#Scenario Episode 4 — Shadow Tournament

Contents

"Under the light the sword is wielded for honor, and under the shadow the sword is wielded for desire."

#§ Meta Card

#§ Background

4~6 weeks after Episode 3. Before departing for the main tournament, the PCs obtain suspicious information in the Kyoto Flank Zone — the main-camp activity of the Shadow Tournament (闇大会). The substance of the conspiracy traced since Sakihara in Episode 1.

Shadow Tournament — an unofficial duel run in parallel with the formal Tatsujin Tournament. The participants are fiends, disguised warriors, political conspirators, assassins, and so on. The prize is 10 times that of the formal one + political influence. But the loser dies (a lethal duel).

PC choice:

• A Infiltration Investigation: enter the Shadow Tournament in disguise → expose it from inside
• B External Pursuit: investigate the shadow from outside right before the formal main tournament + report
• C Refusal: ignore the shadow and proceed only to the main tournament (the shadow appears again in Episode 5)

This scenario has 3 branches depending on the PC choice.

#§ Act 1 — Clues of the Shadow (Session 1)

#Scene 1: Arrival in Kyoto

The PCs arrive in the Kyoto Flank Zone. 1 week of time until the main tournament begins. The surroundings can be explored.

Hooks:

• information on the Sakihara Tengushi (fiend) of Episode 1 — they were a member of the Shadow Tournament's reconnaissance party.
• the Edo fiend-suspicion participant of Episode 2 — a spy infiltrated into the shadow.
• the Nagasaki disguised assassin of Episode 3 — connected to the shadow's main camp.

If the PCs synthesize the clues, they can estimate the Shadow Tournament's location (Wisdom+intelligence >= 13).

#Scene 2: Contact with the Shadow Envoy

When the PCs track the clues, the shadow envoy approaches them:

• "Your swordsmanship will shine more in our shadow than in the formal main tournament."
• A courteous invitation — refusal is also possible.

PC choice: infiltration (A) / external pursuit (B) / refusal (C).

#§ Act 2 — Branches (Sessions 2~3)

#Branch A: Infiltration Investigation

The PCs enter the Shadow Tournament in disguise. They arrive at the ruined-temple main camp.

Shadow Tournament operation:

• Participants: 16 (including the PCs). 6 fiends, 5 disguised warriors, 3 political conspirators, 2 assassins.
• Duel: a lethal duel. Single-bout system. Surrender is not accepted (until death).
• Prize: the first round 50 kan, top 8 200 kan, top 4 500 kan, victory 2000 kan + political influence.

Act 2A progression:

• the first duel (top 16): PC vs a disguised warrior. A lethal threat.
• risk of the PC's infiltration identity being exposed (Fate+disguise >= 11, each duel).
• on advancing to the top 8, the PC meets a fiend — the identity is forcibly exposed.

#Branch B: External Pursuit

The PCs scout from outside. They grasp the shadow main camp's location and identify the associates.

Act 2B progression:

• 1 session of scouting (many Perception/intelligence checks).
• catch 1~2 shadow associates (political conspirators, assassins).
• report to the referee council or the shogunate → state-power intervention (next session).
• if the PCs choose not to report, they directly infiltrate the shadow main camp (many Infiltration checks).

#Branch C: Refusal

The PCs ignore the shadow and proceed straight to the main tournament. This scenario ends short → direct entry to Episode 5.

Act 2C progression:

• the Shadow Tournament attempts to influence the PCs' main tournament (obstruction, assassination attempts).
• the PCs find traces of the shadow in the main tournament (clues of political conspiracy).
• the shadow's influence appears strongly in the Episode 5 main tournament.

#§ Act 3 — The Shadow's Identity (Sessions 3~4)

#Branch A (infiltration identity exposed)

After the PC's identity is exposed:

• all shadow associates pursue the PCs.
• the PC + 1~2 fellow PCs escape from or expose the shadow main camp.
• on successful exposure, the shogunate and referee council intervene → the Shadow Tournament is forcibly disbanded.
• on failed exposure, the PCs are pursued → PC fame -1 in Episode 5.

#Branch B (external exposure)

The result of reporting or direct exposure:

• the shogunate intervenes → the shadow is forcibly disbanded.
• the shadow main camp is seized — many fiend NPCs are executed or flee.
• PC fame +2 (a mission of justice completed).

#Branch C (influence after refusal)

On direct entry to the main tournament:

• the shadow's obstruction during the main tournament (assassination attempts, sabotage).
• the PCs duel a shadow foe 1 time in the main tournament (linked to the Episode 5 main-tournament climax).

#§ Act 4 — The Shadow's Boss (Sessions 4~5, Branches A and B only)

#The Shadow's Boss Appears

The true operator of the Shadow Tournament — the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer (千面古法師, fictional fiend boss):

• Identity: a PC of 1 of the core fiend's 12 classes. An onmyoji-style fiend with a thousand faces.
• Stats: dan 9, Wounds 8, Energy 18, Defense 11, attack +5, Sorcery +6.
• Intent: to draw the warriors of Japan and foreign lands into the shadow and raise a fiend army.

