#6 1-dan PC Templates — Youths of the Domain

Contents

6 complete, play-ready 1-dan PCs. 5 domain natives + 1 drifted outsider. Each template includes stats, abilities, skills, equipment, narrative, and motivation. Players add a name and minor preferences — ready to deploy in the very next scene.

Core References (compliance required)

- Required: 1-dan Standard 04-02 · Attributes 03-02 · Three Ways and Six Hearts · Class Index

- Reference: Sample Characters · Equipment · Weapon Catalog

- Per class: Samurai 04-01 · Ronin 04-02 · Shugenja 04-07 · Artisan 04-11 · Entertainer 04-12 · Gaijin 04-13

Internal Supplement References

- Required: Premise · Domain Index · NPC Index · Livelihood System

- Reference: 8 Villagers · Drifted Outsiders

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#Scent — Six Youths of the Domain

On the night the domain fell into the spirit realm, Lord Akihisa scanned the faces of those who had gathered in the courtyard. Those who could move. Those who could hold a spear. Someone with a gun. Someone who had been singing. Fewer than twenty — but the faces of six among them caught his eye. Young ones. Not quite old enough to carry the full weight of their household, yet not the kind who could sit quietly and wait. Six people.

These templates are those six. Your PC — is one of them.

The first is a young samurai from a domain retainer family. The second is a hunter who had been climbing the mountain. The third is an aspiring priest who attended Elder Hoshino. The fourth is a southern barbarian foreigner who had been staying in the domain just before the drift. The fifth is a craftsman's son from the forge. The sixth is a wandering entertainer who happened to be passing through the domain.

The six faces are different. Different households, different hands, different languages shaped them. But from that night onward — they became those who share the same courtyard under the same barrier.

Now — you are them.

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#Law — Template Structure

#What Each Template Contains

1-dan strict compliance standard — core 04-02 Progression and 03-02 Attributes:

- Licensed (3 pts): 1 at 1-dan, +1 per even-dan promotion (shared Licensed-or-higher count). Master (4 pts) from 2-dan, within the class 6-skill cap. These templates spend their points to Trained, so none carry a Licensed-or-higher skill.

- Breath limit base 5 (no Speed skill taken). The exception is the Quick-Strike-armor template (Haru), at 6 (armor +1, applied immediately, no dan restriction).

- Attribute total must be +3. Surplus of 3× or more breaks balance.

#Roles Covered by These 6 Templates

Balance: Choose any 4 of these 6 and you have a basic party with no overlapping roles.

#1-dan Base Numbers (Core Standard · Common to This Supplement)

• Attribute assignment: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free. Total +3. 1-dan cap +3.
• Energy max: 10 + Finesse modifier (e.g., Finesse +2 → 12; Finesse 0 → 10; Finesse +1 → 11)
• Wounds max: 3 + Physique modifier (e.g., Physique +2 → 5; Physique 0 → 3; Physique +1 → 4)
• Defense: None 10 / light armor 12 / medium armor 14 / heavy armor 16. Medium armor: Energy -1; heavy armor: Energy -2 (offset by Physique modifier).
• Breath limit: Base 5 (the Speed-skill breath bonus applies only if Speed is taken; none of these templates invested in Speed).
• Three Ways and Six Hearts: Core 6 Hearts — Loyalty/Hegemony (Way of Rites) · Compassion/Void (Way of Emptiness) · Truth/Demon (Way of Mystery). Clear Heart recommended for 1-dan start.
• Fate interventions: Equal to Fate modifier (minimum 1 per combat).

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#Table of Contents

1. Domain Samurai — Aramaki Shinjiro
2. Domain Archer — Sato Komachi
3. Domain Priest — Hoshino Ririko
4. Drifted Foreigner — Diego Fernandes
5. Domain Artisan — Takeda Jirota
6. Domain Entertainer — Yorunaki Haru

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#1. Domain Samurai — Aramaki Shinjiro

#One-Line Introduction

"My brother's armor is still too big for me — I'm wearing the sash three times around." — Second son of the Aramaki family. Not yet a formal retainer, but he carries a sword on expeditions.

• Age · Gender: 17, male (can be reconstructed as female Aramaki "Shinji" per player preference).
• Class: Samurai (base class).
• Origin: Aramaki clan, a minor warrior family of kokujin retainers within Kagamiyama domain — 3 generations of service to the lord's house.

#Stats

Core standard: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free assignment.

Total: +3 (core standard compliant).

#Energy · Wounds · Defense

#3 Abilities

#Skills — 9 Points (Core Automatic 5 + Background 2 + Free 2)

#Class Automatic (Samurai 1-dan starting skills)

• Swordsmanship · Trained (2 pts) — Primary skill. This template stays at Trained (no Licensed-or-higher; a 1-dan PC may instead take 1 Licensed, and Master is possible from 2-dan).
• Fighting Spirit · Novice (1 pt)
• Military Science · Novice (1 pt)
• Intimidation · Novice (1 pt)

#Background (2 points) — Retainer Family

• Perception · Novice (1 pt) — Retainer patrols and scouting.
• Negotiation · Novice (1 pt) — Retainer etiquette.

#Free Allocation (2 points)

• Scouting · Novice (1 pt) — Actively searching the spirit realm for clues to his brother.
• Survival · Novice (1 pt) — Expedition camping and rough-terrain marching.

#Equipment

#Three Ways and Six Hearts (Initial Inclination)

Core Three Ways and Six Hearts: 6 Hearts — Loyalty/Hegemony/Compassion/Void/Truth/Demon.

• Way: Way of Rites (Confucian · Bushido)
• Heart: Loyalty (Clear Heart) — Loyalty to the family. Searching for his brother is an extension of that loyalty.
• Secondary inclination: Trace of Truth — "an honest young man." Only 1 explicit axis at 1-dan.

Growth directions: Deepen Loyalty (retainer + lord loyalty route) or shift Loyalty → Compassion (protecting residents first, Way of Emptiness path).

#Background Narrative

#Family and Upbringing

The Aramaki family has served the Kamijo lord's house for 3 generations as minor warriors. Father Aramaki Seizaburo (48) is one of the domain's deputy retainers — honest, taciturn, a veteran soldier. Mother Suzu (42) is a representative figure among the domain's women. Shinjiro had an older brother, Aramaki Shinichiro (23, whereabouts unknown) — who disappeared 3 years ago while on an errand in Kyoto. The family has already treated it as a death, but his mother has not given up.

