To protect these lands and their way of life, the samurai servants of great lords follow Bushidō. This Way of the Warrior elevates samurai from the rest of society while also chaining them to near-unattainable ideals. They must embody righteousness and honor, loyalty and duty, and courtesy and compassion, as well as courage in the face of death. A samurai is expected to uphold these virtues in their every word and deed, even when these ideals conflict with one another. A samurai’s reputation for adhering to the Code of Bushidō reflects not only on the individual, but upon that samurai’s household, family, and clan. Should they prove unable to live up to these expectations, only ritualized suicide, or seppuku, can wash away the stain on their honor.
According to Bushidō, there is no room in a samurai’s life for anything that would get in the way of these ideals. Love and ambition, pride and greed—even happiness—are to be sacrificed for the sake of Bushidō. Yet, samurai are still human, made from the mingling of Lady Sun and Lord Moon, order and chaos. The tenets of Bushidō would not be ideals to strive toward if they were easy to realize in daily life.
Characters in Rokugan are measured by their own faith in, and devotion to, the Code of Bushidō through their honor value.
You must choose how your character secretly feels about the Bushidō.