The Highwayman – Player Handouts
AKAGI DAICHI
AKAGI DAICHI
Past: You are a hinin, part of the lowest caste in the whole of Rokugan. You keep this a secret, but fear that you will be abandoned and possibly punished for lying about who you are, should anyone find out.
Ninjō (Desire): You desire to be well-liked and to prove to the world that you are more than the circumstances of your birth.
PLAYING THE TALENTED ARTISAN WITH A SECRET Akagi Daichi [Ah-Ka-gi DiE-chi] grew up in a small village near the Crab Clan’s Kaiu Wall. He was born into the hinin caste, and was made to feel inferior from a young age. As hinin, he and his family were tasked with spiritually staining and unpleasant tasks, such as cleaning out chamber pots and tending to the dead. Daichi always wanted to do more with his life, and took an interest in pottery and art from a young age. Such pursuits were considered radical, and when the head of the village discovered evidence of Daichi’s work, she nearly cut off his hand, and would have done so if not for the desperate pleas of his parents. Not long after, Daichi ran away from home to become a traveling artist, attempting to hide his origins. Because of the isolated nature of hinin, Daichi longs to develop strong, lasting relationships. Yet he fears that if anyone were to discover his secret, he would be shunned and possibly endangered. Samurai are not often kind to those who subvert the order of Rokugani society. Daichi has been working with this current group for a little over two months, transporting goods to a distant Crab Clan city. In that time he has become friendly with several members (see Relationships on your character sheet). When Daichi heard that he could make 6 koku on one job, he could not believe his ears. Such money is almost unfathomable for someone who grew up in his circumstance, and with that kind of money, he would be able to finally start up his own shop.
Suggestions for Roleplaying Daichi: Daichi is a generally amicable, friendly man who cares little about cultural or status differences. He tries to see the best in others because he knows what it is like to be treated unfairly.
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OTGONTOGOCH TURGEN
OTGONTOGOCH TURGEN
Past: Wherever you go, an angry spirit you call Bataar causes mischief and inconvenient nuisances. This tends to stymie your relationships and cause you a fair amount of headache.
Ninjō (Desire): More than anything else, you desire to correct spiritual imbalances. You hope that by devoting yourself to this task you may be able to appease the spirit that haunts you, find your brother, and save him from his curse as well.
PLAYING THE HAUNTED UJIK Otgontogoch Turgen [Ought-gone-tog-otch Tur-gen] left his homeland in the Burning Sands a little over a year ago with his brother, Sukhbatar, after incurring the wrath of an angry shaman. The shaman cursed the brothers to be haunted by twin spirits, Turgen’s spirit causing bad luck and his brother’s causing temptation. Not wanting to plague their family with such troubles, the two set off for Rokugan. A month into their travels, Turgen was betrayed by his brother and scarred in the process. Turgen is convinced his brother could have only done what he did because of the influence of the spirit that haunted him. He has now made it his mission to correct spiritual imbalances in the hopes that he may be able to appease the spirit attached to him, find Sukhbatar, and save him from his spirit’s corrupting presence. When the spirit Bataar makes itself known, it often causes pots to clatter and clink to the ground, items to fall over, the air to chill, and other unsettling things. It has never physically hurt anyone, but he tends to write off the weird occurrences as something mundane because he’s worried he will be abandoned should people discover the truth. For information on his relationships with your group, see Relationships on your character sheet.
Suggestions for Roleplaying Turgen: Turgen is generally friendly, outgoing, and boisterous, and only wears a serious face when in obvious danger. He loves to play games and make friends, as working in a group is the best way to survive in the Burning Sands, his homeland. He has a codependent relationship with his hawk, Od [Augh-d], and tends to speak to him as if they were an old couple. Od very rarely does anything Turgen asks him to do except in dire situations (as best as he is able).
NOTES:
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AHUJA MISHTI
AHUJA MISHTI
Past: You are haunted by your part in your family’s death, and you fear that recovering their blade will do nothing to ease your guilt, and may even make it worse.
Ninjō (Desire): You desire to recover your family’s lost blade and make peace with yourself.
PLAYING THE IVORY KINGDOMS SAGE Ahuja Mishti [Ah-you-ha Meesh-ti] is from the land of the Ivory Kingdoms, far to the southwest of Rokugan. Mishti is part of a special order of warriors known as the Yodha [Yo-dah], individuals dedicated to keeping the threats of the Ghostland’s forests (the southern region of the Shadowlands) out of their homeland. She grew up with minimal contact with any other groups besides her extensive family and the other Yodha who patrolled the border between the Ghostlands and the start of the Ivory Kingdoms. From the time she could walk, Mishti has been trained in the art of hunting the wicked creatures that dwell within the shadowy canopies around her. One of the Yodha’s greatest enemies are the rakshasa, shapeshifting demons that revel in tricking and eating unsuspecting humans. A little over a year ago, Mishti failed to recognize a rakshasa who had taken the form of her grandmother, and let it into their home. The rakshasa slaughtered Mishti’s entire family, stole their sacred blade, and cruelly allowed her to live so that she might suffer for her mistake. Mishti has tracked the rakshasa to the Scorpion lands of Rokugan and has become fascinated by Rokugani culture. She knows she must find the blade and seek revenge, but she also secretly longs to simply live her life away from the horrors of supernatural monstrosities. For information on her relationships with other members of your group, see Relationships on your character sheet.
Suggestions for Roleplaying Mishti: Mishti tends to be cautious around strangers, constantly on the lookout for deception. When she speaks, she does so deliberately and has little use for flowery language. Once she has earnestly befriended others, however, she treats them as her own blood and would proudly give her life to protect them.
