Roleplaying game

9
Introduction
Bushidō
Literally “the way of the warrior,” Bushidō is the code by which all samu-
rai in Rokugan strive to live. Samurai are taught to embrace the ideals of 
Bushidō and strive ever toward them, at the expense of personal gain. 
Not even the Kami upheld Bushidō without flaw; the strictures put down 
by Akodo are nearly impossible to maintain in their entirety, and the 
struggle to maintain them consumes a samurai’s existence. Many clans 
emphasize one virtue over others, but all clans acknowledge the different 
virtues to varying degrees.
The virtues of Bushidō are:
Gi: Righteousness
“Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people. Believe in 
justice, not from other people, but from yourself. A true samurai knows in 
their heart that there are no shades of grey in the question of honesty and 
justice. There is only right and wrong.”
Righteousness is not a matter for debate; it is sunlight glinting off the 
katana, bright and painful to the eye. There is only truth and falsehood, 
justice and injustice. Yet Righteousness may be forsworn or delayed in the 
course of a samurai’s duties. Courtiers and magistrates alike must remain 
truthful and committed to justice even as they manipulate other courtiers 
and turn a blind eye to lesser injustices; some families make an art warp-
ing the light of truth just so.
Yū: Courage
“Rise up above the masses of people who are afraid to act. A samurai 
must have heroic courage. It is absolutely risky. It is dangerous. Only in 
acceptance of one’s death may a samurai live their life completely, fully, 
wonderfully. Courage is not blind; it is intelligent and strong. Replace fear 
with respect and caution.”
Every samurai lives three feet from death at all times. A samurai must be 
prepared to give their lives for their lord, their clan, and the Empire at a mo-
ment’s notice. To die in service to one’s lord furthers one’s karma, and thus 
samurai eagerly embrace the idea of a noble death in service to their family. 
Jin: Compassion
“Through intense training, the samurai becomes quick and strong. They 
are not as other people. They develop a power that must be used for the good 
of all. They have compassion. They help their fellows at every opportunity. If 
an opportunity does not arise, they go out of their way to find one.”
Samurai are above the heimin and hinin of Rokugan, but the root of 
their title is those who serve. Most embrace Compassion in the abstract, 
defending the commoners of the realm from military incursion and be-
ing butchered by rival clans. Few take the virtue to the logical extreme of 
preventing abuse of the lower classes, although clans such as the Phoenix 
take the virtue extremely seriously, educating the heimin to a degree un-
heard of elsewhere.
Rei: Courtesy
“Samurai have no reason to be cruel. They do not need to prove their 
strength. A samurai is courteous even to their enemies. Without this outward 
show of respect, we are nothing more than animals. A samurai is not only 
respected for their strength in battle, but also by their dealings with others. 
The true inner strength of a samurai becomes apparent during difficult times.”
The social order isn’t just important to Rokugan—it is, in a literal man-
ner, what the Heavens rest upon. A samurai is required to maintain ap-
pearances and withstand adversity, exhibiting courteousness even when 
faced with the most vile lack of it. It is for this reason that courtiers prac-
tice indirect insults and the art of the subtle insinuation. While it may be 
socially appropriate for those of higher rank to lose their temper, their 
own integrity is proven by maintaining Courtesy.
Meiyo: Honor
“A true samurai has only one judge of their honor, and that is themself. 
Decisions you make and how those decisions are carried out are a reflection 
of who you truly are. You cannot hide from yourself.”
Meiyo is the most subtle, yet the most basic and all-encompassing virtue. 
Samurai without Honor cannot truly follow the other virtues of Bushidō, 
for they act as others expect and not as their own conscience dictates. If 
their own honor is intact, however, they will follow the ways of Bushidō 
and pursue justice without flaw or failure, even when commanded oth-
erwise by their lord. For this reason, honor can also justify disloyalty and 
cause samurai to disobey their lord; without moral backing, the other 
virtues are hollow. 
Makoto: Sincerity/Integrity
“When a samurai has said they will perform an action, it is as good as 
done. Nothing will stop them from completing their deed. They do not have 
to ‘give their word,’ nor do they have to ‘promise.’ The action of speaking alone 
has set the act of doing in motion. Speaking and doing are the same thing.”
Samurai must express Sincerity in word and deed, acting with complete 
and total conviction, whether they serve themselves or their lord. A con-
vincing manner is more valued in Rokugan than the absolute truth, for 
the samurai who speaks with sincerity has committed the totality of their 
being to the sentiment. For samurai to do anything less is a slight upon 
their clan, their lord, and their honor. 
Chūgi: Duty and Loyalty
“For the samurai, having done some ‘thing’ or said some ‘thing,’ 
they know they own that ‘thing.’ They are responsible for it and all the 
consequences that follow. A samurai is intensely loyal to those in their care. 
To those they are responsible for, they remain fiercely true.”
More so than honor, Duty and Loyalty are central to the martial spirit of 
Rokugan. Samurai are expected to do their duty to their lord and their 
subordinates without hesitation or reservation, no matter the cost to their 
own honor. Of course, any duty given by their lord is expected to be with-
in the bounds of Bushidō and bring honor to the samurai by obeying it…
but this expression of duty is rarely seen. Should a samurai feel their duty 
conflicts with the other virtues of Bushidō, they may commit seppuku in 
protest, a rare exception to needing a lord’s permission to end one’s life. 
The sentiment is impossible to ignore: the lord has forfeited the samurai’s 
honor, and no one without honor is fit to serve.

---