NIGHT'S DARK AGENTS
This is the second instalment of a series about role-playing the Ninjas of medieval Japan in AD&D,
RuneQuest and Bushido.
Creating and
Playing Ninja Characters
by Chris Elliott and
Richard Edwards
Last issue, we outlined the role of the
historical ninja, and the range of skills
andequipmentthat made possible their
uncanny feats. This part suggests ways
‘of incorporating them into AD&D and
AuneQuest, and expanding them as a
profession in Bushido, As far as pos:
Sible, this has been done within the orig:
inal rules, rather than by creating new
ones. This should make\t easier to integ
fate the material with current campaigns.
NINJA IN AD&D
Both the assassin and monk character
classes can be used as the basis for ninja
characters, the assassin having skills of
disguise and a secondary role as a spy,
‘andthe monk having skills derivedfrom
the martial arts. We have, therefore,
given rules which are based on a syn
thesis of these two classes,
The rigorous early training of ninja
would be reflected in high attribute
scores for dexterity and constitution,
and overall we suggest the following,
eh ch
mow 9 5
Hitpoints should be rolledasfor thieves
and assassins, nthe same table used
for experience levels. The concept of
sitgerpentss not one iat fs very wel
‘with this ort of character but the closest
ISprobebiy that oftrue neutral, Wher a
the druide reading this have tinshed
Uirowing Fs, the teason for ths is that
the ninja's use of any and every form of
deceit and violent death sprang from
professionalism rather than any corn
fnitmentto the principle of evi and at
ishigest thi fle aso ot a koe
ors ofthe social balance in = society
divided against itself ADBD fs biased
cowardhumans,butwthinthe guidelines
inthe Player's Handbook, there's no.
reason why other races should nothave
Similgr castes, although because of the
clan basis on which they would also be
organised, would be almost unthirk
able fora non-human tobe accepted
inte ahuman ninja cia, and vice versa
‘The tse of magie sticky, because
Bithough all lsases in ABAD can use
magi tems, only two can cast spells
and the ninj are ether magicians Nor
Driests. Aswith monks, they should be
Ebieto Use enchanted weapons, rings,
and the magie tems designed for
thieves ond assassins, and poin the abil
ity'o atempt scrolls a higher lov
Whether or not they areallowedto learn
NIGHTS
DARK
AGENTS
some clerical spells to correspondtothe
kuji-no-in (nine signs) is for you and yo.
referee ta agree. Some suggestions ay
given below if you decide 10 do this,
Generally speaking, though, itis
principle of classes other than MU
Clerics using magic that unbala
Which allows too rapid progre
characters or the acquisition
many magic items too easily
Taprevent ninja characted
supermen (or women) we
‘more specialised stil
‘extras which can be st
expense of further progr
basicabilities. This
ing second level and abot
‘opt to leave a basic abil
movement unchanged,
‘anewskill, Once thishai
same decision must be
‘newlevel is gained, ieimprove abilities
alraady gained, including specialist
Skills with mora than one level, or gain
Player characterninja mustalways be
members of a clarvryu (schoo!) and this,
should also apply to NPC ninja unless
there are convincing reasons otherwise
Any Wreasure and magic items acquired
must be surrendered to the referee, act:
ing as tha chunin (middle man) control.
{ing the ninja, but items may be loaned
back when needed for specific missions.
NINJA IN RUNEQUEST
The skills of ninjutsu can be simulated in
RuneQuest without too many problems,
butthe ninja need anon-Gloranthan set
ting. While the guidelines below are
compatible with the basic rules, there:
fore, we have not tried to relate them to
the Various cults and groups covered
there and in the supplements,
Because of their early training, even
young ninja were already far above the
average in terms of physical abilities, as
well as having a good grounding in a
daunting variety of spacialist stills. To
reflect this in a character would mean
starting them at advanced skill level
and thus giving them an unfalCostume
AD&D: The ninja’s costume (shinobi
10z0ku) isonly equivalentto ACO, and
pif youuse theirtrick of sewing steel
othe sleeves to block sword
only becomes the equivalent
5, Armour was worn, But
missions, and not
valentto a parry with chainmalS
but shouldn't be relied upon,
Bushido: As well as concealing their
tools and weapons in pockets of their
costume, ninja also carried two types of
soles for their tabi (shoes), One was a
tubberigum compound, for grip, andthe
other a cotton floss material for silence.
Stgatth Skits
These correspond to Move
silently Hide n Shadtreoad Noor
Noise. in the water, ninja should not
receive penalties for combat, due to
their training. By special breathing
techniques, they could stay submerged
for three minutes, or ten using an air
bubble trapped in their costume, and
indefinitely using a snorkle. Treat all as
basic skills.
