Hachigoku はちごく 八国: A reworking of the Legend of the Five Rings RPG from both a setting and system viewpoint. I do not claim any ownership of L5R; this is purely a not-for-profit exercise in fun. And you're invited.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Draft: Teishin Advanced Disciplines

And now, the last of the Teishin rules for a bit. The Teishin Advanced Schools!


Asako Teishin Gakuen

Advanced Discipline: Martial Scholar

Uji/Profession: Teishin
Requirements:
Rings: Void 6, all other Rings at 3
Skills: Atemi 5, Athletics 3, Jiujutsu 5, Lore 7
Qualities: Hands of Stone, Scholar

Okuden
Rank 1, Yin and Yang: Balancing your physical and mental conditioning unleashes your potential. When making contested Social rolls, attack rolls barehanded, and Athletics Skill rolls you gain Free Raises equal to your Void.

Rank 2, Shifting the Dragon: You have mastered the forces of your soul, shifting your elemental energy to where it's needed most. When making a contested Social roll, attack roll barehanded, or Athletics Skill roll, you may spend a Void Point to substitute the higher of two paired Traits. Thus, if the roll called for your Agility, you could spend a Void Point and use your Intelligence instead. You may also spend a Void Point to substitute one Ring for another in such a roll.

Rank 3, Defining the Essence:
Your fusion of spirit and flesh through intense meditation, study, and training leads to superhuman concentration and speed. You automatically win all contested Willpower rolls if you have a higher Willpower than your opponent. When you spend an Action to make a barehanded attack, you can also make an additional barehanded attack.


Bayushi Teishin Gakuen

Advanced Discipline: Ryoko Owari Bengoshi

Uji/Profession: Teishin
Requirements:
Traits: Awareness 5, Intelligence 5
Skills: Etiquette 3, Investigation 3, Law 5, Oratory 5, Sincerity 5, Underworld 3
Qualities: Voice of the Crane
Other: Must be appointed a metsuke in your uji.

Okuden
Rank 1, Viper's Tongue: Your cunning and swift wit deflect all but the most blatant charges against those whose reputation you protect against the law. When making Etiquette, Law, Oratory, or Sincerity rolls, you gain a +Xk0 bonus, where X is your Discipline Rank. If these are contested rolls against a metsuke, you add your Law + Sincerity to the roll total. When involved in a Vendetta, your enemy automatically loses Vendetta Actions equal to your Discipline Rank.

Rank 2, Testimony of the Faithless: You are skilled at entrapping your accusers in their own testimony, or invalidating their testimony. When you or another are accused of a crime or dishonorable action, you may spend a Void Point to make a Sincerity/Awareness roll (TN 5 x accuser's Glory) to force the accuser to say the exact opposite of whatever sentence they have just uttered (“What my dear brother meant to say was...”) and have believed by whomever is present with Glory less than your Intelligence. Also, you may attempt to deflect an accusation against you or another by making a contested Law/Intelligence roll with whomever is taking such an accusation into account, such as a metsuke or your superior. If you win, you have unearthed an esoteric ruling of an uji metsuke, Jade Metsuke, or Imperial Edict that proves the innocence of the accused.

Rank 3, The Law Is My Ally: Your ability to manipulate the law to your advantage gains you many friends and enemies. If you successfully defend an individual from criminal or dishonorable accusations, you may gain them immediately as an Ally (as per the Quality) by spending a Void Point, if you knew them to be actually innocent. If you knew them to be guilty, you may spend a Void Point to immediately gain the Blackmail Advantage over them. Also, if you defend an individual with by making a Law/Intelligence roll, you may choose to have the accuser declared guilty of the crime or dishonor instead by spending a Void Point.


Doji Teishin Gakuen

Advanced Discipline: Toshi Ranbo Shugo

Uji/Profession: Teishin
Requirements:
Traits: Awareness 4, Willpower 4
Skills: Commerce 3, Etiquette 5, Law 3, Politics 5
Qualities: Ally, Soul of Green Walls
Other: Must have a Glory and Honor of 3 or more.

Okuden
Rank 1, The City Listens: You understand all the best qualities life in the city offers the cultured samurai of Hachigoku. You gain Free Raises equal to your Discipline Rank to all High Skill rolls made within your domain of authority and within the domain any Ally's authority. You are always considered to have Shelter within your domain of authority.

Rank 2, The City Speaks: Your leadership inspires those in your city to greater heights. Any Yowamushi under your authority in a Scene gains a bonus to their Threat Rank equal to your Discipline Rank. These bonus Threat Ranks do not automatically grant any increased Glory, Honor, Okuden or other such abilities, although they do grant temporary bonuses to Traits and Skills determined by Threat Rank. If promoted to Namae status, a Yowamushi determines their statistics based on their real Threat Rank, not on the Rank amplified by your presence.

Rank 3, The City Lives: Your network of allies and careful management of resources allows you to maximize the benefits of your position. When leveraging Holdings within your domain of authority, you add your Discipline Rank to the Holding's Rank. If an individual close to you, such as a superior, family member, Wa comrade, or Lover has a Holding within your domain of authority, they gain the bonus as well.


Ikoma Teishin Gakuen

Advanced Discipline: Jade Metsuke

Uji/Profession: Teishin
Requirements:
Traits/Rings: Air 4, Fire 4
Skills: Etiquette 5, Kenjutsu 5, Law 5, Politics 3, Sincerity 3, Underworld 3
Qualities: Clear Thinker, Methodical
Other: Must be appointed by the Jade Champion. Must have an Honor of 3 or more.

Okuden
Rank 1, Saibankan's Method: You have learned the simple but effective methods of Soshi Saibankan. Whenever you make a roll using one of this Discipline's Required Skills, you may spent a Void Point to automatically succeed on the roll with no Raises except Free Raises. This does not apply to contested rolls or attack rolls. Also, you are considered to have additional Glory equal to your Discipline Rank when dealing with samurai.

Rank 2, For the Empire: Your duty to the Empire brooks no interference. As an Action, you can summon all the authority of your position into your swordarm by spending a Void Point and designate a target. For the rest of the Scene, you reduce all damage reduction bonuses by your Honor and ignore armor and magical bonuses to the target's TN to be Hit. This includes any ability that reduces your damage rolls directly, raising your roll by your Honor. So with an Honor of 3, an ability that gives you a -2k0 penalty or a -3k5 penalty would become a -0k0 penalty and a -0k2 penalty, respectively.

