Ronin and Foreign "Gaijin" Equipment

[Vutall]

While ancestral weapons and masterworks are heirlooms to be protected from generation to generation, many weapons in a samurai’s arsenal are considered disposable, or even designed as such. The rōnin does not have this luxury. Without the seemingly endless resources of a clan, without quartermasters, sword polishers, or clan blacksmiths, a rōnin must make do with what they have and make their precious few tools last. Most rōnin ultimately accept weapons that true samurai would scorn, such as those associated with the peasantry, scavenging whatever they can from their fallen foes. Principles are expensive, and rōnin can afford precious few.

Chain Whip
A specialized weapon made from a series of several stiff metal rods connected by chain loops. This long, flexible whip is used single-handed, with a wooden or metal grip on one end and a sharp metal dart on the other. Non-combat whips also exist, though very sparsely, in Rokugan. Such whips are typically made of a thick leather cord and are used by Unicorn farmers in remote areas to manage livestock

Kuwa
Like many weapons associated with the peasantry, the kuwa is a weaponized farming implement. Based on the hoe, it is a chopping weapon that is wielded similarly to a two-handed axe. The wielder uses the sharp end to fling dirt into an opponent’s face before following up with a devastating chop. The butt end of the handle is also utilized in most kuwa fighting styles as a blunt ramming weapon or to block an assailant’s initial attack.

Sling
Perhaps the humblest of projectile weapons, the sling is a length of braided cord with a pouch for holding a stone. The wielder swings the stone within the sling for momentum, then releases one end of the sling to propel the stone a great distance. Many samurai underestimate a sling’s usefulness, considering it a peasant weapon at best and a toy at worst. But in the right hands, a sling’s range is greater than that of a bow, and a slung stone can kill an unarmored foe instantly on impact. In addition to being popular among rōnin and peasants, the sling is favored by the Sparrow Clan due to its inexpensive production and the ease of acquiring ammunition.

Gada
A common heavy weapon in the Ivory Kingdoms, espe-cially among caravan guards along the Sand Road, the gada consists of a long shaft capped with a spherical head with a pointed spike at the very top. Most gada are made of iron, but ceremonial versions are often gilded or dipped in molten gold. Red-coral gada are especially effective against the rakshasa of the Ghostlands and are highly prized weapons associated with the Ivory King-doms’ greatest warriors. Gada come in massive sizes designed to crush the skulls of charging mounts and in smaller versions designed to be wielded in pairs.

Talwar
The Ivory Kingdoms sidearm is the talwar, or “single-edged sword.” A curved saber with one sharp edge and a cross-guarded hilt with a knuckle-bow, it is designed to be wielded in a specialized one-handed grip. The sword’s hilt is bulb shaped, requiring that the sword be held differently than those forged by Rokugani. This and the blade’s unusual balance means that talwar fighting requires special training; attempting to use the sword as one might a Rokugani blade can break the talwar or injure one’s wrist. However, when a talwar is wielded correctly, the wider cutting tip at the end of its blade affords it more cutting power, making this sidearm an especially deadly weapon

Urumi
Considered one of the most challenging weapons to train with, the urumi, or “whip sword,” is a specialized weapon. Even just to start learning to use it, a person must first know both swordfighting and chain weaponry. An urumi consists of one to three flexible whip blades made from thin steel and mounted to a tal-war’s handle. Similar to the bullwhip, the urumi excels at keeping multiple foes at bay, but it poses a significant risk of self-injury should anything go awry. This risk does little to dissuade those who study the urumi, however. Due to this weapon’s difficulty, wielders who master it are venerated as unparalleled martial artists.

Shields
Though not particularly common in Rokugan, many other cultures outside of the borders of the Emerald Empire employ the use of shields to supplement their armor. The Qamarist Caliphate, in particular, trains elite guards that specialize in the use of shields as weapons in and of themselves, delivering devastating blows to any who would threaten the caliph or the caliph’s people.

