It is the Sengoku Jidai. Swords are cheap and rice is expensive. Name Clan (exiled or destroyed) The provinces burn as restless spirits walk the earth. You are RONIN, disgraced, lordless mercenaries, fighting just to survive. Desire When everyone agrees The world has turned its back on you but you have not forgotten you have fulfilled your Desire, gain+1 Karma. RONIN your code.Live with honor, or not at all. Create Your Ronin Health (Starts at 3) Karma (Starts at 0) You wear rags and a cheap Katana. Roll or choose > Every day you don't eat,-1 Health. > Spend1 to avoid any loss ofHealth , OR 1 one item from the Low ClassTools orGear table. > SpendFavor to recover Health. to achieve a greatFeat with Gear/Skill. > If you run out of Health,die . > Spend3 and Rest toAdvance . Name yourself and take the RoninSkill . Roll or Skills Gear 2 choose a Low Class Skill,aDesire andaShame. Mark adifferent number for each of your three The Three Virtues Armor Damage 3 Virtues. If a Virtue’s statement describes you very (If a Virtue triggers, you must roll) > Mark armor to avoidDamage . Unarmed -1 accurately, mark a high number like6 . If it does RESTRAINT > You can mark heavy armor twice. LowClass -2 not describe you at all, mark a low number like 3. Loseno Health, but you learn the > Unmark armor when youRest . HighClass -3 If you are unsure, mark4 . When you are true extent of the problem. tested bytrouble or 2 3 4 5 7 Favor IWA, stone, the harsh reality. 6 hardship, rollI WA: I hit first and ask questions later. Lose-1 Health, but you charge in > Favor represents the goodwill of the people around you. and handle the problem. > When you help someone else fulfill their Desire,+2 Favor. MIZU, water, the flow of life. > When you move on from a Province,erase your Favor. I speak my mind, even if it hurts. COURAGE

TSUKI, moon, the silent judge. I don’t let disrespect go unanswered. COURTESY You must do what they ask. If Virtue Rolls When youspeak you succeed,+1 Favor. Shame intimately with 2 3 4 5 7 > Everyone’s Shames are the subject of public speculation. Roll 1d8 for sheerL UCK. 6 someone, rollM IZU: You must reveal aShame (yours or > If the true details of your Shame are revealed,-1 Favor. +1d8 if you areP REPARED. 1 theirs). They will do what you ask. > If you absolve a Shame (yours or another’s), erase it for+2 Karma. +1d8 if you are anE XPERT. > If you are accused of a Shame you can’t deny,write it down. +1d8 if you haveH ELP, but everyone helping HONESTY must obey the same virtue you do. Conflict > When there is a fierce disagreement about what should happen, Assign1 die to your Virtue. If there is a Conflict MERCY make aConflict track for the scene and assign aDifficulty and you have dice left, assign1 to the Conflict. You must redeem them, no matter the 2 When someone trouble it brings. If you do,+2 Favor. number based on the status or power of the opposition (3, 4,or5). transgresses 3 7 > The opposition control the scene and work toward theirDesires . If the result ishigher than your against what is 2 4 5 6 You must punish them, no matter the You can onlyflee in disgrace (-1 Health), or change the Conflict number, obey theBlack Virtue. right, rollT SUKI: 3 offense it causes. If you do,+2 Karma. with yourVirtue rolls. If the result islower than your > When you assign a die to Conflict, subtract the Difficulty from the number, obey theRed Virtue. JUSTICE Result and increase the Conflict track by thedifference . If you roll your number exactly, you enter (e.g:6 Result -4 Difficulty2 = Conflict) MUSHIN NO SHIN. Choose a Virtue to obey, then > If you completely fill the Conflict track, you win the argument and move your number one space away from that Rest Actions takeControl of the scene. Virtue to aminimum of2 or maximum of7 . If you are in friendly territory and undisturbed, you may rest for a scene.Choose one: Dueling When you square off against a warrior, start with1d8 for sheer LUCK:

