Attack Forms Redux

It is difficult for me to determine if the Attack Forms system is hopelessly fiddly or if I communicated it wrong in the earlier post. Since you do not have the glorious pleasure of being in my brain, I'll rewrite it from a different perspective and see if it makes more sense.

OK, so I rolled really cool on the creation charts, my character has saved a Ronin from bandits, joined a Daimyo's house, done a favor for a Sword School and sworn never to tell their secrets, or otherwise got herself in a situation to learn an Attack Form during some downtime. What now?

The GM will tell me that either the teacher has offered to teach me one of their preexisting forms, and a few hints as to what that is, or that the teacher will help me work on something of my own creation.

Things I decide or the GM tells me (or we determine randomly for max chaos):

1. Position of my sword at start of Form, and what body part is thus blocked.

2. Part of body my attack hits

3. Position of my sword at end of Form (could be the same as #1) and part of me blocked.

4. Are there any special blocking moves or acrobatics inherent to the form that affect Speed?

If 4 is a "No", then Speed = 1 (until improved by Advancement or affected by decisions below.)

If 4 is "Yes", the GM determines any applicable effects and Speed = 0.

Here are the body parts again. This list is both for decisions about your body, and your opponent's. Torso (Right) or Torso (Left) can be chosen as Torso (whatever side is toward me).

1. Head
2. torso (front)
3. torso (left)
4. torso (right)
5. left arm
6. right arm
7. left leg
8. right leg
9. torso (back)
10. Sword Hand

OK. I have tracked down the rogue Ronin Hiretsukan who has been harrying the countryside with all sorts of depredations. Hey, that's my job! We've been circling each other for days and have exchanged harsh words in a rice field while wind blows dramatically.
SHIT JUST GOT REAL, MOTHERFUCKER!

What happens now?

The GM decides what Form Hiretsukan is gonna do, and describes what position his sword is in.

I either researched his moves and now have a clue what Form he's preparing or didn't and don't. Either way, I choose my move and describe my sword position at the start of my Form. Hiretsukan changes his or doesn't and I react to that or don't. Once we stop changing positions and are ready to exchange blows, I tell the GM what Form I've decided on. In game, my PC and Hiretsukan launch toward each other in a rustle of kimonos and swords.

What I chose in the moment:

1. What my PC does in the build-up round, whatever makes sense at the time or sets up any acrobatic parts of the Form.

2. What Form to use, if I have several. I could also choose to use a Defense Form instead, dodge, or whatever else, but I have to decide the round before.

If two PCs were going at it, the players would describe their sword positions then each secretly tell the GM what form they're using. Or Chris H's excellent suggestion of having a note card for each Form with the starting sword position on one side and the Form details on the other.

3. Whether my PC is still or moving slowly away after the strike.

In D&D terms, the strike of an Attack Form auto hits without a To Hit roll, so is blocked/deflects/etc only if the opponent's form blocks it.

My PC Tsubame has chosen has chosen to use her Tears Of A Dove Form, which involves a leap and strike at the head. It starts with arms akimbo, the strike bringing the sword from right to left.
1. Position of Sword at Start: Right Arm
2. Part of Body Hit: Head
3. Position of Sword at End: Left Torso
4. An acrobatic leap is inherent to the form. Speed = 0 unless I improve it with an Advancement. This also means hits to my legs miss since I'm jumping if they don't beat me on Speed.

The GM decided Hiretsukan is using his Knee Chopper Form, where he goes to one knee and swipes at the opponent's. Hiretsukan doesn't know about my Tears Of A Dove Form.
1. Position of Sword at Start: Right Torso
2. Part of Opponent's Body Struck: Left Leg
3. Position of Sword at End: Right Arm
4. Acrobatics: Yes. Hits to Hiretsukan's head miss since he drops to one knee, again unless the opponent's strike has superior Speed.

We both missed! I'm sure my party would feel privileged to witness the rare duel between swordspeople that lasts to a second blow, if they weren't busy with Hiretsukan's bandit henchmen. (Hiretsukan ducks under Tsubame's blade, and Tsubame jumps over Hiretsukan's - all happens much faster than a usual swing-and-dodge would because these are well-practiced techniques.)

My PC Tsubame and the foul NPC Hiretsukan both spend a round - me landing and moving away a bit, him getting back on his feet. There's another round as we face each other again, preparing the next strike! I don't know much about Hiretsukan and he's blown one mystery move.

I've only got one form left with Tsubame - a fast strike at the opponent's sword hand,
White Dove's Offering.
1. Position of Sword at Start: Sword Hand (basically, my sword and arm are extended such that the sword doesn't block any other part.)
2. Body Part Hit: Sword Hand
3. Position of Sword at End: Right Arm (The sword is drawn back)
4. Acrobatics: no. Speed = 1.

The GM decides that Hiretsukan is counting on his brute strength, and is going to use the Beggar Maker, which is a vicious strike at the Right Arm, attempting to sever it.
1. Sword at Start: Left Arm (he's holding his sword so far diagonally across himself it's not even really blocking his torso)
2. Hit Location: Right Arm
3. End Position: Torso (front)
4. Acrobatics: Nope. Speed = 1.

We exchange blows at the same time! Our Speed is equal. He goes for my Right Arm...but his blow is deflected for half damage by my sword! This also prevents him from attempting to sever it (the body part must be undefended for a sever attempt). My blow lands on his Sword Hand! It is useless! (Hiretsukan suffered 6 points of damage, Tsubame 3; Tsubame's sword was blocking her right arm because the White Dove's Offering Form ends there. Tsubame has more than 3 HP and Hiretsukan is a 2HD NPC so has more than 6.)

I hop away, wary of dirty tricks from the old bandit. After recovering for a round, he throws down a smoke pellet! One of my allies is free and throws a shuriken, but Hiretsukan is gone. He must have trained with Ninja as well as Samurai! Of course, the crazy one in our party decides he can't get away if we set everything on fire, and starts to do that, but that's a different story...