Buckler
A buckler is a small, round, oval, or rectangular shield typically a foot and a half across. It provides the wearer several benefits, including increased defense against projectiles, safety for the sword hand, and can also be used as a powerful bludgeoning tool

Qamarist Heavy Shield
he Qamarists of al-Zawira have a force of specially trained guards who are adept at maneuvering and working with the heavy, advanced shields produced by the master crafters and alchemists of the caliph. These shields cover nearly two-thirds of an average warrior’s body, and are extremely heavy. Not only do they offer increased protection from both ranged and melee assault, but these massive shields can be used to bull-rush opponents and knock over multiple enemies if used by a skilled combatant. These shields are also created to ward off supernatural effects using the secretive methods of the caliph’s alchemists

Gaijin Pepper
Made of small, black grains, this highly combustible substance is one of the most illegal gaijin imports and is banned throughout the Empire. Certain clan schools are rumored to use it, however, and Slow Tide Harbor is known in illicit circles as one of the most reliable locations for purchase


Improvised Weapons
In Leadership, the Kami Akodo lists the ideals for samurai. Among them was a constant state of readiness: a samurai should be able to defend their lord at any moment and kill with any weapon. Dōjō through-out Rokugan take this to heart, devoting entire courses of instruction to teaching the ever-ready state desired in samurai. Among other things, these courses teach a samurai how to defend themself and kill an enemy from a seated or prone position, such as sitting behind a table during the tea ceremony or just awakening from a deep slumber. Danger can come at any time, and a samurai’s duty is to be constantly ready for it.

A part of this training is learning to kill in unconventional ways, with tools that would not normally be considered weapons. While a samurai’s personal code forbids taking up most of the arms associated with the peasantry, improvising weapons is considered a very useful skill. This is doubly so for yōjimbō, who are not always afforded the courtesy of being allowed to carry their regular weapons when accompanying their charges into certain places. It is also useful for courtiers, who frequent courts and other locations where standard weapons are not allowed. Sometimes hurling an improvised weapon at an assailant gains a courtier just enough time for their yōjimbō to intercept the assailant’s attack.

Boat Oar
In Rokugani folklore, tales abound of samurai who, unable to procure their weapon, instead defended themselves with a wooden boat oar. The Rokugani boat oar is made from sturdy, lacquered wood. It has a relatively short shaft and a long, flat paddle with a rounded tip. Due to the top-heavy weight distribution, it is generally wielded with two hands, as one might wield a naginata or nagamaki. A typical use of a boat oar in combat is to present the broad side to the opponent so as to shield oneself and catch the assailant’s blade; once that blade is embedded in the wood, the oar is cast aside, wrenching the sword from the assail-ant’s hands.

Chair
Everyday furniture is perhaps the most commonly used improvised weapon, especially among the more martial-minded clans, which even plan for the inevitability of needing to use such a weapon

Fishing Net
Most bushi schools regard improvised weapons as a means to delay an opponent just long enough for the bushi to procure or draw an actual weapon, not as a means to end a fight. An example of such a weapon is the common fishing net. The typical fisher’s net is made from hemp or jute. Woven into the netting are several empty glass orbs, which act as floaters to keep the net from sinking. A warrior could swing the net, using the orbs as a buffeting weapon, but most commonly they use it to entangle the enemy until a better weapon can be found.

Iron Sheath
In a pinch, the hard sheath of a bladed weapon can act as an excellent tool to surprise and temporarily stun an opponent if disarmed. Commonly used by rōnin who have retained their swords from their life as a samurai, many brawls have been settled by a well-placed blow with an iron sheath.

Lute
The biwa, or short-necked lute, has a long history in Rokugan. It is closely associated with travel, courtly proceedings, and storytelling. There are many different varieties of biwa, and different regions have different preferences for its tuning, materials, and make. As an impromptu weapon, the biwais good for one solid attack, but will likely break upon impact (to the sorrow of nearby music lovers).

