#Episode 12: Prayer in the Graveyard (墓地の祈り)

#Scent — Night of the Unclaimed Graves

It was an unclaimed graveyard(無緣墓).

Stones without names carved into them. A place where no one knew the owners of the graves. On the slope of a hill that had once been a battlefield, hundreds of small stones lay scattered. The stones had been there since long ago, and those who had been there had also long been forgotten.

At night, the stones wept.

Genkai knelt and placed his palm on the ground. Something was visible there to a shugenja's eyes. A faint blue light flowing over the earth. It was the hearts left in this place. The hearts of those who died on a battlefield long ago. Hearts that could not return because no one had called their names.

"There are three," Genkai said quietly. "Deep beneath the ground. One is very large, and two are small."

Kage crouched on a grave. He was watching the surroundings in the dark. "Where?"

"The center. Under the largest stone."

Renge took out bells and held one in each hand. "Should I ring them first, or wait?"

Genkai stood. A vajra was already in his hand. "Better to call them out than wait for them to come."

Renge shook the bells. Twice. Clear sound passed through the unclaimed graveyard. At that sound — the stones responded.

The smallest stone cracked first. The ground swelled, and a blue hand burst out through the gap. A hand without flesh. A hand of bone alone. A form followed after it. A figure tangled with mud and grass roots. A dorotabo. Not a guardian of rice fields; here — a guardian of graves.

Three dorotabo rose at the same time. They were as tall as children. But behind them — something far larger moved.

The largest stone collapsed. Soil leapt into the air. From beneath it, a huge thing rose. Five times a person's height. A skeleton. The bones of dozens of people tangled together into a single gigantic frame. Rusted armor fragments were embedded in the skeleton's chest, and inside them something glowed faintly. The place where the heart should be. But there was no heart. Instead — there was heart. The resentment of countless nameless warriors, gathered into one.

Gashadokuro.

Genkai steadied his breathing. "...This is unexpected."

Renge stepped forward. She set the bells on the ground and joined her hands. Toward the graves — not preparation for an attack. Preparation for prayer.

"Do you bear resentment?" Renge said. Her voice was not loud, yet the gashadokuro's movement stopped for a moment.

"Is it because your names are not here — that you could not return? Because no one called your names where you died."

The skeleton stopped moving and looked down at Renge. Faint light flowed from dozens of eye sockets. Those eyes were trying to recognize Renge.

Genkai spoke quietly. "Lady Renge. Will you not attack first?"

"If attack comes first — they will rise again next year," Renge said. "Calling their names comes first."

Kage stopped moving with his sword half returned to its sheath. He had never seen the work of releasing resentment. A shinobi's role was to cut and disappear. What remained after that was someone else's work. But today — the person doing that work stood before him.

Renge knelt on the ground. With her hands joined, she bowed her head. Then — she began calling names. Names she remembered. Names that had vanished with time, but must once have been called by someone, at least once. Renge called names she did not know — by guess, by supposition, by common names. It was enough.

"...I cannot call all of your names," Renge said. "But I know that you once lived."

The gashadokuro's frame shook. The skeletons began to loosen, little by little. One, then another. As if scattering on the wind. The three dorotabo were already prostrate on the ground.

But in the deepest part of the skeleton, something resisted. A heart not completely released. Resentment had piled up for too long — there was something words alone could not release.

"Stop!" Genkai shouted. He raised the vajra and rushed forward.

One of the gashadokuro's arms dropped toward Renge. A wall of bone came down, covering the sky.

Kage moved. Leaping down from a grave, his small frame slipped between Renge and the wall of bone. His sword knocked the arm aside. The wall of bone changed direction — and struck empty earth instead of Renge. Dust rose.

Genkai's vajra struck the skeleton's chest — the place of the heart. Rusted armor split apart, revealing the light within. The place where dozens of hearts had gathered as one. Genkai placed his hand over it.

"Please let go now," Genkai said quietly. "Lady Renge has called the names, and I will open the road."

Light scattered. One, two, dozens. Hundreds of hearts flowed away in their own directions. The gashadokuro's form slowly collapsed. The bones settled back into the earth — this time not as resentment, but as exhaustion. Those who had been unable to rest for so long could finally return.

The graveyard grew quiet again. The blue light vanished, and the stones were silent once more.

Renge was still kneeling in prayer. Kage stood beside her with his sword sheathed. Genkai placed incense over the place where the skeleton had collapsed. None of the three spoke.

