I wanted to do some roleplaying last night. So I asked my roomate if he wanted to try out Risus. I had printed it a long time ago, and started thinking about it yesterday. So we played a session. I used a fuedal japanese steampunk idea I've been mulling over for a while for a setting.

So he created:

Hiro, Badass Ronin Samurai

Bad Ass Ronin 4
Kenjutsu (Sword) 3
Kyojutsu (Bow) 2
Drunk 1

Hook: Can never pass up a damsel in distress

The setting is fuedal japan with steampunk devices. Most farmers probably dont have much if any steampunk devices. But the more well to do you are the better chances of you being able to afford items. Some of these devices would be a automatic fire sparker, a cash register for a merchant, or gagets used by ninja. The biggest and most obvious would be Cog's. Which are spring or steam powered robots.

The session began with Hiro on the road to Kyoto. Coming the other direction is a litter being carried by low level samurai. The look tired and just straight up whupped. As they pass. A voice from the litters compartment sounded out. He asked if he was for hire. Hiro said yes. The voice commanded that the litter be set down. Out stepped a finely dressed noble. He explained that he was responsible for this area. And that he had a problem he hoped to hire Hiro to solve. One of the Cog's assigned by the emperor to stand guard at the local villiage. Had some how gone rogue. He offered to pay Hiro ten bars (small bars ued like coins) of gold to destroy the cog. Hiro succeeded on his opposed bad ass ronin check, and talked him into 12 bars. The noble gave him directions to the villiage. That coincidentally was on the way to Kyoto. With the nobles estate being close to the villiage. With that the noble again proceeded on his journey. Moving in the opposite direction of the villiage and his estate. Which Hiro though kind of strange. But figured the noble was cowardly anyways. Hiro headed to the villiage. As he got closer the to the villiage the the forest opened up into rice paddies on both sides of the road. Ahead of him was the Cog. Standing guard on the road. It was a wooden laquered cog about 6 feet tall. With a barrel chest and spindly arms and legs. With the emperors seal of a lotus blossom on its chest. Hiro stopped and readied his bow. Loosing a single arrow at it. The effect of which was only to cause it to charge at him. (a really crumby kyojutsu cliche roll on Hiros part) So Hiro drew his sword and charged it. They met in a clash of sword and cog fore limb. Knocking Hiro back. (Failing his kenjutsu cliche roll) It was then he realised he may be in trouble. By then a crowd of farmers from the fields had gathered to watch. A little girl ran from the group towards Hiro and the Cog. She screamed at Hiro dont hurt him! Running up wrapping her arms around the Cogs leg. Dont hurt mushi hes the only protection we have from the evil noble. Hiro asked what she meant by that. She explained that the noble was taxing them of rice beyond belief. They werent sure they would make it through the winter at this rate. Not to mention the kidnappings. The noble had taken all the young women of the villiage. This angerd Hiro. As it was late he stayed as the guest of the villiage. It was that evening that he was told of how thew cog had been struck by lightning. After that it seemed to have a mind of its own. And started defending the villiage from the noble. The little girl had named him Mushi. The next day he went to the nobles estate. The cog not giving anyone a choice in the matter went with him. When Hiro got the gates of the estate he intimidated the guards. (using the Bad Ass Ronin cliche) Who quickly let him and the Cog in. Before was the noble on the porch of his home. He was surrounded by his normal lackey samurai. And a well dressed and skillful looking samurai armed with a matchlock rifle with a large bayonet blade mounted at the end. The rifle appears that it could be used like a naginata after its been fired. He confronted the noble about his taxation of the villiage and the kidnapping. He admitted to it and told he that he expected Hiro would have been killed. But would have softened up the Cog so the noble real hired ronin samurai could take it out. Well along with the Cog I barrowed from the Prefecture Lord. As he says this from the side of house comes out a Metal War Cog. It looks similar to Mushi except it is biult out of wrought iron and it head is shaped like a samurai helmet. He carries a zanbatō (Literal translation "horse-slaying sword" or "horse-chopping saber") which is a giant sword. The Noble calls out "Kudzu, #6 kill them". The Cogs come at each other in combat. The ronin Kudzu raised his matchlock and fires at Hiro. Who in Remo Williams style side steps the shot. (Another great use of the cliche Bad Ass Ronin) Hiro and Kudzu draw into close combat. Kudzu struck Hiro damaging him. (rolling a higher naginatajutsu cliche oppossed to hiros kenjutsu cliche roll) Next next set of blow they simitaneously struck each other. (Both of their dice rolls tied) Then in a surprise move Hiro kicked Kudzu in the family jewels. (Good use of the Bad Ass Ronin cliche) Then finished him with a headbutt. (again with the Bad Ass Ronin cliche) As he knocked out Kudzu he heard a great crash and the house shook. Mushi had beat #6 and knocked it into the house. But at the loss of its left arm. The noble was frantic. His forces had been defeated. Hiro intimidated him (yup the Bad Ass Ronin cliche again) and made him release the girls and pay him the money he owed. He then told him if he tried anything foolish with the villiage again that he would be back to kill him. From there he went back to the villiage. Which held a feast in his honor. He was woke by the little girl in the morning telling him people approached. SO he went to the edge of the villiage with Mushi to greet them. A coach and four samurai outriders came before them. A magistrate of the emporer stepped out of the coach. He said "Are these the ones that attacked you?" Then out from the coach peaked the evil noble. He said yes those were them. Then started talking trash. Which a quick glare from Hiro put a stop to. (Again with the Bad Ass Ronin cliche) The magistrate asked for Hiros story. Which he recieved. He then asked the evil noble if this was true. (Useing his Magistrate (5) cliche) The noble admited what he did. The magistrate ordered two of his samurais to take him away. THey quickly produced kusari-fundo's entangling him. Then dragged him away. The magistrate apoligised for the nobles behaviour and promised he would be punished. He thanked Hiro and promised to send a repair crew of mechanics to fix Mushi. thus ending my first session of risus.

"Remo William's style"...fucking brilliant.

Regards,
David R