Yakuza only appeared in the Edo period (1603−1868), yet they are a staple of Japanese-flavoured TTRPGs, irrespective of which era the game is set in.
I would remove yakuza from my games altogether, but it is obvious that players expect their being available as a choice for PCs. I have hence made some research as to what kind of profession or occupation could be the forebears of yakuza—so as to make them available in games set in the Sengoku era. According to most sources, tekiya, who peddled stolen or smuggled goods, and bakuto, i.e., gamblers (gambling being illegal) were the predecessors of yakuza. However, both groups are also only mentioned in the Edo period. Back to square one.
An article I have found (see below) mentions the gorotsuki, vagabond-like ne’er-do-wells who, apparently, were already mentioned in the Kamakura period (1185−1333). They also had a variety of different profiles (smugglers, entertainers, magic-users, etc.), so they are a good candidate for a ‘chivalrous bandit’ kind of occupation.
Here is the article: <link>
Interesting. And I agree that players have certain expectations regardless. It's helpful to give them what they want.
ReplyDelete