Steampunk Amahara

Steampunk Amahara is an RPG run by Mal. It is about running around in a steampunk world, looking for ancient loot, awakening and enshrining gods, defeating evil, possibly being evil, and such and such so on!

Background

History of Amahara

Mythic Era

Long ago, at the beginning of time, the three creator goddesses summoned life, the universe, and everything into being in a fit of yuri. In the ages thereafter, gods and celestials toyed with the world freely and divine beasts struck terror in humans who hid behind fire by night and could scarcely carry on with their lives. The greatest human, Tatehaya, slew the monsters of the realm, accomplished the five impossible requests of Kaguya the moon princess and then went on to conquer the world. His final campaign was a war against the homeland of his wife, a war by the humans of the Earth against the celestials who dwelt on the Moon. The war saw him killed, the celestials extinguished, and the world shattered. The great flood washed all trace of civilisation away, leaving humanity a long age of rebuilding. In the end, the great land of Yamato was submerged beneath the seas and cut off from the rest of the world, leaving only the lands closes to Heaven - Amahara. Even today, this creation and foundation myth is believed to explain why the nation of Amahara is superior to the rest of the world.

Classical Era

During the Classical Era, the morals of civil governance were imported from the Middle Kingdom and the religion of Shinto developed out of the superstitions and old shamanism of the Mythic Era. Where the older beliefs held gods and demons as awesome and ineffable natural phenomena that mortals could only hope to appease, Shinto came to both revere and understand them - they could be guides or protectors and could also be petitioned for aide. The two sides were to coexist and interact through formal rituals and ceremonies. Amahara came to be ruled by the Apostles, a matriarchal line of empresses which claim descent from Kaguya and to personally enshrine the foundation hero Tatehaya as a kami and thus the ultimate religious leader of the realm.

Medieval Amahara

Amahara was overthrown by warlords and the line of Apostles was broken and subsequently followed a sequential selection instead. This allowed the clergy to more closely control the throne in the face of samurai encroachment and thus retain religious and moral leadership even as the strongmen took over other aspects of administration. A series of five shogunates ruled Amahara from 888 to 1848, interspersed with long periods of fighting and civil wars. Buddhism was imported, which penetrated into a niche alongside Shinto. Both belief systems gained wealth, built vast fortified temples and shrines and acquired military power in their own right. Amahara Shinto evolved from this militarism, leading to the conquest of Ryunan late in the Toyotomi Shongunate. Despite all efforts of preservation however, the last of the divine beasts retreated into the deepest of wildernesses and most gods fell silent in ever longer periods of slumber.

The Yanari Shogunate was the fifth and last shogun dynasty to rule Amahara, lasting the final 199 years of the shogunate era. Amahara fell behind Europa during those last two centuries

Bakumatsu

Foreign influences and weakness in the shogunate devolves into a massive civil war, propelling Amahara into the modern world. The current year is 1878.

Overview of Modern Amahara

Amahara's Home Islands is a large archipelago about the size and climate of Japan - in short it is mystic Japan.

Ryunan is a mainland peninsula to the south. Originally an honest colonial conquest, connection to the land fell during the Yanari shogunate and Amahara is busy trying to reassert its claim in the face of foreign powers.

Religion

The religion of Amahara is Amahara Shinto, an aggressively proselytising form of Shinto believing in a vast pantheon of gods who govern every aspect of the world from weather and earthquakes to steam engines and the fine moving parts of clockwork. The new Dominion of Amahara sees itself as having a responsibility to spread this faith, most commonly by establishing and protecting countless small shrines all over the world and encouraging people to recognize the role of the kami in day to day life. It is inclusive rather than exclusive, which is part of its attraction, readily absorbing local gods, spirits, and folk heroes into the pantheon. It promises spiritual progression through reincarnation (especially after dying well) and does not treat many of the things other religions frown on (like alcohol or casual sex) as misdemeanors. Its main conflict with the Abrahamic faiths is in the doctrine of monotheism, resulting in Christian, Jewish and Muslim clerics dragged through the streets and lynched or beheaded. A recent imperial edict has declared all monotheistic religions illegal.

Amahara Shinto has multiple ranks of clergy based on their role in the service of the gods and attendant level of devotion. The most revered and respected lead highly regimented lives full of taboos, restrictions, vows of devotion, and ritual duties. In theory, their word is law as they speak for the gods themselves. The highest of these is the Dominion's head of state, the Apostle of Amahara, a girl periodically selected in the traditional manner, through the consultation of complex astrological tables and the analysis of shifting geomantic and meteorological patterns.

