#Class Solo Scenarios (10 Classes)

Contents

1-player scenarios for experiencing each class's core mechanic. Start at 1st dan -> advance to 3rd dan. Each has a 3-act structure, 1~2 hours per session.

Use Cases:

One new player learns 1:1 with the GM
Learn how a specific class is operated
Experience the initial Three Ways and Six Hearts choice
Warm up a character before group play

#Scent (香)

#Sense of the First Scene

A solo session begins in a single room. One player, one GM. Behind them are the empty seats of companions who have not yet joined.

The common opening always begins with the same single breath: the direction of the wind, the smell of earth, a distant bell. With only those three senses, establish the season and its weight.

In a 1st-dan hand, the weight of a weapon is still unfamiliar. The gear is new, and the seal has not faded. This scenario exists to make that first sensation memorable.

#Voices of Key NPCs (Common Prologue)

Old Man Pointing the Way (shared entrance NPC for each scenario):

"Are you alone? ...Alone is how it starts. Everyone was alone at first."

"I do not know what you will see at the end of this road, but when you return, you will not be alone. Whether it is a shadow, a burden, or a name."

The 1st-dan self (inner voice, recalled on entering Act 3):

"...Yesterday's self could not have come this far. Today's self is here."

#Mood Turns

Each scenario's turn shares the same rhythm.

Act 1 Silence: before the first enemy appears, the GM leaves two breaths empty. When the player asks, "...Why aren't you saying anything?", that silence is the scent.
Act 2 Acceleration: the moment the core mechanic first triggers. Before the dice for the check roll, the GM slowly says the technique's name one more time.
Act 3 Choice: the Three Ways and Six Hearts branch; the music stops. The GM prepares two sentences and chooses one only after hearing the player's answer.

#Background Music and Color (Tone by Scenario)

Scenario	Primary Colors	Lighting Tone	BGM Image
Samurai: Bridge	blue-gray, brown wood	harsh noon sunlight	single drum, wide spacing
Ronin: Core Zone	black and silver	low orange torchlight	breathing, wind
Esoteric Monk: Abandoned Temple	faded vermilion, moss green	blue moonlight	wooden fish and distant temple bell
Shinobi: Inside the Castle	ink black and indigo	moonless night	eaves dripping water, almost nothing
Gaijin: Beach	gray sea, white powder smoke	overcast day	waves and metal
Onmyoji: Shrine	orange pillars, young bamboo green	dawn	one daegeum (大笒) note
Scholar: Siege	earth tones, smoke gray	red sunset	distant drums and nearby whispers
Entertainer: Convoy	ocher, vivid scarlet cloth	sunlight in dust	bells and strings (弦)
Shugenja: Mountain	rock gray, water clarity	white light in fog	water sounds, breathing
Puppeteer: Castle	white thread, castle-wall shadow	indoor candlelight	many strings (弦), breaking

#Common Structure

Act	Content	Dan in Play · End Advancement
Act 1	Introduction: problem appears, PC decides to get involved	1st dan · advance to 2nd dan at the end
Act 2	Development: core mechanic combat / check	2nd dan
Act 3	Ending: Three Ways and Six Hearts choice + 3rd dan advancement	2nd dan · advance to 3rd dan at the end

[Variant · Tutorial Advancement]
This scenario compresses advancement requirements. Immediately after Act 1, advance to 2nd dan and apply only the canonical 2nd-dan growth. Immediately after Act 3, advance to 3rd dan and apply only the canonical 3rd-dan trait. Do not gain the same dan's growth reward twice. The completed character joins group play at 3rd dan.

#Solo Encounter Execution Contract

A [Check Scene] does not start combat. A [Combat] uses only the block, count, formation, and ending condition listed below. Do not invent a block or numeric values from an enemy name alone.
An enemy linked to an external canonical block uses that block unchanged. The two tutorial individual blocks below are scenario-specific abbreviated blocks shared by unnamed human and yoma enemies.
Tutorial Veteran Individual: Wounds 2, Defense 11, Energy 8, key attribute +2. Basic attack costs 2 Energy and rolls 2d10+key attribute>=Defense for 1 Wound. No special techniques.
Tutorial Elite Individual: Wounds 3, Defense 13, Energy 9, key attribute +2. Its basic attack is the same. Once per combat, it may spend 3 Energy to make the same check for 2 Wounds.
A Mob group is a bundle of individuals using the canonical Mob rules. Only a row marked "threat type" lets the whole group make one simple attack at the end of a round.

All Alternative Exit Actions below are [Kata] used on your breath; they create no separate reaction timing. On failure, the Energy and use limit are consumed and combat continues.

