The IC can be found here. Listen to Fall Sakura IC(Open & accepting)
Azuchi Castle
Clan : Oda
Year : 1576
Time Period : Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603)
Idea : This will be a storyline loosely based around Samurai, Daimyos, Shoguns, Buddhist, commoners, Geisha, And yes Ninja. Please do remember that many Samurai did become bureaucrats, teachers or artists. The idea of the whole thing is more about life in Azuchi Castle rather then ninja attacking everyone, Or Samurai going around picking fights. As everyone will be in the same clan. Which is Oda clan.
Now this is not to say there shouldn't be any fighting, and action. Just not overly so. There should be sparing, Training, Bar fights, Fights on honor, And so forth. I'm going to make some key Char and make them NPC so more then one person can use them within their inner storyline. However once more I'm going to give some basic info on the person, Please.. Please I beg try not to undermined them. Use them as if they were your own char, Also keep in mind that other people might be using them. So you might have to wait, Or something.
Concept : When the last effective Ashikaga shogun Yoshiteru was assassinated in 1565, an ambitious daimyo, Oda Nobunaga, seized the opportunity and installed Yoshiteru's brother Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the 15th Ashikaga shogun. However, Yoshiaki was only a puppet shogun.
The Ashikaga shogunate was finally destroyed in 1573 when Nobunaga drove Ashikaga Yoshiaki out of Kyoto. Initially, Yoshiaki fled to Shikoku. Afterwards, Yoshiaki sought and received protection from the Mori clan in western Japan. Later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi requested that Yoshiaki accept him as an adopted son and the 16th Ashikaga Shogun, but Yoshiaki refused.
In the summer of 1582, just after Nobunaga's death at Honnōji*, the castle was attacked by the forces of Akechi
Mitsuhide, Nobunaga's betrayer. The castle was set aflame
Between 1576, and 1582 there was six years of life in Azuchi Castle. Nobunaga'a Army of Samurai, the farmers in the fields, And everyone between. Did they live in fear of an attack from the Mora Clan as they battle the Takeda clan, Did they live in awe of their daimyo Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority, Or did they live in true peace with the Buddhist temple called Jōgon-in within their city.
Let us live it, and find out.
*The Incident at Honnō-ji ( Honnō-ji no Hen) refers to the forced suicide in June 21, 1582 of Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga at the hands of his samurai general Akechi Mitsuhide. This occurred in Honnō-ji, a temple in Kyoto, ending Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority
1. Romance is allowed - PG-13 only in the story. If you want to do more, take it to PM.
2. Violence is allowed but you can not kill off another character, unless you are doubling, or someone else has said you can kill theirs.
3. Cussing is allowed, but not every other word please. And, also, if someone gets offended by swearing then please respect that and just use *** for the other letters.
4. I'm the GM, so what I say goes.
5. I want a detailed Character Sheets. No one line descriptions.
6. No one liners please. I can't do much with one line. The more you write, the more that can be written back so I'd have to say 3 lines at a minimum please.
7. Please please please be able to spell correctly, even use a spell checker. And, can you please have semi decent grammar. I understand slip ups, but if I have to get someone to translate what's been said, then that's not a good sign.
8. No Mary Sues or Gary Sues. Is that what they're called? Anyway, what it means, is no alsolutely perfect people that has nothing wrong with them, and everything in their life is absolutely perfect... None of them please. They depress me more than depressed all the time characters. Basically, point is, no one in real life is that perfect, so they won't be on here either.
9. Even though this roleplay is set in 1576 and muskets are around I would hate to see everyone with one. As the Muromachi Period has just ended and there is still a honor code.
10. Either when you reserve a place, or when you send your character sheet. I want to see somewhere on the page, written "Mono no aware"
11. Please can we have even genders!!! I don't want 50 girls and one guy. Same goes for age as well.
12. And the most important rule, which I've saved till last, HAVE FUN !!!
Helpful Info
Azuchi Castle (Azuchi-jō?)
Was one of the primary castles of Oda Nobunaga. It was built from 1576 to 1579, on the shores of Lake Biwa, in Ōmi Province. Nobunaga intentionally built it close enough to Kyoto that he could watch over and guard the approaches to the capital, but, being outside the city, his fortress would be immune to the fires and conflicts that occasionally consumed the capital. This location was also quite strategically advantageous, in managing the communications and transportation routes between his greatest foes - the Uesugi clan to the north, Takeda clan in the east, and Mōri clan to the west.
Unlike earlier castles and fortresses, Azuchi was not intended to be solely a military structure, cold, dark, and foreboding. Nobunaga intended it as a lavish mansion, which would impress and intimidate his rivals, not only with its defenses, but with its lavish apartments and decorations, and flourishing town and religious life. The keep, called Tenshukaku, rather than being the center of the castle's defences, was a seven-story building containing audience halls, private chambers, offices, and a treasury, as though it were a royal palace. In addition to being one of the first Japanese castles with a tower keep, Azuchi was unique in that its uppermost story was octagonal. In addition, the facade of Azuchi, unlike the solid white or black of other castles, was colorfully decorated with tigers and dragons.