Attack and Defense Forms for Empire of the Flaming Moon

This is an Alpha document that will probably need a lot of editing and tweaks once I get feedback from other people. If I update it significantly, that'll be a separate post. It's an attempt to quantify special sword techniques as seen in Samurai films and, primarily, The Legend of Kamui manga. This mostly covers using special attacks with a weapon in a duel format with others who know their own Forms, but can be used (at risk) in other types of combat or applied to unarmed attacks - or Advancements used to make a Form useful against many foes. 

My goal here is to make a system that front loads all the complexity (IE most decisions are made when the thing is learned by a character and not during a fight), makes special and tense duel situations, involves a choice between gambling and investigation of an opponent, and has a lot of room for clever strategy without any heavily exploitable flaws.

If you missed it, here's the link to the current basic character creation document.

Notes: 

1. most medium weapons (including swords) in Empire of the Flaming Moon do 1d6 damage. Most people have 1d6 HP per HD (and most common NPCs are 1HD).

2. EotFM has some of the cool aesthetic differences between the genders of feudal Japanese cultures preserved, but I am doing away with the limitations (what there even were; see Kunoichi and Onna-bugeisha). Women can be Samurai, Ninja, and wandering Swordswomen. Sometimes in the text I say Swordsmen or swordsman because it sounds less clunky than the alternatives and I'm trying to get this stuff written. It refers to both sexes.

Special Attack and Defense strikes and positions are part of the training of Samurai, students of sword schools, and most Ninja. In Attack Forms, a strike is positioned to inflict maximum damage to a specific part of the opponent's body. If that part of the opponent's body is protected by their weapon or body's position, damage will be lessened or negated. Often the outcome of a battle - and the survival - of combatants is determined by clever choice of Attack Form based on their knowledge of the opponent's Forms. Sometimes a confident swordsman will inform his target that they will duel, then lounge in the same town, waiting for his opponent to let him know they are ready. Sometimes they have even shared meals or drinks, often one sweating and asking desperate questions, the other jovial or full of dread duty.
These special Attack Forms are not often used in mass combat. Setting oneself up to use them effectively and returning to more general fighting stances afterwards takes time. Armor also tends to interfere with the swift movements involved, so they are usually used when wearing day-to-day clothes.
However, when two highly trained fighters meet, it is most likely a fight to the death. Those trained in Attack and Defence Forms most often use them on others so trained. 

A Samurai or lone swordperson's reputation is often such that one can find out where they trained and thus gain some idea of the range of Attack Forms they might use. With Ninja it is more difficult, but still possible, to get some knowledge of their personal Form or those taught by their clan. Samurai often know only the forms taught by their training; the same is true of Swordsmen, but they may develop personal styles as they advance. While Ninja Clans train in standard forms, they see these as building blocks to develop personal forms. Thus, a single Ninja who is properly advanced may be the only living person to use their form - and will make sure anyone else that sees it dies.
Sword Schools will seek the death of anyone stealing their Sword Forms through spying or teaching their Forms outside the school.

ATTACK FORMS
One round before and after an Attack Form is used, the character may take no action but to move forward at 1/4 speed, jump, or come to a standstill. Attack Forms are used because they are deadly, and often end a battle on the first blow.

Choose at character creation or when the Form is learned:
-where the strike will fall on the opponent's body
-the position of your sword (or other weapon) in relation to your body at the start of the move, and the end (if different) - IE what parts of your body are protected by your sword

then choose one of the following:
-your blow gains 1 speed
or
-a part of your body is protected by position or object (block of wood, bending foot under you, etc); if by position, this may change from the beginning of the move to the end

The body is broken down thus when choosing where the blow will fall and parts of your own body involved:
1. Head
2. torso (front)
3. torso (left)
4. torso (right)
5. left arm
6. right arm
7. left leg
8. right leg
9. torso (back)
10. swordhand

Torso (left) and torso (right) can be stated as "whichever is toward me" or be defined specifically in regards to an enemy's body. Blows that land with full effect on the head or torso do double maximum damage. Otherwise, blows that land with full effect do maximum damage and render the part of the body they hit useless until healed.

Attack Forms are static, that is, everything about them is determined when they are learned. To have one that works differently, one must train an entirely new move. The character may have a number of Attack Forms ready at any time equal to their current Practice +1. (Practice is a record of whether you have spent at least 1 hour of the last 48 practicing your moves.) Thus, a character who has not been in a stable enough place to work out in the last 2 days must choose only 1 of their Attack Forms to call upon.

SPEED
The blow with the highest speed lands when the opponent's sword is in Beginning position. If the blows have equal Speed, they resolve normally. A point of Speed one would have on a blow may be sacrificed for the following other effects:
1. acrobatic bullshit - jumping, tumbling, etc as part of the move. If intrinsic to the move, this should be defined when the Attack Form is first learned.
2. recovery - to take the round after normally, instead of the usual recovery round of inactivity
3. blocking - areas of your body blocked by your own sword take no damage instead of half.

SWORD POSITION and ARMOR
Your sword will be in the way of the opponent's to at least one of your body parts. If the opponent's blow would strike this part, the blow inflicts half damage instead of full. If you sacrifice a point of speed (must be stated before blows are struck), areas thus blocked take no damage. ("Clang!" neither blow lands as swords collide).
If one's sword changes position during a blow, define one part of the body that is defended by it at the beginning of the Attack Form and one at the end. If Speed is equal among combatants for this blow, BOTH parts of the body are considered defended.
If a part of the body is armored, that part takes half max damage from a successful Attack Form blow. (usually this means an Attack Form is being used on common soldiers - or the dishonorable. Swordsmen going into battle with each other rely on their skill and not armor).

SEVERING LIMBS
If a limb is struck and totally undefended, a character may attempt a contested STR vs opponent's CON roll to sever it. Of course, whether the Form attempts to strike a limb is determined when the Form is first learned.

