#Existing Background Alternate Branches (C Route Collection)
Contents
#§ Scent — The 3rd Path
Each of the core 13 backgrounds presents an A/B fork at 5th dan and 9th dan. Reconstruction or revenge, leader or warrior, settling or wandering. This dichotomy is clean, but not every life in the world falls into one of the two. This document presents a 3rd-path C route for each background, one apiece.
The C route is mostly the middle or Flank Zone of the core A/B — a position like "seclusion," which is neither reconstruction nor revenge, or "mediator," which is neither leader nor warrior. The choice is fully parallel with the core A/B, pick 1.
#§ Law — 13 Background Alternate Branches
#Fallen Noble (沒落貴族) — C Route: The Path of Seclusion
Besides core A (reconstruction)·B (revenge).
5th-dan technique — Secluded Master [aptitude]: 1 NPC squad you taught (Minion-grade) gives eternal loyalty. At session start, that squad is automatically on standby. In combat, that squad's support checks +2. You are loath to stand on the battlefield in person — ranged·Command action Energy -1.
9th-dan deepening — Inheritor of the House's Memory: a PC/NPC (a top disciple) trained by the chooser of this route learns the "Family Name" technique skipping a generation. House revival through the top disciple is possible.
Tatsujin capstone → Secluded Sword Saint (隱居の劍聖): top-grade personal combat power. Grants a self-Critical-Hit 1 time per session to all checks of a single successor you designate.
Additional background technique (optional) — the right to automatically acquire High Official Acquaintance [aptitude] (03-02).
#Farmer (農夫) — C Route: The Path of Homecoming
Besides core A (Leader of the People)·B (Farmer of the Battlefield).
5th-dan technique — Return to Farming from the Battlefield [aptitude]: works only in non-combat sessions. Livelihood checks at the domain·village scale +3 (compatible with the 1st-expansion 99-05 Livelihood system). No effect on combat checks. "Lay down the blade and return to the fields."
9th-dan deepening — Healing of the Land: resident morale recovery is accelerated in the domain you reside in. Per 1 Lull Phase, domain morale +1 (1st-expansion 01-06 morale system). Stagnant for a combat-based PC, powerful for a domain-management PC.
Tatsujin capstone → Farmer of Renown (異名の農夫): the domain you resided in is rated a legendary farmland. Income between sessions +gold 10. No capability for a large-scale uprising, but domain stability is maximal.
Additional background technique (optional) — Famine Adaptation [aptitude] (03-03) automatically acquired.
#Merchant's Child (商人の子) — C Route: The Path of Texts
Besides core A (trading house)·B (black market).
5th-dan technique — Commerce Scholar [aptitude]: the right to invest +1 additional point in the Military Science·Geography skills. Knowledge of trade·finance·international affairs is automatic. Information checks between sessions +2.
9th-dan deepening — Rangaku Scholar(蘭学者): specialist in Nanban science·medicine·astronomy. Automatically acquires Nanban-cultural-sphere foreign Adaptation (core convention kept). Automatic success identifying foreign Divine Treasures (Nanban only).
Tatsujin capstone → Grand Merchant Compendium (大商圖鑑): capable of indirect domain management with a single book. Consults others' trading houses without a trading house of your own. During the campaign, a "textual advisor" relationship with 1 major trading house is automatic.
Additional background technique (optional) — Interpretation [aptitude] (03-04) automatically acquired (Nanban).
#Temple-Raised (寺院出身) — C Route: The Path of the Secular World
Besides core A (warrior-monk)·B (medic-monk).
5th-dan technique — Returned-to-Lay Monk [aptitude]: unlike the warrior-monk·medic-monk of the core Temple-Raised, the choice to return to the secular world and walk the warrior-house path. Sorcery·Exorcism checks -1 (weakened Faith), but instead Negotiation·Intimidation·Military Science checks +1 (strengthened secular ability). Psychological immunity against Buddhist-lineage yoma.