RuneQuest: Use the thief skills of
Camouflage, Hide in Cover and Move
Quietly. Normal swimming rules apply,
but bear in mind the comments above.
‘ould swim upright
at the referee's dis:
Binding, or hojojutsu,isasingle
specialism, escape is a basic skil
3 are other applications of suppleness.
The rules for climbing walls should be
modified when climbing aids are used,
28 these will considerably increase the
chances of success,
AuneQuest: The normal daily move-
ment rates should be adjusted to take
Becount of the distances ninja could
travel, while indoors a basic rate of 10
mavement units should bea good level.
‘Thenormal rules for climbing and jump:
ing work well enough, but nawanuke
jutsu and chakuzen jutsu (celling walk
ing) can be treated as separate skills
NIGHT'S DARK AGENTS.
Bushido: Ninja used poles or spring:
boards (pulled up after them to prevent
discovery) to clear walls eight, nine, oF
ten feet high, and this gained them 9
reputation for superhuman leaps. By
Use of an acrobatic ‘ricochet’ technique,
they couldin fact acty
lengthways ina singh
‘Survival and Woodcraft Skills
‘ADAD: Ninja should be allowad track-
ing skill equivalent to a ranger's, as a
Il, and also the ability to live off
ut not ina dungeon,
‘ations men
making kito-gan,
from ground rice, mi
germ, potato flour, Job
‘of plant), carrot scraping
gfass, and other secret ing
hey provided field ration:
alleged to delay thirst forup
Martial Arts
‘ADD: Rather than using i
combat rules on p72 of the O
mailing, Grappling and Over
iseasier touse the monk's
characters opting to learg
(nerve strikes) as a speg
dd the VHP per lev
monks, Those stud
{arrow cutting
Bonebreaking) treat the hands as
Tight or heavy eesti, and progress as a
normal weapon skill. Yubijutsu (nee
strikes) can be treated as claw attacks,
with each successive level increasing
1% the chance of a eritical hit which will
isable the limb concerned. Bearing in
mind the comments.on p100 of the basic
rules, you can use statistics for the bas:
tard sword, staf, sickle ete, for thelr
‘inja equivalents. Treat shuriken as
throwing knives, using the rules for
pitched shots, and for chain weapons
assume a grappling attack is made to
throw an opponent, without the chance
for tham ta block a successful hit. They
can also be used like a grain fall. Dave
Morris’ article on RQ samurai in WO40
Suggests treating ja/jutsu as a skill
reducing the strike rank of 2 sword with
successive levels of mastery.
‘Bushido: Although itis nat listed as @
ninja bugei, you should include bojutsu
(staff. twas characteristic of ninja
Weapons that they were often disguised,
and the simple traveller's staff could
become a deadly weapon, or itself con:
eal another, such as a chain or 8 blade,
The nine shuriken (a lucky number) usu
ally carried could be used as tools to dig,
dril, and scrape, and an iron tobacco
pipe could be just that, a weapon, or a
Snorkel, Ninjutsu is anapproach, rather
thanacollection of exotic hardware, an
theninje were supremeimprovisors and
adapters,
Chemistry and Herbalism
skills can be used to prepare
‘explosives, secrot Inks,
and antidotes. It was com:
water sources or leave
od to trap ninja, and
[suggestion
[DAD players
sleight of hand
palowed ited
resem use of
Puldbeaspecilist
rd level and
f appropriate spells
fe, tnd tres an
Bell par level fe gained
useable by a clerictwo
wal require payment by service
ek Pockets skill can be used Yor sleight
of hand. Bushido players can treet hyp-
‘olism as a Task, witha value depend.
ing onthe circumatences, and use a BCS
forsieightofhandsimilartoother pract-
cal skis, Don't make the effects too,
powerful nether case
Ninja Tactics
Now you haves character with an arsonal
of dirty tricks, the next question is how
You use them. This is the subject of the
third of these articles, which contains
Information on strategy and tactics. The
difference between life and death canbe
‘2 Small thing like forgetting to use insect
repellent. Theninja, Kirigakure Saizo, was
‘speared through the floor by alert guards
inthe room above, who had naticed
‘mosquitos hovering over his position,
How da you slip past sentries asif
Invisible, and confound pursuers by dis
appearing into thin air? How, when you
{are surrounded in a building which is
then set alight, can you emerge
unscathed? All this, and more, in the
final part of Night's Dark Agents,
next Issue!