James Simon © 2021 Compose a Haiku: Purchase a Service: Advance: +1d8 if you’re wellP OSITIONED. -2d8 if they areB ETTER than you. Inspired byLasers If everyone agrees that your Consult the Service table, Spend3 Karma with a friendly +1d8 if you’ve found aV ULNERABILITY. -1d8 if they revealedyour SHAME. and Feelings by +1d8 if you revealedtheir SHAME. John Harper Haiku reflects your recent and spendFavor with an character to learn aSkill from travails, gain+1 Karma. appropriate character. them OR gain+2 Favor. At0d8 , you hesitate and the opponent moves. Otherwise, roll on the Licensed under CC-BY 4.0 Duel table. Choose1 result, then triggerVirtues or continue the Duel. * You can often choose the most interesting option instead of rolling. Creating The Game Name(cont.) Clan(cont.) Desire Shame Secret Duel Make a social map with NPCs. They will always have aDesire and aShame . Draw a line with the 1 Akira Masa 1 Amano Miyoshi 1 Death 1 Killed someone 1 How to curse someone 1 You slowly realize you arecut Shame to other characters, places or items, and 2 Cho Midori 2 Ashina Narita 2 Strife 2 Cursed someone 2 How to sneak into a place 2 You are knockeddown keep connecting them until you have a few rela‐ 3 Eiko Naoko 3 Chiba Otomo 3 Wealth 3 Abandoned someone 3 How to acquire an item 3 They beat your weaponaside tionship triangles. ConnectPlaces andTroubles 4 Gen Rei 4 Daidoji Sakai 4 Status 4 Loved someone 4 Who are secretly allies 4 You lock weapons andgrapple until you have a decent physical map as well. 5 Haru Ryu 5 Honda Takeda 5 Skill 5 Saved someone 5 Who are secretly enemies 5 You clash andretreat a pace Now write the players into your social map. They 6 Hiro Sato 6 Ishikawa Tsurugi 6 Family 6 Stole something 6 Servant’s Shame 6 You beat their weaponaside are free to connect theirShames to your NPCs, new NPCs, or their fellow players. They’ve lived in 7 Jin Taka 7 Kikuchi Urakami 7 Service 7 Destroyed something 7 Rival’s Shame 7 They are knockeddown this province for some time, so tell them about 8 Kenji Yuki 8 Matsuda Yamauchi 8 Life 8 Defiled something 8 Lord’s Shame 8 They slowly realize they arecut PEOPLE thesituation ,whotheyknow, and who’swronged them. Get an idea of what your NPCs are doing Low Class High Class Itinerants Classical Arts Martial Arts right now, and begin play.

1 Tracker 1 Anjin, a pilot 1 Yurei, a faint spirit 1 Akinai, trading and commerce 1 Ninjutsu, stealth and deception SKILL Running the Game 2 Woodcutter 2 Bunjin, an artisan 2 Bomei, an exile refugee 2 Gagaku, court music 2 Sojutsu, staff and polearm fighting Give each Ronin a chance toexplore a scene, gen‐ 3 Merchant 3 Miko, a shrine attendant 3 Hito, a bandit thief 3 Kabuki, theater and playacting 3 Jujutsu, striking and grappling erating people and places as necessary. Ask them 4 Smith 4 Onmyoji, a spirit sorcerer 4 Ronin, a lordless warrior 4 Tenyaku, healing and herbalism 4 Kyujutsu, zen archery what they do,how they do it, and sayyes to the 5 Tailor 5 Geisha, a courtesan host 5 Bashaku, a trader 5 Kagura, sacred dance 5 Kenjutsu, swords and dueling simple stuff. Virtues only trigger when it really matters. Speak freely of the troubles plaguing the 6 Fisher 6 Jito, a house administrator 6 Komuso, an ascetic monk 6 Shogaku, calligraphy and poetry 6 Iaijutsu, awareness and reaction land and deny the Ronin easy chances to rest. 7 Farmer 7 Samurai, a warrior lord 7 Shinobi, a mystical spy 7 Chanoyu, tea and arrangement 7 Shusai, tactics and leadership Your NPCs will work to fulfill theirDesires and 8 Solider 8 Daimyo, a province ruler 8 Sohei, a warrior monk 8 Takagari, falconry and hunting 8 Bushido, honor and loyalty hide theirShames . Have them ask the Ronin for help. Even if they don’t, the Ronin will still hear of Low Class Tool Low Class Gear High Class Tool High Class Gear Commodity their plans throughrumors and omens. 1 Child's Toy 1 Yari, bamboo spear 1 Sensu, folding fan 1 CeremonialTanto 1 Wood GM Moves 2 Wind Chime 2 Mino, straw raincoat 2 Noh masks andKabuki set 2 Hakama, riding clothes 2 Cotton When the Ronin are in trouble and it’s time to 3 Rod and Tackle 3 Samue, buddhist work garb 3 Shamisen, stringed lute 3 Kimono, formal robes 3 Mulberry turn the screws, do one of the following: 4 Shakuhachi, bamboo flute 4 ThrowingKunai 4 Koto, stringed zither 4 Daikyu, long bow 4 Rice 5 Harvesting Sickle 5 Hankyu, short bow 5 Gohei, exorcising wand 5 Kozane-do, lamellar armor 5 Ceramics > Reveal aThreat . > Break anItem . 6 Omamori, protective charm 6 Joe, shinto priest robes 6 Suzuri-bako, calligraphy set 6 Naginata, glaive 6 Lacquer > Reveal aShame . > DealDamage .