#Childhood

Shinjiro was born the second son and raised with relative freedom. While his elder brother bore heavy expectations as the family heir, Shinjiro had room to play with friends. But after his brother vanished — all expectations shifted to him. His father said less; his mother cried more. Shinjiro strives to fill the gap his brother left, but neither the armor nor the sash fits him yet.

#Sword Training

From age 15, he trained in swordsmanship under the domain lord's old general, Matsumi Doichi. 3 years later — the basics are mastered, but he has not seen real combat. The domain was at peace. He sometimes wonders whether he will ever reach a true battlefield — as his brother did. Now — that thought has become reality. Except the battlefield is the spirit realm.

#Just Before the Drift

In the 3 months before the drift, Shinjiro occasionally spoke with Rin, a young domain woman. Not lovers, but a mutual interest. On the night of the drift, Rin's safety was his first concern.

#The Night of the Drift

That night Shinjiro rushed to the courtyard at Lord Akihisa's summons. His father was already there and only nodded when he saw Shinjiro. When the iron-gray plain became visible beyond the barrier — Shinjiro thought of his brother's hand. What would his brother have done? Shinjiro still does not know where his brother is.

#Domain Relationships

#Motivation

"I have to find my brother. And — I don't want to watch my mother cry anymore."

Shinjiro's motivation is family. The reason he protects the domain is not grand loyalty but his mother's tears and his brother's absence. If a clue to his brother appears during the spirit realm exploration — Shinjiro will push deeper without hesitation. He must be careful: that desire may put the party at risk.

#Play Tips

• 1-distance Front Zone anchor: Maintain Immovable Formation (Energy 2 declared) → +4 zone Domination (Front Zone). Other PCs attack from Rear Zone or Flank Zone.
• Medium-armor penalty offset: Physique +1 offsets medium-armor -1. Energy 11 maintained.
• Breath usage example: Immovable Formation (2) + sword strike (2) + defense reserve (1) = 5 [breath limit].
• Active clue-gathering: Perception Novice +1 for GM clue collection.
• RP core: Youth's uncertainty + brother's shadow. Shinjiro is not a "perfect samurai." Duel Declaration is a 3-dan ability — approachable via general slot after 2-dan advancement.

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#2. Domain Archer — Sato Komachi

#One-Line Introduction

"The bow my father left is still too heavy for my arms. Even so — I shoot." — Only daughter of the Sato family. A hunter who walks her father's mountain trails.

• Age · Gender: 19, female.
• Class: Ronin (archer variant). The 1-dan ronin auto ability "Wind Blade" enables fluid movement — free entry/exit from the Heart Zone. Reinterpreted here as a domain mountain archer using the longbow as the primary weapon.
• Origin: Flank Zone of Kagamiyama domain — the Sato family, hunters of the mountain. Her father was the domain's only archery instructor.

#Stats

Core standard: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free assignment.

Total: +3 (core standard compliant).

#Energy · Wounds · Defense

#3 Abilities

#Skills — 9 Points (Core Automatic 5 + Background 2 + Free 2) + Livelihood

#Class Automatic (Ronin 1-dan starting skills — archer variant)

Core ronin starting automatic: "Swordsmanship Trained + Footwork Novice + Survival Novice + Speed Novice." For the archer variant, Swordsmanship is replaced by Archery (GM-approved under core 04-02 Progression interpretation).

• Archery · Trained (2 pts) — Primary skill. This template stays at Trained (no Licensed-or-higher; a 1-dan PC may instead take 1 Licensed, and Master is possible from 2-dan).
• Footwork · Novice (1 pt)
• Survival · Novice (1 pt)
• Perception · Novice (1 pt) — Speed substitution (mountain hunter interpretation)

#Background (2 points) — Mountain Hunter

• Scouting · Novice (1 pt) — Tracking game and reading trails.
• Geography · Novice (1 pt) — Mountain terrain and hunting trails.

#Free Allocation (2 points)

• Herbalism · Novice (1 pt) — Mountain herbs learned from her herbalist mother.
• Fortune · Novice (1 pt) — The sense her father left her (Fate +1).

#Domain-Resident Livelihood Bonus (this supplement's Livelihood System)

• Livelihood: Hunting (Novice, +0, 1 pt) — 3-generation family trade of the Sato clan. +0 on domain meat/fur supply checks (removes unskilled penalty). Not usable in combat checks.

#Equipment

#Three Ways and Six Hearts (Initial Inclination)

Core Three Ways and Six Hearts: 6 Hearts — Loyalty/Hegemony/Compassion/Void/Truth/Demon.

• Way: Way of Mystery (Shinto/celestial) — one who follows the order of the mountain and the gods.
• Heart: Truth (Clear Heart) — trusts her own eyes. The world as it is.
• Secondary inclination: Shadow of Void — mountain solitude. Not yet fallen into nihilism.

Growth directions: Deepen Truth (domain's wild archer) or shift Truth → Loyalty (becomes a retainer, enters Way of Rites).

#Background Narrative

#Family and Upbringing

The Sato family has made a living hunting in the mountains outside the domain for 3 generations. Father Sato Kenzo (deceased, 2 years ago — attacked by a bear on the mountain) — the domain's only archery instructor and mountain hunter. Mother Tama (45) knows mountain plants well and works as the domain's herb gatherer. Komachi is an only child.

#Her Father's Death

2 years ago her father died while hunting a bear. Komachi was there — she had time to shoot instead. But her arrow missed. The regret of that one shot still lives in the hand that holds the bow. Since then she has climbed the mountain alone, memorized her father's trails, and read his notebook 10 times.

#As a Hunter

While the domain was at peace, Komachi hunted mountain animals. Deer, boar, pheasant. She supplied meat to the villagers. Komachi has sharp eyes, steady hands, and above all — no hesitation. Once she decides — she shoots.

#Just Before the Drift

Before the drift, Komachi saw a strange bird on the mountain. It was black and had two heads. She did not shoot. She came back to the domain and told no one. The image of that bird remained as a small unease in her heart.

#The Night of the Drift

That night Komachi was with her mother in a hut at the foot of the mountain. It was her mother who answered the lord's summons first (to assist the onmyoji as the herb gatherer). Komachi followed her mother and ended up standing among those gathered in the courtyard. When she heard that the lord needed an archer — she already had her bow in hand.