Action	Energy · Limit	Check and Result
Sealing Barrier	3, 1/combat	`2d10+Wisdom+Exorcism >= 13`. On success, the Konryu Fragments are pushed outside the Barrier and the encounter ends.
Exorcism	2, 1/round	Target the armored Onryo and roll `2d10+Wisdom+Exorcism >= Defense`. Gain 1 Exorcism mark on success; at 2 marks, the Onryo withdraws and the encounter ends.
Appease Grudge / Forced Seal	4, 1/combat	Choose one of the two portrayals and roll `2d10+Wisdom+Exorcism >= 13`. On success, the Onryo and Konryu Fragments withdraw and the encounter ends.
Bailing	2, 1/round	`2d10+Wisdom+Craft >= 11`. On success, reduce the Flooding Clock by 1(minimum 0). The clock starts at 1 and rises by 1 at a lull while the Funayurei squad remains; at 3, abandon the vessel and withdraw.
Shore Bombardment	4, 1/round	Only from a harbor or land zone, roll `2d10+Archery >= 11`. Gain 1 hit mark on success; at 2 marks, the Umibozu withdraws.
Shikigami Seal	2, 1/round	Target 1 runaway shikigami in the same or an adjacent zone and roll `2d10+Wisdom+Sorcery >= Defense`. On success, seal that shikigami and remove it from the battlefield.
Reseal Nue	4, 1/combat	`2d10+Wisdom+Sorcery >= 15`. On success, return the Nue to the shrine's Barrier and end the encounter.
Bargain with Nue	3, 1/combat	Roll `2d10+Presence+Negotiation` vs the Nue's `2d10+Courage(2)`(defender wins ties). If the check succeeds and the PC accepts the narrative price demanded by the Nue, it withdraws and the encounter ends.
Surrender / Persuade	2, 1/combat	When a human target has Wounds 1 or lower, or the PC gained negotiation leverage in an earlier scene, roll `2d10+Presence+Negotiation` vs the target's `2d10+Courage(2)`(defender wins ties). On success, the target surrenders or withdraws and the encounter ends.
Bridge Demolition	3, 1/combat	After completing 2 Hold Rounds below, roll `2d10+Courage+Swordsmanship >= 11`. On success, cut the prepared bridge supports and end the encounter.
Escort Withdrawal	3, 1/round	Choose noncombat civilians or a convoy in the same or an adjacent zone and roll `2d10+Presence+Performance >= 11`. On success, move them 1 step into an adjacent rearward zone. Permanently sacrifice a cart or supplies as bait to succeed without a check; this automatic success is 1/combat. Civilians and convoys are not separate combat units and do not attack.
Drive with Rapids	3, 1/round	Target a mountain yoma in the waterfall zone and roll `2d10+Physique+Martial Arts` vs `2d10+Physique(2)`(defender wins ties). On success, force-move the yoma into an adjacent zone toward the outside. If it leaves the waterfall, the encounter ends.
Puppetization Ritual	4, 1/combat	After the castle lord reaches Wounds 1 or lower or surrenders, roll `2d10+Wisdom+Craft` vs `2d10+Courage(2)`(defender wins ties). On success, the encounter ends and the lord becomes a puppet in the follow-up narrative, but you gain no separate combat unit or numeric statistics.

A Hold Round is a round whose lull begins with the PC at Wounds 1 or higher and no enemy having entered the Rear Zone. A row requiring consecutive Hold Rounds must satisfy this condition without interruption.

Uncommanded Deployment: a squad listed below as uncommanded has no Energy of its own. From the first round onward, roll once per squad at count 1 on the specified Uncommanded Action Table and resolve only that result. A volley attack uses the weapon or technique named in that row.

Runaway Shikigami: runaway shikigami also have no Energy of their own. From the first round onward, at count 1 each unsealed shikigami moves 1 step toward the nearest adjacent zone in the direction of the Outside Zone. If even one reaches the Outside Zone, the encounter ends in pursuit failure. This is the encounter's enemy-side escape action, not an action that consumes one of the Onmyoji's control uses.

