#Swordsmith Additional Traits

Contents

Campaign Module — swordsmith additional traits. This document defines additional trait candidates for the swordsmith build of fc05-05-01-swordsmith-artisan-guide.md. They are placed as swordsmith-only variants so that their names and roles do not conflict with the Artisan traits of the body co-04-07-11-artisan.md.

These traits are not new weapon techniques. They do not add weapon attack slots, nor provide masterwork techniques for free. They all go into [upkeep], [Kata], and [Aptitude] slots.

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#Opening Fragment — One More Fold

The master folded the same iron again. The apprentice asked, "It is hard enough already. Folding it further only delays us. The client said he leaves tomorrow."

"Hardness alone is not enough." The master brought down the hammer. "A person's heart, too, must be folded once more so it does not break."

"Is that what a trait is? A technique to make something stronger?"

The master shook his head. "Sometimes it is a technique to make something slower. A technique to halt a hurried hand and fold an excess of greed one layer inward. Sword-Tone Appraisal, true-name carving, owner-fitting — all of them are, in the end, the work of looking at the owner rather than the blade."

The apprentice looked at the iron within the firelight. It was the same iron, yet after one more fold, its grain had changed.

"A masterwork is not completed in one go," the master said. "And neither is a person. The swordsmith's additional traits are the small hammer that handles the space between."

#§ Scent — The Sword-Tone

When a swordsmith first sees a blade — he sets the edge in a dark place and taps it lightly with his palm. Then a sword-tone rings. That sound enters the swordsmith's ear and tells him which school's work the blade is, what forging ritual it passed through, and how much soul dwells within it. To an ordinary person it is merely the sound of striking iron, but to a swordsmith's ear, the blade's whole life enters as a single note.

This volume's swordsmith additional traits are variations on the sword-tone. Listening, touching, tending, Sealing — all of them render into rules the brief dialogue between a blade and the swordsmith's hand.

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#§ Law — Additional Trait Catalog

#1. Sword-Tone Appraisal (刀聲鑑定)

[upkeep] Sword-Tone Appraisal (刀聲鑑定)
Acquisition dan: additional effect at Perception Master(4 points) — atop the "Spirit Eye" Master effect of this rulebook [`co-04-09-skills § Perception`](../co/co-04-character/co-04-09-skills/co-04-09-01-skill-list.md#감지-感知), adds an upkeep effect limited to swordsmith-build PCs. Occupies no new class-trait slot.
Energy: 0 (lull phase only — [upkeep] maneuver definition [`co-03-07 § Maneuver Types`](../co/co-03-core-rules/co-03-07-maneuver-system.md))
Limit: 1 per scenario / 1 per weapon
Check: 2d10+Wisdom+Perception >= 13 (Hard)
Effect: read the following of 1 weapon — school, swordsmith, sealed true name(if any),
    ownership condition, the core of the curse. GM reveals whether masterwork/Divine Treasure/Spirit Realm Wandering Treasure.
Failure: partial information only(GM discretion — usually about the school).

Note: This trait is a tool that reveals to the PC in advance the acquisition information (name, history, current location) of co-07-02 § Masterwork Rule Summary. It provides scenario motivation when a masterwork is first encountered.

#2. Emergency Re-Polish (應急再硏磨)

[Kata] Emergency Re-Polish
Acquisition dan: 3 dan (the swordsmith-build PC's 3-dan class-trait slot, in place of one of the body's [Quick Repair / Set Trap / Reinforcement Work](../co/co-04-character/co-04-07-classes/co-04-07-11-artisan.md#3단-클래스-특기-택-1))
Energy: 2
Limit: 1 per round
Effect: seal 1 of the breakage/curse-trigger/adverse effects on 1 weapon of 1 ally in the same zone
    until the next breath. Negates the masterwork's curse(such as -1 Wounds after each combat) 1 time.
Target: masterwork allowed. Divine Treasure not allowed.

In place of one of the body's 3-dan trio (Quick Repair, Set Trap, Reinforcement Work) — a swordsmith-build PC chooses 1 of 4 total options at 3 dan: one of the body's trio, or this Emergency Re-Polish. Emergency Re-Polish is swordsmith-only.

#3. True-Name Carving (眞名彫)

[upkeep] True-Name Carving (眞名彫)
Acquisition dan: 5 dan (the swordsmith-build PC's 5-dan class-trait slot, in place of the body's Karakuri Doll/Double Barricade/Field Forge)
Energy: 0 (lull phase only — [upkeep] definition)
Limit: 1 per scenario / 1 per weapon per scenario
Check: 2d10+Wisdom+Sorcery+3 >= 17 (Extreme. May substitute Barrier, Licensed or higher)
Condition: must know the weapon's true name (acquired via scenario).
Effect: re-carve a name sealed into 1 masterwork during that scenario. **For that scenario only**,
    that weapon's masterwork-technique Energy -1, or open 1 sealed effect (an additional effect
    that had been usable only for a limited time within one scenario). Effect vanishes at scenario end.
Failure: the carving goes awry. Wait one season until the next attempt.

In place of a 5-dan body option — if a swordsmith PC chooses True-Name Carving at 5 dan, they give up one of Karakuri Doll, Double Barricade, or Field Forge. It is powerful, so make the slot cost clear.

#4. Blood-Quench Seal (血淬封印)

[Kata] Blood-Quench Seal (血淬封印)
Acquisition dan: 5 dan or 7 dan (the swordsmith-build PC's class-trait slot)
Energy: 3
Limit: 1 per combat / 1 per weapon per scenario
Check: 2d10+Wisdom+Barrier+2 >= 13 (Hard. May substitute Exorcism, Licensed or higher)
Effect: defer the curse-trigger of 1 cursed weapon until the start of the next scenario.
    For this scenario, that weapon does not trigger its curse effect.
    Instead, masterwork-technique Energy +1.
Target: masterwork allowed. Divine Treasure not allowed.

