#05. Ito Ittosai — 伊藤一刀斎 · Founder of the Ito Itto-ryu (伊東一刀流)
Contents
- Lifespan: c. 1540~? (year of death unknown)
- Era: Late Sengoku
- School: Ito Itto-ryu (伊東一刀流) — historically the progenitor of the Itto-ryu (一刀流) lineage. For convenience the Lord-grade data borrows the "Katori Shinto-ryu" slot from
co - Aliases: Ittosai (一刀斎) · his real name is Kagehisa (景久)
#Fiction Intro — "Seven Heads"
A mountain road in 1580. Ito Ittosai walks alone. Seven hidden men step out all at once — ronin of the Sengoku. A death-band of those who bear him a grudge.
"Ittosai! Today your head is ours!"
Ittosai draws his sword. A single white line cuts the air.
Once.
Four of the seven fall. The remaining three step back. Ittosai advances one pace.
Twice.
Two more fall. The last man sets down his sword and kneels.
"Spare my life."
Ittosai looks at him for a moment. He slowly sheathes his sword.
"Go. Become one who carries on my name."
That one man would later become Ono Tadaaki — the 2nd-generation inheritor of the Itto-ryu.
#Scent — A Life in History
#Life
Ito Ittosai Kagehisa — born around 1540. His birthplace has several theories (the Izu Peninsula · Owari, and so on, all disputed). Both his real name and his origins remain half legend.
In his youth he became a disciple of Kanemaki Jisai (鐘捲自斎) and learned the Kanemaki-ryu. Then came his journey of training to master the Sengoku — by the records, 33 duels or more, all victories.
The essence of his sword is "to cut in a single stroke" — he uses no second sword. The speed and precision to finish before the opponent can respond.
His whereabouts in his late years are unknown. The year and region of his death are not transmitted at all. Only the legend "He did not die, but entered the mountains" remains.
#The Real Story
"The Betrayal of Kanemaki" — after Ittosai surpassed his master Kanemaki Jisai, the master's jealousy led to a duel. Ittosai won, but instead of cutting down his master directly, he inflicted only a wound. That restraint was his character.
"The Duel between Ono Tadaaki and Zenki" — a duel to choose the successor. Ittosai had two disciples, Mikogami Tenzen (御子神典膳, later Ono Tadaaki) and Zenki (善鬼), fight each other, and entrusted the school to Tenzen after his victory. This is the succession of the Ito Itto-ryu → the Ono-ha Itto-ryu (ex2-10-04).
His secret transmission: "Itto Sokusatsu (一刀卽殺)" — a name carried on even in the heroic-spirit version of the Mahoujin Reincarnation scenario. In the historical original, this technique is "a sword-draw attack that finishes in a single breath."
#Tales
"33 Straight Wins" — the tradition that he never lost in 33 duels. The number is possibly an exaggeration. But the point that "there is no record of defeat" is certain.
"The Vanished Sword" — the blade he used all his life was a nameless sword. It was no special masterwork. It is proof of his philosophy that "it is the person, not the sword, that matters." That sword vanished together with him when he disappeared.
"Mahoujin Reincarnation crossover": In co-09-10, he returns as a Jikiniki. His "hunger" trait is a product of demon transformation. The historical original is a swordmaster of restraint rather than a display of appetite.
#Law — Lord-Grade Data
#School
Ito Itto-ryu (伊東一刀流) — the Lord-grade data follows the "Katori Shinto-ryu" slot from co.
- Licensed · secret art: for rules convenience, it borrows
co's[Stance] Stance of the Initiative·[Kata] Heaven-Earth-Human. - Separation of history and rules: Historically, the Ito Itto-ryu (Itto-ryu) and the Niten Ichi-ryu are separate schools. This volume does not mix the two in its lineage account, and the borrowing of
codata here is merely a sharing of rules for balance, not a historical classification.