Scenario and Checkpoint	Check or Combat	Canonical Link or Block	Count and Formation	Victory or Withdrawal Condition
Samurai Act 1	`[Combat]`	canonical Mob, staged as ko-oni	threat-type group of 5 Mobs	remove 3 or complete 1 Hold Round. May withdraw through the Rear Zone
Samurai Act 2	`[Combat]`	Tutorial Veteran Individual	2 oni warriors, entering one at a time	defeat both, or prevent each from moving Front Zone→Rear Zone for 1 round. May retreat to the village
Samurai Act 3	`[Combat]`	canonical Oni Elite + canonical Mob	1 Oni Elite + 3 threat-type Mobs	reduce the oni to Wounds 0, or complete 2 Hold Rounds then succeed at Bridge Demolition. May retreat to the village
Ronin Act 1	`[Check Scene]`	`Finesse+Infiltration` vs TN 11	1 guard patrol	bypass on success; on failure spend 2 Energy to disengage, or withdraw
Ronin Act 2	`[Check Scene]`	canonical free Core entry and movement	1 boundary	reach the courtyard. No failure; Energy management is the result
Ronin Act 3	`[Combat/Conversation]`	Tutorial Elite Individual	1 general	Wounds 0, succeed at Surrender / Persuade, or abandon the assassination and leave through the perimeter
Esoteric Monk Act 1	`[Combat]`	canonical Konryu Fragment	1 Minion squad (3 bodies, Defense 9, Cohesion 3, Erosion, uncommanded Berserk Table)	succeed at Sealing Barrier or remove the squad. May withdraw outside the temple
Esoteric Monk Act 2	`[Combat]`	canonical armored Onryo	1 Onryo	Wounds 0 or 2 Exorcism marks. May withdraw to the perimeter
Esoteric Monk Act 3	`[Combat/Ritual]`	armored Onryo + Konryu Fragment canonical blocks	1 Onryo + 1 Minion squad (3 bodies, Defense 9, Cohesion 3, Erosion, uncommanded Berserk Table)	succeed at Appease Grudge / Forced Seal, or remove both. Withdrawal allowed
Shinobi Act 1	`[Check Scene]`	`Finesse+Ninjutsu` vs guard Perception 11	1 perimeter guard patrol	enter the interior. On failure, may withdraw with Shadow Crossing
Shinobi Act 2	`[Check Scene]`	`Finesse+Ninjutsu` vs lady-in-waiting Perception 13	1 lady-in-waiting	secure the letter. Failure only raises the alarm
Shinobi Act 3	`[Combat/Escape]`	Tutorial Elite Individual	1 final bodyguard	subdue the bodyguard or reach the Outside Zone with the letter
Gaijin Act 1	`[Combat]`	canonical Funayurei	1 Minion squad (5 bodies, Defense 12, Cohesion 3, Bucket, uncommanded Berserk Table). Resolve attack results with Bucket	remove the squad or survive 2 rounds while the Flooding Clock remains below 3. May withdraw to the harbor
Gaijin Act 2	`[Combat]`	Tutorial Veteran Individual	1 pirate	Wounds 0 or succeed at Surrender / Persuade. May withdraw through the Rear Zone
Gaijin Act 3	`[Combat]`	canonical Umibozu	1 Umibozu	Wounds 0 or 2 Shore Bombardment hit marks. May abandon the ship
Onmyoji Act 1	`[Check Scene]`	canonical Shikigami Control	1 runaway shikigami	recover command with `Wisdom+Sorcery>=11`. Failure continues the pursuit
Onmyoji Act 2	`[Combat/Seal]`	canonical Shikigami	the PC and 2 runaway shikigami start in the Front Zone main hall. Each shikigami has Wounds 1 and Defense 12, and at count 1 escapes along the 2-step Front Zone→Flank Zone→Outside Zone route	seal both shikigami or reduce both to Wounds 0. If one reaches the Outside Zone, the pursuit fails. May withdraw from the main hall
Onmyoji Act 3	`[Combat/Deal]`	canonical Nue	1 Nue	Wounds 0, Reseal Nue, or complete Bargain with Nue. May withdraw from the shrine
Scholar Act 1	`[Check Scene]`	`Wisdom+Stratagem>=11`	1 enemy formation	reveal enemy formation on success; failure makes the first allied command in Act 2 cost +1 Energy
Scholar Act 2	`[Squad Combat]`	canonical Minion	2 allied ashigaru squads(yari, Defense 11, Cohesion 3, PC-commanded) and 2 enemy ashigaru squads(yari, Defense 11, Cohesion 3, uncommanded Regular-Army Table), 5 bodies each	collapse 1 enemy squad or withdraw 1 allied squad through the Rear Zone
Scholar Act 3	`[Check Scene]`	`Wisdom+Stratagem>=13` or `Presence+Negotiation>=13`	1 lord and 1 deputy	adopt the frontal or ambush plan. On failure, withdraw beyond the castle
Entertainer Act 1	`[Combat]`	Tutorial Veteran Individual	1 bandit; civilians and convoy start in the Front Zone	Wounds 0, succeed at Surrender / Persuade, or succeed at Escort Withdrawal by sacrificing a cart
Entertainer Act 2	`[Combat]`	Tutorial Veteran Individual	1 mountain yoma; civilians and convoy start in the Front Zone	Wounds 0, or move every civilian into the Rear Zone with Escort Withdrawal. Convoy withdrawal allowed
Entertainer Act 3	`[Combat/Conversation]`	Tutorial Veteran Individual	1 traitor; civilians and convoy start in the Front Zone	Wounds 0, succeed at Surrender / Persuade, or succeed at Escort Withdrawal by sacrificing supplies
Shugenja Act 1	`[Check Scene]`	`Physique+Fortitude>=11`	1 dangerous route	succeed or spend 1 Wound to break through. May descend the mountain
Shugenja Act 2	`[Combat]`	Tutorial Veteran Individual	1 mountain yoma, starting in the waterfall zone	Wounds 0 or move it outside the waterfall with Drive with Rapids. May descend the mountain
Shugenja Act 3	`[Check Scene]`	`Wisdom+Bearing>=13` or `Courage+Fighting Spirit>=13`	1 inner-shadow scene	choose completion or reconciliation. Even on failure, descend and retain the follow-up hook
Puppeteer Act 1	`[Check Scene]`	puppet `Finesse+Infiltration>=11`	1 gate guard patrol	get the puppet through. On failure, puppet Wounds -1 or withdraw
Puppeteer Act 2	`[Combat]`	canonical Minion	puppet at the Flank Zone castle gate; 1 guard squad(yari, 3 bodies, Defense 11, Cohesion 3, uncommanded Defensive-Mission Table) in the Front Zone corridor; the lord's room is the Core Zone	remove the squad or reach the lord's room using the common Breakthrough and Core Zone entry rules. The controller may withdraw
Puppeteer Act 3	`[Combat/Domination]`	Tutorial Elite Individual	1 castle lord	Wounds 0, surrender, or succeed at Puppetization Ritual. May cut the thread and withdraw

