THE ROLE-PLAYING GAME

A role-playing game based on the "Leverage" game by Cam Banks, Rob Donoghue and Clark Valentine, published by Margaret Weiss Productions, Ltd. You will need a copy of “Leverage” in order to use the ideas in this document. Don’t worry, it’s awesome. You’ll be happy you bought it.

by Corey Reid

BETA!

This is a first draft. If you’ve got ideas on how to make it better, let me know: [email protected] Welcome to Ninja island

NINJA ISLAND -- the secret headquarters of the assembled ninja clans around the world -- holds many dark and terrible secrets. This is where the devastating Nine Lotus Cut was developed, where the Mystery of the Immovable Sword was solved, and where Grand Master Hisien ascended into a realm of pure energy. The ninja clans put aside all rivalries and prejudices here, and work together to defeat those powers that threaten the existence of all clans.

It is also where bad ninjas go to get schooled. Contents The Toughest School in the World 3 Welcome to the NINJA ISLAND CORRECTIONAL ACADEMY. Watch out!

Creating the Kids 5 Not bad, just misunderstood. And sort of bad.

Playing the Game 11 This is the bit where you need the Leverage book. Just saying.

Creating the Plot 12 How to make sure Those Darn Kids get into trouble again.

The Toolbox 14 People and places around the Academy.

The Character Sheet 18 2 The Toughest School in the World

The Ninja Island Correctional Academy is the administration too much, and you'll face expulsion. And roughest high school in the whole world. This is where NOTHING is worse than expulsion. The Academy is the multitudinous ninja clans send their worst kids -- the your last chance. Fail here, and you fail the clans entirely, kids that even Sensei can't handle. Here the strictest and they will cast you out. You will no longer be ninja. disciplinarians and sternest taskmasters in all the clans Your powers will be stripped from you. Your home, your take troublemaking kids in rough, calloused hands and family, EVERYTHING will be taken from you, and you'll grind them into obedience. probably be hunted down and killed by your best friends. Students are driven through classes in every This is it. You have to survive the most dangerous conceivable discipline -- the typical high-school subjects place on earth: high school. like history, composition and science, of course, but gymnastics, hand-to-hand combat, lockpicking and You Kids assassination are also regular classes here. And nobody Kids come to the Academy from all sorts of different worries about lawsuits or bullying -- there are no parent- ninja clans. Not all ninjas wear black onesies and skulk teacher interviews, no school board oversight, no one to around in shadows. Some have mastered secrets of inner take the side of the kids. energy and can project blasts of ki, while others Teachers here rule with absolute power. They think communicate with ancestral spirits. Some are bold nothing of backhanding a mouthy kid -- through the wall. warriors, others are sneaky thieves. Each kid belongs to a When Teacher throws a piece of chalk at you, you better particular ninja clan, and you clan has up to now been duck, because Teacher can probably throw chalk hard your family, your home, your whole world. enough to knock you out cold. But your clan has just about given up on you. Maybe it And the teachers aren't the only hardcore ones here. was a misunderstanding, maybe you got tricked into This school is full of tough tough kids. Ninja kids, with something, or maybe you really are as bad as they say. ninja powers. Kids carry their swords to class, and the Whatever happened, your clan said "ENOUGH!" and wrong word at the wrong time with get you a hail of chucked you out. You can't count on them for any help shuriken, or a noose around the neck. The social unless you successfully graduate from the Academy and hierarchy here is dependent on the ability to kick ass -- its fiendish training programs. and disputes are settled straight up, with an Eagle Claw All you've got is each other. You and the other kids in strike to the throat the most compelling argument there this story share a dorm room. You're friends now, having is. looked out for each other since the school year began. Once you've arrived here, there's nowhere to go. Each of you has specific talents, and you've learned how You're on your own -- except for the friends you've made. to work together to find things out, and to solve problems Make the wrong enemies, annoy the school