#Domain Relationships

#Motivation

"I will shoot the one shot my father could not. And — this domain is my home. I don't want to lose home."

Komachi's motivation is twofold: past regret (the missed arrow) + present attachment (the domain as home). She shoots to reclaim the past and protect the future. She must be careful: that regret may make her shoot when she shouldn't.

#Play Tips

• Rear Zone main force: Use 2-zone range. Snipe from behind the samurai in the Front Zone.
• Archery check: 2d10 + Finesse(+2) + Archery Trained(+1) = +3 base. Reliable accuracy.
• Wind Blade: Free Heart Zone entry/exit. Rear Zone → Flank Zone → Heart Zone flanking route possible.
• Arrow management (1 at a time): 15-arrow limit. Use carefully. Request resupply from Jirota (artisan).
• RP core: Reticent. Emotions expressed in a single arrow. When Komachi speaks — it matters. The "Instinct Shot" school maneuver comes with the Archery school learned on advancement — this template starts at Archery Trained and raises Archery to Licensed (3 pts) through even-dan growth.

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#3. Domain Priest — Hoshino Ririko

#One-Line Introduction

"The day my grandfather's hands began to tremble, I began drawing talismans on my own hands." — Granddaughter of Elder Hoshino Gensho. The domain's only young aspiring exorcist, since age 15.

• Age · Gender: 16, female.
• Class: Shugenja. Granddaughter of Hoshino Gensho (10-dan retired onmyoji) of the domain shrine, but 1-dan start is set as a shugenja specializing in exorcism and mountain asceticism (Gensho's teaching + mountain training near the domain). Future branching: onmyoji (inherit grandfather) or deeper shugenja path.
• Origin: Kagamiyama domain — the Hoshino family. Raised at the domain shrine.

#Stats

Core standard: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free assignment.

Total: +3 (core standard compliant).

#Energy · Wounds · Defense

#3 Abilities

#Skills — 9 Points (Core Automatic 5 + Background 2 + Free 2)

#Class Automatic (Shugenja 1-dan starting skills)

• Hardiness · Trained (2 pts) — Primary skill. Foundation for sustaining Asceticism.
• Fighting Spirit · Novice (1 pt)
• Exorcism · Novice (1 pt)
• Survival · Novice (1 pt)

#Background (2 points) — Aspiring Priest Raised at the Shrine

• Herbalism · Novice (1 pt) — Learned through childhood visits with Sato Tama (herbalist).
• Sorcery · Novice (1 pt) — Basics of talismans and rites seen at her grandfather's side.

#Free Allocation (2 points)

• Prophecy · Novice (1 pt) — Dawn prayers and reading omens.
• Medicine · Novice (1 pt) — Nursing the sick and folk treatment.

#Equipment

#Three Ways and Six Hearts (Initial Inclination)

Core Three Ways and Six Hearts: 6 Hearts — Loyalty/Hegemony/Compassion/Void/Truth/Demon.

• Way: Way of Emptiness (Buddhist) — the path of compassion, karma, and reincarnation.
• Heart: Compassion (Clear Heart) — love for the residents and the domain. Self-sacrificing tendency.
• Secondary inclination: Influence of Truth — her grandfather's teachings (onmyoji, Way of Mystery). Can shift to Way of Mystery as she grows.

Growth directions: Deepen Compassion (domain's mother-type priest) or shift Compassion → Void (despair after witnessing the grandfather's deterioration).

#Background Narrative

#Family and Upbringing

Ririko is the granddaughter of Elder Hoshino Gensho. Her parents died 10 years ago caught in conflict outside the domain. Her grandfather raised her until she was 15. Growing up at the domain shrine, she watched everything from childhood — how to draw talismans, how to tell prayer beads, how to prepare rituals, how to handle medicinal plants.

#Her Grandfather

Hoshino Gensho is the domain's 10-dan retired onmyoji. He was still vigorous when Ririko was small, but 3 years ago his cough increased and his hands began to tremble. Ririko knows why her grandfather does not teach her his method for the barrier — his method burns his own life. He cannot let her burn.

#Practice

Since age 13, Ririko has voluntarily practiced dawn prayers, ten thousand daily bows, and prayer bead recitation. She has no formal credentials as an exorcist — the domain has no one to grant them. But every morning she bathes under the small mountain waterfall and prays.

#Friendships

Ririko's closest friend is Sato Komachi (Template 2). The two families exchanged visits regularly, and mother Tama helped grandfather with herbs. When Komachi's father died, Ririko stayed at Komachi's house for 3 days and cared for her. That experience deepened the Compassion in Ririko's heart.

#Just Before the Drift

This spring, her grandfather's cough worsened further. Ririko slept every night holding his hand at his bedside. And then that night — she watched him go out to the courtyard. Bent over, hands trembling, to erect the barrier.

#The Night of the Drift

Ririko stood watch over the barrier throughout the night at her grandfather's side. While the barrier was being erected, Ririko drew her own 10 talismans and drove them into the perimeter of the courtyard to assist her grandfather. He saw it — and said nothing.

#Domain Relationships

#Motivation

"I want my grandfather to live a little longer. I want the barrier to hold one more year. So I can — carry part of that cost."

Ririko's motivation is love. Love for her grandfather + love for the domain. She ventures into the spirit realm so that her grandfather, waiting at home, does not have to burn his life further — if she can bring back a key from outside. She must be careful: that love may burn herself — Ririko already has a strong self-sacrificing tendency.

#Play Tips

• Asceticism use: Vow of Fudo Myoo → declare Asceticism ≥ 1 → +1 vs. yoma. Free Heart Zone entry to go deeper in place of her grandfather.
• Exorcism check: 2d10 + Wisdom(+2) + Exorcism Novice(+0) = +2 base. Stacks: Yoma Knowledge + Power of Scripture add +2 more.
• Talisman budget: 10-talisman limit. Use carefully. Request resupply from grandfather — takes time.
• RP core: Obedient exterior, iron interior. Topics about her grandfather are very sensitive. Barrier maintenance is a 3-dan+ shugenja ability — at 1-dan, only talisman bestowing and exorcism prayer level.