#1. Samurai: Guardian on the Bridge (橋上の守)

#Scent

The noon sun pours down onto the bridge. The wooden planks drink the light and give off the smell of hot, dry timber. The gorge below is so far down that the wind reaches you before the sound.

The bridge is narrow. If two people stand face to face, one must step aside. Only you are here, and behind you is the village bell. It rings once and carries for a long time.

Old woman at the edge of the village: "Young master, we repair that bridge twice every year. This year may become the third."

The primary colors are blue-gray and the hot brown of wood. The BGM is a slow beat from a single drum. The spaces are wide, and the wind fills them.

Place: narrow wooden bridge. The only path into the village.
Enemies: Act 1, 5 threat-type ko-oni Mobs -> Act 2, 2 Veteran oni warriors(one at a time) -> Act 3, 1 Oni Elite + 3 threat-type Mobs.

Core Mechanic Demonstration:

Immovable Formation: Front Zone Domination +4. Exclusive control on a narrow bridge.
Hold the Narrow Front: use Immovable Formation and Hold Rounds to prevent enemies from entering the Rear Zone.
Parry Reservation: prepay 1 Energy / improvise for 2 Energy.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Burn the bridge to protect the village (innocent travelers are also sacrificed) -> Hegemony accumulation.
Hold the bridge and take the enemy's attacks (accepting sacrifice) -> maintain Loyalty.

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: ko-oni encounter	Session start	Describe bridge width and Domination structure	Declare Immovable Formation, occupy the Front Zone	Remove 3 Mobs or complete 1 Hold Round -> Act 2
Act 2: oni warrior breakthrough	Middle	Admit only 1 Veteran at a time and provide Parry Reservation timing	Prevent each warrior from entering the Rear Zone for 1 round, or defeat it	Resolve both warriors -> captain appears
Act 3: oni captain + Mob group	Climax	Present bridge-collapse / village-fire choices	Declare Three Ways and Six Hearts; attack the captain or maintain Hold Rounds	Defeat the captain, or complete 2 Hold Rounds and demolish the bridge -> ending and 3rd-dan advancement

Success branch: defeat the captain, or complete 2 Hold Rounds and successfully demolish the bridge; the village remains safe. Confirm Loyalty or Hegemony as the heart.
Failure branch: the bridge falls. The PC retreats wounded to the village; the next scenario becomes a revenge tale.
GM control: make the advantage of the narrow terrain felt at least 1 time. At the moment Immovable Formation triggers, state clearly, "the enemy cannot pass you."

#2. Ronin: Path of the Core Zone (深部の道)

#Scent

The fortress Core Zone is where light pools. One torch, then another. Orange light gathers and spills from the seams between bricks. Footsteps sound twice on the stone floor: once yours, once the echo.

The employer's money is already in your coat. More than the weight of the contract, the sound of silver inside it bothers you. Did you come for money, or for your own name?

Guard muttering (leaking through the wall): "...Tonight is strangely quiet. The moon is not out either."

The primary colors are black and silver. The only BGM is your own breathing. Sometimes, the sound of wind chimes far away; only sometimes.

Place: fortress Core Zone (courtyard). The ronin is a hired assassin.
Enemies: Act 1, guard Minion -> Act 2, Core Zone breakthrough -> Act 3, assassinate the general.

Core Mechanics:

Blade of the Wind: movement Energy -1 (walk 1).
Free Core Zone Entry: enter without Breakthrough.
Combo Fatigue Reduction (short weapon in Core Zone): the ninjato's 4th strike is only -1.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Assassinate the general as contracted (money first) -> maintain No Heart.
Hear the general's circumstances and let him go -> shift to Truth.

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: infiltrate guard Minions	Session start	Place enemies in the fortress perimeter, terrain where Blade of the Wind matters	Choose route, allocate Energy	Guard neutralized / bypassed -> enter Core Zone
Act 2: Core Zone breakthrough	Middle	Reconfirm the right to free Core Zone entry	Manage Combo Fatigue, use the ninjato 4th strike	Reach the courtyard -> before the general
Act 3: face the general	Climax	Present the general's circumstances (family, retainers) through RP	Declare Truth / No Heart choice	Carry out assassination or induce retirement -> 3rd dan advancement

Success branch: contract fulfilled or betrayal; either is a ronin-like conclusion. Fix the heart.
Failure branch: discovered and surrounded by the general's guards. Mission fails after combat retreat; the employer's revenge becomes the next scenario hook.
GM control: demonstrate free Core Zone entry as the privilege of "no Breakthrough check." In Act 1, provide the experience of skipping a check another class would have rolled.

