Fu Leng Quest (L5R)

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.
[X] Your gift for deception, through which you can evade notice, fool the unwary and even conjure phantasms and other illusions. Why tell the truth when a lie will do?

Definitely like the monk backstory more than samurai. Though I think the field worker might be interesting to see play out too. As for the power choices, I looked at the tally and saw CCQ being in third after sorcery and deception, but I'd rather have super vitality than ridiculous weapon skills. Seems a little redundant to go for 2 of the choices that are most readily applied to directly harming people. Sorcery should be fine for damage purposes I'd think.

I do understand people wanting to seem incredibly talented in skills rather than having something like a blatantly supernatural vitality though.

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.
[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.
[X] Your prowess at close quarters combat, by which you might slaughter armies and harvest lives like grain. Sword or club or bare hand, it makes no difference to you, and you will inevitably encounter someone worth slaughtering.

@Dovahsith you would be right.

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your sheer physical strength, sufficient to punch through a castle wall and carry the main keep back home with you. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best.
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

It's probably worth noting that taking the close-combat focus for your divine power unlocks effects like 'your bare hands deal more damage than a no-dachi', 'murder fifty dudes inside of six seconds' and 'ignore physical barriers less than five foot thick with your movement actions'.

You absolutely can be more subtle than that, but it is by no means required.

Maugan Ra said:

It's probably worth noting that taking the close-combat focus for your divine power unlocks effects like 'your bare hands deal more damage than a no-dachi', 'murder fifty dudes inside of six seconds' and 'ignore physical barriers less than five foot thick with your movement actions'.

You absolutely can be more subtle than that, but it is by no means required.

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Would people count for 'ignore physical barriers less than five foot thick with your movement actions'

Jeboboid said:

Would people count for 'ignore physical barriers less than five foot thick with your movement actions'

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If you want to fluff your melee attacks that way then yes, it is entirely possible to Kool-aid man your way through people. Doing so does not require a close combat specialization, though it won't work on worthy foes (a mechanical term in Godbound, but for at character creation basically anyone more dangerous than your average samurai).

You're Fu Leng. The vast majority of opponents are liable to be little more than scenery that bleeds. They're still dangerous in numbers, mind, but for the most part you only really need to concern yourself with the actual heroes that this land seems to produce in bafflingly large quantities.

[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.
[X] Your gift for artifice, by which you might forge all manner of terrible weapons and cursed artifacts. Or just a really nice kimono, depending.
[X] Your mastery over death, by which you might create or destroy undead and slay or preserve the living. That doing so spites Emma-O is just a bonus, really.

[X] A samurai, technically, but also a ronin born of outcasts and criminals. You spend your youth being reminded of all the ways in which you were justified in killing these people.

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your sheer physical strength, sufficient to punch through a castle wall and carry the main keep back home with you. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best.
[X] Your prowess at close quarters combat, by which you might slaughter armies and harvest lives like grain. Sword or club or bare hand, it makes no difference to you, and you will inevitably encounter someone worth slaughtering.

[X] Your gift for artifice, by which you might forge all manner of terrible weapons and cursed artifacts. Or just a really nice kimono, depending.

[ ] Your dominion over beasts, by which you might command the creatures of the earth and take their forms for your own. The ability to turn into a dragon is applicable in a surprising number of situations.

[ ] Your divine authority as a Kami, by which you might command the obedience of mortals and bind their wills to your own. You rather enjoyed pretending to be an Emperor…

[ ] Your mastery over death, by which you might create or destroy undead and slay or preserve the living. That doing so spites Emma-O is just a bonus, really.

[X] Your gift for deception, through which you can evade notice, fool the unwary and even conjure phantasms and other illusions. Why tell the truth when a lie will do?

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.

[ ] Your sheer physical strength, sufficient to punch through a castle wall and carry the main keep back home with you. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best.

[ ] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.

[ ] Your prowess at close quarters combat, by which you might slaughter armies and harvest lives like grain. Sword or club or bare hand, it makes no difference to you, and you will inevitably encounter someone worth slaughtering.

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

Maugan Ra said:

It's probably worth noting that taking the close-combat focus for your divine power unlocks effects like 'your bare hands deal more damage than a no-dachi', 'murder fifty dudes inside of six seconds' and 'ignore physical barriers less than five foot thick with your movement actions'.

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Theres only one appropriate response.

[X] Your gift for artifice, by which you might forge all manner of terrible weapons and cursed artifacts. Or just a really nice kimono, depending.
[X] Your dominion over beasts, by which you might command the creatures of the earth and take their forms for your own. The ability to turn into a dragon is applicable in a surprising number of situations.
[X] Your gift for deception, through which you can evade notice, fool the unwary and even conjure phantasms and other illusions. Why tell the truth when a lie will do?