THE USES OF ADVANCEMENT on an already learned ATTACK FORM
1. add 1 Speed
2. add 1 additional part of the body affected; this may only be chosen once; damage is only max and not double for totally undefended parts; severing limbs is possible
3. add one standard attack to another opponent at (level - 5) to hit (throwing something, swinging sword around, kicking, etc. Thus, a level 1 character would have -4 to hit for this standard attack)
4. If an Attack Form already has #3 added, that blow may be turned into the Attack Form (but is now executed the round immediately after the first blow)- IE the Attack Form can be made against two opponents in quick succession. Speed for the second is at -1.
5. reduce a specific penalty associated with the attack by 1
6. If the character knows Kawarimi (see Ninja Tricks under Power/Magic section forthcoming), add one part of the body that Kawarimi is true for during this Attack Form. Torso sections are considered separate parts for this.

#3 above in action.

I hope this gives the ability to advance to a place where it makes more sense to use Attack Forms against foes who are not using them, in mass combat, emulating the mythic swordmen who dispatch regular foes with their technique right and left, but only after years of normal fighting, training, and duels with other swordmen. See the attached PDF at the end of the Attack Forms section for a longer example from Legend of Kamui, from which most of the images here are taken.

EXAMPLE OF AN ATTACK FORM USED:
What seems to happen in The Legend of Kamui is, most samurai and swordsmen have an attack form that goes like this:
-the blow will strike the opponent's torso (front - or right to left, diagonally)
-the samurai's sword is raised in front of or above his head at the beginning of the blow, and lowered in front of his torso at the end
-the samurai's head is completely protected at the beginning of the move, his torso at the end

Kamui's personal and secret sword technique, Kasumigiri, seems to go something like this:
-the blow will strike the torso (left or right, whichever is toward him)
-his sword is sheathed or held to the side at the beginning of the move, then held upside-down but horizontally in front of his torso at the end
-none of Kamui's body is especially protected by the move itself, but it happens really fast. Mechanically, it gains Speed: 1. (or he's just fast - IE he added 1 Speed through advancement)

Thus, Kamui's blow lands while the other swordman is still in beginning stance (protecting his head), doing double max damage to the opponent's torso. If Kamui's blow didn't have 1 Speed, it would be deflected by the opponent's sword in this scenario, since the opponent's ending sword position is in front of their torso. 

This five-page sequence from Legend of Kamui #19 (as selected and published in the US by Viz in the 90's, and currently out of print) shows a swordsman using Attack Forms against first regular opponents, then another trained swordsman. I've tried to make it possible to get to something like this with sufficient Advancements. Legend of Kamui isn't the only influence on Empire of the Flaming Moon, but it's a big one for sure.

It's also awesome, and with the knowledge that Kamui also covers a lot of class issues and human questions, should light a fire in you to find it and write endless letters to publishers to get the massive amount of Kamui that's never been translated into English to get a high-end translation and printing.
Ahem.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/31908580/The%20Legend%20of%20Kamui%20019%20-%20Unknown.pdf

DEFENSE FORMS
Defense Forms are far simpler mechanically. Choose 3 of the body positions on the below chart. If one round is spent doing nothing else, these three parts of the body are immune to harm from Attack Forms (blows are deflected by weapon or dodged). In standard combat, this grants a bonus of 4 to AC. If a character began running or jumping the round before, they may continue at 1/2 speed while using a defense form.

1. Head
2. Torso
3. left arm
4. right arm
5. left leg
6. right leg
7. back
8. sword hand (or specific strap, item, etc)
--

Empire of the Flaming Moon: Character Creation (Revised)

(I realized I had got down a path I wasn't actually that interested in - pretty standard D&D play plus kimonos and katana. My initial intention with EotFM was far more "alt history with mythological touches" and not high fantasy, so before going farther, I'm making sure it's on the right track.)

All starting PCs are human.

FLAILSNAILS: magic items from other settings become mundane items of appropriate weight upon entry, or are left in interdimensional space while the PC is here - Player choice. Non-human PCs may choose at entry to appear human for the duration, but lose all racial abilities while here if so.

The average person will never see magic performed by a human except healing, and might glimpse mystical creatures only a few times in their lives. There are a few exceptions based on Buddhist and Shinto practices and spirits. The major exception is that Priests DO treat those badly injured helping their community or the exceptionally sick if their families petition the priest. Shinto and Buddhist healing magic is part of the culture and not considered an imposition of alien force into reality.

Hengeyokai are considered to be old folklore by the common people, but believed in and feared by Daimyo and Shogun of the old school. Native PCs may attempt to become Hengeyokai at death. To achieve this, they choose a native animal to attempt to possess, then roll percentile dice. If the roll is equal to or less than [CHA x (POW score or INT bonus, use higher)], they are successful and their spirit merges with the animal's mind. Other rules regarding Hengeyokai are here; if there are any discrepancies, this post you are reading now takes precedence.

Character Creation
1. Abilities and money.
Roll 3d6 in order seven times.

STR (melee attack and damage bonus)
DEX (ranged attack bonus. AC bonus)
CON (HP bonus)
INT (Languages known; interactions with written or remembered information)
WIS (Perception checks and the like)
CHA (interactions with others, the force of your personality)

You may switch one if you want. The last one x10 after any switching is starting currency, which is usually paper scripts representing an amount of rice. Currency may be copper coins minted by the Empire, depending. Foreign currency is subject to exchange rates.

Skill checks and saving throws are made by rolling under the appropriate ability score (usually with penalties). Contested rolls are won by rolling under your ability score but higher than the opponent.

Note bonuses to attacks and AC due to Ability Scores from here.

POWER: this ability score is determined by [(CON or CHA) + (INT or WIS) - 28]. It is the ability to manifest your will into a change in reality - IE magic. It has a few other uses that the Magic and Combat Styles entries will go in to.