Rank 3, In Hantei's Name:
Your passion for the Emperor's justice permeates your every thought and deed. Whenever you make attack rolls or contested rolls involving this Discipline's Required Skills, you may spend a Void Point to succeed automatically with Free Raises equal to your Honor.



Kitsuki Teishin Gakuen

Advanced Discipline: Go Master

Uji/Profession: Teishin
Requirements:
Traits/Rings: Awareness 4, Intelligence 4, Perception 5, Void 3
Skills: Battle 3, Etiquette 5, Games 7, Investigation 3
Qualities: Clear Thinker, Great Potential (Games)
Other: Must have won a boardgame competition at a Social Event of Rank 2 or greater.

Okuden
Rank 1, Placing the First Stone: Every game is a duel. When playing games using the Games Skill, you may choose to make the game a duel. Treat it as an Iaijutsu duel, replacing “Iaijutsu” with “Games” in all instances. There is no damage roll. If both duelists fail their Strike rolls, they keep trading opportunities to make rolls against each other, the TN lowering to the last Focus. The victor gains Glory Points equal to their Games Skill and negates any Glory losses from playing the game. Also, you gain a bonus on all Perception roll totals equal to your Games.

Rank 2, Breaking Through the Wall: You know the best moment to strike and break your opponent's defenses after careful observation. After playing any game using the Games Skill with an individual for at least 30 minutes, you can make a Games/Perception roll (TN 30) to learn any 1 Trait of your opponent's, with an additional Trait per Raise. During a Battle, you may add your Games Skill to any roll total for determining Advantage.

Rank 3, The Final Stone: The most noble path is to embrace the art and serenity of the game, not to worry over victory and defeat. During a Duel or Battle you lose no Honor or Glory. Also, you may add your Games to all contested Social rolls; this may be cumulative with the Rank 1 bonus to Perception rolls.


Miya Teishin Gakuen

Advanced Discipline: Imperial Cartographer

Uji/Profession: Teishin
Requirements:
Traits: Awareness 4, Perception 5, Stamina 4
Skills: Artisan 5, Bajutsu 3, Calligraphy 5, Hunting 3, Investigation 5, Politics 5
Qualities: Clear Thinker, Well-Connected

Okuden
Rank 1, Way of the Land: Your travels cannot be impeded by anyone without Imperial authority. You gain a bonus equal to your Awareness + Glory to all contested Social roll totals instigated by others. You cannot be stopped at border checkpoints throughout Hachigoku nor be held in a prison or dungeon without those ordering so losing an Honor Rank and gaining Infamy. You also can claim Shelter from any Holding, even those that do not normally grant Shelter.

Rank 2, The Map Is Not the Territory: You are not sent abroad merely to make maps, but to gather information about the lands you travel through. If you have spent significant time (such as an entire Story) in a region controlled by a faction (usually a han controlled by an uji, but not necessarily), you gain a +Xk0 bonus to all Awareness and Perception rolls while in that region, where X equals your Void. Also, once per Scene you can spend a Void Point to automatically make a roll to to define facts with Bonus Effects (What...? How...?).

Rank 3, Hidden Between the Lines: You are skilled at finding hidden resources... or concealing them. You cannot be ambushed or caught unaware. After ten minutes of conversation with an individual you may make an Investigation/Awareness (TN 20) to learn the name of the individual's highest Rank Holding, if they have any, plus the next highest per Raise. During a Vendetta, you may learn two Holdings for each one you discover, and none of your Holdings may be learned of or targeted with Vendetta Actions. You may also protect the holdings of other individuals, up to your Perception. 


Otomo Teishin Gakuen

Advanced Discipline: Otosan Uchi Bugyo

Uji/Profession: Teishin
Requirements:
Traits: Awareness 4, Intelligence 4
Skills: Calligraphy 3, Etiquette 5, Law 3, Oratory 3, Politics 5, Sincerity 5
Qualities: Greedy, Well-Connected

Okuden
Rank 1, Imperial Grace: You understand there is no true difference between attack and defense in the courts of Hachigoku. You gain a bonus to all Etiquette roll totals equal to your Politics, and to all Politics roll totals equal to your Etiquette. In any Duel, your Focuses are limited not by your Void but by the highest of your Etiquette or Politics.

Rank 2, Favored Among the Heavens: Honeyed words can sway even the most aggressive mind from violence. You gain Free Raises equal to your Awareness when making Sincerity rolls. Also, when making an Active Defense against a melee attack, you may make a Sincerity/Awareness roll instead of an Athletics/Agility roll.

Rank 3, Voice of the Sun and Moon: You shape lives with your words. You may spend a Void Point when making rolls to define facts (What...? How...? No.) to substitute your Awareness for whatever Trait is normally used. Also, once per Season you may spend a Season Action to give an individual a Granted Quality.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Draft: All the Teishin Path Disciplines

Now, it's time to take a look at all the Path Disciplines for the Teishin Gakuen. Should be interesting.


Asako Teishin Gakuen












Path Discipline: Ikoma Hatamoto

Uji/Discipline: Ikoma Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Asako Teishin 4

Okuden
Judgment of Heaven: Your learning culminates in one fundamental truth: War is politics by other means. When making rolls involving the Battle or Politics Skills, you can use your highest Lore Skill instead and keep Awareness. If in a force where your superior is the commander (including a Vendetta), your superior gains a bonus to all Battle and Politics roll totals equal to your highest Lore Skill.


Path Discipline: Imperial Historian

Uji/Discipline: Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Asako Teishin 2

Okuden
Memory of the Ages: Those who write history can shape it their will. You gain Bonus Effects (as if they were Raises) equal to your Intelligence on any successful Intelligence rolls. When making contested Social rolls involving Etiquette or Lore, you can spend an Honor Point to automatically succeed, unless the opponent spends Glory Points equal to your Etiquette or Lore Skill Rank. If they do so, they have contradict your facts or argument and win the roll automatically, and you lose Glory Points equal to their Glory. In either case, neither gains any Raises except Free Raises.


Path Discipline: Yoritomo Philosopher

Uji/Discipline: Yoritomo Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Asako Teishin 1

Okuden
Rangaku: Your exposure to gaijin knowledge leads you to insights often contrary to most accepted knowledge in Hachigoku. When making any Lore roll or contested Social Skill roll, you may spend a Void Point to keep your Intelligence instead of whatever Trait or Ring is normally called for.



