I remember some talk
Sorry!
Something got screwed in the first mail. The question is: Does anyone thing an Oriental “BirthRight” setting ould be a good idea. I know that we still need to make the “oOccidental” BirthRight setting, but the idea struck me.
What do you think?
Baragos
It depends on what it is you have in mind.Do you wish to introduce an Oriental style culture to existing BR,or do you want a BR inspired Oriental style game??
If the former I would have to say bad idea.If it is the latter I would say it is worth a go,as long as the players understand the differences in Eastern influenced games and Western…
idem
answer varies !!!
I think an oriental culture in Birthright would be possible, but there are already enough cultural difference in Birthright. I was more thinking of doing a seperate world/continent with oriental cultures (Chineses, Mongolian, Japanese, Indian, etc). Perhaps instead of Bloodlines people would have Honour ratings. These could give special powers? One’s honour would affect how much regency one collected. And even rogue (Ninja) regents would have honour, even though their loyalties are different.
Any suggestions for races/cultures?
Bloodline or Honour?
Should Honour give special powers?
Other comments, please!
Baragos
Honor giving special “Blood” abilities,no.But if you have a high/low Honour,it could give bonuses/penalties to certain actions such as Diplomacy,Decrees and what not.
But honestly,I beleive that Eastern cultures would not lend itself over well to a BR-style game.Subterfuge would be a must have ability.I beleive that there would have to be some major work to make it fit right with an Eastern setting.
Of course intrigue and subterfuge would be important, but I don’t think they would be the only areas of a BR-like Oriental campaign. The Shogun-like warlords, fighting for control of the Celestial Empire would need some espionage, yes. But Diplomacy, “Resource management” and direct war-fare would also be important. To give the campaign a further plot element, perhaps “European” travels have made contact with the oriental world. Every regent would have to consider the possibilities of alliances with the foreigners.
Another thing. The oriental setting presented in Oriental Adventures (which would be necesarry for this campaign) features a “shadow world”, with dangerous Oni (demons) who try to corrupt mortals. I think that sound rather like the corrupting influence of Azrai’s blood and the dangers of the dark Shadow World.
For cultures I would suggest: Chinese-like culture (great monarchy with different clans fighting for the political power), Japanese-like (several minor lords also fighting for power), Mongol-like (the Vos with a slight twist), and a couple of demi-human cultures, e.g. dwarven-like Korobokuru and the rat-like scavengers Nazuni. The other “traditional” oriental races (spirit folk, hegeyokai and the monkey-men, as well as nagas and tengus) are IMO unsuitable as regents, except in very rare circumstances.
The rules will have to be looked at, yes, but I think most of it can be used as is. I think Honour is better than Bloodline, unless the campaign is set in the same world. Ancestry will still be important, as your families honour is more important than your own. I think you’re right Riegan. Honour should not give special powers, but should aid in governing, diplomacy, etc.
Baragos
This sounds pretty interesting, I feel another big project coming on.
I think this would work well as both a separate world or in the present setting. It would fit well in eather place.
The Honor belief would really be the bloodline, but since these people were not at the great battle this has been distributed differently. Have the land far from Anuire and may never deal with it as of yet. Add it by the Dragon Islands that have been talked about by others.
I thought there was some sort of Map of the whole BR world around somewhere does anyone know where that went?
I like the idea of a n asian culture. Though, I’m not sure where they would fit into the present world.
I’d add it either as a far eastern continent or as a seperate continent on the totally opposite hemisphere. (dig a hole through the earth to China kind of thing…)
- Personally I think it could work well if it was a far off continent. Perhaps some people from Aduria have discovered it, but the journey takes several months by ship on a storm-wrecked ocean. Therefor the contact would be minimal.
- Honour/Bloodline: These could be the same, just viewed differently by the oriental people. To the Chinese and Japanese Fate decided which families had great potential and which didn’t. Those deemed to have great potential (in the eyes of the oriental) would be those with a high honour/bloodline. Thus it would be the deities who “decided”, just as the former deities’ blood fueled the ruling families on Cerilia. It would be possible to “carve one’s own destiny”, i.e. start without much honour/bloodline strength and then acquire it through deeds later in life.
