Blind Musician - Ikoma Bard - Legend of Five Rings 5th Edition

This is not the first time I theory-crafted a blind character for Legend of Five Rings or otherwise addressed the question of playing a blind character in a tabletop roleplaying game. As I am currently working also working on the gorgon archer theoretical for this game's edition, I decided to create a few comrades for her before I moved on to doing the theoretical advancement for the character. In any case, on to the twenty questions.

1. What clan does your character belong to?

The Lion Clan. Military masterminds of the empire.

• Water +1
• Tactics +1
• Status: 35

 

2. What family does your character belong to?

The Matsu Family, implacable and courageous.

• Fire +1
• Command +1, Fitness +1
• Glory: 44
• Wealth: 5 Koku

3. What is your character's school and what role does that school fall into?

Ikoma Bard. Courtier

• Fire +1, Water +1
• Composition +1, Culture +1, Performance +1, Sentiment +1, Tactics +1
• Honor: 45
• Technique Access: Kata, Rituals, Shuji
• Kata: Warrior's Resolve
• Shuji: Fanning the Flames, Tributaries of Trade
• School Ability: Heart of the Lion
• Starting Outfit: Traveling clothes, wakizashi, tessen, yumi, quiver of arrows, traveling pack, journal, biwa

4. How does your character stand-out within their school?

Grace, eloquence, and empathy. Air +1

5. Who is your lord and what is your character's duty to them?

Beholden to the chief archivist of an Ikoma archive. She is meant to collect information and stories to bring back to the archive.

Giri: To collect knowledge.

6. What does your character long for and how might this impede their duty?

Hopes to be a renowned poet and may sometimes embellish the reports she brings. Not usually a problem for an Ikoma bard. But sometimes she takes it to the extreme.

Ninjo: To be a recognized master bard.

7. What is your character's relationship with their clan?

The character is divergent. They consider Compassion highly important, which is about exactly the opposite of the attitude of the Lions who prize Honor and consider Compassion a luxury. Her tendency to embellish her tales to make them sound better shows she has a loose interpretation of Sincerity.

Courtesy +1

8. What does your character think of Bushido?

By and large, she agrees mostly with a conventional understanding of Bushido. Honor +10.

9. What is your character's greatest accomplishment so far?

Causing a Crane courtier to embarrass themselves while watched by a member of the Imperial families. I will make a custom Distinction for this. Court Darling.

• Court Darling
• You are welcome in almost every court and many look forward to what you might say or do on a visit.
• When you are trying to impress a large and formal gathering of samurai, you can reroll up to two dice

10. What holds your character back the most in life?

She has been blind since birth. Blindness.

11. What activity makes your character feel at peace?

She is known for her playfulness and chiding of people's sensitivities. Playfulness.

12. What concern, fear, or foible most troubles your character?

Her playfulness and eagerness to impress people has given her the habit of being an Irrepressible Flirt.

13. Who has your character learned the most from in their life?

A Unicorn who dwelled in the house of her family's lord as a political hostage or diplomat. She learned a lot of her feelings on Compassion and being upfront with emotions from them. The confidence and behavior she has learned has made her alluring to others, but also an encounter with her mentor's horse has made her terrified of the things.

• Benten's Blessing
• Phobia: Horses
• Performance +1

14. What do people notice first on encountering you?

Like a lot of Matsu, she dyes her hair blonde, though she cannot see it. However, she also wears her hair in Unicorn styles with hair decorations woven into her braids. She has a tendency to mock covering her non-functional eyes when feigning shock at something.

15. How does your character react to stressful situations?

When she feels stressed, she has a tendency to clench and unclench her fingers or rub the tips together.

16. What are your character's relationships with other clans, families, or traditions?

She has good relationships with the Unicorn and has even been provided with a omamori, a boon of Fukurokujin so that she will not be fooled by tricksters.

17. How would your character's parents describe them?

They consider her scandalous and disappointing. They were disappointed with her blindness and feel her behavior only makes things worse. +1 Sentiment.

18. Who was your character named to honor?

Named for a Dynasty Builder. -3 Glory. +1 Games.

19. What is your character's personal name?

Akaino.

20. How should your character die?

She would most likely either be killed by a jealous spouse or spurned lover. Or she might die old and alone without finding anyone to share her life with.

Matsu Akaino

Clan: Lion
Family: Matsu
School: Ikoma Bard
Heritage: Dynasty Builder: Games

School Rank: 1

Giri: To collect knowledge
Ninjo: To become a renowned poet and artist.

Status: 35
Glory: 41
Honor: 55

Air: 2
Earth: 1
Fire: 3
Water: 3
Void: 1

Command 1
Composition 1
Courtesy 1
Culture 1
Fitness 1
Games 1
Performance 2
Sentiment 1
Tactics 1

Techniques: Kata, Rituals, Shuji

Kata: Warrior's Resolve
Shuji: Fanning the Flames, Tributaries of Trade

Distinctions: Benten's Blessing, Court Darling
Adversities: Blindness
Passions: Playfulness
Anxieties: Irrepressible Flirt, Phobia: Horses

Gear:
Traveling clothes
Wakizashi
Tessen
Yumi
Quiver of arrows
Traveling pack
Journal
Biwa
Boon of Fukurukujin

Matsu Akaino

Simulated Advance

Clan: Lion
Family: Matsu
School: Ikoma Bard
Heritage: Dynasty Builder: Games
Title: Advisor 

School Rank: 2

Giri: To collect knowledge
Ninjo: To become a renowned poet and artist.

Status: 30
Glory: 56
Honor: 56

Air: 2
Earth: 2
Fire: 4
Water: 3
Void: 3

Command 1
Commerce 1
Composition 5
Courtesy 4
Culture 1
Fitness 1
Games 1
Government 1
Performance 2
Sentiment 2
Tactics 1

Techniques: Kata, Rituals, Shuji

Kata: Warrior's Resolve
Shuji: Dazzling Performance, Fanning the Flames, Feigned Opening, Stirring the Embers, Stonewall Tactics, Tributaries of Trade

Title Ability: Skilled Attendant

Distinctions: Benten's Blessing, Court Darling
Adversities: Blindness
Passions: Playfulness
Anxieties: Irrepressible Flirt, Phobia: Horses

Gear:
Traveling clothes
Wakizashi
Tessen
Yumi
Quiver of arrows
Traveling pack
Journal
Biwa
Boon of Fukurukujin