Making a God of War (Uesugi: Legednary, Domination)

[Maltz]

Book 2 Notes

1. March Speed Adjustment

Japan is not very big. If game mechanics is strictly followed, 20 miles would take an entire season to travel. The story tries to adhere to a reasonable march speed, which "frees up" characters to advance various plots. For example, now Kagetora has the time to make babies with Yaya, otherwise the mismatched timing could imply that Yaya had someone else.

2. Perserved in formaldehyde

The game's simple AI frequently kills off characters. And when the game runs out of historical names, it starts to use randomly generated names. For a story, characters can't come and go like convenience store customers. The unfortunately fallen will live if they are important characters in the story (such as Takeda Harunobu).

3. Historical Convergence

I try to make things happen in the story the same way that they happened in history. For example, Uesugi Kenshin's name evolution will follow the same path of "Torachiyo -> Nagao Kagetora -> Uesugi Masatora -> Uesugi Terutora -> Uesugi Kenshin" based on the similar events as in history, even though the game mechanics do not allow such events to take place. When there is a conflict between the game and history, I follow the latter.

4. Role of Usami Nomi

Usami Nomi is not my creation - she appeared as the leading female character in the famous classic Sengoku movie "Heaven and Earth" (1990 film). Usami Nomi since then has become a popular subject of romance of Uesugi Kenshin in subsequent fictions.

In this story, however, Nomi is not Kagetora's romantic interest, but the "female version of historical Uesugi Kenshin". When Nomi possesses the strategic mind of the God of Army, I can make Nagao Kagetora a real person who learns and grows (and eventually become a well-deserved God of Army).

Together, Kagetora and Nomi they complete the "God of Army" image as we adore today.

[Maltz]

Book 3 God of Fortune

Chapter 20. National hero in making

On a hot summer day of year 1548, a small emissary ship lands in the shore of Great Ming (China)'s Shandong.
The threats of Japanese pirates have peaked in recent years.
As a result, Great Ming issues a ban of all sea activities - no fishing, no private trades.

Yet the Portuguese merchants ignored the ban - they opened a market on an island offshore Zhejiang.
The market thrived - it became a city of its own.
The Chinese army landed on that island this year.
They sealed the port with wood and rocks, burned down the city, and killed hundreds of Portuguese merchants.
Some of them escaped with their lives and went to Japan...

"Ha! A dwarf emissary from the dwarf country!"

(Note: Japan was called "Wo" in Chinese, meaning "short". Japanese were in average quite a bit shorter than Chinese. Shandong is famous for having tall residents.)

"She is really short!"
A Shandong tall man points at Maoko the Housekeeper's nose.

"Well... I was born this way. Nothing I can change about it."
Maoko shrugs. She speaks broken Chinese.

"Excuse me. How do you go to QI's (pronunced: CHEESE) village?"
"Why? You are an emissary. Shouldn't you go to Beijing?"
"I am not an emissary from Kyoto. I am here to visit QI's village."
"Well... just around the corner ahead..."

***

"DAMN the Wako is here!"
The kids run amok upon seeing Maoko.

"Er... uncle, I am looking for a young man in your village. His father is QI Jingtong, and his name is..."

***

Qi Jiguang (戚繼光 Pronounced: Chee Jee-Guaang) 21 years old): "Who are you?! I don't know you! Wako pirates are enemies! I don't talk to you!"

(note: QI Jiguang is a Chinese national hero, who defeated the wako pirates with revolutionary tactics.)

Maoko: "Well... not all Japanese are pirates. Just like not all Japanese like to eat fish. I don't like seafood at all."
Qi Jiguang: "Hm... What do you want?"
Maoko: "You are planning to take part in the martial exam in the village next year, right?"
Qi Jiguang: "Huh? No. I am not. I am not ready yet."
Maoko: "How come? Don't you want to beat Wako?"
Qi Jiguang: "I do. But I have no idea where to start. I cannot just head into the exam hall and sell them nationalism... like disputed ownership on some rocks in the middle of the ocean. That at most will make me a captain of sailors. I want to become a general."
Maoko: "Hm... yeah you have to show knowledge on a higher level. Why don't I share with you our experiences with Wako?"
Qi Jiguang: "Are you selling out your own people? I don't trust you."
Maoko: "Wako are not entirely Japanese... many of them come from China. And they are criminals! They are darn pirates! I think we can unite on this front."
Qi Jiguang: "Hm... OK. So what do you know about Wako?"