Sake Bottle and Cups
Impromptu fights are common in the rowdier, less refined taverns and inns of the Empire, and especially so in harbors where sailors go to blow off steam. So it should come as no surprise that bottles and sake cups make frequent improvised weapons. Rumors say that Mantis Clan bushi are trained to dual wield the bottle and cup, using the porcelain cup to catch the pointed end of a sword while bashing their assailant with the bottle, a technique that Mantis sailors gladly offer to demonstrate when asked (wise bushi should decline).

Scroll Case
Ideally, shugenja should never have to lower them-selves to fighting in melee, as it is considered disgraceful to attack a priest of the kami. In practice, however, shugenja must sometimes defend themselves with physical weapons, and a lack of conventional weaponry means they must turn to less conventional options. Some shugenja schools teach self-defense with the scroll case, a hollow wooden tube designed to keep paper scrolls clean and dry. Two of these can be dual wielded as clubs or batons or strapped to the forearms as tonfa, a type of melee weapon that act as forearm batons. The techniques for wielding scroll cases are identical to those taught for stick fighting, making scroll cases easy to incorporate into martial training.

Umbrella
The umbrella is the most commonly taught improvised weapon in a bushi dōjō, owing to its versatility and inconspicuous nature. An umbrella can be wielded as one would wield a hooked cane, using the curved handle to grapple and trip as well as to deliver crushing blows. Alternatively, it can be wielded by the handle as one might wield a sword in a two-handed grip. Adding to this versatility, the umbrella can be snapped open to startle an enemy, block an entrance, or otherwise complicate melee for the assailant.


Personal Effects
Rōnin must prioritize which tools they carry, since they have no home and few resources. Everything must have a utilitarian use, be easy to transport and tuck away, and justify the expense of maintaining it. Even so, rōnin usually keep a handful of personal effects, for entertainment, to help them unwind, to trade for goods in a pinch, or even just to remind them of better times.

Dice Kit
Gambling, especially dice games, are a common pastime of rōnin. One of the most popular, Fortunes and Winds, uses a special set of dice with unique faces. Impromptu gambling tends to spring up when rōnin meet, but due to lack of trust, most participants bring their own dice sets. Loaded dice are among the most popular wares purchased by city-based rōnin and are perfectly legal to own—though one should take care not to be caught with them at a gambling session.

Travel Rations
In a land so vast, it is no small wonder that the Rokugani have developed significant food-preservation techniques to facilitate lengthy travels. Most travel foods are prepared so as to be easily stored and carried, as well as to last for long periods without spoiling.

The typical traveling ration is a portion of uncooked husked rice, dried or pickled vegetables, and a small portion of a flavoring agent, such as dried seaweed or bonito flakes. Wealthy travelers may spring for a small paper container of sanshō, ground berries of the prickly ash plant that lend a peppery, minty, slightly acidic flavor to foods.

Other common traveling foods include onigiri, or rice balls, which are commonly carried in bamboo sheaths by travelers for a quick meal. Onigiri are made of cooked sticky rice wrapped around a plum or fish filling and hand molded into a circular shape.

Vinegared rice, used in sushi, is a common preserving element for fish. Indeed, sushi began as a preserving technique in which thin layers of fish were sandwiched between two layers of sushi rice, the vinegar acting as a pickling agent. Fish is also smoked or dried and then packaged into small boxes with miso paste (fermented soybean paste), which also acts as a preservative.

Sometimes seaweed or soy sprouts are ground and mixed with barley and salt to make hishio, a thick paste used to pickle vegetables or fish for travel. The paste is scraped off, and the pickled food is eaten alone or in stews. Adding water to the hishio paste results in soy sauce (shoyu), which serves as a salty condiment. Aged and “brewed” shoyu is prized, but it is usually only affordable for clan samurai

Beans are an especially important travel food, as they are relatively lightweight when dried and last for long periods of time, but plump up into hearty, morale-restoring stews when cooked. Black and green beans are the most common, as are soybeans, broad beans, and sweet adzuki beans.

