Already people are asking us what Buntai are available in Daishō. This can be answered simply by just giving you a list or more complicatedly by describing the Buntai creation process. So we thought we would do both.
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The Buntai in the Book
These are the dozen Buntai you get pre-costed and fully described in the book. Each has its own character and will appeal to different people. We tried to cover all the well-known themes and a few less well-known ones.
The Troubleshooters
When diplomacy fails and the Imperial Court is in danger, the Shogun sends for Mamatu Zaemon and his elite band of warriors. These men are famed for dealing with unpleasant matters with discretion and a certain finality.
Bakura's Bandits
Bakura is typical of his kind, a ruthless hill bandit, with pretences of social sophistication. He gathers about him a gang of misfits, lost men and thieves. Every Daimyo has to deal with such men.
Sōhei Monks
Some look upon monks as being peaceful servants of the Buddha. However, in these turbulent times many monasteries meddle in local politics and can field fast and deadly warriors. They will fight just about anyone, even other monks.
Clan Patrol
Every samurai clan has a duty to protect its people. The men it sends to do this are steadfast and loyal and will fight to the death to keep their villages safe from bandits, ronin and worse predators.
Ronin
What does a samurai bushi do when he loses his master or is cast out? He could commit seppuku to regain his honour or become a bandit. Some though stil cherish the dream they might one day return to the service of a grateful lord. These form bands of mercenaries that roam the land seeking employment suited to their martial skills.
Ninja
n the shadows, death awaits those who offend the ninja clans. In these times of strife they are much called upon to serve masters for whom ambition trumps honour.
Ikko-Ikki
There comes a time when the heimin, the peasant and merchant classes, can no longer bear the daily humiliations laid upon them by the samurai. Then they rise up and throw off their yokes, turning villages and towns into fortresses, and attract the support of disaffected ashigaru, ronin and sōhei.
Kabuki-mono
In every society there are narcissistic psychopaths who prey upon the weak. Such are the Kabuki-mono. Mostly of the samurai class these men have really gone over the edge between light and dark. Dressed like dandies, these are men you dare not oppose without good reason.
Ryu
In every town and city there are ryu where men train for years to master the martial arts. Many samurai spend a season in such a ryu to improve their skills. However, there are times when the ryu will march to war, and Buddha help those they take up arms against.
Oni
From the pits of hell these demons pour forth to answer a foolish mortal's call and make man pay for his hegemony of the surface world. They are huge, unspeakable beasts with ambitions best left unspoken.
Bakemono
Always in the shadow of their larger cousins the Oni, the bakemono have ambitions of their own. They will sally forth in often vain attempts to possess land and demand tribute in mockery of the samurai clans they abhor.
Tengu
No-one can fathom the real motives of the mysterious Tengu. It is enough that they exist in the mist-shrouded forests of the interior and occasionally meddle in human affairs wielding their sorcerous arts and deadly blades.
Creating your own Buntai
As in our previous works we believe that the players should have all the tools they require to build up their own, unique, buntai based upon history, story or myth. For this reason we have written the Buntai Dojo which is in the Bonus Material section of this blog.
Within this mini-supplement is also a full new buntai – the Iron Blossom Geisha.
And to assist you further there is also a points calculating spreadsheet. With Daishō you have no limit but your imagination.
gets medieval.
