Steampunk Amahara: Rules

Steampunk Amahara

Character Creation

Classes

Classes are a broad description of your occupation and role in the party. Each core class gives bonus starting arts and bonus stats.

Core Classes

Shrine Maiden

Shrine maidens are a class of Shinto cleric that ranks below priestess. In theory, they are maidservants to the kami where and when they choose to inhabit the mortal realm. This is in contrast with the priestess, who is more like a diplomat or herald, though some shrine maidens do become priestesses-in-training. Where the priestess's life is regimented with taboos and devotions and has a role that remains purely religious, the shrine maiden has expanded into many areas, including the day to day administration of a Shinto sect's or shrine's temporal affairs, and responsibility for military force where it exists. 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 always have a religious core. They start with Shinto Lore, three other arts, a +1 to any stat and the choice of a +1 to another stat or a fifth art. 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

Just a generation ago, the samurai class were the rulers of Amahara. The end of the Yanari Shogunate dealt serious damage to their prestige and ended their class distinctions and privileges, but it has not broken their power entirely. The relatively peaceful transition of power in the Home Islands would not have been possible without compromise with the samurai and being far better educated than most Amaharans, they naturally filled high positions in the government and military. Many former samurai families transferred their loyalty to the new state but cling to older traditions, transmitting their disciplined lifestyle to a new generation.

Samurai can be either gender. They start with Bushido, Close Combat, Traditional Education, two other arts and +1 Resolve.

Ronin

Some samurai were alienated as far back as the end of the Sengoku era when defeat took away their masters or peace took away their jobs. They joined an established class of experienced ashigaru who had grown unused to the idea of farming and became (stereotypically) bandits, organised criminals, bounty hunters, or mercenaries. They are still well regarded enough for their skills to regularly find work so long as they can overcome social stigma but are not as respected as proper samurai. However, the lack of expectations and regimention gives them more options to adapt.

Ronin can be either gender. They start with Close Combat, three other arts, +1 Strength, and +1 Dexterity.

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. Though they have needed to learn many new techniques to operate overseas, the ninja is a job that has made the transition into the modern era with minimal difficulty.

Ninja start with one art out of Athletics, Stealth and Trickery, three other arts, +1 Wits and another +1 in Dexterity or Intelligence.

Ashigaru

The common soldier has been important in warfare for at least seven hundred years. Today, these "ashigaru" swear fealty directly to the Apostle instead of samurai barons as in the past and it was the threat of these commoners, armed and trained in the foreign methods, that brought the samurai to the negotiating table during the restoration. While they haven't entirely inherited the prestige of the samurai, the gap in status has closed greatly with the fall of the shogunate and it helps that many members of the former samurai class are in the new military. They also have the whole Firearms thing going for them.

Ashigaru are assumed to be junior officers or experienced enlisted who have gained a few ranks to deserve special treatment. They are generally male and start with Art of War, Athletics, Firearms, two more arts of their choice, and +1 Resolve.

Geisha

Traditional female entertainers who could purely be artists or be part-time prostitutes. Either way, they are the femme fatales of Amahara, serving their masters and mistresses as spies and assassins. Many Geisha consider themselves kunoichi, though they have a clearly different emphasis in training. Still others are actually of samurai lineage with unique training, or consider themselves a distinct class from others.

Geisha start with Performance, Trickery, two other arts of their choice, +1 Charisma and another +1 Dexterity or Wits.

Scholar

These are Amaharans who have spent time studying overseas or in a foreign taught school. They have great prestige in many circles for their fresh perspectives and knowledge of things that could be used to improve Amahara as a country. On the flipside, conservatives find them quite insufferable, especially those who consider themselves learned yet have no background in traditional studies. Although most peasants have trouble affording the expenses of this course of education, every social rank is represented amongst the scholars to some extent.

Scholars start with Gaijin Learning (and need not take Traditional Education for it), four other arts of their choice at least two of which should be non-combat, and +1 Intelligence.

Secondary Classes

These classes are not as central as the above. Would you like to know more?

Merchant

Trade was beneath the dignity of a samurai, but wealth was never dishonorable.

Stats and Specialties

You have 50 points to design your character and a total of +6 in specialties which cannot be stacked more than +2.

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

Up to 10 points can be banked for later use as unspent exp. The system is accumulative – that is, if your stat is at 3, you need only to spend the 4 additional points to push the invested XP from 6 to 10. Moreover, any bonuses to your stats originating from your character's class or elsewhere are not factored into the cost and are always added on top of your base stat for free.

The same goes for 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. Specialties are not explicitly tied to any one stat and may be rolled with unexpected ones should appropriate circumstances arise. They do not, however, stack with each other except under special circumstances. Note also that while they add dice, they do not reduce difficulty threshold on their own. Hence, even if you have a specialty in kenjutsu, you will still be rolling at difficulty 7 unless you reduce it with the Close Combat art and others further up the art tree. If you start with an art requiring a specialty or minimum stat you must buy that either with XP or with your starting bonus specialty slots.

As an exception to usual nature of things, language proficiency can be purchased as specialties instead of arts with the fluency governed by the number of dots in the specialty – about a +2 makes for decently understandable Engrish for example.