NOTES:
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MAKI HARUKO
MAKI HARUKO
Past: You disobeyed your family and caused the deaths of those under your charge. Your family disowned you for your hubris and recklessness.
Ninjō (Desire): You desire to atone for your failures by being a strong leader, protecting others, and proving your worth as an honorable person.
PLAYING THE DISGRACED LION RŌNIN Maki Haruko [Ma-Ki Ha-RU-ko] was once known by the name Matsu Megumi, a samurai of the Matsu family of the Lion Clan. As a child, she exhibited all of the traits of an excellent samurai, including being honorable, loyal, and a staunch adherent to the tenets of the samurai code known as Bushidō. Haruko was thought to be a prime candidate to become a general in the Lion armies one day, and she spent most of her childhood fantasizing about the battles she would wage in the name of the Emperor. Unfortunately, fate is sometimes unkind. As Haruko reached the age of her gempuku (a ceremony to make her an official adult), she began developing the symptoms of a respiratory illness. Seeing how she struggled, her parents declared that she would instead be best suited to become a courtier, an ambassador to the courts of other clans, never seeing the battlefield, but serving her family honorably all the same. Haruko was crushed. She began learning the arts of the courtier, but struggled with the nuances of court life and longed for battle strategy. War, she thought, was much more honorable than the squabbling and lies of the court. To prove her worth as a tactician, she stowed away with a troop of soldiers, and once she was far from her family, she took control of the squad. During a critical moment, Haruko’s inexperience and illness overcame her, and several members of the troop lost their lives. Her parents discovered her reckless act, and Haruko was disowned. Cast to the waves because of her hubris, Haruko now wanders Rokugan trying to survive and prove to both her lost family and herself that she is worthy of redemption. For information on her relationships with other members of your group, see Relationships on your character sheet.
Suggestions for Roleplaying Haruko: Haruko stands, solid and unwavering, in most situations. She tends to speak only when she has something important to say, and she naturally puts herself in between harm and her allies. She wants to be a masterful tactician, and never breaks a promise or returns with an incomplete job. She would rather die than fail again.
NOTES:
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NOBORU
NOBORU
Past: A horrible trauma in your past left awful scars on your body and your mind, and stole those you cherished from you. The reminder of this event steals your inner peace from you.
Ninjō (Desire): You desire to help bring others closer to a path of Enlightenment, and to fill others’ lives with peace.
PLAYING THE MYSTIC OF THE MOUNTAIN Noboru [No-BO-rue] was raised as a monk from a young age in the Mountains of Regret. From the time they were just a small child, they found the rhythms of temple life comforting. With little contact with others outside of the monastery, Noboru did not know that some of the ideals of the temple’s abbot verged on heretical. On the eve of Noboru’s thirteenth year, bushi from a distant lord who had heard of the abbot’s ideas stormed the temple, burning it to the ground and killing many of those within. Noboru managed to escape the blaze and flee, knowing those in the main temple were surely dead. Many years later, Noboru holds no resentment toward the bushi who followed their orders, but does hold anger in their heart for the institution that allowed them to kill without abandon. In response, Noboru has committed themself to exploring the Way, testing the Truth, and helping others become more enlightened and kind. They fear that the horrors they witnessed as their temple lit up the night sky will keep them from ever finding real peace. For information on their relationships with other members of your group, see Relationships on your character sheet.
Suggestions for Roleplaying Noboru: Noboru tends to offer advice even when it is not requested, and loves to regale people with stories, bits of wisdom, and proverbs from a wide range of regions. They are very humble and find fulfillment aiding others in discovering their own Truth.
NOTES:
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HIYABAYASHI KENSHIN
HIYABAYASHI KENSHIN
Past: You owe a massive debt to a moneylender, and if you don’t repay it soon, you may find out just how dangerous debts can be.
Ninjō (Desire): You desire to earn fame and prestige, and to make powerful contacts, all while providing entertainment.
PLAYING THE AMBITIOUS FORMER GEISHA Hiyabayashi Kenshin [He-YA-buy-AH-shi Ken-shin] was raised in a geisha house in Scorpion lands by their guardian. Kenshin always admired the dancing, singing, and artistry of the geisha of the Red Lotus, and once they were old enough, they took to the art with great ease. Once Kenshin saved a respectable sum of money, they decided to open up a geisha house of their own in another city. Unfortunately, the costs of operating such an establishment overwhelmed them and they took out a substantial loan from a man named Nakamura Jun’ichi. Misfortune overtook Kenshin again when their building burned down, possibly due to the meddling of a competitor. Without any way to make money, the debt they owed to Nakamura continued to climb, and now Kenshin is taking on whatever work they can to pay him back. On a fortunate note for them, Kenshin wields an innate ability to call out to the kami (powerful elemental spirits), so they have some ability to take on dangerous, but highpaying, work. They long to become famous, wealthy, and to make powerful contacts one day, but for now resigns themself to the reality of less-prestigious work. For information on their relationships with other members of your group, see Relationships on your character sheet.
Suggestions for Roleplaying Kenshin: Kenshin always speaks with a flourish, embellishing their speech with flowery phrasing. They love luxury, fine food and drink, fancy clothes, and lavish accommodations. Everything they do has a bit of theatre in it, and they love attention. Kenshin is reasonable, though, and is wise enough to know when it’s best to quiet their gregarious nature, especially in places where their debtor’s underlings could be watching.
NOTES:
PERMISSION GRANTED TO PRINT FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. © FFG.