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Hi folks!
At the moment I'm working on a bunch of arcane
backgrounds but I've done a fair bit on one of them. I thought I'd post the
basic idea and mechanics to the tender mercies of this listserv ;)
The Western Kenjetsu Initiate
Background
Ever since the beginning of 1878 rumours and tales
of strange men and women carrying even stranger swords wandering the west.
These tales, from all parts west of the bloody ol' muddy are very similar. The
people in question are always similar in one area, though they might be whites,
asians or even injuns. The swords they carry. They always carry two, one longer
than the other. The swords are strangely curved and the people carrying them
call them their "daisho".
Whatever the case these people and their swords
seem capable of superhuman feats. Tales of them using their swords to
block bullets fired at them to them cutting down strange abominations with
one elegant blow, while said quietly in the dark corners of taverns, are
strangely compelling.
And they happen to be true.
In 1864, young Richard Hensley a native of New
Orleans and the son of a rich shipping tycoon travelled to Japan in order to set
himself up for life. However he always had been curious about the Oriental
cultures and so it was only natural for him to look deeply into things no
occidental had seen before him. He was particularly impressed with the Japanese
Kendo and became friends with a master of it, Hanzo Ishimi. Hazo however called
it Kenjetsu, "the way of the sword" and he professed to follow an old path.
Richard was a capable fencer and began combining Kenjetsu with his native
fencing. As he travelled through Japan he an Hanzo met Shikei Kanakawa, an
ambitious young man looking to gain his fortune. He proposed a double alliance
to Richard and Hanzo, a joint business venture back in America and the
development of their own form of Kenjetsu. Richard was troubled by this offer
but he did accept it (becoming by now an excellent kenjetsu artist). However it
was during a trip to China that things would change for him. He had taken
to wearing a katana at all times, a gift from Hanzo. As he was walking in the
country one morning he came across something he could never have expected: a
Demon. Or at least something that sure as hell looked like one. The thing looked
at him as if he was breakfast, but Richard was carrying the carving knife. In a
battle that lasted 10 minutes the Demon and Richard fought. In the end
a stranger also wielding a sword came to Richard's aid and together
they defeated the Demon. The stranger introduced himself as Wing Chun Lee and he
stated that he had been watching Richard ever since he had first arrived in
China. He said that Richard and his two friends had unknowlingly followed thwe
path of the sword almost to it's full conclusion. They were on the doorstop of
enlightenment and Wing offered to help them reach that goal. And so the triangle
became a square. It seems that by focusing their chi through their swords, they
were capable of amazing supernatural feats. It was simply called "Kenjetsu" in
it's true form, the way of the sword.
The four travelled throughout the American west in
1876-1877. They combined their four techniques and techniques they learned from
Kung Fu masters, Cavalry officers and barroom brawlers. This technique became
known simply as Western Kenjetsu, a technique as bastardised as Kendo is
traditional. Throughout their travels they saw strange creatures and events.
They decided to do something about it. They decided to fight the Reckoning.
Here they were split. Richard and Hanzo both
believed that the best way would be to be hidden in plain sight, recruiting
people under a false organisation. Wing felt that it would be best like the
traditional Shaolin monasteries: those worthy find themselves under his wing.
Shikei felt a more militant approach was necessary. Or he didn't. Sad thing
about Shikei is that old say "play with fire and get burnt". Ambitious and
impatient, Shikei had willingly sided with the Reckoners for power. None of the
others were aware of this however. One night he left, simply dissappearing into
the night. Soon after Wing also left. Richard and Hanzo decided to hide
their activities by creating a strange group: The Western Dragon
Society. This society, officially a gambling club is dedicated to
racial equality and so it attracted the sort of people that would be easily
set on the path of enlightenment. Those so trained are called Initiates. These
Western Kenjetsu Initiates, like most heroes, scour the west looking to fight
the Reckoning wherever they are able. However they don't boast or brag. To each
of them it is an individual crusade which is not to be trumpeted.
Richard and Hanzo and many of the older Initiates
know that Shikei and Wing are still around. Not all those who carry a daisho
proclaiming them to be a Western Kenjetsu Initiate are trained by the
Western Dragon Society.
In-Game
Basically the Western Kenjetsu Initiate works like
the Martial Artist. They buy the 3 point "Western Kenjetsu Training" edge and
unless they are still walking the path (that is, still in training), they buy
Arcane Background: Enlightened. Western Kenjetsu uses its own aptitude
(Fightin': Western Kenjetsu). Western Kenjetsu Initiates know one exotic
maneuver for each level of Fightin': Western Kenjetsu they have. These
things are the older brother of the maneuver in Last Crusaders; complicated but
not supernatural. These are things like Riposte, the Double Edge Cross Strike,
Iajitsu Draw, things like that.
As for the chi powers i've got two ideas for it. An
enlightened Western Kenjetsu Initiate needs the chi aptitude as normal and knows
as many powers as levels in their chi aptitude but how they use their powers I
am still unsure on. Opinions on this would be appreciated. First idea: Strain.
Powers cost strain to use: simple easy to keep track of. Second Idea: Focus
values. Each power requires a certain focus value to use. You announce your
using the power and start building up focus by rolling your chi against the
TN of the power each action and adding successes and raises to a running total.
When you reach the required amount, boom. This represents how the powers of an
Initiate work more accurately but it could be tricky to keep of track of and has
a few difficulties inherent in it (How would you cast a vamoose power like The
Way (Blocking bullets) or I am Rubber, You are Glue (Like
Retribution)?)
Anyway feed back is appreciated. If anyone is
actually interested I'll post some powers and maneuvers (common and exotic)som
edges and hinderances and some info about the Western Dragon Society as
well as some Marshal Only stuff.
If you're not interested, well then I
apologise for taking up your valuable time and bid you a good
evening.
Thanks all for you time,
Alex
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