#Side Quest 05 — Child Lost to the Spirit Realm
Contents
Core references
- Required: Non-Combat Checks · Three Ways and Six Hearts · Dice System
- Reference: Yoma Bestiary · Squads
References within this supplement
- Required: Side Index · Barrier Boundary Events · Spirit Realm Travel Rules
- Required: Residents · Morale and Fear
- Reference: Young Lord · Drifters
#§ Overview
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dan Range | 3~4 dan |
| Recommended Session | 1 session (2~4 hours) |
| Domain Time Required | 1 day (half-day search + rescue + return) |
| Mandatory Event | No |
| Core Mechanic | search checks · passing through a Barrier hole · parent Negotiation · yoma avoidance |
| Recommended Arc Placement | between Chapter 2, Act 2~Act 3 |
| Final Question | "Is a child's world smaller than an adult's world, or is an adult's world narrower than a child's?" |
#One-Line Summary
Resident Kisaragi Maki(age 7) has vanished beyond the Domain Barrier. Her mother sits collapsed in the yard, and her father kneels before the PCs and begs. The PCs search a narrow radius outside the Barrier. The child is alive — but when she is found, something has changed.
#Design Intent
A side quest that makes players feel residents as faces, not numbers. Emotional density is the main drive. It is short but works deeply. If the GM rushes, it breaks.
#§ Scent — The Air of This Quest
#Opening Read-Aloud
"Just before lunchtime, a scream comes from the western residential district of the Domain. It is a mother's scream. It is a scream, but there are no words — only the repeated sound of inhaling."
"In the front yard of the house, one small straw sandal lies on the ground. Only one. That sandal is inside the Barrier, and the other — three steps outside the Barrier, on the iron-colored ground beyond the Barrier."
"'Maki... Maki... I can't see her.' The mother grabs a PC. Her hands are ice. 'Since last night she kept touching the Barrier. She thought it was pretty. This morning — this morning —'"
"The father appears. He is a cart driver. His rough face has no tears. Instead, he kneels before the PCs. 'Find her. This is not a request. It is a plea.'"
#Sensory Card — The Texture of This Quest
- Sound: the mother's inhaling breath in the background. Instead of speech, breath covers the western Domain for 1 koku. Outside the Barrier: wind · distant bells · a child's low laugh (or is it a hallucination?).
- Smell: the smell of soybean sprout soup from the house kitchen. Boiled for Maki. It is cooling.
- Light: noon. Shadows are short. The blue light of the Barrier boundary is almost invisible in daylight — that may be why the child did not know the boundary.
- Touch: the PC's hand lifting Maki's straw sandal. The sandal still holds a child's body warmth. It feels as if it was worn about 30 minutes ago.
#Core of the Scent
Hope and fear coexisting. The temporal possibility that "she may still be alive" and the spatial fear that "even alive, she may not be intact." The GM should place hope first and fear in the latter half.
#NPC Dialogue Samples
Maki's mother (Kisaragi Yuri): "Last night I told her. Outside the Barrier is dangerous. But Maki asked, 'Then why does big sister go?' I... I couldn't answer. Last night, one of our squad sisters went out. Those words..."
Maki's father (Kisaragi Genta): "If she is alive, carry her back. If she is not alive — I will go myself and bring her home. All of you PCs need only make it possible for me to carry her."
#§ Structure — 4-Act Scene Overview
#Act 1 — Fact Check and Preparation (Western Domain, 30 Minutes)
Interview the parents. Verify the Barrier boundary. Infer the route the child used to slip out. Preparation checks. Form slot B squad.
#Act 2 — Search Just Outside the Barrier (100~300 Steps Outside the Barrier, 60 Minutes)
Track the straw sandal trace. Confirm the child's footprints. One yoma encounter (small group of Minion-grade lesser oni).
#Act 3 — Finding the Child (500 Steps, 60 Minutes)
Find Maki. She is surrounded by yoma but not being attacked — investigate why. Decide how to rescue her.
#Act 4 — Return and Confirm the Change (Domain Return, 30~45 Minutes)
The child returns. Reunion with her parents. Gensho's purification inspection. Discover Maki's change. Three Ways and Six Hearts tendency.
