Blood of the Yakuza by David “Zeb” Cook
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Official Game Adventure Blood of the Yakuza by David “Zeb” Cook Table of Contents Introduction ....................................................... 2 Life in Wa ......................................................... 2 Timeline .......................................................... 4 Politics of Wa ...................................................... 7 History ........................................................... 8 Calendar .......................................................... 9 Districts of Nakamaru .............................................. 10 Architecture of Wa ................................................ 13 Factions of Nakamaru .............................................. 16 Plots ............................................................ 27 Events .......................................................... 38 Glossary ......................................................... 48 Encounter Construction Booklet NPC Listings ...................................................... 1 Maps ............................................................. 9 NPC Record Form ................................................. 16 Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random CREDITS House Inc. and in Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Editing: Christine Christensen, Distributed in the United Kingdom by TSR UK Ltd. Karen S. Martin ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, PRODUCTS Cover Art: Jeff Easley OF YOUR IMAGINATION, and the TSR logo are trademarks of Interior Art: Richard Bennett TSR, Inc. Cartography: Dave Sutherland This adventure is protected under the copyright laws of the Typography: Kim Lindau United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthor- Graphic Design: Dennis Kauth, ized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohib- Colleen O’Malley ited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. ©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. TSR, Inc. TSR, UK Ltd. POB 756 The Mill, Rathmore Road Lake Geneva, TSR, Inc. Cambridge CB1 4AD PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION© United Kingdom Printed in the U.S.A. WI 53147 0-00838-401-8 9203 Introduction Blood of the Yakuza is the fourth in the background information on the city of Life in Wa series of Oriental Adventure modules Nakamaru and its districts, descrip- set in the world of Kara-Tur. Beginning tions of the important factions within Wa, like its neighbor Kozakura, is a in Swords of the Daimyo and continu- its walls, and several interconnected, fiercely independent island nation. In ing into Night of the Seven Swords, the interweaving plots ranging from politi- many ways the two have shared a player characters have roamed cal intrigue to monstrous attacks. common history and background. The through the lands of Kozakura and The second booklet contains list- language of each is the same, then set sail upon the Celestial Sea for ings of all the prominent NPCs the although each uses a different dialect grim and mysterious islands in Ochi- player characters are likely to (comprehension between the two is mo, the Spirit Warrior. Now, returning encounter, along with relevant statis- 65%). Both have similar institutions, from their sea voyage, they have come tics for monsters and frequently although those of Wa are much more ashore in Wa at the city of Nakamaru. encountered folk. These are arranged advanced. Kozakura and Wa even Blood of the Yakuza is also the sec- alphabetically by family or organiza- share similar ethical and religious atti- ond Oriental Adventures campaign tion. The Encounter Tables are for use tudes, a factor which has greatly adventure module, the first being in creating random encounters while affected their daily life. Swords of the Daimyo. In that module the player characters explore and Historically, Wa is somewhat mod- a complete province of Kozakura was adventure in the streets of Nakamaru. elled after the early Tokugawa period mapped and detailed to use as the The large mapsheet has an over- of Japan — shortly after that nation setting for player character adven- view of the city of Nakamaru on one had been truly unified under a single tures. In Blood of the Yakuza, you are side. This shows the lay of the land, leader. A great age of warfare had just presented with a populous, indeed arrangement of streets, and locations ended and tensions between the vic- crowded, seaport rife with intrigue, of principal compounds. A number torious shogun, his allies and his romance, and fell secrets. Your player key is not given on the map, allowing defeated opponents created a politi- characters can consort with the you to show it directly to the players cal climate filled with intrigue, plots mighty and powerful or slink through without revealing anything. and counter-plots. darkened streets with those of ques- The inside of the module screen The people of Wa are rather strictly tionable repute. Here your characters has the Master Family Chart. This divided into four groups — the