In some regions, ropes used to secure goods are made from edible fibrous tuber stalks that are “dried” with miso. These ropes are completely edible and can be chopped and boiled when necessary.

Profession Kits
Rōnin who adopt a common trade usually choose that trade based on their own personal needs. Being able to patch one’s own clothing, make one’s own sandals, or weave one’s own straw hats and cloaks are all effective means to help keep one’s cost of living adequately low, and perhaps make a little coin on the side.

A profession kit contains tools and minor materials pertaining to the profession, often with a specialized carrying case carved from bamboo or wood or cast in metal. There is no standard for each type of kit, but below are examples of several kits and their possible contents.

Alchemy Kit
This kit is only available as a whole item when in the Qamarist Caliphate, though individual components may be bought for slightly more elsewhere in the world. Used by the Qamarists in their practice of medicine and other sciences, alchemical kits contain both mundane and rare items, such as charcoal and gold dust, that can be combined to perform special rituals that can heal and improve (if only temporarily) living creatures’ bodies

Cooking Kit
May contain chefs’ knives (not suitable as weapons) with sharpening rod, bamboo skewers, a grinder and pestle, cooking chopsticks, bowls, strainers, a bamboo mat, and a ladle. Some kits may come with seasonings and preservatives, like miso or soy paste, vinegar, and dried kelp. Especially valuable kits may include a vial of pressed oil. The kit is usually carried in a container that doubles as cookware, such as a round wok or a square cast-iron pot with a drop lid.

Fishing Kit
May contain fishing line, glass floaters, small nets, miso paste (for curing), and wrapping paper in a straw basket. Some fishing kits may include a hemp tether, tiny collar, and padded glove which are used for handling a cormorant bird trained to dive for fish, a practice known as ukai. Gyotaku fishing kits include charcoal ink and rice paper, which are used to make an impression of the caught fish to serve as proof of one’s catch.

Mason’s Kit
May contain an assortment of chisels (not suitable as weapons), chalk, hammers, and measuring implements. Most Rokugani masonry is “dry stone,” meaning that there is no mortar binding the stones together, and the stones rely on interlocking friction to remain intact. Even so, some kits may include ingredients for mortar, and those that do also include trowels.

Tailor’s Kit
May contain cloth patches of linen or homespun cot-ton (and rarely silk), hemp thread, sewing needles, and dye tablets. Some kits include cleaning powder, a small seam ripper, and a collapsing bamboo drying rod; to clean a kimono, the garment must be deconstructed, each cloth panel must be washed and dried separately, and then the panels must be sewn back together.

Weaver's Kit
May contain weaving hooks, framing reeds, dyes, inks, and bamboo lacquer. Some weaver’s kits contain shaving knives or other implements to help shave bamboo strips or cut straw.

Rōnin Cuisine
Only the most newly minted rōnin do not know how to forage or cook. Wandering the roads and wildernesses of Rokugan, a rōnin cannot expect to find food to buy—or food they can afford. Any settlement may turn out to be hostile or unsafe. Rōnin quickly learn to scavenge their surroundings for provisions. In cities, rōnin sometimes join beg-gars in picking up discarded food from castles or fancy restaurants or in flocking to monasteries and temples when they distribute meals to the poor. In the countryside or the wilderness, they learn to identify edible wild plants and mushrooms

Rōnin also hunt and fish for all manner of creatures to acquire much-needed protein. Fish and crustaceans are the most important animals in the rōnin diet, followed by small game and insects that are easily trapped. Rōnin traveling in groups often hunt for larger game, such as deer or goats, although dangerous animals like boar and bears are generally not considered worth the risk.

