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Author Topic: Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?  (Read 3975 times)

Matt

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Anybody know any good places to find plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon? System doesn't matter much as I can adapt (using either Bushido or RuneQuest) as needed; it's mainly the ideas I'm looking to mine.

Also, does anyone recall if Sengoku or Oriental Adventures had any plots/adventures in them? I have the books but they are not available for me to check at the moment.

Finally, anyone know any good samurai warrior adventure novels? I've read Musashi but don't know any other good ones.

JesterRaiin

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2016, 04:59:09 PM »
Quote from: Matt;886963
Anybody know any good places to find plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon? System doesn't matter much as I can adapt (using either Bushido or RuneQuest) as needed; it's mainly the ideas I'm looking to mine.


http://akas.imdb.com/title/tt0988818/

+

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Gintama_episodes_%28season_1%29...and onwards

Yes, I realize what it is and what are you looking for. I still find it relevant to your needs.

Don't mind SF and comedy. See past those elements.

For example, a foreign visitor, who is also a collector of exotic animals, and gets into problem is an useful plot seed. Players might be tasked with assassination/thievery/spying/bodyguarding, etc....
« Last Edit: March 24, 2016, 03:13:45 AM by JesterRaiin »
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Bren

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2016, 05:01:34 PM »
The Runequest 3rd edition supplement Land of Ninjas had some good scenario ideas. A 1980s version can be kind of pricey and I'm not sure if it is available as a PDF. May be worth checking out both from a system and scenarios standpoint.
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Nihilistic Mind

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2016, 05:10:23 PM »
As far as ideas, Challenge Focus Strike contests from the L5R (AEG) forum should give you plenty to look into.

CFS are usually short situation to resolve rather than entire scenarios etc.
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Opaopajr

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2016, 05:20:04 PM »
This will sound odd, but Legend of the Five Rings 1e Clan Books (including Shadowlands and Kolat) are a fantastic source.

The clan books are filled with world fleshing detail, which can be transformed into plot/hook fodder. But more importantly, I think, are the margins commentary. They are often filled with new and legendary items or locations or institutions already sprinkled hooks. Hooks are similarly sprinkled in the chapters themselves, too.
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Bren

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2016, 05:48:21 PM »
Quote from: Opaopajr;886985
This will sound odd, but Legend of the Five Rings 1e Clan Books (including Shadowlands and Kolat) are a fantastic source.
Why would anyone think that sounded odd?
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Omega

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2016, 07:29:17 PM »
Oriental Adventures had an event generator system. Yearly events like an Ambassador, Famine, Political Plot, and so on. Or monthly events like Bandit Activity, Hauntings, Bad weather, and so on. Combine that with the character background and birthright quirks and you can go fairly far.

Matt

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2016, 07:35:45 PM »
Quote from: JesterRaiin;886973

For example, a foreign visitor, who is also a collector of exotic animals, and gets into problem is an useful plot seed. Players might be tasked with assassination/thievery/spying/bodyguarding, etc....


Thanks, I will look for episode summaries to see what can be stolen!

Matt

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2016, 07:36:35 PM »
Quote from: Omega;887015
Oriental Adventures had an event generator system. Yearly events like an Ambassador, Famine, Political Plot, and so on. Or monthly events like Bandit Activity, Hauntings, Bad weather, and so on. Combine that with the character background and birthright quirks and you can go fairly far.


Great, I will have to look at that when I find the book. Haven't used it in ages and didn't realize that was in there.

Matt

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2016, 07:38:19 PM »
Quote from: Bren;886974
The Runequest 3rd edition supplement Land of Ninjas had some good scenario ideas. A 1980s version can be kind of pricey and I'm not sure if it is available as a PDF. May be worth checking out both from a system and scenarios standpoint.


Thanks, I didn't realize there are about 35 pages of material of this sort in the back of the book! (Happen to have it right here with me.)

Matt

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2016, 07:40:07 PM »
Any other free resources or novel suggestions?

(Haven't any disposable income at the moment so I can't look into anything that I have to buy. Maybe if I get a tax refund...oh wait, the kids want Legos and My Little Pony.)

THANKS TO ALL WHO ANSWERED!

(Also thanks to all who considered telling me the reasons my games of choice suck but refrained from doing so.)

Spinachcat

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2016, 09:00:52 PM »
The Oriental Adventures charts are quite good. It was fun to plot out a couple years, and then the PCs could encounter fortune telling and the GM could hint to stuff on the calendar.

We used them for Bushido way back when too.

Matt

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2016, 09:19:23 PM »
Quote from: Spinachcat;887033
The Oriental Adventures charts are quite good. It was fun to plot out a couple years, and then the PCs could encounter fortune telling and the GM could hint to stuff on the calendar.

We used them for Bushido way back when too.



Sounds like a keen idea I may have to swipe.

Elfdart

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2016, 10:59:20 PM »
Quote from: Matt;887021
Any other free resources or novel suggestions?

(Haven't any disposable income at the moment so I can't look into anything that I have to buy. Maybe if I get a tax refund...oh wait, the kids want Legos and My Little Pony.)

THANKS TO ALL WHO ANSWERED!

(Also thanks to all who considered telling me the reasons my games of choice suck but refrained from doing so.)


Try Kurosawa movies. I use plot seeds/hooks from those films for any number of games and settings, because they're so universal. For example, in The Hidden Fortress the "heroes" are trying to smuggle a princess and her treasury past enemy lines. In The Seven Samurai the heroes are recruited to defend hapless peasants from brigands. A new coat of paint and these can be used in everything from westerns to space opera.

Also, don't be afraid to use seeds from other settings, like Kurosawa did when he used MacBeth as the basis for Throne of Blood, and King Lear for Ran.
Jesus Fucking Christ, is this guy honestly that goddamned stupid? He can't understand the plot of a Star Wars film? We're not talking about "Rashomon" here, for fuck's sake. The plot is as linear as they come. If anything, the film tries too hard to fill in all the gaps. This guy must be a flaming retard.  --Mike Wong on Red Letter Moron's review of The Phantom Menace

Bren

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Plots/plot seeds for samurai/bushi adventures in Fantasy Nippon?
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2016, 11:18:23 PM »
Quote from: Elfdart;887050
A new coat of paint and these can be used in everything from westerns to space opera.
I see what you did there.

Might as well steal Yojimbo while you are at it. It's a Noir Detective novel with a faded Mon painted over it. Which newer coats of paint then turned into a Spaghetti Western, a Military Sci Fi novel, and a Bruce Willis movie. It features two rival factions vying for control of a town and the hero(es) in the middle alternately pitting one side against the other to bring both of them down.
Currently running: Runequest in Glorantha + Call of Cthulhu   Currently playing: D&D 5E + RQ
My Blog: For Honor...and Intrigue
I have a gold medal from Ravenswing and Gronan owes me bee