2. HP
Roll 1d6. Yup. Add your CON bonus according to this chart.

3. Magic (beta test version)- if you have a positive POW score starting out, choose a first level spell from any book or a starting magical ability from an RPG class. I may tweak these. There are many more nuances to POW and magic in EotFM, but for now, this works. A player may decide to leave the effect open to last-minute improvisation, but agrees to acquiesce to GM interpretation of the desired effect. I'll be fair, it's not a _Wish_ spell. Note that Vancian Magic is not native to EotFM, and native characters cannot learn it on this soil.
What players with a positive POW score are doing is: Buddhism - tapping into the Universal Spirit along the Path to Knowledge and manifesting their will. Shinto - Communicating and bartering with Kami or Demons to achieve the desired effect. Shinto magic can be more powerful, but at a cost. There are more typical Magic-Users in the western style in the Dragon Kingdoms to the immediate west (think China).
As far as deities go, players are welcome to do as much or little research on Shinto and Buddhism as they want. There are many local beliefs and superstitions that permeate the setting, so having different PCs with different understandings of spirituality is fine. The basics that anyone from Nippon (the Japan of this setting) would know are: Shinto is the older native religion, and its followers believe every creature and object has a spirit, called a Kami, that the especially sensitive can communicate with and the powerful can manipulate.
Buddhists believe that all living things are part of a Universal Spirit, and that energy flows through all that can be manipulated by those in touch with oneness along the Path to Knowledge.

4. Classes? There are no classes per se. Their equivalent is the sum of your path through the origin tables and what you choose for Advancement.

5. Equipment. You may carry 1 item for every point of STR or CON (whichever is higher), plus a basic kimono. Small items (throwing stars, daggers, etc) count as 1/3 of an item, tiny objects (caltrops, nuts) give you 1 average use of the item per slot (1 throw of caltrops covering 5' well or 15' loosely is 1 item slot)

6. BACKGROUNDS
Social Class of Parents
roll 1d10
1 - Samurai Class - Nobles, elite warriors, the aristocracy
2-7 - Peasant Class - Farmers, fisherman, common laborers
8 - Artisans - craftspeople; boatwrights, swordmakers, clothing makers, makers of cooking utensils, etc
9 - Merchants - traveling traders and shop keepers are considered "parasites" and segregated.
10 - below class system

Family Fate During Childhood
Samurai
1 - Master's house dissolved; your father became a Ronin; roll on Artisans' chart for Fate During Adolescence
2 - Parents Killed; Roll on Peasant chart for Adolescence
3 - Favored of the Daimyo; you may choose your result on the Fate During Adolescence chart
4 - Political Position; your father was elevated to Daimyo status and you will inherit his position
5 - Corrupt; your parents were involved with Yakuza
6 - Warrior; your parents made sure you were tough. Add 1 to HP OR attack rolls
7-8 - Heavy Training; Gain an Attack Form

Peasants
1 - famine and heavy taxes; subtract 1 from CON
2 - famine and heavy taxes; subtract 1 from CON but also have Community below under "7-8"
3 - Corrupt; your family is involved with the Yakuza
4 - Agile: your talents were noticed by a Ninja clan, and you were taken from your parents and trained
5 - Parents Killed; roll on Below Class System chart for Adolescence
6 - Family uplifted; roll on Samurai chart for Adolescence
7-8 - Community: you always have safe haven and access to equipment on your family's farm and in your hometown; they will even hide you from Samurai, Daimyo, Yakuza, etc

Artisans
1 - boatwright; you have access to boats your family couldn't sell or a new boat at material cost
2 - swordsmith; you have access to weapons at material cost if you travel to your family's shop
3 - textiles/clothier; you have access to clothing of any profession of station if you travel to your family's shop, but they may not approve
4 - potter; the rhythms, rituals, and aesthetics of wabi-sabi have given you an understanding - gain +1 POW and have access to pottery (either rejects for free or new at cost)
5 - architect; your parents helped plan and construct houses and other structures, and you have an understanding of them
6 - performer; your parent(s) were either travelling performers or Noh actors and you have a bonus of 1 to any checks involving acting, subterfuge, or performance
7 - painter/printer; you have an understanding of art, color, how to harvest ink and brushes from nature, small-scale woodworking, and can talk aesthetics as if raised in the Samurai class
8 - abandoned; roll on the Below Class System chart for Adolescence
9 - Sword School assistant; gain an attack form and have access to a noted swordsman
10 - Raised by Strange Foreigners; gain +1 to POW but magic performed will be considered an illegal act; know a few sleight-of-hand tricks

Merchants
1 - failed business; roll on the Below Class System chart for Adolescence
2 - Successful business; double normal starting cash
3 - corrupt; family involved with Yakuza
4 - uplifted; your parents did something that impressed a Samurai and were taken on to run an estate; roll on Samurai table for Adolescence
5 - sold; raised as Ninja
6 - became farmers; roll on Peasant's chart for Adolescence
7 - trader; roll 1d4 on Artisans Childhood chart above
8 - Wildly Successful or Terrible Fate; choose another table to roll on

Below Class System - on all results, halve starting cash
1 - half starting cash again
2 - wanted by authorities
3 - butcher, undertaker, or tanner; access to meat, undertaker's business, or hides as appropriate
4 - descendant of slaves; bears a distinctive tattoo or mark
5 - hustler; +1 to CHA
6 - shop's assistant; roll on Merchant table for adolescence
7 - artists' assistant; roll on Artisan table for adolescence
8 - raised by Yakuza
9 - stole Attack Form; gain an attack form, but a (1-3) Samurai or (4) Ninja Clan wants you dead
10 - Geisha; you know the ways of the upper classes but are not of them

