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#GM Campaign Guide — Long-Term Play and Expansion

Contents

A long-term operation guide for how to run and grow a Konsei Reiyotan campaign beyond one or two battles.

#Campaigns Run on "Repeated Pressure" More Than "Grand Story"

A good campaign does not need every part of a grand plot written from the start. It often lasts longer if you decide the following three things instead.

  • Who is trying to expand their power
  • What is falling apart
  • Which side the players will become responsible for

#1. First, Choose One Campaign Axis

#Spirit Realm Axis

#Sengoku War Axis

#Identity Axis

#Economy/Trade Axis

#Domain Operation Axis

#2. Regions and Factions Are Both "Stage" and "Schedule"

When preparing a campaign, choosing only one region is enough. Within that region, however, it helps to decide the following.

  • whose land it is
  • why yoma are increasing there
  • which faction moves openly, and which faction is hidden
  • whom the common people fear, and whom they resent

Good regional operation is not using a broad map. It is using one region's interests deeply.

#3. For Long Campaigns, "Enemies Who Return" Beat "Strong Enemies"

A campaign enemy does not have to be a Lord-grade boss. The enemies below are often remembered longer.

  • a yoko who first appeared as a trading partner
  • an oni Elite who retreated after defeat
  • a monk whose values clash with the players'
  • a heroic spirit competing over the same goal
  • a shikome who repeatedly leaves only traces behind

For this, use the following documents together.

#4. In Long-Term Play, "Between Battles" Matters

Time between sessions is one of Konsei Reiyotan's strengths. When the following elements enter between battles, the campaign becomes more three-dimensional.

  • reputation changes
  • Three Ways and Six Hearts movement
  • squad reinforcement and losses
  • gold and supplies
  • domain actions
  • trade-route changes
  • faction relationships worsening/improving

That is why a long-term campaign GM should not leave only combat logs. It is better to leave a session-end summary in at least four lines.

  1. What was resolved today?
  2. What became worse?
  3. Who now remembers the players?
  4. What is the pressure for the next session?

#5. How to Keep Drawing Scenario Ideas

For long campaigns, running out of ideas is the most frightening problem. When that happens, do not make new rules; pull from the resources below.

#Internal References

#External Reference Branches

  • Sengoku war tales: gates, bridges, borders, sieges, hostages
  • ghost stories: villages, dreams, funerals, taboos, those who returned
  • religious legends: seals, expulsions, austerities, divine punishments, heresies
  • commercial history: ports, smuggling, ammunition, taxes, foreigners
  • family narratives: succession, revenge, marriage, expulsion, heirlooms

When drawing ideas, the following formula is easy to use.

one historical/legendary material + one yoma distortion + one choice the players must take responsibility for

#6. In Long Campaigns, Tie Advancement and Rewards to Story

Konsei Reiyotan is not a game that counts experience-point numbers. So in a long campaign, what matters is not "how much the party fought," but what they overcame.

When granting a dan increase, it is usually good if at least two of the following four are true.

  • combat completed
  • scenario objective achieved
  • Three Ways and Six Hearts shifted or became fixed
  • a major decision that fits class/background identity

Rewards work the same way.

  • gold
  • reputation
  • alliances
  • enmity
  • maps
  • licenses
  • invitations to what follows

Giving rewards this way makes players feel not that "numbers went up," but that "the world changed."

#7. Basic Rhythm of a 1-Year Campaign

#Opening (1~3 dan)

  • introduce the world
  • fix party roles
  • first appearance of a key enemy faction

#Early Middle (3~5 dan)

  • solve regional problems
  • raise reputation
  • make the party's allies and enemies clear

#Late Middle (5~7 dan)

  • introduce domain/trade/faction politics
  • bring personal background forks to the foreground
  • recurring enemies return

#Late Campaign (7~9 dan)

  • collect long-running foreshadowing
  • increase the weight of the Core Zone, the Spirit Realm, and pitched battles
  • collision with a Lord-grade enemy or great faction

#After Tatsujin

  • domains, Renown Titles, schools, sacred objects, and faction order create a new balance

#Final Advice

What makes a Konsei Reiyotan campaign better is not a huge metaplot. Usually, the following three things matter more.

  • the same place appears again
  • an enemy spared once returns again
  • the players' choices change the terrain of the next session

If you have read all three documents, the Konsei Reiyotan GM introduction is now complete.