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Structures functional purposes. Bamboo blinds, replace shoji in
summer to prevent excess heat inside and also offer
Structures in the world of Ninja vs. Samurai RPG greater ventilation. Country dwellings and farmhous-
are traditionally typified by wooden structures, ele- es often use it for ceilings and rafters. The AR for
vated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched this type of wall is 50 per two feet. Bamboo has a
roofs. Sliding doors (fusuma) were used in place of Pierce Probability of 4.
walls, allowing the internal configuration of a space Shoji= screens are made of paper attached to thin
to be customized for different occasions. People usu- wooden frames that roll away on a track when they
ally sat on cushions or otherwise on the floor, tradi- are pushed. Another important feature of the sho-
tionally; chairs and high tables were not widely used.
ji screen, besides privacy and seclusion, is that they
The earliest Japanese architecture was seen in pre- allow light through. This is an important aspect to
historic times in simple pit-houses and stores adapted Japanese design. Paper translucent walls allow light
to the needs of a hunter-gatherer population. Influ- to be diffused through the space and create light
ence from Han Dynasty China via Korea saw the in- shadows and patterns. The AR for this type of wall is
troduction of more complex grain stores and ceremo- 10 per five feet. Shoji screens have a Pierce Proba-
nial burial chambers. bility of 1.
The structures in Ninja vs. Samurai RPG are Fusuma= is another way to connect rooms in Japan’s
measured in feet and inches. Walls carry the attribute interiors through sliding panels made of wood and
Armor Ratio (AR), like armor. Depleting this num- paper, like the shoji screens, or cloth. These panels,
ber means that roughly that area is destroyed and no however, are used as an entire wall. They are tradi-
longer hinders sight or access (should the hole be tionally hand painted. The AR for this type of wall is
large enough) into the next area. This also means 15 per five feet. The Pierce Probability for this type
that the Pierce Probability is active as well, and is of wall is 2.
implemented in the rules specified in the Ninja vs. Tatami= rice straw floor mats often used to cover the
Samurai RPG Player’s Manual.
floor in Japan’s interiors; in modern Japanese houses
There are several features of structures that players there are usually only one or two tatami rooms. The
should be aware of that present gameplay possibili- AR for this type of floor is 80 per five feet. The
ties. GMs should understand the difference between Pierce Probability for these straw mats is 3.
exterior and interior walls, the building materials
used to make them and how to apply the wall’s AR
and Pierce Probability.
Exterior Wall
Wood= is generally used for the framework of the
home, but its properties are valuable in the Japanese C
h
aesthetic, namely its warmth and irregularity. The a
p
AR for this type of wall is 100 per two feet. The t
e
Pierce Probability for walls made of wood is 5. r
Stone= is generally used for privacy walls, fences
castle walls and as foundations to raise certain struc-
tures. The AR for this material is 500 per foot. The
Pierce Probability for walls made of stone is 8.
Interior Wall
Bamboo= is prominently used and even expected in
the Japanese house, used both for decorative and Konachi
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