Bayushi Teishin Gakuen

Path Discipline: Otomo Shinobi

Uji/Profession: Otomo Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Bayushi Teishin 1

Okuden
Eyes of the Emperor: You are trained to identify and catalogue threats to the Empire from within. After one minute of studying an individual, you can automatically tell whether the individual is a Yowamushi or Namae character. Furthermore, you can make a raw Perception roll (TN 5 x individual's Threat Rank or Insight Rank). If successful, you learn one of the individual's following (if there is a tie, you learn all the relevant facts): highest Trait, highest Skill Rank, highest Discipline Rank, his Honor, his Glory, or his status and position (if any). You can learn an additional fact per Raise.


Path Discipline: Rokugo Oyaban

Uji/Profession: Rokugo Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Bayushi Teishin 3

Okuden
Way of the Black Lotus: Dealing in the underground markets of Hachigoku requires cunning and a flexible respect for Bushido. You gain a bonus to all Low Skill roll totals equal to your Intelligence. If making contested Low Skill rolls against those with Infamy, double this bonus. If making a roll which would cause you to lose Honor Points, you gain a bonus to the roll's total equal to the amount lost.


Path Discipline: Tokagure Gardener

Uji/Profession: Bayushi Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Bayushi Teishin 3

Okuden
Veil of Fragrant Sleep: You find serenity as a tender of the most deadly gardens in Hachigoku. You gain a bonus to all Artisan and Poison Skill roll totals equal to your Intelligence, and may choose a number of poisons equal to your Stamina that you have gained immunity to after years of exposure.


Doji Teishin Gakuen
Path Discipline: Bayushi Junshin

Uji/Profession: Bayushi Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Doji Teishin 1

Okuden
Power of Innocence: Your faith in Bushido saps the strength out of your opponents in court. As long as you maintain at least 3 Honor, those making contested Social rolls against you have a -Xk0 penalty, where X is your Honor. However, you lose this bonus for the rest of the Scene if you use the Sincerity Skill at all.


Path Discipline: Hiramichi Teishin

Uji/Profession: Hiramichi Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Doji Teishin 2

Okuden
Daikoku's Favor: Your knowledge of how to fulfill the desires of others is used to benefit your uji. At the start of each Season, you gain additional Season Actions equal to the number of Allies you have, as per the Ally Quality. These can only be used to either leverage Holdings or be exchanged for koku equal to your Awareness.


Path Discipline: Tonbo Poet

Uji/Profession: Tonbo Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Doji Teishin 3

Okuden
Superior Form: All of existence can be summed up in a few lines of poetry, and your life is endless quest for just the right words. When making any Oratory roll involving poetry, you gain a +Xk0 bonus, where X equals your Void. This can include any Duel involving writing. Even Romance.


Ikoma Teishin Gakuen

Path Discipline: Hogosha Teishin

Uji/Profession: Hogosha Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Ikoma Teishin 1

Okuden
Intrepid Negotiator: Your overbearing personality has its uses, forcing others into undefensible positions in negotiations. You add your Willpower to all contested Social Skill rolls, and you gain the Intimidation Emphasis for all your Discipline Skills.


Path Discipline: Ikoma Omoidasu

Uji/Profession: Ikoma Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Ikoma Teishin 2

Okuden
Tell the Tale: You are the living repository of Ikoma history and lore, with a freedom of heart afforded to few samurai. You lose no Honor for emotional outbursts or for any words you say, and add your Intelligence to all Law, Lore, Oratory, and Performance roll totals.


Path Discipline: Matsu Teishin

Uji/Profession: Matsu Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Ikoma Teishin 3

Okuden
Hand of Our Ancestors: Actions speak louder than words. You add your Glory to all Bugei Skill roll totals, and can Focus in any Duel a number of additional times equal to your Glory.


Kakita Artisan Gakuen

Path Discipline: Shiba Artisan

Uji/Profession: Shiba Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Kakita Artisan 3

Okuden
The Spirit of Beauty: Art is an ephemeral experience that cannot be captured; it can only be embraced and released. You create artworks that last no longer than a Scene. Ikebana, origami, and sand mandalas are the most common, but performances using the Performance Skill or even highly intricate competitions using the Games Skill are possible. In addition, you add your Void to all Artisan roll totals and all roll totals involved in creating inspiring artwork.


Path Discipline: Yasuki Playwright

Uji/Profession: Yasuki Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Kakita Artisan 3

Okuden
The Play's the Thing: The garish kabuki performances of the Hida cities are your playground and inspiration. You can use Oratory/Awareness to create artworks in the vein of kabuki plays, and add your Fire to all Artisan, Athletics, Oratory, and Performance Skill roll totals.


Kitsuki Teishin Gakuen
 
 
Path Discipline: Kitsuki Metsuke

Uji/Profession: Kitsuki Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Kitsuki Teishin 2

Okuden
Strength of Evidence: You believe in the righteousness of your duty, and your desire to bring criminals to justice overcomes all obstacles. When making any Skill roll against a criminal for whom you have physical proof of guilt, your Traits are considered to be 1 higher than normal.


Path Discipline: Shinjo Metsuke

Uji/Profession: Shinjo Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Kitsuki Teishin 3

Okuden
Justice Amends: You understand that sacrifices must be made for justice. You lose no Honor if an action is directly related to apprehending a criminal, or taken against those with Infamy. You add your Honor to your TN to be Hit at all times.


Path Discipline: Tsuruchi Oniwaban

Uji/Profession: Tsuruchi Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Kitsuki Teishin 2

Okuden
The Hidden Sword: Your reputation amongst the lower castes grants you access to a world normally unknown to samurai. You gain Free Raises on all Skill rolls against non-samurai within the Celestial Order equal to your Perception. When dealing with the lower caste servants of other samurai, you may spend a Void Point to command them to perform a single task, as long as it does not immediately risk their own life.


Miya Teishin Gakuen

Path Discipline: Asahina Teishin

Uji/Profession: Asahina Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Miya Teishin 4

Okuden
True Discernment: Your impartiality and insurmountable scruples brings you allies and honor. Whenever you are the judge of a Duel or other contest, or oversee a negotiation for which you are a disinterested third party, you gain Honor and Glory Points equal to the highest Insight Rank of the contestants or negotiators, and all Awareness rolls you make regarding the matter have a +1k0 bonus. After such a situation is concluded, you may spend a Void Point to make an Ally (as per the Quality) of an individual involved, no matter the outcome.


Path Discipline: Ide Teishin

Uji/Profession: Ide Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Miya Teishin 2

Okuden
The Winds of Rhetoric: The Ide have brought back from gaijin lands various rhetorical techniques and dare to argue other samurai into logical solutions. When making Social Skill rolls, you can keep your Intelligence instead of your Awareness. In either case, you add your Intelligence to all Discipline Skill roll totals.