9th-dan deepening — Apostate Warrior: uses the former temple's network as an intelligence web. Automatically obtains information related to temples·shrines. But Negotiation against religious NPCs is permanently -2.
Tatsujin capstone → Apostate General (破戒大將): a special authority standing on the boundary of both religion and military force. When hostile to a temple, that temple's squad attacks -2 (confusion), but you receive no support.
Additional background technique (optional) — Religious Knowledge [aptitude] (03-04) automatically acquired.
#Wanderer (放浪者) — C Route: The Path of Connections
Besides core A (bonds)·B (wild).
5th-dan technique — One Who Has Acquaintances in Every Province [aptitude]: upon arriving in any region during the campaign, 1 NPC the PC helped in the past automatically exists in that region (GM declaration). You may request that NPC's immediate support 1 time. The content of the support is at GM discretion.
9th-dan deepening — Communication Web: an information network through the letters·couriers of friends across the realm. At session start, 1 current-affairs question to the GM is possible (same effect as Intelligence Web [upkeep], no separate acquisition needed).
Tatsujin capstone → Friend of the Realm (全國の友): the same final Renown Title as core A. That is, this C route differs only up to 9th dan and converges with A at Tatsujin. (Alternate design — overlap permitted.)
Additional background technique (optional) — Foreign Connections [aptitude] (03-04) automatically acquired.
#Child of the Spirit Realm (靈界の子) — C Route: The Path of Neutrality
Besides core A (human will)·B (yoma awakening).
5th-dan technique — Envoy of the Domain(使者) [aptitude]: capable of commissions·mediation for both human and yoma sides. Negotiation checks with yoma +2, information on the human ruling class's anti-yoma policy is automatic. Effective only while maintaining the stance of "taking neither side"; permanently lost if you take a side.
9th-dan deepening — Old Person of the Boundary Line: recognized as a "neutral" by both sides. Capable of the mediator role in human vs yoma conflict sessions. Combat power is weaker than A/B, but narrative-adjustment power is maximal.
Tatsujin capstone → Spirit Boundary Path (靈境路): travels freely across the boundary of the Spirit Realm and the present world. However, the moment you choose one side, that route is permanently sealed.
Additional background technique (optional) — Disguised Identity [aptitude] (03-02) automatically acquired.
#Drifter (漂流者, general) — C Route: The Path of Settlement
Besides core A/B (continued drift vs pursuit of the past).
5th-dan technique — New Roots [aptitude]: settle in 1 designated domain. Negotiation·Infiltration within that domain +1. Conversely disadvantageous when pursuing the past (past clues grow sparse, check -1).
9th-dan deepening — A Second Life: voluntarily seal part of the memory of your past self. You may open the "former occupation X" memory 1 time per situation (1 time per session, an improvised skill +1 point).
Tatsujin capstone → The 2nd Name (第二の名): in exchange for forgetting your real name·past, a new identity is completed. All sessions·NPCs accept him as "a person originally of this land."
Additional background technique (optional) — Common Familiarity [aptitude] (03-02) automatically acquired.
#Battlefield Orphan (戰場孤兒, general) — C Route: The Path of Adoption
Besides core A/B (continued battlefield vs running an orphanage).
5th-dan technique — The Adopted One(養子) [aptitude]: formally adopted into a particular warrior house·temple·trading house. Automatically acquires High Official Acquaintance [aptitude] for that organization. However, a narrative constraint of being bound to the adoptive parents' directives in non-combat narrative (GM-discretion narrative hook).
9th-dan deepening — Heir Candidate: the possibility of inheriting the adoptive father's wishes. Drawn into the political struggles of the time.
Tatsujin capstone → Person of Two Surnames (二姓の人): integrates the legacies of both the birth parents' surname and the adoptive parents' surname. Access to two houses' resources.
Additional background technique (optional) — Credit [aptitude] (03-02) automatically acquired.
#Memory of the Modern Age (現代の記憶, modern-person only) — C Route: The Path of Going Native
Besides core A/B.