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#4. Drifted Foreigner — Diego Fernandes

#One-Line Introduction

"I planned to stay in the domain for 1 month. But now — I don't know whether that month will become 1 year, or a lifetime." — Sailing apprentice from a Portuguese southern-barbarian vessel. Caught in the drift during a one-month stay in the domain.

• Age · Gender: 22, male.
• Class: Gaijin (foreigner expansion line).
• Origin: Lisbon, Portugal. Set out as a sailing apprentice on an Asia trade vessel at 16. 6 years through Macau, Nagasaki, and Kobe — most recently staying one month in Kagamiyama domain alongside Sakai merchant Godai.

#Stats

Core standard: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free assignment.

Total: +3 (core standard compliant).

#Energy · Wounds · Defense

#3 Abilities

#Skills — 9 Points (Core Automatic 5 + Background 2 + Free 2) + Livelihood

#Class Automatic (Gaijin 1-dan starting skills)

• Archery · Trained (2 pts) — Primary skill (core Archery — includes firearms). This template stays at Trained (no Licensed-or-higher taken).
• Navigation · Novice (1 pt)
• Survival · Novice (1 pt)
• Perception · Novice (1 pt)

#Background (2 points) — Southern Barbarian Sailing Apprentice

• Geography · Novice (1 pt) — Sea routes and the geography of many lands from six years at sea.
• Negotiation · Novice (1 pt) — Interpreting and trade-assisting for the merchant Godai.

#Free Allocation (2 points)

• Stratagem · Novice (1 pt) — Basic astronomy and navigation knowledge.
• Disable · Novice (1 pt) — Disassembling and maintaining teppo.

#Outsider/Drifter Special Bonus (this supplement Livelihood System)

• Livelihood: Languages (Proficient, +1, 1 pt) — Portuguese, Latin, Japanese ×3. +1 on foreign NPC negotiation, foreign document reading, and interpretation checks among outsiders. Not usable in combat checks.

#Equipment

#Three Ways and Six Hearts (Initial Inclination)

Core Three Ways and Six Hearts: 6 Hearts — Loyalty/Hegemony/Compassion/Void/Truth/Demon.

• Way: Heartless → shifting toward Way of Mystery. Gaijin are "those not yet steeped in the ways of this world."
• Heart: Heartless — no clear axis in the Three Ways yet. Background is Christian (Kirishitan), but by this world's classification: Heartless.
• Secondary inclination: Faint Truth — an attitude of trying to accept a foreign land as it is.

Growth directions: Heartless → Truth (foreign intellectual · Way of Mystery devotion) or Heartless → Loyalty (naturalized to the domain, entering Way of Rites).

#Background Narrative

#Family and Upbringing

Born into a merchant family in Lisbon, Portugal. Father Pedro Fernandes, a spice merchant. Mother Elena, a homemaker. Diego is the youngest — two older sisters above him. Family still in Lisbon. Diego set out to sea at 16 — for adventure, wealth, and the world.

#The Voyages

6 years across Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. Japanese in his 4th year. He came to Kagamiyama because merchant Godai had heard a rumor about a silver vein in a distant domain — and wanted a sample. Diego served as his interpreter and assistant.

#One Month in the Domain

3 weeks in, Diego was charmed by the peaceful mountain-village atmosphere of the domain. Every morning on the mountain he encountered Sato Komachi (Template 2) — few words between them, but they showed each other bow and musket and talked about attack and defense. By the third week — when their hands occasionally touched, neither of them pulled away.

#Home

Diego's home is a house on a hill in Lisbon where the sea wind blows. He has not seen his family in more than 4 years. When he reads his Latin prayer book, his mother's face in Lisbon comes to mind.

#Just Before the Drift

On the day of the drift, Diego was invited to dinner at the lord's house together with merchant Godai. After the meal, as the night deepened, the two stayed overnight in a side wing of the lord's residence. And then — at dawn, the ground shook.

#The Night of the Drift

Diego first thought "Earthquake?" He came out to the courtyard — the barrier was already up. He and merchant Godai stood quietly. Godai looked at the distant sky and said, "We may not be going back to Japan." Diego — thought of his mother in Lisbon.

#Domain Relationships

#Motivation

"I don't want to die here. And — I want to protect the people who accepted me while I'm here."

Diego's motivation is survival and gratitude. He wants to return home, but right now this domain is what protects him. He protects the domain because staying alive and repaying a debt are the same action. He must be careful when those two motivations clash (e.g., choosing between Komachi and home).

#Play Tips

• Rear Zone firepower: Snipe 2 zones with the tanegashima. Manage reload (2 Energy). Reload acceleration (1 Energy) is the firearms (Archery) Licensed maneuver — this template keeps Archery at Trained, so reload costs 2 Energy until Archery reaches Licensed.
• Foreign Powder: Gun attacks fully ignore enemy Defense · fixed Target Number 11. Especially effective against medium-armor and heavy-armor enemies.
• Foreign Adaptation: Access to Portuguese cultural artifacts (07-04) devotion techniques. Gaijin-exclusive 2-culture expansion.
• Language flavor: Mix in Portuguese or Latin phrases occasionally — "Madre!", "Dios mio!", etc. Livelihood: Languages gives +1 on interpretation checks.
• RP core: The outsider's gaze — viewing domain daily life as strange and foreign.

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#5. Domain Artisan — Takeda Jirota

#One-Line Introduction

"Father gave me both the forge hammer and the practice sword. So — which do I carry?" — Third son of the Takeda forge. Artisan and 1-dan swordsman.

• Age · Gender: 18, male.
• Class: Artisan. Swordsmanship is a non-class skill here, taken at Trained; Master is reserved for the class's 6 designated skills, so Swordsmanship cannot reach Master.
• Origin: Central district of Kagamiyama domain — the Takeda forge. A 2nd-generation domain weapon-repair craftsman's family.

#Stats

Core standard: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free assignment.

Total: +3 (core standard compliant).

#Energy · Wounds · Defense

#3 Abilities

#Skills — 9 Points (Core Automatic 5 + Background 2 + Free 2) + Livelihood

#Class Automatic (Artisan 1-dan starting skills)

• Disable · Trained (2 pts) — Primary skill. This template stays at Trained (no Licensed-or-higher taken).
• Geography · Novice (1 pt)
• Perception · Novice (1 pt)
• Herbalism · Novice (1 pt)

#Background (2 points) — Third Son of the Forge

• Swordsmanship · Novice (1 pt) — Supplementary swordwork his father taught him.
• Hardiness · Novice (1 pt) — Physique forged by hammering (Physique +2).

