Ronin
As a ronin you are a wandering warrior without a master. Either you broke an oath to your master, broke the law, or your master has perished because of your failure to protect him or her. You wander the land, continuing to uphold your ideals and bonds, but your flaw has become the master of your destiny.
- Skill Proficiencies: History, Perception
- Tool Proficiency: Herbalism kit, One type of gaming set
- Language: One of your choice
- Equipment: A wakizashi (dagger with clan emblem engraved), an herbalism kit, Traveler's clothes, a winter blanket, a pouch containing 5 gp
Loss of Status
As a samurai you are beholden to your master, but as a ronin you have lost your master and as such the privileges that come with it. What was the reason for losing your status as a Samurai? You can choose from the table below, or roll on the table to have it randomly chosen.
| d8 | Loss of Status |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your master was killed and you refused to commit seppuku. |
| 2 | Your master has disappeared and you are on a mission to find them. |
| 3 | You committed a crime and was exiled by your master. |
| 4 | You abandoned your master, driven by a wanderlust. |
| 5 | Your master lost his authority, so now you roam the lands as a Ronin. |
| 6 | You discovered your master was commiting illegal acts and you would no longer support them. |
| 7 | You abandoned your master in the pursuit of more power. |
| 8 | You were kidnapped and taken to a far-off land. |
Feature: Daishō
The combination of your Katana and Wakizash holds weight wear you go. Though you have lost your master, those who recognize your clan emblem emblazoned on your wakizashi and katana will recognize your skill with a blade. As a ronin, you can often find jobs that the people would not have originally offered to others. When looking for jobs or collecting information from individuals, people who recognize your clan emblem will be more willing to trust you with information and even jobs that they would not trust to let other adventurers handle.
Suggested Characteristics
The loss of your master and the rigid code of honor and discipline that was drilled into you as a samurai, have shaped your ideals of life, friendship, and knowing your own weaknesses.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am utterly serene, even in the face of disaster. |
| 2 | I'm always polite and respectful. |
| 3 | I've lost too many friends, and I'm slow to make new friends. |
| 4 | I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. |
| 5 | I bluntly say what other people are hinting at or hiding. |
| 6 | I have a strong code of honor or sense of propriety that others don't comprehend. |
| 7 | I have no interest in thinking too much about my former life, it's all dead and in the past now. |
| 8 | My trust comes justifiably slowly but it is built to last. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tradition. The code of honor of my clan must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good) |
| 3 | Live and Let Live. Meddling in the affairs of others only causes trouble. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Independence. I must prove that I can handle myself with my clan. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Power. If I can attain more power, no one will tell me what to do. (Evil) |
| 6 | Self-Knowledge. If you know yourself, there's nothing left to know. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I worked the land, I love the land, and I will protect the land. |
| 2 | I protect those who cannot protect themselves. |
| 3 | I am the last of my clan, and it is up to me to ensure that their legacy lives on. |
| 4 | I will have vengeance on one who has wronged my clan. |
| 5 | Someone I loved died because of I mistake I made. That will never happen again. |
| 6 | My Daishō is my honor, if anything happens to it I will work furiously to fix it. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I can't resist a pretty face. |
| 2 | I have a weakness for the vices of the city, especially hard drink. |
| 3 | I am slow to trust members of other races, tribes, and societies. |
| 4 | Don't expect me to save those who can't save themselves. It is nature's way that the strong thrive and the weak perish. |
| 5 | My pride will probably lead to my destruction. |
| 6 | I am secretly (or not so secretly) convinced of the superiority of my own fighting style over that of others. |