#Act 3 — Witnessing the Three Factions' Final Decisions ★ Chapter of Mirrors

Contents

1 session of material. Chapter 4 Session 3. The core direction of this chapter. The PCs see three forms of their own future. In this chapter, one Three Ways and Six Hearts axis moves.

Core References

- Required: Chapter 4 Overview · 3-faction mirror · Act 2

- Reference: Three Ways and Six Hearts · zone gimmick · fire · core yoma bestiary

- In this supplement: Mirror Guide · Shonetsu section · NPCs Izanagi and Mikura · monsters ash soldier, Half-Ash, and transformation lord

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#Scent — Day of Mirrors

#GM Read-Aloud Box (Session Opening)

"A time that cannot be called morning. On the tatami of the Haibi mansion, you open your eyes. The diary handout in your hands has blackened and crumbled around the edges. Today is different from yesterday — the sound of swords from the street is no longer far away. It comes from the next street over."

"Loyal retainer Haibi sits before the room. He has waited for you. He says: 'Today you will see them. Three streets. How we ended. And how you will become.'"

#Three Core Direction Points

1. Three streets overlapping. The three scenes of this act (Mirrors 1, 2, and 3) are physically close. A 5-minute walk. That closeness maximizes the contrast. In one day, the PCs see the results of all three choices.
2. The weight of witnessing. The PCs are not going to fight. They are going to see. This act has little combat. Even when combat appears, the choice is "will those who witnessed this intervene?"
3. Real-time recreation. The final decisions from 200 years ago are recreated in real time before their eyes. The PCs are not an audience in a theater — they are standing inside that moment.

#Scent and Sensory Details

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#Law — Structure of Act 3

#3.1 Haibi's Guidance — Choosing the Three Streets

Loyal retainer Haibi leads the PCs to the front of the mansion. The street splits in three directions.

"East is Izanagi. He is still fighting. North is — the settlement faction. They cannot speak, but they are there. Center is my brothers and sisters. They are dancing."

"You must see them one by one. You may see all three. But after seeing all three, who you are will change a little. Go prepared."

#PC Choice — Order and Scope

GM recommendation: give the players choice, but state that "seeing all three streets is the core of this act." If they refuse, the session still proceeds — but the story's weight decreases.

#Haibi's Accompaniment

Haibi offers to accompany the PCs. If he accompanies them:

• On the eastern street, he is silent (because he belonged to the transformation faction and has no face to show Izanagi)
• On the northern street, he shows emotion for the first time — one of the settlement faction was his friend
• On the central street, he watches with the PCs. He could have been there too

#3.2 Mirror 1 — The Return Faction's End (East Gate) ★ Izanagi Encounter

Location: the city's east side. A place with a small auxiliary gate. The place Izanagi defended to the end after being isolated 200 years ago.

#Entering the Scene

"You walk east. The wind blows in the opposite direction — ash flies from behind your backs to the front. As if telling you what waits there."

"A small gate comes into view. Before it — one person. Young armor. A sword in hand. Around him stand about 50 ash-gray forms. They were once his comrades. Now they are transformed beings. They attack as if dancing. The young soldier cuts them down while weeping. When he cuts one down, it rises again. He has been fighting this battle for 200 years."

#Contact with Izanagi

When the PCs approach, Izanagi stops. The transformed comrades attacking him also stop. Time thins.

He raises his head. His face is young — a youth not yet past twenty. But his eyes are 200 years old.

"Are you new arrivals? I have not seen new arrivals for 200 years. So others like us have fallen here again."

"I am Izanagi. Last soldier of the Kitami house. Return faction. I wanted to go back. I still want to go back."

"I ask you — who is your lord? What has your lord chosen? If he has not yet chosen transformation — tell him: transformation is not salvation. It is an eternal prison."

#PC Choices (Conversation with Izanagi)

#Combat Option — Izanagi vs. 50 Transformed Comrades

If the PCs decide to join Izanagi's fight, some of the 50 transformed comrades attack the PCs.

• Combat stats: transformed residents(Minion-grade), 5~7 bodies. If fighting with Izanagi, gain his skill modifier +2
• Combat gimmick: transformed residents revive from ash again. True resolution is impossible through numbers. The only release condition is persuasion: "you do not have to fight anymore."
• Victory result: Izanagi transmits his swordsmanship secret to one PC. Gain 1 clue toward 9th-dan advancement.

#Core Imprint

A PC who sees Izanagi internalizes the price of the Return Ending. The face of one who kept his belief — not the face of victory, but the face of pain. Yet he did not betray his belief.