[Maltz]

(one hour later)

Jiguang: "OH! So Wako only appear in certain spots?... Hm, if I can expect their arrival, I can beat them before they do any damage to the innocent people."
Maoko: "Exactly. Or you could use some weak fleet as bait and attract their attacks."
Jiguang: "But if my fleet is weaker, how do I beat them?"
Maoko: "You will figure out some good tactics. Wako are terrible fighters and highly susceptible to war cries. Besides, their ships are..."

(another hour later)

Jiguang: " The pirated Bune cannot compared to the legit Bune! We will design some ships that can easily crush them."
Maoko: "Yes. The only threat about Wako is that they keep coming back. If you have a fleet capable of beating them, and you know where to expect them, the only remaining challenge is the tedium of beating them again and again."
Jiguang: "I won't mind about too many victories to report. Now I have many things to say to exam officers."
Maoko: "And you will become a general."
Jiguang: "Good, good. Thank you very much! Why are you helping me? Who are you anyway?"
Maoko: "My full name is Yamayoshi Maoko. I am an officer in the Nagao clan, led by Nagao Kagetora."
Jiguang: " What?"
Maoko: "Our names are not important - they change frequently. Our purpose stays the same, though. We wish to do free trade with Great Ming."
Jiguang: "Free trading? But you do know about the sea ban, right? You need the red-sealed ships and pay an annual fee for the permit."
Maoko: "But then we cannot make too much from it. We desire the profits from international trade, and use that to fund our campaign to unite Japan."
Jiguang: "Sounds like a noble cause. Why don't you lobby with Beijing?"
Maoko: "I don't think Beijing will take a small clan seriously. But we think you should be able to help us."
Jiguang: "Me? But I am a nobody."
Maoko: "If you go on and beat Wako, Great Ming will lift its sea ban, right?."
Jiguang: "Probably... but why me? Why not some existing general?"
Maoko: "Because they will fail, but you will suceed. You can do it!"
Jiguang: "Why are you so sure? But thanks..."

Qi Jiguang feels really lucky about what happened today.
Indeed, all he wants to do in his life is to defeat the pirates.
Now it seems that his dream will realize pretty soon...

***

Note: In history, Qi Jiguang's famous army completely defeated Wako in 1567, and Great Ming lifted the sea ban in the same year. As the plot involves Nagao/Uesugi doing trade with Great Ming much earlier, there is something Maoko must do to make such trades happen more quickly.

[Maltz]

Bungo, a hub of Portugese merchants. A window for the exchange and mutual influence of European and Japanese culture.
In a morning of early autumn 1548, a small emissary ship returning from Great Ming docks here.

"Two typhoons... and there is one more..."
There is no ship to take Maoko back to Echigo in the storm.

This is the first time Maoko the Housekeeper travels to Bungo.
"Southern barbarians" can be seen every where on the streets.
They have tall noses, white skins, and chest hair growing out of their collar.
The locals are used to them. Some actually convert to their religion.

Maoko: "This looks like a good place to gather information. My goal is to find Lord Kagetora a good reason to launch a Kyushu campaign. Poor Kagetora, he is tortured by his conscience."

Maoko: "But the authority may find me suspicious if I ask too much about politics and military...."

Maoko walks by a European chapel. As the mass finishes, a group of young European ladies walk down the stairs.

Maoko: "Excuse me! Excuse me! Do you speak Japanese?"
The girls look at each other, then one of them steps forward.

"Sure. Can I help you?"
The girl has a long face, a pointy nose, brown hair, very friendly, quite a typical "southern barbarian" girl.

Maoko: "Many Portugese escaped from Great Ming's sea ban and take refuge in Kyushu. Kyoto wishes to express its condolence. I am an emissary, Kawamata Kayoko (川又伽椰子). eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh"

Suddenly, Maoko makes a very long, embarrassing burp.

Kayoko: "I am sorry."

"It is OK, miss emissary. My name is Minata. My Japanese friends call me Minato (Japanese: port), although in Europe it would be a boy's name. Please call me Minato; it is easier to remember."

Kayoko: "Nice to meet you, Minato. Do you happen to know where to look for the refuge from Great Ming?"
Minato: "I know where to find the refuge you are looking for. Their tents are located in the south of the Bungo port. How about I take you there?"
Kayoko: "That will be great!"