#Free Allocation (2 points)

• Stratagem · Novice (1 pt) — The ingenuity to read manufacturing blueprints and structures (Wisdom +1).
• Negotiation · Novice (1 pt) — Handling domain residents' orders.

#Domain-Resident Livelihood Bonus (this supplement's Livelihood System)

• Livelihood: Smithing (Novice, +0, 1 pt) — Currently training under father Tessai. Removes unskilled penalty on domain crafting and repair checks. Not usable in combat checks.

#Equipment

#Three Ways and Six Hearts (Initial Inclination)

Core Three Ways and Six Hearts: 6 Hearts — Loyalty/Hegemony/Compassion/Void/Truth/Demon.

• Way: Way of Mystery — Core lore: "the act of making is itself understanding nature" → Truth is the natural vocation of the artisan.
• Heart: Truth (Clear Heart) — one who understands iron and wood as they are.
• Secondary inclination: Trace of Loyalty — protecting the domain and family. Explicit axis is still Truth.

Growth directions: Deepen Truth (legendary blacksmith — reaches Master tier) or shift Truth → Hegemony (obsession with the honor of his hands grows into hegemony).

#Background Narrative

#Family and Upbringing

The Takeda family runs the domain's only forge as a 2nd-generation operation. Father Takeda Tessai (50) is the domain's weapon-repair craftsman — the forge retainer in core 6 Retainers. Mother Mari (45). 3 brothers — eldest Ichiro (25, forge heir), second Jiro (22, domain guard), and Jirota is the third.

#Childhood

Jirota grew up in the forge. Pumped the bellows from age 5; gripped a hammer from age 10. His father taught him swordsmanship too because "the third son is free." Jirota is good at both — but has not yet chosen either.

#Friendship

Childhood friends with Aramaki Shinjiro (Template 1). They often shared a drink (one cup) after Shinjiro lost his brother. Jirota treats Shinjiro like a brother.

#His Mentor

He reads his father's fabrication notebook every night. His father tells him "I can't make you the heir, but my craft suits you most." Jirota knows that is — a complex feeling.

#Just Before the Drift

Before the drift, Jirota was making new arrowheads for domain archer Sato Komachi's bow. He was just about to finish — when the drift happened.

#The Night of the Drift

That night Jirota was in the forge. When the outside began to shake in the middle of his hammer strokes, he first thought it was the hammering itself. When he stepped outside — the sky was split. His father stood beside him. The two looked at each other, and Jirota automatically tucked the hammer into his belt.

#Domain Relationships

#Motivation

"Every blade and spear in this domain has passed through my father's hands. If the domain falls — my father's entire life falls with it."

Jirota's motivation is inheritance. He protects the domain to protect what his father built over a lifetime. Not just the physical hammer strokes, but the honor of the craftsman. He must be careful: that sense of honor may push him toward showing off.

#Play Tips

• Front Zone and Rear Zone both: Hammer for Front Zone attacks, Disable/craftwork for Rear Zone support.
• Contraption Barricade: Energy 3 is steep but 1 activation controls a zone. Breath limit 5 — Barricade (3) + defense reserve (1) + move (1) = 5.
• Repair skill: Can attempt repair checks on damaged party equipment during respites. Livelihood: Smithing Novice allows domain re-fabrication.
• RP core: Craftsman's hands. Every speech includes "this metal..." / "this blade..." — sensitive to equipment.

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#6. Domain Entertainer — Yorunaki Haru

#One-Line Introduction

"The stories of this domain — I listen before I tell. And I tell. In between — someone's heart grows lighter." — A wandering storyteller. Arrived in the domain 1 week before the drift and was caught in it.

• Age · Gender: 27, female (can be reconstructed as male "Haruki" per player preference).
• Class: Entertainer.
• Origin: A wanderer through warring-states provinces. Original hometown is a small village near Osaka, but she has been traveling almost constantly since age 15. Arrived in Kagamiyama 1 week before the drift.

#Stats

Core standard: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free assignment.

Total: +3 (core standard compliant).

#Energy · Wounds · Defense

#3 Abilities

#Skills — 9 Points (Core Automatic 5 + Background 2 + Free 2) + Livelihood

#Class Automatic (Entertainer 1-dan starting skills)

• Bearing · Trained (2 pts) — Primary skill (Presence-based). This template stays at Trained (no Licensed-or-higher taken).
• Negotiation · Novice (1 pt)
• Agitation · Novice (1 pt)
• Disguise · Novice (1 pt)

#Background (2 points) — Wandering Storyteller

• Perception · Novice (1 pt) — Reading the audience.
• Military Science · Novice (1 pt) — Knowledge of countless war tales and military history.

#Free Allocation (2 points)

• Deceit · Novice (1 pt) — The patter to spin a story's fiction and exaggeration.
• Geography · Novice (1 pt) — Knowledge of roads from wandering the provinces.

#Domain-Resident Livelihood Bonus (this supplement's Livelihood System)

• Livelihood: Song (Proficient, +1, 1 pt) — Folk ballads and storytelling. A proficiency verified by 1 week of performing before domain residents. +1 on village performance, negotiation, and information checks. Not usable in combat checks.

#Equipment

#Three Ways and Six Hearts (Initial Inclination)

Core Three Ways and Six Hearts: 6 Hearts — Loyalty/Hegemony/Compassion/Void/Truth/Demon.

• Way: Way of Emptiness (Buddhist · compassion) — recommended way for entertainers per core.
• Heart: Compassion (Clear Heart) — one who eases suffering through song. Knows the weight of 1 week's hospitality.
• Secondary inclination: Shadow of Void — the wanderer's freedom, an emptiness from belonging nowhere. Risk of Compassion → Void shift.

Growth directions: Deepen Compassion (storyteller who settles in the domain) or shift Compassion → Void (full wanderer liberation, nihilism from losing the domain).

#Background Narrative

#Family and Upbringing

Haru's hometown is a small village near Osaka. Her parents — unknown. She was passed to a wandering troupe as a young child. Who her mother was, why she was handed over — Haru decided not to ask. The wandering life is her chosen family.