Given the variability of the ingredients available to them, rōnin cook creatively and are adaptive. They make salads and stews or render meats into sauces to extend meager supplies and make them seem more filling. A person who watches rōnin who have come into some money visiting a farmers’ market or a shopping district in a town might be surprised to see that their first priority is likely buying spices. Spices travel well and can transform bland or foul-tasting food into tolerable meals. Even more importantly, they are good for a rōnin’s often-shaky health, counteracting the effects of rot and other problems with their provisions.

Rōnin who excel at field cuisine usually can find employment in an army on campaign as a cook. Their expertise in cooking despite the vicissitudes of traveling life is a great asset to a general who wants to keep their army’s morale high and health steady. If a character meets a samurai who has developed a taste for heavily spiced dishes featuring all manner of strange ingredients mixed together, they may have come upon a former rōnin, or perhaps just someone who has traveled with rōnin for a significant length of time.

Forbidden Effects
There are many belongings that the Great Clans frown upon, even if they aren’t outright banned by decree. To be caught with them would demean a samurai in the eyes of others and shame the clan. But as samurai without lords, rōnin need not concern themselves with such things—and often don’t.

Chandu
Opium prepared for smoking is known as chandu. It is boiled and strained, then cooled into a crystalline block and wrapped in a dry leaf. To smoke chandu requires a number of tools and a special pipe made from nonreactive materials, often ceramic or jade. Because opium heightens one’s tactile sensations, opium pipes are made with interesting ridged textures for the imbiber to fixate on as they achieve their high.

Preparing chandu requires deft hands and skill, as the drug must be heated until the resin softens, shaped into a pellet, and then dropped with tweezers into the pipe bowl. Opium dens employ servants to do this for patrons, but rōnin who wish to use opium on their own must learn how. Opium makes users especially light sensitive, so chandu is smoked in the dark. Contrary to popular belief, chandu does not eliminate pain, but simply alters the user’s perception so that the pain is bearable or the user no longer cares

Chandu is legal in Rokugan, but its recreational use is frowned upon by polite society. A person who uses opium infrequently may not become addicted; such a user may be able to cease for months without suffering withdrawal. However, with enough use addiction takes hold, and it becomes nearly impossible to function without a dose. Although opium is important in Rokugani medicine, with-out proper care, it can just as easily destroy the user as help heal them.

Poppy Tea
The cheapest form of consumable opium, poppy tea is an herbal infusion of poppy straw and dried poppy pods. The dried pods contain both seeds and an opium paste, which give the resulting tea its narcotic effect. While the tea has many medicinal purposes, it is primarily used to achieve an opium high and dull pain sensations. It was banned by Imperial decree in the tenth century.

Shikomizue
Favored by those who wish to conceal the fact that they are armed, the shikomizue is a special sword mount that is indistinguishable from a wooden cane, walking stick, musical instrument, or other such mundane item. What appears to be a harmless, everyday object is actually a sheath for a blade or chain. This allows the carrier to avoid suspicion while bringing their blade into places weapons are not normally allowed, such as tea houses, temples, or even courts

Weapons of this nature are considered violations of the Bushidō tenets of Courtesy ­Rei), Righteousness ­Gi), and Honor (Meiyo); as such clan samurai view them as suitable only for honorless dogs. A person using a shikomizue selects one sword they own to custom fit to it. This weapon gains the Concealable and Subtle item qualities while sheathed in the shikomizue

Thievery Kit
Thieves are reviled in Rokugan, and anyone caught thieving suffers harsh punishment. In the tenth century, several thieves were publicly boiled alive to deter stealing. Since then, so-called “thievery kits” have been forbidden by Imperial law. Such kits contain implements associated with burglary, like thin-picks for lifting wooden barricades on gates and doors, grappling hooks for climbing, and padded sandals for walking noiselessly. Sticks of melting wax are also included, as a common burglary deterrent is sealing a door with wax so that a person can tell if the door has been opened. Lockpicks are less common in thievery kits, since locksmithing is an uncommon skill and usually only daimyō can afford locks; still, some kits may carry various types of lockpicks. A thievery kit is designed to be concealable and overlooked, masquerading as a different object altogether.