#§ NPCs
#Kisaragi Maki (Age 7, Missing Daughter)
- Appearance: height 110cm. Black hair half-tied. Ointment mark on her left knee from yesterday's fall. Wearing one straw sandal (the other is inside the Domain).
- Point of discovery: 500 steps outside the Barrier. Crouched in a small circle on the dirt. 5~6 lesser oni surround her in a low radius but do not touch her.
- Line when found: "Big sister... these friends don't know my name. I was teaching them."
- Mental state: strangely calm. No fear. Reason unknown.
- Change (hidden): the tip of her right little finger is slightly transparent. She does not know. Gensho discovers it after return to the Domain.
#Kisaragi Yuri (Mother, 30s)
- Appearance: apron wet (soybean sprout soup broth). Hair undone. Hands keep shaking.
- Role: information provider. Maki's personality, habits, interest in the Barrier, and similar details. More emotionally exposed than the father.
- Signature line: "She kept playing beside the Barrier. She said it was pretty. That the blue was pretty. I should have stopped her more firmly."
- Three Ways and Six Hearts effect: when Maki returns alive, her mother says to the PCs, "It could have taken my life instead" → 慈(Compassion) +1
#Kisaragi Genta (Father, Late 30s)
- Appearance: cart driver's clothes. Rough hands. No tears on his face. Instead, his knees tremble.
- Role: action demander. Asks the PCs, "What should I do?" Can voluntarily accompany them (squad 1 member, Wounds 2).
- Signature line: "I cannot hold a sword. I can hold a cart. I will pull it out there. Just open the road for me."
- Three Ways and Six Hearts effect: if Genta is allowed to accompany them, risk of injury to him · 忠(Loyalty) -1 (poor judgment) or +1 (respect)
#Hoshino Gensho (Purification on Return · Brief Appearance)
After Maki returns, he performs a purification rite at the shrine. He discovers Maki's transparent finger.
- Signature line: "...the child did not pass through because she did not know the Barrier. The Barrier did not recognize the child. The Barrier recognized the child as kin. We must now confirm why."
- Follow-up effect: weakening +1 (purification rite)
#§ Act Details
#Act 1 Details — Fact Check and Preparation
#Scene Setup
Western residential district of the Domain. In front of Maki's house. One straw sandal in the yard. The mother is in the yard; the father kneels before the PCs. 5~6 neighbors watch from the doorways.
#Information Gathering Checks
| Check | Target Number | Information Gained |
|---|---|---|
| parent conversation · drawing out truth | 11 | yesterday's question: "Why does big sister go outside the Barrier?" |
| Maki's recent words and actions | 12 | habit of quietly singing beside the Barrier |
| observe Barrier boundary | 13 | small distortion in the Barrier boundary: at Maki's height |
| neighbor testimony | 10 | heard Maki say "I'm going" beside the Barrier this morning |
| footprint tracking (side without sandal) | 12 | toward the 300-step outer direction, toward iron-colored ground |
#Decisive Discovery
Distortion in the Barrier boundary — at Maki's height, the Barrier is paused slightly transparent. Unlike a normal boundary, this place functioned like a hole. A small gap through which only a child could pass. Gensho should be informed, but the situation is urgent.
#Preparation Checks
| Check | Target Number | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| emergency squad formation | Negotiation 11 | immediately use squad slot B |
| equipment preparation (child carrier cloth · purification talisman) | Wisdom Target Number 10 | on success, bonus to return purification |
| judgment on father accompanying | Wisdom 12 | on success, persuade Genta not to accompany |
| call Gensho | Negotiation 12 | on failure, Gensho arrives late (Act 4 only) |
#Akihisa's Permission
Report to the lord is required (mobilizing squad B). Akihisa grants permission immediately.
"I know there are 7 children in this Domain, and I know one of their names is Maki. If we lose one, that is the weight of all of them."
#Act 2 Details — Search Just Outside the Barrier
#Scene Setup
The PCs exit through the hole in the Barrier boundary. They bring out one straw sandal and compare footprints. Maki's small footprints are clear for about 300 steps, then blur.