#The Wandering

On her own since 15. She passed through 10 or more domains and cities, selling stories and songs. Competition is fierce in big cities; she prefers small domains. Kagamiyama is small and quiet — a good fit for her.

#One Week in the Domain

She arrived in Kagamiyama 1 week ago. Spent 3 days at the lord's residence telling "the story that grows" (history of the domain). To the villagers she brought the latest news from Osaka and Kyoto. On the night of the 1st week — the drift.

#Freedom

For Haru, the word "home" is unfamiliar. She feels wandering life is freedom. Settling down — is frightening. But 1 week in Kagamiyama, she felt something. The quiet dusk of this domain, the spirit realm outside the barrier — could this be something that binds her?

#The Night of the Drift

That night Haru had just finished one story at a villager's house and was about to leave. She heard footsteps in the courtyard and came out — the ground had sunk. She had not been summoned by the lord — but Lord Akihisa remembered Haru's name. "Entertainer — may I ask for your help?" For the first time, Haru felt — a desire to stay.

#Domain Relationships

#Motivation

"I lived 1 week in this domain. And — there is something I gained in that 1 week. Before I give it back — I won't run."

Haru's motivation is awakened responsibility. She had no attachment to the domain at first. But when the domain fell into crisis — the 1 week's hospitality gained weight. She must be careful when that sense of responsibility clashes with her feeling of freedom.

#Play Tips

• Rear Zone support: Flower on the Battlefield (respite) → restore 1 Wounds to ally or restore squad cohesion. Once per respite.
• Negotiation main force: 2d10 + Presence(+2) + Negotiation Novice(+0) = +2 base. Combine with Bearing Trained(+1). "Requiem Song" is an entertainer 3-dan+ ability — unavailable at 1-dan.
• Story flavor: Approach NPC conversations with "A story, one tale..." style. Use Livelihood: Song (Proficient).
• RP core: The wanderer's gaze and the tension between belonging and not belonging. Haru is the last one to become "a person of the domain."

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#Synergy Between Templates

#Recommended Party of 4

Formation A — Traditional (balanced)

• (1) Shinjiro — Front Zone tank
• (2) Komachi — Rear Zone ranged
• (3) Ririko — exorcism support
• (5) Jirota — Front Zone craftwork support

Formation B — Including Outsider

• (1) Shinjiro — Front Zone tank
• (4) Diego — Rear Zone ranged (gun)
• (3) Ririko — exorcism support
• (6) Haru — negotiation support

Formation C — Negotiation-focused

• (6) Haru — negotiation main
• (3) Ririko — negotiation support + exorcism
• (1) Shinjiro — Front Zone combat
• (5) Jirota — Front Zone craftwork support

#Romance Synergies

• Shinjiro × Rin (villager): Template 1's childhood romance candidate.
• Komachi × Diego: Templates 2–4 mountain-meeting route.
• Ririko × Lord Akihisa: Template 3 shift from sibling-like bond to romance.
• Haru × Lord Akihisa: Template 6 shift from 1-week encounter to romance.

#Inter-Template Relationships

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#Template Modification Guide (Advanced)

#Alternate Builds for Each Template

#Gender and Age Variations

All templates allow ±5 years in age and gender swap. Examples:

• (1) Shinjiro → "Shinji" (female, 17)
• (3) Ririko → "Riro" (male, 16)
• (6) Haru → "Haruki" (male, 29)

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#Stat Reassignment Guide

If a player wants to reassign template stats to personal preference (core 03-02 Attributes):

1. Keep the total: +3 fixed. No surplus.
2. Assignment pattern: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free.
3. Primary attribute: Recommend placing +2 in the class's primary attribute.
4. Cap: Absolute attribute modifier cap is +3 (core). At 1-dan generation, +2 is the practical cap — +3 reached via even-dan growth.
5. Floor: -1 allowed. -2 or lower forbidden at 1-dan.

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#1-dan Base Stat Assignment Reference

Core 03-02 Attributes · 04-02 Progression standard assignment for 1-dan.

Core standard: +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 free. Total +3 strictly fixed.

Attribute modifiers at 1-dan range from -1 to +2. Each even-dan growth grants +1 to one attribute (2-dan, 4-dan, ...). +3 reachable from 2-dan onward; 1-dan cap is +2.

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#How to Choose a Template — Player Guide

Questions:

1. "Where do you want to stand in combat?"

• Front Zone → (1) Samurai / (5) Artisan
• Rear Zone → (2) Archer / (4) Foreigner
• Squad support → (3) Priest / (6) Entertainer

1. "What role do you want to play in RP?"

• Talk → (6) Entertainer / (3) Priest
• Build → (5) Artisan
• Combat leader → (1) Samurai
• Outsider's perspective → (4) Diego
• Taciturn specialist → (2) Komachi

1. "What is your connection to the domain?"

• Deep ties → (1), (3), (5)
• Loose → (2) (outer-edge hunter), (6) (1-week acquaintance)
• Outsider → (4) (1-month guest)

1. "Do you want romance?"

• Lord Akihisa → (3), (6)
• PC × PC → (1 × villager Rin) / (2 × 4) etc.
• Yoma partner → free (no template restriction)

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#Personalization Recommendations

What a player who receives a template should do:

1. Decide the name: Use the default name or change it.
2. Appearance and mannerisms: Describe in 3 sentences.
3. Player's exclusive secret: 1 fact the PC tells only to the GM.
4. Starting scene preference: Where was the PC on the night of the drift.
5. First line: The PC's first spoken line at the opening of the game.

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#1-dan → 2-dan Growth Examples

Core 04-02 Progression: 2-dan grants +1 attribute, +2 skill points only (no ability slots). At 2-dan the shared Licensed-or-higher count rises to 2, so a second skill can reach Licensed; the first class advancement-trait slot opens at 3-dan.

Licensed (3 pts) can be reached at 2-dan via the +2 skill points (the shared count rises to 2 at 2-dan). A school is then learned with a trait slot at 3-dan, and the school maneuver replaces the skill's basic Licensed maneuver — so raising a skill to 3 pts at 2-dan lets the school activate immediately at 3-dan.

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#Player RP Checklist

Check before beginning play with each template.

