A Missionary's Perspective: The Diary of Tullio de Sao Joao

[Blopwerth III]

Diary of Tullio de Sao Joao
Missionary in Japan

Sunday, 2nd February 1545

This land may be full of savages, but after my experiences so far I am convinced that the Japanese are good people at heart, and only their false religion, which they call "Shinto", coupled with their bizzarre glorification of battle and expecially death, which they call "Bushido", corrupts their souls. I hope that by the grace of God I may be able to save them, before it is too late.

The local headman, which they call a "Daimyo", a man by the name of Otomo Sorin, has allowed me and my missionaries to build a church in the city of Kokura. Kokura is hardly a city. It sems as though their primitive culture still utilizes the feudal system that the Old Country in Portugal ceased to use over a century ago. This complicates my mission; I will have to convert one family after another on farming plot after farming plot. The population is spread out amongst many fiefs, rather than in large cities. It will take very much travel. Even so, it is in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today we held our first mass in our Kokura-based church, and six men, seven women, and three children came along. My interpreters have been hard at work translating the Holy Bible into Japanese, and after four months they have finally managed to create one. We shared the Bible amongst us all. Today was without a doubt the very first time any House of God has given communion with rice cakes and "sake" rice wine.

I am sure to have many adventures in this land, but for now I am content with gathering religious followers.

Deus Vult!

Tullio de Sao Joao

[McScottish]

Excellent start, though a couple of points...

Did he just start it 'dear diary'? I mean, from my view at least, that seems a wee bit odd for an adult man to write. Maybe a teenage girl?

Also, the idea of Bushido, as well as the term itself, was not established until the Tokugawa Period quite a bit later than the 1500's.

Good writing though, and a firm start. I'll be watching this eagerly. +rep.

[Merchant of Venice]

Interesting start and a new and fresh perspective. As McScottish said, perhaps remove the 'dear diary' it's a bit unnecessary. It'll be interesting to see if and how long it takes for the priest to adapt to this new and strange country.

However, I have to disagree with McScottish. I'm fairly sure Bushido was early than the Tokugawa Shogunate and even if it's not, it was around really early in the Tokugawa Period, as in while Ieyasu was still alive. Furthermore, the idea and gist of it was fairly built in to Japanese society and the idea of honour was a big part of the culture and this is way before the Edo (Tokugawa Period). The term itself did only originate during the Edo period, though as various sources state, it was a set of ideals way before that and one could argue that in fact the high amount of fighting and wars in the Sengoku Period (just before the Edo period) is what caused various warriors and philosophers to coin the term and build on it. However, I may be completely wrong and it's better to ask someone like Hitai de Bodemloze or start a thread in the Historical Research sub forum of the Shogun 2 forum, here.

Just as McScottish, though, will be eagerly awaiting the next update. The Shogun 2 AAR forum needs some new faces and AARs apart from Hitai and me *glares at McScottish*

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Bushido as a recognized code didn't exist until the the late 19th century. Imagined samurai ideals had been circulating since the Genpei War though, but they weren't uniform across periods or locales. But we're here to romanticize history, so I don't think it's a huge deal in an AAR I know I certainly take liberties with historical accuracy!

[Blopwerth III]

Monday, 10th February, 1545

Well, as I had thought, the population of this land has slowly been coming around to us, but still, deep down, hate us. They call us barbarians and hurl insults whenever we walk by. Thank goodness we have the protection of the Daimyo, otherwise we'd be pretty messed up.

Just today, some thugs attacked us with their swords, and some local policemen had to apprehend them. I have sent a missive to the Daimyo, requesting some more protection, perhaps even a samurai contingent or some metsuke to guard us. Golly, how this little experiment could go wrong.

I have received a letter from the Bishop of Adria, in Italy, congratulating me on my work. He also thought to congratulate me for all my new converts. All sixteen of them. Compared to the Lollard heretics who have forty-seven converts. Why can't anything be easy? Regardless, I did send him my thanks and a souvenir, a little rice-paper scrap with a lovely poem on it.

Fortunately, I have been able to translate a bible into Japanese, and furthermore I am learning the language rapidly. It definitely helps when you suddenly understand that the populace is calling you "Barbarians", "Pig food", and "Flatulent little runts". I don't enjoy these people so far.

I have settled into my new cottage, built in European style, on a hill, overlooking several small fiefs. I spend my days in my garden, writing books, or preaching, but when I have time to kill it always interests me watching the farmers of this primitive culture use their strange methods to acquire food. It's quite fascinating, and I have begun a book on the subject.

Deus Vult!

Tullio de Sao Joao

[Merchant of Venice]

Can't wait till you update this, is it still alive?

[Blopwerth III]

Yes, it's still alive, don't worry.

[Blopwerth III]

Wednesday, 19th February, 1545

Last Tuesday, the Daimyo gave me my first instructions.

I have been told to get to Kokura castle, where I will try to convert the soldiers in the army, and to provide inspiration, as well as confessing the dying on the battlefield. When I asked why they needed me, the Daimyo said nothing.

I arrived at Kokura and the next day found myself trapped inside a castle besieged by the villainous enemy Shoni clan. Soon food was being rationed very closely. I prayed that we would be able to overcome this enemy. Soon, upon telling the samurai of the next life in heaven, many decided to go with me. I suppose the concept of an eternal afterlife is more appealing than rebirth.