#Tracking Checks
| Segment | Distance | Check | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segment 1 (Barrier ~ 100 steps) | clear straw-sandal marks | Tracking Target Number 10 | 1 round |
| Segment 2 (100 ~ 300 steps) | fading marks | Tracking Target Number 11 | 2 rounds |
| Segment 3 (300 ~ 500 steps) | marks vanish | Perception Target Number 13 or listen for sound | 3 rounds |
#Encounter 1 — 3 Minion-Grade Lesser Oni
Encountered in Segment 2. Small yoma about the height of children. They appear in a hazy blue mist.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Grade | Minion-grade |
| Wounds | 1 |
| Defense | 11 |
| Attack | 2d10+2 |
| Special | mimic child's voice (causes confusion, Finesse check, Target Number 13) |
| Core harvest Target Number | 11 |
Special caution: these lesser oni are aggressive, but they mimic "voices looking for a child" — they may even imitate the voice of Yuri, the mother. PCs are emotionally shaken. On a failed Finesse check, attacks are restricted for 1 round.
#Retracking the Child's Footprints
After the lesser oni are defeated, recheck the footprints. On entering Segment 3, discover a small stone pile and a circular trace — the mark where Maki was crouching.
#Act 3 Details — Finding the Child
#Scene Setup
500 steps out. Behind a low hill. When the PCs approach, Maki turns around. Around her are 5~6 lesser oni. Within a 3-meter circle around Maki, shadows stand in a ring, but they are not in an attack stance. Maki had been talking to the lesser oni.
#Maki's First Line
"Big sister! Oh, you came for me. These friends didn't know my name, so I taught them. But why do I have to go back? It's quiet here."
#Situation Judgment Checks
| Check | Target Number | Discovery |
|---|---|---|
| observe lesser oni cluster | Wisdom 13 | confirm no intent to attack. Reason unknown. |
| diagnose Maki's condition | Medicine 12 | no wounds · no fear · strange calm |
| spirit-related Perception | Exorcism 14 | in the air around Maki, the lesser oni show reverence |
| read nearby yoma intent | Wisdom 15 | the lesser oni recognize Maki as "one of us" |
#Rescue Methods
| Method | Check | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Take her away quietly | Negotiation (persuade Maki) Target Number 11 | low lesser oni alert · safe |
| Forceful breakthrough | combat (5~6 lesser oni) | lesser oni combat · may induce Maki's fear |
| Use talisman | Wisdom Target Number 13 · spend 1 talisman | lesser oni temporarily paralyzed · Maki unresponsive |
| Lead Maki to return voluntarily | Negotiation Target Number 13 | safest · longest time |
#Maki Negotiation Target Number 11 (Take Her Away Quietly)
Maki says, "I like it here." Persuasion must appeal to her mother's feelings.
Example PC persuasion: "Your mother is sitting in the yard. The soybean sprout soup you made last night is still there. Let's eat it together."
On success, Maki stands. The lesser oni slowly back away. A PC carries Maki back.
#Secret Clue
The moment Maki is carried, a very small song is heard from the nape of her neck. It is a song never heard in the Domain. Maki does not know she sang it. This clue is a follow-up quest seed.
#Act 4 Details — Return and Confirm the Change
#Scene Setup
Reentry through the Barrier. Western Domain. The mother rises from the yard. The father is beside her. Villagers watch from a distance.
#Reunion Scene
Maki climbs down from the PC's back and runs to her mother. Her mother catches her and falls to her knees. Crying without sound. The father lowers his head. The GM should not rush this scene.
#Gensho's Inspection
(If the call succeeded in Act 1) Gensho is in the yard. He carries Maki to the shrine.
Purification rite on the shrine dais. Discovers finger transparency.
Gensho: "...the tip of her right little finger is transparent. Slightly, but it is. This is not yoma transformation. The Spirit Realm has partially absorbed this child. From now on, she will live while sensing a little of the Spirit Realm."
