Rokushima Táiyoo hooks and other such stuff

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Five
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Rokushima Táiyoo hooks and other such stuff

Post by Five »

Lately I've been toying with a few ideas for fantasy stories that take place in Japan, but with a twist on real-life events. And given my association (RPG loyalty) to Ravenloft, there's an opportunity to convert some of those ideas to Rokushima Táiyoo.

I'll lay the basics of some of them out here for readers to ponder, and hopefully they will do the same. Thread continuity, in my view, is unnecessary, so for the sake of adding potential to Rokushima Táiyoo (a woefully underdeveloped domain) do what thou wilt.

Ripping (and completely bastardising) a bit of history out of the Edo period of Japan (1603-1868), but not being a slave to its point in time (thus making the ideas available to a dark ages domain), there are a few things that I'm going to (suggest to) superimpose over Rokushima Taiyoo:

1. National Isolation, or, Sakoku.

Let's open up Rokushima Taiyoo to the Core for no reason other than to shut it down.

Some trading posts have sprung up on the islands over the years (name your domain and make it so), and chartered companies have enjoyed their first real taste at economic liberty and politics (some are thus walking a razor's edge with their benefactors!). Two to five ships per year, per trading post, seems like a decent amount of traffic. Yet a side effect of this interaction with the Rokuma is the trading of both cultural ideals and religious beliefs. Concerning the latter, there has been a great push by missionaries to "educate" the Rokuma, to wake them from their "spiritual slumber". Conversion rates are steadily rising, and the shujin, each with their own reasons, are not happy. At all. Reasons can vary as you see fit. Loss of control/production due to the questioning of authority/status quo (which may mean loss of profit to some of the more greedy-minded individuals), a fear of the Kami (and thus the Rokuma) being demonised (again, could boil down selfishly to a fear of loss of control/profit), insulted pride/great anger at the sheer audacity of these foreigners, etc, etc.

On some islands it is now law: worship of these foreign devils is now an offence punishable by death. Yet just like the Kakure Kirishitans of Edo Japan, some groups have gone underground to continue their worship...

A new war is waged, and blamed squarely on the foreigners (it has to, if one is to gain back order).

Trading posts are shut down (burned), its employees all under suspect of collusion (at best). Public executions are daily. Torture is the preferred method of creating loose tongues (and here we have finger-pointing-just-to-end-the-pain, just like during the Inquisition). Ansasshia are bound to missions like a hound to the fox...on and on the shujin go.

Eventually, Rokushima Táiyoo shuts down its borders. Mainlanders who land on the islands are put to death without trial (if they are caught). The spiritual purge, war, continues on (with some success)...

But not all islands follow the same rule of law. As the shujin disagree with one another on many points, so do they on the results of this isolation. A few trading houses, under heavy restrictions, have sprung up in recent years, some by cloak and dagger. Travel, although limited for the foreigners, is again possible (PCs will not be cut-off from this domain, just watched very carefully).

Out of time. I'll add more later. Feel free to add your own. Please. :)
"A very piteous thing it was to see such a quantity of dead bodies, and such an outpouring of blood - that is, if they had not been enemies of the Christian faith."

- Jean Pierre Sarrasin, "The Memoirs of the Lord of Joinville"
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ewancummins
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Re: Rokushima Táiyoo hooks and other such stuff

Post by ewancummins »

I'd say one of the island warlords should be open to outsiders, and milking them for any advantages he can gain by trading with them.

Unlike Edo Period Japan we are not looking at a centralized state, but a balkanized archipelago with island-warlords.

Maybe one warlord has brought Lawgiver clerics from Egertus into his court? They bring gunpowder weapons, fine horses, and the iron creed of their dark deity...
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: Rokushima Táiyoo hooks and other such stuff

Post by Five »

ewancummins wrote:I'd say one of the island warlords should be open to outsiders, and milking them for any advantages he can gain by trading with them.

Unlike Edo Period Japan we are not looking at a centralized state, but a balkanized archipelago with island-warlords.

At least one island should be open to outsiders (trade of cultural ideas and technology for purposes of economic growth), agreed. For sure. I tried to hint at this in my last post.

Another should be, in my view anyway, secretly (cautiously?) open to "allies" (the shujin in question more interested in keeping technological tabs on his brother/out of competition?), the other two should (again, imo) be completely shut down, on pain of death, but for different reasons. One perhaps for legitimate spiritual purity (a shujin that values/over-values "his" religious leaders; is a unknowing puppet to, etc), the other for subjugation of the masses (thinly-disguised as spiritual purity/assertion?).

The conflict between brothers regarding outsiders, and Sakoku in general (among other things) needs to be established and as such I am most definitely open to any and all ideas.

I am currently trying to web a balanced conflict. Four angles to everything, with just enough similarities to have potential partnerships...that will inevitably fail due to ideological differences. Ideally, I would like to have each brother agree with each brother on something, in the least on the surface of the idea in question, but differences on other issues are too great a gap to maintain that bridge. It's a tough piece of work man. Right now I'm in the identify-itemise stage. Examples: views on outsiders, views on religion, views on economic growth (both island and realm), views on magic, views on law and order, views on (or, interpretation of) bushido (or its RT/dark age equivalent)...

As further (and very basic) examples:

RELIGION

Shujin 1: Is one-hundred percent dedicated to the Kami, to the point that he hinges on the word of its spiritual leaders/clerics. Possible manipulation. Temple is a political entity not to be trifled with. Spiritual clerics (those concerned more with the needs/education/maintenance of the spirituality of the people) outnumbered by administrative or political clerics.