#Duel or Execution

Branch A: the PCs duel the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer in the Shadow Tournament final. Branch B: pursue and execute the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer through cooperation of the shogunate + PCs.

Combat:

• the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer disguise-transforms (5 forms). Switches 1 form each 1 combat.
• cooperation of the PC + companions is essential.

Result:

• on defeating the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer, PC fame +3 and the main-tournament pass is confirmed.
• on failing to defeat, the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer flees → the Episode 5 main-tournament final rival.

#§ New Rule: Shadow Duel

• Single-bout lethal duel: no surrender. Apply the core 03-05 §Combat Incapacitation + this expansion's §10 instant-death check — on reaching Wounds 0, a Critical-Hit instant-death check (2d10 + Physique + Fate >= 13) is mandatory. On failure, death; on success, serious injury (GM-discretion recovery).
• Penalty on accepting a duel: deduct 1 Wounds on declaring participation (the will and tension of the duel). 1 time per duel, 1 time.
• PC fame +2 (on victory): the name becomes known in the main tournament's political circle. Prize 50 kan (not the gold-coin unit, consistent with 50-06).
• On PC death: a new PC is introduced from Episode 5. With the 30-04 Interlude variant, an emergency introduction within the session is possible.

#§ New Rule: Fiend-Disguise Identification

The PCs can make a fiend-disguise identification check:

• Check: 2d10 + Wisdom + Perception proficiency >= 11. If there is 17-04-04 Malice Detection, it can replace the same check.
• Success: the fiend's identity is exposed. PC's next duel +2.
• Failure: the identity is not seen. But fiend suspicion +1 (PC's next scouting +1).

#§ Appearing NPC Sheets

Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer (千面古法師, 9-dan, fiend onmyoji variant)
Courage +2 / Finesse +2 / Physique +1 / Wisdom +3 / Presence +2 / Fate 0 (1-dan +3 + 2nd/4th/6th/8th-dan +4 = total +7 + fiend modifier +3 = +10)
Energy 18 / Wounds 8 / Defense 11 / attack +5 / Sorcery +6 (Sorcery-dependent)
1-dan auto: Sorcery(Trained) + Command/Ritual/concealment(Novice)
Class: an onmyoji variant among the fiend's 12 classes (see core 04-character/classes/04-20~31 fiend)
School: core Onmyodo (Master 4 points) + 19-01-04 Chinese Daoist (license 3 points)
Technique: [Stance] Thousand-Face Transformation (5 forms, Energy 2 / stance slot 1) + [Kata] Spirit-Severing Art (Energy 5, `[Incorporeal]` [§Exorcism Exemption Table](../../co/co-03-core-rules/co-03-05-wounds-and-defeat.md#퇴마-면제표)) + [Tactic:stance] Hundred-Demon Shikigami Movement
Background: the boss of the Shadow Tournament. A conspiracy to raise a fiend army.
Narrative: an important enemy of the PCs' campaign. Defeat or flight — affects Episode 5.

Shadow Envoy (5-dan, samurai/shinobi, human)
Courage +2 / Finesse +2 / Physique +1 / Wisdom +1 / Presence +1 / Fate 0 (total +7)
Energy 12 (10+Finesse 2) / Wounds 4 (3+Physique 1) / Defense 11 (10+light armor 1)
1-dan auto: Swordsmanship or concealment(Trained) + Negotiation/Infiltration/Disguise(Novice)
School: 14-06 Jinyiwei (variant, license 3 points) + 16-06-02 spy-style disguise (Trained 2 points)
Narrative: the envoy who lures the PCs into the shadow. A courteous exterior, a dangerous interior.

5 Shadow Fiend Warriors (Minion-grade, 4~5-dan, varied among the fiend's 12 classes)
Narrative: top 16 participants of the Shadow Tournament. The PCs meet them in duels.
Operate stats at GM discretion.

3 Political Conspirators (Minion-grade, 4-dan, human)
Narrative: the side that uses the Shadow Tournament politically. Part of the shogunate and daimyo.
Betrayal, bribery, information dealing.

#§ Appearing Yoma

Fiend Shikigami (Minion-grade)
Narrative: summoned by the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer. An NPC at squad scope.

Spiritual Hallucination (Mob-grade, many)
Narrative: the spiritual corruption of the shadow main camp. Atmosphere + a light encounter.

#§ Rewards

#Branch A (successful infiltration)

• fame +3 (justice + infiltration)
• the Shadow Tournament prize (1000 kan or more)
• on defeating the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer, 1 fiend treasure (45-* or new)

#Branch B (successful external exposure)

• fame +2 (justice)
• shogunate reward (500 kan)
• a safety guarantee for main-tournament advancement

#Branch C (refusal)

• fame +0 (only receives the shadow's influence)
• receives the shadow's influence in Episode 5 (rival appears)

#§ Connecting Hooks

• Episode 5 main tournament: if the Thousand-Face Old Sorcerer flees, the main-tournament final rival. On defeat, the main tournament is safe.
• Core Renown Title branch: the Renown Title branch varies depending on the Branch A/B result.

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"Shadow is not the absence of light. There is shadow only because there is light. So shadow too is a part of light."