#Impact Choices
| Treatment | Check | Result |
|---|---|---|
| fully perform purification rite | Gensho weakening +2 | finger returns · Maki normal · Three Ways and Six Hearts 慈 +2 |
| partial purification then sealing | Gensho weakening +1 | transparency stops progressing · Maki keeps spiritual ability · follow-up training required |
| no purification | no weakening change | Maki keeps Spirit Realm sensing ability · seed for long-term growth side |
#Parents' Decision
After Gensho's report, Yuri and Genta consult with the PCs. The decision belongs to the parents, but they follow the PCs' advice. The PCs' advice shifts Three Ways and Six Hearts.
#Three Ways and Six Hearts Tendency
| Action | Tendency |
|---|---|
| urge full purification | 慈(Compassion) +1, 眞(Truth) -1 (Gensho sacrifice) |
| partial purification | 眞(Truth) +1 |
| advise no purification | 魔(Demon) +1 (tendency to treat Maki as a tool) or 慈(Compassion) +1 (respecting Maki's freedom) |
| respect Maki's voluntary choice | 慈(Compassion) +2 |
#§ Step-by-Step Progress Guide Table
| Checkpoint | Timing | GM | Player | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scream begins | 0:00 | read-aloud · mother's breath | gather at scene | one straw sandal |
| Parent interview | 0:05 | Yuri · Genta lines | gather information | trembling hands |
| Verify Barrier boundary | 0:15 | describe distortion | check (Target Number 13) | blue light stops |
| Preparation check | 0:25 | equipment · squad | declare | talisman prepared |
| Pass through Barrier | 0:30 | describe hole | first step | Maki's straw sandal |
| Segment 1 tracking | 0:35 | marks clear | Target Number 10 | warm tracks |
| Segment 2 tracking | 0:45 | marks fade | Target Number 11 | edge of mist |
| Lesser oni encounter | 0:55 | 3 bodies · child's voice | combat · Finesse check | fake mother's voice |
| Combat ends | 1:10 | core harvest | check | smoke vanishes |
| Enter Segment 3 | 1:20 | marks vanish | Target Number 13 | stone pile |
| Find Maki | 1:30 | lesser oni ring · line | shock | "Big sister, you came" |
| Situation judgment | 1:40 | lesser oni intent | multiple checks | lesser oni reverence |
| Choose rescue method | 1:50 | present options | decide | ring trembles |
| Execute rescue | 2:00 | proceed by method | check | Maki stands |
| Song at the nape | 2:15 | hidden description | Perception Target Number 13 | quiet melody |
| Return travel | 2:25 | reverse-run through Spirit Realm | travel | two moons |
| Reenter Barrier | 2:40 | blue light | relief | mother appears |
| Reunion | 2:45 | enforce scene · silence | observe | soundless crying |
| Gensho inspection | 3:00 | discover finger | reaction | transparent tip |
| Parents' decision | 3:15 | present options | advice | couple consults |
| Perform purification | 3:25 | apply decision | record Three Ways and Six Hearts | blue smoke |
| Wrap-up | 3:40 | diary scene | session end | sunset |
#§ Success/Failure Branches
#Complete Success (Quiet Rescue + Full Purification)
- Maki returns to normal
- Parent morale +2 (local) · overall morale +1
- 3 lesser oni defeated · unstable core +3
- Three Ways and Six Hearts 慈(Compassion) +2
- Gensho weakening +2 (purification cost)
- Gain the song-at-the-nape clue → follow-up investigation possible
#Good (Forceful Breakthrough + Full Purification)
- Maki returns · minor fear
- Parent morale +1 · overall morale +0
- 5~6 lesser oni defeated · unstable core +5
- Three Ways and Six Hearts 忠(Loyalty) +1
- Gensho weakening +2
#Average (Rescue Succeeds + Partial Purification)
- Maki returns · finger transparency remains
- Parent morale +0
- Three Ways and Six Hearts 眞(Truth) +1
- Gensho weakening +1
- Follow-up training side seed — Maki must learn to control her spiritual ability
#Failure (Rescue Fails · Maki Remains in the Spirit Realm)
- Maki does not follow the PCs out (persuasion failed and force failed)
- Morale -2 · Fear +1
- Parents weep · follow-up quest seed "parents voluntarily enter the Spirit Realm"
- Three Ways and Six Hearts 魔(Demon) +1 or 慈(Compassion) -1
#Disaster (Maki Altered or Dead)
- Maki cannot return, or enters the Domain and turns into a yoma
- Morale -4 · Fear +2
- village reaction is anger · lord summoned
- Three Ways and Six Hearts 魔(Demon) +2
- resident trust permanently damaged
#§ Rewards
#Basic Rewards
| Resource | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Unstable Core | 0 | 5 |
| Gold | 0 | 5 (parent reward · one month of cart income) |
| Morale | -4 | +2 |
| Barrier HP | +0 | +15 (convert acquired cores) |
#Special Rewards
- Song-at-the-Nape Clue: gained on complete success. Interpreting this song can reveal a specific area of the Spirit Realm's structure (GM discretion). Follow-up quest.