#3. Esoteric Monk: Night of the Abandoned Temple (廢寺の夜)

#Scent

People left the mountain temple long ago. The roof is half-collapsed, and moonlight falls like white lines between the wooden beams. Moss grows in the yard; when you step, it makes a small wet sound.

A distant temple bell rings. But there is no temple nearby. Where is the bell coming from? You know: that bell is not ringing now. It rang on some night in the past, the last time it rang here.

Whisper from the collapsed main hall: "...Where are the prayer beads? Who took the prayer beads?"

The primary colors are faded vermilion and moss green, with the blue of moonlight laid over them. The BGM is a single wooden fish and a distant temple bell. Sometimes the wind shakes a wind chime, and that sound makes your hand seek the grip of the vajra.

Place: abandoned mountain temple. Onryo appear.
Enemies: Act 1, Konryu fragment Minion -> Act 2, vengeful spirit Elite (incorporeal) -> Act 3, higher Elite-grade great onryo.

Core Mechanics:

Seal of Shura: Core Zone melee -1 Energy.
Exorcism skill: Novice (1 point) adds its skill to Exorcism checks, bypasses incorporeal evasion, and applies normal Defense -2 against [Incorporeal] attacks. The +2 attack bonus against yoma is the Licensed (3 points) Light of Exorcism effect. See the Exorcism Exemption Table.
Vajra: sealed-flow standard. Effective against yoma.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Resolve the onryo's grudge (perform ritual, spend time) -> strengthen Compassion.
Forced sealing (efficiency) -> toward Way of Emptiness: Void.

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: Konryu fragment Minion encounter	Session start	Describe the abandoned temple's silence and moonlight	Approach the Core Zone with Seal of Shura, spend Energy	Sealing Barrier succeeds or the squad is removed -> Onryo appears
Act 2: Onryo Elite	Middle	Emphasize 50% incorporeal physical negation and make Exorcism's advantage felt	Hit with vajra or use Exorcism	Wounds 0 or 2 Exorcism marks -> Act 3
Act 3: face the great Onryo	Climax	Present the grudge story through RP (state ritual time cost)	Declare Compassion ritual or Void forced sealing	Appease Grudge / Forced Seal succeeds -> 3rd-dan advancement

Success branch: grudge-resolution route; vow to rebuild a small temple on the abandoned site. Fame +1, Compassion heart confirmed.
Failure branch — failed forced seal: the PC does not gain numeric Curse +2. Instead, before the first lull of the next scenario, stage one spiritual-complication scene in which the Grudge of the Abandoned Temple returns. If the PC answers it with Exorcism or Sorcery, end the scene with no follow-up numeric effect.
GM control: alternate the effectiveness of Exorcism with the helplessness of non-Exorcism. For the ritual choice, perform "it takes time" through RP: truly leave one breath empty.

#4. Shinobi: The General's Secret Letter (將軍の密書)

#Scent

The castle roof tiles are wet with rain. The moon is behind clouds, and tonight's only light is a single candle beyond shoji paper. Raindrops fall from the eaves one by one, perfectly regular — breathe to that rhythm, and you cannot be seen.

The confidential document is in the general's study. You have already heard where it is. But information often lies.

Conversation between two castle patrols: "A shadow there... no, a roof tile slipped." / "Right. It must be nothing."

The primary colors are ink black and indigo. There is almost no BGM. Leave only the water dripping from the eaves. Even your own breathing is too loud.

Place: inside an enemy castle. Steal a confidential document.
Enemies: outer guard -> inner lady-in-waiting (Perception check) -> final bodyguard (Elite).

Core Mechanics:

Shadow Crossing: Outside Zone <-> anywhere for 0 Energy [Kata] (1/round).
Infiltration check: 2d10+Finesse+Ninjutsu vs enemy Perception.
Ambush: first attack check +2. The 3rd-dan shinobi [Ambush] trait that makes the first attack after infiltration an automatic Critical Hit unlocks only after this scenario ends.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

After stealing the letter, reveal the truth -> shift to Truth.
Deliver it as hired -> Loyalty (loyalty to the employer).

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: perimeter infiltration	Session start	Present castle wall and patrol timing	Declare Shadow Crossing 1 time, choose route	Outer guard passed -> enter inside
Act 2: lady-in-waiting and inner rooms	Middle	Opposed Perception check, clues to the letter's location	Infiltration check, hold Critical Hit	Letter secured -> bodyguard alarm
Act 3: final bodyguard	Climax	Reveal the letter's content through RP (hint at employer mastermind)	Declare Truth / Loyalty, choose escape route	Escape succeeds -> 3rd dan advancement

Success branch: silent escape. Depending on the heart, resolve through revelation / delivery; Fame rises.
Failure branch: discovered. Open battle is impossible; the PC makes an emergency escape with Shadow Crossing and loses the letter.
GM control: place enemies so the PC must feel either first attack +2 or inability to react from perimeter / Outside Zone entry at least 1 time. Preview the automatic Critical Hit on the first attack after infiltration only as the 3rd-dan trait gained at the end.