Morning was coming. The eastern sky brightened little by little, and in that light the unclaimed graveyard could be seen again. But — something had changed. The stones no longer wept. The nameless ones could finally rest, even without names.

Cutting down resentment does not release it. From the place it is cut, resentment grows again. Calling names, offering prayer, and opening the road — that is the work of a graveyard. The sword comes after.

#Law — Session Actual Play

Battlefield (Unclaimed Graveyard — Night)

[Flank Zone — among graves]  [Front Zone — center]     [Core Zone — under the largest stone]
 Kage(Infiltration)      Renge          (gashadokuro heart)
            Genkai         3 dorotabo

Character Sheets

Genkai — shugenja 4th dan
 Courage+1, Finesse+0, Physique+3, Wisdom+2, Presence+0, Fate+0
 Energy 10, Wounds 6 (3+Physique 3), Defense 10
 School: Shugendo-ryu (Exorcism)
  - Licensed replacement: Goma Formation [stance] (replaces basic Exorcism Licensed "yoma+2")
  - Secret Art replacement: Great Seal [Kata] (replaces basic Exorcism secret art "hit yoma +1 Wound")
 Equipment: vajra (staff type, standard, Core Zone ±0)
 Austerity: 3 states available

Kage — shinobi 3rd dan
 Courage+1, Finesse+3, Physique+1, Wisdom+0, Presence+0, Fate+1
 Energy 13, Wounds 4, Defense 12 (light armor)
 Traits: Shadow Crossing [aptitude], Surprise Attack [aptitude]
 Equipment: ninjato (short weapon)

Renge — Pure Land Monk 3rd dan
 Courage+0, Finesse+0, Physique+1, Wisdom+1, Presence+3, Fate+0
 Energy 10, Wounds 4, Defense 10 (monk's robes)
 Traits: Amida's Shield [aptitude], Sutra Recitation [upkeep/Kata]
 Equipment: bell(consumable), prayer beads

Kuro: "Unclaimed graveyard. Night. Genkai detects resentment underground with shugenja perception. In the Core Zone under the largest stone: a gashadokuro (Elite, Wounds 5, Defense 13, Energy 10). In the Front Zone: one Minion squad of 3 dorotabo (Wounds 1, Defense 9)."

Mei: "Renge calls them first with the bell. Summon dorotabo."

Kuro: "Bell — upkeep maneuver? Outside combat, so 0 Energy."

Mei: "Yes. Summoning rite. The gashadokuro will wake too."

Kuro: "Right. Start the round. Everyone resets Energy."

Count 13 — Kage

Hana: "With Shadow Crossing, from the Flank Zone(among graves) to the edge of the Core Zone. 0 Energy."

Kuro: "Shadow Crossing is 1 use per round. From Outside Zone to anywhere is 0 Energy; from Flank Zone to Core Zone uses normal movement rules."

Hana: "Ah — Flank Zone→Core Zone. Need a breakthrough?"

Kuro: "Only free-entry classes enter the Core Zone for 0 Energy. Shinobi can free-enter. 2 Energy(free-entry movement)."

Hana: "2 Energy. Remaining 13→11. Maintain Infiltration. Reserve sheathed block for 1 Energy."

Kuro: "Breath total 3. Remaining 10. Hold."

Count 10 — Allies Win the Tie

Kuro: "Kage, Genkai, Renge, and the gashadokuro all have Energy 10. Allies win a tie; among allies, higher Finesse acts first, so Kage goes first."

Hana: "Kage is Infiltrated and has Surprise Attack. From the Core Zone, I aim for the center of the gashadokuro's chest — the place of the heart."

Kuro: "Surprise Attack condition satisfied. Kage has shinobi 3rd-dan [Surprise Attack], so this first hit is an automatic Critical Hit with no check."

Hana: "I drive the ninjato straight between the ribs. 2 Energy."

Kuro: "Automatic Critical Hit. 2 Wounds. Gashadokuro Wounds 5→3."

Hana: "Remaining 10→8."

Count 10 — Renge + Genkai

Kuro: "They both have Finesse +0, so the players choose their order. Who goes first?"

Mei: "Renge first. I begin Sutra Recitation. Basic Kata — negotiation attempt. Yoma negotiation Target Number 17."

Kuro: "Gashadokuro is a resentment yoma — normal negotiation is almost impossible. If this is an attempt to release resentment, special handling. 2d10 + Presence(3) + Negotiation(2) + Pure Land Monk bonus(Renge's 1st-dan Amida's Shield is for cohesion, so separate here) >= 17."