3 -- especially those problems that might lead to expulsion. Chamberlain? All you can do is try to stay one step ahead There are five basic roles you kids fill: Ringleader, Jock, of that old bastard's schemes. Nerd, Teacher's Pet and the Kook. You may not all LIKE each other all the time, and you may argue and bicker How This Works about who said what when, but in the end you know you REFORM SCHOOL NINJAS is a game wherein you have to count on each other, or else the teachers, the get together to tell a story about how a bunch of smart, administrators and the other students are going to walk plucky kids overcome cruel suspicious adults. The adults all over you. try to get you kids expelled from the school, but you Learn how to work together. Or ELSE. figure out their plot, turn the tables and come out, if not looking like good guys (you ARE Reform School kids, Always in Trouble after all), at least avoiding expulsion this time. One of you is the Counselor. The rest of you are Kids. The Counselor creates each episode by coming up “I didn’t do it. Whatever it is. Wasn’t me.” with a plot for how to get the kids kicked out of school -- framing them for some terrible crime (cheating on tests, stealing library books, whatever), or giving them an Disobedient troublemakers, or just misunderstood? impossible challenge (organize the school Hallowe'en Good-hearted kids can get into trouble, too, and once party with REAL ZOMBIES, or something). Usually the you've been sent to the Ninja Island Correctional instigator of the plot will be Chamberlain Wong, but he Academy, you've got a reputation for trouble whether you often brings in some patsy or other to enact his schemes, like it or not. so it could be anyone. This reputation for trouble is going to get you into As the plot unfolds, the Counselor plays all the roles of even more trouble, as your teachers and the school the teachers, the administrators and the other kids in the administrators interpret everything you say and do in the school. It is the Counselor's job to come up with worst possible light. Trying to set the record straight only Complications during play, and rule on any disputes or makes things worse, as you make enemies of the grown- possible alternatives. ups. And who's going to listen to a delinquent like you? The Kids have to figure out what's going on and who's Certainly not Chamberlain Wong, the head behind it, come up with a plan to get out of trouble, and administrator of the school. Why does Wong hate you so then execute that plan without getting caught. There may much? Maybe you made him look foolish in front of the be fights, clever heists, or complex con jobs involved. In school. Maybe you foiled his carefully-laid plans. Maybe the end, you'll usually prevail, and avoid expulsion this he just doesn't like the way you look. Whatever the cause, time. But it won't be easy! he is DEFINITELY out to get you. The other teachers might be suspicious of you, but Chamberlain Wong wants you expelled, if only he can catch you in a sufficiently incriminating position. Again and again he tries to set you and your friends up, ensnaring you in his plots, and again and again you have to scramble, lie, cheat and steal your way out of trouble. You can't denounce the Chamberlain. Nobody's going to believe you, except maybe that Master Izawa who teaches history, but what's he going to do against the

4 Creating the kids

Kids are created pretty much just like the Crew in Ringleader Leverage. Each player assigns die types to different roles, They might be bossy, they might be charismatic, they making sure everyone has a different top role. Once might not even realise your own impact on others, but you've chosen your top two Roles, you decide on your they're always the ones with the plan, the ones who can Clan, assign your Attributes and come up with a see the big picture and keep their friends on track. Distinction. At which point you’re ready to run the First Ringleaders figure out what the bad guys are up to, and Day adventure, during which you’ll come up with your then can usually come up with an idea of how to stop lesser roles, another Distinction and your Talents. them. Remember: you’re a ninja. You can just assume that They're almost always good students -- they're smart your character is sneaky, pretty bad-ass in a fight, and and observant and hard-working -- but their natural in- capable of astounding athletic feats. That’s just a given, charge attitude can get them in trouble with the school so you don’t need to use your Distinctions for that administration. purpose. If you want to be epically good at these sorts of You’ll use your RINGLEADER die whenever you try things, then sure, a Distinction can be used. to organize or assist your friends or other students, It’s important when creating your kids to note that you whenever you try to figure out what’s going on, or aren’t really BAD kids. You might be mouthy, or lazy, or whenever you try to come up with a good plan. short-tempered, but you aren’t sociopaths, you aren’t terrorists and you aren’t bullies. You don’t WANT to be Jock kicked out of school. This whole thing doesn’t work if the Some Jocks are big, tough kids who like to fight and main characters are ACTUALLY worthless hooligans -- it get physical with their enemies. Some are graceful works if everyone else thinks you’re worthless hooligans, acrobats who dance circles around anyone who tries to when actually you’d be good kids if someone would give get rough. Whatever their style, jocks use their strength you a chance. and agility to make their reputations, and to protect their friends. Jocks step into scary situations, confident that Roles their muscles and their physical skills will allow them to There are five roles in REFORM SCHOOL NINJAS: prevail. Ringleader, Jock, Nerd, Teacher's Pet and Kook. Assign Stars in the dojo, or brooding sit-at-the-back-of-the- one role to your top die, and another to your second die. class bad kids, Jocks get attention however they carry Leave the other dice for now. Remember, make sure your themselves. top die doesn't go to a role someone else has put their top You’ll use your JOCK die whenever you do something die on, so you'll have to negotiate. physical, like win a fight (or deliberately lose one...), climb over a wall, pole-vault, whatever.