Your Mission

• Learn about foreign ways if they are useful.
• Awaken and enshrine spirits and kami in foreign lands.
• Recover artifacts and knowledge for the good of the state and academic progress.
• Do not piss off the foreigners too much.

Others

Homeland Factions

Apostolic Government

The political and religious leadership of Amahara with the Apostle of Amahara as the holy figurehead.

Old Guard

White Lotus Cult

Gaijin

Yan Dynasty

The Middle Kingdom is the largest and most populous land empire in the world as well as the source of most overseas influence on Amahara in the classical and medieval eras. Unlike Amahara, it never gained a lasting warrior tradition nor a particular penchant for religion (though its indigenous beliefs are broadly compatible with shinto principles). It has always been a state centered around civil and financial administration with both faith and military prestige as tertiary priorities. In contrast to Medieval Amahara, its dynastic transitions have tended to be swift, decisive affairs involving only a few sides and given the sheer might of the empire in the past, it hardly ever had outside rivals. After decades of foreign pressure, the mighty empire has collapsed into the mother of all civil wars which could well dictate the fate of the region if not the world depending on who wins and who is left alive at the end.

New Francian Empire

The Francian Revolution began in 1793 with riots and civil disruption rocking the country against the excesses of the kingdom and its privileged class. The revolution gave birth briefly tot he Francian Republic which was in turn toppled by 1800 by the rise of Napoleon who crowned himself emperor and then proceeded to make war on the rest of the European continent. He eventually destroyed, the Britannian Empire in 1818. Francia then took over the lead in the industrial revolution and became the world's premier state power. It is currently ruled by Napoleon IV and its capital is Parys.

New Crusader States

Karlsland

A relatively large though only modestly populated country in the north of Europa, the Republic of Karlsland has recently risen to become one of the leading challengers of Francian hegemony. It is a technologically advanced country and build some of the world's largest and swiftest airships. Its capital is Nidaros.

Danuby

A country in the east of Europa which has seen significant success in wars against its neighbours in recent years. It is seen by some as another challenger of Francia but others consider it a Francian ally.

Rossiya

A former state that took up a large part of eastern Europa and had been starting to expand beyond it. Defeat by everyone else has utterly shattered the empire.

Catholic Church

The Vatican City is located centrally in Europa, ensconced among a varied collection of very small states. The region has many major churches, reliquaries and large foreign communities that serve pilgrims. While tiny on the map, the Vatican has massive, global reach through its knighthoods and missionary orders. The beliefs of the Catholic Church in a single supreme God is inherently inimical to Amahara Shinto. Recently, the Pope excommunicated both the Yan Supreme Emperor and the Apostle of Amahara and in response Amahara declared the Catholic faith to be illegal.

The Caliphate

The Caliphate is a large but loose alliance (more like a vague union of understanding really) of countries following the Islamic faith, which also refuse to honour the Eight Million Kami and are thus just as bad as the Catholics. However, the two also seem to fight each other a great deal.

Character Creation

Classes

First, choose a character class. Each class gives free bonuses to stats, specialisations and starting Arts; they are broad description of your occupation and role in the party.

Shrine Maiden

Shrine maidens are maidservants to the kami, the class of Shinto cleric that ranks below Priestess. Originally simply lower ranking priestesses, the shrine maiden has evolved into a separate career. Where the priestess's life is regimented with taboos and devotions and remain and purely religious class, the shrine maiden has expanded into many areas, including the day to day administration of a Shinto sect's temporal affairs, and responsibility for its military force. In some instances, they have even become real leaders, relating to their sect's High Priestess much like the Shogun once related to the Apostle. As a class, shrine maidens can excel at almost anything but are always female and rarely deviate far from their religious core. They start with Shinto Lore as well as one other art that has Shinto Lore as a prerequisite.

This is the only absolutely critical class for the game to start - there needs to be at least one, but hell, we could have nothing but shrine maidens if we like.

Samurai

The end of the Yanari Shogunate also ended the distinctions and privileges of the samurai class. Yet, old traditions die hard and the numerous survivors of Bakumatsu have continued to raise their descendents in the old ways even if they no longer have inherited privileges or much political power. In any event, they start with Close Combat and Bushido and are liable to be good melee fighters.