As I write this, I suddenly am hearing the shouts and cries of battle, interspersed with musket fire and metal on metal. I'd better get out there and get confessing.

Ave Maria!

Tullio de Sao Joao

[Blopwerth III]

Sorry I've been so unreliable in updates.

[McScottish]

Sorry I've been so unreliable in updates.

No bother, we await the royal updates from the seventh king of Pringlia with great anticipation.

[Merchant of Venice]

Don't worry about the updates everyone struggles with updating regularly

Soon, upon telling the samurai of the next life in heaven, many decided to go with me. I suppose the concept of an eternal afterlife is more appealing than rebirth.

I liked this bit and I hope you continue on the theme, can't wait for more.

[Blopwerth III]

Thursday, February 20th, 1545

This job is getting painful. Yesterday was spent roaming the battlefield, confessing and comforting the dying. I lost count of how many eyes I saw fading, glazing, clouding. And I cannot begin to think of the dead who died before I could share the Gospel with them. Alas. I pray that God will give them a second chance.

I hope it isn't sacrilege, but I hope they are reborn in their Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, that I-or someone else-may bring them to Christ.

In other news, the castle successfully held against the Shoni. They stormed the castle but wavered under withering hails of musket fire at critical moments. I can't say for certain, but I think I saw that the musketeers spent up to five seconds after the enemy closed to range just to take aim. [Author's Note: ]

Regardless, I finally have a positive assignment, heading to the Ito Clan's territory to convert the populace. The daimyo has provided me with ten samurai guards and a horse. I'd better get going now.

Tullio de Sao Joao

[Blopwerth III]

Saturday, March 1st, 1545

Today I arrived in Ito territory. The Ito are pretty mean to me, actually. I started preaching and within fifteen minutes, while a few people were transfixed by my message, a much larger crowd was heckling and hurling objects. They wouldn't stop shouting "Barbarians go home!". It's insulting, but I realize it's my mission to have the courage not to fight back. I do carry a matchlock pistol in my pocket, though.

So my latest idea was the "Fire-and-Brimstone-Bible-thumper" tactic. I took my guards and started shouting things like "You heathen beasts shall perish in the fiery pit of hell!!!" and "I shudder to think of you sinners attempting to claw your way from Satan's caverns!"

I think that convinced some of them I was crazy, but convinced others that they were doomed. I'm not ready to call this mission a success just yet.


(Insert religious Latin phrase here)

Tullio de Sao Joao

[Merchant of Venice]

Hahahaha the "Fire and Brimstone Bible Thumper" tactic, proved to work after testing on pretty much every non-christian nation. One little criticism, I don't think "Regards to the Reader" is a good ending, unless our protagonist plans to publish his diary is some sort of memoir book. If I was writing a diary, I don't think I'd necessarily write that. Just my thoughts

[Blopwerth III]

Merchant of Venice, I noted your idea, and I figured you were right. So I got a cheap joke out of it.

Also, I just realized, there's no such thing as February 29th, since leap years didn't exist in 1545.

[Merchant of Venice]

I'm not ready to call this mission a success just yet.


(Insert religious Latin phrase here)

Tullio de Sao Joao

Love it! Much more immersive!

[Scottish King]

Lol! This is an AAR from a different perspective. I like different AARs. Keep it up!

[Blopwerth III]

Sunday, March 9th, 1545

Well, today it got a little hairy.

I was walking to church to preach, when the Abbot of a nearby temple monastery walked by, in full garb, in quite stunning regalia. And I thought of myself sitting in my little world, my old winter habit, and my cross around my neck, a foreigner, while the Abbot was carried in a sedan chair by six monks, in a bright orange robe with a truly stunning golden crown, his way the age-old way of these Japanese. He stared me down, and I stared him down. We locked eyes for what felt like a fortnight. In the end, I was finally forced to shy away. Humbly, I bowed to him and backed away, muttering "Forgive me, Father Abbot," in Japanese. The Abbot "hmmphed" in my direction.

That's when I got mad. I was enraged. I was furious! I jumped up on my crate shouting, "Is this man truly humble? For I have just backed down from him and he remains prideful! I humbly bow in is presence, and what does he give me in return? Disdain! Contempt! I hope you are all okay with burning forever in hell, scum!"

Everyone turned to the Abbot. Even the sedan carriers looked his way.

"Leave this place. I will-"

Then, one of my converts burst out with a yell.

"Why must he leave? Lest you savage followers of the old ways kill us? Would Buddha have us killed? Would the Kami have him killed?"

One of the sedan carriers let go of his position at the edge of the chair and grabbed the convert. He lay him flat on the ground and raised his sword.

"Stop," one of my bodyguards said, raising a matchlock towards the carrier. Others aimed for the Abbot and his other carriers.

"Please, let us stop this meaningless violence!" I said. The Abbot agreed. Both sets of bodyguards stood down and lowered their weapons. The sedan carrier helped up my convert.

"Henceforth, let us not be enemies, but friends. Let no Christian of your flock disturb us, and let no Shinto or Buddhist of my flock disturb you," said the Abbot.

"Agreed", said I.

The Abbot left, and I left as well. I returned to the house I shared with my converts and bodyguards, and the Abbot left back towards the temple.

I hope matters are settled.

Tullio de Sao Joao

[Blopwerth III]

This bit is actually a spoiler, so don't read it if you don't want a spoiler.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Things are not necessarily settled yet.

[McScottish]

I do look forward to seeing what happens next, oh religious wars...tut, tut.