A tool to defer a curse. The curse does not accumulate and trigger in the next scenario — after deferral, it triggers normally in that scenario. In effect, a one-scenario exemption.

#5. Owner-Fitting (主合)

[upkeep] Owner-Fitting (主合)
Acquisition dan: 5 dan or 7 dan (the swordsmith-build PC's class-trait slot)
Energy: 0 (lull phase only — [upkeep] definition)
Limit: 1 per scenario / 1 per weapon per campaign
Check: 2d10+Wisdom+Perception+2 >= 15 (Very Hard)
Effect: unbind the ownership condition of 1 masterwork. The GM reveals the path by which
    the PC can fulfill that condition — "to make this blade respond, do X."
    Does not change the condition itself. Showing the path is the effect.
Target: masterwork allowed. Divine Treasure not allowed.

It is not a bypass of the ownership condition. It tells the condition and provides scenario clues by which the PC may fulfill it. The fulfillment is the PC's work.

#6. School Transmission (刀派傳承)

[Aptitude] School Transmission
Acquisition dan: 7 dan (the swordsmith-build PC's 7-dan class-trait slot, in place of the body's Fortification/Fire Attack/Secret Passage)
Effect: the PC may recognize the next heir of their own smithing school (NPC or another PC).
    Grants the heir one tier of the smithing-school Licensed. School-recognition ritual RP.
    For masterworks of one's own school, [§ Swordsmith's Last Hammer substitute] Energy -1.
Target: only swordsmith PCs who hold a smithing school.

#7. Masterwork Forging Ritual (名品製作儀式)

[upkeep] Masterwork Forging Ritual (名品製作儀式)
Acquisition dan: 9 dan (the swordsmith-build PC's 9-dan class-trait slot, in place of the body's War Machine/Iron Citadel/Master Artisan)
Energy: 0 (lull phase only — [upkeep] definition. Cost is converted into seasons and time.)
Time cost: 3 seasons (1 season = about 3 scenarios — running rest and upkeep in season units)
Limit: 1 per campaign (a swordsmith who has forged one masterwork regards it as their own work for life)
Check: each season 2d10+Wisdom+Sorcery+5 >= 17 (Extreme. Accumulated over 3 seasons. If Sorcery is not Master, may substitute Barrier/Perception, but with bonus -1)
Condition:
 1. Materials — fine iron, a site of spirit-vein forging (Kajinoishi).
 2. Time — 3 seasons (1 season = 3 scenarios).
 3. Commission — qualification RP of the NPC or PC who commissioned the masterwork.
 4. Swordsmith's lack — some lack the swordsmith PC has carried for life is bound into the forging (RP).
 5. Owner's qualification — the recipient meets the ownership condition of [§04-01](fc05-04-01-owner-bond.md).
Effect: forge 1 new masterwork. The final decisive blow of the 7-stage procedure of
    [§06-01](fc05-06-01-gm-creation-guide.md).
Failure: loss of one season. Retry the next season.

This trait is the summit of a 9-dan swordsmith-build PC. Give up one of the three body 9-dan options and choose this trait instead. The spiritual and ludic climax, 1 per campaign.

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#§ Law — Slot Allocation

How to fit this volume's swordsmith additional traits into the Artisan body slots:

Choosing a swordsmith-build option at each dan forfeits one body option. You cannot have both. Sword-Tone Appraisal is not a class-trait slot — it is placed as an added upkeep effect of Perception Master.

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#§ Law — Alignment with Body Artisan Traits

#Field Forge vs Emergency Re-Polish

Both are temporary effects. Only the Masterwork Forging Ritual is permanent enhancement.

#Master Artisan vs Masterwork Forging Ritual

If Master Artisan is a tool of squad enhancement, the Masterwork Forging Ritual is the summit enhancement of a single blade. Depending on campaign tone, the GM and PC choose one side.

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#§ Law — Additional Traits Against Divine Treasures

This volume's swordsmith additional traits are unusable against Divine Treasures. Emergency Re-Polish, Blood-Quench Seal, True-Name Carving, Owner-Fitting, and Masterwork Forging Ritual are all masterwork-only.

Cases where swordsmith work targeting a Divine Treasure is possible (e.g., Sealing a Divine Treasure's sealed remnant) are a GM campaign decision. In that case, the following costs:

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#§ Law — Additional-Trait Authoring Checklist

When the GM creates additional traits beyond the 7 swordsmith additional traits of this volume:

• [ ] Do the name and role not overlap with body Artisan traits? If they overlap, the body takes priority.
• [ ] Does it not add weapon slots (Attack A/B/Defense/Licensed/masterwork)?
• [ ] Does it not provide masterwork techniques for free?
• [ ] Are the Energy and Wounds terms not confused?
• [ ] Is it not carelessly usable against Divine Treasure targets?
• [ ] Is it a temporary effect or a one-scenario effect rather than permanent enhancement? (other than Master Artisan and the Masterwork Forging Ritual)
• [ ] Is the cost clear within the swordsmith-build PC's per-dan slots?

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#Reference Links

• Artisan
• Trait Index
• Weapon Catalog
• Masterwork Compendium
• Artisan Swordsmith Build Guide
• Swordsmith Schools
• GM Masterwork Weapon Creation Guide

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Into iron folded one more time goes a heart hidden one more time.