Kayoko is of course not a real emissary from Kyoto. But the Portugese girl Minato could be a good cover for her information-gathering mission...

Note: Maoko has two fictional sisters, Kawamata Kayoko (川又伽椰子) and Yamamura Sadako (山村貞子). They are leading characters of famous Japanese horror movie franchises "Ju-on" and "Ringu".

[Maltz]

The Portugese refuge camp is small. Tattered and filthy clothes lay around the tents. There is nothing valuable.
The refugees are mal-nutritioned - only surviving by the assistance of the nearby catholic chapel.
Some church goers think their fate is well deserved, for they were once smugglers driven by greed.

Refugee: "We are murdered by Chinese, and now discriminated by Japanese. Why does this happen to us?"
Kayoko: "I am very sorry. Here are 10 koku worth of silver. Please accept our tiny gift. Maybe you find a job here and establish your new life."
Refugee: "Thank you..."

Kayoko knows that it is only human nature to form bias and prejudice on outsiders.
It is how we simplify the world, or there would be too much information to handle.
However, as we grow up, many of us will realize that the outsiders are not much different from ourselves.

Minato: "Oh... sister Kayoko is a nice person. Well, now you have found the refuge camp. If there is nothing else, I will say goodbye to you..."
Kayoko: " Wait wait wait! There is no insider's information to gather from refugees... can I chat with you more? Isn't there a good java coffee shop nearby? I will buy you a cup!"
Minato: "Java coffee? It is expensive! Sure!"

***

The coffee shop is small, but it has modeled after the European style - the seats are out on the street.
Kayoko and Minato picked a quiet corner, for there could be sensitive information...

Kayoko: "Minato speak very fluent Japanese!" (of course your tones are off but we forgive you)
Minato: "Really? Thank you. I study very hard. My teacher is a good friend of my father. He is a samurai."
Kayoko: "A samurai? So Minato must know some things about the samurai clans in Kyushu?"
Minato: "Yes, I know some of them. For example, my father deals exclusively with the powerful Ito clan. They are now ruling Bungo."
Kayoto: "The Ito clan?..."
Minato: "Yep. Actually Ito Yoshisuke is my godfather!"
Kayoto: "Wow! The Ito daimyo is your godfather?"
Minato: "Actually, my father said Ito Yoshisuke has dozens of god-daughters. So I am not that special. "
Kayoto: "Many god-daughters? Probably a polite term for 'mistresses'. I am sure you are not."
Minato: "My father said he would never sacrifice me to become a mistress. For now I am still just his god-daughter."
Kayoto: "Good!"



Ito Minato (伊東 湊)
Born in Portugal, 1523 as Minata Silva. She goes with nickname "Minato"(port) in Japan. Five years ago, Minato arrived in Japan with her merchant father and settled down in Bungo's "southern barbarian" district. Her father does business with the local samurai class. The daimyo of Ito clan, Ito Yoshisuke, is Minato's godfather.

[Maltz]

Kayoko feels it's her lucky day. Her first contact in Kyushu, Minato, is quite an insider of the local clans. What does Minato know?

***

(A) Asks about Otomo (Paragon +5) <---
(B) Asks about Shimazu (Paragon +5)
(C) Asks about Minato (Renegade +5)
(D) Ask Minato to pay for coffee (Honor -1)

***

Kayoko: "Now we are in Bungo... isn't there a powerful Otomo clan? What happened to Otomo?"
Minato: "Otomo? Yes they were once something, led by a great general Betsugi... something. Since Otomo was very powerful, it attracted attacks from all sides. No matter how good your general is, you can only properly defend one front. So eventually Otomo was destroyed."
Kayoto: "I see."

Kayoko once heard this saying: "the most important rule for defence is to reduce the need for defence." It looks like Otomo is no good at diplomacy.

Kayoko: "How about the famous 'falcon man' in Satsuma? The Shimazu clan?"
Minato: "The home of pirates? Yeah, the Shimazu daimyo has a good roster of sons. The second son Yoshi... I also forgot his name was the fiercest in battle. But the Shimazu clan is now history."
Kayoko: "What happened to Shimazu?"
Minato: "They were attacking Higo while Ito's army made a lightning strike in Satsuma. Shimazu lost their castle and their supply. As a result, they lost the subsequent battle. I heard everybody got killed. Tragic. "
Kayoko: "Oh..."