#5. Gaijin: One Shot on the Beach (海邊の一彈)

#Scent

The sea is gray. The coastline is far, and the waves break low. The smell of powder rides the wind; someone has already fired a shot. Before you arrived.

Several fishermen stop hauling their nets. They look at your clothing and your firearm. On this beach, no one can call your name. Few know your language.

Old fisherman (half-turned away): "...Are you also from a foreign land? Since yesterday, strange things have been coming up from the sea. Would you try shooting them with your weapon?"

The primary colors are the gray sea and white powder smoke. The BGM is waves and metal striking metal. A short prayer in a foreign tongue mixes with the wind; it is also your own voice.

Place: harbor. Spirits, pirates, and a sea yoma threaten it in sequence.
Enemies: Act 1, funayurei Minion -> Act 2, pirate Veteran -> Act 3, umibozu (Elite, underwater).

Core Mechanics:

Foreign Gunpowder: teppo [Pierce all], 2d10+Archery >= Defense.
Archery skill: covers bow / teppo.
Underwater zone: Unarmed Combat +2, firearms unavailable.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Defeat the pirate Veteran -> Hegemony.
Accept the pirate Veteran's surrender and interrogate them -> Truth (gain information).

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: funayurei Minions	Session start	Portray fog, auditory hallucinations, and the Flooding Clock	Remove the squad with teppo fire, or bail while holding out	Remove the squad, or survive 2 rounds with Flooding below 3 -> pirate appears
Act 2: pirate Veteran	Middle	Present one Veteran individual's range pressure and negotiation leverage	Alternate Archery and gunpowder, or use Surrender / Persuade	Pirate Wounds 0 or Surrender / Persuade succeeds -> umibozu appears
Act 3: umibozu	Climax	Explain both the land bombardment line and the underwater zone's firearm restriction	Choose Shore Bombardment or direct combat	Wounds 0 or 2 bombardment hit marks -> 3rd-dan advancement

Success branch: harbor secured. If the pirate Veteran is interrogated, grant an information reward; if defeated, grant a Fame reward.
Failure branch: dragged underwater. The gaijin's weakness (underwater) is exposed; provide an opportunity through the harbor merchants' next contract.
GM control: in Act 1, make sure the player fires "teppo [Pierce all], 2d10+Archery >= Defense" at least once. In Act 3, disclose the difference between Shore Bombardment and direct underwater combat before the player chooses.

#6. Onmyoji: Silence of the Shrine (神社の沈黙)

#Scent

It is dawn. The shrine torii divides the sky in two: red pillars on one side, tender bamboo green on the other. The air is just letting go of night. It is cold, but not heavy.

But sealing papers have fallen. One sheet. Then another. The wind did not blow them down; they were pushed from the inside.

Old shrine priest (not even properly dressed): "...It has been strange since late last night. The shikigami walked around on its own. It would not come when I called."

The primary colors are orange pillars, young bamboo green, and dawn blue. The BGM is one long-held daegeum (大笒) note. The sound of the seal breaking seeps between those notes.

Place: guardian shrine. The seal is coming undone.
Enemies: Act 1, runaway shikigami -> Act 2, group of breakaway shikigami -> Act 3, sealed yoma (Elite).

Core Mechanics:

Shikigami Control: 1 shikigami at 1st dan.
Sorcery Licensed (2nd-dan growth for this pregen path): invest only 1 of the 2 skill points gained at 2nd dan into the starting Sorcery Novice(2 points), raising it to Licensed(3 points), and allocate the remaining 1 point freely. This path uses Sorcery attacks into adjacent zones.
Barrier: sealing ritual.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Kill the yoma -> Truth.
Bargain with the yoma (expand the shikigami contract) -> edge of Demon.

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: shikigami runaway	Session start	Present strange signs in the shrine and cracks in the seal	Activate Shikigami Control for 1 shikigami, search route	Chase begins -> breakaway group encountered
Act 2: breakaway shikigami group	Middle	Explain Sorcery Licensed attacks into adjacent zones and the count 1 escape action	Stop the escape with Shikigami Seal or attacks	Seal both shikigami or reduce both to Wounds 0; if one reaches the Outside Zone, proceed to Act 3 through the failure branch
Act 3: face the sealed yoma	Climax	RP the yoma's bargain offer (temptation of a narrative pact)	Declare Truth / Demon; choose resealing, bargaining, or combat	Wounds 0, Reseal Nue, or Bargain with Nue succeeds -> 3rd-dan advancement

Success branch: Truth route -- maintain the shrine and gain recognition as the village guardian. Demon route -- record the narrative pact with the Nue and the heart shift, but do not increase shikigami summon count or grant another combat unit.
Failure branch: Barrier collapse. The PC barely escapes; rumors of yoma spread through the village and lead into the next scenario.
GM control: imprint the limit of 1 shikigami in Act 1 -> after 2nd-dan advancement, provide the felt change from Sorcery Licensed in Act 2. Package Demon temptation as "gain without loss."