5 Nerd Is it magic? Or are they actually just putting on a show of Clever, fast-talking and dangerous, Nerds excel at vagueness, hiding incredible skills? making things, breaking things and faking things. Good The Kooky kids sail through school. Teachers never with their hands as well as their brains, they cobble call on them, but they seems to pass every course without together useful gadgets, open up sealed containers, and ever doing any work. can usually figure out how just about anything works. You’ll use your KOOK die whenever you want to Nerds open doors for their friends with their quick wits know or have something you have no business knowing or and creative engineering. having, when you want to be ignored or not taken They'd be star pupils if they didn't drive all their seriously. teachers completely insane. Or hadn't blown up the chemistry lab. Specialties You’ll use your NERD die whenever you either put something together or take something apart, or just Just like in Leverage, you can apply Specialities to your understand how something works (or even what the heck Role. that THING is...). Clans Teacher's Pet There are dozens, if not hundreds, of ninja clans. Smooth-talking and pristinely turned-out, Teacher's Many are similar to each other: the traditional idea of a Pets handle teachers and school administrators like their ninja -- secretive, acrobatic assassins and spies who can own personal staff. They might be pretty and rich, or they fight and sneak around like nobody's business -- but there might appear cheerful and helpful students, but however are many strange and even bizarre groups among the they do it, they earn the trust of their superiors, and the clans. Some work with supernatural forces, make bargains sour envy of their peers. They work a room with natural with demonic powers, or rule towns as warlords. Some charm, and keep one step ahead of scheming adults. wear funny hats. Teacher's Pets are always at Regardless, your clan gives you a special Talent. Every the front of the class, always do clan has their signature move, their secret technique, their their homework, and always funny hat, whatever. Every ninja has a Clan Talent. Some have the right answers. You of the clans listed below have Talents already created for know you hate them. them, but some you’ll have to make up the Talent You’ll use your TEACHER’S yourself. Use the guide in the Leverage book for how to PET die whenever you try to make a good Talent. work the school administration, You can totally make up your own clan. Give it a cool “I fail to see the convince a teacher to do name and invent a Talent, and away you go. You can problem with this.” something, or generally lord it worry about the details later, if they ever become over others. relevant. Or you can pick from any of the clans listed below: Kook Maybe they stare out the window. Maybe they always The Shadow Claw Clan have their noses in books. Nobody really understands the In their black outfits and with their legendary Kooky kids, but at the same time nobody seems to notice swordfighting abilities, the Shadow Claw Clan are very them, and not being noticed can come in very handy at traditional. They are led by the elderly (but powerful) times. They know things they have no business knowing, Master Hisakino, and are respected throughout the clans and they get ahold of things they have no business having. for their strict adherence to the codes of honour and

6 valour. other clan, their true power is their ability to speak with Talent: One Cut and even command undead spirits. Angry spirits. The Shadow Claw clan always seek to end combat Talent: Spirits, Hear Me! quickly, leaving no possibility for their opponent to Activation: an ally fails a roll. continue. Effect: your ally can re-roll, adding both a d10 and a Activation: when you succeed in a Fight action d4 to the roll. Spirits intervene, usually helping, but often Effect: your success is automatically an Extraordinary with unanticipated results. Success Touch-Moon Palace The Glorious Dragon Clan Not every "clan" is a "clan". The Touch-Moon Palace Flashier than their Shadow Claw brothers, the was established by the Jade Emperor himself, and Glorious Dragons sport natty gold headbands. They considers itself the most exalted of all the ninja clans. operate almost like a street gang or an organized crime The lords of the Touch-Moon Palace ruled as the powers outfit, running casinos and other splashy joints in their behind the Jade Throne, and their ninjas were trained in hometown, where their Grand Master Shiro's word is courtly behaviour, and the deadly deceptions of lies and absolute law. One of the largest clans, the Glorious scandal. Dragons number in the hundreds. Talent: Superior Talent: Eyes Open Activation: you make a Face Action. The Glorious Dragons know every con, every scam Effect: add a d10 to your roll. Your naturally superior and every trick in the book. demeanour unnerves the lesser folk, causing them to Activation: you make a Notice action to uncover some reveal things they hadn’t meant to. trickery or falsehood Effect: Gain an extra d8 to your roll. Spend a Plot Need more clans? Sure. You’ll have to imagine what point to make it a d10. Talents are appropriate, however. Have fun!