Kayoko once heard another saying: "the most important rule for offence is to bring down the target before someone brings you down." Apparently Shimazu took too long in their Higo campaign.

Kayoko: "Hm... From Kyoto, I only know Shimazu and Otomo are the most famous clans. How about Ito and Shoni?"
Minato: "Indeed. Currently Kyushu us divided between Ito and Shoni. Shoni is in the north; Ito is in the south. But Ito and Shoni are actually allies. They are at war with some smaller clans in middle Kyushu, such as Sagara."
Kayoko: "I see. Hm..."

Can "assisting Sagara" be a justifiable excuse for Nagao to march to Kyushu? Maybe not enough...

Kayoko: "Minato, you are familiar with Ito, right? Can you tell me more? Any conflicts internally or externally? "
Minato: "Sister Kayoko is really into wars, huh? Well, it is your job to understand the situation here. There was a serious dispute in the Ito family, but it has passed so nobody mentions it anymore. Ito is now at war with Sagara and the Kikkawa clan in Chugoku region."
Kayoko: "Oh... Chukoku..."

Chukoku seems to be too far ahead for Nagao to worry about.

Kayoko holds her little coffee cup and takes a sip. So bitter!
Why would European drink this kind of... maybe just a fashion thing.

Kayoko: "How about you, Minato? Are you planning to stay here for long?"
Minato: "I think so. The Ito daimyo likes us Portugese traders. I heard he is going to expand the Nanban Port... you know, the 'southern barbarian' port. I heard there are more missionaries arriving from home."
Kayoko: "Oh. So we are expecting more catholics in Bungo."
Minato: "Yes. I am afraid that the local Buddhists would be unhappy... hopefully the Ito authority would maintain order?"
Minato: "Buddhists are actually quite tolerant to other religions.... well until somebody incites a revolt, of course."
Minato: "Yes. Some of our missionaries berate other religions too much. They are also very good at mobilizing angry mobs. I don't like them."

Kayoko used to be a faithful Buddhist.
But now she does not distinguish between religions.
She believes that all religions point to the same goal, which even atheists would agree on.
Disputing whose god is real or fake, or starting a war because of it, gets one further away from this goal.

[Maltz]

A typhoon is coming. Grey clouds fly by in the sky.
But the pedestrain walk in their own pace.
When there is order, people live without fear.

***

(A) Talk about the small clans in middle Kyushu (Paragon +2)
(B) Talk about Shoni (Paragon +5, advance plot)
(C) Drink Coffee (meaningless animation only)
(D) Find Minato a bodyfriend (sidequest: EXP +100)

***

Kayoko takes a sip of the bitter coffee.
She picks up the cup almost unconsciously -
probably like people looking down at their watch when they do not really want to know the time.

Kayoko takes another sip of the bitter coffee...
OPS. There are only three drops left.
Yet she pretends; she took the last three drops like a mouth full.
Little awkward moment like this fill our days, don't they?

Kayoko: "What are the smaller clans in middle-Kyushu?"
Minato: "In the province of Higo. These clans are led by the Sagara daimyo Sagara Haruhiro. They do not care so much about expanding. But they still field a respective army in Higo. That's why neither Ito or Shoni have been able to advance into Higo. Well, Shoni is not really helping us."
Kayoko: "So Sagara's friends are defense-minded. What's wrong with Shoni?"
Minato: "I heard that the Shoni daimyo no longer holds the power of the clan... All issues must be discussed with Ryu... Ryuzo... something. There was a series of tragic incidents; many people got killed... I am not very sure about the details. I only know that everybody expect this Ryu... something to replace Shoni clan in the near future."
Kayoko: "A clan's internal struggle? A daimyo in distress and a treacherous clan officer? Sounds ideal for Nagao intervention! "
Minato: "What?"
Kayoko: "Nothing..."

Kayoko gets nervous and picks up the empty coffee cup. OPS - it is already empty!
Now Kayoko has to decide whether to drink from the empty cup...
If Kayoko drinks from the cup, it is self-degrading, and there is a risk that Minato has noticed the emptiness of the cup.
If Kayoko does not drink from the cup...
Well, she polite returns it to the kitchen.