#Chapter 3 Act 4 - Kyoukan Daiou at the Lakebed ★ Climax

Contents

It is not an enemy. It is a condensation of tragedy. When you stand before it, you did not come to "fight." You came to listen.

GM imprint: this act is not won or lost by Wounds. It is decided by who receives Kyoukan Daiou's final words.

Core references

- Required: Combat Flow · Underwater Zone · Boss Operation

- Reference: Negotiation · Sealing Rite

Within this supplement

- Previous: Act 3 Underwater Exploration

- NPC: 12-05 Kyoukan Daiou

- Yoma: 12-06 Kyoukan Daiou Stats

- Rewards: 12-07 Climax Branches

- School Unlock: Kyoukan-ryu

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#Scent - The Knot of the Main Hall

The doors of the underwater Daijingu main hall open. Water pressure naturally pushes them inward. Beyond the doors is not darkness. It is the deepest red. The color at the bottom of a furnace. At the center of that red, something kneels.

At first, the kneeling figure looks human. An old fisher. But as you draw closer, his body is made of hundreds of mouths. Each mouth mutters different words. One mouth calls a name. One imitates a child's crying. One makes the sound of a sea ghost. One mouth makes the voice of one of the PCs.

A small paper lantern hangs from his forehead. It burns underwater without going out. That light is the only proof that he was still "human."

He looks at you. The hundreds of mouths stop for an instant. Then one mouth slowly moves:

"I knew you would come. Are you their descendants?"

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#Rules - Act 4 Game Data

#Act Meta Card

#Sanctuary Rules (Main Hall Only)

The underwater Daijingu main hall is the center of the seal from 100 years ago. The traces of a sanctuary still remain inside.

GM description key: the moment the PCs enter the main hall, convey the feeling that sound has returned. "We are underwater, but we can hear voices." Make the players immediately sense that this is a sanctuary.

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#Encounter - Climax Structure

#Entry Stage (0~15 minutes)

The main hall doors open. All PCs enter the main hall. Sanctuary rules activate.

Opening monologue (GM read-aloud):

"You are underwater, but breath enters your lungs. Sound returns. At the center of the main hall, on the stone floor, someone kneels. The posture is that of an old fisher. But he turns toward you and speaks at once through a hundred mouths. - 'I knew you would come.'"

#The 5 Stages of Conversation (Required Progression)

The GM must pass through the 5 stages of conversation. Each stage widens the PCs' choices. Do not rush into combat.

#Stage 1 - Name

Kyoukan Daiou speaks first:

"I am the last fisher of Mizuura. I have forgotten my name. Over a century, these mouths divided my name among themselves. What have you come here to call me?"

His initial stance branches according to the PCs' response:

#Stage 2 - Past

He asks:

"Did you come from the domain? What is the name of that domain?"

If a PC answers Kagamiyama(鏡山), he laughs for a long time. This laughter is the sound of grief.

"Before that name was given, the domain in these waters was ours. We were called Irizaki(入崎). One night a century ago, the boats did not return. Have you not already read the reason below the water's surface?"

GM note: give the accurate clue only to PCs who secured the sealing-stone records. If they have not secured them, this conversation becomes the first decoding.

#Stage 3 - Request

He looks at the PCs:

"I will ask one thing of you. Choose one of three."

He presents three choices:

1. Resealing - "Lock me away again. Put these waters back to sleep. I will sleep another century."
2. Reconciliation - "Release me. I will share these waters with you. In return, I will help your return."
3. Subjugation - "Kill me. End this pain. Take part of my power with you."

#Stage 4 - Revealing the Conditions

When the PCs choose one option (or hesitate), he reveals the conditions:

#Stage 5 - The PCs' Answer

All PCs discuss, then answer. If opinions split at this point:

• The majority choice is carried out. Warn dissenting PCs: "If you choose that, I will answer all of you with the same face."
• If the opinions are completely split(2:2), Kyoukan Daiou waits - for a long time. But time consumption = breathing talisman consumption. If discussion passes 30 minutes, one PC must answer.

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#Choice 1 - Resealing Rite

#Structure

• Stage A: place 7 sealing-stone fragments (Unarmed Combat check + Mental Save, 1 round per fragment)
• Stage B: onmyoji hand-seal rite (Gensho performs the rite for 10 rounds, PCs defend)
• Stage C: Kyoukan Daiou willingly returns to sleep (staging)

#Interference

During the rite, "the children of Kyoukan" pound on the doors outside the main hall. Some PCs must defend.

#Rite Check

Led by onmyoji Gensho. PCs assist every round.

• If the 10-round cumulative check total is ≥ 70, the rite is completed
• Each round, 1 PC rolls 2d10 + Merit Heart/2. The success value(sum of the two dice) is accumulated.
• On failure: Gensho weakening +2, 1 PC Heart wavering +2. The rite continues, but Kyoukan Daiou's sleep becomes incomplete (ending impact).