The White Phoenix Clan ● The Everlasting Moon Clan Relying on their mechanical ingenuity, the White ● The Gathering Cloud Clan Phoenix are reknowned for their endless array of clever ● The Gilded Fang Cult devices. Repeating crossbows, explosive shuriken, auto- ● The Three Mountains Clan extending spear shafts, HUGE MECHANICAL ● The Crushing Fist Society CLAWS, the laboratories of the clan turn out startling ● The Iron Beggars Clan gadgets and gizmos of all descriptions. ● The Dragon Eye Clan Talent: I Can Make It Work ● The Sepulchre Activation: you face a Complication based on some ● The Brotherhood of the Silent Hand mechanical device or principle Effect: Remove the Complication. Spend a Plot Point ● The Five Thousand Clan to turn it into a d6 Asset. ● The Moon Blade Cult

The Ghost Shadow Clan Your clan ought to say something about who your Mysterious and feared, the Ghost Shadow Clan speak character is, where they come from. You may be an to the dead. They are a clan of priests and priestesses, exemplar of your clan, or you may be the square peg that who keep their ancestors close by for advice and dark never fit into the round hole. Either way, the clan is where power. While their fighting abilities are the equal to any you grew up, and they are the only family you've ever

7 known. - Like Archangel, you can use this talent even if you're not in contact with the other character. Attributes ● The Bigger They Are Assign die ratings to your six Attributes: Agility, Jock Talents Alertness, Intelligence, Strength, Vitality and Willpower. Just like Leverage. ● Badass ● Everything is a Weapon Distinctions ● I Can Kill You With My Mind - This works when you’re using JOCK in your Again, just like Leverage, come up with a Distinction roll. for your character: a short phrase or a word that ● Threat Assessment describes something significant about this kid. To start ● Aerialist with, you only need one Distinction, something that indicates WHY you got sent to the Academy. Are you Nerd Talents short-tempered, kleptomaniacal or defiant? You’ll use this Distinction in the First Day to tell the ● Do You Have That Thing I Gave You? story of how you got sent here. ● PDQ Rembrandt - Call this one "Doctor's Note". It works just like Talents the Leverage one, only when you’re using your NERD die. Just like in Leverage, characters have Talents. For the ● Shut Down All the Garbage Mashers most part, the Talents listed below operate just like - Call this one "Oh, That Place" Talents described in the Leverage rulebook. They've been ● Safecracker rearranged amongst the Roles, but you can probably - figure it out. You’ll be using your NERD die rather than We've provided a bit of description where necessary your THIEF die. (and sometimes, an alternate title) just to make clear how ● I Know What That Is a Talent works in a ninja high school environment. - New Talent -- Activation: the Counselor Remember, you don’t need to pick Talents -- you’ll introduces a sur prise Complication come up with them during the course of the First Day. (something your group didn't know about). You must spend a Plot Point to activate this Ringleader Talents Talent. Effect: you know what it is -- thus ● Archangel suppressing the Complication for the duration - You can use this talent even if you're not in of the story. contact with the other characters. Teacher's Pet Talents ● Master Plan ● Slip of the Tongue - Rather than MASTERMIND, this works - when you’re using RINGLEADER in your For when you are using your TEACHER’S roll. PET die. ● ● Sea of Calm Social Center ● - Your ally uses your RINGLEADER die. Takes One to Know One ● ● Stay on Target Over-The-Shoulder Hacker - Change this one's title to "I See How it Works"

8 -- you can see how school administrators or Sent Away any other characters get past security (hand signals, documents, passwords, whatever) and “It was really just a mis- replicate the action. Note that if you need a understanding. I’ll be going document to get through, you'll need the home soon. I’m sure.” document (or a reasonable hand-drawn facsimile). First, you and each of the other kids will play out one ● Who, Me? quick scene in which you are sent away from your clan - New Talent -- Activation: Teacher's Pet roll, and off to the Academy for “correction” or “discipline”. Face Action with any authority figure. Effect: This is a quick scene (it shouldn’t be more than ten If you wish, you can add a d10 to your roll to minutes) that ends with your character in BIG avoid getting into trouble, but if you do, you TROUBLE with their clan. must also add a d4. Your responsible Once the scene is over, the other players can pick reputation keeps getting you dragged into either a second Distinction, or a secondary Role for you. “helping” with official projects. Creating the First Day Adventure Kook Talents This is just like the “Recruitment Job” in the Leverage ● Opportunist handbook. The difference is that this is the first day at ● I Just Work Here school, so the kids are all getting assigned their dorm ● Silent Entry partners. Your group is all in one room, and through the - The roll here involves your KOOK die. day’s troubles you’ll get to know each other, and have a ● Steady Hands chance to be awesome. - When you are using your KOOK die in a roll. ● Pickpocket The Goon - When you are using your KOOK die in a roll. The problem for the First Day is a Goon -- somebody who’s just out to make trouble for you kids. It could be an Open Talents older student, it could be another new student looking to ● Haymaker make a mark, or it could be a suspicious grown-up who ● Only Suckers Fight Fair figures getting you kids sorted out right now will save trouble down the road. Whoever it is, they don’t like you, ● Tactical Eye and they want you gone. How will they do that? ● Johnny or Jenny On The Spot ● Hawkeye Frame You For a Crime They do something bad and make it look like you did The First Day it, generally plotting to have the crime revealed at the With your Role, Clan (and Clan Talent), Attributes school opening assembly. and first Distinction figured out, you're ready to play the Beat You At Something First Day -- where you and your friends meet each other and overcome the first effort to have you kicked out. In Opening ceremonies can involve contests or the process of playing the First Day, you'll get to figure demonstrations by the students. The Goon is up against out your secondary Roles, your remaining Talents and one or more of you, and has rigged things so that you’ll what other Distinctions you want. lose, in a terribly embarrassing way.

