#Minamoto no Yorimitsu and the Four Heavenly Kings

Contents

Fiction-Only + Canon (limited to fc04 internally). The 5-person sheets in this document are Canon limited to fc04 internally. The core data of the masterworks "Higekiri (髭切)" and "Hizamaru (膝丸)" follow co-07-02-masterworks.md — this volume creates no new weapon Canon on top of it.

- Energy = 10 + Finesse (action capacity. Recovers each breath)

- Wounds = 3 + Physique + Tough (0~2) (the endurance to withstand a fatal blow)

---

#Opening Fragment — The Breath Before the Cave

Before the cave of Mount Oe, the five had no words. The smell of sake and the smell of blood came out riding the same wind. From within, laughter echoed, and that laughter, too like a human feast, was all the more terrifying for it.

Watanabe no Tsuna touched his hilt. "Going in, it will be hard to come back out."

Sakata no Kintoki laughed low. "Do we go in to come out? We go in to cut."

Yorimitsu looked at the two and shook his head. "Both of you are wrong. We must come back out, and we must cut. Forget even one of the two and it is a failure."

Usui checked his ritual implements, and Urabe surveyed the path again. The breath of the five moved at different speeds from one another. Yorimitsu listened to that breath. A legend is not something one enters alone.

At last he spoke. "We finish before the cup goes round. But let no one try to become a hero alone. Mount Oe favors the name that entered alone."

When they entered the cave, the laughter halted for a moment.

#Scent — The Five at the Cave Mouth

An autumn morning in the Choho (長保) era. A deep valley of Mount Oe (大江山). Five climb the mountain path. All five wear the garb of the shugenja (山伏) — white robes, black hoods, packs on their backs. Look closely and there are traces of armor laid beneath the robes, and the sound of iron clashing within the packs, but those things in the mountain do not notice.

At the front is Minamoto no Yorimitsu. Sweat beads on his brow, but his expression is not heavy. On his back he carries a single great cask. The cask holds sake — the "Shinben Kidoku-shu (神便鬼毒酒)" said to have been brewed by the gods themselves.

Behind him, four.

Watanabe no Tsuna (渡辺綱). Tall, with broad shoulders. At his waist he wears the famed blade "Higekiri (髭切)." It is the sword that, a month before, cut off the arm of Ibaraki-doji at Rashomon.

Sakata no Kintoki (坂田金時). The youngest of the five, but the largest. His true name is "Kintaro," said to have grown up wrestling bears on Mount Ashigara in his youth.

Usui no Sadamitsu (碓井貞光). One with almost no expression. He carries a bow on his back. He is a scout from Tohoku.

Urabe no Suetake (卜部季武). The youngest and fastest of the five. He wears not a sword but a wakizashi — his draw makes up for that blade's length.

The five arrive at the cave mouth. From within come the sound of song and laughter. It is Shuten-doji's feast.

Yorimitsu looks once at the other four. The five take a breath in unison. He opens the lid of the cask.

"Pardon us — we have come to offer a cup of sake bought from afar."

---

#Core Data — The Five

#Minamoto no Yorimitsu (源頼光)

#The Four Heavenly Kings (四天王)

---

#The Shuten-doji Subjugation Tale (Overview)

For details, see fc04-04-01-shutendoji.md. This document focuses on the five figures.

1. Shuten-doji of Mount Oe abducts maidens in Kyoto. By imperial command, a subjugation squad is formed.
2. Yorimitsu + the 4 Heavenly Kings disguise themselves as shugenja (山伏) — hiding armor beneath their robes, they enter the mountain.
3. On the way, they meet three old men (in truth the gods — the avatars of Hachiman, Sumiyoshi, and Kumano) and receive the sacred sake "Shinben Kidoku-shu (神便鬼毒酒)." This sacred sake becomes poison to yoma and sake to humans — for the detailed divine alignment, see the great-god (4-dan) sheet of fc01-02-02-taishin.md.
4. They arrive at the cave and offer sake to Shuten-doji. The yoma leader, drunk on the sacred sake, falls asleep.
5. Yorimitsu chants his true name and strikes the head. The severed head flies up and bites Yorimitsu's helmet, but by divine protection he is unharmed.
6. The 4 Heavenly Kings each subjugate the subordinate oni. By dawn, all yoma within the cave are cleared.

This volume's treatment: the Shuten-doji sheet uses the core of co-08-02-monster-templates.md as-is. This document treats only the sheets of the 5 subjugation members.

---

#Character Sheets — The Five (Canon, limited to fc04 internally)

Canon (limited to fc04 internally). These sheets are for this volume's campaign. On conflict with the co samurai class core, the main work takes precedence.

