Need help for a feet in water character for an up and coming game.

[Ghostfreak]

Friend of mine is going to do a feet in the water game come next month or so; an I wanted people thoughts an ideas on a true believer of miyamoto musashi. Japan's greatest swordsman and the author of the book of five rings. Someone who strongly believes in the way of strategy and its tenants. Still brainstorming on what skills I should choose. aspects and whatnot. Would like all of your thoughts an opinions please. Oh, an my friend said that the story will take place in Antartica; the uncharted continent.

[khadgar4606]

we are basicly looking at at least shiro class swordsmanship, ability to deal lethal damage with bokken equivalent  weapons, mastery of two sword combat, being good poet. but at least we have troubled aspect ready as he is kinda always late at important stuff

[Ghostfreak]

Sounds really good. Please tell me more.

[khadgar4606]

Sounds really good. Please tell me more.

sorry mate. I am not good with the character building so i just did preliminery research on important aspects for miyomoto mushashi so you or sanctapax can better help with it.

[g33k]

we are basicly looking at at least shiro class swordsmanship..

I more-or-less agree with you; except not at FitW levels.
Maybe Shiro's Apprentice, but not Shiro (at Feet... level).

[Taran]

+4 Weapons - with a stunt that lets you parry ranged
+3 scholarship - he reads up on Art of War and strategy - maybe a stunt that lets him use it as Lore or make declaration in combat situations
+3 discipline/conviction  (maybe one of the neat conviction stunts?)
+2 Alertness/investigation/Athletics, presence/Rapport?


Riposte is a great stunt
Bless this House/Guide my Hand
A stunt that gives a bonus when defending.  It would work well with riposte.

You probably want a handful of FPs though, so choose your stunts carefully.

As far as Aspects go...definitely one revolving around strategy and swordsmanship.  These martial arts are a whole philosophy so using them aspects of the martial arts as Aspects can really give you some good ones that would be usable in social/physical conflicts and help drive the character's motivations.

[Ghostfreak]

Hmmm. This is definitely a step in the right direction, as I was wondering what skills to take exactky. Considering the campaign setting will be taking place in antarctica, so endurance seems to be a must have. Given that the place is a frozen, snowy desert and the fact that jobs their are quite limited. So trying to fit that into the character is a must since I don't wanna be a broke hero. Lol.

Seriously this is a wonderful start, I am still working in backstory to fit him into the story. But this is way more than what I had before; haha! Maybe even make him start out as a pure mortal but deeply grounded in the principles and ideals of miyamoto musashi. So trying to embody that concept is definitely interesting to me. An the +2 refresh being pure mortal would also help in terms of adding to what else I can do.


Truth be told I hate canon bless this house and holy touch for obvious reasons. They are way to reliant on stringent criterias that will be extremely difficult to make as something I can consistently fall back on. Would like to look into much better, reliable options. I am open to suggestions.

[Taran]

Antarctica?  I have some interesting monsters that are based on Inuit legends. (Arctic, obviously, but would work).  Also using The Thing as inspiration for a mimicking, shapeshifting monster would be fun.

Let me find that legend though.

Edit:  have a listen.  It’s an children’s story.  It’s creepy.
http://robertmunsch.com/book/a-promise-is-a-promise-2

[Ghostfreak]

You are righy. It is creepy, intetesting but also super creepy. Thanks.

[Taran]

It lines up well with a fae’s need to keep promise and to not lie.

[g33k]

,,, the story will take place in Antartica; the uncharted continent.

Hrm.  Research scientists and/or support staff?
Ecotour/Adventure-Tour (photographing penguins is on some folks' bucket-lists) that gets stranded?

Not many explanations will take folks to Antarctica!  As a GM, I'd want to see Skill or Stunt that's relevant.

One possibly-interesting thought:  watching scientists move around in videos, it looks like some of that coldweather gear may encumber very-similarly to how oldschool Samurai armor does.  Very-traditional kenjutsu schools may well include this sort of training.

[Taran]

Also, having high scholarship fits with both the scientist aspect and the well-read warrior aspect of the character.

[Sanctaphrax]

I feel like there's a lot of different directions you can go with "trying to live the way Musashi taught". What do you have in mind beyond the obvious philosophy and swordsmanship aspects?

That aside, one practical note: Antarctica seems likely to test your Endurance and your Survival.

Truth be told I hate canon bless this house and holy touch for obvious reasons. They are way to reliant on stringent criterias that will be extremely difficult to make as something I can consistently fall back on. Would like to look into much better, reliable options. I am open to suggestions.

You might prefer this Power to Bless This House.

The wiki also has a modified form of Holy Touch, but I doubt you'd like it.

[Ghostfreak]

Sorry for the late reply, got knocked down by the flu but I am better now. Honestly I am not sure where else I can go with the character because an area like Antarctica kinda limits what kind of jobs I can do. You know, since it is an icy, frozen desert. From my own research I've found out that the major jobs out there is for research purposes, shipping and one or two other things.


I am open to suggestions. Perhaps a newbie scientist on the job, unaware of the supernatural who takes musashi's teachings to heart and very seriously.

[Taran]

Why not the arctic?  There’s more going on there but you have similar sort of isolation and cold.  There are indigenous people who live there.  Antarctic would be fine for a single story arch.  I’m not sure about a whole campaign.