9 Break Your Spirit Kid Creation Basics: Bullying, stealing your personal effects, chopping you in half -- Goons are bad and while their plot will 1. Pick Your Role Ringleader, Jock, Nerd, Teacher’s Pet and Kook probably stop short of serious injury, if they get desperate enough they might try anything. 2. Pick Your Clan And note down your Clan Talent How To Get Out Of It Just like in the Recruitment Job, the kids need a way to 3. Assign Your Attributes stop the Goon. Just like in the Recruitment Job, the Agility, Alertness, Intelligence, Strength, Vitality and details aren’t too important. Be lenient as far as resolving Willpower the plot goes -- they can win the contest, switch the evidence around so the Goon is blamed, or whatever. The 4. Explain Why You’re Here goal here is to have Spotlight and Flashback Scenes for A few words as a Distinction that explains how you each of the kids, and come up with appropriate Talents got sent to REFORM SCHOOL. and secondary Roles for them. By the end of the First Day, each kid will have two 5. Play Your “Sent Away” Scene more Talents (in addition to their Clan Talent) and all Get either another Distinction or a secondary role. their Role dice allocated. The whole thing works just like the Recruitment Job.

Experience This all works exactly like in Leverage. What Leverage calls “Jobs” we call “adventures”, but whatever. Same thing.

10 Playing the Game

Gameplay is exactly like Leverage. Actions, Traits, Assets, Complications -- there’s no changes here.

That was easy, wasn’t it?

11 Creating the PLot

Adventures in Reform School Ninjas are much like school experiences, and imagine that they were Jobs in Leverage -- something bad is happening, and the deliberately planned by YOUR ENEMIES. Imagine that Crew (I mean, “the kids”) have to stop it. The biggest school, rather than just a faceless, uncaring system, was difference is that usually there’s no Client. The bad guys actively trying to crush you. You probably don’t have to in Reform School Ninjas are out to get the PCs. The try very hard. basic idea of every adventure is that the bad guys (often Embarrassing failures in shop class. Having to solve Chamberlain Wong) have a scheme to get the kids kicked problems you don’t understand at the blackboard. out of school. If the kids don’t jump in and try to stop Sarcastic teachers. Ridiculous phys-ed exercises, and things, they’ll be expelled. forgetting your gym wear. Toilets overflowing while you’re That’s bad. sitting on them. Getting invited to a dance, and then This has a few implications on creating adventures, but making a fool of yourself. essentially the rules and advice in the Leverage game will It’s easy! Take any of those, and just add any stand you in good stead here. combination of ninjas, demons, sorcerers, witches, vampires, zombies, exploding animals, tentacle monsters Kicking Things Off or deadly poisons you like. Think about how any of those might result in getting into trouble, make it ten times Because you don’t have a Client, you can’t have the worse, and you’ve got a plot. opening scene where somebody says, “Here’s the problem.” That’s okay. What you do instead is have a thrilling opening sequence, like the beginning of a great Coming Up With the Plot action movie. Something terrible interrupting a peaceful day, or an important ceremony, like that. Robots going “I like stories about berserk (there’s a surprising number of robots at the ZOMBIES. And Walnuts.” Academy), demonic invasion, extra homework, whatever. This is the revelation that once again, someone is out to get the kids. The immediate threat may not be against You can create your plot basically the same way you them, but sooner or later it’s going to turn out that unless created them in Leverage. You can either come up with a this whatever-it-is is stopped, the kids are doomed. situation “The kids have to plan a Hallowe’en party -- but there’s REAL zombies coming out of the Haunted We All Remember High School House!” -- or you can dream up a bad guy “This incredibly good-looking substitute teacher who’s actually When coming up with plots, think about the most a tentacled demon-creature in disguise!” Either way, start ridiculous things, people and events from your own high with something that gets you all interested and build out a