#1. Minamoto no Yorimitsu

Minamoto no Yorimitsu — Main class Samurai 10-dan + Renown Title
Wounds: 7 (3 + Physique 3 + Tough 1)
Defense: 16 (o-yoroi armor + yabusame correction)
Energy: 13 (10 + Finesse 3)
Attributes: Courage +3, Finesse +3, Physique +3, Wisdom +3, Presence +1, Fate +1
School: Minamoto house bow-and-horse (own License + secret art)
Weapon: famed blade "Hizamaru (膝丸)" (tachi · co masterwork) + bow
Domination contribution: +5 (squad leader)

#Main Techniques

• Yabusame (Samurai 1-dan automatic) — bow on horseback. Hit +2, range +1
• Vanguard of Command (own secret art) — squad 1 per session, Energy +1 (own Energy -2)
• The Way of Bow and Horse (Samurai 5-dan choice) — simultaneous bow/horse operation, range correction
• Squad Resolve (Samurai 7-dan choice) — squad members' next check +1
• Decision (Samurai 9-dan choice) — 1 per session, instantly heal one squad member

#Signature — Vanguard of Command

---

#2. Watanabe no Tsuna

Watanabe no Tsuna — Main class Samurai 9-dan + Renown Title (borrowed ronin technique)
Wounds: 6 (3 + Physique 2 + Tough 1)
Defense: 15 (o-yoroi)
Energy: 13 (10 + Finesse 3)
Attributes: Courage +3, Finesse +3, Physique +2, Wisdom +1, Presence +0, Fate +2
School: Minamoto house bow-and-horse (Licensed) + partial borrowed ronin draw
Weapon: famed blade "Higekiri (髭切)" (tachi · co masterwork)
Domination contribution: +3

#Main Techniques

• Yabusame (Samurai 1-dan)
• Command of the Famed Blade (own secret art) — +1 hit when using "Higekiri"
• Yoma Severing (own secret art) — yoma-only additional Wounds damage
• Draw (borrowed ronin) — Energy -1 on the first breath for an instant strike
• Mounted Pursuit (Samurai 7-dan choice)

#Signature — Oni Severing

#Famed Blade "Higekiri (髭切)"

The core data of this famed blade uses the "Higekiri" entry of co-07-weapons/co-07-02-masterworks.md as-is. This volume is a form that layers Tsuna's signature "Oni Severing" on top — even if another PC obtains Higekiri, they cannot use "Oni Severing" (Tsuna-exclusive secret art).

---

#3. Sakata no Kintoki

Sakata no Kintoki — Main class Samurai 8-dan + brute-strength build
Wounds: 8 (3 + Physique 4 + Tough 1) ※ highest of the 4 Heavenly Kings
Defense: 14 (o-yoroi)
Energy: 12 (10 + Finesse 2)
Attributes: Courage +3, Finesse +2, Physique +4, Wisdom +0, Presence +1, Fate +2
School: Minamoto house bow-and-horse (Licensed)
Weapon: axe (masakari · co general-weapon enhancement) + unarmed grappling
Domination contribution: +2

#Main Techniques

• Yabusame (Samurai 1-dan)
• Brute Strength (Physique +4 correction) — ignore 1 tier of weight. Can forcibly move enemy position
• Unarmed Grappling (own build) — no hit penalty when unarmed
• Animal Affinity (own build, childhood career) — wild animals do not attack (when accompanying, +1 Scouting)
• Charge (Samurai 5-dan choice)

#Signature — Mountain Brute Strength

---

#4. Usui no Sadamitsu

Usui no Sadamitsu — Main class Samurai 7-dan + bow build
Wounds: 5 (3 + Physique 1 + Tough 1)
Defense: 13 (o-yoroi — bow-warrior variant)
Energy: 13 (10 + Finesse 3)
Attributes: Courage +2, Finesse +3, Physique +1, Wisdom +2, Presence +2, Fate +3
School: Tohoku bow-and-horse (own)
Weapon: bow (longbow) + wakizashi (for self-defense)
Domination contribution: +2 (Scouting)

#Main Techniques

• Yabusame (Samurai 1-dan) — Sadamitsu is the most precise of the 4 Heavenly Kings
• Hawk's Eye (own secret art) — range +N, hit +1 (long-range only)
• Scouting (Samurai 5-dan choice) — grasp enemy positions in advance
• Composure (own build) — checks under pressure +1 (Fear・charm resistance)
• Bow Warrior (Samurai 7-dan choice) — additional Wounds on a bow hit

#Signature — Hawk's Eye

---

#5. Urabe no Suetake

Urabe no Suetake — Main class Samurai 7-dan + speed build
Wounds: 5 (3 + Physique 1 + Tough 1)
Defense: 14 (o-yoroi lightweight variant)
Energy: 14 (10 + Finesse 4) ※ highest Energy of the 4 Heavenly Kings
Attributes: Courage +2, Finesse +4, Physique +1, Wisdom +1, Presence +2, Fate +2
School: Minamoto house bow-and-horse (Licensed)
Weapon: wakizashi (short blade) + draw technique
Domination contribution: +1