Path Discipline: Miya Shisha

Uji/Profession: Miya Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Miya Teishin 2

Okuden
Emperor's Blessing: those who ride with the Blessing are beloved by the people. Whenever you use the Craft Skill to repair an object or building belonging to another, you gain a +Xk0 bonus, where X equals your Honor. In addition, you gain Free Raises equal to your Honor on any Social rolls with the owners of that which you repair. If a building is repaired in this way, these Free Raises can be used with any inhabitant of the village or city. This bonus lasts for the entire Season. Finally, you may spend a Season Action to quell Trouble in any Holding, even it does not belong to you or a member of your Wa.


Otomo Teishin Gakuen

Path Discipline: Nani Teishin

Uji/Profession: Nani Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Otomo Teishin 1

Okuden
Vengeance of the Paper Tiger: Your command of the written word gives you mastery over the bureaucratic maze of Hachigoku's courts. All your Oratory and Etiquette roll totals gain a bonus equal to your Law. When involved in a Duel of Letters, you can Focus additional times equal to your Willpower.


Path Discipline: Otomo Seiyaku

Uji/Profession: Otomo Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Otomo Teishin 4

Okuden
The Will of the Roju: As an agent of the Roju, the authority of the Regent lies in your words. Only the members of the Roju are considered your superiors, and only they may grant permission to do you harm. You can also invoke your authority and command a samurai to do your bidding with an Oratory/Willpower roll, TN 5 x the Glory of the target. If your command is dishonorable or places the samurai at great risk, the TN is 10 x the Glory of the target. They may still refuse if you succeed on your roll, but lose a Rank of both Honor and Glory.


Path Discipline: Seppun Metsuke

Uji/Profession: Seppun Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Otomo Teishin 2

Okuden
Tengoku's Huntsman: The blessings of Heaven aid you in your sacred duty to protect the Emperor's justice; none escape your righteous scrutiny. You gain a +Xk0 bonus to all Hunting and Investigation Skill rolls, where X equals your Honor. Also, you add your Perception to all attack roll totals.


Shosuro Butei Gakuen

Path Discipline: Shosuro Yojimbo

Uji/Profession: Shosuro Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Shosuro Butei 2

Okuden
Protector from the Shadows: You serve your charge secretly, hiding in lain sight as a trusted servant or advisor. You gain Free Raises equal to your Intelligence on Investigation and Battle Skill rolls to notice hidden threats and traps that might threaten your charge. When making attack rolls against those who are unaware of your presence, you gain Free Raises equal to your charge's Glory.


Path Discipline: Usagi Butei

Uji/Profession: Usagi Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Shosuro Butei 1

Okuden
Monkey Steals the Fan: Your on-stage antics require intense athleticism and hand-to-hand training. You add your Performance to all Athletics and hand-to-hand attack roll totals, and to your TN to be Hit.


Yasuki Merchant Gakuen

Path Discipline: Hida Teishin

Uji/Profession: Hida Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Yasuki Merchant 3

Okuden
We Acquire What We Must: You know how to find what your army needs and acquire it quickly, all in the name of necessity. You gain Free Raises on all Commerce, Investigation, and Sincerity rolls equal to your highest Holding Rank. If performing a dishonorable action in the name of your faction's material needs, you lose no Honor.


Path Discipline: Ide Merchant

Uji/Profession: Ide Teishin
Discipline Requirement: Yasuki Merchant 2

Okuden
The Gilded Road: You have traveled exotic roads beyond Hachigoku, and can form lasting bonds with your customers. You can double the overland travel speed of yourself and a number of other individuals equal to your Insight Rank x 5. This only applies in lands outside the boundaries of Hachigoku or the Shadowlands. After you make a successful contested Commerce roll, you may spend a Void Point to gain the other individual as an Ally (per the Quality).

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Draft: Nanashi Mura Metsuke Advanced Discipline

Tonight, the Nanshi Mura Metsuke! An Advanced Discipline that amps up the crimefighting bushi who takes on hordes of henchmen to slice his way to the top dog, protecting the underdog in the process. Samurai tend to hate him, criminals fear him, and the commoners love him.

Yes, the ronin of Nanashi Mura take time to train the occasional Batman.

Enjoy.


Mirumoto Bushi Ryuu



Advanced Discipline: Nanashi Mura Metsuke

Uji/Profession: Bushi
Requirements:
Rings: Agility 5, Awareness 5, Water 4
Skills: Athletics 3, Etiquette 3, Jiujutsu 5, Kenjutsu 5, Law 5
Qualities: Hero of the People
Other: Must be in good standing with the ronin of Nanashi Mura. Must be capable of making two attacks with a single Action during a Skirmish. Must have been appointed a metsuke by a superior.

Okuden
Rank 1, Honor of the People: Your reputation for compassion and justice towards those beneath you is enhanced by your time with the ronin. You gain an +Xk0 bonus on all contested Social rolls with non-samurai within the Celestial Order, where X equals your Honor. In addition, you add your Law to all attack and damage roll totals against those whom you believe have broken the law. If their crimes were committed against those of a lower caste, you add your Honor as well.

Rank 2, Justice of the People:
Your thirst for justice permeates every action taken. You add your Law to all Skill roll totals in a Vendetta or Duel against those whom you believe  have broken the law. If their crime was committed against those of a lower caste, you add your Honor as well.

Rank 3, The People's Champion: You are undaunted by the forces of injustice the Empire rallies against you. When you spend an Action to make an attack against Yowamushi, you can also make an additional attack. When facing a roll where failure would cause harm for those of a lower caste, you may spend an Honor Point to automatically succeed on the roll with no Raises except for Free Raises.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Draft: Shosuro Butei and Kakita Artisan

Without a doubt, the Butei and Artisan are undoubtedly the most difficult Disciplines to work out the way I like. The Shosuro Butei have been these great spy/assassin/actors since Way of the Scorpion, but I didn't want them to be dedicated assassins and spies. I wanted them to be more broad-based, and leave the assassin and spy mechanics for Paths and Advanced Disciplines. I think what's left is still playable and fun, and managed to avoid the whole issue of whether they were kabuki or noh specialists.

The Artisan was even more difficult. The original had all these great, mystical art tricks. But that also gave it a terribly long write-up that felt like several Schools instead of one. By Great Clans, the Artisan had become a much more unified School, but it felt like just a dice booster with little flavor. I decided that a lot of the art-specific stuff was better used for Advanced Disciplines and Paths.