#7. Scholar: Siege Stratagem (攻城の策)

#Scent

Sunset stains the castle wall red. Cannon smoke rises slowly from the horizon and clouds the sky. On the table where the map lies open, your finger has already pressed the same spot several times; this time, the place is worn thin.

The lord stands atop the wall. You sit behind him. That is your place: the place where words, not blades, are the weapon.

Castle lord (without looking your way): "Do you have a plan? There is no time. Before night falls."
Deputy commander (副將) (low voice): "...Teacher's plan may be called cowardly, but there are three hundred soldiers left in the castle. An honest fight is a luxury."

The primary colors are earth tone, smoke gray, and sunset red. The BGM is drums in the distance and whispers nearby. The brush at your fingertips is the closest sound.

Place: besieged castle. The scholar is an adviser.
Enemies: many enemy squads (combat centers on squad command).

Core Mechanics:

Divine Calculation and Ghostly Strategy: squad command costs 1 Energy at Wisdom +2 or higher.
Squad order 1 Energy (Wisdom+2 or higher).
Stratagem check: information gathering, terrain analysis.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Win through schemes (choose cowardice) -> Void.
Recommend a direct confrontation -> Truth.

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: analyze the situation	Session start	Present siege map and chance for a Stratagem check	Roll 2d10+Wisdom+Stratagem, identify enemy squads	Analysis complete -> squad command authority granted
Act 2: squad command battle	Middle	Reveal both sides' squad blocks and the enemy's uncommanded Regular-Army Table	Spend the scholar's own Energy to issue 1-Energy commands to 2 allied squads	Collapse 1 enemy squad or withdraw 1 allied squad through the Rear Zone -> lord's choice
Act 3: propose final battle	Climax	Present Void (ambush scheme) vs Truth (frontal) plans	Declare heart, issue final order	Scheme executed or frontal battle -> 3rd dan advancement

Success branch: castle defense succeeds. Void route gives minimal sacrifice plus controversy; Truth route causes heavy losses but preserves honor.
Failure branch: squad destroyed. Castle falls; branded as a defeated adviser. Leads to a rescue scenario.
GM control: state from Act 1 that the scholar wins by checks and commands, not direct combat. Squads have no Energy of their own and cannot receive transferred Energy; make the efficiency of 1-Energy squad command felt numerically.

#8. Entertainer: Convoy (輸送隊)

#Scent

Sunlight falls slantwise through dust. Cart wheels creak, and horses' breath lifts the dirt. Behind the convoy are three children, four mothers, and you.

You are not a fighter. You are a singer. But today, those two are the same thing.

Convoy captain (blunt but tired voice): "...Master singer, I leave the children to you. While our spears go forward, let your voice become their spear."
Child (awkwardly copying one phrase of the song): "...Sister, what are the next lyrics?"

The primary colors are ocher, vivid scarlet cloth, and sunlight in dust. The BGM is bells and strings (弦). A child's laughter drifts over it now and then.

Place: outdoor escort. Transporting supplies.
Enemies: Act 1, bandits -> Act 2, yoma raid -> Act 3, traitor.

Core Mechanics:

Battlefield Flower: during a lull, recover Wounds 1 or Cohesion 1 (no Energy).
Presence Aura: Domination +Presence.
Comfort (noncombat): maintain civilian morale.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Prioritize completing the transport (accept civilian sacrifice) -> Loyalty.
Prioritize protecting civilians (transport may fail) -> Compassion.

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: bandit attack	Session start	Describe convoy formation and civilian positions	Reinforce Domination with Presence Aura	Bandit Wounds 0, Surrender / Persuade, or Escort Withdrawal -> first lull
Act 2: yoma raid	Middle	Provide a chance to use lull recovery and check civilian morale	Recover with Battlefield Flower and attempt Escort Withdrawal	Yoma Wounds 0 or every civilian reaches the Rear Zone -> traitor revealed
Act 3: face the traitor	Climax	RP the dilemma of transport completion vs civilian protection	Declare Loyalty / Compassion, make final decision	Transport resolved -> 3rd dan advancement

Success branch: Loyalty: supplies arrive, merit for the Domain (藩). Compassion: every civilian survives, becoming a song of the people.
Failure branch: traitor seizes the convoy. The PC retreats wounded; revenge scenario hook.
GM control: between Act 1 and Act 2, always demonstrate the scene where "during a lull, recover Wounds 1 or Cohesion 1" happens without Energy cost. Imprint the entertainer's staying power numerically.

#9. Shugenja: Mountain Austerity (山の苦行)

#Scent

The mountain is vast. But the place you climb today is only one branch of that mountain. Fog rises to your waist, and each breath vanishes into it. Beneath your soles is wet stone.

