#Reading Order Guide

Contents

Who reads what, and when. As with the core, this supplement's reading order shapes the experience.

Core References
- Required: Core Introduction · Basic Axioms

#GM Reading Order

#Phase A — First-Session Prep (About 6 Hours)

What This Supplement Is (10 minutes) — understand its position
Premise — through the 5-minute summary (20 minutes). Leave the full picture(spoilers) for later.
Campaign Loop (15 minutes) — understand the day and week rhythm
Design Notes (25 minutes) — why it was designed this way. Boundaries for intervention.
Domain Barrier System (20 minutes)
Core Economy (15 minutes)
Squad Limitations (10 minutes)
Domain Geography (10 minutes)
Young Lord (20 minutes)
Retired Onmyoji (15 minutes)
6 Retainers (20 minutes)
Spirit Realm Environment Overview + Topology + Travel (30 minutes)
All of Chapter 1 and the 8 files beneath it (90 minutes)

→ These 13 steps are enough to run the first session.

#Phase B — When Needed During Campaign Play

Chapters 2~5: read thoroughly 2 weeks before each chapter starts
Side quests: when PCs look likely to choose one
Open-world events: right before rolling weekly event d100
Hell schools: when a PC approaches the transmission requirements
Romance: when Affection with that partner reaches 2 or higher
Mega-dungeon: when you plan to insert it between Chapters 3~5

#Phase C — Ending Prep (Just Before Entering Chapter 5)

Reread The Full Premise — this time including the spoiler section
Design Notes ending part
All 8 files of Chapter 5
Reread core 10th-dan Renown Titles — principles for campaign-ending devices
Romance Endings — if courtship was in play

#Player Reading Order

Principle: players read only as much as the GM permits. The full premise, the onmyoji's secrets, and ending branches are forbidden to players.

#Revealable — Before Campaign Start

What This Supplement Is — understand mood and scale
Premise 30-second summary — exactly this section only
1st-dan PC Templates — making characters
Optional: Scent description — get a feel for the tone
If not yet familiar with the core Tutorial, read that first

#Revealable — During Session Play

Domain geography and facilities (internal areas only)
Retainers and residents (only those met)
Barrier HP concept (automatically reveal after 2~3 sessions)
Core economy (step by step from the point of first acquisition)
Spirit Realm geography (only explored zones)
Yoma bestiary (only encountered species)

#Do Not Reveal — Until The Ending

All of The Full Premise
Design Notes — GM's internal judgment
Structure of the Chapter 5 ending branches
The onmyoji's true state(planned weakening)
Romance event scenarios (to be experienced directly)
Every chapter's climax (-04-act-4-climax.md)

#First-Encounter Handbook: "This Supplement Is New To Us"

#Scenario 1: There Is A GM, And They Want To Introduce It To Players

"Let's try a long campaign this time. It's a core expansion called Drift of the Spirit Realm.
 - You are the lord and retainers of a small rural domain
 - One night, the domain fell into the Spirit Realm
 - It is holding out with a single Barrier, and you need to bring back yoma cores to maintain it
 - You start at 1st dan and go up to 9th dan
 - Be ready for 20 or more sessions"

#Scenario 2: A Core Player Group Is Considering This Supplement

What the GM should read first:

What This Supplement Is § "Who This Supplement Is For"
Design Notes § "Campaign Burden Boundaries"

The group must pass this checklist:

[ ] Played the core Tutorial at least 1 time
[ ] 3~5-person party confirmed
[ ] Willingness for a long campaign
[ ] Ready for the theme of "sacrifice"

#Scenario 3: A Player Learns That This Supplement Exists

Individual player reading is not recommended. The spoiler risk is large, and unexpected encounters are a strong narrative device. Instead:

GM shares a summary: the 30-second summary + only this supplement's mood
Character creation guide: only the 1st-dan PC templates
Session 0: create domain background, family, and retainer relationships together

#Reference

Rules Overview: Rule Delta — list of new rules layered on top of the core

"Reading is half the story. The other half is born again at the table."