Glory in Play

Glory is the external measure of a character’s outward success as a samurai. The higher a character’s glory, the more widely they are recognized as a paragon of samurai virtues; the lower a character’s glory, the more others believe they are unworthy of the name. See Table 7–1: Honor and Glory Forfeits/Awards on page 300 for how much glory a character must lose or stands to gain for a given admission of failure or acknowledgment.

Forfeiting Glory

A character must forfeit glory to undertake certain actions publicly. When a player chooses to forfeit or stake their character’s glory, consult Table 7–1: Honor and Glory Forfeits/Awards for guidance on how much glory they must give up. Unlike honor, glory relies upon external perception, so actions taken clandestinely do not require forfeiting glory, though sometimes they require staking it upon avoiding discovery. Sample diminishments for various decisions include:

(Minor) Ignoring an insult to your person, choosing to share credit for a deed, admitting a lie publicly, declining a gift from someone of higher status, losing an ancestral weapon

(Major) Murdering someone of lower status, choosing to leave the public eye for months, not arriving to a duel, attacking a surrendering foe

(Massive) Murdering someone of equal or higher status, ordering a retreat in a mass battle, refusing seppuku when required

Awarding Glory for Deeds

When a character is recognized for a notable deed (real or fabricated), the GM should award that character glory based on the degree of acclaim it represents, such as:

(Minor) Receiving a gift from someone of higher status, beating a foe with glory 40+ in a duel or public contest, marrying or arranging a family marriage to someone of higher glory

(Major) Commanding your side to victory in a mass battle, defeating a foe with glory 60+ in a duel or public contest, defeating an oni or similar monster with a group, marrying or arranging a family marriage to someone of higher status

(Massive) Defeating a foe with glory 80+, defeating an oni alone, winning a war, marrying or arranging a marriage into the Imperial family

Table 7–3: Glory Scores

VALUE | DESCRIPTION

FAME/ INFAMY

100

Undying Legend: A legendary hero, whose deeds are worthy of poetry and song, and is known even among peasants and foreigners

3 fame advantages

90–99

Renowned Hero: A samurai counted among the greatest in their clan, whose exploits have spread to the far corners of the Empire 2 fame advantages

80–89

Exceptional Samurai: One whose impressive deeds have garnered attention in the courts of other clans

65–79

Respected Adept: A samurai of great accomplishment, whose name is known outside their family

1 fame advantages

60–64

Worthy Retainer: An extremely competent and valued samurai

45–59

Reputable Samurai: A samurai known for their effectiveness and reliability

–

40–44 Unremarkable Retainer: An ordinary samurai

30–39

Samurai of No Renown: A samurai whose reputation is marred by failure, disappointment, or ill omen

20–29

Disappointment: Someone considered incompetent or untrustworthy

10–19

Renegade: An individual who has become known for their misdeeds across several provinces

1 infamy disadvantage

1–09

Villain: An individual whose heinous acts are known across the land

2 infamy disadvantages

0

Figure of Dread: One of the most vile or scandalous individuals in the Empire

3 infamy disadvantages