What is Fragile Grasses?
This NES takes place in Sengoku / Azuchi-Momoyama periods, beginning in 1573. The two major events defining the start of our game is the death of Takeda Shingen due to natural causes, and the expulsion of former Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki from Kyoto at the hands of Oda Nobunaga. Players will take control of a minor
bushi lord (essentially, samurai lord) who is loyal to one of the seven major daimyo. Alternatively, players may take on the role of a
sohei (warrior monk) who is loyal to the Ikko-ikki cause and operates a minor temple and recruits from a local village. Along with your lord will come a small estate, a humble stipend of
koku, and very little renown.
Why are you having us play as minor samurai lords? Why not the daimyo themselves?
This NES is meant to simulate the unpredictability of the time period. In my studies of Japanese history, it is evident that, with all of the characters in play, a certain degree of luck was required for events to transpire the way they did. I consider this a mostly accurate representation of the time period. However, I believe that with hard work and interesting narratives coalescing with one another, players can experience a gradual rise in power and an increased ability to change history. Starting as one of the major daimyo means starting in a position of power, and possibly doing what you already know can or should be done - if you simply read a history book. I want to make things more unpredictable and more customized towards the creative nature of the strategist and the artist within each player.
You are kind of unreliable as a mod. I don't trust you.
Fair enough. But keep in mind that I also have not had much experience before this point. Sometimes I engage in projects with hefty goals, not realizing that I am only one person. Such was the case with projects such as the last Sekai, or even the last Sengoku NES. In those cases, it was easy for me to get in over my head. I have created this NES with that in mind, and have thus made it easily manageable from a moderator's point of view, but also from a player's. I want this NES to be laid out in clear terms, with clear goals posed to the players, and a high level of interactivity. I vow to fully communicate with the community on the status of updates, and I also vow to not write a dozen stories per week until I get burnt out. I think that the majority of players in my games thus far have had a good deal of fun. I hope those same players show their faces here.
I don't know anything about Japanese history. Can I play?
Of course! In fact, I'd really encourage newcomers to the era and the region to get involved. There is no better way to learn than participating in this kind of NES. I will barrage you with facts and tidbits on a semi-daily basis, and I'm sure you'll learn a lot on your own as you research your opportunities. The Internet is a great resource, though often vague. Honestly, the best resources are books in Japanese, but I know the majority of you will not have access to such books. Honestly, wikipedia and samurai archives and likeminded websites will give you some very basic background that you might find useful. If you really want to know of some books to check out, let me know privately, and I will give you some recommendations.
What kinds of players are you looking for?
I'm looking for players who want a challenge. I'd also prefer players who enjoy writing stories, without being forced to, and who can present an interesting narrative for their character and his fledgling domain. Everyone starts as an underdog in this NES. I'd also like flexible players, who can come up with engaging backstories, introduce dynamic, multidimensional characters, and react appropriately to events occurring both locally and regionally.
Will this be a lot of work?
Yes and no. What you get out of it depends on what you put in. Nonetheless, I'm not making this into an epic novel... yet. I'd like you to adequately present and define your samurai lord and his status and character to the rest of us. Why join a NES if you are just going to ignore it when the game actually starts?
What is the background setting of the NES?
Well, I described it briefly above, and each major clan/daimyo will have a blurb laying out its situation, so you can make an educated decision on which one to be a part of. In 1570, Oda Nobunaga began a siege of the formidable Ishiyama Honganji, the largest of the Ikko-ikki's Buddhist temple fortresses. At the start of our NES, that siege is 3 years in, and however it is concluded will effect the timeline significantly. The Ikko-ikki are not just unruly mobs with pitchforks. They are highly trained by warrior monks, and even ronin and defecting samurai lords sympathetic to their cause. In terms of supplies, they have a good deal of muskets (arquebus), dozens of small forts around Ishiyama Honganji, and other large temple fortresses in other places around the region. And, they potentially have the support of major daimyo opposed to Oda Nobunaga. This NES is thus set primarily (at least in the beginning) in the Ishiyama Honganji War -- and this war will come to involve most major daimyo, if not militarily, then politically and economically. The outcome of this war will effect all of Japan.