Family Fate During Adolescence
Samurai - NOTE: all results except "Ronin" mean you are sworn to serve your Daimyo and tied to his or her house and fate. Your movements are restricted, and your actions must be weighed, lest you decrease your Daimyo's honor and besmirch his name.
1 - Master's house dissolved; you have become a Ronin and surrounding Daimyos chose not to take you in. Everyone who knows you expects you to petition Daimyo to allow you to Seppeku in their palaces so you might die with some honor. You have no Honor points to start.
2 - Executioner in training; you crit on a 19 or 20. This may be chosen as an Advancement by Samurai characters who spend time training for it. Gain 1 Infamy.
3 - Favored of the Daimyo; you may choose any starting equipment you can carry and may petition your Daimyo for conveyances and other favors; you may go on missions you choose if you convince the Daimyo they are somehow in her/his favor. Gain 1 Honor.
4 - Political Position; you have risen in the Daimyo's house and are in charge of a certain city or trade route. Gain 2 Honor to start.
5 - Corrupt; you are involved with Yakuza and it's only a matter of time before someone figures out who's letting all that gambling occur in District 3. Gain 1 Infamy.
6 - Warrior; You have proved yourself a mighty warrior. add 1 to STR or WIS and gain 1 Honor or Infamy
7-8 - Noted: Gain 2 Honor or Infamy, or one of each.

All social classes below Samurai are forbidden from openly carrying weapons in civilized areas.

Peasants
1 - Tax Revolt! The Samurai that put down your area's tax revolt were especially cruel. You have no family farm or safe haven.
2 - Tax Revolutionary! You have no family farm, but are a member of a secret mountain camp that works to undermine the Daimyo and Shogun and free the people. Some view you as bandits, some as saviors. Gain 1 Defense Form (NOT an attack form).
3 - Yakuza thug; you owe money or are otherwise under the thumb of a low-level Yakuza boss. You're known as a thug and people fear you or come to you for contacts. Gain 1 Infamy.
4 - Genin; you are a low-level Ninja, beholden to your Clan. Genin is the rank that carries out actual missions in the field. Gain access to Ninja Weapons as starting equipment and roll on the Ninja chart below.
5 - Herbal training; gain a bonus of 2 to revive unconscious people and roll under WIS at appropriate penalties to identify poisons or make antidotes.
6 - Animal Friend; you have an animal friend who is loyal to you.
7-8 - Community: you always have safe haven and access to equipment on your family's farm and in your hometown; they will even hide you from Samurai, Daimyo, Yakuza, etc; if you already have this and want to, you may reroll. Otherwise, gain 1 Honor.

Artisans and Merchants
1 - Genin; you are a low-level Ninja, beholden to your Clan. Genin is the rank that carries out actual missions in the field. Gain access to Ninja Weapons as starting equipment and roll on the Ninja chart below. The fact that you are a Ninja is a sectret from even your closest family.
2 - Expert Smith; with facilities and enough money, you can make Master weapons in downtime. Master weapons observed in use will cause Samurai and Ninja to seek them.
3 - Armorer; you may craft armor or improvise it from what you find with a roll under INT and a plausible or entertaining description
4 - Haunted; a ghost inhabits an item you carry from your parent's shop. It sees into the physical and spirit worlds, and may have other powers. It is not necessarily a fan of you, though.
5 - Noted Craftsman; your family is known for their works, and people curry favor with you. Gain 1 CHA or Honor.
6 - performer; you are a travelling performer or Noh actor and you have a bonus of 1 to any checks involving acting, subterfuge, or performance. If you got this for Childhood you may reroll; otherwise gain 1 CHA or INT.
7 - Yakuza Thug: see #3 under Peasants
8 - Sword School student; gain 1 Attack or Defense form. A noted swordsman's pupil. Gain 1 Honor.

Below Class System - on all results, halve starting cash
1 - half starting cash again
2 - wanted by authorities
3 - Weird mentor; a strange old man sometimes appears and impart his wisdom to you, usually with a whack on the skull. Gain 1 WIS or 1 POW.
4 - Yakuza Thug; double starting cash but you've got responsibilities.
5 - Genin; see 1 under Artisans and Merchants.
6 - Good Deed; you have 1 Honor in your town of origin (only).

Samurai on horseback, wearing armor and horned helmet, carrying bow and arrows

7) HONOR AND INFAMY
Spend a point to automatically succeed on a CHA roll or decide an NPC's reaction roll result.
Spend a point to add 1 to any roll you make or subtract 1 from the roll of an enemy that can currently see your face.

8) ADVANCEMENT.
After surviving a game (at least 2.5 hours of actual play time), a PC gains one of the below:
*+1d6 HP
*Accuracy: +1 to hit (choose Melee or Ranged, only counts for that)
*Savagery: +1 to damage (choose Melee or Ranged, only counts for that)
*Master of Secrets: +1 to POWer.
*Training: pick two skills from this list. Get +1 to checks involving those skills and any relevant extra effects. You can double up on the same skill if you want to get +2, but the extra effects (if any) are not doubled if you are choosing it twice at the same time. (by "plus" I mean "roll improved; in many situations this will actually mean the roll is lowered)
*An Attack or Defense Form, if the PC has spent time training and practicing. (Attack and Defense Forms will be detailed soon)
*+1 to an ability score the PC rolled this session, to a max of 18.

Yamato Takeru dressed as a maidservant, preparing to kill the Kumaso leaders. Woodblock print on paper. Yoshitoshi, 1886.

To Do:
1. Ninja chart (for people who have results making them Ninja on the charts above to roll on at character creation. Gotta have some Ninja runaway PCs with whole Clans after them!)
2. Equipment Details
3. POW details (especially Ninja tricks)
4. Attack and Defense Forms.

I've been working at this so long that it's hard to see it right; I need other eyes on it, so here ya go!
Goal: to get everything done and play a test session by September 15th.

Hengeyokai, Tanuki, Kitsune, magical animals as PCs in EotFM

Henge (変化, change) Yokai (妖怪, ghost, phantom, strange apparition)

Here's what I wrote in the first real Empire of the Flaming Moon rules post: 

Hengeyokai - can turn into a small animal or back 1/day/level. Feared and hunted by the Emperor and his agents.