- Permanent Goodwill of the Kisaragi Family: from now on, Genta provides free transport when PCs need a cart. Yuri supports the PCs' food and lodging (meals at her home).
- Maki's Spiritual Ability (Optional): with partial purification/no purification, Maki grows up with the ability to sense the Spirit Realm. In a later main arc, she functions as a child NPC resource (3~5 years later).
- Three Ways and Six Hearts 慈 Tendency: in a normal ending, most PCs gain +1 or more on the 慈 axis.
#§ GM Control
#GM Cautions
- Actually describe the mother's breathing. Breath instead of speech. Make the players share that sensation.
- Do not hide the fear when describing Maki's calm. The fact that a child is comfortable among yoma is itself frightening.
- The lesser oni imitate children's voices. They imitate actual NPC voices (Yuri the mother's tone). Players are confused.
- Hide the song-at-the-nape clue quietly. Confirm it only on a successful Perception Target Number 13. This clue is a follow-up quest seed — do not explain it in this session.
- Weight of the purification decision. Gensho weakening +2 should not be treated lightly in this session. That number can accelerate later Mandatory Events.
- Enforce the reunion scene. If players joke or treat it lightly, the GM stops narration → silence.
#Enforce 1 Session
This quest ends in 1 session. Do not stretch it to 2 sessions — the emotional density disperses.
#Risk Table
| Risk | Response |
|---|---|
| search fails (cannot find tracks) | Gensho provides the location through Barrier sight (weakening +1) |
| Maki persuasion fails | bring the mother to the Barrier boundary (deliver her call) |
| too many lesser oni encounters | adjust numbers · reduce to 3 lesser oni |
| PC Exposure too high | Gensho purifies immediately on return (1 rite) |
| excessive player cynicism | GM describes NPC reactions concretely and emotionally |
#Follow-Up Seed Summary
| Seed | Condition | Follow-Up |
|---|---|---|
| song at the nape | successful Perception Target Number 13 | Spirit Realm structure investigation quest |
| Maki's spiritual ability | partial purification/no purification | NPC use 3~5 years later |
| parents voluntarily enter | if rescue fails | Genta enters the Spirit Realm · rescue side |
#Session-End Checklist
- [ ] Maki final state (normal/changed/missing/dead)
- [ ] parent morale · overall morale
- [ ] update Gensho weakening
- [ ] acquired cores
- [ ] Three Ways and Six Hearts tendency
- [ ] whether the song-at-the-nape clue was gained
- [ ] record follow-up quest seeds
#Related Links
- Upper Index: Side Quest Index
- Barrier: Barrier Boundary Events
- NPCs: Residents · Retired Onmyoji
- Morale: Morale and Fear
- Core Rules: Non-Combat Checks · Three Ways and Six Hearts
- Related Side: 21-02 Missing Patrol (similar emotional tone)
For one child to enter the Spirit Realm requires far less than for one adult to enter the Spirit Realm. This asymmetry is the root of the quest's fear. But only the adults who love that child can bring the child back. The reversal of that asymmetry is the root of the quest's salvation.