: Sample file Core Rulebook COPYRIGHT FRONTIERGAMING 2020 Version 1.002 “I choose to live by choice, not by chance.” - Miyamoto Musashi Sample file CONTENTS Introduction ………………………… Page 1 Armour List ……………………………… Page 15 Setting the Scene …………………… Page 2 Axioms …….……………………………… Page 17 Taking Actions ……………………… Page 3 Titles ……………………………………… Page 21 Dice Rolls …………………………..… Lands ……………………………………… Page 22 Passes and Blunders ……………….. Generating Revenue From Lands …… Actions Per Turn …………………… Page 4 Forces Under Command ………………. Investigation ………………………… Command Rolls ………………………… Page 23 Environmental Investigation ……… Offense …………………………………… Defence ………………………………….. Looting ………………………………… Page 5 Retreat …………………………………… Cover …………………………………… Battles Involving Forces ……………… Healing ………………………………… Page 5 - 6 Forces Actions Outside of Combat …… Page 24 Social Actions ………………………… Page 7 Force Generation Table ………………… Technical Skills ……………………… Training Units ………………………….. Page 25 Experience ……………………….…… Upkeep ……………………………………. Awarding Experience ………….…… Page 8 Unit Combat Effectiveness ……………. Page 26 Etiquette ……………………………… Character Creation ……………………. Pages 27-28 Stealth and the Sneak Skill ……..… Equipment ………………………………. Page 29 Attacking From Sneak ……………… Page 9 Dark Age: Bushido Character Sheet … Page 30 The Bushido and Zen System ……… Storyteller’s Guide ……………………… Page 32 The Bushido Rating ………………… Creating for Storytellers ……………… Page 32 The Zen Rating ………………..……… Generating Weapons …………………… Melee Combat ………………………… Page 10 Generating Armour …………………….. Attacks ………………………………… Generating Forces ……………………… Page 33 Focused Strikes ……………………… Generating NPCs ………………………. Block or Parry? ………………..……… Weapon Generation Template ……….. Page 34 Armour Rating ………………………… Page 11 Armour Generation Template ……….. Page 35 Ranged Combat ……………………… Page 12 Force Generation Template ………….. Page 36 Equipping Weapons and Armour … NPC Generation Template …………… Page 37 Damage and the Wounding Table … Pages 13-14 Acknowledgements …………………….. Page 38 Weapons List ………………………….. Page 15 Sample file INTRODUCTION Sample file : Following the end of the Genpei Civil War in 1185, the first Shogunates begin to emerge. These new military governments, where martial prowess is held in the highest esteem, launch the feudal era of Japan. There has never been a more important time for the code of Bushido – the way of warriors. The Daimyo (lords) and their Samurai warrior protectors, are carving huge swathes of territory for their clans following the Civil War. By restoring order to chaos, the Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo believed he had won the favour of the people. He was proved wrong one evening in 1189, when a Shinobi (covert agent) slew the Shogun during his meditation. The land was once again thrown into the perpetual darkness of civil war, but the impression had already been made. The rule of steel became clear, and the days of the angry and disorganised mob were done away with. Now the farmer who would have rallied with pitchfork in hand meditates by the river and practices from first light to perfect their sword-swing. Teachers roam the land willing to offer their renowned services to enhance the skill of the previously uneducated. The masterless Ronin seek their fortunes, no longer bound by fealty to the Daimyo. This is a unique time and the future of Japan has never seemed so uncertain. The scene is set for a dedicated band of warriors to start their own clan and forge the ties that will propel them to oppurtunity. By following the way of the warrior - the Samplecode of Bushido, those with the courage to step file forward may ascend to call themselves Samurai, slink in the shadows as Shinobi, or climb further still to the heights of Daimyo and Shogun in their own right. This is their story. Page 1 Setting The Scene Dark Age: Bushido is a tabletop role-playing game intended for two Players or more, with one Player assuming the role of Storyteller. You will never need more than 2d6, a pencil, some paper (and of course, your imagination) to create and play a full adventure. Set during a cataclysmic time for the previously domineering powers of Japan, your Party can seek lands, titles, fortune and renown in any way possible. Progress from a wandering ronin to a powerful warlord and do what you can to maintain your standing in an ever- evolving world of intrigue and action. Within this manual are the core rules that will allow you to tell the story you wish to create. Personal combat, stealth, social interaction and grand-scale warfare are all possible and there is no limit to the scenarios that the Party can be thrown into. The Storyteller should factor in choices made by the Players and provide outcomes that further the story and the Character’s personal development. Keep in mind that whilst the Party are pursuing their goals there will be forces aligning against them, and that which was won can also be lost. If any rule contained within conflicts with the narrative flow or stands in the way of role-play expression, the Storyteller