5th-dan technique — Era Adjustment [aptitude]: gradual forgetting of modern knowledge. Wisdom checks involving modern knowledge -1, but this era's Bearing and Negotiation checks gain +2. Adaptation rises sharply.
9th-dan deepening — Human of This Era: loses the will to return to the modern age. Declares permanent settlement. Loses the Adaptation slot privilege (no longer relies on memory of the modern era).
Tatsujin capstone → Modern Person of No Return(不歸): the choice never to return to the original era. A path completely different from the core modern-person Renown Title.
Additional background technique (optional) — Common Familiarity [aptitude] (03-02) automatically acquired.
#Land of a Previous Life (前生の國, heroic-spirit only) — C Route: The Path of Completing This Life
Besides core A/B.
5th-dan technique — Anchor of This Life [aptitude]: the resonance of the previous life's divine object weakens, but instead the bonds of this life's connections strengthen. Comrade checks with allied PCs +2. Comrade Rescue [Kata] automatically acquired.
9th-dan deepening — The Unfinished Story: complete in this life what could not be done in the previous life. Special access to narrative branches.
Tatsujin capstone → Hero of This Life (現生の英雄): transcending the previous-life origin to become an independent hero of this world.
Additional background technique (optional) — Comrade Rescue [Kata] (03-05) automatically acquired.
#Memory of the Future (未來の記憶, heroic-spirit only) — C Route: The Path of Fate Intervention
Besides core A/B.
5th-dan technique — Fate Foresight [aptitude]: 1 time per session, 1 narrative trap the GM prepared is revealed to the PC in advance (an avoidance check automatically succeeds). However, fate's recoil — the avoided threat returns again in a stronger form.
9th-dan deepening — Mediation of Fate: Fate Intervention can be used on allies (Fate Conversion [Kata] automatically acquired). Existing effect + range expansion.
Tatsujin capstone → Onlooker of Time (時の傍觀者): see the campaign's ending in advance. You may change only one thing in the final crisis.
Additional background technique (optional) — Fate Conversion [Kata] (03-05) automatically acquired.
#Heavenly Role (天上の役, celestial only) — C Route: The Path of Accepting the Descent
Besides core A/B.
5th-dan technique — Accepting the Descent [aptitude]: heavenly Divine Authority weakens (-1), but instead human emotions are learned. Social checks +2. The identity of "one who is a celestial yet humanlike."
9th-dan deepening — Prosperity on Earth: abandon the original role and form a family·domain·disciples on Earth. The route of return to Heaven is sealed.
Tatsujin capstone → Guardian of the Earth (地上の守護者): a permanent guardian of one region. In exchange for returning the heavenly Divine Authority, a region-attached Divine Authority.
Additional background technique (optional) — Common Familiarity [aptitude] (03-02) automatically acquired.
#Mechanical Origin (機械の起源, autonomous-automaton only) — C Route: The Path of Searching for the Maker
Besides core A/B.
5th-dan technique — Trace of the Creator [aptitude]: track the identity of the artisan who made you. Disable·Perception checks +1. Checks with other autonomous automatons +2.
9th-dan deepening — Discovery of the Younger Siblings: discover other autonomous-automaton NPCs of the same lineage as yourself. Bond upon their scene appearance.
Tatsujin capstone → House of Machines (機械の家門): command several autonomous-automaton brothers and sisters. Can participate in manufacturing new autonomous automatons.
Additional background technique (optional) — Religious Knowledge [aptitude] (03-04) automatically acquired (artisan-faith only).
#§ Design Perspective
- Common C-route principle: weaker in combat power than A/B but broader in narrative range. Not a "stronger route" but a "different route."
- Additional background technique: when choosing each background's C route, 1 general trait is acquired for free. Provided separately from the core background-technique slot — this is the incentive device of the C-route choice.
- Compatibility with core A/B: a PC chooses only 1 of A/B/C. Cannot be changed (core convention). The C route is opening a side door at the moment of choice.
"Two forks are not all there is. There is a third branch where a bird builds its nest."