The waterfall can be heard from far away. The sound of water grows, and a moment comes when it overlaps the beat of your chest. In that moment, you know you have entered the first stage of austerity.

Old monk at the mountain entrance (not stopping you, only pressing his palms together): "...What have you come to discard? Having something to discard means you are still human."

The primary colors are rock gray and the clear blue of water. In the fog, every color is washed once. The BGM is water and your own breathing. When those two diverge, it is austerity; when they overlap, it is liberation.

Place: harsh mountain. Austerity training.
Enemies: Act 1, trials of nature -> Act 2, mountain yoma -> Act 3, shadow of the self.

Core Mechanics:

3 Stages of Austerity: cost Wounds -1/2/3, checks +2/4/6 + damage +1/2/3.
Self-Sacrifice: Wounds do not naturally recover during a lull (other healing only).
Underwater zone: waterfall austerity.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Complete the austerity -> Truth (pursuit of truth).
Abandon the austerity -> Compassion (retain humanity).

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: natural trial	Session start	Present harsh path, waterfall, and cold as check targets	Declare austerity stage 1, accept Wounds cost	First trial passed -> mountain yoma manifests
Act 2: mountain yoma	Middle	Tempt with austerity stage 2: present cost and reward	Fight in the underwater waterfall zone, or use Drive with Rapids	Yoma Wounds 0 or forced outside the waterfall -> inner shadow descends
Act 3: the inner self	Climax	The shadow mocks the PC's memories back at them	Declare Truth / Compassion, whether to take austerity stage 3	Shadow overcome / reconciled -> 3rd dan advancement

Success branch: Truth: austerity completed, recorded as a legendary shugenja. Compassion: humanity retained, bond with people below the mountain.
Failure branch: Wounds bottom out. The PC falls behind during the descent and is rescued. Before the first lull of the next scenario, stage one spiritual-complication scene in which the shadow returns; if the PC faces and answers it, end the scene with no numeric curse.
GM control: strictly apply the Wounds cost of austerity stages numerically. Present the stage 3 choice as "the threshold of death"; that is the shugenja's essence.

#10. Puppeteer: Hegemony of the Castle (城の支配)

#Scent

You yourself are outside the castle. The distant wall is a black shadow, and a single candle leaking from the lord's room is the only mark. Threads stretch from your fingertips: unseen, but felt.

The puppet is inside the castle. Your breath is yours, and the puppet's steps are your thought. Two existences are linked by one pulse, and when that pulse snaps, it is not only the puppet that breaks.

Puppet's voice (coming from the puppet's mouth though your lips do not move): "...Does the lord sleep alone again tonight?"
Your own voice (heard by no one): "There is no alone. I am with you."

The primary colors are white thread and castle-wall shadow. The BGM is many strings (弦) breaking. When one string snaps, you lose Wounds 1.

Place: enemy castle. Remote assault by puppet.
Enemies: Act 1, gate guards -> Act 2, internal squad -> Act 3, castle lord (Elite).

Core Mechanics:

War of Strings: 1 puppet (Wounds 2, Defense 12, thread range 2 zones).
Backflow: when a puppet is incapacitated, the operator takes Wounds -1.
Split Existence: the operator stays in the Outside Zone.

Three Ways and Six Hearts Branch:

Execute the castle lord -> Hegemony.
Puppetize the castle lord (make a straw-man king) -> Demon.

#Step-by-Step Progression Guide

Checkpoint	Timing	What the GM Does	What the Player Does	Signal (to Next Step)
Act 1: gate guards	Session start	State puppet range 2 zones, set the operator's hidden position	Deploy War of Strings, control puppet	Pass the gate -> encounter internal squad
Act 2: internal squad	Middle	Explain Backflow risk and the corridor / Core Zone breakthrough conditions	Maintain Split Existence; remove the squad or break through with the puppet	Remove the squad or the puppet reaches the lord's room -> Act 3
Act 3: castle lord duel	Climax	RP choice: Hegemony (execution) vs Demon (puppetization)	Declare heart, final thread manipulation	Lord handled -> 3rd dan advancement

Success branch: Hegemony: Domain replacement, outward normalcy. Demon: straw-man king, PC's shadow rule. Confirm heart.
Failure branch: puppet destroyed + operator exposed. PC flees; the castle hunts this calamity, creating a wanted-person hook.
GM control: the puppeteer's appeal is the double structure: "the operator is safe; the puppet fights." Make the pain of Backflow felt at least 1 time. Demon temptation should be the sweetness of perfected control.

#Pregenerated 1st-Dan References

(For each class's basic 1st-dan build, see the corresponding class file.)

#GM Advice

1:1 Session: one player, one GM. Dense RP is possible.
3rd-Dan Advancement Finish: each scenario compresses 1st dan -> 3rd dan into 1~2 sessions. Learning purpose.
Three Ways and Six Hearts Record: on 3rd-dan advancement, confirm Way / Heart. It continues into later group play.
Class Emphasis: each scenario is designed to deeply experience one most central mechanic of that class.