#Staging the Rite's Completion

"Kyoukan Daiou's hundreds of mouths close one by one. The final mouth leaves one sentence. - 'This time, you are the ones who cover me.' The lamp on his forehead goes out. The main hall becomes a sanctuary again, and the sealing-stone fragments join by themselves and bury themselves in the floor. The water grows a little colder."

#Reward

See 12-07 Resealing Branch. 3 mid-grade cores, Kyoukan-ryu transmission eligibility, and 1 required return-ending condition fulfilled.

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#Choice 2 - Reconciliation Rite

#Structure

• Stage A: write the vow text (all PCs draft one line each, completed together)
• Stage B: read-aloud (1 PC reads as representative, 2d10+Presence+Bearing check)
• Stage C: sincere scream (at least 2 PCs perform it)

#Conditions for the Vow Text

The PCs must write the vow text directly. The GM guides them to include these 3 elements:

1. Acknowledging the past: "We know the sin your domain covered over"
2. Promise for the future: "We recognize these waters as yours"
3. Condition for coexistence: "When our domain passes through this sea, we will call your names"

GM assessment: if all 3 elements do not appear explicitly, check difficulty +1.

#Sincere Scream

2 PCs each shout their oldest regret aloud. This is the "sincere scream."

• No check. The GM judges by the density of the roleplay.
• On success: half of Kyoukan Daiou's hundreds of mouths quietly shed tears (visible even underwater).
• On failure (formulaic lines): he raises his head. "That is not yours. Those are words you memorized." Reconciliation route fails → forced transition to the subjugation route.

#Staging Completion

"He lowers his head. One of the hundreds of mouths speaks. - 'Enough. If those are your words, they are enough.' The lamp on his forehead cools slowly. It does not go out completely. Instead, it grows smaller. He becomes part of the main hall. He sits between the hall's pillars. He closes his eyes, but he breathes."

#Reward

See 12-07 Reconciliation Branch. 2 mid-grade cores, Kyoukan Daiou's promise of 1 aid (can be summoned in the Chapter 5 climax), and 1 favorable condition for the settlement ending fulfilled.

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#Choice 3 - Subjugation (Boss Battle)

#Kyoukan Daiou - 3-Form Battle

Detailed stats are listed in the 12-06 Yoma Bestiary. The following is an operation summary.

#Form 1 - Kneeling Fisher (lord-grade Wounds 6 / Defense 17 / Energy 14)

• Basic attack: "Hundreds of Mouths" - every round, all PCs each make a 2d10 + Wisdom + higher proficiency between Exorcism or Sorcery >= 13 resistance check. On failure, 1 Wound ([Incorporeal]).
• Special: "In Your Name" - every 3 rounds, he attacks while calling the name of one PC. That PC takes -2 to the evasion check.
• Environment: the main hall shakes. Every round, make a 2d10+Finesse+Footwork >= 11 falling-stone evasion check. On failure, 1 Wound.
• Defeat condition: when he reaches Wounds 0, he collapses and shifts to Form 2.

#Form 2 - Peeled-Away Mouths (3 Veteran-grade mouth squads / each Wounds 2 / Defense 13 / Energy 10)

• Kyoukan Daiou's body separates into 100 floating mouths. For combat handling, group them into 3 mouth squads.
• Re-coalescence: every 3 rounds, 1 remaining mouth squad binds together and either restores Kyoukan Daiou's Wounds by 1 or gives Defense +2 for the next round. This effect occurs 2 times per battle.
• Special: if one mouth attaches to a PC's face, that PC enters scream infection (checks -1 every round).

#Form 3 - His Original Self (lord-grade Wounds 5 / Defense 15 / Energy 12, humanoid)

• The hundreds of mouths join together, becoming the old fisher's form exactly. He no longer attacks. He only defends.
• Condition: if the PCs deal no Wounds damage for 3 consecutive rounds, they may transition to the reconciliation route. (The GM carefully offers the PCs the chance.)
• When Wounds reach 0: he collapses. All hundreds of mouths go out. Only the final one sentence remains.

#The Final One Sentence (GM Read-Aloud · Options)

The GM reads one of the following according to the PCs' actions:

#Reward

See 12-07 Subjugation Branch. 1 high-grade core, Blade of Screams(叫喚刀) weapon (seed of the transformation ending), long-term aftermath (the children of Kyoukan retaliate in Chapter 4).

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#Common Ending - Collapse of the Main Hall

#Regardless of Choice

When the matter of Kyoukan Daiou is resolved(any of the three), the main hall begins to slowly collapse. The force maintaining the sanctuary drains away, and boiling water begins to seep inside the main hall.