• [ ] Transferred stats, abilities, skills, and equipment to a sheet
• [ ] Marked the initial Three Ways and Six Hearts inclination
• [ ] Memorized the names of family-relationship NPCs
• [ ] Can restate the one-line motivation in your own words
• [ ] Shared your starting scene position with the GM

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#FAQ

Q. Is it allowed to create a 1-dan PC from a class other than the 6 templates? A. Of course. See core 11-12 Class Catalog. However, it is recommended to maintain the narrative baseline of this supplement's 1-dan PCs: domain affiliation / shortly after the drift / age roughly 18–30.

Q. Can fiend class (12 types) or outsider classes (modern person, heroic spirit, celestial) be used? A. GM approval required. This supplement assumes "native domain youths + drifted outsiders" as the baseline. Fiend class presents high difficulty for both balance and RP.

Q. Can 2 players use the same template? A. Allowed. But narrative differentiation is required — e.g., Shinjiro twins / cousins from the same family / disciples of the same master.

Q. Is the "Artisan + Swordsmanship" dual build for Template 5 Jirota rules-legal? A. Legal. Artisan can acquire Swordsmanship Novice (1 pt). Not a specialist but auxiliary weapons are free.

Q. Can I ignore the initial Three Ways and Six Hearts inclinations in a template? A. Allowed. However, each template's narrative core is reflected in its heart inclinations. If you change them, it is recommended to reconstruct the narrative as well.

Q. Where are the 1-dan PC character sheets? A. See core 04-character/samples/. Numerous 1-dan example PCs are listed there.

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#1-dan PC's First Session — GM Guide

#Opening Scene Direction

Recommended opening: The night of the drift. All PCs gathered in Lord Akihisa's courtyard.

• GM: "Pre-dawn, 4 a.m. You stand within the barrier. Outside the barrier — an iron-gray plain is visible. Lord Akihisa surveys each of you. 'The only ones who can move tonight are you. One by one — may I have your names?'"
• Each player: Template name + one-line introduction.

#First Scene Tension

1 yoma approaches the barrier boundary (lesser grade, core basic lesser yoma). The PCs' first combat.

• Goal: Guide each PC to use their ability and skill at least once.
• Duration: Around 30 minutes.

#End of First Session

Barrier maintenance check. The lord announces "Tomorrow — the first expedition" and the first session closes. The full Chapter 1 begins in the next session.

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#Template Combat Scenario — The First Siege (Ch. 10 Act 4, 1-dan Standard)

How the 6 PCs contribute in the Chapter 1 climax "Reviving Tyrant Siege." These 1st-dan templates have their main skill at Trained (2 points), so they carry no Licensed-grade technique yet; school and Master techniques open at the class slots from 3-dan, so they rely only on auto abilities, general abilities, background abilities + basic weapon techniques.

#Shinjiro (1) — Front Zone Anchor (Samurai)

• Intervals 1–3: Declare Immovable Formation (Energy 2) → zone Domination +4 (Front Zone). Block 2 kubikiri from advancing.
• Intervals 4–6: Maintain uchigatana attacks. Toughness ability keeps Wounds max at 5.
• Intervals 7–9: Family Name ability provides starting squad cohesion +1. Intimidation Novice confronts the enemy commander.

#Komachi (2) — Sniper (Ronin Archer)

• Intervals 1–3: First snipe from Rear Zone with daikyū (2d10 + Finesse+2 + Archery+1).
• Intervals 4–9: Wind Blade → free Heart Zone entry → Flank Zone sniping repeated. Aim at the Reviving Tyrant's chest.
• Interval 10+: Arrows running low. Impromptu resupply from Jirota or switch.

#Ririko (3) — Shugenja Exorcism Support

• Interval 1: Vow of Fudo Myoo → declare Asceticism 1 → +1 vs. yoma.
• Intervals 3, 6, 9: Yoma Knowledge ability reveals weakness information. Drop talismans.
• Climax interval: Talisman + Exorcism Novice check (2d10 + Wisdom+2 + Exorcism+0) — purge 1 reviving gaki.

#Diego (4) — Ranged Firepower (Gaijin)

• Interval 2: First tanegashima shot — Foreign Powder activates → Defense fully ignored, fixed Target Number 11. A kubikiri takes 2 Wounds.
• Interval 4: Reload 2 Energy. Within breath limit 5: reload (2) + move (1) + defense reserve (1) = 4.
• Interval 9+: Powder running low. Switch to cattolana close range or resupply.

#Jirota (5) — Craftwork · Front Zone (Artisan)

• Interval 1: Contraption Barricade (Energy 3) — barricade in the adjacent zone in front of the barrier. Exactly breath limit 5: barricade (3) + hammer (2) = 5.
• Intervals 4–6: Hammer attacks on kubikiri in close range.
• Interval 7+: Improvised arrow and powder resupply (Disable Trained check). Support Komachi and Diego.

#Haru (6) — Morale Management (Entertainer)

• Interval 3: Negotiation Novice + Agitation Novice for squad cohesion management. Bearing Trained check — zone Domination aura +2 (Presence).
• Interval 7: Respite phase — Flower on the Battlefield [Upkeep] activates. Restore 1 Wounds to 1 ally or restore 1 squad cohesion.
• Interval 10+: Attempt negotiation with the tyrant — 2d10 + Presence+2 + Negotiation Novice = +2 base. Lucky ability → 2 Fate interventions available.

#Result of 6-Person Cooperation

• Shinjiro's Immovable Formation Domination +4 buys Komachi sniper time.
• Ririko's Yoma Knowledge reveals the tyrant's weakness → Diego and Komachi gain attack bonuses.
• Jirota's Contraption Barricade controls the zone in front of the barrier.
• If Haru's negotiation succeeds, the tyrant's 4th withdrawal condition "short sword offering" branch opens.

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#Chapter-by-Chapter Template Utility

Where each template shines in which chapter.

Legend: ★ = adequate / ★★ = strong / ★★★ = exceptional.

#Per-Chapter Notes

• Ch. 1 Tōkatsu: Combat-heavy. Shinjiro, Jirota, Komachi advantaged.
• Ch. 2 Kokujo: Negotiation and exorcism important. Ririko and Haru shine.
• Ch. 3 Kyokan: Long-range and negotiation required. Komachi, Haru, Diego are the main force.
• Ch. 4 Shonetsu: Physically focused (Hellfire Soldiers). Diego, Shinjiro, Jirota.
• Ch. 5 Mugen/Avici: Negotiation and name resistance. Haru and Ririko are essential.