#3.3 Mirror 2 — Settlement Faction Half-Ash (Northern Underground)

Location: the city's northern district. Underground waterway. The PCs descend along a dark stone passage.

#Entering the Scene

"The north is quiet. So quiet it becomes strange. You go down the underground stairs. A place called a waterway though there is no sound of water — now even the water has dried, and only ash covers the floor."

"At the foot of the stairs is a wide hall. In the center of the hall — about 30 people sit in a circle. Holding one another's hands. They are half turned to ash. Half their skin is human. The rest is ash-gray. They do not speak. But their mouths move."

"When you approach, one of their gazes turns back. That gaze sees you. And — recognizes you."

#Murmurs of the Half-Ash(半灰)

The settlement faction cannot speak. But they convey murmuring will. If a PC tries to listen with Perception Target Number 15 or Wisdom Target Number 15:

• On success: their murmurs echo inside the PC. Not as words, but as feelings. The feelings of 30 people overlap — despair, peace, regret, resignation, small satisfaction, anger.
• On failure: emptiness. But only the feeling remains that one person's eyes reached the PC.

#Mikura's Remnant

Among the 30, the one seated in the leader's place is Mikura. His mouth moves more often. If the PC singles out his murmur and listens (Target Number +2):

"We were... not wrong. But... not right either. We chose the middle. The middle... was fixation. We cannot move. But... we are together. That is... everything we have."

#PC Choices (Encounter with the Settlement Faction)

#Core Imprint

A PC who sees the settlement faction's Half-Ash internalizes the dark side of the Settlement Ending. The path where the resolve to "remain as we are" becomes stagnation. The image of 30 people holding hands remains with the PC — beautiful, and terrible.

#3.4 Mirror 3 — Transformation Faction Festival (Central Square)

Location: the city's central square. A place from which the keep can be seen in the distance. The center of the streets.

#Entering the Scene

"You walk toward the center. The wind draws you in — a festival wind. From afar, you hear drums. Laughter. Dancing feet. Is this — joy?"

"You reach the square. About 100 people dance in a circle. They are burning one another. When hands touch, fire catches on the other's body. But there is no pain. They are laughing. Their faces are fixed. In the shape of laughter."

"They see you. They do not stop. One reaches a hand to you — a burning hand. 'With us.'"

#The Transformed Resident's Proposal

One resident of the transformation faction approaches the PCs. He has forgotten his name. He says:

"We are eternal. There is no pain. We are together. You can be together too. Your domain can be together too. Our king — he will accept you. He is merciful."

#PC Choices (Encounter with the Transformation Faction)

#Core Imprint

A PC who sees the transformation faction's festival internalizes the price of the Transformation Ending. Everyone survived. Everyone is "happy." But they have forgotten who they were. Death under the name of life.

#3.5 Three Ways and Six Hearts Axis Movement — Recreation of Choice ★ The Heart of This Act

After seeing all three streets, the PCs return to the mansion. Night comes. A dream begins.

#Dream Recreation

Each PC dreams of one faction's decision moment and recreates it in their own name. Which faction is assigned is determined by the PC's answer tendencies from Acts 1~2.

#Check Inside the Dream

The dream is not real, but the PC's decision actually moves their Three Ways and Six Hearts axis.

• Dream check: Mental Save, Target Number 15 (2d10 + Courage >= 15)
• On success: the PC makes their own choice inside the dream. It may differ from that faction's original choice. The PC's choice determines the axis direction.
• On failure: in the dream, the PC follows that faction's choice exactly. The axis direction is fixed to that faction's direction.

#Axis Movement Result Table

This axis movement is permanent. It does not recover.

GM caution: apply this check only after player consent. A Three Ways and Six Hearts axis is part of character identity. If a player clearly says, "I do not want this direction," the GM withholds the axis movement and treats it as a "reprieve" — a new chance in Chapter 5.

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#Law — Checks and Rules

#Major Check Table

#Reversion Residue — Act 3 Progress

Countermeasures:

• Incense consumption increases (1 stick per 1 round)
• Carrying Reika's ash keeps resistance +3 valid
• On return to the domain, progress stops. After Act 4 ends, returning to the domain restores part of memory

#Three Ways and Six Hearts Axis Movement Detailed Rules

Timing: after 3.5 ends.

Player agency: the GM asks, "Which direction does your PC seem likely to tilt?" Respect the player's answer. The GM checks whether that direction matches or differs from this faction's decision.

Record: after the session, record axis movement on the PC sheet. Maximum movement ±1 (per one axis).