Base Stats

Strength

A measure of overall physical potency. It is used alone for standing feats of muscle power or physical 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 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 already successful.

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

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

Arts

Each character has 2 class Arts which they start with and may choose y other additional Arts. Having a relevant Art lowers the success threshold from various unpleasantly high numbers depending on how necessary training, knowledge and experience are for that task. Generally, tasks that require knowledge, training, and precise rituals will be difficulty 9 or 10 and even "natural" skills need 7 or 8. 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

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. The usual difficulty of interacting with animals is 7-9 depending on its nature and temperament and this reduces that by one.

Athletics

A general proficiency to jumping, tumbling, climbing, swimming, and running around which adventurers into wild and forgotten lands are wont to often do. Reduces the difficulty of most standard tasks by one, generally from 7 to 6.

Bushido

Classical Education (Amaharan)

Most characters are assumed to have a basic command of writing and numbers but Classical Education indicates a higher standard of learnedness that most peasants cannot afford - it includes a somewhat more extensive understanding of mathematics and significantly greater proficiency in the Amaharan language, including formal writing and at least the basics of poetry, calligraphy, literature, histories of the realm, and generally things that a samurai of old would be expected to know.

Clockwork Prosthetic

Some extremely skilled foreign surgeon-mechanics are able to construct clockwork prosthetics to replace missing limbs. This makes one of your arms mechanical with all attendant benefits and disadvantages.

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. Gives more importants and <something else>.

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.

Education (Gaijin) (req. a specialty at 2 or more)

Indicates time spent studying with a gaijin institution overseas. Provides a solid understanding of gaijin society (especially of the country where the studying took place), literacy in their language, mathematics, and basic understanding of their arts and sciences.

Education (Mainland)

Intrigue

You are educated or at least practically experienced in politics, probably due to the social class you were born into but perhaps not a little luck and opportunity. You know gain easy insight into what's going on. A vital prerequisite to game out of being pawns.

Meditation

A prerequisite for a whole bunch of things and allows easier meditation using Resolve.

Performance (req. a specialty at 2 or higher)

A general knowledge of how to perform or entertain.

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.

Survival

You know your way around the wilderness. Improves difficulty for tasks relating to surviving outside populated areas for yourself and for people you help. Includes hunting (provided you know how to use a weapon), tracking and so on.

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. Having a set of these reduces the difficulty of various social interactions (generally intimidation) depending ont he amount of skin exposed.

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.

Chi Aura (req. Meditation)

Disguise

You are very good at disguising yourself and others, certainly able to appear as a totally different person and perhaps able to change apparent ethnicity or maybe even gender.

Heart of Clear Water (req. Meditation)

Grants preternatural perception.

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

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.

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.

Voice Artist (req. Performance)

Level 3 Arts

Burning Aura (req. Chi Aura + Endure)

Partially literal.

Killing Intent (req. Chi Aura)

Your chi aura is dark and full of killing intent (if you are in fact intent on killing). Roll Charisma + Resolve to terrify people in an incredible way.

Ludicrous Parry (req. Kenjutsu and Heart of Clear Water)

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.

Zen Archery

Is not Zen Gunnery.

Equipment

Weapons

The only kind that matters, clearly. Unless otherwise noted, proper weapons hit on a 7 by default while improvised ones usually hit on 8 or higher.

Tanto

An Amaharan knife with a straight, single-sided blade. Because of its short length, it has little reach and is hard to parry with but deals lethal damage rather than unarmed bashing and is usually quite easy to hide on one's person. Its skill arts are Close Combat and Ninjutsu.

Katana

While Amahara is behind the West in terms of modern technology, it is somewhat ahead in many older crafts. Nothing makes this more clear than the katana, the finest sword in the world. The katana has significant reach, is good at parrying, and deals a ton of damage. Its skill arts are Close Combat and Kenjutsu. A properly wielded katana can cut through solid objects.

Naginata

A sword on a stick! When properly wielded, the naginata is a good weapon with which to make up for a disadvantage in physical strength or reach. It can hit from afar but is unwieldy without sufficient room with which to swing it. Its skill arts are Close Combat and Naginatajutsu.

Bo

A long stick which lacks a sword. The bo staff deals a fair amount of bashing damage if it has room to swing with but wooden ones are vulnerable to being hacked apart. For this reason, many staves are reinforced with iron. The staff's second tier art is Bojutsu.

Yumi

Under most circumstances, a bow works much like a rifle except it is worthless in melee, does less damage, does not jam, 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 and but can be dual wielded to double the rate of fire and double the total number of shots possible from six to twelve. It is significantly superior to the rifle at close quarters.

Rifle

A bolt action, single shot rifle using a crude brass cartridge filled with black powder. After firing, the rifle must spend a base three 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 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. Guns also inevitably suffer malfunctions once in a while. On the other hand, a rifle round deals a fuckton of damage if it hits and has, as far as the game is concerned, unlimited range.

The newest rifle currently replacing various imported weapons with the Amaharan army is the Midori Type 17 of indigenous manufacture. It is a modern weapon, but one without any special features or the greatest record in reliability.

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.