Phase 2, someday. Phase 2. Until then, here ya go!


Kakita Artisan Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Kakita Artisan

Uji/Profession: Kakita Teishin
Benefit: +1 Agility
Honor: 2
Skills: Artisan, Athletics, Calligraphy, Etiquette, Oratory, Performance
Outfit: Tanto, 2 kimono, art supplies, traveling pack, 10 koku (all Fine Quality)

Okuden
Rank 1, Hands of the Lady: Lady Doji's spirit moves your hands. When using Artisan, you gain Free Raises equal to your Discipline Rank. In addition, you gain a bonus on all Social Skill roll totals equal to your Artisan.

Rank 2, The Soul's Dream: The art you create moves and inspires the soul of the samurai. Any art you create produces additional Honor Points equal to your Discipline Rank, and you do not need an Honor of 3 to gain Honor from art. When using a Skill to create art, you gain a bonus to your Skill roll total equal to your Honor.

Rank 3, Free the Soul: With great care and effort you create art that inspires the audience to delve deep within for answers and achievement. As a Season Action, you can create a work of art capable of granting others Void Points. At the end of the Season, you make the appropriate Skill roll (TN 20). If it succeeds, you have created a Rank 1 artwork. This artwork has a tangible, fixed form, such as a painting, poem, sculpture, architecture—even a garden would qualify. The potential artwork Rank can be increased by 1 per Raise. Each Season, you can spend a Season Action—but only one per artwork—to increase the actual Rank of the artwork, but cannot increase it past its potential. When it's time to reveal the artwork, you may add the Rank of the Social Event to your artwork's Rank with a successful Artisan/Awareness roll (TN 10 x the Social Event's Rank).
Once revealed to an audience, those who view the work may make Void roll (TN 5 x the artwork's Rank) to gain Void Points equal to the artwork's Rank. These may exceed an individual's normal maximum for Void Points; the GM's Void Pool gains Void Points equal to the artwork Rank as well. However, this inspiration can only affect an individual or the GM's Void Pool once per Season; the GM may choose to forego the Void Pool bonus at any time.
While the artwork's Rank does not decrease, its benefits do. Every time an individual attempts to gain Void Points from a specific artwork, the gain is reduced by 1 Void Point.
Finally, the TN to create an artwork that creates Honor is halved from 40 to 20.

Rank 4, The Undying Name: Your art's magnificence can make or break reputations. When creating an artwork, you can make Raises to work in aspects of another's Glory or Infamy into the work. Each Raise works in an additional individual. Those included in the artwork gain Free Raises on contested Social rolls with anyone who has gained Void Points from the artwork this Season, and gain Glory or Infamy Points equal to the artwork's Rank. Alternatively, for an additional Raise you make the individuals lose Gory or Infamy Points.

Rank 5, A Gift Beyond Price: You understand the most powerful force of change in the universe is the power of art and vision. Artisan and Performance Skills are also considered Lore Skills for you. When involved a Vendetta, you can spend a Vendetta Action to give a Granted Quality to an enemy or a member of your force.

Shosuro Butei Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Shosuro Butei

Uji/Profession: Shosuro Teishin
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Honor: 1
Skills: Artisan, Athletics, Meditation, Performance, Oratory, Sincerity
Outfit: Aiguchi, kimono, 2 costumes and masks, journal, traveling pack, 4 koku

Okuden
Rank 1, A Thousand Hearts: The butei learns to hide his true feelings beneath the actor's mask. You gain a +Xk0 bonus to all Performance Skill rolls and contested Social rolls instigated by others, where X equals your Discipline Rank.

Ranks 2-4, A Thousand Masks: Your mastery of mannerisms and personality traits beyond yourself allows you to delve so deeply into a persona that you are easily mistaken for the true thing, at the risk of losing yourself. At Ranks 2, 3, and 4 you gain a new persona you have mastered intricately. A persona is an archetypical character in Hachigoku culture, a figure flexible enough to be found nearly anywhere. Playing the persona often requires you to portray someone beneath samurai status; when doing so, you are so submerged in the persona that you act outside the bounds of Bushido and Honor. You cannot benefit from it in this case, either. And other samurai might not so willingly accept your sudden “eccentricity.” And since the whole point of being deep within a persona is to enter a transitory world, you have no Glory unless provided by the persona, and any Glory Points you gain or lose are attached to the persona and vanish if you slip out of the persona.
Each persona provides you with role-appropriate clothing and equipment. You also gain a set of Skills at Ranks equal to your Discipline Rank. Using your own Skills while submerged in a persona is difficult, and becomes more difficult as you progress through the your training, imposing a -Xk0 penalty to all rolls involving Skills you posses unconnected with the persona. You can spend a Season Action to increase a number of persona Skills equal to your Discipline Rank by 1 Rank, although no such Skills may have Ranks higher than your Discipline Rank + Void. You can even flesh out the persona's “character” by adding additional Skills outside the normal set, and purchasing an Emphasis in the skill instead of raising it. Slipping in and out of a persona requires either a Meditation/Void roll (TN your Discipline Rank x 5) or spending a Void Point.
Anyone trying to see the real you through your persona when they don't already no otherwise, such as someone investigating you as a shinobi perhaps, must make a contested Investigation/Awareness or Perception roll against your Stealth (Disguise)/Awareness.

Farmer Skills: Athletics, Etiquette, Craft, Hunting, Nofujutsu, Yarijutsu. This persona can also be used to simulate an ashigaru, doshin, or servant. Your Glory is considered 0 while in this persona.

Merchant Skills: Commerce, Craft, Etiquette, Law, Sincerity, Underworld Lore. This persona can also be used to simulate a criminal or gambler. Your Glory is considered 0 while in this persona, or you may choose to have Infamy 1.

Geisha Skills: Artisan, Commerce, Etiquette, Oratory, Performance, Sincerity. This persona can also be used to simulate any artist or performer. Your Glory is considered equal to your highest persona Skill Rank, but no higher than your highest Ring.

Gakusho Skills: Choose a Gakusho Basic Discipline and gain its Discipline Skills. Of course, you do not actually gain any Discipline Okuden or Kiho, so be careful lest someone should test your abilities...

Ronin Skills: Athletics, Commerce, Hunting, Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Yarijutsu. You have a Glory of 0, or Infamy 1. You can learn Ronin Okuden if you have the appropriate profession, but it is attached to your persona and not usable at all outside of it.

