Rules Summary

Shinobigami and the Six Clans
The Shinobigami are legendary figures among ninja, said to be the progenitors of magic and martial arts. Although the veracity of their existence is disputed, six relics that were said to be left behind by these Shinobigami exist. The Bloodline of Oni attempted to use these relics for a ritual, attempting to learn the secret art Tenjo Tenge, "Everything from Heaven and Earth", a power that could grant any wish. However, these six relics disappeared without a trace before the ritual, and since then, ninja have been working tirelessly to find these relics so that they may learn the art of granting wishes.

As a ninja, you start as a member of one out of six ninja clans. Each of the six clans has their own specialties and goals, often finding themselves butting heads with the other clans.

Cover and Conviction
As a ninja, you keep your identity a secret from the public, wearing a mask around the ordinary. As such, you have a cover that you use in daily life (ex. student, mechanic, lawyer, poet, etc.).

A ninja's conviction is a basic reflection of their personality. They help guide actions and words if the player is unsure about how their character would act in a certain situation. Five are provided below, but if you have a firm grasp of your character's personality, then go with that instead.

Skills
Skills are techniques that ninja hone over generations. They're divided into six categories (Technology, Martial Arts, Stealth, Scheming, Strategy, Sorcery), with each clan specializing in a category. Pick three skills from your clan's category, and three from any other categories. It's generally good to spread out skills somewhat.To make a skill check, you see what kind of skill you need for the challenge, and roll 2d6. If it's a skill you have, then the TN is 5. If it's not, then hop boxes (including those gaps between categories) from one of your skills until you reach the skill you need. Then add the number of boxes you hopped to the TN. So if you have to roll Climbing, and your closest skill is Footwork, you have to hop 4 boxes. This makes the TN for that check 9.

The gaps on the sides of your main category are filled in, so you don't have to count those when you go across categories. Using the previous example, if your main category was Martial Arts, then you'd only have to jump 3 spaces, making the TN 8. The table does not loop around from top to bottom, or from Technology to Sorcery.

If you roll a 12, that's a Critical. Critical are instant successes. If you roll a Critical, you can recover a Life Point, or remove a status ailment from yourself.

If you roll a Fumble, you automatically fail the check. You also get a random negative effect on the table below. Fumbles are 2s in Drama Scenes, and is determined by Plot (more on this later) in Combat Scenes.

Ninpo
Ninpo are mysterious ninja moves honed over centuries. In game, they have special effects when used. In combat, they're used to attack or support. To use a Ninpo (except Equip Ninpo, which are always active), you must roll a skill check using the skill assigned to the Ninpo. If the Ninpo has an assigned skill of "Any", you should assign a skill to the Ninpo when you pick it from the list. Range and Cost will be explained in the Combat section. Just know for now that they determine how far the Ninpo can reach, and how fast you have to be to use it, respectively.

Every ninja starts with the Close Combat Attack Ninpo, and picks four other Ninpo from the lists. The Ninpo that are in Clan Ninpo lists are exclusive to those who are a part of those clan. Unless the Ninpo has a * next to it, you can only take one copy of a Ninpo.

We won't be using virtues or flaws for this game. Ninja gear is described in the pdf in the discord.

Cycles
The game works in cycles, where each person takes a turn being a Scene Player, narrating a scene. For this game, we'll be using the standard three cycles, meaning each person gets to be a Scene Player three times.

Introduction
Each player briefly narrates a scene, introducing their character. At this time, players should write down the names of each of the other players' character. Introduction does not count as one of the three main cycles.

After the Introduction Phase, I'll hand out missions and secrets.

Missions are tasks that the clan give you to complete. These are public knowledge. Complete it by the end of the session, and you get a merit point, which is used for advancement.

Secrets are tasks that the character pursues, usually perpendicularly to the mission. These are private, and shouldn't be shared willingly. Complete it by the end of the session, and you get three merit points.

Main Cycles
Each player takes a turn being a Scene Player. They can choose to play a Drama Scene, or a Combat Scene.