• 3-round limit: all PCs must escape the main hall.
• Escape check: use the better of the two checks. 2d10 + Courage + Unarmed Combat >= 11 / 2d10 + Finesse + Footwork >= 11.
• On failure: 1 Wound from burns, Energy -3 next round.

#Return to the Surface

The PCs escape the main hall. If the remaining breathing talismans are 1 sheet or fewer, they must ascend quickly (when underwater stay is exceeded, Energy -1/round).

When they reach the surface, it is morning. The steam from the boiling sea has weakened. The water is less red than before.

GM read-aloud:

"Your heads break the surface. The air is clear. You see the boat. Kasakura's ghost ship, too - depending on your choice - floats beside it. The boat's sail rises, and the sea is quiet. This is the first time in a century that this sea has been quiet."

#Return Voyage (1 day)

The boiling seawater's temperature has dropped by more than 10 degrees. The voyage is smooth. There are no major events. The GM handles the following briefly:

• Each PC's impression (1 line each)
• Conversation among PCs about the Kyoukan Daiou choice
• Onmyoji Gensho's condition (visible weakening, but a smile)
• The Barrier appears again. The domain is a small hemisphere in the distance.

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#Return to the Domain Scene

#Barrier Opens

The water gate senses the PCs' return and opens on its own. Lord Akihisa is out at the harbor(temporary).

GM read-aloud:

"The Barrier opens. Lord Akihisa stands on the platform. Behind him, all the residents have gathered. He looks at you. His mouth opens. But at first, he says nothing. He simply looks for a long time. At last, he lowers his head. - 'Thank you for coming back.'"

#Report Scene (PC-Led)

The PCs report the sealing-stone records and their Kyoukan Daiou choice. The details of this scene are player-led. The GM manages only Akihisa's reaction.

#Act Close - Gensho's Monologue

Just before the session ends, onmyoji Gensho gives one final monologue:

"On the day I became the onmyoji of this domain, my teacher told me one thing. 'Those who protect this land must one day face this land's sins.' Only today have I understood what those words meant. If not for you, I would have died never knowing that sin. Thank you."

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#GM Checklist - Act 4 Completion Conditions

• [ ] All 5 stages of Kyoukan Daiou's conversation were played
• [ ] The PCs made a clear choice among resealing, reconciliation, and subjugation
• [ ] The staging of the choice maintained the tone of tragedy (did not end as action alone)
• [ ] Main hall escape and surface return completed
• [ ] Report scene to Akihisa performed
• [ ] Gensho's final monologue read aloud
• [ ] At least 1 foreshadowing clue for the next chapter(Chapter 4, Blazing Heat) inserted (12-00)

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#GM Caution - What This Act Must Never Miss

#1. Kyoukan Daiou is not an enemy

If he is handled as a monster, this chapter fails. He is a condensation of tragedy. Even if the players attack him, the GM must keep describing his sorrow. Make it clear that even his attacks are not "attacks," but "appeals."

#2. Do not rush the 5 stages of conversation

Even if players declare immediate combat, the GM forces Stage 1 conversation to proceed. Ask his name, and let them hear at least a little of the past. If the players still want combat after that, allow it then.

#3. The reconciliation route's "sincere scream" is decided by the GM's roleplay assessment

If a player gives a superficial line, treat it as failure. If the roleplay has high density, skip the check. This element is the weight of this route.

#4. Respect the subjugation route too

Do not make players feel that any choice is "bad." Subjugation is tragic, but it is a legitimate choice. The seed of the transformation ending is a valuable story in itself.

#5. Keep the 3-round limit on escaping the main hall

This pressure is the final tension of the act. If time management gets loose, the afterglow of victory is diluted.

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#Act 4 Ending Read-Aloud (For GM · Session End)

"Night falls. The domain is quiet again. The Barrier is firm. Rice boils in a kitchen, and one resident passes by while calling your name. Candlelight shakes in the lord's house. The onmyoji's breathing is calm. You have returned. But in one corner of your hearts, that one sentence from the main hall is still audible. That sentence will return from time to time as long as you live."

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"The fight is over. But something inside me has not ended." — A PC's monologue after Act 4 ends (prompt for player line)

"Go back. Remember. That is the only thing I ask of you." — Kyoukan Daiou's final one sentence (common to every choice)

"What you did cannot change this domain's past. But this domain's future changes from today." — Young Lord Akihisa, after receiving the return report

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#Appendix A - Main Hall Environment Check Checklist

Checks the GM applies to all PCs immediately after entering the main hall:

#Consecutive Check Rule

• The inside of the main hall is a sanctuary, but if a PC's Heart value is low, they naturally collapse under the pressure of the hundreds of mouths.
• A PC who fails the Heart wavering roll becomes the target of GM private lines for the next 3 rounds (1 time each round, one of the Daiou's mouths jabs at the weakest part of that PC's Heart).