12 plot against the kids. It may feel at times like EVERY new person is a bad guy, Follow the advice in the Leverage game to make sure but keep in mind the kids don’t have to have encountered your plot will attract fun and get the PCs moving in useful the Mark prior to trouble rearing its ugly head. It may be directions. Remember that they’re going to have to figure only after they’ve poked around that they discover there’s out what’s going on in order to make a plan of action, so a new janitor who goes out into the woods every night for don’t make the “what’s going on” bit too complicated to unknown purposes... figure out. And of course, Marks can do the whole “demonic possession” thing and take over somebody the kids Where To Start already know. That happens all the time around here. Every episode of REFORM SCHOOL NINJAS doesn’t have to revolve around the kids getting expelled, Resolution but that’s the basic story these rules are designed to tell, so Reform School Ninjas is less a game about triumphant here are ten starting points you can use to kick off victory and more about “Phew, we didn’t get kicked out another round of “kids getting hard done by”: THIS time!” For that reason, it’s perfectly satisfying (sometimes even better) to have endings where the kids’ 1. Accused of cheating victory is invisible to everyone but them. If the fiend 2. Must-pass test trying usurp the cooking competition in order to frame 3. Partnered with idiot the kids for poisoning Master Izawa is defeated, and all 4. Sabotaged performance anyone knows is that our heroes finished their soup but 5. Framed for crime forgot to add any salt, that counts as victory. Nobody 6. Impossible task knowing that the good Master came within a hair’s- 7. Cursed! breadth of being poisoned is part of the fun! 8. Given uncontrollable power Generally speaking, no matter how awesomely the kids 9. Accused of indiscretions save the day, nobody believes it, or most likely even 10. Somebody is trying to kill us! notices.

Wow, those sure sound like lots of trouble.

The Mark in School Leverage games revolve around a Mark -- someone who has to be defeated in order for the plot to be foiled. Do the same with your Reform School Ninja games, but keep in mind that you want the state of things in the school to typically hum along unchanged. If the students expose the Chamberlain as an evil schemer EVERY session, eventually the Chamberlain’s got to get fired. And if more and more of the staff get fired, it gets weirder and weirder and harder and harder to come up with reasonable plots. For this reason, lean towards Marks that are more disposable. Substitute teachers, other students, random staff members, or visiting dignitaries are all great choices.

13 The Toolbox

The world of Reform School Ninjas is very close to a One of the biggest bullies in the school, Shima is just world we all know: high school. Basically, if your high plain mean. He’s tough, and a good fighter when he school involved duels to the death, acrobatic keeps his cool, and he’s smart enough to stay in good with awesomeness, giant monsters and angry spirits, you’d Chamberlain Wong and the other school administrators, have graduated from the Ninja Island Correctional so he can almost always count on being believed when it’s Academy. But otherwise, it’s just like high school. Nobody his word against someone else’s. Of course, he often loses is happy to be there, least of all the students. his cool, and wades into fights he shouldn’t get into, and But everything you remember (or are currently going because he’s such a bastard, none of the other kids (even through) in high school is there: classrooms, gymnasiums, his “friends”) are likely to help him when he needs it. libraries, teachers, administrators, janitors, students, parties, study hall, detentions, tests, the prom, the pool, Chamberlain Wong the cool kids, the drama club, the band -- it’s all there. ADMINISTRATOR D12, EFFORTLESS KUNG- Just, you know, with swords. FU D12, INATTENTIVE D4, SPITEFUL D4, Here are some sample People, Places and Problems INCREDIBLE PEDANT D8 you might encounter (or use) in your Reform School The Chamberlain wields incredible power at the Ninja adventures. school. No door is closed to him, no records sealed from his view. He is secure in his power -- and he can fight like Sample People heck when the time comes, something not everyone would guess from his bookish appearance, with spectacles Here are some of the people you might run into and peering eyes. His smugness does cause him to around the Academy. Some might turn out to be Marks overlook things, and he can get so focused on sneering at for the current adventure, some might help you, and people that he oversteps himself. There is virtually some might turn you in. Careful who you trust! nothing the Chamberlain doesn’t know -- his command of history, ninja tradition and the classics of Imperial Marks literature is boundless, and there’s nothing he likes better You can use these folks as Marks -- they’re all pretty than correcting students. horrible people who might pick on the heroes for no particular reason whatsoever. Lord Shi Ling S O R C E R E R D 1 2 , M I N I O N S D 1 2 , Shima OVERCONFIDENT D4, BULL IN A CHINA SHOP BULLY D12, SYCOPHANT D12, FAST N D4, COMMANDS THE UNDEAD D8 FURIOUS D4, PICKS ON EVERYONE D4, SMUG Shi Ling is a mighty sorcerer, disdainful of ninjas in D8

