#Three Ways and Six Hearts (三道六心, Three Ways)

Contents

This game does not use D&D's 9 alignments. A being in this world stands on one of the Three Ways: Confucian (儒), Buddhist (佛), or Immortal (仙). The bright side (明) and dark side (暗) of that Way determine the direction of the heart.

Related Entries: Basic Premise §9 · Lore · Faction Map · Faiths of the Sengoku (Shinto/Buddhism/Onmyodo/Confucianism/Kirishitan/heresy/cults)

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#Scent — Where Does the Human Heart Turn?

In the chaos of the Sengoku age, what does a person believe in when they take up the blade?

Some fight for lord and order. Feudal loyalty (忠), rites (禮), and duty (義). The bones of bushido. The principles of human society taught by Confucian learning (儒學). This is the Way of Rites (禮道).

Some see the suffering of all life. Enemies, yoma, even hungry gaki are beings in pain. Those who follow compassion (慈悲), karma (業), and the cycle of rebirth (輪廻). This is the Way of Emptiness (空道).

Some entrust themselves to the world as it is. Humans and yoma alike are part of nature. The order of kami (神) is not the order of humans. When the wind blows, they sway; when water flows, they follow. This is the Way of Mystery (玄道).

And every Way has a shadow. When Loyalty (忠) reaches an extreme it becomes Hegemony (覇), when compassion reaches an extreme it becomes Void (虛), and when nature reaches an extreme it becomes Demon (魔). A bright heart and a dark heart are separated by a single sheet of paper.

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#Law — The Three Ways and Six Hearts System

#Three Ways (三道)

This system draws one Way (道) from each of the three pillars (三柱) of the East Asian spirit: Confucianism (儒), Buddhism (佛), and the Immortal Way (仙).

#Six Hearts (六心)

The bright side (bright heart/明心) and dark side (dark heart/暗心) of each Way.

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#Bright Heart of the Way of Rites: Loyalty (忠)

#Scent

The heart that takes up the blade for lord, house, and country. It believes that serving something greater than oneself is the human way. A samurai who does not close his eyes even while committing seppuku, an ashigaru who keeps hold of his spear with trembling hands: that is Loyalty.

A person with the heart of Loyalty guards order. They keep promises, repay obligations, and respect hierarchy. They stand first on the battlefield and withdraw last.

#Law

• RP Guideline: obey orders, fulfill promises, protect the weak (within your own side), self-sacrifice.
• Fitting Classes: samurai, Pure Land monk, scholar.
• In Conflict: "Must I obey even when my lord's order is wrong?"

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#Dark Heart of the Way of Rites: Hegemony (覇)

#Scent

When Loyalty (忠) reaches an extreme, the conviction that "my order is right" becomes "everything must be under my order." The great cause of unifying the realm. A purification that burns out heresy (異敎). The decision to burn a village "for the greater good."

The heart of Hegemony imposes order. Those who do not obey are enemies. There is no mercy on the road to hegemony.

#Law

• RP Guideline: control, coercion, grand causes, ends justify means.
• Fitting Classes: samurai (fallen), scholar (self-righteous), foreigner (colonial mindset).
• Loyalty→Hegemony Shift Trigger: when you harm the innocent "for the cause." When you force your order onto others.

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#Bright Heart of the Way of Emptiness: Compassion (慈)

#Scent

All beings suffer. Enemies, yoma, even lesser spirits. A person with the heart of Compassion takes up the blade without hatred and chants sutras after striking down a foe. "Namu Amida Butsu." Even if you die, may you rest in the next life.

The heart of Compassion tries to reduce suffering. It fights to prevent more suffering, not because it hates the enemy. Whether you can show mercy even to yoma is the test of this heart.

#Law

• RP Guideline: avoid unnecessary killing, protect surrendered enemies, attempt dialogue even with yoma, prioritize healing.
• Fitting Classes: Pure Land monk, performer, esoteric monk (compassion side).
• In Conflict: "If we do not kill this yoma, the villagers die. But this yoma is suffering too."

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#Dark Heart of the Way of Emptiness: Void (虛)

#Scent

When compassion reaches its end, the realization that "everything is suffering" becomes "then nothing has meaning." When a loved one dies, a village you tried to protect burns, and the yoma you tried to save kills humans in the end, compassion falls into nihilism.

