Court Equipment

[Vutall]

Just as a soldier relies on their weapons, armor, and kit to keep them alive in the field, so a courtier relies on their apparel and the accouterments of high society to keep them afloat in the world of intrigue, vice, and politics.

Ceremonial Tea Set
A traveling tea set is all well and good for lending a touch of civilization to the mess tent in a military camp, but no courtier of means would dream of using so mundane a set for a formal tea ceremony. The arrangement of dishes and the presentation of traditional foods and sweets in the tea ceremony follows a strict order meant to convey an austere aesthetic with items that nevertheless obviously cost a fortune. The trays, chopsticks, and dishes in such a tea set are far too delicate to move long distances in a traveling warrior’s pack

The most important items in the tea set are the tea bowls. Tea bowls are expected to be the pièce de résistance of the tea set, and to express the potter’s artistic genius despite their simplicity. A tea bowl must look understated but should betray a wealth of technical expertise and care in construction. The most prized tea bowls come from potters foreign to Rokugan, highlighting their owner’s worldly grace and access to expensive imported luxuries. As the sword is to the soldier, so the tea bowl is to the courtier.

Folding Fan
Rokugan invented the folding fan to cope with the combination of hot, humid summers and stifling courtly attire. While it is customary to offer a guest a fan from one’s own household when receiving them, nearly every samurai carries their own fan, made of cypress strips tied together with thread. Both all-wood fans (hiōgi) and wood-and-paper fans (kawahori-ōgi) are popular at court. Rich courtiers often commission renowned artists to adorn their fans with art or calligraphy, while daring artisans create their own. The gossip circles speak well of a courtier who appears at court with a striking design that complements their attire. While it is considered impolite to comment on another samurai’s outfit in their presence, the same is not true of their fan. Interrogating the provenance and detail of the fan has thus become a polite way for courtiers to flatter or fence with one another in the context of casual conversation. And, of course, fans make it easy to obscure one’s mouth—thus rendering anything one says deniable according to the rules of Rokugani etiquette.

Makeup Kit
In Rokugani courts, wearing makeup is common for samurai of all genders. The most common type of makeup is powdered rouge, applied to the cheeks to simulate the blush of health even when the wearer is exhausted, hungover, or ill. Courtly makeup also involves oshiroi (white rice powder) layered on the face and neck, shaved eyebrows replaced with smudges of dark powder higher on the forehead, and bright-red lipstick. While some people, such as geisha and members of certain traditionalist institutions, still adhere to this regimen from day to day, modern courtiers in most courts do not usually wear the full complement of classic makeup, instead choosing the elements that they feel best suit their own personality and style. Appearing at court in traditional makeup, though, is a reliable way to impress older and more conservative courtiers.

Mari (Ball)
One cannot play ball without a mari, or deerskin ball. Ball games, their rules dating back hundreds of years, are a popular way for courtiers to get exercise and have fun. In team games, two sides of twelve to sixteen players each must keep the mari in the air between them as they attempt to knock it through a goal at one or the other side of the field. In noncompetitive games, a circle of players attempts to keep the mari in the air by kicking it up and between one another. Exhibitions of skill with the mari are a popular activity at outdoor festivals and parties.

Mono Imi Fuda (Taboo Plaque)
The rules of purity and impurity are a constant concern for all Rokugani. A state of impurity, brought on by contamination (for example, with illness, death, or certain bodily fluids including blood) blocks an individual from participating in certain Fortunist or Shinseist rites until a priest or monk can perform a ritual of purification. The state is considered highly contagious; it can spread to another individual who comes too close. A mono imi fuda, or taboo plaque, is a spike-shaped wooden object with sacred inscriptions that both warn off people who see the plaque and help to block the spread of impure energies. The plaques are inscribed and blessed by a religious figure, then hung from a person’s hat or driven into the ground to demarcate the impure space. In the absence of a properly trained cleric, these objects are considered a good first line of defense against impurity for most people. Their efficacy against truly potent creatures of evil, however, depends on the skill of their creator.

Norimono (Palanquin)
One popular means of transport is the norimono, or noble palanquin. A norimono consists of a small covered chamber in which a single passenger may recline on a soft surface, shadowed on the left and right by curtains. The chamber is suspended from two beams that extend to the front and rear. Four or more tire-less servants bear the norimono on their shoulders. A norimono looks more expensive and decadent than the faster horse- or ox-drawn cart, but it is in fact cheaper and more reliable. Animals require pasture, which is not always easy to find, and wheeled vehicles can sustain damage on rough roads that sturdy humans navigate with ease. The norimono also allows the occupant to conceal their identity or show off their opulence at their discretion.

Performers’ Boat
One enduring fashion in the design of gardens and grounds for opulent castles is the incorporation of ponds and streams, which are as expensive as they are beautiful. A perennial tradition at outdoor gatherings that allows the host to show off their wealth is the placement of hired musicians aboard a beautiful wooden raft with crew poling it back and forth across the artificial waterways. This allows guests to see and hear the musicians, but the water between them allows the guests to feel separated from the “hired help.” These rafts are masterpieces of craftsmanship, incorporating elaborate carved dragon or waterfowl heads at the prow. Artisans often craft these boats as master-works, competing to shape the most beautiful or most complex ornamentation.