There were five main militaristic features of Azuchi Castle that differentiated it from earlier castle designs. Firstly, it was a massive structure, with the walls of the castle ranging from 18 feet to 21 feet in thickness. The second feature of Azuchi Castle is the predominant use of stone. The walls were constructed from huge granite stones fitted carefully together without the use of mortar. A third innovation of the Azuchi Castle was the high central tower, or donjon. The tower allowed for increased visibility for the use of guns against an opposing force. Builder’s plans for the castle show the donjon to be 138 feet tall, with seven levels. Fourthly, Azuchi Castle had irregularly formed inner citadels. These inner citadels gave defenders ample defensive positions against intruders. The location of Azuchi Castle was also a novel feature. Whereas most Japanese castles found the most advantegous position was at the base of mountain surrounded by dense vegetation (which would allow cover for an enemy), Azuchi Castle was built on a plain to give a wide view of an approaching enemy.
Nobunaga desired a full castle town, and built well-defended homes for his generals, a Jōdo-shu Buddhist temple called Jōgon-in, and a number of homes for commoners a short distance away on the shore of the lake
Type - Azuchi-Momoyama castle
Built - 1579 Built by Oda Nobunaga
Construction materials - stone, wood, plaster walls
Height - Seven stories (138ft)(main keep)
Demolished - 1582, by Akechi Mitsuhide
Controlled - by Oda Nobunaga
Garrison - 5,000 (incl. civilians)
'
Events - Azuchi religious debate (1579)
http://nowseehere.typepad.com/photos/az ... index.html
http://www45.tok2.com/home/todo94/azuchi.html
Some good photos to help. Above
Note: There are other houses, And smaller forts on the way up the to castle.
Time line
Heian Period (794-1185)
The samurai's importance and influence grew during the Heian Period, when powerful landowners hired private warriors for the protection of their properties. Towards the end of the Heian Period, two military clans, the Minamoto and Taira, had grown so powerful that they seized control over the country and fought wars for supremacy against each other.
Kamakura Period (1192-1333)
In 1185, the Minamoto defeated the Taira, and Minamoto Yoritomo established a new military government in Kamakura in 1192. As shogun, the highest military officer, he became the ruler of Japan.
Muromachi Period (1333 - 1573)
During the chaotic Era of Warring States (sengoku jidai, 1467-1573), Japan consisted of dozens of independent states which were constantly fighting each other. Consequently, the demand for samurai was very high. Between the wars, many samurai were working on farms. Many of the famous samurai movies by Kurosawa take place during this era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sengoku_period
Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603)
When Toyotomi Hideyoshi reunited Japan, he started to introduce a rigid social caste system which was later completed by Tokugawa Ieyasu and his successors. Hideyoshi forced all samurai to decide between a life on the farm and a warrior life in castle towns. Furthermore, he forbade anyone but the samurai to arm themselves with a sword.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azuchi-Momoyama_Period
Edo Period (1603 - 1868)
According to the Edo Period's official hierarchy of social castes, the samurai stood at the top, followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants. Furthermore, there were hierarchies within each caste. All samurai were forced to live in castle towns and received income from their lords in form of rice. Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused minor troubles during the early Edo Period.
With the fall of Osaka Castle in 1615, the Tokugawa's last potential rival was eliminated, and relative peace prevailed in Japan for about 250 years. As a result, the importance of martial skills declined, and most samurai became bureaucrats, teachers or artists.
In 1868, Japan's feudal era came to an end, and the samurai class was abolished.
Note on Muskets
As in looking back in history I can't have a Storyline with Samurai Without some kind of firearm. However I don't really want them as I believe it take away from the story. It much more simple to shot a person then take a life with a sword. However As I had stated you can have one without the other. I will allow muskets within the story. Seeing how muskets were introduced in 1543 by Portuguese merchantmen and by the 1560s were being mass-produced locally Azuchi Castle was made in 1576 to 1579. That is about 16 or so years between to points, So I feel I must allow firearms. I would hope that any man/woman would have more honor then to use them. However if your char is of a lower class then I can't help, But to understand.
Main Characters
Shoguns : None*
Daimyos : Oda Nobunaga - NPC
General 1 : Akechi Mitsuhide - Open
General 2 : Toyotomi Hideyoshi - Open
General 3 : Ryou Katsurou - SinnerOfAllSaints
Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長, Oda Nobunaga?)"Oda Nobunaga (help·info) (June 23, 1534–June 21, 1582) was a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. He was the second son of Oda Nobuhide, a deputy shugo (military governor) with land holdings in Owari province. Nobunaga lived a life of continuous military conquest, eventually conquering a third of Japanese daimyo before his death in 1582
*As there is no Shogun that will not need to be filled.
Also I'm leaving Oda Hobunaga as a NPC for the joy of everone. If you wish to play one of the remaining role's please read up on them before hand. Wikipedia is a great tool. I'll be looking at the profiles to make sure you have read some history on them.
Sub Characters
Samurai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai
Buddhist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist
Commoners
Really Come on
Geisha
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha
Ninja
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja
Spot 1: reserved for Comrade Vacilli
Spot 2:
Spot 3:
Note: You don't have to use Wikipedia for info. It's just that wikipedia is cool, And very helpful.
Note: You don't have to use Wikipedia, It's just very helpful and cool.
Before we get started I would like to have one person to each class, Though if nothing else at lest four people playing Samurai. I'm only allowing three Ninja within the Storyline so if you must play it as a role reserve a place. Same goes for the two remaining main characters.
If your looking for a Character Sheet to follow your not going to find one here. I want to see which each person believes to be important enough to add into a Sheet. If the Characters Sheet you make falls short, Then so do you. Not to sound heartless, But these things always seem to fall apart as soon as they get good.
Clan info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oda_clan
Also I'm looking for a person to help me GM if they don't mind as I have never been a GM before thank you. PM if your up to it.