#Lord-Grade Sheet
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Class | Ronin 10-dan (speed-specialized · origin of the Itto-ryu) |
| Attributes | Courage 3 · Finesse 3 · Physique 2 · Wisdom 0 · Presence 0 · Fate 0 |
| Energy | 13 |
| Wounds | 6 (3 + Physique 2 + Tough 1) |
| Defense | Unarmored 10 / no recommended armor (a speed-type ronin, armor not recommended) |
| Swordsmanship proficiency | +3 (Master) |
| Skills | Swordsmanship · Footwork · Survival |
| Key feats | Wind Blade · Preemptive Strike · Gale · Tough |
| Renown Title | Shadowless One (Ronin class capstone) |
| Three Ways and Six Hearts | 覇 (Way of Hegemony) |
#Unique Techniques
| Technique | Energy | Check | Effect | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Aptitude] Speed of the Sword-Draw (拔刀の疾) | 0 (constant) | — | For the first attack begun from a sheathed state, Energy -1 (minimum 1) + check +2. While he moves first by the Shadowless One, Ittosai's distinction lies in the peak firepower of the drawing instant. | Constant |
| [Kata] Itto Sokusatsu (一刀卽殺) | 4 | 2d10+Courage+Swordsmanship+3 >= Defense | On success, 3 Wounds. Against a target who moved later than him in the Initiative Phase, Defense -2 applies. | 1 time per round, 1 time per combat |
#Fighting the Swordmaster
#Matchup
- Battle of initiative: to beat him you need faster initiative. Almost impossible.
- Energy 13 · Wounds 6: his burst firepower is strong, but he is not the type to endure long. Drag it into a war of attrition and you have the advantage.
#Three Paths to Victory
#Path 1 — Head-on Duel (recommendation ★★)
- Defending the first round blocks his greatest technique. But because of
[Aptitude] Speed of the Sword-Draw, both the accuracy and the cost of his opening strike are advantageous. - Several squads surround him simultaneously + a Surprise Attack → disperse his initiative advantage.
#Path 2 — Earning Recognition (recommendation ★★★)
- To one who has fully received his single sword, he pays respect.
- Just as he showed restraint toward his master Kanemaki, he leaves even a defeated opponent alive. There are many cases where a PC's life is guaranteed even in defeat.
#Path 3 — Bypass (recommendation ★)
- Indirect approach through his disciple Ono Tadaaki.
- After he entered the mountains, finding him at all is the very theme of the scenario.
#Taking the Swordmaster as Your Master
#Approach
Finding him is the first task. He has no fixed dwelling. He wanders the Sengoku. The pursuit of tracking his traces can itself take months to years.
#Conditions
- A 覇 Three Ways and Six Hearts disposition. One who does not avoid a contest.
- The courage to stake everything on the first round.
- Reverence toward the master — you must be able to imitate his restraint toward Kanemaki.
#Course of Study
- Year 1: The sword-draw · the practice of putting everything into the drawing instant.
- Years 2~4: Variations of Itto Sokusatsu.
- Full licensure: To one he acknowledges as his successor, he transmits
[Stance] Stance of the Initiative, the licensed technique of theco"Katori Shinto-ryu" slot. - Secret art · unique transmission: Only after rising to Master of swordsmanship does one learn
[Kata] Heaven-Earth-Human, and only a select successor-grade few learn Itto Sokusatsu.
#Rewards
- Transmission of the Ito Itto-ryu: At full licensure,
[Stance] Stance of the Initiative. Thereafter, if you reach Master of swordsmanship,[Kata] Heaven-Earth-Human. - The Itto Sokusatsu secret to a select few.
- The name "disciple of Ittosai" — one of the strongest names in the world of swordsmen.
#GM Notes
Ittosai is the "swordmaster who vanished like a ghost." Both his entrance and his exit carry the air of legend. In a scenario, a 1-time encounter is most fitting. A scene in which he leaves a PC a single word and disappears.
Scenario hooks:
- When a PC is assaulted by a band of bandits, he suddenly appears and resolves it in a single strike.
- An expedition to seek out the aged Ittosai and ask for his secret transmission.
- A contrast with the Jikiniki demon-transformation version of
co-09-10.
"If you could not end it in a single sword, then it is not yet a sword." — Ito Ittosai