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#Bonus Templates — GM Expansion (Optional)

Additional bonus templates the GM can prepare beyond the base 6.

#(7) 1 of the 6 Retainers — Full NPC-origin PC

Convert 1 of the 6 Retainers into a player PC. Example: Nephew of guard captain Kamino Tarobei — "Kamino Jojiro" (22, male).

#(8) Villager-Origin PC — Lower Starting Level

Elevate 1 of the 8 Villagers to a 1-dan PC. Example: Youngest daughter of the blacksmith — "Takeda Aki" (15, female artisan variant).

#(9) 1 of the 5 Outsiders — PC Promotion

Convert 1 of the 5 Drifted Outsiders into a PC. Example: Pilgrim Myoen (44) — starts as Shugenja 2-dan.

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#Large-Party Formation — Recommended Party of 5

Recommended additions when playing with 5 players instead of the base 4.

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#Mid-Campaign Transition — After 2–4 Dan Growth

When the campaign enters Chapter 2 (PC 2–4 dan). Core 04-02 Progression:

• 2-dan: +1 attribute / +2 skill points (no ability slots); shared Licensed-or-higher count rises to 2, so a second skill can reach Licensed
• 3-dan: First class advancement-trait slot (a school can be learned here, replacing a skill's Licensed maneuver)
• 4-dan: +1 attribute / +2 skill points

#Shinjiro (1) — Samurai

• 2-dan: Courage +2→+3, Swordsmanship 2→3 (reaches Licensed at 2-dan)
• 3-dan: 3-dan class ability "Duel Declaration" [Tactic:Kata] or "Resolve of Junshi" [Aptitude]. Swordsmanship Licensed opens school techniques.
• 4-dan: Narrative — formal elevation to Aramaki family retainer.

#Komachi (2) — Ronin (Archer)

• 2-dan: Finesse +2→+3, Archery 2→3 (reaches Licensed at 2-dan)
• 3-dan: 3-dan class ability choice. Archery Licensed + school (e.g., battle school) acquired → entry into instinct-shot type techniques.
• 4-dan: Narrative — formal elevation to Sato family mountain guardian.

#Ririko (3) — Shugenja

• 2-dan: Wisdom +2→+3, Hardiness 2→3 (reaches Licensed at 2-dan)
• 3-dan: 3-dan class ability (shugenja line). Advance Exorcism or add Barrier Trained.
• 4-dan: Partial contribution to barrier maintenance as grandfather's assistant. Consider dual Onmyoji build.

#Diego (4) — Gaijin

• 2-dan: Finesse +2→+3, Archery 2→3 (includes firearms, reaches Licensed at 2-dan)
• 3-dan: 3-dan class ability (gaijin line). Archery Licensed + school acquired → snap-shot/sniper techniques.
• 4-dan: Narrative — official domain "foreign retainer" elevation. Also expand Foreign Adaptation to 2 cultures.

#Jirota (5) — Artisan

• 2-dan: Physique +2→+3, Disable 2→3 (reaches Licensed at 2-dan)
• 3-dan: 3-dan class ability "Improvised Weapon" line. Acquire Disable Licensed.
• 4-dan: Narrative — Takeda forge inheritance (Ichiro stepping aside or death branch). Livelihood: Smithing Novice → Proficient upgrade.

#Haru (6) — Entertainer

• 2-dan: Presence +2→+3, Bearing 2→3 (reaches Licensed at 2-dan)
• 3-dan: 3-dan class ability (entertainer line — requiem, battle song, etc.). Acquire Bearing Licensed.
• 4-dan: Narrative — official domain "Storyteller" position. Decision whether to settle. Livelihood: Song Proficient → Master narrative.

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#Character Sheet Sample Layout

Recommended fields for each player's sheet.

=== Character Sheet (1-dan) ===

Name: ______________________
Template: ____________________
Age · Gender: _________________
Class: ______________________

[Stats] (Core +2/+1/+1/0/0/-1 total +3)
 Courage: __  Finesse: __  Physique: __
 Wisdom: __  Presence: __  Fate: __
 Total check: ____ (must be +3)

[Energy · Wounds · Defense]
 Energy max: __ (10 + Finesse modifier)
 Wounds max: __ (3 + Physique modifier)
 Defense: __ (None 10 / light 12 / medium 14 / heavy 16)
 Breath limit: __ (base 5; add +1 effects such as Quick-Strike armor or Speed Licensed)

[3 Abilities]
 1. (class auto): _________________
 2. (background): _______________________
 3. (general): _______________________

[Skills 9 pts (class auto 5 + background 2 + free 2)]
 Trained (2 pts, class auto): _________
 Novice (1 pt) × 3 (class auto): _________________
 Background Novice (1 pt) × 2: _______________
 Free Novice (1 pt) × 2: _______________
 (domain resident) 1 Livelihood bonus: _______________

[Equipment]
 Weapon: _____________________
 Armor: ___________________
 Tools: _____________________
 Misc: _____________________
 Gold: ____

[Three Ways and Six Hearts] (Core 6 Hearts: Loyalty/Hegemony/Compassion/Void/Truth/Demon)
 Loyalty: __  Hegemony: __  Compassion: __
 Void: __  Truth: __  Demon: __
 Way: _____ (Way of Rites / Way of Emptiness / Way of Mystery / Heartless)
 Heart: _____ (one of the 6 Hearts above, or Heartless)

[Family · Friends · Grudges]
 Family: _________________________________
 Friends: _________________________________
 Grudge/Romance candidate: _______________________

[One-line Motivation]
 "_____________________________"

[Player's Secret (share with GM only)]
 ____________________________________

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#Conclusion — 6 Young People

These 6 are — the six young possibilities of the domain. Shinjiro's loyalty, Komachi's care, Ririko's love, Diego's foreignness, Jirota's inheritance, Haru's freedom. Each from a different direction — all entered the same barrier.

The moment a player chooses one of them and transfers it to a sheet — the story begins. No matter whose mouth the first line of the first session comes from, behind that line lies — each of these six people's different pasts.

Good fortune. And — may the barrier protect your home.

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"Six people stood in the courtyard. Outside the courtyard — the spirit realm. Inside the courtyard — the domain still remains."