What are my goals / what can I actually do?
I'm taking this whole Q&A scheme from Thlayli, because it presents a good opportunity. And I like his reply to this question, which is: "Interesting [goals], I hope." In my opinion, if you need to ask this question, you might not be suited for this NES in the first place. But if I must compile a list, it'd look something like this (which is in no way comprehensive):
- Gain favor with the daimyo you are loyal to.
- Rise in influence and prestige within this setting, altering the course of history.
- Apply subtle pressure to the daimyo you are loyal to, as you rise in influence...
- ...thus influencing the decisions that daimyo makes.
- Compete against other bushi trying to gain favor with your daimyo.
- Convince other retainers of your wisdom and honor. Gain their support.
- Expand the size of your own domain by proving your worth and being appointed over adjacent areas, or over a larger, new area altogether.
- Prove yourself as a competent administrator by making your subjects happy.
- Prove yourself as a competent politician by attending the court of the daimyo you are loyal to and...
- ...potentially arranging marriages or friendships that will benefit you and your allies.
- Build forts. Lots of forts. And fight battles and command troops in those battles. Lots of battles... usually not fought by yourself, of course. Oh, by the way...
- ...even if you lose a battle, or are on the losing side of a battle, you could still have done an amazing feat within that battle, and can still gain prestige and influence.
- Siege a prominent castle in the name of your daimyo.
- Follow the requests of your daimyo, from joining an army to commanding an army, to joining a siege to building a great castle.
- Expand your home castle. Make it great.
- Secure firearms manufacturing?
- Assassinate rivals?
- Gain your own following of retainers?
- Betray your daimyo when it seems fit to do so? Not a good idea, but you could...
- ...join a rival daimyo if your daimyo is defeated (not always considered dishonorable, actually)?
- Die, only to have your eldest son take over (hopefully)?
See that last one? Yeah, you can die. But you'll have heirs, or brothers, or both.
I want to be like Zatoichi, or a wandering ronin with no obligations, or a hairy mountain man who can catch fish with his hands, or [enter Japanese feudal era trope here].
This is the wrong NES for you, I'm sorry to say. While the samurai clan you create is fictional, that does not mean it is fantastic or unrealistic. It should fit nicely into the overarching theme and setting of this NES. That goes for your background information, too. Make it interesting by peppering it with facts, such as a story of how your samurai took his first head at the Battle of Mikatagahara, or how he escaped the Battle of Anegawa, watching Oda samurai kill his brother, only to later shave his head and join the warrior monks at Nagashima, or how he was once a retainer of the Imagawa, but joined the Takeda when he personally met Shingen as his troops poured into Suruga Province and took control of Sunpu. There are many ways to give even a fictional, minor samurai clan a realistic basis for existing. Fictional clan, yes, but not unintelligible. Not to mention, legends evolve from real events, and the whole point of this is that you are not legendary... yet.
OK, I'm in. What do I do?
To be a part of this story, you must apply. For now, there are a limited number of spots available (12), indicated by a cap to how many players can be underneath each daimyo. One extremely important note you must remember is that your samurai clan
can change loyalties! This does not happen with your starting bushi betraying your current daimyo. Rather, this happens if your starting bushi dies in battle, your clan is divided between brothers or sons, the other daimyo is invading and there is little hope for survival, etc. Many people mistake feudal Japan as being so brutal that even lowly samurai retainers were forced to commit seppuku or fight to the death if an enemy neared. Those cases are high profile, and usually have to do with
important retainers. Several estates changed hands and loyalties during this time period, without a drop of blood being shed. You must simply have a good, in-character reason. If not, you will suffer. As you gain more and more influence with your daimyo, it will become more and more difficult to justifiably switch loyalties. You should always run this kind of thing by me first, though sometimes these situations will arise and occur naturally.