- Sources (rules): I believe it would be easiest to use the classes, etc. presented in Oriental Adventures. Except perhaps for the samurai they are all very nicely done. The samurai could be changed, or the class could have some regency benefits (most Japanese lords were samurai of some kind). The oriental people should probably have their own gods, even though they might just be other aspects of the same gods as the Cerilians worship. Animisn, the belief in natural spirits, would also work well in a BR-like campaign. It is fundamentally the same belief as that of the elves.
Baragos
P.S. If anybody shares the feeling of another big project, please feel free to come with suggestions.
In an oriental “BR” there should be the same holding types as in a standard BR campaign, but some of them would be slightly changed.
Province Level: Same.
Law: Same. This includes military “law enforcement” in remote areas and established law in more civilised areas. It also represents the power of the Yakuza. I think a Samurai regent should receive a special law bonus. The reason: Samurai were the law. They could act as judge, jury and executioner where ever they went. They had to use this privelege sparringly, as to not anger the locals. Perhaps (in game terms) this special law holding level should have some negative consequences???.
Guild: Same. This includes all the craftsmen and artisans in a province, as well as the public rice fields.
Temple: Same.
Sources: Changed. Both the Wu Jen, Shaman, and Shugenja (classes) utilises the forces of nature. To the Shaman this is most obvious. They communicate with the spirits of animals, plants, rocks, rivers, etc. and gain their powers through this interaction. Wu Jen and Shugenja command the elemental forces of nature. They are less in contact, but still derive their powers from the “source”.
As for the different classesand how they acquire regency:
Barbarian: Standard
Fighter: Standard
Rogue: Province, Guilds, Law (half), Trade Routes
Ranger: Standard
Samurai: Province, Law (plus special)
Shaman: Province (half), Temple (half), Source
Shugenja: Province, Temple (half), Source (half)
Sohei: Province, Law (half), Temple
Wu Jen: Province, Source
These are just suggestions, of course. Please comment on them.
Baragos
Uhhhh,not to burst your bubble Baragos,but Samurai cared not if they were to “anger the locals”,as Samurai were Bushi,and Bushi were nobles.And in Japanese culture,BUshi could do what they want.If a samurai thought you did not bow deeply enough to him,he could and would cut you down.
I know that is you were to make this idea a reality,that some things would have to be changed.But overall,I just don’t think that a “Japanese BR” is a good idea.
If I didn’t want any critique I wouldn’t post this, would I? And you are right. Samurai could do as they pleased, until they did it to someone another Samurai like/was lord of. Then suddenly things could become ugly. Not that most samurai cared about the lives of commoners. But they very much disliked “vigilante” samurai, running around killing their peasants, craftsmen, artisans, and what have you.
Baragos
Is it just me..or are we the only two Danes on this board, Baragos??
Danes RULE!!!1
Well I don’t know if any of the others have a secret Viking hidden, but it could seem that way. Where in Denamrk precisely???
Skaal Masetian,
Baragos
I have Norse ancestory,infused with Scottish Highlander blood…Does that count???
Well… Sorta, but it is not the real thing 
You can consider yourself semi-Viking.
Baragos
Why be semi-Viking when I am all Highlander??
Highlander-there-can-be-only-one or Highlander-from-the-Scottish-highland?
I think it is funy that in some parts of Scotland they spoke a variety of Old Norse until approx. 150 years ago.
We didn’t even retain the Viking version of Danish for that long.
Let me guess your favorite BR race. Is it Rjurik? Hmmm…
In my games most play Anuirean or Dwarf. Its kinda ok, but it becomes a little boring after a while. Personally I would like to play a Brecht rogue at some time. They are the perfect merchant/rogue/swashbuckler-type, and I would like to speak with a slight German accent
Baragos
Highlander as in kilt wearing-oat eating,rrrrrrr rollin-bagpipe playin-targe,dirk and claymore swingin-sheep tendin type of Highlanders.My family came from the Isle of Skye,and are MacLeods,which is a Norse line.
Yes my favorite BR race is Rjurik,although I didn’t get to play one much.I have had a Braecht guilder,and he did speak with a german accent!!