Ronin

Ninja

While Amahara's governments have had to grapple with overabundant samurai at various times in the past, it has rarely found itself with enough ninja for all the dishonourable work that needs to be done in the name of honour.

Ashigaru

The common soldier hasn't entirely inherited the prestige of the samurai, but the gap in status has closed greatly with the fall of the Shogunate. They also have the whole Firearms thing going for them.

Geisha

Scholar

Scholars are Amaharans who have spent time studying overseas. They are comparatively lacking in Amaharan arts but start with Gaijin Education.

Stats

You have x points to design your character. Any excess points can be saved for increase later.

Level 1 - 1 CP
Level 2 - 3 CP
Level 3 - 6 CP
Level 4 - 10 CP
Level 5 - 15 CP
Level 6 - 21 CP
Level 7 - 28 CP
Level 8 - 36 CP
Level 9 - 45 CP
Level 10 - 55 CP

In short, to improve a stat costs (current level + 1)

Base Stats

Strength

A measure of overall physical potency. It is used alone for standing feats of muscle power or endurance and also adds directly to damage and soak. When attacking hand to hand, every point of Strength the attacker has over the defender subtracts one from the defender's Parry.

Dexterity

Dexterity Man, Dexterity Man! Does all the things Dexterity can!

Wits

Mental speed and the ability to carry on thinking under pressure. When attacking hand to hand, every point of Wits the attacker has over the defender subtracts from the defender's Dodge.

Intelligence

Raw smarts. Is used for perception when reflexes don't really matter.

Charisma

A measure of personal presence and the most common stat to which physical beauty is attached as a Speciality.

Resolve

A measure of mental toughness and focus.

Derived Stats

Strength + Dexterity: Having more Strength than the defender in hand to hand subtracts from their Parry. This is also your Sport rating which is used for feats requiring both precision and muscle mass.

Dexterity + Wit: Having more Wits than the defender in hand to hand subtracts from their Dodge. This is also your Init rating to which you add d10 for initiative.

Wits + Intelligence: When someone "attacks" a problem with Wits and is already successful, every point of Intelligence over the perpetrator adds threshold success.

Intelligence + Charisma: Every point of Intelligence a would-be manipulator has over her mark adds threshold success if the Charisma roll is successful.

Charisma + Resolve = (This should totally do something or help in some way!)

Resolve + Strength = Double it and that's how many hitpoints you have.

Specialties

You may also buy Specialties, which give you additional dice in specific situations. Specialties are bought as stats and can be customised but as a rule need to be fairly specific. For example, Swording or Parrying are no good, but Kendo works. Dodging is too broad, but Diving for Cover is okay. Note that Specialties are not explicitly tied to any one stat here. Note also that while they add dice, they do not reduce difficulty threshold on their own.

Arts

Each character has 2 class Arts which they start with and may choose y other additional Arts. Unless otherwise specified, having a relevant Art lowers the success threshold to 6 from various unpleasantly high numbers depending on how necessary training, knowledge and experience are for that task. It is hence a pretty good idea to make sure your starting Arts reflect what it is you want to do. Arts also have various other beneficial special effects that are always active.

Level 1 Arts

Amaharan Art

Animal Friendship

The ability to make friends with animals and other creatures, and failing that to at least quickly make sense of their habits and behaviours. This extends to blatantly magical creatures of course.

Athletics

A general proficiency to jumping, tumbling, climbing, swimming, and running around which adventurers into wild and forgotten lands are wont to often do.

Bushido

Chi Aura

Clockwork Prosthetic

Some extremely skilled foreign surgeon-mechanics are able to construct clockwork prosthetics to replace missing limbs.

Close Combat

A general proficiency in fighting at close quarters. It reduces the difficulty of armed and unarmed combat to 6 and most improvised weapons to 7.

Craft

Covers a general proficiency in working with your hands.

Endure

Allows long term endurance, and to resist hits. In effect gives 5 additional hit points.

Fast Draw

Firearms

This gives familiarity with firearms, allowing you to shoot at difficulty 6 as well as to maintain them between use - an important skill in the era of black powder.

Gaijin Education

Heart of Clear Water

Iron Stomach

Kyudo

Archery is a dying art these days, but the use of a yumi was once almost as prestigious a samurai skill as kenjutsu. Although guns have replaced bows in most areas, they still have a few advantages, such as stealth.

Meditation

Performance

Stealth

Improves stealth, allowing a character to become all but invisible.

Shinto Lore

Opens up the Arete stat and gives a solid background of training and knowledge in shinto rites, rituals and ceremonies.