The # of maximum players per daimyo are for the start of the NES only. Incoming players during the course of the NES might be able to join on a case-by-case basis. For example, if I feel the Uesugi could use another retainer at some point during the game, a new spot will open.
Oda: 2 player retainers
Mori: 2 player retainers
Ikko-ikki: 2 player retainers
Takeda: 2 player retainers
Uesugi: 1 player retainer
Tokugawa: 1 player retainer
Toyotomi: 1 player retainer
Hojo: 1 player retainer
How do I apply?
To apply, please compose a write-up on your bushi and his estate. Feel free to indicate your interest to be one of the daimyo's retainers before working on your write-up. Please follow this format:
Application Format said:
Mon: Indicate page # and mon # (see links below).
(If you are applying for the Ikko-ikki, leave this blank.)
Daimyo: Indicate the daimyo your bushi is loyal to. Please see the post following this one for brief summaries of the daimyo, their clans, and their current situations.
(If you are applying for the Ikko-ikki, just put "Kennyo".)
Location: Based on your knowledge of the period, tell me where you would like your estate to be. If you really have no idea, leave this blank or discuss in the thread. There can, of course, be multiple clans/fiefs in a single location, so don't worry if you pick a spot in which there already exists an influential clan.
(If you are applying for the Ikko-ikki, tell me where your small temple is. You will be the abbot of this temple.)
Age: How old is your main character?
Family: (members and history) I want you to list all immediate family members, as well as other notable family members. Use real Japanese first names. Again, if you have no idea or need help, leave it blank / discuss in the thread. Consider such factors as: siblings, marriage, offspring, and adoption. Put the age of each family number in parentheses. In addition to a listing of family members and their sex and ages, please also give us a brief family history. This section should be closely linked to your background.
(If you are applying for the Ikko-ikki, you still might have a family, especially if you were forced into exile to the temple, or lived another life before becoming a monk. You may also give a list of notable monks who study with/under you and help you tend to the temple and its affairs.)
Heir: Of the family members you listed, who is the official heir to the estate / temple?
Personal Background: Tell me about your samurai lord and how he came to inherit a small estate for himself and his family. This is a good spot to talk about past experiences or feats that have given you a modicum of prestige by the start of the NES.
After filling out those necessities, I would like you to write your first story.
Here are the mon chart links. Please indicate both the page # and the mon #. Please choose a mon that is not used by a daimyo of this time period.
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Please remember that throughout this NES, especially in battle, your liege daimyo's mon should be presented more prominently than your own! After you pick a mon, I will provide your family name.
How does this NES work?
This NES is likely to go through a few different "stages". I won't define later stages right now, but depending on how the situation develops, we might have to go to an orders-based system. I don't expect this for quite some time, if ever.
Your ambitions, goals, and very being are to be expressed in story form. You are not actually in control of the daimyo you have chosen to represent, though you can lobby him for various purposes, especially if you gain the support of other local clans. But because you do not control the daimyo directly, that daimyo will be making decisions that will sweep you into the mayhem. Your stories do have a purpose, and are not just fluff. They will indicate to me the direction you want to take your character and what your character wants, or how he is reacting to certain situations. Scenarios can and will develop from this information that is given to me.
What about updates?
Updates are going to be short and cold. Well, that is an exaggeration. They will certainly be short. And they will definitely not be back-and-forth military battle #s garnished with prose that becomes tiring to write by the third update. I say "cold" because updates will give information. Sure, I might pepper them with haiku or a bit of story, but their purpose is to inform you of new scenarios, effects current events are having on your clan, deaths in your family you didn't foresee, in addition to the traditional outcomes of battles, loss of koku, the results of your actions in the previous turn's stories, etc.
After updates, you write another round of stories, which are then read and interpreted by me once again, until another update is posted. And we continue like that. You can and should cooperate or oppose actual players in the NES. Rivalries between retainers are not unheard of, though you might also have an enemy from long ago who is now supporting the daimyo your master is at war with.
Interaction is encouraged.
This system is a way for me to post concise and frequent updates so that the NES can continue through many in-game years.