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

[X] Your gift for deception, through which you can evade notice, fool the unwary and even conjure phantasms and other illusions. Why tell the truth when a lie will do?
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.
[X] Your prowess at close quarters combat, by which you might slaughter armies and harvest lives like grain. Sword or club or bare hand, it makes no difference to you, and you will inevitably encounter someone worth slaughtering.

Telling Togashi to fuck himself convinced me.

[X] Your gift for artifice, by which you might forge all manner of terrible weapons and cursed artifacts. Or just a really nice kimono, depending.

If we're going to have oodles of prep time before our next rumble, then this is the best skill to have.

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.
[X] Your prowess at close quarters combat, by which you might slaughter armies and harvest lives like grain. Sword or club or bare hand, it makes no difference to you, and you will inevitably encounter someone worth slaughtering.

[X] A samurai, technically, but also a ronin born of outcasts and criminals. You spend your youth being reminded of all the ways in which you were justified in killing these people.

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your gift for artifice, by which you might forge all manner of terrible weapons and cursed artifacts. Or just a really nice kimono, depending.
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

So, let's take a look at the current tally. It seems that being raised as a monk has a commanding lead. Similarly, the divine gifts of sorcery and deception are evidently highly favoured. Currently the real question is what the third boon you carry turns out to be, with close combat and raw vitality being the current forerunners.

I'll leave the vote open until tomorrow morning, when I wake up. The next update will hopefully be written and posted by tomorrow evening.

Inserted tally

I'm still hoping the concept of "Do Togashi's schtick better than he ever did" will hold strong.

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your sheer physical strength, sufficient to punch through a castle wall and carry the main keep back home with you. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best.
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

[x] Your mastery over death, by which you might create or destroy undead and slay or preserve the living. That doing so spites Emma-O is just a bonus, really.
[x] Your gift for deception, through which you can evade notice, fool the unwary and even conjure phantasms and other illusions. Why tell the truth when a lie will do?
[x] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.

[X] A babe without family, dumped at the entrance to a monastery for your new family to find. You are, it seems, a monk.

[X] Your gift for artifice, by which you might forge all manner of terrible weapons and cursed artifacts. Or just a really nice kimono, depending.
[X] Your gift for deception, through which you can evade notice, fool the unwary and even conjure phantasms and other illusions. Why tell the truth when a lie will do?
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.

[X] A peasant child, doomed to spend your youth laboring in the fields while you wait for your divine power to properly mature.

[x] Your gift for artifice, by which you might forge all manner of terrible weapons and cursed artifacts. Or just a really nice kimono, depending.
[x] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.
[x] Your prowess at close quarters combat, by which you might slaughter armies and harvest lives like grain. Sword or club or bare hand, it makes no difference to you, and you will inevitably encounter someone worth slaughtering.

[X] A peasant child, doomed to spend your youth laboring in the fields while you wait for your divine power to properly mature.

People if we go the monk or samari route we will miss the fun of being truly unknown to the world at large until we choose to be known.

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.
[X] Your prowess at close quarters combat, by which you might slaughter armies and harvest lives like grain. Sword or club or bare hand, it makes no difference to you, and you will inevitably encounter someone worth slaughtering.

[X] A samurai, technically, but also a ronin born of outcasts and criminals. You spend your youth being reminded of all the ways in which you were justified in killing these people.

[X] Your raw vitality, which allows you to survive blows that would slay any mortal and persist in the face of the most incredible harm. Not proof against a band of plucky heroes fighting for what they love, apparently.
[X] Your gift for artifice, by which you might forge all manner of terrible weapons and cursed artifacts. Or just a really nice kimono, depending.
[X] Your capability for sorcery, by which you might command the elemental kami (or other, darker forces) with a greater ease and skill than any mortal priest.

So, clearly the best plan for Monk Fu Leng is to hunt up his Eldest Brother's corpse in the far north of the Empire and use it for some form of Monkish Science! There are many Monk Schools that would benefit immensely thereby I'm sure! Heck, the tomb of Ryoshun is even marked in such a way that only the Kami may perceive it if I recall correctly!

Emerald Oracle said:

So, clearly the best plan for Monk Fu Leng is to hunt up his Eldest Brother's corpse in the far north of the Empire and use it for some form of Monkish Science! There are many Monk Schools that would benefit immensely thereby I'm sure! Heck, the tomb of Ryoshun is even marked in such a way that only the Kami may perceive it if I recall correctly!

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Corpse? If the time frame for this is when I think it is, which is before 1170, then Togashi is alive right now.