Sample Courts
Introduction
As stated in Creating a Court, while GMs and players normally think of a court being an event in a beautiful Lord's castle during the winter season when the clans are at their most political, in The Influence Game, a 'court' can operate on many different sequence lengths and in many settings.
In this section, I have created a few sample courts that GMs may want to include in their campaigns.
Sample Court: Winter Court Kuyden Asako
This is your very typical Winter Court. Time not in a structured scene will generally be free-form, with the PCs being able to do what they wish. However, in terms of overall Influence gain or loss (the Court Game), they will only be able to take one Public action and (optionally) one Secret action, per sequence.
Introduction
As stated in Creating a Court, while GMs and players normally think of a court being an event in a beautiful Lord's castle during the winter season when the clans are at their most political, in The Influence Game, a 'court' can operate on many different sequence lengths and in many settings.
In this section, I have created a few sample courts that GMs may want to include in their campaigns.
Sample Court: Winter Court Kuyden Asako
This is your very typical Winter Court. Time not in a structured scene will generally be free-form, with the PCs being able to do what they wish. However, in terms of overall Influence gain or loss (the Court Game), they will only be able to take one Public action and (optionally) one Secret action, per sequence.
Setting |
The Emperor's Winter Court, set in the glorious Kuyden Asako, with representatives of all the clans present. Lord: Hantei XXXVIII Right Hand: Akodo Toturi Left Hand: Kakita Yoshi Underhand: Bayushi Kachiko Center: Seppun Ishikawa Herald: Miya Satoshi Spiritual Advisor: Isawa Kaede |
Duration |
3 In-Game months, 6 Sequences |
Events |
|
PC Party Goal |
Uncover the traitor who is planning to assassinate the Emperor's oldest son, Hantei Satoshii, during Winter Court. This will likely require speaking with Satoshii to keep him under surveillance and convince him of the threat, and then earning enough influence to use the palace guards to help set some sort of trap. |
Favor Table |
|
Sample Court: In the Lion Army
This is a court of similar length of time as the Winter Court, but the PCs can be dispersed across the countryside. They are not actually in the Command encampment, though they can return there for events (or if they earn their way in). Between events, they may be running patrols, scouting for information, or drilling. If the GM wishes to have these become RPed scenes, they can...they do not alter the Influence Game Court Events that terminate each sequence. Again, the PCs get one public court action and one private court action per sequence: they are too busy being in the army to politic more than that.
This is a court of similar length of time as the Winter Court, but the PCs can be dispersed across the countryside. They are not actually in the Command encampment, though they can return there for events (or if they earn their way in). Between events, they may be running patrols, scouting for information, or drilling. If the GM wishes to have these become RPed scenes, they can...they do not alter the Influence Game Court Events that terminate each sequence. Again, the PCs get one public court action and one private court action per sequence: they are too busy being in the army to politic more than that.
Setting |
Stationed with the Lion Army during the siege of Toshi Ranbo Lord: Akodo Aramasu |
Duration |
Four in-game months, 4 Sequences |
Events |
|
PC Party Goal |
Lead the Lion to Victory. Convince Akodo Aramasu not to charge into the arrow fire of Doji Hotaru. This will require earning a long-term position in the Command encampment. |
Favor Table (scale the influence costs to what works best for you) |
|
Sample Court: The Long Term Court of a Local Daimyo
Not all courts need to be constrained to a set period of time. If all the PCs are retainers associated with a single court, they can earn influence in that court over a period of years until they use it to win recognition and high positions in a household. This sort of court would be a background feature of a campaign, while many events can be happening outside of the court as the PCs adventure. It is even possible that the PCs go into another court completely while still remaining members of this court: Influence is court-dependent, so if the PCs are working with the local daimyo's household, and they are to be invited to an Imperial Winter Court or a Battle encampment for a season, any influence earned in the local daimyo's household cannot be used for those other courts, or visa versa. Mid-sequence, the PCs will be pursuing their primary plot line, and will be considered to only be doing their court actions when time and availability allow.
Not all courts need to be constrained to a set period of time. If all the PCs are retainers associated with a single court, they can earn influence in that court over a period of years until they use it to win recognition and high positions in a household. This sort of court would be a background feature of a campaign, while many events can be happening outside of the court as the PCs adventure. It is even possible that the PCs go into another court completely while still remaining members of this court: Influence is court-dependent, so if the PCs are working with the local daimyo's household, and they are to be invited to an Imperial Winter Court or a Battle encampment for a season, any influence earned in the local daimyo's household cannot be used for those other courts, or visa versa. Mid-sequence, the PCs will be pursuing their primary plot line, and will be considered to only be doing their court actions when time and availability allow.
Setting |
In the home and lands of Ide Nakamuro, local daimyo. The PCs are retainers sworn to Nakamuro's service, but his lands are widespread and they travel on his behalf throughout his territory, keeping the peace. |
Duration |
2 + Years (estimated) 2 Sequences / Year - Spring Sequence and Autumn Sequence. |
Events |
2 Events per Year: New Years Festival and Harvest Festival. It is customary for Nakamuro to summon all his retainers and meet with them during these festivals, letting them pit themselves against each other in a traditional set of tests of combat, dancing, and horse archery. |
PC Party Goal |
Remove Nakamuro's incompetent old Karo and replace him -- preferably with one of the party members. |
Favor Table |
|
Sample Court: A Large Village
When a samurai interacts with heimin villagers, he has a position of power, but not necessarily one of trust. People do not necessarily share private information with those they do not trust. This court shows how influence can be used even in a village setting. Since this is a short court, it is assumed that between events, the characters are very actively engaged in their duties of running the village and doing their court actions.
When a samurai interacts with heimin villagers, he has a position of power, but not necessarily one of trust. People do not necessarily share private information with those they do not trust. This court shows how influence can be used even in a village setting. Since this is a short court, it is assumed that between events, the characters are very actively engaged in their duties of running the village and doing their court actions.
Setting |
The village of White Clay river, home to 250 villagers. One of the PCs is a newly-assigned Sonchou. The village headman is Gozu. |
Duration |
Two in-game weeks, 5 sequences |
Events |
|
PC Goals |
The sonchou is missing and the villagers all claim they do not know where to find him. One of the PCs has been made the new Sonchou, but they want to find out what happened to the old one. They could try torturing the information out of the heimin, but that will not make a productive, peaceful village afterwards. It is better to try to win over the heimins' trust, and hope that brings about the answers. |
Favor Table |
|
Sample Court: The Silent Canary Yakuza Gang
If you want to go very dark, you can have your PCs enter the grimmest courts of the underworld. Mid-sequence, the PCs are likely doing other things to blend in with the Yakuza gang, resting, training, drinking, etc. Secret actions in a Yakuza game can still be punished by the game if they are secret actions that go against the interests of the gang. Gang members don't appreciate people sneaking into their rooms any more than honorable courtiers.
If you want to go very dark, you can have your PCs enter the grimmest courts of the underworld. Mid-sequence, the PCs are likely doing other things to blend in with the Yakuza gang, resting, training, drinking, etc. Secret actions in a Yakuza game can still be punished by the game if they are secret actions that go against the interests of the gang. Gang members don't appreciate people sneaking into their rooms any more than honorable courtiers.
Setting |
The Silent Canary gang territory in Zakyo Toshi, being investigated by a group of undercover Scorpion. |
Duration |
One month, 4 sequences |
Events |
|
PC Goals |
Infiltrate the gang, earn the trust of the gang members, find out who the Boss is and where he lives, and assassinate the Boss. |
Favor Table |
|