The heart of Void is empty. It tries to protect nothing. At times it seeks to end the world itself "to end all suffering." Hannya (般若) is the extreme of this heart.

#Law

• RP Guideline: nihilism, indifference, "everything disappears anyway," destructive contemplation, or pursuit of world-ending.
• Fitting Enemies: Hannya Altar, Throne of the Spirit Realm.
• Compassion→Void Shift Trigger: when everything you tried to protect collapses. Despair when compassion is not returned.

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#Bright Heart of the Way of Mystery: Truth (眞)

#Scent

The world is complete as it is. Humans and yoma are part of nature, and the order of kami (神) is older and wider than the order humans create. To sway when the wind blows and follow when water flows: that is Truth (眞), the world in its true form.

The heart of Truth seeks harmony. It does not believe coexistence between humans and yoma is impossible. Even the opening of the Spirit Realm's gates may be part of the world's search for a new balance. A wildlander praying to kamuy, a hanyo seeking balance between two worlds, an arahitogami standing between god and human: that is Truth.

#Law

• RP Guideline: respect nature, attempt dialogue/coexistence with yoma, non-action (無爲), "leave it to the flow."
• Fitting Classes: wildlander, feng shui master, arahitogami, onmyoji (coexistence side).
• In Conflict: "If we seal this yoma, the mountain's kamuy will be angered. But if we do not seal it, the village is in danger."

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#Dark Heart of the Way of Mystery: Demon (魔)

#Scent

When nature reaches an extreme, "as it is" becomes "the strong eat the weak." The strong feed, and the weak are fed upon. That is the law of nature. Human morality and mercy do not exist in nature. An oni eating humans is no different from a tiger eating deer.

The heart of Demon is instinct. Power is law, and desire is not restrained. When a hanyo abandons humanity and becomes a great yoma, when a wildlander rejects civilization itself, when a shinobi swings a blade without any morality at all: that is Demon.

#Law

• RP Guideline: follow instinct, worship strength, no restraint, survival of the strong, acceptance of yoma logic.
• Fitting Enemies: Shuten Mountain, Ibuki Garden. Hanyo (fallen).
• Truth→Demon Shift Trigger: when the viewpoint changes from "nature is beautiful" to "nature is cruel." When you become intoxicated with yoma power.

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#Six Hearts at a Glance

    ┌─────── Way of Rites (禮道, Confucianism) ───────┐
    │                        │
   [ 忠 ]                     [ 覇 ]
  loyalty · duty                 hegemony · power
  guard order                  impose order
    │                        │
    │       ┌─── center ───┐         │
    └────────────►│ No Heart(無心) │◄────────────────┘
           │ one who lost the Way │
    ┌────────────►│ one with no side   │◄────────────┐
    │       └──────────────────────┘       │
    │                        │
   [ 慈 ]                     [ 虛 ]
  compassion · mercy               void · nothingness
  embrace suffering                release everything
    │                        │
    └─────── Way of Emptiness (空道, Buddhism) ───────┘

    ┌─────── Way of Mystery (玄道, Immortal Way) ─────┐
    │                        │
   [ 眞 ]                     [ 魔 ]
  truth · harmony                 demon · wildness
  become one with the world            follow instinct
    │                        │
    └────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

No Heart (無心): A state that leans toward no Way. No side, no belief. A wanderer, a merchant, or someone who has lost direction. It is not an accusation; they simply have not yet found a Way.

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#Heart Shift (心轉)

#Scent

The heart is not fixed. Choices on the battlefield, what was lost, what was protected, betrayal and obligation: all of these push the heart toward the bright side or the dark side.

A shift within the same Way (bright→dark, dark→bright) is natural. A person of Loyalty can slip into Hegemony in a moment. But changing the Way itself — from the Way of Rites to the Way of Emptiness, or from Emptiness to Mystery — takes a life-altering event.

#Law

Shift Within the Same Way (bright⇌dark):

• The GM judges. If a player's actions consistently move toward the bright side or dark side, the heart shifts naturally.
• When it shifts, frame it as a narrative scene. "In that moment, your blade stopped. No, it did not stop."