14 general, and certainly not about to take a bunch of substitute teacher, but he’s fun and never takes anything pathetic ninja cast-off children very seriously. His too seriously, so any day he’s teaching a class is a good sorcerous powers enable him to blow stuff up and hurl day. He doesn’t always know who to trust, though, and people around, and he’s always calling up weird minions sometimes spills the beans unintentionally. Careful what from nowhere to fight for him. He spends a lot more time you tell him! in graveyards than can be healthy for anyone, but he’ll charge in just about any direction if someone just waves a Grand Master Shizue red flag under his nose. Subtle? Not very. Terrifying? You T H E F U L L L OA F O F K U N G F U D 1 0 , betcha. GRANDMOTHERLY D8, LOST IN HER THOUGHTS D4 Kazuko Kawaneko She’s often very sweet, but the formidable Grand CUTE!!111!!! D12, MY FATHER GAVE ME THIS Master Shizue, a rotund lady of advanced years who SWORD D12, KITTEH D4, SO POPULAR D4, teaches literary composition, is often not 100% there. She SECRET HEARTTHROB D8 is easily distracted, which is good, but also keeps thinking “Neko-chan” is the cutest girl you’re her kids, which means she tries to get you married. in school -- and maybe the And stuff. deadliest. Her immense katana (from which she dangles pink Prince Ho Hsien kitten charms) is super-sharp REGAL BEARING D8, RICH DADDY D8, NEVER and she practices with it TRIES D4 constantly. She can never resist His clothes are flash, his sword is engraved and cute kittens of course, and is embossed with gold, and his dad is a major contributor to obsessed with maintaining her the Academy’s upkeep. His Highness is supposed to be “Second Deadliest, treated just like any other student, but everyone knows he Maybe.” popularity, but under the surface she burns with passion gets the “royal treatment”. He even has his own dorm for someone nobody would ever guess... room!

Supporting Characters Sample Places The Academy is full of folks who might not be actually Around and about the Academy, there’s lots of trying to cause the students trouble. interesting spots to hang out. Master Izawa Classrooms F I S T S O F P OW E R D 1 0 , S E E S R I G H T Most teachers have their own classrooms, and the kids THROUGH YOU D8, KEEPS OUT OF IT D4 move from one room to another during the day. So the While Master Izawa, the kindly old fellow who teaches classrooms sort of “belong” to the teachers, and they History and Ninja Tradition 201, knows you kids are make them their own. alright, really, he almost never gets involved in any of the crazy shenanigans around the school. Master Izawa’s Classroom

Master Tsao AURA OF PEACE D8, STUDY AIDS D6 Master Izawa seems inattentive and largely ALL THAT AND BRAINS TOO D8, SKEPTICAL unconcerned with political matters around the school, OUTLOOK D8, KINDA NEW HERE D4 and yet he carries a true authority in his presence. His The very handsome Master Tsao is only a lowly classroom is a great place to relax, as almost nobody will

15 ever try anything here. He has many textbooks and other course and the diving tank. This is a truly full-service reference works, and is usually more than willing to help school, and no facility is missing. If you can imagine a with any “study project”. school having something, the Ninja Island Correctional Academy has it. Grand Master Shizue’s Classroom Theatres! Blacksmithing shops! Training robots! Yes, NOBODY’S LOOKING D6, GOOD VIEW D8 training robots! Grand Master Shizue is forever distracted, often reciting some ancient verse with a dramatic voice. But the Master Kakikoro’s Laboratory windows of her classroom overlook the main office of the DANGER: EXPLOSIVE D8, HIGGLEDY- school, the primary entrance, and a good portion of the PIGGLEDY D4 school grounds, so it’s a great place to post a lookout. Master Kakikoro is not the most popular teacher on campus -- he is tedious and vindictive -- but his classes are Offices always well-attended. His room stores many dangerous The teachers have their lounge, of course, where they and volatile alchemical mixtures, all stored on top of one can discuss the students in private, and a school the size another in glass or earthenware jars. At least once a week of the Academy has many offices for the administrators there’s an accidental breakage resulting in unwise who run the facility. combinations. Explosions usually result, and everyone loves explosions. It can be very dangerous just moving Teacher’s Lounge around in here. SECRET OPINIONS D6, STUDENTS NOT ALLOWED D8, IMPOUNDED CONTRABAND D6 The Training Robots This aging, weatherbeaten room full of saggy sofas WHIRLING BLUDGEONARY D6, OUT OF and overflowing wastebaskets can be a treasure trove for CONTROL D4 students looking for those confiscated items, or hoping to This open hall contains a dozen or so training overhear some school gossip, but if you’re caught here -- “robots” -- mechanical gizmos like wooden training those teachers aren’t called “Master” for nothing! dummies, but that whirl about and flail their “arms” in more or less effective efforts at striking trainees. The Chamberlain Wong’s Offices danger level can be controlled from a panel at the side of EVERY SECRET EVER D10, IMPASSABLE the room, and of course every so often SOMEBODY SECURITY D12, INCREDIBLY ORGANIZED D8 messes with the indicators, with hilariously agonizing If you could get in here, you could probably learn just results. about anything, but Chamberlain Wong’s offices are the most highly-guarded place in the whole school. Breaking Grand Master Iesawa Memorial Theatre into these offices ought to be virtually impossible, and BACKSTAGE D8, GREAT ACOUSTICS D4, getting out undetected even less likely. Assume they are HAUNTED D6 guarded by several very serious D8 guards, patrolled by This huge auditorium is the primary assembly hall for D10 spirits, and secured with multiple booby traps. the school. It can host pretty much the entire school population -- nearly a thousand people all told. Of course Other Facilities the Drama Club uses it for all their productions, but they There are dojos where the combat arts are taught, of have to fight for access with the Music, Opera and Dance course, and at least one swimming pool. Gymnasiums, Clubs. You can hear virtually anything said on stage stadiums, playing fields and archery ranges. Chemistry anywhere else in the theatre. And of course there are labs and an observatory, the climbing wall, the obstacle rumours of ghostly apparitions in the wings...