Samurai Skills: Choose a Bushi, Teishin, or Shugenja Basic Discipline and gain its Discipline Skills. Of course, you do not actually gain any Discipline Okuden or spells, so be careful lest someone should test your abilities...

Rank 5: The Final Mask: You achieve a mastery over your art so complete that your performance is near perfect, and this mastery extends itself to fully-fleshed individual characters. When someone is trying to pierce through your persona and see the true you, you can spend a Void Point to automatically succeed on the contested roll with Free Raises equal to your Awareness.
Furthermore, you can now attempt to imitate specific individuals instead or archetypes. It requires personal observation to imitate a living person. After observing an individual for about a day, you can attempt to impersonate the individual by making a Performance/Awareness roll (TN 10 x the target's Insight Rank or Threat Rank). You gain a +1k0 to this roll per additional day spent observing to learn what Skills the target knows. If successful you generate a persona specific to the individual with Skills equal to your Discipline Rank at Ranks equal to your Discipline Rank, plus 1 Skill per Raise. You gain all Emphases the target possesses in that Skill, and can increase Skills or buy additional Emphases with a Season Action as normal.
Of course, you do not actually gain any Discipline Okuden or magic, so be careful lest someone should test your abilities...

Monday, August 13, 2012

Draft: Miya Teishin, Otomo Teishin, and Yasuki Teishin.

Here's the next batch. Sorry, still no Outfits.


Miya Teishin Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Miya Teishin

Uji/Profession: Miya Teishin
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Honor: 3
Skills: Athletics, Bajutsu, Calligraphy, Etiquette, Investigation, Oratory
Outfit:

Okuden
Rank 1, The Heart Speaks: Every uji in Hachigoku has its own customs; you vow to learn them all. When in the lands of an uji unfamiliar to you, you may make an Awareness/Etiquette roll (TN 20) to avoid making any cultural missteps, once per Story. After at least 2 Seasons spent in the uji's territory, you no longer risk making such cultural missteps at all. This applies only to cultural mistakes idiosynchratic to the area, not actual mistakes in traditional etiquette or political miscalculations. Furthermore, you gain Free Raises equal to your Discipline Rank on all Etiquette rolls.

Rank 2, When the Veils Move: Your life belongs to your daimyo, and is not cheaply thrown away. If a Skirmish begins or an attack roll is made against anyone in your presence, you may make an Investigation/Perception roll (TN 20). If you succeed, you put together the facts quickly and anticipate coming events, allowing you to immediately take an Action before the Skirmish begins or attack is made. You must be aware of the people and environment around you in order to take advantage of this ability.

Rank 3, The Heart Listens: Peace and loyalty to the Hantei dynasty cannot easily be denied. As long as you make no threatening moves, even taunts, no one can attack you without spending Honor Points equal to your Discipline Rank or a Void Point. If they do, they may then attack you for the rest of the Scene. Being unable to attack you does not mean they cannot restrain you, or force you into a caged area. After all, resistance would appear threatening.

Rank 4, Piercing the Veils: You may not have indomitable investigative skills like others, but you have an intuitive understanding of the human heart, including its worst inclinations. Anyone who commits acts against you that cause Honor or Glory loss for themselves (such as using Sincerity to lie to you, or using Stealth to sneak attack you unawares) increases their loss by your Honor + Discipline Rank. If they normally are immune to such losses, they still lose Honor or Glory equal to your Honor. In addition, anytime such an attempt against requires a roll, the individual has a -Xk0 penalty, where X is your Honor.

Rank 5, Voice of Emperors: The Miya were proclaimed to be the voice of the Emperor, and their legacy remains your duty. As an Action, once per Scene per target, you may make a contested Oratory/Awareness roll against another's Willpower. You assure them your cause is righteous and just, and the opponent loses Initiative Dice for the rest of the Scene equal to your Awareness. If this lowers their Initiative Dice to 0, they get no Actions until you release them from your injunction. Against Yowamushi you can make a single roll against a group no larger than your Insight Rank.


Otomo Teishin Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Otomo Teishin

Uji/Profession: Otomo Teishin
Benefit: +1 Willpower
Honor: 2
Skills: Games, Investigation, Law, Oratory, Politics, Sincerity
Outfit:

Okuden
Rank 1, Duty Before Honor: Those trained by the Otomo have a sacred duty to defend their daimyo; you have no obligation to anyone else. When making any Etiquette Skill roll, you can use your Law in place of Etiquette. You can still benefit from Etiquette Emphases according to your Law Rank. Furthermore, when using the Intimidation Emphasis of the Sincerity Skill, you can keep your Willpower, and it remains a High Skill.

Rank 2, My Master's Voice: You are required to be your daimyo's eyes and ears. When dealing with any member of your uji, you gain Free Raises equal to your Discipline Rank on all contested Social rolls, and cannot be excluded from any meetings or travels your uji samurai are involved without risking their daimyo's censure. If executing the orders of your superior, you add your Law to all Skill roll totals.

Rank 3, Dividing the Stars: You realize that the best defense is to divide the enemy. If you spend at least ten minutes speaking with someone, you can “slant the facts” to imply the most horrible outcome possible when dealing another individual. When your target and that individual interact, the other individual is considered to have the Bad Reputation Disadvantage for the rest of the Scene. If you spend a Void Point, the Bad Reputation remains for the rest of the Season. When you spend Vendetta Actions, you can spend 2 Vendetta Actions to change an enemy's Glory to Infamy or give a Holding Trouble, negating any benefits it would have given at the end of the Season.

Rank 4, Protection of the Daimyo: You have risen high in your superior's estimation, and has extended his protection to you. No member of your uji, or an uji who owes your uji fealty, may challenge you to a duel, nor attack you, nor otherwise injure you unless they have a higher Glory, the permission of your superior, the permission of a Jade Metsuke, or the permission of a Roju member. If they do so, they lose Glory equal to yours, and then gain Infamy. They may be subjected to ronin-hood, exile, seppuku, or even execution depending on the severity. When leveraging a Holding, you gain twice the normal benefits.

Rank 5, Hand of the Emperors: Your will and your superior's are one, and none is allowed to eclipse their strength. When making contested Social rolls, you may spend a Void Point to succeed automatically with Free Raises equal to your Willpower. You no longer need your superior's permission to begin a Vendetta, and you have become skilled at setting two foes against each other. If you have given Bad Reputations to two individuals, you can start a Vendetta between them at the start of a Season by spending 2 Season Actions. Others can join their forces, but the two individuals have their spies and Vendetta Actions chosen by you for the duration of this Season.


