1. 文書 Notes

掟 Rules for the Shōgun's Head

掟 Rules

The base of the rules use Blood & Honor as inspiration. However, to fill the scope of Shōgun's Head, I have made my own changes, additions, and removed inaccuracies from B&H. As I develop these changes, these rules are likely to drift away from B&H's likeness.

  1. はじめに Introduction
  2. 日本語 Japanese
  3. 氏と家 Clans & Families
  4. 臣 Retainers
  5. 徳 Virtues


氏と家 Clans & Families

Most samurai were born from a great line of samurai bearing their clan's name. Clans can trace their lineage back to the four ancient noble clans, which themselves branched off from the Imperial family, or even more ancient clans that predate Emperor Jimmu.

As a player, your primary character is a 侍 Samurai (or 女武者 Onna-musha). However, you are also playing the immediate 家 Family (House) that they are either the head of or a child of. That family in turn serves the 氏 Clan of a 大名 Daimyō as retainers or vassals.

臣 Retainers

Even the lowest-ranking samurai will have at least one personal servant or retainer at their disposal. As they move up in rank and receive a higher stipend from their lord, they can afford to expand their personal retinue.

In battle, the lord will supply his samurai with ashigaru from his own forces, promoting them to captains or generals.

The ashigaru will serve as a shield to the samurai, absorbing attacks directed at him. How the samurai leads his ashigaru will affect the outcome of combat.

武家奉公人 Servants - also 奉公 Hōkō for short.

  • 若党 Wakatō - originally meant a young boy, means a servant ranking below the lowest samurai.
  • 中間 Chūgen - permitted to wear a wakizashi and participate in battles. 
    • 一時限りの中間 Ichiji-kagiri-no-chūgen - hired from farming families, or in more populated areas, the sons of other samurai.
    • 特殊な中間 Tokushu-na-chūgen - service to the clan passed down through heritage.
  • 小者 Komono - an externally contracted servant.


  • 家従 Attendants
  • 家来 Retainers
  • 家臣 Vassals
  • 供勢 Retinue
  • 家事使用人 Servants
  • 奉公人 Attendants
  • 従者 Attendants
  • 足軽 Ashigaru
  • 侍 Samurai
  • 陪侍 Retainer
  • 臣従 Vassalage
  • 家臣 Vassals
  • 郷士 Lower/Country Samurai

徳 Virtues

Blood & Honor lists six virtues (see B&H for my opinion). Prowess in B&H is less a virtue, and just measure of skill with a weapon, so I have separated it to be used just as that.

The meaningful five virtues I have applied to the Chinese five cosmic phases. These interplay the virtues instead of measuring one virtue against itself.

The phases are not a rock-paper-scissors kind of relationship. At its core, the Generation Cycle creates a flow from one phase to the next, not destroying, but changing states. The Overcoming Cycle likewises controls one phase with another.

力 Strength 「ちから」

【金】metal; vigour, vitality, brutishness
生: diminishes 勇 Courage and garners 美 Beauty
克: restrained by 狡 Cunning and restrains 智 Wisdom ▲

美 Beauty 「び」

【水】water; charm, empathy, sincerity
生: diminishes 力 Strength and garners 智 Wisdom
克: restrained by 勇 Courage and restrains 狡 Cunning ▲

智 Wisdom 「ち」

【木】wood; knowledge, experience, stoicism
生: diminishes 美 Beauty and garners 狡 Cunning
克: restrained by 力 Strength and restrains 勇 Courage ▲

狡 Cunning 「ずる」

【火】fire; wit, ingenuity, deceit
生: diminishes 智 Wisdom and garners 勇 Courage
克: restrained by 美 Beauty and restrains 力 Strength ▲

勇 Courage 「ゆう」

【土】earth; willpower, tenacity, reservation
生: diminishes 狡 Cunning and garners 力 Strength
克: restrained by 智 Wisdom and restrains 美 Beauty ▲

Generation Cycle
相生:力←美←智←狡←勇←力

Overcoming Cycle
相克:力→智→勇→美→狡→力

勢 Prowess「せい」

Martial skill - Each type of weapon has a level of proficiency that requires practice to hone. Prowess in one type can transfer some into another similar type. Strategy, Tactics, and Diplomacy of leaders also count as weapons.

名 Renown「めい」

Experience in combat - For every victory in battle or a duel, a samurai makes a name for himself. It measures not just the individual, but also his opponents' renown. This requires recording each victory.

文書 Notes