16 Other Other Facilities Master Tsao’s Residence Aside from the facilities required for pedagogical E L E G A N T G A R D E N D 8 , R E A DY F O R purposes, the Academy grounds support a host of other ROMANCE D4 structures and places. There’s the great Pagoda of the The handsome Master Tsao lives in a well-kept little Ancestors, where children take turns lighting incense for house amidst a beautiful garden, far from the busy noise the array of ancestors’ corpses kept in well-ordered rows. of the school. He always has tea and wine available for There are the mechanical facilities that run the visitors, of whom he has quite a few. You never just who aforementioned training robots (and other needs will turn up at the young man’s home... throughout the Academy), and of course storage for the many necessary supplies like weapons, oil, food, and the The Oceanview Teahouse like. The Academy is designed like a fortress, able to resist SERENE PERFECTION D8, DECADES TO an extended seige. PERFECT D8, RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF A Indeed, the Academy is walled, with only a couple of HUGE CLIFF D4 well-guarded gates, and any unauthorized entrance or Set on a high promontory overlooking crashing waves exit is strictly forbidden (but happens all the time, far below, the Teahouse is a place of tranquil perfection naturally). amidst all the pandemonium of high school. Students are And of course there are the living quarters. The discouraged from spending free time here, although it children live in dormitories, four or five to a room, and isn’t cordoned off or anything. But if you’re found here, each building has a teacher assigned to keep order in the you’d better have a good explanation! Beautiful pools and dormitory. Some teachers are terrible tyrants, some are pathways wind through an elegant landscape, leading you lenient, and some are never even seen by their wards. to a porticoed teahouse (with all the trappings required) The teachers themselves have more extensive living that offers stunning views to those who feel like quarters, where they keep their personal belongings and contemplating the evanescence of life. relax in their free time. There’s a whole forest in here, and a lake, and a Keep Looking beautifully-laid-out garden that overlooks the ocean from If you’re looking for yet more details on the world of a high cliffside. A quiet teahouse where the more artful Ninja Island, check out DINO-PIRATES OF NINJA students can demonstrate their mastery of the difficult ISLAND, a full-blown setting you can use to elaborate or social arts. inspire your Reform School Ninja adventures! Check it out at: Pagoda of the Ancestors CREEPY D8, LOST IN THE COFFINS D4, http://www.dino-pirates.com DETENTION HALL D8 This towering structure, its furthest recesses lost in darkness and neglect, holds hundreds if not thousands of ancestral remains, most in long rows of dust-covered coffins that stretch out of sight into the unlit depths. There are altars, veils of smoke from the constantly- burning incense, and occasional shuffling noises off in the darkness. Kids who try their teacher’s patience are sometimes locked in over night, with the strict injunction to keep the incense burning all night... or else SOMETHING might awaken...

17 THE ROLE-PLAYING GAME Name

Clan

Description

Attributes AGILITY

ALERTNESS

INTELLIGENCE

STRENGTH distinctions VITALITY

WILLPOWER roles talents RING-LEADER

JOCK

Clan Talent NERD

TEACHER’S PET signature assets

KOOK