#Main Techniques

• Yabusame (Samurai 1-dan) — but Suetake is draw-centered
• Swift Draw (own secret art) — at the start of the first breath, Energy -1 for an instant action
• Mounted Pursuit (Samurai 5-dan choice) — automatic pursuit of a fleeing enemy
• First Strike (Samurai 7-dan choice) — first-strike correction +2

#Signature — Draw Swift-Strike

---

#Squad Operation — The Synergy of the 5

The 5 are not a simple sum but a squad. They have the following synergies:

As a squad, they can challenge a Shuten-doji-grade boss — but the Shuten-doji core sheet is co-08-02-monster-templates.md as-is.

---

#Demon-Reincarnation Alignment

The 5-heroic-spirit roster of co-09-adventures/co-09-10-mahoujin-reincarnation.md (confirmed):

• Sorcerer: Aburatsuka Genzo — main class 7-dan (composite career. Borrowed Onmyoji, Shikome-no-Tsukai, and Yorijin techniques).

The 5 heroic spirits are all post-Heian figures. From this volume fc04's Yorimitsu and 4 Heavenly Kings (10th century) there is roughly a 500~700-year gap — a separate era from this volume's NPCs.

#Heian-Figure Heroic Spirit Catalog

In co-04-08-22-heroic-spirit-catalog.md, the late-Heian figure Benkei (6-dan, lord-class) is registered — automatically accompanying the Yoshitsune heroic spirit. This volume fc04's Yorimitsu and 4 Heavenly Kings are the "previous-generation warrior house" of that heroic-spirit catalog — candidates that may return as heroic spirits in following volumes.

---

#Scenario Use

#To Fight Alongside the 5 (a PC as a member of the subjugation party)

A scenario in which a PC fills a seat in Yorimitsu's squad. A main-class Samurai 7-dan or higher PC is recommended. They become one axis of the Shuten-doji subjugation, making use of the squad synergy.

#To Fight the 5 (a PC on the yoma side or as a political adversary)

Yorimitsu's squad is this volume's most powerful NPC squad. In a head-on confrontation, a PC squad (5-dan~7-dan) almost surely loses. One of the following routes is needed:

1. Squad operation — do not meet the 5 at once; meet them separately, 1~2 at a time. A solo scenario, like Tsuna's Rashomon tale.
2. Blocking the squad synergy with shikigami・Barrier — when there is an onmyoji ally.
3. Political pressure — turn Michinaga's command in another direction to dissolve the squad.

#To Serve (a master)

A scenario in which Yorimitsu or Tsuna becomes the PC's swordsmanship master. Conditions:

1. Main-class Samurai — other classes are refused.
2. Minamoto-house connections or a Fujiwara-side recommendation — Yorimitsu is a Michinaga confidant.
3. Proof of martial merit — a test worth 1~2 scenarios (a yoma subjugation or a political incident).

---

#In One Line

"Five stood at one cave mouth. After those five, every Japanese tale of yoma subjugation is the shadow of those five."

---

#References

#co — Class・Scenario・Heroic Spirit

• co-04-character/co-04-07-classes/co-04-07-01-samurai.md — samurai class
• co-04-character/co-04-07-classes/co-04-07-02-ronin.md — ronin (borrowed for Tsuna's secondary build)
• co-04-character/co-04-08-samples/co-04-08-22-heroic-spirit-catalog.md — heroic spirit catalog (Benkei 6-dan)
• co-09-adventures/co-09-09-minamoto-specter.md — Yoshitsune heroic spirit scenario (Usumidori・Kurama-ryu)
• co-09-adventures/co-09-10-mahoujin-reincarnation.md — Demon Reincarnation (the era gap of the 5 heroic spirits)

#co — Masterwork・Yoma Sheet

• co-07-weapons/co-07-02-masterworks.md — masterworks (Tsuna's Higekiri, Yorimitsu's Hizamaru)
• co-08-gm-tools/co-08-02-monster-templates.md — Shuten-doji core sheet

#fc Preceding Volumes

• fc01-02-02-taishin.md — great gods (Hachiman・Sumiyoshi・Kumano — the gods who gave the sacred sake)
• fc03-99-01-kenshi-roster.md — swordmaster roster
• fc03-02-* — Renown Title system (recorded across the Swordmaster Chronicles)

#Within fc04

• fc04-01-03-warrior-dawn.md — the yabusame background of the Heian warrior
• fc04-04-01-shutendoji.md — Shuten-doji (the subjugation target)
• fc04-04-02-tsuchigumo-rashomon.md — Tsuchigumo・Rashomon (other subjugation tales of Yorimitsu and Tsuna)
• fc04-05-01-samurai.md — yabusame samurai rules

---

---

Before the cave of Mount Oe, the five were not a legend but a mission.