worship of Kami. Their existence is rare, but not unheard of. Wildens Neither foreign nor native, they exist on the outskirts of civilization, rarely seen more than once and rarely in groups.
#2 dougyj Mar 14, 2010 22:21:02	Now i'm not trying to be a jerk or anything but you are aware of the Oriental Adventures hand book  ...right ?
#3 pierson Mar 14, 2010 22:23:16	^Unfinished^ Geography: The string of islands is virtually ocean-locked on all four-sides. The islands are rife with dense forests, rivers, grand mountains, and sandy beaches. The land is divided up into provinces owned by Daimyo (Lords) whom ascribed to the rule of the Emperor who is seen as a Divine Figure, maintained by a group of four advisors; an Eladrin, a Dragonborn, an Elf, and a Dwarf. Provinces: Wildlife: Vegetation: Empire: Emperor: The divine ruler of the empire. Unlike many other cultures, he is raised and trained from birth in executing the rites and rituals of being the lord of "All Under Heaven." Nobles: Nobles The class from which the Emperor was first drawn from, they hold little of the same clout they used to. Their ettiquette demands many things of them, and ignoring the art of war is one of them. Unlike their Udun counterparts, the rest of the Nobles gain no special privileges. Udun: The Udun trace their roots, as well as their increasing number, to being the brothers, cousins, and uncles to the Emperor. Highly valued, they make up the Imperial Bodyguards of the Emperor. Taught from an early age to respect, revere, and love their divine relative, they are trained in secret imperial arts of combat. Daimyo: Regional lords, drawn from the samurai class, they own vast tracts of land with which they manage with the help of Shomyo, lower lords, more often then not drawn from the same family. It is not uncommon for a daimyo to wage war against other daimyo in pursuit of political and land gain. Shomyo: Lower lords, they help the daimyo manage the micro-problems of the region. it has been noted that when a Daimyo has become despotic, one or more of his shomyo have desserted him and joined another lord. Caste System: Emperor Nobles Nobles and Udun (Familial Royal Bodyguards to the Emperor) Warriors Samurai caste Artisans Peasants (Farmers) and Monks Monks run the gamut from shrine monks to sohei to traveling monks. Religion: Shugendo The lands native religion inspired by the Eladrin sense of the ethereal realm of nature (Feywild). The national religion, it is very optimistic and the land is covered in shrines dedicated to the Kami. Mikkyo The religion brought by the Tieflings migrating from the main land. Introspective and darker than Shugendo. There are few shrines erected to these foreign deities that are worming their way into the national culture. History: Ettiquette: Formal Ettiquette The main source of respect is entailed in how two people greet each other. In the Empire, this culminates in a formal bow with a straight back, hands at sides, and avoiding eye contact. With the introduction of the Tieflings and their Mikkyo culture, it is normal to see a bow with hands in front, the left hand holding the right fist. Clothing Clothing is both a source of rank as well as restriction. Anyone below the rank of artisan usually is denied the choice of wearing a kimono and hakama. The reasons extend beyond class segregation into financial opportunity. Peasantry, by its very nature, wears long or short pants and a long or short robe made of cotton. The higher up the ladder you go, you'll find samurai who are disallowed the wearing of a haori, a silk coat or jacket, to those who wear short pleated shoulder haori. Noble garbs are even more intricate, going against the norms of the warrior class, their outfits are usually grand and restricting to mobility. Priests and Monks, on the other hand, depending on wealth, wear simple dark hued robes to hakama and haori. Weapons: The ettiquette of wearing the daisho, long and short blades, began with the samurai who began subduing the monsters who attacked the Imperial Capitol. Since then, unless dressed in full battle garb, only Samurai have worn the two swords. Due to evolving tradition and culture, anyone not of the Samurai rank is traditionally looked down on, if not arrested and executed, for wearing the twin blades of the samurai. The noted exception to this rule is the Udun, the royal guardians of the Imperia Capitol, who wear the short blade but carrying their long blade, sheathed, in hand. Weapons in the hands of peasants has been tightly regulated to be allowed only during conscription, but only when the Emperor declares a Sword Hunt, do the Imperial Armies begin searching peasant abodes searching for swords, spears, and other obvious military weapons. With the dissolution of a few warrior households, as well as the instruction of teaching the peasantry how to fight against monsters with normal farming utensils, unofficial schools of protection and self defense have arisen wielding walking staves, sickles, and other various equipment. Weapons: The sale and ownership of weapons is loosely regulated, anyone wearing the daisho, the symbol of the samurai class, must either present proof of rank or military service, or be deemed a criminal. Magic: Magic is traditionally, from the Shugendo perspective, as the alliance of Nature and the Spirits lending a spiritual individual it's power. As Mikkyo seeped into the culture, it is also said that magic is the culmination of one's own elemental energies being released outward.
#4 salla Mar 14, 2010 22:26:23	Now i'm not trying to be a jerk or anything but you are aware of the Oriental Adventures hand book  ...right ? Which was for 3rd Edition.  This is obviously a 4th Edition work (see entries in OP for Warlords and Tieflings).
#5 cool_guy Apr 09, 2010 1:51:39	nice work I always like oriental fantasy.  Cant wait for part 2.  Also thanks for the detail of the the government works.  One other thing could you explain how the many power source work in oriental fantasy.  It seems like Primal and divine are very alike
#6 RalofTyr Jan 28, 2011 18:52:32	I'd want to kick out all Germanic / Tolkienesque myths out of there; no Dwarves or Elves or halflings etc. I'd only stick with Japanese myths.  I would assume they exist and if there were any Elves, I'd assume they were invaders from a far off land. I wouldn't try to Orientalize them at all.  I'd make them Elves straight out of a Tolkien book.
#7 hansisaf Apr 20, 2011 5:58:17	Because the OP didn't post here for a year anymore, perhaps I could chime in. My group is doing a 4E Rokugan game and we've been steadily converting the 3E Oriëntal Adventures Rokugan campaign to 4E rules. I was thinking about creating a blog on the conversion we made. Would people be interested in that?
#8 Tal-eth Nov 04, 2011 22:31:07	Because the OP didn't post here for a year anymore, perhaps I could chime in. My group is doing a 4E Rokugan game and we've been steadily converting the 3E Oriëntal Adventures Rokugan campaign to 4E rules. I was thinking about creating a blog on the conversion we made. Would people be interested in that? I would.
#9 the_ubbergeek Nov 05, 2011 0:40:24	Check also at all the things WOTC made on it's 'oriental themed month', if you have DDI and all.
#10 Tal-eth Nov 05, 2011 10:44:43	Are daimyos of a particular clan all answerable to a single daimyo, perhaps called the Clan Daimyo?  Or do all daimyos of a clan share equal rank and collectively rule their clan lands? Thanks for any help!