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#Direction — Session Management

#Session Opening — 5 Minutes

• Deliver the GM read-aloud box.
• Loyal retainer Haibi's tone: heavy but restrained. He is only a guide; he does not pour out emotion.

#Middle 3 Hours — Visiting the Three Streets

• Each street is 60 minutes of material. The GM keeps strict time.
• After each street ends, 1 minute of silence is recommended. Give the players time to digest the scene.
• After seeing all three streets, allow 15 minutes of conversation between PCs in the evening scene. "What did we see?"

#Final 40 Minutes — Dream Recreation

• Run dream scenes 1 to 1 with each player if possible. Other players only listen.
• Each player's dream scene takes about 10 minutes. With 4 PCs, total 40 minutes.
• Do not confirm axis movement immediately. If a player says, "I want to think about it," defer until the next session.

#Session End

• Hook sentence: "Tomorrow you climb to the keep. There waits the one who made all of this."
• This sentence leads to Act 4.

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#GM Branch Table

#Checklist at the End of Act 3

• [ ] How many of the three streets the PCs saw (0~3)
• [ ] Result of interaction with Izanagi
• [ ] PCs who heard the Half-Ash murmurs (list)
• [ ] PCs who resisted the transformation dance temptation (list)
• [ ] PCs who took part in dream recreation and results
• [ ] PCs whose axis movement is confirmed (list and direction)

#Chapter Accumulation Update

• PC who saw all three streets: has mirror imprint when facing the Great Dharma King in Act 4 → boss fight advantage +2
• PC who saw only one street: treated as "one who does not know" when facing the Great Dharma King in Act 4 → target of a specific boss attack
• PC with confirmed axis movement: Chapter 5 ending-branch tendency is strongly affected by this axis
• PC who received Izanagi's technique transmission: gains 1 clue toward 9th-dan advancement

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#Direction Tips Box

#Tip 1 — Contrasting the Three Streets

The GM changes the description speed of the three street scenes:

• East(return faction): fast and fierce. Continuous short sentences.
• North(settlement faction): slow, long descriptions. Frequent silence.
• Center(transformation faction): medium speed. Festival rhythm. But the words are somehow off.

#Tip 2 — Playing Izanagi

Play Izanagi with a young voice. But that voice carries 200 years of weight. The GM adds a small gasp to the end of his lines — he has not been able to stop for 200 years.

#Tip 3 — Half-Ash Silence

Run the Half-Ash scene in near silence. Turn off music and leave only the sound of the room. The moment the PCs feel stifled is the success of conveying the settlement faction's sensation.

#Tip 4 — Directing the Transformation Dance

Describe the transformation dance beautifully. Enough to tempt the PCs. "They are laughing. They look peaceful. They have no pain." — this sentence repeats, weakening the players' defenses. Then add at the end: "They have forgotten their own names."

#Tip 5 — Respecting Players in Axis Movement

Do not force axis movement. If a player says, "My PC would not make that choice," the GM respects that and withholds axis movement. Forced axis movement breaks trust in the character.

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#Lord Akihisa's Reactions (Acts 2~3 Accumulated)

Akihisa can partly accompany the Act 3 street circuit. Depending on which streets he accompanies:

GM direction: if Akihisa sees all three streets, his Three Ways and Six Hearts heart(心) decision is confirmed in this act. His words in the Chapter 5 climax depend on this confirmation.

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#Act 3 Completion Checklist

• [ ] The PCs saw at least two of the three streets
• [ ] Conversation or combat with Izanagi occurred
• [ ] The sensory experience of the Half-Ash scene was delivered
• [ ] The temptation of the transformation dance was presented
• [ ] PC choices were recorded in the dream recreation scene
• [ ] Three Ways and Six Hearts axis movement was confirmed with player consent (or deferred)
• [ ] Act 4 preview — the hook to climb the keep was delivered

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#Connections

• Previous: Act 2 — Traces of the Previous Drifters
• Next: Act 4 — Climax · Heart of the City
• NPCs: Izanagi · Mikura · Nameless One
• Monsters: ash soldier · Half-Ash
• Core Three Ways and Six Hearts: 02-02

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"I fought. For 200 years. I know I cannot return. But I did not betray myself." — Izanagi, east gate.

"We are... together. That is... everything we have." — Mikura's remnant, northern underground.

"We are eternal. We have no pain. We — have forgotten who we were." — transformed resident, central square.

"I saw the three streets. Now what should I do?" — example monologue from one PC after Act 3 ends.