Yasuki Merchant Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Yasuki Merchant

Uji/Profession: Yasuki Teishin
Benefit: +1 Stamina
Honor: 1
Skills: Commerce, Etiquette, Investigation, Law, Nofujutsu, Sincerity
Outfit:

Okuden
Rank 1, Way of the Carp: You trust in the Great River of Koku, as Yasuki herself wrote. When making any Politics Skill roll, you can use your Commerce in place of Politics. You can still benefit from Politics Emphases according to your Commerce Rank. When making contested Social rolls, you add your Commerce to all roll totals. Finally, you lose no Honor or Glory for handling money and engaging in legal mercantile activity.

Rank 2, Following the River: Wealth does not flow towards you; you must be willing to set out on the long, weary road alongside the Great River. You can double the overland travel speed of yourself and a number of other individuals equal to your Discipline Rank x 5. If traveling through settled territory in Hachigoku, you triple your overland speed, unerringly knowing the best roads and easiest border checkpoints. Additionally, you add your Earth to your TN to be Hit and all Active Defense roll totals. Not all roads are safe. Finally, you can leverage any koku-costing holding for shelter for free.

Rank 3, Shimmering Scales: You cannot be easily fooled by gilded words or merchandise. You gain +Xk0 bonus on all contested rolls involving Awareness and Perception, where X equals your Discipline Rank. When targeted by a Vendetta, you can alter the names learned by a shinobi, be it of Holdings or people. The shinobi still learns the name of a Holding or person close to you, but you designate what person or Holding is discovered; it may be one already known, alerting the enemy to your meddling, so choose carefully. This does not reveal to whom this information is now known, but it does alert you to being targeted by a Vendetta at the end of the Season.

Rank 4, Treasures of the Carp: You know how to make the most out of your resources. Whenever you use koku to augment a Commerce roll, you double the benefit. When you leverage a Holding, you gain double the usual benefits.

Rank 5, Master of the River: Your wealth overflows, and your allies reap the benefits. You can grant the benefits of your abilities to double Holding benefits and alter information learned by shinobi in a Vendetta to a number of other individuals per Season equal to your Discipline Rank. Finally, you can spend a Void Point to automatically succeed on any Commerce roll with a TN less than your Glory x 5.



Saturday, August 11, 2012

Draft: Doji Teishin, Ikoma Teishin, and Kitsuki Teishin.


Here are the Doji, Ikoma, and Kitsuki.


Doji Teishin Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Doji Teishin

Uji/Profession: Doji Teishin
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Honor: 3
Skills: Artisan, Calligraphy, Etiquette, Oratory, Politics, Sincerity
Outfit:

Okuden
Rank 1, Soul of Honor: Cultivation of the highest precepts is the key to social grace. You add your Honor x 2 to all Social roll totals, and reduce all Honor Point losses by your Discipline Rank.

Rank 2, Whispers from the Soul: Finding harmony with your own soul gives insight into the souls of others. After ten minutes of conversation with an individual, you may spend an Honor Point to know the Honor of the individual. Once you know another's Honor, you gain Free Raises on all contested Social rolls equal to their Honor.

Rank 3, The Perfect Gift: A Doji always knows the finest gifts and favors to give, and strives for the influence necessary to procure them. You can spend a Season Action to give a Granted Advantage to another individual until the end of the season. Additionally, whenever someone in your presence gains Honor Points, you may spend an Honor Point to increase the gain by your Discipline Rank.

Rank 4, Test of Honor: It is not steel that protects one best: it is honor. Whenever a foe attempts to attack you in combat or initiate a contested Social roll, you can spend 2 Honor Points to force the foe to roll their Honor (TN 20). If they fail, your virtue overcomes them and they cannot attempt any other hostile Actions or contested rolls against you for the rest of the Scene. They can overcome this limitation by sacrificing an Honor Rank. If they have 0 Honor, or no Honor at all, they cannot be affected by this Okuden. Furthermore, Advantages you give with your Rank 3 Okuden are now permanent (unless events remove them in during the course of a Story).

Rank 5, My Lady's Grace: The grace of Doji protects you, and those around you. You can spend a Season Action to remove a Granted Disadvantage from an individual, unless they wish otherwise. When targeted by a Vendetta, or in a force targeted, you reduce the number of Vendetta Actions the enemy may take at the end of the Season by your Honor.


Ikoma Teishin Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Ikoma Teishin

Uji/Profession: Ikoma Teishin
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Honor: 2
Skills: Athletics, Battle, Etiquette, Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu, Oratory
Outfit:

Okuden
Rank 1, Taking the Measure: You survey court like a bushi surveys the terrain on a battlefield. When making any Politics Skill roll, you can use your Battle in place of Politics. You can still benefit from Politics Emphases according to your Battle Rank. When making contested Social rolls, you add your Glory to all roll totals.

Rank 2, Ikoma's Boast: The ferocity of Akodo pushes you to new heights of glory. Whenever you or anyone in your presence gains Glory Points, you can make an Oratory (Bragging)/Glory roll to increase the gain by your Discipline Rank. When in combat, those you designate as allies (individuals up to your Glory + Intelligence) add your Glory to all attack roll totals.

Rank 3, Ikoma's Cunning: The cunning of Ikoma is legendary, his quick wits turning escape to victory time and time again. Whenever you make a Social roll, you may spend a Glory Point to replace the Trait or Ring used with your Intelligence. Also, you gain a bonus to your TN to be Hit equal to your Intelligence x 2 at all times.

Rank 4, Brilliant Glory: Samurai across Hachigoku recognize the brilliance of the Ikoma and the honors they bestow on their favored. Normally, your Glory is limited by your highest Ring. Your maximum Glory is instead limited by your highest Ring + Discipline Rank. You can extend this benefit to another individual by spending a Season Action, and can “cover” a number of individuals up to your Intelligence. When anyone in your presence loses Glory Points, you may spend a Glory Point to reduce loss by your Discipline Rank.

Rank 5, Glory Is Eternal: You allow none to demean greatness. When involved in a Duel, Vendetta, or Battle, neither you nor any force you are a part of can lose Glory. When in combat, you may make Oratory (Bragging)/Glory rolls as Active Defenses.


Kitsuki Teishin Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Kitsuki Teishin

Uji/Profession: Kitsuki Teishin
Benefit: +1 Perception
Honor: 2
Skills: Etiquette, Games, Investigation, Law, Lore, Meditation
Outfit:

Foci: Investigation, Truth, anti-Trouble

Okuden
Rank 1, Kitsuki's Method: Agasha Kitsuki's reliance on his own perception versus traditional testimony lives on in you. When making any Politics Skill roll, you can use your Investigation in place of Politics. You can still benefit from Politics Emphases according to your Investigation Rank. When making contested Social rolls, you add your Perception to all roll totals.