can make the decision to amend, discard or reinvent that rule for the good of the story. Sample file Page 2 GAMEPLAY Sample file be encouraged to think outside Taking Actions the box and incorporate role- play into problem-solving Each action taken in Dark Age: wherever possible. The Bushido is assigned a difficulty Storyteller can also recognise rating by the Storyteller. The where a Player’s suggestion or difficulty should take into description has helped their account the circumstances, cause, and can also use this to surroundings and the intention modify the result of the roll of the declared action. The result. Players, through acting out the action with role-play or giving Passes, Extreme Passes, a narrative description of what Fails and Blunders their Character is doing, will have the chance to take actions When the dice result equals or as the story unfolds. The exceeds the difficulty rating, Storyteller will decide whether the action has passed and the a description or role-play is Storyteller continues the action sufficient for the action to based on this success. If the succeed, or if a dice roll is result doubles the required required from the Player. difficulty (inclusive of skill modifiers) then the character Dice Rolls has achieved an Extreme Pass and the Storyteller should For an action to succeed (or reward this with a bonus fail) after the Storyteller has outcome. If the roll does not assigned a difficulty rating to equal the difficulty rating the the action, the Player rolls two action simply does not succeed. d6 in an attempt to equal or A blunder occurs whenever a better the difficulty rating. The Player rolls a double 1 on 2d6, Player Character Sheet lists and this cannot be influenced attributes that will increase by attribute modifiers. In proficiency in certain areas, addition to the action not and add modifiers to the result succeeding, the Storyteller of the dice roll. There are no should always provide a class restrictions to prevent a negative consequence to the Samplecharacter from taking a intended attempted fileaction. particular action. Players should Page 3 Actions Per Turn and experience. A Player may wish to take quick and decisive During the course of an action to get the best possible adventure there will be a outcome, or their Character certain amount of who previously did not say conversational planning within much (but was handy in a the Party. Interaction with the fight) evolves into a fast-talker NPC’s and the world in which who is able to use their the Party is exploring can intimidating presence and enhance immersion and renown to pre-empt a conflict. encourage strategy. An Players that rush decisions adventure would not be such however may see their plans however without the need for lack fruition and take a more action and the resolution of supporting role in interactions, said action. When the backing up newer Players. The Storyteller has called for a dice Storyteller may keep a mental, roll to resolve an action, each written or verbal note of the Player may take one action per running order when ideas are turn. There is no particular flying thick and fast, and can order in which the Party or the prompt a Player where Storyteller needs to decide necessary to describe what which Player acts, however all their Character is doing in Players must have described or order to complete the turn. acted out their action for the turn to be completed. This is to Investigation encourage Players to role-play their Character without rigid Environmental Investigation limitations. Impulsive Characters may leap to action Investigation covers all before fully assessing their searches and perception surroundings and more checks. The Storyteller should reserved and cunning explain clearly what is visible Characters may wish to see to the Party in the immediate, how events unfold. A notable but have an understanding of rule of thumb for a tabletop any concealed aspects of a RPG experience is to be aware Samplelocation. The Party mayfile enter a that a Party will contain chamber in a castle containing unique individuals with varying levels of confidence Page 4 lots of valuables upon first appearance, however an in-depth search of the room may reveal traps that were previously less conspicuous. As with all Actions, the degree of success should be taken into account by the Storyteller when revealing aspects of a location that were previously concealed. Looting Investigation is also used for looting fallen NPCs. In this case rather than assigning a specific difficulty to the task (as it is a relative given that once combat is resolved, a Character will certainly be able to carry out an Investigation of a fallen foe), the Storyteller reveals an item based on the success of the roll. Even if the Player has a specific item in mind that they are looking for, the Blunder Action rule is taken into account for these kind of searches. A prized weapon that the Character was hoping to liberate from it’s owner may break or shatter if it is looted with an Investigation roll of double 1.