Drama Scene
A Drama Scene is a narrative scene that depicts interaction between characters. When playing a Drama Scene, the Scene Player lays out when and where the scene is taking place, and any characters that are participating in this scene. They can choose any characters, player characters or NPC, with permission from their respective owners. The scene then plays out.

Sometime during the Drama Scene, the Scene Player must make a skill check once during the scene using a skill of their choice to gain one of the following:During a Drama scene, characters can choose to trade Ninja Gear or Information with others, no roll required. However, a character may not reveal their own Secret.

Combat Scene
To initiate a Combat Scene, the Scene Player must know the Location of the character they are trying to attack. They then start the combat scene, and anybody with Emobonds with the participants can choose to enter the fight.

Each round, you choose a number from 1 - 6, keeping it secret until everyone has chosen a number. You then reveal it. This is the Plot Value, which decides a number of things.

First of all, it determines who goes first, with highest numbers going first. Same numbers are simultaneously occurring.

Secondly, it determines your Fumble Value, with it being equal to the Plot Value you chose. Should you roll a fumble, you fail on all skill checks for this round.

Thirdly, it determines Range and Cost of your Ninpo. Range is what Plot Values you can hit with a Ninpo. A Ninpo with 2 range can hit targets within 2 numbers of your Plot Value. Cost is whether or not you can use a Ninpo. You can only use Ninpo if you have enough Plot Value for the cost. If you chose a Plot Value of 3, and use a Ninpo with Cost 2, then you can only use another Ninpo if it costs 1 or less.

You can choose to use one Attack Ninpo and any number of Support Ninpo per round. Each Ninpo can only be used once per round.

To dodge an attack, you roll a skill check either using whatever skill is assigned to the Attack Ninpo. You can also choose to use the Escape skill, but on success, you withdraw from battle.

If you are not part of a combat scene, you can still participate by giving either a +1 or -1 modifier to a roll, similar to an Emobond minus the relationship requirement. Describe how the bonus or penalty came to occur.

If you are dealt any Life Point damage, you are taken out of the fight. Combat ends when there are no participants left, either through damage or voluntary withdrawal.

If you are the winner of a combat scene, you pick one of the losing characters, and pick a reward.

Damage
There are three types of Damage.

When you take Close Combat damage, you randomly choose a category to mark the Life Point off of. If the category chosen is already damaged, you can choose which category takes the damage. On a Critical, the attacker deals 1d6 Close Combat damage. If the category chosen for damage is already damaged, that point damage has no effect.

When you take Ranged Combat damage, you choose which category to mark the Life Point off of. On a Critical, the attacker deals 1d6 ranged combat damage.

When you take Mob Combat damage, you take a random status ailment. On a Critical, the attacker gets to choose which status ailment to inflict.

If you lose all of your life points, you are unable to take any actions. When the next scene starts, you may recover one Life Point.

Climax Phase
After all the Main Cycles are over, or all secrets have been revealed, the Climax Phase begins. It's essentially a Combat Phase, with a few major differences. First of all, every player participates in the battle. Second of all, to knock someone out of the fight now requires them to lose all life points, instead of just one. Thirdly, the Escape Check is not allowed.

Fourthly, characters can take advantage of a flashback once during the Climax Phase by revealing their secret, and role playing a related flashback. After doing so, they can take either a +3 bonus to a skill check, or adds one Close Combat damage to their attack.

Battlefield
Before the Combat takes place, the Scene Player can choose to roll on the table below for a battlefield, or choose one that is immediately appropriate. This is optional.

Ohgi
Ohgi are extremely powerful special moves, to be used sparingly as trump cards. Each Ohgi may be used during a Drama Scene only once per Cycle, and during a Combat Scene only once per round.

If the Ohgi has not been revealed to anyone, then the Ohgi does not require a skill check to use. If it has been revealed to anyone, and they are in the scene when the Ohgi is being used, they can choose to attempt an Ohgi Break, making skill check with the Ougi's assigned skill. On success, the Ohgi has no effect.

Merit Points
After the scenario is over, characters can earn Merit for fulfilling the conditions below. More on spending Merit to come later.