Ninjas used deception, ki powers, and martial arts to defeat their enemies, gather information, and steal secrets. Though they lacked the outright combat prowess of fighters and barbarians, they were adept at bringing foes to battle on their own terms, seeming to appear and disappear at will.[5] In Shou Lung, the term "vagabond" often referred to ninjas.[1]
Culture[]
Highly secretive, the ninja class was a class shrouded in mystery and superstition, a reputation ninja encourage. Individuals of other classes, such as bushi, geisha[8], wu jen or sohei, were able to learn the skills of the ninja. [9] Chirasu is the patron deity of ninjas. Most of her shrines were built by ninja families and clans.[10] Ninja were almost always human.[11]
Honor was revered by ninja, as it was how their reliability was gauged. The ninja maintained not only their own honor, but the honor of their family or clan. The primary ways a ninja could being dishonor upon themselves or clan was to be identified or to fail in a mission. Depending on the severity of the failure, the ninja was either demoted to nukenin or executed.[12]
Organization[]
Nearly all ninja were members of a ninja clan. The name of the clan was normally the one of its dominant family. These clans were secretive and often not even publicly known as a ninja clan. Each clan had a specialization. For example, some clans specialized in assassinations and others were known for being master spies.[13]
Ninja clans operated in specific territories. In rural areas of Kara-Tur, one clan only may be found in an area, and often ruled entire villages. In the cities, various clans competed for missions and power, and had the same power as guilds.[13]
A clan was ruled by a single lord. The lord would often have one or two trusted leaders as their trusted advisors, called jonin. Each clan was composed of one or more families, each ruled by a chunin. The lowest-ranked ninja were called genin.[11] A ninja who brought dishonor on their family or clan was called a nukenin.[12]
Ninja had their own secret language, similar to thieves' cant used by rogues, called clan signs. Using clan sign, a ninja was able to communicate complex sentences. Clan signs varied from clan to clan, so a ninja from one clan was not able to understand the clan sign from a different clan.[14]
Known Ninja Clans[]
- Fangs of Night were a ninja clan in the city of Ojy-do in Koryo, active around 1357 DR.[15]
- Hijo clan was the ninja clan ally of Funada clan in Nakamaru in Wa around 1357 DR.[16]
- Kata clan was a ninja clan in the town of Aru in Wa.[17]
- Konishi clan were a ninja clan in Kozakura.[18]
- Royal Vagabonds were a clan in the service of the Emperor. They reported to the Minister of State Security and the Chief Imperial Censor, and conducted missions tasked by the Emperor. They were extremely secretive and acted as the secret police of Shou Lung.[19]
- Panthers of Xi were a ninja clan based in the town of Xi in Koryo around 1357 DR. They controlled the Vorkani Mountains between Xi and the Malu River in the east.[15]
- Phoenix clan was a ninja clan and an ally of the Goshukara clan in Nakamaru in Wa around 1357 DR.[20]
- Vi'oontu were a ninja clan based in the town of Manchar in Koryo. Their name meant "evening swallow that calls death".[15]
- Yamaguchi clan was a ninja clan in the town of Aru in Wa.[21]
Abilities[]
The ninja's abilities were focused on spying and assassination. They were highly skilled combatants, proficient in several martial arts skills and weapons use. They also were adapt spellcasters, able to cast a number of efficient spells using kuji-kiri hand gestures.[22]
History[]
In Faerûn, the ninja arts, or ninjutsu, were believed to have originated on the eastern continent of Kara-Tur.[1] In Kozakura, ninja clans had great power and are feared and respected.[23]
Notable Ninja[]
- Ito Yoichi was a cursed bushi/ninja in Ito-jo in 1360 DR.[24]
- Konishi Ieyasu was the head of the Konishi clan.[18]
- Lin Goh was the clanmaster of the Panthers of Xi clan around 1357 DR.[15]
- Motoharu Kaijitsu was a ninja/yakuza adventurer in Kozakura in 1357 DR.[25][26] and 1358[26]
- Rantoon Gwa was an infamous ninja and pirate active in Koryo around 1357 DR.[27]
- Saisho was a wu jen/ninja adventurer in Miyama Province in Kozakura in 1357 DR.[28]
- Takahashi Yamaguchi was the leader of the Yamaguchi clan.[21]
- The Serpent was the leader of the Phoenix clan in Nakamaru around 1357 DR.[29]
- Watanabe Okaji was secretly a ninja and was one of the best actors in Kozakura in 1357 DR.[30]
- Yin-kung T'o was the cell leader of the Royal Vagabonds in Nakamaru around 1357 DR.[31]
- Yonin was a head ninja and also a zussho in Kozakura in 1357 DR.[32]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ In the 3rd-edition sourcebook Oriental Adventures, ninja spy was a prestige class, but the book also noted that not all ninjas were ninja spies; some used the assassin prestige class instead.
Further reading[]
- Sheldon Price (July 1978). “Ultimate NPC: Ninja”. In Timothy J. Kask ed. Dragon #16 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 7–10, 34.
- Sheldon Price (October 1979). “The New, Improved Ninja”. In Timothy J. Kask ed. Dragon #30 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 13–15.
- Jesse Decker (April 2004). “The Ninja: Masters of the Silent Shadow”. In Matthew Sernett ed. Dragon #318 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 24–28.
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Curtis Smith, Rick Swan (May 1990). Ronin Challenge. Edited by Jon Pickens, Steve Winter. (TSR, Inc.), p. 2. ISBN 0-88038-749-1.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Claudio Pozas, Robert J. Schwalb (April 2011). Player's Option: Heroes of Shadow. Edited by Michelle Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 15. ISBN 978-0-7869-5745-3.
- ↑ Dave Chalker (October 2011). “Class Acts: Assassin: Secrets of the Ninja”. In Christopher Perkins ed. Dragon # (404), p. 1.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Jesse Decker (January 2005). Complete Adventurer. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 5–10. ISBN ISBN 0-7869-3651-7.
- ↑ Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), pp. 5–11. ISBN 0786901594.
- ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), pp. 14, 19–21. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
- ↑ Gregg Sharp (May 1987). “The Geisya”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #121 (TSR, Inc.), p. 39.
- ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 19. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 146. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), p. 95. ISBN 0786901594.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), p. 91. ISBN 0786901594.
- ↑ Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), p. 7. ISBN 0786901594.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 125. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1987). Blood of the Yakuza. (TSR, Inc), p. 20. ISBN 0-88038-401-8.
- ↑ Nigel Findley (1990). Ninja Wars. (TSR, Inc), p. 77. ISBN 0-8803-8895-1.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 152. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1987). Blood of the Yakuza. (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 0-88038-401-8.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Nigel Findley (1990). Ninja Wars. (TSR, Inc), p. 64. ISBN 0-8803-8895-1.
- ↑ Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 0786901594.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 142. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ Jon Pickens, et al. (December 1986). Night of the Seven Swords. Edited by Karen S. Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 15. ISBN 0-88038-327-5.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (1987). Ochimo: The Spirit Warrior. (TSR, Inc), p. 27. ISBN 0-88038-393-3.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Jeff Grubb (1988). Mad Monkey vs the Dragon Claw. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-624-X.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 121. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1986). Swords of the Daimyo. (TSR, Inc), p. 20. ISBN 0-88038-273-2.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1987). Blood of the Yakuza. (TSR, Inc), p. 5. ISBN 0-88038-401-8.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 133. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1987). Blood of the Yakuza. (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 0-88038-401-8.
- ↑ David Cook (1986). Swords of the Daimyo (Province Book of Miyama). (TSR, Inc), p. 25. ISBN 0-88038-273-2.