1d4 HP.
2 - 2000 XP
3 - 4000 XP
4 - 8000 XP (& etc)
(I adjusted the level numbers to what I'm going with from now on.)

Let's go into a little more detail!

I like +Zak Smith 's ideas in his post, so I'll adapt it and summarize here. Quotation marks mean a direct quote from Zak or Oriental Adventures (the 1E book).

• - One does not start as Hengeyokai. When a creature (including a PC) dies, on rare occasions their passion is so great that their spirit possesses a nearby animal instead of doing whatever else it was gonna do in death. The animal and spirit become one.
• the player chooses an animal, and the DM figures out how far away one of those is. That's where the new Hengeyokai PC starts.
• new stats are rolled, and adjusted to the player's idea of what is appropriate for that animal.
• the new PC knows where "friends" are and how to get there, but it is up to the player what other memories from the dead PC are carried over, if any. 
• If the dead PC's POW score was positive, this is added to HP of the new PC.
• The new PC begins in animal form.
• A quote from Zak/Oriental Adventures: "The traditional Eastern forms are carp, cat, crab, crane, dog, drake, fox, hare, monkey, raccoon dog, rat, and sparrow, though PCs may take the form of any animal in that size range (and no, the dog is not a great dane)."
• The Hengeyokai has two forms: animal and human. No in between. They can change once per day per level, so if you change from human to animal at Level 1, you're in animal form until the next sunrise (or whenever you choose to change after it.) A vestige of the animal form is always present in the human, "A raccoon dog hengeyokai may have a silver stripe through his hair. A sparrow hengeyokai may have an unusually sharp nose. The choice of the exact identifying feature is left to the player and the DM."
• "Changing form requires one complete round during which the character can do nothing else. Armor and equipment do not change form along with the hengeyokai. The character must make provisions for the storage or transportation of his equipment in some way."
• Animal Form is as described in Zak's post, with minor modifications (mostly RE: low HP)
• undetectable from normal animals; not an illusion
• real animals not of their type will distrust them
• Infravision 120 ft
• ability to speak to animals of their kind
• cannot use items designed for humans, clothes, armor, weapons, etc
• have vocal capabilities of natural animal
• can speak Hengeyokai in either form
• half HP, round up, damage carries over point for point except for last 1 HP (if total HP is 12 and takes 8 damage in human form, will have 1 HP in animal form)
• At 0 HP in human form, reverts to animal form and is dead. Hengeyokai that die cannot come back as a different Hengeyokai, and are truly dead.
• Ninja and Swordsmen who die and become Hengeyokai are expected to report to and continue to serve their Clan or School, respectively, even if their new human form looks different. Samurai consider Hengeyokai dishonorable and will not come back as one.

A few people were asking me about Tanuki, and I was wondering about how I'd do Kitsune, and I think the below solves both. A Hengeyokai PC may choose this only at character creation. If this is chosen, it is their only starting template.

Animal Trickster: POW score is equal to total of Modifiers to [WIS or INT] + [CON or CHA], and is a positive score even if those ability modifiers are negative.
Requirements: WIS of below 8 or above 12

Having this template allows a character access to spells without magical training, but only spells related to illusions, polymorph, or those that affect the mind.

Forms: The animal form can be bipedal, and speak human languages. However, this behavior marks the creature as a trickster and they will typically be beaten or killed by any humans or natural animals present.

Animal Tricksters revel in pranks and deception; if they do not attempt a prank or cause someone to change their actions by deception at least [once a week or once every other game session, depending on DM preference], the great trickster Kami will take away their Trickster Animal abilities and they will become "regular" Hengeyokai, losing this template. They do not get another to replace it but continue to get templates when levels are gained.

Some links for inspiration:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune (gain +1 CHA after becoming Kitsune and 1 tail per level, seductions count as pranks)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakeneko
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuchigumo (Ninja clans desire spider Hengeyokai agents)

You get the idea.

A Samurai realizes with horror the spider on the wall at the meeting of rebel Daimyo could be a spy.

Namazu (race for Empire of the Flaming Moon) and glossary

Namazu: Catfish People

A rare Namazu Samurai equipped with construction tools.

1d6 HP
-1 CON out of salt water, +1 CON in
Levels
2 - 2000 XP
3 - 4000 XP
4 - 8000 XP (& etc)

In salt water, Namazu resemble man-sized catfish. On dry land, their hind end splits into legs and the rear fins thicken and function as feet. They run and walk slowly - at 3/4 the speed of a human - due to this clumsy arrangement. When asked about the change, they are generally gruff or embarrassed; either way, the question usually becomes too awkward to pursue to an answer. They swim at twice the speed of a human.

A number of times per day equal to half their level, Namazu may strike bare flesh with a stiff spine along either arm-fin or the one on their back with a stinging slap that on a successful hit inflicts 1d4 damage and paralyzes a creature failing its Save VS Poison for 1d6 rounds. Creatures of lower HD than the striking Namazu suffer the level difference in damage (on a failed save). If this would kill the creature, it dies after the paralysis. Paralyzed creatures may speak.
Note that the attack must pierce flesh; if this would be impossible even on a hit, the attack does nothing.

(A level 5 Namazu successfully strikes a 1HD Merchant; the Merchant suffers 1d4 damage, fails his save, suffers 4 more damage and is paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. The merchant only had 3HP, so will die when the paralysis wears off if not healed first).

Namazu must immerse their entire body in salt water once a day, gaining a -1 to all rolls per day otherwise.

A Namazu Shinto priest leading a dance to appease local kami.

A Namazu Sorcerer consorts with demons.