Shujin 2: Is one-hundred percent dedicated to the Kami and greatly values the input of the Temple leaders, but still sees himself as an equal or higher authority (than the temple leaders). Temple is a political entity with sway, but any/all corruption operates from the shadows. Even blend of political clerics and spiritual clerics.

Shujin 3: Privately doesn't much care for the Kami (soft atheist?), but publicly supports the Temple. Its leaders may be viewed as pawns to be placed, and are maneuvered to keep the masses in line. Temple is non-political entity, and adheres more to a spiritual administration of the masses as a result. Spiritual clerics far outnumber the political.

Shujin 4: Doesn't care at all for the Kami. May or may not be public knowledge. May even be looking to outsider religions as a convert. Temple is very much a non-political entity (no consultation whatsoever), and is either rundown with obvious neglect, reduced to small waypoint shrines, or lives in the shadow of the churches of the outsiders that have been cropping up of late. Wandering clerics, ready to spin tales (some even the teachings) of the Kami for a bite to eat and a roof to sleep under, are fairly common (like the urban homeless IRL). Some may even try to clean out the abandoned temples (after fighting off the squatters?) in an attempt to bring the Kami back to the people...

Balance that (the possible relationships/alliances) with:

ECONOMICS

Shujin 1: Believes Rokushima Taiyoo is destined for greatness and is actively planning trade with the Core. Possible manipulation by expansionist Temple leader(s). Island borders opening to outsiders, with some heavy restrictions.

Shujin 2: Believes that Rokushima Taiyoo is better than the outside world (not impressed with what he's seen so far!), and sees little value in the trading of trinkets and flotsam. Not interested in opening his island to such inferior ideas and people. Death penalty remains.

Shujin 3: Is largely not impressed with the outsiders and the things they have brought, but some of their concepts and ideas interest him personally. Not enough to cause him to lift the ban just yet, but maybe, just maybe, if his people bring back word that there are some things of value in these other lands then he'll change his mind. But until then, death penalty (unless they have something of particular interest to him). After all, swords do need to be tested...

Shujin 4: Has never closed borders to outsiders. Never even thought about it. Completely fascinated with the outside culture, ideas and goods in general. In fact, gunpowder in this application may be just the edge he needs to tip the war in his favour. Ships in bound as of writing, and trading company administrators are personal guests of his. Not consultants per se, but guests whose brains need to be picked and/or who simply amuse him.

As you can see with these two examples (at least I hope I got it right!), each shujin can potentially align themselves with each other on something, even if it's temporary or a one-shot deal (plot hook).

Thoughts subject to change.

Maybe one warlord has brought Lawgiver clerics from Egertus into his court? They bring gunpowder weapons, fine horses, and the iron creed of their dark deity...
I like this. The floor is yours...:)
"A very piteous thing it was to see such a quantity of dead bodies, and such an outpouring of blood - that is, if they had not been enemies of the Christian faith."

- Jean Pierre Sarrasin, "The Memoirs of the Lord of Joinville"
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Re: Rokushima Táiyoo hooks and other such stuff

Post by Five »

LAW and ORDER

Shujin 1: Sohei (warrior-monks), led by one or two samurai, run the day-to-day law enforcement on the island and also serve as irregular units in its army. Temple districts fall directly under their jurisdiction. Samurai are standing army; constantly training when not engaged in putting down insurrections, harassing the public when on leave, or acting as yojimbo (bodyguards) to religious intermediaries. Yakuza are strictly underground and splinter cell, and bribery of officials is unheard of (literally anyway). Exposure means death.

Shujin 2: Samurai run the day-to-day law enforcement of the island, and act as standing army. Sohei almost exclusively guard the Temple districts (but defer to samurai upon command) and act as regular units in the standing army. Both can be found acting as yojimbo, and are personally assigned by the shujin himself. Yakuza are an underground organisation, much like a thieves' guild. Very few legitimate operations, and bribery of officials is uncommon. Exposure means death.

Shujin 3: Samurai run the day-to-day law enforcement of the island, as well as protect the Temple districts. They also train incessantly in military drills. Sohei are yojimbo for religious intermediaries but sometimes samurai are assigned. Yakuza are an underground organisation, much like a thieves' guild. Several legitimate businesses, and bribery of officials is common but not public knowledge. Exposure means death (for those "unskilled" enough to get caught) or exile (for those close associates who were cursed with "bad karma").

Shujin 4: Samurai run the day-to-day law enforcement of the island, and act as yojimbo for any who can afford them (most can't). When not doing either, they are religiously training in all kinds of warfare (some esoteric). Temple districts are left to fend for themselves (most locals can't, but most outsiders do). Sohei are, at best, pushed into isolation, where the few true believers of the Kami must actively seek out for guidance/protection. Carefully-managed yakuza captain the night-to-night law enforcement of the island, operate legitimate businesses and illegitimate businesses concurrently, and bribery is expected (as long as it is done so with respect). Exposure (of a failed scheme) is a sign of weakness and most likely will lead to a public "lesson". Death, exile, or recruited for piracy. Depends on who you know.

Thoughts subject to change.
"A very piteous thing it was to see such a quantity of dead bodies, and such an outpouring of blood - that is, if they had not been enemies of the Christian faith."

- Jean Pierre Sarrasin, "The Memoirs of the Lord of Joinville"
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