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#Appendix B - Session 12 Operation Flow Example (4-Hour Standard)

#0 minutes ~ 30 minutes: Introduction and Sanctuary Entry

• Review the underwater exploration continued from Act 3
• Discover and enter the main hall doors
• Sense the sanctuary and read aloud the first Daiou encounter

#30 minutes ~ 90 minutes: The 5 Stages of Conversation

• Entire process from Stage 1 (Name) ~ Stage 5 (The PCs' Answer)
• 1 mid-session break

#90 minutes ~ 180 minutes: Carry Out the Chosen Route

• One of resealing / reconciliation / subjugation
• Separate structure for each route (rite · vow text · boss battle)
• 1 mid-session break

#180 minutes ~ 210 minutes: Escape the Main Hall

• 3-round escape check
• Return to the surface

#210 minutes ~ 240 minutes: Return to the Domain and Report

• Barrier opens · Akihisa receives them
• PC report scene (player-led)
• Gensho's final monologue
• Insert 1 next-chapter foreshadowing clue

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#Appendix C - Route-Based Aftermath Summary Table

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"The fight is over. But something inside me has not ended." — A PC's monologue after Act 4 ends (prompt for player line · reused)

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#Appendix D - 3-Choice Route Mistake Correction Guide

Mistakes that may happen during route operation in the session, and how to correct them.

#Mistake 1: The group fell into the subjugation route too easily

Symptom: PCs declare an attack immediately during conversation stages 1~2. The GM allows it.

Correction:

• If Kyoukan Daiou is attacked, Form 1 does not immediately shift to Form 3. Instead, he takes the hits without attacking for 1 round.
• During that 1 round, the GM reads aloud: "His hundreds of mouths speak. - Will you not even listen?"
• After this read-aloud, it is recommended that PCs get a chance to change their minds. If they keep attacking, the subjugation route is fixed.

#Mistake 2: The reconciliation vow text is formulaic

Symptom: PCs only list words such as "we acknowledge, we promise the future, we coexist."

Correction:

• The GM asks for a pause: "Those words are long. But Kyoukan Daiou does not feel their weight. Please write them again."
• This request guides player roleplay. It is not coercion. If needed, replace it with a 2d10+Presence+Negotiation check (Target Number 15 counts as success).

#Mistake 3: The 3 waves during the resealing rite are too difficult

Symptom: Wave 3(umibozu hand) appears when the PCs' Wounds are at half or lower.

Correction:

• The umibozu hand does not have to be driven off. It attacks only outside the main hall doors. PCs inside the main hall take no damage.
• Instead, apply only a -2 penalty to the rite check. The check continues while taking the -2 disadvantage.

#Mistake 4: Main hall escape fails

Symptom: All PCs fail the escape check. Their Wounds collapse from boiling-water inflow.

Correction:

• Total-party-death prevention rule: if all PCs fail the escape check, Kasakura's 1 aid right automatically activates (if they have it). The ghost ship descends underwater and scoops up the PCs.
• If they do not have the aid right: onmyoji Gensho opens the emergency water gate at the cost of his own weakening +3. All PCs escape successfully + Gensho becomes half(半)-blind.

#Mistake 5: Akihisa's report scene feels awkward

Symptom: The PCs finish the report briefly, so Akihisa's Heart impact cannot be conveyed.

Correction:

• The GM has Akihisa ask the first question first: "May I know what you saw in that sea?"
• Guide the report so the PCs answer this question.

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#Appendix E - Act 4 "Sincere Scream" Play Examples

3 model examples of PCs performing a sincere scream through roleplay (for player reference):

#Example 1 - Direct Regret

PC: "I could not protect my younger brother. I still see his final face. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." (repeated 3 times)

GM assessment: high roleplay density. Sincere scream succeeds.

#Example 2 - Indirect Confession

PC: "Every night, I dream that my mother calls me. My mother remembers the day I abandoned her. In that dream, every day, I cannot answer. Now - in this sea - I answer for the first time. 'Yes, Mother, I am here.'"

GM assessment: narrative depth. Sincere scream succeeds.

#Example 3 - Silent Scream

The PC says nothing. They lower their head and hold their breath for a long time. When that breath breaks, one small sound leaks out. - "Ah..."

GM assessment: nonverbal roleplay is also accepted. Sincere scream succeeds.

#Failure Example (Reference)

PC: "Uh, so, I guess I have something in my past that I... regret, and it's kind of, you know, so I just shout it now?"

GM ruling: meta line. Failure. Allow one more attempt.

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"If this act is run well, the players will have nothing to say for a while after the session. That silence is this act's success indicator." — Final GM operation guideline