A little Namazu history:
Since ancient times, it is known that the earthquakes which occasionally trouble Nippon are caused by the struggles of a daikaiju namazu, or giant monster catfish, under the islands. It is restrained by the god Kashima, who wrestles the great namazu into submission and keeps it asleep with a giant pinning rock. When Kashima falls asleep, however, the great namazu struggles again.
While generally viewed as negative, earthquakes have historically acted as something of an economic equalizer for the islands.
When the populous man-sized Namazu first made contact with land-dwellers, they were treated primarily with suspicion and hatred, although they had their sympathizers. In more recent years, their position among land dwellers of Nippon has become complex. Due to a diplomatic trade agreement with the Emperor and Shogun, Namazu are officially favored. They keep rare minerals and other material from the sea flowing into the capital, and a contingent of Namazu are required to make residence there, raised as Samurai. The common folk of Nippon tend to view this as something of a betrayal, and now view Namazu with the suspicion nobles once did. In coastal areas, however, they often must work together.
Since adapting for land travel hundreds of years ago, traveling Namazu have taken up both Shinto and Buddhism, fighting styles of Chan or Nippon, and some even the dangerous sorcery of the Chan mainland. The Namazu in their cities in the sea are officially neutral in the proxy wars between Chan, Shou, the Empire, and the Forgotten. Those Namazu raised as Samurai due to the trade agreement serve for Nippon as any Samurai would.

Rescuing humans from the rubble of a disaster.

Namazu and construction workers partying in the Yoshiwara red-light district.

Glossary:
The Empire of the Flaming Moon - with its homeland on an island chain, this tiny nation has become a great force for trade and warfare. It's size has increased with conquered lands.

Nippon - the name for the chain of islands compromising the homeland of the Empire. The nation was called this before it became an Empire. Some who feel Empire was the wrong way to go still call it this. Referring to the physical islands as Nippon is commonplace, but referring to the nation as a political entity as such is a sign of rebellion.

Kashima - god of thunder and storms. Shinto believers see gods such as this as Kami who have grown very powerful, not as divine infallible beings.

Chan - a large but chaotic nation occupying the corner of a vast continent West of Nippon.

Shou - a nation to the North, with influences from both Chan and Nippon. Both claim it, while Shou claim independence.

The Proxy Wars - fought in the land between Chan and Shou. A constant war between those two nations, The Empire of the Flaming Moon, and The Forgotten. All involved have agreed to abide by the results of this war, all conscript warriors to fight it, and all maintain settlements to defend on its outskirts.

The Forgotten - an army of automatons who fight in The Proxy Wars. It is no longer common knowledge who they fight for, or where they came from.


I have realized the Birth Charts are probably the most important thing that will determine who your character is coming into your first game, and a really effective tool for conveying setting, so they will come next. It's hard to hold back stuff that affects far fewer characters but that I have more developed, but y'know, I'm trying to do this in some way that makes sense.


Here's a collections of great Namazu-E and some historical info from real Japanese art and myth in our world: http://pinktentacle.com/2011/04/namazu-e-earthquake-catfish-prints/

You'll be seeing more of them on this blog as I develop the setting.

Empire of the Flaming Moon Beta, Character Creation

System tends to emerge from character creation for me. I'm going to start aggregating my thoughts for Empire of the Flaming Moon here, and at some point it should be possible to look over these entries and create a character. Then I'll run a game and we'll see how it goes. Basically, I am moving on from the one-off posts about it in the past and starting to really build the structure and system.

A few setting notes: this is the Asia of myth and legend. Magic is not common among PCs, but magical creatures are known to exist and often come into conflict with humans. This is generally "Medieval" Asia, although I know that's a problematic word to use in this context and I'll go into more detail later. The campaign will begin focused on a fantastical Japan, "The Empire of the Flaming Moon", although PCs may be from "The Dragon Lands" - China - or elsewhere.

Step 1: Roll 3d6 7 times. This is your
STRength - Melee to hit and damage modifier. Ability check to knock down doors, grapple, lift stuff...
CONstitution - HP modifier. Ability check to resist poison and disease, endure discomfort, carry stuff...
DEXterity - AC and ranged to hit modifier. Ability check for fine motor manipulations, catch things...
INTelligence - Number of languages acquired, Katas learned, literacy, checks to research and understand written things...
WISdom - Modifies Katas and some magical effects, checks to notice and intuit things...
CHArisma - Modifies reaction rolls, checks to manipulate or charm, affects Honor and Notoriety...

and starting cash. Switch one score if you like. Modifiers:
3: -3
4-5: -2
6-8: -1
9-12: no modifier
13-15: +1
16-17: +2
18: +3

Step 2: POWer
Power is your ability to enact your will upon the world, interact with kami and other spirits (Shinto), or tap into the unifying spirit in which all things are one (Buddhism).
Power is one's ability to do magic. Most people start with a negative POW score and do not practice magic.
Add your INT or WIS to your CHA or CON. Is your character learned, or intuitive? Charming, or tough? Which two scores determine your POW is determined at character creation and does not change. (You may use INT+CHA, INT+CON, WIS+CHA, WIS+CON, but not INT+WIS or CHA+CON).
To get your POW score, add the two abilities you have chosen and subtract 28. This is your beginning POW. It can increase if one of the originating abilities increases, through templates, or through level progression, discussed later.
Think about your character. Are you an Ainu tribesman whose family passed down knowledge of how to channel elemental magic through your body? Then INT and CON might be appropriate.
Are you a wandering monk, influencing those around you through mystic chants or instrument-playing, clever words, and mischievous pranks? Perhaps WIS and CHA are appropriate to determine your POW. The uses of POWer are detailed later under Magic.

Step 3: Skills and Starting Template.
Skills are as in LotFP - that is, everyone starts off succeeding at noncombat actions which require a die roll on a roll of 1 on 1d6. New Skills may be proposed to the GM by players, or invented by the GM at any time.
Starting Template is what you're good at - the function classes have in DnD.
Templates - pick 2 at character creation, or the same one more than once. Pick one more each time a level is gained.