Rank 2, Wisdom the Wind Brings: Your dogged tenacity to follow clues leads you to startling conclusions. When making Mental Trait rolls to define the setting with Bonus Effects (How do they act? What do I know? What do I see? No.), you gain Free Raises equal to your Discipline Rank. After spending ten minutes in conversation with an individual, you may make a contested Awareness roll to learn the individual's lowest Trait Rank. This can only be done once per Story, and you can learn of an additional Trait Rank per Raise.

Rank 3, Finding the Path: The world is full of false roads and dead ends, but your training keeps you on the right path. You may spend a Void Point when making a Discipline Skill roll to automatically succeed with no Raises, except for Free Raises. You cannot do this if it is a contested roll. If your enemy in a Vendetta has Infamy, you gain additional spies equal to your Discipline Rank.

Rank 4, Know the Rhythm of the Heart: It is almost impossible to lie to you. You can now succeed automatically on Discipline Skill rolls even if they are contested rolls, with no Raises except Free Raises, by spending a Void Point. In addition, if involved in a Vendetta you gain reverse spies equal to your Discipline Rank.

Rank 5, Eyes Betray the Heart: Your keen eyes wither the strongest resolve. Whenever someone attempts to lie to you or mislead you in person, you instantly know. This doesn't tell you the truth, but it does let you know what is false, and the reason why Agasha Kitsuki is infamous for sticking to “yes or no” questions. Further, if an individual fails a contested roll against you and spent a Void Point doing so, you gain the Void Point.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Draft: The Asako Teishin and the Bayushi Teishin.

Alright, here's the first two Teishin Basic Disciplines with Okuden and everything (except for Outfit, unfortunately; I'll probably do that last for everyone): the Asako Teishin and Bayushi Teishin.



Asako Teishin Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Asako Teishin

Uji/Profession: Asako Teishin
Benefit: +1 to any Mental Trait
Honor: 3
Skills: Calligraphy, Etiquette, Law, Lore, Medicine, Oratory
Outfit:

Okuden
Rank 1, Temple of the Soul: A thirst for learning fortifies the soul. When making any contested Social Skill roll, you can spend a Void Point to use your highest Lore Skill in place of whatever Skill is normally called for. In addition, you gain Free Raises equal to your Discipline Rank on all Lore Skill rolls.

Rank 2, From the Ashes: The great books of Hachigoku offer myriad paths to renewal. Whenever you lose Honor or Glory, you can lower the loss by rolling Lore/Void. If the loss is only of Honor or Glory Points, the TN is 5 x the loss. If the loss is one of Ranks, the TN is 20 x the loss. By spending a Void Point, you can attempt to mitigate the loss of another individual as well.

Rank 3, Wisdom of the Ages: Your deep study into philosophy grants you keen insight. You gain an additional Season Action every Season that can only be spent to increase your Mental Trait Ranks or Lore Skills. Alternatively, you can spend this Season Action to increase the Mental Trait Ranks of someone close to you, such as a superior, direct subordinate, Wa comrade, immediate family member, or Lover.

Rank 4, Voice of the Universe: The ebb and flow of universal harmony protects you, and those who heed your advice. After conversing with an individual for ten minutes, offering advice, historical examples, and metaphysical arguments, you grant the individual a bonus on all Social Skill roll totals equal to your highest Lore Skill. Additionally, you always know if you are being targeted (even if only by association) by a Vendetta.

Rank 5, Invincible Mind: Your innermost thoughts are locked in a fortress, and you can sense kindred seekers of wisdom. When anyone attempts to use a Social Skill roll or magic to make you reveal information you would rather not (including any attempt to “read” a Trait, Skill, Quality, or similar statistic), you can spend a Void Point to automatically make the attempt fail. Also, after spending at least an hour in an individual's presence, you can spend a Void Point to know all Lore Skills and Emphases the individual knows, and their Ranks.


Bayushi Teishin Gakuen


Basic Discipline: Bayushi Teishin

Uji/Profession: Bayushi Teishin
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Honor: 1
Skills: Etiquette, Investigation, Oratory, Sincerity, Tantojutsu, Underworld Lore
Outfit:

Okuden
Rank 1, Masks Become Truth: People believe illusions quicker than they do truth. When making any Politics roll, you can use your Sincerity in place of Politics. You can still benefit from Politics Emphases according to your Politics Rank. Also, whenever you cause an individual to lose Honor Points, you increase the loss by your Discipline Rank.

Rank 2, Shallow Waters: You can see what others hide beneath the surface. After spending at least ten minutes in conversation with an individual, you can make a contested Intelligence roll against them to learn of any Disadvantages they posses that are not obvious or well-known. You learn of a Minor Disadvantage first, chosen by the GM. With each Raise, you learn an additional Disadvantage. You cannot attempt to learn more until the next Scene. For each Disadvantage you know an individual possesses, you gain a Free Raise on all contested Social rolls against the individual.

Rank 3, The Poisoned Gift: The tradition of gift-giving is a deadly weapon in your hands. When involved in a Vendetta, you can spend a Vendetta Action to give the enemy a Granted Disadvantage. You cannot give an enemy the same Disadvantage twice, and any given Disadvantage disappears at the end of the following Season. Also, whenever someone in your presence loses Glory Points, you can increase the loss by your Discipline Rank with a contested Sincerity/Intelligence roll against the target's Awareness.

Rank 4, Scrutiny's Sweet Sting: The Scorpion, tradition says, gives and takes in equal measure with a bitter sense of justice. When involved in a Vendetta, you can spend a Vendetta Action to remove a Granted Advantage from the enemy for the following Season. Your quick tongue can likewise remove the thrill of adhering to Bushidio. You may make an Oratory/Awareness roll whenever someone in your presence earns Glory or Honor Points to negate the gain, with a TN 10 x the Honor Rank of the target.

Rank 5, Bayushi's Mask: You swim in the waters of deceit without detection. You lose no Honor when involved in a Vendetta, or when taking any action directly against a Vendetta enemy. Further, any Advantage you remove with a Vendetta Action is lost permanently. Finally, when making a Sincerity roll you succeed automatically, with no Raises except Free Raises. If it is a contested roll, you must spend a Void Point to succeed automatically.