Way Shift (Rites⇌Emptiness⇌Mystery):

• Requires a major narrative event: a lord's betrayal (Way of Rites→?), losing everything (→Way of Emptiness), spiritual communion with a yoma (→Way of Mystery), and so on.
• When it shifts, some traits/relationships may change (GM discretion).

No Heart (無心):

• You can fall into No Heart from any Way. Lose belief, and you become No Heart.
• In a No Heart state, there is no inner conflict, but the emptiness of "what am I fighting for?" remains.
• Finding a new Way from No Heart is a major turning point in character growth.

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#Three Ways and Six Hearts by Faction

#Human Factions

#Yoma Factions

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#Choosing a Heart (心) During Character Creation

#Law

Add Step 7: Decide Three Ways and Six Hearts to the 6 steps of character creation.

1. Choose a Way (道): choose 1 from Way of Rites / Way of Emptiness / Way of Mystery / No Heart.
2. Choose a Heart (心): choose the bright heart or dark heart of the chosen Way.

• 1st-dan characters usually start with a bright heart. Dark hearts require GM permission.

1. Record It: write "Heart: [Way of Rites/Loyalty]" or similar on the character sheet.
2. Change: it may shift during play by GM judgment.

Recommended Hearts by Class (not mandatory):

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#Narrative Use of the Three Ways and Six Hearts

#GM Guide

The Three Ways and Six Hearts are a narrative tool, not a mechanical restraint. Do not use them to limit player action. Instead:

1. NPC Motivation: "Why does this enemy fight?" → the Heart (心) answers immediately.
2. Moral Dilemma Design: throw "lord's command vs innocent village" at a Loyalty character.
3. Make a Heart Shift the Session Climax: moments like Loyalty→Hegemony or Compassion→Void can become a character's most dramatic scene.
4. Understand Faction Conflicts: the conflict between Hiei League (Loyalty) and Enryokan (Truth) is a clash between the Way of Rites and the Way of Mystery.

#Bright/Dark Heart Shift Examples

#GM Shift Trigger Checklist

If the following actions accumulate 3 or more times during a session, the GM may propose a Heart (心) shift.

Bright→Dark (bright side → dark side):

• [ ] harmed the innocent "for the cause" (Loyalty→Hegemony)
• [ ] a target you tried to save died because of failure 2 or more times (Compassion→Void)
• [ ] voluntarily used a yoma technique/power (Truth→Demon)
• [ ] avoided an important choice with an "it does not matter anyway" attitude (→No Heart)

Dark→Bright (dark side → bright side):

• [ ] used power for someone else, not for your own authority (Hegemony→Loyalty)
• [ ] saved a life even in despair (Void→Compassion)
• [ ] recognized the value of what you destroyed and regretted it (Demon→Truth)
• [ ] found a belief and proved it through action (No Heart→any Heart)

Way (道) Shift (larger change):

• [ ] the lord betrayed you, stripping loyalty of meaning (Way of Rites→?)
• [ ] lost everything in war (→Way of Emptiness)
• [ ] experienced deep spiritual communion with a yoma/kami (→Way of Mystery)
• [ ] converted to a foreign faith (→Way of the Heavenly Lord)

Principle: A shift must have narrative persuasion. Do not switch mechanically by action count alone. Accumulating 3 times is "the threshold where the GM considers proposing it," not an automatic shift.

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#Special Three Ways

#Way of the Heavenly Lord (天主道) — Kirishitan

Kirishitan (Christianity) is its own system outside the Three Ways. Bright heart: Faith (信), following one god. Dark heart: Madness (狂), denying everything else. → Faiths of the Sengoku §Kirishitan

#Fixed Three Ways for Fiend Classes

Fiend classes (villain classes) sometimes have a fixed Three Ways and Six Hearts.

• Shurado, cannibal, Shikome-no-Tsukai, venom insect master: Demon fixed (cannot be changed)
• Blood Flower: Hegemony/Demon fixed
• Junk Dealer: No Heart fixed
• Strange Buddha: Compassion extreme
• Iron God: No Heart forced

Fixed Three Ways can be released only by special events such as heresy purification (exorcism ritual). → Villain Play Guide

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When the reason for taking up the blade differs, the same battlefield holds a different war.