ITEM 7 Saddle and Bridle 7 Tatami-do, woven armor 7 Chadogu, tea ceremony set 7 O-Yoroi, heavy armor 7 Iron 8 Kaginawa, grappling hook 8 CheapKatana 8 Sashimono military banner 8 LegendaryKatana 8 Silk

Services * Tables listed in Name (cont.) Landscape Building Landmark Trouble Weather 1 Favor:A filling meal,+1 Health order of status 3 Favor:Geisha's feast,+2 Health, +2 Karma 1 Akita Mura 1 Mountains 1 Farmhouse 1 Ruined hovel 1 Shamed 1 Silence broken only by crickets PLACE or power, from least to greatest. 1 Favor:Hire Low Class or Itinerant for a day 2 Chiba Nagano 2 Swamp 2 Storehouse 2 Bamboo thicket 2 Ruined 2 Tall grass swaying in the breeze 1 Favor OR materials:Low ClassItem 3 Ehime Nisei 3 Forest 3 Smithy 3 Tall wheatgrass 3 Abandoned 3 Light, pleasant drizzle 2 Favor AND materials:High ClassItem 4 Hirata Okoyama 4 Meadow 4 Market 4 Crossroads 4 Cursed 4 Cherry blossoms fluttering to earth 5 Hokusai Sendai 5 River 5 Inn 5 Narrow bridge 5 Haunted 5 Sweltering heat bearing down 1 Favor:Miko exorcism 6 Iwata Shiga 6 Coast 6 Dojo 6 Sakura tree 6 Impoverished 6 Torrential, smothering rains 2 Favor:Onmyoji spirit channeling 4 Favor:Lordly audience 7 Kanto Tatsuno 7 Village 7 Shrine 7 Torii gate 7 Stalked 7 Treetops snapping in fierce wind 8 Kyushu Yoichi 8 Castle 8 Mansion 8 Old battlefield 8 Besieged 8 Infernos blazing in the background

Sunset Animal Spirits Malicious Yokai Curse Death Sunrise: M 1 Tanuki, mischievous raccoon 1 Kappa, polite but murderous sprite 1 Possessed by wild mood swings 1 Crying like a wounded animal e i > Attacking is d r n 2 Hakujya, lucky white snake 2 Hitodama, beguiling fire spirit 2 Haunted by accusatory spirit 2 Days later from a horrid malady i > Exploring n g u h 3 Yatagarasu, wise crow 3 Kodama, cursed tree spirit 3 Second mouth, talks and must be fed 3 Spirit eaten by Yokai S t Sunset: 4 Kitsune, clever fox 4 Tengu, corrupted bird demon 4 Animals hate you and will attack 4 Cursing your enemies > Reflecting 5 Okami, judgmental wolf 5 Oni, hulking horned demon 5 Hidden doll, causes pain if not found 5 Staggering about, raging > Planning The Three Scenes 6 Komainu, vigilant lion 6 Namazu, earthquaking catfish 6 Contagious boils all over your skin 6 Slowly, choking on your blood > Each scene favors certain actions. Midnight: 7 Kirin, proud stag 7 Wanyudo, soulsucking wheel of fire 7 Fires break out nearby 7 With honor, bearing the pain > A scene lasts until allRonin have > Intimacy 8 Ryujin, powerful rain dragon 8 Orochi, sacrifice-demanding serpent SPIRIT 8 Turn into demon at night 8 Instantly, at peace acted, or aConflict has resolved. > Deception * Spirits don’t need to eat or rest, but they can’t form lasting relationships or gain Favor.