Instead of the samurai of the Great Clans and their intrigues and struggles, this playstyle focuses on the forgotten heroes and villains who live on the outskirts of society and struggle to survive in a dangerous world.

While defending a village from bandits, fleeing the consequences of one’s actions, or scraping together a few bu for one’s next meal may not be the stuff of epic poems, it is just as harrowing for those who live it.

Assumptions of this Playstyle

This sort of story hinges on the idea that the player characters are outsiders in the broad scope of society. They are not notable political actors as the default playstyle assumes, and they are not likely to be given any political power they do not seize with their own hands. If they are samurai, they have likely forsaken or lost their titles and become rōnin, but they may also be merchants, ashigaru, peasants, and burakumin.

As a result, the company is often much rougher than the high courts of the Emerald Empire—courtesy is still important to some people, but being discourteous is only as dangerous as the person you have chosen to insult.

Character Creation Alterations

Apply the following alterations to the Game of Twenty Questions (see page 41) for each character:
Question 1: Which clan’s lands did your character grow up in? The mechanical choice is the same, except that your status is a value of your choice from 20 to 24. After all, the peasants and samurai of a given region share many cultural values (even if most samurai are loathe to admit it).
Question 2: Who is your family? Unless you are a fallen samurai, your family falls far beneath the notice of the Great Clans—you might have no family but the comrades you choose for yourself. Use the Rokugani peasant family above unless you are a fallen samurai, in which case choose a family as normal.
Question 3: Where did you learn their skills? Unless you are a fallen samurai, use the Worldly Rōnin school on page 87. If you are a fallen samurai, use a school package as normal, but your starting honor is 30.
All characters use the following starting outfit: Traveling clothes, any 1 weapon of rarity 7 or lower, traveling pack, any 1 item of rarity 5 or lower.
Question 5: What is your past? Instead of selecting a giri, select a past. A past is the set of circumstances that led you to life on the fringes of society. Your past might be a grim reputation as a warrior that you seek to outrun, circumstances of birth that forced you to be a rōnin, or the enemies who pursue you.
Your past should meet the same rough criteria as giri—something that can clash with your desires, and can create drama for your character that you will enjoy during the campaign. To attain glory, you must overcome your past, but the more glory you acquire, the more likely your past is to come crashing down upon you.
Question 7: Skip this question.
Question 18: Who was your character named after? Unless you are a fallen samurai, instead of rolling on Table 2–1: Samurai Heritage (see page 96), choose 1 additional item of rarity 5 or lower that you inherited from the family member, friend, or mentor who gave you your name or outlook on life.