Mei: "2d10... 7+8 = 15. +Presence 3 +Negotiation 2 = 20. Success."

Kuro: "Success! Grudge Release progress is 1/2. The first success sends the dorotabo squad on. Do not reduce the gashadokuro's numeric values arbitrarily."

Mei: "Dorotabo neutralized. Only the gashadokuro remains."

Mei: "Energy cost — Sutra Recitation is a Kata maneuver, 3 Energy. Remaining 10→7."

Kuro: "The three dorotabo were one Minion squad with no individual Energy or individual actions. Without a commander it would roll the leaderless table at count 1, but Renge sent it on before then, so it does not act this round. Now Genkai."

Hana: "Activate Austerity 2nd state. Wounds -2. This breath's check +4, damage +1 Wound."

Kuro: "Genkai Wounds 6→4. Applies only to this breath."

Hana: "Vajra sacred strike — staff-type Attack A, 2 Energy. The Shugendo license(Goma Formation) is upkeep, so it cannot activate immediately during combat. Instead, keep the Exorcism skill bonus. 2d10 + Courage(1) + Exorcism(2) + Austerity +4 = 2d10+7."

Hana: "9+6 = 15. +7 = 22. Gashadokuro Defense 13. Not a Critical Hit (not a double). But 2nd Austerity state gives +1 Wound."

Kuro: "2 Wounds (base + Austerity). Gashadokuro Wounds 3→1. Grudge Release only advances progress; it does not change Defense."

Hana: "Remaining Energy — Austerity is 0 Energy. Sacred strike 2 Energy. Remaining 10→8."

Count 10 — Gashadokuro

Kuro: "After every allied count-10 breath finishes, the gashadokuro acts. First action — Gather Bones. 3 Energy, targeting Renge in the same zone. 2d10+Courage(3)>=Defense."

Kuro: "7+8 = 15. +3 = 18. Renge Defense 10 — success. Wounds -1 and Bound."

Mei: "Renge Wounds 4→3. I am caught."

Kuro: "It can use Biting Teeth while maintaining the bind from the next action onward. Remaining 10→7."

Next Round Summary

Kuro: "Renge spends 3 Energy on Sutra Recitation instead of attacking. With the RP of 'calling names,' she succeeds against TN 17 again. Grudge Release reaches 2/2; the gashadokuro stops resisting and its main form scatters. Combat ends."

Mei: "So releasing resentment came before force."

Kuro: "Even if defeated in combat, a gashadokuro rises again after 1 year. It does not vanish completely unless its resentment is released. If you had not known that, you would have had to come back here next year."

Three Ways and Six Hearts Result

Renge: Way of Emptiness 慈 confirmed (the act of giving names to the nameless).
Genkai: Way of Mystery 眞 maintained (one who opens the road).
Kage: Way of Rites 忠 maintained. Record a transition trigger for choosing to protect a companion at personal risk; this record alone does not cause an automatic Heart Shift.

#Rules Summary for This Episode

Leaderless squad: the 3 dorotabo are one Minion squad. They have no individual Energy or individual actions and take only one leaderless action at count 1.
Elite independent Energy: the gashadokuro uses its canonical Elite block (Wounds 5, Defense 13, Energy 10) and participates directly in the count.
Non-negotiable yoma: resentment yoma cannot be negotiated with normally — attempt "resentment release" through special RP(Target Number 17).
Grudge Release: progress 0/2. Instead of attacking, Renge spends 3 Energy on Sutra Recitation and rolls 2d10+Presence+Negotiation>=17. The first success sends on the dorotabo squad; the second sends on the gashadokuro. It does not apply arbitrary numeric weakening.
Austerity 2nd state: Wounds -2, this breath's check +4, damage +1 Wound. No natural recovery at the lull — only entertainer/Pure Land Monk healing.
Shinobi 3rd dan [Surprise Attack]: first Infiltration attack is an automatic Critical Hit with no check.
Staff-type Core Zone modifier: vajra standard(Core Zone ±0). Exorcism +1(skill bonus).
Shugendo-ryu school license: Goma Formation(stance) — replaces basic Exorcism Licensed "yoma+2". Installs a Holy Fire zone.
Core Zone entry: shinobi may free-enter. Ordinary characters need breakthrough.
Pure Land Monk sutra: upkeep maneuver(outside combat 0 Energy) + Kata maneuver(in combat 3 Energy, attempts resentment release).

Resentment is not released by the sword. It is released by names. Genkai opened the road, Renge called the names, and Kage guarded the space between them. It was the work of all three.