Bushido
To protect these lands and their way of life, the samurai servants of great lords follow Bushidō. This Way of the Warrior elevates samurai from the rest of society while also chaining them to near-unattainable ideals. They must embody righteousness and honor, loyalty and duty, and courtesy and compassion, as well as courage in the face of death. A samurai is expected to uphold these virtues in their every word and deed, even when these ideals conflict with one another. A samurai’s reputation for adhering to the Code of Bushidō reflects not only on the individual, but upon that samurai’s household, family, and clan. Should they prove unable to live up to these expectations, only ritualized suicide, or seppuku, can wash away the stain on their honor. According to Bushidō, there is no room in a samurai’s life for anything that would get in the way of these ideals. Love and ambition, pride and greed—even happiness—are to be sacrificed for the sake of Bushidō. Yet, samurai are still human, made from the mingling of Lady Sun and Lord Moon, order and chaos. The tenets of Bushidō would not be ideals to strive toward if they were easy to realize in daily life. Characters in Rokugan are measured by their own faith in, and devotion to, the Code of Bushidō through their honor value.
Many Rokugani plays have been written chronicling the impossible choices facing a samurai as their human feelings, or ninjō, conflict with their obligations to society, or giri. Those things that would get in the way of Bushidō are real and meaningful forces in a samurai’s life, and it is the rare soul who can resist their call completely. The stories and the drama of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game revolve around the tension between these two conflicting forces. One of the fundamental choices a player must make during character creation is to select ninjō and giri, the opposing forces of a samurai’s inner desire and the external demands placed upon them by their lord and by fate. Whether a samurai chooses happiness or duty in a given moment has narrative and mechanical consequences not only for themself, but for all of the Emerald Empire. When they serve their lord with distinction, tales of their glories may spread to the corners of the Empire or even be recorded for the ages. A samurai’s fame and reputation for service is measured by their glory value.
Many Rokugani plays have been written chronicling the impossible choices facing a samurai as their human feelings, or ninjō, conflict with their obligations to society, or giri. Those things that would get in the way of Bushidō are real and meaningful forces in a samurai’s life, and it is the rare soul who can resist their call completely. The stories and the drama of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game revolve around the tension between these two conflicting forces. One of the fundamental choices a player must make during character creation is to select ninjō and giri, the opposing forces of a samurai’s inner desire and the external demands placed upon them by their lord and by fate. Whether a samurai chooses happiness or duty in a given moment has narrative and mechanical consequences not only for themself, but for all of the Emerald Empire. When they serve their lord with distinction, tales of their glories may spread to the corners of the Empire or even be recorded for the ages. A samurai’s fame and reputation for service is measured by their glory value.
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