Accuracy: +1 to hit.
Savagery: +1 to damage.
Master of Secrets: +1 to POWer. Subtract POWer score from HP, to a minimum of 2.
Two-Souled: You have a second POWer score, determined using the other two ability scores you did not use the first time. Subtract POWer score from HP, to a minimum of 2.
Training: 2 points to distribute among Skills as Player sees fit.

Step 4: Race
Human - Advantages on the Birth charts. 1d6 HP.
Level - XP needed
1 - 1500 XP + 100 XP per point of POW
2 - 3000 XP
3 - 6000 XP
4 - 12,000 XP (5 - 24,000 &etc)

Hengeyokai - can turn into a small animal or back 1/day/level. Feared and hunted by the Emperor and his agents. 1d4 HP.
1 - 2000 XP
2 - 4000 XP
3 - 8000 XP (& etc)

Oni - +2 STR -2 CHA, worst on Birth Charts. Ogres who live in bogs. 1d8 HP.
1 - 2500 XP (& etc)

Other races exist in the land, but generally existing PCs must befriend them before they are available as Player Characters.

To Do list:
-Backgrounds (Family Social Class, Economic Standing, Are you a Samurai?, Are you in a Ninja Clan?, are you Yakuza?, Are you Noble?)
-Magic (Shinto, Buddhist, Elemental, and Sorcerous magic)
-Katas, Honor, Notoriety
-Special Attack Forms and resolution system
-Skills
-Weapons, equipment generally, starting packages, how they are affected by the above
-Flora, fauna, other setting stuff

Design goals:

1. Anyone who has played an OSR game or D&D doesn't have to learn too much to play or run

2. Evokes a low power world of Samurai, peasants, ninja, monks, yakuza, and weird mythological creatures 

3. Has a unique flavor that frontloads at character creation and D&D heads won't have to look up too much while playing

Random Encounters in the Empire of the Flaming Moon

I'm not sure how I'm feeling about Empire of the Flaming Moon as the title for my "gritty fantasy Asia at war" game I'm brewing up, but still woolgathering about it. It'll be heavily informed rules-wise by the Games Workshop hardback of the Stormbringer rules, so the 1st-3rd editions of that game. Also Warhammer. But less fiddly.
Anyway, here are some boring tables posted for my own use spiced up with pictures. This is for areas between settlements, so interior to the country; areas ostensibly under the rule of the Emperor, Shogun, and Samurai.

1-2. Samurai
3. man-scaled monster(s)
4-6. commoners
7. merchants (50% Yakuza)
8. spirit(s)
9. army or huge monster
10-11. animal(s)
12. roll twice; fight or tense negotiation in progress

mood:
1. grim
2. light-hearted
3. practical
4. formal
5. panicked
6. tense/mysterious

if Samurai:
1. on Diplomatic mission
2. hunting with Noble
3. on manhunt
4. accompanying Emperor or Shogun

if commoners:
1. priests
2. crazy old man priest antagonistically teaching you a lesson
3. Nunekin in disguise
4. Yakuza, disguised or not

(images from the films 13 Assassins, Roshomon, Throne of Blood, and the mangas Kamui Gaiden and Legend of Kamui, and some random Oni and Bakemono from the internet)

Trouble in the Great Empire of the Flaming Moon

This is some writing I did to start fleshing out the fantasy asia campaign I want to run this summer. I'm still at least two months away from running anything related to this, but thought it couldn't hurt to put this out there and see what people think. I wanted a document to work backwards from, essentially, in making some decisions about the setting.

Currently I'm thinking there will be an all-native, new character, non-FlailSnail party and some sessions run for "weird foreigners", IE FlailSnailers. The actions of one group could affect the other.

I'm currently debating whether to make the native group BRP/CoC Characters (probably not), how much supernatural to have on the PC side, and how much outright warfare there should be.

After a long period of stability, the Great Empire of the Flaming Moon is beset by troubles from every quarter. The Emperor seeks to resolve these troubles by the time the Flaming Moon rises in the sky, a mere six months from now.

-Last year, several Daimyo to the South broke allegiance to the Empire, forming Free Territories. One of these is even ruled by farmers who have done the unthinkable and deposed their Daimyo! It is said they ignore every edict of the previous two Emperors, and allow the blaspheme of Hengeyokai in their cities. The greatest Wu Jen come from the province now ruled by a coalition of Farmers. The Samurai there now take orders from farmers! It is feared they may start training Wu Jen more frequently than the traditional one every 10 years.

-The Islands of Chan to the West have stopped sending tribute and cut off communications. Samurai sent to investigate have not returned. The two prevailing theories are that the Chan have declared complete independence or that they have allied with the Shou, who occupy a large landmass further West. The greatest unarmed warriors come from Chan.

-The Shogun has put it out in certain discreet quarters that his sages predict: in the month before the Flaming Moon rises, the God Kashima will take a nap, allowing the great catfish Namazu to thrash about and cause an earthquake. He desires to not have to add to the Emperor's woes. If any might know how to seek the Catfish God or contact the Kobrokuro, they should enquire at the Gate of Forgiving Flames. (If an earthquake does occur, the Empire may lose many palaces and the tradition of giving great sums to the lower classes to appease Namazu must be observed.)

-Sightings of ghosts and other spirits are at an all time high. Respected Sohei Suneyoshi requests brave and discreet souls to investigate some of these. The Emperor is highly paranoid of the supernatural.

Social class hierarchy (not based on financial status):

Emperor 

Shogun / usually most powerful Daimyo, often more real power than Emperor

Daimyo / local lords / upper nobility

Samurai Families / lesser nobility

Farmers (also peasants, often under heavy taxes)

Artisans (also Wu Jen)

Merchants (seen as parasites culturally, cannot take political positions)

indigenous minorities / actors / bards / criminals / wanderers / butchers / executioners / former slaves / (some of these might be higher based on local religious beliefs)

People "outside" the above system but respected by it:

Priests

People "outside" the above system judged against each other but not automatically respected:

oiran, tabu, geisha (prostitutes and courtesans, could be equally male or female)