mer- will find all the things to make their shows the names and relationships of chants, the craftsmen, the farmers, lives easier and all the perils to make the different families of Nakamaru, so and the lords. Each group supposedly their lives exciting. you can keep track of the varying alle- has greater status than those below it. The Blood of the Yakuza package giances and conflicts among those of While this status is reflected in favor- contains two booklets, a mapsheet, the city. able treatment and special laws, it is and the charts found in the inside of not a true measure of the actual socie- the module folder. This 48-page book- ty. let is the Background and Adventure Booklet. It contains a history of Wa, 2 Eta ness, since they can always refuse to the spectacular beauty of the crafts- pay the poor merchant. When this man. It is a plain and drudging exist- The lowest of all classes, so beneath happens, there is little that can be ence, working in the fields day after all the others that they do not receive done. Protesting to a higher lord is day. Still, because of his rank, the even the most basic of considerations, risky, at best. At the same time, with farmer can depend on the protection are the eta or outcasts. These poor their wealth, the merchants want to of his lord from bandits and the right of souls are despised by all others, parti- live like the nobles, which may also his headman to seek redress for griev- ally for their occupations and partially incur their anger. On rare occasions a ances. It is not uncommon for a village for their parentage. Children born of merchant of wealth and power is headman to be granted the privileges eta parents are automatically one of granted the rights of a samurai in re- of the samurai class in recognition of them. There is little they can do to cognition of his power. However, this his importance to the social structure. change this. Eta traditionally take on is the exception rather than the rule. the jobs of butchers, tanners, under- Lords takers, and executioners. These tasks Craftsmen dealing with death and blood are tradi- At the top of the social ladder are the tionally considered unclean by all oth- Craftsmen are those able to produce lords—samurai and daimyo. Of all the ers. objects of usefulness and beauty. social classes, they have the most Eta have only a few ways to escape Common among them are carpenters, privileges and, perhaps, the most their existence. They can join the painters, weavers, dyers, stonemas- restrictions. The samurai (and their yakuza and hope to better themselves ons, potters, and woodcarvers. While attendant bushi) are normally in the or they can move to a distant province supposedly the third of the four class- service of a single lord. This lord might and begin a new life. On rare occa- es, an artisan’s status is really deter- be a samurai of greater status (who in sions they can rise to another class by mined by skill. A brilliant painter or turn would be in service to another) or money or skill. woodcarver is more in demand and is a daimyo. In either case, the samurai thus given better treatment than a typically is assigned a stipend in Merchants mediocre carpenter. Influential samu- accordance with his rank. This sti- rai and daimyo like to “collect” skilled pend is essentially his pay. It is nor- Supposedly the lowest of the four craftsmen by supporting them with mally measured in koku. Thus, “proper” classes are the merchants, money and favors. The craftsman in samurai do not grow crops or produce whether they be rice merchants, lum- turn is bound to the lord. This arrange- goods. Instead, they are expected to bermen, silk merchants, or moneylend- ment adds prestige to the lord and serve their lord in military matters- ers. In this very agricultural society, the security to the craftsman, a suitable warfare and keeping the peace being merchants neither grow crops nor make arrangement all around. Craftsmen, the two most common. useful items. They. buy and sell the so valuable for what they do with their Obviously, this system has flaws, products of others. However, since the hands, are seldom elevated out of since large numbers of samurai only unification of Wa, cities have been their class, but sometimes receive serve to drain off money and produce growing and the services of merchants special favors as an encouragement nothing in return. In the old times of to get the goods to the people have to continue their brilliant works. constant warfare, such men were nec- become more important. essary. Now, with peace, many a war- As is natural with merchants, they Farmers rior finds himself idle. Idleness leads have managed to amass money far to boredom and boredom leads to beyond their social position. With their The structure of Wa is an agricultural trouble. It is not surprising that the new wealth, they have been able in society and the heart of this society is greatest troubles are caused by these turn to make loans to others, particu- the farmer. Thus, of all the commoner samurai, who have nothing productive larly the samurai and daimyo (who classes, the simple farmer is one of to do.