Tattoos

Tattoos are serious business in Amahara, with deep roots in tradition and ancient secrets of unimagineable power. Even when completely mundane, they are on the whole rather more impressive than tattoos available elsewhere in the world. Reduces the difficulty of various social interactions (generally intimidation) the more skin is exposed.

Tracking

Allows a user to follow tracks and trails.

Level 2 Arts

Bunraku (req. Craft and Performance)

Bunraku is the art of controlling creepy Amaharan dolls from a distance with wires and clockwork. Foreigners see it as an amazing and exotic art, making it as useful for entertainment as for other more sinister purposes when overseas.

Jukendo (req. Close Combat and Firearms)

Jukendo is the uniquely Amaharan art of fighting with a rifle in hand to hand combat with or without a spike or sword bayonet. Considering that rifles are unwieldy up close, it is considered a beneficial skill for quality troops. The rifle becomes treated as a weapon in close combat, which reduces its difficulty to 6 and prevents close combatants from cutting through it without a higher level Art.

Kagura (req. Shinto Lore and Close Combat and Athletics)

Kagura is the sacred unarmed combat form of the shrine maidens that evolved from the various ceremonial dances and rituals associated with the Shinto religion. It is a highly acrobatic, striking martial art with an emphasis on flexibility, acrobatics, kicks and dodging. In the real world, its closest cousin would be capoeira. In addition to enhancing unarmed combat, it can strike immaterial targets.

Kappa Affinity (req. Athletics)

You are a fish. Swimming, diving and holding breath (within reason) are unrolled actions except under hostile circumstances. You can also see and even fight reasonably well underwater. You also have resistance to the unpleasant effects of icy bodies of water.

Kenjutsu

Ninjutsu

Ninjas aiming for combat effectiveness and lethality will train in a variety of weird weapons - basically every other weapon in the Amaharan arsenal that aren't standard samurai weapons or guns.

Ninja Parkour (req. Athletics and )

This is the real ninja action deal and allows ninjas to use grapples and swing lines, leap across rooftops and generally just appear out of the woodwork when everyone is least expecting it.

Ritual Magic (req. Shinto Lore)

Spiritualism (req. Shinto Lore)

This allows the summoning of spirits and the invocation of the kami to assist you. This type of magic still works in the homeland but its usefulness drops rapidly in other areas. In civilised areas, the kami find it difficult to manifest for any length of time if at all. In places untouched by Amahara Shinto, they may behave in unexpected, even hostile ways and against the traditions and rituals that have long governed the norm of interaction between the worlds of gods and humans. Changing this situation by spreading Amahara Shinto is of course a primary directive of your mission.

Sunder

This grants cinematic powers to a katana, allowing them to slice through small to medium sized objects and improvised weapons, including guns at close range unless the person with the gun has Jukendo.

Equipment

Weapons

The only ones that matter, obviously.

Tanto

A knife.

Katana

While Amahara is behind the West in terms of modern technology, it is somewhat ahead in older crafts. Nothing makes this more clear than the katana, the finest sword in the world.

Naginata

Staff

Yumi

Under most circumstances, a bow works like a rifle except it is worthless in melee, does a lot less damage, does not jam, is vulnerable to weather, and does not produce noise or smoke.

Derringer

A derringer is a single-shot pistol that comes in a pair. They fire once each and don't do much damage, but are nevertheless a positive way to begin or end a fight.

Revolver

A revolver normally fires once every other round.

Midori Type 17

This rifle is produced in Midori Arsenal, an indigenous weapons manufactory of the Amahara Home Islands. It is a modern weapon, but one without any special features. It also is not the most reliable rifle there is.

This is a bolt action, single shot rifle using a crude brass cartridge filled with black powder. After firing, the rifle must spend a two round cycle out of action as the shooter works the bolt, loads a fresh round, and works the bolt again. Where the rifle is in this process obviously has no bearing on its utility as a melee weapon (see Jukendo). As it causes a massive bang and a huge plume of smoke, it loses stealth the moment it shoots. On the other hand, it deals a fuckton of damage if it hits and has, as far as the game is concerned, unlimited range.

Bayonet

This attachment makes a rifle also a very convincing melee weapon and is hence not free. After all, good heroines seldom openly mount a bayonet on the rifle slung to her back. The art of fighting hand-to-hand with a rifle - whether the bayonet is there or not - is an Art called Jukendo.