Thursday, August 8, 2013

Fantasy Core RPG: Jianghu Setting-Governor Yu

Fantasy Core RPG
© Jerry Harris 2013
(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Governor Yu

A magnificent man in many ways.  Even his enemies will mourn his passing, albeit in a restrained fashion.

Governor Yu is a child of privilege, born into a prominent Manchu family in the capital.  However, he was no listless, spoiled brat.  Yu has always been a driven man.  Well-educated at the best university in the capital, he graduated at the top of his class.  He entered the Imperial military as an officer.  Yu had been trained as a child in many forms of fighting.  During his service, he became an experienced warrior of some small renown.  Finally, he entered the Imperial Court and learned of civic administration and the workings of the government’s bureaucracy.  On a personal note during this time, Yu married into a powerful merchant family and fathered two boys.   

Perhaps it was his ambitious nature that eventually got the Emperor’s attention.  Yu clearly had no desire to become one of the Emperor’s eunuch ministers and seemed to be set on loftier goals.  Yu was far too well connected to simply be eliminated if he stepped out of line.  So, Yu was “promoted” to the Governorship of Shang-tu province, coincidentally on the other side of the Empire. 

Yu took to the task with nothing but enthusiasm and gratitude (at least in public).  His beloved wife, Yurika, was not as thrilled about being sent from the center of civilization in the capital to the ends of the earth.  Within a year, she fell ill of an unknown malady, some say profound homesickness, and perished soon after.  The Emperor sent his regrets and also an invitation to Yu’s boys to attend the prestigious academy that his own sons attended, an offer that could not be refused.  Some say, the Governor’s children are now essentially the Emperor’s hostages.           

What sort of man is Governor Yu?  What is his disposition?  What are his goals, desires, interests?  I’m leaving that up to you.  This is another one of those hard choices.  Perhaps the Governor is essentially a good man and only his presence restrains the more tyrannical elements of his government.  Perhaps he is a paranoid calculating Mandarin, awaiting the excuse to clap down on the city.  Perhaps he is a foppish dandy, and nothing more than a tool of various special interests.  The city actually runs well because of his indifference, or alternatively, his wise hands-off approach. 

The characters aren’t going to get anywhere near the Governor until at least 5th level, so this isn’t an urgent decision.  If the characters become part of a rebellion, they’ll need to know what kind of person the Governor is and how he’ll react during such an event.  If they get to know him, perhaps they won’t want him deposed.  You can assume the Secret Societies don’t care about any of this and want him out regardless.  They are part of a national movement and other parts of the country are under much more oppression than Shang-tu.    

+2 Str, Con, Int, +1 Wis, Dex, Cha
10th Level Fighter, Hp 75, AC 15 (+4 Magical chain mail, looks like fine gown which he always wears, will wear regular chain mail on top of it if going into combat AC 20)
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +4
Melee: +2 Divine Katana (Sun Slayer) +14 to hit 1d10+4 + DC 18 Fort Sv or blinded for 1 rd (a hit causes a flash of blinding light)
Ranged: +1 Longbow (Torment) +12 to hit 1d8+1 + continuing 1d8 damage/rd until arrow is removed, causing an additional 1d8 damage

Lightfoot Kung Fu: Can fly for 5 rds in a combat encounter.
Celerity: May take 2 actions in a rd, 5 times in a combat encounter.

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